Night's Children

by Admiral Q Ponyform

Chapter 3 Darkmoon

Luna awoke to the sound and cheerful fillies. She looked over and saw them at the table eating their breakfast. Nightshadow saw her and smiled. “Good evening Luna, hungry?”
“Yes I am.” She got up and didn't feel any aches. A good sign.” She walked over to the table and Nightshadow put a plate of oats and apples in front of her.
“You look a lot better tonight.”
“I feel better, almost myself again.” And she began chowing down.
“Well that's good. Okay fillies finish up and go to school okay.”
“Okay sis.” Luna smiled. At the exchange. She's got to convince them to return to Equestria And the best way to do that is to convince them she is the Princess of the Night. And the best way to do that is get her bond with the Moon back.

After breakfast or dinner in Equestria Luna tested out her wings. They were a little stiff at first but she was able to take off and fly around and got a great view of the compound and they got a great view of her. She saw some look at her and some hoof pointing before she landed on a ledge under the moonlight. She closed her eyes and basked in the moonlight and again resume the process of rebonding to the Moon. She was like that for hours before she heard a flap of wings and she opened her eyes to see a pegasus mare floating next to her. The mare was dark blue with a short cut purple mane and tail, had yellow eyes and a horizontal lightning bolt cutie mark. “Hey haven't seen you around here before and that was not a bad warm up either.” Luna smirked.
“Been recovering from some injuries I got last week. First time I was able to fly since.”
“That sucks. I know what's that like after I busted a wing during one of our battles. I'm Night Streak the best flier in the Children you?”
“Luna, you remind me of a pegasus I met sometime ago named Rainbow Dash and I have to admit she's among the best fliers I've seen.”
“Well I got to meet her some time just to prove how more awesome I am.” Luna smirked and replied.
“Even done a Sonic Rainboom?”
“A what?”
“A Sonic Rainboom. It happens when a pegasus goes so fast they create a shockwave of magic energy in the from of a rainbow.”
“You got to be joking there. If any pegasus could do it it would be me because there's not enough room on this world for two ponies as awesome as me.” Luna smiled at her and replied.
“I wouldn't be sure of that.” Then Luna glanced behind the pegasus and saw many flying objects heading towards the compound. “Nightstreak are those ours?” The pegasus look to where luna was now pointing.
“No it's the enemy.”
“Then move a side and cover your ears.” Luna to a deep breath as the pegasus looked confused and said.
“Huh?”
“CHILDREN OF THE NIGHT YOUR ENEMY APPROACHES FROM THE NORTHEAST! READY YOURSELEVES!”
“AAAGHGGHHH what was that? My ears are ringing.”
“That was the old Royal Canterlot voice. Glad I found a use for it again.” Luna then took off with the pegasus behind her and they saw the defenders take up positions.
“Okay Luna you have wings so you're under my command. Think you can handle being my wing pony?”
“Of course.” The two took positions in the center of the pegasi formation. As the creatures came in closer she saw unicorn blasts fill the air. Many hit and she heard cries of pain and some fall to the ground but the bulk kept coming and the unicorns kept shooting. As they got closer to the walls the first line pegasus hopped on nearby clouds and lighting bolts struck out hitting more.
“Second wave jump in!” Nightstreak ordered and dived in with Luna quickly follow behind the pegasus. The two would hit a run the creatures at first but as the battle continued that wasn't possible. Nightstreak was jabbing and bucking a creature and delivered a fatal blow and just saw another in close coming for it's on killing blow when a beam of light blue drives right through the creature and it disintegrated. Looking over she saw Luna there with her horn glowing. “Nice save Luna.” The alicorn just smiled back and they got back into the fray with Luna blasting away. Luna saw an injured pegasus falling and she dived in and caught him. Luna then heard the sound of something flying past her and a scream came out. She glanced and saw another creature with a lance through it's chest as it fell to the ground. Looking the opposite way she saw an Earth pony crew manning a large crossbow and waved at them before dropping the wounded pegasus to a medic team.

An hour later the battle was over with they remaining creature's falling back. She and Nightstreak landed and the pegasus spoke out. “Not bad Luna, had a couple of nice saves back there. You can fly with me anytime.”
“But she shouldn't be with you in the first place Nightstreak.” The two look over and see a slightly battered Darkmoon approach them. “As a magic user she falls under my command.” Nightstreak frown and retorted.
“Well she was wings too and a decent flier so she also fall under my command.” And that started an argument that ended with Luna yelling.
“SILENCE!”
“AAAhhh my ears again!” Nightstreak whined. But both looked and Luna.
“This bickering is pointless. I will help out where I'm needed so if that means flying with Nightstreak or casting with Darkmoon I will do it. The last thing we should do is fight eachother.”
“She's right Darkmoon I can admit when I screw up.” The unicorn mare sighed and said.
“I'm sorry. I'm just frustrated. This was the biggest assault to date against us and they will win by attrition or sheer force. We need to do something drastic or all is lost but the Elders won't listen.” Luna put a wing on the unicorns shoulder.
“That can wait till later. Right now there are ponies that need our help.” The three look around and break off to assist with the damage or the wounded.

It was nearly dawn by the time Luna walked into the alcove that she now shared with Nightshadow, Twilight Moon, and Eclipse. She saw the two fillies huddled in their bed but looked too scared to sleep and poor Nightshadow looked haggered. Luna saw her on the firing line earlier and then saw her tending to the injured so she had to be tired. “Good to see you Luna. I can't get them to sleep, you have any idea's?” Luna smiled.
“I think I have one that will work.” Luna approached the bed and laid down next to it and began singing.

“Come, little children, I'll take thee away
Into a land of enchantment
Come, little children, the times come to play
here in my garden of shadows

Follow, sweet children, I'll show thee they way
Through all the pain and the the sorrows
Weep not, poor children, For life is this way
Murdering beauty and passions

Hush now, dear children, it must be this way
Too weary of life and deceptions
Rest now, my children, for soon we'll away
into the calm and the quiet

Come, little children, I'll take thee away
Into a land of enchantment
Come, little children, the times come to play
here in my garden of shadows.”

The two fillies were asleep with smiles on their faces when Luna was done. Luna smiled and lightly nuzzled both before walking over to Nightshadow.
'Wow you good.” Nightshadow proclaimed. “I can't believe I forgot that tune.”
“I have had practice with it but it has been a while since I last used it. No why don't you get some rest. You drained yourself more than me.” With a reluctant nod the unicorn does and Luna resumes her bonding with the moon till it sets and the sun comes out.

While the bulk of the Children head for bed Darkmoon was not. She got passed the walls during a shift change and she headed out into the country side. She was not going to let the Elders stop her. She needed to do this for the sake of her people. She walked for a couple hours before she found what she was looking for. The ruins of an ancient castle next to a cliff. Before the invasion they confirmed this was the old capital of the Unicorn faction and thus where her treasure lay. It took an hour for her to find the old throne room and she began looking for what she needed. In the olden days when the three tribes lived here there were no royal sisters that controlled the sun and moon. The unicorns did it but her kind has lost that knowledge and power but here in these walls the spells that contained it might still remain. She has spent the last two years studying the records they gathered before the invasion and believed she had found a secret room that could contain that knowledge. She went behind a raised platform, probably where the unicorn king and queen once sat on thrones. She looked over the back of the platform but could see any tell tale signs of a door. 'Okay gonna have to do this the interesting way.' She thought and began a spell she worked on. While much ancient unicorn knowledge had been lost that didn't mean the unicorns were impotent. Her horn flared purple and she was able to project a beam that allowed her to see through the stone. She was able to see the mechanism left behind. Smile she hit the appropriate stones and heard click and saw a stone right next to her move till she heard snapping and clanging and the stone stopped. Looking back at the platform with her spell still on she saw the mechanism in pieces. Opening the door was too much for the mechanism that had for eons gone unused. Still it showed her where the door was so turning of the spell she then directed her energy to the door itself and moved it on her own. When opened she saw stairs and went down. It went a ways before stopping at a stone door with a lock. The key was long gone so Darkmoon blasted it instead. With the lock gone Darkmoon pushed open the door. It was dark as the night and Darkmoon illuminated the room with her horn. She saw shelving with many objects on them but not much more. She then notice a crystal near her. It was an illumination crystal. They had some at the compound. But a little unicorn magic and it would stay light for hours. She lit it and saw more crystals and lit them to reveal a decent size library. She walked up to the nearest shelf and saw book made out of stone tablets. Sensible way to preserve knowledge. She began slimming it. All of it in ancient pony language but since they found out this was the ancient pony homeland the Elders made it part of school reading to know the language as well as the modern version. Thus Darkmoon really began her search.

Hours later Dark moon left the ruins with her saddle bags full of book and tomes. While much was left behind she could return for them later. These had what she needed right now. With a nod she past the guards at the gate and went for her room. As the premier mage of the Children her place was among the largest in the compound and filled with scrolls, books, and tomes on magic. While any unicorn can ask her about borrowing a item from her stock it was her duty to keep and maintain them. She went to her desk and took out the first tome and began reading hard. She needed more power to defend her brothers and sisters ans these tomes and books can provide the answer.

It has been a couple weeks since the major attack against the compound. While the creatures did a couple of minor raids against their farms those were quickly replied. Luna proved to be quite the versatile soldier, either flying through the air as Nightstreak's wing pony or casting spells with Darkmoon. She even manage to keep the Air Commander and the mage Commander from going to blows better than anyone else and was now considered among the leaders of the militia. Despite her rising fame in the Children she still stayed with Nightshadow and her charges despite being offered her own place. The young fillies have taken to calling her Auntie Luna which seems to make the strange wing unicorn very happy. Nightshadow thought to herself as she walked along the woods on the Equestrian side of the mountain. It's a sad state of affairs that a side they always thought the enemy would come was safer then the side facing north. As she walked she thought of recent events. First is Luna's type of pony. The Elder historian Moon Marked found reference to Alicorns in the records but on the fact they were very rare type of pony. Then there was the song Luna sang to them. She remembered her own mother singing that song. Or more accurately one close to it. She remembered her garden of shadows no my garden. The song was always sung with the idea of the Princess of the Night taking them to a world of wonder and beauty yet Luna said she was. Her thoughts are interrupted by the sense of powerful magic. She followed the sense to a clearing in the woods. There she saw Luna seemingly bathing herself in moonlight. And she was different than what Nightshadow has seen. Her hair has gone wavy like it's caught on a breeze but there was no breeze out tonight. And her fur....Her fur was a darker blue then it usually is. With fear and concern she says. “Luna?” The pony opens her eyes in shock and immediately reverts to the form Nightshadow remembers. Luna quickly glances around herself and says.
“HORSE APPLES! I was so close. So BUCKING close.” Luna snorted then noticed Nightshadow. “Ah Nightshadow do you need anything?”
“No but I notice the power you were emitting. Just what were you doing?” Luna rolled her eyes.
'You wouldn't believe me if I told you.”
“I'm willing to listen.” Luna frowned and sighed.
'Very well. I was trying to reconnect by bond to the moon. I lost it when I nearly died coming out here and I need to get it back not only for tiss my royal duty but doing so will ease my sisters worry over me. I am the Princess of the Night. I stood with my sister Celestia as we took down Discord and were crown Princess and rules of Equestria in thanks. And we ruled for centuries before I made a foalish decision. Your history is wrong. I did not want to start a new colony. I was jealous of Celestia and how the ponies worshiped her days and ignored my beautiful nights. So in my anger I changed but mentally and physically and declared eternal night and tried to kill my own sister. I left her no choice but to banish me to the moon and there I stayed for a thousand years ago till I got out and was eventually freed from my alter ego by six brave ponies and a power far greater then mine or even Discord's. And in the end when I was like this, stripped of the bulk of my power waiting more my sister's vengeance it didn't come. Instead she asked me to join her once again in ruling. To leave the past behind us. As much as I hated her as my other self in truth I really did love her. So I took what she offered and got my life back together. Wasn't easy, took nearly a year to get the moon back under my control then use to the customs of modern Equestria. I look for the fate of you who loved the night as I do but could find none. Yet here in of all places the former homeland of the pony tribes I find you. The Children of the Night. You have made me so proud of what you have done the past thousand years. This is why I want you in Equesrtia. Not only to save you from this menace you face but reunited you with you fellow ponies. I will stay with you for as long as it takes to convince you to come back to Equestria.”
“I believe you mean that. Whether all of it is true I don't know but I believe you are sincere.” before they could continue a pegasus came by.
“Everyone has been ordered to the courtyard. Darkmoon has an announcement. “ They nodded and she flew off.
“I wonder what this is all about?” Luna asked.
“Beats me. She's been holed up in her cave for the past couple weeks. Only coming out to help defend during those raids or to eat. Seen her do that before but never his long. The both approach a open doorway in the ground. Originally meant for ambushing attack Equestrian forces but now serves as an easy way into the compound for those enjoying this side of the mountain. It took them a few minutes to emerge onto the courtyard where they saw Darkmoon waiting with a smile on her face. Eventually all of the children not on duty were gathered and the unicorn mare began.
“Brothers, sisters of the Night. We have fought long and hard to make this land our own. While we had great success these invaders have pushed us to the brink. Some even want us to flee into Equesrtia hoping for mercy at the hands of those who follow the Princess of the Sun. Most of us wait for our dear mother to return but I fear she may have been killed by the Princess of the Sun so we must not wait for her, we must save ourselves. And I have the key. With this spell I shall gain the power needed to rid ourselves of this enemy and get our homeland back. Note this day for it is when we really fact back!” There was a mighty cheer and Darkmoon began her chant. She spoke in a language most didn't recognize, even Luna had trouble with it but she looked at the Moon and began to fear. Darkness began to cover the moon and with a beam of magic from Darkmoon it focused and shot back at the unicorn mare. It whirled around her and lift her in the air. She looked a little surprised before the darkness formed a sphere around her and a molten glow appeared from inside it before it got bigger. It was like that for only a few seconds before the sphere bursts. From the sphere emerged a form. I tall black mare and Luna managed to say.
“Oh no.” Especially since she sees a dark purple star studded main and tail with light blue helmet and armor and the turquoise crescent moon surrounded by dark purple fur. Not to mention black wings with her long horn. Then she opened her eyes with turquoise coloring all her eye except a dragon like slit of black. One of the nearby ponys fearfully queried.
“Darkmoon?”
“No.” The mare said in a voice that haunts Luna to this day. “I am no longer that brave little mare. She has sacrificed herself to bring me back. Behold my Children for you look upon your Princess of the night. NIGHTMARE MOON.”

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[Admiral Q Ponyform]

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