• Published 31st Oct 2013
  • 1,267 Views, 17 Comments

Long Sleep: Black Wing's Tale - RaijingtheClockworkPony



When Luna returned to Equestria many things changed. One such thing was an ancient force reawoke. Black Wing is one of them.

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Meeting Royalty and Co-workers

Black Wing was impressed. The section of the castle he was being lead through was new. How new he didn't know but his memory of the castle was sharp and clear in his mind but this portion of it didn't ring in his memories. He had walked the castle countless times, and though this section wasn't remembered, it filled him with the same warm feeling of home as the portions he could remember.

When he and his escort walked out of the small living quarters into the better light of the castle halls they each took the opportunity of the much better lighting to inspect each other much better. Much to Black Wings displeasure Lyssa's coat wasn't as white as it had appeared in the catacombs. Small sections of her fur were stained brown and others were matted from what he hoped was sweat. Her mane looked oily as if she hadn't cleaned it in days. However the thing that struck him was that her teeth were pearly white and as he thought about that his mind recalled the taste of her lips when she had kissed him. Minty... this mare confuses me the more I think about her.

As he was inspecting her Lyssa was looking at him as well. Her eyes were focused on only one feature. His wings. "Can I see them?"

Black Wing blinked in confusion which prompted her to ask again. "Can I see your wings I mean. Please?"

Without a response he spread his wings to their fullest for her to gaze upon. Large, leathery wings the same midnight shade as his coat. To many they would compare them to those of a large bat but to Lyssa they were something much more majestic.

She let out a small squeal and moved closer to look at them. "I have my own angel and he's showing me his wings!"

Black Wing rolled his eyes as she walked slowly around him. He was about to fold his wings again when she asked something he wasn't expecting.

"Can I touch them?"

He turned to her quickly. "What?"

She took advantage of his surprise to kiss him once again. He pushed her away and wiped his lips. She moved quickly to his side and was staring at his wings again. "I wanna touch them. They looked so soft down in the catacomb and I wanted to touch them but I never could get you to say yes. So can I?"

His first instinct was to tell her no and leave it at that but something made him reconsider. He sighed as when she gave him the puppy dog eyes.

"Fine. Just be gentle with them."

He extended the wing closest to her to allow her access to it. He watched and couldn't help but be amused by the fact she looked like a small foal as she gently touched and poked his wings. Her hooves were soft and surprisingly warm to the touch as she held his wing.

"It's so pretty. I wish I had wings."

Black Wing was expecting her to say something like that but what he wasn't ready for was the emotion behind the words. She sounded heartbroken and for a moment all of the craziness she shown faded away. All he saw was a lonely sad mare looking for something. That moment faded quickly as her smile, and crazy, returned in full force.

"Opps need to take you to mistress. Come on she hates when ponies are late."

She grabbed his hoof and started dragging him along the hallways. Minutes passed quickly as they climbed stairwells and moved through hallways. When the pair of ponies reached a passage way with windows he took a moment to glance outside. It was night out and the stars were brightly shining. What a lovely night to awake to. I wonder what year it is. His thoughts were broken when Lyssa began to tug on his leg. As they passed through the corridor he began to wonder why it was that they hadn't come upon a portion of the castle he remembered.

"This makes no sense. We've been walking for a while and haven't come across a single hall that I recognize." He muttered to himself as he took lead of the small trek.

Lyssa looked at him like he was crazy. "Why are you talking to yourself? That's kinds cuckoo."

The midnight stallion could almost feel the irony that went over Lyssa's head. After what felt like an hour to Black Wing, he was finally where he was being lead as he recognized the large looming doors ahead of him and the impressive looking guards in golden armor in front of it.

One of the guards, a stallion of bone white, approached them. "Halt! What are you doing here? I thought we made it clear that you can't come up here when ever you wanted." The guard took a quick glance at Black Wing. "Who's this stallion?"

Lyssa tilted her head and gave the guard a wide smile. "He's my coltfriend. He just woke up from the catacombs and the mistress told me to bring her any pony that wakes up."

Black Wing let out an annoyed sigh as he watched the guard give him a smirk. "This true lover boy?"

The bat winged stallion scowled at the guard. "I hath been awoken within the catacombs and have been brought here." He turned to Lyssa. "I'm not you're coltfriend."

Lyssa merely giggled and placed her head on his shoulder as she replied in a sing song voice. "Not yet."

The guard gave Black Wing another smirk that made Black Wing want to throttle him. "Alright. I'll bring you in."

As the stallion led the pair of them through Black Wing glanced at the other guard, a pegasus mare of jet black, by the doors. She kept glancing at the three ponies. Sloppy. The Night Legion would never have broken stance like that and never in front of guests. These must be the screw ups. They walked into the massive throne room and seated at the far end of the room was none other than Princess Celestia.

The guard raised his hoof to stop Lyssa and Black Wing. "Your Majesty." He bowed low to the ground and Lyssa followed suit. Black Wing however stood perfectly straight and looked at the sun goddess square in the eyes with a look of disapproval.

The guard didn't miss his action. "Bow to your princess."

Black Wing didn't look at the stallion, instead kept his eyes locked on Celestia's. "She is not my princess."

The guard moved from his bow on the floor to directly in front of Black Wing. "Bow or I'll make you."

Only when the threat was uttered did Black Wing look at the guard in his face. "I'd love to see you try. I've handled whelps like you before and I can teach you the same manners I've taught them all."

The guard was ready to attack the midnight stallion but was stopped by the gentle voice behind him. "Guard, you are excused. Take Lyssa with you." The guard turned to the sun goddess but she raised her hoof to silence his forthcoming protest. "That was a suggestion Bronze Spear. Please don't make me turn that into an order."

The guard bowed to the princess then picked up the still bowing Lyssa and walked out of the throne room leaving Celestia and Black Wing almost alone. The princess looked to the guards that flanked the throne and nodded to them. They silently left the room as well.

The princess waited for a moment after they were alone before she spoke again. "Despite the harsh feelings between us I must say I am truly glad to see you again."

The disapproving look didn't leave the stallions face. "Can't say I feel the same. It is nice to walk around again. The reception could use work though."

The princess smiled and looked at the throne room doors. "I know but I trust Lyssa. Much like how I still trust you. Sammael."

A small smile broke across Black Wings face at the mention of the name. "That's more like it." He bowed to the princess. "The Night Legion has began to awake. I assume that they are waking up right now?"

Celestia motioned for him to join her in walking to the throne. "No, I made the enchantment end on you earlier than the rest of the Legion. I wish to brief you before the rest of your brethren awake."

They reached the throne and Celestia took a seat. Black Wing, or Sammael, took up position beside the throne and stood at attention.

The princess continued. "First off I wish to address some of the minor issues before I move on the the more important ones. Your armor and the armor of the Legion has been preserved and stored in the vault. As well the term Legion will have to be absolved as the armies we used to maintain have been consolidated to merely the now Royal Guard. I hope that you will accept this term?"

The stallion shook his head. "Not unless our princess decrees such an action."

Celestia nodded. "Of course. I have prepared ample room for the Legion when they awake in the Barracks. The chefs are waiting to feed them when they awake. If they require anything else I assume you will inform the quartermaster and she will take care of everything. The final of the lesser issues will be language. The common use of Equestrian has changed greatly in the time you have been asleep."

The stallion kept his stance as he spoke. "How long have we been gone?"

Celestia knew that question would be asked sooner or later but it pained her to tell him. "You have been asleep for nearly one thousand years."

He remained as still as stone but she could almost feel the pain that passed into his eyes. All of the ponies he knew and loved were gone. He and his Legion were now living relics of a past age that only one being had a living memory of.

A small nod from Sammael was all she got from him. She sighed and continued. "Now the more important issues. I know that you are wondering where Luna is. She will be joining us, or rather you and your Legion later this afternoon. She is rather... indisposed at the moment. I have my personal student retrieving her for us."

The legionnaire nodded. "Very well."

Celestia glanced at him and for a moment wished she could read his mind as his features gave less emotion than stone. "I have arranged for my Captain of the Guard to meet with you very soon so you two can get everything sorted as well as get to know one another. You will be working with each other a lot."

She turned to the impassive stallion and sighed. "Sammael, at ease. Please."

The stallion relaxed and looked at the princess. "Your Highness?"

She placed her hoof on his shoulder. "I wish to talk to you about Lyssa. She's... disturbed." Sammael rolled his eyes at the over statement but he kept quiet for Celestia to finish. "She has been a personal servant of mine and she is very... peculiar in her actions and her manners."

She paused for a moment as Sammael took this new information in. He glanced to the door where she was most likely waiting for him. Celestia continued as he gazed at the doors.

"Before I gave her the duty of watching over you and your Legion she was far worse than what she is now. I also know of her affection of you."

Sammael snapped back to Celestia. "How?"

Celestia gave a small smile and spoke in a passable imitation of Lyssa. "'Mistress must know all.' She told me that she thought you were the 'cute one.' She spent a lot of time in your room talking to you and fawning over you."

A look of horror passed over Sammael's face. Celestia gave him a small reassuring pat on the shoulder. "I forbade her from touching any of you when I first brought her down there. At the time it was for her safety rather than worry she was going to touch you. I placed strong protective charms over each of you in case we had to abandon the castle for any reason."

The horror faded only a little on Sammael's face. "Still. You have to agree with that thy maiden is insane and her actions... disturbing at times. She has forced herself upon me numerous times already."

Celestia nodded. "She is rather difficult to handle. However you seem to have a strange affect on her. You may be the key in bringing her to a more manageable state. I understand this may be me overstepping my power over the Night Legion but would you look after her? I'm asking as a princess concerned for her subject."

Sammael stood there for a moment looking at the goddess then to the doors of the throne room. He had sworn an oath many, many years ago to protect and serve all of Equestria. If that meant bringing a lost pony back home then he would do so.

"I will. I can't promise that I'll succeed but I will try."

Celestia nodded. "Thank you. Lyssa was once a very happy mare and she once had a different name. Her mother named her Silver Clover. She won't answer to that now but hopefully she will again."

Sammael nodded and returned to his guard stance. "Hopefully."

They sat there for a moment as a white stallion with a two toned blue mane walked into the room. He wore purple armor and spoke with authority. "You summoned me Your Majesty?"

Celestia nodded. "I wish for you to met Centurion Sammael. Leader of the Night Legion."

Sammael turned to the white stallion and looked him over. The white stallion was slightly taller than most unicorns and his eyes where a striking blue. The bat-pony could see the eyes of this unicorn were confident but they also spoke of a compassion just beneath surface. He found himself respecting this stallion with out having even spoken a word to him.

The stallion walked forward and reached out with his hoof. "Shining Armor. Captain of the Royal Guard. Pleasure to meet you."

Sammael reached out and took the hoof. "Pleasure."

The darker stallion looked to the princess and saw that she was now standing. "I apologize for leaving you two like this but I have to go collect somepony very important. I hope you will brief each other on the situation."

Before either of the stallions could speak Celestia was engulfed in a blinding light. By the time either of the stallions reopened their eyes she was gone. The pair of military ponies exchanged looks of confusion and slight annoyance. Neither one was expecting Celestia to just disappear.

Shining broke the small silence that followed. "So... the Princess didn't exactly tell me much about you or the legion. I wasn't even aware that Equestria even had legions at all."

Sammael let out a small snort. "Of course ye didn't. Many a pony will have no recollection of either. A thousand year is not easy to record. Alas my ponies are but casualties of time AND of circumstance."

Shining blinked a few times as he tried to understand the older style of speech. "Yeah... time does do that. Celestia told me to learn a spell to help you with speaking with me. The purpose of the spell is to put the knowledge of a language into a creatures head for them to use. Would you allow me to use such a spell on you?"

Sammael shrugged. "I see no reason not to, but be ye warned. If thou curses me I shall smite thee with all the power I posses."

The unicorn nodded with a smile. "I don't doubt that. Now just hold still." The unicorns horn began to glow with a faint red color. "This should only take a moment or two since you already speak Equestrian."

Sammael's vision suddenly became rose tinted as the aura moved from the white stallions head to his own. Suddenly his vision was bombarded with images of charts, sentences, and new letters as his ears were filled with the sound of how to pronounce it all. Just as quickly as it started it all stopped. The aura faded and his vision returned to normal. The feeling that he had been affected by magic at all was the strange tinging sensation in his skull and the lemony taste on his tongue.

The Captain walked over to him. "How do you feel?"

Sammael rolled his head on his shoulders and gave himself a quick shake. "I'll live. I assume this spell will be used on Princess Luna?"

Shining shook his head. "No. I thought the same thing when the Princess told me to learn it but when I brought it up to her she said that it wouldn't work. Something about alicorn anatomy."

Sammael couldn't help but agree with that logic. The sisters were goddesses after all so it would make sense. The stallions stood in the throne room as another silence fell. Once more Shining was the one to break it.

"Sammael is a very unusual name for a pony. How did you come to have such an interesting name?"

The bat pony began walking towards the throne room doors. "It was tradition for the four Centurions to bare names of ancient pony gods instead of their own. We four would only respond to our soldiers if they referred to us by rank and our Princess by the name we bore. Come, my legion will be awaking soon and Celestia spoke of food and quarters for them."

Shining walked beside the dark coated pony as they entered the hallway. Sammael glanced around and found that Lyssa was no where to be seen. For a moment he felt worried for the mare. He turned to one of the guards. "Where is the mare that brought me here?"

The guard remained silent and didn't even glance over at him. The dark pony walked in front of the guard. "I asked you a question. Answer me."

The guard sneered at him. "We don't take orders from civilians. Stand down or I will detain you."

The bat pony's catlike eyes narrowed as he moved within an inch of the guard. "Civilian? Do you have any idea who I am or what I've done in my life?"

Shining glanced over at the other guard, who was also watching this with interest, and gave him a look that clearly said 'Don't you do a single thing. I want to watch this.' The mare shrugged and looked on at the confrontation. The stallion guard was clearly enjoying the anger showing on Sammael's face.

"I don't care what you've done or how you've done it. You are not a member of the guard and as such I won't be taking orders from you. Now move along and find you little fillyfriend."

Sammael would have been willing to let the issue drop. He had planned on turning to the mare and asking her for the location of Lyssa but the next words that came out of the guards mouth made him change his mind.

"Bloody freak."

Sammael stopped cold in his tracks. He was facing the mare guard and Shining when the words had been uttered and the look that crossed over his face made both of their faces pale and their blood ran cold. A look of barely contained rage passed over his face and he turned to the stallion.

His voice was laced with hate and chilled the room. "Say that again."

The stallion guard sensed the danger eminating from the bat winged stallion. He swallowed hard and looked to Shining for help but none was to be found.

Sammael was in his face once more. "Say it again to my face or is this civilian to scary?"

The guard found some courage and made the worst mistake of his life. He put on a brave face and sneered at the bat pony. "Freak."

Sammael eyes flashed with rage as he drove his hoof into the face of the guard. The guard was sent reeling back as he clutched his face. Before he could recover Sammael was upon him. The legionnaire grabbed the stallion and lifted him into the air. For a moment the guard had no idea what had happened as he felt himself become weightless. That moment was ended as he slammed back first into the wall.

The guard slumped down to the ground and he glanced into the catlike eyes of the night pony. He tried to move away but was held in place by the powerful hoof on his throat.

"I am Sammael. Centurion of the Night Legion, guardian of the night and the swiftest of Luna's chosen. You will take my orders or I promise you this humiliation will be the least of your concerns. Vivat Noctem!"

His voice became a scream that made the ears of the poor stallion ache. The pressure on his throat lessened and he quickly got to his hooves. He tried to move away from the night pony but was grabbed on the shoulder.

"I'll only ask you this once more. Where is Lyssa?"