Atonement

I was tired. I hadn’t slept in over a century, and even then I found it hard to sleep. I sighed as I stood from my seat and looked at the assembled ponies, namely Applejack, Twilight, and Rainbow…. “Alright, it’s been a long day. I suggest we all get some sleep, and take turns watching this guy.” I said, jerking a thumb at the younger me on the table.

“Ah’ll take first watch, an’ Rainbow can take second.” Applejack said, to which Rainbow nodded.

“And I’ll take third!” Pinkie Pie said, appearing out of a random bedroom, making everyone in the room but me jump.

“Good to see you, Pinkie, I was about to send someone to look for you.” I said jokingly, making her laugh as she went back into her room. I sighed and headed for an empty room and closed the door behind me, completely ignoring the others as I did so. Once the door was closed, I took my cowl off once more, and my room took a different shape around me, one that reflected what I was inside.

A beast in a cage. My room changed, the walls becoming dark, cold stone, the only source of light a torch on the other side of a set of bars that kept me separated from the rest of society. I knew this cage well. After seven years, I had learned every square inch, and knew it like the back of my hand. The only thing that remained as it was was the bed, which I laid down upon, staring at the ceiling. Soon enough, my sleep deprivation caught up with me, and I fell into a deep, disturbed sleep….
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I fell to my knees at the sight before me. I could hear the screams of animal and pony alike as the flames spread mercilessly, destroying all in it’s path. I could smell the smoke as it rose to the skies above, painting them a shade of black I can scarcely describe.

The Everfree forest was burning.

It was my fault. All of this was my fault. I watched as a dragon flew above the flames, spreading more as it approached me at an alarming rate. It landed before me, not as large as it’s companions, but still large enough to threaten me. It’s scales were a variety of purples and greens, and it’s tone was about an octave lower than it had been the last time I’d seen him.

“Spike…. Why?” I asked, looking up to meet his eyes, only to see them filled with untold rage. “Why would you do this? Why kill so many innocents?”

“Your soldiers will lose the will to fight after this massacre, and my troops will rise victorious.” he chuckled lightly, smoke flying from his nostrils. “And I knew it would draw you out of hiding.”

“Is that what this is about?” I asked as I stood to my feet. “This is about your rebellion!? These innocents didn’t need to die for you to get to me!” I yelled, my emotions a storm of sadness and anger. “I can’t die, not yet!”

“And why not? Rarity certainly died before her time. Twilight too. You, however, are alive long past your time, old man. Your need here is done!” he suddenly spouted flames at me, and I barely managed to dodge them. I drew my sword, ready to fight the only being I’d known who’d survived as long as I had.

“You don’t understand!” I yelled over the flames and screams of the dieing as he and I circled each other. “You could never understand! I can’t die until Celestia returns! This world needs leadership!” I yelled, dodging one of his claws and countering with a slash of my own, leaving a deep wound down his arm, making hi screech in pain. He then swatted me away like a fly, sending me into a nearby tree. I shakily got back to my feet, and shot him a glare. He snorted again as a slightly burned pony ran from the depths of the forest, only for Spike to pick him up and crush him and toss his remains at my feet.

“Is this what you wanted, all those years ago Christian?” he asked, to which I looked away.

“No…. I never wanted any of this…” I muttered. I heard him rushing towards me, and quickly spun around and slashed, leaving a deep cut down his eye and making him fall to the ground. I poised to strike and finish him… But something stopped me.

“Go ahead… Finish it… end this war like you did all the others… Like you ended harmony… With one… last… strike…” he muttered. I sighed and lowered my sword. I touched the tip of one of his wings and began to walk away.

“I won’t kill you, Spike. You will be free once more when I no longer live. Until that time, stone you will be.” He roared in defiance, and I turned around to see the plague slowly spreading from his wing to his legs and torso. He was trying to get up, to face me one more time… But he couldn’t. His legs and torso were already taken, and the stone slowly began to spread to his face.

“We will meet again….. One day…” and with that the stone covered his mouth and eyes. I sighed, tears escaping my eyes as the fire raged around me. I walked away, a simple tune coming to mind of this whole moment.

“Far over… The misty mountains cold… To dungeons deep… and caverns old… The pines were roaring.. On the height… the winds were moaning… in the night… the fire was red…. It flaming spread… The trees, like torches…. Blazed with light.”I stopped suddenly. I felt like someone was watching me.

“Do you…… Have this dream often?” I heard a voice ask from behind me. I looked to see Twilight, her eyes wide as she stared at the flames.

“When I sleep, it’s usually something like this.” I said as I walked to her side. “Do you invade others dreams often?”

“Not on purpose, no.” she said with a sigh. “I guess we both have things that make us stand out from the average citizen, don’t we?” she said with a sad laugh. I looked her in the eye, the flames reflected in her lavender eyes. “I’ve been dream-walking since I was a filly.” she said to which I nodded. “Dream-walking is”

“When a unicorn has an excess of power, and expels it in their sleep in the form of actually experiencing not only their own dreams, but the dreams of someone near them.” I said with a nod. She looked at me, and I chuckled sadly. “Four hundred years is a long time. I needed something to keep me occupied.” she nodded in understanding, then returned her attention to the flames. “How much did you see?” I asked, wondering if she’d seen Spike, in which case my cover was blown.

“Not much. I saw that dragon statue over there, and caught the last bit of that song you were singing, but that was about it.” she said. I sighed with relief.

“Good. There are some things you’re not ready to know yet.”

“Like what?”

“Like what happened here.” I said, sighing again. “this time period was one of…. Unrest among the ponies and dragons.”

“What caused this unrest?” she asked, to which I shook my head.

“I did.”