Andromalius... A foreign name, a truly unusual one for the former human, for he had only heard of it just a few times in his life at most. Was it the name of an artist, a hero, a warmonger, an emperor, a king, or a scientist? The person associated with the name was known, the needed words were at the tip of his tongue, and yet he couldn't remember. The more he tried to think about it, the further away it seemed. So, he had to drop this fruitless endeavor for now. Perhaps, a return to it would be warranted some other time.

Despite the oddness surrounding this new name, it felt right as if it was a cog in a precisely-fitted machine. Well-oiled, effective, this proverbial machine connected his thoughts and dreams, wishes and fears; it was there to make his mind work as it should. A quick machine of thought and intelligence, one that was intended to be used cleverly and to its full potential. However, he didn't quite understand it just yet.

Before he could delve even deeper into his own self, his thoughts were cut short as the conversation between him and the princess continued. His bubble of thought was popped, and for a moment, he couldn't understand what was happening around him. However, it came back to normal in just a moment.

"Thy name is certainly unusual," Luna said, a curious expression on her face, "And yet, it seemeth distinctively... familiar? I'm unsure of what to think, but it can be put aside for now. How art thou feeling, Andromalius?"

"...It's all weird," the former human replied with a huge sigh as his ears drooped and he slightly hung his head, looking downwards, "What do I do? I... have nowhere to go to."

"I understand, and I shall do everything I can to help thee," the alicorn assured him in a confident tone, "For now, thou mayst remain at the castle. As long as thou dost not bring any troubles, thou art welcome to stay until thou figurest out what thou shalt do next."

"A-alright, thank you, Princess Luna," he nodded in gratitude.

"Now, I suppose we can begin by going to my office and filling some paperwork to introduce thee to this world and especially Equestria," she gestured at the entrance door, "However, if thou feelst thou needst rest, I can wait."

"No, it's fine," Andromalius shook his head, "I think it's better to do it sooner anyway."

Princess Luna nodded and opened the door and walked out of the room. A wave of anxiety washed over Andromalius as he followed her; each his step felt heavy and resonated loudly inside his head. His heart beat faster, threatening to jump out of his chest. He forced himself to take the first step. A second step came no easier. Then the third. The door was closer and closer, and behind it, a hall was visible. Polished floor, painted walls and columns, flowers in the pots hanging from the said columns, and even a carpet of a soft shade of lavender. Almost instinctively, Andromalius glanced at the bottom of his hooves to see if there was any dirt. To his relief, his hooves were clean, so he proceeded out of his room.

The first thing that hit him after he entered the hall was the size of it. The arched ceiling was lost high above his head; he could see his reflection on the floor, and it was almost perfectly clear; even the smell was something to enjoy – the flowers gave off a nice earthy scent. For a moment, this sight made the former human forget about his anxiety and fears.

He had never been to a castle or a palace before; unfortunately, the United States of America didn't have many historical castles he could visit. This palace was his first experience when it came to such things, and he was completely stunned. He knew palaces were supposed to be grand and majestic, but even he didn't expect such beauty, especially from an alien castle. Truthfully, he held a somewhat mainstream view of aliens, imagining them to be humanoid aliens with technology far beyond what humans could achieve in the current day and age.

In this castle, however, medieval architecture and general way of things were present. The halls were lit by candles from chandeliers and natural light coming from outside the windows. No wires or cables were visible, no electrical lamps could be seen. If not for the talking ponies, Andromalius would think that he traveled back in time.

"Andromalius?" Luna called. He came back to reality and looked apologetically at the princess.

"I'm sorry, your majesty, it's just... This palace is beautiful," he said, "I've never been to one before, only saw them on photos."

"What is 'fotos'?" the princess asked with both curiosity and confusion.

"Uh..." the former human tapped his chin, "It's like... like drawings, but they're not drawn. A photo is an image of surroundings, close to how we can see it with, uh, our own eyes... I can't really explain it better."

"Very interesting," Luna raised her brows slightly, "I would like to know more about the things from thy world, but let's reserve it for later."

Andromalius nodded, and the two continued along the hall. Two guards that the former human didn't notice before followed them, looking at him with wariness and caution. Their bodies were tense and they were ready to draw their weapons if a need arose. It unnerved Andromalius, but he forced himself to look forward and try not to turn around. His steps were stiff, his ears were turned back, aimed at the guards, listening to their own steps. Each second, each moment Andromalius feared that he would hear them draw their weapons. He knew there wasn't a huge chance it would happen if he behaved, but the fear prevailed inside him.

At the end of the hall, four guards stood, all of them dressed in full plate armor. Two unicorns, one pegasus, and one earth pony stood guard, ready to act if they saw any suspicious movement. Unicorns were armed with swords and crossbows, the earth pony had a spear attached to its armor, and the pegasus had metallic claws attached to his hoofguards.

"Fret not, thou shalt not be hurt," Luna assured Andromalius, but it didn't make him feel much better. He remained silent and followed the princess into the next hall.

On standby near the entrance, another group of heavily-armored guards stood, greeting the former human with heavy gazes. Andromalius didn't look at them, but he could feel their looks on the back of his head as he passed by them. They were waiting for him to make just one small wrong move, and then they would spring into action, and their swords would make their bloody way into his body. He shivered and banished such thoughts to the back of his mind, focusing on the hall instead.

It was slightly narrower than the one before it and featured carvings on the columns. Bigger, taller windows were decorated with stained glass. Early night with the sun just below the horizon, midnight with the moon shining brightly, and early morning as the sun peeked into the sky. Each piece of glass was carefully fitted together with the rest and polished to perfection, creating a smooth, beautiful picture. The lighting inside the hall was dim and had a soft blue hue that made one feel relieved and at ease. At the very least, Andromalius felt better as he looked at the beauty of the hall.

"A long time ago, I made the glass for these windows," Luna spoke, noticing the curiosity of the former human, "It had taken many days and many tries, but I succeeded. And now, this glass adorns the windows quite nicely, dost not thou think?"

"It's very beautiful, your majesty," Andromalius agreed without a doubt in his mind, his voice full of awe.

"Oh, thank thee," a bright smile appeared on the face of the alicorn, "It warmeth my heart to hear that someone enjoyeth what I have made."

The two continued on their way and soon came to the personal office and study of Princess Luna. She ordered the guards to stay outside as she and Andromalius entered the room. With a spark from her horn, she ignited the chandelier hanging from the ceiling. Candles emitted soft, blue light that washed over the room, making soft and gentle shadows. The windows in the room were dark-blue, barely letting any sunlight in, leaving the room in dim light. Luna made her way to the table and took a seat, then used her magic to bring an armchair for Andromalius to sit on. Fortunately, this one was of adequate size; he carefully took his place, but his weight made the armchair creak.

"Very well, let us begin," Luna said, a few pieces of paper coated in her magic as she arranged them on the table and pulled out a quill. She opened the inkwell and dipped the quill's sharp end in it, "Alright, thy name is Andromalius. I suppose it doth not make much sense to ask for thy date of birth, but thy age is certainly needed."

"I'm eighteen years old," Andromalius replied, eliciting a raised from the princess.

"Eighteen? I had an impression thou wast at the very least in thy twenties," she said, surprise evident in her voice, "In any case, let's continue..." she furrowed her brows, "Hm, 'tis certainly not as easy as I'd hope. Thou art a being from another world. However, I cannot assign thee the place of birth as something none of us ponies are aware of. Would it be alright if I pick a location of this world for thee?"

"I... don't really know if it even matters," the hell stallion replied with uncertainty, "Here, no one knows me at all. My childhood or anything..." he let out a heavy sigh, "Just... write down anything, I guess."

"I'm sorry thou wast forced in such a situation, Andromalius," Luna looked at him, pity in her eyes, "If not for my dearest sister, I would've been lost in this changed world just like thou art. For all that it is worth, I shall lay a helping hoof for thee. I know I have said it enough times already, but I'm not sure how I can repay thee for... using thee when I was Nightmare Moon."

Andromalius was silent without any idea what to say to her words. He refrained from looking at her at all, taking interest in the material of the table instead. He felt infinitely empty and extremely tired despite not having any fatigue. He felt neither hunger nor thirst, he simply existed. Despite the promise of purpose and meaning that came from his new name, he wasn't so certain anymore. The proverbial spell faded, leaving him with nothing but the feeling of being lost in the infinite sea of events.

Not more than two days ago, he was Mike, a regular human doing human things. Did he have a purpose or meaning? Perhaps not, but it felt like he did. He had friends, he was thinking about finding a partner for a romantic relationship, getting a job; however, it all disappeared in a matter of seconds. Thrust into an unfamiliar world, put into a foreign but recognizable body, he was truly lost for the first time in his relatively short life.

"Is everything alright, Andromalius?" Luna asked him with worry, helping him break out of the dark thoughts that plagued his mind.

"...No," he admitted with a sigh, "It's not..."

"I understand. Let's finish the paperwork, and I shall escort thee to the gardens. Thou shouldst feel slightly better once thou getst some fresh air," she told him, "Alright, one last thing we have to fill is thy race. I... don't suppose thou art a pony," she looked at him with uncertainty, "Neither art thou a kirin nor a changeling..."

"I guess I'm a demon," he shrugged, his mind elsewhere.

"I'm not sure how ponies would react to it, but that is our only option," Luna frowned slightly, writing it down, "I suppose that is all for now. Perhaps, I may find thee a job in the castle if thou so wishest. Of course, it goeth without saying that the ponies should get used to thee first."

"That'd work," he shrugged once again, "But... I don't really know what job I can do. I guess I can haul heavy stuff and similar things."

"I believe thou hast more to offer than carrying things around. Thy knowledge may help thee here, I believe. So, dost not thou worry, thou art welcome here, and we shall help thee find what thou canst do, I promise," she assured him and then stood up from her armchair, "Now, let's take a walk. It should clear thy mind and help thy spirit."

Andromalius nodded without much thought and stood up as well. The two proceeded to exit the room and head towards the gardens with Luna leading the way. As they passed through the halls of the castle, Andromalius noticed some maids. They were dusting off the many decorations of the castle, cleaning the floors, watering the flowers, and doing other simple maintenance work. When they noticed him, they often gasped, quickly going out of his way. The hell stallion could see the fear in his eyes as he passed. He tried to smile without showing his teeth, but it didn't help him. A less cheerful expression soon took over his features, and now he tried to ignore the stares and whispers that followed him.

He now realized that he would be very lonely. How would he make friends when he looked like a hellspawn? He abandoned his dreams of ever finding a loved one. It made him feel a tightening sensation in his heart, tears welled up in his eyes. He blinked rapidly, trying to hide them. Fortunately, Luna was in front of him – she couldn't see what he felt.

Out of nowhere, strong assurance of brighter future came. It whispered calming words into his ears, telling him that it would not be long until he acquired someone to talk to. He didn't fully trust Princess Luna, he didn't know whom to trust, but the invisible and silent voice told him that he would soon know.

The two reached the gardens in a few minutes. They were hidden inside the castle, surrounded by three walls and a cliff. A small stream ran through the middle of the gardens. Lush trees provided a nice shade during the day; the bushes were carefully placed in a way that allowed the visitors to choose multiple paths through the gardens; elegant wooden benches were placed around the gardens to provide a place to relax at and enjoy the scenery; lamps were hidden in the trees, waiting for the night to fall. The air was fresh and clean, smelling of flowers and earth; the many colors of the leaves and flowers were nicely mixed together to create a unique and pleasant palette; the birds and critters chirped cheerfully.

A small smile appeared on Andromalius' face. Despite his worries, the calm of nature made him feel better as he took in the wonderful view of the gardens and what could be seen from them. The soft wind brushed against his face, carrying many pleasant scents with it. His nostrils flared as he took a lungful of air, his eyes slightly widened as he took in the colorful surroundings.

"It worketh wonders, doth it not?" Luna asked rhetorically, "When I was just a young filly, I used to visit the gardens often. Even now, these memories are very dear to me. Thou art free to look around. Wouldst thou like for me to leave thee for now?"

"...Yes, I do," Andromalius replied after a few moments of hesitation, "I just... need time to think."

Princess Luna nodded silently and left him to his devices. The clop of her hooves soon faded away, and only a pair of guards were left at the entrance. The hell stallion used the opportunity to venture deeper into the gardens by himself. Unlike the Everfree Forest, the gardens were taken care of; they radiated an atmosphere of calm and serenity. The wind freely rustled the leaves, making a pleasant noise, creating a special kind of ambiance. Andromalius found it relaxing as he slowly walked through the gardens, inspecting the many different flowers with his eyes. Some of them reminded him of flowers he could find on Earth like roses and dandelions, others were foreign and different. Most of the trees were thin with many branches, and he couldn't figure out what they were. The bushes often had beautiful flowers on them, but nothing was recognizable.

In a few minutes, he reached the edge of the gardens. The trees and bushes parted, and he was greeted with a view that spanned to distant lands. While the curvature of the horizon was familiar and reminded him of the Earth's rounded shape, it seemed that this new world was very much different. As far as eyes could see, there were sprawling forests, cultivated farmlands, and plains; they were dotted with small farming villages, most of which were situated by the lone river that flowed to the south.

Andromalius wasn't sure if the laws of nature were the same as those on the Earth. For all he knew, the sun could be rising in the north and setting in the west. In fact, the sun was dimmer and yet much bigger than the one that circled the Earth. The moon was nowhere to be seen, and the clouds were of different, more elaborate shapes.

All these lands were not what he knew, all of them were foreign to him. It ignited his sense of wonder and feeling of curiosity. Perhaps one day, he would be able to walk across these lands freely and to travel them how he saw fit. He wasn't much of a traveler as a human, having more important things to deal with than dreams of other countries. However, now he felt he had the freedom to explore what he wanted. His future was uncertain, his destination unclear, but one day, he hoped he would be able to see more of this strange world. No matter how this uncertainty scared him, a feeling deep inside his heart told him to be brave and to live his life to the fullest, to explore the unknown, and to travel the world like no one before him did.

And yet, the feeling of loneliness ate him from the inside. When he was a human, it was easy to make friends, it was natural. But he became a demon, a Nightmare. Would anyone be willing to approach him? Would he be brave enough to approach anyone by himself?

He sat down and stared off into the distance. His nostrils flared as he exhaled loudly, his ears drooping and a frown appearing on his face. Before he could dwell on it any longer, a voice appeared inside his head. Clearly feminine, it was soft and yet seductive, curiosity about the hell stallion very evident in it.

"Hello~," the voice said slowly, stretching out the last vowel. Startled, Andromalius swiftly stood up and looked around. The voice continued after a small giggle, "I think you wouldn't mind some nice company..."