Luna awoke to pain, unlike anything she had experienced in centuries—a deep, relentless throbbing that echoed within her skull, each pulse reverberating like thunder through her temples. It felt as if her head were trapped in a vice, the unbearable pressure crushing her thoughts before they could fully form. The weight of her own body was alien, oppressive; her head dragged her downward as though bound to the earth by unseen chains, while the rest of her body felt unmoored, floating, as if it existed apart from her.
Her stomach churned violently, nausea coiling like a serpent in her gut. A groan escaped her lips, a pitiful sound that seemed to hang in the thick, suffocating silence. Her senses felt dulled, wrapped in a fog that refused to clear. Even the act of opening her eyes was an ordeal as if her very eyelids were weighed down by some cruel force.
For a fleeting moment, she thought perhaps she was dreaming. Surely this crushing discomfort, this muddled haze, could only exist in the realm of nightmares.
She forced her eyes open, blinking sluggishly into the void. Darkness stretched in every direction, oppressive and absolute, the kind that swallowed not just light but hope itself. It was the kind of darkness that clung to the skin, burrowing deep, filling her with an instinctual unease. The air was unnervingly still, lacking the faintest hint of movement or warmth. No familiar fragrances of lavender and moonlit dew reached her nose. This was not her chamber.
She wondered idly what images her mind was conjuring. Few of her dreams started like this, and fewer were Nightmares. Whatever might be the case, her body probably was in pain because of illness. She had been exploring the surrounding forests and hills for a week now. Celestia will take care of the moon should she not wake in time.
The thought of her sister brought a sliver of comfort. Surely Celestia would have noticed if something was amiss. Her sister was always vigilant, always watching over her. If she had fallen ill, Celestia would have taken charge, lowered the sun, and ensured Luna was safely tended to.
Reassured by the thought, Luna allowed herself a moment to breathe, her muscles relaxing ever so slightly. She let her head tilt downward again, hoping rest might bring clarity—
—and froze.
Her head met not the silken softness of her pillow but a hard, jagged surface, its sharp edges pressing painfully against her skin. Icy cold seeped through her fur, a chilling bite that made her recoil instinctively. Her breath hitched, and her heart began to race in earnest. This was not her bed. This was not her chamber. She should not feel what her real body was not feeling…unless she was awake…or she was in that memory.
She tried to rise, but her body would not obey her. Something held her down. With growing panic, she strained against the unseen force, her muscles trembling with effort. A sudden metallic clink echoed through the void, the sound harsh and jarring against the oppressive silence. Luna’s eyes darted downward, and she felt her stomach plummet.
Chains.
Thick, heavy chains coiled around her abdomen like serpents, pinning her wings mercilessly against her sides. The cold metal bit into her flesh with every movement. Her breath quickened, shallow gasps escaping her as she struggled against them, her body writhing in desperation.
“No…” she whispered, her voice trembling with disbelief. “No, this cannot be…”
The words barely reached her own ears, swallowed by the weight of the darkness around her. She pulled harder, her muscles straining against the unyielding metal. The chains refused to give, their grip as merciless as the void itself.
Panic surged like a tidal wave, drowning out the last remnants of reason. She reached for her magic, the vast, celestial wellspring that had been her constant companion for millennia. But when she called for it, she felt… nothing. Not the comforting surge of power, not the familiar hum of energy coursing through her. Just a cold, empty void.
Her heart sank, a terrible chill seeping into her very soul. Her magic had been silenced and severed, leaving her more vulnerable than she had ever been.
Her breathing grew ragged, shallow gasps breaking the silence as the weight of her predicament pressed down on her. Fear began to worm its way into her thoughts, bringing with it memories she had buried deep in hopes of forgetting. This couldn’t be real. It could not be real. Her lips moved silently, forming words she dared not voice aloud. I am not back on the Moon… I am not! She repeated the words like a mantra, held onto it like a lifeline, and to her, it might as well have been. This was too real, this can't Be, it cannot be true.
A sound broke through her spiral of fear.
Laughter.
It began softly, a low and sinister chuckle that seemed to rise from the very walls of the void around her. The sound carried with it an unmistakable malice, its cruel edge slicing through the silence like a blade. Luna’s ears swivelled sharply, her head jerking toward the source, though her vision revealed only the endless darkness.
Then, the laughter grew louder, multiplying. What began as a single voice now became a chorus, layered and discordant, echoing from every direction. Each laugh was different—some sharp and mocking, others guttural and chilling—but together they created a cacophony of cruel mirth that pressed against her like a physical force.
“Who’s there?” Luna demanded, her voice breaking the oppressive symphony of laughter. She tried to imbue her words with authority, but her trembling tone betrayed her fear. She felt her breath falter as the panic from earlier refused to release its grip.
The laughter continued, unabated, as if mocking her very question. Her wings twitched beneath the crushing weight of the chains, desperate to flare out in defiance, but they were bound too tightly. A shiver ran down her spine as she turned her head, scanning the void for any sign of movement, any flicker of light amidst the suffocating black.
Then, it began.
While The darkness offered no verbal reply.
Instead, it blinked.
From the darkness, pinpricks of light began to appear—small, cold blue orbs that blinked into existence pair by pair. They hovered in the air, glowing faintly, their eerie radiance casting a dim, sickly light that barely illuminated their surroundings. Luna’s heart leapt into her throat as the orbs multiplied rapidly, spreading across the void like stars in a corrupted sky.
Eyes.
Hundreds of them. No—thousands. Unblinking, unfeeling, they fixed their cold, unwavering gaze upon her, their collective presence suffocating in its intensity. They seemed to pierce through her, stripping her bare, exposing every weakness, every shadowed corner of her mind.
Luna’s throat tightened, her breathing shallow and rapid. “Show yourselves!” she commanded, forcing the words past her rising panic. Her voice echoed through the vast chamber, defiant yet laced with a tremor she couldn’t suppress.
The eyes did not answer.
Instead, they began to move. Slowly, almost imperceptibly at first, the vast constellation of glowing orbs shifted, their movements unnervingly coordinated. The mass of blue eyes parted, creating a dark, narrow path that stretched endlessly before her. Luna’s muscles tensed, her instincts screaming at her to prepare for what was coming, though she was utterly powerless to resist.
From the heart of the darkness, a new pair of eyes emerged.
These eyes were different—larger, more menacing, and glowing with a venomous green light. Slitted pupils cut through their toxic brilliance, narrowing as they fixed upon her with a predatory intensity. The moment they appeared, the laughter ceased, replaced by a heavy, dreadful silence that pressed against Luna like a vice.
The figure moved toward her with deliberate steps, the sound of its approach sharp and echoing in the stillness. Each footfall rang out like a tolling bell, and as the creature drew closer, its form began to take shape.
“Good evening, Princess,” the voice hissed, smooth as silk but dripping with condescension and hatred. Why? Luna did not know, and she wasn't privy to finding out.
Luna’s jaw clenched as she forced herself to meet the creature’s gaze. “Who are you? What is the meaning of this?” she demanded, her tone sharper now, steeled by the anger bubbling beneath her fear.
The figure chuckled, the sound low and rich with dark amusement. “Ah, so the mighty Princess of the Night still has her fire,” it purred. “How delightful. It will make breaking you all the more satisfying. Nonetheless, perhaps you'd like to see?”
With a flick of its head—or so it seemed by the subtle movement of its glowing eyes—the surrounding blue orbs flared brighter. A sickly green light blossomed from the horns of the creatures that surrounded her, casting the chamber into an eerie, flickering glow.
The sight that greeted her was enough to make her breath catch.
The void was no longer empty but a cavern—vast and sprawling, its jagged walls covered in dark, glistening resin that reflected the sickly light. The air hummed faintly, an oppressive vibration created by the countless wings that now buzzed faintly in unison.
Changelings.
She remembered them mentioned in the history books her sister gave her, Celestia even gave her personal account of what happened. Luna felt sicker than before. Was this the threat they had been informed about?
The cavern was filled with them—an entire swarm, their black, chitinous bodies gleaming like polished obsidian. They clung to the walls and ceilings, their hollow, hungry eyes fixed on her with unsettling uniformity.
And at the centre of it all stood their queen.
She was a grotesque figure of regal malice, her tall, spindly form riddled with holes that gave her an almost skeletal appearance. Her twisted horn spiralled upward like a jagged spear, and her mane—thin and stringy like seaweed—hung limply around her angular face. Her sharp, fang-like teeth glinted in the dim light as she smirked, her expression one of cruel satisfaction.
“I am Queen Chrysalis,” she announced, her voice echoing through the cavern, dripping with arrogance. “Ruler of the Changelings. Devourer of love. Conqueror of kingdoms.”
Her glowing green eyes narrowed, her smile widening as she stepped closer to Luna. “You may not know me yet, dear Princess of the Night, but rest assured—your sister does,” her smile faltered and turned into a sneer “and so does your niece. It was only fitting that I introduce myself to the final member of the royal family.
The mention of Celestia and Cadance sent a spark of rage surging through Luna, momentarily quelling her fear. “What have you done with them?” she snapped, her voice rising. “If you’ve harmed them, I hereby swear—”
Chrysalis laughed, a cruel, hissing sound that silenced Luna mid-sentence. “Oh, my dear, sweet Luna,” she purred, her tone mockingly sweet. “You are in no position to make threats. Look at you—bound, broken, powerless. A far cry from the mighty alicorn who once ruled the night.”
Luna’s chains groaned as she strained against them, fury flashing in her eyes. “You will regret this, and do watch your tongue!” she hissed, her voice low and venomous.
Chrysalis leaned closer, her smile widening. “Oh, I do hope so,” she whispered, her tone dripping with malice. “But first, let us see how long you can cling to that defiance… before we swallow you whole.”
Luna glared defiantly at Chrysalis, her icy blue eyes ablaze with fury despite the crushing weight of her chains. She would not cower—not to this creature, nor to the swarm of changelings whose buzzing wings and glowing eyes suffocated the cavern. Though her magic was severed and her body bound, her resolve burned fiercely, a beacon against the encroaching despair.
“You underestimate me,” Luna spat, her voice cutting through the stagnant air. “Do you think chains and changelings will break me? Do you truly believe I have not faced worse than you?”
Chrysalis chuckled darkly, her serpentine tongue flicking out as she leaned closer, her luminous green eyes filling Luna’s vision. The changeling queen radiated malice, her every movement calculated to unsettle. Her breath tinged with an acrid sweetness, brushed against Luna’s muzzle as she spoke.
“Perhaps,” Chrysalis purred, her voice silk and venom entwined, “but defiance means little when you are utterly alone. Your power? Stripped. Your allies? Unaware. Not even your sister knows of your whereabouts.”
Luna’s heart twisted at the mention of Celestia, but she refused to let her anguish show. Instead, she lifted her chin, meeting Chrysalis’s predatory gaze with steel of her own. “You are a fool if you believe my sister will not come for me. She will bring the full might of the sun to bear against you and your brood. And when she does, your so-called kingdom will burn to ash.”
Chrysalis recoiled slightly, her slitted pupils narrowing in annoyance. For a moment, her smug demeanour faltered, but it was fleeting. She recovered quickly, her grin twisting into something more cruel.
“Oh, don't worry about that, Princess. We felt the burn of your sister's sun before, and we know how to deal with it now.” She turned sharply, her mane trailing behind her like a tattered banner. “We shall see how long your resolve lasts, Princess. My hive grows hungrier by the hour, and I intend to ensure you… entertain us while we wait.”
As one, the changelings surrounding them hissed in unison, a chilling sound that sent a shiver down Luna’s spine. The low hum of their wings grew louder, a droning chorus that filled the cavern.
“But since you have been such a rude guest, and your family more terrible hosts, I'll allow my dear hive to entertain themselves. I'll see you later princess, a cocoon awaits you, I'll be sure to make it as comfortable as can be for someone of your status,” Chrysalis went silent after that and simply smiled at Luna for a moment before she turned and retreated to wherever she came from. “Get her.” Were the last words that Luna heard.
At her command, the light the changelings brought forth was gone, instead, the sea of eyes closed in around Luna like a living tide. She did not have time to think, or to even prepare for the pain.
The darkness swallowed her scream.
———————————————
Celestia stood in front of her desk, head throbbing still from the clash earlier in the day. The threat of the Changelings is gone from Canterlot, but not over. She mused over the countless papers on her desk that she had to sign before the time of the wedding. Nonetheless, the letter she was reading was a note written by Luna. Informing her that her search party had to divert paths for a lead, and that some herbs have caused her to be under the weather. Celestia idly wondered what Luna's reaction would be once she knows that she missed all the ‘action’.
Nonetheless, she has work to do, news to spread, and a wedding to get back to
‘I'll raise the moon for her today, I suppose. I hope she arrives in time for the wedding though.’
——————————————————————————————
Celestia felt her heart ease up as she heard her sister’s voice, but she was too focused on her niece at the moment. Smiling, happy, and married to the stallion she loved. She couldn’t help but remember the early days when she first found Cadance. On paper she was a niece, but Cadance was a daughter to Celestia, and nothing would have made her happier.
She felt a soft wing spread and cover her back.
Well, perhaps there are things that have made her happier, she simply smiled as she turned to Luna and hugged her.
Luna, Cadance, Twilight, and now Shining Armor. Her family was here, and the sun princess couldn't be happier.
