Whiplash

“Y’all must have lost yer’ marbles,” Applejack shook her head. “Ah really hope this ain’t the reason you called us all in here.”

Rainbow Dash brushed off Applejack’s typical stubbornness.

“No one’s going to help Patrick if we don’t. He’s just going to rot in a cell unless we break him out!”

“I don’t think what Celestia did was right, either, Rainbow,” Fluttershy dug her hoof at the floor. “I know he probably didn’t deserve any of that, but…”

“He tried ta’ kill the princess,” Applejack argued. “Not just hurt ‘er, or banish ‘er, but full-blown kill ‘er! We can’t go jailbreak somepony like that! Ah mean, you heard what he said when they were draggin’ his behind away.”

Pinkie Pie raised herself up on her hind legs, raising her hooves to resemble a monster.

“I’LL KILL YOU, YOU-you...” Pinkie Pie stopped.

“Grandma Pie taught me better than to use that kind of language,” the pink mare shrugged.

“I think if you knew more about what had been going on, you’d understand why Patrick did what he did,” Rarity said.

“You know, you and Rainbow Dash sure have spent a lot of time with Patrick,” Pinkie Pie chattered. “If you think what Patrick did was right, then why shouldn’t I listen to two of my best friends that want me to help my other friend, when my two other best friends don’t even want to help a friend?”

“Um, what?” Rainbow Dash tried to keep up with Pinkie’s quick ramblings.

“Ah think yer’ fergettin’ Twi’, Pinkie,” Applejack pointed towards the door. Across the hall, Twilight Sparkle had locked herself away, refusing to speak to anypony.

“How is she?” Fluttershy asked.

“A trainwreck,” Rainbow Dash replied.

“Let her be,” Rarity said. “Our dear Twilight will be fine. Eventually. I’m sure. I hope.”

“Anyway,” Rainbow Dash drew an imaginary line on the floor with her hoof. “Anypony that’s in for helping Patrick, step forward!”

Rarity as was the first to cross the line.

“Let’s get Patrick out of that lying, murdering Celestia’s hooves!” the white unicorn grinned.

Pinkie Pie was next, bouncing happily over the line next to Rarity and Rainbow Dash.

“Pinkie,” Applejack raised an eyebrow. “You too?”

“Well, DUH!” Pinkie Pie giggled. “He needs our help. Besides, we still have to have his going away party! And how can we have a going away party if he’s not even there at the party, and stuck in some boring old dungeon instead? Tsk Tsk, Applejack, I thought you were smarter than that.”

Hesitantly, Fluttershy was the next to come forward, causing Applejack to let out another cry of frustration. The four mares looked expectantly towards the southern belle.

“Applejack!” Rainbow Dash cried. “Come on! He got his butt whooped because he tried to protect your apple stand while he was already hurt!”

“What about the Nightmare?” Applejack scowled. “And he tried’ ta’ murder Princess Celestia!” Applejack shouted. “What do y’all not understand about that? Ah cain’t go riskin’ mah’ hide, and mah’ friends’ hides to bust somepony like that outta jail!”

“He’s from the past!” Rainbow Dash rebutted. “He’s the only one of his kind here. The Princess killed his friends, destroyed his life, and made him fight in a war, where he killed other humans! He’s got nopony else in the world he can count on!”

“What Celestia did wasn’t right and you know it,” Rarity spoke up. “Aren’t you the element of honesty, Applejack?”

Applejack turned her back to everypony.

“Can you honestly say what Celestia did to him and his friends was right, even if it was to somehow save Equestria? Would you not be angry after that?”

“Well, Ah-“ Applejack sighed. “Ah reckon Ah would be the least bit mad.”

“So?” Rainbow Dash held her hoof forward. “Are you in?”

Applejack bit her lip, mulling over the thought of going against the princess and breaking an attempted murderer out of jail.

“What if we get caught? The Princess sure wouldn’t be very happy.”

“It’s a chance I’m willing to take!” Rainbow Dash held her head up high.

“As am I,” Rarity stepped next to Rainbow Dash, grinning triumphantly.

“Fine,” Applejack brought her hoof forward, giving Rainbow Dash a high-hoof.

“I’m in.”

The four mares smiled as the stubborn farm pony crossed the line.

“’Course, it sure would be easier if we had some magic on our side.”

The mares glanced towards the door. Twilight was definitely the last pony they’d want to ask for assistance at this point.

“We’re going to have to do this on our own,” Rainbow Dash said. “Rarity, do you think you could at least try to block a locater spell on Patrick once we get him out?”

“Difficult spells have never really been my specialty,” Rarity frowned. “I do suppose I can try, though.”

Rainbow Dash reached into a saddlebag on the floor and tossed a thick book towards Rarity with her mouth. Surprised, Rarity just barely caught it with her magic.

“I’ll need to read over this,” Rarity flipped through the pages until she found what spell she was looking for. “But it’s nothing I shouldn’t be able to accomplish. Leave it to me!”

“Alright, then!” Rainbow Dash turned to Applejack. “Let’s get to work.”

March 7th, 2012
3:00 PM
Piedmont Psychiatric Hospital
Atlanta, Georgia
Patrick Wilcox (Age 18)

Patrick let a small cloud of smoke exit his burning windpipe. He coughed violently, attracting the attention of other people in the designated smoking area just outside the psych ward.

The young man watched as the people around him talked on their cell phones, chatted to one another, paying him no mind. He wished he could be as blissfully unaware of his situation as they were.

But Patrick’s life was crumbling all around him. The only thing that could give him the least bit of comfort was the cigarette in his hand.

He was about to take another reluctant hit, when he felt a tap on his shoulder. Five young men of his own age were stood behind him. Broken and humiliated, he couldn’t look any of them in the eye.

“Patrick?” Jose crossed his arms. “Since when do you smoke, man?”

Patrick said nothing, and turned away from Jose.

“We came down here as soon as we heard what happened,” Ryan glanced away. “I’m really sorry.”

Patrick shook his head. “I’ll be fine.”

“Don’t start smoking, it’s pointless,” Joe slapped Patrick’s lit cigarette out of his hand.

Patrick picked up the cigarette and attempted to inhale it again, but the burning in the back of his throat was too strong. His body was not used to smoking, or having nicotine in his bloodstream. It would take time before he could withstand the harmful smoke and tar in his system. He tossed it away in frustration.

“I lost my bike, my license, my parents, my home!” Patrick cried. “Everything!”

“How is she?” Jose interrupted.

Patrick paused, fighting tears that demanded to flow down his face.

“She wouldn’t even talk to me. I don’t blame her. I look too much like my dad, anyway.”

“Your mom’s just really hurt,” Ryan put his hand on Patrick’s shoulder.

“That shit went on for years,” he gestured to Patrick. “Before someone finally did something about it.”

“He just wouldn’t stop hitting her,” Patrick put his hands in his pockets. “I… I just had to do something this time.”

“…What did you do, man?” Louis raised an eyebrow.

“I-I hit him in the head,” Patrick stammered. “With a baseball bat.”

“Holy shit,” Jose gasped. “Patrick, I knew you had a fucked-up home life, but I didn’t think it was that bad.”

“Listen, I’d love to stand around and talk about all this, but I need to find a bridge to sleep under for tonight.”

“You don’t have any money?” Louis spoke up. “What about street racing? I thought you made mad cash doing that.”

Patrick shook his head. “My bike is now property of the state of Georgia.”

“Well,” Spencer scratched the back of his head. “Don’t you have anything saved up?”

“Bail,” Patrick answered. “Everything I had went towards that and my fines after I got arrested. And even after all that, I’m still on probation for a felony! Not even Mickey D’s will hire me, now!”

“What about school?” Joe asked. “We’ve only got a few more months.”

“Fuck it,” Patrick grumbled. “I’m homeless now, I’ve got bigger problems than getting a diploma. I’m dropping out.”

“What?!” Jose cried.

“Fuck that,” he put his arm around Patrick. “You’re staying with me, you’re gonna’ graduate, and you’re gonna’ get off probation. Then, you’re enlisting with us. That’s the plan.”

“The Army?” Patrick rolled his eyes. “Fuck that.”

“What else are you going to do, man?” Ryan persuaded. “Plus, you’ll be with us the entire way, we’re picking the same MOS.”

“And I bet the recruiter told you we’d be making five-K a month with a sweet dental plan, too, right?” Patrick replied sarcastically. “I’m not dying for this country.”

“You’ll come around,” Jose grabbed Patrick by the arm. “Now, let’s go get your stuff. I passed your house, it’s all out on the sidewalk.”

“It… It rained last night,” Patrick muttered. “Fucking pigs.”

“What?” Jose turned around.

“Nothing,” Patrick followed Jose to his car.

“It’s gonna’ be a good day, man,” Jose said optimistically as he unlocked the passenger door for Patrick.

“I can feel it.”

A rush of bone chilling night air brought Patrick back to reality. The only window in his cell was barred, and he did not have the luxury of glass panes, allowing cool air to circulate throughout his cell.

Patrick shivered, lying back on the stiff, wooden mattress. He studied the ceiling for hours, replaying everything that had happened again and again, his hands shaking in withdrawal.

“I really wish they hadn’t taken my cigarettes.”

There were no words to describe the feeling Patrick felt as he squeezed the trigger. It was the first time Patrick had wanted to kill someone. Even worse: Patrick could feel himself slipping into thoughts and feelings that were not his.

No, he was not a sociopath. He had compassion, love, and guilt for everything he did. But after learning his life had been decided by Celestia, and the murders of his only true friends, it was enough to make him lose his mind.

He still felt the desire for revenge, but it was unlikely he’d get another chance to try killing Celestia again. She was just too powerful, he was unarmed, and she had too many on her side. Which, of course, brought him back to the option of self-inflicted death.

“Every human being that ever existed is going to kick your ass when you get here.”

“UGH!” Patrick groaned audibly. “What the fuck am I supposed to do?”

It made Patrick’s head spin. What was he supposed to do? If he killed himself, he apparently faced an eternal ass-kicking. Save Equestria, and he’d lose all his pride and self-respect for helping the bitch that ruined his life and killed his friends.

Or, he could just kick back and watch Equestria get destroyed. Of course, for all he knew, everything about the Nightmare could be a lie. It wouldn’t be the first time the princess lied to him.

With all these hours in solitude, the only thing Patrick had to do, besides endure the unbearable nicotine withdrawal and wait for the escape attempt Rainbow Dash promised, was obsess over the conversation he just had with someone who died thousands of years ago. No one, not even that familiar voice, was going to tell him what he wanted to know.

The only ponies that had shown him kindness were probably not going to like the fact that that he tried to murder their deity. It was still peculiar in Patrick’s mind that a zebra living in a hut in the woods knew more about the human race than any other pony. For that matter, Zecora seemed to know a lot for a witch-doctor-hermit. If he was ever able to get out of here, that was the first place he’d go.

There were still so many questions left unanswered, so few reasons why he should do anything to help Celestia’s people, when she already refused to help his.

And, as much as Patrick hated to admit it, he really didn’t want to kill himself. It was different if he’d be able to just press a Glock against his temple and painlessly splatter his brains all over the wall, but other methods of suicide seemed rather…

Unpleasant. Not to mention painful.

There was still a way out of all this without committing suicide, there had to be. For every action, there is a reaction. Celestia had brought him here, there had to be a way to send him back to his own time… So that he could die in thirty years, anyway.

Patrick glanced up from his uncomfortable recline. There were still no guards in the dungeon. The sun had set, the only source of light being few dusty moonbeams shining through his barred window.

Patrick recoiled as a small pebble hit him in the face.

“What the-“ he sat up, staring at a pair of pink eyes through the bars.

“Hey!” Rainbow Dash smirked. “Still given up on life?”

“You’ve gotta’ be kidding,” Patrick rubbed his eyes. “There’s no way you’re actually breaking me out.”

“You better believe I am! So, what did your friends say?” Rainbow Dash asked.

Patrick looked all around the cell, expecting Celestia or a guard to appear any moment. However, it seemed like that wasn’t going to happen anytime soon.

“It’s… Complicated...”

“Well, it kept you from killing yourself,” Rainbow Dash shrugged. “So, it must have been good. Now come on, we’re bustin’ you out!”

“We?” Patrick looked out the window. Fluttershy, clutching a rope, floated in closer so he could see her.

“Um… hi,” Fluttershy murmured.

Patrick took a moment to weigh his options. Was there really any benefit in staying here? The only thing keeping him was the possibility of putting a bullet in Celestia’s head, but they had confiscated his weapon.

It could be anywhere, and probably not worth roaming a heavily guarded fortress just to find a handgun with eight rounds in it, when she proved already she was more than capable of deflecting gunfire. It pained him to say it, but retrieving his handgun or capping Celestia was off the table. For now.

His best chance of going back to the past, or not living the rest of his life in a cell for all he knew, was to get out of here. After much thought, Patrick made his decision.

“Ah, fuck it!” Patrick stood up. “Get me out of here!”

“I thought you’d come around,” Rainbow Dash replied. Fluttershy handed Rainbow Dash the rope, sliding it between the bars.

“Uh,” Rainbow Dash raised her hooves, showing the lack of fingers. “You mind?”

“Sure,” Patrick began to tie a knot around the bars.

“By the way,” he said quietly.

“Thanks.”

“Don’t mention it, I’d never leave any of my friends hanging.”

Patrick smiled, continuing to secure the rope to the bars.

“Okay, it’s on there tight,” he finished tying the knot. “But I really don’t see how this is going to-“

Rainbow Dash bit down hard on the rope, taking off with break-neck speed. The slack in the rope became shorter, and shorter, until finally…

CLANG

The entire metal framing of the barred window was yanked out of the wall, along with a few bricks, leaving a gaping hole into nothing but the night sky.

“Shit,” Patrick uttered. Soon after, Rainbow Dash returned.

“Okay, come on!” Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy flew just outside the hole in the wall. “The Pegasi Guard shift change is going on right now. We don’t have much time!”

Carefully, Patrick inched towards the edge, and looked down.

The mere sight of the ground made his stomach churn. It was at least a thirty-story drop straight down.

“Uh,” Patrick put his hands in his pockets. “Did I ever mention I’m afraid of heights?”

“Oh, don’t be such a baby,” Rainbow Dash brushed off his protests. “If you don’t like it, you’re welcome to stay here and explain to them how you made a hole in the wall.”

Patrick crawled forward through the hole as the two Pegasi wrapped their arms around him.

“Just try not to look down,” Fluttershy cooed. “You’ll be fine.”

“Alright, alright,” Patrick averted his eyes upward.

They slowly eased him off the makeshift balcony they had created, and lowered him towards the ground.

“Ugh,” Rainbow Dash grunted. “You’re a big boy. Could you be any heavier?”

It was unnerving that the only thing keeping Patrick aloft was two delicate sets of feathery wings. His stomach lurched up and down as his feet adjusted to not having the familiar feeling of solid ground underneath them.

Patrick kept his eyes closed, and focused on his breathing. Controlled breathing was one method the Army had trained him to handle stress in combat. It never worked, but it was something to keep his mind off of plummeting to his death.

With no Pegasi Guards and the cover of darkness, the three swiftly descended undiscovered. Every second feels like an eternity when you could die at any moment.

Finally, Patrick felt his feet touch the ground. He opened his eyes and fell flat on his stomach, gasping for breath.

“Heh,” Rainbow Dash snickered. “Don’t really like flying, huh?”

“Not like that,” Patrick shakily rose to his feet.

“I thought you were about to pee your pants!” Rainbow Dash laughed. “You should have seen your face, it was something like this!”

Rainbow Dash made an overdramatic, fearful expression, while Fluttershy let out a small laugh.

“Well, I thought that was very brave of you, Patrick,” Fluttershy smiled.

“Whatever,” Patrick rolled his eyes.

Undercover of darkness, the three made their way through the vast maze of castle courtyards. Working as a team, they avoided patrols and passed through undetected. Finally, they made it to a gate, flanked by two unicorn guards.

This was the only way out of the castle, and flying Patrick around it would risk detection, as Pegasi Guards had finished their shift change and began to streak across the sky in predictable search patterns.

“So, what now?” Patrick whispered as they hid behind a hedge.

“Fluttershy, give them the signal,” Rainbow Dash nudged her.

Fluttershy nodded, and cleared her throat.

She sounded one of her bird calls, that of an owl. The guards glared in their direction, but remained at their post.

“What was that?” one of the guards looked to the other.

“It’s just an owl,” the guard told his partner. “Princess Luna loves those night-birds, the gardens are chock-full of ‘em, rookie. Don’t get too worked up about it.”

A few moments later, Applejack and Rarity emerged from another set of hedges.

“Halt!” the guards cried. “What business do you have here in the royal gardens?”

“Oh, nothing at all,” Rarity blushed. “We were just taking a lovely nighttime stroll, is all.”

The guards exchanged uncertain glances.

“I say,” she stepped closer to one of the guards.

“That helmet sure does make you look handsome,” Rarity winked. She nudged Applejack. Begrudgingly, Applejack followed her lead.

“Uh, yeah,” Applejack attempted to flirt. “That sure is a mighty fine, uh, armor, y’all got on.”

The two guards nodded to each other.

“See, rookie?” the guard whispered. “I told you this job had perks.”

“We’yell, we should be goin’, not ta’ get you big, strong boys in any trouble.”

“Have a beautiful evening, darling,” Rarity purposely let the tip of her tail rub up against the guard’s leg as she walked away.”

“Wait!” the guard cried.

“Hm?” Rarity and Applejack turned around expectantly.

“Perhaps we should join you, to… Uh… Protect you ladies from anything that could be prowling around in the dark.”

“Oh, you big, strong stallions simply must join us for a stroll!” Rarity blushed.

“Look at AJ,” Rainbow Dash nudged Patrick, snickering.

Applejack had the most unpleasant, disgusted expression on her face. Clearly, she didn’t enjoy flirting as much as Rarity did.

Rarity and Applejack led the guards away, leaving the gate unattended and unguarded. Quickly, Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash hoisted Patrick over the gates, dropping him back to the ground on the other side.

Patrick turned around and looked through the bars. He could see the lights from the towers of Canterlot Castle off in the distance, including the tower he had been locked up in.

Where he was now seemed to be the public area of Canterlot. It was late, a series of lamps illuminated the streets, but there was not a sign of life at this hour.

“We’re not there yet, come on, keep up!” Rainbow called to him from midair, taking off as Fluttershy and Patrick struggled to keep pace.

An unwelcoming feeling began to pool in the back of Patrick’s mind. He could feel sweat running down his back, and a constant state of paranoia setting in.

Patrick’s vision flickered before his very eyes. A hot sun beat down on the cracked, dry earth. Simple concrete homes and huts lined a dusty street, as several troops marched ahead of him.

“Come on, Patrick!” one of them barked. “You’re falling behind!”

Suddenly, it felt like someone was shaking him. Patrick blinked, no longer surrounded by a sandy Afghan village.

“Patrick!” Rainbow Dash shook him. “Hello?”

“What?” Patrick looked around in confusion.

“I said, you’re falling behind. Come on!”

He sighed, shaking the dark thoughts out of his head.

Patrick dashed from alleyway to alleyway, the concrete and cobblestone ground doing nothing to muffle his echoing footsteps. There could still be guards anywhere, and a single one sounding the alarm was all it would take before he’d end up back in a cell. He was not going to let Celestia win.

Finally Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy stopped above a stable situated next to what appeared to be a market place.

Rainbow Dash knocked at the door three times, looking over her shoulder in paranoia.

A pair of eyes appeared as a block of wood in the center of the door slid aside.

“What’s the password?” Pinkie Pie raised her eyebrows suspiciously.

“Um, Cupcakes,” Rainbow Dash whispered.

“Okay, but how do I know you’re reeeeeally Rainbow Dash?”

“Pinkie! Just let us in!”

“Tell me something only the real Rainbow Dash would know!”

“Ugh! Fine,” Rainbow Dash groaned. “Every time mister and misses Cake go out of town, you lock up Sugar Cube corner, we always go looking for their secret stash of rare Japonyse chocolate, which doesn’t exist, might I add, and we never find it.”

The sounds of a wooden deadbolt being removed from up against the door were heard, and it swung open.

“Sorry, you just can’t be too careful when everyone’s out to get you!” Pinkie winked.

“Pinkie Pie, you are so random,” Rainbow Dash shook her head as Patrick and Fluttershy followed them inside. Pinkie quickly shut the door and locked it behind them. In the center of the stable was a large, red stallion.

Big Macintosh yawned, not exactly used to being up at this hour. He was hitched to an applecart loaded with apples respectively.

“Um, hey,” Patrick asked Big Mac. “What’s this?”

“It’s your way out of Canterlot, silly!” Pinkie Pie bounced over to the applecart.

“Eeyup,” Big Macintosh responded.

Soon, more knocking was heard at the door. Pinkie greeted them in the same manner as with Rainbow Dash.

“But how do I know you’re reeeeeeeally Rarity and Applejack?”
“Oh, for Equestria’s sake, Pinkie. Let us in!”

Pinkie let the two in and quickly dead bolted the door again.

“Phew!” Applejack wiped a bead of sweat off her head. “Thought we’d never lose them two romantics.”

“Right, then. You two would do best to get going,” Rarity addressed Patrick and Big Mac.

“Going?” Patrick tilted his head in confusion. “Where?”

“Well,” Applejack said. “Stayin’ here in Canterlot probably ain’t the best thing to do when you’re an escapee.”

“Yeah,” Patrick mopped his brow. “If I can get back to the library and get my bike, I’ve still got enough gas to get me pretty far away.”

“Think ya’ can handle that, big brother?” Applejack remarked.

“Eeyup,” Big Macintosh responded predictably.

“Good,” Applejack nodded.

“But after that… Where am I supposed to go?”

“You’ll find some place to go, I’m sure,” Fluttershy smiled.

Patrick was quiet for a few moments, his mind racing. Where was he even supposed to go? Even if he was able to get away from Celestia and her guards, what if the Nightmare was real and DID end up doing something? What if he would regret leaving, and then it would be too late? What if he should help Celestia?

Which reminded him of Celestia’s actions in the first place, dissolving any guilt about escape within him.

“Listen, before I go,” Patrick said. “I don’t even understand why you’ve all risked everything to help me, even after I tried to kill Princess Celestia. Just… Why?”

“Because,” Rarity looked up at Patrick. “I can’t imagine what I’d do if I’d lost all my friends, just like you lost yours.”

“You said it,” Rainbow Dash nodded.

“Y’all were there for me,” Applejack shrugged. “Ah’m just returnin’ the favor.”

“Thank you. All of you,” Patrick averted his eyes, not even feeling like he deserved their help.

“Whatever happens, just know that I can’t thank you enough.”

“Hey, we couldn’t just let you get locked away in a dungeon after what Celestia did to you,” Rainbow Dash said. “Now hurry up, before they realize you’re gone.”

Patrick hopped into the back of the cart, Big Mac proceeding to cover him in apples.

“Y’all weren’t really just some mechanic, were ya’?” Big Macintosh asked.

“Nuh-uh,” Patrick replied.

It was going to be a long night.

The Everfree forest lay quiet and still as ever. There was a certain aura in the air, which the wildlife and monsters that dwelled there instinctively avoided. Underneath the ground, a dark being with anything but benevolent purposes was hard at work, mending forgotten weaponry left behind by an extinct race.

This technology, this structure, belonged to a very rich and powerful country. What was still intact in its cache of leftover weaponry was still active, although, the Nightmare still found the need to fix what father time had ruined.

The Nightmare itself was intrigued by these humans’ designs. They had discovered the secrets of nuclear energy, something ponykind, at its current rate, wouldn’t advance to for thousands of years, even with magic. That is, if Celestia allowed them.

The Nightmare remembered Celestia. She valued the safety of her subjects over the secrets of the universe. She did not want what happened to the human race to happen to hers, so she sheltered her kingdom from the technological advances and discoveries of the human race. She wanted her kingdom to be dumb and happy, rather than bold, intelligent, questioning, and defiant. It was unsurprising that very few scientific and technological advances had been made since the Nightmare’s banishment. Equestria was the same as when the Nightmare left it.

As the Nightmare used its dark magic to drive the age out of these time-abused tin cans, it began to understand them. Their destructive power resulted from splitting the nucleus of an atom. There was a large stockpile of this manner of weaponry, and not all of it functioned in the same way. Some acted on the raw power of nuclear fission, some, nuclear fusion. The Nightmare could see that the radioactive compounds were synthetic, expertly engineered by human hands.

And the humans were brilliant, without a doubt. She began to understand their thought process as they designed these weapons, as well. But there was one thing picking at the Nightmare’s mind.

How did they discover all of this without magic? How were they able to accomplish so much more than Ponykind when they had abandoned their own magic for so long?

Maybe that was just it: Magic. Magic held them back from discovery, and true consciousness.

Perhaps that’s what it was this entire time. Magic is what banished the Nightmare to the moon for a thousand years, what humiliated it, what condemned it.

The Nightmare stopped its work and looked at these gigantic bombs, these ministers of death.

Maybe someday they would even thank it for this. The Nightmare called upon its magic, and focused on the weaponry again, changing their purpose to its liking. It could still get its revenge, and create the world it always wanted.

A world without magic.