Unum
There was nothing but fire. It clawed and tore at everything in sight, making the shadows and bodies dance and flicker. It roared, inside my mind, drowning out the screams and wails of the dying. I could feel as the blood pounded in my head, as my lungs burned with smoke. Pain rippled from my hooves as I ran, mementos of my failure to save the innocent. Overhead, the lightning and thunder lit and shook the world, illuminating the streets piled high with the dead. Here and there shadows flickered at the edge of the light, flitting to and fro, here and there flashing gold or silver. Gold chased silver, and silver chased gold, round and round in a carousel of colors, circling the fires like vultures. I stopped for breath at the edge of the burnt-out husk of what once was an inn, now was only a pile of glowing timbers and stones. I leaned against the stone foundations, looking down at the ground as my chest heaved. Scarred, scuffed black breastplate and bracers, bloody and burnt skin beneath. The acrid, bittersweet smell of burning flesh filled my nostrils, and the metallic taste of blood filled my mouth. Sweat and smoke stung my eyes, but mercifully the smoke was clear here, and I gulped in clean air as fast as I could. Just a moment more, and I heaved my tired, broken body back out into the road, and back on the move. Everywhere I looked, the dead or those soon to be filled the streets. Sometimes they were running, sometimes they were lying in puddles of their own blood, staring up at the sky, firelight reflecting in slowly dimming eyes. I set my jaw at the sight of a small child clutching the body of her mother, mouth open in what could only be a cry. I couldn't look away from the sight, until something large grabbed me and spun me around. Fire and lightning swirled together, then pain rippled from my belly. The barest of heartbeats later, more pain billowed in my head, and all turned to black.
Then I awoke.
Sweat poured down my face, coated my fur, as the sound of my panting filled the room. Above me, the ceiling fan turned slowly, sending a cool breeze that chilled my sweat-covered skin. The moon hung bright in the sky outside, sending soft shadows through the window. Next to me, the alarm clock ticked on, telling it to be just after midnight. I rolled over onto my belly, throwing the sheets off in a burst of magic. A hoof rubbed my tired eyes as the other found its way to the floor. Before I knew it I was stumbling across the room in the sleepy shuffle known to all who awaken in the middle of the night. I made my way into the bathroom and bent over the sink, splashing a hooffull of water into my face. I looked up at myself in the mirror and I saw my own terrified face staring back at me, lit by moonlight and glistening with sweat and water. I didn't know quite what to think of that dream, though it was not the first. No, dreams like that, though most not as vivid, had been plaguing me for near on a month now. I seldom remembered much of them, though they were all surreal and usually, terrifying. This had been no exception. Unfortunately, there was not much for me to do on the matter, but to crawl back into a sweat-covered bed and try to fall back asleep. I did not have much luck.
The alarm in the morning found me awake, clutching a pillow, trying to keep my eyes closed when they wished to be open. I stared at the clock ringing away on the table beside me for several long moments, before shutting it off with a hoof. The dull headache behind my ears made the thought of magic seem unpleasant, and my morning routine a long and slow one. A quick washing, followed by a dry breakfast of stale cereal and I was on my way, trotting through the streets of Canterlot. There were not very many ponies about at the moment, giving me ample room to speed up to a canter in an effort to arrive at work within a reasonable time. Unfortunately, it was for naught. As I trotted through the doors into the grocer's store, my manager met me there with a frown.
"You're only twenty minutes late for your shift, Star. You're improving. Minty had to cover for you, again."
"Sorry, Quick Buck. I'll be sure to thank her and it wont happen again." I said, stifling another yawn with a hoof as I nodded. He sighed, and shook his head.
"You've been saying that for weeks. I don't know what's been going on with you, but you need to sort it out, alright? Or I'll have to let you go." He turned and trotted off, disappearing behind the isles. I grumbled to myself and wound my way to the back of the store where a mint green unicorn mare with a two-toned white and green mane stood behind the counter.
"Star. Hey. You really look like shit. Another all nighter?" she asked, pushing open the employee gate for me. I nodded blearily as I punched my time card.
"Third one this week." I pulled on my apron and walked over, taking her place at the counter. She shook her head as she took off hers and hung it up.
"I sleep more than that and I'm in medical school."
"Dental school." I reminded her, and she snorted. It was a point we had argued before.
"Same thing. Anyway, I'm off. Feather's taking me to the park today." She smiled, almost skipping away from the time clock.
"You fillies have fun then." I yawned, leaning against the counter. She laughed and trotted off.
"We will!" she called over her shoulder, almost bumping into an earth mare with saddlebags full of groceries. I sighed and stood up straighter, giving the mare my best fake smile.
"Did you find everything ok?"
By the time my shift had ended, I was veritably able to be counted among the living dead. I had adopted a hollow, sunken stare and had resorted to forcing myself through sets of pushups to keep myself awake when I dozed off. Thinking had become something that was harder and harder to do with every passing minute, until I finally stumbled through the door to my apartment. With no more ceremony than making sure the alarm was set for the next day, I was in bed and asleep.
Pain rippled across my face, from my nose to my ear, stretching from jaw to lip on my right side. But no, it wasn't as much pain, though that was there, it was cold; bone chilling, damp, frigid stone. The feeling extended all along my right side, leading me to believe I was flat out on the floor. There was a throbbing ache in my stomach, from skin to somewhere much deeper, that felt like a giant needle had been set on fire and drove into my flesh. My muscles ached, my head throbbed, my nose and mouth were full of what smelled and tasted like dried blood. And I hadn't even opened my eyes yet. When I had, however, there was little change. The only light was so very, very dim and so far away, illuminating the stone floor and walls. Iron bars made up one wall, and hay was strown about haphazardly. I could see nothing through the bars, although the light seemed to be coming from the other side of them. Shadows stretched into the cell, but the world outside those bars was as dark as behind closed eyes. Slowly, painfully, I tried to stand, only to gasp as agony shot through me, starting in my stomach and spreading outward until it felt like every inch of me was on fire.
"You were badly hurt. If you stand, you will lose consciousness and you might never wake." a voice said, from the other side of the bars, I believed, though I could see no pony there. The voice was deep, masculine, and dripping with resentment.
"Where am I? What happened?" I asked, without a thought. I raised my eyes to the cage door from my position on the floor. "Who are you?"
"You are being held captive by the will of Her Majesty, Princess Celestia, and the might of the Solarian Army. You and your pathetic army were defeated, and as for who I am, I am the pony that will make you tell all you know of your traitorous friends." the voice said, and laughed, and the laugh sent a shiver down my spine. It was the laugh of a pony that enjoyed pain, and reveled in causing it. I set my jaw and growled.
"You may torture me all you want but I shall never betray my comrades." I said, forcing my head up to glare into the darkness on the other side of the bars. The voice only laughed again, and the sound of hooves on stone told me I was alone. I collapsed again with a sigh.
Luna save me.
"I intend to do just that." I heard a feminine, regal voice announce. It seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere at once, reverberating through the world. A moment passed, then the cell around me started to fade, taking the pain with it. In no more time than it took than for the blink of an eye, I was standing in the middle of a field, endless grass and flowers around me. Overhead the moon shone brightly, and from that moon grew a dark shape. It grew larger and larger and cleared and clearer, until it could be seen as a pony, wings spread and mane and tail drifting in the breeze, descending from on high like an angel. I stood in awe and watched, and as She landing neatly in front of me and folded her wings, my mind seemed to clear. As if a fog was lifting, suddenly I remembered who I was, and who she was.
"Princess Luna!" I gasped and bowed, daring to look up as she stepped closer. She bade me rise, and I did, looking at her with something between fear and admiration. Here I was, standing before a goddess. Me, a common pony with nothing special about him. I tried to look away, but something held my eyes to hers. Her face was impassive, almost hostile, but her eyes were like mirrors. I could see the same fear and pain in her I had felt many a time myself. Fear of being alone, and the pain of knowing that I would know nothing else. I fought to not take a step back from her unwavering gaze, and instead stood a little taller, trying to prove to her and to myself that I was not afraid. Of what, I did not know.
"Star Burst." her voice was soft, but seemed to echo throughout the world, and within my very being, She stepped closer and spread her wings, head held high as she looked down at me. "You have been having troubling dreams of late."
"I. . ." I gulped, unsure of what to say. What could I say? Nightmares like that weren't troubling, they were terrifying. But who better to know about nightmares than the one who was once so closely enslaved to the queen of them? I know and believed her to be free, but surely no being knew nightmares as did she.
She dipped her head and folded her wings, eyes slowly blinking as she looked me in the eye, and should my feelings be believed, in the soul. "This is not a common nightmare that thou hast been having."
"I. . ." I gulped again, wanting desperately to both keep looking and to look away. I could not tell if I was enthralled, afraid, awed, or confused. After all, this was nothing I had ever expected to hear and certainly not from the Lady of the Stars. "How so?" I finally managed to ask.
"They are memories, and premonitions." She stated. What could she mean, memories? Or even more so, premonitions? I didn't have a talent in divination, in fact I barely believed in that sort of thing. It all seemed foolish and cheap. My talent was. . .I'm not sure, really. So I stuttered out a question of what she meant. She frowned and spread her wings.
"Perhaps we should show you." she took off and circled up into the sky, leaving me standing on the ground wondering where she went. It was bare seconds before she returned. "Why do you not follow, Star Burst?"
"I. . .can't. . .fly? Princess." I asked, confused. I was a unicorn, what did she expect me to do? She just heaved a little sigh and smiled, a tiny smile, but the first positive emotion I had seen her show. Well, of a sort.
"You are dreaming, Star Burst. You can do anything you imagine." I was dreaming? Now it all seemed clearer. Where else would the Princess of Dreams speak to me of a dream but in one? I pictured myself flying, called to mind all the time I had spent as a colt dreaming of just this moment, and, with a little practice, found myself soaring through the 'air' and laughing like a foal.
For the first time in a long, long time, I had hope.