//------------------------------//
// A Garden of Nightmares. 
// Story: Music of the Night 
// by CharlieOist 
//------------------------------//

	The Nightmare Garden, formerly Luna’s Dream Garden, had once been one of the most beautiful places in all of Equestria. The paths had been lined with Poison Joke, and all manner of wildlife had settled amongst the night-loving, luminescent plant life that had hung from the rafters that held up the ceiling. The ceiling in question was actually a type of glass, tinted during the day so that no sunlight could pass through, while a spell of Eternal Night kept the plants and animals inside alive. During the night, the glass became clear, allowing pure moon- and starlight into the garden. In the middle of the garden, which, in itself, was the size of a hoofball field, and nearly twice as wide, the path split eight ways. Two ways lead to grottos, centered around a statue each. One was of Celestia, tall and proud, looking down over the garden with one of her kindest smiles. The other was of Princess Luna, tall, regal, and smiling, though not a kind one. This smile was a bit more uncertain, and had an air of pain surrounding it. Two more ways lead to stages where the sisters would raise and lower the sun and moon on the solstices.  One was the original path itself. The other three lead to doors, which had led to the Throne Room, the sister’s bedchambers, and the training courtyard for the guards, respectively.

This area had been the place where Luna had first sought out the shadows, and the results had destroyed its beauty.
The plants, originally docile, had become sentient, and carnivorous. They snapped and writhed as though in great pain, their massive jaws closing on insects, reptiles, and sometimes, each other. The plant life was not the only thing that had suffered. The insects, far from being unaffected, had grown huge. They thrived in the garden, feasting on some long dead trees while more grew in their places. The reptiles, once small and harmless, had grown in response to the rest. They fought the plants in a seemingly endless battle. There were pony skeletons littering the floor, the last remains of adventurers long gone. The air was stagnant, and there were no signs of any birds. The moonlight, instead of adding beauty, only increased the horror of the scene, as massive shadows of creatures climbed the walls, and snarling and cries of pain rent the air.

The bearers looked horrified. “O-o-oh my…” Fluttershy seemed the most affected. She had cared for reptiles and insects before, and many of them had seemed harmless. The creatures in the garden, however, were easily as large as her, and did not seem anywhere near friendly. 

Twilight and Nightsong got together to discuss their next course of action, while the other five ponies sat, staring at the scene before them, contemplating how they would get across.

“I’ll lead us in. I can use some paralysis spells to freeze the plants and reptiles for a while, and we should be able to deal with the insects quite easily.” Twilight said

“It’s not the insects I’m worried about.” Nightsong looked over the garden, his eyes set on the walls.

“What else is there?” 

Nightsong turned to look at her, surprised. “Have you not read up on the castle? Evil magic permeates this place. The shadows are able to come alive. If we’re not careful, they’ll be the ones to get us. I don’t have very many light spells, certainly none powerful enough to protect a large group, so I’ll try to distract the plants and reptiles. I believe I have a song that should see us safely across…. IF you can stop the shadows.”

Twilight stopped for a moment, then nodded. “I hope you know how to soothe the savage beast, otherwise, we may end up a permanent fixture here.”
***********
Rarity covered her mouth to suppress a squeal as a root moved next to her hoof. Nightsong continued playing a lullaby on his viola, moving the bow across the strings as he shot an angry look back down the line.

They had been walking for a few moments now, Twilight in the middle with the most powerful light spell she could muster. Nightsong walked in front, playing the instrument as he went. Applejack came next, then Pinkie. Rainbow Dash hovered between Pinkie and Twilight, who walked directly in front of Fluttershy. Rarity brought up the rear. She had refused to set hoof in the room, claiming it was, “dirty and horrid beyond imagination.” Realizing she would be the only one left on this side of the room, however, she had reluctantly agreed.

Suddenly, one of the sleeping lizards shifted in his sleep, and his tail came up, slapping the viola out of Nightsong’s grip. The instrument flew through the air for a moment, before shattering on the ground on the opposite side of the room.

“Run. Now.” Nightsong said, pulling out his sword as the plants began to stir. Rarity screamed as one sniffed her, bucking it in the face before racing off. The others ran as well, keeping close to Twilight as Nightsong hacked and slashed at anything that got too close for comfort.

To her credit, Twilight managed to concentrate on her spell all the way to the door to the throne room. Shadows scattered as her light approached, hissing and spitting all the way.

Finally, they made it to the throne room door. ”Stand back!” Nightsong called, blasting them open with a wave of shadow magic.

They all raced in, and Applejack and Twilight slammed the doors shut just as a giant lizard, his as hungry, got to the doorway. The doors hit the lizard full in the face, and her was thrown back into the waiting jaws of one of the carnivorous plants, which slammed shut, sucking in his tail like a spaghetti noodle.

“Phew. We made it, girls!” Twilight called, only to freeze as she heard the one voice she had hoped never to hear again.

“Who DARES to disturb the QUEEN of the Night?! Who dares enter my throne room?!” Nightmare Moon’s voice rang out in the darkness.