A monster with a heart

After the king of monsters was defeated and banished by Gusty, the monsters Grogar created scattered throughout the world now that he was gone and his spell was undone.

After Ulmara felt the spell was lifted, she traveled to the southern part of Equestria. Finding a home in the ruins of a temple built by an ancient society of bat ponies dedicated to the moon and the lunar cycle deep in the forbidden jungle.

Over the centuries she lived in the jungle, she restored and renovated the temple to accommodate her needs. She hunted and fed on the plants, fruit, wildlife, and other monsters of the jungle.

She did grow lonely without anypony to talk to, but thankfully Gusty did visit her throughout his life. And later she encountered a strange creature called Ahuizotl who was checking on the temple she was living in.

The two quickly became friends, and Ahuizotl left the temple and it's treasure in her care and occasionally visited her.

But the others she encountered adventuring in the jungle were not nice to her. Other races she encountered labeled her a monster,and news and rumors of her quickly spread throughout the lands telling of a ferocious beast.

All the stories and rumors painted a target on her and made her out to be a mindless beast, despite her best efforts.

She was already cautious and distrustful of others, having been controlled and manipulated by Grogar and grew more so as she was attacked and hunted by others for what she was.

As the old saying goes " If one is treated like a monster long enough, they will become a monster in the end. "

The only reason Ulmara approached Gusty in the first place was because she saw a chance to be free and rid of Grogar. But Gusty showed her that there were those out there who could look past the fact she was a monster made by Grogar and accept her.

Giving her hope that one day she would find a place to belong, rather than being feared and alone.

Ulmara was no mindless beast, but she did have a animalistic side to her that was deeply ingrained into her nature. To her things were simple, if those she met were nice she was friendly to them.

If they weren't she would chase them out of her territory, and if they attacked her they were enemies. Those that she killed when she fought back she ate and took their stuff, using them or repurposing them for something.

Deep in the forbidden jungle

In the early morning, sometime before the sun was up.

" How are we doing on time, the other creatures of the jungle will be on the prowl soon." Magnus said, keeping vigilant eye on the sky.

" We've got 2 minutes to wait till dawn, the temple is only visible at dusk, night, and dawn. And since it blends too well in the dark dawn is the only time it will be visible, since it turns invisible during the day. " Somnambula said, looked through her telescope scanning the jungle.

As two minutes passed the dawn slowly came, bathing the jungle in orange and gold rays of light.

And as the night receded a large ancient bluish black stone structure was revealed, standing in a valley a little over 2 miles from their current position.

" Hmm, that looks just like the picture from the historical nocturnal race records." Somnambula said spotting the temple.

She put up her telescope and took out a compass and a device from her saddle bag that used the sun to measure distance.

" Distance 2 miles, direction southwest. " Somnambula thought, getting the temple's directions down. She got done just in time with 10 seconds spare before the temple started to become transparent, rapidly vanishing from sight as the it became fully invisible.

"Wow." Magnus said, dumbfounded by what he saw.

"Indeed, it is amazing." Somnambula said, enchanted by the sight.

"It really is."Magnus said, stunned by the sight of a building vanishing before his eyes.

" Do you two see anything! We're approaching one of the spots where the reports say the
beast has been sited the most!" Starswirl called out to his Pegasus friends.

" Yes, I've spotted a temple in the distance that matches the description of the temple of Lunae Lumen. " Somnambula called back as Magnus and her flew back down to the jungle floor.

News of recent attacks from a monstrous creature that had attacked some poachers was brought to their attention. At first it seemed like one of the local beast of the jungle had attacked them, then when Starswirl dug deeper he found similar reports and records with the same details going back centuries.

He matched the description of the reports to one of Grogar's primal monsters the Higreaira, upon discovery the pillars quickly set off to the forbidden jungle.

"Are you sure it was the same temple from this picture ?" Starswirl asked as he pulled out a picture of the temple of Moonlight from his saddle bag.

"Yeah, no doubt about it. The temple is a little over 2 miles away, we keep heading southwest and we should be there by the afternoon." Somnambula said, frowning slightly.

"What's bothering you Somnambula?" Meadowbrook asked, seeing her friends discomfort.

"All the information and reports we've gathered say that the creature was being hunted, and only attacked when it was first. Surely this creature can't be truly evil?" Somnambula asked, holding on to her optimism.

"It does seem iffy, those that fled from it, it left alone but those that did attack or tried to trap it were the ones that it attacked. " Meadowbrook said, remembering what they learned from the reports.

"Sounds more like the critter was defending it's self than an evil monster, what do y'all think?" Meadowbrook asked, looking to her friends for their opinion.

"The creature was made personally by Grogar that should say enough. The Higreaira is an extremely dangerous beast, and must be stopped before more are attacked." Starswirl said strongly.

" Starswirl is right, and we can't be faltering now. Daylight is burning away and when night comes the beast will be on the prowl." Rockhoof said checking the sun's position.

"Yes we only have so much time to get there, and a surprise attack is the best strategy against it. " Starswirl said as he lit his horn, holding his compass and checked the directions.

"Now let's be on our way, we've got quit a bit of distance to cover." Starswirl said as he looked at his map.

In the temple of Lunae Lumen

Deep in the inner sanctum of the temple of moonlight, Ulmara slept soundly in the cool and dark temple. She was by nature nocturnal and her eyes were sensitive to bright light, making the moon temple the ideal place to live.

With the spacious interior it gave her plenty of space to move and fly around, the temple also had sunproof dark blue black crystal windows that made the inside as dark as a night on a new moon

They blocked out the sunlight and only let in the light of the moon and stars. Plus the temple's dark interior was no trouble for her with her being able to see perfectly in total darkness.

The large bundle of pale blue covers in the room began to shift, a moment later a loud yawn could be heard echoing as Ulmara awoke.

Slowly she rose from the bed she made from the temples pale blue silk banners and stretched like a cat, feeling several pleasing pops as she stretched out.

The moon temple was very spacious and the inner sanctum where she slept was one of the largest rooms in the temple. She had access to water and a large white blue crystal dome was placed above the center of the room, keeping out sunlight during the day and giving her a wonderful view of the stars at night.

"Ugh, thirsty. " Ulmara thought feeling her throat was dry. She walked sleepily through the large room and headed to a large decorative white fountain filled with fresh water from a underground spring.

She dipped her face to the cool water, drinking more than a gallon of water in little under a minute.

Then a proximity ward went off, getting Ulmara's attention immediately. Her horns lit up with a glittering honey gold aura, she casted a spell showing where the ward was triggered.

" Intruders how they open door, me placed lock enchantments on it. " Ulmara thought wiping away some water from her mouth.

She saw a group of six ponies opening the large doors and entering the temple.

"They not heavily armed maybe they are exploring the temple, or maybe they here for temple's treasure?" Ulmara pondered, remembering the large blue white circular diamond called the diamond of the stars she wore around her neck on a silver chain, hidden from sight under her thick feather fur.

" Hopefully they'll be friendly, and be willing to talk." Ulmara thought as she walked out of her bedroom and down the corridor leading to rest of the temple, on her way to meet the intruders.

.

"Wow it's like the building is made of transparent glass, how is it doing that?" Magnus asked astonished, as the temple came into full view as they approached it.

The temple was invisible at a distance, however now that they were right in front of it they could see it's outline.

The temple's architecture was a combination of a pyramid and an Aztec temple, it had a massive main building with four smaller buildings on it's four corners surrounded by a large 10ft stone brick wall that was also clear and transparent.

But now that they had gotten closer the temple's outline could be seen, it looked like the temple was made of none reflective crystal clear glass.

"Incredible isn't it, one of the greatest engineering feats of the nocturnal races.
They used a magical crystal called shadow quartz on windows, armour, and buildings of great importance. But now a days the nocturnal races often use shadow glass domes around whole cites" Starswirl said, impressed by the temple as well.

" They turn the shadow quartz into glass which refines it and makes it turn invisible in daylight, which hides it very well. Plus they usually built their cites and buildings in caves, mountains, and underground. It's why so few of the ancient nocturnal races ruins have been discovered. " Starswirl said, going into his lecture mode.

"So how do we get in, the temple's door isn't going to be easy to find." Rockhoof said, squinting as he looked at the transparent building.

"From what I read the temple's door is a large high relief that as the current phase of the moon somewhere on the main temple in the center. As for how we get in I have replicated a enchanted talisman they used to access the temple. " Starswirl said, showing them a pale blue metal talisman with details, engravings, and a deep blue symbol of a full moon on it.

"So how do we find the door I can't make any details out on the walls, and it's already the afternoon and time is of the essence" Magnus asked, looking at the temple and checking the sun's position.

" The temple's door and this talisman should have similar enchantments on them, with a modified tracker spell I'll be able to locate the main door. " Starswirl said as he lit his horn and casted his spell.

A pale white light appeared on the talisman and turned into a tennis ball sized orb of white light. It floated off the talisman and started to quickly float to the temple, going up a stack of stairs and stopped at a wall. Lighting up and showing a door like outline with a full moon symbol on it.

" And there it is now we can get in, everypony check your supplies and equipment before we head in. " Starswirl said as they got to checking their equipment before venturing into the beast's lair.

As they climbed the temple's stairs they came upon the large 30ft wide circular double door, normally impossible to see even up close but the white light showed it's outline.

As they approached it Starswirl pulled out a small brown square piece of burlap in his magical grasp, and lifted it up.in the air. Casting a growth spell on it making it 30ft long and 10ft wide.

Then he created a magic square the size and shape of the shadow of the sheet made and casted a spell that blocked out the light turning the white rectangle magic a deep shade of tinted black.

10 seconds later the temple's door became visible again, revealing a round 30ft diameter circular double door of deep blue black shiny stone. It had highly detailed rune engravings and a high relief of a 20ft wide full moon with stars around it made of pale blue silver in the center of it.

As he place the talisman against the temple's door it glowed a bright blue light, as it did the door glowed as well. Then the full moon symbol began to slowly spin, as the doors slid open the full moon became split into two crescent moons, revealing a 30ft tall and wide dark corridor made of light blue sapphire stone.

"Wow why is it so dark, I can't even see 10ft inside." Rockhoof said, peering down the dark corridor. The only light sources in the long corridor was 2 pale blue crystal torches 5ft past the doors.

"Well this temple was built by the bat ponies and their sensitive to bright light, it makes sense that it would be so dark. But me and Starswirl have got this dearies." Mistmane said, smiling reassuringly as she and Starswirl lit their horns.

They both made tennis ball sized orbs of light, sending them floating into the corridor lightning up a large portion of the corridor.

"There we go, now let's be careful these temples are bound to have traps and other defense systems. " Starswirl said as he scanned the temple's walls, ceiling, and floor with his magic for any signs of danger. However thanks to the talisman the temple's traps didn't activate.

As they traveled further into the temple they saw murals, high reliefs, statues,and many more works of art depicting this civilization's history and way of life.

"These works of art are amazing, they must have worked tirelessly to complete this temple." Mistmane said, noting the temple's art work.

"Yes, but we can't be distracted now we can look at it later. We're coming up on a large room the temple's blueprint shows with a few pathways up headed. " Starswirl said, studying the detailed blueprints of the temple while keeping track of their position on it.

As they entered the room the saw it was massive, the orbs of light could only illuminate less than 1/3rd of the large room. The ceiling was dozens of meters high with 8 huge decorated support pillars reaching the ceiling.

And there were what looked like open door passageways placed at various heights on the walls, clearly ment for a flying race.

"Where do we go from here Starswirl?" Rockhoof asked, looking between both sides of the room.

"Give me a minute to look over these blueprints, we don't want to get lost. "Starswirl said, looking at the various pathways on the blueprints.

Unaware that they were being watched from the shadows.

" Hmm, Two Unicorns, Pegasus, and earth ponies.They look more like explores than treasure hunters. " Ulmara thought, observing the six ponies before her.

"Okay me can do this me practiced over and over in mirror, just remember what Gusty said " Ulmara thought, remembering Gusty's advice.

"Gusty how do me show others me nice and not planning to hurt them?" Ulmara asked Gusty during his first visit to her temple.

"Well for you I know it must be hard convey that, plus with the stories and rumors about you it might make that difficult." Gusty said, walking beside his large friend her

"Stories and rumors about me not true, those me attacked they attacked me first. Ulmara said, speaking with a irritated tone as she defended herself.

" Well I know that because I personally know you, but others don't. Here's what I think, first you walk calmly up to them and give them a smile and then greet them, that should show them. " Gusty said, showing his own smile to her.

" Me not to sure me can smile right." Ulmara said with a doubtful look.

"Come on, show me, it can't be that bad."/Gusty said encouraging her with a pat on her arm.

Ulmara showed him her attempt at a smile, what was shown was a mouth of large razor sharp teeth with a pair of slightly longer canine fangs spread almost ear to ear. It was a face that
looked more fiendish than friendly.

"Ahhh." Gusty said, doing a good impression of a deer in the headlights.

"See me no good at smiling." Ulmara said, her dropped ears showing her saddens.

" Don't worry it just takes practice you'll get better. " Gusty said smiling encouragingly.

" Okay me will practice. " Ulmara said as she continued to.show.Gusty around the temple.

"Okay just calmly walk up to them and give a smile, then try talking okay me can do this." Ulmara thought reassuringly. Approaching the six ponies silently while invisible, then when she was 10 ft away from light she undid her invisibility.

"Now I from what I see if we head here and take a left here and go up the stairs to the right that will take us to the seconded floor then,

Starswirl suddenly stopped talking as he and the others heard heavy footsteps coming from the direction in front of them.

As it got closer they readied themselves for an attack, then the sound stopped as a large creature walking on on all fours appeared from the darkness. It had clawed hands but walked like a Griffin.

"Poines."It said in a sweet double toned voice, while showing a fiendish smile. Showing a mouth full of large razor sharp teeth.S

Ulmara slowly approached them trying not to get to close so as not to scare them, while giving a nervous smile.

" Ponies, greet-, Ulmara tried to say, but before she could say a second word she was hit in the face by a large bolt of bright light which exploded in her face in a flash.

Aaaaaaggh!!! Ulmara yelled in a extremely high pitch scream, causing the foundation of the temple to shake.

To a normal creature it would be like having a spotlight shined in their eyes. But for Ulmara it was like having the light was like having red hot metal shoved into her eyes.

Starswirl didn't wait and took the initiative to attack, using a flash bolt spell which fired a large bright ball of light that exploded in a bright flash.

" Aaaaaaggh!!! " Causing Ulmara to scream and hunch over in pain, rubbing tears pouring from her eyes.

Rockhoof tried to pin her down by throwing large thick chain net made of mythril on her and Magnus and Somnambula quickly circled and tied a long thick rope around Ulmara.

SNAP!

However they severely underestimated Ulmara's strength.

Ulmara simply flexed her arms and large wings out, snapping the mythril chain net like a cheap worn out rubber band.

Ulmara launched into the air like a spring with one flap of her large powerful wings, vanishing back into the darkness.

" Group together we can't get separated!" Starswirl yelled, as they all huddle in a circle and watched each other's back. They knew the creature was still in the room somewhere, they could hear several high and low growls, roars, clicks, shrieks, and hissing noises of various pitches echoing in the dark.

" Wretched mean bearded pony me eyes hurt so much, why ponies attack me?! Me only was trying to say hello, if poines want to fight, me will fight then!" Ulmara yelled furiously from her perch high on a pillar.

She jumped off the pillar and become invisible and muted her movements before she jumped and took to the air. She became so mad she reverted to speaking in her native tongue which were growls, clicks, shrieks, and hissing.

"Ugh!" The pillars shouted as they were knock off their hoofs and scattered from Ulmara landing in the middle of their group. She shattered four of their lanterns and took out the floating orbs of light before flying off , putting the group in almost complete darkness.

Starswirl quickly created another orb of light for them to see, and Mistmane casted a spell filling the room with bright pink ruby glowing dots.

"What is this, it the room is filling with sparkly dots their so...pretty. " Ulmara thought, becoming mesmerized by the glowing dots. Not realizing they were giving away her location.

"There on that pillar!" Magnus called out, pointing at a pillar where the dots were floating in place.

Starswirl charged his horn and casted a flash bolt at it, creating a large white flash.

However Ulmara had covered her eyes with her hands and wings, shielding her form the light. She then took a deep breath and used one of her special abilities.

" SCREEEECH!!!" Ulmara unleashed a sonic screech, launching the pillars against a wall.

Starswirl and the others staggered to their hoofs, they saw the creature landing a few dozen yards away from them, looking at them with an angry snarl on it's face.Then it's expression changed to that fiendish smile.

"Now maybe they will listen to me." Ulmara thought as she began to approach them.

Magnus and Somnambula took to the air and flew circles around Ulmara trying to distracted her while Mistmane casted a spell that sprouted vines from cracks in between the stone floor. As Rockhoof stood beside Starswirl, guarding him while he prepared his spell.

" Raaaaaaggh!" Ulmara growled angrily as she tried to grab one of the Pegasus, while ripping off the vines that were trying to trip and tie her up.

Starswirl lit his horn and pulled out his magic tome and channeled his magic, causing his horn to glow a shining white light as he prepared the spell.

" NOW! "Starswirl called out to his comrades, finishing the spell.

Upon hearing that they pulled back, getting out of firing range as Starswirl raised his book in the air and a large bright ball of light formed.

As Ulmara freed herself from the last of the thick vines tangling her feet, she saw Starswirl with readying a large bright ball of light.

"Not again! Ulmara thought, covering her eyes with her hands and wings.

However this spell was different, the white beam of light hit Ulmara and turned her to stone.

"Is everypony alright? " Starswirl asked, as he looked at his friends.

"For the most part, though I'm sure going to have a few bruises tomorrow." Magnus said, rolling his shoulder felling sore already.

" So what are we going to do with it now, we can't just leave it here. " Meadowbrook said, gesturing to the statue of Ulmara.

"Yes, I've got a place in mind it it will be a challenge to get it there. " Starswirl said as they began to leave the dark temple with the statue of Ulmara in tow.

Over a thousand years later

In a mountain range at an unknown location.

In a cave concealed by an illusion lied a metal door 2ft thick door with a large magical seal of white runes. Behind the door was a square metal room and it was Ulmara still petrified.

Crack! Crack! Crack

However the spell that kept her petrified had been eroding thanks to Ulmara's extremely high magical resistance. And over a thousand years later the spell was lifting.

CRACK!

As the stone crumbled off her, Ulmara was freed and slumped to the metal floor.

" Ugh, what happened where me at?" Ulmara said, groggy and stiff from being frozen in stone.

"Is this a room, no this...this is a cage! They attack me for no reason and trap me, me smash cage!" Ulmara roared, raising a clawed hand she swung a heavy punch.

The metal door flew off the wall and jammed in the wall of the cave and Ulmara stepped out of the metal doorway breathing in fresh air.

" Why me in mountains, me was in jungle was me knocked out? " Ulmara said, seeing a small mountain range.

"Me don't know what's going on but me glad me still have treasure Ahuizotl trusted me with. Oh me see big forest from here, it might make a good home.Ulmara as she spotted a large forest from the mountain side.

She spread her 20 ft wings span and took to the air, vanishing from too the night sky.

"Me hope forest has Cragadile their meat taste good." Ulmara thought as she flew to the forest.

She was heading to the Everfree forest, which was near a town with an particular outstanding purple crystal castle in it.