A new breed of evil

by Rarity Belle

25 Of fillies, dragons and nightmares

While the filly and the dragon laid peacefully asleep, the cloud of shadows had dared to scoot itself more forward and towards them. It had a burning curiosity to know just whom and what they happened to be. It also was judging whether or not they could be forming any potential threat to the woods if not the domain.

It slithered forward like a snake over the ground without an actual aim. Though the targets were clear in sight. It would spy upon the two of them a little bit, read their minds if it wanted to and discover the secrets of just why the two of them happened to be there. Without a single sound actually made by it, did the force just appear like a pleasant breeze of wind in both of their faces. Something that caused a small smile upon the face of the dragon, as he was the first to be inspected.

Though the conclusion was early drawn that it was a baby dragon who laid there. But perhaps a baby dragon could be of actual usage to the queen. Raise it up like one of her own monsters of destruction. A valuable asset in the war that she would be fighting out soon enough. A soft hiss of satisfaction was gently released through the fibers of shadow before it turned over to the little filly. The attention was almost immediately drawn to her almost as if she was some sort of princess. Humble was how the force felt itself as it almost wanted to kneel before her.

The force itself was uncertain of why it did that. It didn't look like the current queen so why would it? Yet there were traces that made it seem like that little white unicorn filly was part of the royal ‘family’ in one way or the other. Nothing was what it seemed in the eyes of the nightmare force and to him, that supposed a massive threat to the domain.

There was just one thing that the force could be doing without getting into too much trouble and that was to establish a mental connection with the queen herself to give her the news. Whether or not she would be actually happy with it, was something that needed to be discovered through the gears of time itself.

Yet if it wanted to make the report, it better be doing it fast. Which was exactly what it did. Though the natural interference of the magic filled forest did cause a bit of trouble left and right. A one hundred percent safe mental linked bridge couldn't be formed. Which meant that the queen was unable to look straight through the cloud’s eyes to witness and judge for herself on the two of them. Instead he would have made a connection that only allowed them to speak to one another.

It still seemed to be better than floating back to the domain and thus risking the chance of the two being actually gone from the place. The risk was too great in the mind of the nightmare force and with pressure of its own was the mental bridge established from his side. All that could be done from there was to wait for the unicorn to accept the so called, call.

It went to a unicorn who in and of herself seemed to be rather busy with perfecting her fencing skills. She practiced against nightmare forces that were in the non-physical state of being. Though they had assumed the general form of ponies wanting to attack her. She wanted to test her newly made blade to the fullest extent. The queen appeared to have been training for hours already.

She panted deep to herself while a strand of sweat traveled down the side of her face, just behind her eyes. She was rusty within the skills, but a good set of hours training per day would be doing her miracles. Not to mention prevent her from becoming bored and thus torturing a shadow stallion or two. “Positions, and give me all you got,” wheezed Nightmare Rarity to them. She held the sword firmly in her magical hold and sliced it through the air just once.

The clouds of shadow nodded to her words before they indeed assumed their gotten positions once more and she glared at each of them with a cutting look. Any second then could the attack be released upon her. It was her mind who was rattling on about just about any manner of attacking.

There it then was after only mere seconds after she had announced it that the first cloud dared to charge straight at her. But it was impaled by the blade sooner than anything. Yet it did leave her defenseless for a moment or two which caused another one to attack her from the side. Only to receive a massive hoof to the muzzle. War was never clean when it came to battle and interference was always there but she managed to maintain the lady aspect of the job nicely enough.

With her mane done in a ponytail to prevent it from getting stuck in her eyes, the nightmarish unicorn ripped her blade out of the cloud before she pointed it over to the only remaining clouds with a smirk. “You seriously think, that a miserable foot soldier like yourself, is able to bring down a nightmare, who has torn down dozens of your comrades already? Hmpf, go ahead and try me,” Nightmare Rarity spoke in a realistic tone. She glared at the clouds with haunting eyes.

The only thing that the clouds could be doing was to go into an actual retreat. It didn't wanted to stay there anymore, it wanted to be left alone, almost like a real soldier in battle in the moment of time. With the leaving of the clouds had Nightmare Rarity released a wolfish smirk from her lips. She placed the sword back in the sheath and discharged her magic. The queen had proven her skills once again to herself. She would be able to use them in combat if the day would ever arrive.

Though it was just after she had turned herself around to return to the throne room that her mind opened itself up more to receive the ‘calls’ from her forces scattered across the forest. Including the one who had found Sweetie Belle and Spike. “Go ahead, report to me,” the dark queen spoke up before she disappeared into the doorway.

She walked with both calm and grace down the stairs while the descriptions of the both the unicorn and the dragon given to her. “Bah, that dragon just doesn't know when to stop. But perhaps his love for moi, can be used against him. Make sure he doesn't leave the site and guide him through the forest if he enters it at one point or another. Knowing my dear Spikey Wikey, he will most likely just dash in like a knight in shining armor,” the queen mumbled up to both herself and the force.

While the words came to an end, she had arrived in the throne room. The mare would have removed the belt to which the sword sheath was connected to. With a faint aura was it levitated into the air before it had to be placed down somewhere else. Then the description of Sweetie Belle was given to her in the fullest of details.

Almost in an instant was the sword dropped on the floor with a loud clatter that echoed multiple times through the room. Nightmare Rarity turned herself away from the throne. The horn had discharged itself almost abruptly before she started to wheeze to herself again. “Say, that, again?!” she almost shouted to the force in question.

A force who dared to repeat the description of the filly in full color.

Rage, anger, disappointment and a nerve breakdown were just some of the things that rushed through the queen her mind. She processed the words spoken to her to the best of her abilities. Everything she had heard just didn't make any sense to her. Why would her little sister ever come to the woods, especially after all that time? Thoughts rushed through her mind while she tried to figure out just what the exact reasoning behind everything.

“Why would they be using just those two, if they want to get to me? The signs are rather obvious in that department. That is, unless they have cloaked themselves invisible and are actually lying in wait for any of you, to come and get them. No, no, no, that’s not how they work,” the nightmarish unicorn mumbled up to herself. She tried to crack the code, understand the game.

Nightmare Rarity’s mind worked on levels that went so deep into the webs of conspiracies and plans of mass hysteria, that she sometimes missed the complete obvious picture. The picture of the fact that nothing could have been as complicated as she believed that it was. Her mind didn't allow her to see that it was just her little sister and a good friend of hers were trying to find the mare.

Growls and groans were released by the entity while she stood there. One foreleg was raised up as if she wanted to take a step. The mare knew that she had to be careful not to screw up. The opportunities given to her, were more than golden. She wanted the two of them, intact and alive. Unharmed and untouched. She knew just the way to get them like that as the unicorn's signature grin formed itself below the muzzle as she simply spoke the final words to the nightmare force.

“Give me your position and return to back to me,” the queen spoke to the creature. She charged up her horn again to pick up the sheath. After those words were spoken and the location given to her, the connection was severed between the two of them just like that.

~~~~

Back by the filly and the dragon had the cloud of shadow taken one last look upon the two of them before it spoke its own version of a good bye. Somewhere deep inside of their systems were all of the nightmares suddenly brought up to speed not only about the events that had happened. But also to the events as they were about to come. Their collective state of mind caused the information to be flowing freely through each of their brains. Resulting in all of them getting it, understanding it.

Perhaps it was a defect in the genetic structure of the creatures. But they were of an ancient design and the unicorn herself couldn't complain. They never ever even dared to speak against her again, all because of how she not only allowed it, but actually hunted down her own two commanders for their deeds and showed the events to every single force.

They were terrified of her to a certain degree. The same levels of fear they once gave to Nightmare Moon, they then gave to Rarity. Which she loved with pretty much every fiber of her twisted body and mind. One last look was given over the campsite, one last look was given to the green fires still going strong on the cloudless and starry night before the clouds of shadow turned themselves around. Only to disappear again among the darkness of the woods of White Tails.

The filly and the dragon were left at the peace of the night but none of them would be escaping the fate that was being played out for the both of them. Even if it meant that things possibly wouldn't be walking out in her favor. Sweetie Belle released a soft sigh while if she was cuddling her most beloved plushy. While Spike, Spike just cut down the entire forest with his snoring.

~~~~

The heavy steps of the queen could be heard coming up the stairs again. Most of the nightmare forces thought that she would be going to the courtyard, to drum each of them up for something. But those few who looked into her direction, just got a huff of mixed emotions before the unicorn disappeared again off of the face of the domain. She had gone through the door that would be leading her to the staircase of her home and ascended upon it.

“Sweetie Belle and Spike, the knight in shining armor and the little helper. Puhlease, don’t make me laugh they plan on actually being able to do that. But, I shall help them a little bit with their games by playing with them, instead of against them. Been an awful long time since I've last seen the two of them. Besides, I could always use another pet of some sorts,” Nightmare Rarity chuckled to herself before she entered her chambers again.

The eyes glanced with an almost stressed expression over her possessions for a moment. The unicorn continued to pass through the room and made her way over to the balcony. It became almost a clichéd look to see her standing upon the top of that balcony over and over. Though none of the forces could have complained about it. They didn't design the place in the first place. As shameful as it was, their queen was still an actual living being that needed light of the sun every now and then.

With her blueish green rimmed, cat-like eyes had she looked over the entire place covered in the light of the moon itself. A wonderful and rather mysterious sight played itself out before her very eyes. Though the very thing that she needed to find was something a bit smaller. Her eyes scanned the ground like those of a hawk before she finally discovered the thing that she was looking for.

Another grin gently formed itself below her muzzle as she kept on looking over to the area. An area where a small green light constantly seemed to be reflecting itself. “Oh, oh, oh, you two just make this too easy for me, but I love it just so much. Suppose I should be thanking you both here. As you two just made my job, a whole lot easier,” Nightmare Rarity said to herself. Without a warning had she began to charge up her horn.

More and more power collected itself by the horn. Her eyes kept themselves firm upon the light. The plans that were being created deep inside of her twisted mind were sickening to say the least. It was needed in her own eyes. She needed both her sister and Spike for something. Though only time would be able to tell just what her horn was preparing itself for.

The only indication of something that happened was when the blast was being fired. It almost roared like the biggest cannon from one of the royal airships. The blast got fired into the air before all the sounds died down with it. Nothing in the nearby surrounding even dared to take even a deep breath. All of the creatures of Everfree remained silent and all of the ponies in the inns on either side of White Tails were shocked out of their beds wondering what was going on.

~~~~

But the two who woke up first were both Sweetie Belle and Spike. They both woke up in the middle of the night, yelping loudly to themselves as they wondered and wanted to know just exactly what was going on. “S-Spike, did you hear that?” Sweetie Belle asked in a frightened tone as she looked over to the dragon.

“I heard that, but whatever it was… it must be something that came from the skies,” he returned to her before her eyes began to search through the skies themselves, hoping to find something if not anything to confirm his suspicion.

“How, how do you know that?” the unicorn questioned. She got out of her sleeping bag and walked over to him with a curious gaze in her eyes. Not to be mistaken with a tired one, as she also wore that one. “Twilight told you something, didn't she?”

The eyes of the dragon where finally lowered back to the very ground before he gave a nod to the unicorn. “Yes she did. Twilight explained to me once that when there were these rocks from outer space, and they enter Equestria, they get vaporized up or bounced right back into space. I think, we just heard rock being bounced back. Can’t see anything that seems like a meteorite or anything,” Spike explained to her, hoping it would have calmed her mind.

It were words that went far too much in the mind of the filly. Out of everything that she heard, she understood virtually nothing of that what he said. “So, we’re safe, that’s what you’re saying, right?” she repeated to herself aloud. The dragon looked at her and nodded to confirm the thoughts. Sweetie had walked up just far enough to sit down next to the sleeping bag of Spike and didn't seem that she wanted to actually leave his side any time soon.

Whether she wanted to admit it or not, she was still genuine scared of the booming sound that woke her up. Something about it all just wasn't right in her mind. Though she couldn't pinpoint what it actually was. She never could have and possibly never would be able to do so.

“H-Hey Spike, uhm… mind if I, we, share, a bag?” Sweetie brought out in a way that didn't seemed to be that embarrassing to her. It caused the eyes of Spike to go wide eyed at it. He couldn't believe the words that she spoke to him just yet. It must have been the abrupt waking up that caused his ears to be still sleeping, or the shockwave of the impact or, or anything.

“What, what did you just say?” Spike asked her. He wanted to know whether or not she spoke the words the words he had heard. Though immediately after them, he regretted asking his own question. He had heard clearly what she said. Sweetie was terrified from the sounds and she was unable to repeat the question. It resulted down into just one thing that could be done and was the thing that was being done.

Spike scooted himself over to one side of his bag as far as he could before Sweetie Belle carefully slid into the opening that was being created. “Thanks,” the little unicorn said to him in a whisper. She would have snuggled up and closed her eyes with a rather loud yawn. Before the count of ten could be made had the filly fallen asleep again in a much more secured area. She had a dragon that would have protected her from everything.

Though that same dragon turned himself around and thus away from her. He would have closed his own eyes and began to sleep further as well. He couldn't believe that he laid in the same sleeping bag as Sweetie Belle. Though perhaps the biggest surprise was that they both actually fitted on one side of the thing. Luck by bad luck, he could be calling it.

While the two of them were sleeping once again, the actual origin of the boom, the burst of magic, would be doing its job to create the reality where the unicorn herself had thought about. Sooner or later would the revelations be made and the show could begin for real.

~~~~

A sinister laughter was the thing that the nightmarish unicorn released from the balcony. The horn had discharged itself. Smoke came off of it while the laughter died down into a simple grin for her. “Tomorrow, mark my words, shall become an interesting day for the both of you,” the entity said towards the skies. After that had she turned herself around and walked back inside of the chamber.

While the doors closed themselves behind her, Nightmare Rarity continued to walk over to her bed and released the ponytail out of her mane with the help of a hoof. A gentle shake or two were given by her and the model in which the mane used to hang in was assumed once again. One of her eyes got once again blocked off by the hair. Though she paid little to no attention to it. The unicorn herself allowed her slender body to gradually glide itself over the bed in the chamber.

Once she had been lying comfortable for her own feelings, the was horn charged up once again. The blankets would have been placed over her body in a calm manner. She required her sleep just like the two camping before the entrance of the woods in order to regain her strength to complete the deeds of the following day.

Though with the queen nicely tucked away under them, one of the savages would have merged with the physical realm again. It dared to lay next to the queen like an actual lapdog. If any other being had done that without her permission, there would only have been one massive punishment for that being. But since it was a savage –her personal guard and actual pets– a small pat over the head was given to it before the entity closed her eyes to get some sleep.

The head of the savage laid almost oddly peaceful upon the belly of the queen before the two of them entered a state of mind that caused them to dream. Dream of the nightmares that plagued their very thoughts day in and out. Nightmares that worked as the actual fuel for Rarity to continue her malice. Sickening it happened to be, but it was how the magic of fear actually worked.

Mumbles were made by the unicorn from ages ago, all spoken in a tone that only Rarity herself could be giving. Mumbles that were almost inaudible but spoke about nightmares she had been suffering for months. Even in her current form, she still was forced to live with the thoughts of her friends just leaving her like that. It was heartbreaking to say the least, but the perfect fuel for the magic she had carefully mastered as hers and hers alone.

~~~~

“Princess, it, is a bit of a crazy idea but, what if we use an airship from either of the air-navy?” Twilight Sparkle said while she and princess Luna were wandering through the castle hallways. The two had managed to accidentally met up with one another in the halls. Though it was all a massive disguise of where they were walking through. They were in the very psyche of Luna herself.

The lunar princess was also the master of dreams and she used that ability to communicate with the mulberry unicorn. It was all in the hope to find answers that they esperately needed. They had already discovered that Emerald Masquerade was willing to work with them even though he was kept a bit in the dark when it came to the actual plan. Perhaps their meeting wasn't so accidental as it first had appeared to be.

Luna released a deep sigh in response while they continued their gentle walk through the halls. “While the idea seems to be a bit obvious, don’t you think that she also thought of that? Most likely she has anti-airship cannons ready to fire. If she doesn't do it herself, that is. This very night, just moments before I merged both our dreams together, there was this loud cannon salvo that originated from the woods. I can only think of her being that much of a showoff,” Luna explained.

“But, there must be something that we can be doing, right?” Twilight asked further after she had carefully listened to the words. Desperation wasn't an emotion that she felt often, but when she did it, it had good reasons for it. The loss of a friend was the thing that stood at stake there. Twilight wanted to do everything in her might to make sure that she would get her friend back, in one piece.

Luna on the other end released a simple groan. She was far from being in the mood to continue the conversation. Yet she seemed to be managing her cool pretty well against the studious unicorn. “It’s going to be a lost cause anyway, no ships nor cities are even allowed to fly over the Everfree and White Tails. It’s a rectangular shape of doom when it comes down to it. Many airships have been lost that way. Rumors even went so far that a hydra bigger than any of them, actually jumped out of the marshlands and used all seven necks to cleave straight through the woods of the vessel, taking it down with crew and all. A sea monster on land,” the princess spoke further.

That were a set of words that scared Twilight a whole lot more than she originally would have thought they would. She had expected some kind of resistance in the woods that lived a life on their own, but in such a manner as Luna spoke had she never even seen coming with all of her own wisdom. “But, but they are just rumors, right?” the unicorn then asked with a gulp in her voice.

The lunar princess wanted to speak the truth to the mare. Though she also had to cope with a lie to keep the unicorn safe. It was a battle between the terrible truth and the wonderful lie. The world just wasn't as black and white as they had always shown it to the land. Instead it was this massive mixture of gray that kept them all alive to that day.

“No, no they aren't just rumors. I have seen it, that very hydra with my own eyes among the wreck deep in the woods of Everfree. I wish they were just rumors, but no ship is allowed to fly over there since that incident,” Luna then replied. She seemed to have emptied her heart and remembered the scene like it was the day before. The terrible smell of burned timber, the rotting stench of the bodies in the water mixed with the already unpleasant smells of the swamp. Not to mention that distinct scent of the hydra itself. All of it combined into a horrid scene.

Twilight did a small step to the side in order to give the princess some space though she was getting frightened as well. She had never expected that the rumors were actually the reality of the situation. Their job had become a whole lot more difficult for certain. “I, I’ll not tell the girls about this. For all they know, we are still going to walk from the nearest train station to the woods again.”

“Means you’ll be coming back to Ponyville. Tis the nearest station by those dreaded woods after all. But Twilight, I think it is better that our conversation is going to be ending here. You need your sleep more than ever and I, I have some arrangements to make before everything is going to Tartarus and beyond thanks to everything,” said Luna just before her horn charged itself up. The lunar princess wanted to break the connection of the two dreams.

“I understand princess, good luck with your arrangements,” Twilight replied to her. The mare braced herself for the rupture to come. Luna ascended into the skies before she disappeared almost completely. “Good luck to us all, with this mess” the unicorn whispered before she looked out of one of the castle’s windows and sighed deeply. The sights looked so peaceful with the small vortexes of pages from books and scrolls. A thing she always saw in her dreams.

~~~~

“What, did you say to her, sister?” the voice of Celestia pierced through the ears of Luna more than any other sound. She slowly came back to her knowledge and that was the first thing she head. “You haven’t told her anything we agreed to not speak about, right?”

Luna on the other end just released a growl towards her older sister. Then the eyes were opened again and they looked just tired. The glance that she gave the white coated alicorn was something that caused her to become a grumpy old mare. One of her forehooves was brought over to her forehead and rubbed it with some care.

Celestia had begun to pace up and down on the spot she stood still on. The mare kept on looking to her sister as if Nightmare Moon could be coming back any second. She didn't seem like the kind princess the land had always known her as in that very moment. Instead they would be seeing a tyrant who wouldn't make any exception to send another being to the moon, if it had to.

“I kept my mouth shut about this, sisterly dear,” replied Luna in a mocking tone. She stood up from the throne and calmly began to walk down the steps of it. “But you remember that no-flight policy over White Tails and Everfree right?”

“How, how could I have forgotten that?” the alicorn of the day replied to her. She came to a standstill and her tone filled itself with worries to come and go. Nothing in her mind could have been able to just make her forget the terror of the single day they both had been witnessed the scene. But it wasn't just going to be a bad memory that the younger sister would have brought up. And therefore, almost in an instant did the eyes of the princess turn themselves over to Luna with an expression not seen in a long time. “What are you planning, in that sickened head of yours!” Celestia spewed up towards Luna. She wanted to know the finer details of her little sister’s plans.

“Let’s say, that the pride of the air-navy shall be sailing again over the woods. I want to see, if she actually has those kind of spells ready to be blasted right upon an airship and thus make it crash down into the woods,” answered Luna with a confident tone.

“And you are willing to just let a captain and crew to die, while you watch from the stern of the Crescent Moon?! I won’t allow you to do this Luna. I will let you do a lot, but that is going too far!” Celestia almost bellowed in response. She only got more angrier as more spots were revealed of the plan. She couldn’t allow her sister to do such stupid things, not in a million years.

“Almost right, but still missing out the obvious. And try me,” Luna returned in a sharp tone. She walked right past her sister and left the throne room. She then left a Celestia with more questions than answer to take a seating upon the throne and announce the day to begin again.

~~~~

While the sun rose itself calm and beautiful to the world from the east, both the filly and the dragon woke up almost simultaneously. They looked into one another’s eyes for a moment. They seemed to have forgotten the fact that they actually shared such a bag with one another and they both released a deep yelp of terror before leaving the thing.

The both of them stuck out their tongues and wiped it as if they were trying to get any dirt or filth off of it that could be caused by giving one another a kiss or something. “We didn't, you know?” Sweetie asked before she spotted the little stream again.

“I don’t, think we did,” replied Spike to her before the filly darted off again. “Fillies,” the baby dragon added. He then released a small sigh and watched over her. He saw how Sweetie lowered herself into the stream and began to drink a bit of the waters before she spat it out again.

Of course she never drank it but instead she used it to clean her mouth a bit just to be sure that nothing had actually happened between the two of them. Though she was there and the opportunity was taken to wash her face a little bit as well as basically prepare herself for the events to come. Not to mention the fact that Spike began to make some breakfast for the two of them.

It was a simple breakfast that the two had consumed together. Though that didn't matter to them. They were just having fun like a pair of good friends would have and always should have. They shared laughs and memories to one another. Some of them may or may not have been a bit embarrassing for the ponies mentioned in them, but they didn’t care in the moment.

They both had their cups of tea and leaned back to watch the cloudless skies above them. Everything seemed to be just a perfect day all around for the two of them. If it weren't for the fact that they still needed to go into the woods. Though it was Sweetie Belle who was the first after a few minutes that lowered her head again from the clouds up high and looked over to Spike, who sat with his back to the woods.

Sooner than anything had she actually looked past him and tilted her head to one side to get something in her view. “Uh, Sweetie? You alright?” the dragon asked after he had turned his head down as well. He stared a little bit into the green rimmed eyes of the filly to see if everything was alright. Though a verbal response he didn't seem to be getting from her. Instead had she just pointed to something behind him that she was actually looking at.

Confusion was the thing that struck the baby dragon more than anything outside of fear. Was she pointing to a creature of the woods that stared at them as its breakfast? A gulp was released from the purple scaled creature before he calmly dared to turn himself around and witness the scene for himself.

His very own eyes began to dart around to see where the creature of his horrors could be hiding. Only then came the realization. He wasn't looking for a creature of old that was lurking somewhere to get him. Instead they were granted some form of access to the woods. The eyes of both Spike and Sweetie Belle were looking right into a tunnel that had been carved out in the fog.

“That, wasn't there five minutes ago. But saves us a trip to the asylum,” mumbled Spike to himself. He turned himself back over to Sweetie Belle and smiled to her. “You ready to find out what happened to Rarity?”

Even though the scenes already looked spooky for her, the filly nodded as she knew that Spike would be standing on her side at all times. A deep exhale was released through her mouth as she gathered her courage and gave a nod. “Yeah, I’m ready. It’s now or never.”

~~~~

Minutes later and the two had been finding themselves hidden deep within the tunnel of fog. With their backpacks and saddlebags strapped around their sides and backs had the two beings wandered calmly through the tunnel that was carved through the fog. Neither of the two knew where exactly it would be leading them. They both knew it would be to the very place where Rarity was held as a captive of some sort.

Both Sweetie Belle and Spike had to admit that whomever created the tunnel was expecting them. Which meant that they were extra careful to not go bashing through the sides of the thing. But Spike couldn't resist himself to every so often stick a claw through the side and watch the blue color shot forward. It would travel over his hand like lightning, but without the tingles. The little unicorn had not a clue of why exactly he would be doing such a thing, but she imagined it would as some kind of way finder.

Perhaps she didn't even wanted to know it. The sync of the beating hearts could be heard within her ears once again. They were getting closer and closer to the source of it and the filly could feel it. It was a feeling that made her utmost uncomfortable. Her head quickly turned itself over to her back and saw that the way was still there. If she wanted, she could just leg it and never return.

Or Sweetie could face it, and see the thing that her sister had become. It was a tough decision on which she couldn't be giving the answer on just yet. Not yet and it wouldn't be for a long time to come.

“Hey Spike, how much further do you think that it is?” Sweetie Belle eventually asked him. She wanted to know certain things. Her green rimmed eyes kept themselves darting over each of the sides of the tunnel. Even though neither of the two actually witnessed the effects of the fog it usually had on ponies, they both felt themselves really uncomfortable when it came down to it.

Neither of them could explain it, but perhaps it was the fog had a stranger effect than the queen could have thought it would be having on them. “I have no idea Sweetie, we could have gone in circles for all I know by now.” Spike replied before he got something within his eyes. Something that caused him to run a little bit before coming down to a standstill.

Out of everything he had expected to be seeing that day, the thing that had entered his eyes was not one of them. He was looking straight at the entrance of domain carved out of dark crystal. A domain that belonged to the dark mistress herself. With the only exception being the fact that it seemed to be completely abandoned and lifeless. “Impossible,” he whispered to himself just before the unicorn stood next to him.

Sweetie Belle looked over the scene with a pair of wide eyes. The beating of the hearts became even more intense and louder. Sounds that echoed like drums in her head that frightened her more than anything. She couldn't go further, she didn't wanted to go further. She wanted her sister oh so badly for certain, but not at the prince she thought she would end up paying for it.

“I, I can’t do this. I can’t go inside of there, S-Spike, can we go back please? I, I really don’t want to be here. This place alone just, gives me the creeps. Okay, thanks, bye!” Before Spike could even say a word, the unicorn’s fight or flight reflection had chosen for flight. She just darted back like an arrow through the maze of the tunnel. In just a second was he all on his own again.

“W-What?” Spike said to himself. He started to look for the filly with a blank stare in his eyes. Though only then he realized the very thing that she had been doing to him and sighed deep in response. “Great, so it’s just going to be me.”

His eyes looked up to the immense gateway and a deep sigh was released through his mouth as he kept on standing there for a minute or two. Spike would have said his prayers in silence while looking at the domain of the dark queen herself. He would be going in, no matter what.