Three more lanterns had been lit. Glowing bright white within the presence of Camille. Now that these ghoulish figures had been vanquished. Halfway through the third lantern, the Zebras that had been hiding had once more returned to the fight. Given the time they needed to recover thanks to Camille's efforts. Having sustained a few new injuries of her own, she'd taken up directing where each group should go for the best tactical outcome. Doing so helped her gather the final two lanterns and areas to increase control over the area.  Control. Camille had lost it on that first lantern, showing just how easily she could be pushed over the edge. She reflected over these moments of weakness. If these were real, normal ponies-would she have been seen as a monster? To be fair, she'd always figured that most others viewed her as some sort of monstrosity already.   A sort of chimera with batwings, a lion-like tail, and eyes that shined with the light of blue and the dark of red.   A message had just reached her from one of the many Zebras she’d been fighting alongside of. The Sanctum was under siege, and that alone sent her teetering on the edge of collapse. Her mind instantly fell to the foals she’d been traveling with. Two young fillies she’d promised to protect through thick and thin. Thalia and Crystal were in danger and she was nearly on the other side of town. How could she be so foolish to think they’d be safe on their own? Her mind had forgotten that they were not technically alone. In any case, it was her mission – her goal – to protect these two fillies until they made it home. Wherever that may be.   Camille nearly flattened the guard that had informed her of the situation. A small part of her kept her physically calm, even if her mind was ablaze with fury. Righteous, uncapped, unhinged . A new fire had ignited within the lithe mare, and it was quickly engulfing every inch of her heart. There was no slowing it, no calming, just rapid radiating heat.   She took to the sky, ignoring the pain in her wings from the battles she’d fought so far. Flying up to the perch of one building before jumping from it and soaring to the next. Camille continued this action from building to building until there were no more left. As she passed above, she eyed the battlefields below. Streets that’d turned into rivers of ichor and blood; bodies strewn out in most directions, with many more dragged into burning piles. The stench filled the air with a vile, sick odor that blurred her vision. She fought through the choking haze and made her final glide-to-land flight to the Sanctum.   It was here that her heart nearly stopped. A last few Zebras remained, mostly bleeding from fresh wounds or fading quickly in the dim light. She scanned for survivors that could respond to her, and the only one she’d found pointed into the Sanctum with a limp hoof. They tried to apologize, but Camille knew what they were hinting at.   Heart hammering the bat pony bolted in through the large doors, her eyes adjusting to the limited light quickly as she scanned for survivors. There were none here, and she figured they were all back in the sanctuary. That did little to ease her fears. The first room she checked was the one where Thalia and Crystal had been staying.   The only remains here were some drawings on the walls done in chalk. Her breath caught in her throat as she slowly approached the drawings. Camille reached up with a hoof and drew it gently across the doodles left by her fillies. Drawings of them, standing beside an angelic looking Camille. A bright halo above her head, and wings spread wide. It was contradictory, bat-like wings and a halo… A little bit of writing below it gave her a new nickname. Something much less gruesome or dreary.   Camille slowly turned around and found the room was no longer empty. On the side she stood, the world felt cold. Empty. Across from her the room was ablaze with fire and warmth. The feelings of belonging and something drawing her ever closer. At the center she found herself looking at…herself. A version of her with only red eyes. Imagination hinted to Camille that her own were now only blue.   This other version of her spoke with a smooth voice. Almost commanding and not asking questions. Everything said was factual.   “You desire me.”   Camille looked at this doppelganger in confusion.   “You need to let go. You have placed your light heart in the mitts of an insufferable land. A place that deems you enemy for simply doing the right thing.”   Once more Camille remained looking at the clone, but this time she could understand the words. They buzzed in her head, giving her a sensation bordering on pain and relief.   “Let me take control. Only for now. Let me lead the way and you will no longer feel the agony of the torment. I alone can release you from the darkness.”   “If I let you in,” Camille started to say, only to be interrupted by her copy.   “You aren’t letting me in, Camille. You’re letting me .”   “If I let you…out, as you say… You won’t hurt anyone that’s innocent, will you? You’ll protect them?”   “I give you my promise,” Camille lied.  

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There was a sudden silence that filled the entire Sanctuary, as if all fights had finally reached a conclusion…   The world around the city seemed to explode into vibrant light and sound. Reflecting and echoing off the walls, refracting back and forth. A door was then kicked from its hinges as a released Camille climbed through. Almost as if she was no longer simply hunting her prey but stalking them. A towering beast before her turned to eye the young mare. The two red eyes looking back at it almost completely stunned the creature.   That moment of weakness, that silence, the sudden stun, was all that it took. The beast’s head fell to the floor, followed a moment later by its body in a thud that shook the room. Blood dripped from the claw of Camille’s wing as she continued her march forward. A devious smirk on her muzzle as she moved.   “Nuvolosa. Ohhh, Nuvolosaaaa. Come out, come out! I just want to !” Camille kicked a door down, sending it flying across the next room. Empty. She moved onto the next one.   “You promised to keep them safe. And your words are important to me. It is so important that I shan’t break your jaw. At least not at first.” A sickly chuckle escaped her as she trudged onwards. “I know you’re not to blame! Just come out and let me see what you hid.”   Dawn was approaching, and Camille knew that it was what this lying monster desired. Breakfast in the form of fillies. Suck their souls away and leave them as empty husks. She recognized the notes from before. The language. Her mother’s stories. Every single one of these details coalesced into a simple answer.   Nuvolosa – Cloudy – was indeed some sort of monster from back in her mother’s day. Cloudy was indeed a sister to Rosa, right? It made sense how she knew Rosa, even now, a thousand years after this village had been destroyed.   “So, what will it be? Will I destroy everything here, tear you to pieces, and leave? Or will you do what’s right and get to feast on souls once more?”     Cloudy stepped out from behind a doorway with a fearful look on her face. She was cautious, as if unsure if the monsters outside were really gone. Until she saw the blood caked monster before her. Camille continued approaching, eyes focused on her target.   “Camille? Please! I promised to keep them safe, and I did! They are in the back!” Cloudy pleaded, holding her hooves up defensively.   “Oh, I believe you, I really do. I just don’t like that I was used to help cure your diseased city.”   “I know, okay! I know! I really needed your help! You’re right, I was there when it fell but I wasn’t the cause, I was trying to help! It was your mother that destroyed the place!” “Only after she was deemed a demon by the rest. You sought control, and now you have it. Bring the foals to me, and I’ll let you live for your betrayal. Just do this, we leave. I won’t flatten this place.” Cloudy stared at her for a long moment before suddenly standing straight. “No.” “No..?” “You are just like your mother…a-a demon! They saw what you did, Camille…and they don’t want to be with you anymore,” Cloudy stated, stomping a hoof.   “You don’t know that! You’re lying!” Then her eyes caught the two younger gals in the background, holding each other and staring at her in fear. She looked behind her, realizing they had been looking through a window when she took down that large monster. With no remorse. Wild. “I-“ Cloudy stomped her hoof, flicking her tail to point at the door. “Leave, Camille! You’re banished from this sanctuary! I’ll take care of getting them home.” She’d grab an item off of a shelf and toss it towards Camille, the item bouncing across the floor and stopping at her hooves. “Your payment…” Camille looked down to see an attachment for her gauntlets, an upgrade that could help her move quicker, and quickly engage or disengage her cestus. “But-I made a promise…”   Cloudy scoffed. “You? A promise? Rosa promised, too…but here we are. You spilled blood in the sanctuary, and lost control, y-“ Within an instant, Camille was at her throat, red eyes bright and glaring into her own as the thestral spoke in a deep growl. “I don’t need the list.” She suddenly spun around, kicking Cloudy through the air, the zebra landing and sliding across the floor to the two foals. Just at that time, multiple guards flooded into the room and surrounded her, along with the flapping wings of the Valkyries. Camille turned slowly, looking to each one. “Oh-hahaha! You seriously invited the bird brains?” “Camille! You are charged with the murder and destruction of many ponies and homes. Do not run, for we will find you again!” “I’m tired of running.”