//------------------------------// // The Challenger // Story: Dominus Nox // by Golfmann14 //------------------------------//         Sunset awoke to the dreadful shrillness of the morning army bugle, his eyes snapping open as the men of the 21st Equestrian Cadet Guard awoke. Groaning softly, he climbed out of the warm embrace of his bedroll and into the dim, chilly sunrise. The tent city, basked in the radiance of the early sunrise, sprang to life as the residents made their preparations for their first day of basic training. Yesterday was brutal. Sunset thought, rubbing his eyes. He plodded sluggishly through the damp morning grass, making his way to the mess tent where the line for food had already formed. Still half-asleep, Sunset listened to some of the recruits conversations.         “And so I said to the guy, those ain’t my mares!”                  With that, the group in front of him bellowed with laughter. Rolling his eyes, Sunset took an inventory of the camp. It was comprised of many identical army-green tents emblazoned with the Equestrian Guard insignia: a shield encompassing both the day and the night with the crescent moon in the blazing sun.         Even though he was completely exhausted, and his mind was foggy, Sunset couldn’t help but remember the one thing that had haunted his mind all night: the black figure. It’s nothing. You were just tired and seeing things.  He told himself. I’m just being paranoid. He pushed the thoughts from his mind as the Drill Sergeant emerged from his lavish tent, marching authoritatively towards the gathering recruits.         “ATTENTION LADIES! I HOPE YOU GOT EVERY OUNCE OF SHUT-EYE YOU COULD MANAGE BECAUSE NOW THE REAL TRAINING BEGINS! I’D LIKE TO START BY SAYING THAT THERE IS NO RACIAL BIGOTRY IN THIS GUARD! YOU ARE ALL EQUALLY WORTHLESS TO ME AND YOU ALL WILL BE TREATED AS LIVESTOCK! IS THAT CLEAR?” “SIR, YES SIR!”         “NOW, ANY CONTRABAND YOU MAY HAVE BROUGHT ALONG WITH YOU IS FORFEIT. THIS INCLUDES WEAPONS, FOOD, AND CIVILIAN CLOTHING. PLACE THEM IN A PILE IN FRONT OF ME.  IF ANY OF YOU FILLIES WANT TO KEEP YOUR TOYS, PROVE THAT YOU ARE A SOLDIER! HIT ME ONCE IN A HAND-TO-HAND DUEL AND YOU CAN RECLAIM YOUR BELONGINGS AT ANY TIME! OTHERWISE, THEY WILL BE RETURNED TO YOU WHEN AND IF YOU GRADUATE FROM THIS ACADEMY. ANY TAKERS? NO? GOOD! MOVING ON--”         A mare’s confident voice rang out, “I will challenge you, I ‘ave no equal!” Her voice seemed broken, like this was her second language. Sunset strained his neck to see who had called out. His eyes were drawn to a light purple mare pushing her way through the crowd towards the Drill Sergeant.         Another voice piped up, “Hey I know who that is! That’s Lavender Blade! She’s the renown duelist from Canterlot!”         “WELL WELL WELL, I BET YOU THINK YOU’RE HOT STUFF! COME AT ME THEN, SHOW ME WHAT YOU CAN DO!”         The recruits, hearing the uproaring challenge, gathered around the two and formed a large circle in the slick grass. The stage was set for the duel as the challengers took to their respective sides.          “Stand ready!” Lavender Blade cried out. She lunged at the Drill Sergeant, narrowly missing him. She lunged once more, missing again. The Drill Sergeant caught her out of position and now it was his turn to be on the offensive. He let out a great battle cry and swung at her with his muscular hooves. His assault was relentless, and Lavender Blade could barely hold him off. Finally she found an opening and ducked through one of his punches and spun around behind him. She saw her chance and took it, throwing a well aimed punch for his right flank. The Drill Sergeant, to her dismay, was too quick. Lavender recovered from the miss and continued her attack. She delivered punch after punch. It was a spectacle to see. Her hooves seemed to move like bullets, flying back and forth. The recruits surrounding the pair began chanting and cheering the two on. This drew the attention of several passersby who stopped to watch the scene. The Drill Sergeant blocked every one of her blows as it came. Interrupting her rhythm,  he tried to return one. However, Lavender had an uncanny knack for not being there when he lashed out. It looked as if she was waltzing across the ground. Then, in one final burst of speed, Lavender threw punches on all sides, darting from one angle to the next. She was slowing, however. Noting this, the Drill Sergeant blocked one after another with an eerie expression of calm set upon his face. It was then Lavender lost her footing in the damp morning grass, and faltered. She could only watch as the Sergeant's incoming foot from swept her legs out from under her. She fell with a heavy ‘WOMPH’; the cheering crowd grew silent. Rising out of his battle pose, the Drill Sergeant’s bellowing voice rang out. “IT’S TRUE, YOU HAVE NO EQUAL. NOBODY IS AS BAD AS YOU! NOW, ANY MORE CHALLENGERS? ANYONE AT ALL? I’M NOT READY TO BE DONE YET, THANKS TO LITTLE MISS DUELIST.” Whimpering at her damaged pride, Lavender got up slowly and exited the makeshift arena.The Drill Sergeant scanned the group, looking for a target. “YOU!”, he bellowed, “IT’S YOUR TURN!” Everyone cleared a path for the pony he pointed at, Sunset Aegis. Sunset Aegis put on his most confident face, even though he was terrified inside. I hope this works. “Sir, if you’re going to call me forward to fight you even though I didn’t volunteer, I ask that we fight on my terms, like soldiers sir.” He said, calmly, using every acting skill he had to sound confident. The Drill Sergeant thought for a moment, then replied. “IF YOU MEAN WHAT I THINK YOU MEAN THEN I ACCEPT, NOT LIKE A WEAPON WILL DO YOU ANY GOOD. NOW GIMME YOUR BEST SHOT!” The two combatants drew their respective weapons. Sunset wrapped his magic around the hilt of his father’s shortsword, and unsheathed it.  The memories of his father putting him through rigorous swordplay exercises came flooding back, as his instincts took over and the jeering crowd melted away around them.The Drill Sergeant, drawing his guard’s knife, decided to take the offensive and charge Sunset. Caught off guard, he parried the blow and countered with one of his own. The pair continued to gauge each other’s tactics, delivering and parrying blow after blow. Suddenly,  the Drill Sergeant gave a sweep kick, attempting to knock Sunset down. He jumped, narrowly avoiding the blow and swiped at his Sergeant. To Sunset’s dismay, the grass was still slick with morning dew, making him falter upon landing. Not wasting a moment, the Drill Sergeant came at him with much fervor. Rolling out of the way of the barrelling sarge, Sunset avoided the attack, but the Drill Sergeant’s titanic blows came for him once more.  The spectators could almost feel the heat of the clanging metal as they connected over and over. With each swing, the sounds of battle rang through the camp. Losing ground, Sunset Aegis switched from his dwindling magic to a mouth grip on his sword. Armed with a different style, he parried a blow from the Drill Sergeant and gave a mighty swing. The Drill Sergeant, not seeing it coming in time, ducked. When he recovered to his full height, he noticed a piece of his hat fluttering to the ground. “LOOKS LIKE YOU HAVE SOME SKILL WITH THAT TWIG MAGGOT! BEINGS AS YOU RUINED MY HAT, ALL YOU’LL BE KEEPING IS THAT SWORD. I MADE A FRIEND TODAY, A VERY SPECIAL FRIEND. WHATEVER THE REST OF THE RECRUITS DO, YOU WILL DO DOUBLE! NOW LET’S PUT YOU INTO TRAINING SQUADS! SEPARATE INTO THREE GROUPS: UNICORNS, PEGASI, AND EARTH PONIES.” Sunset Aegis moved to the unicorn group, wanting to collapse. I can’t believe it. I didn’t even hit him! I only nicked his hat. Wow he’s good. Sunset tried to keep to himself, he already drew too much attention now as it was. There were about seventy recruits total, a very small number in his own unicorn group. Glancing around, it appeared as though the pegasi were second in members to the earth ponies, and unicorns were of course last in number. Once everypony was in their respective groups, the Drill Sergeant shouted, “WHEN I CALL YOUR NAME, STEP FORWARD. EVERY FIVE NAMES CALLED WILL BE A SQUAD! ONCE YOUR SQUAD HAS BEEN CALLED, FORM UP AND REPORT TO THE SPARRING GROUNDS. DO I MAKE MYSELF CLEAR?”   “SIR, YES SIR!” “SQUAD ONE WILL BE: FURIOUS CRIMSON, ARCTIC STORM, SPARKS, LAVENDER BLADE, AND MY NEW BEST FRIEND SUNSET AEGIS! SQUAD TWO WILL BE…” The five members of Squad One moved out of the amassed group and acquainted themselves as they walked briskly away from the camp. “Zat was a great fight with ze Sarge back zer!” Lavender exclaimed, clapping Sunset on the shoulder. Looking at her up close, Sunset couldn’t help but let his eyes wander. She had the most lovely violet highlights in her mane, and he could smell a faint scent of lavender in her ruffled coat.         “Thanks,” he said shyly, “you too.”         “Maybe I can learn some of zose moves you used back zer.” she said, winking flirtatiously.                  Sunset Aegis blushed when suddenly, a stout yellow mare with a jumped in front of the group. "That was some great fighting back there Sunrise!" she said, enthusiastically. Suddenly, a large muscular hoof shot out, slapping the mare upside the head. “It’s Sunset Aegis ya swit! Name’s Furious Crimson, but you can call me Scar for short.” a stallions voice said in the direction of Sunset. He could tell Scar was a big guy just by the size of the hoof. Turning, he confirmed that suspicion. Scar was a grey, tall, well-built stallion with a black, flowing mane.         “Oh so youze is a tough guy huh? ‘Scar’ what kinda nickname is dat anyway? Sheesh, everywhere a pony goes there’s gotta be mooks like you. You ain’t so tough.” Spark’s Manehatten accent was thick.         “You’re the one ta talk pipsqueak, I eat small-fries like you for breakfast.” Scar replied, unfazed, walking beside the eccentric yellow pony.         “Eh, don’t mind them Sunset.” a white stallion said, trotting along beside him. “My name is Arctic Storm. Looks like we’re all off to a good start getting acquainted…” he said, shrugging towards the bickering squad members. Aegis chuckled as they arrived at the sparring grounds. The sparring grounds were made up of several dirt circles arranged in rows. Five circles were lain in a row, and four in a column. They were made wide enough for two combatants, but small enough to simulate close quarters hand-to-hand combat. Some higher ranking cadets were already locked in battle in some of the rings while officers barked at them.         “Well zen, shall we begin?” Lavender asked the group in her broken tongue.         Sunset gulped. This is gonna be a long day.