//------------------------------// // 28. Blood Moon // Story: Time to Shine // by Easysnuggler //------------------------------// I don’t know what you know of the nightmares. They are many very fragmentary records, but it seems nightmares or things like nightmares would emerge from time to time on the far end of the chain of creation and wreak havoc. They destroyed everything they touched, until they were imprisoned, exorcised, or stopped by the many formidable enemies they made. Occasionally they would come to Equis. So, nightmares were well known, but were formerly a very rare former cosmic horror. —Pena, Reply to Prince Habib re: “On the Origins of Ponies*(*and Others) and Magic” 28. Blood Moon “Do you have to go now? It’s getting dark. Why don’t you leave in the morning?” Silver sniffed holding back tears. Blue Blossom looked at her tree house. The front window was boarded up to keep the cold out. The boy’s room was ruined. It would take time to strip it down to the underlying wood and get the smoke out. They were sleeping in her room for now. The shadows were lengthening. It was time to go. Blue Blossom packed her things. A saddlebag full of food and a warm blanket. A compass. A tent. A box of matches gave her pause. But she packed it anyway. Her mother and father were inconsolable, despite her assurances she would be back soon. “Sweetie, I’m sorry we didn’t listen to you. Do you really have to go?” Silver Blossom hugged her again. Her father watched with a sad expression. He had dark circles under his eyes and swayed a tiny bit. The last few days had been hard on both her parents. The Sheriff had read them the riot act, and only the fact the three children all had their cutie marks, and that Blue was technically an adult kept her parents from a night or more in jail. “Yes mom, I really have to. I wish you could see what I do now when I look at the sky, or when I dream. If I stay here, it will be too late when I get to Canterlot. It might be too late already. There is a…. a hero, a heroine, a knight. She, um, she was chosen by Harmony. Three times. Once by the sky. Once by a king. And once by a righteous spirit. She was supposed to save the world.” “And what does this have to do with you?” “She’s dead mom.” Her mother blinked at that. “Dead or dying. Regardless, she won’t be in Canterlot in time to stop Regina Glacies.” “I wish I understood half the things you say. Is that a constellation or a pony?” “Regina Glacies was and will be a pony, is a victim and will be a tragedy. The stars say she is also potentially a constellation. Mother, I wish I knew myself. All I know is I have to go.” “Should we go with you?” “No mom, I won’t be alone. The boys need you. I can see that too. Don’t worry, I know I’ll find help along the road. A pegasus and an earth pony in fact. Pegasus and Terra Equuleus are quite clear. I’ll run into them on the bridge to Canterlot. In fact, you are going to send the pegasus after me. He’ll be arriving in a day or so.” Cotton hugged her and kissed her. Her other brother still had bandaged hooves and was filled with complex emotions. He felt ashamed she was leaving and perceiving he had a hoof in it he refused to meet her eyes, and just looked at his hooves. Blue Blossem walked right up to Fire Blossom. She hugged him, kissed the side of his face and whispered, “It was not your fault”. She hugged him fiercely. “Fire, Cotton, take care of mom and dad. I love you.” She kissed her newly marked brother one last time and began to walk out of Bridlewood towards the ruined mountain of Canterlot. After a quarter mile, she noticed that Mystic Orb, the old black unicorn glass blower was standing in her path. She nodded to Blue Blossom and leaned in close. “Good luck Bluebell Blossom, I can’t see as clearly as you, but you weren’t chosen for this by Harmony or anything else. So be careful and stay safe. I wanted you to have this. I made it the night the magic came back. It’s made from a single crystal I found when I got my own cutie mark. It is meant to be yours till you meet your friends at the bridge. I didn’t know it when I made it, but I can see it now.” She hoofed her a small ball. It had a silvered surface that showed her own reflection. “See, it’s got your face right on it. Keep it safe and pass it on.” Mystic Orb gave her a pat on the shoulder and walked back towards the village. Bad things were coming. The stars, planets and even the moon had been clear. The moon was now tinged with red as it began to become eclipsed. She had to go to Canterlot before the shadow from the moon reached Immortales Alicornis. There was only a slim chance her going would make a difference stopping Wärmetod from making use of Regina Glacies. But without her there was no chance at all. Shouldering her backpack she stepped boldly out onto the road to Canterlot.