Faith, Blood, and Claws

Chapters

A Locket In Stone
The Day The World Stood Still
Bloodborne Pathogens
A Knight With A Witch

A Locket In Stone

Another day, another pile of paper work. Luna had no idea how Celestia always managed to get this much done within the daytime hours, let alone the whole day. 6 in the morning to 6 in the afternoon, that was her schedule, and she SOMEHOW always got it done! Luna was only halfway through the pile when she noticed it was almost 4 in the morning. She banged her head on the desk, causing the pile to jump and her inkwell to cause a light splash. Her quill dropped on the desk as her magic faltered and she tried to suppress a yawn. She shut her eyes, gave a deep sigh, opened her eyes again. A little trick from her Uncle Starswirl, whom she hadn't seen in what felt like eons. Maybe the old goat died chasing after tails again? She giggled at the thought, he could never keep away from the 'pretty young mares' that always walked by. With a small flame of confidence, she pressed on with the paperwork. Ten sheet later she looked up at the clock.

5:35 A.M. *SLAM*

"Oh... Celly, how do you make this look so easy?" Luna lamented. A giggle was the only thing she got in response. She turned red as a tomato as Celestia, the ever-so benevolent mare she was, continued to laugh and giggle.

"I only get that all done within a few hours because I already know what they all want. And unless it had to with an actual law appeal and/or law insertion, the answer will always be 'No'." She explained with a big smile and gave her younger sister a hug. "I'll take care of the rest baby sister. Just lower the Moon, and I'll raise the Sun."

Luna grumbled something. "I'm sorry say again, dear sister?"

"Can't you lower the Moon? I don't want to do anything right now..." Luna said through her pillow. This made Celestia laugh again. It's been 8 years since she was freed of the Nightmare with the help of Twilight Sparkle and her friends. Since then her and friends had gotten into some amazing quests and journeys. Defeating Discord and making him an ally, ruining Chrysalis' plans twice in a row, befriending a former dictator, and having said former dictator make even the princesses learn a lesson in friendship. Stopping Sombra and restoring the Crystal Heart... Finding the Elements, and giving back her little sister. She dabbed her eyes with a nearby tissue, she will always remember that day, whether it's been 8 years or 800 years.

Celestia lit up her horn and grabbed the moon, gently pulling it down while gently pushing the sun into the sky. Smiling at her work, she turned to the papers before her and began reading them off. Some were to better noble life with less taxes, others, like Fancy Pants, had a petition for a new catering place for Griffins, Thestrials*, Hippogrifs, and other races too. Celestia liked the idea, and jotted down a note for herself to commend Fancy on being so kind and open hearted. She kept looking through the paper, leafing through them still finding the same things, until she hit one paper that made her stop. It was guards report, something that wasn't too uncommon to find, but this one was different. She could easily pass it off if it were Lunar or Solar guard, but this was the Dusk Guard, Twilight's domain.

Normally she wouldn't read another guards report, but since Twilight was currently not here at the moment she took the liberty to do so. What she read however, almost made her magic give out. It was a shocking report, one that spoke of casualties. Something... died? She never heard of that. She knows that there's been wars, oh Faust does she know, but to hear that something just casually killed another pony, it was practically unheard of. She read the report again to make sure.

NOTICE: FOR PRINCESS TWILIGHT'S EYES ONLY!

About a Moon ago, the Dusk Guard gets a report about a missing pony, Blossomforth. The pony in question was missing for nearly 4 days before anypony noticed, and then it took another 4 just to conduct the search party for her. Afterwords, we hear word that she was last seen in the Everfree. We asked the local zebra, Zecora, about the whereabouts of this pony, and while we at the Dusk Guard know she speaks in rhyme, we cannot help but to think what she said was quite cryptic. Unfortunately, I cannot remember exactly what she said, but I do remember that it had to do with... blood.

She made a point to not go out during the night, so she had as all, (yes all 5 of us) come inside the hut for the night. I'll be completely honest, the sounds we heard that night, they were not Manticore, or Hydra, or even Cragodile. They sounded like a voice, two of them actually, but we heard them all through the night. Lieutenant Sharp Shot went out to use the latrine... He never came back in. Someone wanted us to go after him, but no one moved. Then we heard it, a scream that felt like it pierced the heavens and came down on us. We thought we were done for until zebra lit something on fire and started waving it around out side the door, it was some sort of incense. I couldn't smell it, but that... beast, it could smell it just fine. I only caught a glimpse, but it was tall, as tall as an oak tree, and it had white, mangy fur. I think what was weird was that it had wraps around it's eyes, but that didn't seem to stop it all.

It covered its snout, in an attempt to ward off the smell, but it must of been overpowering it. The beast gave a final roar, before it slammed its claws into a nearby tree it kicking up dirt; we had to cover our eyes. When we looked back,
nothing. It had vanished completely, but we still heard it, out in the distance. Inside the package we delivered is the incense that was used, along with some of the fur that fell off the creature.

Signed,

Corporal Fireseeker

Celestia's eyebrow furrowed, if this report was meant for Twilight, why did it get sent here? And the package, what about that, where did that go? She cast a tracking spell on the note and it led her to the mare in question, Fireseeker. Now to find the package. She stood up from the chair and began to walk towards Fireseeker's quarters. Soon after reaching the door, she gave a small knock.

"Hello, Fireseeker, I would very much like to speak to you? It's about your report. ...Fireseeker? Are you ill?" Celestia asked as she gently knocked on the door. A small thump was heard inside the room, she smiled to herself thinking the mare fell out of bed. She grabbed the knob with her magic and opened it. "I know you and your men had a--!" She stopped short and gasped at the ghastly site before her. It looked like Fireseeker, only in color along though, everything else stopped as Celestia looked at the horror in front of her. Seekers horn was curled up and knotted, her back legs bent at odd angles giving an almost spider appearance. The front legs ended in sharp spike-like talons, and her face began to split into an unsettlingly demented grin. Fireseeker's body convulsed, if only for a second, before a horrible screech was belted out from her throat.

Celestia's ears folded down, and she slammed the door. She backed away from it when a red appendage burst through the door. "What in the--" Her head whipped to the side as three more high pitched screeches were heard down the halls. The door behind holding Fireseeker was slowly loosing its durability, but one of the door at the far end of the hall busted right of the hinges. Another beast came barreling out, it's head was split down one side and it was showing very sharp teeth. A clawed hand was protruding where it's tail would be, and the rest of the body just seemed to be a mash of other limbs, either way it still had enough mobility to start running after her. She almost didn't have enough time to erect a Barri-Bubble around herself before the beast crashed into it. It attempted to bite, claw and slam its way in but the bubble held.

Guards were now coming out of their rooms, seeing the beast that was attacking their Princess. They all grabbed their weapons and began forming defensive positions. Celestia wanted them to flee, because in truth she had trouble trying to keep the shield up itself. It was relentless in its attacks, and only when a guard shoved a spear into the back of it's shoulder did it stop. But it never fell. Instead it looked up from Celestia to the guard and gave another piercing howl. Now the other two doors fell off the hinges, along with Seekers door too. All four beasts soon surrounded the guards, all while leaving Celestia alone in the bubble. The two new beasts were the twins, Spearhead and Stout Shield. One was had a hulking front arm, easily dwarfing even the strongest stallion, while the other twin was entirely thin, almost looking like a thin muskrat creature. It still had sharp teeth, more than it what to with however as a few were jutting from it's mouth. The beast that was once Stout, with his giant hulking arm, seemed to have stubby little claws on it. It was clear it was made for crushing not scratching.

Celestia wanted to call out, but the guards held firm, and all four of those beasts began to circle them. Fireseeker was giving low growls, while the Twins gave small grunts and whines. The biggest one, whose name she still could not remember, still had the spear in his shoulder. His claw like tail plucked it out and crushed the wood in it's grip. It began giving out screeches of it's own. Fireseeker, the Twins, and the Rancid Beast all circled them once more before the Rancid Beast gave out a bark to attack.

The guards pulled themselves tighter and let the spears launch out from their form. One spear flew into Fireseekers chest, and she staggered for a moment before she cut the spear head off of the pole with blade like legs. One of the Twins however was not so lucky, as the Stout Beast caught a jab in the eye. It screeched loud enough, that whole palace may have awoken all at the same time. The screech continued until another jab in its throat silenced it for good. The Stout Beast gurgled and wavered, even reaching out for... something, before it seemed to turn to dust and a large red splash came forth. The Spear Beast looked almost in shock before sparks began to fly off it's body, and it turned it's murderous eyes to the guards. It's jaw unhinged itself and another piercing scream, loud enough to break the windows, rang out. Everyone, even Fireseeker and the Rancid Beast, all stared at the Spear Beast.

It was bigger now, blue bolts dancing up and down its torso and arms, it grew antlers, much like a stag, and blood was dripping from its hide. It began to shake itself, like a wet dog, throwing the blood everywhere and some of it landing on the guards and its fellow beasts. And then it spoke.

"YOU THINK US THE BEASTS?! YOU ARE ALL KILLERS, YOU'RE ALL MURDERERS IN THIS SICK TWISTED WORLD! Blood becomes one, and one becomes Blood. You all should know that you God forsaken hunters! YOU LOT ARE THE REAL KILLERS, NOT I OR THEM, OR... Or... rrrrrrRRRRRAHHHH!!!" The sparks came launching out of her mouth speeding towards the guards who braced for impact. But it never came. Celestia, long forgetting how her magic gave out some time ago saw a blue-teal wall in front of the guards while the other two beasts were being held in a similar colored bubble.

"Major Spearhead Silver Shield, you are under arrest for treason against Equestria. How do you plea?" Luna said. The Spear Beast roared in face and brought a claw up to swipe at her. Only it never got the chance, as Luna dodged out of the way grabbed a nearby sword and a spear and lodged both firmly in its neck. It wavered, if only slightly, and that was enough for Luna to ram the spear in farther, and pin the sword up in the beast's chin. It's head lazed around as flopped to stay balanced. "You have plead guilty and your judgement..." Luna began as the beast fell and dissipated the same way as the Stout Beast. "...Is death..." She turned towards the Rancid Beast and Fireseeker. With her magic, she put both of the into a comatose state and had the guards drag them into the dungeon. Luna stared at Celestia and at first, just stared. Then her lip quivered and then she gave her sister a full-blown hug while Celestia shed tears of her own.

Celestia explained how she read Fire's report and wanted to speak with her before all of this began to happen. They both agreed to start with Fireseekers room for answers and they found them. Because it was written all over the walls.

OF BLOOD WE BECOME ONE OF BLOOD WE BECOME ONE OF BLOOD WE BECOME ONE OF BLOOD WE BECOME ONE OF BLOOD WE BECOME ONE OF BLOOD WE BECOME ONE OF BLOOD WE BECOME ONE OF BLOOD WE BECOME ONE OF BLOOD WE BECOME ONE OF BLOOD WE BECOME ONE OF BLOOD WE BECOME ONE OF BLOOD WE BECOME ONE OF BLOOD WE BECOME ONE OF BLOOD WE BECOME ONE OF BLOOD WE BECOME ONE

"All of it written in blood," Luna surmised, "it seems like she wrote all of it down in a hurry too. Almost as if she was running from something." Luna concluded. Celestia stared at the wall a moment longer before turning to the desk. She looked down at the note and read it over. It was incomplete, but the message was there.

"No," Celestia said giving Luna the note, "she wasn't running from something. Something already found her, it was only a matter of time before she became it." Luna read the note too and she stared at Celestia with same shocked look.

We were so stupid. It made us sick, maybe the incense? Ha! what a ~~laghtd~~ oh dear oh faust I don't wanna be like that THING I have to tell Twili-----

The rest of the note was destroyed by blood and drool, but it sang songs to them. They had to stop Twilight from opening the package. Luna cast a teleportation spell on herself and Celestia was about to follow before some of the guards that got covered in the blood began to cough uncontrollably. Celestia realized then and there. The Spear Beast had infected them with something. "Guards! Take the coughing ponies to the dungeons as quick as you can! Isolate them so they don't spread the disease any further!"

"Yes ma'am!" The guards said taking the others.

"...And when you lock them up, those that touched them lock yourselves in too..." She said turning away from them.

"Ma'am?"

"If it is going to spread like I think it is, then I hope you can trust and forgive me when I say that I don't trust any of you at the moment." She said before teleporting to the Ponyville Castle. The guards, stunned by this, hadn't realized that the coughing had stopped completely and when they did...

...It was too late.

He had it. He finally had it! Sharp Shot had been hear that voice in his head ever since they started that damn search. He had in his mouth when he ran away from his friends, but screw them! With this that voice said he could have all the power he wanted...

At least he would have, had it not been for the FUCKING COCKATRICE! His plan was perfect and the stupid chicken fucked it up! Now he was a statue the only tell-tale sign that it was him was a golden pendent hanging from his mouth. He heard stomping, coming from behind. A Hydra maybe? Or Manticore? He just wished it was something. Then he heard that awful piercing cry.

It was her.

He wanted to scream in protest, he wanted to run, but the stone held fast. He felt himself be picked up, and then felt the locket gently rip out of his mouth. Now he wanted to scream at the top of his lungs, he wanted to curse the princesses, curse faust, curse the voice!

The next thing he felt was the wind.

And then he felt nothing at all.

Author's Note

*still don't know how to spell this

The Day The World Stood Still

Celestia and Luna both appeared in Twilight's Castle and began calling out for her or any of her friends. They checked the round front room, the guest and private quarters, even in the basement and couldn't find hide nor hair of her. They began to fear the worse.

"Go check the kitchen, I'll look in the dining room!" Luna called out as she and Celestia split up from each other. Celestia made a quick right into the kitchen and to her relief saw Spike stirring a pot. She was about to call out his name until the contents of the pot wafted in her nose and she covered her snout. Spike stopped stirring for a moment and then he slowly turned around. His body was his own, but eyes were not. Instead of the emerald green his eyes normally were, they were a sickly yellow with one of his pupils being completely collapsed. Celestia's ears dropped as did her wings in shock and fear. Spike was standing before her, either on the verge or had already turned into one of those things.

"Twilight wants be to boil it, to see if we can get something from it, or was it see how it reacted, I don't recall. They said the-- they said the Locket was the key, but now I can't hear them and they left me with something... I can see it, faintly out of the corner of my eyes... It makes a small dripping sound... Drip, drop..."

He turned back to the pot and began to stir the already burned contents, all while muttering about the dripping sounds. Celestia peaked over his shoulder to see a black sludge being stirred, but the smell of iron and copper was thick in the air. There was no way it could be--

"'Of Blood we become One, and of One we become Blood' or at least that's what the voices before told me. So I stir the blood, hoping to become one with them. All I've gotten was a sticky black sludge... Maybe they will give me more...?" He said before stepping down from the stool, he paid Celestia no mind as he calmly walked to the back of the room where he rounded a corner. Suddenly an avian cry was heard and soon after was silent again. Spike walked back in the kitchen, blood now on his face and the dead corpse of an owl in his hands. "In Blood we are reborn, and in Blood will it it end." He said before slamming the whole bird corpse in the pot and cutting it to pieces with his razor sharp claws.

Celestia's cheeks turned green. While she had seen Death on the battlefield, that is where it belonged, on the battlefield, but was Spike did was just.... wrong. She was about to stop the drake when a sudden sharpness was felt in her leg. Looking down, she had a big kitchen knife stuck in her foreleg, the same one Spike was using before. She didn't cry out in pain, but the shock of the sudden action made her pale and let out a small yip. She pulled it out and watched as her own blood dripped slowly down the knife, then dropped it rather unceremoniously. It clanked to the floor, and it caught Spike's attention. He saw the knife sitting on the floor when it was supposed to be in her leg.

"Why did you do that...?" Spike said slowly as he grabbed the knife again. Staring at the blood on the knife he dipped it in the pot and the pot began to give off a blue smoke. It made him smile for some reason. Celestia did not like that smile nor the way he was looking at her. "Yours... Give me your blood. Twilight will love the results." Celestia didn't say anything but shake her head. Spike's eyes grew more draconic as a sudden growth made him the size of large teenage dragon. Now on all fours, and the knife somehow had gotten bigger, he snarled and gave a startling roar. "GIVE IT TO ME!"

Celestia backpedaled to get out of the room, only to find it blocked by the smoke that Spike made. It was like a solid cloud, one that she couldn't break with her natural pegasus magic. She gulped and slowly made her way around the kitchen while Spike did the same, following her every move. "Spike, I know you're in there," she plead, "I know the strong, number one assistant of Twilight is there some where, you just need to fight it."

Spike was clearly having a hard time, whatever was controlling him was having a real struggling match. "I... Princess..." Spike growled out. He threw his head into the counter, causing the whole thing to shake. "OUT! YOU MUST LEAVE!" He shouted slamming his head into the counter once more. From the corner of her eye, she saw the blue fog disappear and took the chance. Now outside the room, the fog re-sealed with Spike still inside... At least she hoped. The last thing she heard was Spike yell, before some cross between a roar and an elephant was heard throughout the castle. Celestia turned back to the fogged door and bowed her head. Hopefully Luna had found Twilight.

Luna could do nothing but stare. The door to Twilight's room was thrown off the hinges, but that's not what she was shocked about. What she saw inside, looked like Twilight, sounded like her too. Only it wasn't her. A rambling madmare would make more sense, but this thing in front of her was not Twilight.

*chop, chop*

The purple hoof holding the large ax went up and down in a very methodical way, as if she was looking for something. The way the ax struck in different places each time was either that of an unsteady hoof, or just somepony who had simply gone mad. The random pony that was under said ax was dead sure enough. Only, for the looks and smell of it, she was dead for a long time. No blood splattered, only a thick black gunk. Twilight was about to bring the ax down again, before she stopped mid swing and slowly looked at the door. Her pupils were slits, and she wore a patch on one eye; the patch itself was mostly red. "You..." Twilight slowly said as she stood up slowly, stumbling on herself. "You, can you hear them? The sticky sounds of the blood dripping ever so softly. They toiled it, and spoiled their own home with it. They turned into monsters, beings beyond our understanding. She was about to one..." She pointed at the corpse. "She was going to be a monster, so I had to do it. He told me to do it."

"Twilight," Luna cautiously stepped into the room. "Who is he?"

"The one with no form, he exists only in voice, but some say they can see him in the blood... Some say he is the blood... But in know where he is, and he's in all of us..." She said as hefted the ax in her magic. "YOU JUST NEED TO LET HIM OUT!" She screamed and threw the ax as fast as she could. Luna barely had enough time to cast a small barrier around her head as the ax bounced off and clattered to the floor. Twilight wasted no time in grabbing the ax again trying to hack away at Luna, but she was half blind on her right side, so she never saw Celestia fly in and take her with her magic. "LET ME GO! HE NEEDS TO BE FREED!" she yelled and snarled. Celestia turned to ask but never got the chance to speak before Spike's elephant-like roar pierced through the castle.

"Luna, knock her out, we'll take her with! We need to watch out for Spi--!" She was saying when the crystal wall exploded to reveal something that was almost Spike. It had two heads that shared a mouth, one on top, and the other on the bottom. His neck was elongated like a serpent, and his new wings were bulky, and obviously not meant for flying. His arms and legs were bulky too, yet his claws were thin, like scalpel blades. All three princesses stared at the new arrival before his deafening roar shook probably all of Ponyville. Celestia, still holding Twilight did not wait for Luna to cast her spell, and instead grabbed a big enough crystal-stone, and looked at Twilight apologetically. "Sorry." She said before slamming the rock behind her head knocking her out instantly. "RUN! We need to lose him!" She shouted at Luna, and they all made a break for the door.

Spike followed behind chasing and chomping, trying to bite into their flesh. Luna and Celestia with Twilight being held on Luna's back, both kept dodging and weaving between the dragon who had wanted so desperately to devour them. The front gate was greeting them before the blueish fog began to settle. However fog or not, Spike gained speed and jumped in front of the two monarchs. His eyes, all four of them, looked at them with an intense malice. He snarled and let out a mighty roar that reverberated around the crystal walls. That's when both of them heard it. A small, arcane whisper. It was a sticky, wet sound, like that of someone shushing underwater, but it was enough to know what they had to do.

As unfortunate as the situation seemed, they would have to kill Spike in order to get through the fog. Both looked at each other before they both nodded in agreement. "Noble Spike," Luna began, "in all the years in service to Equestria, as one of the closest friends of the former Element of Magic, we, Princess Luna and Princess Celestia, will give you the only gift we can give." She said before pulling out the sword and spear from before. Magic saddlebags, they do wonders. Tossing the spear to Celestia she and her gave one last nod before assuming stance.

"We will grant you... a swift death." Luna said, albeit hesitantly. Celestia and Luna both began to circle around the creature until something odd occurred to them.

"Where's Twilight?" Celestia said looking at Luna. Before she could respond, they heard Spike growl. Turning they saw Twilight going to the beast. Luna and Celestia both began to call out her name before a powerful magic bubble was placed around them. Twilight, no longer having the crazed look of before looked back with a slight glare before turning back to Spike, who was still growling.

"You've made quite the mess, mister." Twilight said in an even voice. Spike, for the most part, didn't seem moved. "Look, this castle isn't even 30 moons old, and you ruin the place? I thought I taught you better Spike." She said hugging one of his beefy forearms. A small sound came from Spikes throat as he laid his heads down to see Twilight better. "You really are a dragon, through and through though. You made minced meat of the walls." A small chuckle. "...But for what it's worth? I'd give anything for my little brother back." Hugging his forearm tighter. A red, moon-like aura surrounded Spike as he shrank in size, until he was the tiny baby dragon that everyone had know.

"I'm sorry, I don't know what--!" He was silenced by a hoof. His tears streaked down his face and the fog had silently lifted. Celestia and Luna managed to dis-spell the bubble in time to see them hugging it out. Twilight pawed the eyepatch and turned to the other two.

"I received a package about a moon ago, inside were hair samples, saliva, blood, and what looked to be a piece of an antler." It was sent from my most trusted guard, yet it said that was a note attached, which I'm guessing since you're hear, and after what happened... This note was in Canterlot still?" A nod. "I see... I see."

Luna perked up. "A moon ago? Sister when did you find that note?"

"Why, today! I thought I had told you it was a moon since-- Wait.... they've been all afflicted with the sickness for a moon.... Oh no..." Celestia's eyes went wide as she looked to Canterlot. She couldn't believe what she was seeing. Her magnificent city, one that she had spent years upon years on.

It was now host to a rising pillar of smoke and she could hear the fire crackle from where she was standing.

Author's Note

Inspiration for Spike came in the form of this Yugioh monster I had lying around

Bloodborne Pathogens

The three princesses and the dragon watched as the once magnificent city that was once Canterlot burn to the ground. A pillar of black, billowing smoke rose from the center where the castle had been located, and faint screeches could be heard from the city. "All the guards, the maids, everyone was infected with it. It only took a Moon for it all to settle in. All those ponies..." Celestia grieved. It wasn't her fault, she couldn't have known. Neither could Luna or Twilight... though Twilight known seemed more possible, she had been under the spell of the virus, which seemed to have disappeared.

Luna put her hoof over her back and looked just as shook. With tears in her eyes as she thought of her ever-so-loyal Night Guard. Twilight, even with an eye patch, gave a sniffle and looked to Spike who was openly crying as they thought of their friends stationed in Canterlot. "Well... Tears shed, over blood bled, we won't sleep 'til we all go to bed." Twilight said. While the adage was old, it was clear. 'No use in fussing over the dead.' Twilight turned towards the town of Ponyville and saw all the ponies gathering in front of the castle. She looked down from the balcony, and adressed them all. "Citizens of Ponyville! You all come here for a reason, and I... have a feeling I know what it is. Recently I have been given a physical report that was full of different things. One of which was an incense, and that incense is VERY special. It has the ability to ward of specific monsters. I will light above my door, and in a SINGLE FILE LINE, you all will come inside of the castle. Anyone found not being able to cross the doorway... I'm sorry." This caught the attention of everypony, seeing as she suspected others of being monsters.

"It would be highly advised to clean that body in room Twilight, I doubt having ponies see one of their own mangled like that will help you." Luna whispered making Twilight nod grimly. She walked back inside, and Celestia and Luna tried to bring order to the imminent panic that was going to ensue, and luckily no one saw Canterlot from ground level. Spike watched as ponies, from Granny Smith to Old Mister Pots lined up at the door, silently waiting for their Princess to open the door. After an agonizing twenty or so minutes, she came out with a small lantern and hung next to the entryway.

"Everypony ready?" She asked into the crowd and everyone gave a nod. She struck the match and lit the lantern. "The test is simple, if you can smell the incense, you can't come in and have to stay inside your houses. If you don't smell the incense, you're free to use the castle as safe house of sorts. I'm well aware that Ponyville is a larger settlement, but the thankfully I thought ahead and made the supplies here magically restock themselves in 6 hour intervals. Four meals a day, for everypony." She held the lantern high and swallowed thickly. "Begin."

The first pony, Granny Smith, went to the lantern, and gave it whiff. She smelled nothing, and breathed a sigh of relief. "Enter." Twilight said one by one, ponies were coming inside of the castle and Twilight was slowly beginning to have more and more hope. Then it was her friends' turn. Rarity and Applejack both sighed in relief as they went inside of the castle, and Pinkie and Fluttershy closed their eyes and walked by lantern without a problem.

"Okay everypony," Rainbow said to the ponies standing behind her, "watch this!" She said confidently strolling to the door... only to have her nose wrinkle in disgust. "Jeez, this stuff reeks, right Twi?" Twilight said nothing. "Right?" She looked at the other princesses. The ponies behind her were slowly backing away, fear showing in their eyes. "Hey c'mon I ain't sick!" She took a step forward and the crowd jumped back. "Tell 'em Twi, I'm not sick."

Twilight had tears flowing from her good eye. "I'm sorry, Rainbow." Rainbow shook her head. "I'm so, so, sorry. Rainbow, this incense is designed to ward off monsters, and those who would become those monsters. Those who can't smell it are uninfected. You can smell it, which means you are infected. I'm sorry..." Rainbow just looked down and with a blank expression she stepped out of the way of the others. Five other ponies were also caught to be able smell the sweetly sick aroma of the incense, and they stood by Rainbow with similar expressions.

Celestia and Luna came forth to the six ponies sitting in exile. "You six have been deemed infected by this test. We don't know how long it will take you to fully give in to this sickness, but when you do... May Faust and The Deep One* have mercy on you." Celestia said gravely. The six being Rainbow Dash, Spoiled Rich, Mr. To-Do, Lacquered Board, Stargazer, and Double Dare, all sat and listened to the fate they would be subjugated to.

Luna stared at these ponies. "Over time, your senses will leave you and you'll loose everything. I've seen these beasts with my own eyes. These are all the things I noticed and these all the things that will happen to you." She said grimly. "For now, I suggest you use your time wisely, for it took a little over a moon for th--" She put of hoof over her mouth before her eyes went wide. She looked back to her fellow monarchs and cleared her throat. "I have said too much already. Please, return to your homes, and try to be at peace with your time." She said before hastily running back to the others and Celestia teleported them away. The door to the castle shut tightly, and the lock thunked into place.

While the older ponies, Mr. To-Do and Lacquered Board, made their peace already, the other three were in a panicked state. Double Dare was in denial and began banging on the door, demanding to be let in. Stargazer and Spoiled began to go into hysterics, one crying about her career and the other about her family. The odd mare out was Rainbow Dash who seemed to be feeling a lot of emotions at the same time. Fear, anger, sadness... Betrayal. Her jaw clenched, and she let out a small yipe of pain. She tasted her own blood in her mouth; she bit her tongue. Her brow creased, and immediately something was wrong.

"Ponies can't bite their tongues..." She whispered and ran into the Carousel Boutique. She opened her mouth and saw a truly frightening sight. Fangs had grown mouth, canines and other sharp teeth began show in her maw. She noticed that her eyes were more predatory as well, showing a more lupine look rather than her equine look. "No..." She backed up until her back hit the wall and she slowly slid down, hitting her rump. Her wing tingled and she blistering pain in her hooves. Claws, malformed and sharp, burst from her frogs and hoof tips, her wings elongated and snaked out as they almost touched the ground. The tears from her eyes turned red as her jaw unhinged and her back straightened giving her an upright appearance. In what little sanity she had left she went back the mirror to her visage. To some, she would look like a harpy, to others she looked like monster. Regardless, she knew what she was. She was loyal, through and through, but something was driving her mad. Her new heightened senses caught wind of something, it smelled sickly sweet.

In the mirror, it showed all. Her teeth were blackened, she back legs bent odd, claws that could rip even a manticore to shreds. Her wings while longer and bigger, leaked a red liquid. Her jaw unhinged and she screamed into the air, a roar that would haunt the rest of Ponyville forever.

Meanwhile back in Canterlot, chaos had consumed the whole city. Strange little beasts hopped up and down like rabbits chasing after ponies, and tearing them to shreds. Bigger more ferocious beasts hunted in alleyways, pouncing on ponies who were hiding or had their guard down. Some flew, others dug underground, some were just plain faster than Tartarus. "Hold the line! We can't let them pass through here!" One of the last guards said to his team. Twenty against all of Canterlot, and their enemies were closing fast. The last of the Night Guard had holed up in the Castle where they were killing the last of beasts. Dream Mender stomped the last beasts head before turning towards the shrinking Day Guards.

"C'MON! THE CASTLES CLEAR! GET IN NOW!" She yelled as the Day Guards retreated back into the castle. Some weren't lucky though, falling or being pounced just before the entry way. "Damn it! Shut the door!" She commanded and the guards slammed, locked, and began to barricade the door. The room was silent save for their heavy breathing, when a bright light caught them by surprise. Dream Mender immediately dived towards them, dagger in hoof.

"CORPORAL DREAM MENDER UNHOOF MY SISTER THIS INSTANT!" Luna barked in the Canterlot Voice. Dreams red vision cleared and saw she had Celestia by the mane ready to strike. She made a small gasp and dropped her dagger.

"I'm sorry Princess, I didn't mean to do--- Well I did, but not like that! I thought you were one of--!" Dream began to stumble over herself. "I-- I thought you... were..." Dreams' eyes rolled back and she passed out on the floor.

Celestia looked at the Day Guards, who nodded in return and took the down bat into the infirmary. The other Night and Day guards looked to Twilight and bowed in respect. "Where is the remains of the Dusk Guard. I wish to speak with them." The guards said nothing, only looking at each other before turning to Twilight.

"Ma'am, there is no more Dusk Guard. All the attacks that have happened are from former Dusk Guards. All of them turned into monsters. We're sorry." The Day Guard said. He was gauging Twilight's reaction before she just sighed.

"Yes, I... I thought so. The whole of the Dusk Guard was infected the moment they came into contact with..." her one eye teared up again, and she hiccuped along with Spike on her back. Seeing their princess like this was difficult, seeing her like this made them think of all the ones they lost.

"Sister, we need to be out there helping our subjects!" Celestia said before Luna stopped her. "how would we defend ourselves? How would we be their for the ponies if this, scourge, for a lack of a better word, were to infect us, Celestia?" She said now whispering in her ear. "You saw what happened to Twilight, you saw the body too, I know. She was insane, she kept talking about 'Him', who 'He' is."

"He will help us..." a sickly voice said. Everyone turned to see would might as well have been a rotting corpse crawling his way towards them. "He will help us, to see him better... The Formless One... Oden... He will make us one with blood, and the blood be one with us... Hrk! *gasp* Hahahaha~" And just like the pony was gone in an instant, seeming only to have had enough strength to deliver the message.

Celestia, Luna, and Twilight all stared at this rotting pony has it seemed to have taken its last breath. The blood it was leaking seemed to boil and this time it rose from it spot, blood still boiling and a sharp cry cut through the air, making everyone flatten their ears. Looking back at the pony, all three saw spider legs shoot out from its mouth some sort of creature crawl forth from the decayed carcass, sporting it as its body. Eyes were looking out of the top head, and it screeched at them, jumping in the air and sticking to the ceiling. Celestia narrowed her eyes and sent a spark of flames hitting the monster in leg. It screeched in pain and desperately tried to snuff out the fire.

Celestia walked up to the beast and held it firm. "You come in here and ruin my city," She began to pull off a leg. "Kill my people, my subjects," And another two. "TRY TO HARM SISTER! MY STUDENT!" She pulled off four more. Now with only one leg, it tried to crawl away. She stomped up to it and crushed its last leg under her hoof. It screeched in pain before she pulled it body from the leg. Now staring directly into all eight of its eyes, it saw the unending fury behind the pink eyes of the Sun Monarch. Her fury was starting to heat up the room, to the point that Luna had told the other to quickly leave the room. "You try to harm me, The Immortal Sun? The Bane of Monsters? Well..." She said as her eyes closed and opened to reveal them as a harsh glowing gold. Her mane rose into a pillar of flames and coat turned slightly more yellow. "I WILL GIVE THE FULL TREATMENT!"

Luna barely managed to get out of the way of the door as flames exploded out of the room destroying the windows, the doors, and the beasts on the other side of the locked door. "I might have the look of Daybreaker, but I am nothing like her. I CHOOSE this power by my own volition and I choose it to SLAY ALL OF YOU BEASTS!" Celestia roared outside to the other beasts. All of them had stopped at the being made of fire, and all ran away. Her flames faded, and her eyes and coat turned to normal. "Run before me, you monsters, neigh, YOU COWARDS!" She called out to them...

Only for the ground to shake around her. She stumbled slightly, and looked around to see where the shaking was coming from. She took one step back before a large Ape-like beast came falling in front of her, and roared in her face. While she could easily turn back into Daybreaker, she had to admit that it would be hard to fight something that was already on fire. It had four arms and two pairs of different legs, equine and ape. The moose-like antlers were sharpened and ready to gorge and maim, and this flaming beast was ready to kill the Sun Princess. Well, he would've had it not been for the blinding blue bolt that knocked him down into the fountain. Celestia looked in shock as she saw the blue feathers fall from the sky, catching just a small glimpse, but it was enough for her to know exactly who it was.

"Rainbow..." She said breathlessly. The Harpy turned back and within her blackened eyes, a soft magenta glow confirmed it was indeed Rainbow Dash. The Flaming Beast stood back up and regained his senses, and roared in rage as Rainbow gave one her own, and somehow when it came from her tiny frame it was even louder. They circled each other for good solid minute, before they launched at each other. The Flaming beast was quick with its swipes but Rainbows naturally small size and speed made dodging them no more a challenge as much as it was a chore. With precise aiming, she clawed behind its knees, its wrists, and its neck. As a final coup de grace, she slashed it eyes, and fell down clutching it face. Her claw twitched and she punched into now useless eye hole. The Flaming Beast roared in pain, and began to slowly reach for her before she tore out her hand through its face.

The beasts head launched back before it slumped back and disappeared in the same red mist as Spear and Stout. Only this time, Rainbow stood inside the cloud and inhaled as deeply as she could, sucking in the bloody mist. She let out a long sigh, and turned back to Celestia. She could see the soft magenta through the rest of mist, and just as she was about to call out to her, Rainbow took off into the night sky.

"......Night?" Celestia said, and she saw that her Sun was now gone from the sky and a large Moon hung in the air. This moon was NOT Equestria's moon. What was happening to her land?

Author's Note

*The Deep One is reference to Craig McCracken, the husband of Lauren Faust, most prominently his last name as the Kraken of Deep Crag (Which will also have a chapter in-and-of itself)

A Knight With A Witch

"Damn, didn't the sun just rise?" The figure said, armor clinking in the dark. His crimson shawl flowed with the wind, flapping aimlessly. A shield in the symbol of rose hung from his back, and two swords, a long sword and a large curved sword hung from his waist and back respectively. A small light appeared from behind him, and he turned to see a woman in a purple dress and a veil over her face, and on her back was a large basket. The small golden orb hung just above her head, giving them enough light to see.

"Last I remember the Sun was hanging over head, but now? All I see is the moon, but I don't think its the real moon. I can feel a power coming coming from it... Something that feels familiar but it's entirely different." She said holding her staff up in the air. The staff itself was nothing special, being made of an ancient tree branch. Yet the magical properties inside it were where the real magic happened. Every wand, staff, or catalyst always made the mage, not the other way. Her staff was found a long time ago. She wasn't always a witch, and he wasn't always a knight. Yet they were always lovers. "What do you think, Alva?"

"I don't know, Zullie. I know what you mean, but we've been here for a year already, we should know the way the world works by now." He argued, and Zullie was about to give him a retort before a cry gained her attention. "Sounds like someones hungry." He said as he pulled out his long sword and began chopping down some bushes. Zullie knelt down and took off the basket before revealing a small infant, a little baby girl. Zullie picked her up out of the basket and unclasped her robe revealing her breast to the baby. She began suckling her breast with gusto, and Zullie laughed.

"Hungry were we? Wow, such a little piggy!" She giggled before Alva came back and took off his gauntlet.

"Whose my little girl? You are! Look at you go... Zullie, as soon as she's done, I found a hut with some lanterns. Someone's living there!" He said excitedly and Zullie was just as excited. They didn't have the baby with them when they started in the forest, but nine months later here she was, the most wonderful and most precious thing that Alva and Zullie had created. Zullie had named her after her late grandmother, Karla, and had even began to make robes for her. Right now all she had was the skirt done, but she couldn't wait to see her little girl become a witch like her. Looking back down at her child, she noticed that Karla was done had blissfully fell back asleep, with a few pats and loud burp, she clasped her robe back on and put the babe back in the basket and had Alva help put it back on. They both began walking towards the hut and when they reached the door, they both saw a note.

For those who seek shelter, leave this place
Those who have no home, this forest is not one you should face.
But to those who seek guidance let it be clear:
THE FOREST HAS BEASTS, AND AWAY YOU SHOULD STEER.

Alva looked at Zullie, and told her to stay put. He knocked on the door, but the first knock opened it. He pulled out his sword, and took his shield from his back, "Hello? I read your note, but we just want to say... Oh..." He said, cutting himself off. The remnants of the back wall of the bedroom was busted out, and the room was covered in old blood. He looked closer at the wall, and went to touch the wall before a rattle caught his attention. He followed the sound behind him and traced it back to a nearby bush. what he didn't know was that behind him, a beast was slowly shifting its colors from red, to black and white. When Alva reached the bush, he heard the beast behind him hiss out, and he turned with his shield raised. A puddle of acidic poison hit the shield, eating away the metal and making him toss it away. Now armed with only his long sword and great curved sword, he began to circle around. He heard footsteps coming through the hut, now behind him before he heard Zullie call out to him in fear.

"Zullie! Get back inside!" Alva said, nearly dodging a strike. A blinding blue bolt shot from behind him and hid the beast, cutting into and making it hiss in anger. "Why don't you ever listen to me woman!" Alva shouted in frustration before dodging again, but striking it as he came back to his feet.

"Because!" Zullie shouted shooting Dark Beads and a homing crystal arrow at the beast, diving out of the way and land near Alva. "You love me." She finished before taking stance next to Alva. The Snake Beast roared a fearsome sound... Before turning around and running away. "Aww, I was having fun... Karla!" She shouted before turning back towards the hut and looking at the basket. Karla was crying a storm, making the surrounded wild life actually leave the area to go somewhere quieter.

"Shhh, sh sh sh, its okay mommy's here. Mommy's here it fine, baby, its fine." Zullie comforted her child, getting her to stop crying, and having her deep purple eyes look into her child's deep blue ones.

"M-mama! Mama!" Karla said as her mother and her fathers eyes both lit up and had stars in them.

"ooooOOOOOOOHHH! Her first word! Her first woooord~" Zullie said excitedly, lightly throwing Karla in the air. "Again! Say 'Mama'!"

"Mama!"

"EEEEEEEEEEE~ Alva Alva Alva did you hear her! She said-- ...Alva are you alright?" Zullie said as Alva just stood there, helmet off and his eyes still wide. He slowly walked to Zullie and gave her a hug.

"She's perfect." He said as he made a little sniffle was heard. "She's perfect..."

Author's Note

Short chapter, but don't worry! Alva, Zullie, and Karla will be coming back! Also I shouldn't say this, but if you want a crossover with this story, it's ONLY on the host side, not the guest side. So if you want a crossover with me, it has to be on YOUR story. But yeah! This is something I'm sure you've been wondering, whatever happened to Zecora? Welp, now you know, she turned into a snake, which I find very appropriate. I made her a mix between a Rattlesnake and King Cobra, with the spitting venom and the rattle snakes acidic nature of its venom. I figured that it would be a scary thought if you can hear it, but can't see it, so I gave her a chameleon's camouflage as well, being able to change colors depend on the environment.

Anyways, here's the chapter, hope you enjoy.