Meanwhile, at the Canterlot Castle.

Natura Stella was waking up from the peaceful sleep she was in. Knowing that Andromalius was in no danger, she had few worries on her mind.

She was staying at one of the guest rooms in the castle. She didn't know what to do — she was in a different world from hers, and confusion still clouded her mind, if only a little. Natura knew she cared about Andromalius, the one who saved her from the undead. She knew she could ask Celestia or Luna if a need arises. But that was it — she didn't know how to keep herself busy. She didn't know how to read, and she was afraid to ask for assistance. She thought that she would be laughed at.

And yet she knew she had to do something. So, she decided to take a walk to the gardens to clear her mind and think among the trees and animals.

Natura always loved nature. When she still lived at Irollan, the green surrounded her: the trees, the grass, the flowers. Animals were kind to her and often gathered around her out of curiosity. She would often sing to them, a song without words or meaning. She was used to that peaceful life, just enjoying everything nature could give to her. The scent of fresh, wet grass; the smell of different flowers; ambiance of the forest; its habitants and visitors. It was serene, and life was simple for an Irollanian unicorn like her.

When the necromancers came, everyone was terrified, including her. She was in panic, she didn't know what to do. And when she was transported with them, ripped off from her family and nature, into the cold, gray, and lifeless city deep underneath the ice where no light shone. She was broken and alone, not to mention wounded. Gladly, she was saved by none other than a demon, someone she feared the most. But the demon didn't live to the terrible expectation. Instead, Natura found peace and comfort near him. And, eventually, even affection.

She trotted through the castle, occasionally catching glances of guards that were still not quite used to her. She didn't mind it, though. In fact, she didn't even think about that as she made her way to the garden. Her mind was occupied by different thoughts.

Soon, Natura reached the Royal Garden. She came through the decorated gate and found herself a place to sit on. It was a simple log that was beautifully carved into a bench, and yet it remained its nature.

She sat and looked around. The leaves on the trees began to turn to their autumn colors: orange, red, and yellow. The grass was still mostly green save for a few spots here and there. The animals were moving around the garden, not worrying about the winter yet. They glanced at Natura with interest and a bit of wariness. She radiated with something that attracted the creatures, and they soon found her presence to be calming.

A nightingale landed on a nearby tree next to the unicorn. After taking his place, the nightingale began singing his beautiful song. Natura smiled at him, relaxing on the bench. That situation reminded her of home, of countless times she spent in the forest, listening to the wildlife.

Soon, some squirrels appeared out of the bushes, curiously looking at the unicorn. One of them had the bravery to move closer, and hopped up on the bench. Natura glanced at the squirrel but didn't do anything. The squirrel, seeing no threat from the strange unicorn, climbed onto her back and nested there, eliciting a smile from Natura.

"Good day, Natura." a familiar female voice spoke. Natura turned her head and saw princess Celestia walking through the gates. She looked very tired: her ethereal mane had a messy look to it, it's flow was much slower, and there were barely noticeable bags under her eyes. She was walking tiredly, without much regality she usually has. And yet, a small motherly smile was on her lips. Celestia joined the unicorn, sitting next to her. She sighed in relief, letting her body relax on the bench.

"You look tired, princess." Natura spoke up. "Um... I know what happened, and I really wish... Um..." she blushed in embarrassment, trying to lay out her thoughts right.

"I understand what you're trying to say, and thank you for your care." Celestia nodded. "Everything becomes so complicated... That is why I came here in the first place — to rest for a bit." she sighed. "The recent week was weary on me and my sister." she frowned. "And... A great many things have changed since the summer." she looked at the animals that surrounded the two. They were sitting quietly as if listening. "There is Grand Galloping Gala in a few days, and I doubt I can be present." she sighed again, and then admitted: "I am so tired. After a fierce battle that was tiring on its own, I returned to see that I need many other things to deal with. Would it not be my state at that moment, it wouldn't be as tiring as it has just been."

Natura listened, not interrupting the princess.

"Questions have arisen about my guards' state after I sent some of them to the hospital with serious injuries. Thankfully, no lasting damage was done to anypony." Celestia continued. "But their families are worried. They don't know what happened to their sons and husbands, and I'm afraid to tell the truth." she looked down. "Don't get me wrong, I want to be honest with my subjects and to defend them, but..." she paused for a second, her ears folded. "I've been softened up by the peaceful age we had, and I don't know if I can protect my little ponies from impending danger that looms on the horizon." she looked at the sky. "Occasional villains returning from the past, that is something I might be able to deal with. But if anything comes in large numbers... I don't know. There is so much to be done. I have my personal student, and I have faith in her but will she be able to rule one day alongside me?"

She paused.

"Sometimes," she continued after a short break. "I question myself: should I let younger ponies take the throne and responsibility? I've been a ruler so many years. My sister says that we will make it, but... I guess I grew old." she chuckled softly. "I'm sorry, I must bore you with this... speech."

"No, not at all!" Natura shook her head. "It is good for anyone to spill their thoughts from time to time. I, um, rarely do that, but... Well, it's because I've nothing to worry about most of the time. Um, used not to..."

"And how about now?" Celestia asked. "Do you have anything to talk about? If you want, of course." she made a small smile.

"Um... Yes, I suppose I have..." Natura rubbed the back of her neck, ruffling some hairs of her mohawk pale-blue mane. "Well, um... I just..." she tried to come up with a way to tell her thoughts. "Before appearing here, I was pretty much a... normal unicorn. I mean, I didn't speak. Not in the way I now do." she tried her best to explain. "I was living in the forest among other unicorns, and... Well, life was peaceful. But all changed one day, I guess you know how." Celestia nodded. "And now I worry if something bad happens to me or Andromalius... I worry that I won't be able to adapt to this world, too. In the name of Sylanna, I can't even read!" her cheeks flushed with embarrassment.

"I understand your worries." Celestia nodded. "Many strange things have happened recently. In the past few month, to be precise. I'm afraid it leads to something even greater, bigger than us... However good or bad might that be.

"I hope we'll gather someday and have a friendly chat, without a worry in the world. I don't think it'll happen anytime soon, though..." she sighed. After a few moments of silence, she added, "But I hope everything will turn out alright."

Some time was spent in silence. Neither Natura nor Celestia knew what to say, so, they just sat on the bench, resting.

"Um," Natura spoke up. "Can you tell me more about Andromalius? I... don't know him that well, to be honest." a slight blush appeared on her face. "He said that he wants us to know each other better, but he's so far away right now. I'd talk to him if not, um, that."

"Well, I know little about him, unfortunately." Celestia replied. "Only recently I've found out I am his aunt." she earned a gasp from the unicorn. "Very surprising, isn't it?" she giggled. "So, yes, he's Luna's son. Our family is a bit complicated, I suppose."

"Who is his father?" Natura asked with interest.

"It gets even more complicated here." Celestia made a small laugh. "You see... his father came from another world, and he's a demon. And not a demon of your world, too." she looked at Natura, and saw her jaw dropped. "Yes, our family is strange, to say the least. I guess none of us could settle for a simple life.

"Frankly speaking, I know nothing about Andromalius' childhood or adolescence. He's spent... ten years of his life on our moon, and eight years in his father's world. I suppose even Luna doesn't know him that well since he was away from his mother for the most important part of his life." she frowned. "And ever since he appeared here he did nothing but struggled to achieve a goal. First, he studied our world to make sense out of everything, to adapt to the sudden change he's gone through. He chose to ignore everything else: the stares that followed him around, my suspicions... He didn't have much choice whom to talk to or trust. Emotions built up inside him, and once I made a mistake, a big one at that, we had a fight. Gladly, it didn't end in anything too bad. I fear to imagine what he'd do if I decided to fight him. He hates it when he is restricted or when he's told what to do, I learned that the hard way.

"Then, he set on a mission to free those who were wronged. A noble cause to show himself as a hero, but heroes rarely have rest, and if they reach the end of their journey..." Celestia frowned, sadness in her eyes. "They might not see anything else at all. Not the peace they were fighting for, not the love they defended or earned..." her frown deepened and a tear rolled down her cheek. "I don't want Andromalius to end up like that. He is very kind at heart, and I am afraid that the cruel world will get him as it already got many others. I wish that our family stays together and live happily, but... I have no idea if that will happen at all."

A few moments were passed in silence. Celestia took deep breaths, and then continued.

"I think he struggles with accomplishing goals because he isn't sure what he'd do if there is none. He's taken a responsibility on his shoulders so that he won't have to deal with trying to live a simple life when ponies fear him because of his looks. He might fear he will never be accepted by us ponies.

" I don't know about how he lived before but I don't think he was like this. And... it pains me to see that he is always on the move. It's like... he's afraid of having friends or family. He's afraid of what'll happen if he tries to settle down. Maybe we scare him, too." Celestia hid her face in the crook of her foreleg. "Oh how stupid I was..." she whispered, and a tear dropped from her muzzle. "None of us treated him right because of his appearance. Only Luna warmed up to him, but... He didn't make any friends. I don't even know what he thought about Lu-Lu. I hope that there was something more than just seeing her only as his protection. I don't know, I didn't have a heart-to-heart talk with him.

"Maybe he shares some of his inner feelings with Inanna the succubus but I don't know. I just wish I had time to talk to him as a family member. I wish to let him out everything he wants to talk about but hesitates to. I wish he had a happy life."

She finished her revelations, and looked at the skies.

"After he achieves his goal, I shall talk to him." she said. "We must strengthen our bond as a family."

The silence fell upon the two as they sat there, each in her own thoughts.

Hours later, midnight.

It was dark in the throne room of the Canterlot Castle. The only light coming through the windows did little to reveal what was hidden inside. It was perfectly still and silent. An untrained eye wouldn't notice anything out of ordinary.

At that night, Luna gathered a few ponies from her Night Guard. She sat on the throne, looking down. There, five Night Guards stood, all the same: grey coats, bright-orange slit-pupil eyes, and fangs peeking out of their mouths. All of them had leathery bat-like wings. Their polished grey-purple armor reflected the pale light of the full moon, and their glowing eyes looked upon their princess in respect, unquestioning loyalty and devotion to their country and nighttime ruler.

"I have summoned you here to tell you something very important." Luna spoke in her regal and strong voice. It reverberated through the throne room, creating an eerie atmosphere. "I believe that what we fear most is unfolding. The darkness of worst kind, the one that threatens our subjects with untold pain and horror. The evil awakens, and with it many great things shall come, both good and bad.

"We are standing on the edge, at the beginning of something that will change our world forever. There is nowhere to run or hide. Enemies shall reach us sooner or later. And yet we must prepare, not flee in terror of things to come. A war will soon fall upon our lands, I sense it. My sister senses it. Our powerful allies sense it, too. So, we must prepare for the impending horror and death that the war will bring to our home. We shall defend our country and the peace that reigned for hundreds of years. We shall stand and fight, and we shall prevail!"

She took a deep breath before continuing.

"I have received terrible news." Luna said. "I believe that there is growing tension in our world. It is supported by the facts: first, the Griffin Empire has returned."

Ringing silence fell upon the ponies' ears. However, none of them replied to the statement.

"It is not only the union of kingdoms as it might seem at first." Luna continued. "It is something far more sinister... The spies have reported that unusual activity happens there. They talk about the propaganda of griffin superiority, that there is a great part griffins take in something... something yet unknown. Something evil grows there, soon to be unleashed upon the world.

"It was reported that murders occurred at our borders. The killers came and went as the wind, leaving no trace to follow. There were no survivors to question either."

Luna frowned, her eyes filled with sadness over the loss.

"They have attacked multiple settlements where ponies and griffins lived in peace, together in harmony." she continued, speaking with sorrow in her voice. "The official ambassador from the Empire states that it is merely a band of thugs. And yet, those thugs act with military professionalism, sewing seeds of fear and doubt within both griffins and ponies. Griffins suspect us, ponies suspect them. This destabilization might lead to something far more terrible than what has already happened. It might lead to war, something that hasn't happened between our countries for almost a millennium. My sister and I hope it won't come to that, but I am afraid that it is inevitable.

"Thus, we need to build our forces. We need an army. A strong army that will defend our home and drive the invaders away and back to where they came from. Follow me, Night Guards. I have chosen you as the best tacticians our country has. All of you have shown much professionalism in handling day-to-day routine and solving dangerous situations quickly and without hesitation, using everything you have in your vast arsenal of skills. You are the best of the best, and I need your help.

"I believe it is time for you to see our protectors, our new army. Loyal, fearless. They are the embodiment of the darkness, both good and evil aspects of it. However, fear not — they are here to protect us.

"All of you have it inside yourself: good and evil. All of us balance on the blade's edge between darkness and light. We get our strength from it because we have no fear of the dark and what it has within. We are the dark. I know who you are: once low-life criminals, and now fearless and loyal protectors of our great country. You have risen from the mud to become who you are today.

"And now, come with me. Come and see what you shall soon command."

Lune stood up and summoned a portal. She walked into it, and her Night Guards followed without hesitation. They marched into the portal, their pace steady and their eyes aimed forward.

***

The Night Guards and Luna appeared on one of the towers of Hornguard. The city was silent, and no light but the moon let its streets be seen. The wind howled, picking up black crystal dust from the streets and carrying it around until settling it somewhere else.

"Behold our greatest asset in fighting the evil." Luna spoke. "They have fallen in battles a long time ago, and now they came back to fight for us, for our country. They are the undead. From now on, you will be trained in commanding those troops that you see down below."

The Night Guards walked to the edge of the tower and looked down. They saw thousands of glowing blue eyes staring at them from the ground. Obedient as they are, the undead soldiers stood, waiting for commands. Stiff as stone, still as a monument, they awaited.

"From now on, you are the Shadow Guard." Luna said to the Night Guards. "That unit was disbanded as soon as I was banished from the face of our world. Now, it is time to rebuild it. Many families have vowed to me. Through centuries, they remained loyal to me. Now, their descendants join me to fight evil again. Today, they reunite again to defend the light using the dark."

Tens of bat ponies flew from everywhere to the tower. As they landed, they bowed to their princess, presenting themselves to be ones to obey her every wish and command.

"We have returned. Enemies, fear the night's wrath, for it is filled with fury over your crimes!"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=05a-Bl9CHRo

Author's Notes:

If you want to see new chapters more frequently, please consider supporting me on Patreon. Frankly speaking, I find my time being consumed more and more by the college to the point where I have just a few hours to write anything before going to bed. I hope that I will fix that with your help, dear readers.