Brothers of Chaos

Brothers of Chaos

The Dream

Pain and darkness, those were the first two things Twilight registered as she began to wake up. The third she realized was that she felt cold metal pressed to her hooves and ropes around her stomach holding her back to a metal pole. Her fore hooves were held against what felt like a table and her rear hooves were held against the cold stone floor.

Slightly moving her head to try and rid herself of the thing on her head, Twilight began to realize her left eye was swollen shut and she felt the pain of multiple bruises on her body. She tasted blood in her mouth and felt that her bottom lip was slightly split as she felt blood dripping from the bottom of her lip. She also became increasingly aware of her metal bonds cutting into her hooves.

Then her wings hurt more than anything. Individual ropes held them against her body, breaking feathers and leaving painful burns in their place. Concentrating, Twilight tried to use her magic to light up the area so she could see, but she couldn’t even feel her magic in her, ‘What’s going on?’

“Help...” a small voice said in the darkness. It sounded a little ways away, but there was no mistaking such a small voice for anypony else.

“H-h-hello...?” a second familiar voice said from near Twilight.

“Pinkie? Is that you?” another familiar voice said in the darkness.

“Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, Fluttershy, can any of you see?” Twilight asked fear gripping her heart as she heard them each say no.

“Twi, you here too?” a southern accented voice asked from somewhere else in the darkness.

“Yeah, it’s me. What about you AJ, can you see?”

“Nope, but I feel like I just went ten rounds with Buck Norris himself.” Applejack said making Twilight forget her own injuries and worry over her friends.

“I know just what you mean AJ.” Rainbow said sadly.

“Wait.” Twilight’s mind began buzzing with questions as the situation began to sink in, “Who’s all hurt and how bad.”

“I can barely move my rear-legs without ‘em in a world a hurt.” Applejack stated.

“I think my foreleg is broken, and I can’t move.” Pinkie said.

“I think I got a few cracked ribs, and bruises all over, but I think I’ll be fine.” Rainbow spoke next.

“Fluttershy, what about you?” Twilight asked, her mind working overtime with trying to figure out the situation.

“I-I don’t think-” Fluttershy’s voice was cut off by the sound of a large metal door slamming shut off in the distance.

“Everypony stay super duper quiet!” Pinkie said, everypony following her instructions quickly.

Everypony became aware of the sounds that neared them. In addition to the large foot steps, that Twilight deduced belonged to a biped, there was a dragging sound. As it came closer, Twilight began to fear the worst. So far Twilight knew they were all injured to some degree, tied up in a dark room, and she hadn’t heard from Rarity yet. Something was blocking her magic and, worst of all, she couldn’t remember anything from how this happened!

BANG

The room was suddenly flooded with light from a door bursting open to Twilight’s left side. This allowed her to see a limited area through the sack on her head. Immediately she saw silhouettes of the table she was bound to and a straight-maned pony on the other side of it. As slowly as she could, Twilight tried to get her head to tilt to the side, so she could try and see just who was doing this to them.

She saw the dark outline of a bipedal creature tieing another pony to a pole with rope and clamping their hooves to the table and the floor. Then it walked out of Twilight’s view and the sound of the door slamming shut rang in her ears. With the light gone Twilight listened to the heavy steps of the creature echo before the sound of the second door closing reached her.

“AJ, I think that thing just put Rarity with you.” Twilight said in a low whisper.

“I-I... Twilight... can ya use your magic?” Applejack asked slowly.

Twilight let out a small sigh, “No, I can’t even feel my magic for some reason.”

Twilight heard AJ gulp loudly, “Twi, what about your horn. Can ya feel that?”

Twilight’s eyes went wide. With the sack on her head her horn should of been one of the first things she felt, but she never did. Her mind began to race as she began to hyperventilate. Her thoughts began to stack on top of one another as she began to panic, “I can’t feel it. Why? Why can’t I feel my horn!?”

She ignored AJ’s words as she began to struggle against the bonds while her eyes began to fill with tears. Her friends and her were held captive and hurt by some creature and had taken her horn. ‘Wait.’

“Applejack...”

“Twi, I’m here for ya. We all are.” AJ responded.

“We’ll get out of here and get that meanie!” Pinkie shouted next.

“Yeah what Pinkie said. We’ll kick his flank!” Rainbow said next.

“The Princesses will save us...” Twilight barely heard Fluttershy say.

“Applejack, what about Rarity. Is her horn okay?” Twilight asked slowly.

There was just silence for a little bit before Applejack sighed, “I saw it, sugarcube. It’s split straight down the middle.”

“How did you see?” Rainbow asked.

“My bags got a hole in it by my good eye and Rares don’t got a sack on her head.”

“Twilight, what are we going to do?” Pinkie asked, making the tears come faster.

“I-I don’t know. Can anypony remember how we got here?” Twilight began to feel the cold darkness grip her body. Each of them said no and Twilight began to feel as if the situation was hopeless.

A scream pierced the air before Twilight could ask her next question, “My horn! My horn! It hurts!” Rarity sobbed repeatedly as she no doubt tried to get out of her bounds.

“Rarity! Rares, you need to calm down!” Applejack yelled to the frantic unicorn.

“Applejack? He-elp me-e-e!” Rarity sobbed uncontrollably.

“Rarity, we’re all here for ya, but ya need to calm down.”

“B-but it hu-urts!” Rarity cried. Twilight felt a cold chill down her spine and Rarity was also immediately quiet.

“I could always make the pain stop.” a voice said through the darkness. The lights suddenly flared on and Twilight felt the sack on her head get roughly pulled off. Squinting her eye and looking around the now bright room Twilight took in the states of her friends.

All the bags had been pulled off her friends too as across from her was a very injured Pinkie Pie with a straight mane. She had the same metal bands on her hooves and rope holding her back to a pole as Twilight felt on herself. Her left foreleg had an odd bump on it about halfway up that must of been a dislocated, or broken, bone. Then her face was bruised and beaten along with several cuts on her body that slowly bled.

Looking to her right Twilight saw Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy in the same situation as her and Pinkie. Rainbow had a lot of bruises and her wings seemed devoid of any feathers from what Twilight could see through the rope. She too was bruised and beaten to almost beyond recognition. Blood dripped from the corner of her mouth and she looked like she had single large cut on her cutie mark.

Rainbow stared across the table with tears in her eyes as Fluttershy was in the worst condition so far. With bloody bandages covering her eyes and so many bruises, Twilight could barely see a part of the pegasus without an injury. She too had a large cut across her cutie mark and her wings were without a single feather.

Turning her head to the left, Twilight saw Rarity and Applejack in the same position. Applejack’s rear legs were covered in bruises and cuts that she could barely see the color of the poor mare’s light orange coat. Her right eye was swollen shut and she had a gash across her forehead that had a trail of blood flowing from it and down her face. She too had a cut on her cutie mark, something Twilight was beginning to think they all had.

Rarity, while not as bad as Fluttershy, was in pretty bad condition. Her eyes were swollen from crying, horn split down the center to her head, and she had a split lip like Twilight. Once again she had the cut on her cutie mark and her mane seemed to of been pulled off as there was a trail of blood that trailed from behind her to over the ropes that kept her tied up.

“Amazing sight, all your best friends tied up and beaten.” the voice said again from behind Twilight. She tried to turn her head to look at who it was, but was unable to see them.

Loud boot steps echoed in the room as whoever it was that had spoke moved towards Rarity and Applejack, “So many things must be going through all of your heads right now.” he stopped at the far side of the table that held them and Twilight could see who it was.

It stood as tall as Princess Celestia, counting her horn, and seemed to radiate a cold, dark presence. Twilight got another chill down her spine as  she looked over the clothes the creature wore. No part of it’s body was uncovered, it’s feet had black boots on that were partially covered by the black, baggy pants it wore. It’s entire upper body was concealed by a hoodie and it’s hands were stuffed into the front pocket. It’s face was concealed by the darkness of the hood, despite the light being so bright.

“Of course, you're all probably wondering why you're here, no?” the thing said, electing a small cry from Rarity and a growl from Applejack.

“The only thing I’m concerned with is kicking your flank!” Rainbow yelled at him.

“Oh, so you don’t care who dies first?” Twilight’s eye went wide and Rainbow seemed to freeze in her attempts to escape her bonds, “Ha! Some Element of Loyalty huh?”

“You’ll never get away with this! The Princesses will stop you!” Rainbow yelled.

“And D-Discord would help them.” Fluttershy said weakly.

“Ha! Your puny Princesses don’t even know you’re here and Discord could never stand up to me, let alone save you.” he gave a dark chuckle before he brought his hands out of his pockets. They both had black gloves on them and his right hand held a silver ‘L’ shaped piece of metal.

“None of you may recognise this, but it’s the highly advanced version of what the Minotaur’s Flintlock Pistol. It’s called a Colt 44. Anaconda with an eight inch barrel length. All in all, one hell of a weapon.” he gave another dark chuckle before he began to walk in a circle around all of the groups.

“Today, we’re going to be playing a little game that we had back in my world. It’s called Russian Roulette, and it’s a very simple game.” he said the word game a little loudly as he passed by Pinkie, “I have six bullets, each one will kill one of you, but that would be much too easy. I need one of you to deliver a message to your dear Princesses, oh and Discord.”

He walked around the table that Rainbow and Fluttershy were tied to and continued towards Twilight, “Of course, I am personally rooting for Pinkie to be the one to deliver the message. Got a bet with someone on whether she would kill herself, go completely insane, or both.”

“Then why don’t you just let her go then you sicko!?” Rainbow shouted.

“Aw, but that isn’t how the game is played. Unlike Dizzy I like to stick to the rules as it makes winning so much more enjoyable.” he finally arrived back at AJ and Rarity’s table and set down a single cylinder of some sort on it, “This is one of the bullet’s that will soon blow your brains all over the floor and wall.” he said will a cheery tune.

“Please leave Applejack alone. Take me instead.” Rarity suddenly said making Applejack go wide eyed.

“Rares don’t say that, we’re all gettin outta here together. That’s the honest truth.” Applejack said with tears beginning to form in her eyes.

Shockingly the creature started sniffling as if it too were about to cry, “Wow... your words were so touching, I think I’ll just let you all live.”

“Really!” Pinkie shouted, her mane beginning to become all poofy again.

“Fuck no!” he shouted at her before breaking into a fit of laughter dashing all of their hopes in one move, “Oh, oh man, you should've seen the looks on your faces! Fucking priceless!”

He picks up the bullet as he called it and flicks something out on his weapon, “This is called the ‘cylinder’ and in it’s chambers are where I put the bullets.” he put the bullet in the cylinder, spun it, and flicked it back into the weapon while it was spinning, “There are spots for six bullets, but only one bullet is in the weapon. For this game we will be seeing who is unlucky enough to get the chamber with the bullet in it.”

He clacked something back before explaining, “What I just pulled back is called the ‘hammer’ and it’s what shoots out the bullet. Now, whoever dies won’t feel a thing as the bullet kills you. The rest of you will have ringing in your ears and, more than likely, a pain in your heart as it will mean one of your friends are dead.”

“Even if ya do kill us, we’ll always be together.” Applejack said looking across the table to Rarity then to the rest of us, “We share a bond that can never be broken, even by death itself.”

“Well, as touching as that is. Time to start the game.” he pointed his weapon at Applejack’s head and pulled back on something making a loud click sound echo through the room. He chuckled and pulled back the hammer and pointed it at Rarity her eyes were filled with tears and she stole a quick glance at Applejack before looking at the creature’s weapon.

Click, the weapon made the sound again as the hammer fell on one of the empty chambers. Rarity visibly relaxed before tensing up again as he pointed the weapon at  Applejack. She was staring daggers at the beast’ concealed face as he leveled the weapon with her head. A loud clack sound filled the chamber as he pulled the hammer back on the weapon.

BOOM!

Twilight was forced to look away as the contents of her friends head was blasted out the back of her head. Pieces of brain, parts of her skull, and so much blood splattered onto the ground, wall, and Twilight herself. Her other friends where screaming in horror, while Twilight just stared at the piece of skull that landed near her that still had skin and hair attached to it.

‘She’s gone... Applejack is gone.’ That thought repeated over and over in her head as she felt something splash on her rear legs. Looking up, she saw Pinkie had puked and had her eyes shut as tight as she could looking away from AJ’s body. Rainbow was yelling all kinds of obscenities at the creature along with threats while Fluttershy and Rarity cried uncontrollably.

Snap.

All noise in the room from Twilight, Rarity, and Pinkie stopped as if someone had hit the mute button. Fluttershy looked around unable to see what happened, “Rainbow, what happened! I still can’t see anything!”

The creature began to walked past Twilight’s table and addressed Fluttershy before Rainbow could, “Well Fluttershy, I just killed Applejack.”

“W-w-w-what!” Fluttershy began to start crying to herself no repeatedly.

“How could you! She had a family that needed her!” Rainbow yelled trying to get break free of the ropes that held her.

“So your saying I should of killed Rarity instead?”

“I’ll kill you!” Rainbow shouted.

“Whatever you say you poster filly for gay rights.” he said with another dark chuckle.

Rainbow let out a scream and tried her absolute hardest to get out of the ropes that bound her. The monster walked to the center of their table and laid down another bullet, “I assume you know what this is and what it’s capable of, cept you Fluttershy.” her response was a weak sob before he flicked out the cylinder again. Somehow the bullet he had just shot AJ with fell out and onto the floor as he put in the new one.

Spinning the cylinder and flicking it back in, he pointed the weapon at Fluttershy as Rainbow continued yelling at him, “Leave her alone you sick bastard!” he pulled back the hammer and Twilight watched in mute horror as he pulled the little lever on the bottom.

The sound that flooded the chamber was a deafening click, leaving Twilight sighing in relief. Fluttershy began to cry more as the bandages covering the bottom of her eyes got soaked. Rainbow looked at the creature with eyes full of hatred and fear, but not an ounce of the fear was for herself, “You are a sick piece of shit.”

He merely chuckled as he pulled the hammer back and pressed the weapon to Rainbow’s head. Twilight watched as Rainbow closed her eyes and waited for the weapon to take her life. While Rainbow’s eyes were closed the monster gave off a small laugh before making a clicking sound himself. Rainbow visibly relaxed and looked back up at him.

BOOM!

Just like with Applejack, parts of Rainbows cranial cavity was blown out the back of her head and onto the walls and floor. Twilight was now covered in the blood of two of her best friends and she could no longer keep her dinner down. While she emptied out the contents of her stomach, the creature gave another laugh as Fluttershy began calling out to Rainbow in a vain attempt to get her friend to talk.

Twilight looked at her own body and began to scream a muted scream as it was now almost completely covered in the blood of two of her best friends. Snapping his fingers again Fluttershy was now silent and Twilight could hear her own cries of anguish as well as Pinkie’s. He walked over to their table laughing as hard as he could, “Hahahahahaha, oh that couldn’t of been more perfect! So unlucky that girl, almost a shame it ended so soon.”

“You’re a monster.” Pinkie said slowly before she shouted, “You’re just a big, mean monster!”

He sniffles and holds his left hand over his heart, “Oh, please no. Call me anything but that.” he says with his voice dripping with sarcasm, “I really hope you get to live with the fact your friends are dead.”

Pinkie broke down into a fit of tears while Twilight stare so full of hatred that- “Ha! You should see how you face looks right now!” he began laughing, “I should of brought my cammera!”

Once again he put a single bullet on the table in between both Twilight and Pinkie Pie, “Okay, I think you’re getting what’s going to happen next so would you like any last words?” he asked looking between us.

Twilight opened her mouth to say something before he grabbed the bullet and laughed, “Just kidding you can talk while I play with your lives.”

While he began with his loading process Twilight looked to Pinkie and then Rarity and Fluttershy, “Pinkie, Rarity, Fluttershy, if I don’t make it out of this, whoever does please, look after Spike for me.”

Rarity looked on with tear stained face and nodded her head vigorously. Fluttershy gave a few nods before hanging her head down and sobbing more than ever, Twilight could tell with how rapid her breathing was. Then Pinkie looked at her, “Girls, whoever makes it out of here, please tell my parents I’m-”

BOOM!

Pinkies head jerked back as she fell to the same fate as Rainbow and Applejack, “No! Pinkie-e...” Twilight lowered her head, sobbing, and looking away from the blood and brain covered walls behind her dead friend. Rarity seemed to be screaming her head off as she was now covered almost as much as Twilight.

“Wow! And I thought Rainbow was unlucky! Just think Twilight, you’ll never know what she wanted to tell her parents, shame that... Oh well moving on to the Semifinals!” the creature shouted with a sick joyful tune. He snapped his fingers again and Twilight was suddenly at a triangular table with Rarity to her right and Fluttershy to her left. They were all still tied and bound the same way as last time. The room was now completely dark with only one light above the table that they were on giving off a faint humming sound.

All three of them were still crying and the overhead light began to flicker. The sound of metal on hardwood reached Twilight’s ears as she saw the weapon the creature had was now spinning in the middle of the table. The creature’s voice seemed to come from everywhere, “Round and round we go, where it stops no one knows!”

Twilight and Rarity had their eyes glued to the weapon as it started to slow down. It passed Rarity then slowed on Fluttershy before snailing past Twilight and ending pointing directly at Rarity. Fear was evident on her face as she looked to Twilight, “Twilight, Fluttershy, tell my family-”

Rarity was cut off as the weapon was suddenly grabbed and put to her temple. The click of the empty chamber was almost deafening. The creature began to laugh, “Well, looks like your luck is still going strong little miss Rarity.” he said as he pulled back the hammer, walked behind Fluttershy, and put his head right by her ear, “Let’s see if your luck is still good.”

She visibly shuddered and tried to move her head away from the monster, only to have it shoved back with the end of his weapon. Twilight tensed as he pulled the trigger, the click echoing through the room just like the others. The creature let out a small sigh before looking to Twilight, “You know, for some reason, I really want her to die.”

He pulled the hammer back and put the barrel directly between Twilight’s eyes. For the first time, Twilight felt the cold steel against her skin and it alone sent chills down her spine, “You’ll never get-” Twilight was interrupted by a loud click and the monster just let out a large sigh.

“Damn, I really wanted you to die too so I wouldn’t have to hear one of the most cliche lines in history.” he said walking behind Rarity and pushing the weapon to her head and pulling back the hammer.

“Tell my family I love them!” Rarity said quickly before closing her eyes and waiting for the end. As he pulled the trigger the weapon gave out another click.

“Oh things are heating up now!” he said with sadistic glee. He pulled Rarity close and looked between Twilight and Fluttershy, “So, baldie, who do you think will bite the bullet, your spa buddy or your book club buddy?”

Rarity began to tear up as she looked between Fluttershy and Twilight, “Please sto-o-op thi-is.” she sobbed.

“Shh shh, it’ll be over soon.” he said patting her on the head and moving to Fluttershy, “So, any last-”

“Please take care of my animals, please.” Fluttershy said quickly, cutting off the monster.

“Wow, I guess pegasi just have no manners. With how RD was screaming her head off I-”

“Don’t you dare call her that! Only her friends could call Rainbow Dash RD and your-”

BOOM!

Pieces of Fluttershy’s head were blown onto the table along with a lot of her blood, adding another coating to Twilight and Rarity. Speaking of whom, they both screamed her name before breaking down into cries and sobs. “Oh thank god! I was really getting tired of her interrupting me.” the creature laughed.

“You monster! How could you!” Rarity yelled staring daggers into the creatures concealed face.

It let out a long laugh as it began loading another bullet into the cylinder of the weapon. He hopped up on the table and sat down with his legs crossed towards the empty space between Twilight and Rarity. He then began speaking as if he was an announcer, “Now things get really interesting as we are in the final round. This will be the third time Rarity has had this Colt 44 Anaconda pointed at her, let’s see if the old saying of ‘third time's the charm’ is true.”

Seemingly as slowly as he could, he pulled back the hammer on the Anaconda and Twilight watched in horror as he pulled the trigger ever so slowly. A loud click was what followed but Twilight didn’t relax as she thought of what to tell Rarity. As the weapon was pointed at Twilight, she thought of two things that couldn’t wait.

“Rarity, please make sure my brother-” the monster pulled back the hammer on his weapon, “-doesn’t go after him on his own.” a loud click followed as the hammer fell on an empty chamber.

“Twilight, watch over Sweetie Bell.” the monster pointed his weapon at Rarity, “I know she’s not here to say it-” the hammer was pulled back, “Applejack would of wanted-” a loud click echoed, “-one of us to help with her family.”

As the hammer was pulled back on the weapon, Twilight nodded, “Take care of Spike.” the monster put the weapon against her head and the room was once again filled with a loud click.

“Of course.” Rarity said as she looked at the monster, “Do your worst.”

“Oh my worst would be so much more than this.” he said with a as he pulled the hammer back, “To bad you won’t be around for that.” he thrust the Anaconda against her split horn and pulled the little lever on the bottom.

Click.

“Wow, did I miss call that.” he said laughing as he casually pulled back the hammer and pointed the Anaconda at Twilight.

“What makes you think you’ll get away with this?” Twilight asked as the weapon was pressed against her head, right between her eyes.

“Ha! Bitch please, I have this!” he shouted.

“No, Twilight!” Rarity screamed as the creature pulled the small lever on the bottom of the weapon. Twilight’s eyes went wide as  her world went black. She never even got the chance to scream.

______________________________________________________________________________

“You monster! You sick psychotic bastard!” Rarity yelled in anger as she watched the last of her best friends die in front of her eyes. The creature looked at her and, despite the fact she couldn’t see it’s face, she knew it was smiling at her torment.

“Heh heh, like I said-” he held up the strange weapon, “-it’s really powerful, especially against living things.” It began to laugh as it lifted it’s hand and snapped it’s fingers. Rarity suddenly found herself in another dark room with the only light above her shining down.

The table she had been attached to was gone and her forehooves were now within the rope that held her to the pole. Rarity felt something breathing on her neck from behind her, “Now, it’s time for my message to the Princesses.” he said with a dark chuckle. Rarity watched in horror as the creature pulled up a very large knife and held it in front of her face. Rarity wanted to asked what he was doing, but was too scared to do so as he slowly dragged the knife down the side of her face. It wasn’t cutting, but Rarity felt that it soon would be.

“Oh, would you like to see how your friends are doing?” he said with sarcasm. He snapped his fingers and Rarity watched in horror as lights began to turn on from left to right in front of her, revealing her dead friends. Rarity looked at each of her dead friends slowly looking from each one and taking in their appearance as if it was the last time she would see them. They went from the first to die, to the last, and it just made Rarity break down into sobs once more.

Suddenly Rarity felt the knife plunge into her chest and into one of her lungs. Pain was what immediately flooded into Rarity’s thoughts, making her open her mouth in a mute scream. The wound immediately began to freeze over as the figure spoke, “This, is the cold grip of death. Tell them, The Spirit of Death is out and ready to claim the lives of all the traitors of the past.”

_____________________________________________________________________________

Twilight bolted up in her bed, her body covered in sweat and and her mind racing with what she just went through. Her breaths were ragged and short as she gasped loudly to try and calm herself down. Her forehooves shot to her forehead and Twilight let out a sigh of relief as she found her horn safely attached to her head.

“Your Highness, is everything alright?” one of the night guards outside her room asked.

Twilight gave a silent thanks that spike now had his own room before she climbed out of bed. As she opened the door she was face to face with two of her guards who began to bow. “We don’t have time for that. Both of you are to go, find three other guards, then split up to check on my friends. If-when you find them, please ask them if they would please come to the castle throne room. Escort them if they agree, but if they decline it’s fine.” Twilight then moved between the guards and walked down the corridor to Spike’s room.

The guards took off to do as she asked and Twilight tried contained the urge to run to Spike instead of walking calmly. Trying to take her mind off of the dream she just had, Twilight began to look around the bare walls of her castle. While she was still having electric wiring installed the main lighting sources were glowing gems that shined as they detected a presence nearby. Overall the castle was dark most of the time still and it just served to unnerve Twilight on her short trip to Spikes room.

As she arrived at Spikes door she gave a nod to the two night guards in their dark armor as they bowed to her. She began to open the door with her magic, “I’ll be out in a minute.” They both stayed quiet as she entered the room and shut the door. Seeing Spike sleeping in his bed, half covered in blankets, with a line of drool running down his mouth and onto the pillow made her feel better.

She went over to his desk and began writing out a letter to the princesses with his parchment. It lightly detailed what happened in the dream as well as a request for more guards and a visit if possible. She walked over to Spike and gently shook him with her hoof, “Spike~, Spike~.”

“Eh? What...” he replied groggily as Twilight levitated a scroll in front of him.

“I just need this sent to the Princesses.” she said quietly.

“Which?...”

“Luna’s on duty now so to her.”

Spike blew out a green flame and the message turned into smoke and flew out the slightly cracked open window. She smiled as he turned over and went back to sleep.

She walked out the door, shutting it behind her, before she started walking towards the throne room. It was taking all of her willpower to charge out the door to see if Rarity was alright. At the same time she wasn’t sure if the dream had involved all of them or if it was just a warning to her. As she entered the room that had the seven thrones for her, Spike, and her friends she was awarded with the sound of panting and armor clanking together.

To Twilights left was a panting Pinkie Pie with a straight mane and the Royal Guard that had gotten her right behind standing by the door. The sight of her friend immediately proved the worst was true and they all had seen the dream. Before anything else could happen, Twilight teleported in front of Pinkie and the two of them embrace while Pinkie began crying. Not in the over dramatic streams that she would usually, but like a how a normal pony would cry.

The two guards on duty looked onto the scene with confusion, but didn’t ask anything. As the two mares cried the guard that had gotten Pinkie bowed and spoke up, “Your highness, I witnessed the guard sent to Lady Rarity’s home on his way back slowly with her beside him. She didn’t look in the best of shape.”

“Thank you, return to your station.” Twilight said trying to keep her voice straight.

As the guard saluted and walked away towards the suits, Twilight saw Rarity and another of the night guard supporting her as she cried. The white unicorn looked up at Pinkie and Twilight and rushed towards them fast enough to give Rainbow a run for her bits. She embraced Twilight while Pinkie rubbed her hoof on her back to try and calm her down.

“Shh, its okay, we’re all okay. You’re safe Rarity, we’re all safe.” Twilight said as multiple hoofsteps alerted her to the arrival of more ponies.

“So what happen wasn’t jus me.” Applejack’s accent never sound so amazing to Twilight than in that moment. Rarity turned away from Twilight and looked at the apple farmer with new tears in her eyes. Not a word was said as Rarity moved away from Twilight and hugged Applejack instead.

Twilight glanced at Pinkie to see her hair had gained some puffiness, but it was a long way from being its usual style. More hoofsteps alerted them to the arrival of more guards and the last two of the dream survivors. Behind AJ and Rarity, Rainbow was holding onto a crying Fluttershy as they walked into the room.

Twilight addressed the four guards in the room, “Good work, all of you. Now report back to your stations.” the all saluted and left the throne room to the six friends.

With only her friends with her in the room with her now, Twilight looked amongst the five mares for any actually damage from their experience. Rarity was still crying into Applejack’s shoulder but had calmed down significantly when Fluttershy and Rainbow had walked into the room. Speaking of whom, the two pegasi stayed close together, Rainbow looking at the corners of the room for any danger while Fluttershy continued to sob into her coat. Pinkie was rubbing Fluttershy’s back, trying to calm her down too, despite not looking too well herself.

“... Twilight.” Applejack said gaining everypony’s attention, “What in tarnation jus happen. If in that was a dream, then shouldn’ ah Princess Luna put a stop to it.”

Twilight took a deep breath to calm herself before she answered, “Whatever that thing was, I’d say it’s safe to assume it’s powerful. I’m sure it blocked her somehow.” Twilight looked at the sobbing Rarity, “The first step in solving this puzzle is the message.”

“So, who won the stupid challenge of his?” Rainbow said with anger evident in her voice.

“I-I was after you...” Pinkie said quietly from beside Fluttershy.

“Th-then...” was all Fluttershy got out before she pulled Rainbow into her hug even more, her tears coming with renewed vigor.

“I was after, Rarity was last.” Twilight finished looking back towards her sobbing white friend. She walked over to the fashionista and rubbed her back, “Whenever you want to talk, right now we’re here, for eachother.” Twilight looked back to her friends as well.

Rarity just shook her head into Applejack’s coat. Twilight nodded before looking back towards the others, surprise flashing across her face as she saw not just her friends, but Princesses Luna and Celestia coming down the hall towards them. Taking one look at her friends, Twilight began trotting towards the Princesses, meeting them at the door.

After a short bow between the three of them Celestia first spoke up, “Twilight, while its always nice to see friends, please, what happened to you and the other elements.”

“W-well, we-” Twilight started before she was interupted.

“Oh I’ll tell ya what happened.” Rainbow said shifting Fluttershy over to Pinkie before approaching the Princesses, “Something attacked us in our dreams. The only thing I remember is pain and dieing because of that thing. I don’t even want to know what it did to Rarity!”

Putting her hoof on her friends shoulder Twilight quietly whispered, “Rainbow, your scarring Fluttershy.” looking back towards the shy pegasus, Rainbow drooped before sighing and walking back towards them.

Keeping surprisingly quiet Luna asked, “Peculiar, I was monitoring the dreamscape and never noticed any disturbances. Did you get a look at what was causing such a dark dream?”

“It was tall, bipedal, black boots, baggy pants, it wore a hoodie and I never saw its face. It used what it called a ‘Colt 44 Anaconda’ to...” Twilight trailed off as both Princesses looked at her as if she were crazy and Luna looked on the edge of hyperventilating.

“You... you’re sure, absolutely sure about this Twilight?” Celestia asked with... fear, in her voice?

“Yeah, that’s what I saw too.” Rainbow stated.

“Yeah that’s the big meanie.” Pinkie said quietly while Fluttershy simply nodded. Celestia and Luna looked between each other before Rarity turned to look at the Princesses before her eyes grew wide and her breath caught in her throat.

“Rares, are you-” Applejack was cut off as Rarity’s eyes began glowing a icey blue.

With her eyes glowing and looking at the Princesses Rarity spoke in a voice that made all the ponies in the room shiver, “This, is the cold grip of death. Tell them, The Spirit of Death is out and ready to claim the lives of all the traitors of the past.” Rarity dropped to the floor, her eyes returning to her normal color, and was suddenly surrounded by a blue-violet aura.

“Sh-she’s fine, just exhausted.” Luna stated as she stopped her flow of magic, “She’ll be having sweet dreams now, but I suggest you all sleep here for tonight.”

“Princesses, what's happening?"

“Luna and I will have to check something, but if what attacked you really is the Spirit of Death, then I fear the fate of not only Equestria will be on the line.” Celestia said as Applejack slipped Rarity onto her back.

“Who is the Spirit of Death? What did he mean by Traitors? Why are-” Celestia lifter her hoof to stop Twilights stream of questions.

“We will discuss this in the morning, right now you all need to get your rest.” Celestia  stated before turning towards the exit.

“Friends, Celestia and I need to check something before we meet in the morning. Please be safe, I will look over your dreams personally this night, have no fear.”

Looking back at her tired Friends Twilight looked at Luna smiling, “Thank you Luna.”

Smiling, Luna turned to Join Celestia on the way out of the castle while Twilight turned to address her friends, “I’ll have the guards bring sleeping bags and we’ll sleep in Spike’s room tonight.”

With half mumbles of acknowledgment, Twilight led the mares away from the throne room and to the suits section of the castle. There would be a lot of explaining to do in the morning. As well as an adventure that they would all need their energy for.