20 She sees everything, or doesn't she?
The vampiric unicorn tried her best to get the sudden voice that spoke to her out of her head. She tried it by shaking it from side to side in a violent manner. But no matter what she did, it kept on calling her. It was haunting her to return to that wretched place in the middle of the dreaded forest. Rarity didn't had the desire to go to there again. She never had the feeling of returning to it after all those months’ worth of time. Though there was something that tucked her into the direction of the outskirts of town. Something that she rather forget as soon as possible but just couldn't. It had nestled itself deep in her mind. And thus all she could do was to obey the calling in her mind.
Rarity returned to her home with a unusual swiftness. She had to put her cloak on before she would have made her way through the streets of the sleeping town. All while she kept a keen eye for the approaching storm. Every few seconds did she just looked up upon the skies in order to look upon the clouds. Getting a wet mane was the last thing she had attention towards. But in the end did she reached the outskirts of town and the unicorn had a look around it. Though nothing what she saw could be of any true interest for her.
Thus she ventured down the path that would be leading over to the forest. For the first time in her whole life she saw two ponies who were on a nightly travel and seemed to have ventured through the forest as they were on the same path as that she was. The more Rarity looked upon them, the more she took notice that they weren't from around town. “Evening to you two,” said Rarity with a weak smile before she gave them a little nod.
The closer they came, the more Rarity took notice that they were camping there, or at least traveling. Something that the stuff on their backs gave away clearly when it was visible. “And evening to you as well miss,” a stallion replied in a kind tone. He returned the nod and then they separated their ways again. Rarity ventured into the woods as the two travelers looked after her. They noticed the mare going into the woods and wanted to call after her but they didn't do it for one particular reason. The two of them didn't found it their place to question the events of the mare and kept on with their travels. They had their destination for the night set and didn't wanted to miss it.
~~~~
The mare slowed down in the end. Her pace had come down to a hold when she had entered the woods once again. Under the guidance of the white moon did its light shone upon the dark forest. Both the light and darkness had a rather creepy effect. For it played with one another in unseen ways in the mind of any unfortunate passer. Branches looked like figures and Rarity meant to have heard movement upon the ground. Though she never caught anything with her eyes.
All while she allowed the soft tucking and the voice in her mind guide her through the darkness. Sets of crimson red eyes did their turn from time to time in the dark forest while the unbearable smell of a timberwolf did its turn through the air.
The attention was awoken by the unicorn and she turned her head and body in all possible directions to see where the beast eventually would come to get her, but the tucking never stopped. After a certain amount of trotting, Rarity didn't encounter the terrible wooden being. “Well, that was a certain relief,” she spoke up to herself. The mare was prepared to fight against almost every beast the woods had to offer but a timberwolf was unique.
For the creatures were made entirely out of twigs and dead wood. No blood, no flesh and no muscle. She couldn't just set her fangs into them and drain them. And to make matters even worse was that each piece of wood she saw as a stake. One good hit against her chest and it would piece through her heart which would be sending the undead unicorn to the afterlife for good. Something she wanted to prevent at all costs.
She was relieved that the danger wasn't there anymore were the eyes never given their rest though as they continued to look around. One danger being avoided never equaled safety within the woods of Everfree. For any danger that wasn't seen, two were lurking within the bushes and more than ready to strike out.
~~~~
When she did turn herself back around to see where she was, the sight she didn't wanted to see became visible. For Rarity found herself looking into the thick fog flooded part of the forest. A part she would rather forget then see again. Yet her legs continued to carry her further into the fog that laid over the woods like a blanket. Any feeling of eyes that could be watching her disappeared within the grasp of the low hanging clouds.
It didn't matter how much she disliked the thick fog, the feeling of not knowing what laid ahead of her was dominating her entire body. Yet there was no other way to get the castle of Shiva. In the end was it time to cast the symbol again. The very symbol that would grant her access to the hidden castle.
After some deep hesitation allowed the unicorn to charge up her horn in a bright light. The blue aura was one of the very few lights that could be found within the forest. Though it was without a doubt the brightest in the area. It gave off an even more eerie looking effect then the woods in the normal moonlight.
Some fireflies had started to gather and dance around the mysterious new light while Rarity was drawing the symbol right in the fog. Upon its completion, it allowing the tunnel to be made once more. Which had her stepping through it once again.
There she then stood with her eyes gazing upon the place she had visited months ago. A place she rather didn't return to but given the circumstances, she had been brought back for some reason. Her eyes fell upon the dark stone castle and only rose up to the towers it had before she gently made her way to the iron gated entrance.
Shiva obviously wanted something from the unicorn but the timing seemed to be more than perfect in her eyes. It was odd for her that right after she had left the home of Twilight, she was called. Perhaps she didn't just open the mental connection to her friend, but also to the self-claimed queen she had to answer on. “Questions, questions, so many questions. And you better be able to answer them. All of them,” grumbled Rarity to herself before she wandered through the rest of the fog tunnel.
The sparks of her magic could be seen both bright and clear when she passed through it. It was something that she always loved seeing and Rarity couldn't resist herself. One of her hooves was brought over to the border of the tunnel where it got gently set on. Much to her own surprise was the fact that it didn't went straight through the matter. Instead it felt like it was being placed on a sheet of glass. Yet streams of it still went passed her hoof. “Now this... isn't something I had expected, honestly.”
Yet as she held her hoof on the matter, she could feel her magical powers racing through it as if it was static electricity. It was something that started to tingle her hoof, then went up to her leg and not much later was to be felt through her whole body. It felt good to her, giving her courage to face whatever laid ahead of her. Whether it be good or bad, Rarity would be able to take it.
After the passing of a few more seconds was the hoof removed and set back to the ground. The tingling stopped while the tucking and the whispering in her head continued. Her head turned itself first over into the direction of the forest as the thought of leaving came to her. But then she turned her head back, back to the way that laid ahead of hers. The tunnel that would end in the massive lawn of the castle. She had to go. Whether it was to be liked or not, there were too many questions in her mind on which she wanted answers.
So with a determined look and her voice softly growling she continued her journey through the tunnel. She was ready to face the shadow vortex once more and hopefully it would be the last time for her. As she had zero respect for the being, even though it looked like she had a lot.
~~~~
With the passage of a mere ten minutes and the doorway being shut, stood Rarity before the only way of entering the castle. Her eyes had fallen once again on the large, iron spiked drop gate and she didn't hesitate for a single second. The gate gave her still the shivers and the thought of it dropping down on her any second - and therefore ending her life - raced through her mind. The fear it brought into her had as result that she would pass it in a mere split second. Without knowing what happened had Rarity then found herself standing once again in the fire illuminated hallway with the doors to the throne room tightly closed.
Her eyes allowed themselves to gaze upon the hall once more and looked into the raging fires of the torches that fed from the wood below them in order to shine their light. A light that went all the way to the throne room. The unicorn gently stepped forward before she found herself just walking over to the oaken doors. With all the power she had in herself, she pushed them open once more and stumbled into the room where her eyes fell once again upon an empty throne.
“Hallo?” Rarity brought out ever so gently while looking further through the room. But her words had a faint echo within them. “Anypony here..?” The unicorn started to wander a little through the room again just like she did on her first visit. Her sapphire blue eyes made the transition to their crimson red counterparts in order to see better among the dark.
They were then concentrated themselves on the stained glass for she truly admired them as much as she could. There was something about them that she just loved. But she couldn't tell exactly what it was, the craftsmanship? The coloring? The moon falling behind them and therefore creating a magnificent show of light? Or possibly a mixture of it all.
~~~~
Yet then there was a loud moan that originated from the throne and did its awful sound through the room. As an immediate response did the unicorn spread her wings and elongated her fangs without a second thought in her mind. She took on a pose that showed she was being on her guard while a soft hiss left her mouth. “Who are you?” she spoke out loud and thus making her presence even more known to any creature that would be hiding within the shadows.
Yet then there was a familiar chuckle did its turn after the question as the blops of shadow began to swirl around the throne. And within the vortex they appeared once again. The red eyes of Shiva came forth up to their usual stand. “My dear, lady Rarity. No need for such hostility in my home please, retract your fangs and sit before me,” she spoke up in a calm manner. Her eyes fell upon the unicorn and she could only have obeyed the words.
Rarity did what was asked from her without a question but she kept her wings spread out in a gentle manner. Though her fangs did hide themselves again in her upper jaw. The mare moved over to the throne before she lowered her behind down on the cold stone floor and gazed upon the mist vortex with a questioned look on her face. “Why did you bring me here again, why did you call me again, Shiva?” she asked with bluntness towards her. Rarity wanted to know the details of her summoning and wouldn't leave until she got it.
A small sigh left the swirling shadows as the eyes disappeared for a moment. “The reason is because of what happened to you this very night,” was spoken in a slightly disappointed tone. The eyes dropped themselves very slightly before they were raised up again and looked right into those of Rarity.
“W-What happened this night?” The mare blinked a couple times in response. Her tone was filled with a genuine confusion and she was wondering what Shiva could have meant. Although she had a slight idea of what she meant. All that was needed, was for her thoughts to be confirmed before her.
“Your captivity... I managed to sense that as your silent cries for help went through marrow and bone. Those roars when you were penetrated were the very things that notified me from the trouble you went through. I should keep you here for a couple days in order for everything to die down around you, but that would raise even more suspicion given your absence during the day. Though let me say this, I applaud your creativity. For you did something I didn't expect you to do. Even though she had cut you open, you still managed to hypnotize her, and release you.” Shiva spoke as the rims returned to the edges of the shadows.
“Well, thank you, I guess...” Rarity simply replied. She wasn't sure just what to think of it all with that pony. Something just seemed to have been off about her.
The swirling shadows kept themselves quiet and the rims disappeared once more for some time as Rarity waited patiently at what the next words or deeds would be as she turned her attention over to the stained windows. From time to time they would come to life in her mind and played out the scenes as they were shown to her. And every time one of those little strain of thoughts ended, she gave a small grin. But all of them ended up with the same scenario, the vampony who would have taken the winning side.
~~~~
In the end had the red rims returned within the shadows. “My judgment is set, you shall remain here for a few days, giving the mare that attacked you the time to recover and truly forget the incident. Feel free to stay in your room or wander around the castle, but don’t leave before I say it... And remember, I see everything. Including the mistake that your blood is still by her,” she spoke to her.
Rarity’s attention was shot back to the swirling shadows while the words entered her ears. The judgment was acceptable for her, but it did rose another question within her. “But, but what is ponies get suspicious? And I couldn't have taken everything into account! She is my friend that turns into a Frankensteinish doctor when given the chance!” she argued against Shiva.
“They won’t become that. They know you keep yourself hidden during the day right. They have been growing accustomed to that for all those months now. And when the night falls over the land, they are all asleep... You have nothing to worry about my dear child.” Shiva ensured her with her calm tone and words. But then did the eyes turn into a gaze filled with rage. “Consider yourself lucky that vampiric blood thickens itself after it is out of the body for half an hour and then reduced to ashes!”
“Well excuse me, princess!” returned Rarity to Shiva with a long emphasis on the word ‘excuse’. But then she calmed back down and gave a small nod before she spoke up once again. “Thank you once again Shiva, for everything.” The unicorn made a polite but mocking bow before she removed herself out of the room by passing the oaken doors again. The pair closed themselves after she had made her way through.
Rarity then disappeared into one of the many hallways before walking up the almost countless stairs to her given room. The same room she spent some of her time in during the Blood Moon. But the thoughts of Shiva never left her. She thought to be a free mare but no matter what she did, that monstrosity always had its clusters upon her. As sickening as it was had the mare to love with it whether she wanted it or not.
After she had ascended up the many steps, the unicorn had reached the floor she needed to be and opened the door of her room with a hoof. The thought of taking a warm and refreshing bath of blood had occurred in her mind but it was dropped down from her mind at one point. And that point was when she dropped her slender body down on the bed. She wanted to spend the rest of the night, or better said, the moon circle being asleep to give all of the events a place within her mind.
With the sound of a small ‘plof’ from the mattress and the screeching sound of bending wood lied Rarity down on the poster bed and placed her forelegs behind her head. Doing the action raised it up from the pillow while her eyes closed themselves slightly. The mare of grace allowed her mind to walk down the infamous memory lane that went straight through her life.
~~~~
The warm rays of the sun fell upon the ivory fur of the unicorn mare while she trotted through the streets of the wonderful yet quiet town with grace. Her perfect, purple curly mane bounced just a little bit in and out of her face with every step she took. Her eyes opened themselves to reveal the warm and always friendly looking sapphire blue rimmed eyes as she stood before the most well-known sweet shop in the town. Her pacing slowly came down to a hold before her eyes looked at the building and her friends all could be seen through the windows. Each of them waved and smiled towards her. And with her being the lady she was, she did the only thing that was appropriate for her to do which was waving back under her traditional warm smile.
A small tear of blood had formed itself under the eyes of Rarity and was already making its way gently down her cheek. But her mind started to travel even further back in time. To a date that was almost everything for, and to her.
White lights shone into the face of the little filly as she carefully blinked and tried to identify the location she was in. Everything had been done in a rush given how maybe the most amazing moment of her life would have happened. Her eyes would be adjusting themselves to the blinding light. After that did she took note she was sitting on a small bench while her attention turned itself over to the left side. Only to see her father giving a slight nod and proud smile to her. Almost instinctively jumped the little filly off of the bench and her feelings guided her over to a window where she struggled a little to get a good view. Eventually she managed to hoist herself up far enough to see through it as her eyes fell upon the countless foals who were peacefully asleep. But by one there was a smile that formed on her face while tears started to leave her eyes. Through the tears of complete happiness she could make out the name the little foal was given, the name of Sweetie Belle.
The flow of tears only became bigger as she started to question herself if her current form of given immortality was worth it the price she was paying. The price of giving up every single bit of a worthy pony in order to live forever. With one of her forehooves had she wiped away the tears and allowed her eyes to fall upon the blood covered fun for her foreleg while her mind wandered off once again. But that time was the memory was brought a little closer to the present for she remembered the spoken words of Shiva, words about her knowing things.
A shock did its turn through Rarity all of the sudden. She made her way back up and left the bed as a whole. Without a second thought on her mind she galloped out of her room and made her way once more down the stairs. She was heading straight towards the throne room and nothing could stop her from doing so.
~~~~
The clopping of her hooves was the only sound that filled one of the many staircase within the castle. The only other sound was from the crisping fires which she passed by every few seconds. The unicorn made her way through the doorway once more after having pushed the oaken doors open for the second time upon the night. She walked up to the throne and stood there as confident as a rock. She wanted to get at least a form of answer on her question. Her eyes rest themselves upon the shadowless throne and Rarity allowed herself a deep inhale before she spoke her words in a confident tone. “I am having a question, Shiva.”
The shadows slowly came together once more in their vortex formation and not much later the red rims appeared within them. They simply stared down to the unicorn as the voice spoke its reply. “Ask what you wish to know...” From their previous argument there was little to nothing that could be heard within the voice. A thing that came as a relief to the unicorn.
The crimson red coloring once more made their transition into the ice cold sapphire blue one as the rims of Rarity fell upon those of Shiva as she asked her question without any form of thought on her mind. She only had the burning curiosity and desires to know. “Do you know who turned me?” she stated towards the entity.
It was a sad fact that the swirling shadows didn't show any facial expression given the fact it was just a set of irises. For if they could, they would show her a look of both surprise and questioning. “Why do you desire to know that? So you can bound yourself with your maker and become its slave for all of eternity or until it releases you?”
“No Shiva, I do not wish to bound myself to the creature that made me this way, I wish to know its reasons for doing it. Why it put this curse, this blood curse, on me,” replied Rarity in a civilized manner. But her words were still spoken against the, supposedly, oldest vampony alive.
“Are you trying to defy the gift that has been granted to you, lady Rarity?” the voice spoke before the rims gazed over the unicorn in an angry manner.
“No, no I am not denying or defying anything! I just wish to know who turned me into the being I am today!” the unicorn said in her defense. But her tone had changed into almost a shouting one towards the vortex of shadows. Rarity turned her own gaze into the same one she got from the vortex. Both of them, were dead serious about their matters.
A loud huff came from the swirling darkness as the rims disappeared for a small moment before they returned back into the vortex. “There is no reason for you to know who created you, no vampony should know its maker...” Shiva released in a calm tone. She tried her utmost best to keep the peace between the two of them.
“But why!? Is it truly that bad to question the one who created you? Is it truly that hard to answer that one simple question?” Rarity spoke up as she almost dared to actually take a step on the throne. A thing that was not appreciated by the shadows.
The voice of Shiva suddenly turned into a booming one. One that was only to be matched by the royal Canterlot voice from the princess of the night. At least it seemed that manner in the ears of Rarity. “Listen, you foal! No vampiric pony gets to know its maker. It is set up by the law that way, if vamponies crawl to their maker, the strongest will simply take over the might in this pathetic kingdom. Do you understand now, lady Rarity? A war between ponies and vamponies is the least either species could use!”
Rarity blinked a couple times as her initial response while she took a couple step back from the throne. The reaction she had gotten for Shiva wasn't one she truly had expected. The entire game of maker and creation appeared to be just a game of might. A might that should never saw the light of day, or the surface of the moon. “I do understand it now, Shiva. And I am sorry to have bothered you with this question of mine,” said Rarity before she nodded in understanding. Though in her ears, the ringing of the shouting could still be felt and driving her crazy to a certain degree.
“Good, is there anything else your mind requires to know from me?” Shiva replied as her red rims gained their normal appearance again.
Rarity shook her head a little bit before turning herself around, simply willing and making herself ready to venture up the countless stairs again. “Before I forget, you are free to leave if you desire so, I changed my mind about the matter after some thinking in private,” answered Shiva before the shadow vortex just died down in their swirling and the rims dissolved with them. Despite her tremendous age, certain things never got perfected for the vortex that once was a mare.
The unicorn let go a small exhale of relief before she made her way through the doorway that led to the throne room and just ventured down the illuminated hallway. Back into the cold realms of the Equestrian night. Though her eyes wished to see the castle again with the bright big moon behind it, but the unicorn kept her head firmly towards the mist. It was a mystical sight to behold without any form of doubt, but also one that troubled the mare greatly.
Her horn charged itself up once more in order to draw the symbol against it and thus revealing the tunnel she had to walk through. Which was what she did without any hesitation.
~~~~
With the end of the tunnel coming closer towards her, it were the sounds, scents and atmosphere of the regular forest took a hold of her again. When she just felt the tunnel, she found herself standing in the Everfree Forest again. While the pathway behind her just closed itself, the fog crawled up against her hooves and send a cold shiver through the undead body which made its departure in a gentle, mysterious and elegant manner.
The pathway closed itself up by letting the fog just crawl back into it. It locked the dark stone castle once again off from the mortal world. Making it unfindable as ponies that would travel through the fog would just get teleported over to the other side in a manner that they didn't even feel it. It was the perfect hiding spot for her.
Through the countless lines of trees were there the red eyes of many creatures. Eyes which could be seen with ease. But the smell of the timberwolf only got stronger the more she ventured forward. As the mare took a couple sniffs in the air, she turned herself into the direction from where it came from. And just seconds after it she headed into that direction herself.
The scent only became stronger and stronger the more she followed it. Her sniffing would have led her to a small open plain. A small plain that was hidden deep within the forest. Though when she gave her eyes the true time to look around, they fell upon a clash of the most epic proportions. For two of the forests mightiest creatures - a timberwolf and a manticore - would soon be going at each other once again. The two titans were regaining their powers and exchanging deadly looks towards one another.
It was unknown to Rarity just why the two were battling it out but she thought it would be about a stash of meat that laid somewhere around. In her eyes she caught the fact that it had been a severe fight already for both were under the cuts and bruises as the manticore was bleeding heavily. The unicorn didn't had the desire to interfere in their business as it was nature at its finest. But kept watching for a little longer to see where it would end up.
~~~~
With that did the manticore lashed out again. With its powerful tail that acted like a whip, did it hit the wolf whose twigs and branches flew in all possible directions. Yet the ability of the wolf to regenerate itself with those same branches was something the manticore couldn't defeat no matter how hard it tried.
The creature knew its end was there but wouldn't go down without a heavy fight. Under a loud roar gave the bleeding creature another lash towards the wolf with its strong tail. But the wolf simply avoided it and the manticore dropped to the ground where it released its final breath. The wolf just let go a mighty howl before starting to feed itself off of the fallen creature, off of its mighty opponent.
The mare had seen enough when the feeding frenzy began and left the place. She wanted to head back to Ponyville. She wanted to go back to her boutique and back to her own work. On one end she hoped to get the horrible images out of her head but on the other, it was nature at its finest in her eyes. A thing that always clashed against the harmonious nature of the ponies whether they wanted it or not.
~~~~
The unicorn had left the forest as a whole. She had reemerged from its green grasp like a ghost and ventured down the laid paths to the outskirts of town. Rarity would have curled her bat-wings up against her body and so regained her infamous nightgown. The events were done just in time for her. The pair of traveling ponies whom she had encountered earlier on the night, had set up their camp not far out of town. A fire in between the two was the only thing that kept them warm from the cool night. Though the strangest part had to be the fact that the weather above them had cleared. The clouds were still hanging above them, but the thread wasn't there anymore.
Rarity past them without a word and they didn't look up either, for they were only concentrated on the fires to keep themselves warm. But the unicorn couldn't help it to catch up some of the spoken words that did their turn.
“Are you sure this is the best thing for us to do? What if...?” one of them spoke in a female voice.
“Keep your mouth shut, Agneta. I don’t like it when you think in doom scenarios,” replied the other in a male voice.
“But...” said Agneta while she tried to interrupt.
“Shut up,” the male replied. And a few seconds later was Rarity just out of their range.
~~~~
Not all too much later did the front door of the boutique fell back in its lock once again. The vampiric mare walked back to her working area with grace. She was just more than willing to finish what she had started on some time ago. The energy was flowing rich while her mind had set itself in the working state and Rarity just started to do the one thing that she always did and always loved. And that was nothing else then creating the most wonderful and fashiondaring dresses.
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Erm.... hey I got started on Cloudsdale cannibal care to edit it a little?
3958989 Next time, just send it in a PM alright?
While we're here, any thoughts about the chapter itself?
3958994 I really liked it. I like most things though so forgive me dear.
Sorry about that post though. I really am trying to get back into the horror groove though.
3959067 No need to forgive dear, simply means I'm doing my job well enough as an author from the story.
And I understand what you say though. Have the same myself, coming from stories like Cupcakes 2 and the original Art of Magic, I lost my gore touch and simply went on writing stories like, well, this. It's even quite impossible for me to write a true gorey story nowadays.
3959134 I said horror not gore fests.
3959137 Kinda the same thing in my eyes, hehehe.
"She walked up to the throne and stood there as confident as a rock." Ok, I love this story, but this is the worst simile EVER! I don't even know what it's supposed to mean!
3959161 True horror can be gore filled but it can also be a subtle thing like the 1931 film of Dracula. [youtube=https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=wDg7Mjd3BXE]
Once again you write another wonderful chapter with drama as the base and mystery added in.
3965534 Means I'll be seeing you for a long time to come. Hmhmhmh, this story, is huge~
3964408 I thank you for you kind words my dear.
3964170 There's the problem, not really that subtle myself actually. Might try it out one time though.
3960446 You'll figure something out. Still, I'm glad that you enjoy it dear.
Still a better love story than Twilight... sorry just had too
4004734 Got that right. Twilight Series Suck.