Legend of the Harbingers

by PvtFlutters

Chapter 1: 1000 Years of Peace

Canterlot Castle was cold, its hallways filled with guards... although their presence wasn't required. The only threat against Celestia and Canterlot was Queen Chrysalis. That event happened a little over a year ago and scouting reports have shown that since then, Changelings had lost faith in Chrysalis. Most of her army had faded away and moved on from Equestria to find a new Queen.

Even without threats, and peace throughout all of Equestria, Celestia was worried. She stood looking out a window at the top of Canterlot Castle. She felt something "off" about tonight. But since it was just a feeling, she decided to keep it to herself. Luna, however, knew Celestia was troubled.

"Sister," the dark blue alicorn said. Celestia turned around to see that her sister was ready to raise the moon to begin the night. "Is something wrong?" Luna asked.

"Thank you for your concern, my sister, but I am fine. Are you ready?" Celestia asked comfortably.

"Yes," Luna replied, and walked past her sister to the edge of the balcony. Luna's horn began to glow. She shut her eyes and the dark night sky was slowly illuminated by the pale moon. Celestia smiled at her sister's success.

"Great job, my sister," Celestia said.

"I learned from the best," Luna replied. The night was perfect- the two sisters could have stared out at their kingdom for the rest of eternity. This made Celestia forget about her thoughts from earlier. She wished she could stay longer, but this was Luna's time, not hers. Celestia walked off the balcony and back into the castle. She reached the door and opened it with her magic.

"Goodnight, Tia," Luna said. Celestia was shocked- her sister hadn't called her that since she was a filly. Celestia thought her sister was still angry with her for the banishment; in fact, she still wasn't even sure that it was the correct choice. Every night when she had to raise the moon in her sister's absence, Celestia thought of her. Regardless, this was what she had chosen, and be it right or wrong, even Celestia couldn't change the past. But when Luna called her that... it meant something had changed. Had Luna forgiven her? Celestia smiled to her sister.

"Good night Luna," Celestia said, and walked out of the room.

Celestia walked into her chambers, closing the door behind her. She lay down in her bed and closed her eyes. The thought of being forgiven for her crime against her own sister guided her to sleep. Down in the courtyard though... something else was going on.

Two guards, were playing a game of hoof wrestling. One of them was a red pegasus named Firewing, the other an earth pony named Tumbleweed. Firewing had an accident as a colt where his wings caught on fire. Nopony really knew how he manged to catch his wings on fire... but it got him his cutie mark, so he was happy... after he got out of intensive care. Tumbleweed's story was a little less eventful. He had always had a talent for uprooting weeds for ponies in need. He never complained, though. Canterlot Castle is a big place, after all. Weeds came up every now and then, and when they did, he was on the case.

The two of them honestly weren't royal guard material. Although, since Canterlot - and all of Equestria, for that matter - were at peace, they never had to be "good". Except for tonight.
The castle's front gate was secured with a padlock, but suddenly the lock was engulfed in a black aura. The lock made some funny noises and fell to the ground. Firewing and Tumbleweed heard this and peered over to the front gate to see a unicorn pushing it open and entering without asking permission. Tumbleweed sized up the unicorn: stallion, average build, dark grey coat, and pitch black mane and tail. He approached the stairs to the castle but Firewing and Tumbleweed quickly blocked his path.

"Canterlot Castle is closed at this time of night. If you'd like to see the princess, come back in the morning and maybe we'll let you through," Firewing said with a cocky grin. He hadn't had a real chance to use his royal guard status to intimidate anypony yet, so he enjoyed this. Regardless of Firewing being much bigger then this unicorn, the unicorn didn't move, or seem to be phased in anyway by Firewing's comment. This angered the red pegasus. He wasn't about to let this pony get the better of him.

"What's the matter with you? Are you stupid?! I said leave!" Firewing commanded. Tumbleweed wasn't as confrontational as his counterpart.

"Hey, sorry, I don't know how you got in here, but you have to leave," Tumbleweed said in a gentle voice, much like Fluttershy. Still the unicorn did nothing. Firewing walked closer to the unicorn and lifted his hoof in the direction of the gate.

"You know how to get in, so you know how to get out. Now, before we have to get violent, leave!" Firewing demanded. The unicorn didn't move but he didn't have to. A pitch black force field engulfed him, hitting Firewing in the process. Firewing screamed and jolted back. The hoof that he was pointing to the door was severely burned. The force field dissolved as fast as it arrived and the unicorn slowly walked up the stairs and into the castle through the front doors.

Tumbleweed didn't pursue the stallion but instead called for the captain, Shining Armor. Shining Armor ordered Tumbleweed and a few of his guards to take Firewing to Canterlot Hospital. Tumbleweed and the others nodded. Shining Armor and his remaining guards ran up the stairs and into the grand hall of Canterlot Castle. The unicorn was nowhere to be seen.

"Should we put the castle on high alert?" a guard asked.

"Seal off the gate, and split up. We'll find him," Shining Armor said. His guards did as they were told. Shining Armor himself made it his top priority to secure the Princesses. He had no time to lose.

Celestia's eyes opened. She was certain she had heard a noise. She scanned the room, but nothing was out of place. The curtains flapped as the cold night breeze rolled in through the window. Without getting out of bed, Celestia's horn glowed and the doors to her balcony closed shut. The curtains fell to their original position. She rested her head back on the pillow and closed her eyes. Suddenly she felt the cold night breeze again. She opened her eyes to see that the balcony doors were opened again. She rubbed her eyes to make sure she wasn't hallucinating, and when her vision cleared, she saw the silhouette of a unicorn standing on her balcony. Suddenly Shining Armor burst through the door. Celestia turned to him and back to the balcony to find that the doors were closed...

"Princess, are you OK?" Shining Armor asked.

"Why do you ask?" Celestia asked, becoming more nervous by the second.

"There's an intruder in the castle," Shining Armor said. Celestia looked back over to the balcony, and a chill ran down her spine. Shining Armor noticed this and walked to the balcony. The room was quiet- every hoofstep Shining Armor took could be heard. He reached the door. The knob began to glow as Shining Armor used his horn to open it. Was she dreaming? The strange 'off' feeling she had earlier. The intruder in the castle... the silhouette on the balcony. Was it all real?

Shining Armor turned to Celestia and nodded. She nodded back. He flung the door open and readied himself for what was on the other side. The cold breeze overtook the room. Celestia opened her eyes and let out a sigh of relief. Shining Armor stood on the balcony, his blue mane flowing with the wind. He looked back at Celestia and let out a sigh.

Suddenly, Celestia screamed. Shining Armor turned around to see a unicorn with him on the balcony. He threw a hoof at the unicorn but he wasn't ready for the unicorn's magic. Shining's hoof came to a dead stop in mid swing, a black aura surrounding it. He tried to pull away, but it was useless. The unicorn's horn began to glow pitch black. Shining Armor was lifted off his hooves by the unicorn's magic and suspended in the air floating off the edge. If the unicorn released the spell, Shining Armor would fall several stories to his death. Celestia sprang up from her bed and readied her magic.

"Let. Him. Go!" she demanded. This turned out to be the wrong choice of words. The unicorn shrugged and released the spell.

Comments

[thefishbiscuit]

Ok. It is.