Chapter One
Konrad Cruze, Master and Father of the Night Lords Legion, floated within a strange abyss. He slowly opened his black eyes, looking around said abyss with a passive face. Carefully, he placed a clawed hand over his throat, not feeling the assassin's cut. "Where am I?" Konrad asked, to no one in particular, his eyes still scanning the abyss.
"Limbo, Konrad Cruze." A powerful voice, followed by a bright light, said. "You are stuck in the world between Life and Death."
Konrad couldn't help but cover his eyes from the light. It wasn't because it hurt him, or anything like that, but covering his eyes was just a natural reaction. "And why am I here? With what I have done in life, it is obvious where I belong."
"Normally, yes. However, Konrad Cruze, it seems your evils are outweighed by the good you have done." The voice replied, Konrad lowering his hand. "There were other factors, as well, that have brought you here… You have been given a choice."
The Primarch crossed his arms, looking into the abyss. "Oh? And what is this choice?" He asked, barely taking any interest in the idea.
"You can either accept your inevitable judgement, or correct it permanently." The voice said, catching Konrad's attention rather quickly. "If you choose redemption, you will be given new life, to start over. Most of your memory will be given guardianship to your older mind, but a second personality will be created to host the body given… You, the Primarch, will act as a guide for this new life."
Kornad was no fool, unlike a few of his 'brothers'. The deal sounded far too sweet to the Lord of Terror. "What is the catch? Tell me… And why have you chosen me?"
"Your new body will be but a child, on this world, to fully grow and mature." The voice said, making Konrad roll his eyes. "This is because you, yourself, were robbed of your own childhood."
"Pathetic." The Primarch thought, finding the sympathy disgusting. He needed no one's pity.
"As for the why?" Konrad looked towards the light, waiting for its answer. "Is because there must always be a Night Haunter, somewhere, and this world needs you the most of all."
Konrad suddenly gave a fanged grin at the answer, blatantly laughing. "Of course there must be." He said, facing the light, holding out both arms. "Well? What are you waiting for?" He asked, laughing still. "I accept your offer, with open arms."
The light flared, engulfing the abyss, and Primarch. "Remember, this was your choice… Until we meet again, Konrad Cruze." The voice said, for one last time.
-Canterlot Castle-
Luna, Princess of the Night, had just the moon and got every star into place. The midnight blue alicorn was proud of her work, the night sky was a work of art. "Perfect." She muttered, but her smile suddenly turned into a frown. "But something is missing." Her gaze went down.
Unfortunately, for her, Luna caught the sight of Celestia and Twilight Sparkle, who was visiting her mentor for lessons on how to be a better princess. The two of them acutally looked like mother and daughter. Celestia even admitted that there were times when she actually saw Twilight as her daughter…. A feeling Luna longed for.
Just then, Luna's gaze went back up to the night sky, she noticed that one of the stars were falling from her beautiful night sky. "That's strange, I didn't-!" Her train of thought stopped, as the falling star crashed into the Everfree Forest! "What in Equestria!?" She yelled, preparing to fly off and investigate what had happened.
Only to be stopped by a flash of golden light. "Luna!" Celestia called out, trotting over to her younger sister. "What happened? Twilight and I heard the explosion from the garden."
"I-I don't know, Tia." Luna replied, looking at the white alicorn. "One of the stars fell, without my power controlling it, and landed into the Everfree Forest… I'm about to go and investigate."
Celestia gave a nod. "I'll have Twilight return to Ponyville, just in case something happens." Luna prepared to fly again. "And be careful yourself, Luna…" The Moon Princess gave a nod, in return, before flying off to the Everfree Forest.
-Everfree Forest-
A little alicorn colt, his coat a midnight blue with a jet lack mane and tail, slowly wlkaed through the Everfree Forest. Every little sound made him jump, in fear, before bounding to somewhere he thought safe. "W-Where a-am I?" He thought, heading further away from the Everfree Forest's center. "H-How did I even get here…?"
The colt could hear the voices of other ponies, not too far from where he was, and smiled. The smile on his face soon disappeared, the moment he heard growling. His gaze went back, and saw four sets of green, glowing, eyes. When the first Timberwolf lunged forward, the young colt shot forward! Moving his small hooves, fast as they possibly could.
When he was close, to where he heard the ponies, the colt yelled. "Somepony, help!" And ran out of the tree light, right into six mares.
"Whoa! Where did this little guy come from?" The cyan pegasus said, the moment she saw the colt running up to them.
The lavender alicorn raised an eyebrow, looking at said colt. "He looks like an alicorn, but…" She noticed something off about him. "He has red batwings, and a curved red horn."
When the colt heard growling again, he went straight behind the lavender alicorn. "D-Don't let them hurt me!" He held on to her back left hoof.
The six were confused at what he had meant, until they saw the four sets of eyes, and what walked out of the wood-lines. "Timberwolves!" They all screamed, shocked that such dangerous creatures got so close to Ponyville!
"In position, girls!" Twilight yelled, keeping the colt behind her, the others taking position around the Princess.
"Um, Twilight, darling, are you sure about this?" Rarity asked, nervous about facing these four deadly beasts. "I mean, they are Timberwolves! We've barely been lucky to defeat three."
"I know, Rarity, but we can't let them rampage through Ponyville… Or harm this colt." She said, the group preparing for the fight. Each one glancing at the shaking colt hiding behind Twilight, and nodding.
-Near the Castle of Two Sisters-
Luna inspected the crash site, just shy of the Tree of Harmony's entrance. Whatever fell, Luna knew it was not one of her stars, there were no real burn marks around it. The dug up ground showed that it had momentum and was solid, unlike her stars, too.
What puzzled her the most, was that there were tracks leaving the crash site. When Luna placed her hoof next to the hoof prints, she was shocked. "These are no bigger than a foal's!" She thought, noticing that they go into the Everfree Forest, this made the Princess worried. "Not good… Some poor foal is wondering those woods, and does not know what resides there."
Luna opened her wings, preparing to start her search for the missing foal, when an explosion sounded in the distance, causing her attention to be pulled into said direction.
"What in Equestria is with tonight!" She actually yelled, before another explosion of magical energy occurred. "By the Moon, Ponyville is in that direction!" Without thinking, Luna shot off to the small village. "I hope that foal made it Ponyville, and is safe…"
-Ponyville-
The young alicorn colt tried to stay back, the six mares telling him that it is too dangerous for him to be near the battle... However, watching them get beat by the four Timberwolves, something deep within his soul kept urging the colt to actually fight the wooden beasts, too. Even his body kept wanting him to move, like it knew he could win, but he was too scared.
When the lavender alicorn mare was sent back, making her the last for the Timberwolves to deal with, she landed right into her injured friends. "W-What am I going to do?" He asked himself, scared out of his wits, while the Timberwolves closed in on the injured mares. "There's gotta be something I can do."
A sharp wind suddenly burst around his body, making him lock up. A silent, yet terrifying, voice whispered. "Fight."
The colt looked around, wondering who said that. "H-How? I am just a colt. T-These are full grown Timberwolves!" He asked, wondering if the voice could hear him.
The voice repeated, somewhat louder now. "Fight!"
The alicorn colt closed his eyes, and went with both the voice and his body! He ran forward, skidding to a halt between the Timberwolves and the six mares. He opened both red batwings, trying to look bigger than he actually was. "L-Leave t-them alone!" He yelled, still terrified of the four monstrous creatures.
The Timberwolves just looked down at him, their wooden maws drooling, and let out a low growl. The colt continued to shake, more than a leaf, but held his ground against the monsters. They continued to get closer, until a thud was heard around him, a shadow covering his small body. The Timberwolves suddenly froze, going wide eyed.
For the colt, he suddenly felt relax, a feeling of safety washing over his small frame. His body felt so relax, every muscle loosening, and his fears just disappeared within seconds. He slowly lowered both wings, and looked back to see what was causing this alien feeling… The colt's eyes going wide. "S-She's beautiful!" He thought.
Standing there, above him in a protective manner, was a midnight blue alicorn mare! She was completely different from the lavender one. She was taller, both mane and tail were like the night sky. On her flank, was the image of the crescent moon, over a black area of her coat, she even wore a necklace with the same mark. The alicorn had both wings open up, feathers out for all to see.
Her teal eyes looked down at the colt, who continued to look up at her in amazement. She flashed a smile, before her eyes went to the Timberwolves, and glared, while her smile quickly faded. "We are Princess Luna, Princess of the Night and he Moon!" Luna said, using her Canterlot Voice, the Timberwolves backing away from the forcefulness within her voice. "If thou turns back now, we shall forgive thy transgressions against our friends, and the young colt!"
The Timberwolves just glared at her, still growling at them. When it doesn't seem like they are about to back down, Luna suddenly allows a portion of her magic out, and around her. The Timberwolves sensed the power, realizing she was more than enough to defeat all four of them… With ease.
They quickly, and grudgingly, turned around and retreated back into the Everfree Forest. Luna, happy with what had just occurred, smiled and turned to the six mares. "Is everypony alright? We hope no pony is hurt too bad." She asked, normally, and continued to hold her gentle smile.
The group nodded, slowly getting back up, despite their aches and pains. "We'll be alright, Princess Luna… It was a good thing you showed up, when you did." The lavender alicorn said, making her way over to the Moon Princess, smiling.
Luna gave a nod. "Indeed, we were near the ruined castle, when we heard the sounds of explosions coming from Ponyville."
"Uh, Princess, ifya don't mind me askin', what brought ya ta the Everfree Forest in the first place?" The orange earth pony mare asked, respectfully. "Twi here never told us what was going on."
"With all due respect, I think we should reframe from asking that question, for now." The white unicorn mare said, the orange mare raising an eyebrow.
"Then what question should we be askin', then, Rarity" The fam mare said.
"If that young colt is alright? Those… Beasts were chasing him." Rarity said, pointing a hoof at the hiding colt, under Luna. "Don't you agree, Applejack?"
"I almost forgot about him!" The lavender alicorn mare said, placing a hoof over her muzzle. She leaned down, and smiled at him. "I'm Twilight Sparkle, what is your name?"
The colt hid further under Luna, behind one of her front hoves. She smiled down at him, lowering her head down. "It is alright… YOU'RE SAFE NOW." Luna whispered, her comforting voice actually causing the colt to come out some.
He tried to think of hi name, but it didn't come to him at all. The colt honestly didn't know who he was or where he came from… Until the whispering voice returned, and caused him to look up at them, the voice didn't belong to either one of the seven, and obviously belonged to any of them. It also sounded more like a mysterious stallion's voice, a strong one at that.
"Do you know him, Princess? He seems rather fond of you." Twilight asked, Luna shaking her head.
"We do not, young Twilight… This is the first time we have met-?" She was cut off, when the colt spoke up.
"N-Night Haunter." He said, the group looking down at him.
"Excuse me, dear, what did you say?" Rarity asked, smiling at him.
"M-My name is…" The colt looked at them, nervously, before speaking up again. "I-Is Night Haunter."