"Alright Gold..." I leaned up and stretched my aching limbs as I started to climb out of the sleeping bag I was in. Gold shifted a little in hers and slowly started to rise as well, as I took in our surroundings.

We had settled in a little grassy outcrop again, with a single tree here that wasn't burned down, but it was clear that it almost didn't make it, with black streaks all over the base and several charred leaves. However, the gray clouds had rolled away a little and we could see part of the beautiful bright blue sky behind that gloomy blanket.

A single golden ray of light reflected through the hole and shone through the tree, scattering the light into hundreds of little spots in the grass. It was a very nice change, but it ended as soon as it started with more smoky clouds rolling in to cover the hole up.

I sighed as the light disappeared, and went back into the darkness that was previously settling over everything here. I didn't think much of it though and we got up to continue on our way. We had been traveling for a few days now, and luckily we hadn't been attacked since the last time, but we also haven't seen any other life anywhere else.

That was honestly to be expected in my opinion, because most everyone was dead. The only ponies left were the ones in cities not yet destroyed, which not many were left, ponies in bunkers, or ponies taking refuge in Princess Celestia's castle in Canterlot. I'd say we had about fifteen to thirty percent of our original population.

It was a scary thought, but we continued on our way nonetheless. We had to be close by now, because we had passed out of the little town we had been in where our bunker was and Gold had speculated that the field we passed through was near Canterlot, and she was probably right as we started to enter a town full of large buildings. A lot of it was destroyed, but their were actual standing buildings as we went farther in.

Suddenly, we both ran into something. Their was a large, almost unnoticeable barrier in front of us. I put my hoof up to it, and heard a faint humming as my hoof stopped, but then started to slowly pass through, and I started to put the rest of my body in, with Gold following me.

We entered and saw something great.

In front of us stood the castle, in all of its perfection. The large magic globe seemed to hide the castle from anything nearby, while still allowing ponies to enter. It was probably here to keep the monster from getting to the castle to destroy it.

"We made it Gold..." I said in amazement.

She squealed in excitement and started to run up to the castle, with me quickly following behind her.

"Hey! Wait up!" I yelled as she stopped in front of the main gates, which had two guards in front of it.

"Stop there! What is your business here?" One of them yelled, and held up a spear.

"We're here because our names were on the note the princess sent out!" I said, and pulled out the letter.

"Very well" The one holding the spear said, and allowed us to enter.

The large gate opened noiselessly, and we entered the beautiful large building. Suddenly, a light brown pony walked up to us.

"Hello! Welcome to Celestia's castle! You must be here because of the letter! Let me take you to the princess herself." He said cheerfully, and directed us down a long corridor, and into the throne room, where the princess sat.

She looked... Awful. She had bags under her eyes, and she looked like she had cried some. She also looked completely exhausted, but she smiled still as ponies walked in. Their were a lot here actually. I scanned the area and guessed that their was about 60 or so here, all of them being here for the space program most likely.

We were directed straight up to the princess and she smiled warmly, making her stressed features soften some.

"Hello Astral Glimmer and Golden Speck" She said in a smooth voice.

"H-hello..." Gold said in amazement at being near the princess, even actually talking to her.

I said hi as well, and decided that her knowing our names immediately was a normal thing, with her being a princess and all.

We stood there as she called another pony to check something off of a clipboard and then led us to an area where we could rest a little and eat something. The dining hall at the castle was bustling with refugees and other ponies that wanted to eat that were called for the space exploration thing.

Me and Gold sat at the end of a long, set-up table and ate vegetables and some fruit with clean cold water. It was a whole lot better than dried preserves that we had to eat while on our way here. I quite enjoyed non-dehydrated apple slices.

As we ate, more ponies than any of us had seen in over a year walked in and out of the dining hall and other various rooms that led to who knows where in the huge castle. The princess, stressed as she was, loved it up here, even though she devoted most of her time helping the citizens of Equestria go about their daily routines.

Now she houses homeless ponies and helps to heal the wounded and sick, while also leading a rebellion against the Slaughterer, all while helping to plan the Last Promise's launch. Speaking of which, when would we get to see the ship?

I bet it would be huge and quite spacious as to accommodate the hundred or so ponies that would be docking the ship soon. It was most definitely something to be excited for, but also something to be scared to death about.

I thought about it as we sat there for a while, eating, talking some to each other and to any other pony that walked over to say hi and introduce themselves.

We waited for over an hour before Luna came into the dining hall and started announcing things.

"Subjects! We have done a count, and currently we are holding 84 ponies that have been selected for the Last Promise. Also, we have news that the Slaughterer is getting closer. It won't be too long before it reaches Canterlot and finishes its rain of destruction, so be cautious."

She walked out and allowed us to continue talking amongst ourselves, and her words had caused a lot of scared and urgent whispers between several residents. Gold looked at me with a little bit of fest in her eyes, but I assured her it would be perfectly fine. I was surprised at how reassuring I sounded, because it scared me too. It made me feel better knowing that she seemed to really more though.

Eventually, we were all directed to rooms where we could sleep. Some ponies had to share rooms because their were so many of us, but luckily me and Gold had our own.

The room was amazing, like everything else in the castle. It had a soft purple rug that encased the middle of the circular room, with dark oak wood flooring, and whitish-pink walls and an ornately decorated roof with twisted beams and a small chandelier, with a small window on one side of the room, which had light purple curtains which draped closed over the glass pane.

Their was also fancy dark colored dressers, and a neat desk, while in the middle sat a large bed with incredibly soft silken sheets and a big, thick blanket, which just happened to be the same colour as everything else in the room. It had a transparent pink canopy over the bed, and the bed itself held two huge, fuzzy pillows. It was a beautiful sight, instead of hard, slightly itchy grey bunks in a cold metal bunker.

I sighed happily, put my bags on the desk, and threw myself into the bed, sinking into the plush blanket and comforting mattress. It's surprising that they can take such good care of things like this, even during the apocalypse.

"This is really nice." Gold said, looking around and smiling. "Also, I'm gonna see if I can take a bath or something." She laid her bags down as well, and started towards the door.

"I'll take one of I can as well, when you you get back at least." I yelled after her.

For now, I just wanted to sleep, and that I did. Right as my head touched the pillow, my mind drifted away.

My dream was strange as my consciousness drifted away, and was replaced by an overview of what looked like Canterlot. However, it was there too.

The Slaughterer

It was destroying everything in its path with fiery hatred and resent for the pony race which so desperately tried to fight back and survive. The large hellish being rampaged towards the castle, toppling buildings and burning houses as it carved a path right through the middle of the town. As it reached the barrier, it slammed into it unexpectedly, and fell back, but the barrier noticeably faltered as it's great power was struck by even greater power.

The beast collected itself, and slammed once again into the protective field, but this time knowing it was there. Again, the barrier faltered, and even bent beneath the weight. Finally the beast slammed for the third time, and went right through. I could see it raise it's large, fire ridden arms, and slam them relentlessly into the side of the castle, which barely stood taller than it. The walls crumbled and burned with ease as the Slaughterer pushed its way inside of the huge building.

It was a horrible sight, and made my stomach heave, and as the beast raised it's massive arms once more for a final attack, it ended.

"Astral!" Gold yelled again, shaking me a little. I raised me head groggily, and sighed happily. It was just a dream... Even though it seemed like one while I saw it happen, it just felt so real.

"Sorry..." I said to Gold as I stretched and got up. I started to make my way towards the door to take a shower as Gold laid down.

Once again I found myself walking through long hallways, just like back in the bunker, but these halls weren't familiar to me, but at least they were nicer than dull gray stone and metal all around. These halls had color in them, with purple decorations being lit up on a white background, and wooden beams framing large stained glass murals at selected intervals. It was nice, and after a bit of searching, I was actually able to find a place to take a bath.

I walked into a room and found a row of showers, and quietly stepped into one, laying a towel I had found outside of it. I was surprised to see that their was working water as I twisted the knob and cool water hit me. It quickly warmed up as I adjusted the knobs to a good temperature. I couldn't help but think about the dream, or nightmare in that case. It just seemed so real! What if it was a vision? What if the slaughterer would arrive before everypony was able to get in the ship? Or, what if the ship didn't even work correctly? Their were so many factors that could easily go completely wrong.

I told myself that worrying about it wouldn't help, and just continued to shower, but it still scared me. It probably scared everypony here, especially the princesses. They were the ones who were trusted to get the task done in the first place, so every casualty or mistake in the ship could be placed on them, and the guilt would be unbearable, knowing that their plan had failed, or even killed a hundred or even more innocent ponies.

I shuddered at the thought and just focused on finishing in the shower. Turning the water off, I grabbed the towel from outside the shower and dried myself off, hanging the towel on a pole on a wall to dry, and headed back to the room.

"Did you enjoy the shower?" Gold said, leaning up from the bed as I walked in.

"Yeah. A whole lot better than cold water a rag that we'd get in the bunker." I replied, laying down on the opposite side of the bed.

"As comfortable this bed it, it's gonna be hell trying to sleep." Gold said, moving to get in a more comfy position.

"Yeah... so much to worry about..." I said, also moving into a better position. I ended up on my side, looking towards Gold, and she looking towards me. I had never really paid any attention to how she really looked before, since I mainly focused on not dying. most of the time.

She was actually quite beautiful, with her wavy golden blond hair, and amber colored coat that gleamed in the lamplight. She also had really pretty eyes. They were a smooth amber color as well. However, currently they were closed while she attempted to sleep.

I was a guy, so I wouldn't be classified as beautiful, but I wasn't really sure how handsome I really was. I just had spiky redish hair, and a blusih gray coat. My eyes were dark blue as well, and my cutiemark was a white comet, because before the apocalypse, I really liked studying planets and space related things, but now I really enjoy living.

Suddenly I was taken from my thoughts as I heard Gold snore a little. I looked over and smiled slightly, as she was curled up into a little ball sleeping. And she had even agreed that it would be hard to sleep. Dang. I guess it was my turn, so I laid down and closed my eyes, and eventually, I drifted off.

Author's Note

I am so sorry this took so long to get out. I was extremely busy, and I had been visiting people all week, but here it is finally. I tried my best to add as many details as possible, because I really want to make a good story. I hope you liked it, and more chapters to come. Hopefully I'll get those out a bit faster than it took to get this one out.