"We interrupt this regularly scheduled broadcast for some breaking news! Shocking reports from Romaneia indicate that the castle of Dracula Vlad Tepes has risen once again! With no Belmont's in sight, who will stop the wrath of Dracula and his dark army? Stay tuned! More news after this..."
The TV monitor blares before going into a commercial break. Dracula Vlad Tepes's castle has risen once again? That was merely impossible! The war of 1999 ceased the existence of the Dark Lord and his army. Princess Celestia has foretold many tales of the event when we were younger. Back when Twilight and I were attending to the same grade school, we would rush over to Princess Celestia's castle after class was over. She would tell us countless stories about her past. One of the stories that I could vividly remember, was her recollection of the war of 1999. The mythological creatures that the brave Julius Belmont encountered during his journey inside the castle. A mysterious letter she received by a man named Alucard. The unforgettable time traveling man who would log the events. Oh, how those tales inspired me when I was younger.
What was the world supposed to do without the presence of the Belmont clan? The clan shortly phased out after the disappearance of Julius Belmont. Some say that Julius lives inside the Everfree Forest in seclusion. Others say he's undergone a phase of amnesia after emerging from the ruins of the Dark Lord's castle. Rumors state that he's visited Zecora on many occasions to recollect his memories. While I was recollecting my lucid memories from the war of 1999, one of Celestia's royal guards greeted us from the outside of the ER room. He delivered an urgent message from Princess Celestia.
"Princess Sparkle and the elements of harmony, I am here to deliver an urgent message on behalf of Princess Celestia. She requires the elements of harmony to be escorted back insider her royal castle. Right this instant. She also demands that your human friend to tag along as well. Her royal escort carriage awaits you all outside. Follow me please."
Before I had the opportunity to question the courier about the urgent meeting, we had no choice but to follow the heavily armored stallion. We trotted closely from behind the royal guard. A gilded carriage blocked the entryway of the hospital, with it's doors wide open and a extended step ladder for all of us to step onto. We've crowded the parallel plush seats. I gazed from outside the carriage's window, to look upon the luminous full moon. However, the moon was a crimson blood red. Never in my lifetime do I remember the moon casting a blood red color. Applejack broke the taciturn atmosphere of the carriage ride.
"Ah wonder what all this fuss is about. Ahm gettin' mighty tired from a long days of Apple buckin'. Sure hope this message that Celestia's about to tell us is quick and simple. Ahm gonna hit the hay after this." Applejack yawns to the group.
"Whatever it is Applejack, it sounds like it's pretty acute. I could never recall the princess gathering us for a midnight meeting. At least as long as I've known her." Twilight returns to Applejack.
"I simply hope that it has nothing to do with that appalling castle on the news. Oh my! What shall we do if she sends us over to Romaneia? Where is a hero when you need one?" Rarity adds more tension for everyone inside the carriage.
"The...The castle of Dracula Vlad Tepes! Oh dear, I'm scared!" Fluttershy whimpers aloud.
I had to voice my thoughts to ease the tense atmosphere.
"Now girls, I'm sure whatever Princess Celestia has to say will be brief. I pray that it has nothing to do with Dracula's castle, since I'm on schedule for another tour early tomorrow. What could Celestia possibly want with me?"
I was just an ordinary human. Nothing extravagant or unusual about me. A million thoughts raced like a speeding bullet throughout my mind.
"Maybe it has something to do with your knowledge of mythology? Other than that, I don't know?" Rainbow Dash shrugs her shoulders.
"I hope she makes it quick too party pants! I gotta babysit Mr. and Mrs. Cupcakes siblings for tomorrow morning. You still haven't received your birthday presents either!" Pinkie Pie squeals over to me.
"That really isn't a priority now, Pinkie Pie. Let's all hope that this 'urgent message' isn't what I think it is..."
After a long ride over to Princess Celestia's castle in Canterlot, the royal guard withdraws from the carriage. He grasps the door handle with his hoof, and extends the step ladder for us to descend onto. I was the last to depart from the carriage. The door slams behind us and the carriage fades away into the horizon. The blood red moon painted the castle with a crimson glow. A royal guard operated the castle's colossal drawbridge. We emerge inside the torch illuminated interior of the castle's gates, where we are greeted and escorted by Princess Luna herself.
Princess Celestia awaits us on her golden throne, where her sister trots besides her. Celestia radiated a dire, apprehensive expression inside the interior of her chambers. It only increased the tension among all of us. Whatever this urgent meeting was about, surely wasn't going to be pleasant news.
"My friends, burdensome news be founds us all this very night. My worst fears has emanated into Equestria once more. The castle of Dracula Vlad Tepes has arisen in Romaneia without prior warning. Also, Discord is no where to be seen in Ponyville. I fear that he may be traveling to Romaneia as we speak. If he were to gain control over Dracula's dark army, then chaos and disorder would surely reign over Equestria once again. I want you girls to wield your elements of harmony, to stop his reign of terror before Equestria plunders under his pandemonium. I am deeply remorseful that I could ever trust him with his new reformation...."
The girls exchange glances of woe to each other. Fluttershy lowers her head in utter defeat. Her reformation of Discord's personality has appeared to be impractical. Like I've always said, you can never change an individual no matter how hard you may try.
"Excuse me Princess Celestia, but where do I fit in this category? I'm just a tour guide for Ponyville's national museum. How in the world will I be able to assist the elements of harmony?" I asked the princess, who gazed down upon her throne.
"I will be unable to assist the elements of harmony on their journey. Even though Princess Twilight Sparkle has proven herself with extraordinary leadership, I feel that she is still yet inexperienced for this dire situation. You are an invaluable asset for the girls. I want you to mentor the elements of harmony throughout their journey inside the castle. Your knowledge of mythology will help them prepare with whatever monstrosities await them. Now go, our time is essential. Stop Discord before Equestria crumbles into a state of turmoil...."
A leader for the Elements of harmony? What? Sure, I've guided many catechistic visitors in my tours, but never would I think I would have to mentor the elements of harmony. We traveled back onto the royal plush carpet, to be escorted by yet another royal guard. Twilight confronts the stallion with a single question.
"Were are we being escorted to?"
"The Princess has assigned me to safely escort you to Romaneia by carriage. The trip will be a long one, so make yourselves comfortable when your inside. I suggest you all try to get some rest. Her majesty's carriage is quite luxurious; There are fold out cots for you to all sleep on." The stallion returns to Twilight.
He sure wasn't kidding! I've never seen such an impressive carriage in my entire lifetime. The carriage was enormous, with a white peril exterior and gilded trimming along the frame. When we appeared inside, all of our jaws nearly dropped to the floor. It was retrofitted like an upscale RV that you would only see in a rich man's magazine. Complete with a single bathroom, a compact kitchen, eight folded cots built into the walls, and various forms of entertainment. Among the kitchen counter, sat the supernatural artifacts displayed inside a wooden case. The girls decided to wear them when the time was right.
"Oh my! Never would I think I'll be personally escorted inside Princess Celestia's carriage! Isn't it absolutely marvelous, darling?" Rarity gazes inside the interior in awe.
"It sure is, Rarity. Well, I'm sure you girls are exhausted from a day's worth of aggravation. How about we all hit the hay?"
"That sound's mighty fine 'right about now Sugarcube. See y'all in the mornin'...." Applejack yawns to her friends. She trots over to a fold out cot, to place a plush pillow at the head of the bed frame. A silken blanket covers her entire orange silhouette. She firmly drifts off into sleep.
"I think that seems like the most rational decision right about now. Well, good night ladies. I'll see you all at sunrise." Twilight extends her fore hooves outwards, while emitting a slight yawn.
"Goodnight Twilight." We return to the alicorn princess in synchronization.
"Oh yeah, before I hit the sack, I want you to have this. Just a little birthday gift that I grabbed from my place. I definitely do not want to sleep on this." Rainbow dash trots over with something tucked behind her wing. She extends her left wing outward, to reveal a small metal object. It was a small pocket knife. She offers the little sharp object with her left hoof.
"Thanks Dash. This will make a great addition to my survival kit at home." I firmly hug the blue mare before she trots off to sleep. I fold the blade into it's handle, and place the object in my right pocket. I peer towards the rest of the Mane 6 who were awake. Rarity was too wound up for sleep. Fluttershy expressed a look of discontent, but her eyes sagged with fatigue. Pinkie seemed to never run out of energy, so she sat in a corner and buried her head in a magazine.
"Alright ladies, I'm heading off to bed. See you all in the morning."
Rarity and Pinkie returned a fellow goodnight to me. Fluttershy, with a expression of anxiety, trots over to me as I prepare my cot.
"Um, do you mind if I sleep close to you tonight? Your presence will help ease some tension off from me..."
"Sure Fluttershy, I don't care. I ask you only one thing in return; What in the world is on your mind? Is it Discord? Your looks of discontent is starting to trouble me."
"Um...Yeah, it is. I believed that he was reformed after my kindness seminars with him. Princess Celestia was even impressed with my work! Am I responsible for all of this? Oh, I can't take it anymore!" She begins to silently wimper to herself. I kneeled down to her stature, and proceeded to wipe the tears away.
"Fluttershy, by all means you are not clearly responsible for Discord's actions. This is not your fault. Look, if it makes you feel better, I will stay by your cot tonight. Just make sure Rarity doesn't notice, alright?" I brush her pink window's peak away from her mountain meadow eyes.
"Ok...." She whispers in a comforting tone.
As the hours passed, I seated myself at the foot of Fluttershy's cot. All of the girls were sound asleep inside the carriage. My eyes sagged with drowsiness and fatigue from the long day. I crashed at the base of Fluttershy's cot, when I felt a hoof cross over my side before drifting into a deep sleep. The next day has begun, however, the sky was still pitch black with a omniscient crimson moon. However, the moon was undergoing a solar eclipse cycle.
The girls were all gazing outside the carriage's main window when I reawakened. By the time I joined them, the carriage came to a complete halt. Before I was escorted by the royal guards to a small town in Romaneia, I promptly examined the blood red moon, now completely shrouded by a pitch black ring. Off in the distance, the adumbrate complexion of winged skeletal figures flew in the horizon. We were close to the castle.
Transylmaneia was as quiescent as a ghost town. The streets were completely empty, where you can hear an old tavern sign creak and sway in the wind. Twilight suggested that we traveled north east on the streets of Transylmaneia, according to her geographical studies of the area. When we finally journeyed at the end of the road, beheld Dracula's castle at the peak of a cliff. From the exterior structure, the castle contained it's battle scars from the War of 1999. Evidence of heavy artillery bombardment exposed opened gaps and large chunks of wall missing. Twilight decided it was now time to wield the supernatural artifacts of harmony.
They formed a complete circular formation, as they wore their corresponding artifacts at once. A blinding white light cascaded throughout the forest in a energetic shockwave. A sensation of purity traveled through my veins like a jolt of lighting. After the blinding white light diminishes, the Mane 6 descends briefly from their floating stature. We were ready to breach the castle.
"Alright girls, let's track down Discord and banish him to stone! Move out!" Twilight boasts enthusiastically to the Mane 5.
I jog behind the girls, as they trot to the front of the castle's drawbridge. The drawbridge blocked the main entrance, where it's colossal wooden gates covered the iron barbican into the castle's corridors. Twilight uses her magic to snap the iron chains of the gate, where the enormous bridge crashes to the ground in a cacophonous thud. With the intense strength granted by the elements of harmony, Applejack lifts the iron barbican with her fore hooves to escort everyone inside the castle's entrance. Afterwards, the iron gate slams abruptly behind us.
A rather unusually pale man stood at the entryway of the castle's corridors. The description of this individual can be best described as youthful in appearance. He wore old fashioned 18th century styled clothing, consisting of side seams with four square broaches that ran vertically down his black jacket. His cape was pitch black on the exterior, darker than a night without the moon. The interior of the cape seemed to fade into a crimson red periodically. Around his long, white blonde hair was a white scarf and a necklace imprinted with the letter "J" visible to the naked eye. He was armed with a sword and a heavily decorated shield.
"What is your business here?" The man casted a single question towards us.
"We came here to stop Discord's madness!" Twilight boldly stepped forward.
"...Discord?" The rather usual pale man returns to Twilight with little emotion. It was best that I tried to communicate to the man, since he seemed somewhat human. His facial features lacked any visible life, even through he seemed like he never aged.
"What she is referring to is a creature named Discord. He contains the power of chaos and disorder. He is labeled as a draconequus, the head of a pony and the body composed of many other creatures. Our Princess feels that he is solely responsible for the resurrection of this castle. We are here to stop him before he spreads his influence in Equestria. Would you happen to know anything about this creature?"
"...No, I am not aware of a creature named Discord. Ever since the war of 1999, Julius Belmont sealed Dracula and his minions within a solar eclipse. I am here to figure out why my father's castle is once more. But be aware, this castle is a creature of living chaos. If this so called 'Discord' creature whose solely responsible for the resurrection of this castle, then I must stop him..." The man departs inside the castle's entryway, where he fades into the shadows.
"Oh, wasn't he absolutely marvelous!" Rarity whinnies in dramatic joy from behind us. I turn around with the girls, to see what the heck Rarity was overhyped about.
"What the hay do you mean Rare? That man looked like a walkin' ghost! I reckon we don't trust him, he seemed a little too mysterious for mah tastes." Applejack responds to Rarity's comment about the youthful pale man.
"But his extravagant clothing! Did you all not witness his elegant pre-Victorian attire? I must track him down and find out where he has obtained such garments." Rarity speaks in a dreamy demeanor.
"Let's stick on track and find Discord. We should follow the man into the castle, I have a feeling he might know the whereabouts of Discord." Twilight returns to everyone.
We followed Twilight into the castle's corridors, where the entire interior was pitch black due to the lack of moonlight. Green, omniscient eyes glowed towards us inside the long corridor. Windows slammed inward and outward, due to the imbalance of atmospheric pressure in the hallway. After we descended down a short stone staircase, the torches inside the hall flickered with sudden life. The entire hall of the corridor was now visible with light. A wooden timber wolf growled at the end of the hall. Twilight casted a single offensive spell to defeat the lone wolf. Afterwards, the undead from the war of 1999 rose from the masonry of the floor.
I withdrew my pocket knife received from Rainbow Dash. Twilight casted a protective barrier around us. The tattered war fatigues from the many deceased soldiers from the war of 1999, stretched the atmosphere with an unpleasant aroma of rotting flesh. I swing my pocket knife while advancing forward into the corridors with the girls. They bucked the undead with unprecedented strength. The undead imploded into a small violent series of flames, until nothing remained but ash.
The staircase to the next room was completely severed. However, another ascending stairway raised into a miniature cave pathway. The girls galloped forward. I jumped down hitting the next staircase at it's base. Bats stormed out from the miniature cave structure from the peak of the stairs. After the bats cleared from the walkway, I was forced to jump onto the next severed stone staircase, in order to keep up with the girls. Rainbow dash offered her hoof as support, while I grasped it in order to venture forward into the next area in front of us.
We appeared outside again, where we arrived inside a courtyard full of impaled skeletal corpses. The sky spiraled with an abnormal cloud formation, as it appeared as reality was in the process of being sucked into a massive black hole. Thunder and lighting crashed from the center of the cloud formation. A large scythe was lodged into a stone wall overhead. Out from thin air, a large floating figure dislodges the scythe embedded into the masonry wall. I step in front of the girls, to protect them from whatever this hovering figure was. It extends a skeletal finger towards us, to croak in a ungodly voice in response to our sudden arrival.
"The elements of harmony? My grand master has been awaiting for your arrival here. I see that you brought along a human friend as well. It shall be my pleasure feasting on all of your souls! But first, my master will require something that he desires. We will meet again!"
The floating skeletal figure extends it's bony hand outwards. It's hollow eye sockets project an inauspicious red glow. The artifacts of harmony suddenly escalate into the sky, where the objects unexpectedly evaporate in front of us. Along with this event, Twilight lost her ability to cast magic along with her wings. She was a unicorn once again. Rarity was also unable to use her magical abilities as well. Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy suffered with amnesia on how to fly. Applejack and Pinkie Pie remained unfazed by the event, but all of the girls ultimately lost the artifacts of harmony. The skeletal figure swiftly ascends in the sky above, where it dissipates into the horizon from out of sight. Stranded without the artifacts of harmony, we had no choice but to venture deeper into the castle...