//------------------------------// // Prologue // Story: Monster Hunters // by Blazing_Star //------------------------------// Dear Princess Celestia… I wish I could still write down those words and give a simple report on something new I learned about friendship. I wish I could just write to you, I have so many doubts in my head right now. My dear Princess, that only the thought that you one day will return to us and help your subjects, that thought gives me strength to dust off my scarf, adjust my arbalest and hunt onward. I do miss you dearly… None the less. It seemed like it happened yesterday, when Luna finally decided to manifest, everypony from Fillydelphia to Hoofington loved her, she was a new face and they wanted to give her a chance to be the main ruler of Equestria. The public pressure was too much and she took your place, I guess Ponies do grown ungrateful in time and I do understand your reason to abandon us, all of us… Popular demand won in the end. It all started like a fairy tale for our new Princess, the changes were good and Ponies felt like the Social Classes barriers were part of the past, new borders lurked on the horizon, Ponies were eager to conquer new frontiers to built new cities, and then… It came E – Day Everfree swarmed Equestria from all sides, our frontiers are now pouring with nightmarish creatures I never dreamed they even existed… When the Ponies required our Princess to stand up and defend us, she fled to Canterlot and locked it tight with ALL the Royal Guard… Leaving us and everypony else stranded, abandoned to our fate, and only then they noticed your absence. And now, that Moon… That accursed Moon! Is nothing more than a bell, that tells the Everfree that is time for Dinner! Those monsters that your presence scared away from our beloved lands are now running wild under the moonlight seeking Ponies to feast on and hiding underground when your Sun is high in the sky, The Lunar Princess has abandoned us, we are on our own... I cleanse blood daily with Celestium, A magical imbued Poison I created thanks to my Magic manipulation mixing with science about brewing Poison I learned on my books, I really don’t know if I could have survived the 1st year without my friends, never mind the 1st month… We carry on in your name, that's why we don't bury the death anymore... because under the ground, beneath us... lies Hell and high in the sky, towards the heaven... and your Sun, lies Heaven. Your Faithful Servant and Monster Hunter, Twilight Sparkle.~ As Twilight finished writing her letter, she stared at it seemingly lost in her thoughts realizing how futile this was, hate started building up as her expression stoned up into pure Anger, a knock in the door returned her attention to reality as she yelled out loud. -Come in!- The Purple Unicorn said as she closed the scroll and hided it in her desk, it was her beloved assistant Spike, now a bit more grown up dragon, he had proven his worth and loyalty several times by now, her expression softened up as she looked shyly at him, since it seemed to think she was angry. – Oh Spike, what’s going on?- She smiled at him as the bad thoughts disappeared from her head. -Oh Twilight! Sorry to interrupt you but you have a new assignment- Spike said as he delivered another scroll to Twilight Sparkle, as the Purple Unicorn used her horn magic to open it and started reading it. For a bit, Spike lost himself a bit on the beauty of Twilight, tough he would always consider her a mother, he couldn’t deny she was getting prettier every grim year that passed by, her purple coat was in perfect combination of beautiful well taken care of mane, the scarf she worn was made of Ursa Major Skin and it was quite long it could be easily mistaken for a cloak, the stars light shinning made the looks over her precious face and deep purple wisdom radiant eyes more noticeable, her smile died on her lips as she finished the letter, looking seriously at the young Dragon. Spike then spoke up again –The Sun is setting Twilight. -Prepare my gear Spike, tonight I hunt “alone”, these fiends will be Purified- Twilight said in a tone as cold as Ice, as Spike nod and bowed to her as she returned to her room, closing the door behind her, he started preparing Twilight’s Arbalest and other things, knowing her life would depend on all of them being perfect for her skirmishes with the Everfree under the moonlight. Back in the room, Twilight opened up the desk to look for the letter, only to find an old picture of all her friends with Celestia on one of her visits before she disappeared and some of her friends seemingly followed her… She looked at the silver bracelet on her hoof, the partying gift she received from Celestia, with some words encrypted into it in Old Equish, which was translated as “…and Magic makes it all complete…” Twilight laid on her bed, looking up to the Bracelet on her hoof, lost in her thoughts again, until the twilight settled in, and she knew it was time, she stood up and grabbed her trusty book binding it to her side flank with a leather strap, adjusting her Arbalest with the Celestium bolts on the hoof without the bracelet, and her trusty boots, she was now ready to hunt under the Moonlight, she looked up at Spike, and she knew the young Dragon was scared, of her fate, but she smiled to him and cutely hugged him, telling him on his ear. -Once you walk in the shadows, you learn to never fear them again Spike, I will be back with some trophies in the Morning- Twilight Sparkle said as she departed into the wild, Spike closed the door still wondering if there was something else he could do but once again nothing came to his mind, just let the Purple Unicorn do her job … alone, she would hunt the evil creatures of the Everfree to the ends of Equestria, she will, as long as she lives. As the Monster Hunter charged into the dark woods, leaving the safety of the walls and pits of New Ponyville behind, the Moon manifested itself clearly in the night sky, relishing into the carnage that was about to happen … in Twilight’s mind at least, as she waited for her prey in the Dark... Where All is laid bare…