zZz

Whew, my thoughts rang. Finally…it was over.

It had been a long adventure, but at long last, I was finally relieved to be back in the city of Canterlot. And after enduring the most stressful and horrifying sets of events in my life, this well-deserved rest was my first choice when I returned home from the Eastern Lair region.

It was an easy trip back as well, since Princess Celestia was overseeing my transport. She was mainly concerned for my health, and ensured I was safe no more than a dozen times. I was constantly shaking, paranoid of my surroundings as we flew through the evening sky.

“Be at ease, Mr. Swift,” the solar alicorn calmly stated. I nearly jumped in my seat as she gave me a warm smile. “We are approaching Canterlot. Soon you’ll be safe and sound in the comfort of your own home.”

I nodded and tried to remain calm. Doing so in the presence of an alicorn, especially one as powerful as Princess Celestia, was no easy task. It was the closest I had ever been to her, mostly spending her time working through Day Court in the throne room or some other part of the castle.

Other creatures probably see her more than the Royal Guard ever does, but I couldn’t complain now. The remaining part of the trip remained smooth as we descended toward the land.

After landing in Canterlot, I was immediately whisked away with Princess Celestia. After a brief pause in time, her magic brought us in front of my apartment building. I dumbly stood there before realizing where I was, Celestia smiling and ushering me forward.

I fumbled for the keys in my torn bag and fished them out. Then, assuring they still worked, Celestia watched as I entered the living area, closing the door behind me and wishing me a good night’s rest.

After that, I was alone.

Alone once more…

Alone to look at my living space for what felt like minutes before collapsing onto the couch.

I didn’t want to think about anything else. Not of the past few days, the long escapade through the eastern region, or the nerve-racking chase….

Sleep was all I wanted.

zZz

========================================<>=========================================

“Uhhh….”

I opened my eyes and recoiled in shock. Then, after a few seconds of deep breathing to keep myself in check, I slowly got up onto my hooves and observed my surroundings.

This isn’t where I was a few minutes ago, I thought to myself in disbelief. The world looked way different. As I stood upon a lonely hill, it looked like Equestria had been shrunken down. The tree behind me cast a slight shadow onto the ground beside my body as a view of Canterlot finally appeared.

Where am I? Am I dead? I questioned myself. No, that’s not right. I turned myself around and continued to peer off into the distance, as numerous geographical shapes emerged across the horizon. The sun shone brightly in the blue sky, with a volcano here, and some cities to the righ-

flash!

gasp!

I was blinded by an intense white light as my eyes were forced closed. The burning sensation in my pupils was comparable to a flashbang, which was more common in the Royal Army.

Wait…the Royal Army? I inquisitively thought as I slowly opened my eyes.

“What is going on?” I mouthed in shock as I took a look around.

What greeted me was the complete opposite of what I had first seen. The landscape was dull and cold, a chilly windstorm kicking up the dust and throwing it all around. The horizon had all but disappeared as massive clouds of smoke filled the air, blocking out the sun.

Trees were dying left and right as the scene resembled a barren wasteland. There were no flowers to observe or grassy hills to lie down on. Instead, it had turned into an apocalyptic scenario, as thousands of painful cries suddenly cried out, only to be silenced by a singular bolt of lightning.

I averted my gaze before turning around. There, I saw something even worse. The city of Canterlot lay in ruin as mammoth fires sprouted from the castle. Buildings that had littered the streets were leveled, and pathways were raised. The ground deteriorated and opened to swallow anythi-

boom! bang!

“Sweet Celestia,” I gasped as a shockwave blast hit my body and forced me onto the ground. As I looked up from my spot, I stared in horror as one of the castle’s towers fell from its placement on the mountainside and into the fiery depths.

I couldn’t help but continue to wonder in fright as to why this was all happening. I couldn’t comprehend the situation and still didn’t know where I wa-

flash!

“Gah!” Again, I was surprised by a burst of light, making me falter in place. However, instead of a steady ground to fall onto, it felt like I was floating in place.

I slightly opened my eyes again and immediately noticed why. The situation had turned dire, as I was falling through an empty sky, unable to see anything below me. It remained a dark void, with nothing but the cold air to pass me by.

I fell for what felt like hours before noticing anything below me. But, in the distance, something had lay waiting for me all this time. And it was a massive red flag to my mind. As I scrambled to try and avert my trajectory, my mind screamed loudly and confirmed my worst fears.

“OOHH, NOOOO!!”

========================================<>=========================================

crash!

smack!

SLAM!!

My body cascaded through an unbelievable amount of leaves and branches that snapped upon impact. Finally, after slamming into the ground, it surprisingly gave, causing me to sink into it. As I winced from the radiating pain spreading through my frame, my eyes opened to a quiet, pitch-black landscape. I couldn’t tell where I had fallen into.

Following the observation, I tried to get up and walk around, but there was a problem: my legs would not budge. I looked down and started hyperventilating, realizing I had been caught in quicksand.

Wh-Whuh? my mind sputtered to comprehend as I began to feel my body sinking gradually. Wh-What is ha-happening to me?!

ssss!

My eyes shot wide open as I looked up. I frantically scanned the space around me. Finally, as if on command, the world began to show itself, pouring dread into my head.

“Oh no,” I mouthed silently, realizing where I had landed. I thought that I had escaped…

The trees rose quickly above me, slowly sealing away the sky and trapping me inside. My eyes darted from side to side as bushes began rustling softly. My ears flicked back and forth, picking up the faint sounds of rattles and hisses.

No, my mind started to repeat. No, no, no, no…

I tried to lift my forelegs from the quicksand, but it was useless. It kept pulling me into its embrace, beginning to swallow my body whole. The feeling in the fur on my stomach died away as I continued to hear the hisses from the forestry surrounding me.

Please, I pleaded to Faust. My eyes began to water as the hissing grew louder.

SsssSSS!!

“Please,” I croaked, wanting nothing more than to disappear from this place. “Leave me alone….”

My pleading and begging fell on deaf ears as the bushes rustled even more. Meanwhile, the quicksand pond I had dropped into started covering the upper portion of my body as my eyes shut. Tears continued to flow from my closed eyelids, my desperate attempts to wriggle free from my position proving useless.

And then…the rustling and hissing noises ceased.

I sat there in fear as I continued to try and listen for them, but I was dumbfounded. What is going on? my mind inquired before curiosity shattered my hopes and dreams.

I begrudgingly opened my eyes and nearly screamed in fright. Instead, what greeted me was an awful sight: dozens of serpents lining the pond’s edges. They appeared to be eyeing me with rageful intentions as the quicksand started to reach my neck.

My mouth hung open as they glared at me, the slits of their eyes narrowing into straight lines, staring into my pony soul. They were eerily behaving like they did duri-

Hiissss! HIISSSS!!

One of them had started the rallying cry, which made them all call attention to their prey. They continued to hiss at me, their minds made up.

Then, to my dismay, they started to float above the surface of the sand. They glided in a zig-zag pattern, nearing my position.

I frantically attempted to wrestle myself away, but they did not stop. They won’t stop. The sinking feeling I felt from before had ended, with only my head exposed to them.

Stop, I cried internally. Stop…Stop! PLEASE!!

The slimy creatures would not agree and worked their way toward me. One of them began to ready itself, its mouth opening to reveal a long, forked tongue and four razor-sharp fangs. Before I had time to react, it suddenly lunged for me and-

flash!

========================================<>=========================================

“NOOO!!”

whumpf!

I sat there, shaking in fear, as I remained curled up. I didn’t want to open my eyes, fearing the same scene playing out again.

As I continued to lie there, a feeling emerged. It almost felt like blades of grass were tickling my fur. Almost inconceivable, my brain would prove to be a worthy opponent to my conscience.

“Swift…wake up….”

The voice was unidentifiable as my body stirred. What followed were my eyes slowly opening, followed by the sunlight striking them with immense force. A burning feeling radiated across the surface of my pupils as I tried to readjust them to the light.

“Swift, are you okay?” the voice asked.

groan “P-P-Please,” I cried in agony, “...m-make them g-go away.” More tears flowed down my cheeks as I continued to shake. Then, closing my eyes tightly, I shuddered in fear as the previous scenes reran through my mind quickly.

“Don’t worry,” the voice said softly. “I’m here now.”

Then, it was as if something soft began to touch my body. It slowly ran across my stomach as I shuddered from the feeling.

Wh-Whyy…hwhat is g-goinng on? I thought as I reopened my eyes.

The image I saw was indescribable. It slowly began to resemble a creature as it stood over me. The new area’s background was pure white, with an empty abyss spreading across the world. It scattered across the plane, and the air was unbelievably clean. However, the dark silhouette of the thing remained featureless as I struggled to comprehend what was occurring.

“Whuh-What i-is h-ha-happening t-to meee?” I stammered as my throat felt dry.

“You took a nasty hit, Swift. Are you alright?” the creature asked again. I turned my head to it as its blank face stared back. Finally, I looked at the soft feeling I had felt on my fur before.

Wait, I thought to myself as the gears in my mind started to churn. The creature’s silhouette was fading as it appeared from the empty space. A furless claw lay flat on my stomach, slowly stretching away from me. It continued toward the creature’s shoulders, broadening into a visible body. That body began to manifest faster, as clothing was wrapped around it….

“H-H-Hold on,” I whispered to myself. “It c-can’t b-b-be….”

“Swift?” the creature asked once more before its face revealed itself.

”If you act on impulse, it could mean your demise.”

The echoed statement from Pete rang loudly in my ear as the burned picture I thought was buried away in my mind emerged. It was the creature I had envisioned from those past tests: a furless, bipedal creature. It towered over me as I lay there in fear.

“Y-Y-Y-Yooou,” I stuttered before attempting to retract myself.

“Wait, Swift. It’s just me, remember?” the creature pleaded. It remained in a state of concern, but I ignored that detail completely.

”If you act on impulse, it could mean your demise.”

Pete’s warning rang in my ears a second time as it tried to get closer. I backed away as fast as my tired legs could, only to crumble from a violently painful shock in my back.

“Stay away from me!” I dryly shouted in discomfort and agony.

“Hold on, Swift. You’re hurt badly,” it stated, the ground slightly shaking as it began to get closer. “Let me help you!”

I looked at it in confusion and bewilderment before another shockwave of torment reached my head. Clutching it with my hooves, I closed my eyes and curled into a ball as the pain radiated throughout my body.

”If you act on impulse, it could mean your demise.”

Stop! my thoughts screamed. Don’t hurt me! No more!

“Swift! Snap out of it!” the voice from the creature called out again.

”If you act on impulse, it could mean your demise.”

ssSSSSss!!

“No!” I yelled before the pain became unbearable. My eyes closed tightly as I began to grit my teeth in frustration. “Stoooop! MAKE IT STOP!!”

“SWIFT!!”

HISSSS!!

”If you act on impulse, it could mean your demise.”

flash!

“AAAAHH!!”

shing!

“Swift! It’s okay! We are here now! Wake up!”

========================================<>=========================================

“Swift!” a new voice called out to me. “Please, wake up!”

Wait a second…this voice sounds different. It sounds more feminine than the others. Why does it feel like I recognize that voice from somewhere? my mind continuously thought as I slowly regained feeling in my legs.

“Wake up,” the voice commanded. “Thou must open your eyes.”

I shook my head vigorously, my fur standing tall upon my frame. I-I can’t, my thoughts said to themselves. “I…I-I c-can’t….” was my weak reply.

“Thou hast to trust us, Swift,” the creature reassured softly. “Tis the only way I can help you.”

My ears perked as the dots connected in my mind. Wait, I recognize that dialect, I thought. There’s only one pony in Equestria who speaks like that. But should I test my theory? After more deliberation with my mind, my eyes opened, validating my assumption.

huff! “Oh, thank the stars,” Princess Luna breathed out. My eyes widened in shock as the lunar princess stood before me. I slowly processed why she would be here and where I was. After more silence had passed, the alicorn began to back off as I finally attempted to get to my hooves.

“Oooh…my…aauh,” I groaned as the feeling in my legs was not fully there.

“Take your time, Swift,” Luna warned. “Your health has deteriorated from the last time. Thus, thou mustn't be so hasty in thine movements.”

sigh “Th-Thank you, P-Princess Lu-Luna,” I replied as I tried my best to bow to her. Unfortunately, my attempt was short-lived as I suddenly fell to the ground from exhaustion.

whump!

“Swift, TAKE YOUR TIME!!” the alicorn called out. The end of her statement was punctuated by her Royal Canterlot voice, which hurt my ears. My eyes closed completely, and my head slowly fell to the floor of wherever I was.

A familiar feeling came to my senses as it rested upon the soft texture.

Am I? I thought to myself as I opened my eyes again. My mind was blown as the scenery had reverted once more to the lonely hill I had been upon from the beginning.

“Wh-Whuh-What?” I questioned aloud. My concern grew as the landscape drew itself again, with a noticeable castle peeking through the limelight. All was once again minor as Princess Luna appeared once more in the blue sky.

“Thou were experiencing a multi-staged nightmare,” Luna asserted. “A terrible one, at that. It seems we had made it at the worst possible moment, though, so I do apologize for that. But you are safe now, Swift….”

I continued to lay there in defeat as I observed the lunar princess. She continued to flap her wings, remaining stationary in the sky. Finally, I sighed and relaxed my body on the grassy plain, letting the tickling feeling of the grass prick my fur.

Princess Luna nodded with a smile. “Hopefully, thou will have a more peaceful night,” the alicorn stated. “Goodnight, Swift. Dream peacefully….”

Her horn lit up as she disappeared into the sky, leaving me alone.

Alone.

yawn! “In my…dreams….”

zZz

Author's Note

Sweet dreams~~~

As always, feedback is appreciated!

-Harpy