Chapter Two
-Nearly A Thousand Years Later-
The Tale of Princess Celestia's Sun Guard had been passed down from generation to generation. The story become distorted with age, the contents changing with each telling. Though, one thing is for sure, the honored Sun Guard silently stands at his Princess' side. Many believe it is a new pony, only the best taking up the mantle of such a powerful unicorn, after he "passed away". But very few believe that this was the very same pony, as that night within the Royal Gardens.
There aren't any facts supporting either theory, due to the Sun Guard's Oath of Silence and Princess Celestia not commenting on such a thing. What is fact, is that the Sun Guard is by far her most powerful weapon and advisor. There have been times when the princess had been seen nodding with the Honor Guard right next to her, and a Silence Spell draped around them.
This kept the Sun Guard a complete mystery, a pony completely surrounded by both myths and legends. There are even stories of this single unicorn stallion decimating entire armies, on his own, and leaving no survivors… This, alone, earned him another title. "The Sun's Wrath".
Though, today, the honor guard was making his way through Canterlot Castle's halls. The princess had requested his presence, to debrief him on his completed assignment and then brief him on a new one. It was strange, seeing how missions had been more around two to three months apart from one another and not back to back like this.
When he entered the throne room, the guards instantly stood at attention for his passing. Not a single one wanting to disrespect the honored title of "Sun Guard". The moment Sun Guard reached the first step of Celestia's throne, he knelt down. She smiled at his action, and shook her head. "For you, old friend, there is no need to kneel before me… Though, I know you do it in respect towards your oath."
Sun Guard stood back up, unhooking his Guardian Spear, and ceremoniously held it before Celestia. This was the sign that he used, to silently tell the princess of his success on an assignment given by her.
The princess nodded, smiling. "I see, then your mission deep into the Gryphon Kingdom was a success." She then frowned, as he nodded, before continuing. "Please, tell me, did you find this terrorist cell's leader? Can my ponies rest easier?" Her frown deepened, when Sun Guard shook his head. "Understood… The search continues, then. Well, for your new assignment."
The honor guard stood more at attention, keeping a disciplined look about him. A new assignment was serious, and meant a great threat has appeared within Equestria.
"While you were gone, I took on a protégé, one who shows far more promise than any other foal I have seen." Celestia started, Sun Guard giving an inquisitive look. "While you are sworn to protect me, and defend Equestria from its foes… I must ask, would you please watch over this foal, too? Until a time comes when I no longer fear for her safety?"
A… Foalsitter? That was his new assignment, and one that the Royal Guard, sent to get him, made seem like a matter of grave importance!?
As if hearing his thoughts, Celestia continued. "She already has a foalsitter, my niece Cadence. Your duty would mostly fall into play when I, nor Cadence, are able to be around her. Any other time, you shall be following your normal orders."
Sun Guard, despite his suppressed opinions, gave a nod to Celestia's orders. This caused her to smile, and release a sigh of relief.
"Thank you, Sun Guard. I cannot tell you what burden you have removed from me." Celestia said, smiling at the silent guardian before her. "I have already explained things to her. If you wish, you may go and meet her… Cadecne said that they would be in the library. You are dismissed."
Sun Guard gave a respectful nod, before turning to leave. His path heading straight for the Royal Library. After all, he has a new charge to meet.
-Royal Library-
"I see you've bumped up to ten books, in a day, Twilight." A pink alicorn mare said, giggling a bit, while watching a lavender unicorn filly. "What has gotten you so determined?"
The filly smiled up at the mare. "Because, Cadence, Princess Celestia has put so much hope in me being her personal student in the past three years…" She started, concentrating more on the book in front of her. "So much, that she's even having the fabled Sun Guard watch over me when either of you aren't around."
"The Sir Sun Guard?" Cadence asked, smirking at the filly. "What an honor. I've just seen him around the castle, and that is very rare!" She giggled a bit, still holding that caring smile. "Aunt Tia is giving you quite the honor. I heard your brother even looks up to him!"
"I know!" Twilight smiled up at Cadence, stopping her reading with a smile. "I've already sent a letter to Shining about it! He's so jealous!" Her smile soon faded, a frown appearing on her muzzle. "Though, with somepony like that, he would probably just think guarding a filly was annoying, and demeaning." Cadence was about to say something, but found herself silent when she noticed a new pony behind Twilight. "I'm very lucky just to have you, as my foalsitter, Cadence. To Sir Sun Guard, I would probably-… Cadence?"
The lavender unicorn filly just now noticed her foalsitter had gone silent. She looked up to see the surprised look on her face, eyes wide.
"What's wrong, Cadence?" Twilight asked, tilting her head, as the foalsitter pointed a hoof behind her. When she turned, Twilight found herself in shock.
Standing right there, towering over the filly like Princess Celestia would, was the very gold and red clad unicorn stallion they were just talking about! His glowing red eyes going from Twilight, to Cadence, then back to the filly before him. His Guardian Spear was hooked into the shoulderguard, like an ever presenting position… But the most nerve racking part of all, was the fact he remained silent the entire time.
"S-Sir Sun Guard!" Twilight squeaked, hopping out of her chair and facing the towering unicorn. "H-How long have you b-been standing there?" She asked, her hooves shaking.
The honor guard didn't respond, he merely kept those intimidating eyes locked on to the filly. The fact hew asn't saying a word, made Twilight feel even more nervous about being in front of him. It was obvious his mere presence was scaring her, so he did the something unexpected.
Sun Guard's horn lit up with a gold aura, and had a book float over to Twilight. Taking it into her own lavender magic, she read the title out loud. "Confidence: You're Better Than You Realize?" The moment she read the title, Twilight realized what he was trying to tell her. The filly blushed, and used the book to hide her face. "S-Sorry, I will remember that next time." Cadence couldn't stile her giggle at such a thing.
-Many Years Later-
Sun Guard had to admit, his guard duty over Twilight wasn't all that bad. Not to mention, as promised, the moment she was old enough to actually defend herself, the Honor Guard was relieved from his duties of protecting her, with only one bad incident… Though, a lot of good that did for the ever faithful student. He had been hearing reports of that lavender unicorn having to take on nearly suicidal missions.
So much for such missions only being his job.
Now, the unicorn stallion quietly walked the halls, Celestia having released him for the day, so she could spend even more time with her sister… Which surprised him a few months back, and Celesita asked if he could protect her while she adjusted and the people of Equestria accepted her more, which he silently did.
His thoughts on what he has done, thus far, lead Sun Guard to feel somewhat empty on the inside. After all, while he now served under Princess Celestia, he was meant more for the Emperor. The honor guard allowed his mind to drift, his golden clad hooves going into autopilot and ignored all that went on around him.
It wasn't until a cool breeze pushed through the cracks of his armor, that Sun Guard had realized he had entered the Royal Gardens. Not just any spot within the gardens, either, he was standing in the exact spot where Princess Celestia and he had first met.
His hoof traced the spot in the dirt, where he wrote those messages to her, and surprised she could actually understand them. His mind began to wonder why he accepted her offer? It has been over a thousand years since then, and they are also no closer to him find a way for him to return. Was it out of a simple whim, or did her words remind him of the Emperor some and he instantly reacted like it was he before him, and not the alicorn mare?
His purpose was uncertain here, despite being Celestia's Honor Guard. Even then, Sun Guard felt empty about it all. Something was missing from him. He felt like a weapon without a hand to wield it, a warrior without a weapon. A Crusader without a Crusade.
Sun Guard detached the Guardian Spear from his shoulderguard, with the magic he now wielded within this world. Many times he wondered about using the hidden weapon, one that Celestia only had seen once before, and end these tormenting questions for good. Watching over young Twilight kept these thoughts at bay, but after protecting Luna for a few months, and defending her against any would be assassins? He was reminded too much of the things where he was from.
Slowly, without him even knowing, the Guardian Spear started to turn its blade on to its current wielder. Almost like the weapon itself could sense his doubt, and no longer found its wielder worthy. The hammer, hidden by the cresting eagle, clicked back and prepared to slam forward… Until something had stopped it.
"No! Wait! W-What are you doing!?" A mare's voice yelled out, catching Sun Guard's attention. Whoever it was, wasn't far from where he was at in the gardens. "S-Somepony! HELP!" The voice screamed, and judging by how frantic it was, they needed help!
The honor guard suddenly found himself barreling through the hedges, the Guardian Spear lowering like some lance. It had its hopes renewed about the current wielder, as his zeal had returned in seconds.
-Royal Gardens, Moments Before-
Nighting Gale, a prideful Bat Pony Mare within the Lunar Guard, regarded herself as one of Princess Luna's best. With her lance, she bested her whole training class and had the highest scores for stealth and aerial tactics. Indeed, a Lunar Guard Ace… That had Garden Patrol on the wrong night.
Now, she had her sensitive bat wings were bound with rope and her amror stripped clean off of her body. The mare's icy blue mane uncovered, allowing some of it to cover her left amber, cat-like, eye. Even her proud cutie mark, a crescent moon with a small bird within the crest, was exposed with her well-groomed gray fur.
This normally wouldn't be a problem for her, she was trained in hoof-to-hoof combat like the others… But she was being held down by two of the three Celestial Unicorn Guards that ambushed her. "L-Let go of me!" She demanded, trying to break free from their hold on her.
"Now, why would we do that, pretty mare?" The guard, at her hind legs, asked. "We finally get a chance to have a bit of fun with one of the rare bat pony mares, who was actually alone for once." He gave a twisted chuckle at his own statement.
"No! W-Wait! W-What are you doing!?" Her eyes went wide, the moment he forced her hind legs apart. Using his horn to remove the crotch plate form his waist.
"What do you think, pretty little mare?" He asked, the other two joining in his twisted chuckle. "We're gonna test to see how good a bat pony mare's stamina is."
Nighting Gale's pupils shrank, the moment he said that. They were planning to actually rape her, and she couldn't move! "S-Somepony! HELP!" She screamed, tears slightly forming in her eyes, hoping other Lunar Guard were around… Though, her rescuer wasn't what any of Luna's guards would have expected.
As the stallion readied himself, to take her, heavy hoof falls stomped around them. The three guards looked down the pathways, but they couldn't see what was making the stomps… Forgetting, those hedges weren't solid.
The butt of a golden spear tore through the hedge on the guard's right, and slammed square into his skull! It sent him flying across the path way, as the massive unicorn stallion ripped through the hedge at a full battle charge! When he came to a halt, his hooves dug into the ground, the moon light glistening off of his golden armor. All four, which included Nighting Gale and the injured guard, were completely dumbstruck by his appearance.
Nighting Gale just stared at the fully armored stallion, his horn glowing gold and his spear being held by the same golden glow. "Towering height, check." Her mind started to list off the features she saw on the stallion, slowly realizing who came to her rescue. "Golden armor with eagles carved into it and a red robe flowing in the night time wind, check." She began to blush, seeing the silk red cloth rippling from the wind's blow. "Golden magical aura around curved, armored, horn and eagle crested spear? Check." The magical aura remained strong, as the spear shifted for combat. "Intimidating glowing red eyes in the helmet? Double check." The stallion's eyes flashed red, as he looked at the remaining two Celestial Guards. "Feeling aroused, beyond belief, at the godliest stallion in existence? Ooooh, a million times check." Nighting Gale's mind drooled, as she finally voiced the stallion's name and title. "High General Sun Guard."
The three guards, the third being woken up from his daze by the name, shrieked. "High General Sun Guard!?"
Sun Guard swung his spear around, taking a more heroic pose.