//------------------------------// // Dreams // Story: Aslumber (Sanquil Version) // by Sanquil //------------------------------// The king gazed over his kingdom once more, feeling dreadful. From here, he could view the entirety of his creation. Looking at it, he started to cry. A single tear rolled down his creek before he straightened up, the door to his room opening. It was Celestia, his head maid and personal servant. "Sir, are you okay?" She said, seeing the lone drop hit the floor with a soft plop. "Yes," The king replied, turning to face his servant, "I'm quite alright. You may take your leave, I will not require your assistance anymore tonight." Celestia looked to her king, worry showing through her face, but at his insistence, she turned and left. Enveloping the ornate silver doors inlaid with an obsidian trim in his dark blue magic, closing them with ease. As he did so, he returned to his balcony, gazing over his domain. After what has happened, He thought to himself, the stars blazing and flickering in the night sky, the constellations decorating the infinite beyond even more, I am not strong enough to fend off a direct assault if L would attempt such a thing. My only option is rest, and to hope for the best. Wrapping the elegant silver armor he donned in the blue field of magic, he returned it to the ponnequin in the far corner of the room, and draped the sliver cape over the body of the statue, clasping it around the ponnequin's neck. Swiveling, he trot over to his bed, the stars on the night sheets seeming to shimmer as if they were real. The king pulled the covers back and lay down. His mind was racing at a million miles an hour, it would seem as if he would never find sleep, but it came swiftly, and without warning. In his dream, the king found himself in a room. This room was simple, but something was off. There were no doors or windows visible at all. Panic consumed the king's mind, scrambling to find some way out, but there was no way out. Something flashed. He turned to face what caused the blast of light, shocked by what he saw. L stood there, but others surrounded her. The six Bearers of the Elements of Harmony were gathered around her, all staring directly at him. "So," He said, gazing into L's eyes, "this is how it ends? You and your friends strike me down, and re-banish me into the dream realm?" Before Princess Luna could respond, the scene changed in a bright flash of light, blinding the king. He stood there, looking into the throne room of the Princesses, both of which were present. They sat at their thrones, neither of them taking their attention away from him. The stares of the two powerful mares made him uneasy, and he feared for what was going to happen. They were about to send him back into his realm, where he would be trapped for all eternity... again. He gazed around the large room, with the large decorative windows painting pictures of great achievements in pony history. The six Bearers were here as well, he noted. Returning his attention to the two princesses, dread filled him. He couldn't be alone again. He met their gaze, and expected resentment to be present in their faces. What he saw shocked him. They were smiling, and not a smirk of victory, but a smile of happiness. This couldn't be real. "Dream Weaver," Celestia spoke regally, the mention of his name making him uneasy, "I hereby decree..." There came a rasping at the door, stirring the king from his sleep. Grudgingly, he stood, moving towards the door, pulling it open with his magic. Celestia stood there, her mane disheveled. "My lord," She spoke, her voice expression weariness. "What could be so important that you needed to wake me from my slumber?" He questioned grouchily. "I apologize, my king. I wanted to ask you who that strange mare was." "That," The king replied, annoyed, "is not of your business, Celestia. Please, go back to sleep." "Yes sir." Celestia turned and left. The king sighed, closing the doors and returned to his bed. This time, it was not easy trying to sleep. Him mind was still trying to process his dreams. After time, he shrugged it off as nothing more than a dream and relaxed. He fell asleep. This time, the king found himself in an expansive place. He couldn't figure out where he was, he just knew he was not inside. The ground under his hooves was rough, like dry dirt. No wind was stirring, and the fog choked at him. It was so thick, he couldn't see more than a few feet in front of his hooves. Wandering through the strange place, the darkness and fog throwing off his bearings, he heard something, or somepony moving. Following the sound, he encountered the source of the noise. It was L. L turned to face him. "Well Dream Weaver," She addressed him formally, "it seems we are sharing the same dream here." "L," He said menacingly, "what do you want?" "Please Weaver, you can just call me Luna. No need for nicknames." Luna turned to stare into the darkness, sitting down. "As to what I want, I'm not sure what you mean." "Why are you intruding upon my dreams?" He replies, his voice like daggers. "You know why I intrude upon your 'kingdom'. As far as this dream goes, I did not come here on my own will." Luna informed Dream Weaver calmly, his tone not bothering her at all. "While we are here though, we could talk. Fighting won't accomplish anything, considering that this is a dream neither of us control." The king trot next to the Princess of the Night. Sighing, he sat next to her. His attention drifted around the nothingness that surrounded the two of them. He tried to gather something to talk about, but Luna beat him to it. "Do you really think that your country can thrive and survive inside a dream realm that they are being held in against their will?" Luna questioned, facing him. "Well," The question took him off guard. He didn't really know. "I..." "Think about it Dream Weaver," She continued, "They only have the city that you created, and that's it. While it is massive, it isn't nearly enough for a growing civilization." "I could always expand." "No, you can't." She said, sternly. "Even you should know that you are pushing your limits keeping all of Equestria in your realm while keeping the city from crumbling to pieces." "But Luna," He started, "I can't just let them all go and be left alone. You don't understand what it's like being alone for such a long time." "I do, though." Luna looked down, gazing at her hooves. "For a thousand, I was imprisoned in the moon for a thousand years. I understand what you were experiencing, but do you believe this is that best way to fix it?" "What other options do I have?" Dream Weaver looked to Luna, tears forming in his eyes, threatening to fall. "I understand what you're trying to say," Luna met his gaze. "but it is not too late for you. I have a proposition for you." Suddenly, and without warning, Luna disappeared, leaving no trace that she was ever there. Confusion struck Weaver, but was quickly replaced by realization. "So," He began, "she awoke. Quickly, by the look of it. Well, I should probably do the same." Clearing the tears from his eyes, he stood and focused. His horn glowed softly, but quickly grew to a bright, brilliant blaze of dark blue. The magic started to envelope his own body, and eventually went from translucent to an opaque pony shaped blob of magic. It then thinned, disappearing completely, the king along with it.