//------------------------------// // 10: The Nightmare Child // Story: A Nightmare in Eidolon // by FolkloreBrony //------------------------------// //// Chapter 10-The Nightmare Child //// The laughter died away, leaving nothing but darkness. Nyx let out a groan, rolling on her side as she slowly regained consciousness. Regaining her perception of the world that had been knocked out of her, her vision was assaulted by the glow of embers, dancing in the air around her as she lifted herself off the ground. She was lying in some sort of grassy field, the cliff she and Toby had tumbled over no longer in sight as if it had vanished. The light quickly made her anxious, the mare scurrying to her hooves as fast as she could. She expected the fire to be on her heels again. Her eyes focused on trying to find Toby before it was too late. But it wasn’t a fire that lit the field. The embers floating in the air took flight, becoming animated as they changed from the afterglow of destruction to the light of life. Nyx’s eyes fixated on these lights and found them to in fact be fireflies, glowing in the soft blue of twilight. She shifted where she sat and took in her surroundings. The fog had rolled into the grassy meadow and hung softly to the ground, while the trees swayed in a gentle breeze that rustled their dying leaves. “Toby?” Nyx called in a daze, looking for the toad in the grass. She was rewarded when a webbed hand rose above the green blades, waving dispassionately at her off to her side. Nyx smiled with relief as she walked over to where he lay on his back, legs dangling in the air. “Toby, are you okay?” she asked him, closing the distance between them. The toad gave her a thumbs-up as he wobbled to his feet, his eyes rolling inside their sockets. “I was certain the map wouldn’t fail you if you just followed your gut,” he grunted, looking at his broken monocle with displeasure before reaching into his bag, retrieving a new one to replace it. Nyx couldn’t hold back a giggle. “I guess I just have a poor sense of direction,” she breathed, looking up to the fading afternoon sky. “That was crazy, right? Definitely crazy?” “Definitely,” Toby parroted her, straightening out his bowtie. “Yeah...” Nyx slumped to the ground on her rump. “Sweet Celestia, what have I gotten myself into?” Toby tilted his head at her question, digging into his bag and pulling out a canteen of water, handing it to her. “Only what you were willing to.” Nyx smirked at him as she took the offered canteen in her magic, taking a long drink from it before nodding. “Well, let’s try to not do that again,” she said as she wiped her mouth. “Agreed.” Toby looked to the surrounding forest, trying to gauge where they were. “What does the map say?” Nyx let out a grumble, pulling the parchment out of her bag. “Are you on about that again? See, it doesn’t… work...” her words died away as she looked down at the images that were now imprinted on the map, showing their path from the entrance to the forest, to the scarecrow, and now the clearing, marking the locations with a red dotted path. “Huh,” Nyx said, completely stumped. She folded the parchment in and out, trying to see if the images had appeared by some trick of the light, only to find nothing. Sighing in defeat, she decided the least she could do was study the map and figure out how much more they had to travel. “Well, at least we seem to be going in the right direction,” Nyx mused, noting how the path on the map was steadily moving further east. She looked up to the sky, watching as the autumn sun fell toward the horizon. “And that’s west, so we should be heading... This way.” She pointed her hoof in the opposite direction, folding up the map to place it back in her bag. “Yes, well, best be on, then. We mustn’t waste time.” Toby drove his fist in the air with determination, ready to move as Nyx got up and set off toward the eastern path. The two soon found themselves passing through the tunnel of trees bending the path ever so slightly for a short distance before opening up to a clearing, fireflies dancing in front of them. Nyx would have thought nothing of it, but the setting felt too familiar to where they had been previously, her eyes suspiciously darting left and right. “Wait a minute… weren’t we just here?” Nyx paused, taking a moment to look at her surroundings. Toby perked up at this question and looked around, his eyes squinting in concentration. “Now that you mention it,” Toby commented, eyeing the trees that surrounded them, “the similarities in the scenery are certainly uncanny.” Nyx frowned, backing up before turning around and running back into the path, disappearing into the foliage. Moments passed as Toby watched the entrance, considering whether or not he should have gone after her. That thought was quickly thrown away as Nyx suddenly burst through the passage again, skidding to a stop as she caught her breath and looked around. Her condition only worsened when she saw Toby just standing in the clearing right in front of her. “Toby? But… What?” The mare’s eyes twitched as her mind tried and failed to come up with a logical explanation. Toby was no better off, starting to panic a little as he realized that they seemed to be going around in circles. Quickly they both ran toward the forest itself, ignoring the path in the hopes of escaping the clearing. But the result was the same as before, no sooner than they entered the woods did they exit, looking just as panicked and confused. Little did they know, something steered from the shadows, watching them as they ran aimlessly in a bid to escape. Its eyes followed them with cold intent, a low growl rumbling deep within it as its fang reflected in the light. “Your move,” Toby spoke emotionlessly, sizing up his opponent. Nyx narrowed her eyes in concentration, studying the pieces of the board. In a game of red versus black, black was definitely winning, but there was still a chance she could recover her losses. She lit her horn and held onto one of the red pieces, moving it into a position away from the black one.  Toby clicked his tongue, observing the move carefully. They had tried to find a way out for hours, but when they found none, Toby had seen the futility of it all and decided to pull out a board of checkers. They had been playing now for about forty-five minutes, their longing expressions giving away how bored they really were. Nyx moved another piece forward, positioning it into a position she knew Toby would immediately counter, but she was ready for that. If he moved exactly the way she expected him to, he’d be ripe to fall into her trap. “You sure you want to make that move? You have so few pieces left as it is,” Toby asked with a smug grin, crossing his arms as he watched Nyx make her move. “Doesn’t really matter to me,” Nyx huffed, leaning back on the rock she sat on, her gaze locked on the board, “I’ll just get you the next round. Not like we have anything better to do, anyway.”  “At least we still have daylight,” Toby muttered, sliding one of his pieces forward, exactly the way Nyx had predicted. But Nyx had completely lost interest in the game. Instead, she paused, her brow furrowing as she looked up at him. “What did you say?” “We still have daylight?” the toad repeated, raising his eyebrow in slight curiosity. Nyx raised an eye up toward the sky, confirming that the sun indeed was still hanging there, just above the horizon. Nyx frowned, getting up from the rock as she paced back and forth. “The sun should have set hours ago,” she said, looking back up towards the glowing orb every few moments before returning her gaze forward as she mumbled under her breath. Toby followed her movements with his eyes, frowning as he pondered what had gotten her so worked up. Suddenly, an idea seemed to present itself to Nyx as she glanced down at the rock she had been sitting on, pawing at it with her hoof. Then, she took a small stone that was lying close by and started digging it against the rock, etching a small but visible mark into the surface. “What are you doing?” Toby asked, intrigued by her odd behavior. Nyx paused and looked up at him, before continuing to etch the mark into the rock until she was satisfied. “Testing a theory. Come on.” She gestured, picking up her bags as she moved toward the path they had entered and exited countless times before. Toby shrugged his shoulders and packed up the checkerboard, placing it back into his bag as he followed her. Just like before, they journeyed through the passage only to end up exactly where they started, making Toby growl in frustration. Nyx, however, was silent, slowly walking toward the rock where she had made her mark. Only, the mark wasn’t there. “Okay… Okay, that’s interesting.” Nyx nodded her head in some form of understanding, circling the rock to make sure nothing easy had changed. Toby just stared at the mare while grumbling, wondering what she was on about. “So what? Your mark disappeared. What does that prove?” Toby asked with his arms crossed, letting out an agitated ribbit. “A lot, actually. But I need to confirm it.” She looked up from the rock to him, her eyes moving up and down his attire. “Do you have a watch?” “Yes, a pocket watch. Why?” Toby asked, shrugging his shoulders. “Give it to me,” Nyx demanded in a flat tone, catching Toby off guard at how forceful she suddenly was. The toad reached into his bag and pulled out the desired object, a simple golden watch held on a golden chain. Nyx took the watch and opened the case, glancing at the time that was stuck at exactly six o’clock. Frowning, she brought the watch to her ear, listening to see if the gears were still ticking inside. Then she gestured for Toby to follow her again. As they walked through the passage again, Nyx kept her eyes on the watch, studying the time to see what would happen. Slowly she noticed how the dial moved backward, subtly at first, but as they made their way closer to the exit, it quickly spun back in long, massive loops, threatening to fly out of the glass surface before settling back to just ten seconds to six. A smile grew on Nyx’s face as she lifted the watch in the air in victory. “There, see? I was right!” she proclaimed, her smile becoming wider. “Milady?” Toby asked uneasily, looking at the almost unhinged mare in front of him as her eyes dilated to pinpricks. “We’re not going in circles, Toby. We’re stuck in a time loop!” Nyx shook the watch right in front of him, becoming a little conscious of how crazed she must have looked. Mom would be so proud, she thought with a blush, immediately composing herself. “A time loop?” Toby questioned, grabbing the watch to examine it, confirming that the time had indeed turned backward. “How do we escape?” he asked, looking a bit concerned. “I, well...” Nyx pondered that question for a moment. How were they supposed to get out? The solution to this problem found itself alluding the mare at the moment, given that there were multiple factors that could have contributed to their current predicament. She glanced at Toby, seeing the anxious expression painted on his face, and frowned. She needed more information. “Toby, has this ever happened to anypony before?” she asked, hoping that he would be able to exchange some details she might have overlooked. “Hmm, well…” he trailed off, pulling a book out of his bag, flipping the pages as he talked. “I suppose it could be natural. I’ve seen stranger things during my travels, but then again, it could be caused by a temporal orb.” “Temporal orb?” Nyx asked, raising her brow in curiosity. “Yes,” Toby nodded, finding the page he was looking for before handing the book to Nyx, “temporal orbs were used long ago to retrace one’s steps if you needed to recall some important event. If misused or stored improperly, however, they could cause a loop in time.” Nyx peered through the pages, scanning the texts of information dedicated to the particular artifact with fascination. She was impressed by how complicated the device was, making a mental note to further study up on Eidolon’s magical theory when they returned to Somnium. But for now, she studied the knowledge provided, looking for an answer to their predicament. One particular text caught her interest, her eyes scanning over the lines repeatedly to fully absorb what she was reading. With backward step the clock reverse, and break the spell the orb exerts. Nyx stared at the text in confusion, trying to make sense of it, then moaned. “Toby, I don’t understand? It says we have to… walk backward?” she said it like a question, finding the concept utterly ridiculous. How was walking backward supposed to break time? Toby, however, only laughed, slapping his hand to his forehead as let out an exaggerated sigh. “Oh, that's absolutely brilliant! Now, why didn’t I think of that?!” “What?! But… that… what?” Nyx stammered, trying to wrap her mind around how that was supposed to make any sense. Then she remembered everything she had seen of Eidolon, reflecting on how nothing made any sense. Nyx puffed out her cheeks as the lack of logic gave her a headache, her eye twitching madly. Thank Celestia mom isn’t here, she thought, letting out a defeated sigh as she snapped the book shut. “Whatever! Let’s just get this over with!” “Right! Now, which way?” Toby looked up to her as she handed him his book back, waiting for her to make the decision.  “I suppose… retrace our steps?” she suggested, shrugging her shoulders. The two looked at each other then back toward the path, sighing as they turned their backs to it and started walking backwards. Step by step, inch by inch, they slowly made their way through the passage, retracing their steps as they both inwardly prayed that this would work. Soon they cleared the passage again, only this time they observed their surroundings more cynically, wondering if the ridiculous ritual had done anything at all. “Did it work?” Toby asked, looking around as if the forest would give him an answer. “Give me the watch!” Nyx gestured with her hoof quickly, feeling impatient. Toby quickly handed her the watch, looking over her shoulders as she looked down on its surface with bated breath, watching as the hand ticked slowly toward ten seconds to six. Then five seconds. Then two. Then it struck six, Nyx sucking in air anxiously, waiting, and… The handle moved past six, proving that time was indeed moving forward on its normal course. “Yes! We did it!” Nyx exclaimed, jumping up and down as if she were still an excited filly, scooping up Toby to hug him and dance around. Toby couldn’t help but laugh at her enthusiasm, dancing along with her at their triumph. As they both settled down, Toby looked up at her, wiping down his monocle. “But what about the orb?” “We’ll find it. Make sure it never causes something like this to happen again,” Nyx said determinedly, lighting up her horn as her aura pulsed like a heartbeat. “This’ll help us find it. If it’s close, we’ll know.” Toby nodded his head and followed Nyx as she began searching the area, keeping her horn forward as she watched for any changes in the frequency in its pulse. Slowly they entered back into the passage, her horn steadily flashing faster as they drew closer to their target. Soon they found themselves in a crevice just off to the side of the passage, the forest tightened by entangled tree limbs and thorn bushes. Just then Nyx’s magic flashed madly, pulsing like a strobe light in the darkness. Both mare and toad turned their heads left and right, trying to find where the orb was hidden. It didn’t take long either, a shimmering blue catching Nyx’s eye as she slowly turned toward a rising dune that held a tiny burrow in its side. “Here, I found it!” Nyx exclaimed, rushing over to the burrow, reaching inside with her hoof trying to grab the artifact, sticking out her tongue with effort. “Can you reach it?” Toby asked, peering up as Nyx’s arm pushed in as far back as possible. “No, and I don’t want to use my magic. I might accidentally set it off again.” Nyx pulled her arm out of the opening, looking down at Toby as a light bulb went off in her mind, “Do you think you could crawl in there?” “I’ll do my best.” Toby looked up to the hole, rubbing his hands together before he braced his legs, and jumped. His body leaped into the air and landed on the very edge of its mouth, his feet dangling in the air as he tried to pull himself inside. Nyx immediately went behind him, propping him up with her head so he wouldn’t fall out. Slowly, he was able to pull himself into the burrow, turning around to look at her. “Can you get it?” Nyx asked, hoping the tunnel wasn’t too tight. Toby looked behind him, studying the narrow passage before he nodded, calling back, “Yes! I’ll get it and we can get out of here!” he starting moving away loose thorns and twigs, ready to move in deeper. Snap. Nyx and Toby tensed as their attention turned toward the sound of a twig snapping behind them, both whipping their heads over the mare’s shoulder to see what it was. Something stood within the shadows of the foliage, the ragged breath of a creature carried on the wind, accompanied by the foul smell of decay. They shuddered as a pair of bright yellow eyes emerged from the shadows, followed by a low, predatory growl that rumbled in their ears. “Toby...” Nyx breathed, watching as a clawed hand stepped forward from the underbrush. The hand had four digits that flexed to dig its talons into the dirt, its flesh covered with fur stained in copper-red. Its long, muscular arm pulled its body forward, revealing a furry white body from head to tail, twice the size of a pony with a thin, lithe frame, resembling a large ferret. The beast’s head, however, resembled a cross between a dog and a weasel, sharp fangs exposed in the corners of its mouth as it growled at them. “What is that thing?!” Nyx shouted in terror as the beast suddenly let out an ear-splitting screech, angrily running straight for them. Nyx shrank in fear as it drew closer, its features becoming fully visible in the light, showing off the curved horns and red markings on its head and neck, giving the appearance of a demon. “It’s a nocnitsa!” Toby screamed in fright, hopping into the burrow in panic. The nocnitsa immediately focused its attention on him, driving right into the mare, knocking her away as it barreled toward the burrow. Nyx fell to the ground hard, yelping at the sting in her rump. Ignoring the pain she watched as the creature dug its claws into the entrance, powerful muscles ripping out the dirt and twigs. Toby croaked in terror, barely getting out of its reach as it sunk its teeth in after him, trying to drag him out. “Nyx!” “Stay back!” Nyx warned Toby, the toad nodding quickly as he escaped further into the burrow, putting as much distance between himself and the snapping jaws of the creature as possible. “Here! Right here!” Nyx shouted at the beast, levitating several stones in her magic before throwing them at it to try and draw its attention. The nocnitsa grunted and growled angrily at the stones impacting painfully into its hindquarters but otherwise ignored her, thrusting its claws into the opening to break it apart. Nyx started to panic. The nocnitsa would kill Toby the moment it got inside the burrow. She had to get it to focus on her somehow. It was then that she remembered the dagger Kadhaab had given her, quickly reaching to her side to pull it out of its holster. She stared at the blade held in her magic for a moment then back at the creature, her teeth clenching as she moved forward. “I said I’m right here, damn it!” she growled, slashing the blade across the nocnitsa’s legs, a thin trail of blood dispersing in the air as the creature howled in rage. Like a bullet, the creature whipped its head around and pounced on her, sinking its teeth into her shoulder, electing a scream of pain from her throat. As her magic gave out she grabbed the dagger with her hoof and jabbed it forward, embedding the blade into the creature’s shoulder. Blood splattered onto her black coat as the nocnitsa screeched, the dagger pulling out of the wound as it lurched back from the pain. She immediately lunged at it, using her weight to slam into its side to throw it off balance. The two tumbled in the grass, biting and slashing at each other in a chaotic display. Nyx’s dagger cut into its arms and chest, while the nocnitsa’s talons ripped into her sides, puncturing her flesh. Nyx screamed as the nocnitsa managed to pin her on her back, growling as it lunged forward. Nyx quickly threw her head back, escaping its jaws snapping where her neck used to be, the nocnitsa suddenly yelping as Nyx blasted it in the chest with a magical bolt from her horn. Nyx soon recovered, rising from the ground to stare at her opponent, the creature trying to shake off her magic. She couldn’t believe this was happening. This thing was actually trying to kill them. It was trying to kill her. Then something just snapped inside of her. Adrenaline rushed to her brain as her eyes shrank dangerously thin as she bared her teeth at the creature angrily. Its neck whipped forward, viciously trying to strike her again, but its reaction was too slow. It only howled as Nyx let out an animalistic scream and fell on top of it, driving the dagger into its throat. Nyx felt the nocnitsa stiffen beneath her as it let out a gurgled moan, blood collecting in the back of its throat as it weakly tried to push her off. Losing its strength, it fell on its side, the mare falling on top of it as they both collapsed. Her breath was heavy as she panted, the air puffing out from her mouth into the cold forest air. Slowly she came to her senses, able to process exactly what had happened. Nyx’s eyes suddenly grew wide as she fell backward, her movement on the creature forcing a moan of pain from it. She looked down at herself and saw her fur matted, red and wet, feeling a bit queasy at the sight. Blood. Its blood is on me. Nyx’s attention was quickly drawn back toward the creature as it groaned, her ears twirling forward as it gave one final, painful breath, and grew silent. Its body fell motionless upon the grass, the mare sucking in a lungful of air as she watched. She killed it. Nyx lost her breath, staring silently at its corpse. She had never killed anything before. She didn’t know what to think about it. She couldn’t help but feel a little sorry for what she had done, her chest rising and falling in a state of shock. But, hadn’t it attacked them? she thought, watching as a thick puddle of red pooled into the dark grass near its wounds. Nyx quivered, hunching over as she shivered. I didn’t have a choice, I did what I had to do. That’s what she told herself, her eyes glued on the body as Toby crawled out of the burrow. “Milady! Are you alright?!” Toby hopped over to Nyx’s side, his eyes widened with concern as he saw the blood, “Oh dear, let me get my kit!” Nyx barely registered what he said, her thoughts storming inside her head. Toby reached into his purse, digging around until he pulled out a medical box and a metal flask, giving a disturbed glare at her wounds. Quickly he unscrewed the lid off the flask and took a gulp, moaning before hopping over to her. “I killed it...” Nyx said quietly, shuttering a little as Toby opened the kit. “It had to be done. It was out of control. Rabid. It needed to be put down,” Toby assured her, pulling out a clean cloth and soaking it in the liquid from the flask. “I guess,” she mumbled, wincing a little as Toby applied the cloth to her wounds. She had been lucky that she had only earned a few cuts and scratches, the worst of them being the bite on her shoulder. “Did you get the orb?” “Yes, right here.” Toby dug into his bag, presenting the glowing sphere. “Best we destroy this thing before some other unfortunate soul accidentally stumbles upon it.” Nyx slowly nodded, taking the orb in her magic. She could feel the flow of raw, untamed magic coursing through the object, influencing the area around them. Breathing deep to calm herself, Nyx took the orb and slowly poured her magic into it, the soft glow it emitted brightening as it began to shake from the pressure. Nyx gritted her teeth, feeling the pressure inside her skull as her magic faltered. It was difficult trying to focus so much energy all at once, but she endured it. She had to. Slowly a crack formed on the orb’s surface, blinding white light escaping through the lines. The pressure increased until the dam broke, the sphere shattering with a loud crack! Squeak! Nyx’s ears twitched, closely listening to her surroundings. She swore she heard something when the orb shattered, scanning the foliage for movement. Then she heard it again, quieter now, but there all the same. She focused on the sound and followed it to the burrow, narrowing her eyes as she lit her horn defensively. She froze as a pair of eyes peered over the burrow’s mouth, small and filled with hesitant curiosity. Slowly, a tiny head leaned out of the entrance, sniffing the air as its eyes darted back and forth between the two travelers. It was a tiny thing, a thin, lithe body resembling a small ferret. Its white coat glistened in the fading afternoon light, the fur contrasted by black and orange splotches that lined its arms, tail, and neck. Daring to take its first step outside the burrow, the little nocnitsa tensed as it eyed Nyx, its need to reach the larger creature the only thing motivating it to act against the overwhelming fear it felt. Oh no. Nyx felt her heart drop as she saw the tiny creature venture towards the body of the nocnitsa, its tiny head nuzzling into the adult’s neck as it let out a questioning squeak. The realization was immediate, staring at the duo with a mournful gaze. That’s why the nocnitsa had been so aggressive. It wasn’t rabid, it was just trying to protect its baby. That truth fell on her hard, knowing the terrible mistake she had made. Slowly she walked forward, looking down on the helpless creature before her. The baby looked up at her in fear, not knowing what this unknown thing was going to do. It buried itself deeper into the fur of its dead parent, instinctively looking for the parental protection it would never receive again. Nyx watched this with a broken heart, feeling regret for what she had done. She had to fix this. “Milady, what are you--?” Toby asked, watching as Nyx knelt down next to the infant, mindful to make herself appear small as to not frighten the tiny creature. “I have to help him, somehow,” she said without a second thought, pulling a cloth out from her bag to use as a blanket for the infant. Toby, however, seemed to grow distressed. “Why? It's not your responsibility.” Toby pulled the cloth from her hoof, looking at her with an intense stare. “So what do you want me to do? Just leave him here to die?” she demanded, wrestling the cloth back from him. The two just stared at each other for a few moments, the silence only broken by the small creature’s cries. “Yes,” Toby said finally, his voice flat and uncaring, forcing Nyx to take a step back. Their eyes locked, Nyx finding it hard to believe what she had heard him say. “These things are vicious, milady. It would be better for both of us if you just leave it.” Nyx was silent as her gaze hardened, the tiny creature’s cries ringing in her ears. Vicious beasts. That wasn’t what she saw in this tiny thing’s eyes, glossy and quivering in fear. Nyx turned to look to her flank, staring at the kite-shield cutie mark and what it represented. The mare smiled faintly, that single glance all that she needed to tell her what she had to do. “What are you doing?” Toby asked, watching Nyx as she scooped up the tiny creature, careful to make sure that she didn’t hurt it. “I’m taking him with us,” she declared, wrapping the creature in a comfortable cloth to keep it warm. Toby’s eyes grew wide, hopping up to her to protest. “Milady, I wouldn’t--!” “No! He’s my responsibility!” she snapped at Toby, fed up with this pointless argument. “I did something wrong and now I have to fix it!” Toby stared at her slack-jawed, taking a step back as she glared at him. Then Nyx’s expression softened, turning her attention back to the nocnitsa as she lifted it up so it could look at her. “Hey, little guy…” she spoke softly, patient and gentle as she waited for the tiny animal to calm down, mindful of its wildly beating heart. “Don’t worry, I’ll keep you safe.” Though frightened, the nocnitsa dared to look at her, its large, innocent eyes reading her for any sign of malice. But the only thing it found was Nyx smiling comfortingly. Somehow the baby seemed to understand, curling into the cloth to warm itself. Nyx’s smile grew sad, opening up her saddlebag to set it gently inside, lowering the flap so it wouldn’t fall out. She turned to Toby, glaring at him for a moment with what appeared to be disappointment, before she finally let out a sigh and directed him to follow her. What she didn’t see was that as her back was turned to him, Toby gazed upon her with a look of admiration, grinning as he quickly followed close behind. The day was spent as Nyx and Toby wandered through the woods, neither of them talking to the other as they ventured further east. Nyx didn’t feel like talking to him at the moment, and besides, she was preoccupied with a certain creature resting on her neck and mane. The baby nocnitsa had slept for several hours as they traveled, but eventually, it woke up and decided to escape her bags to explore its surroundings. Currently, that happened to be her hair, the little white bundle of fluff digging through a waterfall of violet. Nyx didn’t mind, however, allowing it to do whatever it wanted. Though she had to admit, it was a little uncomfortable when its tiny claws would dig into the back of her scalp. But she endured it, allowing a smile to spread across her lips as the kid let out soft squeaks and calls, beady, honey-yellow eyes taking in the world. Nyx sighed, a hint of sorrow panging the back of her mind. It felt wrong keeping the nocnitsa around like a pet. She knew she was doing the right thing, but at the same time, she didn’t want to treat it that way. She did admire though how happy the infant seemed, lightly nipping at her mane trying to make a nest out of it. The nocnitsa let out a growl, barking and squealing at Nyx as it tugged at her mane, making the mare flinch. She looked up to the animal in confusion, wondering what had gotten into it before noticing it looking at her with its mouth hanging wide. “Hmm? Hungry, little guy?” she wondered, watching as the creature’s stomach let out a growl. She smiled softly at it, opening her bag and levitating a pouch of berries and tiny fruits she had gathered for the road. “Here you go,” she said softly, offering one of the smaller red fruits to it, perfect for the tiny animal. The nocnitsa lowered itself down to her shoulder, sniffing at the offering before grabbing it, gingerly munching on the fruit as it squeaked happily. Nyx giggled as it ate, tickling the fur under its chin. “Do you like that, Nero?” she asked, noticing how cute he looked as he ate. “Nero?” Toby deadpanned, speaking up for the first time in hours as he looked up at her with a confused look. “Yes, Nero,” Nyx remarked, recalling the bedtime stories Twilight read her. “Nero was a poet and fiddle player from the old pegasus tribe. It made him happy to play that fiddle wherever he went, and ponies gave him money and gifts for the music he brought them.” Nyx paused, remembering the rest of the story. “Then a fire burned his house down, and everything he owned was lost. Even the fiddle.” Nyx then smiled, surprising Toby as she continued, “But even though he lost everything, he walked right into the ruins, used whatever he could salvage, and made a new fiddle. Played it right there in the middle of that burnt house without a care in the world. See, he didn’t care about all the money and gifts he had been given. He wanted to show the world that just because he had nothing left, he was still happy.” “Happiness in the face of sorrow. Hmm.” Toby shook his head, hopping onto a rotted log. He looked around to see where they were, taking note of a certain fountain off to the side that washed into an algae-covered pond. He would have been tempted to take a closer look, when suddenly he saw movement in the darkness, his eyes widening as Nyx started moving forward unaware. “Wait!” Toby whispered harshly, grabbing Nyx by the tail and quickly yanking her back. Nyx let out a grunt, glaring back at him with an annoyed look only to find a look of pure terror in his eyes. “Toby? What is it?” she asked with concern, turning around to look at him. “Get down!” Toby hissed, grabbing Nyx and pulling her behind the falling tree. Nyx was about to protest, when Toby suddenly brought his finger to his lips, signaling for her to be quiet. She let her protest die as she looked at him attentively, waiting for him to tell her what was going on. “There, just through the clearing,” Toby whispered, pointing forward. Nyx followed his gaze and watched the clearing, waiting for what would happen. For a moment nothing happened, then, out of the darkness, a tall, heavyset creature emerged from the shadows, carrying a rusty old scythe with him. Nyx’s eyes widened at the sight, lowering herself behind the log to hide as much of herself as possible, just peeking over the edge. The creature was bipedal, heavily lumbering about as it made its way out into the open. Its body was concealed behind a ragged brown cloak that was torn in several places, stained with mud. Its clothing was tattered and worn, no doubt due to long exposure to the harsh elements. Brown leather boots crunched against the dead leaves of the forest floor as it moved. But it was its head that frightened her the most. The beast wore a mask that resembled a bird, crudely sewn together with leather hiding the face beneath. Red glowing goggles replaced its eyes that she could have sworn were staring right back at her beneath a crooked, flat-brimmed hat. If all of this wasn’t weird enough, the long, boney antlers curving to the back of its head were the icing on the cake. As Nyx eyed the beast with a nervous glance, she happened to spot movement off to the side, her gaze drifting to the source. There, bathing in the water, were three bipedal creatures similar to the beast, but fair and graceful as they washed themselves. Nyx watched them in curiosity, noting their feminine features from the soft curves of their bodies to their long, flowing hair. Each of them resembled humans from what her mother had described, but to Nyx’s keen eye she spotted the differences. Their skin was dotted with shimmering scales that coated them and reflected like diamonds in the light, similar to that of fish. Where their ears would be, cone-like appendages grew upward above their heads. They were all naked, their skin colors varying shades of tan and peach, while their green locks of hair blended with the moss and algae of the fountain. “What are those things?” Nyx whispered harshly, her eyes darting between the three maidens as the beast silently approached them unawares. “I… I don’t know,” Toby whispered, staring at them in awe. They both continued to watch as the beast paused, its gaze lingering on the maidens, its shoulders becoming tense as the grip on the scythe tightened. The maidens paused in the middle of their bath, looking out into the darkness as their senses told them something was wrong. Suddenly, the beast burst from the foliage, letting out a screech, rolling across the ground as he rushed them. The maidens were completely taken off guard by this, falling back as it landed on one of them. The maiden let out a cry as it pulled a cord from its belt, cracking it in the air before bringing it down, keeping her pinned to the ground as he whipped her. Nyx’s eyes widened at the display of violence, shooting up from her spot. “He’s hurting them!” she cried out, hiking over the log to help them. “No, milady, wait!” Toby tried to grab her, but she was already gone, running to the maidens’ defense. Nyx rushed forward, galloping straight for the tall figure as he prepared to strike the maidens of the fountain again. Her horn blazed as she cast a spell, an aura of magic encasing her body as she lowered her head toward the monster. The beast sensed that something was wrong and turned sharply, only to cry out in confused anger as Nyx rammed him, the spell making the blow feel like she had slammed into him with a wrecking ball. As the monster stumbled backward, Nyx spun around and charged her horn, a magical beam of energy firing into the beast’s face as he let out a pained screech. Nyx grinned, knowing she had him on the ropes now. All she had to do was keep it up while she still had him disorientated. She fired a few more shots as she ran at him, spinning and raising her back legs to buck him in the chest, sending him back a few feet. The beast growled and swung his scythe down, the mare leaping out of the way as the blade smashed into the dirt. Angrily he screamed and threw himself at her, the scythe ready to swing in a wide arch. Nyx, however, had the distance needed to properly counter the attack, her horn charging angrily as she fired a turquoise beam of magic right into him. The beast let out a screech and flew backward into the woods, his dark silhouette blending into the night. Nyx stood there watching where it had disappeared in a defensive stance, waiting for him to return. Only after a few minutes had passed and she was certain that he wasn’t coming back did she relax, turning to the maidens who looked at her in wonder. “Oh, noble traveler, you saved us!” one of the maidens said, holding her chest as she stared at Nyx with a wide beaming smile. “Who are you?” Nyx asked as her horn flickered out, standing tall in front of them as Toby and Nero came up by her side. “We are the Kelpie,” the lightest of the three answered, brushing her hand through her teal hair. “My name is Laighe, and these are my sisters Bathadh and Nathair.” She gestured to the darker-skinned woman then to the tan colored one, the one named Nathair nodding to her with a bubbly smile while Bathadh stared at her seductively, forcing an odd chill down Nyx’s spine. “We were collecting water lilies when that beast came and started beating us!” Nathair shuddered, looking into the direction he had disappeared to. “I don’t want to know what he would have done if you hadn’t come!” “Me neither.” Nyx took a cautious glance toward the forest, wondering if the beast had run off or if he was still lurking in the shadows, watching them. Her thoughts were interrupted, however, when she was grabbed by her shoulders and pulled forward. “You’re a pretty one!” Bathadh said as she pressed her face right up to Nyx’s muzzle, causing her to blush. “Bathadh! Stop teasing!” Laighe scolded her sister albeit rather playfully, turning her attention back to Nyx. “How may we ever repay you?” “Oh, you don’t have to do that,” Nyx quickly objected, feeling that she had only done what she was supposed to, and nothing worth reward. The three women would have none of it, however, surrounding the mare as they smothered her with attention. Nyx was taken off guard by this, not noticing as Toby and Nero were pushed away. “No no no! We insist!” Nathair exclaimed, wrapping her arms around Nyx as she pressed their cheeks together. “We’ll give you something special.” “Perhaps something personal, yes? We could sing to you,” Laighe suggested, smiling a toothy grin at her sisters. “Yes! Let us sing you a song…” Bathadh breathed, humming to herself while the others joined in, circling around the mare. Nyx smiled weakly, feeling a little uncomfortable. “Oh, no, honest, that really is… isn’t...” Nyx trailed off as she gazed into Bathadh’s eyes, taking note of the sparkling turquoise orbs. They were beautiful, why hadn’t she noticed them before? As a matter of fact, everything about her was beautiful. Her smooth, apricot skin, coupled with her flowing emerald hair. And her voice, like an angel! She was an angel! Everything about her was perfect, except of course, for her bipedal form. Nyx felt a little disappointed suddenly, not knowing why. Oh, how attractive would she be if only she were a pony? In the blink of an eye, Nyx had her answer as she stared back into the face of an Equestrian goddess. Bathadh had changed into the most beautiful pony she had ever seen, her features soft and pronounced like she belonged in a dream rather than be real. Nyx giggled at the irony of that thought, noticing that Bathadh wasn’t alone. Laighe and Nathair had changed as well, turquoise and aquamarine mixing together as the fountain gave way to a field of grass, swaying in a gentle wind. Nyx’s eyes widened at the change in scenery, seeing the darkness fade as the soft pinks and oranges of a sunset filled the sky. The blades of grass faintly glowed with their own inner brilliance. She felt like she had entered paradise. “Wha…? What’s… happening?” Nyx moaned, her senses dulling, her body loosening up as if she were floating on air. “Just relax,” Laighe whispered into her ear, her tail wrapping around the mare’s body. Nyx didn’t protest, allowing the three to hold her. They’re so beautiful, Nyx thought, completely star-struck by them, her vision becoming blurry with light. And that thought… confused her. She had never felt attracted to anyone before, let alone another mare. The most her experience had extended to was Rumble, who she had to admit was rather cute and had a small crush on him. It was a childish thing, but this? Why am I thinking like this? I’m not attracted… She felt sleepy all of a sudden. The song was intoxicating to her, lulling her into what felt like a dream. Their features began to fade from her like silhouettes in the night, the light brightening to make her vision shimmer. She tried to move, tried to speak, but found, despite her efforts, that she couldn’t. What is this? Nyx began to struggle a little within their grasp, trying to earn some space, but the three figures refused to let her go. They wrapped themselves around her tighter, Bathadh’s smile faltering for a moment from something innocent and sincere to something more twisted and sadistic. This confused her, wondering why a creature so beautiful and perfect would have an expression as cold as that. Then she felt it, as if something were squeezing at her insides, crushing her lungs and heart. I… I can’t breathe! Nyx suddenly became painfully aware of her surroundings, no longer lost to the serene beauty of the fields. Blades of grass faded away to reveal swaying kelp, and warm light was lost to the darkness, leaving a sickly glow. For any other pony, their eyes would have had a hard time adjusting to a world painted in the muted glow. But to Nyx, her vision was perfect. Allowing her to see the twisted, evil snarl on the face of Bathadh, her form crooked, jagged, and black, sharp fangs on full display as the monster opened its jaws wide.  Nyx screamed, water filling her lungs. The sisters screeched angrily at her resistance, dragging her further down into the water. Nyx stared at them in horror, seeing for the first time the reality of their true forms. The sisters were equine in nature, but their bodies were wrong. Their faces were long and mouths filled with needle-like teeth similar to anglerfish, while their shriveled, malnourished forms resembled corpses. The ribs of their torsos pressed against their skin, the bones of their spines jutting out of their backs threatening to pierce their flesh. Their bodies were long with no hindlegs, running down into muscular tails akin to that of eels. Sickly green light reflected off rows of bioluminescent scales onto her coat, casting her in the pale light. Their eyes glowed blue as they stared at her menacingly, swamp green manes flowing down their backs into frills as they smiled wickedly upon their prey. Nyx fought against their hold on her, trying desperately to break free. She wasn’t going to let them drown her without a fight, her horn igniting as she fired a bolt of magic forward. The projectile rocketed through the murky water like a torpedo, hitting one of the creatures square in the chest. The bolt exploded on impact, creating a bubble of water and fire that expanded and forced a pained screech from the monster as it disappeared into the field of lingering smoke. The two remaining sisters snapped at her like snakes, striking her in the stomach to force what little air she had left from her body. Nyx curled in pain. Her lungs were on fire, everything hurt. She was going to die. The two saw this and lunged at her, wrapping kelp around her limbs to bind her and drag her to the bottom. In desperation, Nyx’s horn pulsed as the two creatures hissed and snarled, and with a powerful flash, she sent a shockwave through the water that knocked the monsters back. With a moment to act, Nyx fought to rid herself of her bindings, struggling to stay conscious. She wasn’t going to last much longer in this state, she knew that, and it only intensified her terror as the kelp proved difficult to break. She tried to reach for her dagger, but the restraints were keeping it just out of reach. Her muscles ached and felt like iron, weighing her down into the dark below. She could feel the last of the precious oxygen escaping her lips, and she reached up, aimlessly clawing at her throat with the pointless hope to try and suck it back in. One of the creatures began to swim back towards her, hissing and smiling madly. It could sense her weakness, knowing she’d drown at any moment. She watched it through burning vision as it just hovered in the water in front of her, waiting. Because waiting was all it had to do at this point, mocking her with her inescapable fate. It enraged her. That smug, arrogant cruelty. She felt foreign emotions wash over her, things she hadn’t felt in a long time. She felt hatred, malice. She wanted to gouge this ugly thing’s eyes, rip out its throat, make it suffer and force that wicked smile off its face. The creature swam closer, growing impatient as it moved to take the first bite of its latest meal. With whatever strength Nyx had left, she felt something overcome her, a surge of power that felt dark and terrible, swallowing her. The monster sensed it too and stared angrily at her, wondering what useless resistance this irritable morsel was putting up now. It, however, was completely taken aback when Nyx’s face contorted viciously, her jaw widening so unnaturally it threatened to break as jagged, razor-sharp teeth were presented on full display. The mare’s mane became like a mirky ink in the water, glowing with faint purple stars as it swirled around her body that oozed like black oil. Nyx’s eyes glowed wildly as she stared daggers at the creature, her mouth curling into an animalistic snarl. Before it could react, Nyx struck out at the creature like a lightning bolt, her jaws clamping down on its neck with a sickening tear. The monster screeched out in pain as flesh was ripped from flesh, and with a quick snap of Nyx’s neck, skin and muscle were torn from the monster’s jugular, severing the windpipes and arteries. It gurgled and choked as it flayed about in the water, the murk coated in a cloud of red that formed around its body. Soon after its body went limp, and with a final jerk it sunk into the depths, lost to the darkness. There was a hint of satisfaction on Nyx’s expression as she watched it disappear, her eyes shrunk down to tiny pinpricks in a look of insane glee, and for a moment, resembled something evil. And then it faded away. The surge of dark magic had lasted for only a few moments, and then it died as quickly as it had been born, leaving Nyx limp in the water. The light was fading from her vision, as hopeless tears escaped from her eyes and dissolved into the water. Memories surged through her mind, thinking with a broken heart as she realized she had let down not only her friends, her family, but the people of an entire nation. She failed. Nyx faintly registered as the other two creatures drew in, ready to finish what they started. She didn’t care. She was slipping into unconsciousness quickly, her life fading away as the monsters closed in for their meal. And then the water froze. More accurately, a beam of ice shot down into the water from the surface, firing like a rocket as it slammed into one of the creatures, shards of ice forming and slicing into the monster, forcing it down further into the deep. The other creature snarled and hissed, quickly maneuvering out of the way as another beam was fired, missing its target by only a fraction of an inch. As the world faded into darkness, Nyx caught a glimpse of a long, boney arm reaching down into the water after her, and just before death could grasp her to let her spirit slip away, a hand grabbed Nyx by her mane and yanked her out of the water. The sudden rush of pain in her scalp forced Nyx awake as she broke the surface, caught between trying to gasp for air while screaming her lungs out. Before she knew it Nyx was flung forward away from the fountain, her body sailing through the air before crashing into the bark of a tree and rolling off of it to the ground with a thud. Nyx hacked and wheezed, tears running down her cheeks in pain as she coughed up a torrent of water from her stomach. Her lungs were on fire as air rushed into her body, the mare hyperventilating as she tried to get ahold of the immense pain she was enduring. “Milady! Milady!” Through her tears, Nyx forced her head up as she watched Toby hopping toward her, Nero hanging onto his fez for dear life as he closed the distance to her side. Nyx tried to get up but failed, her legs buckling beneath her as she let out a yelp, falling face-first into the ground. “T-Too-bee!” Nyx coughed, hunching over in pain as she shook violently from the cold. Toby’s eyes widened as he reached into his purse frantically and pulled out several blankets, rushing over and quickly wrapping her in them to get her warm and dry. “Try…. try not to move, milady. You’re in shock,” Toby warned Nyx, brushing a crop of her mane away as it flopped wetly against her face. Nyx wasn’t in any position to argue, greedily wrapping herself as tightly as she could into the blankets. They felt so warm at the moment she could have sworn she had never felt warmth before in her life. She barely registered as Nero crawled up the blankets to look her in the eyes, staring wearily into them as if trying to comfort her. “T-T-Thank y-you,” Nyx stuttered through chattering teeth, rubbing her abdomen underneath the blankets to generate more heat. “Think nothing of it. Now, do try not to talk,” Toby hushed her, reaching into his purse to find the first aid kit. “B-But hh-how d-did yoou get m-me out?” Nyx asked slowly, her curiosity overriding her need to conserve what little energy she had left. Toby tensed, looking away as if he were afraid to answer. “I… didn’t.” Nyx blinked as Toby continued, looking at her woefully, “I tried, I really tried. But they were too strong! They kept us away long enough to drag you down into the water. I thought you lost!” Nyx swallowed, thoughts racing in her head at the gravity of how close to death she had come. Nyx opened the blanket to let Nero in, hugging him for warmth as she stared at Toby in confusion. “T-Then w-who--?” SCREEEEECH! The sound of one of the creatures startled the three of them as they whipped their heads around, staring toward the fountain. Even though she was already as cold as she could possibly get, Nyx couldn’t help the chill that went down her spine as she watched the cloaked, bipedal monster fighting the sisters. One of the sisters struck out at him, only to be met with a back-handed punch to its lower jaw, knocking it into a rock. “Laighe!” the other hissed and swung its tail against the figure’s chest, forcing him against the ground as it lurched out of the water to tackle him. The swamp creature leaned down to try and bite his face, but the figure raised its scythe upward, the creature’s jaws crunching down on the wooden handle. It chewed at the wood as hard as it could, trying to snap it in half to get at him, but he wasn’t deterred. Instead, he lifted up his boot and slammed it into its stomach, forcing it off of him as it exhaled sharply. Using this opportunity, the cloaked figure whacked the creature in the face with the butt of his weapon, sending it falling back into the shallow edge of the water. He cried out darkly, swinging the blade down into her chest, the scythe running her through. Laighe, the last of the creatures remaining, stared in horror as the beast slaughtered its sister. “Nathair, no...” Its eyes widened as the figure turned to her, pressing his boot into the corpse of its sister to keep it still while he yanked out the scythe, blood dripping from the curved blade down into the already maroon water surrounding the body. Laighe snarled at him before diving into the water, escaping while it still had a chance. The beast shot forward into the water after it, swinging the scythe at the surface in a rage as his target slunk to whatever dark hole it had come from. He howled angrily as he slapped the water, furious that it had gotten away. Nyx, Toby, and Nero watched cautiously as the beast threw his tantrum, not daring to move and remind him of their presence. Nyx was frightened out of her mind, not knowing what to do next. She wanted to run away, but at the same time, she wanted to know why he saved her. She decided to wait for him to calm down, taking the time given to gather her strength again. Several minutes passed as the beast stared at the water’s rippling surface, pressing the end of the scythe in the water and churning it to see if anything was hiding below. Nyx saw this and took this as the right time to approach him, rising to her hooves as she took a step forward. Nero poked his head out of her blanket while Toby followed behind, keeping himself behind her at all times, looking to her for protection. As Nyx drew closer, she grimaced at the torn body of Nathair, seeing the blood that pooled in the water around her still form. Tearing her gaze away she wobbled behind the beast, looking up to his tall form as she cleared her throat. “Umm, e-excuse me, s-sir?” Nyx spoke up, rubbing her shoulders to keep herself warm. The beast’s head turned slowly, looking down at her over his shoulder menacingly. Nyx gulped as she stood still under his imposing form, watching as his grip tightened around the scythe when he turned to face her. There was no turning back now. Nyx built up a little more courage, tugging at the blanket for security, “Umm, I w-wanted to… to say t-thank you… Umm, c-can I ask w-who you a-are? A-and--” “Wendigo...” it whispered, raising the scythe in its grasp. Nyx took a step back, hugging the blanket tighter.  “W-What?” Nyx choked, the look of confidence in her eyes fading as she heard the word whispered. “WENDIGO!” The beast screamed, rising up as he lifted the scythe in a long arch. The mask broke apart and his maw widened with a painful screech as he brought the weapon down. Nyx screamed and fell back out of the blanket, the blade impacting the ground right between her legs. Nero tumbled out of the blanket as Nyx stared at this with her eyes bugged out, snapping her head up as she quickly rolled out of the way of the next blow. “It uses the Master’s power, blasphemous!” the Wendigo spat angrily, swinging the scythe at her with each step he took. “Make it suffer! Tear its flesh from bone!” So that’s why he saved me, he wants to finish me off himself. Nyx’s heart was racing, frantically dodging left and right to try and stay out of the blade’s wide swings. The scythe swung low, trying to cut open her legs, forcing her to jump up in the air as it zipped beneath her. She stared into the eyes of the Wendigo, the goggles of the mask glowing hell red as it stared menacingly back at her.  Toby and Nero panicked and ran behind a tree, cowering as Nyx fought to get out of the Wendigo’s murderous attack. The two were locked in a deadly dance of cat and mouse, both trying to one-up the other. Suddenly Nyx saw an opening in his side and took it, spreading her wings as she tried to zip away and escape into the forest. But the Wendigo was quick. Just as she rushed passed him he whipped around, grabbing a handful of her mane and yanked her backward. She rose into the air in front of him, the Wendigo letting her go as she let out a mixed cry of pain and surprise. Before she knew what had happened, the Wendigo swung his fist into a left cross, punching her smack across the cheek. She could taste copper in her mouth from the blow as she sailed backward into a bundle of bushes, branches snapping and digging into her flesh. Nyx groaned as she shook her head and rose from her spot, disoriented as the world in her vision spun wild. Slowly her focus returned to normal, just in time to watch as the Wendigo stepped forward with his weapon raised. Nyx squeaked and tried to get up, but cried out as the beast brought his boot forward and pinned her to the ground, locking her in place. Nyx desperately pushed against the boot to try and get it off, only to look up as the Wendigo howled out and raised his weapon to strike, beads of sweat pouring down her face at the sight. “No!” she screamed, her eyes glowing teal as she shielded her body with her hooves, her magic flaring to put up a quick barrier, all in a vain attempt to save herself from the coming blow. Only, it never came. Nyx dared to look up, her body shaking like a leaf as she wondered why the Wendigo hadn’t cut her into pieces. The Wendigo had his weapon raised in both hands over his head, ready to bring it down at any moment. But instead, he paused, staring directly at her. Nyx was both scared and confused, wondering what was stopping him from finishing the job. Slowly, the Wendigo lowered the scythe, kneeling down to her level as he brought his face directly in front of her, staring deeply into her eyes. Nyx gulped as the red of his eyes reflected onto her face, bathing her coat in the glow. A moment passed with nothing happening, only the sound of his shallow breath coming through the mask as he studied her. Then, the color of the goggles changed, switched from an intense red to a faint greyish-white. “You are the Master?” the Wendigo asked, tilting his head to the side as he looked at her. “What?” she whispered, her heart still pounding in her chest as she looked into those glowing, soulless eyes. “The Nightmare Child has returned,” the Wendigo said, immediately lifting himself off of her, letting her up as he took his boot off her chest. “Forgive me, Master. I thought you another weak meal.” “Nightmare Child? Master? What?” Nyx rubbed her head in thought, trying to comprehend what he was saying. Then she noticed that her hoof was passing over where her glasses were supposed to be, only to hit nothing. Nyx felt around for the spectacles, realizing that they had fallen off during her dodging maneuvers with the Wendigo, exposing her eyes. And he had stopped the moment he saw them. Nyx looked up at him with her eyes narrowed, standing up on her hooves. “Who am I?” “The Nightmare Child,” the Wendigo said plainly, posturing himself straight up to her inquiry. “And who is the Nightmare Child?” Nyx pressed, her voice hard as she awaited her suspicions to be verified. “Nightmare Moon,” he answered, hissing out the words with a hint of bitterness. Nyx frowned, finding her glasses and slipping them on as she eyed him. “Nightmare Moon is your master.” Nyx pondered that for a moment. “You’re a slave,” Nyx breathed, the realization hitting her in an instant. “Hmph. To your will and yours alone,” the Wendigo said with a huff, making it clear that he didn’t find the fact in any way desirable. Nyx frowned as she thought about what this implicated, before she remembered how they hadn’t gotten to this point in the first place. “You were gonna kill me!” Nyx growled angrily, pointing her hoof at him. “Of course, you would have been delicious. What a disappointment.” The Wendigo let out a twisted cackle, leaning against the scythe as he planted it into the ground. “Then again, life is full of disappointments, isn’t it?” “Disappointment? You would have eaten an innocent girl?!” Toby barked angrily, hopping out in front of Nyx as he pointed an accusing finger at the beast. “I have no qualms eating you, toad,” the Wendigo hissed at Toby, raising the scythe up threateningly. Nyx immediately came between the two, lifting her hooves up defensively. “No! You are not to hurt him. Either of them!” She pressed her hoof into his chest, glaring at him angrily. The Wendigo snarled then let out a huff, lowering his scythe to the ground. “Fine,” the Wendigo grumbled, stepping away as Toby grabbed his chest, breathing hard as he felt his nerves get to him. Nyx turned around and comforted him for a moment, picking up Nero before she walked up to the Wendigo’s side. “Sir?” Nyx addressed him, still nervous that he might strike her at any moment. The beast was tame, however, looking down at her as she spoke, “Do you know the way to the castle?” “Of course I know the way. How could I not?” the Wendigo stared at her, annoyed, tilting his head as she just glared at him. “Do you wish to go there?” “Please, we need to get there as quickly as possible,” she pleaded. “You will die,” the Wendigo stated bluntly, his voice hinting that he found the idea pleasurable. “Will you lead us there or not?” Nyx grunted, trying to be polite, not doing too good a job as she ground her teeth in annoyance. “It is done.” He spun where he stood and waved his arms, bringing his hand to his chin as he thought. “The sooner you die the sooner I can be free of this servitude.” The Wendigo cackled to himself, much to Nyx’s displeasure. The Wendigo ignored this and he grabbed his scythe, plucking it from the ground as he gestured for them to follow him, walking forward out of the clearing using the weapon as a walking stick. Toby looked wearily to Nyx, his eyes asking her if they were really going to follow this monster into the dark forest. Nyx just grunted a sigh, placing Nero into her bags as she ran after the Wendigo, trying to catch up before they lost him. Toby just shook his head in self-pity, wondering what he had gotten himself into as he hopped after them, the yellow autumn moon shining down upon the woods.