Sombra levitated the iron blade above Luna's neck, and lowered the blade. He struggled to murder her, but he couldn't bring himself to hurt the one that loved him the most. He didn't want to provoke her, and he didn't want to make her vengeful. So, he levitated the iron chains from his pouch and lowered them near Luna's back, where the alicorn's wings were. He felt as if somepony watched him, as if to snitch on the horrible act that Sombra was close to committing.

An alabaster alicorn emerged from the shadows and spooked the daylights out of Sombra. "Watch it!" She warned. "Don't hurt my sister!"

"Celestia," Sombra exclaimed as he placed a hoof over his chest. He never thought that Celestia would refuse to side with the Equestrians.

"Yeah, that's me, the Queen! If you do this, you'll be punished!"

"I'm going to spare her life, but I must take her wings. I will imprison you when I become king."

"I am not convinced," Celestia muttered.

"You should be convinced. I am not actually planning to imprison you. If you want peace between two lands, you must come to Canterlot and remain there as a prisoner. I swear, I am telling the truth. Once peace is fostered, I will return Luna's wings," Sombra explained.

"Go ahead. I will still be offended by the horrendous crime that you are about to commit." Celestia scowled as she narrowed her eyes and scrunched her nose.

Sombra pressed the iron chains against the mare's wings, and pulled the wings away. He had succeeded in sparing her, but he knew that he had committed an immoral act. He failed to feel remorse, and only grinned at her misfortune.

As Celestia watched on, she felt nausea worsen inside of her stomach. Bile climbed up her throat as she tried not to retch. She hated whenever somepony tried to injure the citizens of the Everfree, and this was no exception. This made her feel livid and sick. She covered her mouth with her hoof as she turned away. "Oh, my," She whispered. She couldn't believe that Sombra tricked her into allowing him to steal Luna's wings! She should have prevented that from happening...

Morning quickly approached, and as the sun rose into the sky, Luna fluttered her eyes open. Feeling groggy, she felt a strange sensation on her back, where her wings once were. She shook her head to repel the pain, but the pain returned twofold. As she looked over her shoulder, she gasped in shock and horror. Anguish and resentment filled her heart as she noticed the pair of angry red scars on her back. Then, she looked at the iron chains. On the chains were several midnight blue feathers.

She realized the shocking truth; Sombra betrayed her! She hollered and sobbed. Her body shook with each sob as tears streamed down her cheeks. Her body was wracked with emotion as she curled into a fetal position. "Why! Why! Why would he do this to me? Why?" She hollered in dejection as she sobbed even more. Her throat began to hurt, and her heart ached even more. She let the darkness fall upon her soul, and grew only darker with each sob and each livid thought.

All the light, love, and happiness were purged out of her heart this instant. The nearby branches creaked and moved, but Luna didn't care about being comforted. A cool breeze surged through the forest as she summoned the strength to stand up. She tried to walk, even though her wings weren't there to properly balance her. She stumbled with each heavy step, for she wasn't used to traveling on hoof. Her phantom wings begged to lift her into the air, but nothing happened.

At the castle in Canterlot, Sombra rushed into the queen's bedchambers and presented the pair of midnight blue wings to Chrysalis. "I have avenged you, milady," He confided.

Chrysalis woke from her slumber, and glanced at the pair of wings. "Congratulations, Sombra! You have done well. You can marry Princess Cadence and become the rightful king of Equestria," She returned as she grinned darkly. "But, you have to wait until after I pass on and after Shining Armor-"

Sombra lost his temper, and took a pillow from behind Chrysalis. He pressed the pillow against the queen's face with sheer rage. "I'm called Sombra!" He jeered as the queen's muffled cries became silent. The queen became as still as a statue as her eyes closed.

The queen was lifeless because of Sombra's rage and because of his ambition. Shining Armor entered the room, and froze as he witnessed the crime. "Why did you do this?" He demanded.

Sombra quickly levitated the knife and jabbed the blade into the stallion's chest. The stallion collapsed to the floor, lifeless as the blood poured out of his chest. Sombra placed the knife onto the ground so that the aftermath would resemble a suicide. He swiftly escaped the bedchambers, energized by his cruel acts against his enemies.

In the dungeon, Celestia woke as she heard her sister's anguished cries. Her heart ached for her dear sister. The iron chains burned her legs, which made her gasp with pain. Sombra wasn't in the dungeon; he lied to her. Celestia felt the anger boil in her heart as she realized the reality of the situation. Sombra left them so that he could rise in power! She heard hoofsteps coming down the stairs, and she whirled around to face her oppressor.

"You!" Celestia bellowed.

"Thanks to you, I am about to be a king. You have supported me," Sombra congratulated her.

Celestia bowed her head in shame, mortified about betraying her own flesh and blood for the sake of peace between two lands. There was no peace; there was only betrayal, despair, and deceit! "How dare you trick me! How dare you lie to me!" Celestia accused the prince.

"I have to, otherwise I wouldn't rise in power," Sombra retorted crisply.

"Don't you dare do this! I'll make sure that you never touch my sister ever again!"

"Oh, my dear... I already have..." Sombra smiled with smugness as he turned away and walked up the stairs.

"You can't get away with this!" Celestia fought against the iron chains, and the pain burned her whole body as she struggled furiously. She had no choice but to wait for the end. She slumped onto the ground, curled into a fetal position, and closed her eyes.

"I'm so sorry, sister... may you forgive me that foolishness mine..." She whimpered softly. "May no darkness consume your soul... forgive me for being so blind!"

Ever since Celestia's sister was born, she had sworn to protect her. And now, she had broken the promise forever. In a way, she had forever lost her sister to the darkness and to the harshness of the real world. She made a plan to apologize to her sister if Luna was to find her in the dark dungeon. But, she felt that her sister would hate her for allowing Sombra to steal her wings. Luna would be angry with her...

She could imagine her sister accusing her of being a terrible sister.

"Celestia, I couldn't believe you! You allowed him to steal my wings," Luna would say.

Celestia sobbed even more as she let out a wail of remorseful sorrow.

Soon, a wedding took place in the throne room, and Sombra waited by the throne. Cadence strode into the throne room and wore an elegant white gown with pink and purple trimmings. She seemed somber, even though she wanted to marry Sombra. Sombra glanced into the royal's eyes, and his heart warmed immediately. He was reminded of Luna's benevolence and her pleasant presence. Guilt welled up in his heart this instant, but he quelled the growing emotion.

This was what he achieved for stealing the alicorn's wings and for murdering Chrysalis and Shining Armor. Nopony suspected him at all, for they thought he was a benevolent and good-natured king.

Back in the Everfree Forest, Luna strode near the border. She started to become used to traveling on her hooves, not with her wings in the air. She missed her wings, and she wondered what happened to Celestia. She should have listened to her sister's warnings. She looked to the castle, and felt the rage burn in her heart. How dare the prince betray her! Celestia could have helped in the betrayal...

But, she knew that it was Sombra who stole her wings. Luna felt even more rage as she entered the neighboring kingdom. She swore that she would make the Equestrians pay for what Sombra did! She stomped farther and farther from the forest, and she allowed the chaos and destruction to plague the kingdom. First, she set the barn on fire with her dark magic. Then, she magically opened the gates and then the chickens flew off the farm. Disorder was everywhere, and one of the Equestrians became victim to her evilness.

As she approached the treehouse, a stallion was about to leave when she set the treehouse on fire, killing the stallion in the process. Luna looked on with amusement and cruelty as she stomped away from the field and into the darkened land. As she approached the ruins, she saw a drawbridge between her and the fallen building. The building was just like her; broken, yet still going strong. She planned to remain here, away from the nosy Equestrians. She strode into the building, and sat against a wall as emotion wracked her once more.

Luna looked out the window, and frowned as an owl came into view. The wings reminded her of her own, soft but strong. Her heart ached once more as the owl preened its feathers and hooted. The alicorn blew the magic dust at the owl, and the owl flew away immediately. She remained in the ruins all night, waiting for the end. But, the end never came to her. Disappointed, she strode out of the ruins and approached a well. As she peered into the well, she heard distressed hoots coming from the owl. The pent up rage bubbled in Luna's chest once again as she approached the farmer and the owl.

"I've got you," The earth pony shouted. "You little devil, you will be my dinner!"

Luna summoned the magic, and the magic surged into the owl. "Into a stallion," She whispered.

The earth pony backed away as he gasped with horror. "It's... it's a..." He stammered.

The owl transformed into a pony. The stallion had scars on his body, and his snout was slightly pointy. He had a pair of large brown eyes that retained the kindness in them. His fur coat was tan, while his hair was dark brown with blond streaks. His mane was ruffled, and so was his tail. He looked around, and wondered what became of him.

"It's a demon!" The earth pony screamed as he ran off with his collie.

Luna chortled softly, amused by the pony's reaction to the transformation. Pitiful Equestrians... terrified of magic, but entertained by tricks. Oh, the irony, she mused as she approached the stallion.

"What have you done to my beautiful self?" The former owl pressed.

"Would you rather let them beat you to death and cook you for dinner?" Luna returned as she observed the stallion's looks. Her heart almost melted as she looked into his large eyes. So much kindness in the dark brown eyes...

She shook her head, and managed to seem hard and stony. She stood her ground, and scowled. "Don't complain. I saved your life," She continued nonchalantly.

"Forgive me, mistress. I shall be your servant. I will do anything you want me to do," The stallion promised.

"What do you call yourself?" Luna hummed.

"Owlowiscious. That is my name."

"Wings..." Luna murmured.

"What?" Owlowiscious replied.

"I need you to be my wings. Find the castle, and check on Sombra. When you're done, report to me. I'll be waiting in the ruins."

"I know where the castle is. I'll go now."

Luna then transformed Owlowiscious into an owl, and strode to the ruins.

When Owlowiscious reached the castle window, he was perched upon the windowsill as he watched the coronation of the king and queen.

Sombra bowed before the crowd as he placed the crown upon his head. "I am your king. I am the one who vaniquished the fearsome alicorn," He announced. "Hear me? Ever since the queen passed away, she passed the crown to me. Shining Armor couldn't bear it anymore, and murdered himself. What a pitiful stallion he was. They will be dearly missed."

The crowd cheered as Sombra sat upon his throne. He had achieved it all; kinghood, a beautiful wife, and a kingdom to watch over! Cadence smiled at Sombra, and thanked him for killing the terrible alicorn. She didn't realize that Sombra stole Luna's wings to become a king.

Owlowiscious flew away from the castle, and rushed to the ruins to report to Luna. He was transformed into a stallion. "Sombra became a king. He has married Queen Cadence," He admitted.

Rage darkened Luna's soul as she scowled. A dark aura surrounded her as the violet magic prepared to shoot from her horn. "He stole my wings so that he could become a king! How dare he! He left me for the queen! That was his secret relationship... what a liar he is! I hate him," She muttered as she hollered with anger.

Thunder boomed against the dark clouds as the violet magic surged through the skies and joined the thunder. The clouds parted to reveal a crimson moon, and the dark magic surrounded Luna immediately.

All of the darkness entered Luna's soul; she became as cold as ice, her heart as black as night. Her midnight blue fur was replaced with ebony fur that resembled a starless winter night. Her eyes became draconic and slitted. Her teeth were replaced with spiked teeth, and her hair lost all of the graceful form and ripple. She grew slender and tall. She was now the embodiment of evil and wickedness; the embodiment of cruelty, hatred, and revenge.

"I am Nightmare Moon! The darkness shall last forever!" Nightmare boomed.

Owlowiscious quaked in fear as the evil alicorn transformed him into an owl once more. Nightmare Moon strode away from the ruins, and stomped through the fields. She magically broke apart the two stone walls in front of her. Rage and unforgiveness was evident as she stormed into the Everfree Forest. The whole forest darkened, and all the plants withered. The water became murky and dark, and the grass was no longer bright green, but a sickly shade of brown. A throne of gnarled roots emerged in front of the Everfree Pond, and she sat upon the throne.

"Enjoy the last bits of light, for the night shall last forever! I am Queen Nightmare Moon, the Queen of Darkness and Evil!" Nightmare announced.

The creatures and the Breezies shakily bowed before her as Melvin appeared by Nightmare's side. Nopony recognized her, for she was a self-appointed ruler of the Everfree Forest.

Melvin convinced the Everfree Folk to respect Nightmare Moon, no matter what. The darkened alicorn would rule with an iron hoof, starting now! The alicorn cackled balefully as she watched the others quake in terror.

"What happened to our sweet protector?" A Breezie wondered.

"Her wings! They were gone," Another Breezie spoke.

"She has lost her pure innocence forever!" A creature cried out.