Nightmare Night chapter 10 on track and earmarked for release this weekend... · 3:51pm Oct 16th, 2018
Now that my pain has subsided most of the way, I can focus again--thank you for the well-wishes, everyone who offered them! The current chapter stands at 4500 words with two completed sections, and will probably be around 6500 words when all is said and done. Best guess right now is a Sunday release, but it could be sooner depending how quickly I finish and prereaders complete their review. Have a teaser in the meantime:
Starlight and her two passengers rematerialized in a flash of light inside Twilight’s castle, just behind its main doors.
The grand hall was still decked out for Nightmare Night; Jack-and-Jenny-o-Lanterns carved with various faces and each lit from within by a glow gem, which were starting to flicker as their magic charge ebbed, casting a weak and increasingly eerie glow over the scene.
Carved pumpkins were a tradition that had been started by donkeys centuries earlier. They’d been later incorporated by ponies and were now a favorite Nightmare Night activity of foals, second only to giving and getting candy. There’d been plenty of foals in the castle earlier that day as Twilight offered daylight festivities; the evenings ones were more reserved for adults.
“Starlight?” Trixie looked around in confusion as she recognized their surroundings, as did Granny Smith. “Why are we here and not Twilight’s lab?”
“Because she has her lab and private study guarded by intrusion detection enchantments,” Starlight replied. “Even if she’s now animalistic like the rest, she’d probably still detect them being set off and come looking for us. I can disable them, but we’ll have to approach on hoof first. Now stay close,” she instructed, casting a privacy bubble around them; one that would hide them from sight and sound. Normally they were static, but Twilight had devised a variant spell that allowed her to carry one with her; it would remain centered on her horn. “My own enchantment will keep us masked and hidden, but it’s only effective within five yards.”
“Five yards. Got it.” Trixie instantly pressed closer to remain deeper within her friend’s protective spell, suppressing a shiver as she couldn’t shake the feeling that by going to the castle, they were walking right into an Ursa’s den. And worse, this time Sparkle won’t be saving me; she’ll be STALKING me!
“It’ll be fine, Trixie…” Starlight promised, recognizing her friend’s fear. “Remember, the curse is bestial. So whatever it turned Twilight into, I doubt she’s even able to talk now, much less cast complex spells.”
“You’re right…” Trixie relaxed, but only a bit, unable to shake the feeling of foreboding she had despite her friend’s reassurance. Long experience on the road and giving magic shows in less civilized places had given her an instinct for danger, and it was still ringing loudly in her head then. “So what do you think Twilight turned into?” She wondered aloud in an effort to master her nerves, suppressing a moment of amusement at the thought of Sparkle becoming a literal bookworm.
“Good question.” Starlight couldn’t help but ponder it idly as they walked slowly down the hallway, wondering what odd ancestry Twilight had that the curse would take advantage of. “Given her fiery temper, maybe she turned into a Kirin?”
“A dragon horse?” Starlight was surprised when Granny Smith recognized the term. “Reckon they ain’t been seen in Equestria fer ages. Well, she better not come anywhere near me or my kin, then!”
“It was just a guess, Granny.” Starlight belatedly remembered then that Timberwolves were vulnerable to fire; a fact she’d availed herself of during the few encounters she’d had with them. “If nothing else, it would explain her ability to go Rapidash…” she mused aloud, only belatedly realizing she’d just used a term from the human realm.
“What the hay is a ‘Rapidash’?” Trixie wanted to know as they walked down the hall, making conversation less from curiosity to distract from her own fears.
“It’s a human thing. Don’t ask.” Starlight grimaced, remembering the rather odd playing card game she’d been introduced to during her time there; that world’s Pinkie Pie had even shown her a ‘TV series’ and ‘video game’ based on it. Capture creatures and put them in balls to train and release for battles later? Seriously? She rolled her eyes. And if I hear that Team Rocket slogan one more time...
Despite it, their hoofsteps echoed what seemed to Trixie to be unnaturally loudly as they walked down the hall; she swore the air temperature had dropped ten degrees inside the castle since they’d last been there just a half hour earlier...
This is the first third of the middle section. Mostly consists of general ominousness and atmospherics, but be assured there's plenty of action in the chapter, primarily in the beginning and ending sections. There's also a major twist to be found. Want at least one hint? Expect a certain pink earth pony to reappear, and you can probably guess what her corrupted form is... 
The new chapter should be draft complete by Friday or sooner, and released by Sunday. Be looking for it!
How appropriately seasonal.