//------------------------------// // Chapter 6: SECRETS // Story: The Son of infinity // by Krystl_Fae //------------------------------// The Veil Begins To Unfurl... <<<10:48 - Canterlot Castle>>> Celestia It had been a long, boring, and dreary day today. The bureaucratic ministers and nobles in court acted as if nothing had happened yesterday, which, to their knowledge, nothing had, and they berated each other on many different kinds of laws, bills, and treaties that we had to go over. It was exhausting, but there was one last thing I needed to do before I went to bed. "Hello Cadance. How did you two go today?" I was nearly at my room when a weary, yet smiling Cadance walked into the hallway. I had checked her room, but there was nopony there, so I continued on towards my own chambers, which she had just walked out of. "Hello auntie," She yawns "It went quite well today. He spoke with me quite early on, though when he accidentally called me 'Cadenza' instead of ‘Cadance’, he acted as though he expected retaliation of some kind." I nodded. “While him behaving in this manner is… concerning, it is not unusual for him to react in such a way. Did you learn anything about him today?" She blinks wearily, before she perks up, remembering something, before her expression soon becomes more sombre, her ears splayed. "Well,... I did learn that he's afraid of his own magic. I watched him get up to grab a glass of water, and he didn't use his magic the whole time. When I asked him why, he was quite nervous before admitting that his magic scares him. And then, when he tried to resume reading, it was only a few moments before he was crying; shaking like a leaf, and completely pale." This... I had not expected. I had noticed that he hadn’t used magic, but I didn’t think it would make him react to this extent. "Did he explain what happened for him to react like this?" "No. I… I don't know what happened. But, after that, he went to your room. I went in some time later and found him sleeping, so I read for a while without using my magic, because I thought he might be afraid of all magic. But, when he woke up, he asked me why I wasn't using it. I think he's only afraid of his own magic, apparently, or… at the very least, he's used to others using their magic around him." A unicorn afraid of their own magic? It was exceedingly rare, almost bordering on impossible, though Andromeda proves it apparently is possible. But to the extent Andromeda seems to suffer? There had to have been something that caused this. Or... someone. Could his parents have done this to him? I wouldn’t have thought anypony capable of such an act a few weeks ago, but now… "Hm.." None of the citizens the royal guard had interrogated had even seen him, or if they had, they knew nothing of him. "Alright, I will deal with it. Thank you for bringing this to my attention, Cadance. Now go get some sleep, you need it." She smiled up at me. "Alright, auntie. Goodnight." "Goodnight Cadance." I entered my room to find it in nearly the same state I had left it, and soon made my way over to the bedroom. I climbed into bed next to Andromeda and snuggled against him. He had a gentle smile on his face, pleasantly snoozing away. "Goodnight, Andromeda." "Goodnight.. mum...." I was a little taken aback at the unexpected response, but soon smiled. I wasn't really expecting an answer so soon, but I was happy to receive one none-the-less. "Goodnight, my son." And with that, we drifted off to sleep. <<>> Andromeda? White. White.... White........... Colour. I began screaming as I ran. But there was nowhere to run. Just the white void all around me. The colour, they- no, it stuck to me as I ran, a furious spectrum of colours, clinging to me like burning tar. I screamed louder. I ran faster. I shook myself harder, trying to dislodge it. And still it remained, slowly consuming more and more of me, inching forward as it began to cover my body. As it reached my back legs they failed on me, no longer responding to my command to continue running. I kept crawling forwards, my screaming resounding in the vast white nothingness. And still it continued ever onwards. It was nearing my head now, nearly having covered my front legs. I continued crawling with my one remaining leg, as the colours and pain burned into my skull. I knew what was going to happen next. I stopped screaming mindlessly in pain and hyperventilated, trying to conserve my breath as I cried out for help. It reached my eyes and my anguished screams returned. It was horrifyingly painful- 'It wouldn't be painful if you didn't resist us.' "Shut up, shut up, shut up, SHUT UP, SHUT UP, SHUT UP!!!" A new wave of pain coursed through me and I screamed my lungs out as the flaming inferno of colour finally began covering my horn. It was only a matter of time. I couldn't let it- I couldn't let THEM- I COULDN'T- I- "-WAKE UP!!" Andromeda I gasped as I awoke in a cold sweat. Celestia was looking down at me, panic and concern etched into her face along with worry. I lay back down and looked away, sucking in as much glorious oxygen as my lungs could take with each breath. "Andromeda? Are you ok? What happened??" "It… it was nothing, just a bad-" "It wasn't nothing! You were tossing and turning violently, almost screaming in your sleep. You were almost as loud as somepony using the Royal Canterlot Voice!" My ears drooped, pressing against my head in shame. I had made her upset already, after everything she's done for me... this couldn't be good sign... I just... I just hope she doesn’t- Celestia hugged me tight and nuzzled my neck from behind. "I was so worried about you, Andromeda... I was scared for you. Please... you don't have to tell me right now, but let me help you. Tell me what troubles ail your mind so we can fix them; together.” Celestia turned me over so she could look me in the eye. I could see the gathering tears that threatened to rush forth like a flood, before she hugged me tightly to her barrel. “Please, Andromeda." I nodded. As frightening as the dream was, Celestia's comforting words eased my breathing and heart, and I nearly melted in her loving embrace, a few tears falling from my own eyes. We stayed there like that for a few moments as we both calmed down. "Now get some sleep, I shall watch over you and protect you from any more nightmares, ok?" I nodded again, already feeling the grip of sleep taking hold once more. "Alright... mum." I could practically feel the joy radiating off her from that word, and I could tell she was smiling. "Goodnight, my prince." Celestia I kissed him goodnight and soon he had fallen back asleep peacefully. I could feel my heart swell with pride at his words. I had never had a foal of my own before, and I knew it wouldn’t be easy, but the feelings of joy I had felt from such a simple thing as him calling me “mum” were all I needed to know with certainty that my decision was the correct one. The only concerns now were not of concern for our bond, but for Andromeda himself... ...and especially for his dreams. I know he must have been through some awful events during his life alone on the streets, and surely they must haunt him, for what else could be the cause of such terror? A dark thought crossed my mind as I recalled how close Nightmare Moon’s return was... perhaps she is causing some manner of influence upon his dreams? Could it be happening to more ponies than just Andromeda, or was he targeted specifically...? But whatever his dreams pertained to, it caused him enough distress that he screamed his little lungs out... I didn't know if I should tell him or not. The fact of the matter was that he did use the Royal Canterlot Voice- or at least some variant of it. He was so loud that my ears were still ringing slightly. Even dear Luna, the master of the Canterlot voice herself, would have been impressed. ...Thank the stars my chambers were soundproofed during construction... And then.... ...there was the other issue. While he was stuck in his night-terror, his body was aglow; his eyes, and then horn, shining bright with iridescent light… ablaze with it even. Despite his broken horn- if this was any indication of his potential -his magical ability was still quite potent, to the extent where he was far stronger than numerous fully-developed unicorns I have met in the past. Should I tell him...? Should he know what I saw? Should I… I turned my head behind me to look at the objects that had appeared during the course of his nightmare, now fading again; returning to the place from whence they came. Maybe I was wrong about… or perhaps not? I simply do not know anymore. But, should I tell him about them? Should he know? ...Not yet. there will be a time to reveal everything to him, but not tonight. He was still reeling from his night terror and didn't need to have all of this placed upon him right now. The few objects that still remained glowed faintly with magic as they slowly vanished. I turned my head back to Andromeda's sleeping form, laying there soundly. I pet his head a few times with my hoof before laying my head back down next to him. I would deal with this tomorrow. #ERROR# They had finally vanished by the time Celestia had fallen asleep. Their task had not been completed- this time -but soon it would be. They had manipulated events throughout history before, and had done so again recently to bring Celestia and 'Andromeda', as she called him, together. But now, Celestia protected him, and their plans for him would have to be altered. They would need to be patient. He was still in their sights, and they would achieve their first goal of many for him soon enough. It was only a matter of time for them now… for them, and for Stardust...***