As they walked into the village, they were struck by its grim atmosphere. The place was quiet and subdued, and it was difficult to imagine what it might be like in the midst of a party. Its very nature seemed to reject such things, as if a celebration would be an unnatural and unwelcome imposition.

Clouds blanketed the sky, seeming to press the ground beneath them. When Wandering Eye flew up to examine them in more detail, it was clear even to her amateur understanding of weather that they were abnormally low and thick. This was not helped by the lack of wind, and even when Wandering Eye attempted to blow away some of the cloud cover with her wings, the wind produced faded out with unusual quickness. The pegasus drifted back down to rejoin her companions and raised a quizzical eyebrow at Sunny Splendour.

"They've been like that recently", explained the glassblower. "I don't understand all the details myself. In truth, I had hoped that you might be able to get them back to normal. It seems that we just have one problem on top of another around here."

"When did these clouds first appear?" asked Dikembe quietly. He was wearing a concerned frown as he scanned the horizon, and absently fiddling with one of the many trinkets hanging from his staff.

"Perhaps two weeks ago. At first we thought nothing of it, but as time goes on we've been getting more and more concerned. If they do not lift soon, I don't know what we'll do." She did not mention that she dreaded the effect the mysterious clouds might have upon the local farms. She did not need to, as concern was written plainly upon her face.

"Hmm. I suspect the hoof of the new lord of Castle Innskar in this." Dikembe's face grew increasingly grim as he spoke.

Buzzer tilted her head curiously, which was helped by the fact that at that moment she had an elongated neck. "How come?"

"Vampires hate sunlight," explained the Zebra. "I've never heard of one who could conjure clouds, but it seems like the sort of thing they'd be into."

"Not just a vampire, but also a wizard?" asked Ragna as she curled her talons in displeasure, "This is getting more complicated by the minute."

"It does rather complicate matters", agreed Silver Wing. "But then, I don't think this was ever going to be simple. It's like peering into a rabbit warren."

"You're right", agreed Ragna. "Complaining won't do any good, so let's get ready to do something that will." The way she hefted her weapons left no doubt as to just what practical measures she was considering. The others nodded, faces stern.

"OK", said Buzzer, "Now that we've all established that we're feeling determined and ready and a little grumpy, what now?"

This seemed to break the silence that had descended upon the village like fog. Ponies poked their heads out from their homes and came out to meet the adventurers, some with faint hope in their eyes and some with a miserable lack of it. They were mostly Earth Ponies, and ones who were visibly chafing under a lack of Sunlight and the ability to get out into their fields and practice their profession. The assorted heroes bid them gentle greetings, and were somewhat surprised when the first villager offered them a silver token on a thin chain - a holy symbol of Reofax, Alicorn of Nature. Silver Wing nodded her head and accepted the pendant, murmuring her thanks.

Thunder shook her head, proclaiming "I won't need any of that superstitious stuff. No evil can touch me!"

One of the peasants insisted, holding out a similar amulet of an Alicorn. "Please, take this - for your mother's sake."

+++

"Wait, wait, hold up. When you say an amulet of an alicorn, you don't mean, like, the Alicorn Amulet, do you?" asked Rainbow, looking concerned.

"Oh heavens, no. Nothing like that. In Graufalke, the Alicorns - they have a capital A in this case - are both more powerful and more distant than the ones in Equestria. They have quite a lot in common with the Gods of the Minotaurs. You know, throwing lightning and giving people quests."

"Uh huh. And would there be a little smidge of power fantasy in that?" asked a smirking Applejack.

"I'm more interested in how you pronounce a capital letter", pondered Fluttershy.

Pinkie beamed. "It's easy when you practice!"

"Quite", agreed Twilight. "As for the Alicorns, they've always been like that in O&O. When me and Shiny were working on Graufalke, we used the same basic structure as all the other O&O settings. In fact, the game was created before Cadance was born, so there's a separate Alicorn of Love that's nothing like her. However, Shiny suggested that maybe we could have our own Alicorn of Love in Graufalke, and perhaps she could have a pink coat and three colours in her mane."

"And, naturally, he was a Paladin in her name the first time we played with the setting", interjected Spike. "He had a lock of her mane tied to the hilt of his sword as a good luck charm, and a picture of her on his shield. At the time, I thought he was only in it for the bonus spells."

"Subtlety's not really big on his list, is it?" asked Applejack.

Twilight chuckled. "I wouldn't exactly call it his defining feature, no. In any case, let's get back to it. Rainbow Dash, I believe you were speaking to one of the village folk?"

+++

"I would take it if I were you", offered Dikembe, "Amulets such as that often have the power to ward away harm. Silver ones are especially potent."

"I am surprised that one such as you knows so much about our ways", said the villager holding the amulet in question, "I had heard that you Zebras were all heathens."

Dikembe fixed her with a flat stare. "Lady, I'm arguing on your side here. Come on." To her credit, the villager looked suitably chagrined.

Sunny Splendour nodded. "In any case, he is right. The last band of Ponies who went up to the castle scorned our offerings, and none of them have come back. Perhaps with the aid of the Alicorns, you will fare better."

Ragna cleared her throat, positively bristling under all the protective charms she had claimed. "Very well. Now what? I say we should strike while the iron is hot."

"I'll agree with you there", replied Wandering Eye. We clearly got a long journey on our hooves, so let's get to it!"

"I-I say we wait", suggested Silver Wing meekly.

"Another delay?" exclaimed Thunder, "We've been talking about this for ages! Let's just get it done and kick some undead butt!"

Dikembe nodded, and his multitude of tokens and fetishes rattled. "Though I would not put it like that, I agree. Buzzer, you have yet to speak. What do you say?"

"Let's git 'er done!" cried Buzzer. For some reason, this made both Wandering Eye and Ragna wince. For some equally strange reason, the assembled heroes were all filled with a sudden sense of great purpose and conviction, as if the world itself were encouraging them to just get on with it.

After waving off the last of the assembled villagers, and promising Sunny Splendour that they would come back alive by hook or by crook, the brave warriors set off up the trail that would lead them into the mountains. The going was pleasant enough, as the forest surrounding the village began to thin out and give way to grassy hills before the mountains proper. Over the course of a pleasant afternoon's country hike, the party grew steadily more and more relaxed, until they were chatting aimlessly and strolling along with scarcely a care in the world.

Of course, that all changed when a giant black bird swooped down from the sky and attempted to snatch them up in its mighty talons.

"Hey-hey, alright!", cried Thunder. "Now this is more like it!" She leapt into action with a resounding yell, and her nunchuk smacked the enormous creature square in the beak. It flinched back, before fixing her with its predatory gaze and staring deep into her eyes. Thunder could not help but back up, as ancient instincts demanded she escape the carnivore, until the trance was broken by the simple means of an axe to the back of the beast's head. It staggered and wheeled about to see Ragna flicking her weapon, trying and failing to get all the blood off it.

The great bird let out a fearsome cry, and before Ragna could resume her ready stance one of its enormous talons raked across her. She took it as a point of pride that all her scars were on her front, and the wound the bird opened up in her shoulder promised to be an especially impressive one. This pride did not do especially much to ease her pain or make it possible to heft her enormous axe in a wounded arm, however, and so she decided that discretion might be the better part of valour and coolly withdrew.

As she stepped back, Wandering Eye came forth to take her place. Seeing that the bird had turned its attention back to Thunder, she drew her gladius, crept up to the beast and slashed it across the back of one of its enormous legs. The sudden, surprising blow caught it unprepared, and it wheeled about in fury. At that moment, Buzzer sprang into action. She hefted her scimitar in her sickly pale Changeling magic field and brought it down across the bird's chest. It struck true, and this final blow proved fatal for the beast. It fell to the ground dead, and in death seemed almost to shrink.

Thunder high-hoofed Buzzer while Dikembe waved his staff over Ragna's shoulder, chanting softly in his Zebra tongue. Though none of the others knew what he was saying, his voice radiated warmth and a feeling of nostalgia for childhood evenings spent listening to father tell a story. Ragna visibly relaxed, and even smiled as her wound glowed a gentle amber and sealed itself shut. A long, broad scar was all that remained, as if she had spent weeks convalescing instead of mere minutes. "There", said Dikembe, "That should just about cover it."

Ragna nodded appreciatively as she rolled her shoulder. "Indeed. I feel like a new hen."

Meanwhile, Silver Wing looked over the corpse of the great ugly bird as if she were about to give a eulogy. "Poor thing. It must have been starving to attack us like that."

Buzzer was struck by an idea. She peered over the body of the bird, examining it in minute detail. At one point she went so far as to give herself the nose of a dog, and she carried out a second investigation that way. Eventually she looked back up at Silver Wing, and sighed. "It wasn't hungry. This bird is as well-fed as a wedding guest."

"That can't be right!", objected Silver Wing, "The only reason a creature like that would attack people is out of desperation. I can't see a nest anywhere around here, so it couldn't have been fearing for its young. It must have been hungry!"

Buzzer pointed a hoof at Silver Wing. "I'm telling you, it wasn't. I'm sure as sure can be about this."

Dikembe sighed deeply. "That is extremely troubling. I have heard of such things, but never seen it myself."

"What do you mean?"

"Some Vampires have the power of hypnosis. If this beast really had no good reason to attack us, it may have been under the control of our enemy. It has been known for Vampires to command all sorts of creatures to attack others. They're most known for commanding bats and rats, but anything might fall victim to a Vampire's mesmer."

Silver Wing gasped. "That's revolting! Turning innocent creatures to evil like that, it - it, oh!" She strode away from the party, and began taking deep breaths. She continued on in this way for perhaps a minute, before giving a great shudder and returning to her friends. "I'm sorry about that, everyone. I just needed a moment."

+++

"Are you sure you're OK, Fluttershy?", asked Twilight. "I'm sorry if that hit a little close to home."

"It's fine, Twilight. Really."

"If you say so. I just wouldn't want to take this game anywhere that anyone isn't comfortable with."

"I wasn't getting so steamed up just because of the game. It's - well, anypony who works with animals hears horror stories sometimes. Ponies taking puppy-dogs and deliberately mistreating them to make them grow up violent and mean-tempered, that sort of thing. It's about the most evil thing I can think of, and I suppose it stands to reason that a Vampire would be cruel enough to do something like that."

Applejack stared at her in shock. "I ain't never heard of that, and I think I was happier not knowing about it. Hoo-wee, I can definitely understand you reactin' like that."

"Indeed", said Rarity emphatically. "I may be more of a cat pony, but the thought of what you described is awful. But if it helps, think of it as motivation for - ah, Rainbow, how did you so charmingly put it?"

"Kicking some undead butt!" cried Rainbow as she punched the air. "Come on Fluttershy, let's tag-team that sucker!"

Pinkie giggled softly. "Was that deliberate?"

Rainbow cocked her head. "Was what deliberate?"

"Vampire, sucker. That's a good one."

"Who are you calling sucker?" exclaimed Rainbow Dash as she planted her forehooves on the table and glared at Pinkie. She kept the stern facade up for perhaps 3 seconds before giving in to the giggles. Laughter spread around the table, until even Twilight could not remain stoic.

Twilight spread her forehooves out in front of her. "OK, I think perhaps we could all do with a little break. Let's get a little air and a glass of water and come back in 10 minutes. Sound good?"

As it turned out, that did sound good, and so they did indeed take a short break. But only a short one.