It had been happening for quite some time. She'd have dreams of being enclosed in a black box and wake up feeling tight and uncomfortable. When she went on promenades she found herself feeling lonely and desperate. Like nopony cared for her. Not that she cared for anypony else, not any more. Her friends had turned into stone walls, keeping her inside with a feeling of shut down. It was strange.

   Twilight Sparkle is disappearing... She thought to herself. Something else is pushing her aside. She had the urge to spend time alone every second without those stone walls that locked her inside. She needed answers for her strange behaviour. I cannot consult Celestia or Luna, they'd just laugh at my face. Discord wouldn't help at all. Cadence would tell to the Princesses. So who else could share their knowledge with me... She thought day and night and finally a small spark of an idea came to her. Of course! But I must keep it a secret...

   It was quite an easy spell, nothing too advanced for her. "I just hope this works." She muttered as she lay down. A feeling of drowsiness took her into its grasp and soon she was sleeping, dreaming, having nightmares.

   "Thought so." Came a cold deep voice from the blackness. "It's happening isn't it, Princess?" Sombra whispered close to Twilight's ear which flicked in annoyance.

   "I don't know what you're talking about." Twilight Sparkle lifted her chin up. "I just came for a few answers."

  "Oh, so you haven't been feeling a little, strange, lately?" The King of Shadows murmured. Twilight responded in flopping her ears and looking down. Sombra laughed.

   "I just want to know why... Twilight whimpered.

   "I left a fragment of myself behind. You are cursed Twilight Sparkle.

   "No! That can't be true!" Twilight lifted a hoof and looked around, as if there was an escape route somewhere. Obviously there wasn't.

   "Face it, Sparkle, you will become what you are destined to. A menaced spirit of despair and thirst for blood." The King rolls his eyes.

   Twilight was breathing heavily and was bowed down and flinching like she was being shocked. Purple smoke floated up from her eyes and her breaths were raspy. "I'm surprised Twilight Sparkle. Your reaction was quite small.

   She looked up still taking raspy breaths and with purple smoke coming from her eyes. Her coat was cracking and blackness was coloring it. "Twilight Sparkle..." She took a raspy breath, "is no-more... There is only I, the Queen of Shadows, Bleeding Spell...

   Clatter had been coming from upstairs since Twilight had gone to bed surprisingly early. Spike had finished dusting the shelves and was moving on to the dishes but a loud mumble made him stop. He made out a name that made chills go down his spine, Bleeding Spell. A name that had belonged to a queen way back in time. He walked upstairs watching his step as if a trap would be unlocked if he made one wrong move. He reached the top floor and saw Twilight flinching and shaking all over. Her coat was cracking and she was laughing, coldly and cruelly but still laughing.

   "Twilight? Is everything okay?" Spike asked although he knew that nothing was okay. He backed away to the wall. Twilight turned and looked at Spike with a green eye, purple smoke was rising from her eyes and she was smiling a psych smile. Her coat was a darker more black purple and she lifted her brows in a corky way.

   "What's the matter Spike? Aren't we all friends here?" She laughed. Spike slowly moved towards the stairs which made Twilight laugh more.

   "Who are you? What did you do to Twilight?" Spike questioned trying to make a brave face.

   "Can't you see? I am Twilight, this is the true Twilight the one that should have ruled all along!" Twilight lifted her fore hooves and stomped the onto the ground with splinters of crystal flowing everywhere.

   "B-but Twilight... Isn't like this!" Spike shouted.

   "My name is Bleeding Spell!" She screamed smashing the floor hard.

   That was the last straw, Spike ran down the stairs as if his life depended on those steps. It did. He didn't have enough time to do anything, he just bashed out of the door heading towards the ville's centre. Just find somepony. He thought. Anypony! Twilight's laugh still echoed in his head. Her eyes still burned in his mind. No, not Twilight. Bleeding Spell. He shivered. The first house that he thought of was Rarity's house, obviously. He reached the Carousel Boutique tired and out of breath. No time to be polite, he had to get inside as quickly as possible.

   The door banged open even before he had time to put his hand on it. Spike jumped back from surprise. "Come out thief! I saw you from the window!" Came Sweetie Belle's enthusiastic voice.

   "Sweetie there's no time! Where's Rarity?" Spike gasped for air.

   "She said she needs 'beauty sleep'." Sweetie Belle rolled her eyes mocking Rarity's voice.

   "But it's important! There's something wrong with Twilight!" Spike waved his arms frantically.

   "Say what!?!" Sweetie lifted her brow but let Spike in. "I'll go wake Rarity!" She ran upstairs. Minutes later an angered cry was heard:

   "Sweetie Belle! What have I said about waking me?" A small mumbled reply that Spike couldn't make sense of came as a reply.

   "Spikey's here? Something is wrong with Twilight? Oh my..." A loud crash was heard. Moments after the sound came Sweetie's excited voice:

   "Whee! Let's go save Princess Twilight!" Sweetie stumbled downstairs full of excitement.

   "But it's not something ordinary. Something has.. Overtaken her." He mumbled worried and tired. Sweetie looked confused but before she could make an impulsif decision, Rarity had galloped downstairs and taken held of her with her blue aura.

   "Young lady, you will not go crash into the castle without knowing what lays ahead. Twilight seems to have... Changed." Rarity commanded setting Sweetie down in the her work room and locking the door. "Safety darling." She called out to her raging sister in the other end of the door.

   "I don't think we should go in the castle. Twilight is not herself. She is corrupted by some sort of spell." Rarity nodded.

   "We can't just wait for her to find herself in that maze. She needs help. And sometimes Spike, help is all we can offer." Rarity put her hoof on his shoulder. "Sometimes, we need others by our side too." Next Chapter: Chapter I Estimated time remaining: 5 Minutes