The Nightmare Awakens

"Are you sure you're fit to do this speech Shining Armor? You're really stressed out from the vision you had." Cadence asked her husband as they were getting ready for the opening ceremony, which was less than an hour away. Cadence's mane was being tied up into a similar way it was worn at her wedding.

Shining Armor, who was in the middle of being groomed before he was to wear his Royal Guard armor, looked down at the floor nervously.

"I don't know if all these visions and what they're saying is true. It might just be the nerves at me. This is the biggest speech I've ever made. I'm the one who's officially opening the Equestria Games, only one of the biggest events of the year!" Shining Armor replied.

"Even if these visions are nothing but your nerves getting to you, the entire Empire is under strict guard. Not to mention all four alicorn princesses are here, one of them is your sister, the most powerful magic user in Equestria." Cadence assured Shining Armor.

Shining Armor was now ready to suit up. He put on his armor, donning his purple and gold helmet last, looking to his wife, bravery plastered onto his face.

"Cadence, if something does happen to me, I want you to know that I love you, no matter what." Shining kissed his beautiful alicorn wife and walked out of the room. It was almost time for the biggest speech of his life!

After another few minutes, Cadence's mane was finished, her official Crystal Empire crown firmly planted upon her head. Just as she turned to leave the room, Twilight walked in. She was dressed the exact same way as she was on her coronation day, save for her crown, which had been changed.

"Twilight? Is everything alright?" Cadence asked her sister-in-law.

"Oh yeah, everything's fine." Twilight smiled. "I just wanted to know how your trip out to the wilderness went."

"Oh, it didn't go very well. Shining Armor thinks that something really bad is going to happen, but he also thinks this whole think might just be his nerves getting to him over making his big opening ceremony speech." Cadence and Twilight left the dressing room and began to walk down the corridor, leading to the passageway to the Crystal Stadium.

"You said it was some sort of crazy cult wanting to resurrect Nightmare Moon, right?"

"Yes, that's why we went down to see them yesterday. A pony who had been out hiking through the mountains spotted them. They must have done something to Shining Armor that we never caught." Cadence pondered.

"Whatever it is, the Equestria Games is the most heavily guarded event in Equestria. If something goes wrong, almost the entire Royal Guard and the Crystal Guards are here, and so are all the princesses." Twilight assured her sister-in-law.

"I guess you're right." Cadence said. "But I'm more worried about Shining Armor. You know how he gets nervous when he's under pressure."

Twilight shuddered. "His graduation speech?"

"Unfortunately." Cadence shuddered too.

"Welcome, everypony, to the Equestria Games!" Shining Armor nervously announced, in the middle of the huge stadium. "As the Prince of the Crystal Empire, it is my honor and privilege to host this year's Equestria Games!"

The stadium erupted in cheers. The four alicorns were seated in a special V.I.P box, along with the nobility and important ponies from around Equestria.

"So far so good." Twilight whispered to Cadence, who was in the throne beside her.

"Get over here you buffoon! It's starting!" Tenebrae screamed at one of her henchponies as she watched Shining Armor's speech through a dark spell. The cult were hiding in a cave just south of the Empire, waiting for the right moment to fully activate Shining Armor's curse.

"S-s-sorry Tenebrae, ma'am. I thought I saw somepony outside." The henchpony stuttered.

Tenebrae sighed as she lit her horn, a dark magic aura surrounding her horn.

"Um... what did the green grape say to the purple grape?" Shining Armor had run out of things to say, but Spike wasn't ready to light the torch yet, in fact, he wasn't even there. It was time to resort to his fail-safe mechanism.

"Breathe man! Breathe!" Shining Armor chuckled a little at the joke, the rest of the stadium remained quiet.

Twilight facehoofed.

"Here comes the dragon!" Tenebrae gasped. "It's just a matter of seconds now!"

Shining Armor turned to see Spike ready to light the torch.

"So... without further ado. Let the games.... ugh.." Shining Armor rubbed his hoof on his forehead and collapsed on the ground.

"Shining Armor!" Cadence and Twilight flied in unison. The two alicorns flew down to the stallion, a few guards crowded around him.

"Are you alright!?" Twilight asked her brother.

"I'm fine..." Shining Armor stammered. "In fact...." The unicorn opened his eyes as he stood up, revealing them to be glowing in the same way as King Sombra's. "I've never been better!"

Shining Armor's horn lit up, but instead of the usual magenta aura, his horn was enveloped by an eerie black aura.

"Protect the princesses!" One guard yelled. A group of guards formed a shield around Cadence and Twilight, while another group barricaded Celestia and Luna, who were still sitting up at the royal box.

The stadium erupted in screams of terror. Was this King Sombra possessing Shining Armor?

"Shining Armor!" Cadence cried out from inside her pony shield.

"Your husband is gone, princess!" The stallion cackled. "I'm the embodiment of the dark magic that cursed him, and I don't want to hurt anypony. I'm just here to pick somepony up." Shining Armor turned and grinned at Luna up in the royal box.

He lit his horn and immediately turned into a shadowy figure. He flew right over the barricade blocking Luna from him and flew away with her.

"Unhand me!" Luna cried in fear. She shot a beam from her horn and the two fell onto the balcony of the castle.

Twilight, Cadence and Celestia teleported up onto the balcony, while Twilight's friends and the public waited below.

"Give her back to us!" Celestia fumed. This was one of the rare moments where she experienced anger.

"You can have her when I'm done with her, but I don't think you'll want her." Shining lit his horn and pointed it at Luna. "It's time to bring back the Queen of the Night."

"No!" Luna finally realized what was about to happen to her, and there was no way it was going to happen.

"Yes!" Shining Armor shot a dark beam at the blue alicorn, who was then enveloped in a black sphere.

"Luna!" Celestia cried as she ran up to her sister, she poured every ounce of magic she had into breaking Luna free before it was too late.

"Sister, please, I'll be alright!" Luna spoke meekly before her eyes began to glow.

Once the dark magic around the alicorn dispersed, the pony standing there was not Princess Luna

"Nightmare Moon!" Twilight gasped.

"Muahahahaha!" The dark mare cackled.

"What have you done to my sister?!" Celestia demanded.

"Luna? She's been locked away deep inside her soul, giving me plenty of room to take my body back!" Nightmare smirked.

"You won't stand a chance against us Nightmare Moon!" Twilight challenged the taller alicorn.

"Oh, if it isn't Twilight Sparkle." Nightmare grinned. "Last time I saw you, you didn't have those beautiful wings." Nightmare pointed to Twilight's wings, which were fully opened.

"Surrender now, Nightmare Moon!" Celestia growled. "Even without Luna, you are no match for three alicorns."

"I wouldn't be so sure, Celestia. When one can control is properly, Dark magic is limitless. Try me if you please, but you'll regret it."

"I will do whatever it takes to get my sister back!" Celestia lit her horn, ready to attack her foe.

"No, we can't." Cadence sighed. "Nightmare Moon's dark magic is much more powerful than even me, you and Twilight together. We'll have to find another way."

"Right you are, Cadence!" Nightmare cackled. She lit her horn and the sun began to descend from it's midday place in the sky. The moon soon followed. The Crystal Empire was left in complete darkness.

"From this day forth, and I really mean it this time, the night shall last forever!"