Chapter 5
Dreamscape

After my vision faded I was left in the same black void I was in before, but something felt different about it. It felt colder and more imposing then last time, but I didn't fall into the same emotional turmoil like my previous visit. No, I felt more of sense of curiosity to explore this emptiness.

So decided to turn in a detection that felt good and too started to walk. As I was wondering I found that the ground was completely smooth, featureless even. The next I found which made this place even more unsettling was the fact that I couldn't hear my own voice.

After a while of walk I was stopped by the blackness shifting in front of me into the form of two forms and one of them I recognized as myself, but the other one was so blurred I couldn't even tell who or even what it was.

The scene took me by surprise and I couldn't hear what they were saying, but I could tell it was an argument. I tried so hard to read their lips but the ability seemed to allude me no matter how many I tried it. As I stared I came to the relation that this might be a memory of sorts and I wanted know more. I continued to watch to see what would happen.

And as I continued to watch I found I could start to hear what I was saying, tell finally I hear from myself almost scream “I HAVE TO DO THIS FATHER!” to which surprised yet again from the memory me using the word father. “And you can’t stop me!” was what the memory me said before turning and walk away from the blur of a man who I would assume was my father. As I left the image continually started too disappeared tell they were both gone and a force almost pushed me to move forward.

As I walked I forward more of memory after memory flashed in the darkness and disappeared just as fast, but most were just images before they vanished back into the darkness. But some of these memories were of me balancing on a wooden pole, fighting in front of a massive stone castle, or of me holding a beautiful woman in my embrace and staring at something above us.

After a while of walking I was suddenly stopped and frozen in place in front of a memory of me and a woman. The memory me was on his hands and knees looking at the ground with blood soaking his torn rags of cloths and even more blood streaming his arms while she stood there laughing menacingly. She stopped her cackling and closed the gap between him and her in an instance and used the sword in her hand to tilt his head upwards to look at her and she said “Brother did you really think that simply opposing me would stop any of my plans?”

He spat at her and said “You have no right to call me brother!! You traitor, you’re nothing more than a soulless shell of the woman I used to love!!” her face split into a smile and she said chuckling “You’re right brother dearest.” She knee down and said “Especially sense I killed that little slut of yours.”

The memory me’s face contorted into one of pain and regret tell a single tear rolled down his cheek. She rose to her full height, raising her sword above her head into a striking position ready to cut him down. She started her attack, but stopped mid-way. Her face became one for worry with a look of fear in her eyes and then she exclaimed “You can’t!!! You’ll kill us both if you use that!!!”

‘What is she talking about?’ I thought, but was quickly answered by glowing marking covering the memory me’s body. He stood and said with a solemn look on his face “You have leave me no choose. I’m so sorry it had to come to this Akhos.” His eyes began to glow much like the symbols that covered his body, but they continued grow brighter and brighter well past my ability to look. And just when I thought it couldn't get any brighter everything went dark and I opened my eyes to look back at the spot where they were, but nothing was there, but blackness.

As I stood there I continued to stare at the same spot just hoping something would tell me what just happened, but my quandary was interrupted by the feeling to move forward again, but I ignored it still wanting my question to be answered. The longer I stayed there the more the feeling nagged me ignoring it the entire time tell. The longer I stayed there the more intense the feeling became tell it turned into pain that enveloped my whole body forcing me to move forward.

I walked my forced path tell I heard a familiar beeping coming from off in the distance. I stopped trying to focus on the direction it was coming from, but couldn't as the pain returned. I tried to ignore it again and tried to clear my head to find the sound, but as the pain became worse I found it hopeless and started proceeded forward tell something caught the corner of my eye and as I turned it was a light and as I stared at it I hear the beeping again and run to it ignoring the pain that was getting worse the further I went toward my only hope of escape in this void.

As I got closer to the light the beeping got louder and louder tell I was so close that the sound was defining, but the pain also got more intense as I got closer tell my legs couldn't take anymore and gave out on me, and I fell to the ground and listened to the beeping becoming quieter and quieter. I began to panic as I watched the light dim and with my last bit of willpower I crawled to the dimming light. As it looked so insufficient small I thought I might not make it, but with only a few more inches the light engulf me in its embrace. I closed my eyes and let the feeling wash over me andwhen I opened my eyes I was lying in a bed.

I was feeling confused and sat up slowly to look around in the room. I was staying in a hospital room that looked very similar to the one I was in before. With a quick investigation of the room I found Twilight sleeping in a chair with her head lying on the bed. Some of her hair was covering her face so I brushed it away and saw a pained look on her face that had undoubtedly been crying. ‘What happened to me?’ I thought.

I shook her shoulder to wake her only to find it pointless “Damn, she dead to the world!” I said out loud. “It would appear so.” said a voice somewhere in the room.

“Who’s there, Show yourself!” I shouted nervously. A figure emerged from the shadows and I almost instantly recognized him as The Doctor. “Calm down Eric! It’s just me.” I took his advice and relaxed a bit and said after a sigh I said “Please don’t do that again, Doctor and what happened to me?”

“Well I don’t think you’re going to like the answer to your question.” He said.

“What, why Doctor?” I asked feeling nervous again.

His face show his apprehension to answer me, but he sighed and said in a flat voice “You been in a coma for a week now which was caused by an unknown reaction of one Twilight’s spells and yesterday you went into critical condition. We didn't think you wouldn't wake up.”

“Wait I was in what again and I went into what?” I exclaimed.

Without missing a beat The Doctor said in the same flat tone “A coma is a deep sleep that lasts of a prolonged period of time and you went into critical condition which in your case was that your heart stopped… three time and the third time… you were pronounced dead for a good three minutes before it started again.”

I set there trying to absorb what I just heard, but as I set there one thing kept coming to my mind “How was Twilight holding up?” I asked him.

He’s face softened a bit and he began to chuckle saying “Very interesting, most people in your situation would be worried more about themselves and not others, but you’re more worried about the one who caused this to you. If I wasn't sure I could trust you before, I certainly know now do.”

Quite bewildered at his statement I asked “Why wouldn't I be worried about her?! She was probably worried sick blaming herself for this happening to me!”

“No I didn't mean it like that. All I meant by my comment was that your reaction to that information was a good way to see your character. But let’s get to why I’m here.”

“And why’s that, Doctor?” I apprehensively asked.

“I assume you are aware of the fact that Luna can walk into ponies’ dreams, right?”

“Yes Doctor.”

“And it’s not uncommon for comatose patients to have dreams.”

“OK Doctor, but what does this have to with the situation at hand?”

“Well then let me get strait to the point then. While you slept Luna could sense you where have a dream, but she couldn't enter it. No matter how hard she tried she just couldn't do it. So my question is what did you dream about?” I began feeling very angry that he would ask something so personal, but I was more confused as to why he wanted to know, so I asked in a tone that sounded angrier than I intended “What the hell would you need that for?”

“Now just stay calm Eric. I want to know because it allows me to see if your dangerous or not.”

“I thought you just said you could trust me?”

“Yes I do trust you as a person, but I don’t know want the abstract radiation did to you, so I don’t know if you’ll freak out and go on a rampage.” I thought about the Doctor’s words and decided that I could trust him, but I was still wary of him. “Fine Doctor.”

I started with the dream I had when I first got here since it might have some significance and continued through to the one I just had. “Hmm, interesting.” He mumbled to himself.

“What Doctor?” I asked eagerly.

“Oh nothing. Just an old pony thinking to himself that’s all. Thank you Eric” he turned and started for the door. “Doctor Wait!” he stopped in his tracks and turned back to me “Can you tell me what you meant when you said about you first getting here?”

“Ah yes, well I arrived much the same as you.” He said.

“Can you tell me about it?” I asked as he turned to the door again. “No, that’s a story for another time and place.” He said opening the door and leaving me and Twilight alone.

After the Doctor left the room I tried to wake the sleeping princess again, but before I had the chance a stallion in a white coat walked in. He didn't see me at first mostly do to the fact he was too focused on the metal board in his hands and muttering to himself. He stopped in front of the bed I was on and pulled off a similar board that was hanging on the railing.

“… Can… I… help you?” I asked and his head shot up and his pupils shrank to the size of pin heads. “Nurse!!” he exclaimed and then said “Um sir, do you know what happened to you?”

“Well I know I've been in a coma.” He looked taken aback by my statement, but let me continue. “Next I was informed that I almost died, three times.” I said in a calm voice and the stallion looked even more confused by this and asked “But who told you!?”

It was my turn to be confused and I said “The Doctor that’s who.” He still looked confused and asked “But which doctor told you that before coming to get me?”

“All I know is that he goes by The Doctor and nothing else.” As I finished a mare walked in and stopped immediately when she noticed me sitting on the bed and gained the same expression as the stallion did. “OK so now that all that is don’t can you tell me if I can leave yet?”

The purple princess started to stir before she said in a sleepy voice “wha’s with all the noi-” was all she said before her eyes focused onto me. We stared at each other for only a second before tears started to fall down her checks. I acted quick and pulled her into a hug and she started to say “I’m sorry! I’m so sorry!” over and over again. It broke my heart to feel her timbering as she cried in my arms. So I stopped her and made her looked into my eyes and then said “No Twilight, I should be the one to be sorry for worrying you.”

She pushed herself back into my embrace again and cried into my chest. I looked at the doctor and nurse who had picked up that they should leave and in the middle of doing so. After they left I turned back to the sobbing alicorn rubbing the back of her head trying to comfort her, and we sat like that till her tears dried up.

She sat back into her chair looking completely drained for both emotion and energy. “Um Twilight,” she looked up at me “Are you ready to go?” I asked to which she responded with a drowsy “Yes.”

I got up off the bed and help her up, but she fell to her knees. Realizing she must be more tried she looked, I scooped her up much to her protest, but I won in the end. I walk to the door struggling with the knobs a bit before open it and I seeing two stallions dressed in gold armor standing on either of the doorway. “Excuse me.” They looked back at me and Twilight “I am going to walk Ms.Sparkle back to her home if you would follow me that would be most helpful.” She nodded to show her approval.

They moved to the side allowing me to past. As we walked through the hospital I could see Twilight starting to nod off and as we got to the front door I heard soft snoring coming from the mare in my arms. I chuckled at her a bit and made sure that I didn't do anything to wake her.

We walk through the small town and the ponies gave me confused looks but continue on their way and the stallions helped me find her home. As we made it the library I asked the guards to stay outside as I deposited Twilight in her room, they nodded and opened the door for me which I thanked them for.

As I walked inside I found Spike standing at the base of the stairs looking extremely confused “Eric! When do you wake up? What happened to Twilight?” I didn’t say anything tell I reached him and said in a low voice “Twilight is fine let me just put her in her room and I will come back to talk.”

“OK…” is all the purple dragon said and after I climbing the stairs and put the sleeping mare in her room and being extra careful not to disturb her when I made my way back to the confused drake. I reached the main floor and found him setting on the coach looking quite distraught and drained. “You OK Spike?” I asked genuinely concerned about him.

“Yeah I’m fine. It’s just that Twilight worries me sometimes. I just wish she wouldn't do things like that you know.” He said using his hands to emphasize his point.

Feeling worried I asked “What she do Spike?”

“You don’t know?”

I shook my head and said “No, I only know a little of what happened while I was out.”

He’s face turned into one of pain and sorrow as he said “she…almost killed herself when you went into your coma.” I went wide eyed and exclaimed “WHAT?!”

His body relaxed and he sighed before saying “Yeah she didn't eat, hardly drank, wouldn't speak to anypony, and this is the first I've heard of her sleeping.” A tears rolled down his face.

‘She was that worried about me.’ I thought ‘why would she be so worried about me? She hardly knows me, so why?’ my head fell into my hands as I kept trying think why she would that. “You ok dude?” spike asked in a worried tone. I lifted my head up to look at the dragon and said “Yeah just wasn't expecting to hear that. That’s all.”

We fell into a silence as I fell into a slump and sat there just wanting to relax. After a little bit my thinking was intruded by a loud bang which caused me to jump out of my chair and land onto the ground. I got up and found Pinkie standing in the doorway with her hair completely flat and looking quite distressed. “Eric?!” she chocked before running at me.

(Pinkie and Lyra 3rd person in the Everfree Forest)

A straight haired Pinkie was walking furiously next to Lyra Heartstring who was whistling the song singing in the rain, but wasn't feeling exactly feeling herself at that particular moment. “How dare you do that to Eric!” Pinkie shouted at her friend. “And why are you using Lyra to talk to me when you can just speak to me normally?” she asked.

“Well Pinkie for one I like talking face to face if you will and Ms.Heartstring here lets me do that. And for the Eric thing I couldn't help that.” The author said through the green mare. Pinkie stopped in her tracks, turned, and slapping Lyra. “Why would you ever need to do that to him?” She asked.

Lyra took on a stern face as he said through the mare “Pinkie if you do that again you will regret it. I am not here to defend my actions, I’m here to try and calm you down.” The author stated. “Then answer why you had to do that to him?” she yelled.

“Pinkie, I know you don’t like seeing ponies suffering or in pain, but you have to let me write the way I write. So please keep in mind that this story will have drama that looks pointless on the surface, but it will always be coupled with some sort of purpose or reason.” Pinkie didn't respond and just walked off muttering “stupid mean author.”

“Pinkie you know I could make Eric’s life even worse than it already is, right?” the author threatened.

“Yes I know that all too well and I can’t do much to stop you, but all I ask is can you please try not going too far.” She pleaded without look at Lyra.

“Pinkie, I promise that I won’t do anything that will be too much for him. Oh and before I go you should know that something is happening to Eric at the hospital.”

She spun around and asked worry clear in her voice “is it good or…bad?”

“You’ll have to see for yourself.” The author said. Pinkie’s eyes went wide and she shouted “TELL ME NOW!!” but the author wasn't there anymore and Lyra recoiled from Pinkie saying in a shaking voice “Tell you what Pinkie? And where are we?”

Pinkie knew he was gone so instead of answer the scared unicorn she just ran past her in the direction of the hospital fearing what he might write. “Pinkie wait?! Where are you going?!” called a very confused Lyra. As she ran images kept flashing in her mind of what could happen to him.

As she reached the hospital she didn't want to waste any time and made her way to Eric’s room doing so many times before, but stopped when she didn't see guards standing at the door. Her fear growing again as she walked in to find an empty room. “No, No, No!” she said and need to find her friend Twilight who might be at her house.

She ran even faster to Twilight’s house and as she finally made it to the library, she almost broke the door in her hurry to get inside. As she looked in she saw Spike setting on the couch grabbing his chest and something moving behind a chair before it got up and was reviled it to be Eric. She looked at the human and all she could say past the lump in her throat was “Eric?!” and she ran to him to make sure he wasn't just her imagination.

The next thing Eric knows is Pinkie’s crushing him in a hugs “Oh mother Celestia I was so worried something happened to you when I didn't find you or Twilight at the hospital.” She said.

“Um…Pinkie…can you…please let me…down” he grunted out. “Oh… I’m sorry Eric” she said letting him down. After he straightened himself and caught his breath he asked “Now Pinkie what going on?”

“Well…um… I went to go see you at the hospital and…um… you weren't there, so I got worried that something had happened to you so I came to see Twilight.” She half lied. A small smile appeared on his face as he said “Well, I’m so sorry if I worried you, but as you can see I’m just fine and Twilight is sleeping upstairs.”

He pulled her into a hug which she gladly accepted and said “Pinkie it’s good to see you and all but Twilight needs her rest, I just want to relax for a bit, and look at spike.” She did what he said and looked at the dragon still breathing heavy from the shock of Pinkie’s entrance. To which she simply and joyfully said “OK.” and walked out the door.

“Well that was interesting.” The human said to the dragon who just rolled his eyes in response.

(Somewhere on earth 3rd person)

A clocked figure stepped into a room carved out of a cave wall and walk up a stone table surrounded by five other hooded figures. “Now that were all here Venti, why did you called us here?” asked one of the clocked figures in a deep gruff voice.

One of the figure chuckled at the question and said in a mocking tone “Isn't it enough just to see me, Ignis?” And In response to Venti’s question Ignis shoot a stream of black fire aim at the chuckling figure.

Venti realized what was happening and spread his wings and took to the air, but the black fire followed him. “Ignis! Stop this pointless bickering, and Venti tell why you brought us here and speak quickly I’m already tired of your presence.” The most imposing of the five said with a voice dripping with anger and frustration.

Venti chuckled and said “Well Procellárum before I was rudely interrupted by Ignis,” Ignis rage flared again at the little pest, but he didn't dear upset Procellárum. “Was going to say that her seals are breaking.” Venti said.

“Wait, you found her?!” one of the unnamed figure questioned. He chuckled again and said “yes, brothers and she waking up.”

Ignis roared “stop this taunting where is she you insufferable gyrphon!” which caused Venti to state snickered and turned saying “Follow me.” He led them to a new room with a statue setting in the middle covered in runes and markings. The five looked upon the woman in awe and happiness.

“Mistress.” Ignis cried walking up to the piece of stone, but as he got within a foot of it he was thrown backwards into one of the wall. He recovered fast walked over to the snickering gryphon and grabbed him by the neck with his scaled hand. “Venti what is this!” he yelled causing Venti’s hood fell back to show a scare covered gryphon head with a coat made of black feathers and a black beak.

“Well I was going to tell you that we can’t touch her, the seal barrier makes sure of that, but I thought a visual demonstration would be better.” He snickered at the enraged Ignis holding him. He roared at Venti and threw him, but the gryphon stop in midair hovering above the ground snickering to himself.

“Now bothers I found her in some backwater village temple. And when I got there tried to fight me, which still caused me to laugh at their cluelessness. It’s needless to say that I killed almost all of them, but when I found her the priests put a seal barrier on her to keep us away. So Firstly I tried controlling a few of the remaining nuisance in the village to move her, but my magic was dispelled after they crossed it.” He started to snicker again and said “so I use move persuasive means on them to get their help and they were more than happy too.”

“So that explains the corpses at the entrances.” One of the unnamed figures said. “Yes Aquam it was so much fun watching them take their own life. Oh and Aquam I almost forgot that I saved a few for you.” he clapped he’s talons together and a group of five women were carried in by a group of horribly deformed black monsters “And Terra you’re welcome to the bodies.” he chuckled.

The two hooded figures walked closer to the screaming women and as Aquam took the lead he said “come now my darlings we won’t hurt you.” He said with a voice filled with lust and desire and pull he’s hood back with a scaled covered hand to revile a gorgeous young man with longs green hair and scales bordering his face.

The women stopped their thrashing at the sound of his voice. They knew what he was and tried not to look at him, but couldn't help it and as their eyes met his they were entranced. “There you see my lovelies there’s nothing to fear here.” The monstrosities that were holding them set them down and with all their will they tried to run, but they couldn't move from the spot.

Aquam walked forward and pulled one of them into his arms and gave her a long deep kiss which lasted for a good two minutes tell he pulled his head back and an ethereal cored flowed between their mouths. She looked at him in fear as her soul was being stolen from her. This continued for only a few more seconds as she felt her heart start to slow and her body become colder. The cored slowly ended which left the woman as nothing more than a lifeless husk.

“Ah, now that was tasty. So young, so full of life. Who’s next lovelies?” he cooed and through the corpse to Terra who caught it mid-air. He removed his hood as well to show a blood red horse head “still warm!” he stated and bit into the neck of woman. He worked his mouth and a small trickle of blood escaped out of his mouth. He pulled back his head and removing a hunk of flesh and Terra continued to eat until she was reduced down to nothing, but bone. He looked at Aquam was about to finish his next victim and listened to the others talked.

“Now that we have her we need to find a way to break the seal barrier and then prepare for her return.” Venti said in an uncharacteristically stern voice. “Yes, most I agree with the little past. We need to be ready for her.” Ignis said. Venti face contorted into one of anger and with a powerful flap of his black wings shot a powerful blast of air at Ignis who was sent flying into a wall. “DON’T INSULT ME IN THESE SERIOUS MOMENT, YOU BRAIN-DEAD LIZARD!!” he shouted. Terra and Aquam stopped their feast and watched the event unfold.

Ignis got himself off the floor and was ready to attack the bird, but couldn't as he was pushed up against the wall by Procellárum’s arm against his neck. He screamed at him “ENOUGH OF THIS POINTLESS FIGHTING YOU MISERABLE EXCUSE FOR A DRAGON!!” without looking he aimed his arm at the bipedal bird and fired a bolt of energy hitting his chest and causing him to fell to his knees clinching the spot.

Procellárum release Ignis and let him fall to the floor coughing and walked over to the wheezing bird and leaned his head down close to kneeling gryphon and said “If you I see you two fighting again this will the least of your worries, your bickering is laborious.” And he impacted the breathless gryphon in the stomach with an electrified fist which caused blood to trickle out of his beak.

“Is that clear?” he ask the gryphon who nodded his head rapidly in response. He walked away and left him to wheeze of the floor. After a minute of coughing and wheezing he sat up. “Before the old priest died I got a little information out of him to on how to break the seal, but this is where it gets complicated.”

Terra finished his third meal and asked “what do mean bother?”

“We need the element of soul to willingly break the seal for us, brothers.”

“What? But I haven’t seen the elements for a millennium, ever sense that damn pony princess broke them.” said Ignis.

“Yes I know, but there is a new bearer and we just need the little worm to break it and then kill it.” Venti said.

“Do you know where it is brother?” Terra asked.

“Yes in the ponies country of Equestrian.”

“Then I will go and find this bearer. Seeing as I look the most like them.” stated Terra.

Author's Note

dear god Pinkie I told you I'm not going to be doing anything to bad to him so why the hell did you freaked out like that. *sigh* Well I hope you enjoy the chapter and if you didn't then I'm sorry. I'm also sorry if you didn't like the conversation between me and Pinkie I can tell you that I won't be doing that again. and the next few chapter will be calmer and not as drama paced. I hope to see you in the next chapter.