The Guard And His Sword

by Himntor

The Promises We Make And Paths We Take - Rescued

Shining Armor and Flash Sentry had slowed their pace somewhat, but were still able to keep going despite me being sure it was already after sundown. An entire day stuck in these infernal caves without food or water was seriously starting to suck the life out of me. I couldn’t feel my legs anymore, if I even still had them, and my wings weren’t even willing to give a single ounce of lift.

“Are you sure you still don’t want to be carried?” Flash Sentry asked.

I shot him a cold glare and rasped, “I’m fine.”

Both stallions gave me a doubtful look, but they didn’t make a move to stop me, even though I don’t think I could have fought back if they tried. I was grateful though, worrying that something as gentle as a poke might have brought me to my knees. There was only one option, and that was to keep going, despite my dry throat, eyes, and upset stomach.

“We should be near the exit,” Shining Armor said. “Half an hour, maybe less.”

Flash Sentry gave a determined nod, but he said, “Sir, something has been bothering me.”

“What is it?”

“That mare who attacked us—Lady Fate one of them said—I’ve never heard of her. Who do you think she is?”

“I don’t know, but she had the manner of a noble.”

“Are you kidding? She was obviously a crime lord,” I said.

They looked at me with curious, almost accusing stares.

“Not… that I’ve ever met or associated with one,” I added hastily. “But I know a crime lord when I see one. Can’t be a simple gang leader, with the diverse company she shared along with their sophistication. No gangster would ever defer to somepony as ‘Lady Fate’. What? Don’t judge me. A mare living in Manehattan has to know her way around the streets after dark.”

“We can worry about her later,” Shining Armor said. “Right now let’s just focus on getting out of here.”

It was only a couple minutes later when light appeared up ahead, and it was moving. The two stallions stopped and shifted as if ready to fight, when the most unexpected group rounded the corner. Princess Cadance, Princess Celestia, and… Discord?

“Shining Armor!” Cadance cried at the same time that Shining Armor shouted “Cadance!”

The two rushed together in an embrace, but they cut it short.

“Are you alright?” Cadance asked.

Princess Celestia began levitating water pouches to us, which I took and gulped as much down as I could.

“We’re fine,” Shining Armor said. “We were ambushed, but no harm done. How did you know where to find us?”

“I know these caverns as well as you, honey. Lightwing and Peddlefoot came back to the Empire and told us what happened. I figured you’d be coming up through here.”

Discord popped in between them. “Pardon my interruption to your little reunion, but where is Swordulan?”

“He’s not with you?” Shining Armor asked. “We were separated. I thought they’d have gotten out before us.”

“Oh no, they must still be trapped,” Cadance said.

My heart skipped a beat. “We have to go back and dig him out!”

In a flash of light, Discord suddenly wore a miner’s outfit with a pickaxe. “Not to worry, Discord to the rescue!” And in another flash he was gone.

“Don’t worry about them,” Celestia said. “Discord will take care of it. I’m sure you’re all starving, so let’s get you out and a full meal to eat.”

Though I worried about Swordulan, I hungrily agreed. The water along with a few nut bars gave me enough strength to keep going, and we were out of the caverns in no time for Celestia to teleport us back outside the Crystal Empire’s castle.

*

Summer had fallen asleep again. I was tired as well, but despite all my muscle fatigue and drowsiness, I couldn’t sleep. I laid on the ground in darkness, my mind spinning… or was it swimming? Maybe both at the same time. In the background of it all was the thought, we may just end up dying down here. All foreground thoughts denied this; there was no way I would die in a place like this. I wasn’t some random nopony to die so tragically. Heroes in adventure stories never died like this, so I wouldn’t either. That was the short of it.

But Summer wouldn’t ever remember the last two weeks. I had thought about the spell Cadance used on me back when Discord had first appeared in Ponyville, except it wasn’t a memory restoration spell, it only brought up memories I could already remember. As far as I knew, an actual memory restoration spell didn’t exist. The closest thing to it I could do was a spell that would let her experience my own memories of the time spent with her, but that wouldn’t be helpful at all. She would only become aware of her external experience and my internal experience, and there was no reason for that.

One thought plagued me more than the others. Does she even like me anymore? Or… will she? It must have been like meeting me all over again, but in a much worse circumstance. A part of me knew it was a selfish thing to worry about, and that her wellbeing should come first, but the pain of those unanswered questions still hurt.

My ears twitched, and then I heard a sharp knocking sound beginning to echo through the cave, quickly growing louder until a small portion of the roof collapsed a short ways off. Suddenly a bright light from that direction shone directly into my eyes, and for a brief moment I wondered if I had died. Relief swept over me when I recognized the tall shape of Discord standing over me, the light coming from a hardhat he wore. It was the first time I was genuinely happy to see him.

“Your savior has arrived,” Discord proclaimed, twirling a pickaxe on the tip of his claw. “And just in the nick of time it seems.”

“Thank Celestia,” I breathed.

“Well yes, she is partially responsible, but you should really be thanking me.”

I smiled. “Thanks Discord.” I glanced back at Summer and frowned. She hadn’t woken. “How are you going to get us out of here though?”

Discord laughed. “Swordulan, please, have you met me?”

He snapped his claw, and all three of us were back in the Crystal Empire in the castle’s throne room. The sudden light from all directions was blinding, forcing me to squint.

“Swordulan!” I heard Cadance say.

She and Princess Celestia were suddenly next to me, helping me up. I was confused as to why Celestia was here, but grateful nonetheless.

“Are you alright?” Cadance asked.

“Yeah, I’m okay,” I said tiredly. “But Summer needs medical attention.”

“Oh no. Don’t worry, I’ll take care of her.”

Cadance lifted Summer with her magic and carried her out while Celestia took me to the dining hall for something to eat. I didn’t notice what I ate, being both too hungry to care and too distracted to think about it. Afterwards I asked Celestia if Katana, Shining Armor, and the rest were alright, to which she said they were getting their rest and that I ought to get mine too. Nodding in agreement, I trudged off to my room and collapsed into bed, falling asleep nearly instantly.

I was up early the next morning for breakfast and was glad to find Shining Armor and Katana sitting in the dining hall unharmed.

“Hey, look who’s up,” Shining Armor said, getting up to give me a hoof bump. “Glad to see you’re okay.”

“Good to see you too,” I said. “How did you get out? Was it Discord?”

“Not really,” Katana said, still sitting at the table and trying to massage both her wings and legs at the same time. “He, Princess Celestia, and Cadance found us near an exit. We still had to trot all the way out before they teleported us back here. My wings and legs are killing me. I’m going to feel this for a week.”

Shining Armor smirked and whispered to me, “Flash and I barely broke a sweat. My legs feel fine.”

After a night’s rest I didn’t feel anything either, but was grateful I didn’t need to climb all the way out.

“At least you’re alive,” I said to Katana, and was surprised when she nodded to herself instead of shooting me a sour look.

“Come on and sit down,” Shining Armor said, moving back to his chair. “Breakfast is pancakes with syrup, jams, and strawberries.”

“Sounds great.”

I took a seat and levitated a stack of pancakes onto my plate with a healthy spread of raspberry jam. As I began to dig in, Princess Celestia came in and took a seat and selection of pancakes as well, greeting everyone with a good morning.

“Celestia, you never said what brought you up to the Empire,” Shining Armor said. “Cadance said you weren’t even expected.”

“Yes, and I’m sorry my timing was not as hasty as it could have been,” Celestia said. “Luckily I arrived just in time to assist in finding you and Swordulan and the others. I’ve come on a matter regarding the Lieutenant’s sword.”

I nearly choked on a chunk of pancake. “My sword? What’s wrong with it?”

Celestia chewed patiently before responding. “There’s nothing wrong with the sword itself, it’s the magical entity that escaped I’m concerned with. Discord and I will tell you what we know after breakfast. Now I hear you’ve had some problems of your own here.”

Katana shook her head slightly. “That’s an understatement. There’s a big time crime lord targeting my brother, and now Swordulan. Maybe even me. Unless they think we’re dead and buried, but it’s only a matter of time before she learns we escaped.”

“What do you mean big time crime lord?” I asked.

Katana gave me disgusted look. “Weren’t you Royal Guards trained to recognize crime lords and gang leaders?”

Shining Armor and I shared a look.

“No,” we said.

“Ugh. You are all so useless. One of these days somepony is going to just waltz right into town and take over. Well I hope all this ‘magical entity’ business doesn’t get in the way of finding Stonehenge.”

“It will have to,” Celestia said, most of her pancakes surprisingly gone already. “I’m sorry for your brother, but this is a matter concerning the fate of Equestria. It must take the highest priority.”

Katana did not look happy with that, but I nearly choked again. “The fate of Equestria?” I asked. “Why aren’t you sending for Twilight and her friends? Or have you?”

“No. Discord tells me that it might only be possible to solve the matter with your talents and relation to the sword’s enchantment and the entity.”

“Oh.” Wow, the fate of Equestria was in my hooves instead of Twilight’s. That was both terrifying and satisfying in a suck it, Twilight, but please save me if I screw up sort of way.

Katana grunted and got up from the table. “Well if you’re all too busy saving the world, I’ll just go rescue my brother on my own.”

“Katana, wait,” I said. “Maybe you should take some time to recover before flying into another trap.”

“He’s right,” Shining Armor said. “It may not be safe out there for you either. If that crime lord or any of her friends see you, you’ll just be in danger again. You’re free to stay here until we can find and bring them to justice.”

Katana looked sullen, but she gave a sharp, “Fine!” and stalked out of the dining hall.

Shining Armor gestured to Flash Sentry—who I finally noticed was standing guard at the entrance—to follow after her. As he left, Cadance entered with a grim look.

“Cadance, what’s the matter?” Shining Armor asked. “Are you alright?”

“I’m fine, Shining,” she said. “I just don’t like being the bearer of bad news.”

“Bad news?”

Cadance came up to me and put a hoof on my shoulder. “It’s about Summer. She…”

“Has lost the last two weeks of memory,” I said calmly, and I heard Shining Armor gasp. “I know. We talked in the cave.”

“I’m so sorry, Swordulan. I tried everything I could. How are you holding up?”

I looked at the last pancake on my plate and frowned. My appetite had suddenly left. “I’ll be okay.”

“I know you will, but how are you right now? Where are you at? Please, you can talk to me.”

My eye twitched and mouth trembled for a moment before it all came spilling out in croaks. “I couldn’t protect her. I couldn’t protect her, Cadance!” She pulled me into an embrace as I sobbed. “I couldn’t stop her from coming. Why couldn’t I stop her? Why did she… I knew it wasn’t going to be safe. I knew! I knew! I let her get hurt, and now it’s like she’s gone. Gone… why does it have to feel like she’s gone? She’s still here, but… I don’t know! Cadance… tell me it’s my fault, Cadance. Tell me how horrible I am for letting this happen.”

“No,” Cadance said softly, brushing my mane. “I won’t lie to you.”

“But… it’s true, it’s my fault. I…” Words became impossible.

“Shh, it’s okay. Just let it all come out.”

Everything else in the room became a blur as I cried. I vaguely heard someone enter the dining hall.

“What’s all this fussing about?” Discord asked.

“None of our business, Discord,” Celestia said. “Let’s go out for a look at the flower gardens, shall we?”

I don’t know how long it was before I regained control of myself, though I couldn’t have imagined more than twenty minutes. I felt like a mess. Everything had gone wrong. This was supposed to be a fun and relaxing weekend, but instead it had turned into one of the worst experiences of my life.

It was just myself, Cadance, and Shining Armor in the room. Shining Armor was standing behind me with a hoof on my back.

“Are you going to yell at me again?” I asked him.

Shining Armor gave a brief smile. “I only yell at you when you’re acting like a foal. Come on, it’s time we find out what Celestia and Discord have to say about your sword.”