This is why you should never summon adventurous to Equestria.

Chapter 2: Rookie Mistake

As Ash woke up the next morning, she anticipated enjoying a grand feast with her companions to celebrate their recent victory. She was thrilled to have been able to revive her love and gain recognition from the elves, despite being only a half-blood.

However, her expectations were shattered as she found herself in a poorly-designed summoning circle, surrounded by an abandoned castle in the middle of the forest. To make matters worse, her eidolon was not responding to her call, indicating that she had been transported to a different plane of existence while she slept.

Frustrated, she shouted, "Whoever summoned me here had better pray to the Seldarine, because when I find you, I'm going to skin you alive!"

As she surveyed the circle, Ash couldn't help but be impressed by its construction. She was a savant when it came to summoning entities, having a perfect accuracy rate, so she knew this circle shouldn't have worked. There were no protections, binding measurements, or even a barrier spell to prevent any summoned creatures from breaking free and wreaking havoc.

Furthermore, there were no command symbols to attempt to control the creature either through force or diplomacy. Any creature, no matter how minor, could have simply snapped their fingers and left or walked away. Even an imp could have flown away or teleported themselves back to the Nine Hells.

Puzzled, Ash mumbled to herself, "How did the summoner do it? They're obviously a novice. There's not even a symbol for a specific creature. Without a proper symbol, this would end up completely random. It could have summoned anything."

As she examined the circle more closely, she realized that, while it was similar to the magic she practiced, there were uncountable different oddities, weird lines, and unfamiliar symbols. This circle and its magic were utterly foreign to her.

Ash took a moment to inhale deeply, and immediately sensed something amiss. "Wild magic," she thought to herself. Despite the poor design of the summoning circle, the sheer amount of wild magic present rendered any minor summoning talent irrelevant. If she didn't know better, she would have mistaken it for the Fey, but there was a discernible difference. She could feel the magic pulsating through the trees; whispers of an unnaturally natural energy.

Outside, she muttered to herself as she walked, surveying her surroundings. She decided to take action and cast Detect Magic in the area. To her surprise, her senses lit up. Everything around her was infused with magic, from the air and rocks to the trees. There was not a single place in the vicinity where magic had not infected the environment.

"The magic here is raw and chaotic. A mere twig from this place could yield enough magic to make thirty health potions," she marveled, taking in the surroundings. "Yet, there's a familiarity to it, like my people could have once lived here." Ash laughed, then cast Detect Magic once more, gradually making her way towards the castle.

Suddenly, she sensed a much stronger, more distinct aura of magic. It was not chaotic like the others, but darker and more ominous. "This could be promising," she thought to herself, intrigued by the possibility of discovering something new. A smile crept onto her face as she headed towards a broken tower, eager to explore this new development.

She ascended the decrepit stairs, eyeing the corroded and collapsing structure warily. It appeared as though it could fall apart at any moment. However, as a seasoned magic user, she could sense that this place had been reinforced by magic, making the chance of it falling apart as likely as Lolth apologizing and leading her people back to the proper path.

As she surveyed the area, it became evident that most of the damage was wrought by the elements and the passage of time. The forest had reclaimed the building, suggesting that the inhabitants were forced out before they could repair it and regain control of the area.

Reaching the top of the stairs, she encountered a narrow hallway leading to two large doors at the end. The malevolence emanating from behind the doors was weak outside, but now it felt stronger. Although it wasn't enough to put her in immediate danger, she was still on her guard. Without her summon, she may not be as powerful, but she was certainly no weakling. She strode confidently down the hallway towards the doors.

Opening the door, she found herself in a grand throne room, a stark contrast to the dilapidated state of the rest of the castle. The room seemed to have been preserved, with the two thrones still standing tall and proud. Broken windows and torn banners littered the floor, and an odd-looking device rested in the middle of the room. As she looked around the room through her monocle, she could tell that great sources of magic had been used here.

Ash approached the thrones, seeing stronger traces of the corrupting magic that she had sensed earlier, intermingled with a third, almost celestial magic that seemed unfamiliar to her. The combination of these energies was unsettling, and she could feel a sense of curiosity growing within her.

As she investigated the area, she followed the scorch marks on the ground, leading her to the spot where the largest concentration of the celestial-like magic had been used. The area was marked with a clear impact point, and the ground around it was blackened from the intense heat. A faint trace of tainted magic could be felt in the area around the wall, but her attention was drawn to a corner of the room where the bulk of the corrupted magic seemed to be emanating from.

As she approached the corner, she moved a nearby object; a helmet with a moon-shaped symbol on it. Ash immediately realized that this was the source of the malevolent energy in the room.

She reached for the helmet, but was hit with a powerful force trying to invade her mind. Thankfully, her trusty Ring of Mind-Shielding activated, blocking the intrusion and protecting her from harm. "I see you have a little bite in you. Luckily, I always keep my ring on me. Worth every penny for its sealing abilities," I muttered to myself.

Despite the failed invasion attempt, she could sense that the helmet was still trying to communicate with her. Instead of using force, it began to send untapped and unfiltered emotions her way. Anger, hatred, and spite, all wrapped up in a deep sense of fear. Ash realized that whatever this object was trying to tell her, it must be of great importance for it to risk incurring the wrath of a summoner by trying to enter her mind forcefully.

With a newfound respect for the power of the helmet, she carefully picked it up, ready to uncover the secrets it held within.

Ash strode back through the room with purpose, placing the helmet in the center. She rummaged through her bag and retrieved a handful of magic-infused chalk. With precise strokes, she outlined a circle around the helmet, followed by a second and a third circle for good measure. As she drew, she added intricate symbols and runes that pulsed with power.

Once the magic circles were complete, Ash reached for three candles, each a different color: black, white, and green. She arranged them in a pyramid shape within the circles. "It's been a while since I've had to draw a physical circle," she mused, "but I want to make a strong impression on this creature and show it who's boss from the start. If it were a celestial being, I might be a bit more lenient, but this abomination deserves the highest level of care.”

With utmost caution, Ash extended her hand into the circle and placed it on the helmet. As she did so, she opened her mind to the creature's voice, ready for whatever it may say.

"You… You foolish fool! What have you done?! Do you have any idea what you have just done, you fool?!"

The woman could hear the voice of whatever aberration inhabited the helm in her head and feel her anger. "I did not do anything except find this helmet, in which you seem to be trapped," she replied.

"You… You have found me? Is this a trick of some sort? I… I…" The feeling of horror and shock went through Ash's body. "What are you playing at, fool?" growled the voice. "What do you want from me?"

Ash allowed a little bit of mirth to go through her mind, knowing that the other creature could tell. "A creature that likes going straight to the point. I like it. I am down a familiar, and I need a new one. I was thinking that you are perfect for that spot."

She could feel resentment coming from the creature before she spoke. "A familiar? A familiar?! A familiar! You expect me to just be okay with such a position? You wish me to be below you, at your beck and call? I am the night! I am Nightmare Moon! The rightful ruler of Equestria!"

The half-elf took a deep breath and focused on the magical circle before her. She raised her hand, and with the helmet as a conduit, she began to chant the incantation.

The three candles flickered, casting eerie shadows on the walls. They sputtered, almost exploding and sending hot wax flying in all directions. The elf closed her eyes, bracing herself for what was to come.

When the smoke cleared, there stood Nightmare Moon. Ash gasped in awe at the sight before her.

Nightmare Moon was a beautiful woman with long, flowing black hair that resembled a river of darkness. Her mane was adorned with tiny sparkling stars that seemed to dance around her. But what truly caught the half-elf's attention was the unicorn horn protruding from Nightmare Moon's forehead.

Nightmare Moon's armor was simple, yet striking; crafted from gleaming silver and adorned with a single, bold crescent moon at its center. But it was her eyes that truly mesmerized the half-elven woman; they were slitted like a feline's, yet carried a divine depth that seemed to penetrate the very soul. They were the kind of eyes that could leave one spellbound, enraptured in their gaze.

"What? How? How did you…" Nightmare Moon started to say, but was interrupted by her own evil laughter as she looked at her newly reformed body. "You are a foolish creature. You have summoned me, Nightmare Moon, and now the night will last forever," she cackled with a smile.

Nightmare Moon pushed her hand towards the moon to use her magic, but nothing happened.

Ash raised her eyebrows. "The creatures here must be pretty uneducated on summoning creatures," she said, pointing down to the ground.

Nightmare Moon looked at the woman in confusion. "What did you do? Why can't I use my magic?!" she demanded.

Ash smirked at the question. "Because I am a proper summoner, and I made sure that as long as you're in the circle, you're pretty much useless, magic-wise. I also reinforced it to account for your power, or rather, your expected power. It's not like I had a book on you or anything. If I had to give you a rank or grade, you would be classified as a class A abomination."

Nightmare Moon struck at the barrier with all her strength. "Do not call me an abomination!" she growled.

Ash raised an eyebrow in response. "That's what you would be classified as, but you do have me curious. I can tell you have some kind of power of divine class, something you should not have naturally. Tell me, who was foolish enough to give it to you? If I had to guess, a divine child playing with forces they could not yet understand."

Nightmare Moon tried to resist the magical binding with all her might, expending all the magic she had in an attempt to break free. "You cannot do this! I am Nightmare Moon; the terror in the night, destroyer of the sun!!" she yelled as she struggled. Despite her power, the magical constructs continued to wrap around her soul, slowly taking control of her.

"Stop! I will kill you! I will destroy you!!" she screamed, hitting against the barrier with all her might. The panic only grew as the binding spell crept deeper into her core. "Please, stop!" she begged, her strength fading fast. Eventually, she was on the verge of falling, softly banging against the barrier as she struggled to hold on. In that moment, Nightmare Moon realized that she was no match for Ash’s powerful foreign magic.

Ash didn’t feel good when she did this to creatures, but she knew how important it was to show dominance if you wanted to tame them properly.

"You will allow me access to your memories." Ash completed the spell, still holding her grasp over Nightmare Moon's spirit. Nightmare Moon stared at her with a look of apprehension and hatred, but allowed her access.

Ash used her magic to sift through Nightmare Moon's memories. Ten minutes went by, but to Ash, it felt like she had lived several lifetimes. She opened her eyes and gazed at Nightmare Moon. "I see. I can grant your wish."

Nightmare Moon looked surprised. “You can?”

Ash nodded. "As part of our new bond, I'll give you a true name. Your new name is Neoma, meaning “New Moon.”"

Ash pulled out a dagger, cut her finger, and placed her hand past the protection circle. "I am not like your original summoner. I won't betray you. If you promise to serve me, we will be partners. You will not be my slave; we will help each other achieve our goals. "

Neoma hesitated to take Ash's hand. She began to see memories that were not hers, as Ash allowed her access to her mind.

She saw a different world with different wonders, monsters, magic, and gods. She saw a crying child turn into a young woman and then an angry teenager before becoming a fine adult. Before she opened her eyes, Ash saw the same woman putting her hand out.

Neoma slowly reached out, pausing and pulling away with apprehension, then grabbed Ash's hand, accepting the offer. She felt their bond, along with an unknown magic flowing through her body. The traces of Luna's magic dissipated from Neoma, and she could feel a brand new one coursing through her body.

An explosion of light revealed a small girl with cat-like eyes wearing a white dress with a small horn and tiny bat wings. Neoma looked at her childlike body with curiosity and concern. "What happened to my body?"

"You won't be like that for long,” Ash assured her. “Your first evolution should begin soon. As our bond increases, you'll grow even more powerful." She gave the new creature a smile, excited to see what Neoma would become.

Neoma felt a rush of anticipation at the prospect of evolving and growing even stronger. She followed Ash closely, ready to help her with their shared mission. "Let's track down those who summoned you," Neoma said, her voice filled with determination. "We’ll make them pay for what they've done."

Ash laughed at her new companion’s excitement. "Yes, we'll punish their rookie mistake."