“Once upon a time, in the magical land of Equestria…”

The hidden Lord of Shades read the passage from one of the many books the good nurse had collected for Mica. Out of all of them, Scope and the ever present guard had recommended he start with this one. Since his interrogation by the royal couple, the abyssal horror had devoted his time to gleaming what knowledge he could from the mortal library. Discounting the bias and superstition of the mostly equine authors, the Lurker was able to get a better picture of the world at large as well as who were the power players and their minions. While Equestria and the purportedly immortal Alicorns that ruled it seemed to be the dominant power, they were hardly invincible. Princess Luna’s rebellion some thousand years ago was a testament to that. According to the book he was currently reading, the younger Alicorn grew jealous and resentful in the long shadow of her sister. In her moment of weakness, some ill-defined dark magic corrupted her and transformed her into the wicked Nightmare Moon. The dark Princess had then endeavored to cast down her sister and plunge the world into eternal night.

“Eternal night, hmm?” The Lurker mused as he peeked out his room window at the evening sun. “I'm not sure how well your plan was thought through, Ms. Moon.”

Reading on, the stygian creature learned that Princess Celestia, using powerful artifacts called the 'Elements of Harmony', quelled her fallen sister’s uprising and banished her to the moon. Peace returned to Equestria and Celestia ruled alone for some time. The text suddenly grew prophetic and claimed that after a thousand years of imprisonment, the stars would aid in the night mare’s escape where she would seek vengeance against her sister and the nation that had forsaken her. A recent addendum by the book’s author said that this prediction had come to past but thanks to the efforts of the new Bearers of the Elements of Harmony, the then unicorn Twilight Sparkle and her friends, Equestria was spared a slow, dark death and Celestia was reunited with her purified sister.

“And all this was within the last thousand years.” The void exile thought. “I can barely imagine what all has happened over entire eras.”

While ruminating on the vast gap of time between his exile and return, one part of the prophetic passage jumped out at the ancient apparition.

“Wait a minute, stars?” The stygian monster reread the line and flipped through the rest of the book to find any more references to the stars.

Were they literal? Did they represent an accomplice or benefactor of the jilted sister? Was the author just being dramatic and/or given to poetic prose? These questions remained unanswered as they were not referenced again in the book. The Lurker snapped it shut, frustrated.

“Hmph. Figures.” He grumbled mentally. “Thought I had found one of my old friends.”

“Mica, are you all right?” The kindly nurse poked her head in between the curtains. “I heard a bang.”

“Oh, nothing.” Mica assured her. “Just hit a dead end in a book.”

"Ugh. I hate it when that happens." The pegasus said from outside her room, having apparently convinced Doctor Graft to let him in or just ignoring her. "You think you are on to something and them bang! Like hitting a wall."

"Precisely." Mica agreed as she held up the tome in question to show Scope and placed it back on the cart.

The nurse nodded in understanding as she entered the room fully, a tray of what could pass as food floating behind her.

“I brought you some supper.” She said as she set the tray over Mica’s lap. “I know; ‘hospital food’ but it isn't that bad.”

"I'd offer to share one of my rations but they are not much better." The guard added in an apologetic tone.

Mica looked down at the spread. There was something wrapped in plastic that desperately wanted to be a sandwich, a cup of gelatinous ooze, a ripe apple, and a shot of orange juice. The hollow mare forced a smile onto her face and looked back up to the unicorn.

“I’ll keep that in consideration.” She said through clenched teeth and a fake smile. “Thanks.”

The nurse smiled back as she retrieved a bottle from her uniform pocket. She screwed off the top and tapped out two red pills.

“Doctor Graft instructed me to give you these at your next meal time.” She explained. “They’re supposed to help you sleep.”

“Do I have to?” Mica asked standoffishly.

“Doctor’s orders.” The unicorn said as she levitated the two pills up to Mica’s lips. “Please don’t make me do the train thing.”

“I had planned on taking a shot at the Crystal Heart tonight, but I guess a few hours of slumber first wouldn't hurt.” The Lurker thought.

Mica opened her mouth. The nurse placed the red pills on the back of her tongue and levitated the glass of juice for her to sip. The possessed mare knocked back the drink and swallowed with a refreshed ‘ah’.

“Those should kick in at sunset.” The nurse said with a smile. “I’ll be back for this tray later.”

The unicorn waved goodbye as she left Mica alone again and joined the stallion outside. Without a second thought, the crystal mare dumped the plastic wrapped thing into the trash but decided to keep the apple and gel. She munched on the red fruit as she picked out another book from the cart.

“Hearth’s Warming: The End of the Long Winter and Birth of Equestria.” The possessed mare raised an eyebrow at the long title. “This should be intriguing.”

One thing most of the books she had read had taught her was that the peaceful present nature of Equestria belied a history of strife and conflict. She opened up the tome and skimmed through the pages detailing the story of the first Hearth’s Warming and the history surrounding it. If the old book was to be believed, the land that will become Equestria had just gotten out from under the reign of the Spirit of Disharmony, Discord. His vanquishers, Celestia and Luna, had conceived an idea for a new nation; one built, they claimed, on the foundations of friendship, magic, and harmony. While some had flocked to this new dogma, most were not so eager to submit to the sisters' rule. The land had a history of rulers promising peace and security only for it to turn into just another tyranny or worse, so the mortal’s trepidation was understandable. In time, the fledgling nation was sharing boarders with dozens of other small nations. Most were distinguished by their creed and species such as the militant and steadfast pegasi, the vain yet scholarly unicorns, the hardworking if simple minded earth ponies, and so on. What followed was a period of constant fighting over land, resources, and dominance.

“I’m not surprised.” The Lurker thought. “Without the fear of a common enemy, mortals tend to turn on each other.”

The dark one read on to find that things in the world took a turn for the worst when winter came and stayed. The land became barren and dead, causing the already feuding tribes to fight over the last few fertile plots of land. Resources became so limited that they were literally fighting over rocks in caves. While some called the long winter divine judgement for the mortals petty squabbling, the real cause was discovered by the last remnants of the tribes. Wendigos, icy spirits that fed off of hate, had been attracted to the land by the mortal conflicts and been freezing them alive in order to feast upon them unopposed.

“Ah, I used to keep a stable of these things.” The Lord of Shades mused. “The Fifth, Seventh, and Ninth Hells attracted them like flies so it was just a matter of picking out the ones I wanted.”

Returning to the story, the Lurker learned that only through the power of love and friendship were the early Equestrian’s able to repel the icy fiends and end the Long Winter. While their victory was great, the majority of the tribes had been devastated by years of conflict and winter weather. The survivors banded together and agreed to join the Solar and Lunar Alicorns out of necessity. Thus, the nation of Equestria was born. To this day, the winter holiday of Hearth’s Warming is celebrated to remember the trials of the past and remind future generations of the importance of love, friendship…

“Blah blah blah.” The Lurker rolled his host's eyes.

The possessed pony closed the book as he got to the standard “Equestria is great; everyone else sucks” closing that all the authors had inserted into their works. He slumped back against his pillow as he slurped down the lime flavored gelatin. The sun was just beginning to dip below the horizon and the sleeping pills were starting to take effect.

“It seems that Equestria’s history only goes as far back as the Reign of Discord.” He pontificated in the privacy of his mind. “Everything before that period is referred to as the Dark Ages.”

Mica yawned sleepily as her eyes began to get heavy.

“If Sombra is being truthful, the only records of that time are locked in his hidden archive somewhere in this city.” The Lurker thought. "If he's lying, then I am at a loss."

With a contented sigh, Mica snuggled underneath the covers of her bed and began snoring lightly. With his quest for knowledge at a standstill for the time being, the Lurker decided to follow his host body’s example and drifted into sleep and dreams of a bygone age. Nurse Scope quietly entered the room of the slumbering mare and retrieved the cleaned dinner tray.

“Pleasant dreams, Mica.” She whispered as she backed out of the room.

The slumbering mare muttered something intelligible in her sleep. Outside, the unicorn placed the tray on a table as the guard came up behind her.

"So Mica is asleep and Graft has turned in for the night." He said softly as he draped a fore leg over her withers. "You know what that means."

"Mmmhmm, I do." Scope fluttered her eyelashes as she undid the buttons of her uniform. "Are you ready for your appointment?"

---

Princess Luna stood out on her balcony in the twilight hours of the day, her face set in concentration. Her horn cracked with azure magic as her majestic moon slowly climbed into the sky to take the place of her sister’s setting sun. While transitioning the land from day to night was as routine for the two Alicorns as brushing their teeth, that did not make moving the heavenly bodies any less of a feat. With one last concentrated effort, the pale sphere reached its apex and the last colors of the day disappeared with the sun beneath the horizon. Luna smiled as she went on to her favorite part of her and her sister’s ritual: turning the black canvas of the night sky into a work of art. With practiced ease, the navy Alicorn placed the many stars that formed the multitude of constellations. Scorpio, Cancer, Leo, Celestia stuffing her face , Gemini…

“Luna!” Celestia’s shout cut through her concentration.

The austere Princess did a double take at the scandalous picture in the stars. Quickly, she scattered the offending constellation into a nondescript star field. She could have sworn that she had removed the last of the petty graffiti she had created during her period of insanity.

“Are you trying to tell me something?” The alleged voracious eater called out from her own balcony some distance away.

Luna blushed furiously as she waved to her sister.

“’Twas but a momentary madness, sister.” She shouted, falling back into her antiquated speech out of embarrassment. “We had forgotten that We created that.”

The white Alicorn laughed at her sister's obvious accident. She waved it off showing that she was not angry.

“To be fair, it is no secret that I have a sweet tooth.” Celestia replied in good humor. “Goodnight, Lulu. Be careful in the Dream World.”

“Goodnight, Celly. I will.” Luna bid farewell as the Solar Alicorn went inside her room to retire for the night.

Luna let out a breath she did not know she was holding. For the last few years, she had done all she could to repair the rift between them. Celestia had welcomed her back openly and unconditionally but the former Mare-in-the-Moon still felt a pang of guilt every time her sordid past surfaced. She wanted to be known as Princess Luna, not the mare who once was Nightmare Moon. Her little ponies, at least, paid lip service to this wish but she could still see that look of fear and distrust whenever she met them, particularly from the nobles.

“They were made to be cowed by fear.” Her own voice, as gentle as a whisper yet as venomous as a viper, cooed in her mind.

The Alicorn shook her head violently. That type of thinking was what led to her fall in the first place and she would be damned if she let it happen again. Her mind cleared, the Lunar Princess went back to placing the points of light in the sky, mindful of any more incendiary celestial graffiti. Once she was done, the sky was a veritable panorama of astral designs.

“Beautiful.” Luna smiled in satisfaction at her craft.

Contrary to what she had once so vehemently believed, she was not the only one admiring the night. Across the land below her were speckles of light from windows and campfires; the indicators of the more nocturnally inclined and star gazers. Luna’s smile grew wider. It warmed her heart to have her work appreciated by her little ponies. Still, her duties did not end with bringing the night. There were those who used the dark as a shroud for nefarious deeds and she was determined to stamp them out. As if on cue, the sound of leathery wings flapping greeted her ears. A pair of black shadows dropped down onto the balcony and looked up at her with yellow slitted eyes.

“Your highness.” The thestral captains of the Night Guard bowed in supplication to their matron.

“Night-Captain Vengeance, Knight." Luna nodded to the sister and brother team in turn. "Be at ease."

As much as Luna was the opposite of Celestia, so too were the Night Guards to the Solar Guards. Where the gold armored elite of Canterlot defended against Equestria’s enemies from behind walls, the more aggressive and darkly armored thestrals actively hunted them. Every night since their formation, they have patrolled the cities and wilds of nocturnal Equestria. If there was even a hint of wrong doing, be it a bandit raid or unruly bar patrons, they would descend upon it like a bolt from the heavens and dispense justice with ruthless efficiency. Their brutal tactics made them feared across the land by criminal and citizen alike yet some considered them to be better at defending Equestria than their day time counterparts. Luna was inclined to agree when Celestia was not in earshot.

“Guardians of my night.” She said flatly. “I am sure you have both heard of what has transpired at Crystal Empire by now.”

"We have." The stallion, Knight, nodded solemnly. "A grave loss, to be sure."

“We should have been there.” His sister, Vengeance, sneered. "The night is our jurisdiction yet we were ignored."

Her sibling nodded in agreement. For a reason that the Lunar Alicorn could not fathom, Celestia had declined her offer of sending Night Guards along with the company of Solar Guards to the empire. She suspected that her sister did not want to cause a panic among the skittish crystal ponies by sending the more militant and aggressive thestrals, especially with the ponies happiness powering the Crystal Heart.

“I agree.” Luna said. “But what’s done it done. We cannot change that.”

The bat-ponies begrudgingly agreed.

“We should not let that dissuade us from our duty, however.” Luna continued resolutely. “Tireks, Discords, and Lurkers may rise and fall, but there will always be common scum who prey on the weak and helpless.”

The thestrals hissed and bared their razor sharp teeth at the mention of some of Equestria’s enemies. Luna could tell by the twitching in their bat-like wings that they were eager to begin the nights patrol along with their fellow Night Guards.

"We will make sure their night is filled with terrors." Vengeance spoke for both of them.

“Of course you will." The Lunar Princess smiled. "I have no further orders. Now go and remind these reprobates why they breath easier when the sun rises!”

After a respectful bow, the thestrals Night-Captains spread their leathery wings and launched off the balcony into the night. From the shadowed nooks and crevices of the mountain Canterlot jutted out from, dozens of other bat-ponies emerged from where they had been roosting and joined their leaders. Like shadows, they silently flew across the land to their assigned routs as their matron looked on.

“As always, we guard the night.” She told herself. "It is a vital, if somewhat thankless, task."

Looking over the star strewn sky one last time, the navy Princess returned to her private quarters. It was time to attend to her more soporific duties. She gave a nod of acknowledgement to the four silent thestrals she had picked out to be her personal bodyguards as she approached her queen sized bed. They would watch over her while she roamed the dreamscape. The Lunar Princess kicked and levitated off her accoutrements and climbed onto the bed. The last thing she removed was her tiara; a glossy crown of midnight black that shined in the moonlight. Its owner took a moment to buff out a smear with her foreleg before she placed it on a nightstand beside her bed where it seemed to flash once. Luna then pulled the covers over her and curled up into a sleeping position and shut her eyes. From an outsider’s perspective, it appeared that the navy mare had simply fallen asleep. In truth, she had entered into a meditative state. She waited until all the ambient sounds of the castle and the sensation of the silk sheets on her coat faded away before opening her eyes.

"And here we are." Luna muttered to herself. "A world we all visit but none stay."

The dream strider found herself floating in an infinite limbo surrounded by shimmering spheres depicting scenes from her subject’s dreams. She recognized a few of them: Celestia’s personal paradise of cake, sunshine, and frolicking ponies, Blueblood’s imaginary kingdom with mountains of taxpayer gold and mares of exaggerated proportions and other eclectic fantasies.

“Just another night in Canterlot.” She sighed, her voice echoing across the expanse.

With her only sense of direction being the astral tether anchoring her to her body, Luna oriented herself in what she assumed was north and began gliding across the dreamscape. Getting lost in the Dream World was not something she intended to do. Fortunately, this early in the night, most were not yet fully asleep and the Dream World had only a few windows into their dreams in contrast to the almost labyrinthine field of orbs that were sure to materialize as the night wore on.

“Hopefully Mica is not…what’s the phrase…pulling an all-nighter.” The dreamy Alicorn thought aloud.

As more and more dreams blinked into existence, Luna gave each a passing inspection. Most were rather dull recaps of the dreamer’s day while a few were more fantastical. The Lunar Alicorn was able to spot a prismatic pegasus racing alongside the stunt fliers known as the Wonderbolts. She also noticed a much more muscular version of a certain green and purple dragon rescuing his marshmallow white lady from slavering villains.

“Keep chasing those dreams.” Luna said with a smile. “You’ll catch them someday.”

In time, the nocturnal Princess reached an empty stretch of the field. That usually meant that she was in an unpopulated part of Equestria like the Everfree Forest. She saw one scene of a zebra peddling her wares in what she guessed to be the arid zebra homelands then nothing at all. Despite having done this numerous times, Luna felt a twinge of fear run up her spine as she glided through the featureless nothingness.

“You cannot save them.” The ethereal whisper cut through the silence like a knife.

The Alicorn immediately halted, wings flared and horn ablaze with magic.

“WHO GOES THERE?!” She shouted in her royal Canterlot voice. "SHOW YOURSELF!"

All she heard was her own voice reverberating about the dreamscape. The moon mare scowled. This was not the first time she had heard whispers in the realm of dreams. Maintaining an astral projection for an extended period of time was taxing on the mind and hearing things was just one of the potential side effects. In the silence that followed after, Luna quelled her magic and resumed her journey. She could see the start of more dreams in the distance laid out in a manner similar to the Crystal City which meant she was approaching the Empire and her goal.

“Finally.” The Lunar Alicorn sighed in relief as she reached the new dream field showing crystal ponies. “Now to find Mica.”

She started with the pair of dreams at the highest point in the collection. As she expected, they belonged to the royal couple. Princess Cadenza appeared to be reliving her younger days as Twilight’s foal sitter. Prince-Regent Armor, however, was trapped in a nightmare of his friends and family turning into hyper-stylized versions of some of Equestria’s enemies. Luna felt her stomach churn when Celestia morphed into Discord and Chrysalis burst out of Cadenza like a parasite. She was about to rush in and help the beleaguered stallion when all the villains suddenly melted into a nebulous black vapor. The mist condensed into a towering figure that loomed over the unicorn like an angry god. Luna was just about to reach the dream when the colossal figure slammed a fist the size of a city block down onto Armor. The dream orb flickered and then winked out of existence.

“He must have woken up.” The navy Princess concluded. “I apologize for not being able to help you, captain.”

“You've always been a failure.” The dark whisper returned, using her voice again.

Again, Luna shook it off. She did not know which was worse, the comment or the fact it sounded like her. Making a mental note to check back in with the good Prince-Regent after she was done with Mica, Luna drifted down past a set of normal dreams before stopping before one that caught her attention. Against the colorful and fantastical dreams of the crystal ponies, this one stood out like a bleach stain on a quilt.

“This must be her, I’m sure of it.” The Lunar Alicorn muttered critically as she looked over the comparatively gloomy sphere. "Whatever ails you, poor Mica, I will help you overcome it forthwith!"

Extending a hoof, Luna pressed against the shimmering surface and focused on passing through. Entering dreams was a delicate process. She did not want to alert the sleeper to her presence before getting a feel for the type of dream she was having and how to best approach it, especially if Mica was indeed mentally scarred. The capacity of her subject’s imaginations was not to be underestimated.

“Just a little more…there!” It took a little more effort than normal, but Luna managed to pierce the ethereal veil of the dreary dream.

Blinding light danced across her vision as she made the transit into the world created by the slumbering mare. The sense of directionless weightlessness fell away as the rules of this pseudo reality applied themselves. As her vision cleared, the navy Princess found herself standing within a black marble corridor. Braziers containing pale corpse lights created just enough illumination for her to see but left the high vaulted ceiling in darkness. It was eerily quiet, as if nothing had lived in the structure for eons.

“I don't believe this is the Crystal Empire.” Luna murmured as she studied the monochrome hall and noted the lack of crystalline architecture she associated with the northern civilization. "Mica is a well-traveled mare so perhaps..."

Deciding that the young scholar was likely dreaming of her post-return travels, Luna made her way down the hallway in search of Mica and the nightmares that may be plaguing her. As the clip-clop of her hooves echoed about the empty space, the nocturnal Alicorn could not shake the feeling that something was watching her. She would steal a glance at the many shadows that permeated the massive complex but only found empty corners or decorative ceramics. Eventually, the corridor led to what she could only describe as a narthex with a set of heavy ebony wood doors before her. There were also two armored bipeds armed with tower shields and halberds standing guard on either side of the threshold with more diminutive beings clad in hoods and robes carrying scrolls, tomes and other clerical items to and fro. All of them seemed to ignore the dream-striding Princess.

"What manner of creatures are these? An offshoot of minotaurs or yeti perhaps?" Luna wondered as she tried to pull back the hood of one passing by only for her hoof to phase through it as if it was made of thin air. "What? Ah, this is no fantasy but rather a memory."

While the Realm of Dreams was an ethereal world divorced from the rules that governed the waking world, it did have its own laws albeit with a degree of malleability. One of which was that dreams of a fantastical nature could be interacted with but memorial ones would play out as the dreamer remembered them. Luna was but a spectator in this regard.

"Still begs the question of when and where Mica experienced this." The Lunar Diarch muttered as she looked over the strange creatures for a sigil or emblem that could provide a clue to no avail. "This may not even be her dream which only raises further questions."

Her train of thoughts was derailed by the sound of heavy hoof falls from behind her that broke the otherwise reverent silence. Luna along with the guards and lesser servants all looked down the hall to see a huge equine figure approach them. The Lunar Princess had seen many warriors and fighters in her time but the crimson stallion now stomping toward her was in a class of his own. The brute was clad from cracked and weathered hoof to muscle-corded neck in stylized bronze armor with brass chains wrapped around his torso and upper limbs; if they served as restrains or weapons, Luna could not determine. The clerks scattered away as the white-maned warrior glared at them with fiery eyes save for one that he backed against the doors.

"You know who I am, whelp!" The stallion growled, his voice harsh and heavy. "Announce me!"

"One moment, your lordship." The poor clerk said in a voice barely above a whisper.

"Are they speaking a dialect of Imperial?" The nocturnal Alicorn absently rubbed an ear as one of the guards cracked the doors just enough for the clerk to disappear through. "It sounds like the old tongue of the Academica but... older. "

Like her elder and younger counterparts, Luna had been educated in the languages of the world including a few dead ones. What she was hearing now sounded familiar yet she could not recall any related lessons imparted onto her by Starswirl or any other tutors before or after her return. Complicating matters was the fact that there was a 'delay' between when the two spoke and her understanding them as if a third party was translating for her. Before she could dwell on the matter further, the clerk returned.

"He will see you now." It said nervously.

"As he should." The warrior snorted in ill temper. "Now stand aside."

"If it's a regional dialect, I may be in the Frozen North after all." The navy Princess shelved the language questions and refocused on the scene playing out before her.

Luna followed the crimson warrior through the doors and into a cavernous room. If the entrance was akin to a narthex, then they were now in a nave illuminated by more pale ghost-lights with aisles separated by parallel rows of black marble columns. More of the stoic armored guards stood at each pillar like a statue. None of them moved even as the bronze-clad stallion stomped past. His own gaze was focused on the figures at the end of the grand hall. Continuing the cathedral analogy, the nave ended in a perpendicular transept with smaller doors leading to other parts of the structure. A set of ornate stairs led up to the apse were two thrones stood back lit by three magnificent stain-glass windows depicting scenes and creatures that Luna could not place. Four more armored guards, taller than the rest and adored with black and silver capes, stood at the base of the stairs and on either side of the thrones. One of said thrones stood empty but was adored with pale asphodel and narcissist flowers along with an iron scepter and tiara. The other throne, however, was occupied.

"Morose?" Luna thought she recognized the infamous emperor as both she and the warrior involuntarily slowed their pace as the seated stallion looked at them with sunken, unreflective eyes. "No, not even he was so dour."

Even when seated, the host was easily taller than his crimson visitor. He wore long, heavy robes with dark vestments like those of the ancient bishops. His coat was a pale gray while his mane and neat short beard were pure black as opposed to the warrior's shock of white. By his side was a two-pronged staff that Luna was unsure was a symbol of office, a weapon or trotting aid for the seasoned stallion if not all three. By all accounts, he bore the hallmarks of a wizard but the lack of a horn confounded that conclusion. Luna briefly wondered if that was intentional.

"He wears the accouterments of a cleric but carries himself like a king." The navy mare observed as she glanced from the cup in the pale horse's fetlock to the empty throne. "A king in mourning, perhaps."

Luna stood to one side as the warrior visibly steeled himself and approached the royal. She had to admit she was curious as to what was about to unfold. As this was a memory, she could very well be witnessing a piece of ancient history.

"Welcome, my dear nephew." The seated stallion finally spoke, his tone deep and even. "I was not expecting you this early."

"As much as I enjoy your company, my renowned uncle, I am only visiting today." The warrior trotted the final length of the nave and stopped in the middle of the transept.

"Ah, a family matter." Luna whispered to herself. "And a ruling one at that."

"I do not receive visitors." The dark stallion stated plainly after taking a sip of his drink. "I receive new subjects or petitioners seeking my favor. And as you are not prostrating yourself before me..."

"Astute as always." The crimson stallion remembered his manners and bowed his head but remained standing. "It is true. I do require a boon from you."

"Then by all means." The pale host gestured for his guest to continue. "Do tell."

"I doubt the current crisis has escaped your attention." The bronze-clad warrior prefaced as a servant offered him a plate of asphodels which he refused. "Our dominion is coming apart at the seams and the upstarts are pulling the threads."

"I am well aware." The dark robed king nodded. "There have been disturbances in the border regions but none of them are so bold or foolish as to try anything more."

"Not all the realms are as protected as yours, uncle." The crimson stallion said pointedly. "The Lords and Ladies are too slow to act thus it falls on me to."

"Ah, I see." The seated equine took another sip and held out his cup for an attendant to refill. "You came to me for an army."

"That I have." The crimson stallion actually smiled, a frightful sight of maddened sadism. "With it, I will wage a war on the rebels the likes of which none of us have ever seen! The lands will choke on death! While the rest of our family squabble amongst themselves, I will crush this uprising and secure our rule once and for all. And all the lands that have defied us will be yours for the taking."

There was a period of silence as the pale horse mulled over his nephew's mission. Luna looked at each stallion with a frown. She had been on both sides of rebellion before but what the crimson stallion was suggesting was beyond excessive.

"I only hope the king can see this for the madness it is." She whispered as said king took another sip of his drink. "Such violence would only serve to galvanize the rebels and enamor more to their cause."

"A rather ambitious plan, dear nephew." He answered neutrally. "But I must confess, I know I am not the first you have approached with this proposal."

"Oh?" The warmonger arched an eyebrow.

"As I understand it, you approached my younger brother and gave him the same pitch almost word for word." The dark king said with the slightest edge to his voice. "After he denied you, he sent a message to me asking, no, begging me not to help you."

"Did he now?" The warrior growled past gritted teeth. "I'm not surprised. That short sighted fool saw only the cost to his realm and not the glory and power there is to be had."

"And after the upstarts are put down, what is stopping you from staking your own claim on their lands?" The pale horse questioned. "Better yet, what is stopping you from continuing your campaign into the realms of family?"

"If they cannot defend their holdings..." The crimson horse did not deny his ambition.

"You would invite a war that would doom us all as surely as the upstarts." The king said flatly. "That is your problem, nephew. You do not know when to stop fighting."

"Hmm. That is the right answer but not the thought process I would have used." Luna mused. "Just who is this stallion?"

"At least I AM fighting!" The warrior's amicable facade crumbled as his temper began to boil over. "Our world is bleeding! DYING! Yet you do nothing!"

"Your world." The king corrected to Luna's confusion. "Mine is at peace."

"Y-YOU BLIND OLD DEVIL! HOW MANY MORE OF US MUST PERISH FOR YOU TO ACT?!" The stallion was frothing in a berserker rage as he gestured to the flower-covered throne. "HOW MANY EMPTY THRONES WILL IT TAKE?!"

The mood in the room instantly changed. The already cool air dropped to sub-arctic temperatures as the king's hitherto neutral expression darkened along with his side of the room. The hooded clerks scattered like roaches while the once stoic guards shifted uneasily. The warrior's outrage was quashed like a candle in a hurricane as he realized he had crossed a dangerous line.

"Stars above!" Luna recoiled from the slow black rage that now emanated from the seated stallion.

"Chose your next words with exceptional care." The king delivered the warning with all the weight of a judge condemning a thief.

"A-a thousand apologies, my most beneficent uncle." The cowed warrior said in a much more respectful tone. "I should not have-"

"Yet you did." The pale horse interrupted in an unnervingly even tone. "I am concerned about the unfolding uprising, nephew, but I will not indulge your reckless ambitions. Now begone from my domain."

"I... I shall take my leave." The warmonger acquiesced even as malice tainted his tone. "But before I do, there is one last thing that does concern you."

"Speak quickly." The king said flatly as he signaled for his guards to escort his nephew out.

"My lord father will be holding a council meeting by season's end." He said as the armored bipeds leveled their polearms at him. "He has been advised not to invite you but he may regardless."

"Intriguing." The pale stallion deadpanned. "Safe journey, dear nephew."

"Thank you, uncle." The crimson warrior found it in himself to bow his head. "You have been a most...magnanimous host."

With that, the bronze and brass armored stallion turned his back to the monochrome monarch and stormed out of the room. Luna watched him depart with a smug smirk on her face until the doors closed shut behind him with an authoritative boom.

"Like a spoiled colt being put in his place." The Lunar Alicorn nodded in satisfaction. "I know not this gloomy king but he has done right if not for pragmatic reasons."

“Ah, but what is this vision of beauty that stands before me?” A cool and collected voice asked from behind her.

The Princess of the Night immediately whirled around to see that scene of the throne room had paused with guards and attendants frozen in place. The seated stallion was now looking directly at her, his seasoned features set in an inquisitive expression. It was when his dull eyes briefly widened in recognition that Luna realized that the memory had ended and this was most definitely not Mica's dream.

“Princess Luna of Equestria.” The pale horse said as he eased himself out of the throne with the bident held in one of his fetlocks. “The artists do not do you justice.”

Luna took a step back and shifted into a combat stance. The dour throne room and all its inhabitants vanished into the ether, leaving her and the statuesque stallion standing on a featureless floor surrounded by pitch darkness. While what she had witnessed told her that he was not a full villain despite what the old tales told of royal uncles, his moral alignment was still dubious. The dream strider was not going to take any chances.

“I’ve faced flatters before.” She said testily. “You may save your honeyed words.”

“I merely speak the truth, your highness.” He responded, unfazed by the confrontational Alicorn. “But I can understand if you do not trust what you do not know.”

The limbo suddenly shifted to be replaced by a small room with a table set in the middle. On opposite ends of the table were comfortable looking chairs and covered dishes. A fireplace of actual logs rather than ghost lights burned brightly, bathing the room in a warm glow. The tall stallion took a seat and gestured for her to do the same.

“Come, let us dine and talk like civilized creatures.” He said calmly.

Luna blinked a few times, the sudden shift throwing off her guard. The fact that the change seemed to happen under the stallion’s volition likely meant that they were now in a fantastical dream and he was a lucid dreamer. Thus he was now effectively a god in his own little world. She made a mental note to tread carefully less that wrath she witnessed before be directed at her.

“Very well.” Luna said just as neutrally as she took the unoccupied seat across from her new host.

She uncovered her dish to find sheaths of golden grass, a few asphodel flowers, and, to her surprise and humor, a moon pie. Being dream food, she knew that it would not provide sustenance but she sampled it anyway if not but to be polite.

“Now then, Princess of the Night.” The stallion said as he munched on a loaf of bread. “To what do I owe this intrusion?”

Luna met his gaze with her own. Neither one of them blinked.

“I was here to aid one of my subjects.” She said steadily. “She has been through an ordeal and may require my talents in the realm of dreams.”

“So you came into mine by mistake, is that it?” Her gracious host asked plainly.

“Yes.” Luna admitted. “Amongst the field of dreams, yours stood out from the rest.”

The tall stallion finished a mouthful before speaking.

“This subject of yours, her name wouldn’t happen to be Mica, would it?” He asked.

“Yes."Luna raised an eyebrow in suspicion. "How do you know that?”

The stallion clasped his hooves together and fixed her with a hard stare, the first change in emotion Luna had seen from him since they started speaking. She felt the fur on her neck stand on end again.

“This is going to sound bad.” He said with a warning tone. “I want you to refrain from any brash action until I have finished.”

Luna narrowed her eyes. She did not appreciate his tone but nodded nonetheless. The stallion’s expression returned to its neutral setting.

“Now then…” The robed stallion began.

He explained that the report Prince-Regent Armor and Princess Cadenza likely sent to Canterlot was not entirely accurate. For one, the mare they were currently harboring was dead.

“Bah! An obvious lie!” Luna interrupted with a stomp of her hoof on the table. “Young Mica is ali-“

The Lunar Alicorn was cut off by an image appearing before her. It showed weak and weary Mica trudging through a forest before sinking to her knees and collapsing.

“What is this?” Luna demanded.

“Another memory of mine.” The stallion said calmly. “More recent than the one you spied on. Keep watching.”

Luna did just that as mare she was supposed to be helping remained in the snow, unmoving. Who or whatever had this perspective moved closer and flipped Mica onto her back. Her sightless eyes gazed back at them; she was clearly dead. The view suddenly blurred and rushed into Mica, becoming a maelstrom of thoughts and feelings so intense that Luna could not keep track of them. When they cleared, the view point was now looking up into her night sky. Mica’s hooves drifted into view and flexed experimentally.

“I wasn’t about to let a vacant vessel go to waste.” The robed stallion said matter-of-factly as the image disappeared.

It took a moment for Luna to make sense out all this new information. Once she did, she locked eyes with the possessor, wings flared and horn crackling with lunar magic. She scowled at the dark horse. He was appearing more and more as just a lesser evil than the warmonger.

“What manner of monster are you?” The Princess of the Night said, her voice harsh with impending wrath.

“I am an animus.” The stallion said as he rose to his hooves with the aid of his staff. “I am but a lost soul trying to find his place in this world."

This did little to allay the Guardian of the Night’s fury. She aimed her horn at his head. He took it as a sign to explain further.

“I took possession of Mica body for my own protection.” He went on to explain, his voice steady even with a charged Alicorn horn pointed at his cranium. “I have not been of this world for what feels like eons and therefore did not know the history and customs of your ponies. I used Mica to get close to them without drawing their fear or anger so that I may learn in peace.”

Luna processed this explanation. While possession was something she would normally associate with the demons of Tartarus, the stallion at the end of her horn did not seem to have their qualities. Yes, he was of a dark persuasion but then again so was she. The Alicorn thought back to her first Nightmare Night. The ponies had fled at the sight of her and only after learning their ways did she earn their trust and even their friendship. In retrospect, going incognito may have made the process easier and may have helped avoid her little outburst that had almost canceled the holiday. If what the pale horse had said was true, he was trotting the same path as her, albeit in a more disturbing and morbid way. She cut off her magic but did not look away from the stallion.

“You said you have not been of this world in eons.” She said, her voice now back at a normal tone. “Were you imprisoned?”

“Exiled.” He said evenly as he shifted his gaze to the crackling fire. “By my own family for refusing to submit to their whims. You saw the prelude that lead to that.”

Luna’s ears fell flat against her head. She and the stallion had more in common than she thought. She could tell by the way his posture shifted that he did not want to talk about it further.

“I’m sorry.” She said genuinely. “You have my sympathy for what its worth.”

“Thank you, Princess." The former exile gave her an appreciative nod. "I’m glad we have reached an understanding.”

The navy Alicorn shifted in her seat. The mood had taken a very sudden shift from confrontational to sorrowful.

“I must say you intrigue me.” She said after a period of silence. “What are your plans after you have completed your quest for knowledge?”

“I had planned on returning home.” He answered. “That is, if it’s even still around. If not…”

He trailed off and stared forlornly into the blaze, indicating his lack of a set goal. Luna tapped her chin with a hoof. She had an idea but was not quite sure it was a good one. By decree of both royal sisters, Equestria was open to all who wished to join; a mandate that has been in effect since the Long Winter. While there had been some who entered their nation with evil intent, they had been either expelled or reformed. The stallion before her would not be the worst thing to come into their magical land and he appeared to be a reasonable soul. Besides, she could already think of a few places for him and his pragmatic ways in their society.

“Beneath your bedsheets.” The familiar voice whispered with a sly tone.

“Silence!” Luna shouted, a blush coming to her cheeks.

“I beg your pardon?” The pale horse asked indignantly.

The Lunar Alicorn regained her composure, pretending that she had not just responded to a voice in her head. Her host eyed her suspiciously but ultimately let the outburst slide.

“My good stallion, I have a proposition for you.” She said in an official tone. “If you are seeking your place in the world, I can think of no better place to start than Equestria.”

“Is that so?” He asked, skepticism evident in his voice.

“It is and I am not just saying that as one of its Princesses.” Luna said confidently. “We have always been a beacon to the lost, regardless of race or standing.”

“Hmm.” The dark maned stallion stroked his beard as he mulled over the Night Princesses offer.

Again, Luna did not know what to make of this horse. Most either accepted the invitation quickly and gladly or turned it down with a long winded speech about how ‘weak and corrupt’ Equestria was. She wondered if he was pretending to think about it just to play her for a trick.

“I’ll consider it.” He said finally.

Luna deflated somewhat at the same answer he gave his nephew. He must have read the expression on her face as he explained his non-decision.

“While I appreciate the offer, if my home still exists that is where I belong.” He said

“I understand. Home is where the heart is after all.” Luna said with a nod but she detected that he had more to say and she had an idea what it was going to be.

“Also, from what I’ve read, Equestrian leadership is rather…zealous…when it comes to your dogma of ‘harmony and friendship.’” He said. “I don’t want to risk being banished again or turned to stone just because my principles do not quite align with yours.”

Luna was about to argue but stopped herself to consider his words. It was true that after the fall of Discord, both she and her sister had often delivered the peace and magic of Equestria at the end of a sword. She realized that the only reason Equestria even formed was because the Long Winter wiped out most of their opposition and drove the rest into their fold. To further support his claim, Equestrian unicorns had created a ‘reformation’ spell that forcefully turns one to their ways. It was rarely used but that did not change the fact that it still existed and was considered ‘good’. To cap it all off, there was the statue garden full of those who stood against them. Most were evil, yes, but some, she though, just valued their independence.

“She who fights monsters…” The thought entered her mind like an ill wind.

“I know I am extremely handsome.” The stallion said, breaking her out of her inner thoughts. "But it’s impolite to stare, Princess Luna."

Luna blushed as she realized that she had been staring at him the whole time.

“I see your point.” She said, recovering. “While it’s true that my sister and I have been rather zealous, as you put it, in the past, I assure you that we are not so draconian nowadays.”

“I should hope not.” He said. “Nevertheless, I still have much to learn about your world and I’d rather learn about it on my terms.”

“Fair enough.” Luna conceded.

It was not a yes, but it was not a no either. She felt that in time this stallion would come to see Equestria for the peaceful place that it was, much like she had after being purified of her darker half.

“I apologize for my earlier conduct.” She said as she stood up from her seat, signaling her wanting to leave. “I made the mistake of judging by appearances.”

“No harm done.” He said with a dismissive wave. “But before you go, I have one favor to ask of you.”

“Oh?" Luna's ears perked up. "And what might that be?”

The dining room melted away to be replaced with a hall made of jagged obsidian and black and red banners. Before the two loomed a solid mass of blackness with a pair of witch-fire eyes gazing out at them. Luna immediately ignited her magic, her eyes narrowed.

“What is this?” She asked, her voice a dangerous growl.

“A mental block.” The pale stallion answered. “When I took Mica’s body, I was able to salvage her mind. I learned a great deal from it except for what’s behind this block.”

He tapped the barrier in question with his staff.

“I curious to know what’s so important that somepony would seal it off." He contiuned. "It would take time for me to break it but I suspect an Alicorn such as yourself could do it in no time.”

Luna was locked in a staring contest with the block. Bolts of angry blue lightning arched off her horn as she continued to feed magic into it.

“Stand back.” She warned, her voice heavy with power.

Bracing herself against the floor, the Alicorn of the Night took aim right between the wicked eyes and unleashed her spell. The bolt of magic screamed across the gap between the mare and the block and smashed into it with a crack of thunder. The barrier cracked and buckled before finally crumbling into dust before the onslaught of the Princess.

“I hope you felt that, Sombra.” Luna said with a very satisfied smirk.

The robed pony looked at the night mare with approval before approaching the now gaping hole into Mica’s hidden memories. He looked back and extended a pale hoof to Luna.

“Care to join me?” He offered. “I know you have other duties to attend to but I wouldn't mind having a second opinion on these thoughts.”

The princess looked at the extended hoof and thought for a moment. She had planned on patrolling the rest of the dream world once the waking world went to sleep. It was still fairly early in the night by her estimate so she figured she could spare another hour or two with the mystery stallion; maybe sway his opinion on Equestria and get him to join.

“Dinner and a show. It's a date!” A cheery voice cheered.

For once, Luna actually agreed with the pestering voice. She took his hoof and let him lead her into Mica’s memories.

“I suppose I could spare a few more moments of my time.” She said candidly.

As they came upon the first set of the blocked memories, Luna realized that she did not know her hosts name despite their extended conversations.

“I don’t believe I caught your name.” She said plainly.

“I have gone by many names and epithets in my time.” The pale horse said casually as he accessed one of the memories. “You may call me what you like...within reason.”

Luna looked at him, puzzled. Was he avoiding telling her his name or did he just not care for labels? This only deepened the intrigue surrounding him. She pursed her lips as she thought of a name for her impromptu dream date that did not sound too corny.

“What is your cutie mark?” She asked, hoping to gain some inspiration.

The seasoned stallion hitched up the back of his robes to reveal a black glyph on his gray hide. Luna frowned. It was one of the symbols used in anti-magical runes, specificity the one that rendered the user invisible to magical detection. The fact that such a thing could act as a representation for a pony’s special talent boggled her mind. She could not imagine what he had done to earn it.

“It means ‘hidden’.” He explained. “Make of that what you will.”

Luna mulled over what she knew of the stallion as she stared at the symbol and the rather fit rear it was branded on. He was an even tempered and pragmatic pony with a moral compass that seemed stuck in the gray area. Her eyes brighten as she came up with a name for him.

“May I call you ‘Grey’?” She ventured. “Short, simple, and I think it describes you quite well.”

“Do you spell that with an ‘A’ or an ‘E’?” The stallion asked as he recovered his rear.

“It depends on what part of the world you are from.” Luna replied with a shrug.

"Grey it is then." The newly dubbed Grey stepped back from the memory he had activated.

He held out an arm for the Night Princess which she took.

“Shall we?” He asked.

“That we shall.” Luna responded with a smile.

Together, they entered one of Mica’s lost memories in search of knowledge. One was seeking information about the history of the world. The other was hoping to learn more about her new friend.

“I'm starting to like this mare.” The Lurker thought in the privacy of his own mind.

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