Angel Rune was on a routine job when she learned some terrible news. A Greater Demon is coming. One that would take over Equestria and rule it in darkness. It's her job to stop Him from getting through. But can she do it on her own?
It was a normal routine mission for Angel Rune. Go in. Remove the demon. Get out. But during this job she learns of a plan to bring a Greater Demon through into Equestria. One who would grow strong from striking fear into the sweet innocent ponies and stretch His darkness to the lands beyond. She knows that it is up to her to stop Him from getting in. But she can't do it alone. It will take everything she has to keep this land safe. Fragile bonds will be tested. Blood lost. Battles won. And scars gained.
Bloodmoon rested in the shadows of her cloud home. The pale gray pegasus was dozing off when a flash of movement caught her eye. From her vantage point Bloodmoon could see the newly made Alicorn, Princess Twilight, and her constant companion, Spike coming out of the Everfree forest.
"She must've been visiting Zecora", Bloodmoon said to herself. She stood and shook out her purple and red mane. As she watched the princess and her dragon friend head home, she noticed something odd at the edge of the forest. Spike must have seen it too, because he called out to Twilight and went back into the forest. The princess watched him go, but didn't wait for him to return. Instead she continued on towards home.
"Help! Twilight help!" Spikes cries were not loud enough to reach Princess Twilight, but they did reach the blue eyed pegasus. Bloodmoon flew down from her perch and into the forest, looking for him. He hadn't made it far. When she found him, Spike was in the grip of something seemingly made from darkness itself. Bloodmoon noticed the way anything the creature touched shriveled up and died. Like the blackness was draining the life from the plants around it. She recognized that effect and with dawning realization she knew what she was looking at.
"Demon", she whispered with fear. Spike disappeared into the darkness and Bloodmoon wasted no time. She turned tail and fled. She wasn't equipped to handle this.
"Manticores, I can handle. Cockatrices, I can handle. Demons? Nope!" Bloodmoon sped over the Everfree forest to the far side. She was in search of a unicorn stallion who could get a message to the Shadowhunters.
● ● ●
Back in the Everfree forest the darkness had swallowed Spike and muffled his cries for help. Suffocated, he soon began to slip from consciousness. As he faded out he saw Princess Twilight coming back to look for him. "No! Stay away! It's not safe!" He tried to warn her, but all that came out was a croak.
"Spike? Spike, where are you?" Twilight called out for her faithful assistant. "Oh, there you are Spike! Princess Luna and Princess Celestia will be waiting."
The last thing Spike saw before he completely lost consciousness was a perfect duplicate of himself leaving with Princess Twilight.
★ ★ ★
Angel Rune awoke to the pale light of dawn. She stood up slowly and shook out her silver and black mane. As she stretched out each light tan leg in turn, she yawned. Sleeping on the hard ground of the Everfree forest was a bad idea. But she had no choice. This is where the demon fled. This is where she needed to be.
She got to work packing her saddle bags immediately, mentally checking the items off her list. Seraph baldes, steele, Codex, bandages, rations and lastly, her sword. As she shrugged on her leather jacket, Angel let out a shrill whistle. With an answering hoot, a multishaded gray owl flew down from a nearby tree and landed on her back. The owl was every color from silvery white to almost black.
"Morning Clair", Angel greeted her beloved companion.
Clair, or Clairvoyant, hasn't left Angel Runes side since the day the mare rescued her. She let out an answering gretting.
"It's best we get a move on. Breakfast will have to be eaten on the go", Angel stated.
At this the owl grumbled and ruffled her feathers.
"Oh don't give me that Clair. You know very well that we're after an Eidolon demon. He's injured. We have to catch up to him before he heals. If he heals he can change shape and we'll loose him. I have to finish him off before then."
Clair let out a huff and clacked her beak in annoyance. She knew this. But she wanted food.
"Well too bad", Angel retorted.
She set off deeper into the forest at a brisk trot.
As she trotted on Angel kept a look out for signs that a passing demon would have left. She saw the steaming burnt places on the ground where his black ichor had fallen. Before he made it into the forest Angel had been able to slice of his clawed hand. Judging from freshness of the ichor he couldn't be far ahead.
Soon she began to notice the thickening shadows. There was an eerie silence. Nothing stirred in the normally noisy forest. It was as if the forest itself was holding its breath. Clair shifted nervously on Angels back.
"You feel it too, don't you girl", Angel asked.
Clair clacked her beak softly in agreement. Angel Rune glanced down. The ruby necklace at her throat was glowing and growing warm.
"We're not alone", she whispered.
Angel quickly craned her neck around to pull a seraph blade out of her bag.
"Nakir." She named the weapon and like all seraph blades did, it sprang to life with a brilliant white light. Invoking the name of a heavenly being on a seraph blade gave it angelic properties. Seraph blades were the best defense against the vile beings of Tartarus.
Angel Rune slowly turned in a circle, using the light of the blade to illuminate the darkness around her. What she saw didn't surprise her. Huddled up against a stand of trees was the Eidolon demon. Still in the form of the small purple dragon he was impersonating, he actually managed to look pitiful. He had his left arm clutched against his chest. As she stepped closer Angel saw why. It was just a bloody stump.
The demon hissed and pushed himself off the tree. The thick black demon blood had run down his arm and covered most of his lower body. It pooled at his feet and still oozed from the wound. He looked at Angel and Clair with eyes filled with pure hatred that twisted the face he had stolen. Angel tensed, ready for a fight.
"You may defeat me", the demon rasped. "But the others will succeed where I have failed."
"Others?" Angel dug at the ground angrily with her hoof. "What others? There are more of you? What was your job? Why were you trying to get close to Princess Twilight?!" Angel stepped towards the demon threateningly.
Clair took flight and hovered above Angel protectively. She would assist the tan colored pony if things got violent.
"As if I would tell you!" The demon took a shuddering breath. He wasn't afraid. He stood his ground with malice burning in his gaze. Angel looked down and noticed just how large the pool of ichor was at the dragons feet. She realized then, that he was going to die soon, and she needed to get the information from him before then.
Angel quickly closed the distance between them and was nose to nose with the demon when she growled, "Tell me where the others are."
Anger and spite glowed in the the demons eyes, shattering the image of an innocent baby dragon. He didn't speak but his breathing became shallow. He had lost a lot of blood. And he was fading fast.
"Why were you in the princess's castle", Angel questioned the demon.
He coughed and spat in her face as a last act of defiance. "You are not the one I answer to, Shadowhunter. I won't be the one to reveal His plans." Angel watched as he weakened with growing desperation. She needed to keep him talking.
"He? Who is He? Who do you serve?!" Angel Rune was nearly screaming now. Clair was perched on a low hanging branch watching anxiously.
The demon managed an evil, knowing sneer. "You know of Him. You fear Him. All fear Him. And He knows of you, Shadowhunter. Oh, He knows of you."
Angel shivered as she felt chills travel down her spine. "...You don't mean..."
The demon let out a breath of laughter and Angel Rune watched as the light faded from his eyes. The lifeless body fell into the pool of black ichor at her hooves. Just an empty husk now. She screamed in frustration and in a fit of rage brought the seraph blade slashing down, ripping into the purple dragon skin. The angelic power of the blade consumed the body in flames and soon turned the demonic husk to ash.
Angel sat back and looked down at her hooves, trying to process what she had just learned. What did the Eidolon demon mean when he said others? Other shape shifting demons? Or other demons in general? And Him. The way the demon spoke... He could have only been speaking of one Greater Demon. The Demon of Fear.
Down in the pits of Tartarus the shadows were stirring. Past the fires and lake of lava a giant gaseous form was rising up. The gas was thick, swirling black. It hovered above the dry cracked ground of the chasm. The only thing showing that this was the corporeal form of a being was the huge saucer like eyes. They glowed, softly illuminating the darkness with a pale red light. They were cold. Emotionless.
The eyes were swiveling in the black mist, searching for something in the flickering shadows. "Where are you? Step foward!" The deep rumbling voice came from within the the mist. At the command a small quivering beign stepped out of the shadows. "Tell me, Vadas", the voice said, "why didn't the infiltration go as planned?"
"I...um...I" Vadas stammered, paralyzed by the fear emanating from the shadowy being.
"TELL ME!!" The command was so loud it vibrated the walls of the deep pit.
"I don't know Lord Agramon. The Eidolon demon did everything he was instructed to do. I don't know how the Shadowhunters found him."
Agramon narrowed his enormous eyes. "Is he reborn yet?"
Seeing a way of escape the pale gray demon tripped over himself in a hurry to leave. "I will go check immediately, um, Master. " He left the chasm in a rush, heading upward to the pits where the lesser beings reformed after being killed by Shadowhunters or stupidity. He mumbled to himself as he climbed. "I shouldn't have to take orders. I am Wrath! I am a Sin!" His bright orange eyes shined with rage. He was angry at himself for showing fear.
"You are a Sin, but He is an Emotion." Vadas had reached the pits and a raspy voice spoke to him from the nearest one. Vadas turned to see that the Eidolon had indeed been reborn and was looking at Vadas with apprehension. It knew why Vadas was there.
"Come. The Great Emotion wishes to speak with you." Vadas reached down and pulled the Eidolon demon up out of the pit. He felt satisfaction at seeing the lesser demon tremble as he turned and led it back down to the Demon of Fear.
As they approached the gaseous form of Agramon, Vadas began to quiver and the Eidolon broke out in a cold sweat. Agramons form swelled and he seemed to suck the light from fires around him. "What do you have to say for yourself", he asked angrily. For a moment Vadas froze, thinking the Great Demon was speaking to him. Then he noticed the Eidolon had fallen to its knees.
"I'm sorry my great fear-inducing Lord. Please, forgive me! It's not my fault! Everything was going as planned until that Pegasus Downworlder came out of nowhere and saw me!"
Vadas interrupted the Eidolons stammering. "Pegasus Downworlder? What would a Downworlder be doing so close to populated pony areas?"
"I don't know.", the Eidolon replied. "She came streaking into the forest when that pathetic excuse for a dragon started screaming for help. She must have got word to the Shadowhunters about my presence."
Agramon chuckled. "You were undone by a pony sympathizer? Vadas was wrong about you. Did you at least kill the princesses young companion?"
The Ediolon demon swallowed nervously. "I...um...I think so."
"You think so?! Your orders were to kill him and assume his role in her life!" Vadas, Demon of Wrath, was about to teach this useless hell trash a lesson when Agramon stopped him.
"Vadas, hold. He has more information we need." Agramon focused his gaze in the cowering Eidolon demon. "The Shadowhunter that ended you, describe him."
"It was a mare, Your Greatness. She was pale tan and had green eyes. She wore a gem that glowed and had an owl companion..." The Eidolon trailed away as he noticed Agramons eyes had gotten brighter and his misty form swelled. "Was...was I correct in assuming she was the one you told us of?"
"Angel Rune. It seems our paths have crossed again. I won't let you escape me again." Agramon was speaking to himself and Vadas knew this could go on for hours at a time.
"Lord Agramon, what do you wish me to do with the Eidolon now?"
Agramon didn't seem to be happy at being interrupted. "Leave him with me. I will interrogate him further." There was an evil glint to Agramons eyes as he spoke those words. "Go and check on the others and see that they do not fail me as well, Vadas. Everytime they fail, you fail. And I will not have a failure commanding my army."
As Vadas left the chasm behind him, his strength returned to his knees. He began to berate himself for again cowering before the Greater Demon. Screams of agony and deep terror floated up to him from the pit, interrupting self bashing. Vadas recognized the raspy wails of the Eidolon. He almost felt pity for the lesser being. Almost.
Vadas reached the pits above the chasm and looked out over the vast number of them. He grinned. Each pit housed a demon. Eidolons, Molochs, Raveners, Sins. As far as he could see. He was hand picked by Agramon to lead this army of darkness. He, Vadas, Demon of Wrath, would be at the head of this vast demonic horde when it was finally unleashed upon Equestria.
As he stood there gazing out over the pits, Vadas began to daydream. He would lead Agramons army into Equestria and he would unleash Wrath that the ponies had never before seen. Then he would take the army and conquer the lands beyond. Everything would fall before him. The time was coming. Soon the infiltration would be complete and the puny princesses would be "incapacitated". The Eidolons failure was just a minor setback. Soon Equestria would belong to the demons.
Angel Rune sat there going over what she had discovered as the ashes of the demon sank into the ground. Her green eyes were distant as she remembered the first time she had encountered Agramon. She was just a filly. Still in training at the Academy. A foolish unicorn had wanted to prove herself the most powerful of all by summoning a Greater Demon.
Angel is the one that discovered the young unicorn but it was too late. Agramons presence was already through the Void, the blackness between worlds, and he was entering Equestria. The fear emanating from his form was paralyzing. Angel Rune was frozen where she stood. Unable to run away or even blink. Her brilliant green eyes were stretched wide.
At the time Agramon was in the form of a fierce giant dragon. That was filly Angel Runes biggest fear. Agramon couldn't understand why the filly wasn't dead or at least unconscious. She confused him. He put more power into his form and the dragon image breathed fire and roared. A sound reached Angel through the cloud of fear and she recognized her own voice screaming.
Her cries brought the Shadowhunters and other fillies and colts being trained. They took advantage of Agramon being focused on Angel and were able to quickly banish him back to Tartarus. When this happened, Agramon made sure to remember the young Earth Pony who stood her ground and survived an encounter with him. Angel Rune saw in his eyes that she puzzled him. She didn't understand why until one of her instructors came to her after he was gone.
"Agramon takes the form of whatever terrifies you most. He feeds on your fear. When he is done feasting on it, he kills you. Provided you're still breathing at that point. Most stallions, and mares, die of fear before then. You're something special Angel Rune."
The words echoed in her head as she stood and shook herself out of the reverie. Angel walked over and retrieved her seraph blade from where it lay beside the tree. She looked around. There was no evidence of the demons presence besides the dead foliage. Her charmed necklace wasn't giving off any heat or light. The demon was truly gone.
Clairvoyant flew down from her perch and landed on Angels back. She nuzzled the mare comfortingly and ran her beak through Angels mane affectionately.
"Thank you, Clair." Angel managed a weak smile. So many thoughts were flying through her head. "We need to check in on Princess Twilight. I don't know how we will explain Spikes disappearance."
Angel Rune double checked that her seraph blade was clean and packed away. When she was satisfied that everything was in order she turned and headed back the way she had came. Clairvoyant glided at her side. The owl was worried about her companion. Angel Rune walked through the darkened forest at a steady pace. As a demon fighting Shadowhunter she was at ease here. The prospect of running into any creature that made its home here didn't frighten her in the least. Anything that lived here was a resident of Down World. Shadowhunters and Downworlders got along for the most part.
Angel Rune was thinking of to tell Princess Twilight that Spike was gone when Clairvoyant screeched and sped away into the darkness. "Clair? Clair where are you going?!" Angel yelled after the owl to no avail. Her feathered friend vanished into the darkness leaving Angel Rune no choice but to follow.
Angel sighed and galloped to catch up to Clair. She wondered what caused Clair to fly off like this. The owl never left her side. Not even in battle. Then she heard it.
"Ughhh..." *cough cough* "help..."
Angel Rune slowed down to listen. She heard the coughing again and followed the sound of it. She saw Clairvoyant perched on the twisted root of a tree. At the base of the trunk was a crumpled purple and green form. Angel paused in amazement. Clair must have heard the cries when she couldn't. She approached the being slowly. "Spike? Spike is that you?"
He shifted and looked up at her. Angel let out a breath she didn't know she'd been holding. Spike was alive!! She didn't have to explain his disappearance to Princess Twilight after all. Spike looked at her with bloodshot eyes. His gaze was that of a cornered wild animal. "Who...who are you", he asked.
"My name is Angel Rune, and this is my companion. Her name is Clairvoyant. We're here to help you."
"N-no! You have to go to Twilight! She left with a Changeling montser! She's in danger!"
Angel walked up to Spike slowly and put a reassuring hoof on his shoulder. "It's okay Spike. I took care of the imposter already. He was much worse than a Changeling, but he's gone now. Princess Twilight is safe."
"How do I know you're telling the truth? How do I know you're not like him?" Spike was shivering. Angel saw that he was in shock.
"Here", she reached into her saddle bags and pulled out a bottle of water and gave it to him. "Drink this. You must be thirsty. I promise I'm here to help. I was sent here to get rid of the creature you saw. If I was like him I would have killed you already." She was pleased to see him relax a bit. He took the water and drank it greedily.
"That's good", Spike said as he made an attempt to stand. He stumbled and almost fell into Clair. She huffed in annoyance and shuffled away from him along the twisted root.
"Easy Spike." Angle reached out a hoof and steadied him before he toppled over. "What you came in contact with was a demon. We'll have to take you to be checked out. Make sure there isn't any demonic residue left on you." She smiled reassuringly.
"That's fine. There's nurses and doctors in Ponyville. We can go there before we get to Twilights castle." Spike steadied himself and looked around to determine his position in the forest.
"No Spike, the pony I need to take you to see isn't exactly a doctor. I know of a unique Unicorn stallion who has the knowledge we need. But..." she hesitated.
"But what", Spike asked.
"But he resides on the edge of the Everfree forest. In the opposite direction of Ponyville. The journey will take a few days, hoofing it through the forest to get to his cottage." Angel waited a few seconds to let this news sink in before she went on. "I need to take you to him before i take you back to Princess Twilight."
"What?! No!! I need to see Twilight now! She'll ne worried about me!"
"I will get word to the princess that you're alive and tell her when to expect us back. I need to speak with her as well. Wolfs Bane needs to evaluate you as soon as possible." Angel Rune knew that Spikes loyalty to the princess would over take any possible concern he would have for himself. But he didn't know that demonic residue was a danger to any one he came in contact with.
"But, why can't we go see Twilight THEN go to this Wolfs Mane guy?", Spike asked.
"Wolfs BANE", Angel corrected him. "And we have to go to him first. If the demon encounter left marks on you, you could be a danger to anypony you come in contact with. Most of all the princess."
Spike paled. "A danger to Twilight? I don't want to endanger her. I want her to be safe." He made his decision. "Okay. If you're sure Twilight is safe right now, then I'll go with you to see your friend."
"He's not my friend. More of an acquaintance. Or coworker. I don't have any friends besides Claire, here.", Angel patted the owls head affectionately before continuing in an undertone. "Not in this line of work. It's not good to get attached to other ponies with my job."
"What do you mean?" Spike asked curiously.
Angel looked at his innocent face and decided to tell only half the truth. The grim reality of constantly holding hooves with death wasn't something you told a baby dragon. "I mean, I always have to keep secrets to protect ponies from the truth. Of demons and darkness. If everypony knew then the world would be full of fear. Nopony would want to go out and be happy because they would be afraid of the demons lurking. A friendship full of secrets would never last."
Spike looked at Angel Rune differently then. "Wow. It must be hard. Everypony needs at least one friend."
Angel smiled. "I do have one. Clairvoyant is my best friend." The owl hopped up onto Angels back and nuzzled her, hooing softly. "I think we'll make camp here. It's late and you need to rest up for the first leg of the journey."
At the mention of rest, the young dragon yawned. "Yeah that sounds good." He went to curl up in the roots of the tree and Angel layed her jacket over him. Clair flew up and circled above Angel. She was going to find some dinner then keeo watch while the pony and their new companion rested. Angel Rune layed down near Spike and used her saddle bags as a pillow. She stayed awake until Clair returned with a mouse-like creature dangling from her talons. As the owl gulped it down the shadowhunter drifted off to sleep.
★ ★ ★
Bloodmoon watched the green eyed pony and the purple dragon sleeping. She knew the pony was a Shadowhunter and was pleased to see the baby dragon alive and in good hooves. He would be safe now. She had done what she could. Just as she was about to leave the owl saw her and let out a shrill noise alerting the sleeping companions. The Shadowhunter jumped up, a seraph blade already blazing, illuminating the pale gray pegasus.
Angel Rune took in the pony with a calculating green gaze. "What do you want, Vampire?"
