Nightmare Night Part 17 - Update and Teaser · 6:14pm Jul 17th, 2019
Work has proceeded apace on the next Nightmare Night chapter ever since the last one was released, and the next one now stands unfinished at a whopping 12k words with still more to be written.
Titled "Collision Course", what's coming is easily the longest chapter to date, and yet, it'll be somewhat short on sex. There'll be some, to be sure, but not like before as it's time to set the stage for the climactic confrontations of not just Eclipse vs Starlight, but others to follow, some of which you can probably guess!
To that end, this will be a mostly plot-and-character development chapter. Which is not to say it'll be short of action, as the following snippet will suggest:
Eclipse smiled as she saw the doubt and fear on her former student's face. “So, Starlight Glimmer… now that you know these facts and the full extent of my abilities and accomplishments, what conclusions can you draw about where you actually stand versus me?”
“But… but…” Starlight had a sinking feeling as she reached only conclusion possible, even as she still sought to deny it. “But I beat you once! I captured you the first time we met! And I fought you to a standstill during that whole time travel debacle!”
“Did you?” Eclipse asked lazily. “Allow me to correct you, my soon-to-be-succubus: you captured and fought Twilight Sparkle to a standstill… only because she was afraid of her full power and what it might to do you. Be assured that I have no such inhibitions!”
“What? Full power?”
“You heard me. For you see, Twilight Sparkle was weak in so many ways. She was afraid of breaking your spirit if she was just up and beat you. She saw vast potential in you as both a mage and an agent of friendship, and didn’t want to deprive Equestria of it. She wanted you as a student, and feared what might happen should you learn how truly feeble your level of power was next to an Alicorn Princess who was also the Element of Magic.” Eclipse closed her eyes and smiled.
“So between that and her own useless fear of her potential power after Tirek, she held back against you and many others. Time and time again.” She bared her teeth in a grin as she saw Starlight’s expression falter.
“But… you... that makes no sense!” Starlight claimed, trying to use the contradiction she had just spotted to quash her own quickly growing doubts as Eclipse’s words rang true. “Then why didn’t you just use that power to beat me when I was trying to rewrite history?”
To her growing trepidation, Eclipse only shrugged. “Perhaps the former me was afraid her full power might not only injure you, but irrevocably damage the very fabric of reality should she unleash it during that battle. And in fairness to her, that was not an unreasonable fear at the time. But be assured that even she had her limits, and you came very close to exceeding them. If you had… the results would not have been pretty. Ultimately, she would do whatever was necessary to save her friends… as will I.”
Starlight shook her head sharply, trying to clear it. “No! You’re just trying to confuse me! And you keep talking about yourself in the third person, but that pony was you, ‘Eclipse!’ This curse has twisted you into something you’re not! And even if it somehow boosted your power, you haven’t seen the full extent of my abilities either! I can beat you! And I will!”
But Eclipse only laughed. “I didn’t need to see them, my dear disciple. I know perfectly well what you’re capable of. I took your measure long ago and found it wanting!” she answered easily. “And as for this so-called curse, be assured it did not boost my magic; merely my predatory instincts. Stripped me of all my useless inhibitions. Shattered my internal barriers and gave me full access to my magic once more!” she exulted in her own abilities, various enchantments and incantations suddenly swirling around her in a display Starlight instantly realized she couldn’t match.
“And with them, I’m going to rule not just this realm, but the human one as well! But first, I need a disciple. A lieutenant who can deal in more advanced magic herself and carry out my will in my absence. And once defeated and properly conditioned by me, you will fit the bill quite nicely, Starlight Glimmer.”
“You’re insane!” Starlight accused despite the trickle of sweat that suddenly went down her back. “And you’re lying! If the past is any guide, you can’t beat me without help!”
She was not reassured when Eclipse gave a very smug and unconcerned shrug. “Perhaps I am, my young apprentice. Or perhaps I’m just ‘full of it’, as my future human consorts like to say. Perhaps I’m bluffing. Or perhaps I’m just overconfident. Truly, there’s only one way to find out.”
With that, she got up and stood before her former pupil but five paces away. “So to settle the question, let us duel like the unicorns of old! You may use any spell you wish. You may even use that little toy of yours if you like.” She nodded to the longbow still strapped to Starlight’s back. “For all the good it will do you. Defeat me, and you may leave unharmed and unaltered, Starlight Glimmer” Eclipse promised, to sounds of protest and dismay from her assembled bat-ponies.
“But lose, and you are mine forever, to mold as I see fit!”
The long-awaited clash between Eclipse and Starlight will indeed occur in this coming chapter, which is part of the reason it's getting this big. So expect the emphasis here to be on action of a different sort! I'm once again aiming for a weekend release, or sooner depending on how quickly I get the remaining sections done and prereads in.
I'm looking forard to reading it when I get back from holiday. I certainly hope that Eclipse wins against Starlight but I wouldn't be surprised if Trixie somehow interferes and it remains unfinished. When it comes to those corrupted by the curse I like Eclipse the most.
Well, Starlight is fucked (literally and metaphorically)