Death in the Dark

Luna and Celestia waited for the dark figure to reply. Instead of say anything it looked at each of the princess' personal guards, first the two moon stallions Luna had brought with her and then at Celestia's two sun stallions, then finally back at Luna. Luna felt a chill run down her spine as she stared into those terrible eyes, but they weren't hateful they were worried.

"Dark times are coming." Luna and Celestia both took a step back, this creature's voice was unlike anything they had ever heard, neither male nor female, but a thousand voices of both male and female of every age and accent imaginable that spoke all at once, and the voice itself didn't come directly from the cloaked figure, but from everywhere at the same time, not merely as if a crowd stood around her, but also inside her. Luna felt tears running down her cheeks, she was absolutely terrified, this kind of magic was unknown to her, but it was clearly far more powerful than anything that should exist. Luna looked to her sister for help, but Celestia was in just as terrified a state as Luna. Summoning all her courage she again addressed the cloaked figure.

"What dost thou mean by dark times?" She asked. The figure once again looked at each of the guards and then back at Luna, without warning the red glow of it's eyes intensified, Luna felt a massive increase in magical energy, so powerful it almost knocked her over.

'Impossible...' she thought, she had been sure the creature was using absolutely all its power before when she had first felt it's presence, but now it seemed she was severely mistaken. Luna looked to her sister, who looked back at her with the same fear in her eyes. Suddenly it's eye's went back to normal and the magic in the air was back to the strength it had been when they had entered the crater. Luna's eye's were locked onto those of the figure and although she wanted to she just couldn't look away, that was until she heard a thud to her right and then again and two more to her left. She quickly looked around to locate the source of the noise, what she saw were her moon guards lifeless bodies lying on the floor beside her turning to her left she saw that the other two thuds had been Celestia's guards. She leaned down and scanned her guard, but could find no trace of magic left behind from the creatures spell.

"This is impossible..." she heard her sister whisper.

"What is the meaning of this!" Luna cried out unable to stop herself.

"But dear princess, it said jestingly "You wished to know of the dark times, did you not?"

"Then is it you who shall bring darkness upon Equestria?"

"No."

Luna was taken aback "No? B-b-but if not then why cause four innocent deaths? HOW IS THIS SUPPOSED TO TELL US WHAT IS TO COME!!!" Tears cascaded down her cheeks, she was furious, Luna didn't care if this being was far more powerful than her, those guards had been the closest thing she had to friends and she couldn't stand that this cloaked monster just took them away from her simply because it could. The creature hadn't expected that outburst and Luna could see in it's eyes that it was clearly surprised, emboldened by this she took a few steps forward and yelled at it again.

"HOW IS THIS SUPPOSED TO HELP!?!"

"Watch..." It said it's voice now so dark that even the temperature seemed to drop, instantly regretting what she had done Luna held her head low and backed away. As Luna backed away the creature started to disappear becoming evermore transparent by the second. Before it was completely gone it repeated itself "Watch." it said and then it was gone, but the voice still echoed through the cold air for a few more moments and then it too faded.

Luna stared blankly at the spot the hooded creature had been, unsure what to do next.

"Arghhh." Luna jumped at the grunting, she spun to her right and stared in shock as one of her guards started coming to, shrieking she backed away from him, Celestia looked over to see what her sister was screaming about and soon joined suit as all the guards started coming too.

"Sister?" Luna whimpered.

"Y-y-yes Luna?"

"Dost thou believe in the old tales of the undead?"

Celestia looked from guard to guard, they'd all come to now and were staring at the princess' with what was clearly confusion.

"Stand back!" Celestia said to the guards, the confused expressions turned into worry and the guards started looking themselves over to see what about them was scaring their princesses so much.

"What is wrong with us your majesties?" one of Luna's guards asked.

"Thou dost not know?" Luna asked in shock

"No Princess Luna."

"Thou was stone cold dead a mere minute ago! How could thou possibly not know?"

It was one of Celestia's guards that spoke up next "I remember it your majesty, but I thought I had been knocked out and it was only a dream. Are you sure we were dead?"

"Wait," Celestia said "What exactly do you remember?"

"Well, I suddenly felt different for and when I looked to my right I saw all the other guards floating above their bodies I looked down and I saw the same was true for me, and then I alerted the other  guards of the situation."

"Yes" Luna's guard spoke up "I remember the same thing your majesties, but I too thought it was a dream." Luna and Celestia were worried, these guards had been dead and no magic either knew of could simply undo death, "Is that all you remember?" Celestia asked.

"I remember princess Luna shouting your majesty," one of the lunar guards replied, "Once the hooded figure left I remember getting this sudden urge to touch my body and when I did I was sucked back into it."

"Did that happen to all of you?" Celestia asked and each and everyone of the guards nodded.

"Alright then, I'd like you to all group together so I can scan you to see if anything is wrong with you." The guards immediately moved into a group and Celestia's horn started to glow like the sun, the glow enveloped the guards and for a full ten minutes the sun goddess scanned them. Cutting of the magic she looked to her sister and smiled "They are in perfect health there is absolutely nothing wrong."

Luna couldn't help but squeal with joy and in an instant she was hugging both of her stunned guards. Celestia gave a little laugh, her sister still had a lot to learn about acting properly. "Guards." Celestia said getting the attention of all the guards instantly, including those in Luna's vice-like embrace. "Go home you are all dismissed for the week." Celestia's guards saluted, and Luna's replied with a nod, giving them one last squeeze Luna let go of her guards who proceeded to follow the others out of the crater.

"Something is very wrong." Celestia said.

Luna looked at her sister, suddenly remembering exactly why she had been so happy to see her guards.

"We agree sister. That being was far too powerful and we feel that it was only showing us the tiniest bit of it's true power."

Celestia looked grim as she nodded.

"I scanned my guards and whatever that thing was it killed them, but there was no magical residue, which is impossible."

"So is being able to re-enter one's body after death," Luna said "Whatever it was sister it still is."

Celestia looked at her sister in shock. "Whatever do you mean Luna?"

"We still feel it, not nearly as strongly as before and we cannot say where it is, but we still feel it's power out in Equestria somewhere."

"I'm not surprised," Celestia said "I doubt this is the last time we'll see it."

The princess of the sun and the princess of the moon looked at each other with heavy hearts, slowly they took to the air and flew back to Canterlot.