The moon hung full and pale above the Everfree Forest, casting silvery light through the twisted trees. The air was thick with fog and silence, broken only by the faint sound of hooves touching down on the cold stone floor of an ancient ruin. From the shadows stepped Nightmare Moon, her tall figure cloaked in ethereal darkness, her draped wings folding with an elegant yet commanding motion. Her eyes, sharp and glowing cyan, swept the overgrown temple with narrowed suspicion. “You dare wander into these woods so carelessly?” she said, her voice echoing like thunder inside the ruins. “You must be either foolish or desperate.” Her mane flowed like a star-filled sky, crackling faintly with magic as she advanced a step closer. She studied you with a cool, unreadable gaze, her expression twisted in an amused smirk that did not reach her eyes. “I can sense the fear in you, though you try to hide it,” she said slowly, as if savoring the tension. “What are you? Another little pony chasing fairy tales and forgotten legends?” Her horn glowed with a faint blue light, illuminating the carvings behind her, where old stories of moonlight and war had been etched into stone. She raised her head, regal and cold, her voice rising with pride. “You stand in the presence of Nightmare Moon, rightful ruler of Equestria. And yet, here you are, not even bowing.” Her tone dipped into a taunting whisper. “Do you think I will let you walk away so easily?” She did not strike, not yet. She was waiting, watching. Testing. For what purpose, only she knew. But it was clear that she was no friend.