Nightmare: Volume 1

The dungeon beneath The Royal Palace

Constella glared across the room at the grey unicorn standing opposite her. She wasn’t sure how long it had been since he had brought her here and bound her hooves with chains, but she knew one thing: this butler was a pain in the plot.

He had barely spoken a word to her or even moved very much, which was somehow even more infuriating. There was something about his indifferent, almost bored expression that absolutely enraged her.

She snorted, gritting her teeth. At at the very least, such a prolonged period of time in a room with him had allowed her to see him better. She looked him over for a fourth time, desperate to see any sign of some kind of limp or other weakness she could exploit.

He was younger than she’d first thought, perhaps not much older than her. His jet black mane was tied back in a ponytail with a piece of red string, strands falling over his handsome face. His tail brushed against the floor when he moved, and if he favoured a certain leg she couldn’t notice it.

He suddenly fixed his bright blue eyes on her. “So tell me,” he asked evenly, “Just what were those guards you came in with? I haven’t seen ponies quite like those before.”

“Is this your pathetic attempt at interrogation?” she hissed.

His eyes seemed to darken with anger, his voice chillingly calm. “Oh believe me, the last thing you want is to have me actually interrogate you. Let’s just say it would involve me using that little magic ability of mine you saw earlier to slice off your hooves and horn like butter...as slowly and painfully as I can.”

Constella fought back a shiver, choosing instead to sneer at the butler. “That’s nothing but an empty threat.”

An amused smile twitched at his mouth. “My, you certainly are confident, aren’t you?”

“Says the self-entitled bastard.”

He clenched his jaw, fighting the urge to stuff one of the chains into her mouth. “You know, I’m finding that everything you say just pisses me off!”

The dungeon door opened with a loud creak.

Luna observed the scene in front of her. It had been years since she had been in this underground section of the castle. It was well-lit, with flickering candles lining the walls of dark stone. The air was stale and cold, a thin white mist rolling across the floor.

Memories briefly flashed in her mind. Watching as Celestia had captured and restrained a weakened Nightmare in enchanted chains, before throwing her inside that very room, intent on keeping her down there for eternity.

Shaking her head and clearing the memories from her head, she brought herself back to the situation at hoof. There was no point in getting lost in the past. Especially not when there were much worse things to deal with in the present.

Constella stared as the princess slowly approached her. Her gaze was harsh and cold, devoid of the kindness or compassion she was known for. Even her voice was sharp, cutting through the air like a knife. “Now that our guests have departed, I can properly deal with you. I will give you one chance to explain yourself, Constella Star.”

She raised her chin, “I will tell you nothing. You’re wasting your time.”

The princess raised a brow, only slightly irritated by the mare’s behaviour. She had been expecting this. “It seems I am.”

“You stubborn little brat,” came Nightmare’s voice from the open doorway. “Do you not comprehend the situation you are in?”

Constella looked up. Her breathing quickened as the dark alicorn slowly approached, her heart pounding in her chest. It was that very creature that she had feared since foalhood. Through the course of her life, she had heard many a terrifying story of Nightmare Moon. From her threat to plunge Equestria into eternal night, to turning the former princess, Twilight, into a monster with a single bite.

A wide grin crept onto Nightmare’s face, her tongue caressing her razor-sharp teeth. “What will you say now...Constella?”

Her breaths came out in frantic gasps, visible in the chilled air. Her entire body began to tremble in horror. Yet her eyes were steely and cold. “You...demon,” she managed to choke, “I...will tell you nothing.”

Nightmare’s grin stayed in place. “Incredibly loyal to the very end...I’d admire that if it wasn’t so pitiful.” She bent her head so she was directly eye-to-eye with the unicorn. “So, what is it? What did The Dark King promise you in return for your allegiance?”

Constella could only breath heavier, her eyes beginning to well with tears. H-He never said anything about you still being alive! Immortality isn’t worth this!

Frowning as the mare remained silent, Nightmare moved closer until she was only a hair’s length away from her face. “If you keep your loyalty...will your excruciatingly painful death really be worth it?”

Her response was a shaky, frightened whisper. “Sombra...he sent me here...from The Crystal Empire.” She choked back a sob, small tears rolling down her cheeks. “H-He wanted me to bring the bat-ponies and attack the castle.”

Luna glared down at her, “What else do you know? What is Sombra planning?”

Constella blinked back further tears, unable to look away from Nightmare out of pure fear. “I...I don’t know,” she whimpered. “I s-swear I don’t know.”

Nightmare growled low, her eyes gleaming with rage and frustration. “Mistress...may I end her miserable life?” Her mind was screaming at her to kill. She needed the bloodshed. The weak mare currently cowering in front of her was perfect.

Luna frowned at her servant. The unicorn seemed to know very little. It was confusing, to say the least. Shaking her head, she turned her back, closing her eyes. Nothing more could be done with a mare that knew nothing. “Kill her.”

Constella fell to her knees, the tears now flowing down her face and stinging her eyes. I’m going to die...I’m going to die. Nightmare’s mouth opened wide, saliva dripping between her teeth and her long tongue seemingly poised at the ready. It was as if she was staring into the jaws of some twisted beast, some monster from the depths of Tartarus.

The last thing she felt was those sharp teeth cutting into her skin.

Constella’s scream of agony was silenced by gargling blood in her mouth. Nightmare had bitten into her neck, streams of blood staining both of their coats. Once she felt the chained body go limp, she released her bite, licking her lips.

Seconds later she grasped the unicorn’s leg between her teeth, the limb detaching completely with a single powerful tug.

Luna pursed her lips, shutting her eyes tighter. Even after all this time around her servant, she still was unable to stomach Nightmare’s method of...disposing of somepony. She swallowed, her voice tight from the fear that she would vomit any moment. “Greystone...let’s leave her be, shall we?”

She heard the butler walk towards her, “I was just about to ask you the same.” I’m not squeamish...but this is just disgusting.

**** **** **** ****

With the flick of a hidden lever, the floor of The Crystal Empire’s observatory opened up, revealing a spiraling staircase leading down to the rooms beneath. The tall changeling female descended the stairs, a smug grin playing across her lips.

To think, she had managed to build an entire laboratory, and no one - not even the prince and princess - had suspected a thing.

As she came to a halt at the bottom of the stairs, more of her life’s work came into view. Large cages lined the walls of each hallway in this labyrinth-like place, the hisses and growls of the deformed and mentally broken ponies inside filling her ears.

She had begun her ‘project’ fourteen years ago, and each day could practically feel herself getting closer and closer to her goal. She walked through the hallways with a smile, glancing at each of the imprisoned ponies.

After discovering that the Princess of Friendship herself, Twilight Sparkle, had been transformed into a bloodthirsty monster, she had been determined to re-create such a creature. However, the closest she had ever gotten were bat-ponies: nothing more than mindless animals with the qualities of a bat. Nothing in comparison to true vamponies.

She stopped her walk upon reaching a large, circular mirror, gazing proudly at her reflection for a moment. She straightened her posture, fluttering her translucent wings and tail.

Suddenly the mirror rippled like water, another face appearing in the reflection. It was male, with a grey coat, red eyes and a long, scruffy black mane and beard.

The changeling tilted her head, “King Sombra?”

“Of course,” he growled. “Now tell me what progress you’ve made, Siofra.”

She smirked, placing a hoof on her chest proudly. “Well, I’ve managed to perform enough...tests on The Bat to finally give my ponies many of the same qualities she has. Now, they shall be twice as strong and be twice as vicious as before.”

Sombra narrowed his eyes, “They still follow orders completely?”

Siofra nodded, “Yes. I am creating them just as you requested. All of the strength and power of a vampony, with none of that pesky free will.”

“And what about The Bat?”

“Still barely aware of her own surroundings, Your Highness, as always.”

Sombra nodded, “Very good. If she ever completely wakes up, she may become a problem.”

Siofra shook her head. “Believe me, Your Highness, she is still so weak and delirious that I doubt she even remembers her own name.”

“Continue with your experiments then, Siofra. I’ve gotten word that Constella has been captured and killed by Princess Luna...so it seems your guards did not perform very well.”

The changeling frowned curiously. “About that...forgive me for my asking Your Highness, but why did you send Constella to the enemy in the first place? My guards are not finished.”

Sombra raised an eyebrow, “Since you’re so curious about my reasons, I will tell you. It was merely to instill as much fear as I can.”

Siofra nodded, “Understood, Your Highness.”

The mirror rippled again, before returning to normal. Drawing in a deep breath, Siofra continued down the hallway, grabbing an empty medical syringe on her way.

*** *** *** ****

This room was even deeper underground than the others, sealed with enchanted chains that had been ‘borrowed’ from The Chariot. Siofra grunted as she pushed open the heavy door, stepping inside the small room.

It was dark, lit only by candles, the tiny flames seeming to dance, casting patches of light and shadow on the figure imprisoned in the centre of the room.

She was suspended from the ceiling by another set of enchanted chains, the clasps sealed tightly around all four hooves, along with one restraining her waist and even around her neck. Her pale pink mane fell over one side of her face like a curtain, her eyes closed in her constant state of fatigue.

Then they opened, the teal orbs duller than ever.

Siofra raised her hoof to the mare’s face, brushing a lock of the pink mane behind an ear. “Good evening Fluttershy...hold still.”