The Nine to Free Them All

At Minas Morgul, 1 week later

P.O.V Jasper

All has been well, in fact, this past week has been the best it has been for months. Plants are flourishing, couples were nuzzling, and hearts and hooves day was coming up. Oh boy, thats not gonna end well. Ive been noticing this past week how the females have been looking me up and down in my human form, and I could've sworn I saw one lick her lips. I just hope they dont go overboard. Anyways, im on my normal walk around the city today, enjoying the scenery and chatting with my Nazgüls and having a laugh.

Do you have any plans for Daring, Johnny? I teased and gave him a nudge. He gave me a death glare.

Well, I was planning on taking her on an adventure through the forest one of these days, but because of that embargo you placed on Minas Morgul, she cant leave without direct permission. He said annoyed.

I am truly sorry my friend, but there is a growing power within the forest that is growing ever stronger. I stated, worried. Indeed a growing dark power has been growing in the Everfree and has only been growing stronger. It is starting to get to the point of worrying, sure I am powerful,l but not all powerful.

Maybe we should look into this personally?

No, it would be unwise and untrustful of us to look into a very powerful artifact without warrant for cause.

Indeed. We can only wait until it becomes an actuall threat. At that moment we all staggered from an immense pulse of dark magic from a stone castle in the far distance. A certain stone castle that they havent been to since they arrived here. A certain royal pony castle full of shadow and darkness. I should've known! Where else would bad things happen?!

Now we have a warrant to go in! Lets go! We aperated as close as we could to the source of the dark magic, which was at the rickety bridge.

This. Is. Gonna. SUCK! One by one, we crossed the bridge and carried on to the castle. As we came closer, I could feel the darkness grow stronger, but...it wasnt encroaching. It was more....curious? Something was up with this dark presence, I just hope its nothing TOO big. As we continued on our path through the decrepit hallways, I couldnt help but feel watched, as if the shadows were alive.

More pulses came and went, each one more powerful than the last. When we got to the throne room, another pulse came from the other side. This was it. Whatever dark being was on the other side was there all right. We readied ourselves and silently walked in. There was nothing but a pile of rags in the middle of the room, no doubt shed by the being using them. We searched and searched, and found nothing out of place or any signs of life at all! It frustrated me that whoever was here no doubt slipped away as soon as we neared the doors. We all met up at the middle of the room again.

We missed him.

How could he just slip away like that?!

I dont know, but if we are going to find him, we need the support of the Equestrians.

Indeed, we should- Lemur was interupted by a happy coo from the rags below. We just stared for several minutes until it gave another happy coo.

I slowly reached down and grabbed the brim of the rags. I slowly peeled them back to reveal a newborn foal with a black coat, sparkling blue eyes, and slitted pupils. I turn my utterly shocked gaze to the others who returned it. We all knew who this was, but I hadnt been expecting a newborn foal! Though as I looked into those eyes, I knew she could become something greater than Nightmare Moon. Besides, this was a newborn filly in an abandoned castle with alot of other threats around here, I couldnt condem such a young life to death. I crouched down and picked up the little Nightmare Moon, and then proceeded to wrap her up in the black rags on the floor. She gave a content sigh in my arms and fell asleep. My heart was in a complete meltdown right now. She is so cute! How could someone not want this cute little thing? I was about to walk out of the room when I was stopped be Johnnys hand on my shoulder.

"Are you sure about this, boss? You know the Equestrians will burn us at the stake for this." He said to me.

"I dont care. As far as we know right now, this is an abandoned alicorn filly in a haunted castle with no past and no-one to love and protect her. I will take her as my responsiblity and no-one can dispute it. I claim you as my own daughter, Stellaris Aurora, Princess of the shadows." I said as I looked down at the little filly in my arms. She was still asleep and looking as peaceful as can be.

"As you wish my liege, and welcome to the family little one." Suddenly the sound of familiar voices came from outside, and when I looked, there were indeed 6 very familiar mares galloping into the castle.

We cant let them know about the princess, they will take her away and do horrible things to her because of Nightmare Moon.

I will not let them touch the little one. We must leave now or we might not be able to keep her. I nodded to him and we all disaperated before Twilight and her friends could find us.

We appeared in the throne room, where I was tackled to the ground by a very worried Chrysalis.

"Where have you been?! Ive been so worried about you! And what is that your holding?!" She yells at me while eyeing the foal I was carrying.

"May I introduce you to Stellaris Aurora, Princess of the shadows, my new daughter." I said softly as I cuddle with Stella. When she realized I was holding an alicorn, her jaw hung open from shock.

"How did you find another alicorn?!"

"We dont know how, but she must have been created by a dark energy anomaly. Though the Equestrians know her as a being of malice and hatred, I can shape her to be an excellent princess. Mark my words." I stated. She smiled up at me and said,

"So your good with foals too, huh? You are becoming more of a catch everyday, stud." She said with a sultry wink. I was blushing so hard, they could almost see the glow under my hood. She was just laughing all the while. "You wont stand a chance against the mares in heat season." She added as she added another winked which added to my flusterness. "Your too easy to fluster. Those mares wont be able to lay a hoof on you, honestly. Especially in your Nazgül form. I wont let them." Did I hear a bit of possessiveness in there? Eh, must have been my imagination.

Pushing that aside, I took little Stella into my personal chambers and created a crib from my magic. I place her down into the crib and look down at her sleeping form. She was so cute all cuddled up in the blankets and sleeping soundly. But as I walked over to my own bed, she started to cry. I immediatly turn around and find her crying and squirming in her crib. She breaks free of her rags and holds her tiny little hooves out to me, telling me she wants to be picked up. She is so damn cute! I couldnt resist her cuteness and picked her up and craddled her in my arms. She immediatly stops crying and starts whimpering. Awwwww, I think she wants food. I summon a bottle of milk and give it to her. She latches onto the nub without any problems and started to suckle on the bottle. Once she was done she started squirming uncomfortably, and from watching the baby cakes episode, I knew what to do. I put her on my shoulder and started patting her back until she burped. She gave a cute little burp and a giggle. I brought her back down into my arms and tried to put her back into her crib. Emphasis on "tried". As soon as I got near the crib she started tearing up. I looked deep into her eyes and saw loneliness, so I brought her over to the bed with me and she cuddled right into the cloth on my chest. I wrapped my arms around her and drift off to a dreamless sleep.

I woke up and looked down at the little filly wrapped in my arms. The Equestrians will hate her and keep a grudge against her, but damn them. We hold the divine authority and if they so much as touch Stella the wrong way, they will not get a peaceful afterlife. I start to think of a plan when a knock comes from the door.

"Can I come in?" Chrysalis asks through the door. Ive been growing feelings for her for a while now and you need to confront them sooner rather than later. I transform into my normal form before responding.

"Yes, you may." Chrysalis steps inside looking very happy.

"How is the little one doing?" She points a hoof at the wrapped up Stella.

"She is doing well and she is behaving very well for her age." I smile with pride at the little filly cradled in my arms. I then remember that Chrysalis had come for something. "Did you need something Chryssy?" She looks up at me with a puzzled expression and then remembers why shes here.

"Oh, I came to tell you that the Princesses are on their way to discuss something about a dark magic anomaly." She says without knowing what it meant to me. I was furious.

"What?!" I yell in disbelief which startles Chrysalis. "GUARDS!! DEFEND THE PRINCESS WHILE I DEAL WITH THIS MATTER!!" I command the guards in the vicinity of your chambers. About two dozen guards come to defend Stella while I defuse the situation.

TO BE CONTINUED....