The next day the first winter's snow covered the streets of Canterlot. White Knight wore the golden armor from Celestia's Guard as he sat under the clock tower alone with his lance lying on a few boxes under the stairs. He felt uneasy, like something was going to go wrong any second now. The air was thick but cold in the midday. That wasn't natural.

After an hour or so, White Knight heard voices coming closer; eventually coming to be outside the door. When the door swung open, two ponies stood on the other side. one wore a black cloak and the other wore a brown zut suit. The one in the zut suit had something slung across his back that White Knight hadn't seen before.

“Halt! Royal Guard!” shouted at the two.

“Continue to the top. I shall speak with him.” the one in the cloak said waving the one in the brown zut suit up the stairs.

White Knight ignored the disturbingly deep and resonate voice of the one in the cloak and tried running towards them but slammed into a light gray shield around himself. The one in the zut suit was silent as he climbed the stairs slowly.

“You are another one of them aren’t you?” the cloaked unicorn asked.

"What are you talking about?" White Knight asked.

"You are one of Lunarus' protégé's are you not?"

"Who?"

"You know him as Commander Nexus. You are another one his projects. Which one are you then? Strength? Courage?"

"I don't know what you're talking about. You're under arrest for-"

"You are in no position to arrest me." the unicorn pulled back the hood on his cloak and White Knight stopped cold.

"Ephi?"

The unicorn looked disturbingly close to Ephialtes. He was a red and black zebra/unicorn with a messy black mane. The only difference were the eyes. Ephi's were a purple-blue and serpent-like. This one had the serpent part right, but they were blood red with a green outline and a purple aura flowing from the sides.

"I was once. You're Ephialtes is safe in the castle, I am something much more terrifying."

"Y- Whatever you're planning, it won't work."

"Don't worry, once Lunarus is dead, I may take pity on you."

White Knight cringed at his antagonist and threw a punch at the shield. His hoof slammed into the gray shield and only caused a small ripple.

"Or you could ensure Lunarus doesn't hear a word of me being here."

"No way. Who are you!?"

"I am hate, I am fear and you, will obey me." Ephialtes' doppelganger said as his horn glowed black.

White Knight felt a splitting head ach roll in as the world around him slowly faded.

"You are noble. But everyone has their price. Yours is peace. I can give it to you." The doppelganger said in White Knight's head.

"Whatever you're doing, it won't work."

"I've broken stronger then you. You will not defy me."

The head ach started getting stronger and White Knight felt himself start to think that this might not be worth the fight. A wave hopelessness started to roll over him as the doppelganger continued trying, what White Knight assumed, to kill him.

"W-Who are you?"

"I am King Sombra, Lord of Fear and Hate. Anything you can muster I can make stronger. Hate is more powerful then you think."

"I-I-I don't care! I won't let Commander Nexus die at your hoof."

Fear started to take hold as more pain shot through, not only his head, but his enter body. "If hate is not what you have then fear is all that remains."

"Fear can be overcome, hate is pointless."

"Hate is strength, fear is a weapon."

"Corporal Knight, report." The Captain's voice chimed in over the wireless ear piece.

"Tell him nothing." Sombra said to him.

"I-In position Captain."

"Good." Nexus said.

"You've done well." the head ach stared getting worse, forcing White Knight to his knees. "You'll live, but remember what you did for me."

The head ach got stronger before he passed out. White Knight came to very quickly and shook out his head. Sombra wasn't near him anymore so he got back on the com's with Nexus.

"Commander, somepony's here. He called himself Sombra, he has an accomplice."

"Thanks Corporal. Hold position and wait for me."

"But-"

"You won't be able to beat him. Hold position."

Just as Nexus said that, several dark shapes started moving into the base of the clock tower. They were terrifying. They looked like creations from Doctor Frankenpony. They seemed to be insect-ponies. Their bodies looked like they were covered by an exoskeleton, a misshapen horn, insect wings and their eyes were a glazed blue. Their legs were the most disturbing feature was their legs. They looked like black Swiss Cheese!

"Come quickly." White Knight said a bit afraid.

The first creature jumped at him faster than he could imagine possible. Its mouth was wide and the last thing White Knight remembered clearly was a flash of white fangs. He took his helmet off and used it as an extremely small shield. He shoved the top of his helmet into the mouth of the creature and threw it to the side. Knight panicked; he didn't know what he could do now. He reached behind him where several boxes were sitting, hoping he would find something useful.

His hoof grabbed something wooden, long and rounded. Knight hoped he'd grabbed his lance but when he pulled his hoof around he found he was holding a broom.

"You've gotta be kidding me, Faust." White Knight groaned holding the makeshift weapon.

The next four creatures charged him on hoof. White Knight swung the broom down and planted the second to last one from the right into the cement floor. Using the force of the swing, he spread his wings and threw himself over the first creature. That was the extent of his plan. He had nowhere to run going up and these things surrounded him on all sides. I.E. they blocked his only exit.

Well may as well go down fighting right? White Knight put the broom at the bottom of his hoofs and swung his instrument of cleaning in a full circle to try and get some space. After completing two circles, he stopped and held his ground for a moment. One of the creatures behind him didn't wait for anything and jumped onto his back. With a quick snap of its neck, it pushed its fangs through the neck guard of the helmet and into White Knight's neck.

Knight yelped in pain and thrust his broom into the creature's face. The bastard let go and let White Knight stumble back. White Knight felt his blood start to soak his fur under the helmet and his vision start to blur. The creatures started to slowly move towards him; surrounding him fully. Another lunged at him. Any normal pony would have given up by now and let these things tear him apart, but White Knight learned a long time ago that no matter how much ponies beat you down, you never go down without making them work for it.

Knight swung the broom over his head again and watched the creature's head and watched the stick splinter. Just as it tried getting back up White Knight turned the broken end down and shoved it through the head of the creature on the ground. Just as he pulled it back up to start swinging again, several loud claps of thunder started rattling off from above him in the top of the clock tower. The creatures suddenly buzzed their wings and started up towards the top. White Knight stumbled back and fell to his haunches.

As fast as he could he tossed his helmet off and put pressure on the two small holes in his neck. His blood turned his paper white coat crimson as it continued to flow under his armor and down his leg. The commotion upstairs got louder as the thunder stopped shaking his ribs. His breathing started getting heavier and his vision started getting blurry.

From the door, Ephialtes, the real one this time, barged through the door and came to his side.

"Stay with me Whitey. You're going to be fine." Ephialtes said a bit panicked. His horn lit up a light purple and he felt the pain start to fade. "The changeling bite isn't too deep. I can stop the bleeding but you have to stay with me."

"O-Alright. I-I'll."

"Almost… Got it!" That's all White Knight heard before passing out.

Was Ephialtes too slow? He could hear a light grumble around him, like voices. they slowly start coming into focus. "Is he okay?" Nexus asks.

"I stopped the bleeding but I think he lost a lot more blood than I thought." Ephialtes told him.

"You're sure he's alive?"

"He should fine. Just passed out."

White Knight groaned as his eyes slowly opened. "Hey! Speak of the devil. Good to see you're still kickin' Corporal." Nexus said with a grin. He still looked odd with that eye patch over his right eye.

"C-Commander?"

"You alright there?"

"You get the number of that donkey cart?"

"He's okay." Ephialtes said with a chuckle.

"What were those things?"

"Changelings. Creatures that only exist to suck the love and emotion out of anypony they can find."

"Where's Sombra?"

"Get's right to the point don't he? He's gone. Don't worry about him."

"Captain. I-I'm sorry I didn't tell you he was there sooner."

"To said it when you could. I understand."

"But-"

"No buts Corporal. You did a great job. I hate that I have to transfer you."

"I'm not. Hell, I think my life expecancey'll go up."

Everyone laughed as White Knight got to his hoofs and looked around. Where the dead changeling was, a green stain was now in its place. Knight looked around his friends and spotted the pony in the zut suit. He didn't look older than nineteen. The light gray earth pony with his messy mint, green man stood behind Nexus with his head hung low.

"What about him?" White Knight asked.

"I'll deal with Thunder Clap. You get back to the academy and pack your things for the castle." Captain Nexus ordered.

"Yes sir. Um, is Hestaria out there? I'm not sure if I can keep in the air without going straight down the side of the mountain."

"Take the train." Nexus said levitating a train ticket out from his jacket pocket. "Ephialtes, get back to the castle and see what leads you can get on where Sombra went. Just make sure you have other ponies ask around for you. I can't have any of Brandy's troops get the wrong idea. And tell Orion to track the changelings that were here. I don't want them getting away again."

"On it." Ephialtes said leaving the clock tower some cloth over his muzzle.

"As for you Thunder, you're coming with me."

"Okay." the gray stallion said quietly. He sounded like a colt that knew he had just stolen a cookie from the jar when his parents said not to.

White Knight followed Captain Nexus out. The three of them walked to Main Street and went their separate ways. Nexus smiled and nodded to White Knight before he started towards the castle to the north and. White Knight nodded back as he started south towards the train station.

After being "transferred" to the Royal Guard, he went through the menial motions of the day. He only patrolled the castle grounds and took stock in the Royal Archives before being relieved by Hestaria at sun down. It was just like old times. Except he didn't feel at home. He was doing what he always wanted but he didn't feel right about it. He kept an eye on Commander Brand Fire as instructed for a month or so before anything interesting happened. And when it happened, White Knight's idea of his job would change forever.

To be continued.

Author's Notes:

Me: I'm done with it!
Nexus: Why is it so short?
Me: Because it's a tag along with Hestaria and Thunder Clap.
Nexus: Lazy ass.
Me: Metal head.