Chapter 10

In the shadowed realm of her chamber, Naegissa dwelt amidst darkness as profound and inscrutable as her own enigmatic presence. Her quarters, a sanctum of obscurity, bore no witness to the sun's embrace, for the curtains that shrouded her windows were as dark and impenetrable as the night itself. These heavy drapes, wrought from fabric thick and lightless, swallowed all glimmers of the outside world, plunging the room into a perpetual twilight.

Within this haven of shadows, the furnishings were sparse, echoing the austere and unfathomable nature of their mistress. Garments, meticulously arranged, hid in closets, free from the chaos of the ordinary world. No tomes lay scattered, no lamps cast their warm, inviting glow; the room was a tableau of order and restraint. When Nerath first stepped into this realm of shadow and silence, she felt a shiver of unease, for the room was naught but a void, a hollow echo of the alicorn who resided within.

Further sealing herself from the outer cacophony, Naegissa had woven around her walls an intricate spell of sound cancellation, an invisible shield ensuring the sanctity of her silence. Here, in this cloister of tranquility, her thoughts could soar unfettered, untroubled by the mundane distractions of the world beyond.

For an academician such as Naegissa, whose days were often cloaked in the unremarkable, the allure of her darkened sanctuary was irresistible. Whenever the winds of fate brought events of note, she would retreat into this secluded chamber, away from prying eyes and inquisitive minds. She knew well the whispers that might arise should others learn of her predilection for the dark—insidious murmurs of black magic, of sinister forces lurking within her soul. Yet such idle gossip mattered little to her; her focus lay solely in her scholarly pursuits within the august halls of the AAA. To fulfill her lofty ambitions, she must navigate the intricate web of relations amongst her fellow researchers, a task ill-suited to one shrouded in infamy and suspicion.

Thus, after her enigmatic encounter with Nerath, Raybarn, and Feyn, Naegissa sought the solace of her chamber, a place to ponder and replenish her spirit. A peculiar exhilaration had gripped her when she perceived the bewilderment in Raybarn and Feyn, their memories of the conversation slipping away like sand on hooves. It was a victory, however small, and it stirred within her a need for reflection.

As she crossed the threshold into her domain, a profound sigh escaped her lips, the sound lost in the enveloping darkness. She drifted like a phantom to her barren desk, the starkness of the room a mirror to her own inner turmoil. To any who dared to gaze beyond her façade, it was evident that Naegissa was an alicorn burdened with unseen sorrows, her mind a labyrinth of unspoken thoughts and concealed pains. Yet she remained a fortress, her walls impenetrable, save to one—Nerath.

Nerath, whose insight pierced the veils of pretense, had drawn close to Naegissa not by force but by understanding. Their friendship, forged over countless cycles, was a testament to Nerath's discernment, an unspoken bond that transcended mere words.

With a heart laden with unvoiced griefs, Naegissa turned away from the bleakness of her desk and approached the curtains, standing before them in silent contemplation. The weight of her thoughts was a tangible presence, yet her mind wandered not to any specific memory or concern. Then, turning back, she uttered a soft invocation, her voice a whisper in the gloom.

"Come, Black Mist."

At her summons, a curious object materialized—a box of enigmatic origin and design. Its appearance was unassuming, yet in Naegissa's haunted gaze, one could glimpse a profound connection, a link to secrets untold and burdens unbearable. The box, a simple music box imbued with magic, seemed to hold within it the essence of Equestera's hidden truths.

Black Mist's intricate construction bore the weight of a thousand hidden secrets, each more harrowing than the last. Hewn from an indescribable material, darker than the blackest void and etched with patterns reminiscent of forgotten nightmares, it beckoned those who dared to gaze upon it. Stark against the abyssal background, a plate of eerie luminescence showcased writhing, serpentine forms intertwined in an unholy dance. These forms appeared to not be just mere depictions but restless spirits, bound eternally to the box, trapped in an endless waltz of torment.

Upon its surface, illuminated by an eerie otherworldly glow, crystalline formations thrust upward, resembling the grotesque limbs of long-deceased phantoms, clawing their way out, yearning for freedom from their imprisoned state. They shimmered with a spectral light, casting an otherworldly radiance that seemed to pulse with life or perhaps with the anguished souls ensnared within. And, to the side, gears and apparatus of an indeterminable origin could be glimpsed. Roundels, decorated with symbols alien to even the most erudite scholars, emitted a cerulean glow.

She activated her Soul Weapon, and the room filled with a melody—eerie, unsettling, a tune that spoke of ancient mysteries and forgotten lore. But the music's haunting cadence was short-lived, for another sound, a presence unseen yet palpable, began to encroach upon the melody of the Black Mist. The music box's spectral tune waned, not from any failing of the box itself but from the intrusion of this other, enigmatic sound.

It was within this hush that Naegissa discerned soft, haunting murmurs rushing toward her like the tendrils of an unseen force. While most alicorns would've been thrown into a state of panicked disarray at such sinister emanations, Naegissa's countenance remained unmoved. The cycles had familiarized her with these spectral whispers, and the expression she wore was one of exasperation, not trepidation.

Initially, the whispers felt like gentle gusts from far-off lands, but as they grew in intensity, they seemed to draw nearer, wrapping around her like a shroud. This relentless auditory torment had once been an enigma to her, the voices without a source. But tonight, something shifted. There was a palpable essence, a shadowy presence lurking in the penumbra that danced just beyond her keen perception. She cast a fleeting glance over her shoulder, seeking the elusive shadow, yet found nothing. The room's deep gloom might have obscured it, or perhaps the phantom had chosen to remain concealed.

With a sigh reminiscent of the winds over the barren moors of northern Ventia, she ventured into her adjoining lavatory, a sanctuary from the world's darkness. Attempting to ignite the luminary within yielded no result. Try as she might, the sconce remained dark, hinting at the influence of some otherworldly power. Unperturbed, Naegissa invoked an age-old incantation, summoning a magical orb that bathed the room in its soft, ethereal glow.

Approaching the sink, crowned with an ornate mirror framed in silver, she spread her wings, drawing forth water from the enchanted tap. She doused her visage, each droplet shimmering like a star in the night sky. Though her demeanor was serene, her right eye, the window to her very soul, bore the weight of her life experience. The alicorns held their reflections in sacred reverence, believing it to be the truest manifestation of their essence. As droplets cascaded down her gleaming fur and her mane retained its silken smoothness, she beheld an image in the mirror.

At first, it appeared familiar, yet a closer examination revealed a face that, though eerily similar, was not her own. An unsettling realization washed over her: to see another in one's reflection was a harbinger of possession, a sign that malevolent forces sought to claim the very heart of an alicorn. But, deep down, she knew what it was.

In the dimly lit bathroom, Naegissa's gaze remained fixed on the mirror's reflection, searching for understanding amidst the enigma. But the visage that stared back lacked the horn, the emblem of pride for all alicorns. A wave of puzzlement washed over her, for never had she known an alicorn to be devoid of its horn; at worst, it bore a stump, a scar of battles long past.

Continuing her scrutinous examination, she noted the absence of nostrils, an oddity that confounded her. Breathing, the essence of life itself, was dependent upon those very nostrils. Yet this image before her seemed to defy the very fabric of her understanding.

And then, in the eerie silence of the lavatory, the reflection morphed into a nightmarish visage. An uncanny grin stretched across its face, revealing a sinister set of teeth that were alien to any alicorn lineage. Like the daggers wielded by the fiercest of warriors, the fangs at the edges measured an imposing seven centimeters, each gleaming with malevolent intent.

The once familiar face began a grotesque transformation. Its eyes, which had moments before resembled Naegissa's own, gave way to what seemed to be the menacing claws of nightmarish beasts. However, upon closer study, the fearsome appendages were forged from crystalline shards reminiscent of the darkest obsidian.

Drawn in by morbid curiosity, Naegissa's face hovered closer to the mirror, only to recoil in horror as the monstrous figure unleashed a scream that echoed the anguish of ages. The shrillness of it struck her to the core, compelling her to shield her delicate ears with the vast expanse of her wings lest the chilling cry rupture them. Each second felt like an eternity, and she clenched her eyes shut, desperately wishing to escape the torturous sound.

Braving herself to once again gaze into the mirror, she was met with another unsettling sight. The creature's eyes, forged of obsidian crystal, now oozed an inky blackness. The very sight of it sent shivers down her spine, for even she knew what it was, the sight was still horrifying. Hastily, she examined her own being, sighing in relief upon finding herself untainted by the ominous ichor.

Yet, the creature's harrowing mien remained unchanged. The eerie grin persisted, each tooth standing as a testament to its predatory nature. But its wailing betrayed another narrative, one that Naegissa couldn't quite decipher. Was it a cry of agony or a tool to unhinge her? Regardless, externally, she remained as stoic as ever, her visage revealing none of the tumult within.

However, even with all her encounters with the grotesque and unknown, this entity's relentless cries and sinister aura began to fray her patience. Just when she thought the worst had passed, the unsettling whispers returned, adding to her growing vexation. Her eye narrowed, a flash of inspiration breaking through the darkness that surrounded her.

She fixed her piercing gaze on the reflection, her thoughts swirling like a maelstrom. "Why does her memory endure? Both Raybarn and Feyn have been stripped of theirs; what makes her so resistant?" The murmurs grew louder, insistent, pressing into her very soul as though the universe itself were answering her queries. There was a flicker of comprehension, a dawning realization on her face. Amidst the cacophony, a certain clarity emerged from the whispers, revealing truths that set her heart racing.

Collecting herself, she strode with determination from the cold tiles of the bathroom to the dark yet warmer wooden embrace of her chamber. Retrieving a pitcher of water, she returned, taking deliberate sips, never allowing her gaze to waver from the grotesque figure still trapped within the glass.

Yet another chorus of murmurs began, distinct from the earlier ones. The original whispers were like distant winds, shapeless and meandering. But the revelations about Nerath came in clear, well-defined words as if whispered by an old sage directly into her ear.

Having quenched her thirst, she drew closer to the mirror, her eyes aflame with resolve. "Begone from me," she commanded, her voice strained, the weight of the confrontation evident in her tone. Her plea was desperate, yearning for respite from the relentless torment.

The hushed voices crescendoed, threatening to overwhelm her, but then, as swiftly as they had come, fell into silence. The gruesome reflection vanished, leaving behind only her own familiar visage. Her surroundings came back into focus, the oppressive shadows lifting.

She made her way to the study, the candlelight glinting off her sweat-matted fur. An involuntary shiver ran down her spine as she recalled the evening's events. With a wry smile, she pondered on its implications.

Pulling open a drawer sealed with an intricate magical ward, she retrieved an ancient tome. To any other alicorn, the book's mere existence would be an enigma, for it bore the weight of eons, its pages yellowed with time. Flipping it open to a well-worn section filled with her own meticulous notes, she took a feathered quill, dipped it in ink, and began to record the night's events.