>Watching Luna raise the night is a breathtaking experience.
>The moon emerges over the orange skyline and begins to grace the land with a pale white light.
>As the sun vanishes and its light recedes behind the horizon, the beautiful lunar body shines alone in the sky.
>Soon after, countless dots flare into existence.
>Each star is a testament to Luna's loving night.
>You stare in awe at the celestial plane glowing above you.
>Luna notices your childlike wonder and focuses a little harder.
>A meteor shower!
>Dozens of wondrous stars fall across the Equestrian sky, and you indulge in a childish gesture.
>You close your eyes and make a wish.
>"What are you doing, Anon?"
>Opening your eyes, you gaze at the sapphire alicorn in front of you.
>She has her head tilted in curiosity.
"Heh, heh… It's an old tradition from my home. Whenever you see a shooting star, you make a wish."
>Luna beams at your love for her night sky.
>"And what did you wish for?"
"If I told you, it wouldn't come true!"
>You laugh at her as she blushes, embarrassed to have gone against your customs.
>Turning your head skyward, you smile at the etherial scene.
"It's beautiful."
>Luna follows your gaze and stares into her sky.
>"It really is. I just wish others could see it… as I do."
>You look down at the princess.
>A single tear rolls down her cheek.
>You kneel to Luna's level and wipe away the teardrop.
"I see the night as I see it, you, as you do, and others as they will. I'm just a humble guard, but this astonishing display of beauty is something the day can never hope to match… And for that, I am grateful."
>Luna's hooves wrap around your neck and she holds you tight.
>"… Thank you…"
"No, thank YOU."
>The princess sniffles as she releases you.
>You stand and take your place at her side again.
"So, your highness, what do we do now?"
>Luna enters the grand hall and takes a seat on her throne.
>At least Celestia isn't brazen enough to give her sister a smaller seat.
>"Now, We protect the citizens of Equestria as they slumber."
>That was an oddly poetic way of saying we sit here and wait for danger to show up.
>Luna closes her eyes in concentration.
>Her horn flares up and her eyes open, shining with a bright light.
>You shield your eyes from the brilliant luminance.
>The blazing light vanishes as quickly as it began and Luna is nowhere to be seen.
"Your highness?"
>Your voice echoes through the empty chamber.
"Princess!?"
>You search every corner of the room, the drapes, the banners, you even check behind the throne like some cartoon stereotype.
>She's not here.
>You begin to panic.
"Luna!!!"
>How can you protect her if you don't know where she is?!
>You focus on your armor and attempt to find Luna's pulse.
>…
>You're not feeling anything!
>Shit! Shit! Shit!
"LUNA!!!"
>You run out onto the balcony and scan the landscape for any sign of the night princess.
>Could those assassins have come back?
>Did they get to her somehow?
*Creak*
>A lord noise reverberates through the great hall, snapping your attention to the hall doors.
>Ex looks cautiously around before entering and closing the door behind him.
"EX!"
>The black unicorn jumps as you teleport next to him and assault him with questions.
"Lunaismissing! Oneminuteshewashere, thenextshewasgone! POOF! Justlikethat!"
>"Well I-"
"HowamIsupposedtoprotectherifIcan'tevenseeher?!?! Fuck, Ifailedheragain!"
>"I-"
"Whatifshe'shurt, andscared, orworse… Whatif-"
>"ANON!"
>Ex's booming voice ends your wordy barrage.
>"She's just protecting p0nies' dreams, it's what Luna does."
"Their… dreams?"
>You don't understand.
>She protects… their dreams?
>"Luna is the princess of all things related to the night. Dreams, nightmares, the moon, stars, all of these are her domain. She enters p0nies' minds while they sleep and helps them conquer their fears."
>Wow, so on top of raising the moon and the stars AND overseeing Equestria''s political needs, Luna protects her subjects while they sleep too?
>She really was under appreciated, and not just by her sadistic sister.
"Well… what do I do?"
>Ex glances at you and shrugs.
>"Not much, that armor lets you follow her in there, but only if she pulls you with her. Otherwise, she's probably in the safest place possible for her. No one aside from Celestia could hurt her now."
>You still don't like those odds, but if there is nothing you can do…
"How long does she usually stay in the realm of dreams?"
>Ex places a hoof on his chin and thinks.
>"Most of the night usually. Don't worry though, your armor will alert you to her presence when she returns."
>He grins at you while you look at Luna's vacant throne uncomfortably.
>"I'm sure she's getting you back for leaving your post earlier."
>You glare at the sarcastic stallion.
"Yeah, to go with you to get food."
>"You could have stayed there and starved if you wanted, I didn't force you."
>He smirks at you.
>"Speaking of which, you should come with me, there's a place I'd like to take you."
"Oh no, last time I left my post, Luna almost got killed. I'm not doing that again."
>Ex turns and begins to walk away before speaking in a mocking tone.
>"Then sit here and do nothing, I was at least going to help you become a better guard…"
>He reaches the door and looks back at you.
>Fuck.
>You are confident in your combat skills, but you really did need to learn how to use this armor better.
>Giving a final glance back to the throne, you sigh and follow the black stallion.
 
>Ex takes you some kind of workshop.
>Spears and daggers hang on a weapon rack along the wall.
>The distinct sound of metal pounding metal rings through the air.
*Ding* *Ding*
*Sssssssssss*
>You flinch at the hissing sound, Celestia's torment had, quite literally, burned its way into your body.
>A red earthp0ny cools a newly forged blade of heated metal before placing it in a pile of spear heads.
>Soon after, a fresh ingot is placed in a furnace to heat it, and the p0ny trots over to you and Ex.
>He's wearing a set of thick black goggles and is covered in dirt and metal shavings.
>This guy looks pretty seasoned, despite his smaller size. He could probably-
>"Hi, Ex! Long time no see!"
>Holy fuck it was a mare.
>You like to think you're pretty equal opportunity, but smithery had just always seemed like a more masculine job to you.
>"Hey Ann, came by to place a 'special order'."
>"Aw, you mean you didn't come by just to see my pretty face?"
>The orange maned mare pulls up her goggles, revealing a pair of brilliant emerald eyes, which she bats at Ex.
>"If only I could, with all that dirt on it, I couldn't tell your face from your ass."
>You try and fail to subdue a snicker.
>Ann's eyes narrow at you.
>She looks like she's planning someth-
*Whap*
"^MY BALLS!^"
>Your falsetto voice cries out in pain, Ann having punched you in the crotch.
>You double over and clutch your maimed friends while Ex laughs at you.
>He walks over to and whispers.
>"You really got to be careful around her, bud. She tends to-"
>A look of fear dawns on his face.
>He's stupidly chosen to present himself to the red ballsasin.
*Whap*
>He falls to the side, grabbing below.
>"^MY BALLS!^"
>Ann looks down at the squirming males on her forge's floor with a disatisfied smile.
>"All you stallions are the same…"
>She removes her goggles and trots over to a workstation.
>Returning with a notepad, she leans over Ex.
>"Let's see here… You still owe me for those gears I custom made for you, the pointer rod I had to hammer out, the copper you wanted melted down, etcetera, etcetera… That all comes out to… one thousand bits!"
>The mare eyes her grounded debtor intensely.
>"I- I don't have that kind of money!"
>Ann raises a skeptical eyebrow.
>"You're Head Librarian of Canterlot Library. I know you make money."
>Ex attempts to stand, but a carefully placed hoof from Ann in his sensitive region prevents him from moving.
>"CO-Head Librarian, and all of my money goes back into the library."
>He mutters under his breath.
>"Stars know someone has to pay for it to stay afloat…"
>Ann removes her hoof and allows you both to stand.
>"Alright, fine. But no more after this, alright?"
>Ex nods and bows his head.
>You dust yourself off and take a look at the little smith.
>She has an anvil for a cutie mark, an obvious symbol of her skills as a blacksmith.
>Judging from her fiery demeanor, you'd say she must be good, or she would have been fired long ago.
>"So, what weapon can I make for you?"
"Weapon?"
>She looks at Ex, as if to ask if you were an idiot.
>"Yeah, a weapon. Every Equiem Nocturne gets a custom made, enchanted weapon. So what'll it be? Dagger? Bow? Lance? Spear?"
>You think for a moment.
>What weapon would best fit you…
>…
>Aha!
>"I'd like a sword!"
>Ann stares at you like you just ordered a Big Mac at a Burger King.
>"A 'sord'?"
>Do they not have swords in Equestria?
>You look over at the weapons scattered throughout the room.
>Knives, spears, scythe blades,  many kinds of bladed weapons are present… except for swords.
>What, did no one ever think to make a longer dagger?
"You know, a sword!"
>Both Ann and Ex look at you like a special needs child.
"A sword, a sword! It's like a big knife!"
>Getting nowhere with this, you snatch the notepad from Ann's hoof and drag your finger over her face.
>Using the dirt as a writing tool, you draw a diagram of a sword.
>The earthp0ny's eyes bulge when she see's your design.
>"This would be impossible to use! Nop0ny could get the momentum needed to swing this thing popery, our joints just don't work like that!"
>She tosses the pad in Ex's face.
>He reads it and gets a big smile.
>"Yeah, no P0NY, but Anon, here, isn't a pony! It would be perfect for him!"
>Ann thinks Ex's proposal over before letting out a sigh.
>"Fine, but you'll have to retrieve some magic ore for it, I'm all out."
>Ex's smile gets even larger.
>"Perfect, that'll give us some time to get you use to that armor, Anon!"
>You have no idea what is going on anymore.
>Magic ore?
>Enchanted weapons?
>Daggers but no swords?!
*Sigh*
"Just, tell me where we're going."
>Ex and Ann look to each other and nod.
>"We're going to the Crystal Caves, it's the only place around here with any magic ore."
>As Ex leads you out of the smithy, Ann calls out.
>"I'll practice this 'sword' thing while you're gone, make it a little more official looking and such!"
>Your friend laughs as you begin your journey.
>At least whatever was in those caves, is better than what lurks in this castle…