//------------------------------//
// Hall of the Mountain King 
// Story: Elements Change the Dark Hearts 
// by Nightmare_0mega 
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The two souls of pride continued their long and arduous trek through the daunting underground network. It had been nearly an hour since they left the dig site and avoided the return of guard reinforcements. Rarity was thankful that her second time savior was mindful enough to keep casualties and detection to a minimum, despite having a sneaking suspicion any opposition at this point would be less than a trifle. During that time, the two realized that the tunnels they moved through seemed to slope upwards more and more often, which was certainly a good sign. Rarity mused about the situation thus far, and hoped that she hasn't been gone for too long to cause a panic back in Ponyville. She also mused about how hypocritical that thought was where she believed the exact opposite when she was captured the second time. I may be a drama queen, she considered, but at least I'll try to be honest about it.

As they continued moving, Rarity noticed the silence more and more, which began to grate on her nerves a tad. She looked up at the vampire, whom was keeping his sight and attention diligently forward. It was then that she realized she never got his name. Hazarding the question, she decided to speak.

"I'm sorry to break the silence, but," she started, as his eyes darted down to her, "I don't believe I ever got your name."

The ex-king paused for a moment, keeping his piercing red eyes fixed on Rarity. Then with a slight sigh, he simply stated, "Dumah," before he continued walking.

Rarity was rather surprised. It wasn't about how unusual the name was, even for non-equines, considering her first encounter with Dumah was when she watched him rise from a burnt crater. That moment in time right there gave the biggest clue he was most certainly not from this world. No, the surprise came from the fact that she assumed he would have perhaps elaborated more. With such a high and mighty attitude he presented previously, which mimicked some of the more refined nobles and royals, it suggested that he too was of a high pedigree. She expected titles and accomplishments; the grandeur that would follow such an upper crust personality.

"Dumah?" she parroted, causing him to nod slightly. "Is that all? Forgive me for prodding, but I believed you would have stated more." As she spoke, she continued to follow the vampire.

The former king thought about it for a moment. True, he had boasted his kingship while facing off against the battalions of armored guard dogs, but it was more out of constitution. Old habits die hard, he considered with a knowing smile. "I would, but I have none now. If there is any title I should wear, equine, it's the failed king of a dead northern empire."

"What happened?" she asked in concern and curiosity.

Dumah thought about it for a moment, looking for the most accurate response he could ever give. Looking back to her, he stated, "Hubris."

Rarity could tell that the subject was difficult to talk about, so she decided to let it end there for now. As they continued walking in silence, Rarity chanced to ask him something that's been nagging at her. "What do you do as a vampire, Dumah?" 

Dumah stopped and looked at her incredulously, almost waiting for a reason as to why she's asking such a question. It didn't take her long to do so as she looked down at her fore-hooves, trotted along his left, and stopped at his side.

"You were right about what you said a while ago. I've never seen one of your kind. To be perfectly honest, vampires here are more fabricated ideas for the odd novel or two than a reality. We do have vampire fruit bats, but I highly doubt that counts. Really, the only thing close to such an idea are those abysmal changelings, but there are still such vast differences between those creatures and the vampires in books and film reels that it's hardly worth the comparison." She looked back up to him, before continuing, "Which is why I'd like to know."

Dumah's face softened slightly under his mask as his eyes returned forward. "I do not know what your books portray our race as, but I will tell you as much as I believe you should know. I will not go into our history, as I know not how our race came to be, and the only one that may have those answers is far beyond my reach. Do you understand?" Rarity nodded as Dumah looked to her for a moment. Satisfied, he continued moving through the tunnels and began talking.

True to his word, he divulged what he could about his kind. How they are immortal in a few senses of the word. Living long and constantly growing and changing over periods of time and metamorphosis. How wounds close and repair just as quick as they are injured. How sunlight, while detrimental to their strength, is no longer fatal to adult vampires, but still very much destructive to the weak skin of fledglings. How water is like acid to their skin. How they normally feed off of blood and flesh of other beings, but how he's now an exception to the rule. 

The last fact wasn't new to Rarity, but it unnerved her all the same. Dumah assured her that she had nothing to worry, as the blood of steeds did not cause one's appetite to flourish, and only the truly desperate tend to go that route. After explaining what he could, he let her consider if the answer was enough.

"I'd still like to know what you and your kind did back in your world," she asked honestly, albeit nervous of the answer.

Dumah thought about it for a moment, before answering, "Perhaps another day. An outsider's perspective might see it as bleak and considering our situation, that effect not needed." Rarity obliged and ceased her questions. The silence didn't last long as Dumah believed it was now his turn to get some information. "And I believe it's only customary for you to divulge anything that I wish to know."

Rarity nodded. It's only fair, after all, she thought. "Very well, what do you wish to know?"

"You mentioned that you are one of three types of ponies in Equestria. I wish to know more about your kind. Furthermore, I would also desire to know what exactly Equestria is."

"To be fair, I said that I belong to one of three MAIN types of equestrians. There are others in the world that aren't technically under our, for lack of a better word, classification. I know very little in regards to the many cultures outside our own and the fashion culture, but I do know that there are also Zebras which are their own tribe, and Alicorns. Alicorns being the absolute rarest. There are Crystal Ponies, but Twilight explained that it might be more of an effect of the natural magic from the empire they come from. But, that's neither here nor there, acting more like one of Twilight's theories than anything else.."

Dumah found it interesting that her race of beings were so diverse, having such a wide array of physical and metaphysical features that separate them. It reminded him of his vampire kin after Raziel's execution. They all began to take unique shapes and powers dependent on their evolving clan leaders, with Dumah's former kingdom being no exception. 

Rarity continued on her explanation, talking about Pegasi and Earth ponies, explaining their strengths and weaknesses, and what they normally do in Equestria. She then began talking a little about her own tribe, the Unicorns, and explained who they are and what they do for Equestrian society. Rarity went on to explain that, while they aren't physically the strongest, or not properly capable of flight, they were by far the most magically adept, next to the obviously superior Alicorns. Dumah refrained from asking about the magic in their world, opting to ask about it another day in exchange for her to finish her current explanations.

From the topic of unicorns, she switched to how the three main types originally were very divided and prejudiced towards each other. It took a dreadful snowstorm that drove them to find the then unnamed land of Equestria in the first place, she explained. Said blizzard was so detrimental that it further pushed them into a truce and unify for the sake of each other and themselves. With that union came the birth of their country.

"I apologize, darling, but I'm afraid my history isn't the strongest. I'm not quite sure when Princess Celestia and Princess Luna were sired to be Equestria's rulers. I believe my dear friend Twilight mentioned they were sought a short while after Equestria was founded, but I could be mistaken."

She pointed out that while Equestria is all Rarity has seen, she does know there are other countries separate from it, if her knowledge of the fashion industry and her history lessons from when she was a filly was anything to go by.

"Such as the Griffon Empire to the east, the Badlands to the south, and the Crystal Empire in the north being an independent nation, despite being within the borders of our country." 

Dumah considered his short geography lesson for a moment, and realized something. Despite Rarity's admittance of not having an extensive knowledge of her world, it was very clear the little unicorn knew more about her world than Dumah did his. All Dumah really knew was of Nosgoth, and much of what he knew was under a very centralized and confined location. Kain had mentioned places within the country that he had never seen before, and none of them even thought there could be other countries beyond Nosgoth's borders. Dumah realized he and his kin, for all intents and purposes, have been very isolated for centuries upon centuries. On top of this, they had no idea how much of the world they had affected from their actions in their home land.

Dumah slightly shook his head to dismiss the thought, which Rarity caught in slight concern.

"Is there something the matter?" she asked gently.

"It's nothing," he explained, "This is just a fair amount to take in. I will adjust." He gazed forward. "I think it's time we push on. The sooner we leave these accursed tunnels, the better off we will be." With that, he once again began walking forth.

Rarity nodded and began trotting close behind her vampire savior. Little did the escapees know, far behind them and just out of extraordinary earshot, a guard dog that had returned from requesting assistance against the titanic vampire had spotted them.


-o-v-o-v-o-v-o-v-o-


Countless twists, turns, and inclines met the two travelers as they continued to navigate the tunnels. Within the span of an hour, they had found fewer and fewer dead ends, more roundabouts, and a few more dugouts that both took care not to enter in order to avoid detection. From time to time, both Rarity and Dumah would double back and hide out in the closest neighboring tunnel to avoid the odd guard patrol, staying as silent as possible. While Dumah had proven himself against the mutts time and again, Rarity had explained to him that she'd likely not be able to keep up, considering how drained she was prior to her second rescue. On that note, she elaborated that she'd either be in his way or vulnerable to the point of being unable to properly defend herself. Dumah could see the logic behind it, and decided to not take any chances while she was with him.

Eventually the duo found themselves at the largest nexus of passages they have seen up to that point. With the intersection room's half circle shape, it was obvious behind the intention. From the curve of the room, which they exited from, one could access the further and lower parts of the mine. From the flat side, which they now looked towards, the tunnels lined up there seemed to lead to a higher chamber. Dumah also noted, despite how dark they looked in the distance, none of them curved in a way that suggested turns of any sort. Looking to the ground, he recognized the ingrained patterns of lingering paw prints as tell-tale signs of how the dogs used this juncture. Whatever resided up ahead, the tunnels before them were surely used to filter and spread the traffic, and allow for easier and smoother passage to the rest of the mine. If that was the case, then the destination before them was nothing short of an important location. At best, it was an educated guess on Dumah's part, but it was all he had. 

Dumah closed his eyes and concentrated, listening intently down each tunnel. He noticed that no one was in or near the networks before them, remaining suspiciously quiet, leaving them free to travel unhindered. Despite his slight paranoia over how quiet it was through each passage, he looked to Rarity and motioned her to follow him. She obliged, and they took the center tunnel.

As they pressed forth, Dumah noticed something. Inhaling a heavy quantity of air, he could smell the comparatively fresher aroma, cutting through the normally stagnant ventilation. We are close, he thought, pleased for the first time for years, comparatively speaking.

It only took them a few minutes for the dark tunnel they were traveling through to get progressively lighter. Not long after that did they finally come come to the mouth of their exit and gaze into chamber they had been leading up to. The chamber in question was massive, with tunnel mouths permeating three quarters of the edges around the room. The last quarter remained a solid wall with nothing more than a battered looking throne, which covered a very small space.

Rarity stepped back out of dread, which Dumah took notice of. "What are you doing?"

"I have a really bad feeling about this," she uttered, trying hard to keep her composure.

Dumah stepped forward and motioned her to follow again, trying to shepherd her further through the core chamber. "Beyond us now is our freedom. Even from here, I can smell the sweet purity of your worlds atmosphere. If we stop here and now, our efforts are for nothing."

"I know, darling, but," she started to reason, looking about her surroundings as she felt strangely timid. "Something just isn't right here. This place is just far too quiet." As she said this, she slowly followed the vampire while on pins and needles.

Dumah paid attention to the audio of the chamber and realized how correct she seemed to be. However, there was something still very off about it. He could hear something, but wasn't entirely sure what was disturbing the silence.

Before he could pinpoint the disruption, the bellowing of a battered flugalhorn resounded through the cave, which caused Rarity to jump and Dumah to shift into a defensive stance. Hundreds upon hundreds of paws pounding against the ground echoed faintly from the surrounding tunnels and grew in intensity as the seconds passed by. As the volume continued to grow, a solitary dog, whom donned a battered crown, a bison fur cape, and wielded a bulbous looking scepter in one hand and a battered horn in the other sauntered out from behind the throne. He turned to the duo with a knowing smirk, and tossed aside the abused flugalhorn.

"My dear thief. Welcome to my throne room," he sneered, keeping his grin wide and ruthless, "I am King Cerberus."