Twilight stretched yet again. She looked at the book, and put a bookmark in it. This library’s grand...It’s gonna take me awhile to find what I’m looking for! She put the book up, then went back to the side room where the Two Sister’s journal laid on the pedestal. Nothing says anything about the box in here… She thought as she picked up the book. Maybe there’s more secret rooms? She yawned and began searching the library for hidden passages. She didn’t feel too alone as she explored the castle. She left Spike at the tree to get some sleep, but ever since her first encounter here with her friends...nothing seemed scary anymore.
She searched around the library, but found nothing. Zilch. Feeling defeated, Twilight went back to her spot in the side room, then saw something gleaming from under the dresser on the other side of the room. Anxious and curious, she quickly lifted up the dresser, and saw a piece of paper underneath a key. She lifted it up with her magic, and noticed the paper was really old. She looked at the paper and read it out loud:
“Princess Celestia.
I tend to forget things, so I’ll hand it up above this dresser. The key’ that’s with this paper goes to the oldest room in the dungeon. I left the book in there, so nopony will get to it. Keep this key with you at all times.
And for Faust’s sake, don’t touch anything. Especially the book.
-S.S.”
Twilight looked at the key. So, this key goes to some sort of room in the dungeon? She looked at the paper and notices a ripped small hole at the top. She looked at the wall above the dresser, and thought, So, the paper fell underneath the dresser… Maybe there’s something special in that room! She excitedly got up, and grabbed the lantern and her saddlebag. She quickly trotted through the castle to the doors of the dungeon. The hesitated before the door. Gulping, Twilight slowly opened the door, and descended down into the darkness.
The dungeon was quiet. Too quiet. The only sound that could be heard was the sound of Twilight’s hooves. She raised the lantern with her magic, and continued forward. Every now and then something would clatter, and Twilight would jump and look in the direction of the noise before continuing on.After what seemed like forever in the labyrinth of cells, Twilight reached a door. It was a rusty gold, as if not polished in hundreds of years. She looked at the key, then at the door, then back at the key, then back at the door. Holding her breath, she put the key in the lock, and exhaled as she opened the door.
As the door opened, a wave of air that smelled like...death. She gagged and coughed, her stomach wanting to regurgitate her dinner. She produced a mask, and put it over her snout. It helped only a little bit, but she could manage. She walked in, and looked around. She couldn’t see anything outside of the lantern light, so she looked for a source of light. She found something sticky by the door on a shelf, so she lit it on fire. The fire then went all around the room, lighting it up.
The sight was horrible: in the middle of the room was what looked like a chained pony in the middle of the room, but it was utterly destroyed one couldn’t tell. There were six weird cylinders around him, and Twilight saw a huge red mark, but could hardly see it; there was blood everywhere. Twilight took a step forward, then felt something warm around her hoof. She looked down and screamed-she was stepping in blood. Fresh blood. Twilight jumped back, and couldn't hold it in. She turned to her side, took off the mask, and vomited up her dinner. It kept coming until she was standing there, gagging.
She wanted to leave, wanted to forget this. But that’s when she saw it: an ornate book sitting on a pedestal on top of one of the short cylinders. Using her new wings, Twilight flew over to the book, and tried to take it off of the pedestal. Instantly, two skeletal hooves came out of the floor and wrapped around the book. Twilight grabbed the book, and pried it from the hooves. In that same instant, the oil fire went out.
Twilight looked back just in time to see the doors slam shut, leaving her in total darkness(she blew out the lantern when the room lit up). She flew over to the door, and tried to open it. It wouldn't budge. She banged on it, screaming, and eventually stopped; her throat was raw. She sat in silence in the room.
The same room as a freshly killed pony.
In the crushing darkness
In the silencing dungeon.
In the dead of night.
She breathed slowly, inhaling and exhaling, calming down her heart. She slowly reached for her lantern, but stopped when she heard it:
Shff. Shff.
Twilight’s heart increased.
Shff. Shff.
Twilight then saw something move on the other side of the room. She shrunk against the door, and two eyes opened. Twilight’s hooves(while she was still sitting) instantly back-pedaled , but could not go anywhere.
Shff. Shff. Shff.
It came closer, and Twilight’s heart stopped. Teeth sparkled in the darkness, and Twilight grabbed the lantern. She kept looking from the lantern to the slowly approaching shadow back to the lantern as she frantically tried to light the lantern. She looked up, and the eyes and teeth disappeared.
Shff. Shff.
She looked back at the lantern, and finally managed to produce a flame, then looked up. It was a mistake. The shadow was there. It’s jaws opened unbelievably wide, and the teeth began to grow longer.
The candle lit, and Twilight’s eyes shut.
Nothing happened.
Twilight’s eyes slowly opened. The room was normal like it was when she first lit the room. The corpse was still in it’s position, unmoved. Twilight turned around, and blasted the hinges off of the door. The door fell down with a rather larger bang, and fear swallowed her. Screaming, she ran through the labyrinth. She skidded stop in front of a cell and saw a pony. Dead. Hanging by a rope. She screamed yet again and ran towards the dungeon’s entrance. She barely reached the door before it shut in her face, making her collide into the door.
She rubbed her nose and frustratedly banged on the door with her hooves. “Let me out of here!” She screamed at nothing. She banged on the door, then got frustrated even more. “I’m not a toy!” She screamed as she blasted magic at the door. The door flew off, but the ceiling above it crumbled and blocked the door. She then screamed her throat raw and started beating at the rocks.
She stopped, and sat down, huffing and wheezing. She then pulled out the book and looked at it. All of this for a stupid book? What was this guy thinking? She then remembered the tortured bodies in the cells. What were they thinking?! They wouldn’t- ...would they? Would Princess Celestia-? She shook her head. Look, All I need to do is get out of here. Luckily, I took the castle’s interior map from the book. I hope nopony minds. She pulled out the map and unfolded it. Aha! There was a side exit that leads to the wine cellar, and then outside to the garden!
She put the map up, and gulped. She slowly went back town the old steps and into the infinite night, with her lantern as her only light. She walked by the cages of tortured ponies, and tried not to look. She still didn’t know if this was Celestia’s idea...or Luna’s? Twilight never suspected the Princesses...maybe these were enemies? But then again, who were their enemies? Twilight shook her head Don’t lose it, Twilight…
“Twilight?! Are you here?!” Twilight’s ears perked up at the sound of Rainbow Dash’s voice. Of course! Dash would have wanted to know where I went! I told Applejack to tell her if she wanted to know! She happily galloped towards the sound, all her fears forgotten, and glad to hear from a friend. She skidded around a corner, and the voice was louder. Twilight pulled out the map. I’m closer to the cellar! She skidded to a stop as Rainbow Dash turned around. Twilight eyed Dash, but nothing seemed creepy.
“Twilight! Where have you been?! Applejack told me that you came to the castle looking for clues on the box alone, so I came to see if you were alright.” She stood a couple of hooves away from Twilight.
“Yes! How did you find your way in?” Twilight asked, relieved.
“Does that really matter?”
“I...guess not? Let’s get out of this creepy dungeon…”
“Why? Isn’t it a bit...fun?”
“Huh?” Twilight was focused on getting out, she didn’t notice the stench.
The stench of death.
Rotting death.
Twilight looked at Dash. She had a creepy smile on her face, and her pupils were dilated: a clear sign of insanity. Twilight took a step back. “D-Dash…?”
Dash took a step forward, and Twilight took one step back. This continued until Twilight was out of the cellar. “C’mon, Twilight. Don’t be disloyal to me...I would never be disloyal to you…” Her voice doubled over, sounding like… “Chrysalis was a tasty treat, but you’ll be even tastier.~” Dash said, but it wasn’t Dash anymore: it was a nightmare. Static filled Twilight’s ears as Dash said, “C’mon Twilight, be loyal…” Her eyes then teared up.
With blood.
The creepy smile was still on Dash’s face, and her eyes filled with blood until her eyes were completely filled with blood. Twilight backed out of the room and turned around;then saw Pinkie bouncing towards her. More static filled Twilight’s ears as Pinkie stopped bouncing, and had the same creepy smile as Dash. “Twilight…? Didn’t I ever tell you?...Smile. It makes others happy…”
Twilight’s ears flop down as she backed up. Fluttershy, Applejack, and Rarity came from the other corridors with the same creepy smile and the same creepy bloody eyes. Twilight slowly back up as they slowly approached. She then hit something hard and heard a familiar voice; “Twilight..you shouldn’t have done that...stealing his book will reveal things we don’t want revealed.”
Twilight quickly turned around to see the one pony she wouldn’t expect to say that: Princess Celestia. “I-I didn’t mean to...I was just curious…”
“Sometimes curiosity will kill the pony,Twilight Sparkle.” Twilight heard a new voice and looked as yet another familiar pony that she definitely didn’t expect to be here walk up next to Celestia; Nightmare. Moon.
“W-what are you doing here?!” Twilight stammered. “T-The Elements took you down! You shouldn’t exist!”
Nightmare Moon opened her wings wide, showing gaping holes in them. “Ah yes, I remember what that ludicrous rainbow of your petty elements. Which, by the way, are currently dormant.” She smiled triumphantly. She looked around her and said, “Come my little children. Let’s show the Princess of Magic what Nightmares really are.”
The static in Twilight’s ears filled her head and was mixed in with moaning sounds.
Sounds of pain.
Nightmare Moon stepped out of the way as other familiar ponies shuffled towards her: they were everypony in Ponyville. All of the ponies she knew.
Only their bodies were mangled.
Tortured.
Forever.
Then Twilight saw it: inside one of the cages was a tall, tenuous bone-white stallion. He was really thin, and was as tall as Celestia. He looked at Twilight, and then she saw it. Whatever it was had no face. The static grew louder, Twilight’s vision became blurry, doubling over, and she felt nauseous. The pony went straight through the bar, as if it were not there, and stood ten feet away from Twilight. Then where his mouth should have been began to stretch open, the skin literally parting to form a mouth. blood seeped from it as he lunged at Twilight.
Twilight slammed her hooves down, opening her eyes really fast. She jumped up and her heart raced.. She was back in the side room in the library. Sh stretched and yawned. There was no Nightmare Moon. No creepy friends. No… What was that thing? I’ve never seen it before. Ah well, as long as it was all a- Her hoofed bumped something. She opened her eyes, and her hope that it all was a dream vanished: it was the thick book that she grabbed from the room.
She breathed in deeply and opened the book. Was I just hallucinating? Twilight wondered. A folded piece of paper was lying on top of the page, and Twilight picked it up and unfolded it. Inside it were scrawled words, but Twilight could read the handwriting:
“To you, reader:
If you are reading this, then you must finish what you have started. Read this book carefully, and understand the horrors that are to come. Review this note once you have read the introduction.”
Twilight set the note aside, and flipped to the next page. It was titled, “Introduction,” and Twilight read this one out loud. “This book is not like the others I have written. This book is not a spell book, it is my recordings of strange occurrences since the Exile of Nightmare Moon. I have seen many weird things in my life, but none as disturbing as what lies on these pages. Reader Beware; Once you start, It won’t play fair. S.S.”
Twilight was about to flip the page when she remembered the note. She picked it up, and was incredibly surprised-the note had changed it’s words to form a new note. Amazing! She thought. If this book really is from hundreds of years ago, then this spell is astonishing! To be able to change exactly when I read the paper, it’s- She suddenly was pulled back to the task at hoof. She shook her head and read the note:
“Now that you understand a little about this book, I will begin with a task; somepony-no, something-has taken information. I noticed it when I devised this note. It scattered them throughout this castle, perhaps even the Everfree. I didn’t want the Princess to fall victim to the monster. This is all I can say right now, for my mind is blank.
I’m sorry.
-S.S.”
Twilight flipped through the book and noticed that most of the pages were ripped out. Literally. Twilight had a look of determination on her face. “I have to find all of these documented pages! Maybe They’ll help me with something!” She stood up and put the book on the floor. She picked up the key to the dungeon room, and the piece of paper. “You’re gonna go right here!” Subconsciously, she tacked the paper to the wall above a dresser, and hung the key over the tac. She set her saddle bags next to the dresser, and picked up her lantern. “Those saddlebags will slow me down…” She pulled out a folder from them, and made it disappear. “Let’s do this!” She felt a surge of energy and excitement, and forgot about the horrors she just experienced. She went into the castle’s hallway, and began her search.
Hours later, Twilight looked out the window as she passed one. She stopped in her tracks. It was still night. Her heart raced. What the-? Isn’t it supposed to be daytime by now? She opened the window, and looked out side. Nothing. Not a sunrise. She shook her head, and looked for a clock. She found one and it read, 6:30. She wiped her head with relief. Something clattered, and Twilight instantly jerked her head to the right. Gulping, she walked towards there and held her lantern in front of her. She walked forward, and realized that the room where she heard the noise from was the kitchen.
She opened the door, and expected something to be in there. Nothing was. She walked around the kitchen, and didn’t look where she stepped-the slipped on something and her face slammed into the ground. She furiously looked behind her and saw...a piece of paper! Excited, she quickly got up and went over to it. She picked it up and began reading it.
“Entry #1:
Nightmare Moon is gone, and the castle is nearly destroyed. Celestia moved to a new castle, one that is farther away. I, however, live a solitary life here in this castle. But, night times are when your fears get the upper hoof. I’ve been hearing strange noises outside, but also inside. It’s a little creepy, but I can manage. I do get the occasional letter from Celestia.
-S.S.”
Who’s S.S.? Twilight thought as she put the sheet in her folder. Twilight hurried through the castle and found more notes. They were all about something was watching the author. The last paper she picked up read haunting words, as if they were a warning;
NIGHTMARE NIGHT.
SUCH A FRIGHT.
GIVE HIM SOMETHING GOOD TO BITE!
She heard a loud Doom! as if a cannon was fired. her ears went up and her heart raced. What was that? She looked around the kitchen, and quickly ran out of there. The same noise bagan to continue with each step Twilight slowly took. Static filled her ears, but she tried to ignore it. She turned around a corner, and saw it: the same stallion in the dungeon.
The one with no face.
And the skin-parted mouth.
Her vision became doubled over, screwing up at the sight of him, but saw what came next: the skin where the eyes should’ve been slowly parted, and blood seeped from the bottom part of the hole. Twilight realized that it was making eye sockets, and her heart stopped when she saw the eyeballs push their way out to bulge out of the socket. The eyeballs formed little pupils and the eyes burned into Twilight’s.
It the skin where it’s mouth stretched and ripped open, just like it did before, except that it curved up to form a twisted, opened-mouthed creepy smile. What came next would burn into Twilight’s eyes forever. Misty tendrils seeped out of the stallion’s body, and they moved around him, waiting for their prey. The mouth stretched even wider, and the stallion gave out a blood-curling, ear-shattering scream. Twilight’s vision became fuzzy, but she couldn’t take her eyes off of the face.
The face of a Nightmare
Twilight’s eyes flashed open, and she jumped to her hooves, wide awake. She looked around, her eyes wild, and realized that she was in a different part of the castle. She looked in front of her to see a statue of Princess Luna. Staring at her. Mocking her. Frustrated and sick, Twilight screeched at it., “Leave me alone! Stop this! Stop! I’m tired of this game of yours! Just stop it! Please!” She continued to scream at it, but eventually stopped, seeing it as a lost cause.
Twilight shuffled into a room and thumped her head against the wall. She heard something rustle, and a piece of paper brushed by her. Reflexively, Twilight jumped away from the paper. She cautiously picked it up, and picked it up. She read the daring words;
DON’T LOOK...DON’T BLINK...THEY ARE WATCHING
Another Doom! echoed, and Twilight squeaked. She put the printed paper up, and sprinted out of the room. She tripped down some stairs and collided into a dresser, breaking it. A piece of paper fluttered away from the broken debris, and Twilight grabbed it. This one was still haunting as ever;
LITTLE FILLY LITTLE FILLY
PLAYING IN THE SUN IS QUITE SO SILLY
WAIT ‘TILL NIGHT
FOR THE FRIGHT
RUN AND RUN AND RUN AND RUN
THE NIGHTMARE’S CHASE IS GOING TO BE FUN!
The sound got closer, and Twilight looked behind her. Something darted behind the corner, and Twilight turned around and started galloping. She looked behind her and didn’t see anything, then suddenly she collided with something; sending her tumbling back. She quickly scrambled to her hooves and looked at what she bumped into: a statue of Celestia. Nothing seemed odd, but Twilight saw a note attached to the statues chest. She peeled it off and read it:
BEWARE THE STONE.
“Beware the stone?” Twilight thought out loud, a bit confused. She put the paper in her folder, and began walking away.She then heard the sound of shifting stone behind her, causing her to freeze in place. She slowly turned around to see the same statue of Princess Celestia.
Moving on it’s own.
It took a hoof off of the pedestal, and when the hoof hit the ground, the marble floor cracked under the heavy weight.
That’s all Twilight wanted to see.
She 180’d and galloped away so fast she thought she could do a sonic rainboom. Twilight raced through the halls, and soon the pounding and cracking sound of stone was joined by more, and Twilight dared not to look back. Until she heard what sounded like a weird screeching behind her. She looked over her shoulder to see not only many stone statues chasing her, but slimy ponies as well-they had tentacles coming out of them, trying to reach for her.
Twilight wasn’t looking in front of her, so she ran straight into the wall. Bad Luck. The terrifying ponies approached her, but then an even larger sound of stone shifting was heard. The wall rotated, placing Twilight in another room. Good Luck. She sighed with relief, and stood up. This castle is not taking me! Twilight thought and trotted forward.
Then she heard a loud Click! and the floor beneath her disappeared. Twilight feel deep down into the castle, and then the floor made contact with her hooves, causing one to snap like a twig. “Yaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!” Twilight screeched in pain and fell over, blood seeping out of her front left hoof. Gasping, Twilight got to the other three of her hooves and tears streamed out of her eyes. Oh Celestia, She silently cried. I just wanna go home...to my friends...to my comfortable tree house...please…?
With her magic, Twilight weakly produced a plank with wrapping bandages to create a makeshift cast. She winced as she fixed her hoof to where it could fit into the cast. Her breathing was ragged, and she used her horn to make light in the darkness. "W-where am I...?"
There was laughter, and Twilight backed up until she hit a wall,scared senseless. "Ha, Princess Twilight Sparkle. How are you enjoying...this Nightmare?" Twilight knew who it was: Nightmare Moon.
Twilight shakily stood up. "Show yourself, coward! Your minions shouldn't do your work!" Twilight stamped her good hoof in the ground. More laughter ensured.
"Ooh, poor Twilight. What ever will you do, without your friends?" As the next laughter followed, the ceiling began to rumble, and chunks of it began coming down. Twilight hobbled forward and yelped every time a chunk barely hit her. She saw the exit, and teleported there. The entire cavern crumbled and she sighed with relief as she made it. She looked back at the damaged exit, then look forward: she saw two giant decorated doors.
She was back at her beginning, where she found the book. That's it! She thought. I just have to put the book back, and everything will vanish! It's the book's fault! She tried to open the door, but it wouldn't open. It was unlocked, but unopenable. She sighed, and sat back. Then she heard the sound of clopping hooves. Slow ones, at that. And they were getting louder. Twilight felt sick in both her stomach and her head. She heard static in her ears, and slowly turned around. There it was: the same, disturbing, slender stallion. This time the eyes were out and bulging, with blood seeping out of the bottom sockets, and the mouth was in that same twisted smile.
Out of the shadows came Twilight's five friends, all with the same bulging eyes and the same creepy smile. They all closed in on Twilight, and began chanting a song over and over again, as if it were some sort of ritual;
"Nightmare Night,
Such a fright,
Give me something
good to bite!"
Twilight instantly turned around and began to pound on the door, as if it would magically open. She began crying and screaming, wanting this hellhole to end. "Please! Leave me alone! I don't want to be scared anymore! I don't wanna die! I promise to return the book!" As if that last sentence was a magical word, the doors blew open and Twilight flew in and straight to the pedestal, ignoring the moaning dead pony on the floor.
She whipped the book out of her saddlebags and slammed it on the pedestal. Her vision became fuzzy, and everything seemed to be wavy. She turned around, and saw the same stallion(minus her friends) tackle her and pin her to the floor. It's mouth opened wide, and it was still staring into Twilight's crying eyes.
It then took a chunk of flesh away from Twilight's throat with it's mouth, and watched her vocal cords vibrate out of control as she screamed in pain and in terror. Blood filled Twilight's eyes, and the last thing she remembers was staring into the gruesome creature's eyes, and she could hear Nightmare moon laughing in the background.
