A light turns on to reveal a strange room with the red-clad stranger sitting patiently by a desk with his book in hand wide open.

“The screams in the dark are not what they seem. As our desperate heroes seek swift solutions, fate has other plans.” That was what I was informed by a particular gypsy woman. It seems things are progressing faster than expected. But then again, the tale being spun is taking too long to unwind. Nonetheless, it must go on.

“FATHER! I’M STARVING!!”

A young man’s voice echoed from within the chapel, muffled and desperate.

“What. Is. Happening in there?!” shouted Pinkie Pie.

“Sounds like someone’s trapped in there,” Maria deduced, “Let’s move!”

They forced open the doors with a loud creak. The doors open to reveal a ten-foot-wide, twenty-foot-long hall leading to a brightly lit chapel. The hall is unlit and reeks of mildew. Four doors, two on each side of the hall, lead to adjacent chambers. As they moved further in they saw that the chapel was strewn with debris, and could hear a soft voice from within reciting a prayer. Dozens of candles mounted in candlesticks and candelabras light every dusty corner in a fervent attempt to rid the chapel of shadows. At the far end of the church sits a claw-scarred altar, behind which kneels a priest in soiled vestments. Next to him hangs a long, thick rope that stretches up into the bell tower.Suddenly, the prayer is blotted out by the inhuman scream that rises up from beneath the wooden floor.

“FATHER, PLEASE! I’M STARVING!!”

The Party winced from the screaming, all including Fluttershy gripped their weapons firmly as they slowly approached the lone figure by the altar.

“Oh Morning Lord, please offer salvation for my son,” the hunched priest muttered under his breath.

Hesitantly, Twilight spoke up, “Um, excuse me. Are you Father Donavich?”

The priest immediately jerked up, staring bewildered at the Party. They winced as they saw his red and baggy eyes from long dried tears and sleepless nights. “Wh-who are you?” he demanded, clearly startled, “I’ve never seen any of you before and… Is that a dragon and a large crow?”

“Ahem!” Maria coughed out for attention, “Pardon me Padre but can we focus here? Are you Father Donavich?”

“A-ah, yes. I am he,” he stammered, still kneeling from his altar as he looked up towards the party, “W-what brings you here? I’m afraid I cannot be of much help.”

“Oh you could most definitely help us,” Maria spoke almost sweetly before scowling as she pointed towards the floor, “You can start by telling us, what in the Nine Hells is below us?!”

“Father? Are there visitors with you? Please, at least send them down here to feed me!” the voice suddenly shrilled.

The Equestrians looked below them appalled.

“Oh my,” Fluttershy gasped, “You trapped your own son in there?”

“Now that ain’t right!” Applejack snarled as she brandished her warhammer.

“That… is messed up!” added Rainbow Dash, clearly horrified.

“Hold on a second,” Pinkie stopped, her eyes narrowing in scrutiny, “Didn’t Ireena say that his son died?”

The priest looked at them with utter horror. “N-no!! You have it all wrong! Please, don’t touch my son!” he pleaded.

Roll for Insight
Nat 1
To Twilight, the man was clearly delirious from grief and exhaustion. If Ireena said that his son was dead, then that could only conclude…

“He probably has another son. He must have trapped him in there after losing his first out of overprotectiveness,” suggested Twilight.

“Yeah, sounds about right,” Maria agreed, “You girls find the basement and rescue the boy. Pest, Spike and I will keep an eye on the padre and try to calm him down.”

“Wait, why am I staying with you?” asked Spike, voicing his disappointment.

“You look intimidating; you might scare the lad if the padre’s reaction is anything to go by,” Maria flatly answered.

“Y'all play nice, you hear?” said Applejack as the rest of them made their way to the rooms, not hearing the priest’s jumbled protests.

Roll for Investigation
8(AJ), 21(PP), 5(RD), 23(TS), 10(R), 4(FS)
After thirty minutes bickering about the poor state of the rooms (mostly Rarity) and trying to get used to using hands instead of hooves and mouths, the party eventually found a heavy wooden trapdoor within a storage room which was the first room to the right from the entrance.

Pinkie Pie skipped her way towards the trapdoor with her usual cheerful enthusiasm as the rest cautiously followed. “Hurry up you guys!” she announced gleefully, “If we sort this whole overprotective-parent-who-imprisoned-his-son situation, we can finally clear our first milestone in saving Barovia!”

“Hold it there Pinkie,” Applejack pointed to the trapdoor’s padlock, “The door’s got a lock.” She turned to the rest of the girls, “Did any of you find a key?”

Rainbow let out a scoff. “Pff, I’ve been having a hard enough time trying to get used to these… hands,” she paused at the mention of “hands” as she waved and wriggled her fingers before her.

“For once I have to agree with Rainbow,” added Rarity as she eyed the gaping hole in the ceiling, “Not having to use magic, hooves or even… ugh, mouths is one thing. Scouring through this broken down church is another!” She whined in her usual dramatic flair, “This place is just DREADFUL!”

“So, um… Did any of you find the key to the basement?” asked Fluttershy, “Otherwise we might have to ask the Priest to-”

“I’m afraid that that’s not happening Fluttershy,” interrupted Twilight, “Father Donavich is so far gone that we might not even get a straight answer from him. And even if he is sane enough to answer, I doubt he’ll tell us.” She let out a sigh, “I don’t have a spell to unlock it delicately so we’ll just have to break it open. Unless of course any of you have a lockpick.”

“Eeynope,” said Applejack.

“Don’t look at me,” shrugged Rainbow Dash.

“A lady wouldn’t carry such things,” Rarity slightly pouted.

“Sorry, I don’t have anything like that,” said Fluttershy apologetically.

There was a pause and all eyes turned to Pinkie.

“What? What are you all staring at me for?”

“This is usually the part where you pull something out of your mane that could help us,” Rainbow pointed out.

“Don’t look at me,” Pinkie protested, “I didn’t plan on multiclassing into rogue and I left my bag of holding home.”

“Wait, you own a bag of holding?” asked Twilight, surprised by this information.

Pinkie Pie rolled her eyes, “Duh, of course. How do you think I put and pull things in and out of my mane?”

“Never mind,” groaned Twilight, holding a hand covering her eyes and sighed. Without looking up she added, “Applejack, could you break open the lock?”

“Sure thing, Sugarcube. Stand clear.” Applejack brandished her warhammer and swung at the lock.

Attack Roll unneeded

One smashed padlock later, the girls opened the trapdoor, unaware of the sudden silence from the resident beneath.

“Alright then,” Twilight straightened up to declare their marching order, “Applejack, you take point. Rainbow Dash will follow you along with Fluttershy, in case she might need assistance to carry him up the stairs. I’ll follow in with you three in case we might need more help. Pinkie Pie and Rarity, you two stay up here and keep the door open for us.”

“Will do, darling.”

“You can count on us!”

“Alright ladies,” declared Rainbow, “Let’s move out.”

As the four made their way downwards, Fluttershy spoke up. “Um, Twilight. Can I ask a question?”

“What is it, Fluttershy?”

“Since this is a basement and there are no lights around, how are we able to see in the dark?”

“That’s… That’s a really good question.”

“Stop! They must not approach my son!” Father Donavich demanded as he struggled from Maria’s grapple.

“I wouldn’t move if I were you, Padre,” the Sergeant calmly spoke as she maintained her restraint on him, “For your sake and for your son’s.”

“Um, Maria,” Spike spoke out hesitantly, “Should we really be holding him here like this? It doesn’t feel right.”

Maria turned to the Dragonborn, “Trust me kid, nothing is ever that simple or what it seems. Sometimes in life a little girl will walk right in acting sweet and innocent and then stab you in the back. Sometimes you will have a friend you trust will pull off something incredibly stupid with good intentions.” She looks to the restrained priest, “And sometimes you need to restrain innocent people when they pose a physical danger to others.”

Father Donavich turned to her with a pleading look, “B-but that was what I have been doing this whole time! He is a danger to himself and to others!”

Maria rolled her eyes. “Oh please,” she scoffed, “I’ve seen this before: Lost your first son to some monster so you imprison your second son for his “own protection.” Seriously, if I had a gold piece for every time I heard that excuse I’d-”

“I only have one son,” interjected the priest, “and he is dead.”

Maria blinked. “Come again?”

“Seriously, these bodies are awesome! It’s like having your very own Night Vision Goggles!” Rainbow Dash remarked before almost immediately tripping over the last step of the stairs. “Gah! If I could just get used to being on two legs and on the ground.”

Applejack chuckled, “An’ how’s that workin’ out for ya?”

The pegasus-turned-aasimar groaned, “Still a little wobbly, especially when we’re moving up and down it seems.” She eyed the earth pony-turned-dwarf with a sneer, “What about you, with those short, stubby legs? Can’t be good with catching up to me in our next Iron Pony competition.”

Applejack glared daggers at her prismatic haired friend before sighing in defeat. “Unfortunately, no. Bucky McGillycuddy and Kicks McGee can’t do much good while Ah’m in mah twosome,” she said almost mournfully, looking down at her short statured feet. She stared at her right arm, observing the toned muscles as she clenched her hand close. “Honestly, the only thing goin’ for me is how strong and sturdy this body is. That and Ah’m closer to the ground which makes it easier to get used to walkin’ on two legs. Ah’m not even sure if Ah was as strong as Ah used to be in Equestria. Ah mean, look at me; Ah can’t even use mah talent for apples here.”

Roll for Insight
20
Rainbow’s jovial mood dropped at this. As much as she had much to complain in regards to her new body, she still had her speed to a degree and she was told she would regain her flight if she continued to get used to her new form. In fact, all the rest of her friends could still use their special talents to some degree: Twilight could still do her magic, Rarity could still find gems and sew clothing, Pinkie could still make laughter and parties, Fluttershy could still communicate with her animals. All but AJ and her talent for apples.

She held a hand over her disheartened friend’s shoulder. “I-I’m sorry about that. In fact, I’m sorry about being a bit of a jerk since we got here. This place just seems to rub me the wrong way and… I can’t do what I’m used to doing physically like flying. I guess I keep forgetting that everyone is going through the same problem.”

Applejack glanced at the Wonderbolt and smirked. “Well look at you. Rainbow Dash; humblin’ herself when realising her mistake, and in record time too. Usually it’d take a day or two til you figure you did wrong.”

“Hey, I’m not slow!”

Applejack raised an eyebrow with bemusement.

“Okay, maybe I am a bit of a slow learner,” Rainbow Dash admitted, almost gritting her teeth at the mention of the word “slow” describing her, “but don’t let it be said that I don’t fix a mistake the minute I realise there is one.”

The apple farmer smiled at that, along with the other two who were listening in.

Twilight leaned in with a side hug with one arm over her shoulders. “We’re proud of you Rainbow. Since we got here it’s like you’ve managed to pick up things faster than you usually do. Maybe when we get back we could all chip in to another edition of our Friendship Journal with everything we learned here.”

“Well, I was preparing myself to be called Professor Egghead for your school of Friendship,” Rainbow boasted, “Maybe we could fill that new edition with everything I’ve learned here. It’d be great to show it to the new students.”

“Um, pardon me girls,” Fluttershy spoke up hesitantly, “I hate to break the mood, especially with everypony’s high spirits, but where is the colt we were supposed to find?”

All heads craned towards the pegasus-turned-wood elf, then towards the wide empty basement. The church’s undercroft has rough-hewn walls and a floor made of damp clay and earth. Rotting wooden pillars strain under the weight of the wooden ceiling. Candlelight from the chapel above slips through the cracks.

“Y’know, now that ya mentioned it, Ah don’t hear him screamin’ no more.”

Shuffling was suddenly heard further in the empty undercroft.

“Hello?” called out Twilight, “Are you in there?”

No response.

“Don’t be afraid, we’re here to help,” she continued to call out, “We have some food as well.”

Looking towards the direction of the sound, about forty feet from them, a pair of sunken glowing red eyes peered at them.

“... You’re here to feed me?” a voice finally replied, almost slithering in its tone.

“Start talking Padre!” Maria grabbed the collar of Father Donavich’s robes, “What in the Nine Hells do you mean by that?!”

“O-over a year ago, a wizard led an uprising against the Devil,” explained Father Donavich, “My son was with them. They marched all the way to Castle Ravenloft. … None returned. … At least not the same.”

Maria’s eyes widened as a creeping suspicion came to her. “So, when you say that he is dead, you mean to say that he’s…”

The priest nodded mournfully as he choked out, “H-he’s not of the living.”

Maria released her grip, dropping the priest to the floor. “Spike, Pest, to me!” she screamed as she dashed towards the room leading to the basement.

“W-what’s going on?” asked Spike.

“The girls are in danger! We need to move!”

“Yes, we’re here to help,” replied Fluttershy almost hesitantly, “We have food and we’re here to free you.”

There was a pause. “It’s been sooooo long,” he groaned mournfully, extending the “so” with a low hiss.

“Tarnation, Ah’ll have words with the old coot when we’re done here,” said Applejack, “Ain’t no right mind to starve anypony out, let alone family.”

“So hungry,” the glowing eyes drew closer.

“Hey, don’t sweat it pal,” Rainbow shrugged dismissively, “We’ve got more than enough for you and the rest of the gang.”

“So… many of you.”

Rainbow Dash blinked. “Say what?”

“GIRLS, GET OUT OF THERE!”

All eyes turned to the stairs where they heard the shout.

“Maria? What’s wrong?” Twilight called out.

“GET AWAY FROM HIM, NOW! HE’S A VAMPIRE SPAWN!!”

The four of them craned their necks back slowly towards their would-be rescuee. Their blood ran cold at what they saw.

Creeping closer towards them was a sickly thin, pale frame of a man with unkempt hair and garbed in ragged clothes. His eyes flickered from pale blue to blood red and from what little light that could reach below revealed glimmering sharp fangs from his drooling mouth.

“So many of you. So much to feed from. So… HUNGRY!”

Author's Note

A Vampire Spawn? So soon? Will they survive? Will they come out unscathed? Find out net time in Hearts of Harmony: Into the Land of Mists.

Apologies ahead for a shorter chapter but it felt appropriate to end where it did. Meant to post this for the end of Halloween but had other commitments.