Author's Note
This is my Nightmare Night story for this year, hence the supernatural elements you'll be seeing. Anyway, Happy Nightmare Night to you all.
The Legend of Kashluna
Braveheart sat alone in his house in front of the fireplace. The flames flickered and popped, emitting a soft glow. He was sitting in a meditation position, eyes closed, and had a spirit board lying in front of the fire. A common spirit board was played by two or more ponies, where each one places a hoof on a small glass lens, and supposedly, a spirit from beyond the world of the living would answer questions asked. But this was not a common spirit board. Braveheart had found it during a trip to the Crystal Empire. It had been in an abandoned house basement. The board itself was a translucent black, with green glowing letters. The lens was a transparent red. Normally, Braveheart wouldn't dare touch anything with black crystal, because that was the color of Sombra's crystal. But since Sombra was dead by Braveheart's hoof, he thought it wouldn't matter. He brought the board home, and hadn't touched it since. Not until tonight, a week after he found it. Braveheart was just about to get started when a knock came from his door.
“It's open!” he called. He heard the door open, some hoofsteps, then the door close. He turned his head to see his good friend, Rusty Ace. Braveheart smiled.
“Hi Rusty,” he said. “Please, sit.” Rusty gave Braveheart a smile back and walked over. She sat down next to him, and they exchanged hugs.
“How've you been?” Rusty asked.
“I'm all right,” Braveheart replied. “I was about to start looking into the spirit world.” Rusty looked down, and immediately stood up and took a step back. Braveheart noticed. “Are you OK?” he asked. Rusty shook her head. Braveheart suddenly remembered. He sighed and closed his eyes.
“That's right,” he murmured. “I forgot about Kashluna.” Rusty looked to the floor, embarrassed. Braveheart stood up and put a hoof to Rusty's shoulder. She looked at him, seemingly close to crying.
“I won't make you do anything you're not comfortable with,” Braveheart said. “If you need to, I give you full permission to wait upstairs or in another room.”
“Thank you,” Rusty nodded. She and Braveheart exchanged a tight hug, before Rusty stepped away. Before she left, she gave Braveheart a pleading look.
“Please be careful,” she requested.
“I will,” Braveheart assured. “I promise.” Rusty nodded and walked up the stairs. Braveheart sighed and turned back around, sitting in front of the spirit board. He closed his eyes, and cast a dark magic spell on the lens. Upon opening his eyes, Braveheart saw a green slitted eye in the lens. The words on the board were radiating green smoke, and the board itself had become pitch black. Braveheart could see his reflection in the fire, which had turned a bright green, and he saw that purple mist was flowing from his eyes. Looking around, the world he knew was different. The shadows radiated black smoke, and the lights appeared to be green fire. Braveheart pursed his lips and turned back to the spirit board. The eye looked at him, and then spoke.
“Who disturbs the Board of Shadow with magic black as night?” a deep voice asked. Braveheart took a deep breath before answering.
“Spirits from Tartarus,” he said. “Forgive me for any interruption. I only seek knowledge from the fiery pits.”
“Who is it that dares to ask knowledge from the most unholy place in Equestrian belief?” the board asked.
“The world of the living call me Braveheart. I search for knowledge of Kashluna.”
“Ah, the Seven-Tailed Demon. The monster once ruler of her own kingdom.”
“Ruler?” Braveheart asked. “Tell me, spirit. I wish to know everything.”
“Of course...Braveheart,” the board agreed. “On one condition. You are to tell nopony else what I tell you. If you do, you will be dragged to the deepest pits of Tartarus. Most violently. You will be marked after the session so the demons are always aware of you. Are we clear?”
“Clear as crystal,” Braveheart nodded.
“Good. I will illuminate.
Before she was known as Kashluna, she was an alicorn princess of her own kingdom by the name of Foxy Moonbeats. Her kingdom was small, but it was functional. However, as with most rulers back in the day, Foxy wanted power. No matter how much she possessed, she always craved more. And of course, as most of these stories go, she eventually did find a way to get more power. She came across an old, worn, leather book. She started looking into the book, and learned that it was from a fox clan thought to have been wiped out ages ago. Foxy delved deeper into the book, learning more advanced and much darker magic. She was a once a calm, patient princess. But over time, her subjects noticed her becoming more aggressive, more impatient. Greedy. Heartless. Like the foxes the book belonged to in the first place. Her subjects began to get scared of their princess as her personality changed.
Not only was Foxy's mind being changed, but also her body. She started changing into one of the foxes. Her hooves became paws, her ears more pointed. Even her muzzle started to take on a fox's form. That book from the fox clan was determined to change Moonbeats into one of them. Foxy changed her name into what it is now. Kashluna. Or translated to Equestrian, Blood Moon.
Now surely you know who Starswirl the Bearded is. One of the most powerful unicorns in existence before his passing. But, little did anypony know, he actually had an alicorn brother by the name of BrokenStar. Well, BrokenStar decided to pay Kashluna's kingdom a little visit. He had learned what had happened, and decided to try and reverse the issue. When he pressed the matter to Kashluna, she retaliated in anger. But that anger was the breaking point. The evil that had hidden itself inside her was unleashed, and Kashluna was turned into a seven-tailed fox demon. BrokenStar had to fix this, and he knew just how. He needed a breed that closely resembled a fox. After a bit of research, he discovered a young pony-wolf hybrid by the name of Rusty Ace.”
Braveheart's eyes went wide upon hearing this. The eye in the lens narrowed.
“You know of Rusty, don't you?” the board asked. Braveheart knew he had to be honest with the board if he were to know everything.
“Yes,” he nodded. “She is what prompted me to learn more about Kashluna.”
“Hmm,” the board thought. “Did she escape? Kashluna? Did she escape from Rusty?”
“I'm afraid so. She attacked a stallion, nearly killing him.”
“Yes, I was aware of the stallion. I had already sent out Death to retrieve him. But he slipped away. Had I known it was Kashluna's doing, I would have left him. I can not have souls brought to me that were the result of Kashluna's aggressive behavior.”
“I see,” Braveheart nodded. “Well, go on.”
“BrokenStar found Rusty at quite a young age, only deciding to use her body because his brother foretold her to have great potential. You see, to seal away Kashluna, the host's body had to not only resemble a fox, but also be able to contain her. As I have seen since her sealing, Rusty did not have that ability at the time. BrokenStar knew he had to save the kingdom, but at a cost. His life. Casting the spell to seal Kashluna away would take his own life in the process. He decided to be selfless, and faced Kashluna, Rusty Ace with him. He laid down the pup in between them, and cast the spell. Kashluna was struck first, then Rusty. The poor pup almost couldn't take it. She was in extraordinary agony as Kashluna was sealed away within her. As the spell neared completion, a curse mark was burned upon Rusty's right shoulder. A star with the number 7 upon it, with sparks from the sides of the star and a tiny black swirl. BrokenStar lived just long enough to see how much agony poor Rusty was in, and his life was taken. Kashluna has been sealed inside of her ever since. But the seal has often been broken, as Rusty has been unable to control Kashluna inside her.” Braveheart nodded.
“Thank you for the knowledge of Kashluna, spirit,” he thanked.
“And now, the branding,” the board hissed. The pupil in the eye disappeared, and a beam shot from the center of the lens. It struck Braveheart, forcing him to lift his living hoof so the underside was exposed. The beam focused, burning the bottom of Braveheart's hoof. Braveheart cried out in pain as the mark was seared onto his flesh. Once the process ended, Braveheart looked at his hoof. The black pentagon symbol of Tartarus was branded onto his hoof. The pain was instantly gone.
“You are now marked,” the board said. “Tartarus will know if you tell what you learn from this board. However, now you may show the mark wherever an engraved match is shown, and your dark wishes will be granted. The mark is invisible to normal sight, only seen by you when using dark magic. You are now part of Tartarus's legion of shadow. Know its power well.” With that, the eye disappeared from the lens, and everything returned to normal. Braveheart looked around. The fire was now its original yellow and orange glow, the shadows no longer spouted black smoke, and the board was back the way it was when Braveheart found it. He turned his hoof over, and indeed found the mark gone, just as the board said. Braveheart took a deep breath, then sighed.
“I've just literally sold my soul to the devil,” he whispered to himself. “Celestia and Luna, forgive me. I'm a damn fool.” There was suddenly a scream from upstairs. Braveheart stood up and ran.
“Rusty?!” he cried. “Are you all right?” He ran into his room, and suddenly stopped dead. Rusty was no longer there. Instead, Kashluna stood before him. As she turned to him, her eyes burned with a fire Braveheart had never seen. She growled, showing her pointed teeth. Braveheart took a step back. Kashluna smiled wickedly.
“Your antics are amusing, little alicorn,” Kashluna snarled. “But futile. Take another step, and you're dead.”
“What's stopped you from killing me before, huh?” Braveheart retorted. “You don't have the guts to kill me.” Kashluna laughed maniacally.
“You question the demon who started as nothing but a measly princess and became this?!” Kashluna arrogantly asked. “It's you who don't have the stones to kill me. Don't forget. Rusty and I are connected. If you kill me, she dies as well.” Braveheart gritted his teeth. His horn was boiling, and sparks of gold magic were falling to the floor. Braveheart focused his anger, and purple mist began radiating from his eyes. His eyes began glowing green, and he could see as a demon would again. He saw Rusty struggling from within Kashluna, crying out for help. Braveheart cast a dark spell, striking Kashluna in her broken curse mark. It lit up, and the crack through it started to fade.
“IMPOSSIBLE!” Kashluna screeched. “Only Rusty can contain me!”
“Get used to it!” Braveheart cried. “I'll take any chance I get to help her keep you out of this world.” The crack continued to heal, and Kashluna started to fade, Rusty replacing her.
“This isn't over, alicorn,” Kashluna hissed. “I'll be back. Just you wait. And I'll be sure to kill you for this!” Kashluna disappeared, and Rusty retook form. She fell to the floor, as did Braveheart. His vision returned to normal, and the mark on Rusty's shoulder was sealed once again. Braveheart closed his eyes.
“Rusty, I'm sorry,” he whispered. He could hear Rusty crying.
“I can't contain her,” she moaned. “She's going to make me kill you.”
“I promise I won't let her,” Braveheart said. “I'll never let her.” Rusty and Braveheart laid there, letting the horrific moment pass. But it was forever scarred in their minds, like the mark of Tartarus on Braveheart's hoof.
