As they traversed through the Everfree Forest it did not lighten up. The night made no effort to help. Rarity’s sanity was now in question, every shadow bore looks of evil and as if a demon was hiding behind each of them. The tree’s and vegetation’s shadows looked they were going to lash out and attack. Finally she saw come out of the shadows a frightful sight. She saw Dracula but he was different, as if he was Nightmare Moon but a stallion. But much more intimidating, more armor and eyes blood red and staring long into her soul.

Dracula before her said echoing through the air and ringing inside of her head.
“What is a man...but a miserable pile of secrets.”

The Alicorn Dracula lashed out and bit Rarity on the neck. She looked down at Dracula and saw the bright red blood that glistened in the moonlight. Flowing freely like a waterfall, seconds go by and her strength weakens. She tried to scream and cry for help but the mass amount of fear just could not let her do that.

Her vision began to blacken and Dracula tossed her to the ground. Blood continuing to flow from her wound before she fell unconscious she heard the fading sound of Dracula laughing evilly. With her last dying breath she said,”How...could...you…”

“Rarity?”Dracula asked, she jumped at seeing him standing next to her. She even backed away in fear. He continued,”I asked you if we are nearing Shadow Garden?”

Rarity did nothing but stare long into his fierce red eyes. She could not move, she could not talk, she could not feel. Fear gripped her for what seemed like an eternity, fear that he might do what he did in her “daydream”. Alicorn or not, he still contained enough power to kill Rarity. Princess Luna saw the look that Rarity gave Dracula. She rushed in and said breaking the eye connection with Rarity and Dracula.

Princess Luna said,”Maybe you and Twilight shall lead us instead. I would like to talk to Rarity. Alone.”

Dracula said nothing and lead on Twilight following right behind him. Luna turned back towards Rarity and she motioned for Rarity to follow her. Luna said,”I know what you feel, Miss Rarity. You are frightened from Dracula. It was because you saw him use his talent, all who do become cursed with insanity. Always seeing scenes of themselves dying by his hand.”

“He was an Alicorn in my vision,”Rarity said in response sounding very shaken and scared,”He killed me and said,”What is a man but a miserable pile of secrets.”.”

Luna stopped dead in her tracks. She heard that saying only once before and it was Living Shadow who had said it when her and Celestia killed him. Breaking from the awkward silence Rarity said clearing her throat,”So, what will happen when we reach this Harvest Well?”

Luna adjusted herself and said,”Once we reach the Harvest Well Dracula will be able to do the ritual to rejuvenate his powers and strengthen both his and his brother's and sister’s connection with me. Allowing me to sense where they are. Normally he would have the assistance of the other Originals, but he is powerful enough to do this. I do not doubt him.”

Rarity knew that he was powerful and she also knew that whenever she looked at him that same horrific scene plays over and over again. She tried to block it away and said,”I’ve never sensed so much magic in one pony.”

Luna slightly smiled when she said,”He isn’t only one pony.”

Rarity looks at the dark blue coated alicorn and looked in her eyes. Her eyes actually soothed Rarity’s condition, calming her fevered tempers. Then Rarity asked,”What do you mean he isn’t only one pony?”

“He carries deep in his soul the essence of another stronger Alicorn. My connection stops him from ascending into an Alicorn. As he might have already told you. But he doesn’t know that if he ascends into an Alicorn, he will become more vulnerable to corruption and allowing the other Alicorn to take over his mind more easily. They share one mind him and his father.”

Rarity wanted to ask who the Alicorn was but she decided that was all she needed to know, for now.

Twilight motions for everyone to stop and she says,”This is it.”

They stand at the edge of a large hill that overlooked a dark town. Old equestrian style houses and buildings. Worn down and decaying away. But Dracula said,”This is not Shadow Garden.”

“What do you mean?”Asked Twilight,”This is where the trail lead me.”

Luna and Rarity finally catch up and Luna says,”Dracula is right this is not Shadow Garden. This is a different place. It is called Gemini, the Lost Colony.”

The buildings looked the same but the way everything was not positioned correctly or in the right place. Like it was another town. Dracula rubs his chin with one of his hooves and asks,”Why was it called the 'Lost Colony'?"

Luna shakes her head and says,”It was the first settlement but it quickly became bigger than I had hoped and so I had the ponies that resided here a secret. Just in case. The true numbers of the Children of the Night number in the hundred thousands.”

“But I thought the Harvest Well was only in Shadow Garden.”Dracula asks looking at the crumbling town. The same looking buildings, red magic swirled around his horn and tried to sense any other pony around. Nothing.

All of this is suspicious. This was no mere coincidence, besides the Well. He began to wonder why and how the Well was moved. He knew that the Harvest Well was magically connected to Shadow Garden. Chrysalis must have found a way to unenchant the Well. If that was the case then its mystical powers might not be there.

Only one way to find out. Dracula drew out a heavy sigh and said,”Let us continue on. We can wonder what this place might be while we walk these stone streets.”

Luna nodded and as did Twilight. Rarity spaced out, another dark vision broke through her subconscious,

The air was cold and pierced through Rarity’s body. She now walked the streets of a strange and dark town. Architecture unfamiliar and unknown to her. Her hooves echoed as she stepped on the cobblestone street. Then she heard a large woosh over her head. Her heart pounded against her chest, she began a trot away. Another woosh. She galloped down a dark and narrow alleyway and was stopped by a large wall. She bashed her hooves against the wall furiously.

She then heard the sound of hooves smashing against the cobblestone behind her and heard an unfamiliar voice echo through the very stone she stood on,
Your resistance against me or my son is futile. Your end will come soon, with a river of blood being left behind. My son will be the end of you. This. I promise.

His voice was like Dracula’s but at a slightly higher pitch but none the less dread filling. The shadowy figure walked closer to her and he said,
But for now your sanity must be broken. I cannot allow you to continue helping my son, with your betrayal it will surely come.

Before words formed coming out of her mouth she felt something wrap around her. Like cold iron, it tightened around her slowly constricting her. She then felt cold pain rush through her veins, stinging her insides as small needles flowed through her waiting to reach her heart. She was then pulled into darkness, her vision turned black and through it all she cried in horrible pain. Pain, agony, sorrow, anguish. All of these she felt and in the darkness she heard the familiar voice of her friend Twilight.

“Rarity...Rarity...Rarity!”

Her vision shot her back to reality and she shaked her head furiously. Twilight was standing in front of her and Luna next to Twilight. And Dracula behind both of them. They all bore different looks. Twilight bore the look of worry and care. Luna bore the look of curiosity and of surprise. Dracula bore the look of sorrow. He knew exactly what she felt.

What Dracula feared the most has come true. Rarity feared his very presence. She feared the very air he breathes. She fears the ground Dracula walks on. It cut deep into his soul, even the soothing moonlight could not comfort him. He knew what would follow after her hallucinations, her fate was sealed. Nothing could save her now. Dracula’s horn swirled red magical energy and his shadowy wings sprouted and he said,”I will investigate the settlement below.”

Nobody said anything to stop him, he flew down to the dark town and Luna said towards Twilight,”Twilight, can you find a path down to the town please?”

Twilight wanted to talk but she dare not question the wishes of Princess Luna. She walked near an edge that was a long slope down and she walked out of sight. Princess Luna looked at Rarity’s bright blue eyes and Luna said,”I know what you face young Rarity. You face against insanity and fear. Fear of Dracula. This happens to those that look upon Dracula when he uses his talent. After your visions will come your death.

“There is only one way to cure it but that shall be a last resort. I can strengthen your resolve against it however.” Some of her spoken words were embedded deep in Rarity’s mind. Spoken like a mother to a daughter. Rarity letting tears run down her cheeks nodded her head.

Luna closed her eyes and blue magic slowly swirled around her horn. A small wave of energy came out of her horn and absorbed into Rarity’s mind. She felt a soothing feeling rush through her body. Healing her tendons and sore muscles from the hours of fighting. Her mind drew clearer and her headache gone. Calming visions replaced her insane inducing bad ones. Visions of Dracula, proving his worth as a true friend. One in particular stood out,

Dracula crushed a Changeling under his front hooves and another impaled with materialized shadows. I was being surrounded by Changelings, more came that I couldn’t handle. I was already feeling sore after a few minutes of fighting Changelings. On a dark night we fought. Standing on dying grass and in a clearing. The wind softly blew against my face and mane.

At least ten of them surrounded me. I was pulling back in fear and before they all rushed in and killed me I saw a flash of red. It was a shining red metal whip that wrapped around all of them. Tightening like iron I heard a large crunch as Dracula yanked with all of his supernatural might and exploded all of them in a shower of blood. I disregarded the blood that rained down upon me and saw Dracula, a figure of true heroism and power.

Rarity slowly opened her eyes and took a long breath. She said,”I feel much better. Thank you Princess.”

“Get the civilians out of here!”Emerald said piercing his sword through the chest of a Changeling and impaling another with his horn. He continued as he tossed away the lifeless husk of the Changeling,”To the castle! Quickly!”

A wave of pony civilians rushed past him and saw that fifty were all that remained of his unit and knew that they would fall as well if Emerald did not act quickly. The Changelings were rushing towards them. His ponies sprinted up the stairs to the castle entrance and as did he. Twisting and turning up the stairs finally he was within the walls of the castle and he yelled,”Close the gates! NOW!!”

He then turned as he heard the large crash of steel and he blew a sigh of relief. Emerald turned and saw in the sky the pegasi guards that kept the flying Changelings at bay. The sound of clashing steel and war cries echoed through the air around Canterlot. The smell of fire and dried blood filled the thick air. His green coat stained with soot in the air and his armor covered in the green blood of the Changelings. He sheathed his sword as he screamed,”Into the Keep! Everypony!!”

Slowly the pegasi pulled back into the keep and finally with the crash of the large metal doors and the clank of locking mechanisms locked the monsters outside. Emerald said over the uproar of cheer,”It’s not over yet everypony! They can still find a way in. You forget that they have been here before. We have no time to lose! Follow ME!!!”

Rushing through the halls of the castle with a roar of hooves behind him. Passing by many tapestries, paintings, and other wall accessories. The halls dimly lit and brought a sort of silence to the castle. Finally a large thud sounded as Emerald opened the doors into the throne room. Standing there was Princess Celestia and a hundred other guards. Celestia said,”Knight-Captain Emerald Masquerade, status report?”

Emerald walked passed as ponies moved out of his way he said,”Casualties numbering in the thousands your majesty. 700 Pegasi guards remain, 200 Earth Pony guards remain, and 100 Unicorn guards remain, only 50 of my own regiment. And the number of civilians rescued are numbering in 350.”

Celestia drew out a heavy sigh. Only 1500 remaining ponies in Canterlot, when before 30,000 resided in Canterlot. This was truly a victory for Chrysalis this night. She walked behind the throne room and pushed her hoof against a pressure plate on the floor and the sound of stone shifting filled the room. Revealing a spiraling staircase leading down into a dimly lit stone darkness. It could fit roughly 10 ponies wide. All 1500 rushed down the stairs, Emerald and Celestia made sure to be the last ones.

After about half a minute they entered a large dimly lit stone hall that could hold more than 1500 ponies. It seemed to continue on forever. This situation was obviously accounted for. Everypony was inside and Emerald was still astonished at the great defeat that night. Only 1500 remained from the 10,000 civilians and 20,000 Royal Guards.

Emerald looked back and saw Celestia press another pressure plate on the wall and a stone and iron door slammed down closing off one of the only ways out. It looked to be well reinforced but to make sure she magically sealed it, only she could open it again. Celestia turned and saw Emerald and said,”This passage will lead us deep into the Everfree forest. It will take us at least a day to reach the exit.”

Emerald did nothing more than nod. No words needed to be exchanged between them. Celestia turned to her subjects and said making her voice echo in the stone room,”Everypony listen. I must say something. I will take Emerald and twenty of the Royal Guards to scout ahead, the rest of you will stay here and rest for a moment. We shall return soon.”

Both Emerald and Celestia walked side by side and 20 guards followed them. As they walked into the darkness Celestia glowed bright gold magic around her horn and Emerald glowed bright green magic around his and Celestia said,”Be wary Emerald. For not even I remember what is within these cursed stone halls.”