//------------------------------// // Awake to the Dark // Story: The Darkest Hour // by Anemptyshell //------------------------------// I was lost in an endless expanse. It continued long out of sight in all directions. Not that that mattered, since here there was no light. It was here, like that of a storm-driven sea, my mind was left lost in turbulence I’d not known before. It was as if the world had been cast into the primordial darkness, what came before all and what will swallow us all once more. My memories were fuzzy, with more blotches of color than retractable events. Though, one image was still quite vivid, the moon, overhead, and the shadows that crept along its surface. Then everything faded to black. Where once more the colors and the moon replayed for me in the dark again.  In a realm where nothing was purveyed a single sound, called out to me. A rhythmic thump, slow but growing in frequency. I crawled, or slithered, in the dark, it all felt the same. As I moved forward the thumping grew louder, faster, frantic. I continued forward and then the thumping stopped. “No, no please.” I yelled into the dark. My eyes snapped open and I twisted about in mock battle with a foe left to the deepest recesses of my mind. I now lay under the blanket of stars. The twinkling tapestry did wonders for my frayed nerves. Here there were lights, that cast away the troubles of my nightmare. Though I pondered if it were a nightmare at all, it felt far too real for my liking. Dark and dreary trees swayed listlessly in the cool night breeze. The grass underneath me tickled as I squirmed in place. A clearing, field, forest, any manner of location fit the bill, a somber one at that.    “Where am I?” The thought struck no sooner than the words crossed my lips. I was outside, that was obvious, but why was I out here at all? I pulled myself up and felt a tight pinch on my back as something caught under my rear. I let out a short hiss and flopped forward.  “What the heck?” Then I saw it, the limb to my right, stuck out in front of me as ballast to pull myself right. That was all well and good, except for the whole, it wasn’t my limb thing. No hand, way too much ashen grey hair, even the joints felt wrong. I scrambled to my feet. Those weren’t feet, nope, those were hooves, I think, make that four limbs that weren’t mine. A stellar way to start the day, or night? “Oh crap, no, no, no,” I screamed as I tripped over myself. I stumbled over a fleshy sheet that clung to my back. I waved at it and found it no looser than when I’d traipsed upon it. Hair everywhere, fur then, I guess. Four legs, quadruped, tail, and then there was the matter of the new feeling of something spread from my back to the ground. Shakily I prodded the rumpled appendage with a hoof. A light jab, the feeling traveling up the limb and causing a shudder. I could feel it plain as day. I twisted and growled, screamed, and flailed as I tried to claim the right of my body. No, not mine, whatever this was, it wasn’t mine.  “Wake up, wake up, come on, please.”  I planted a hoof hard into the side of my face. The keratin mass landed true, and I yelped as the undoubted bruise throbbed down my cheek. “Ow.” I could only muster a dull acceptance of the new sensation. I sighed and let my head hang. I traced circles in the grass with a hoof and focused on breathing. I was awake, that much was clear. It didn’t answer any of the questions that followed that reality, but it was at least a starting point.  A rustling from behind me gripped my heart with terror. I couldn't even look back at whatever drew forth from the dark. My heart pounded in my ears. I closed my eyes. My body shook, as the rustling gave way to the soft plodding steps of whatever beast had come to end me. Or whatever monster caused this to begin with.  I could feel its breathing behind me. Calm, steady, it moved with little hurry. I was easy prey I guessed. Why would it waste any effort on the crazy mutant? I grit my teeth as I waited for it to strike. The steps stopped. Why couldn’t I wake up? The death blow came, it was gentle, a limb rested across a shoulder. My ears, or the ears this body had swiveled in puzzlement. My whole head followed suit, as I cracked an eye open slowly. I would see the face of my hunter it seemed. I wouldn’t die in the dark at least. The dream I'd had only minutes ago played back in the recesses of my mind. The dark was suffocating.    I was left stunned. Clad in drab blue armor and paler blue fur, it was another mutant. An equine mutant at that. Was that what I looked like? The muzzle was shorter and wider than I recalled any horse having. The eyes though were the real breath-taker. They took up at least a third of the face. The dull yellow orbs blinked back their surprise. “Sir, are you alright?”       “I-uh,” was all I could salvage as I continued to stare down the horse soldier.  “A thestral?”  The soldier drew back his limb with a vengeance and took several steps back. The tides had turned in my favor. That is to say, the look of rapt fear on the soldier’s face disqualified the hunter and prey mentality completely. Nature made no sense, the pecking order seemed to lack any consistency at all. “Thestral?” I whispered.  “My apologies sir, I heard screaming, please forgive my ignorance.” I scratched a hoof tip against my temple and looked back behind me in search of whatever monstrosity had the soldier ready to bolt. There was nothing, just me, me, and the trees. The trees, me, and a mutant horse soldier. So, that left one option. “You’re forgiven?” I wasn’t sure what to forgive, but the offered apology seemed to at least settle the soldier’s nerves. That was good, I think? “Thank you, sir, you’re most generous.” I blinked again. I’d lost any semblance of decorum and took a step closer to the soldier. He seemed to stiffen at my approach but didn’t make to flee. I looked about the clearing and sighed.  “You wouldn’t happen to know where I am, would you?” “Sir, not too far from Everfree Palace, sir.” That was certainly a name, didn’t tell me anything useful, but baby steps. I took a deep breath and nodded.  “Would you mind leading me there?” I asked.  The soldier saluted. “Yes sir.” And just like that, I was off to a castle in a new body following a militant mutant horse guy. It was still better than the dark, if only a little The walk itself was mundane, I managed a staggering trot, I guess that’s what you’d call it. I was surprised at how sensitive my hooves were. You’d think they’d be a numbed clump of bone or hair or whatever. The center of each hoof tinged and fretted over grass and stone. The textures, and the shape all distinguished without looking. It was like my palms were strapped to the bottom of a pair of boots. The soldier gave me a wide berth, a few paces ahead of me, his head forward, even as his eyes reflexively peered back at me. The stallion was nervous. His whole frame tensed with every step I took. All I could do was allow him the comfort of his glide through trees and bush. I woke up a beast of burden, but I was being treated like a caged tiger. I bit at my lip as I stumbled over another root.  I hadn’t expected a sharp tooth to nip right into my lip. I stifled a yelp. The guard already seemed ready to bolt. No reason to scare him further. However, the gentle line of blood on my lip begged attention. I was a horse mutant. Why the hell would I have canines? I ran my tongue over my top row of teeth. Flat but ridged molars ready to mush. A horse's mouth if ever there was one. You know except for when I reach the front set of teeth and golly gee, there they were. A very real, very sharp set of canines. It was like a feral wolf or other predator. I gave the soldier a wary glance and rubbed my tongue between my mutant horse predator teeth.  I took a deep breath and repressed my desire to scream and run headfirst into a tree. Today sucked, but my thoughts trailed off as I tried to remember anything before waking here. All I got was blotches, color with no definition. My brow furrowed as I strained to recall anything, anything at all. Well, everything but the dark. The hair on the back of my neck spiked as the thought continued to coil through my psyche.           I felt sick, my stomach turned as I glued my eyes to the ground. I found nothing, just me here and now. I knew I wasn’t a mutant horse, but the question remained, what was I before? I shook my head. Time would heal the fractures in my head, I hoped. No, that wasn’t enough, I prayed, to whoever could hear me, I prayed.  “Please help me, take me home, please help,” I muttered under my breath. My ears were pulled to one side as I dragged behind the weary guard. If I were lucky, I wouldn't end up on a chopping block or something. What was that word again, the one the guard used when he first saw me?  Thetaral? Themessal, no, The, the stroll? Thestral? That sounded right. I had no idea what it meant, but judging from my freakish form, winged, fanged horses were not the norm. That could be a problem. I needed an out or a shield to make sure I was not tonight’s bout in the pit of monstrosities. Stupid mutant death games. I wonder if they get free food like in old Rome.  An eyebrow arched as the thought settled. I remembered Rome. That was something. Did I live there or die there? Why Rome? “Why?” “Sir?” I looked up to find my guide had stopped. He stood staring at me, the walls and turrets of a castle a scenic image as the armor of the soldier glinted in the nightlight. The castle was old. The cracks and ivy that draped the side, felt Anglo Saxon if I had to guess. Dawn of the sixteenth century, all we needed was some rowdy Scotts, and we’d have a war on our hands or hooves now if it mattered. I jerked my gaze away from the castle wall and blinked away the trail of consciousness I’d just fallen into. Rome, Anglo Saxon? Why those? What about me? Why was everything making no sense? “Sir, are you okay?” The soldier had come a few feet closer and waved over at me. He seemed to be pouting of all things. Why was he pouting, I was the pouter here, I take no substitutes. “I’m fine. I just, the castle reminds me of home,” I said and shrugged away my loose thoughts. I could dream up my past once I survived the night. Who knows, I’m lucky they’ll just stone me or lock me in some damp hole. Which honestly didn’t sound so bad. At least I’d get a chance to sleep off this fog in my head.  “Well, it is Her castle. I’m sure you’ll feel right at “home.” The guard snorted and turned about, stomping forward like the ground had wronged his mother. I take it back. I couldn’t out pout this moody beast. If all the mutants were like this, I’d be the king of happy or some nonsense by the end of this. All rainbows and sunshine.    The castle gate was, of course, a drawbridge, I mean, it didn’t go over water, but it sure fell forth like one. Someone wanted to drop the door badly. There we had it. Everyone around here was moody as can be. I don’t want to be king happy, I like my brooding, it was mine, and these monsters stole that from me too. The castle door was guarded, of course. A quartet of guards much like the stallion leading me, dull blue armor, stoic pouts, and spears. So the mutants had weapons that wasn’t good, not good at all. I sucked in through my teeth and puffed out my chest. If I’m some beast horse monster, I might as well try to look intimidating. Maybe I could bluff my way out if I looked like a wild monster.  I let out said breath and imagined the nets and spears that would follow such thoughts. I was really in the pot. come one… “Come on, come on, who?” I couldn’t recall my name. Like static over a ruined tape, it just fizzled and crackled in my head. No name, no memory, just mutants and death, certain death. “Welcome to the Castle of Her Majesty, Queen Nightmare Moon.” My guide announced as we passed the spear beasts and entered the castle well and properly. Oh boy, and did we enter a castle, a gaudy one at that. Inside Gargoyles, who thought that up? Oh, and blue matching blue for the walls and silken tapestry that ran to the massic stairwell. A split stairwell at that, geez, talk about cliche. “I am welcomed, I guess,” I said.  The guard snorted and covered a smirk. Oh, the scaredy-cat could smile, good, win his trust, then exploit it to survive the night. This could work. “As the newest guest and exalted Thestral race, I would be most surprised if Her Majesty would not wish to meet one of her chosen.” The guard ground his teeth with each word. Somebody had anger management issues. Did they have an HR department? Though I guess a Matriarch wouldn’t allow such means. A group of upset guards and peasants always led to revolt. Now there’s an idea. I’d put that in the back pocket if I had pockets. “I um, I see, well, I mean--” “I would not keep Her Majesty waiting, sir.” The soldier’s eye twitched as he pointed to the far wall at the crossing of the stairwell. Well, there goes the easy route, queen time it was. The foyer front hall wasn’t empty, of course. There were guards galore, and a few butlers and maid-like mutants hopped, skipped, and flew about. Some of them had wings. So, that was a good sign. I wasn’t a completely hideous freak. You know, barring the fact these horse flies had feathers. I didn't have feathers. What’s up with that?  “Well, up we go.”  I put on a fake smile. I don’t think the soldier bought it. But if he didn't, he said nothing. So instead, he followed me from behind as I climbed the stairs. I was meeting this Queen Nighty Moon or whatever one way or another.  “Please stop at the door so that I may notify Her Highness of your late arrival.” My smile tightened further as I reached the top of the stairs. The soldiers at the big queenly door seemed a whole lot less pleasant than the stallion who’d led me here in the first place. The nasty scowls were one thing, but unlike the rest, these two were much more similar to me. They even had featherless wings like myself. They had the fangs, and oh boy on the other side, those looked messy and throat rippy. I gave a curt wave, and the two Thestral horse knights snorted and turned their ire to my escort. The not flying thestral monster lowered his head and bowed. The first guard was a maroonish color, with bright orange eyes and a white mane that hung loose to one side of his helmeted head. Or, I mean, mane, I guess. The other was a mossy green with a shortcut, so short that without his tail, you'd never guess his teal mane would be so lively. He fixed his gaze on my follower. The guard returned the look without a word. I felt very awkward between these lean, mean monster machines.     “I have brought a thestral lost in the forest to Her Majesty's home as a thestral such as himself deserves his dues.” The last word hung like a noose at the gallows. There was no love here, none whatsoever. A fun time all around.  “And why was he,” the guard pointed to me, “Out alone in the forest, Sabre?” Oh, so he has a name. But of course, he did. Everyone did. Everyone except me. “I don’t know. I stumbled on him in a clearing to the west. He seems quite confused. I thought Her Majesty might have words of wisdom for a lost thestral, such as he. In all her benevolence.” A second noose joined the gallows. The question was, who’d be left hanging when it was all over? “I have lost my memory, and I awoke to find I could recall nothing, nothing of my past or my dreams for the future.”  Half-truths weren’t lies, only a shortcut to salvation. I puffed out my chest again and glared over at the bat horses. They returned it with gusto.  A moment of silence, a test of wills. Let it be so, naives, I shall smite you with my ocular fury. En Guarde. When the guards finally broke their gaze, I felt a crawl run down my spine. The guards were smiling. A toothy smile at that. “Got some spunk in this one. Good, those pompous asses up in the rafters are starting to get annoying.” “Lost his memory too, could be any kind after that. The Queen would mold such a fine thestral with such easy clay.” The two guards seemed all too happy to tell us everything. Sabre looked like he might vomit. If I were honest, I felt worse than he looked. I had a very unfortunate feeling about this Queen of theirs.   “I’ll do my best to impress her,” I said and felt my wings fidget. That was new. Since when did those things work? I could barely get them not to drag. Now they want to get real. Even my not body was out to get me.  “Very well, proceed, earth pony, go on Sabre, announce your discovery like a good like a cretin. Grovel, and maybe her majesty will give you a boon, a nicer shift perhaps, or a week of scrubbing troughs, bet that makes your night.” “That would be most gracious of her majesty,” Sabre said between clenched teeth. I don’t think gracious means what he thinks it does.  The guards chuckled, and in unison, they pushed open the doors to the throne room. And there she was, atop a throne, the Queen of Thestral monster bats, Her Majesty Moon Night Mare or whatever. “Come forth, guest, lay bare, and bow before your Queen.” I nodded and stepped forward. Time to play politics with a  queen. Oh, boy, was I out of my depth. I took another step forward and masked my terror with ambivalent horror. It’s totally different.  “My my, what have we here?” The queen asked.  “Your Majesty.” Sabre bowed low, muzzle firmly in the carpet. A dark red carpet clashed with all the blues and greys. This place needed an interior designer like a starved man needs bread. That aside, I bowed as well. “I found this young Thestral in the mists of the Everfree. He seems to have lost his memory, and I believed it only appropriate that you claim him as your right and law.” “Claim?” I whispered.  “Rise my little ponies, let me gaze upon my newest noble of the night. I gulped. I think I want the dark, at least the dark wasn’t a massive, black horse with horn, wings, and teeth like a shark. Her mane trailed about her like a constellation and though pretty was otherwise secondary to the Cheshire grin said queen wore with absolute glee. “Now my little thestral, tell your queen thy name. Then we can right the wrongs of your wanderlust, yes?” Oh shit. Name, come on name, name? What’s in a name?”