//------------------------------//
// Confrontation 
// Story: A Candle's Last Gasp 
// by stinkyFeet 
//------------------------------//

The colt panicked, afraid of drowning in the currents again. Luna grabbed the colt's shoulders and flew upwards, carrying him to safety. They landed on the deck of her galleon.

Free from the threat of drowning, the dream waters calmed and they were gently sailing through a vast fresh water ocean.

"You were found floating in Horseshoe Bay." Luna informed him. The scent of ocean brine picked up in the air, and Baltimare could be seen in the distance. Luna directed the colt, and he gingerly lowered the sails. The ship cut through the water with little resistance, and in moments, they were ready to dock in Baltimare. Luna didn't trust the calm waters, and changed course. They sailed further along the coast. The colt manned the rigging, Luna's direction simply giving him action through which he could channel his eagerness, even if it wouldn't have worked in reality.

The coast reflected the colt's knowledge of the land, a mental projection of what he remembered it to be. Luna picked up on where it was wrong. There was a river that was supposed to feed into a bay that was not there. She turned the ship into where she knew the river aught to be. The colt froze with the rigging as Luna sailed the ship right into the beach.

Instead of the ship wrecking, it broke through the shore, shattering it like glass. The shattered false shore gave way to a river. The weather became savage, with wind gusting and skies blackening with storm.

The waters became rougher, and the fat ship would not be able to make it up the river. Luna and the colt moored the ship, and Luna flew the colt to shore.

"You need to relax. You need this. We need to see what happened here." Luna commanded the colt over the thunder.

The colt closed his eyes and the weather calmed. He still looked as though he was going to barf.

They traveled up the delta by foot, but it was slow going. The mud would not give way. With each step, the ponies would sink up to their torsos.

"It's hard going because you're making it hard for us. You don't want to see where we're going. We need to see it for you to get undamaged. Your mind is damaged, unable to even work your body. We need to make it whole again. When we do that, you will be able to farm, to help ponies, to live. You want to make it up this river with me."

The colt stared off towards where they were heading, glassy eyed. "I know it's what he have to do."

Luna shook her mane and neighed in agitation. "We're close. You need this."

With those words, and Luna's urging, the colt found the strength to power on. He knew it was what he had to do, and he couldn't admit to her that he was scared. Her pressure gave him strength. He relaxed and willed the surface of the mud became hard. It became hard like glass, and they were able to stand on it. The dream pulsed and felt odd again.

Luna headed forward, and the colt followed. The dream pulsed a second time and the oddness became overwhelming. The colt's body dropped to the ground, limp, and the dream faded. His mind tattered before Luna.