Tales of the Forgotten: Eternity

June 17th, 2027 11:46 P.M.

Everfree Cabin, Equestria

I sat on the floor right in front of the fireplace, poking it with the poker. The creature of Earth shall be claimed and he will embrace the darkness. That single verse was still fresh in my mind just as it was all those years ago. Many moons ago I told Luna of this tale but we had both chosen to dismiss it as nothing but pure nonsense. Even then it had taken me months to shake those horrid words. Sadly tonight I could do nothing of the sort as I allowed myself to continuously repeat it.

The darkness is coming and this time, nothing can save us from our fate. Grimoire Dusk had invaded my dreams last night and proceeded to show me what was to become of me. On the surface I am calm and collected but underneath this facade is a man who isn’t scared for himself but for those around him.

There were three almost inaudible knocks on the door to my cabin; causing me to jump a little, bringing me out of my thoughts. I put down the poker and stood up, proceeding to walk over to the oak door. “Who’s there?” I asked flatly as they simply knocked again. I grabbed my staff from the corner near the door. “I won’t ask again, I demand to know your name.” I growled loudly as I heard a small whimper from outside the door, following by the clopping of hooves beyond the door. Fluttershy… I thought as I opened the door.

*SLAM* A pink blur slammed into the magic field covering the doorway. I cringed at the sound it made as the house shook slightly. Before I left I purchased a magical trinket to put over the front and back door to the house that kept unwanted guests out. When they tried to enter a magical shield would block their entrance. The only way for them to enter was for someone that lived here to welcome them in. I heard the sound of claws on wood and a door slam open as Faelan came running out of her room with katana in hand. “WHO’S THERE?!” She demanded.

I looked down at the porch as Fluttershy stood over a knocked out Pinkie Pie. “Not to worry Faelan, it’s just Pinkie and Fluttershy.” I pointed out.

“Oh, my.” Fluttershy said as she put a hoof to Pinkies head. “She’s knocked out!” She exclaimed quietly. I laughed as I waved it off.

“Don’t worry, she’ll come around in no time Fluttershy. Please, come in.” I offered as I heard the trinket give a small pop as the entrance opened for the two. I picked Pinkie Pie up with little effort and placed her on the couch across from the fireplace. “What brings you two here so late into the night?” I asked as I walked over to the kitchen and retrieved a teapot, a jug of water and a small container of jasmine tea leaves.

Faelan sat down on the couch next to the unconscious Pinkie Pie and stared at Fluttershy, awaiting her response. Fluttershy looked down at her hooves as I poured water into the teapot and placed it over the fire. “We just wanted to see if you were alright.” She finally responded. I looked over my shoulder at her and smiled.

“Truth be told, I’m just as scared as you are if not ever more so.” I said as she looked at me a little surprised. I turned my attention back to the fire and continued to poke at it. “That wasn’t the answer you assumed I would give, is it Fluttershy?” I asked gloomily, but I didn’t wait for a response. “Fear, a feeling that is wise to heed for only after it has been realized can it be quelled. I thought I had rid myself of this same fear many moons ago Fluttershy. Alas, it had been for naught as the fear has found itself in my heart and mind once more.”

“Whereas you and the others fear for keeping your own lives; I fear for the lives of those around me. Darkness knows not its boundaries within my heart as darkness had long been my friend when I was young. There’s an old saying from my world, one that explains my life in full. “I would rather walk with a friend in the dark, than alone in the light.”[1]” I fell silent as I continued to probe the fire-place with the poker as the teapot started whistling. I proceeded to finish brewing the tea.

“Would you like a cup Fluttershy?” I asked as I handed a cup to Faelan and placed one next to Pinkies face. She nodded slightly as I poured her, her own cup.

“What do you mean by, “Darkness had long been my friend”?” Fluttershy asked as she sipped her tea.

“I don’t think he wants to talk about it Fluttershy.” Pinkie said groggily as she rubbed her head with a hoof and sat up. I nodded in confirmation.

“Sorry Fluttershy, but she’s right. I’d rather keep that portion of my life behind me entirely.” I said as I stared down into my tea remembering the nights I would lie awake, staring at the ceiling with my memories of days and nights gone past. A loner and an outcast along the outskirts of the society I once lived in. I had so few friends I could count them upon one hand as day in and day out it was either someone was bullying me or I was completely left to my own brooding.

I sighed and waved the thoughts off before finishing my tea. “You two are more than welcome to stay the night as I know how the Everfree Forest is at night. You may take my bed or you may sleep on the couches.” I stated as I stood up and looked down at them as they looked up at me.

“Are you sure? I mean I don’t want to be a burden.” Fluttershy replied softly. I shook my head at her.

“You’re not a burden Fluttershy, trust me.” I reassured her as I saw her give a little smile.

“I call the left side of the bed!” Pinkie exclaimed as she disappeared in a pink wisp of smoke. I chuckled a little as I motioned towards the bedroom with a nod.

“Might want to get in there before she hogs all the covers Fluttershy.” I said jokingly as Fluttershy nodded and followed Pinkie into my bedroom, promptly shutting the door.

“Are you sure it’s okay for them to stay here?” Faelan asked with a little worry in her voice.

“As long as they remain in that room they will be safe Faelan. You should head to bed as well, we start training tomorrow morning.” I reminded her as she finished off her tea and headed to her room, locking it behind her. I looked over to my room to see that a pair of cyan eyes were looking out through a crack with worry heavy in them. “It’ll be okay Fluttershy, just lock the door and don’t come out. Anything you hear is to be ignored, if Pinkie tries coming out please do everything you can to stop her.” Immediately after finishing that the door slammed shut and was hastily locked.

[Thy only give them reason to distrust thee further.] Luna’s voice whispered into my ear.

“They may distrust me after all Luna, but if I can save them somehow it is worth it.” I responded with uncertainty lacing my voice in a vice like grip. No matter what I do, no matter how hard I try, we will not escape this unscathed. The future isn’t set in stone but my fear of what it beholds is not something to ignore. “Guard my body well Luna, if you are able to make sure the others stay asleep.”

[We shall, as long as thou dost keep thine promise to awake safely.] she replied as I started feeling the effects of the tea to take over me. The tea I used was interlaced with herbs to induce nightmares; the exact environment Grimoire needed to speak to me in. If I were dreaming normally he would have no chance of invading my mind as normal dreams work separately from nightmares in this world.

Nightmares on Earth were usually fear induced and left at most a mental or emotional scar, nightmares on Equus can harm the physical body in many ways and is a portal directly into the mind and soul of a creature. If you die within a nightmare, you die in the physical world as well. I had discovered this information after a rather unwelcome experience three years ago when I was attacked by a minotaur in my dream and it cut my arm using a sword. When I woke up I felt lightheaded and weak, when I looked down I saw I was lying in a small pool of blood. The wound I had retained from the fight was all too real. I quickly woke Faelan up for her to cauterize the wound before I was taken to a nearby hospital.

This is extremely dangerous to do but it’s a chance I’m willing to take if it can help me find a weakness within Grimoire. I silently fell onto the couch, my physical body resting on it while my mind faded through into the dark abyss of nightmares.

~ Time Unknown ~

~ Location Unknown ~

I looked up into the abyss as I continued plummeting downwards until the world around me began to materialize and the ground started rushing towards me. Directly below me I saw a lone figure clad in a black cloak walking slowly towards what seemed like a river of blood. This must be the outer ring of Violence. I thought to myself as I recalled the rings of Hell as Tartarus in this world was a direct reflection of it.

This is the seventh ring of Tartarus, violence; below me was, no doubt in my mind, Grimoire Dusk walking towards the river Phlegethon. This was the epitome of a true nightmare.

I felt a small shocking sensation as a blue aura wrapped around me and slowed my descent to the ground of Violence. It wasn’t the softest landing but it caused no damage to me. “Thank you Luna.” I said aloud as Grimoire stopped dead in his tracks due to hearing my voice.

I stood straight up and calmed the shaking that racked my body before starting to approach him. He turned around to face me, his cowl still covering his face but piercing silver eyes glowed beneath it. “Grimoire Dusk I presume?”

At the mention of his name his head perked up slightly and his eyes narrowed. “Can you not speak?” I asked.

“We can speak knave.” he hissed with a ghostly voice that made me cringe slightly.

“Do you remember who I am?” I glowered at him as I asked. He looked at my face fully before his eyes widened and contracted in acknowledgement.

“You would willingly come to me in a Nightmare? You are truly naive.” He pointed out as his form changed into mine once again and the world around us faded to an open field.

I created a sword out of thin air by simply thinking of it. “Yet with it being willingly and me being knowledgeable that this is a Nightmare, I have the same amount of control over it as you do.” I explained as I turned him into a statue then into a fish then back into his real form. He removed his hood to show that his skin and muscle had barely started regenerating. Small patches of fur started growing on the parts where his skin had finished healing creating a horrendous creature. I could see into his half grown jaw and see down his throat before fading into darkness as his cloak covered his body.

“You seem a bit disturbed at my current form Robert.” he snickered as I shook off the disturbing visage. “As you could tell, I have already reached the Seventh ring. Are you not worried for what will become of you?”

I shook my head. “Worried of what will become of me? You still live within the depths of Tartarus, to travel from the Eighth ring of Fraud it must have taken you several days perhaps even a week. We are in no immediate danger of you.” I responded as he nodded his head in agreement.

“For now anyways Robert. I do hope you don’t disappoint me.” At that moment I felt a sharp pain in my foreleg. I looked down to where the pain was coming from to find an arrow stuck through it, coming out the front of my leg. I turned around just in time as an arrow whizzed past my face and past Grimoire Dusk who was smiling at me. “Show me your control.” He said as the moon was blotted out by storm clouds.

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Several bolts of lightning touched the ground around us as we flung ourselves towards one another, fist against hoof. I ignored the pain as I grabbed him by the throat with my left hand and flung him across the field before he reversed his gravity and slammed into me. I was sent tumbling head over heels as I felt him send me flying into the air.

I quickly recovered and held my hand up and let the lightning strike me. Instead of it damaging me I redirected it at Grimoire Dusk. The lightning struck him but he quickly retaliated by sending a ball of fire my way. I barely dodged it only to have a bolt of magic find itself through my left thigh, causing me to grit my teeth in agony as I bared the pain.

I conjured more lightning towards me and sent several bolts into Grimoire Dusk. By the time the last bolt hit him there was a large plume of smoke covering the battle field. I created a shield, no sooner did a few magic bolts ricochet off of it. “I knew that you wouldn’t let me win so easily!” I yelled down to him as the dust settled to reveal Grimoire Dusk with a tattered cloak.

I heard him cackle before disappearing and slamming into my back to send me flying again. I saw him start to chase after me only for me to conjure lightning into my hand and punch him as he flew at me. My fist connected with the base of his horn and forehead, I felt the bone crack underneath it before the lightning erupted from the connection and it sent him flying into the ground.

You could hear a horrible crunch as his bones caved in and broke. It didn’t seem to affect him in anyway as he stood up and his body started healing itself. He cracked his neck to the left then to the right before glaring up at me and giving me a grotesque smile. “You aren’t taking me seriously, are you?” he asked.

I didn’t respond to his question as I appeared below him and slammed my fist into his half grown stomach. He recovered quickly and slammed a hoof into the side of my head, knocking me to the ground. I tried getting up before I felt a sharp pain in my left hand, I looked over to find that he had riveted my hand to the ground below. I melted it, allowing it to cauterize the wound before making it disappear. I rolled over as another rivet slammed into where my head was, and I continued rolling as a series of rivets followed me.

I finally regained control as I created a pit below me and quickly covered it. I stood up and created a pathway that lead directly underneath Grimoire. Once I was under him I created two spheres of air magic in each hand and dropped the ground from under him and slammed them into his stomach. The magic tore apart his still regenerating organs and sent him flying into the air. “Never underestimate your opponent Grimoire Dusk!” I yelled at him before I appeared above him and slammed my leg into him, sending him flying into the ground again.

I started diving down at him before he turned into my brother and stared up at me. “You would kill me Robbie?” he asked solemnly. My mind told me that he was real but I fought against it as my heart could tell he wasn’t.

“You just made a grave mistake Grimoire, I could kill family if it means to save others.” I glowered as his eyes widened as I stopped in mid-air and caught him with a telekinetic grasp. I created six magic circles around him; each one represented an element. Fire, Earth, Water, Air, Light and finally darkness. I charged each one with every ounce of energy I had left before letting it loose on him.

Grimoire was engulfed in sphere of magical energy that exploded with tremendous force that sent me flying. When I hit the ground the world around me faded.

June 18th, 2027 6:23 A.M.

Everfree Cabin, Equestria

I woke up with a start as the pain rung out through the entirety of my body. The blows to my head, back and stomach didn’t hurt as much as the cauterized wounds on my thigh and left hand. The wounds had already been patched up and cleaned, as well as the wound on my foreleg. I panted heavily as the pain continued to ring through my body. I stood up and limped over to my staff, using it for support.

I must have been out for a few hours after the nightmare, at least they listened to me. I thought thankfully to myself. “Faelan!” I yelled, no sooner did her door open. She didn’t give me any time to react as she slammed into me, burying her head into my chest and her arms wrapped around me, causing me to grit my teeth in pain.

“ROBERT!” She exclaimed through a tearful voice. I felt the bandages across my chest getting wet with tears as she wept. I smiled as I returned the embrace as best I could. “You almost died! You promised me-”.

“I’m sorry Faelan.” I whispered, “I am so very sorry that I was careless. I know that I promised I wouldn’t leave you and I plan to keep that promise. No matter what happens I will always be with you.” I pulled her closer as she continued to weep into my chest. I will never go back on my promises, daughter