//------------------------------//
// Temptation 
// Story: Ambition Undying 
// by Vivid Syntax 
//------------------------------//

The doors to the Canterlot throne room sang a melancholy dirge as they creaked open. Light poured through the stained glass windows, but the eerie stillness in the air made their scenes of victory and light seem hollow and artificial. Were it not for the manes of the two princesses magically flowing without pause, the room could have been mistaken for a museum painting.

Wearing battle raiment that was dirty but unscathed, Noble Shield marched forward, the sound of his hoofsteps ricocheting off the walls. He moved mechanically, each step a measured distance from the last. His eyes were sunken and marked by dark circles. The corners of his mouth were turned slightly downward, and though the stallion's visage showed signs of youthful vitality, deep wrinkles were etched across his brow. He barely breathed, and he blinked even less as he slowly trudged towards the thrones of the two princesses. In his mouth, he carried a ribbon, and from that ribbon hung a large, black velvet box.

Sixty-one unicorns followed closely behind him in a deteriorating formation. They looked equally tarnished, though their armor showed no sign of damage. Fifty of them wore white armor, and eleven wore grey.

As Noble Shield stopped before the thrones of the princesses, the sixty-one unicorns halted and groggily stood at attention.

Princess Celestia rose from her seat and addressed the crowd. "We welcome you with open hearts, brave warriors." She lowered her voice slightly. "And it is good to see you again, Noble Shield."

Noble Shield set the box down on the ground and bowed low. "We have returned from the western front with news of the changeling invasion."

"Invasion?" Celestia took a step forward. "Your orders were to meet the changeling army and re-establish our truce. What has happened?"

From atop her throne, Luna's back straightened, and she drew a sharp breath. Her eyes focused on the box that lie on the ground before Noble Shield. Her throat felt dry, and try as she might, she could not shake the unease that gripped her insides. "Rise, loyal guard. We are most relieved that you have returned safely. We imagine you have endured much in the unexpected battle."

Noble rose, but his eyes felt heavy. He could not lift them to view the princesses. "I'm sorry, Princess Luna, but you are mistaken." His voice seemed to falter. "I merely marched to the field, awaited on the sidelines, and marched back after the battle."

Celestia narrowed her eyes. "Your heart appears troubled, Noble Shield." She looked out at the sea of tired, downtrodden warriors and noted the lack of grey armor. "Tell me, what were the losses to the Nightfall Guard?"

"None, my princess."

Celestia remained still. "How can this be so? Was there not a battle at the Neighvada Wastes?"

"There was, my princess, near the Bluebell River."

Luna leaned forward and shouted, "Explain!" Her eyes widened, and she forced her voice to mellow. "Why have you returned in this state? Where is Commander Onyx, and why were there no losses?"

"There were no losses to the Nightfall, my princess. Commander Onyx… refused to let anypony onto the battlefield."

Luna gasped and turned her eyes once again to the box.

Celestia returned to her seat. "Noble, I understand that you have seen much, and we shall give you a hero's welcome, but we must request you explain everything from the beginning. Spare no detail."

Noble tilted his head upwards and paused. He took several breaths. "When we arrived at Bluebell, Onyx acted according to your order. He sent a messenger to the opposing commander calling for a diplomatic parley to renegotiate the truce. The messenger returned a day later, drained of his energy and on the brink of death."

"Hm." Celestia considered the ramifications, but her expression did not falter. "Then there was no parley."

"Correct, my princess. When he had recovered enough to speak, the messenger told us of the changeling forces. We had greatly underestimated their number: over eight thousand troops had amassed on the western border. They refused to speak with their 'appetizer' and had warned us to flee or surrender immediately. They meant to take Canterlot. We attempted to send word to you, but their wizards had crafted runes all around the wastes to block our sending spells."

Luna began rapidly blinking as tears formed in her eyes. She composed herself. "What… what was your decision?"

"Commander Onyx…" Noble cleared his throat. "The two of us argued vehemently in our tent for hours. Onyx wanted to fall back and save our guard so that we could join the battle in Canterlot, but I refused. I…" He wiped his eyes with a fetlock. "In my short-sightedness, I wanted to make a heroic last stand. I wanted to send messengers and buy Canterlot any time we could." Noble paused. "And he relented, but only on the condition that I lead both guards while he made his own preparations."

Noble drew a shaky breath. "I-I knew he was acting strange, but I didn't confront him. He... Dammit." He sniffled and shook his head.

Celestia nodded slowly. "Take all the time you need, Prince Noble."

Noble straightened his back and looked up at the princesses, his voice clear. "I posted an around-the-clock guard. He retreated to his tent and told us he would meditate, and that we were to disturb him only when the first changeling crossed the Bluebell River."

"And you did as he asked."

Noble paused, and his eyes grew dark. "At first daylight, when the first fleet of drones passed over the river, I hurried to the tent. Not a moment after I lifted the flap, a…" His head began shaking. "...horrible dread took hold of me. My blood felt like ice in my veins as something dark burst from the tent."

His eyes widened again, and he shuddered. "It was like a comet made out of dark fire. Large, inky tendrils wrapped around a glowing red center the size of a pony, and the whole mass sounded like an earthquake as it streaked across the sky. It flew through the air, and everywhere it moved, it left a trail of dense, black smoke that reeked of sulfur and did not dissipate for hours.

"It was a bloodbath. The comet moved erratically, wildly dodging left and right to consume changeling after changeling. Their formations broke instantly. Chitin and green ooze rained down on the field below. Those that were not consumed fled, but most did not get very far – they dropped out of the sky after breathing in too much of the toxic smog." Noble's lip quivered, and he bowed low to the ground. "Onyx… It was Sombra. It had to be."

Luna stood and raised her voice. "Do not speak such things! Onyx would not allow Sombra to take control!" Her gaze fell once again to the velvet box.

Noble continued unabated, though his voice was muffled by the floor. "The guard and I remained paralyzed by awe. We couldn't move, we couldn't speak… We just stood there, watching as Onyx tore apart every last one of them. And when he was finished, the comet took off, deep into the changeling lands."

Celestia grit her teeth. "His actions may have endangered any hope we had of peace!" she shouted. "Why didn't you stop him?"

Noble rapidly stood up, defiantly staring Celestia down. "I would have done anything to stop him, Your Highness! But he was gone in the blink of an eye. The Nightfall and Dawnbreak Guard looked to me for guidance, and I gave them the only order I could. I told them to wait." He turned to Luna. "Princess Luna, Your Majesty has always advised me to trust the Commander. He has been my best friend for years, and I have as much faith in him as you. So we waited."

Noble looked over his shoulder at the mixed guard. Their faces were pale, and all of them looked rapidly between the prince and the two princesses.

Celestia stood and descended the stairs. She spoke in a calm, collected voice. "I asked for every detail, Prince Noble Shield, and you have not yet told us why you returned."

Noble turned back around and stared at the box. "We waited. At sunset on the third day, the comet returned, smaller and glowing more weakly, but still terrifying in its own right. It settled in front of us, and all at once, the shell disappeared. In its place stood Onyx, panting and with the eyes of a pony that hadn't slept in a week. His ribcage showed under his armor, and his cheeks were sunken, and his teeth had grown sharp.

"He dropped an object from his mouth and merely whispered, 'It is done.' When we recoiled in horror at what he'd brought, he said more clearly, 'I harbor no anger for those that would turn back.' He summoned a guard to fetch this box. He then stowed the object inside with a note and cast a preservation spell, commanding that only the princesses should open it or speak of its contents."

Luna flapped her wings and glided down next to her sister. "Then Onyx is alive and well?" She spoke quickly. "Why has he not returned? Where did he go?"

Celestia interrupted her train of questions. "We will need to reopen diplomatic negotiations at once. If Onyx has trespassed into their lands, we may soon be at war with the Changeling Kingdom."

Noble looked down again and shook his head, tears forming in his eyes. "My princess…" With a weak hoof, he nudged the black velvet box towards her.

Celestia took the box in her own magic, covering it with a radiant golden glow. Her magical grasp on it dissipated.

Luna could not look away.

Slowly, Celestia bent down and removed the cover to the soft sound of velvet rubbing on velvet. With a flick of her hoof, the top came off, and Celestia tried to make sense of what she saw. It appeared to be a mass of seafoam-green threads. They were attached to a large black ball, which itself sprouted two staves: a chitinous black stick full of holes and a wide black blade that twinkled with flecks of light.

Celestia screamed. She flapped her wings and jumped back into the air, mouth agape as she understood what lie before her. There, in the black velvet box on the floor, was the Starlight Blade, driven to the hilt into the decapitated head of Chrysalis, the Changeling Queen. On her horn was stuck a note that merely read, "I will not stop."

Noble Shield bowed low. "I'm sorry, my princess. There is no more Changeling Kingdom. There is only the domain of King Onyx."