Chapter 14: Endless Nightmares.

"Dammit, now I'm down an element bearer! What am I meant to do if I need you all!"

Stalwart Defender had stopped, after prolonged demands for a rest from the others. They were at a very familiar riverway now, the river once too turbulent to cross thanks to a particularly upset sea serpent. Rarity, huffing heavily, harrumphed.

"Then I suppose you'll have to wait! It's not OUR fault you were in too much of a hurry to leave Demon behind to fight."

Defender whirled upon Rarity with a ferocity rivalling an angry ursa.

"I had no choice! Luna is in danger and if I don't get to her, who the hell knows what'll happen to her! I can't stop for anything! It's too important. As it is I've lost too much time! We're only a few hours away from moonrise, so we have to MOVE!"

Rarity cowered away from the angry soldier. Applejack, frustrated as well, snapped.

"Hey! Don't ya'll take it out on her! We're all tired, an' we know that it's important we get Luna back. Ya'll ain't makin' it any easier!"

Finding a new target to vent his pent up frustration at, Defender rounded on Applejack.

"No! You know nothing! Nothing! You think you do, you think you can handle anything. We know nothing of our enemy! And yet still you're fine with waiting here for them to do whatever foul thing they have planned for my princess!"

Applejack retaliated just as heatedly, refusing to back down. Twilight barely heard her.

My princess?

She looked to Talisman, who was panting heavily and he looked at her grimly and nodded. Her eyes widened.

So that's why he's so urgent… This is more than simple duty to him.

She turned back to the argument. Applejack was speaking still.

"…So ya just shut your trap and catch your darn breath before Ah buck it out of ya again! Ah'm tired, Ah'm runnin' on Empty and Ah'm gettin' behind on the work needed for the farm runnin' out to the middle of noplace on the insistence of some half witted idiot who thinks he knows where the princess is! You're lucky Ah'm even out here right now!"

"Thinks! THINKS! I have it on VERY good authority that she's out here in that forsaken bloody palace! If my word as her personal protector isn't good enough for you then I don't need you here! I need ponies that can follow orders, not a bunch of undisciplined country bumpkins who can't tell a sword from a hammer and have problems with authority!"

"Personal guard huh?"

"That's right!"

"Well ya ain't done a very good job have ya!"

"THAT'S ENOUGH!"

Defender bit off his retort and spun around, eyes wide at the sudden drop of air pressure and temperature. Twilight stood, teeth gritted, eyes bright white.

"I've had enough! Both of you shut up! We've got a job to do and all this bickering isn't helping!"

Her blindingly angry stare fixed itself upon Applejack.

"A guard died trying to defend Luna. Defender was off duty at the time, this guard was taking care of Luna. He was an old friend."

Applejack looked devastated as Twilight turned to Defender, feeling an odd sense of satisfaction at not only shaming the farmer completely, but making the larger, armoured stallion flinch back in fear.

"And you. We are not soldiers. We are ponies, yes, and none of us are afraid to do what is right. But you do NOT lead us! Without us, you'd still be back facing the unicorn from before, so how about we all learn to get along BEFORE we go killing each other?"

The two previously fighting ponies nodded emphatically, desperate for the enraged unicorn to calm down. Just as she seemed to calm, a slow clap came from the path in front of them and Defender's eyes widened at the familiar voice.

"Bravo, miss Sparkle. I thought they'd never shut up."

---

"This is your room?"

Brave Wing looked around in quiet shock. The room was richly decorated, something that did come as a bit of a shock since not only did few ponies live in the castle, even fewer lived here enough to have time to decorate their chambers. The walls were a vibrant pink colour and there were a few pictures hanging on the wall, one of which containing two mares, one with the same soft, gentle and calming pink that made up Heart Sworn's coat. This caught his attention. Between the two mares was a basket containing a filly.

"Heart? Who is this?"

She shut the door gently and locked it before looking over at him. Seeing him looking at the picture she sighed.

"Oh, Mother…"

"Your Mother?"

"I guess. Both of them."

Brave Wing started visibly.

"Two mothers?"

He felt rather than saw her sit beside him.

"Yes, two mothers. I know, it's not exactly commonly accepted, but those are my roots. My birth mother is this one."

She pointed to the pink earth pony.

"She… They both tried the magical way, but something about my mum's physiology didn't allow her to accept the magical impregnation. They resorted to a stud service."

She looked to a smaller picture held in a frame sitting on a nearby dresser, Brave Wing following her a moment later. In the image was a proud looking stallion with baby blue hair sitting with her in his forehooves, nuzzling her. She was giggling.

"My dad. He was so proud of me. I saw him every weekend and he got along very well with my mums. They were great friends and he never demanded any more time with me. He believed in quality time over quantity. And he insisted on paying foal support."

"He sounds like a great stallion. A good father."

Heart Sworn smiled.

"He is. He lives in Trottingham now. Had to move for work reasons. He only volunteered for the service because he was in the area and didn't have any problems with the idea. He was always so proud of me. He still is. I send him letters every week along with my mother… unfortunately it's only 'mother' now, since…"

She looked back at the image of her parents and sniffled, tears coming to her eyes.

"Sleepy Hollows died in a house fire… Dad tried to get her out… almost succeeded too. He had to go to hospital because of severe burns. He's okay now but… He was heartbroken. He failed to save his little girl's mummy…"

Brave Wing looked at her as her voice choked off. She was crying openly, her teal eyes, reminiscent of her father by the looks of it, were wet with tears. His heart went out to her and he wrapped a wing around her.

"It's okay Heart. I know how it feels… My father wasn't exactly straight either you know."

Heart Sworn almost choked on her surprise before looking at him.

"I… what?"

He nodded.

"I may not know your pain of the death in the family… my biological mother and father… well, I don't know them. Father and papa adopted me when I was still a foal. They still live here, in Canterlot. They were so proud of me when I was enrolled into the Royal Guard. Even prouder when I told them about my promotion, and induction into the Midnight Guard corps."

He nuzzled her gently behind her left ear, inciting a coo of soft delight.

"Don't worry. I don't think you're different or strange simply because you have two mothers. How could I?"

He grinned.

"Look at us. Both of us have gay parents, both of us turned out just fine. What does that tell you?"

She burst into a fit of giggles, leaning on him for support. Brave Wing felt his heart flutter in his chest.

Sun and Moon, the mare I've been crushing on for ages is leaning on me!

Suddenly she shivered and he put a hoof to her shoulder worriedly.

"Heart Sworn! What's wrong?"

"Your armour… it's cold."

He felt himself laughing before it registered.

"Yes, I suppose it is. Sorry about that."

She looked up at him, smiling. Once more he felt his heart melt, as he always did whenever she looked at him.

Oh jeez, you're on duty Wing! What are you doing?

"Brave Wing?"

"Yes Heart?"

"Do you think Defender will be okay?"

He felt his heart sink.

Guess it was still just wishful thinking.

He nodded, keeping up his façade of happiness.

"I'm sure he'll be fine."

She smiled.

"Good. He can take care of himself."

She reached up and removed his helmet, much to his surprise, and his mane tumbled down his shoulders. He hadn't cut it in some time, not really having had the time. She giggled.

"Wow. I thought all you guards had short cut manes?"

He shrugged, still stunned.

"W..Well Luna prefers us be ourselves. And in my defence, I haven't really had the time to cut it recently."

Her smile was covered by her hoof as she giggled.

"Don't worry, I like it.~"

"I… you do?"

She nodded and her hooves wrapped themselves around his neck, pulling him down until their muzzles were practically touching.

"I love stallions who aren't afraid of having a long mane~"

He gulped as she leaned forward slowly, bridging the gap between them and his eyes slid shut just as…

The door burst open and he whirled to face it, pushing Heart Sworn behind him at the same time. In the doorway stood two Royal Guards. Brave Wing grimaced.

"So. It's come to this."

---

Fading out of the darkness upon the higher limbs of a tree, reclined lazily upon his back, rested a stallion with deep, deep purple hair and a coat of deepest blue. His flank was bare. However, resting over his face was…

"Splintered Dreams? Is that you?"

Twilight and co looked at Defender in alarm.

"You KNOW him!" Twilight demanded. Defender nodded.

"Yeah… but…"

Splintered Dreams chuckled and rolled out of the tree, falling for a mere moment before his horn glowed and his fall was halted, landing on thin air. Hiding his face was a mask much like the one upon Defender's head. A mask made of bone.

But this one was different.

There was a splatter of deep maroon upon it, in fact there were several. And etched into the skull was a depiction of a bunch of grapes. The eye sockets were empty, as is to be expected of a skull, and his strange, shimmering eyes peered out of them.

"Well well. Look at this would you? Five of the elements of Harmony, a rock star and a psychologist who reads minds are escorting our brave little disgraced guard."

Talisman frowned and reached forth with his mind, only to recoil in visible disgust at what he found, flinching back and causing Twilight to look at him in curiosity.

"What is it?"

Talisman shook his head, an utterly disgusted look on his face.

"You really don't want to know what's in this… creature's mind."

Splintered Dreams tutted.

"Now now little unicorn, that's just rude. Not terribly gracious at all."

Defender rolled his eyes.

"Why are you here Dreams?"

Splintered Dreams regarded Defender in a mixture of disappointment and vague negligence.

"Straight to the point hmm? Pity. Ah well. I'm afraid I've been ordered to stop you by my… superiors… in our little order."

Defender frowned.

"Meaning what exactly..?"

Dreams sighed.

"Meaning I'm going to have to fight at least one of you. If I let you past without a fight, I won't be trusted anymore, to the point where they may simply kill me for my indiscretions. In fact, I guarantee they'd kill me."

His eyes swivelled, paying special interest in Twilight.

"So I'm afraid one of you is going to have to stay behind. So terribly sorry."

Defender sighed heavily.

"you sure you can't just let us..?"

"Nope. One must stay, and we must at least pretend to do battle."

Talisman stepped forward, a look of twisted hatred livid upon his face.

"Then I'm your opponent."

Splintered Dreams looked at the stallion and laughed.

"I'm sorry, did I say you got to choose who faces me? Let's be honest Talisman, you'd never stand a chance unless I was asleep."

Tal bristled at the half-insult whilst Twilight started.

"How do you know his name!"

Dreams' head rotated slowly to face Twilight.

"I know much more than that Twilight. But I digress. We have spent far too much time lollygagging. Let us begin, favourite of Celestia!"

---

"Brave!"

Heart Sworn looked at the two looming figures before her, cowering into the corner of her room. Standing before her were the two Royal guards that had just kicked the living hell out of her only protection. Brave Wing lay on the floor, groaning in pain. His armour was scattered, in pieces, and he was covered in shallow cuts. He was having difficulty breathing. The two guards smiled maliciously.

"Heh, she IS kinda cute you know. And nopony is coming this way for at least an hour. We could have some fun."

The other guard seemed to consider this proposal before nodding, much to Heart Sworn's utter terror.

"we certainly could. It's not like she's going to overpower us any time soon, right?"

The pair chuckled. So focused upon their prey were they that they didn't notice Brave Wing's eyes light with fiery fury.

Oh they're NOT!

From his point on the ground he heard Heart Sworn scream and the two start laughing, then a solid slap. Brave Wing saw red.

Oh you did NOT!

He forced himself to his hooves, avoiding the shards of glass from the broken picture frame that had fallen from the wall. He suppressed the urge to cough, painfully rising until he could lift his head enough to see. The pair of turncoats, for he was positive they were such, were trying to manipulate Heart Sworn into a more… agreeable? Position. He looked around frantically.

Alright, I can't take them head on. They'd kill me with those blades on their wings. I can't even take one of them from behind because the other would kill me before I had the time to move onto him…

Suddenly he had a flashback of another time he was on the floor, on the ropes, dying.

The throne room. He felt his lifeblood leaking out of him. But he saw it all. Defender come in and then, miraculously, hurling his shoe at the attacker. Burying it within his forehoof.

His armoured shoe.

His Spiked armoured shoe.

Brave Wing grimaced painfully.

This is going to hurt.

By this time, one of the guards was mounting the now frantically screaming Heart Sworn.

Screaming his name.

"Hey! Dirtbags!"

The pair swivelled to look at the battered and broken stallion. He forced a grin.

"Rule number one of being a soldier. Never, ever leave an enemy behind you."

The two looked at each other before the perverse guard mounting his beloved got off of her and the other slapped her again.

"Don't move sweet thing~"

"You should have stayed down kid."

Brave Wing smirked tauntingly at them.

"You should have stayed at home where your mummy could still feed you your milk."

The two guards growled angrily, their wings flicking up and out, the tips of their feathers glinting.

"You'll pay for that!"

"You'll certainly try to make me pay."

The pair of pegasi guards charged.

Time seemed to slow and Brave Wing took a breath and closed his eyes.

Heart Sworn is screaming.

The insurgents are charging at me.

It's now or never.

His forehooves shot up, his shoes following them and he spun around and his forehooves bent, the muscles in his hind hooves clenching, tightening like a tight spring.

One Celestia.

Two Celestia.

Three!

He lashed out with a mighty kick and felt his hooves connect with both thrown shoes in a satisfying 'CLANG' of metal on metal, then a screech and a scream of absolute agony and he stopped short of completing his kick and fell down, the unexpected fall winding him.

Move dammit!

He rolled forward the instant he hit the ground, coming up breathing heavily as he spun around…

And gaped in shock at the results of his efforts.

The two guards stood frozen, having landed seconds before they were hit. Piercing their helmets and going straight through their skull and into their brain were the shoes. Blood soaked down from around the spikes embedded in them and the points of one of the shoes poked out the back of the guard's head, coated in blood and brain matter. As he watched, the pair twitched, then toppled onto the ground, dead. This revealed Heart Sworn.

Oh jeez.

He rushed over to her as she gaped in absolute shock and awe. Her face was flecked with spots of blood from the burst from the guard of whom he'd driven the spike clean through the head of, several of them on her cheek and one or two on her lips, most of it on her forehead. Carefully, very carefully, he wiped the blood from her lips.

"Heart? Are you okay?"

Her eyes tore away from the scene that was in front of her and settled upon the guard before her, covered in shallow cuts and covered in rivulets of blood.

"I… Brave I…"

"Shhhhh…. It's okay… I'm here."

She felt warmth as she was enveloped in a feathery embrace and a clang as his chestplate finally fell from his body, the straps giving out under the beating they'd received and he drew her to his chest, staining her fur scarlet.

"I'll take care of you… I promised."

She gasped and looked up at him from his strong embrace.

"W..Wing, you need to get to the hospital! You're bleeding and cut an-"

She slowed to a stop at the amused look in his eye.

"It looks worse than it is. I think you need something to help recover from the shock maybe, but I'll be fine."

"I… I… I don't know if I have anything here.."

He smiled.

"I do."

He leaned down and kissed her gently, meeting minimal resistance in her surprise before it melted away to a long, heartfelt embrace.

---

"The Famous Twilight Sparkle. Personal protégé of Princess Celestia and fabled element of Magic."

Twilight didn't like Splintered Dreams. Didn't like the way he spoke, the way he carried himself, he way he spoke. There was something about him that seemed off, wrong. She didn't like his eyes either. No eyes should be any more than one colour at a time. His seemed to constantly shift. It was disconcerting and unnatural. She didn't like that mask either. It creeped her out.

Why does he even wear such a gruesome thing!

She especially hated the way he seemed to know so much about her. Her name, the fact she was an element of harmony, where she lived.

She just didn't like him.

And so the pair stood a fair distance from each other, both horns glowing gently in preparation for spells to come.

A duel between two unicorns was a rare affair with often fatal results. To understand this, one needed to understand the rudimentary elements behind magic itself. For starters, the more complex or advanced a spell, the longer it took to cast, and generally the more powerful. Secondly, you could only cast spells within you range of casting. That doesn't necessarily mean that a 'weaker' unicorn could not defeat a more skilled unicorn should their mind be fast enough to cast several low level spells at the same time or in quick succession. And it was considered common courtesy by all unicorns that, upon engaging in a magic duel, that spells that draw in the general populace were forbidden. It was also considered polite to allow those of higher status to initiate the combat. One also had to remember that, in the time that it took for your opponent to perish or give up from a spell, they could cast a counter spell that could destroy you as well. Needless to say, duels were not taken lightly.

But in this case, Twilight wasn't sure if those rules would apply. And so she was quite surprised when he sat down. A traditional sign of allowing the opponent first strike.

"You have the higher status, Twilight Sparkle. I am but a lowly criminal."

Her surprise must have shown because a humourless laugh erupted from him.

"What? You thought because I was part of a heartless criminal organisation that I wouldn't follow tradition? Don't be absurd. My manners are very much intact. But I warn you. You will not be the first I have duelled, and if you do not throw everything you have at me, you will not be the first I have slain."

Twilight gasped.

"I thought you said you had to at least pretend!"

She couldn't see it, but she was sure that under that mask he was smiling.

"Twilight, Twilight, Twilight. Where would be the fun if out battle was only pretend? And who would believe it? No, the only way is to go at it hoof and horn. If you don't think you're ready for it, lie down and surrender to me now."

Twilight gritted her teeth angrily. Normally she condemned violence in all forms but… if it'll save her life..?

Her horn began to glow brighter and her opponent let out another laugh.

"That's more like it!"