Chapter 9

Nightmare greeted the day with a wince at the light. His bags under his eyes told of his restless sleep. Questions had plagued him all night questions Twilight and the others had asked him. Where did he come from, who were his parents how did her come to wake under the shining tree. He stood up and stretched opening his wings and took to the sky going towards the ruins of the old castle, diving down to the front doors that lead into the old run down throne room. He looked around and began to examine the area then he made his way to the library. He began to look for something he didn't know what but simply…a lead to maybe something about the tree. He spent hours looking at books but got nowhere. He left her library making his way outside the castle ruins then took flight following stairs that lead down to a canyon floor. He landed close to the floor and landed entering the cavern that was hidden under the castle ruins. Looking at the silver tree he didn't know what to think other then it was simply harmonic. He touched the trunk and his hoof heated and he was thrust back by an invisible wall and then something unhinged in his chest. His eyes flared and let out an intense energy as he struggled to stand. Then his mane and tail began to shimmer a deep blue different from his normal purple. He looked at his hooves as a hot pain began to surge up through his every vein and he howled in pain he reared up stomping on the ground making it fracture. Then a deep voice entered his thoughts.

"There you are…Nightmare Moon." He gasped forcing his mind blank but the entity had a iron grip on his mind.

"Who are you, to call me nightmare moon!" he demanded looking around the cave but it was empty. He galloped out of the cave looking up and around and the voice laughed a deep laugh that shook him to his core.

"You are not Luna…strange where did she? Well no matter you will do…" The voice summarized as the forest began to spin as the darkness began to take his vision.

"You will do my bidding…" The voice commanded as Nightmare fought against the overwhelming pressure. With his last thoughts were of his new found fate and that of his new position. He only hoped that the main six could stop whomever was in control of this dark presence, all this flashed in his mind as the ground seem to greet him with darkness.

Celestia was listing to a report being given to her by Shining armor when her sister Luna walked in with a very worried look on her face. Shining armor stopped and Celestia nodded to him dismissing him.

"What is it sister… you look unnerved." Celestia asked, Ever since the return of her sister life had been easier having not to worry about the night as she had in the previous thousand years. Luna looked to the guards and waved her hoof telling them all to leave the room they looked hesitant but Celestia nodded to them and they complied closing the doors behind them.

"I fear something very wrong has happened my sister." She said beginning to pace back and forth her hair fluttering like shimmering velvet.

"What do you mean Luna…tell me we can have the guards look into it I am sure." Celestia tried to comfort her sister.

"I was Nightmare moon…and still a part of her resides in me…and I fear I have not been truthful to you dear sister. I was jealous of thee and tried to dethrone you but I was not acting alone. Somepony or something had lent me its power and so when I finally fell it was to it and I became trapped in my own body full of rage and hate…" she began to explain. Celestia face became grave, not at the fact of her sister but something that could turn her sister against her that long ago but now it was free.

"I guess the intervention of the elements of harmony used to fight Nightmare Moon did not destroy what was a hold of you." She asked kind of hoping. Luna shook her head and looked to her again.

"I come telling you this because I felt a sensation I may have a link with whatever I my be... But I know it has taken a new pony… we may be in for a major problem but I do not know who or what its intentions are I only remember something to do with elements…" she said as she tried to remember but it seemed like her mind began to grow fuzzy when she tried to recollect her interactions with the presence. She wavered and almost collapsed but Celestia caught her holding her up.

"Guards! Take Princess Luna to her room she is exhausted…" she ordered as she stood up as the guard escorted the Princess to her room. Celestia then turned to see Shining armor walking in looking concerned for Celestia.

"Shining, double patrols, We may have a problem." He saluted and left to go get the preparations. Celestia looked out the window.

"I only hope were not too late." She said to herself.

Trees gnarled and twisted betrayed that this was not the forest in Equestria as a black pegasus walked along the road green prowling eyes burning into the pony. The sight of a black darkened city came into view as the pony walking into the city without a stopping stride. Dark creatures darted into the doorways as the Black Pegasus approached the largest castle like structure where the guards barred the way and lifting a hoof the creature's necks bent at unnatural angles and fell to the ground as he continued to walk forward. The doors of the castle opened to him noiselessly and siting at the throne was a dark creature her hair was blue with a streak of green her teeth sharp as knives as her eyes looked to the rude intruder as nothing but a rude and soon to be very dead pony.

"Kill him." ordered the queen. Several changelings rushed him with the look of ravenous creatures. He smiled maliciously as he lifted his hoof again and spoke.

"Kneel." His voice was deep and cruel bringing a heavy gravity that stopped the charging changelings making them kneel before him. Queen Chrysalis looked at him unnerved, none have ever ordered her people but her. She glared at the intruder.

"Who are you…" she asked stepping from her throne with her hone glowing green. He chuckled stepping to her and looking her in the eye with his lavender colored eyes.

"To you it is…master." His voice was solid and firm like an elder talking down to a child. Queen Chrysalis looked at the pony outraged.

"I am under no pony!" she lashed out and launched a beam of concentrated energy at him. He did not move but simply stood ther as the beam struck him sending him flying back. He got back up and chuckled rotating his shoulder. He was gone, she looked around franticly. Then turned around to see him sitting on her throne looking down at her.

"Know this Changeling Queen you are to listen to my order…or I will find your replacement…" he said now walking down towards her as he raised his hoof as an unseen force began to squeeze around her neck. Queen Chrysalis air flow was slowly but surely being cut off, she fell to the ground coughing and hacking.

"Do I have your co-operation…" he asked making it sound like he didn't care either way. She quickly nodded and she felt air rush back into her lungs and she coughed loudly looking up to him.

"What can I do for you…" she asked sounding more frightened then humbled. With garnered a smiling response from him.

"I want you to invade Canterlot…" he said with a smile.

Luna tossed and tuned in her bed as images of dark things came invading her dreams.

"I am the walker of dreams!" Her voice echoed in ruins of the castle that was once her home.

"Fitting don't you think?" came a voice as a dark pony walked through the mist towards her.

"No…your." Her eyes were round with shock and horror.

"Did you miss me Nightmare Moon or should I say…Luna." His laughed then echoed all around her. She looked to her adversary and raked her hoof against the ground.

"I will make you rue the day you invaded my dreams." She said harshly.

"Now now…you know me Luna you can't hurt me here but I have to say you should watch your back…I am coming for Canterlot…" he said as his form then dissipated into a thick black smoke.

"And there is nothing you can do to stop me…" He said as the smoke lunged at her. Her eyes flashed open and bolted up screaming.