Hello Guys, I'm here again. Here's a chapter, sorry it's late but the truth is I've tried to write a few novels before but failed to complete them because I got sick of writing them when people complained about my release times. I forced myself to write, made tons of mistakes and lost that wanting to share my own world with people feeling.

So this is just basically a prep before I go back to my work hehe.

Work, Family, Friends. Even writers have to live to :3. <3 Thanks for your support.

Not a lot of talking this chapter, more or less preparing for Mars' journey, with the introduction of a friend!

Chapter 7- NightBlade

Within the Palace of the Gods, Freya's Domain.

Young Mars sat beside the usual lake, a young black colt grazing beside him. This young horse was different from other horses as it's entire body was pitch black, it's blood red eyes shimmered with intelligence, frostiness and gave one a foreboding feeling.

What was truly terrifying about this horse, was it's facial features that seemed to be bred for war and blood.

It possessed two curved devilish black horns that resembled black curved steel daggers on it's head. Along it's snout on both sides of it's nose, were several much smaller red horns that were spiked shaped which lined it's face s symmetrically.

On the end of it's snout, there was another red horn but this one was smaller than the ones on it's head, but larger than the red spikes that decorated it's snout and gleamed like jeweled dagger. It was shaped like a rhinoceros horn and seemed to be sharper and much more powerful that the rest of horns.

This one horn was dyed in a blood red color, it's shine was incomparably terrifying as it reflected the light at all angles and drew one's attention.

This was merely it's face alone, it's body was on a totally different level.

The body of this horse was several folds larger than any Mars had ever seen despite it's young age, the veins bulging near it's hooves in it's legs were like tiny red snakes that wrapped around it's vital joints and organs.

The color of these veins were red in color and matched it's horns perfectly, The veins formed a sort of weird pattern on it's body that gave it a mysterious feel.

Aside from being muscular despite being young, it's black hooves glistened and sank easily into the dirt wherever it moved. It was obvious this horse possessed a terrifying weight, like the difference between a child's wooden toy cart and an expensive carriage.

It is indeed common sense that the heavier a horse was, the more powerful it's charge would be. This horse's hooves crushed the rocks beneath it, leaving extra dust wherever it moved.

***

Across the lake, similar horses were playing with one another except these horses were like the difference between Heaven and Earth compared to the black colt . They were white in color, a pair of white angelic-like wings and a single straight white lustrous horn that was elegantly shaped in a spiral.

They also only had a single horn in the middle of it's head and none of the smaller one's the black one had, or the rhinoceros type horn. In the middle of it's forehead, a tiny red diamond shaped jewel shined with a faint red bloody glow.

As these white horses played, their liveliness and happiness was revealed through their eyes and the vigorous game of tag they played. They would flap their wings and gain a burst of speed, flying circles in the air as they competed with one another, however none of these horses spared a single glance at the black colt.

One of the white horses in particular had a deep hole in it's back limbs which seemed to match the black colt's blood red horn, it lay down not participating in the game of tag and merely looked on. The wound on it's leg was serious enough for him to not be able to move yet and only looked on helplessly.

Now and then it would glance at the black colt with a ferocious look in it's eyes. Whenever the black colt noticed this gaze, he would lift his head and stare back with unparalleled frostiness with a hint of ridicule making the white horse break his gaze.

These unicorns seemed to possess a high span of intelligence as they could show these sort of emotions and understand them. Mars was sure they at the very least had human intelligence.

The young black colt snorted coldly, it's natural demeanor  was cold and it's aura aloof as it completely ignored the white horses. The only time it's tail would sway and it's eyes soften was whenever Mars would pass his hand on the back of it's neck and brush it's long black hair gently.

Next to the rest of small white colts, two larger one's who were more detailed and were clearly the adult parents were present. From time to time the female adult unicorn would throw a few worried looks at the black colt, the father on the other hand completely ignored it.

There was only a single other weak looking white unicorn that would cast looks over at the black colt, it was the smallest of them all and it's gaze was also filled with worry like it's mother's. This gaze disturbed the black colt, as he lightly snorted and stopped menacingly gazing at the arrogant white unicorn with the injured hind limb.

The black colt would always find it hard to be mean to the arrogant unicorn sibling when his youngest sister who barely had any intelligence yet would watch him curiously at everything he did. Her big blue eyes would stare intently at him and make him lose his mood to teach the arrogant sibling a lesson.

The female adult unicorn sneezed as if laughing at the black colt, Mars seeing this also laughed.

The black colt lowered his head to drink water from the stream, it seemed to be trying to hide it's embarrassment.

Mars had met this young colt when he had arrived in Freya's forest and had instantly felt a connection with him, the young black horse reminded him of himself as they both had a similar circumstance and seemed to be estranged from their family.

Freya had told him that this guy was a variant species of unicorn, however in the unicorn family, this species seemed to be scorned upon as it wasn't born with wings and because of it's overall fierce and demon-like appearance. These black unicorns had a slight chance to grow wings, but most would never awaken them.

Mars had never seen a unicorn before as they were only heard of in legends, as such he listened intently to Freya and learned about them.

Unicorns were an innately proud species and as such they also had a complicated social system. No need to say that they also had their preferences and their dislikes, the young black colt obviously fell into the latter.

Luckily these variant type wingless horses had an upside, instead of wings and an agile figure it was given a fortress like constitution, unrivaled strength and frightening penetrative charging power. It's bull like horns were as solid as steel, It's single blood red horn was sharper than any sword and certainly also more durable.

If this wasn't already unfair enough as is, it's ground speed could only be called catastrophic. When Mars had made friends with this horse, he took it for a ride within Freya's forest and was pleasantly surprised when he found out it was the fastest among all other grounded creatures.

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One must know this was Freya's Domain, The Goddess of Life and Fertility. None of the creatures inside of it were ordinary or sub-par; this black colt was especially so.

It's sheer strength and jumping power was nothing to laugh at, the arrogant white unicorn had found out even though he was quite fast and could fly- the black colt could still catch him if he wasn't careful and close to the ground.

After antagonizing the black colt, it tried to fly away but was merciless knocked down from the sky with the blood red horn digging deeply into it's hind legs. Had it not been for the fact that they were siblings, the arrogant unicorn believed it would have been killed.

If the original unicorn was made for elegance, this black variant unicorn could only be described as being made for war and dominance.

Mars had decided to play with it whenever he was free and found himself always in it's company, sometimes when he hadn't shown up it would usually come to find him of it's own volition or would wait where he usually appears after teleporting to Freya's Domain.

This young black colt had an extremely sharp presence and it's proud aura gave one the feeling of a drawn blade, because of the unicorn's appearance and temperament Mars decided to name him "Nightblade".

Nightblade's height was already a bit higher than the 13 year old Mars who had an advanced physique thanks to Heracles' blessing. As such the black colt would frequently give Mars rides, Nightblade loved charging at full speed ahead through the forest with the only person who seemed to appreciate his strong and powerful body.

Mars would let out wild piercing howls filled with joy and pleasure as this black steed would trample the earth beneath it and raise enormous dust clouds, the earth would rumble under the intense speed and there was absolutely nothing to worry about in the open plain.

As it's body blurred by the other creatures, they could barely get a glance as the gust of wind assaulted their faces.

***

1 year later....

"Faster!....Go faster! Come on Night! Break your limits!"

A young voice filled with valiance echoed out in the plains as a black blur could be seen speeding across the plains. The other unicorns looked on in shock as they witnessed a ground speed that they themselves knew they could never reach. The target of the focus, Nightblade along with his rider Mars.

Suddenly the jewel on the black horse's body glowed an eerie color, Nightblade's eyes flashed a deep red under Mars' urging responding to his orders-

*Bang*

The black unicorn's speed explosively increased several folds as the blur intensified and whizzed by like an arrow shot out of the bow of a God. Nightblade's speed was indeed unrivaled as his hooves became covered in flames leaving a trail of fire behind him, the whirring sound of his muscles moving at an intense speed gave one the feeling of power being charged.

The random grass and small trees in Nightblade's way were blown apart when it passed by, nothing seemed to hurt it's tough steel like skin as the splinters could not pierce it's body and ricocheted off piercing straight into the dirt.

Mars broke out into a laughter filled with vitality as his black shoulder length hair fluttered in the wind behind him. A valiant and approving smile on his face, he had grown considerably more handsome as his body had become much more healthy and his maturity into a man had begun.

He had lost all the baby fat on his face, which became slender and gave one the impression of a young man.

"Huh?"

Mars squinted his eyes and noticed a silhouette appearing, as he noticed the armor the silhouette wore he knew instantly it was Ares. Ares waved, Mars noticed a bit of an unfocused look in her eyes and he led Nightblade towards Ares, Mars' face frowned for a bit as he thought to himself.

'Seems it's that time...'

Mars dismounted and looked at Nightblade lovingly as he stroked it's big head and roughly patted it's steel like stomach.

"May we see each other again soon, Night"

Nightblade's eyes softened as it looked at Mars, made a low grunt and then rubbed the side of it's head on his hand. The black steed knew this day would come, however it still couldn't hide it's sadness.

As soon as he approached Ares, she gripped his hand and they both disappeared. Nightblade stomped one of his hooves as he snorted, his head turned towards the unicorns flying above in the sky and after giving them a brief glance turned as he noticed a familiar silhouette.

Nightblade got down on his hooves as if bowing, a green dressed seductive female appeared and rested her hands on his head stroking it gently.

"You want to go right? Don't worry...It's already taken care of"

The green-dressed woman that came out was naturally Freya. The black horse nodded it's head a few times and then kept it lowered as if thanking Freya.

"Ha Ha, make sure you take good care of him"

***

Ares' Domain

Mars sat face to face toward Ares in a crossed-legged manner, her crimson colored eyes flashed as she looked at Mars gently.

"....Have you prepared yourself? Well...here is a bit of advice, you should listen carefully. Firstly--"

"Secondly........."

"Thirdly....."

"...Mhhm"

Mars replied a bit absentmindedly as he didn't know how to feel about leaving, he had prepared himself for this already but he had felt it was too soon.

However, he would never say this out loud as he knew now was the time to be a man and not a spoiled child.

He didn't want to make the Gods who had taken care of him and taught him with their valuable time, disappointed in him. As such Mars steeled his heart, and prepared to part.

As Mars was caught up in his own thoughts, he didn't hear a single thing Ares had said and nodded out of timing which finally made her realize his absentmindedness.

"Ugh! Dim-witted boy! Don't just say "Mhhm"..repeat them for me!"

"........."

 "Jeez, nevermind....Heracles and Freya are waiting let's go. I'll explain again on the way there!"

"You worry too much big sis, haha"

The two walked off, Ares took a quick glance at Mars and was shocked to see him smiling.