Crimson Night

“Well...nice knowing all of you.” Vlad said with a halfhearted smile as the Wraith flew towards them. They heard a distant yell and suddenly the beast was consumed by black tendrils, locking it's wings and causing it to crash into the ground. The tendrils then detonated, earning a scream from the beast. A Stallion that looked like he had dark purple crystallized forelegs, along with his flank and back legs, jumped out of the trees and put an arrow larger than one of Vayne's into it's wing arm, pinning it to the ground.

Then there was a hiss as a green blur shot towards it, stopping before it. It was a Mare. Her horn glowed a very dark green and what looked like acid sprayed onto the beast, dissolving the membrane of it's wings and blinding it. It screamed in pain as it almost literally melted.

Then there was another yell as a series of what looked like metal shrapnel impaled it multiple times through the body in various places as a Pony, assumed Stallion and clad completely in heavy metal armor, smashed a giant mace into it's chest.

Then what seemed like a Shadow with armor shot in and dealt the final blow, decapitating it with blades attached to it's wrists. Once the area was deemed clear, it turned into an all black Stallion.

“We are friends, Team one.” a voice said. The group looked from their places, Hecarim holding Twilight's bleeding form in her hooves.

“Ze...co...ra?” Twilight's voice wheezed out.

“Oh my Luna, what happened to her?!” Zecora exclaimed as she instantly set out to examine her.

“She was caught in that Wraith's attack...point blank nearly...I have no idea what happened.” Hecarim said.

“I believe you...this...leg wound has been burned closed, but all of this on the side. Was she in the forest? There is so much wood in here...her lungs are pierced as is her stomach and all the ribs on her left side are shattered...” Zecora said.

“Ha...ng...on...Edin...Armor...Caden...” Twilight wheezed as her horn lit up.

“I think she's trying to say we should go back to Edinspur and see Candence and her brother...” Galio said.

“What is she doing?” the Mare asked. Her question was answered, however, when they found themselves at the gates to the city with a flash.

Shining armor was silent as the three blood packs he had donated since the donations started were all hooked up to and IV by Zecora as she cast healing spells and Necromancy. Cadence had vomited and had tears streaking down her face but was silent as well next to him.

“She will live. Your blood is strong for her shining armor, the blood of a loved one is rivaled only by the blood of the princesses.” Zecora said. Team ten and the two Ponies let out large breaths.

“What about her leg?” Hecarim asked.

“It would take gallons of blood to regenerate it completely, and it would take weeks of agonizing pain...she has been through enough...” Zecora said sadly. “Let her rest, when she wakes I will alert you all...” Zecora said and went back into the medical room.

“I will turn in...” Cadence simply said and walked off. Shining Armor didn't say anything for a while, but he stood there in front of Hecarim.

“Please do not blame Hecarim. It was my suggestion.” Vlad said.

“I do not Blame any of you...at least, I don't want to. I know you did all you could and what was best and that what happened could never have been predicted...but...I just wish more could be done...” he said.

“If we could have done anything differently we would have...and I too wish more could be done...at least she lives...that much is a blessing.” Hecarim said solemnly. Shining Armor nodded and followed Cadence.

“so...you are team Ten?” the Leader of team one, the bow user, asked.

“Yes. Which one of you is the messenger?...we need to report, Twilight is ours.” Hecarim said.

“Zecora is ours, I do not wish to interrupt her while she cares for your Friend. I am Varus.” the Leader said. He was tan and very well toned. His ears were longer than the others' and pointed. He had a long dirty blond mane and tail.

“Cassiopia, or just Cass.” the Mare said. She had solid emerald eyes, a pale green coat and and emerald green mane and tail. Her armor was slim and had a scale pattern, a snake was engraved into it.

“Mordekaiser.” the heavily armored mace user said with an obviously very masculine voice said. All that could be seen was his heavy armor and red eyes. It seemed the eyes were the only thing in the armor.

“Nocturne.” the Black Stallion said. His eyes weren't glowing, but instead seemed spectral. They were a light blue and they seemed to leave that color as a soft trail. The blades that went around his other form's wrists were in holders slung on his sides at the moment. His mane and tail were unkempt, but had the texture of the shadows he commanded.

“Zecora you already know I guess...” Varus said.

“So were you assigned as support?” Hecarim asked.

“No...we were on leave actually. Waiting in a little town called Nox. Then suddenly the ground starts shaking and that Wraith pops out of the ground...” Mordekaiser explained.

“We told our Princess we were going to track it and set out, she approved and created a level 8 for it...We hadn't noticed you until it nearly killed your friend.” Varus explained.

“I see...we were sent to that area to take our a level five...it went from one Lich and nine Ghouls to three Liches and I'd easily topping a hundred fresh Ghouls...” Galio said.

“Whoa really? That'd be like...a level twelve or something.” Mordekaiser said.

“It would be an extreme level seven you moron.” Cassiopia said.

“But then the Wraith came?” Nocturne asked.

“Eventually Twilight was in the forest flushing them out into us...it just appeared out of nowhere...we didn't even see it until the explosion from it's attack lit it up...and then you just decimated it.” Vlad explained.

“We had the element of surprise and Varus' binding Tendrils...she wakes.” Zecora said, coming out as she continued on to fetch Armor and Cadence.

“Luna?” Twilight wheezed.

“Her lungs are still damaged and her wounds on her side are not completely healed yet, but she will live as I said. Twilight, try not to talk. It will only cause you pain.” Zecora explained.

“Hey...you don't Rhyme...” Twilight said weakly.

“It got too damn annoying so we got her out of it.” Mordekaiser said.

“Who are you?” she asked.

“They killed the wraith and saved us.” Vayne said.

“Really?...wow...I'd shake your hooves...but...yeah.” Twilight said, earning a chuckle from the group.

“Twilight...please don't speak...we can't stand to see you in pain.” Shining said.

“You don't have to worry about me big brother...I protected you this time...” Twilight said, her voice dragging out into a pained hiss as she entered a coughing fit.

“You said a Wraith did this...what is a Wraith?” Cadence asked.

“And what did you mean by 'adult'?” Twilight asked when her fit subsided as she wiped blood off her mouth.

“A Ghoul is made when a Lich uses corrupted Necromancy to turn a pony into a monster, be it a corpse or living pony. A Wraith is the same thing, but with a Dragon...I thought that magic was lost, but long ago they used to be as common as Ghouls are now. Dragons don't normally die, so there are not many corpses anywhere so a Lich would need to do it on a Living one...but the older ones are hard to get, so they were never older than Younglings...now there are more dead dragons than a thousand years ago...more corpses means more Wraiths...” Hecarim explained.

“Have...to...Princes...Luna...” Twilight wheezed, drifting into unconsciousness again.

“Wait Princess Luna and Celestia! Surely they could do something for her!” Cadence exclaimed.

“That is a very good idea...but we can't get to Canterlot with her in this state.” Zecora said.

“How did you get here then?” Shining asked.

“Twilight used the last of her strength to teleport us all.” Varus said.

“Then I'll do it...hang on Everypony, somepony grab Twilight!” Cadence exclaimed.

“Wait...let us warn them. Zecora, send a letter saying we'll give you our report in person in about five seconds.” Varus said. Zecora nodded and quickly did so.

“We'll be back.” Shining said to his second in command as he had Twilight gently placed on his back and Cadence teleported them.

“Teams ten and one are giving their reports in person in about five seconds...does that mean-” Celestia asked after Luna read the odd letter and was cut off by the flash of life. The first thing the two princesses noticed was Cadence collapsing. The second was Shining armor. The third, with looks of Horror, was what was on his back.

“What the hell happened?!” Luna yelled, leaping from her spot next to Celestia's throne while the Solar Princess did the same.

“It was a Wraith. An Adult.” Galio said.

“Lu...na?...Cel...Tia...” Twilight said weakly, her eyes cracking open.

“She's conscious?1” Celestia exclaimed.

“She has been slipping in and out of Consciousness the entire time...we gave her three packs of Shining Armor's blood...but it was barely able to save her.” Hecarim said as they rushed to the infirmary once more.

“But you would not give her more?” Celestia asked.

“You must understand Princess, the recovery would take weeks, maybe even months, and it would be filled to the brim with pain. It would also require a steady supply of blood, which we simply do not have.” Zecora said. Celestia sighed.

“Then it is settled. She will recover with my help. Quill! You know what to do.” Celestia said, calling to her assistant that was following them. The mare nodded and rushed ahead to the infirmary. They rushed passed two ponies in their speed, two familiar ponies none of them had thought to recognize.

“Tia, what do you mean? You will have get go through weeks of painful recovery?” Luna asked, anger tinting her voice.

“no...not weeks. Vlad isn't the only hematologist, the blood of an Alicorn is ten times as potent as normal blood. The blood of a loved one is five times...so what about the blood of a loved one that is an Alicorn?” Celestia said as they reached the infirmary.

“Fifteen times as potent, correct?” Luna asked.

“No, you multiply the numbers, not add. It makes a brew fifty times as potent. But you don't have the strength nor the blood to keep her sustained princess.” Vlad said, finishing to Celestia.

“Not in me currently...but after her first encounter with Ghouls I have been creating my own blood reserves in case she needed it.” Celestia said.

“Why can't I just do it though?” Luna asked.

“Your blood is familiar and you turned her. It worked the first time, but an unintended side effect of the way Vampirism is shared leaves your blood only potent as an Alicorn, and not Lover both.” Celestia explained. “I had my best researchers on it.” she finished.

“Got it Princess.” Quill said, coming back with a large stack of blood packs.

“That's a lot for just a week.” Vlad commented.

“My blood replenishes much faster than most ponies, as does my sister's so I was able to do this twice a day every day.” Celestia said.

“That's why you were so tired.” Luna said.

“Yes. Now hurry please Zecora, hook it up.” Celestia said.

“I'm sorry to interrupt...but...what's happening?” a blue headed Changeling queen asked, cautiously entering the room.