"Welcome to my shack, neighbor. Close the door and come on in. I don't have much to offer in the way of hospitality, but I can at least give shelter and a fire to somepony way out here in the wilds. Have a seat."
The unicorn closed the door. The shack was dark and windowless; the only light was from the fire. He took the offered bench by the fire, trying to look at his host, who was half-hidden by shadow. Lighting his horn would have been rude, and he didn't consider it. He could see a battered hat, a thickly bearded face, and the fur on the limbs was rather thick.
"Name's Silver Gleam. Been living out here most my life. I'm just a prospector who likes to keep to himself, excepting present company, of course. Now, neighbor, excuse my being curious, but what brings you to my little piece of Equestria?"
"I'm called Dust Glimmer. I'm a scholar of folklore, and I'm interested in the subject of werewolves. I'm curious about the truth behind these legends."
"Werewolves, huh? Searching for the truth of the old legends? Can't say that's a healthy line of research, but far be it for me to tell a stallion his business. You got a interesting bit of luck, friend, because I just so happen to know a little about them." Silver chucked and kicked a fresh stick into the flames.
"Got to, out here. This is where they live. Out and away from the cities and towns, where they can run around like beasts. Oh yes, they're real all right, believe you me." The hermit nodded, staring into the fire. "Got one around these parts they call Winter Wolf, because just hearing his howl can freeze you in place. So they say. Bet the locals told you stories about him."
"He's something of a local legend, yes." Dust said as he magically pulled his notes and a quill from his bag.
Silver nodded. "Been stalking this land for nearly a generation. I'm sure you know the basics: on certain nights, he turns into a wild, wolf-like beast, with a taste for flesh. Especially that of other ponies." He lowered his voice, and Dust leaned forward, straining to hear him over the fire. "Fangs and claws that can tear a fellow apart. Strong enough to tear your leg off. Faster than any pony, excepting a pegasus in the air. And all the cunning and savagery of the wolf he resembles."
Dust looked up from his note-taking. "If he's so fearsome, how is it you've survived so long out here?"
His host chuckled again. "Maybe I'm too old and stringy for him. Or maybe I've just gotten good at surviving over the years."
"Where did he come from?"
Silver turned towards the unicorn for the first time. The firelight glowed in his eyes. He regarded his guest a moment, then grunted and turned back to the fire. "Who knows? Likely, when his curse came on him, he just figured this area would be a good hunting ground." He glanced at Dust. "The locals tell you about The Werewolf Curse?"
Dust shook his head. "No, but I would certainly like to hear about it."
Silver poured himself a cup of water from a jug, then poured a second and held it out for his guest. Dusk pulled to him with his magic, and murmured his thanks. "Well, the curse of a werewolf is carried in his bite. Can't say I know the how or why of it. Most times when a werewolf attacks a pony, that pony dies. Of course, a pony who is lucky or clever enough might get away. And sometimes, a werewolf decides to let a victim live. Guess its an instinctual thing; keep the race going, and all that. Heard one story says that the werewolf gives his curse to ponies that fight back with the ferocity of a beast. Not sure about that one, but who knows."
Dust's quill was moving quickly and smoothly. "Where did this curse come from? Is it a disease, or a spell, or...?"
Silver took a sip of water. "Its a curse, like you said, like I said. The old-fashioned kind. Now, I've heard several different stories about how the werewolves came about. So I'll tell you the one I heard the most." He paused to stretch, forelimbs cracking and creaking.
"This happened way back when, before Princess Luna became Nightmare Moon. Back when the evil began to settle in her heart.
"See, there were these series of murders in... well, where it was changes with the story, but usually a peaceful, prosperous city. Ponies found in alleys, or unused buildings, all cut up, torn up and chewed on. Well, folks figured there was some wild animal loose in the city. Eventually, though, the guards started finding knives with the bodies, and they knew it weren't no critter.
"Took some time, but they eventually caught the killer when some mare he was stalking got away from him and was screaming bloody murder. Pretty appropriate in that situation." Silver cackled. "Turns out it was some mad earth pony, and he was ranting and raving about how he couldn't help himself. They found knives on him. Found all sorts of meat and bones in his home. And it weren't no fish, either.
Silver ran his tongue along his teeth. Dust, intent on taking notes, didn't notice. "Well, they dragged him before the Princesses. Even back then, his crimes beyond the pale. Now, the stories usually go that Celestia was, like now, more interested in healing and forgiveness than punishment. She wanted to try and fix whatever that poor bastard had wrong in his noggin. As for Luna, well, here's where that evil I mentioned earlier comes into play. She was furious and disgusted, and she looked him right in his eyes. Then she cursed him, with these words:
"'You are a Beast! You have always been a Beast, and you will always be a Beast!'
"And she stamped her hoof three times, and he started changing..." Silver put a hoof to his chest and growled. "Excuse me," he said, waving a hoof at Dust, who was looking up in concern. "Just a little congestion. Its rough living out here." After taking a swig of water, he continued.
"Well, he broke away from the guards, fled the castle, and ran off into the night. Well, Celestia wasn't too happy about what happened, but she couldn't undo what her sister did. But, being Princess of the Sun, she was able to make it so the curse didn't have any effect during the day. Incidentally, that's why werewolves only turn at night.
"And that's the legend. Don't know if any it is true, but there you are."
Dust exhaled. Listening to, and recording, that story had been somewhat draining. "That's... quite a tale." He refreshed himself with a drink of water. "What of the other beliefs about werewolves? That silver hurts them, that they have a moon-like mark on their bodies, things of that sort?"
Silver took a deep breath, and kicked at a log sticking out of the fire. "Well, the story about silver is true. Don't have a story for that one, but somepony once said she supposes that because silver is-" Silver's voice had started to change, growing deeper. He paused, stopping to clear his throat and take another drink before continuing. "Silver is seen as representing the moon, and it was the Princess of the Moon which had laid the Curse. Other things that symbolize the moon might hurt them too, but I don't know about that.
"Now, as for the moon mark, and all those stories about how you can tell somepony is a werewolf, well, most of that is horse-apples. I can tell you that for sure. They don't have no mark, and no fangs when they're in pony form. Its pretty hard to tell, truth be told, but there's a few signs." Dust looked across the fire at him in rapt attention.
"For one thing, they got a gleam in their eye. Sort of like a cat. Mind you, its got to be dark, and you got to catch just the right angle. Like, if you was a werewolf, I wouldn't see it right now, because the firelight reflecting in your eyes would hide that glow." Silver leaned back away from the flames, the shadows covering him more deeply.
"Another way is to look at their coat. Tends to grow a bit thicker than on a normal pony."
Dust felt a cool trickle down the back of his neck.
"Other than that, you got to look at how they act at night. They don't have to turn every night, but if there's a nice, hot, delicious pony nearby, well," Dust heard Silver smack his lips, "They can get a bit excited... You ever hunt?"
"You mean, for fish? I tried it once. Couldn't really see the appeal." Dust stood up, and made a show of stretching. Actually, he was feeling too nervous to sit. He chided himself for letting the old stallion's stories scare him.
"Yeah, me either." He chucked again, a little more deep and gravelly than before. "Well neighbor, I think I've told you all I can; well, outside of a few stories the villagers could likely tell you anyway. You can stay the night if you like, but all I got to offer is a blanket on ground..."
Dust rolled up his notes and stored them away. "No, that's quite alright. I have a place to stay at a farm. I thank you for your time, though. Its been quite informative."
Silver raised a hoof in farewell. "Come back anytime, friend."
Dust opened the door. He was surprised to see night had fallen not long ago. So intent was he on hearing Silver's stories, he'd lost track of time. As he closed the door, he glanced back at the hermit. He thought he saw two points of light just above the fire, but his glimpse had been too brief to be sure. He started down the trail back to the farm, with the chill of dread pressing on his back. Finally, he couldn't stand it anymore, and started galloping.
Back in the shack, Silver Gleam kicked dirt over the fire. In the darkness, he chuckled. There was a dry sound of cracking. Then a sound like wet cloth being ripped. There were heavy footsteps, then the creak of the door being opened, and then a howl...
Ivy Green double-checked her map in the light of her lamp. She was fairly sure she was going the right way, but navigating a forest at night wasn't easy. Especially...
She took out her invitation and looked over it again.
You are invited to a gathering of the Bloodkin
Two hours after sunset on Nightmare Night
Sire's Statue, Everfree Forest
Directions will be provided
Come as you are
Do Not Lose Your Invitation
Her friend Cerement had given it to her, after Ivy had gone into a rant about how safe, sanitized, and boring Nightmare Night was. "I had you in mind for this already, and now I think you'll definitely like what you see there..." Ivy had plenty of questions, but her friend remained tight-lipped about it. Aside from providing the map, all Cerement would give was reassurances that Nightmare Night was actually the safest time to go deep into the Everfree. "So long as you're invited..."
Ivy didn't mind the secrecy. Cerement was always mysterious; that's what made her interesting. Compared to the open, honest ponies around her, Cerement and her secrets were... fascinating.
Ivy continued down the path. Occasionally, she'd hear flapping overhead, or hear a rustle in the bushes, or a far-off howl, but no animal or monster came within sight. She didn't see any ponies, either, though she saw signs of them as she progressed. A rope was set up across a river, along with a rowboat; a similar setup with a basket, rope and pulleys was arranged for crossing a gorge. Both looked like they were put in recently.
The darkness, the unseen animals, being alone, all made Ivy feel chills run through her body. There was no thought of turning back, though; she couldn't remember the last time she felt so awake. She heard every howl, twig snap, or breeze whistle through the trees. The moonlight made sharp pools of silver. The air smelled of dead leaves and mud.
Looking at her map again, she saw she was coming close to Sire's Statue. Whatever that is... A sudden gleam in the trees caught her attention. Raising her lantern, she saw they were eyes. Bats, roughly a dozen, were hanging from the branches. All seem to have their reflective gaze on her. Ivy slowly continued walking forward. The bats didn't make a sound, didn't stir. They merely moved their heads to keep watch over her. Ivy could still feel their eyes after she passed them and into the meeting place.
A wide semi-circle of stone benches were built in rows into the side of a hill, descending to the bottom. A circular stone platform sat in the middle of the half-circle, and behind it, between two marble pillars was, Ivy surmised, the Sire's Statue. It was on a raised plinth, depicting a unicorn wearing impressive but intimidating armor. A spiked crown was on his head, and he was wearing a cape. His horn was curved and smooth. Ivy squinted; it was hard to tell in the lantern-light, and with the erosion of the stone, but she thought she saw fangs in his malicious smile.
Ivy turned her attention back to the theater. Ponies were milling around, chatting quietly, and more were constantly streaming in. She figured there was over two hundred. How come I didn't run into any of these ponies on my way here? She stepped forward to mingle and look for Cerement. As she got close, the nearby ponies stopped talking and turned to look at her. There was no hostility in their gaze; they merely looked at her expectantly.
"Um, hi, I was invited?" The green pony reached her head into her bag and pulled out the paper. One of the stallions gave it a cursory glance before smiling close-mouthed at her.
"Of course. Forgive us; its merely that you stand out in this crowd. Come, its almost time. I will show you to your seat." He turned and started down the hill.
Ivy followed, quickly speaking. "Almost time for what? I'm Ivy Green, by the way. Will there be time to talk with some of you later?"
The pegasus let out a quick, posh laugh. "Of course. There are formalities to attend to first, however." Ivy frowned when he didn't give his name. "Might I ask who invited you?"
"Cerement. And you are...?" she asked pointedly.
He looked back with a polite, tight-lipped smile. "There will be plenty of time to get to know us later, Miss Green, have no worries about that." He stopped at the bottom of the hill, turned, and gestured. "Your seat, miss. Cerement will be joining you shortly."
Ivy furrowed her brow. "Front row?"
"But of course. Special guests always sit in the front row."
Ivy muttered her thanks and took a seat. She hoped the rest of these "Bloodkin" had better manners. She looked down the bench. Several feet away was a pegasus who was tapping his hoof on the stone; on seeing Ivy, he gave a halfhearted wave. A pair of unicorns chatted farther down.
"Ivy!" She startled as Cerement had sneaked up on her yet again.
"Am I glad to see you!" Ivy said, giving her white-coated friend a brief hug. "These Bloodkin friends of yours are rather off-putting."
Cerement took a seat next to her. "Don't mind them. We're a little reserved around outsiders."
"Well, you're friendly enough. And polite." She shot a pointed look in the direction of her usher. "So, are you finally tell me what this is all about?"
Cerement tossed her light green mane with her hoof and grinned. "I don't want to spoil it. You'll see." She leaned closer, looking her friend in the eye. "I think you'll find it... interesting. I finally got the chance to... invite someone, and you were definitely my first choice."
"Well, thanks. I'm sure it'll be fun." Ivy's next question was forgotten as she noticed a change in the lighting. Two large braziers were lit on either end of the stone stage, while the scattered lanterns were being doused. The Bloodkin quickly and quietly found seats on the benches, though nopony sat on the same one as the "special guests" besides one who joined the shy pegasus.
Cerement nudged Ivy and waved her muzzle at the stage. A grey pony in a hooded cloak was standing between the braziers. A hoof was raised for silence until the last whispers and rustles were quiet. The pony pushed back the hood to reveal a horn, silver mane, and dark, narrow eyes. The stallion regarded the gathering in silence; the only sound was the hissing of wind in the trees. Ivy couldn't even hear anyone breathing.
"Nightmare Night." he said at last. "For mortal ponies, a night of fun and games. A time for them to safely confront what frightens them, to reassure themselves that there aren't really any monsters waiting in the darkness." He smiled, and there were a few soft chuckles in the crowd.
"But for us, for the Bloodkin, it is a time of reflection, to remember what we are, and where we came from." Ivy frowned, hearing an accent she couldn't place; it put an "h" sound on his "a" and "r". "A time also to plan our future; and indeed we have much to discuss." No pony spoke, but Ivy saw many of the Bloodkin nodding grimly.
"But first, as is our tradition, I will speak of our history." Ivy noticed Cerement leaning forward, eyes intent on the speaker.
"Over a thousand years ago, our Sire ruled over the Crystal Empire." He turned and pointed at the statue behind him. Ivy could see three padlocks on his flank. "With his power, he cowed the crystal ponies into slavery, and they served him in fear and awe.
"But his ambitions did not end there. It was his will to put even more of Equestria under his hoof." The speaker slowly paced the stage, letting his gaze fall on every section of the assembly. "Using a powerful artifact of the Empire, he sought out three ponies whose hearts were like his: filled with the will to dominate, and with little weakness to hold it back."
Crystal Empire... That's where they had the Equestria Games, right? Ivy mused. None of the rest of this is familiar, though. She glanced around, seeing the audience watching the speaker intently. Whatever this is, they're taking it very seriously.
"He called these ponies to him, and when they went to him and bent their knees, he gifted them with his blood, and the power that went with it. He gave them power over darkness, and all that lurked in it, that they would be figures of terror and majesty. He made them immortal, that they would be free of the frailties of life. Finally, he made them able to feed on blood, that they would always know themselves to be above the lesser ponies." He tilted his head back and opened his mouth. A pair of fangs extended down from his upper teeth, glistening in the firelight. A collective hiss came from the Bloodkin in response.
Ivy turned to Cerement, intending to ask where the speaker got his prosthetic teeth. Her friend had similar fangs extended, and was adding to the sharp sibilant sound of the crowd. Her eyebrows angled in sharply, and the corners of her mouth pulled back, giving her a wide, predatory grin. Ivy couldn't even gasp; her body was completely frozen.
Cerement looked at her with eyes that were somewhat sunken, and that glowed soft and cold. "I didn't bring you here to eat you, Ivy," she rasped. "Watch, learn. Listen."
Something in the tone of her last word broke the spell Ivy was under. She was briefly able to see the other "special guests" being reassured by their patrons before her attention was pulled back to the stage.
The speaker was standing proudly, fangs bared, eyes shining; a figure of dark grandeur. "He taught them the ways of their power, and how to give the Dark Gift to others. When they were ready, he sent them out to gather armies of Bloodkin and thralls, and to make Equestria ready for its future king.
"But after the three had left to do his bidding, their Sire, King Sombra, was defeated and banished." The speaker lowered his head a moment, then quickly raised it back up. His eyes were squinted in fury. "And who was it that did this!?" he shouted.
"The Princesses! The Princesses!" hissed the crowd.
"Yes! They banished our Sire to the deep ice of the north, and cursed him to be shadow. As his three chosen, the Kin-Fathers, shared in his power, they also shared in his curse. Thereafter, the sun's light was painful to them. Their eternal life became eternal undeath; they would exist forever, but never be alive. And the final curse was the blood-thirst; always would they hunger for the life of the living ponies which they had forsaken."
There was another sibilant chorus from the Bloodkin; Ivy could hear scattered blasphemies against Celestia and Luna. The speaker waited for the outrage to subside, then continued. "The Fathers tried to free King Sombra, but in vain; the power of the princesses was too great. So they set forth in secret, hiding amongst the mortal ponies, gathering thralls and Bloodkin, for they knew their Sire would return. Each sired a bloodline that would bear his name: the Sharp Hooves, the Whisper Wings, and the Silver Locks.
"They awaited his return for a thousand years." The speaker got a faraway look in his eyes, as if he was looking out across the centuries. As he spoke, the emotion and tone drained from his voice like blood from a corpse, leaving it hollow and empty. "A thousand years of living among the mortal ponies, who they were meant to rule. A thousand years of hiding their natures, their power, their majesty. A thousand years of taking sips of blood where they could, while they hungered to feast. A thousand years of humility and privation!" Frustration filled his voice for those last words, and he raised a hoof to the sky. The crowd rasped angrily.
This burst of emotion was brief, however, and he let his leg fall to the stage, the hoof landing with a dull clack. When he spoke again, his voice was again hollow and cold. "And how were we rewarded for our patience, for our suffering? We remembered the Crystal Empire, long after the mortal ponies forgot. When we heard of its return, we made plans to gather the Bloodkin, to present our Sire with his long awaited army. But we had hardly begun to act when the news reached us: our Sire had been defeated. Destroyed. Dead.... DEAD!"
He sighed wearily. "A thousand years of suffering.... for nothing." For a moment, there was silence. Ivy shivered.
The speaker moved his head side to side, taking in the whole audience. "And who is to blame for our loss?" he spat.
"Twilight Sparkle!" someone shouted.
"Princess Cadenza!"
"The crystal ponies!"
The speaker nodded and raised his voice above the shouting. "Yes all of these ponies share in the blame! But they are merely the instrument of our Sire's death. Whose is the hoof that set this all in motion?"
"Celestia! Celestia!" the Bloodkin answered.
"Yes! She will answer for our loss and our suffering! Soon, my kin, the time of hiding will be over. No longer will we cower and scurry like rats! If we cannot carve out a piece of Equestria for our Sire, then we shall carve one out for ourselves!" The crowd stomped their hooves in applause, and the benches vibrated from their eagerness.
"But the time to speak of future plans is later. I have spoken our history, and now we come to our next tradition."
Two earth ponies carried a large cauldron onto the stage, the handles gripped in their teeth. Ivy could tell by the thunk when it was set down that it was full of liquid.
"Now comes the time for us to welcome new ponies to our blood." He looked to the bench where Ivy and the other "special guests" sat. "If the invitees will come up, please."
Cerement smiled at her. "Come on." She gently pulled Ivy from the bench and guided her up onto the stage. The other guests followed along with their sponsors. Ivy's heart was thumping in her chest; her mind whirled as she began to understand the offer she was about to receive.
"Welcome," the speaker said with a fanged smile. "You have heard our history, and you know what we are. Vampires. Something few ponies believe in anymore. But now you know us to be real. And so is our offer to join in our blood." He waved a hoof at the cauldron. It was filled with a dark liquid, and Ivy's nostrils caught the tang of copper. "To accept, you need merely drink.
"Yes, to refuse means you will die. But you will die uncursed, and there are those who would rather be dead than damned. So be it. But this rarely happens," the speaker looked over the sponsors, "For we chose carefully and wisely. You would not be here if this offer would not entice you. Now," the speaker backed away from the pot, "Make your choice."
Ivy stared at the dark liquid, hardly aware of anything else. She felt Cerement lean close to whisper in her ear.
"Power. Eternity. But most importantly... an existence unlike that of normal ponies. I know that's what you want, Ivy. That's why I chose you."
For a moment, no pony moved. Finally, Ivy stepped forward. She felt like something else was moving her, and she was merely watching. Lowering her muzzle to the blood, she drank....