The Man in the Shadows

Derrinus was sitting at the table in Rarity's living room, cutting into an amethyst. He had been in Ponyville for a few months now, and he learned that it was quite difficult to get bored here. He made good on his word and has been helping Rarity by cutting gems into the shapes she needed. Rarity was skilled when it came to utilizing gems, but gems had to be cut before use, and Derrinus was a professional.

He held it up to the light and examined his work. The gem was going into a brooch that he was making to compliment a costume Rarity was making for Nightmare Night. The fall holiday was just a week away and she was finishing her costume. Derrinus had his own plans, but he wasn't sharing them. He wanted his costume to be a surprise. Just as he inserted it into its setting, thus finishing the piece, he heard the bell above the door jingle.

"Hello Derrinus." Rarity said as she came through the door, carrying a few groceries. Derrinus got up to assist her. "Where's Tamral? I thought he was assisting you." Derrinus asked as he put the milk in the fridge.

"He was with me, but then he had to make a stop at Twilight residence. He's probably still there." She said as they finished putting away the groceries.

"Well, I finished the brooch you were wanting." Derrinus said as he showed her said item. Ever since he started living with Rarity, he had spent much of his time improving his craft. He was no expert, but jeweling was in his blood; and it showed. The brooch was in the shape of a swooping raven and was made of a dark silver with amethysts for eyes.

"My, what a beautiful piece! You must be proud of your craft." Rarity said as she took the brooch in hand and appraised it.

"I'm glad you like it. I think I'm going to take a break and see what Tamral is up to." Derrinus said as he began putting away his jeweling supplies.

"Thank you for the brooch. I'll go up to my room and put it on my costume while you are out. Have fun!" She said as she began walking upstairs.

Derrinus knocked on the library door. "Come in!" he heard Twilight call out. When he entered, He saw Tamral sitting on the floor in front of a low table reading a tome. Tamral spent much of the months he was here studying 'as any Kalastian scholar should' (Tamral's words, not Derrinus'). Tamral's studies payed off, however. He was a much more competent mage as he could not only cast the Yaven spells he came with, but also Equestrian utility magic. In fact, Twilight had taken him under her metaphorical wing as an apprentice in spell craft. She was also like an apprentice to him because he also teaches her combat magic. Twilight doesn't plan on using it anytime soon, but knowledge is knowledge. He also became excellent at enchanting, as Twilight had many tomes on the subject.

Tamral looked up from his book and looked at Derrinus. "Ah, just the one I was wanting to talk too." Tamral said in his monotone voice. "I was going to come get you earlier, but I was caught up in a good book." He let out an emotionless chuckle, though his eyes betrayed his emotions as they glowed.

"What is it? Did you find something interesting?" Derrinus asked as he took a seat at the table.

"Yes, I found some ruins in the Everfree that we could explore. It's the same ones that Twilight and her friends went to on the night of the Summer Sun Celebration. I was wanting to go do some exploration, if you are willing to come along."

Derrinus considered it. "How would we get around the druids though? They aren't fond of others in their territory." The Everfree isn't only full of monsters and dangerous plants, but also druids who claimed territory in the Everfree; both to protect one of the last bastions of true nature in the world, and to live away from the society who ridiculed them for having 'Wild Magic'. If one was lucky, however, they may find a shaman living in the woods. Shamans are connected to nature as well, but through spirits instead of the primal forces. Shamans also prefer to be peaceful, rather than aggressive like the druids. Druids and Shamans have been known to join forces once nature is threatened, though.

Twilight approached with a map. "Zecora gave me a map of this section of Everfree. If you follow the lines I drew on the map, you should be able to get to the castle quickly, and avoid conflict." She handed the map to Tamral. "I trust you not to lose it. It would be terrible to lose the only known map of the forest."

Tamral took the map and put it in a side pouch. "You know that won't happen."

"I just had to make sure. Normally, that map wouldn't leave this library. Getting the books from the old castle library here safely, however, is worth the sacrifice." Twilight could only imagine what knowledge was lost when the castle was abandoned.

Tamral turned to Derrinus. "I am ready to go when you are."

"Alright, just let me gather my things. Unlike you, I require food and sleep." Derrinus left the building to get his backpack.

Derrinus was sitting on the back of Tamral as they trekked through the forest. Derrinus wanted to keep an eye out for danger while Tamral focused on the map and path. Derrinus was no coward, but this forest was terrifying. Yet, it was also beautiful. Nature is beautiful in itself, but the Everfree is nature unhindered and enhanced.

Soon, they made their way to the gorge in front of the castle. A frail rope bridge was swaying in the wind. The bridge looked to be the only way across, but it looked like it was on it's last leg. Even Derrinus, with his small frame and light weight, wouldn't trust that bridge with his life. Luckily, they didn't have to. Tamral simply teleported across the gorge, carrying Derrinus with him. The experience was like Shadow Lunging, but faster, so Derrinus was somewhat used to it.

"This place is creepy." Derrinus shuddered as he climbed off Tamral's back. "It's like we are being watched."

Tamral opened his tome and casted a life detect spell. "Fortunately for you, all that is here with us is a few mice and bats."

This did nothing to ease Derrinus. "I'll take your word for it."

They entered the ruins through a pair of large double doors. Inside was assumed to be the main hall. It had two doors, one to the left and one to the right. In the middle on a raised dais was a pedestal. The pedestal looked to have at one point held five orbs in its 'arms' with one in the middle. In the corner was a staircase going up and in the other corner was a staircase going down.

Tamral approached the door on the right, which had 'Library' chiseled into the brass plate on the front, and tried to open it; only to find it locked. "Derrinus, the door is locked. Can you pick it?"

"Sure thing. I'll get it open." Derrinus said as he began picking the lock. For it's time, the lock would have been top notch. The lock had nothing on a modern one, however, and it hardly took any effort to open.

Once open, Tamral began searching the library for books of high value. "Derrinus, why don't you go search for a treasury or something? I know you like treasure more than books."

Derrinus smiled. "You've only known me for a few months and you already know me well. I'll go take a peek." Derrinus said as he exited the library and began going up the stairs.

Once up the stairs and out of earshot of Tamral's cries of joy over the library, he entered a large room. It looked like a conflict happened here, if the armor laying in a large scorch mark on the floor was any indication. As he entered, the doors to the room slammed shut, causing Derrinus' to be startled. As he began surveying the door, if bashing on it to try and open it is surveying, he watched as the shadows in the room converged on the armor. The armor rose as the shadows began to fill it. Fear had Derrinus paralyzed. When the shadows finished, an armored alicorn stood with her back to him. She had dark blue fur and her mane and tail looked like an angry, writhing nebula. Her wings were more like a bat's or a demon's. The armor was dark blue field-plate with white crescent moons in the shoulders. In her hand, she had a flamberge made of the same metal with two large crescent moons overlapping to form the hand guard. "So, Celestia sent one of her grunts to finish me off? Was leaving me beaten and to wallow in regret not good enough?" She began turning around. "I will not go down without a fi-" Her eyes, turquoise colored with darker dagger shaped pupils, were wrought with confusion as she got a good look at him. "What? What are you? You share the same magical aura as me, that means my 'sisters' didn't send you." As she spoke, Derrinus saw the teeth of a carnivore instead of a herbivore's.

Fear turned to confusion as she lowered her blade, though her eyes showed that she expected an answer.

"I'm the only known human on Terra, Derrinus Gottrun. Who are your sisters? Who are you?" Derrinus asked carefully. He didn't want to anger her, she looked like she knew how to use that sword. (And maybe the fact that she is over twice his height).

"You don't know my tale? Then maybe you can be the first to hear my side of history." The alicorn said as she put her sword on her back using two large rings attached to a strap going across her armor. "My name... I wasn't given a name before being known as Nightmare Moon. As you may or may not know, Luna grew jealous of the admiration and love that the ponies gave Celestia. While planning to over throw Celestia, Luna delved into dark magic to try and get an edge over her sister. During her studies, Luna found a ritual that was said to be able to boost ones power. That spell is how I came to be. She was so eager to empower herself, that she didn't look into the side effects of the spell. The spell does indeed boost the users power, but it creates another being which will share the mind of the host. As soon as I came into existence, I was overwhelmed by Luna's rage and hatred. Her mind began trying to unmake me. To kill me and take my power for her own. I fought back, but only managed to survive, almost powerless but intact. She took most of my power, but her mind was damaged in the process. Once she harnessed my power, the rest is history. In the end she used me as a scapegoat." She looked down, letting out a hollow chuckle. "I don't blame her though. With the damage her mind sustained, she thought I was always there. She didn't remember my creation, nor the spell. The elements separated us, dissipating me while she kept her body. Her mind was repaired, but her memories remain damaged."

"'History is written by the victor' as they always say." Derrinus said as he shook his head.

Looking up, Nightmare smiled. "Thank you for listening to my tale. You are the first and last to know the truth before I pass."

"What?" Derrinus relied, surprised by the ending of that sentence.

Her form became hazy before she came back together, trying to make extra time. "Without anything to tether me to this world, I will pass into oblivion; the world only remembering sins that were partially my own."

Derrinus thought about this for but a moment."Then allow me to anchor you to this world." He said with conviction.

"What!?"

"You want to seek redemption. I also sought redemption for my sins. Let me help you by giving you the chance to clear your name. Besides, my aura is the same as yours. No one will be able to detect you."

Nightmare Moon was taken aback by this request. Why would any mortal being willingly get themselves possessed for no known gain? "You just met me and you are willing to help me, despite knowing my sinister history?"

Derrinus nodded. "Someone did something similar for me and it lead me down the right path until the end. You deserve this chance."

"Thank you. Thank you so much for this. I warn you, however, this will hurt for a small time." She said as she began to enter Derrinus' mind.

Tamral was almost finished collecting valuable books when he heard a scream echo through the castle. It was a scream of agony that came from a sapient male, and the only one he knew of in here was, "Derrinus!" Tamral ran out the library with the bag of books sling over his shoulders. He looked around and remembered the sound coming from above. He began running up the stairs, not caring if he tripped, his friend is hurt! As he got to the top, he kicked the doors open to find Derrinus lying on the floor unconscious.