Darkness. Tirek always felt home in darkness. The light stung his eyes and the sun burned his skin, but darkness would always welcome him. Whether he went to bed angry sad or even sometimes happy, the darkness would always envelop him like a blanket.
Then Tirek suddenly felt the blanket being ripped from his body “Tirek? Are you awake?” A meek voice called. Tirek’s eyes shot open to see his brother Scorpan flying above him.
“Scorpan?” Tirek said confused. He rubbed his eyes to make sure he was seeing clearly. Alas, he was. Scorpan was indeed floating above him. He held a candle with a dim light which showed half of Scorpan’s pale face. His brown eyes (Or at least the one Tirek could see) were wet with a sea of tears which floated in his eyeball.
Tirek scowled at him. “What do you want?”
Scorpan looked down, seemingly ashamed, which gave Tirek a look at his chocolate brown mane. “I uh…Well….Um….”
Tirek almost growled at him. “Well? What is it? Or did you only want to interrupt my sleep?” He asked, getting impatient.
“I….Had a nightmare.” Scorpan finally admitted.
Tirek raised his eyebrow, clearly annoyed. “And? What does this have to do with you getting me up?”
“I was hoping I could sleep with you tonight?” Scorpan said.
Tirek scoffed at him. His little brother decided to bother him for something as trivial as this? He rolled to his side, turning his back to his brother. “Go back to sleep Scorpan.”
Scorpan tugged on his brother’s blanket, both his blanket of darkness and the literal one wrapped around his body. “Please Tirek. I’m scared.” He pleaded.
Tirek groaned. “Why don’t you go and bother mom and dad?” Tirek said, his back still turned.
“They said we’re not allowed to leave our room before the sun comes up.” Scorpan reminded.
Tirek turned to his brother “What’s wrong with your own bed? How is sleeping with me supposed to prevent nightmares?!” He exclaimed.
The tears began to slowly run down Scorpan’s face now. “I don’t know…I-I just…”
Tirek sighed. “If it will get you to shut up then fine.” Tirek gave in, moving himself to the far end of the bed.
Scorpan smiled while he wiped away the tears before setting his candle down and blowing it out. Tirek could hear the clink of his brother’s golden medallion as he laid down.
“Now go to sleep.” Tirek said as he shut his eyes.
It only took a minute or two before Scorpan spoke up again.
“Tirek?” He said quietly, fearful of his brother’s reaction.
“What?” Tirek groaned in annoyance.
Scorpan winced at the tone of Tirek’s voice but continued.
“I can’t sleep. Do you think I could tell you about my nightmare?” He said as he folded his hands.
“Do you have too?” Tirek asked. His eyes still closed.
“I think so.”
Tirek sighed. “Go ahead.” He said. Too tired to argue.
Scorpan began. “There was a dark alley and a pony was walking through it,” This quickly gained Tirek’s attention. Scorpan continued, “But then something happened to him, he fell to the ground and his eyes were all faded. At first, he had three green orbs on his flank, but then they were gone. The pony was looking up at something, I couldn’t see what, but he looked really scared. There were colors in the sky, almost like a rainbow, but then they went all dark.”
“A rainbow of darkness.” Tirek said quietly to himself.
Scorpan nodded. “What do you think it meant?”
Tirek chuckled at his question. “Dreams are dreams Scorpan, they don’t mean anything. I once a dream where I was a seapony, but that doesn’t mean I’m going to somehow turn into one and swim away now does it?”
Scorpan smiled at him. “I guess you’re right.”
“Of course I’m right.” Tirek said. “Now go to sleep already.”
Scorpan snuggled up against his brother. “I love you Tirek.”
There was a silence. “I love you too Scorpan.”
Scorpan sat on the stool. Drinking the foaming cider in his wooden cup. It tasted bitter, probably factory made and stored in a can, but it was what was on the menu, so Scorpan drank it.
“Hey,” The Griffon bartender said to Scorpan. “Is your brother gonna be done soon? I have customers coming.” Tirek and Scorpan had left their homeland five years prior after Tirek had a falling out with their father. They had argued day and night over something Scorpan was sure was stupid. Scorpan had originally argued against leaving but Tirek had somehow convinced him. He had talked about destiny and family and about how Scorpan had to stay with him. Scorpan had always been a sucker for those kinds of things so he had decided to come along with Tirek. They had traveled seemingly everywhere, meeting all sorts of creatures. Hippogriffs, cats that stood upright, even a dragon. They had arrived in Griffonstone about a week before. Tirek was currently talking to a pony who was there for some reason. Tirek had pulled him aside into the back and told Scorpan to order a drink.
Scorpan looked up at the bartender. “He won’t be much longer.” Scorpan didn’t know that for sure but he was just as clueless about it as the Griffon was. So Scorpan just counted the number of scratches in the table he sat at.
Luckily it was only another minute before Tirek came stomping back inside. He was slightly taller and more muscular than he was when he took the pony with him. His eyes turned to Scorpan and the bartender, which caused the latter to cower in fear.
“Get up Scorpan. We’re leaving.” Tirek said simply.
Scorpan nodded before tossing the Griffon payment for the drink and got up to follow his brother. The Bartender scowled at them as they left. The hot sun of Griffonstone beat down on the two of them as they walked outside and away from the bar.
They stayed in silence for a long time as they just walked. Scorpan was the first to speak up “I assume we’re leaving Griffonstone?” He questioned. Usually they only stayed in one location for about five days, and they had stayed in Griffonstone for seven.
Tirek nodded. “We’re going to Equestria.”
Scorpan sighed. He has worried as such. Many years ago, Tirek had learned how to steal magic from a centaur named Sendak the Elder. Scorpan had never seen the process and honestly, he didn’t want to. The idea horrified him and he hated the idea of his brother doing that to ponies. His brother had assured him that the ponies him that the ponies did not die and were not hurt. Scorpan wasn’t sure if he believed that but he had faith in his brother.
“You don’t have to steal magic anymore. You’re powerful enough already.” Scorpan tried to convince his brother.
Tirek stopped in his tracks and looked at Scorpan as if he was a child who said a naughty word.
“I need more magic in order to protect us. It’s dangerous out here in the real world.” Tirek said.
Scorpan sighed. He felt like they had this conversation every other day.
“Look,” Tirek began. “I care about you little brother. I want to keep you safe.”
Scorpan couldn’t help but smile. “Yeah, I know you do.”
Tirek nodded. “We’re going to Equestria then.”
Scorpan’s smile disappeared.