Chapter 8: Worried Thoughts, Escapes and Plans

Celestia’s diaries

It has been three hours since the Demons reimprisonment and as I write this I think yet once more about what happened. He killed or severely injured over seventy guards. Some with his projectile weapon, from his energy blade and the rest with various shattered bones that even for the survivors would never fully heal even with the best healing magic available to date. To make it all worse it is partly my fault that I lost so many to death or injuries, and even more to honorable discharge because of mental trauma.

I jumped too quickly in my attempt to trap and recapture him that I underestimated his abilities thinking that it would be a simple matter of surprising him and using my weak waning connection to the Elements to imprison him once more. But he proved to be as good on the defensive as he was when he attacked Luna and I almost killing us if it were not for the freemind changeling that sold us information on the attack.

I lost myself once he killed my guards with no hesitation after his short musing. Something that still clearly remembered watching countless die from him and his strike teams in sudden surprise attacks that kept half the camp up at night snapped and worst of all for all my anger, magic and strength he simply grabbed my sword in his armored hand and threw me to the side like I was just something in his way. I was knocked unconscious upon my impact hard with the ground and if it was not for my Alicorn endurance the force of my landing could have at best split my head open and at worst shattered my skull.

I woke later to see several dead and severely injured, and perhaps several more if I didn’t use the Elements when I did. But now he has been imprisoned once more though I fear when he will be free once more. Then there is the issue of Nightmare Moon and what will happen if she decides finds a way to free him, strike a deal and use him to continue her conquest.

The Demon is an unknown that will make my gamble even riskier. If I am wrong and Twilight and the other candidates that I have been watching over do not bond or are not close enough to embodying the Elements or he manages to stop them, then I will have to kill Nightmare Moon and in extension my sister.

Now where to put him? Leaving him here is not ideal but having him near Discord may worse if The Demon breaks free again. I’m sure that the chaos caused in Canterlot strengthened Discord and lessened the Elements hold on him and any more chaos around Discord could break him free at last. So perhaps I will put him in one of the castle ruins still surviving rooms deeper in. Yes that seems best. So it has been decided After I finish this entry I will hide him in the castle ruins and hope that the Nightmare does not find him.

15 years later

12 hours before Nightmare Moon’s appearance in Ponyville

“Atlast the stars align at last, just right for my ritual to be completed.” Nightmare Moon muttered as she inspected the runes that would prove to be her escape, before standing in the circle and chanting indecipherable words. The runes started to glow an eerie midnight blue and impossible winds kicked up dust from the moon’s surface and in a flash of midnight blue Nightmare Moon was no longer magically bound to the moon but on the surface of the planet she planned to one day rule.

The light faded from around Nightmare Moon revealing the ruins of the castle that used to be the seat of power in Equestria before the Nightmare was banished along with her host. Nightmare Moon entered the castle with a smile. “Perfect this place should keep me safe from Celestia’s gaze.” Nightmare Moon walked the castle halls her armored feet echoing through the ancient halls as she felt familiar magic, it took a moment to recognize that it was from the elements of harmony the same artifacts that imprisoned her. “Hmm lets see, who else Celestia used the Elements on?”

It took an hour to follow the faint and waning magic of the Elements but she found it hidden behind false walls centuries old. It lead her to the statue of a recognizable figure something that was clearly remembered as a threat by the Nightmare’s host. With an hours worth of undoing the heavily weakened magical enchantments of the Elements of Harmony the creature that her host recognized as the Demon was freed.

Tristan

10 hours before Nightmare Moon’s appearance in Ponyville.

The stone of my prison started to crumble around me, allowing me to move and flex my arms and legs shaking the loose bits of stone off in the process. I had finished shaking off the last bits of stone when I looked up and noticed an Alicorn standing in front of me seeming to study my every movement. The Alicorn wore dark purple armor that completely covered her form except for the open faced helmet and gaps in the armor to allow for movement which were protected by chainmail under the armor, her mane and tail bellowed out looking like stars in the night sky. Remembering what I could about the events I overheard during my first imprisonment I spoke. “You of all people free me, it seems lately I am greeted by interesting company.” I flicked my hand back. “Anyway you must have a reason to have freed me Nightmare Moon so what is it?”

Nightmare Moon started to walk circles around me her steel boots clacking on the stone floor. “Perceptive are we. I aim to overthrow Princess Celestia and take rule of Equestria for myself. The one problem I face is the Elements of Harmony, I’m sure they will choose six new bearers who will most certainly be the ones to confront me. I aim to capture them and take the Elements effectively getting rid of the danger they posses. I need you to distract the bearers but not kill them or that will risk the Elements choosing another set of bearers and I do not need to worry about unknowns and once the bearers are captured I need you to keep watch over them.”

“Okay then what is in it for me?”

Nightmare Moon smiled widely “I will give you a way home if such exists if it is impossible then a place as my personal bodyguard and head of military along with all the perks that brings.”

The helmet partily hid my surprise but the rest of me stiffened up and I clenched my fists, “How did you know about that particular subject?”

Nightmare moon stopped in front of me. “Simple I watched you converse with the changeling queen from my prison on the moon, by the way I can help you strike back at Chrysalis as well if you so desire.”

I looked at Nightmare Moon with no lack of skepticism but remembering the oddities of the world I shook my head. “You have yourself a deal.”

“Good then I will start preparations for my takeover, if you have things to prepare then do so. The Summer Sun Celebration Sun raising ceremony will start in about ten hours and that’s when everything will fall into motion.”

As Nightmare Moon was about to walk away I pulled on her shoulder spinning her to face me. “Just so we’re clear, you betray me in any way shape or form I will kill you.”

Nightmare Moon just smiled, “I don’t plan to, unlike the changeling queen I know how valuable of an ally or dangerous of an enemy you can be I have little Luna’s memories to thank for that.”

With a last nod I let go of Nightmare Moon's shoulder and walked away to one of the castles bedrooms to check my weapons and get some rest.

Author's Note

Sorry for taking so long life and Writers Block had me in a vice grip this chapter is the beginning of a interesting turn