Chapters A lone figure woke in a dilapidated castle that stood silently in a forest, rising from a bed decorated with the night sky the figure moves over to the mirror to fix their hair and get ready for another lonely day spent inside the empty castle. After the hair situation is taken care of the figure moves to the other side of the room to an old armor stand that holds an old and dusty set of mat black plate armor. Taking the time to put it on for the first time in almost a millennium, the figure walks out of the room and proceeds to wander the old stone halls that seem to get worse day by day. When the figure passes by a window, the moon lights up their face. The figure is in fact a human male with pale skin, long black hair and crimson red eyes that seem to shine in the darkness.
While walking around the empty halls and rooms, he looks off at one of the towers on a whim. While looking out the window he sees a bright flash coming from the old throne room, and starts walking there casually. He didn't really care what was going on, the truth is he had stopped caring about anything for the last thousand years after his love was stripped away from him. While he was walking he decided to start singing a song that conveyed how he seemed to feel ever since she was taken away all those years ago.
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As he finished the song he reached the doors to what remains of the throne room. Throwing the doors open he walks into the large room that seemed even bigger due to the roof missing several pieces, only to see a group of ponies standing around the other end of the long room by the throne.
A few minutes prior
"Twilight, my most faithful student. I knew you could do it!" Princess Celestia said to the lavender unicorn.
"But princess! You said it was just an old pony's tale!" Twilight replied.
"I told you that you needed to make some friends, nothing more." The white alicorn replied. "If only another would as well." she turns an walks over to a cobalt blue pony that the rest of them just now seemed to notice. "It has been a thousand years since i have seen you like this, we were meant to rule together little sister. Do you accept my friendship?"
"I missed you so much big sister!" The smaller alicorn jumped up and nuzzled her older sister.
Just then the group heard singing, accompanied by the sound of armored stomping heading down the corridor towards the room they were currently in.
Just when the singing and stomping got to the other side of the door, it stopped... leaving the droup standing there in silence. After a full three seconds of nothing, the doors were flung open to reveal a large bipedal figure wearing black armor with a two handed longsword strapped to it's hip. the figure just stood there staring at the ponies before turning around and walking back the way it came from.
POV Celestia
How can he still be alive after all this time? i thought he was dead and gone all those years ago.
The alabaster alicorn couldn't believe her eyes, the prince lives to this day!
POV Luna
The dark alicorn couldn't believe what she was seeing, the prince of darkness himself was still alive after her banishment, she had resigned herself to the fate that the only one who ever understood her was dead and gone all those years ago.
POV third following the prince
He just stood there staring at the group before him,I didn't sign up for this today. I'm going back to bed. After turning and walking back the way he came he started going over just what he saw back in the old throne room, first there was a group of six that he did not recognize. Then there were two that he DID know, but he had long since come to terms with the reality that they were gone for good. The Celestia and Luna he knew, were long since dead and gone...
Reaching the bed chambers e woke up in this morning he relieved himself of his armor and placed it back on the stand in the corning of the room. Only when this was done did he remember what day it was, it was the thousandth anniversary of when she was taken form him. With that one crippling thought he climbed back into the bed and did the one thing he hadn't done in almost a full millennium... he cried. He cried there until there were no more tears t shed, and sleep slowly took him into darkness once more.
POV Twilight
It has been almost a week since the conflict with Nightmare Moon, and the princess has asked for me and the other girls to come to Canterlot to discuss a few things regarding that night in its entirety. The chariot arrived early this morning and has been flying for the past fifteen minutes, looking over the side I noticed the Ivory colored city spread out below us. The chariot tilts forwards as the ones pulling it come into the royal gardens for a landing.
Upon landing, we start heading for the throne room with me leading the way because I was the only one in the group familiar with the layout of the castle. After a good five minutes of walking through the brightly lit hallways we come to a set of massive oak doors, one with the sun emblazoned upon it while the other had crescent moon on it. When the two guards spotted us coming towards the doors they quickly pulled it open with their magic to allow us entry to the room.
"Twilight my faithful student! It's good to see you again." Princess Celestia said while sweeping her gaze over the group.
"It feels good to be back in the castle, but why did you call us here in the first place princess?" I replied tilting my head in confusion.
"As my note explained, I wish to speak with the six of you about what happened at the old castle a week ago. Or more specifically what you saw while we were there." She stated while her eyes seems to stare at something the rest of them couldn't see.
"Yea, like what in the hay was that thing that walked in on us in the throne room!" Says Rainbow Dash.
"Yes, about that." The princess looked a bit uneasy with this topic and I was curious as to why that would be so.
"What was it princess?" I ask.
"That was one of the oldest living beings on this planet Twilight, and before you go storming off to question him i would advise against it. He can be very easily angered, I've seen him burn an entire forest when somepony set him off before." Celestia stated giving me a hard look that meant she was serious. Truth be told right before she said that i was planing on going back to the castle to talk to him and try to get him to answer some of my questions about him.
"Now, before i start telling you about that being... i must have you all know something. Nothing leaves this room after it has been said, nopony besides the seven of us plus Luna knows this being is even still alive. The reason for this is because if somepony were to anger him, Equestria would be destroyed by his wrath..." She continued with a grim look upon her face.
"But you could stop him right princess?" i ask, hoping against hope that she said yes.
"I'm afraid I am no match for him Twilight." she said with a heavy sigh. "The reason being that I cannot being myself to harm him. I am unable to hurt those i see as friends, and he is one of my oldest. You must understand that i haven't seen him since before Luna's banishment, so seeing him still there at the old castle brought back some old memories of when we all would spend time together." She said looking off into space for a few minutes.
"Who is he anyway? We don't even know his name yet!" Rainbow Dash complained.
"I'm sorry, I haven't ever told anypony his name. So I'm not use to starting with that bit. His name is Alucard, and though he may have many titles. There was one that rose above the rest, Prince of Darkness..." Celestia stated, her gaze once again coming into focus. "However, That was not his oldest title, that was just what he was known as for the last millennium or so. His oldest and most fitting title, is Vampire King."
Hearing that last part made everypony in the room save the princess gasp, and Fluttershy even fell over unconscious from fright.
"Vampire King?! So he's a ruler as well? I never saw anything written about a King of the Vampires... wait, what are vampires? " I ask, my mind a whirlwind of questions without any answers.
"A vampire, my young student... is a very strange being indeed and I know you haven't read anything about them. Simply put they do not exist here." The solar princess stated.
"But if they don't exist... how can he be the king of them? That doesn't make any sense!" Rainbow Dash said from somewhere to my left, I on the other hoof couldn't comprehend what the princess was trying to say to me right now.
"He is the King because of one simple fact, before he came to Equestria... he was the oldest living among his entire race." She claimed.
"What d'ya mean 'before he came ta Equestria?'? Wasn't he born here like everypony else?" The farm mare asks.
"No, Alucard simply appeared one day out of the blue and has just stuck around. He even helped during a few of Equestrias key moments, like when me and my sister defeated tyrants and the like, he would stand by our side and fight with us to make this country safe and whole once more." Celestia said as the accepted a cup of tea a servant has brought in from the side door off to the right of the thrones.
"As I said before his story is a long one, how about i tell you all over some lunch?" She continued upon looking at a clock hanging in the room and finding it to almost be noon.
With that the group headed off to the dining hall for some food while they continued listening to the story about the creature known as Alucard.
POV Alucard the night before
The dream realm, it was something the monarch both admired and despised. He admired it for its ability to take away the stress of a hard day and allow a being to be in total bliss, However there are always two sides to a coin. The other things that the dream realm can do to a person is that it can make them relive their most painful memories time and time again.
In Alucard's case, it happened to be the latter of the two. Blood soaked dirt, fire and ash everywhere he looked. Bodies of his comrades laying on the ground horribly disfigured and mutilated beyond recognition. He himself was covered head to toe in blood and his armor had chunks of flesh that was shredded from his enemies lodged in the spaces between the plates. His sword was completely covered in blood and gore after a full half hour of fighting on the battlefield.
Unbeknownst to him or anypony else, somepony was trying desperately to enter his dream realm and relieve him of the images that were forced to the front of his mind. However because she was still weak from her recent return from the moon, Princess Luna didn't have enough power to force her way into his mind from all the way in Canterlot..
The following morning he awoke to yet another lonely day in the castle. He then began to think about what he saw earlier that week, Celestia and Luna standing in his throne room with a group of unknown ponies.. what did it mean? He has seen hallucinations during his brief madness after Luna's banishment, but nothing quite like this. During his insanity he would imagine Luna coming home after a short vacation or something, but the visions never included Celestia or other random ponies. Maybe this wasn't him just seeing things?
He was so lost in his musing that e didn't notice the sun dip below the horizon to allow the moon to take its place in the night sky. However when he looked up he nearly passed out from shear happiness, the image of the Mare in the Moon was gone from the face of the lunar object. This could only mean one thing for him... Luna has finally returned.
POV Celestia present time
As we enter the dining hall, we find seats at the long table I normally use to entertain foreign diplomats. After the food was ordered and we are all settled the six mares in front of me look towards me expectantly.
"Well I believe I should begin at the start. Now listen closely my little ponies, this tale is one I do not tell often and don't like to repeat." the Solar Alicorn explained.
POV Celestia
"Now before you judge Ally by what I'm about to tell you, You must understand the times we were in when he showed up in our land." Said the alabaster princess.
"I'm sure it can't be that bad, can it?" The lavender unicorn sitting at the table spoke up.
"I assure you, if you were to know all of what happened you might never sleep again for fear of the nightmares it would give you. Now, when Alucard appeared Equestria was at war with the allied forces of the Minotaurs and Griffons. At first we thought he was a spy sent to gather information on our troop placements and such, but after some time we noticed that he wasn't trying to escape his imprisonment. Luna thought he was just buying time to make us drop our guard, however I had a feeling that he wasn't here for evil. So one day i took a stroll down into the dungeons and confronted him about it, and the answers I received were most disturbing. It turns out he was NOT a spy, but he was sent to our land albeit against his will." Celestia explained while they all waited for their lunches to arrive.
"Wait, what do you mean he was sent here against his will?" Twilight asked.
"What I mean is that he is not of our world, Twilight. He was sent here by chance and he is stranded here for all eternity, considering he is immortal like Luna and I."
"How did you know he wasn't lying to you to get you to let him out?" Rainbow Dash asked looking skeptical.
"If you all remember, both me and my sister were the embodiment's of the Elements of Harmony. While Luna was the holder of Magic, Laughter and Generosity. I was the Holder of Loyalty, Kindness and Honesty, and I'm sure Applejack here knows what being the Element of Honesty means."
"Ah do, ah can spot a lie from a mile away." the farm pony confirms.
"So I could tell he was telling the truth when he explained his situation to me. He was sent here after he purchased a set of armor from a merchant in his home dimension, and he ended up landing in our old castle's courtyard nearly giving poor Lulu here a heart attack." Celestia said with a giggle.
"Tia! That's not funny!I thought the griffons were attacking or something!" The lunar mare replied.
"Anyway, once he told me of his plight, we released him from our custody. Once he was free, he did the most unexpected thing ever! He thanked us, and when we asked him why he told us that back where he was from... prisoners were tortured or mutilated for information and he was grateful we didn't do anything like that to him." Celestia continued. "After that, he asked if there was anything he could do in exchange for a place to live. so we asked him what kinds of skills and abilities he possessed. Turns out that he used to be a prince back where he came from and was well versed in war tactics, he even knew how to lead troops into battle properly. Something very few ponies knew how to do considering how our morality is shifted towards the lighter end of the spectrum."
"Once we learned this we offered him the position of General and full command of our forces. Normally we were careful who we entrusted with this job, mainly because of how one mistake can bring about the deaths of so many soldiers. After his first confrontation with the griffon army however we saw a side of him that still frightens us to this day. When the killing started,he did not stay back and command from a distance like most officers would. He charged into combat along side the ponies who served under him as if he were one of them! The sight of him tearing through countless enemies with such ferocity can still give me nightmares sometimes." Said the solar princess.
"But I'm afraid that isn't what is most disturbing about Alucard, It's his supernatural abilities that are most frightening. When we first saw his wreak havoc on the field of battle, we were appalled at what we saw! Alucard consumed those who fell to his blade... and then when he was finished they would rise again and start slaughtering their own brothers in arms. It was truly terrifying to say the least."
"And so, after a full year of war after he arrived, the allied forces agreed to make peace with us to stop further bloodshed. So started the Era of Peace that is still going to this very day." Celestia concluded. "Any questions, my little ponies?"
Twilight raised her hoof in the air. "How long ago did he get here?"
"He appeared in our courtyard just over 1,003 years ago." Luna answered.
This time it was Rainbow Dash that spoke up. "So you mean to say that this guy eats MEAT? Wasn't letting a carnivore live with you guys dangerous?!"
"He isn't strictly a carnivore miss Dash. He happens to be an Omnivore, capable of eating both animal and plant matter. And to answer your second question, not really no." Luna replied.
"What other powers did he have?!" Pinkie asks.
"Well he was able to do a lot of things, he would even mimic unicorn magic and levitate objects." Celestia explained.
"Princess, can I talk to him? I would love to gather information about his old world and what is was like to live there!" Twilight said with stars dancing in her eyes.
"No! I forbid any of you from approaching him. We don't know what his mental state is like, he lived in isolation for a thousand years remember? If he knows Luna is free from her banishment, he will come to us eventually. Then you may ask him all the questions you like, Twilight." Celestia exclaimed. "Now if there aren't anymore questions, you might want to head on back to Ponyville."
And with no more questions to ask, mainly because those who didn't speak were too shocked or disturbed to do so, they all left the castle and boarded a train heading back t the small rural town.
Two months have passed, and in that time Equestria has had a couple major events. The first was The Grand Galloping Gala, and this year... it was truly entertaining. It might have even made Discord proud. Speaking of Discord, He's already been released and sealed again. Alucard barely noticed Discords magic before it was gone.
During this time everypony, including Alucard, went about their business as usual. Unless you don't count having a nervous breakdown and shutting down for almost two months to be usual business for Alucard. He felt that he failed as a friend and as a husband, so he stayed at the castle and barely left to do anything besides hunt.
Now, the entire city of Canterlot was preparing for the next big event that would change the lives of many. However none of them were working as hard as the six mares left in charge of major parts of the event. This event was none other than the Royal Wedding... and things might just take a turn for the worst this time.
It's now the day before the ceremony, and things are going according to everypony's plans. Including those who aren't so great... But there was a storm brewing in the distance, and at its front was a tall biped shrouded in polished black armor and murderous intent written upon its face. How did this storm come about? It happened several nights ago when Alucard was sitting upon this stone throne looking at the clear night sky and full moon.
Darkness fell on the castle just like any other night, and the lone biped sat on his old throne just like any other night. But unlike any other night he was about to be visited by someone he thought dead. Sitting with his eyes closed as they were, he heard her before he saw her.
"Hello Ally, it's been a while hasn't it?" Before him stood the one being that could overpower him if she so chose, Queen Faust herself, although she wasn't completely here right now. It was more like a ghostly apparition. "Ally, listen to me, In a few days time your wife and sister will be invaded by a species of Celestia's own creation. I can't tell you how they came into being, Cell has to tell you that part, but I can tell you that many will die if you don't assist in the city's defense, including your wife and sister. I believe it is time for the Nightwalker to make his appearance, don't you?" she said with a smirk etched into her muzzle.
"If my family and subjects are put in harms way, I will raze entire kingdoms if I must." The shadowy biped replied.
"You must prepare for the attack my son, nopony deserves what is coming. Also, Don't forget, anypony can change. You just need to give them a chance to try.
The morning of the wedding found everypony getting last minute preparations in order, they were so busy that they failed to notice one important thing. Somepony was missing... Twilight Sparkle was nowhere to be found in the castle or even the city. Only one other being knew of the insidious plot brewing right under the noses of the royals, and he was on his way to end it before it even started.
Covered in his polished black armor and crimson red cloak, Alucard lead his undead troops toward Canterlot, where he could already see the amassing army ready to lay siege to the ivory city. Among his troops were Griffons with varying states of decay, some were even missing limbs or were disemboweled. One of the undead birds was bigger than the others, a former officer. He carried the Vampire King on his back as the group flew towards the white and gold spires that made up Canterlot.
In the distance Alucard could see the dome surrounding the city started to shatter in the combined force of the enemy forces, urging his troops to move faster they arrived minutes after the start of the attack. Fortunately there were no casualties so far. and without hesitating he ordered his nearly two hundred griffons to start taking down the enemy, which turned out to be insectoid ponies.
He jumped off the griffons back and plummeted toward the castle, aiming for one of the windows.
A few minutes prior, Throne Room
"Twilight here was suspicious of my behavior all along!" Chrysalis exclaimed. "but that won't even matter soon enough. My changeling army will soon descend upon this worthless city! And there's nothing any of you can do about it!"
Then the shield surrounding the city starts to crumble, allowing the insects to rain from the skies and lay waste to the city below. the sounds of screaming and destruction could be heard all the way inside the castle.
Just then one of the windows shattered and a tall cloaked being fell through and rolled to its feet. When it stood to its full height, everypony in the room could tell it was bipedal. They could also see that it was just as tall as the princesses.
POV Alucard
After crashing through the window, I stand to my full height and look around the room from under the hood of my cloak. One glance revealed everything i needed to know about the situation so far, one hostile and several hostages, including the princess. The hostile was one of the insectoid ponies like the ones outside, but this one looked more powerful. The Queen maybe? Then the giant double doors burst open causing three dozen insectoids to come flooding into the room.
"I don't know who you think you are creature, but you are no match for me and my army. Surrender now o die!" Shouted he bug queen.
"You don't seem to realize just who you're threatening BUG !" i replied while scanning the room for any hidden hostiles that could make things harder for me.
"you insolent MONGREL!" She screamed, blinded by anger. "KILL THIS INSIGNIFICANT ANIMAL!"
The three dozen insectoids all charge me at once, and when they all get within several feet of where I'm standing they drop to the ground and start cowering like newborns.
"My my, it seems that your troops can sense things you cannot... They can sense what another beings feelings. Would you like to know what I'm feeling right now? I wouldn't mind telling you, you know." I say not breaking eye contact with the bug queen.
"Why should I care about what you're feeling, mongrel?" She answers.
"Because when you're dead, I want you to know why..." I say before taking a step towards the group of subdued ponies. The queen gets in front of me to halt my advance.
"Stay right where you are creature, these ponies are mine. Go find your own, before you get hurt... now SCRAM!" She shouts in my direction.
"Ya know, that would be intimidating... if you were, well... intimidating." I say from under my hood.
"Are you mocking me?!" I can see I'm starting to get to her.
"Oh no, no no pffft yea!" I can barely hold my laughter in check as I continue trying to provoke her into attacking.
"RRAAAAAAHHHH!!" Seething with anger she launches a massive blast of magic at me, easily the size of a small house.
With the huge blast heading my way I stand my ground and don't move. Taking the blast full in the face I get thrown to the other end of the room. When I try to get up I find that I can't feel one of my arms and legs... upon inspection I see that my left arm and right leg are both completely missing.
POV Twilight
The tall biped was now slumped against the wall at the far end of the room, and blood was seeping out from under its cloak! Why? Why did he have to fight her?
Tears starting forming in my eyes, I hated seeing others suffer like this! I almost didn't notice the blood moving almost in reverse, flowing back into the creatures body! How is it doing that?!
Once all of the blood had returned to the creature its limbs suddenly grew back! How is this happening?!? Now the creature was standing back up, like nothing even happened!
Looking at Chrysalis I could see that she was flabbergasted by what she was seeing, and I can agree with her on this. That amount of magic could hand killed the princess, and this unknown creature just walked it off as if it were nothing!
"Now that we have that out of the way. I will tell you why you should be afraid of me..." The biped spoke in a tone that could freeze water solid in seconds. It reached up to its hood and gripped the edges, pulling back the fabric.
Once the creatures face was clear of the hood I almost couldn't believe what I was seeing. Standing where i thought maybe a Diamond Dog or small dragon would have been, was none other than Alucard!
POV Alucard
Now that my face is visible, the mares that are tied up along side the princess recognize me for who I am... the one they saw at the castle a few months ago. I walk over to one of the changelings that are still on the floor shaking like leaves. Reaching down, I pick one up by the neck.
"The reason you should fear me, is because i don't take kindly to those who try to hurt my loved ones and/or subjects." By now the sounds outside the castle are gone and the fighting has stopped, and only ten of my hundred or so griffons are destroyed. " Oh, and your army? It's gone, completely wiped out by my griffons." Just as i finish speaking the doors to the room are thrown open once again and this time half of my undead forces march into the room to stand behind me.
Still holding the changeling in my left hand, I reach for its horn. Gripping the horn in my right hand, i give it a sharp wrench to the side. The sharp snapping sound it gave off is music to my ears! I then reach down to my belt and withdraw a wicked six inch black steel dagger with a serrated edge, and without warning I plunge the blade into the chest of my captive all the way to the hilt. After a few seconds, I withdraw my blade from the dead changeling.
"Now, before i make my decision on weather I should kill you or not, I have to ask. What did you hope to accomplish by doing this?" I say as a run my tongue along the blade, strangely enough the blood tasted sour. "also tell me your name, I don't feel like calling you bug all the time."
POV Chrysalis
"My subjects and I were starving... our food source isn't something we can obtain from just foraging or farming. My species is called 'Changeling' by the other races of this foul world. They label us as monsters and shun us where ever we go because of what we eat to survive. We eat raw unaltered emotions, the most powerful being love. We feed on the energy that other creatures give off when they are feeling strong emotions, but others see us as parasites that steal these things from them. When we feed on the emotions that leak out, nothing happens to the other creature, it is only when we actively feed on another that there are negative effects. Simply being in the presence of strong emotions can sustain us, But ponies never listened to us. They just saw a monster ruining their town or city!
Where ever we went we were either hunted like animals or driven from society for trying to survive like everyone else. This land has so much love leaking from it our food shortage could have been solved in less than a month if we were allowed to speak for ourselves without being discriminated against like we were. This isn't what I wanted to do in order to save my children, but these heartless ponies forced me to take more drastic measures. If I had waited any longer to get help my kind would have died to starvation by today. Also, my name is Queen Chrysalis, may I have your name?"
"I have many names, but my true name is Alucard." The creature stated.
POV Alucard
"So you never wanted to do all of this but the ponies of this kingdom forced you to near extinction?" I almost couldn't believe what i was hearing but i knew first hand how stubborn and fearful these ponies could be.
"yes, I regret having to shed innocent blood because of a few bad apples."
I look at one of the changelings still on the floor and approach it, once it sees me coming closer it starts shaking more violently. "It's okay, I'm not going to hurt you, I need you to do something. I want you to remove the gag from the princess so she can talk, okay?"
The changeling looks at me then to Chrysalis, "why should he do what you say?"
"I want to hear Celestia's excuse, I already know she's going to deny it though." I reply giving Celestia a look that could sour milk. "So just do it already, it's getting late and i haven't slept in a a while so lets wrap this up before i start getting cranky."
The changeling gets up on its shaky hooves and moves over to where Celestia is tied up, lighting its horn it pulls the green substance away from her mouth so she can speak freely.
"Alucard you traitor! When I get free I'll send you personally to the SUN for this!" She screams from her spot on the floor.
I walk up to her and kneel down a bit so that I'm on eye level with her. *SMACK* I slap her upside the head to shut her up. "Be quiet Sunbutt, and give us all your side of the story here, I don't have all day."
Shock, that's what I see on her face after I slap her. "Her kind are nothing more than leeches that destroy lives. Why should I try to explain something everypony here already knows?"
"Ya know Cell, that right there. That's why you are no longer the Element of Honesty." I deadpan right in her face.
"What are you talking about?"
"I'm saying that you just told a lie, princess ." I say with a smug smile on my face.
"I didn't lie you traitor, I'm disappointed in you. Normally my sister is a good judge of character, I should have believed her long ago when she said you were nothing but trouble!"
"I suppose I should tell you How I knew about this invasion before hand shouldn't I? Well to make a long story short, I didn't. That is until a certain somepony came to me with a warning about it. That somepony also told me a little secret, a very dark secret about you Cell." I say as I stand up and move back towards my griffons.
"What I learned deeply disturbed me, and you of all ponies should know what it takes to disturb me Celestia." I say as a turn back to face the ponies and changeling queen in front of me. "Chrysalis isn't just the Queen of some random insectoid ponies that appeared out of nowhere Celestia, I know the truth."
Celestia's eye widen in fear as her ears become plastered to her skull. "Y-you know? But h-how?"
"One word, Mother." I say with as little emotion on my face as possible. "Mother came to me a few days ago and warned me of this attack, she also told me how the changeling race came into existence. YOU CREATED THEM CELESTIA! Then from what Chrysalis has told me you had the gall the banish them out of prejudice hate! I'm ashamed of you Celestia, I thought the Element of Kindness would be more compassionate towards those less fortunate than herself!" By the end of my rant I was nearly out of breath.
After I catch my breath, I continue. "So, now that your little secret is out Celestia are you going to act your age and solve this peacefully like it SHOULD HAVE BEEN at the start? Or will there be more pointless bloodshed?"
"I-I'm willing to try, that is if Chrysalis can forgive me." she replied looking utterly defeated for the second time since I've met her.
I look to Chrysalis for her answer. "As long as she keeps her word and no more of my subjects are killed, I can forgive her."
"Well there's your answer Celestia, if you had talked this out at the beginning, who knows how many live you could have saved. But you didn't and their deaths are on your shoulders Celestia." And with that said i go over to a pillar and lay down resting my back against it. "Now get your talks done, and if i so much as catch a whiff of hostility I'LL RIP YOU FUCKING THROATS OUT. Goodnight Cell." and with that i close my eye and drift f to sleep.
POV Alucard
As I rejoin the waking world I feel something poking me in the leg. Cracking one eye open I see a maid of some sort trying to wake me for something I dunno.
"Um, sir... the princess asked me to fetch you. She said she wishes to discuss something that happened earlier, If you will please follow me." The maid explained.
*yawn* "So, what's your name miss...?" I ask trying to be polite even though every fiber of my being wants to throw up.
"My name is Silver Platter, I work as a serving maid in the kitchens." She replied not looking away from where she was going. She seems to be scared of something.
"Are you afraid of me Silver?" I ask already knowing the answer.
"W-well it's just t-that I've n-never s-seen something like y-you before." Yep, completely scared out of her fur.
"Well don't be, I'm not about to eat one of my subjects. Rest assured that I don't eat sapient beings, heck I rarely eat meat much anymore." I say absentmindedly.
"Y-y-you e-eat m-m-meat?!" The mare looks downright terrified now, thanks mouth you always know just what to say!
"Indeed I do, But like I said, I don't eat ponies. I haven't eaten another sentient being in over a thousand years so don't be afraid of me. It almost hurts my feelings that one of my subjects fears me so!" I give a mock pout after that last bit.
"Um, Sir? Why do you call me one of your subjects? Are you related to the princesses or something? Oh, um, if you want to share..." Aaaand back to being nervous, I was hoping she would start opening up when I heard those questions come out. Even though I'm not very keen on answering them.
"Well I am related to them, But I can't say how. I'm sorry, I wish I could tell you but I don't want to make Celestia angry at me again." At this point we reach another room and she waves for me to go inside.
Opening the door I see a very large wooden table that looked like it could seat two dozen comfortably. Walking inside I take note of my surroundings, sitting at the table are the six mares from earlier along with Celestia and Chrysalis, I guess they really kept their promise then. I still haven't seen Luna since that night two months ago at the old castle. I might ask Celestia about that. Seeing that the seat next to Chrysalis is empty, I take my place there.
"So, how did the talk go sister?" I ask.
"Well I have to apologize to you and Chrysalis, I was being rather foalish. Can you forgive me little brother?" Celestia replied trying to look apologetic.
"I can so long as Chrissy here does, oh and you better accept our new family member Tia, or I might be upset with you for shunning one of our own." I say without looking away from Celestia.
It was at this time that the purple unicorn on the other side of the table spoke up, she seemed rather peeved about something too.
"How dare you speak to the princess like that, I don't believe for one second that you're related to her in ANY WAY. I can't believe the extreme disrespect I am seeing right now."
At this I look at Celestia with a raised eyebrow. "You didn't tell her did you?"
"It might have slipped my mind at the time, Ally... sorry about that." She gave a sheepish smile.
"Might I know your names? The only ones I know currently at this table are Celestia and Chrissy here."
After a quick introduction of the group I learned that the purple one from earlier is Celestia's personal student. Go figure... I also found out that these mares were the new wielders of the Elements, and I think they couldn't be in better hooves.
"Well miss Sparkle, I can speak this way to sunbutt here because of one simple fact. I'm related to her." The only jaw tat wasn't on the table was Celestia's since she already knew about me.
"How? I've read every book on the history of Equestria and it never mentioned a Royal Wedding before today's!" Twilight said, not understanding what really happened and I couldn't really blame her.
"You wouldn't be able to read about a Royal Wedding before this one simply because there never was one before now. Me and my wife eloped instead of having a big drawn out ceremony."
Then she asked the one question I wasn't ready to answer yet. "And who was your wife anyway? I mean you keep calling Princess Celestia 'sister' does that mean your wife is-"
"Me..." Oh god please not now! We look over to the door of the dining room to see a midnight blue pony with a deep blue mane standing there. Standing right there was none other than Lunicae Nebula, my wife... and boy did she look pissed. This won't end well.
The silence in the dining room was so thick, it was nearly visible... or maybe that was the huge blue beam of magic flying at me from the doorway.
The beam slammed into me and ripped me from my chair, it then carried me across the room to the other wall. I hit the wall and slumped down to the floor racked with pain. Nearly losing consciousness I assess the damage and it looks like I have several broken ribs and internal bruises. Although the majority of my injuries were from the attack I took from Chrysalis earlier it seems like the blast I just took compounded them.
Looking up from my position on the floor I was greeted by the sight of the midnight blue alicorn looking down at me. "Oh shit!" She then picks me up with magic and throws me back across the room to the other side. I land short of the wall and slide against the floor a bit before coming to a stop. Struggling to my feet I frantically look around for the enraged blue demon. Then something whispers into my ear.
"Behind you..."
Whirling around I met with a hoof to the face and I was sent to the floor once again. During the entire exchange so far the rest of the rooms occupants were too stunned or unsure what was going on to do anything to help me... not that they could help me anyway but I digress. I lay face down on the floor hoping that she would give up and quit this assault soon, oh how wrong I was.
"You can't fool me into stopping dear Ally. She said, her voice positively dripping with anger. She then proceeded to punt me through the air once more causing me to land on the table, promptly crushing it into kindling and splinters. Boy am I lucky I decided to keep my armor on after the battle with Chrysalis earlier, I might not be here right now if i hadn't.
If I was struggling to stand before, now it was nearly impossible to even attempt it. It looked like she was going in for the finisher with her hoof raised above my head ready to stomp me into oblivion. Then I heard Celestia speak up. "I think he has had enough dear sister, don't you? If you continue he might not survive this time." Her statement was punctuated by a giggle.
"I believe you are correct sister, GUARDS!" Just then almost a dozen armored unicorns and pegasi burst into the room with spears at the ready. "I would like you to take our guest here to the infirmary, it seems his injuries are more severe than we had previously anticipated."
As I was being carried away I turned my head to look at the blue monstrosity that had reduced me to a pile of jelly on the floor. "Yea, love you too hun..." I then passed out from the pain.
POV Celestia
As I watched Ally being carted away to the infirmary I looked around the now destroyed table at the six other ponies that just witnessed the one sided battle.
It took nearly five minutes for Twilight to recover enough to turn to me and ask a single question.
"What was that about princess?"
"I believe Luna can answer this question far better than I can. If you wouldn't mind Lulu." I replied, turning to look at my sister who had taken Ally's old seat. I then turn my attention to the smashed table before me, lighting up my horn it is engulfed in a bright flash of light. Once the light subsides the table looks like it was never destroyed to begin with.
"It is very simple dear Twilight, I was merely keeping a promise I had made to him before my banishment." The blue alicorn said not looking away from the menu a servant had placed in front of her.
"And that promise was to beat him to a pulp the next time you saw him, correct princess?" Twilight asked looking a tad green at the scene she had just seen.
"Why of course not twilight... I told him the next time he got himself hurt in one of his stupid ideas, THEN I would beat him to a pulp." She said finally choosing her meal, which consisted of a grilled cheese sandwich and tomato soup. After the servant had left to fulfill the order she turned back to the group at the table.
"So what exactly did he do this time dear sister? Considering the condition he was in before my beating he must have been put through the ringer quite thoroughly."
I told her about what had happened at the ceremony and how he had taken Chrysalis's blast head on. The rest of the group started to look a bit ill when i described his injuries from the blast. Right after I had finished recounting the ordeal the doors to the room opened and Shining and Cadence walked in, they were so absorbed in one another they hadn't noticed Chrysalis sitting at the table.
They sat down taking seats next to one another beside Twilight and her friends, completely oblivious to the Changeling queen sitting across the table from them. Once they had been seated and made their choices on food, they finally noticed her.
Shining Armor was the first to speak up. "What is she doing here princess?" Venom nearly pouring our of his tone.
"I see you have noticed our guest Shining. May I introduce you to your cousin Chrysalis." I say in a matter of fact kind of voice.
It took Shining a full minute to recover, "COUSIN!? How is she related to us?!"
"I will explain it all to you, but first I feel I must once again apologize to you Chrissy. If you were to hate me for all the pain and suffering I've caused you I would understand entirely." I say, then I turn back to the couple in front of me. "I must apologize to you two as well, I wasn't always the kind ruler you see before you now, I use to be full of insecurities and the like. One of them involved young Chrysalis here. You see, When I had banished my sister a piece of the Limelight remained. The Limelight was a parasitic being that could sense and siphon emotions to feed itself and when it was sent to the moon along with Luna, it left a portion of its power behind. I found this scrap of energy and contained it. I had hoped that by studying it, I could find a way to destroy it and cleanse my sister of it's influence once and for all."
"However, after several years of testing and experimentation, I made a mistake. During another experiment, one that was along side Starswirl the Bearded, an Animation spell went astray and struck the energy. When the smoke cleared we checked on the energy to make sure it hadn't gotten out, but when we looked into the container we had placed it in... we saw nothing except a tiny Chrysalis. Just to make sure nothing would happen, I took the child into my care. That is until I found out that it had inherited the Limelight's emotion siphoning ability. I immediately banished her from the kingdom out of fear that she would turn out to be the same power hungry parasite like its predecessor had."
"I see now, that I had wrongfully sent a child into a very unforgiving and hostile world. It was because of me that Chrysalis turned out how she had and I have no excuse for it." I say letting my ears droop.
"Is that all true aunt Celestia?" I look up and see Cadence nearly crying. Something I hadn't expected, I thought both her and Shining would hate me for what I did.
"Yes, I am to blame for what has happened here today. And since I was the one who created her, The makes me her mother." I say hanging my head in shame.
It was then I felt a leg wrap around me, pulling me into a hug. "I already told you that I forgive you, is it really so hard to forgive yourself?" Chrysalis said stroking my mane. I felt another set of hooves around me, followed by another, then another until every pony in the room had joined in.
"Thank you, thank you all so much." Was all I could say before the tears started falling from my eyes. Today had started out horrible, but all it really takes is one friend to make your worst day seem so much brighter. It seems I learned something about friendship this time, maybe Twilight would like to hear it sometime.
POV Alucard
The feeling of coming back to the waking world was not very pleasant this time around, simply because body felt like it had been hit with a mountain... twice! Now that my vision is starting to come back, lets look at where they put me... yup infirmary alright. This sucks, I know what nurses are like in these places. A shiver runs down my spine just thinking of Nurse Injection from the war staff, that mare sure loved her needles.
The door opens and a pure white mare with a pale pink mane and tail walked in. "Good morning sir, I hope you are feeling okay now. Our medical staff couldn't work on you last night due to your unique biology so we left you alone after our scans showed your body was slowly healing itself."
"that's fine nurse..."
"Oh, my name is Nurse Snowheart, pleasure to meet you." She replied giving me her name at last. If you feel like you can walk around just fine, your more than welcome to leave if you wish."
"Thank you miss Snowheart, I'll be seeing you around then." I say as I stand from the bed and make my way out into the hall. Turning back to the door I poke my head in, "How long was I out for anyway?"
"Oh, you were out for about fourteen hours."
With that knowledge I quickly found a nearby guard, who thankfully didn't try to attack me. Maybe Tia told them about me already. I had him escort me to the throne room, he informed me that everypony was in the dining hall eating breakfast. Upon arriving at the throne room I entered and allowed the guard to return to his previous task.
Since neither of the princesses were in the room the guards weren't in here at the moment, so without hesitating I walked up the stairs and sat on the throne. A few minutes later I had fallen asleep.
POV Alucard
I awoke to the sound of cracking glass. Raising my head I see a crimson dome with a spiderweb of cracks spread out on the front. Looking past the barrier I see a white unicorn stallion with a blond mane and sky blue eyes.
"Who, pray tell, are you young unicorn?" I say letting my barrier slowly repair itself. It's a good thing I put one up after before I dozed off that second time. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice shame on me. I was not going to get hit with magic a third time so soon. though I do have to give this stallion some respect, for him to have damaged it so badly speaks volumes for his prowess as a unicorn. But something felt off about this one, and I aim to find out what.
"I am Prince Blueblood, and I have allowed your vile presence in this castle for too long creature !" Blueblood replied with a scowl.
"Well young prince, I'm afraid you simply do not have the authority to make me leave. Only my wife has that power." During the conversation I was analyzing the strange energy that seems to be affecting the young stallion. After a few seconds I nearly bolted from the throne, I knew that magic felt familiar!
"I have all the authority I need to make you disappear, monster ." He continues, but I've already stopped listening to him and started forming a plan to pull the energy out of his system. Finally I just decide to knock him out first.
Standing from the throne, I start to make my way towards the young prince. I get withing striking distance and decide to take the easy route for a change, I slam a sleep spell into his face! Not very elegant but it gets the job done as he slumps to the floor snoring slightly. I then grip his horn and lift his head from the ground. Channeling a bit of power I use it to draw in the offending energy and concentrate it in his horn so that I can pull it out without harming him too badly. Once it was all centered in his horn I start drawing out the energy as carefully as i can.
Needless to say this process isn't very pleasant. In fact it is quite painful to have done. However it is the only way to remove every last bit, so I have no choice.
Once the energy is all drained out of him I pick him up and sling him over my left shoulder. I take him out into the hallway where i flag down a passing guard, Handing the stallion to the guard I have him take the prince to the infirmary for me. Once that is taken care of I head back into the throne room and sit back down on the gold and ivory throne.
One hour later
The door to the rooms opens and the six mares, Tia and Lulu walk in. They're followed by two ponies I don't recognize. One is a white unicorn stallion with a two tone blue mane and a shield with a six pointed arcane star for a cutie mark. The other is surprisingly an alicorn! She's pink with a three tone mane of pink, purple, and pale yellow. and a cutie mark of... the Crystal Heart, now I'm confused.
"hello dear family and subjects, I hope breakfast was a pleasant affair today." I say not getting up from the chair. "I hope you are doing okay this fine morning, because I have some serious news."
"And what would that be little brother?" Tia replied from off to the side.
"It appears our local Chaos Mage sank his claws into young prince Blueblood. I've already taken care of him, but he'll be waking up in the infirmary with a headache and wondering what happened to him."
"Thank you Ally, I'm glad to have you back. Little brother." Tia said with a smile.
POV ???
A cloaked figure stood in the back of a pitch black cave, located somewhere to the east of Canterlot. In front of him stands a pedestal which holds a clear crystal ball. After a few seconds of standing still the figure's horn starts to glow an eerie, almost sickly green color. The unicorn's aura surrounds the crystal ball for a moment and then fades. Then a voice issues forth from the clear ball.
"Have you made any progress with the test subjects I sent you?" The voice was deep and had an ominous boom to it, making it sound like it was coming form multiple directions from within the cave system.
"Of course sire, this batch of test subjects have taken quite well to the injections we've been applying. But some were still failures, and we may require more subjects in order to perfect the serum before we make our final preparations, my Lord." The unicorn replied in a slightly nasally voice.
"If it's more guinea pigs you need, then you shall have them. Expect a fresh group in four days time my loyal servant." And with that the connection drops with an rumbling, echoing chuckle that reverberated throughout the caves
POV Faust
The scene fades from her mind, having just witnessed the conversation between the unicorn and it's master. She needed to prepare a scroll and send it to Alucard before it was too late. What ever those two had planned, she knew Alucard wouldn't res until he put a sop to it if it would put his family and subjects in danger.
POV Alucard
Since our little conversation in the throne room me and the princesses have retired to the private sitting room to begin discussing more important matters
"So Ally, can I ask you something?"Tia says taking a sip of her Chai tea.
"I believe you just asked me one sister." I respond with a smirk.
"I meant a serious one, I wanted to know how you discovered the Chaos magic in young Blueblood's body."
"Indeed Al, how did you know?" Luna asks while leaning against my side and resting her head on my shoulder.
"How much do you two know about Chaos magic?" I ask while pouring myself another cup of tea.
"We don't know all that much, since Discord if the only being with near full control of it." Luna replies from my shoulder.
"Then let me tell you a little more about it, I've come to understand it quite well over these last thousand years. Chaos magic isn't obtained through ordinary means, in order of gain the ability to use Chaos magic... one must understand more than what is possible for a single mind. This form of magic draws its power not from within... but from everything around us. For example, if Discord were here and the two of you got into an argument... he would gain more power. That's how it works fundamentally."
"Now, in order to understand more than what most accept as reality, the mind must first be broken. Once the mind of a being has been shattered, one of two things can happen. Option one it that their mind slowly repairs itself back to the way it was by putting itself into a comatose like state. Once the individual is in this state no outside force can interrupt the process until it is finished."
"The other option is one that is better off never being experienced by mortals. Option two involves a much darker set of circumstances. Once the mind of an individual is shattered like this... one has to make a choice. The choice to accept reality or to reject it. And for those who choose to rehect the reality around them, they remain as they are. Shattered until they come to an understanding. This can take as little time as a day, or as long as a lifetime. But eventually the individual comes to a conclusion, and that conclusion is always the same for everyone."
"The conclusion all Chaos mages come to, is that reality is what we make of it. And it makes sense that way, if one of them were to believe that something is so, then the forces of the magic bend to that individuals will to make it so. For example, if I wanted to turn your crowns into chocolate, all I would need to do is apply enough willpower and the magic that built up inside of me would mix with that willpower and change your crowns into chocolate wrapped in gold foil."
"But there is another facet of Chaos magic that is what you two are already aware of. It is called Chaos Explosion, this happens when a Chaos magic user stops using their magic for a certain length of time. At which point the magic they have been accumulating will start to overflow into their immediate surroundings. Forcing the magic to take random effects and live up to its name sake, Chaos."
"Discord is a prime example of this affliction. His buildup of Chaos magic is extremely fast, so do the two of you know what that means?"
"That his magic would start to overflow faster?" Luna responds with her head still resting on my shoulder.
"Indeed, now you two understand why he uses his magic so frequently. If he stopped I dare say his overflow would destroy the planet. When Chaos magic starts to overflow like that, there is no will driving it for a singular purpose like always. So in turn the magic does what ever it wants regardless of what the consequences might be. It would reverse gravity for the whole planet if it wanted, or it could turn all your gold into lead. do you see what I'm getting at?"
"I think I understand, but I want to know how you found out all of this." Tia asks from the other side of the table.
"Well how about I show you?" I say while slipping off one of my black steel gauntlets. Once it's free I snap my fingers and in a burst of red light a glass of strawberry milk appears on the table. "I know all of this because I myself have acquired Chaos magic dear sister. And before you ask, no I won't explain it to you right now. It is getting quite late and I haven't gotten proper sleep in a while. I will however tell you over breakfast in the morning."
A short walk later found me and Luna outside her bedchambers. The doors were painted black with a depiction of a crescent moon and starry night, how very fitting.
After a quick shower I magicked up some night clothes for myself and climbed into bed beside my beautiful moon goddess. Within minutes I was sucked into a dreamless sleep.
However unbeknownst either of us a scroll appeared in a black flash with a magenta ribbon tied around it and fell onto Luna's writing desk on the far side of the room.
A Day With A bookworm Pt. 2
POV Alucard During The War
Two armies gathered on opposite sides of a ravaged valley, some would later say that the battle had placed a curse on that very place, but as the two forces prepared for the massive battle that would surely put all previous ones to shame there was one being who was more anxious than the rest. His name was Alucard Solaris, now most stallions would scoff at the male taking the females name during marriage. But what happens when the "stallion" doesn't have a last name to pass to the mare?
Now, this wasn't the average grunt of the military... no he was in command of the massive army on his side of the valley. With all that was going on, any other commander would be nervous... but this wasn't his first battle as commander. By now he had participated in over a dozen major conflicts over the last several months. Now only hours away from possibly ending the entire war on the battlefield below, he preps his armor and weapons. On a rack of armor rested a set of matte black armor that gleamed in the soft lantern light inside of the tent. Next to the armor leaning against the wall was a polished longsword that looks far too large to handle by the average pony. Then again this wasn't your average pony, in fact he wasn't a pony at all! He was in reality an immortal vampire from another dimension, sounds insane to the average passerby. But one thing anyone must know about Alucard is the word insane... because that was his personality just about half of the time. Now getting ready for battle was something he as accustomed to by now as the war has been raging for the past few months. And in that time there have been many close calls.
With the rest of the camp buzzing with activity Alucard finished placing his armor on and strapped his sword to his side. Stepping out of his tent he made his way to the staging area to brief his second in command on the plan, which in fact was nearly suicidal even for Alucard.
Entering the tent a maroon pegasus stallion looked up from the map and saw him. "Good day commander, I hope preparations are coming together nicely?"
"Indeed they are Striker however there has been a change in the plan, a rather large change I must say." Alucard replied to the warrior.
"What has changed? From what I can see of the enemy they haven't changed course yet." Striker asked looking rather confused.
"That's the reason for the change in plans. I have a feeling, I can't quite place it but I don't like it one bit. That's why I'm going down there alone to fight them while you all stay here and fight from a distance." The vampire explained.
"Now hold on a minute sir, you mean to tell me you intend to fight that army by yourself? It's not that I don't think you can. I'm just trying to remind you what Princess Luna would do if she found out about this." Striker said with a bit of fear mixed in his voice.
"I know perfectly well what she would do Steel, she would probably beat me to within an inch of my immortal life then heal me and start over again." Alucard said with a wide grin and walked out of the tent.
He walked to the edge of the camp and continued to walk down into the valley down below the two massive armies, from where he was he would estimate the opposing army to be around fifty thousand strong. He could easily take that himself if he could release his full power, but his wife and her sister asked him to not use it after that first time as it still gave his soldiers nightmares.
As he approached the center of the valley a darkness spread from his location. As it spread forms began to rise from the ground and slowly take shape. As the figures began to take their full forms they were revealed to be the rotting corpses of battles prior to the one about to commence, among their ranks were various griffons and minotaurs, but there was another shape rising above the rest. In the back of the undead army rose a massive shadow that easily towered above anything in sight, and that shadow solidified to unveil a massive reptilian beast with four heads.
A hydra now stood over the battlefield and towered over the undead force massed underneath it. By now the griffons and minotaurs have seen the vampire and his army down below them in the valley and had started mobilizing their own forces, if they thought they could win with a couple of rotting corpses then let them try.
Back on the battlefield the two opposing armies gathered ready to end this war once and for all. The griffons and minotaurs hoped they could bring down Alucard while Alucard was hoping to completely destroy their forces here and cripple their advances elsewhere.
POV Alucard
I watch as the avian and bovine army approached my location once both of our armies were in position... they charged.
**"GO FORTH MY CHILDREN AND TEAR THEM ASUNDER, LEAVE NOTHING LEFT AS WE RIP THEM TO PIECES!!" * I bellow as my undead troops follow suit. I charge along side my men as we clash with the enemy in front of us, the sounds of battle ring out across the valley. Cries of pain and death along with the crashing of metal on metal fills my ears as I rip and tear through countless enemies as I continue my path toward the center of the massive melee. Off to my right I can see my hydra devouring minotaurs and griffons without any stopping in sight. That made me chuckle a little as I imagined those poor bastards being dissolved in the potent acid hydras brewed in their digestive track.*
Turning my attention to my foes in front of me I notice a particularly tough looking minotaur wielding a large double bladed battle axe and was wearing armor adorned with the skulls of ponies, possibly his trophies from previous victories. Too bad for him I was about to end him once and for all. With a small bust of speed I reach the minotaur in seconds with my sword drawn for combat, until now I had been ripping apart my enemies bare handed so as to not soil my weapon with their filthy blood, but this opponent might just be worthy of falling to my blade.
The minotaur barely sees me in time to dodge my first attack, giving him some breathing room. However I won't allow him any time to recover from it as I charge forward to close the gap. Bringing my sword up in a vertical swipe I knock his axe up out the of the way so that I can get to his torso and start carving him apart. Swiping left, right diagonally, I leave him in pieces on the ground as another quickly takes its place in front of me.
This minotaur has a large way hammer and is clad in what looks like heavy steel plate armor. As opposed to my armor which is made of metal strips that do not hinder my movement, his will make him slow and easy to kill. As he raises his hammer I quickly dart forward and use my sword deadly sharp point to punch a hole in his chest piece. My sword struck his left lung and made him drop his weapon in pain, pulling my sword fre of his chest I then stab it back in and pull to the right slicing through his upper body and spraying blood on my armor.
The carnage continued for what felt like an eternity but was in reality only a half an hour, near the ed of the battle both of our forces were dwindling down to almost nothing. Leaving me with fifteen griffons and four minotaurs on my side, about half way through the fight my hydra had fallen. In front of me a mere seven griffons and five minotaurs remained. With a battle cry I charged the remaining enemies while my undead followed along with me. Knowing they wouldn't be able to get away, the griffons and minotaurs that were still alive charged with all they had intent on going down fighting instead of running away.
Within minutes the final confrontation was over and the only one left standing was me in the middle of a massive battlefield coated in blood and chunks of dead soldiers. Looking at my armor I noticed some of the spaces in my armor now had small pieces of flesh and gore stuck in them. I turn as I make my way back to the camp on my side of the valley.
As I enter camp Steel Striker approaches me with a hint of fear in his eyes. "Sir, The Princesses are here to speak with you."
"Well that was fast, I guess I better get this over with." I say as I make my way towards the tent in the center of the camp. As I enter I'm blasted in the chest with a cerulean beam of magic.
**"HOW. DARE. YOU. DO. SOMETHING. SO. STUPID!" * Each word was punctuated by a beam hitting me as I was sent flying back out of the tent. Once I skid to a stop on the dirt I lay there in pain unable to move. I hear the sounds of hooves coming towards me as I lay there.*
"The next time you do something like this, or anything stupid for that matter. This is the punishment you will receive from me." The voice of my wife sounded from somewhere above me. Then the world slowly fades as I slip into unconsciousness.
End flashback
"And that's why Luna beat me nearly to death last night at dinner." I say as I finish my story and look at the purple unicorn sitting at the table, although she looked more green than purple at this point. She quickly bolted for the nearest restroom. I mentally shrug and get up from the library table. Making my way back towards the throne room I enter and find Celestia talking with Luna during a break in what I assume was court.
"Hello Ally, how has your day been so far?" Celestia asks with a smile on her face.
"It has been rather nice I must admit, though I don't think Twilight will be joining us for dinner tonight." I respond with a wave of my hand.
"OH, and why would that be Ally?" Luna inquires.
"She wanted to know why you attacked me an dinner last night, so I told her the battle at Blood Valley, and what you did to me plus the promise you made to me." I say as I sit on the Dias next to the throne in the center.
"No you didn;t... That kind of story isn't meant for ponies to hear Alucard! She's probably going to be having nightmares for weeks now!" Luna exclaimed while Celestia looked rather pale.
"I'm sorry but when somepony asks me a question I don't sugar coat it. You of al ponies should know that by now." I say with a shrug.
POV Alucard
Two days later found me in the castle archives looking for anything that may pertain to the note he received. I pulled everything from world history to newspaper clippings hoping to find something to ease this feeling of apprehension towards the note. About four hours into my search the door to the library opens up and Prince Blueblood walks in, after a moment of looking around he spots me and comes over.
"Ah, Prince Alucard. I have been looking for you." He exclaims as he takes a seat on the opposite side of the table I was using for my research.
"Have you now? And what would a Prince have need of another Prince for young Blueblood?" I say without looking up from the book I was currently searching through.
"Yes, I've been thinking about the Discord fiasco and I came to the same conclusion every time I tried. I'm simply not strong enough to protect the things I hold dear to me, my aunts Celestia and Luna." At this I look up in bewilderment as he had just admitted that he was weak, back before Luna's banishment royalty were suppose to never show weakness as it was the sign of an incompetent ruler. "I also overheard auntie Celestia talking to the element bearers the other afternoon and one of them asked how you were so powerful, She said that was mostly because of you being a vampire that you had so much power."
"Well, seems you know your stuff. But I'm afraid I don't know how this involves me young Prince." I say as I turn my attention back to the book in my hands.
"I want you to turn me into a vampire, if possible." He says as I'm turning a page, my hand jerks in surprise and the page tears halfway out.
After a few seconds of silence I manage to compose myself. "And why would you wish to take the form of one of the most hated demons in existence?"
"I want the power to protect those I care about, no matter the cost. How can I call myself a Prince if I can't even keep my subjects safe in times of strife?!" He cried, I wanted to say yes right then and there... but I needed to talk it over with Celestia and Luna first to see if they were okay with it.
"Well, I need to speak with Celestia and Luna about this matter before I can agree of disagree with this plan of yours young Blueblood." I say as I get ready to place the books and other items back where I found them.
"Um, If you don't mind me asking what were you looking up?" He asks looking around and noticing that most of the information pertained to the last thousand years.
"I received an anonymous note a few days ago with a single word written on it. I was hoping to find something out about it here, but alas my efforts were in vain as there appears to be no mention of Millennium that I've found thus far." I say as I place a book back on a nearby shelf. After a few minutes I finish placing the tomes back and I inform the keeper that I am finished. "Lets go have a chat with your aunties."
It took us about five minutes to reach the throne room and the guards swung the doors open as we approached. Both Celestia and Luna were there talking to one of the 'Nobles' who had completely unrealistic requests. "Alright everypony court is done for today." I say as we enter the room.
The other ponies in the room looked at me and nearly fainted from fright as they had never seen me before now. While being mildly amusing it didn't help my situation in the slightest.
"And why should we listen to a monstrosity like you?" One of the nobles asks from the back of the crowd. Out of the corner of my eye I saw Celestia and Luna both grow worried I would make a scene or something... and they were entirely correct in their assumptions.
"You should listen to me because if you don't leave you will end up either dead on this pretty marble floor or teleported somewhere on the other side of the planet with no way home, and trust me I intend on following up on these threats." I reply as I make my way slowly towards the thrones which just so happened to be behind the group of now scared shitless nobles.
As I got close they all surged by me and made for the door... and the entire time I couldn't wipe the grin off of my face. With all of them now gone I approached the Dias and looked up at my wife and sister. "Good Afternoon to the both of you." I say with a small bow, but not without a smirk.
"I hope you have a good reason for interrupting Court Husband Dearest?" Luna complains as she stands up and makes her way down the steps. The entire time Blueblood hasn't moved from his spot from when we entered the room and I threatened the Snobles. "Not that I'm truly upset over not having to deal with those brats, But I would like to get done with them in a timely manner so that I have at least a little time to myself this afternoon."
"I believe what I have to say is more important then the entire nobility combined Lovely Luna. Young Blueblood has made a request of me... One that I'm afraid concerns all of us in this room at the moment." I respond while dropping the smirks and smiles and becoming serious enough to make even Starswirl nervous. "I'll let him explain it to the two of you and let you be the judge of what is to happen. Just know, Blueblood that I will respect their decision and nothing you say can affect it once it is made. So your job is to convince them that it is worth the effort."
"You see aunties, I feel that with the latest crisis along with the Discord incident that I don't have the power to protect what I love and care about. These past few days I have just been sitting in my chambers thinking about how to become strong enough to help others when another situation arises. I don't want to sit on the sidelines while you or the Elements or Prince Alucard go off to fight. It makes me feel worthless when I can't fight for my subjects and have to cower among them... I honestly feel like I owe it to them to fight to keep them safe from these kinds of things." Prince Blueblood exclaimed garnering shocked expressions from both Celestia and Luna.
"We had no idea you felt this strongly about protecting those around you nephew. But I don't know how to help you gain the kind of power you seek, short of making you an Alicorn. But even then because of Cadence recently ascending another Alicorn appearing would throw the magical balance off too far, the earliest it could happen is a year from now I'm afraid." Celestia says as she walks down the steps and stops in front of Blueblood. "I wish there was more we can do."
"There may not be anything you can do Aunt Celestia, Uncle Alucard can. I overheard that he is a Vampire and I did some research and found out that fully turned Vampires can turn others so long as they are a virgin, and as far as I know I haven't bedded any mares yet. So with your permission I wish for him to turn me into a Vampire so that I have the power to protect my subjects!" He declared, Once again receiving stunned looks from both Alicorns standing in front of him.
"You know that by doing so you give up your title as Prince of Equestria and you become a citizen of the Sanguine Empire and must follow all the laws and customs therein?" Celestia asks once she had recovered from her shock.
"I am willing to accept those conditions so long as I can protect those I care about." He replies as he looks expectantly between the two.
"So long as you know what you are getting into we see no reason to stop you, your motives are pure hearted and noble." Luna declared while extending her wings for emphasis.
"So it is decided, and feel free to invite your Element Bearers Sister. I have no qualms if they wish to observe. We shall reconvene in four hours so I can begin young Blueblood's transformation." I say as I turn around and make my way to the door. I only take a few steps toward the large wooden gates.
"Wait a moment Ally, We wish to speak with you about a few things regarding Chaos Magic and Discord. We want to know if it was possible for him to live in peace with us... You seem to have your magic under complete control so perhaps you could help him adjust to his?" Luna asks with a worried look while Celestia is just standing there staring off into space for some reason.
"If only it were that easy Luna, the one thing that I never mentioned is that Chaos Magic is alive like other magic. However it goes a litter further than that but I can't talk about that now. As for if I think Discord can live among us without conflict, I believe it is possible if both parties were to give each other a fair chance. We must work together with each other and find an outlet for his magic so that it doesn't overflow quite as much." I answer as I turn around to face them once again. "If you want we can go let him out again?"
"As long you are there to keep him in line I see no harm in letting him speak for himself. What say you sister?" Luna says as she turns towards her Solar counterpart.
"I guess it couldn't hurt." She replies almost as if in a daze.
"What's the matter sister?" Luna reaches out to grasp her sister's shoulder. "You seem distant."
"I am not sure Lulu, I just got this feeling of foreboding all of a sudden but I can't understand it." This doesn't sound good... Looks like I'll need to have my guards ready in the near future.
Just then a scroll materialized directly in front of me and although I don't look it I am quite startled indeed. I grab the scroll out of the air and ready to break the seal only for a wave of cold to wash over me, it seems that the others don't feel it so I just shrug it off and open the scroll anyway. What I find written on the parchment is one of the last things I wanted to see until after I had died.
POV Celestia
I saw him hesitate to open the scroll for a full three seconds before breaking the seal and unfurling the scroll only for him to stop and stare blankly at the words written on it. But then I noticed a change, however subtle it was, as his breathing became harsher and more labored. in mere moments the air in the room had bitten into every one of us right down to the bone and infected our very beings with numbness. The next thing I know Alucard is screaming in what appears to be agony after having dropped the scroll. We could do nothing but watch as he writhed in pain and flailed his arms about, any attempt to get closer was met with a surge of his chaos magic turning those who dared into inanimate objects. This continued for almost three minutes before his screams subsided and he seemed to calm down, and them he looked at us... His eyes had gone from their piercing blue to a violent crimson red. I knew then that unless I did something none of us would live much longer, the last time I had seen him in this state was when an assassin was sent after Luna.
Throwing the strongest shield I could manage around the group. I had only gotten the barrier set up before he started pounding on it with his fists making small cracks start appearing after the fourth hit. Sister I need you to cast a sleep spell on his NOW!"
"Right..." It seems that this is affecting her, But she manages to cast the spell before my shield can fully break under the force of Alucard's attacks which were now becoming les powerful as the sleep spell took hold over him. In all it took about 4 minutes for him to fall to the floor unconscious.
After getting some guards to take him to the infirmary I walk over to the scroll he had dropped and pick it up. Flipping it over so I could see what was written on it that could make him go berserk like that. But I wasn't prepared for what I saw... there written on the middle of the parchment was a name I hadn't heard in over a thousand years.
Shadow Lily
POV Alucard
The Medical wing of the castle was buzzing with activity one evening in mid fall... as a new life would soon enter this world for all to see. The mare who was to being this life into the world was none other than the younger of the two regal sisters. As the Nurses and Doctors hurried around the room with different pieces of equipment meant for various things. Though standing in the corner trying not to faint from the situation I was being placed in and somehow looking even more pale and lifeless than anyone thought possible.
Soon the screaming of the regal figure gave way to the quieter screaming of newborn lungs taking their first breaths of air. The nurses cleaning the newly born foal off to the side. I slowly move closer to my wife and take her hoof in my hand. We each give one another a reassuring smile and turn to face the Doctor now holding our child in a pink blanket.
Luna took the small bundle in her hooves while I stood by her side and watched. I had been told of the pony naming process but had not seen it in person until now. Holding her horn to the foals forehead which also sported a lump indicating she would grow her own horn later. Luna's give off a brief glow before she smiles and whispers to herself. Then she turns to face up at me and through a teary smile she says, "Ally, say hi to our daughter Shadow Lily!" It was then I black out as the gravity of what just happened hit me like a freight train. But as the darkness consumed me I thought I heard the Doctors scrambling and making noise, oh how I wanted to tell them to shut up and let my wife and newborn daughter rest.
POV Luna
After Alucard had been carried from the room I hadn't moved from the spot I was standing. It was that look in his eyes again... I never thought I would have to see that again. The bloodlust behind them still terrifies me to this day but... I can't bring myself to fear my Ally. His desire to protect those he cares about is one of the reasons I fell for him in the first place. "Sister you should call Twilight and her friends back up here in case the elements are needed to calm him down like the last time this happened"
"I fear you may b correct Luna." Celestia replied while a scroll appeared and she started writing the summons for her student. Within seconds it was done and sent off to Ponyville. "I propose we talk to Ally when he wakes sister. He might not be okay when he wakes up and remembers what happened."
"That sounds like a good idea Tia." And with that we make our way off to the infirmary with Blueblood in tow. Though after a few minutes of walking he asks the question we were most expecting and something I was wondering as well since I didn't know either.
"What was on the scroll Aunt Celestia? It must have been pretty bad to get to Uncle like that."
At this Celestia tensed and nearly tripped over her hooves. "It was a name... One that reminded him of his greatest failure both as a prince and father." After that nothing more was said as we made our way to the room where he as resting. Of course I knew that only meant one of two names... Which one however I don't know. We enter the room they placed him in and saw his sleeping peacefully.
"Why?"
This got my attention as I didn't know what Celestia was asking. "What is it sister?"
"Why did this have to happen so soon after getting him back?" Looking in her eyes I could see tears almost ready to spill out.
"I don't know Tia, but you can bet I'll find out."
After a little while the Elements arrived back at the throne room and were waiting for the two of us. though a few didn't look like they were happy to be called here so soon after going home to rest. I can't blame them in that regard, I too wish I could curl up and sleep... but Alucard needs me right now.
"I am sure all of you are wondering why we have called you back so soon, I'm afraid an incident has occurred involving Prince Alucard." Celestia started explaining to the group gathered below.
"What happened Princess?" It was Twilight who spoke up first, though the rest of them looked like they had questions of their own.
"It seems somepony decided to contact him today during an impromptu meeting between myself, Luna, Blueblood and himself. The message had been sent with the sole purpose of setting his anger off... with rather violent results. Thankfully nopony got hurt but I am concerned that somepony may be targeting Alucard." She continued.
This time I stepped in to offer some information. "The message that arrived via teleportation contained only two words, two words that can send him off the deep end almost instantly as they remind him of his greatest failure. Both as a male and a ruler."
This time the meek pegasus spoke up from the back of the group, "What were they... If you don't mind me asking that is..."
"I don't have any problem with sharing such information so long as it doesn't leave this room as it is a secret kept from all but family. The two words were-"
"Shadow Lily"
Nearly everyone in the room jumped out of their fur as the sound of Alucard's voice echoed from the doorway . Looking up I saw him standing there looking at us from the entryway. Looking even closer I saw his eye still had the piercing red color instead of the calming blue he normally has.
"Dear what are you doing up already? You should be resting after your ordeal!" I call to him from were I was standing.
"No Luna... It seems I have taken too long to solve the riddle set before me. I must finish what has been presented to me before I can truly rest." He says while taking long strides to reach us quickly. "Tell me Celestia, Luna... does the word Millennium mean anything to you?" He continued with an almost steely gaze fixed on us.
Looking to my left I saw Tia sweating profusely. What could she know about it that could cause her to act this way?
"Now hold on, Weren't we gonna learn what this Shadow Lily was all about?" A voice spoke up from the gathered mares, the voice belonging to Rainbow Dash.
"I suppose you all should know, but be warned I won't tolerate being interrupted during this... To start with I should explain just who Shadow Lily was. In her time she was the most talented unicorn when it came to illusion magic and conjuring magical constructs, like physical objects constructed purely out of raw magic. She was also going to be a teacher at my magic school but that's another story altogether. However the most important of her titles was one of her least known, She was the daughter of Luna and I." He explained in an almost monotone voice devoid of emotion.
"WHAT?!" The group collectively shouted.
"But if she was your daughter then why haven't we seen or heard anything about her before?" Twilight questioned looking like her brain was melting.
"That's simple Twilight, I didn't want anyone knowing. So I hide or destroyed everything pertaining to her existence."
"But why would you do that?" Fluttershy asked looking about ready to cry.
POV Alucard
"It all started around her second birthday, her doctor had asked to see both Luna and I in private and explained to us something that would eventually add to the reasons Luna turned into Nightmare Moon. According to Doctor Pulse at the time it appeared that her health was on a steady decline with very fe causes possible. The most likely was simple biology, meaning that while Luna and I could have children they likely wouldn't survive past their tenth birthday. And so we were forced to watch as our daughter withered away. We had thought long and hard about our situation, As Luna still wanted to have children we came to a decision. We agreed to let another into our relationship and form a herd of sorts, while back then it wasn't as common as it likely is now... We allowed a Unicorn stallion who had been seeking Luna's affection before I arrived to join us. It was a year later when Luna was found to be carrying another foal. This time a healthy unicorn colt. The major difference being the body structure or both the colt and Shadow. While the colt was born as an ordinary pony Shadow was a hybrid of sorts. She was born bipedal like me but with features of her unicorn heritage."
"Who was the unicorn that joined the two of you?" Rarity asked, though I don't know why because it isn't relevant right now.
"His name was Star Gazer, Unfortunately He is no longer with us." Luna spoke from behind me.
"Anyway moving on and skipping seven years down the line, It is now Shadow's ninth birthday and she was already bed ridden, Even her magic which had been almost as strong as Luna's was too weak to help her move under her own power at that point. It was three days after her birthday that she passed from this world and moved on to the other side. That day marked my biggest failure as a father. Two days later the service was held and the entire castle staff was present. That is who Shadow Lily was." With that I turn around and address Celestia. "You have been rather quiet sister, Something you wish to share with the rest of us?"
She was practically sweating bullets now. "That name, Millennium. I haven't heard it in almost seven hundred years. Not since The Purge."
Something has gone wrong. We don't seem to have an archived copy of that chapter. Something has gone wrong. We don't seem to have an archived copy of that chapter. Tears, Fears and... hugs?
Something has gone wrong. We don't seem to have an archived copy of that chapter. Something has gone wrong. We don't seem to have an archived copy of that chapter. Something has gone wrong. We don't seem to have an archived copy of that chapter. The Warning And A Day With A Bookworm Pt. 1
POV Third Following Alucard
Morning swiftly approached the gleaming city of Canterlot. Small birds fluttered and chirped about as if nothing was wrong... while in fact there was something terribly wrong. The princess of the night was almost late setting the moon to make way for the morn.
Fortunately she has a sister to help her when she herself falls short, and today is one of those days. After all, who wouldn't want to sleep in the day after their husband decides to drop in? So when one of the figures in the Lunar princesses bedchambers starts to stir, it's no surprise that it's Alucard himself. The vampire looked around the room with his bleary eyes and tried to shake the sleep from his head, once that was accomplished he peered around the room until his eyes settled on the note resting upon the writing desk opposite the bed.
Getting up while trying not to wake his sleeping wife, Alucard made his way over to the desk and carefully picked up the scroll. tip toeing to the balcony he steps out into the cold morning air. As the moon slowly dips below the horizon and the sun slowly takes its place in the brisk morning sky, Alucard stood there enjoying the cool breeze for a few moments he turns his attention back to the scroll still clutched in his hand. It was a rather small roll pf parchment from the look of it, but from his experience small never meant it wasn't bad news. With an almost crippling feeling of trepidation he broke the seal and unfurled the roll of paper. There written dead center of the parchment was a single word, one that in fact meant nothing to the man holding it.
Millennium
Deciding not to think too hard about it he put it in his pocket dimension with a flash of crimson light. After which he re-entered the room and made preparations for his day... and the first stop was to get something to eat. While he could just find something to drain of blood he would rather wait until he needed it before resorting to such drastic measures.
Making his way to the dining hall he passed through the infirmary, and he had the sudden urge to check in on the young prince that was currently there being treated. After talking to a few terrified nurses, go figure, he discovered that the stallion was placed in the private wing reserved for members of the royal family.
Entering the room he spotted the one he was there to see almost instantly, and to his surprise the stallion was awake and reading a book of some kind!
"Ahem... Good morning nephew, I hope your recovery is going well?"
"Are you the creature everypony has been talking about? The one that single hoofedly stopped the changeling invasion?" The young prince exclaimed, Alucard was expecting fear to be present in his eyes. However upon closer inspection he saw nothing but admiration in them, almost as if this stallion looked up to him, though he could not fathom why.
"I don't think you received the whole story young Blueblood, I was not alone. I had a small army of my own that did most of the work. I just handled things before they got too hectic." The vampire responded. "Also, I have to ask... Why do you not fear me like the majority of the castle staff?"
"Well... I think the main reason I don't fear you is because you helped free me from my prison. Being locked inside ones own mind is the most unbearable feeling I've ever known. I saw my body doing and saying things that I would never dream of doing, all while being powerless to stop it from happening." The white stallion replied from his hospital bed.
"I know how you feel, I was almost possessed by the same entity that claimed Luna so long ago. However it found my mind to be quite a terrible place to be and fled to a more usable host. Namely Luna herself. The Limelight was in control of me for a total of an hour before it fled my mind in search of a more suitable host. That was an hour where i was trapped inside my own mind waiting for it all to end. At one point I was hoping that either one of the guards or Celestia would end my torment and by extension destroy the Limelight as well." He explained, looking off into space as if remembering it as he was speaking. "Well I must be going young Blueblood, Do try and get better quickly, hm?"
Leaving the Infirmary area of the castle, he made his way to the dining hall and was met with a rather odd sight, sitting alone at the table was the same lavender unicorn from the previous night.
"Good morning Twilight Sparkle, May I ask to why you're up so early? I would think the majority of ponies would still be sleeping as the sun only rose a half hour ago." He said as he approached the table and sat down opposite the unicorn.
"Oh! Good morning prince Alucard, i just couldn't sleep very well last night, mostly because of all the questions I wanted to ask you!" She replied energetically.
"Well once I have some sort of breakfast, we can move to the castle library and you can ask me all the questions you like, miss Sparkle."
"Please, call me Twilight... I'm not all that comfortable with formalities." She said, returning to the papers she had around her. They looked to be letters of some kind.
"What are those, if you don't mind my asking that is." He spoke up after letting the servant know what he wanted to eat.
'oh. these are just past reports I've sent to the princess over the last two months, telling her what I've learned about friendship and such. I like to re-read them to remind myself how much my life has changed for the better ever since I let friendship into my life." She said with a sweet smile.
After a few minutes of small talk Alucards food arrived and he ate rather quickly, he had a lot to do today and needed all the time he could get after all. Though it looked like he would be spending most of his day with Twilight here answering and possibly asking questions. Finishing his food he waited for Twilight to pack her papers up and they wandered out into the corridors. After about fifteen minutes of idle chatter and walking they arrived at the library. The librarian , a unicorn by the name of Leather Bindings, led them to the far back where they could talk undisturbed for a while.
So for the next several hours Twilight grilled the prince on several subject matters, like what is was like living during the founding of Equestria and weather or not he knew Starswirl the Bearded. However one question caught him off guard...
"I've been meaning to ask, Why did princess Luna attack you in the dining hall last night? It seemed like she wasn't holding back at all!" The lavender unicorn exclaimed.
"Ah... that is a story indeed. It goes back to the Griffin Minotaur war..."
To Be Continued... (I'm a dick aren't I?)
