The Nightmare

by Cirrus Sky

Chapter 15

Deep inside the ruins of Asa Nemänah Kâx, now called the Flare Prison, there was a sealed cell. Stone and magic had long held two entities trapped. However, that was soon to change. One was ecstatic, the other horrified. One pranced about in trails of heat and flame while the other fought at bindings and chains.

“See here my gaoler, oh poor little lover of the sun.” A long slender finger traced the tear and soot streaked face of the imprisoned woman. A gust of heat like the heart of the desert parched her skin and dried her eyes. “Soon I shall be free with a slave and some muscle at my beck and call.” The flaming woman gave a giddy spin. “Though that is not the best bit! I’ll have a new host! She’s out there waiting for me all wrapped up like a lovely present.”

“What?” The chained woman croaked out through cracked lips and dry mouth.

“Oh yes my dear... Someone with the power of the fire and the sun, a little mage-girl all new and fresh. Once I am rid of this prison and your husk I can jump right in!”A brutal curved dagger manifested in her grip and the fiery woman held it against the other’s throat. “Once I make a way in of course, can’t dally with lil’ sissy waiting at the gate.”

“You won’t win.” The prisoner whispered. More a prayer than a statement.

“We’ll see, won’t we Celly?”

-*-

In a dusty, sunless cell a woman lay shaking and sobbing, the meagre light from glowing lichen cast an impossibly long shadow that stretched through to a tiny crack. The starved, pale form clawed desperately at the shadow as she whispered snatches of words. Her effort was for naught and even as she tried, the sounds of work to free the menace she contained echoed through the walls.

-*-

High in the cloudless sky a figure flew. Rainbow Dash was hurtling through the air. It had taken a few short moments to leave the city limits, she barely regarded the airspeed limits enforced above the built up area, no guard was fast enough to catch her even when an airship started towards her perceived flight path. Her aim was to reach the Flare Prison in less than three hours, a feat she knew she was capable of, deep down in her heart. The cumbersome airship even on full throttle would take the whole day.

Despite the worry that gnawed at her soul, despite the wind that grasped and tore, Rainbow smiled. She was going to make it, she was going to rescue Twilight and she was going to go down in history doing so.

-*-

In the shifting sands of the desert dunes a valley was concealed from all but the airborne. The plateau sheltered by tall dunes had a large oasis at the centre, lush trees and wild edibles were abundant, only one other such place existed in the vast sandy expanse and it had been lost to the ages even before the Nightmare walked the earth. This place was where the Guarding Ones had made their camp.

One young warrior was tending to some horses and camels taken in by his fellow tribesmen, it was what his guardian would have wanted him to do if she had been at the camp. His green hair was set askew by a broad white bandage wrapped around his head and it was beginning to itch. As he paused to give the afflicted area a rub his eyes flickered from their usual appearance to the solid green of his dragon-form, big magic was occurring.

In a clearing set aside on purpose, runes began to glow through the sand and an unearthly wind circled it swiftly. All in the camp turned from the space or covered their eyes as a bright white light, tinted a little with blue, blazed within the runes. When it dissipated a group were stood within the confines.

Klin looked up and smiled, the familiar willowy figure of his guardian, her brother and their princess were amongst the newcomers. “Mēi!” He called, running over to the healer.

“Klin, you’re looking better my brave little drake.” She smiled softly and gave him a hug and a pat on the head. “Though I hope you rested properly.”

“Of course I did.” He smiled to her, a smile that fell when he realised that he hadn’t bowed to their princess or the warrior leader. “Sir, My lady.” He bowed deeply.

“Warrior Klin.” A’triet said to him.

“Rise Young Warrior.” Luna said, “Gather the others my child. We have a great deal to discuss and little time.” The princess kept her tone level; it would not do to set the camp in a panic. Klin bowed again but shot a worried look to his guardian as he ran to collect the fighters from their chores and tasks.

“That was Klin?” Cadence said, amused that the small child had grown to a young man since her last visit to the desert sands. “It is good to be home mother; I wish it was under better circumstances.” She took Shining’s hand and led him away into the camp to meet her people and keep them both distracted from mind-clouding worry.

“We need ta get to the ruins.” Jack said, loading her gun. Tears had stopped rolling down her face a long time ago, but fear and sadness still battled with grim determination.

“Miles separate us from the site.” Luna replied, pointing in the direction they would need to take. “I cannot take us closer, we must muster the warriors and mount the beasts Jack Apple.” She turned and strode to the camp. “Come, we must make haste.”

“Things are feeling not good.” Pinkie said to Jack, some of the bounce had left her step. “I can feel the bad meanie out there. She’s waiting...” She followed after Luna.

Jack trailed behind them, reluctant to head anywhere but the ruins and Rarity.

-*-

From the position of the sun, Twilight could tell it was nearing mid-morning. She had landed here in dawn’s rays and had been swiftly chained up. Now it was getting warmer, she tried to remain calm. Her throat still hurt and her neck ached from the brutal whip, her mind was still rushing through the moments of both her brushes with death. “No Twilight, keep calm.” She whispered it to herself. “Got to stay calm.” She turned her mind away from thoughts of fear, making a conscious effort to avoid panic. Turning to thoughts that would distract, like actually kissing Rainbow, or being held in her arms and falling asleep feeling safe and protected.

She sighed and worked her arms in the shackles again and attempted to shift the magic blocking bands off. “It would seem,” she muttered to herself, “that I have somewhat fallen for that woman.” She tugged at the bindings, “So I really have to get out of this and explore that a little.” An edge of panic worked its way into her again as still the chains held fast.

-*-

“She’s really rattling those things.” Hoops commented to no one in particular. His former employer wasn’t going to listen and his current employer was too creepy for small talk. The shadow with the sadistic smile was watching Rarity move about the underground room, the sound of her dull shuffling gait drowned out by the echoing noise of metal on metal and stone above them. She moved like a puppet, pausing in places and picking up an object.

“The mage will not escape.” The shadow hissed, startling the sky-man. “She will not struggle much longer.” It turned to regard the man a moment. “The moment for my freedom races towards us.”

“Uh, cool?” He took a slightly nervous swig from his canteen, never taking his eyes off the creature.

It ignored him again, instead watching as the archaeologist lifted another artefact from the sandy floor and placed it on a stone block. If the hired muscle had bothered to look, he would have seen each artefact aligned with intricate markings etched across the stone. A last artefact was placed by the controlled woman.

“It is time to prepare my new host.” The shadow turned and pointed to the surface. “Set some fires around her.” Hoops nodded and hurried out. “As soon as the mage is prepared we can release my full form.” It grinned to the un-seeing Rarity. “So soon.”

-*-

A column of dust marked the progress of thirty mounted warriors and their Princess, accompanied by their healer and assorted hangers on. Ahead of them an Appleoosan, well used to riding was hurrying to the ruins. “Some of them are claiming her disrespectful.” A’triet said to his princess.

“What? Riding ahead of me? She is chasing to rescue her love; it would be above my station to hinder her.” Luna replied. They were leading the tribesmen, still with speed but slower than the gunner. It would have looked like their earlier muster but for the poise the princess had with her spear. In readiness for any eventuality. “There is still time until the sun reaches her zenith. I do not want to tire us.”

“A wise plan.” A’triet called, allowing his horse a moment to slow so as to consult with the others.

“We should be with Jack, Twily is out there too.” Shining grumbled under his breath, he and Cadence were close behind the leaders.

“You aren’t that good a horseman Shining.” Cadence said, drawing closer to lay a hand on his arm. “I wish we could just zap there in a moment but we are forced to ride.”

“I’m just stuck being useless then.” He replied bitterly.

“We’ll make it.” Pinkie said, a small smile flashed at him. “We just have to.”

They rode over the miles, racing the sun.

-*-

Hoops grunted as he dumped another armful of wood in a spot the shadow creature had pointed out. He had already laid four and there was still one more to go, in the late morning sun it was a thankless task. The motor mouth egghead didn’t help. “Why are you working with that monster?” She said for about the twentieth time.

“Gold, now shut up!” He stomped off to pick up another stack of wood from around the ruins. Twilight watched him stalk away.

“Come on guys... I am not feeling good about the ritual pyres it looks like he is building.” She muttered, looking to the sky in the direction of the city. Surely someone was coming to rescue her. Her brother would never leave her in danger, he had promised many years before. Cadence would move heaven and earth to keep her safe, the one time she had gotten lost as a child her babysitter had torn through the park until she was safe in the older girl’s embrace.

Rarity was here too, Jack would surely be breaking faces until the archaeologist was in her company again. Pinkie had her strange sense to help track them down even if they didn’t have a good guess on where to go.

And Rainbow... Twilight smiled despite herself, Rainbow would be coming. She had to be.

-*-

“How much longer will this take?” Shining asked, his voice taught with concern.

“We are simply a valley away.” Cadence said in a hushed tone, “Mother said we had to avoid the cultists by taking this route.”

“Indeed Shining Armour, they are surely aware that the hour comes for their Queen’s return... I would not want to risk battle with them now. We must save our strength for the true menace.” Luna said before she rode ahead of the group, still a respectful distance from Jack.

Luna was riding with poise despite their speed. Her mind was anything but calm or poised. All she could think of was her past experience with the Nightmare.

Of the power the monster had. Of the power she could have stolen from Celestia after long centuries. Of the grim task she could face if they were too late to prevent the abomination taking a new host.

She did not want to hurt her daughter. Cadence was the best thing that had happened to her in a millennia. It had been a joy to raise a child, a child so much like her lost aunt. Now though she was a woman, who had her own life beyond her mother. A life that had come to include a sweet little librarian, a girl who, her daughter had explained in a letter, was like a sister.

“Please... harmony... Don’t force my daughter to lose a sister too.”