Chapter 3
The evening was still young, countless stars dotting the sky in creative patterns. Several spun together in a cluster, impersonating a large pocket of speckled clouds hanging pleasantly, hundreds of miles away. Each individual star brightened up the dark world below, accompanied by a gentle breeze that delicately brushed against the branches of nearby trees. This wall of trees separated an empty field of grass from the forest behind its thick wooden borders, and should one find themselves here, blessed are they to witness a perfect spot for pensive meditation.
A single soul was out tonight, her haunches resting against the soft grass and mane drifting with the soothing breath of the wind, her silver eyes almost shining in the darkness as she took in the cosmic blanket of white twinkles above. Out here, away from the busy lights of Canterlot, and the buzzing glow of civilization, constellations lay bare, each one woven into Luna's sky in an intimate, meticulous pattern. This beauty stole the mocha mare's breath as some of the brighter lights bobbed around each other. A shooting star stretched across the sky before flickering out of sight.
Her gorgeous setting helped ease the pony's thoughts. She refused to look back at the beaten path, the one leading back to the dreadful repeating cliff that confused her. Struggling to understand it all, she closed her eyes, her smile changing to a small frown.
"I don't know what's going on anymore," Scarlet said. "I think I'm dreaming, but I feel everything," she shivered at the memories of crashing into the jagged rapids. "I can feel this grass. I can feel the wind, but none of what just happened makes any sense. Why is it dark now? It was bright and sunny just a few minutes ago..."
She paused. A realization just dawned on her as she finally looked back towards the blockade of trees behind her.
"How did I get here?"
Several stars in the sky stole her attention. They were three in total. All very bright and catching her attention amidst the wealth of white dots above. They spiraled around the dark sky, weaving through other constellations with a smooth finesse that bothered her. It wasn't a wild, thoughtless motion like the rest of the sky had shown her. It was intentional, slithering around the constellations above with purpose and direction. Her eyes stayed glued to the familiar line of stars drifting about the sky.
As she did, she noticed that the other stars where being covered by the moving constellation, blocked from sight. The stars in question swelled in mass. They looked to be growing in size.
She couldn't help but stare back, curiosity winning out in favor of fear. As the stars grew, she started to notice an outline decorating a space just outside the line of stars. Something was surrounding them, a slender body. She couldn't make it out in the dark of the night, but the way it weaved around lifted her back to her fours.
"They're not getting bigger. They're getting closer!" Just as Scarlet was about to turn and run back into the cover of the trees, she heard a voice drift through the skies.
Don't be alarmed. I wish to help.
The voice hissed from all around her. She looked in all directions, dread inching ever closer in the form of the mysterious body.
Finally, the subtle lighting from the night illuminated the mass moving towards the field. It had a massive form. No legs, arms, or claws to show for itself. A strange field of magic surrounded the creature in a dark blue aura, the power carrying it across the sky. The arcane energy hummed as the beast hovered over the grass, pausing right above it. A small shockwave rippled through the grass from the center of this creature's body.
It landed in front of her with a plop. It's body stretched outward, cutting off every exit save for the one directly behind her. The head raised itself to meet her at eye level. Scarlet gasped: The constellation she saw shifting around in the sky was present on the underbelly of the creature, each "star" shining bright in the night. A small hiss came its dark mouth, forcing Scarlet to step backward in caution. A forked tongue poked out, flicking in the air before retreating back inside with a wet slap.
"A snake," Scarlet took another step. "I've never seen one like this before."
I mean you no harm.
Scarlet heard the voice clearly. It came from all directions once again, but she couldn't help but look back at the reptile with a quizzical look. "Is that you? You can talk?"
It is. And I can.
"Wow," she gasped. "You... I mean..." She dropped her thought as the snake elegantly coiled its body together. The constellation of stars on its underbelly were buried underneath, but their glow still leaked out in small cracks. Its glowing eyes refused to blink, and with another flick of its tongue, the snake came to a rest. Its pupils narrowed, their shape just like the stars adorning its underbelly. The snake's scales, while hard to make out in the night, were clearly a shade similar to that of the night. The serpent practically blended into the sky from top and bottom, its eyes the only reliable way for Scarlet to keep track of its form.
Hello. What is your name?
Scarlet gave the question a moment to sink in. "My name is Scarlet. Scarlet Trace." The snake hummed to itself, lost in thought, before she added, "What's yours? What are you?"
I do not possess a name given to me by my kind. However, while I drift about in the skies of dreams, I've known some to claim my stars to be "Orion's Belt." It is the closest to a title that I have ever attained.
"The three bright stars on your belly," she said. "May I call you Orion?"
I have no qualms with your request, Scarlet. As to what I am, I'm a creature of dreams. Historically, many have called us Dreamweavers. Creatures that roam about the dreamscape.
Scarlet's mind ran through the book her mother had given her before her journey. Nowhere in the book had she found anything about a creature as strange as the self proclaimed dreamweaver in front of her. Nevertheless, she found the name to be a powerful indicator of what was going on with her sudden drops in memory, as well as her troubles crossing the log bridge.
"So I really am in a dream?"
In many ways, yes. I was traveling towards the land of Equestria, resting in an abandoned cavern in the wild forest, when I heard the Nightcrawlers giving chase after prey. The snake moved its head closer, flicking out its tongue straight at Scarlet. Their target was you, dear Scarlet?
"The spiders?" She shivered. "Yeah. They chased me off a cliff. It was you that caught me at the waterfall, wasn't it?" Scarlet didn't give him a chance to answer, a gentle smile growing on her face. "Thank you. Thank you so much."
I'm afraid that your preemptive gratitude may have to be put on hold, Scarlet. After I managed to recover you and your belongings, I had to carry us to safety elsewhere. The nightcrawlers, they are capable of feats similar to my own. They can sense when creatures nearby have entered the dreamscape. That's where you've been, Scarlet.
"Luna's dreamscape?" Scarlet's eyes widened. "So it really is a dream."
Indeed. However, you've been subjected to their toxins. As of right now, you cannot willingly leave the dreamscape until it runs its course through you.
Scarlet looked down at the grass. "I do remember feeling one of them bite me before I fell into the water."
Nightcrawlers have the capability to render their prey asleep with their bite. If the dosage is high enough, their prey can become comatose. You are a lucky pony, Scarlet. This isn't the case. Not just yet.
"Yet? Is something happening back in the waking world?"
Sadly, I was unable to escape the swarm giving chase. I managed to escape, but they have since retrieved your body for nourishment.
All of the color in Scarlet's body drained away. "Wait a minute! Does that mean... a-am I...?"
You are still alive. Just asleep. Nightcrawlers are many, but they lack intelligence. They solely rely on animalistic instinct to feed and grow in numbers. However...
Scarlet's hinds started to tremble.
Should you wake up while in their grasp, they will be sure to inject enough toxins into your body to render you lifeless until your final days.
Scarlet let the information sink in. She took a deep breath. "Is there anything you can do?"
I cannot. They are far too numerous. Too fast. They control the forest, and I am but one. I came to you immediately. Perhaps with your knowledge, we can think of a way to retrieve your body.
"Wait, you're in the dreamscape, correct? Is there any way you can reach out and contact Princess Luna? If it's still night in the waking world, then we can get a message to her!" Scarlet moved closer to the creature, her mind racing.
That is correct. It has been eons. Never had I considered contacting the Princess of the Night.
Orion gave a defeated shake. Even if that were an option, there isn't enough time between when your poison wears off, and when the nightcrawlers will put you into an eternal sleep. I also fear that should your "Princess" were to find me in the dreamscape, she'd find and destroy me.
"Huh? That doesn't sound like the Princess to me. She's a kind ruler now. Perhaps your kind had only known her during her time as Nightmare Moon?
Dreamweavers feed off of dreams, Scarlet. Nightmares. They are what sustain us. By devouring them, we also grant the dreamer a night of restful sleep. It's a relationship that, long ago, grabbed the attention of your Princess Luna. She had similar goals in mind for her ponies. Rewarding their daily work with a peaceful slumber drove her to create a relationship with my kind. The ancestors of my ancestors worked alongside her to make her vision a reality.
We lived in your Equestria, shrouding ourselves in the night sky every night. The dreamweavers watched her actions from a distance. Over time, we saw her grow wild with power and overthrow the kingdom of ponies. It was during the birth of that mad princess that my ancestors fled out into the world beyond your borders. With her new power, she hunted my kind down. One by one, she destroyed all that remained hidden within the dreamscape.
Dreamweavers are a peaceful species. We cannot survive in the outside world for long. We cannot fight back. We waited for hundreds of years, afraid that the mad princess would find and finish our kind off. When news came that she had been cleansed by the Elements of Harmony, I cautiously began my long journey back towards your kingdom. However, with so many nightcrawlers lingering in this forest I've been unable to make the journey back.
We lived to serve other species in their sleep. It's what drives my kind. When I saved you, I looked into your dreams. You are a unique creature, Scarlet Trace, and I wish to keep you alive.
Orion cleared his throat, looking up at the sky. So when you say that your Princess Luna has been cleared of the madness that drove her to attack my kind, that is the whole truth?
Scarlet looked at him with a mixture of joy and concern. "I'm sorry to hear about your kind, Orion. I had no idea that your species' history was so intimate with Princess Luna. And thank you for putting yourself in danger to try and rescue me.
"Yes, Princess Luna has since been reformed and acclimated to present day Equestria. You have my word that she wouldn't have any reason to harm you in the slightest. Finding her in the dreamscape is probably the best shot we have at getting me away from those spiders."
Orion flicked his tongue around. Nightcrawlers and Dreamweavers typically distance ourselves from one another, but those dreadful creatures have been known to feed off of my kind in desperate times.
There was a pause in his "voice." He stared directly into Scarlet's eyes, a thoughtful hum filling her ears.
It will take some time, Scarlet. I cannot promise that I can contact Princess Luna in time. However, there may be a way you can stall them long enough for us to find you.
"What is it? I'll do whatever I can! I need to get out of this forest!"
Orion slithered closer to her. The nightcrawlers are all preoccupied with you at the moment. They're preparing to feast on your dreams. All of them. With all of their attention on you, I could make my way through the dreamscape, and alert your Princess Luna of the emergency.
"And how exactly would I stall them? You said yourself that there I don't have long."
Yes, but there may be a way for you to postpone their feeding. If you can force them to pause, it should give me a better chance to locate your princess.
"Make them stop? How? I'm asleep," she said. Scarlet's legs gave out and she fell back to her haunches, struggling to understand Orion's intentions.
I say this with confidence, Scarlet, so please listen carefully:
You only have a few minutes remaining before the bite you suffered wears off. I have dealt with Nightcrawlers for a large part of my life. I too, have fallen into their traps and have been captured. If I'm correct, they will have placed you in their webs by now, and are preparing themselves. They will feed on all of your dreams, good and bad, until you eventually give out.
However, Nightcrawlers are gluttons. They feed until their prey passes on. They know no restraint. When I was captured, and they fed on me...
Orion's voice froze, as if he was looking for the right words.
I GAVE them my dreams. All of them. Everything I could imagine. It was in that moment that I awoke, and they had all vanished. I am unsure of what happened, but with time, I was able to untangle myself and make my escape. My concern for you is that far more are surrounding you than the few that I managed to handle.
Give them your dreams, Scarlet. This is what you have to do. When you can feel your dreams being swept away, you need to give them up, willingly. Do not fight back.
A roll of thunder loomed overhead. Scarlet hadn't noticed how cloudy the sky had become, the stars being overtaken by subtle flashes of light. The thunder shook the ground beneath the pair.
Orion became encapsulated in the magical aura once more, lifting hastily into the sky. We've run out of time, Scarlet! You only have minutes to do this! I believe you can do it just as I have.
Before Scarlet could yell anything back, Orion vanished in a flash of lightning. The wind pulled at her mane and tail, making them wildly fling against her. She trembled under the oncoming storm, the scent of rain filling her nostrils as the clouds grew darker still.
A familiar voice played out in her head: Be brave.
"I can..." her eyes grew heavy, glistening with moisture. Her legs trembled underneath her as she pulled herself back up.
"I can do this."