Keepers

Madia's heart nearly stopped when she saw where her trial would take place. Everything around them was dark. The ground was charred and dry, the skies were filled with black clouds but no rain fell from them. They were standing in what should be a swamp from the vines and drooping trees, but it was so dry that the mud was hard and cracked.

Dry, dark and dreary. That was Madia's least favorite environment. It generated a feeling of hopelessness and despair. Something Madia hated. She was afraid it would be bad when they arrived, but nothing like this.

"Welcome to the trial of dream, keepers. Good luck." A female voice spoke in the heavy air. Madia looked around for a moment, trying to think of what to do next. "Another unpleasant location. I can see why it's your least favorite." Flain said to Madia.

She nodded and looked at her comrades. "So we need to find the crystal primarily. Where do we begin?" Cael said. "Considering the circumstances it shouldn't be too difficult right?" Aevum shook his head. "It may be dry and clear, but the crystal can still be well hidden. It will also be difficult coping with these conditions."

Suddenly a screech echoed through the air. Madia jumped and looked around frantically for a moment. Something flew above them overhead. From what Madia could make out it had large black wings far too big for a pegasus, and they seemed torn and dirt. The figure looked like a pony from below, but Madia wasn't certain.

"What is that thing?" Cael said as the creature flew in circles. "I don't know, I've never heard of it!" Madia said. "Either way I don't like it. Let's try to steer clear of it's path." Flain suggested.

The group moved to a deeper part of the dried up swamp to stay out of sight of the monster if they could. It seemed to work. The monster flew away after a little while and went somewhere else in the forest of dead trees.

"I don't want to know what that thing will do if it see's us." Cael said. Aevum let out a sigh. "Well we have to start searching somewhere. Otherwise we'll never find the crystal." He said.

Madia decided to take a moment to think and concentrate on her powers. Each trial taught them how to use their powers creatively. If my element dream, is focused on the mind, can I manipulate what I see? She thought.

She looked at her surroundings. The trees made it difficult to see too far, so she tried to imagine them as not being there to test. It only wasted energy. A couple trees around them disappeared but that was it.

"Woah, some of the trees just vanished." Cael said. Cael walked over to the hole in the ground where one of them used to be. I see, so I'm literally making them disappear... Madia realized. She figured that was why it used so much energy.

She tried again, this time though focusing on what her mind could see. It took a moment, but all the trees disappeared from her vision. This didn't use nearly as much energy. She still couldn't see everything though. The area was too large.

"Madia, what are you doing?" Aevum asked. Madia's concentration broke and all the trees appeared. She sighed and turned to Aevum. "I'm trying to use my powers to see around us, but I couldn't find the crystal." She explained.

Aevum looked disappointed. "That's unfortunate. I guess we'll just have to look the hard way." He said turning to the others. Madia joined him and the others as they tried to come up with a way to search effectively while keeping away from the strange creature.

"Splitting up is obviously a bad idea since our powers were meant to work together." Flain pointed out. "But staying together makes things slower. It will take us forever to find it like that with how large this place is." Aevum responded.

Madia was only half listening. She was trying to think of a way to find the crystal without exerting herself. She thought about the kinds of things Alaria had done. Mainly how she had told them to protect the princesses back before they escaped. How did she find us back then? Madia asked herself the question.

Another screech sounded nearby. Madia crouched down low to the ground as her thoughts were interrupted by the piercing scream. She quickly backed up against a tree to get some cover from the tangled mess of branches. She looked up and saw the creature flying low to the ground, clearly searching for them.

Madia got a clear view of it now. It's body was shaped like a ponies, but where it's mouth should be, there was a beak, and from the neck up over it's head it had feathers instead of hair. The feathers were dark and dirty, and some of them were ruffled with blank patches here and there.

It's eyes were pure red and glowed angrily. It's front legs weren't like a ponies at all. They were skinny and yellow. They seemed to have claws like a bird instead of hooves. It's back legs however were like a pony. It looked like a griffin, but it was part pony instead of part lion. Its black body almost blended in with the cloudy sky. Its ribs were visible from under its skin, suggesting it hadn't eaten in a long time. There were spots where its fur had been scorched off, making the creature look like it had been through a terrible life.

It opened its beak and let out another blood curdling cry. Madia shuddered as it searched for them. "That thing is starting to tick me off..." Cael said in an angry whisper. "It's heading this way, it might see us in this low cover." Flain whispered.

Madia looked at it nervously as it approached. Her mind whirled as she tried to think of what to do. Then it dawned on her. If she could make things disappear from her perspective who's to say she couldn't do the same to the griffin pony?

She focused her magic on the creature and tried to concentrate. It took a little longer, but she manage to get through and affect the creatures mind. She hoped it worked, because she couldn't tell for sure.

"Everyone be quiet, here it comes." Aevum said. Everyone went silent like he had said and waited nervously for what would happen.

The creature flew closer and closer. Madia could feel her heart pounding as she watched the terrifying creature's eyes look from one direction to the next hunting for it's prey. It's black wings flapped against the humid air noisily as it flew almost directly over them.

It looked straight at Madia as it flew. Madia held back a gasp and held her breath as the creatures eyes fixed on where she was hiding. It turned and began circling. Aevum looked at Madia nervously as the creature hovered directly above their questionable hiding spots.

There was no doubt about it, the creature must have seen something, but maybe it was unsure. Madia silently prayed that her magic had worked and the creature was unable to see them.

After what seemed like an eternity, there was a thud sound a distance to Madia's left. Madia looked to see what it was. All her friends were to her right, so where had the sound come from?

The beast seemed to notice it too. It let out a screech and flew off in the direction the sound came from. Madia waited a moment until she could no longer see it, then let out the breath she had been holding. Everyone else did the same.

"Why didn't it attack us? It looked at us, but didn't do anything?" Cael asked confused, but relieved. "I used my magic on it. It wasn't able to see us clearly. My powers can alter minds." Madia explained.

"But what was that sound that came from way out there?" She then proceeded to ask. "That was me slamming my hoof on the tree." Flain said. Aevum looked at him funny. "What? But the sound came from over there!" Aevum said pointing one hoof out towards where the bird-pony had gone. "Law can alter sound as well. I made it sound like it came from out there and made it louder." Flain told them.

Madia smiled. "That's clever. Maybe your powers are stronger now." Madia reasoned. "I've always been able to do that. It was the first thing I discovered about my magic." The maroon pony said. "That was you then who was talking to me back in Canterlot!" Cael said.

Flain chuckled lightly. "Yes, who else? Unless you know any other pony who can manipulate the laws of sound." He responded. Cael smiled faintly.

Aevum sighed deeply. "That was far too close for me. That thing was freaky." He said happy to see it gone.

Madia couldn't help feeling bad for the pitiful thing. It looked like it was starved and half dead. Unfortunately, it wanted them for food, and Madia knew that couldn't happen.

Her thoughts returned as her focus was diverted back to the crystal. If Alaria was able to find them using dream, Madia figured she could too. So I'm searching for an object like a crystal. A purple crystal. She thought.

Suddenly she felt her stomach lurch as her perspective changed. She was looking at a large purple crystal stationed within a tree. However it was attached to the tree, like it had grown inside it.

She felt her hopes rise when she saw it. But where is this? And how do we find it without this? Madia asked herself. She paused as she thought for a moment. Then it dawned on her. She decided to see if she could make a beacon of light shine from the crystal.

Unfortunately she quickly guessed the black winged creature would notice it too. That would make it a race to see who could get there first.

But it was their best option, so she decided to go with it. She focused her magic above the crystal, and imagine a pillar of light shining high into the sky, not being stopped by any object.

It worked. Too well. A pillar of white light shot up from the crystal and burst clean through the tree and high into the clouds.

Her perspective switched and she found herself back with her friends. "I found it!" She gasped. She just noticed now how much of her power finding the crystal and making the beacon had used.

"It's where that beacon is out there!" Madia told her friends. "When did you do that?" Flain asked a little confused. "Just ten seconds ago. Come on, that thing will notice it too!" Madia said quickly. No one argued and they all began running through the dead forest and vines as they raced to the crystal that would end the trial.

Madia thought about something as they were running though. She had to discover something about herself to finish the trial correctly.

An endless sleep seizes the mind... that must be our locked powers. Madia thought back to the prophecies on the cave wall. If you can rest then you can find... when you sleep and dream your imagination is at its strongest. Or maybe it's because my powers require energy and I need to recover that. Madia threw ideas out.

She couldn't figure it out though. There were many other possibilities as well and she couldn't leave out any of them. The one about sleep and dreaming was the one she felt was the best but she wasn't certain.

She decided to put that aside for the time being. If she wasn't ready they would have to confront the monster searching for them. She decided to come up with a strategy in case they had to face the creature.

We could contain the creature with some of our magic. Aevum could freeze it in time... wait but what if that doesn't work? What if Aevum can't freeze living things? Maybe Flain can trap it by holding him with gravity... but he might crush the creature then! Madia fought with herself over what to do. She didn't want to hurt or kill the poor thing.

Maybe Flain can do what he did last time and lead it away... but what if it has learned by now not to fall for that? Okay what if I cause it to be confused using my powers... it might run rampant then! This is so frustrating! She couldn't make up her mind. She was supposed to be the strategist, but she felt she couldn't even make a decision.

Then the familiar scream filled the air. The monster was coming for them and they had to be quick. The beacon was much closer now, but it was still a distance away. Madia dared to look back to see the creature.

It wasn't as close as she had expected, but it was faster than them, meaning it would catch up eventually.

"Here it comes!" Aevum said. "At this rate it will catch up to us right before we reach the beacon!" Cael said. "Then we have no choice. If it interferes we're going to have to fight it." Flain said. Madia shuddered as Flain told them exactly what she didn't want to hear.

They continued to run, dodging the trees, dried up vines and branches. Madia tried to see ahead but it was difficult with everything in the way.

The bird-pony continued chasing them until it was almost right over top of them. It dove down once, but it missed and resumed its chase from above. Madia could see a very large tree up ahead, and the beacon was closer than ever.

Finally they came bursting out into a clearing with a single massive tree in the middle. It was at least twice the size of the other trees and glowed faintly. Madia couldn't see inside it, but she knew the crystal was in there.

At almost the same time the beast landed in front of them between the crystal and the keepers. "You've got to be kidding me. It's defending the crystal?" Aevum said angrily. "The trial is supposed to work against us. Maybe that's what this is." Madia said.

Up close the beast was even more terrifying, and Madia finally recognized it. She had seen the monster in a dream long ago when she was a filly. The creature was from her own nightmares. It was the very thing she feared most.

In the dream, the creature had killed her. She could remember it clearly. It had grabbed her neck with its claws and choked her to death, its powerful talons digging into her. In a dream, when you die you wake up, but you feel pain because it's in the mind. Suffocation was the kind of death madia feared, because it was slow and painful.

But it lead Madia to wonder. Why would it do that instead of kill her with its sharp claws or beak? Madia found herself questioning whether the dream was actually a nightmare or something much more.

The creature glared at them as it stood between them and their goal. Its eyes suddenly fixed on Madia. It knows this is my trial...! Madia quickly figured out it would target her.

"Come on then, what are you waiting for?" Flain said to the monster. It let out a screech and flexed it's talons in the ground. It seemed to be waiting for something, Flain was right about that, but what?

Madia and the beast stared at each other. Madia felt like she was frozen by its gaze. She couldn't bring herself to move. "Wake up dreamer. You're not ready for this." The creature said to her. "Bravery, focus, control. These all things you don't have." It's voice was deep and hoarse.

The words dug into her. It was true. She wasn't brave, she couldn't make her decisions correctly and she couldn't control when her powers were active.

"Shut it!" Aevum suddenly said. "We all have our faults, and that's why there's four of us!" Aevum said all of a sudden between the monster and Madia. The monster screeched in annoyance and charged at Aevum. He stood his ground as it went in for the kill, lifting off the ground with its mighty wings.

Suddenly Aevum vanished and the beast was going straight for Madia. There was a moment when Madia thought the beast was about to get her, but it suddenly slowed down. Madia saw Aevum standing beside the creature, his hoof touching its feathered neck. He had slowed it down.

"Madia, remember what Narcian said about working together?" Flain said, his voice was coming from right beside her ear. "What I say is law, and I say you can let your mind free." He said to her.

Suddenly there was a rumbling sound like thunder. It began to rain and the dried earth become moist. Madia looked at Flain in shock. He was panting a little, but he smiled at her as the rain poured down on them in a torrent.

Madia looked at her friends and saw Aevum at the ready with his magic. Cael had come between Madia and the griffen, her hoof reaching out to it to stop it.

Madia smiled and thought of something. As long as they are around to help me, I can do anything. Madia looked at the ground around her, and imagined the soil becoming fresh and fertile. Seeds appeared on top of the dirt and sunk in. Only a short time later grass grew and began spreading out into the clearing.

Aevum stood there speeding up the growth, Flain looked to the sky providing the rain and water, and Cael teleported the monster back in front of the tree and away from Madia. Finally, Madia created the seeds and source of life. Working together, they could literally create life.

The creature looked around bewildered as trees got their colour back, and grew leaves. Suddenly Madia gasped as she realized how much energy she was using and stumbled. The rain stopped, and everything stopped growth where it was. The four of them stood there panting.

Madia felt drained of energy and tired, but the beast was still around. She knew she couldn't stop now. It only took a moment for the beast to turn its focus back to her. "Come on then... let's just see who's brave." Madia said to the monster under her breath.

The creature took that as an invitation and charged towards her. Madia held her ground, but this time it wasn't out of fear. "I know why you're here." Madia began to say. "You never killed me back in that dream. I only thought you did." The bird-pony's eyes burned into her. "I controlled my dream that time." Suddenly the monster's eyes widened as it remembered.

"I made you disappear!" Madia yelled. She felt magic course through her as her horn glowed with power. Suddenly the creature froze right as its talons reached her. She felt them scratch along the side of her neck and winced at the pain.

However the talons didn't close around her. It floated there, eyes wide but clearly angry. There was a pause where the two looked at each other. "I am brave. I stand before you now. I am focused. I just need guidance by law. Finally, I am controlled. I stopped you with my power over imagination." Madia said to the monster.

"You, are not real." The beast let out one last echoing screech, and then vanished in a puff of white smoke. Madia fell to the ground as she used up her energy on the beast. She landed on the soft grass breathing heavily.

"Madia, are you alright?" Madia heard Aevum's voice as her friends ran to help her. "I... I'm fine... Just a little... Tired." She managed. Cael and Flain helped her get and they walked over to the large tree, now covered with leaves and a beautiful brown colour.

"We need to get into the tree. I bet I can teleport us in." Cael said. "No... there isn't... enough room." Madia said struggling. "Cael, maybe you can open the tree up with your powers instead of teleporting?" Aevum suggested. Cael smiled and clearly liked the idea.

"Yeah, that could work." She said. She placed her hoof on it and the tree suddenly shuddered. It split right down the middle and dust came flowing out. They all coughed as dust filled their lungs. "Oops..." Cael said.

It worked. The tree had been split vertically and was now opened up so they could get inside.

Once the dust cleared, Madia walked in on her own, struggling on her tired hooves. She put her hoof on the large purple crystal, and half leaned on it.

"Keeper of Dream, what is it you have discovered about yourself?" A female voice asked. "I discovered that just... because I'm the thinker... doesn't mean I have... to decide everything myself. I discovered that... dream and law both rely... heavily on their other counterparts." Madia said through gasping breaths.

"The rest the prophecy spoke about... had nothing to do actual rest... it was rest from doing everything... on my own." Madia said as she realized the meaning of her part of the prophecy.

The tree suddenly vanish along with the crystal. Madia almost fell over as what she was leaning on disappeared. The wind began to blow hard and Madia felt her energy returning to her. Everything turned white and swirled around them as they returned to the focus point of the trials.

When everything was completely white, Alaria was there waiting for them. "Congratulations, keepers of law and dream. You have both passed your trials successfully and learned things about yourself and your powers." She said to Flain and Madia.

"Now that I know my powers are in far better ponies than me, I can leave in peace knowing you two can carry on with Equestria's harmony. Thank you." She said.

A sparkling yellow light had surrounded her as she walked over to Aevum and Cael. "Aevum, Cael. Your trials shall be governed by my husband. He will guide you and take you through to your challenge. I believe in you two." She said to them.

Alaria's form began to fade as the sparkling light floated around her. She closed her eyes and lifted her head upwards, and faded completely from sight. Madia sighed and knew that would be the last time she saw the loving, once queen of Equestria.

There was only a short pause before the place suddenly faded from white, to grey, and from grey, slowly to black. Madia and the others looked around a moment, then the old king Nocturne arrived. His starry pelt almost blended in with the black empty place around them. He glowed a faint, but dark blue colour as he approached them.

"Hello Keepers. Let me start out by apologizing for how I acted before in the throne room." He said calmly as he walked towards them. "Think nothing of it sir, we understand." Aevum said.

"My mind was being manipulated by the creature we know as Discortunal. He was having an effect on this world before he even arrived." He explained. Aevum's eyes widened. "What? How?" He asked.

"Madia, did you notice how all the dreams were nightmares while you traveled?" Nocturne asked Madia. Madia remembered clearly the dreams they had seen before. "Yes, I do." She said.

"Flain and Cael, your headaches were caused by issues with law and space. Sound and light were effected by him as the sky turned red especially. Cael, Discortunal traveled through space and forced his way through to Equestria, something meant to be impossible." Nocturne told Cael and Flain.

"Finally Aevum. Did you notice how little energy it took for you to stop time? It happened on accident and hardly used any energy correct?" The starry alicorn asked Aevum. "Yeah, I thought that seemed unusual." He responded.

"Either way, this shows you how much power he has. He has some control over the elements, but it's weakened because this world does not belong to him. You four can defeat him together if you unlock your powers." Nocturne told them.

"Cael, the next trial is the trial of space. Are you prepared?" He asked the blue mare. Cael stepped forward, a determined look on her face. "Yes, I'm ready."