Opening the door to his home, Nox walked inside still with a happy grin on his face.
“Excluding the part where she died, this went surprisingly well.’ Nox thought to himself.
Removing his black cloak, he hangs it on a hook next to the door. Walking over to the fire that the ponies had left, which was now just barely burning embers amide a pile of ash, he picks up a fresh log and kindling to begin to bring it back to life.
“Judging by the grin on your face I gather things went well master?” speaks a voice from an unnaturally shadowed corner of the cabin.
“That it did Lilith; it has been so long since I have had a guest, one with a pulse that is.”
“Well I’m sorry if un-life has been so boring for you these past few years with me master Nox.” states Lilith as she walks into the light of the now burning hearth, a grin prevalent on her face.
“You know what I mean Lilith, and jealousy doesn't suit you.” Nox says as he regards the approaching mare.
Standing almost eye level with Nox, she was tall for a mare, her long black mane accentuated by a strand of red cascading over her face obscuring it from sight. As her lithe form gracefully enters into the firelight, one could now see the pegasus mare for what she truly was. Large gaping wounds and decayed flesh cover her once elegant body, her bones and remains of tissue and sinew showing through where her muscle and skin had long ago rotted away. Her left wing now nothing more than bone with a scant amount of decaying muscle still attached to the joints, her right wing nothing more than a stump where her appendage had decayed and fallen away over the centuries.
“Did you prepare the items I requested?”
“Yes master, but I still don’t understand why you are even bothering with these ponies. They do not seem worth the effort. You saw how the purple one reacted when she met you; nothing is different even after all of these years.”
“That is what I hope to change Lilith. It has been so long since I have been amongst the living. You saw how her outlook on me changed when we sat and talked. Now come, I need to prepare for tonight.”
Moving toward the corner of the room that Lilith had appeared from Nox rests his right hoof on the corner where the walls meet, and with a small burst of magic the darkness begins to coalesce into an oval portal of shimmering black light.
Removing his hoof, Nox and Lilith step through the portal.
On the other side, the ponies enter a large two floored circular room that one could only describe as resembling an operating theatre. Overlooking the first floor are shelves consisting of thousands of books lining the walls with two spiral staircases on opposite sides of the room ostensibly leading down to the floor below. The floor below them is dominated by a large circle lined with candles used in an assortment of summoning magic. Flanking the seal are tables upon tables of scientific implements ranging for scalpels to test tubes and beakers. The true marvel of the room though is a large shimmering dome of green magical glass. Throughout the glass were spheres and engraved pathways which one could gather at one point tracked the patterns of the celestial bodies.
Descending down to the first floor, with Lilith close behind, Nox makes his way to a large wooden table. There laid out are a large assortment of potions and reagents as well as many different powders of varying colors and textures, beside those laid a quill and inkwell as well as a large book with the picture of a bubbling red potion on the cover. Opening the book to a page marked previously by Lilith, Nox began his work.
“Thank you Lilith, leave me to my work please.” And with that, Lilith retreated to the second floor and through a passage previously hidden by a false bookcase.
“I’ll make sure to give those ponies a show that they will not soon forget.”
Slowly awakening from her restful afternoon nap, Twilight set about preparing herself for the night ahead. Ever the organized pony, Twilight already had her checklist out and began to go over her preparations. “Make bed; check.” Twilight says aloud while checking that item off of her list. Making her way to her closet, Twilight magically removes a hanger and her subsequent costume for the night out of her closet. After her costume last year met with less than enthusiastic response, she decided to go as Clover the Clever this year, consisting of a simple green tunic and a brown patchwork cloak.
“After all, we do that play every Hearths Warming Eve, everypony will know who I’m dressed as this year” she thought to herself. “Costume; check” now to make sure spike is ready.
“Spike! Are you all ready to go?”
“Almost ready Twilight.”
As Twilight marks that item off of her list, she dons her costume and goes downstairs. Waiting downstairs is Spike, his costume choice this year was a plain white mask covering all of his facial features, as well as a full black suit and red tie. From his back sprouted fake tentacles the same color of his suit
“Wow Spike great costume, Slenderpony?”
“Yeah thanks Twilight, yours is good too, you’re a good um, Trottin Hood?”
“Clover the Clever…”
“Yeah that’s it.”
“Ugh!! Let’s go Spike.”
With that the two leave the library and out into town where the festivities have already started.
Ponyville was in full swing for the holiday. Ponies of all ages clad in costumes moved about the town. Groups of fillies and colts moved about in groups door to door in the traditional quest for candy, while older ponies were gathered in the town center. As they made their way to the town center, Spike and Twilight spied Applejack, clad in a costume resembling a Canterlot royal guard, leading a familiar group of little fillies.
“Hi Applejack hi girls, happy Nightmare night.” says Twilight calling out to the group.
“Well howdy there Twilight, Spike, ready to get the night a rollin?” asks Applejack.
“We sure are, I’m so excited to welcome the princesses to Ponyville!” squees Twilight as she bounces up and down on all four of her hooves.
“Well I’m just a waitin fer Zecora to meet me. She’s takin the girls here out fer the night before the show. Speak of the pony, hello there Zecora.”
“Hello dear ponies my good friends, and as for your costumes I do commend. Applejack a knight so brave and Twilight comes dressed as Trottin Hood or some other type of knave?”
“It’s Clover the Clever! Why does no pony ever get my costumes?!”
As Twilight continues her pouting, Rarity; dressed as a vampony, Rainbow Dash; dressed as her favorite literary hero Daring Do, and Pinkie Pie; clad head to hoof as a werepony, come trotting over to twilight and Applejack.
“Girls, I do believe that we will be late for the Princesses arrival if we tarry too long.” Says Rarity as she enters the group of ponies.
“Oh my gosh she’s right! Come on girls we have to go. Sorry to have to run Zecora, we are looking forward to you and the girls’ performance later.”
“Until later ponies and Ms. Twilight, and have a fun filled Nightmare Night.”
"Twilight can I go with Zecora and the girls?" asks Spike
"Ok Spike, you be good for Zecora and not too much candy.." says Twilight.
'You too girls.." says Applejack to the three fillies.
With that, the 5 mares began their walk to the town hall where they were to meet the Princesses.
“Hey girls, where is Fluttershy?” asks Twilight
“You know that scardy pony is home with her doors all locked up, she never comes out for Nightmare Night.” replies Rainbow Dash.
With a sigh, Twilight says, “Oh well, we should all hurry. We can’t be tardy for the princesses.”
Several miles away soaring high in the clouds, a tandem flying chariot carrying the two sister princesses Luna and Celestia was making its way to Ponyville as fast as its drivers could will it. Flanking both sides flies a contingent of no less than 10 Royal Guard pegasi fully clad for war as well as three carriages filled with an equal number of unicorn and earth pony guards.
“I do hope we get there soon sister, I am worried about what may befall my ponies otherwise.” says Celestia with a worried look upon her normally calm and collected face.
“I am still not clear why we did not simply teleport ourselves there.”
“As I told you before Luna, there is a strong force blocking our magic, that is why I could not send a letter warning Twilight and her friends ahead of our arrival never the less teleport all of the way to Ponyville.”
“Are you sure that this is the same pony from the historical records? He is no Alicorn, and this occurred over two thousand years ago. How could this be possible?”
“I am sure of it dear sister, he is a necromancer. For all we know he may be older than even we are.”
“Worry not sister, I am sure your student and her friends are safe.”
“I hope so Luna.” Replies Celestia with a heavy sigh. “If not, this is all my fault for ignoring her letter.”