The Nightmare King of Ponies.

A man who sinned his entire life, slept comfortably with his wife

There was once a pony who lived his life in sorrow and misfortune, the world never seeming to let up in its unrelenting cruelty upon his person, turning him into a bitter and hating pony, he cast aside the beliefs of harmony, happiness and joy, the world never letting him understand or come to appreciate these things in its unforgiving storms. He rejected all in his life, all who chose to help him and comfort him in his times of need, save one. His wonderful childhood friend and life, she made things brighter for him, made the cold nights bearable, but only to a degree. He had no trust for anyone, “Harmony be damned and all those with it, the world cares not for me, so why should I care for it?!” he had always said. The only one he ever loved tried to show him that the world was a kind place but he would have none of it. He was undeserving of her love, of kindness or any treatment save ridicule and rejection in the mind of the world. His only slightest comfort was in sleep, no pain, no lies, nothing save blackness and cold, honest neutrality, his only pleasure if such a thing could be called such. His heart was as black as his mind, hardened over the years and weights of the world that showed no care for him. He drove his hatred of the world on others “Why should I be the only to suffer the world’s cold winds? Come, let me show you!” He spread misery and distrust wherever he went, taking a grim satisfaction in such acts as these. He had no dreams, tangible or ephemeral, only a driving hate for the world that caused him so much pain. His acts had not fallen upon deaf ears or blind eyes. Something would soon be upon him.

Pitch black and dark until the morrow, no more dreams, only sorrow

This stallion lay here, in the pitch black and cold darkness that enveloped him. At these times where the silent beauty of the world came to his sight, he reflected upon his life for you see he wasn’t always the man he was today. The world and the forces that be, had shaped him into the wild beast that he was today, only full of hatred, only full of fears. For you see my children, as much as this man hated all things harmony and spread his hatred across the land, he was afraid. Afraid of the unknown, of blindness and most of all, death. He had much worse things to fear, as he would learn in due time. All in

due time.

Empty abyss that is his mind, in his dreams he was almost blind

In his sleep, he never dreamed, not a single one. Ever since this stallion could remember he never had a dream or night of peaceful sleep. On the same note, he never had a nightmare either. Only a silent stirring in the back of his mind kept him company on dark nights, twisting, writhing and squirming just barely out of his mental vision. And such was a night as tonight, save for one change. Over the years, this ephemeral manifest inside the darkest regions of his subconscious had grown steadily. He knew it was there, he could feel it, reaching out to him, calling to him. The call grew in strength, pulsating through his mind. Every night he would feel it grow, silently influencing him, drawing closer to his consciousness. It forced its way through, slowly but surely and the unknown nature of it all drove the pony to a deep state of insanity. Every night he tossed and turned in his sleep, the horror taking form but only slightly. He awoke with a start every night, screaming in a wild frenzy, his wife soon left him to stay with her family thinking he needed the space. This only left a deeper void in his mind, only to be filled by the darkness and fears. Fear canceled out hatred, never wanting to go outside he stayed in his house. The ravings of a thousand madmen filled up the walls, all bearing a blob like form.

It had been 7 days since the pony last slept or ate or moved from his one corner. He was a living skeleton, tortured past his breaking point. He rocked back and forth, even without sleep the ephemeral touch of the unknown grasped at his mind, vying for control. It steadily crept forward no longer chained to sleep, moving onwards as steadily as before, and creeping ever towards the center. He howled in pain every night, at this time, sleep or no sleep, it sped up to ferocious rates. Like a lion closing in for the kill it increased in voracity on his person, racing, now knowing it was discovered and took relish in his anguish. The laughter of a broken and tortured soul forever would echo in the nights. Pleas written in tears and inks, walls flayed with animal terror. His vision blurred and faded further every day, his eyes welling with darkness. But still, the worst was not to come. The silent watcher looked onwards, and smiled.

Till one day a spell was cast, a miracle, a gleam of hope at last.

His Punishment for all his crime, showed Color for the first time.

And so, now as his body grew weak a moment of reflection came unto him. This was simply what he had deserved, his past crimes horrid (detail early on maybe), if he could find a way to atone. He knew that he would never be the same, the unknown would come over him soon. He would be no more, as he deserved. He looked back on what little he could remember of it, the darkness overtaking his senses fully and burning his memories, everything fading into a black abyss. The hunger never seemed to sate of this dark and terrible void, only grow and grow the more that was lost. He would be gone soon. One last sentence to utter to the world “World! I am sorry for my transgressions! Please, anything but this, I am lost, my life is fading! May you hear this broken voice and know that I will atone no matter the cost! Please! PLEASE! I DON’T WANT IT TO END LIKE THIS” He fell into a fit of hysterical crying. “PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE. HAVE WHAT YOU WILL OF ME, MY FLESH, MY BLOOD, AND MY SOUL! ANYTHING BUT THIS COLD AGONY!” And so his cry fell to the silent watcher, and he smiled a wolfish smile. A cold voice uttered to himself, ‘So as you wish, it shall become.’

A spell was cast that dark and cold night, the stallion lying in a puddle of tears, and crying hopelessly. A miniscule ray of moonlight shone through his curtains centering on his face. The ray grew steadily; the stallion paid it no heed in his hopeless despair. The ray suddenly pushed aside the curtains, filling the room with a radiant, blinding light followed by a warm nights wind. The ray dazed and broke the stallion out of his sorrow, now overcome with hysterical fright. He screamed in agony, though no pain was upon him. The winds soothed him in his madness, and his screams died down, he was tired. There was something else, something happening inside of his head, he could feel the darkness fleeting. He was overjoyed; he could feel control return to him once more.

His curse was raised; he saw color, a sight compared to no other.

Things shaped and music played, he saw; Reds, Blues, Oranges and Shades

His prayers had not fallen on deaf ears; he screamed with joy and felt the last of the darkness flee him. His vision returned once more, along with his sanity. That night he celebrated and wandered the moon-lit forests and streets, seeing the beauty of the world. He danced and he sang throughout the night to morning. He sang to the animals, fed them and learned what harmony was about that day. He lived that day, truly, for the first time lived. He aided the ponies in town, helped without asking anything in return and visited his wife once more. His life had turned around, he was in control, and he was truly happy for the first time in his life. He wandered throughout Equestria and back helping everyone around him, he had turned a new leaf. His wife was in love with him like never before, they re-did their home and fell into a love few can hope to achieve, pure and true.

He wandered and began to wonder,

Had he been forgiven for his blunders?

The time went by in a flash, his wife and he traveled all over Equestria, seeing the sights and living a wonderful life. Things were almost too good to be true for the lovers favored by fate. They settled down and had children, raising them with care and love. They went to school, play, and they were shown the attention they deserved, and the kindness they required. They had attended school when they were of proper age, they were the smartest and most beautiful children he had seen. And they were his; nobody could ever take this from him. Time went by, and things were still perfect, the man giving thanks every day to the light of the moon. As their children grew older, they were hated and preyed upon. This was not by means of a group, but a single pony. Their family received endless hate and threats from this mysterious pony, always in the shadows. They moved and he seemed to follow, who was this pony so full of hate? Weeks went by and the stallion had grown more hating and fierce, and now not just to their family, but seemingly more so than anyone else. They were sure that the pony was a stallion due to its size, laugh and a few keen sightings from his victims.

Weeks passed into months, their lives filled with threat and terror brought on by this stallion of raw hatred. Then one day, he truly crossed the line once and for all. He had done mean things before but no blood was ever shed. His wife was walking their children to school when the dark and familiar tone of their oppressor. She ran after him, and was swiftly knocked to the ground, knocked cold in a single blow. He laughed a mad laugh, and ran off while the children feverishly tried to revive their unconscious mother. The husband had stormed off in a blind fury into the night, he went onto the streets and ushered a challenge to the very shadows themselves. “Have I not atoned thine evil being? Beast of the shadows, reveal yourself to me! Come; FACE ME ONCE AND FOR ALL!” He heaved with rage, and his call had been heard. From the shadows themselves, shone a single red eye of pure madness and hatred. The pony before him laughed the laugh of a mad-man and screamed in a broken voice that sent chills of rage and fear down his spine, “What’s wrong young Stallion?! I thought you’d be happy to see an old friend, if not GRATEFUL FOR ALL I’VE DONE FOR YOU!” He laughed a terrible laugh “Your life you owe to me, your children, your hopes and your dreams. All this and more YOU OWE UNTO ME!”

A terrible sight arose before him; the pony came from the shadows with a wolfish smile. The pony looked down at first, laughing with growing insanity. He continued to laugh, louder and louder, and then threw his head up in a bout of insanity and let out a soul sinking laugh of pure insanity. The mocking laughter only provoked the stallion, he snarled in anger, but fear kept him at bay. The pony in front of him cut off his laughter abruptly, keeping his head unnaturally towards the sky. “You don’t remember me do you” He said with surprising absence of emotion. The stallion shook his head “I don’t and never have, who are you and why have you done this to these innocent people and our town?!” The pony continued to hold his head in the air and tilted his head at an angle. “Well now since when have you cared about the innocent and love? I wanted to show you the way things once were, but I’ve failed. But that’s ok.” He said with growing insanity and instability “Once more, your life is mine. MINE! MINE ALL MINE!” He began to laugh once more with incredible insanity and abruptly set his head back to eye level, continuing a chuckle.

The stallion’s heart sank, and he reeled back in terror. Before him was a face, of pure madness, a wicked smile and wide eyes detached from all humanity.  His right eye was red, the other normal and all over his left side creeping over him was darkness. It was just as he looked when he was overcome with madness. The closer he looked at him- no, NO. This wasn’t possible; the figure in front of him looked just as he did when he was engulfed in the darkness. A face of pure horror and fear shone on that stallion, raw and terrible.  The darkness smiled a full wolfish smile of glee “So you DO remember me! Good! All the better to know who sent you to your demise! Everything you are is now mine! Mine! Mine! “He howled to the sky with insanity. “Welcome home old friend!”

But then, a flash and the floors began to break

He cried “Oh no, oh no for heaven’s sake!”

Into the dark he fell and fell, into his own personal hell

A loud flash pierced the sky, the ground shook with a fierce primal force. The stallion fought for balance and control amongst the fierce winds that battered him, but to no avail. A loud scream of a broken man combined with that of a strike of lightning from the heavens opened the ground before him. He stumbled in, and screamed out in terror. He tumbled down, roars and cries of complete and utter chaos in the distance. He sped down at an alarming rate, if anything the fall should kill him, he took grim comfort in that this was the end of his suffering. His last thoughts were to be of his family, his two wonderful children. The madness inside of him had taken form, taken his life, his love, and the only happiness he had ever known. During the fall, he wept, attempting valiantly to convince himself that things would be alright, but to no avail. A seeping mood of dissonance fell over him. There was nothing he could do for anyone, ever again. There was no light, no hope, and nothing but sadness in his heart.

He stopped falling, and there he sat, still and dumb, as a gnat.

He thought all was done, but it had only just begun.

As in the distance a horse, closer and closer he stayed on course.

Time seemed to slow to a crawl in his decent into whatever awaited him in this hellish land he would soon find himself in. Near the end of his decent, he had no more tears, only a cold emptiness inside of his heart and mind. His fall reached his final leg, a dimly lit ground in sight. He showed no signs of slowing. He hit the ground with a massive thud, and bounced from the impact, landing on his side. The wind knocked fully from his lungs and his head spinning. As he laid there he wondered why he had not died from the fall alone. He came to the conclusion that whatever sent him ‘Madness Incarnate’ obviously was not after his life, but his agony. His head continued to spin, his vision blurred, in the distance he saw something approaching and it carried hell with it. He couldn’t make out specifics, he only knew whatever came to meet him would carry no kind intentions. He attempted to stand, but to no avail. He sat there waiting for the worst yet to come.

The horse rode faster and faster, through the black, and empty Pasture.

The man on top slowed it down, the Horseman wore a Ghastly Gown.

The Horse came to a screeching stop, the horseman’s gaze felt like a chop.

The time was nearing, he would face this beast eye to eye. He attempted to stand and through effort, and he succeeded, through sheer force of will, he stood with great pain pulsating in his limbs. He cleared his head and his vision began to settle. He could see now in the distance the steed was not as he was, it was a thin, skeletal thing with eyes of black fire. Its mane and tail were of green fire seemingly resistant to the foul winds that blew against it. The rider on top seemed to have a long black gown and hooded face; two green eyes were all that could be seen from this being. It was no pony, no animal as it seemed something from the nightmares of a twisted soul. Blanched bones poked through the gown and tore through the back of his attire. The horse slowed down, coming ever so closer to him, it would soon be upon him. With a screech, the steed came to a complete halt and reared up in front of him, striking fear into his being. The horseman’s gaze fell upon him, behind him there was a single chariot that was pulled by the demonic steed. His gaze pierced the stallion’s soul; it seemed to judge him with that single gaze. All remained silent, save the breaths of the steed.

Saying not a word, extended his hand, its face was pale, wrinkled and bland.

Who was this man? What did he want?

The horseman’s silence seemed like a taunt.

The rider said not a word, only extended one bony hand from the reins of his steed towards our stallion. While there was little light to be had in this odd setting that he found himself in, our stallion could slightly see the face of the rider. He-no- its face was pale, just as his hand; it looked as though it had never seen the light of day. It was seemingly ancient and quite sinister; unlike anything he had ever seen or dreamed before. The rider wore an expressionless face, continuing to hold out his hand for our stallion. Thoughts raced through his mind, who was this creature? What had he wanted from him and who sent him? Why was this all happening to him, had he not atoned? Had he not suffered enough?! There was a dead silence, nothing save a soft breeze in the air. The rider stepped down from his steed and harshly pointed at the carriage behind the steed. Its eyes burned into his very being, he stood overshadowing our stallion. He lowered his head in silence, and walked to the roof-less carriage, there was no use in struggle.

He got on his horse and they rode and rode, rode back to the devil’s humble abode.

They rode high they rode low; all you could hear was the foul wind blow.

They rode as far as the horse could go; the forest of black unraveled before, as if some fairy tale, some folk lore.

The rider got back onto his steed, and they rode for what seemed to be an eternity. Time passed by slowly during their journey into the unknown, our stallion sat in a deep state of silence. The terrain of this odd land was like nothing he had ever seen, the vastness of it simply overwhelming him. There was little to no light to be had in this land as they sped by, what little light to be seen was nowhere to be found. The light of the fire in the eyes of the steed and its mane lit their path quite well. They traveled onwards in ever silence, the chaotic screams and howls of unearthly beings long behind them. There was not a sound to be heard save the galloping of the steed and the wind blowing past them. The wind smelled of death and decay.

They rode on, the steed never slowing, only pressing ever onwards in this strange, strange land. Their path now leading them through a black and terrible forest, ever silent, ever still. The trees were black and twisted into odd shapes that could not be made out by our dear stallion. The trees seemed wicked, as if any moment they might challenge the creatures traveling through their domain. Eyes glowed and stared at our stallion, eyes full of hunger and madness. There was no warmth on the air they rode through; it seemed devoid of any temperature at all. And so they rode, terror gripping at our stallions mind, he knew not what would become of him, he tried to think of his family but their faces were distorted in his mind, insanity taking his mind once more.

The wind blew by, his heart beat fast; his future seemed bleak, but all so vast.

When they slowed a gate appeared, this site of this made the horseman Veer, off to the left towards a lake.

Only chills left in his wake.

The wind grew in its intensity and stench as they rode on. Our stallion started to panic as he felt his journey near its end. He would die a painful death or suffer a fate far worse than death in this land of the unknown he had begun to think. Everything seemed to be closing in on him, the final end to his story, but there was also so much more to it than that. What would become of him at the end of it all, what awaited him in this strange hellish land? He was given little time to think, they were approaching a large, and towering gate, what lay behind it was surely meant for him. His heart sank, and he grew frantic, terrified by what lay behind that gate. But this was not their final destination, the creature veered the horse off to another path with an abrupt increase of speed. He grew even more frantic with the possibilities. Was this not his final purgatory, what was the intent of this creature, what was their final destination? His insanity only grew, chills going through his whole body. He didn’t want to lose his mind once more; he didn’t want to lose his love, his life. He wanted to live. They rode on towards a lake, their final destination.

At the lake there was a path, the red water fit for a corpse’s bath.

The man started to scream and even plead, “Take me back, I beg your lead!” “I don’t know who I’ve wronged but this place, I do not belong! Forgive me messenger, leave me be!”

“I am not meant for your heinous sea!”

And so they had arrived at the lake, our stallion now shaking with fear and fighting off the madness consuming his thoughts. The lake was a deep blood red, as if drained from a great demon or beast. The creature got off of his steed and led our stallion outside of his carriage. He was shaking viciously at this point, his eyes going mad from fear and the sight before him. He collapsed onto the ground and screamed in terror “Please creature! Please, take me back; take me back to my family, my love, my children please! I don’t want to go mad once more! I don’t want to be alone, I don’t want them to suffer! I don’t know what I have done or what my family has done to deserve this cruel fate! They don’t deserve this fate and neither do I! I have changed I found happiness, I thought all had been forgiven! I don’t belong here!” He began to break down and cry on the ground before the creature and began to beg, “I’ll do anything that it takes to be forgiven in the eyes of whatever gods may have judged me! Just take me back, please forgive me!” He began to cry hysterically, and said weakly “I’ll do whatever it takes, just please forgive me.” The creature stood in stony silence, saying not a word.

The rider gazed with empty heart

“You are too young to play the part.”

“I see you have taken the bait, but can’t accept your own fate.”

“No I don’t believe you are the one. Congratulations, you lucky son. I’ll send you back for one last chance.”

“But remember, I’m always taking a glance.”

The rider spoke for the first time, his voice a deep echo with a powerful resonance, “I suppose that you would not understand the force of the words you spoke that fateful day. Your naiveté is almost humorous young lover. You bit the lure we so kindly held above your head like a hungry animal.” The creature smiled a crooked smile “No, you wouldn’t be able to play the role cast unto you, it’s simply not in your kinds nature. I congratulate you, young lover, it seems the scale of fate has favored you. You get one chance, and only one. The fate that shall befall you should you chose to squander this generous gift, well, let’s just say there are worse things than hell.” He grinned a terrible grin “Much worse young lover. I’ll be watching you in your travels, and I’ll know how well you plan to use this gift.”  Our stallion’s heart soared with hope, he was at a loss for words, but the creature stilled him with a hand. He had more to still say.

“Perhaps you can return with a changed view, you have been given a chance of selected few.”

“Now return to your world you scum of the earth.”

“And enjoy your chance, your second birth.”

He tone grew in resonance, “Perhaps with all of this, your views may change in permanence. Remember young lover, you have been granted the chance of very few. I have shown you the world in all its splendor, its colors and feelings brand new. Not many get to see the gates of hell and return. You are certainly a lucky one, I can tell you that.  And so now, the hour comes at last it seems. Enjoy your return you scum, and return to your land now. Let it be seen in time if you were worthy of my decision. Enjoy it well young lover, your second birth is upon you.” And so the creature took out a scythe and opened a portal in the air. He grabbed our stallion and threw him into it and shouted after him “Enjoy the gift young lover! We shall be watching!” The portal closed, and he chuckled softly to himself “But know that each gift, comes with a price. So enjoy this one while it lasts.” He then rode off into his domain, laughing wickedly.

The man awoke with a start; the taste in his mouth was dry and tart.

The room was dark and he was cold, his skin was hot and his eyes were bold.

Yes he had return from hell.

Returned from his personal hell.

And so he awoke in his bed, mouth dry and a tart taste in his mouth. He was sweating but the room was dark that night. His felt his skin and he felt burning, but an overwhelming cold came over him. His eyes were wide with fright; he had been to hell and back. He wondered where he was sent now, he knew that this was his same familiar house, but it was different than before. He went outside and looked around, the town was even different, and then it came to him. He was sent to the time where his anger and hatred was thrust upon the world. He was still with his wife, he had been long before this, but his children would be gone. But with this sadness there was a silver lining, he could bring back his children likely, but he could also change his life for the better. He danced through the night till morning that day; he would live his life the way he had always wanted to.

As the time passed by, he learned there was a dire cost for his gift. He not only could never have children as he learned, but there was another thing. Forever would be upon him, the cries of the broken and mad at night, and the laughter of madmen. One curse had been lifted for another to set the scales right. And so he lived out his life in his new curse, a day to day hell. Cursed to forever hear the cries of the broken, and know the fate that would become of them. Cursed to never sire a child, cursed forever to hear the laughter of the mad, but it was not just him that heard the cries and laughter. The town he lived in heard them all as well every night. So my children, know that when you hear the cries of the moonlight, and the laughter of the mad, know that the watched stallion is among you. And know that the watcher’s eyes are upon all of you as well.

The End