Chapters Vita Post Mortem: Natus est Sanguis
The Story Begins
Vampires… one of the most widely despised forms of undead to ever exist.
As the number of vampires grew, so did the number of hunters.
One stallion was recently recruited.
Midnight Star, an ash grey pegasus with a black mane and tail, an agent of Celestia’s Secret Service, now also a vampire hunter.
His training as an agent had served him well in the past, but he was uncertain of how well it would do against vampires.
But right now, that was the last thing on his mind.
Now, he was focused on the papers and images that were on his desk, looking over files and pictures that littered his workspace.
These items were the evidence of a crime from a few nights back, which he had been assigned to investigate by Princess Celestia’s orders.
He tried time and again to make sense of everything, but nothing would come together, nothing made sense.
‘What could make such wounds on a pony in the city of Canterlot?’ He thought to himself. ‘No vampires have made it into the city since we first discovered them and drove them out.’
Midnight groaned as the thoughts became chaos within his mind until a sharp rapping at the door graced his ears.
He turned away from his work and left his room, going down the stairs of his home and making for the door.
When he reached the door and opened it, it revealed one of Princess Luna’s own guard.
“Good evening, is there anything I can assist you with?” Midnight asked.
“Mr. Star, we apologize for interrupting you this late at night…” the guards pony replied. “I was sent to inform you that there was another attack at nine twenty-three this evening.”
“Quarantine the scene and have your best detectives on it by the time I arrive.” Midnight spoke, being an agent in the secret service giving him authority over the guards that patrolled the street. “And I want a personal escort on my doorstep and ready to leave in an hour.”
“Understood sir.” the guard replied before leaving.
‘Another attack… around the same time four nights ago at nine twenty… there’s a pattern here.’ Midnight thought to himself. ‘I have to write to Princess Luna about this.’
He began going about his room and gathering his things before returning to his desk and pulling out a quill and parchment and beginning to write.
Dear Princess Luna,
I, Midnight Star, have received information on a second attack in the city.
I have ordered one of the patrolling guards, that had come to my doorstep, to quarantine the scene and get a team of detectives working on uncovering what evidence they can for forensic analysis.
I believe there may be a pattern in the attacks, but I am not certain.
Is it possible that vampires may have found their way into the city?
Is it possible that they were hidden right under our noses and we merely ignored them?
I await your response.
As always, with the greatest respect.
Midnight Star
P.S. Take thirty bits out of my account and give it to the mail mare as a second half of the payment, I’ve already paid thirty in advance.
Once finished, Midnight rolled the parchment and sealed it before flagging down a local mailmare who just so happened to be going about at this time and was on her way home. “I need this delivered to Princess Luna as fast as possible.” he said to her and shoved thirty bits into her saddlebag. “Thirty bits now to get it to the princess. You’ll get the rest once it’s been delivered.”
The mare didn’t hesitate to take off in the direction of the castle after stuffing the letter in her bag.
“Now all I have to do is wait for my escort.” he said to himself.
It took almost half an hour for the escort to arrive after sending off the letter.
“I expected you to be here the moment I sent my letter to the princess, what took you so long?” Midnight questioned the guards that stood before him.
“Sorry sir, we were tangled in a group of youngsters in the street, we had to force our way through.” the foremost guard replied.
“Ah… that rebellious lot once more.” Midnight spoke. “They’ll know not to get in my way, they know what happened last time they did.”
The guards nodded. “We’re ready whenever you are, sir.”
“Form up, diamond formation around me, all four of you.” Midnight commanded. “If anypony lays a hoof on me, it’ll be your asses.”
“Yes, sir.” all four replied.
What Midnight failed to notice behind the helm of all four was the red eyes and fangs
It took about fifteen minutes to arrive on scene.
“Clear the way, I need a personal examination of the body.” Midnight ordered, but none moved as he pushed his way through.
What he found in the middle, was not a body lying in the street, but a pony standing before him.
“You there! What is the meaning of this?” he called out to the pony.
“Hehe… You’ve been busy, Midnight Star. Do you ever know how to take a break?” the pony replied, aqua blue eyes staring at Midnight.
“What in Tartarus is that supposed to mean?” Midnight retorted. “Get to the point.”
“You need to relax… you need to take the time to enjoy the better things in life... you... need to rest.” the stallions eyes blinked and turned a blood red as he grinned, exposing his fangs.
“So you’ve been the one going around killing innocents… well then, that must explain the wounds on the neck of the last victim.” Midnight replied, taking a combative stance against the stallion, who only scoffed and waved his hoof
“Welcome… to the children of the night, Midnight Star.” came the voices of all ponies surrounding them, including his personal escort, as they closed in on him, their eyes now all blood red as they surrounded him, slowly approaching from all sides.
Midnight tried to fight them off, but he was quickly subdued, fangs sinking into his neck and then… everything went black.
Author's Note
The first chapter of a new story, I hope this turns into an adventure for us all.
Vita Post Mortem: Natus est Sanguis
ChapterTwo
Cold… freezing cold, that was all he could feel as he felt his back in contact with cold steel, he looked around, but saw nothing as he began to thrash about.
As he carried on, he realized that something wasn’t right, he couldn’t hear his own heartbeat, but that would have been natural if he could still feel it and wasn’t in a frantic struggle to escape, but still he continued his thrashing until he hit a spot particularly hard and busted the steel box open and climbed out.
This place was particularly clean and sterile by the looks of it as he looked around. ‘Where am I.’ he thought to himself. ‘Why do I seem to be in the morgue in canterlot…’
As he thought to himself, a flashback, so quick he didn’t have a chance to comprehend, flashed through his mind, dropping him to his knees.
For a moment, he just sat there, waiting for the pain to ebb away. “What the… am I… in the morgue?” he asked aloud, expecting an answer, but finding none.
He began to explore the room, finding a table with some pictures on it, who they were images of, he couldn’t tell, but he could see wounds in the neck of the pony in the pictures, bite marks, and the only indicator that it could have been him, was the color of the coat.
“I… I have to find a mirror… this can’t be happening.” he began to panic, searching frantically for a mirror, when he turned, he saw that the steel box he was in was quite reflective.
Aproaching the box, he tried to look at his reflection, but there was none to be seen. “No… No… I… I can’t be… I… I was trusted by the princesses… I… couldn’t have been fooled so easily.”
He look for any doors that could lead him out of the room, bolting for the first one he saw which lead into a long corridor.
Bursting into a gallop down the hall, he made a right at the end, it was barely lit in the moonlight and there were no lights on, but he could see normally as if it were bright as day.
Finally he saw a large pair of wooden doors and made to leave, slamming into them as hard as he could, shattering the doors with the force of impact as he finally took to the sky, flying as fast as he could back to Canterlot, looking back to find that he was, indeed, held in a mortuary home.
“I… I’m a vampire… I… I… I’ll find the one who lead me into that trap and kill him.”
“Kill me…” came the familiar voice. “You wouldn’t stand a chance against me, when I have an army at my back.”
“You… YOU DID THIS TO ME!” Midnight cried out with rage as he charged at the stallion, intending to tackle him and divebomb into the ground, but the stallion vanished, laughing as he remained elusive and now unseen.
“You fool… you dare challenge me, you will regret this decision after the gift I had given you.” he boasted then disappeared altogether.
“RAAAAAAAGH!” Midnight bellowed into the open air, releasing all the built up tension he’d developed in his attempt to attack, before he resumed his flight to Canterlot, plotting his vengeance as he traveled through the night.
It was hours before he found his way to the outskirts of Canterlot, but the entire city would think him to be dead. ‘What will they think when they suddenly see me here… no… there has to be another way into the city without attracting the attention of the guards.’
And so he began to search, looking for any possible unguarded tunnels.
Somehow, as if by sheer chance, he spotted a tunnel that was unguarded in the middle of a shift change and dove into it before touching down and creeping along the tunnels, watching his back every few seconds to make sure he wasn't followed.
As he went, the cave like walls became stone and the floor became carpeted, further surpressing his sound signature to any that might investigate his presence.
It was as soon as he rounded one of many corners that he heard guards coming down the hall, lucky for him again, he dove into a nearby utility closet. ‘Damn… how tight is security down here?’
He waited with baited breath, as the two guards happened to stop just outside the door, making small conversation.
“Hey, you hear about that attack a few nights ago?” came the voice of one stallion.
“Oh, yeah… I heard about it.” came the voice of another. “Don’t know how the poor sod was trapped so easily, the princess says he went to investigate a murder and then suddenly he turned up dead. The Princess was devastated when she saw the body, refused to disclose his identity though.”
“Probably someone important, I only know it was a pegasus from what she told me.” said the first.
“I wish she would have given us more to work with. Ponies have been disappearing more often now that he’s gone.” came the second. “Two or three a night, last night my friend’s eldest daughter was taken.”
“I heard, he was heartbroken beyond belief. Coulda heard him say he’d avenge her… but it was all rambling.”
‘So… they knew I was close to finding them… they needed me out of the way so they’d be able to operate more freely.’ Midnight thought to himself. ‘I need a disguise.’ he said as he looked around, finding a old dusty sheet and rope.
Upon finding it, he threw the sheet and rope around himself and stepped out of the closet with the makeshift hood over his head. “Excuse me, sirs… could you help me get my bindings on… I can’t seem to reach around my back all that well.” as he turned to show the untied ropes.
“Halt!” called one of the two. “This is a restricted area, why are you here.”
“I cannot explain in detail, but I must speak with Princess Luna.” Midnight replied, making his voice sound more elderly than usual.
The guard wasn’t going to believe it, he made to remove Midnight’s hood, but his hoof was caught and he was thrown over the stallion’s shoulder into the other, all without losing his hood. “Take me to your princess, or I can do much worse.”
“A-alright… we’ll take you… just don’t kill us.” the guard that attempted to uncover him cowered. ‘Who in tartarus is this pony.’ the guard thought.
“Good.” Midnight replied. “Now, move it.”
The guards nodded in fear as they led the stallion through the halls until they finally reached the throne room. “We will notify the princess of your arrival and that you bear imperative information.”
“As you will.” came the voice of the princess of the night herself. “I already knew you were here.”
“Princess.” Midnight bowed, still not removing his hood.
“You sound familiar, yet you do not show your face…” she replied as she stepped up to the stallion. “Who are you?”
“I cannot show you in the presence of the guard, it would be… disturbing to them.” Midnight replied. “Trust me.”
“As you wish, princess.” Midnight replied as he deliberately, slowly gripped the cloak, whipping it off his body, revealing his identity. “Do you recognize me now… princess.”
The princess was stunned, her jaw slack. “Y… you… no… Midnight… I… I saw your body…”
“I know what you saw… I wish it weren’t so.” Midnight replied. “I know who did this to me… but… I am not able to touch him at this time.”
“Midnight… we should have been more aware…” Luna replied, a waver in her voice.
“It is not your fault.” Midnight laid a hoof on her shoulder. “I can overcome this… and he will be stopped, but this is a battle I must fight… but I need your help… I… I will require blood donations if I am to survive for any length of time.”
The princess still couldn’t believe that he was standing before her. “I saw the wounds… I… I felt you turn… I had hoped to save you from turning by way of cremation… but… I see we were too late. Damn that forensics team for taking your body to the morgue.”
“I know… but… If we can kill the head vampire, then all should go back to normal.” Midnight replied. “Do you have a place for me to take shelter, returning to my home would raise suspicion.”
“I can keep you in the night wing of the castle disguised as one of the night guards.” Luna replied. “I will also instruct the guards to ignore your activities, within reason.”
“Thank you, princess.” Midnight replied. “One more thing… if I say kill me… do not hesitate.”
“I… I promise… I will make it a swift and merciful death for you.” Luna replied, it took all of her will not to break down on the spot as she called for the guard once more. “Guards… escort this stallion to the night wing barracks, you are not to speak to him in any regards to what has transpired here. Furthermore, you are not to demand nor request his identity.”
“Your will be done, princess.” The lead guard replied as he and four other night guards stood around Midnight. “This way, sir.”
“Lead on.” Midnight replied as he followed the guards.
It was mere moments before they arrived.
He was quickly shown into the barracks, where beds lined the walls.
“Just find the first empty bunk and crash in it, you’ll be going to the smith tomorrow to get fitted.” the guard said then left, leaving Midnight alone.
Finally able to rest properly, he found an empty bed and fell into it, drifting off almost immediately.
Vita Post Mortem: Natus est Sanguis
Author's Note
It's been too long, my creativity had been in a real slump for quite some time. I think it's time I remedy that.
Chaper Three
Silence…
This was all Midnight heard as he awoke from his day long dreamless slumber and slowly sat up and got to his hooves.
As he arose from the bed, stretching and yawning a little, he went out into the general area of the night guard barracks, where a peculiar sight would draw his curiosity. A pitcher, but what one would expect within such an object was not what he would see.
The contents of the pitcher were of a crimson color, thicker than water.
The contents within were the gathered blood of the few donors that would know of his existence.
Another thing he noticed after examining the pitcher of blood was a letter sitting next to it. The delicate inkwork that adorned the folded parchment with his name suggested that it was written by Luna herself as he picked it up and read it to himself.
‘Midnight,
For your health and wellbeing I have started early on collecting donations day and night, as I have made my sister aware of your return and she too has promised to keep your resurrection under wraps. For you, in this pitcher, is the blood of the donors, it should be enough to sustain you for the night, we have more set aside in an emergency stockpile should you need it.
You will need to drink the full pitcher for it to be enough to last through the night.
In other effects, we have instructed the guard to give you the same respect as they would the high cardinal of the night guard. In other words, should you have need of the guards services, they will be yours to command.
Your Sovereign
Princess Luna'
Soon after he finished, he dropped the letter on the table, he knew Celestia despised the undead, so he thought to himself. ‘Why now… why, when I am the one undead, would she choose to be supportive.’ he looked at the pitcher of blood and knew what he had to do, but it didn’t change the fact that he hated having to do it. He picked up the pitcher, held it to his parted lips and tipped it back, slowly drinking down the blood that it held.
Once he had finished the pitcher of blood, he set it down on the table, wiping his lips with a grimace at the first taste of blood, noting just how rich in iron it was. It was now that he knew one thing for certain, he had to be wary of silver, for he knew that silver was, and still is, the most effective deterrent against undead.
Being under Luna’s protection eased his worries, but did not completely erase them.
He no longer had time to ponder what had happened to him, as he heard hoofsteps coming down the hall as he made to meet with the ponies making those sounds as he stepped out into their view. “I trust you stallions have a valid reason for disturbing my thoughts.”
The two stallions stopped and looked at him, one seeming particularly nervous, drawing Midnight’s attention as he recognized him.
“Ah… hello, how’s your head.”
The unnerved stallion shrunk away a little, only to get ribbed by the larger stallion standing next to him, making the shaking pony stand straight and stock still. The larger of the two stepped forward. “I am Legate Silent Wind, Sir. Forgive him, Acolyte Swift was taken by surprise last night. Couldn’t say how.”
“I know, I was the one who surprised him. Now, I believe the princess’ orders were to never speak of what happened last night, am I correct?” Midnight replied with a bit of a scowl.
The Legate, while good at hiding it, was a bit shaken. He knew what a scowl meant when it was for disobedience of orders. “Forgive me, sir.”
Midnight sighed. “Acolyte Swift, approach.” he commanded with a calm, yet firm tone.
“S-sir…” the stallion spoke as he stepped forward, not speaking another word.
“Allow me to extend my sincerest apologies for attacking you. All I needed was a way to reach Princess Luna without causing alarm in general. But I say this now to both of you… “ He stood straight on all four hooves. “Follow my orders to the letter, and I can guarantee that you will be more likely to survive in the case of a mass attack. Failure to follow my orders will result in discipline by my hoof." he looked at the two stallions. “Do I make myself clear?”
“Yes, Sir.” The two spoke clearly as they stood stock still before him.
“Now, I will be needing an escort to the smith to retrieve my armor. Lead the way, Legate.”
“Aye, Sir.” the stallion replied as he turned around and started walking, the Acolyte walking beside him as Midnight followed the two. As they walked, Midnight addressed the two with some questions of his own, in regards to recent vampire attacks.
Each question he asked were only given yes or no answers to, saying that they had only heard rumors of recent attacks and foalnappings.
After a few hours of asking and answering questions as they walked. The three stopped in front of a dark, heavy metal set of doors where an intense chill could be felt. “Our armaments are cold forged, which is a much more difficult and delicate process than the forging process of the day guards smith. Go on in, he’s waiting for you.” The two guardsponies said as they pushed the doors open where a flaming forge that, which should be emitting an intense heat, was indeed deathly cold.
The pony working the forge was hammering away on what currently looked more like a rod of metal than a sword.
Midnight nodded and waved to the two. “Wait outside and stand guard, no one enters.”
As he entered, the two stallions backtracked and closed the doors behind them, leaving Midnight and the smith alone. Midnight began his trek closer to the smith and cleared his throat. “Frostwind… Is that you, old friend?”
The pony working the forge perked his ears, stopped hammering and set his hammer down, and, in a scottish brogue, replied. “Aye lad, th’ princess told me about ye comin’ back from th’ dead n’ I thought she was a jokin’." He admitted. "But now I see she weren’t messin’ ‘round, and I suppose ye be here fer ye armor.”
“I was told you’d have it ready by the time I woke this evening.” Midnight replied. “I trust you have it ready as expected?”
Frostwind laughed, and looked at Midnight. “Lad, I had ye armor ready several hours after I started workin’ this ‘ere forge. I just had tae make some adjustments to it tae keep th’ silver from harmin’ ye.”
Midnight gave a laugh of his own as he spoke with his old friend. “You always did care about your customers, living or undead.” he said with a smile, before he looked at Frostwind a bit more seriously. “I need to know something though…”
Frostwind looked at him curiously and cocked a brow. “And what might that be laddie?” the smith asked simply.
“Bonded artifacts… have you heard of them?” Midnight asked, as he looked around the smith’s work area, noticing the various pieces of armor and weaponry.
“Bonded artifacts… aye, them I have heard of. Very rare those are, even rarer are those who come back alive with one.”
Midnight looked at Frostwind with a serious gaze. “Tell me, where can I find one of these bonded artifacts? I have a feeling that it may help in my… mission.”
The smith looked at Midnight in shock. “Y… ye aren’t serious… are ye lad? Goin’ after them’s like goin’ after a pissed off manticore, more trouble than you’ll ever realize. The road to findin’ them is long and deadly, even for a vampire.”
“Frostwind, my friend, I wouldn’t ask if I wasn’t serious, now please… can you tell me where they are, or at least where I can find someone who knows where one is?” Midnight asked again.
Frostwind sighed, he knew Midnight too well to think the stallion was a fool delving into the unknown without any thought for preparation. “Ye’d best go start getting yerself ready… It’s gonna be a long trip. Yer armor is just on the other side of the armor rack. It’ll be a few days before ye’d be ready, so I’d suggest gettin’ some trainin’ before ye go.”
“Always looking out for me, good to know I still have friends I can count on.” Midnight said as he took the chest piece off the rack, observing how it seemed to give off a faint glow in the moonlight as he put it on, noticing that it was a little large on him. Next was the leg guards, he slid his hooves into them one at a time, noting how they too, were a loose fit before he looked at the helm, taking a moment to observe just how it was crafted, and looked at the rest of his armor. All of it having distinct, sharp looking edges that gave an intimidating look that dared any foe to touch him, before he donned the helm.
He could have swore he heard a small cackle from the smith. “I forgot tae mention one thing… the first fitting comes from the smith and can be… startling.” Frostwind closed his eyes for a moment before they glowed an icy blue as he opened them.
The next words from the smith were but a whisper on the wind.
“Adapto.”
A sudden chill overtook the room, making it feel colder than before as Midnight suddenly felt the chestplate tighten around him snugly, making a perfect fit around his form as the leg guards followed suit around his legs and finally the helm molded to a perfect fit around his head.
Midnight looked himself over and noted that, while the armor had the same color scheme as the Night Guard armor, the design was truly anything but.
Now that it was fitted, it looked a bit more elegant, yet still held the intimidation factor.
“Licentio Nocte”
As suddenly as those last words were whispered by Frostwind, Midnight would feel a strange sensation as it felt as if something had bound to his soul, as if it was bending itself to his will. “This… this is bonded armor… how did you…”
“Make it... “ Frostwind interrupted. “I did and I didn’t… a contact came across a bonded core on the corpse of a bandit an' I made the armor with the core in mind.” he said as he tapped the crest on Midnight’s armor. “Me friend in the north inlaid the core through a very delicate process of which I am not at liberty to discuss.”
“That’s… vague… but I guess that’s all I’ll get on that… and it only responds to latin?” Midnight asked curiously.
“Nah… magic inside jus’ seems to respond better an’ rolls off th’ tongue better.”
“So… I guess I’ll find out in time what this armor does for me.” Midnight said as he moved about, expecting to have some form of limitation, only to find himself with a full range of movement. “At least it’s comfortable on top of being functional.”
“Well lad… ye’d best be on yer way now… wouldn’t want ye missin’ on yer trainin.” Frostwind gave a chuckle. “I’ll see ye again my friend.”
“Be well, old friend. Luna’s grace guide you.” Midnight gave an appreciative nod and turned to leave.
"Silent Wind, Swift, resume escort detail, we're heading to the training yard." Midnight ordered.
"Aye, sir." The two stallions replied sharply before taking the lead.
Swift cleared his throat before asking "I take it you seemed to know the smith, considering your conversation with him."
Midnight gave a slight smile. "Yeah, we were good friends as young colts." He explained as he began to talk about his friendship with Frostwind, telling about the trouble they had gotten into and the adventures they'd had as colts. "It was always his dream to work the frost forge, and I'm glad he was able to achieve his goals."
"It seems like you two were best friends, explains why he'd make that armor for you." The Legate replied.
The conversation would continue a while longer before the three would reach their destination. "Alright, looks like this is my stop for the day. Unless you two want to be my training partners, you're dismissed."
"Sir, any chance to train is an opportunity best seized the moment it is given, I am with you." Silent Wind spoke clearly.
"Make that two of us, Sir." Swift added soon after.
"Alright, we're in this together." Midnight looked to the two guards as he approached the doors. "Learn everything you can and use what you know to improve yourselves, even if we are set to spar against one another." Midnight said with a confident grin as he opened the doors to the training yard.
