“I saw what I thought was smoke seeping in through the door from the outside followed by screaming, I thought perhaps there was a fire or something. I went to make my way to the door but before I could reach it the door flung open and a panicked mare tried to scurry in. A Look of pure terror across her face as she begged for help… That’s all she was able to get out before a dark creature came out of the mist and grabbed her.” Nell started to tear up a little shaking her head not wanting to recall what she saw.

“Keep going, what did this thing look like?” Cielo asked calmly. Luna at Cielo’s side, her hoof covering her mouth in shock.

Nell took a deep breath to compose before continuing. “What I saw looked unlike anything I've ever seen or heard of in any myth or book. This thing looked somewhat like a pony I guess… Its muzzle slightly elongated with sharp teeth bared at it grabbed her, it did not have hooves but what appeared to be bone like claws protruding from it’s flesh.” Nell’s breath quivered as she described the creature. “Its body hairless and black as a moonless night, its wings tattered and torn. It had no feathers but seemed to have a thin skin coating it’s wings instead… and its eyes… Its eyes a piercing silver, glossed over as if the beast were dead.” Nell shivered. “It grabbed her… dug it’s claws into her side and pulled her back out into the night… into that mist. There was nothing I could do… I-I panicked, I quickly slammed the door shut locking it and… and ran here…” Nell started to sob a little.

“It’s okay Nell, you did not do anything wrong.” Cielo said trying to comfort her though there was little he could say that would affect the mare in her current state.

“Cielo… what are we going to do?” Luna asked, her tone slightly fearful. Without her powers Luna felt truly helpless.

“You two will stay put, i’ll go out and have a look around.” Cielo began but was quickly cut off by Luna.

“You will do no such thing! Didn’t you hear Nell Cielo? You can’t go out there, by the sounds of it there is likely more than one of them things and there’s no way you’re going to be able to see them outside at night in this fog.” Luna protested motioning her hoof at the fog all around them. “It’s suicide…”

“I know that but there are still staff here am I right Nell?” Cielo asked.

Nell brushed the tears from her cheek and nodded. “Five sir, three mares and two stallions. They likely are in their respective rooms at this time.”

“Then I will try to round them up, sounds like it might be safer if they were all in a group.” Cielo said as he started for the door. “You two are to block this door off behind me and under no circumstances unblock it. Use the bed it should be more than suffice.”

“No!” Luna grabbed Cielo’s hoof. “I’m not staying here if you’re going out there so am I.”

“You will do no such thing, you’ll be safer here.” Cielo replied sternly.

“Cielo....” Luna did not want him to leave her side not out of fear for herself but out of fear of something happening to him. “F-Fine… then if you’re going to be like that… I order you to stay.” Luna commanded.

“You order me?” Cielo asked cocking his head a little.

“Y-Yes, I am your princess and you will obey my order!” Luna’s voice quivered a bit, she did not like speaking to Cielo in this manner but the stallion left her little choice.

Cielo let out a little sigh, leaning in he nuzzled Luna’s neck. “I am protecting you my dear, not because you are my princess but because I could not bare to live with myself if I let any harm come to you. You and I both know me going is the right thing to do if lives could be saved. There is no guarantee the main door has not been breached and we know there are others inside this hotel.” Cielo explained speaking softly and calmly. “To keep you and them safe I must be sure the hotel is secured, our best hope right now is to fortify and wait for help to come.”

Luna sniffed a little putting her hooves around Cielo. “What if it doesn't come? What if something happens to you…?”

“Nothing will happen to me i’ll be just fine Luna have a little faith. Your sister will surely notice and come to our aid, there is no way something like this will evade her eye for long. All we have to do is wait.”

“What do you think is going on out there…?” Luna asked holding Cielo tight.

“It sounds like we are under attack but we know little to nothing about by who.” Cielo gave Luna’s neck a little kiss. “Please, trust me and do as I ask.”

Reluctantly Luna let Cielo go. “Be careful… and come back to me.” Luna whispered.

“I will, once i’m gone keep quiet. i’ll make sure the hall is safe first before proceeding to the main hall. Barricade the door and let nopony in under any circumstance okay?”

Luna nodded fighting back tears as she watched Cielo turn from her and walk towards the door.

Cielo looked at Nell giving her a nod before carefully opening the door and peeking his head out, the hall dimly lit, filled with a thick fog cutting his visibility down to only a few feet. Slowly Cielo made his way out of the room and into the hall closing the door quietly behind him. He remained for a moment listening as Luna and Nell pushed the bed into place blocking off the door as he had asked them to do. Once Cielo knew the two were safely barricaded in the stallion made his way down to the end of the hall checking each room as he went being sure there was no other ponies. Once he reached the end of the hall Cielo worked his way back until he reached the main room. Carefully Cielo started making his way to the door taking care to keep his hoofsteps light.

The main door leading outside lay on the floor torn off it’s hinges. “Great…” Cielo muttered to himself. Cielo’s ears perked up hearing a slight clicking moving towards him. Turning his head Cielo struggled to see through the fog to catch a glimpse of what was making that noise. What came into his view shocked him, it looked liked a decaying stallion, claw like bone protrusions sticking forth from it’s hooves, the flesh on it’s muzzle mostly gone, dead grey eyes staring at him as the beast moved closer. “God you're nasty looking…” Cielo said through his teeth making the creature let out a growl and spread it’s bat like wings. Cielo opened his wings and lowered his head preparing to charge the beast. “You won’t stand in my way.” Cielo groweld.

***************************************************************************************************

Luna and Nell jumped a little hearing a loud roar echo down the hall. Luna quickly rushing to the bed trying to move it away from the door only to be grabbed by Nell. “ Get off me!” Luna ordered struggling. “What If he needs to get back in we can’t leave him out there!”

“Stop please stop!” Nell cried.  “If Cielo has to come back to protect us we’ll all end up dead!”

Luna stopped struggling and sobbed a little.

“I’m sorry… I’m really sorry I know this must be hard for you princess but we would be a liability to Cielo right now, we must have faith in his decisions.”

“I feel so useless…” Luna cried. “All I can do is sit back and wait on my sister to come and save us, the stallion I love is out risking his life to keep us safe and i’m stuck in here with you unable to lift a hoof to do anything.” Luna struggled free of Nell’s grasp. “You don’t know what that feels like!”

Nell looked down shaking her head a little. “You’re right I don’t… I never possessed any kind of talent or power that would make me a fighter so… I don’t know what you’re going through but I feel just as helpless as you princess… you think I enjoy being safe in here while there are brave stallions and mares out there risking their lives for us? I don’t enjoy it one bit but rushing out there would do nothing but cause trouble.” Nell moved over near the wall and sat down resting her back against it. “Don’t worry about Cielo, he can handle himself.”

Luna went and sat next to the bed, silence befell the room. No noise could be heard coming from down the hall any more. “I’m sorry… I… I don’t know what i’m thinking any more…” Luna appologised looking down at the floor. “I guess I have grown weak since I came back… I allow myself to be ruled by emotion rather than logic… i’m such a fool.”

“No princess you are no fool, love is not logical.” Nell said looking over at Luna. “It makes us do rash and impulsive things. When matters of the heart are concerned logic no longer matters, being passionate and wanting to do everything in your power to protect the ones we love does not make a fool… If I were you i’d likely have tried doing the same thing.”

Luna let out a sigh but did not respond. Time seemed to drag on, house slowly ticking by making Luna grow more and more anxious. “He should have been back by now…” Luna whimpered staring at the door, three hours had passed since she last saw Cielo.

“I’m sure everything is fine.” Nell said calmly having not moved from her spot.

“Why would he not come back?” Luna asked.

“Perhaps he ran into some trouble, I doubt Cielo would come back towards us if he did. Cielo is a smart stallion, if he came across something he could not handle he would find a way to get to safety. I bet right now he is with everypony else, probably held up in a room close by waiting for a chance to get back to us.”

“I…” A loud boom shook the ground causing Luna and nell to jump up. The fog around them shifting as though trying to retreat. A slight feel of magic filling the air.

“What was that!?” Nell squeaked.

Luna smiled a little feeling a wave of joy wash over her. “Seems like Cielo was right, unless i’m mistaken that was my sister. Celestia has finally come.”

***************************************************************************************************

“Find them!!” Celestia barked, her armor glinting in the morning sun as she sent out another powerful wave of magic pushing the fog back. Behind her an army of stallions fully armored ready for battle. At Celestia’s side Rainbow Dash and Spitfire stood ready dawning full body armor. “Take a party to search the inn fist.” She instructed Spitfire and Dash. “Whatever you do don’t get scratched.”

“Yes ma’am” Spitfire and dash said in unison.

“You heard the princess, You seven with us!” Spitfire ordered pointing out sevin stallion she wished to have follow her. “You ready?” Spitfire asked looking over at Dash.

“With you all the way ma’am.” Dash replied ready to give her all.

“Lets move!” Spitfire barked at the soldiers as she dove down towards the ground with all of them following, dash keeping at her side.

Celestia Let out another powerful shockwave of magic from her horn pushing the fog away from the ground and driving it back through the trees clearing some of the town. The sight from above sickened her. Through the trees she could see the ground below littered with the bodies of her subjects. “Spread out! search for survivors and if you come across anything that looks remotely like a threat TERMINATE IT!” She screamed.

The pegasi let out a battle cry before swooping down, out of the receding mist flew a small army of the creatures that had attacked the town. Locking her sights on a few Celestia thinned their numbers quickly catching a dozen in air with her magic and tearing their bodies apart with a pained scream. The reality setting in that her sister might already be dead.

Under her order the pegasi met the small army of mutated beast head on exchanging blows while in fight. The battle did not go on for very long, a few pegasi fell but with sheer numbers on their side the beasts posed little threat to the well armored warriors of the sky.

Flying down to the ground Celestia continued to push the mist back. “Come out and face me you coward!!” She screamed wanting to draw out the one behind the attack.

A light chuckle rang out from all around her seemingly coming from the fog itself. “In time…” A deep voice whispered echoing through the air. “I will claim what’s mine… your empire will fall, give me my amulet and I will grant you a quick and merciful death.”

“You’ll never get your filthy deranged hooves on it Abaddon!” Celesia screamed. “You dare to attack my subjects , Threaten me and My kin! Come forth and claim my life if you think it so easy to take you pathetic wretch!”

Another chuckle came forth from the fog. “I do not leap at your beckon call… I will bide my time for now and relish in all I have done.”

“You are no match for me Abaddon!” Celestia snapped. “You cower behind a thin veil afraid to step into the light and receive your judgment!”

“Such bold words female. I do not fear you, I simply want to show you just how weak you truly are. I will take everything from you that you hold dear and only once have I extracted the last bit of your delectable anguish will I claim your life. You wish to keep what is mine from me then I will take all that is yours in return.”

Celestia sent out a wave of magic slicking through trees trying to find Abaddon only to be taunted further by him.

“So amusing, I have enjoyed our little chat. I will leave you to think about what you have done here… We will be meeting again, until then ta ta~” With that the fog slowly dispersed disappearing into thin air.

It took celesta a moment to come back to her senses, ponies all around looking at her as a few came out of there homes escorted by her troops. Looking around as the death this attack had brought forth nearly half the town had been slain.

“Princess…?” One of her guards tried to approach her. “Orders ma’am… the dead… what do you...”

Celestia held up her hoof. “Escort the living to safety first, get them settled in. Once every pony is safe we can come back for the dead and see that they are given a proper burial.” Celestia said in a somber tone.

“By the stars…”

Celestia's ears perked up hearing a familiar voice. Turning her head no more than twenty feet away stood her sister Luna, Her magic still depleted. Celestia watched her sister survey the casualty, all the lives lost during the night. Turning fully Celestia trotted over towards her sister soon catching Luna’s eye.

“Celestia!?” Luna cried out running to her sister and embracing her.

Celestia wrapping her hooves around her little sister crying in relief she had survived the attack. “Thank the sun you’re alright my darling sister.” She cried holding Luna tight. The guard that had found her gave them some space.

“Move! Make way! We Need a medic over here Now!!” Dash barked bursting forth from the doorway putting the guards on high alert as well as catching Luna and Celestia’s attention.

Nell came forth followed by three mares. The two stallions following with another pony on there back followed by a distraught spitfire.

“Easy with him.” Dash said helping the stallions get the pony off their backs and laying him on the ground as the medic arrived.

“Cielo…?” Luna whimpered seeing Cielo laying on the ground lifeless.

Celestia next to realize who the stallion was.

Luna quickly breaking free from her sister's embrace and rushing to his side as the medic tended to him.

The medic working quickly to clean the wound on his left side just under his wing, his coat discolored turning a shade of brown around the wound, three claw marks cutting deep into his flesh.

“They came out of nowhere.” One of the mares spoke up. Celestia slowly making her way towards Cielo’s lifeless body. “Four of them, he saved us… fought them off but got hurt in the process…” The mare started to tear up.

Luna broke down at her lover's side unable to stay composed any longer. Her cries causing many of the other ponies to look away and put their ears back unable to stand hearing one of their princesses in such pain.

“Come…” Spitfire whispered trying to move Luna away from Cielo.

“Nooo!” Luna screamed laying on the ground next to her stallion.

“Princess please… let the medic work.” Spitfire sobbed. “We need to let her work.”

Luna reluctantly gave in allowing herself to be pulled away from Cielo’s side by Spitfire. Dash looking away fearing the worst.

“Is he…?” Celestia asked drawing closer not wanting to finish her sentence.

“not yet.” Said the medic. “ He is breathing but just barely. “Even if we were to bring him back with us there is no guarantee he would make the trip let alone survive the time it would take for us to find what’s ailing him and secure the proper medication to treat it.” The mare looked up at Celestia. “I’m sorry ma’am… All i can do is dress his wound at this point and give him a little something so he’s not in pain.”

Celestia stood for a moment looking down at the stallions body, she knew full well there was no cure on record that could stop the venom from the scratch that was now coursing through his veins. The sound of her sister crying only furthering her despair. Celestia’s mind racing caused an idea to pop into her head, she knew the cost could be high and it was a long shot but it was the only one she had. “Luna…” Celestia turned to her sister.

Luna and Spitfire were embracing one another tight neither one holding anything back, Spitfire a bit more composed but only by the smallest of margins.

Celestia shook her head. “I don’t have a choice… Dash, I need you.”

Rainbow Dash’s ears perked up. “Yes ma’am, anything you need i’m at your service.” She replied doing her best to not let her emotions show.

“Take Cielo back to canterlot, to the castle. Find Cadance and if Cielo is still breathing tell her it’s time what was his is finally returned to him, she’ll know what it means.” Celestia said softly catching Spitfire’s attention.

“ma’am?” dash looked a little confused.

“Also tell her if things start to turn for the worst…” Celestia choked up a little. Clearing her throat she continued. “If things turn for the worst she will have to… to kill Cielo herself… am I clear?”

At this point Luna was not listening in still sobbing and highly confused.

“Can you remember that?” Celestia asked.

“Yes… though I don’t quite understand…” Dash said puzzled at her task.

“You don’t have to understand it, there’s no time to fully explain.” Celestia’s horn lit up, using her magic she removed Rainbow Dash’s armor and lifted Cielo onto her back. “Time is not on our side Dash, Give it your all getting there… please.”

Dash gave a nod and quickly took to the sky bolting off back towards canterlot.

“What did you mean kill him?” Spitfire asked sobbing a little. “Princess… You said yourself on the way here a scratch from them things is fatal… Cielo… Cielo is already dead.”

“If he lives through the trip there is yet another trial he will face, it’s amazing he is even still breathing after his coat was so discolored. I don’t have time to fully explain here but there is a small chance he might still live however if this works there is no telling what might happen next.” Celestia said softly. “The next time we see Cielo should he be alive he might try to kill us all should Cadance fail… i’ll do my best to explain next time we meet but… there is still much work to be done here and as much as I want to be at his side I must stay.” Celestia turned to Spitfire and Luna.

Luna had now joined spitfire at her side looking at her sister with both confusion and anger.

“I owe you an explanation too my dear sister but please trust in me just this once… I want you to go, go with spitfire and be with Cielo. If things turn bad you must not stand in Cadance’s way.” Celestia with remorse. “I know you hate me for saying this and I don’t blame you if you wished to rip me limb from limb right now… but if things go bad and he is not stopped Cielo will no longer recognize you… or any of us, He will turn on you and kill you without a second though. He will slaughter countless ponies until somepony is able to put him down. It sounds harsh and cold but if it comes to that it’s better his life than your’s and countless others. Cielo would want it that way and you know it.”

“What the hell… would make you think Cielo... would ever harm anypony?” Luna growled between sobs.

“Cielo would not be in control of himself, it’s not Cielo I fear, it’s what he might become.” Celestia replied. “Now go, take some guards with you and go. Having you at his side might help him stay himself.”

“I don’t understand.” Spitfire said confused.

“I’ll explain later just GO.” Celestia snapped losing her compose for a moment. “Sorry… if you think this is easy on me it’s not, I care for that stallion just as much as the two of you but I have ponies looking to me for guidance right now and I don’t have the time to give you the whole history of Cielo’s origins. Please just trust me and go.”

“I do trust you Princess.” Spitfire looked over at Luna. “Come, lets get back to the castle, the battlefield is no place for you right now Princess Luna.”

“I’ll trust you… but if anything happens to Cielo that did not need to… I’ll…” Luna could not finish her sentence, she knew that this could not be easy on her sister either.

“I know my dear sister… I know…” Celestia replied softly.

Luna took to the air with spitfire and a few of Celestia’s guards at her side. The rest of the guards continuing to check houses and clear out survivors.

Celestia composed herself and got back to work overseeing the guards.

***************************************************************************************************

“Enjoying our nap are we?” A soft voice called out.

“Mmmm… hmm?” Cielo started to stir his eyes opening slowly adjusting to the dim lighting. All around him starts as far as he could see. “W-what…?” Cielo tried to get up but was unable to move his body. He felt warm as though covered by a blanket. It took him a moment to realize he was under somepony’s wing. Panting a little he slowly lifted his head turning it slightly to see who lay next to him.

A large solid black mare with teal snake like eyes looked back at him, her mane long and flowing littered with what looked like stars in the night sky. On the mare’s muzzle she wore a little smile. “Thou should not struggle, twould be in thy best interest to keep thy heart rate down. We can only do so much to keep the poison at bay.”

“Who… who are you?” Cielo asked, his head foggy unable to place the mare.

“How can thou not recognize thy mare’s better half. Tis insulting to us that thy know not who we are.” The mare spoke keeping her voice soft. “Though we will forgive for now, thou may call us Moon, Nightmare Moon.”

Cielo felt his heart start to race. “That’s… this can’t be real.”

“Keep thyself calm we will not harm thee, we only wish to have someone on one time with thee, we would think thou would be more grateful to us for keeping you alive.” Moon said with a sly grin looking down at that stallion tucked under her wing.

“Very well… forgive me Moon, you have my full attention.” The stallion said weakly relaxing himself a little. “Please… tell me what’s going on…”