//------------------------------// // Chapter 9 // Story: The Nightmare // by Cirrus Sky //------------------------------// The Guarding Ones had reached the Flare prison, they had left their princess at a safe distance. Ever since the first had they maintained a stoic denial to allow her access to the area of danger. It would take a terrible scenario to let Luna through the gateway. A’triet and Mēi were at the head of the cadre, ready to confront the people who had entered the ruins. One group, the smaller, was in the temple area itself. The other was a way away. Both were sat around fires, their backs to the desert and their eyes looking to light, useless for seeing approaching riders in the darkness. Slowly they advanced. -*- “This looks to be pretty good stuff.” Shining commented, pouring a tot of brandy into a tumbler liberated from Pinkie’s bag. “If she starts going loopy again we could dose her with this a little.” He knocked it back, smacking his lips in appreciation. “Corporal Pie has good taste!” “Pour me some then buddy. I could do with a little something.” Rainbow grinned and held out a hand for the tumbler. Twilight simply tutted and turned to a book. -*- Jack sat on the closed chest, holding her rifle as Rarity and her hired guides negotiated the sharing of the precious metals they had discovered. “You abandoned us to cultists,” She held up a graceful hand to halt any argument. “No, you were not being tactical. Miss Dash was the tactician and we got out in one piece. I already agreed to a cut in your fees. Twenty five percent will be removed from the cash you demanded. Also, as we did all the work finding this gold and silver, well, you can get ten pieces each.” “Hang on there! We agreed thirty percent of the finds!” Hoops growled. He stopped when a rifle barrel pressed his nose. “No arguments. After all, people get lost in the desert all the time don’t they?” Jack grinned sinisterly. “Alright.” Hoops groaned, his hands up in surrender. “Ten gold each. Should be worth the trouble of all this.” His friend nodded agreement. Rarity was about to open the chest when Jack hushed her. “Ah can hear something out there.” She whispered, “Riders.” Rarity nodded and went to her desk instead, taking up her archer bracelet. Jack nodded to the two men to arm themselves. It was then that all hell broke loose. -*- Mēi was concerned, some of the warriors seemed eager to charge in, not to allow her to ride in announcing herself for a talk. She was about to mention something to her brother when his second called in a harsh whisper. “They are preparing to shoot! Charge them before the treasure hunters can hit us!” A’triet tried to stop them, but his seasoned warriors were at the rear, he had placed the youngsters closer to keep an eye on him. Aggravatingly it seemed his second was over excited and itching to fight having missed the boat raid. Keeping close to his sister and waiting for his compatriots to catch up was the best bet now. -*- Horsemen came charging in, swords waving and pistols firing into the air. Jack and Rarity wasted no time in shooting back. “Do let’s not kill anyone just yet darling.” Rarity said, a bolt of magic simply knocking out a rider. “We may very well be invading a sacred or important place after all.” “Sure, sure.” Jack grunted, swapping her basic ammunition for the magical cartridges. Tear gas and electrical shocks would inconvenience any attacker as much as a bullet. Hoops and his friend had been knocked out by a poorly thought out attack against one rider. Jack ignored them, the less she had to do with them, the better. -*- Gunshots and galloping alerted Rainbow and Shining to trouble. They headed over to help, Rainbow grabbing up her gun and Shining preparing some spells. “Twilight, stay there.” She said to the scholar as the pair ran to assist Jack and Rarity. Twilight scowled and instead began casting her own spells, charging in. “Twily! She said to stay there!” Shining called out after her. She ignored him carried on into the fray. She let off a concussive blast spell, a slight miscalculation, the target was moving towards her so the spell knocked them both to the ground. Rainbow had missed Twilight’s actions; she saw a shot and took it. A spell grabbed the bullet, a spell cast by a calmer horse mounted group. “All of you! Cease this foolish action!” A tall pink haired woman glared at the mounted warriors, her blue eyes freezing them in place. “Shame on you! Ignoring your training, our leader’s orders and the plan!” She swept her stare over all the men who had attacked. The dark haired man beside her moving forwards. “Return to the back, all of you.” He pointed to some, “Take up those fools on the ground. It will be your task to get them back to camp.” “Jus’ what is going on here?” Jack said walking closer to the man but keeping herself between the intruder and Rarity. “Yeah. I think I’d like some explanation here.” Rainbow chipped in. “We came here to warn you of a great danger.” The woman on horseback said. “There is nothing here but badness... We urge you to leave.” The man nodded. “At dawn’s light please, leave this place. It is not safe.” Rarity looked to Jack and the chest they had excavated. “I think we’ve made this trip worthwhile.” She commented. “I can just as easily study my finds back home as out here. There is little context to be found in shifting sands.” “Finds?” The man said. “If these happen to be scrolls... I fear they are of too great a value to our people for them to be enshrined in a museum.” He traced Rarity’s quick glance to her desk and nodded to a trusted friend, sending him to collect them. “Now wait jus’ a minute!” Jack stepped out, gun raised. The man held up his hand. “No, dear lady. We will take these with us but this mage can give you a copy.” The man who had collected the scrolls nodded and in a flash of magic he held two rolls of paper. He handed them to Rarity as he passed her. “Amazing. Thank you.” She nodded, pleased that she had the gold and the scholarly treasures. “And you, your group will leave? I mean if it isn’t any trouble or anything...” The woman looked to Rainbow. “Uh, yeah? Our egghead found what she was looking for.” Rainbow shrugged. Shining nodded. He had got a head count and they were very outnumbered, not something a wise person would push. “Good. Be gone in the morning else experience the fate of all who ever come here.” The man ordered his group away. When all the horsemen were gone the others looked amongst themselves. Rainbow then noticed Twilight flat out on the floor, looking a little dazed. The gunner hurried over and helped her up. “Are you ok?” Unconsciously she held Twilight closer, one arm upon the librarian’s elbow. She noticed a scrape of dirt across Twilight’s cheek; Rainbow raised her free hand and rubbed it away, trailing her thumb along Twilight’s jawline. “I’m ok... really. Fine. Thank you Dash...” Twilight leaned a little closer, revelling in the sensation of Rainbow’s thumb running along her face. “Ahem.” Shining coughed pointedly. The pair jumped apart, stopping all physical contact. “I think, darlings, that maybe for tonight we should all camp together?” Rarity interject into the steadily growing awkward moment. There were nods of agreement all round. The trio went to move their belongings and the sleeping officer of the law. -*- Luna clutched at her spear, her fears were being realised. A group of determined treasure seekers had reached the Flare Prison, though this time the Cultists were leaving them alone. She stood atop the atoll she had watched a rainbow haired fighter fly off into the desert a year before. Now she was watching two rival groups camped amongst the ruins, already having explored some. She was worried, she was scared… And she was stuck here on this cliff unable to get close to the ruins. It was too great a risk, to get that close to her sister and the Nightmare. It could work to escape, to possess her once more... and without her sister or the elements to rescue her it was too great a risk. Instead her loyal guards were once more stepping in to chase away the groups. “I am sorry Celestia, I fail you once again.” Luna sat on the ground, falling into memory again. -*- “The Night shall last FOREVER!” She cackled with madness, revelling in the fear and confusion writ across her sister’s face. A part of her was crying and screaming to stop but the strength of the entity that called herself Nightmare was too great. Luna was powerless to stop her; only able to watch as the creature that had stolen her body fought her dear sister. “Luna! This isn’t like you! Please sister, stop this!” Celestia’s normally calm tones were thick with emotion. She only dodged or parried blows, never laying one on her younger sister and even taking hits to use them as a chance to speak. “Sister, sister. This is everything I am! For too long I have lived in your shadow. Now is the time for my rule.” Luna caught sight of her reflection in a mirror on the wall. Her eyes were catlike and red, her hair was longer and while once the locks had moved with grace, these writhed as in a tempest. Her teeth, pressed into a manic grin, were pointed like fangs. No wonder Celestia had greeted her with fear. “This is not me Celly! Please!” She screamed and wailed within the confines of her mind. She wished she had never read the infernal scroll, cursed her curiosity. She cursed the madman who had created it, the scholar who had discovered it and the weakness of her mind for letting the nightmare in. Then, the Nightmare made a mistake. She had led Celestia into the temple, surely to slay her in a place given over to her glory. There, the Princess of the Sun saw the Scroll of The Dark discarded upon the floor. That was when she realised all that had occurred. “Oh Lulu, you poor thing.” The Nightmare did not hear her though her unwilling host did. There was hope yet Luna thought. The entity in control span her spear about her head, preparing to pin Celestia to the throne with the sharp bladed tip. The sun princess stood her ground. “.em otni dna reh morf emoC” she shouted aloud, all the power of the sun in her tones. It was old magic, the structure of the firmament, the building blocks of the world. Much more powerful than some parasite creature that lived off bad feelings. Nightmare Moon fell to the floor, the spear falling from her grasp and touching the ground for the first time in its existence. Luna felt the evil thing being removed in a rushing sensation. She sat up, free from the influence. “Lulu…” The gasp was weak and reverberated with another voice. Celestia was kneeling on the floor, grasping at the slabs, her grip actually scratching the polished granite. Luna crawled to her, still reeling from the control by another. Fear gripped her heart in its icy grasp. Celestia’s hair, normally a beautiful dusky pink, was blazing like flames on a lit taper. She looked up with eyes white like the sun. Tears streamed down her face. “Run sister… This Nightmare is powerful… I underestimated… it.” She gasped for breath, the leylines in her body glowed with power. “Run… Run little worm.” Her voice was not her own. Luna pushed herself back, not far enough and a hard punch threw her across the room. “Celly!” Luna cried, mostly winded by the hit. She felt no more attacks and sat up. The nightmare was frozen in a rictus of rage. Her fist held out. “You hit my sister. I will not let you hurt her.” Celestia’s voice was furious but not in the same manner as the nightmare. “How are you doing this!?” The parasite howled. Luna watched fascinated and afraid, the princess and the nightmare were fighting for control. “I let you in so I led you somewhere I could work to imprison you.” Celestia said, though her voice was faltering. “I have more powers you know.” The nightmare hissed. “Especially now I am in you!” The torches that lit the temple grew into larger flames. No longer dancing harmlessly as they gave light, now they raged with fury. Humanoid figures jumped from the fire. “Guards!” Luna shouted, finding breath, her powerful voice echoing about the palace. The warriors who served day and night had been ordered back by Celestia as she went to confront her sister. Now they were called in. Swiftly the gold clad day warriors and the silver armoured night watch filled the room. It was testament to their training that right away they began to fight the flaming creatures. The first deaths shocked Luna to her core. The sight gave Celestia the righteous anger to wrest control. “Luna, the vault. Take me there.” She muttered weakly, concentrating her efforts to keep the Nightmare at bay. “No Celly, I won’t imprison you!” Luna took her sister’s hand and helped her up, still disconcerted by the orange flames her hair had become. “Just, just for as long as it takes me to seal the Nightmare away.” She stood slowly and half guided Luna to the steps. The steps that led to a vault designed in the times of chaos as a last defence. It could only be sealed from the within but only unlock from outside. A prison or a shelter as circumstance could demand. “Only that long then Celly, I can’t be without you. I will get you out” Luna held her older sister close as they stepped down the dark stairway. A harsh blow to her brow came as a surprise and sent her falling down the steps. A sickening crunch at the bottom told her of damage to her leg even as adrenalin made the pain inconsequential. “Not going quietly.” The Nightmare raged. “I will be Queen.” She tripped on a step. Luna sat up to look, blood flowing down her face from a cut above her eye. “Lulu!” Celestia was in control again. She stumbled in a hurry to the room ahead of the vault. “Take me there and seal me.” Luna nodded dumbly, she was in pain and addled now. Kind words and a cajoling tone led her to the vault. A kiss brushed her forehead. “Love you little sister.” Celestia whispered, entering the vault. Luna could only sit and watch as the lock span. The elements, held upon an alter rose, lit and danced. Soon it was done, the glowing gems turned to inert stone. The centre gem, the catalyst and key disappeared. It was its loss that woke Luna from her stupor. “Celly…” She sobbed. She railed against the sealed stone door. She blasted the empty spot in rage, foolishly letting off the last of her energy. She slumped to the floor in defeat and sobbed. The room began to fill with smoke… -*- Luna was pulled from her memories by the sound of returning riders. She had curled into a ball of sorrow upon her blankets but quickly moved to a more restful position; she did not want to worry her guards. A’triet was at their head. “They will leave with the dawn.” He simply said. “Good. Did you get the scrolls?” Luna stood. She was pleased when a silver bound holder and a gold bound holder were pulled from a guard’s bag, though her heart fell when the Dark Scroll was not brought out. She knew the paper within held sayings and spells that would allow aspects of the Nightmare freedom to roam. Already it could exert power over dreamers, tormenting some and leading others to worship or serve it. That was how the cult had started, how the Flare Prison had become known. If anyone were to read the scroll they would be in great trouble. “Were there no others A’triet?” She asked. “No my lady, just gold and silver in the chest. We left that to the archaeologist as you said.” A’triet looked concerned. “We are still in danger then.” Luna breathed. Mēi, stood beside her brother, looked down at the camp with worry. “They are at risk.” Luna answered the healer’s unspoken question. “Then we stay, to give aid.” The girl replied firmly. “We stay to fulfil our Duty.” A’triet said. “I can only hope my worries are unfounded.” Luna whispered. They settled in to watch and wait.