Adam
I had trained all night and it was mentally draining. I spent all my time creating and recreating that same sword until Nightmare was satisfied.
I asked if we could do something different, like maybe sparring, but she said that it was “pointless” and “your concentration is our top concern.” It's annoying.
Then, when we finally tried something different I fuckin’ woke up! That training was worse than taking an ACT test. I at least got the hang of creating and dissolving items. Apparently we're going to learn how to alter the dreamscape on our next training session.
I feel like my thoughts aren't my own, though. Well, I know they're mine, but I feel like i’m always being watched. I hate it. I hate feeling eyes over me everywhere I go.
Is it even worth it? Maybe I should just try to talk it out with this horse. I mean not everything needs to be handled with violence.
You can't fight fire with fire, but could you fight violence with violence? Maybe i'm overthinking things? Of course i’m overthinking things. Do I really have a choice? I was thrusted into a world that I wasn't supposed to be in, so I have to fight...right?
Well, hopefully my luck will turn around, I need my sleep.
Speaking of sleep, Nightmare has been pretty quiet this morning. I wonder what she does? She probably watches me. She seems like a stalker…
y'know this reminds me of that one game...Shadow of Mordor. With like that Ranger guy being possessed by that elf...Cel...something. God, I miss that game, I might install it again, or maybe I should get the new one.
Wait. What was I talking about?
Luna
I think I did it. I can’t find or sense the Tantabus. So...mission successful? It doesn't really feel like it. It's like I know deep down it's still somewhere.
I feel...empty in a sense. Nightmare Moon hasn't flared up at all in my states of weakness. It's odd and unusual, I thought a direct confrontation would dispel the creature, hence why I used a slightly stronger spell, meant to render the creature unable to manifest dream magic. That should have been the end of it, but I just can't shake the feeling it isn’t. I-I'll monitor the dream realm for the next few weeks, then I'll lay my suspicion to rest.
Adam
For the hundredth time I had turned the grassy plains into a desert, a stonefield, and then a jungle.
Apparently we were working on my 'magical endurance'. I doubted that was even a thing. I didn’t ever feel the slightest bit tired, ever. I wasn’t losing magic because there was nowhere for it to go.
"Y'know why don't we try something different?" I suggested as I knelt down, sitting on my heels.
"No," she replied, almost ignoring me as she gazed into the starry night sky.
I sighed. "I've been making and remaking this area for like 2 hours, and I hardly have to think about it this point," I explained, quickly changing the area with a wave of my hand.
The area instantly warped into an opening in a forest. A small lake sparkled in the moonlight as it sat in the middle of the clearing.
"Seee?" I dragged that word like a toddler showing their parents a clean room. "Why can't we do something like sparring?"
She huffed in response. "Mastering the art of sparring takes years, even decades. You do not need it." She never once even glanced at me. She just kept staring at the moon.
"Yeah sure," I said, looking away from her.
My body slowly lifted from the ground as I slowly fell to my back, as if lounging in an invisible hammock. It wasn't comfortable but it beat standing –plus it looked kinda cool.
We sat there in silence. No one even moved.
"Fine, give me your sword," she finally said.
I glance at her. I wanted to smile but I didn't have a mouth.
Bright blue glowing strings of light came from seemingly nowhere and gathered around my hand. The strings form together and tighten, forming a simple solid blue grip. The strands wrapped around the handle and up out of my fist. Bat-like wings, significantly bigger than the grip, protruded from each side, completing the hilt. A large amount of string exploded from the end of the hilt and expanded out, materializing a long, wide blade.
The glowing sword quickly faded to its true colors. The handle and hilt turned a nice purple and the criss cross of leather across the handle became more apparent. The blade seemed to glow blue slightly. I inspected the engraving in the blade: three triangles surrounded by wings.
I lazily tossed the sword over to Nightmare. It landed and sunk into the dirt, almost exactly perpendicular to the ground. With the moonlight shining over the sword, it was perfect.
Nightmare Moon looked at the sword with a raised eyebrow. "This is a terrible sword," she flatly commented.
I chuckled. "Tell that to Hylia."
She only got more confused. "Fine, I shall use this...sword."
The handle of the sword was enveloped in her dark blue magic. Without a hint of struggle she plucked the sword from the ground. It levitated to her side and she gave it a few good swings.
"Surprisingly light," she commented.
She pointed the blade at me. "Come at me."
I wanted to smile, but couldn't. I slowly lowered my body to the ground.
She stood unflinching and kept her sword pointed at me.
I quickly blinked a simple sword into existence. I slowly approached, yet she didn't move. Her eyes followed me and her demeanor changed.
Suddenly I lunged, eager to stab what was in front of me.
Rows of sharp fangs presented themselves as I struck right through her, her form evaporating into smoke that lunged back onto me. The black cloud rushed around me, completely blinding and disorientating me. Fear pricked my stomach.
Yet just as quick as the cloud surrounded me, it disappeared. I felt a strong poke on my back. I glanced behind and found the smiling face of Nightmare magically gripping a sword to my back.
"You see, there is no use in practicing with blades." She flung the sword to the side.
I stood there baffled, "You...you gotta teach me how to do that."
"In time. Thou must be patient," she replied as she stared at the moon again.
I dissolved both swords. "Come on, I wanna go to another dream." She hardly even acknowledged my presence. "I mean, shouldn't I collect more dream magic so we can fight Luna or something?"
She finally looked at me and sighed. "Fine, if it will silence your incessant complaining."
I was excited, I was finally gonna do something interesting.
"However, thou must not use magic."
I deflated, "What? Why?"
"Luna has thee marked. If you use your magic, she will find you."
I let out a long sigh. "You always have to kill my fun, don't you?"
She ignored my comment. "I will be dropping this dreamscape. I can not guarantee what dream thou will enter."
Without any kind of warning, her horn lit up and the land around us began to fade.
I was once again surrounded by darkness: a never ending void that hugged me from all sides. It was so dark I couldn't even see my own hand.
And, like always, my vision clicked on.
I was surrounded by incredibly high walls...full of books. These bookshelves seemed to go on forever, and they stretched across every wall. The wooden walls blended seamlessly to the floor like someone took a huge chunk of wood and just carved a library in it like a pumpkin.
Then I felt it, the tugging. It was much closer than it had ever been.
"Follow thy feeling, Adam," Nightmare spoke.
She kinda spooked me, but I obeyed.
There was only one opening through the library. I almost stepped through the short doorway, but something felt off.
I paused as the nonexistent hairs on my neck stood up.
"Move fool!"
Fire suddenly erupted through the library, demolishing everything. The fire ripped through the walls like paper and burst through the shelves. The shockwave that followed sent me tumbling through the doorway.
I quickly stood up, and everything was different. The library didn't exist, and everything was so smooth. I was in a hall made of purple crystal.
"Everything keeps getting weirder and weirder," I say to myself. My voice echoed off the walls and down the hall.
Then silence –well not quite. I could hear...arguing.
That prompted me to move further down the hall. The angry voices got louder as I rounded a corner. On the side of the hall was an open door. The tugging seemed to confirm I was close..
I got right to the edge of the door and I could make out some of the words.
"You are so useless! You'd think with those wings you could actually be faster but you're even slower than before!"
I peeked over the corner and I realised it wasn't an argument, it was a scolding. A smaller purple pegacorn was screaming at an even smaller lizard thing with wings.
"Twilight Sparkle!" Nightmare hissed with rage.
"You know her?" I whispered.
"She is the one who ruined our plans! We would have ruled over all Equestria if she hadn't intervened!"
The purple pony drew my attention. "The next time I tell you to do something! You do it!" she strutted out of the room before stopping and turning her head, "Or maybe, I should just get a competent assistant." With that said, she trotted down the hall.
I tensed as she turned to face me, but she walked right past me without even a glance.
"Thou hasn't made thy presence known. No dream entity will react as long as you don't use your magic," Nightmare explained.
The purple lizard leaned against the shelf in the room. It had kept its head down the entire time. I felt bad for the thing, it was probably still a kid.
Suddenly dozens of scrolls fell from the shelf. They buried the lizard in a mountain of scrolls.
This thing must have the worst luck.
I stepped out from the doorway and moved into the room. I could hear its sobs from under the pile of scrolls. I wanted to hug the lizard and let him know everything was alright.
"Hurry, Luna could come at any time," Nightmare warned.
I reached into the pile of scrolls and felt the rough scales of the reptile. I latched onto the first solid limb I could grab and pulled. The purple lizard popped out arm first, still crying till it looked squarely at me.
And like most creatures, it freaked out.
"Quickly siphon its fear!" Nightmare commanded.
Like liquefying the swords, I absorbed the fear from the lizard like dream magic. It had calmed down considerably, but was still sobbing at this point.
I sat down criss cross, like in elementary, and placed the lizard in my lap.
It curled into a ball like a cat and continued to cry. I gently rubbed its head back and forth in silence. It was surprisingly warm. Its wings covered most of its body and were kinda soft.
A rush of memories that weren’t mine surged into my mind. All of the sadness and disappointment this dragon felt, felt like it was my own. It hurt unbelievably to watch someone suffer like this.
"Let us leave, thou hast collected thy magic," Nightmare ordered.
"Just a little longer," I whispered as I continued to pet this lizard...dragon?
A few more silent seconds passed before I sighed. "I am sorry, but I have to go." The sobs had stopped, and the young dragon was silently staring at me from beneath its wing.
I lightly placed the drake on the floor and stood up. I didn't like leaving things unfinished, but I was in a hurry. There was still something l could do, though.
"Listen Spike...don't scold yourself in your own dream. You always do your best and then some. Don't be the best assistant to Twilight, be her best friend." I gave him a thumbs up before the dream faded around me.
"That was foolish. We cannot afford to take our time. The final fight is coming and we need to be ready for it," Nightmare scolded.
"Yeah, I'll try to be quicker next time," I replied, waiting for the next dream.