Nightingale

Octavian huddled in the corner of his room grasping his stomach, his eyes were bloodshot and he was visibly shaking. The lights around the room were snuffed out and darkness had enveloped Octavian in a cocoon of silence. The silence was broken as a gentle knock sounded on the door, when Octavian gave no reply light flooded the room as the door opened and Princess Luna entered his Chambers.

“Octavian, you did not show up to this morning’s military planning session. I don’t know if you remember but that was kind of important, you know with the invasion of Canterlot and everything.”

“…” Luna stepped forward, carefully trotting into Octavian’s room looking around for the stallion. She found him in his corner and began to trot towards the silent stallion.

“Go away! You can’t be here! Just leave me alone!” Octavian replied curling deeper in to himself as if to shrink into a singularity. Luna moved closer before putting a hoof on Octavian’s shoulder.

“Octavian we need you what’s wrong?” as soon as she finished the sentence she was on her back with Octavian standing over her menacingly baring his fangs.

“What’s wrong she asks!” Octavian said spitefully “Your BLESSING is what’s wrong! I haven’t been able to feed since the sack of Canterlot!” Then he looked away from Luna. “I wished to spare Twilight from seeing that side of me.”

“Octavian, I am truly sorry surely we could find some sort of substitute for you or something to tide you over!” Luna said in a panic “Animal blood perhaps!”

“No. It is not the same. YOU made sure of that when you created us, you made sure that we had to feed on living ponies to live. YOU made us that way to fight for YOUR war and for YOUR cause!” Octavian yelled. “No. I think it is only suitable that you provide for your pet, your creation, your abomination!” Octavian said before lowering his mouth to Luna’s neck. “I hope you realize how much I am going to enjoy this.” Octavian whispered in Luna’s ear before slowly sinking his fangs into her neck.

Warm blood met his lips and filled his mouth, the familiar metallic sweet taste of blood driving him into frenzy. Octavian tasted the blood of an immortal for the first time in his life and it was sweet and exhilarating, the strength of the Alicorn was absorbed into Octavian’s body. Luna squirmed under the strength of the Vampony struggling and kicking against him until with a curious suddenness Octavian stopped and retreated away from the blood stained mare.

Luna breathed. She realized that she had not been breathing, nor thinking for the entirety of Octavian’s assault. Her horn glowed as she used her magic to repair her wounds and clean the blood from her coat. Groaning slightly she sat up to face Octavian who sat across from her looking away, chastised, almost shy in his manner.

“I’m sorry”

“I know you are.”

“I don’t know what came over me. I just… stopped thinking and acted.” Octavian looked up at Luna. “I hate you, do you know that?”

“Yes, you have made that very clear.”

“and yet- I see myself in you. Clear as day.”

“…”

“We are the same you and I, doomed to subjugation by our vicious id’s, condemned to prejudice and fear from those around us.” Octavian said “We are the same because even though we are hated and feared by those we strive to protect we still continue to be the shield that protects Equestria from harm.” Octavian looked at Luna thoughtfully “I guess that is why I hate you, because even after all you have done to hurt me, I identify with you, I pity you.”

Luna looked back at Octavian calmly “I do not blame you for your hate or for your unprovoked assault; no I know too well how such emotions can cling to your heart and corrupt your thoughts. However I do warn you that this path of hate that you tread so easily is a slippery slope, it may end up hurting those you love more than you intend.” And with that Luna turned from the Vampony and walked out of his chambers.

*

Spike stood in front of the gates of Dragonia’s capital Drakograd, this city its self was a world wonder. The entire city was located in a dormant volcano and the crater walls had been reinforced with stone and dragon fire had hardened them to be some of the strongest walls in the world. The city was only accessible through one gate: the gate of fire. The long narrow path that leads to this one gate was perilous and made the city more of a fortress than a city. It was unassailable by land and plain stupid to attack by air, the city had never been taken by outside forces. Shadows loomed overhead as some of the largest dragon guards patrolled the skies, and once again Spike was scared.

He was scared for good reason; the nation of Dragonia and Equestria had always had diplomatic issues in the last great pony war the dragons had sided with the rebels in hopes to over throw Celestia and Luna. Even when the rebels had been defeated the dragons had continued their attacks on Equestrian lands, leaving the eastern country side a burnt crisp until Celestia and Luna ended it themselves.

Spike remembered reading about that last conflict in some of the forbidden books that Twilight had studied in Canterlot. They were forbidden because Princess Celestia had wanted her subjects to know her as a benevolent ruler, not a terrifyingly powerful goddess of death and destruction. Celestia had entered the fray with only her sister beside her against the combined might of Dragonia, a full thousand dragons against the power of the sun and moon goddesses. Sun fire and moon beams had danced from the pair and laid waste to the amassed horde of Dragonia.

It was a story Spike remembered well, the mix of pride and fear of Princess Celestia had stayed with him his entire life. To think that Celestia, who had been always been a constant force in Spikes life, had been defeated was hard to believe. To think that now Twilight was faced against the same foe was frightening. It shook him to the core, how could Twilight stand up to a being that defeated Celestia? Spike did not know. He could not see a happy ending to this darkness.

Spike was snapped out of his thoughts by the sound of the gate of fires creaking heralding their opening, snapping to attention Spike straightened his spines to show a position of strength and prepare himself for what was to come. As the gates opened Spike was greeted by a Dragon dignitary and a guard of four red dragons- the royal guard.

“Ahhh Spiknovar! How very good to see you! How long has it been hmmm?” The dignitary said in his thick Dragonian accent.

“Only a month I fear Crukvia, but we have very important matters to discuss, recent events in Equestria have the potential to threaten Dragonia and the rest of Equis.” Spike replied “in fact I need to speak directly with Tzarian Drascour’ Turan.”

Crukvia stood in front of Spike for a full minute with his mouth agape. “The Tzarian is not just a dragon to pop in and visit Spiknovar! There is protocol and procedures that one must complete!” Crukvia replied.

“Look Crukvia how do I get this through to you.” Spike started angrily “Princess Celestia has been killed and Equestria has all but fallen to Daemonic infestation. After Equestria, Dragonia is next in line for the slaughter, and then the rest of Equis. So unless you want the blood of Equis to be on your claws because of protocol and procedures I would recommend that you let me in to see Tzarian Drascour’ Turan.”

“I-I uh well… Um… very well, Guard escort Spiknovar to the Tzarian.”

*

Twilight had gathered the ponies of Defiance and the surrounding Everfree villages to the courtyard to address the refugee’s. Luna and Cadance stood to her left while Octavian was to her right, the four ponies stood on a raised platform overlooking the crowd below them. The ponies of Defiance were ready to fight, determination and hope was on their faces and they adjusted their armor and readied their weapons for the battle to come. Spear tips lined the air and axes and swords were sharpened; for the first time in a thousand years Equestria readied itself for war.

“My fellow Ponies!” Twilight began “I know that all of you have lost you homes, that many of you have lost family and loved ones.” Twilight paused giving her words time to sink in “But I know that you have not lost hope! Hope for a new life, hope for light against the dark, hope for the future! However the time to act is now! We must march on Canterlot and reclaim it in the name of Equestria!”

“The time is now to crush the daemonic wrongness that has invaded our lands. The time is now to throw down the shackles of darkness from our lands. The time is now to re-forge Equestria with the blood of our enemies!” Twilight paused. “My Friends, my Ponies, my subjects, march with me now! To Canterlot! To Hope! To Glory!” With a roar the crowd followed Twilight through the gates and toward Canterlot, heads high with vengeance in their hearts.

*

Discord and Celestia sat across from one another planning the return of Discord to his body, and the defeat of King Sombra. Discord, while happy that he would be returned to the world and to his body he was also dreadfully sad that he could not take Celestia with him.

“So what do you think?” Celestia asked snapping Discord out of his daze.

“I-I don’t know”

“You weren’t listening were you?”

“I uh… No.”

Celestia sighed “Okay let’s go through this again. Twilight will be forced to commit to battle soon if she wants to win the war, the resulting tides of emotion will ripple through the ether signaling you to act.” Celestia paused “This is the hard part, you have to wait until Sombra is locked in combat with Twilight only then will you be able to overpower Sombra’s spirit and retake your body.”

“What will happen to King Sombra?”

“What we hoped would happen initially, his spirit will be cast into the ether.” Except he doesn’t have anypony to remind him who we was.”

Discord smiled “Thanks for everything Celestia.”

“It’s what friends are for.”

*

Spike stood before the Tzarian his head tipped in a low bow, before him the massive shape of Tzarian Drascour’ Turan was veiled by a large mesh curtain that hung across his throne. Guards lined the walls and the torches that lined the walls were blazing.

“So Spiknovar, Crukvia tells me you have come to me with a threat.” Drascour’ Turan said his voice booming throughout the throne room.

“It is no threat my lord Tzarian, only a warning.”

“So tell me pony hatchling what is this warning.”

“Equestria has been overrun by a daemonic horde of a size Equis has never seen. I ask for your help in routing the daemons from our lands.”

“Tell me Spiknovar why should I help the same dictators who laid waste to our empire who left me with this scar?” as Drascour’ Turan finished his response he pulled back the veil displaying a jagged and vicious scar that ran across the brilliant blue scales on his face.

“I ask you to help them because these daemons already killed one of our dictators.”

“Oh really? Which one?”

“Princess Celestia.”

“You lie.”

“I do not, that is why I ask for your help. The one who conjured the daemons is King Sombra, he possessed Discords body and single handedly defeated three Alicorns, and killed Celestia.” Spike replied “King Sombra is not one to be content with a single conquest, after he conquered the Crystal Empire the first time he then invaded Equestria, forcing Celestia and Luna to act.” Spike hesitated “without your help King Sombra will take Equestria. Without your help his army will continue to grow.” Spike looked up at Drascour’ Turan and their eyes met. “If you do not aid us now King Sombra will lay waste to your empire and kill everything you hold dear to your heart. I beg of you join forces with Equestria and defeat this darkness before it is too late.”