• Published 15th Apr 2016
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Among The Nightmares - Spirit Of Fantasy



A toddler of a rare human breed must survive a creature of nightmares with nothing, but his advanced intelligence, and two pony plushy sisters that vow to protect him to what ever end.

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Chapter 2:Terror On The Playground

Chapter 2: Terror On The Playground

A tunnel of red spiraled in the middle of a black and red realm, full of nothing but distant chunks of floating land. It was a soulless and silent world that chilled bones to the point of frost settling in. The air was still with no wind, and no temperature to feel. The perfect setting a dark mind had stored for a poor little soul. Now trapped in his shadows, and at the mercy of the hellish spirit.

The tunnel rang with with repeated thuds, and small child like screams. The world went into a small flux of lights as the sound of a body sliding down the tunnel livened the realm up. Along with the screams of two small ponies, bent on protecting the child they found. They tumbled and rammed against the circular metal till they saw the red light. Aiden flew out of the tunnel and rolled in the dirt, as he still held on tight to his friends.

Dust kicked up from the landscape before the boy was coughing and choking on dirt. He felt his pony friends patting his back and hugging him as he rolled to his bottom. He rubbed his eyes that were stinging from the cloud of grains. He groaned so quietly and so high pitch before his friend's comfort lifted his chin up. Right on time to see the unknown void that was only known by the three new beings Aiden now knew.

"Are you alright Aiden...?! We're so sorry about all this,"Luna bounced out of his arms and looked at a child with a false smile that hid grief,"We should have just took you when we had the chance... But we took our time, and... Now you're here...!"

Aiden merely moaned and whimpered to grab for Luna in hopes of keeping her safe in his arms. Celestia too was hurting on the inside, but being plushies with permanent smiles made it nearly impossible to grieve. After forcing out a sigh through her unmovable lips, she hopped out of the boys arms.

"Aiden... We need you to listen. This is far too much to ask of you, but we will all perish if we don't stick together,"Celestia was heavy with forebode and seriousness,"Whatever reasons our enemy has for bringing us here. We must survive it and work as a team to find a way out...!"

"Sounds about like every souls idea of surviving hell itself. Even when none has ever lived to escape it...!"That dark hissing voice came to them from above within the red and black skies.

Aiden whimpered in almost a scream and grabbed at his throbbing head. His eye sight going fuzzy with fear from the monster's voice hissing, and chuckling at the child. Luna dropped from his arms as the boy fell to his knees. He felt powerless, and at the mercy of the demon. It was as if at the moment, that he felt like giving into the monster.

"You animal! Why are you doing this?! Why this child?! Why take us to this of all places?!"Celestia snapped while Luna aided Aiden with standing back up.

"You brought this on yourself when you chose to defend this little runt,"He chuckled as his words made the red realm glow,"Now you will all be forced into my world of nightmares. I'd like to see how long you can survive...!"

"No! No more games spawn of Tartarus! Let us all go, and end this reign of horror!"Celestia attempted to intimidate the unknown assailant of shadows.

"But I thought you were playing games with me?! Hiding around the house to embarrass me and avoiding your fate,"The hiss turned to a snarl as a shadow grew from a growing tunnel raising from the ground,"If you're going to play games with me. Then why not let me make a little game of my own?"

"We don't play games with creatures that would smile at the death of an innocent child...!"Luna denied the demons remark that was then revealed to be a proposition.

"Oh really? What if I were to say... If you were to play my little game. I would perhaps let you all live...?"He sneered and smiled on the inside as the black figure appeared before them.

"Like we're suppose to believe that you of all creatures would make deals and keep your word?!"Luna ranted while Aiden was hugging her tight and unleashing her silver light.

"Well, I could have just killed you all where you now stand. But what's the point when you can't have fun? If you can't make a sport out of anything,"He said before flashing his fangs and moving aside for the tunnel,"Play my little game of nightmares... And If you survive... You live...!"

"What do you think? We can't trust him...! He will kill us the first chance he has,"Luna arrived at Celestia's side to disagree with the idea,"Besides... Look at him. Aiden is shaken, and his mind has grown fragile...! He may never recover if we do this...!"

Luna's concerns were not to be taken lightly from the look of the terrified child. They could feel his mind already suffering from the horrors this enemy had showed them. The howls that the dimension they stood upon were rattling his brain like wolves from the darkest corners of dreams. The stuffing made hearts of the plushies ached to see him suffering, but Celestia could see it now. There was no way out of this game.

"Very well...! We will play your little game demon. I hope you will enjoy this fun of yours,"Celestia quickly wrapped a hoof around her sister and walked with her back to Aiden,"By the end of it. You will know how it feels to lose when your shadow meets the light..."

"What? Are you crazy...?!"Luna's denial of the challenge only fell on deaf ears.

"I'll give you a few moments to get the runt on his feet...!"Smoke surrounded the shadow before it spun around his entire body and took him away to wait.

They watched the smoke ascend into the blackened red sky before distant thunder was heard. They were slow on their way back from the meeting, and watching the boy whimper and tremble did nothing to help. This wasn't suppose to happen to the child, but they're personal feelings had grown too quickly for the child. Now he was stuck in a nightmare he couldn't awake from, and he'd be force to journey deep into the nightmare if he were ever to get out.

Though in his mind, he only wanted to stay there and cry. Just cry until the tears dried and his soul would be claimed by the demon without pain or fear. However as his head was lifted by a soft white hoof on his chin. He saw the light of hope before him once again.

"Aiden... You don't ever have to forgive us for getting you into this. You don't even need to love us any more,"Celestia wiped a tear from the trembling boy as he slowly reached to hug her,"All we want to do now is save you... And make sure you're in a safer place."

"If you trust us... We can protect you from this menace, and find the way back home for you,"Luna added onto the promise before she nuzzled his chest,"We only ask that no matter what...! Don't be afraid of what you may see. Because we will protect you... Always."

Aiden pulled both his friends into a big hug and whimpered with small pants as well. If only he could speak, maybe they could know what he was trying to say to them. His eyes were drying and the warmth of the ponies comfort brought feeling back into his small legs. He panted as he rolled around to slowly lift himself up. Getting his tiny feet firmly into the dirt before casually rising tall to stand.

He waddled slowly with his friends tight in his arms and glowing with the two lights of hope. Silver and gold illuminated the red tunnel they approached as metallic bangs echoed. A bit unnerving, but bravery was beginning to fill the child to the point where a smile could be seen. Celestia and Luna held on tight as he gripped and climbed up into the tube. He felt the slippery surface chilling his feet as he sat down.

His spine iced from his rear meeting the cold metal, and forced a deep breath from Aiden. He then scoot forward to start sliding down the tube like a play ground slide. He at least wanted to try and have a little fun while he was going through a world of nightmares. He let go for a moment and felt the world slowing down as he slid down the steep tunnel to the next world. Hearing only one last comment from dark one beyond the wind.

"Game on boy...!"His growls rattled as the three of them screamed from the descent into darkness.

Their minds were racing with the speed they were traveling, but it felt like almost hours that they had been in the tunnel. The cold metal was making Aiden shiver and his teeth chatter. They were hoping that the demon wasn't already turning on them, and guiding them towards death. They could not stand it if they had failed to protect Aiden after coming so far. Thankfully it wasn't too long before they could see a bright orange light at the end of the tunnel.

Wind rushed in their hair, bringing their locks high above their heads from the fresh oxygen. The boy held on tight to his plushies and closed his eyes once met with the light in his eyes. It could have even blinded him if it weren't for the quick action that then proved unnecessary. He felt his cold bottom fly right out of the tube and crash into the soft dirt. Full of warmth, and natural elements that felt almost like the real world.

He spat and blew as he turned onto his side and sat up in a cloud of dirt. He felt his friends wiggle out of his arms and lightly trot around and pat off the dirt on their bodies. Only to then shake their tails and manes to force out another cloud of dirt. They coughed and cleared their throats before they looked to Aiden getting back up and looking around. It looked like they were in a hut under an uprooted tree full of red, green and orange lights.

"Whoa... What is this place?"Luna broke the silence while carefully trotting around the empty hut.

"It feels warm and safe... But let us not be fooled by first appearance,"Celestia warned after looking at a tiki mask with black out lines,"We are still in the realm of nightmares... This is merely a way to soften our minds to the tasks we may encounter..."

"You're right... I can still feel that grotesque stench of the creatures smoke...!"Luna looked out a small window and could see the shapes of mechanisms in the distance.

Aiden appeared to be unconvinced by the area around him, yet it appeared so familiar to him. A place he had once visited with his parents, or a place he had seen in his dreams. He looked around in marvel before he then spotted the little wooden door knob. He cooed and waddled over at full speed and reached out to grab the door knob. He turned it and listened to the click before it slowly opened up to a completely new world.

The area appeared misty and orange, proving difficult on the companions eyes. They could see the silhouette of the mechanisms in the distance, they could swear that they might have been moving. Though it could easily be the darkness and the illusions of the dark one creeping in their minds like roaches. Aiden squeaked out and walked for a bit with the ponies at his side. Only for his friends to get scooped up into his arms and perched on his shoulders.

"Remember. Be brave and just keep moving. No matter what happens..."Luna whispered encouragement into the boy's ears.

The objects in the distance grew in detail and got larger with every step they took towards the structures. Sun light began separating and pulling away the mist to reveal so much more. A shed right by what was turning out to be a large swing set in the center. A large slide a bit to the right that came after the swing set. After seeing the jungle gym to the left, and a tire swing far from the rest swinging on crooked tree branches, they knew exactly what it was.

"A play ground...? He took us to a play ground?"Luna questioned this odd realm a monster of evil had actually brought them to.

The mist had finally dissipated and gave new light to a world full of giant play ground materials. Massive basket ball hoops bent around the largest play sets Aiden had ever seen. The two massive sets were more like buildings rather than play sets, and mimicked twin towers. Surrounded by metal bent basket ball hoops and twisting slides. A teeter totter stood next to one while a bridge connected both massive buildings together.

They looked closer at the buildings as a reddish glow blinked from a top of another. A closer look from the princess of the sun made out a swirling rift of black and red. That must have been the portal, it made a ton of sense as it raced around in her mind. Though getting to the top of such a large building was easier said than don, and there's no knowing what could come. Though they had little choice in the matter, the rift was their way out of this game.

"We have our way out...! We just need a way up,"Celestia pointed to the swirling portal, but at first glance it appeared impossible to climb,"Look around...! This realm is a magical puzzle. Solving it will lead us to freedom...!"

"Agree. Though I feel a bit nervous. It's too calm and quiet for a dark realm,"Luna was feeling her stuffing shudder from this sudden calm in a world that was meant to be evil,"Something just isn't right here..."

Aiden cooed before suddenly walking towards the play ground swing sets. He smiled as he reached for the swing with his tiny fingers wriggling like worms. Celestia and her sister were touched, but Celestia was unsure, and wanted to get Aiden moving to get to the rift. Luna only patted his back in encouragement since it had been a while since he could actually play. Aiden gripped the seat and climbed into the seat before trying to swing.

"Alright Aiden, just for a few minutes..."Luna hopped down and stood on her back legs to give him a push.

"We have no time for this...! The more time we waste, the more tempting we are to the fiend,"Celestia jumped down and tried to stop Luna after she gave Aiden a big push,"He will send his nightmares here, and this realm will be impossible if we waste time like this...!"

The joy brought on by the boy's cheerful giggles drowned out Celestia's words of fear. Luna chuckled and pushed him again to watch him swing happily with his friends. He felt the rush of air in his hair as he swung back and forth, holding onto the swing chains for dear life. His laughter filled the ponies with butterflies and laughter before they were both pushing him on the swing. This was what filled them with such joy to see him, and care for him as if he was their child.

He swung high in the air like a bird, and wanted to spread his arms to fly. Though the fun was soon about to end as a glint at the corner of his eye caught his attention at the peak of his last swing. When he came down, he was kicking and struggling to get out of the seat. He leaned forward and got out of the seat much to the mares confusion before he was crawling away. Clearly he either saw something else fun, or maybe he found something important.

"Where are you going sweetie? I thought you wanted to play on the swing?"Luna called out before he was crawling towards the rickety old shed.

"Follow him. We can't get separated sister,"Celestia was quick to run and catch up with Aiden,"Don't forget... Aiden is the one he's after."

They both caught up with Aiden, and walked by his sides as they came to the shed. The boy was the first to take a peak into the shed, and it proved difficult to see much. The shed was small, but it was dimly lit with only one candle on top of a counter. Along with it, there appeared to be a small rod, more like a lever that could actually be of importance. This tempted the ponies to go into the small structure with Aiden right behind them.

"That lever is in too well of shape to be nothing. We need that for something,"Luna assessed the situation as she sighed seeing the height issue they had,"Now if only we had a way up to get it..."

"We could use this. That is if we had the strength to move it."Celestia pointed out a square empty crate made of wood in the corner, but even that was too heavy for stuff toys to move.

Fortunately for the mares, Aiden was already a step ahead of him when it came to the crate. He was already up on his to feet and yanking the crate from the corner. He had little struggle as he pushed the crate to the side of the wall and waited a moment to catch his breath. Only to then climb onto the box and balance himself to make sure mistakes weren't made like the first few he had when it came of getting out of his play pen. Though now he had become a pro when it came to climbing.

With another breath he reached up nice and tall to grab the counter nice and firm. He lifted up and swung his feet a bit to hoist himself up, and leaned forward to roll to the counter. With a good lift, he rolled onto his back right before the dim candle light. He rolled to his stomach and nearly got his ear caught in the flame before crawling over to the lever. He paused for a moment to look at the brown rod before he noticed something about it, it was one of his old toys.

He reached for it, and was frozen by a familiar blast of ice cold air from behind. He picked up to lever in time for the shed to start cracking and trembling like old rotten wood. The wooden door suddenly slammed behind the ponies with a loud crash. It shook their spines to the center before Aiden looked up and out an open window to see it in the distance with wide eyes. The shadow of a baby in the middle of the play ground watching him with eyes of red.

He stuttered with his whimpers as the orange light of day was quickly fading with the return of the mist. Cold air was hitting his face before he covered it and tried to run from it. Only to accidentally crawl right off the counter and knock over the candle in the process after it had gone out. He screamed before he was met with a soft landing, thanks to Celestia and Luna positioning in the right spot. He rolled to get off them before he held his head to only hear the panting of his two companions.

"I knew it! I just knew it...! I knew this wasn't going to be a walk in the park, I just knew it...!"Celestia panicked before they all went silent after hearing whirling winds and the distant cries of a child.

"He's the master of Tartarus sister... What did you expect from a demon like himself...?"Luna was quiet while Aiden peeked around every corner of the area.

"We need to get out of here before either HIM or something else comes for him...! Don't forget who's most important here sister,"Luna reminded before Celestia sighed and nodded with relative ease,"We have to do what ever we must to protect Aiden...!"

Her words were inspiring, but silenced with the sound of foot steps approaching. They could hear the hard stomps with the grinding crunch of dirt. Fresh earth being crushed as the foot steps approached the shed and the light of day replaced with a gloom of blue. Aiden huddled in and held his two plushies as he cried silently with his head pounding and his hands shaking. His vision went blurry once more before his ears were pierced by a horrible noise.

Scratching was occurring outside the shed, and grinding along the walls towards the door. They could feel the child whimpering as the scratching met with the door and ceased for a moment. Then the familiar clicking of a door opening went off in his ears before it happened. The shed door gradually opened up to the gloomy and foggy blue play ground. Aiden did not want to from his spot, but the screech of a child forced him to move.

Wind blowing like a storm rang in his ears before he was outside and immediately hit by the cold. He topped from the feeling of solemness heavy in the air, along with a strong malice. It was empty and cold to the touch, this was fear at its purest. He crawled slowly and huddled into plants that had sprouted around the play ground. He shook his head after hearing something else walking in the plants with him.

Weeds were crushed under the iron heel of an invisible enemy, the worst kind of enemy. Aiden looked around and followed the sound before crawling in another direction. He stopped before seeing a plant flatten right before him and the icy presence of evil stood before him. He could hear it sniffing the musky cold air for any scent of a child. It made the child want to give up in his mind, but his heart told him to stay quiet.

With his mind made up by his heart, he remained quiet and within the brush. He shuddered before seeing the invisible weight lift off the plant, and deep boot prints stomped towards the teeter totter. It may have left, but the danger was from from over.

"Ok... Now that we have a moment... We need to figure out what that lever goes to..."Celestia whispered to disguise her fear with concern and confusion.

"I'm sure we can figure it out... This small realm has very little spots to hide it's secrets,"Luna spoke from the feel of nightmares she knew from experience,"We just need to figure out what seems to stand out... Anything abnormal is a possibility."

Standing out was all Aiden truly needed to get a clue, and that's when he remembered. The tire swing far from the other play sets on the play ground, it stood out. It was like it was on it's own, never being a true part of the play ground, or at the least a rogue. The tire swing was his next stop, but before moving forward. A deep and sickening crunch went off in his ears before slime was felt through his fingers, and the palm of his right hand.

A slow twist of his neck directed him to a bug carcass crushed to pieces by his own hand. Legs were stuck to his fingers along with the dripping of green insect blood. His soiled hand shook at the sight of the first death he himself had committed. Only for such irony to start sprouting from the moist dirt with tiny screeches of rage. A scream rattled through Aiden's lips to see bugs of all shapes and sizes, cloaked in shadows of evil.

With cries of panic, Aiden took off with the sound of tapping bug legs following him. He narrowly avoided getting bit by a black giant beetle, forcing the ponies screamed and begged for the boy to go full speed, for his own sake. A swarm was growing from the soil as they exited the brush with a black army of insects in pursuit, making their minds race. The fear of their flesh being torn by pincers and claws, plunging deep into their heads. Their only hope was the tree stump Aiden spotted right by the tire swing.

"Don't look back...! Just keep running to the stump!"Luna scooped up a rock and tossed it into the swarm of bugs.

The creatures only separated and sacrifice hundreds to save thousands before they continued to pursue. Though it did give Aiden the time he needed to stop for the tree stump and start climbing. He squealed and kicked himself onto the tree stump before feeling a cold bug shell hitting his foot. He sat there and watched insects clashing into the tree and crushing each other. Forcing him and the ponies to watch as green blood was shed and insects crumbling and retreating into the soil dead or alive as failed hunters of humans.

Watching the bugs creep and crawl, spreading dirt in all directions to burrow back into their homes. Aiden sighed deeply to stop his racing mind and heart, and look to the dead insect carcasses. He felt soft limbs pull him away from the sight of death and into the comfort of Celestia.

"Don't look Aiden... This is not a sight for children to see..."Celestia kept his face buried against her chest.

"Well we're here... But I don't see anything here but... Webs?"Luna looked above and could see thick white silky webbing in the trees.

The others looked up before they could hear wind creaking the dark branches before cracking against the webs. That did not bode well for the group to hear such sounds. It only got worse as the cries of a baby were heard on the winds breath. Almost as if the child cried before meeting a grim end, and crying out for the mother that never came. It put a pain of sadness deep into the boy's stomach as he looked to the ground.

Littered with the dead insects that once wished to make a corpse of himself. Was his life truly this vital that it called for life or death battles? Why would two pony toys want him to live while this monster wanted him to die? It was impossible for his small mind to comprehend, all he could do was hug his pony friends. Before a gasp from Luna shocked him out of his childish thoughts along with a coil around his neck.

"AIDEN!"Luna screamed before he could see a branch suddenly constrict around his throat.

The pressure was unreal to Aiden, and the air was being taken from his lungs. Celestia fell from his arms while Luna held onto his leg as he was hoisted from the stump. He choked and began to kick with ferocity and panic. Saliva left the corners of his mouth as he felt the wooden choke hold strangling the life from his tiny body. Luna could only scream as Aiden kicked his legs and grabbed at the hard wood vine.

His little fingers squeezed into the vice grip, but were hopeless to try and pull away from it. Celestia ran in a circle trying to panic while Luna tried to climb up the boys blue pjs. He yanked and barely moved the vines to catch his breath, but it was fruitless. His vision was already starting to fade, and control of his limbs spiraled out of control. Luna panted before getting to his face and helping to pull the vines off his bruising neck.

"He's going to die! Tia help!"Luna yanked at the vine to give the boy air, only to see his face turning blue and gloomy like the world.

"That vine! It's alive! That means it can feel Aiden! So fight,"Those words hatched a plan from Luna as she gripped the tip of the vine,"FIGHT! Just fight! Don't stop fighting!"

"Bite! Bite Aiden! Just fight back and bite!"Luna put the tip of the wood towards his mouth as his watering eyes spotted it.

They began to dilate and fail before he could feel the dark wood on his tongue. The word bite screamed in his ears, and with one last show of body functions. He lifted his jaw up and bit down hard on the wood vine before a screech exploded from all around. The wind spiraled around the three of them as screams of pain from an unknown being. That's when the gift of life came back to Aiden's little body.

The vine loosened and shuddered before releasing his bruised neck from the hard grip. He fell a massive blast of oxygen renter his body before he began to pant and panic. He crashed back on the stump before Celestia rushed over to assess her sister and the child. Luna was unhurt from the looks of it, but Aiden was a different story. He had a circular bruise around his entire neck from the hang man execution.

He coughed and choked to keep finding a breath of air with each pant. He held his chest, and strangely could not cry from the fear of death. The day pony patted his back while he coughed out his saliva while a chunk of tree stump cracked and trembled. Luna felt her vice cracking and shivering with tears that could not come to plastic eyes. Though she could be heard quietly weeping while checking the bruises around his neck.

"Aiden...! Oh my gosh, Aiden...!"Luna hugged his chest while he wheezed before finding a slow and steady rhythm of air to breath.

"Are you two ok? I was so worried when-"Celestia went silent seeing Luna snap at her and keep her away.

"It doesn't matter if I'm fine or not! I'm worried about Aiden! He's hurt now, and he's scared...!'Luna ranted to her sister while Aiden yanked out the piece of tree.

He kept the argument out of his thoughts before he spotted an open slot inside on the wall of the stump. He took out the small lever, and looked to it real close before he looked back to the slot. He breathed smoothly before reaching to the slot with the rod like lever. He grunted a bit to stretch out more before he gradually done his job. The rod gradually went into the slot like two legos, and latched in place to be used.

He gripped the handle and took one last life giving breath before pulling the lever. It rolled like clock gears, and clicked like an opening door before it met the other end of the slot. The ponies finally began to quiet down to see the ground itself shaking like an earthquake under a sand box. They saw that Aiden took action, and figured out the puzzle before dirt was exploding from below, and a great stone structure lifted.

It raised like an ancient statue in the form of stairs as it lifted towards one of the two towers play sets. They had found the way out of this world thanks to the intellect Aiden possessed for a child. He sat for a moment and weakly cooed ass he stared at the way out still swirling with red and black.

"Well done Aiden! That was genius child...! So incredibly genius!"Celestia clapped her small hooves together and ran with Luna to the boy.

"We have our way out! And we've survived the creatures here...! We can leave now."Luna enticed Aiden with the idea to get out of this horrible playground.

He wasted no time and climbed off the stump with barely a struggle, but this world was not done yet. The plushies climbed their way onto his shoulders as he took off towards the steps. He could hear the crawling of bug like legs, but he didn't see anything around. The world may very well be starting to get to him, but not for much longer. He went at full speed, not looking to the ground out of fear for another insect swarm attack.

The crawling tickled his ears with the thought of tiny bugs jumping him from everywhere. Though he neared the steps and was on his way to freedom. Suddenly he felt the ground crash and force him to the dirt before clicking and legs crawling. He got up and looked at the steps before a shadow eclipsed the blue dim light over him. He breathed in deeply with his neck freezing in terror, and turned around slowly to another insect of horror like no other.

Above him was a giant bug like no other, in the form of a spider. It's eight legs caged most of his escape while it also bared what appeared to be the top half of a woman garbed in blackness. She roared with a popping screech as she looked down to the child. Her red eyes glaring through her black hair as her hands opened with long nails ready to grab. While a stinger from her rear protruded to sting and paralyze.

Aiden shuddered and backed away while the creature watched him and moved towards him. His body wanted to freeze, and no longer move, but his friends said other wise. They tightened their grip and gave him a good pat to the back to get him running.

"RUN!"Celestia cried before Aiden waddled fast and missed losing his head from a clawed swing of the spider mistress.

She screeched and went into hunting mode as she charged at the group. Her legs plunging deep into the dirt as she followed him to the steps, she loved to play with her prey. Aiden climbed the steps quickly and against the ice cold touch they gave his hands and his feet. He whimpered and screamed as he heard her from behind approaching with her tapping legs hitting the stairs and sliding around. The stairs were strong, but smooth enough to slip on.

It took the tiny fingers and toes Aiden had to stay gripped to the steps while he quickly climbed. He kept looking forward towards the top of the tower, and the bridge made out to be the next stop. Though he could feel the creature closing in slowly due to her spider limbs struggling to hold onto the stairs. Luna was quick to see the creatures struggle, and looked around before seeing a small toy car on an upcoming step. A plan was made, and executed once Luna had swung down under Aiden's belly and grabbed the car.

"Watch your step!"Luna taunted before tossing the car down the steps.

The creature went to grab for Aiden, but felt her leg buckle from under as she stepped on the car. She screeched with slimy teeth shooting from her mouth before she lost balance and fell off the side. Aiden finally looked back and saw the creature fall off the stairs. Tumbling down a good ten feet before crashing into the dirt. Aiden looked forward and assumed that the creature was now dead, leaving him open to escape.

"Nice work there Luna. And nice ironic phrase to taunt...!"Celestia complimented as they finally reached the tower's peak.

Aiden gasp for more air after making over the final step and rolling to his back, and looking to the ceiling. He avoided death, and was nearing the end of this world to get to the next. His trust in Celestia and Luna was really paying off, and hope felt just a bit more stronger. A smile lifted on his face as he looked to his two friends crawling up to give him a hug. Their warmth both eased his mind and made his next objective clear.

His head turned, and he could see the portal out of this play ground across the bridge. He sighed and stilled himself as the haunting images of bugs, and being strangled to death threaten to deter him. Though just a look and a nod from Celestia and Luna got him off his feet. He stumbled and looked to the bridge before he began to walk. He reached for the portal as he stepped on the bridge and immediately made it creak.

"This bridge is old... We need to be careful so it does not collapse."Celestia informed as Aiden walked slowly on the bridge as it swayed a bit with each step.

"We're almost out of here... Don't you worry Aiden. Just wait till we all get home,"Luna said while the bridge trembled a bit while the creak of wood tried to break their nerves,"We can play together... We'll even take good care of you. We'll be able to give all the more love that you deserve...!"

Those sorts of promises did sound nice, but they weren't out of the woods just yet. Aiden cooed at the proposition before he fell on the wooden bridge before it began to crack and shake. He looked up, but Celestia spotted the danger coming onto the bridge. The woman like spider had gotten right back up and climbed the tower to capture her prey. She jumped and landed right on the start of the bridge with a drooling smirk.

She screeched while Aiden got one last look at her, and swore her face looked familiar. He crawled on all fours towards the portal before the bridge thrashed with the approach of the creature. He gasped and struggled to scream as he reached for the portal. Though the scream found it's way out when he felt his leg getting grabbed. He heard the sick tear of fabric from his footy pajamas leg part while it struggled against the grip of the spider.

He yanked, but she pulled back and tried to pull him into her venomous embrace. He grunted and scooted away towards the portal, but she just kept pulling him closer to her. He could see the shine of her stinger. Aiming at his head to deliver the killing blow, but he saw what she was doing to the bridge. The ropes were snapping, and the bridge was giving out to the rough struggle. He could see his footy pajama leg piece ripping and baring his skin before he kicked at her hand.

"Hang on to me Aiden! Grab for the portal sister!"Luna screamed as Aiden bit at the spiders fingers.

He squeezed Luna tight before her silver light went off and blinded the spider's red eyes. He closed his own eyes from the sudden light while Celestia had Luna holding her back leg. She jumped for the portal and gradually got connected to the portals gravity like surface. A strong force had then began to pull them from the spider's grip, and into the portal. Aiden then felt his foot slip out of spider's grasp before the explosion of wood went off.

His whole body went into the portal and off to the next world while the spider had destroyed the bridge. It fell to pieces under her legs, and caused it to tumble back down to the earth. Only to meet the tree stump below the tire swing, and coming through her abdomen. Green blood exploded as her body was impaled completely through and forced a very human scream from her jaws. Until she finally died a failure, being unable to kill the child that had escaped with his pony friends.

"Well played boy. Well played...! Now my hand has truly been forced...!"Came the hiss of the dark one as he felt displeasure about being out smarted by a child.