Underworld: Equestria

Chapter 10: Alone in the Dark?

“May I ask where it is you are taking me?” Lucian inquired as he walked, sharp blue eyes drifting from the silent princess beside him, to the numerous shadowy trees which stood around them. “With respect Luna, the Everfree forest as I have learned is not a place ponykind enjoy visiting.”

“Oh ease up Lucian, I assure you nothing bad is going to happen,” Luna smirked in reply, shaking her head in amusement at the lycan’s nervousness. “And as for where were going… that is a surprise… and in a way something I know I must show you.”

Lucian simply looked at her with a raised eyebrow, noticing a clear wince in her voice as the last few words of the sentence left her muzzle; exactly what kind of pleasant surprise, as Luna had hinted at, could await him in the middle of the Everfree was beyond even his imagination’s ability to comprehend, although he was beginning to wonder if it was actually pleasant.

The two had been trekking through the darkness of the forest for at least an hour by the lycan’s reckoning, predominantly sticking to the vague gravel road, but on occasion venturing for a short while into the trees where the road died away and it became necessary; the only real obstacle they had faced had been a small river, which Luna had teleported them over.

That to the Lycan was a truly interesting experience.

When he had hunted, Lucian had taken very little notice of the finer details of the forest, but now with their slow pace he realized that, despite the place’s sinisterness, it was rather peaceful at a glance; every so often an owl would hoot or a tree would rustle, but otherwise there was just the gentle silence and the rhythm of the lover’s steps, and the road was often lined with strange but otherwise beautiful blue flowers that seemed to glow in the moonlight.

“I wouldn’t touch those if I was you,” Luna smirked when she noticed Lucian looking at them curiously and reaching out to pluck one. “Those flowers have been known to do very some unusual things to ponies, Lucian, and if their plausible effects on lycans are similar, I am not sure you would enjoy the experience.”

He immediately growled and quickly drew his hand back, causing the princess of the night to giggle at him behind the hoof that covered her mouth.

“I swear, Raze may actually have some merit in his argument that everything in Equestria is somehow magical,” Lucian said bitterly as he caught up to her, Luna only giggling a little harder at him.

They continued to exchange small talk as they walked through the moonlight saturated darkness, Lucian eventually laying a hand gently on Luna’s shoulder and pulling her gently against his side, much to the millennia old alicorn’s apparent liking, as she smiled when he kneaded his hands through her fur.

It had been so long since she had done something like this, just talking openly with somepony who listened intently without fearing her, and hence adjusting their responses accordingly so they agreed with every word and opinion she put forward; it was like she wasn’t just talking to a terrified mimic of herself.

Eventually, and rather suddenly however, Luna found herself somewhat caught off guard, not by a blood thirsty creature of the forest however, but by something Lucian said completely out of the blue as he looked down at her.

“You know, you truly are beautiful Luna.”

The co-ruler of Equestria felt her knees almost buckle and the muscles holding her jaw shut slacken for a moment; she had been called beautiful before, namely however by her older sister, and the personal subjects that groomed her back in Canterlot both now and when she had been young.

“I… thank you, Lucian,” she smiled weakly as the storm of emotions inside her at last began to settle. “And you are a truly handsome lycan as well, I might add.”

The two of them shared a grin as they walked, Lucian no longer caring where she led him too; he hadn’t realized up until now how much he had missed her since leaving Canterlot for Ponyville, and that was saying something, considering he had only been gone for a day or so.

Their pleasant moonlit trek ended abruptly though as they emerged from the shadows and greenery of the forest, and came before something that sent a very unlikeable shiver down Lucian’s spine, the sight before him bringing back a wave of horrid and sickening memories from the years he spent in Viktor’s service, as both his personal lycan servant and pet in a way.

Before the two of them loomed the ancient structure of a massive grey stone castle, the once mighty fortress piercing the black skyline like the rising fist of some earthly god. Now, however, it’s once proud towers and noble walls were crumbling into ruin as the combined forces of nature and the forest took back what was rightfully theirs.

The lycan could easily tell that once upon a time the castle had been a place of grand splendour, and served as a symbol of authority and power by whoever had ruled from it; he was glad he had a fair idea of whom it had been, lest his nerves give him more trouble.

He had also seen a lot of masonry work over the years, and knew from just looking that every stone had been cut and mortared perfectly, a clear sign of the royal importance that the castle had once portrayed. But now, with apparent abandonment and a lengthy passing of time, only a faint memory was left of its former regal and military glory.

What tore at his gut the most was something other than its appearance, something far more sensed then physically seen or felt; the lycan however couldn’t put his finger on it, but it felt like a residing evil presence of some kind.

“What is this place?” he asked firmly, looking down to see Luna now no longer happy, but rather distressed and virtually pushing herself against his side for comfort.

“This Lucian… is my story,” she replied, looking up at him with tears now shining in the rims of her eyes. “I believe it only fair that since you told me the tale of your life… that I tell you mine.”

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

The interior of the castle, as Lucian quickly learned, was nothing like the exterior, in that much like Canterlot the interior was fitted to invite a sense of awe and majesty, rather than military prowess like the exterior walls and towers; the long untouched moonlight lit halls were lined with art works of various kinds which had survive surprisingly well over the years, and the various rooms, despite being long abandoned, were still fitted with their original royal splendour.

The only hint of military might that remained were the dusty, spider web covered suits of weapon sided pony armor, that usually sat silently on either side of a main doorway.

According to Luna, they were by herself and Celestia enchanted to withstand the grip of time, and dragon fire, amongst other things.

Lucian took in every detail as Luna led him through the dark and silent halls of her former home, his fingers and shimmering blue eyes taking in the sight and feel of the countless millennium old carvings, tiled mosaques, and colourful murals of her and her sister, all the while the alicorn spoke of what life had been like; according to her the castle had once been the great capital of Equestria, and it was from there that she and her sister had ruled.

Why they had abandoned it Luna was yet to tell him, but he guessed that given the feeling of sorrow and despair that seemed to permeate the air, the reason was probably not something he wanted to hear.

Plus he actually swore the shadows would move every so often, which only added to haunting feel of the ancient castle.

“…and so a grand feast was held in honour of the new friendship between ponies and dragons,” Luna said solemnly as she walked along briskly beside the lycan, sounding as if the words recreated a scene in her mind of the day that had long since passed. “You should have seen it Lucian, that night this entire place was packed with celebrating ponies from all over the land.”

“I bet it was,” Lucian chuckled lightly with a grin, his words along with Luna’s own echoing through the empty passageways.

Luna looked over curiously to see him running his fingers and eyes along the walls, his face set as if his mind was off in some faraway place of ponderings. “Lucian, is something on your mind? You seem distracted.”

The lycan bit his lip and looked at the floor before answering, aware that her eyes were directly on him now.

“Luna, there is something… very wrong here, I can feel it but I cannot describe it…”

“…like there is misery trapped in the walls, hatred in the stone, and hopelessness in the very air around us?” Luna sighed as she finished his sentence, stopping in her tracks, and allowing her eyes joining his in looking over the once beautiful tapestries and murals, the regal night ruler’s head coming to rest on his shoulder. “I know those feelings well Lucian… for those feelings were once mine. You must understand powerful magic is a strange thing, and where it is cast it will on occasion leave a sort of magical stain, and the stains here carry with them how I felt as I cast those spells so long ago.”

Lucian gingerly stepped back as she approached a particular mural, raising a hoof and gentle running down the ancient surface as her eyes took in the proud depictions it showed; it was a scene depicting her and her Celestia standing over their respectable heavenly bodies, the golden sun behind Tia and the bluish moon behind herself.

“As I told you earlier Lucian, this castle is my story… or part of it anyway. Have you ever wondered why I was banished to the moon for a thousand years?”

“I have wondered, but I didn’t think it right to ask,” Lucian replied bluntly but gently, folding his arms and leaning back against the wall, careful to avoid bumping a sets of armor.

Luna gave a single sigh and shake of her head before starting.

“A thousand years ago, Lucian, peace flourished in Equestria… and everypony in the land was happy… everypony that is except me. The ponies would laugh and play through Tia’s daytime, but would always slumber through my night, taking no notice of the great effort I put into making the night beautiful and pleasing to them. At first Lucian I just accepted it, since it was the natural way and order for ponies to sleep during the night, but over time anger and jealousy built up inside me, because of how they celebrated the day and ignored my night… and eventually that anger and jealousy took over, corrupted my magic, and turned me into… a monster.”

“What do you mean by a monster?” Lucian asked quietly, his words prompting a snort and an annoyed glare for Luna, causing him to shift uneasily under her cold gaze.

“I became Nightmare Moon, Lucian, a vile and corrupt version of myself who sought to overthrow my sister and bring eternal night to Equestria, smothering the land in my beautiful darkness... but as you know, first my sister… and then finally the elements of harmony, managed to stop and free me from that vile thing. Both of those battles took place in this very castle, as you have sensed,” Luna snapped, anger now rising in her voice as a torrent of long stored pain and anguish flood her mind. “The very day Tia defeated me, this place was abandoned to ruin with all and everything that lay within it... because of me, because Tia should could not even stand in the halls of her own home without weeping, weeping for her little sister. Now a thousand years have passed, and yes, I am Luna again, and I have made amends for what I did..."

A hoof suddenly slammed into the image. "But yet even after all this time and everything I have done to show I am no threat to Equestria, they refuse to see me for who I really am, the only thing anypony see’s when the look at me is… is that vile thing I was those thousand years ago!”

With the last words screamed she again slammed her hoof into the mural, so hard that it caused a loud crack, and a hairline split to form across the ancient stone depiction of her; a moment later the princess of the night lost all control of herself and her emotions, a millennia worth of tears spilling down her cheeks.

Before she knew it she was wrapped in the embrace of her lycan, her head held firmly against the warmth of his chest, his arms wrapped around her neck, and as his chin rested gently atop her quivering head. Her sobs slowly died down as the lycan’s fingers ran through her mane and he whispered softly to her.

“You know that is not true Luna,” He sighed gently at last once she was somewhat calm. “Neither Twilight nor her friends see you as such, and nor do Raze or I; we are your friends, and that is all that matters… and... if knowing will make you feel better the I will admit that I... am a monster as well.”

“Huh?”

Lucian growled deep in his throat before answering, looking into the teary eyes of the surprised princess, who he held firmly in his arms.

“In my world... lycan’s like myself live in the darkness and shadows at the very edge of human society. Throughout history we've been portrayed as nothing but animals and bloodthirsty beasts, ever since the days of werewolves and William Corvinus, the first of the wolves. So I know how it feels, Luna, to know hopelessness, to be looked down on as a monster, a beast even. The vampire who raised me treated our kind like we were nothing more than animals, and humans for centuries have in legends called us nothing but demons, so if there is anyone alive who knows how you feel, it is I.”

“You… truly mean this Lucian?” She asked quietly as her tears finally stopped.

“Would I lie to you?”

The princess of the night looked at him for a few moments as what he had said sunk in, and eventually a wide smile spread across her royal muzzle, a smile that was obvious even with the low amount of light.

“Then I guess… perhaps we were meant for each other then, weren’t we?” She whispered, leaning into his warmth...

...Only to yelp as she was suddenly shoved backwards.

“We are not alone.” He growled.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Lucian knew something was not right the moment her heard it through the haze of the moment, a faint sound similar to that of a buzzing bee, but far louder than anything the common insect caused.

Upon peering around, he found the shadows that dotted the halls were now literally moving and shifting, as if they were alive and awake.

It took all his will power to push Lunaaway, but he managed it; to let her get hurt because they were both lost in the moment, and hence failed to recognize a potential threat right behind them, would've been unforgiveable. To say she looked downright confused at his action was an understatement, but just after he had told her they weren’t alone her dark ears shot up as they registered the buzzing sound.

Hastily, she looked back and instantly recognized the source of the sound; the sea of shadows were now moving towards them from the northern end of the hallway, with roughly six sets of bulging blue eyes and white fangs glistening in the low moonlight at the centre of the black mass.

“Changelings,” she snorted angrily, dropping back to all fours as her eyes began tearing around the buzzing hallway. “What by Faust are they doing here?”

The two slowly backed up a little as the bug-like creatures came ever closer, and Lucian got his first real looked at ponykind’s most hated enemy; to say the least, they weren’t exactly appealing to his eyes.

“Lucian, whatever you…” Luna started, stopping as she glanced over her shoulder, and saw the strangest thing... Lucian gripping the ancient long swords of the pair of unicorn armor suits, and pulling them free from their sheaths with metallic rings. “I hope you know how to use those.”

The lycan simply twirled the duals blades at the approaching changelings while a grin spread across his face, the magically enchanted swords looking just as new as they had the day they were forged a millennium prior.

“I spent two hundred years training and six hundred years fighting vampires, Luna. Do you really need to ask me that question?”

Without another word he jumped past her, and charged at the buzzing swarm before them with his blades dancing like metal extensions of his arms. Their lethal edges soon found their first changeling before carving through the creature’s throat and gut and spilling it’s disgusting contents.

In a moment he was swamped by the creatures on all sides, all of them acting as if they wanted to sink their short fangs into him at every opportunity. Still, countless years of honed sword-skill meant the lycan was used to dealing with enemies on multiple sides.

Plus, given their small size, Lucian could wield the blades as swiftly as he could a pair of daggers.

With the first down only five remained, and a second quickly joined its dead brother when the lycan arched a sword upwards, and ran the blade through its skull while the other sword fended, the metal blade punching easily through the layers of exo-skeleton, flesh, and brain before emerging through the creature’s skull just behind its horn. With a swift downward flick he freed the blade by splitting the pony-like thing’s head like a sliced melon, a gush of brain and greenish coloured blood accompanying the sword as it the left.

Quickly kicking the corpse away, the lycan dropped to one knee and swiftly lanced the incoming changeling directly in front of him through the centre of the ribcage, dispatching it pretty much instantly.

Playing on their susceptibility, and just as Sonja had once done with a werewolf ,he pivoted around a hundred and eighty degrees and shot the other blade out directly behind him, catching the unlucky changeling that had filled the empty space and tried to take his back a heartbeat prior. The semi-stuck creature shrieked for a moment before Luna hit it with a bolt of blue energy, tearing it violently off the sword and tossing it some five meters back down the hallway, Lucian taking the moment to plant the changeling he had lanced earlier on the stone floor and crush it’s skull with his free sword’s pommel.

That was when his luck dried up.

He made the mistake of looking up and grinning at the cold expression of the princess of the night, and in doing so failed to noticed the second last changeling that darted for his right arm, and upon entering range quickly sank it’s fangs into it.

A wave of pure agony surged up his arms as the teeth punched into his skin and a cry escaped his lips... that agony however quickly turned to rage; the last thing the changeling learned in its life was that if you bite a lycan, they will bite you back four times as hard.

Dropping both his swords, Lucian grabbed the creature by the horn and painfully tore it from his flesh. Using the free moment he shifted, and then with a sickening crunch slammed the changeling into the adjacent wall.

The final changeling seemed to realize then and there he had no chance of winning this particular fight, no matter how it tried, and thus just as fast as its wings could carry it flew out the nearest window.

Leaving the blood splattered lycan leader and alicorn princess standing alone among its dead brothers.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

“Well that was certainly interesting,” Lucian muttered as he returned to human form and examined his arm, glad to see that the changeling’s bite marks had already healed over despite the red blood that marked his skin. “Do those things usually bite that hard?”

“I have… never heard of them biting anypony, Lucian” Luna said gently in reply, weaving her way through the pile of corpses to look at his wound, her brow furrowing with concern. “But I was not present during the attack on Canterlot, so I cannot say if it is their natural behaviour or not. Does it hurt?”

“A little,” he chuckled as he looked around the pile of bright green splattered bodies. “They have surprisingly strong jaws for such small creatures, but I assure you that I'm fine.”

Luna however looked far from amused at his sense of humour. If anything, she looked mildly horrified that he was casually joking about his sustained injury, and right after a rather bloody fight as well.

Personally, he was more annoyed that his cloths were now ripped and blood splattered.

“I am glad to hear that… but I believe it best if we leave Lucian, and I take you to Ponyville Hospital; although I do not doubt your healing abilities, I do not want to risk you falling ill to some venom I do not know of.”

“Luna, I promise it it’s just a scra…” he started defensively.

The princess of the night gave a glare that basically said ‘we can do this the easy way or the hard way, your choice’, and given her now far from happy mood, he guessed trying to resist would only end badly. He didn't like having to end their night on a note like this, but he knew he really had no say in the matter.

“Ugh… very well.”

Luna’s horn quickly glowed a bright blue as she readied her teleportation spell,

But, just before Lucian was caught by it and catapulted through space and time, he took a final glance at the dead changelings... and abruptly a dagger of fear drove into his mind as he looked down at the one with the blood stained teeth, and remembered how its own blood had tasted on his wolf tongue.

He had tasted that blood before.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Notes:

I’m not sure if it’s mentioned in the movies, but I’m running with the idea that the vampire and lycan viruses cause the bearers blood to have a distinct taste (since the viruses are in the blood after all). Also I’m not trying to be a tease but a bit of causal sensual stuff seemed to easiest way to bring the changelings out.

Finally for putting up with my lateness (thank you very much university) I’ll throw in some LucianXLuna next chapter (you won’t need to read it but if you want to it’ll be there).