This story takes place during the events of "Moon the Undaunted", and has been carefully written to be as canon compliant as possible.

The first thing she noticed was that she could breathe. Air! Beautiful air! Eclipsa took in deep, gasping breaths. Breathing is wonderful!

Then the hunger struck. A great, terrible hunger that left her feeling quite faint. Eclipsa collapsed forward, breathless. But not before she had spied a vending machine in the far corner of the crystalline room. And in one slot of the machine... Snookers! Eclipsa's stomach growled ferociously, leading her to memorize the slot number that held the divine treat. B4... if only I could-

"Oh, my gosh, I killed her!" The voice of a young girl broke Eclipsa's train of thought. That girl... She would have smiled if she wasn't so hungry. That girl can get the Snookers for me.

"B... 4..." Eclipsa's hunger was so great, it forced her to whisper the slot number.

"What?"

Eclipsa whispered the number again, looking up at the girl she was counting on, but too hungry to pay any real attention to her. All the former queen could think of was her precious Snookers.

"'Before'?" The girl repeated, clearly not understanding. "Before what?"

"B... 4..." Eclipsa said again, gesturing to the vending machine with her eyes. She was too weak to free her arms at the moment, and by corn I'M SO HUNGRY!

The girl followed her gaze. "Oh, wait. You want the candy?" She pointed at the vending machine.

Eclipsa wanted to scream YES! but all she could do was desperately babble "B4."

"O... kay?" The girl walked over to the vending machine as Eclipsa watched hungerly. HurryuphurryuphurryupI'mSTARVING! Her stomach roared as the girl retrieved the Snookers from the machine and opened it, holding it up to the former queen. Eclipsa took a greedy bite, chewing in ecstasy. Ohhhh, that tastes SO GOOD! She pulled her right hand out of her crystal and grabbed the candy bar, eating ravenously. I haven't had a Snookers in...

It then occurred to Eclipsa that she had no idea how much time had passed since her crystallization. "How long have I been here?" she voiced her thoughts to the girl in front of her.

"Uh, like, three hundred years?" Those words hit Eclipsa like a war hammer, catching in her throat alongside the bite of Snookers.

"Three hundred years?!" Eclipsa couldn't believe it. Globgor, my love... My darling Meteora... I'll never see you again... She took another bite of the Snookers bar to keep from sobbing aloud.

As she ate, Eclipsa took a long look at the young girl standing before her. She couldn't have been much older than sixteen, with long silver-blue hair and a grey armored dress. But what was really telling about the girl's identity were the magenta diamond shapes on her cheeks, the gold and jeweled Wand in her hands, and the golden crown resting on her head. The Queen's crown...

"So, you're the new queen?" Eclipsa couldn't help but ask. It was obvious from the way the girl held herself that she was extremely guarded around Eclipsa. Not that I blame her. My actions were rather controversial. But the girl was so young.

"Yes, what of it?" The new queen responded, still holding her Wand defensively.

"Well, it's just you're far too young to be queen, unless..." A horrible thought came to Eclipsa, a reason for this girl's premature ascent to the throne. "Oh, no. Unless your mother- is she...?" her voice trailed off as the girl's eyes teared up, and she nodded in confirmation.

"I see," Eclipsa said, her own eyes watering as reflected on her own tragic coronation. "I lost my mother, too, when I was not much older than you." We weren't on the best of terms, Mother... but I do still miss you.

"Ever since Mom... Um, since I became queen, everybody's been looking to me to end the war and make all these big decisions, but I'm just a kid!" The young queen exclaimed, clearly overwhelmed. "I can't decide the fate of Mewni! I can't even decide which boy I like!"

"I know how you feel." Eclipsa's heart broke for the girl. She knew from experience what it was like to inherit the throne... in such a manner. It pained her greatly to see her something-great granddaughter go through it as well. If only I could ease your burden, my dear.

"But that's not why I'm here." Oh? Eclipsa thought in surprise.

"I need you to teach me one of the spells from your," the girl hesitated, looking uncomfortable. "Forbidden Chapter."

"'Forbidden'? Is that what they're calling my chapter?" Eclipsa asked, more than a little insulted. I make a couple dark-magic spells, and the High Commission labels my entire chapter forbidden? Really? What, did they have Glossaryck put a lock on it?

"Yeah, sorry. I didn't name it." The girl apologized before continuing. "But the point is I need a spell that can destroy something that's immortal."

Eclipsa was taken aback. She wants to learn that spell? "Are you sure that's what you want?"

The young queen's eyes narrowed. "It's my only hope."

Eclipsa could tell from the look in her eyes that she meant it. The girl was nervous, determined... and desperate. It was clear she believed that Eclipsa's spell was her only option. But the former queen had to be certain.

"Well," Eclipsa said, thinking quickly, "the spell you seek requires a magical contract. I can give it to you. But once your enemy is killed, you must give me something in return."

That was partially true. A contract was not necessary, but would mitigate the effects of performing the spell. Eclipsa would rather not have the poor girl marked too badly by dark magic; people tend to overreact. Plus, it would help her use the spell wisely if she had certain... conditions.

"Okay," the girl scratched her head nervously, "what do you want?"

Eclipsa's request was simple: "My freedom."

"What?!" The young queen's startled response told Eclipsa that she had made the right call. If she's that worried about releasing me, she won't use the spell unless she has no other choice. But just to make sure...

"Oh, I know. It's a lot to ask," the former queen said with a friendly chuckle. Then, she allowed a wistful note to creep into her voice. "But... I've just been here so long, all by myself. I want to buy my own chocolate. Or those little shrink-wrapped muffins at the bottom." Those sound delightful, now that I mention it.

"But these are Rhombulus' crystals," the girl gestured to Eclipsa's prison and the surrounding area. "I can't free you."

"A contract between two queens is stronger than any crystal." That part was true; should she agree to the contract and succeed with the spell, Eclipsa's prison should shatter in mere minutes.

"Now," Eclipsa held her hand out to the girl, "do you want to learn the spell?"

The young queen looked at Eclipsa's hand for a moment, then took it with a determined smile. Magic rippled around their clasped hands as the contract was formed. Moon. The girl's name appeared in Eclipsa's mind. What a lovely name. Finally, the magic flowing between the two queens faded. The contract was complete.

"Come close," Eclipsa beckoned to Moon, who leaned in. "Now, listen carefully. To kill an immortal being, recite this poem:

"I call the darkness unto me, from deepest depths of earth and sea.
From ancient evils unawoken, break the one that can't be broken.
To blackest night I pledge my soul and crush my heart to burning coal.
To summon forth a deadly power, to see my hated foe devoured."

Moon stepped back as Eclipsa finished her instructions: "Once you have finished, take your wand and aim it directly at his heart."

A sudden burst of energy made everything go dark again. Rhombulus' magic. In her final moments of consciousness, Eclipsa's thoughts went to the young queen. Good luck, Moon. I sincerely hope you don't have to use that spell.

Trivia: The incantation for the 'darkest spell' was taken word for word from Eclipsa's chapter in The Magic Book of Spells.