//------------------------------//
// Dreams are afoot 
// Story: Celestia's thoughts 
// by demonrecon 
//------------------------------//

Dreams are Afoot.
By Demonrecon

Have you ever been lost in your dreams before? Have you ever had to find your way when there was no guiding light? Have you ever truly experienced true fear? No? Well then.

Let me tell you of a warning a ghost once gave me. “If you see a path of zero light, do not go down its path, for only pain it shall cause, as your inner truth it shows.

I found myself lost. In a castle of familiarity, yet I could have sworn I have never been there. So when I came upon a spilt in the road, one could say, I could not do anything else but sit. Which path should I choose? The path of with no light or the path that looked well lit from the moonlight that came from its open windows. I then heard something down the darker path that peak my interests, the dripping of water.

         Drip.

I try to look down it, its darkness seemed eternal. I tried a light spell yet it illumined nothing. My interest was now further heightening by this mystery. I had to know what was down there what its shadows hid.

        Drip.

There it is again. I think I should go, for only the fool I would be to sit here all night, wondering about what it could be, instead of finding out. After all, I have been wandering these halls these past few hours anyways. What do I have to lose? Besides maybe being bored to death by wondering?

        Drip.

 I start my way down this dark path, yet I find it hard to walk. It feels as if something is trying to drag me down. I start to not trust my own legs to navigate this darkness, as they start to lead me astray and into things. I start to trip on things, that as far as I can tell, aren’t there. I feel my heart to start speeding up as I go farther and farther. It starts to feel as if something is watching me. I look back, still able to see some light from where I have come. It seems to taunt me, saying  “Come back, come back before it’s too late.”  I go on.

        Drip

As I edge farther and farther from the light, as  the main hallway dissipates. Leavening me with only darkness for company. I notice my breathing has speed up a little more, since I could now hear every breath I took. I feel my chest start to ache from my heart pounding, and I feel my sweat dripping down my face. This place, this hallway wasn’t right. I don’t know why. It feels wrong somehow.
“You should have listened to are warning now your fate is sealed.”

 Of course the ghost is back, as if I wasn’t on my last nerves already. I felt a breeze up ahead. Strange there shouldn’t be one this strong in a sealed hallway like this. I walked on further listen to my breath as is got heavier, and heavier.  Where was the drip that I been following gone? Surely it hadn’t stopped? Where was it? I try to slow my breathing and listen for it.

“…”

But nothing comes, nothing at all. Where is it?! Where, I need to know! I took a few more cautious steps forward now, and I hear a splash. I just stepped in something. I try to feel it, but it feels familiar yet strange, like my mind refuses to recognize it. I decide to lick it, hoping that it would unfreeze my mind. I slowly brought up my hoof and licked it. The taste was brass like; I stood there a moment trying to comprehend this. But nothing came to me. I am frozen in place, a confused look on my face. Then above me, moonlight starts to shine in, right where I stand. The light that it gives shines a red liquid on my hoof, and a small puddle of it before me, as well as a creature lying there presumably dead.  “Huh?” was all I could say, The confused look not leaving my face.  What am I looking at? What is going on?

Then as if on cue, a trot comes to be, at first so quiet that a whisper would have been loader, then as it comes closer and closer, the hooves that are trotting along,  moving to a slow rhythm, unlike my heart, which now was beating faster than any drum.  What is coming? Why is it moving so slow? Does it know I’m here? Does it want to frighten me? Does it want me so scared, that I wouldn’t dare to move, as it devours me? What is it, and why does  it scare me so much? 

Then the light shines on it. I have shut my eyes, right before my mind can register it, as if my body is waiting for it to devour me where I stand.  My mind not, wanting to register what the last thing I see is. So I stand there, eyes closed, breathing erratic, heart pounding like mad, waiting and waiting. Yet the end does not come. 

I slowly open my eyes pecking at it, wanting to know what it’s waiting for. At first I saw nothing but darkness yet, as I focus my gaze. I notice a white coat with a multicolor mane, though it was stained in blood, it doesn’t look like it is from its own injuries, instead from another’s.  I look at its face. It has some blood splattered on it,  as if it had been splashed on. I can’t help but stare. I turn my head sideways and the beast did the same. I turn it the other way, and it follows. Just then, my mind catches up and figures out that I am looking at myself.

I blink and look more closely at the body on the floor. It has a darker coat stained with blood from the slashes that stain its body. The body is as unmoving as they come. I look at the face, seeing if I can place it. All of a sudden it hit me, it is my sister, and it looks like I have killed her. I’ll… wait where has she gone?

I look everywhere, yet I could not hear, nor see her. Then some of my hair falls into my face. Blood stained bangs, to be exact. “What?” It was all I can say.

I wake up in my chambers, screaming, breathing heavily,  sweat running down my bangs. I look around, trying to figure out where I am. I feel lost. l feel scared. What had I done? Two guards come barging in, asking if I am alright. At this moment, I calm down enough to truly see what is around me. Familiar furniture lies around with a picture or two on display. At this moment, I come to the conclusion that I am indeed in my chambers. I take my hooves and whip some sweat away, saying to the guards that it’s nothing,  I just had a bad dream is all. They look reluctant to leave. I slow my breathing down and assure them nothing was wrong it was all just a bad dream. 

They leave, closing my doors behind them. I close my eyes, soon after I had assured it really was a dream. I start to drift to sleep again. I then hear something, something that shouldn’t be.

Drip.