Barb knew that from the moment she left the house her sister would give chase in a chance to find out where Venrus lived. Too bad for her because Twilight lacked the one thing she would need to follow, the ring she was given. She took her time as she made her way through town till she came to the doors to the bank. Barb looked about to see Twilight dive behind a building with Rarity and Fluttershy not far behind.

Barb made her way inside the bank and she saw one of the few ponies she liked to talk to. Dally Rum was as old as Granny Smith and still did his part for the bank. His skin wrinkled and dulled to a very light brown. He had no mane to speak of and his glasses made his eyes look too big for his head. Despite his age Dally was a hard worker that always had a smile on his face and was one of the kindest earth ponies you could ever meet.

"Well my oh my, what have we here?" Dally took his glasses off, cleaned them and put them back on, moving them like he was adjusting them. "Well now if it isn't Barb. I ain't seen you in a good while dear. What brings you to the bank today? After some of your gems ya got locked up are you?" Dally leaned over the counter and gave Barb a hug once she was close enough.

"It's good to see you too Dally but no I'm not her for any of my gems. I need your help if you can give it?"

"Well of course I can dear just tell old Dally what you need and I'll see what I can do."

Barb pulled out the gold coin Venrus gave her and put it down in front of Dally. Dally picked it up and began to look it over. "Dally a friend just got here and this is all the money he has. I told him I would have it looked at to see what it is worth."

"Oh ok then. I'll do what I can but I ain't seen a coin like this before." Dally pulled out a scale and sat the coin on one side causing it to tip. He then place a bit on the other side till both were even. "Well the coin you gave me Barb weighs the same as two bits, but I'll need to have a unicorn go over it to make sure the gold is of the same quality."

"Do what you need to Dally I know you will only do what you need to."

Dally gave her a bright smile as he slid off his chair and tootled off into the back. He soon came back with one of the female unicorn bankers. "The big coins the one I need you to look at Star. It has the weight of two bits but I need to know if the gold is as equal." Dally said as he hefted himself back into his chair with a tired old grunt.

Star quickly picked it up in her magic and began to run tests on it while Dally put his scale away. After a few minutes she sat the coin down in front of Barb. "Well as far as I can tell the coin there is worth two maybe three bits with the quality of the gold alone. Since it weighs the same as two bits I say we tell him that is what they are worth. Does this sound fair to you Dally?" Star then turned and left.

Dally had his hand to his chin in thought. "I feel that would be best. Having it be worth two bits will make using it easier on him. Ok Barb there you have it, the coins your friend has can be used in town and its worth two bits." Dally took out a piece of paper and began to write on it. Once he was done and stamped it with the banks seal he past it to Barb. "Tell him to keep this on him at all times. When ever he tries to buy something if somepony takes issue with the coin tell him to show them this and all will be well."

Barb leaned over and gave Dally another hug. "Thanks Dally now I can give my friend the good news. I'll be sure to come by and see you again real soon."

"You do that now, I miss seeing you if your gone for too long. Not a lot of ponies trust Old Dally anymore. Say I'm too old but if there is one thing I know it's I'll die working this here bank. I was one of the first ponies to work it and the last of the original staff. I wont leave her till I'm dead and gone." Dally held a hand to Barb's cheek and gave her one of those smiles that just screams tired old stallion.

"Don't worry I will Dally and I know you will be here for a long time yet." Barb waved as she left. As soon as she walked out the door from the corner of her eye Barb could see Twilight duck into the bush next to the window to the left of the door. Barb just shrugged and went about her day. She swung by the market to see if anypony needed any help and then stopped and got a box of cupcakes from Pinkie. After leaving Sugar Cube Corner she looked around and saw Twilight still tailing her with Rarity and Fluttershy following Twilight.

Barb laughed as she headed for the tree Venrus marked. What made this funny was that there was little to no cover for Twilight to hide in around the area and every time she would turn around Twilight would try her best to hide. Barb made her way over to the tree line walking up and down till she found the right tree. Once she did she placed the ring to the crystal rune and the air in front of her cracked and tortured screams could be heard as it formed.

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Twilight was scared far worse then she ever was before. There in front of her sister the air cracked and screams unlike any she ever heard filled the air as the crack formed. Once the crack was as big as Barb it ripped open, on the inside was a swirling vortex of red, purple, black and silver. The screams grew louder as it opened wide enough for Barb to enter. Twilight got up running calling for Barb but she could not be heard. Barb walked through just as Twilight made it to her and the portal closed. Twilight stood stunned never before had she felt such dark magic. Even the magic Sombra had used did not feel this evil. In her mind there was only one thing to do. Twilight teleported to the train station and got a ticket for Canterlot.

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Barb found herself on the other side of the portal and looked back to see the gate through that scary wall. This was so much different then the one she went through to get to the human world. It was instant, just a step and she was there no falling through the dark but colorful portal, no being thrown out of it in a heap on the ground just a simple little step. Though the screaming was creepy.

After the portal closed she turned around to see a maid bowing to her just outside the doors to the main hall. "Hello are you the one Master calls Barb?" The maid stood and looked at her and to barb she looked like another Draconian.

"Yes I am I came to return the book I was given and tell him about the money he has." Barb studied the maid trying to see if she was Draconian but she looked nothing like herself. "I'm sorry but are you by chance a Draconian?"

"No I am not but I am a cousin to them. I am of the Lizard men species. We are failed attempts at trying to make a new Draconian race." She gave another bow turned and waved for barb to follow. "Now if you follow me I will show you to the library. You can wait for Master there or take what you need and leave a message for him. Master said if you were to show to treat you as an honored guest and let you take one book of your choosing with you so long as you brought that one back."

"Thank you uh.... I don't think I got your name?"

"Oh my how rude of me I am Morgana one of the Battle Maids that defend the Keep in Masters absence." Morgana said as she looked over her shoulder.

"Thank you Morgana. Can I ask you some questions?"

"Yes of course it will be quit the walk to the library I do not see why it should be taken in silence."

"Ok then why dose everypony call it a Keep is this not a Castle?"

"No, Master and his brothers built this place as a staging point for their battles and raids across the land so they gave it the name 'The Dark Flame Keep'. It also is based on its appearance being dark and foreboding and the fact that all the fire in the Keep is dark flames." Morgana pointed to a torch that had beautiful black and blue flames dancing on the end of it.

"Oh wow that is so beautiful, I've never seen flames like these. So you said Venrus had brothers. How come I have not met them yet? Are they Lycans as well?"

"No they are not lycans as master Venrus is. Master Night Blade is a Thestral and Master Brights is a human with a monkeys tail."

"Well if they are brothers how come they are different species, where they adopted or something?"

"No they were just friends and the very best of friends. They fought together to gain power and fame and as they fought their bond grew till they did not see friends but brothers. That was when they built this place and created the guild they called home. With their bare hands they laid this place down to make a home for themselves and for others. They Invited the strong and the weak to make this place home and in time their enemies gave them the name 'The Dark Claw'. The guild grew and so did their power but then everyone began to leave till only the Masters remained."

"So why do you call those three master?"

"They were the ones to create the Keep and the guild so they were the ones in charge. Plus they were the ones to make us."

"Wait they made you?"

"Yes all the maids and butlers were made by the Masters. Anyway that will have to do for now we are here." Morgana stopped as she opened the door to the library. "Now I will put this away for you. Will you be staying till Master comes home or will you be leaving?" Morgana took the book from barb and made her way to where it belonged.

"I think I will just take one of the magic training tombs and go. Where is some paper and ink so I can write a message?"

Morgana pointed to a desk at the far side above the windows on the second level of the library. "over there Barb. Now what tomb do you want exactly?"

Barb looked at her as she made her way up the stairs. "The Draconian's magic training tomb of healing magic please." She sat down and wrote out all she was told by Dally and that her sister, the Princess of Magic, would like to meet him and his people one day very soon and thanked him for the use of the books. After that she left and made it home by dark only to find Twilight not there. She went to bed and could not wait for the next day so she could tear through the book and learn about her strongest magic.

Author's Note

This is Morgana