Update official release date: 9/18/2016 · 4:00am Sep 9th, 2016
Hello everypony! I'm here with the last blog post before I put out the two chapter special: Before The Dawn. That's right, it's actually a big enough post that I'll have to split it! I don't think you want another 40k word chapter in one shot, do you? At any rate, to help with the teaser, here's the music theme for the chapter, a small snippet, and even a nifty little clock to help you count down the minutes before I finally do the big reveal. Enjoy~
And now the snippet!
The black alicorn sighs quietly as she stares into the firelight from the flames of the campfire. A shiver runs down the length of her bare back from the cool air of the night, the sun setting slowly just over the horizon, bringing the dangerous forest of Everfree into a shroud of darkness. It has since become too dark to see, forcing the wounded alicorn and human to take refuge within a small cave hidden in the shadows. Nightie turns her gaze to her side, raising her good wing and looking at the human pilot safely nestled beside her. She watches the slow rise and fall of his chest, taking comfort and solace he’s still alive. Lowering her muzzle carefully, she nuzzles him gently with her maw, her tongue extending out slightly to affectionately lick the dried blood off of his face and cheek, attempting to clean him. Talon has been passing in and out of consciousness through ought their aimless journey to Ponyville, or anywhere she could bring her master to seek medical attention.
Nightie shifts uncomfortably, lowering her wing again to cover her mate within her protective embrace once more. She can feel the heart within her barrel gently ticking away, a sign to her that the human is still alive and stable for the moment. Hours ago, they had found some of the still burning wreckage of the aircraft, where they had to make do with what they could to heal. The memory of intentionally holding her cracked hoof to the glowing orange metal of the broken vertical stave still fresh in her mind, sending another unwelcome shiver down her spine again at the painful memory. While it did stop the bleeding and cleaned the wound, it didn’t make it any more enjoyable by any stretch of the imagination.
Her mate was awake and coherent long enough to help set the broken bones in her wing, before tying it to her side in the remains of his blood soaked and tattered flight suit in a makeshift sling. Her head turns to the broken wing where she glances at it, a tight frown once more gracing her features as she studies it. Pain was not something she was accustomed to as an immortal, the realization of just how incredibly fragile life truly was hitting home in her thoughts, the fleeting briefness of mortality. ‘Perhaps if I had known all those years ago…’ the alicorn thinks, understanding the torments she had inflicted upon Celestia in that battle so many centuries ago. Regret of so many of her past sins crosses her thoughts, gripping her heart with sorrow. The first thing she intended to do once they returned to Canterlot was speak with the dawn bringer. Perhaps she would try to be nicer to her new herd mate now, having a greater understanding of life and what it means to actually feel more than just anger and bitterness.
Talon groans quietly under Nighties wing, prompting the alicorn to once more draw her attention to him. The heavy warm blanket of feathers lifts off of his face slightly, a new sight of the dark alicorns tranquil teal pools now greeting him. He can smell the faint hint of copper on her breath, the scent reminding him that this particular alicorn had no qualms of her vampire tendencies, nor any shyness of blood. He turns his eyes to her and breathes deeply, opening his parched mouth to speak. “Nightie…” He hoarsely croaks out. “Where…are we?”
She purses her lips forward and coos quietly in response, her velvet voice low and gentle. “Rest now, Master. I have brought you to a safe place for the night. It is too dark to navigate this labyrinth deathtrap. We must remain here in this place for now, and continue to find our way once the dawn bringer lights the way. Please, sleep…regains your strength. I shall watch over you this night and protect you.“ Nightie leans her neck down further, bringing her lips to his and kissing him lovingly.
