Only the memory of a bright light at the ending of his dream remained. "When did I fall asleep?" Looking at the ground, he noticed the grass he had been standing watch in had long became muddy.

'How long's it been raining?' He thought, looking at the dark clouds in the sky.

As more rain struck his helmet, the young guard's horn flared creating a dome above him.

'Leave it to Canterlot to be so boring that rain and mud are the most exciting things to happen in a week.' Picking up his spear, the young guard started to pace the two monuments he was suppose to be watching. 'But I guess Canterlot's a nice place, if your a noble, a mage apprentice, or a guard.'

Making an about face, the guard started his march the other way. 'Though being a guard can still be lousy.' Ten paces back. Ten paces forth. Over and over. This was the young guard's night for the past three years.

An honor to some, but no pony came to the monuments at night, choosing to sleep - or some few work - during the night. Not that no pony was allowed to visit the monuments at night, it was just a rarity for any one to come.

The monuments had stood for nearly a thousand years, as a remembrance of the last alicorns. One monument for the alicorn of the day and the other of the night. So very few ponies prayed near the monuments any more, even during the day.

With the heavy storm clouds overhead, the guard couldn't star gaze to pass the slow moving time.

'It's night's like these that I wonder why I listened to my father and joined the guard like he did.' Looking at the nearby clock tower, the guard noticed it was only midnight. 'Still another four long hours.'

No sooner had he looked at the clock, the rain began to stop. Stopping his magic, the dome over his head disappeared.

Hearing the unexpected voice behind him, the guard quickly spun around pointing his spear out of reflexes. Who he saw was an older unicorn stallion, his once black mane streaked gray with age, with a lighter brown coat. The older stallion was staring up at the two monuments, turning his head to the spear point, he released an amused chuckle.

Lowering his spear, the young guard couldn't believe he let himself be lost in thought to not notice someone approach. "Sorry, I didn't hear you approach."

"No problem." Smiling the older stallion turned back to the monuments. "But as I said, magnificent aren't they?"

Laughing heartily, the older stallion turned to the guard. "Maybe, but then I'd have to worry about family squabbles." Still smiling he turned back to the monuments. "Well I must be leaving. It was nice talking to you, Mr. Aegis."

Shrugging, the guard turned back around. "You too, sir." But before he could continue his marching, something dawned on him. "Hey how'd you know my-" But when he turned back the older stallion was gone.

There stood no trace of the stallion, even the mud he had been standing in had no hoof prints. The only think out of place was a book under one of the stone monuments. Walking over, the guard picked up the book, "Book of Moon". No sooner had the words left his mouth, did the clouds part, and the moonlight shone on the book.

Crescent turned to look at the clock tower again and sure enough it was four. "So it is." Crescent turned to the other guard.

"No, I'm fine." Crescent scratched the back of his head. "The last few hours just flew by."

Leaving the other guard to his job, Crescent Aegis headed straight for the locker rooms to remove his armor and go home. Setting the Book of Moon down on the bench near his locker, Crescent began removing his armor. The white coat and blue mane of the royal guard's returning to his normal red coat with a red and blue mane.

"What's with the book, Cres?" When he turned around, Crescent saw his friend Druid Leaf looking at the book he had found. Druid's an earth pony with a tan coat and green mane and tail. Though a few years older then Crescent, Druid looks younger and acts even younger. "I mean, your brother's reading bigger books now ain't he?"

As he finished talking, Druid turned the book around, but it wasn't the book Crescent had found. '101 Nursery Rhymes?' Crescent thought, 'Books can't just change like that... can they?'

"What ever you say man." Laughing Druid tossed the book back on the bench. "Well I'm off to the bar, you wanna go?"

Sigh, "You mean, you want me to make sure you get home in one piece." It really wasn't a question, Crescent knew what Druid meant.

"I have to be home to wake up my brother." Crescent said trying to get out of it.

"I-" Crescent tried, but couldn't think of another excuse, and reluctantly admitted defeat. "I hate you."

~~~

As Crescent sat in a booth at the bar all he could do was watch the clock. For nearly an hour and half, Crescent could do nothing to stop Druid from drinking and dancing with strange mares, and a couple stallions; though Crescent thought the stallions were from Druid's drinking.

Stretching out in the booth, Crescent kept hoping something more exciting would happen. It didn't take long till he got his wish. At one of the side exits, Crescent saw a scared looking earth pony mare being ushered out by two stallions that looked like they were up to no good. Once they were out the door, Crescent followed. Incase he was wrong, Crescent was a little hesitant at first, but as he went out the door, he heard the mare yelling for help.

Throwing caution to the wind, Crescent rushed to the mare and her attackers, with one pinning the mare to the brick wall of the tight alleyway.

"You know you guys shouldn't gang up on a lady." When the two attackers looked at him, Crescent noticed one was a pegasus and the one pinning the mare to the wall was an earth pony.

The large earth pony, motioned for the pegasus to handle Crescent, and turned back to the mare he had trapped.

The earth pony dropped the crying mare, turning to his friend with wide eyes. Slowly the earth pony turned to a smiling Crescent. But no sooner had he looked at him, did Crescent jump and begun a strong kick. But before the kick could finish, Crescent teleported to just in front of the earth pony. With the added force of his teleport, Crescent's kick sent the Earth pony barreling.

Bending down to face the crying mare, Crescent gently placed his hand on her shoulder. "Miss-" She removed his hand out of fear. "My name is Crescent Aegis. The two who attacked you are out cold." The mare stopped her crying to look around then back at Crescent. "Would you like me to take you home, or call someone?"

Trying to stop herself from crying, proved too difficult for the mare, and instead she tried to speak through her crying, "My name's O-"

The back door was thrown open, and a worried white coated unicorn mare rushed outside. The unicorn saw her friend crying with some strange stallion beside her. Using her magic, the unicorn mare sent two music record flying towards the strange stallion.

Throwing his arms up, Crescent erected a shield to protect himself from the new attacker. As the records shattered against his shield, Crescent began to lower his shield, only to get punched in the nose, and knocked to the ground.

Before the unicorn mare could do more, the earth pony mare pulled her back, "Vinyl no!"

Vinyl was surprised when her friend helped up the stallion who Vinyl thought her attacker. But quick look at the two unconscious ponies, made Vinyl realise her mistake, and started laughing sheepishly.

"It's fine," Crescent rubbed his nose trying to ease the pain, "Gotta say though, nice punch."

"Well it was nice to meet you both, but I need to get going." Grabbing his wooden tonfas he had dropped when Vinyl punched him, Crescent magiced them away, and started to leave.

"Here." Vinyl held out two tickets, "These should get you in here for free. Call it an apology gift."

"Thanks. But the only reason I came today was because a friend dragged me here."

The back door was flung open again, and a very drunk Druid Leaf stumbled out. "Cres, *Hic* Crescent!"

"Speak of the devil." Pinching the bridge of his nose, Crescent shook his head at his friend. "That would be my queue to leave. Druid's had a few two many."

Lifting Druid on his shoulder, Crescent made his way to Druid's house. All the way hoping he made it in time to get his brother to school.

~~~

Crescent made it home just before seven, and y the time he could actually go to sleep it was nearly nine. Nearly dragging himself to bed, he just knew he'd be out as soon as his head hit the pillow.

Finally giving in, Crescent opened his eye, and noticed a book on the desk near his bed. Sitting up, he grabbed the book.

'I thought I forgot this at the bar.' As he held the Book of Moon, Crescent finally got a good look at it. The Book of Moon's a large and thick book bound in a dark leather, with silver trim. As it's title says, a silver crescent shaped moon rested in the center of the cover. With the book being as big as it is, Crescent figured it was a grimoire.

The longer Crescent held the book the more he wanted to open it and read it. And it didn't take long till his curiosity got the better of him.

Yet much to his disappointment, as he flipped through the pages, Crescent found nothing. Every page in the Book of Moon were blank.

'Well at least I don't need to worry about the owner needing his grimoire.' Throwing the book back on his desk, Crescent laid back down on his bed.

~~~

Crescent awoke by rolling out of his bed, into a bed of grass. Between the jarring of falling out of bed and falling in grass, Crescent was quickly awake.

Looking around, Crescent couldn't figure out where he was or how he got here. Crescent's bed had seemed to magically appear on an island in the middle of a lake, under a canopy of large purple flowers. The moon hung high behind him, surrounded by countless stars. As Crescent looked at the land across the water, he saw a multitude of large dim glowing plants, and a waterfall.

Hoping to figure out where he was, Crescent walked towards the water. Before he could think of away across, other then teleporting, stones rose from the water creating a stepping stone bridge. Testing it first, Crescent made his way across the bridge. No soon had both his hooves touched the ground, the bridge sunk back into the water.

"Where on Equus am I?" There wasn't many clues for Crescent to figure out were he was, only a lake surrounded by mountains, and the large glowing plants. "I wish I paid more attention in geography." With no better plan, Crescent started walking towards one of the nearby cliffs, hoping to find something, anything, that could help him.

As Crescent made his way up the cliff, he could feel the ground getting steeper. Most of the walk Crescent had to watch his hoofs, for fear of falling from a wrong hoof placement. As he climbed higher Crescent began to feel winded and thought his climb would never end, and chanced a look to see how much farther he had to go, to find he wasn't alone.

At the top of the cliff stood a tall pony. With the moon right behind them Crescent couldn't tell much more about them, only that the silhouette was obviously female. Putting his head back down, Crescent moved faster to the top, invigorated by the thought of knowing where he was. At the top, Crescent finally got a good look at the mare. Though he could clearly see her, silhouette was still the best word he could think to describe her. Though she was shaped like a mare, she still looked like she was made out of a starry night sky, with her tail and mane floating in the wind.

"How are you here?" As she turned around, Crescent noticed where her eyes should be were two galaxy like swirls.

She looked at him surprised, though how Crescent know how she felt was beyond him.

"Dreamscape?" Looking around Crescent still wasn't sure what to think. "You mean a dream. I thought that kind of magic was lost long ago."

"I am the last alive who can wield this power correctly, and have been imprisoned here for centuries. So I'll ask again, how did you get here?" Growing angrier by the minute, her voice began to drip venom.

"I told you, I don't know how I got here." Crescent began backing up for fear of this mares anger, "I looked in a book I found, and went to bed. When I awoke, I was here."

"So you admit to reading spells you have no knowledge of." The mare summoned a sword with a moon on the hilt. "Then before you become another Sombra, I will end it here." Wings spread were there appeared to not be a second earlier, and she flew towards Crescent.

Summoning a tower shield, Crescent just barely blocked her sword swing. Not expecting her attack to be blocked, the mare grew more angry. The more strikes Crescent blocked, the angrier the mare became. The angrier she became the harder she swung. And the harder the mare swung her sword, the farther back Crescent was pushed.

Finally, the mare flew back, with a combination of her strong wings and her magic, the mare rocketed towards Crescent. Preparing to withstand the attack, Crescent placed his hoof back for support, only for it to meet empty air. With being backed up to the edge of the cliff, and an angry mare wanting him dead; Crescent did the one thing he figured he would survive.

Zooming past were he was, the mare turned in the air, still determined to kill him. As she got closer, so did the water below the cliff.

Crescent kept hoping his plan would work. He knew it was crazy, one wrong move and he could die. But it was the best he could think of.

Just before the mare impaled him or he smacked into the water. Crescent teleported to the nearest shore line, leaving the mare to crash into the water. When he landed, he fell to his knees to catch his breath. But he didn't have long. With a loud roar, the mare erupted from the water.

Not wanting to make it easier on the mare, Crescent quickly ran into the flowers seeking refuge.

Crescent didn't have long to hide before the mare was close again. "Come now! It is useless to hide."

Crescent knew she was right, especially if this was her dream. He quickly came up with another plan. Summoning a spear, Crescent tied a vine he found to the spear and another to a tree. As the mare walked by were he was, Crescent used his magic to propel the spear through the mares legs and into a tree on the other side. As she fell, Crescent started summoning multiple crescent blades to pin her arms and legs.

As he finished pining her to the ground, Crescent couldn't seem to stand up straight. "Crap."

Using her magic, the mare dispelled all the weapons Crescent had summoned. Since she didn't have a horn to begin with, Crescent forget to stop her magic.

"I won't give up. Your gonna... gonna..." Crescent fell to one knee, and hung his head. 'I can't be out of energy, it must have been the teleporting.'

The mare got closer, but before she could get close enough to end it, a large two-handed sword appeared in the ground near Crescent. When Crescent looked up, the mare saw his eyes had change from that of a normal pony to that of a bat pony. The mare backed away a step, knowing all to well the power that was about to come forth.

Standing up, Crescent pulled the sword from the ground and held it at his side towards the mare. Thrusting it forward, Crescent yelled, "Darkness be with me!"

Not having enough time to move or act, the mare was pushed back by four orbs of shadow fire, into a rock. 'How can he have so much power after nearly fainting?' Looking over at were Crescent was, the mare noticed something, "Where'd he go?"

Lunging forward away form the rock at her back, the mare just barely missed the sword swing that cut the rock to pieces. Crescent launched himself forward, striking the hasty risen shield the mare had created. The shield easily broke stunning the mare. Incasing his hand in shadow fire, Crescent threw his hand forward, reaching for the mare's head.

The mare knew the spell Crescent was using, and knew she was bested. But Crescent's hand never made it to her. The magic poisoning, had drained the stallion now passed out at the mare's feet.

Releasing the breath she didn't know she was holding, the mare couldn't believe luck was on her side.

"You had better hope he isn't dead, Moonbutt." A chuckling stallion's voice came from behind the mare.

~~~

When Crescent started to wake, he was very tired and very sore. Taking a lot of his minimal strength left, Crescent propped himself off the cot he found himself on.

Jumping to Crescent's side, the mare made sue he was ok. "You should rest, the magic poisoning is still in effect."

"He made me promise not to say. But that's not important. What I want to know is, who taught you to use that power."

"Nopony did. My fathers side of the family can hardly do levitation spells, and my mother is from a long line of Earth Ponies. I'm lucky I can do any kind of magic." Crescent couldn't help but chuckle only to wince in pain, "Though, as you can see, I'm not good at controlling it."

Thinking it over, the mare came to a decision. "Hold still." Standing above Crescent, the mare stretched her arms out above him.

"This'll hurt." Without giving Crescent a chance to respond, the mare sent her own magic into him, making him convulse in pain.

After five agonizingly slow minutes, the mare stopped her magic from going to Crescent. "No try to stand."

"So this mystery stallion" - Crescent stretched his muscles testing their soreness - "how did he convince you to not kill me?"

Hesitantly Crescent said the first thing to come to mind. "It's just an old ponies tale. Isn't it?"

"So my sorry tale has been set as a legend." The mare chuckled lightly, "Not necessarily a bad thing. So how does the legend go?"

"If I remember right, a dark entity corrupted Luna, the alicorn of night. She fought against her sister, Celestia the alicorn of the sun, and in the end both were banished to their own celestial orbs."

"Basically. I was jealous of my sister for our subjects were awake during her day, while the ponies slept during my night. That jealousy attracted one of the nightmare legion to try and take my mind, eventually I relinquished control. In the end, sister had to use our weapon, the Elements of Harmony, and as a price shared my punishment."

"So if your Luna," Crescent remembered the fight they had earlier, "I think I did really good in you duel. But I still don't understand were I come in at."

"The Summer Sun Festival is coming up, on that day my sentence is finished, but my sister still has a few days. To free me or to even defeat Nightmare Moon, the Elements of Harmony must be reunited. Each of the seven elements have chosen avatars, they must be found to defeat nightmare.

"And this mystery stallion, as you call him, is convinced your the one who starts the chain of events that are about to unfold. Either it be for the good of everypony or everyponies downfall."

"The whole idea, it's just stupid." Crescent looked up at the moon, still high in the sky, "I mean I'm nopony special. If it was a prince or a famous hero, then maybe. But I'm just a guard, I'm practically canon-fodder."

There was a long pause between the two, Crescent unsure of what more to add, and Luna wanting to choose her words carefully.

"My talent is with summoning weapons and shields, I wanted to put that to use. To protect other ponies who can't protect themselves."

"I-" Crescent wanted to snap back, but the words died in his thought. "But I'm just one stallion."

"Then let's make a deal. You at least hear me out about the Elements of Harmony and I will teach you to use your dark powers."

"Good, but you'll be waking soon. I am connected to your Book of Moon, as it was once mine, and we can talk via the book."

~~~

Reaching his arm over, Crescent turned his alarm off. "Oh alarm clock, how I hate you."

Dragging himself out of bed, Crescent noticed the Book of Moon, and got an idea. Going over to the closet Crescent found his old spell book holder. Placing the Book of Moon in the holder, Crescent fastened it to his belt.

Nearly jumping out of his skin, Crescent swore he had had a heart attack. "Holy shit!" Looking around his room, Crescent saw nopony, yet recognized the voice, "Luna."

'Hello, Crescent. I told you we could contact each other via the Book of Moon. As long as you touch the book we can talk.'

~~~

'So does this mean you can hear all my thoughts?' Crescent and Luna had continued their mental conversation, while Crescent walked the streets of Canterlot.

'May I also see through your eyes? I wish to see Equestria a thousand years after my banishment.'

'As long as I can still see.' Crescent's vision shifted a little, but other wise he had noticed nothing.

'Civilians carried weapons back then?' Crescent never thought of the possibility of armed civilians.

As they got closer a bell sounded, and not long after a multitude of fillies and colts came rushing out.

"Crescent!" A colt with a green coat and brown mane rushed towards Crescent, with his face covered in a big smile.

'Not much resemblance between the two if you, is there.' Luna said chuckling in Crescent's mind. Crescent began to wonder if he would ever get use to talking to Luna in his head.

Astral's face quickly changed, "Boring as always." Astral looked down at Crescent's side and noticed the Book of Moon. "When'd you get that?"

'Aw, he's so cute.' Luna squealed in Crescent's mind. With him wishing she had done it quieter.

~~~

Later that night, Luna led Crescent through Canterlot castle, saying it was his turn to uphold his end of the bargain.

'You'll see, turn left up here, and last door.' Crescent did what he was told, but as he reached the door there were voices.

"Nearly, most of the guards have willingly joined. The others required a little more coxing. And less then a dozen remain unaware." Another mare's voice called.

"Good we're almost ready for Nightmare's return tomorrow." The third voice was a stallion's

'Hold on, I want to make sure first.' Very quietly, Crescent moved closer and looked the door's small window.

'Crescent, who is it?' When he wouldn't answer her, Luna started looking through his eyes again. Who she saw were two mares, a pegasus one with a white coat the other am earth pony with a black coat. But the stallion had a red coat, with a blue and white mane. 'Is that...?'

'Yes, my father. Dame it!' Without thinking, Crescent punched the wall next to the door. All three ponies in the room looked at the door.

'Alright, Luna, I believe you. Now what.' Crescent hurried down the hall hoping to not be seen.

'You need to find the Elements of Harmony, I believe they were last in the old Castle.'

As Crescent teleported again, his father came down the stairs looking for the pony who heard him earlier.

~~~

Today is the day we agreed that I would take,
Astral Warden. I know you are busy so I'm not mad.

Your Loving Mother,
Spirit Ward

'Probably for the best that he's with his mother. With Nightmare coming, you never know what might happen.'

Final Equestria

by Asch13

Chapter 1 - Traitors in the Castle