Fractured

Dawn stood in a dark room. It was divided into two halves. On the left a lone figure stood in the light. The right was shrouded in shadow with several more figures standing in the darkness. A bright flash blinded Dawn. Once her vision returned all of the figures were lying dead on the ground. A dark blue pony walked slowly up beside her.

“Let’s get out of here; we need to talk somewhere safely. This isn’t the place.”

She turned to the pony.

“What is this?”

“A memory of a bad time. Come, we need to move quickly.”

Dawn backed away.

“I’m not going with you; I don’t know who you are.”

The pony winced.

“Ouch, that actually hurts a little. I’ll explain on the way, just follow closely.”

He turned and walked into the darkness. Dawn ran to catch up. The scenery changed until they were both standing in a desert.

“Ah, finally we’re here. It’s so good to see you again. You’ve grown up so much too!”

“Who are you? I have no idea who you are, or where we are.”

The pony smirked.

“Just like your Aunt Celestia, always questioning what she didn’t know. You look like her too.”

Dawn shook her head.

“That doesn’t answer my questions. Who are you and where are we?”

“Well currently we are in your dreams. This is probably the only safe way we can talk in private. As for who I am, well let’s just say I’m here to help you succeed. Anything beyond that is trivial and unimportant.”

“Well that’s not an answer. I want to know who you are, not what.”

“An important difference, I’m glad you noticed. I’m going to be your teacher. You’re going to need it and I can’t train with you during the day.”

“Well why not?”

“You’ll probably find out when you wake up. I’ve done some very, very bad things.”

“Like what?”

“Let’s not focus on me, let’s focus on you. Again I am not important, you are.”

“Why do you keep saying that? You obviously know what you’re doing and I don’t. Shouldn’t that mean you’re more important?”

The blue pony started pacing back and forth.

“While having knowledge and experience are powerful, you have more potential than anypony alive today. Your inexperience is why I am here. I will help you in the art of combat until you can use that power to its full potential.”

Dawn cocked her head.

“Combat?”

The blue pony winced again.

“Wow, your mother really held no bars in sheltering you, did she?”

Dawn took a small step back.

“We live in a forest with no one else around. We didn’t exactly have anyone to talk to.”

“But surely she taught you about Equstria’s many wars? They’ve been fought time and time again to protect the peace so many take for granted. War keeps the world spinning. Without it the world would just be arguing bureaucrats fighting for petty titles.”

He shook his head back and forth for a second.

“Sorry, that isn’t what we’re here for; back to the subject at hand. Do you have any combat training?”

Dawn shook her head.

“No, and I still don’t know what combat is.”

“Combat is fighting between two or more groups. Could be individuals, small squads or entire armies.”

He looked over to her out of the corner of his eye.

“You might want to sit down; this may be a long lecture.”

“Sit where? There are no pillows, or furniture of any sort.”

He stared at her with his mouth agape.

“You could say, perchance, sit on the ground.”

Dawn plopped onto the sand and stared at him.

“May I ask one question before you start?”

“Yes, what would you like to know?”

“What should I call you? I mean I can’t just call you ‘tool’. It wouldn’t feel right.”

The pony burst into laughter. Wiping a tear from his eye he said,

“No, I guess not. My name is Night, Night Drakthuul, at your service.”

He did a small bow; smiling at her all the while.

“That’s an odd name.”

He winked

“Well I suppose, around here it would be. But, where I’m from its fairly common.”

“Well my name is…”

“Oh, I know who you are. Dawn, daughter of Princess Luna, heir to the throne. You’re relatively famous, even the Queen has heard of you. That is the reason I am training you. You need protection against the most corrupted ruler in the world. She has an army of slaves at her beck and call. She also has some considerable herself.”

“Wait why would she want me? I’m just a little filly. I’m nothing special.”

“And that’s where you’re wrong. Your next to the throne, you’re extremely important. But let’s change subjects and go back to a history of war and combat.”

Dawn slumped as Night began his lecture. She pondered what he had said. How was she royalty? Luna had never told her anything about being a princess. How could this Queen know about h…

A pole snapped against her hoof.

“Oww!

She fell backwards and felt her eyes begin to tear up. Night stood in front of her with the pole suspended in the air.

“Why did you do that?”

“You weren’t paying attention. I’m sorry if it hurt but I’m going to have to be harsh to get you into shape. At your age I watched as my parents were cut down and I had to kill the criminal myself. If being an ass is what it takes then I will be one.”

“Ass?”

Night winced again.

“Don’t repeat that, ever. It wasn’t supposed to slip out, my mistake.”

“Wait, but what does it mean?”

Night rubbed his hoof behind his head.

“Let’s both just pretend I never said it, alright? Your mother would kill me if she found out I cursed in front of her child. Let’s get back to the matter at hand.”

Dawn stood and brushed herself off.

“Alright, the first thing I need to know is how much control you have over your magic.”

Night put the stick in between them.

“Take it from me.”

“What?”

“Use your magic and take the stick.”

Dawn held back a smirk. Luna had practiced this exercise with her before and she had easily beaten her. The aura around the stick changed color and the stick flew next to her. Night nodded slightly and brought it back to the middle.

“Good, now do it again.”

“Why? I already beat you.”

“This isn’t a test of strength but one of endurance. Do it again.”

The aura changed color again but this time the stick didn’t move. Night calmly gazed at her.

“Well?”

Dawn concentrated harder. The stick began to wobble. Night’s eyes went from calm to concentrating. A small crack formed in the center of the stick. They both stood there silently, as the stick pulled in each direction. Sweat poured down Night’s body as his hooves dug into the ground.

Then the stick caught fire. Dawn lost her concentration and the stick flew towards Night. His eyes widened as he ducked under the flaming projectile. Once he stood up he stared at Dawn for a while. She cringed, thinking he would yell at her for almost killing him. She was surprised when she saw a smile form on his lips.

“That was great! You managed to pass weeks of training, just in that instant. This will make things so much easier, you just don’t know! I’ve known fillies your age that couldn’t lift a pebble, but you, you are just fantastic!”

He walked over and plopped her on his shoulders. He began trotting towards a door sitting in the middle of the desert.

“What is that?”

“Were in your dreams, remember? That is the door back to reality. Once you go through you will be back with your mother in the waking world.”

“So I just go through and wake up?”

“Pretty much.”

“I can’t wait to tell everyone about what I’ve learned! It will be s…”

He set her beside the door.

“That is the last thing I need to talk to you about tonight. You can’t tell a soul, not anyone.”

“Why not? You’re just helping me, so shouldn’t it be Ok?”

“Some ponies believe I can’t be trusted because of my past. In fact you’ll probably hear some pretty terrible things about me at some point, but I want you to know that you can trust me. Alright? If you ever have doubts about me, tell me and I will stop visiting you in your dreams. Until then, keep practicing and I will see you tomorrow.”

“Speaking of you visiting my dreams, how can you do that? Luna told me only she could do that.”

“Where do you think I learned the trick?”

He winked and nudged her towards the door.

“Off you go now, no more questions. You’ve slept long enough. People are starting to get worried.”

“People?”

“Questions later, wake up now. Go on, you have ponies waiting for you.”

She stepped through the door and into a tent full of books.

Dawn sat up in the center of the tent. It was lit by a single candle, which hung above Dawn’s head. Shadows cut deep within the tent. Cold, unfeeling eyes stared at her from the darkness. She called out.

“Hello? Is anyone there?”

The flap at the front of the tent was flung backward and a tall, violet pony stepped into the tent. Dawn noticed that she had both wings and a horn like her mother. The purple mare’s hair was flowing and long. Her face wore a deep scowl. Dawn cringed back a little on instinct.

“W..who are you?”

The purple mare’s smile had no humor in it.

“Why, I am your queen little filly. And who might you be? You show great skill to be able to travel through dreams and you are so young. Who taught you how to control your dreams?”

“Are you the pony that was waiting for me? Mr. Night said I would wake up after going through his door. So am I awake?”

The ‘queen’ looked surprised.

“Night? How do you know him?”

The tent flap parted again. The queen spun around.

“Well speak of the devil.”

Night remained silent. Dawn shrunk back a little more. This was not the same stallion as moments ago. His eyes burned with a hateful fire. His body was covered with slashes and cuts. Beside him stood a large sword, soaked in blood.

“Dawn I need you to come here, Now.”

His eyes never left the queen. A smirk was spread across her face. Dawn crept around her and stood beside Night.

“I’m going to need you to run as fast as you can to the door just outside the tent. It will lead you home.”

The scowl deepened in his face.

“The other door was a trap.”

“W..well how do you know this one isn’t a trap? It could be worse than the last!”

“Dawn, just trust me. This one will take you home. I can’t give you anymore, not right now.”

Dawn shook her head and backed away a little. The Queen started to laugh.

“You fool; do you really think that she would listen to you? You’ve betrayed her once today; would she really be willing to try again? Come child; come to the safety of your queen.”

Night’s face slacked in panic and he turned to Dawn.

“Please don’t listen to her. I know this looks bad, but going with her? Ju..just trust me. Go outside to the door and you will be safe.”

The Queen held her smirk and with a wave of her horn, two earth golems stood by her side. Dawn scrunched up her eyes and tried to make herself smaller. Both said they were right. Who should she trust? Night sighed.

“Just do one thing for me Dawn. Whatever happens, don’t go with her.”

The sword leaped forward, surrounded by a dark blue aura. It cleaved into one of the earth golems, cutting its head clean off. Night placed himself in front of Dawn and sent the sword at the second golem. He shouted over his shoulder,

“RUN!”

Dawn sprinted out the front of the tent. A door stood open to her right. She looked back towards the tent, where bright lights flashed from between the flaps. She walked slowly to the door and looked inside. The image showed her sleeping beside her mother in a dark tent. Dawn took one last look at the tent behind her and stepped through the door.