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// 2 Hermaeus Mora, Daedric Prince of Knowledge and Memory 
// Story: Knowledge is Power 
// by hydra30 
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Twilight stood rooted in place as she saw a yellowish green orb of light identical to the one that had led her down here all those years ago drift out of the gold image on the books cover and levatated slowly before her. The voice that had greeted her was undeniably who she had spoken to as a really young filly, and it left her unable to get a grip on herself.  It was like she had walked straight into her own past, and she was once again the little pony who had gotten herself lost.

"Have you nothing to say, child?" Hermaeus Mora asked in his cold and slippery tone." We have not spoken in years, after all."

Twilight was still fighting to regain a coherent mind, it was one thing for a filly to encounter a disembodied voice that emanated out of a floating sphere of light, quite another for a fully grown mare to have such an encounter. Her logic driven mind kept going over several logical reasons for this to be happening. But the only thing she could really comprehend was that it must be some form of magic, but she had only seen Discord and Nightmare Moon preform such feats, and the thought was not very reassuring. 

"Or maybe it has only been a short while," Hermaeus Mora continued,  seemingly unaware of Twilight's vacant expression.  "The flow of time has little meaning to me,  after all. "

"Yo...you...," Twilight gasped out, finally regaining enough mental capacity to form words. "You're real?"

"Obviously,  young child," replied Hermaeus Mora,  his tone deepening with amusement. "For am I not speaking to you?"

"They....they all told me it was a dream," Twilight sputtered, watching the sphere of light before her. "E..everypony said it was just my imagination, that it was something that could not have happened. "

"That comes to no surprise, child," said Hermaeus Mora in a voice devoid of feeling. "For it is common for those of simple minds to deny what they can not understand."

Twilight was going over a million thoughts a second. The bodiless voice that all told her was just a figment of her imagination was before her, talking to her same as it did so long ago. And in her more mature adult mind she was now able to comprehend that only a being of great power could be preforming what was happening right in front of her.

And it also reminder of her earlier assessment of how every other being she had encountered thus far have had less than favourable plans for Equestria.

"Alright Hermaeus," Twilight said sternly, her earlier shock replaced by resolve. "Who are you, and what are your plans for Equestria?"

"Equestria?" Hermaeus Mora inquired, curiosity entering his voice for the first time. "Is that the title of the realm in which you reside?"

"Answer the question," snapped Twilight, leaning her glaring face closer to the glowing orb.

"Be still, young child," said Hermaeus Mora, unfazed by Twilight's harsh tone."My motives are the same as the first time we conversed, to offer you the chance to partake in my knowledge."

" LIKELY STORY," shouted Twilight, her horn lighting with her anger. "I am not the gullible little child you spoke to all those years ago, and in my experience, someone who can speak to you without you seeing them is someone who you cannot trust, just like the cruel person who sent me down here in the first place."

"I am aware of your current situation, young child," said Hermaeus Mora, his tone soft and calm.

"What?" Twilight gasped. "How could you.....?"

"I have kept a....certain focus on your development," said Hermaeus Mora,  his tone deepening with amusement. "Waiting to see if you would gain the potential I predicted you would achieve."

"You've been watching me?" Asked Twilight, slightly revolted by the thought.

"In a certain way," explained Hermaeus Mora, his voice echoing in the cave. "I have observed your life play out through observation of your realms stars."

"The stars?" Inquired Twilight, tilting her head in confusion. "I don't understand."

"One of my many unique abilities, young Twilight," continued Hermaeus Mora. "I have the ability to glean past and future events through observation of the stars."

Twilight was once again drawn into a state of incomprehension. In all her studying, in all her lessons with Princess Celestia, she had never even remotely heard of the ability just described to her. And that reminder her of how she could never come across a mention of Hermaeus Mora in any history book either.

"Who and what are you, Hermaeus Mora?" repeated Twilight, both out of concern, and curiosity this time. "In all my studying, in all my research, I have never come across any mention of someone with such an amazing ability,  nor any reference to anyone called Hermaeus Mora."

"You would not have, child," explained Hermaeus Mora, his voice lowering in volume as to lessen the drama. "I do not hail from your realm."

Twilight fell on her rump in shock, her jaw dropping in awe. She did not fully understand what he meant by not from her realm, but she understood enough to comprehend that Hermaeus Mora could not be from Equestria. The thought was completely overwhelming. 

"And as I told you all those years ago, I have many names," explained Hermaeus Mora in a hush voice. " The Woodland Man, or the Gardener of Men to name a few,  but most know me as Hermaeus Mora,  Daedric Prince of Knowledge and Memory."

"Daedric Prince?" inquired Twilight, the strange title snapping her out of her surprised trance. "Are you the ruler of a kingdom?"

"In a way, that is correct, Twilight," Hermaeus Mora said, his voice taking on a lecturing tone. "Like the creature that calls itself Discord claims to be the Master of Disharmony and Chaos in your world, the Daedric Prince's of Oblivion title themselves similarly, my title being over knowledge."

"Oblivion?" Twilight echoed, pondering on how anything could be named with such a foreboding title. "Your realm?"

"Correct, replied Hermaeus Mora. "The planes of Oblivion are home to the Daedra, each plane ruled by a Daedric Prince, like myself."

"And what is your purpose in Equestria?" Asked Twilight, now more shaken then ever. "How is it that this book, which you claim belongs to you, wound up here."

"As I have told you child, I am the Daedric Prince of Knowledge," explained Hermaeus Mora. "And for a time, I even sought the knowledge that might exist beyond my usual sources, so I sent several books like the one before you, through which I can extend a small portion of my influence, through the ether that exisits beyond the realm of Oblivion, to see what I might gleam if they ever were discovered."

"So you lied," accused Twilight, her eyes once again full of suspension. "You told me before that you sought to share knowledge between me and you, and to make me your student."

"For all those who seek knowledge are my servants, such as yourself, " said Hermaeus Mora calmly. "And I sensed such promise in you when we first met, child, even though my original purpose was to just glean what I could at the time. I did not lie, such an act would not benefit me in the slightest.  And the offer I made to you so long ago is still available, if you still seek my knowledge."

Twilight stood still, pondering what she had heard. She did not know how, but the more she talked to Hermaeus Mora, the less she believed he had any desire to cause harm to Equestria.  He said he sent this book here only so he could glean knowledge of Equestria, an endeavour Twilight could respect.

But she was already the student of Princess Celestia.  She could never turn her back on her current teacher, who had always been so kind to her. Plus if Hermaeus Mora could only extend his will through his book slightly, she would have to stay down here, away from her friends, her family,  her brother.....

"Shining Armour!" Twilight suddenly shouted, in all that had been happening, she had completely forgotten what was happening in Canterlot. Cadance had something planned for her brother and she had been down here, talking to an echo of her past. 

How could she be so distracted?

Without another word, Twilight turned around and began to gallop back down the tunnel, but Hermaeus Mora's orb of light moved in front of her before she had gone two feet. 

"I don't have time for this," she complained to the floating light. "My brother is in trouble."

"As I have said, child," started Hermaeus Mora in his tone. "I am aware of your current situation, and it is in my interest to assist you."

Twilight gasped in shock, looking to the  orb with new interest, "You will help me confront Cadance?"

"She is not responsible for this, child," said Hermaeus Mora calmly. 

"What do you mean?" Asked Twilight with an annoyed tone. "It was her that sent me down here, taunting me, drove me to exhaustion."

"The situation is more... complicated than you realize."

"Wha... what do you mean?" Asked Twilight. 

"For you to fully understand, child," said Hermaeus Mora. "You will need to...join me...on my plane."

"WHAT?" Twilight shouted,  her voice full of disbelief and frustration. "But you said the planes of Oblivion exist outside of this realm."

"Go to my book, it holds the way," said Hermaeus Mora simply. 

Twilight turned back the the large black book sitting on the ornate stand.

"I know better than most the value of a book," said Twilight, stepping closer. "But could this really be as simple as that?"

"Open it and read," said Hermaeus Mora.  "Unlike the previous time, you are ready."

Twilight still wasn't sure how much she should trust Hermaeus Mora at this point, but what other choice did she have? She had no plans on what she was going to do when she confronted Cadance again, and it was more than likely her friends would not side with her, they had fallen for Cadance's charade already. She needed help, and Hermaeus Mora said he would.

So against her conflicting thoughts, Twilight gripped the cover of the book and flung it open. 

At first she stared in awe as her eyes took in the runes that trail across the parchment like insects, but then she realized she couldn't decipher the words.  But before she could voice her disappointment, a large black tendril shot out from the pages of the book before her. Before she could so much as scream in terror the tendril wrapped around her chest, her body stiffening up like a statue at the contact. 

She watched in horror as it moved up her body, Hermaeus Mora's orb of light extinguishing behind her, allowing her to see that the tendril was shrouded in glowing green runes. Then it moved over her eyes, snatching the ring from her telekinetic grip to slap it over horn, much to her confusion. Then she was dragged into the pool of ink, which shallow depths swallowed her with a splash.