The Tale of the Nightmare

Meanwhile, at the castle, Sombra dropped the alicorn wings on the bottom of the bed. The king watched his every move. Was the royal impressed? He ran his hoof across the midnight blue wings. The soft sensation transported his mind to his youth, where he had first met Luna. He shoved the memory aside. Now was not the time for nostalgia and guilt. He was here to take the throne, not reject it.

"I avenged you, Majesty. Give me the reward you had promised," Sombra said.

"You're a lowly commoner. Why should I let you marry my daughter?" The king replied.

"Did you not hear my words? The wicked alicorn is dead. I'm sure of it."

"You're not the only servant who seeks power. Everypony wants to rule over a kingdom of their own. It's nothing new, and nopony knows your name!" The king began laughing. His laughter became a series of coughs.

Sombra clenched his jaw. He had obeyed the king's orders, yet he was taunted like this? Why would he aim for the throne if the king intended to stand in the way? He had not done the unthinkable just to be mocked. He stomped to the left side of the bed, levitated a pillow, and glowered at the king. Even when the king was close to death, this old stallion had managed to make fun of him.

"You're not a worthy successor! Velvet will never marry a mere peasant," the king said.

"I'm called Sombra. Your daughter shall marry me... whether she likes it or not!" Sombra retorted as he shoved the pillow into the king's face. The king took in a final breath.

Sombra turned his gaze to the crown on the vanity. He levitated the crown closer to his head. Even the mirror seemed to agree with his goal. Hoofsteps approached the door, and he swiftly returned the crown to the vanity. He answered the door. A servant scrutinized the bed, and before the servant could say anything, he led him into the hallway. Today, he shall be king, and he shall marry the princess.

"He suffered a heart attack," Sombra lied. "I'm the one who killed the alicorn."

The stallion hung his head. "The king will be missed. I'll go fetch the royal robe for you. What is your name?"

"Sombra."

Once the stallion was gone, Sombra trotted to the throne room. Princess Velvet smiled at him, and he smiled back. According to a chancellor, the coronation would start when the worthy stallion inherited the crown. Once again, the guilt tugged at his heartstrings. Would his position cost him his conscience, too? He had heard stories of rulers who ignored their morals to become the most powerful leaders of their kingdoms.

"Are you the one who will become the next king?" Velvet inquired.

"Of course," Sombra said. "And I'm proud of my accomplishments."

Luna stood in front of the ruins. It was desolate, just like her. She had loved Sombra, but he had not reciprocated once in their relationship. She entered the ruins. Shadows stretched across the stone floor. The sun hurried behind the clouds. She allowed the darkness to fester in her heart. Where had their relationship gone wrong? On her sixteenth birthday? The meeting after? She sat by the window. The hours dragged on, and she sensed the occasional flap of phantom wings. Thunder crackled in the distance. Was there anything left for her in this cold, harsh world? She closed her eyes and hoped that it was all a dream.

Luna opened her eyes, and she was still in the ruins. Was her dream of peace all for naught? If her parents hadn't chosen peace, they would be alive today. They never got to watch her grow into a beautiful young mare. It was Equestria's fault. The other kingdom was too brutal to be tamed by a mere peace treaty. As night surrounded the land, she became aware of a presence in the room.

"Luna, the time has come for you to avenge the Everfree Forest," a soft voice said.

Luna looked up. She found herself staring into a pair of slitted eyes. "And who are you? Have you followed me here? I have no interest in anypony whosoever."

"I am your dark side. Nightmare Moon. I cried with you the whole time. Sombra is a piece of vile scum, and so is the rest of Equestria. Your wings were magnificent... and he had robbed you of such a treasure."

Luna couldn't find a reason to disagree. Today was the worst day of her life. "If you were my dark side, why was Sombra allowed to steal my wings?"

Nightmare Moon's face was mere inches from Luna's. "Together, we won't allow Sombra to get away with his deeds. He stole something important to you. Revenge is the perfect solution." She walked around Luna, keeping her pace as slow as possible. "Are you ready to transform into your dark side? Destroy anypony who dares to threaten your homeland? You must not allow anything to soften our heart."

The temperature in the room dropped. There was venom in Nightmare Moon's voice. Luna was prepared for her transformation, no matter the cost. Summoning her magic, she fused the aura with Nightmare Moon's. She levitated into the air. A ball of darkness surrounded her. Countless memories, good and bad, rushed through her mind. Her body became taller, her teeth turned into fangs, and her pupils were now slits. She would no longer be Luna, as the name itself didn't have a sinister connotation. From now on, she was Nightmare Moon.

Three hours before sunrise, Nightmare Moon walked along the border between Equestria and the Everfree Forest. She spied a nearby village. It was where Sombra grew up. Even the thought of his name made her blood boil. Trotting to the village, she found the orphanage. Her horn glowed. A dark aura emerged from the tip of her horn. The spell caused the residents to plunge into the scariest of dreams. A malicious grin widened across her face. Years ago, she wouldn't even consider casting a curse upon the villagers. Shadows entered the next house. A pony raced out of the village, screaming in fear.

Nightmare Moon left the village. A small shriek garnered her attention. Instead of a pony, it was a small creature. Despite the lack of light, she could tell that the creature was a possum. It was trapped under a net. A stallion chuckled at the possum's pain. That poor thing. Her magic flowed into the possum, and it transformed into a Thestral. The stallion backed away, trembling visibly.

"What is this?" The stallion exclaimed. His eyes darted around, and the moment he glanced at Nightmare Moon, he froze. "Is this... an alicorn?"

"You're looking at one," Nightmare replied. "A wingless alicorn, to be exact."

"Get away from me!" The stallion galloped toward the village.

Nightmare approached the Thestral, who was once a small possum. Her gaze traveled to his bat wings. An idea formed in her mind. Perhaps he could spy on Sombra. "You can come with me. There are rules to follow. Number one, don't cease your loyalty. Number two, be as detailed as possible in your reports."

"What happened to my beautiful self?" The Thestral inquired.

"I saved you. Would you rather be killed by those savages?"

"Sorry, miss. I'm Tiberius, and I prefer my possum form."

Nightmare stroked her chin. "Understandable. However, there is something you need to do first. Do you know where the castle is? And if anything significant occurs..." She lowered her voice. "Tell me what Sombra and his princess are doing."

"I know where the castle is! Okay? And I'll be honest once I gather the information."

"Don't keep me waiting."

When morning came, Sombra entered the throne room, wearing a deep red robe and charcoal gray armor. Because of his regal attire, he seemed intimidating. He settled on his new throne, surveying the room. The ornate hall was a picture of royalty with its high ceilings, a marble floor, giant tapestries, and colorful stained glass windows. Sunlight illuminated the windows, making the colors glow. A hoof touched his. Queen Velvet made eye contact. Her warm blue eyes reminded him of a younger Luna - except Luna's eyes had a greenish tint. A wave of guilt rose in his throat, and he quashed it as soon as it came. He forced himself to focus on the task at hoof.

Sombra couldn't help but feel as though he was being watched. The advisors weren't even looking at him. If it wasn't them, who was judging him? He saw something move in his peripheral vision, yet it wasn't his wife. He turned his head to the right, and sure enough, there was somepony staring through a high window. Was it a Thestral? He blinked to make sure he wasn't imagining things. Once he opened his eyes, the Thestral wasn't present.

"You seem troubled," Velvet pointed out.

"I'm exhausted," Sombra lied.

"Oh, it makes sense. The coronation and the wedding had taken their toll on you."

"That's for sure."

A trio of breezies barged in, interrupting the conversation with their unexpected arrival. Sombra glowered at them. Did Luna send them? If not, then who? Discord? He could never tolerate Discord's existence anyways. The breezies hovered in front of Sombra. As tempting as it was to blast them away, he restrained himself. No use being viewed as a tyrant early on in his reign.

"Your majesties! The castle is extravagant!" The breezie with a yellow coat said. "My name's Apple Bloom. My sisters are Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo."

"Ah, so Luna sent you," Sombra assumed.

"No, she didn't. We sensed the darkness descending upon the Everfree-" Apple Bloom continued.

Sweetie Belle nudged Apple Bloom. "We're here to seek asylum. Your furnishings are gorgeous... and you love to dress up!" Her words brought a smile to Velvet's face.

"Also, we hate wars," Scootaloo said.

Apple Bloom nodded. "We wish that you will have a foal to continue your bloodline."

Sweetie Belle wore a broad grin. "We're good with little ones."

Sombra sighed. "Alright. You can stay here."

Back at the ruins, a certain Thestral landed by Nightmare Moon, prepared to deliver the news. She had been silent the whole time, as she was still processing her pain. What Tiberius was about to tell her wouldn't make her happy. Regardless, she desired to know what Sombra was up to.

"Sombra is a king. Also, a trio of breezies sought asylum in the castle. He's married to Queen Velvet," Tiberius said.

"Just as I suspected," Nightmare muttered under her breath. Her aura intensified around her. "Sombra stole my wings... to become king?" Her voice echoed off the stone walls. "I wish we never met." A huge scream erupted from her throat. Thunder boomed ominously.

Nightmare turned Tiberius into a possum, then allowed him to climb onto her back. Marching toward the Everfree, she allowed dark clouds to block out any remaining light. She had been a fool to think the war between Equestria and her homeland would end. It wouldn't be long before Sombra and his army chose to attack the Everfree Forest. The creatures backed away in fear as they watched Nightmare stroll past them. In the center of the forest, a throne emerged. She lowered herself onto the tall throne. The minotaurs told the creatures to kneel before her. As they did so, she accepted her role as Queen of the Everfree Forest.