A/N: Acronyms:
RoC: "Reign of Celestia"
SCR: "Second Combined Reign"
As well, I AM RETCONNING the idea that Luna only killed for her first time several years ago. SHE IS AN EXPERIENCED FIGHTER AND COMMANDER SINCE BEFORE SHE WAS BANISHED. BEAR THAT IN MIND.
Secrets of a Lunar Princess
Chapter 11
Answer to the Past
*Time: Two hours before Tara's 'questioning.'*
*Location: A small courtyard in a military facility.*
It had been a week since the raid on Ponyville was repulsed and things quieted down just a little bit on the Greifen-Equestrian front. Luna was due to question the soldier captured at Ponyville in about an hour and prepare for deployment with Phaze towards the Crystal Empire. Contact had been lost with Cadence and Shining Armor and Luna needed to make sure they were safe, as well as the extent of the Imperial Crystallian invasion into Crystal Empire territory. But right now, Luna needed a small bit of… rest. Yes, that's exactly what she needed. This hour alone would do her just fine as she was now: just laying on a bench in the middle of the courtyard. She was in her combat uniform but she intended to dress in her more formal officer's clothing when she went to meet the prisoner.
She sighed softly as she stared at the night sky. It looked particularly bland tonight, though it technically was not her doing. Since the war began, all of her magic had been put into battle and logistics purposes, so she had the moon and sky on a sense of 'automation.' Celestia did the same thing with the sun. Drowning in her thoughts, Luna slowly closed her eyes, and she did not know how long she was resting until she was gently taken from the throes of slumber by someone opening a door to the courtyard.
There Phaze stood, fixing his uniform and looking a bit more… presentable. Luna found this a little odd, and she continued to study him for several seconds, Phaze not even knowing she was there on the opposite side. Luna's stoic glance turned into a soft smile, which in turn, became a wide smile when she saw Phaze remove a bouquet of flowers from behind and then start walking on his own path.
Awww, he's going to meet his love…
He continued down the middle of the courtyard until he came to a small path leading toward the corner, opposite of where Luna was watching him. He made no indication that he had seen her. Luna's curiosity got the best of her and she rendered herself invisible, trying to see if she could catch him with his girlfriend and surprise them… and then embarrass him in front of her. Yes that would do nicely.
She followed easily thirty steps behind him and once he finally got to the corner of the courtyard, he had a choice between walking through a gate, or into a building. Luna's smile soon began to diminish.
Please do not turn right…
Phaze turned right and opened the gate, continuing on through and closing it behind him.
Oh no…
Luna phased through the gate and continued to follow him invisible. Looking around, she found him kneeling by one of the numerous gravestones of the Canterlot Military Cemetery, having laid the bouquet of flowers down lovingly. She was able to get to about twenty steps to the side of him and she continued to watch him kneel, lovingly touching the gravestone to which he showed his affection. Phaze closed his eyes and sighed before speaking up.
"I know you're there, Luna. You can make yourself visible now."
Luna sighed sadly and let herself be rendered visible, closing the distance between them. Soon she was standing by his side and eyeing the gravestone:
Solara Onyx
April 19, 981 RoC - August 28, 6 SCR
Third Equestria-Greifen Border Conflict
Luna wanted to say something… she had to say something. Yet, her words failed her. Never in her wildest thoughts did she ever expect something like this. The silence almost became thick, like humidity. To her relief though, Phaze spoke first:
"She was killed in the border skirmish we had six months ago. I was there when it happened. Solara and I were assigned to the same ESF squadron and had been for two years. When the border conflict broke out, we were deployed to provide reinforcement to a Border Corps."
Luna said nothing but continued to listen to him, studying the stone ahead of her and still processing everything.
"On the third day… she got hit in the chest. The bullet collapsed her left lung and filled the space with blood. I did all I could Luna… but it wasn't enough. She died in my arms," Phaze said solemnly, but retaining a mostly stoic demeanor. It was obvious that he had shed enough emotion when it happened. "I was gonna ask her to marry me soon."
"I am so sorry, Phaze…" words finally came to her. She instinctually leaned on him in a comforting gesture. He relaxed just a little bit and leaned back, both continuing to pay their silent respects to the fallen ESF trooper.
"So yeah… this is Solara. I think you would've liked her," Phaze said, gesturing to the grave. Luna slipped from his side and walked forward, kneeling down in front of the stone and touching it delicately. Phaze heard her mumble a few things in Ancient Equestrian as she made certain movements with her left hand over the stone and earth. He knew exactly what they were: Death Rites.
"May you find everlasting peace, Solara. You did well, soldier," Luna honored. She then leaned in and kissed the stone, an old tradition since the founding of Equestria. Luna took her place next to Phaze once more and they stood like that for tens of minutes in silence. Eventually they went their separate ways for the night, Phaze going to get some rest and Luna going to 'interrogate' her prisoner.
*Present Time*
*Location: Outskirts/Suburbs of Crystal City, Crystal Empire*
Luna and Phaze made it to the base of the mountain without a problem. However, getting into the shielded heart of the Crystal City would be such a problem. The Crystal capital had grown over the years since its return and thus expanded suburbs all over this particular valley, the Crystal Palace becoming the heart of said city. Essentially all of the civilians had been evacuated out of the area or taken within the confines of the defensive shield. The two would have plenty of roads and cover towards the city, but still, the enormous amount of Imperial Crystallian troops, hell-bent on forceful reunification of the two former factions of the Greater Empire of Emeralda, would impede their progress.
They finally made it to some decent cover: a community of apartment-homes. Turning the corner of a large apartment-structure, Luna came up behind a Crystallian soldier standing guard. Her gloved hand went over his mouth and her sword went straight through his backside an out his stomach. She removed her blade and the soldier fell without a fight. Peeking out into the street, Phaze on her tail, Luna could see the tops of the shield around the city. They had a long way to go, and she was not sure that the two of them would be able to make it by the end of the day, which could pose major problems. However, her radio distracted her thoughts.
"OpsCom to Lunar Squad. Come in Lunar Squad." Luna retreated behind a sturdy wall, Phaze next to her, as she answered.
"Lunar Squad to OpsCom, go ahead."
"We have good news and bad news, which would you like to hear first?" Operations Command began to debrief.
"Good news would be nice," Luna conceded.
"A message from the Crystal Empire signed by Cadence and Shining Armor was received via Twilight Sparkles assistant. They are in good health and are prepared to stake-out against the Crystallians for at least another week… although realistically around five days."
"And the bad news?" Luna asked, most relieved to hear Cadence and Shining were in good health.
"The Crystallians that broke off from the group assaulting the Crystal Empire made a sharp turn north, avoiding confrontation with our Third and Fourteenth armies. They're headed straight for Canterlot."
Luna's eyes went wide and the breath hitched in her throat.
"They will get no closer to the Capital, dost thou understand me? Ensure the Third and Fourteenth armies give chase immediately! Any other battle groups within acceptable range are to fortify and contest their movements! I shall personally support the defense!" Luna ordered, moving from her position and heading back to where they came from. This operation in the Crystal Empire was aborted. Phaze took one look back towards the Capital city and shrugged, following Luna's command.
"Yes, Ma'am. OpsCom out." Luna put the radio back in its place, the two finding themselves back at the base of the mountain.
"I take it this is an 'abort mission?'" Phaze asked.
"Thou would be correct. We are retreating the way we came. Canterlot is in greater danger, while Cadence and Shining may hold their own for long enough."
The two scaled back up the mountain, passing their first entry point and continuing on through a pass in which was a traditional foot-passage between the regions of the Crystal Empire and Equestria. The snow-storm in the area noticeably picked up, blanketing the minor crystal formations in white. Just as they were almost through the pass, Luna stopped abruptly, breathing intensified, and eyes wide. She sensed something… something she did not like.
"Luna…?" Phaze stopped and questioned, noticing that he had drifted in front of her. The look on her face was most concerning. After several tense seconds, Luna finally spoke:
"Phaze… I would like you to continue forward. I shall be along shortly."
"Ummm… Luna?" Phaze questioned the odd request.
"That was a decree, Phaze!" she shouted impatiently and urgently. He looked at her oddly… but his features soon devolved into one of concern and one that said "okay, be safe." He then turned around and tread forward, soon disappearing through the falling snow and leaving Luna to her devices.
The moderate snow storm around Luna continued as she just stood there, Phaze long gone out of her vision. Her face bore no emotion and only her eyes shifted back and forth ever so slowly. She strained her ears and stayed her body motionless even against the biting cold on her face. She was mentally searching for something... something she had not felt in a long, long time.
About two-dozen feet behind her, a figure slowly became visible. He was strong, carried a commanding posture, and was clad in a Greifen Colonel's black ceremonial outfit, complete with visor-cap and shoulder pauldrons. Luna already knew he was there. Arms by his sides and no emotion present on his clean face, he began to gently stride forward. Only then did Luna turn around and face him.
"I see your situational awareness has not deteriorated with age, Luna," he spoke mirthfully with a somewhat deep tone of voice. Luna focused her blues on his reds, never breaking eye-contact as he continued forward. She recognized the voice immediately, confirming her suspicions fully.
"I will not pretend to understand how you are standing right now, so maybe a question will gain me some knowledge: how are you alive, Steel Sword?" Luna responded coldly, some form of fear being masked by her iron determination.
"Really now, Luna... must we bore ourselves with these needless pleasantries and stories and... explanations?" Steel continued to speak antagonizingly, talking vividly with his hands. Once he got close enough to Luna, easily her eye-level (and most likely a bit taller), he crossed his arms over his chest.
"I killed you... I watched the life drain from your eyes as I slew you where you stood!"
"Tried," he corrected. "And failed. Merely a ruse. I survived that encounter with you, despite what you think you may have seen. And now here I am." His voice turned cold and aggressive. "Very. Much. ALIVE."
Luna instantly drew her pistol from her side and brought it up to his face, only to find her gun fall apart in her hands and a blood-red magical aura fading out. The same story held for her assault rifle strapped to her back, now useless. Her eyes widened as she let the pieces of her sidearm fall to the snow below, a smug but disdain-filled smile gracing Steel Sword's features.
"Do not act so surprised... after all, I did learn from the best. I take it I've pleased my teacher?" he continued to taunt.
"You are not my student, nor will I ever acknowledge that you were! You deserved everything you hath received. You are naught but a monster who was better off dead!" Luna spoke in a tone that could kill, not bothering to raise her voice. Steel Sword chuckled lightly.
"Did I? Did I deserve it all?" He asked rhetorically before proceeding. "Like Celestia did countless times before you, you took me as a student in secret... although 'conscripted' is a more appropriate word. Did I deserve that? While other students got to learn the magic of the world and friendship... have a life, I was trained in battle, trained for warfare... to command like yourself. Did I deserve that? I served my purpose... I helped lead Equestria to victory against the other regional powers in the First Global Conflict and was subsequently 'killed' for it... by you. Did I deserve that?"
"You lead thousands upon thousands upon thousands our our soldiers to their needless deaths! You showed no compassion to civilians and committed genocide countless times!" Luna countered, not addressing the first parts of his remarks.
"It won the war. The war would have dragged on for years had some lives not been thrown away. The military under both of our commands was unstoppable! Equestria had everything! And it did not have to stop there... yet it did, when you 'killed' me. Was it really for my 'war crimes' or my being a 'danger to Equestria?'" He rebutted once more, talking with his hands. Steel then crossed his arms once more. "Or maybe... because I was next in line for Ascendance... much like your sister's lap-dog Twilight Sparkle is on a course for."
"You will not speak of Twilight Sparkle in that manner! You know nothing of Celestia's plans!"
"Hmmm... maybe that was it. You even said so yourself that I was progressing at an astounding rate. Growing... training... getting stronger each waking day. I surely would have been Ascended... and had I been Ascended, I would become more powerful than even I could possibly imagine. Just maybe, more powerful than you, Luna." His expression became darker as he straightened up. "I could have surpassed you."
"A blatant lie of the highest caliber, Steel… and now you serve Greifenraum." Luna's own expression hardened. Steel's facial expression became more amused.
"After you 'killed' me and had my body sent for disposal, the timed Death Ruse spell I had casted during our confrontation wore off. It was clear that I could not remain in Equestria. Heading north, I was bathing in a river when I accidentally crossed over into one of the provinces of the Greifenraum Confederation. I was taken in for questioning and upon telling them of the… augmentations I received due to my magic training, they made me an offer I could not refuse. Actually I believe it was I who made such an offer."
"Your immortality…" Luna deduced out loud. It all started to make sense, though she didn't have to like any part of this scenario. "So now what? Huh, Steel?" Luna said most irritated. She was done with the story-telling. "You defected to Greifenraum and used ty newly acquired immortality to your advantage... congratulations! Now what? What do you hope to achieve waging a war against Equestria? What do you honestly hope to accomplish?" Luna had to know. Steel Sword chuckled darkly.
"Like I said, I made Greifenraum an offer they could not refuse. In exchange for my… expertise for well over a thousand years, I made only one request." Steel then took a deep breath and looked all around him. "Equestria could have had the continent… She could have had the world if only you and Celestia had the drive. I promised myself that Equestria and all of her subjects would have it, and I intend to make it so." He then turned back to Luna.
"When Canterlot falls and I grind out the original building materials beneath my boot, I shall rebuild her from scratch. Greifenraum? Merely a means to an end to fill the eventual Head of State vacuum with the Kaiser's blessing. The dawn of a new age is upon the world… one with Equestria at its head. When I am instated as the new ruler, I shall rebuild her into the glory she deserves. With our magic and materiel at my disposal, she shall reign supreme! Greifenraum will be first. Then the Crystal Empire and Imperial Crystallia and the Draconian Empires will follow. Once this continent falls, Equestria shall solidify and expand," he thoroughly explained. Luna only looked on in horror.
"I thought you were only a monster that millennia ago… and yet thou art equally insane!" Luna remarked, angling her body to her former student. Her right hand slowly but surely crawled along her side towards the hilt of her sword.
"I need not end this way, Luna. Why kill you if we can easily stand by each other's sides once more! Equestria can become more powerful, prosperous, and secure than she has ever been! Let us lead her to her rightful place…" Steel Sword proposed, gently but confidently raising a hand out to Luna. He held it there, as Luna made it seem like she was pondering her decision. Only then did she strike. Her eyes flared brightly and a shockwave of magic burst forward, throwing Steel Sword back over a dozen feet while she drew her sword, aiming it straight at him.
"Threatening a Princess who has hundreds of years on you in the art of warfare, thou best not scribe cheques you cannot redeem, you mongrel. I shall never stand by your side ever again. You threaten Equestria only to want to bring her back? I must have bludgeoned thee with greater force than anticipated for you to propose such ludicrous offers," Princess Luna struck back with vigor and resolve. "You are nothing but a monster, Steel Sword… but you are correct. I did create you. As a result, I shall destroy you… and ensure that you may never again mar the image of Equestria or this earth."
Steel Sword had gotten to his feet and regained his strong, stoic stance and demeanor. Yet, he made no attempt to counter Luna's threat with his own pistol nor blade. He only gave the infuriated princess a half-smirk.
"So be it, Luna. My plans will continue… and it calls for the ushering in of a new epoch for a new Equestria. To purify her completely, all of Equestria will burn under the might of the Triple Alliance. Only when Canterlot finally falls shall I plunge my blade through your chest," Steel resolved. Luna gripped the hilt of her sword with both hands. "However, I have much to do, and no intention of potentially falling on a snow-covered mountain. That being said, we shall meet again soon, Princess," he concluded with an antagonizing, bone-chilling smile. Luna roared out in anger and teleported behind him, plunging her sword through his abdomen, only for her blade to catch the remnants of his magical aura as he finished his own teleportation out.
Luna was breathing hard… almost hyperventilating at the processing of everything that took place here. However, she could not contemplate long. Trouble in paradise as well as the need to catch up to her partner and friend were of necessity. She could think on the way. With that, Luna sheathed her weapon and continued through the pass, eager to get out of the area as fast as she could.