The diamond dog howled in a pitiful conglomeration of yelps and cries, the serrated tipped spear it had been wielding now firmly lodged in the dying creature's chest. It grasped futily at the blood slicked haft, making a last attempt at tearing it out only to die drowning in his own blood filled lungs, and joined the dozen other dead, carpeting the grass with their savaged carcasses.

The creature responsible for the deaths tore the spear out with a brutal twist and licked it clean of  it's gory remains. The pungent aroma of the blood tasted so very interesting, so much like that of man, yet also bearing the unmistakable tang of beastly rawness. It was quite filling. As it savored the sickly-sweet crimson liquid it looked at those seven diamond dogs that still stood before him, their weapons at the ready, shaking like leaves. He could taste their terror almost as much as the blood he was drinking. His gaze hovered especially over the massive, red-furred body of their obvious leader, an almost ten foot gnoll, bloated with muscle, donning the patchwork job of steel and iron plating that made his armor, the pieces themselves as grime and dried blood encrusted as the gnoll's muzzle. The only piece that stood out was the particularly large and sturdy claymore in it's paws, a long hafted, cross-guard two handed weapon that was as much pole-arm as it was sword and shone as clean in the moonlight as if fresh-forged. It had most likely been only recently pilfered from the body of some unfortunate knight or some isolated blacksmith's coffers. Nonetheless, Alberacht had found himself in want of a proper weapon since coming to this world, his massive size making most feel like daggers in comparison.

The gnoll saw Alberacht stare at the weapon and immediately lifted it to him. For all it's size and muscle, when it spoke it came as a meek almost pitiful whine.

"T-Take it... it's your's... take i-it as... as tribute... and go..." the gnoll said, presenting the claymore, handle first, as he noticed the beast gazing intently at it. "T-take it a-and just go, leave us be".

Alberacht's face contorted in a disgusted grimace. He would have taken the blade anyway but what sport and satisfaction was there in simply being offered something. The vampire had always fought for everything he owned and, as his father had told when he had been but a lad, anything gained without effort is not worth gaining.

"Do you know why it is that i hunt you?" He asked as he slowly walked towards them.

The gnoll froze, mouth ajar, weapon still outstretched.

"Your band, the Canine Marauders, have committed murders, theft, arson, and other, worse things. So much so that there is now a substantial bounty on your  heads"

The smell of sweat from the shivering gnoll was so pungent as to be almost palpable. "So that is it.. ha... you may disguise your actions under a pretense of justice but bounty hunters are as bad as us. You kill for money just like we do. S-So is that it?... you'll kill us for a few gold coins and justify it as killing us for our crimes?"

Alberacht rested his hand on the greatsword's pommel and smiled warmly to the gnoll.

"That would be hypocritical of me, since the crimes i have done in my long life are far more numerous and abhorrent than yours. I make no attempt to mask why i will kill you. Not for justice. I will butcher you for a few gold coins. I will slaughter you for a few petty trinkets. But, more importantly..."

Veins began swelling on his forehead and temples as Alberacht's eyes blazed with manic fury and his jaw widened horrifically to make room for growing dagger teeth. From a warm smiling, noble featured gentleman to a barbaric mix between man, wolf and raven, the nightmarish visage that looked upon the remaining brigands proclaimed.

"More importantly, i will kill you because you have kidnapped and ended the lives of children. And that is something even a monster like myself, will not tolerate".

With that, Alberacht pushed on the pommel, the claymore's edge slicing through the paralyzed groll's paw and throat. He regarded the remaining diamond dogs with hungry eyes and began towards them, all the while humming an ancient Kislevite dirge from the days of his human life.

Alberacht stroked the raven's head with a clawed finger as it fed on the remains of this night's victims. He had always left something for the crows and ravens and this night was no different. The gnoll's paw had flesh enough to satiate a flock of the familiar creatures. The ancient vampire smiled warmly as he locked eyes with the Raven's black orbs, and he whispered.

"No matter what you eat or hunt, always leave something for Father Raven and Mother Crow. For when Old Man Winter comes, they always remain".

An old saying of ancient Kislev, spoken from generation to generation since the days of the very first Ungol tribes themselves. No matter the centuries of unlife, Alberacht would always remain a Kislevite at heart.

The raven cawed happily and resumed worrying on it's bounty of fresh meat while Alberacht's eyes strayed from side to side on the all to familiar alley he now sat waiting in. It was a secluded place, yet Alberacht knew it's every nook and cranny, for it had served as his hiding spot within the town these... creatures... called Ponyville, whenever Alberacht had needed to await that day's chosen thrall to take the bounty's heads to the sheriff's office and bring him back the reward. It was both annoying and time-consuming but the preferable variant to being seen. In the month he had been in this strange world, only little Applebloom had been made privy to his existence and lived, and Alberacht intended to keep it that way for a while longer. For all his animalistic ferocity and varghulf blood hunger, he still had a veteran's mind and a warlord's tactical prowess, and was not arrogant enough to simply make his presence public before understanding this new world completely.

He caught the thrall's scent before hearing her steps and rose from the shelter of the night's dark alcove. Barely a timid sliver of moonlight shone into the alleyway, but it was more than enough for the vampire, and he could see every fold on the clothes and every intake of air as the thrall entered the isolated alleyway.

She was a thin little thing, tall and lanky, dressed head to toe in heavy furs, her face kept in darkness by a large barrow hat, her pelt, a light grey and her eyes yellow. They had been facing different sides even before Alberacht had dominated her will.

He had mistaken her for a fool by her eyes and had believed the girl would be easy to dominate and put under his control. Instead he had found himself in a battle of wills, the petite  girl's sheer determination and self control exceeding that of some veteran generals of his own world.

Derpy Hooves put the bag of bounty money on the ground before Alberacht and looked at him with the glassy, hollow gaze of a "Dominate" victim. He made a small signal and she returned the disguise of pelts, furs and hat. Alberacht had given this disguise to every pony he had dominated. After all, this was a small hamlet and they all seemed to know each other. It waould have roused supicion to see their baker, innkeep or mail... mare... suddenly take up bounty hunting.

The girl was once again clothed only in the shirt and pants she had worn when he had dominated her, earlier that night. Like all her kind, she was an odd creature, humanoid, yet bearing a pelt of short fur, a slightly elongated muzzle, pony ears and tail, reminding greatly of the beastmen of his world. Yet these creatures held none of the reek of Chaos and mutation that permeated the beastmen. Quite the contrary, the air around them seemed purer by virtue of their mere presence, glowing with the gentle light of innocence, so antithetical to his own. He would have even gone as far as to characterize the females of this race as fairly attractive. The girl before him, a slender yet still shapely figure, well worked muscles moving fluidly beneath her grey pelt, ample chest and two large, beautiful eyes, exquisite enough that any man would have been hard pressed not to be somewhat enamored with such a beauteous visage.

But Alberacht had forsworn the touch of another woman since the death of his beloved Etsuko, and he had decided long ago to be as faithful to her in death as he had been in life.

A slight weight on his left shoulder broke him from the burgeoning memories of the earth-bound angel Etsuko had been and brought him back to reality. He locked eyes with the Raven's black orbs and whispered Father Raven's wisdom.

"Drink in honor of the past but do not let it be your present"

Gold coins jingled as Alberacht took a handful and put them in a satchel. As he leaned in close to loop it around the hypnotized girl's shoulder he caught the scent of the blood coursing through her veins. It held the same draw a perfectly aged wine would hold for a gourmand and it was all the vampire could do to give the satchel and quickly retreat.

"You will return to your home. You shall remember nothing of this night, nor shall you question this gold now in your possession. It is by right of name and deed that I, Alberacht of the Nictus Rota, command you and it is by that right that I release you.. Go with the Raven, willful one".

Derpy Hooves turned and began walking back to her house, giving not another glance to the gigantic warrior in the depths of the alley.

Alberacht grabbed the boulder-sized sack of gold bits and unfurled his great leathery pinions, taking to the sky in soundless flight.

The varghulf side of him chastised Alberacht, condemning him for a weakling, roaring that it was unbecoming for the Reaper of Sylvania to forego such a bounty of lifeblood. It was beaten to submission by the remaining strands of his humanity. He would not risk gaining a taste of pony-kin blood and lose control around Applebloom. The little filly who reminded him so much of Mishka, was to never see his "mask" fall and behold the monster he truly was.

Speaking of Applebloom, he had to hurry. The moon was reaching it's zenith and it would not do to keep a young lady waiting.

Twilight walked alongside Applejack through the well-lit main road of Ponyville. Even though their little town had always been a fairly safe little place to live in, they would have never thought to simply walk alone at almost midnight without a single iota of concern. Diamond-dog brigands, pony thieves, Kelpie kidnappers and Griffon crime barons, like any country, Equestria had it's own issues, and sometimes said issues would be felt even in the small town of Ponyville. A peace-loving, rich country, Equestria would draw in alchemists, magic users and medics from other countries, but also the dregs of other societies. As such, while it had grown in power and wealth, the forests and mountains of Equestria had become more and more unsafe.

Yet in the past few weeks a dramatic change had taken place. The Bloodfeather Griffon Band, Xin-Hua's kelpies, Halan Gata's Hell Hounds and many other bands of brigands and criminals had been completely ended, for lack of a better word.

"Amazing" Twilight thought aloud.

"Wha' was that sugarcube?" asked Applejack, busily chewing on the business end of a strand of hay.

"Oh sorry. Just talking out loud" she answered only to continue, prodded by her friend's quizzical look.

"I said it was amazing. A month ago we wouldn't have been walking so casually this late at night. Crime's virtually gone in Ponyville and the amount of bandits in the Everfree Forest and Blue Stone Hills are at an all time low. We really ought to get Pinkie to throw whoever's been doing this a party".

Applejack chewed a bit more forcefully on her strand of hay, an almost disgusted grimace on her face.

"Ah dunno 'bout that Twi. Granny Smith's been talkin' to the sheriff an' he told her it's always the same pony comin' in to claim the bounties. Someone always covered by furs an' a large hat, never speakin', never showin' their face, jus' arrives at night, brings in the baddies and holds out their hand for the reward bits".

"Brings in the baddies? How can only one pony bring a whole band without incident?"

"Well, honestly that's the worst part 'bout this pony. The sheriff said that this... bounty hunter... always brings the baddies in a burlap sack. And never in one piece". She added and drew her finger across her neck.

Twilight went white as she understood the not so subtly hidden meaning behind AJ's words and gulped audibly.

"... Well... guess we should be glad that pony's on our side then... right"?

AJ shrugged slightly, and shivered unconsciously. Twilight couldn't blame the tall mare. She hadn't described a bounty hunter, but a head hunter.

"Ah'm guessin' he or she's the type who doesn't really read the - Dead or Alive - part in the wanted posters" she added with finality.

"Gos-po-da-ri-ni"

"nyi"

"...nie..."

"... close. Now try it, little one"

"...oisha gospodarinie..." said the red haired little filly and thrust a tiny fist into the air.

Alberacht chuckled and clapped his massive hands twice.

"Very good copila, we'll make a proper Kislevite out of you yet"

"Mister Alberacht say it again... correctly... i really want to learn it" she asked and looked at him with a pair of heart melting eyes. So much like Mishka.

Alberacht chuckled again and stroked her mane like a weary grandfather.

"Oysia Gispodarinyi" his deep basso voice carrying the battle chant to every corner of the barn. Ballots of hay muffled the sound and prevented any outside from hearing them.

"What does it mean?"

Alberacht thought for a few moments, then answered.

"It has no literary meaning copila, it's an old Kislevite saying that symbolizes - nock another arrow, strike another blow, kill another foe. And before Old Man Winter claims you, have another drink. For the Oblast. - it is a saying as old as the Ungol tribes zimushka, but it rings in the heart of every Kislevite".

Applebloom nodded fervently her eyes hungry for more stories.

"And copila"?

"It means - little one - "

The little filly puffed her cheeks in indignation. She mumbled to herself "Not that little" and turned her head.

Alberacht laughed uproariously. Mishka had used to do the same. He picked her small hand in between two taloned fingets and kissed it.

"But of course, how inconsiderate of me. You are already five winters old, why i daresay you are but a few more away from being a full grown woma... mare"

Applebloom crossed her arms and puffed up her chest in pride, oblivious to the gentle sarcasm in the vampire's voice.

"That's right" she added, nodding her head in a paroxism of maturity, only to immediately revert to her childish wonderment.

"Now tell me more of Kislev and the Ungols".

Alberacht ruffled her mane gently, his young, handsome features belying the ancient wisdom in his eyes and the kind of affection only a father can offer.

"I believe that is enough for the night copila, you have been here for the past three hours, devouring story after story. I can smell your elder sister approaching your home and we would not want her to not find you in your bed".

Appleblooms eyes fell and her shoulders slumped. Such a child.

Alberacht knelt and lowered his head heavily to bring his eyes level with her's.

"Be good and patient copila, the Raven tells us - tomorrow always comes - and when it does, i shall tell you the legends of Tzarina Mishka and Tzar Alexei".

Her eyes lit up with juvenile happiness and she made to leave. Before going however, she turned quickly and gave the giant warrior a peck on the cheek. She ran to the barn door, waving goodbye and disappeared from sight.

Alberacht sat there for a few moments more. Mishka had used to do the same thing. The same mannerisms, the same curious and innocent nature, the same look of genuine affection from those same light brown eyes. Had he not known better he could have sworn that the filly was his beloved daughter's doppelganger.

Alberacht Nictus dug his talons into the palm of his hand until brackish blood spurted from the wound. No. They were different. His daughter had died a long time ago. He had buried her and Etsuko's bodies into the frozen earth of the oblast with his own hands and had cried and howled at their gravestones for a month.

He must not get confused. His mind had partially devolved into that of a varghulf a long time ago and it was easy for him to get confused.

Even so, it was hard sometimes to truly see Applebloom as her own person. Far too often he could see only Mishka looking back at him.

Alberacht walked the steps into the barn's roof and looked through the window. His vampiric sight easily found the small shape of the tiny filly, sneaking back to her home.

"It is impolite to intrude upon one's seclusion unannounced. I trust even this world has a grasp upon the concept of manners" he said as  two scents ended his introspection.

A trapdoor in the roof opened and two shapes glided in. Alberacht turned slowly and stood, silent and waiting as the shapes that had entered his "sanctuary" examined him from head to toe.

They were beautiful by any stretch of the word, even though they bore the trademarks of their race, the slightly elongated muzzles, the short fur covering their bodies, the pony ears and tails. These apparitions specifically bore both wings and each sported a long horn protruding from their mane obstructed foreheads.

Yet for all those "alien" elements, they still had bodies akin to those of human women and their poise and elegance set them apart as royalty, giving them both an aura of beauty that would have easily put them on par with the fabled Aladrielle of Ulthuan or Morathi of Naggaroth.

One was covered in pearlescent white fur and her long, multi-hued mane flowed around her voluptuous curves like a thing alive. She held the gorgeous enticement of a mature, experienced woman, the kind that could be found only in greatest of queens.

The second was the midnight blue of the night's sky, her mane a lighter shade of azure, bearing the nubile beauty of a young adult, her shapes somewhat petite when compared to her companion but boasting a different, yet equal, kind of beauty. She was the visage of a warrior princess, an amazon woman, functionality and prowess given beauteous form.

These two held foremost the poise and practiced composure of born royalty and, when adding their physical aspect into consideration, it would have made the greatest of kings or the most blood hungry of warlords lose their breaths and minds in awe of such manifestations of aesthetic perfection.

When the white furred one spoke, her voice came as sweet as the finest honeyed wine of Brettonia but also holding the experience of centuries and the rawness of power and authority.

"You were expecting us?"

Alberacht disliked being discovered on terms other than his own, but was  not arrogant enough to see it as impossible. He simply pointed to the moon. The parlescent shape shone like an eye in the night sky.

"Than thou hast noticed the moon look back whenever thou gazes upon it" said the blue one in heavily archaic speech. Alberacht nodded once.

They remained in silence until the white one spoke again.

"We know you have killed the roving bands and criminals around Ponyville and Equestria. We have seen you do it and ensorcel our subjects into collecting the bounties. May I ask what need would one as strong as yourself have of currency"?

"You may not" he said with a tone of calculated indifference, meant to neither offend nor show deference. It was the kind of tone nobility and royalty in particular, hated, for it ground on their over inflated sense of self worth.

The pony simply smiled, a warm, geniuine smile. She knew this game well, and would not be the first to attack.

"You could simply take what you need. You have more than the necessary strength and savagery". She added and, when no response came, she looked to a seemingly inconspicuous pile of old, rusted, farming utensils and mold eaten sacks of sand.

"Or is it that you are collecting it for a certain someone... or rather... somepony".

Alberacht's face did not move, nor did his eyes show any hostility. In the space it took for a heart to beat, the vampire drew the gnoll's claymore from it's hiding place within his folded wings and balanced it easily in his hand. Even though his face did not change, nor did he even whisper a sound, the air suddenly clogged with threat.

  Her assumption had been correct. Beneath the clutter, buried underneath the dirt lay a large bag containing a king's ransom in bounty rewards. He had initially intended to use it for himself but over this past month he had come to the decision that it would be a gift to Applebloom as payment for her kindness. It was enough gold to purchase land ten times the amount the Apple family already owned and a sizable manor in what the ponies called "Canterlot". Yet Alberacht would not miss a single coin of it. As the white furred one had said, he could simply take what he needed.

"Will this charade trudge until we are but dust? Let us end the games and begin the battle"he rumbled.

The white furred one shook her head slowly and looked to her blue furred companion.

"A man of few words, but when he speaks it always holds good purpose" the younger of the two said. "I do not know for certain if we would be able to subdue him if it comes to blows, sister".

"It will come to no such thing" the white alicorn said and lifted her hands in gesture of peace.

"We are not here to seek conflict, warrior. We are here simply to ascertain your purpose and your intent. You have shown no ill will to our own, on the contrary, you have taken an almost guardian role towards one of our littlest. For a man of such few words, you speak at great lengths to Applebloom". She ended her statement with a grateful, almost motherly grin.

"It is usually common courtesy to introduce oneself before asking such questions" the vampire rumbled in his deep basso, changing the subject. He did not want to admit his weakness towards the little filly.

He could not hide it from himself but there was no need for these srangers to know more than they already did.

The white alicorn took a deep bow.

"I am Princess Celestia of the Sun. Pleased to make your acquaintance".

The blue one approaced and did the same.

"Princess Luna of the Moon. Pleased to make your acquaintance".

Alberacht looked at them for a few moments longer and took a small bow, his hand on his chest, in archaic Kislevite tradition.

"Alberacht of the Nictus Rota. Reaper of Sylvania and Grand Master of the Drakenhof Templars. Father Raven guide you.

I have been sent here when i should have died. It was neither my choice nor my desire. I bear no ill will towards you and yours, nor do i have dreams of conquest.

My way is simple.

Do not stand before me and live.

Challenge me and die".

Celestia nodded.

"Simple, succinct and concise. Thank you for speaking with us. If what you say is true, there is no need for us to be enemies".

Alberacht raised an eyebrow.

"What reason would i have to lie? If my desire was to kill you, i would have made no attempt to hide it".

She took a few steps and began circling the massive vampire. Although she was tall for a pony, Celestia barely reached his lower chest and his bicep was almost as wide as her midsection.

"Direct. For a man as articulate as yourself to be so stoic, it is a shame".

"Words are wind, deeds are stone" he rumbled.

"Well said" Celestia nodded.

  Now that he had been confirmed as not an immediate enemy she examined him from head to toe, not with the wary, calculated precision she had done so mere moments before. But instead, with an almost hungry interest.

Alberacht had seen that same look upon many a woman's face, including Tzarina Katarin. Queen or no, a woman still had a woman's needs and Celestia was the same. Alberacht had no doubt that this immortal princess had bedded multiple partners over her long life and had now set her sights on him. She had forgone paltry flirting or annoying banter, and had made her intent clear and unmistakable. A woman who knew what she wanted and was determined to get it, a woman accustomed to being in control.

He could almost smile. This pony royalty reminded him so much of the women of Kislev. Direct, fiercely independent and passionate to a fault, one could nowhere in the world find a more loyal wife and a more capable companion at arms than the women of Kislev. Alberacht found himself gaining a new found respect for this Celestia.

But, respect or no, queen or goddess, Alberacht had forsaken the pleasures of the flesh since the death of his precious Etsuko, and he was not about to rescind on his vows now.

As such he did not stop Celestia from looking but neither did he reciprocate her attentions.

Celestia looked him up and down once more and took a step back. There was no hostility or disappointment over her unreciprocated intentions, just a resigned acceptance that this was a battle she had lost. On the other hand, the war was not done, and she seemed like the kind who would try again and again.

"Of course you must understand that we shall be keeping an eye on you for the time being" she began, pointing to the moon.

"I will be watching especially close" she added with a wink and the double meaning was not lost on Alberacht.

"It is your kingdom, do as you wish" he rumbled, replacing the claymore in the folds of his wings and crossing his arms.

Both the subtle warnings and the not so subtle innuendos were beginning to chafe at his nerves. A month before he would have ripped their throats for simply daring to approach his "sanctum", but now he abstained from such action for the simple reasoning of "Applebloom would not approve of it".

He took a short bow and turned his back, signalling his unwillingness to continue any further discussion. A flutter of wings told him of their departure.

Alberacht gazed at the moon, unconsciously running his finger along the razor edge of the claymore.

He had openly threatened the diarchs of this strange land and yet there had been no conflict, no presumption of guilt, quite the opposite, an acceptance of the different and, in Celestia's case, an "appreciation" of the different. He was beginning to understand why little Applebloom had warmed to him so quickly. She had grown up in an environment that could foster only kindness and acceptance.

This world was not an utopia, far from it. Monsters, bandits and undead roamed the forests and deepest crags of this world, much like in his own. But these... ponies... dealt with such problems without letting themselves be corrupted by hate and savagery in turn.

  The veteran in him scoffed in contempt at their innocence, the varghulf snarled at the perceived weakness of it all. But the remaining human in him respected them for it.

"Sometimes there is need for a greater monster to end the smaller ones" he muttered to himself and smiled as he saw the moon gaze back at him. This was a statement that did not seem to apply to these little ponies.