Ch4: Nightmare 1-The Descent
A Vivid Dreamer – NM1
The Decent
Luna opened her eyes when the air around her was suddenly hot, humid and filled with putrid smell of rotting vegetation. Circling around herself she took in her new environment, the first points of interest were the trees; put simply they were massive. The trunks of these massive plants were easily as wide as a normal pony’s abode. But they were also ten times as tall leading to a leaf canopy so thick the sky could not be viewed. As Luna focused gazed up at the canopy she found a few gaps, through them the twinkle of stars told her that it was night time.
While their height was staggering, their roots were breath taking. At the base of each tree just before the roots entered the earth they bulged out forming massive bulbs; these bulbs could be occasionally be seen every time the root resurfaced from the earth. What made the roots so astounding was that they glowed, they glowed a sickly yellow that managed to illuminate everything within a small radius around each bulb. This illumination never managed to reach higher than a fifth of a trees total height. Luna reached out to touch one of these luminescent bulbs, while in appearance they looked like someone had filled a balloon to bursting with liquid candle flame, they were in fact quite solid to the touch reminding her that they were part of a larger tree. When Luna looked over her shoulder she smiled, Celestia had fallen to similar case of curiosity and was minding a bulb of her own.
“While I can say that I have never seen anything like this in all of Equestria, I recall you telling me that this creature was dreaming of a desert landscape.” Celestia finally replied when she noticed Luna’s gentle smile.
“We are as surprised as you are, but it would be foalhearty to assume that where ever this creature originated would only have a single local.” Retorted Luna as she trotted up to her sister.
“True but were you not best by a construct of the very creatures dream? Regardless we should proceed with caution, it would not bode well should we find ourselves awaking on your balcony before we even reach the creature,” said Celestia earning a huff of indignation from Luna.
“Agreed, but We were only bested as We did not expect such a level of cunning from a creature made of stone.” Luna’s response was met with a stifled giggle from her larger sister.
As Celestia observed her surrounding once more she questioned her sister, “So? Where shall we find this creature within its own dream?”
Luna’s horn began to glow as she attempted to find the creature in question. “This dream is rather unstable, as is the case with most nightmares. We cannot locate the dreamer through Our normal means, but We can trace it as if we were to follow hoof prints.” Luna once again spun her body around till she stopped to face a certain direction, “Its trail starts off in that direction.” After turning back to her sister, “shall we proceed?”
“After you Lulu.”
The two sisters traveled through the swamp following a small path that was worn into the earth. The swamp seemed to be brimming with life as there was the constant chittering of insects with the occasional whooping of a bird call. The glow from the tree bulbs was enough to illuminate the swamp floor, allowing either princess to avoid any hazards that may have obstructed their path.
“This swamp seems to be brimming with life, but at the same time I cannot help but notice it feels empty.” Celestia finally said breaking the silence between them.
“It is because we have yet to see any wild life. While we can hear it all around us and even smell it this is still but a dream, an illusion.”
“Very well, but why then does it feel so real?”
“Most dreams cannot help but feel real, but we do not remember most of them as we forget as soon as we wake. This dream feels real to us because we are awake, but experiencing another dream.”
Luna’s tangent was interrupted when both sisters crested a small hill, revealing what lay beyond. What Luna saw see quickly recalled as temporary military headquarters; there were rows and rows of tents that would function as barracks, a large canopy over tables littered with maps and some strange tools which made it easily discernible as the command tent. There was also a large tent with multitudes of benches setup in front of it; this meant it was probably the mess. All of this was situated around a butte, with what Luna surmised was a cave entrance on one of the geological formations sides.
“I don’t see anypony down there.” Observed Celestia
“The creature’s dream originates from within that camp, we may as well investigate.” With that said both Luna and Celestia spread their wings and glided down to the camp grounds. Once they landed in the central commons area they began to investigate their surroundings.
“If I recall correctly, I remember you telling me that the only living thing you saw in its dreams was itself.” Celestia said as she stuck her head into one of the tents to find a lamp still burning and the bedding disturbed.
“True, but we could be observing another memory from its past. It is possible that the events we are perceiving currently predate those We observed last night.” Luna was slightly disturbed by what she was finding. Fires were still burning, lamps were still lit. Food was left on the benches untouched, while others where only partially consumed. It was as if everypony had just gotten up and left. This only added to the awkward feeling of emptiness Luna was receiving, whilst the sounds of the swamp tried to prove contrary. Luna’s unease escalated when she walked into one of the larger tents, it was clearly meant to be the armoury. It was large enough and held enough weapon racks that it could have supplied a small army. Luna’s unease stemmed from the fact that each and every rack was empty, there was not a single weapon or tool to be found. When Luna stepped out of the tent she was met with the concerned face of her older sister.
“This is quite odd, it appears as everypony just got up and left. Many lights have been left aglow; I’ve even found a letter stopped in mid-sentence with quill still wet.”
“Yes We have seen this as well, but what concerns Us is that the armoury is bare. There is not a single weapon to be found, and it was not ransacked; they were retrieved. You do not go through the trouble of setting up the type of command structure just to walk away from it.” Luna kept glancing around trying to find that one clue that would tell her exactly what happened here, she did find it. “This is of little consequence; we still have our unknown visitor to find.”
Luna’s horn began to glow again as she felt for the path she could trace back to the dreamer. “It would appear that it went down that way,” said Luna as they approached the large cave entrance on the far side of the camp.
“This cave is not a natural formation, somepony built it.” Celestia commented as she observed the entrance.
“We wonder what gave it away; perhaps it was the flat, finished surfaces? Or perhaps it was the sharp angles and the supporting columns? It could not have been the lighting fixtures that are distributed evenly along the ceiling could it?” was Luna’s reply as a sly grin plastered itself across her muzzle.
“No need to be smug Lulu I was only making an observation.”
“And We thank thee princess obvious, you have saved us from repeating was is already known.” Luna gave a small flourish and a bow before standing with a giggle. Celestia could only sigh.
With Luna’s theatrics done the sisters proceeded down through the entrance. They were surprised to find that the ‘cave’ was smaller than they thought; with the shallow ramp, bisected by two pillars a couple meters apart, leading into a chamber. This chamber was barely wider than the ‘cave’ entrance, which could easily fit four stage coaches side by side, and was three quarters long as it was wide. All the surfaces of the chamber seemed to be carved out of solid rock; there were no seams anywhere. The stone surfaces had quite the odd characteristics; it had a sheen similar to that of polished metal, and just below the surface there were angular designs that appeared to shift ever so slightly when you were not looking directly at them. But what drew Luna’s attention, as well as her sisters, was the gaping hole sitting in the center of the chamber.
Luna was about to tell her sister that the path they needed to follow lead straight down the hole. But before Luna could get a word out a muffled screech followed by a hum was heard emanating from the hole. Both Luna and Celestia immediately took an aggressive stance, one on either side of the hole ready to flank whatever approached. Luna’s horn began to glow as charged a combat spell; she would not let another stone serpent get the drop on her. Celestia taking a cue for her younger sister charged a spell of her own.
What arrived, with a non to subtle thump, was a glass platform framed in the same strange stone-metal that the chamber was constructed with. Celestia was the first to ease back into a passive stance, but still remained alert. “I assume we will have to head down?”
Luna agreed with a nod before both she and her sister mounted the platform. Luna began to ponder what form of magic allowed the platform to stay afloat but remain as steady as if it were a rock itself; seeing as it was not attached to anything, it just floated there. Tapping a hoof on the glass to test its sturdiness Luna was able to see through the glass, and how far the shaft below them descended, there was no bottom in sight. Luna noted the perplexed look on Celestia own face as she probably pondered the same questions.
“How far down do we have to go?” questioned Celestia just before the platform gave a shudder and began to descend.
“We shall soon find out.”
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ROFL that has me in stitches
2588670
thank you for the catch, could cause problems.
you know I reread what I've written and I'll still miss things like that.
2588684 probably one of the best typos i have ever found. keep up the good work.
She?
Looking forward to the next installment.
2588743
GAH! You know what I'm tired, I shall sleep now and deal with it tomorrow. I've got at least four chapters I'm going to have to piece together.
Do I spy a Halo reference?
Wouldn't the title be "The Descent"? Decent = kinda good, descent = travelling downward.
2588849
Don't you go using your fancy mathematics to muddle the issue.
Thanks regardless I was working on 4 hours of sleep.
I should be asleep right now. But I'm not, so... Excuses?
The thing is I'm having too much fun writing this next chapter that I'm missing out on needed sleep. I had to force myself to stop cause I writing was along the par of "cow says 'milk'" and that does not make for good story telling. Also typos.
It would be wise, dear alicorn sisters, to raise protective barriers for yourselves, with the consequence of failure to do so that what should be feared in this dream, shall tear you apart with overwhelming numbers. Be very afraid, cause I sure as hell was.
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Aww, don't be afraid to make 6000+ word chapters! We the readers can take more than that! It's when you start pushing 10000 that we begin to be detered.
Loving the fic and cant wait for more
2588691
Darn, I missed it.
Keep it up, can't wait for the next chapter.
2589635
While I know many would like longer chapters I myself can be put off by them. But that was not why I'm breaking the chapter down, I doing it so that I can sort out the pacing. My original drafts pacing was wacked; slow in some parts the. Rushed in others, I'd rather have 4 good chapters then 1 long, okay, chapter.
Make it so Luna never actually awoke from the first dream so "she woke up" in a dream, got her dream sister ti cone with her, and "dream" luna woukd get a reaction from a dream in a dream.
2591717
Really you wanna be 'that guy'? I already know what I'm going to do for my story. I may be taking suggestions later on for dream crossovers, but only when I ask for them. For now I'm still setting up my story.