Footsteps hastily echoed though the vast corridor of the Canterlot castle. Luna the princess of the night walked alone. It was not unusual for the princess of the night to be seen without the royal guard, since her younger years she had perfected the art of ditching them that the academy now taught the new recruits on the subject.
Tonight was no such night, while keeping watch over her beautiful night, the sky had suddenly painted red. The dreams of the Equestrian citizens began to disappear as if they never existed. Luna felt them all slip their consciousness fading to nothing. Fear gripped the princess as she started to run through the castle halls to her sister’s bedroom chamber.
Silently she prayed to the maker that Celestia had not listened to her warning of a good night rest and was otherwise submerged in her royal duties as the sun princess. With a right turn Luna found herself down a narrow hallway, the sole door at the end bore the mark of Celestia, Luna trembled, she felt nothing behind the door.
Frantically Luna began pounding on the door “Tia, Tia open the door.” Luna pleaded “We are worried, something has happened.”
No answer, Luna began to pound harder but no success. She swore under her breath and grabbed the doorknob, with her telekinesis, Celestia would forgive her for breaking her door again…right, after all this is an emergency.
The lock snapped easily and swung open slowly, the dim lit room of the sun princess came into view. The large bed stood well made and untouched in the centre of the room. The single large table near the window stood neatly packed, and bathed in the now red moonlight. Luna looked around the rest of the room but no Celestia.
Just where was Celestia, if she weren’t in her room, Luna turned on her heels and practically ran down the hall once again making her way to the kitchen. Through the doors she burst through breathing hard, sure enough sitting at one of the tables caught with a fork filled with cake halfway to her mouth was Celestia. A smile spread across the shocked princess’s face but it suddenly turned to worry once she saw Luna’s strained expression.
“Luna what’s wrong?” asked Celestia
“Sister do you know how much I worried for your safety,” Luna replied angrily “and you’re here eating cake?”
Celestia raised an eyebrow “My safety, Luna what are you going on about?” asked Celestia
Luna with a wave of her hand moved the thick curtains that covered the kitchen windows allowing the red moonlight to enter the kitchen, immediately Celestia dropped the fork. Her mouth hung open as she turned to Luna.
“It doesn’t end here sister.” Continued Luna “I fear what ever has done this, has also attacked our subjects.”
“What happened?” Celestia inquired
Luna took a deep breath “Their dreams are disappearing, along with it they are disappearing too.”
“I don’t understand Luna.” Celestia said
“Sister, I do not know what exactly is going on.” Luna suddenly shouted in the royal Canterlot voice “This is a phenomenon I have yet to experience.”
“Alright, do not worry we will find out what exactly has happened.” Said Celestia calmly she stood, she was taller than Luna by five inches as she stood at six feet, she lifted Luna chin forcing her to look up at her “we will protect our people as we always do.”
Luna nodded as Celestia turned and walked out the room, Luna followed close behind. Since they were children Celestia had always been the one to lead, Luna just stood in the back being the support she needed, that was until that one time when Luna lost control of her magic and became what she feared most. Years had passed since then and in the face of this ew threat Luna was watching her sister the most powerful being in Equestria work once again.
Celestia walked through the doors that connected the kitchen to the royal court where two guards stood alert.
“Guards,” Celestia commanded, the guards turned to Celestia and came to attention “call Twilight tell her it is an emergency, tell her to bring the elements, they are staying in the royal hotel”
“Yes ma’am.” Replied the guards, with an unfurling of their wings the guards took flight, leaving through the open windows
Celestia and Luna went and took their seats on the chairs at the head of the royal court, Luna felt the same fear she felt when she lost control.
How can this be, is she losing control again…. But her power is under control, this isn’t her doing. A hand reached out and touched Luna’s shoulder bringing her back to the present, Luna turned to see the soft smile of Celestia.
“It’s going to be alright Luna.” Celestia cooed
“How do you know this sister?” asked Luna
“Because, I have you.” Celestia said sweetly “and together we will defeat anything and anyone who threatens our people.”
Celestia pulled Luna into a tight embrace just as the two guards suddenly landed before them.
“Your highnesses,” said one “we did as you were told, but we did not get a reply.”
“What, aren’t they in?” asked Celestia
“We became suspicious even when the hotel manager was nowhere to be seen, so we broke the door down.” Said the guard “they are asleep you highness nothing we do seems to wake them.”
“What?” Celestia shouted as she stood, the walls shook expressing her anger
“They were already taken?” Luna said softly
“Princess, they are not dead.” Said the second guard “they are asleep, and just own’t wake up.”
Celestia regained her composure and sat once again, clearing her throat she spoke “Bring them all here set them all in one of the rooms.” She said
The guards nodded before taking flight once again as they rose higher, both guards suddenly stopped, their wings folded and they began to fall, seeing the guards fall, Luna caught them in her magic and brought them slowly to the ground. She examined them.
“They’re asleep.” She said turning to Celestia
“Something big is going on here.” Celestia said, we have to fix this
Luna nodded as she looked to the red moon “I think we should see if the achieves has anything to say concerning the matter.” Luna sad as she placed both guards side by side and propping their heads under the court pillows “Tia?”
Luna turned, to her horror Celestia sat on her thrown asleep, her breathing even and slow. She rushed to her side.
“Tia, no, no, no don’t do this to me.” She cried “you have to wake up I cannot do this without you.”
Luna shook her sister but Celestia didn’t budge, she sank to the floor. Without the elements of harmony and Celestia, Equestria was doomed Luna cried, her tears staining the marble floor.
“Oh for the love of, are you seriously crying?” a voice suddenly filled the court, Luna shot up standing, she looked around, no one was in the room with her “If you really can’t see me then you are seriously dampening your power.”
Suddenly before her, a man stepped into view he wore a black Jacket that bore chains wrapped around his arms and neck, they were all held in place with small locks. His face was covered by a white mask that bore black markings.
“You!” growled Luna “you did this.”
The man before her tilted his head, the expressionless mask mocked her, but Luna imagined a taunting smile behind it “Really, and what are you doing to do about it?” he asked stepping forward “can you really fight me, after all Celestia was the strong one.”
The words struck Luna hard, she knew she couldn’t fight him without losing controlee but how else will she be able to save everyone. The one who committed the crime was right before her, Celestia will never forgive her if she allowed him to walk free. Taking a deep breath Luna pushed down her emotions and held out her hands, two axes suddenly appeared in a purple light.
“I will have your head.” Luna whispered
The masked figure said nothing, but from where Luna stood she could feel the power he possessed radiating off him.
“Battle axes?” he questioned “where’s your scythe.”
“Shut up you fiend!” with a yell Luna attacked, she unfurled her wings and like a bat out of Tartarus she swung mercilessly at him
The man simply dogged, stepping back making it looked as if they were locked in a dance of death, his back touched the marble wall. Luna swung the axe to his head but he moved his head slightly, the axe itself became logged into the wall. Luna heard him chuckle. Swinging the other she aimed for his neck, there was no way he could dodge at this distance. She smiled as she felt it connect.
“Is that all?”
Luna’s smile fell, she looked at the axe, the blade was caught between his fingers a centimetre away from his neck. She pulled back with two strong beats of her wings and lands. She looked at him as he stepped forward.
“You know, asking who someone is while attacking them before they answer is horrible manners.” Said the man
Rage filled Luna as he mocked her, his calm voice and expressionless mask infuriated her even more. With a scream that shook the ground Luna gave into her darkness. Her scream turned to mechanical laughter as her skin darkened, her eyes became slits, her canine teeth turned to fangs. The aura around her cracked the marble ground. She focused her power through the axes.
“Your head is mine.” She shouted as she attacked
The man stood unmoving, Luna pulled all the power she can muster into one attack, it was enough to destroy Ponyville and leave nothing but a gaping hole. Luna lost all rationality as she was. The man noticed this and took a step forward.
Even though she had her eyes set on him, Luna didn’t see him move, she didn’t see how he could get so close in so little time. She could see them now, his eyes… his silver eyes. Luna felt a hand touch her chest.
“Shatter” immediately as the word left his mouth, Luna felt her body break, the feeling of her soul shattering into a million pieces
She slumped to the ground breathing hard, her uncontrollable power residing into her. The man stood above her looking down.
“Please, we beg you spare our sister.” Luna pleaded “you can have my life.”
The man kneels and rests a hand on Luna’s head as she cried “I’m not here to fight you” he said “I’m here to fix what has happened.”
He stood and looked to the sleeping Celestia taking a step he was suddenly before her, his finger resting against her forehead. Luna didn’t hear what he said but Celestia flew out of her sleep, her wings unfurled in shock before she rested back down.
“Glad you’re back with us” said the man, Celestia looked at him in horror prompting a sigh “I’m not here to do you any harm, for bloody sake not everyone is evil.”
“Then who are you?” asked Luna
The masked man turned to Luna and took off his mask, his face was dark, a shade lighter than dark chocolate but his eyes were a piercing silver.
“My name is Black, I’m the gatekeeper for the dream realm.” He said “I came to stop something from happening, but it seems like it’s too late.”
As he said that he looked at Celestia, Luna had gotten enough energy in her legs to move and made her way to them.
“What is happening, tell me,” Luna asked grabbing onto his arm “my people they’re dying.”
“Dying isn’t the word to use, more like being used as a food source.” Black stated “a nightmare from the dream world has escaped and is feeding off your people putting them in the comatose state you see here.”
“Is there anything that can be done?” Celestia asked “can’t the elements of harmony help?”
“I don’t know what the elements of harmony is,” Black said “and no it cannot, but you can.”
Black pointed to Luna
“M-me?” asked Luna “how can I help, I’m not as powerful as Celestia”
“Really?” asked Black raising an eyebrow “you’re a watcher, and yet you’ve only broken into part of your ability with your dream walking?”
“How did you know about our escapades?” asked Luna
“The dream gate is my domain.” Black began “all pass though that gate, they are protected by me, I was not able to stop a nightmare from escaping but I am here now, will you help me?”
“Luna,” Celestia said “You must save Equestria, if what he says is right then not only our people will fall but all other neighbouring lands.”
“I understand sister.” Luna said reluctantly “We shall do all in our power to assist” Luna turns to Black “I apologize for attacking you earlier but I am Luna, princess of the night.”
“And I am Celestia, the sun princess.” Celestia added “anything you need just say.”
Black looked to the sleeping guards in the corner “I don’t require anything” he said walking to the middle of the royal court that was now a destroyed mess, raising his hand he called the power he had as it formed into a large white ball, it shrunk before expanding to cover the entire castle. The guards stirred and got to their feet as Black turned and made his way back to the princesses whilst putting on his mask “I can only protect your castle for now, the nightmare needs to be brought down.”
Luna steps forward “What do you need?”
“I’m hoping you have a library here, it would prove useful in knowing about your and and most likely places he’ll want to visit.” Black said
Luna nods “I’ll take you there please follow me.”
Celestia watchs as Luna leads Black out the room, the guards watch as well. Soon as they leave the guards came to Celestia’s side.
“Your highness, what happened?” asked a guard
“Nothing, all is fine.” Celestia replied “please wake the major we need to take a strategy in case of a emergency, our land is currently under siege.”
“Yes your highness” both guards said before leaving the room
Celestia looked up at the red sky “Maker help us” She whispered
Author's Note
Black is a character of mine from the book Pandora's Gate
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