//------------------------------// // Loyalty Test // Story: Every Nightmare's Caveat // by libertydude //------------------------------// The next few weeks consisted of a dual routine for Earth Shine: spending long hours in the library researching, or spending long hours in Nightmare Moon’s quarters researching. It was the latter Earth Shine currently found himself. The monarch’s eyes stared at him and his collected assortment of rotting scrolls and dog-eared books, reclining upon her bed with her front hooves behind her head. Earth scribbled a note upon the first parchment he’d found without every margin filled with calculations. “Well?” Nightmare Moon said. “The calculations seem in order,” Earth said. “Star Swirl definitely wasn’t faulty with this spell.” “Then what’s stopping you from creating an even stronger spell?” Earth squinted down at his long-running equations. “It’s something about the time manipulation conditions. Instead of merely transporting a pony to the past or future, the spell makes them more akin to deep sea divers: in another place, but still anchored to the point of origin. Star Swirl apparently had safety precautions in mind when he was writing this spell.” Nightmare Moon chuckled. “That sounds like Star Swirl. He was always so persnickety about the morality of spell use.” She sat up and wandered toward the table. “Still, we mustn’t judge. He couldn’t have known somepony with my power would come along and render such ideals pointless. After all, morality is just another means of control, enforced by those with limited power trying to keep it within their grasp.” She gave a playful grin to Earth. “And of what use is morality to one who controls all?” “Indeed.” Earth turned back to his notes, hoping the Princess didn’t see the slight shiver in his body. “Can you remove the anchor?” Earth grimaced. “Not in the spell’s current form. The magical energy creating the anchor is the same one used to propel the traveler through time. From a spell creation perspective, it’s remarkably efficient.” “But insufficient for my purposes.” The Princess wandered over to the window and stared out at the stars. “Can you change the spell for a more permanent trip?” “Maybe. But it will require me to actually see the spell in action. Notes and calculations can only tell me so much.” Nightmare Moon nodded. “Very well. You may cast the spell when ready.” “…Right now?” “Yes.” “On what?” “Yourself, of course.” Sweat trickled down Earth’s forehead. “Wh-What?” Nightmare Moon twisted her head towards him, a certain amusement on her face. “You need to test the spell, yes? Are you not the most available test subject?” “Ah…I suppose. But-“ “But what?” she growled. “You’re asking me to test a spell thousands of years old on myself! I have no clue if it’ll work exactly as written! One small mistake could leave me stranded in some foreign time period! Or worse, completely disintegrated!” The same smile filled her face. “All the more reason to get it right.” “Shouldn’t we at least try with a nonliving object first? Like a book or-” “That won’t be necessary.” She returned her gaze out to the dark forest stretching long into the distance. “Your predecessors for this task reached this same point on their journey, but they got no further. Some followed my orders, but sadly lacked the talent to cast the spell correctly. They’d disappear in a flash, then return ten minutes later. At least, what was left of their charred hides would return.” Earth let out a nervous chuckle and wiped his brow. A wet streak soon covered his hoof. “But some were like you: hesitant and cowardly. They crawled on their knees and begged me to let them cast it on something or somepony else. Had I a hundred jugs, there still wouldn’t have been enough to collect the tears they shed in their final seconds. But as you know by now, Earth Shine, I am a merciful goddess. I gave them a final reprieve: Cast the spell right then, or throw themselves out this window.” She beckoned Earth Shine to the window, her hoof flowing as smoothly as a wave in the water. His legs shaking, he got up and positioned himself beside the Princess. She pointed her hoof all the way down to the cliff far below and his eyes followed. No moonlight penetrated the dark chasm, though the faint squawking of buzzards echoed out the gap. “Consider this your loyalty test,” Nightmare Moon said. “If you are loyal and able, you will cast the spell quite adequately and find yourself alive to continue your task. Even if you fail, your remains will be buried in the crypt reserved for only my most loyal advisors. However, if you can’t bring yourself to sacrifice something for the good of your Princess…” Her eyes wandered back to the chasm. “Isn’t…” Earth said, only stopping when Nightmare Moon’s eyes narrowed at him. “Isn’t this somewhat brash? You won’t get any more help from me if I’m dead.” “Mmm,” she said, pouting. “You could be right.” Earth’s shoulders relaxed and a relieved sigh escaped his mouth. “Of course,” she said, slinking back to the other side of the desk. “This test is perfect for finding the strong-willed in my Court. They and their heirs could reap incredible benefits for generations to come.” She looked over Earth from head to hoof. “You’re not too old yet, Earth Shine. You could start a family. You already have the experience, yes?” Earth Shine’s eyes went wide. Don’t you dare, he thought. Leave them out of this. Her eyes dashed towards his, a knowing playfulness in her pupils. “You could find another wife. One more…inclined to my rule. Produce a new daughter, maybe even a son. All under my protection, of course.” Earth’s breathing became faster, and he forced his mouth shut to not show his gritting teeth. “Of course,” she said, floating back towards Earth’s side of the table. “Rewards for the future are easy to promise. Perhaps something more tangible would do better.” Her horn lit up and a dark blue cloud shot out before Earth. It solidified into something resembling a mirror, and a little body began to appear. Its silver hair bounced while walking down long passageways lit by blue torches. “Nightshade…” Earth said. Nightmare Moon’s thick grin illuminated through the cloud. “Indeed. I’d originally planned to cease her assisting activities a few days ago, but the little thing just seemed so happy to help you. And who was I to stop her? I was a filly once, too.” The cloud dissipated and her form towered over Earth. “Besides, she now has a much more useful purpose.” “Please…” Earth said. “Don’t do anything to-” “Oh, I wouldn’t dream of it.” The devilish smile returned to her face. “Of course, my Night Guards are sometimes a little rash. If they heard little Nightshade disappointed their ruler, who’s to say what they would d-” “Alright!” Earth screamed, staring at the ground. “I’ll cast the spell!” A hoof lifted his chin up to Nightmare Moon’s face. “That’s a good little pony.” She gave his cheek a pinch and wandered back to the bed. “Best do it fast, though. Our conversation has taken more time than I would’ve liked.” Earth Shine took a deep breath. He glanced back at his notes, now seeming more like gibberish than the calculations that would let him come out of this alive. Relax, he thought. Focus your energy on the anchor, not the actual time travel. He looked back at Nightmare Moon, looking on with an excited grin and lazing upon her bed. He closed his eyes and focused all his energy in his horn. A buildup began to occur, the light green aura covering his horn and beginning to push outward. Electricity flowed along his fur and pulsated around. Nightmare Moon sat up, a fascinated look upon her face. For several moments, the crackle of energy built and built, papers and scrolls flying around the room. Then, it was all over. Earth opened his eyes to find himself on the other side of the table, facing the window. A glance behind him revealed an alert Nightmare Moon, staring on in gaping wonderment. “Astounding!” her deep voice boomed. But it was his twin across the table that caught his attention. The stallion’s face seemed ten years older rather than the ten minutes that should’ve passed. His eyes fell back to the notes gathered on the table. Tears seemed to be forming in his eyes as he wiped a smattering of dust sitting on the table. Earth Shine turned away from himself, back to the open window. He looked out at the night sky to name all the stars he could recall. He needed something, anything to keep his mind from the evil he’d just allowed. Polaris, he thought, looking to the north. Ponycyon. Gien- He paused. Gieneigh’s spot laid bare, a dark black blank spot instead of the bright star usually filling the sky. Earth Shine shook his head. I’m looking in the wrong place, he thought. I can’t think straight. Not with these monsters behind me. He couldn’t bring himself to look at either the tyrant now dancing across the floor or his future self, even as Earth Shine began to feel the electricity coursing his body again and the flash consumed him once more.