//------------------------------// // As Tears Go By [8] // Story: Stories in Stone, Luna's Royal Guard. // by TDR //------------------------------// Stories in Stone Luna's royal Guard. By TDR As Tears Go By Twilight flinches at the knock on the door, they were here earlier than she expected. While normally a good thing for her schedule, right now Twilight's nerves were frazzled from the editing she had to do to isolate the song from the rest of the story. She hears the door creak open and some muffled greeting from Spike and a response from the guest. The sound of the thudding of hooves caused her ears to perk, she had only expected one guest , but there were multiples. Twilight looks up from the table as Spike leads the two ponies into the main room. The first was a gray mare with a black mane and tail, she had an air of aristocracy about her that made Twilight feel she and Spike had not cleaned the library enough to suit her. She wore white dress collar with a pink bow tie, her cutie mark was some musical note though Twilight was unsure which as music had not been something she studied very thoroughly she was ashamed to admit. The gray earth pony had a pair of simple yet some how elegant brown saddle bags draped over her back likely filled with the recording equipment. The white unicorn mare that followed had shock blue mane striped with darker blue that, at first, seemed unkempt. With the way it stayed in its spiky shape no matter how she moved it was more likely stylized to be wild looking. She all but trotted in like she owned the place poking, listening to a rather deep beat coming from the large set of headphones about her neck. Her cutie mark was a different musical note, though once again Twilight was clueless on what it was called. It was already dark outside, but the unicorn sported a pair of dark purple sunglasses. She carried a couple of bags as well both of them rather well used and ratty as well as covered in stickers and banners of various bands Twilight had never even heard of. “You must be Octavia Melody and umm sorry I didn't expect any one else. I'm Twilight Sparkle and this is Spike.” The little dragon waved as he headed towards the kitchen clearly not interested in hearing the song again. “It is nice to meet you Miss Sparkle. I was rather surprised by the letter you sent, I am ashamed to admit if the letter had not been from Princess Celestia's personal student herself I might have simply ignored it. This is Vinyl Scratch, and while I am greatly excited to hear what you have found, my enthusiasm has been dulled by my need to bring her along. Though your letter did explain that a unicorn would be needed.” Octavia “Yeah, yeah, nice to meet you sweetheart, don't mind Tavi here, still trying to teach her to loosen up. Besides a lost track from a thousand years ago? Something like this would make an awesome remix, I couldn't pass that up. So where can we set up?” Vinyl grins. “Um on the table there.”Twilight stammers a little. “You will do nothing of the sort Vinyl. Something from such a far flung era must remain as it was intended. I may need your assistance in this but I will not allow you to sully something of this importance by adding it to that noise you call music.”Octavia fusses. “Hey babe, keep in mind I am the only pony who’s gonna be able to transfer it to a record. I bucking invented the trick fer crying aloud. You'll get a untouched copy, but what I do with my copy is my business.” Scratch snarks. “Bah, I will do my best to make sure you do not sully such a compilation with your …... skills.......” Octavia snaps. Twilight winced a bit as the two bickered back and forth. At first it seemed the pair really didn't like each other. Though the pair of them moved seamlessly setting up the equipment throwing out jabs and personal insults as if the whole thing was simply one ongoing joke for the both of them. It was rather similar to how Rarity and Applejack were. “Excuse me, I don't want to interrupt you, but after I sent the letter I actually viewed the concert..... its not exactly …..what I wrote it was. “ Twilight winces. “So The Legendary Platinum does not sing?” Octavia pouts. “Oh no, she sings and it is the most beautiful song I have heard in a long time, but.......” Twilight begins. “Hows the sound quality?” Vinyl asks lugging a wire into a box. “Perfect honestly, the memory is from someone who was quite close to the stage and was actually on it at one point.” Twilight stammers “Well that’s all I need, you got us set up with the crystal then Grape flavor? Cause I am ready to get this show on the road.” Vinyl grins as Twilight looks a little confused mouthing the words 'grape flavor' in confusion.. “While not as brash as Vinyl here I must say I too am quite excited to actually be able to hear a song by Platinum. The musical world has many records of her existence and rumors of her talent, but aside from the Princesses, no pony alive has ever heard her sing. There are a few precious songs written by her that have been found however. Though I do wonder if any one who has preformed them has done them justice.” Octavia muses. “Well I looked into that too, and this song is not one of the written songs.” Twilight admits nervously. “Ooh a B side.” Vinyl chuckles. “More like …....never mind...... The crystal I have over there has got everything in it. All you need to do is activate it with a bit of power Miss Vinyl and you should have a front row seat. “ Twilight sighs. “ I wasn't able to clear out the visions that come with it so you will be seeing a bit of the past......” “Sounds perfect Purple Smart, lets rock.” Vinyl snaps cutting off Twilight before she can continue. The white unicorns horn glows as she activates the crystal, as well as several of the devices they brought with them. ==================================================================================== Platinum screamed out, her voice amplified by her amulet as the great obsidian wall exploded on either side of the stage behind her. The tons of onyx and jade fragmenting out,destroying the watch towers and leaving two gaping rents on either side of the stage. Almost half the gathered Guard were buried under the fallen rock and nearly all the rest had been hit with some debris from the walls collapse. The dust had barely settled when the first trolls and half bloods poured through the holes. The gray skinned monstrosities fell on the Guard ponies that had not been killed by the explosions. Their claws and fangs finding any open flesh on the fallen ponies, ending their lives there if they were not already dead. Strange dragon like creatures of varying scaled hues moved among the trolls shouting orders in draconic to the foul gray skinned beasts. They looked like ponies that had merged with dragons. Their coats were a mix of leathery scales and colored fur, they had rows of spines and horns for manes instead of hair though no two of them seemed exactly alike in this regard. The strange draconic creatures orders were near undecipherable,screamed out in an almost guttural roar of words and sounds. Flame and acid licked from their maw's as they advanced occasionally sending a gout of flame or worse to incinerate whole groups of the ponies crowded in the courtyard. The Guard that survived the initial attack started to rally back almost instantly. The pegasi who had been on the roof were largely untouched by the walls collapse and dove into the melee as others tried to flood out of the keep itself. Jer'rahd rushed onto the stage towards Platinum as the mare shakily got back to her hooves. Then the creature that had caused the wall to collapse made its presence felt. Jer'rahd had barely made it onto the stage when his body suddenly refused to move, terror unlike anything he had felt before swept over him. He managed to turn his head a bit seeing the rest of the counter attack stalling as some ponies fainted, froze like he did, or tried to flee suddenly stampeding against the walls crushing others in their attempts to escape. The trolls and dragon horses seemed unaffected and continued the advance only slowing to kill those who were frozen. Barely a minute had passed and the Guard had gone from routed to routing and back to fleeing. He lifted his head at the crunch of stone above him. A massive green scaled dragon dug it's claws into the remains of the wall looming over the court yard perching on the middle section of the destroyed keep its mouth open in a soundless scream that seemed to be the source of the madness over taking the keep. A song of fear and chaos that would end the show and the lives of all those present. “A falling star, Fell from your heart. And landed in my eyes........” The voice cut across the battle field, slicing through the dragons spell like a hot blade through butter. The stampede slowed as the voice reverberated. Even the attackers paused a moment at the sudden clear tones filling the court yard. The frozen band fell into the groove of their rehearsed parts almost instinctively. One tentatively stroking a harp letting loose a small string of notes that echoed in the brief silence. “I screamed aloud, As it tore through them, and now its left me blind.” The piano started up as well as the harp continued. Platinum stood up right, her silver mane pulled loose from the clasps holding it, a breeze from the other side of t wall causing it to flow about her form like a silvery halo. Her purple horn glowed brightly,the light radiating from her in waves her long mane and tail flowing from her along with the energy. She stamped her hooves as the drums struck the echo shaking the already crumbling wall further. The trolls and half dragons surged forward a battle surrounding them on the stage, but Jer'rahd only heard the song. He drew his blade in a whirl, cutting down a troll that had lept at the singer in mid air before raising the blade with his magic bringing it down towards the advancing forces, a silent order for the Guard to attack in tune with the very music that now filled the keep. The Guards paused in their panic for a moment before turning nearly as one and rushing back to meet the attackers with near silent rage spurred on by the song. Platinum's voice picked up the tempo as the drum beats reverberated sounding out over the clash of soldiers. “The Stars, The Moon , They have all been blown out. You left me in the dark. No dawn, No Day,I'm always in this Twilight. In the shadow of your heart.” He felt a weight on his back, a clawed hand gripping his weapon harness a moment before the weight left leaping off of him. A blue scaled reptilian form crashing into a troll and ripping it apart with claws and a barrage of insults directed to its mother. The blue dragonling rolled to its clawed feet a blast of lightning escaping the pony sized dragons maw striking several of the dragon horses and frying them where they stood. A wry grin and a quip that could have come from an action novel followed. Jer'rahd returned the smirk and offered a blade salute though his ears still only heard the song from the onyx coated mare. The dragon and pony set themselves back to keeping Platinum guarded. The whole battle starting to take the tempo of the song. “And in the dark, I can hear your heartbeat. I tried to find the sound. But then it stopped, and I was in the darkness. So Darkness I became.” His shield flashed to life blocking a troll from striking a band member, Bleu was on the troll and past it before the harp player had even known it was there, much less that it was little more than a twitching corpse now behind her. The band played as if they were hardened soldiers themselves, neither flinching nor missing a note no matter how close they came to death. The drum beats echoed again accompanied by the doors to the courtyard exploding from the other side. A compliment of Ponies in some strange red draconic armor charged in attacking the Guard ponies closest to them. One in the back flipped down his visor, but Jer'rahd caught sight of the sneering muzzle that had been underneath it. Jer'rahd growled as he recognized Colonel Claymore. The bastard had finally arrived to the show and was leading more attackers. Flanked from both sides the surviving Guard in the courtyard were being pushed back to the stage the numbers of attackers starting to overwhelm the remaining defenders. “The Stars, The Moon , They have all been blown out. You left me in the dark. No dawn, No Day,I'm always in this Twilight. In the shadow of your heart.” His shield flared again several of them forming at once starting to make a barrier around the stage so that they could only be attacked from the front, and the Guard would have something to press back against so they would not be attacked from behind. He whipped around both his back hooves connecting with a dragon horses throat, he felt the give of the scales and the sudden whip of the creatures head, The angle of its neck as it fell was enough to be sure it was not going to rise again. Platinum had not yet stopped, her voice sure and stable as she sang, her magic continued to flare holding back the dragons spell. “I took the stars from my eyes and then I made a map And I knew that somehow I could find my ay back. Then I heard your heart beating You were in the darkness too So I stayed in the darkness with you...” The sudden fading of her voice and the music made Jer'rahd whip around fearful of something having slipped past him to get to her. She simply stood there bathed in the glow of the stages lighting her Violet eyes meeting his, she smiled as if she was singing just for him. He whipped his head back reluctant to let his gaze leave her but he could not hesitate. The heroic surge as the song picked back up again had the guard holding back the attackers with far more force than the rapidly dwindling force should have been able to muster. “The Stars, The Moon , They have all been blown out. You left me in the dark. No dawn, No Day, I'm always in this Twilight. In the shadow of your heart.” The uplift of the drums brought a sudden change. Platinum's magic flared out suddenly lighting the whole courtyard in brilliant light. The trolls and Dragon ponies as well as the red armored traitors reeled back blinded and stunned. The Guards on the other hoof were filled with a surge of energy. The remaining forces charged, changing again from defending to attacking. The new surge allowed them to tear into the enemy felling them like a scythe through grain. The traitors at the gate were prime targets and were nearly wiped out in the unexpected rally. Another troll fell to Jer'rahd's blade as the sudden elation of song from Platinum song drove the Guards into a frenzy, It was a larger push than when she had first started her song the build up of the music allowing power to surge from her. Jer'rahd spared a glance up to the dragon as it stirred noting it spell was no longer having any effect and ceasing it's casting. When the oppressive fear spell stopped the true power of Platinum's song filled the entire company of guards bolstering them far beyond what should have been possible due to their wounds and the overwhelming force against them. The attackers started falling back to the holes in the wall, their supposed easy prey had turned into near invincible warriors bent on their destruction. “The Stars, The Moon , They have all been blown out. You left me in the dark. No dawn, No Day, I'm always in this Twilight. In the shadow of your heart.” The dragon however had evidently realized where the source of the new power had come from and dove off the wall. Jer'rahd flung up a shield pouring everything he had into it holding it above the stage. The great beast was barely slowed, plowing through the shield and slamming hard into the stage. Its tail lashing out behind it destroying the band as it landed. The stage buckled sending Platinum into the air like a tossed ball. Her mane and tail flowing behind her giving the impression of angelic wings. She closed her eyes as she rose, her magic flowing across the battle field still. The dragons claw whipped across before it, impacting the mare through the shield Jer'rahd tried to raise. The strike sending the silver maned unicorn flying across the courtyard,her blood flowing in a arc from the wounds deep in her onyx flank before her limp form crashed into the stone wall of the keep with a sicking crunch. The silent scream from Jer'rahd and Bleu were only drown out by the roar of the dragon and the crash of the instruments. Rage flooded Jer'rahd's vision in a haze of red, the flare of similar hate was felt from the other side of the stage as Bleu roared, a sound rivaling that of the giant beast between them. Neither hesitated, the two of them moved as one becoming a whirling dervish of death with a single goal between them. Lightning tore into the green beasts side, as Jer'rahd's own magic gripped blade carved gash through the creatures underbelly, his charge ending with his hooves connecting hard with the beasts leg, shattering scales and drawing blood. He barely paused to hear the green dragon scream, his red bathed blade ripping through the thick scales of the green dragon as if they were not even there. The creature took off into the air with a roar of pain and Jer'rahd once again felt claws grip his armor straps, hoisting him up into the air as well. Bleu rose carrying him up, chasing after the fleeing dragon. Even with Jer'rahd's weight her rage fueled wings caught up and surpassed the wounded beast rather easily. Flying above it she dropped Jer'rahd onto its back before attacking it's head. His blade torn into the creature's wings rending them to ribbons as he ran along the creatures spined back. His hooves ripping into the dragons scales as he moved using his own shields to keep himself on the dragons writhing form. A great slash sliced through the dragons wing completely, ending its flight, the beast screamed as it fell. Jer'rahd was flung clear as it spiraled down and was again caught by Bleu who took dropped down after the creature tears streaming from the blue dragons eyes as rage continued to build in Jer'rahd's his red eye glowing like a falling star as it streaked through the sky. The green dragon crashed to the ground, pushing itself back upright as quickly as it could completely destroying the rest of the stage. Jer'rahd shrugs free of Bleu's grasp falling straight towards the creatures head. Four armored hooves slam into the top of its skull driving the green dragon's head into the cobblestone covered ground, the snap of its jaws and shower of shattered teeth bursting from the bloodied maw echoed across the courtyard like the sound of drums striking in time. “The Stars, The Moon , They have all been blown out. You left me in the dark. No dawn, No Day, I'm always in this Twilight. In the shadow of your heart.” Jer'rahd's eyes widened at the weak chorus as he shakes off the impact of the blow , his legs feeling like jelly despite his landing being softened by the dragons head. Bleu slams down onto the dragon's head as well, claws gouging free the great beasts scales as she rips along it toward its slowly opening eyes. The terror evident in the massive beast's gaze was short as one orb was filled with a blast of lightning and the other destroyed utterly by a blade stabbing through it deep into the creatures head. The beast thrashed its own death throws scattering the stages remains about the courtyard. Jer'rahd and Bleu were already off the creature, ripping through any thing in their path towards where Platinum had fallen. Another thunder of drums sounds followed by the beat of wings, signaling the approaching brunt of the remaining 8th, reenforced by the the might of the 42d air wing. General Mustang charged at the head of the unit as it poured into the courtyard. The reinforcements slammed into the forces of the attackers that remained, giving no quarter and killing or trampling everything on this side of the wall, not letting a troll, dragon horse, or traitor live more than a few dozen paces past the wall. Jer'rahd and Bleu skid to a halt at the side of the crumpled form of the onyx mare just as the harp player manages the final notes of the song with a last few strums on the strings of her battered instrument before finally succumbing to her wounds as well. Bleu falls to the ground her form returning to the blue dragonling as she howls. Her voice carrying the time of the last harp notes as she cradled the still form of Platinum. ======================================================================= The White unicorn falls back from the crystal crashing back on her rump head phones slipping from her neck to the ground. Twilight winces as Vinyl Scratch falls back. She's nearly flung aside by Octavia rushing over to where Vinyl fell, the white unicorn staring at the crystal on the table. “What did you do to her !!?”Octavia shouts. “I didn't do anything. I said the song was not what was expected, but I didn't think she'd get hurt by it! I've watching it a score of times with nothing going wrong.” “Then what happened...!?!” Octavia snaps. “It's OK Tavi, I’m fine.” Vinyl stammers putting her hoof up to disrupt the fighting.” Wooo! A bit more than I expected there grape flavor. “ The white mare whips her head, blue hair fluttering around it as she reaches a hoof up pushing her glasses up over her horn. Her red eyes glistening with tears a moment before she wipes them away with the back of her fore hoof. She looked from Twilight to a concerned and very surprised Octavia. “Rather potent little thing you have there. Not sure I care much for the theatrics or want to know what other sort of depressing stuff your researching here.” Vinyl mutters. “It's not all depressing. This just turned out to be rather intense.” Twilight admits. “Yes well, will you two please tell me what the heck is going on!?!” Octavia grumbles “Its Platinum 's swan song Tavi, she died singing it......I... I ..I can't touch this. Doesn't matter how good it would sound. Damn. Looks like you get your wish Tavi. Its too dark for any mix I have.” Vinyl sighs pulling her glasses back over her eyes. ”Did the copy take?” “It did and what.... what was it Vinyl? Are you sure your alright?” Octavia asks The unicorn grins sheepishly standing back up and putting her headphones back over her neck. “I'm fine though I think I wanna just head back home for a while. Lets pack it up. Alright sweetheart I’ll get on making copies of this. I take you want one and likely the Princesses will as well. This stuffs gonna sell like cupcakes at a fat foal convention, any idea where you want those kinda bits going?” “You two would likely know better than me. Maybe there's a music school worthy of donations? I think she might have liked that.”Twilight mutters “I know a few that might, Miss Twilight. Who shall we say the donation is coming from.” Octavia asks “Its coming from the pony that sang it. Platinum” Twilight smiles. “Heh, care of a nearly forgotten songbird. I like your style sweetheart consider that done. Should have your copy in a few days. This was definitely an experience. And not one I really care to repeat. Though I will if you find another song in this little study group of yours. Something a little less dramatic next time though.” Vinyl grins. The pair head out after collecting everything. Octavia commenting on something that sent Vinyl laughing, which seems to annoy the earth pony greatly. The bickering started again though neither seems to be putting any force into it as they head out. Twilight levitates the crystal back into the small box closing it and sliding it onto the shelf with the other material from this research. She exhaled deeply having a whole new interest in the former Bearer of the Element of laughter and a great deal of pity for her and the former Bearer of Loyalty.