By the Moon

~~~

The dark garden I found myself was both familiar and expected.

I trotted forward, passing by the moonlit flowers and herbs.

The silver mare sat at her wrought iron table, looking up at the nightsky despite the shroud over her face. Unlike last time however, she did not have her teaset.

"I must congratulate you Luna." the silver mare spoke up, looking down from the sky, her gaze falling on me. "For a job well done."

"Uh... Thank you Moon. Really." I rubbed the back of my neck. "But I'm not sure if the victory is mine to claim."

"Ah yes. You refer to your sister." the silver mare nodded. "Tell me Luna, where was Celestia at Casúrdomhain? How much did she contribute to the battle under Pegasopolis? And how much planning did she really have a hoof in at Unicornia? She may have been the final blow to the old tribes I'll grant you, but ultimately it was your work that got her to where she needed to be."

"So... She was meant to be an Alicorn?" I asked.

"Nothing is on accident Luna." The mare tsked. "Not even accidents."

"I'm... Not sure I understand."

"In good time." the mare hummed. "But that's not your only question is it?"

The dreadful suspicion reared its head again.

I almost spoke the words, those taboo words that would end with me burned at the stake should anypony hear them.

The mare watched me with a coy smirk.

"... I want to ask. Truly I do." I stated instead. "But if I'm right, then I don't want to know." I said with finality. "I want to do your task because it is the right thing to do, not because I'm after a reward."

The silver mare's smile grew, almost cruelly, as she steepled her hooves.

"So you've made your choice then?" she asked.

"I think I have." I nodded.

"Then what is your decision? I can feel what's in your heart, but you must say the words to me."

The moment of truth had come.

I had kept putting off thinking about it during my war with the tribes. Because in the grind of war this moment felt so far away, and I had to focus on the moment so I didn't get impaled by a spear. But suddenly it wasn't so far in the future. In fact is was suddenly in my lap.

I took a deep breath.

"I will free you Moon." I stated firmly. " I will free you or die trying."

At some point, the mare's smile must've fallen, for it grew again.

"Then we have no time to waste." she grinned. "I am kept in the city of Bloodstone, which is under the control of Lord Bloodmoon."

I swallowed the lump that had suddenly formed in my throat.

The name of Lord Bloodmoon was amongst the most foul of monsters Ponies faced. His was the name that everypony knew, but refused to speak. Especially during the night in the light of the red moonlight. His name was on the wanted board's of every town I had stepped into, no matter which tribe the town belonged to.

He was perhaps, the most dangerous Pony in the age since the Flight of the Alicorns.

I may have first heard about him from the silver mare before me, but I had heard plenty of stories since then. They were rare, and spoken of only under the light of the Sun, but the tales were clear.

The tales of Lord Bloodmoon, the first vampire, spoke of a race of strange Ponies who would abduct villagers in the dead of night, to bring to their dread lair, Bloodstone. Where they would feast on the Pony's blood.

Nopony knew if Bloodstone existed for sure of course, because all that were taken never returned.

"Are you having second thoughts?" the silver mare asked, interrupting my thoughts.

"I'm... Uncertain yes." I admitted.

"Then fret not. For while the stories you've heard of Bloodmoon and his citedel are indeed true, and even more vile than they say, both he and the fortress have their share of weaknesses."

At this, the mare reached into her bodice and pulled out a glowing sliver of light, about as long as a hock, but not nearly as thick. It ended in a wickedly sharp point.

"If you recall the story I told you when you were still a filly, for yes, Bloodmoon is indeed the same monster, then you'll remember Bloodmoon cannot touch my physical tether to your realm without sacrificing his immortality. If you were to do accomplish that, then he will die, and I will be free. Furthermore, while my light has been corrupted by his fell magic, he has not corrupted all of it." At this she held out the bright sliver of silver light for me to take. "While his brood do not share his personal flaw, they still carry with them the weakness to my untainted light. And so you shall carry it with you."

I gingerly took the item from her hooves.

As it touched my hooves, the beam of silver light shifted and morphed before my eyes. It only took a few seconds for the beam of light to settle, while it was still clearly made of the same silver light, the beam itself was now a wickedly sharp dagger in my hooves.

"While I thank you for this gift, I do not see how I am to use it." I interjected. "Nopony knows where Bloodstone is, how am I to lead an army to lay siege to it?"

"You are thinking too much like a General." the silver mare touched my nose with her hoof. "No, you must embark on this journey alone. Not only because you would ultimately fail if you brought an army, provoking all of the vampiric Thestrals under Bloodmoon's command into a feeding frenzy, but because the way to Bloodstone is a secret one. While it is not my secret to give, I can point you in the direction to start." With that, the mare waved her hoof, and a piece of parchment appeared on her iron table. She elegantly reached over and unrolled it, revealing what looked like a map. But a map of what I knew not. "Bloodmoon relies on abducting Ponies all across your known world to feed himself and his brood. While many of these victims are lonely travelers and transients who will not be missed, some of them are from small remote villages who struck a deal with the marauding Thestrals. While the deals themselves vary, they remain somewhat consistent. The villagers would willingly sacrifice one of their own so the rest of the village is safe from Bloodmoon's predations."

"That's awful." I commented, examining the map, beginning to recognize landmarks and shapes.

It was a map of the entire continent. Larger and more complete than any I had ever seen.

Occasionally, a minuscule speck of silver light illuminated certain points across the map.

"Quite. But do not fault the Ponies for their decision, for if they hadn't then nothing would stop the entire village from disappearing overnight."

The thought made my stomach roll and chilled my blood, but I could see why such a decision was made.

"Uh... Yeah."

"Your way to Bloodstone is thus. You shall find one of these feeder villages, and pose as their willing sacrifice. Fret not, for my blessing can be made to appear and disappear at will. So you shall be armed even as you are searched and taken. The Thestrals will then bring you to Bloodstone. From there I must leave planning to you, for even I do not know what they will do with you when you arrive. It may very well be that you will be forced to fight your way to Bloodmoon's chambers, where my tether is kept. Or you could be thrown into the dungeons. I truly know not."

"I understand." I nodded grimly.

"Then fare thee well my Champion. For that is all I have to give you. May the next time we speak, be when my chains are broken."