"No...they can't...they'd never..." Dracula heard those words uttered from Slyph, instantly as the first words hit Dracula's eardrums he dove to Spectra and tackled her to cover, in an alleyway. With break neck speed as he felt the wave of energy erupt.

The dark energy was just beyond reach of Dracula and his former apprentice. They rolled and braced each other against the wall, nestled in a shadowed corner in between the wall of a building and a small group of barrels and crates. Dracula kept Spectra held tight in his hooves and he shouted, "Do not look at it yet or even move until I say so!"

Dracula held his eyes shut tight. Spectra embraced Dracula as another wave shot out that threatened to burst past the barrels and crates, letting the wave graze over top of them. Dracula knew the enemy well enough. Dracula had faced the Windigos when Sombra returned. With the return of Sombra had brought the return of two of the Windigos. Hyrus and Ira. Both powerful and ancient. Dracula knew their weaknesses and their strengths. First of all, Windigos are weak in their original ethereal form. They need a host to use the full extent of their powers, to summon Shadow Ponies and Obsidian Ponies. They as well were vulnerable to arcane spells, which made it easier for Dracula. Considering it was the element he was mastering first, Dracula learned a long time ago that if a unicorn masters arcane spells first then the rest will come with ease. Although, arcane was the hardest to master and to form.

Dracula felt no more waves, Dracula opened his eyes and saw that a bright violet light illuminated the area behind him and the wall of crates and barrels. Dracula loosened his grip on the mare in his hooves and he said, "You can look now. Get to a place of safety, I fear that you are not yet ready for a fight such as this."

Spectra looked at him with anger and almost said in protest. Dracula raised a hoof interrupting her and retorted, "Do not protest. Hryus is clever, he will use any and every weapon he can to break you. I have fought him before. Go to the others and set out for Moon's Rest. I will meet you there, if I do not arrive in three days then I am dead. Now go."

Spectra moved her gaze away and said, "But Dra-"

"That was an order!" Dracula growled in between gritted teeth, "As your prince I order you to leave without me! GO!"

Dracula released her from his hooves and she jogged off towards the others. Dracula controlled his breathing and closed his eyes, leaning his head against one of the crates. He slowed his breathing and let calm wash over his mind. He needed a clear head to take on this enemy. He could not think of anything. Hyrus was a manipulator and above all a deceiver. Dracula hefted Kal'Drae close and readied himself. He can only rely on his vampiric abilities and no others, otherwise he would suffer from the mark. Dracula brings Kal'Drae closer to his face and whispers to the soft metallic surface, "Kal'Drae. Sumpta ex vita praeterita clamávero ferreum tactus. Educ eos hostes possent percutere."

The blade slowly hummed to life as it recalled the spirits of its past victims to torment Dracula's current enemies. Black shadows appeared over the blade and masked its silvery shine with the hushed cries of the millions of victims taken away from this world by this blade. The shadows forming and swirling around the blade. Dracula then stood up with his armor sounding his approach. He turned and saw Slyph hovering in the air. She had her hooves wide open and her eyes glowed a dark blue. Blue-black mist billowed out of the lifeless eyes of one of his ponies. The same colored energy slowly came out of her mouth and was travelling like wind in the sky. Dracula growled as he felt her lifeforce slowly being taken away from her along with her despair.

And there, standing in the vortex of blue-black magical energy, was a tall jet black unicorn stallion. His form was thin, uncharacteristically thin for a stallion. His face hidden behind a hood of pure shadows. A stream of blue-black energy separated from Slyph and was being absorbed into Hyrus. Dracula growled. He felt anger and hunger overtake his mind and body. His eyes burned bright red with fury, his fangs lengthened, and he raged like a beast as he felt the hunger take control.

Dracula vaulted over the crates and charged towards Hyrus. His vision focused solely on Hyrus and quickened his pace. As if he teleported he found himself at Hryus's side, before he stopped he used the full force of his undead strength and bashed Hyrus away. Hyrus fell five feet away and Dracula heard a few bones break. Hyrus shook his head violently and stood back up looking at the source of his disarray. Hyrus let a cough escape him and he said, "Ah. The Prince of Shadows finds his way to me once again. How quaint. And I see you do not have the same amount of power as before. A shame, I was hoping to face somepony who actually posed as a threat."

Dracula hissed like a snake and revealed his pearly white dagger fangs. Hyrus rose his hooves and materializing from the shadows looked to be ponies. They stood on their hindlegs but instead of hooves they had three claw like fingers, its features nearly clear shadows. They had the same glowing red eyes as Dracula. He knew these ponies. These were Aberrations, Despair Aberrations to be more exact. They stared at him with lifeless hunger for despair. They stood slouched and hunched, growling with a high pitched shriek of hunger. Dracula steeled back and released a animalistic howl that vibrated the cold air in front of him. It was loud and gave promise of death and caused the aberrations to sulk in fear.

Dracula enounced with great passion, not letting his fangs shrink in length, "Power is not just in magic, Hyrus. It is in your presence and the fear you can empart on your enemies. Perhaps you should rethink the company you walk with."

He reared back up and roared once again advancing towards the aberrations. He felt their cold shadow hearts break and their caged spirits be torn away from them. They seemed to give an effect on Hyrus, his form briefly flickered. Unmoving Hyrus said, "Yes but can you survive long without your immortal powers? That is the real question."

Hyrus pointed his hoof and the aberrations hesitantly advanced. Dracula said to himself readying his shadow filled blade, "So be it."

Dracula sprinted towards them with unnatural speed and with a deep slash and an animalistic roar he cut one in two. The aberration evaporating into shadows and being absorbed into Kal'Drae. Dracula charged once more and fell another under his blade. He needed to keep this battle on his side, so far he had the upper hoof. Hyrus levitated off the ground and lifting his hooves they enveloped in a dark blue flame. With the speed and fury of a madpony, he relentlessly unleashed a hale of fire balls at Dracula. Dracula dodged out of the way of the fire balls and allowed none to touch him. Dracula thought carefully.

He was going up against a powerful caster of magic, and he had limited magic. He drew power from blood and he had very little of it. If he was to turn the tides of battle he needed a better plan. He could use illusion magic, it was very inexpensive to Dracula and he knew a few. He had no idea why his mark was acting up and not letting him use very much magic. Normally it lied dormant on his shoulder, now he felt it slowly feed off of his magical connection. He used the ruin and fury that cut deep inside of him to guide him now. His beastial ferocity now springing forth from his eyes and from his menacing gaze.

If he took down Hyrus, the rest would fall with him. Much like a Lich and the undead he raises. Or ghouls to Vampires. Though Dracula forbade ghouls or undead minions of any kind. They were no longer the Vampire Horde. They were to never be degenerated to that ever again. The Aberrations roared and charged towards him at the sight of their fallen brothers. One came into range and Dracula coursed forwards and deep at the heart of the vice in his heart he struck out. Slashing Kal'Drae deep within the horrors of Despair, the aberration instantly fell and black blood seeped from the now cut in half aberration. Wrath filled Dracula's mind, he felt Slyph's soul wane and cower inside of her. Using the full force of his undead strength he bashes into another aberration and rended Kal'Drae deep within the aberration. Cutting through more than flesh and stabbed deep into the captured soul within.

In a deep voice Dracula whispered on the wind, "Rest now. Your soul is free from the tyranny of despair."

Thin wisps of red energy came out from his mouth as he blew a gentle gale from his mouth. It connected to the various aberrations. They reeled back in horror as across their mind they saw true scenes of horror and despair. Nothing in comparison to the ones Hyrus offered. Hyrus chuckled and said in replience, "Your parlor tricks will do nothing. While my aberrations are weak in the mind, I am not."

Hyrus levitated down from a building and the blizzard seemed to pick up. Dracula got another good look at the Windigo. He was bright blue and had a translucence about him. His eyes a deep sea blue. His mane billowed in the wind as he pulled the hood down on his long black robe. Hyrus spoke with a deep and raspy voice, "For you face now the true might and powers of a master of the undead."

Dracula smirked and reversed his sword and readied it in front of him as he said coyly, "You are a mere whelp in comparison to my powers over the dead."

Dracula nocked his head to the side and his eyes flashed bright red as the ground beneath them shook and unearthing from the dirt beneath them were the many bones of the lost from times before. Dracula said with madness in his eyes, "What do you hope to accomplish with your foothold here? Do you think that I would not have noticed, let alone, not have sensed you come here?"

The aged bones glowed dark crimson and they shook, Dracula's horn and eyes billowed violently as he summoned all the vampiric magic he could. Not using his blood, nor the connection to the Arcanic Shift. He was using the blood that he consumed. They raged violently as he continued, "You face the Son of the Dragon, it shall be YOU who will fall this night. I will last one as the night's eternal guardian!"

The crimson bones dissolved and slowly whisked their way towards the pony that was leeching their power. Dracula felt the screams of vengeance as the many souls left behind called out to kill the windigo. The energy absorbed onto his skin and it turned into blood. Dracula laughed with risen insanity as the blood showered over him as he levitated in the air. He began weaving his magic together with his blood and he called forth all the power he could. He was splicing.

Hyrus looked on in horror as the once weak vampire now levitated fifteen feet above him, gathering dark energy. Hyrus gathered back the blizzard and he quickly grew into his pure windigo form. Growing to the size of a small dragon but his lower half merely clouds and fog. Its upper body large and the same pony shape. Hyrus turned tail and went to flea so he might warn the others. Hyrus billowed forth but was caught by something.

Hyrus turned and saw Dracula holding out his hoof and it glowed violently the same color as his horn and eyes. Dracula said his voice changing from the deep tenor to a low reverberating bass, "Now where do you think you're going? You will not leave me again, I will finish the fight that I had started so long ago. With your death."

He gave a devilish smile and the blood sucked into him and exploded out. Dracula grew in height and still holding up his arm, Hyrus watched before his eyes as the impossible happened. Dracula took on the shape of a dragon.

His snout grew out and his rows of white teeth sharpened out like daggers. His skin darkening like coal, and hardening into scales. His wings grew large and leathery. His neck grew out and finally his hooves changed into talons. Hyrus saw in horror as large black dragon stood before him with bright red scales. He held out one of his hands and pulled Hyrus towards him. Hyrus pulled back in fear, true fear was encased in his bright blue orbs of eyes. He peered deep into the eyes of the Dragon and those large blood filled eyes promised only the most gruesome death. Dracula pulled Hyrus in closer and closer. Hyrus pleaded, "Please!...please have mercy...I...I was merely passing by! I meant no harm!"

Dracula growled and released an earth shattering roar, the roar carried across the valley and reached out to any within miles around to hear it. Dracula looked back with fury in his eyes. He looked at Hyrus and said with wrath and ruin in his voice,
I know what you planned to do. And now, you will never see it fulfilled. Now I banish you the deepest and darkest fiery pit of Tartarus.

Dracula pulled his head back and moved it forward with an open mouth. His teeth sank easily into Hyrus' neck, the blood tasting sweet on his lips. Hyrus felt his immortal necromantic powers being drained from him. Now Hyrus saw true despair. For he left this world with nothing. Nothing. He was once determined to leave behind a legacy. Either famous or infamous. But now he left with nothing. His eyes fluttered shut. He and Dracula shrunk in size as his powers slowly drained from him. Finally letting darkness settle in.

Dracula drank deep the sweet tasting blood of Hyrus. It was savory to his tongue, he groaned as he relished in the taste of his blood. It was like a rush. The first time he had fed not under the influence of Living Shadow or Lucious. For the times before, the blood tasted bitter or sour. Not like the treacly blood he drank now. His eyes shut in ecstasy as Hyrus' life drained away. He not only sucked out his blood, but also his immortality. Not many can do such a thing, only a Vampire Lord. It has been centuries since his last feeding and he was loving it. Taking in every moment of this.

Finally after the moment his body fell limp and pale Dracula tossed the pathetic sack of pony flesh aside. It landed on the ground with a thud, falling into the dust of an eternity of damnation. Dracula breathed deep as he calmed his furious and bestial gaze. He closed his eyes and lowered his head as he focused back on the moment. Dracula stood up straight and wiped his muzzle clean of the crimson blood. He casually opened his eyes and felt a weight lift off of him. His shoulder felt lighter and more of his own. He felt the final weight of his father release from him. Though the magic he had once mastered was now gone. He would need to master them once more. He lifted his hooves to the heavens kicking up a breeze as he did so and said after a deep breath, "And so after three lifetimes. He is finally gone."

"A refreshing feeling no doubt."

Dracula turned slowly to the voice of Cerberus. He turned and said to his former master of the dark arts, "Like I have been washed clean of my sins that I had when they inhabited my mind. Like I am now whole."

Cerberus nodded his head and tucked his hooves behind his back and stated casually walking over to Slyph with long and careful strides, "Yes. And now that you have activated your draconic blood, you may use the powers of a dragon sorcerer."

Cerberus knelt down to Slyph and gently ran his hoof over her cheek and she gasped and stirred back awake. Cerberus said to Dracula as he rested friendly hooves on the young vampire, "But you must remaster your powers. Now that you carry all of my powers beneath you, you must learn the ways of pure harmony. The old ways. By mastering these six elements and schools, you will fully grasp your new abilities."

Dracula strode over next to Cerberus and knelt down. He said looking into Slyph's dark red eyes laden with peace, "Tell me where to start and I will do this. If it means that I can protect my family once more."

Cerberus stood up leaning off of his knee and explained cryptically, "What you seek is immortality. The immortality you once carried with righteous hooves. But you will not reach the same level of immortality that you think you will reclaim."

Dracula brushed a hoof over her cheek and she stirred under his warm touch. A pulse of red energy came from his hoof and moved over Slyph's form. She closed her eyes as she entered a peaceful sleep. She curled up and fell under his lulling touch. His hoof remained on her soft cheek and he said, "But what other forms of immortality are there?"

"Immortality does not always imply eternal life," Cerberus said crossing his arms gazing longingly at the moon, "It as well does not always imply that you are invincible. You are still very much a mortal vampire. You just now carry more powerful abilities and spells. For you were taught in the ways of the Holy Knight when you were a Knight of the Brotherhood. A Silverblade, as you were called. To protect others when no one could. Now your dark powers tainted the holiness of those powers. They have been slowly returning to you. Now with your powers over the night and that of a Vampire Lord, you are nearly unstoppable."

Dracula stood up and casually walked up next to Cerberus. The moon laid dormant and stayed at the peak of the horizon. Luna was not going to raise the moon again, filling Dracula's heart with strife and pain. Dracula uttered after a mournful sigh, "But I still carry the weaknesses of my subjects."

"Yes. You are more vulnerable to silver. Stakes no longer affect you. The holy powers of the sun and of other sources no longer affect you, because of your previous knowledge of the powers. And holy water burns your skin like boiling oil laden with Griffon Fire."

Dracula released a sigh and said, "I only hope I live long enough to see more that this world has to offer."

Cerberus stared at the pale moon over the horizon in silence for what seemed like an eternity. Dracula looked and saw the longing in his eyes. Dracula saw the pain he had, the shame of some of this creations. Forlorn as he gazed at the pale eyes he had once gazed through. Dracula felt a flash of sympathy for the god that stood next to him. Truly of all the creations around him, he must be the one to repent more than any others. Then the immortal opined forlornly, "We all wish that we can leave a mark upon those that we have met. Our only hope is that we were successful in our venture. Whether mortal or immortal."

Dracula moved to the pale maiden on the horizon and closed his eyes. He filled his mind with a calm feeling, rendering his muscles light and almost weightless. He felt his magic weave invisibly in the air and reach out to the moon. Dracula felt the calming magic flow through his veins and rejuvenate his pained muscles. The moon leaving its healing magic upon Dracula. For so long he had been restless and unable to enjoy the simple feeling of bathing in the light of the moon or of any celestial body. Which is why it was so nourishing at that moment that he was filled with an ascended feeling of bliss. Dracula lifted himself into the sky and his wings gently beating, lifting him into the sky. As he rose, he felt the magical tether tug against him. He knew that as he rose in the sky so did the moon. Dracula remembered just then back to some of the comforting words of Twilight, her gentle voice echoing her soft voice in his mind,
I’m with you until the very end

Dracula lowered himself to the ground as her voice continued to echo in his mind. Dracula said, "For so long I believed that I was apart of something special. That I was apart of a group of ponies that were going to make this world a safe place to live. That we guard the night and its many splendors. But it was all a facade of lies, a ruse. I was living a life of a lie."

Dracula stared up at the moon. This was his quarry, it was his realm to protect. His source of power. Dracula stared long at the large pale orb of light and added longingly, "Luna wanted to remake the vampire. She wanted to make them into something better. But she made something completely different. True vampires feed, true vampires do not allow any strain of weakness. She made them weak with the Harvest Well. She made me weak. She took away our true nature, to feed off of the blood of the unjust and of criminals."

Dracula looked to Cerberus for comfort, hoping that what he said was sputterings of a madpony. But the former guardian of the moon closed his eyes and responded, "It would appear so. But now the wheel of fate has spun and has landed on you Dracula. What will you do? Will you follow in your mother's hooves and have them not feed? Or will you rebirth them as apart of the old ways?"

Dracula moved his gaze down to his hoof. He looked closely at the jet black and red hooflet. The black metal shining of the blood he had taken from Hyrus. He had done the impossible and killed an immortal with his hunger. He fed off of his very essence, and it was delicious. He felt power. But he knew to keep his hunger in check. But was his subjects willing to follow by his strict code and morals? Was his followers willing to do as he did?

Cerberus stepped closer to Dracula and said, "I can see the doubt in your eyes. You fear that your followers will not carry the same mantle as you. Take heart in knowing that when you were in that coma receiving that mark, everypony feared for your life. They threw themselves on their knees begging that you were okay. That sort of devotion is not short sighted, they respect and love you. They will follow you and what you stand for to the letter."

Dracula turned and answered with great conviction, "I will make my subjects better than what Luna could ever dream of."

Cerberus clapped his hoof on Dracula's shoulder and said as his form slowly dissolved, "Then you have work to do."

As the immortal faded out of sight Dracula turned back to Slyph. Dracula heaved in a sigh of content. He walked over to the resting vampire and he said to her as he knelt down, "There are times in this world where we are able to see ourselves for who we truly are. And it is in that rare moment where, we can change what we are and who we might become."

Slyph turned her head to Dracula and she weakly added, "I...I want to be more...I want to be more than what I am. Be apart of something greater than I could ever comprehend."

Dracula leaned in and said after unsheathing his sharp fangs, "Then I shall grant you this wish and make you into a true vampire. But, be warned, if you terry from the path I will set you upon then there will be no mercy left for you."

"I am not afraid."

Dracula leaned in close and said with a devilish tone, "Then you are stronger than I made you out to be."

With that Dracula reeled back his head and released an animal like hiss. After which he sunk his teeth deep inside Slyph's neck. He did not suck her blood, he let something come out of his fangs. It was a substance that allowed Dracula to make vampires like he knew they should be. He never used it on account that he thought he was all a vampire should be, but that was just another lie. Slyph did not react how Dracula had expected, he expected her to cry in pain. But she just laid there, as still as a rock. She was as calm as a gentle river. The liquid spread through her veins and surged through her heart and lungs. Dracula could feel her slowly transform from the abomination that Luna created, to the pure blooded vampire that Dracula created. She moaned slightly in ecstasy as her blood flow slowed and so did her heart beat. Dracula released his fangs and they sheathed back into his jaw. Dracula said looking into her eyes, "You are made anew. You have proven yourself worthy in my eyes as the first of a new vampiric generation. You will walk amongst your brothers and sisters and see who is worthy and who is not worthy. All those unworthy will be transfixed into our cattle, into our food. This is how it should be. How the Lords of Shadow meant us to be. Take my gift and you will be the night's secret guardian."

Dracula moved her chin so she faced his steel like gaze. He said looking into her eyes, "I expect nothing less than of pure devotion. Do not fail me. If you do, then there will be nowhere on hell or earth that will hide you. Are we understood?"

Slyph stared into those dark scarlet eyes and saw pure unbridled power. Power that she could never understand. A secret power that should be feared, and respected. Sylph felt compelled to do as he said, a secret voice silently hanging on her shoulder telling her that she will perish forever if she does not do as he said. Slyph nodded her head gently and answered, "Y...yes my prince."

"Good," Dracula stood up and started walking away, "Then let it be known today and henceforth, you are the first of the Blood Court. Come, our brothers and sisters await us in Moon's Rest. We must not keep them waiting."

"Come on now. No one fall behind, we need to remain strong. We are almost there." Spectra said encouragingly. The numbing cold bit hard against the surface of her skin and threatened to make her shiver under the blizzard like winds. Spectra felt nothing from the harsh winds that blew forth. These winds were not usual winds. These were winds filled with anger and vengeance. Spectra released a sigh and saw the crystallized air move through the sky.

The blizzard had started hours ago, when they began their march to Moon's Rest. Trudging through three feet of snow. While their vampiric fortitude was strong, the blizzard worked some sort of magic on the others. She prayed to Adena that Slyph and Dracula were okay and that they had slain Hyrus. Spectra hefted her staff close to her and used it to guide her through the seemingly endless sea of snow and ice. Her armor felt cold as it rested lightly on her, frozen from the numbing air. Rarity remained determined, these were settlements where they could have a strategic advantage for their empire. Moon's Rest and Deathfall were strategic located making it easier for supplies.

Spectra kept a hardened and readied gaze on all of the landscape ahead of them. She this caused her to think a lot. She began remembering the Dark Crusade and her rise to vampirichood. Her continued practiced power. The fight between Living Shadow, which had been more taxing than it should have been. Spectra rotated her shoulder remembering the scars and bruises. She still suffered heavily from his constant manipulative words. She knew that they were not real but when he had shapeshifted into Twilight, that was when it really hurt. She knew she could never have her, she could never have Twilight. Not even on accident, her destiny lies with Dracula and no other.

"And it would appear that mine lies with another as well." Spectra whispered to herself, her words that stung deep inside of her, letting the icy cold of them sinking in on her heart. She needed to move on. She needed to find another, somepony who would accept her for who she was. She would not dare have a suitor from the Ebonmanes. She wanted an innocent somepony. Somepony who was not tarnished by the war that now encompasses their lands.

Spectra released a sigh at that thought. She remembered the days where it was much simpler. When all she had to worry about was how many stitches a dress needed. Or how wide she needed to make the pant legs on stallion dress pants. Or what she would feed Sweetie Belle. Now, she had to keep an entire order under her hoof. She needed to lead them to glory and victory, a feat she would never be able to accomplish on her own. Sorrow set in and she said to herself once again closing her eyes as she did so, "Oh Rainbow Dash...where did you go?"

Nothing but the cold whispers of the blizzard filled her hyper sensed ears. For those few minutes she let all outside noise leave her. She knew in her heart that there were ponies marching behind her. But she pretended it was only her trudging through the snow. Alone. That she was the only one to face the horrors that lied ahead. She remembered the cocky words of her friend. They brought some semblance of solitude and solace, but above all it was just an empty feeling of forlorn. Spectra felt the sorrow surmount and she said choking back sobs, "Why did you have to leave?...why..."

Spectra stopped. Standing still in the chilling blizzard. Something hit her, right in her heart. She tried to find some memory to comfort her, but she found none. She fell on her knees in sadness and despair. She had no memories of her father or mother, her real ones anyway.

Did they even know that she and Sweetie Belle were alive? Were they even alive? These unanswered questions only made it hurt even more. Tears found their way into her eyes, she clamped them shut with hopes that it would hurt less. But it ultimately was for nothing. The sadness did not cease. The sorrow did not stop. She let out her soul. And her spirit. All the sadness that had accumulated over her years of life. She found no comfort in the blizzard that raged around her. Tears finally came from her eyes and she felt a hoof lift her head. She looked and saw the apparition of a dark blue alicorn with stark white mane and tail. He wore bright gold plated armor, his features stoic and noble but also soft and smooth. The stallion spoke with the soothing voice of a father and said, "Do not falter my child. All of your answers will come soon. I wish I could see what you and Sweetie Belle have become. I have no doubt that you are masters of your own destinies. I wish I could stay by your side, but alas I cannot..."

With his last words he began to fade out of existence. In those last minutes she cried out reaching to pull him in for a hug and she called out, "Wait! No don't leave!"

She grasped at the raging wind and felt no warmth of skin and fur, nothing. That was the form of her father, reaching out to her and she did not know it until the last second. She punched the ground with her hoof in anger and confusion. She heard a voice ask her, "Archmystic? Are you alright?"

Spectra sat hunched in the snow. Bold determination filled her mind, she would find a way to find her father. Spectra ordered in a confident tone, "Yes. Continue the march we are nearing Moon's Rest."

Spectra stood, letting all of her doubts fall from her shoulders. She rolled her shoulders and pulled her hood back up letting shadows hide her features. She began walking, letting her staff guide her careful steps.

The settlement came into view, over a vast white sprawling flat tundra was a large city of stark black buildings. Made from ebony wood and towers of jet black brick and stone. The city of spikes, it is called. It does not have the same grandeur as Shadow Garden or the Black City, but it was impressive none the less. Spectra's breath was controlled and focused, rolling through spells through her mind. She kept a watchful eye on the large black city nestled in the 750 mile wide gap in the mountains. The Gateway of Equestria it is often called as well. There were large swirling dark blue clouds hovering above the cityscape, a hurricane of cold winds and a hale of ice shards.

Spectra kept within pacing of her fellow servants of the moon. Her fellow brothers and sisters under the stars. Spectra looked back and saw the faces of her brothers and sisters. Some held neutral faces of indifference. Some holding faces of doubt as they walk to face the unknown, with burdens of their family on their shoulders. A weight they never thought that they would carry on their shoulders. She wanted to tell them that everything was going to be fine and every single one of them would return home, but she could not. Spectra wanted with all of her heart to do this alone and keep them back at their keep. But they needed experience, and with it came a price.

They drew closer to Moon's Rest and as they drew closer to the settlement she heard the distant sound of battle. Spectra suspected that Lucia had engaged the Windigo. From what she could hear, they were not in a winning fight. Roars of victory and cried of pain over a rising tide of clashing steel, mixed with the incessant wails of pure animals.

Spectra had a limited amount of ponies to form an official attack plan. She thought as her cloak billowed in the wind. If they were to succeed at being much needed reinforcements, they would need a good battle line. Hoping to catch the enemy by surprise and land the killing blow. After mulling over the details Spectra commanded her brothers and sisters, warranting their attention, "Alright. I want tight ranks. Mystics second line and Justicars frontline. Wide. Engage the enemy but if you see the Windigo do not engage it, it is too powerful for any of you. I know that you do not have any combat experience as far as battles and/or skirmishes go. But you have the powers of Dracula by your side, giving you the edge the instant you lock eyes with the enemy. Fight well and I will expect to see you at the victory dinner."

She looked at her small battalion, the humble ragtag group of ponies looked back at her and awaited for their next orders as they took their ranks. Justicars up front and Mystics in the back. Spectra held her staff in her hooves, her horn glowing a bright blue. She simply nodded in they continued onward in a faster paced march. Only a few miles out, they neared the settlement and would be there in about five or six minutes. Conviction spread over Spectra's face.

Your fight is useless, Whitevalor. You cannot last much longer.

Aureate spat blood out of her mouth as she hunched her shoulders, her dark navy blue mane scraggily and covering her eye. Her lip cut open and blood filling her mouth. With absolute calmness she stared at the pure dark ponies in front of her. She faced the other four Windigos. Odium, the one that talked to her. Ira, who stared at Aureate with anger and ferocity in her eyes. Vanto held a confident look. And Metus, trying to impart his fear inducing gaze upon her. But she kept her spirit in tact, their powers becoming weak to her.

Her longsword hefted tightly in her hoof. Her mind serene and cleared of all negative emotions, she knew from the beginning that it annoyed the Windigos. The fact their passive magic had no affect on her, and ironically, their strength. Using the back of her hoof, Aureate wiped her muzzle from the blood and she said to the advancing Windigos, "I have the light of Solis on my side. You have no power over me. Dabo mortem rapidum."

She kept her gaze narrowed and focused on them, specifically on Odium, since he was the weakest amongst them and was no doubt the one to go down first. Promising all of her fury on him. She readied her longsword and hefted it close to her. The pristine and glistening golden blade, the red leather grip firm in her grip. They started to encircle her and they used various forms of magic, all of which Aureate was prepared to face. Her face determined and her sword gripped hard she exclaimed through clenched teeth, "I swear by all that is holy I will not go down alone."

She called forth a prayer and charged her first foe, Odium. Odium stumbled towards her and bathed Odium in brilliant light that seared through him like fire. Her strike cutting across his hamstring, grounding him. She issued another prayer and a shroud of pure light encased around Odium. Causing him to be struck by rays of light if he tried moving.

Aureate moved on to another and teleported next to Ira. Ira tried to strike Aureate with her hoof in a wide horizontal arc, Aureate ducking away. Her calm state of mind deadly and focusing her strikes now upon Ira. Her sword glowing a brilliant gold her strike connected in Ira's side. Aureate wrenched it out of Ira, Ira screeched and held up her hoof pushing Aureate back with a telekinetic push. Almost stumbling off of her hooves she rebalanced her self after she hit the side of one of the buildings.

Her back ached from the impact but otherwise remained unfazed from the attack. Aureate focused and reanalyzed the battle. So far she had injured two of the four Windigos. But she knew that those wounds would not last very long. Aureate knew that this was a hopeless fight but fought on despite the impossible odds, on the off chance that maybe she can gravely injure the Windigos. To make it easier for any others who might fight them. She gripped her blade with a tighter grip and charged forward once more, her blade peeling and crackling with sparks of lightning. With a cry of battle she let her sword fall upon Ira once more.

A crack of thunder erupted and Ira's form tensed and convulsed under the connected strike. Aureate took out her sword and felt a stinging pain rise in her side. Aureate looked and saw a hale of icicles being blown at her by one of the other Windigos. Three found its mark and cut deep inside Aureate. She took her sword and cut the icicles, leaving three slivers still in her side. She raised her sword to the sky and shouted out another prayer, lightning crackled above them and struck hard against her sword. Energy travelled through her, her strength increasing.

The hale of icicles stopped and he readied his hooves for another attack. Moving them together, Vanto shot his hooves out and a large spear of pure ice ripped through the air and travelled to impale her.

Aureate charged towards the spear trusting in her Atma that she would survive this. She jumped up as the spear was centimeters away from impaling her, she stretched out her hooves and flipped as she jumped over the icy spear. The spear stabbed into the ground as Aureate landed on the ground kneeling with her hoof outstretched at her side holding her sword. She opened her eyes, blazing with fire promising vengeance and justice for the murderous actions committed by him. Her blade now dancing with tongues of fire as she charges forward and slashes against the Windigo. Vanto cried in pain and turned to her seething with anger, he grabbed her throat and lifted her above the ground. His eyes blazing with dark fury as he said, "Now you shall deal with me, oh paladin. And all the powers of HELL!"

Vanto threw Aureate away and as she sailed to the ground an iron spike erupted from the ground and impaled her in the right side of her chest. Blood splattering all around and a cry of pain coming forth from Aureate. Vanto raised his hooves to the sky and willed forth a blizzard. Clouds ripping across the sky and raining from the sky harsh winds and small needles of ice. Aureate uttered a prayer in between breaths and the icicles avoided her path. Her breathing ragged, she pushed herself up and felt pain rise in her chest. She gasped in pain once more and opened her clenched face to see Vanto moving towards Aureate with a murderous look in his eyes. She knew in this moment that all would be lost. But as she thought so an eruption exploded the ground between them and sent Aureate colliding in the air with Vanto.

They slammed hard on the ground, Aureate on the bottom. Before Vanto had time to react she glanced and saw a small company of guardians all in armor. She grabbed the sides of Vanto's head and shouted above the wind with righteous fury in her eyes and voice. A brilliant shaft of light streaks down from above and fixes on Vanto. Vanto screamed in pain as he felt heat incinerate his very bones and evaporate him. He cried horrid cries as he faded from existence as ash that was soon carried away on the wind.

She heard a mare's voice call out, "Attack!"

The three Windigos saw a wave of ponies charge towards them. Some fled away at the sight of them, others attacked with magical attacks. Aureate silently prayed and rested a hand on her chest and the pain subsided, healing tissue and muscle as she felt light flow through her veins. She saw as many were cut down by the Windigos. Were once a large group, there now remained around a hoof full. The Windigos however were looking exhausted from expending so much magic. Her wound had fully healed as she saw a flash of red and two forms came into view. One an alicorn stallion and the other a young unicorn. Both with piercing bright red eyes. The stallion flew up in the sky and calmed the blizzard raging above them.

His eyes glowed bright red and his horn glowing violently the same color. His voice carried across the wind as he said, "When death comes
I’ll need not love –
Consumed,
No wreath or dove
Could offer me salvation,
Not when I’m no more.
A weathered stone will bear my name –
Identity of once a being
Living out existence in
A world of risk, and never seeing
Sense of why we’re here.
My genes will die away thro’ child –
Hue of eyes and hair, the way of thought,
Will quickly dim with generation –
Bow to future dominance –
Memories of provenance
Resigned to curious few.
When death comes
I’ll need not grace
Below; no grieving face
Will call my resurrection,
Not when I’m at ground –

Death and I so bound."

Red energy flowed out of the Windigos and travelled as the large alicorn stallion devoured their living essence. Their forms crumbling into a pile of bones and the sky briefly filled with the same color as the stallion's magic. As he lowered himself to the ground he stumbled. Aureate felt that he had expended a lot of magical energy to do that. The mare helped him to his hooves.

The small group of ponies were only five feet away. They stepped closer to her and she jumped to her hooves raising her sword towards them. They raised their weapons in response. Aureate said, "Who are you?"

One stepped into view and Aureate could not believe her eyes. Standing before her looked almost like a mirror image of her brother's wife, her brother being Uther Crystalline. The same white coat and dark blue mane and tail. The same slender figure. It was amazing. Aureate was in awe. She even had the same voice as she said to the others that raised their weapons, "Lower your weapons."

They obeyed her and she met Aureate's stare. She still could not believe her eyes. Aureate stepped forward and then everything clicked into place and pulled her in for a hug. Aureate said into her shoulder, "You are related to Uther Crystalline? Aren't you?"

After a few seconds she pulled herself back and left her hooves on the mare's shoulders. She answered awkwardly, "uh...yes...he was my father."

Aureate's eyes grew as wide as plates and she beamed with joy. She said, "How long have I been away?"

Confusion overtook the filly and Aureate saw the look and explained, "I am Aureate Whitevalor, your aunt. Oh this is great news. Where is my brother? Has he come with you?"

"I am afraid...agh...not young Whitevalor." The stallion limped over to Aureate. She gave him a confused look and the stallion finished, "He is dead."

Her joy died away and released the mare in her hooves. Her expression growing as neutral as before. The stallion continued, "I am Dracula. Your niece's name is Spectra. You are...standing on...my land miss. This settlement was long since abandoned and we came to retake them, knowing that an unseen enemy took them as a fortification. Have you seen another ground come into here?"

Aureate refocused to Dracula and answered, "You must mean that group of werewolves that came by. I am sorry...they did not last long against the Windigos. Their leader ordered a charge on them and they became lambs to the slaughter."

Dracula cursed, "Damn it Lucia. I told you not to engage. You tartarus damned fool..."

Silence awoken between them. Aureate looked to the sky as it began to gently snow. A certain peace came about Aureate as a few of the snow flakes landed on her. She said looking back at Dracula, "How long was I gone?"

Dracula answered after a sharp gasped, "...nearly five thousand years."

Five thousand? She hoped at least maybe fifty or a hundred, those were numbers she could live with. But five thousand. Almost un heard of. She eyes Spectra once more and said to Dracula, "If it is all the same to you. I would like to reside in your lands. I do not wish to face the outside world just yet. I would like some time to think alone."

Dracula nodded. Aureate stepped with no emotion in her strides. She walked past Dracula and heard Spectra call out to her, "Wait!"

"Wait!" Spectra called out.

Aureate kept on walking. Spectra went to chase after her but a hoof blocked her path. She looked and saw it was the wounded hoof of Dracula. He looked at her and said, "Leave her be Spectra. She needs time to think on her own. It is not an easy thing to wake up from a five thousand year old sleep and accept that you have been sleeping for that long. Give her time to recover."

With starry eyes she looked at the disappearing form of Aureate in the haze of winter. When she disappeared in the city scape Spectra lowered her gaze down cast and said to herself, "Auntie..."