Into the Twilight

by Midnight_Eclipse

Chapter 4(unedited)

Massive shock waves shot through the air as the faint sound of metal upon metal echoed throughout the area. The ponies below watched in awestruck as the battle between their two princesses raged on. They had never seen such a display of power and speed before, and if they were completely honest with themselves, it terrified them. How can two ponies have this much power? It was unheard of! Yet, Rainbow Dash, despite her bravado, in her mind, she was as terrified as any other pony. As fast as she was, in her famous words THE fastest pegasus in all Equestria, she couldn't even follow the movements of the princesses. She thought no pony was faster than she was and yet, here two ponies were. Moving so fast, the eye couldn't keep up and clashing with power so strong, it seemed like the earth was trembling in fear of their power.

While the battle raged, the pink unicorn stood beside princess Luna, eyeing the battle. She was shaking like a leaf as she watched her lover and their princess clash with almost god-tier power. She was a mere unicorn but she had a spell that was on par with that of an alicorn. However, she never used it unless the situation caused for it. Glancing over, the pink mare took note the ponies inside the town were having trouble keeping up with their speed but she herself, could keep up. That was probably because one of said princesses, she was married to. So, she got all the time she needed to practice following her when she used this level of speed. Something she shamelessly took pride in.

Just as the pink mare looked back to the battle, she noticed the princesses had stopped and were now floating in front of one another. Each had quite a few gashes, ranging from their legs, to back and even their face. Blood was dripping from the wounds and despite this and the wounds, Ruby Obsidia had a sadistic smirk on her maw before licking some blood from her cheek. "Mmm...tasty." The dark alicorn chimed with a sadistic little giggle. A sound that sent chills down everypony's spine that was close enough to over hear the words and giggle. Celestia merely stared at the disturbing alicorn with a passive stare. She would not be detoured from her goal in cleansing this demon from her student and fellow princess.

The pink mare, down below watched this battle but when they stopped, she took it upon herself to step out of the princess' barrier. She needed to get to her lover and now. Slowly, yet surely, she made her way over towards the two alicorns, only for the blue alicorn to gasp and call out. "Weepy! Get back here!" But it was all in vain as she made her way over. She was not turning back. She needed to help her instead of standing around. As she neared, she looked up at the floating alicorns before looking over at the ponies within the town. Her lover's friends, the captain made prince, and even the alicorn of love kept trying to call out to her to back away and retreat behind the shield but she merely shook her head in defiance.

Now, standing directly under the alicorns, the pink mare looked up with sadness in her eyes while she called out, her voice, although shaky, carried over the area like a thunderstorm. "TWILIGHT SPARKLE!" This caused everyone to blink and turn to look at the pink unicorn covered in scars. They had never heard the mare call out so loudly before. The demon had looked down at the pink mare, her eyes had shifted back to normal eyes but still glowed crimson however, that was normal for the alicorn. "Weepy....?" She blinked a bit as her voice came out in her normal tone, instead of the dark and eerie one she was speaking in only a moment ago.

Everyone around watched as their eyes widened. Did the pink mare actually bring their princess? They didn't know what was going on but they were sure the alicorn had been freed from the demon....or so they thought anyway. The alicorn hovered in mid air as she stared down at the pink mare, all the while, Celestia watched this. The pink mare glowered at the floating alicorn before she bellowed out once more. "Twilight Sparkle, what do you have to say for yourself?! Huh?!" Everypony around gaped in awe at the once timid mare scolding the mighty alicorn like she were a mere foal. "You're attacking CELESTIA!" The dark alicorn blinked a bit before she looked over at the white alicorn, covered in gashes and blood from their brief battle. "Ce-Celestia?" The dark alicorn spoke in a broken voice as if she weren't completely back to normal.

Celestia merely stared at her fellow princess, panting as she tried to regain her composure. Her ears perked when she heard her name called out by the dark mare. Was she back to normal? Was this Twilight Sparkle or was this the demon, Ruby Obsidia? Only one way to find out. The celestial mare spoke in a soft voice but still strained from her energy being low. "Twilight? Are you back?" She asked but then the dark mare growled as she began shaking her head rapidly. The dark aura that was surrounding her dissipated as the demonic features slowly faded, revealing her old self once again. Twilight lowered to the ground, landing softly before she proceeded to pass out where she was, falling to the right side and landing with a dull thud. "Twilight!" The voice of the pink unicorn filled the air as a pink blur shot across the ground, stopping beside the fallen mare's side in an instant. "Twilight! Speak to me!" Tears welled up in her eyes as she cradled to alicorn's head in her hooves.

The dome around the town shimmered before falling into nothing while seven ponies and one dragon was at the alicorn's side while the white celestial mare slowly landed behind them, her weapons bursts into solar energy, vanishing into nothingness. The towns' ponies stared at the scene before them as the lunar alicorn, who was watching the scene, now made her way to the gathered ponies.

Unbeknownst to the gathered ponies and princesses, a dark crimson set of hues watched the gathering from the darkness, high upon a cliff, overlooking the town. The hues belonged to a black cloaked pony. They were clad from head to hoof by a cloak, completely covering the pony from sight. The cloak prevented the pony's identity from being revealed as they stood and watched the gathering below. The cloak's hood shrouding their face in shadow as a low growl escaped the pony before a deep rumble of a voice escaped the cloaked spectator. "Our plan failed. The outsider must be eliminated if we're to free our queen." As deep as the voice was, it was clearly a male's voice. The deep crimson hues stared at the gathered ponies below with an almost hungry glint.

With another low growl, the pony stood thinking on how their long planning failed. They refused to accept such a thing. They will have their queen and it didn't matter who got in their way. They'd eliminate all who stood in their path. If their plans were to succeed, they'd have to eliminate the outsider. The only question was, how? Surely, the one they sought after would notice when something happened to them. Their target was connected with the outsider, so if something were to happen, their target would know immediately. However, at that thought, the shadow blanketing the pony's face parted a bit to reveal a sinister grin as well as deadly sharp eyeteeth. As a new plan formed in their mind, the pony began laughing maniacally before they faded from existence, leaving behind a faint whisper on the winds. "Soon, my queen."

Far away, in an unknown location, a strange cloaked pony appeared from the darkness. They appeared in front of a mountain side. The pony strolled forward and into the wall, which shimmered and rippled as the pony passed through. Once inside, the pony was greeted by three other cloaked ponies. The newcomers bowed deeply to the lone pony, which said pony, gave a curt nod before strolling off into the hidden cavern. The three ponies stood up before following after, only for the middle of the three to speak up in a deep but strangely feminine tone. "Master...was the plan successful?" Not bothering to falter in their stride, the apparent leader gave a small nod before they pulled out a small vial of purple goo. "I'm afraid not, but you needn't worry, my subjects, I have another plan in mind. Now, Nightshade, I have an important mission for you." The middle of the three ponies nodded once before the master continued again. "Take Scarlet Moon and Silent Shadow. I need you three to gather me some important ingredients." The four ponies stopped as the leader turned and passed the middle one a sheet of paper, in which the middle pony nodded once before the three faded from existence.

The master went on his way through the cavern, mulling over his new plan to bring his beloved queen back into the world. The very thought of his queen returning, sent a delightful chill down his spine. However, he had to push his plan to the side for a few moments because it was feeding time. Grinning a fanged smile, the master made his way to a bared cell in the cavern's wall, stopping in front of it. With a tap to the bars, the master spoke up. "Wake up, my dear." The master's voice was soft and almost like a father speaking to his daughter.

Inside the dark room, a lone earth pony stepped out from the shadows. It was a pony, no older than a filly, probably the same age as the cutie mark crusaders. The filly had a pink coat, a light purple mane with a white streak running through it and a matching tail, which both were a complete mess as if they've not been washed or brushed in several days. On her flank, she bore the image of a diamond studded tiara. However, she lacked her namesake that stood atop her head as she glared at the older, cloaked pony that stood outside her cell. The master only chuckled softly as he took in her state. Her coat had dirt and filth all over it, some red dried stains and she was holding up her front left hoof as if she couldn't stand on it.

The filly limped towards the cell door, glaring at the cloaked pony, who in turn, just smiled a fanged smile. "Like, what do you want, freak?" The filly sneered at the older pony as she stopped before the cell door, glaring up at the master with unbridled hatred. The sneer and glare from the filly did nothing to cause a reaction out of the cloaked pony, who only smiled down at her. "Now, is that anyway to speak to your father, little missy?" The master asked in a gentle but firm tone but the filly only spat at the master's hooves before reaching behind her, into the darkness, and pulled out her namesake tiara, in which she wasn't wearing, and threw it at the cloaked pony. The tiara slid between the bars of her cell and flew at the older pony's head, only to be caught by the pony's hoof with the speed a normal pony could never follow. "You're not my daddy, freak! He'd never lock me up in a disgusting cave like this!" The bratty filly cried out in defiance.

The cloaked pony merely chuckled as he dropped the tiara, which caused a metallic clank to ring out. Smiling that fanged smile, the pony reached up and pulled his hood back to reveal a chestnut colored earth pony stallion with a jet black mane, which was combed back. His eyes, which were normally a gentle blue, were now a deep crimson. His smile, which was still a gentle one, revealed his deadly sharp eyeteeth. "My dear, I only did what I had to." Filthy Rich chimed before opening the cell and stepped inside, locking it back behind him.

The filly's eyes widened as she stepped back several steps, now shaking in fear. Her captor was now in her cell with her, standing between her and the door, which was now locked. She was cornered with no way out as her father slowly, almost predatory, strolled forward, closing in on his terrified daughter. Filthy opened his maw to reveal his long fangs as he reached out with his hoof, using speed the filly had no chance in tracking or dodging, grabbing her by the throat and picking her up in the air, letting her dangle in mid air. "Don't worry, my dear. I won't kill you. In due time, you'll come to accept your role as a blood bank." With that said, he slowly brought his fangs down to the filly's neck.

The lavender alicorn awoke to the feeling of somepony snuggling with her. Her lavender hues cracked open, revealing she was in her room within her castle. Turning her head to the side, her vision was filled with pink and scars. Blinking a bit, a small smile formed on her maw as she turned to her side, laying a bat wing over the sleeping pink unicorn. As soon as her wing stretched out and lay across the pink mare, said mare stirred a bit as her own hues cracked open. With a yawn, Weepy Cry rolled over to face the lavender princess. Just as she rolled to face the princess, Twilight surprised the pink unicorn with a kiss, which caused the mare to squeak in surprise. With a giggle and a playful smirk, the princess greeted her beloved. "Good morning, dear." Weepy giggled softly as she seemed to snuggle closer with the lavender alicorn, planting a couple tiny kisses to her lips and a teasing kiss to her ear, in which caused the vampire's ear to twitch. "Morning to you as well, princess." The scared up unicorn greeted with a sweet smile. "So, any plans for this morning?" She asked with a tilt of her head as she sat up on her haunches before she gave a small, cute yawn. Twilight fallowed sult, setting up and yawning softly before she shook her head. "Anything you wish, my dear. Today is your day off, is it not?" Weepy lifted her front hooves up above her head, stretching lightly before she nodded a bit. "Yep, meaning I have all day to spend with my princess." At the use of her title, Twilight usually scolded whoever used it, getting them to drop it but when the pink unicorn used it, the vampire seemed to blush.

After giving her own light stretch, the princess gently climbed out of bed and trotted over towards the bathroom, only to stop and peer over her at the pink mare still on the bed. "Weepy, what you did last night was incredibly foalish, not to mention reckless." Weepy frowned and looked down at the bed as her ears laid back against her skull, only for a moment before the vampire chimed again. "But I'm glad you did. Now, if only you'd let me put a set of armor on you. You'd make a perfect royal knight." The vampire giggled and winked before proceeding through the bathroom doors, leaving the pink unicorn alone with a frown but now sported a dark blush on her cheeks. After a couple moments, the pink mare stepped out of the bed, stretching her front hooves out and lowering her chest to the floor as her tail end lifted behind her, stretching like a cat would before she trotted over to a nearby full body mirror and starred at her reflection within it. Her head tilted to one side as her mind seemed to wonder, picturing herself sporting a set of shiny dark lavender armor. After a couple moments, she shook her head, banishing such thoughts before she proceeded to the bathroom as well, joining her beloved princess for their morning bathing.

Exactly two hours and forty-five minutes later, both mares excited the bathroom with a towel around their mid section. Normally, a bath would never take nearly that long but the two couldn't help themselves. The water was perfect, they were the only ones in the bathroom, they were married, plus the vampire was always a bit...hot under the collar in the mornings, something the timid unicorn was more than happy to oblige in. "Oh, I just remembered. I promised Applebloom and the others that I'd do a little investigating in the disappearance of their friend Diamond Tiara. She's been missing for nearly a month now." Twilight spoke up as she stopped in front of their bed, pulling the towel off and folding it before placing it on the side of the bed. Weepy stepped over to the large dresser with a mirror, grabbing a mane brush to begin the process of making herself presentable. "Yeah, I remember the crusaders going up to everypony in town asking if they've seen her." She paused as she tapped her chin with her left hoof, the brush held aloof in her magic for a couple moments before resuming brushing her mane. "Come to think of it, I've not seen much of that business pony, Filth Rich, either. He's Diamond's father, isn't he?" She questioned as she peered over at the alicorn as she donned her regalia. "Yep, he's also the most wealthiest pony in town, outside royalty, of course. You don't think there's a connection between the two, do you?" Twilight asked as she strolled up beside the unicorn after she finished donning her royal vestments. Of course, seeing her wife in them, the unicorn cocked a brow questionably. Seeing the unicorn's reaction, she paused before peering down at herself, only to giggle a bit. "I've got court this morning, plus I'll be officially heading the investigation. So, I must look the part, after all." The alicorn explained pecking the unicorn's cheek softly. "I'll see you in a few hours, my timid little knight." With that, the alicorn strolled out her royal bedchambers and towards the throne room, dreading the long and most boring part of being a princess. With a sigh, she formed her royal mask, before entering her throne room.

"The answer is, and always will be, no, Blueblood. I'm already married, you know this. Besides, my proverbial barn door doesn't swing that way." The princess stated eveningly as she sat on her throne, staring down the last, so called, nobleof Canterlot, she ever wanted to see. The arrogant unicorn stood before her with a disappointed frown upon his maw. He had, on several occasions, appeared before the alicorn proposing to her, even though he clearly known said princess was already married. Like most of the so called elite, he was strongly against same sex couples, claiming them to be unnatural but every time, the princess had to shoot the arrogant prince. However, she had to give him credit. He was quite persistent. "It's unbecoming of a princess to involve themselves, not only with commoners but in such unnatural behavior! What's more, it clearly states in old Equestrian law that if a princess were to take on a consort, they are to produce a legitimate heir within the first two years of courting!" The prince argued with a smug smirk adoring his face. "Those laws don't mean anything to me, or else I would have studied them years ago. I am immortal, Blueblood. As is Princess Celestia, Princess Luna, and princess Cadence. It's still in the works if my niece is immortal or not but I digress. I am not Celestia, Blueblood. I will not give into your every whim to keep you happy out of fear of public image. Now, I hereby ban you from my court for the next two years. Guards!" As she called out, two large stallions, one unicorn and one pegasus, both clad in dark lavender armor with a pink six pointed star adoring the front of the chest plate, stepped out from the shadows on either side of the prince. Blueblood looked around then back to the princess, rage now adoring his face. "You can't do this to me! I'm a prince! I have every right to be here! You can't ban me from court!" The prince called out in rage.

The princess stood from her throne and slowly descended the stairs that led up to her throne. The guards took one look at their princess and took several steps back. The prince was to into his rage to take notice but the lights seemed to dim a bit, while the illusion hiding her wings and fangs rippled but only for a second. "Blueblood, you forget your place. You are a prince but I am an immortal alicorn princess. I have no better. I can't ban you from court? I just did. If you refuse to leave my castle, I'll be forced to show you, exactly why I have no better. In terms of status and power. Is that understood?" The entire time, the prince was oblivious to what was happening, so enthused with his ranting. "No! I don't understand how a mere commoner like yo-" The prince's rant was stop dead when something seemed to grip at his core. A simple look. He made the mistake of looking into the princess' eyes during his rant, in which her eyes had gained a deep crimson hue and seemed to glow for a bit. "Guards. Remove this trash." Her voice, although calm and collective, seemed to vibrate the very air around them. The guards, taking this time to remove the prince before things got out of hoof, took the prince on each side and escorted him out of the castle.

In the meantime, the princess' eyes returned to lavender and the glow ceased as she turned to her scribe with a wry smile upon her maw. "Ink Well, I think I'll call it a day here. Dealing with that sorry excuse for a noble seems to have drained me." The tan unicorn mare standing to the left of her throne smiled sweetly and nodded in understanding. It had been a couple hours since she opened court, which was actually rather short compared to other court sessions but she really wanted to end it early to get started on her investigation into the disappearance of Diamond Tiara and Filthy Rich.

The drained princess nodded once to the scribe before turning and exiting the throne room through the door off to the right of her throne, intending to get a few moments rest before she headed out to meet with her investigation team. Something about the disappearance of the filly and her father just didn't sit right with the alicorn. Staring down at the floor as her body moved on auto-pilot, strolling through the corridors of her castle, towards her bedchambers. As she spaced out, her mind wandered to the father and daughter's disappearance. Normally, she'd chalk the strange feeling she had up to her nerves but she couldn't. At least, not this time. Something about Diamond Tiara and Filthy Rich vanishing as they had, seemed a bit off as if they hadn't just vanished for no reason.

As the princess' mind swirled with thoughts and theories as to what the feeling was about, her train of thought soon derailed as she heard her name called out. "HEY TWI!" She stopped in her tracks as she turned to see Rainbow Dash flying her way with a smile and a wave of her hoof. "Oh, hey, Rainbow. What brings you by?" The princess greeted and asked as she turned fully to her friend. The rainbow maned pegasus smirked as she landed before the alicorn. "Oh, no reason, was just happened to be taking my usual flight, when I seen you through a window looking lost in thought. So, spill, egghead. What's on your mind?" The brash pegasus explained and asked as she cocked a brow. The guards and servants that wandered the halls paid the two no mind, having grown use to the familiarity the princess and her circle of friends shared. Turning to see the servants and guards lining the halls, the princess turned to the friend and nodded with a grim look. "Not here." She whispered before she motioned with her head for the pegasus to follow her. Taking the hint, the rainbow maned mare trotted off behind the alicorn, towards her bedchambers.

"Alright, egghead. We're alone now. So, spill! What's up?" The pegasus chimed impatiently, wanting to know why her friend looked so lost in thought moments ago and bore such a grim expression. The princess strolled across her room to the open window, closing the curtains before turning back to the pegasus. As she did, she closed her eyes and sighed deeply. "There's been two disappearances in town, Dash." She began as her illusions around her wings, and fangs rippled, fading away, exposing her bat wings and sharp fangs. Her friends knew of her vampirism, so she didn't mind dropping her illusions in front of an of them, thus why she closed the curtains, blocking any passerby from peering into her bedchambers. "Diamond Tiara and Filthy Rich have been missing for a month and nopony has seen hide nor hair of either of them. I have a strange feeling their disappearance isn't just a coincidence. I have this feeling that they are connected in some way but I don't know what." As the princess explained, the pegasus sat there, listening before she too, gained a grim expression. Normally, when the princess had such a feeling, she was usually correct. And, if something was happening within Ponyville, may Faust help them all. The Great Darkness flashed through her mind, causing her to visibly shiver at the mere thought.

The pegasus strolled passed the princess and stood, staring off in space with her back facing her alicorn friend as she spoke in a slightly shaky tone. "Wh-what do you th-think might be going on, Twi?" Rainbow Dash was the type to never show fear, no matter what. However, even she couldn't stop the slight fear that slipped into her voice as she peered over her shoulder at her friend. "I do not yet know, Dash. However, I plan on finding out and bringing Diamond and Rich back safely. If something is going on, I'll put a stop to it before it gets out of hoof. I refuse to allow another event like the Great Darkness to occur." As she spoke, her eyes glowed as if showing her determination. The pegasus smiled as she gave a nod before she turned to fully face her friend with her usual cocky grin. "Of course! You can count on me, Twi! Keep me updated, I have to jet. Gotta be at the cloud factory. See ya!" She called as she bolted out the window and into the sky, leaving a rainbow trail in her wake.

Twilight stared at the rainbow trail her friend left, watching as it faded into nothingness before sighing softly and shaking her head. As much as the alicorn wanted to just dismiss the feeling she had as nothing but paranoia, she just couldn't. Something about those disappearances just didn't sit right with her and she was determined to find out. The princess walked to the window her friend escaped from and opened the curtains once again, allowing the afternoon light to bath her bedchambers. Turning, the princess headed for her door as her horn flashed, recasting her illusion spells to hide her wings and fangs. Walking out into the halls, she took a right, headed straight for her investigation team meeting. She had a disappearance to investigate.

"Oh! Good morning, princess! I wasn't expecting you!" The purple maned earth mare chimed as she opened the door to reveal Princess Twilight Sparkle and two ponies, one on either side of her. One, on the left, was a brown unicorn stallion with a reddish-blonde mane and tail, clad in a tan trench coat and sporting a matching fedora. The other, was a black bat pony mare with a dark purple mane and tail, sporting a black trench coat and matching fedora. Both trench coats were long and covered their cutie mark from sight. "I'm sorry to drop by unannounced like this, Mrs Rich. However, I came by to see if I can ask you a few questions, if that were okay? It's about the disappearance of your husband and daughter. I am heading the investigation personally." As the princess explained her unannounced visit, Spoiled Rich waved her left hoof into her home, inviting the three ponies inside. "Oh, why certainly, princess! Anything if it means helping find my beloved husband and beautiful daughter! Would you like some tea?" The rich mare asked as the princess and her team strolled in at the invite, followed with a single shake of her head, denying the mare's question. "No thanks, Mrs Rich. This will take but a moment." The princess followed the earth pony into the living room. Twilight was soon reminded of the nobles back in Canterlot at how the house was massive and filled to the brim with expensive busts, statures, furniture. Anything to show anypony visiting they were very wealthy.

Upon entering the living room, the princess took a seat on an expensive deep purple couch, while her entourage took position behind the couch and their princess, the stallion to her right while the bat mare to her left. "So, Mrs Rich, can you tell us when and where you last seen your husband and daughter please? Don't spare any details. Even the smallest thing could help us find and bring them home." The princess set up straight as a note pad appeared in her magical field as well as a quill, ready to take notes. "Well, I'd say it was about a month ago. Diamond left that morning for school, shortly followed by Filthy. I gave my farewells as well as Diamond her lunch. I got this strange feeling that something was wrong but I just brushed it off as stress and went about my day. When it came time for Diamond to return from school...." Tears began flowing freely as she explained her tale to the princess. "She never showed up. However, I figured she was just taking her time, like always. So, I waited, and waited. After two hours, I got a knock at the door." At this, she paused as she tapped her front hooves together, in which a grey unicorn mare dressed in a maid uniform stepped from the other room with a box of tissues and a cup of freshly brewed tea, placing both on the table in front of her mistress. The maid bowed low to Spoiled but bowed lower to the princess before exiting the room. The extra low bow didn't go unnoticed by the earth pony as her right eye twitched but held her tongue as she picked up a tissue and dabbed at her eyes, "I answered the door, thinking it was Diamond. Oh, how I was going let her how exactly how I felt about her being two hours late. However, much to my dismay, it wasn't my daughter but her teacher, Ms Cheerilee. She let me know my daughter had not attended school that morning. That's when I knew something was wrong. As much as my daughter hated school, well, the learning part, she didn't miss a day. She wasn't the type to skip school. I soon, set out to where Filthy should have been during that time, only to discovered he too, never showed up." That's when the dam broke. Spoiled Rich broke down in uncontrollable sobbing, tears streaming her cheeks.

Through the entire story, Twilight had been taking notes of key information but her notes came to a halt as the rich pony broke down, unable to hold her emotions back any longer. It took five minutes before Spoiled Rich calmed down as the princess watched, unable to say or do anything for the mare, as much as Twilight wished to Faust,that she could. "Is there anything else, Mrs Rich? I know you're hurting and wish for their safe return but if you can remember anything else that could help us. Anything out of the ordinary. Shady looking characters hanging around town, anything." The princess asked in a calm and gentle tone, hoping the rich mare seen something between the time her husband and daughter left that morning and the time her daughter's teacher came by. After a couple moments, the crying mare shook her head slowly, tears still flowing. "No, prin...." She paused for a split second before nodding instead. "Wait a second. I do remember something. I paid it no mind at the time but an hour before Ms Cheerilee showed up, I seen this strange pony standing off in the shadows of the alleyway behind Sugar Cube Corner. The cloak hood was up, shrouding their face and the cloak itself seemed purposely larger than it should have been, as a means to hide the pony's physical characteristic traits, such as gender, cutie mark, etc." Spoiled Rich explained as she dabbed her eyes with a tissue before looking at the princess. "You don't think that strange cloaked pony had anything to do with my family's disappearance, do you, princess?" She asked as fear slowly filled the grieving mare's eyes.

As the Spoiled Rich revealed this new information, the princess jotted down notes. Finally, she closed her note pad, which popped out of existence, a long with her quill. "I am not sure, Mrs Rich, but I intend on finding this mysterious pony." As Twilight replied to the earth mare, she slowly stood from her seat. "Anyway, I believe that'll be all. I'll be on my way. Good day to you, Mrs Rich. And don't worry. I will find both Mr Rich and your daughter. I stake my life on it." With that, the princess gave a small bow, biding Spoiled Rich farewell before turning and heading towards the door, followed by her entourage. "Thank you, princess!" Spoiled Rich called out as the trio exited the Rich estate.

Far away, three cloaked ponies strolled out from the darkness in front of a cliff wall. The lead pony turned their head to and fro, checking if they were followed or not before they strolled forward into the cliff wall, which rippled as the three ponies passed through it. Not stopping in their stride, the cloaked ponies strolled through the dark corridors of the cavern, deep into the mountain. It didn't take long before the trio of ponies to stop in font of a wooden door, which the lead pony lifted their hoof and tapped the door a couple times. As they patiently waited for the door to be answered, the lead pony pulled out a large brown sack, which had a moisture building across its' bottom. After a couple minutes of waiting, the door finally creaked open, revealing a chestnut colored stallion with a sleek black mane. He still wore his cloak but his hood was currently down as he addressed the three ponies. "Ah! Excellent work, my faithful subjects." The stallion gently took the sack in his hoof, pulling it close to him. "Well done you three." The stallion praised the three with a smirk, revealing his sharp fangs. The three ponies dropped into a deep bow. "We live to serve, master." The lead pony replied in a deep, yet strangely feminine tone before they stood. "Glory to the crimson star." All three ponies chimed in unison before turning and retreating back into the cavern's depths.

Filthy looked at the sack and grinned a large fanged smile as his eyes glowed a deep crimson before stepped back, closing his chamber door. The stallion strolled over to a large black caldron sitting atop a fire with a bubbling purple substance inside. Placing the sack on his work table, just to the right of the boiling caldron. "Finally, my queen shall live again and all of Equestria will be her hunting grounds." Filthy proclaimed as he opened the sack, reaching inside and pulled out five items. Some kind of flower roots, a small vial of thick green liquid, a dead caterpillar, what appeared to be a small spleen of some kind, and what seemed like a fruit of some sort. "Shrivelfig." He took the strange fruit and dropped it into the caldron. "Daisy Roots." Next he grabbed the flower roots, dropping them in the bubbling purple substance. Next he picked up the small vial of thick green liquid, uncorking it and pouring it into the caldron. "Leach Juice." Once the vial was emptied, he sat it aside before grabbing the dead caterpillar and small spleen. "One dead caterpillar." He dropped said ingredient into the bubbling mix. "And lastly, the spleen of a rat." He listed as he dropped the bloody spleen into the mix before picking up a long wooden stick, placing it inside the caldron and began stirring with a fanged smile upon his maw.

After a couple moments of stirring, the stallion picked up vial he had waiting on his table and dipped it into the purple substance, which by now was giving off an eerie purple glow that seemed to pulsate in time with a heart beat. Once the vial was filled, Filthy lifted the vial up to eye level, staring at his creation and ticket to reviving his beloved queen. "Soon, my queen. You'll walk among these mortals again." The stallion proclaimed as he threw his head back, letting out a chilling laughter that echoed throughout the cavern's many passageways. Anypony who happened to cross by the secret entrance to the cavern would hear a faint chanting coming from within the mountain. "Long live the queen! Long live the queen!" It sounded like many ponies chanting in unison but it would be faint for anypony that passed by, barely able to make out where the eerie chanting was coming from.

As the night finally settled in across Equestria, the moon glowed brilliantly across the sleeping land. However, if one were to look skyward, they'd take notice of a new star appearing in the sky, next to the moon. Whether it had been there all along but glowed so faint to be noticed, or it just now appearing in the sky, was clear but the eerie thing about the star was, it's glow was unlike the rest. This one glowed with a deep crimson glow, easily out shining even Solaris, which was said to be the brightest star in the sky. Whatever it was, one thing was certain. A darkness was on the horizon and it threatened to smother the light.