3 Days After the Class Trip

Spike was on the verge of having a nervous breakdown. He was currently sitting in a limo belonging to Twilight's grandmother on the way to the courthouse for the trial of the two Hunters that attacked the school. The Inquisitors had managed to squeeze every last drop of info out of them thanks to Sombra's "interrogation" techniques. Joining him in the limo was not just Spike, but also Twilight and Twilight's grandmother herself.

According to Twilight, her grandmother's name was Lamashtu, and she's the Vampire Progenitor. The very first vampire to ever exist and the one to spawn the entire vampire species. She sat directly in front of Spike between two vampire bodyguards. For some reason beyond Spike's understanding, Twilight looked less than pleased about something. Apart from that, Lady Lamashtu leaned forward to talk to Spike about what was to come.

"So, Lord Spike, are you aware with how these things work? A trial for captured Hunters?" she asked.

"Not really. How do things like this work?" Spike asked in reply.

"Well, Hunters we've captured and interrogated are brought before the local courts to be handed down punishment. It's not much of a trial and more of a sentencing hearing," Lamashtu said. "If the Hunters are lucky, then those two might get life in prison. At worst, then they'll be given a death sentence."

Something about the idea of the Hunters being given a death sentence gave Spike a weird feeling in his chest. He couldn't quite place the nature of it, but it made him feel uncomfortable. Spike then asked the most pressing question on his mind.

"So... why am I needed for this if this is supposed to be a sentencing hearing?" Spike asked.

"You were the one who defeated those two harlots, so your testimony for the battle is necessary to give them a proper sentence according to the law," Lamashtu replied. "The judge will also want to hear your testimony about the Dreadmire Miracle."

The "Dreadmire Miracle" Lady Lamashtu was referring to was when the dead students and teachers came back to life following the battle. Makes sense that the court would want to hear about that. The idea of Spike being put on the stand with the knowledge that the two girls he fought could be killed because of what he said made him fidget in his seat a little bit. Lady Lamashtu leaned forward and rested a small, soft hand on his own with a fanged smile.

"I can sense your nervousness, young man," Lamashtu said, licking her lips. "Would a dose of my venom help you relax?"

Against his better judgement, Spike switched from nervous to practically salivating at the idea of being given another dosage of Lamashtu's powerful venom. That stuff had a hold of him that he wasn't even ashamed of. His expression must have conveyed his feelings, because Twilight felt the need to insert herself between the two of them.

"Grandmother! Please don't do that! You know Spike needs to be of sound mind for this," Twilight said with a stern expression. Lady Lamashtu simply sat back in her seat with a giggle.

"Can you blame me, love? You and I have similar taste in males," Lamashtu said. "Besides, Spike's blood is some of the best I've ever had. My Thralls don't hold a candle to Spike's."

Twilight didn't seem to want to let up on this. "Look, I enjoy Spike's blood, too, but can you at least wait to indulge yourself until after the trial?"

Lady Lamashtu put on a pronounced pout on her face. Something about the way she puffed her cheeks made Spike's chest tighten slightly. Twilight placed her hand on his knee and threatened to sink her claws into knee without breaking the skin.

"Could you please not lust after my grandmother, Spike?" Twilight asked sternly.

"Sorry Twilight. Ever since she first bit me, her venom's been on my mind a lot," Spike replied.

"Due to her status as a Progenitor, her venom is much stronger than other vampires'. I just don't want my grandmother to get into her usual mischief," Twilight said.

"What do you mean?"

Lady Lamashtu was the one to answer that. "My beloved granddaughter is referring to my habit of being playful towards those who catch my fancy. And about time, too, given my granddaughter's rather sordid love life."

Suddenly, Twilight looked away with flushed cheeks. She hugged her knees to her chest as she spoke in a whining tone.

"Grandmother, could you please not embarrass me in front of my cherished one?" Twilight asked pleadingly.

"Oh please, dear. It's a grandmother's job to do so, especially if it means Spike gets to see that cute blush of yours!" Lamashtu replied.

"I-I d-don't know what you're talking about! My blushing isn't cute!" Twilight said loudly. "And besides, what do you mean by my 'sordid love life'?!"

"Twilight Sparkle Tepes, you don't have the most stellar record when it comes to lovers," Lamashtu said with a smirk and raised eyebrow. "Remember when you dated John Wilkes Booth? Or that fling with that maniac girl from London?"

"You mean Jacquelin Steel?" Twilight asked. "It wasn't just a fling, grandmother. It was a genuinely fun and fulfilling relationship. We just naturally grew apart over time and it didn't work out."

"She was still mentally unsound, dear," Lamashtu said. "That Jacquelin girl was not a good influence."

"Whatever," Twilight said.

Just like that, the conversation was over. And just in time since the limo came to a stop. The driver rolled down the little dividing window near the front of the limo.

"We've arrived at the courthouse, milady," she said.

"Excellent. Let's head on our way, then," Lamashtu said.

The driver got out and opened the door for the three of them to exit. Spike was now standing in front of... a radio station. Due to the tinted windows and it being nighttime, he couldn't really tell where he was going until now. He and the ladies were standing on a wooded hill that held a small radio station. Spike was confused.

"I don't get it. I thought we were going to a courthouse," Spike said.

"This is the courthouse, dear. The radio station is a disguise to protect us from the Hunters' eyes," Lamashtu said.

Lady Lamashtu led Twilight and Spike inside the radio station and saw that it was a full decked out radio station at first glance. File cabinets, a DJ station, and even a mini fridge and a few couches filled out the room. One of Lamashtu's guards walked over to the DJ station and hit a green button on it.

The next thing they knew, an elevator opened under one of the filing cabinets. Lamashtu led her two guests to the elevator and they all descended deep underground. The elevator opened to reveal something Spike thought was absolutely incredible.

Before Spike's very eyes was a humungous underground complex designed to look like a Greco-Gothic courtroom. It was a two-floor structure with seats on both arranged with the seats in the back being higher then the ones in the front in a pattern of descending rows. This was true for the seat on the second floor, too. In the center of the far side of the room was where the judge would seat and two other stands on either side of the judge's stand. On one side was a huge glass box with a few chairs with chains and straps, obviously for the criminals on trial. And the seats were filled with various monsters.

When they entered with Lady Lamashtu, all monsters in the room turned and bowed to her with all the respect reserved for royalty. Her bodyguards followed her to the front of the pews until she sat at the very front on the left hand side. Spike and Twilight made their way to the front as well, earning Spike some admiring glances along the way. Once they sat down, the judge finally emerged.

The judge was a tall male Saurian with an air of power to him even underneath his large judge robes. A long tail with long red feathers on the tip swayed when he sat down and the red feathers on his lizard-like head flared with authority. One monster in a security uniform stood before the crowd and spoke.

"Presiding over this hearing is the honorable Judge Marsh!" the guard said.

Judge Marsh banged his gavel on the desk. When he spoke, his voice was surprisingly clear and soft.

"Tonight, we will be hearing the case against two experienced Hunters from the Order of Artemis that attacked a school full of young students and teachers!" Judge Marsh called.

From a door leading into the glass box came the two Hunters that Spike defeated. They were dressed in navy blue jumpsuits reminiscent of those prisoners wore. And they looked really worse for wear. There were dark circles around their eyes, their hair was a matted mess, and they looked like they were barely eating. Captivity among monsters and their interrogation by the Inquisitors must've really taken its toll. The moment they were seen, angry inhuman growls and snarls erupted from the seated monsters like a tidal wave of deadly intent. Judge Marsh had to repeatedly banged his gavel to get them under control.

"Order! Order!" he called until they calmed down. "Now then, let's finally get started. We will start by hearing from the survivors of the tragic event. First is Twilight Sparkle Tepes."

First to be called to the stand was Twilight herself. She went and sat in the witness stand. A Goblin prosecutor walked up her to ask his questions.

"Lady Tepes, can you please recall to the court everything you remember the day the Hunters attacked?" he asked.

"Well, I was asleep in my dorm like usual when I heard someone banging on my door. I opened it and my friend Pinkie was shouting about statues attacking the school," Twilight replied. "I ran outside and saw that we were indeed under attack, but we were being attacked by a battalion of Battle Golems being used by the Order. If there were Battle Golems, then I knew there had to be Hunters there commanding them. I joined the rest of my friends in the fight against them. I... saw some of my classmates and teachers die right before my eyes. I was about to go check on Spike when I saw him fighting against the two Hunters behind the attack."

"And we also heard that despite everything, there were surprisingly few casualties. We also know that the dead from the attack miraculously returned to life," the Goblin said. "Care to give your thoughts on that?"

"It wasn't necromancy, given that they were resurrected fully intact and not as a mindless animated corpse. I'd say this was divine intervention by Nyx herself," Twilight replied. "It was an amazing thing to see, honestly."

"Going back to what you said before, you said that you witnessed Spike fighting the two Hunters?"

"Yes. It was incredible! He was like a god of war."

"Thank you, Lady Tepes. You may return to your seat and I call Lord Spike to the stand."

Twilight took her seat and Spike walked up to the stand in Twilight's place. He sat down the prosecutor shook his hand.

"As a man with a daughter who attends your school, I wholeheartedly thank you for helping protect my daughter's life," he said with a small tear in the corner in his eye.

Spike was slightly caught off-guard by what the prosecutor said. He didn't expect him to have a daughter that attended the school alongside him. Spike smiled as he shook the prosecutor's hand.

"You're welcome, sir. I was just doing what I had to do," Spike said.

The prosecutor put on his mask of professionalism and cleared his throat. "Lord Spike, could you please inform the court of your actions against the Hunters?"

"Well, I was walking around outside the dorms when I heard some random explosions in the distance. That's when I saw the horde of Battle Golems pouring onto the grounds like ants," Spike said. "I had to see if anyone in the buildings were safe, so I left the bulk of the others to fight off the Golems when I came across the two Hunters. We fought for a good while until they pulled out some weapon that looked like a lightsaber and sliced me with it. The next thing I know, I beat the both of them super easily."

"That sounds like an Enochian Blade," the prosecutor said.

"What's that?"

"It's a holy weapon made of pure Angelic Light. Harmless to humans and monsters, but lethal to Demons," the prosecutor said. "If they had Enochian Blades, then they must have known there were Demons in the school and must have assumed you were one. Which brings up an interesting point."

This time, Judge Marsh asked the question. "What point, exactly?"

"Your Honor and attendees of the court, this and the Dreadmire Miracle proves that there is more to young Spike than meets the eye," the prosecutor replied before turning to someone in the pews. "May I please ask the school's parascience teacher to the stand?"

From the stands came Spike's parascience teacher, Johan Hochmuller. He took Spike's place on the stand and seemed weirdly eager to speak to the court as a whole. The prosecutor proceeded with his questions.

"Dr. Johan Hochmuller, could you please explain to the court the events that had led to the defeat of the two Hunters?"

"Ja. Spike had received a tremendous boost in power by being struck with an Enochian Blade. If he were a normal monster, then this shouldn't have happened," Hochmuller replied. "After several tests, I have come to a firm conclusion: that dear Spike is not what he appears to be."

Now Spike was paying even more attention to this. Good thing the prosecutor and Dr. Hochmuller kept speaking.

"If so, then what exactly is Spike to have received such power?"

"Spike is actually a son of a god. And not just any god, but the goddess Nyx."

The whole room erupted into a loud cacophony of voices like an airport. All of the eyes in the room were cast towards a very shocked Spike, who was stunned by what he was hearing. He wasn't fully human, but the son of a god that created all monsters. It was something that took Spike what felt like an eternity to process. Judge Marsh shook off his own shock and banged his gavel to keep the others in order.

"Order in the court, please!" he called. "Young Spike's, uh, biological status isn't what we're here for! We're here for the two Hunters!"

Everyone reluctantly went back on track. What followed next were things about the investigation into how the Hunters even found the school, how they were interrogated for information by forcing them to watch M. Night Shyamalan's "Last Airbender" movie on a never-ending loop, and what was being done to look for the traitor in their midst, but Spike wasn't paying attention. He was too focused on the fact that he was actually the son of the goddess of monsters. If this was true, then his "parents" weren't his real parents and his "older brother" wasn't his real brother. Spike finally snapped back to attention when he heard the judge speak next.

"Are we ready to sentence the Hunters?" he asked.

"Yeah!" the room called out in unison.

"Then in accordance with the ancient laws of the Progenitors, we sentence the two Hunters, Lyra and Bon Bon, to death by hanging!" Judge Marsh called.

Without thinking, Spike shot upwards and thrust his hand into the air. "Wait!!"

The entire room turned towards Spike in shock. Spike cleared his throat and smiled sheepishly.

"S-sorry about my outburst. Uh, could I perhaps offer an alternative punishment?" Spike asked.

"An... alternative punishment?" Judge Marsh asked in reply. "Why? They murdered countless monsters including your teachers and schoolmates. Are you sure about this?"

The judge seemed to be a bit too agreeable for a monster in his position. Maybe him being the son of Nyx had something to do with it. Still, after seeing the pathetic state Lyra and Bon Bon were in, he couldn't just let them die. Good thing he had an idea. He turned to the rest of the court to speak to them directly.

"Are we sure we want them to simply die? Don't you think they deserve to suffer more for what they did?" Spike asked.

Murmurs of agreement sounded in the crowd. The prosecutor spoke next.

"How do you propose that, Lord Spike?" he asked.

"Think about it: what's the one thing Hunters hate more than anything?" Spike asked in reply.

"Monsters, obviously," Judge Marsh replied.

"Right! This means that we can punish them to a greater degree by turning them into the one thing they hate the most. They'll be hunted by their fellow Hunters and be forced to hide from the species they once were," Spike said. "What better way to punish them than that? I propose turning the 2 Hunters into monsters as punishment for their crimes."

Once again, there were murmurs from the crowd. They seemed to be divided about what to think about this idea. A lot were still saying that the Hunters should all die for their horrible crimes. Others were agreeing with Spike that turning them into monsters would be a better form of punishment than simple death. Judge Marsh banged his gavel and spoke.

"Given the... unusual circumstances surrounding this whole ordeal, I will accept your proposal," Judge Marsh said before banging his gavel with finality. "I hereby sentence the Hunters Lyra and Bon Bon to both be turned into monsters, and to be placed under Spike's watch."

"Wait, what?" Spike asked.

"And with that, this trial is over!" Judge Marsh said with one more bang of his gavel.

Spike looked into the glass box where Lyra and Bon Bon were being escorted away by armed guards. They did not look happy with the fate decided for them. This, and the revelation behind his parentage, made Spike facepalm himself.

"My life just got a bit more complicated," Spike said to himself. "I just hope things will turn out fine. I don't think I can take any more surprises."

*****

The Woods Outside Dreadmire Academy

The woods at night may be terrifying for humans, but they can be weirdly peaceful, too. At least they were until a soft blue light descended from the sky above and hit the ground with quite a lot of force, forming a crater in the ground. Within the crater stood a figure shrouded in smoke.

A figure within the crater blew the smoke away to reveal a beautiful young humanoid woman wearing a dark blue tunic with plate pauldrons on her shoulders, white gloves and boots, and a belt with a sheathed longsword strapped to it. The woman's skin was alabaster white with her short pixie-cut hair just as white as her skin. Her eyes were a golden color and were as sharp as a hawk's. From her back emerged a pair of fully-feathered wings. Flapping them a bit, the woman folded them against her back. This woman was in fact an Angel, an actual Angel. She looked around until she saw the school in the distance.

"Well, looks like Lord Spike resides here. I'll make sure to protect him with my life," the Angel woman said. "As Nyx commands."

The Angel flew to the school's bell tower and perched on the top of it, awaiting her prince's return.

=====

(Monster Species Guide)

Saurians

Saurians are a very interesting species of monster. Some think they're similar to lizardmen from a lot of fantasy works, but these creatures possess feathers and an appearance more like feathered theropod dinosaurs than modern lizards. In fact, the word "lizard" is something of a racial slur to Saurians. Saurians live in packs where the females are in charge. Each pack is ruled by a group of sisters and a group of males that join them from other packs. Saurian males leave their packs when they reach adulthood and join all-female packs, with the brothers separating and sisters leave to form their own packs to maintain genetic diversity among their species. There are a few different variations of them depending on where they live, but they are all united under the Saurian Progenitor.

Angels

Angels are the second oldest species in the universe next to the gods themselves. Each god created their own Angels to serve them and carry out their will. Angels are the embodiment of good and order, with an almost "programmed" directive to never betray their god or act against their god's will in any way. Due to the Celestial War, Angels have an intense hatred of Demons and usually won't hesitate to kill any and all Demons they see. Angels are rarely sent to Earth in the modern era, but they will under very specific circumstances. Angels are much more powerful than any human sorcerer or the strongest monster, earning them both respect and a healthy dose of fear. If Angels betray their respective god in any way, they will turn into a Fallen Angel, characterized by their black wings and black hair, and be kicked out of their god's realm.

Author's Note

Keep Jacquelin Steel in mind. She'll become important in the sequel.