The Fourth Star.

by Golden Paw

The darkness has eyes

Sky Strike left Foresight sleeping in her assigned room in Down Town and headed out into the perpetual darkness outside. The two ponies had been given standard lodgings inside the mountain and the inn in which they stayed comprised of a small rough stone building that had been built for such a purpose. Of course Sky had his own bed in Up Town, but he needed to make sure Foresight was safe and so was billeted next door. He was not comfortable spending so much time in total darkness and it was starting to tell.

Sky missed the free air and sky, but Enigma was definite in her instructions. Sky Strike was to keep a close eye on Foresight, why Enigma hadn't chosen a negasi or another nightborn was a mystery to him, but he had learnt long ago not to question the commander's orders.

As Sky settled in for the night he noticed there were decorations down here too, even in this little hovel the walls had pictures and freezes carved into them. Sky shouldn't have been surprised, Down Town was made out of some old ruin: The architecture was of an ancient design, all angular but carved with apparent care. Some pony had taken a great deal of time and skill to cover Down Town's walls in art work, even though no normal pony could see it in the total blackness.

Sky guessed the whole place must have once been an old altered temple or something, the nocturnal ponies would be able to see fine in the dark. Now Down Town was just home to the negasi, nightborn and other creatures of darkness. Putting the mystery aside, Strike removed his dark vision goggles and tried to get some rest.

After all the excitement of the day Sky Strike was well ready for sleep. This new nightborn Foresight was going to be trouble, he could feel it in his bones. With these uneasy thoughts in his mind the pegasus stallion slipped into a disturbed sleep: Bad dreams had been troubling the inhabitants of High Point for the last few weeks. Most couldn't remember their contents but all were left with a feeling of dread when they awoke. Sky could only hope it wasn't his turn for such.

Sky Strike was startled awake by a distant scream, it was a noise of pure terror and as it echoed its way into the room he felt his skin crawl. Instinctively Sky covered his ears, only to discover the sound was coming from inside his own head. He fumbled in the blackness for his dark sight goggles, knocking a number of items in the dark before he laid his hoof upon the leather bindings. The blackness resolved into a monochrome world of grays and blacks as the dark sight goggles did their work.

Overcoming his initial shock, Sky took a few moments to try to make out the screams; they were the outward sound of a mare in terror combined with a 'sending' of the same sound right into Sky's head. No matter what he tried Strike couldn't block it out it and the stallion ground his teeth in pain.

Still grimacing, Sky threw off his covers and strapped on his wing blades as fast as he could. Sky Strike recognised Foresight was the source of the screams and his blood ran chilled. Wasting no time, he threw open his own door and tore down the corridor, thankful that the mare was only a few doors away.

Skidding to a stop, Sky then cursed as he tried to open the door. Of course it would be locked. Pressing his ear to the carved wood, he could clearly hear the sounds of Foresight's terror mirroring the screams in his own head.

Seeing little else to do Sky swiveled about and put all his strength into a buck that cracked the door. Other tenants, no doubt awoken by the racket, poked their heads out of their rooms and looked at Sky Strike in a bleary way. Ignoring their stares, he heaved another kick into the door and this time the planks splintered and fell away to reveal the room within. Foresight was thrashing about in her bed at the far end of the dark space, but as far as Strike could tell there was no other threat inside.

He cautiously made his way through the broken doorway, Foresight's screams were still coming in such feeling that it turned even Sky's jaded blood to ice. She was clearly terrified and Sky instinctively approached the dark unicorn to help her but caught himself just in time. The frigid cold in the air told him that Foresight's aura was up in force and he saw ice crystals forming all around the distressed Foresight.

Sky understood that to reach a hoof into that kind of cold would mean the loss of a limb. Heading back out into the corridor Strike gave no heed to the confused looks the other patrons were giving him. Casting his eyes about he spotted a storage cupboard and wasting no time galloped over to it. Pausing only to Fumble with the handle, Sky finally wrenched the door open and rooted inside until he found something he could use.

Now clutching a broom in his teeth, Sky galloped back to Foresight who was still thrashing and screaming with no sign of stopping. Still not convinced this was a good plan, the pegasus adjusted the grip on the broom and poked it towards the scared mare. Frost formed on its tip as the broom contacted the dark unicorn's flank, but despite Sky's jabbing with the handle a few times, Foresight didn't wake.

Seeing nothing else for it he would have to go to plan 'B'. To the horror of those watching from outside Sky Strike brought the handle around in a sweeping arc and landed a heavy blow on one of Foresight's rear legs. The now brittle wood handle shattered with shrapnel flying across the room. It did however achieve the desired result as Foresight sat bolt upright in bed and wailed. Her terrified eyes opened, showing an inner light pouring from within. To Sky's relief the screaming in his head was suddenly muted, before mercifully falling completely silent once again.

The onlookers all let out shocked gasps at Sky Strike's actions, but he paid them no heed. Panting hard, Sky was looking into Foresight's monochrome eyes which were filled with pain and confusion. The glow had faded as Foresight regained consciousness and her wailing gave way to grumbling as she clutched at her bruised back leg in confusion.

"Wha, What happened?" Foresight asked as tears formed in her eyes. The aura of cold she had been projecting had vanished with her waking, allowing now liquid tears to fall down her cheeks.

"I could ask you the same question," Sky Strike asked in a daze, "You were screaming out and we couldn't wake you." Sky explained, eyeing Foresight suspiciously.

"No I mean my leg, feels like something hit me!" Foresight looked at the remains of the broom and her eyes narrowed. "You hit me?" her voice now filled with suspicious anger rather than fear.

"It was that or freeze my hooves off," Sky said defensively.

"It didn't occur to you to fetch another nightborn or negasi to help?" Foresight asked in a scolding way as she continued to rub her abused legs.

Sky Strike bristled at this talk, "You normally scream out in terror when you sleep then? You could have given me some sort of warning maybe!" His voice full of accusation.

Foresight finally took in what was being said, "I was screaming in my sleep?" She lifted a hoof to her face, which was now covered in slowly melting tears. Foresight turned to focus on Sky Strike with her eyes full of confusion.

"Out loud as well as in my head," Strike confirmed. "You woke up half the building with the racket you were making."

Foresight began to shake as the contents of her dream crept back into her mind and she gave Sky a pleading look, "Sorry Sky I haven't had one like that for years now." She scrunched up her muzzle in dismay.

"It was about Nightmare Moon. It's not the first of its kind, but it was certainly the clearest I have ever seen. The only time the nightmares had been that vivid was the time I got my cutie mark." foresight wore and embarrassed expression as she saw the other patrons watching the unfolding scene. "Just like that first time, the Mare in the moon was taunting me and mocking at how I had failed. How it was all my fault that Equestria was doomed."

Sky Strike looked Foresight, still trembling from her recent experiences, it was the first time he had seen her without her cloak and he realized just how young she was. He now saw her mark for the first time, a slitted eye in the centre of a grey storm cloud. Well he had to assume it was grey, he didn't see any colours with the dark vision goggles on.

Foresight looked so small, scared and Sky felt the filly didn't belong in a place like this. If she had been born in High Point she wouldn't have lasted to her first coming of age if he was any judge. She hugged herself before looking once again to Sky with tears still misting her eyes.

"Any other crazy things I need to know about? If I've got to keep you safe, it would be great to know of any other surprises in store." Sky Strike asked in a cold manner.

Foresight took a few moments before answering, "I don't think so, it's not been that bad in years."

"So these 'nightmares' happen fairly regularly then?" Sky asked in the same level way, the frown on his muzzle deepening .

"Don't look at me like that!" Foresight snapped back. "I didn't choose to have night terrors, it just happens. most ponies have bad dreams about snakes or whatever, I just happen to get ones that are more vivid." She visibly shuddered again and Sky frown worsened.

"Sometimes they can be useful, like warnings of the future," Foresight finished off in a defensive tone, "It's partly how I got caught up in the whole mess to begin with."

With the excitement over, the last of the onlookers went back to their rooms. Sky was sure that the owner of the establishment would be along shortly to find out how much it would cost to repair the door and replace the broom. Enigma had given Sky a few gold coins to cover foreseen expenses, but it wouldn't last long if they had to keep paying for damages like this.

He folded his fore legs and lent against the ruined door way, "Well I see this is going to be a problem. Don't suppose there is any way you can keep your screams to yourself? No offence filly but I need my sleep if I’m gonna keep you alive." There was no sympathy in Sky's tone.

"Do you actually care about anyone else but yourself?" Foresight asked in an incredulous voice.

Sky Strike sniffed and looked at what was left of the door, "Well since you put it so simply, no not really. I had ponies I did care about, but they’re gone and so I look out for myself. I told you from the start I was keeping an eye on you because Enigma will freeze me alive if you get hurt."

This wasn't totally true of course, Sky felt sorry for the filly, Foresight wasn't a bad sort. She's still very naive about the world but had a hope in her eyes, that same hope had burnt out in Sky Strike's heart a long time ago. It was a contagious hope that fed the last flickering embers in his chest. He would never admit to it but he liked Foresight. Not in a physical way, she was far too young for him and would freeze his 'bits' off if he ever tried anything, but she was fun company despite all the screaming.

"Well I guess that will have to do then." Foresight answered, "More than what most ponies around here seem to care." The dark unicorn said in a despondent way.

Sky Strike nodded. "Well I don't know about you but I don't think I could sleep after all that, nor would I want to if it means waking up to that again."

Foresight laughed a humourless laugh, "Welcome to my world."

---

With any ideas of sleep long since fled from them, Sky paid for the damages and the pair left to make their way to the 'Mosaic'. It was a well known landmark at High Point, there had even been a couple of academic types who had tried to decipher it when they had come to the town.

All agreed that Down Town was far older than the buildings of Up Town by many hundreds of years. Of the Mosaic itself almost nothing was understood, the mural showed the classic Celestia and Nightmare Moon depictions. There were other ponies shown, but as to what they were trying to achieve or what the story behind the Mosaic was, no pony could yet tell.

The Mosaic was hidden away in a sectioned off chamber which was guarded well as it had some value (a number of big gems being the least) and the High Point authorities wanted to preserve it. There were also tales of ponies left alone near the wall just disappearing, but with all the other dangers present in High Point these events were not given much credence. This meant that Sky Strike and Foresight were challenged by a pair of negasi and one nightborn as they came to the entrance.

"Halt, what’s your business here?" The nightborn demanded.

Sky Strike wasn't intimidated and met the glare with a calm look of his own, "Enigma wants me to take this one to see the Mosaic". Strike answered flatly.

The nightborn stallion glanced over Sky Strike's shoulder to look at Foresight, "This little one?" He asked with a sneer.

"That's her orders, you can take it up with her if you want," Sky confirmed in a matter of fact way, glaring at the black coated pony before him.

The nightborn stallion matched Sky Strike's stare with his own yellow eyes, but eventually the dark unicorn backed down, "Very well but I will be taking this up with Enigma." He assured Sky.

With that the two negasi lifted their crossed spears and allowed Sky and Foresight to pass, watching them intently until the pair were out of sight.

"What's with them?" Foresight asked, surprised at the hostility of the guards.

"There are some altered who see this place as a sacred place and don't take kindly to day time folk intruding. It's lead to some friction in the past," Sky explained in an easy going way.

Once through the door there were no further guards and soon the pair found themselves alone. The corridor was covered in the same strange murals; followed the established patterns on the buildings and walls found elsewhere in the caves. The carvings here were in a better state of repair however, the whole area around the mosaic had an untouched quality to it, as if no pony had disturbed it in years, despite the infrequent visits.

As the corridor ended the Mosaic suddenly loomed before them. The fresco was a huge image made up from all sorts of materials, gems, marble and other undefined stones. With no torch light to reflect off the gems it was only Foresight who could truly take in its beauty. There were pony shapes depicted on the Mosaic's surface. Some looked like they were fighting, others may have been dancing or praying. The whole piece was like a scene out of some mad dream, this was all overlooked by likenesses of Celestia and Nightmare Moon.

"Well here it is, I don't know why Enigma would want you to come to see this, probably just to get you out of her mane. I grant you it's impressive but..." Sky Strike noticed that Foresight had become very quiet and still. The mare was staring at the wall without so much as a twitch.

"What's up?" Sky asked as Foresight continued to stare.

"It's just like my dream," Her eyes were wide, "How can this be here? I....I" The mare was too amazed to speak.

"Okay so you have seen this before?" Sky was confused now but if this was what Enigma had planned then he was compelled to go along with it.

Foresight stomped her hoof in frustration. "I don't know what it means though! What did she want me to see, what's the point in showing me this?" She called out to the darkness.

"How the hay should I know Foresight! It's just a pretty wall to me, you're the magical mystery mare," Sky Strike replied in an annoyed tone.

What happened next took both equines by surprise, one of the stone ponies near the bottom of the wall turned its head to look right at them. It quickly became apparent that this pony was not just an image, revealing a fully formed other side as the pony detached itself from the wall. The stone creature left a perfect impression of an equine behind as it's hooves boomed onto the floor. The creature's slitted, black eyes looked from Sky to the Foresight before it spoke to them. It's voice sounded like boulders grinding together it called out.

"Thou art the one they call Foresight, the far seeing one?" To the flesh and blood ponies mounting fear they discovered the stone stallion was not alone, others creatures were coming to life before their eyes and climbing off the mosaic.

Five stone ponies finally removed themselves from the wall and now stood in a line before them. The gaps in the mosaic left behind now revealed a doorway leading to another chamber. These creatures were all earth pony in form, three stallions and two mares.

"If thou art here then the time of return is soon upon us," Another of the stone ponies said in a female voice. Even though it was feminine in tone it carried the same rock like quality. These five equines all had stone fangs and their eyes opened in a slitted fashion showing nothing but blackness within.

Yet another stone pony spoke, "This means the fallen ones will come here very soon, thou must hurry there is not much time," This stallion's granite like body was molded as if he was wearing armour.

Sky Strike dove in front of Foresight and spread his wings in a protective stance, "Foresight run, I’ll distract them."

He bunched his muscles, ready to dive at the closest pony but they made no threatening move to come towards Foresight or himself.

"No Sky, don't I.....!" Foresight began to call, but was suddenly cut off mid sentence.

Confused the pegasus turned his head to see Foresight being held by one of the negasi guards that had barred their way before, he was holding a knife pressed against her throat.

"We see the fallen are here already, time is shorter than feared. We will deal with this one, thou go and recover the orb," The first stone stallion spoke out once more.

The negasi's went wide eyed and he shuffled back, the grip on his knife trembled, making a shallow cut on Foresight's throat which began to bleed as she winced. The stone ponies advanced as one and Sky stared from them to the Foresight and back again, unsure what to do.

"Move aside unchanged, we have no quarrel with you." The armoured stone pony declared, "It would be foolish for thou to attempt to fight us anyhow," One of the stone mares announced.

The negasi's back legs contacted the wall behind him and fear blossomed in his eyes, "Now just hold it there you stone freaks, I'll kill the mare if you come a step closer."

Sky didn't seem to have any choice, he doubted his blades would have much effect on stone creatures and so he would have to trust them for now, but he couldn't just step aside either. Foresight needed him.

Sky Strike closed his eyes and listened with his ears, doing his best to feel the air being moved behind him and when he judged the time right he spun about. With a neat motion flung one of his wing blades. It was a trick he had trained himself to do after Gorgon had showed Sky something similar in griffon fighting styles.

It was a huge risk, he might hit Foresight, but he didn't trust the stone ponies not to hurt her either. There was a cry of pain as the wing blade buried itself in the negasi's shoulder, thankfully only taking a small nick from Foresight's cheek. That stunned the bat pony and to Sky's relief the knife was dropped to the floor with a clatter.

Foresight wasting no time lifted her hind leg and brought it up painfully between the stallion's legs. As the dark pegasus doubled over with a gasp and she made good her escape. Foresight was careful to avoid the stone ponies as she darted over to Sky Strike, turning back to watch the unfolding events.

The injured negasi looked up just in time to see the armoured stone pony reach him. The creature seemed to regard the bat pony for a moment, then in an almost casual way it lifted it's hoof and brought down sharply on it’s head. What followed was an unpleasant crunching sound that made even Sky feel ill..

Without even pausing to clean it's now dirty hoof the stone pony turned about to regard Foresight and Sky once more. "Thou must go, time is of the essence.” Sky Strike's eyes hadn't left the dead negasi; to his horror the dead pony was slowly turning to stone. The petrification was spreading along the body like rot across an apple.

"Why doest thou not heed our warnings? The time is at hoof, go thy way and take the orb, others of the fallen will not be far behind," The stone mare urged once more.

"They do not understand the full implications of events," The armoured pony said turning to address the other stone ponies. "They remember not the past."

The other four ponies nodded in understanding, before the armoured one turned back to the frightened pair of flesh and blood ponies.

"The time of Nightmare Moon's return is approaching. Thou need to assure that it will not herald an eternity of darkness. Know that the fallen ones, those who still follow the queen of darkness are yet found upon the land and will try to stop thee. My words will make more sense once the orb is in thy hooves. Now thou must go. We sense that all does not go well on the surface."

Sky Strike didn't need to hear any more and dragged Foresight through the now revealed doorway. He soon wished he hadn't as his hoof grew cold. In her panic Foresight had protectively raise her aura again. It may not have bothered the negasi but the pegasus cursed as he drew his hoof away now covered in a thin layer of frost. "We really have to find a better way of dealing with that," He mumbled.

"They were Lithi," Foresight said, "I read about them, but I was sure they were just an old pony tale. I mean I didn't think any lived now," The nightborn said in between shallow breaths. She was at risk of hyperventilating, it was all getting too much for Foresight.

"Lithawhat?" Sky Strike asked as he shook his numbed hoof, trying to get some warmth back into it.

"Lithi, stone ponies, they are what happened when Nightmare Moon altered earth ponies," She managed to say as they made their way up the now revealed corridor. The tunnel ended in a round, highly decorated room. Its fresco's mirroring those elsewhere in Down Town were also wreathed in cobwebs and dust. The pair didn't have further time to stop and wonder though.

On a plinth in the centre of the room was a small sphere coated in a layer of dust which failed to conceal the strange runes that glowed with a faint blue light. It took Sky a moment to fathom what he was seeing. In his monochrome world provided by his goggles the runes should have been almost white, but to his surprise they stood out in a cold blue colour, the orb must have held some terribly strong magic.

"That's what we came for?" Sky asked in shock.

Foresight nodded and removed the orb from the plinth in the center of the room, cradling it with her fore hooves. There was a bright flash from back the way they came, quickly followed by the sounds of smashing stone and shouted voices. As the orb left the plinth there was a rumble and a new door was revealed at the far end of the chamber. Foresight looked at Sky who nodded before heading for the freshly revealed exit.

Behind the fleeing ponies came a final shout of "For a free Equestria," closely followed by bright flash of bluish purple light which shook the tunnel and echoed with a resounding 'boom'. Not waiting to see what this meant Sky and Foresight dived through to another passageway, before they felt a bit of the floor sink into the ground.

With another rumble of stone moving the doorway closed behind them both. Panting, Foresight paused only to safely store the orb in the folds of her robe before turned her full attention to running after Sky Strike who was climbing a set of stairs to an uncertain fate beyond.