//------------------------------// // Drk // Story: Book 1 - The Behemoth came to Canterlot // by Equimorto //------------------------------// Twilight stepped out of the portal, and the first thing she did was cast camouflage spells on both it and herself. The second thing she did was look around, to determine where exactly she was. The inside of a building, and clearly not an abandoned one. Knowing that was enough to add extra layers of soundproofing to her spells, minor mind altering spells around the portal to make sure no one would walk into it, and triggers around it in case someone actually did, all with an extra layer of triggers on top for the spells themselves being detected or interacted with. It wasn't a perfect set of security measures, but she'd devised it to be pretty damn close to one. She allowed herself to feel some pride about an achievement like that. Morale boosts were good once in a while, and reminding herself that she was one of the best magic users of all Equestria and of all known history did wonders for her nervousness and insecurity. Especially when she had to deal with one of the other best magic users in Equestria not being on the other side of the portal like originally planned, instead replaced by a regular member of the castle research staff. One who'd probably deserve some compensation for the stress being put on him. But Starlight's absence was justified, and it would have taken longer to get someone comparable to replace her than to wait for her return. All her spells in place and double checked, Twilight got herself a better look at the interior. It wasn't just any building she was in. A palace, with rugs of midnight blue over floors of polished azure marble and deep purple and black banners hanging between columns lining the tall walls. Suits of armour painted silver and onyx decorated the long corridor, and chandeliers of black and blue crystal descended on heavy chains from a ceiling that seemed to vanish into a starry night sky. She began to walk, her steps silent through the sourceless cold light blue light that seemed to fill every corner of the place. Even given the excessive display of opulence around her, even given the markings on the tapestry, Twilight still could have convinced herself it was merely the residence of a particularly rich noble. Mostly an act of pure denial, but one she would have been happy to follow through with. But with every new hallway she saw branching from the one she walked, with every room she found a door to, with every staircase she met along her path, came the knowledge that she was perfectly aware of where she was. She'd been there, a few times in her life. On a rather important occasion the first time around. It had looked different, of course, and she'd only ever stood in memories of pieces of what it had been like originally, back when it wasn't in ruins yet. But she'd read about it, she'd seen drawings and reconstructions, she knew what it was supposed to look like. She looked towards one of the banners again. She supposed there was some irony to be found, that she'd be once more walking through the same old castle, searching for information and fearing Nightmare Moon would find her first.