"A dragon is the finest creature ever. There's more to them than just guarding treasure."

Applejack closed her eyes and silently prayed for restraint as they crossed the open plains leading toward Canterlot Mountain. "Spike, would ya please stop singin' that blasted song? I'm comin' dangerously close to stranglin' ya."

"I'm sorry, Applejack." Spike scratched his head and grinned sheepishly. "I'm just bored."

"Yeah..." Applejack sighed, her eyes skimming the mountain for any sign of movement. "I know I've been a mite touchy on this trip. I'll try to be a bit more talkative." She adjusted her hat. "But can't ya at least think of a different song to sing for a while?"

"Hmm, maybe." Spike took a minute to think. "You gotta share! You gotta care—"

"Oh, sweet haystacks, stop!" Applejack shouted. "Consarn it, Spike! No more singin', you just lost your privileges."

She cast a sidelong glance at Spike as he started to chuckle, and a small smile crept onto her face. "Ya dang varmint."

Her grin widened as Spike erupted with laughter. Even when she was the butt of the joke, hearing him laugh never failed to brighten her mood. And she was especially grateful for it now.

She had believed with all of her heart that the Phoenix Heart was real, but the closer they drew to Canterlot, the more doubt wormed its way into her conviction. What if she had been wrong to trust that vampony? Could this quest be a ploy to draw the most influential hunter away from Sanctuary just before the vamponies struck?

But she couldn't turn back. If there was even the slightest chance that she could save Apple Bloom, then she had to take it. It was all she had; this was her last chance. If she failed here, then it was all over.

It was the finality of this realization that had her most on edge. In just another day's time, she would be inside Canterlot Castle, and she was either going to escape with the Phoenix Heart, or die within its walls.

Spike placed his hand on her back, drawing her out of her dark thoughts, and she smiled as his claw began to lazily scratch in a small circle. Whatever happened, Spike wouldn't let her face it alone. He was there for her, and somehow always knew exactly what to do.

She remembered back to just a year after their escape from Ponyville. Sanctuary was flourishing under Lance's newfound leadership and a constant inflow of refugees from all over Equestria. Applejack had been working tirelessly day and night, doing various odd jobs for the rapidly expanding town and caring for the three orphaned fillies that she had taken under her wing, but every time there was a lull in her work, every night when she finally lay down in bed, her thoughts shifted to Apple Bloom.

Nothing eased the guilt she felt over her little sister's fate. She would agonize for hours about what she could have done differently; what choices could have saved her. As time went on, she became less dedicated to her work and even began leaving jobs unfinished, until finally, she started finding reasons to leave town and avoid other ponies for days at a time.

It was during these darkest days of her life that Spike came to her rescue. Understanding her guilt and sorrow, he gathered Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo, and Diamond Tiara one morning, and the four of them followed Applejack to a small clearing several miles from town.

As Applejack bemusedly watched them approach, they formed a circle around her and each confessed what she meant to them. Studying each of their sincere faces, Applejack tried to shrug off their worries and assure them she was fine, but mid-sentence, she felt her inner defenses crumble. Pulling the four of them into a hug, she sobbed and told them everything.

Once she calmed down, the four took turns telling their favorite Apple Bloom memory, and after they were done, Applejack shared hers. The five of them then spent the entire morning and most of the afternoon reminiscing and laughing, and soon, Applejack came to understand that they weren't mourning Apple Bloom anymore. They were celebrating her life.

Applejack realized then that it was these four that made life worth living. They were all the motivation she needed to keep pushing on. They were her drive to make Sanctuary a safe and comfortable home for everypony.

Although that day did little to alleviate her guilt, it had made it easier for her to face each new day. It had also inspired her to quit moping about Apple Bloom's fate and instead do something about it, and not long after, she and Spike had begun training under Lance.

If not for Spike's actions, Applejack feared that she would have strayed toward a path of self-destruction. He had not only saved her from herself, but had given her newfound hope and a new course to pursue.

Slowing to a halt, Applejack wiped at her wet eyes.

"Is something bothering you?" Spike asked as he rolled his shoulder to adjust the sword on his back.

"Nah." Applejack shook her head. "I just got somethin’—"

"In your eye," Spike finished.

Applejack chuckled. "Yeah."

Spike cocked an eyebrow. "Is the something in your eye Apple Bloom related?"

"For once, I can honestly say no, it ain't."

"Well...that's good." He scanned the sky before starting off once more.

She could tell that he didn't believe her, so after a few moments of walking in silence, she suddenly shot him a grin. "Do ya remember when we first met Zecora? Apple Bloom had followed her into the Everfree Forest and we ran after her all in a panic and ended up in the poison joke?"

"How could I forget?" Spike replied, his eyes alight with the memory. "You were so tiny I could have carried you in a teacup."

"And what about Rarity?" She was smiling broadly now. "That was the worst bad hair day she had in her entire life."

Spike laughed. "Not even I thought she looked good that day!"

They continued on for the next hour, cracking jokes and reliving the old days while continuing to keep a wary eye to the sky, until Carriage Town came into view.

A large circle of covered wagons nestled against the base of Canterlot Mountain, Carriage Town was more of a trading post than a town. Founded by bandits, it was a place ripe with dangers, but not without its own set of rules.

According to rumor, a group of bandits, tired of their lives of roaming and stealing, happened upon a cluster of wagons that had been abandoned during the vampony's attack on Canterlot. Upon discovering the vast wealth of supplies onboard, they had quickly moved the wagons under an overreaching cliff face near the base of the mountain and formed a circle for protection.

News of their discovery quickly spread, and ponies from all over Equestria were soon braving the hazardous journey to Canterlot Mountain for the chance to trade for medicines and blankets for loved ones. Not known for their creativity, the bandits had mostly shrugged when asked what to call their establishment, and visitors eventually took to calling it Carriage Town.

It was unknown how such a small, unprotected settlement could survive directly below Canterlot. Some believed that they posed so little a threat that the vamponies ignored them, while others suggested that the vamponies above may simply have never traveled straight down from their lair. Whatever the case, Carriage Town had never before been attacked, but visitors needed to be wary of more than just vamponies here.

As the two of them reached the wall of wagons, they began circling to the left until they found a crudely constructed sign that simply stated 'enter.' Behind the sign was a small gap between two of the wagons that was all the hospitality this town would offer.

The diameter of the circle was only about twenty yards, but as the entire space was empty with the exception of a makeshift gallows standing in the very center, it appeared to be much larger. The tarps on the sides of the wagons that faced the inside of the circle were pinned back, revealing most of the inhabitants; many of whom were engaged in various games of chance including cards and darts. On the far side of the circle,a group of rowdy ponies shoved each other and laughed loudly as they took turns tossing horseshoes.

A stallion with a very bushy mane was bartering with a one of the merchants as Applejack squeezed through the gap. Evidently, he was trying to trade a can of shaving cream for some hair gel, but the merchant seemed unhappy with the amount of cream left in the can.

Listening to the two of them argue as Spike passed through the gap, Applejack’s eyes swept over the town and came to a pause on the gallows. Little more than a single wooden beam stuck in the ground with a crate for the condemned to stand on, just the sight of it would have been enough to make her blood boil, but a deep flame of anger erupted in her stomach as she caught sight of the stallion hanging from the noose.

“Ugh,” Spike muttered, “not again.”

With a growl, Applejack marched to the gallow, climbed onto the crate, and with a single swing of her halberd, severed the rope and winced as the body landed in a tangled heap.

Hopping off the crate, she pointed her halberd at the corpse and shouted, "What the hay is this?! What were ya'll told 'bout executin' ponies here?"

Applejack turned in a tight circle and glared at the town. All around her, ponies turned away from their activities to stare and mumble. She watched as several of them climbed down from their wagons and approached her, some looking uncomfortable, but a few glaring back defiantly.

"Princess Cadance and the Cloudsdale Sky Marshals have been workin' tirelessly for years to keep Equestria from fallin' into a lawless land," Applejack stated as they drew near, "and it's behavior like this that undermines all of their hard work and dedication."

"He was caught stealing," said a large, gray stallion gruffly. "You know the rules here."

Applejack shook her head. "That ain't how things are supposed to work, Rocksteady. If he was breakin’ the law, ya'll should've contacted the authorities." She turned her attention to the others. "Ya'll were ordered, by Princess Cadance herself, to get rid of this here gallows. It's fine that this town has its own rules, but you must respect Equestrian laws."

Rocksteady scowled. "Cadance isn't our princess. The princesses are the reason why we're in this mess to begin with. We'll never follow another princess again." He raised to his full height as several ponies behind him shouted their support.

“That’s funny,” Spike interjected, “coming from a town that relies solely on the pegasi for its food and water."

"If we had to fend for ourselves, we'd manage," Rocksteady said matter-of-factly as more ponies joined the crowd behind him.

“Yeah!” shouted a stallion as he neared, a forgotten dart still tucked behind his ear. “I’d like to see the pegasi and their precious princess come down from their clouds and try living like we do! They wouldn’t last a single day without all of their luxuries!”

“It’s not right that they get an easy life up in the clouds while we have to struggle to survive below,” a mare standing directly behind Rocksteady said loudly. “Admiral Proudmare is right. Cadance is unjust.” She threw a hoof into the air. “We demand equality!”

Applejack’s grip tightened on her halberd as her eyes scanned the crowd. She couldn't help but notice that most of the ponies shouting their agreement were young adults with blank flanks. While she felt certain that Rocksteady would never attack her, she wasn't so sure about these hotheaded youngsters.

“That’s just Proudmare,” Applejack said slowly, her eyes narrowing. “She forfeited her rank when she renounced Princess Cadance.”

“What’s an admiral supposed to do when her princess abandons her and the rest of the Crystal Empire to hide in the clouds?” Rocksteady countered. “They couldn’t exactly follow her.”

“She could have tried to hold the military together, protect the citizens, and link up with Prince Shining Armor like she was ordered,” Applejack retorted, wairly watching the young ponies behind him. “And stop actin’ like Princess Cadance hasn’t sacrificed anythin’. She had to leave her own husband behind. Don’t ya think that was hard for her?”

Rocksteady snorted. “I don’t think anything is hard for her. All she’s worried about is her own safety.”

Applejack stomped a hoof. "I’ve heard enough. It doesn't matter if you want to support the princess or not. As long as you live here, you are under Equestrian rule, and are the subjects of Princess Cadance. And this—" she once again pointed her halberd at the dead stallion "—will not be tolerated."

Rocksteady suddenly unsheathed his sword and held it up. "This is the only law—"

A gout of flame flashed past his face, causing him to drop his sword and stumble back with a cry. Spike stepped in front of Applejack and crossed his muscular arms. "That was a warning. If you threaten Applejack again, I'll sear the flesh off of your face."

Rocksteady lowered his gaze and slowly back away. "I wasn't threatening her..." he muttered.

Applejack placed a hoof on Spike's shoulder. "Thanks, Spike,” she said as the crowd slowly backed away, eyeing him warily, “I can handle this from here." With a nod, Spike moved aside.

"Now, then," she continued, "ya'll need to clean this up, and I expect this pony to get a proper burial. Can I trust ya with that?" A few heads in the group nodded, followed by a couple mumbled affirmatives, and she favored them with a smile. "Thank you. I know it ain’t easy comin’ back from your previous lives as bandits, but you’ve made some real improvements over the years and I respect ya for that, so I'm goin' to cut ya'll a break. I won't report this to the princess, but only if you'll promise me that this town can follow the law from this point forward. Can ya'll make that promise? Please?"

"Come on, guys!" called a familiar voice from the back of the crowd. "Don’t you remember what it was like when you first found these wagons? Princess Cadance wanted to send in the Sky Marshals to take the supplies from you, and it was Applejack that convinced her that even a bunch of bandits deserved a second chance. Don’t you all at least owe her this?”

The ponies began to shift their hooves and look at one another, then gradually voiced their agreement, and Rocksteady, his face etched with regret, inclined his head and said, “Yes, this at the very least.”

"So, can I count on ya'll?" Applejack asked. She grinned as they gave her a louder affirmative. "Glad to hear it."

With a sigh of relief, Applejack returned the halberd to her back as she watched two stallions lift the corpse, then turned to the dispersing ponies and waved at the griffon that was approaching.

With her steel helm and leather armor, Gilda looked as if a griffon soldier from one of Apple Bloom's history books had come to life and leaped out from the pages. A large crossbow with a bladed handle was strapped to her back, and a quiver of bolts bounced by her flank.

"I appreciate the help, Gilda," Applejack said, raising a hoof to bump against Gilda’s clawed fist. “These ponies have been more stubborn than a pack of mules ever since that Proudmare started mouthin’ off ‘bout Princess Cadance.”

“Pfft, she’s not gonna last long.” Gilda smoothed out the feathers on her head. “She’s already managed to tick off the wrong members at the guild. Any self-respecting mercenary will drop a contract instantly if the client so much as mentions her name.”

“I don’t know,” Applejack said with a frown. “I’ve heard tell that she’s been gainin’ quite a bit of support lately.”

Gilda snorted. “The guild’s got Princess Cadance’s back, and Proudmare knows it. She’s not gonna try anything with the mercenaries set against her.” She turned her gaze to Spike. “Although stuff like what just happened here isn’t going to help persuade anypony to stick with the princess.”

Spike scowled. “I think we handled it just fine.”

"Says the dragon that nearly melted the face off of a pony for no reason," Gilda countered.

Spike rolled his eyes. "Whatever."

Gilda snickered. "You never hesitate to use that fire breath of yours to fix every problem, huh?" Her eyes narrowed as Spike growled. "So when are you gonna pay up?"

"I don't owe you anything," Spike snapped.

"You burned my entire cargo," Gilda retorted.

"I saved your life!"

"You cost me a fortune!"

Spike threw his hands up in exasperation. "What good would a fortune do you if you're dead?! Or worse, one of them?"

Applejack moved between them. "Gilda, we warned ya against takin' that pass. Spike and I wanted to take the long way round the mountains and cut through the Crystal Empire Ruins, but you were worried 'bout time and insisted on goin' the quicker route. You're the one who put the cargo at risk, and Spike here did his darndest to keep you alive."

"You're welcome," Spike chimed in.

"Maybe ya should stop placin' blame on others and own up to your mistakes. Spike and I did everythin' we could in the situation you put us in. Ya can't blame him for the outcome." Applejack adjusted her hat. "Now, we got some supplies we need to pick up. Ya comin' along or are ya gonna go your separate way?"

Gilda simply stood there for a moment as the two of them walked away, then clicked her beak and followed. "Fine." She eyed Spike suspiciously. "But you'd better not think I owe you anything."

Spike snorted. "Never."

"So, how's the mercenary life treatin' ya?" Applejack asked, hoping to change the subject.

Gilda shrugged. "It's a living." She glanced back at the small gap between wagons that was the town's entrance. "I'm waiting for a delivery from a client. It's supposed to be arriving soon, and I've got to take it to some cave near Fillydelphia where the pegasi are making some kind of outpost. Supposedly, once I get there, there's going to be plenty of work for a while."

Spike gave Applejack a nudge. "That must be the cave with the underground river Lance told us about."

Applejack nodded. "They're probably hirin' mercenaries to transport supplies." She turned to Gilda. "I'll bet they'll want ya to stick around to provide protection while they fortify the area."

A wide grin spread across Gilda's face. "Awesome! That means those ponies will be directly under Princess Cadance's orders, and ponies under the princess are always very generous employers."

"Well, I'm glad to hear that you've got yourself such a good job," Applejack said as she came to a sudden stop to allow a young stallion to dash in front of her and catch a large, red rubber ball. He paused long enough to look her up and down, eyes lingering on her flank, then he grinned and gave her a wink before kicking the ball to his partner and galloping away.

“Rude much?” Spike muttered from beside her.

Allowing the indignation to simply roll off her, she smiled at Gilda, who looked as though she were ready to chase the stallion down and break his neck. “I hope everythin’ goes well for ya.”

“Yeah…” Gilda said as she looked from the stallion back to Applejack. “Yeah, thanks.”

As they neared one of the wagons, Applejack gazed up to find Rocksteady at the top of the steps frowning down at her. "Sorry 'bout causin' that ruckus, but now I wanna talk business."

Rocksteady shook his head. "It's never a dull day when you visit." He held out his hoof. "Come on up."

Applejack gripped his hoof and allowed him to hoist her up into the wagon, while Spike and Gilda leaped up behind her.

The inside of the wagon was remarkably well-kept for a gruff ex-bandit; a bedroll and a small wooden table that held a framed photograph occupied the front of the wagon, while the back half was an organized cluster of goods ranging from small pots and pans to thick quilted blankets, and even a full suit of royal guard armor.

"Hey, Applejack," Rocksteady said once her gaze returned to his, "about back there—"

"Don't ya fret none 'bout that." Applejack smiled. "I know you weren't threatenin' me. Spike is just a little overprotective is all." She glanced back at her companion. "Why don't you apologize, Spike?"

Spike crossed his arms and glowered at Rocksteady.

Applejack cleared her throat. "Ahh...well, anyway, we're gonna be doin' some cave explorin' and need some rope. I figured you would be the stallion to talk to."

"That I am." Rocksteady made his way toward the very back of the wagon and tossed several sacks of clothing aside before opening a chest. "Not many ponies looking for rope nowadays."

Applejack glanced back at the gallows. "Really?"

"Hey," sitting back on his haunches, he held up his hooves innocently, "they didn't get that rope from me." He pulled out a coil of rope and dropped it on the floor. "How much do you need?"

"I'm not sure." Applejack removed her hat and scratched her head. "Ten feet would probably do it."

As Rocksteady was measuring the rope, Gilda walked over to his bedside table and studied a small, green gem before holding it up. "What's this, Rocky? I never took you to be the type to collect pretty rocks."

"That's a jade," Rocksteady replied brusquely. "Back in my old mining days, I'd bring those home when I found them. My daughter collected them..."

Gilda quickly set the stone back down and hurriedly moved away from the table. "Uh, I gotta go over here now because...um...well, yeah, bye." She hopped off the wagon and hastily trotted out of sight.

Applejack watched as Rocksteady cut the rope with a knife perhaps a bit more savagely than was needed. "I never knew you were a father." She lowered her eyes to the floor. "I'm sorry for your loss."

"Well, it was a long time ago. An entire lifetime, it seems." Rocksteady sighed. "She kept this pretty little box under her bed, and hid her collection there. She loved those little stones." He chuckled. "I know it's stupid, but it feels like she's closer when I have it near."

"That isn't stupid," Spike said. "We all have our own ways of keeping our loved ones close to our hearts."

"Yeah..." Rocksteady passed the rope to Applejack, then took a deep breath. "If you're going to be spending any amount of time in a cave, then you'll need some torches. Fortunately, I've got everything you'll need."

He rummaged through his wares for several minutes and returned with a small pile of supplies that he shoved into Spike's outstretched arms. "Here you are. This will give you light for about two days worth of time." He turned to Applejack and grinned. "Now what do you have for me?"

Applejack grinned right back. "You're gonna love this." She reached into her saddlebags and removed a tube of toothpaste. "It's over half full. I found it not too long ago while inspecting this old, broken down cabin."

Rocksteady took the tube from her. "Yeah, it might even be three quarters full."

"A pretty good trade for a couple of old staves, some dirty linen, and a bit of pitch, wouldn't you say?" Spike commented as he used some twine to strap the staves to his backpack.

Applejack extended her hoof. "Deal?"

"You bet!" Rocksteady gripped her hoof and gave it a hard shake. "Pleasure doing business with you."

Applejack tipped her hat. "Likewise." Then she and Spike hopped off the wagon.

"We leaving then?" Spike asked.

"No reason to waste any more time," Applejack affirmed.

As they neared the gap between the wagons, Gilda suddenly swooped down and landed next to them. "So, what cave you exploring?"

Applejack eyed her for a moment. "How well do ya know the area?"

"Well enough." Gilda answered. "It's a great place for news while I'm in-between jobs."

"We're lookin' for a cave somewhere at the base of Canterlot Mountain," Applejack said. "You ever seen it?"

Gilda nodded. "Why are you going in there? There's nothing worth gathering."

"Can ya lead us there?"

"Sure." Gilda scratched her head. "But...why?"

Spike glanced hesitantly at Applejack, but when she shrugged, he said, "Because that cave leads all the way up to the dungeons in Canterlot Castle."

"Canterlot Castle?!" Gilda exclaimed, her eyes going wide. "Are you insane?"

"Possibly," Spike muttered.

"Can ya take us there or not?" Applejack demanded. "We can pay."

"I'll take you there, but nothing you have is worth leading you to your deaths."

"Let us worry 'bout that," Applejack said as she squeezed through the gap.

Once they were all through, Gilda turned and held out her claw. "I have one condition."

Applejack cocked an eyebrow. "What's that?"

"Neither of you can die," Gilda stated firmly. "I can't hold how much you owe me over your heads if you're dead."

Spike laughed. "You're really something else, G."

With a chuckle, Applejack gripped her talon. "You've got yourself a deal."

***

Twilight slowly opened her eyes and sighed contently as she gazed around the throne room. Tightly gripping the rock with her back hooves, she yawned and arched her back while fully extending her wings.

She couldn't remember the last time she had slept so soundly, or awoke feeling so reinvigorated. Was the dream responsible for that? She knew she had dreamed of Spike again, but there had been something different about it this time. Had there been someone else in the forest?

Letting go of the rock, Twilight flipped in the air and landed lightly on her hooves. What does it matter? It was just a dream, after all.

Her hoofsteps echoed throughout the room as she trotted over to her saddlebags. Fastening them securely, she eyed the sun throne and smiled. Perhaps after she had gathered the Elements and Mistress was dead, she’d rule from this very throne. It would befit her, as all would know that it was she that had brought them back the sun.

Still grinning broadly, Twilight left through the large double doors. Pausing at the bottom of the stairs, she rotated her foreleg until she felt a satisfying pop, and then made her way quickly out of the castle, eager to find the next Element, and eventually, have her revenge.

Certain that she was far enough from Ponyville to not risk being spotted in the air, and that Rainbow wouldn't be searching for her this far into the forest, Twilight took to the sky and headed south. Undoubtedly, Rainbow would be searching the roads by now, and investigating every cave she came across. Twilight was equally sure that she could fly the full distance to the Badlands without being discovered.

Suddenly, hurried hoofbeats reached her ears, and she quickly swooped down to hide behind a cluster of skeletal bushes. Had the Ascended found her? But how? If they were traveling by ground, then they knew she was near and were attempting to ambush her. She struggled to recall any mistakes she could have made on her way to the castle ruins, but could think of nothing.

As she lay in wait, Twilight slowly became aware of the faint scent of mortal blood. Gradually, the smell grew stronger as the hoofbeats drew near, and a couple of minutes later, a group of four heavily armed mortals rushed by. Three of them were earth ponies in full armor and wielding swords, and they were all crowded around a pegasus that was wearing a leather breastplate and a spear strapped to her back. The pegasus was holding her wing out at an odd angle and was limping badly, a bandage wrapped around a foreleg confirmed that she was the source of the scent.

Twilight frowned. What would mortals be doing this deep within the forest? Did they not know how close they were to Ponyville? That one's wound would undoubtedly bring every underling under Mistress's rule down upon them, if not the Ascended themselves.

Shaking her head, Twilight stood and prepared to take to the air. They were of no concern to her, all she cared about was finding the next Element.

Just then, three underlings soared by overhead, causing her to start.

"Here they come!" she heard one of the mortals shout.

The four of them came to a halt and the three earth ponies formed a protective ring around the injured pegasus who had collapsed to the ground. The three raised up on their hind legs and lifted their swords over their heads as the underlings began to circle above them.

With an earsplitting shriek, the first of the underlings swooped down upon them. Holding their ground, the ponies stabbed at the vampony and it quickly raised back up only to dive down again with its comrades in tow. As the earth ponies fought to keep the underlings at bay, a smaller mare was knocked from her hooves, but quickly got up and back into position.

"They're trying to wear us out!" shouted a gray stallion as he swung a wide arc to halt the approach of two underlings. "Don't let them! Make every swing count, and don't waste any energy!"

Without warning, the pegasus suddenly stood and thrust her spear upward, catching an underling off guard and impaling it in the stomach. Seeing his chance, the gray stallion quickly pivoted and cleaved the underling's head in two.

As the corpse fell to the ground, an underling hit the smaller mare and once again knocked her off her hooves. Her sword was sent skittering across the rough terrain as she landed hard on her back.

Twilight couldn't help but think of Lyra and Trixie as she watched the mortals' struggle. Just like Lyra, the three earth ponies were risking everything to protect the injured pegasus, and the pegasus was doing everything in her power to help. She didn't understand what drove the mortals to do this, but when she saw the mare's eyes widen as the underling stood over her, a deep boiling anger rose inside of her.

Before she even comprehended what she was doing, Twilight launched forward and snatched up the sword as she passed. Hearing her approach, the underling turned toward her, and she thrust the blade into its chest, piercing its heart. The underling stiffened, the red glow of its eyes flickered out, and it collapsed in a heap.

The last underling paused in its assault and stared at her for a moment, then spun and attempted to flee. With a great flap of her wings, she caught it by a hind leg and threw it to the ground. Landing beside it, she promptly pinned it with a hoof to the chest.

"Twilight?" it rasped. "I thought Rainbow killed you."

"Evidently not," she deadpanned, then drove the sword through its skull.

Pulling the sword free, Twilight turned to find the mortals staring at her, their weapons up and ready. The mare had unstrapped a dagger and was holding it out in front of her as she slowly sidestepped closer to the others.

"Underlings always attack the smallest in a group," Twilight told the mare as she tossed the sword at her hooves. "They see it as a weakness. You should have been better prepared."

"Why are you doing this?" the gray stallion demanded. "What do you want?"

Twilight met his hard gaze and couldn't help but smirk. "What are you doing here?" she asked.

He blinked, then studied her for a long moment, the hardness in his eyes replaced by confusion. Finally, he indicating the pegasus and said, "Her unit was ambushed. She was the only survivor, but suffered a broken wing. She was being hunted when we found her and we led her into the forest to lose our pursuers. But the vamponies were more persistent than usual."

Twilight snorted. "You're a fool." She looked at the others in turn. "All of you. It is foolish to travel with an injured mortal." Pointing at the pegasus's bandaged leg, she continued, "I could smell her blood almost as soon as I became aware of your hoofsteps. The scent of blood drives underlings crazy. Nothing was going to stop them from hunting you. If you want to survive, you'll have to leave her behind."

The three earth ponies moved in front of the pegasus and brandished their weapons. "So, that's it," the gray stallion said. "You expect us to give up one of our own? If you want her, then you're going to have to come through us."

"Yeah!" the other two cried in unison.

Twilight cocked an eyebrow. "You mean to fight me? Twilight, first born of the Ascended?" At her words, the three shuffled their hooves and glanced nervously at one another.

I really do find a way to sneak that into every encounter, don't I?

She had no idea where that thought came from, but it left her feeling ridiculous, despite it having the desired effect on the mortals. Her title had always brought her pride, why would she suddenly feel silly for announcing it?

Realizing that the mortals were watching her warily, she turned her attention to the mare still holding the dagger defensively. "Pick up your sword, cretin. I could kill you in the blink of an eye with such an ineffective weapon." She snickered as the little mare scrambled to snatch up her sword, then turned her attention to the gray stallion. "Do you have any idea where you are?"

Again, he blinked, then shared a look with the others. "Yes...we're in the Everfree Forest. We were hoping to lose the vamponies and travel west to the White Tail Woods, but we were forced to change direction several times to avoid capture."

"No doubt you seek to cower behind the walls of Sanctuary." Twilight shook her head. "And you believed you could travel all that way with an injured pony that reeks of blood? You truly are a fool."

"Maybe I am," the gray stallion snapped, "but I'd sooner die than leave a wounded pony to be turned into a filthy monster like you!" He glanced at the stallion on his left. "Get Derpy on her hooves. We're leaving—" he turned and caught her gaze, "—all of us."

To Twilight's surprise, a small smile crept onto her face. This stallion had guts, and she liked it. It was rare for her to come face to face with a mortal and not have them break down into a blubbering mess begging for their lives.

She stood silently as they began to back away, still holding their weapons at the ready. They were heading in the direction of Ponyville, and she doubted they were even aware of it. Twilight wanted to turn away; to forget them and leave them to their fate, but found to her annoyance that she didn't want them to die. Their determination to protect the injured pegasus reminded her too much of Lyra.

"You're only a couple of hours away from Ponyville," Twilight called after them. "If you continue in that direction, you will all die." The mortals froze mid-step. It was clear by their wide eyes that they had no idea how close they'd come to disaster. "Also, the White Tail Woods are teeming with underlings, despite Mistress's orders to stay away," she added, unable to keep the disgust from her voice at the thought of underlings acting against Mistress's wishes.

"Thanks for the warning," the gray stallion said uncertainly. "We'll be careful."

"You'll be dead," Twilight stated matter-of-factly. She pointed at the pegasus's wound once again. "Unless that wound is completely healed, every underling in White Tail Woods will descend upon you."

The gray stallion looked at the smaller earth mare who shook her head. "I've dressed the wound three times, but it keeps reopening," she said. "Like I told you before, we need to stop and make camp for the wound to heal properly."

"Well, that wasn't an option before." The gray stallion scowled. "And it isn't much of an option now, either. We're too exposed out here."

"But you're risking infection if you keep pushing her," the mare retorted. "You and I both know that these decaying forests are far from sterile."

As Twilight watched the two of them bicker, a thought slowly occurred to her. The castle ruins could provide them with the safe shelter the wounded pegasus needed, and once she was healed, the four of them would be able to reach Sanctuary unharmed.

But the castle was her new lair. Vamponies could not enter the lair of another, not even the Ascended. To do so without consent was forbidden, and Mistress had been known to deal with such a perpetrator personally. And these four weren't even vamponies. How could she invite such rubbish into her own lair?

Twilight became aware that the mortals had gone quiet and were staring at her again. Her eyes narrowed. "What?"

Without warning, the pegasus limped forward and approached her with a warm smile.

Twilight eyed her with trepidation. Nopony had ever advanced upon her in such a manner before, and in the past, if an underling had dared to make such a mistake, Twilight would have killed them without a moment's hesitation. But it was more than the pegasus's fearlessness that fueled her unease; the sparkle in her strange, crossed eyes and her goofy yet pleasant smile seemed to engender a buoyancy that Twilight had never before seen. It was as if having a wounded leg, a broken wing, and being hunted by a group of underlings had done nothing to dampen her spirits.

Peering into her kind face, Twilight suddenly felt vulnerable for the first time in her life. How could she hold her ground to such a friendly approach? How could she intimidate one that held no fear?

Twilight didn't realize that she was slowly backing away until the pegasus's smile began to fade. "What's wrong?" she asked, cocking her head to one side.

Hastily straightening her back and holding her head high, Twilight made a show of glaring back at the affable mare, but knew that it was too late. She had already displayed weakness.

"You looked really confused a minute ago," the pegasus said, "and now, you look upset. I don't know why you attacked your own kind, and I don't know why you're sparing us, but I'm very very grateful. We all are."

At her words, the three earth ponies began nodding their heads and affirming what she'd said.

Dumbfounded, Twilight's gaze shifted to the three before quickly snapping back to the pegasus. What was this?

A huge smile unexpectedly broke out on her face. "Thanks, Twilight, for saving our lives! We totally owe you one!" She held out a hoof. "My name's Derpy, by the way. You used to know me, but I don't think you remember me anymore."

Twilight simply stared at the hoof. What did Derpy expect her to do, and why should she act upon the whim of a mortal anyway?

Derpy suddenly giggled. "Oh, sorry. You have no idea what I'm doing, do you?" She wiggled her hoof. "You're supposed to bump my hoof with yours. It's a way we living ponies greet each other as friends."

The breath caught in Twilight's throat. Friends? Yes, that's what she wanted...or was it? What would she do with a friend, and why was she feeling such a strong desire to have one?

Slowly, Twilight lifted a hoof, but paused when she noticed that it was shaking. A deep shame at appearing so weak in front of a mortal began to engulf her, but when she looked into Derpy's gleefully expectant face, the shame quickly melted away.

"So, if I...bump your hoof, that makes us friends?" Twilight asked.

Derpy laughed. It was an infectious sound that made Twilight smile. "It's not that easy! But it's a really good start."

Still smiling, Twilight turned her attention back to the outstretched hoof. Tenderly, as though it would burn her, Twilight bumped the hoof and hastily drew back.

"There you go!" Derpy beamed. "That wasn't so hard! Let's do it again."

As Derpy lifted her hoof again, Twilight's smile widened. She was feeling a sensation in her chest that she had only felt during her dreams of Spike. She hadn't realized that she could get these emotions from other ponies as well. Marveling at experiencing these feelings outside of the dream, Twilight bumped Derpy's hoof with more enthusiasm.

With a sharp cry, Derpy crumpled to the ground.

Twilight gasped and took to the air as the three earth ponies rushed to the fallen pegasus. Silently chastening herself, she watched the mortals warily. Would they attack her now? She was just starting to like them, she didn't want to kill them.

"It's okay, Twilight!" Derpy called as the others helped her to her hooves. "I just put too much weight on my injured leg. It wasn't your fault."

"There's an old castle to the north," Twilight told the gray stallion, refusing to meet Derpy's gaze. "You should reach it in about a half hour on hoof. It's far enough away from Ponyville that no underling would have any reason to go there. You will be safe. Take your...friend there and tend to her."

"Twilight!" Derpy called again.

"And why should we trust you?" asked the gray stallion.

Twilight studied him briefly, then pointed at Derpy. "Because I want her to live."

He hesitated for a moment longer, then nodded. "We'll do as you said, and we'll keep her safe."

Twilight flipped around and headed south. She heard Derpy shouting her name and forced herself to fly faster. After a few moments, she was out of earshot of the mortals and slowed to a leisurely pace.

It had been foolish to believe that a vampony could be friends with a mortal. They were much too frail. Twilight shuddered to think how badly she could have hurt Derpy if she'd had her Ascended's strength.

A sudden thought occurred to her. Not once during the entire interaction with the mortals had she even contemplated feeding, despite the constant scent of blood, and more surprising still, this revelation did not upset her. She somehow understood that once the mortals had reminded her of Lyra, she hadn't wanted to hurt them and had chosen to ignore her thirst.

Twilight frowned. What was happening to her? She was no longer afraid of losing her thirst, she was feeling odd urges to make friends, and she had just showed weakness to a mere mortal. And yet, none of these things had really bothered her. In fact, they left her feeling hopeful.

Mistress's betrayal had effectively removed her from vampony society, and even the underlings were now aware that she had been sentenced to death. They may even know that she was no longer an Ascended. She had no choice but to consider every vampony an enemy.

But the mortals...they were now potential allies. They were so much different from what she had thought they were. She understood now why they insisted on crowding in small towns, they were stronger in numbers. They displayed great determination to protect each other, and when one was in danger, the others grew bolder, and some seemed to even draw strength from one another. If she could surround herself with mortals such as these, and discover how they drew strength from each other, then maybe she could use that added strength to crush Mistress.

Perhaps she could pay Sanctuary a visit after retrieving the Element from the Changelings. There were more mortals there than anywhere else in Equestria, and she was certain that she would find several of those special ones. She would start with some of the vampony hunters, and maybe she would even meet Lyra and Trixie again.

Satisfied with the plan, Twilight continued her flight to the Badlands.

***

"Hooves down, this has got to be the worst idea you've ever had," Applejack grumbled as she flopped down on her rump.

"Well, how was I supposed to know the hidden door would be so difficult to open?" Spike retorted.

Applejack slapped herself in the forehead. "Are ya listenin' to yourself? Of course the hidden door is difficult to open. That's the point, ain't it?"

Spike huffed and crossed his arms. "You know what I mean."

With a growl, Applejack kicked a rock and glared at the stone wall standing before them. As she watched the flickering torchlight dance upon its surface, she fumed over the time and energy they had wasted on this trip.

Thanks to Gilda's guidance, they had found the entrance to the caverns without difficulty, but the trek through the caverns had been far more arduous than they had expected. Nearly the entire journey had been up a steep incline that was littered with loose rocks and bottomless chasms that they had been forced to leap over, and there had been several times that Applejack had been forced to rely on Spike's climbing skills and the rope.

"Consarn it!" Applejack stood and began to pace. "If I could just see the blasted thing, I'd bet my barn I could get it open."

"Oh, you don't see it?" Spike pointed at the wall. "It's right there."

Applejack blinked at the wall. "Where?"

"Right here." Spike poked a crack in the rock. "See, I've got my claw in the groove right now."

Her eyes followed the groove up from Spike's claw and quickly discerned the door from the surrounding rock. "Alright, I see it now." She turned her back to the door and carefully lined herself up. "Step back."

Balancing on her front legs, she pulled her back legs forward and kicked with all of her might. Her hooves met the rock with a resounding bang that echoed throughout the cavern for several moments.

"It moved a little!" Spike shouted excitedly.

Applejack backed a bit closer to the wall and bucked again, and the door opened a crack.

Spike shot her a grin. "You've still got it."

Applejack sniffed. "Course I do."

She eyed the gap, and then gritted her teeth as she shouldered the door open a little further until it was wide enough for her to squeeze through. "Okay, I think that's good. You go first."

As Spike started forward, his elbow collided with a thin rock protruding from the wall. There was a loud click, and the door swung fully open. As Applejack rounded on him and glowered, Spike smiled sheepishly. "I found the lever."

"Ya rackin' frackin' varmint," Applejack muttered as she stepped out of the cave and into the lowest of the Canterlot dungeons.

The torchlight revealed a long corridor that stretched into the darkness with several empty cells lining either side. She listened intently for any signs of a threat and licked her lips as the dry air seemed to imbibe the moisture from them.

Determining that the immediate area was safe, she turned to watch Spike reach for an old burned out torch still affixed to a bracket. At his touch, the torch tilted to the side and the door swung silently shut behind them.

"Totally awesome." Spike grinned. "That was like something straight out of a Daring Do book."

Applejack rolled her eyes. "Would ya come on?"

"Yeah, yeah," Spike mumbled as he raised the torch and took the lead. After a moment, he coughed. "Wow, it is dry in here."

"It sure is. Canterlot hasn't gotten a drop of rain in the twelve years since its downfall." She tentatively touched a metal bar and felt the static shock. "Try breathin' through your nose, sugar. It helps."

The surrounding shadow seemed to encroach upon them as they cautiously followed the flickering light along the corridor, the clicks of their hooves and claws on the stone floor the only sound that penetrated the deathly silence.

Spike came to a halt as a staircase came into view and glanced back at her uncertainly. "You don't think they heard you kicking that door open, do you?"

"I reckon if they did, we'd already know," Applejack replied.

He nodded, and raising the torch over his head, slowly led the way up the narrow stairway.

At the top of the stairs stood a large steel reinforced wooden door. After giving it a couple of hard shoves, Spike held up a clawed finger and smiled. "It's a good thing I've gotten so much practice at this." Inserting his talon into the lock, he stuck his tongue out in concentration as he felt around for the tumblers. His smile widened as the lock clicked. "Sometimes, I even impress myself." He then grimaced as the door creaked loudly as it swung open.

"Don't ya get too cocky, now," Applejack said. "We've still got a castle full of vamponies to get through."

"Sorry, I'll try to be more modest like you." Spike winked. "That's the best part about you," he said in a soft, seductive tone.

Applejack allowed him to once again take the lead, then smacked him in the back of the head. She shook her head as he began to laugh; it was just like him to tease her, even in a situation as tense as this.

As she followed Spike down another corridor identical to the one below, Applejack's mind shifted to Lance.

She was going to have some explaining to do once she returned to Sanctuary. Lance had always been extremely forgiving in the past, but she was sure sneaking out of town had pushed his patience too far. She only hoped that her actions hadn't caused irrevocable damage to their friendship.

"Oh, wow," Spike breathed, coming to a sudden stop. "That really sucks."

Lying in the final cell before the next staircase was a skeleton, its face pressed against the bars and a foreleg reaching into the corridor as if it were still searching for a means to save itself. Several broken teeth in the grinning skull attested to the desperation the pony must have felt toward the end.

Applejack's ears drooped. "Whatever they might of done to end up in that cell, they didn't deserve to die like that."

Carefully stepping over the foreleg, Applejack cast a final sorrowful glance at the doomed prisoner before following Spike up the stairs. At the top was another large door that opened without protest except for the groan of its hinges, revealing a small room containing a desk, an overturned chair, and a bent sword laying in the middle of the room.

Applejack led the way across the room to a wooden door on the opposite wall, then turned to Spike. "I reckon it'd be a good idea for ya to leave your pack and torches here. We ain't gonna need them from here on, and all they're gonna do is slow ya down."

With a nod, Spike shrugged off his backpack and leaned it against the wall. Removing her hat, Applejack dusted her mane with Vampony's Bane before placing it back atop her head, then held the pouch up. "You want any?"

"Nah," Spike said. "I don't think dragons can turn from bites anyway. We just bleed out."

"Right." Applejack tied the half-full pouch high up on her foreleg, then pulled her halberd free. "You ready?"

Instead of answering, Spike opened his mouth and inserted the burning end of the torch, plunging them into complete darkness.

Applejack waited for him to stand beside her, then said, "Now remember, we need to move quickly and silently. And no fire."

"I know," Spike grunted.

"Yeah, well, ya didn't seem to know last time."

Spike sighed. "I panicked, alright? It won't happen again."

"Okay, sugar," Applejack said, unable to hold back a smile. "I trust ya."

She pushed the door open, and a shaft of moonlight sliced through the darkness. The two of them moved slowly into the hallway as their eyes adjusted to the dim light, keeping low and avoiding windows.

"Do ya know the way to the throne room from here?" Applejack asked.

"I think so," Spike answered, then swiftly made his way to the door at the end of the hall.

Applejack placed her hoof over his hand as he gripped the doorknob. "The more rooms we can cut through, and the less time we spend in the main halls, the better."

Spike nodded his understanding, then cracked the door and ensured the hall was clear before slipping through. She quickly followed and silently shut the door behind her.

Immediately in front of her was a toppled suit of armor, and as she carefully stepped over it, she caught the glint of pale light on the shards of a vase scattered down the hall. Crossing to a door opposite them, they entered an armory; the collapsed spear rack, broken weapons and shattered armor, and blood that stained the walls made evident the battle that had occurred there.

Just as Applejack was leaving the room, she caught sight of a helm laying in the corner, but on second glance, she noticed a skull still occupying it. With a grimace, she stepped out into the hall and nearly bumped into Spike.

He was frozen in place, staring at a bend in the hall. Applejack perked up an ear and heard the sound of approaching voices. Hastily scanning their surroundings, she spotted a door, and tapping Spike on the shoulder, frantically motioned him toward it.

They rushed to the door and flung it open, and as Applejack disappeared inside, she glanced behind her and glimpsed a vampony rounding the bend. Finding themselves in a small servant's bedroom, Applejack reared up on her hind legs and pressed herself against the wall behind the door as Spike hid behind the curtains on the far side of the room.

"Rainbow Dash will hunt her down and kill her, if she hasn't already," she heard a vampony say.

"I'm not so sure," said a second. "She may be weaker, but she's an experienced fighter."

"So am I, so are you," replied the first, "but could the two of us win against Rainbow?"

"Hopefully, they'll manage to kill each other," chimed in a third. "One less Ascended is fine, but two less would be better."

"Don't let Luna hear you saying that," the second warned.

"Was this door opened before?" the first suddenly asked.

Applejack swallowed hard as she heard their hoofsteps stop just outside the room. Slowly and silently, she raised the halberd and prepared to swing.

"It could have been," said the third, sounding indifferent.

The vampony took a couple of steps into the room, the moonlight behind him casting his elongated shadow along the floor and up the wall. Applejack held her breath as the end of his muzzle came into view, and she tightened her grip on her weapon.

Finally, his muzzle vanished and she heard their hoofsteps continue down the hall.

"Satisfied?" asked the third.

"Shut up," the first hissed. "We have to be sure. Ever since that weird serpent guy was spotted, Luna's been very strict about our patrols."

Applejack remained still until their voices faded away, then let out a sigh of relief as Spike came out from behind the curtain. "That was too close," she said as she readjusted her hat.

"What do you make of the weird serpent guy that vampony mentioned?" Spike asked.

"I don't know." Applejack checked the hall for any signs of movement. "But it doesn't matter. Let's keep movin'."

Spike led the way around the bend and stopped before two large wooden doors. "This study leads into the library. From there, it's a short distance to the throne room, but you knew that, right?"

Applejack offered a small smile. "Just be careful, I'm sure Luna's made the throne room her lair, and we don't wanna run into her."

The study was a spacious room with several tables and chairs that had been smashed or overturned. The magnificent paintings that hung on the walls had been slashed repeatedly, and the blood stained carpet was shredded. The door leading to the library was missing, and the bookshelf glimpsed through the doorway had collapsed, spilling its books into the study.

Bright pale moonlight permeated the huge library from a large skylight window above, revealing the two crystal chandeliers that had been shattered on the floor. A destroyed staircase led to a shadow enshrouded second floor, and on the far side of the room was a set of enormous wooden doors that was their goal.

Applejack began to lead the way toward the doors when a loud crunch from behind caused her to halt. Turning, she found Spike tenderly lifting his foot off of a broken piece of crystal.

"Who's there?" came a voice from the second floor.

Her heart leaping into her throat, Applejack half-dragged Spike into a nearby aisle and crouched low to the ground. Seconds later, she heard the thud of somepony dropping from the floor above. Readying her halberd as she listened to the hoofsteps approach, Applejack thrust the spear point at the creature's chest as it rounded the shelf.

Rarity caught the weapon with ease. "Come now," she said with a wicked grin, "where are your manners?"

Applejack could do nothing more than stare at the pony that had once been her best friend. She looked similar to what Applejack remembered, but her once beautiful sapphire eyes glowed an eerie red, and her dingy, unkempt mane lacked the curls that she had once held so much pride for.

Rarity wrenched the halberd from Applejack's grip and then turned her gaze to Spike. "However did the two of you get this far into the castle?" She looked him up and down, and then added with a silky voice. "Not that I mind such a big, strong, attractive male wandering into my domain."

Panic gripping her mind in a vise, Applejack stumbled away from the Ascended. A quick glance behind her revealed a clear path to the door back to the study, and she steeled herself for a swift retreat.

But as her gaze shifted to Spike, his wide eyes filled with longing and his sword hanging uselessly at his side, she snapped to her senses.

She couldn't leave Spike. She had to save him, but how?

"R-Rarity? It's me...Spike," he said slowly. "Don't you remember me?"

"Spike!" Applejack stepped toward him. "She isn't the same—"

Without warning, Rarity's wing unfurled and lashed out, slapping Applejack across the face and knocking her to the floor.

"Mmmm, yes, Spike," Rarity's tone turned lewd. "Of course I remember. I used to want nothing more than for you to hold me in your arms."

Shaking her head to clear the haze, Applejack looked to Spike and saw his expression change.

"Really?" Spike asked, and Applejack noticed him tightening his grip on his sword. "That doesn't sound like the Rarity I knew."

"Well, I had to keep my...urges to myself," Rarity replied smoothly. "What would the other mortals have said if they had known?" She lifted a hoof and began to caress his chest. "But now we're free to be together."

"Yes," Spike whispered. "That's what I've always wanted."

As Rarity smiled and batted her eyelashes seductively, Applejack readied herself. She wasn't sure what Spike was planning, but knew he was going to act soon.

"Why don't you accompany me somewhere a little more private?" Rarity cooed as her hoof slid down from his chest to the hilt of his sword. "Then I can show you just how much you've always meant to me." She cast a glance toward Applejack. "I'll even let your little companion live."

"That sounds great," Spike said breathlessly, gently placing his hand on her cheek. "Except you're not the pony I used to love." With a snarl, he raked his claws across her face.

Rarity cried out in shock and covered her face with her hooves. "Oh, you little—"

Applejack lunged forward and drove her dagger into Rarity's neck, then hastily grabbed Spike's arm and ran for the door.

Leaping over the pile of books laying in the threshold, the two of them raced across the study and crashed through the door and into the hallway. Behind them, they heard Rarity's loud bat-like screech, and seconds later, several other screeches rebounded throughout the castle in answer.

"They're coming!" Spike shouted as they sprinted down the hall.

"Then run faster!" Applejack shouted back, slowing her pace so he could keep up.

The two of them rounded the bend and found a half dozen vamponies galloping down the hall toward them.

"Mind if I use fire now?"

"Please!"

Applejack skidded to a halt as the entire hallway before her erupted in an inferno of screams and fire. Through the swirling flames, she could see two vamponies writhing on the floor with ear-splitting shrieks before a second torrent consumed them.

Swallowing back bile at the stench of burning flesh, Applejack pointed at the armory door. "This way, back the way we came."

She crashed through the door and turned to watch as Spike unleashed one last burst of fire down the hall, and then backed into the room and slammed the door closed. They moved swiftly through the armory, Applejack pausing just long enough to sheath her dagger and grab an unbroken spear from the floor, and stepped into the hall with the toppled suit of armor just as a vampony emerged from the door leading to the dungeons.

Applejack snatched up the helm, tossed it into the air, and bucked it at the hissing vampony. It struck the creature in the head and knocked it off its hooves.

"We ain't goin' that way," Applejack said as she led the way down the hall.

A window exploded as they raced past, and a vampony latched onto Spike's back and slammed him into the wall. Lifting his foot, Spike pushed off the hard stone and crashed against the opposite wall, pinning the vampony. He dug his claws into the forelegs that were wrapped around his neck and flung his head back, his spines tearing at the vampony's face.

Applejack spun as a second vampony swooped in from the window, and raised the spear. The vampony's jaws closed on the shaft of the weapon, its eyes glowing determinedly from mere inches away. "You're all mine," he whispered as he gripped the spear with both forelegs.

Without hesitation, Applejack rammed her forehead into his, allowing her mane coated with Vamponies Bane to slap him along the side of his face and neck. As the vampony staggered back, screaming and frantically brushing at his face, Applejack lowered the butt of the spear and swept his hind legs out from under him. He landed hard on his back, and Applejack drove the spearhead into his chest before he could react.

She turned to see the other vampony—its flayed face hanging in tatters—lose its grip on Spike. Shrugging the creature off, he spun, his sword glistening in the moonlight as it swept through the air and effortlessly removed the vampony's head.

Applejack ducked as the chest piece from the suit of armor soared over her head, and Spike let loose another spray of fire at the crowd of vamponies racing toward them, but they all quickly leaped back out of harm's way.

"They're getting used to this tactic," Spike said as they started down the hallway.

"Not much we can do 'bout that," Applejack answered. "Just keep movin'."

Suddenly, the door ahead burst open and three vamponies stepped out, blocking their escape. Without slowing, Applejack ripped the half-full pouch from her leg and threw it with all her might.

The pouch arched through the air, leaving a trail of sparkling dust in its wake, and struck the vamponies in an explosion of powder. As they reared up, shrieking and brushing at their bodies, Applejack leaped forward and thrust her spear into the temple of one, while Spike pierced the chest of the second. The third fell to the floor and rolled away, and ignoring it, the two of them rushed through the doorway and found themselves in a large audience hall.

Spike sent a blast of fire through the door, then slammed it shut. "What now?"

Applejack scanned the room. It was mostly empty, with a podium atop a stage at the far end, and a large window spanning most of the wall on the left. To the right, she spotted a door, but before she could point it out, the door behind them crashed to the floor. Whipping around, Applejack's jaw dropped as she watched two larger than average ponies wearing full body armor and each wielding a longsword enter.

"Uh..." Spike backed further into the room and readied his sword. "This is different."

"Can ya handle it?" Applejack asked, studying the two as they approached. "They seem to know what they're doin'."

"Of course!" Spike gave her spear a concerned glance. "Can you?"

Applejack adjusted her hat, then raised her spear. "Don't ya worry none 'bout me, sugar. You just focus on stayin' alive."

Without warning, one of the armored vamponies charged toward Spike. Applejack watched him lift his sword and deflect the attack, then turned to the second to see him take to the air and dive at her.

Applejack quickly sidestepped, narrowly dodging the blade, but the vampony's armored shoulder contacted solidly with her chest, and she was thrown through the window behind her. She cried out as she felt herself falling, but the shout was cut short as she landed hard on her back on a balcony one floor below. With a groan, she climbed to her hooves as the vampony landed mere feet away. Stepping back, her rump bumped into the railing, and glancing behind her, she found a straight drop to the valley floor thousands of feet below.

As the vampony raised his sword, Applejack feinted a thrust at his chest, but when he moved to block the blow, she quickly jabbed him hard in the face plate. The vampony flinched, giving her time to duck around him and buck him hard in the rear, staggering him into the railing, which cracked beneath his weight with an audible snap. Hastily backpedaling to put some distance between them, Applejack readied herself as the vampony regained his balance.

"Hoo-wee, you're a big fella," Applejack grunted. "I sure am missin' my halberd right 'bout now."

While a vampony wielding a weapon was nothing new to her, Applejack had never even heard of one wearing armor. She noted that the way he was holding the sword was very similar to the way Lance trained his raw recruits. Where would a vampony have learned such a technique?

Okay, ain't no way to sugarcoat it, this is bad. But I have the advantage of range, and if I can hit his helm enough, he'll have to remove it. That'll be my chance. As long as I'm patient, I can do this.

Applejack began to move in a semicircle, poking at the air between them in an attempt to bait an attack. When that failed to provoke him, she suddenly stepped forward and jabbed him in the face plate a second time. The vampony snarled and rushed forward, thrusting his sword at her chest. She spun to the side and hit him hard in the back of the helm, then ducked as he whirled around and swung his iron clad hoof at her head. Seeing an opening, Applejack stabbed his face plate again, but before she could pull the spear back, the vampony swept his sword in an upward arc and sliced through the wood of her weapon.

Time seemed to slow to a crawl as she watched the spearhead twirl through the air and disappear over the railing. Slowly backing away, Applejack desperately tried to think of a new strategy.

All she had now was her dagger, but that was nearly useless against an armored foe. As the vampony started forward, her eyes quickly scanned the armor for weaknesses. She could see gaps in the armor in the joints of the legs, as well as the wing joints, and of course the wings were exposed…

Applejack's eyes suddenly shifted to the cracked railing and an idea formed. Before she could think better of it, she rushed straight at the vampony, ducked beneath his startled sword swipe, and hit him in the head with the spear shaft hard enough to snap it in two. As he staggered, she hastily drew her dagger and drove it into his wing.

The vampony shrieked as the blade tore a long jagged rip in the membrane, and as he began to turn toward her, she leaped forward and slammed the both of them against the damaged railing.

The railing snapped, and as the two of them began to fall, Applejack twisted and caught the edge of the balcony with both hooves. Dangling, she watched the vampony frantically flap his damaged wing, but the combination of the wound from her Elementium blade and his heavy armor proved too cumbersome, and he screamed as he tumbled to the valley floor below.

Applejack pulled herself up and rolled onto her back. "Heavens to Betsy, that was close," she panted.

A slow clap startled her, and jumping to her hooves, she turned toward the smashed balcony door to find Luna standing just inside the room.

"Very impressive." Luna grinned as her eyes flashed dangerously. "But your tour of my castle ends here."

Author's Note

A special thanks to Zodiacspear for his help as pre-reader. Glad to have you aboard!