Return Of The Lunar Knight: A Sharp Sword's Knight

by Moonlit Novel

Common Era Chapter Eighteen/MLP Season Three Chapter One: The Crystal Empire Part One

Author's Notes:

Thanks to Deadinlight for beta-reading and helping me edit

Common Era Chapter Eighteen/MLP Season Three Chapter One: The Crystal Empire Part One

Masao stood at the train station he now carried a firearm that held three shots, quite the innovation from the flintlock not even a year prior, he also had been training extensively much to the chagrin of his lovers, Sharp Sword and Luna, however they understood, and Luna had been the one training him in controlling the dark gift so what had happened during the Changeling Invasion would not happen again. As he was thinking about the recent past, he notice Twilight getting off of the train and Masao grinned and waved her over.

“Hey, Twilight, how are you doing today? On your way to see Celestia I take it?” he asked and the mare in question nodded nervously and Masao grinned again, “Come, walk with me” he said and he started to walk towards the castle, Twilight in tow, “I happen to know why you were called, and I wanted to tell you, that I will be helping you.” he started and when Twilight made a look and moved to interject he continued, “Now I don’t mean I will give you the answer, nor will I help you cheat, but, I will be helping you with what she will be giving you” said Masao before he motioned to the throne room doors, “Go in. Your teacher is waiting for you” he finished with a slight push and with a light blush Twilight walked into the throne room where Celestia was waiting…

- - -

After Twilight Sparkle had stopped feeling bad for herself, not expecting the challenge that now stood before her, Masao walked up, her friends in tow. Sharp Sword and Luna amongst them

“Greetings fair Twilight, I trust you will keep an eye on the prince-consort Masao?” asked Luna as she stepped out from the middle of her friends.

“I-I-I…” started Twilight when Sharp Sword spoke up not giving her a chance to finish her thought.

“Watch him carefully, he won’t give you the answers you need, but he will try to fight his hardest to keep you safe, don’t let him die” she said cryptically which was unlike her but she gave a small confident smirk. “I also trust you will keep your hooves off of him, I know you had a small crush on him in the past” joked the mare, knowing full well that Twilight never felt that way for Masao, and Twilight blushed heavily and quickly denied it.

“Well, off we go,” suggested Masao before walking over and kissing both of his mates.

“Yes, off we go” said Rarity a slight wistfulness about her. her gaze lingering on Masao for a bit before she smiled at the princess and the princess’s herd sister…

- - -

The train whistle blew as it pulled into a station that seemingly was in the middle of no where, the snow edition, and Masao walked right out also seemingly unaffected by the cold, his eyes however were the same color as they had been during the invasion.

“This land is saturated in dark energies, why Luna thought it would be a good idea to send me here I doubt I will ever know” he grumbled when he turned towards the sound of crushed snow, his saber drawn and ready.

“Twilight!” said a familiar voice and Masao grunted in response as Twilight beamed.

“Shining Armor?” she asked almost happily.

“Twily! You made it! We'd better get moving. There are things out here we really don't want to run into after dark.” said Shining Armor as he started to lead them to their destination.

“That I don’t doubt, windigos and Sombra would make for a deadly combination, wouldn’t you say?” spoke up Masao, and Shining Armor, instead of being upset at the human’s presence, just nodded.

“A very deadly presence, that’s why we’ve got to hurry. We think Sombra keeps trying to get into the Crystal Empire”

“But Princess Celestia said I was being sent here to find a way to protect the Empire! If King Sombra can't get in, then it must already be protected.” said Twilight before there was a bone chilling howl.

“Th-That's him, isn't it?” asked Fluttershy

“Guh. We have to get to the Crystal Empire! Now!” said Shining Armor as he started to move faster, trudging through the snow at a frantic pace. Masao drew his blade again and this time stood at the back of the group, gesturing them on.

“Go, I’ll see if I can hold him back, darkness to darkness, at least I can give you a chance” said Masao as he used the dark gift to summon a wall of shadow that Sombra crashed into and for a moment was unable to get through. “Go, I’ll catch up” he said urgently…

- - -

Twilight and her friends made it to the Crystal Empire unscathed as did Shining Armor who was exhausted, he had used his magic to shield them from the snow that had been kicked up by Masao’s sudden use of dark energies, snow that had been super charged with the dark magic and thus wore on Shining Armor’s strength all the more that if had been just plain snow…

- - -

“Sparkleriffic!” said Pinkie Pie as she took in the sight of the Crystal Empire.

“It's gorgeous! Absolutely gorgeous!” she said before mumbling a few words incoherently, “There are no words!”

“Focus, Rarity. We're here to help Twilight, not admire the scenery.” said Applejack as she pushed by the awe struck unicorn.

“Eh, I don't see what the big deal is. Just looks like another old castle to me.” said Rainbow Dash as she looked over her shoulder as if waiting for someone to come through.

“A– p– guh! Another old...! Have you lost your mind? Look at the magni–” started Rarity before she was interrupted by both Applejack and Rainbow Dash laughing, “Very funny” said the puffy mare.

While Twilight and Cadance performed their usual greeting to one another Masao clunked against the shield protecting the Empire before he frowned and with a determined look he pushed his way into the city-state, causing the pink Alicorn to grasp her head with her forehooves, even if it were not at malevolent force of darkness it was still a force of darkness that had just forced its way into the Crystal Empire.

“My apologies, princess, but unlike you ponies, I do not have a fur coat to keep me warm and I do not feel inclined to try to relieve one of the native denizens of their own.” he said as he offered his hand to help her back to her feet, the pain that had shot through her when he forced his way through now gone through the act of sincere kindness, though it seemed as if the magic protecting the Empire had accepted him with that one act.

“Are you okay?” Twilight asked her former foalsitter and Cadance nodded weakly with a smile to match.

“Cadance has been able to use her magic to spread love and light. That seems to be what is protecting it. But she hasn't slept, barely eats. I want to help her, but my protection spell has been countered by King Sombra.” At that Masao frowned before moving his hands in an odd motion and a greenish glow encompassed them.

“What has been wrought, undo, for what has been undone, renew, by the powers of darkness I command thee, REJUVENATE!” said Masao as he pulled upon the small amount of magic he could to heal the princess of her woes. To the shock of the ponies their a tendril of shadows seemed to stare at the princess for a moment before suddenly striking her and encompassing her with shadows. When it faded away Cadance looked none the worse for wear, in fact she looked better than when she had before he had used the spell on her.

“Wh-What happened?” asked the princess of love and Masao smiled softly before bowing to her.

“The power of darkness being used to heal rather than harm” said Masao with a smile before Shining Armor levitated a spear towards him a look of anger on his face.

“How dare you try to—”

“I would calm down little prince, before I have to get out the paddle” said Masao calmly using a finger to push the point of the spear away from him, much to the surprise of the ponies present…

- - -

“King Sombra's spell must be why their coats aren't... crystally.” said Twilight looking to Masao almost making what she had said a question and Masao just smiled and said nothing for a moment.

“I told you, lady Sparkle, I am not here to give you the answers, but I am here to aid you, as in to keep you safe, and by extension your friends safe as well.” said Masao as Rarity made her way back to the trio.

“I tell you these ponies know nothing, and that worries me” said the fashionista which made Masao chuckle before tapping his nose and winking. “You know one of these day you need to tell me what that means” and Masao chuckled once more this time shaking his head.

“Sorry, Twilight. These crystal ponies seem to have some kinda collective amnesia or somethin'. Only thing Ah was able to get out of 'em was somethin' about a library.” said Applejack and Twilight gasped in surprise.

“A library? Well, why didn't you say so?!”

“Uh... thought Ah just did.” said Applejack…

- - -

As the door to the Crystal Empire’s library opened Twilight was took aback by the sheer amount of books there, it far outstripped the Canterlot Library and Ponyville’s library by magnitudes.

“I just... I don't even know what to... There are no words.” said the purple unicorn and at that Masao chuckled while the librarian hesitantly crept up to them.

“M-May I help you?” she asked and Twilight turned to her and smiled.

“Yes. We're looking for a book.”

“We have plenty of those.” deadpanned the other pony.

- - -

“No, no, no, no, no... Yes! ‘History of the Crystal Empire’. I just hope it has the answers we need…” said Twilight as she propped the book open and started to read, “A 'Crystal Faire'. According to this book, it was established by their first queen and became their most important tradition. The Faire was held every year to ‘renew the spirit of love and unity in the empire so they could protect it from harm.’ My friends and I could put it together. Everything we need to know is in the book!”

“Yes everything you need to know is in the book, but make sure you read it all” suggested Masao, just before Twilight started singing and Masao watched in awe as everything actually sped up to match the song’s progression…

- - -

“It looks amazing! I don't know how I could've done this without you! One last check to make sure everything is in place, and then the festivities can begin!” said Twilight as she moved a valentine heart made of crystal onto a pedestal, rousing Applejack curiosity.

“What's this thing for?” she asked poking the heart and it wobbled with a thunk back down on the pedestal.

“The last page of the book mentioned a Crystal Heart as the faire's centerpiece, so I used my magic to cut one out of a crystal block.” said Twilight proudly and Masao’s grimace went unnoticed by the ponies…

- - -

Sharp Sword sat with Luna and Celestia in the dining hall and the trio were eating in a tense silence until with a slam of the silverware Sharp Sword Stood up.

“I’m going to the Crystal Empire, Luna, you’re coming with—”

“Sharp Sword, we… We can not, did not Ser Masao make both of us promise not to follow him there?” asked Luna and Sharp Sword scowled at the mare.

“Aren’t you worried about him? If—”

“Of course I am worried about him!” retorted Luna her own silverware slamming down on the table.

“Then why—?”

“Why dost I stay here whilst he goes off to fight? Understand me Sharp Sword, it is not because I think I am some doll that should be placed on a shelf, nor that now that I have a mate I should let him go off and fight for my honor! No, it is because he asked me to trust him and I would have thought having been with him through now two lifetimes you would trust him as well” said Luna her light blue eyes piercing into Sharp Sword’s amber ones causing the much younger mare to be frozen in place. With a sip of tea Celestia sighed gaining both of the other mare’s attentions.

“Really, you two… You really need to just go out onto the training fields and have at each other perhaps then you will relax enough to talk to each other with out almost shouting at each other” at that the two looked sheepish but it got worse when Celestia continued, “Luna is correct though, Sharp Sword, Masao asked you to trust him while he did this, so you should, but Sharp Sword is also correct, Luna, you could do to show more worry for your mate” both the younger mares just stayed silent as Celestia called them out…

- - -

“I didn't know it was an actual relic! The book didn't mention anything about the Crystal Ponies powering the Heart! There was a page missing... How did I not notice?!” asked a surprised Twilight as Masao sighed silently in the background.

“It's alright, Twilight.” said Cadance gently before glaring at Masao who simply shrugged…

Author's Note:

You don't know how long it took me to write this chapter ARGH!