I couldn’t believe my luck. One minute I spilled punch on one of the most powerful ponies in Equestria, and now I was a member of her personal guard. The armor I had to wear was a little strange for my tastes. The chest plate was dark purple with a serpent eye in the center and the plate’s metal stretched out to my shoulders like bat wings. And the top of the helmet looked like it was pulled from the top of a dragon. And for some odd reason, the armor was enchanted to make my eyes yellow and serpent-like. Storm’s wings changed into bat wings when ever he wore his armor. There was even an oath we both had to take the day before we started. We, under sacred truth, swear to protect and serve honorably in the Evening Guard with courage and strength. No matter the circumstance, we will fight for all of Equestria and will always be on call for her people. As Soldiers of the Night, we swear to fight for honor and for all; day and night, forever we fight. All hail the night.

The job was fairly easy going. Follow her around when ever she left the castle and be on call when ever she asked for us. I know at one point she had Storm take her out on her personal chariot with another Pegasus late one Nightmare Night. I was mostly regulated to being the “always on call” guy. When ever Luna called for guard, I was the one that responded most of the time. The biggest perk of my job was having access to the royal library. So many spell books, so much dark magic, so many more opportunities to screw with Storms dreams and still get sleep. I was living my dream.

Then, about two years into my service, we were called to a meeting with Sergeant Brand Fire. Rumors had been running rampant that Shining Armor had gotten engaged a month ago, but I didn’t believe a word of it. The colt was married to his job. He told us about something called a Changeling, and that they were attacking outposts in the Frozen North. The closest outpost was in the Foul Mountain range, and sightings of these creatures had been reported just north and a small group was to be sent to start a resistance against them.

Why Storm and I were chosen, I will never know. But we followed our orders and were shipped out north. I took a few books with me and one helped me take the spell from the helmet, allowing my eyes to return to their normal shade of navy blue. Storm wasn’t too happy that all it did for him was turn his eyes pink, but magic isn’t perfect right? (smirk) Aside from my magical skills, I had a descent grasp of mechanics. Most ponies don’t even think of mechanics, but I had a strange fascination with it. For as long as I can remember, I have been designing legs for ponies that can’t use their own. And thanks to the most complicated ecology text book, I had a basic design for artificial wings. Not sure of the applications, but it should come to me.

Once we arrived, we were met with a stunning view that stretched straight to the other side of the range. The sky was the perfect shade of blue and the hills far bellow were bright green. It was perfectly clear near the summit with a few scattered clouds down bellow.

“Don’t get use to the view up here.” a rough female voice shouted. “Usually nothing but clouds down bellow.”

I turned to see a white Pegasus walking towards us. Her yellow eyes tired and dry from the altitude and her golden armor told me she was a Celestian guard. I see the Commander star on her chest and I immediately stand at attention.

“As you were. A couple of Luna’s new boys eh?”

“Yes ma’am.” I replied.

“You boys are along way from Canterlot.”

“We go where we’re needed ma’am. Storm said stretching his wings.

“Those…aren’t your real wings right?” she asked concerned.

“No, and that isn’t his real eye color either. The armor is enchanted and gives the illusion that they look that way. The eyes are the result of not using a de-enchantment spell correctly on his.”

“Well, as long as you all will follow orders; we are heading out down the mountain to see if we can find any of those creatures first thing in the morning. And if so, follow them back to their hive.”

“Yes, ma’am!” we all reply.

“Good. Get some shut eye. We got a long day ahead of us tomorrow.”

The night is comforting to me. It gave me a chance to just be alone with my thoughts. Though, for some reason, I never feel alone in the night. I feel it wrap comfortably cold hands around me and fuel my minds eye. No substitute for sleep, but it was pretty close. I felt stronger, more aware at night. I stared out the window of the outpost’s barracks into the clear night sky. Bellow the mountain, clouds doted the landscape, concealing whatever wished for darkness. The breeze on top of the mountain wasn’t anywhere near as bad as I assumed it would be, but then again, we may not have been high enough to catch the jet stream.

I look back up to the sky. The stars filled the heavens like they did Luna’s mane. The full moon cast its light on the world below and bathed it in a light blue hue. I sigh. My breath becoming mist in the cool air. My senses are heightened , but the sound of Storm’s chainsaw-esk snoring didn’t register in my ears. I could hear whispers coming from the forest that covered the mountain in a dark green blanket. I couldn’t quite tell what they were saying. I couldn’t even make out a word. I sigh again, taking in a clean breath before walking back to my cot and laying down for the night.

The morning came fast. The sun was just starting to awaken on the east horizon as we armored up and prepared the long trek down the mountain. The roads down the mountain were steep and crumbling. For the most part, we walked in silence. Stopping only to eat at midday. By the time we reached the base of the mountain,twilight hours were fast approaching. The sun had long since hid itself behind the west mountain ranges by the time we had set up camp.

The night was quiet and I was told that the next morning we were to continue north and clear the other outposts. We would be relived at sun rise and set out directly after. I wasn’t sure why, but the air seemed more hostile down here at the base of the mountain. The whispers in the trees were no longer innocent, they were foreboding and amnions. I was the last at the camp fire just starring into its flames and manipulating them with my magic. Occasionally I would bring an orb of flames from the fire and scan the area. I couldn’t see anything, though I felt something watching me. When I would return to the camp, the feeling would remain for a few minutes before reseeding back into the darkness.

A rustle! Far too large to be a squirrel or any other animal. I jump up and call my comrades to arms. All five of them jumped from their tents and back up to the fire.

“What is it Corporal?” the commander asked me.

“I heard something moving around. It was close.”

“How close?” one of the guards from Canterlot asked.

“In the bushes at the edge of the clearing.”

In a moment the fire went out and the rustling came back in full force. Now I could see clearer into the darkness. Light blue orbs glow in the shadows and slowly advance towards us. We are now huddled around the smoldering remains of the fire as the creatures emerge into the moon light. Their bodies are grotesquely pony-like, they poses no mane and their tails looked more like long fins from a fish. They all had insect wings and curved horns. Their stained fangs made a chill run down my neck. But the worst of it were their legs. The legs were as long as any other pony, but they looked as though they were made of blackened Swiss cheese. There were so many of them. I counted at least fifteen in front of me. I could only imagine the numbers on my sides.

“Anypony have a brilliant plan?” Storm asked.

I felt the charge again. I knew that I had little control over this spell, but I had no other choice. I lowered my horn and let the charge of the lightning bolt shoot through me. The bolt of lighting smashes the closest creature on the head and incinerates it on contact, along with about four others behind it. That was when they jumped. Though feeling drained, I was able to turn and buck one back into another before going hoof to hoof with another. I can hear screaming from the rest of the group as they fight for their lives.

I was able to knock out another before hitting three more with a knock back spell. They didn’t even have a coat, it was more of an exoskeleton. Every kick crunched against their skin and only made them angrier. As best I can, I try to help my comrades with my magic but there were simply too many. Not even the lightning spell was enough to deter them. Then I get tackled to the ground. My heart races as I see this thing try and sink its fangs into my neck. I see a light emanating from my horn and a much different kind of energy pass through me. It hurt. It was a power that I had never known and one I don’t think I wanted to feel again. I scream in pain as the creatures fangs start piercing my armor and skin and the energy pores out of me.

Suddenly, there was a massive explosion of shadows. The shockwave bent the trees back and launched all the remaining creatures into the woods. As the dust settled and I get to my shaky hoofs I see my team starring at me a little scared, even Storm.

“What?” I ask.

Looking around my hoofs, I see the epicenter of that blast came from me (or at least something right next to me.). All of the grass was pushed back away from me and black smoke slowly rose and disappeared into the night air.

“What just happened?” I ask.

“I don’t know. All I saw was a smoke come from the sky, go to you, then there was the explosion.” Storm said.

“Doesn’t matter right now. We need to see if we can follow the Changelings.”

“That was a Changeling?!” one of the guards exclaimed.

“I’m afraid so. Grab your gear now!”

“We didn’t waste any time. Only a hand full of the Changelings survived the blast and were hightailing it out of their. Moving as fast as they could to the north.”

“And the energy that you used against the Changelings?” Spike asked out of turn.

I glance at him with Captain Armor before answering. “I don’t know. Nothing in my studies said anything about that. All I could tell was that it was an evil energy and if I hadn’t released it like that it would have corrupted me.”

“What. About. The legs?” Commander Armor said impatiently.

“All in good time Captain. Where was I?”