Creeping Darkness

by Bronyxy

10 Confrontation

“Now, Princess” crowed Nightmare Moon, “I would like you to be my slave, just like Cadance is.”

“She would never have agreed, unless she thought by sacrificing herself you would leave the crystal ponies alone” Twilight reasoned.

“Or her daughter.”

“You absolute beast!” cried Twilight, “And then you nearly killed her anyway!”

“Nearly?” questioned Nightmare Moon raising a single eyebrow, “I must be losing my touch. I thought you had only found her body.”

Twilight was furious and lit her horn only to see a defensive shield materialise in front of her target.

“Really, Princess Twilight, you will need to learn some manners” chided Nightmare Moon, “Attempting to attack me in my own castle is a serious crime …”

“It’s not your castle!” retorted Twilight angrily.

“I am the most powerful alicorn in Equestria, and I say it’s mine.”

“You’re not that powerful” commented Twilight, pulling the bones of a plan together as she spoke, “Your darkness only extends a small distance. The rest of Equestria doesn’t even know you’re here.”

Nightmare Moon froze and her eyes widened, her authority challenged.

“You can’t have found many of Sombra’s crystals if that’s the best you can do” Twilight continued, watching as her adversary’s expression melted from anger to one of greed; her red eyes widening and the streams of smoke pulsing expectantly.

“You defeated Sombra before, didn’t you?”

“Twice” said Twilight, exaggerating slightly, “Firstly when the Crystal Empire returned, and then again when he was brought back by the Lord of Chaos. I probably know him better than you do.”

“Do you, now?” Nightmare Moon mused, “Yes, I suppose you would. I’m so glad we’re having our little chat. You are going to show me round this castle and take me to all the hiding places and secret rooms you know of, so you can find me more crystals.”

"Why should I?"

“You will know that Sombra had magic to force enemies to live out their worst nightmares. You also know I am at home in the dream realm. Put the two together and you will appreciate that I have the power to reach out and torment anypony I choose, including your sister-in-law, her daughter and all the ponies in your pitiful little army. In fact, I was going to do it to you once you had told me everything I wanted to know, but since you have shown that you are of worth to me, I will spare you; for now.”

Twilight had known this confrontation would be challenging and had managed to play for time whilst she had probed at what the black mare knew, and more importantly, what she did not know. Fortunately, she had been helped in her task by Nightmare Moon’s egotistical streak which had led to her monologuing and enabled Twilight to play to her insecurities, but more importantly, her vanity.

Nonetheless, Twilight had been taken aback by the scope of the threat against not just her, but so many innocent ponies. She doubted whether Nightmare Moon had the raw power to carry through her threat against so many at once, but was reluctant to push her until she could be sure.

With so many souls at stake, Twilight was committed to playing along until she could determine the limits of evil power ranged against her. Only then, would she be able to determine how best to take on this wicked mare.

“Well, come on then” barked Nightmare Moon impatiently, “Your pathetic little invasion attempt has caused me enough delays already. Show me where the stash of crystals is.”

“After you” Twilight responded courteously.

“You’re kidding! Me, turn my back on you; I don’t think so!”

Twilight was not surprised at having been seen through so easily; it had been a clumsy attempt after all. She knew Nightmare Moon would have been expecting some form of resistance, and if she thought she had been able to dismiss it so easily, her vanity would have only reinforced her fanatical self-belief to such an extent that she would be less likely to expect anything more sophisticated, if indeed anything else at all.

“Which crystal hordes have you found so far?” asked Twilight, faking an air of resigned defeat into her voice to cover her true feelings.

“Under your hooves” said Nightmare Moon, eyeing Twilight’s response critically, “Surely you remember the long winding staircase?”

Twilight did remember all too clearly, and thought for a moment how much easier her own journey would have been all those years ago if she had the luxury of wings back then, instead of having to do it all on hoof. However, she was vexed; this route had ultimately only been a secret way to the top of the castle where Sombra had hidden the Crystal Heart; there had been no secret stashes of crystals back then.

Realisation tugged at her consciousness; maybe Sombra had used the same route to hide something more? Nightmare Moon had not been heard of for decades; in her ethereal form she had been gifted plenty of opportunity to explore this castle far beyond the limits that Twilight herself had time to do.

“It is so laborious having to move the carpet every time; shall we just fly up to the top of the castle?” said Nightmare Moon, not so much as a question but more as an order, “We will of course be seen by your guards, but you will not attempt to communicate with them in any way, or you will all be experiencing the personal hell unleashed by my magic crystals. Do I make myself clear?”

Twilight nodded reluctantly and turned for the large double doors that opened in front of her under the influence of her captor’s light blue aura. She retraced the path she had taken when storming the building not so very long ago, feeling a keen sense of humiliation with every step she took back to the balcony.

She stepped out of the castle away from Nightmare Moon’s strange lighting, to stare out into the gloom. A voice cut through the unreal silence; an alert thestral was hovering a hundred yards away, trying to get her attention. She could not respond while she felt an unwelcome pair of eyes boring into her back, wordlessly demanding her compliance.

“We go up now, Princess” came the dangerous voice behind her, “The top of the castle is upwards from here.”

Other guards were now shouting, some to attract the attention of their Princess, others to warn her of Nightmare Moon behind her, yet the most astute observers could read the situation better and kept quiet, seeing the danger and realising there was nothing they could do to help.