//------------------------------// // Chapter One // Story: Infernal // by Unicron //------------------------------// Infernal By Unicron and Nodd, the Blind Horse Chapter One It was late evening. Luna sat in the cool grass. The field stretched out forever and met the mountains, obscured by the haze of distance. The sky was unnatural, glowing bright orange at the horizon, gradually shifting into deep violet as the spectrum reached the sky’s expanse. Luna sulked there, as tears rolled down her cheeks. She only stopped when she saw a creeping orange mist gather around her. Luna stood up in shock as the mist rose, and she could feel the life force from within it. Then it spoke to her. “You seem upset today,” it observed. “What do you want from me?” cried out the distraught Alicorn, “Why do you torment me like this?” Luna could bear the thing’s torture for no longer. This was not the first time it had found her. The mist began to take shape. The being Luna saw stood upright on its hind legs, with its forelegs hanging completely down from its sides instead of front. Its head was small and round, and its face was flat. Luna had never seen a creature like this. The translucent phantom loomed in on Luna. “Luna…oh, sweet Lulu…,” it fawned. As it spoke, more of the aberrant fog leaked out of the mouth, enveloping the Alicorn. Lune screamed, “No! Get away from me!” She was blinded in a sea of orange as the specter pulled at her face and limbs, and clawed at her soft underbelly. She struggled, but she could not get away. Its claws tightened around her crest and neck, cutting off her air supply. The seconds turned into minutes, and eventually time seemed to stand still completely. When it was finally done, it dropped her on the ground in disinterest. Her body was in terrible agony. It felt like the life had been literally battered out of her. She was just about to close her eyes and pray for it to be all over, when she spotted a white blur through her tears. She opened her eyes wider, and saw that it was Celestia. “Sister!” cried Celestia as she galloped to Luna’s aid. The mist materialized an axe in its hand and swung violently at the approaching white mare. Luna screamed with all of the strength she had left. She closed her eyes before she could fully see her sister die. As she hid her vision in the darkness of her own head, the frail Alicorn drifted off, unable to go on any longer. Luna gasped loudly as she rose feverishly out of slumber. The dressings that adorned her bed were damp from sweat. Breathing heavily, she surveyed her surroundings, assuring herself that this was real, and the previous events were just a bad dream. She saw Celestia, already by her side. Perhaps she had been talking in her sleep, she thought. She relaxed a bit as Celestia ran a hoof through her mane and coaxed her back into reality. Luna had begun to cry, and she buried her head into her pillow. Celestia continued to pet her mane, comforting her, not letting on the she was also distressed. “It’s okay, Luna. You’re safe,” Celestia reassured, “Tell me what’s wrong.” Luna revealed her face from the pillow, and looked with sad eyes at her sister. “I see,” Celestia confirmed. There was no doubt now what was bothering Luna. “So you are still having that dream. Is it happening often?” “It happens every night,” Luna whimpered, “but it was different this time. The mist usually just surrounds me and I wake up, but tonight…” Luna broke off and just stared sadly from her pillow. Her mouth quivered, unable to force out the words. “Tell me, Luna. I would like to know what happened.” So Luna retold the new developments of the dream to Celestia. As she listened, Celestia nodded her head. She should have expected as much. “I must say, I’m confused. I wasn’t going to bother you with this, but it seems too important to keep hidden now. You see, I had the same dream as you, Lulu. Except in my dream, you were the one who…” the princess paused, rewording the sentence in her head, “tried to rescue me instead.” Luna was puzzled. “What…what does this mean, Tia?” she asked. Celestia could only shake her head and say, “I’m not sure, but I will tell you this, Lulu; This troubles me as well.” “I don’t want to sleep anymore, Tia.” said Luna. The stress had rendered her wide awake. Celestia suggested they go for a walk on the castle grounds and have a snack in the garden. Luna agreed, and they both left her bed chamber. In the royal garden, beyond the stained glass doors to the castle hall from whence they had entered, the air was gentle and cool. The night animals croaked and cricketed from all directions as the two princesses trotted through the grass. The sky above was dark and cloudless, and only the vividly glowing full moon broke through the indigo. They strolled down the pathway, surrounded by the un-bloomed flowers, still waiting for summer. “Sometimes I think it looks more pretty here at night, Tia,” Luna mused as the gentle night air brushed her mane. “I couldn’t agree more, Lulu. It truly is gorgeous,” Her sister agreed, more in an attempt to humor Luna, rather than in actual agreement. She nuzzled Luna’s cheek in affection. Sometimes, Celestia thought, she saw poor, fragile Luna as more of her own daughter than just a sister. “You know, Tia, there’s a big astronomical event happening in just a few days.” “And what might that be, my little pony?” Celestia inquired, further entertaining her sisters interest in the stars. It wasn’t that she was particularly disinterested, just that the stars were so far away, and the real pressing matters of ponies’ lives were right here in the kingdom. She simply had no time to be amused in such things. “A huge alignment! Starting with Equestria and ending with Alicornia, with many planetary bodies in between,” Luna spoke with great interest, “Isn’t it fascinating that Equestria will align with the original planet of the Alicorns, Tia?” Celestia sat down and lowered her head on the grass. “Yes, Lulu, it is.” Celestia is not as stoic as she believes, thought Luna. Her sister was clearly keeping something inside. She sat next to Celestia and nestled close. “What troubles you, sister?” she asked with concern. “You never mind that, Lulu. I am just very tuckered out” insisted the reserved Alicorn. “But sister, I want to know—“ “That is enough, Luna. Don’t give in another thought.” Luna thought for a minute, and formulated a plan. “Well…,” she said coyly, “If you will not tell me, I will extract the information by force!” Luna pounced on Celestia and began tickling her. Celestia burst into a fit of laughter as she struggled. “Eek!” she yelped, “No tickling! Stop!” “Not until you release the information I desire!” commanded the princess, in a rare power shift. The laughter seemed to be contagious. “Yes! I will tell you, I promise!” she assured. As Celestia was allowed to sit up again, the pink in her cheeks subsided back to their usual regal white. Luna inched in closer, anxious to hear what her sister had to say. It was not often her sister confided in her. That shoe was more often than not on the other hoof. “The story begins with Grandmother Rhea…” she began. Celestia pondered the words as she started what was to be a lengthy and difficult tale….