Emerging from the vision with a deep inhale, Daring Do blinked until her mind came back to her. The blood disappeared from the stone bowl, and the symbols etched into the stone ceased to glow. The candles burned quietly, the only sound in the room for a long while. Her eyes wide, the adventurer sat down, trying to process what she had just seen. A piece of history hidden for years it was, and now uncovered, right in front of her eyes, showing her what happened centuries before her birth in impossible detail.
"Now Princess Luna knows the long-forgotten truth," Damu Msemaji finally spoke, breaking the silence and stepping to the pegasus, "I wonder what she will decide about it... As vampires say, blood ties aren't easily cut."
"I have a really bad feeling about it," Daring Do admitted, finally regaining her thoughts. She swiftly stood up, "I think I should return to Vallaer... something bad is going to happen, I feel it."
An image of Lună Roșie flashed before her eyes for just a tiny moment, and yet she knew what it meant. There was no time to be wasted.
"If a clash between King Nicholas and Princess Luna happens, you wouldn't want to be in their way," the zebra shook her head slightly, "But I believe you can still turn the tide of history... It seems like he has a degree of respect for you, and perhaps he will listen. As for Princess Luna... I'm uncertain about her."
"But it's worth a try," the adventurer insisted, pacing back and forth, anxiety evident in her body and voice, "Because, otherwise... history will repeat itself, and the war will happen again."
"That is very true," Damu Msemaji nodded and turned to the exit, "Come, then, I shall send you back to Vallaer with the stallions."
Many wars were fought over the course of history of this world; some more devastating than others. All of them brought suffering, despair, and it often took years to recover. Equestria has known peace for centuries now, but this situation threatened to turn it into ruin. Last time Equestria went to war, it resulted in the rise of the Spirit of Chaos; although he wasn't malignant in the usual sense, his reign left the whole world in disharmony and disarray for many years to come.
Daring Do knew more than others about what a war could bring. Many cities, towns, villages fell, left for the archeologists to rediscover; many pieces of art and documents of science were lost never to be found again. And now, with the threat of war peeking over the horizon once again, the adventurer felt obliged to act quickly lest the threat becomes reality.
No more words were to be said, so Daring Do and Damu Msemaji swiftly ascended to the first floor of the castle. They uttered nothing as they went, haste in their pace. The guards opened the doors for them without question, and soon the vampires were found. They were resting in one of the guest halls, enjoying food and fresh cold juice provided, as well as the company of some zebrican mares. In the dimly-lit hall with its windows curtained, their eyes were bright and glowing. As the pegasus and the Zebrican Queen entered, these viper-like eyes turned to them with interest and wariness.
"You have to return to Vallaer with her at once," Damu Msemaji quickly told them, "We believe your king is in possible danger."
It took a few seconds to process as the vampires shifted their focus from entertainment and relaxation to their duty as member of Vallaer Royal Guard. One of them nodded, standing up from the cushioned sofa. And then he spoke, a thick accent in his voice.
"Very vell," he gestured for other stallions to stand up before politely bowing to the Zebrican Queen, "We sank zee for ze hospitality, and ve houp to vizit Zebrica agein soon."
He walked to one of the doors nearby and knocked on it a few times. A muffled reply came from behind the door, followed by a moan of pleasure, which prompted the vampire to snort in disapproval.
"Le poți plăcere mai târziu, Viorel," he replied hastily, "Regele nostru ar putea fi în pericol și este datoria noastră să-l ajutăm."
Silence was the reply, and a few moments later a vampire named Viorel emerged from behind the door, his mane ruffled, and a zebra mare by his side, looking both relaxed and somewhat displeased. However, a serious expression took over the face of the stallion.
"I shall see thee again, dear," he murmured to the mare, "But I must make haste now, for my duty callth. I apologize for this abrupt leaving."
Without any other issues, all vampires gathered and dressed, then they followed Daring Do and Damu Msemaji to the carriage. The searing sun had begun to set, allowing the vampires to relax just a little bit. However, there was no time to waste, and they quickly put on the harnesses.
"I wish you luck," the Zebrican Queen said to the pegasus, "You will need it."
"Thank you, your majesty," Daring Do nodded, getting into the carriage, "I hope it will all end up alright..."
Luna heard nothing but the beating of her own heart. Staring ahead, she saw nothing and felt nothing. Her limbs moved by themselves as she walked, following Nicholas. Her vision has ended, and yet something else arose in her mind. A memory deep inside, one almost forgotten, for many things were on her mind following her father's death. She remembered when he left and didn't return, but there was no time to search for him, for Discord had risen, bringing a reign of chaos through which Luna had to live her last teenage years. Once the Spirit of Chaos was dethroned and cast in stone for centuries to come, a new threat arose – King Sombra and his reign on the Crystal Empire. A fight ensued, and he was defeated; alas, the empire was gone along with him, and the battle ended in neither victory nor defeat. Following those events, Luna herself succumbed to the darkness when her achievements and her struggles, as well as her gifts, were all ignored in favor of her sister's. But now, she finally remembered what was pushed aside for so long.
Her eyes let out a spark of recognition, and she now had her own vision, unbeknownst to either Nicholas or Twilight Sparkle. The two didn't notice her change of expression, for each of them was focused on their own thoughts and walked in silence. Other vampires did not disturb them, allowing the three to pass in peace. They headed to the castle; it would soon be the time for them to dine together. However, neither the unicorn nor the vampire king were thinking of it at that moment.
"Your majesty..." Twilight Sparkle spoke up, making the ears of Nicholas turn to her, "When will Princess Luna return to us?"
"I'm afraid there is no knowing when she will recover from the shock of her revelation," he replied and glanced at the alicorn, "Others who experienced it often took but a few minutes, but some had taken hours."
A sigh came from Luna. Both the vampire and the unicorn turned to her, but her eyes remained just as detached from the world as before. The next question Twilight Sparkle asked voiced the one Nicholas also had inside his mind.
"And... what did she see?"
"She will either tell us herself or Lună Roșie will," he replied, "Visions are often private, for they are only for those who need to see them. 'Tis not for us to pry unless invited."
Twilight Sparkle nodded and turned away, although it was apparent her curiosity was not fully satisfied. For a while, however, she walked silently behind the Vampire King. They went past the first gate of the castle, entering a relatively narrow passageway with tall walls by either side; the guards were on top of the walls and the towers of the gatehouses, overseeing the area. Twilight didn't miss most of them watching her and Luna with attentiveness and wariness. Beyond the second gatehouse, the castle keep could be seen, tall and proud, carved from the cavern's walls of stone many centuries ago.
As the three reached the second gatehouse, the rest of the ponies appeared and joined them to continue on their way together.
"What happened to Princess Luna?" Rarity asked Twilight, noticing the mind-absent expression of the alicorn. Before Twilight could respond, however, Rainbow Dash spoke up.
"She's enchanted!" she proclaimed, glaring at the Vampire King, "I knew something was wrong!"
Every pony gasped except Twilight, who looked uncomfortable and was unsure of what to say. The group stopped in their tracks, and Nicholas turned to the ponies. The guards on the walls and towers stopped as well, turning their full attention to those down below. Their postures were stiff, and yet they were ready to jump into action. A few guards were tightening and loosening the strings of their crossbows, ready to cock them whenever necessary.
"Thy princess is not under a spell," Nicholas assured, keeping his eyes on the rainbow-maned pegasus. Her posture was lowered, her wings were lifted slightly off her back, and her ears were down. The vampire tried not to enter a similar posture, forcing his body to remain calm. The situation was like a tight string – ready to violently snap if anyone touched it. "Lună Roșie showed her a vision, and now she is processing it."
"I don't believe you," Rainbow Dash replied, her glare unceasing.
"Alicorns, from what I know, are extremelly tough and resilient to magic," Nicholas said in a voice more condescending than he intended, "Dost thou think that I, a vampire without a horn, can cast such magic?"
The pegasus didn't reply, and it looked like the argument completely missed her ears. The string tightened even more.
"If I wanted to, none of you would be here of your own free will," he continued, "'Tis much easier to subdue the six of you than to subdue an alicorn, that much I would expect. And even if I did try to enchant Princess Luna, I wouldn't make it so obvious as for a pegasus with no training in theory, let alone practice of the magic of the mind to notice."
"Oh, you..."
"Rainbow, he's right," Applejack put a hoof on one of her wings, "He... ain't saying ye'r stupid," she glanced at the vampire, who pretended not to notice. However, he did have to suppress a chuckle – his opinion on the intelligence of the pegasus was not very positive after all. "But he has a point, dont'cha think?"
"Hmpf... Alright, fine," Rainbow Dash gave one last glare to the Vampire King, "But if you enchanted her..."
"Then I am more powerful than she is, and thou wouldst have no chance to do anything about it," he snarkily remarked, and the pegasus would've jumped at him if not for Applejack holding her back.
"How uncouth of you, King of Vampires," Rarity commented with more disgust than she probably intended.
"I have to admit 'twasn't polite, indeed, and I apologize" he didn't object, offering a nod instead, surprising everyone, "But the reality of the situation remainth unchanged, I'm afraid. I cannot lie, and while truth can be hurtful or insulting... truth remains truth regardless. Now, please, come with me. This sour situation can only be remedied by a hearty meal, wouldn't you all agree?"
With that being said, Nicholas turned around and led the ponies into the castle in silence. The soft red carpet underneath their hooves muffled the steps, and now their breaths were audible enough to hear. The candles in chandeliers and on the stands burned dimly and quietly, but it was enough to see the general layout of the place. The halls of gothic style invited them with their carved columns and tall arches; different pictures were painted on the walls of the alcoves, attracting the eyes; the sweet smell of the burning incense relaxed the ponies; and tall tapestries hung from the ceiling and columns, telling the visitors of the vampires and their ruler.
"Your majesty..." Twilight Sparkle spoke up, looking at one of the tapestries. She paused for a moment when she heard her voice echoing and reverberating in the halls, adding a feeling of eerieness to the castle, "What does 'sange, bezna, onoare' mean?"
"This is our motto," he replied, following her eyes to the tapestry referenced, "Our sacred values, if thou must. Sânge meaneth blood, which gave us birth, and which we need to live. Beznă meaneth darkness, for it is our home and sanctuary. And onoare meaneth honour, for it is what we value in ourselves and others."
"That's... interesting," Twilight replied slowly, remembering when each of the six ponies touched the sword of Nicholas. However, she decided not to voice her discoveries just yet, and if other ponies understood the implication, then they hid it just like she did. To her fear, however, the Vampire King looked at her, right into her eyes. Shivers ran down her spine, and she felt like he already knew her thoughts regarding the connection. Her ears slightly drooped, which didn't go unnoticed by him. However, this exchange of looks ended when he turned away, allowing her to relax.
Nicholas, as royal as he was, did not seem anywhere close to Celestia or Luna in terms of friendliness or, dare Twilight think, kindness. There was an aura of tension around him, and the fact that he was as tall as the older princess didn't help. His words struck as a sword, piercing the veil that could cover or boggle the very truth. As dissimilar to the Equestrian princesses as he was, the same aura of wisdom and knowledge surrounded him as well. If Celestia and Luna knew great many a thing about ponies, then Nicholas was a trove of knowledge regarding the vampires, creatures that were regarded as myths for centuries. And now, she had the chance to unearth the answers to the questions she had.
"Your majesty, so this motto, the Red Moon..." Twilight Sparkle began, gaining his attention, "Are all parts of your faith?"
"Faith?" the Vampire King raised a brow and looked at the unicorn.
"Y-yes, faith," she nodded nervously, "Or religion... whichever is more correct, I suppose."
"In thine eyes, perhaps our life is based faith... Thou canst say that it is religion," he replied, "But it is not. All religions have faith, and faith is belief... belief without evidence. We have evidence, for only the things that are evident can be of any value. Truth is the only thing that matterth, and we must strive to achieve it."
"Then what is the evidence?" Twilight blurted out, only to realize that such things often led to bad situations. She had read many books of history, and questioning core beliefs of someone or demanding evidence could often lead to unpleasant things regardless of whether their beliefs held any truth. However, the reaction she elicited from Nicholas was not of that sort.
"I have heard the Spirit of Chaos emerged recently," he began, his voice calm and collected, "Discord roamed the land, plunging it into disharmony. Dost thou have any doubts about him being real?"
"No, I don't," Twilight shook her head, but she couldn't yet see where he was leading.
"Lună Roșie is a Spirit as well," he continued, "A Spirit of Blood and, in part, of life. Unlike Discord, She hath no need for a physical body. However, She requireth vessels of Her power, which we vampires are."
"But you weren't a vampire forever, right?" the unicorn asked, "Even if you were born one, you were, well... born. Where was Luna Roshie before then?"
"She was weak, but She was still there, and She was looking for those willing to accept Her and what She brought," Nicholas explained, "She found me... and found us. I have stricken a deal, for I required what She could provide. Under certain conditions, of course, but I could accept these conditions and I still do."
"And what-" Twilight began saying her next question but was interrupted by a certain pegasus.
"Ugh, can we get to the food already?" Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes.
Silence fell on the group like a hammer on an anvil. Twilight Sparkle's eyes widened in disbelief, and she looked at her friend with both disappointment and fear. Applejack fought the urge to berate Rainbow Dash for what she had just said. Rarity covered her mouth with her hoof. Fluttershy looked at her long-time friend with disapproval, but fear also creeped into her as she awaited the reaction of the Vampire King. Pinkie Pie, who was bouncing just a few moments before, stopped and turned to Rainbow Dash, giving her the same look of disapproval and disappointment everyone else was giving her.
Nicholas, for a moment, was unmoving; then, he slowly turned around to face the pegasus fully. His eyes passed over the rest of the ponies, and he was deeply surprised by their reactions. He did expect Twilight Sparkle to disapprove of such behavior, but not the rest of the group. Regardless, his own eyes were glaring at the pegasus with unhidden disgust.
Realizing her fault, Rainbow Dash released a quiet swear under her breath.
"Thou art..." Nicholas hissed, lowering his head, "As insolent as thou art ignorant, art thou not?" he stepped closer, forcing the ponies to take a step back, "An opportunity to learn presenteth itself to thee, and all thou carest about is filling thy stomach?"
The pegasus stared into his angered eyes, but even she couldn't fight the intensity of his glare. She lost the challenge and looked away. Her pride might not allow her to directly admit her fault, but to everyone else, it was apparent she realized her mistake.
"For the sake of thy friends, I shall allow thee to stay," Nicholas said, his voice now calmer, "Perhaps, thou shalt learn through thy stubborness and willful ignorance. For now, thou shouldst be silent, for I am uncertain whether I can handle thy insolence. Neither am I sure I want to handle it."
A small pause ensued, allowing his words to sink in. When he spoke again, his voice was calm, and his glare disappeared from his face.
"I speak of insolence, and yet here I stand, underdressed for the occasion," he let out a small chuckle, "What hypocricy... it must be remedied at once, I believe. I shall leave you with a guard to find the way to the dining hall, and I shall return in appropriate attire for accepting guests into my domain. Please, excuse me," he turned to one of the guards nearby and gestured for him to come closer, "Sandru, please escort our guests to the dining hall."
"Very well, my king," the guard bowed, "But who will replace me at my post?"
"Stelian, to my knowledge, should be available in reserve," Nicholas tapped his chin, "I shall notify him on my way."
With that being said, the Vampire King departed, soon disappearing behind a corner while the ponies were led further into the castle by the guard named Sandru. Twilight Sparkle had yet to have her curiosity fully satisfied, and so she spoke again soon.
"Sir Sandru... may I ask you a couple of questions?" she politely inquired.
"As long as it doth not concern what I cannot know or forbidden to answer, yes," he replied with a nod, defining the lines quickly.
"I noticed that you vampires have unusual names. That is, unusual by our standards," the unicorn said somewhat awkwardly, letting out a small cought immediately after it. Then, she asked: "What is the meaning behind those names?"
"The meaning of our names come from many languages and adapted to our own," he explained, "My name meaneth 'defender'. The other name thou hast heard, Stelian, meaneth 'pillar'."
"Your names sound beautiful," Rarity added to the conversation, "Rather poetic, too."
"I appreciate thy compliment, miss," Sandru nodded politely, "Your own names sound beautiful, although they are... somewhat too direct and often too long for our own liking."
Before Twilight Sparkle could ask more questions, someone called her; someone no one else heard. Rarity got the attention of the guard, and so the lavender unicorn focused her mind on the call she heard. Immediately, it sounded again.
"Twilight..."
She turned to Princess Luna and nearly gasped when she saw her aqua eyes open wide and staring right into her own.
"Please, be silent," the alicorn telepathically said, "It is of great importance that you do not give away my return to reality. We're led into a trap, I'm certain of it."
"What did you see in the vision?" Twilight asked, unable to rein in her curiosity.
"Something that cannot be true," the alicorn replied hastily, "It just... can't be, I'm sure of it. We must make our way to Canterlot and inform my sister of what is happening here. Now, here's what you must do..."