*Continues to write on his work desk, quill moving faster than even possible* Too many ideas, too little time. Go ahead and observe what is going on! I’ll be done in a moment, promise!

Manehatten was in chaos! The city’s citizens were trying their best to escape their attackers, but the nine cloaked figures were powerful. The bipedal one, just watched as the other eight attacked anyone they saw. There was no killing, for some odd reason they did not wish to kill their victims…. Only maim, and injure. It is strange, and he shook his head while opening the book. “The Night Guard are on approach to Canterlot… They’ll hear about our attack, and be on their way here.” Mr. Hood thought, as he looked up from the strange book.

Every word in the book was appearing on paper, as things transpired. It was almost like the book is recording their actions. Mr. Hood just smirked behind his cloak, shaking his head at the mere thought of where he got this book. Many would have thought it suicide, none would attempt such a thing. However, the original seven weren’t the type to say no to, and Mr. Hood wanted to live when they trapped him. So, now, he is causing so much damage, to such innocent ponies…. All so they can state their thirst for chaos and destruction, along with their strange vendetta against the Mane Six.

“Hey, Hood Boy! Are you going to join in on the fun, or just stand there staring at that book!?” The robotic sounding Mare yelled out, flying over to him.

Mr. Hood looked up at her, tilting his hooded head. “Someone must keep an eye on what transpires where we are not. When the Night Guard come, I’ll alert you eight to it, so we may act accordingly.” He simply stated, the mare growling a bit before she pointed a strange barrel at him.

“Either fight, or die… Those are your choices.” She demanded, the weapon powering up.

“Leave him.” The lead mare said, making the robotic sounding one turn to look at her. “We need to make sure they do not catch us by surprise, before everything is ready…. Remember, right now, we’re drawing them away from Ponyville.”

The robotic sounding mare shook her head, before rushing off to cause more damage. “Safe… If only I could say the same for those here in the city.” Mr. Hood thought, watching the damaged being done.

Night Claw and the four leaders rushed into the castle, the Royal Guard opening the doors to them. “Princess! We returned quickly, as possible-!” They all came to a halt, the moment they noticed Night Haunter standing with the Sun Princess, and quickly knelt before their Lord.

“Lord Night Haunter, apologies for our intrusion.” The five Night Guards said, together, in a respectful manner.

“Now is not the time, my sons.” Night Haunter said, as the two alicorns turned to face the five. “It seems we were tricked into a distraction... Now things have gotten out of hand.”

“My lord, what do you mean?” Night Claw asked, daring to raise his head and look up at the alicorn stallion.

Night Haunter nodded to Celestia, who smiled and returned the nod before stepping before the five leaders. “Manehatten is under attack by nine individuals. Seven mares, one stallion, and one humanoid. We have no idea who they are, they bare strange cloaks that hide their faces and bodies. Though, we do know that one is an alicorn and there is a unicorn with her, both using their magic to cause unbelievable damage. Then there are two pegasi wielding ‘firearms’, as Night Haunter said.” She looked at the stallion, who nodded, before she continued. “Then there is one pegasi that actually uses a strange sonic attack that destroys everything in front of her… The other two mares seem to just be rather strong, though one of them somehow slides wherever she goes. As for the stallion?” She ponders for a moment, thinking of how to explain it. “He seems to be a pegasi, but he is rather large and strikes quickly and devastatingly.”

Night Haunter step next to her, eyeing them. “The Night Guard Legion forces are to deploy straight to Manehatten, immediately. Go there, and stop these nine beings…. Show no mercy, show no remorse…. Go my sons, in Midnight Clad.” The four became shocked, wondering if their Lord was serious.

“My Lord, you mean…” Soul Hunter asked, stepping forward, as the alicorn stallion nodded.

“When you engage them… Show them your true power, and overwhelm them with the might that is within the Sons of the VIII Legion. Bring my Wrath, not as Night Guards… But as Night Lords.” He ordered, the four snapping to attention and salute him. “We bring the Night!”

“Ave Dominus Nox!” With that, the four quickly left the chambers, rushing off for their newest hunt.

“Are you sure about this, Night Haunter?” Celestia asked, looking to the stallion.

“There is no other choice, Celestia… We must stop them, before any damage is done. My sons will decimate them, before they can actually react.” He gave a sigh, shaking his head. “Hopefully, your local police force have evacuated the city so that they won’t be seen in their forms.”

Celestia nodded. “Agreed… Spotting a Night Lord will cause much hysteria for my little ponies.” She shook her head, thinking about the consequences. “I hope they are away from that destruction being caused, and when the Night Lords join in the fray.”

The once great metropolis was nearly in a state of ruin. Giant skyscrapers had large chunks blown from their stone towers, the streets were littered with rubble from falling debris. To say they caused havoc within the city, was an understatement. It would be shocking if anyone could return the city to what it once was, let alone make it livable again. Many ponies were also harmed during their attack, but luckily Mr. Hood prevented any deaths from occurring by using the powerful magic book within his grasp to whisk them away to safety. That was their agreement for this part, and keeping an eye out for the Night Guard Relief Force…. No ponies were to be harmed.

When Mr. Hood noticed the book was glowing, indicating that a change had occurred within its pages, he quickly opened it. His glowing eyes scanned the words on the page, quickly reading through like a professional reader. They suddenly went wide, shocked at the speed he saw. “They’ll be here in a matter of minutes!” His mind screamed, before he looked up to the lead mare. “Mistress! They’ll be here soon, within the next ten minutes! The Relief Force is moving much faster than we predicted!” Mr. Hood called out, catching the mare’s attention before she flew down to him.
“Are you sure?” She asked him, walking up to the bipedal being.
Mr. Hood gave a nod, and showed her the book. “They aren’t far from the city’s bridge. Soon, their Air Corps will be swarming us, their ground forces cutting off any escape without the use of magic.” He answered, the cloaked alicorn mare reading the book herself, and nodding.

“Alright…” Her horn suddenly glowed, as a dark purple flare shot up into the air, signaling the others. Within seconds, six of the group suddenly flew over, wondering what was going on. “The Night Guard are almost here, time is up. Once they arrive, our friend here will teleport us to where we need to be.” She explained, the others nodded.

Mr. Hood recounted the numbers, and tilted his head. “I only count seven of you… Where is the eighth?” He asked, looking for the missing earth pony mare.

The lead mare suddenly let out an echoing laugh, smirking behind her hood. “Oh, I sent her off for a personal mission… Something to help our initial attack on the real targets.” She said, turning to face the direction of Manehatten’s bridge… Silhouettes of ponies appearing within the distance. “Here they come…”

“Good thing I had the fifth stay behind…” Mr. Hood thought, watching two of the silhouettes coming straight for them, at high speed.

To their surprise, two large bat ponies slammed right into the ground in front of them, causing a large crater to appear under their hooves. Both large, armored, stallions glared at them. “I am Night Claw; this is Sky Spear… And we have come for you, Invaders.” The lead batpony said, both growling as Sky Spear readied his weapon.

The lead mare gave a strange cackle. “Have you now? Well then, it was a good thing we were expecting you, Night Claw of the Night Guard Legion.” She said, looking back at Mr. Hood. “Servant? If you would… I rather not dally here.”

Mr. Hood gave a nod, opening the book in front of him, strange runes appearing around the eight of them. Both Night Claw and Sky Spear noticed it was a teleportation spell of some kind, and leapt straight for the hooded humanoid being! But the alicorn mare quickly put up a barrier, causing the two to only be deflected. “Hurry up! We don’t have all day!” The robotic sounding mare said, causing Mr. Hood to become irritated.

“You try using this book, see how much strain you’ll be under.” He retorted, as they started to glow.

The lead mare grinned, Mr. Hood spell was about to take them where they wished to be. “We’ll see you soon, Night Claw, dearest… Back home.” Those were her last words, the mare's voice sounding sultry a bit, before they disappeared in a flash of white energy! Night Claw growling, and suddenly roaring his frustration.

“Where do you think they went, Night Claw?” Sky Spear asked, stabbing the spear into the ground.

“Where else? They drew us to Appleoosa, then they had us go from Canterlot to Manehatten. Now, she said she’ll see me ‘Back home’.” He growled, as they both said the answer at the same time. “Ponyville.”

“Are you sure you didn’t want to go with your brothers, Void Dancer?” Pinkie asked, bouncing next to the gray Night Guard earth pony. “I mean, seemed like you wanted to go, too.”

Void Dancer shook his head. “No, I think they had everything under control, Pinkie, they wouldn’t need me… Besides, you’re going to need all the help you can get for all those Get Well Soon Parties at the Hospital.” He grinned at her. “What kind of assistant would I be if I left you alone with so much work?”

Pinkie put a hoof over her muzzle, forgetting about that. “Oh my gosh! I almost forgot!” She giggled, the bubbly pink party pony making Void Dancer even laugh. “What would I do without you, Void?”

“Lose your head?” He asked, tilting his head in thought.

“Truuuuuuuuuue…. So, we doing the surprise together?” She asked him, stopping in front of the stallion.

“How about you go on ahead, I’ll catch up.” He asked her, smiling at the party pony.

“Okie dokie lokie~!” She sing sang, bouncing off towards the Ponyville Hospital.

Vandread, or Void Dancer as he calls himself now, couldn’t tell Pinkie Pie about how he felt like he couldn’t fight alongside his brothers now, not after all he’s done…. Not after having such a terrible Daemon within his body, and practically signing the death sentence of many brothers. Though, having such a scar upon his soul, allowed the veteran warrior to have a sixth sense for chaotic entities… Like the one that has been watching them from a nearby alley way for a while now. “I know you’re there… You can come out now.” He glanced back at the alley, as a robed earth pony mare walked out.

“How did you know I was here?” She asked, her voice was sickly twisted… And sounded like drool was running off it behind that hood.

“After having your soul scarred by a Daemon of Chaos… You gain a sixth sense for chaotic beings.” Void Dancer started to walk towards her, the mare smirking behind her hood and backed into the darkness of the alleyway. “I see you read my mind, I rather not fight while out in the open, in front of everypony.”

“And I rather eat my fill, in peace… Not having to waste energy chasing down anypony who sees me.” She said, cackling a bit. For some reason, Void Dancer hated that laugh. He wasn’t much of a laughing man, nor one for humor… However, Pinkie Pie’s laughter actually made him smile. But this one, the one that this mare gave, was the complete opposite. It was dark, it was strange, it reminded him of some laughing scavenger that wanted to eat its fill on some remnant flesh it found. It made him sick to his stomach.

“Unfortunately for you, miss…” Void Dancer smirked at her, he wasn’t wearing his armor but that’ll change rather quickly. “I’m no easy prey, and I know just how strong you are.” Within seconds, a light enveloped him and cause the mare to look away from the stallion. When she was able to look at him again, she was shocked to see the eight-foot armored warrior before her now. In one hand, he held a strange blade while the other had a storm bolter in hand. His right shoulder had what looked like a skin flayed cloak draped over it. Now, the one who stood before her, was the Maximus incased Vandred Anarthi… Former Sergeant of First Claw. “Ave Dominus Nox, Mare… I have come for you.”

He didn’t give the mare a chance to react, pointing the storm bolter at her and opened fired. The bolter rounds exploded against the dirt and stone, trying to hit its target while she bounced and escaped harm. It became strange for the former Sergeant, when she went forward on to her stomach, and started to slide every which way… A bone cracking noise following each movement she made. This wasn’t going to work, she was too fast for ranged attacks to even pin down, he’ll have to resort to using his blade.

“You’re good, Night Lord… But I can’t let you alert the town to my position before I get her in my stomach!” The mare yelled going straight for Vandred.

He quickly dropped the storm bolter, and forced the mare to bite down on to his ceramite incased vambrace. The metal cracked beneath her bite, which shocked the Sergeant. Without hesitation, he tried to ram his sword into her stomach but the damned mare actually vanished from sight and he only struck the stone wall behind her. “Where are you!?” He growled, his metallic voice distorted, while looking around.

The mare suddenly reappeared a couple of meters in front of him, ready to pounce on the Night Lord. “My, my, you’re full of surprises! Never has anything resisted my bite, yet your armor actually took it like it was nothing!” She cackled, twitching a bit. “I wonder how many bites it would take before I can break your armor open, and eat the fleshy insides, like an egg!”

Vandred glared at her, but what she said earlier made him wonder. The Sergeant pointed his sword at her. “Who exactly are you hunting, Mare?” He asked her, keeping the mare in his sights.

“That damned Pinkie Pie!” She blurted out, twitching even more. “I hate her, I hate everything she is and stands for!” The mare’s body began to crack, as she landed on to her stomach. “I must devour her, and destroy her for good!”

Vandred glared at the mare, tossing the blade into his right hand, and took a step back. The skin cloak over his shoulder flapped with every movement he made with the right arm and sword. “Then, mare… I shall not let you go any further.” He held the sword up, pointing the tip at her, and grabbing hold of the hilt with both hands. “I am Ms. Pie’s assistant in making everypony in Ponyville happy, and smile. If harm were to befall her, or she were to perish, many would be sad and they’ll lose the smiles she worked so hard to create.”

Despite the fact that he hasn’t spent that much time in this world, Vandred couldn’t help but smile at the fond memories he had of Pinkie Pie. Ever since they met, after the defeat of Tirek, the party pony always kept him smiling and laughing with her…. If he dared to say it, he actually loved that bubbly mare. Knowing this, made it all the more reason for him not to allow this mare to dare harm his Pinkie Pie.

“And I’ll be damned to the Warp if I allow anyone to take away everything she’s worked so hard for!” Vandred charged forward, the blade actually coming to life a bit with a few discharging bolts of energy. It was like his blade reacted with his will to protect Pinkie Pie… The mare, on the other hand, suddenly turned a glowing red and screeched as she charged him.

“If you protect her, I’ll devour you too! DIE!” She screeched, the two going to meet one another, both determined to down their foe.

Vandred smiled, he could feel every fiber of his being screaming not to fight her right now… His training demanding that he turn and draw her into a trap. But, something else forced him to continue the charge. Something, deep within his very soul, ordered him to take this mare head on. To protect Pinkie Pie, to prove himself enough to actually be at the side of such an uncreditable pony.

Pinkie Pie suddenly shook, her eyes blinking, her hooves burned, and she suddenly started to tear up. “W-What?” She muttered, looking around. “B-But… Those are the signs that somepony close is in terrible danger. That they really need me. That they could actually be dying right now. Wait, where is…” The party pony zipped around the hospital, at a speed no normal pony could possibly go. When she ended up in the lobby, after searching the entire hospital, her eyes were tearing up nonstop. “Where is Void Dancer!?” The mare had become panicked and rushed back to Ponyville, heading where she last left the stallion.