Luna opened her eyes once more, having drifted asleep and now in her own dream world. She took a deep breath seeing that she was in her bed chambers with the celestial stars shining bright out the window and the fire at the fireplace warming her, the wood crackling as it burned. The train ride and soon long march to Seaddle which then after receiving information from a medic, the legion force marched to San Pranciscolt. Now at the city, the eastern legion were now relieved to rest and recover from not sleeping for two days. And also mourn for their fallen western cohorts which most are believed to be killed. Though she was offered to stay at one of the luxury hotels, she politely refused. Instead, she was in a large tent of her own along with the cohorts at the outskirts of the city. She is not much a mare to take such advantage of her position, only wanting to assure her connection between her and the cohorts she is leading.
She laid by the fire, magically pulling towards her a book which in her dream world was her memories. Again and again, pages were partially filled in or completely blank, new information being magically written in by the book itself. She disliked how much of a puzzle her memories had to be, having been content with much until she saw Althalos. After that, her drive to remember her past has been a tedious one. It being now a driven mission after she had proven that her sister is hiding something that she is not aware of. What she had pieced together so far is that Althalos isn't the first human to be in Equestria. Hints of edited archives piece together that at least two humans before Althalos and during her time on the moon were in Equestria but for one she knows has been assassinated, the other she cannot figure out. But there is a possibility that more before that existed, but at that point the archives are either heavily edited or missing.
How could her sister do this? What was she afraid of in the past that now she is not? Everything after her return shows no signs of editing or censorship, only in the past. She slammed her hoof on the carpet, frustrated that her past is so covered up. Again, she took a deep breath calming herself. She will figure this out somehow.
"Luna…"
She turned immediately towards her door, not aware that her dream-state was changing. She was unable to sense anything of what was occuring. Again the hazy voice called her name. She stood up and walked over towards the door, slowly opening the door and looking around to see if anypony was there.
"Hello?" She called.
"Luna…"
Again it called her out, now she leaving her room with the door suddenly slamming shut. She turned around and attempted to open it but to no avail, it remained locked. Turning back around her surroundings changed from the halls of Canterlot castle to her old castle from long ago. Fire from torches sparked alight, speeding up as it went down the hallway. Luna knew something wanted her, but did not like how she had no control over her dreams. She walked down, seeing the shattered windows and destroyed paintings. Soon she saw what she assumed to be blood stains on the walls, the stains becoming more as she walked further down the hallway.
And soon she reached the end, both left and right being pitch dark. "Hello?" She called out again. She jumped when a hand gripped the corner of the wall, it being bloody. Soon whatever it was walked out into the light, revealing a bloody and clearly injured human in armor with multiple arrows sticking out from its back. There was a sword through its chest, looking like what her sister's would be. She started to panic.
"Luna...why…" It spoke, the darkness covering its face behind what looked to be a bronze helmet. "Why have you forsaken me?"
She took a few steps back. "I-I...I'm sorry, I don't know-"
"Forsaken me. Forsaken us."
"Us? There are more of you?"
"Remember. Selene…"
Hearing her formal name made her heart race, Celestia being the only one to know of such a name. "Please, I don't understand, what-"
"REMEMBER!"
From the moment it yelled, Luna turned and started to gallop away, she rapidly breathing as the flames behind her started to go out. She looked behind her and saw it not too far away. She began to scream in horror, wishing this dream, this nightmare would end. She had no control, everything felt so real to her.
"Do not run! DO NOT RUN! REMEMBER! SELENE!"
"Leave me alone! Leave me alone!" She cried out, tears starting to fall. "Somepony! Anypony! Tia! Tia! Help me! Please!"
Soon enough all the flames went out as she reached the door to her room. It was still locked as she tried to force her way in but still the door wouldn't budge. With her magic she made light, shivering and her breathing being irregular, difficult even. Tears continued to fall as she looked around, no sound other than herself. And when she thought it was over, it instantly appeared yelling loudly, she yelling as well as a bronze sword was swung down to her.
Luna instantly woke up, jumping and falling off her cot. She flailed around before she realized that she was now awake. She was breathing heavily and tears were still running down her cheeks. This was the worst nightmare out of all she had since arriving.
Soon a guard on duty walked in, startling her. "Your highness, is everything alright?" He asked.
She nodded. "It was only a nightmare, sorry. You may leave." She watched the guard bow before exiting her tent. From there she sobbed quietly, not understanding what she just experienced. But there was one thing she knew, the creature looked human, and it knew her formal name. She stood up and wiped the tears away, calming herself down as she approached the table nearby. It was the map of Equestria, looking at the figure of the moon which was placed on San Pranciscolt. Her location. Her sister Celestia was marked still at Canterlot, an update not coming forth from her location. She sighed, knowing she wasn't going to sleep anytime soon.
Meanwhile in the distance, Deimos looked down towards the E.U.P. campsite analyzing everything that was there. It was a large camp, meaning they were able to commit a large army to face him off. There must be a high-ranking commander there, he thought, thinking that it could be Celestia. He then looked up towards the full moon, "Don't worry mother, I will avenge you and father soon." He pulled out his sword, his own created kopis, stabbing it into the ground as he knelt down in one knee. "And I swear to you, I will bring you two back." He then stood back up, sheathing his blade and placing his helmet on. With a jumpstart, he soared into the air and flew towards his army which was only a few miles away
With the sun now rising as the moon set, the 2nd Legion, having disembarked the train 2 days ago, continued to march forward to Seaddle. Due to the war occuring in the west, the train had to stop halfway by a small village near the Smokey Mountains. Not a wise discretion to follow as it delayed the military, but it was to assure the rails coming from the west would be clear for those who were escaping the conflict. Now marching along the mountains, to the front two guards carried the legion's flag and the Equestrian flag, behind them being the pegasus cohort, followed by the regular cohorts, then the unicorn cohort, last being the cannonponies cohort with the latest hoof-rifle, Celestia being along with them.
Thunder Hoof yawned out loudly as he marched alongside Cinnamon Toffee, Golden Russet, and Silver Spoon; Althalos was not with them this time. He was called back to speak with the princess. Again, Thunder yawned.
"You keep yawnin' like that and the Buffalo flies are gonna nest in there," said Golden.
Thunder closed his mouth and looked towards Golden. "Real funny."
"Can they even survive up here?" Mentioned Cinnamon.
"Ah doubt it, but who knows," replied Golden.
"Can't believe we have to march all the way to Seaddle when the train could take us there. Ridiculous!" Spoke up Silver.
Cinnamon started laughing. "And here I thought the richmare attitude was worked out of you."
"Hey, I still can complain of things like this. But think about it, am I wrong to complain?" Questioned Silver.
"Nah," said Thunder, "Probably everypony else is thinking the same as you."
"Well Ah don't mind reaching Seaddle on hoof. It's like another adventure!" Said Golden.
"Everything is an adventure to you Golden," said Cinnamon.
"Speaking about adventure, what do you think is happening with Althalos?" said Thunder.
Everypony remained silent, thinking of what could be happening. Cinnamon was the first to speak up. "Maybe she has a thing for humans."
"Cinnamon!" Exclaimed Silver.
"What!? I'm just saying!" replied Cinnamon.
"Looks like Silver got some competition," Thunder teased.
"Wah! It's not like that!" Silver looked away.
"Ain't it bad luck to talk about our princess like that?" said Golden.
"Probably. Surprised you mentioned that Golden. Usually Cinnamon is the one that brings stuff up like that," said Thunder.
"Well Ah no complete Applelossan fool. Got some common sense." Golden then looked to Silver. "But Ah do know if it is true, you got some serious competition."
Cinnamon started laughing while Silver groaned and looked away again. And while the four continued to speak, far behind the unicorn cohort, Celestia rode inside her carriage sitting and looking down to the table with a map. Althalos sat across from her, looking out of the window.
"Your highness…" spoke up Althalos.
Celestia looked up to him. "Yes Althalos?"
"Though I appreciate being here with you, shouldn't I return to my century and march with them? It feels wrong to be seated while everypony is marching."
"You are right, but I do need your opinions about our movements."
"Honored I am that you ask of my comments, your highness."
"Althalos, when we're alone like this, you may call me by my name." She looked down to the map.
"Yes, Celestia," he replied, looking down at the map as well. "May I ask why you need my opinions? You do have your Legatus and other high ranking commanders."
Because of past human opinions, victory always follows. "I suppose a change of eyes is what I needed," she said. With her magic she moved up the three boat figures. "This is what was reported to me by my sister. I believe they're planning to start a second front to push us into the center."
Althalos looked down, seeing the boats being near Tall Tale and Vanhoover. "It is possible they may invade Vanhoover."
"Vanhoover?" Celestia questioned. "Why not Tall Tale?" She thought of Tall Tale being the point of invasion, it being closer to Seaddle which would also cut off Vanhoover from Equestrian support. The other commanders thought of the same when she discussed with them a day earlier..
"Well...if what you say is true, about attempting to crush us into the center, then I believe they would start in Vanhoover first before Tall Tale." He then put a finger on the map where the Crystal Empire was. "And it would also secure the northern territory once the Crystal Army started to mobilize in our aid."
Celestia nodded, taking this possibility into consideration. Princess Cadence still hadn't replied to her letter of support and would not know if and when the Crystal Army would move. "Hmm, I agree." She used her magic around the small blocks that represented the legion and split the cohorts. Eight cohorts would join Luna in San Pranciscolt while the other two cohorts would move north. It was cohort five and six, cohort five being Althalos'. She then placed the sun marking with the two blocks, meaning she would be with five and six.
"Looks like I will be going with you once we start moving north Celestia," said Althalos.
Celestia was about to speak, but was interrupted by Althalos coughing. "Are you alright?" She asked once he stopped.
"Yes, don't worry. It is a side-effect for the potion that healed my voice box."
"Ah that's right," Celestia remembered. "You mentioned that you don't know how long exactly it will last."
"I did. I can return to being a mute at any moment with no knowledge of being able to heal my voice box again. It is one of the things I fear of losing."
"And what is the other one?"
Althalos moved his hand to touch the braided leather bracelet, Celestia not noticing. "Somepony special."
Celestia nodded. "Love is always something we cherish the most."
"Have you ever been in love, Celestia?" Althalos asked.
She sighed softly. "I have. Twice in my lifetime."
"What happened?"
"My first...well…" She remembered Sombra, before his turn, being so driven and confident about the future. And remembered what happened in the end after her sister and the first human, Aniketos, defeated him. "He was very romantic. Always looking forward. But he met his end by somepony who he thought was his friend."
"He was betrayed?" He asked.
"In some way, yes." She paused for a moment. "My second was much different. Not from Equestria but still very friendly. He was a soldier, like yourself, who was rather excellent with a blade but also used a bow and arrow when needed. Was stubborn and would always joke around with Cadence." She started to smile, but frowned remembering the ending. The blade that went through him. "He passed on, before my sister's return."
"Hmm," sounded Althalos. "Do not fret Celestia, they look down to you with a smile from the heavens. God will care for them."
"God?"
"Ah, yes, sorry." He said quickly. He then pulled out his bible from his issued canvas satchel. "This book, sacred it is, holds all the answers which I myself would struggle to explain. It is what I believe in, and is something I am glad that stayed with me through my life here in Equestria."
Celestia magically took the book and opened it, looking through its contents. Some of this was spoken of before, she thought, remembering the past two humans who came into this world. They had spoken of religion such as this, meaning every human so far had to have come from the same world. On the back cover, a name she saw made her stop breathing once seeing it, her eyes widening.
Beaumont.
"Celestia?" Althalos asked, seeing her change of expression. "Is everything okay?"
She looked up to him, back to the cover, then back to him. There was a resemblance, not only to her swordsman Alexander, but further back before him to a man named Godwin. Memories of Godwin soon returned, the most notable being the signing of the scroll about him. She magically gave back the bible, smiling. "Everything is alright, sorry about that. I had just remembered something."
"Oh, I see." Althalos, placed the book back into his satchel.
"You may return to your century, Althalos. Thank you for being here with me. I may call you again," she said.
Althalos nodded. "Enjoy your day, your highness," he said, opening the door and exiting, not waiting for the carriage to stop. Grabbing his equipment from the back of the carriage, he placed them on and went forward towards his line of friends.
Celestia's heart began to race, breathing being fast and difficult. This is too much to bear, she thought, the realization that Althalos was part of the human chain of warriors entering Equestria. Relative to her love, relative to her enemy. And who knows what more.
