I opened my eyes and looked around. I was still in my tent, a small pathetic thing made for one pony to sleep in, and just barely, but something felt off.
I got up and backed out of the tent, as there was no room to turn around, and began to scan the camp with my eyes. Then it clicked. No pony else stood any were in sight. There were no guards on the perimeter, and none patrolling the tents.
I turned to the tent beside mine and looked inside, but were Swift Steel should have been, there was just an empty sleeping bag. I pulled my head out of the tent and ran back to my own, I grabbed my uniform and stuffed myself into it as fast as I could. I attached my sword to my side, before taking my musket and loading it.
After I was finished, I made my way toward the command tent, checking every other tent on the way, but finding no pony. I was soon standing in front of the tent of my destination. However, I could see right into it before I even got to it, as the two large flaps were open. I stopped and looked around again.
"Where the hay is everypony?"I asked myself out loud.
I turned west and found my gaze on the tall mountain in the distance. It was easily within a days journey from the camp, and there wasn't anywhere else to go.
"Maybe they went on without me?"I asked as I started to walk in that direction.
However, just as I stepped out of the camp the scene changed. Long fields of grass turned into cobble streets, and small hills into houses. I raised my weapon as I fount myself standing in a city square. And, as I looked around, I realized that I had been here before. Clefrun, an earth pony city I had helped attacked on my first deployment.
As I looked around the city, I didn't see any sign of the battle. Houses and other building stood, the wall behind me wasn't damaged, and not a single body lay in the streets, but, there was a problem. Not a single pony was in the streets beside me. I made my way over to one of the houses and looked in. I immediately backed up, but could still see inside. Bodies lined the floor, earth pony stallions with swords and muskets were at the front, but mares and foals were at the back, shot to death by a volley of musket fire.
I turned away and began to move along the city wall, trying to find the gate so I could get out. I soon found the main street in the city, cutting right through the middle and leading to a large square in the center of the city. I paused and found myself staring down the street, something inside of me telling me to go to the main square. My hooves moved on there own, and in a few minutes I was standing in the square, staring at the carnage of a whole town that had been butchered. I found myself throwing up, before I could back up though I found my hooves wouldn't move.
I struggled to force myself to move so I could get away, but I couldn't. I was stuck here. I could move my whole body, but not my hooves. Panic began to grip my heart as I frantically looked for a way out, but I stopped when I heard a voice behind me.
"Now do you see the evil of your empire?"the voice asked, it was clearly feminine, and held a lot of authority."Tell me, why do you come to our lands?"
I turned my head as far as I could so I could see who was speaking behind me, I was expecting a earth pony. However, instead, a unicorn mare stood there. Her coat was dark blue, her mane light blue, and she was unnaturally tall. She had no armor, nor weapons, but her face was a mask of anger.
"What?"I asked."Your lands?"
"Yes, Equestria."she said as she took a step toward me.
"These are earth pony lands."I stated, I was utterly confused.
"Fool, you come here in service to lairs and thieves."she stated.
Anger began to rise in my chest."That's treason!"I shouted.
"Its the truth!"she shouted as well, and then flared a huge pare of wings."Your emperor wants this land for himself. And your 'gods' back him."
My eyes went wide when she finished, my anger turned to fear, and my heart sped up. Wings and a horn."Oh crap."I though to myself."She's one of them."
We staid like that for a time before I could finally speak."You speak heresy."I stated, my fear once again giving way to anger."You've poisoned enough ponies with your lies."I finished as I went to draw my sword, but it wouldn't budge.
"This is a dream, blind one."she stated simply."I control what happens here."her horn flared and the sword vanished.
My mouth opened and closed like a fish out of water."Impossible, every pony in the army has mind defense wards. She's lying."I thought.
"No, I'm not."she said.
My eyes widened yet again."How..."I started, but was cut off by a loud shout.
"Enough!"a voice called out, and the sky was torn open."You can not simple take what is mine!"
I looked up and beheld a draconequus descending from the sky. Hypnos, god of sleep and dream realms soon landed between me and the pretender.
"This has always been my realm, beast."the tall Unicorn Pegasus declared.
"Not any more!"Hypnos shouted, and his body became a bright light.
"Ah."I shot up in my tent and stood to my full height. I quickly backed out of my tent and looked around.
It was pitch back out and the moon still hung high in the nights sky. I turned my gaze away from the sky and scanned my eyes over the camp. Sentries stood watch, a pony scurried around here and there, and the tent next to mine was emitting a very loud snoring noise.
"It was just a dream."I mumbled to myself."Thank the gods."I turned and stumbled back into my bed, were I fell asleep instantly.