The throne room was silent after I'd relayed what I'd done.
When I read Sunbeam's letter and realized how serious a situation it was, I'd ordered Graggle to call for the Mayors and any Diamond Dogs he felt should be involved to come to the castle for a war meeting.
Then, I reread the letter and went cold with anger from realizing what happened to Celestia.
I shuddered and adjusted on my throne, focusing on the silver lining: the Storm King could reverse it, and my ability to browbeat some dorky mortal warlord with a James Bond-ass magic gadget arsenal was the one thing I was confident in. I'd already trashed one of his ships without any problem.
It was the three human-vampires in his service that gave me pause. But that was all what this meeting was about. Looking over the attendees, I saw reactions were mixed.
Blueblood and Briefs were beaming with pride, while Lace looked to be on the verge of a frothing rant, and Cap and Doily had this distant, haunted look in their eye and kept shooting glances at Briefs. Starlight was pacing around the table, deep in thought, while Graggle, Quilt, and Hasty digested the idea that I'd sank an airship with my bare hands.
Sunbeam and Cozy weren't in attendance and had retreated to Cozy's room with my blessing.
"So.. what now?" Doily asked, breaking the silence. I sighed and relaxed in my seat.
"Well, that's what we're here to discuss," I knit my fingers together and folded my legs. "I need thoughts and input before proceeding." Lace took a shaky breath and leaned on the table.
"So, you must have some idea for us to think about, then?" She practically hissed. I nodded.
"The Equestrian refugees are free to stay here at Ramstead, but I'd like to take maybe fifty dogs up to Canterlot in the airship and see about abducting the Storm King. That should give us leverage against his whole army," I explained. "And there should be a cache of ash wood weapons aboard the ship we can use against the other vampires." Lace was about to shout something, but Briefs spoke first.
"Wonderful! Best of luck! When will you be leaving?" He asked with a smile until I held up a hand and motioned to Lace. She blinked as if stunned at my gesture, giving Briefs a look before speaking.
"I understand you and the princess became close by means I still don't understand," she began, sighing as she spoke. "But if you go picking a fight with some conquering warlord, you'll bring his attention to us! It'll be even worse if you remove our standing army. I can't support your plan, Prince." Briefs glanced at her and moved to say something before I replied.
"His attention's probably going to fall on us either way. The captain I killed was in the middle of this big propagandized speech when I showed up," I explained, staring at the ceiling in thought. "Topics of fate and inevitable conquest were thrown around. I don't think a dictator or warmonger who's got guys like that working for him is going to leave his neighbors in peace." I gestured to the Equestrians present.
"Look at it like this: you really think Celestia did something to antagonize him?" I asked. Lace blanched and sank into her seat as I shook my head. "Personal and mighty grievance aside, I still think the best course of action is proactive."
"I agree," Doily of all sheep said. I gave her a surprised look as she continued. "If the Storm King is left in Equestria, he'll eventually come for us. Vampires or no, even with our full compliment of one hundred and fifty guard dogs, I can't imagine we can weather a full assault from him." I choked.
"One fifty? Since when?!" I screamed. Graggle jumped, and I shot him a look of fury.
"Ah! We had a few volunteers arrive when word spread that you were paying your dogs and giving away weapons and armor," he explained with a sheepish smile that wilted when my glare hardened.
"A FEW?" I snarled.
"It happened gradually while you were busy with magic or other affairs! I thought it was fine!" He retorted, throwing his paws in the air. I beat my head against the back of my throne.
"You coulda slid an update my way, man!"
"You trust me with a slew of other tasks and no expectation of report," he waved a paw of dismissal. "You're overreacting."
"Still, I'd prefer to know who I'm paying, y'know?"
"I handle our finances," he said stabbing the table with a claw before folding his arms and huffing. "You just teleport around and sexually harass the staff."
"OH!" I shot up to my feet, and he did the same. We stomped towards each other and raised a finger or claw in preparation for our debate.
"ANYWAY!" Starlight cried, teleporting between us and looking up at me. "I think Doily had more to say?"
Graggle and I shared a look before turning our backs with our arms folded.
"Proceed," I huffed at Doily. She blinked and nodded.
"Well, I was just going to say that while we probably can't handle an invasion of that sort," she looked at me firmly. "If Prince Peter and a portion of the army attack first, he might catch the Storm King off guard. Even without the prince's power, I think that has the highest chance of success."
"Seconded," Cap declared with a stamp of his hoof, before taking out his watch. "And besides, Celestia is needed to set the sun. It's been nearly a day and a half of daylight, by my count." Lace screwed her face up, before nodding.
"Agreed," she finally said. The only one silent was Briefs, who was studying his peers closely.
"Do you have something to add, Briefs?" I asked. His eyes met mine and he smiled.
"Only how nice it is to see us unified for the same end," he declared. "My vote makes four. All of Woollachia goes with you, Prince Peter."
I took a breath and shared a look with Graggle, who nodded after a moment and bowed.
"As ever, the Diamond Dogs and myself are at your disposal, O' Prince of Darkness," he looked up at me with a raised eyebrow. "Despite your occasional insufferability and questionable proclivities." I looked over the room and bowed.
"Thank you for your support, everywooly. Now, let's discuss-"
"AUGH," Quilt gagged, and the rest of the table groaned.
"Don't do that," Briefs said with a deeply furrowed brow and clenched eyes.
"Just sounds wrong when he says it," Doily muttered.
"Glad it's not just me," Cap nearly whispered. Even the Equestrians seemed displeased.
"You can all go straight to hell!" I yelled.
Sunbeam had finally stopped wailing, but she still clung to Cozy with all her might. And as a royal guard, despite her demeanor, that might was considerable. But Cozy didn't mind. She'd expected as much and tried to return her friend's hug with equal fervor.
The ticking clock on the wall was now the only noise in the room, as they sat quietly on Cozy's bed together.
"Sunbeam?" Cozy asked. Sunbeam hummed in response. "I think Peter's going to Canterlot." Sunbeam sniffled and held on tighter.
"If he is, I'm going too," Cozy declared. Sunbeam shot up and looked into her determined eyes. "I didn't know Holder at all, but I can't just sit by and ignore some monster who hurt my friend like this."
The clock ticked on as Sunbeam stared.
"They're not like Peter," she finally croaked.
"I know," Cozy said with a curt nod. "But they still follow the rules. And that means we can beat them." Sunbeam wiped her eyes with a hoof.
"That's true," she whispered, finally releasing Cozy.
"And that's another thing!" Cozy declared hopping down and moving to her worktable. "Last night, or whenever it was, Quilt helped me figure out more serious means of vampire slaying." She moved some of her notes around and grabbed the item she was looking for.
"For instance, when Peter flew off, I whipped this together," she presented her invention. Sunbeam flinched.
"Th-that's just.."
"Yep! But if Quilt and I got it right, it'll chase back any vampires who lay eyes on it!" Cozy snickered wickedly. "I'm going to test it on Peter later." Sunbeam looked between her friend and the thing she held in her hoof, before snorting and then laughing.
"Thanks, Cozy," she said, fluttering to her friend and hugging her again.
"I was being serious, but I'm glad to help!" Cozy declared. Sunbeam giggled and looked at the trinket in Cozy's hoof. It reminded her of the oaths she swore when Captain Holder recruited her: To defend the Princesses and Equestria to the best of her ability. She clenched her eyes and took a breath, snapping her wings out and back again.
"I think I'm going too."
Quilt watched from the balcony as scores of Diamond Dogs came marching up to load supplies onto the airship floating near the gate. She'd never seen anything like it. So many creatures, all getting ready to fight. To kill.
"Crazy," she whispered with a shudder.
"Sure is something, hm?" Quilt jumped and whirled around to see Briefs smiling at her. Quilt shuffled her hooves as the Mayor came up beside her and stared down at the army.
"Will you be joining the prince?" Briefs asked pleasantly. Quilt blinked at the question.
"Why would I do that?" Quilt she asked back.
"All those tricks Old Gruff taught you," Briefs explained, still smiling without looking at her. "Every advantage would help." Quilt was about to retort when he continued.
"Or maybe it's been too long?" He asked. "Maybe his lessons didn't stick well enough."
"What?" Quilt asked quietly and evenly. Briefs flinched and looked at her.
"Oh! I didn't mean to imply anything about your Grandfather," he explained with a chuckle. "Just that it's been so many years, and perhaps things just.. slipped the mind perhaps."
Quilt stared hard into his smiling face before turning and heading for the door.
"Don't worry, Mayor Briefs!" she said as she slipped back inside, and made for the throne room. "I remember plenty."
"Glad to hear it!" Briefs called before turning and smiling down at the army.
I looked over my table in the library. Resting on a cloth were six ash stakes, a wood cutting axe, a crossbow, and a set of ash bolts.
We'd turned over the stolen airship and found plenty of hidden vampire killing caches, which we were having distributed amongst the hundred dogs who'd be accompanying us. Quilt and I had also spread the word about how to make sure a vampire stays dead.
Same rules as a ghoul. Stab them with wood, cut the head off, and burn the whole body. The idea of using sunlight was thrown around, but according to Starlight there was a large storm cloud machine deployed in the city square, so the whole of Canterlot was likely under perpetual cloud cover.
However, this became my first objective. It'd put me at risk, but if we took that machine down, the sun still in the sky would level the playing field for everyone else.
I set aside the crossbow and axe and carefully wrapped up the wooden items. I hummed as I tightened the bundle.
If these three other vampires were, as Celestia put it, lost to the dark, there was only one thing to do.
"Doesn't make the idea of killing a human any easier," I thought, squeezing the bundle.
That thought was making me feel guilty for a different reason.
I'd just trashed an entire ship of Storm Beasts, and I'd murdered Boss with my teeth and then again with an axe, neither of which bothered me much after the fact.
The idea of being comfortable with killing was now rattling around my brain, but it hit a brick wall in the form of me now hesitating when faced with another human or human-shaped being. Why did it matter? Worse, why did I care if it mattered? I'd killed plenty already.
Do I just not see the creatures of this planet as people? Is that a vampire thing? Why-
"Prince Peter? May I come in?" Frill called after knocking at the library door.
"Sure thing, Frill," I replied without looking at the door. I heard the gentle noise of her hooves as she approached.
"Ah, you see, Peter?" She said when she was next to me. "Asking first, then entering!" I groaned as she giggled.
"I'm sorry, Frill," I muttered as she nudged my knee.
"Oh, I know," she said with another giggle. "Now, what's getting to you?" I looked down at her.
"That obvious?"
"I was passing by and saw you staring at your kit for a very long time," she said, sitting on the floor. I huffed and leaned on the table.
"I don't know if I'm ready to kill another vampire," I said.
"Is that all?" Frill asked with astonishment. I blinked.
"Isn't that enough?"
"I don't mean to downplay your concerns, but you won't be challenging them alone, Peter," she replied. I folded my arms and hummed.
"That's another thing," I grumbled. "I said to Quilt a while back I was worried about you all putting your faith in me. I'm worried someone's going to get hurt because I let you all down."
"Goodness me," Frill sighed. "You destroyed an entire ship all on your own and you're still second-guessing yourself?"
"That was one ship with no other vampires aboard."
"You don't give yourself enough credit, except when you want to be funny," Frill patted my leg and smiled at me. "Think of it like this! The sooner you finish up in Canterlot, the sooner you can come back, and peep on me." I choked and slipped off my feet, to her great amusement.
"Why?" I huffed from where I sat. She stepped closer and nuzzled my cheek.
"Got you out of your head, at least," Frill said with a wink and a smile. I looked her in the eyes. Even without my Evil Eye, I could see the genuine trust she had in me.
I smiled back.
"Thank you, Frill."
"No problem at all, Peter."
In the throne room, I found Starlight, Hasty, and Blueblood explaining the details of vampire slaying to the pony guards, as well as Graggle giving some instructions to Twitch. The smaller dog was ill-fit for a battle, and there was a high chance we'd find one. So he'd nominated Twitch to take his place as my commander.
These were all things I expected to find. Cozy, Quilt, and Sunbeam prepping a man-sized polished black coffin, however, was not.
"What are you doing?" I asked coming up behind them. The three looked up at me.
"We're getting your coffin ready!" Cozy said with a smile. I rubbed my eyes.
"Why?"
"Canterlot may be under cloud cover, but the rest of Equestria isn't," Quilt explained. "You'll need this for emergencies."
"It's completely enclosed, so not a drop of light can slip in!" Cozy beamed. I hummed and sighed.
"Fair enough," I relented and looked at Sunbeam, blinking when I noticed she was in her armor. In fact, I only then noticed that Cozy was kitted out with various tools and bags hanging from some weird sheep-fit duster coat. And a goddamned Van Helsing-ass hat.
Noticing I was staring, she struck a pose.
"No," I said firmly. She huffed indignantly. "It's too dangerous for the goofy stuff you've been hurling at me."
"Not up to you!" Cozy retorted smugly. "And Quilt helped me refine my art. I've got actual vampire-killing tools now." She took a menacing step towards me and brandished a polished metal disk in the shape of a stylized sun that made me flinch and cry out.
"Wh-"
"It's Celestia's cutie mark!" She said waving it around in a way that made me shudder. "And that reaction tells me we were right on the money!"
I took a look at Quilt, only then realizing I'd retreated a few steps. She grinned at me.
"It's a pretty obscure one, so I never mentioned it. Certain symbols can ward the undead if they're made of the right material and properly cared for," she tilted her head towards Cozy's dreadful little trinket. "Celestia's cutie mark made from thin gold and polished with sunflower seed oil."
"Take's a bit of guesswork, but, in this case, we pulled it off!" I gawped as Cozy hid the tool of terror. Cutie mark crucifixes, fantastic.
Wait..
"The fuck's a cutie mark?" The group blinked at my question.
"How do you not know?" Sunbeam huffed, presenting the side of her flank. On it was a tattoo of a stylized sun splitting some clouds. "Ponies get them when we discover our special talent. Haven't you noticed?"
I rolled my head and looked at the other Equestrians in wonder. Sure enough, they all had one.
"Just.. never looked, I guess," I muttered. My brow furrowed and I looked back at Sunbeam. "That aside, what's with the armor?"
"I'm going too," she declared. I knelt to one knee and placed a hand on her shoulder. She looked me in the eyes with determination, but there was a hint of hesitation too.
"You don't have to," I said.
"I know. I want to," she said firmly. She winced before continuing. "Captain Holder'd want me to." She let out a deep shuddering breath, before smiling.
"Besides, I can't let Cozy and Quilt face those monsters alone!"
I looked at Quilt, who stuck her tongue out at me.
"Magic or otherwise, every advantage helps," she psychically said.
"Fine, fine," I stood up and looked back at Sunbeam. "But if I have anything to say about it, you won't have to face them, period."
The three smiled before Cozy yanked her two friends into a tight hug.
"Everypony ready over there?" I looked up to see Starlight calling to us. Twitch was in his armor, the guards were all in formation, and every soul present had some form of vampire killer on their person.
"Yes, ma'am," I adjusted my belt and tightened the strap to my bag of tools. "Let's roll."
Then I heard a creaking and turned to see Quilt holding the lid open while Cozy presented the velvet coffin interior.
"Okay, get in!" Cozy ordered.
"God damn it," I muttered.
THWACK.
THWACK.
She'd ruined everything.
THWACK.
Being chased by Tempest and the vampire was just too much, and she'd snapped at a crucial moment.
THWACK.
Now, she was alone. Her friends were left behind, and Equestria's hope was destroyed.
THWACK.
If there was a silver lining in that dark prison cell, it was she had something to wince about besides her failings.
"Why are you doing that?" Twilight all but whispered to the vampire guarding her cage.
THWACK.
He'd been beating his bare back with a belt studded with nubs of ashwood. Unlike the creature who attacked her in Donut Joe's, this one was healthy-looking and completely shaven. There were no scars on his body, but his back had deep bruises and cuts in the place he was lashing and drawing blood from .
THWACK.
"Discipline," he finally answered. THWACK. "This gives clarity and restrains temptation." THWACK. He looked at her with his cold, unblinking eyes.
"And it keeps you alive in your little cage, princess." Twilight shuddered. The sliding door to the chamber screeched open just as he was about to swing again. As Tempest stepped into the dimly lit chamber, he rose and redressed the upper portion of his robe.
"Hurricane," Tempest began.
"Adam," he corrected, tying the loops of his robe in place.
"Whatever. I'd like some alone time with the princess," Tempest said with a menacing glare sent Twilight's way, who wilted in response.
"I expected as much," Adam replied as he hung his lash from his belt and made for the door without another word, sliding the door shut behind him.
His soft shoes made no sound as he marched solemnly down the dark corridors of the ship. No guards or workers ever saw him, as if he knew the exact path to avoid any living being. That was what the crew feared most about him. If he didn't want to see you, it wouldn't happen. And so, he'd simply appear out of nowhere, conduct his business, and then vanish.
He made it undisturbed to his destination and stepped into his private quarters, which were dark and bare save for a mattress left on the floor. Relaxing on his bed, he let his soul slip free and cast his Evil Eye out..
"Yeah! Yeah! This ain't too bad!" The Storm King declared, sweeping his staff in an arc as he took in the sights all around him. "Cloudburst! You and Monsoon actually get me!"
The throne room not only had its banners, throne, and carpet replaced with the Storm King's design, but the stained glass windows were also mostly replaced with panes reflecting the Storm King's previous victories as well as casting the entire room in a dark blue gloom with every flash of lightning outside.
Commander Cloudburst finished rolling his cigarette and lit it with a match from his hoodie pocket.
"Happy you're happy," the vampire said evenly in response to the king's appraisal. The Storm King whipped around to face him grimacing and whinged towards the room.
"Well, I wouldn't say happy, per se," he retorted, rolling one hand. "Just that this does kinda, sorta, if I'm feeling generous.." He slid up next to Cloudburst and poked him in the chest.
"Make up for your buddy Hurricane's royal muck up?" He said with a condescending grin. He blinked as Cloudburst exhaled a plume of white smoke.
"The Littlest Princess won't be away for long," Cloudburst said, pulling out a razor and a white stone before scraping the latter with the former. "So cool your jets and relax." He held his hand with the white powder he'd scraped free to the king.
"Have a sample," he offered with a smile. The Storm King waved his hand away.
"I'm perfectly calm!" He declared stepping away and scanning the room. "But on the topic of relaxed, where's Mr. Devil-may-Care himself?" The doors to the throne room flew open, followed by a metallic rattling noise.
"Right here, boss! Sorry I'm late," Monsoon cried as he entered, signaling his entrance by drumming on his chestplate. Cloudburst sniffed the powder, before saluting to his comrade with his now clean hand.
"About time!" The Storm King declared, turning to look at Monsoon. "When I instructed Tempest and Hurricane to capture the lost princess, it was my understanding-"
He flinched as he saw the ghoulified pony Monsoon was absent-mindedly scratching the ears of.
"What is that?"
"This here's my bestest buddy!" Monsoon said with a giggle, kneeling down and picking up the ghoul pony. "Think his name used to be Line Holder or something stupid like that." The Storm King gagged.
"Look, corpse or not, so long as it's house-trained, you can have your pets," he said with a wave of his hand. "But I thought ghouls needed a full night to pop up?"
"So did I!" Monsoon said happily as he flopped the forelegs of his ghoul about like a doll. "Ain't life just full of surprises?" The Storm King rolled his eyes.
"Well, you've disgusted me enough that I forgot what I was gonna say to you. But what else is new?" He strode towards the door at the far end of the room, gently tapping his staff against one of the petrified princesses as he passed her. "I'm going to take a better look at my new headquarters. Hit me up if you hear from Hurricane."
The vampires bowed as he left the room, before straightening up and walking out a separate door together. They passed only a few guards as they traveled, all of whom shot out of their path or fled the hall entirely. It wasn't long before they were alone together.
"Alreet, so how's our girl?" Monsoon asked as they moved down the hall.
"She is in custody, Dog. Tempest and I are en route for Canterlot," Adam reported through his Evil Eye. "Candy, have you found the vault?"
"Dog found it while chasing some captives through the halls," Candy replied, taking a drag from his cigarette. Dog snickered to himself, still carrying his ghoul.
"I told you to restrain yourself to one body a week," Adam chided.
"I didn't kill nobody!" Dog laughed, hugging his ghoul close. "Sides little buddy here!" He stopped and held one eye shut in thought.
"And maybe a few locals when I was hungry," he said with a solemn nod. Candy looked between his comrade and the point in the air where Adam's eye hovered.
"You will restrain yourself. Any further excess will be punished," Adam said in the same even tone. Dog muttered and threw his hands up.
"Understood," he grumbled. A heavy silence hung over them for a moment.
"I offer no judgment, but it is necessary, little brother. You must learn moderation," Adam finally added. "Now, show me the vault."
Dog relaxed only a little as he and Candy led Adam's sight to the Canterlot Library. Slipping between the hundreds of shelves of books, they came to a plain white stone wall, undecorated and unremarkable. At least to one who could not feel what lay beyond.
"Yea-hah! Feel that?" Dog asked with his hands on his hips.
"Even through the Eye," Adam confirmed. "You may begin."
Candy nodded and stamped out his cigarette before pulling a set of green, red, and black stones from a pocket. Scrapping them with his razor, he spit into the powder they produced, working it into a putty he then gently spread along the base of the wall.
As it made contact, a faint glow ran out and traced the frame of a secret door. Withdrawing a vial of a pinkish sludge he dipped his finger in, he gently traced the frame, wincing a few times as tiny wisps of smoke hissed off his hand.
When his work was complete, he lit a match and put the flame to the sludge on the door. The entire frame hissed and then the stone door slipped free where Candy and Dog caught it and carefully lowered it to the ground.
"Damn them potions 'n shits cool," Dog declared. Candy nodded as he rolled a fresh cigarette.
"Hell of a lot easier than the shit I used back home," he muttered.
"No talk of the men-that-were," Adam said firmly. Candy winced and nodded. "Now, my Eye is blinded by whatever is inside. What do you see?"
Peering within, Candy and Dog described a circular chamber illuminated by glowing blue crystals in brass sconces. The walls were lined with numerous books whose spines were unlabeled. But what caught their eyes was the single marble pedestal at the center of it all, atop which was a black tome properly titled in golden ink.
"'Woollachian UnDead and the Longhorns' by HRH Princess Celestia," Dog read aloud.
"I can't imagine that isn't what we need. Test the ghoul," Adam ordered. Dog snapped his fingers and the ghoul pony stood at attention. With a sad pat on the head, Dog pointed at the tome and the ghoul shambled towards it.
Once it was close enough, the ghoul pony reached up and tried to grab the book. He pulled it about six inches off-center before white flames from the stone it sat upon rolled down his forelegs and engulfed his entire body. From there he jostled it another few inches before burning away to nothing. The two vampires winced at the sight, as the wards running up and down the pedestal all came alive at the same instant.
"Shit. You called it bossman. Buddy's fried to hell and back," Dog huffed. "Good news is the book ain't cursed. I think.."
"Any movement at all?" Adam asked. Candy rolled his head as he looked upon the tome.
"Decent bit," he mused. "Might be able to just knock it free with a broom or something now."
"The spells might crawl up the handle," Adam sighed. "I will permit six more ghouls, and no more." Dog cackled with delight, and Candy pulled another vial free, checking its faint blue contents.
"Only have enough of this stuff for three," he declared, studying where the tome rested. "Three might be enough, though."
"Ideally. Go with God, little brothers," Adam said before dispelling his Eye.
In the throne room of Canterlot Castle, the petrified form of Princess Celestia hummed for just a moment as a faint glow cascaded down her horn, and any on-looker would have sworn her petrified expression of shock seemed to be crying.
But that was surely just a trick of the light.