Crimson Night

A month passes. Every single day Team One trained until they could barely breathe. Their two new team mates were Jericho and Elana, two of Twilight's recruits, and they proved to be extremely powerful. In Every single city there were Vamponies training, and even in other lands there were creatures training and preparing. Celestia had gone to Tartarus to attempt to secure safe passage through the hell, but was unable to guarantee the safety of her and her subjects should they pass through. Now they all stood at the green flaming gates. The Keeper of Souls was standing there with multiple boats, a few hundred of them. The black rivers of Tartarus awaited them. It was time to invade. Ponies, Dryads, Phantoms, Timber wolves, Dragons and Griffons alike were ready for battle. They all had spells modified from the vampirism put on them so they were faster, stronger and had regenerative abilities without consequence.

“Twilight, we may be the Pricnesses of the Ponies...but you are General to all...speak to them, give them your strength.” Celestia said to the Lavender Mare. Twilight nodded.

“Everyone! We've been training for weeks now for this moment. Tartarus will be dangerous, but it will be a walk through the candy shop compared to the Underworld...We will fight for our lands. The Undead threat must be eliminated at it's source. An evil manifestation known as Dim Sun is creating and organizing the Ghouls...the only races immune to their influence are the Phantoms and the Dryads, but I thank both of your races for coming to help us. We will all fight hard for our home, our friends and family. I will personally lay down my life to win this without hesitation.” Twilight said with a voice amplification spell.

“We are the Guardians of the Dawn! The Dawn of a new Day! And the time is now!” she finished, earning cheers from the armies. Everything with wings took to the air, while everything without took to the boats. Hecarim was second in command and therefore leading the ground charge- or in this case sea charge- as they entered Tartarus.

“Strike only when forced to defend yourselves. Attack without reason and you will regret it.” the Keeper of Souls said, him and his minions pushing the boats along with poles. There were a great many curious sea monsters and flying ones coming to see what the fuss was about, but they usually ran. Occasionally an arrow or a bolt had to be shot off to scare them off when they got brave but otherwise nothing attacked them. When they reached land they were greeted by an old friend.

“Cerberus, hey boy. How've you been?” Twilight asked, patting the happy three heads.

“We've been good.” one head said.

“We see what evil ones are doing.” the second said.

“We are coming with you.” the third finished.

“The help is appreciated, but can you handle it?” Fluttershy asked.

“Cerberus has defended this place from our neighbors effectively.” Soul said.

“Alright, but be careful.” Twilight said. Cerberus barked happily and followed Hecarim as Twilight took back to the air.

“There are more Demons of Tartarus joining us.” Luna said.

“It appears the Undead threat effects more than we thought.” Celestia said.

“I knew we could win this before...but I was afraid we'd lose so many lives...but with the Denizens of Tartarus helping I know we can win...” Twilight said.

“It all comes up to if we can defeat Dim Sun...but I have my utmost confidence in our abilities. By now her power would eclipse my own by at least threefold...but you are thrice that.” Celestia said.

“If she is like you then she will have traps and plans in place...we must be careful.” Luna said.

“Wraiths!” Drake yelled.

“Talon, take your Kin and rid us of those flying corpses.” Twilight said to her Team mate as they passed into the Underworld.

“With pleasure.” Talon growled and all of the dragons veered off and collided with the Wraiths. What ensued next could only be described as an explosion of violence. Teeth and claws and tails and wings were thrashing at each other and bursts of flame met bursts of flame in explosions that blasted them apart. The dragons were winning though, for most of the Wraiths were not even near their size. Confident in their abilities, Twilight led the others closer towards the towering hole in the wall they knew housed their ultimate target.

“GHASTS!” Gilda called. Twilight nodded to Claw and a similar scenario as the dragons ensued, but this time filled with less fire and more beaks and claws. Twilight noticed hordes of Ghouls and Liches charging at the troops and watched as Hecarim led the ponies and dryads against them, the Phantoms she sent towards a hulking figure stomping towards them.

“Oh hell...they found a Titan corpse...Twilight, we need you to continue on your own for a little bit. Everypony on us! We'll be right behind you Twilight!” Luna called as she led the rest of the fliers towards the Titan. Twilight sighed and entered her Silent Mist to sneak into the hole.

she found herself in front of a horde of what appeared to be dormant Ghouls. She immediately sent out Moon in her magical grasp to make sure they never woke up and continued on. With her keen eyesight and good sense of smell she was able to avoid traps and running creatures until one managed to sneak up on her. She felt a slash at her back, but it was blocked by her wings. She turned around to slice at it with said wings, but she stopped when she saw Elana smiling as the Lich fell lifeless at her side.

“Thought you might want some help Twi.” she said.

“Thanks, I could use your stealth skills.” Twilight said, clasping hooves. “Where are the others?” she continued.

“the Wraiths scattered and fled, some of the Dragons are chasing them off but the rest are helping the Griffons with the Ghasts. The Ghouls are stronger than we've ever seen but we're killing them faster than they can even get near us and the others are fighting that Titan. All in all we're kicking Flank.” Elana said.

“Good. Let's go.” Twilight said, enveloping them in the Silent mist and rushing off.

“What the hell is that?” Elana hissed. There was what looked like a giant dragon with the tail and stinger of a scorpion and beak of a griffon.

“I have no idea...but it needs to die...it looks like it has no weak spots...we can't risk it getting out so-” Twilight started, but her sentence was drowned out by a series of roars and...barks?

“the Tartarus Demons and Cerberus!” Elana said in joy as a group of demons and the three headed dog charged the beast.

“Go Friend!” the three heads said in malicious glee as they knocked the beast out of the way.

“We will eliminate this Abomination!” he continued. Twilight waved and the two dashed through the door. They came face to face with what looked like Centaurs with spears for arms.

“The fuck...” Elana hissed.

“The mist will hide us until we make the first move...you take the two on the right, I'll take the two on the left.” Twilight said. Elana nodded and positioned herself between the two she was targeting. They nodded to each other in unison and struck.

Twilight lifted her two targets into the air and put a Necromancy field around them and ignited the inside with her Black Fire.

Elana put both of her Katana into each of the Creature's necks, but was startled to find they didn't seem to feel it. She yelped as they struck at her, impaling her four times through the stomach. The blade holders on her forelegs getting stuck and causing her to lose the ability to dodge. Twilight yelled and knocked them away from each other and then sent their heads flying with Moon, and then disintegrated the pieces.

“Fuck me...” Elana said with a blood spattered cough.

“You alright?” Twilight asked. Elana gave her a look. “I mean are your regenerative abilities enough to cover it?” Twilight mended.

“Think so...Fluttershy and Illia should be along soon anyways. Go on, kick that Nightmare's Flank.” Elana said. Twilight smiled, nodded and burst through the door.

“Celestia you Flatter me with your Presence...you've gotten much stronger...much stronger indeed, come over here so I can get a look at you.” a colder version of Celestia's voice rasped out. Twilight approached the throne and found there were shackles and that the Black Celestia was blind.

“You don't smell like the sun anymore...are you alright?” she asked.

“I'm not Celestia, I'm her student and General. You are Dim Sun, why are you restrained?” Twilight asked.

“I was weak. A Lich found me and fed off my power. His name is Lucifer, rather cliché but under the circumstances the name fits...he is much stronger than Celestia...but you...I can feel your power young student...unchain me and I will give you what power I have.” Dim said.

“Why would you want to help me?” Twilight asked.

“That bastard has been feeding off of me for years...I just want him dead and I want to return to my beloved Celestia...” Dim said.

“...Beloved?” Twilight asked.

“I guess you could call me an old Lover...kill him and Celestia herself may explain it to you.” Dim said weakly.

“Alright...but I will destroy you if you try anything.” Twilight said. Dim nodded and Twilight blasted the binds. Dim fell to the ground, but slowly got to her hooves.

“Thank you...thank you so much...take it...take it all.” Dim said, allowing clouds of black to drain from her and into Twilight. Suddenly, Twilight's mind was filled with memories and abilities only thousands of years of practice could accomplish. She no longer needed the explanation and she now knew how to deal with this Lich.

“Go back through that way...there's an injured Pony named Elana who is waiting for the rest of our team, Celestia and Luna included.” Twilight said. Dim nodded tiredly and quickly trudged off. Twilight looked at an ornate door and walked towards it. As she neared it she could literally feel the air vibrating with evil. She steeled herself, willed her armor out and blew the door out of it's hinges.