Chapter 3- Lost Laughter
(Authors note- This is only a recording from the aspects of Twilight Sparkle. Please note that this is a new genre to the author.)
(Warning- This chapter has some minor gore)
I’ve never had a dream before, but the dream here, I see myself… But why would there be another me? I try to make contact with her/myself by saying “Who are you”. But all she did was shake her head… And all I could do was hear her voice.
“Darkness… Darkness… There is no light to be seen for what you need is in the dark. Trying to find something while blind is almost impossible. But the thing following you knows where the light is, and the attempts to stop you grow stronger by the second… One form of madness would be for you to see one of your loved ones… Well, let me just say for you to see them as a ‘different’ nature…
So wake up Twilight… It’s time to face the dark once again…”
With only those few lines she parted away from me. Her face seemed extremely grim showing off regret and sadness. As she disappeared from me fog started to roll in covering her passage. I tried to follow her but I came in contact with some invisible force. Suddenly everything went dark. Only the sound of eerie screams and cries arrived in my ears. But I knew what I’ve seen. The thing after myself disappeared. It may seem like nothing but it’s the darkness… The darkness itself haunts my dreams…
I opened my eyes wide as I made out the situation I was in.
‘How long was I asleep?’ I thought to myself.
Not too long ago I was facing the shadow, but why is my mind so clear? That question shall be answered later. For now I must move forward.
Wedging out of my cramped spot I still knew my objectives. I made my way out of this small library through the broken door that the monster has taken down, and I knew that it still lingers. Advancing quickly and quietly as possible I made my way toward the large open room where the piano slammed shut. The room seemed even darker then before even with my lantern.
Making my way through the room, thunder clashed loudly releasing another round of soft rain. Something about this room made my hairs crawl.
But as I continued past the room something mysterious caught my eye. Turning my head sharply toward my left I looked at the piano. It was… Glowing? I didn’t know why, but I was persuaded by its majestic glow and the next thing I knew I was sitting on the wooden bench. I had no idea how to even play this instrument… But I opened the handle to reveal a neat assortment of piano keys. I reached out to press one of the clean, slick white keys. But I hesitated. But I willed myself to at least touch it. As I did once again I found myself surrounded by a thousand whispers…
As I opened my eyes I found myself sitting on the bench but there was another mare next to me. As I looked out the window the sky was beautifully bright without a cloud in the sky.
‘This flashback must be from before the Shadow of Chaos...’ I thought to myself.
The mare next to me had a pink mane and coat. She smelled like cotton candy and she was playing the piano laughing and smiling.
“See Twilight!? If things are good or bad, you should always be happy! And if the sad and lonely times do come my laughter will live on!”
I stared at her and found myself smiling, “Where will your laughter live on Pinkie Pie?”
She just gave me a squee smile. “Well in this piano of course! I’m going to play until all my happiness and joy goes inside! Heck, I’ll leave my happiness and laughter everywhere!”
My vision suddenly became while and I blinked, finding myself once again all alone in this dark, cold room filled with dread. I took mental note of the flashback and thought to myself.
‘That pink mare’s name is Pinkie Pie… Is she one of my friends?’
As I continued my train of thought I touched the handle of the piano to close it but it slammed itself shut, shaking off some of the dust toward my direction. Startled, I fell backwards and landed hard on my back. Slowly recovering I got up and reached for my lantern that was only a couple of feet away from me.
As I got up I turned down the hall making my way back to the wine cellar until my lantern suddenly turned off…
I was pretty sure I had about a fourth of the lantern filled with oil. I frantically tried turning my lamp on again and again but not even a spark appeared. At this point I started to panic. The room even seemed darker then before and it kept getting darker and darker. I felt as if I was becoming blind!
Soon my line of sight was gone. I was glued on the spot, frozen from terror and fear. I dropped my lantern from my hoof and tried rubbing my eyes. But nothing… Just darkness… All I could do was hear myself breathing heavily with the all too familiar straining sound inside my head.
Danger was very close…
Thunder clashed and I saw something at the end of the room. At first I was relieved that I could see but was quickly replaced with fear. The thunder clashed again and I saw the figure coming closer.
My heart was beating at a spectacular pace.
The room lit up with thunder once again and this time, I made out the figure of the creature… She seemed pink but it was hard to tell since the light from the thunder was quickly extinguished.
Feeling my eyes becoming red and my ears becoming deaf I closed my eyes as tightly as possible and I tried to scream, but it was caught inside my throat. But as I opened my eyes again I could finally see. I let out a sigh of relief but I was glued in place for a good few seconds, ten at most. I finally got the guts and nerve to reach for my lantern and tried to turn it on. To my satisfaction it work and I was greeted with warm light. Despite my irregular vision I continued toward the wine cellar. But as I turned around a corner…
I let out a piercing cry. There was a mare right in front of me and I was petrified with fear. The mare had dark holes that replaced her eyes. Her pink coat tattered with blood and large gashes in her legs made it seem as if they were bent in strange angles. Her mane was greasy and tattered with dust and dirt, as if someone took her out of a grave. Worst of all…
She was smiling…
Blood dripped from her eyes and mouth. She just smelled like death.
“How are you Twilight?” She said.
Her voice sounded as if she were hypnotized. Was this Pinkie Pie? Was this my friend from my ‘former’ self?
I tried to turn away but she grabbed my neck and pinned me to a wall.
“You weren’t able to save me… Why? Why!?”
She raised a hoof and it had three long sharp claws attached to them.
“Why so serious Twilight?”
I felt my eyes growing wider. Death was coming and from some instinct I knew it.
“Let your friend Pinkie Pie put a smile on that face!”
The monstrous mare forced my mouth open and stuck her claws inside my mouth. Without warning she spread her claws wide and I felt my mouth ripping open. The pain was unbearable! I let out another terrible cry of pain but it only came from my throat.
The monster just giggled as she continued to rip my mouth apart…
“You seem so heavy… I’ll make you lose a few pounds!”
Next thing I knew she stabbed me with such strength I couldn’t even react quickly enough. My body couldn’t even register the pain but I knew that I was going to die. My legs shook as blood continued to pour out of my stomach and my mouth. I started to shiver and the ringing in my ears became louder and louder by the seconds that passed by.
Next thing I knew, I was on the floor crawling into a ball… My sanity was almost gone…
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I laid on the carpet floor for a while, just thinking about why I was here. It took some time for me to realize that I wasn’t dead. There was no blood anywhere, and my stomach and mouth was still attached.
Was it a dream? Was it a hallucination?
I had no idea but I was glad I wasn’t dead. My sanity must’ve been really low.
But I’m going to slow. I must go faster!
Taking every sheer will power I had left I made my way toward the wine cellar. I quickly hustled down and over toward the cellar, unlocked it, and then marked it off my objectives. This sudden motivation was fueled by a few things.
First of all, I was pretty angered by the Shadow. I didn’t even know or should I say, remember what I did wrong! Second of all, I was angered by myself. Why am I scared of these monsters!? They must be nothing but illusions! I mean I didn’t even die from the last encounter. The Shadow is nothing but a creature behind a mask.
But as I took my first few steps down toward the cellar I stopped myself… What were the flashbacks about? And the letter from my former self. This couldn’t have been set up without reason. And the letter itself told me otherwise. The flashbacks and even the hints of my friends being in danger is all a little too extreme… And that’s when I realized. I should be a lot more careful. Not only because of the fact this all maybe real. But also the fact that in life you can only live once.
Even with all this hell I wanted to live… Survival is key.
As I walked down the steps I entered the cellar with ease. Of course I felt another shiver rush up and down toward my spine. The Shadow of Chaos was lurking everywhere and it must’ve been enjoying itself. Toying with my mind and laughing at me as I fall down to the ground while I suffer from insanity. These thoughts clouded my mind. Before I knew it I have collected all of the chemicals to make the ‘acid’ while taking caution of my surroundings. I was even more surprised by the fact that I haven’t encountered any monster down here.
Fueled with burst of joy I dashed off toward the laboratory. I quickly placed the bottle near the faucet and placed the four chemicals inside the test tubes. Turning on the burner I watched the chemicals turning into some sort of gas. After about a few seconds, the gases mixed together cooling down into a steamy, bright green liquid that oozed into the chemistry cup. Delighted I took a moment to enjoy my triumph. I took a couple of steps back trying to get a better look at my work of creation, but I accidently bumped into a few books. I looked behind me and saw that they were falling down into some sort of caged hole. I took out my lantern to take a better look but all I saw was water…
But when the books splashed into the water there was an ancient groan of anger. Something that seemed to come out of the waters! Even as the ripples from the books subsided the water continued to splash. I had no idea what was down there but I knew that as long as I was up here, I would be safe. But I knew that I would need to go down there to achieve something… Except at the moment I have overcame the shadow.
You hear me!? I have won this time Shadow of Chaos! I will overcome you and defeat you! Whatever happens to me… You shall disappear!
Even if I had this new motivation and confidence I still knew that as long as the Shadow was out there I would be at the ledge of death. But at the moment I was one step away from the cliff of the terrifying waters below. And I needed to hold that ground or else the Shadow could push me off by any distance.
I must go on!
(End Note- I know that this is a lot shorter than the last chapter but I need to pick the pace up a bit this week. I had to do the drafting in my spare time and I’m just busy. Next week the chapter will return to its normal size as I promised. 3 to 4k words at most. I know to some of the readers this chapter may seem a bit dull and honestly, I believe that the trip toward the wine cellar and back was very rushed and I admit that I have. As a writer I take responsibility for this and promise you that the next chapter will not be so disappointing. Until then keep away from the darkness…)