Luna sat up. Her muscles were heavy with exhaustion and her mind muddled with stress. A thin stream of light poured in through a crack in the shutters, trying vainly to brighten the room. Tho the bed was soft and filled with feathers, it felt rough and hard. Discomfort crawled underneath her skin, making everything she touched turn to packed dirt and brambles.

A light touch, almost like the brush of a wing, swept up Luna's neck. This sparked her agitation into a roaring flame of anger. She had felt this touch for far to long, taunting her to action. Another day's ritual had begun.

Luna slid out of her bed, her rock limbs straining against her will. With the dim glow of her horn, she conjured up a bubble, a force-field. All the furniture was pressed against the walls, some of it letting out protesting groans. The opaque shield was hard and sturdy, a testament to her power. However, it was only meant to keep in, not out.

"Oh Luna, I don't know why you insult me so. Your magic does not stop the truth," A whisper spoke into Luna's ear. Luna tensed her jaw in anger at the voice that dared enter her ear.

"Tis not to silence you, but to keep your venom from infecting the rest of my subjects. Your lies are my burden to war against, and you have chosen your opponent poorly," Luna said with swords in her voice and authority in her wings. Her anger fueled her words as it had for many days before.

"You wound me, princess. I have no intention of poisoning you. I just want you to see what lies in front of your nose," the formless voice spoke inside of her head.

"You shall vex me no more, foul demon! Should you want to keep your life, I advise you to remove yourself from my presence," Luna shouted. Her ire against the voice grew more intense, flaring her magic. She struggled to remain composed, fearing that her anger would blind her to her enemy.

"Your sister despises you. She knows you are weak and wants nothing to do with you. Even now she plots your demise behind a pathetic ruse. You simply refuse to acknowledge the blade to your neck," the voice accused.

"Silence vile beast! Reveal your form so that you may be punished for your slanderous lies! My sister is a saint among us! Your black tongue shall not tarnish even the sound of her name," Luna screamed at the voice, thrashing about in her sealed arena. Magic filled the bubble, turning the air thick with her heated fury. Sparks ignited and lightning crashed against the walls of her shield, sealing off their destructive power.

"Your subjects refuse your generosity, choosing to sleep and ignore your beautiful nights. They respect neither your authority nor your power. You are an insect in their lives, forever torturing them with your pathetic bids for attention," the voice whispered. The mirror on her nightstand turned black as sin before Luna. A single malicious eye held her gaze, staring at her with contempt and disgust.

Luna raised her voice like an animal caught in the throes of blood lust. She reached out to the mirror with her magic, crushing it to splinters and powder. A tempest of magic swirled around her, feeding off her wrath. She raked her hooves and horn against her barrier in an attempt to cleave the spirit that plagued her and slandered her family. She engulfed herself in a thunderous explosion, the pressure so great it threatened the shatter her mind and her world.


Luna laid crumpled on the stone floor, bereft of any energy or strength. The only evidence from the violent confrontation with the spirit was a fine dust where her mirror once stood. Everything else was untouched, bearing mute testament to her torture.

The emptiness of the room was dismal, offering only cold unfeeling comfort. She wished desperately to reveal her torture to her sister or her closest aid, but what would they think of her? Would they look at her in pity and sadness, like an animal on its death bed? Would they see her as an unstable element that must be locked away, a shame of the royal family?

As Luna's mind slowed to a crawl, exhaustion finally shut her eyes. The thin ray of light was weak as it fruitlessly tried to soothe Luna's wounds, falling onto her collapsed form. Soon the sun would set and her royal duty would force her to stir and create the night. But the voice's accusations slithered through her mind, corroding her will.