“The sky was clear, the moon was high,

not a star could be seen in the ebon sky.

The night was bright, the light shone chill,

as a lone figure climbed up the hill.

Moonlight rules, the land washed pale,

and the time has come to tell my tale.”

As a figure climbed the last hill, she stopped to make sure she wasn't followed. The idea that anypony would follow her to this darkest of places, in the middle of the Everfree forest was absurd, but chances could not be afforded. With the moon unusually bright, her azure and silver features shone, and her cloak and hat were brighter still. A beacon of moonlight in an otherwise monochrome landscape.

This was the night, the time and the hour that she had read of:

On this night, great magics could be performed, and limitless power could be called forth. Power that would belong to her. Power that would finally allow her to have her revenge on the ponies in the nearby Ponyville. Revenge for the shame and humiliation they caused her. And finally, after she had destroyed all that was held dear, Twilight Sparkle would know that it was The Great and Powerful Trixie that had done it!

Her blood boiled at the thought of the lavender unicorn that had destroyed her life over a year ago. As she wandered the halls of the old castle, once home to the Elements of Harmony, she dwelt on what her life had become. She had wandered at first, ashamed and broken. Then, after the despair had faded, it was replaced by a determined rage. Slowly smoldering as she began to search. From town to town, searching libraries and bars, she sought a way to increase her power. She would need more power to defeat her nemesis, and after months she found it.

In an old abandoned library, on the end of a deserted town, she had found a book. The fate of the town was unknown, it’s inhabitants long gone, and only ghosts and whispered legends remained. Some say a great plague had wiped them out, and others say they had one day just vanished. Many had sought the answer, most never returned. The ones that did were usually quite mad. This neither swayed nor slowed The Great and Powerful Trixie. Her lust for power was a burning flame now, and her need for revenge consumed her.

Deep in the basement of the library, she found a locked room. With her skills as a stage performer, she easily bypassed the lock on the door, as well as the more complex one on the locked box inside. The book was black, and covered in strange runes. The cover itself appeared to be some sort of skin, and horribly molded into the form of a screaming face. There was no title, no preface, no markings other than the unreadable runes in bloody red ink. Eerily the ink resembled fresh blood, although it was dry to the hoof.

Inside, however, was madness. At first, the runes and glyphs swam before her eyes, making her sick to her stomach. It was like looking into a pot of boiling blood as it crawled across the pages with a life if it’s own. not to be deterred, she continued to read until at last the movement stopped, and the book swam into focus. Suddenly she could read the words, and what they told her made the azure pony grin with glee.

Here at last was the recipe for revenge. The power she sought could be gained by a blood ritual, performed on a place that the ley lines of power met, on a certain night when the moon was full. It would grant the caster the power to control the night, and both power and everlasting life. The Great and Powerful Trixie would truly be Great and Powerful, FOREVER!

Now she approached the dais, where once the elements of harmony had rested. The same place that the great Nightmare Moon had been defeated, and where once, long ago, the sisters had sat in rule over all of Equestria. Her horn glowed, as she levitated the candles and other reagents into place, and with a flash they were lit. Black candles shone with an eerie reddish glow, flickering and throwing maddening shadows upon the walls. The Great and Powerful Trixie drew a warding circle around herself, and surrounded it with the required runes. Then, taking a small silver dagger from her starry cloak, she bit her lip and made a small cut along her forearm.

Chanting the preparation spell from the black book levitated before herself, the blood flowed freely, filling the lines she had drawn, and creating a arcane symbol on the ground in blood. The blood moved as if it was alive and covered the symbols and lines alike, until the entire circle glistened wetly in the dark candlelight.

As she finished her chant, the blood stopped flowing from her wound, but not before a wave of dizziness washed over her from the loss of blood. The ritual called for the sacrifice of another pony, but she could not trust anypony with the secrets of her plan. Neither did she have the resources to capture and carry a victim here. Her own blood would have to suffice, and the small sacrifice would be richly rewarded when the power was hers.

Sensing that the time was upon her, the mare opened the book to the final incantation. Chanting slowly and precisely, her horn began to glow. Brightly at first, gathering power, but then suddenly flaring with a dark reddish tint. The red glow grew stronger and brighter, and the flames from the candles flared higher as the power built. Finally, as the power built to it’s peak, and the chant drew to a close, The Great and Powerful Trixie paused. Her body glowed bright crimson, and the circle around her seemed to burn with a strange reddish flame.

Suddenly, all the candles went out at once, as if snuffed by a great hand, and a fraction of a moment later the circle exploded. A wall of blood shot into the air, and enclosed her in a cylinder of crimson fire. The wall collapsed inward and she was washed in the burning fluids as she screamed. Her scream was cut short as the blood flowed along her body and forced itself down her throat, drowning her in a deluge of her own fluids, and causing her to collapse upon the floor in a heap.

As the room grew quiet, and the light from the ceremony faded, only a huddled lump marked where the azure unicorn lay. Long moments passed, and the moon began to wane before movement returned to the collapsed pony. Slowly she rose to her hooves, quickly regaining strength. In fact, her strength was still increasing. The Great and Powerful Trixie could feel the power of eternal life flowing within her veins, filling her body with limitless power.

Gazing around the hall, she could make out every detail, as if it were illuminated by bright sunlight. her senses were sharper than she could ever remember. She could hear and smell the rats scurrying in the nearby rooms. She now knew what true power felt light, and she LIKED IT! Finally she would have her revenge on the pathetic ponies of Ponyville, and most especially, Twilight Sparkle.

She threw back her head in a wicked laugh. The sound echoed around the ruined castle, and seemed to go on for far longer than any pony could possibly hold breath. As she finished her gloat, she licked her lips, noticing her teeth were different now. She now had long canines, much like a Dragon, and they felt ready to rend flesh. In fact, the thought of flesh made her realize how hungry she was.

With a wicked grin, and a howl of glee, she stalked out of the castle. Tonight was the night to hunt. Tonight was time to FEED! The Great and Powerful Trixie was hungry.