Author's Notes:

I am sorry for the delay, I just didn't know what to write next.

Here is the map of Ashan for those who might be interested:

An image of ponified Ghost. There aren't three ghosts like in the games. Come on, what ghosts join each other?

Natura Stella couldn't sleep at that night. She has been hearing strange and rather loud sounds coming from the other side of the walls of her room.

"Elrath damn..." she muttered, getting up. Groggily rubbing her eyes, she yawned.

Natura walked closer to the wall and put one of her ears on it. Having rather good hearing since birth, she quickly understood what those sounds were. Immediately, a blush appeared on her face. She heard two lustful voices, and only one of them she recognized.

"Andromalius." she thought. "But who is his partner?.. I hate my curiosity!"

An awkward moment had happened earlier in her life because of the unicorn's curiosity. Natura Stella was never a heavy sleeper, so she often woke up during the nights. One day, she saw a rather intimate moment between her parents.

Even unicorns, those creatures that aren't considered sapient on Ashan, had their customs and traditions. One could say that they act like humans sometimes. And peeking into others' relationships and private moments were not a good thing to do.

However, Natura was never good at obeying rules. After that little incident, she picked up a habit of watching or listening to others doing rather intimate things undetected. She understood that what she does is wrong but she couldn't help herself.

And this time, she was going to try to see what Andromalius and his partner were doing.

Silently, Natura crept out of her room. There was a lone guard in the hall, and he was asleep. The unicorn walked to the door of the hell stallion's room and slightly opened it. Thankfully for her, Andromalius was in the bathroom and she wasn't seen.

The unicorn entered the room, closing the door behind her. She noticed a wardrobe, and it was empty. Grinning to herself, Natura hid inside it, leaving the doors opened just a little, providing her enough view of the bed.

And then, she noticed a strange set of armor by the bed. The armor was made of dark steel with something else colored gold. There was a helmet, and it had four holes: two big and two small.

"Hmm... Four holes... Two for ears, two for horns? Who is the night's visitor of that stallion?" Natura wondered. "Oh, and he isn't doing that with a princess... Oh my..."

A few minutes later two equines came out of the bathroom: Andromalius and Inanna.

"A succubus!" Natura nearly gasped in shock. "Horns, tail, wings... Absolutely the same! What is she doing to him? No... Hm..." she looked at Andromalius. "He doesn't have that dull and lustful look I was told everyone under the control of succubus has. Is he doing it willingly? Wait, he's a demon as well!"

Natura Stella listened. After Inanna confessed her feeling towards Andromalius, the unicorn nervously shifted in place.

"Succubi can love?" she was surprised. "Does that mean this one isn't evil?"

She kept listening to the conversation. Shortly, it ended, leaving only Inanna awake. She was looking directly at the wardrobe. Natura stopped breathing. Her heart was racing, she felt like it was too loud. Sweat rolled down her face as her eyes were focused on the succubus.

"You may come out." Inanna spoke softly. "I am not going to hurt you."

Natura gasped rather loudly, falling from the wardrobe in surprise. Hitting the floor, she groaned in pain. She nervously turned her head towards the succubus.

"Grand entrance." Inanna rolled her eyes. "Good thing is that Andromalius is a heavy sleeper." she moved her head slightly, moving his as well.

"Who are you?" the unicorn asked.

"My name is Inanna, and I am a succubus." a reply came. "While you might think succubi are evil, we are certainly not. We don't suck out the life from our victims... We suck something else." Inanna licked her lips. She giggled as Natura blushed hard. "So, this particular stallion is special, and not only to me."

"What?"

"Andromalius is not what you think." Inanna replied. "But I won't tell you who he is exactly. I know not a lot more than you. And I would like him to make a decision whether he'll speak to you about himself or not."

"Uh... I don't get it." Natura stood up.

"You'll find out soon enough." Inanna rolled on the bed, getting from under Andromalius. She stood up. "So, now it is my turn to ask some questions. Are you comfortable with that?"

"I guess..." Natura nervously rubbed her left fetlock against right cannon.

"What do you think of him?" Inanna pointed at the sleeping hell stallion.

"Uh... What kind of question is it?" Natura tilted her head. "Well, um, he saved my life from danger. I don't think I could've get out of that city by myself. And even if I did, I would've frozen to death. And, well, I am thankful for what he did, even if he looks... strange."

"I see..." Inanna muttered. "But there is something deeper..."

"No, I don't like him that way!" Natura stomped angrily. "Not in the slightest! Well, he might look kinda handsome in some way... No, no no no, I don't like him like that!"

"Tell yourself that." Inanna chuckled. "You know, I can share him."

"Ugh!" Natura facehoofed. "I tell you, I don't like him that way!"

"Yeah, and that desire to see him making love to someone wasn't fueled by your own desire to be with him?" Inanna winked and giggled.

"I peek at those moments all the time!" the unicorn yelled. Realizing what she did, she blushed. She never meant for her secret to be shared with anyone.

"Well, that is one of the rarest fetishes I've ever heard of." Inanna giggled. "But, if you really want that..."

"Uh..." Natura's blush intensified.

"Don't be scared, it isn't bad having something like that." Inanna smiled softly. "Each and every one of us has secret desires that one is afraid to share even with their loved ones. Even Celestia and Luna have some desires even I can call strange."

"I don't think I want to know..." Natura muttered.

"Your choice." Inanna nodded. "However, do you still want to see Andromalius in his—" Inanna chuckled. "—full glory?"

"I... I guess..." Natura couldn't look at the succubus, too shameful of herself.

"Then you have to wait until the morning. You better go get some sleep until then." Inanna winked. And like a wind, Natura was gone.

Midnight, Great Canterlot Library.

Arantir was studying in the library of Canterlot. He had a lot of subjects to cover: history, traditions and customs, magic, geography, biology, and so on. He had at least twenty books lying on the table he was sitting at. About fifteen books had already been read, yet there were still five books Arantir hasn't read yet. It was the first time in ages since he was so deep in the books, and that was even before he started conquering Heresh. The land of Equestria and beyond fascinated the necromancer, the knowledge that was at hand would be useful even back on Ashan, and the history was just as interesting as Ashan's. Arantir ignored everything, focused on reading, hungrily consuming the knowledge the books provided him.

There were also a pair of stallions, a unicorn and a pegasus, walking around the library, having mischievous smirks on their faces. None of them looked like goody-four-horseshoes either. The librarian was at that moment sleeping on her chair, and the two stallions were definitely using it to their advantage.

One of them passed Arantir, stealing a book he was about to read. Chuckling, the stallion continued moving, the book in his magical grasp.

"You put it back." Arantir said through gritted teeth. "I am reading."

"So what?" the unicorn mocked. "Are you going to call the guards? We will be far away before they are here."

"You better not know what will happen." the necromancer replied, getting up from the comfortable armchair. He wasn't very pleased in what was happening. "Now, return that book."

"There's two of us." a voice came from behind. Arantir turned around and saw the pegasus standing there. "There is nothing you can do, trust me. Oh, and don't rely on that old hag." he pointed at the sleeping librarian. "She can't do shit. Besides, she is a heavy sleeper."

"And you're just some crazy bat-fuck hybrid with a stupid spider on your—" the unicorn mocked, but was cut short as he was lifted up, green mist around his neck.

Yelping, his friend rushed to him, but was soon caught in the same mist.

"You will not insult Asha in my presence." Arantir growled. "You should learn some respect."

He sent the unicorn to the floor, making a rather loud thud. The pegasus found himself inverted and glued to the ceiling by his hooves.

"In case you didn't know," Arantir continued. "I am the High Lord of Heresh, the land of necromants. I can turn you into mindless and rather smelly zombies. Or do you prefer being incorporeal ghosts, forever bound to this place? Weak skeletons? Your choice, truly."

The two stallions' eyes widened in fear, their legs shaking.

"However, I am no judge in Equestria. I will hand you to the guards."

"My father will not leave it like that!" the unicorn yelled.

"No one outranks the High Lord. Besides, I know both princesses, and I am on good terms with them." Arantir replied calmly. "I have seen a lot of people like you. You think you can do everything and you will come out of the water dry? I will prove you wrong."

"I don't think thou hast to, Arantir." a feminine voice sounded. Arantir turned his head towards its source and saw the princess of the night herself. "I have seen everything. No father can help those two."

"I leave them to you, your majesty." Arantir released both stallions, bowing to the princess. They cowered, trying to hide from the angry alicorn.

"I despise those who stealeth books, especially from places where everypony can borrow them for free." Luna walked closer. "Books are knowledge, and those who doth not value it is unwise. I think these two would require some correction." she frowned. "Anyway, thanks for not hurting them. I shall take it from now."

After Luna took care of the two hooligans, she returned to the library, and saw Arantir there, studying as if nothing happened.

"How long hast thou been here, High Lord Arantir?" she asked, taking a seat near the necromancer. "And how dost thou know our language?"

"I've been here since I left the castle." Arantir relied, keeping his eyes on the books he was reading at that moment. "There are a lot of subjects for me to cover. And the translation from your written language to mine didn't take long. I am surprised we use the same speaking language, though."

"Art thou not planning to return to your world?" Luna continued asking.

"Asha has use for me here." Arantir replied. "And Asha uses all."

"Asha?" Luna tilted her head. "Thou keepst mentioning her. Who is she?"

"Asha is the Primordial Dragon of Order, the creator of life. She has six children: Elrath, the Dragon of Light; Malassa, the Dragon of Darkness; Arkath, the Dragon of Fire; Shalassa, the Dragon of Water; Sylanna, the Dragon of Earth; Ylath, the Dragon of Air. They are the Elemental Dragons." Arantir explained. "Asha has a twin brother: Urgash, the Dragon of Chaos. Many years ago, a battle between the two took place. Asha and her children won, Urgash was banished into the very core of our planet; his creations, demons, were banished under the surface. However, Asha was greatly weakened, and buried herself in one of the three moons.

"I serve her, I worship her. It might confuse you that I have spiders as a symbol, but one of Asha's aspects is one. I restore order on Ashan, I destroy those who bring chaos to our world. I am her tool, and I gladly serve her. Asha uses all."

"So... basically, thou dost good for the people of Ashan?" Luna asked curiously.

"It depends on what is considered 'good'." Arantir replied. "In many eyes, I am no more than taker of lives. Yes, I would do anything to keep chaos away, even sacrificing thousands of lives. But what would you do, princess, if there is a danger that can destroy all life and bring Ashan to an end? One might even use necromancy..."

"I... I think necromancy isn't that bad." Luna stated nervously. "Of course, it is considered immoral to use the dead..."

"You are interested in the art of necromancy?" Arantir raised a brow, interested.

"I am." the lunar alicorn admitted. "The undead troops tend to be more obedient, sometimes more efficient. Though, my sister never liked this art of raising the dead. I still don't understand why."

"There are a lot of reasons for all living to hate those who use the dead. However, no necromancer thinks about morale." Arantir chuckled. "Though... Would you like to learn necromancy?"

"I cannot simply start learning it! I am the princess, after all... Everypony would stop respecting me, some would like the throne to be taken away from me. That will make me bad..."

"Necromancy doesn't make anyone bad." Arantir shook his head. "It makes its users look bad in the eyes of others, but it is only you who decide how to use the necromancy. You may use it for good or evil."

"That is the reason I am interested in it in the first place." Luna nodded. "So... Yes, I would like to learn how to raise the dead. Secretly, of course."

"I am going to stay in this city for a while, so that will do." Arantir nodded. "Your training will begin on the next night. For now, I must prepare. You should be prepared as well."