Chapter 11
Dreams and Nightmares
There was a slow and steady wind as Davis, put on on his american soldier uniform, walked with his team in the French coast. The steady waves crashing against a white shoreline and the sight of American destroyers in the distance was what always kept Davis surprised and calm. Surprised because the destroyers were gigantic, he never,expected they would be like that, and calm because the waves' sound was relaxing.
There were many tents where the allied forces had established their main base for the assault on the Germans. There were still many troops disembarking.
He looked at his men, inspecting each and every one of them. They were tired from the beach attack on Normandy, but he knew they couldn't rest, not yet.
He had received a letter from high command telling him he needed to move forward towards the French northern border, and that meant no rest for them, nor himself. He had finished a morning run with them and was on his way to debrief them on the upcoming task. It wasn't going to be easy, but they needed to do it.
He was about to say something when the sound of exploding shells snapped him and his men to attention. There was subsequently the sound of open fire nearby.
"Everybody, ready!" he shouted. The men prepared their rifles, tension clear in their eyes. Davis prepared himself as well. He could hear the shouts that a battle brought, and the screams as well.
But there was a certain sound that caught his attention the most. A metallic clanking, the sound of turning metal and then, the roar of a cannon.
Tanks!
"They've got tanks!" he shouted. His men nodded.
"What now?!" asked one.
"Prepare the antitank guns and call for backup. We can't stop it alone. Now follow me!" he said as he began to move towards the sounds and the gunshots. He had his finger ready to pull the trigger, just a few seconds and he would see the enemy...
There, the first enemy soldier. He shot a couple of rounds and spray fire, catching them by surprise. The other Germans quickly took cover as they noticed their fallen comrades. He took cover himself at the first enemy shots. He could hear his men right beside him, taking cover as well.
He shot a couple of times before advancing, taking some Germans again by surprise by his sudden attack. His own men followed, only to be received by another round of enemy fire. They immediately took cover, but Davis easily heard the shout of one of them getting hit.
"Hold! Don't advance, we need support!" he shouted. He hoped his men heard as he returned fire. He heard a couple of shots hitting their mark, but he knew some of the enemy's had as well. He turned and saw his men having a hard time. The medic was busy with one that seemed to have a serious injury, but there were others hurt as well.
That's when the tanks came.
He heard the metallic sound first, then, knowing what was coming, he shouted a warming to his men.
"Take cover! Tanks!"
He saw the tank's barrel first, then the whole body of the tank. He tried to see what type of tank it was, but the smoke and some trees didn't helped. He saw it stop and, knowing what was coming, he jumped beneath a boulder of rocks. There was a deafening explosion seconds after, followed by the ground shaking. He looked up and saw where the tank had hit.
It was were some of his men had taken cover. He saw that three were okay, but other three were not moving. He looked at what the men had been taking, then immediately uttering a curse.
Those were the antitank guns...
"Fall back!" he shouted. Without those guns, he knew they couldn't defeat the tank... Or maybe...
He ran to his men, hearing enemy shots being shot, trying to hit him. He saw the one with a bazooka.
"Go over there..." he said, pointing at a vantage point, "and shoot when you think you cannot miss. Aim for the gas." The man nodded and ran, covered by friendly fire. He ordered his men then to shoot, trying to move around and don't let the tank get a clear shot.
There was another explosion as the tank shot again, though this time it did nothing more than to cause a few bruises to men nearby. He looked at the man he sent to destroy the tank. He was already aiming, and as soon as the tank shot another time he shot at the tank. There was an explosion as the shell hit its target and exploded the gas tanks. The tank blew up, taking nearby enemy soldiers with it.
The Americans cheered, but Davis knew better. "Fall back, enemy backup will arrive!"
His men quickly moved back, cautious for enemies around. Soon they were again at the beach. Davis turned to the radio man.
The radioman was listening to orders coming in. "They told us to move back, air support will take care of the tanks." Davis nodded and gestured for his men to move.
There was a buzzing sound and soon airplanes flew above them and towards the enemy. There were many explosions and then a stillness that felt so alien...
*** *** ***
Davis woke up. He was sweating and shaking. He sat, covering his face with both his hands, trying to rub the sleep of his eyes.
"Hey there," he heard a voice calling. He moved his hands off his face, opening his eyes to try and see who it was. It was still the dead of night, and his room was dark. He could see a flowing mane, and as his eyes adjusted to the dark he saw a crown and the white eyes.
"Princess Luna?" he asked. The princess of the moon walked over to his bed, never keeping her eyes off the American. "What are you doing here?"
Luna stopped beside the bed. Davis remained seated. "I was watching your dream, and I felt your anguish and anger at it, so I woke you up."
Davis looked confused. "Wait... You were watching my dream? How?"
Luna smiled and walked to a window. Her flowing dark blue mane shining slightly, began to shine even more the moment moon rays touched it. White dots of light that looked like stars shone in it, always making Davis awed by that flowing mane. The princess kept staring outside.
"I have many duties as princess, so does my sister, but I have one that can't be compared to any other duty, whether it be mine or hers." She looked back at Davis. "I am in charge of banishing bad dreams, nightmares, from ponies' minds. I can also enter a dream, modify it in favor of the dreamer. There are cases in which the impression of the dream is too strong for me to do something without hurting the subconscious mind, just like the dream you just had. That's why I woke you up."
Davis stood up. He was dressed in a night uniform. He had never worn such a thing, but apparently in Equestria the officers of an officer rank or over had one. For what reason, he did not know. Still, it was far more,comfortable than his old uniform, at the new one they had given him.
"So your telling me you can enter somebody's mind, without any trouble," he said. Luna chuckled.
"No, it's harder than what you think." She walked to him. Davis stood up. Luna, seeing Davis' confused face, continued.
"Most ponies are easy to enter their minds, yes, but there are some that make it a little hard to accomplish my job. In fact, your mind caused me some problems when I entered."
"Well, thanks for waking me up, but it wasn't a nightmare," Davis said. Luna shook her head slowly.
"Maybe not strictly a nightmare, but there are certain dreams that are rather unpleasant for the dreamer. You were..." She stopped. "You had a dream of a battle, a war..." She looked at him attentively. "Was that... Was that the war you were fighting before coming here?"
Davis walked towards a little table that had a water bottle. He opened it and drank some. He rubbed his eyes a little as well. Then, he nodded.
"Yes..."
Luna approached him, stopping feet away from him. "How is a war like that, with those guns of yours?"
Davis looked for a second to his rifle. The weapon was laying against the side of his bed. He felt relieved after seeing it was still there. Somehow, he always felt like if it was going to mysteriously or magically disappear.
He cleared his throat. "They are like any other type of warfare, horrible, painful and bloody," he said, his voice maintaining a monotone tone. He felt heavy and tired of just thinking of war, yet he knew he would be marching towards one soon enough. He hated war, and talking about it... made it worse.
"If there's anything you'd like to talk about, I can listen to you," Luna said. Davis shook his head.
"No, it's alright." He yawned.
"I'll take my leave then," Luna said. She walked to the door slowly.
"Wait..."
Luna stopped and turned around.
Davis looked at the window and then back at Luna. "There are things men... or stallions maybe as well... take a lot of pride in themselves."
"Yes... And...?" Luna asked.
Davis sighed. "You are the princess of the moon, you stop nightmares to your subjects..." he said. "But there are times that nightmares are not what haunts someone... it's memories."
Luna, that had been looming expectant and slightly confused, looked in understanding and smiled. "I know your problem," she said. Davis chuckled nervously.
"I've never told anyone or anypony before when I'm scared," Davis said slightly ashamed.
"Being scared is nothing to be afraid of, and I believe you above all knows that." Luna approached Davis.
The American nodded. "I know."
Luna turned and walked towards the door. She opened it with her magic, her horn lighting up with a blue aura. "Good night Davis." She was gone after that. The door closed slowly behind her.
Davis moved his hands to his face, rubbing his eyes. He slowly walked up to the window. The moon shone brightly outside. Davis sighed. Why had he told that to Luna? He had never spoke so personally before.
He walked over to his bed and snuck in. Tomorrow was going to be a tiring day...
*** *** ***
Darkness... That was what surrounded him. He opened his eyes, as a sharp light struck him, blinding him for a couple of seconds and don't letting him see for other seconds. When he managed to see again, he wished he couldn't.
"Soon enough, Glimfeather; soon enough I'll be sitting on that throne," said a soft yet evil female voice.
"You won't ever touch the golden throne, bug!" he shouted to the top of his lungs. The griffon Glimfeather, general of the griffon forces and prince to the throne, looked around, trying to find the source of the voice. The lights had turned off, so he couldn't find it
"Oh, but I will, as I will also be seated on the two sister's throne in Canterlot," the voice repeated in an amused tone. Two large green eyes stared at the griffon, who tried,to free himself from the ropes that had him trapped. "Tomorrow at dawn we advance! To Equestria, and to war!"
Immediately after that, the sound of hooves against bare stone thundered as lights appeared around the gigantic cave they were in. Glimfeather then saw something he had not expected as thousands upon thousands of changelings cheered. He felt exposed and the once unknown feeling of fear enveloped his being.
All Glimfeather could do was wonder how where the Equestrians and griffons alike supposed to survive against that...