//------------------------------// // Prologue 2: Castle Historic // Story: Equestrylvania Chronicles - Demon Child // by Reizthefakebrony //------------------------------// It happened in a moonless night. Twilight, her gang and the rest of Ponyville observed a surreal grave scenario that was the result of what had transpired the last night. The city at the top of the mountain that was supposed to be Canterlot was mercilessly devoured and replaced with a grim palace that almost surpassed it's size. Such sight put the inhabitants of Ponyville in a pure state of awe and tumoil. There was a moment to mourn for the citizen of Canterlot who had perished in the fall of the city. Rarity and Sweetie Bell were the most devastated due to her parents being among the victims. Needless to say that Applejack tried to comfort her with Pinkie taking care of the other crusaders. "Where did this thing came from?" Twilight thought. "And why it destroyed my hometown?" As Twilight was about to say something, Shining Armor approached her and gave her a brief hug. "What about Celestia?" Twilight asked. "Celestia is transported into a hospital in the Crystal Empire under the request of Cadence, but only Twilight and her friends know that." Shining informed. "She's still alive, but as you saw before, she had gruesome injuries." "Wait a minute! What about Luna?" Rainbow Dash demanded. "Wasn't she supposed to be with her." Shining remained silent with a grave expression and then spoke. "She disappeared without leaving a trace. She wasn't even among the debrises." "WHAT!?" Twilight and Rainbow exclaimed ad unison. "Twilight, I need you and your friends to follow me." Shining said. "Cadence is here." "What?" Twilight looked surprised at first but then guessed the obvious. "Well, that cannot be avoided. This incident couldn't be a isolated case. There's something else going there." "Indeed..." Fluttershy said as she gazed at the castle in the distance. "This place gives me this kind of chills like I never felt before in other places." "Shining, we'll follow ya, but I have to remain with Rarity and Sweetie Bell just for a little more," Applejack pointed out. "Take your time," Shining said to Applejack and then turned to Twilight. "Whatever is that thing that destroyed Canterlot in it's wake should be kept in check very strictly. We are in high alert, you know." Another Royal Guard approached him. "We have also multiple funerals to make." "Yes, I thought about that." Shining armor confirmed with a grave tone. As the guards were talking, Applejack took a look at Rarity, who remained silent, with tears flowing down on her cheeks and her teeth gritting with anger. As for Sweetie Bell, she just cried quietly. The country pony turned her attention to Twilight. "You can go. We'll follow you later," Applejack said. "Alright, we will waiting for you." Twilight said. With that, the Mane Six minus Applejack and Rarity followed Shining Armor and his squad. The inhabitants of Ponyville talked with hushed tones and shivered for whatever things the castle will hide. But more importantly, the perception of time has been disrupted since the moonless nights never seemed to end, as if was invoked by the power of the castle itself, and nopony know what spore of madness lies inside of it. Shining Armor and the Mane Six entered inside a tent and stopped in front of Princess Cadence, who was sitting on her personal crystal throne. Shining approached her wife and then turned to the six mares. Needless to say that Cadence noticed Rarity's pain and the awe of the rest of the group. "You know why I called you there?" Cadence asked. "Oh, course. Is because of that abusive castle that destroyed Canterlot in it's wake," Rainbow Dash pointed out. "And killed my parents..." Rarity added with a grave tone. "Do you have any idea of what is that place or what could had summoned it here?" Twilight asked. "I am afraid I have not,." Cadence answered. "What is sure is that doesn't even belong to in this world, judging by it's sculpture and architecture." Before anyone else could open mouth, someone else talked while entering the scene. "It's something that you could ever know it existed in your world, but it existed in another one. It's used as a tribute to a very powerful demon. The sources of it's creation are multiple: Rituals, corrupted aristocracy, darkness and malice." The stranger, being a black maned gray pony, explained as he entered the scene. "And it came from another world." "And you are?" Cadence asked sternly. "Fellon Corte, a simple explorer and scholar of the forbidden arts. But don't worry, i'm doing this for academic purposes." "Forbidden arts?" Twilight flinched. "That isn't something some regular pony should put it's hooves into it," Cadence warned. "I know, but my family studied this matter as well," Fellon remarked. "Besides, I know what this castle is all about." "Really?" Applejack said distrustful. "Because that give us a reason to not trust you yet." "Tell us what you know," Cadence demanded. "This thing... Its known in the human world, in the 1700's, as the Castle of the Eternal Night, something that has nothing to do with Nightmare Moon, but, as I said before, a powerful demon, Lucifer. This castle was built as a tribute to him and their perverted hope that it's revival would spread chaos and destruction in their world. The most iconic mantra about it was very indicative of it." Fellon paused and give the emphasis of his next words the time to adjust themselves. "Before the endless night, there will be the endless day and the sheep will be blinded and burned while their shepherd weeps." Everyone except Fellon shivered upon hearing this chilling motto. If what he said was true, then Equestria is in great peril, a fact made obvious already by the incident itself. However his story wasn't concluded. "To add salt on the injury, the Duchy of Guillecorte had kidnapped one girl to sacrifice her life for the revival of Lucifer... But it failed because Efrain Lecarde, a soldier of the church, thwarted the ritual and managed to slay a very weakened Lucifer and him in the abyss, along with it's castle. However... today... someone in Equestria had summoned the Castle of the Eternal Night, using the entire city of Canterlot and it's inhabitants as tributes." Rarity snapped. "Tribute?.... TRIBUTE!? ARE YOU TELLING ME THAT OUR PARENTS WERE ALSO JUST TRIBUTE!!?" "Rarity! Calm down!" Cadence ordered. "I know how you feel but we have to remain composed, because it's not over." "BUT.." Rarity protested. "Someone wanted to resurrect this demon and his time we were left as the only ones to stop Lucifer's next revival... But how exactly?" "She's right." Felllon butted in. "And if you have noticed, the sun hasn't raised yet and the moon is quiet absent. That castle distort the time and impose it's own idea of night in this world. A eternal one. I won't suggest you to send a expedition of Royal Guards in the castle since we have still Celestia and Ponyville to secure." "..... I think I will take your suggestion at word but not trying anything funny," Cadence informed. "Oh, I won't," Fellon said. "Oh, I forgot to mention. I think that the sacrifice needed to resurrect Lucifer," He pointed at the Mane Six. "Are all of you." The Mane Six gasped. Twilight was about question his declaration when a Royal Guard suddenly stormed inside the tent. "Our majesty! Monsters are coming in Ponyville!" The Royal Guard screamed. "WHAT!?" Cadence said alarmed. "Oh, no." Twilight said with a grave tone. "Not under my watch!" Applejack roared. "Idem," Rainbow Dash added. "This time I won't have any trace of generosity on those ones," Rarity threatened. "And this is just only the beginning." Fellon said