//------------------------------//
// Nightmare's Return 
// Story: Issac 
// by Eyes 
//------------------------------//

Issac groggily rolled out of bed, falling face first on the floor, "Buck my life." 

He laid on the floor for a moment before slowly pushing himself up to his feet. He slowly made his way through the dark, reaching out for the large stone block he used as an end table, searching for his chipped glass of water. One slight toe injury later he achieved his objective, taking a few sips from the glass being careful not to cut his lips. 

With the film that coated his mouth gone, he made his way to the crumbling window. Dim moonlight broke through the trees and poured onto the floor. As he looked out into the night he glanced up at the moon, shining a pure white. "Shit," he muttered, turning from the window and rushing over to the chest at the foot of his bed. In the dark, he quickly opened the chest and strapped on his ancient armour, tossing a grey cloak over himself then strapping on his short-sword. "Finally. It took you long enough," he said to himself as he left the bedroom, heading to anteroom of the ruined castle. 'If she's going anywhere, it'll be here' He thought, running through the halls.





Coming to a stop at the top of the stairwell, Issac waited, and waited, then waited some more. Until the castle doors eventually creaked open. 'Finally!' He shouted internally, only for six ponies to come running through the doors. 'Followers of the Nightmare?' 

As the ponies came closer, Issac gave them a quick once over. The pony in front, the leader - he guessed, was a purple unicorn with a magenta stripe through her mane. Another unicorn, white with a purple mane. Two pegasai, one yellow with a pink mane. The other blue... 'Is that a rainbow?' The final two were earthers, a pink monstrosity and your basic orange cowpony. He wrote the earth ponies off as a mere nuisance if this went south, being the easiest by far to incapacitate. 

Lost in thought he didn't realise how close they had gotten. The six ponies looking up at him from the base of the stairs. "Ah don't think it heard ya, Twilight," the orange one said to the leader. 

"Are you sure it's even alive?" Asked the blue pegasus, now hovering slightly above the group. 

"Yep!" The pink one interrupted, "It's breathing."

'Okay, that's spooky. Let's do this. Tossing his cloak over his shoulder, Issac got into a ready stance and quickly drew his sword. The high pitched shrill of metal on metal ripping through the air got the attention of the ponies. Five of the six mares backed up a step as the blue pegasus dropped in front, adopting a defensive pose. Issac grinned under his helmet, 'a fighter. I can respect that.' "Explain thy presence here!" Issac demanded, his shout ringing through his helmet. 'Buck.'

"You should know!" The blue pegasus accused, glaring up at Issac. "We're following that whorse, Nightmare Moon!" She shouted, her eyes seemingly on fire. 

Twilight, in her stunned state, assessed the situation. 'What is that? Is it another trick?' She looked up at the creature, it's head was covered in a hood. Half of it's bipedal body was covered by the grey cloak. 'It's armoured, it's old but in good condition. It doesn't have horns. Odd...' Staring at the breastplate she could swear she's seen the engraving on it before. 'It's old, it's Equestrian... Biped, no horns.' Twilight's eyes went wide.

'Well, that settles that.' Issac thought, standing straight. "Stay out of my way!" Issac shouted down to the ponies through his helmet. He turned, sheathing his sword as he started making his way to the throne room. 'Maybe she'll be there.'

"Hey! Ge-" Rainbow began before getting cut off.

"Issac!" 

That got Issac's attention, making him pause for a moment on the second set of stairs. 'Interesting' he thought, looking back over his shoulder. Dropping his hood, he called down to the ponies, "don't interfere." Doubling his pace, he continued up the stairs.

"Hey!" The blue pony shouted again, as she started flying up the stairs. 

"Wait, Rainbow Dash." Twilight shouted, grabbing her in her magic, levitating the grumpy pegasus down to the group.

"What for?" Rainbow huffed, crossing her forelegs. "That twerp was a jerk and I want answers." 

"Twilight, dear. Do you know what that was?" Rarity asked, interrupting.

"I think so." Twilight began, a little unsure. "I think that was Issac, a human."

"No way," Rainbow scoffed, "humans are a old mares tale, they're not real."

"Well, you're not wrong, Rainbow. Apparently he's the only one that's ever existed." Twilight explained, "According to Princess Celestia."

"But, aren't those stories really old?" Fluttershy asked, coming out from behind Pinkie.

Twilight nodded, "you're correct, Fluttershy. And according to what I've read about him, like the princess, he's ageless." That caused the group to fall silent, so Twilight continued. "He was basically raised by the Princesses, long before Nightmare Moon."  

"Why d'ya think he's here now?" Applejack asked, walking up beside Twilight.

"I'm not entirely sure. I do know he's not too happy with Nightmare." She replied, glancing to Applejack. "Revenge maybe, a long time ago she hurt some of his friends."

"That would be a pretty good reason." Rarity broke in, "I'm not sure what I would do if somepony hurt the ones I cared for, the poor dear."

Rainbow glanced up the staircase to where Issac once stood. "I understand." Rainbow stated, turning to the group. "There's nothing I wouldn't do for my friends." 

Twilight's eyes went wide, "we need to go!" 





Issac continued up the winding staircase, leading up to the throne room. He moved at a sedate pace, making as little noise as possible. 'She has to be here.' He thought to himself, almost to the top. A unnatural light came from the throne room and fell into the staircase, through the doorway. Issac steeled himself, sure of the confrontation soon to come. He walked into the decrepit throne room that once held such a majestic air to it. Rotten, moth eaten, tapestries hung on the wall, long since faded. Torn banners hung from the high ceiling, barely attached to their corroded metal poles. Torn, moldy, carpet lead up to the pair of thrones atop the dais. Between those thrones, there she stood. The one he had failed, the one he had to save, the one he had to kill. Nightmare Moon. And she was staring directly at him. 

'Buck...'

"Long time no see, Nightmare!" Issac shouted across the room as he made his way over.

"Why art thou here, Whelp?" Nightmare asked, her voice full of malice.

Issac paused, a fair distance away. "To do what I couldn't, so long ago." He replied gently, pulling his sword from it's sheath, raising the point to the Nightmare.

"HAHAHAHAHA! Come then, and we shall grant thee a quick death!"