The Black Knight grins, as he leans in his chair, fiddling a quill within his hand. "Her Guardian Within the Shadow draws ever so close to its end, and yet?" He looks towards you. "More and more stories are appearing from me and they aren't finishing that easily? I bet you're all wondering why that is, aren't you?" Silver Star raises an eyebrow, confused herself about all of it. "Why is that, daddy? How come you aren't finishing those stories right way? Is it Writer's Block?" She asked, tilting her head, while looking up at the Black Knight. "Oh, that is my lovely little secret, along with a few others who are assisting me with it… I'll reveal why, soon enough. By the way, this is another Antro Story. Makes things a lot easier, am I right?" Snaps his fingers, as the newest story begins!

Chapter One

The harbor was alive with both dockhands and sailors trying to dock massive ships to one of Equestria's port towns. Though, one of the many merchant vessels finished its docking requirements, and lowered an off ramp for the boarders. The first to leave had been a winged figure, both of his wings being black as the night sky, wearing armor which matched a dark abyss many feared within their nightmares. At his hip, rested a silver hilted sword, bearing a single ruby star as the pummel. Dangling over the black knight's shoulder, bouncing against the cloaked shield pressing both of his wings back, was a bloody sack.

"Mercenary!" A pony sailor called out, earning the knight's attention. "Thanks again, for your assistance against those bloody pirates! The Captain wanted to know if you need anything else, since we didn't pay you for the protection!"

The knight shook his helmeted head. "I am sure, my friend! I did offer up my skills, for passage to Equestria, after all! Besides…" He shrugged his shoulder, causing the bloody sack to shake. "This will help with anything I may require, in the near future. Tell your Captain that I offer my thanks, for allowing me aboard!"

"Will do, have a good time in Equestria, Mercenary!" The sailor saluted, before going back about his duties aboard their ship.

The knight nodded, before walking towards the town, carefully moving through the crowds of dockhands and sailors working. He had already grown tired of the smells and sounds of the sea, spending so long on it would do that to one not so accustomed to it, and made his way towards the dockmaster. As he approached him, the knight noticed that the dockmaster was a well-dressed unicorn stallion, probably a lesser nobleman, his coat pearl white with an ink-blue mane. On both sides of him were members of the local harbor guard…. Both guards wore grey colored basic armor, with simply arming weapons. This told him that they were simply here to fend off pirate raids and quell civil unrest.

The knight walked up to the dockmaster, the stallion looking up from his log books, and up at the armored figure. "Name and reason for your visit?" He asked, dipping the quill into the nearby inkwell.

"Talon." The knight lifted he sack from his shoulder, and sat it on to the dockmaster's table. "Bounty turn in, along with possible business opportunities."

The dockmaster eyed the sack, and gave a light nod. "Princess Celestia tanks you for your noble contributions, to the protection of her subjects and our trade, Mr. Talon." He motioned towards one of the guards, who took the sack and rushed off. "If you do not mind waiting here, my guard will return with your reward." The dockmaster wrote down his name, while Talon sat down on to one of the wooden pilings.

"Don't mind if I do, Dockmaster." He said, readjusting the cloaked shield on his back. "I'm being paid, after all." He laughed, the dockmaster nodding, as Talon noticed some of the cargo being unloaded from the ship he was on… Taking note that some of the crates were bearing the royal sun seal of Princess Celestia. "Interesting…" Talon thought.

It took around two hours for the harbor guard to return, with Talon's reward. The reward turned out to be two thousand bits total, a thousand for the Captain, five hundred for the First Mate, then two hundred and fifty for each of the two top officers. All, and all, a good haul for simple pirates… That made him believe the pirate ship sunk, not far off shore from there, were a real scourge to the trade ships.

Now, with the reward tied to his belt, Talon walked towards a local tavern, to meet his current contact. He had been originally approached back in Cervdas, while he was helping the Stag Kingdom with their bandit and deforesters problem. The pony was obviously a pegasi, trying to hide his arching wings under a navy blue cloak, and tried to play towards Talon's pride… It didn't work, and they had to resort working wit the offering of bits for his services. After a deal had been struck, the pony informed him that his contact would meet Talon within a local tavern in this harbor town.

Talon opened the door, and looked around to see all the different races, each one here working the harbor in some way, inside. Drunk sailors and dockhands singing, tavern girls flirting with some of them so that they could earn a quick bit. The knight even noticed a couple of the groups playing cards, even gambling on their hands. This caused him to smirk a bit, behind his helmet, wishing that he had more time to join in on the merriment… But he had business to take care of, and he wasn't one to ever let such things slack.

Looking around again, Talon quickly spotted an open booth, and made his way over to it. Though, once he sat down, a cloaked figure sat down in front of him. Raising an eyebrow, he eyed the midnight blue cloak, the hood of it hiding their face, but he can tell they were something with a horn because of the hood being pointed upward. The only thing Talon could also tell about them, probably who they worked for, was the crescent moon brooch holding their cloak together.

Talon glanced around, before nodding to the cloaked figure. "I'm guessing you're the contact I was told about, from that pegasi in Cervidas?" They gave a nod to the question. "Are you going to talk, along with showing yourself? I would like to know who it is I am working for."

The figure looked around, for a moment, then nodded to him. "I am Silk Pearl, a lesser noble from Canterlot." Their voice was female, which peaked the knight's interested a bit. When she pulled back the hood, revealing her pink coat, finely kept lavender mane, and those, glowing, sapphire eyes… Talon had to admit, this unicorn mare was rather cute for a pony. "And it will not be I that you will be serving."

That caused Talon to raise an eyebrow. "If it isn't you, then who is it I will be working for?" He asked, leaning back into the booth, crossing his arms. "I am not one for the cloak and dagger routine, despite the persona I give off."

Silk Pearl eyed the knight very carefully. "Trust me, if it was up to me? We wouldn't be having this talk… Your kind disgust me, and I can't believe we are resorting to having to hire one like you." Talon grinned a bit, he always enjoyed pissing off purists. "But my order's mistress will be returning from her banishment soon… And we require the very best to protect her, and prevent her glorious rule from being short lived. Sadly, enough, such skill has lead us to you."

"Well, consider me flattered." He laughed, nodding to the mare. "A job is still a job, miss… Who is the one I will be protecting?"

"Her majesty, Nightmare Moon. Surely, you have heard about the glorious princess of the night?" Silk Pearl asked, proudly.

Talon shrugged his shoulders. "Sorry, doesn't ring a bell." The mare went slack jawed, as she felt a serious stare from her tavern compatriot. "Where am I to meet my newest employer at, exactly? I prefer to get started on my job."

Silk Pearl shook the surprise off, pulling out a navy blue scroll while revealing it to be some sort of contract. The very top of it was a light shaded navy blue diamond, with a crescent moon at its very center. Flanking the diamond were a pair of navy blue wings, and some black crown at its very top. "This is a contract placing you in the service to the Princess of the Night, the glorious Moon Goddess. Until you are either released from her or slain in service to her." She explained, placing a quill and inkwell on to the table. "Sign here, then meet our princess within Canterlot Castle."

Talon wasn't a fool, and he read the contract himself before making a decision. If it was one thing that the Mercenary job has taught him, it was read the contracts before you actually signed up for anything. "Hm… It does say what she told me." He thought, noticing that there was something else. "But no name is written here… It only says 'Princess of the Night' or Moon Goddess' being the one I am serving." Talon gave a light shrug, before taking the quill, dipping it into the inkwell, and signed his paper on to the line. He didn't see anything underhanded, nor any fine print that could prove to be a problem, so there were no issues with him taking up her contract.

"Very well… Take the scroll with you, and present it to Her Majesty. She will know what it means." Silk Pearl collected the quill and ink, pulling her hood back up. When Talon rolled the scroll up, placing it within his belt, she promptly left with a 'huff'. Oh, he was going to enjoy this job, if it meant the got to tick off purists like her.

-Canterlot Castle-

The night decorated the twilight sky with its sparkling stars, the city lit up with the moon's light. Many of Canterlot's citizens were asleep, except for the Royal Guard night patrols and one particular restless princess. Princess Luna, recently freed of the Nightmare Entity, slowly moved through the castle hallways. Her body had not fully recovered yet, and looked younger than her normal self, her hair being an icy-blue instead of a starry mane. Not to mention, the worst part of it all, her power was severely reduced to the point she couldn't fend off a simple late night mugger.

Luna wasn't comfortable within the castle; it is all too knew to her. The bright marble tone, the colorful windows, and even the strange magical lights that lined the walls themselves. Though, what really made her feel uncomfortable, were the fearful or distrusting stares from the castle's very staff. She felt like everyone within her sister's company hated her. But, she couldn't blame them for such thoughts, especially after the atrocities she had committed.

She was Nightmare Moon, a villainous threat that tried to practically destroy all of Equestria. Not to mention, an attempted coup against her only, loving, sister. Luna had committed so many atrocities, so much evil. She would not blame them for all of this treatment.

The Lunar Princess walked out on to one of the castle's balconies, overlooking the very city that it was named after. "In all honesty, I am surprised there have been no attempts on my life, yet." She thought, leaning against the marble railing, just as her ears picked up three sets of hoofsteps behind her, making the Princess turn around… Seeing three unicorn guards with their weapons drawn. "N-Never mind."

"Princess Luna…" The lead guard spoke up, all three glaring at her.

Luna pressed her back against the railing. "Y-Yes?" She, sheepishly, asked, her hands gripping the marble stone.

The three unicorn guards readied their weapons, each one wielding a Ceelstial Sword of some sort. "We are here to enact your true punishment, not allowing the blinded judgement of her majesty to pass… Blinded by the love of her only sibling." The lead guard said, Luna's body relaxing, realizing what this meant for her. Right now, there was no way she could fend off three Royal Unicorn Guards, not at the level her power was. "This is your execution."

"I-I see." Luna replied, placing both hands out in front of her dark navy blue dress, clasping them together. "I understand."

Luna lowered her head, accepting her determined fate. "Do not take solace from this, Princess Luna… You are getting off easy." With that, the lead guard charged her! The Lunar Princess clamped her eyes shut, bracing herself for what is about to happen.

A strong breeze flowed through Luna's soft fur, just as she heard the tell-tale sound of metal meeting metal. He right eye opened, the left staying clamped shut, and saw raven hued feathers floating in front of her, as their owner clashed with the Royal Guard. "Before passing judgement, maybe you should have wondered if she was actually alone out here."

Luna's jaw went slack, both eyes now wide at the sight. Her rescuer's armor was black, as his feathers. The sword, in his hands, had a silver hilt with a night black blade… Though, her eyes went to the strange shield, cloaked, on his back. Then, with her glaze low on the knight's body, she noticed his slim silver furred tail, tipped with black hair. "C-Could he be?" Luna thought.

"Who, in Celestia's name, are you?" The guard asked, trying to overpower the black knight… Finding that his sudden opponent being much stronger.

He pushed forward, pushing the Royal Guard back some. "I have been to many places, and called by many names… But most just call me 'Talon'." He then pushed more, forcing the Royal Guard's sword up. When he looked back at the black knight, he Royal Guard was met with a black armored fist straight into his muzzle!

"Sergeant!" The other two yelled, catching their fellow guardsman. All three looked at Talon, as he removed the shield from his back, handing it to Luna. "W-What are we going to do with this?" She asked him, staring up at the black knight in awe.

Talon held his sword forward, grasping it with both hands. "Protect yourself with it, if those three manage to get past me." He instructed, both wigs slightly opened, Talon taking a lower stance. "Now, wo will be first?"