//------------------------------// // Chapter 16 // Story: The Nightmare // by Cirrus Sky //------------------------------// The wood clattered onto the dusty courtyard. Twilight had shut her eyes to the blaring sun, it was getting close to midday, only half an hour give or take until it reached its apex. Now, from the sounds, she could tell that the sky-man had finished the circle of ritual pyres. The librarian was beginning to regret her vast knowledge of the ancient world. Ritual pyres never preceded anything good. Inside the darkened tomb the shadow creature smiled, her slave was stood to the side having completed her work. The muscle was outside preparing the ritual for a forced possession. It was coming closer and closer to the long awaited moment. There was just one more thing to do. “Hey boss, I have the wood where you wanted it...” Hoops shouted down as he walked into the tomb. The shadow dispersed in an instant. “Uh Boss?” “All will be ready soon!” Hoops scrambled back in shock. His employer was no longer a column of shadow, it had created a humanoid form for itself. “Uh, good?” Hoops gave a slight bow. “What next boss?” “Now, peon, now we prepare Our new host... Ready for the moment Our full power is released!” In the shadow-stuff hand was a curved blade. It slid out of the darkness, a gleaming, wicked thing. “We can only be taken into a living body willingly...” It hissed, “Though there is a loophole... A body will live longer than the mind if you do things right.” “So we rub out the egghead?” Hoops scratched his head, he had spent a long while collecting and arranging wood and they were just going to use a knife. “Once the ritual is ready, we can extinguish the life-force and take possession of the body for Our own.” It smiled chillingly. “Come.” -*- The group of warriors and their guests were cresting the final dune when the ruins came into view. Cadence and Shining immediately summoned telescope spells. “I can see Twily!” “She’s still moving... Oh Shining... She’s still ok!” Through the magnification spell they could see the librarian struggling in bonds. From her rather judicious movements she was unharmed. “Let’s get moving.” Jack shouted across, driving her horse faster down the sand. “We should hurry.” Luna and A’triet were beside the two. “I can sense a ritual building...” Luna added, spurring on her own mount. They wasted no time following. -*- “Damn it! These are just too tight!” Twilight shouted, pulling the chains again. A noise ahead of her, from the tomb, distracted her efforts. “Do not worry child.” A grave voice crackled. “We will release you soon.” Twilight looked ahead to see the shadow. This time it looked human. This time it had a knife raised in a dark hand. A spell flared into life andthe pyres began to burn ferociously. The monster advanced, knife ready. Twilight screamed then, she had been holding in all her panic and fear but now she faced death once more. As she pulled franticly at the bonds, pushing with whatever purchase she could find with her feet, her mind raced through all her potential rescuers. “Rainbow...” -*- High above Rainbow flew at a breakneck pace, faster and faster through the desert with huge sweeps of her magical wings. They had Twilight, the worry and fear for her drove Rainbow faster still. There was an icy grip on her heart and a moment of profound, chilling concern. Things were about to go really wrong for Twilight, she knew it in her gut. Pouring more power into her wings Rainbow redoubled her pace. As she flew she felt the air harden for the second time in her life. The sky itself had become a barrier to her, a barrier that was going to be broken. Mustering up her last reserves of strength she forced herself through, heedless of the circles of colour that emanated from her, ignoring the sonic boom she had generated. Such was her hurry that she barely noticed the rainbow contrail that striped the sky. A sonic rainboom, for only the second time in history, lit up the sky. -*- On the slab they had chained her, cringing away from the curved blade that was being brought towards her, Twilight saw the amazing waves of colour in the sky. “Rainbow...” She whispered, hope in her voice once more. -*- The horses jinked and reared at the unfamiliar sound and colour that seemed to fill the world. “A sonic rainboom?” Luna said aloud in surprise. A rainbow contrail led from the epicentre, it was coming closer and closer to their position. “Rainbow Dash?” Shining asked, incredulous as the blurred figure passed overhead. There was a second crack, like lightning, and a cloud of dust rose from the ruins. Rainbow had landed. -*- Beneath her were the others and seemingly the cavalry. Ahead of her was Twilight, chained to a rock and being threatened by a knife. Reaching the ruins, Rainbow fell like an avenging angel, the impact sounded like thunder and lightning, in fact she had dropped a bolt to soften the landing. There was a clang as a bent and melted knife landed on the ground and the monster articulated a scream of rage. The blowout from Rainbow’s violent landing had extinguished the fire. At the sight of the woman who would certainly be trouble Hoops had fled. “Too late!” The monster screamed. “Too late to prepare. Argh!” It disappeared. Coughing and sputtering from the dust, still chained and splayed over the rock, Twilight had never looked better to Rainbow. She was unharmed, alive. The flier rushed to pull free the bindings and help Twilight up. “Hey.” She whispered, throwing down the removed shackles and lifting Twilight up a little. “Hi.” Twilight was quiet, she nestled her head into Rainbow’s shoulder. “Saved me again.” “That’s about four times by my count.” Rainbow chuckled, relief flooding her with endorphins to go with the adrenaline. “Better not make it too much of a habit.” She pressed her cheek against the top of Twilight’s head and wrapped both arms around the navy haired girl. “I’ll be ok as long as you’ve got my back.” Twilight whispered, she shyly looked up into Rainbow’s rose eyes. The flier stopped, captivated, as the librarian moved in for a kiss. Clattering hooves on paving slabs and two voices joyfully calling out halted them. The cavalry had arrived. “Right on time.” Rainbow grumbled when the girl in her arms pulled away to meet the new arrivals. “Twily.” Shining grabbed her close and Cadence wrapped them both in a hug. “We were so worried about you.” The woman said quietly. “We still have to be worried.” Twilight said, pulling away as best she could. “Jack,” the librarian called out. “Rarity is down inside, with some aspect of the Nightmare... Princess Luna.” She turned to the armour clad woman, “It is getting ready to escape.” “Warriors, we go.” Luna shouted, they ran down the newly opened staircase to the prison. Twilight had not noticed it during her captivity. Jack led the charge, Pinkie close behind. “Come on, let’s get down there.” Rainbow had grasped Twilight’s arm and was leading them to the entrance. “We’re going to see the finish of this at least. -*- Jack ran. Jack could run, she had run on the farm to chase bolting horses or frightened cattle. She had run miles like they were a walk in the park. It was a natural gift from the earth, her granny had always said it. While her mom and pop were better with plants, Jack drew stamina and strength from the everlasting bedrock of the planet. She gathered it close and held it, Rarity needed her and she was going to save her. The steps ended in a dark area, shafts of dusty light gave illumination to sparse details, only enough for the gunner to identify that they were in the strange statue room from the panicked night of flame creatures and the walking dead. “Rarity?” There was no response. “I have a bad feeling about this.” A voice said behind her, a revolver was cocked. Jack spun to confront the newcomer but it was only Pinkie. “How bad?” “The evil meanie is in here. So’s Rarity but she’s not her...” Pinkie held out an arm to halt the princess and her warriors. “The nasty stuff is here.” “Of that I am well aware Corporal.” Luna said, lifting her spear in preparation. The warriors also took arms, even the timid healer stood her ground. Cadence, Shining, Twilight and Rainbow joined them, armed and ready to fight. The princess was about to speak again when a blast of magic hit the stone above them. A warning shot. From the darkness moving like a puppet was Rarity. The glamorous woman looked dishevelled, her hair was mussed and her clothes crumpled. She had her palms up, the most basic of casting stances, they glowed with energy. Another shot was fired off. Luna held off her fighters. “You will not pass through your friend would you?” A dark voice said from Rarity’s mouth. “A weakness.” The third bolt caused a shower of rubble. They ducked it and finally moved from the stairs. “Rarity, that ain’t you.” Jack had lowered her rifle, confronted by something she could not harm. “You’re in there though, so come on out sugar cube.” The warriors and her friend’s kept back, no one wanted to make a move that could harm an innocent. Another blast of magic was loosed. This time the magical bolt found a softer mark, Jack crumpled to her knees. “Rare... Hon... Come out...” The gunner sobbed, her resolve broken. “Ah can’t be without you... Rare... Ah Love You.” “That’s it....” Cadence murmured, “I know how to break the hex.” She whispered to herself. Shining was still close, as was Twilight but she could not leave this chance. If the worst happened, her mother was right here. Slipping away from her friends she allowed her guise to fall away. There would be little point concealing her true nature after this day. “Rarity... Please.” Jack sat on her knees in the sand, looking up as her lover, her soul mate, walked towards her with every intent to kill. Even if as a puppet, Jack knew that Rarity would be destroyed by this. Amongst the warrior cadre Cadence was concealed a little, un-regarded by the others. There was the slightest whisper of wind as she let her wings free, pink tinted magical limbs. With delicate sweeps she was airborne, better to cast her spell. Visualising the script, the symbols of the spell, she held out a hand and released it. Two pink hearts, slight and wispy, floated down through the dusty air. They landed upon Jack and Rarity. It was an instantaneous effect. Rarity slumped forwards, the puppeteers strings had been sliced free, her eyes closed. Jack met the archaeologist as she rose, cushioning her fall, pulling her close. She leant the slightly built woman against her shoulder and tenderly swept some hair from her face. The contact roused her. “Jack?” Rarity whispered, looking up at teary green eyes in wonder. In the air Cadence was about to celebrate when blots of black threw themselves at her from the gloom. “Shining!” She screamed out, pain blossomed in her chest and stomach as the black force hit her. She crashed against the wall, high up near the ceiling, pinned. “Cadence!” Luna, Shining and Twilight ran towards her, Luna took to the air only to spin around and parry further black manifestations of power. The two mages stood powerless on the floor, the warriors running to fight the shadows now they were loosed from the innocent scholar. “Go, fight the evil.” Luna ordered Twilight even as more blasts shot out of the gloom. “I can feel your strength little one.” “What does she mean Shiny, what is even happening? Love spells and possession and Cadence is a Princess!” Twilight was overwhelmed. She had faced death three times in less than twenty four hours, she had been zapped to and from her city with little warning. Mere moments earlier she had been chained to a rock for a ritual sacrifice. Not to mention the confusing mixed feelings swirling around her mind and heart whenever she so much as glanced at Rainbow. “She means, Twily, that you can combat this threat somehow.” Shining had cast a shield on his left arm and was blocking blows from the shadows. “Go, take your friends. I’ll keep Cadey safe.” He gave Twilight a little push towards the others. Pinkie and Rainbow were defending Rarity and Jack from the attack. The tribal healer was checking the archaeologist for any serious ill effects. Stumbling from the push, Twilight summoned her shield and dropped it over the group. “I have to make a plan. I think I have an idea.”