"Captain."

That's the first thing I remember hearing. Captain. I rolled around in bed a little and grumbled, probably telling my daughter to go back to bed.

"Captain!"

I shot up to attention – my daughter wasn't there. She was out in Hoofington with her mother. "Sergeant?"

"Reporting, sir." She saluted, crisp and smart, like always. I could barely see her, moonlight shining off her armor. Only she would bother with protocol in the middle of the night. "Something's going on."

"Something? Just something?" I looked out the window – stars above, torchlight from below. "Report to the Night Watch. Why are you even up?"

"It's nine. In the morning."

"Then report to Proud Wing. She's got the morning shift," I said, shaking my head. I'll admit, even knowing it was Sergeant Skyblaze, I didn't believe a word of it.

"I can't find her, sir."

That got my attention. I woke up, truly this time, wiping at my eyes with my hooves.

"I can't find most of the morning shift. They're all in disarray – posts are empty all over the palace."

I remember just... staring at her for a full second. Probably not my best moment as an officer of the Royal Guard.

"What time is it?" I said.

"Nine, sir. I checked the clock in the scholar's library."

Celestia bless that mare – always on top of things. I used to get worried sometimes that she would get promoted in my place. Of course, at the time, I was a little distracted.

"Where's the sun?" I asked.

"I don't know, sir."

"Armor." I nodded at a chest across the room. I could put it on myself, and did most days, but it would only take a few seconds with her help.

Between the two of us, I got suited up right quick. She was a real professional – I remember the new colts would ask for her help with their armor sometimes, thinking it'd be fun to have a mare feeling you up. She always made sure to show them different. No mare or stallion about any of this – just soldiers.

She secured the clasps around my wing ports with her mouth, latching them just tight enough. We'd done this before. I pulled my helm out – brass-plated steel, shining like a mirror even in the dim light. Not a spot of rust or grime. I checked the red crest on top for any frayed hairs, and then put it on. Ready to serve Her Majesty.

"Follow me," I said. We stepped out into the flickering light of the barrack's halls. I remember being thrown right away – it was empty, like it really was still the middle of the night. And quiet, too.

"What's that?" she said, flicking her ears towards the open windows. From here, we couldn't see much – just a few enclosed gardens. But I could hear it, too. A distant hubbub, like a crowd. Or a mob.

"Sounds like it's outside the palace," I said.

We both jumped in place, tensing up on our hooves. There was screaming, somewhere far away. It cut off abruptly, in that special way that can only mean the worst.

"Alright, rally the troops. Whoever you can find here in the barracks," I said.

"There's only a few around," she said. "I'd have to go out into the city for any real numbers."

"I know, but – hey!" One of the serving fillies came around the corner, down the hall from us. Usually the place was crawling with them, dusting and sweeping and what have you. "Young lady! Can you come here for a moment?"

She froze on her hooves. She was a gray unicorn, and I can remember the look in her eyes. Pure fear.

"Citizen!" Skyblaze barked, flaring her wings out. "The Royal Guard summons you!"

The servant turned and fled the way she came, shaking her head hysterically. Skyblaze poised to take off.

"Would you like me to fetch her?" she said.

"No. Gather who you can. Assembly in the main courtyard."

"Where are you going?"

It was strange, for her to ask a question like that. I looked out the window again. The moon was still high in the sky, full and bright. It had only been a sliver of a crescent the night before.

"If I don't show up right away, lead them to her chambers. She might be in danger."

Skyblaze nodded at me, and I nodded back. We had discussed this kind of thing, privately. Equestria hadn't known war or any kind of upset for hundreds, maybe even thousands of years. But we had discussed it.

We took off, she to the inner halls of the barracks, me the other way. There was a stairway towards the back, down the hall, that led out into the palace proper. I trotted along at an even pace.

I remember wondering what was wrong. I felt so blind, later. But I suppose everyone did. My guesses at the time sound silly now. If the sun hadn't risen, then something was wrong, obviously. She might be sick, or still sleeping somehow, or just... gone. And even if it wasn't my shift at the time, it is my sworn duty to protect her.

I picked up my pace, almost galloping down the marble halls of the palace.

I made my way through a few side corridors – the shortest path I knew to her chambers. Actually, it was the shortest path to a good take-off point from where I could just fly on up there. We're not supposed to do that, really, but I thought I could make an exception, considering. Every corner I turned set me more on edge – the palace was deserted. Empty. Dark and devoid, where there were always soldiers and servants and various palace staff. The place was starting to feel abandoned.

I rounded a narrow set of spiral stairs, beating my wings, practically gliding up. They led out onto a covered walkway overlooking the main courtyard, open arches all down the length of it. Perfect for a pegasus pony.

I climbed up onto the railing, spreading my wings, and almost jumped right out. My eyes were drawn down before I could – there were ponies in the courtyard, about a half-dozen of them, all gathered around...

I breathed a sigh of relief. She was there. Just fine, of course. You could hardly miss her – we don't often see her up and about at night, but it's really something. She lit up the whole courtyard, much brighter than the torches the other ponies carried.

Twilight breathes her own sigh of relief, and instantly feels a little silly. She coughs and squirms in place, settling into her bed. Her eyes go back to the page.

I jumped off and glided down to them. Princess Celestia was there, stern and regal, her pink mane still billowing in wind only it could feel. Gathered around her were her soldiers, all morning shift, from the look of it. She was listening to one of them, and I landed next to him, falling into formation.

"...bedlam in the streets, Your Highness." His eyes were wide under his helmet, his tone completely undisciplined. "The panic is spreading as ponies wake up. And those things..."

"Things?" I cut in. I ranked him, shift be damned.

"Things. From the forest around the city," another guard piped up.

"What forest?" I said. There were nothing but gently rolling plains and farming villages around the city, for miles at least.

"The one that appeared last night," another guard said. Her tone was completely inappropriate for addressing a superior officer. "Where have you been?"

I'm not sure how I would have answered, but it would have been angry. Thankfully, the Princess spoke instead.

"Mind your words, soldier," she said. She turned to me, with that motherly, warm look she always has. "Good morning, Dusk Captain. We are glad to see you here."

"Reporting for duty, Your Majesty." I bowed. "What's the situation? Where is Captain Proud Wing?"

"They killed her!" A young colt of a guard said, almost hysterical.

"That's a load of manure," the mare guard said. "It must have been one of those things."

"Watch your tongue in front of the Princess!" Skyblaze said. We all turned to see her trotting into the courtyard through the main doors, leading four other guards. Raw recruits, all of them, young and skinny. Most of the guard lived in the city, with their families, of course. She came up to me with a smart salute and had our troops fall in, making a smart line next to the ragtag mess of morning shift. Celestia looked them over and gave me a grave nod.

"Report, Private," I said to the young colt. "What happened?"

"They killed her!" he whined.

"Calm down," Skyblaze said. "Who is they?"

"It's those things," the other guard, the rude mare, said. "From the forest."

"It was not!" the young guard said.

"What things?" I said.

"We don't know." A thick stallion, with an honest face. "We've had reports of attacks on the outskirts of the city."

"What was Proud Wing doing out there?" another guard asked.

"She wasn't!" the young one yelled.

"All of you, quiet!" I yelled.

"Captain?"

We all turned, almost bowing. The Princess was looking at me, her face grim and serious. It was strange. Not like her at all.

"Our first priority is the safety of our citizens," she said. "You are to assemble your troops. All of them. Post guards throughout the city, and reassure the populace. Maintain order, and send any you can spare to assist the Dawn Guard."

I bowed. "Yes, m'lady."

"Where is Proud Wing's second?" Celestia asked, turning to the other soldiers.

"He's out near the river," the mare said. "Investigating the attacks."

"Go to him and relay my orders," Celestia said. "He is to assemble all available guards and establish patrols around the perimeter of the city. Then he is to report to me with details on these attacks."

The morning guards bowed as one, even while standing in disorder.

"Uh... Your Highness? What about the palace? And Proud Wing?" That rude mare again. I couldn't believe it, her questioning the Princess like that.

"The Night Watch will secure the palace. And I will speak to my sister presently. We will resolve the situation."

We all looked up, heeding some unknown call. The moon was full above us. Everything about this was wrong – I wasn't sure which situation the Princess meant to resolve, exactly. One thing at a time, I suppose.

Skyblaze heard him first. She looked over, and we followed a second later.

"Who goes there?" one of the morning guards said. They had a few unicorns in their rank, floating torches along, and all of them held their lights towards the new arrival.

"The Night Watch, reporting." He was a dark blue pegasus, wearing the silver armor and blue crest of one of Luna's guard. He hedged back, bowing from near the huge double doors leading up to the throne room.

"Form ranks!" the morning guard, the nervous one, barked. Just a little hysterical. "Defend the Princess!"

"Stand down!" I said. I took a few steps toward the new arrival. He was alone, or looked that way. And he didn't look to have any malice to him. "Report, soldier."

He didn't answer right away. He came closer, but he seemed nervous. He almost looked like he wanted to apologize.

"I am loyal to The Sisters," he said. "Both of them."

"Of course you are," I said. Weren't we all?

"What news from my sister? Why has the moon not been lowered?" Celestia asked, making us all jump a little.

"Uh... Your Highness... I..." He bowed. The poor colt looked like he was about to be executed.

"Why did you kill Proud Wing?" the nervous guard said.

"What are you talking about?" He looked offended, angry.

"Calm yourself." Celestia stepped up to my side, radiating warmth. But there was a hard edge to her voice, almost unnoticeable. I stayed quiet.

"What happened?" she asked him.

"Captain Proud Wing has joined the Night Watch. Some of the morning guards as well. Princess Luna... she..."

Boy, I remember feeling my jaw drop on that one. I remember the look on Celestia's face, too. I didn't envy that guard of the Night Watch, I can tell you.

"Go on," Celestia said, glaring down her nose at him.

"Your sister is in the throne room. She declares herself Empress Nightmare Moon, and says the moon shall not be lowered again. Until she sees fit to do so." He winced at every word. "She kept on like that. The meek and downtrodden shall rise and claim their due, she said. She kept rambling about –"

"If this is some kind of joke," Celestia cut in, "we can assure you that we are not amused."

He bowed lower. We all wanted to. I'd never seen the Princess angry, not ever.

"I'm sorry," he said. "I wish it wasn't true. I'm sorry. I left... I just snuck out..."

He trailed off, holding his bow. I remember looking up to the Princess, then – I think I was waiting for orders, just on instinct. We all were looking to her. She kept us waiting, a few whole seconds, just glaring down at the silver-armored pegasus. Then she turned to the morning guards.

"You," she nodded at the nervous one, "Make contact with Proud Wing's second immediately. He is to assume command of both shifts for now. Our previous orders will be carried out."

He nodded and bowed, taking off before he'd even finished. Then she turned to me.

"Captain. You and these soldiers here will accompany us to the throne room." She turned to the blue pegasus still bowing across from us. Then she leaned closer to him, lowering her head. "Soldier?"

He raised his eyes to her.

"Will you come with us to investigate your claims?"

He didn't look happy about it. In fact, he looked terrified. But I know how it is – she has a way of asking. I mean, she asks, but she's not really asking, if you know what I mean. It's hard to ever say no.

Twilight smirks, sighing a little as it turns into a fond smile.

"Yes, Your Majesty," he said. "I am at your command."

"You have our thanks. Come." She walked off towards the throne room, leading the way.

I nodded at my sergeant – she quickly formed the troops up into two ranks, falling in behind the Princess. I stayed out front, almost at Celestia's side. Then Skyblaze shoved the Night Guard up next to me.

"You going to give us any trouble?" she growled.

"No ma'am." He shook his head. Resigned. "No, sir," he said to me.

I guess that might sound rough, now, after the fact. Thing was, either he wasn't lying, in which case who knows what he was really doing there, or he was – and he'd already run out from his post. And desertion was something we always took seriously.

We walked like that, slowly making our way up wide staircases through vast, opulent halls. The throne room was up in a tower, of course, a huge one made of smaller towers, surrounded by open courtyards that would've been impressive even without being held up in the air. We kept our wings folded, walking along with the unicorns among us.

It was bad, having to walk. Gave us time to think. Gave us time to look up at the stars and moon above and remember just how completely wrong all this was, to wonder what was running through Celestia's head or what she would do if Luna really had...

But it seemed impossible. I know I was – well, I didn't know what to think.

"Your Majesty?" one of the guards asked. The mare – the rude one.

"Speak," Celestia said, not breaking her stride at all.

"Um.... if you don't mind me asking... are you going to raise the sun?"

A few of the soldiers gasped. I don't know where this guard was coming up with the sheer indecency to question the Princess. But at the same time... I was wondering the same thing.

"We cannot," Celestia said. "Not while the moon still shines."

"Can't you lower the moon?"

"It is possible." The alicorn glanced up, at the same white, waxy orb making all of us nervous. "But it is not ours to lower. As the sun is mine, the moon is hers. Even if I could, I would not force myself upon her like that."

I'd heard her call herself "I" before, just once. Well, overheard, I guess would be more true. I was leaving the room, and the sisters themselves were talking. Privately. Laughing about something, two old friends having tea.

It didn't throw me that much, hearing her talk like that. I guess we were all pretty on edge anyway.

"I don't want any of you to worry about me," Luna's guard said. "If things get ugly, I'll... I'll stand with you."

"You have our appreciation," Celestia said, glaring at him, "but it will not come to that."

The guard cleared his throat nervously. We walked on, the only sound for a few seconds our hooves on the stone of the palace steps.

"What are your orders?" I asked. "In the case of... er... in any case."

She didn't answer right away. She just glared ahead. The only indication she gave of hearing me was a twitch in one ear and slight flapping of her feathers. I was starting to think she wouldn't answer.

"It will not come to that," she said again. "You need merely stand by. I will speak to her."

I just nodded, a little meekly, I'll admit. I wondered, before I could stop myself, why she was bringing us along. It made me mad, to have such traitorous thoughts. If they were going to have some kind of argument, it should be private, between them. That kind of thing is above us little ponies.

Then again, if Luna really was...

I shook my head. I wouldn't let myself think it. It was impossible. There was some kind of misunderstanding.

I kept thinking that, like the idiot I was. Right up until I saw her.

We crested the top of the last staircase, leading out into open air. My heart just about packed up and left – I think we all felt the same, but we kept walking, following Celestia out into the pavilion.

It was huge, and beautiful, still beautiful even in the muted light of the moon. The central tower housing the throne room rose before us, in the center of a circular courtyard. The edges were straight drops, down to the palace below. And they were there. She was there.

I remember wondering for a second who it was – some twisted, terrifying joke of an alicorn stood before us. She was tall, taller than ever before, and black. Her mane was a cloud of stars, drifting out from beneath a helmet that framed a pair of cruel, glinting eyes. She smirked as we arrived, locking eyes with her sister.

She was blocking the door into the throne room. In front of her, ranks of soldiers stood at attention – plenty of her own silver-clad guards, but plenty wearing gold as well. And behind them all, in a ring around their master, were her personal guard. The bat ponies, we called them. But never when they could hear us.

Celestia stopped. We stopped, too, staring at our own number across from us. I counted three dozen at least, probably a few more. I recognized faces – there a night guard I saw on my way out every night, there a new recruit, over there a sergeant I had disciplined a few weeks back. All of them glaring back at me. Strangely enough, I couldn't find Captain Proud Wing among them.

I glanced up at Celestia. Her mouth hung open, just slightly. Her eyes darted all over the scene before us.

"Luna," she said. "What have you done to yourself?"

I know we all balked a little. That thing... that thing, that demon in front of us, was Luna? Sweet, playful Luna? Celestia sounded like she hardly believed it herself.

"Sister!" she yelled, her lips curled in an evil smirk. "An easy mistake to make. My name is not Luna," she said, lacing her own name with contempt and disgust. "Before you stands the Empress Nightmare Moon, a servile creature no longer, but instead a monarch who demands your respect and loyalty!"

I shifted a little on my hooves – it sounded just enough like Luna to make me all kinds of uncomfortable.

"What are you talking about? What is the meaning of this?" Celestia asked.

"My subjects, and myself, grow tired of your tyranny." Luna... or, Nightmare Moon, I suppose – picked up a hoof and examined it, looking almost bored. "I shall right the wrongs you have visited upon this fair land, and from the ashes of your failure shall rise a glorious empire of the night! We will –"

"What tyranny? What wrongs?" Celestia interrupted. "Sister, I only meant –"

"NO! NO! SHUT UP!" the demon snarled, pounding her hoof down on the stone. "I will speak! I will speak, and you will hold your tongue! For ONCE!"

We didn't have to look shocked – Celestia did far more than enough to cover for us.

"This is the new order, sister," Nightmare Moon said. "You, all of you, will be shown mercy if you bow your heads and swear loyalty to me. To my empire."

"I will not." Celestia turned her nose up, trying to look stern. "I would sooner claim Equestria as my own. We were meant to rule together."

"Then you are a fool," Nightmare Moon spit the words out, sneering. "And you name yourself my enemy."

"Your enemy?!" Celestia yelled. It hurt to hear her, she sounded on the edge of tears. "Why are you doing this? I love you, sister!"

"Silence, you arrogant whore!" Nightmare Moon yelled.

My jaw dropped. I think. It might've already have. I glanced up at Celestia, hoping for an order – what I saw instead was hurt. Pure, awful hurt, plain on her face – her lips muttered silently, and her eyes were watered over.

I tore my eyes away – it was like just looking at her was making me feel her pain, as if it was mine. The soldiers across from me, my brothers in arms, hadn't moved an inch – blank, stern faces. Like they were all on post.

"Last chance, sister." Nightmare Moon glared. "Bend your knee, or suffer the consequences."

"I will not." Celestia's voice shook, wavering near breaking. "Nor will I fight you."

"Good." Then she, it, looked right at me. "You and your soldiers need not throw your lives away. I invite you now to make the smart choice. Join me."

She must have been crazy. Or thought we were crazy. Maybe I had taken an oath to defend the sisters. And I suppose this was Luna, somehow, however twisted up. But I had always served Celestia. And I always will.

I summoned up all the courage I could and glared back at her, wordlessly. It wasn't easy, I can tell you that. Looking her in the eye was like... it was like... I can't even explain it. I could feel panic, real panic, tearing at my gut, just whining higher the longer she kept those awful eyes on me. Thankfully, Celestia broke the silence.

"Soldiers of the Night Watch," Celestia said, addressing the ponies guarding Nightmare Moon. "And my own Dawn Guard, it seems. I do not know what my sister has told you, but I am no tyrant. We must stop this madness. Leave her side, and you will be forgiven."

Awful silence stretched out. Drafts of wind blew through us and between us. I looked them over, my brothers and sisters, standing against us. Like enemies. But one of them...

He was a kid. Just a young kid, barely big enough for his silver armor. Probably a new recruit. I'll never forget his face. He was glancing around, nervous, almost terrified.

"Hey," Skyblaze said. She took a few steps forward, past me, past the Princess, extending a hoof out to him. "Hey, kid. Come on. I know you don't want to be over there."

There was recognition in his eyes. They knew each other. I don't know how, and I don't think I ever will, but they knew each other. The kid took a step forward, closer to us.

"Come on," Skyblaze said. "Please. Stand with us. With me."

I'd never heard her talk like that. Tender. Kind. World's different than how she usually treated soldiers.

The kid stepped closer. One of the other night guards tried to hold him back, blocking him with a hoof. The kid shouldered right past him.

"Treason will be punished," Nightmare Moon growled.

"Don't listen to her!" Skyblaze said.

"I'm sorry," the kid said, looking around at his former comrades. "I'm sorry," he said, to us.

"It's alright," Skyblaze said, smiling at him.

He walked a few steps closer, smiling back. Just a little. Like maybe, everything was going to be alright.

Then a dark blue glow enveloped his head.

"Traitorous whelp!" Nightmare Moon yelled.

I remember there was some kind of noise. Tearing, and the splash of blood on stone. Mostly I remember his face. His eyes went wide and blank. His mouth dropped open.

His body fell limply to the ground. His head stayed floating, held in that horrible thing's magic.

"NO!" Skyblaze screamed. But what shocked me more was that Celestia screamed it, too.

No!

Twilight silently mouths the word. She doesn't often think of herself as a creative pony, but her imagination is plenty vivid.

"Luna, have you lost your mind?!" Celestia yelled, unhinged.

"That is NOT my NAME!" Nightmare Moon shrieked back, tossing the head away. "Seize her! Seize her and her pathetic lackeys, and throw them all in the dungeon! Now!"

Nopony moved, at first. Her guard glanced at each other, shuffling their hooves a little.

"Attack!" the demon screamed. "Attack, now! Or face my wrath!"

That got them. They flared their wings and stomped, as one.

"In the name of the night!" one of them yelled.

"FOR THE EMPRESS!" the rest answered, bellowing as a battle cry.

I blinked a few times. They were moving forward, advancing on us. My own brothers and sisters.

"Formation! Defend the Princess!" I yelled. We shuffled about, forming a rough half-circle around Celestia. I was at her side, on her right. Skyblaze was just in front of me. The enemy... ugh, I hate even calling them that. But that is what they were, isn't it? They were creeping up on us, marching slowly, sliding out on either flank, surrounding us.

"We're outnumbered..." one of our own guards said.

"Quiet in the ranks!" Skyblaze yelled. "Hold fast!"

"Stand your ground, but do not harm them!" Celestia said. She was glancing around frantically, it looked like her mind was racing.

"Wait, what?" one of my recruits said.

"Yeah, come again? Uh... Your Highness?" another said.

"Hear that, boys?" One of the night guards advancing on us. A mean-looking stallion. "Easy pickin's!"

I glanced left and right. And up. They had guards hovering above, closing the trap. Only the door behind us was left, and soon...

"Luna, please!" Celestia said.

"Please what, dear sister?" Nightmare Moon said mockingly. "Are you ordering me to stop? Would you have me obey?"

"No!" Celestia said.

I had my eyes locked on the soldiers in front of me, but I could hear her tears.

"No!" she said again. "I do not order you. I ask you. As your sister. I'm sorry, I am sorry, whatever it is I am sorry. I have ever only loved you, Luna..."

They stopped moving. Everyone stopped moving. We were well and truly surrounded, but they held back – there was a moment there, all of us just looking at each other, standing as comrades again. I think we were all wondering, even them, if they could really attack us.

"What are you waiting for?!" Nightmare Moon screamed. "Kill them! Kill them all!"

And then they attacked.

There was yelling, enough that I couldn't tell where the fighting hit first. I stayed on the ground – I've never been a great flier. More of a ground fighter, really.

There were two on me right away, both silver-clad. A pegasus with blades strapped to his forelegs dashed forward, skating along with his wings. He made an obvious tell, rearing up for a cross-slash. I ducked it and shoved him back, knocking him on his rump with my shoulder.

The unicorn next to him was levitating a spear, and he darted in for a quick thrust. Much trickier to block. I turned and let the point glance off my armor, batting it away with a wing, then swung my foreleg up and brought it down hard on his nose, just under the bridge of his helmet. Had to hurt.

"Stop this! Stop this, all of you!" I heard Celestia yell.

I've always been one to follow orders, to the letter. But sometimes you don't really have a choice. The pegasus came at me again, going for my neck. He hopped up with a puff of his wings, coming down at me on a steep angle. I turned and bucked at the perfect moment, just perfect, catching him right in the stomach. I heard him cough and gasp as he went rolling away.

"Stop this! Now! I command it!" Celestia screamed.

I don't know if she meant us – they would have gone right through us to her, if we had stopped. To my credit, I did stop, for a second. There were ponies brawling all around me, growling and biting and kicking and clanging armor against armor. I caught a glimpse of Nightmare Moon herself, watching the whole thing with a smug kind of sneer.

Another pegasus came at me, this one gold-clad. I knew him. He used to be one of the Dusk Guard. I'd dressed him down a few times for napping on shift.

He sped right towards me, skimming the floor. To my shame, I moved to fight him.

I reared up and brought my hooves down on him, dropping my weight to the ground. He went down hard, but his momentum sent us both tumbling over, rolling in a tangled mess. He came out on top, and I felt a dull clang and a ringing in my ears as his hoof knocked a dent in my helmet.

That one hurt. My eyes blurred up for a second, and when they cleared he was winding up for another strike. I darted my muzzle up and bit him, right on the nose.

He howled and jerked, kicking weakly at my breastplate. I held on, shaking for good measure. The awful, stinging taste of blood stabbed my tongue.

I let him go before he could get a good hit in, and he shuffled back. I clambered up on my feet, but before I could feel too victorious my heart jumped in place.

The unicorn, with the spear. I'd been knocked to the side, leaving a gap, and he was headed right for it. Point first. Aimed right at Celestia's ivory coat.

I didn't really think about it at the time – I should've died, for certain. There was no time to parry or block, and I was off balance to begin with. But I did it all the same.

I'd sworn oaths. And I had signed my life away. And I meant it.

I jumped in the way.

My wings splayed out, to cover as much as possible. My eyes cinched shut. I cringed and teetered on my hooves, hoping against hope that my armor would take the brunt of it.

...And I stood there, like that, for a full second. Nothing came. I opened my eyes.

The unicorn was splayed out away from me, his spear clattering to the ground. He groaned and shook his head. Other enemy soldiers were laid out near him, all knocked off their hooves.

I looked over at the Princess, just in time to see her throw off the attackers on her other side. Her horn glowed, and an effortless wave of golden light knocked them all to the stone floor of the courtyard.

"Enough of this!" she yelled. "All of you, stand down!"

None of them were doing much standing. They groggily got back up on their hooves, falling back into order.

It was a fine moment to catch your breath. I took stock – there were no new bodies lying still. All of our number still stood.

Skyblaze was just ahead of me, poised to pounce. I could see just a glimpse of her eye, from the side – she was enraged, beyond all reason, teeth grit in a furious growl. Glaring at the dark goddess still watching us.

"Sergeant! No!" I yelled.

She took off, speeding right towards the Nightmare.

"Wait!" Celestia yelled at her.

Nightmare Moon laughed, cackling like breaking glass. Skyblaze flew at her, a direct attack, not bothering with any kind of grace or technique. Just throwing herself.

A black blade of light flashed through the air, catching my sergeant right in the midsection. She went spinning, stars of blood glinting around her. Her body crashed against a sculpture, knocking it over, and came rolling to a stop in front of us.

I... I lost my head, for a second. It was only the second time I'd seen one of my own take a hit. There hadn't been a war in Equestria in... well I already said that, didn't I?

I think I screamed. Screamed something – probably not words. I ran right to her. Someone stood in my way, a gold set of armor. I have no idea whose side it was on. I shoved it out of the way.

I dove to her, and cradled her head in my arms. She looked up at me – she was still alive! My heart soared for a second, trying to ignore the sickening way her back end hung loosely, not quite attached to her front.

There was yelling around us. Screaming. Dull, meaty thuds and clanking of armor. I felt the whoosh of air from great, elder wings, and the corners of my eyes told me that both Princesses were up in the air, above me. I didn't look up.

"Guh... gack..." she coughed, staining her chin red. Her blank eyes stared up at me.

"Don't talk," I said. "Just hold on."

She choked and sputtered anyway, feebly squeezing my arms with her forelegs.

"Just hold on, soldier," I said. "You'll be alright. Just a scratch."

She didn't believe me. She looked up at me, gasping without breath. I sat there and held her. There was all hell breaking loose around me – the Princess, my Princess, was in danger, but I just...

I just sat there, in a warm, sticky puddle. Sat there and held her and watched the life drain out of her eyes.

I'm not sure how long I was sitting there. It couldn't have been more than a few seconds. She wasn't moving anymore. Something told me to look up. Soldier's instincts, I guess.

It was a mess, a complete mess, utter chaos. Whatever lines there had been had broken down completely, just a mob of brawling soldiers. I couldn't even tell which ones were on my side anymore.

Two of them were galloping right at me, snarling. Luna's guards. Bat Ponies. Nasty bunch of rutters, that lot. Hoof-picked from ponies who had killed.

Their teeth were sharp, filed down. I dropped my sergeant's cold body and scrambled to my hooves – my heart was pounding a little, I can tell you. I know I'm a good soldier, but I'm not stupid. I wasn't sure I could take one of those bastards on my own, let alone two.

I dashed between them, counting on surprising them. It worked, barely – I felt one of their wings cut a bit of the hair off my helmet's crest. They turned to chase me, I know they did, I could feel them nipping at my hocks, trying to take me down. I jumped and juked and did a small leap through the air, diving right into the melee.

They couldn't chase me through this. Nopony could chase anything through this. I was knocked to the side, bumping into another soldier. I tried to take a step and almost tripped on a body, dead weight lying still. I hovered a few inches above the ground – someone's rump bumped into me. We both turned to face each other. Silver helmet. I reared up, ready to smash his face in –

He smiled at me. I held back at the last second, almost losing my balance. It was the Night Guard, the one who'd come to warn us. We nodded at each other, and then both our eyes snapped up. We all looked up, everyone, some of us shielding our eyes with a hoof or a wing.

For just a second, I thought the sun was back.

The sisters were high above, spiralling around the very top of the tower. Celestia was made of fire, moving flames in the shape of an alicorn, her wings huge waves of beautiful heat, shifting from white to red to orange. Luna – Nightmare Moon – was a null shape, a black hole where light should be. They swooped and dove and shot great gouts of light and dark at each other, splitting the sky above us.

My eyes caught movement next to me. I looked down just in time – a guard in silver armor, a different one, was winding up for a shot at me. Taking the opportunity.

I turned and bucked, catching him in the throat. I felt it snap under my hooves. His head jerked in a stomach-churning way and he dropped, hard. Celestia help me, he dropped. I hadn't really thought to kill him, but... well, it happened.

I looked around, feeling for the first time my heart pounding, my chest fighting to catch my breath, the pure adrenalin in my veins. A guard in gold armor galloped up next to me, and I started to let a breath out – before he took a swipe at me, growling and beating on my chest plate.

I stumbled back – of course, his crest was missing, he hadn't marched up here with us. I blocked and blocked again, thrown on my back legs. He was about to land a hit when one of the Bat Ponies tackled him over. I guess I wasn't the only confused one.

I tried to pick out a target, or a friend to help. It was too much – too much noise, too much motion, fire from above casting crazy shadows and making the dark between all the more blind. A great flash of light drew my eyes up again, even after I'd almost died the first time.

It was alright. This time, everyone looked up. Everyone. The courtyard went silent.

She was falling. Her, just her, her wings still on fire a little, sputtering and trailing smoke. Even from the ground I could see she was unconscious – her face was slack, her eyes closed. Her crown was gone. Awful burns and wounds marred her perfect, heavenly body.

She fell. We all watched, our jaws hanging almost to the ground. The sun itself, the light of the sky, fell before us, plummeting down past the edge of the courtyard.

I could see her sister, up above, perched on the top of the tower. A grinning shadow, eyes made of angry, cruel stars. She reared and cackled in triumph, and I swear lightning tore through the sky behind her, booming and crackling. But I could still hear her laugh.

And I'll never forget her smile, clear from all the way up there. Awful fangs, bared in a grin as she glared down at all of us.

Celestia fell, her light dying as she drifted down, past the courtyard high in the sky. And we were left, staring, lit only by the pale light of the moon.

We didn't last long after that. I suppose that isn't really surprising, considering.

"Twilight?"

Twilight jumps, slamming the book closed. "Princess?"

"May I come in?" Celestia stands in the doorway, left open to let the breeze through.

"Of course."

The Princess enters, regal and calm, as always, her coat pure and unmarked. Twilight tries to think of a way to hide the book as discreetly as possible, and isn't quite sure why.

"Another day ends," Celestia says, glancing out the tall windows. "I am sorry I couldn't spend more than lunch with you. Quite a lot on my schedule."

"It's fine. I know."

The Princess climbs up onto the bed with her – still no furniture. She settles in next to Twilight, just like the previous night. "How was your day?" she asks.

"Me? Oh, I don't know. Relaxing, actually." She leaves a foreleg resting over the cover of the book.

"Excellent. Did you tour the gardens, like you planned? I'm sure you were as impressed as I've been with the new expansions."

"Actually, I just kind of... hung around. Did some reading."

"Oh?" Celestia's eyes rest lightly on the book under Twilight's hoof. "Anything interesting?"

Twilight's throat goes dry.

"Uh..."