//------------------------------//
// Chp.3 Dark Nightmares 
// Story: Turning tables 
// by DarkShadow95 
//------------------------------//

Chp.3 Dark Nightmares 

The dark shroud of the night encompasses the forest. Giving it a mystical feeling. All the trees seem twisted in some magical deranged form.

 I really feel the cold of the night now. The dramatic shift in temperature sends shivers through my spine, only for it to be made worse by the loss of adrenalin in my system. Walking through the overgrowth kicks up the dew from the cold ground frost. This place seems all too calm, an eerie state of calm. I cant hear the gunfire from the battle. So either its ended or I've gotten far away from it. Either way I'm away and now in this place. The forest is just blanketed in fog. You can only just see in the distance making out the shapes of the trees. Branches reaching out as if to grab you. Who knows what lurks here, just waiting for its next meal.

I continue walking through the forest weapon raised in patrol mode, looking around covering all possible arcs of fire. Keeping it slow makes my movements less noisy ensuring not to break the peace. This place Is definitely unnatural.

The fog starts to thicken around me so I turn on the optics and the long endurance on my armour. I start to feel a bit more warm so I wont die of hyperthermia, plus I can now see through the fog, only just however. I carry on walking east according to the compass in the helmet, if Equestria has an east that is.

One thing I notice though, no wildlife. Sure there is plants and stuff but I haven't seen one animal yet, not even bugs for that matter. Something is very wrong with this forest. Eventually I come to a clearing in the forest the fog seems less dense here. It only lingers along the ground, unsure of what's underneath though for all I know it could be a pit. So I take my left foot forward, treading lightly in the fog making sure it has no surprises under the dense fog. To my relief my foot makes contact with the ground so I walk into the middle of the opening. Taking to one knee in the middle to take in my surroundings. It give good fields of view perfect to see anything that approaches. This is where I will stay for the night but I need to keep an eye out for anything also to see if I was followed. Be a bad place to be ambushed. I think its best to only stay here one night.

I keep still for the next hour letting my body adapt to the surroundings. Keeping vigilant for any movement in the trees. Still no wildlife though. After the hour is up I decide it is safe to make camp for the night. Luckily I don't need to pitch a tent or anything, thanks to the Endurance mode on the armour. It keeps you safe from the elements and regulates your temperature. They even say you can urinate in these thing, lets not try that though. Also it comes with local radar ping, sending out radio waves while you sleep so no one can sneak up on you while asleep. Things like that have been known in Equestria, soldiers wake up with either half the team missing or dead. This place seems like that could happen but its all I've got.

I settle down and turn on the local radar laying right in the middle of the clearing. The fogs cleared up a little so I can see the stars shining away in the dark blue of the night. Along with the crescent moon that stands guard over them. A great white guardian keeping loyal watch. It reminds me of all those stories of the moon that some powerful magic being controls the moon. Knowing this Place it's probably true. I keep admiring the stars how the glitter in the blue abyss like putting on a light show. Calming me and distracting me of the forest. The night sky its so much more beautiful than earth, with all the light pollution on earth its hard to see the full beauty of the night sky. So here I am on an alien planet admiring the stars what could be better?

So slowly but surely I start to drift off shutting my eyes for the end of the long day.



"Shepard"

"Who's there?!"

I feel cold so cold. Its dark and the world feels too small. I'm starting to panic as it feels like I'm choking. I cant see anything It's just black all of it. I'm not sure I know I'm standing up but I just can see anything not even myself. What's going on?

"Shepard!" The wispy voice again replies.

"Who are you!?!" I demand.

Suddenly in the distance lights start to appear. Like comets out of the sky blazing white the disappear over in the distance. When suddenly it explodes into a sea of fire. Spreading right towards me at an alarming rate. I try to run away but it catches up with me, engulfing me in a shroud of heat and light. It suddenly becomes too hot as I'm surrounded by fire.

Then out of the haze comes silhouettes of both ponies and humans running just running. They are all black and give off this black haze as they run a nightmare just to look at and with no distinct features. There is no general direction they just run around giving off the black haze. 

As if panicked all of them I'm as panicked as they are.

"SHEPARD!"

"WHAT DO YOU WANT?!" I cry tears streaming from my eyes not knowing why I am being punished.

Then the screaming starts.

The howling screaming of people crying out for help and in pain. Oh god why does this have to happen. All the cold calls of death ringing from around me. Oh god why?! The flames dance around violently. Sending jets of flames everywhere, but worst is yet to come. Screaming children echo around me sending to my knees. All the silhouettes dance around me some falling to the ground. Some seem possessed as they run as if trying to shake something off.

All of a sudden it stops. even the black silhouettes disappear and the flames calm. I just stay there on my knees crying as I realise what this is. All those people all of it I remember. Tears roll down my cheeks staining my shirt below.

Until something walks out of the fire a small pony. Only a few years old a filly I think they call them. She's light yellow, Pegasus with an orange mane free flowing. she walks up to me with blue eyes calm looking at me.

She then sits there in front of me still staring at me with young eyes. Slowly I raise my head looking right at her.

"It's ok Kyle," She says calmly "You had to do what you were ordered to".

"But its my fault over all of this!" I scream at her.

"I know, after all you did murder us"

All of a sudden her tail and mane start to catch fire as she just keeps sitting there. She just lets the flames slowly engulf her. Her skin starts to melt and burns begin to appear. She doesn't scream in pain just lets it take her but she's still staring at me with those young blue eyes. I'm still sat there tortured at what is happening right in front of me. I can't move though. 

My mind screams to save her but I just can't move!

"After all you did murder us"




"NO!"

Jolting up back into reality gasping for air. Sitting there letting me recall its just a dream. just a Nightmare. A nightmare that is also a memory. All of it come back to me. I'm oblivious that its now morning my mind is still going through the dream. Every scene every feeling bringing my darkest memory back. I just sit there like a doll, crying at all the pain I had caused. This causes me to just lay back down and carry on crying.

What have I done?