Chapters Tiredness and fatigue was something that didn't need to be felt. But as the world spun around her it was all she could feel. The crash was painless and her consciousness stayed with her. She wants to keep going but there only so much a pony can do. At this moment she wished she was a earth pony instead of a pegasus. Than she would've made it further than this. At least she couldn't hear the screams. Those Celestia awful screams.
She raises her head a bit to see a clearing not far in front of her. She smiles at the fact that she's flown almost all the way through the everfree forest to the mountain range below it. She knows what's up next after this. The spider race, the trolls and goblins were all ready for trespassers and tired ponies.
This travel would be worth it. She had to get away from everything thing. After what she saw, what she heard, what she smelled everything would be better. Everything. Sure it was dark. But the darkness comforts her. Because of the darkness she can't see but she knew out of a gut feeling that things will be better. She just hoped her child will be okay without her.
The thought of her brings tears stinging to her eyes. She lets out a whimper into the night praying to all the forces that her filly is safe and sound. She trusts everypony to look out for one another especially with that terrorizing. It really is the only thing she can do.
She raises herself to her exhausted legs and begin to walk again. She continues to push herself forward to get out of the blasted forest to be free from the fear inside her every marrow. The fresher air was blowing towards her. It smelled so clean and cared foreign smells from the mountain. Even with her limited vision she cans till make out the outline of the mountain and that is all that matters. She knows that this will be her safe haven till all of this is over.
She smiles at the though of being reunited with her filly. Feeling her warm body against hers. She sees both of their smiles as mother and daughter are reunited again. It sounds just like a sappy theater play but that's what she wanted most of the world at this moment. It's what she needs.
As she reaches the exit she feels something against her hoof. She ignores it and keep trying to go forward. She hears a snap and the sound of something flying through the air. Her tired and exhausted body only stands there no matter how she thinks of to keep moving. She feels dizzy and unsure. She looks to where the sound came from to see things protuding from her body.
Long poles of wood seem to be stuck in her. The feeling of the damage done doesn't seem to reach her mind yet but her body already knows. She falls forward head landing on her side staring at the pieces of wood. She can hear something but only in a buzz. She's already loosing her hearing and her sight is getting blurrier by the second. She wants to speak to ask what's happening but her voice is lost to her.
Tears are pouring out her eyes. She didn't want this to happen. She wants to be with her child not die at unknown forces. The fates have put her into a dire situation with only one result. She knows it, but still hopes for a miracle in a place that gives none.
She hopes her child is better off as her vision goes black and her minds starts to fade away. She prays and hopes for a bright future for her filly. Cause all she can do as darkness over takes her is hope.
She couldn't believe it. Of all the things to happen... She knew her sister is... would be furious about this. Flying over the woods proved to be a fruitless point. She can see it clearly from where she flies and all of its destruction. It almost reminds her of her days of being evil before the very same mare that has eluded her had brought an end to that.
Speaking of a certain lavender mare. She scans the area for any trace of magic and finds lots of bits and pieces but never picking up a large portion signaling her to Twilight. She could always assume she is flying in the portion of the forest and search around even more. But than again she is so sure of herself that she doesn't wish to be proven wrong.
Shifting from the sky to the ground she walks gracefully through the forest ignoring the nearby screams of the subjects. They were unimportant after-all all they do is worship Celestia like a deity while she is played off as a minor one who isn't even worth mentioning. One who isn't! She stops and takes a deep breath part of her vision going black and blurry. Sure they might have whipped out Nightmare moon but she was still there. Feeding herself on alicorn's doubt, hatred, jealousy, and fears. At a moment like this her alter ego was not what she would wish to deal with.
Luna reaches the first east river she turns around knowing she is gaining closer and closer to Baltimore. She knows that Twilight couldn't gotten that far just by seeing all the tired ponies around the river bed crying and dying from exhaustion. She could help them. She help all of them through their suffering and in fact hears them begging praying for her to to them.
Luna simply spreads her wings and flies away. They only look to her in desperate need and never when not. So why should she help? It only seems right that they die and lose on their own. By the time the darkness lifts it'll be to late for them. Most of them will be dead. The few that survive will either be broken or nearly broken. Which pressed her more to find Twilight.
But than something nagged at her in her head. Something that speaks up silently but there. A choice a small piece of advice even. Teasing her telling her how funny she looks running away from responsibility. Telling her this is why no pony respect her.
She shakes her head of the thoughts that only linger for seconds. She wasn't running from anything. This was her new responsibility. To her sister. Her dead sister who she wish could help her right now. She also knew that Luna wasn't running from anything.
Though if Celestia was here in the back of her mind she would to day to never run in darkness as she is now.
The only sounds echoed constantly through the two mares ears. Constantly repeating the same clip clop noise against hard almost frozen ground. The same stench, the same agonizing stench of something they would rather forget filling their senses. They would wish for the darkness to go away, but they know that wishing can only go so far. The purple mare of the two knew this the most. They were walking in the darkness for safety not because they wanted to.
Soon the sounds of lowered a bit as one of the mares stopped. Her head hung low. She didn't want to move. It seemed she was frozen just like the ground they walked on. She seemed just like the trees around her that gave off the same aura just like everything else that was or was not in the forest. Devoid of any life. Of any hope. The other mare stops realizing the sound and turns to look at the mare. Though they could barely see each other they could make out each other's figure due to the contrast of the darkness around them.
The purple mare knew that the other traveler wanted rest. She did also but knew better than to now. It was, as it always seems to be of late, too late to worry about such things. She reaches out her hoof and is about to say something but closes her mouth as the other mare begins to walk forward again. No words had to be spoken. Their actions alone was enough to spark and end the conversation.
The other mare has heard the words of her companion so many times. We have to keep moving, don't stop, we can't rest yet, come on we have to make it, we're probably almost there. Almost. That word was how she described a lot of things at this point. Almost this, almost that... almost everything. Her. She would say 'I'm almost dead'.
She didn't want to talk. Not now at least. There was... too much to think about. Too great of a distance to walk to get away. No, not to walk away, not to run away, not even to get away, but to forget. Yes, walking to forget the.
She stops again and soon the forest is once again quiet. The empty void of noise put the more rational one, as she would see herself, on edge. She hated the quiet. It only meant no more progress. Even if they were walking in the dark more way than one. The one in lead takes a sharp inhale of breath and turns around. She can't help herself from letting loose words from her mouth.
She could feel herself yelling but couldn't understand her words. Nothing went through her mind as she yelled. She just yelled. And cried. She was tired, fed up, and angry. She couldn't stop herself. She didn't even want to stop herself from yelling at the meek pony. She knew she would hate herself but at this point in time. She really didn't care.
She was just angry and fed up and couldn’t handle it anymore. This was her stress reliever. What surprises her is the mares reaction.
A swift hoof shut her up. The words stop spewing from her mouth to be replaced with blood. She turns to say something else but is met with another hoof against her muzzle. Meek mare stands over the unicorn with a frown on her face. The meek pony couldn't stand it any more. She’s put up with this so much being the weaker one. Always the quiet pony that could just be pushed around.
Not anymore. A series of hooves come across the unicorn. crippling her forelegs and caving in her chest. The mare under her is streaming but she doesn't care. Nor would anypony nearby if there was anypony. For all she knew it was just them two. And the darkness.
The cries of the unicorn turned to whimpers and then silence. For it’s silence that rules with the darkness. It’s always been like that. Noise was just a mistake. It always has been. Hasn't it? None of that mattered to the no longer meek pony. For in darkness we walk blindly as we do in the light.
Panting. Panting reassured them. The lack of screaming reassured them. The sound of less and less hoof steps didn't. They pray to Celestia that it gives up and let's them go free. Eventually it all dies down and one of the few remaining looks back and falls forward at the sight of nothing behind them. She lays on her side and tries to catch her escaping breath.
She can hear ponies a head of her talking. Also breathing. That reassure her that at least she wasn't the only one. She and the few others just out ran a thing that none of them would not have guessed lived in centuries. Even Celestia wasn't strong enough to stop the thing even with the combined might of Luna and Twilight.
The thought of Luna fills the filly with rage. The name brought disgusting thoughts to her mind that she wishes to voice but can't do to her exhaustion. Luna ran at the first sight of failing taking Twilight with her leaving Celestia there to to... Her anger slowly webs away into sadness.
It just wasn't fair... was it? To watch other ponies work so hard to only give up. That's not how life's suppose to be is it. Hooves come closer to her. She looks up to see the familiar faces of Applebloom and Sweetie Belle. They're her friends. He friends were still alive.
They start talking exchanging words with until the questions arises. An inevitable question they all knew was coming. What happened to the others. A whole school house full of children and one teacher. Cherilee was nowhere in sight and the only others with the three were two other snails and Silver Spoon who both seemed worse for wear. They can only assume their fates which leads to the crying feats of everyone but filly lying on the ground. Maybe she was just too tired to cry at this point. Maybe it was the fact she didn't really know those ponies. Maybe it was the fact she didn't care.
Ponies die all the time so what makes this different. Sure they were... but that didn't change the fact they were dead. This is her logic. She was told this by her mother as well. That no matter who dies or whatever way it doesn't matter cause we're all going to die. To think that was a couple of days before daddy came up missing. She remembers asking about daddy but the only response she got from her mother was a look off in the distance from her. As if looking at father and having a silent conversation with him.
Maybe she was? Maybe all the ponies were right. Maybe she was crazy. She still loves her non the less. It is after all her mother.
Forcing herself off the ground proved to be a harder task than expected but successful non the less. She knows they have to keep moving or else it will catch up with them. And it would be relentless.
As they all moves forward through the forest of darkness, death, and insanity all they can do and fear what might come from the lurking stalking shadows that befall on and around them.