//------------------------------// // A Nightmare Made Real // Story: A Dark Infection // by DawnedDusk //------------------------------// A rumble shook the earthly floor. The Queen of Equestria soared over top of the broken land. She stared down at the darkened earth then back up to it's red sky. She couldn't tell if what was happening around her was a dream or a nightmare, but she did know she had to find her friends. Had they deserted her after her psychotic episode? That was the last thing she could remember, pounding her hooves at Anubis' head before being thrown at the wall. Luna couldn't even remember if she had awoken from that or not. She had not any scars from the griffon's beak clamping and slicing on her forelegs nor a wound in the back of her skull, but it did hurt. She now only hoped that they would forgive her. The mare had a darkness brewing inside, but none knew when it would be ready. For the first time, the queen stared up at her moon. It was still shining a bright white, but the dark red colors of the sky and the think black clouds kept trying washing it away. Luna perched on top of a lone cloud and called for her companions and the rest of her troop. They were no where to be seen, but she gained the sight of a silhouette of what might be a town. Maybe that’s where everypony was, but the queen would be glad if anypony were. The former princess took off, the powerful force of her wings left the dark cloud torn and in pieces. As she approached the town, the area around her became cold. The blue mare could get glimpses of her breath as white mist. “Hello? Can anypony hear me?” she called out to the empty town. The buildings seemed wrecked and burned, out of her view prods of beginning to grow dark crystals were forming. The alicorn could smoke and thought that perhaps the town's citizen's had perished in a blaze or had evacuated. Appearing from the thick air came a familiar sight, it was the wreckage of what use to be Sugarcube Corner. This place she had been walking around was Ponyville or at least it use to be. The shaking barren and cracked floor must have been what was left of Apple Arces. The queen felt a lump in her stomach, almost like a rock. She was feeling true fear, the same fear she felt when she had almost lost to Midnight. She stepped through the wreckage, half of its door was missing and what was left of it hung off the hinges. Even so, there was a big gaping whole in the front of the structure that there was no need for the broken door. She searched for any remains of fluffy pink hair or signs that she had gotten out safely. The party pony might have known where and when to get out of the bakery because of that Pinkie Sense. Luna had heard stories of her using it in situations once before. The mare mostly remembered the infamous Twilight trying to find a proper explanation for the pony's predicting senses. “Pinkie Pie?” she called a bit softly as she maneuvered safely through the dusty wreckage for she knew the entire building could topple at any moment. The air tasted of saw dust, causing Luna to have coughing fits. She spotted the broke glass of the showcase, where the baked goods were placed, scattered along the floor and followed up to the rotting goods on their shelves. Luna gagged at the smell, it was filling her nose. Luna spotted a dried red liquid on the surface of the dusty counter top. In that moment that rock in her stomach became ice. Curiosity and stupidity invaded her mind and dared her to see if anything was concealed on the other side. She placed both of her hooves on the top surface and peered over. Just behind that counter was a rotting body of a pony. The side of their head was smashed in so she couldn't tell of their identity. The small hairs scattered everywhere weren't that of Pinkie Pie, instead the hairs were a orange color. She felt a small relief but was still disturbed. She was frozen in fear, her eyes fixed on the maggot filled carcass. A liquid rose in her throat and caused her to jump down from the counter and lurch over to the side to let the vile escape her body. Its nasty taste clung to her taste buds as she gagged repeatedly. The pile of vomit seemed to release steam into the air. She breathed heavily in gasps trying to regain her normal breath. A few thumps came from overhead, Luna stared at the ceiling. She waited patiently to hear the thumps again. After a few moments, two more thumped against the dusty wood. Luna moved quickly to the stairs, almost slipping in her own waste. Approaching the top of the stairs, she slowed down her pace. She finally reached the room, Luna stared in each and every direction. Nopony was in sight, just a torn up bed. Everything was either broken or ash. The mare examined the remains of a small creature, during her further examination she classified them to be alligator bones. The princess' raised a brow before setting them back down to form the small animal skeleton. A loud thud came from a falling shelf, causing Luna to jump and turn. She stalked towards the fallen shelf and glanced in different directions to make sure nothing would collapse onto her. A loud shriek came from above. A pony had threw themselves onto Luna's back. She couldn't see their face for it was shielded by a cloak. “Damn you! Damn you all!” the pony's voice yelled, it seemed to be a mare's. Luna bucked her hind-legs in a struggle to throw the mare from her back. The sound of a metal cling rang in Luna's ear before a blade was brought down to her neck. She felt the blade cut the side of her neck but no further. Luna reared up, causing her attacker to cling to her back for a moment before falling. A scream came from the pony followed by a gurgling sound. Luna turned to see a jagged wooden spike had pierced the mare's neck. The alicorn felt guilty, but the earth pony had it coming for attacking her. Her only wish now was to see their face. She took her hooves and pushed the hood back. It revealed to be the party pony everpony loved and enjoyed. Her normally fluffy pink mane was bone straight. Tears welled up in her eyes and began to flood her face. “Shit!” she cursed aloud. She fell back on her haunches before collapsing on the floor entirely. “I'm sorry. I'm so sorry,” she kept apologizing as if she were on a never ending repeat. Luna removed the mare's body from the spike and laid Pinkie's body on her side. She grabbed the torn sheet that hung from the bed and threw it gently on the limp form. The mare sniffled and hung her head in shame, she wanted to sit in vigil for the mare but felt it wasn't right to do so. She jumped from the gaping hole in the front of the building and continued her search for friends or survivors. This time she would be more careful. She wouldn't want another 'accident' again. Perhaps it was best to take flight once more, ditch this place that would most likely haunt her dreams. A loud booming noise came from a far, with the blue aura of her horn, Luna sensed a strong magic energy. She fought with herself if she should go and investigate, but the chances were what she would find she would most likely regret. Maybe this force was what was shaking the ground before? Unsure of her beliefs, the blue mare took her chances and headed towards the destination. The magic would explode from a single area and cause the ground to crumble and disintegrate. Dust and debris had made its way in Luna's direction, some invading her eyes causing her to stop and rub them. She was not sure how close she could get, “Maybe I should use a protection spell, just to be safe.” Sure enough, she cast the spell and was protected by a glowing blue aura around her body, this almost made her look like a angel despite her messy mane and irritated red eyes. Luna discovered that the magic was coming from a deep crater in the crack soil below. The pause in its repeating pattern allowed her to get a glimpse of a pony, judging by their structure it was a stallion. The queen felt as if she should confront the stallion but the blue equine was unaware if he would come off as hostile. The shine of blond hair glistened once Luna caught another glimpse of the stallion. The spell faded slightly from her body as her heart sank. That stallion was BlueBlood. “Blue!” she shouted, her voice cracking of a mixture of sadness and anger. The charge of magic stayed at the tip of his horn, his head slowly turned towards her. An utter expression of hatefulness and disgust. His beautiful blue eyes were dark and swollen as if he had been awake for days. His expression turned into a crazed smile, “God!” Luna made a confused face, but was still disturbed. “No, not God.. an angel! Angel, have you come to retrieve me?” the prince asked as he raced towards her, tripping on the way. He now hung from the edge where the crater led down into. His hooves reached for her fore-leg for he wanted to bring himself upon the 'angel'. Luna stared at the white unicorn, tears were welling up in her eyes. He doesn't know who I am? She thought aloud. The glow of the protection spell faded, taking away her angelic appearance. She pulled the stallion close in a hug, he stayed limp while her hooves were wrapped around him in a tight hug. “Weeping angel...weeping angel...no..not an angel. Demon..demon..DEMON,” he screamed in a crazed anger. He delivered a harsh blow to the queen's stomach, causing her to fall onto her back. Luna gritted her teeth together in pain and clutched onto her thin sides. Her tears were still flowing at a rapid speed. Not because of the pain, but because of Blue. She failed everypony, but most of all she failed him. Bum..Bum..Bum..Bum.. The mare could hear his heartbeat. She couldn't explain as to why, but it calmed her crying. Now she just laid on the cracked gravel of the earth, unable to move. Her face became that of a stone cold Betty when she stared in the prince's direction. His face was a deadpan, only a dark stare could be called an expression. Another bum entered her ears as his colors changed to that of Sombra. She didn't see Blue anymore, just that monster. Luna felt the ice in her stomach once more, but now it had multiplied. Luna stayed put to the ground, giving up and submitting to the dark crystal king. The dark stallion stood beside her, glaring down at the mare's limp body. Luna returned the stare before squeezing her eyes shut. She waited for the pain that never came, but she dared not to open her eyes. She did not wish to find out what horrors awaited her. She felt teeth clamp around her neck and pain followed them. Her breath was breaking apart before she took a final gasp. A sudden breath of fresh air returned to her. Confused, she opened her large eyes to only see the side of a dripping wet stone cave wall. A blanket was thrown over her, the same one from Celestia. Her eyes traveled over to the blurred bodies of her troop. All were staring out of the open mouth of the cave. The timberwolf, Ulver, looked over his shoulder to see her sitting up drealily, “She's awake.” “Luna!” a worried pink pony dashed over to the queen and pulled her in for a hug. Behind her, Luna could see a puddle and her reflection. The infection had spread, the dark fur was beginning to appear on her face and her flowing mane was more wild than ever. The sky seemed dark, was it night? If so, how? “It's dark outside...is it night?” Luna asked, her voice seeming almost childish and innocent. Princess Cadence stared to the side, removing her gaze from the blue equine. “How long have I been asleep?” “Three days, and no..not quite,” the pink princess informed. Wrapping her wing around the queen, she helped her to her hooves. The two ponies walked slowly over to the cave's mouth, the others letting them through. The queen was greeted by the harmony of screams across the land. The sky was blood red, its sun was just a dark rock that shined no light. The flame of fires traveled as far as the eye could see. “This...I saw..This was,” Luna's voice trailed off as she recalled her longtime nightmare. This was all in her dream. The queen started hyperventilating, panic breaths took the place of words. A few moments had passed before Luna finally made a full sentence, “We have to get to Ponyville. Now.”