//------------------------------// // Nightmares apparently exist everywhere // Story: The Greatest Treasure // by Evowizard25 //------------------------------// My sister’s realm, the realm of dreams, is a place of peace and comfort. Well, for the most part. I would be lying if I said I ‘loved’ this place. Oh, I do enjoy it, but having had to deal with one thousand years of nothing but bad dream after bad dream, my experience has been soured. It is why I quickly learned to dispel my dreams, like my dear Chrysalis had done to herself.   Luna was…very angsty in her youth. Honestly, I’m surprised I didn’t see the whole ‘Nightmare Moon’ incident coming in such a way. There’s not a moment that goes by where I am not ashamed of myself for that. In recent months, I have been trying to open my mind back up to the realm of dreams. It has been difficult for the most part. And when I say difficult, I mean painful; physically and mentally. My body is still coping with being connected to it after so long. This was only a mere thousand years without contact. I can’t imagine what agony Chrysalis would have gone through if she were to reconnect again after tens of thousands of years of doing so. Another side effect, beside the pain, was how plain the realm was. Strolling about, all I could see was white nothing. There wasn’t a flicker of life or imagination. I remember vaguely the dreams of my youth and they were always bright and joyful. Now it was like someone had wiped me clean of everything. It was disconcerting to say the least. Yet, I had no real choice. I had to keep up my regime of visiting here. My sister was happiest in the realm of dreams and I most assuredly was going to share in her happiness…this time. I sighed. ‘What a neglectful big sister I turned out to be. I didn’t even tell her what I was doing before I so foolishly tried out the spell. She must be furious with me.’ “Of course she is,” a voice hissed out. “Honestly, anyone with a half decent brain would be furious with you. I guess you just have that effect on ponies.” My eyes nearly bulged out of my skull when I heard it. “No…it cannot be.” Turning my head, I gazed upon the vicious form of Nightmare Moon.   “Surprised?” Nightmare smirked. “This is just a dream,” I snarled. “You’re not real…But how are you here? My dreams aren’t that complex yet. I haven’t rebuilt them to such an extent.” “Oh but I am,” Nightmare did her best pouty face…which was kind of adorable, but not ‘Luna’ adorable. “Are you not happy to see me?” “Yes,” I took an aggressive step forward, my horn lowered and ready to skewer her. While I prefer to slay my foes with magic, which was my forte, I was not above meeting a foe in close combat. None were my equal in combat, except my sister of course. She is far more at ease in close quarters combat then I. “Pity,” Nightmare sighed. “I had hoped you would be happy.” “Happy? HAPPY?!!!” My voice resounded about the realm as I used the royal Canterlot voice. “I AM MOST CERTAINLY DISPLEASED TO SEE SUCH A VILE CREATURE SUCH AS YOURSELF HERE! YOU VIOLATED MY SISTER, FORCED ME TO BANISH HER, TURN THE ELEMENTS AGAINST HER! YOU MADE MY LIFE A LIVING TARTARUS FOR A THOUSAND YEARS! I WOULD NEVER BE HAPPY TO SEE YOUR FACE!” Nightmare Moon didn’t even flinch. She didn’t move a muscle. Normally, my voice would have done something. It would often carry creatures and objects several miles away, but nothing happened. ‘This is a dream,’ I reminded myself. “I did no such thing,” Nightmare stated, glaring at me. “I am not the being who corrupted your sister. I am merely the byproduct. A shadow of her glory, cast away by the Elements. Why they did not kill me is beyond my knowledge. Maybe it wanted to toy with me, to make me suffer. I did. Do you know what it’s like to not have a body? To be separated from the very thing that made you whole? No, you do not. I’m merely an insignificant daemon who touched your sister. I am not worthy of your sympathy.” I mulled over her words. In my time, I have gone up against daemons of many sorts. Lies were one of their most powerful weapons. They used them to get them everywhere and to further themselves. Yet, a lie such as this held no purpose other than the truth. Why tell me that she is but a mere fragment? To gain my sympathy. I scoffed at the idea. “Be that as it may, you are still here, in my dreams. I want to know why?” “You brought me here,” Nightmare said. “What?” I couldn’t really think of a better response than that. “You brought me here, Celestia.” Nightmare Moon hissed in agitation. “When you performing your spell, I couldn’t help but be drawn to it. I was like a moth to a flame with such…power. I had to have it.” The backlash, the strain I felt when I teleported. It all made sense now why it failed. Nightmare Moon had hitched a ride, causing my magic to expand and go haywire. Of course, there was just one thing more I needed to know. “Why couldn’t I sense you?” I asked. “Why couldn’t anyone find you? You may be just a spirit, but you couldn’t have existed for so long under our noses without somepony noticing you.” Nightmare merely laughed. “Really? You think so highly of your ponies, Celestia. They couldn’t find a centaur, let alone an incorporeal spirit.” I snorted. “Have you learned so little in all this time, Nightmare Moon? My subjects aren’t the type one should underestimate. If I recall, it only took six mortals to cast you down.” Nightmare scowled. “It was the elements, not them. They were merely conduits for the power…but that doesn’t matter. What matters is here and now and I’m loving it here. I wish you brought me to this realm sooner.” I quirked an eyebrow. “What are you talking about?” “Do you not sense it?” Nightmare spread her wings out wide. “The hatred, the violence, the death, all together at once. It’s such a beautiful concoction of terrible emotions and I can’t help but salivate upon feeling them. Their nightmares are the stuff of legends…And there is a power here. A power far more evil than Equestria has ever known.” “What is this power?” I asked, not expecting an answer. Nightmare chuckled. “That is no concern of yours, my once dear sister. This realm is not our own and I have my doubts as to whether one can cross from here back to home. You were lucky to have landed here in the first place. Luck will not be on your side the next.” “Then leave me be,” I growled. “My journey home will be much swifter without an evil such as yourself leaching onto my magic.” Nightmare frowned. “That would not be wise, Celestia. You need me.” “I need you as much as I need an axe in my skull,” I retorted. It’s not a pleasant experience, I assure you. “But you are wrong,” Nightmare’s grin was unnerving. Her dagger like teeth weren’t helping matters either. “You are weak, Celestia. The spell took so much out of you, but I can help you. This realm holds so much…darkness. If you would just let me out…” “Let you out?” I scoffed. “Even if I knew how to, I would never consider it. You bring nothing but pain and misery and I’d be a fool to just let you torment the innocent of this world.” “There are no innocents,” Nightmare pounded a hoof to the ground in fury. “There is darkness in every living thing. Even you hold a dark seed within you…but that is for another time. I do not know why you would even consider helping these beings. This is not your realm and before long, you would not have to dwell here. All I ask is for the chance to roam free and proud once more. Is that so wrong?” “Yes. You said yourself that there is a darkness in these lands,” I sighed. “I may not be able to sense them at this moment, but I know this to be true.” ‘Smaug is a perfect example.’ “And that is why I will not let you go,” I said firmly. “If what you say is true, then you would grow strong. Strong enough where you could plunge this realm into eternal night.” “I do no…” Nightmare started. “This world will die,” I snarled. “And what’s stopping you from following me back home, hmm? A promise? HA! The promise of a daemon is worthless and hollow. With a whole world at your beck and call, Equestria will be strained. Even if we won, we would be devastated.” “This is your only chance,” Nightmare roared. “You know that this dragon will never let you outside. You will grow frail and wither before long.” “Be it as it may,” I started. “I will not sacrifice the lives of my subjects for a shortcut home. I will find my own way…Or die trying, but I if I am to die, then I will die knowing my sister is taking care of Equestria in my stead.” Nightmare Moon was silent for a moment. I knew she was thinking up something right now. Most likely another lie or another attempt to assuage me to her side. I will not yield to her words. I will not bow to her logic. “Then die you shall,” Nightmare’s grin returned. “Your skill in the art of the dreamscape is…laughable. You do not know its intricacies, such as how one can feel pain in a dream.” Her horn glowed and before I could do anything, black tendrils shot out from the ground and wrapped themselves tightly around my form. They brought me to ground with little resistance, for I could do nothing against them. My body was frigid and unresponsive. For a moment, fear flickered in my eyes before a crushed it. I would not show Nightmare weakness. “Submit Celestia,” Nightmare stalked over and lowered her face mere inches from mine. “Or you will feel agony the likes you have never known.” “Never,” I spat in her face. Nightmare blinked and sighed, reeling her head back. “I would like to say that this isn’t personal,” a wicked grin split her face. “But I’d be lying.” With another flick of her horn, the tendrils dug into my flesh. Sparks of dark magic struck me at every angle. I tried to resist the pain. ‘Hold it together. Hold it together…HOLD IT TOGETHER!’ My mouth opened and I let out a cry of agony. The dark magic struck every nerve on my body and the tendrils tore through flesh as they grew tighter and tighter. “Relent Celestia,” Nightmare Moon chuckled. “Relent and it will stop. Just let me free. I’ll never bother you and your subjects again.” “LIAR!” I roared through the pain of it all. “Then this shall….” Nightmare Moon’s eyes widened before everything ended. ________________________________________________________________ *Smaug* The screaming. That infernal screaming. Why must female screams be so irritating? Oh yes, they sound so good when they’re burning alive, but before then, it’s like they are trying to shatter my eardrums. A futile gesture, but annoying none the less. I always found it satisfying to shut them up. Now my new trinket was the one screaming. Aggravatingly, I could not kill her. She was my jewel, my prize. I took several mighty steps towards her. I could see she was in pain. So much so. She was writhing in my gold, her body kicking and twitching everywhere. She was fighting through it, but she was too weak. As I watched this happen, I felt a bit of confusion. I had no idea how to help her. Normally, I would simply end the pitiful creature’s life, but now… ‘What am I supposed to do?’ I cared not to learn of the art of healing, for they were useless to dragons.I was a being of death and destruction, not a beast who cared for the sick and ill of the world. I treated no one but with fire and death, searing away their weak bodies and problems. But now, watching such a graceful creature writhe in agony, l was puzzled as to what to do. Not only that, but I felt a tinge of...what do the two legged races call it? Worry? If this is what it feels like, I wanted no part in it. Of course, I wondered why I was worried. Why wasn’t I happy to see her in pain? I normally revel in pain and misery, but seeing her now before me, acting like a dying animal… I reasoned that she was a part of my hoard and I wanted nothing to happen to my newest addition. Or maybe it was just the evil power that I sensed from within her that was giving me that feeling….Wait, evil power? Something was rising from her, obviously something foreign as it felt off when in contact with her own body. It felt so familiar, so powerful. Anger boiled my blood. I glared down at her with my lips pulled back in a snarl. ‘That little upstart. Does he think to take away my jewel? DOES HE THINK HIMSELF SO BOLD AS TO STEAL FROM ME?!!’ I roughly nudged Celestia awake, making sure to bombard her with but a taste of my own magic to sear the offending cretin. I felt the dark being fade away, not completely, but enough to let go of what hold they had over MY PROPERTY! With a startled cry, Celestia awoke. She was panting heavily and her coat was damp with her sweat. She eyed me for a moment, surprised by my actions. At least, that is what I inferred. “You saved me?” I snorted. “You are a part of my hoard. It would do me no good as to let harm come to you, lest I lose my precious jewel.” Celestia smiled. “Thank you.” Her cheeks were slightly red for some reason. Possibly due to exhaustion. I growled. “I do not need your thanks, only your silence.” “Be that as it may,” Celestia weakly giggled. “I still must thank you.” “Of course you must,” I scoffed. “I am Smaug, the most powerful dragon to have ever lived. My hoard is within the safest grasp of all of Middle Earth. You will have nothing to fear here, but my own temper.” “I think I can live with that,” Celestia sighed blissfully, returning once more to the realm of slumber. ‘Can you?’ I wondered to myself. As much as it pained me to think, Celestia was a creature of power like myself. Not nearly my equal, but I could tell just from looking at her that she would make for a fierce opponent had she not been so weak. ‘But she is prey. They are all weak.’ Weak or not, powerful or not, Celestia was mine now. No dark lord or anything on Middle Earth could take her away from me.