Twilight in the Dreamlands

by RB_

Entry 11 (Part 2)

Day 13 (continued)

…for a moment, at least.

There is a concept in the field of physiology known as the acute stress response, or, more commonly, the fight-or-flight response. When an animal perceives a threat to themselves or their wellbeing, it triggers the adrenal medulla, which produces a series of hormones that result in the secretion of catecholamines, which include adrenaline and noradrenaline. The body also begins to convert stored fatty acids into energy, preparing for a response. In essence, this is the body’s way of preparing itself to either attack the threat, or to run from it.

This occurs in all animals, and ponies are no exception.

It has also been shown that, in many mammalian species, a parent will risk their own safety to protect its offspring, valuing the lives of its children above its own. This is known informally as ‘mama bear’ behavior.

I have raised Spike ever since he first hatched. In fact, I was the one who hatched him. And even though I view him more as a brother than as a son, there is no escaping instinct.

So, in the midst of my breathing quickening, my pulse accelerating, and my pupils dilating, I reached a decision.

I would not let this thing hurt Spike ever, EVER again.

This single thought grew in my mind, blotting out all the fear and replacing it with sheer, burning rage; and all of it directed at the disgusting, malformed beast perched upon the dragon’s snout.

“GET AWAY FROM HIM!” I shouted, magic building up in my horn, the building pressure threatening to break the relatively fragile bone, but I would not loose it, not yet. I stared the skeletal monster right in its single eye, which dilated in surprise and growing fear. An afterglow formed around my horn, then another, and another, and another, until the light of my mana blotted out the rest of the chamber in its brilliance, and still I held the flood back, letting it build ever stronger.

The creature tried to move, to escape, but to no avail, its crippled legs weighing it down like a ball and chain. It could not escape, and even if it could have, I would have chased it down until justice had been fulfilled.

It would never hurt anypony again.

Screaming, I finally opened the mental floodgates, the massive magical surge I had been suppressing blasting out with a power to rival the flames of the sun itself. There was no direction to this spell, no carefully constructed matrices, no painstakingly crafted guides. This was pure, unhindered, untamed magic, with a single purpose: the complete and utter annihilation of the abomination which had dared, DARED, to harm my friend.

It was like a candle in a hurricane; standing no chance and gone in an instant.

I awoke to the worried and tear-stained face of Spike, now his normal size and age, staring down at me.

“Twilight!” he exclaimed, noticing my return to consciousness. “You’re okay! Oh, sweet Celestia, I was so worried, you wouldn’t wake up, you weren’t moving, I thought-”

I pulled the young drake into a hug, cuddling him, letting him cry into my shoulder while I whispered comforting words.

Taking a moment while comforting my little friend to look around, I saw that no trace remained of the nightmarish beast. I then finally turned my attention to the ground we were sitting upon.

Gravestones. They were gravestones.

And perched atop the pile, facing towards where spike had been laying were five stones, more ornate than the rest, each inscribed with a familiar cutie mark.

I pulled him a little closer.