A chill wind outside howled as it whipped around the opening of the cave. In an odd sort of manner it was soothing somehow. I listened as its fury came in long gusts followed by a few moments of silence before it continued again. Again strange as to why I would have found comfort in such a thing but perhaps it was one of the few comforts I had at the moment. The life that I had forged for years seemed to have been stripped from me in but a moment. All that seemed left was just the wind, and my hollow thoughts.

I continued to hold myself seeming more out of instinct than anything else. While my muscles did stiffen from the cold, my body did not seem to shiver for some reason. I knew that I was indeed cold as I could distantly feel it, but it did not affect me as it did in the past. In turn I sighed as I contemplated what I had become. Was I still alive? As I still seemed to need to breathe would that classify as being alive? Such questions seemed to plague me near endlessly until fatigue crept up in my mind. The only cease to such a torment was when I leaned my head against the cave wall and closed my eyes.

It was not my intention to fall asleep. I had merely attempted to rest my eyes I suppose, but sleep found me either way. The result of which started with chaotic dreams made up of everything that had recently happened. But just when the nightmares became unbearable a soft dark blue light seemed to blanket over them. The uneasiness ebbed away leaving the sound of the soft caresses of the ocean on a beach. Soon those sounds too slowly slipped away, replaced by the sounds of a crackling fire.

My ears quivered for a moment as my mind began to wake up. It was then did I realize that the sounds of a campfire was not merely a dream. With what little will I had I opened my eyes to view my surroundings. The cave that I had crawled into from the cold was a bit different. The opening of said cave now had a dark blue moon and stars tapestry covering the majority of it. Its presence seemed to block out much of the outside chill. In the center of the cave burned a small campfire whose light flickered on the walls of cave while warming me. The last item of note was a dark blue blanket that had been carefully wrapped around me. It looked to be one of the fine blankets from Luna's bed chambers, but I was not certain.

I suppose I should have been either angry or at least surprised as it was obvious that Luna had done all of this while I slept. However, while I was still cross with her and her sister, the burning rage that I had felt before had diminished to embers. Perhaps I had overreacted in the state that I was in. Those two rarely took actions based on little thought so they must have had a reason for doing so. Or at least, they had better have had a reason for doing so for their sake.

But regardless of such as I went to slip back to sleep my eyes glanced over at something that I had overlooked. There seemed to be an object on the exact opposite side of the cave. I had tried to squint at said item but I could not discern what it was due to the flickering campfire. And while I was still was quite exhausted I just could not let my curiosity go unsated. For even in my dreams it would surely drive me to madness. So with a few colorful words I grumbled as I threw off my blanket before standing up. I then stretched, said a few more color words and walked over the item of my intrigue.

Then as I walked closer I noticed that it was a strange looking old tome that had some sort of large seal covering it. However, something was wrong, gravely wrong, but I could not determine what. All I could see was that the runes covering the seal danced, ebbed, and swirled as if trying to reach for something around it. It seemed as its presence in this world was somehow unnatural. But regardless of such I still moved closer as my curiosity drove me forward until I stepped in something.

I tilted my head in puzzlement as I looked at my forehooves. There was a small pool of blood with a rolled up piece of parchment next to it. The scent was unmistakable. It was Luna blood but it looked as if all the vitality had been drained from it. Even the blood on the note had been blackened, as if somehow tainted. A twinge of worry shifted in my mind as I lifted the note with my magic before unfurling it. And so it read as follows, "Words cannot truly express the shame for our transgressions against you dear, Blood Moon. It is in this we beseech your forgiveness for you may not know the full reasoning of our actions. Your mother was a mare without equal in what she had sacrificed and why she had done so. When you are ready, please, I implore you to seek us out. Until then I shall keep your location secret. In closing I had brought you a tome...I...I believe it was meant for you. With our most sincere and heartfelt apology ~Princess Luna The letter had numerous blood spots all over it as if she was writing it with some sort of wound. The only reason for such was a simple written "P.S. I am sorry for the mess, it appears I had slightly injured myself on the journey here. Indeed... yes...it must be that."

My slight hint of worry grew worse as I rolled up the note. While I would deal with the other matters regarding Luna and her sister later, something was more pressing. Luna was obviously lying about the severity of her injury. Her words sounded shaky and unsure which is truly concerning. Luna had never been one to so easily admit when she had become wounded, no matter how grave. So for her to be so unsure of herself was not a good omen. However, there was not much I could do for her at the moment.

'Surely her sister would know what to do' I thought as if attempting to convince myself. But regardless, the previous fact remained truthful, there was little I could do for her. All that remained was to determine what had the ability to wound Luna in such a manner. And so my eyes drifted back to the dark tome that sat not but five paces from me. The tome that seemed to reach for me with some sort feeling of malicious intent.

So in my confusion and concern I said out loud "What are you?" only to receive a chilling response.

A quiet and cold whisper emanated from the seal on the tome, "IIIII...aaaam the guuuuardian...of thisssss...toooome. Nooone shall touch...and lay claaaaim... to itssss forbidden sssssecreeeets...exceeeept..."

When the seal did not finish its sentence I leaned in closer and inquired, "Except? Except who?"

The eerie voice returned again. "Nooooone shaaaallll touch...or laaaaay claaaim...except thooose that waaaalk...in the shaaadowssss betweeeen life...and deeeeath. Thoooose that are liiiiving...and yeeet noooot as moooost...would knoooow," it replied.

A heavy swallow from me proceeded those sickly sounding words. This was not some enchantment that could be called novice quality. Even if one would call such a thing an "enchantment". A more fitting term would be a "Sentient Hex Spell". The act of creating such a horrid thing had been the usual working of madponies. It was forbidden by royal edict to even speak of such a bane against ponykind itself, let alone create one. I had the displeasure of seeing one in action once. It in turn slew a small village and its demented creator before burning itself out. But this current one seemed fundamentally different from that one. It seemed more specialized for lack of a better word in its purpose.

And so I sat staring at the disturbing item in front of me while I mulled over what Luna had written. "I believe it was meant for you hmmm. Why would such an item be meant for me?" I inquired to myself.

Then after about an hour of contemplating as the book laid idly against the wall did I finally made a decision. Now given what the tome's seal had said that it seemed to be created for the sole purpose of keeping all but somepony out. And maybe on the slim chance that somepony was me. I was unsure of such a notion, but against my better judgement I reach over and picked it up.

I held my breath as I held it in my forehooves. Time seemed to slow down as my heart throbbed in my chest. Then after a few seconds nothing had happened. Nothing awful nor doom and gloom emerged in some terrible and awful manner. And for a few moments I had to say that I felt disappointed. But like most of my life I was soon scared beyond all reason when I looked down and realized the seal on the tome was looking right back at me.

In the center of the seal glared a single jet black eye staring at me with a fury and loathing I had never known. A booming hiss emanated from it as it said "NONE SHALL TOUCH!". Then before I could even react four black tendrils shot forth from the edges of the seal and wrapped themselves around my body.

I had struggled against its unnatural strength but it easily pinned me to the ground. It then unleashed a surge of crackling black energy that bathed over me in a relentless wrath. At first I thought I was done for. The great Blood Moon slain not by his enemies, but by an ill-tempered glorified notebook. Any other time I probably would have been quite amused at the current irony as I often enjoyed the company of books over others. However I found it hard to think when I was gasping for breath in a terror fueled panic. But as I continued to struggle the book seemed to stop most of its efforts abruptly.

The seal lifted itself enough to look at a terrified me up and down. And I dare say the expression it wore, if one could call it that, was a look of pure confusion. I had the inkling that it had done this several times in the past, but this time nothing had happened. As if some grand scheme it followed down to the letter had somehow failed to achieve results. In turn it tried bathing me in that cracking black energy again several times in a row, only to grow more confused each time.

After a few minutes of this it let go of me in almost gentle like nature. It even seemed to help me get into a sitting position as it placed itself in my forehooves. At which point I became completely puzzled until I looked upon it. The eye seemed to quiver with joy and yet also a deep sorrow. An inky black tear dripped from one side as a shaking whisper emanated from it.

"Affffter allll these yeeaaaars...all these eeeeendlesssss yeeeearssss...myyyy taaaassssk...is compleeeete...the toooome issss yoouuurrssssss...thaaaank yooou...thaaaaank yoooou...foooor freeeeeeing meeeeeee," the seal whispered in a shaky voice before the eye slowly closed. The last expression it showed to me was a look of peacefulness before it crumbled to dust. What remained of the seal fractured and faded until nothing was left.

For a while I just sat there in silence staring at the dark tome. The being that had attempted to slay me not but a minute ago had been destroyed. And in its final moments it was pleased that I had done so. It was a mystery as to why that poor thing was ever created and forced to an existence of torment. In turn with little else to do I said a few kind words to it as I snapped open the tome's binding clasp.

The cover was heavy as if made of some strange metal and on the back side of it was written as follows,

"At the end of a life
Filled with nothing but strife
A dark deal is written
With one who's been bitten
And when the moon is bright red
Their name shall said
But soon one shall follow
When the first weeps and wallow
And they shall be...

I had a feeling there was more to the eerie poem, but a large blood smear was covering the remaining text. It looked as whoever had written it had attempted to remove said blood spot in vain. But regardless of that, enough was visible to cause me to feel unease. If the words were correct, Luna had been right more than even she probably knew. However, I just buried my feelings as I turned my head to the first page. Which to my amusement, abruptly shown a rather large statement of "BLAST AND DAMNATION! IT REFUSES TO REMOVE ITSELF! AWAY WITH THEE THY FOUL..." and then followed by the small statement of "...Oh dear...tis not my logbook..."

To my further amusement I could have sworn I noticed a faint face print on the page before I continued reading, "I...apologize for my rude outburst dear reader. It seems yours truly hath lost his temper. Perhaps we should start anew, agreed? Grand. First of such explanations is the seal imbued upon this tome. I...I could not let what contains herein to come into possession of something malign. To combat evil one must at times commit an unsavory act. I am not prideful of such actions, but perhaps further on thee could find forgiveness in thy heart."

I purse my lips at what had been written and I cannot say that I agree with their methods. Forgiveness for an act of enslaving something for who knows how long and almost slaying me is difficult at best. But regardless of my feelings I continued reading, "But before I continue my dark ramblings it would be proper to introduce myself. I am Star Swirl the Bearded if I am still remembered as such. And given what the poem that seems to have been written herein I address thee as either Blood Moon or thee other poor soul thus spoken of. To partake in explanations again I was entranced when inscribing it. The result of such is the poem thee spot to thine left and my apparent nose bleed. In addition to add to such strangeness I hath been compelled to scribe this tome for reasons unknown."

My hooves wobbled as my eyes grew to the size of dinner plates. I swallowed hard and felt, dare I say, giddy with excitement. Yes the words were a tad ominous, but I was reading a book by the great Star Swirl the Bearded. A good section of my spells I practiced and used were written by this fantastic fellow. My joyfulness continued until I said to myself "Oh by the stars Twilight would positively drool to get her hooves on this," and then a deep frown crept up on my face.

It seems up until this point I have been distracted by rage, sorrow or both that I had completely forgotten. I had left the palace without so much as a farewell. Twilight was, in all likelihood, worried sick about me. And while I wanted nothing more than to rush to return to her, I knew I was not ready to face everypony yet. I barely knew what I had become as my memory was still foggy from current events. It was my only hope that she would forgive me for my absence.

So with a heavy heart I lifted the dark tome in front of me and continued to read on.

I have been waiting quite a while to write a poem in this story. I suppose I got my wish.