Prologue: Nocturne's Warning
Candles burned in a circle around the alicorn. The shadows in the wall danced around her, creeping about in their own dark ecstasy. The alicorn, Star Struck, glared her solid golden eyes into the darkness in front of her, and began to speak in Latin:
“Omnes Ave Gloriosae Nocte
Venite ad me tua fervida ater
Loquere ad me sine fuga
Iuro enim Nyx ego pugnant”
A shimmering image of a beautiful mare appeared surrounded by darkness. Her gleaming white eyes buried into Star Struck’s soul, leading her to tremble with fear but also excitement. The mare, another alicorn, gleamed at Star Struck’s presence. “You are here. Good, we can begin the ceremony now.” She flashed her black horn at Star Struck’s body.
Star Struck rested herself on the barren rock she had been standing on. Her pregnant stomach was grossly enlarged. She was going into labor right there. The candles flickered and everything went dark. Star Struck took a deep breath and pushed. The black mare watched and helped her. Star Struck looked up at the night sky, tears from the agony in her eyes. Nearby, her husband watched.
Aster was not allowed in any way to participate in this amazing event. Wizards like him were not permitted to participate in any affairs of mares giving birth-only other mares were. To him, it was pure horseshit. He had begged his wife to help her when their child arrived, but she called him a blasphemous old fart.
Aster and Star Struck were a witch-wizard couple of a religious cult hidden in the Everfree forest. The religious cult of witches and wizards was divided by whom they had the most respect for, in Houses, also called Chapels, each belonging to a spiritual deity they, as a cult, believed in-
• Eos, the spirit of the day
• Nyx, the spirit of the night
• Novula, the spirit of creation
• Eris, the spirit of chaos
• Harmonia, the spirit of harmony
Aster and Star Struck were Head Wizard and Head Witch of the House of Nyx. All they basically did was head sermons or songs about how wonderful Nyx was. And oversee training of the witches’ apprentices. Star Struck was heavily devoted to her faith. Aster, however, was not.
Aster hated the orthodox means his wife had taken in this faith. All she talked about was Nyx: “Nyx being supreme ruler” “Nyx is the best spirit ever” and other nonsense. He wished they could talk as a married couple. She never said to him she loved him, at least not since their wedding. She refused to back him up when the elder witches of the House insulted him or called him blasphemous. Okay, maybe Aster didn’t sing to Nyx or pray to her. Still, he spent his time casting spells, reading and researching magic, and all other aspects of witchcraft. He clearly didn’t feel it necessary to sign and dance to the night sky.
Aster watched the black strange mare help his wife and finally withdraw the baby, who let out little, innocent cries. He smiled. Their new child was a filly. She looked absolutely perfect in every way. She had a white blonde mane and her coat was diamond white. And the most exciting feature of hers-her rainbow prism eyes. She was blindingly beautiful.
The black mare studied her. “I suspect much from this young filly…nothing good of her to come, though.” Star Struck looked up at her in shock. “What do you mean, my Lady?” she asked as she cuddled the child in her arms. The black mare looked up from the child and into Star’s eyes. “I warn you…take care of this young filly, or she’ll go down the wrong path.” Aster stepped forward. “When you say the wrong path, it doesn’t necessarily mean the worst path. She might become a military leader. Or a queen. She doesn’t have to be a witch if she doesn’t want to.” The black mare glared at him with mild hatred. “Watch your tongue, Aster. She must become a witch and she will enjoy it.” Aster was about to protest, but held back. Star Struck looked at her daughter warmly. “You will be the best witch in the entire forest…to serve Nyx through and through…”
Aster rolled his eyes. He actually wanted to care for and respect his daughter, not follow his own selfish desires for her to follow. The stallion walked over to his new baby daughter, and licked her on the head. ‘I’ll teach you what’s proper, my dear..you will become what you want to be…’ he thought to himself. ‘I won’t let Star Struck or this mare tell me or you otherwise…’
He left the room. The black mare rose and vanished into the sky-the night, she thought, gleefully, would rise again.
Chapter 1: Shadow's Awakening
White Shadow had awoken to the sounds of the morning hymns outside her hut. The young unicorn was only a filly, but she already knew the language of Latin. Her father had coached her since she began to talk. He had taught her all the basic terms and roots, then upgraded to the real simple words. She was able to say “Hello,” “Goodbye” and “I love you,” now. Aster had never felt this proud in his life. He continued to coach her through her early years. He taught her language, literature, and mathematics and sciences. Her mother had taught her religion, music, and magic. White Shadow grew to love and respect both her parents even more than she already did. By her eighth birthday, she could destroy a tree within seconds while singing a lullaby in Latin. Her parents praised her and continued to teach her.
Aster knew it was a matter of time before White Shadow would become independent, when she became an adolescent mare. He prayed she wouldn’t go down the same religious-stricken path as her ditsy mother. Of course, he tried to spend as much time with her. He stopped continuing his studies to help her with hers. He ignored improving his own magic to help her practice hers. He abandoned his closest friends and family, just to spend time with his daughter.
Soon, Star Struck had stopped making sacrifices for her child. Rather, she’d push White Shadow out of her way and make it so she couldn’t fit time with her in her schedule. Aster was beginning to despise his own wife.
She had become moody, constantly yelling at poor ponies nearby, criticizing them for any flaws they had, major or minor; even her own child and husband. When White Shadow became ten, she had stopped spending time with her mother and spent all of her time with her father. He told her he dreamed of a great future for her, whatever she wanted to be, but she declared, “If there’s one thing I refuse to be, and that’s a bloody witch!” Her father looked stunned by this. “Why is that, Shady?” he had asked. She had looked him in the eyes, and said, “This place bores me, Papa. I dream of exploring the world beyond what our sanctuary holds. I want to be like you-a rebel who‘s willing to run off and start a family. This whole ‘Nyx’ stuff bores the Tartarus out of me.”
Hope had flared through Aster’s body. “That’s my girl!” She wrapped her arms around him and they embraced. Aster kissed her head and nuzzled her, keeping her as close to him as possible. His daughter was the only thing that mattered right now, not his reputation, not his life, not even Star Struck. Aster felt his heart burst with eternal love from his daughter. He loved and ached for her safety; determined to keep her safe and alive until the two of them went to their graves.
Tensions grew between him and his wife, however. Star Struck had completely lost her mind. She babbled so much anything she said was completely incomprehensible. She threw things, screaming angry Latin words that frankly should have been censored even if no-pony understood. She became a conspiracy theorist, suggesting things out in the outside world could taint her faith. Witches grew nervous of her. White Shadow would run away at the first sight of her mother.
Aster was more concerned about his wife than angry. He told Shady to stay far away from her mother as possible. Soon enough, he kept himself and her in his private study miles away from where Star lived and worked. Star’s behavior only began to grow worse.
Shady saw what was happening, but said or did nothing about it. She was only ten. What could she do?
Aster kept them secluded for three months. By the third month, Shady felt misery and loneliness. As for Aster, he himself ached for freedom. However, he needed to keep Shady safe and under a good caring parent. He wanted her to awaken to her life of possibilities, and only he could support her decisions. He made the two of them some soup, but neither one felt hungry. Soon, Aster and shady just spent that day huddled in a blanket on a small, hay-filled mattress.
There was a small knock at the door. Aster frowned. He didn’t expect any-pony to come by his secret study. Maybe it was his sister. Maybe it was an old friend or his old mentor. He opened the door and peeped out. The door thrust open, and an angry Star Struck burst in. She looked over at her terrified husband and child malevolently.
“Salve, fili mi vir.”
