One night.

It happened all in one night.

That's all it took for everypony in Ponyville to fall into panic.

Now, I wasn't there to see it for myself. Still, I heard that late in the evening, our princess, Twilight Sparkle, was heading to bed after a tiring day of fulfilling duties. Her trusty assistant, Spike, grew concerned that his friend was overworking herself, suggested a few hours to rest. She took the suggestion and said she would be back up in two hours.

Then two hours turned to three.

Then four hours passed.

Then five.

Spike figured she just really needed the extra sleep. But that was proven wrong the moment he heard her scream out in terror. He urgently rushed to her bed to find her tossing and turning, screaming for something to 'go away.' Her body was sweating bullets, along with tears streaming down her cheeks. Her horn was even faintly glowing with magic to try and ward off her midnight intruder. Spike did all he could to wake her, from nudging her body, calling out for her to even pouring water over her face. But it was no use. The princess of friendship remained trapped with whatever horrors had invaded her dreams.

And then, silence.

hic!

Twilight started twitching violently, her eyes struggling to open with Spike unable to do anything but watch. Then the shaking stopped as well, leaving the princess almost deathly still. To his relief, Spike found her pulse still beating. Her breathing was steady, as well.

But she remained asleep, with no clue or hint as to what the cause was. Desperate for answers, Spike sent a letter, asking his friends and family to come aid the princess.

Unfortunately, the worse wasn't over, as he discovered Twilight wasn't the only one who had fallen victim to night terrors.

hic!

Instead of her sister, Applebloom came to him with harrowing news of Applejack falling victim to a similar nightmare. She woke up to the sound of things breaking and found the honest earth pony shouting and bucking stuff off the bed as her life depended on it. Her fellow crusaders would report the same wicked dreams Rainbow Dash and Rarity were having. The Pies and Discord would come to tell the same fate for Pinkie Pie and Fluttershy. Even the Great and Powerful Triiiiixiehic! came with distressing news of her friend, Starlight Glimmer, trapped within a neverending nightmare!

With a heavy heart, Spike decided to spread the word around Ponyville and Equestria of the news. Everypony was rightfully scared and demanded action to take place.

Yet no one could figure out the answer. Zecora, for all her wisdom, could not awaken them through her medical herbs or voodoo. Doctors from all around Equestria couldn't discover the reason for these invisible attacks. No one could figure out why!

So the only logical hic! solution was to contact Princess Luna, as she one protected and guide the dreams fo ponies under her reign.

Upon hearing the news, Princess Celestia would come out of retirement to ensure Equestria still had a ruler to govern. Her sister didn't hesitate to enter the dreams and finally put an end to this growing nightmare.

But alas, hic! for when she tried to peer into Twilight's dream, she was immediately forced out with a startling scream. She described going into a dark abyss, with only the sound of roaring thunder and rain to greet her. And at a flash, she saw a horrifying visage of bone, flesh, and anger. Whatever they were dreaming about, it didn't want anyone disturbing their slumber.

As the nights grew longer with no progress made, Princess Luna grew more tired and defeated. She could not make any sense of what held its grasp around the minds of Twilight and the others. She hurc!excuse me! She felt powerless, unable to access the domain she swore to protect all. With our only shot gone, hope would soon follow. Everyone grew afraid to fall asleep in fear that a monster would come and torment them forever.

"Hic! And that's been the state of aaaaaaaaall Equestria ever since. Sorry to bother you with Trixie's woes, miss, erm... Who did you say you were?"

"O-Oh Ummm, Bea! J-Just Bea!" the violet unicorn lied, giving her best reassuring smile, hoping she didn't look too sheepish. Of course, no one would fall for such a blatant cover-up. If anyone else was with them, they could tell just by the way they looked and dressed that the two unicorn mares were related.

And they would be right to assume so.

She was Beatrix Belladonna, daughter of the Great and Powerful Trixie! ... of an entirely different universe.

Yes, that Trixie was a powerful witch who traveled through space and time, learning awe-inspiring spells and battling dangerous fiends and abominations. She even played with a few hearts along the way, one of which resulted in her getting pregnant. It was only after discovering that the source of these monsters came from a forbidden tome known as the Necronomicon that the great and powerful one decided to settle down from adventures so that no harm could happen to her child. Once Beatrix was born, Trixie spent her time loving and teaching her daughter of the ways of magic and travel until she was old enough to do her bit of journeying. She learned well from her mother and loved her deeply, no matter what variation she came across.

Hic!

The same still applied to this miserably drunk unicorn before Beatrix. To think that her proud and assertive mother would hit a pretty bad low in any timeline. She even shrugged and took another swing of her drink without a care in the world.

Still, ever since she grew into a fine mare, she went on various adventures and quests to learn more about the forces that made her, maybe even find her purpose in life. Through her journey, she met with different versions and outcomes to Twilight, Trixie, and their friends, along with their enemies. She discovered that the Necronomicon was a product of a greater evil known as the Demiurge, and was looking for a way to stop it from corrupting any more dimensions.

And like most of her travels through the many timelines, her lucky pendant, known as the Prima Materia, allowed her to sense any magical disturbances or unusual sources of chaos. It's how she wounded up here in this version of Equestria. And why she was conversing with her mother about the sudden rise of dark dreams.

'Endless nightmares... Ugh, how troubling,' She said to herself while biting at her lip. 'What's worse is that this particular universe is closely related to the prime universe. Whatever force is at play here will be a serious threat to all existence! One ripple in the primary dimension could affect thousand of alternative spaces...'

At least in other universes, she only had to worry about the forces of the Demiurge influencing other worlds. But as far as Beatrix knew, this mysterious sleep trapping was not it's doing. The witch shudders at the possibility of facing something more powerful and intelligent to attack a core nexus like prime Equestria. And because she couldn't ask for help from anyone here without them thinking she was nuts, she found herself on her own to try and stop it—just her luck.

"Eh?! Quit standing there all moppy and hic! have yourself a drink! Trixie.. BLUGH! hasn't run out of rum just yet!" slurs the old blue stage magician, pouring herself another glass.

Of course, the only source of information she could find lay within the drunken rambles of her mother. Unlike her past meetings where revealing her identity to Trixie was a benefit, Beatrix did not plan on telling this version fo her mother that she was her daughter. Not when she was already overwhelmed by the state of her friend. While Trixie was describing Ponyville's plight, she looked beyond the blue unicorn to spy the slumbering form of Starlight in her wagon. She looked incredibly still minus her chest slowly rising and falling. An IV stand sat beside her bed with a long tube providing her nutrients.

Looking back to the blue mare, she smiled softly and shook her head in apology, "No, thank you. I must insist I don't. I only wish that there was more I could do for you and your friend, Miss Lulamoon."

As Trixie downs another bottle with a long sigh, she hangs her head low, looking more miserable than when she found her. Not even through drinks did her sorrow and anxiety get washed away. If anything, the effects of alcohol have only softened her up to let her sadness be more shown.

"You and I both, kid," Trixie sniffles, rubbing away any tears threatening to pour out of her eyes. "Every day, I hic! I pray for Starlight, Twilight... Everyone to wake up. She looked so frightened by whatever was haunting her dreams. For somethin' to result in her firing of spells left n right is just--Blugh! ''Scuse me!... horrible!"

"It's must be hard to watch," Beatrix nods. She could only imagine the fear and torment she would feel if she saw the people she cared about suffer from neverending nightmares.

"I can't say the same for Spike or the others, but they'll probably tell you the same I hic! have said... If you plan on sleepin', just be careful. You might never wake up..." She warns, deciding she had enough of the rum and put the bottle away into her cooler.

"W-Well, thanks again, mo--I MEAN! Miss Lulamoon," the traveler stutters, earning another questioning look from the mare before she went back into her wagon with her cooler in hand, closing the door. Just as she turned to leave, she could hear the muffled sobs coming from inside the wagon, along with a cry for Starlight to wake up. A weary sigh left Beatrix's lips as she made her way towards the outskirts of the forest. Behind her, Ponyville grew further and further as the sun started to set. She bit her lip in thought. Foals and fillies must have been frightened to go to sleep at night, dreading that a boogieman would come and keep them in perpetual darkness. What real reason could parents or anyone give other than to stay awake? Their bodies would require sleep at some point! What if ponies began to develop micro naps!

Beatrix needed to figure out a way to stop this quick. She had a nagging thought that sent more shivers to crawl up her spine. If the prime Twilight and mane six were all asleep, would other versions fall victim to the same fate? And how long until everypony fell victim to these darkening dreams?

Fortunately for her, and maybe for the multiverse as a whole, there was one being she knew well enough who might know something about this growing calamity.

The sun was setting pass the horizon before Beatrix found a spot to rest, a tall tree to be exact. She glances over as the large orange circle slowly disappeared behind the landscape of eastern Equestria. Usually, her friend would appear so suddenly before Beatrix could realize she was asleep. But now, the unicorn mare was going to seek her out. It would make for a fun change of pace if the circumstances weren't dire.

"I swear," Beatrix groans while rubbing her temples. "One of these days, she and I are gonna just hang out and enjoy our time together without worrying wither the balance of the universe is being threatened or not!" She was wondering if she was just a bundle of bad luck, considering the many threats the young witch has faced for every adventure and quest she partook in. If she wasn't journeying through a labyrinth to stop some agent of the Demiurge form using the powers of the Necronomicon, she was trying to end a war between the remaining forces of humanity from an eldritch threat in the next! The only time she ever got a break was during that island getaway with her sister and friends.

The very same island she and Lady Ewe first met.

The Dream Shepard, as she calls herself, came from a dimension Beatrix never heard before. Its actual name was lost; hence Ewe referring to it as the Lost World. A nexus of different aspects fused into one ruled under beings called Vice Lords. The mystical ram was host to the Dreamscape, where she watched and protected the dreams and inspirations of lost souls who found themselves stuck there.

When they met, the two became close, if only because of their similar problem. Lady Ewe theorized that the lost world was starting to spread and grow closer to the dimension of Equestria, with the threat of the Vice Lords seeking new territory to conquer, having grown tired of spending years trapped in their dwindling worlds. Beatrix and Ewe found themselves teaming up against common enemies. Wither it was the spreading darkness of the Demiurge or the growing threat of the Vice Lords, the vagabond and dream walker would have each other's backs.

She sighs. She wasn't going to be dreaming if she just rambled and kept her thoughts active. Laying as comfortably as she could against the ground and using her luxurious cloak as a blanket, Beatrix starts to relax her muscles and think of those soft-looking blue fields with welcoming exotic flora. Those pink clouds that looked like cotton candy and all you had to do were reach for them and eat them. The soft, gentle voice of the goat woman's humming as she tended to her crops, harvesting and nurturing the hopes and ideas of those who slept. With deep breaths, she recites the passage she learned to help guide her to Ewe's domain.

"𝕀 𝕝𝕒𝕪 𝕞𝕪 𝕓𝕠𝕕𝕪 𝕦𝕡𝕠𝕟 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕖𝕒𝕣𝕥𝕙,
𝕥𝕠 𝕝𝕖𝕒𝕧𝕖 𝕞𝕪 𝕧𝕖𝕤𝕤𝕖𝕝 𝕥𝕠 𝕣𝕖𝕤𝕥 𝕚𝕟 𝕕𝕚𝕣𝕥,
𝕥𝕠 𝕒𝕔𝕔𝕖𝕡𝕥 𝕥𝕙𝕒𝕥 𝕒𝕝𝕝 𝕚𝕤 𝕟𝕠𝕥 𝕨𝕙𝕒𝕥 𝕚𝕥 𝕤𝕖𝕖𝕞𝕤,
𝕤𝕠 𝕞𝕪 𝕤𝕠𝕦𝕝 𝕞𝕒𝕪 𝕗𝕝𝕠𝕦𝕣𝕚𝕤𝕙 𝕨𝕚𝕥𝕙 𝕙𝕠𝕡𝕖𝕤 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕕𝕣𝕖𝕒𝕞𝕤."

As she repeats this phrase like a protective mantra, the witch feels her body slowly begin to heavy with sleep. Her words started slurring off, and her eyes struggle to remain awake. At last, she surrenders to the realm of sleep with her first couple of snores calling forth a name.

"Lady... Ewe"

"I hear you, Ceann Óga."

The sound of that silky soft motherly tone awakened the slumbering witch. That is if she weren't already asleep. For before Beatrix was the familiar sight of a hazy blue landscape, a sparkling mist that cloaked the ground. She was half expecting to see that beautiful purple sky with cotton candy clouds. But as the violet mare looked up, she was disappointed to see thick, almost gloomy looking clouds, covering the entire sky. She shivered as a gust of wind blew past her, the force strong enough to take her hat away.

"Gah! HEY!" she exclaims, reaching out to catch it. Luckily, someone else got a hold of it for her. Before her in all her mystical glory was the Dream Shepard, clad in blue robes waving about with the gale. Her curved ram horns kept her hood from blowing off, the gusts playing with the braid that hung below her neck. In her other hand, she held her dreamcatcher staff, made of ancient-looking wood, wolven threads and beads to tie a glowing blue crystal. Her welcoming honey-colored eyes held a hint of sadness, though she smiles despite her mood as she returns the witch her hat.

Ecstatic, the witch fixes her furry brimmed hat back in place before wrapping her arms around the goat woman, sighing happily. "It's good to see you, Lady Ewe!"

"Aye, of course," she greets in kind with a few pats to her back. "If only time would allow us a moment without trouble or worry. I would have been happier to have you visit me for once~."

"That's what I'm saying!" Beatrix pouts, releasing her hug with reluctance. "Can't the universe just for once, give us a pardon so that we can spend some quality time together? I'm just wanna say 'fuck it' and teleport us back to that island!"

A light chuckle came from the Shepard as she shook her head. "Someday... but not today, I'm afraid. Come, Beatrix. Let us be off," She ushers her as she walked down a path made of gravel. With a heavy sigh, the witch followed her.

"I see you've remembered the passage I taught you! Very good," she compliments.

"It was my first time attempting at it!" Beatrix proclaims proudly. "Maybe with a few more practices and words, I'll start to develop a connection to arcane magic!"

"Not with that phrase," giggles the goat woman. "It's not an enchantment. It's more of a saying to help you fall asleep faster. And help me locate you better."

"B-But... But then I didn't--Ugh," the witch grumbles, crossing her arms under her breasts. "Way to pop my balloon there."

Ewe stops to give Beatrix a gentle shoulder rub while smiling at her, apologetically, "Give yourself time, Ceann Óga. A healthy mind and spirit are the key factors in learning arcane magic. Luna and Celestia were the same way at your age,"

"You taught the alicorn sisters?"

"Not aye," she corrected while continuing down the path. "My great grandmother Minerva taught Celestia how to harness the sun's energy, as well as Luna the mysteries of the moon and dream-walking. And through her teachings to them, she passed onto me, though I was much more interested in the power of dreams than in the night itself."

"Wow... It's a shame most of the variations of the alicorn sisters end up dead or dooming their country. Do you ever feel perhaps they didn't take your grandma's lessons to heart?"

"Sometimes," Ewe admits. "Though in others, I feel she would have felt responsible for their fallings. That there was more, she could have done to prevent such terrible futures. But who we are is not defined in the powers we receive. it's how we use that power the defines us to who we are."

'I hope that's true for me too,' Beatrix thinks to herself. How long has it been since she fought herself on if her purposes lie in her dark origins? Would Beatrix always be the result of someone's obsession and dark magic, or could the violet mare be more? As her thoughts turn to doubts, she notices some slight changes happening the more they walked. Usually, when entering the Dreamscape, things were much brighter and more mystique. A lot of strange and wondrous things imaginable were here. Now, everything looks dim. As if the saturation of the world increased and less plantlife or woodline was apparent.

"What's happening here?" she asks. "I don't feel as safe or at ease whenever you bring me. What happened to your farm? Where are the animals?"

"The Dreamscape is suffering, Ceann Óga," Lady Ewe began to explain. "My sworn duty is to guide souls through their dreams and bring forth their inspirations. It is a place where hopes and dreams can thrive and spring forth new joys and magic. But ever since the princess and her folly of friends got captured, doubt and fear were sown instead. It has brought every mare, stallion, and child incredible sorrow and has affected their ability to sleep comfortably. Which means that the land cannot flourish."

"C-Captured? So then you know who is behind all of this?!"

"Aye, I do," she nods, and for once since she's known her, Lady Ewe's eyes gave away anger and disgust. Her grip on her staff tightens. "Another Vice Lord has come to Equestria in hopes of claiming it as his own... This is Vok'noir's doing."

"Vok'noir..?"

A harsh gust of wind cuts them off, causing the witch to clutch onto her hat to prevent it from being blown off again. Once the wind died down, Beatrix's eyes open wide as she took in their destination. Just a couple miles off was a tall, impending forest full of dark, crooked trees. But perhaps the more unsettling omen was the dark storm clouds that were stretching forward from above. Thunder roared as if warning the two travelers not to venture forth. Sheepishly, Beatrix steps further behind the ram.

"You asked me if my grandmother felt responsible for not doing enough to help the alicorn sisters. I feel responsible for letting Vok'noir grow so terrible and monstrous," Ewe said. "He and I were kindred spirits. He was a powerful shaman gifted in understanding the fears and insecurities of others. He would bring forth nightmares and visions to better warn of the path they were following and try to help them become stronger and brave. He was admirable, scaring people into sharpening their resolves. Most of our people found it too extreme, but I understood his heart was in the right place."

"His heart... but not his mind?" the witch assumed.

Lady Ewe nods. "As my work flourished, Vok'noir began to believe what the others were saying and grew bitter that his work was unappreciated. After all, who wants to remember a bad dream when good dreams made people feel better. There was a balance to it that folks didn't understand, but he misunderstood the most. Soon, he began to grow more aggressive until his nightmare was so ferocious, it drained his victim of life and the will to continue living."

"I confronted him to realize there were other ways to resolve this, that his work was important in the balance of all things. But he would not hear me, far too lost in anger and despair that the only way he was accepted was if all fell into a deep sleep and were lost. We fought a grueling match, which ended with me sealing the both of us to the Dreamscape, where we would balance each other out through dreams and nightmares."

"But now, he's found a way out?" Beatrix asks, horrified of the implications.

Ewe sadly agreed before turning back into the dark clouds slowly spreading over the sky. "Vok'noir wants to return to the waking world and let darkness run rampant. If enough people believe he is real, then real he shall become. The moment they've lost or given up in waking up, his power grows. We must stop him before that happens!" And with urgency, she began to walk further towards the dark forest ahead.

"W-Wait, Lady Ewe!" the unicorn interrupts, cutting in front of the ram to prevent her from walking further. "How are we suppose to stop him!? If he's already imprisoned the princess and her friends, he should be much stronger than before!"

"No matter how powerful, a nightmare can't hurt you if you remember it's not real. Volk'noir's magic draws on fear. Keep a brave face, and he should not be able to harm you," replies the goat woman, looking down for a moment before looking back to the mare with a grim expression. "Beatrix... I normally would try to handle this on my own. But I would be lying to myself if I didn't say I wasn't scared of facing Vok'noir. I'm downright terrified of what he'll do should he succeed. So with you here, I must ask for your help. It'll be different for you, rest assured—you know nothing of how dream-magic can get. But with you by my side, I know we can stop this monster. Please, Ceann Óga. Help me!"

As Ewe gives out her hand, Beatrix hesitates while clutching her pendant. She must know how scared she was. She knew nothing of the world she came from nor the terrors a Vice Lord could bring. But if someone as wise and compassionate as Lady Ewe could believe in her, trust in her ability to do the right thing, maybe there was hope for her yet.

"I do everything I can, Lady Ewe... I won't let you down!" Beatrix says while taking her hand, mostly to stop herself from shaking. With a kind smile, the Dream Shepard and the interdimensional witch set off to confront the monstrous nightmare lurking within the forest.

The contrast between the two dream spirits couldn't be any clearly the more the pair ventured through this forest. It was almost too dark to see, as if night had fallen over the Dreamscape. The only light that could pierce through the dark veil was the soft glow of magic emanating from Lady Ewe's staff. Beatrix stayed close behind her, looking around cautiously. Paranoia took root in her mind as if one of these branches would come to life and try to grab at her.

'It's just a dream; it's just a dream; it's just a dream..' She repeated to herself quietly, trying to maintain the confidence she held before entering. If it's one thing she was blissed with for being Trixie's child, it was her ability to improvise and talk herself up. If only the voices whispering into her ear could do the same. They were faint at first, but they slowly grew louder and apparent. And they two whispered the same thing over and over,

"𝐼𝓃 𝒹𝓊𝓈𝓀, 𝓌𝑒 𝒻𝒶𝓁𝓁. 𝐼𝓃 𝒹𝒶𝓇𝓀, 𝓌𝑒 𝒸𝓇𝓎..."
"... 𝒯𝑜 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝓌𝒶𝓀𝒾𝓃𝑔 𝓌𝑜𝓇𝓁𝒹, 𝓌𝑒 𝓈𝒶𝓎 𝑔𝑜𝑜𝒹𝒷𝓎𝑒..."
"... 𝒪𝓊𝓇 𝓁𝒾𝓋𝑒𝓈, 𝑜𝓊𝓇 𝓌𝒾𝓈𝒽𝑒𝓈, 𝓁𝑜𝓈𝓉 𝓉𝑜 𝒹𝑒𝓈𝓅𝒶𝒾𝓇..."
"... 𝐹𝑜𝓇 𝒶𝓁𝓁 𝓌𝒾𝓁𝓁 𝒻𝑒𝒶𝓇 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝒷𝑒𝒶𝓈𝓉 𝑜𝒻 𝓃𝒾𝑔𝒽𝓉𝓂𝒶𝓇𝑒𝓈."

"Keep your spirits high, Beatrix," insists Ewe looking back to her. "This is not a place you won't grow lost in."

"Hng. No need to tell me twice," she mutters while doing her best to keep the voices out of her head. It didn't help that it felt like they've been aimlessly wandering for hours already. With the way the trees locked to stretch over behind them, it was clear they were not going to find an easy way out. What if they never found Twilight and her friends? What if Vok'noir found them first? What if they were trapped to become lost souls themselves. Things weren't looking until the goat woman pauses.

"Wait! I can sense them! Quickly," Lady Ewe urged, pulling Beatrix along to rush off. And as soon as they got closer, the witch too started to feel the essence of the chosen seven mares she met plenty of times. It even looked like the forest was opening up lit until they got to a clearing.

"Look..."

A large ancient-looking tree stood tall and imposing as its branches reached the swirling eye of the storm. And by the massive roots were the bodies of Twilight, Applejack, Fluttershy, and all the other unfortunate victims. Beatrix watched them squirm and wriggle in their floral bonds, but upon further examination, she discovered that their flesh was merging with the bark that restrained them.

"Twilight! Please, Wake up!" Beatrix begs desperately, trying to nudge her naked form awake. The lavender alicorn did not respond, only crying softly in her slumber. The unicorn tries the same with each pony trapped under the roots of the tree to no avail. Struggling, Beatrix would try to pull the bark off of Starlight's limbs, but it was too heavy and sturdy to try and break.

"Ugh, come on.."

"It's no use, Beatrix," Ewe sighs before stepping in, placing her hand on the tree itself to feel how cold and hollow it was. "The fear the nightmares have caused is too vivid to shake off. And it's made this tree grow stronger. You cannot free them like this!"

"Grugh! There has to be some other way to get them--"

"There is no other way," A deep voice growls, causing Beatrix to back off immediately and bounce back towards the Shepard. The two of them looked behind the tree to see a dark figure making its way through the trees. A large shadow with two red eyes loomed over them. Unwavering, Ewe casts her shaft to illuminate the frightening form and reveal the beast. Beatrix didn't find him any less horrifying to look it.

He was a colossal bear cloaked with long, dark fur. Decorating around his shoulders, chest, and waist were the skulls of animals, a talisman connecting three skulls around his neck. But the thing that was hard to look away from was the skull he wore like a mask. On each side of its head were horns, resembling antlers that stretch out unevenly. There was no doubt in Beatrix's mind; this is the fiend that stalked the dreams of Equestria.

"Vok'noir," Ewe addresses with disdain evident in her voice.

"You shouldn't have come here, Oona," he spoke as he lumbers towards them. "You've doom both yourself and this young witch to an eternity of torment. And for what?! In hopes that you could defeat me? Haha, how selfish," he chuckles cruelly.

"You have no right speaking to me in that tone," She scoffs, standing her ground. "I have spent my life guiding the souls of the lost and bringing forth their hopes and dreams! I am anything but selfish, and I will not allow you to destroy this sanctuary!"

The bear demon growls in annoyance, thunder rumbling above as rain started pouring into the forest. "Destroy? No. I only wish to return things to the way they should be. These ponies have forgotten the necessity of being afraid. They must remember their vulnerability! It is the only way balance in the Dreamscape can be restored."

"You're wrong! This is not the way to bring back balance!"

"Then tell me what is, O wise and benevolent one!" snarled the fiendish shaman. "Because your method has work wonders, hasn't it? Look at what has become of these ponies because of your way. The lost souls who remain trapped in our dying world! Look at what has become of me!"

Lightning struck the sky, highlighting the shaman's monstrous silhouette. Beatrix quivers at sight but kept on guard should Vok'noir attempt something. Ewe gazed up with deep sorrow in her eyes, clutching her staff so tightly, her knuckles grew white.

"That is not my fault, Iar-grá!" she weeps. "You've allowed darkness to cloud your mind and twist your heart."

But the beast would not have it, looming over the goat woman while clutching onto her shoulder firmly in his claws. She winches before finding a claw stroke her cheek to direct her attention back to the ursine skull of his face. "Look at me, Gammel-elske. This is who I am, who you made me become. We both know this to be the truth!"

"N-No, I... I refuse to believe it!"

"Oh, Oona," he hums to her. "Look at what has become of you. All this time, caring and tending to the dreams of these lost souls has left you neglected and lonely. You have grown tired. You have become weak."

"N-No, I..." she whimpers, the light in her staff beginning to flicker.

"Shhh, that's okay," the beast insists in a soft, husky voice while wrapping his massive arms around her in a strange embrace. "Let me take away your burden and help you finally rest your weary head."

"GET AWAY FROM HER!" Shouted Beatrix, shoving the large creature way from her drifting friend and strengthening her stance. "I don't care what you were to her before! She doesn't need you! She is more powerful than you'll ever hope to be!" Vok'noir snarled at her, his claws clutching to form fists.

"Grrrr, Kjøter! This does not concern you. If you turn back now, I'll consider sparing your life from an eternity of darkness!"

"Shut up! We're getting out of here, and we're taking our friends with us!" exclaims the unicorn as she prepared to blast this fiend with a powerful spell.

... But nothing happened.

She blinks, trying again. Nothing was firing from her horn or hands. Frustrated, she kept trying and thinking up spells for any result. And yet no magic was being cast to fight this monster bear. Trembling, she fell to her knees.

"W-What's happening?! Why can't I..?"

A loud crackle of laughter came from the enormous bear. "Ah, haha, hahaha! Did you not tell her, Oona?"

"What? Tell me what!?" Beatrix demands, looking to her friend, who looked down at herself.

"Silly witch! Your magic is useless here. All magic is not possible when you are asleep!" Vok'noir taunts as he pulled Ewe off the ground with dark force. Clouds of pitch-black energy wrapped around her form, constricting her like a snake. She shrieks and wriggles uselessly, dropping her staff to the ground.

"Lady Ewe!" Beatrix yells out to her but found herself unable to move. Gazing down, she stares in horror to find that her slender legs had begun to grow roots out and keep her to the forest floor. And the more she struggles, the more the roots and branches took hold of her, causing her horrible pain. "A-Auugh!"

"B-Beatrix," She weakly cries, reaching out for her friend. Vok'noir only laughs with triumphant. "Don't you see, Oona? Your friend is beginning to sink into despair. Without her magic, she is nothing more but a useless wretch with no hope or purpose. And when you finally rest, there won't be anything left to stand in my way! Soon, my nightmares will shroud over the rest of Equestria, and every stallion, mare, and foal will fall into a deep slumber. With all light from Equestria perished, only I will remain!"

"Y-You're wrong, Vok'noir..." the goat woman wheezes, struggling to remain conscious as she felt her body grow heavy. The strength of his dark magic felt like it could crush her. "T-There is still hope!"

The bear demon sighs with a shake of his head. "You have grown delusional, Gammel-elske. The more you resist, the more tired and frail you'll become. Give it up, Oona! It's time for you to let your spirit rest at last..."

But Ewe ignored his remarks and looked towards her friend, seeing her shake and shiver while tears streamed out from her face. "Beatrix... Forgive me, my friend. In trying to inspire you to be brave, I've allowed myself to falter. I am sorry I have failed you. I no longer believe I can save these ponies. But..."

A faint white aura glows around Ewe's body before becoming brighter and brighter. The unicorn looked up from her woes and stopped her struggling. The dark clouds that held her began to evaporate as Vok'noir glared at this new strength forming.

"Gruaah! What is this, Ewe!?" demands Vok'noir with a growl.

Her eyes were glowing as her head turns to face the bear demon. "But I have no doubt she will be the one to best you—the one to rescue us all! Beatrix Belladonna, I leave you with my hope and my dreams of bringing back balance to this realm!" her head turns to the slumber forms of the seven ponies wrapped in roots. "Return to Ponyville and enter their dreams! Remind them of who they are! Cleanse them of the vices coiling around their throats!"

"What!?" The young unicorn exclaims, completely puzzled at what she means. She couldn't help herself to get up from the dirt. How could Lady Ewe believe in her to rescue everypony and stop Vok'noir? The fiend roars at her bold declaration.

"Have you gone mad?! Do you mean to put the fate of Equestria in the hands of this conflicted morsel? Dressed up like a cheap-magician whore? Ha! There is already so much corruption and doubt within her soul. How can you expect her to--?!"

"Yes! YES, I DO!" she bellows, her form shimmering so brightly, the shaman lost his hold on her. He snarls, shielding his skulled face from the light. "FOR AS LONG AS THERE IS HOPE, SHE WILL NOT FAIL!"

"LADY EWE, PLEASE DON'T--YAAAAAH!!" All at once, the light shined through the darkness, illuminating the forest for a brief moment. After the light faded and the darkness settled back in, Vok'noir looked around and to find the goat woman had vanished.

"Huh?! Where did sh--Gah!?"

Beatrix was also missing from her spot, only the root from her body snapped off the ground. Enraged, the nightmare shaman let out a bellowing roar, thunder, and lighting cracking the skies as the storm grew larger. The bear demon was seething, coming so close to putting his rival to her end. And she somehow found a way to escape his clutches.

No, not escape. Vok'noir still senses her presence here. It felt close, almost as if it were right behind him! The monster turns behind to the large tree holding his prisoners. His piercing gaze narrowed as he found glowing markings above each mare's head. He chuckles angrily,

"So be it, Ewe. Let the witch try and free Twilight Sparkle and her friends. It won't matter once she becomes another lost soul and crumbles under the weight of her sins. Maybe then, you'll finally understand that there can only be my way. There can only be darkness for Equestria. There can only be surrender."

Beatrix rose with a startled gasp. She frantically looks around to discover she was back in Equestria, the exact spot she fell asleep when contacting Lady Ewe. Beatrix felt relief to be safe away from that monster, but that quickly passed the moment the violet unicorn looks at her arms. She could see through them, along with the rest of her limbs. Turning back, she yelped to see her disembodied figure still lying asleep.

"Oh, no... no no no no no!" she panics, trying to wake herself up by way of smacking herself or pushing her body. No matter what she did, she couldn't interact or touch her slumbering form. She was like a ghost, meaning she was still in the Dreamscape. She just wasn't in the realm Ewe resided. A reminder that all that took place had happened.

"I... I can't do this," she weeps. "Not without you. I don't know where to even begin with this. I'm not strong enough, I'm..."

As she curled into a ball to let the pressure weighing her down, a soft glow caught her attention. A pale blue ball of light flickered around before slowly drifting away. Whipping away her tears, she rose to follow it. Each time she grabbed it, it pulls apart at a quick pace. "Ugh, Just hold still you!" she growls in frustration. As she races out of the woods, she finally manages to catch it.

"Aha! Gotchya!" she said triumphantly, holding the ball close to her chest. It was then she looked up to notice where it took her. Before she stood Ponyville, and like the forest that Vok'noir governed, a dark storm cloud was forming above it. She felt a familiar wind tug at her cap to pull her in, yet she still stood against it with uncertainty.

"I... I know I want to help. But I don't know how Lady Ewe. Suppose you're still around, please. Help me! I don't want to do this alone."

All at once, the ball of light glowed brightly and enveloped her in warmth. It felt like all her stress and worries washed away, making her close her eyes to relish in this feeling.

"You are never alone, Ceann Óga," Ewe's voice spoke to her softly. "Ever since you and I met, I knew you would be the one to help me restore balance to the dreaming world. You have so much potential and good in you, Beatrix, more than you give yourself credit! I know you can set things right."

"But how?" she asks. "I have no idea how to do dream magic. I don't even know if I could connect with the arcane. I don't know--"

"The mystery of arcane magic is not something to know. You can only do with it what you will. And only you can learn how to use it. As you enter each of the seven nightmares holding your friends captive, you'll learn more than you have on your own as you restore their hope. There are seven guardians I have sent to help you along the way. Find them, and they will guide you in saving Twilight Sparkle and her friends."

"I... I think I can do that. But without magic, how can I protect yourself?"

"Spells and enchantments will not protect you while you remain asleep. If you put belief in something, you can make it real. And you may channel it through this," The ball stopped glowing to take a new shape before returning into Beatrix's hand. Her eyes marveled over a new wand. It looked similar to the wood from the forest trees but more pristine and white.

"Wow, it's so beautiful... Thank you, Lady Ewe. I..." and she clutched her newly formed wand with tightened resolve with her violet eyes sparkling with determination. "I won't fail you. I will stop Vok'noir and awaken everypony from this nightmare!"

With newfound determination, he sets off to the sleeping town of Ponyville. This quest would prove to be quiet challenging as much of it would be unknown to her or what her capability would be. But as she peered through the windows of each house, seeing the sad and miserable faces of each pony over the slumbering form of there family and friends, she understands that she must prevail. As Beatrix got to the center of town, she found a large map of landmarks and places travelers should visit. On it, she found the homes and establishments of Twilight and her friends, making it simple for the young witch to find them and their dreams.

‘The question is, where should I start?’

Author's Note

[AppleJack]
[Pinkie Pie]
[Rarity]
[Starlight Glimmer]
[Twilight Sparkle]
[Fluttershy]
[Rainbow Dash]

Hello! And welcome to my choose-your-own-adventure type thingy. I've been wanting to get this off the ground for some time now! In this game, you, the audience, can pick where to start and go from here. Think of it as a voting system, the more name picked and suggested out of the mane seven being the pony we go too. Expect each pony to come with a choice that will decide if the story continues or not.

I look forward to seeing where everyone goes.

Once again, I'd like to thank Dr.Sharaz Jek for allowing me to write his character as the start of this fic alongside Oona Ewe. Be sure to check out his work to read more about Beatrix.

Thanks for reading~