The Tales Of A Night Stalker

by Don Pedro von Poltergeis

Chapter 15: Trouble At The Homefront Pt. 1

Fire. Battle cries. The *boom!* from cannons blasting from afar, echoed louder the closer the ship flew across the safety of the southern Arcadian mountain range. Not one could see the wonderful blue sky. The same sky that told the world that everything was okay, but it wasn't. Ever since Stephen flew the ship over the hurricane at Evelyn's direction, we were engulfed in the black clouds that covered the Arcadian countryside.

Winter and Daring knew full well of the dark nature of the clouds covering Arcadia. It was a method of war. A scare tactic, but much more sinister. In history, Commander Hurricane used these types of clouds to mask a horrible storm that would decimate the enemy army with lightning and tornados during a siege. The black color was just to intimated them, however. The only way to create such a color was with fire, death, and a hint of magic.

Winter sat at Daring's side, still a little sore from the fight with Alta. It was thanks to Night Heart's magic that she was able to walk around on her own power, but it was limited without placing a heavy strain on her little body. She thanked Night Heart for her medical skills just as Evelyn joined the group on the main deck of the ship, wearing leaf-like armor like the Equus version of an Elf. She gave Winter and the others a curt bow before helping Stephen guide the ship over the Endless Storm. As Evelyn stood beside the smiling pirate, helping him fly the ship, Spooks walked over to Daring and Winter, armed and ready for the oncoming threat that looms in the distance.

"Looks like there's a storm brewing over yonder," Red Beard groaned, taking a sip from his flask as he did so. Spooks nodded in agreement as she sat next to Winter and Daring while keeping a keen eye of the lightning flashing in the distance just over where she believed was, Silent Hill as snow started to fall around them with Stephen flying close to Mount Gilgamesh.

"I agree, and not a good one either," Spooks added, turning to the disheveled Empress that was leaning against the adventurous mare. "What do you think this means, Empress?"

Winter let out a sigh, already knowing what was over the horizon as she leaned against her grandmother, Daring Do, for support. “Battle. Fire. Death. It looks as though the Crystal Empire has broken the line and, somehow, made it to the city. So except conflict when we get there.”

"How can you tell, Kiddo?" Daring asked in slight confusion, unknowing of the threat that cried into the air as the ship flew closer.

"The clouds are filled with soot and the sounds in the distance aren't natural," Spooks answered for the filly. "It's a common sight during a siege...And a big one at that."

"Thanks, Spooks," Winter nodded with a sigh before she grabbed her two guns and checked them over, making sure that she hand enough ammo for any foe that she will face.

“You're welcome,” she smiled with a flick of her tongue.

“Just... don't push yourself, kiddo. You look bad enough as it is,” Daring chimed warily while pulling the filly close with her wing. Winter cracked a smile and continued to clean her guns in silence.

The group watched in horror as they made around the mountain that protected them from anyone that may or may not want to fill them with holes, and not the good kind either. The first thing they saw were ten, giant, crystal spiders trying to climb the walls of Silent Hill, but were having a hard time with the dragons pushing them back. The second thing they saw were six, large ships that were covered in a crystal that glowed brightly when something smashed against their hulls.

They all watched as they fired round after round into the city streets with cannon balls made of crystal that, when they made contact, would turn a small portion of an area into a crystal. The last thing they saw was the castle itself and the spells that were being thrown in and around it. Winter could instantly tell whose magic was being cast and she didn't like it.

“Damn, even Luna is having a hard time against, Shining Armour and Cadence,” Winter hissed in anger, causing the group to look with more worry of their situation.

“Where should I go, Empress?” Stephen asked as several crystal cannon balls whizzed past the ship.

“I need to help Luna, but those ships are causing major problems and with the main force at Luna Bay. I don't think help will arrive for some time. Plus those crystal spiders need to be taken care of as well,” Winter replied.

“So, what's the plan?” Spooks asked, taking out her rifle, Cue. Winter bit her lip, looking over the city with a worrisome eye as her cutie mark started to burn as if it was on fire, causing everyone to take a step back.

She knows that the group had to split up to take different tasks, but she had to go to the castle no matter what. Without Luna, things could go from bad to worse if she wasn't on the front lines like she was supposed to, but she understands why with Cadence and Armour fighting her in her castle. She gave Spooks a quick glance, worried that if she sent her and her friends to deal with the giant spiders, that they might never return and that their trip together would be all for naught, but knowing of her explosive background. Having them there could help the Dragon Guard immensely in taking them out, however. She couldn't just land at the castle in an Equestrian Speeder. She had to land where Cadence might want them, but where?

Winter scoured the areas around the castle, looking for a place to land the ship. She knew the military docks would be a good place to get killed since they were practically wearing a flag that said, 'they are the bad guy.' No, she and the others knew that they had to land in a place that was under immediate threat so that they could cloak in the shadows of their enemies.

Her eyes traced briskly over the city, looking for the right place to land the ship. Winter was heartbroken the second she saw the Residential District. It was nothing but fire with soldiers desperately trying to put out the flames as they escorted civilians to safety.
Winter pulled her eyes away from the recently homeless, remembering the pain of living under bridges and turned her eye to the school and noticed something off that instantly pulled her away from the fires. In the track behind the school was another, Equestrian, ship, parked there with an honor guard trying to get into the school but was having trouble. She instantly knew why they were there and was livid that Celestia would use this upheaval to try and kill her friends while she was away. She pointed at the school, marking that as the perfect place to land the ship.

"Stephen, park us at the track behind the school right beside the other Equestrian ship. Once we land, I want; Spooks, Windy, Night, and A.T to help out with the giant, crystal, spiders at the wall. I'll take; Daring, Red, Nova, Evelyn, as well as you, Stephen to take the school and take out the ships flying overhead. Is that agreed?" Winter asked sternly.

"Agreed," they all replied in unison.

Stephen guided the airship down through friendly fire and enemy fire alike. Shells, magic, and anti-aircraft whizzed by the ship, yet none found their mark with his expert flying skills as he skidded close to one of the grand archways leading to the castle over the city below, using it as a shield for his decent.
With a cheeky smirk, the Faunas wolf flew close to the city streets below. Skirting just over the heads of evacuating civilians and soldiers, preventing the ponies that were on his side from firing upon them further, else they would kill those that they were trying to protect.
Winter smiled at the cleverness of the Faunas and prepped her weapons as they quickly made their way to the school that was under siege, however. That smiled died as quick as it came at the possibility that her friends were in danger, even though she knew that they could handle themselves in the face of such a danger with relative ease.

No. That was not the way she should be thinking. It was unbecoming of her to have uncertain thoughts that were unfounded in their roots. She knows that her friends were alright and were fighting to protect the school. No matter the cost.

She watched as Stephen guided the ship over the large academy of learning towards the track at the back of the school and right beside the unsuspecting Equestrian ship that shared their flag. She and all the others took notice that it was mostly unguarded with the majority of the forces trying to enter through the gym entrance of the school, but were having immense trouble doing so.

Once they weighed anchor, Winter, and the group jumped out of the ship out of sight of the golden-clad guards coming towards them. She prepped her weapons and checked her mana pool, making sure that if she needed to use magic again, she wouldn't kill herself while casting an Air-blade.

“Control your shots,” Spooks said as she checked on her pistols magazines and switched the safety into burst-fire mode. “We don't want to hit the civvies inside.”

“Sounds like you have experience with this type of situation?” Redbeard commented as he loaded bear slugs into his SPAS-12

“Unfortunately, I do,” Spooks replied, happy that her gear was primed and ready. “Why?

“Been trained in for this type of situation as well, that's all,” he said, lighting up his last Cuban cigar that sat comfortably in the corner of his mouth. “And what's the plan here, Empress Rose?”

Winter perked up at the mention of her name and turned to the older stallion with a long exhale. “Go in, and clear out all Equestrians and Crystalians,” she said simply. “And stay out of the way of the Seven if you see them. Especially Autumn. You don’t want to be killed by her swords when she starts swinging,” Winter added while adding more bullets into her bottomless mags, much to everyone's surprise.

“Who's: 'The Seven?'” Stephen asked with slight worry. Winter cracked a smile and turned to the handsome wolf.

“They are ponies that have the potential of becoming the Alicorn of War, and I'm one of them,” she smiled with the “Click!” of both hammers being cocked on her guns.

“That...That explains why the Equestrians are here,” Daring sighed. “Such foals could be very dangerous if they ascend.”

“I agree, though I'm the closest to achieving that goal, but enough about that. We need to get moving,” Winter motioned as she made her way around the stern of the ship to the bow, listening to the “clip-clopping” of hooves coming from the welcoming party trotting closer from the other side.
Spooks was right behind her along with; Daring, Nova, Redbeard and Stephen with the others going around the corner of the other end of the ship. She stopped right behind the young Empress just as the Equestrian guards shadows came into view, showing them that they were poorly armed.

Winter turned and flicked her head at them towards the oncoming threat and said, “Remember: No Equestrian.” They nodded back as the guards came into full view and froze in shock.

“Y-You're not back-up!?” the leader of the group said in pure shock before three, “Bangs!” echoed from Winter's gun, ending the noise of battle that was close by as the three guards fell to the ground, staining the grass crimson with their blood.

“Move!” Winter ordered as she bolted from the ship with a hard flap of her wings, creating a heavy gust of wind that stifled the others in their tracks temporarily as she charged for the gym door that was occupied by two, frightened guards, holding their spears close to their chests with trembling hooves.

Spooks charged right behind the filly as she fired two more shots in quick succession with lethal accuracy into the two guards keeping an eye out on a set of double-doors leading into a large, Victorian-styled building that must have been the schools gym and main auditorium judging from the sheer size of the complex. She quickly caught up with Winter with the others hiding behind a giant set of bleachers that could fit easily one thousand people and skidded to a halt once she saw why the filly was hiding.

Just over by the large, wood carved stage was, at least, two hundred well-armed Equestrian soldiers around a small group of children trembling in fear as the leader─A large stallion with a blue, blasted back main and white coat, sporting black armor that he wore with pride─Shout at a light brown filly, who was holding a shaking, battered and bruised, blue filly in her arms.

“Where is Winter Rose!” the stallion demanded just loud enough for them all to hear as half of the group sneaked to the other side of the bleachers from underneath them.

“I don't know!” the brown filly shouted back in a cute, tomboyish voice that sounded strangely like maple syrup.

“Bullshit! We know that you are closely connected to her from your time at Canterlot's School for Gifted Individuals!” he boomed with a hard *Stomp!* of his hoof. Spooks turned to the enraged filly in question, wondering what was going on. “Now where is she!”

“Right here!” Winter shouted, coming out from hiding, much to Spooks's horror for possibly ruining their perfect, potential ambush, but stayed hidden to see what she was planning.

Winter walked without fear towards Soarin of the Wonderbolts in pure rage that her friend, Astral Aria was hurt. She watched as the smug stallion turned his attention away from them with his entourage smiling smugly at her as she walked with her head held high in stride.

“Well-well-well. If it isn't the Black Queen herself?” Soarin smirked, causing the group of children to look at her with tremendous amounts of worry in their eyes. “Finally, came out of hiding to fight like these brainwashed foals said you would? Tired of whipping your slaves, human to die like the coward you are?!”

“Oh, shut up, Clipper!” Winter shouted back, causing the Wonderbolt to stare at her in shock. “I've been fighting for the past three days without rest! Have you ever fought your way through a fuck-ton of mercenaries armed to the teeth with dynamite in caves older than Equestria itself!? Battle your praetorian guards in the Endless Storm? Or fight one of the thirteen Plagues of Tartarus that was followed up a duel with The Queen of Storms, Alta Tempest, herself?!” she hissed, cause everyone, including the Wonderbolt, eyes to go wide with shock, horror and awe.

“You are fucking lucky that I'm drained of energy cause I could have ended you all in a matter of seconds!” she exclaimed, causing the all the guards, but Soarin, to tremble in fear. Spooks took notice of this facade and moved into position along with the others and aimed her weapon, waiting for the right moment to strike.

“Heh, big words for a liar. Only a fool would believe you!” Sorin shot back.

“Oh really?” Winter hissed as she turned on her Mangekyo Sharingan illusion spell, causing the guards closest to her to back away slowly with sweat beading down from their collective brows. “Then explained to me why Evelyn Stronghoof was at The Temple of Alta? Or is that a lie as well?”

This caught Soarin off guard as his eyes went narrow, turning into slits in pure rage at the mention of that name. “How do you know that?” he hissed back.

“The same reason that I know Celestia wanted the Winglets in order to control the demon trapped within and use it as a weapon and resource for all the lost magic it contains and trust me, Soarin. I will make you pay for hurting Spitfire's heart,” Winter growled as the whites of her eyes turned black like Soarin's with her pupils became slits as well.

Spooks slowed her breath as the spectacle unfolded and aimed her pistols at the closest guards while turning invisible and nodded to the others to get ready to which they responded with a nod of their own as Winter's coat flickered with fire while Sorin's pulsed with condensed air.

“Oh yeah? You and what army?” he asked with a dark smile with his wings flexing out menacingly.

“The Salvation Army, eh!” Winter shouted with a smile, telling the others to open fire.

“Wha─?” Soarin said dumbly as the gym was filled with loud *Bangs!* *Clacks!* and slicing metal, from Winter's declaration.

Spooks chuckled as the guards pissed themselves as they watched their comrades died like insects in paralyzing horror, just as Winter tackled Soarin to the ground while he was dazed and threw him with staggering strength into the far wall, knocking him out cold from the painful impact before sending one, large, AOE out, decapitating the surviving guards while they were still petrified in fear from the sudden onslaught on their brethren as Spooks and the others reloaded their weapons.

“Is that all of them?” Spooks called and got a few affirmatives from around the gym making her let her guard and holster her guns, “Alright, Night, Windy, can you check the foals?”

“On it,” they both replied in unison.

Spooks watched both Windy and Night Heart moved over to the foals in the middle of the gym before walking over to Winter, who was being stared at by all of the children in the room with wide eyes with a few bowing down to her out and others whispering in childish glee at the sight of her. She gave them all a warm smile and a curt nod before walking over to the unconscious form of Soarin, the Wonderbolt and prodded his side to make sure that he wasn't moving.

“So, what are you going to do with him?” Spooks asked as she walked up to Winter with two fillies close behind.

“Honestly? I have no idea,” Winter replied with a shrug, “Probably put him into a dungeon with the rest of the Wonderbolts that I’ve captured for Intel. Other than that. I don’t know what else to do with him other than have Spitfire chew him out.”

Spooks just nodded in response as the two fillies walked right up to Winter with worry in their eyes.

“Winny? What’s going on?” the dark auburn filly said in a warm, tomboyish syrupy tone, bringing a soft smile to the Empress’s face.

“Just the usual: Wake up, stretch, coffee, yoga, adventure time, explosions, pain, regret, misery and almost dying. Ya’ know, my average day,” she shrugged and booped the milky blue filly that was leaning against the brown one on the nose.

“Yeah, that sounds like you,” the filly smiled and pulled her into a warm embrace, nuzzling Winter with adorable affection.

“Так мило,” Spooks muttered, looking away at the sight.

“I’m guessing you want to know where the others are as well as the teachers?” the filly asked with a knowing smirk, pulling away from Winter so that the other filly could give her a hug as well.

“That would be helpful, Maple,” Winter smiled in response.

“A bunch of guards went chasing the other students down the hall. There of them was wearing the same black armor as Soarin. Our gym teacher went with the guards with a strange smile on his face and since they have been gone. There have been sounds of clashing swords and explosions every other minute, probably caused by Autumn and Summer, by the sound of it.”

"That would explain how they got into the school," Spooks frowned with a slight growl. "He better have not done anything to them."

"I highly doubt that Snake-thing," Maple said simply. "Autumn beat Shining Armor in a duel and Summer beat the best sniper in the world. They won't have a hard time. Right Rose?" Maple boasted.

"Right, and by the feel of it. Both of them are currently at a standstill with the remainder of the Equestrian Guards," Winter replied, causing Spooks to look at her in confusion.

“How is that possible?” Spooks asked dumbly as Windy and Night Heart tended to the wounds inflicted on the children just a few meters away.

“You'll find out, Snake Thing and Winter?” Maple inquired.

“Yes?”

“Take it easy. You look like you are ready to keel over and die from exhaustion. Don't push yourself more than you have too. It would suck to see my herd mate in a coffin,” Maple said weakly as she helped the other filly, who passed out leaning against her, towards Night Heart and the other children.

“No promises,” Winter chuckled half-halfheartedly and turned to Soaring one more time before an azure glow wrapped his body, causing Spooks to jump back, ready to fight again, but this cautionary step was unfounded as the Wonderbolt flashed for a quick second and disappeared.

“Damn it! Where did he go!?” Spooks hissed at the missing Wonderbolt.

“I teleported him to the dungeon so we don't have to worry about bringing him along. So let's not delve further into the matter. We have to move,” she replied and proceeded past the bowing children deeper into the school with her head held high with Nova Blade following right behind her along with Daring, who was also the center of attention among the group of the innocent.

“What?!” Spooks gasped in shock, completely forgetting that the young Empress could teleport like a Unicorn before shaking her head, and reluctantly followed right behind her while the others stayed with the group of children.

Winter trotted at a brisk pace down the once pristine halls of her personal academy. Blood, slashes and burns marked a struggle on the decorated stone walls, curved and carved to match the Gothic style with a mix of elvish fantasy, turning each corner, nook, and cranny into eloquent art that was unmatched to the rest of the world, even the lost temple that she left a few hours prior.

Bodies in gold armor littered the floor, sliced, stabbed, burned and skewered with arrows with surgical precision. It was clear who had done such damage, just the thought of her friends fighting off an army filled her heart with pride, knowing that they were safe for the moment.

“What did this?” Daring asked as they passed a guard that was drawn and quartered with something big and sharp.

“My friend, Autumn and by the looks of it–“ she paused and saw a giant hole in the wall that went through the entire school. “–The Eclipse twins as well. Why?” she asked as the sound of shouting blared out from down a hall leading to girls dormitory that didn't sound like they were friends.

“Foals did this?” she asked again in shock.

“Yes,” Winter replied. “We were all assassination targets for being terrifyingly skilled in combat. Just ask Spring Rose, she's been following us since we've passed the bathroom a few minutes ago.”

“What do you mean? There is no one else here?” Spooks pointed out.

“Spring Rose! I know you are hiding in Nova's shadow!” Winter shouted causing everyone to look at the confused Thestral before a green filly appeared, quite literally, out of her shadow.

“How did you find me?!” she gasped, causing Spooks's eye to twitch slightly at the tiny filly.

“Your own shadow gave it away,” Winter smirked. “You still have lots to learn before you can get the drop on me again, Spring Rose.”

“How in the hell?” Nova gawked at the Earth Pony filly as she walked up the wall without a care in the world and vanished into another shadow.

“Whatever, Empress fuck face. The others are held up in the girls dormitory. The remaining Equestrian guards are just outside of it in the courtyard, hiding behind a portable gem shield. Wonderbolts Thunderlane, Misty Fly, and Surprise are there also, now if you need me. I'll meet you there, chow!” she said before disappearing as quickly as she came.

“Well, that happened. I'm guessing she is one of the Seven that you mentioned?” Daring blinked, trying to figure out how the filly shadow stepped, despite not being a Unicorn...or walked up the wall like a Thestral or Changeling when she wasn't one.

“Yep,” Winter responded and went back to walking to the courtyard that Spring Rose mentioned. “Master of theft, espionage and the art of disappearing like a ghost. She makes Nova Blade here look like a novice when it comes to breaking and entering.”

“That's impossible!” Nova exclaimed.

“I agree,” Daring added.

“Indeed,” Spooks finished.

“Well, it is. Just ask Celestia or Luna. They can tell you that she managed to break into the Black Archives under Canterlot Castle and stole a book about Shadow Walking. Man, they were pissed when they found out but were too late cause she mastered the lost arts in that tome before they could take it back.”

“I'm starting to see why these Seven are so dangerous now. They sound a lot like the Seven Knights of Twilight: The great warriors that once protected the Tree of Harmony from the demon hoard before Tartarus was built thousands of years ago,” Daring explained, earning her a raised brow from Winter and Nova.

“That's...Interesting, but history lessons can wait. The rest of the school needs us,” Winter silenced before bolting down the hall at a brisk pace with Nova trailing right behind her.

“She's right, let's go,” Spooks nodded to Daring and chased after the others, however. Daring was reluctant after the sudden realization of legend incarnate causing chaos in the world. With a sigh, she followed after them, wondering if the world's most mysterious legend was true.

Winter bounded around a corner straight towards the last set of doors, guarded by two guards that Nova Blade killed the second she laid eyes on them. They both took cover on either side of the doors with Spooks and Daring right behind them.

“How many do you think is out there?” Spooks questioned, her tail rattling at the strange static in the air, making her uneasy. Winter closed her eyes with a long exhale and a twitch of her wings. Her eyes moved beneath her eyelids erratically as if she was trying to look everywhere all at once before opening them again, showing all three of them that her eyes changed color to a clear silver.

“There is at least ten of them: five standard soldiers, the three Wonderbolts and two Archmages,” Winter replied.

“How can you tell? And what's up with your eyes, kiddo?” Daring asked warily.

“Mana Sight, which has a side effect of changing my eye color and making me temporarily blind. Why?” she asked back as her eyes returned to normal.

“Isn't that very dangerous Black Magic, your Highness?” Nova questioned with the same amount of worry in her voice as Daring.

Winter shook her head. “It's not the actual spell, just a mock version of it. Completely safe. I promise.”

“I just hope you know what you are doing,” Daring sighed and turned back to the double doors and pressed her ear against them to listen in on the shouting from outside.

“So, take out all the guards but the Black Ops?” Spooks asked, pulling out the Safe Twins.

“Yes, I'll deal with them. Once I have them in my line of sight. I can teleport them to the dungeon. The archmages are the ones that are going to be a problem, though.” Winter commented as she pulled out her own guns.

“Not going to be a problem with these babies, Empress Rose,” Spooks smirked and shoved Daring and Nova to the side before slamming the doors opened and fired a few rounds before rolling behind a statue of the Empress in adult form.

Winter smirked and followed right behind the Night Stalker, who gave her just enough of a distraction to get a read on the three Wonderbolts that were more focused on Spooks than her, and teleported them to the dungeon before ducking behind a bush, barely dodging a jet of fire that was sent out by one of the archmages.

“It's the Empress! Kill her!” one of the Equestrians ordered as a giant fire rune appeared right under Winter, forcing her to roll into the open as a geyser of fire erupted where she once stood.

“Winter!” Spooks shouted as the filly disappeared from her line of sight as she fired a few rounds into the guards in golden armor, killing them all, but leaving the two unicorns wearing black robes unscathed. Spooks hissed in irritation as she spotted her bullets hovering right in front of the faces of the smug Unicorns before they sent them back at supersonic speeds. “Motherfuckers,” she hissed as one of her own bullets skimmed against her shoulder, causing a slight gash while she reloaded from behind the statue.

“Winter! Are you alright?!” Spooks called out in worry.

Winter frowned at the call as she went invisible and moved around the center of the courtyard, keeping an eye out for the two unicorns with the smuggest, shit-eating grins on their faces. She didn't want to alert them archmages to her immediate presence as she prepared a lightning bolt that will kill them both in a single hit: an Aether Bolt. She could only hope that the Night Stalker didn't do anything rash while she remained silent.

“The filly is nothing but a pile of ashes, freak!” one of the archmages laughed. “She didn't know that I had that trap placed there just for her!”

“They killed Winter?” Spooks muttered breathlessly, “You bastards!” she shouted before unleashing a volley of fire until the Safe Twins clicked empty making her duck down behind the statue in order to reload and to take cover from the bullets that were sent back to her.

Just as Spooks was about to load fresh magazines into her pistols to continue firing at the Archmages. A strange arrow landed at her hooves with a note attached to it. While they were distracted by a few more of those strange arrows firing upon them, Spooks took the time to open and read the note.

"They're protected by a portable gem shield. Fire at them during the repulse of the electromagnetic charge that surrounds them. You can tell by the grass under them

-Umbra Eon."

'Thank you, Umbra Eon, whoever you are,' Spooks thought with a smirk. She poked her head out from behind her cover while the archmages were distracted by a volley of arrows and watched the grass underneath them carefully, looking for a change in its natural behavior. After a few seconds of watching with unblinking eyes, the grass froze solid for a split second before turning back to normal.

Acting as quick as she could, Spooks side jumped out from behind the statue and fired a short burst of bullets at each of the Unicorns. Unfortunately, only a few rounds found their mark in the shoulders of the two Unicorns while the rest were deflected by the reactivated shield. Realizing her mistake, she scrambled back up to her hooves in a struggle to get back in cover, but it was futile. She was yanked hard by her tail and pinned to the ground with vines with her guns tossed to the side.

“It was fun while it last, but I think it's time for you to die,” the archmage that set the fire trap said with a sadistic smile on his face as the vines around Spooks wrapped around her neck and started to strangle her.

Spooks vainly struggled against the possessed vines choking the air out of her lungs. The corners of her vision blurred as focused on breathing rather than escaping and, just a few meters away, was a set of disembodied hooves in the grass. She cracked a weak smile, knowing that Winter was still alive.

“Why are you smiling?” the archmage demanded angrily.

“B-because...Y-you're...About to…Get...Fucked up,” Spooks managed to choke out before she passed out in his magical grip.

Just as Spooks said those words, Winter came out from her cloak, covered in black lightning. The two archmages froze in horror as their horns lit up in a vain effort to defend themselves, but she knows that it was impossible.

"Go to hell," she hissed before sending out a black lightning bolt out from her body. The two archmages eyes went wide in fear that was erased from existence as both of their bodies were swallowed in a sphere of pure darkness and what was left behind was their bloody stumps for hooves.

"Now...Stay dead," Winter said, panting heavily, her vision blurry from the instant drain of magic from her final attack. Taught to her by Luna as a last resort.

"Manipulating...dark energy...is hard...fuck," she groaned, limping slowly over to Spooks as the teachers, guards, and students poured out of the dormitory, safe from the threat that was slamming against their doors.

"What was that?!" Daring gasped as she leaned up against Winter to give her support, just as five strange fillies, clad in light, leather armor ran up to her with weapons of their own. One of them held a giant bow, made from the bones and scales of a white dragon that was easily the size of Iron Will, a Minotaur she met on the road, giving inspirational speeches from town to town.

"Winter!" shouted one of the armored fillies, causing the filly leaning against her side to turn and limp away towards the filly with the bow before she was tackled into an affectionate snuggle fest of adorable, apocalyptic, proportions.

"Hey, Summer. Miss me?" Winter choked out before coughing up blood all over the whitish-pink fillies neck, making her jump in shock.

"Are you alright?!" she gasped as she forced herself away and began looking over Winter like a protective kitten. "I didn't hurt you more than you are?"

Winter chuckled slightly, coughing up more blood as she did so as streams of her crimson liquid poured out of her eyes. "No, kitten. Just severe mana atrophy."

"We should really get you to the hospital," Daring said as she looked over and saw that Spooks was coming back to her feet. The Night Stalker coughed slightly, shaking her head in a daze.

"No time," Winter wretched, puking up blood before she collapsed to the ground, breathing heavily. "G-Got to...Activate the AA cannons."

"Winter!?" both Daring and Summer gasped as they both leaned over to check on her, but Daring was shoved to the side by the filly with terrifying strength. "Here, you need it more than I do right now," Summer said, bringing her neck to Winter's mouth. Daring frowned at this, not understanding the filly's gesture until Winter chomped down on her neck, earning a slight whimper of pain from Summer.

"What are you doing!? Winter stop that!" Daring shouted as she moved to the other side to try and pull them apart but the other four fillies held her back with their weapons, especially a golden filly hovering twenty swords with her magic with ease against the older mare's throat. "Stay out of zis. Wintier is just getting a boost to keep 'er from dying. Fucking moron," the golden filly said before Winter pulled away from Summer's neck and jumped up, wiping away the blood that dripped down from her maw with Summer smiling weakly as she stood up as well.

"Better?" she asked warily, struggling to stay up on her trembling hooves.

Winter gave her a gentle peck on the cheek with a smile, further confusing Daring beyond the point of no return. "Better," she smiled, before coughing up a little bit of blood again. "Well... almost better."

“I think you broke her,” Spooks commented, with a slight croak in her voice, as she poked Daring into her face with a hoof to which Daring didn't react in the slightest.

"She break's everyone. It just takes a while," Summer smiled as she leaned against the golden filly with a million swords sheathed to her back in a way that makes her look like she had wings made of steel.

Spooks just shrugged in response before coughing up the permanent marker she ate a few days prior and drew a mustache, monocle and a burning cigar on Daring's face. “Classy,” Spooks admired her work with a smile before swallowing the permanent marker again with a sigh of satisfaction, “The advantages of not having a gag reflex.”

"That's...gross," the filly said in disgust with silver hair and a dark gray coat. "Where does it even go?"

“Now, that's… a very good question,” Spooks replied with a thoughtful expression before shrugging, “It definitely goes somewhere?”

"Talk about the freak of nature some other time," the filly with black hair with red streaks in it said with a roll of her eyes and pointed to the flying ships bombing the city. "What are we going to do with those fuckers?"

Spooks frowned at being called a 'freak of nature' and decided to take revenge on the filly in the form of spitting out the permanent marker and hitting her straight in her face with it.

She caught the marker in her mouth and shattered it into a hundred pieces. The ink dripped down from her mouth, making her black fur even darker around her chin. "Do that again fuck face. And I'll turn you into snake stew!" she snarled, spitting some of the leftover ink into Spooks's face before walking away with her exact twin, walking right behind.

“Wow, talk about someone being a bitch,” Spooks muttered while wiping her face clean of the ink.

"That's just, Lunar Eclipse. She's always a bitch," Winter chuckled weakly, her eyes opening and closing in and out of consciousness.

"You need to get you some rest, Wintier," the french filly said with worry. "You 'ave pushed yourself too far. You are lucky to even be alive let alone awake!"

“If mana atrophy is really that dangerous you can try and feed off of my mana, if you want to,” Spooks said in concern.

"I wish I could, Spooks, but your signature and mine are too different to mix without feedback," Winter yawned. "Plus, if you are an External Magic user, the feedback could kill you for how different we are. Autumn can explain. I need to start moving to the AA-batteries on the castle wall."

"It depends on the pony and what 'mehzod 'zey use," the golden filly said. "Most Unicorns use Zee Ley Line principle as it uses 'zee 'orns as a muscle to bend 'zee magic around 'zem to use spells, but 'zee problem with that is if you were to go into a place 'zat 'as a magical suppressor, You can't do simple things like levitation, however. It is the safest to use," she explained. "Zee ohzer method is Zee Lexarious Internus mehzod or otherwise called an Internal Mana Pool. Unlike zee former, it draws energy stored within zee body. Most Pegasi use it as it costs less and allows 'zem to create, convert, and control lighting and, as you can see. Once your Mana Pool 'its zero, you can and will most likely, die."

"Now, if Wintier would 'ave borrowed from someone like you, as she said, 'your signatures are too different,' you will, quite literally," she coughed nervously, "explode from zee feedback."

Spooks took in what the filly had said before nodding in understanding, “Anyway, should we get on with our plan?”

"Yeah, tell the others back in the gym to regroup with me at the training grounds while your group deals with the war spiders. Once the threats are dealt with, I'll give you a medal or something," Winter chuckled before being smacked upside the head by the three fillies.

"She won't do anything until I say so. Tell whoever it is to meet us at the portable Medic station by the docks, alright?" Summer said, frowning at Winter who was smiling as her eyes slowly closed until she fell over into unconsciousness.

“Sure thing,” Spooks said before departing back towards the gym.

Comments

[ILikeLuna]

Top shelf!

[Don Pedro von Poltergeis]

7677128
The guards didn't know about Spooks being a human. They called her a Discord spawn because of her apperance (snake tail, scales on her back, etc.).

[bennygrey]

8910775
I smell a French men

[HexoRequiem]

i googled night-stalker because i 1. haven't played fallout and 2. don't even know what it looks like. i get two different results.
so, we got a terrifying wingless bat and a rattlesnake-hyena.
i.imgur.com/7UJKRtz.jpg
vignette.wikia.nocookie.net/fallout/images/9/91/Nightstalker.png/revision/latest?cb=20110115184019

[Don Pedro von Poltergeis]

9146104
It's a hybrid of a coyote and a rattlesnake, actualy.

[HexoRequiem]

9146237
ah, my bad. at first glance, it's bodily structure looked similar to a spotted hyena. i do see how it's a coyote, as well. (if anything, a coyote would be more likely as a mixture, since they live in the same environment as rattlesnakes.)

[Don Pedro von Poltergeis]

9146359
Yeah. You should check out the Fallout:New Vegas if you want to know more about Night stalkers or the game in general.

[Oops door]

It’s been two years but I guess the story is dead now