Early next morning Valder arrives at the hospital, meeting several ponies at the main entrance. Many give him updates on the princess's condition, but he was satisfied that no changed had occurred over night. Valder walks to Luna's room, still having one doctor follow him.
“...Princess Luna's blood pressure and brainwave activity still read normal,” the doctor finished as they reach the hospital room.
“Thank you doctor, I think that's all I need to know.” The doctor bows and hands Valder the clipboard holding Luna's records. “If there's anything else, I should be starting.”
“Of course, be careful, Prince Valder.” The doctor bows his head to which Valder reciprocates.
After the doctor had left, Valder let out a small sigh and opened the door using his magic. He enters the room, only to be greeted by Twilight and all the elements.
“Valder, is it time?” Twilight walks up and hugs him.
“Yes, I'm afraid it is,” Valder wraps his wing around Twilight. “Thank you everypony for coming, I wanted you all to be here because...” Valder looks towards Luna. “...Because you all have been there for me and Luna, and I know with you all here nothing can go wrong.”
Valder was about to continue, when the room door opened; revealing Celestia. Valder stops and everyone bows.
“Please rise, you all have saved Equestria so much; you have no right to bow,” Celestia looks over to Valder. “And you, Prince Valder; you are doing something that I should have done a long time ago!” Celestia walks over and kisses Luna's forehead, “saving my sister.”
“Princess Celestia, I thought you wouldn't want to be here for this,” Valder replies.
“I didn't want to miss this, besides my whole family is here.” Celestia walks to Valder and they both embrace each other.
“AWWW!” Is heard from everypony else.
Valder breaks the hug and turns to the others, Celestia taking her place beside Twilight; both looking very nervous.
“Everypony, I will not lie. How this spell works is still a mystery for me! I have read and re-read many texts containing all the information I need to recreate the spell.”
“But what does the spell do, exactly?” Twilight asks.
“The spell...Gives the caster the ability to dream walk.”
“You mean like Princess Luna?” Twilight asks again.
“Yes, It is the only way I can enter her mind and save her, from what ever is keeping her in this state.”
Valder walks up to Luna's bedside and sits down.
“What do you need us to do?” Celestia asks.
“Nothing as of yet! But be ready for anything; I have no idea how long the spell will last or how long I will be in there.”
“Be careful!” Twilight states a tear running down her face.
“I will, now I will need everypony to be silent as I concentrate.” Everypony nods.
Valder closes his eyes, the magic of his horn flaring slightly as power builds; after several minutes sweat pours from Valder as the strain gets to much. Then just as everypony thinks the spell failed, his eye's shoot open; both bright white.
Valder opens his eyes, but what greets him is not what he expected. It was dark, very dark. There was no light anywhere! Valder walks forward, but with no light it seems like he wasn't moving at all.
“Well, this is unnerving!” Valder says to himself.
Valder just keeps walking until after what seems like an hour, a door appears out of nowhere. Valder walks around it, inspecting every detail.
“Why is this door just sitting here?” Valder asks out load, the small voice in his head telling him to open it. “But it goes nowhere, I don't understand.” The voice tells him to open it, “alright, here goes!”
Valder pushes open the door, not using his magic unless it's necessary. What greets him on the other side brings hope to his heart.
“Luna!” Valder shouts, finding Luna lying in a cage; as he shouts Luna looks up.
“What! Stop tormenting me! I told you everything I know, just...let me go!” Luna says lowering her head back again.
“Luna, It's me! Valder!” Valder walks up to the cage and places his hoof against it.
“Just leave me alone!” Luna shouts, crying into her hooves.
“Luna remember when you entered my dream? We talked and you asked me why I keep visiting this dream? I said to you that I can't forget, that I have to remember; so I can't make that mistake again.”
Luna looks back up and squints her eye's, “Father?” she speaks.
“Yes! My daughter.” Luna jumps up and puts her legs through the cage bars.
Valder returns the hug. They keep the embrace for several seconds.
“Oh! how quaint, dear old daddy has come to rescue you!” Valder looks around but Luna just cringes.
“Luna what's wrong?” Valder looks down, Luna just shivers.
“That's right, you don't know me!” A small purple mist forms around the cage and coalesces behind Valder. “Let me introduce myself, I'm Nightmare Moon.”
Valder turns around and steps before the alicorn calling herself Nightmare Moon.
“Did you put my daughter in this cage!?” Valder asks anger raging in his voice.
“Me! No, No! That was my...partner, he should be around here somewhere,” she looks around.
“No games, release her...NOW!” Valder shouts the last word.
“Oh my, such anger; no wonder my partner likes you,” she lets out a small laugh.
Valder steps forward, “I SAID NO GAMES!” Nightmare Moon just laughs.
“Father, please!” Valder turns around, Luna cries through the bars; holding them in both of her hooves.
“Luna what's wrong?” Valder turns to her and presses his nose against hers.
“Father, please don't do this; just leave me!” Luna whispers.
Valder goes to respond but stops as a red mist starts to swirl around the cage.
“What now!” Valder turns to Nightmare Moon, who just shrugs; still grinning.
The red mist coalesces beside Nightmare Moon, forming a body Valder never wanted to see again.
“Hello, brother!” Darkside says.
“You're no brother of mine!” Valder shouts back.
“Touchy ain’t we!” Darkside mockingly replies.
“Why are you here?”
“Because I want to be,” Darkside nuzzles Nightmare's neck. “And to be fair, I like it here!” Darkside laughs.
“But why Luna?”
“Because Luna already had an...how do you say...evil streak,” Darkside gestures to Nightmare.
“When Luna got hit by my dear sisters magic, it was just a matter of reaching out from my mental prison and pulling him in; you where just so emotional at the time you didn't feel it!” Nightmare adds.
“Why have you kept Luna here, let her go!”
“All in due time, all in due time; but first I have a proposal,” Darkside says.
“We want no part of it!” Valder states stepping between Luna and Darkside.
“Oh, but you haven't heard my idea yet; it will be fun!” Darkside walks around the cage causing Luna to squirm.
“Let Luna go and...and...I'll listen,” Valder finally says; gesturing to Luna's cage.
“Father! No!” Luna shouts.
“Luna if it gets you out, then so be it!” Luna looks down and nods, tears still visible on her cheeks.
“Fine!” Darkside nods and Luna's cage disappears.
“Father!” Luna shouts as she runs to Valder and hugs him tightly.
“Yes, yes; all this sentiment is giving me a headache,” Darkside retorts.
“My love, shall we begin?” Nightmare walks forward.
“Very well, the 'game' we will play is going to be fun!” Darkside walks to Valder, “It's this simple, we will play several scenarios from Luna's mind here and if...'if' you survive we will let you and Luna go; permanently!” The grin never leaving his face.
“And if we die?” Valder asks.
“Then your bodies will be ours!” Nightmare responds.
Valder looks to Luna still held in his embrace, she looks back and nods; the fear in her eye's.
“You have a deal!” Valder says through gritted teeth.
“Good! Let start shall we?” As Darkside finishes, the area around Valder and Luna fades away and is replaced by a green field full of lush grass; the wind blowing a gentle breeze. Tree's can be seen in the distance and a small village, though it looks abandoned.
“Luna, where are we?” Valder asks, looking down at her.
“I'm not sure! Though I have some thoughts.” Luna replies.
Valder was about asks something else, when Darkside appears as a floating head before them.
“Oh, and one more thing; LET THE GAMES BEGIN!”