• Published 24th Nov 2012
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Princess Luna and Luna's Lunatics - TheNocturnalLoner



Luna has returned and she needs to adjust to the times, and restore her former royal legacy. As well as the reputation of her once glorious Lunar Corps.

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Chapter 8: Desert incursion

Dark Fury was awakened by the sudden sound of screeching metal as the train ground to a halt. Inertia threw him and his fellow soldiers into the seats and onto the floor, as no one had properly braced themselves since they had been sleeping.


“Everyone off! Form up on the platform! Come on fillies, let’s move!” a loud, booming voice commanded from somewhere in the car.


Groaning, Dark Fury and his squad hastily grabbed their gear, shuffled out of the car and assembled themselves on the platform amongst the other squads of their platoon.


As they stood at attention waiting for roll call, Dark Fury glanced at the eight soldiers within his squad. Among them was an experienced corporal, who like him, had seen action before. The rest were either greenhorns or former guards whose only experiences were police duties. Sighing quietly, Dark Fury could only imagine how his squad would react to combat, if such a thing were necessary.


Roll call was still a fair bit away, so Dark Fury decided to look around the platform. Barring the now swarming mass of troops, the platform was bare. No civilians were in sight and looking up, Dark Fury could see why. The sky was still dark, as it would be a couple hours until dawn approached.


Sweeping his gaze across the platform again, he found he could see some familiar faces amongst the squads and platoons around him. Fire Mane and Fire Tail, the fire twins as others often called them, were standing side by side in their squad a ways off. Fire Tail was mastering the art of sleeping while standing at attention, his brother looked on unimpressed. Frostburn was in a different squad, standing in the back. He stared ahead devoid of emotion, most likely lost in deep thought.


Glancing to the other side of the platform, he found the squad that contained the energetic Quicksilver, and the hard-ass mare known as Snapdragon. Quicksilver was practically jumping in place rapidly, making him look as if he had drunk way too much caffeine. All the while, he was looking from side to side quickly. Snapdragon was behind him, and she was not the least bit amused as she rolled her eyes and muttered under her breath.


As roll came around at last, Dark Fury barked out his name. His subordinates followed suite.


Done looking around, he returned his focus upon his own squad. Recalling memories from a month ago, he remembered the formation of his own squad. So far they seemed capable, albeit lacking experience. Disobedience wasn’t an issue as far as he knew. He gave an order, they carried it out. Ordering others around still felt weird for Dark Fury, but he was slowly getting used to it. He only feared that he might make a mistake, and mistakes on the field of battle were usually fatal.


A loud shout broke Dark Fury’s musing as he and everyone else on the platform automatically straightened themselves further and clicked their metal shoes together in attention. This command was different from all the other shouts, as it was the most surreal. It meant that royalty was among them, and that she had decided to grace them with her presence.


Princess Luna exited the last carriage of the train and stepped onto the platform, Commander Thunderbuck following behind and off to the side. Behind them, six soldiers clad in midnight-black armor formed up in two columns of three. They were the best that the Lunar Corps had to offer, the personal bodyguard of the Lunar Princess herself. It was every lunar soldier’s dream to achieve the peak known as the Lunar Guard.


“Salute!” Thunderbuck shouted as the small procession started down the rows of soldiers. As one, the twenty-three hundred or so soldiers present raised their right hoof to their temple and held it for the military salute.


Princess Luna and her entourage passed by the endless columns of troops on the platform. Passing in front of Dark Fury and his squad, Luna quickly eyed him. He remained stoic and rigid as she passed.


Coaldust brought up the rear as the last guard on the side facing Dark Fury. His new, black armor blended with his coat, making a passing glance at him rather confusing in the pre-dawn dark. He gave Dark Fury a small but quick nod as he marched past. Dark Fury returned the nod, being careful to not make himself noticed for doing so.


After Thunderbuck and Luna had passed, shouts from all over the platform commanded the soldiers to assemble into their platoons. The platoons then assembled into their companies, and filed into rows. One by one, each company marched off the platform and followed Princess Luna. The earth shook with the sound of over eight-thousand hooves marching in unison.


Going down the main street of the town they had arrived in, a few curious faces had gathered at the windows and doors of their shops and homes. They stared at the soldiers before them with wonder, curiosity, and fear. The Lunar soldiers were different than any other guard they had seen. Others despised the guards and Princess Luna all together. To them, they only represented the long foreleg of the law that had been extended to press stricter rule upon their small, frontier town.


Thankfully for them, this town was the least of Luna’s concerns. The nearby fort was of a much higher priority, as it would be where they would stay for the time being. The large line of battle ready soldiers trudged behind her in unison, following her with unwavering loyalty and trust. Luna knew that every single one of them would willingly die for her at a moment’s notice.


The thought no longer pleased her as it did in the days of old, it only sickened her now. It was ironic that they, those who were so young and able, should lay down their lives for an aged alicorn that would endure for an indeterminable amount of time. It was despicable, one of the most heinous crimes ever seen by the world. War was necessary, and it required sacrifice, but why did it always take the young? The old were left to remember the tragedy and the losses they caused, while they sat, planning the next war.


Nothing could be done about this, and Luna knew it. She could not re-write history that came eons before her, nor could she change the petty nature so deeply ingrained into every mortal being. All she could do, was try to keep as many alive as she could, and honor the memory of those she couldn’t.


“I hate war.” Luna muttered under her breath.


Princess Luna and her force had been stationed at the fort for two days. During this time, Luna visited the ruins of the razed outpost, but could find no further clues or evidence. Pending the findings of scribes back in Canterlot, Luna’s force was locked in a stationary position.


Luckily, Luna wouldn’t have to wait much longer for an answer. On the morning of the third day, Luna received a letter. She was about to open it, but paused upon seeing her sister’s own personal seal upon it. Slowly, she opened the scroll and read it’s contents. Hastily skimming through, Luna found the news she needed. Not bothering to read the rest of the scroll, she tossed it in her saddlebag. It was too personal, and it was too early to read it.


What must be done now was clear, the scribes were sure of it. The treaty had not been infringed by Equestria, as the outpost was on the edge of the territory that the treaty outlined. It was the nomads who had committed an atrocious act of war, and they would soon pay.


Summoning the two battalions of the 13th, and having the battalion from the 29th stay behind as a reserve, Luna marched out into the desert beyond the razed outpost. As the columns marched past the charred remains, an atmosphere of hatred and loathing could be felt in the air. The soldiers marched on, determined to make the nomad swine pay for their despicable crimes.


Entering the swirling dunes, the soldiers were prepared for battle. Armed and armored, they stood in stark contrast to the golden sand they walked upon. Shimmering like a diamond in her silver armor while the sun beat down, Luna led her six dots of midnight black and her sea of purple through the countless dunes.


After what seemed like several days of enduring the blistering, hot, and scorching rays of the sun, a large rocky outcropping made itself visible in the distance. Luna steered her soldiers toward it, reasoning that it would be a likely place for the nomads to seek shelter. As they neared, it became apparent how large the natural formation was. At several dozen feet tall, it was an impressive sight.


Natural awe gave way to a sense of foreboding as a mouth was found, and it delved deep into the colossal stone structure, creating a miniature canyon of sorts with only one open end. Warily, Luna looked up both sides of the massive walls, giving an uneasy frown.


“I don’t like this.” Luna openly commented to Thunderbuck.


“And why is that, Princess?” He asked.


“This doesn’t feel right. The nomads prefer the open, they wouldn’t back themselves in a corner… unless…”


“Unless what?”


“Unless they have no intention of escaping or surrendering. I want three squads to scout ahead, bring them up here. Have the rest of the troops assemble into two skirmish lines, as many ranks deep as needed, spear-ponies at the front. One facing inside this canyon, the other facing outwards.”


“You think this is a trap?”


“I know it is, or perhaps it is simply paranoia. Pray for the latter.”


“Yes, Ma’am.”


Within a couple of minutes, Luna’s orders had been carried out and three squads were standing before her. Dark Fury’s squad was one of them.


Looking them up and down, Luna addressed them. “Mares, gentlecolts, you have been selected for a quick recon patrol. I want you to go deeper into this canyon and explore it for any signs of recent activity. Explore as many branches and paths as you are able, and try to stick together if at all possible.


“Remember, you are running a recon mission, do not engage any enemies in offensive operations. You are all to maintain a defensive posture at all times. Do not attack unless you have been attacked. If you encounter a force far superior to you in size or a large encampment, withdraw immediately. Am I clear?”


“Yes Ma’am!” twenty-seven voices shouted in unison.


“Sergeant!” Luna declared, pointing at DarkFury.


“Ma’am!”


“Your squad will be on point. I hereby give you temporary command of all three squads. Do as you see fit to accomplish the objective. Report back to me with your findings.”


“Yes Ma’am, thank you Ma’am!”


Here is a chance to prove yourself, don’t do anything rash, Luna added in a mental statement directed to DarkFury.


I won’t if I can help it, he replied.


Swallowing the lump in his throat and taking a deep breath, Dark Fury began barking out orders. “You all heard her, move out! Leadhead, Monsoon, you’re on point! Everyone else, fall in!”


Watching them quickly trot down into the canyon, Luna smirked as she thought, Hmm, he’s getting better at this already.


It had been over half an hour since the three squads had started down into the canyon. The amount of branches, nooks, and crannies in this large rock maze were astounding. Each one was thoroughly searched for any sign of the nomads. Finding nothing, the squads pushed deeper and further on.


The canyon seemed to stretch on forever, and fatigue began to creep over the soldiers. The sun beat down intensely, causing them to sweat under their armor as they ran. Dark Fury looked over the group, assessing their state. They seemed fine, but he was sure they were all getting dehydrated. He resolved to let them catch a quick break after they got to the end of the canyon.


A few more minutes of jogging rewarded them with a large, rectangular enclosure. It stretched left and right for about a quarter mile in either direction, and the other wall was about a hundred yards in front of them.


Scanning the entire area, Dark Fury said, “There’s nothing here.”


“What about that, sir?” one of the Privates asked, pointing to the wall across from them.


Dark Fury squinted as he focused on where the Private was pointing. What looked like a small mound sat there, and it looked to be about two or three times the height of a pony.


“Good eyes, Private. Fan out! I want that thing covered from all sides when we get to it!” Dark Fury ordered as the three squads advanced toward the strange mound, swords and wingblades at the ready.


Upon nearing the mound, the soldiers were able to discern its composition. The sight sickened them as a horrible stench washed over their nostrils. Standing before them lay a mound of bodies, thrown one on top of the other in a haphazard manner. Dust and sand had accrued upon the bodies, indicating they’d been there for a while. Mares, stallions, pegasi, unicorns, and earth ponies; the mound did not discriminate. What was unsettling most about the pile of dead, was that each pony bore the golden armor of the Equestrian Army.


“By the power of the Sisters, who could have done this?” A Corporal near Dark Fury let slip from his mouth.


“Savages. Damned filthy barbarians!” someone said.


Clearing his throat, Dark Fury took control of the situation. “Stand down and take five everyone. Make sure you’re hydrated. The last thing I need is any of you becoming incapacitated due to heat exhaustion.”


“What next, sir?” a young mare asked him.


“You’re not taking five then?” Dark Fury asked.


“No sir. I don’t need it, sir.”


“I need a runner. You up for it?”


“Yes sir!”


“Return to the Princess and inform her that the canyon is clear.”


“Is that all, sir?”


Taking a quick breath, Dark Fury added, “And tell her that we found the twenty-three MIA.”


Nearly an hour and a half had passed since the three squads went forward. Luna was beginning to grow nervous and wondered if they might have been ambushed. Thunderbuck stood nearby, anxious as well. The long period of nothing had everyone wondering what was going on. Quiet murmurs could be heard from the remaining soldiers as they too grew concerned about the lack of activity or word.


At last, a figure could be seen running towards the mouth of the canyon. Luna straightened herself and stared at the form. She identified it as one of her soldiers and relaxed upon seeing the pony taking a quick but relaxed stride. Patiently she waited for the runner to reach her.


Minutes later, the runner stood before her short of breath as she gave Luna a salute.


“What do you have to report, Private?” she asked calmly.


The mare took a moment to catch her breath before replying. “Sergeant Dark Fury told me to report to you that the canyon is clear. We also found the twenty-three that went MIA.”


Luna was relieved to hear that nothing horrible had befallen the squads. “And of the MIA, are any able to walk?”


“Ma’am, they’re all dead. We found them as a pile of corpses,” the mare explained nervously.


Luna cleared her throat before saying, “That is unfortunate. You will guide a platoon to the end for the retrieval of our comrades.”


“Yes Ma’am,” the mare replied.


Luna shouted an order to a nearby platoon commander. He then ordered his platoon of soldiers to split off from the large formation as they turned to follow the mare to the end of the canyon.


“Nasty business, is it not?” Thunderbuck chimed in, stepping up to Luna’s side.


She gave out an exasperated sigh. “It truly is despicable.”


“What now?”


“I don’t think they’re here. We have our casualties accounted for now. Let’s just get them home and buried.”


“So here we are, chasing ghosts in the desert?” Thunderbuck asked her.


“It would appear. They most likely saw us coming and scattered. All we can do is fortify our borders to prevent this from happening again.” Luna replied as she turned away.


Thunderbuck gave a silent nod and followed her.


At the other end of the canyon, the platoon arrived to help pick up the bodies. They began their grim work as they counted and identified the bodies, before covering them and placing them on stretchers. Finally ready to leave, they picked up their dead and began trudging down back toward the canyon entrance.


As they moved down the canyon, some small rocks fell from one of the walls at their side. A number of them glanced up over to the top and swore they saw something just before it vanished out of sight. The whole group stopped and looked around warily.


“Keep moving.” The platoon leader called out to all of them. “Keep your weapons ready and your heads on a swivel.” He called out as they began advancing again.


After that, the three squads and the platoon arrived back at the canyon mouth without incident. They reported to Luna, who acknowledged the dead and all the Lunar soldiers prepared to move out. Forming up, the soldiers began marching once more. This time they marched back from where they came, the mood somber and grim.


Luna was surprised nothing had come of the canyon but she was grateful all the same. The last thing she wanted was being cornered inside a bottleneck by a much larger foe.


Marching back in the hot summer sun was most uneventful. Some ponies whispered that they saw movement occasionally in the distance, but when others looked nothing was seen. Chalked up as tricks played by the heat and sand, they marched onward ever cautiously.


Upon reaching the dune sea close to the territorial border, the large body of troops encountered a lone pony in the desert sand. He had the striped markings and paint upon his body like that of the desert nomads. Apparently unconscious, Luna had the pony brought before her. She cast a revive spell on him to wake him.


The nomad grumbled, and looked at the ponies surrounding him. He eyed them all before stopping to look at Luna. Less than ten feet from her and her guards, he jumped onto his hooves.


“PRAISE THE SUUUUUUUUN!” he screamed at the top of his lungs as his horn lit up with magic.


Luna realized too late the capacity of magic the nomad possessed. Barely erecting a magical ward in front of herself and her nearby guards, the unicorn nomad exploded in a fiery ball of energy and gore. After the explosion, countless nomads rushed down from the numerous dunes surrounding them with whooping shouts and cries.


Adrenaline from the near-death experience kicked Luna into auto-pilot. Much like the senior soldiers under her command did as they realized they were under attack. She started barking out orders with a loud and practiced tone as Argent suddenly hovered beside her front, ready to taste blood upon it’s steel once more. Taking in the large waves of nomads rushing over the dunes and meeting her force, Luna surmised they were surrounded and outnumbered.


Her horn shot a large bolt of magic energy into the sky. It sounded with a crackling boom louder than thunder. The regiment from the 29th and whatever forces that could be spared would answer her call. Now all they had to do was hold out until they arrived.


The two regiments from the 13th held their large formation as nomads tried to smash against their wall of spears and swords. The few Lunar Casters rained down magical artillery on the nomads with devastating effects, but could not blast a hole in the dense amount of enemy soldiers.


The 13th weathered the initial attack very well. Few to no losses were taken as they kept the nomads at bay from all sides. They could not break through, and that was what the Lunar soldiers wanted. As long as they could remain whole and combine their defense they would manage to outlast the nomad force.


Without warning, the nomads withdrew almost twenty feet back as a wave of unicorns charged. They all were shouting and screaming as they charged forward without weapons. Luna immediately knew what they were doing, as she had seen first hand a few minutes ago. She bellowed at the top of her lungs that the unicorns were to be killed as priority targets. Many of them fell, but a few managed to get close and unleash their devastating magic.


Several explosions and screams rang out in the air as the unicorns committed themselves wholly to their cause. A few holes were blasted into the 13th’s lines while the nomads rushed the dazed defenders. Some were lost as the nomads closed a second time before the defenders regained their composure and tried to repel them.


It was a fruitless effort as large chunks of Lunar Soldiers were broken off from the main group. Surrounded, they fought desperately as they tried to regroup. The nomads seemed intent on preventing this, trying to force the broken off groups far away from the main body of the 13th so they could be eradicated.


Luna would not stand for this. Seeing that the eastern flank was deteriorating rapidly, she ordered her guards to follow her as she rushed to the east side of the large formation. Shouting orders and commands, she spearheaded a rushing counter-attack out of the east to reunite her force’s flank.


The nomads looked terrified as the Moon Princess herself charged them with her soldiers following like a flood. Swinging her sword and magic in large sweeping arcs, she felled all nomads foolish enough to try and engage her.


A strange and alien, but all too familiar sense of euphoria washed over the Night Princess. It had been long since she had partook of combat, and the exhilaration of felling one’s enemies always brought a strange dark glimmer in every soldier, the Princess herself included. To be described simply, it felt like winning.


Feeling the heft of Argent in her grasp, the splatter of blood hitting her armor and body, and seeing her enemies terrified and destroyed by her own actions felt gratifying. Her magic attacks shattered or cut apart groups of enemies, while Argent cleaved through weapons, armor, and flesh and bone alike with every swing. Princess Luna felt like she was winning, and she enjoyed it.


Yes, Luna. You remember how it feels. It is good to crush your enemies before you. A familiar seductive and honeyed voice spoke aloud in Luna’s mind. Gorge yourself. Revel in the terror and screams of your foes!


Shouting a loud warcry, Luna found her soldiers imitated in earnest. Pressing on and falling more and more foes, they eventually gathered all the stragglers they could gather up. Falling back into the large waiting group, the recovered soldiers assimilated back onto the line and held the ever coming tide of the nomads.


Luna repeated this spearhead of counter-attacks in every direction, regathering most of the troops that had been broken off. All the while the poisonous goading of Nightmare Moon spoke to her as she wetted her sword and armor with the blood of countless nomads.


By this point, Luna was thoroughly enjoying herself. She howled and laughed like a madmare as she cut through her opponents. Here out in the desert, she was free of all restraint as she slaughtered any fools who dared to stand in her way. Nothing could stop her. She was the Queen of battle, and she held onto her title with an iron hoof.


Noticing a rather ornately decorated pony in the sea of nomads, Luna surmised it could perhaps be their leader. Yet at the same time she did not, or could not, feel the dark tainted being inside her consciousness start to envelop her mind and body slowly and methodically. Pointing with Argent and bellowing at the ornate nomad, Luna charged. Her soldiers surged forward with her as they went on the offensive. They could not keep up with Luna’s fast pace of dispatching her foes. With shouts of dismay, Luna’s soldiers were forced to watch as she became cut off from all of them.


Desperately they tried to break out and rejoin her, but the nomads redoubled their efforts to contain them. Even if the nomads had her alone, they could not touch her as she advanced. She was a literal one mare army as her attacks became even more wild and daring with no allies around her to worry about. Her huge magical blades and blasts carved swathes of foes out of her way while Argent slew any who tried to cross her. Reaching the leader, Luna lunged at him recklessly. With super-pony like speed, he managed to dodge and even parry a few of her attacks. It was all in vain as she split open his stomach.


As he laid there dying, he managed to wheeze out some last words that Luna could barely hear over the din of the battle.


“The sun shall rise… and the moon… will perish…” He gasped before death took him.


The sound of trumpets alerted everyone that the reinforcements had arrived. This coupled with the fact their leader bit the dust, encouraged the nomads to start disengaging and flee. Seizing this opportunity, a young squad leader led an en masse charge to truly rout the nomads. The whole of the 13th charged, chasing their fleeing enemy.


Luna suddenly found herself surrounded by her guards and soldiers as they chased the nomads. Battle still clung to her, so she rushed forward with her troops to slay more foes. Her guards tried to hold her back sensing something was wrong. She shook them off as she tried moving forward.


A group of daring and bold regulars tried to stop her advance. She barely heard her name over the dull roar in her ears as she barked at them menacingly to move. One of them was a very brave soul as he stepped before her and started shouting at her. She shouted back, feeling angry that one would dare oppose her.


She was about to smack him aside when he slapped her in the face, hard. Luna just stood there, dazed as she tried to process what was going on. The soldier slapped her again as her face turned from the blow.


Looking at the soldiers, she found she could see and hear clearly now. She recognized most of the soldiers as Quicksilver, Frostburn, the Fire twins, and Dark Fury as they stared at her with concerned and downright terrified expressions. Dark Fury was the most terrified of all, as his hoof was still raised from slapping her. The look of fear in his face and eyes made that of her nomad enemies look like joy. She also swore he was turning paler with every passing second.


Noticing a peculiar sensation in her mind and body she found that Nightmare Moon had nearly taken ahold of her completely. Letting her exaggerated bloodlust die down, she closed her eyes and focused, putting all her mental might against the slippery nightmare as Luna broke down her gains methodically and quickly. After a minute or so with Nightmare Moon stuffed back deep in her subconscious, Luna opened her eyes once more.


Her guards and soldiers who had tried stopping her were all still around her in the same positions, with the same fearful expressions. Dark Fury was definitely paler than his natural shade by this point as Luna stared at him.


“I-I-I’m s-s-sorry!” he stammered, nearly choking on fear as he lowered his hoof.


“Be calm, Sergeant. Due to the circumstances I will allow this to go unpunished. You were brave to risk yourself to boldly snap me out of my trance. I commend you for your unorthodox solution and bravery.”


Dark Fury nodded, calmed slightly even though he still looked like he might have a fear induced heart attack.


“Rejoin your units and assist with the mop-up,” Luna told them.


They all saluted and briskly trotted away. Her guards stood around her nervously.


“You have all fought well,” she addressed them. “Go take a breather, all of you.”


Wordlessly, they too saluted and complied, sitting a small distance away as Luna investigated the dead nomads around her. The dead leader wore a necklace, and it shimmered as it caught her eye. Looking closer she saw a very old, yet familiar symbol hanging on the end of the chain as she removed the article from the corpse with her magic.


“Strange,” she mused to herself. “Nomad unicorns who blow themselves up praising the sun, shouts and cries for the sun to flourish and the moon to die, strife between the two great celestial beings, and now the ancient symbol of my sister’s sun around the neck of an old foe. Seems awfully coincidental.”


Looking down at the ground by the fallen leader, she also noticed a satchel. Examining it, she found that it contained numerous letters and scrolls. All bore her sister’s ancient seal.

“Now what do we have here?”

Author's Note:

Sorry for the long delay from announcing chapter 8 and actually posting it. My pre-reader was a bit busy with IRL stuff, and I didn't want to move on without his looking over. I also was a day or two slow about actually going in and making corrections from mistakes he pointed out as well. Anywho, I hope you enjoyed the chapter!

Pre-read by the amazing Auramane! Many thanks once again, friend!

Chapter 9 is in the works, and despite the impending holiday season and last few weeks of the fall semester, I will try my hardest to get it out ASAP.

Thank you all for your continued support and patience.

-Nocturnal

Comments ( 11 )

Been a longggggggggggggggggggggggggg while.

Ahh the problem with Demi-Godhood.. having to actually deal with Insane cults that misinterpret your words and doing things you would never want in the name of pleasing you but with out the omnipotence that would make it easy. Me thinks Celestia underestimated just how far some groups where willing to go in a misguided attempt at praising her.

yes a update
good chapter

6592883 At least that knight guy from Dark Soul have reason to "Praise the Sun" from the various anylasis videos and generally a swell guy all around who would help you in time of need.

Good to see the 13th back.
It has been a long time.

Whoa an update? Never thought I'd see the day.

IIITTTTTTTTT LLLLLLLIIIIIIIVVVVVVVVVEEEEEESSSSSS

Spotted a blurb typo: "repentence".

this be cliffhanger. but patience is a virtue. but i wanna read more.:ajbemused:

It'll be back someday Templar. Someday. But until then, I'll keep on checking in to see if there's a new update. Best story I've read since I've been here. Haven't bothered to read other stories tbh.

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