//------------------------------//
// Ch.9 Nightmare Night Part I of II 10/31/1013 
// Story: Only shadows of the past... 
// by Phoenix Quill 
//------------------------------//



On Equestria things were chugging along as usual.

At Canterlot, the grand palace was well under construction day and night to try and finish as fast as possible, and in cities like Manehatten and Baltimare industry never let the cities truly come to a stand still.

But then there was Trottingham, this little hamlet on the edge of the frozen north was quiet around this time of year. The harvest was just about done and as the nights grew longer and the days colder the ponies here would go indoors at sunset.

Some families have been here for generations, however a number of them came from Everfree. And some of those ponies used to be night guards.

Every Monday night you could see them, sneaking away through the moonlit streets of Trottingham. They did what they were trained to do best, clinging to the shadows of the buildings as they made their way out of town to the top of the tallest hill where you would find the old temple of the moon.

Within the abandoned temple were twelve stallions wearing black cloaks. Their hoods lowered and voices hushed with dark words on the lips. Not all of these ponies were pegasi, and they ranged in color without the enchanted armor, wings were feathered and the color of their eyes, coats, mane and tail were in their varying natural states. 

There was quiet small talk in the temple as they waited for the leader of this group, the thirteenth stallion.

Thirteen was the number of the night guard division from Castle Everfree, the thirteenth lunar night guardianship of Equestria. Chosen by Luna herself and blessed with her prized number to bear on their flags and uniforms, the Thirteenth Everfree Division was considered the luckiest of all military groups. Once with hundreds of members it is now down to only these few.

A hush fell over the small crowd as a door behind the altar creaked open, and out stepped a tall, buff stallion in full armor, his eyes shone golden with draconic slits for pupils, his coat was an ashen grey and his horn sharpened to a dangerous point. He gave off a fanged smile as he stepped to the altar and held up his hooves, "Brothers! Let us unite! For on this night, we bring forth our fallen princess, Luna!"

The former guards in the room shouted and stomped their hooves to the ground as they applauded their leader for a few moments before he raised his hoof to silence them, "Tonight, with the aid of all the unicorns here, and several others away from this fair town, we shall undo the spell that keeps our princess bound to the moon, and help aid her back to where she belongs! RULING OVER THE NIGHT!"

Everypony cheered once more as the leader called forth four more unicorns to help him cast the spell. "Gather 'round my fellow guards, and cast your eyes to the waters of the basin."

The armored unicorn lowered his horn to the water, sending a ripple across the surface. When the water cleared he could see more night guard unicorns from other cities. "Everypony, cast your spell when I give the word."

They waited, breaths held in anticipation before finally, "NOW!"

Horns throughout Equestria in many secret locations glowed at once to cast the same summoning spell, to bring Luna back to Equestria, to the old temple of the moon.

The spell casting lasted for a full minute before finally, the image of a pony began to form in a circle traced atop the altar. "Focus now everypony! Bring her in!"

The spell faltered a bit, but finally before the thirteen lunar guards stood Princess Nightmare Moon.
She looked starved, sick, and unsure as to what was going on. The thirteen ponies bowed before their princess as one, "Your Highness." they all mumbled keeping their eyes lowered.

Nightmare Moon smacked her lips as she saw them all before her, a fanged smile crossed her lips as she uttered only two words, "I hunger."