//------------------------------// // Prologue: The Truth // Story: Rise of the Republic // by Commandobrony //------------------------------// “Ma'am... are you sure?” Commander Nightwing said to his ward Luna looked at her honour guard with a deep sadness in her eye's “Its the only way; we can't win this war with conventional tactics.” She said with sad resolution “But, turning to chaos and the dark energies... I know you mean well to do this; but the road to hell...” The Commander replied with trepidation “What else can I do?” She asked with borderline hysterical resignation “Stoop to my sisters level and enthral Ponies to my cause!?! No, that goes against everything we stand for!” “Why? You wouldn't be enthralling them, you would be liberating them, like you did with me and my men” Nightwing said calmly “She needed you to have independence, I just gave you the power to fully actualise the doubts you had in your mind... If I were to do that to the civilians and the regular guard... I would over write their very existence, their souls. I just... I can't do that, even if I disagree, even if I know that they are walking parodies of their own existence, I can't kill them.” “I trust you Princess, I don't mean to make it sound like I'm questioning you; I just... I just wish there was another way.” A sombre tone ebbed into his every word Luna smiled warmly “Were it that I had the elements Night, you would be the Avatar of loyalty, of that I have no doubt...” Her words trailed off “I have a special mission for you and five of your best, if you're up to it.” “Is that even a question ma'am?” Night said with conviction “Yes; Even with this power, I may still lose, and even if I win I will need to be stopped.” “What are you asking ma'am?” “I want you to run, hide, survive. And during the darkest hour of the night, I want you to come and make whatever has transpired right.” “You want me to leave you in your final battle!?!” Night said, an angry inflection seething his words “No, I want you in reserve for it. This is the gambit, you are my end game.” She placed a hoof gently on his cheek “You always were.” she said with pride Nightwing's Eyes darted around with panic, finally he stared into Luna's with defiance, not directed at her but at him self, at his doubt and at the Tyrant “I understand.” He said with pure resolution “Thank you” Luna said, tears welling up in her eyes as she drew him closer “You're the only one I trust with this.” The commander blushed, something he very rarely did, and was left at a loss for words. “Now go, this is where our paths diverge.” Luna said turning away, her horn glowing as a dark tome levitated The commander pulled Luna back and glared into her eyes, a look of shock crept over her face “I swear to you, in the darkest hour of the night, I will come for you.” “Because the night is always darkest before dawn.”