//------------------------------//
// Face to Face with Fear 
// Story: The Nightmare of Phobetor 
// by kurusagi16 
//------------------------------//

The Nightmare Realm certainly lived up to its name. Like Limbo, it was a seemingly endless void, filled with heavy shadows and thick red mist. Scratchy, raspy voices hissed from all around, and shadows slithered and flapped through the air. 

"Cheery." Discord muttered sarcastically. "So then, where to from here?"

Before either of the princesses could answer, Phobetor's shadow slinked up to them from out of nowhere. Luna ignited her horn, preparing to fire at the creature should it decide to attack.

"Stay back, beast!" She said. "Declare your business with us."

After a moment of silence, the shadow responded in a soft voice that sounded not unlike paper being ripped apart and crumpled.

"My master wishes to have my guide you to him. He has been most anxious for your arrival."

The trio looked at one another. Obviously they could tell that whatever it was Phobetor was planning, it couldn't be good. But they didn't have much choice but to follow the shadow. Through the darkness they walked, until they came to what felt like a slope that led them downward. 

"So any idea of what to expect?" Twilight whispered to Discord, hoping to prepare herself for what was to come. 

Discord shrugged his shoulders. "I wish I could offer some little tid bits, but all I know is that Phobetor is said to be fear incarnate."

Twilight wanted to press on with her questioning, but was unable to as they already arrived at their destination. Before them, hovering over what could be considered the ground, was a large casket wrapped in chains. Twilight couldn't help but gulp, recognizing it as the same casket from her vision in the fog. The shadow slipped into the casket, and upon doing so, another voice spoke up.

"Well, well. Isn't this a treat? to be graced by the presence of not just two Alicorns, but the Spirit of Chaos himself! After so many centuries of isolation, it is nice to encounter such...interesting beings such as yourselves."

"Yes, I'm sure it's a great honor and all that." Discord said rather boredly. "But if you don't mind, I'd like to get right down to business." 

The casket chuckled. "Such impatience, but that's to be expected I suppose from one such as you. But, since I've kept you all waiting long enough, I shall oblige, and give you what you've come for."

A humming erupted from the casket, followed by a blinding red light. The heroes braced themselves, prepared for whatever attack Phobetor intended to throw at them, when everything went black.





Twilight's head hung low before Princess Celestia, who was gazing at her with disappointment. 

"I expected better of you, Twilight." Celestia said coldly. "But I'm afraid I have no choice but to let you go. As of this moment, you are no longer welcome at Canterlot castle."

"But Princess!" Twilight cried, trying to defend herself. 

"No, you've made one to many mistakes Twilight, you don't deserve to be an alicorn, much less my student." With a flash from her horn, Celestia made Twilight's wings disappear, turning her back into a normal unicorn.

"Please, Celestia, give me another chance!" Tears flooded down her cheeks. "I-I'll do better, I promise!"

Celestia shook her head. "I've already given you plenty of chances, more than I probably should have."

Twilight collapsed to the floor, ashamed to have disappointed her mentor, and for having been such an utter failure.





There was no light, no sound, no way out. Within his prison, Discord searched for a means of escaping, of unleashing the chaos that felt as though it was rotting away inside him, just waiting to be used. It was stifling to say the least. There was no way of telling how long it would take for him to escape, if he ever would. 
It seemed that he would be stuck here for all eternity, alone. Of course, he was always alone, he should've been used to it. So why did the thought of being alone for eons, suffering silence, fill him with dread? He wanted out, he needed to get out. But it all seemed so pointless, there was no hope of escape, he was now fated to remain here, forgotten by the rest of the outside world. And with no one to care or worry otherwise.





Luna adjusted her eyes, looking around to see what the red light Phobetor had unleashed had done. She saw that Discord and Twilight were wrapped in a red aura, hovering just in front of her. 

"What have you done?" She said, demanding to know. 

"I've shown them a small sampling of my power." He replied smoothly. "As we speak, they are both experiencing their fears, their anxieties, and they fully believe what they are experiencing to be truth."

"If that's so, then why haven't you used your magic on me?"

"Because, Princess of the Night, I have seen your work tending dreams, and I know of your past mistakes." 

Luna frowned at the voice. "I've made my peace with what I've done."

"Yes, how could I forget your little trouble with the tantabus. I must thank you, really, for if it weren't for that manifestation you created, I might've continued to sleep, and missed my opportunity for revenge."

"I did what?!"

"And to show my thanks, I'll give you a special treat."

The red auras around Discord and Twilight stemmed from them and into the casket, slipping through the cracks. A spindly hands shot out, grasping at the air. Luna watched as the towering, slinky form of Phobetor tore its way out. 

"I shall allow you to see the face of fear itself, before I end you."