This story is a sequel to Arcane Blood

There are many rules when it comes to magic, not the least of which are: "Do not create the undead", and "To be a Lich is to break harmony, the gallows will meet those who Are".

For one unlucky soul, the choice is not theirs to make; a parent will do anything for their children, after all.

Perhaps, however, not all laws are unbending.

*This story is not part of the Displaced multiverse.

Three years have passed since the War of the Wedding, when an invasion force assaulted Canterlot and revealed Changelings to the world. Fear, driven into the hearts of ponies, has given them a new boogeymare to hunt, it would seem.

To Vanessa and her family, it's life as usual one grey and gloomy Canterlot morning, though not for long...

Princess Celestia's history with Spike goes back a long way, back before he was even laid. His mother, one of Celestia's oldest and dearest friends, had gifted Spike to her with the hope that he could grow up in a world that loved him.
But Spike hadn't been alone.

These days, the dragoness who mothered Spike is all but a forgotten memory, though the legacy of her brood lives on...
... in the magic of Equestria itself.

It has been so long, so very, very long, since last she walked among us. I miss her smell, her voice, her grace...

The longest night in a millennium has come and gone, something done only by the power of one possible pony...

I think my mistress has returned, at long last...

I was a simple drone; I did my work, had my meal, and returned to my own little carved-out den day in and day out. At least, until the invasion of the Golden City. Now I'm alone, cold, scared, and I'm pretty sure something is wrong...

I suppose being found is the least of my concerns...

The Royal Vault in Canterlot has been sealed to all bar the Princesses and Royal Guard; it is home to some of Equestria’s most dangerous or valuable treasures, such as the remains of the Nightmare Moon incident.

Fate is a tricky mistress; especially so when magic is involved, and now only a short time after the ascension of Twilight Sparkle a new trouble rears its head in Canterlot Castle, right in the bosom of its most secure facility. It’ll prove to be a political nightmare for the Princesses, especially shortly after Twilight Sparkle’s inauguration.

We follow in the hoofsteps of this… new bundle of fun.

Stalwart Drone has been a Night Guard for a little over two years, and now he's being reassigned to the Crystal Empire, forced to leave his home and his talent behind only to have to readjust to living up in the frozen north.

Ruby Swift, conversely, has been in Equestria for most of her life, and recently she's taken a... darker look on life.

Forced to live in the same house as one another, the unlikely duo are going to have to live with what they fear.
At least, for now anyway.

Cover image can be viewed in its full resolution by clicking on it (or right-clicking and opening it in a new tab.) Spent a couple days working on it and I'll be uploading it to my DeviantArt gallery soon.

A failed assault, a shamed monarch, and a spiteful sister.
The world has taken much from Chrysalis, but when her own nation is stolen from her, with her life almost following suit, she finds herself granted kindness from an unlikely source; the very ponies who she had wronged.
What kind of future can she hope to have, now that everything that she holds dear has been stripped from her?

At the assault on Canterlot, she was a medic, but not for the Equestrians.
After the assault is concluded, a new struggle for the Changelings begins as those who survive must still find food and shelter.
Will the Equestrians simply forgive the Changelings for their assault on their capitol, and if so how bumpy a road is this going to become?

Ripped from a home most frightening and dangerous and plonked into the middle of Trottingham might seem like a dream, but... Leaving home behind is never easy; and when you're from a world where you are nothing like those who are now around you... well, let's just say that adjustment isn't easy either.

*Will eventually feature both Princesses, possibly one of the Mane six.*
**Contains crossover content from World of Warcraft. No copyright infringement is intended; this is a work of fiction and is purely for entertainment purposes.**
***This is a continuation of The Phony andNightmares.***