“It’s been three days. If they were done scouting ahead they would have been done by now.” Luna said in frustration. She paced back and forth, her armor clanking loudly. She paced in a well pitched and rather spacious tent. Inside was a large wooden table and standing on one side is her sister, Princess Celestia. Who grazed over the various maps and reports given to them over the past couple days. The only light given was the dawning light and the soft glow of a candle lit on the wooden desk. Celestia looks up and scratches her chin with her hoof and says, ”Patience sister, they will return soon. Con will return just give it time.”

“I have been patient enough for the past few days, I will send a scouting party out myself if they do not arrive in a few hours.” Luna said slowly down her hoof slightly letting off some pent up stress. Celestia looked up and met Luna’s gaze and said, ”You know we can’t risk any more scouting parties, our numbers are too thin as it is and if we don’t focus then Dodge City will be another victory for the Changelings.”

Luna slowly stopped to meet her sister’s gaze and knew her sister as well was letting the stress get to her. Nothing that they did not know about, at some point in their reign they knew that this would happen. Just the pressure alone that there are ponies out there who depended on them and hoped that they would fix this. Then there are those who follow them as a religion. The nerveracking pressure should have settled in on them ages ago, yet they still retain their age old charm and personality’s. They’ve grown over the years to not let pressure or anxiety set in on them. As rulers of a land they have to show that they deserve respect and honor.

These were the ideals that Luna taught her Children of the Night, especially Dracula. Try as she might, she could never equal in the amount of respect and honor that Dracula radiates off of him almost all the time, as well as the great power that as well comes off of them. He has surprised her over the years, gathering as much knowledge as he could. She could remember the constant hours he spent in the library studying as much as he could about the history of Equestria and the records that Luna kept in secret about the Alicorn Empire.

That was the only secret she retained about the Children of the Night that she refused to tell Celestia. They made an oath to never let this information be revealed to anypony, breaking that oath was one of the hardest decisions of her eternal life. After long minutes of heavily awkward silence a stallion moved one of the flaps from the tent and stood tall and saluted proudly in a booming voice, ”Your majesties, I bring word from Con of the Ebonmanes.”

Luna waves her hoof and says, ”At ease General Golden Flash, what news do you bring?”

“I bring grave news your majesties.” Golden Flash spoke with a sternness and the stance of a soldier, ”Con and the Chargers that you sent with him have been captured by a skirmish band of Changelings drones. They were captured somewhere along the border to the Silvermane Highlands. I alone escaped the attack.”

Luna smashed her hoof on the ground in anger and barked at Golden Flash, ”Where exactly were they ambushed!?”

Golden Flash responded shakely, ”They were nearing the edge of the Vlacyr Woods when we were hit by them. I don’t know where they are taking the survivors. All I know is they have something planned for them.”

Celestia rubbed her chin and said, ”Hmm...Changelings aren’t ones for taking survivors. And Con had his squadron of Shadowblades...I don’t know the exact extents of the Phantom’s power. Luna?”

Luna crosses her forehooves and says looking at her older sister, ”Phantoms are mainly used for stealth missions and assassinations. While they are skilled fighters they can’t last in a prolonged fight, their light weapons and armor are their strength and weakness. Shadowblades are the exact opposite. Instead of relying on the shadows and silently killing enemies, they use the powers of the nightly storms to aid them in combat. Every one of my children can use a certain form of magical combat...now that I think of it, we might be able to use this time to find the Zeta pack.”

“Zeta Pack?” Celestia asked in confusion. Luna refocused on Celestia and said, ”Yes. They are one of the major werewolf packs. Instead of using battle strategy and technique, they use magical attacks with their werewolf ferocity. Some of the most skilled fighters on Ketos…”

From the look Luna gave it was obvious that she wanted to say the name they both knew and loved dearly. Celestia held up a hoof and closed her eyes and said, ”No. We can’t summon him. He has his own country to worry about. And his own subjects to care for.”

Talandas was always one that enjoyed defending others and protecting his own hide. While Luna and Celestia reigned over the Moon and Sun, Talandas reigned over the Eclipse. Every couple hundred years he would guide the moon or the sun to cross paths and this event used a large amount magic that not even Celestia or herself could imagine using. It’s because of this that Talandas can control both the sun and the moon, it just requires more magic to control them both.

Whenever fillies and colts are born under the eclipse the powerful magic courses through their blood and mixes into their mind. They become what is known as an Addonexus. Powerful and strong ponies that can use their magic infused blood to do many things. They can control and manipulate the Arcanic Rift like Unicorns and cast highly advanced spells, they can as well use their blood to control their bones and use them as weapons. Being able to have their bones penetrate their skin at various locations including the elbow, hoof, base of neck, back, forehoof, knee, and calf. They as well can sense and disconnect a Unicorn’s magical powers. They as well can heal the deepest of wounds.

Celestia showed a hardened face at the news she had just received. There was simply too many tasks to do, though two stood out rather precariously. While they needed all the reinforcements they can get, the intentions that the Changelings would give are more and more gruesome than she would expect. Perhaps it was from the exposure to the magic of Living Shadow, or maybe it was just them trying to adapt to their new enemies. Changelings were always a strange species that Celestia could never quite understood.

Then she felt a presence enter her mind and a familiar voice spoke loudly in her ears, reverberating off the inner walls of her skull,
Come now, why should you waste your time on failed troops. They were weak and proved their worth. Plus, you still need to find out how to get somepony to translate those notes.

Celestia had completely forgotten about her objective of making Virus X. It was rather a simple task as well as just asking Wraith to explain the formula, and if she’s lucky he might not have any memories of the notes. Her voice was very stern and proud as she said,”We do not have the number of troops to do these two tasks all on their own. That and we need to get back to Ponyville, Dracula is no doubt waiting for us to return so we may finish this once and for all. It is either we rescue Con and his squadron or we pursue these Zeta werewolves.”

Luna rubbed her chin with her hoof as if she weighed the possibilities and outcomes of the decisions before her. Celestia was always uncomfortable when it came to others making a decision, especially her sister because since they were siblings they would not agree on everything. After a moment she dropped her hoof and said, ”We shall rescue Con and his soldiers.”

Celestia breathed out a small breath of relief. She straightened up and said directing her orders at General Golden Flash, ”General. Prepare the troops for a march. Gather as many Chargers that you can scrape up. And any Magi that are ready. Dismissed.”

Golden Flash saluted proudly and let the tent. Chargers were battalions of Earth Ponies, fully accepting every one of them with their strength and stamina. Chargers were something new that Celestia herself personally sent orders for. While Equestria’s army was small, they made up for in staunch determination. Celestia herself has seen many a battle, along with Luna. They were not unfamiliar with the art of war, let alone forget that they have bloodthirsty neighbors to the Northeast and South.

Which is why they have the Krinye protecting their southern border. And the Stonebloods protecting them to the Northeast along the Silvermane Highlands. Stonebloods were ponies that instead of being made from flesh like the rest of Equestrians, they were first born from stone. While their original creator is unknown, the one who cursed them with flesh was Almeric Sunstrider during the early years of the Alicorn Empire. The Stonebloods are proud ponies who do not wish to meddle or terry beyond their borders. They prefer their lives in mountains, hills, valleys, and fjords.

While they are known for their strength and skill in battle they are as well known for their stone work. You can never find finer stone or finer weapons and armor in all of Ketos. Celestia thought of recent events between her and their High-King Vanguard Highmane. Ever since the Griffon Wars things have not been the same between them. After declared victory from the Stonebloods a rebellion immediately followed after the failure of the Griffons. When the Resistance asked for help from Equestria, Celestia was proud to oblige. But this infuriated Vanguard. During a battle Vanguard sent information to Celestia about one of the earlier raids by the Griffons. The very first raid was of an Equestrian settlement, Celestial Valley.

When she learned of more information that the Resistance mostly consisted of veterans of the Griffon Wars, she pulled back all of her troops, supplies, and equipment. Left them to rot. Looking back on her decision she probably thought it was a bad idea. Yes she did this to keep relations with the Stonebloods, but now Griffon blood was on her hooves because of her decision. Luna spoke out and said, ”I will meet you when you are ready to head out.”

Celestia snapped back and gave a simple nod with her head. Luna left the tent as well. When Celestia knew she was gone she pulled out the journal of Victor Frankenstein. She grazed her hoof along the leather cover and she heard Nightmare Moon say in her mind,
You will not find answers by just staring at the book. How do you know you can’t decipher the notes? Have you even looked? Take. A. Peek.

Using her magic she slowly opened the leather journal and began flipping through the pages.

Luna stepped out into camp and saw the usual sights and sounds of ponies preparing for battle. Saying last goodbyes to their friends that are not going, gathering armor, gulping down the last bits of their meal. It all was very familiar to her. She past many ponies who were rushing to get in their battle lines outside the camp. All the while she received mixed expressions as they looked at her. Nods of respect and sometimes the occasional look away. She has grown familiar of the unkindly gesture. She lost a lot of ponies trust when she became Nightmare Moon.

She walked through the camp and all the while she felt the presence of her Children. Hot in her mind was their energies that she shared with them, instead of their sources of power coming from killing other ponies they were from her. They received a very small fraction of her power to keep their spells and strength in check. They have become so accustomed to it that they faint if they are not connected, all except Dracula. Dracula was the only one not to faint when the connection broke. And to this day she still does not understand how or why.

She watched and walked by as she saw Children of the Night and Day get in their respective battalions. Children of the Day retained old imperial names for battalions. Divisions within Legions. The Legions that accompanied them were 32nd Legion and 33rd Legion, with Divisions 1-24 of each, all together their numbers were 2,400.

Luna walked past the Children of the Day and saw they were already lining up. Luna turned her head to an approaching Child of the Night she recognized as the lead Air-Commander. She stopped bowed low and said, ”Mother. Air-Commander Lightning Mane reporting. My squadron is ready for flight but we are short a few ponies in Tempest and Storm Trotters.”

Luna said in response as she waved Lightning Mane to follow her, ”Find them quickly we are heading out on a rescue mission, I will take a small number from the Blackguard special operations. Report back to me when you have gathered the proper amount of numbers.”

“Yes, Mother.”

They continued on in silence as they walked off the main grounds of the camp. Luna kept it well in her mind that she did not know how any of this was going to go. Blackguard were highly trained silent assassins sent on missions to either sabotage or kill. Their powers over the shadows and their knowledge that they could pick up on the fly was truly inspiring. They have never changed members in centuries. She approached them with Lightning Mane at her side.

Luna took it upon herself to memorize all of their names. Six Phantoms in total. Three stallions and three mares. Luna stopped in front of the Blackguard. They were all in relaxed positions. The first that Luna saw who was sitting by a blue fire camp was their leader who was a stallion named Swift Shadow. His coat was a dark jet black color and his mane and tail both silver grey and a crimson color. The second sitting next to him was a Phantom more bulky and strong whose name was Onyx Stonemane, the only Stoneblood Pegasus in the Children of the Night. His coat was a dark grey and his short mane and tail a dark brown color.

The last stallion was leaning over a boulder sharpening a long katana was Night Breeze. His stance was very calm and forbearing, his coat a slick silver color with long ponytail mane colored a dark blue color along with his tail. His bright blue eyes focused on sharpening his blade. Two mares were sitting on the boulder watching the night until Luna and Lightning Mane approached. They appeared to be twins, as they both had the same youthful features and the same colored coats a dark tan color. Their manes were different shades, which made it easier for Luna to recognise. The one with bright yellow colored mane and tail was Hazel. The one with a light black colored mane and tail was Phantasia. And the last mare who immediately saw her approach and kept eyes on her the entire time was a dark grey colored mare with long flowing mane and tail the color of snow. Her name was Silver Mist.

Swift Shadow announced her arrival in a tenor sounding voice that was medium pitched sounded through the night with fierce determination, ”Blackguard! Mother approaches with another assignment!”

Onyx, Night, Hazel, Phantasia, and Silver Mist filed in next to one another next to Swift Shadow and stood at attention and in unison bowed respectfully towards the princess of the night. Luna nodded at this show of respect and waved a hoof and said, ”At ease. I have a very special assignment for you.”

“What do you wish of us mother?”

Swift spoke with a sort of fierce and utter respectful tone. While it was medium toned he spoke as though his voice should be lower. But the emotion still carried across the wind to Luna. She was taken aback by his fierce speaking voice. Luna said, ”Have you gathered the information I asked for?”

“Yes, Mother.”

“Good.” Luna replied in a neutral tone. ” May I hear what you have to report?”

All former weight of pressure and tension was gone once she stepped out of the camp. For some reason she had the simplest feelings that she was not needed there. She could feel the tension between her and the Children of the Day. Swift stepped forward and said, ”The Changeling Horde has gathered in strength. They have even developed ways of evolving the powers of their own drones. Becoming huge monsters or becoming great casters of magic. They as well figured out a way to make their exoskeleton much harder than any metal.”

Luna rubbed her chin as Swift Shadow continued to tell her the “news”. All the while a look of concern crossed her face as he continued to tell her all the advantages the Changelings have been receiving. She was no stranger when it came to empowering her subjects, she projected a natural aura that made her children perform their spells and abilities better. But this. It became clear to her that Living Shadow had no intention of bringing slaves or prisoners back to his hiding place. But that begged the question of why Con and his Chargers were captured. Was from the fact that Con was important to Dracula? Or was something greater at hand?

Luna continued to hold her gaze on Swift who wore black leather studded armor. With a metal spaulder, and hooflets. His spaulder was painted dark red and emblazoned on it was known as the Nero Marca or the Black Mark. It was a series of cuts around a semicircle with an upside down jet black triangle in the middle with two slashes. The others wore the same spaulder or spaulders, but to signify he was the leader he had a small jet black cloak around his neck. The others seemed to look no different than Swift Shadow, except Onyx who stayed true to his heritage and wore jet black plate barding around his chest, back, hooves, and flank. Even though it looked quite heavy it seemed to not weigh him down at all. He moved often and not a single clank of armor or chainmail batting against metal. Silent plate armor.

Once Swift stopped talking Luna directed her attention to Lightning Mane who stood at the mention of her name from Luna, ”Lightning Mane. Prepare the troops, have them ready in twenty minutes and not a minute later.”

Lightning Mane nodded and flew off. Luna glanced over each of the Blackguard and said, ”You have twenty minutes to come back with the location.”

There was a level of seriousness in her tone and Nightbreeze said with a sly smile and a voice like knives, ”We can complete it in ten.”

“I have no doubt in your abilities.” Luna said turning around and before either of them moved she continued, ”Remember. The Night watches over you.”

“The Night watches over us.” They all answered in unison. A gentle breeze brushed past her and moved quickly through the chilly snow filled air. She looked back and saw the small blue flame was put out and smoking and all six of them were gone. She smiled as she looked at the setting moon.

She muttered to herself something before she left, “Listen to them. Children of the Night. What music they make.”

Celestia and Luna stood tall waiting for the Blackguard to report back. Celestia felt uneasy sending a small group of ponies on a recon mission. Fifteen minutes since Luna sent the order out and Celestia was still feeling great pressure. That and she could not stop thinking about the formula for Virus X. All she needed to do was change a few components of the ritual and a hoof full of ingredients, then she would have the Solar Paladins in her command. But she needed somepony as the first of the Solar Paladins. But who?

Originally she had Emerald Masquerade in mind but he was deceased now. She even thought of trying to resurrect Shining Armor and have him be the first, but that would destroy Twilight Sparkle and she couldn’t have that. All the stallions that came to mind were just not capable of being one. Either physically or mentally. And it had to be a Unicorn, only unicorns can transcend into Alicorns.

Celestia exhaled slowly, her breath visible in the cold winter air. The good news was the snow stopped falling. The bad news is, the cold wind was doing nothing for her ponies. Celestia moved her gaze over the horizon and said towards Luna, ”These Blackguard of yours better return soon. This wind is goin nothing for me but it is cutting through my little ponies.”

Celestia looked down at her younger sister and Luna continued to focus on the horizon as she said in a calmed and soft tone, ”Do not worry dearest sister. They will return soon, I can feel them approaching.”

Celestia never really warmed up to Luna’s children, especially Dracula since she had known him for years. She didn’t know why but she never really trusted Dracula, at any extent of the word ‘trust’. Recent events have made her put her idle hatreds aside, he had proven to be a loyal pony and loyal to his friends and family. He even had the strength and power to back up his powerful words, Celestia just hoped he didn’t gain too much power too fast. 17 minutes now.

The breathing coming from her own troops were slow and controlled, they were no Addonexus but they were able soldiers. Both the generals stood on the side of their respective Princess. Golden Flash next to Celestia and Lightning Mane, her name was, next to Luna. They wore colors that were heavily contrasting one another. Celestia and her army was wearing a faded gold color and Luna’s wore dark blue with light blue accents. Most of Celestia’s army consisted of Chargers and a few Warhorses to lead the divisions, consisting mostly of Earth Ponies and a few Pegasi.

Celestia kept her gaze upon the horizon and saw figures flying towards them at an astounding speed. As they approached she noticed six ponies altogether. Celestia breathed out, ”Finally.”

Luna smirked at her sister’s impatience. Celestia did not take kindly to the gesture. Luna nodded and the six ponies went back to camp. Luna looks over at Celestia and says, ”They are currently at the edges of Whitebridge, about five miles from the Northeastern border into the Silvermane Highlands. From their movements they appear to be going the long way into the Everfree. Their numbers are relatively small, only 600 in size but they have what are being called Dread Brutes. They are large Changelings that have improved armor and are animalistic. Around twenty feet in height.”

”Bad news is the only news nowadays” Celestia turns her attention to her ponies and booms across the frozen winds. ”Alright! Let’s move!”

The thunderous sounds of hooves marching in the snow filled the ears of everypony as they marched towards Whitebridge.

Hours pass by and Celestia resorted to hovering slightly above the ground. The marching of 32nd and 33rd Legion boomed behind her and continued to surmount in volume. And all the while it felt as though they can feel their grim stares upon here. Their completely stone faces. Celestia looks back at the army marching behind her and looks at each of them. She never wanted her ponies to go through hardships like war and death. But it seems that it was inevitable.

She as well was going to have to fight once more, facing a new enemy. Celestia focused back on what was in front of her and a vast sprawling plain was ahead of them. Through the mist and haze they saw in the blizzard two large shapes. These were the brutish Changelings mentioned before. Around the two large brutes were around 1,500 Changelings of different classes and ranks. Celestia readied herself for battle and summoned the Ashbringer. She had all of her troops stop marching and noticed the distance between them and the Changelings. They were half a mile away from them and they were unsuspected of them. Celestia looked over at Luna and shot her head upwards telling Luna for her and her troops to fly up above the clouds and to swoop down after Celestia and her troops charge the Changelings.

The chilling wind was calm and moved past them in a brisk movement. Celestia moved her head back and saw the stern and fierce faces upon all of them and they had their weapons at the ready to charge. She lifted Ashbringer to the sky and in one fluid motion she pointed it at the Changelings and they began to charge. Thundering hooves across the snow covered plains, rhythmic and timed just right for each of their steps echoed one another. Celestia lifted off of the ground and held the Ashbringer tightly in her magic and flew towards the enemy, ready to strike down her first target.

They were ignorant of the sound at first, but then they looked to their left and saw the charging army. The sounds of battle cries echoed through the northern winds and brought much discomfort and made morale drop low. When they drew ever nearer they saw the lumbering hulkish brutes cry in a thunderous voice through the mist and haze. An unworldly sound. As Celestia neared the brutes she saw the thickness of its carapace, thicker than the walls of Canterlot castle. It was large and was supported by four large legs and two arms and nearly every inch of it was covered in a thick natural exoskeleton. Dark marauding eyes peered long at the rushing army and readied for the coming battle, hefting large mauls made from large boulders of the nearby mountains.

Celestia herself had a fierce face and she focused on the charging brutes. Twenty feet tall and menacing indeed. Celestia started casting a spell and her form was changing, a bright aura enveloped her and flames rolled off of her. Her wings set ablaze and she began to pick up speed, she hefted her open hoof and light began to swirl and gather around it. It began to solidify and materialize, blazing from her hoof she shot out a spear made of pure light. It crashed into the carapace along its chest and it reeled as the force of an immortal knocked into its chest. Slowly it regained its posture in time to see the speeding sun goddess smash into the brute’s face. She thrust the Ashbringer into its face, it went deep into the middle of its eyes. In a cry of anger she pulled up her front hooves and smashed them on the surface of the brute’s rough skin.

It’s face damaged and cracked, burning energy seeped through its face and it cried in horrible pain. Celestia made sure to make her light energy red hot to sear the flesh beneath. Slowly its face was burning into ash and flying on the wind. Her hoof prints deepened into the brute and she came up and in a wide arc she cut Ashbringer into the brute’s face. She hovered in the air and began cutting through the monster and the blade finally smashed down into the chest carapace, breaking it and shattering it into millions of pieces exposing its chest. There was no skin or meat underneath the chest carapace, all of its organs were visible. She scanned over the monsters anatomy and focused her gaze on the organ she was looking for. The Heart. It was large, dark green, and it beat slowly. It was in that short time that Celestia realized that this brute felt no fear. Not even a small once. Chrysalis wanted to win this war and she would make monsters to do so. She wondered how many deaths it took to make monsters such as these. Before she charged towards the heart she said to herself, “For every sad soul that was made to make this monster, I release you from this prison.”

Then charged towards the heart just in time as the Dread Brute’s mace smashed against itself. Gallons upon gallons of its dark green blood spurted and exploded into the sky, drenching everything near it in the dark green liquid. Celestia stabbed Ashbringer into its heart and the impact drenched her in its dark red blood. It was warm as is washed over her and to her surprise she felt no emotion about this. She was not so disgusted that she threw up and she was not happy that it was dead. Now was the only time she felt truly neutral about something. She shouted as she cast a spell that spread bright white holy flames through its veins, “In the name of the Elysium Candidum Urbem. I chastise thee in holy flames. May you find eternal rest in the fiery pits of Tartarus.”

When she shouted that her voice was not her own. It was the voice of an otherworldly entity, one of a Sanctus Fortis. Eternal guardians of the Ascendit Aereo, the afterlife realm in the sky where the justful and righteous go when they die. Ruled by Monlios and Adena, the two immortal children of Cerberus. Celestia herself did not know them or have even seen them. They decided to not be involved in the affairs of mortal ponies, not since the reign of the Alicorn Empire. During that era Ketos was literally at the breaking point of no return. As Celestia thought about it, Arkon Shadow saved the world and now they were going to kill him. Does he deserve death? He saved Ketos from utter annihilation. She came back to reality as she noticed the brute turned into ash and flew across the wind.

It was well into the battle and she looked around. Her chargers and the captives began fighting back, putting up an able fight. She looked past the haze of battle and saw Golden Flash protecting Con while he was bleeding on the ground. Celestia was stunned at the sight. A Child of the Day was protecting an Ebonmane. With nothing but a spear and his martial skill, slaying each and every one that came within his reach. She knew Golden Flash was a capable fighter but she had never seen such expertise from a Child of the Day. Celestia was advancing towards him and noticed Luna injured next to Con. She was not in the same shape as Con but she was injured all the same. Blood slowly seeped out of gashes along her neck, exposed chest, and one along her face. Celestia started lifting off the ground and flew towards them. As she continued to near them the second Dread Brute was lifting its club in an attack the three ponies braced being crushed underneath its large mace. Celestia landed in front of Golden Flash and summoned a large magical shield made of pure light and energy. As the mace came down on the shield the surface of the shield cracked and it looked as if another blow would break it. Celestia felt pain rush through her mind as she focused all of her energy into the shield and to repair it. But she knew that neither of them could kill this thing together.

As the Dread Brute brought its mace up for another attack, a jetstream of flame flew through the sky as clouds began to part and sliced the Dread Brute right in half. They looked onwards and saw a sight she had never seen before. She saw a unicorn rushing through the sky, he was enveloped in bright red and white flames, wings made of solidified flame, crackling with great magical energy. It hovered over the dead brute and hovered in mid air. She would have mistaken him as a Sanctus Fortis, but she felt Unicorn energies within the soul of this stallion. But she also felt the magical energy of another creature entirely, strong flame energies. Only felt in...a Phoenix soul. She looked at the stallion unicorn in amazement. He combined the soul of a Phoenix with his own. He slowly descended to the ground and the snow around him dissolved. Slowly his form changed into that of a normal pony. His coat, patches that were not covered by armor, was the colors of flames and his mane and tail long and finely combed silvery color. His mane was pulled back and put up in a ponytail, but some strands of his mane were hanging down. Two black scars were along the left side of his face and his eyes were bright blue and stared long into Celestia’s eyes. She saw that he gave a look of discipline and honor, but also gave a threatening gaze.

Resting on his shoulder was an amazing sight. A Suntail Phoenix, a bright white phoenix with its beak and long feathered tail bright crimson red. Its eyes as well were bright blue and nearly glowed. The unicorn neared and she noticed that they all had spear heads pointed along their surviving members of the fight. 75 in total survived, including herself, Luna, Con, and Golden Flash. The blizzard had stopped and it was a foggy grey color, and the sun shined unable to have its rays pass through the clouds. Celestia looked around them and they were being stared down by ponies with faces like stone. They formed a phalanx formation around them and it was tight. The unicorn stallion stepped forward and said in a deep tenor voice, “What business do you have out near the borders of the Silvermane Highlands?”

“Give me your name Phoenix master,” Golden Flash said with a threatening tone and gaze, “And we will give you ours.”

The unicorn did stand three inches taller than Golden Flash. He stepped closer to golden Flash and said in an equally threatening voice, “I would cut off your head, Equestrian. If your head but stood a bit higher from the ground.”

Luna drew her sword and yelled, “You would die before your sword would fall!”

The spear wielding ponies moved closer and Celestia shot a look at Luna. Luna saw the look and slowly sheathed her sword. Celestia looked at the unicorn and said, “I am Princess Celestia, and that is my sister Princess Luna. This is Golden Flash my general and the injured one is Con of the Ebonmanes.”

There was a slight pause as she studied the soldiers that gathered around them. They were Hawk Warriors of the Stonebloods, earth ponies and pegasi born from stone of the mountains and reside in Silvermane Highlands. Celestia said in her soft and calm voice, “We are the rulers of Equestria, and friends of Vanguard your High-King. We chased these Changelings because of what they have been doing to our cities. Pillaging and raiding as they returned to their master in the Everfree Forest.”

The unicorn’s gaze faltered and he looked down cast keeping the same stern face but he said in a low tone, “Vanguard no longer rules over the proud Stonebloods, therefore our old treaties are no longer in motion. The fight for the throne is bound to be over and so far has been ruled by the Three Manes, but they are not who they claim they are.

“Koruil Blackmane has cut off our trades routes and closed our borders to both Equestria and to Asaria. He had challenged the other two lords to battle and they lost. His first act as the High-King was to have us reestablish Celestial Valley and have it be the military capital of the Silvermane Highlands. I spoke outright to him and he has banished me and my company from the Silvermane Highlands. So if you were looking for aid from the Silvermane Highlands, you will not receive any.”

He looked back up and said pounding his chest with his hoof, “I am Dragomir Petran, Sky General of the Brightwing regiment.”

He motioned his hoof and the Hawk Warriors around them lowered their spears and Dragomir continued, “We have heard that the Changelings returned. What news from Equestria?”

Celestia responded, “They destroyed Canterlot and attempted to destroy Ponyville twice but we have the aid of Luna’s Children of the Night and with the Brotherhood of the Light. We have yet to hear word from the Crystal Empire. When we return we will make then start a siege on the Castle of Two Sisters, where Queen Chrysalis is taking hold.

“It would be much appreciated if you would aid us. I know who you are and I know what you seek now. Golden Flash, get the troops ready for a march back to Ponyville.”

“Yes your highness.”

Celestia moved her focus back on Dragomir and said in a quiet tone, “You seek to find your sister Sunset Shimmer. Do you not?”

Dragomir looked deep into her eyes and said, “She was your student. I would like to know what happened to her.”

Celestia thought for a moment and said, “I don’t know what happened to her. She left and I have been trying to track her down since. The only thing I can do to help is if you become my apprentice, I promise we will find her.”

Dragomir thought for a moment and said, “Alright. So long as we find my sister in the end, I will be your student.”

He bowed his head and Celestia bowed hers and she heard Nightmare Moon’s voice say,
I know your plans now. You clever mare, I could kiss you right now but I am merely a fragment of myself and I am to be remained in the confides of your mind. We are now two steps closer to our goal.