Knights of Night - Chosen of the Moon

by vadram

Chapter 16: Metal

Chapter 16: Metal

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After the first day, followed two months, two months of the same routine.

First Call was two hours before sunrise, where the recruits would wake up, make their beds, and hit the showers. Physical training was next, almost two hours of “light” exercises, followed by half an hour for breakfast, before the real training began and lasted till midday when they would break for lunch. After they ate they would resume the physical training until dinner was served at five. From five until when Luna decided to put them out of their misery they were at the mercy of drill sergeant Lance, and mercy and patience were something he was severely lacking. They would have half an hour of personal time in which they could catch up on their duties write letters, do laundry, shower or just relax, before lights-out.

After two months of marching, obstacles courses, and hoof to hoof combat all the recruits, Starry, Slate and Cory included were glad that they were finally able to pick up a weapon and start weapon training.

There were the general weapons that all ponies learned to used, like daggers, knives, swords, spears, bows and javelins. But there were tribe specific weapons such as the pegasus halberd, the earth pony axe, mace and war hammer or the unicorn throwing knife. Of course there was nothing to stop a pony wielding a weapon from that was generally used by the members of another tribe, as was the case of Cory who became quite the talented knife thrower, even going as far as earning the nickname “The Queen of Blades.” But regardless of what weapon a pony chose to specialise in there were three weapons they needed to know how to use, the sword, the spear and a range weapon, be it the bow, the javelin or the throwing knife.

During this time they also learned how the armors worked, especially the glamour enchantments that actually changed the color of a pony’s coat, mane and tail and not just cast an illusion spell, meaning that as long as they wore the armor their tales did not just look blue, they were blue. And if they ever were cut while they wore the suits the falling hair would remain blue, but there was a catch, the armors needed to be recharged. Every night a unicorn recruit would go to the armory and pour magic into the cyan gem that the armors had embedded in the middle of their chest pieces. This was the dreaded Armor Duty, a unicorns worst nightmare; except for the drill sergeant, that is.

After the drill sergeant finished with the recruits for the day and before lights-out was called, in the small window of peace called personal time, the recruits were expected to take their armors to the armory. The weapons they would keep in order to get more intimate with them.

Inside the wooden-walled longhouse that served as the units barracks each and every last recruit stood in front of their straw beds, firmly grasping their weapon with their hooves.

“Tonight,” drill sergeant Lance spoke to them as he walked in front of them, “tonight all of you take an important step forward. No more will you be worthless maggots, tonight every single last one of you is promoted to meatbags. Congratulation to you all.”

He stopped in front of Starry and stared at the unicorn.

“Except you! As far as I am concern you will always be a worthless maggot in my book.”

“Sir, yes sir!”

“Tonight you meatbags will sleep with your weapon!” the drill sergeant went on as he continued to walk among the recruits.

“Starting tonight you will be married to your blade, this weapon of steel and wood! And you will be faithful to it.”

He stopped in front of the room’s door and turned to look at all of them.

“Prepare to mount!” he yelled and the recruits moved to the right side of the bed.

“Mount!” When the order came all of them got on top of their beds, still holding the weapons in their hooves.

“Sing!”

Every single recruit started reciting the chant they were made to recite during their long marches.

“This is my weapon, there are many like it, but this one is mine. My weapon is my best friend, my family, my life. I must master it as I master my body and my fate. Without me my weapon is useless, without my weapon I am useless. My weapon will not leave my side. Its fate and mine are forever tied. I will swing my weapon true, I will cut my enemy. I will kill him before he kills me. I will. I will never lift my weapon against my brothers and sisters. I won’t. A soldier is only as strong as the ponies next to him, for them I will be strong. I will be strong for my brothers. I will be strong for my sisters. I will.”

They chanted their chant and now were silently waiting for the sergeant to start reciting the Guards Oath.

“Before the princesses,” sergeant Lance started and the rest of them joined in.

“Before the princesses, before Celestia and Luna, this we swear. Our weapons and our bodies are the defenders of Equestria. We are those who protect our friends, we are Celestia's shield. We are those who strike down our enemies, we are Luna’s sword. We are Royal Guard. And we will not falter in our mission. We will not rest until there are no enemies left, only peace. This we swear before the princesses, before Celestia and Luna. We are Royal Guard, now and forever!”

“Now and forever!” sergeant Lance repeated. “Goodnight meatbags.”

With a flap of his wing the drill sergeant blew out all the candles that lit up the place and lights-out had officially began.

“Starry! Armor Duty!”

“Sir, yes sir!” Starry Night jumped out of his bed, weapon still clenched in his hoof and ran towards the sergeant who escorted him to the armory where he would have to refilled all the magical armors for the entire camp.