Holy Steel

Holy Steel is an adult Unicorn living in Unicornia and serving Queen Dusk as a mage-knight. They reside in Saint’s Spring, the aristocratic district of Unicornia. Under intense duress, they will become Holy Nightmare.

Appearance

Holy Steel has a blue-grey coat, with lighter markings: the insides of her ears, a star on her forehead at the base of her horn, a heart on her chest. She is sometimes depicted with darker fur on her eyelids (as in eyeshadow), and on her nose. Her fetlocks have long, spiky feathers that reach the ground. Sometimes, she has longer fur on her cheeks and chest.

Her mane is blonde and long, with blunt ends. She has bangs that are split by her horn, and brushed to the sides to blend in with the longer pieces. There are mid-length face framing pieces on either side. Her tail is very long, nearly touching the ground when she is standing.

Holy Steel is often very tired, so she has permanent bags under her eyes. Her irises are red, and her eyelashes are long and pointed. Normally she wears a slightly annoyed or cold expression. She is slightly taller and thinner than most other unicorns. Her horn is longer than average, and sharp.

Her Cutiemark is a lily of the valley with two blossoms, each dripping a drop of bright red blood.

Her ankle heart is light blue-grey.

Personality

Within the timeline of the story, Holy Steel is quiet, serious, and completely miserable. They rarely smile, and in truth they haven't been happy in a very long time. They rarely speak if they don't have to, though they will ramble to Chalk Dust when visiting her bedside. Other ponies would describe them as cold, arrogant, or cruel, but they have a reputation for being honorable.

On the battlefield, they can sometimes lose themself in fits of rage.

Post-canon, they are much calmer and warmer, though not outwardly friendly to most ponies.

Biography

Early Years

Holy Steel is the eldest of two siblings born to aristocratic parents in Saint’s Spring. Their parents died under unknown circumstances when they and their sister Chalk Dust were young, leaving the foals to raise themselves. Holy Steel was always a very responsible pony, but this experience left them withdrawn and anxious.

They studied magic at the Queen’s magic academy, where it was discovered that they have exceptional magical abilities. As a result, they received special tutoring from the most skilled mages in Unicornia, and unique attention from the Queen herself. It was at this time that their cutiemark manifested.

Military Service

Like most mages, Holy Steel joined the Unicornian army after graduation. They are known to be a skilled warrior, wielding a sword with precise magic. Their ruthlessness leads them to contracting the Curse rather quickly, though it does not advance until later in life.

Holy Nightmare

Chalk Dust is more important to Holy Steel than anything in the world. When she is attacked and left comatose, it takes a toll on Holy Steel’s mental health. Still serving in the army, they begin to use deadly spells more frequently, and their Curse eventually overtakes them, turning them into a Nightmare Alicorn.

Holy Nightmare is seemingly emotionless and infinitely powerful, shifting the tide on the battlefield in Unicornia’s favor (much to the joy of the Queen). They spend most of their time at Chalk Dust’s bedside, but even with Alicorn magic, they are unable to heal her.

Most likely, defeating a Nightmare Alicorn is impossible for regular ponies; Holy is exceptionally powerful, and could have destroyed the continent completely if Chalk Dust hadn't woken up at the right time.

Post-war

TBD...

Notable relationships

• Chalk Dust: Their beloved sister. After their parents died, they were the last two of their family line and became very close. Holy Steel is extremely devoted to keeping her safe, which is why the attack affects their mental health so severely. At the same time, Chalk Dust is the only pony who can make them feel safe and calm.
• Queen Dusk: In Chalk Dust’s absence, Holy Steel leans on the queen for guidance. They tend to follow her orders blindly, believing the Queen knows what's best for ponykind. They don't realize it, but the Queen is manipulating them emotionally into becoming a Nightmare Alicorn— a war-ending weapon.
• Princess Marshmallow: Holy Steel views her as a child still, and thinks she doesn't have what it takes to lead just yet. In their mind, diplomacy doesn't seem viable since the enemy (pegasi) is truly evil.

Gallery

Notes

• Image #4 is by origamijuni.
• Image #5 is by ivydapple.