Nightmare: Rise of the Demons

Closer to midnight, Nightmare Moon summoned Andromalius to a certain part of the palace he hadn't seen before - it was a flat platform on one of the towers, the surface of which bore evidence of markings of some kind. The tower rose above the Everfree, clearing the tree tops, allowing anyone on top of it to look far and wide. This night, a carriage was being prepared on the platform. The wooden spoke wheels were attached to the main body and adjusted to ensure the carriage was always parallel to the ground when on land. Unicorn guards were casting spells that renewed the old paint and fixed various cracks in the wood, making the ancient carriage look as good as new. A group of four winged thestrals stretched their limbs not too far away, preparing for the flight. The carriage, once it was back in a presentable condition, was quite a marvel - it was of an enclosed design, made entirely of some kind of dark wood, and was richly decorated. On each door, the symbol of the full moon was present, painted meticulously to accurately represent the same celestial body up in the sky. The edges of the windows and the doors were painted with silver in an elaborate pattern. The dark-purple seats inside were richly cushioned, which would certainly make the ride comfortable.

"Tonight, we shall visit one of our possible allies," the dark alicorn told Andromalius as the two waited for the preparations to be complete, "Art thou aware of what a changeling is?"

"I don't think so," he shook his head. He had heard of the name before, perhaps from some game he played a long time ago, but he doubted it was what Nightmare Moon was talking about.

"A changeling is an equine creature that can turn into anyone and, some say, even anything," she explained, confirming his thoughts, "They also feed on love, as strange as it may sound to thee. Nevertheless, thou canst see why they could prove to be useful allies, thus we must do everything reasonable to get them on our side."

"So, what am I going to do?" he asked, wondering why she wanted to take him along.

"Thou shalt listen and thou shalt learn," Nightmare Moon replied, "As well as guarantee my safety. Their queen, Chrysalis, is known to be... rather eccentric, if I may say so. Thy presence will assure the changelings shan't try to cause trouble."

The dark alicorn proceeded to put on a simple black hooded cloak and gave Andromalius another one, and he put it on as well. The thestrals were already putting the harnesses on themselves, and the unicorns gestured for the pair to get into the carriage.

"With all the spells in place, we shouldn't be noticed as long as we're quick in both our departure and return," she said, stepping into the carriage. Andromalius followed her, making the carriage slightly tilt to its side and creak under his weight. It sprung back in place after he sat down opposite of Nightmare Moon, "By my estimations, we shall arrive to our destination in around two and a half hours, arriving half an hour before dawn. We shall discuss the matters with the Queen, rest during the day, and return the following nightfall."

"And if we're seen?" Andromalius inquired.

"If Royal Guards approach us, I shall speak as Luna, and they shall know no better," she replied, "They shan't give us much trouble, I'm certain."

"And what if they see me?"

"Thy cloak hath a spell of invisibility, I shall trigger it using my own magic if needed," Nightmare Moon assured him, "If things do turn sour, then we shall have to... improvise. With our combined power, I believe it wouldn't be of much difficulty."

Andromalius nodded, accepting her assurances. He couldn't have thought of anything more himself - not that he knew of many tactics concerning covert operations. He used to play strategy games and that's it, after all. Maybe it would one day prove to be useful, but likely not - at least he didn't expect his simple games to give him much of an advantage over anyone experienced in the real thing.

The carriage soon took off into the air and turned south, swiftly flying to and over the edge of the Everfree Forest, heading towards the distant mountains. The carriage rose above the clouds, hiding itself from the ground below. For a while, Nightmare Moon and Andromalius were both silent, deep in their own respective thoughts. The dark alicorn was wondering how the negotiations would turn out to be - she had little information to go off of. It was by luck that she managed to contact the changelings despite the confusing historical accounts of them. Perhaps they even let her find them, which she should keep in mind just in case. Andromalius, on the other side, was thinking about how he could free Luna if Nightmare Moon managed to gather enough allies. He couldn't stand alone against them, it would be foolish and result in nothing but his imprisonment or death, depending on how Nightmare Moon felt about it. He shivered - he had never thought his life would be in such danger. There were several attempts on his life already, and he hadn't been in Equestria for even half a year. He feared to think of what could await him in the future.

They suddenly heard a yell coming from behind the carriage at some distance. The dark alicorn immediately activated Andromalius' invisibility spell and turned her head to the thestrals pulling the carriage. After exchanging a few words with them, the carriage slowed down, and soon a pegasus of the Royal Guard was flying alongside it.

"You came from the direction of forbidden flight space, please identify yourselves," he said, looking into the window of the carriage. The darkness inside didn't quite allow him to see who was sitting there, and his eyes completely missed the seemingly empty spot where Andromalius was hidden.

"We did indeed come from that direction. Flying over the Everfree was a faster route, protector," Nightmare Moon spoke in a perfect Luna voice.

"Princess Luna?" the guard asked, startled.

"Indeed," Nightmare Moon nodded, looking at the guard, "If thou excusedst me, I shall be on my way. I am in a hurry."

"Where are you heading? Do you need any assistance?"

"This is purely on a need-to-know basis, protector," her eyes flashed from under the hood, "If thou needst an answer, my sister would undoubtedly be glad to provide one. Unless there is anything urgent, I request thee to head back. We must be on our way."

"...Of course, princess," the guard nodded and turned around, leaving the carriage.

After the dark alicorn said another few words to the thestrals, they sped back up, bring the carriage to the needed pace. Her horn lit up for a short moment, and her head sharply turned to look at the side from which the pegasus talked to her. She opened the door, looked out, and then retrieved a small round stone which was attached near the bottom of the carriage. She crushed the stone, which elicited a small burst of magic as it turned to dust.

"Most interesting," she said, closing the door and settling back down, "A tracking stone..." she turned to the thestrals, "We must land at once."

Soon, the carriage was pulled to the ground by the thestrals, then stopped completely. Nightmare Moon told Andromalius to stay in place, then proceeded to inspect every centimeter of the carriage meticulously, using a variety of detection spells, as well as her own sense of touch as she traced her hoof along every surface of the carriage. After being apparently satisfied, she got back inside and ordered the thestrals to rise back up to the skies and continue on their way to the intended destination.

"Something is wrong, yes," Nightmare Moon replied to an unspoken question from Andromalius, who was once again visible on the opposite side of the carriage, "Not with the carriage, however - I inspected it, there is nothing there. However, the fact that we were almost tracked is worrying. 'Twould be good if we could capture that pegasus and interrogate him... but 'tis for when we return."

"I guess it's the conspirators' doing?" Andromalius asked, putting the pieces together.

"Undoubtedly," she confirmed with a nod, "Trackers are by no means uncommon in the Royal Guard array of equipment, but they're not supposed to be used on the princesses without explicit permission. The guard that approached us is in league with the conspirators, I don't doubt it for a moment. 'Tis another mistake they have committed without knowing the consequences of it. Once we capture the pegasus, we shall be able to find a lead to the conspirators, their contacts, perhaps their whereabouts."

"But how would you find that guy?" Andromalius asked, "All Royal Guards look pretty much the same, at least to me."

"Of course, this is precisely what thou wast led to see," Nightmare Moon replied, "A spell on their armor maketh them look and feel identical in every way. However, this spell hath an exception for the princesses and, by extension, me. I know who he is, and his armor also tells me where he is stationed. No one but myself, Celestia, and Luna are aware of this."

"What about the one who enchanted the armor?" the hell stallion pointed out, "Wouldn't he or she know?"

"Every piece of armor is indeed enchanted by the armourer, but the final spell - the one that granteth the exception to the spell that hideth the identity of the wearer - is placed by us personally under the guise of inspecting the armor," the dark alicorn explained, "Of course, a simple detection spell will reveal the armor had an additional spell added, but it would not reveal what the nature of that spell was. The conspirators should not be aware of this unless Celestia, in her foolishness, decided to reveal such an important secret. On the off chance that they are aware, I know a simple memory investigation shall either confirm or deny my suspicion. Memory modification is a very difficult process that can be done flawlessly only by the likes of Luna and I. I believe I shall be able to notice if any such modification took place."

Andromalius nodded, satisfied with her explanation once more. He could perhaps continue various 'what if' questions if he really wanted to get to the bottom of it, but it would take many hours and was likely going to annoy the dark alicorn. Unless the conspirators were infinitely wise and had infinite resources, they would make a mistake sooner or later. And, of course, he had to remember an important thing - the more complicated something is, the more likely it is to fail. If the conspirators relied on a large number of layers to function, then they would've been revealed sooner. It was simply much more likely that they kept everything as straight as possible to avoid jeopardizing themselves with the amount of details they would have to take into consideration otherwise.

The flight continued.

As the moon began to disappear, the carriage made its way to the distant mountains and over them, now flying above Badlands - a desolate desert environment with nary a soul as far as an eye can see. A rare cactus could be spotted among the sands, and some rocky, wind-eroded formations could be seen across the landscape. All the various inhabitants of this desert were currently hiding in their holes, away from the cold of the night. With the sunrise, they would return to the surface and prowl the ground for sustenance.

The carriage flew to one of the nearest group of the rock formations and slowed down as they had to navigate around them. After going past one of the bigger rocks, the final destination finally became clear - it was a hole-dotted mountain in the center of a small valley. Small black figures buzzed all around it, making the mountain look like a giant beehive. Or, to Andromalius, a wasp nest. The analogy that came to his mind was worrisome, to say the least.

"The changelings are certainly expecting us," Nightmare Moon told him, "Don't forget, I negotiate, thou standst guard as well as listenst. Do not show hostility and do not fall for provocations. However, if we are attacked, I give thee full permission to fight back in any way thou deemst necessary."

"Is it going to be that dangerous?" he asked, his worry deepening.

"Most likely not," she replied, "However, it doth not hurt to be prepared, wouldn't thou agree?"

With the directions the changelings provided them, the carriage found a landing platform at a middle point of the hive-mountain. The landing platform was completely surrounded by changeling guards, and they formed a corridor from the carriage to the entrance to the hive once it landed. Nightmare Moon directed Andromalius to open the door and step out first, which once again rocked the carriage. The dark alicorn followed him, gracefully stepping to the ground and straightening her posture.

"Our Queen is expecting you," a lone changeling dressed in bright cyan armor, contrary to the purple armor worn by the rest of the changeling guards, said to Nightmare Moon, "If you please, follow me."

"Very well," Nightmare Moon nodded and continued after the changeling captain, and Andromalius followed close behind. He tried not to look around too much, but he did notice that the changelings bore neutral, unreadable expressions. He also managed to take a good look at how they looked: they were more insect-like ponies, in a sense. Their bodies were visibly separated into segments, covered in hard black carapace, their eyes were solid cyan, and each of them had both a horn and a pair of wings. Even more notably were holes in their legs - they didn't look like wounds, but they were still quite upsetting to look at. Compared to ponies, the changelings were smaller by about half a head, which made both Nightmare Moon and especially Andromalius tower above them. If the changelings were afraid, they didn't show it openly.

The inside of the hive was dim, lit only by cave fungi and an occasional blob of green goo. Changeling guards stood at every intersection, and many changelings gathered around to look at the visitors, forming an impenetrable corridor. They were quietly chittering among themselves as the two visitors passed them, following them with their interested gazes. It seemed there were thousands of them, and even more that were hidden from sight. An excited buzzing permeated the entirety of the hive.

Nightmare Moon and Andromalius were led through many confusing hallways until they finally reached the throne room - a big round room filled with holes leading to other parts of the hive. In the center of the room stood a leaf-shaped throne with jagged edges, yet the Queen who sat upon it couldn't seem more comfortable. The similarity between her and other changelings ended at the basics: her body was segmented, and she had both a horn and a pair of insectoid wings. Unlike other changelings, she had a mane, one that reminded Andromalius of seaweed in some sense. Her eyes were more like pony eyes, having separate sclera, iris, and pupil. It was hard to judge from her position, but she would be at least as tall as Nightmare Moon if not more so. She greeted the two visitors with an interested and calculating look. Many changelings surrounded her, watching from the floor, walls, and even ceiling. They were silent.

The dark alicorn took off her hood and nodded, then used telepathy to instruct the hell stallion to take his hood off and bow. The surrounding changelings were looking at Andromalius with both fear and interest, noticing his interesting body. Undoubtedly he wasn't someone they should trifle with unless they got a significant number advantage or the element of extreme surprise.

The Changeling Queen nodded to both of the visitors in turn before opening her maw to speak.

"Welcome to the Hive," she said, her voice having a strange buzz to it, "I am pleased to receive you here. I am Chrysalis, Queen of the Changelings."

"We are likewise pleased to be here," Nightmare Moon spoke, her voice loud and clear, far more official than the tone she used to talk to Andromalius, "I am Nightmare Moon, Mare of the Night, and the future Queen of Equestria. My companion is Andromalius, a demon."

"I have heard of the Demon of Canterlot," the Queen nodded, her eyes shifting to the hell stallion, "He has caused quite a ruckus among ponies. I am somewhat surprised to see him alive - my scouts reported him dead."

"The rumors of his death were greatly exaggerated," Nightmare Moon replied, "He is far stronger than he looketh."

"Quite," Queen Chrysalis agreed with a nod, her eyes never leaving Andromalius. However, she then switched her gaze back to the dark alicorn and asked, "Now, what is your proposition, Nightmare Moon?"

"I believe we have much to gain by aiding each other," she began, "Both thou and I suffered by Celestia's magic. We were cast out, thrown away. I propose we aid each other for the benefits that would suit us both."

Queen Chrysalis nodded, gesturing for Nightmare Moon to continue, clearly interested.

"My proposition is quite simple - if thou and thy hive assist me in taking the Equestrian throne, I shall legalize changelings throughout Equestria," the dark alicorn proclaimed, making a wave of murmurs pass through the attending changelings, "On the condition that neither thee nor the members of thy hive try to replace ponies. You shall be free to gain love as long as my subjects are unharmed. Of course, it goeth without saying the Equestrian Law will apply to them as well should thou choose to accept my proposition."

Queen Chrysalis nodded and thought it over for a while, letting the throne room be silent. She reasoned it would be wise to take the deal - it would allow her changelings to go about their business without the risk of being caught, and the Hive would certainly thrive on the freely-gained love. She had a different plan in mind, but this one was a suitable compromise.

"What is the guarantee you won't turn against us once your own goals are achieved?" she asked.

"I swear on my love I shall uphold my end of the deal as long as thou upholdest thine."

Another wave of murmurs passed through the changelings, and the Queen seemed to be surprised as well. For a long moment, she was silent, her eyebrows slightly raised as she looked at the dark alicorn.

"I hope you are aware your oath means it will become the duty of each and every changeling to hunt you and drain you of love completely should you fail to deliver on your promise," Queen Chrysalis said slowly, a calculating look placed on the mare.

"I am entirely committed to fulfilling every promise I make," Nightmare Moon assured the Queen, nodding, "I believe it is... sufficient?"

"Without a doubt," the Changeling Queen nodded in turn, "Very well, I accept your terms, Nightmare Moon, Mare of the Night, and the future Queen of Equestria," she looked over the congregation, "Let it be known that, starting today, changelings and the followers of Nightmare Moon are allies. None of you is to threaten or harm her or her representatives," she turned back to the dark alicorn, "I believe we can begin discussing our plan."

Back in Canterlot, three particular ponies were meeting each other in the morning, gathering for a small breakfast at a cafe. They chatted about various things as they enjoyed the sunrise through the window. Two of them were nobles: the first being Stalwart Blue, the unicorn head of House Blueblood. The other was simply known at large as Lady White, a unicorn mare from a rich family, bachelorette. The third was a plain and average-looking earth pony of neutral natural colors. His suit was, in comparison to Stalwart's, quite plain, and completely unremarkable among the majority of ponies in Canterlot.

"I've seen the most beautiful bird today," the third pony said in a dreamy voice and a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes, "The moon raven, the rarest of the rare, came out this night with her flock."

"Truly? Do tell," Lady White said, "It's not often such a bird is spotted. While I, as you know, am not as interested in birdwatching as you are, I would still like to hear of what such an exotic bird did. She has the most unusual habits, last I heard."

"She does indeed," the earth pony confirmed with a nod, "However, I didn't have a chance to take a good look - as soon as I averted my eyes for but a moment, she seemingly disappeared," he said with disappointment, "And I was so looking forward to learning more about her..."

Meanwhile, Stalwart Blue tried to remain calm as he sipped his tea, his eyes looking sharply through the window. His teacup wasn't quite steady.

"Do not be so upset, my dear," the mare leaned forward, offering the earth pony a smile, "I am sure you'll have your chance eventually. Perhaps you noticed where the bird disappeared - maybe you'd be able to find her again if you look around."

"I wouldn't be quite sure myself," he replied, "Winter is approaching, and she flew towards the south. I'm not sure I will see her again before next spring."

"Maybe you should get into contact with Saddle Arabian birdwatchers," Lady White suggested, "I believe they know all manner of exotic birds from all over the world. Perhaps they shall invite you for a visit, and Saddle Arabia is the most interesting country - the local cuisine is quite delicious if I say so myself," she turned to Stalwart Blue, "I believe we too should take a vacation of sorts, wouldn't you agree?"

"Perhaps," he replied, his voice not quite as relaxed as the mare's, "My choice would be either Zebrica or, as you have so generously suggested, Saddle Arabia."

"Good choices indeed, but my own suggestion for the two of us is the Sea Griffon Kingdom," the mare said, "The country has become quieter and more open to pony tourists, last I heard. I've not met many griffons, and I heard they're quite... unusual in their traditions."

"We should think this over some time later," the stallion said, "First and foremost, I have some unfinished business I must attend to before the thoughts of a vacation can truly be considered. Perhaps, in two weeks?"

"I agree, it will definitely give us time to sort things out at home so that everything runs smoothly in our absence," Lady White nodded in agreement, "Besides, it would allow us to note places of interest we should visit while we're there."

The three continued their chat into the noon, yet none of them could ignore the shadow of danger that hung above them all, ready to take them if they made a misstep. However, they couldn't rush - just like predators, the shadow would pounce on them if they made a move too sudden.