A wise pony once told me that we all want to change the world. But what if the world you live in is perfect, filled with love, peace, and harmony. Most ponies accept this and move on with their lives, not knowing there are those of us who influence their world from the shadows. But if they could see the high price of their peace, it would surely shatter the fisheye lens they see their world through. Yet we still exist... the monsters you made, your protectors, your dirty secret… We are the Wardens.
The sun was just peaking over the city of Canterlot, spreading its warm rays and bidding ponies to start their day. However, a certain lunar princess was less than happy about the demise of her sleep due to an errant beam of sunlight.
“One wouldst think our sister enjoys ruining other ponies sleep.” Luna mumbled to herself as she rolled out of bed and shuffled to her drapes to close them further. As she reached her midnight blue hoof up to the drapes drawstring, a sudden rapping came from her chamber door. ‘A visitor at this hour surely this is a jest,’ Luna thought to herself and brushing it off as a figment of a sleep addled mind, she returned to blocking out her elder sisters solar orb only to hear the rapping once again, though this time it was much louder.
“Twould seem fate would like us to stay apart, sir sleep.” Having voiced her complaint, Luna trotted over to the door and using her magic, flung it open only to have the solar guard on the other side come tumbling in snout first as his hoof found empty air.
“Would thou like to explain why our sleep was interrupted.” Luna commanded of the guard who was sitting on his haunches and rubbing his muzzle with a hoof. Rising to all fours he offered a salute before speaking.
“Forgive me for my intrusion, milady, but Princess Celestia has requested your presence immediately on matters of the utmost importance.”
With an annoyed snort and a flash, Luna was gone, leaving a fully embarrassed guard to the rest of his duties.
A flash of white light signaled Luna’s arrival to her sisters chamber and the beginning of her triad about her interrupted sleep.
“Dear sister thou do know we are awake for all of the night yes… Then why did your sun see it wise to wake us mere hours after we had fallen into a blissful slumber.” Luna was about to continue when she noticed the two other alicorns standing in the room, both of whom she recognized.
“Cadence, Twilight, what are thou’st doing here.” Luna looked at both alicorns with confusion.
“I summoned them both here just as I summoned you my dear sister.” It was princess Celestia who broke the silence first.
“Now I am sure you are all wondering why I have called you all here,” Receiving only nods, Celestia continued, “It has come to my attention that the Diamond Dogs have been harassing the Buffalo tribes for weeks. Now while this would seem like a purely un-equestrian matter, there have also been reports of attempted foalnappings on the outskirts of Appleloosa.”
This time it was Twilight who decided to speak “But don't the Diamond Dogs try to foalnap a pony every week or so.”
“You would be right, my dear student, but the way they are trying and succeeding in the Buffalo tribes case is what is most troubling. I have not seen this type of organisation since-. “
“King Artemis.” Luna finished for her elder sibling.
“That is why I have called a meeting of all the major leaders, the delegation will start in three hours so prep yourselves and do what you need to do, for I fear we are in for the long haul.”
With that, all four Alicorns went their separate ways.
Artemis, now there’s a name I have not heard in a millenium, I do miss his parties and his tactical genius. Still, if the Diamond Dogs have a leader half as skilled as Artemis was then we could be looking at a full scale war and no land would be exempt from their greed for slaves and gems. Luna thought to herself as she marched down the dimly lit underground corridor that led from the castle deep into Canterlot mountain.
Still, should I place the Wardens on stand by? It has been a year since they last saw any real conflict, and even then I used them to guard the vault of artifacts, something the Changelings were not after. Reaching the end of the corridor, Luna came to a large iron door with a draconic eye within a shield engraved into its surface. It had been polished to a mirror-like sheen, reflecting the blue torch light of the corridor and throwing odd shadows about, making it feel as it the darkness itself was alive.
At the bottom near the center was a single imprint in the shape of a hoof and placing her right hoof accordingly, Luna watched as the door glowed a dark midnight blue then released a soft click and swung open. Trotting in, Luna was confronted by a small circular room barely big enough to fit six ponies. In the middle of the room was a small pedestal no higher than a newborn foal could stand. Placing her hoof on the pedestal and pressing down caused it to disappear into the floor followed shortly after by the sound of gears whirring as the floor began to descend into the mountain .
It felt like Luna had been descending for eternity before the dark rock walls gave way to the most beautiful grand cavern Luna had ever laid eyes on. No matter how many times she had been down here, it had never failed to take her breath away; how the quartz glowed like the stars against the obsidian walls or how the slate gray sand of the floor mimicked her beloved moon.
But now was not the time for sightseeing; she had her Wardens to find...