Return of the Vampire King

5:00, dawn.

Nicholas was lying in his cave, resting. His saddlebag along with a cape lied near him, taken off. The King has been thinking a lot since he came back to his cave. He never expected himself to be asleep for more than a few days, so he has never got a plan for such a situation he has got into. He has no allies, no one in particular to rely on. He is all alone.

Suddenly something caught his eye. A bit of sunlight was in the cave, slowly moving towards the King. He stood up and backed a bit. He knew that sunlight will either kill him, turning him into ashes, or hurt him a lot, literally burning his skin.

In his own thoughts, Nicholas didn't notice the sunlight touch his skin. He jumped in surprise and ran back into shadows. He looked at his right front leg, expecting to see burns. But his skin was clear, as if sunlight never touched it. The King slowly walked to the sunlight and exposed his right front leg to it. He felt the warmth but didn't feel the pain. He slowly put down his hoof and walked in the sunlight. A realization hit him like a train.

"I... I am no longer hurt by sun!" he said, raising his voice. "I am able to walk in the light, haha!"

He fell, laughing hard. It was like he became fully insane. He laughed, rolling on the stone floor. Pure joy filled him up. He thought that he is the happiest pony in the whole Equestria, in the whole world. He has never felt himself better. After more than two thousand years, he is able to walk freely in the sunlight, not fearing to be burnt.

"Hello? Is anybody here?" a young, stallion's voice came from the cave's entrance. Nicholas stopped rolling, stood up and walked into shadows, observing the cave. A stallion entered it. And he was a bat pony. He had gray fur, black spiky mane and tail, black wings, blue slit-pupil eyes. He was a little taller than normal stallion would be.

"Hello?" he asked, looking around. "Is that who I think it is?"

"If thou is expecting me, then thou is right," Nicholas said, walking out of shadows, revealing himself to the stallion. He jumped in surprise, widening his eyes.

"Is that really... You, my king?" he asked in trembling voice, bowing to Nicholas. "Are you really... Alive?"

"Rise, Shadow Catcher," the King ordered. Shadow Catcher rose from the stone floor and looked at his king.

"What are your orders, my King? Shall I tell everypony you're back?"

"First of all, thou must answer some questions, Shadow Catcher," Nicholas said. "It has been a while since I was here last."

"As you wish, my king. I will tell you everything I know."

"How many of us, vampires, are here, in Equestria?"

"Plenty. About two hundred."

"Where do you all live?"

"Most of us live in caves, but we've got our capital, if you can call it like that."

"And it is?"

"Hollow Shades, my king. It is more a village than a town, but it could be worse," Shadow Catcher answered. "Our main underground city was destroyed fifty three years after your disappearance, my king."

"Is there any important event that will be soon?"

"Equestria Games, my king. It is an event of great importance. Lots of ponies compete for glory in many athletic pursuits."

"And where is it held?"

"The event is to start in two month. The town hasn't been chosen yet," Shadow Catcher answered, rubbing his chin. "Are you suggesting taking part in this event, my king?"

"Thou is the smart one, Shadow Catcher," Nicholas grinned. "Yes, I am suggesting it."

"But... We don't even have a stadium for Equestria Games!" Shadow Catcher answered. "In fact, we don't have anything, my king."

"Well, show me the capital then. And tell me the whole story of what happened since I disappeared."

"As you wish, my king," Shadow Catcher said, bowing, and flew outside the cave along with his king.

Half an hour later, at the Hollow Shades.

"So, this is the capital thou was talking about?" Nicholas asked, observing the village. The village wasn't too big. It had about twenty houses overall, two small shops, a small hotel, a big town hall with a fountain, and a big statue of the Vampire King in the centre of the village.

"Yes, it is our main town, my king," Shadow Catcher answered. "Do you like the statue we've built?"

"Yes, it is quite accurate," Nicholas said, looking at the statue. The statue was indeed quite accurate. The King was standing on his hind legs in battle stance. He was wearing battle armor, his crown, and a necklace with a big, red ruby in it. The ruby was glowing faint red light.

"So, my king, Hollow Shades was built a few years after our main underground city was destroyed. Ponies forbade us to have any kind of weaponry, we can't live near them, we can't take part in any kind of elections, we can't hold the public office. In fact, the only thing we are allowed to do is to live here, not showing to ponies."

"So we've lost that war, haven't we?" the King said.

"Unfortunately, yes. Without your command we couldn't do anything right. We had to surrender, my king."

"And now we don't even have enough strength to have our revenge, right?"

"Yes, it is so. And what do you think about Equestria Games?"

"Oh, I have a plan for the Games," the King answered. "We shall have them in our village this time. Of course, we must put much effort in it if we want to succeed."

"And what shall we do exactly?"

"We must win the Games," Nicholas answered. "This way, ponies will believe that we are no longer dangerous. They will allow us to do whatever we want. And then, we will have our strength back. We shall return our warrior past, we shall become the strongest! And we shall rule over the ponies. We shall have our revenge. If they, after two thousand years, still think we're just monsters, then we'll be their nightmare."

"But, my king, there is a big problem. There are four alicorn princesses, and they are extremely powerful. We can't fight against them."

"Then we will frame them for something they would never have done, Shadow Catcher," the King grinned. "But I will tell thee later. Tell me, who is in charge of this village?"

"I am, my king," Shadow Catcher answered. "What do you want me to do?"

"Tell other vampires that I'm alive. But don't draw too much attention to it. Tell them not to tell anypony but other vampires about it. Then you shall order to start the construction of stadium. Hire the best architect you can find."

"As you wish, my king," Shadow Catcher answered and trotted to his residence. The King chuckled and followed him.

Meanwhile at Canterlot

Twilight Sparkle, her friends, Princess Cadance, Princesses Celestia and Luna held a meeting in the throne room of Canterlot Castle.

"So, Twilight, what do you want to tell us?" Celestia asked.

"The Vampire King has indeed returned. He walked in my castle without drawing any attention," Twilight answered. "I don't know what he's up to, though. He could just bite me and all of my friends, but he simply asked the year, told us his name and walked away. Oh, and we couldn't move for some time even after he left."

"That's odd of him..." Princess Celestia rubbed her chin. "Luna, you have bat pony guards. Didn't they tell you anything about their king? They have very strong connection with him, so it wouldn't be unnoticed if their King has returned."

"Nay, they haven't told us anything, sister," Princess Luna answered. "But they were a little... strange. We think they felt the return of their King."

"Try to look for the King in Hollow Shades. This is the first place he would go if somepony of his kind found him," Celestia said. Luna nodded and flew out of the castle, heading to Hollow Shades.

"And what are we going to do?" Twilight asked. "We can help!"

"He's too strong for you six. If he managed to freeze you in place, then your mind can be gone under his control if he wants," Celestia disagreed. "If you want to help, then you must train how to resist mind control. I will teach you. And I will double the guard around your castle, Twilight."

"We will come tomorrow, I promise. If we want to defeat the Vampire King, we will learn anything that helps," Twilight said and went out of the throne room with her friends, heading back to Ponyville.

"And what am I supposed to do, aunt?" Princess Cadence asked.

"I have a special task for you," Celestia answered. "You must find a perfect spy."

"Me? Find a spy?"

"Yes. You know what a spy should know. It was you who got kidnapped without me knowing. You know how Chrysalis acted when she was you. You must find somepony who will not draw attention to his or her sudden appearance among bat ponies."

"I will try my best," Cadence said and flew out of the throne room.

"Permission to enter, my king?" Shadow Catcher knocked the Nicholas's door.

"Thou may enter, Shadow Catcher," the King replied and opened the door with his magic. Nicholas has chosen this room as the largest one at the small hotel. The room had two windows, a big square table, a soft carpet, a big, soft bed, suitable for Nicholas due to his size, a big wardrobe, and a big chest with large lock. In the chest Nicholas kept his crown.

Nicholas was sitting at the table, reading a book. "Equestrian History" was its title.

"I came here to report to you, my king."

"I am all ears."

"I hired the best architect, his name's Abbot Sugar."

"Oh, I know his name. He's a vampire now, isn't he?" Nicholas asked.

"Yes, he became a vampire when he was thirty three," Shadow Catcher nodded. "That stallion didn't want to die, so we gave him an opportunity to continue to impress ponies with his architecture"

"Shadow Catcher, thou did great," the King said and grinned. "No one's better than thee."

"I am very grateful, my king," Shadow Catcher nodded.

"And thou shall continue as planned."

"You believe in me and I'll do everything for my king," the stallion nodded again. "Your plan will succeed, I promise."