The Last Shadowlight

by Idhrenion

Good to be back

As I made my way back inside the castle I noticed something rather strange. None of the guards were at their posts. All throughout the castle as well. Of course I wasn’t studying any of the other guards. Foolishly, I made my way to the throne room. I knew it would be empty, but a part of me expected Shining Armor to be waiting for me there. With Ice-cream, sweet Celestia I wanted Ice-cream. But alas, Shining armor had left with the other guards. And with nothing to dissuade my attention I began to wonder where they had all gone.
I didn’t panic because I no longer had to worry about the state the kingdom was in. still, I was indeed curious. I made my way out to the front of the castle, there I found a few of the guards chatting. Naturally I listened in. One was a tall muscular looking stallion.
“I told you it was a bad idea to goof off in the locker room”. One of the guards said as he smacked the other, less muscular pony, upside the head.
“Ow”! He exclaimed, quickly regaining composure. “But you did enjoy it, didn’t you”?
“Now is not the time! The other guards have left the city and are on their way to the griffon kingdom”!
“Don’t yell, we get to stay behind and watch the city”.
“I thought that shadow pony was doing that”.
“Well nopony could tell him in time, I heard”. At this point I decided to join in.
“Excuse me sirs”. I interjected, whilst exiting the shadows. “I heard somepony was looking for me”.
“Who are you”? The muscular pony asked, looking rather confused.
“Wait”. Started the other. “Shadow”?
“Oh, Yeah. I’m not in the mood to talk about it”.
“Alright. I’m sorry”.
“Anyways, like I said I heard somepony needed me”.
“Yeah, Shining wanted you-“. Said the muscular pony before being interrupted.
“How’s the training of Miss Sparkle going”? I paused for a moment to consider why the other pony was cut off. Then I put the pieces of the puzzle together. After letting it settle in for a minute I responded. Sighing, I then said.
“Well this”, pointing to my body “is actually her doing”.
“Whoa, she is able to perform such a complicated spell”?! The cute less muscular pony asked, with eyes wide open.
“Well, all of the spell casting was her. But, I have reason to believe that she used magic other than her own to perform it”.
“That pony is going to be great one day”.
“Honestly, she’s already pretty amazing”. I said with pride. “I’m sorry, I don’t believe I caught your names”.
“Well, I’m Private Restorn”. So the tall one was Restorn, a private. “And, this is Lieutenant Crestron”. The other I had heard about, a lieutenant from Cloudsdale. He had a promising career as a wonderbolt but gave it up halfway through his second season. The other was a unicorn, but I had never heard of him before.
“It certainly was nice meeting you two. But, don’t you have a castle to protect”? They both blushed and made their way back to their posts. Since it was just the three of us I helped keep watch over the castle. However, the task I had taken on was extremely boring. At least those two had each other, all I had was the echoes of the empty halls.
I didn’t want to tell them I was leaving for fear of interrupting something. So I calmly waited it out, the other guards returned late in the night and by the time they had arrived I was already in my room preparing for the next day.
Morning came and I waited for Twilight in the courtyard. When she arrived not a word was spoken until she undid her perplexing, and most annoying mistake.
“Oh how wonderful it feels to be back”. I said admiring her work. “Now we need to have a talk”.
“I’m really sorry mister shadow”. She hung her head in shame.
“No it’s not that, we all make mistakes. Today I’m going to tell you my biggest mistake”. She lifted her head and looked at me with great interest. “But, only if you promise to keep it a secret”.
“Well, I don’t talk to that many ponies so I don’t know who I might tell”.
“I suppose that’s good enough”. We both smiled and laughed. I then told her about my family and how I was the last one. Most of what happened recently I relayed back to her. The most important thing I told her was about the arcane body I possessed.
“I see why you did it, but now you regret it”. She said grimly.
“Well it was all for nothing seeing as the princess fired me”.
“If you were fired then how come you are doing so much for her”? She made an excellent point. For somepony who didn’t have to do anything for the princess, I was sure doing a lot for the princess.
“You sure are a clever little thing. But I’d rather not go on about that”. She nodded. “So tell me what the most interesting part of that story is”.
“There is one thing that doesn’t make much sense”.
“And that would be”? I asked with a spark in my eye.
“If your body is made of magic as you say, then it should have a perpetual state of form. Therefore should be extremely difficult to change without destroying it and rebuilding”. And again she exceeds my standards.
“Now that we are both on the same page, we need to figure out how it happened”.
“You mean you don’t know”? I was flabbergasted. Could she have just figured it out right there? In under an hour!
“Do you”!?
“Well, no”. Thank Celestia. “But, shouldn’t you”?
“I’ll ask the questions here”. She giggled. “Now, why don’t I know”?
“How am I supposed to know? I’m not you”.
“Sometimes I wish I wasn’t either. Anyways back to the topic at hoof”. We both sat down and pondered the questions.

Comments

[Crescent Nebula]

By the Nine! celestia has bad planning who leaves two guards to protect a castle. But in all seriousness great chapter. Bloodly hell did this make my day. ONI's spooks are always watching