Chapter 3: In The Presence Of Enemies (Part 1)
“I can free you from this hell and misery, you should never be ashamed my son.
I can give you power beyond anything, trust me you will be the chosen one.
I can lead you down the path and back to life, all I ask is that you worship me
I can help you seek revenge and save yourself, give you life for all eternity.”
They were gone.
Given up their seemingly endless search. The room, like all the others was dark, but it was atramentous unlike the others. My lantern’s light refused to travel five feet from my position, but I didn’t care at the moment. All that was on my mind was focusing my weight on the door so the two stallions wouldn’t bust the door down. I heard them speaking to each other when they were right outside of the door. Only a few words escaped through the door, although muffled, they didn’t sound so good.
When I was sure that they were away from the door, I stood on all fours, trying to examine all I could in the five foot radius the lantern lit up. The walls beside me were scribbled on, starting off as sentences like ‘save me’ or ‘she draws ever closer to arrival’. Whoever ‘she’ was, I wasn’t so sure if I wanted to find out. She sounded like a real powerhouse, judging from the scribbles on the wall. The writing soon turned into random lines and little squiggles, like some pony gave a foal a pencil and asked them to do something.
Aside from the peeling paint on the ceiling, and the cracks on the tiles on the floor, everything else seemed to be in order. No junk on the floor or bodily fluids sprayed across the floor or walls like a foal decided to toss paint around. At the end of the lengthy hallway, I turned my head both left, then right. There it was again. Blood staining the walls, thankfully not with urine or any other pony excrement. The ambient sounds of crickets chirping and insects buzzing rang in my ears, although the sounds were coming from outside. A window, shattered open revealed no light, except of that of the moon.
My hooves clopping echoed through the deserted room, as I approached the cracked window. My vague reflection stared back at my silver coat, stained with the waste from the deserted room I was in prior to my arrival here. My sandy mane was still the same though: straight, but mildly unkempt.
I had to focus on keeping my mouth from dropping when I saw the small town in the distance. The wooden structure once erected in the center was toppled over, the top stacked above the rest of the shattered wood under it. Other buildings had the misfortune of being scavenged by the ponies who attempted to capture me, about twenty of them at most. It looked like a war had ravaged the land.
How did I end up in this hell? Was it even hell? Celestia, I had so many questions, but it seemed that no pony had time to answer them. Not that there were many ponies around me, save for the ones trying to hunt me like an animal.
I picked up a wooden two-by-four when a bang resonated from the door beside me. I edged closer to the door, cautious of my surroundings. No one could come in through the window; my location in the abandon hospital was on the third or fourth level. The door I’d entered from was still closed, so no pony came in from there, unless they were so fast that by the time I blinked, it slithered right past me. A broom fell in front of the door, and I jumped as well as made a little shriek.
My magic on the piece of wood hovering in front of me was wavering, shaking almost uncontrollably. I kept (at least I tried) my composure, trying to look as intimidating as possible. My whole body was shaking, and my mind was still questioning itself, thinking if it were a good idea to investigate the noise, or to let whatever it was pass. I reached the door frame, waiting for something to pop out, but upon jumping into the deserted room, nothing was there to greet me, or scare me.
I relaxed, still gripping the wooden piece I was going to use as a weapon. I closed my eyes and let out a sigh of relief. As soon as I opened them though, a blunt force slammed into the back of my head. I stumbled over onto the ground.
“Oh, Luna!” A feminine voice praised. “Another normal pony! I’m so sorry.”
The mare lifted me up from behind, but I was still dazed and confused. I turned to see a green earth pony, her mane covering most of her eyes, and reaching down to her shoulders. Tears streamed from her eyes, and a wide smile reached from ear to ear. She looked like she hadn’t eaten in days. Hell she probably didn’t.
I lifted the piece of wood closer to me, getting ready to make a hit, but my blow never came to her. The mare cowered, using her hooves to shield her head from the blow that never came. I dropped my 2x4, and the emerald mare slowly, and cautiously stood on all fours.
“Sorry,” I apologized. “you caught me off guard.”
“It’s my fault, I hit you first.” The emerald mare extended a hoof. “Sage.”
“Pleased to meet you. I just wish that it wasn’t under these circumstances” I said “I’m Peacekeeper. Latest addition to the Royal Guard.”
Sage’s eyes widened. “You’re a guard? That’s even better! Look, through that door-” the mare pointed behind me. There it was. a door with the exit sign hanging by a strand of a wire above the doorframe. “-there’s something in there, and I... Well I was too scared to go inside, but maybe you can! Please! That could be our only way out!”
I contemplated for a moment. Not thinking if I should go inside or not, but if I should bring the mare with me into said room. She seemed traumatized from something, not to mention that she was starved, brittle and weak. She was very reluctant to go through. Then again, she probably did attempt to traverse the denizens of the hospital.
“You should come with me.” I finally suggested.
“What?!” Sage exclaimed. She glanced at the door when rapid scratching occurred from the other side of the door. I jumped and shivered when I heard the being on the other side scream, either in agony or in anger. I grabbed the wooden plank again, ready for the being to bash the door down. Nothing happened. My whole body was shivering now, and I was on the verge of leaving by exiting through the window. There was no way I’d be any part of this. I glanced back to the mare, who was cowering in fear again. I felt sorry for her when I saw her tears.
“Yeah, I guess I’ll clear it out.” I said, reluctantly approaching the door.
“I’m so sorry.” The green mare apologized.
“Don’t worry about it. How many beasts can there be anyway?” I only opened the door slightly and then-
BAM!
“Whoah!” I was slammed into the ground, forgetting that I had no armor to absorb any blows. I opened my eyes, and gasped at the sight of the beast. The eyes were long gone, but the sockets were filled with skin, and not from the eyelids. It was so skinny, one would mistake it for an anorexic pony at a distance. The skin was rotten, a pungent aroma surrounding it. Patches of fur were scattered around the body, and the spots not covered with fur had skin either ripped open revealing the maggot ridden muscle tissue, or had skin so tight it could pass off as a tight leather jacket. It belted out a horrifying scream as its hooves, sharp as my blade in the real world, started clawing at me.
I screamed like a little filly trying to get the demon off of me, whacking it with the piece of wood, but to no avail. The numbers of the beings increased, soon a massive group was trying to claw at me. Sage let out a scream, either in fear, agony or both. Whatever it was, I was going to make an attempt to save her. As soon as I could get out off this damn pile up.
I shot arcane blasts, killing two, but one always took the two’s place. More blasts shot from my horn until I was almost mentally drained. Sharp pain appeared in my shoulder, then another on my ribs. I grit my teeth trying to kick the beasts off, but my attempts were in vain.
“Get... Off of me!” I bellowed, slamming another with the piece of wood, almost about to shatter into two pieces.
Sage bucked two of the beasts, grabbed my hoof and lifted me up off the ground. She pulled me through the door and slammed it shut. Whatever those things were, they were pissed, and I didn’t want to buck with them again. The kept scratching at the door, and I assisted Sage, using my magic to prevent the door from swinging open.
“By Celestia!” I exclaimed, trying to stop the bleeding in my shoulder as I held the magic barrier. “They don’t give up!”
“Shh!” Sage shushed. The scratching eased, and then came to a stop. The emerald mare eased herself off of the door and made silent steps towards me. “Are you okay?”
“Just a few scrapes and cuts.” I replied, using a hoof to try and stop the bleeding.
The green mare’s eyes were filled with tears. Her coat was covered in blood, a gash opened up on her left side, cut from the natural bones of the beasts. She suffered a cut below her mane, the blood slowly leaking out around her eyes.
“We need to patch those up.” I said worried that she would soon lose all her blood.
“I’m sorry, but-” The mare showed her right hind hoof. It was wrapped with bandages, and her flank had a small foal’s band-aid covering most of her cutie mark. “-I used all the supplies I had. There are other supplies, but they’re on the other side of the building.”
I looked around the room we were stuck in, hoping to find a medical kit for the mare, but my search was in vain. There was no source of illumination, my lantern stuck on the other side of the door with those things. I cursed under my breath, even as I followed the mare through the dark room.
“Do you have an illumination spell?” the emerald earth pony questioned.
“Sorry. No.” I looked ahead of the green mare, noticing a blue light illuminating the hall beyond the door. I gestured towards it, and put myself in the lead, walking towards the door frame. I shivered in fear when I heard whispering coming from the other side. I braced myself for a fight with the two stallions that had tried to capture me earlier, but there was no pony.
Ahead of me was a blue aura emerging from the ground, blocking off the hallway. I looked towards Sage, but she proved to be of no use. She shivered and shaked crazily. I didn’t blame her. I was pretty scared too, but I wanted to give her reassurance; that a ‘brave and strong’ Royal Guard would help her out of here.
“C’mon.” I spoke gesturing for the mare to come to my side.
“I’m not sure this is such a good idea Peacekeeper.”
“It’s okay. I promise you I’ll keep you safe. Whatever is on the other side of this arcane wall won’t hurt you. I promise.” I tried my best to sound like I was a seasoned veteran.
The mare blushed, smiling at me.
BANG!
“Ahh!” Sage screamed. The door flew off its hinges, and the monsters we thought we had trapped in the other room poured in, screaming their demonic screams. The mare dashed towards the blue aura rising out of the ground, and I followed trying to catch up with her.
“Sage wait!” I called to the mare, she only slowed down by a fraction, and disappeared into the blue aura. My eyes widened and I began to pick up speed. It was when I reached the aura, I felt the world distort around me, and my whole vision was picking up only an indigo color. I felt weightless, as if I were in a free fall.
“Woah!” I yelled as I began to soar through the air. A warm breeze greeted me, although I was flying through the air, and approaching the ground at a tremendous amount of speed.
THUD!
I groaned in pain after landing in a grassy area. My eyes were shut as I clenched my mid-section. I rolled onto my back and back on my side. A kick added to the pain in my sides. I opened my eyes and saw the same stallions from the hospital. They gave me another one of their dirty grimy grins.
My body willed itself to stand on all fours despite the pain. I stopped when I saw them. Numerous ponies, corrupted by this realm’s darkness just like the two stallions in front of me. All glaring at me. My rear bumped into something, and when I turned around, it was Sage. She was shaking uncontrollably, and I was with her on that. These ponies were violent and brutal. They all approached us, slowly and menacingly.
“HALT!” A grand voice bellowed. The ponies all stopped their advance, and I walked in front of Sage, trying my best again to reassure her that I would help see her out of here.
I felt a force, push me down to my knees, and it kept pushing, like a bag of bricks magically appeared on my back. I looked up trying to find the source of the sudden push. Upon looking as far up as I could, I couldn’t believe it.
A mare, as tall as Celestia herself stood before me. Her obsidian coat reflected the moonlight, and her mane blended in perfectly with the star covered sky. Azure armor covered her hooves, and chest. The insignia of the moon embedded onto the armor. Her eyes glowed an azure color, looking right through me.
“By Celestia..” I heard Sage gasp.
“And who are you,” The mare of nightmares spoke, her voice echoing throughout the whole forest clearing. “To come before me? You wear the symbol of the sun, like those heretics.”
She pointed a hoof towards the tree on the far left of the glowing clearing. Ropes were tied to the strongest branch, each one leading to...
The missing members of my squad. Shade, and the crimson mare. My shock made my body beg for air. That was Nocturnal’s brother hanging there. How was I going to tell her? W-would she even believe me if I said anything about it? And the other mare. I barely even knew her, and my regret of not even trying to get to become her friend weighed down on my heart.
“By Luna, what did you do to them?!” I snapped, despite my fear.
“She’s saving them!” A more masculine voice answered. The crimson stallion emerged from the steps and onto the stage formed by the nature around us.
“Illusion, you backstabbing bitch!” I yelled, willing my hooves to charge at the stallion, not before another force began to crush my body in an immense weight. I groaned in pain, trying my best to resist.
“Welcome, to my realm.” Nightmare Moon spoke. “In here, Luna nor Celestia can protect you. All of your nightmares come true.”
“How did I get here? How do I get out?” I questioned, fully aware she might not answer the question.
“The book you found.” Illusion answered. “It was the one, how should I say, ‘quick portals into this realm’. Sure, anypony can come here, but Luna can help a fraction of the ponies that come here. The others lost in their nightmares stay here until they ‘wake up’.”
“I-I don’t understand, a pony doesn’t dream about nightmares every time they sleep. We dream of-”
“The book implants a spell to those who read it, as do other artifacts of her's. Whenever they sleep, this is where they wake up.” Illusion explained. “As for the ones who never read Nightmare Moon's book, their nightmares would occur like any other, except, it would be just a vague memory. With the spell implanted in your mind, you can stay here for as long as you’d like, though it is not recommended.”
I felt the magic weight ease off of me, and I was able to freely stand on all fours successfully. I felt Sage rush to my side, holding me tightly, almost suffocating me.
“I’ll give one chance.” The onyx alicorn began. “Join me in the quest to take the throne. You will be more powerful than ever!”
“Do it Peacekeeper.” Illusion suggested. “Every soul taken under her wing will help her inevitable return! Think of the power we can wield! Look at what we can do!”
The stallion lifted one of the cultist soldiers and flung him around like a ragdoll. When the soldier thought he was going to be let down, Illusion’s arcane grip slammed him into the ground, making a puddle of blood and entrails.
I recoiled at the sight of the explosion. Sage kept her grip on me, and both Nightmare Moon and Illusion kept their gaze on me awaiting my answer.
“No. I’m loyal to the Royal Family and I will stay loyal to my country.”
Illusion shook his head. The Mare of Nightmares did the same, except she seemed more tolerant. “You’re a fool for believing the leaders of your realm. Nothing will stop my return, not even your silly ‘magic of friendship’.”
"I will never join you." I said, trying to keep confidence in my voice. "Nothing you have could possibly make me want to join you."
“You foolish unicorn, wait and see. When our realms begin their fight, you shall see. Your resistance will only make your deaths inevitable. Begone mortal. Such a shame, a stallion with your kind of willpower doesn't come to this place often.”
I opened my mouth to protest, but the words never left my mouth, instead I felt my whole body begin to tingle. My vision turned black again.
I opened my eyes. The night sky greeting me, and the moon hanging over the wildlife and all ponies in Equestria.
I gasped for air, not that I was running out of it, but because the shock in my body stole all the oxygen from my lungs. I was back into the real world. My armor was back on and my blade was in its sheath still. Thank Celestia! The only thing is, I was still in the forest. I step on all fours, and lifted my head up. A blade almost stabbed me in the muzzle.
“You just stay right there.” The hooded figure commanded. I looked behind the figure, and glanced to the ponies behind him. Jester was still there, and Nocturnal stared at the ground. Cultists. Ones loyal to the mare of our nightmares.
“Finally awake I see.” Above me stood the backstabbing stallion. I cursed when I saw him.
“Illusion, you backstabbing cocksucker!” Jester yelled. I recoiled from the mare’s sudden burst of verbal rage. The cultists did the same. I looked at the crimson stallion, rage in my eyes, wanting to lash out at him. I could do it too, but the other cultists would probably stab me into submission.
“Now now Jester, you and Nocturnal shall not be harmed, that is to say if you join me.” Illusion outstretched his hoof towards the two mares. Nocturnal looked up, and spit on the stallions hoof. I turned away when he smacked her, and when she yelped from the sudden blow. Illusion turned towards Jester, and she looked petrified, looking to me and Nocturnal like we had the answers. She opened her mouth to speak, but no words left. Illusion looked disappointed, like he was left all alone in a cruel cold world. Probably because he was.
I mustered the courage to stand on all fours, despite the blade aimed for my throat. I glanced at Jester and Nocturnal, who were both looking at me like I’d grown a second head. There was only four cultists, each of which probably not so bright, judging by the fact they were in a cult. If Jester and Nocturnal could break free of their submission, then we could deal with all these ponies. Shit, then there was Illusion. He was as skilled with a blade as he was with magic. Not only that, but Nightmare Moon enhanced his arcane power.
The hooded stallion in front of me forced me to sit on my haunches, my anger rising.
Illusion gestured for the stallion in front of me to do something. He lifted his blade, and then threw it towards my chest. I made a poor attempt to dodge the incoming blade. Instead of the sharp sword piercing into my heart, my stomach took the pain. I grit my teeth and shut my eyes when the stallion removed the blade.
“You idiot, that’s not what I wanted you to do!” Illusion yelled, stunning his fellow cultist. “I simply wanted you to bring him to me!”
“Sir? I-I apologize, I didn’t-”
The crimson stallion removed the blade from the other pony, and stabbed him with said blade. I felt my eyes widen when the hooded stallion fell to the ground, blood spewing from the wound in the neck. I struggled, trying to get away from the crimson stallion.
“Where do you think you’re going hmm?” Illusion picked me up off the ground. He threw me down onto the ground next to Jester, laughing as he did so.
“Leave him alone!” Nocturnal pleaded. “He’s just a recruit! He doesn’t deserve this!”
“It won’t matter who you are, if you choose not to side with the Living Nightmare, then death shall take you.” He gestured to the cultists behind Jester, Nocturnal and I. “You three. Deal with them.”
The stallion turned his back, his horn glowing. A blue and silver light appeared in front of him, and Illusion disappeared into the dark vortex. I was surprised at the spell he had just managed, but then again, Nightmare Moon buffed up his arcane abilities.
The hooded pony behind me grabbed me by the mane, snapping me out of my trance. I yelped from the pain of my mane almost ripping out of my scalp. The pony let go and kicked me in the rib. I groaned, and clutched the spot where I was hit. I looked up at the mare who was about to end my life. I think that was the worst part about this situation. That a mare was going to be my undoing. I wondered if I were still in the realm of nightmares, because this was one hell of an experience: having a mare take my life. She raised her blade, but was too slow to bring it down.
This is your only chance! Take it!
I suppressed the impact of the blade, and only felt a little pinch on my chest, My magic grabbed the blade from her grip and I pushed her over onto the ground. She grunted, as she hit the ground and I darted up. I glanced over to the stallions about to kill Jester and Nocturnal.
“Before you die,” The stallion standing over Jester spoke. “I should have some fun with you first.”
I walked weakly over to the stallion, laughing in my mind that he didn’t notice me approaching him. I raised my new sword and stabbed weakly at the hooded pony’s back. Blood gushed from the wound I made, but the stallion still stood, and turned towards me. He made a weak attempt to lunge at me, and although it was weak and pitiful, I jumped about five feet back, expecting him to actually pounce on me and try and kill me, despite the wound I’d made on his back. Jester leaped up into the air, and grabbed the stallion about to have ‘fun’ with Nocturnal, despite her constant kicking, and screaming.
“Let go of me heretic!” The stallion kicked in mid air, held in Jester’s furious arcane grip.
Nocturnal stood on all fours, picking up a sword in her mouth in the process. She glared at the angry hooded stallion, looking with such malice, it was as if she was going to kill him a thousand times. She probably would given the chance.
“You anna ‘ve vun?” Nocturnal spoke through the sword in her mouth. She gave a quick turn with her head, and sliced the pony’s stomach. He desperately tried to stop the bleeding, frantically trying to cover the wound with his hooves. Jester slammed him against a tree trunk numerous times.
“Jester!” I yelled disrupting the mare’s fun. She glared at me, hanging the stallion upside down from a tree branch using his dark robes. Jester was a fan of old Equestrian torture methods, and it somewhat pleased me to put it to use. Probably because I wasn’t her test subject this time.
“There’s another one alive over here!” Nocturnal called.
Both Jester and I rushed over to her, examining the mare I’d knocked out like foals discovering an insect for the first time. The hooded mare was knocked out, having landed on a rock after I pushed her to the ground.
“Kill her?” Jester questioned.
“No. Wake her up.” I suggested, slapping the mare in the face. “Wow, that felt good.”
I slapped again. Each time getting harder, until it turned into punches and kicks.
“Hold up.” Nocturnal stopped me. “She’s waking up.”
The hazel mare’s eyes slowly opened, and she jolted up in shock, giving herself a minor whiplash. I pinned her back onto the grassy floors, and stared into her eyes.
“Where to start?” I asked rhetorically.
“I won’t tell you anything heretic!” The mare spoke.
“You’re at a disadvantage.” I spoke again. “I suggest you shut up and answer our questions.”
“No! You all will die! The mare of the night will rule-”
“Shut. The. Fuck. Up.”
My horn glowed its grey color, ready to blast the mare’s face if she spoke another word until I asked her a question.
“Look at the Rook!” Jester remarked, changing her demeanor, and regaining her cheerful, joking composure. “Learning from the experts!”
I shot her a look and the mare’s smile slowly faded away.
“Keep it together you two.” Nocturnal commanded, being the mother of the group, or what’s left of it. “We don’t need her. Just her map.”
The mare glanced up at Nocturnal giving a hateful glare. Nocturnal just stepped on her as she pushed me out of the way to grab the downed mare’s map. “Thank you.”
Nocturnal unsheathed her weapon and plunged it into the mare. She gasped for air, trying to kick the Lunar Guard off, but to no avail. She became weaker and weaker until she was unable to move.
"What was the point of waking her?" I questioned. "I thought we'd need questions answered."
“Let’s go.” Nocturnal commanded ignoring me. “We need to find the others.”
My heart stopped. Even as the two mares brushed passed me, I was unable to move. Should I tell them about Nightmare Moon? Should I tell Nocturnal that her brother was Killed by Nightmare Moon? Oh Celestia give me the courage to tell her! Please!
“Peacekeeper!” Nocturnal called.
I turned, looking the mare in the eyes. Could I find the strength to tell her what had happened?
The Lunar Guard approached me with questioning eyes, trust also glowing in them. “What’s the matter?”
I sighed shakily. “I’m sorry.”
The mare raised an eyebrow. “For what exactly? Um, sorry, but I’ve been meaning to ask you: what happened when you opened that book? I got so worried I-”
“Where is the book now?” I questioned.
“With that backstabbing stallion. You didn’t answer my question though. What happened?”
Again I sighed. Most of my will was averted to keep my watery eyes from leaking, and Nocturnal could see that. She turned to Jester and ordered her to wait. I couldn’t keep eye contact with the mare, and slowly I found myself sitting on my haunches like I always did when I was on the verge of tears.
“When the book opened, I-I was taken someplace else,” I explained, my voice quivering. “It was like...no, it was a different realm. I saw... I saw...”
“What? Look if it’s important for this investigation, then I need to know what it is you saw.”
I gulped, and tried to get the words together. How could I say it to her? She had so much faith in me, and I was afraid of losing all that faith. I didn’t want her to think of me as a coward, even though there was virtually nothing I could have done to save them.
“They were dead. She killed them.” My eyes overflowed, releasing the tears I had so desperately tried to keep back. “Nocturnal, I’m sorry. I wish I could have done something. I really do. Please find it in your heart to forgive me.”
“Who killed...” The mare’s sudden realization hit her like a runaway train. I could see it about to happen. Jester walked over, and held her tongue before saying anything she knew she would get in trouble for.
I never liked to see anypony cry, least of not one of my friends. Tears streamed down the Lunar Guards face, still trying to comprehend what I had just said. I couldn’t bare to see her like this. This was a seasoned veteran in the Royal Guard, and it was strange to see her cry; a grown mare who was in the most disciplined squad in the Royal Guard, breaking down in tears. I edged over to the mare, and gave her my shoulder to cry on.
“This is all my fault.” The mare’s lament was rubbing off on me. “I should never have encouraged him to take this mission.”
“You couldn’t have known.” Jester tried to comfort.
The mare stayed silent, crying on my shoulder, and I sat patiently waiting for her to finish, trying to comfort her myself, but to no avail. A rustle behind a few bushes frightened me, and forced me to stand on all fours. I took out my blade and awaited for the beast, whatever it may be, to reveal itself. Jester unsheathed her blade, and Nocturnal weakly stood up, but didn’t take her blade out. I didn’t care though. After what she had just learned, she wasn’t mentally fit to do much fighting.
A shadowy figure emerged from the bushes and leaves. What it was was beyond me, but I knew one thing: It was too big for the three of us to fight. A bulky mass acted as the body, armored with plates like the chitin of a crab. Two arms sprouted from the massive body, each one as big as the body, but only chitin plates covering the shoulders. Whatever was behind it was unable to be seen, due to the beasts large body mass.
What I presumed to be the mouth was just a vertical slit along a bump on the top of the body, and glowing golden eyes. The beast roared, like thunder in the middle of the night. The beast approached us, using the arms as its legs, and was deceptively fast.
“By Celestia, move it!” Jester demanded, as she grabbed Nocturnal out of her trance. The ground rumbled wildly as the massive beast chased us out of the clearing. Jester and Nocturnal ran, tears still falling from the Lunar Guard’s eyes.
I caught up with the two mares, running like my life depended on it. No pun intended.
“That thing is freaking fast!” Nocturnal remarked.
The beast let out a deep gravelly sound as if to respond to the mare’s remark. The hairs on the back of my neck stood up, feeling the massive monster approaching me, the ground’s trembling getting more intense. I turned for a quick look to see the armored creature chasing me; not focused on the others, but just me. It was ignoring the two mares, it’s bulk forcing it to strain itself.
“Oh Celestia turn! Turn!” Jester screamed.
I hadn’t realized what the mare meant, turning my head not my body.
Celestia’s ovaries!
The ground beneath me crumbled, and I fell, plummeting at speeds that would match the Wonderbolts’ flying skills. My backside slid down the rocky wall, the beast falling behind me. I failed to keep my eyes closed, trying not to look at how far down the fall was.
“Rookie!” Jester and Nocturnal called in unison. I wanted to look up towards them. See something good for the last time before I died. Instead, I kept my eyes on the ground, so far away from me, and yet so close to me.
The beast falling behind me roared as it dug it’s arms into the rocky walls, and slowed down it’s speed. It was then I realized that two lower arms replaced its legs, and that was what stopped me from my fatal descent.
Oh Luna! I’m gonna fuckin’ die!
Our descent had come to a stop, the beast saving my life, only to end it itself. The monster’s chitin reflected the moon’s light, adding an eerie effect on the beast’s obsidian shell. The vertical mandibles opened up, revealing sharp razor-like teeth, and a pungent odor. I tried desperately to free myself of the beasts, trying to punch the arms with my hooves, and slicing it with my blade, but nothing worked; the chitin was too strong!
I neared closer to the mandibles of the monster, still trying to find out how I could free myself. I prayed hoping that the next point I stabbed would be a weak point, but my unnecessary flailing deterred every attempt.
I don’t know what made it tick, but the thing roared, destroying my eardrums, and was loosening its grip on my small fragile body. I tried to find the weak point on the body, but to no avail.
There!
Again I hit something that pissed it off and loosen its grip on me. I punched the small arm keeping hold of me, and tried to wiggle my way out of the clutches of the monster. The beast growled and by the time I managed to get most of my body out of the callused hands, my right hind hoof was stuck in the beast’s tight grasp. I grunted, trying to get my sword to hit the unknown ‘right spot’, swinging all the while. This thing was pissed! I had hit it to the point that my eminent death was approaching at a faster rate, the thing trying to jam me into the vertical slit it called a mouth.
Chink!
The exoskeletal plate on the arm holding me cracked, and the beast roared violently, whipping me about like a ragdoll before throwing me away towards the ground like I was garbage. I screamed, trying not to think about how hard the ground would be when I hit it. The dirt covered ground was so far away, it felt like it would be an eternity before I-
Thud!
I groaned, having landed on my stomach. My vision was blurred and hazy. I felt my eyes getting heavy, like I wanted to go to sleep. The only problem was that I wanted to stay awake; go down with a fight, you know? I didn’t want to die like this: stuck not being able to defend myself against a beast the size of a chariot. A sudden jolt kept me from closing my eyes completely, not one of a unicorn, but by a realization. If I close my eyes, I’d have to enter that realm again.
My body ached, as I mustered all my might into getting on all fours. Blood trickled down my muzzle, and the wounds I had endured on my back during the slide down the rocky wall. I could hear the beast roaring, but just barely, as it seemed to have torn my ears off. I could feel it coming down to face me, the surrounding area vibrating from its heavy steps.
This was one hell of an arena to fight in. A valley with trees, grass and other various vegetation, all of which placed just right so that way we had a clearing for both the beast and I to duel. The walls of the chasm composed of rocks and roots that dug their way out of the ground. On the cliff high up to my left was the remnants of what could have been an ancient castle, probably the time of Nightmare Moon. Thinking about it now, knowing how cliche villains are, I was probably going to end up battling it out with the Living Terror, or whatever Illusion called her, in that obsolete castle. I could just see it now.
To my right was the monster slowly descending down the naturally formed wall, not as far of a fall as I had remembered. It’s chitin plates glimmered from the moonlight, and it’s roars echoing through the whole forest. I shuddered knowing that I was going to have to fight the beast as soon as it reached my level. A misty shadow loomed over a spot in the ground, a couple of yards away from me. It consumed most of the forest floor, but kept its distance away from me. The violet fog began to gather making a figure. A pony.
“What... do you... want.” I managed.
The form had formed to make the Mare of the Night Realm. Her misty mane blew with the cool breeze of the night. The mare may have been vile and evil, but she was more majestic in person than what the books had depicted.
“This is a disgusting and putrid world you live in,” The mare spoke, her voice taking on different octaves at the same time. “I come to give you one last chance for you and your friends to join me.”
“I already gave you my answer.”
“Why do you continue to resist? I can give you power beyond your wildest dreams! There will be fame! Fortune! Eternal life! Mares.” Nightmare Moon said that with a seductive tone in her voice and an enthralling look in her eyes. “Do these things not entice you?”
I struggled to find the answer. Of course power would come to me with years of experience, but what kind of power? Money sounded good, but it was the root of all evil as they say, and money definitely can’t buy me happiness. Eternal life would have been nice, if the world developed at my kind of pace, but everything natural in Equestria has to be slow; develop for a long period of time. And I hate slow.
Mares? Now there was something I’d be interested in. I mean who wouldn’t? They were the key to repopulation for the whole equine race, and they were one of the key components for a stallion’s....well, pleasure. But that’s beyond the point. I wouldn’t need a whole orgy full of mares, but instead just one. Some pony I could be with forever and some pony who I knew would love me as much as I loved them. I wasn’t like other stallions, who dream of other mares, married or not. I actually wanted somebody and wanted them to be as loyal to me as I am with them.
“I...” I struggled. “...Can’t join you.”
The Azure Princess’s smile disappeared. “If that is your choice, then so be it. You are foolish mortal. Die here, I hope my pet shall keep you entertained.”
The beast dropped from the wall, making the mist that formed Nightmare Moon’s hazy appearance vanishing. It let out a roar, one that could rival a dragon. I gritted my teeth, as my wavering magic reached for my blade on the ground. Despite my pitiful state, I was determined to fight the beast; ready to die knowing that I tried my best to prevent the Living Nightmare from ruling over the world.
Oh Holy Princess, may my blade be quick and my mind wisdom be unmatched by my opponent, whoever or whatever it may be. Celestia grant me power, and I shall grant you my devotion as the protector of the people and your throne. May you be my guide and shepherd through my time of need. Upon my honor, I swear my undying loyalty to my Princesses Luna and Celestia, my life devoted to the protection of their empire and their prosperous people. If I fail in my duties, may Celestia or Luna bless me with eternal life in the afterlife, where I shall remain loyal to the land of Equestria, and the Princesses that rule over the land.
“Amen.”
I raised my blade, ready to die should the beast prove to be too powerful for me. The razor, engraved with the insignia of the Royal Guard, reflected my bruised and bloody image. A looked of determination spread across my face. The chitin protected monster charged towards me. I did the same, giving my best battle cry as I charged blindly into my last battle.