Luna's moon shone brightly outside of the apartment window, its light illuminating the entire bedroom along with both me and the Earth pony I knew I could go to when I felt like visiting her when given the chance. The covers lying up to my shoulders and up to hers with a hoof set onto the pillow.
It was Coco Pommel herself, the tired look in her eyes when staring only at my brown eyes and not at anything else in the room. My arm gently held her close to me, whilst both of us are trying our best to fall asleep until we were settled in.
I can recall when I left those few nights ago, I felt like I had nowhere to go at that point except for Manehattan as I knew that besides Nightmare, she would completely understand after having been the one to have saved her; practically twice when Nightmare was evil and when Suri had fillynapped her. Since then, nothing bad has happened to her yet - and I'm hoping it won't again.
The arrival at her apartment doorstep and the relief it was to see me, brought a smile upon that sweet, innocent face of hers. I told her everything about what happened, and she knew that she couldn't just shut me out like my best and close friends have been doing for quite a while. Yes, of course we had some dinner since I had been worn from flying for the entire night to next day's late-afternoon to reach to Manehattan at such a slow pace in flight.
No wonder Fluttershy was right when it came to travelling across the ocean to the other side where the Zebra Kingdom awaits.
With the results given to Coco, I did at first expect some shock but with only the expression on her face that she supported me no matter what I did, and that it wasn't my fault at all. I was doing what I could after all, to protect everypony from my father; a tyrant.
"Are you going to get some sleep?" I can hear her soft-spoken and tired voice speak to me in question.
My hand behind her neck gently reached for her mane, giving it gentle strokes. "I will. You too need the sleep as do I." I said to her, the tone sounding quiet and the volume of the voice lowered as even I was exhausted after another long day with her.
The fingers stroking through her mane, she can only smile and close her eyes for a moment as if I was helping her get to sleep. I could understand if she was concerned for my own health in regards for how much I rest as a human being. To be honest, what is the number of normal hours for one to rest? Nine? Seven?
"If I may, can I lie my head next to yours?" She was kind enough to ask.
For response, I nod my head to her and allow for her my permission to do so. She is one of those mares in my heart. She shifts over from her side of the pillow, placing her head right next to mine, my hand taking hold of her hoof to assure she can be comfortable. Her gentle nuzzle next to the right cheek made me feel warmer, but in a good kind of feeling as it was like when she confessed a second time how she felt about me.
That soft breathing from her nostrils, giving me a bit of medication to start slowly closing my eyes until they've been closed completely to give myself some rest. I want to keep them open and see the beauty of my favorite Earth pony... but I know the rules at this point. I can't be one to stay up all-night, as Twilight gets concerned each time I am tired.
"I'll see you in the morning..." Coco says, letting out a yawn and then the sound of movement heard like she has finally decided to turn in for the night, still feeling her cheek on my own. I can feel her quickly shift from it for a moment, pressing her lips onto it and giving me a kiss goodnight.
When she shifted back into the position she had been in, there was only the sound of her nostrils breathing once again. She finally must have fallen asleep... that's good. She'll need the rest that she has to have as much as I.
Only the muffled sounds of the city and the now clean park across the street could be heard with the stamping of hooves as it is usually the chariots coming along with the sounds of distant crickets singing into the night, almost to last until the daylight comes once again from my mother's sun.
My wings shuffle a bit, and I let out a bit of a relaxed sigh. I was in a comfortable position at last, and I could finally head into the dream realm once all of the sounds of this side of Equestrian life have faded until the morningrise. Until then, sleep is all I need.
A bit of hooves galloping can be heard in the background outside below, but it is rather faint in its sound besides the occasional chariot or the crickets by the park. It lasts for a bit of time, but the volume begins to fade until eventually it all grows to be silent.
Finally I was heading for a good night's rest.
Dream Realm
My eyes opened up once again in the blackness, nothing but my own body to see. It feels like I am floating, even though I am standing on both of my feet. Must be the atmosphere of every beginning to a dream that I have every time I head into sleep.
The realm itself was all silent with only the sound of my footsteps heard echoing into the distance as if it was the only thing in this place. I was moving forward in the pitch black; as it's the only direction that I can go in since being driven to sleep peacefully. Since I am here, I wonder what'll conjure up from the memories I had.
Didn't think I would be require to close my own eyes and think for what I could picture, as I can see something in the distance that wasn't even a dot of light. I looked a bit like a doorway left open with a bit of white for the other side.
I moved forward, moving closer towards the slits having the color of white. Another place in the dream realm that I was about to cross into; a childhood memory to relive perhaps? Or would it be another nightmare just like when I had when the Queen of the Changelings was controlling me? I shouldn't really have any ideas on that though, or the doorway shall disappear to my disappointment.
Closer I was becoming to the door and in the distance I thought I could hear a bit of a familiar sound outside... but it seems faint. I believe that I've heard it before... sounds like a giant clock turning. Plus the sounds of a little dog barking with the accompanied sound of a hammer banging on something.
Wait... could it be?
From the shadowed door, I can see a set of mini-steps leading up to the doors themselves. My feet move towards them after walking in the black tiles so infinite, finally placing my feet onto what feels like cut, smooth stone with the touch. A quite familiar smell in the air coming to me as I continue forward.
On approach to the door, I placed my hand onto it when I moved within its distance. It feels wooden... almost no flaws about this door. But again, this is the dream realm so anything that isn't a nightmare can seem to be perfect. I am aware that it isn't real at all, as in reality it can tell that not everything will be perfect no matter what.
In the white light on the other side of the doors, I gave the left door that I had my hand on a bit of a push to let out some more light and to open up the imagination on what I could have dreamt about. The creaking of the door is heard with only the appearance of white blinding me from what was ahead and what the sounds were ahead from the darkness I had awoken in. I place my right hand onto my eyes to cover and protect my eyes before slowly lowering them.
The picture was starting to appear before our own eyes and I can see the whiteness disappear to see the glimpse of what was ahead... I remember this place...
(Play Theophany - Dawn of the First Day)
The vision became clear in the moderate set of time when I realized where I was and that this place was something I could remember from as far back as childhood that I used to play as a kid on the old console that I used to have in the basement of my old house. The big tower behind me, turning at every second and every hour going by every minute in this place...
This was the one place where I pictured myself living in as a kid... Clock Town. Where is that, you might be asking? It's in a familiar setting that we all remember when it came out. Even that grounded flower is still there waiting for a creature to set foot on it and go flying.
I'm not sure how I managed to dream this up, but this was in the fictional world of Termina. One of my favorites. The only downside... I'm not sure if it is there but I turn my head to look up and see if it is there.
Right there above the town is that giant rock with a face... it's mouth visible and seeming to almost look like it was sad. Of course I remember why it would be sad, since it was based on the influence of the mask controlling it to come down towards the town to destroy it and all of Termina in the process. It's there in the dream, but it's not spiralling down towards the Earth slowly.
In the southern part of the town, I can see the usual business going on for everyone there as it was getting ready for the carnival that would take place on the final day. There's that small dog running about and barking up a storm like usual. I can also recognize that purple-haired boy with the Keaton Mask on his face running rather quickly to I believe the mailbox? Been a long time since I played this game. Besides that, I began on making approach to that flower in the ground poking out.
Being somehow convinced that its pedals could feel just about like reality had set in, I take a step from beside the water close by, reaching forward to touch it. I mean, I might not be a woodland creature living there, but this'll be something to talk about with Alex when I get back to Ponyville.
"Wait! Wait! Hang on!"
That voice had completely caught me off-guard as I remembered this dialogue by the time I looked up at the clock tower. I still recognized that character when I saw that face of his.
It was that Deku Scrub with the plant on his head that allowed him to fly. He was carrying two large bags that were seemingly wrapped up tight as he was probably carrying his own personal stuff with him. He is rather quick to fly down to the plant and bury himself in it.
He pops out a few more moments later, taking out what seems to be some kind of hat for his leaf hair that allowed him to fly. That suspicious glare on his face when he stares at me... thinking as if I was trying to steal something of his... oh wait.
"This is my private property. Don't try using it when I'm not around!" The deku scrub warned me quite harshly.
My only reaction there is backing up and raising the both of my hands to ease the situation. "Okay okay..." I managed to get out with a surprised tone while he is still giving me the stink eye. "I'm not going to use it at all. I was just curious about it."
While backing up, I didn't usually expect to see anyone or at all, anypony right behind me. But I could feel my back bumping with a bit of a shock right into a figure behind me I couldn't see just yet unless I turned around. Quickly from the situation I just stepped backwards from, I thought it was the Clock Town guard about to ask me if I was disturbing the Deku scrub's peace.
"Brayden, it's me." I was in a bit of relief when I saw that black coat and starlit floating mane of hers standing right there behind me. Goodness... Nightmare really likes to come out when I least expect it. Hey, at least I love surprises.
I felt a lot of relief when she was right there with me, those cyan cat eyes staring right at my brown eyes. "You gave me quite a bit of a shock there," I said to her as she giggles for a bit from even seeing the surprised reaction on my face initially. "I almost thought it was the guard of Clock Town."
"That is what this place is?"
"Precisely," I said to her with a smile. "A childhood memory coming to me in my own dreams, of a video game I used to enjoy. It takes place in the land of Termina where besides this place, there are also four places to go to."
She turns her head for a moment to look up towards the moon with a face on it. "One of those places would be better than here with that face staring right down at us. I just entered the dream, so I don't exactly understand the context of this place."
Being that she'd assume that I know - I still remember the legend for that moon. "It was summoned by some kid wearing a mask. Basically in three days, you have to try and stop that kid before the moon crashes down onto the land," I began to explain to her. I swear I was beginning to sound a bit like a professor at that point. "In order to stop the moon from falling onto the city, you need to have saved all four giants who are the guardians of this land. They are locked away in the four lands by the dark evil that the mask poisoned it with."
"Didn't you say that the kid was doing all of the work?" She asked me, sounding a bit unsure.
"Yes, but he's under the possession of the mask's power so he is unable to break away from it. He was an innocent kid until he put it on his face - not knowing that the mask is made of evil within. It's a really complex story, as everyone here would be. This place represents the denial that it'll be the end of them."
"And of the other four places?" She sounds a bit curious, yet with caution as of the situation of Clock Town seeing how people around didn't seem to be afraid of the fact the moon was falling towards them. They didn't really think that the world around them was going to be set ablaze by hell itself.
"The swamp represents anger - as the Deku king there in his palace wants to execute a monkey for a crime he didn't commit. The snow mountains to the north represent bargaining - as the Gorons there want the terrible winter to end and their hero is unable to come help them. The west... the beach called Great Bay represents depression - as it's based on a Zora singer losing her eggs and the failure of a Zora in trying to retrieve her eggs back. To the east and final, is Ikana Canyon where it represents acceptance - for they allowed the undead to never rest and live with them... something to do with the Stone Tower unleashing it's dark unfluence over the canyon land."
"Ikana Canyon... the undead..." She studies it for a moment, placing her hoof onto her chin. "It is a dream, so maybe the Stone Tower could be there or not. We could try and persuade the undead there to rest easily."
Unsure as to why she would want to go there of all places, I was pretty sure that she would have picked Great Bay as I did kind of picture walking alongside her near the ocean waters and overlooking from there into the distant oceans and to the distant Great Bay Temple where it is guarded alone by a dark magical force that keeps boats and the pirates out. Though a bit dangerous in both the sands and the waters, we would at least be between both sources if that was the case.
"Why not?" I said to her. "But first we should explore a bit around Eastern Clock Town."
She takes ahold of my left hand with her right front hoof and I allow myself to hold onto it, my fingers wrapping around her soft black hoof. That is when I had turned with her to head towards the steps of the town to the east at the bottom of the southern part where the tower resided. Just as long as we're away from this part, perhaps Nightmare Moon won't get the creeps from looking at the moon's face.
As we began to walk slowly together with my hand in her hoof, there also was something else in my mind when I saw her. Why would she come to my dreams? I can recall she didn't want to walk away after the fall of my own father by my own hands. His fate was already sealed and there would be no possible redemption for him at any cost. I could still remember the look on her face as she stood there, only taking the opportunity to look at me as if thinking abandoning me would be a wrong turn - but was forced to.
The fact that my close friends have downright refused to talk with me kind of shown that they were standing by something when all I had done was take down a tyrant that I unfortunately shared blood with along with my own mother Celestia. Spike did try to talk to me, but he would get pulled away by Twilight who I suspected was still angry at me for my decision. I didn't even bother going to see my other close friends as I needed the alone time that I could find. The ones who were able to talk with me and were completely and surprisingly unaware of what had happened were everypony around the village of Ponyville and the other cities.
Heh... I am quite glad that Lyra would actually take my side once I had told her everything out of other ponies' ear ranges. While I do doubt that they would treat it harshly, I didn't want it to end up like it did with the rest of the Crystal ponies and start a panic. Even though it would seem like I've disappeared from sight to them - I am sure that Lyra and the ponyfolk back home are worried about me.
"Nightmare?"
Her ears catch the sound of my voice calling her name as we walk together. Her eyes turn towards me, a gaze that showed I had her attention. Even she would be concerned by how I sounded like I had a bit of question in my tone of voice.
She opens her mouth and speaks to me. "Yes Brayden?"
We stop moving for that moment, turning to face one another. Her eyelids shifting a bit, giving off a bit of an expression that could tell she was willing to do what she can if I was feeling concerned or sad about something.
"I am wondering about something. You trotted away after what I did... yet you still came to visit me while the others just trot away as well. Why?" I asked her, still letting my hand hold her hoof which she was quite comfortable with. "Aside from Lyra, and practically everypony else, of course." I chuckled even when thinking of my other friends.
She paused for a moment before speaking to me. "It is hard for me to explain to you why I delayed in that at first... I really did not want to. My heart inside wanted to stand by you and defend your action, but I knew that your wife wouldn't have liked that nor would the Princesses."
"So you didn't have a choice."
"Unfortunately," She closes her eyes and nods in response. "You're the man that spared my life and allowed me to find the light within. I was in such regret when I trotted away from you."
There is only silence from me as my eyes could only look at hers, the connection of her being one of my loves being empowered by the magic within my own heart. My right arm moves upwards, gently placing my hand onto her left cheek to share a bit of warmth while she is still thinking more of what to say to me.
"I prayed to the First Alicorn all day and night with hopes that you would forgive me and everypony else for trotting away from the good that you caused, and what had to be done to stop your father. Even if a trial would be held for him; it wouldn't have stopped him at all from achieving his plan as Luna knew what he would do if they tried to place him there upon sparing him," She exhales a sigh before continuing. "I knew this back a thousand years ago when I still held onto the darkest part of me and was a part of Luna herself then."
With that, she lowers her head a bit to almost show as if she is shameful for all that has happened. "I want to only simply apologize for what I did to trot away and I am hoping that others will apologize," She tells me, the volume of her voice almost going quiet. "You still hold onto the sparks that you've earned from the four of your close friends - so hope still remains for you and them."
"Sparks?" I asked her. "I did feel the warmth when they would talk with me, and what you said almost describes what was the touch when they opened up how they felt about me being that close in their friendships."
My hand is placed onto her chin, moving it upward to look at me. Quite an almost sad look on her face if you ask me. "Yes... sparks," I can hear her say to me, explaining a bit about it. "I... I don't know too much about them and what they do. They were only mentioned in a book of Equestria prophecies, and they are supposed to power the magic within ponies apparently when they experience the magic of friendship. It is one by which you offered to me when you had none. It is however, powered by the once-Element carriers as long as your friendship with them remains greatly."
"So it does explain a lot about the warm feeling whenever I'm with the four of the closest friends. Even though I don't know what'll happen when I have all six of those sparks, I still need to earn both Rainbow Dash's and my wife Twilight's sparks in order to complete whatever it is trying to build. It's probably not going to be easy either."
Nightmare shook her head. "No other information was provided in the book of Prophecies that I read. It was outdated."
"The question though, is if you are truely on my side for what I did, or not?"
"...I will always be on your side to support you in your time of need. It is why I came to your dream to apologize to you for trotting away and I hope you can forgive the others as well for doing the exact same thing." She tells me, a bit of regret heard in the tone of her voice.
My right hand that had moved to her chin, moves right back to her left cheek to gently caress it. The sound of her nostrils breathing softly almost being inaudible but enough for my own ears to pick up. Her right wing unfurls and moves around to touching my back.
A movement between us drew us closer to one another, allowing me to gently place my forehead onto hers below her horn. I have closed my eyes, only hearing the sound of the workers building a platform for the Carnival of Time, and the annoying dog barking in the distance by the tower. Her wing touching my back wraps onto me like a blanket, giving me a wing-hug while my other hand let go of her hoof, placing it around her neck in that affection that the both of us shared.
The warm feeling that she was giving me... it was the magic she had within her that helped to keep me safe whenever I was in trouble. I haven't seen how it fully works outside of the dream, but the spell she has given to me at the past wedding when I became part of Twilight's family... Nightmare has mentioned that it would help protect me and to help me be the guide in case I am lost in reality.
I gently share a nose-nuzzle with her, speaking calmly to her at the same time. "It's not your fault, and do understand that I am happy that you came to see me. Forgiveness can be a very hard thing to achieve, but I am a person who is always willing to give them many more chances. Even in their silence, they are bound to realize that I made the right choice and will ask me for another chance to make it up to me. Me? I will always forgive them no matter what, they're all my close friends. I love them..." I was quite gentle in the tone of my voice, letting my left hand stroke at her flowing mane. "Yes, I am aware that I love them in a friendly way, as you know me and Twilight are wed together. But my heart will always be with her, yours, Coco, Ann..."
I was going to continue what I wanted to say, but I was interrupted with her mouth turning into a bit of a smile, and her hoof placing itself onto my lips to stop me for a moment as if she needed to say something in that moment. "I know..." She says to me. "You don't have to repeat that. Thank you for not losing your faith in all of Equestria for the bravery you had shown."
She moved her head closer towards me going slightly above. From there, I can only close my own eyes and feel her lips pressing onto my forehead. I can feel it lasting for a few moments before she had released it and to look at me again.
My eyes open again and I can see those beautiful cyan cat-eyes staring right at me with a sparkle of light illuminating for a moment from them. The stars sparkling in her mane, this was the true Nightmare Moon holding herself close to me. My arm that had released when she kissed my forehead joins with my other arm that was around her neck.
Another placement of my forehead on her own was necessary for me to show her how much she meant to me as one of my loves. Neither of us are able to remove ourselves from the gaze that we were sharing together. Then my eyes closes again, sharing a kiss with her... but this time it would be on the lips of hers. The power of our love flowing between one another and making us feel much better and giving off the essence to release myself from what had been going on since the Crystal Empire.
We finally release from the kiss and even from one another. With my trust restored for everypony I knew, I had the confidence that was needed to go forward and keep living the right moment.
"You were going to show me the Eastern side of this place before heading to the canyon?" She asked me.
Remembering that we were both still in the dream realm, I take a good look around the environment of the Southern part of town especially with that face staring right down at us and the other townsfolk who were just about as human except for the Deku in his own plant home by the waters.
"Correct, let me show you."
I guided her up the steps to that almost quiet side of town, with the exception of the Bombers walking about and bragging about how they are the best. I wouldn't necessarily have time to show her the Northern or Western parts of Clock Town as each dream has a time limit of 40 minutes which really does speed up time outside in the waking world.
Aside from that, there is the guard standing by the exit or entrance into Termina's field. There was also the Stock Pot Inn to the left where I can recall Anju living there with her mother and is in search of her Kafei. To the right was the Milk bar where they received their deliveries from Romani Ranch of Chateau Romani, some kind of alcoholic drink in their world. However, it allows magic to never run out upon finishing the drink in whole.
By the name of my mother herself, this feels great to be living back in childhood memories again after having forgotten about this place for so long.
There was those two men juggling many balls that almost like those bags of sand from elementary school days I had once lived in as well. That was mostly during the Physical Education bit of times when me and the classmates I was with would enter the gym, even up until Grade Nine in high school. After that, I've never shown too much for exercise.
Pretty sure that the Song of Order would be disappointed in that, for the fact that I wasn't too interested in exercising at the time.
"This town is quite an interesting sight. I understand this must play a huge part of your childhood." I can hear Nightmare state to me, looking at everything in the Eastern side of the town.
One of the Bombers came running along right past us, only to look briefly at the black alicorn before them - but not showing any need to engage in conversation with them. Not sure if I forgot or not, but the Bombers don't usually speak with outsiders from their club unless the outsiders want to join.
Annoys me that they will run and hide and you have to find them before the day is over.
"It did," I finally respond to her. "Back when I was still young at heart. This is one of those memorable video games that I had played as a kid. I still remember it for the moon right above, the mask itself that it was named off of and the vast storylines for different characters."
"Wonder how it would look from above ground in the sky above." Nightmare curiously talks to herself with my ears picking up what was said as she spreads open her wings.
I kept my eye on her as she looks right back at me with the intention of allowing me to ride on her to see all of the town from high above. I do have wings with me, but I figured that I could give them some rest for now until I absolutely needed them. Maybe once we fly right into Ikana Canyon, I will put them to use.
My feet move until I am right behind her, and I climb up onto her. "Have your arms around my neck, and secure yourself well. We'll be heading on a bit of a flight, so that you can show me the rest of this Termina." She says to me, my hands gently embracing around her neck and my legs and feet securing behind her.
Once I checked to make sure, I held onto her close. "Ready." I said to her, seeing that loving smile on her face as well as showing my own by my own lips.
I can feel the vibrations as her hooves are touching the tiles below, preparing to take to the skies again as we have done before in my dreams many times. Before even having my own wings, I would dream a few times of riding on her own back and soaring through the skies of Equestria, with even Twilight that would be carrying me as she did at least probably two times since me and her met.
Her hind legs aid in getting off of the ground with her wings flapping to lift us into the sky above with even the town guard at the East gate to see us taking off and into the air above. I can the people below getting a bit distant, but taking their eyes off from their business in the outdoors to look and see what was going on and to watch us.
Up here, the moon coming down from above is more closer than we think. We both were around to the height of where the Clock Tower's top would be as the time spins slowly from the first day all the way to the final day when the door to the top would open up. Here though, I could see that figure floating on top of the tower.
The Skull Kid himself, and wearing the cursed mask that would bring down the moon to crush this world in that time range.
I couldn't see any emotion on its face since he hides behind a mask to hide how he was feeling inside. But if any, would it be the emotions of hatred towards the land and its people? No wonder it would cause trouble and bring only chaos into the other parts of Termina itself.
We were soaring through the sky and with almost nothing to stop us from the excitement we both shared together, even when he had flown out of the town and into the fields ahead.
The field itself looked huge in comparison to how I once saw the game on such a small television screen. Nightmare takes a dive down towards the ground, but dips upwards again with much more speed to fly around. The tower from the town looking much distant as we are moving ahead in the blue late morning skies.
My eyes can see it all... the southern swamps look quite like how it looked when you first stumbled upon it with its poisoned river water and the Deku palace in the distance. Though we won't be visiting it this time, it looked beautiful as ever. Snowhead was also there with a bit of mist as it would be what would be the eternal winter there, along with the foggy waters of Great Bay to the west looking murky as ever.
The Astronomic Observatory was there, its telescope from the old man within staring right at the tower as he knows he is watching the Skull Kid up there causing trouble. Down below were the creatures of danger as well as that fucking bird that I remember that steals your stuff and goes off to sell it. I always ran off to avoid having to fight it or allow it to steal anything when I played the game as a kid.
To the east we flew, seeing those stone pillars that were sticking out from the ground. Ahead would be the canyon that she suggested that we visit. From that distance, I can see that the Ancient Castle of Ikana stood there where the dead were destined in fighting a war that has since ended. The difference though, there is no Stone Tower to my own confusion.
Perhaps this dream means something else for me and Nightmare...
I let my arms break from the grip around Nightmare Moon's neck and I open up my wings. I can hear the both of them beginning to flap from behind to keep me supported off from the ground. They really could use a bit of a wing exercise after all, and I haven't flown since the longest trip I've gone on my wings was all the way to Manehattan.
She noticed that I have let go, turning around for a moment to see if I was okay. That same smile when she turned her head to see me taking flight and opening up for flight in the dream realm, it was kept on her when I pick up the pace, catching up beside her to fly together into the valley.
Brown colored canyons were seen everywhere the closer that we got into the destination we needed to fly into. There was the rivers flowing down below, seeming almost so gentle and the paper-wrapped Gibdos walking slowly about like zombies - their eyes on the ground not noticing either me or her into the sandstorm-like skies above. The moon and its haunting gaze is still there, but once we hit a lower height, we won't be able to see its face.
River up on top of the cliff was completely dry by the looks of it and wouldn't put to any use for the music house where the girl was keeping her father in the closet when he was caught trapped with the curse of the undead to make him practically almost like one of the Gibdos as well.
Doors into the Stone Tower were sealed completely shut off, even with tower to be seen - even when soaring high. The ancient castle still stood there, looking to be completely almost empty in the court above with a few of the Garos staring up when we look down at them, the graveyard in the distance with the eternally sleeping Captain Keeta also there as well. I can't remember him all that well except for when I could recall getting the Captain's Mask.
I began to slow down in flight and descend downwards to the dirt ground in Ikana Castle's old courtyard in front of the entrance into the kingdom. My ears can pick up both the wings of Nightmare flapping as well as my own. The sound of our wings almost like we are blowing away at any incoming wind and hurling it into the sky and air where it belonged.
My bare feet set onto the dry ground and stared at the height of the castle from the ground view, looking upward with the dull orange colored dreamish sky above to see the sun moving quicker than usual towards the other horizon in the realm.
Above, there was the partial ripples of the dream realm that I can see in the imagination of things, showing that there were absolutely no limits if I wanted to reach towards the stars in the realm and beyond. Don't want to go too far though, as the time limit really does show when not enough time is left sleeping before the sun rises.
Her hooves set down onto the dirt as well when we are looking towards the wide entrance of the castle, the feeling within the mind to create the memorable items that were in use for this upcoming part I recall a lot from as a kid - even in this area.
Rays of light flash through and end up in both hands as both the dream version of my blade back home in Ponyville: The Song of Order. I can recall when I had used this in the attempt to stop the Tantabus, and it was hard enough to see my aunt suffering through her own guilt when she had finally revealed it to all of us. In the other hand, the familiar shield with the screaming face on it... red wood and the platinum-like silver on it to reflect light off of it.
"What is that?" I can hear her ask me, in reference to the mirror shield that was in my possession but only for this dream.
I turn around, offering it to her to hold onto if she wanted to. Her magic channels from her black horn, taking the shield and observing it herself. "A very interesting kind of shield. This does give me something that I could suggest to your mother to do for her royal guards. Give them a mirror-like armor set so they can blind their enemies in order to defeat them."
"I can't take it out from the dream, but I should keep it reserved as a memory so that I can remember it always," I said to her. "The only thing that only I need to have is the one claymore given to me. I believe I need no other kind of accessories than the basic."
She places the shield onto her back to keep it safe in case of any upcoming enemies ahead upon entry into the castle. I only could see both of us heading straight in an only direction possible. There is that circle of light between the four pillars in the hall. Both of us move ahead, expecting to see the familiar ReDeads. That'll give me something good to excuse for both me and her placing Gibdo Masks on.
What the hell? There's no ReDeads dancing there!
The hall interior was empty... completely empty. It was nothing but peace and quiet, even with that sunlight still shining into the hall from the limited time of the day that was left in this dream. Her hooves echoing for a bit the further we moved towards the circle of sunlight illuminating with its sun rays.
At least that block showing the symbol of the sun was recognized to put the Mirror Shield to use, that's the one thing standing there in front of us as my feet step into the circle even before in the dim. Being that Nightmare Moon is the one holding onto the mirror shield, I am sure that she will look at me and see what is needed of it.
"Here we are... the other two doors look to be sealed off," She says to me, her head turning to her left and right before those eyes of hers set back onto me. "Only the exit is seen... but what is with this symbol on the wall? It almost looks like Celestia's cutie mark." The only difference being that this symbol had an etching of a face in the center.
I motioned myself to acknowledge that she has the Mirror Shield as even that beam of light reflecting off of it was seen by my own eyes. She uses her magic to take it off and observe it for a moment - even being careful to not get that reflecting essence of light into her eyes. Not sure why, but I'm pretty sure it would wise in case it is bright like in actuality. She was a bit surprised to even see that the magic of the shield has taken effect as long as we stood in the light.
Lifting a finger to point at the block, I commented "Maybe try letting the shining bit reflect onto the block in front of us."
She nods her head and turns the shield around, letting the front of the shield shine onto the solid structure. The sound of the magic coming from the mirror itself lighting up with the screaming face on it to the sun. Nothing yet happens immediately... so the waiting begins for a few moments until a large beacon of light blue covers the entire structure.
The block in our path begins to dissolve in the sunlight, crumbling into nothing from the position that it stood. From the other side is where I can recognize that round stone door that would slide to the side for the throne room. Perhaps that is where the dream is leading us, so once the block is gone we proceed forward with no expectations except for that one event coming up that I remembered hating as a kid.
Is it perhaps where the meaning would be? No? I am not really too sure, as even Nightmare hasn't experienced it before.
We proceed forward out from the circle that surrounds us in a warm glow of the sun's rays. The door itself looks to be having a stone wall telling us of the rise for this kingdom in the canyon, even from when we are getting closer. It depicts a battle between the people of this lost kingdom and of the dark forces that lurked in the Stone Tower - though it is completely disappeared from sight in the dream. Perhaps it doesn't play a role in this dream state.
Careful approach had to be made for the round door that gives off a dark green tone to it, and I was the first to reach for it. Nightmare's hooves stop moving and with some assurance that it is there to watch me activate the door.
"Be... be careful Brayden." I can hear her voice sound a bit concerned to keep an eye on me in case this door was a trap.
My hand pressed onto the stone door, letting it slide down the smooth, yet rough feeling of the round barrier. It almost feels like it was just a stone itself, but with the click that ignited in the right spot is when I knew that it was a button to open up the door. I rub the hand around that empty part of the structure onto the sun figure.
A bit of a mechanical sound is heard, and I stood back in front of her to see the door into a huge room open up. Without curiosity and knowing what to expect as the memories flow back again, I tread straight into the room and ready the Song of Order with her following right behind me.
It's a throne room... with light shining out from the windows to illuminate the room as the sun continues to flow it in this day. Ahead is the throne itself, but it seems to be empty with nopony or no one sitting there to confront us for entering the room. Nightmare must be thinking since I heard her doing that out loud.
"Strange... there's no one here..." She says to herself while the stone door closes behind us, sealing us inside.
I still have the Song of Order gripped in my hands, and activated. With the ethereal armor on me by the power of the blade's magic, I was ready at any cost to strike at whom I knew was going to come out at any time. "There is..." I said, hearing the bar come up onto the round door. "I don't like it one bit."
A few more steps are taken until the echoes of our footsteps have stopped all of a sudden, as if we were outside once again. Just nothing to bounce off of the walls. It's all starting to make a lot of sense now the closer we were getting to the throne itself. Then there comes the rumbling, like there was an earthquake going on. A bad sign already that something bad was coming our way.
"Oh, insolent ones who have brought the unthinkable into a land as dark as Ikana..."
Nightmare seems to look around, trying to find the source of the voice that has spoken to both of us. "Who's there?!" She says, getting into a battle stance and magic channelled to her own horn. "Show yourself!"
From all of the rumbling, the light began to dim as I can see the curtains with thicker material begin to block out the sunlight, darkening the room but still giving it a bit of light to see what is ahead. If this was a nightmare version of one of Equestria's enemies... they're in for a bit of a fight from both of us. This would be bad if the enemy has a weakness to the sun.
"My servants have fallen namelessly before the light that guides both of you."
The rumbling came to a stop in the plunge towards the darkness, with the sounds of armor heard a few seconds later. Just when we had thought that this was only a small illusion that was trying to scare us. With the sounds of armor trailing into the area, I turn my head towards the throne for the big surprise I didn't suspect but remembered well.
"However..."
It was a giant skeleton with a strange looking crown upon its head. Those turquoise-like eyes of hers with a pupil with no sun's reflection. It was taking a seat right at the throne, and even with all of the armor he had on him I could tell that it was a king figure himself that sat in the scale of the kingdom he once ruled, even when those years have already gone and the war being long over.
Nightmare's gasp was enough to catch my attention. I couldn't take my eyes off from the giant skeleton who is talking with us while his two soldiers begin to come out one by one. Each with their own long swords featuring sharp curves on them and round shields to bring into the battle which I feel we are about to enter.
"The darkness in which my servants live is, after all, fleeting..."
The first soldier with a thick skull not so tall comes out on the right side of the throne and growls at us, as I know he is practically placing me as a target in his own red-dotted eyes. I position myself, as I am ready to take him on.
"You shall see with both of your own very eyes..."
On the left side of the same throne next to this skeleton king, is a tall-headed soldier that would look to be as if he is the dumber one... you know like the movies with the robbers chasing after a kid who sets traps around the house at Christmas? No? Whatever, that's a movie back on Earth I'll have to show both Pinkie and Rainbow if they ever start talking to me again.
He too has an intimidation to taunt us, but he does not target me... only at Nightmare herself. Only turning my head to look briefly at her, she looks like she isn't going to run away and stands firm with magic right at the horn to fight. With that, I turn back to the skeleton king and his royal guards.
"...Just what kind of thing true darkness is!"
He finally stands up with a shout that almost sounds like a command, with the both of his soldiers as well as him laughing as we know that this room and the battle was turning into a bit of a nightmare itself as long as the sunlight couldn't get in. This was the time we knew that there is no turning around and running.
It was time to battle the castle's own undead king and his two royal guards.
Mr. Thick Skull there comes charging up towards me, looking just about ready to carve his sword right into my own heart. All power from the blade I held in my hands is brought upon me and I knew from there that I wasn't going down without a fight like this. His skeleton feet crunching onto the tiles and a look in its red eyes that could tell what he wanted... his king's desire to kill me.
To the left, I can already hear the clashing of the tall-headed skeleton's blade to the black horn of the alicorn herself with a glare upon her face at the foul thing. Even before, I could hear the intimidation to taunt her before his first strike at her. A scraping of metal clanging against one another as even Nightmare's horn as any other unicorn or alicorn had the same kind of strength for clashing with blades or other horns.
My attention is brought back when the soldier made an intimidating growl towards me with his sword rising for the full swing. I knew what to expect and shielded with the Song of Order, following by a battle cry when it clashed against the silver blade of mine. His face was quite close to mine, so I brought my head forward to headbutt him.
He stumbles back from the attack I made to defend myself, prepared for me to have another go at him. I stand my ground though as both of us move side-to-side, mentally making plans to attack at the best opportunity possible. That is if he doesn't try it first.
What needed to be important for the battle was the fact that the curtains were covering up the sunlight from entering into the room. I don't technically have any fire spells on me to fire at them, so while I parry the undead's moves it'll be the timing I'll make to think on what I can do to create at something in the dream.
I roll around him, managing to strike the soldier in the back when I leapt like a cat to my two feet with my wings to aid me. He was knocked forward, but not down nor out. When turning his head, those red-dotted eyes with me as the prey was still going on. I can hear Nightmare Moon struggling as she knocks the other soldier to the floor.
Bare as ever, my feet land on the tiles from that move to make another charge at him. He looks to be ready to head into a defensive state. I lunge at him with the blade, which by what I predicted would be with him using his round shield to block the oncoming attack... guess he's learning my moves. He sounds like he is laughing for a moment when I had struck his shield.
I can hear Nightmare grunting as she strikes her horn with the blade of the other soldier multiple times. "There has to be... some way to stop them!" She struggles to get out.
"I'm looking for it!" I shouted at her while the undead is trying to slash at me. "Keep the Mirror Shield ready!"
"I'm... trying!" She shouts with a cry of thunder when she knocks the tall-head to the floor once again. The tall-head tries to get up, but even she would know better than to let the enemy get back up onto its bony feet.
Another lunge at me with their iron sword brings me and him to another clash duel. My brown eyes can only glare and clench my teeth at the royal pain himself doing all of his best to overwhelm me in the slightest. His own mouth is open as if he was going to bite me by the head and eat me, though it would be impossible. Instead, he bashes me out of the clash with his shield.
The strength of his shield knocked me backwards, falling backwards to the floor. The cracking of his bones when he is coming to slice at me once again, to bring a doom to me in the dream world which would result in me waking up from the dream. The growl in his voice on his approach and the desire to obey his own past king having been dead what looks to be centuries... the fire in his red-dotted eyes.
Wait... the fire... that's it!
He raises his sword, ready to make a lunge at stabbing me. I move the both of my legs back and kick them forward to get him away. The attempt he made fails, but he remains bloodthirsty while I closed my eyes and began to think about something in the dream.
Come on... we can't keep fighting these two in the darkness forever... please think of a fireball spell to launch at the curtains so we can expose of the soldiers.
The smell of smoke close by got my attention and I open my eyes. A round ball of fire in my left hand while I hold onto the dream version of the Song of Order. I can't even see what the skeleton king's reaction is to the finding of this spell... but even then, I do not believe I can summon it in the real world. Only the magic of the blade can give me the powers needed to defend the ponies I love from evil.
The closest curtain is the first to catch my attention, so I flip backwards and land on my feet. Nearly tripping forward because of the steps being the landing point, I cast the fireball towards the curtain located with close proximity near the throne.
Flame arise over the fabric and burn it away to unveil the sunlight into the room. The soldiers are in complete shock to see the sunlight creeping right inside after they attempted to fight us in the dark. The king himself looked to be having both of its hands on its cheeks with horror crossing over him to make this fight easier for us. From what I know though, Nightmare seems impressed that I came up with an idea like that.
She clashes once again with the tall-head. "Great thinking!" She comments as she continues her best to fight back; losing a bit of strength and sweat appearing on her forehead. She appears to be getting a bit exhausted in the fight.
A sprint towards the thick-skull and rolling forward allowed me a great opportunity to knock my target to the floor. Even when I knock him to the floor, I will have to weaken him to where he's in total defeat. Both eyes for him are kept on the ball and can sense when I was going to attack.
He jumps backwards, landing on its feet and taunting me with its infernal growl. Can't really think up a fireball spell again, as I am pretty sure I can only think about it at least once... so that's a bummer. While I continue to switch between parrying his attacks and trying to keep cover; I need to find a way to bring him down so Nightmare can shine the sun's light onto this soldier and the other.
I was only able to catch a glimpse of what tall-head was up to. He seems to have Nightmare surrounded in that block of light. He doesn't want to take a single opportunity to go into that illumination, hence he would burn up into ashes and be brought into the afterlife - still unfinished of his deeds to fight in Ikana.
A roll to the side and hop upward to the air, the Song of Order slices into the tall-headed soldiers left back leg. This of course, caught him by completely as I now have both him and thick-head now on my ass. Two swords against a claymore... oh boy...
Tall-head looks to be completely near vulnerable when standing by the block of light that protects Nightmare from them. She still however will stay in range of their own blades. Thick-Head charges up towards me and I must have been lucky when I stepped out of the way, as the taunting growl notified me that the attack was coming.
I pounce upwards into the air, kicking that thick-skull in the head. His head begins to spin, and is doing all that he can to maintain and stop the spinning so that he can keep his focus on me. Now's a chance to strike and take him down.
Growling, the soldier grips onto his head and begins to twist it back on his head properly. But begins to look surprised when I lunge towards him with the Song of Order. The claymore drives right into the bones of the soldier and I break it away to allow him to fall to the floor. The soldier slides from the silver, falling to the floor but trying not to end up out.
He is crawling towards me... the bones that have been broken apart coming back together and regenerating. If Nightmare doesn't act quickly, I'll have to fight him again when he gets back up off of the ground.
"Shine it on him now!" I called to her as even the Mirror Shield's magic was working to fend Tall-Head back from attacking her, turning to focus on me as the target.
A grip onto the mirror shield and the shining beacon of light grasps onto the thick-skull. He's trying to escape but is unable to as his bones burn up in the flames of the afterlife. An attempt to attack me in even its death as it weakly picks up its sword and throws it towards me.
Its iron steel managed to create a cut across my cheek, followed by a grunt from me. Doesn't stop the tall-head from taking advantage of this move when he jumps forward towards me and kicking me to the ground.
I rolled on the steps of where the throne would be, the king's eyes watching as I looked to be suffering there and Nightmare looking quite concerned. The tall-head looks to laughing a bit with the king who enjoys my own suffering. I grunt for a moment as I am getting up off from the ground, turning around to face the soldier again with the king observing with a smirk on that face of his.
Thrusting his sword forward to stab me in the gut, I jumped back and moved forward, clashing against his blade as I can hear his taunt once again. Our blades collide multiple times until the strike where even sparks were seen from my claymore. Both of us had our swords held into place, my attempt to slide away from its strength and strike him down seems minor as I'll have to use magic to thwart his defensive maneuver.
Power is felt in my left hand, as the blade's magic is feeding all that it has to use an offense magic spell to stumble him back.
I release backwards from the blade-lock, bringing my hand forward and firing out a beam of light blue at the soldier who looks rather surprised by the usage of magic, trying all that he can to block it with a shield, but is unable to. Even when the magic was finished its usage, Nightmare wasn't ready to give up the fight, when she galloped out from the block of light and stabbed the soldier into the chestbones with her black horn.
A yelp from the soldier in surprise came whose bones break apart at the chest area, even when the horn was released from there. It collapses onto the tiles below its feet and is doing all that it can just like the thick-skull did. An opportunity shines upon both of us when I can hear Nightmare's magic to bring my attention to her.
She tosses the Mirror Shield towards me, but upward to the air. My wings spread open and they assist in helping me lead upwards to grip onto the red colored steel and illuminate myself in the warm light of the sun shining in from the windows. Light bounces on from the mirror on the defense.
A twist around even got my attention of the bones coming back together on the soldier as he is regenerating. With the reflection of the mirror shield covering him with the grace of healing for even in his cursed self, the soldier yelps for the final time and burns up into the ashes of what he once was.
I knew what was to come next, especially since it was only both me and Nightmare Moon against the Skeleton King on the throne...
He is rather angered by what has happen to his most loyal of all the guards. He slowly moves upward from the throne of concrete that he sat upon, standing up on the two of its feet. By his own size compared to the other soldiers he had, by all means is he larger than any of us, especially on those mini-steps leading to the seat that rules the canyon.
The sound of steel is heard when he pulls out one along with a different shaped shield... more in the shape of a square. He raises them into view when we have prepared ourselves once again for another attack, especially since he looked ready at any time. A taunting warcry from him is heard and he begins to run at us. Even when he was prepared, I can feel the magic from the blade within my left hand - ready to use magic.
I do however have a different plan though... and it involves a mask.
Even as he is running at us, I began to use my imagination to form something that would absolutely fool the king himself. It feels a bit like a mask, even resembling a skeleton with orange-dot tinted eyes with a small shade of red included. It would represent the captain from the graveyard who had been sleeping there for god knows when.
He is moving closer, and getting ready to strike me at me as I am the intended target first with Nightmare as the secondary at the same time. She's got this look on her face that is just saying "What are you doing?!" when I knew this could distract him and give her a good opportunity to strike when he wasn't paying attention.
I slip on the Captain's Mask and see him coming on full approach, drawing back his sword and getting ready to slice at me even when I have lowered the dream version of the Song of Order. He is about to lunge right at me when he takes a good look in my eyes.
Frozen... that's all he was, pausing in motion and those green eyes of his just staring at me. It was most likely the mask, but I was quite sure that something catched with his memory that would have even faded since it has been a really long time when the war with the ancient castle and the Stone Tower (which again, is absent in this dream).
All that emotion on his face, like he was completely surprised to see a familiar face before him, and standing in the flesh. Even then, I know this isn't going to last long when even he gave the expression a few seconds later.
"Ohhh! Keeta! Is it not Captain Keeta?!"
His voice like before sounds very echoing in that spirit's voice, his mouth gaping open in shock from the memories of giving the captain orders. It only took him a few moments before he could finally speak again.
"...But you're so..."
He paused once again, before he literally has a fit over the fact that I'm not as huge as the captain he remembered from that time.
"...T-Tiny!"
From the glimpse from even staring at his eyes, I can see Nightmare was positioned behind the Skeleton King, ready to surprise him with a taste of her medicine. He grips onto the sword, an aggressive look on his face along with the tone he spoke in that he wasn't going to fall for this trick in the book as well as shaking his head in disapproval.
"I was nearly fooled by what you have done..."
The sound of magic is heard as Nightmare casts a beam of her magic on his back, catching him by complete surprise. He groans for a moment, but turns around and knocks her across the room with the blade of his sword.
My heartbeat raced for a moment with panic in huge worry that she had been hurt, and with that also being the anger for the Skeleton King to do this. I step forward with a brief sprint and pounce onto his back, slicing the claymore into the bones. A growl and he is already trying to shake me off from my back and attempt a blade slice at my chest with hopes of bleeding me out.
"You don't hurt her, ever!" I shouted at him, making every chance at attacking him whether using the claymore or the magic that it provided me.
I can feel him jump backwards into the wall, feeling my back slam on part with it and my hands letting go from his bones. Nightmare slowly gets up, a bruise seen on her left front hoof and begins to charge up magic to her horn once again. I too am now on the floor with the Skeleton King turning towards me with his sword and shield in hands.
Getting up, he begins to lift up his sword. Shit... jump to the side to avoid my head being cut all the way open. However, I don't even realize that his shield could also provide an offensive benefit for him. It bashes me from the side, tripping me to the side on the tiles.
The Skeleton King was still focused on me, not realizing that Nightmare was going to strike at any moment. She appears to be quite angry... probably because he is trying to kill me. Even so, I kept wondering when that protection spell she gave me would even come into effect. He opens his mouth, and some kind of wind begins to blow out from him at me. I don't know if that dangerous particles of dust he is unleashing at me from his old age, but it really hurts.
A spell of lightning comes from Nightmare's horn and it makes a strike towards the Skeleton King himself, slamming him on the side and passing the shield that gave him protection from sword strikes just like his soldiers we just dealt with. Hooves sound off as it is in the motion of galloping, my eyes seeing and grasping onto her as he lunges forward with her horn in fighting position and stabbing it in the king's ass.
I almost wanted to laugh, especially when I saw his reaction. He looked like he was absolutely howling and jumping up and down in order to shake her off since her horn was sticking there. The more he did so, she would continue to drive it further into him. Even then entertained by this, I got up and ran forward towards him.
A brush of speed off from the ground all thanks to my wings, and I pull back on the claymore to prepare another slash at him, being that he is only able to endure the pain of having an alicorn horn up his ass which probably would hurt a lot worse than it seems. That look on his face as he struggles through it... almost priceless.
Swinging with both hands on the claymore, and a few bones break apart from the chest of the king. A groan is heard from him, and he finally gets Nightmare's horn pulled out from behind. He attempts to blow more wind right at my face, to knock me off from him. I slip off to the side, but my right arm ends up caught in the deadly breath stench.
It really hurt so much, so I'll have to keep a bit of a distance when he unleashes it on occasion. Once the stench died down from his mouth, I can hear him laughing as he turns around towards Nightmare, his back exposed for me to strike once again. His hands though reach for his head and he appears to be loosening it...
Oh fuck, I hate this move he makes...
His head came flying off and levitating around in the air while the body became practically ethereal, those green eyes staring right down at me with a rather terrifying grin. On the other half, his body has turned around and is seeking to strike at me while the head goes after Nightmare.
I have almost no time to react when the now-headless king's sword slams into my left side, the ethereal armor the dream version of the claymore had taken some damage... the power of the king's strength though is enough to send me flying across the room.
My back hits the wall on the other side of the room and I fall down onto the floor, temporarily paralyzed for a few moments upon impact. The body continues to turn around and come charging at me with the intent on attacking me yet again. My focus balancing from between that and what Nightmare was doing to avoid getting bit by the King's head.
If only Twilight and the others were here to help us... no... I must keep focused to fight back against the nightmare itself. Even through my bravery, I need to keep him in heart during this fight.
My heart begins to pound hard as soon as I saw the King's teeth grip ahold onto the black mare herself, trying to leave a bite mark on her or keep her held for an oncoming sword attack from the body which I feel will change its course.
"Get... off!" I can hear Nightmare screaming with a bit of fear in her voice.
The body turns around, now focused on her as its target. Once she has been struck, the head will release and go back onto the king's body. Not going to happen on my watch though as I sprint forward towards Nightmare, reaching to try and get the biting head of the king from her - gripped onto the top of her head with a part of her flowing mane being chewed down.
The sword is raised upwards to prepare a strike at the alicorn herself, and I had to react quickly. I stood in front of Nightmare and rose the Song of Order's silver to block at the attack that came swinging down with the sound of the blades clashing at one another.
Both me and the king's body were in a blade-lock, trying to push power to achieving what is needed to slice at her. I push my power into the grip further, though the body remains strong. Can't really use any magic towards the body as it is ethereal by the looks of it, just like my armor that I am given in battle by the magic of my weapon.
The head... now I remember...
"Nightmare, hold still and don't struggle." I warn her ahead of time as magic is transfering over into my left hand to prepare a burst of magic energy to send at the head, still gripping on her with its teeth.
For the struggle with between mine and the king's sword, I release my left hand from the claymore's handle and fire a burst of light blue magic at the head - surprising both him and Nightmare herself, who feels a bit relieved to be let go from the king's own mouth. The head on the other hand spun in circles when knocked back from where he was before.
His ethereal body drew back from the burst, and his head is followed back to his neck. He screws it back on with the ethereal magic that surrounded his body now out of effect when he looks at all three of us once again.
My left hand moves forward once again as I approach him, firing a beam of magic to attack him. His shield comes up and he blocks out the attack. "He's starting to learn quickly of our techniques!" I said to Nightmare while I slash forward, clashing with his blade once again.
"How are we even supposed to know when he'll fall down?!" She shouts behind me, firing beams of her magic and slamming it into the king's bony feet.
"Oh, I think we'll know," I responded to her question even with the king grunting from the inflicting damage he received from the alicorn's magic. "Keep the Mirror Shield ready at any time he goes down!"
The king proceeds to hop over my head and shield bash me backwards. I had my claymore guarding me from the damage I would get. It still hurt, but I didn't fall to the floor. Nightmare continues to fire her magic right at the king to give him considerable damage, but nothing to bring him down.
Stuck between both me and Nightmare, both me and her begin to charge at the skeleton king himself, her hooves galloping and my bare feet stomping the ground with each step I took in the sprint towards him. My breath sounding rather heavy as more adrenaline is pumping into me, my feet and hands. My wings spread open again, giving me a burst forward when I jump upwards.
From the jump, I can also see Nightmare glaring towards the tall king himself when she hopped upwards with her wings aflap and the magic illuminating brightly on her horn. The dream version of my claymore is driven right towards the skull of the skeleton, and striking it straight deep past.
I can hear the Skeleton King begin to scream in agony when the Song of Order was driven straight into his head, and severing in half when I carve the silver through and ensuring that he couldn't use his breath to attack any of us or give us harm in the process. Nightmare looks to be blasting a good-sized hole into the back of him.
Both of us were yelling with the tone of thunder when we begin to tear apart the enemy, his sword slicing back and forth in no direction with hopes that he can give me a good stabbing to the heart or at least try to cut off our heads. The Song of Order cut off that right hand of his like butter, and even the Song of Order can't even do that. The right hand of his trying to grab me from behind.
Nightmare was lucky to notice that and fires right at that right hand and knocking it out from the body and severing it, leaving a handless arm. With that, the wings giving me a good push towards the king, with both of my feet kicking him back.
I can hear an audible defeated groan from the king himself as his skeletal body falls backwards. Nightmare took a few hoofsteps back into the block of sunlight that I created in the room and readied the Mirror Shield while the king tried to regenerate his body and head to begin fighting us once more.
The king's severed right arm tosses the blade right forward at Nightmare Moon. It doesn't scar her, but it sends the shield flying right out of his magic aura and sent out of the sunlight. The bones slowly moving around me and drawing itself towards the body... I needed to act quickly.
I grip onto the claymore with both hands and used the magic within to teleport me towards the Mirror Shield in the corner of the room. I grip onto it with my right hand and letting myself carrying the dream version of the claymore in my left.
"Hurry Brayden!" She calls to me.
Sweat is going down my brow and I can feel myself getting cramps as I sprint forward and with a jump, rolling right into the sunlight but into Nightmare's hooves with a safe landing there.
She turns quickly and offers a hoof to help me up off of the ground which I accept, getting back up onto my two feet. The bones of the Skeleton King were beginning to reform around him and re-attach itself once more. With the sunlight shining onto the nothing, I turn its direction at a certain angle at aim it towards the being itself.
He began to catch on fire by the flames of the after-life, now scorching him to fall with the spirits of the Ikana. Crawling away... or rather trying to crawl away, we can hear his defeated screams again, as if the fires managed to purge him from within. Nightmare keeps his magic channelled in case there was bound to be a surprise like he was resistant to the sunlight himself and was tricking us.
Ashes begin to form from the bones that collapse to the floor, burning away the head of the king and encover him with those hellish matters we cast him to. It almost seemed like moments, or a minute when the bones finall dissolve from ashes and then disappearing into nothing as if the wind took them away into the skies to fall upon the fields of the dead.
The room grew quiet from the echoing of the king's scream and the fire. Both me and Nightmare look to be panting for breath after that battle, and we turn to one another to see our own reactions. Magic from her horn is loosened and released to save her some magic for later.
"It's..." She pants for a moment. "It's over..."
However, with the purple glow taking notice of our eyesight, we could see that it is the spirit of the tall-skull soldier staring right down at us. Oh come on... I thought the fight was over and done with! Is there more already?! I kept the Song of Order drawn out and ready in case there was going to be another fight.
Nightmare also channelled magic to her horn once again, but at an idle rate unless the spirit became hostile. I glared right at the emotionless skeleton head, knowing very well that he shouldn't mess with me or try to bring harm to my loves or friends. He can only stare though... at least until that thick-skulled soldier's spirit head pushed him to the side and open his mouth and growl.
"You're blocking me! Get out of the way! I can still get them!"
The tall-skull turns to the thick-skull, a bit of a whiney tone in his voice. "B-blocking you?!" He finally starts to sound annoyed and irritated in the tone of his voice, both me and Nightmare standing there and only letting the argument commence. "The reason they beat us is because you were so feeble! Don't blame this on me!"
Thick-skull really became angry right about now while both of us are both snickering quietly to ourselves as we knew these would be the dumb kind of soldiers even in death. "What?! Just try saying that again to my bony face!"
The tall-skull stops and then begins to slowly and surely taunt and tease him. "Feeble! Feeble! Feeble! Feeble! Feeble! Feeble! Feeble! Feeble! Feeble! Feeble! Feeble! Feeble! Feeble!"
"Shut up already!" The thick-skull got annoyed enough now with all the taunting. He groans for a moment and begins talking back. "Don't look at me-I was once called the best swordsman in all of Ikana..."
"The greatest swordsman in all of Ikana?" Laughter came from the tall-skull when he heard that comment. "You? Feeeeeeeeble."
"...Draw your weapon!"
"Huh?" The tall-skull sounded confused by his order, and I swear when I looked at Nightmare... her face though. She almost looked like she was going to start laughing at any moment.
"I'm telling you to draw your sword!"
There was a big pause from the tall-skull, but he eventually answered after a few moments passed by. "...How?"
Both the tall-headed skull and Nightmare began to burst out into laughter over the stupidity of the thick-skull who just about has had enough of our bullshit. He is growling loudly, unable to do anything but allow his head to float in the glow of purple. I can only snicker myself when he looked like he was about to lose it.
"Will you stop?! What fools!"
The sound of that voice just about got our attention and silenced our laughter when the head of the king appeared above his soldiers, stopping and looking in fear of their own demise. The crown still remained on the head of the skeleton when he shouted at them.
"Haven't you begun to understand?"
He paused for a moment before continuing to speak to his dead soldiers from even his spirit himself that will soon ascend to the afterlife as well. "The kingdom being ruined and us left in this state... isn't it petty, little battles like this that have caused it?"
The spirits of the two soldiers finally burst into flames and their spirits ascending towards the sky as in joining the millions of other dead souls. The skull of the king finally floats downward in his headless purple colored glow and faces the both of us. He turns to me first and slowly turns to Nightmare.
"Both of you," He spoke to us with a calm tone than he did when we fought him. "Believing in your friends and embracing that belief by forgiving failure... these feelings have vanished from our hearts."
"You attacked us though. Why?" I asked him.
He turned to me. "I mistaked you for the dark enemy, as even one of your has penetrated and slipped into the world in the reality you live in. You have freed us from the curse that had bound us to fight a war that's long since ended."
"An enemy?"
"An old 'friend', you could say. I can sense a future of dark paths coming for you... and light at the end of it." The king responded to my own curiosity. "You are bound to fight her and you are bound to lose friends and enemies that would have been friends..."
"Rebecca..."
"Yes, wielder of light. I can sense that the world you now reside in will fall, but with hopes you can still save it."
Nightmare took one hoofstep forward to the spirit. "Who are you?" She asked him, her cyan cat-eyes looking at the still green-eyes of the king.
"I am the King of Ikana Kingdom, Igos du Ikana." He properly introduced himself to both of us. "The spellbinding that had been cast upon us has now been broken by the light you two have."
"We like to call it the magic of friendship." I stated to him. "I received that magic when I first took ahold of the Song of Order while Nightmare beside me used to have a darkness inside her heart until I purified her of it and allowed her a second chance. She by far hasn't turned back since."
Igos responds to me. "So it's been said. But in order to keep peace in the enchanted lands of Equestria, you must defeat this coming evil that you have foreseen many times in your mind. That of events as like facing your father whom wouldn't have been redeemed at all... the death of somepony you love... tragedy, but victory comes in the end."
"What victory?"
"You will find out when the time comes. It is too blurry for you to find out," He says to me again with only a slight bit of disappointment. "However, I sense something bad will happen sometime in the morning when you awaken from your slumber. That is however... not my response to tell you what it is. You must find out about it by how your heart feels when a pony from that land of Equestria is brought into harm or even death itself."
"He can't do it without the help of his friends." Nightmare commented, placing a wing around me.
Igos can only nod his head. "That is true. And so... being that this is only a dream, I in mind can only warn you ahead of what is yet to come in the morning. An attack on a city, threats, death and a battle... not a clear picture that I can describe..."
(Play 'Time's End - Theophany' at 0:48)
With the distant chiming of the Clock Tower in the distance, the objects in the room begin to float slowly towards the moon in the distance that is normally a sign that the dream was already coming to a close. I was able to see the other curtain and the infrastructure of the castle break apart while revealing the ethereal realm of the dream world.
"Is it already time to wake up?" I turn and ask the black alicorn.
She moves her left front hoof, using it to gently stroke my long, brown hair. "I'm afraid so Brayden, I honestly wish dreams could last longer. But as what Igos said, we should await what'll happen in the morning when we awaken."
"I have sensed it as well... it's not good." The spirit of the king warns us. "When you awaken, I suggest leaving wherever you are and head straight to the capital of the lands you reside in. You might not have much time until the horror starts for the first time."
"But what about-"
I was interrupted when Nightmare Moon placed a kiss upon my forehead. "Don't worry Brayden, I'll be there when you come in. I'll assure that none of them even try to avoid you." She says to me as her wings take flight as well as mine when releasing from the kiss.
The spirit of Igos starts to burn up in the flames of the dead that are welcoming the king and his soul to join them in the sky alone. I can remember those last words that he said to both and Nightmare Moon before he completely burnt up and disappeared. The sounds of the heavy storm winds who pick up and deafen me to the point where I could only hear that instead of the voices I knew.
The gravity was heavy enough to pick me up and send me towards the moon with Nightmare Moon at my side, a light with only the brightest color possible to shade away the background and images that I recalled from the dream, as I re-enter into reality in the event horizon of the waking magic. The final words of Igos echoing in my mind when the whiteness took over for a brief moment.
"On my kingdom and of your mother's...shine the light of justice and friendship..."
Whatever was to come from Rebecca, I didn't have much time...
A/N: Thanks for reading this chapter. Next chapter should add up more suspense.
I first had this idea come into my mind this past March / April when I first stumbled upon the EmberLab short film on YouTube called "Terrible Fate", and that's how I decided to write in a bit of a dream crossover for LTL. Being that Majora's Mask is one of my favorite games of all-time, I decided why not and went for it. Maybe one day I'll put up my top ten favorite all-time video games, you never know.