Twilight slipped quietly into Arkantos’ hospital room, it seemed his interactions with Spike and Shining left him drained, and he was already fast asleep.

She smiled to herself, it was going to be so easy to do this.

Her horn lit up, and far, far too quickly she passed out, her head falling onto the bed beside him.

By the time the door was literally broken down, it was far too late for anypony to do anything. “Damn it!” Celestia choked up, as she, Luna, and Shining entered the room.

“We’re… too…” Shining muttered quietly.

“No! I can still enter his dream and help them… they’ll need to find where Nightmare is hiding an-” Luna tried to get out.

“It won’t be that easy!” Celestia snapped.

“Not for us but… knowing what Twilight has done…” Luna began. “She beat a stronger Nightmare Moon… one that i-”

“But she’s in her element there! In some sort o-”

“She’ll be in control of those against him in his nightmares won’t she?” Shining questioned.

“Yes… she would be. She’d have complete control over them…” Luna nodded slowly.

“Since she’ll try to snake her way into you if you directly enter… why don’t you manipulate the other side? Alert them as to what’s going on somehow… help them get out alive?” Shining suggested.

Celestia and Luna glanced to each other.

“Look… we talked for a good few hours about… well… everything. He’s… torn up inside. I’ve seen it happen to Badlands guards… He’s not ‘alone’ in his nightmares. They aren’t monsters… they’re… ‘humans’ I’d guess is what they’re called. It’s… memories of battles, of what he sees as failures. If we can help him fight… help him win. And forcefully change his nightmare into just… just a dream. Won’t that help him break free and bring them BOTH back to us?” Shining approached the bed. “I doubt Nightmare would give us much time once she realizes that you’re here Luna.”

“She’ll have to kill one of them in there…” Luna muttered. “We won’t have any time at all… there’s no way we can magically force them ou-”

“You haven’t even trie-” Celestia was cut off as Shining attempted to wake either of them up. Immediately some sort of dark magic slammed into him, sending him violently into the wall. Celestia’s eyes widened. “Shining!” She approached him and yelled for doctors.

Luna took in a deep breath. Waking them up wasn’t an option, she knew that all too well, and she wished Shining hadn’t done that… “Take Twilight into a different room. Have guards watch her, and… if anything changes or if anything is given off that it isn’t her anymore…”

Celestia cringed, she was sure Shining would have too, but he was unconscious. “I’ll tell them…”

“Have guards come in here… I’ll get a message to them, but beyond that… it isn’t worth the risk… If anything changes with him…” Luna sighed. “Hope that… that it’s them when they awaken.”

Meanwhile:

Arkantos was there again, from the outside it was a defining moment in his life. The first victory against the nigh unstoppable Therorain Empire. But, on the inside it was something that changed him forever. His first real taste of war and all the horrors it brought. He'd lost many of his squad mates, and in turn a piece of himself with each of them.

Though… now he didn't remember that. He was back at the dawn of the first day of battle. The holy Sol hadn't risen yet, and the shroud of twilight hung over the still valley. Arkantos had gathered both his generals, and the leader of the local MIlitia. The large town they were attempting hold had all hands on deck. All able bodied men and women were prepared to fight and die for their homes and futures, seeing the crown prince among the ranks of soldiers had only bolstered their resolve.

“We need a full plan.” Arkantos spoke firmly.

Immediately the commander of the militia approached. “I’ve seen what they have. Slaves, barbarians… they’ve brought as many soldiers as they could. None of them are too well armed though.” He explained what his scouts had told him just moments before. “Though, our best estimat-”

“They have numbers. Yes. We know their main strategy. But, it seems everything we’ve thrown at them so far hasn’t worked. They simply out last us if we push into their ran-” Another general spoke up, this one the head of the infantry.

“Why not bombard them before they approach?” The artillery commander questioned. “Both spells and shells. They won’t know what hit ‘em. It’ll weaken their forces and…”

“Then go do it! Soften them up!” Arkantos retorted. “But save the Hellfire for when they try to cross the river. Boil them alive when they enter the water.” He growled.

The commander nodded and exited the tent immediately.

“My lord… we should perhaps make some sort of effort to further entrench. Why not tear down the buildings and make a barricade? Hide our own soldiers amongst the rubble and surprise them when they try to cross. Or perhaps bury traps and explosives amongst it? Force them to funnel i-”

“They’d just throw men at the traps until they went away.” Arkantos shook his head. “Still, if we make obstacles for them it’ll give us more time to adapt to whatever extra tactic they throw at us…” He looked to the Militia captain.

“I’ll alert the Militia. We’ll have you a field of rubble and ambushes set up in no time at all.” He saluted, leaving the tent.

Now only the Infantry and Magi commanders were left with Arkantos. “Commander Leroy, go get your men ready. Have the archers and whatever gunmen you have set up as strategically as possible. Cover as much area as you can. Whatever melee forces we have, form a wall of shields and spears, and prepare to hold… we have to hope my father listened to my begging and is sending forces to help…”

“If he is?” Leroy asked.

“Then we’re saved.”

“If he isn’t?”

Arkantos was quiet for a few moments. “May the gods be on our side.” He sighed, “Go with honor, commander.”

“As do you, my lord.” Leroy saluted as he left.

“Now… Commander Seratis… I need you to ge...” Arkantos trailed off, looking at the commander of the Magi. His memory didn’t trail off, he knew who it was. But, he wasn’t standing there. He drew his sword, “Who the hell are you?” He growled, pointing it at the thing standing in the command tent.

“Um… Hi?”

Author's Note

The next few chapters will have a weird mixture of exposition (these are memories after all), action, definitely gore, at least as much as any battle scenes will call for.

Please note: This isn't Nightmare on Elm Street. If they die in the dream they don't die in real life. I'll try to explain in a later chapter in this coming series of chapters.

Of course as is obligatory, there will be several musical quotes and allusions in the coming chapters as I see fit to include them... No, they won't be singing the song. Just... look for em. I hope you all continue to enjoy this, and please, as I have NO editor. If any plot holes come up, or something needs a bit more explanation, etc. do tell me, either by PM or comment and I'll do my best to fix it.