Eternity

I have to free myself from this prison in my mind...if I don’t at least try, I will be doomed to a life of misery. These were Luna’s only thoughts as her hooves clicking on the polished stone as she walked through the quiet halls of her castle. The moonlight from her precisely crafted night shone through the arched windows, illuminating the stained-glass designs of various royalty that had come before.

It had only been two days since the incident in Canterlot at the royal wedding of Princess Cadence. Only two days since the invasion of Changelings. They had been defeated, but nothing could be done to erase the terror that still lingered in the hearts of ponies. The guilt of her actions was already proving too much to take. What she had done...it had cost her a loss that she feared she would never recover from. Her older sister.

Her steps grew heavy as she approached the gigantic doors leading to the library.

"You should be proud...we will finally be Queen."

Luna clenched her teeth as the voice invaded her mind. How she still managed to have a single coherent thought of her own was beyond her. She couldn't go a single day without seeing some kind of hallucination, lashing out at nothing or seeming to talk to someone who no one else could see.

She had heard the whispers of ponies around Canterlot. She knew that many deemed her a mad-mare, saying that the mental stress caused by the use of The Elements of Harmony on her had caused her to snap. But how could that be true, if she was well aware that her behavior wasn't normal? How could that be true when it had been confirmed that there really was another presence in her head?

It was that same other constant presence that had controlled her, manipulating her to do the unforgivable.

"Do not be so melodramatic, Luna," chastised the familiar voice in her mind. "We have finally won. No longer will we live under our sister's shadow."

She slammed her eyes closed. "SILENCE NIGHTMARE!" she yelled, her strong voice echoing through the corridor.

"You will never get away from me. I am here to stay, no matter what you may pretend."

Opening the library doors, Luna sighed, struggling to keep her voice calm and subdued. "There is no way to get rid of you permanently, that much is true. But there is a way to be rid of your control."

The voice hummed, seemingly intrigued. "Do tell, sweet princess."

Luna growled in rage, refusing to answer. She merely headed for the spellbook she had previously set on the table, to be ready when she needed it. Her horn emitting a pale blue glow, she opened the thick book. It was centuries old, the rough pages held together by a rapidly fraying thread. The stale smell assaulted her nose. She peered at the cursive writing and faded illustrations, committing the instructions to memory.

Luna drew a deep breath, dread twisting in her stomach. She knew this was going to be painful, and there would be no way to reverse it. But it didn't matter. There was no going back now.

Power surged inside her horn, the glow changing to a vibrant red. She stepped back, closing her eyes and balancing her stance, feeling a dull tugging on the tip like someone pulling on a numb limb.

She stumbled back with a grunt of pain, leaning her full body against the wall. Her body, shaking and already coated in sweat from the intense use of magic, could barely stay upright. Weakly, she attempted to open her eyes before slamming them shut again with a cry, a sharp stabbing pain going directly to her head.

She choked back a sob, trying desperately to close her eyes as much as possible. As if the agony would lessen if she didn't acknowledge it. She could hardly breathe, feeling as though the air was slowly being sucked from her lungs.

Without warning, it all stopped.

For a few moments, she was still, her eyes remaining closed until she was sure no further suffering would come. Slowly opening her eyes, she gazed upon the sight before her.

Staring up at the monstrous alicorn towering over her, she briefly wondered if this was all a simple illusion. Perhaps the spell hadn’t truly worked. After all, the only thing the creature was doing was standing there. I-Is this real? With a shake of her head, she decided it had to be. The spell had been especially created to remove parasitic dark forces like Nightmare Moon, giving them a separate physical form so they would no longer be able to control their former hosts.

But it also meant they were bound in eternal servitude.

The alicorn remained quiet and unmoving, like a statue, as its glowing eyes studied her closely. Suddenly its long legs bent and it bowed its head to Luna. The Night Princess's breathing was heavy as she took in the creature's appearance.

Her body was a dark blue, almost black, her eyes a piercing turquoise and pupils slit like a cat. Her facial structures were angular and sharp. Her dark mane and tail reached the floor, both seeming to move of their own free will like creeping shadows. She grinned, revealing a mouth filled with pointed teeth, the razor-sharp tips catching the light.

Her voice was deep and sultry, almost hypnotic. "I am yours to command, Night Princess."

Luna ignored her, moving towards the spellbook still lying open on the table. She had an awful feeling that there was something she had overlooked. But perhaps it was only her nerves. Only her mind trying to process what she had done.

Glancing down at the spellbook, she muttered the final passage to herself. "Please note that the performance of this spell will result in a gradual loss of certain emotions..." she trailed off, slamming the book closed with the magic of her horn.

She stepped back, her eyes wide and her heart pounding. L-Loss of emotions? Which ones? How quickly? She shook her head, stamping the floor with a hoof and shoving those thoughts to the back of her mind.

Perhaps it wouldn't be that bad, to lose the ability to feel a few emotions. It would lessen the agony of her guilt. It would enable her to rule Equestria without crippling sorrow holding her back.

She rounded on the alicorn creature behind her, who had returned to standing. Still, that sharp-toothed grin was spread across her face. "Give me your orders, my Mistress."

Luna straightened her posture, raising her chin. Clearing her throat, she projected her voice. "What shall I call you?"

The creature bent her head, looking the princess in the eyes. She blinked, "Why, you may call me what you always have...Nightmare."