//------------------------------// // Freeing the Princesses // Story: Phantom War V: Dawning of Darkness // by Danny Eclipse //------------------------------// I was beginning to wake up. I opened my eyes and groaned. I began to look around my surroundings and found myself in one of the royal guest chambers in Canterlot Castle. I didn’t feel restrained so I’m not a prisoner, unless you call me being under house arrest, so I knew it wasn’t that. I slowly began to get up but felt something on my chest and I looked and see a curled up Nyx. I smiled and began to pet her mane. Nyx began to wake up and she looked at me. Nyx shouted with glee and happiness “Uncle Danny!” She hugged me and I hugged back. I got up and she got off me. I looked at her and smiled. “So squirt, what happened since I passed out?” Nyx answered “Charming and Twilight have been torturing Spell Nexus on how to release the Princesses.” “Couldn’t Nightmare Moon release them the same way? You control Nightmare Moon, why not use her to release the spell?” Nyx began to think about it and nods. I began to take us to the throne room where the spell can be casted. When we arrived, I looked around and see no one around. “Alright, do it!” Nyx said “Ok.” Nyx began to change to Nightmare Moon and she was still in control. Using the same spell that banished the Princesses, Nightmare released the spell and the Princesses appeared in front of us, curious on why they were released early. They look at me and Nyx, who transformed back to. Luna asked “Danny? Why is Nightmare Moon with you!?” “Calm down mother, my nephew here released you because she now has a family that loves her. I am her Uncle and I will look after her when your mother and father cannot.” Celestia asked, curious “And who is her adoptive mother and father?” “Charming Thunder as the father and Twilight Sparkle as the mother.” I answered truthfully. The Princesses gasped and I continued “In order to reborn Nightmare Moon, they needed the blood of a pony. Twilight was that pony because of Nyx’s love for reading and learning. And because Charming Thunder is Twilight’s husband, his responsibility to Nyx is, by all rights, his.” The Princesses looked at each other before they looked me and Nyx. Luna said, disappointing me “We can’t allow her to walk freely…” Before they could act, I pointed my hooves at them and they began to glow purple and purple circles appeared under the Princesses’ hooves. “WE will watch her, care for her, with our lives! If you can’t accept that, then you are no better than Harkon and Nightmare Moon! I KNOW the banishment spell; you can have a time out if you try it!” Luna was surprised that I even made the threat but Celestia was the most surprised. She never knew a Pegasus could perform magic, but then again, I am of royal blood so magic clearly ran through my veins. Celestia said, trying to weaken my spirit “You wouldn’t dare…” “Try me; Aunt Celestia.” I growled at her, making her hope of ruining my spirits look stupid. “You know I’m the type of pony who would go to extreme measures to protect my family. Nyx is part of the family; I’ll defend her, even if it IS my own family!” Nyx was shocked and surprised that I would rebel my own mother and aunt just to protect her. The Princesses looked at each other and began to whisper to each other. When they finished, they looked at us. Luna said “We have come up with a deal. Nyx can remain as long she uses her powers for good and she can live with Charming and Twilight. Danny, you are to be her Uncle and Guardian, you must watch over her.” “Don’t worry, I can watch over her.” The Princesses nodded and I halted the spell. Nyx got on my back and I smiled and I began to take her to the torture chambers where Charming and Twilight are at, no doubt. Twilight and Charming were leaving the torture chambers where they see me and Nyx coming towards them. Nyx gets off my back and runs over to them and hugs them. Nyx shouted with glee “Mommy! Daddy!” They were confused until they see me smile. “Nyx, here, had memory of the spell used. Spell Nexus didn’t cast it, it was Nightmare Moon. Nyx, who had access to Nightmare Moon’s power and knowledge, used her power to release the Princesses. They were going to seal her away into the moon, but I stopped them.” I explained to them. Twilight shouted “You stood up against your own relatives to protect Nyx!?” Charming demanded “What did you do!?” “I threaten to use the banishment spell to give them time out and some time to think before they try to do it again." I replied. "They were shocked to see magic radiating off of me. Anyways, we came up with a deal. I’m Nyx’s uncle and guardian while Charming is the father and Twilight is the mother. As long as Nyx uses her magic for good, she can remain with us and not on the barren lands of the moon.” Twilight began to cry and began to hug Nyx. Charming hugged with Twilight and I smiled. One big happy family. I turned to leave but I began to think about something. “Hey Nyx? I know a spell to speed up the aging process. You want to use it?” I asked. Nyx began to think about it and then nodded. “How old?” Nyx answered “As old as Light Sparkle, my adoptive big sister.” I nodded and used the spell. Nyx began to grow and when she reached about Light’s age, she had her CM and everything. She looked really cute now. Her mane and tail was longer and it was nice and beautiful looking. She still had her Nightmare Moon eyes, her wings and horn grew as well, and her CM was blue shield for the night. I had a feeling it meant “Defender of the Night” or somewhere around there. I took her to a nearby mirror and she looked at herself. She smiled at her new appearance. Nyx said “I look beautiful…” “Whoever is going to be your special somepony is going to be a lucky stallion.” Charming agreed “I agree.” Nyx and Twilight began to talk about mare stuff and both me and Charming left. “Charming, out next battle will be Harkon. We need to strike now before he realizes that Spell Nexus has gone missing. Organize your men and I’ll do the same. Tomorrow, we shall charge against the Volkihar Clan, we are going to take the fight to them. We are going to march upon Castle Volkihar, home to the most powerful Vamponies in our world. Bring everything and everyone, this battle may as well be…our last stand.” Charming nodded and left to go get the forces. I sigh and went to grab something. It was a silver moon with a purple gemstone next to it, which sparkled like the night sky. My chest began to glow blue and a sphere entered the necklace. “Nyx is the only one to save me now...Celestia help us all if she loses this…Not even the memory spell can work on me, I’ll have to make her promise me to never lose or break the necklace…” I sigh and packaged it, ready to give to Nyx. I knew what was inside the gemstone, where the sphere had entered. Deep inside it, locked away until ready to release, was a copy of my very being: My memories, knowledge, skills, etc. My mind is linked with the necklace until after the event of the Battle of Castle Volkihar.