Standing before her was something she hoped she never saw. Standing in front of her right now was nightmare incarnate. Every single nightmare brought up to this point flashed slowly through her mind, all the while keeping a horrified look on her face. Standing in constant fear and standing in the aura of unnatural dread. He was projecting it, constantly summoning it. Spectra glanced over at Twilight and she had the same expression, but the feelings she felt must have hurt more. They saw Living Shadow look down at the limp dead form of the Princess of the Night. He said shaking his head back and forth,
If only I arrived sooner...I could have killed you myself.

His armor clanked as he walked he summoned his magic and slammed his hoof on the ground. Everypony froze, not in ice but in fear. Nopony moved or dared to breathe. He ascended the stairs to meet with Chrysalis, Chrysalis knelt and said, “I have done as you asked, my lord.”

Living Shadow gave a cruel smile and said drawing his hoof on Chrysalis’ jaw. He said,
Yes. You have done everything I have asked with conviction and dauntlessness and for that I am grateful.

Living Shadow took her scythe and ran his hoof along the blade and said continuing in his cold dark voice,
One of my most perfect creations. Sadly. You have to die.

Living Shadow thrust the blade deep within Chrysalis’ chest and came out the other side. Dark green blood splattered and spilled out of the wound. Living Shadow hefted it and twisted it slightly. Chrysalis looked at Living Shadow in horror and said, “But...why?...”

Living Shadow took the scythe out and held it at his side. He said with a serious tone and a serious face,
Because you are of no further use to me. You summoned me into this world and I am eternally grateful you would do that for me. But, you have the same agenda as I. And the only one to have the satisfaction of killing the two sisters-

Living Shadow grabbed a clump of Chrysalis’ mane and decapitated her head and whispered in her ear,
-Is me!

He dropped her head and sucked in a long breath. Holding out his hooves he said,
How good it is to live again. Oh I’m sorry...where are my manners I have guests.

He slammed his hooves on the ground and released everypony from their constant fear and looked on and still held the pictures of her nightmares in the forefront of her mind. So much pain...so much death...how could somepony live like this? She began to feel even more sympathy for Dracula as he had to live with this for so long. She shoved those nightmares in the back of her mind and held a cold stare on Living Shadow. Living Shadow turned around and saw all their faces. He said shrugging his shoulders,
What? You can’t possibly tell me you didn’t plan for this? Oh man the looks on your faces are, priceless.

A deep bellowing laugh emanated from his lips and echoed across the halls of the Castle of the Two Sisters. Spectra was about to cast her spell when she saw a stream of purple energy jump towards Living Shadow. She heard Twilight’s voice scream, “You Monster!”

When she found her target Living Shadow held up his open forehoof and choked her. She dropped her blade of shadow and started gasping for air. Living Shadow laughed again and said,
Oh this is just precious! You have no idea how long my son has wanted you...even when you didn’t know him, he silently viewed you from afar. I must say he has developed quite the crush on you.

He drew her in closer and Spectra growled under her breath. Spectra listened in as he whispered in her ear,
I think I will have him present while I’m killing you.

He chuckled as he threw Twilight across the room. She slammed into the wall and fell unconscious. Spectra gasped, she wondered if she was alright. She looked coldly at Living Shadow and saw him advancing towards her. Spectra teleported in front of Twilight and slammed the bottom of her staff in the ground and summoned the strongest spell she knew, calling upon the powers of the moon. She said in a stern and determined voice, “You will not harm her again!”

Carrying the scythe in his hoof he advanced towards her, she looked and saw darkness fill the room. When he spoke he spoke in her mind, he was a few feet away from the shield. He said stopping,
Ah. The element of generosity. The noble and fair Rarity. Or should I say Spectra Crystalline, daughter of Uther Crystalline Highlord of the Vanguard Alicorns. God of Hope. Your father was quite powerful might I say, and you seem to surpass that of your father’s power. He was the luckiest stallion that ever lived, I never had the guts to marry a crystal pony. And it seems you have the same tastes as your father…

He stepped inside the shield without any hassle or trouble. No resistance. She expected at least something, anything. A twinge of pain perhaps, to show that she at least stood a chance. She stopped casting the shield and readied her staff to summon a pillar of moonlight, she said, “I don’t know what you are…”

She was cut off as he melted into shadow and reappeared centimeters from her face. He whispered,
Oh you know exactly what I mean...you want somepony who is smart. Kind. Selfless. Willing to put themselves after you. Funny. And loves a good book…

His form changed into Twilight and she felt her face begin to turn scarlet. She said, “I...I don’t know what you’re...talking about…”

Now mere millimeters from her face she heard Twilight’s voice but knew it was Living Shadow speaking, “Stop hiding from your feelings. You are in denial because of two things. You’re afraid of what she might think of you. And you fear of what Dracula would do to you if you tried anything. Oh you’ve had these feelings for quite sometime and you just didn’t even know it or you simply tried to ignore it.”

Spectra felt Twilight’s hoof behind her head and Twilight said, “You don’t have to be afraid of your nightmares any more. Because I can turn your nightmares into dreams and make those come true.”

The gap was closed and Spectra felt the warm sensation of Twilight’s lips against her’s. She longed for this and waited for an opportunity to hit her. But now that she was with Dracula, she could never find herself to say it. For three years she held these feelings for her and always kept it to herself. Her lips were softer than she could ever imagine, so gentle and blissful. She was about to succumb to her desire when she realized something. She shoved “Twilight” away and said, “But you aren’t Twilight...you’re the monster that hurt my friend.”

She saw Twilight smile cruelly and she said advancing slowly towards her, “I can be whatever you want me to be.”

As she drew closer mere inches from her face Spectra said, “This...this isn’t how I wanted this…”

Disappointment spread across his face. Living Shadow transformed back into his regular self and said,
Suit yourself. I was just hoping you would...enjoy your last moments before you died...but if you insist.

Living Shadow shot his hoof out and started choking her. She gasped and coughed as she tried to grasp air with her lungs but to no avail. She looked into his eyes and she felt as if death was literally hanging over her shoulder. Darkness settled in her vision and her breath was taken away from her and she felt something slam into Living Shadow. Spectra fell to the ground out of his grip and she felt her conscience slowly returning to her. She went into a coughing fit and as she came out of it she looked and saw it was Dragomir tackle Living Shadow to the ground. They did not land on the ground for long though, Living Shadow quickly bucked Dragomir off of him. They both did back flips to land on their hooves, they shot their heads up at the same time staring coldly at each other.

She heard stirring next to her and she saw Twilight slowly gaining consciousness. Spectra crawled over to her side and she nuzzled her head against Twilight and said, "Wake up please. We need you."

Twilight painfully lifted her head and her eyes slowly opened. Her armor was broken and in pieces, some of the pieces cut into her causing even more pain than her broken ribs and bruised muscles. Twilight looked at Living Shadow that took the form of Dracula fighting Dragomir. She said to herself as she watched them exchange blows and parrying every strike of each other. She said to herself looking at the ground, "We're not strong enough...I'm not strong enough..."

Living Shadow pinned Dragomir to kneeling in the ground clenching as Living Shadow pushed hard against Dragomir's broadsword. He strained and as he was knelt on the ground Living Shadow said,
Dragomir my youngest son. Why do you try to fight? It is hopeless, I will kill everypony that sees me. What makes you so special? You are not the destined one, merely a shadow of the one who has the right to kill me and he's gone. You will die no matter what happens, let me give you a quick end.

Dragomir felt his mind falter and despair tried settling in. His soul felt crushed. Perhaps maybe Living Shadow was right. He was not the one to kill Living Shadow, what was he to do? His power was only a fraction of what Dracula possesses. His strength slowly began to fail drawing the scythe blade closer to his exposed flesh of his neck. Fear and anger settled in on him as the blade drew near, he grunted as it drew closer and closer. As this happens Dragomir feels not adrenaline rush through his veins, but the fires of vengeance rush through his veins. Before it could pierce his flesh he shoved Living Shadow away and slowly he felt the fire consume his skin on him. He felt rushed on and renewed, his coat changes to the color of white ash and his eyes are set ablaze and his armor turns gold and sprouts wings of fire themself. He lifts into the sky and shouts over the wind, "I am not him but the same blood runs through my veins. The same blood that is capable of killing you. I am not powerful enough to kill you, but I can give my brother a fighting chance. Fall victim to the flames of Black Sun!"

Dracula expected just darkness in his vision and mind. Nothing but the pure void of unknowing, he expected the mercy of not seeing his friends and family die right in front of him. He expected to be given mercy not to feel their suffering and their misery. He expected the cold embrace and the iron grip of death that awaited him. But he as well expected for his father to have a cruel mind set. Dracula did share half of his subconscious with him for years. Fighting endlessly, subconsciously, against the one force of the universe that brought him real fear. Against the one adversary who equaled in strength and power to Cerberus and Faximas.

But now Dracula felt all of it. Every last memory. Every last minute. And every last sight, with his father. All of those filled with nearly endless sorrow and suffering. He suffered at the hooves of fate and it had been cruel to him. Living Shadow just wanted recognition. He wanted to prove that Alicorns were not the warseeking race that they were. But he did not know that he turned into what he believed was the end of all things, he became a shadow of himself. He became the vessel of the damned. The harbinger of a dark future. And with his tight embrace of the shadows, he became the villain of the world. And Dracula was destined from the start to kill his father. Now that they both shared equal minds, Dracula saw everything that Living Shadow went through. He saw Living Shadow's birth, his rise to power, and his fall to darkness.

Dracula now had an understanding of his enemy now, as did Living Shadow with him. But as Dracula tried to remember what came before his rise in the Brotherhood. He was taken in as a colt of nine years of age, all of his memories before that were gone. He pushed the thought aside and recovered his enclosed vision.

He refocused his magic and opened up his eyes. He stood in a snow filled valley of nothing but pure gusts of wind that attempted to pierce through his skin, but the numbing chill of winter staid at bay. He no longer felt the effects of the weather as he no longer needed sleep or food. Now all he craves is netherial energy, he kept his lust at bay as he was merely peckish but he could feel his ravenous core in the pit of his stomach.

He looked at himself and he wore what he did when he became Living Shadow's puppet. He wore a long black trench coat that held firm and tight along his forehooves and shoulders. On his shoulders were steel pads of thick armor. It weighed nothing. His trench coat was open at the chest and revealed his chest plate that was strapped tightly over his waist coat. On his haunches, back, and hind hooves were plated armor as well strapped tightly around to protect those areas. And resting around his neckline was a large jet black hood. The collar was pulled up and he stood in the snow.

He looked up and stared deep into the mistfilled sky. A void of winter and snow. Dracula's scarlet eyes peered through the haze and saw the silhouette of a pony coming towards him. Dracula held some power over the Dreamscape but not much. Somepony else held the reigns on the world around him. Somepony of equal power to his.

He readied for a fight and expected to see the pony within seconds. Finally he felt the ground quake as the pony landed. The haze moved and revealed the pony holding the magical reigns on the Dreamscape. The sun hidden behind a curtain of storm clouds, Dracula saw in the darkness as if it was day. Standing no more than fifteen feet away from him was a pony he dared never to see face to face. It was the dark and stern form of Lucious Void.

Lucious held the exact same features as Dracula but they were much more sinister looking and more sly. His trench coat was blood red and his armor as black as the night itself. His fur coat was a light grey color and his mane was as pure as silver. Everything mirrored Dracula. The shape of the trench coat, the design of the armor just different colors. They had the same Alicorn sized frame and the same toned muscles. But their eyes were the same crimson red and they stared at each other. Lucious stood in a readied stance for combat and he smiled like the devil himself as he said in a cocky and self confident manner, "At long last we finally meet. You have no idea how long I have waited for this moment."

Lucious tried to impart fear on Dracula but it held the same numb feeling as the cold wind. A slight breeze rustled through and Dracula said in a calm and denere voice, "Lucious. Words cannot describe the hate I feel toward you. All those years of torture and pain, inflicting wounds on ponies that do not deserve such pain."

Lucious' smile fell and he said in the same tone of voice as Dracula's, "You witnessed what they are capable of. These ponies claim that they live in complete harmony and peace, when they are no more darker than we are. They treat us like animals. Like monsters. We deserve to rule over them, I do not see why you fleetlessly side with those weaker than you. Only the strong survive, and only the strong shall succeed."

Dracula stared long at the shadow that has haunted Dracula for five hundred years. Dracula said unflinching, "Is that why you hide behind Living Shadow? Because you are strong?"

Lucious snarled and barred his fangs and said coldly, "I hide behind no one, the only thing holding me back is myself."

Dracula tightened his gaze and said in the same serious tone, "Living Shadow is manipulating you. He is using you, once he gets what he wants he will discard you. You are merely a pawn used as a way to get what he wants. You saw what he did to Chrysalis."

Lucious snapped at him, "I am not doing this to be appraised by Living Shadow. I'm doing this because I want to kill Living Shadow and then no one will stand in my way for me to kill who I wish. Now, enough talking. The time has come for clashing steel."

Lucious's form started having swirling red energy rise off of him and materializing on his hooves were a pair of combat claws. His eyes had the same dark red energy coming out of them and they held a maddening look. A look of one who enjoys killing. It pained Dracula that this being was residing inside of him. It pained him even more that he cannot help this pony. Lucious stands on his hindhooves and readies for an attack. Dracula casually drew Whiteash and lowered the blade at his side and stood in a battle stance he has not used in a while.

They stared long at each other with glares promising death and pain. Snow and ice collected on their unmoving forms, their undead forms. The bitter cold heart of the blizzard beat and resounded through the air and Dracula knew that this battle was imminent. He knew that there would be only one victor, one would live and one would fall.

Dracula focused and drew upon his arcanic energy within himself and started immersing his material form in dark black netherial energy, he felt the ground beneath him slowly sink and the snow melted and decayed the ground revealing the lifeless dirt that resided underneath the snow cap. His cold glare continued to stare at Lucious. Black and red energy evaporated off of him and his eyes glowed the purest of scarlet. Dracula's form changed into all jet black and he sharpened his mind. His mind focused on spells that would kill and used the darker form of Nether.

Green flames erupted over the white blade and faster than lightning Dracula charged at Lucious who did his best to block the blow. Dracula cut diagonal but was blocked, but he quickly moved Whiteash and cut diagnally the other way. He niched Lucious at the base of his neck. Lucious cried in pain of the sting from the sword that could devour life essence. Rage surged through Lucious and the magic swirling around him resonated and increased in suppressing force on Dracula but Dracula was capable of resisting the crushing force. His attacks were wide and powerful, each one stronger than the last.

Dracula could feel the anger coming off of Lucious, it pulsated and showed great emotion on his face. Dracula however parried and dodged nearly every attack. Dracula reflected a blow and it glanced over his shoulder pad. Dracula took this opportunity and quickly slashed him over the cheek. Lucious let an animalistic roar escape his throat and he reeled back in pain. Dracula switched Whiteash to his left hoof and enveloped his right one in darkness and punched his hoof in Lucious's chest. The nether energy broke through his chest plate and burned into his chest. The force sent him back about ten feet.

The blizzard lightened up a bit and revealed a few scattered boulders that were frozen to the ground. And Lucious smashed against one of them and shattered the stone into small pebbles. Dracula did not expect his foe to be fallen. Lucious was in almost every shape and form as him. They shared the same strengths and weaknesses. Lucious stood straining against the pain and coughed at the sudden pain in his chest and lungs. A few of his ribs felt fractured as well, but he ignored the pain and refocused on Dracula who stood proud on his hind hooves staring down Lucious. Lucious just smiled and laughed as he stood up cracking his neck. He said standing strong on his hind hooves, "You are going to have to do much more than that to be rid of me."

Dracula gave a cruel smile and said, "I was hoping it would take more than that."

Dracula saw in horror as the red energy enveloped Lucious and his form changed. It morphed and changed into a large cat of some kind. Dracula saw and he transformed into a large jet black panther. His claws were showing and they seemed to made of the purest of silver. Half of his body seemed to be made of silver. Dracula focused and saw hunger in the panther's eyes and Dracula only stared into those large red orbs. The panther pounced and started maiming him. As he felt the claws cut into his flesh he heard in his mind the dark voice of Lucious,
You cannot separate Dracula and Lucious.

Spectra slammed against the stone wall yet again. She began to feel sore all over herself, both from physical and mental exhaustion. Spectra leaned on one of her forehooves. Spectra saw the full extent of Dragomir's powers but even he barely stood a chance against Living Shadow. Celestia now engaged Living Shadow as well with Twilight and Dragomir. Spectra felt her back start to seize and began to quiver with pain. Her sides burned with an intensity never felt before and her stomach heaved into a new height of bruise. She felt weak and her powers were depleting. All she could do was watch, as her wounds slowly bled on the floor beneath her and her fractured bones ache.

Celestia and Dragomir went and charged towards him at the same time. Dragomir fell from a large leap and went in a wide arc trying to cut Living Shadow in two, while Celestia went and tried to land a blow at Living Shadow's waist. Living Shadow had dark magic swirling at the base of his hooves. Spears made of pure obsidian stone erupted from the ground and shot at the two attackers. Celestia could not make it past the spears of dark stone and disengaged backwards. Dragomir was more successful and evaded the spears. He changed to a thrusting motion and went right for Living Shadow's neck. Living Shadow quickly swiped his scythe and the thrust glanced away from Living Shadow. Dragomir lost his balance and Living Shadow caught him in his hoof.

Shadows enveloped the form of Living Shadow and his voice reverberated off of the walls,
So weak. You hold onto a victory that will never happen.

The shadows that enveloped the stolen form of Dracula and erupted in a large shockwave emanating from the source. The shadows encased around Dragomir and Spectra saw as it burned his armor and went to seep into his skin. Fires enveloped Dragomir's form and cleansed the dark shadows on him but he was not fast enough to stop from slamming into a nearby column. With a resounding snap he smashed against the stone and fell limp on the ground. He did not die but he was gravely injured. He went to stand but he quickly slumped back to the ground. Spectra as well tried to stand back up but like Dragomir quickly fell back from the pains of battle. It pained her, she felt useless and unneeded. Like the first fight she took part in. She remembered how she stabbed her horn into that werewolf. Those emotions of remorse came flooding back to her.

Everything that she killed pained her heart and soul. Tears formed in her eyes. What had she become? Her tears turned from tears of sadness to tears of pain as it rushed up her spine. She grunted in pain and leaned herself against stone and looked at herself. Her armour was dusty and the cloth was torn revealing her pristine white coat underneath. Gashes along her forehooves and chest burned with increased intensity. She focused her magic on the healing and sped it up faster. Slowly her wounds began to heal and dissipate. As she healed she saw Twilight finally engage in attacking Living Shadow.

Twilight swung her blade fast, but not fast enough each blow was dodged by Living Shadow. Finally he blocked one and smacked the butt of the scythe against the side of her head, it broke skin and the wound began to bleed. Anger encompassed her vision and her attacks were faster and harder. Living Shadow continued to dodge the blows and as he did so he taunted her increasing her anger,
Come on Twilight Sparkle, land a blow. I can taste the anger coming off of you. But how does it feel that you have to land a blow on the pony you love most?

They clashed their weapons and they both strained to overpower each other. Keeping his strength he leaned in closer and said,
Does it hurt that you have to harm your lover?

Spectra tried to stand but her bones were still healing and she fell back down. Twilight held Living Shadow at bay but Spectra knew that she could not last against is superior strength. Spectra felt awful, her friend was at the cusp of death or injury and all she could do was watch helplessly. Living Shadow had a sadistic enjoyment in his eyes and he smiled as he said,
Come on, Element of Magic. Show me your true powers. Let me feel the fury that resides deep in your heart, the fury that Celestia has been keeping controlled for all these years. Show me your power with no restraints, let your heart and mind be engulfed in your anger.

Spectra held back tears as she saw her friend slowly being overpowered. She bent down trying to keep distance between her and the blade. Spectra turned her head away from the sight, but she could still hear Twilight's grunts and unpleasured moans. They slowly started to sound more agitated. Spectra had turned and hiding behind a ruined colemn was Celestia. She gave Spectra a signal to hold on and Spectra did just that. Sectra looked back and saw Twilight even the tide of the fight. Her nostrils flared and her eyes were clamped shut, anger had filled her soft feminine features. Nothing was petite about her features now. She showed struggle on her face, she showed every memory that went wrong with her. Spectra then noticed that thins wisps of smoke that come from a fire rolled off of her. Her skin started to brighten like metal being super heated. Twilight shot her eyes open and her once pure lilac eyes were distorted and changed. It looked as if her iris' were burning. They held the characteristics of fire as they would shift to a light red to a bright orange and they were filled with the fury of a thousand suns. Her skin burned with more intensity and spread quickly but she seemed unaffected by it. She gave Living Shadow a death stare and said in a slightly lower toned voice than that of her own, "You will feel the fury of the fire. I will make you know the meaning of the phrase walk through the fire."

The husk of Dracula smiled and what happened next was tricky. Spectra saw a white flash explode out from Twilight and she shielded her eyes from the blinding light. She shook the haze from her eyes and she slowly regained focus back to where they stood. Spectra slowly grew horrified at what was in front of her.

Standing merely twenty feet away was something else. Twilight was pure white, her coat no longer a lavender color but a pure alabaster white. Her mane and tail were on fire, they spurted white hot flames that did nothing to harm her. Her anger was not changed, it even increased. Twilight reared up and slammed her fore hooves on the ground. Shooting up from her hooves was a concentrated beam of fire. Living Shadow did not burn under the heat but it was not used to injure, as Spectra was observing. As Living Shadow recollected himself Twilight charged her horn with even more intensity and finally it blasted out with great force and intensity. Living Shadow flew back a few feet and actually fell to his knees for a second. The entire right side of his face was singed and burned off. But the amazement did not stop there. His face and skin slowly repaired itself and through out that healing process he laughed devillishly.

Twilight did not falter from her rage that she felt within. She concentrated again and flames collected on her sides and they burst forth, sprouting fiery wings of her manifested rage. She was burning with bright red flames, and the heat grew into a new intensity. Spectra had never seen this side of Twilight before. Twilight is usually so calm and collected. Applejack and Pinkie told her one time that she took on this form but only for a few seconds, but the fear was still there they had said. Spectra never felt so hot before, it felt as if she was in a large oven ready to be baked into a delicious treat.

Spectra felt the burning pain of her wounds melt away and she looked. The wounds were gone, but her armor was still torn. Later she would need to repair those holes. Spectra summoned her magic and she felt how much magic reserves she had left. Her magical strength flared and moved through her, Spectra sensed that she had almost half of the amount of power left. She looked around and what gathered her attention was a loud FOOM!

Spectra looked over for a second and saw that Twilight had lifted off of the ground and rushed towards Living Shadow, who was still laughing. Spectra focused on finding her staff and scanned the room. She looked and a few meters away was her staff laying next to the dead limp form of Princess Luna. She looked over at Living Shadow and Twilight and saw Twilight tackle him to the ground with great force. When he hit the floor he yelled,
This is more like it! Yes, burn with your anger and rage. Let me feel the best of your abilities!

Spectra did not know why Living Shadow spurred her on but that would be a problem in a few minutes, right now she needed her staff. She could still cast spells without it, but the way her magic works is that she needs to draw energy from different forms of crystals and gems. That and her spells were more powerful when she casted them through her staff. Its not that her powers depend on crystals and gems, they just make the invocation easier to cast. She had mastered many of her spells and abilities, she just felt the gems adorning her armour had another use besides cosmetic.

Twilight kept Living Shadow with furious strikes and viscous arcs of her blade, it blazed a fiery trail behind the sword. Spectra concentrated and levitated her staff over to her and she felt a veil lift from her mind and her magical strength began to increase. She hefted her staff close and sneaked her way over to some shadows. She hid behind a fallen column and sat formulating a plan in her mind. She needed a straight path and a clean blow. She knew exactly what Dracula was going through, he was trapped within his subconscious and he is facing an enemy he barely knows. Lucious. Spectra sensed the darkness inside Dracula that was aching to release, she needed to help him. But she cannot help until she can find a way to land a solid blow on Living Shadow.

Spectra came out of her mind when she heard hoofsteps coming towards her. She looked and it was Celestia coming towards her. She was injured and showed conflict on her face. She looked hurt and her heart heavy. She stepped next to Spectra and Spectra followed her with her eyes. Spectra said, "I liked it better when he was just a voice in Dracula's head."

Spectra's comment did nothing to ease Celestia's mind. She seemed concentrated on nothing, she slowly shook her head and said in a defeated tone, "I...I failed Twilight..."

Spectra intercepted and made Celestia focus on her, Spectra said, "What do you mean you failed?"

Celestia slowly shook her head and focused her defeated gaze on Spectra as she said, "Twilight is something else. She holds ancient powers beneath her, a dark power. The very flames of creation lie beneath her. That day she took the entrance exam she merely released a fraction of the power she held. This is why I personally trained her, she needed to control her abilities. Others who have her same talent do not even rival the power she holds. This is why she has such a strong grip on magic. This is why I have failed her. I failed...I failed everypony..."

Spectra could not believe what she was hearing. She had only heard despair and sadness from Princess Luna, she was the only of the Alicorn Sisters that actually showed great emotions such as sadness. Celestia was always focused and knew the consequences of the actions of all. But now...now she released it all, the facade was cleared and she held the pained expression of a mother who just lost her child. So much pain and sadness. She offered guidance to all who needed it, now she was without guidance. Spectra clapped her hoof on Celestia's damaged shoulderplate and said into her eyes, "This was not your fault. Living Shadow is the one that pushed her. He's the one that released this monster. He is the one that destroyed what you so carefully made sure to keep separate from herself. We can still fix this, we can give Dracula a fighting chance by taking the fight back to Living Shadow."

Celestia slowly nodded and Spectra returned the nod. All they did was exchange looks that promised each other never to reveal what happened there. Spectra promised not to tell another living soul. Celestia stood back up and Spectra suggested a plan of action and Celestia agreed. Celestia readied Ashbringer and they focused on the battle that was taking place. Waiting for the right moment to attack.

Twilight never felt so angry. She never felt so much rage in all of her life. Her mind went blank and now she is changing the tide of the battle. She felt like she was on fire, she felt as if her rage erupted flames all over her. Her actions were guided by something else other than her conscience thoughts. It was guided by her ferocity. Every strike and her face promised nothing short of death and unbridled rage. All of her attacks had so much power that she felt power surge through her arms every time she clashed blades with Living Shadow. She never felt like this before, she never used so much of her powers.

She slashed her blade horizontal in a wide arc and the blow cuts the scythe in two and the wood splinters and Living Shadow releases his grip on the scythe. Living Shadow laughs as Twilight landed two blows on Living Shadow. She cut diagonally across the chest and cut upwards cutting from the top of his chest to the tip of his chin. The wounds almost immediately erupted in flames and burned and singed him. To increase the damage done, Twilight pulls her hooves to her side and swirling in the air between her hooves was a small ball of fire. Her horn glowed the colors of flame and when she gathered enough energy she pushed her hooves out and the ball of fire shot forward and crashed on Living Shadow's chest and blasted him away. He flew back around ten feet, maybe more, collapsing to the ground. He looked as if he was engulfed in a nimbus of flames that slowly devoured him. Twilight saw the burned and singed form lying on the ground and she slowed her breathing refocusing her powers.

She slowly reverted back to her original form, letting the flames disappear. Patches of soot remained on her lavender coat and she felt exhausted. She crumbled to her knees she used so much of her powers. Her muscles felt heavy and every breath pained as it escaped her mouth. Her chest felt compressed by a increasing pressure. She watched the limp stolen form of her lover. It pained her that she had to injure Dracula's form to hurt the entity that overtook Dracula. Twilight closed her eyes as pain and sorrow washed over her, she remembered back to the time before they invaded Shadow Garden. When Twilight felt as if she wanted to forget everything that had happened so far.

She will always remember what he told her, it made her feel at home. It helped her feel like she mattered, like she meant something to Equestria. It gave her purpose. She clenched her eyes harder and focused on her close connection with the Arcanic Shift. It was strong but it was damaged and needed to be refocused and strengthened. She called on the shift to renew her strength and it obliged. Her muscles were no longer contracted and painful but lighter and more toned. She felt more lithe. She slowed her breath and stopped concentrating on her connection. She slowly opened her eyes and analyze her current situation.

Signs of battle littered the room in front of her, craters that had a large radius and fallen columns that were purposeless as there was no ceiling. Natural lighting filled the air and all shadows evaded from the light of the sun. Lying almost limp in a heap was the stolen form of Dracula, Twilight's lover. It pained her that she had to hurt him in order to injure his possessor. If there was something that Twilight knew about possession it was that she gave Dracula an advantage. She stared at the charred body and she said whispering to herself, "Please return to us Dracula."

The seemingly lifeless body stirred and sighed heavily. The wounds slowly healed, at a controlled rate. The shadows that once enveloped him had dissipated and spread across all the corners of the room. The form attempted to stand but failed and fell back to the cold hard ground. Twilight stepped closer to Dracula and stepped slowly. She was not sure if that was Dracula or not, she could not be too careful.

The body stirred once more and escaping from its throat was a raspy call for help. Twilight recognized the voice and rushed down to his side. She knelt down and hovered her hooves over Dracula, still hesitant that it was truly him. She let out a long and painful breath and said quietly, "Dracula?...Dracula...is that you?"

Painful silence and slowed breaths followed. Twilight remained motionless as she awaited some form of answer from the nearly lifeless form. Nothing filled the room aside from the occasional light breeze that danced across the stoned room. She waited patiently for something; anything to show that her Silver was still alive. She lowered her hooves on his unconscious body and she felt it lifeless. It did not stor under her touch or twitch to life, just bitter coldness. She closed her eyes shut and a tear fell from her eye and travelled down her cheek and splashed on the back of Dracula's head. She lowered her head and after a sniffle she whispered, "I'm sorry Dracula..."

She kept her eyes closed and let it sink in. Another one of her loved ones was dead. It seemed as if everypony that got close to her died. It hurt her emotionally and despair washed over her.

She gasped as she felt an iron grip around her throat, it tightened and threatened to crush her under its strength. She thought it was the icy grip of death itself. But she slowly opened her eyes and saw that it was the form of Dracula. It laughed evilly and gave the sense of who it was that choked her, it was still the cruel subconscious of Living Shadow. As Living Shadow stood up, his vice grip around her throat tightened and she struggled to release from his grip. Now standing on his hind legs she swung in the air and her forehooves rested on Living Shadow's hoof that strangled her.

Twilight opened her eyes that were now puffy and red from her crying. Living Shadow stopped his laughing but still held a sadistic smile as he said,
I cannot believe you fell for that. You really do love my son that much that you would forfeit your life for him? How pathetic.

She felt his eyes on her and study her like she was a dead cow meat to a butcher, sizing it up and a cleaver itching to be slicing into her flesh. He said cruelly,
Go ahead. Squeal. Cry out for his name, for he is long gone. Beg for him to return. I want to hear you cry for him to rescue you. It will make this that much more enjoyable. Go ahead.

Twilight still continued to let tears flow from her eyes. She stopped straining against his iron grip and looked deep into Living Shadow's eyes. She saw the cruelty in his eyes, and how much pain he intended to inflict. It caused her soul to sink, but flickering briefly was the faintest of images. It was the warm soft look of Dracula that flashed in Living Shadow's hateful eyes. Twilight calmed at this fact and she said, "Drac...Silver...I know you're in there...and I know you can hear me...please you have to overcome this...we need you...I need you..."

Great emotion travelled in her voice and it faltered as she finished subjecting herself to more crying. Living Shadow flickered away for a moment but quickly returned and it looked as if something struck the side of his head and he growled and he said tightening his grip and lifting her higher,
Dracula is gone! There is only Living Shadow!

Living Shadow then with great immortal strength, threw her and she crashed hard into the wall. Cascading across the floor. Her renewed strength then slowly left her and she lied on the brink of unconsciousness. Newly formed gashes appeared all over her and her bones ached. Her chest heaved and threatened to collapse, she groaned in the pain and moved her hoof to ease the pain of her stomach. She lifted her head from the dust and winced in great pain as she got to a sitting position. Still in a half way state of half consciousness. She watched as her friend and mentor leapt from the shadows and attacked Living Shadow.

Spectra came out first charging straight towards him. She charged at him on her hind hooves and blue-white energy swirled around her staff reshaping the crystals into a spear head. She focused and shot her hoof out. Twilight saw as she caused a shaft of brilliant, cold starlight lancing down from the sky above, bathing Living Shadow in excruciating bright light. She lowered her hoof back to her staff and continued in her charge. The skin on Living Shadow sizzled and seared, he absorbed some of the damage but some seeped through his magical defenses. She came close and struck hard against Living Shadow, piercing deep as she thrust the spear head deep into his belly. Spectra clenched her teeth together and wrenched her spear out of him. The wound crackled with arcanic energy. She pointed the head of the spear at Living Shadow and firing from the tip was a bolt of dark, crackling eldritch energy. The dark green and black bolt of solidified eldritch energy surged forward and blasted it at Living Shadow's chest. Spectra drew the blunt end of her spear back and as she pulled back to strike she cried out proudly, "You will not harm another pony! Fall under the might of the midnight sky!"

A rage induced cry erupted from her throat as she brought the blunt end of her spear and cracked it at Living Shadow's throat. It struck hard and true and he reeled back in pain. But he quickly recovered from the strike and summoned a ball of shadows in his hoof and in a cry of anger threw it towards Spectra. Spectra saw as a ball of shadows shot towards her. She concentrated and a bright blue aura formed over her horn and she concentrated. Twilight saw as for a moment she shifted her body out of phase with the world for an instant and teleported a short distance to the side, fifteen feet. The bolt of shadows exploded on the ground where she stood and erupted, screams of pain came out of the explosion. Twilight focused and saw the Spectra was still partially out of phase and she cried out, "Now!"

Twilight saw a brilliant ray of pure sunlight sprout from the darkness and strike Living Shadow in the chest and the beam seemed to sustain. Charging towards Living Shadow was the somewhat injured form of Princess Celestia, clad in damaged golden plate armour with white accents and inlays. She charged and was covered in a nimbus of pure white light, shining like the sun. Her eyes burned like small suns, and she screamed in righteous fury, "The time has come for you to answer for what you have done Arkon! The end is now, fall once again underneath my blade!"

The beam of pure solar energy stopped and Living Shadow seemed to quickly heal from the strike. Living Shadow growled and shadows formed around him and as Celestia closed in on Living Shadow he said,
The only one to fall will be you! Vengeance will be mine! Accept your fate such as your sister!

While Living Shadow saw the nimbus burst and a flash of bright light erupted as Celestia came close. Twilight saw the flash and Celestia ran Ashbringer deep within Living Shadow's chest, briefly erupting in flames of the sun. Living Shadow summoned a sword of pure crystallized shadow and went to strike Celestia, only to reel back in pain as a small solar flare crashed against him and he flew back a few feet. He remained on his hooves. His chest wound slowly healed he went to cast a spell but was interrupted by a strike from behind. Spectra slashed upwards with her spear, the wound glowed a light blue-white glow and finally erupted in the purest energy of a star. Living Shadow quickly slashed his hoof behind him in a horizontal slash and attempted to cut through Spectra with a blade of pure crystallized shadow. Spectra blocks the blow and maneuvers herself closer to Living Shadow and pointed her hoof, slowly creating a hoof-sized orb of painful blue-white radiance that starts whirling around Living Shadow searing him. Fierce rays shoot from the orb like jabbing daggers of light stabbing deep within Living Shadow's flesh, fencing Living Shadow where he stands.

Spectra marvels at her handiwork and steps back a bit and points her spear again, the spear head charging with blue-white energy. As that is going on, Celestia extends her hoof and shooting from her outstretched hoof were large arcs of lightning infused with the divine powers coursing through Celestia's veins. The arcs of heavenly lightning cascaded and crackled towards Living Shadow striking hard and breaking his magical aura. Living Shadow elicitated a loud scream of anger and this let Spectra shoot her large bolt of concentrated magical energy. The bolt struck true and erupted, combining with the heavenly lightning. The result was a large eruption of pure arcanic energy. Spectra throws up her hoof and a shield of astral energy sprung into existence. Celestia simply turned into pure light of the sun, the shockwave that shook the foundation of the castle almost brought Twilight to near unconsciousness. She leaned back and she summoned an arcane shield of her own but it was weaker in power. It lasted the duration of the shockwave and a large cloud of dust formed where Living Shadow once stood. Twilight lost her strength and let the haze of unconsciousness take over. She let her head fall and all she saw was blackness.

You cannot run forever Dracula. I will find you, and when I do you won't be able to run again.

Dracula had no intentions of running, he had done enough of that in his life time. He had spent most of his life running from him. He had spent most of his life chained to some monster. He had spent most of his life feeling scorn for those who opposed him. Running was not an option now. Now was the time for one of them to come out alive. One will live. And one will die. Equals until the last breath.

He controlled his breathing and focused his mind. What he faced was himself, just twisted and malformed. Spawning and causing nightmares to those who he cared about. He could not allow himself to falter now, he had brought himself to this moment and he needed to decide what he has to do. Luckily he saw the world around him turn color and everything stopped moving. Dracula knew what this meant, he turned and as he turned he said, "I did not know that you were capable of such powers."

Cerberus said in a casual stance, "I am capable to do many things, many of which would destroy the minds of mortals. Controlling the Dreamscape...well, let's just say it's towards the top of my skills. Who do you think was the one that taught Princess Luna how to control it?"

Dracula smirked and looked down, clearly showing that something was on his mind. He did not know if Cerberus was picking up on his signals, as there was a long silence between them. Dracula said, "There is one thing that has always been on my mind. What is your agenda? Why do you want to help me? What are your true intensions?"

Cerberus remained still and kept his neutral face and features. Dracula found Cerberus hard to read, he rarely showed emotion and it looked as if he was in between anger and sympathy. But he remained as still as the boulders around him. He walked close to one and ran his hoof over the cold surface. Slowly and steadily he ran it over the boulder. As he finished running his hoof over the boulder he said, "I have been alive for more years than you can possibly imagine. Too many for any mere mortal to comprehend. And throughout many of those years I watched as one of my most beautiful of creations grew. I watched as you ponies evolved from the first moments that you existed, to now. Yes you went through hard times through out but it was all a learning experience. You all still hold in your hearts the harmony that me and my brother so righteously wished we had with our race. I am proud of what you all have become and what you all have yet to do. But to answer your question, you can say that I do this because I still want to protect one of my most beautiful of creations. I still want you all to learn from what happens, and become stronger because of it. This is why I want you to succeed. Now my question for you is, what is your agenda?"

Dracula looked inside himself what exactly that question meant. What were his motives. For so long he believed that he did what he did to better himself, was that truly correct? Was he doing what he did to protect and cherish those who he cared about? He harbored Lucious for so long, and he did almost nothing to stop him or get rid of him. He brought Lucious on himself because he was so selfish that he broke another, for his freedom. What did he get in return? A manifestation of his fears and anger. It pained him, there is not a day that went bye where he does not regret what he did. He destroyed two legacies, two families. Now he felt for them, now he truly sees his wrongs.

Dracula lifted his head to thank Cerberus, but the immortal was gone. Slowly the world returned to normal, as a gust blew past him he said, "Thank you Cerberus. Now I see what I must do."

He was not bettering himself from running from his own fears, hardening his heart against despair. He was further destroying himself. He needed to end this, he was not running anymore. He needed to confront his fears. , he stopped when he heard the words of his dearly beloved Twilight.

"Silver...I know you are in there...please come back to us....we need you...I need you..."

Dracula lifted a hoof to his necklace and brought to his lips, he kissed the amulet and said, "I promise I will return. Just as the cold winter promises snow."

With new found determination he stood up and looked in the little clearing of snow and stones. He found the large panther that was Lucious, his steely eyes fell upon Dracula and he said with a growl, "I was having fun trying to find you. But now you are mine, I will rejoice when your blood is running down my chin."

He tried to make Dracula fearful, a wave of fear washed over Dracula but he remained as still as stone. He felt the fear and he was powering through it. Nothing was going to stop him now. Dracula said drawing his two swords and standing on his hind legs, "Your tricks will no longer work on me Lucious. I am here to return to those who need me. The tyranny of fear will no longer bear down on my shoulders. Your burdens will be of your own, you claim to be a warrior. Die like one."

Lucious snarled and sprang towards Dracula, hoping to land a swipe with his silver claws. Dracula crossed his swords and drew forth netherial energy, his swords began to glow green and black, pulsating with power and energy. Once Lucious came in range he cut like scissors on Lucious' chest. The panther growled in anger and landed on the ground writhing in pain. His wounds glowed the same color as the blades, and they seemed to weaken the panther's strength. Dracula had an opening and he took it, his horn glowed green-black and it spread out from him. Projecting true netherial energy and as he did that he transformed into his Cthonian form. He lowered his blades and the air and ground around him began to die, oxygen sucked from the air and the death force taken from the plants beneath the surface of the snow. His eyes glowed bright red and mist billowed out from the pure red orbs. The skin around his face had cracks and glowed green-black. He said, "You wish to use fear as your tools of destruction. Embrace it as your own. Now die in it."

Lucious had fear spread across his face. Dracula relished in the irony that had showed itself. Dracula hovered above the ground spreading his netherial magic around the earth near him. He used all the power he could muster this was his chance, Living Shadow's mind was weakened, preoccupied with his friend no doubt. The earth crumbled and cracked, falling to large chunks. The sky turned dark green and an aura of the same green enveloped and swirled around Dracula. Lucious stood up and reverted back into his normal form. He stood on his hind legs and rested a hoof over the wounds on his chest. They leaked the red life force that Dracula needed to regain his consciousness. Dracula pointed Whiteash at Lucious, the tip of the blade at his chin. Lucious' face no longer showed he was ready for conflict, it was very solemn and forlorn. Lucious dropped to his knees and lowered his head and as he did so he said in a lowered tone, "I see now it was not my destiny to kill Living Shadow. It is yours. Strike me down and reclaim what is yours."

Sympathy crossed Dracula's face and he said matching the same tone as Lucious, "Thank you. You shall recieve the death of our people. A warrior's death, you fought honorably and deserve a death as such."

Lucious nodded his head and kept his gaze concentrated on the dead earth. Dracula realized that Lucious existed to make him stronger, to improve his powers to a heightened level. Nothing broke the stare Dracula had on Lucious, Dracula lowered Whiteash and recited the ancient poem of Death,

By the light of the moon I grant you eternal rest.
For the crimes against you are heavy.
In time you shall be forgotton as a pony.
But you won't be forgotton as a warrior.

May you be guided to where you shall eternally lay.

He sheathed his blades and in a quick motion he bit down on Lucious' neck. Dracula did not drink from him but simply let the blood run down. It stained and had an unsavory taste. The scarlet fluid flowed with new found freedom to the floor, dripping down his chest and past his legs. Dracula pulled away once the blood stopped flowing, making him know that Lucious was dead. Dracula stood back up and wiped the blood from his mouth. It was done, his shadow that enveloped him for five hundred years was gone. His mind felt clear and more focused. An energy slowly came out of Lucious and went into Dracula, he finally felt whole again. He finally had a great burden lifted from his shoulders. He felt like he was one with his mind and self, it was a soothing feeling.

But he knew he could not stand on ceremony, he had work to do. Dracula moved his gaze to the sky and saw a giant maelstrom encircling the sky. Living Shadow moved to try and retaliate from Dracula, but Dracula had th upper hoof now. Living Shadow dropped his concentration on the spell keeping Dracula pulled away from him. The prince of shadows stared long at the fiery eye of the storm and said, "It will all end soon. Whatever fate decides for either of us."

He stood on his hind legs and he summoned all the magic he could. His horn erupted and swirled violently at the amount of energy he was pulling in. All the nether energy he neglected to absorb was now absorbing into him. Coursing through his veins was the powers of death itself. He was in control now, straining with all his might he started pulling Living Shadow out of his mind. Living Shadow stood firm and his magical defenses were something to behold. But nothing Dracula could not bypass.

Clenching his eyes shut and further concentrating, wind began to pick up and gust on past him kicking up his wings he started hovering. The green-black energy swirled violently around Dracula and he pushed onwards again and he felt the Arcanic Shift flicker in his movement of power. He was pulled back on through the deepest recesses of his mind to his consciousness. He kept his eyes shut and lowered the magical field around him, relieving his muscles and mind from the strain that it brought.

He melted and in awe he heard a soft feminine voice call out chokingly and after a cough, "...Silver..."

Celestia had fought in many battles and fights before, but none of them had been more taxing than the one she faced now. She had brought down rebellions, ogres, mountain giants, dragons, hydras. You name it. But of all of them her confrontation with Living Shadow stood above the rest. There was a reason he was now called Living Shadow, and there was a reason she did not call him that. The curtain of dust still slowly settled. Celestia did not expect to kill Living Shadow but she could at least weaken him to help Dracula. Celestia readied her blade and she said to herself, "Come on Dracula...make Luna proud."

The natural lighting grew darker as the clouds above them grew black and crackled with thunderous fury. A few drops of the storm to come, fell and dripped down Celestia's focused gaze. The dust settled and revealed the injured stolen form of Dracula. The body moaned and groaned in pain, a few cries in agony. Celestia kept her feelings under her and focused at the task at hoof, he was trying to trick her into helping him up. She remained firm and stood defiant against the obvious trap, Celestia had fought him before and this time she would make sure he died.

The moans stopped and the dust cleared and at the other end was Spectra. She readied her spear and saw Celestia looking at her, the goddess nodded and they advanced slowly with their weapons ready. The only sound filling the wide open roofed room was the sound of blasting thunder. The air felt heavy and thick, which did not help the doubt that desperately gripped around her heart. She stared at the body and watched as it slowly stirred awake, a deep laughter emanated from the body's throat. It was loud and voluminous.

Living Shadow lifted his head and a cruel smile spread across his scarred face. Singed and burned skin remained of his face, most of it burned away from the attack. His armour was dented and scratched, his coat tattered and torn. Celestia watched in horror as the wounds healed faster than she had ever seen. Living Shadow stopped laughing and stood on his hind legs and he said,
I must say I am impressed by the both of you. You seem to have increased in power since I have last seen you. But...alas...

Living Shadow raised his hoof and it was covered by a thin layer of shadows. He extended the hoof three feet away from his hoof, and protruding out of his hoof was a three foot spike made of pure ebony obsidian. The spike had thin shadowy mist envelope off of it and Celestia could see her own reflection in the shadow spike. He brought it to his face and the shadows around him slowly began to pull towards him and his full white smile was visible, he said in a deeper toned voice,
It will be all for naught. You are in a hopeless fight. I will enjoy both of your ends. Come and meet your doom.

Celestia hardened her gaze and she rushed forward her sword coming down in a wide arc, her weapon glowed in divine radiance, the divine light spread down the three foot blade and absorbed into her forehooves; increasing the strength of her attack. The strike came down and Living Shadow deflected the powerful blow with his shadow spike, a burning column of heavenly fire blazes up and Living Shadow reels back. The shadows from his spike spread out and shoot towards Celestia. The manifested shadows went into her eyes and the poisonous shadows attempted to blind her and devour her eyes. She cries in fury and pain, slowly she activates her magic and her eyes burst in twin flashes of light. She was thankful that Spectra was with her.

Spectra strikes Living Shadow across the shoulder, her spear head digging deep into his shoulder as he pulled his hoof back to stab the shadow spike into Celestia. The spear head was glowing a blue-white aura that seared his flesh. The shadows around him spread forth across the shaft of the spear and spread quickly onto her hooves, she cried in pain and she seemed to freeze in place by the icy touch of fear. Grunts of pain and anguish came forth from her and she cried out in horror. Living Shadow absorbed the spear into him and it materialized in his other hoof. He smacked the blunt end quickly across the side of Celestia's head and she fell back in the pain. He quickly turned and thrust the now obsidian spear head into Spectra's shoulder. It rended deep in her shoulder, eliciting a cry of instant pain. Living Shadow spread more shadows into her shoulder, and an iron grip clasped around her shoulder blade and it reshaped the spear head in a wider head. He twisted it to test the grip of the spear head, satisfied with the grip of the spear head he lifted her slowly into the air. He smiled cruelly as she moaned in horrified pain. Her coat grew more pale and dark shadows came out of her eyes, she seemed more sluggish and almost incapacitated. He chuckled and heft the spear, he shot the spear and her towards the wall. The spear sank deeper into her and stabbed into the stone wall. Celestia saw in horror as she slowly lost control of her conscience, her head fell low and she closed her eyes succumbing to the painful darkness of unconsciousness. He smiled cruelly and turned towards Celestia, with malicious intentions in his eyes. He said,
You are all alone now, me and you. Let us see how long you can last before falling under my cruel darkness.

Vindication fueled a burning fire in the center of her chest, she would not succumb to such darkness. She proclaimed to the stolen form, "You are a fool if you think I am here to kill you again. Unlike you I am not shrouded in my own thirst for vengeance."

Living Shadow chuckled once more and said sauntering closer to her,
Really? Your deal with Nightmare Moon tells me otherwise.

Her grip on Ashbringer loosened when he spoke those words. They echoed in her mind and she looked visibly conflicted with her own feelings. She felt tired and felt like succumbing to the cold darkness that warmly wrapped itself around her. She shook those thoughts away and exclaimed, "No...I can...stop her...before she does anything harmful..."

Living Shadow stepped even closer to her and she saw the stolen form of Dracula no more and saw the lithe and shapely ebony black form of Nightmare Moon. With her long ethereal mane of mistful miasmas and auroras. Her bright blue eyes with black dagger blade silts stared long into her very soul and her hoof touched her chin and lifted her head to look at her. Nightmare Moon said with a dark smile, "Can you now? What stopped you before? Why did you let me live when we first encountered one another?"

Celestia tried with all of her might to tell herself that it was just an illusion, a trick for Living Shadow to easily kill her. But whenever she thought of that question it just awoken something inside of her every time. Why did she let Nightmare Moon live? Out of mercy? Pity? She never told herself the real answer, and she never knew the real answer. She knew it was her fault that Nightmare Moon wreaked havoc over Equestria for so long, and it hurt more than it should have. She had to live with that decision for an eternity and she can't do that so she tucked that memory away so she would neverhave to face it. But now it really struck hard on her moral code. She caused all of those deaths, not Nightmare Moon. Her. This is why she wanted the Paladins of the Solar Court to return. But in order to do so she needed them to be powerful, more so than they were. The purpose of Virus X. And it would cost so many lives to make it perfect and she started questioning whether what she did was righteous.

It finally hit her square in the stomach, she did not have a just cause. A holy cause. Only aspirations on something that may or may not happen. She crumbled to her knees in despair and she looked at her fore hooves in disapproval of herself. Her voice was laced in fear and despair as she said these words, she watched her color being sucked out from her, "Wha...what have I become...I...I'm a monster...How can I live with myself?"

She realized too late that Living Shadow's magic was already working. The shadowed world she had seen before was no longer there, replaced by the world she knew. She felt helpless and sapped of all her strength to even move. She felt an iron grip around her neck, she gasped and gagged as she was lifted from the ground. She looked and saw Living Shadow lifting her in the air, readying his spike to penetrate deep in her chest. She felt calmness embrace her soul, she deserved this end. She waited for the spike of shadow to bring her end.

Twilight struggled herself awake and wished she did not. Her muscles ached in unbearable pain and her mind felt as if it was being split open. She still had her eyes closed and clenched her face as she felt a pang in her mind. She knew this pain very well, she was brought over her magical limit. Her energy was gone and she had sole reliance on her physical strength, which was not one of her strong suits. She felt as if somepony took daggers and slowly stabbed them in her shoulder areas, her diaphragm, and her legs especially. She forced her eyes open and a look of horror spread across her face as she saw a scene she had seen before.

Her last nightmare.

She struggled to move her head and saw a scene she never ever wanted to see again. She saw Living Shadow stab a large shadow spike into Princess Celestia. With all of the strength she could muster Celestia looked over at Twilight with large violet eyes and gave her a look that told her, "I’m sorry.” She did not look like she usually did, she was paler and more weakened than what she was. Blood drained out of her wound from the spike, dripping slowly down her weakened form. Sadness crossed her face and finally she fell limp, Twilight did not know if she was alive or not and that was what was scary about it.

Dracula pulled out his spike and Celestia let out a loud groan of pain, falling to the ground. Living Shadow turned and his sadistic gaze fell on her, shadows encased him and his eyes glowed a bright red. A scene she knew very well. Her heart swelled with emotion. Pain. Fear. Despair. Anguish. All these emotions gripped tightly around her heart and she cried, tears flowing freely from her painful and puffy eyes. Twilight had seen not only Luna die but had to watch Celestia maybe die. It was all too much. And to make matters even worse the love of her life was now but a distant memory on her mind. She let out a mournful cry that could be heard from miles. Living Shadow once again lifted her by the neck and held her high in the air. Her end was inevitable and she knew it, but she needed to do something first.

Her mournful gaze fell onto Living Shadow's lifeless eyes, just to know. Just to see that he was not lost. She cried with all the strength she had left and she said closing her eyes, pouring her heart and soul into her next words, "Silver...please come back to us...we need you...I need you...you can make it through this...you always have made it past situations like this-"

The tears fell out of her closed eyes and she moved her head from side to side and said painfully, "-...even when you believed when you had no chance you...you made it through...please..."

She writhed and tried to escape Living Shadow's grip but failed. She opened her bright violet eyes to see why she had not died yet. Living Shadow clenched his face in pain and he grunted in pain. The shadows escaped from the aura around him, revealing the true strain of the pain that washed over his face. The pain seemed almost unbearable, she could not even bring herself to stare too long at it. She continued on crying her heart out, letting it all flow out of her. Tears she kept from everything. The death of Luna, the death of Shining Armor, and so many more. All the pain she kept inside herself she released it. The pain she felt when she first killed, the pain when she thought she lost Rarity. All of it, she released it like a flood.

After a few seconds, she stops crying long enough to hear lowered breaths emanating from the stolen form. Her hurt gaze softened to the steady breaths that came out of his muzzle. Before they were long sadistic breaths of a madpony, now they were slow and controlled as if trying to regain something. Like he was focused. Twilight suddenly felt a threat lift from the air and she took advantage of the situation. She gathered all the strength she could and mustered out only one word, "...Silver..."

She felt so weak and so tired that she barely said that and the form knew it. He looked up slowly and noticed his eyes were closed. Slowly his eyes opened and Twilight knew those bright red eyes anywhere. They fell on her and a horrified look crossed his face, quickly he released his grip around her throat and she began to breath again. Her strength slowly but surely returned to her, she never felt more happy in her life. She gasped and tokk in a few long breaths, after which she sprung onto Dracula and she said through tears of joy, "I knew it! I knew you would make it out!"

Dracula lovingly returned the warm hug and he said in a painful tone, "I...I'm...I'm so sorry if I-"

Twilight looked up in his eyes and she moved her hoof over his mouth and she said, "No. Don't say anything, it was not you that hurt your friends it was Living Shadow."

He briefly looked at he floor and she mad him look at her again. With passion filling her eyes she leaned up and kissed Dracula lovingly on the lips. Twilight would always remember his reunion and would cherish her feelings for him always and forever. After tweleve seconds they stop and continue to look at one another. Their attention becomes focused on something other than what was in front of them, they heard a loud groan and a soft loving motherly voice call out sarcastically, "Please, I reauire some assistence. There appears to be a large column on me."

Dracula breaks the hug and rushes over to move the column. Twilight looked back over at Spectra and saw that she was stirring awake too. The color returned to her and the despair left her face. Before she as fully awake she stared at her closest friend and she remembered back to when they fought. Spectra had shown serious moves, she knew many spells and perhaps knew many more. Twilight was impressed at he way she adapted to his attacks quickly.

Spectra stirred awake and the grogginess filled her eyes. She winced and said, "A little help here darling."

Twilight smiled and stood on her hind legs. She said resting her hoof on the shaft of the spear and she said slyly, "Whay am I always the one to save your sorry hide."

Spectra smiled warmly and said sarcastically, "Shut up and get this spear out of my shoulder Sparkle."

Twilight laughed and happily obliged the white unicorn. Twilight pulled the spear out quickly and caught Spectra in her hooves. Twilight noticed that Spectra was uncharacteristically cold. Twilight turned her pver and rested her head in her lap as she sat down. Spectra looked at her with a warm gaze and she looked as if she had something to say but Twilight quickly stored the thought away and she ripped off some cloth from her sleeve and quickly made it into a make shift bandage. She pressured the wound and as she tended the wound Spectra said, "Dracula is lucky to have a pony like you Twilight. You might actually rival me in my generosity."

Twilight wrapped the torn white cloth tightly around and she lifted her gaze to meet Spectra's. Her gaze was warm and inviting as always, something hat Twilight loved about her. She brought a smile across her lips and Twilight tapped Spectra's forehead with her hoof and replied, "Watch that ego Rarity, your head might explode."

Spectra stifled a laugh but quickly winced in pain as it ran from her shoulder to her back. Twilight went to sympathise her friend with her hooves and rested them on her chest. Spectra said, "Please stop making me laugh. It hurts."

Twilight sighed innocently and explained, "Can't help it."

Spectra offered he hoof and Twilight tugged and pulled her up on her own hooves. Although Spectra was injured she seemed more alert than usual. Twilight watched as she saw Luna and Dracula reunite. They stopped talking and embraced each other in a big hug. Twilight smiled and she looked over as she saw Celestia stand up. She groaned and Twilight went to go over there and patch her wounds, but when she got half way the sun goddess enveloped herself in radiant glory and her wounds quickly healed. Celestia regaine her composure and her color as well returned. Celestia turned and faced Twilight. Celestia was the one to move closer to them.

Celestia stopped and she stated in a low and sober tone, "My student...I...I must say that I...I'm sorry."

"Why are you sorry?"

"Because," Celestia continued rubbing the back of her head with her hoof, "I should have told you about what power you carried earlier. You could have had more control over the power you unleashed on Living Shadow."

Twilight knew the face all too well, she had seen it more than a few times with the time she spent with the princess. It was the face of failure and sympathy. Twilight shook her head slowly and said, "No, you did not know what would happen. What happened was not your fault, he pushed me somewhere I was not comfortable. I should have had better control of my anger."

A faint smile crossed Celestia's face and Dracula returned to them and he said, "This is no time to stand on ceremony, I fear."

Dracula could already feel Living Shadow pushing himself out. Dracula said after a moment of silence between them, "Living Shadow is still alive. We have to end it here and now, and I have a proposal."

Twilight and Celestia focused on Dracula and with a heavy heart he explained, "I...I have to...kill...myself with Whiteash...this is the only way."

Twilight's eyes went wide and she replied with great horror, "No...no...no no no...Not you too. Silver you're all I have left...my closest family...you can't...there has to be another way."

Dracula saw the hurt in her eyes and Dracula held her hooves in his. She looked at him and he said in a monotoned voice, "This is the only way. He is too powerful for expulsion and he is too powerful to manipulate. This is the only way. And no, you will not die with me because since my consciousness was slipped away the Arcanic Shift thought I was dead so the physical connection is gone."

Twilight's eyes filled with tears again and he said, "No...Please...I...I can't..."

Dracula swallowed back a lump in his throat and his heart pained him. Twilight pressed her head against his chest. She nuzzled his neck and she said, "Please...you can't go..."

He drew his hoof to her chin and made her look at him. The pain and sorrow was more than he had ever seen, it seemed to embrace her now. Dracula said in a soft tone, "Twilight. I will try my best to heal the wound but I will make no promises that I will survive this. Listen, you have to see things better and in a grander picture. And if the worst comes-"

Dracula moved one of his hooves behind Twilight's head and it was engulfed in her dark violet mane. He finished tenderly looking in her eyes, "-Then I will wait for you."

Dracula leaned down and gently pecked her on the lips. Once he pulled back he stepped a few feet away from her and he stood on his hind legs and as he did so he moved his hoof out and shadows slowly gathered in hisopen hoof. He said as he concentrated, "It ends here and now, and all the pain that you caused will be brought to justice, father."

Dracula spoke with increased power and a heightened state of mind. He projected it outward and it shattered the fear that loomed, banishing all nighmarish thoughts from everypony. A voice spoke in his mind that belonged to the embodiment of shadows themselves,
Blood is life...

Materializing in Dracula's hoof was his sword Whiteash. The pristine silver blade shimmered in the hidden moonlight. Dracula felt a drop of liquid moved down his cheek, coming from the dark clouded sky. The storm neared and loomed over all their heads. Dracula took in a deep breath and he said moving the sword so it stabbed just below his heart, "Blood is life..."

Dracula thrust the sword deep and he winced in pain at a high volume. Dracula felt his mind tearing itself apart, all his thoguhts wasjed over his mind and poured in constantly. He dropped to his knees and as he did so a shockwave erupted out from him and cascaded across the room, immediately incapacitating everypony near him. Dracula noticed that that was Living Shadow's doing, not his own. But he would most likely kill them after killing Dracula. The wound burned and stung his chest, as if filling it with bliling hot magma. Dracula concentrated all he could to heal the wound, using almost all the power he had left. He breathed heavily and in short bursts in his deep concentration and in exhausion.

Spilling out of his wound was not the crimson blood Dracula was expecting. It was black liquid shadows, it wildly poured out of the wound and gathered in a small pool five feet away from Dracula. Dracula focuses on the collection of shadows and rested a hoof on the blade of Whiteash that punctured through his chest and out through his back. The shadows boiled and fettered, slowly rising from the puddle it took shape. Dracula winced once more in pain and clenched his hoof tight against his chest. Living Shadow spoke as if he stood right in front of him,
Still you fight...still you hopelessly fling yourself closer to your own death. Look around you. You claim that you are better than I when using these powers, but is that really true? Look at what you have wrought, you have brought your friends and family to die and they lie weak on the ground because you failed to save and protect them. And with all of this you dare call yourself a hero.

As he spoke he took solid form and Dracula sensed the amount of power that he carried. He was a walking powerhouse. Dracula looked on and saw that he took his normal form, the one he used in Dracula's dream. Then Dracula heard the steady fall of rain and it battered down on everything. Dracula stared his father down and he exclaimed to him, "I never claimed such titles, you use false words that mean nothing to me. Your poisonous manipulations do not work on me, I am your blood. And I am more just than you. I only walk a different path of light."

Living Shadow chuckled and he walked towards Dracula on his hind legs. As he approached closer to Dracula he said,
Is that truly what you believe? If so, then you are an even greater fool than I thought you were. You cling to something that does not exist and fall into morals that defy everything that you are. You destroy natural order because of what you make your-

Dracula shouted interrupting Living Shadow, shooting pain through his body, "I DESTROY NATURAL ORDER BECAUSE OF WHAT YOU DID TO ME!!!"

Living Shadow remains unphazed by all of this and listens intently on his son's outburst. Dracula continued, "I am believed to be a monster because of what you shaped me to be. I am a shadow amongst others because of your half existence inside of me. I am not whole because you held me back..."

Dracula winced in pain when he finished and Living Shadow said stepping even closer,
I held you back because you are weak. Pathetic. A disgrace of a son, tarnishing your name. I held you back because I knew what you would become and what more you would become. I held you back because I knew that you were the bane of my existence.

Living Shadow gripped the hilt of Whiteash and Dracula groaned in pain as he tried to get it out but only shot more pain through him. It grew to an unbearable amount of pain, he fought hard against the death that tried to grip him. Living Shadow leaned in close and whispered,
Can you feel that? That's the feeling that you have failed, fading into the void waiting destruction.

Dracula growled, "I have not failed so long as I breath. So long as justice has not yet been met."

Living Shadow smiled and stated cruelly,
Not for long.

Just before Living Shadow shoves the sword even farther, he gets tackled to the floor. A flash of dark cyan ran across his field of vision. Dracula shot his head quickly towards where the flash collided with Living Shadow. He saw Rainbow Dash but she was different, there was fury and rage in her strikes and in her eyes. Black mist billowed out of her eyes and off of her claws. Dracula sensed a dark energy beneath her and knew what it was, it was the Orb of Darkness that lied deep beneath. Dracula looked down at his wound and he quickly took out Whiteash. He grunted in pain but he felt a weight lift off of his dark soul. As if a prisoner set free from inside of him. Dracula readies Whiteash and noticed that Living Shadow quickly threw away Rainbow Dash. Living Shadow chained her in white-black bindings. She fought with all she could to break free.

Dracula's chest flared in pain but he ignored it. Dracula focuses his magic and calls out to the Arcanic Shift, drawing forth ancient powers. He concentrates hard and closed his eyes. As he drew power from the Arcanic Shift he saw passin images of what transpired over the past few weeks. Nearly two months. Scenes of brotherhood and protection. Scenes of loved ones lost. And scenes of war. He concentrated on the emotions that rose to meet him. He called out farther and a violent storm of red energy sprang to life around his horn. He called for a specific pony and for specific items.

Right there he made a pact and melded his dark soul, connecting himself two others. Dracula shoots his eyes open and they were bruning orbs of pure cthonian energy. Dracula proclaims to Living Shadow, "You have escaped death once but you will not do so again. For you must meet justice."

Dracula looks to his left and standing in pristine obsidian plate armour was his closest amongst the Children of the Night. Standing proudly in ethereal energy was Sombra, grey coated and black maned. Sombra met Dracula's gaze and said,
I promised you that I would see you again and here I am.

Dracula could feel he was not physical but he was not fully ethereal. He was still very much dead but he existed in between two planes. Dracula smirked and Sombra turned to Living Shadow and said,
You. You mad me into a tyrannical ruler and broke what I believed in. You broke my loyalties and made me nearly kill my blood brother. But you have no control over me, for I have broken those chains and I remain free from the mantle of fear and despair.

Sombra grabs hold of the Blade of Shadow, Voidtouch. He holds the archaic style blade in his hoof and stands at he ready. Dracula looked to his right and standing there was Dragomir, free from all wounds and blemishes. He nodded at Dracula and said to Living Shadow, "You separated me from my true family, father. You took away my sister. You have comitted crimes that are to be brought to justice. And I will personally make sure of it."

Dragomir tightens his gaze and Dracula noticed a soft bright white aura around all of them. Sombra glowed a light purple, Dragomir glowed a light yellow, and Dracula glowed a bright red. Something clicked in Dracula's mind. The once quiet throne room was filled with a torrent of arcanic energy, all three of them drew powerful waves of arcanic energy. Dracula stepped down the stairs from the thrones and Sombra and Dragomir folow suit. As they approach Living Shadow the aura grows stronger and more violent. The auras billowed and crackled powerful ancient energy. The auras grew higher and more vibrant in color, they collided and mixed drawing ever near Living Shadow.

They all three speak as if they were one voice, almost like a choir of power,
The Spirit of Freedom, The Spirit of Justice, and The Spirit of Destiny. Here to bring you to your fall and into the darkest pit of Tartarus. We are no longer mortal.

Their voices shook the foundation of the throne room. They levitated into the air and thw four winds themselves were brought down to the majesty of their power. They each glowed their respective colors. Sombra, Spirit of Freedom glowed brilliant purple. Dragomir, Spirit of Justice glowed bright yellow. And Dracula, Spirit of Destiny glowed bright red. They hovered ten feet off of the ground and slowly they levitated towards one another. Their forms melded and gave of powerful rays of light that destroyed all forms of darkness. They glowed a brilliant white-blue glow and their forms finally meshed into one. An eruption was sent out and radiated pure beauty. A large pillar of blue light shot into the sky, violently swirling. The pillar didnnot cease or stop. All that looked upon it were stunned by the pure magnitude and power of all of it.

Living Shadow stood not in awe but in near fear. He held himself together rather well but deep inside he knew what was coming and what he would have to face.

Slowly the pillar dissipated and shrunk to a smaller one. A form could be seen, one singular form. Slowly it descended to the ground. And when it landed a small wave of energy shot out and awoken every unconscious body nearby. Twilight, Spectra, Luna, Rainbow, and Celestia all awoken. They looked on and saw something truly awe inspiring.

Kneeling on the ground was a pure white alicorn pony with an ethereal blue mane and tail. But it slowly changed spectrum and changed to purple and finally to bright blood red. It moved through that spectrum. Its features were smooth, carried an unearthly beauty and there was an uncanny stillness about it. He drew in no breaths, and drew out none. It looked to be very tall and muscular but lithe as well. Finally its eyes shot open and they were pure golden orbs. No pupils and nor conreas. Just bright golden suns of pure energy. It was armoured from neck to hoof in ancient golden armour with crystals as the dominant part of the armour. The shoulderplates were small spires of magenta crystals, it looked as if no mere mortal could hold such armour. It stood up tall and on its hind legs. Its emotionless gaze fell down upon Living Shadow and pointed it's armoured hoof at him. The voice it exuded was deep and filled with unfathomable power,
We are Kaorus, Atma of the Stars. And we have come to destroy you.

There was an air of silence that filled the gap between Kaorus and Living Shadow. Kaorus stared coldly and blankly at Living Shadow, promising nothing less of pain and cold justice. Kaorus spoke again and the chorus of deep voices said,
Innocents. Leave this place, we shall take care of this monstrosity

With that said the others in the room left with no questions. They all scampered out and joined the fight outside. Kaorus continued its emotionless stare and the chorus said,
Arkon Shadow. We shall give you one more chance to surrender. Deactivate your powers and we shall only exile you. Or die.

Living Shadow tapped his hoof on his chin and said,
Hmm...I think I will take...

He cut his answer short and shot a concentrated beam of pure shadow energy and it struck Kaorus's shoulder. Kaorus looked unaffected by the shot of energy and the large crescent chunk taken out of the Atma's shoulder slowly reformed and the armour regenerated. Kaorus looked at his shoulder when it fully healed and then looked back at Living Shadow. Tightening its gaze on the first shadow. Kaorus spoke and stated flatly,
So be it.

Kaorus moved his hoof behind him and a white flash erupted from his back and coming forth out of no where was a large two hoofed mace. The head of the mace was a giant chunk of crystal fashion and ebbed onto a four foot long metallic shaft. Half of shat was thick metal for decoration. The other two feet was wrapped in cloth with a long strand billowing in the wind. Kaorus hefts it up and readies it for a fight.

Living Shadow gathers all the shadows he can and they attach to his form and cling to him. His eyes glow bright red and he opens his hooves. Protuding from his wrists are three foot shadow spikes. Living Shadow smiles and shows rows of daggers. No words were exchanged and with a throaty screech Living Shadow bounded towards Kaorus.

Kaorus pulls his hammer back and keeps his hoof just beneath the head of the mace. As it pulls back gathering around the head of the hammer pure divine light swirls and charges. Once Living Shadow grew close enough Kaorus shoots the hammer head forward holding it firm in his hoof and shooting forward was a bolt of pristine divine energy. It strikes hard and true as it pierces Living Shadow's shoulder but he still continued towards Kaorus. Kaorus hefts his mace and readies to strike.

Kaorus' mace glowed with a pearly luminescence. Shrinking the shadows that moved in to devour Kaorus. With warcry Kaorus brought his weapon down in a wide arc. Living Shadow crossed his shadow spikes and glances the blow away. Living Shadow counter attacked by shoving onenof his shadow spikes deep into Kaorus. It was not a fatal blow but it singed none the less. Kaorus roared in pain and with divine fury in his eyes he moved his head and plunged his horn deep into Living Shadow's collar bone. An unworldly screech echoed over the throne room. Kaorus took his horn out of Living Shadow's collar bone and quickly readied for another strike of holy vengeance.

Kaorus strikes hard and true against Living Shadow. The low lands at the base of his neck and rips open a patch of his skin. The blow sends Living Shadow flying onward and hitting hard against the stone floor. When the blow struck the wound ignited with holy light that singed and caused a permanent wound. Once Living Shadow landed on the ground, Kaorus spoke with his divine choir of voices,
That bruning sensation is the burning wrath of a thousand dead souls that you innocently killed. Feel the wrath that they bring on your soul.

Living Shadow hisses and extends his fangs. Living Shadow pounced forward and stabbed his shadow spikes deep into Kaorus. They sank in deep and protruded out the back. A dark shroud of wraithlike shadow energy coalesces around Kaorus, Living Shadow siphons a small fraction of strength from Kaorus. Kaorus bellows with pain and slams his forehead against Living Shadow and sends him back. Living Shadow reverts back from his animalistic form and stands back on his fore legs. Living Shadow moves a hoof over the open wound below his chin. Living Shadow said glancing at the blood that stained his grey hoof,
I must say that I am impressed with the power that you wield. I have not faced an adversary such as you for quite a long time. Where are he rest of the Atma?

Kaorus erupted in a roar and charges toward Living Shadow. He propelled himself forward and brought his mace in a horizontal arc. Living Shadow repelled quickly into the shadows and come back a few feet away. The blow struck hard into a large column of stone, flashing as it struck and a few moments later a peal of thunder slams and cracks stone. Kaorus felt waves of divine fury coursing through his veins, he flowed with the energy making every movement fluid and connected to a higher purpose.

Atma are beings of pure light, they are the beings that fill in the black. Their origins are somewhat unknown and not many wish to find out their origins. Kaorus felt fury almost overtake him but he gathers himself and said sharply,
Your poisonous words fall on deaf ears Arkon. We are immune to your manipulative powers, now die under the fury of all the stars in the sky.

Living Shadow smirked and shot his hoof out and sent small needles of dark shadows, they punctured deep into Kaorus and disoriented him slightly. Arkon holds his hoof in front of him and a gust of shadowfrost hammers Kaorus and knocks him back. Kaorus holds fast and regathers himself, Kaorus focuses coldly on Living Shadow. Living Shadow extends his hoof and curling from the shadows are claws that strike out against Kaorus. One slashes against his back and another swipes across his cheek. His wounds sting but they quickly heal and the shadows recede back and leaves Kaorus on a knee. Kaorus looked and saw Living Shadow walking towards Kaorus. Kaorus had faced many challenges and he was not going to let this be his second failure. He refused failure again.

Kaorus lowers his head and he said,
You have brought to many to their knees. Made them cry for mercy, but slaughtered them anyway. I had to live with centuries of hearing their screams of terror and now it is your turn to hear their screams of justice.

Kaorus holds up his mace above his head, and a brilliant flash of divine light explodes out from it. The shadows the encased the walls were banished away and the strike singed Living Shadow, a wave of eternal pain washed over Living Shadow tearing away flesh and skin. Revealing the ugly interior. Revealing what he truly is. His flesh boiled and left disoriented, Kaorus took this opportunity.

Kaorus unfurls white wings of astral brilliance and he exploded forwards. Pulling his hammer back it curled off strnads of energy and as it struck home the strands of holy energy erupted, wrapping around Living Shadow and rooted him to the ground. He struggled against the bonds of pure light but only seared and singed his damaged flesh against the spiritual chains. Living Shadow proclaims over the rising pain,
I AM THE FIRST SHADOW, I FALL TO NO ONE!!!THIS WORLD WILL BE REMADE IN MY IMAGE!!!I WILL TRIUMPH!!!

Kaorus steps back and focuses lightly, concentrating and instead of one form, four. Kaorus and the three Spirits said as one,
You have wronged us, and we will strike you done with the empowered fury of the millions you have slain.

They all charge towards Living Shadow and as they moved in closer the pain surmounted and in horrible pain Living Shadow screamed,
NOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

All four of them struck hard and true each crashing with dark strands of energy. He was split into four pieces and his painful screams flew over the four winds. The shadows erupted from its master and were banished to the far corners of Ketos. The earth beneath Living Shadow swallowed him up and it slowly closed. The dark storm clouds were gone and breaking through the opened roof was the dawning light. The four stood in cold silence as to what has happened.

Dracula opened his clouded vision and focused on what remained in front of him. The throne room that was once filled with darkness, was now clear. He stood at the spot where the greatest and darkest evil was vanquished. Blood stained the floor and it dried in place showing the paths of war. Columns lied in crumbled messes, strong stone meant to last forever were brought down in a manner of seconds. He wanted to sing to the heavens that his burden was gone. But he could not help to remember those memories he stole from Living Shadow, those bright and warm memories of his father and his lover.

Dracula blinked slowly and moved his gaze away. Sombra noticed this and he said resting his hoof on Dracula's shoulder, "Why such a heavy heart? You won the day from the oldest evil this world has known."

Dracula looked over at Sombra and he did not change his expression as he replied in a neutral tone, "Yes but at what cost? I may have banished all the evil but you do not know what I know. He was a pony with goals and aspirations just like us. We went through the same trial, we were one and the same. The only difference between us is the fact that I shouldered the pain of all those that called me a monster and a murderer. But he...he became what they made him out to be and fed off of those fears. I lost a father I did not even know."

Sombra had a sympathetic voice as he said tenderly, "Then hold on to those memories. Mourn for the father you deserved but never got."

Dracula only nodded in response with Sombra's comment. He enjoyed the fact that Sombra was with him once again. He looked over the past few weeks and mulled over all of the change that he and those he cared about went through. And all through his mourning he asked himself if it was worth all those lives. Truly, he did not expect so many to die. While their losses were few, they still hurt. Dracula looked behind him and Kaorus was gone. He had so many questions to ask Kaorus but it appeared that he would have to save them for another day.

When he finished his thoughts he felt a slow simmering sensation on his shoulder and Dracula had a good guess as to what it was. Dracula felt a hoof leave his shoulder and another replacing it. Dragomir spoke and said, "Do you feel the same thing?"

Dracula's stare went cold and he replied, "Yes. And if the worst comes, I just want you to know that...I'm glad that I finally met my brother."

They both looked at each other and they held expressions of sobriety. They had been through so much and they did not fear what would happen to them. Dracula said to himself as the simmering sensation rose and burned his skin, "All that I am and all I hope to become, would have been nothing without you my Twilight."

The last thing Dracula saw was the beautiful face of his most cherished love. Her face and expression lost all emotion as Dracula lost all feeling in his body. Blackness settled in his vision and he warmly accepted it.

Everypony quickly, we need to get them out of here. The closest settlement is Gemini, they are stable but barely if we are to have the smallest chance in saving them we need to hurry.

The scene played over and over again in her head. She had seen Dracula fall unconscious before and all she did was worry for a bit. But this, it was as though he just lost all will to live. He just fell over and looked as though he was dead. She completely understood that she had prepared herself for such things beforehoof, but that did not make it hurt any less.

Twilight held Dracula's hoof in hers and she held it tightly. His hoof was cold and lifeless, she could not stop staring at his still and peaceful face. She wanted to turn and leave, and accept the fact that he is possibly dead. But she still held the smallest sliver of hope that he could survive this. She sat patiently in the hospital at Gemini and she waited the careful and examined opinion of, apparently, the most skilled natural healer of the Children of the Night. Her name was Moonlily and she looked barely out of her teens but she carried herself as if she was older. She was short and lithe with petite features. All things Twilight noticed in the corner of her focused vision. Moonlily had allowed her to be in the room because of how close Dracula was to her.

Twilight could barely believe that Dracula stood at the doors of death. Twilight slowly petted her hoof over Dracula's and felt how soft his carefully trimmed fur was. As she kept repeating the motion she looked up and Moonlily quickly changed in between Dracula and Dragomir. Noting things as she alternated between the two. She truly was hit hard by this. No doubt she was not the only one to feel the effects. Dracula was so strong and so assured of his decisions, some that were calculated to the last breathe. Twilight adored him for that, solving problems faster than she could. He became a beacon of hope for all who knew him, he became a herald of better times and that is why it hurt so much.

This was one of the first times Twilight had seen Dracula not wear some sort of clothing, he lied with a comfertor covering his bottom half and his upper body was left bare aside from the bandages wrapped around his chest to help heal the gaping wound on it. Twilight moved her head and on his broad left shoulder there was a mark of some kind. It looked as though it was burned onto his skin, an archaic shape that she did not recognize. With that being said, it did nothing to help expel the dark feelings she got from it. It looked as though it was infecting him, the veins around it were pure black and they bulged to the surface of his skin. The dark veins ran from the mark and to the left side of his chest and the upper part of his forehoof.

Twilight stood on her hind legs and was nervously biting the edge of her hoof, fighting back the dark feelings she held in her heart. She feared the worst will come upon them both, that death would come to both of them. She stared long at Dracula's face, she rested her hoof on Dracula's. She knelt down and closed her eyes as she whispered softly, "Please...please...I...I can't."

A single tear fell from her closed eye and fought back her feelings. Her mind flooded with memories she had with Dracula. She cherished them and adored them, he was apart of her and she apart of him.

Twilight was torn from her thoughts as she heard a sound that nearly stopped her heart. Escaping from Moonlily's muzzle was a very low and saddened small choice of words, "Oh...no..."

Twilight tore her gaze away from Dracula and turned towards Moonlily and said, "What...what's wrong?"

Moonlily turned to face Twilight and said with her head lowered, "Send in the others that brought them here. They need to hear this as well."

All emotion drained away from her face. She picked herself up and slumped her way to the door, with every stride slowly breaking away what was left of her heart. She slowly pushed the door open and saw every face that came to see their new Prince of Shadows. Celestia and Luna, each standing on their hind hooves with their hooves crossed over their chests. Rainbow leaning on her knees as she sits hunched in a chair. Spectra as she leans darkly against the wall, holding her hoof out having a little pyre of bright blue-white flames dance across her hoof. Cornell, Riptide, and Con remained standing with dark sunken faces waiting for the verdict of the conditions of the ponies in the other room. They all looked up as Twilight reemerged from the other room. Luna was the first to speak and undoubtedly had the most amount of emotion out of all of them besides Twilight. Her silken voice faltered as she spoke, "Are...are they going to be okay?..."

Twilight stepped aside and coming out was Moonlily. Moonlily walked on her hind legs and folded her hooves at her waist with her head low. She said projecting her voice loudly, "I am sorry that I cannot bring you better news. My healing magic can only save so much. The magic being worked on both of them are cut in too deep and it is strong. It is rooted to their very souls. Again...I am sorry but I cannot help them any further, their fate lies with their own strength."

The room fell silent. Nopony dared to speak a word and none wanted to breath. The air seemed colder because of it and filled Twilight with a loneliness she knew very well. She felt as alone as she did when she had lived in Canterlot. She could not help it for being alone, it is not her fault that she has a mental problem with other social interactions. She used the studying as an excuse not to reveal what was truly going on. When she was just a little filly and when she met her other classmates of Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns, she snapped. They all looked at her weirdly and she could feel their eyes on her at all times. Judging her every move and every action. Avoidant personality Disorder, is what the doctors called it. She just always did not know how to talk to other ponies other than her immediate family. All the studying was a way to escape and a way to remain herself and find out who she was. She had grown used to the disorder over time and the medications she received definitely improved her social reactions and interactions. But it would never truly go away, she always had to live with it. What did not help was her perfectionist ways, the fact that her brain was imperfect always had her a bit on edge. She can control it now, but she snaps occasionally.

She felt her world crashing in around her and she felt cold. Nopony to hold her tight and nopony to tell her that everything will be fine. Nothing will be fine, everything can go wrong. Everything was gone and all that was left is her...and...

Twilight shook her head slowly trying with all the strength that she could to banish those thoughts. Straining against the waves of uncertainty, her vision returned clearly to her. The silence remained and she did her best to ignore it. Finally after a good five minutes Spectra said in a defiant but justiful tone, "There has to be more that we can do. We cannot just sit here and wait for them to die. This would mean that all we fought for was for naught. This will give Living Shadow exactly what he wants..."

"And what, pray tell, are we supposed to do so?" Con asked in a defiant tone of his own, "Please tell me if I am forgetting something but absolute resurrection is nearly impossible. Only one pony could do that and even he cannot do it very often. How are we supposed to succeed?"

Spectra tightened her gaze on Con and snarled, "We have to try. Use everything and anything to the best of our abilities. There has to be something we can do."

She looked to Celestia and Luna for an answer, all she got were exchanged faces between the two and finally a simultaneous shake of their head. Twilight felt the chains of her past start to weigh down on her and she fought back. Her fears, her despair was slowly consuming her. It was such a dark feeling and it did not take her long to realize that this was the same emotions that Dracula bore on his shoulders for the past millennia. It astounded her that he lasted so long shouldering those burdens, she could barely last a few seconds. She pushed herself back to reality and the darkness remained at bay, for now.

Twilight finally found the courage to speak up and she said coldly, "There is nothing...nothing we can do..."

Spectra turned towards her best friend and said in shock, "But...Cerberus...he...he can resurrect can't he..."

"No!" Twilight snapped loudly but gathered herself quicker and finished her thought, "No...it only works on those that are not affected by some sort of spell. Like Moonlily said, the spells that Dracula and Dragomir have are too deep...nopony can save them now..."

Her words were interrupted by somepony who had a commanding and righteous aged tenor voice, "That is where you are wrong Miss Sparkle."

Twilight turned full around to see who addressed her and saw that it was Cerberus. He seemed to have adopted Dracula'a look, it was a dark blue almost black color. Cerberus stepped closer to them and he stated, "Those that stand at the feet of shadows tremble in despair. Those that walk in it, they are the true wielders of destiny."

Cerberus inspected his own hoof as he finished speaking. It was a dry tone and one that carried centuries of wisdom, sometimes slipping into a low whisper. Cerberus spoke again unmoving from his standing position, "But that does not matter now. Now you seek to do what is impossible in your eyes. But I have come here because I have sympathy for his bloodline. So long as the blood of Vulth lives through ponies, I will help them protect themselves. But such things are a quest for another time, for now you wish to have your beloved Prince and his brother back. Am I correct."

Twilight answered sharply and coldly, "Yes..."

She felt her tone cut through the thick air that laid around them. Cerberus looked over at Twilight and his gaze shrinks her down and he steps closer to her and said, "Ah...but I am not exactly the real answer to your problems. Come now Miss Sparkle, tell me what holds the power to bring back your lover?"

Twilight sifted quickly through her mind. Flashing and moving through her brain were so many memorized books and notes. She searched through everything, and searched through it again. She found nothing pertaining to pony resurrection. Twilight was not one usually to give up. She threw her hooves and shrugged. Cerberus held a cruel smile and said, "You know what it is. Come now Miss Sparkle, you can figure this out. Allow me to give you a hint. This can banish evil as we know it."

Celestia's eyes grow wide and she stayed silent. Twilight said to Cerberus, "You mean...we can use the Elements of Harmony to resurrect them?"

The smile ceased and Cer berus spoke once again, "Very good child. Celestia chose you for good reason. And an answer to your question is yes, it can. But not in the way you think of it."

His trench coat flapped in the breeze and he finished his thoughts, "You ponies have always been a curious bunch. Wanting answers to your questions. Solving your riddles. And all for solutions that deftly try to escape your grasp."

"If what you say is true," Celestia interjected, "Then we would require all the Elements. We only have three of the six. One of which has disappeared."

Cerberus took time to answer. Covering his hooves up to his elbows and knees were thick plated hooflets and boots. Covering his chest was a studded leather vest. The collar to his coat was up and his cruel smile spoke much about his mood. He strode across the room past the threshold into the room that harbored Dracula and Dragomir. Twilight and the others followed, those being Celestia, Luna, Spectra, and Rainbow Dash. Cerberus said with wisdom and strength, "We fall on dark times, times where followers of light are fewer and far between. Times where you ponies need a beacon to hold, and a sword to wield. Dracula was such a hero and now that he is near death. What do you all have to believe in?"

More silence ensued and Cerberus focused his attention on Dracula. His eyes studying the unconscious pony in front of him. Twilight walked into his field of visionon the other side of the bed. His gaze was loose and he seemed to study Dracula. Luna crossed her hooves tightly over her chest and knit her eyebrows as she asked sharply, "You did not answer our question, Lord Cerberus. How are we to do this ritual if half of the Elements are missing?"

There was a small moment of silence in Cerberus' reply. He analyzed Luna and he sneered as he replied, "Fortune favors the bold, princess of the night. But you must find the difference between boldness and blindness young goddess. You forget that I am the one who bestowed upon you these six blessings, I can easily take them away as well. But it requires something rare."

Twilight did her best to analyze the cryptic message that Cerberus was trying to say. Twilight rubbed her chin with her hoof and asked, "What does this require besides the Elements?"

Cerberus did not take long to reply as he answered, "It requires the blood of one who carries a dragon's lineage. An Equi'Kin."

Luna huffed and said, "Good luck finding one that survived the Great Annihilation."

Cerberus stood up and replied to her comment, "You happen to see one lying on this bed."

Cerberus gestures to the bed that inhabited Dracula and Dragomir. Twilight knew next o nothing about Equi'Kins, she knew no more than the next pony. She knew that an Equi'Kin was a pony who had the blood of a dragonlord running through their veins. They are related to a dragon and share next to no characteristics of their dragon heritage but their power still fills their veins. Cerberus closed his eyes and said lowering his head, "Not all of those families are dead. Some still remain, they just don't know it yet."

Cerberus opened his eyes and stared right at Twilight. His gaze was filled with truth and assurance. Soon everypony was looking at her and she gestured to herself, placing a hoof on her chest. She said quizically, "Me? But how?"

"That I am not sure," Cerberus answered folding his hooves behind him, "But you are indeed related to a powerful Dragonlord. Mirianth the Life-Breather. She helped Faximas and I create the Arcanic Shift, using part of her own essence to do so. Why do you think you lasted longer with magical exhausion than Spectra? Because you hold an untapped font of magical strength. It has just remained dormant for all these years."

Twilight looked at her hooves and said analytically, "But why was it dormant for all these years?"

""There are two possible answers to that question," Cerberus answered, "One, a powerful wielder of magic kept up a wall separating you and your draconic heritage. Or two, your blood is still maturing. Dragon blood is thick and slow, thus powers that come with your magical dragon blood slowly arise. Letting you know what powers you hold."

He turned Dracula and said with his head lowered, "I had every intention of having Dracula take my powers. He has the power of the Well. The power of the Orb. Now all he needs is the Elements. I must warn you though," Cerberus said turning his attention towards Twilight, "It does not come without a price. I can resurrect them, but in order for me to use the Elements I must use you as a transport. The very magics of creation will pass through your body, an ancient unknown magic known by so few ponies. Tainting your very soul with its power. When this happens, your blood will activate and you can never return from that."

Twilight thought to herself for a second. She nodded as she focused back on Cerberus and said, "So long as they are resurrected. If dark times are indeed ahead...then...this is our only chance at surviving the future."

Cerberus nodded. He moved his gaze over the others and said, "Leave us. It requires Twilight and Twilight alone."

Celestia and Luna were the first to leave. Celestia stands directly in front of Twilight and said, "Be careful." And finally went out. Spectra stopped just as Celestia did but rested a tender hoof on Twilight's shoulder and said with caring eyes, "You get out of this alive alright darling?"

Twilight nodded at her friend's statement and with that Spectra left the room. Rainbow said nothing and looked at nothing. Quickly escaping away. Something strange was going on with Rainbow Dash ever since she used the Orb of Darkness. Moonlily slowly crept herself away and went with the others, her pristine white coat glistened as she passed one of the windows with the dawning rays of the sun beating in the room.

"You have defeated Nightmare Moon. You have defeated Discord. You stomped out Chrysalis and her Changeling Horde. You defeated Sombra and raised back an empire in return. These are no small feats, even for one such as yourself. You have faced many darknesses, and so many more are to rise to defeat you. You hold power that some dream of having and yet here you remain unscathed from corruption. Twilight Sparkle, you are already close to ascension I am going to push you to the very edge. Are you ready to become half immortal?"

Twilight steeled herself for an answer. She was awe stricken by his words, but she still felt empty inside. She glanced over Dracula and quickly turned her head away, closing her eyes shut. Her breaths became shortened as she remembered all of the times she shared with Dracula. It slowly brew over her, consuming her heart and soul. She did not let it overwhelm her though, she straightened herself and remained defiant. She said, "So as Dracula is okay, I will do this."

With no warning Cerberus drew forth powers so ancient and so old that they felt almost alien to Twilight. Wind picked up in a massive gust. Cerberus' horn exploded in a torrent of dark blue magic. He rose into the air and exclaimed over the massive gust, "Elements! Your master calls you forth! Bring the power I have given you!"

Cerberus slowly began to glow and a soft aura wrapped around him, making the power grow. Twilight moved her hoof to cover part of her muzzle, but continued to look on the immortal. The aura erupted out and revealed the six spectrumed radiance of the Elements of Harmony and the spectrum sprouted in this arrangement. Loyalty, Honesty, Generosity, Kindness, Laughter, and Magic. With the spectrum at full array he turned to face Twilight and he proclaimed, "From this moment onward, you are Spirit of Magic no longer. But the Herald of Harmony. Wield your power well and with a righteous hoof."

Twilight gave a soft nod and Cerberus closed his eyes, focusing his magic. The wind picked up further and it blew against Twilight. The force of the gale alone washed over her mind and cleared it. Twilight herself focused and saw Cerberus levitate to the side revealing Dracula laying on a bed. Cerberus slowly lifted his fore hooves to the sky and in the long fluid motion Twilight felt the brunt of the Arcanic Shift itself.

A spear of solidified light struck hard and true, right through Twilight's chest. It cut through and deep into her. It brushed against the very confounds of her soul, erupting her veins with magic in its purest form. Light rose in her eyes and eveloped them in its soft yellow light. The corners of her eyes split and cracked, light slowly seeping out of the cracks. She felt no pain and no suffering, the shaft of light moved through her and slowly snaked its way into Dracula and moved on to Dragomir. It absorbed into them and healed them slowly. Where once they showed faces of conflict and distress, showed faces of zen and peaceful sleep. But the magic rose through her and her veins burned. Her very blood felt as though it was being boiled. She clenched her eyes shut and grunted against the pain. She focused the magic in her veins, as she thought she should do. She concentrated hard against the stinging pains rushing through her. She focused on the dragon blood. She concentrated hard and used all the power she had left and then some.

After a few minutes the gale dies down and she levitates back to the ground. She fell to her knees as she still felt the burning pains inside of her. Smoke rose off of her, rising into the air. Her eyes flashed and they looked like a cat's. Her blood felt lighter and her mind was sharper and more focused. Slowly the pain fell away and her strength redoubled. She slowly controlled her breathing, she looked up and looked at Cerberus as he said, "Dracula will awaken in about a week, Dragomir will awaken in a week and three days. There is barely a pony that has not changed from recent events."

Twilight stood up and said in an inquisitive tone, "Are there truly darker times ahead of us?"

Cerberus moved his sober gaze to Twilight and he explained, "When the sun and the moon meet in the sky, it brings bad tidings. For this occasion has only happened twice. Once when Living Shadow was first defeated. And the second with the rise of Nightmare Moon. This event brings forth nothing but darker days. Steel yourself Herald, for the dawn comes this day. But will it rise tomorrow?"

With those cryptic words spoken Cerberus dissolves into ashes and flies away on the wind that caught him through the window. Twilight watched the ashes snake its way out of the room, feeling calmer than she was before. She looked back at Dracula and she said in a low voice, "Darker days..."

It's not the End

Epilogue

Author's Notes:

After what feels like a lifetime, I have finally finished my first ever fanfic. All I can say is thank you to all you who have read until the end. All I can say is thank you for your patience and know that is not going to end here. Oh no, I'm not stopping writing in this universe. There is so much I want to write about that I have to piece it out. So of all of you who are wondering, yes there will be more books in this series. I have been working on the sequel for a while now and I think you guys are going to love it.

So thank you guys so much and stay tuned!

Update: Here's a link to an epilogue to Children of the Night