//------------------------------//
// Chapter the Twenty-First: Nightmare 
// Story: Failure, Eternally Retold, Part One: The Human Element 
// by Kiernan 
//------------------------------//

The statues were very unsettling, especially the terrified child. The rest were merely unsettling due to how detailed they were, and how accurately they portrayed their subjects. There was a rustling in the bushes to the east, prompting everypony to turn and face the disturbance. It was only Kai, carrying wood on his back, and a basket of greens under his wing. 

"Good evening," he said, setting everything down.

"Why did you bring us here?" asked Nik, a scowl forming on his face. "This place is creepy."

"You're referring to the statues?" Nik nodded in response. "I brought you here because this is where they stand. While it's true that their reach extends beyond this clearing, this is the epicenter of their power. Do you remember that orb I gave you back at the library?"

Nik fished the orb out of his pocket. "I have it, here."

Kai nodded. "If all goes well, you'll find another one here."

Twilight was confused. "There's another trial here?"

Kai nodded as he lit their fire. "This is the grove of dreams. I'm sure you noticed that the grass doesn't grow here?"

"It does look freshly trimmed," admitted Fluttershy. 

"That's because this place is pretty much a pocket in space, anchored to these statues. If you exit to the south, you might even find a few paving stones leading down into a ghost town."

"Why the statues, though?" asked Nik. "Who in their right mind would carve these?"

Kai smiled. "I'm not going to answer that quite yet. If you still have that question tomorrow morning, I'll answer it then."

"Why?"

Kai chuckled. "You'll see."

After eating the salad of leaves Kai had brought back, the group laid out their bedrolls, sans tents. With the fire dying quickly, Fluttershy began to shiver. While Kai wanted to warm her up, he had given Twilight his word that there would be no more sleeping next to her until their journey was over. Instead, he pulled off his cloak and draped it over her shoulders. In turn, she gave him her bedroll, opting to sleep on the grass. Kai agreed this time, mostly because the ground around here was very soft and clean. There were no rocks or twigs, just smooth dirt with grass growing out of it.

They all picked a statue to sleep under. Nik lay down under the terrified child, Kai under the lovers, Fluttershy under the ballerina, and Twilight under the painter. Each with some degree of difficulty, whether it be nerves, the chill wind, or the eerie atmosphere, they fell asleep.

Nik awoke to a loud crash. He looked around, and saw that his friends were still asleep. Looking up, he saw that the sky had turned red and had cracked. Through the fissure, a giant fish-like creature climbed through, swimming though the air as if it were water. It was headed straight for them.

Fearing what may come, Nik ran over to Kai and tried to shake him awake. Before he could do so, however, another being appeared out of nowhere. It stood between Nik and Kai, glaring at him with its wide, twitchy eye. Its mouth opened, and a foul-smelling liquid dripped from its gnarled teeth.

Nik turned and ran. He stood no chance fighting that creature, whatever it was. If he could make it into the tall grass, perhaps he could lose it. However, as he passed the statue, he was unable to draw himself any closer to the grass, no matter how hard he ran. To make matters worse, the creature twisted around Nik, placing himself in front of his prey. 

Nik fell backward, landing in the lap of a beautiful mare. Nik wasn't into ponies, but he felt he might break that rule for this one, were he not running for his life. She smiled down at him before looking up at the beast. "Now, Sieggy, look what you've done. You've frightened the poor thing." The beast responded with loud, guttural roars. "I understand that. Really, I do. But you tend to come on too strong."

"As do you, dearest," chuckled a male voice. Nik looked to the source to find a handsome-looking stallion trotting up behind the mare. "Not that he minds."

Nik was more confused now than he had been in all his time in Equestria. "What's going on?" he asked, trembling.

"Why, you asked for Sieggy's help, and he tried to help you," explained the mare.

"I never asked for anyone named Sieggy," said Nik. "I don't even know anypony by that name."

"Oh?" The stallion wiped his hoof across the air, revealing an image of Nikolas sleeping under the terrified foal statue plinth. The statue was missing. "Tell me, is this you?"

Nik was shocked. "Yes, but where--"

"That's right," interrupted the stallion. "You're lying there in the grove, that means you wanted our help. I'd wager you're after this." Holding up his other hoof, the stallion showed that he carried an orb. Unlike the first, however, this had no pentagram. Instead, a cyan squiggle ran from the center to the top.

"And you're just offering it to me?" Nik asked incredulously.

The stallion burst out laughing. "No, no. You have to earn it. Or, if you have a proxy, they can stand in for you."

Nik shook his head. "I don't know what you mean by that. I'll do what I have to. Just tell me what I have to do."

The stallion pointed to the beast. "This is Siegfried. He is the embodiment of terror. You will be facing off against him."

"I have to fight him!?"

"You have to face him," smiled the mare. "Incubus and I will be watching with your friends." She indicated behind them, where Kai and Twilight were sitting, along with the painter. Fluttershy was still asleep under the statue of the dancer. 

"If we find that you've sufficiently proven your worth against our Siegfried, we'll stop the fight," added Incubus. "Feel free to face him as many times as you want. Good luck." He picked up the mare. "Come along, Succubus. We've interfered with his trial long enough."

The mare and stallion took their seats on either side of Kai. Nik turned back to the face of fear standing in front of him. He had no idea how he would ever be able to win this battle.