//------------------------------// // Chapter 10: Night Terrors // Story: [CANCELLED] The Revival of the Tambelonian Empire // by AlphaWP //------------------------------// CHAPTER 10: NIGHT TERRORS Twilight had just raised the moon, and the heroes were getting ready for bed in two different shelters. One was on the right side of the village and housed the mares, and the other one was on the left side of the village and housed the stallions. The mares were doing what they usually did. Rainbow Dash and Applejack were playing a board game they had packed for the journey, Rarity was checking her reflection in a mirror, Starlight and Trixie were discussing magic, the Royal Sisters were talking about Equestrian history with Starlight and Trixie, and Twilight was sitting by herself. Sunset sat down beside her. Sunset smiled. “Are you alright?” Twilight was looking at the map that showed where Tambelon was. “I am. I was just looking at this map and found something interesting.” “Really?” Sunset asked, curiously tilting her head. “What is it?” Twilight pointed toward the Bushwoolie village on the map. “This village was built over the location of what was once known as Dream Valley.” Sunset opened her eyes in shock. “Like the same Dream Valley where Gusty the Great and Star Swirl came from?” “Yeah. Apparently after Grogar was banished, the forest grew around it. Eventually the Bushwoolies found the ruins and the rest is history.” Pinkie Pie approached the two. “Who’s excited for the trip to Tambelon tomorrow?” Twilight smiled. “Me, Pinkie.” Her smile quickly turned to a mournful look. “I just hope we get there before Grogar can hurt Flurry Heart—assuming he hasn’t already.” Pinkie frowned. “I know you miss her, but even in the darkest of times, it can help to put on a smile! I do it all the time, and you see how I am!” Twilight smiled again. “You’re right, Pinkie. Thank you.” “Anytime!” Having said this, Pinkie walked away. Twilight turned back to Sunset. “I wonder what the stallions are doing. Probably having more fun than I am.” Sunset smiled. “Twilight, I’m sure we’re having a better time than they are.” Meanwhile, the stallions were practically having a party. Spike and Discord were starting a game of Ogres & Oubliettes, and Sunburst and Flash were playing—or at least, trying to play—as well. Discord was in his elf outfit and Spike was in his wizard attire, and the room suddenly became a life-sized version of the game. “We already have our characters,” Discord said, looking in Flash and Sunburst’s direction. “And now it’s time to create yours.” Sunburst held out a piece of paper with his character on it. “I’ll be a potion user named Merl.” Spike held back a laugh. “Wait… your character is named Merl?” “Starlight and I used to play this game when we were fillies, and I would always use this character. Why do you ask?” Spike continued to hold back a slight chuckle. “No reason.” Discord turned to Flash. “And who will your character be?” Flash sat on the floor and didn’t answer; Discord asked again. Flash looked up and apologized: “Sorry. I was just thinking about how worried Twilight must be after losing Princess Flurry Heart.” “Twilight is strong,” Spike said, putting a claw on Flash’s forearm. “She can get through it.” “But what if Princess Flurry is hurt… or worse?!” “Don’t think that way,” Spike said calmly. “Flurry Heart might be stronger than all the alicorn princesses combined! Please don’t tell them I said that.” Sunburst smiled. “Spike is right. I’ve been helping take care of her from when she was born, and I can proudly say that she’s quite resilient.” Flash’s mournful look turned to a relieved one. “That’s good to hear. But I’m still worried about Twilight. She doesn’t deserve this.” Spike frowned. “Nopony does.” “I mean, Twilight is kind, strong, beautiful, powerful, and so amazing. For this to happen to somepony like her—it breaks my heart.” Spike’s eyes opened in a curious manner. He put a claw over his ear. “What did you say?” Flash raised an eyebrow. “What do you mean? I said it breaks my heart.” “No, no, before that. What did you call Twilight?” “Kind, strong, beautiful, powerful, and amazing. Why is that so strange? It is true, after all.” Spike smiled. “You said that Twilight was ‘beautiful.’ You like her, don’t you?” Flash could feel himself sweating. “What? No, of course not!” He tried to stay silent about it but eventually surrendered. “Okay, maybe I like her a little bit.” Discord made the fantasy setting disappear and removed his elf outfit. He made a notepad and microphone appear out of thin air and leaned toward Flash. “Tell me all about your feelings for Twilight, and don't skip out on any of the juicy details.” Spike frowned in disapproval. “Leave him alone, Discord.” Discord made the notepad and microphone disappear. “Oh, come on! I’m just having a little fun. I’m sure he’s not bothered by it.” Flash frowned. “Actually, I am a bit annoyed.” “How would you like it if we asked you about your feelings for Fluttershy?” Spike asked Discord. Flash smiled. “Wait, Discord loves Fluttershy?” Discord snarled. “I thought we agreed to keep that between us and Big Mac.” Spike smiled. “You make fun of Flash; I make fun of you.” The stallions continued their conversation and when it became late, they went to bed. Outside were NIghtmare Moon and Daybreaker. When they saw that the heroes were asleep, they each went inside a room—Daybreaker went into the stallions’ shelter and Nightmare went into the mares’ shelter. Daybreaker activated her magic and used it on the stallions. “Rest now, little ponies,” she said, “for you will soon see each other in dreams.” Meanwhile, Nightmare used her magic on the mares. “May your sleep be long and peaceful, and let your dreams come together.” The two then united their magic and both said the same thing: “And may your dreams become your worst nightmares.” The heroes woke up in a strange white void, and immediately noticed each other. “Where are we?” Applejack asked, looking around. “I don’t know,” Twilight said. “But we’re definitely not in our rooms anymore.” Pinkie Pie walked to one side of the void and came full circle. “There’s no way out, either.” Discord frowned. “Wherever we are, we need to stay ready.” Celestia and Luna were in the royal chambers sleeping. Luna woke up panicking. She quickly woke Celestia. “Luna?” Celestia asked. “What time is it?” Luna frowned. “I don’t know, but I fear Twilight Sparkle and her friends are in critical danger.” Celestia became worried. “Danger? Of what?” “I do not know, but we need to find them—now!” Luna activated her horn to attempt to locate the heroes and realized what was happening. “They are in the Dream Realm,” she said, worried. “The Dream Realm?” Celestia asked. “Isn’t that normal for ponies at night?” “No, I mean they are in the same dream. Something is trying to attack them through their dreams—perhaps Grogar himself!” Celestia stayed calm. “Then we need to save them. Can you get us to them?” Luna activated her magic and her horn glowed white. “Yes.” Twilight was worried—extremely worried. “I don’t know where we are, everyone. All I know is that we’re together. We just need to stay calm and focus on getting out.” A voice came from above them: “That won’t work here.” It was Luna. Twilight saw the former Royal Sisters flying in the void with them and was obviously curious. “Celestia? Luna? What are you doing here?” Luna landed in front of Twilight. “You and your friends’ dream was calling to me, and my sister and I decided to help you.”  “So, we’re dreaming?” Rainbow Dash asked. “Indeed.” Luna quickly came to another realization. “But if you are here together, then someone has brought you here intentionally.” “But who would do that?” Flash asked. “The last time we were in a shared dream was when we fought the Tantabus,” Pinkie said, “so why are we here?” Luna gasped. “I sense a presence. A dark presence I have not felt in years.” Discord tingled. “I do as well. Something seems… wrong.” The heroes prepared themselves. “Stay close, everypony,” Celestia said. “We’re not alone here.” That was when they heard a laugh; Luna opened her eyes in shock. “I know that laugh.” A voice spoke: “You’ve allowed yourself to become friends with these ponies? Pathetic.” Luna charged her horn. “Stay behind me, everyone.” Trixie frowned. “What’s going on?” Nightmare Moon appeared before the heroes. “Hello, everyone,” she said. “I am Nightmare Moon, but some of you may already know that.” Luna frowned. “Stay where you are. I can handle Nightmare Moon.” “But can you handle me?” Daybreaker asked menacingly, appearing beside Nightmare Moon. “I’m getting serious deja vu,” Starlight said, remembering when she switched the Royal Sisters’ Cutie Marks. Fluttershy hid behind Discord. “What is going on?!” she asked in fear. Daybreaker jumped in front of her, which made Discord growl. “Don’t you dare touch Fluttershy.” “I wouldn’t dream of it.” Daybreaker walked back to Nightmare Moon. Nightmare Moon smiled. “We promise not to hurt you if you surrender yourselves over to Emperor Grogar.” “And if we don’t?” Spike asked. “Then we’ll be forced to take drastic measures… you don’t want to make us angry. We await your answer.” Luna turned her head and whispered to the others: “We’re going to send you back to the waking world, and I need you to take Nightmare and Daybreaker as far as possible.” Twilight gained a look of concern. “What about you two?” Celestia smiled. “We’ll be fine. We’ve handled this before.” Daybreaker frowned. “Time is almost up. Surrender now or face the consequences.” Luna whispered again: “On my count, jump through the portal that I make with my magic. One… Two… Three!” Luna formed a portal with her magic and the heroes jumped through it, to which they arrived in their rooms and saw that it was nearly the end of the night. Seeing Nightmare Moon standing there idly, the mares tied her up with rope and the stallions did the same to Daybreaker. They met outside and tied the two together and started trying to decide what to do with them. Nightmare Moon and Daybreaker were outraged at Luna’s actions and tried to escape the dream but found that they couldn’t—Luna was using her magic to keep them there! The two nightmarish beings attempted to stop Luna, but Celestia managed to hold them off. Nightmare and Daybreaker frowned and said the same thing: “We will never be able to defeat you in our divided state!” The two began to emit purple magic. “You asked for this.” The two beings suddenly formed into the very black goo-covered spirit that Grogar had originally resurrected. Now more powerful than ever, the Nightmare Spirit laughed. “Now we are flesh once again! Prepare to die, daughter of Galaxia!” The Nightmare Spirit activated its horn and from it came pure cosmic matter, which Celestia quickly deflected. The more matter it threw at Celestia, the more she deflected it as if it was nothing. Nightmare frowned. “Why are you so hard to hit?!” Celestia charged her horn. “Because I’m not a child anymore!” She blasted the spirit with so much force that it was knocked against the barrier Luna was creating. Seeing that it was outmatched, the spirit began to emit cosmic magic. “You may have won this time, but I’ll be back for you!” With a charge of its horn, it disappeared from the Dream Realm. Celestia and Luna smiled. “What do we do now, sister?” Luna asked. “Now,” Celestia replied, “we help Twilight.” The two exited the Dream Realm and appeared before the heroes. “Celestia! Luna! You’re alright!” Twilight exclaimed, running to hug her former mentors. “What are you doing here?” “We want to help you,” Celestia responded. “We’re done staying on the sidelines and letting you do all the work. It’s time we get some of the action.” Rainbow Dash smiled. “Well, that’s awesome! What do we do now?” Twilight began lowering the moon. “Now, Rainbow? We finally go to Tambelon.” Grogar was watching the heroes in his Crystal Ball. “So, the daughters of my old comrades are helping in the quest to defeat me? Oh, this will be fun.”