private Diffuse Reflection (1x1 between Nightmare Season and Raven Rawne)

[Nightmare Season 617]

@@Raven Rawne,

 

Hearts-Dream listened with a warm smile. "The cards are easily come by. Ant pony that sells antiquities and the occult items will usually have decks for sale. As for saying... tell him the truth. You thought that since it was dealing with dreams, and Nightmare was able to heal faster eating dreams, You thought you could too. Just try and pass it off as you thought it was one of the regular roots that he spilled out of his bag. Don't mention that you knew what the golden root was for." She gave her a wink. "So it turned out that you too can heal up from eating dreams. Which it is somewhat the truth. You at a rare dream and came here. That allowed me to heal up. Of course, don't mention me at all please."

 

"I was expecting you to ask me how I am the mother of a nightmare pony and about the scroll of the daymare that Nightmare seeks to become." She replied to her final questioning.

[Raven Rawne 1,381]

@@Nightmare Season,

 

The mare thought for a moment, then nodded. "I don't have any better ideas how to tell him what happenned, so I guess I'll roll with that... And of course I won't mentions you, since you don't want to. Although all that secrecy is a bit... weird."

 

She rubbed her chin and cocked her head to one side, then the other. "I see why you would expect these particular questions, yeah... Let's just say that more current events have turned my taatention elsewhere. So, what about that scroll? Is the Daymare even real, or achieveable for him? It would be cruel if he pursued a myth all this time..." she made a circular motion in the air with her hoof - "Oh, and I uh... thought this "son" thing is just some kind of a metaphor. A bit like royals refer to their subjects as their children. ...Unless there's something more to it." Crystal held her hoof in the air, peering at the alicorn as her unasked question loomed in the air.

[Nightmare Season 617]

@@Raven Rawne,

 

Hearts-Dream got up and walked over to Crystal. "The scroll is real, older than me. The same with the daymare and his story. As far as can Nightmare become like the daymare in the scroll? He can not." She told her as Crystal lowered her head slightly with disappointment. She gave her a slight nuzzle to cheer her up. "Nightmare Season is already a daymare." She finished her train of thought.

 

Crystal looked at her questionably. She asked the Alicorn what she meant, for Nightmare was still a Nightmare and not white like in the scroll. "Well you see Crystal Clear, A daymare is just a nightmare that has a good heart and soul. They can eat nightmares and the energy that produces them. You have seen him do such before haven't you?" She asked her for confirmation. Crystal remembered the time when he made the body disappear.

 

"He has yet realized it himself and still takes a few of your good dreams, this is what causes it to turn sour. Once he figures out how to limit what type he eats, he will no longer bring about bad dreams. I said he can not be like the daymare in the scroll because of one thing. That stallion was born as an albino, or a pony born with no color. Due to that his nightmare parents abandoned him. He was raised by a good and caring pony. That is what allowed him to grow up being a good soul."

 

The Alicorn started to walk to the entrance of the castle. "Please come with me. I will get you back before my son gets back." She told Crystal. "I will continue to answer questions till then." They both started to walk out of the castle and through the mists and dreams once more. "Nightmare Season is my son. I was the reason for him being. The original nightmares were born from terrible dreams long ago, and from the original they were able to have children of their own just like any other living thing. It is a rare thing nowadays that a nightmare is born from the nightmares of a single pony any more. That is a good thing. Those nightmares are far stronger than those born to two nightmares."

 

"Because I had lost the war and my kingdom, along with my sight. I traveled the world, but the pain of what happened to me was still there in my dreams. I caused Nightmare Season to be born. When I was traveling through the country that you saw from his memories. Nightmare's father entered my dream to feed. He noticed that I had given life to my nightmares and he helped it to escape into the waking world. This was when Nightmare Season entered the world as the strongest nightmare there was."

 

"I did not realized what happened till latter. When I made another pass through there I heard the stories of a young colt that was feared more than the family of Nightmares. At that point I was starting up fortune telling, and just recently became an alicorn, I knew then what I had done. I sought him out that time to end his life." She lowered her own head as she felt guilty. "That memory you saw when I picked him up in my wagon was when I planned to end the nightmare I brought to the ponies. However, Something about him was strange. I noticed he was starving himself. Though he was born of my nightmares and guilt, he was good. Unheard of before. The only good nightmare before him was the daymare raised from a colt by a good soul. He somehow had wisdom uncommon for his age and kind. I decided to spare his life after I saw a vision of you from his future within his memories." She looked to her side where Crystal was walking beside her. "If not for you dear one, I would have killed my son. But you were there and worried about him. Well, there in my vision of the future. So instead, I fed him some dream root soup to give him his strength back."

 

They continued to walk through the mists. "In fact, your princess Luna almost bore a nightmare herself to the world. She however called it a Tantabus. She managed to stop it with the help of her friends and her subjects. Thankfully that happened. The world did not need another Nightmare in it. I came to live in the dream world to keep an eye on the dreams. My sole purpose now is to keep any more nightmares being born that way." Crystal at this point noticed what looked like an archway up ahead. That was their destination. "This is the door back to the waking world. This will return you to that comfy bed he made for you. However before you go, a few last bits of knowledge for you. First off, there is no future of you dying from saving your friend so take comfort in that. Second, those roots that Nightmare eats. He only gets half the value out of them that way. If you would eat them before going off to sleep, it will strengthen your dreams tenfold. They will also protect your dreams from becoming corrupted from him feeding. With them being stronger, my son will be able to start learning the difference in the energy and can practice separating the good ones from the bad ones. However, that choice is up to you if you will do such. That was actually what the rest of the scroll showed. You just did not open it up to look at it." She gave Crystal a warm smile to encourage her.

 

The Alicorn placed her hoof on the arch way. "Take my companion back to the cave where she came here from." As she spoke that, a shimmer rippled across an invisible surface stretching between the arch. There an image appeared, the cave where they were camped out. "Crystal, if you ever wish to return here to visit, just eat a root and dream of this arch. It will appear before you and you can enter it." With that last bit she motioned for the mare to step through. "Oh, and you will be sore for a few days after. The magic only dampened the pain for a time. Your ribs are healed, But in the morning you will still feel some pain. There will not be any chance you will damage yourself anymore, but try to stay off your side for a few days. You should be fully healed by the time you reach the mountain."

 

Hearts-Dream turned around and started to walk away.

Edited January 5, 2017 by Nightmare Season

[Raven Rawne 1,381]

@@Nightmare Season,

 

As the mare walked down off her throne and told more about the daymare, Crystal put her hoof down. She looked silly with a foreleg in the air. Once the news that Nightmare cannot be a daymare ringed off the castle walls, she lowered her head in dissapointment. "Aww, such a shame." She gave the alicorh a qyastioning look as she delivered her rhetoric punchline - "Wait, what? But he's black, and... feeds on the good dreams and all. Besides, he said he's not a daymare. Soooo?" The answer left her with her jaw hanging as she recalled her friend feeding off the images of evil guards, as well as the obvious fact that the Daymare didn't turn white, he was white from birth.

 

She trotted over to the alicorn, since she was left behind and needed to catch up as the other mare walked outside the castle. Crystal listened to the story of how Nightmare came to be, nodding occasionally. All this information at once, she really hoped she will be able to remember all that... She interjected twice - first, when Heart-Dreams mentioned that it was the vision of Crystal Clear that made hershay her hoof from putting Nightmare down - "I guess we both owe you then. If not for this... vision.. he'd be dead and i'dnever leave home to actually look for my friend. So, thanks." The second time was when the alicorn mentioned Princes Luna - "Ahem, a liiiitlle correction here. I'm a subject of Crystal Princess Cadance and Prince Shining Armor. they may be in a way, subordinate, to the Royal Sisters, but I'm not really their subject. Sorry, continue..."

 

Some kind of archway was ahead of them. just like other objects in this realm, it's decor was completely alien to the crystal pony. She turned towards the alicorn who gave her some more info, nodding as a sign she listened and understood. As the portal opened, she shratched her head in embarassment. "Yeah... I guess i should've paid more attention to the scroll when I had it, but honestly, I thought it's not for me to read..." Asthe alicorn urged her to go, she bowed her head slightly and csmiled. "Thank you. For patching me up, for sharing so much knowlendge with me. I'll try to make sense of all that and help Nightmare season realise his potential, without mentioning your part in it, since that is your wish." She glanced at the portal and sighed slightly. "Gues it's time to go, goodbye!" She walked through the portal and found herself in the cave.

 

First thing she noticed was the cold. - the fire went out. A stream of unladylike language accompanied her hasty attempt to wrap herself with the covers from her cloud bed. Still shivering under the blankets, Crystal looked around but Nightmare was nowhhere to be seen - good. She could barely see anything, her only light the moon shining through the netrance. The mare fshed out the glow-crystal and laid it on the cloud - that did the trick. Now that she could see her hoof in front of her snout, the mare awkwardly tossed some branches off the nest onto the burnt out fire, and procured her fire starting kit from her jacket that was laying on one of the crates, along with her other clothes. It took a few attempts, but she lit the fire and huddled by it, while trying to make sense of all that happenned.

 

The crystal mare stared at the small dancing flame, thinking of what to do. She made up her mind that she'll aid Nightmare Season in becoming the Daymare, or rather realising he already is one, and how to use his ability. She didn't know how to convince him that he should feed off her dreams while she eats the roots though. Maybe as an extension of the mistification Hearts-Dream devised? Maybe it could work.At some point, once the temperature became more tolerable, Crystal Clear grabbed her brush and unwrapped her bandages, then started brushing her coat into shape. Later on, she took care of her mane and tail. The fire needed to be fed fresh fuel several times to keep producing sufficient heat. The mare managed to finish her grooming and recycle the bandages that weren't smeared with the healing salve, and even have a cup of water before she saw the orange glow from the entrance - Nightmare came back.

 

Crystal Cleat's eyes went wide and her heart raced into overdrive - she completely forgot about the fight he fought! The mare shot upwards and ran around the crates towards the entrance. "Nightmare, you're back!"

[Nightmare Season 617]

@@Raven Rawne,

 

After Nightmare left the cave. He followed the sound off in the distance. It was large and slowly headed in his direction. Once he got close enough to see what was making the sound. Is heart dropped. It was the yeti. It seemed to have survived that fight with him and being sent flying. Guess he was wrong. He shot up his flames once more. Ready to fight it off, hoping his appearance would just frighten it away. Seemed it was not to bright. It wanted revenge over protecting itself from the fire pony that had defeated it before.

 

Nightmare found himself in close combat with the beast. Thankfully it was heavily wounded and slow. Dodging the massive blows intended for him was easy. When he had an open shot, he took it. Delivering a fire shot at it. The battle raged on for several minutes. Nightmare was starting to wear down. He thought to himself what would happen if he should fall. It would head back to where Crystal slept and could not move. She was helpless if he could not best his foe this time. His worry turned to anger once more. The Yeti finally had fear in it's eyes when it felt that familiar blast as the pony became stronger.

 

Nightmare built up a massive fireball. The yeti tried it's best to stop him, but as before, a shield of fire protected the black fire pony. With a final shot of the fireball, the yeti once more found itself flying through the air. This time Nightmare aimed the shot better. The yeti was finally dead. He turned and headed back to the cave. As he climbed up the cliff face. He went back to his regular look. He was taken by surprise as the crystal pony came running up to him calling out to him. That ended with her launching herself at him in a hug. Not expecting that, he lost his balance and toppled down with her on top of his neck with a hug.

 

"Wait....what? How....How are you moving? Those broken ribs would have bed ridden you for days." He asked her in shock. His mane and tail went out from the snow he landed in.

[Raven Rawne 1,381]

@@Nightmare Season,

 

As Crystal skidded by the wall of supplies, she saw her friend who just climbed into the cave - thankfully unharmed. Truth be told, she was both happy and relieved, and showed it in a way most easily expressed - the mare launched herself into a hug. Ome day she'll learn to think what she's doing. But not today.

 

"Wo wooooah!" - Nightmare didn't have the time to brace for impact and slid down from the ledge, and into a pile of snow below. Crystal Clear followed suit and landed on top of him. The cold snow and arctic air assaulted her, and the crystal pony rolled off the stallion with a groan. "Brrr, Crystal you idiot..." She noticed Nightmare's fires went out as he landed in snow, and held a hoof to try and help him stand up. Damn it was cold in here. She tried to lie as casually as possible. "Wish I knew! I woke up at some point and felt cold. You wandered off somewhere. So I tried to take a look around from my clud for something to warm up and saw one of your roots laying nearby... Well, I kind of thought about how you said wounds heal up faster in the dream world, and since you have enough of them, I gave it a shot. I mean, the worst I could get was an awful taste on my tongue, right? So I ate it and dozed off soon after, and when I woke up, I was feeling okay! If you exclude being freezing cold that is. Sheaking of which, let's go inside or I'll use up all the infection meds too."

 

They climbed back up and Crystal Clear sat by the fire and covered herself with the blankets she threw off herself when she ran. "Ufff, much better... Where was I? Ah, so when I woke up again, the pain was gone and I could move without feeling like I would die any moment. And since I needed to warm up myself, I decided to move off the bed and make a fire." She smiled "Once I wasn't rattling my teeth, vanity took the better of me and I just had to put my coat in order. Aaaand then you came. End of story." The crystal mare rubbed her forehead with a hoof. "So best I can come up with, is that the root somehow speedied up my healing. I always had more luck than brains, I guess." She shrugged for good measure and looked at Nightmare to gauge if he bought her story."

[Nightmare Season 617]

@@Raven Rawne,

 

Nightmare kept his gaze on the mare as she got over the ledge. She was not acting in any bad way that resembled bad ribs. As she found her seat next to the fire, Nightmare was thinking. "I never knew the roots could do that. I mean, up till now I only noticed that they strengthened dreams and made them more pronounced in regular ponies." He thought of something. He raced to his saddle bags and looked in his root section. "By any chance....." He trailed off looking through his collections. With a heavy sigh, "It seems you ate the golden one. That might explain it." He replaced all his roots. Then he evaporated the smoke bed. It seemed to whirl back to his horn where it disappeared.

 

He went over and sat next to the fire in hope of drying off faster so he could get his mane back. "Just take it easy for now. Not sure if you are fully healed or it is just an illusion due to the nature of the dream root. Is there anything else you could tell me about your experience with eating it? I will go back in the morning to that tree and see if I can find another to try it myself. Now that you seem to be able to tackle things again." He gave her a cheesy smile.

[Raven Rawne 1,381]

@@Nightmare Season

 

The mare observed the stallion with a clueless expression as he told her hus experiences with roots and regular ponies. She felt a bit alarmed when he concluded she ate the golden one, however. "I... did? I'm sorry, it was pretty dark and I thought it's a regular one..." She lowered her head and her ears drooped for good measure to show she was sorry.

 

She pondered over her answer as the stallion inspected her. "Well, it tasted awful for once, and other than that... After I ate it, I felt sleepy and since I couldn't do anything, I just fell asleep. Weird thing is that I don't remember my dream. I usually can recall something, but this time - nothing. That's strange, right? When I woke up freezing I was weirded out a bit, but the strangest part was I didn't feel any pain... So once I was sure I was actually okay, I got up and, well, did stuff so I won't freeze to death."

 

She smirked at Nightmare's remark and pushed him playfully with a foreleg. "You bet I can! If that stupid monster comes back for seconds, I'll get my revenge!" She laughed at her own behaviour, but at some point winced and coughed, then put a hoof to her previously injured ribs. "Ouch, maybe I should play it safe for a day or two... and now I need to sleep on a bedroll too..." Crystal made mock sad puppy eyes and went to the supplies for materials to make a bedding from. Soon she had a place to sleep a few steps from the fire, where she was laying. "So, once the morning comes you want to look for another golden root, right? So I guess we won't go North tomorrow?"

[Nightmare Season 617]

@@Raven Rawne,

 

"We will wait and see how you feel in the morning. Not sure if you are healed or it is just an illusion you are from the dream aspect of the roots. We can make a decision then. As far as you eating the golden root by accident...I forgive you. Save your tackling for the future. That yeti thing is not coming back." He helped her lay out her bedroll, then he took his own bed and went to sleep.

 

They both woke up with the light shinning into the cave. Nightmare was first and started to prepare some hot food. Crystal followed suit. The pain in her side was mils, but was not the crippling pain it was before. "So how is your side doing?" Nightmare asked the mare when he noticed so had awoken. "Think we can travel or do you need more rest?"

[Raven Rawne 1,381]

@@Nightmare Season

 

The ponies went to sleep soon after, and Nightmare didn't pay a visit to the crystal mare in her dreams.

 

She woke up to the sound of clattering pots and the like, accompanied by an unmistakable scent of food.  Crystal Clear stirred under her covers and stretched, slowly.  Her side hurt, just as the alicorn predicted, but it was tolerable.

 

*yawn* "Mornin'." Crystal Clear dug out from under her covers and found the temperature inside their cave to be acceptable. She glanced at the stallion. "I guess, yeah. It hurts a bit, but I should be fine." She moved around to test her hypothesis, and decided she would be okay. The mare approached and looked at the foodstuffs that were being prepared. "Hmm, looks good... Although I still catch myself on little things. Like how it's normal to use salt. Back in my days it was rare and expensive..."

 

Crystal let Nightmare finish the preparations while she laid out her clothes on the bedroll to warm them up. They then sat down to eat.

 

"Mmmm, compliments to the chef! So... how can I help you with loading our stuff back on the sleigh?  Maybe make the cloud and I'll pack things on it, then you'll lower it? Should be safer than tossing stuff into the snow..." She smirked at the memory if how she tossed them just that last night.

[Nightmare Season 617]

@@Raven Rawne,

 

"If your side still hurts then I suggest taking it easy. You are able to move around now so I think your ribs are healed some how." He told her as she came to the custom table out of boxes. He brought her over her helping of the food. "Wish I can find another one of those golden roots. Would love to see how it healed you." He said as he sat down to eat his own food. "Somehow things worked out."

 

When they finished up their food, Nightmare cleaned up and packed everything up. When Crystal asked if he wanted her to help him load up the sleigh, he turned around to look at her. "I can manage it. Still got my unicorn magic that can levitate the sleigh and boxes down to the ground." With that, that is exactly what he did. Although, he had to take a break and rest up half way through it. "Wish I can get better at magic. Nightmare magic is far easier for me than unicorn magic." He told his companion as she made her way down off the ledges.

 

When both were on the ground and ready to go. Nightmare tied himself up to the harness and started to pull it. "I decided to look for the golden root after we save your friend. Don't want to delay her rescue to long." They both walked through the forest valley side by side. Crystal mostly for the warmth from her walking heat source.

 

When the day was half over, they found they had come to the edge of the valley. Before them was a massive plain and no more trees. "Looks like an open area." He looked ahead of them. The mountain that was their destination loomed over small hills. "Lets see if we can get to those hills by nightfall?" He asked Crystal as he turned his head to look at her. "Are you up for that walk?"

[Raven Rawne 1,381]

@@Nightmare Season

 

The mare nodded as she swallowed her food. "Yeah, somehow is a very appropriate term. I'd call it dumb luck myself, but still. Let's just hope I'll be so lucky when we look for more roots like that one..."

 

They finished breakfast and Crystal got dressed in her warm clothes and the armor Nightmare gave her. Now that she knew what lived here, she sure appreciated the gift. Thus outfitted, she walked up to the stallion who was about to start lugging their belongings out of the cave. "So what's the plan? I don't wanna stand and look pretty, you know. It wouldn't be fair." She got a bit dissatisfied with the answer,  so she climbed down and tried to be useful by arranging the supplies on the sleigh,  once Nightmare levitated them there. Crystal smiled reassuringly as he complained at his inadequate magic prowess. "Most unicorns I saw would bleed out through their noses before this task was done, so as far as I'm concerned, you're doing okay. But then, I don't have a horn so it's kinda hard for me to give any advice on the matter..."

 

She sure was grateful that Nightmare decided to postpone his root search until the way back. Crystal didn't know how the events would play out if he found out about the alicorn.

 

The pair marched till they found themselves at the tree line, staring at an expansive plain area ahead of them.  They still had about half of the day, but no shelter nearby. The mare thought for a moment on her answer. Just as she was told, her side did hurt somewhat,  and it affected her performance somewhat,  but she decided she could walk some more until they find shelter. Crystal nodded at the stallion with conviction. "I'll manage, let's go."

 

The area was a bit unsettling.  No vegetation, no landmarks beside the gargantuan Mount Everhoof, only white carpet of snow in every direction.  Crystal gad no idea how far they went or how far was the end of this strange place - the overcast sky made it very hard to even see where's the horizon. As it turned out, neither cold nor fatigue were the worst, but this feeling that they were walking in place. At some point the mare stopped and pointed st something.  "That... snow pile over there. I swear we passed it already, but it's impossible! This place is making me nuts..." She walked over to the small bump in the otherwise flat terrain and poked it with a foreleg. "Stupid rock or whatever lies beneath the snow,  I saw you befo... AAAAHHH!" The mare jumped away from the snow like with a scream and covered her eyes. "T-there... p-p-ponies!"

 

Her hoof bump made some loose snow to fall off,  revealing frozen corpses of a few ponies, although most of the snow remained, as if determined to guard the secret that was buried underneath.

 

Crystal Clear didn't move or uncover her eyes as Nightmare inspected her gruesome discovery. He could see four stallions, earth or crystal ponies, hard to tell, apparently relieved of any belongings and left unceremoniously on a pile. The corpses were indeed frozen solid, but in this climate, it was impossible to judge how old they were - could be last week, could be last millennium.

 

The crystal mare was pretty shaken by what she found and, once Nightmare told her to keep going,  she didn't say anything for a while,  and had that fearful look in her eyes. She also didn't stray from her companion any more.

 

Crystal Clear didn't know how or when, but suddenly, they were out of the mind wrecking plain. The sky was getting darker and it was easier to tell where the snow ended and the clouds began, but it also meant they needed to find shelter.  She was also very tired, apparently overestimating her strength. They were in a small valley between several hills, or small mountains. As they walked up North, she saw something of a different colour to the right, and reluctantly looked that way. Nightmare walked several steps before he noticed she stopped, and looked what was wrong. The mare was staring at what would make excellent shelter.  The only problem was... it was a structure made of black crystals squeezed in a side valley - a campsite of the King's loyalists, abandoned for some time now. 

 

Crystal Clear seemed frozen in place, afraid of coming any closer to the ominous structure.

[Nightmare Season 617]

@@Raven Rawne,

 

When they were about half way through that plain of nothing. Crystal trotted over to what seemed like a snow covered rock. He stopped and waited for her till he heard her scream. With that he stripped himself of the sleigh's harness and dashed over to her. When he got there he saw what made her scream. He placed himself in between her and the frozen ponies. "Come on. Lets get moving on." He gently gave her a slight nudge to get her moving away from them. He looked at the bodies once more. Some he noticed was pierced in the sides. They were killed.

 

As they were approaching the edge of the mountain line he noticed that the crystal pony was no longer beside him. He looked back. The mare looked as if she was frozen in place. He followed her gaze to what looked like black crystals. A little outpost of corrupted crystals. He looked back to his companion. The fear in her eyes told him everything. "We will by pass that. We will seek shelter elsewhere, unless you can go over there?" He had to turn the sleigh around and give her a friendly nudge once more to get her to move away from those crystals.

 

"If you do not think you can continue. I will find a place for you to stay till I return with your friend and the other ponies in captivity." As he said this, they got to the foot of the hills. "On the other side of these will be the mountain."

[Raven Rawne 1,381]

@@Nightmare Season

 

She felt a nudge to her side. At first it startled her a bit, but Crystal looked at who nudged her and it broke her train of dark thoughts. She saw Nightmare who had to go back for her. He seemed to repeat his question - apparently she didn't catch it first time.

 

The mare swallowed and noticed her throat was dry. "L-let's go." She nodded excessively and the pair walked away from the outpost.

 

As they walked, at some point Nightmare spoke again. Crystal Clear settled her fear somewhat by that time and shook her head. "No, I must go. I can't just sit on my plot as you fight for my cause. Besides, you don't know them. I do. All too well..." She trailed off and looked away with a heavy sigh. It was so easy in the dream! She stomped a hoof into the snow and said: "I'll go and do my part.  Now let's find some shelter before nightfall. We'll need a Base of our own if we want to raid their colony and release the prisoners. I expect they will need to rest before the journey anyway." With that, she pressed on towards the unknown.

 

Looking back to their time in the brewery, the mare never thought they would actually walk to the base of Mount Everhoof itself. Yet that's exactly what they did.  Well, will do. They stood at the crest of the hills, peering over to the other side to avoid detection. Crystal saw a small valley leading straight to the black outpost. She couldn't see much, but it seemed to be just fortifications guarding the entrance - either there was a cave there or the slaves dug tunnels inside the mountain. Probably both. They were a good distance away, and she looked around for a good approach route,  and maybe some shelter.  Luckily she saw something promising. "See? Down on the left.  There's some kind of overhanging snow on a cliff. Could be a cave..." Fortunately, it was located that the outpost guards wouldn't see them approach and take refuge there. She patted Nightmare on the side and the pair went to investigate. 

 

It was a cave alright, but there was a problem - the entrance was sealed with a palisade of corrupt crystals. The mare was reaching for her maul when Nightmare decided to pry one bar loose with his magic, and succeeded. He took off enough to let the sleigh in, then planted the crystals so they would form a sort of short corridor leading inside. Crystal figured it was to make a choke point. The cave was rather spacious, even if just a single chamber,  and she saw signs of pony activity like hoof prints here and there, or scrapes on the floor where something heavy was moved. There were also small holes in the walls, and she instantly knew this cave was used as a slave pen sometime earlier. She sighed. "I knew all this would affect me at some point, but I just hoped I wouldn't be so... scared you know.  These ponies... they're evil, Nightmare. As evil as can be. If we manage, we should disrupt whatever they're doing, or better yet, bury them under the mountain. Nothing good may come from their plans." She lend a hoof in unloading the necessary supplied off the sleigh, and they unpacked the third bedroll, since this was the last stop anyway. Nightmare's fire did a good job in heating up the interior and soon enough the ponies were resting after the journey. The meal would come later.

 

"So... what's the plan? I reckon a frontal assault wouldn't be so easy like in the dream, and you're not very stealthy with your burning mane..." Crystal placed a hoof under her chin as she pondered their options. 

[Nightmare Season 617]

@@Raven Rawne,

 

As they approached the cave, Nightmare looked all around. There was no hoof prints, nor did it look like there was a trail in the snow. No pony had come to this place is quite some time. He saw Crystal pulling out her maul to try and smash through one of the black crystals. He simply shook his head and used his magic before she had a chance. It was hard at first to move the crystal out of the snow, but he managed. They got the sleigh inside.

 

He rearranged the crystals to create a choke point. Only a single pony could pass in and out at any one time. Great for hiding the light he created and to prevent an ambush. Crystal had set up the bed rolls. This time she even set up a third bedroll. He smiled at her and answered her question during that time. "If they are just pure evil, just like home." He smiled at her. "I know evil, I use to be in that situation. Don't worry though. I am here. One thing we have on our side is that they probably never seen my kind before either. So....we might be able to use that to our advantage.

 

"He thought long and hard about what there next action would be. He knew battles, and strategies. "If we are lucky, they found a natural cave system in the mountain. Caves usually have multiple entrances. So when it starts getting light outside tomorrow, we will look for one of them. If we are lucky, only one guard will be stationed at that location. If that is the case, I will do what I do best. For now, lets eat something small and get some rest. I will eat your dreams if that is alright with you, Need all the strength I can get for tomorrow."

[Raven Rawne 1,381]

@@Nightmare Season

 

Crystal Clear rested on her bedding as Nightmare Season concentrated on what to do next. Heart knew she needed to lay down for a bit...

 

The mare nodded. "I guess you're an expert in this area. I'll do as you say, just keep in mind there will be unicorns there, and possibly traps. So take that into consideration." She got up, somewhat reluctantly, to get something to eat. Her side hurt from all this moving around. "I could eat a root to strengthen my dream, you know. So you could eat more of it risk-free. Sounds like a plan?" She fished out a container with dry preserves and scratched her head. "Hmm, maybe I could try and make something this time? Yeah, let's." The mare selected her ingredients and collected some snow from outside, careful not to be detected. She then asked Nightmare to boil it, and used it to prepare a thick soup. The ponies had a meal and Crystal thought she did pretty good,  compared to her usual atrocities. Still, not as good as Nightmare would.

 

Crystal Clear felt tired, and Nightmare told her to get some sleep while he'll take care of things for the night. The mare dug under the sheets and soon fell asleep. She thought she heard the crystals scraping against each other and figured her friend was closing the entrance for the night.

 

She was standing on a mountain top, looking down. Somehow the weather allowed her to see for miles.  The mare figured it must've been Mount Everhoof, by the virtue of it's sheer height. Up in the distance, the Crystal Empire shimmered like a brilliant gemstone. At the base of the mountain was the outpost they were about to raid. Thick, black smoke emanated from the tunnels below the mountain and built up, covering the land around it. The mare observed as the smoke slowly wormed it's way towards the Empire.

[Nightmare Season 617]

@@Raven Rawne,

 

"If you wish to eat a root you may. I know from the past that it is harder for a dream to become warped with a root, But do be careful. It strengthens the dream as well. So if you would have a nightmare, it would be more intense." He went over to his saddle bags and pulled out a root for Crystal. When she asked him to boil the snow down for her he looked at her funny. He went over to the sleigh and tapped on their water barrel. "We have water you remember?"

 

He stood back and allowed Crystal to try her hoof at cooking this time. He just gave her pointers here and there, but mostly allowed her to make the choices. After they finished their meal Nightmare noticed Crystal yawning. "You can go to bed now. I left the root by your bed. I will close the small gap in the crystals so nothing can enter while we sleep." He went over to the massive black crystals and moved them so they were like they were before. Nothing could get in unless they made a lot of noise trying to remove them.

 

When he was done he went back over to the sleeping mare. She had eaten the root. Poor thing, the taste of those things were terrible. She had already fallen asleep. He proceeded to enter her dream world.

 

Nightmare found himself on top of a mountain. Crystal was at the top looking down at the base of the mountain. She was watching something down there. He walked up beside her. "So how was the flavor of the root?" He asked her as he looked down where her gaze was. "Seems you dream of the fort we have to take. What do you wish to do? Get more practice in?"

[Raven Rawne 1,381]

@@Nightmare Season,

 

 The mare felt a presence beside her, and instantly knew she was dreaming. By now she got accusomed to the sudden realisation. She looked down and explained what she dreamed of. "You know I don't choose what I dream of, at least not until you show up. See that black smoke, slowly worming it's way South? I guess it's some sort of representation of my fear that we'll stir the... however they call themselves these days, and they will break their isolation to take on my home, there in the distance. Funny how I can dream about it so well even though I never saw the Empire from above..." She brought a hoof to her chin and thought for a moment. She was having a mild nightmare, so why not try and give her friend a few pointers as the alicorn asked? Crystal looked at the stallion and pointed at the smoke with a hoof - "Could you try and eat this part of my dream? I guess I could use my will to get rid of it, but, you know, why waste dream energy?" She looked into the distance. "I don't know if I want to fight in my dream. It's not even close to the real experience anyway... Plus, I don't want to tire you, or risk your injury when we're so close. try and eat the camp too, alright? We can have a nice dream, tomorrow will have enough nightmares in stock."

 

She observed as Nightmare attempted to be selective about his feeding,

[Nightmare Season 617]

@@Raven Rawne,

 

He looked down at the smoke and fort. "Guess I will give it a shot then." He focused on just eating that part of the dream. After a while the smoke faded. The walls of the fort fell apart and crashed to the ground. Then the logs faded and disappeared. "Not the best tasting, but still took a lot longer than I had expected. Filling too." They enjoyed Crystal's dream the best they could. Nightmare feed a bit more till he could not eat any more. The worst thing that happened was a crack in the rock. The roots were doing their job and strengthening her dream from becoming corrupted.

 

"I am stuffed. Think I will head back and get some sleep myself. Enjoy your dream till morning." With that he vanished from her side. The smoke formed to make him next to the sleeping mare. "Ugg...I ate way to much!" He said to himself. His mane and tail was far more magnificent than before. He was well fed and ready for a war in the morning, but for now rest.

 

Morning came to the two, Nightmare had a healthy portioned meal started as Crystal stirred in her sleep then woke. "I figure today we will scout the area out first, see what we can find in ways of entrances?" He told the crystal pony as he brought her food to her. "Here is your breakfast in bed. Enjoy it."

 

They both ate in silent. Thinking about the day a head of them. When all was done Nightmare moved a crystal out of the way to let them out. Crystal noticed his mane and tail looked better this morning and asked him if he did some grooming. "I am just well fed from your dream last night and full of energy. I look healthier with a full stomach of dreams." He answered her as they began their march to get a close look at what they were up against. The spyglass they packed came floating out behind him from the sleigh. Seems he almost forgot to take it.

[Raven Rawne 1,381]

@@Nightmare Season

 

The mare observed with satisfaction as the stallion absorbed the negative images from her dream without affecting the rest of it. "Good job right there! Now let's get down, shall we? Not much to do on a mountain peak..." She thought of a slope and sleigh she remembered from when she was a foal. "This will be fun." - she grinned as a sliding slope has risen out of the mountain,  and two small crystal sleighs also appeared. Crystal Clear hopped on the nearest one and her momentum made it start sliding, slowly at first. "First one down wins!" Soon enough they were both at the foot of the mountain, but Nightmare was first. She guessed he would be, being heavier after all, but still. Somehow they ended up having a snowball fight, and thus time Crystal's  experience paid off. Nightmare decided he had enough to eat and exited her dream during the break in their playful fight. "Hmm, alright.  See ya in the morning then!" The mare was alone in her dream and decided to have some more fun in it.

 

A scent of food brought her back to the waking world. The mare yawned and said to herself.  "Damn, I didn't get to the best part! No fair..." She rubbed her eyes open and saw Nightmare levitating her breakfast towards her. "Breakfast in bed huh? I sure wouldn't mind if my days started like that..." She made herself comfortable for the meal and  nodded. "Scouting is a good idea. Maybe we'll see something useful."

 

They ate in silence, submerged in their thoughts regarding the upcoming day. When they were ready, Nightmare moved away one of the crystals to let them out. The ray of sunlight made her notice something.  "Have you been at a fire manedresser? Cause it looks so... full and big, you know." His answer was a pretty logical one, and Crystal decided that, if he can get stuffed on bad dreams, she'd encourage him to do so in the future. Until he gets it that he's the daymare.

 

They took a peek at the main outpost. Nightmare used the spyglass and related what he saw - a thick palisade of black crystals surrounding some buildings. Several guard towers and a sturdy looking gate, closed of course. They couldn't see the cave opening from there. The mare followed her companion who wanted to look for other entrances. Somehow, despite the fire mane,  he could avoid being seen by the lookouts, using terrain and moments when they weren't looking his way. The pair sneaked deeper into the valley, Crystal lugging her weapon of poor choice.

[Nightmare Season 617]

@@Raven Rawne,

 

As they sought a hidden entrance or just a back door, Nightmare started talking to Crystal. "By the looks of the gates, there has to be an underground cave system. There was not enough buildings inside the wall to support them and their slaves." They looked around the side of the mountain for several hours. At one point Nightmare pushed Crystal down below a slight ridge and he dropped and rolled to put out his mane. "Shhh...." He motioned to Crystal that he saw something over the ridge.

 

They both peered over the ridge to what was a cliff face in the side of the mountain. There stood a lone pony in black armor. Well not exactly standing as in more or less leaning up against a boulder. He was asleep. "Well well. A single guard asleep at what looks like a wall." He winked to Crystal. "I do believe we found our way in. And we are in luck. He is fast asleep." He had to stop Crystal from moving forward with her maul. "I have a better idea. He seems to be dreaming. I can use this opportunity to gather Intel. How good are you at day dreaming?" He asked her.

 

"So here is the plan. I will enter his dreams. There I will dig around and see if I can find what ever they are doing here, the layout of the caves, and where they keep the slaves. Then I will give him the worst nightmare he ever had. I will make it seem like a fiery demon has attacked them and they can't do a thing about it, except to die. Once I have him riled up enough, I will exit his dream. Sadly I will form next to him. When you see me I need you to get a day dream going in your head. That way I can enter your dream so I do not leave hoof prints in the snow. Once I get back to you I will exit your dream and then walk to him as he wakes up. If we are lucky, he will panic and show us how to get in."

 

When they both were ready, Nightmare looked to the sleeping pony. He was a good ways off, but he was just close enough for him to feel his dream. He dissolved in a puff of smoke that raced to the guard. There it went into his mind. Nightmare found himself inside the caves. Fires of sickly green lit the room. There in the center was an altar of some kind, surrounded by all the guards. They were celebrating. They final were reviving there lost king. In fact, by the way he was dreaming this, it is taking place today. "Oh snap. Crystal will not like this one bit." He then took this time to scout the tunnels and rooms. After a few minutes he found where they were kept. A guard with a key stood guard. He looked to the other side of the hall. "Really? They placed the armory right next to the slaves?" He knew that would be beneficial for them. He continued to look through the dream and memory till he had all he needed to know.

 

He then began feeding on his great dream, King Sombra was risen, He was being promoted to captain of the shadow guards. "Well, seems this will be ideal to get him frightened." He launched a fire arrow right at the dark unicorn. He exploded. All the guards gasped and looked for the attacker. Nightmare showed himself. "So that foolish king was this weak. Well now I will just have to eat the rest of you and become the true king." He started blasting every guard in sight. As he fed off the nightmare growing, he used illusions to force himself to appear more and more terrifying. He was starting to get tired, There was a lot of fighting and guards he had to eradicate. When all but one guard was left. It was the dreamer and he was hiding in a corner terrified and shacking.

 

"So you are are that's left hmm?" Nightmare said in a load and over powering force. If Crystal could see him like that, she would even run away from him. "I will finish eating you off, unless of course you wish to run away? MUAHAHAHA!" With that laughing the guard bolted. Nightmare smiled, "That should do." He exited his dream world.

 

Crystal was getting worried at this point. It had been about half an hour since Nightmare vanished. Thankfully it seemed there was no patrols that came back here. She then noticed that the guard started screaming and squirming in his sleep. Nightmare was doing his thing. A few minutes latter she saw smoke rise out of his head and formed next to him Nightmare Season. He gave her a nod. She quickly tried her best to give herself a day dream. Nightmare sensed it and in smoke went inside her dream. It was really hard for him to enter a pony while day dreaming, but he managed it just long enough to get to her. He quickly exited her dream. "Now we wait for him to wake." That did not take long however.

 

The sleeping guard woke in a freight, the nightmare he had was so great he was actually sweating. Just before he tried to calm himself down. A figure from his dream came walking over the ridge. "My my my. Don't you look very tasty. Think I will start with you then move on to the rest inside that mountain." Nightmare had flared his fire up like when he fought off the yeti. He did not have to be angry this time because he was nice and full. He however made sure no heat escaped him. Did not want to melt the snow around him. he had put on his makeshift snowshoes before he started walking to the guard. That was he did not make a hole where he stepped.

 

They guard freaked out. He had a prophetic dream about their end. Why did it have to be this day of all days. He needed to stop it. He launched his spear at the fiery beast walking to him, licking his lips. The spear hit the shield of fire around Nightmare and was ricochet off leaving a trail of fire being it. "Foolish food. There is no way to stop me. The guard was now out of his mind with freight. He ran over to the cliff tripping over himself. He looked around frantically for the hidden switch. He found it and a portion of the wall opened up and he escaped inside. Nightmare just smiled and he pulled out the hoof brush he had found back at the brewery.

 

Nightmare walked back to Crystal who was almost laughing at the sight that unfolded before them. He was using the brush with his magic and he was sweeping away his hoof prints behind him. When he got back to her, not a trace of him could be seen. "Now we just wait." After a short time. They both heard the sound of hooves echoing from the open cavern. There a small group of ponies in black armor emerged ready to fight. They saw nothing. They all looked at the one that came and warned them. The one that appeared to be of higher rank noticed the area he was rolling around in when he was asleep.

 

The two was to far away from them to hear exactly what they were talking about. But the tone and yelling was clear that that guard was in deep trouble. Sleeping on the job and falsifying information for a false alarm. They marched him back inside and closed the door behind them. "So what I learned from him, we need to storm the place right now sadly. Don't worry, they will all be gathered in their main hall. I will head there while you go to the slaves and free them. Oh, and they keep their arms and armor right next the the slave's rooms." He dashed over to the wall and pushed the rock the guard had done before.

 

As it opened a guard came out looking around. He noticed Crystal approaching with her maul. "HOLD IT RIGHT THERE!" He was then knocked out by a rock from behind. "Oops. So they did send someone else out to stand guard. Oh well. One less to worry about onside. Crystal was scared her eyes glued to the black armor. "Do not worry. They are just ponies and not those husk of a shell from your dreams." He knocked the helmet off the pony to show her that it was just a regular pony.

 

"Now the first fork in the cave system we come to, we will need to split up. I will go right and you to the left. Head straight two forks and a left on the third. There you should find a guard and your friend. I will go and keep the rest of them occupied till you get the rest armed and out of here. Good luck." He took off for his destination. There was no time to loose.

[Raven Rawne 1,381]

@@Nightmare Season,

 

The mare looked attentively at Nightmare as he explained to her that he guessed there was some sort of underground system. Well, it sure made sense to her. The search for an auxilliary entrance has been long and tiring, especially given Crystal's recent injury. At some point the stallion pushed her off onto a ridge below. Crystal was surprised but didn't make a sound as she landed in a pile of snow. A heavy thud next to her was enough evidence that Nighmare followed her down, but when she looked around, his fires were extinguished. Crystal gave him a questioning look, but he shushed her and pointed at something - there was a cliff nearby, and a wall of black crystal guarded by a lone guard in this awful black armour. Crystal's nostrils flared as Nightmare explainedhe was asleep, and pulled her maul over her shoulder. "I'll give him a dream eternal then..."

 

A hoof stopped her, and Crystal gave the stallion a silent glare. He said he had a plan. She put down her weapon and shrugged. "I daydream like, all the time. What's your point?" Nightmare laid out his plan, and she rubbed her forehead beneath her cap in thought. "Crazy, but might work... alright. Go for it. If something goes bad I'll knock his head off his shoulders though. Fair warning."

 

Nightmare executed his plan and entered the guard's dream. Crystal Clear stayed put in her hiding spot, trying to stay hidden. Since Nightmare was taking his sweet time inside the guard's head, she managed to dig herself a nice trench in the deep snow, just to keep moving and not freeze, and to do so without being seen. Thankfully things were quiet around, so the sheer amount of time the stallion took inside the guard's dreams made her tap a hoof nervously. Finally, he apeared next to the guard and crystal rekindled one of her ongoing daydreams. Apparently it worked since Nightmare appeared in the trench beside her, and told her to wait. She rolled her eyes and nodded. "Okay... I can wait a bit more, I guess."

 

She observed from her Scoffier's Osier as the stallion played out his act at the guard's expense. To be honest, it was pretty entertaining to see one of her former opressors at the edge of wetting the snow beneath him. Maybe even more so than finishing him off in his sleep. Crystal Clear noticed how the guard used a hidden switch to open the hidden passage inside. Seemed like a standard mechanism to her, but looking for the switch might take a bit otherwise. When nightmare came back and announced another wait, she flailed her hooves. "Oh come on! I'm freezing here..."

 

Crystal Clear observed with a bored expression as the doors opened again and several guards fanned out, ready to repel the attack. They lingered outside for a few monutes, and judging from the yelling and body language, the sentry was in deep trouble for spreading panicked nonesense. When they went inside, Crystal looked at nightmare. "Can we go already, or we wait for something more?" The answer didn't satisfy her, but maybe it was for the best to do it at one go. She nodded. "Alright, let's get this over with then."

 

She was still walking when Nightmare pushed the button and a guard came out to investigae. She froze when she heard that barking tone - you just don't forget some things. Thankfully, the guard was put down by a well placed rock, courtesy of her friend. She walked, slowly, towards the fallen pony. She eyed the black armour with fright. Nightmare took off the damaged helmet off the guard's head to prove he's just a pony. The mare swallowed and nodded. "Y-yeah... But Inner Circle aren't. If you see a living suit of armour with green flames behind visors, please, don't underestimate them. They're touched by His corruption, and will shrug off what would kill a normal pony. Whatever they are now, they're not "just ponies"..." The mare listened to the short battle plan and nodded that she got it.

 

The pair trotted inside, and Crystal fished out her lantern to have a better look at where she's going. When the time to split up came, she hugged her companion and said to him: "Don't get yourself killed okay? They're not your regular town mlitia." She walked towards her destination, heart pounding in her chest, and her hoofsteps seeming like the loudest sound she ever heard. Crystal walked through the tunnels for two forks without meeting anypony,  and had to wait for a lone guard to pass by the third. She tried her best to sneak up on the one who was supposed to guard the slaves...

 

The crystal mare peeked over the tunnel bend and looked around a smacious chamber - apparently a repurposed natural cavern. She saw a large, two-storey slave pen made from that awful black crystal. There was a room to the side, separated by a regular looking door with the words "Armoury" stenciled at them. Seems like Nightmare's intel was sound. She noticed the sleeping figures of ponies befind bars, and felt a mix ofprofound sadness and anger, that only a former slave could feel in this situation. Crystal located the lone guard, sitting by a table with his helmet off, munching on some food by a wooden table - maybe it was stolen from the brewery? It was of no importance now - the mare used this opportunity to approach as close as she dared, and then quickly close the gap and present the sentry with gratidious amount of blunt force trauma, applied with her maul in a horisontal swing right into his nose as he turned to look what was going on.

 

The meaty noise of breaking bones was very unpleasant, but Crystal gave hime two more swings for good measure, and looked at the disfigured corpse, panting. A few slaves have stirred and approached the bars, and that brought her to the present. The mare hissed at them: "You're getting out, wake up everypony, I'll get the pen open. No stragglers, ya hear me?! And heep it quiet you lot!" She put down the bloodied maul and grabbed the keyring off a hook that was hung in plain sight - to agonise the captives with it's teasing presence. She opened the pens one by one and laid out the plan. "Alright, those who can fight, to the armoury. Those who can't, stay put and take care of the weaker ones. Get a move on! I ain't got all day!" She heard the unmistakeable sounds of a fight echoing through the tunnels and smiled at the frightened caprives. "That's my support. He'll keep the guards off our backs while we make a run for it." She held a hoof in the air - "One last thing, where the hay is Evening Song?"

 

"H-here." - a weak voice answered from the back of the group as the stallions and stronger mares were walking into the armoury. Crystal Clear pushed he way to the mare in question and gave her an appraising look. "Heart you're so... lean. But it's so good to see you nonetheless." Evening Song looked like a shadow of herself, but she could still walk, and that was enough. Crystal gave her a hug and said: "I'm taking you out of here, Evie, back to the Empire. It's nice and safe there, you know..."

 

Hoofsteps from the tunnel have interrupted their bonding moment however, as a scared pegasus rushed inside dhe chamber and halted before the crowd of armed and unarmed captives. Apparently he rushed to the armoury to get some gear. He tried to holler a warning but he was brought down and robbed of his life by a steady torrent of hooves, spears and clubs. He didn't even scream. Crystal went to the front of the group and adressed the crowd -" Alright you lot! Weak and injured in the middle, strong and armed to the front and back. Keep together and you'll be fine. There's a side exit nearby. Crystal ponies, we, are, leaving!"

 

The ragtag collumn followed the mare into the unknown.

[Nightmare Season 617]

@@Raven Rawne,

 

Nightmare snuck his way through the caverns. A few turns here and there kept him well out of sight of any patrol passing through. He needed to find that altar and soon. If he would be risen again, things would get bad real fast. His last turn took him to a balcony over looking the altar. Seemed like every guard in the mountain was inside all chanting. The altar had a darkness swirling around on it. Lit up by a green and purple glow. He needed to sneak down there and bust up that party.

 

As he looked for a safe way down, a pony as Crystal described approached the altar. In it's hoof was a red colored horn. With a toss, the horn landed in the darkness. "Oh boy. Too late." The darkness grew green eyes. then formed the body of a unicorn. King Sombra was back. Nightmare shook his head with a hoof palm to it. "My ssssubjectsss. It isss good to be back. Now we ssshall take back the crrryyssstal empire." The hall had erupted in a mass of cheering. "Get the cryssstal poniess. We will build weaponss of war."

 

Nightmare knew that his plan was now a complete bust. He needed to give Crystal time to get the other ponies out and to safety. With a massive push off of his hind legs he jumped over the railings and landed close the the altar where is foe stood. "Now now. Just a moment please." He spoke as he landed. Many of the guards got spooked and stepped back. The rest grabbed their spears at the ready. The few that had the green eyes from the helms ran to block his path of their king.

 

"Ah...a nightmare pony. Sssuch a rare find." The dark king said to him. "Hmm, so you know what I am. That will cut down on a lot of explaining. So let me jump in and ask. Now that you are back. What is your plans?" Nightmare asked him

 

"Hahaha, the anssswer is eassy. We will attack the cryssstal poniess that dared betray me. I will have my crrysstal heart back, and then the rest of Equestria." He gave Nightmare a good look over. "I have usse of you. Will you become a general and march with my troopsss?" Nightmare imitated Crystal this time with a hoof scratching his chin. "Hmmm. Join you and become a general so we can take over all of Equestria?" He acted like he was thinking. "I would say NO!" With that final answer, an explosion took place in the middle of that room. Several ponies found themselves being flung across the room. Nightmare had flared up. He was at full power once again. The heat emanating off of him caused many to shield their eyes. He stood there staring down the black figures and the king. "I am here to end this maddness."

 

"A pity. You wold have been great and powerful. Get him." On the king's command, his royal guard of empty husks charged at Nightmare. A few well placed fire balls had cleared up most of them. Some out of the fight others standing back up. A few slung their spears at him only to find them being blocked by fire. The few that kept charging was met with the nightmare dodging and giving them a well placed kick. One of them had their head flung right off from a double hind kick to the head.

 

"SSSTOP HIM!" A command rang out from the evil king. Several of the regular ponies charged in to aid the royal guards. others were in shock still and one ran off to get more weapons. Nightmare slammed his hooves to the ground which caused another great explosion causing the few foolish normal guards to fly and meet the wall once more. As Nightmare looked back. he took a spear across his back. Thankfully he moved just in time so it was just a small cut instead of something worse.

 

A few good placed kicks again ended that guards actions for good. The king's army was looking really bad at this point. only two of his royal guards remain able to continue the battle. Nightmare was getting ready to get the last two when he noticed a black streak come right for him. He dodged just in time. A black bolt from Sombra almost hit him. "Oh, going to use your hoof now for this battle I see." Nightmare mocked him. King Sombra walked off the altar steps and picked up a sword using his magic.

 

"You are a fool to try and take me on. I will end you and then take the crrryssstalss." King Sombra was furious. He lunged at the opponent standing between him and his goal. Now that their king was in a one on one fight with the intruder. The rest of his guards stood back and watched the fight. The only ones to continue the fight was the two remaining royal guards. One jumped in to Nightmare's blind spot and got him good on his flank. The other one tried to get in as well, but Nightmare grabbed a sword himself from the bodies around him and skewered the charge. Just one more left and then it will just be the king of shadows.

 

A few more dodges and swings of the sword ended the last royal guard. Now he can focus on his single opponent. When he got his gaze back on to him, a black bolt hit him in the side of his head.

 

Nightmare opened his eyes and found he was sitting on a throne back in the country he grew up in. His family was standing to his sides, and before him was his subjects. He had done a conquest of the land and set himself up to be the sultan. He looked around. This could not be. This was not who he was. He noticed something that was off. A small hint that what he was seeing was not true. He was being shown these things. He shook his head hard and willed himself to wake up. As he opened his eyes he saw a blade coming down for his head. He shot his sword up and blocked it. A split second latter and he would have been a goner.

 

"Using dreams to try and throw me off?" He said as he found his hooves again and got a good distant from his foe. "I am a Nightmare, Such underhanded tricks will not work on me."

 

"Foolisssh. You will pay for thissss with your life." The king yelled out as they both exchanged blows and magic. The cavern was shaking with the explosions taking place. Many of his loyal subjects started to flee from the devastation that was taking place. Crystal felt the ground shake and heard the explosions. There was something wrong. There should not be that much of a fight. She ran off to find her friend.

 

As she followed the sounds of battle, she noticed that the guards were fleeing. She took a few of them out as she ran past them. Others she ignored. She ran till she came to the opening of the cavern where Nightmare was in close combat. A vicious one at that. She froze, she now understood why the battle was so intense. It was King Sombra, he had returned. And to make things worse they seemed almost evenly matched. They both had taken many wounds and burns. It was a fight to the death.

 

The battle raged on with Nightmare and his foe. Several times he landed a blow, others he took one. He got a few good fire shots off on him and he was hit a few times with that corruption of Sombra's. He knew he needed to end the fight soon, or he would not be able to win. He gathered up the last of his strength and energy and aimed at the dark unicorn. Sombra seemed to have had the same idea and gathered up his own final finale. They both shot at the same time and the two masses of energy collided in the middle of the two. An eruption of fire and darkness exploded in a massive destructive force. Crystal was lucky enough to dodge behind a corner to avoid the blast.

 

Both Nightmare and King Sombra went flying. They both hit the side of the cavern with such force it cracked the walls. Nightmare hit the floor first and then followed by the king on the opposite side of the room. King Sombra landed close to the hall where Crystal was. Every other pony in the room was now gone. Crystal built up enough strength and peeked around the corner. Nightmare laid motionless and still across the room from her. Her fear was slowly standing up close to her.

 

The mountain shook from the force of the blast. The ponies that had escaped outside seen several avalanches had formed and raced down the side of the mountain. Within the room where the battle took placed, the roof had cracked and rocks started to rain down all around. The sun finally found it's way in to that unholy site. Crystal looked over once more to her friend. He was still not moving. She saw a pool of blood forming under him.

 

Sombra managed to get up. He was severally injured. How he could stand was a miracle itself. He was weaving and trying his best to stand. He limped a bit away from the wall he had slammed into. He was trying to see where the nightmare pony had landed. He did not notice the crystal pony that was just a few feet behind him. He found the nightmare. He was not moving, he was the victor. King Sombra started to laugh at his victory.

Edited January 9, 2017 by Nightmare Season

[Raven Rawne 1,381]

@@Nightmare Season,

 

The crystal ponies slowly marched towards the exit, led by the red mare in weird armour. They ran into a few ponies loyal to the King, but since the guards were busy with the fight elsewhere, the captives mde short work woth those strays. To Crystal Clear's relief, they haven't crossed paths with any unicorn courtiers or the dreaded Inner Circle.

 

The ground beneth their hooves shook violently and the ponies got spooked, but Crystal managed to get them outside. They waited in the cold for Nightmare to come out too.

 

Crystal Clear leaned on her mace and sighed in relief - they made it! She looked at the group before them and tried to speak some sense into them. "Alright guys, I know you probably expected something more once you get out, but truth is, we're at the bottom of Mount Everhoof, deep into the Frozen North. My friend who kept the guards busy should be here any moment, and we'll go to a nearby camp to warm up and rest. Then we'll make a push back South, okay?" The mare concluded that they were in luck, after all - most ponies had some warm clothing on, even if mismatched or the wrong size. Probably more loot from the brewery.

 

A powerful blast echoed from inside the cave as the ground shook again. The ponies were getting spooked, and cold. Crystal decided that something must've gone wrong. "I know it sounds stupid, but we need to get inside. Just past the door, or you guys will get really cold, okay? I'll go get my friend and we'll be off." The ponies reluctantly returned inside, and felt a bit better huddled close in a confined space - it was warmer that way. Crystal set the armed ones at the fore and ran deeper in, towards the sounds of battle.

 

She ran into a guard, then another, and a few more - she took down the first few, but didn't bother with more of then - for some reason they were fleeing, and paid her no mind. The mare couldn't put her hoof on the reason though - if Nightmare scared them so much, then why she heard a terrible fight going on?

 

Crystal's blood went cold when she saw the unicorn who was fighting with Nightmare Season. The worst had happenned - he came back, again. The crystal mare observed the fight from safe distance, too afraid to step in and help. When the cavern was engulfed in a magical blast, she hid in the tunnel, and came back only when things were quiet again. She saw Nightmare, laying on the ground and not moving, blood seeping out of his wounds. Even worse, the one who never should've wore a crown was still alive, and limped towards him to finish what he started.

 

That laugh. The evil, maniacal laugh of a wicked being. It used to chill her to the bone - now, it made her find her courage. Crystal Clear corrected her maul on her shouder, took a deep breath, and started running towards the King. She wasn't thinking. She wasn't feeling, if that were possible. She just knew. Knew she had to step in and save her friend, just like he did so many times. It didn't matter who was the threat. She swung her weapon as the unicorn realised something's behind him. She struck squarely into his chest, from the right. The heavy maul cracked his ribs and brought him on the ground, wheezing. Crystal  Clear didn't bother talking. She let her maul speak for her, once, and again, and again, until she couldn't lift it any more from fatigue.

 

When she was done, it was hard to say who lied in front of her. The view made her stomach turn once the blind rage let go of her. Confident that Sombra won't get up anytime soon, she dropped her weapon and ran towards Nightmare Season. He looked terrible, and didn't move. Now she finally felt everything the rage put a dam on - the anger, fear, pain, and that hint of grief, from the part of her mind that thought her friend was dead. She sobbed by the nightmare pony: "Don't you die on me now! Not now!" She thought of the Alicorn - if only she could call her for help... But there was no chance, or time for sleep. Despite the victory, all seemed lost.

[Nightmare Season 617]

@@Raven Rawne,

 

Crystal heard the flapping of wings from behind her. Was it a pegasus that still lingered to see who would win. Why did she drop her maul back there? She looked up expecting to see black armor again. Instead, she saw the alicorn flying in from the broken ceiling. Her heart leaped a bit, she could heal Nightmare Season. She landed gracefully next to them. Crystal called up to her to save him. She simply nodded.

 

Hearts-dream lowered her horn. The same soft gentle light that had healed Crystal surrounded the nightmare pony. This time however, it was taking longer. Crystal saw the wounds stop bleeding and slowly close back up. He was slowly breathing again. The alicorn seemed to be having a hard time. She eventually stopped, breathing heavily she spoke to the crystal pony. "That is the best I can do. He was really bad. He is healed up enough to not die, but he will need to be bed ridden for a few days."

 

She lowered her horn to touch his. She concentrated and from his horn came the smoke that he used to carry Crystal on when she was injured. It surrounded him and lifted him off the ground. "This is all I can do for you my son." She whispered to him and kissed is forehead. He stirred a little bit but looked like he was in pain. "I have set the distant of the cloud to follow you. Till he wakes up tonight, you must protect everyone else. However, I do not see any danger for you in the future for some time."

 

Hearts-dream walked over to Crystal and nuzzled her to help cheer her up. "You did good. You can tell him about me now. If you would have told him about me sooner, he would have been distracted to much and would not have won this battle. I thank you for being his friend. We will meet again if you continue to help him." With that she lifted her wings and flew out of the mountain through the new skylight.

 

Crystal walked back to the rest with Nightmare following her on the cloud. The sight of him scared the rest of the crystal ponies.