From the Ashes, I Rise Against

[NamelessTrax]

Its been 18 years since Blackstar was executed, Shadow became the new King and peace filled the lands of Equestria. The old band of heros went their separate ways but kept in touch with their old friends. Shadow and Echo had two foals, a batwinged filly named Dawn Cloud and an earth colt named White Storm. But a darkness is growing, Shadow struggles with nightmares of his past and Echo struggles to keep her own nightmare self from coming out.

Time: 10:36 pm

Place: Palace dining room, Vampireece

Inside the palace of Vampireece, the dining room is a wide and long room with a large table at the center. Shadow sat at the end while Echo sat to his right, White sat a little ways down the table eating on his own. Dawn sat to Shadows left. White was the youngest at 13 and Dawn being 17 made her the oldest. "Hey White, ready for another flank whoopin after dinner?" Dawn teased with a smirk, White shot her a questioning look through half opened eyes but said nothing. Echo giggled and Shadow continued to read his reports. The was a knock on the door and Dawn got up to answer, just as she laid her hoof on the handle.... BOOOM CRASH! The doors exploded, Dawn flew back across the table, Shadow caught her but the momentum carried them back against the wall. White was blown across the room while Echo took a chair to the head. A Black hooded unicorn surrounded by black fog walked in, his laugh had a familiar tone. "I see you've settled in nicely old friend, mind if I redecorate the entire city." The evil voice rang through room. Shadows eyes grew wide with fear. "Not him..."

[MetalBronyATL]

Bloodline sat in his home, drinking blood from a chalice and hard at work writing his latest book. He had taken up a career as a writer, and gained some notoriety from his most famous work, "Through the Eyes of the Oracle", which he had written after he discovered the truth about the Oracle. The Oracle, or "Devildriver" as his real name was, had been something Blood move mountains to learn more about, and his findings now gave him a well off life. For the role the Oracle played in his life, Blood and Rarity, his beautiful unicorn wife, named their child "Devildriver" in his honor.

Suddenly a young winged bat pony entered the room. Devildriver was a handsome, smart, and skilled colt, having learned everything he knows from his father. "Father, there is somepony here to see you." he said, and Blood got up from his desk to follow him into the living room. A hooded bat pony stood at the front door. Sensing something was wrong, Blood stepped outside and shut the door to talk with the bat pony. "Are you Bloodline, brother of King Shadow?" he asked. "That is me." Blood responded. The bat pony threw his hood off to reveal he was a common Vampireece guard. "Come with me at once, your brother is in danger."

[Killjoy]

During the 18 years and after the incident that changed Killjoy forever, she took the long years in agony and madness but was slowly able to suppress enough of the the insanity to live life like normal. Though the trauma her mind endure showed bright as day as her habits began to change and her cruelty increased tenfold. What hasn't changed is her complete and unconventional loyalty and love for the Princess of the night, Luna. Luna however, still feels ashamed and full of regret of doing what she did to Killjoy those years ago, she still stuck to Killjoy's side although she knew killjoy would not be the pony she first saw when the nightwatch was formed. It was stressful for the both of them. ((hey Metal just role with it)) Blood and Killjoy hardly keep in touch ever since the day she almost brutally murdered him when overwhelmed by the madness shortly after the Nightmare incident.

((Trax if you're confused, what pretty much happened in the nightmare incident, Killjoy, Blood and Moonlite had Luna and Nightmare meet to settle their differences but Luna was so overwhelmed with fear she decided to attack, but the spell Luna used was something different. The spell she used was something that took the horrible pain in agony Luna endured over 1,000 years while Nightmae moon was in control and put 1,000 years of pain into one spell and shot it at Nightmare, however Killjoy protected Nightmare by taking the blow and the spell went through her mind and body and just wreaked havoc, we all know killjoy was on the border of snapping and a gentle push is an understatement to the spell did to her mind. So now Killjoy's mind is twisted and mangled which explains why she totally loses it in battle.))

Killjoy shot up from her bed with a loud gasp, she was sweating heavily and panting as if lifted from hell. "another nightmare? you haven't slept without sound nor have you ever woken up like nothing happened." Luna said sitting up and putting her arms around Killjoy "I wish I never lost my temper that day, or you would never be in such pain every day and night. I've tried to ease your dreams...but fail and I make every night beautiful just for you hoping it would put your mind at ease just a little. How do you endure this...How can you love me for putting you through so much?" she asked. Killjoy calmed down and put her hood on Luna's "It would be a lie if I told you that I've been through worse, I endure it because you make it easier, you say you fail but just knowing you try makes it doable. plus I can wake up by your side so just getting up isn't bad. You couldn't help what happened, I chose to protect nightmare moon and took the hit, it was my choice. It would be impossible to change how I feel about you...even if I stopped loving you...I would only be stabbing myself because you make this ordeal easier." she said Kissing Luna. Luna sighed and hugged tighter "If you say so..." she said quietly.

[MetalBronyATL]

((Wait....if the other RP was a prequel, and it's now 18 years later, Luna should be dead by now shouldn't she?))

[Killjoy]

((ummmm it's a prequel to the first RP so no....wait...yes....um Trax change the time line!))

[Killjoy]

((lets make it six years because Killjoy is like 33 in the first RP so she would be 28 in this RP so everything would make sense))

[NamelessTrax]

((Alternate universe theory? Thats kinda how i saw it. Cause i didnt want to mess with the whole time thing of that series. Less work and brain storming.))

[Killjoy]

((dude, all you gotta do is change the number of years from 18 to six...you don't have to change the plot at all, it all still falls into place.))

[NamelessTrax]

(( what about all the children? And the results of Blackstars attack on the country, its gonna have to be an alternate storyline bro, trust me.))

[Killjoy]

((then it isn't even an addition. It's a different story that is just related.))

[NamelessTrax]

((When i first made the first RP, Blood harvest for immortality, i intended for it to be separate from our original series, and when you kept Killjoy and soul as characters i thought alright, its like an alternate world. I didnt expect anyone to make events like that happen. We kinda need the 18 years for the children, and having all that i have planed happen before the original RP would be way too confusing.

[Killjoy]

((ok...ok, lets give it shot, Lets just let it ride and see where this goes.))

[MetalBronyATL]

((Yeah, we can just AU it. Trax, I believe you're up for the next post))

[NamelessTrax]

The city of Vampireece was already overrun, a giant gap in the wall showed Blackstars pure might. The city was alit with flames and screams of death.

Shadow stood up slowly grasping his black sword, "Echo, take the kids and run, and dont look back." He said shakingly, Echo shook her head and began to cry, "Shadow we can..."

"Just leave NOW!" Shadow yelled loudly, a sad flame of despair and fear shown in his eyes. Echo puased briefly then went over to her daughter. Dawn lay unconscious with shards of debris riddled in her sides and chest, White crawled out from a piece of the ceiling, his right eye closed shut by a jagged slash. Blackstar felt amused, "Lets see how my transfusion magic has grown." Blackstar shot a blast of lightning at White which cloaked the young colt in a bubble of electricity, the colts scream split the air. "NOOO!" Shadow charged forward dodging a magical blast and then parring with Blackstars conjured sword, then they clashed back and forth. White was dropped from spell, Echo sprinted over and grabbed him, she had already taken Dawn out of the room and alone, carried both of them half way across the long corridor before she heard a voice. "Let me out, and I will save your family. Let out your Nightmare self." The whisper was all too familiar to Echo, but her choices were few.

White awoke to watching his mother transform into a tall alicorn-like bat pony, he struggled to say a word before she vanished in a cloud of dust and His father appeared, a gash in his shoulder caused him to limp. "Wha- why... Echo... You didnt." Shadow said to himself sorrowfully. White winced as a ear splitting scream sound from down the hall, Shadow urged to run toward it but instead lifted off carrying Dawn and White and flew out the window above the city. Shadows expression was that of pure anguish, the city was burning, and the screams of innocent lives sounded below. An army of black knights stormed through the city killing anypony they saw. Shadow turned away in sorrow and flew off. Minutes later they found a few hundred survivors and together they trekked towards canterlot.

Echo lay unconsious as her old self, Blackstar stood over her, a smile of vengance crossed his face. "This is only the begining."

[MetalBronyATL]

"BLACKSTAR!" A loud, enraged voice said. Blood stood a few feet away from Black and Echo, gripping his sword. "I don't know how the hell you're here, but if you lay a single hoof on Echo, I'll send you right back in a hundred pieces!"

[Killjoy]

Luna was sitting on her throne and Killjoy stood right beside her. A guard entered the room "your highness, Captain...something has happened." he said rushing down the large hall towards them. "what happened, what's wrong." Luna asked. The stopped in front of them "the Bat city to the north, it's been attacked and overrun by it previous ruler it seems." he said. Luna looked at Killjoy "should we assist?" she asked. Killjoy shook her head "there is little we can do if the city is already taken, we would only kill more innocent lives by laying siege to city. We can only hope a lot of them were smart enough to get out of he city and seek refuge here, though Blackstar would have to be completely mental to start another war with us. What I am concerned about...is how he is back after being executed, it doesn't make much sense." she said thinking hard about it. Luna sighed "I see...well if Canterlot is to go to war once again...so be it, send out scouts and small regiments to find the bat refuges and bring them here." she said to the guard. "yes your highness." the guard said with a bow and rushed off. "Guardsmen!" Killjoy called and the guard stopped again "Yes captain." he said turning around. "Find Lieutenant Maelstrom, I want his team to go out on the road and find these refugees, he is the best one I can think of to defend the refugees once the team finds them." she ordered. The guard saluted "Yes captain" he said before turning out and rushing out the doors. "Red Veil...this war won't be like last time will it...?" she asked grimly. Killjoy just kept quiet, she too was thinking the same thing.

[NamelessTrax]

((Improvisation!))

Blackstar snorted in disgust, "You again, maybe I was too easy the first time, so why dont you sit DOWN!" He roared menacingly, shadowy bonds took hold of Bloods limbs and neck forcing him the ground. Blackstar paced around him, "This time will be different, this time I will succeed, this time I Will Take My Place As King of Equestria. So go and tell your princesses, that I'll be seeing them shortly. Hahahhahaaa." In that instant Blood was teleported high above the clouds of ponyville. The smoke and firelight of the burning Vampireece could be seen from miles away and faint echoed screams wailed in the night.

Shadow and the band of refugees trekked on over a vast prairie where a large battle was once fought. White walked beside his father, his head bandaged up and his coat prickled with small amounts of electricity. Dawn lay still unconscious on a wagon being pulled by a farm batpony. The band sulked forward in saddnes but the guilt in which Shadow felt bore into his heart like a steel blade.

[Killjoy]

Over the horizon in the field the sound of footsteps and the clacking of armor echoed and a regiment of 200 strong advanced on the Bat ponies. Maelstrom was at the front "There they are, get them and make sure they are treated before we head back!" he shouted as the soldiers now quickened their pace towards the refugees. "We have food and medical supplies!" he shouted to the Bat ponies as the soldier halted in front of the band of refugees. Maelstrom took off his helmet and looked at shadow "I remember you...you're that crazy SOB I was sent to find, look we we don't have enough for all of you but we will make do, we didn't expect so many of you." he said looking around at the beaten and batter bat ponies. "when we get back, you have to tell the Princess and the Captain everything."

[MetalBronyATL]

Blood started to fall as the magical bindings squeezed the life out of him. He struggled for a moment before finally ripping them off. He was nearing the ground when he finally got his wings moving again and pulled up at the last second right before hitting the ground. He hovered in place for a moment to catch his breath. He suddenly saw a large group of bat ponies meeting up with Canterot guards and flew towards then. He nearly burst into tears when he saw Shadow alive. "Brother!" He said as he embraced Shadow.

[NamelessTrax]

Shadow barely withstood the embrace as his body was still a little weak from his brief encounter. "Brother, I've missed you too." He said shakingly, he turned to Maelstrom, "Thank you for your help, I will make a report to the princesses as soon as we get to canterlot. There is a great evil rising and we must prepare for the worst." He said in more kingly tone. White had met his uncle a couple times but this is his first seeing Royal Soldiers of Canterlot, his right eye was still covered by bandages but his other eye had changed color from its normal yellow to a bright shocking blue, he jolted a little as static rippled over him oddly. Shadow took a brief glance of concern and decided he'd ask the princesses about it.

[Killjoy]

Maelstrom nodded "first we need to get you and your wounded treated, we have doctors coming up now." He said as the doctors started to go trough the refugees for badly wounded ponies. "Like I said,we don't have enough for all of you so we will begin with the worst injured up, it'll only take an hour so we will be moving again shortly." Maelstrom said as he looked at the child and pulled out fresh bandages from his personal kit and started to take off White's bandages to apply the fresh ones. "is the eyeball intact?" he asked before actually examining it.

[MetalBronyATL]

Blood composed himself and took a breath before turning back to Shadow. "Shadow, what happened? Where is Echo?" he asked, although on the inside he was afraid of the answer.

[NamelessTrax]

"Its intact, i made sure it was before I applied any aid." Shadow told him, turning to his brother, Shadows expression went grim and sorrow filled his eyes, "I'm not completely sure myself, one moment everything was fine, then Blackstar showed up at the door and almost killed Dawn in the process. And Echo.... I dont even know if shes still ali-" Shadow stopped himself as he was aware of his son being right there in ear shot. "I just dont know Blood." He told him solemnly. White stayed silent as the Royal Soldier tended to his wounds, small amounts of electricity sparked every 10- 15 seconds on his coat, his left eye spark bright blue almost like a light bulb.

[Killjoy]

Maelstrom felt the shock "we need to get him to the princesses..this might be bad, though we won't know for sure until one of the princesses look over him". He said as he applied the bandages."Plus Killjoy will need to know everything. Shadow...I warn you though...She isn't like she was when you two met, she...changed. I just want you to know to be careful."

[NamelessTrax]

"With what I just saw moments ago, i would appreciate any sign of familiarity." Shadow told him with a sigh, he knew Killjoy wasnt much of a kind hearted pony at first meeting so this news was a little disappointing. White from Maelstrom to his father, he felt his right eye twitch and then settle, a blue trident-like marking appeared on his forehead out of thin air.