Stars Below

Headache.

A monster of a headache, now that I am waking up to feel the full force of it. This is hardly the first time a night of dreamwalking has left me feeling... less than stellar, especially when I have more nightmares to tame than usual, but this morning seems to be a special case. I did my duty as always, reassuring my little ponies in their time of need and helping them overcome whatever fears were troubling them most. Then, just like every night, it was abruptly over. My sister began to raise the sun, and ponies started waking up in droves - the signal that it was time for me to wake as well.

When I opened my eyes, however, I was not greeted by the sight of my bedroom ceiling.

Staring straight up, I realized I could hardly see the end of my muzzle before my eyes. I was in near-total darkness, and as I attempted to get a deep breath I found myself nearly choking on stale air. It stank of rot and decay, with a terrible garnish of ashes in the mix. Finally, I decided to make use of my magic and try to light up my surroundings. When I did, I almost regretted the decision right away. My horn glowed brightly as I channeled a light spell, illuminating a solid grey ceiling made of stone. It curved at both ends, giving away that I was in a tunnel of some sort and lying on my back. Wires and pipes trailed along the walls on either side, I noted, though most of them were torn and rusting in many places.

Terrifying as this realization was, I knew better than to lose my head. Instead, I tried to focus on the present and what I knew so far. I was not in the castle, or even in Canterlot, that much was certain. Beyond that... I did not know. So far, I had only seen the ceiling above me and the walls beside me - and gotten a most unpleasant taste of the air in this tunnel.

It wasn't until I finally tried to set myself upright that I realized why I hadn't noticed that I wasn't in bed - my entire body felt numb and stiff as if I'd been lying still for days. I had no way of knowing for sure, but a stone floor would've made for a bad spot to lay for any amount of time. Regardless, I had to get my bearings, so I gritted my teeth and forced myself onto my haunches. My back let out a series of quiet pops and crackles, reminding me that I hadn't seen a masseuse in far too long, but at least I felt my sense of touch returning to all four legs. A stretch of my wings helped restore blood flow there, too. Now seated on some kind of narrow platform, I took in more of my new environment. Wherever I was, it was clearly not meant for hoof traffic. The center of the tunnel was occupied by a set of massive steel rails, the pair of them carrying on beyond the veil of darkness that my light spell failed to penetrate beyond a few meters.

Looking back over my shoulder, I saw that the tunnel was nearly identical in that direction as well. The only feature that stood out was a large, rusted steel door set into the wall on the right. It was partially ajar, though the inside was just as dark as the tunnel itself. With no other landmarks to go on, I slowly got to my hooves and crept toward it. My hooves noisily clacked against the stone floor even without my silver shoes, and despite the lack of any other living things so far, I got the feeling that I needed to be quiet. I hunched down and slowed my pace even further, almost shuffling toward this unknown doorway. The air was still barely breathable, but it also carried a deep chill now that I had feeling in all of my extremities. It cut through my fur and seemingly right down to my bones, making me shiver despite my natural resistance to the elements. I was mere steps away from that door when the stillness was torn asunder by the sound of explosions down the tunnel behind me.

It was as if dozens of cannons were going off in sequence, one after the other at an impossible pace, and between the percussion, I heard voices - all male, and all of them shouting in some language I felt certain I couldn't have deciphered even if I was close enough to hear it clearly. My ears reflexively folded down against my head, hidden in my ethereal mane and protecting my hearing against the harsh noises as they echoed down the tunnel. I still had yet to find any clue as to where I was, but the strange language gave away that I was likely far, far away from Canterlot. Wherever here was, though, that answer could wait. Those poor creatures, pony or otherwise, sounded as though they were in the middle of a fight, and it wouldn't do to simply leave them to their own devices while I was perfectly able to lend a hoof.

Turning away from the door I'd been about to explore, I galloped toward the explosions and shouting until I came to a turn in the tunnel. It curved gently, swooping to the right and blocking my line of sight, and it sounded as though the battle was just around the bend. The number and frequency of the explosions had sharply decreased in the few moments it took me to close the distance, and the shouting voices had gone from more than five to just two. I made my way to the corner, fighting to control my breathing, and peeked around until I caught sight of who I had rushed forward to save.

There, illuminated by a campfire off to the side of the tracks, were two strange-looking bipedal creatures. They were covered in heavy clothes of some sort, and one wore a metal helmet that was vaguely reminiscent of an Equestrian Army helmet. They had their backs to me, shouting back and forth to one another in that same language I couldn't identify. Then, out of the shadows at the far side of their small camp, I finally saw the thing they were fighting - or rather, things. A large, four-legged beast with pink skin and patchy black fur roared as it lunged out of the darkness claws-first. The two bipedal creatures stumbled back and attempted to fight it off, and that was when I finally saw the source of those explosions. Both of them carried strange weapons made of steel and wood, both covered in strange protrusions and other odd pieces that made them unique. Whatever they were, the ends of their weapons spit balls of flame and blasts of noise that echoed up and down the tunnels. At the same time, the beast that had aimed to kill them faltered in its attack. The bipedal creatures kept attacking it until it fell, then took a few steps back and got closer together.

The creature without the helmet turned his eyes away from the fire to do something with his weapon, exchanging some curved piece from the underside for a different one he had been carrying on his belt. Before he could finish installing this new piece, however, another beast charged out of the dim. His friend wasn't able to stop it in time, and I could only watch in horror as the first creature was tackled to the ground. He screamed and fought back with his hands, but to no avail. It wasn't until after he was dead that his comrade managed to slay the beast, leaving his maimed body pinned beneath it on the rails. I was just about to break from cover and make my presence known when one last beast joined the fray, tackling the last biped before he could recover.

The creature dropped his weapon to the ground and fell just like his friend, fumbling for something on his chest while trying - and failing - to hold back the monster attempting to eat him alive. I knew I had to act before it was too late, finally recovering from my slack-jawed staring. I gritted my teeth once again and charged forward, horn glowing as I readied a powerful combat spell. The beast barely had time to notice my presence before I fired off my spell, blasting it squarely in the face with a beam of sparkling energy. An ear-splitting screech rang out through the tunnel as the beast stumbled back and forgot about its prey for the moment. Instead, with its face half-charred and its body riddled with holes from the bipedal creature's previous attacks, it made a move for me. I had to spread my wings and dodge backward in a heartbeat, only narrowly avoiding a claw swipe that surely would have been the end of me.

The beast clearly hadn't been expecting me to be so light on my hooves, stumbling forward on its paws as the momentum of its swing took it off balance. I cast my eyes to my surroundings in search of a weapon I could use, but I came up short. My only options were the strange weapons the bipedal creatures had been wielding, but I hadn't the slightest clue as to how they worked. Instead, I beat my wings a second time to put additional space between myself and my foe before preparing another magical attack. My horn flashed with deadly energy yet again, and this time my spell struck home. The beam blasted a hole clean through the beast's head, sending it to the ground in a crumpled heap. Then...

Then it was all over.

I panted to catch my breath, closing my wings and settling back down onto my hooves now that I had no need to flee. The campfire that illuminated the battleground was still burning away, filling this tiny section of tunnel with hazy smoke and the comforting smell and warmth of a fireplace. Upon closer inspection, I could see that the fire was made in the bottom of what had once been a steel drum. Taking in my surroundings with a more critical eye now that I had the time, I at first thought I had failed to save the remaining biped from the terrible fate that had claimed his comrade. Stepping forward and preparing to inspect the body, though, I saw a twitch. With adrenaline still coursing through my veins, even such a small move was enough to startle me. I flinched and stumbled back, but quickly relaxed once I understood what was happening.

Stepping forward, I finally got a good look at the creature I had rushed forward to save. He was taller than I, and largely without fur. He kept his body protected with thick layers of fabric and armor, and he carried several of the strange curved objects that his friend had been fumbling with before his demise. His chest was also covered in a number of other tools, primarily a large knife that he had been trying to pull out of a sheath before I entered the fray. His face was hidden behind the thick visor of his steel helmet, but it did not take much effort to raise it with my forehoof. Staring down and squinting in the darkness, I got a good look at his face. Short nose. Small, brown eyes. Small mouth. A little bit of stubble over his upper lip, but he looked young - or I assumed as much. A tuft of brown hair poked out from underneath his helmet, and he simultaneously looked to be totally calm and in immense pain. Looking down, I saw the extent of the damage the beast had done to him before I could intervene. Large, deep gashes were opened across his lower body, spilling blood that soaked through his armor and pooled in the dirt beneath him.

Then, after a tense moment of staring at one another, he finally spoke. His voice was soft and strained, words barely coming out as gasps and whispers. Even though I could not understand his language, my heart broke at the sound. It was undeniable now - he really was only a youngling, and already he did not have much longer to live. I cursed myself for knowing so little healing magic, but it had always been Celestia's expertise. Now, standing over this dying creature, I could not do much but watch. I knelt down to bring myself closer to his face, laying a hoof on his chest in an attempt to comfort him, and tried to speak. Instead, my voice only came out as a strangled squeak, forcing me to cough and clear my throat. It didn't fix the pit that had formed in the bottom of my stomach.

"I am sorry, little one. I was too late to save you," I said, my voice just as quiet as his had been a moment ago. I saw a flash of recognition in his eyes even as they began to dim, and he slowly raised his left hand to grasp at my hoof. He couldn't seem to reach, but I completed the gesture for him with a tight squeeze. He gripped my hoof in his fingers and looked me squarely in the eyes, and for a long moment, I felt as though I was frozen in place. Then, he spoke again in a different language. One I could understand, heavily accented though it was.

"It is... okay," he wheezed, speaking even slower than before as he struggled with a language that was clearly foreign to him. "Thank you..." Then he trailed off, letting his head fall back and rest on the ground. Had his chest not still been rising and falling with the rhythm of his breathing, I would have surely thought him to be dead then and there. Just when I was preparing to speak again, he continued. "Are you... an angel?"

At first, I was simply dumbfounded. My grip on his hand loosened, but he quickly pulled my hoof back in as if desperate for my touch. His hand was cold. "No... I am no angel," I finally answered, unable to bring myself to lie to him in his final moments. "I am simply lost, as you are, and... I did what I could." It was an assumption on my part, but this tiny camp didn't give off the feeling of a permanent home. The youngling didn't seem to mind either way, merely shifting his head in a way that vaguely resembled a nod.

"Close... enough," he coughed, before finally, after much suffering, he went still. His chest stopped moving, his eyes glazed over, and... slowly, I felt his hand slipping away from my hoof. I let it fall, staring with wide eyes as it dropped into the dirt and lay still. Then... then I just sat there, in silence, for what felt like an eternity. I stared down at the body lying before me, feeling the heat of the campfire against my back and the cold, stale air against my front. He looked peaceful, and I supposed that it was well-earned after the pain he'd been put through. I took a moment to get to my hooves, then turned around to take a look at the rest of the campsite.

There was not much else to see, as I was quick to discover, though I was left with questions. Sadly, the only ones who could answer them had already passed on. Aside from the fire burning in the barrel, the two bipedal individuals... it didn't feel right thinking of them as 'creatures' now... had apparently been traveling very lightly. That, or they were not far from wherever they called home. There were a hoofful of scattered belongings on the ground, and I quickly gathered them up with my magic to take a closer look. There was a strange, roughly hoof-sized device made of brass and copper with some kind of wheel attached to the outside that caught my eye most of all. Levitating it away from the small collection of junk, I quickly discovered that it was a unique sort of lighter. Far too large for a pony to use without magic, but just about the right size to fit in the hands of one of the bipeds who had owned it.

I flipped the 'lid' open, the curved piece made of copper, and gave the striker a try. The lighter ignited immediately, casting its meager light on my face. It was just a little brighter than a candle, and the whole device seemed quite sturdy. I considered taking it with me, if not for the fact that I lacked anything to carry it with... or did I? Ah-ha!

Lying off to the side, squished up against wall, was a small cloth bag. It had only one strap, and it looked small enough for me to wear comfortably. Levitating it over to myself, though, I discovered a new item wadded up inside. Turning the bag over, a mask plopped onto the stone floor. It was made of rubber and clearly designed to be worn by these bipeds, and it featured a large, circular can of some sort affixed to the front. Small eye holes made me wonder how anyone was meant to see anything with it on, but that was beside the point. I couldn't wear such a thing regardless, so I set it aside and stuffed my first item into my new bag. After safely stashing the lighter, I poked through the rest of the items for anything of interest.

There was a small book, its pages faded and worn, written in a language I could not even begin to comprehend. Beside it, a pair of the same curved objects that the first individual had tried attaching to his weapon. Upon closer inspection, they appeared to be storage of some sort - both of the objects were full of small, cylindrical metal bits that looked to be smaller versions of the lighter I found. These, though, were grimy and ever so slightly misshapen, and not all of them featured a brass body. Some were plain steel, already showing signs of rust, and others were made of low-quality alloys that I could not identify. As far as I could tell, these were the ammunition for those strange weapons - like bolts for a crossbow, but so much smaller and deadlier, not to mention louder.

Moving on, I found a small tin with yet more writing I could not understand - at least it matched the book, which suggested to me that it was the written form of the language I had heard before. The can featured a pull tab and, upon opening it, a rather offensive odor. Fish, by the look of it, and not very good fish at that. I'm ashamed to admit it, but I couldn't stop myself from sticking my tongue out in disgust while casting the tin aside. None for me, thank you.

Other than those few items, and the equipment both individuals were wearing, that was all I found. I couldn't imagine them traveling far with so little food and ammunition in such a dangerous place, but there was no hint as to which direction they had come from. I could very well have started between them and their true home, or it could be further down the tunnel ahead of me. Still, those deadly beasts had come from that direction, so I was more hesitant to explore it. Regardless, I had one last thing to do before I left this camp behind. I turned back to the bodies and sighed, knowing I couldn't do anything even remotely resembling a proper burial with the ground being as solid as it was here. I removed the first biped from underneath the dead beast lying on top of him, taking care not to unintentionally cause any more damage to the already maimed body, and laid him beside his friend. Closing my eyes, I bowed my head and said a silent prayer for the both of them. They were both an ugly sight, thoroughly shredded by claws as long as my horn, but it was the only thing I could do for them. Just as I was beginning to walk away, though, one final thing caught my eye as it glinted in the firelight.

Looking down, I saw a simple, rectangular piece of metal attached to a chain around the younger biped's neck. Upon closer inspection, I saw that it was stamped with text in two languages - one that matched the unreadable gibberish in the book and on the tin of fish, and the other in plain Equestrian. I squinted to read it in the darkness, but my natural ability to see at night proved useful in the end. 'Alyosha Petrov' was the youngling's name, and though it sounded nothing like any Equestrian name I'd ever heard, I found myself liking the sound of it. With a solemn nod, I gently removed the nametag from the youngling's body and hung it around my own neck. I did not know if he had any family who would remember him now that he was gone, but it did not matter. If he did not, then I alone would ensure that his name was not forgotten.