Shattered Harmony

X

   Twilight and Spike were in the library immediately after the day’s training searching for books on where the nightmare energies originated. Celestia had gone over it briefly when she’d taught Twilight the chronology of the Nightmare Moon schism, but she never went over it in any detail. Surely the shelves of the Canterlot library would have something on the subject.

   “Do you know of anyone who wrote about it?” asked Spike.

   “No, Celestia never mentioned any pony who did. I honestly don’t even know where to begin searching.” replied Twilight, “Let’s go check the magic section first, I can’t think of anywhere else it would be.”

   “Me either.” Spike hurried up to Twilight as he spoke. The pair reached the tall shelves of the library’s magic section after a brief period and began their normal method of searching, Spike on the bottom two shelves, Twilight on the top three. The pair made their way down to the sounds of shuffling books being pulled from the shelves and put back rapidly alongside the shuffling hooves of Twilight on the carpeted floor. Books were being pulled from the shelves in a wave-like fashion by Twilight’s magic before being put back in much the same manner as she made her way across the large selection. Spike was just in front of her checking each book on the two shelves on the bottom, able to keep pace with her due to years of researching with Twilight. The pair continued this way until they reached the other side of the magic section from where they started. Having found nothing yet, they continued through the other shelves in the section.

   “Focus beams,” Twilight began listing, “teleportation, levitation, transmutation, illusions... Ugh!” she grunted as she put back the last books of the shelf. “There has to be something here. I can’t think of anywhere else something like that would be.”

   “Perhaps there’s something in the history section.” interjected Spike, “Maybe it’s in a book about Nightmare Moon or something like it. My best guess is that ‘Sisters’ book. I think when we read through it before it mentions something about the source of Nightmare Moon’s power towards the very end.”

   “It’s worth a shot, I can’t think of anywhere else to look.” Twilight admitted with a sigh, “Let’s go check it out.” The pair took a quick look behind them to see if any books had been left sitting unevenly on the shelf before heading off to the history section of the library, as always, each the shelves were perfect.

   After a brief trot, the pair passed into the history section of the library and Twilight, having seen it just the other day, made a beeline for the book they were searching for. Pulling it off the shelf as she passed by they made their way to the small reading area at the back of the history section, where everything was back in place as it was before Luna had opened the secret passage behind it. Twilight threw herself down on a cushion and was joined by Spike who sat beside her as she opened the book in front of her with her magic.

   “Alright then,” Twilight began to read the table of contents aloud starting at the last four chapters, “Aftermath of the first war, growing unrest, ah, here we go… Nightmare Moon.” Quickly flipping through the pages to the designated number she quickly arrived and began reading, Spike did his best to keep up, and though he could read faster than most ponies, he could never truly keep up with Twilight. About five minutes later Twilight hit the part where it began to talk of nightmare corruption becoming noticeable in Luna.

“After many weeks of silence and solitude it was obvious that something was amiss in the castle. Castle staff began reporting consistent nightmares each night they spent on castle grounds, and shadows seemed to shift in scarcely noticeable fashion in the presence of Princess Luna. A week before the night of the attempted coup a servant disappeared. He was later found dead, his face locked in an expression of absolute terror with jagged black lines emanating from his eyes. The black lines were a sign that his death was at the hooves of someone wielding nightmare energies according to, the at the time court wizard, Alchem Augury, who would later write about his findings on nightmare energies before disappearing mysteriously from the castle.” Twilight stopped reading and looked up from her book for a moment.

   “Alchem Augury?” she questioned the air in front of her, “I can’t think of ever hearing about him aside from this book. Can you think of anywhere Spike?” She turned to her dragon friend.

“Nowhere I can think of, this is the first time I’m hearing the name, last time we went through this, I wasn’t really paying attention to be honest.” Spike shrugged as he voiced his ignorance.

   “Well then, if it’s anywhere it’ll be here. Let’s go check the index and see what we can dig up.” The pair made their way to the door but were stopped midway by the dulcet tones of a smooth female voice.

“Princess Sparkle, I have been looking for you.” The unexpected voice made the hair on the back of Twilight’s neck stand straight up. Twilight was sure she was about to be attacked, so she prepared a paralyzation spell and whipped her head around to see no one in the aisle behind her. Twilight’s heart practically burst from her chest when the voice came again, “I apologize for startling you Princess, I am currently atop the shelf to your left. I have been trying to stay out of sight to avoid any unwanted attention from the remaining castle staff. If I recall correctly, Queen Luna has kept the librarian present to assist you when you need her. I promise that I mean no harm to you, I only wish to become properly acquainted.” The words afforded Twilight little comfort as she looked up to the origin of the voice. Her heart skipped a beat when she saw the pony atop the shelf.

   Looking down on her from her elevated perch was an iron grey pony wearing a light armor suit of dull grey steel plates on blackened leather pads connected by chainmail, though it wasn’t her garb that Twilight thought to be the most disconcerting. Her eyes were blood red and reptilian in appearance with a faint glow that was just enough to be seen behind her black veiled hood. Twilight had feared what this moment would be like, and currently, it was as bad as she imagined. Twilight’s thoughts were racing so fast that she’d scarcely listened to what she’d said at all. Falling Star stood silently above her, she had the superior position and the experience, if she wanted her dead… Twilight hoped it would at least come swiftly.

   Falling Star seemed to pick up on Twilight’s fear, and worked quickly to calm it. “Princess Sparkle, I assure you that I do not wish ill upon you.” Twilight, letting her fear of the worst case scenario grip her as she normally did, failed to believe her. “In fact, I’ve actually been sent to watch over you by the queen. She has tasked me with ensuring your safety, and I do not plan on letting her down.”

Queen… that word did not sit well with Twilight.

   “Now then Princess,” Falling Star said in a softer tone, “I would like to make a proper introduction and answer any questions that you might have. I have been assigned as your personal bodyguard and will henceforth be accompanying you most everywhere you go, so in light of the fact that we will be spending quite a lot of time together in the future, I have come to get to know you better...” Twilight was still cowering in the aisle below, “and try to quell any fears you have about me.” Despite the tangible awkwardness of the situation, Falling Star was the epitome of professionalism. She stood cool and composed atop the shelves even whilst Twilight held onto the spell with her horn ready to loose it in her direction at a whim. She had been given an assignment by her queen and she planned to see to it, no matter what Twilight wanted to say or do about it. Still unsure of how to act to the present situation, Twilight merely stood there for a moment before composing herself enough to speak coherently.

   “So…” Twilight tried to think of what to say while holding the spell in her horn, “Luna made you my bodyguard?” Twilight asked the obvious.

   “This is correct, now then, I would like to descend from this position. If you could close the door to the history section and lock it behind you, I will meet you at the back of the room so as we may discuss this arrangement further. I will also be happy to answer most any question you have about me if it would make you feel more comfortable about my presence. I’ve picked up the vibe that you aren’t exactly sure of what to think of me.” Twilight couldn’t see for sure, but she thought Falling Star was smiling behind her veil.

   “Well… I did just meet you. And from what Luna had said about-” Twilight had done it, she’d just set herself on course for the most awkward conversation of her life, she was sure of it. She tried to stop herself from continuing, but in her nervous blathering to fill the uncomfortable quiet she continued on the path to damnation, “well, you know… what had happened.”

        “When what happened?” Falling Star became very stern for a moment, “The queen’s attempt to wrest power from her sister?” There was hatred rising in her voice now, “When I became imprisoned by…” she cut off and kept herself from going further. Turning her head, she closed her eyes for a moment, or at least Twilight lost track of their glow behind the veil, and paused. “I understand your worries Princess Sparkle, you would think that I would harm you as some form of cheap blow against… her… but know that I am above such means of vengeance, especially since her… untimely passing.” Twilight could definitely tell that Falling Star was fighting back against a boil over, “Now then, if you would please lock the door and meet me in the lounge at the back of the room. I do grow weary of standing atop this shelf and would much like to sit upon a cushion whilst we talk.” There was a frustration in Falling Star’s voice that Twilight could tell she was fighting back with immense willpower.

   Twilight turned back around in front of her to see Spike looking at her with a worried expression. He didn’t see Falling Star before, so his reaction was much like Twilight’s first reaction, fear.

   “Her eyes,” said a shaken Spike, “what’s wrong with them?”

   “Sssshh.” Twilight hushed Spike with a whisper, “She’s cursed Spike, I’ll explain later, just wait outside until I get back.”

   “It’s okay,” came a voice from the back of the room, “he can stay, I prefer to meet your assistant as well, I’ve heard much about him and would like to make his acquaintance.” Twilight spoke at merely a whisper to Spike, she had no idea how she could’ve heard her.

   “Okay then.” Spike replied promptly, “I’ll go get the door, you go ahead and go back to meet her, I’ll catch up after I lock everything down.” Spike nodded to Twilight and she returned the gesture as they both nervously departed one another’s company to their separate locales, even though they wouldn’t be far from one another, they both felt the same anxiety of their momentary separation.

   Twilight got to the back of the shelf and took a deep breath before trying to smile to keep her from looking as scared as she was. Even though she’d been talking to Falling Star for a few minutes now, she still wasn’t exactly sure that she was safe, especially after seeing her reaction to the mere mention what happened to her. Rounding the corner she could see Falling Star in full detail.

   Her armor was unlike any Twilight had seen before aside from the pages of dusty old books. Consisting of only a few dull grey steel plates over black leather pads and chainmail, it was something that didn’t stick out as befitting of the captain of one of the most elite units in Equestrian history. Although almost completely bereft of decoration, the navy blue inlays of Luna’s moon on her breastplate and the band of stars around her neck were of a level of craftsmanship that Twilight had only seen in the armor of the Royal Elite. From what Twilight could remember from her studies of the old guards, this was the armor of one of Luna’s Night Watch.

   Much like the Royal Elite made up of those hoof-picked by Celestia, the Night Watch were Luna’s best and brightest. The Night Watch were the shadowy defenders of Equestria in the times of old, often working by stealth and subterfuge over bold and obvious shows of force, they would often deal with threats before the general public knew they were in danger while the Royal Elite would always take care of things in more direct fashions, showing up and flawlessly crushing the enemy out in the open for all to see. While there are many arguments from historians as to which of the two units was the more elite it often came down to the same saying. The Royal Elite made you fear the battlefield, the Night Watch made you fear your shadow.

   “So Princess Sparkle,” Falling Star spoke smoothly as she removed her hood revealing short platinum hair that was tied back in a knot, “Where would you like to begin?” Falling Star turned to Twilight with a comforting smile on her face, but it did nothing to distract Twilight from her terrifying eyes.

   “Well, I guess I… I’m not so clear on…” Twilight had been too shaken by her own fears to even know where to begin, so she decided on the simplest answer that would get the most information. “How about you start from the beginning, and I’ll ask questions if there’s anything I want you to elaborate upon. To be honest, I just don’t know where to start; I’ve never been the best when it came to meeting new people.”

   “Alright then, and by the beginning you mean?” Falling Star questioned Twilight as she made her way to lie on a cushion.

   “How about when you became part of the Night Watch? I understand if you don’t want to talk about what had happened, though.” The awkward tension in the air was practically suffocating as Twilight walked to the cushions to join Falling Star.

   “No, it’s probably for the best that I share what happened with you, the queen has made it a point that I should be as open with you as she was about the incident. From what we know she told you about the nightmare magic she wielded back then.” Twilight’s ears perked up at the mention of the nightmare.

   “Well, actually…”Twilight interjected as Spike arrived from the bookshelves to join them, “she didn’t tell me very much about that. At least, not as much as I would’ve liked.”

   “I assume this had been a cause of concern for you?” Falling Star, much like Luna, appeared to have amazing powers of perception.

   “Can I ask something of you before we continue with this?” Twilight asked worriedly.

   “Anything Princess, I have been bound to your will.” Falling Star’s tone was assuring for once, Twilight’s nerves had finally steadied to where she would allow herself to believe that Falling Star truly meant what she was saying.

   “Now, don’t take this as something that should cause alarm, I have full faith in Princess Luna and I trust that she will no doubt lead us well through these dark times, but I need to ask that you do not inform her of this conversation, or at least this part. I really, really, don’t want to stress her any further by thinking I’m worrying about her.”

   “Well…” Falling Star looked to the ground for a moment before returning her gaze into Twilight’s soul, “As long as it is nothing extreme, I shall keep this conversation between the two of us. It’s very important that you should be able to trust me, so I consent to your request.”

   “Alright then, now that we are in agreement…” Twilight paused, “earlier today, when I was with the Princess…” visions of the eye returned to Twilight’s mind, “when she was using her magic to make those animate nightmares. I was standing next to her, and she had her eyes closed, but when she opened the” she hesitated to continue, “In the black orb where her right eye used to be there was something… looking at me.” Twilight shivered for a moment. “It was like there was an eye there, an unnatural, unholy eye. The longer I looked at it, the more and more I felt myself being grasped by fear. I wanted to flee but I couldn’t, instead I was almost held there by something, forcing me to stare back into it as it did me. It was something I couldn’t help but think about since; I’ve been in here trying to find something that would help me understand what had happened, but to no avail. So here’s what I need to know… what is the source of Luna’s nightmare powers?” The awkward tension in the room was still suffocating, Twilight was incredibly worried as to whether or not this qualified as ‘extreme’. Falling Star paused for a moment before blinking her eyes and looking to Twilight.

   “I assume that there is no harm in wishing to understand it better, I reacted much the same way when she made her powers known to me, in fact I had fought against her decision until I saw the level of mastery she held over it. All accounts of nightmare energies being used by others had led them to be overtaken and controlled by the master of the dream.” She stopped once again as her ear flicked towards the door. She quickly looked to her right as if she’d heard something of concern, and after a moment of further silence she returned her gaze to Twilight and Spike before continuing. “Do you want the full explanation or the shortened version? I assume, from what I’ve heard about you, that you would want fully detailed story?”

        “You would be correct.” said Twilight nervously.

   “Well then, what do you know about the nightmare energies? Other than what they do when concentrated onto poor unsuspecting ponies.” Falling Star spoke in a serious tone.

   “Nothing really,” saying she didn’t know anything about something was almost completely alien to Twilight, “when Cele-” Twilight stopped herself once again at the mention of her mentor.

   “Celestia… just say her name, there’s no point dancing around what happened to me, I’d come to accept it centuries ago even though I still have outbursts over it. Or at least what I assumed to have been centuries ago, being locked away in darkness for a few hundred years takes a toll on your concept of time.” Falling Star sounded annoyed, but swallowed her emotions while she talked to Twilight, even though her last remark was slightly scathing.

   “Okay then,” replied Twilight hesitantly, “when Celestia taught me of the night of Nightmare Moon she didn’t really go into detail about what had happened, and when I encountered it first hand when she returned from her exile, I wasn’t able to really grasp what was happening. I had hoped I would never have to see it again, but circumstances have not been so kind as to honor this wish. I only seek to understand it, not knowing is what frightens me the most.”

   “Tis understandable Princess Sparkle, as I said before I too was quite taken aback by such forces, but knowing my feelings on the subject will not help you gain a better grasp on it.” Falling Star lifted a hoof to her mouth and cleared her throat, “Now then, I guess I shall start from the beginning. From what the queen had told me about the nightmares before we made the pact those years ago, the energies originate from a different realm known as “The Abyssal Dream.”  It is from the dream that they’re beckoned forth by a number of differing forces. To name the main ways, they are either called forth by an individual who is “linked”  to the dream, or they are sent into our realm by the dream’s omnipotent master.

   “Only known as ‘The Umbral Mind’, the master of the dream is something of an enigma to all who have attempted to interact with it, it’s actually unknown as to whether or not the Umbral Mind is separate from the dream, or if it itself is the origin of the nightmare energies. All notable scholars who dared to tempt the void with their prodding have ended up in… less than desirable states. The only one I know of that has successfully delved into the void and not been driven completely insane or corrupted is the queen. And from what she has described to me, it has been a constant battle.” Falling Star paused for a moment, “But it is from the dream that it watches our entire known world, and perhaps more, acting with unknown motivations.

   “Now here is where things started to become extremely cloudy to me as she had explained it. I had to see the dream for myself to even begin to grasp what the queen had said. The way she had tried to explain the complicated nature of the dream to me was by saying the two realms, being the dream and our own, are separate yet they occupy the same space. The dream exists inside of our realm, as well as our realm existing in the dream, but neither can easily interact with one another. According to her, there is a barrier that separates them, that keeps the nightmares of the dream, and those of our realm within their own respective realities, holding back each realm from joining the other. But as with all things, there are ways. When one sleeps in the mortal realm, their mind is susceptible to the dream. It was through this form of interaction that the Dream received its name.”

   Twilight listened quietly as she was made more and more uneasy by the complete comfort Falling Star seemed to have when talking about something that was so purely evil in Twilight’s mind. She was still trying to grip the fact that some pony who was but mere skin and bones not a month before had recovered to look just as youthful as she did in such a short period, but rather than interrupt her current teacher she chose to listen on in hope of gathering anything that could explain what Twilight had seen in Luna’s false eye. It was so easy to write it off as just “nightmare energy”  but it was so general and vague that it would never allow Twilight to stop thinking of it. So she listened on growing more and more confused by the information being thrown on her all at once.

  “Apparently,” Falling Star continued, “when someone is sleeping their mind is largely free of the protection offered to the physical world around them, the barrier that protects their thoughts is very thin and fragile. It is in one’s dreams that the Umbral Mind can reach you, and it was Luna’s charge to strengthen this barrier and protect the citizens from the dream. Most of the time it’s just through a simple nightmare, you end up waking up, and the connection is severed with no lasting effect. However, if one cannot wake from the nightmare, or performed magic to allow themselves to commune with it, they become linked. When one is linked with the dream, they are permanently connected to the dream. While most of the time this connection means little, on occasion the Umbral Mind will attempt to corrupt the linked individual and bend them to its will to perform whatever it is that it wants of them.” Her words trailed off for a moment and she yawned heavily, followed by Spike, who in his constant state of drowsiness could not hold back and keep himself from doing the same.

   “Now, my knowledge of corruption is minimal.” Falling Star’s voice lightened slightly, “As far as I can tell I have not been corrupted, I don’t recall doing too many things not of my own volition since I became linked.” she chuckled to herself, Twilight did not find her humor as amusing, but refrained from showing it with a short, nervous giggle. “Now, from what I know, the signs of corruption by the dream aren’t always obvious, most of the time it’s imperceptible. But when one has been corrupted to a certain degree the Umbral Mind can directly control them to do as he wishes. But there is one thing that had always been accepted as a sure sign of corruption, a phenomenon known as ‘The Mind’s Eye.’

   “Now, while no one has ever seen the Umbral Mind, or even knows if it has eyes, ‘The Mind’s Eye’ is perhaps the most damning piece of evidence in cases of nightmare magic use. In most cases it is thought, the eye appears only when the corrupted is either being possessed, or when the nightmare energy is being channeled. When the eye is present, the afflicted’s normal eye is seemingly replaced by a black, reptilian pupil surrounded by a bloodshot white, like the eyes of someone who hasn’t slept in days, all other color vanishes from their eyes while the condition lasts. It is believed that this is the mark of someone who is at the farthest reaches of corruption,” Twilight’s blood chilled in her veins, “however…” Twilight hoped Falling Star’s next few words would offer some kind of situation where the evidence that Twilight had witnessed would not make sure in Twilight’s mind that Luna was corrupted.

   “I have personally seen this phenomenon in the queen multiple times, and I do not believe that it is always a sign of one who is too far gone. The queen has never lost control of her powers when she has wielded them. She may lose control of her anger, but never over the power she wields. As I understand it from what I have been told, the eye appeared when the veil between our two worlds has been rendered thin within someone. While I’m sure that this in and of itself is not comforting to hear, it does mean that it does not constitute that when it appears all hope is lost for the linked individual. One of such strong will as the Queen is implacable in the face of the consuming void, and I have garnered full confidence in her ability to have complete mastery over the forces she wields.” After yet another brief pause in her lecture, Falling Star asked Twilight, “Is there anything that you are unclear on up to this point?” as completely lost as Twilight was she figured she would put it all together later.

   “No, I think I’ve heard enough.” Twilight lied, “I guess I just shouldn’t worry as much as I do.” Twilight knew she would be losing sleep over this new information. Perhaps one day Luna herself could shed some light on the absolute dark of the nightmares she controlled, but for now Twilight was left with almost more questions than answers. She just wanted to go back to her bed chambers and lay down now, she didn’t really have it in her to continue listening. Trying to think of a way she could escape her current situation, her thoughts were interrupted by a loud thud upon the door. Falling Star jumped to her hoofs and Twilight flinched at the sudden movement and nearly fell off of her cushion as she tossed Spike off her back. Spreading her large bat-like wings she leapt atop the shelves once again.

   “Have the dragon open the door,” she whispered back to Twilight below her, “I shall watch whoever enters. Stay back here Princess Sparkle, we shall come for you when it is deemed safe.” Falling Star silently trotted atop the shelves to the front of the room as Twilight turned to Spike who was visibly frightened.

   “I’m sure it’s just the librarian,” she assured her startled friend, “just be sure to get clear of the door if it’s not though. I’m sure it’ll be fine.” Twilight smiled a hollow, nervous smile to her friend as she shuffled away to the door, looking back behind him to Twilight who tried in vain to help steady his nerves with false comfort. All Twilight could hope for was that there was nothing of concern behind the door. If anything came through the door and managed to make it past Falling Star, she would become much like the books around her…history.