Setting: [Flashback] 8,000 years ago on the moon, in the capital of the Moonghost’s empire, what later was to split into the Umbrum and Changling empires. An enormous black castle stands near the north pole of the moon. It is black in color, made from moon stone from the dark side of the moon, where the stone is as black as the void of space.
In the castle’s palace courtyard Moonghost walks alone along an ebony black trail set into the grey stone of the moon’s surface.
A young shadowling appears next to Moonghost.
Bowing to him, the shadowling says panting, “Yo-, you-, your highness.”
“Yes, Spectre, what is it? Why are you out of breath?”
"Immortalis is dead …in a way, though it is more like she has a curse of insanity than death.”
Moonghost thought silently for several minutes while Spectre caught his breath, then asked with his voice shaking with concern, “How did this happen? Wasn’t she safe in the Kingdom of Hacienda?”
“I don’t know how it happened sire,” Spectre told Moonghost, “No one does. Not even the witness I spoke with knows the specifics of what happened. Though for some reason they requested to remain anonymous.”
“Anonymous!” shouted Moonghost, the word echoing through the courtyard of his castle. “If they wanted to stay anonymous they should not have come forward in the first place. Who is this informant you have?”
“I don’t know sire who it was. They sent a message with the time and place to meet them saying that they had information about the fall of Castle Hacienda. The message said that when I arrived I had to put on a hood covering my eyes and ears if I wanted this information, your highness” said Spectre.
“I hope you confirmed the authenticity of what they said, for your sake and my own sanity!” said Moonghost.
“I did your highness. The destruction is complete, and there is nothing left,” Spectre said. “That once green and great kingdom is now desolate and scorched, and only worthy of the title of badlands.”
“So…Immortalis may be cursed as reported, but is definitely missing? Or do you know where she is?” Moonghost asked.
“No sire, I do not know where she is now. And I guess I really don’t know if she is insane or not. When I heard this news from the informant, I rushed to confirm the destruction of Hacienda Castle and then came here as quickly as I could. I guess I only really have the word of that informant about what has happened to Immortalis,” said Spectre lowering his gaze to the floor of the courtyard. “The only thing I can completely confirm is that the Kingdom of Hacienda has been destroyed.”
“Immortalis might be a hostage of some unknown force,” thought Moonghost outloud, “one with enough power to destroy a kingdom and potentially threaten our own? And somehow this has happened and we have no knowledge of who they are, where they are, or their full capabilities, or even what they want?”
“It looks that way your highness,” said Spectre.
“Even though the information you have brought is incomplete, it still tells us a great deal,” Moonghost told Spectre. “You did the right thing rushing here.”
Spectre looked up at his king a little less dejected, “What do we do now?”
Walking slowly in a circle Moonghost said, “We wait, we watch, we try to learn as much as we can from the remains of the Hacienda Kingdom and lands.” He walked back to face Spectre and placed his hoof on his shoulder, “There has to be a clue to what happened somewhere. Set up tracking spells and a detection ward around the remains of Hacienda castle. If someone does go back there I want to know about it. Also set up a detection ward around this castle and around the Crystal Palace in the Crystal Empire to keep watch over them as well.”
“What do we do if Immortalis is found and is insane beyond helping?” asked Spectre.
“If she truly is under a curse,” Moonghost thought out loud, “I see only two courses of action: one we need to kill her, even though I do not want her to die. She has been a good friend and a strong supporter over the millennia. The other option is, if she is crazy but can be reasoned with, and can tell us more about who did this, I may be able to give her some temporary sanity, or even preserve her in stone as a last option instead of killing her.”
"Yes, your highness,” Spectre said.
---
Setting: [Flash Forward to the present of Equestria] Canterlot castle’s throne room, with Princesses Celestia and Luna reading together from the folder given them by Moonghost.
"Wow," said Princess Luna, “That explains why he called you a youngster, Celestia. If it’s true he is older than both of use combined, and probably very dangerous.”
"I knew changelings and umbrums were powerful,” contemplated Celestia, “but I never knew of shadowlings or of Moonghost, or of this unknown power, this unnamed enemy that created the badlands.”
“Celestia, I think we should call for back up for this meeting this evening with Moonghost,” Luna said, “especially if he is as dangerous as this seems to lead us to believe.”
“I think your right Luna,” Celestia said, “Let’s get the Elements of Harmony, and eat some dinner. I would rather face this on a full stomach.”
They walked off together toward the door to prepare.