//------------------------------// // Common Era Chapter One/Post Lunar Rebellion Chapter Two: Masao’s Return/The Three Groups // Story: Return Of The Lunar Knight: A Sharp Sword's Knight // by Moonlit Novel //------------------------------// Author's Notes: Thanks to Deadinlight for beta-reading and helping me edit Common Era Chapter One/Post Lunar Rebellion Chapter Two: Masao’s Return/Three Groups It had been years, No centuries, since the battle with Nightmare Moon, and Masao had not aged a day, not physically at least. These days however Masao was far better at his swordsmanship than he was before. He also was looked up to by the bat pony community, seen as the Grand Elder, something which surprised him as he was no pony. Few were foolish enough to ignore his advice more than once, however. With his advice the Razor Talon clan quickly became a strong intelligent and wise clan. All the while he practiced with his dark powers in the dead of night, away from prying eyes, a few bat ponies had caught him in the past, but even to this day it was known that he was… “Ser Masao Darkheart” spat Masao as he swung his sword into a wooden training dummy ripping it out he swung again, “Knight of Princess Luna” he snarled angrily. As it had been every year since Evening Star’s death, on the anniversary of the banishment of Nightmare Moon, he would not sleep, always keeping a vigil. “My god, my god hath thou forsaken me?” he asked as tears flowed down his face. “So who is this god you are talking to?” asked a voice and Masao turned towards it, the centuries of experience keeping him from showing his surprise. “Ah, I am glad you are well enough to question me about my religion, does that mean you will be well enough for your classes tomorrow, Gilda?” asked Masao and the young gryphon stuck her tongue out at the human and Masao chuckled at her display of youth. “Go to bed Gilda, your parents would not like you staying up to watch me train” “Seems to me that you are just beating up that old training dummy, not to say it didn’t have it coming” said the young gryphon and Masao smiled at the wisdom Gilda had produced. - - - “Are you sure you have to leave? You know that you are welcome to stay, my ancestors—” asked Gilda’s father and Masao smiled before waving off the rest of the sentence. “What I am about to tell you, you can not under any circumstance tell anyone else” started Masao which caught the older gryphons’ attentions. “I have been waiting for your daughter to be born for it symbolizes, to me, that Nightmare Moon’s banishment is almost over, as is her hold on my princess” Gilda’s father shot up from his chair startled. “You mean to tell me, my daughter symbolizes the end of time?” he asked in fear and Masao shook his head. “The coming events are foretold, Dead Wing, and I must go do my part. The world will not end, not yet. that I promise you” - - - With his cryptic message Masao and several of the bat ponies left the gryphon kingdom, the Razor Talons gave them a ship on which to travel the ocean between the continents and after a few months of travel, and a few unfortunate deaths due to a storm the nearly sunk the ship. Never the less they arrived at Baltimare port and the bat ponies took their first steps onto Equestrian soil. Masao however hung back, his eyes scanning the crowd that had gathered, and he noticed several ponies look at the bat ponies with scorn, and a few when they caught sight of him, disappear into the crowds. ‘So much for sneaking in’ he thought as he walked out onto the docks and the crowds grew quiet, his armor, which he had kept in good condition still had it’s blue tint to it, his shield still had it’s coat of arms upon it, his sword though sheathed was still in perfect condition as well, he walked out towards the customs booth and declared himself a returning citizen of Equestria, loudly, which caused some whispers. ‘Hopefully that gets Celestia’s attention, and hopefully before someone feels it is necessary to try and attack my charges...’ he thought quietly as he gave his name and smirked slightly when he announced his title, “I am Ser Masao Darkheart, royal Knight of the realm” - - - “Are you sure?” asked a blue Earth Pony his voice harsh from years of smoking, he sat upon a ragged throne. “Yes, my lord, the traitor has returned to Equestria, and he looks unchanged” said a blue unicorn pony as she bowed to the Earth Pony. The older pony stood up and walked towards a broken window in a ruined keep, a ragged flag of the lunar forces flying on the battlements. “Send the scouts, tell them the traitor has arrived and should be dealt with, with prejudice” - - - Masao walked through the city of Baltimare almost laughing at the familiarity about it all from when he used to watch the show on Earth. Now, however, he was going home, or rather, he was going to Canterlot. “Grand Elder, the clan is ready to move out on—” started one of the bat ponies when Masao smiled at the stallion, a kind smile that had not been on his face in so long. “Stout Wings, you do not have to come to me for leadership, you are after all, the clan head, lead your clan, I will always be here to give you the advice you ask for, but I can not lead for you” said Masao and the bat pony looked sheepish for a moment before smiling. “Then, Grand Elder, what would you suggest we do, seeing as you have been here before” said Stout Wings and Masao chuckled at the turn around. “I suppose I asked for that, alright,” said Masao as he looked into the distance thoughtfully, “seeing as it is the first time in centuries that your clan has been to Equestria, I would suggest coming with me to Canterlot, to announce yourselves officially to Princess Celestia” Stout Wing grunted, he knew the stories, he also knew that the Grand Elder fought against Princess Celestia, would the princess even welcome them to, “Don’t worry, what I know about Celestia… She will welcome you, she may be suspicious, but don’t let that deter you” - - - So Masao and the bat ponies left Baltimare, but news of their arrival and departure had long since reached the ears of Princess Celestia, as well as the remnants of the lunar rebellion, and another group… - - - “So he finally shows himself, ser Masao… With a clan of bat ponies… Even better, we can remove these creatures as well as that demon in one fell swoop, and finally our princess will be free to rule without worry” - - - Masao and the bat ponies were heading down the road, mostly because they were uncomfortable with the trains much to Masao’s amusement. Three days on the trail, three nights of no civilization, something that Masao knew quite well from his old mission in the long past. He sighed before he motioned for the group to continue on, or started to when an arrow flew past his head and hit a tree, the arrow was of the same make that the lunar rebellion used in… “Grand Elder!” shouted a young bat pony filly and Masao ducked just in time to dodge another arrow, again of the same make and he drew his sword and readied his shield just in time to block another arrow. “Stout Wings! Get your people to the air! Protect the young ones!” shouted Masao as a few Earth ponies appeared over the crest of the hill further down the path, and a few pegasi flew higher revealing themselves which made Masao grit his teeth. “Traitors, you will stay put, after we deal with the traitor knight, you are all coming with—” one of the pegasus started when several arrows flew towards all the ponies and at the human in a fit of terror Masao shot out his arm calling upon the gift of darkness, given to him by Luna herself, to save the bat ponies causing a wall of shadows to cover the clan just as the arrows met the wall they disappeared. “I knew you were a traitor, but to use evil black magic!” shouted a voice behind the group and a group unicorn, Earth ponies and pegasi showed themselves their armor not all that familiar, not even to what Masao knew about this part of Equestria’s military at this time. “I take it, then, you are not part of Celestia’s military, at least not within this group” said Masao his voice carefully controlled from centuries of practice. and the leader of the second group tensed barely but just enough that Masao noticed. “Good, so killing you in the defense of my charges will not be contributed as an act of war.” Masao shot open another wall of shadows and the arrows they had launched previously flew out of them and struck a great many of them down before he turned to the remnants. “You call me a traitor? I served her highness faithfully, until she broke chain with me(1), and after that I did what any knight would do in my place, I stood against the wicked, at that point Princess Luna was no more, only Nightmare Moon remained.” The remnants just glared at him as they readied their own volley when the sounds of metal clad hoofs started to clamper in the distance, steadily growing closer, both groups grabbed who they could of their groups and vanished, thankfully leaving obvious signs of battle, such as the arrows and a few dying members of the second group. “HALT! In the name of Celestia!” said the contingent of guardsponies bearing the symbol of the sun on their armor Masao sheathed his blade just as several of them surrounded the bat ponies and himself their spears leveled at them as they closed ranks and started to press in…