Ghost

Prologue

 Equestria had been a peaceful place for the last few centuries, the occasional low-tier villain attack was the exception, but it never concerned anyone. But, this was huge. Different. Celestia and Luna felt a disturbing energy out in the desert of the badlands, in an empty desert between the four changeling kingdoms. Even in Ponyville, Discord could sense the disturbance. It was familiar to him, and he could only hope it wasn't what he thought it was. A meeting was promptly arranged between the three powerful beings, Celestia, Luna, and Discord. The three had selected neutral ground at Twilight's castle as the arena for this meeting in Ponyville. Princess Twilight and her friends were currently out on a mission, but when they knocked, Starlight greeted the three with Spike only a few steps behind the unicorn. The two shared a glance before Spike spoke up.

"Discord, it's not guy's night, what are you doing here?" Spike started with a cocked eyebrow.

Discord, pinched his nose, trying to keep his emotions in check. He had no time for small talk, time was short and this was important. "Hello Spike, Starlight. No, I'm not here for guys night, I need to speak."

Luna cleared her throat and stepped forth with her head high. "Starlight, I'm assuming you felt the shift in magic as well?"

Starlight perked up in surprise, a plethora of emotions painted across her muzzle. "Y-yes. Twilight sent a letter back asking me to look into the matter, she claimed she felt a huge shift in magic. It must have been massive, we've been receiving urgent letters all morning. Even Thorax sent a letter."

Celestia sighed, she had a guess and could only pray she was wrong. "It's no surprise. I'm sure Thorax and the other hives are in quite the stir about it, a magical shift like that happening in the middle of their lands has no doubt caught the attention of all the other hives as well."

Celestia paused for a moment, looking around at her compatriots.

"We should speak further of this inside, we don't want to incite panic."

Starlight thoughts soared, learning that Thorax's Hive was not the only one in existence was news to her, but pressing matters were much more important. With a shake of her head, she stepped aside, allowing the three beings inside. The five of them moved to the long table and sat down, a silence washed over the group that none of them knew how to properly break. Luna leaned forward in her seat, taking initiative.

"You see, Starlight, in the center of the four hives lays the ruins of an old castle. Even to us, its purpose is unknown. But all the changeling hives agree that it's been there long since before any of them settled, some say even before the senators discovered Equestria," Luna spoke, a sense of urgency in her normally even and level-headed voice.

Starlight looked at her teacher's brother/assistant Spice the pudgy purple baby dragon confused, showing a growing look of concern as they spoke. Starlight shook her head once more, realizing the lost knowledge that lay inside that castle would make Twilight go crazy. Knowing the newly appointed princess, she would probably hunt the place down herself.

The unicorn sighed, taking a few deep breaths. "So, this castle must why you're all here?"

Starlight couldn't quite see the connection. A magical disturbance from a castle older than Equestria itself is odd, yes, but she couldn't understand what the issue was. It must be uninhabited after all this time, right?

Discord growled in annoyance, "Because that castle was home to the powerful necromancer, Grogar. The books and artifacts that lie in that castle could destroy Equestria! Last thing this damnable world needs is my father's work disturbing what little balance is left! That's my job, after all!"

He slammed a fist on the table indignantly. Discord's attitude one completely different from the one Starlight was used to, the happy trickster draconequus she knew was ripe with malice in his words and a murderous rage in his eyes to go with his snarl.