Deep beneath the caves of Canterlot. The cries of foals could be heard, many begging to go home but their captors ignored their please and continued to stand guard.

"SIILEENCE!!!" A voice came from the entrance, it was Deacon. He was a unicorn dressed in ancient robes that bore the same pentagram decorated on the prison cells. He looked at the numerous cages full of foals with disdain and hate as he scowled at the helpless children.

"Why are you doing this? What did we do?!?" A foal shouted in anger.

"You wanna know what you did wrong child? You were BORN!!" Deacon said coldly with a frightening look in his eyes and began rambling once more.

"You are all false Unicorns! You are not of TRUE nobility and therefore must be cleansed! The world may hate us now but in time they'll see! Oh they'll see that I was RIGHT! and when all is said and done you will be forgotten! Nopony will care that you existed! Your parents will see you for the filth that you are!"

"YOU'RE WRONG!! My parents love me!!!"

"Mine too!!"

"CRAZY OLD MAN!!"

Deacon stormed out of the room, ignoring the angry voices of the children.

"These brats don't get any food or water. Keep them weak until the ceremony is ready."

"Yes sir."

Another day had passed in Canterlot with no news of the prince and like always Luna was in the nursery awaiting for news of her child. She sat in front of the empty crib, holding the teddy bear and blanket that she gave him.

"Luna?" Celestia quietly entered the room with a tea tray in hopes of getting her sister to eat.

"How's about some breakfast?" Celestia offered a few sandwhiches and tea but Luna kept her focus on the crib.

"I'm not hungry..."

"You must eat sister! It won't do you any good if Midnight comes home to find his mother too weak to even hold him." Celestia's voice was desperate, she had been worried about her sister ever since the foal napping. Luna tried to ignore her but the growling from her stomach had other plans.

"I guess...one bite wouldn't hurt." She sighed in defeat and followed Celestia to the table by the window, it had a marvelous view of the castle gardens. The sisters sat quietly, eating their meal when one of the guards came in holding a strange flashing crystal. Taped to it was the same initial "D" that was left in Midnights crib, it was their first clue.

"One of the servants found this on the front door."

"It's a mind Crystal." Celestia instantly recognized the gem and decided to investigate, cutting their meal short.

"I'm coming with you."

"Luna now is not the time to-!"

"I'm coming! with you!!" Luna was more stern that ever and stared Celestia straight in the eye, her sister could see she was not going to back down at the one chance they have of finding Midnight and any other missing foals. The crystal was taken to the observatory on the east wing where Twilight was already conducting some research on evidence the guards had missed.

"Twilight!" Luna said in surprise as the purple alicorn darted around the lab, fiddling with the various devices and chemicals.

"What do you have Twilight?" Celestia asked as her former student stopped to give her the report.

"There was a trail of magic residue leading to the nursery. The kind that comes from shape shifting magic, they left not footprints because they weren't even in physical form."

"Of course! Shadow melding. It's an ancient and very advanced magic technique that very few know about."

"And perfect for the ones who took Midnight." Celestia then showed Twilight the crystal that was delivered. She immediately began to inspect it.

"The crystal seems to respond to a certain aura." The moment Twilight held it the flashing stopped, making her more curious.

"Princess Luna. I think this was meant for you."

Luna took a deep breath as she took the crystal from Twilight. At first nothing happened, then a blinding flash shot out from the crystal followed by the sounds of a crying baby. It was Midnight and next to him a gray, old unicorn with a snowy white mane dressed in a ceremonial robe.

"Take a good look Princess Luna for this is the last you'll see of this abomination." Luna gritted her teeth in anger after hearing him insult her child.

"In honor of his name we will cleanse him and the other half breeds at midnight tonight! Do not hope to find their bodies for they will be bathed in the flames of purification!!" The crystals glow then died down as it fell to the floor. Luna picked it up gently and held it to her chest knowing it held what may be the last vision of her son.

"Twilight. Did you find anything else?"

"Yes. Some dust by the crib, it looks like gravel so whoever broke into the castle must've gone underground."

"Then how are we supposed to find them?"

"I called in an expert."

"HIII!!!" Pinkie sang out as he burst into the room, startling the entire lab staff.

"Glad you could make it Pinkie. We need you to take a look at something." Twilight called pinkie over to the microscope as the pink mare hopped over, giving a quick look.

"Hmm...this dust is sediment from a cave or more precisely a mine dug right here beneath Canterlot, further analysis shows that this soil is from the lowest parts of the caves, possibly a checkpoint station where the miners could get out through the elevator shaft." Everypony just stood there like statues, amazed at what Pinkie had just done.

"What? When you live on a rock farm you learn a few things. So Twilight how are we gonna get in?"

"You're not." Luna stated as she headed for the door with a look in her eyes Celestia didn't like.

"Luna wait!" She grabbed her sisters shoulder just as the door creaked open.

"Are you really going to ask him?"

"If it's the only way of getting my son back then so be it!! SLAM!!" They could see Luna flying off towards the western part of the city, Celestia only shook her head knowing what the kidnapping of her nephew had forced her sister to do.

"Princess Celestia who was she talking about?" Twilight asked as Celestia sat in the nearest chair.

"When you were just a foal. Luna's night guard had an elite unit known as: The Dark Knights. They were a special ops group that handled raids, espionage and everything in between, among them was an exceptional soldier. His abilities were unlike anything they had ever seen, he was capable of slipping in and out of enemy lines undetected, could take down an entire squadron single handed but one mission it cost him. He lost his wings and his left eye and was honorably discharged. He however refused and said that he could still prove useful, so we let him stay on but only as a mentor so long as he promised never to go on another mission unless it was dire. His name....is Death Stroke."

End of Part 4

Author's Note

I'm a bit of a batman fan and Death Stroke is one of my favorite villains next to Bane and Killer Croc so you can guess what the crossover tag was for.