Chapter 11: Goddass Of The Night.

***Lily pov.***

I was worried about the training I was helping Dust teach Talion how to fight. But despite my dislike for the Von he was a fast learner. But I feared for Lady Hel safety. But my fears were made even more apparent when we saw just how large the kingdom was.

The large walls were huge and I feared for what could happen to us. However I didn’t like Maggabl idea about getting in. “This is a horrible idea, No one is going to believe we are your servants.” I said to the old rat. His plan was to pose as a traveller learning about magic.

“Shut up Talion show at least some skill but we’ll need more than this. Also we’re not going into the keep first, We need to make a stop.” Said Maggabl as he take us of the path. I didn’t like it, he was up to something I just know it. That when I felt something was wrong the forest around us had gotten darker.

“Umm Mag, You know those guys from before? You know the Keeplord who sent me off to Marry Hel?” Talion asked and I saw who he was talking about. I saw Von in armour and hoods slowly walk out of the woods all around us. As they was slowly closing in, I reached for my hidden sword but was stopped by the rat called Buggey who pointed with his head. That when I saw a rat with a staff made of metal and a large gem in the blade.

I didn’t like this but I could tell he was a magic user, like Dust who had the shrunken bug pony resting on her back. We was lead to a some kind of cave as I and the one called Talion guarded Hel in between us. As much as I didn’t trust him, he at least cared about Hel well being unlike her father.

“Crap, it BoneSnaper.” Talion said as we saw what they called a Baneknight. We all stopped as I kept my eyes on everyone around us ready to fight.

“You still haven’t gotten married yet?” Asked the one called BoneSnaper I could tell his looking at both me and Lady Hel.

“We thought it be best to take down the towers first. You know get the big stuff out of the way first.” Said Talion as he stepped closer to Lady Hel.

“Hmm… What's going on?” The little bug pony said as she began to wake up on Dust’s back.

“Talion Ragnarok and… Miss Vaunlin? will enter this cave. You will come back in one piece or as a shadow. Ever way it matters not, you will ask the blessing of a our lady of the night. Go…” BoneSnaper said moving out of the way of the cave.

“Lady Hel you can’t do this what if it’s a trap.” I said in a guarded tone. I didn’t trust any of them, my mission in life is to keep her safe I can’t let her go alone. But Hel just reached out and held my hand.

“It alright, I’ll be protracted by the light.” Lady Hel said as she looked to the one called Talion and held onto his arm. Talion looked nevares as well as they both walked over to the cave.

“Before we go in are there any traps?” Talion asked. The one called BoneSnapper just shook his head no. I didn’t trust him I wanted to go to but as soon as they walked in a magic barrier was placed over the cave entrance.

“There is nothing to fear.” Said the rat with the metal staff as he walked over, what worried me was his yellow glowing eyes. “They will be fine.” I didn’t trust them but I did pray for Lady Hel safety.

***Talion pov.***

“So your last name Vaunlin? It a nice name.” I said trying to start a conversation to take our minds off the creepy cave we’re walking in. To be fair I don’t think either one of us wants to be down here. It didn’t help we found skeletons on the floor, I was so on edge I was holding Hel’s hand. I think she didn’t expect that because she made a sound that was like a squeak. Oh gods that was adorable.

“Umm, are you alright Ragnarok?” Hel asked looking up at me, hard to tell with that hood over her head. I don’t even know what she looks like, but somehow I imagine she looks like Lilly only without the brown fur.

“I’m okay, just a little scared in here.” I replied as we walked deeper. “Don’t even know if there anything living in here.”

“Talion we can go back?” Hel asked as I felt her squeeze my hand. As much as I’d like that I felt we would not be let out. I don’t even know what that Von meant by blessing, maybe there a statue or altar or something...  Please don’t let there be a monster living down here.

That when we saw torches being light by themselves that made me and Hel jump as we hold onto each other. I looked around slowly as I held her close to me. “It okay… It okay to be scared of the creepy cave. There nothing wrong with that…” I told myself trying to calm down.

As we walked deeper into the cave together I could not help but feel my fur stand on end. There was something down here. We then entered into a large room with black stone everywhere. I was about to keep walking when Hel stopped me.

“We can’t go in here.” Hel said I could hear the fear in her voice. I looked back to her and took one of her hands.

“It going to be okay Hel. We need to keep moving.” I tell her as I slowly try and encourage her to come with me. “I know you're scared so am I, But we need to keep moving.” Hel slowly nodded her head as she took a step onto the black stone and we walked in deeper. We then find there were less and less torches in this large room as I swear I saw something moving in the dark. We then found a light, and under it was some kind of helmet. Wait, no. I know what it is.

Setting there on a altar was Nightmare Moon helmet. “Okay… What do we do now?” I asked myself as all the torches go out. Plunging both me and Hel into darkness, The strange part was I could still see. I could see everything so clearly now in this place, that when I noticed a soft glow of light. I turned around and saw Hel holding a orb of light in her hands.

“Hel?” I asked looking at her with wide eyes. She knew magic…

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to.” Hel said sounding scared, I go over to her and looked at the orb. I reached out with my hand and touched it, it was warm.

“Why didn’t you tell anyone you could use magic?” I asked looking at her. Hel dropped to her knees as she started to cry, I didn’t understand why so I hugged her. I didn’t understand what was going on but all I knew was she needed someone. “It okay Hel, I’m not mad or angry at you.”

“How sweet.” Spoke a voice from the shadows. I drawn my sword and looked around, to me it looked like the shadows had a mind of there own.

“Hel stay behind me.” I said as I get ready for whatever come my way. The shadows almost looked like water moving around us.  I draw my wiest blades ready for a fight, I may have been thrown into this crazy mess. But I wasn’t going to let anyone hurt Hel, after all she never ask for any of this.

“Hel, can I pass through this barrier?” I asked watching the shadows move along the floor, and up and down the walls. It was strange, it almost looked like the shadows were alive. But I wanted to be careful, for all I know these things could take over my body. Or eat my brain for all I know.

“Yes Talion, why?” I didn’t need to face her to hear the uncertainty in her voice. I felt kinda bad for what I’m about to do.

“Wish me luck.” Right after I said that, I walked through the barrier into darkness. Huh, that felt strange. When I turned back to look at Hel I could not see her or the barrier she was in. I may not be able to see or hear anything, but I bet she can still hear me.

“I’m okay Hel, I just can’t see anything, or hear you. Apart from that I’m fine.” This was so weird to me. I then noticed something move, okay no need to panic now, just remain calm. I charged lightning into one hand, ready for whatever was going to come at me. What I saw was not what I was expecting.

“Fear me for I am the night!” Said the dark figure as she walked out of the shadows. “Bow before your master!”

All I could do was stand there and stare at this… Adorable little filly, my god she was just so cute. I bet she could give the cmc a run for their money. If I wasn’t so dumbfounded I’d be hugging her right now, I slowly put my sword away as I tried to understand what I was seeing.

“What are you gawking for! I said bow!” She demanded as she glared at my face. I was trying not to laugh but, it was just so hard with that cute little face and her little fangs. She was practically a chibi version of nightmare moon now that I think about it.

“How dare you disobey your mas... What's so funny!?” She shouted, her tiny cheeks puffing out in frustration.

“You’re just so cute!” I finally broke and hug her, I could not help it she was so small and cute, and cuddly.

“No! Stop that! I am not cute!” She screamed, flailing in my arms in a vain attempt to escape the hug. “I am the night! Fear me!”

“She so small.” I hear Hel say, as it looks like she dropped her barrier and held a orb of light in her hand. “How did a filly so small get all the way down here?” She asked looking at the mimi nightmare moon in my arms. I decided to put her down and watch as she ran over to hide behind the helmet.

“I am not a filly!” She whined, keeping the helmet between herself and the orb of light. I waved for Hel to put the orb away, then go over to talk with the filly nightmare moon.

“Hi there, do you live here?” I asked, looking between the helmet and the filly. “We were sent down here to get some kind of blessing?”

“Yes I live here! And too bad, I won’t give you my blessing after what you did to me!” The filly said grumpily.

“I gave you a hug, what so bad about that?” I asked, as I set on the floor in front of her. Hel also joined me setting by my side.

“You wouldn’t obey me! It has nothing to do… with… the hug...” The filly sputtered, her face turning a slight shade of pink. My god she was so cute!

“We’re sorry for not obeying you, but when we saw you. Anyway we need this to make peace between our two people.” Hel explained, as I’m trying to hold myself back from hugging the little nightmare moon.

“No.” Nightmare said, crossing her front hooves and looking away. I didn’t like her attitude, she sounded like a spoilt brat. But then I had an idea, a crazy one but it was better than nothing.

“How about a deal?” I asked smiling to myself as she looked at us. Even Hel looked at me unsure what I had in mind. “You give us this blessing to get married and I’ll take you with us.”

Nightmare looked at me with a mixture of surprise and interest. “Hmm, I don’t know…” She said, eyeing me warily. “How would you take me with you? And for what reason do you think I would want to come with you?”

“Well, I’m planning on leaving the inland. See what out there with Hel, maybe go to your home in equestria. Maybe you’d want to see what happened to your home after so long?” I asked trying to find a good reason for her to come with us, really I felt bad for her to be living down here all by herself. “Maybe say hello to your big sister Luna?”

“How did you!? No, I don't want to see my… ‘sister’...” Nightmare said nervously, “B-but… it would be nice to see the world after being in this cave for so long…”

“What do you say, want to come with me and see what out there?” I asked, holding my hand out to her. I saw the way she was looking at me, unsure, fear, but also a little longing for something more. This little filly wanted to see the world and it looks like I’m going to show her.

“F-fine... Then I give you my blessing…” She said before her form started to fade, “You better keep your promise!” she then added before completely disappearing. I blinked at this and looked around.

“Okay… Umm, are you still here?” I asked looking around, I didn’t want to just walk off and leave her behind after saying all that stuff before. The helmet then suddenly gave off a soft glow at my words, and had a bit of an irritated vibe coming off of it for some reason.

“Right, so how do I get you out of there? Do I just touch the helmet or?” I asked picking the helmet up and looking it over. Hel looked it over with me, I didn’t want to just take the helmet and get on the Von bad side. But at the same time how do I take Nightmare with me? Come to think of it, I need a better name for her.

“Maybe there some way to get her out?” Asked Hel, as we took turn looking it over. Truth was I had no idea how to get her out of the damn thing. I also felt tired, so me and Hel decided to take a little nap. Couldn’t hurt after all, we’re dealing with a little kid. I then found myself in a familiar place, the blackness of my subconscious. This is all I see when I sleep, I rarely dream at all or have nightmares. But something felt off this time along, this time I saw the little filly looking at me.

“Hi.” Was the only thing I could think to say as I looked at her. She looked worried and a little scared. “What wrong?”

“Are you going to leave me?” She asked. I felt sad at this, as much as I want to help I just don’t know what to do.

“I want to bring you with us, but I don’t know how to get you out of that helmet.” I answered sitting up and looking around. “There way too much space inside my head huh?” When I asked that I got a giggle out of her. I smiled then pulled her into a hug. “We’ll figure something out.”

“Yeah, but you're going to have to take my old helmet with you. what you see before you is nothing but a shard of my former self that is fused to the helmet, there is no way to separate me from it without erasing me…” Nightmare said sadly.

There had to be away to take her with us but what. Come on think there too to be a… I wounder, no after what happened last time I don’t think Thor will be willing to help any time soon.

“Say, what if you could live in something else?” I asked looking down at her, maybe there away to move her without hurting her.

“You think I haven’t tried that yet…” She deadpanned.

“What about something alive?” I asked, waiting on her to reply.

“I’m not going to take a host like I did luna… I just couldn't do it…” She sighed as she dissolved into smoke before rematerializing as her full grown from a few feet away, but something about it felt off.

“Night?” I asked as I stand up, something tell me I should be ready to run. But I wanted to see where this go. Seeing as this was all in some kind of dream. “What wrong?”

“I changed you know, I’m not the same mare that everypony claims that I am.” Nightmare started as she slowly turned to face me. When she did, Nightmare got taller... Like her old form taller, older as well. “Ever since I was defeated by the elements I was separated from luna and had my soul torn to pieces, each piece in a separate shard of my armor. I don’t know what happened to the other shards, but as for me… I just want to live my life with ponies that care about me and get out of this cave…” she ranted, tears dripping from her eyes.

I could tell she wanted a way out then I thought of something, “What happen if I put my magic into the helmet?” I asked as I start to walk up to her thinking.

“Not much, it would probably allow me to take a physical form longer, but that's pretty much it…” She sighed, now that I could see her face I realized what seemed off, she looked more feminine than I had remembered from the show, almost to the point that she looked like a completely different pony.

“What about being born again? Is there a way to do that?” I asked just going through random ideas and seeing what works.

“No thank you, I’m not ready for reincarnation yet… I still have to make up for my past sins…”

“Damnit, I’d ask Thor for help but I don’t think he will after I begged him to help Morgan!” I ran my hands through my fur on my head. Come on think of something! There has to be away to bring her with us but what? I don’t even know why I’m trying so hard to get her out of here.

“Anyway, if you can't keep your promise I will understand, you wouldn't be the first…” Nightmare said as she stared off into space.

“But I want to keep this promise and I want to help you! It just so frustrating that I don’t know how!” I snapped at myself, then a thought hit me, the magic crystal morgan tried to eat. Could that somehow help her?

“The only way I can leave the cave is if you were to take my helmet with you somehow.” Nightmare sighed as she looked like she was beginning to sweat. I blinked at her, I didn’t know alicorns could sweat.

“Is there something wrong?” I asked walking over to see if she was okay. Even if she was taller then me I reached out to her forehead and checked if she was warm. No idea if that work in a dream but hey, one can try.

“N-no… it’s just that taking this form… and entering your dreamscape… It’s quite taxing on my reserves…” Nightmare said as she stumbled.

“Well if that was all just use my magic, I have no idea how to use it anyway.” I replied smiling at her, I swear she was just being adorable. One thing I can’t work out is why she is blushing.

“N-no, I couldn’t use your magic! S-something like that…” She said before looking away.

“It fine don’t worry about it, it no big deal.” I replied having no idea why she acting this way. “I’ll just be a little tired nothing to worry about.”

“No big deal!? For a being such as myself, something like that… No, using luna’s magic was one thing… But using the magic of someone I’m not related to…”  She said as she started to back away from me, her blush growing.

I feel like I’m missing context here, what was the big deal? It not like I’m asking her to sleep with me or anything, that would be more than a little awkward. “Okay explain to me why this is such a big deal to you? Maybe it’ll help me understand?” I asked seeing her checks take on a lighter shade of red.

“W-well, my current form is made entirely of magic… so sharing magic with somepony…” Nightmare tried to explain before squeaking and covering her face with her hooves, too embarrassed to continue.

“Sharing magic with you is… What?” I asked, getting a little annoyed that she dancing around the point.

“Y-you could say… it’s a... very intimate thing to do…” Nightmare whimpered.

I stare at her, my mind just blanks at this as I try and understand her meaning. “How… intimate?” I asked, I swear I felt my face get warmer. I just hopped this wasn’t going in the deshion I was thinking of.

“Very.” She squeaked as she reluctantly shrank to half her size, her entire body now shaking from exhaustion. I didn’t know how to react to this, I my mind went through a number of thoughts. One of them made me blush and then I realized something, we’re inside my head… That means she know what I’m thinking?! I sighed and rubbed my face…

“Is there anyother way?” I asked, if there wasn’t this will be awkward… Very, very awkward.

“I-I’ll j-just see you tonight…” Nightmare responded before vanishing. What the hell have I gotten myself into? I thought to myself before waking up.

“His waking up!” I head Dust yell in my ear! God damnit what happened? Last thing I remember was taking a nap with Hel then... I then noticed the way Lily was glaring at me. I looked down and saw Hel was cuddling up to me.

“Ummm, it not what it looks like?” I said unsure, as I heard everyone laugh. That woke Hel up and she quickly get off of me and looks around. The Bane Knights explained that I and Hel passed and were blessed by their goddess.

Something tell me I’m in for a long day and night. I thought to myself as I saw the sunrise, everyone was staring at it in awe. My guess is no one here seen the sunrise for a long time. I then get up and went up to BoneSnaper who I saw was talking to a knight, once he noticed me. He sent the other knight away, well here hoping my crazy idea works.

"I need a favour." I asked, BoneSnaper resized his eyebrow at me as I asked this. "I need Nightmare Moon helmet." The look I got was not what I expiated, he smiled then points at my shadow.

"She already with you." After he said that, BoneSnaper and the Bane Knight's left. Leaving me confused and wondering how we was going to get into that city. I sighed as I felt my stomach growl, food first, worry later. I thought as I went over to my group and see what was for breakfast.