Twilight had boarded the train soon after talking with her parents and sat in the last car by herself, she brought a book that had Equestria’s history in it and thought about what Luna wanted to talk about. “I wonder if it also about Princess Celestia to?” She asked herself aloud as the train started moving. She put her book down after a few minutes and looked out the window and saw the castle looking the same as she had always remembered it. The same waterfall, the same towers and the same walls surrounding the massive city.
Her thoughts then drifted to when she first went to Canterlot to see Princess Celestia rise the sun for the Summer Sun Celebration, then later when she was given the exam to grant her entry to Celestia’s School for Gifted Unicorns and from there she had stayed in Canterlot for years until she was sent to Ponyville for preparations for the Summer Sun Celebration that was held in Ponyville that year. But unfortunately that was the same day that Nightmare Moon, or the Mare in the Moon was to be freed from the moon and shroud the world in eternal night.
Soon the train glided to a stop and then the doors across from her. She stood up and walked outside the car and looked up to the palace and started walking toward the entrance. She passed by many high classed ponies, she even thought that she saw Fancy Pants and Fluer De Lis. She nodded to them and they returned her nod and continued on their way.
She continued on her way and soon found herself at the gates that were guarded by the Royal Guard, as she approached they relaxed a little. She walked past them the large doors opened and she was greeted by a cool breeze and Princess Luna. Twilight bowed then stood back up and Luna nodded. “Come with me Twilight.”
Twilight followed Princess Luna as they walked through the palace. When others saw Princess Luna they bowed until she walked by regardless of what they were doing. They walked through the palace for minutes before they arrived at Luna’s room. Luna’s horn started glowing and the door took the same aura and then was opened without as much as a twitch of Luna’s muscles. When the door was opened Luna stepped inside and Twilight followed and once she was inside, the door closed and the aura disappeared. Luna walked to a table that had the book on it and she sat on the far side of the bed while Twilight took the seat across from her.
“Twilight Sparkle,” Luna began. “This book holds some secrets that have never been seen by the eyes of others for centuries. The book is about a war that happened one millennia before the events that you are aware of. The creation of Nightmare Moon, the war, and Discords rise and fall in that time,” Luna paused letting what she said sink in.
“Wait so, there is a part of history that nopony is even aware of?” Twilight asked looking at the book in fear and awe.
“Well Celestia and I placed a spell, one so powerful that it even affected us. A memory spell that erased the memories of everypony who survived the war and even against the enemies that faced us. It wasn’t until Nightmare Moon very recently started breaking through the spell I had placed to keep her under control, that I remembered the book that a soldier had written during the war.”
“Soldier? What is that?” Twilight asked tempted to start reading the book like she would just about any other book, but she reframed.
“Soldiers are those that fight on the front lines and from behind enemy lines. There were many that wanted to keep Equestria safe for their families and their future family. Mind you Twilight, that this was long before Celestia gave the Apple family the land for their farm. There was a battle on that land but not much blood was shed there. Twilight, please understand that the war that did take place that if Celestia and I hadn’t acted, wouldn’t be as it is today; but under the rule of the griffons and Celestia and I would most likely be either dead or the griffon king’s slave.”
Twilight looked at Princess Luna shocked and then to the book, now afraid to read what the soldier had written down in its pages. “Princess, the griffon kingdom, why did they attack Equestria? What could have caused the war?”
“Well that will be answered in the journal, but Twilight,” Luna paused. “The Equestria of today is because my sister and I were willing to do what had to be done to save this country.” The book and Luna’s horn started glowing a really bright blue and then the book opened to the first page with a date that couldn’t be read. Though Luna knew the date quite well. “Twilight, the soldier who’s journal used to belong to, he was a student of mine and my sisters for a few years, we had him keep a journal to record his studies but soon it became a first-hoof account of the horror of war.” The letters were faded but they could still be read if you looked close enough.
June 23, 400 A.C.
Today had to be the saddest day of my life, my father was in the hospital with something wrong with his legs. My mother was in with him when a pony who was delivering news about what was happening around Equestria, I overheard an attack on Las Pegasus by the gryphons. I sat closer since he was trying to be quiet about it but the news spread like wildfire. Soon the room I was sitting in was filled with ponies trying to get out of the doors to get home however, I sat where I was petrified with fear. I had a friend in Las Pegasus that had gone there for a vacation and now he could be in danger or worse dead. I sprang to my hooves and rushed to the counter, and I had the receptionist let my mother know I was heading to Canterlot to meet with my mentors.
Twilight looked up from the entry and to Princess Luna. “Your old student lived in Ponyville? And what caused them to attack Los Pegasus?”
“That and many questions as to why they attacked there first are still a mystery to my sister and I. But yes my sister and I did have a student that we both taught in fact; he was a lot like you Twilight. Though Celestia didn’t think he could achieve what you can do, I thought differently. I taught him much more advanced magic than you have been taught but, he wasn’t an Element of Harmony like you. Still I had high hopes for him.” Luna explained looking at the pages sadly. “And the griffon attack on Las Pegasus was supposed to catch us while we would least expect an attack, especially since there wasn’t any defense around the city. When it happened; sister and I were young, younger than we are now by far.”
Twilight looked at the journal and then back up to meet Luna’s eyes. “So what happened during your meeting with him?”
Luna looked down and then finally met her eyes. “Well, it took a while for us to meet because of our generals wanting to talk about plans to attack the Griffon kingdom. But when we did talk,” She paused looking down at her hooves. “It didn’t go like he hoped.”
Twilight looked down at the journal again and started reading the next log.
June 23, 400 A.C.
After speaking with Princess Luna and Princess Celestia, I have to think about my next choice carefully because it will affect my life so much; wither I fight with the Royal army and help defeat the griffons or stay out of this and hope for the best. Celestia said that my magical ability with magic would help greatly with the war but Luna says I might not be ready for what war will cause me but I want to think that Celestia is right; that I may just make the difference between victory and defeat. I will speak with Princess Luna and Celestia once more before I make my choice, though I think that no matter what I will fight. I just hope that I have made the right choice.
Twilight lifted a hoof to her cheek and felt a tear slide down and nearly drop onto the page. “So did he ever tell his parents about his choice or did he let them worry?”
Luna looked into Twilight’s eyes and nodded. “He did tell his parents his choice to talk with us once more before making his choice but he made his mind up, thinking that his abilities with magic would help turn the tides, though I wish he would have reconsidered.”
“You mean?”
“Yes Twilight, he spoke with us once more before announcing that he would help us during the war. I once more tried to talk him out of it saying that it would be nothing like he had ever seen or would want to experience in his life. However, he was determined to become part of the war,” Luna said a tear sliding down her cheek. “Twilight, it really pains me that he fought in the war, even though he did turn the tides. Even though that war is a distant memory, I still remember how determined he was to show us he was ready.”
Twilight looked down to the journal and a tear dripped from her eye onto one of the pages. “So,” Twilight started sadly. “Did he have anyone he loved?”
“Well,” Luna began after sitting still for a moment. “He had somepony who was interested but he never took her hints. I guess he thought his studies were more important, though we told him he could still find that special somepony that he could fall for.” She sighed sadly looking at the book. “Twilight, you have to really know about what happened during the war, and the best way is to see it first hand,” Luna said her horn glowing brightly, and the pages of the books starting to glow brightly as well and soon Twilight felt herself being pulled toward the book the air pulling at her lick branches in the night sky.
“Princess…” Twilight tried to speak but her voice was quiet against the gale winds pulling her to the book and soon she was flying to the pages bracing herself expecting to land face first against the book only to slowly see blackness over take her eyes leaving her blind.
Once she opened her eyes she saw that she was transparent and tried to cast a spell only that her horn didn’t even glow. “What’s going on? What did Princess Luna do?”
“I can tell you Twilight,” Luna says walking up behind her slowly wings folded to her sides. “I am letting you see first hoof what he had to go through. Though I must tell you; there will be thing’s here that you cannot un-see once you see them, understood?”
Twilight nodded and saw a unicorn run past her and she started running after him. “Who is he?”
Luna answered from above using her wings to easily keep up with them. “That is our former student, his name; Night Blade.”
“Night Blade?” Twilight asks running behind him noticing that they were in the castle. Then gasps as he pushes open the large doors of the throne room with no visible effort with his magic.
“Princess Luna, Princess Celestia!” He called out rushing up to the two on their thrones speaking with generals about a course of action.
“Night Blade?” Luna asked looking as their student approached them ignoring their generals.
“Princess Luna I need to speak with you now!” He says urgently as one of the generals try and speak with him and push him away.
“Both Princesses need to be present for this Night Blade. I don’t care if you’re their student or not you have to leave now!” The lead general says standing in front of him cutting off his view of the princess’s.
Night Blade stared at the general before his horn flared to life with magic and pushed the general back into his seat and held him firmly to the chair. “You’ll not be telling me what to do General, they are my teachers and I have the right to speak with them when I need to,” He said softly to him still fairly calm before Luna walked up to him and placed a hoof on his chest before her own horn flared to life and blocked his spell letting the general sit in his chair startled, his wings shuffling nervously.
“There’s no need to fight amongst each other now Night Blade, I’ll speak with you in private. Sister I’ll be back soon,” Luna says leading Night Blade out of the throne room to a smaller chamber a couple rooms away from the throne room. “What is it my student?” Luna asks calmly closing the door behind her as they step inside.
“What happened? First thing I’m aware of I’m waiting at the hospital for my dad and then I hear news that Las Pegasus what attacked by gryphons.” Night Blade says still worried about what’s happening.
“We are meeting with the generals to figure out the best options to quell this but nothing they are suggesting is going to end it quickly. It’ll involve lots of blood being shed before it’ll all be over,” Luna says softly trying to calm him down.
“Princess my friend was in Las Pegasus I can’t just sit here while he’s either tortured or killed! I have to do something…” He says suddenly out of energy and sits down before panting slowly. “I can’t just sit idly anymore.”
“Listen to my voice Night Blade, and listen well; consider your options carefully. One you’ll find peace and the other you may only find yourself either dead or completely empty; void of everything that makes you who you are now,” She says in a soft voice to him as his breathing slowed to a calm pace.
“Princess, I need to speak with my parents, then I can make my choice,” He says looking up from the ground to his mentor.
“Then please speak with them. Maybe they have the answers you need,” Luna says before walking up to him and hugs him close with her wings making him coo softly with the hug.
“I’ll be back as soon as I can Princess,” Night Blade says softly hugging her back with his hooves nuzzling into her blue fur before pulling back slowly. “I won’t be long.”
“Take your time Night Blade, we’ll see you when you get back,” She says smiling at him hoping to deter his decision.
The Present Princess Luna and Twilight Sparkle watched the scene unfold before suddenly their vision was filled with light then they were back in Luna’s room.
“Princess? How did we-?” Twilight starts before Luna raises a hoof slowly.
“That’s a spell he created; it recorded everything that was around him, who was there and importantly what was said. Though I’ve never managed to find out how he did it,” Luna admits.
“So why did he choose to fight?” She asked still curious about his choice.
“I’ll explain tomorrow, it’s almost time for me to raise the moon and you need sleep,” Luna says trying not to overwhelm her sister’s student.
“But I still have so-“ Twilight stops again as Luna raises her hoof to forestall Twilight.
“I know you have many questions Twilight but you have to do this in bits and pieces otherwise you may lose who you are,” She says softly before placing a marker in the journal and then closes it as some dust flies from the cover and inner pages.
“Alright Princess Luna, I guess I’ll see you tomorrow?” She asks glancing at the journal.
“Good night Twilight,” Luna says opening her bedroom door with her magic to let Twilight go the her room in the castle.