During the same time Applejack was worrying about her farm, a purple mare was slowly walking in circles in the library. The shelves formed colourful walls around her. Parchment roles on tables. Twilight was muttering under her breath. She had hardly woken up from her burn-out. At least she had taken the time to clean her fur from the ashes. And while she was doing so, she had come up with an idea. A weird, reckless and risky idea.

Spike, who was sitting on a chair, watched the alicorn, who was making her circles, critically. “Twilight”, the small dragon said, “You are again looking like a weirdo.” Twilight's head flung in his direction. Her left eye was itching, her teeth crunched and she was rubbing her front hooves together. From an outsider's perspective she looked like a psychopath, who had just planned the next crazy murder.

“I am not, Spike”, explained Twilight. She chuckled and an eerie smile crossed her face. “We only have four days, before the Summer Sun Celebration starts” – her voice was followed by the sharp intake of her breath – “and we still do not have a clue what is happening with me. If sleep and Zecora cannot help me with my bad dream problem, then the solution is pretty easy.” Spike took a step back. Twilight could see that she scared him, but she did not care. She was desperate. “We are asking somepony, who is dead. It is as simple as that!”

Twilight laughed maniacally as her horn glowed brightly and a dark book floated towards her. Red marks were printed in its back. Spike answered: “Twilight, I do not like the expression on your face. Stop that!”
Twilight dropped the book and opened it. The mare answered: “I cannot. I do not have a better plan at the moment.”

Spike scratched his scaly neck. “Well, I had a plan”, the dragon suggested, “How about you send the Princess a letter about your conditions? I am sure, she can help you.”
The alicorn was running over the pages. “No, Spike”, she said firmly, “I do not want to bother Princess Celestia with this nonsense. I am sure, she has more then enough to do on her own.”

And it would be obvious that I had failed her. No, no, no! This should not happen. Her snout nearly touched the paper as she bent down. One brow was lifted, while her other eye twitched. She pursed her lips. I am a good student! I can do this on my own! Twilight's glance brightened. She hardly was listening to Spike, complaining that this was about her health and other nonsense. She finally had found what she had been looking for.

“Spike”, Twilight demanded, while her eyes rested on the book, “can you get me a dagger, incense sticks, ink and a few things, made out of silver?”
The dragon snorted. “Have you even listened to me, when I talked?”
“Spike!” The mare angrily slammed her hooves on the book. “Could you just do it? And you should probably go out. It might be dangerous.”

“Then you shouldn't even try it”, muttered Spike, but Twilight stared at him so furiously that he finally did, what she had been asking for. I can do this, Spike. I am certain of it. Sure, what she was about to do was risky, she would not deny that. But it was necessary.

Finally the purple dragon brought her the ingredients she needed. Twilight eyed them critcally, before she nodded. “You may go”, she said. One could see that the dragon still disapproved her actions. His eyes glittered in a warning. But when she stared back with an almost evil gloom in her face, he took a few steps back and walked away. “And no words to the others!”, called Twilight after him. It would be a desaster, if she was interrupted by this ritual.

Twilight again shot a look at her book. On it a map showed exactley what she had to draw on the ground. Her magic leviated the dagger. Twilight furrowed her brow in concentration. She slowly started to let the blade ran over the wooden ground. It cut through it like butter. Twilight made several lines, all strict formed, clean and tidy.

With this way a pentacle appeared in the library. Twilight painted a second one, more tiny a few steps in front of it. She stepped into that small pentacle to check, if she had enough space. The mare nodded pleased. Yes, this space was enough. Determination laid in her next movements. Twilight used the ink to write serval strange symbols on both pentagrams, checking on them twice and third, until they were correct. If she wrote one syllable worng, this could have terrible consequences.

As soon as the alicorn had set fire to the incense sticks and hang the silver things (mostly forks and knifes) around the library, she stepped into the tiny pentacle. Alright. Now let's get this done. Twilight breathed out very slowly. She stretched her legs like an athlete, who was about to run a marathon. This task was difficult and risky. She had never tried the spell before. If she made it wrong, then she would be in serious danger.

Twilight angrily spread her wings and slowly moved them back and forwards to cool her heated fur. No, she could do that. She had faced worse in the past. And it was not the first time, she used dark magic. It had worked in the Crystal Empire as well. Let's hope, he can really give me some answers.

Twilight concentrated herself. The air fumed with magic and the power ran through her body like cold water. She shivered. Her horn started to sparkle. Again the start was very hard. As if a mental blockade in her mind wanted to avoid the dark powers to come forward.

The sparkling changed. Sweat ran over Twilight's forehead, but she could see that the aura of her horn had become darker. Black, green shimmering bubbles creeped all over it. The voices in her head whispered louder and louder. Power.... Might..... Wisdom.... Ruler.... I can give you everything... Twilight tried to shut them out of her mind. Violet fume came out of her now green glowing eyes as she shot the spell on the larger pentacle.

It burned a hole in the ground and the ashes formed some kind of star. Twilight breathed out and swallowed. Did it worked? She was not sure. The mare looked around nervously. What is this? Her lamp flared as if the light was about to die out. A cold wind blowed through the room, making the pages of the books whisper and shudder. Smoke rose from the hole in the ground. It became more and more, until it towered in the room.

Twilight coughed and closed her eyes. She looked away. Brewing sounds could be heard as the black smoke became stiff and changed its shape. A loud, yet hoarse sounding roar could be heard. It was as if someone had been awoken from a long sleep. Twilight kept her eyes closed, until she felt a threatening glance rested upon her.

The mare dared to cast a look at the newcomer. It was a stallion with an angular head, grey coat and a dark mane. His eyes were reddish, but they glowed green and purple fume floated out of their corners like tears. The long horn was strangly formed, it seemed to be a weapon to spear somepony. He was wearing an armour, a helmet and a long, red coat. Only the paleness of his colour and structure told Twilight that it was a ghost.

“Well, well”, the stallion spoke with a deep, sonourus voice, but it sounded as if he had not used it for a long time, “At last we meet face to face, Twilight Sparkle.”
The alicorn opened her wings partly and furrowed her brow. “I am not scared of you, Sombra”, she explained firmly, “And that is Princess Twilight Sparkle to you now.” They may still be enemies, but now they were equals.

The defeated king sighted. “Ah, my appologies”, Sombra said, “I was not invited to your coronation. I must say, you wear your new wings well.” The last sentence almost sounded envious. His red eyes stared into hers. “So, why have you called me? Not many unicorns can master a Conjuration Charm. This goes deep into dark magic. Not even Celestia herself would dare to do something like this. She considers herself way too noble to do something so wicked.”

Twilight answered: “I have summoned you, because I have got a few questions and you have to answer them honestly!” He rolled his eyes as if it was highfaluting to even demand such a thing. “I need to know, if your Door of Fears has got any longterm effects.”

There was a glitter of interest in his eyes. The evil king smirked and showed his sharp fangs. Rumors said he was eating diamonds to get them in this shape. “Why are you interested in such a thing? I assume, you have seen my little trick. Quite impressive, don't you think?”

Twilight snorted. “It scared the heck out of me!”, she hissed, “If that pleases you! But now I need to know, if your door can curse someone. I am not in the mood for your games.” She sighted and dropped her head. “I am not in a good mood in general.” Why am I telling you this? Did her mental breakdowns made her sentimental?

Sombra's smirk even became wider, until one could see his back theet. “What is killing you? Toxic? Or a curse?”
Twilight's head jerked upwards. “This is none of your business!”, she explained furiously, “Just answer my question: Does your door has got any longterm side-effects?”

He lifted one of his hooves and eyed it as if dirt stuck between the metal plates of his horseshoes. His mouth turned into a low bow. Sombra answered slowly: “Side-effects are only trauma. I did not organiced the spell to last for centuries. I just made it to keep any intruder outside. So they would be trapped in their fear, sitting in front of the door forever. I did not consider any other side-effect.”

Twilight growled: “So you cannot help me.” She shook her head in frustration and waved her tail from side to side. Great! Now this whole dangerous action was worth nothing. Twilight could just scream. But she avoided this urge, because she felt it would cause her another bloody headache.

Sombra chuckled darkly. “Stop laughing!”, Twilight demanded. Her eyes flashed. “This is not funny.” The grey stallion seem to twist and became paler. The Conjuration Charm was about to wear off. Soon he would have to return to the realm of death and Twilight was not sure, if she could master this spell once more.

Sombra's voice was only a whisper and Twilight really needed to pirk up her ears to understand the words: “Before I go, let me give you a little hint: You are adressing the wrong villain.” And then he turned into dust and was gone.

Twilight rubbed the side of her head. “You are adressing the wrong villain”, she repeated the last words. What does that suppose to mean? Sombra is the only one, who had seen my greatest fear. But what if somepony else is able to do the same? But who could do that? She again started to walk in circles.

“Think, Twilight, think”, she whispered under her breath and kept knocking her forehead with one of her hooves, “What are your symptoms? Headaches, voices, bad dreams. Bad dreams. There is no one, who can enter a dream. Appart from...” But before Twilight was even able to finish this sentence, another headache exploded in her mind, together with a sharp pain around her throath as if someone was strangling her. ENOUGH!, a voice declared and with a whimpering sound Twilight collapsed on one side and fall unconscious.

Author's Notes:

Comments, thoughts, critic and questions are welcome.