True Fear

Chapters

Creature that lives in the dark
A shadow in the dark
Nightmares
The maze

Creature that lives in the dark

*Warning some scenes of these chapters contain gore and violate language. Please if you are sensitive to either of these please just vist one of the other stories.*

Her voice filled the room as she felt her very being began to tear apart piece by piece. The six figures who had fired the beam continued their assault. She struggled to find a way out of this torture. In leap of faith she left her body to her shadowy form but, in her place the princess known as Luna lied in her weaken state. She quickly was glad that this happened because Luna's body covered and protected her from the beam's harmful effect. In her current state she slowly felt tired. She thought to herself that the consept of sleep had escaped her besides this moment. She quickly understood that something was wrong.

Her shadow like figure faded to nothing, but a single spot of a shadow. The light dimed and she faded away losing the will to survive. The now eight figures being the orginal six, a white coated alicorn and Luna, Night's number one enemy. They left without searching for the remains of Night. That spot of shadowy aura grew and grew but time wasn't measured for noone was there. The shadowy aura grew and there stood a figure not Night's figure, but another. He looked around for someone, anyone. "Anyone there?" he asked, but with no reply. A single tear fell down his right eye, but then his face tightened up and some shadow resembling aura sparked around him as a crocked grin spread across his snout.

The shadow like unicorn figure trotted over to the exit of the castle. As his hoof touched the sunlight, poring out of cracked themed glass. His hoof dissolved and he quickly yanked back to examine his hoof or what had become of it. His grin straightened and he saw that his hoof had completly vanished. It slowly reappeared as a shadow-like hoof that flowed like waves at the beach. He looked over the rest of his body to find the same results. He fell to the floor in realization that he was but a simple shadow. He cried himself to sleep.

As he awoke hours later he heard the sounds of crickets and crocks. He trotted out and was greeted with a nice cold breeze. He looked up to see the bright moon and stars up in the dark blue night sky. He even saw a figure, a familiar figure flying in the air. He waved her down. As he was bum barded with memories...

"Prince Lavaliere!"

A light blue pegasus with a gray mane and tail form his old age, ran up to him and was panting. He had the regulation pegasus guard armor and his cutie mark resembled a blue shield but with dents and battle marks on it.

"Prince, please don't run off like that."

"Then how can we have fun then" the prince giggled

"Shouldn't we go to your chamber if you want to play?"

"I all ready explored my room I want to see the rest of the world!" the prince exclaimed.

"Well at least slow down I can't keep up, I'm not as young as I use to be."

"Ok I will Leo Clear Sea of the third flight battalion" the prince said with a giggle.

The old pegasus also laughed when his full name was used.

*bong...bong...bong*

"Three rings... Prince you know what to do, right?"

"Yes... but... Leo what is...?" the prince stuttered.

"There is no time, now move!"

The young prince galloped away as fast as he could to his chamber. He heard battles commencing in each room as he passed by each one. He sped on focused full heartly on reaching his room. He bumped into a towering figure. He didn't even get to look up but he heard...

"Lavaliere run!"

He galloped pass the figure and looked back for a second to see two figures facing each other, one was Luna and the other was a shadow resemblence of an alicorn.

"Run!!!!"

The prince started to gallop again but was stopped as he turned around again to see a towering shadow like figure laughing as it held his tail in it's dark aura. The prince closed his eyes as his world fell around him...

The figure turned and headed straight towards him. She landed and looked up at him.

"What are you doing here... you should be dead and why does thow stay in that state?"

He opened his mouth to answer, but not a word came out.

"Are you thi Nightmare? Or some other creature?"

Again his jaw moved but nothing came out. She slowely turned around.

"Good night, strange creature." and prepared to take off.

"Wait?"

She quickly turns around to see shadowy droplets fall from his face.

"What is wrong, little one?"

"Don't you... remeber me? the voice was a slight whisper and shakened.

She waits a few minutes. As she searched through her memories.

"No, you aren't familiar. Should you be, little one?"

In responce, dark droplets continue to fall into a heavy stream of what looked like tears.

"Please don't cry, little..."

She stared at the ground below the shadow creature. The ground was covered black and the black puddle slowly crept towards her. She jumped into the air. The shadows on the ground flew up and formed as a figure the pure full color of black besides the eyes that glowed. The dark form glared at the princess of the night and reformed to her design. It smiled and smashed her down to the ground.

"Creature, stop this!"

She shouted for his help as she wiped away the blood from her fall. The dark red liquid dripped form her gaping wound on her left side. She grunted as her horn ligt up for but a second and her flesh slowly regrew then her fur followed. He looked up from his tears to see the two fighting. He leaped up hit the shadow like figure when they colied they remodled to a ball of dark mass and then they split to refigure themselves. The shadow alicorn quickly wrapped its hoof around his head and flung him to the wall. It laughed as he crashed into the wall.

Luna looked at him and helped him up.

"What is your name?"

"Lavaliere... ." another whisper uttered from him.

"Lavaliere...? Your really... Prince Lavaliere!? But..."

The princess of the night is interuptted with a contiuning dark chuckle from the flying shadow-like figure.

What a sad and small family reuion."

"What have you done to him!?"

Oh him, I just helped him that is all. He is now a better pony.

You... you beast! I'm a monster now not a pony! You... you will pay!!"

His eyes dimmed as the light faded away from his once shining eyes.

Oh, is the spoiled little rich prince having anger issues?"

She chuckled again but felt sharp pain hit her gut. As she gasped for air she heard a yell from above her. Turning to face the owner she saw nothing just empty space, fully seeing nothing but two slightly ligt bulbs of light. The black smoke consumed her whole. The cloud fell to the ground and dissipated as it touch the floor of the stone castle. The princess looked at the lone figure in midst of the cloud.

"Lavaliere..."

"Leave me alone... I am nothing more then a monster now, please leave..."

"We will not just... leave you..."

" Leave!"

The ground around him started the bend and remold. She jumped back and flew away.

He lowered his head from facing the moon princess to the ground and let loss his waterfall of tears.

A shadow in the dark

Chapter 2

A seen shadow...

The moon princess racing toward the castle. Her mind humming with memories. As memories of him popping up her speed increase as if to run away from them. She sees her sister standing outside the balcony of her room. In a quick haste she swoops down towards her sis.

*wosh*

A figure dashed pass the moon princess. She stares at it but the second it disappears she... what was she going to do?

"Where are we going, again?" the moon princess questions but no one seems to be up there with her in her confusion.

Her gaze circles the area as she was discovering where she was.

"Huh?!" A quick flash of light illuminated the garden area. Luna flew over to where she believed was the origin of that blast. Seeing her sis staring questionably at a container holding two baby colts. A smile appeared from nowhere as a images of those days pasted her mind... those days...

She halts with the view of her sis on the balcony of her room.

"We were going to say hi to sis, right?"

Again she questions but continues towards the princess of the sun. She lands smoothly next to her sis and stares into the moon as her sis was.

“Luna you are getting better, seems like you have been practicing."

"Thanks Celly, we have been getting better haven't we?"

"Luna I have to show you something."

"What the foals? Celly I saw and know, we are glad you decided to give them a chance like you did with us."

"Twilight and her friends should been replying in a few minutes. Do you want to stay?"

"Not tonight Celly I need to check with Bright Night about how my royal night guards are faring."

"How are they liking the spell?"

"Most of them love having the ability to change back and forth from night-ponies to day-ponies. Having the bat-like wings and all."

"Good... good. Um... good night, Luna, I will let you know if anything big happens."

"We know something big will happen we can just feel it."

With that the Luna launches off the balcony. As she continues her way to the watch tower to the far left of the castle. Once she enters she is greeted by pony-bat hybrids. One stands from the rest as her wings were scrapped with some holes, she is Bright Night. She had a crimson red mane with white strips through it and her body fur was a light purple. Luna and Bright very fairly close after the transformation. She doesn't have her cutie mark but she is a kind and yet commanding solider. Bright was in one of the first groups that went through the transformation. The transformation is a series of magical coatings in which enchants the body to with stand the structural differences. Unlike what most believe the night-ponies or bat-ponies not only look different but their complete genetic code sifts. They are not summary to pegasus in anyway besides the ability of flight. Also unlike any other natural species known to exist. Not much is known of their biology completely because once the solider is lost his/her body reveres to its original form. To avoid the reawakening of a once horrible problem a few spells where recently added to allow the chosen to willingly change back and forth.

"Wait... one minute we... why did we...?"

"What is wrong Princess?" she ask

"I don't know Bright Night... I have no idea..."

"Well... princess I am glad to report that our guards are ready. Should I send them to patrol the air?"

"... Oh yes... do that."

"As you wish princess. SQUAD! AAATTTTEENNNNTIOON!"

The group of 13 bat-pony hybrids focused and had their eyes straight and not a slight sign of motion.

"AT EASE!"

The group relaxed slightly and was prepared for a speech.

"Ok now listen up! All you newbies listen! Seniors tell em who we are!"

"We are the Night Core, mam!"

"Why are we here!"

"TO PROTECT THE NIGHT!"

"They are all yours princess."

Bright saluted and trottes to the back of the squad.

"Go out there and prove yourself in the core. Good luck soldiers."

"YOU HEARD HER! GET A MOVE ON! GO!" Bright ordered the group.

The group all rush through the opening and spreads out. each choosing a place and starting their duty as guards. Bright prepared to launch and to follow her recruits but then...

"Bright..."

"Yes, princess?"

"Please... walk with me."

"As you wish."

The two continues down the watch tower's main hall. They reach a big window with a clear sight of the moon. They both stare at the beauty that the sweet moon shines off.

"What are we doing here?"

"Princess? What do you mean?"

"Huu...? What? Umm... we don't know something happened but we cannot recall..."

"Was it important?"

"Yes, but it bugs us so why we forgot something so big... What could it be...?"

"What do you expect it to be?"

"!! What?!"

"What is wrong princess? All I said was 'It will come to you eventually.'."

"Oh... nothing... nothing..."

We both know you are missing something, dearest.

"Oh... princess I will be at the eastern gate if you need me. Those two stallions mess up everything..."

"No! Please don't go!!"

"Yes, mam!"

"Have you been getting nightmares recently...?"

......................................................................

Nightmares

Chapter three

Nightmares

"Nightmare?" Bright questioned the princess of the night.

"..."

"Yes, actually I keep getting the same nightmare though. Is it important?"

"We don't know ... we have been getting them too."

"What?! But I thought you controled dreams?!"

"Yes, other's dreams or nightmares but not my own. That is the problem with control... you lose your own in place of another's."

"What is it about?"

"What?"

"Your nightmare, what is it about?"

"..."

"Princess?"

"We... I... can't talk about it, sorry it is just too much..."

"Yes mam."

"What about your's Bright?"

"Mine? Well it is personal... it is that night again and again... their faces. If... if only I was me back then... then maybe they could've... maybe they would be... sorry princess it is just too much for me."

"Your's is a horrible memory and our's is horrible as well. Could this be a link...?"

"Princess?"

"Yes, Bright?"

"Why did you ask me when you could have looked for yourself?"

"Respecting personal wall went help is not needed."

"Princess! Princess Luna!" a lunar guard gallops up to the two he looks like the typical lunar guard but that could just me the transformation, it sometimes covers differences in ponys. His mark is also covered by the armor he wore.

"Yes?"

"There is something coming this way!"

The trio rushed to the observation tower room.

"What?! Where is Crusher?!"

"Oh Crusher can't come at this moment please come later or you can play with me to pass the time."

A shadowy mist accumulated in front of the trio. In the mist was but slightly dimmed lights two infact. Those small blobs of light moved up and down. It seemed as if scanning the group.

"What art thow?"

"you...You don't remember me......again...then I would be glad if you would join in my little game."

The mist quickly flew over the trio and encompassed them. They all coughed and gasped for air in the dark mist the last one to fall was Luna but before she fell she whispered, "Why?".

* * * * *

Bright Night awoke in a chamber it seemed with only one torch and it was to her left. She struggled up to all four of her hooves and gazed into the darkness. With the help of the transformation spell she could see better in the dark but not completely. She saw three hallways stretching from the center in which she stood. She was already facing one of the hallways so she ventured off into the darkness.

* * * * *

Luna struggled up slightly feeling dazed from the lack of oxygen. She tried to focus her vision. When it returned though she saw a lantern with a single burning candles placed inside. She picks it up in her jaw, trying not to use her magic in her shaken state. After another gaze around the small room she was in she found a hallway branched out from the room. She pressed on having no where else to go but the hallway. After walking for a while she found some paintings on the wall. But the way it looked to be done was like a child's book. There was word's at the bottom but they looked old, ancient in fact. These words hadn't been spoken or written in over fourteen hundred years. Luna trotted closer to examine it better.

* * * * *

"Wake up, Striker. Come on, wake up!"

"Huh!" the colt swayed then bounced up to a standing position.

"Who said that?"

He stood there waiting for an answer but received non, he let his head down in disappointment.

"Striker you lazy bum. Get over here!"

"Rose! I'm coming!!"

The night guard stallion fought and pulled against his own body and its fatigue as he dashed form the square room, with two light sources a lantern and a torch on either side, to the darkened hallway and into complete darkness not allowing his eyes to adjust or even stopping for anything of any matter.

"Rose, I wouldn't let you go again!!!"

"Come on Striker you lazy bum."

* * * * *

"One by one the three come from the same place but chosen different paths, how did these beings ever hold power over us!"

"The truth is they never did, but they haven't found it out yet."

The maze

Chapter four

The maze...

Bright Night gallops her way deeper and deeper into the hallways filled with only darkness surrounding her. She slows down to a brisk pace as a slight whisper fills her sensitive ears. She slows further down to a idle position. Her vision soon catches up to her as she discovers that she isn't in the hallway anymore. She is actually in a big room like some sort of ballroom based on the rough visible parts of the room.There was a chandelier on the ceiling hanging down some ten feet down. There is ripped and torn remains of violet red curtains which tried to cover the outside world. Bright approaches the stone framed window and see nothing not a single source of light to be found in the dark land beyond this place. Leaving the window the noise of hoof beats sound close. Bright's heart leaps out of her chest when the hoof beats were followed by a loud crash with the sound of glass breaking. As if whom ever rushed off also fell over something or made something fall. See scans the room still only able to see small portions. After her look around she notices the chandelier was missing.

"What that the chandelier?"

She followed the path directly below to see glass fragments and a metal outline. After a few seconds the whisper that brought here to the ballroom to begin with came again.

Bright's ears shoots up trying to home in on the almost silent voice. She just slightly understands the whisper,
"...help..."

Bright's right ear twitched as it's focus narrows down to her right. Turning in the direction the call for help came again but stronger in a sense of volume. She finds a metallic door with a barbed window meaning a prison room for some reason in the ballroom.

"Why would someone ever place a room meant to hold the wrong next to a ballroom meant for fun and laughter?"

She trots her way up to the door's window.The window being slightly higher then Bright's view so she crouches then springs up to her hind hooves and places her front hooves on the door to keep balance. She looks in and see the cowering outline of a pony. The pony kept on sniffing and weeping as if it's world was gone. The pony seems to stand up and look around seeming to notice Bright's presence. It may have heard Bright coming up or some rocks scrap against the ground.

"Is anyone there?" a mare voice pleads.

"... anyone...?"

"... Please if anyone is there can you help me? Please someone, anyone! Please ..."

"... ppllleeaase ...please tell me I'm not insane.."

Bright couldn't bare the mare's cry for help to just plainly ignore her.

"No, I'm here." Bright says trying to calm the mare locked away.

"Oh my." she seems to try shouting but her dry throat stops her from shouting a word. The words replaced with a slight higher volume then her whispers.

" Ar-are you real?"

"Yes, I am as real as you are."

"..."

"Is there anything in here I could get you out with like some keys near by?"

".. "

Bright scans the area around the door and sees a discarded coat. Bright picks through the pocket to find a key that feels rough as if rusted or some what carroded. Bright puts in the key to the keyhole and hears an quick click.

"There that should do it."

"What a pity..."

The mare slowly trots out of the cell approaching Bright.

"Huh?"

"You think I am real."

Thunder clouds come rushing to the outside scene rain follows creating a calming melody with each raindrop that hits the roof of the building.

"You think me a pony you found in a prison cell is real?!" her voice seems to have come back instantly.

"Wh-what do you"

" mean?"

"Look at me who am I ?!"

Just as the mare shouts her question a lightning bolt strikes in front of the window. Lighting the room for just a few seconds but just enough to she that that mare was

" That is right I am Melly Redfelt."

"No no no i-it can't be..."

" Oh yes."

"You can't be... "

"What the one who killed your family?!"

"The one who when blood thirsty enough to slaughter dozens of ponies!":

"The one who was turned to stone for her crimes! Hahahahahah!"

" How di-did you escape?"

"Let's not worry on the details hun but I would sure love to start with finishing my business."

"They say never leave a job til it's done!"

"Nooooooooo!"

* * * * *

Luna examines the first line of script. It reads:

Once there was a poor young pony
that played tricks and acted phony.

She trots over to the next script line:

The pony played games all day alone
she didn't even have to roam...

Luna then continues to the next script line:

...because in fact the pony was not really ever alone
the pony had its shadow to bear like a clone...

Luna approaches the final script line:

...but a day came when the pony thought of her home. She went and left.
Her shadow still sad that the fun was done but she knew of their untimely death.
And she wanted to run...

Luna pulls her head up to see the picture representing the words below. The image was odd it shows a pony swallowed by the ground but the hole made by the opening jaws of the ground is shaded in black instead of a brown for the dirt. The scribbled pony seems to move like a breath then it fall into the hole disappearing from the picture. The ground reformed to it's normal state but the pony's shadow was their even when the pony was gone it's shadow remained. The shadow seemed to chuckle. Luna shook her head and the image returned to it's original theme.

Luna continues down the hallway looking for any thing different or new to the endless seeming walk.

* * * * *

Striker rushing head first into the darkness following her voice, Rose's voice. Her sweat innocent voice. She was always in a go happy attitude. Her smile made the most sadden pony pull out their best smile. He didn't care for anything else but finding her to keep her safe. As he looking forward looking for his beloved he sees a fire. Striker pulls to a complete stop to find a house engulfed in flames. He starts to scan the burning house for anyone. He sees nothing and drops knowing he is too late again...

"HHHEEELLLLLPPP!! Anyone help! I'm stuck in here help!"

Striker rises up to see a little foal with light blue mane and tail to match. The sunset yellow colored foal looked shaken and utterly frighten because he could do nothing. Only able to watch as his friend was being taken by the fire. The whole house was in flames besides the top left window were she was starring out her window. Starring at the frozen foal whom she knew couldn't do anything. Tears started to fall from his eyes as he saw her beautiful face. There was the sound of the floor's wood snapping. Her iris widens then she just smiles to foal and says calmly:

"Good bye, Striker."

Then the floor gave away and she fell to the burning rubble of the house. After that the foal shouts:

"WHYWhy would you take her!? Why why why why..."

He then burst in to tears as the fire dies out. Leaving him alone in the dark.

Striker pulls himself up fully and looks at the foal in a fit of rage. The foal fades any leaving Striker completely alone again.
Then some rubble moves indicating life. Striker rushes over and starts yanking burnt planks and broken glass fragments. After a few minutes of throwing and pulling a red coat appears.

"Rose! Please be ok !! Don't leave me please!!"

More and more of her body is revealed after pulling wood off of her. Her head is revealed last and her eyes are open and blinking now and then. She started breathing in and out. Then she pushed her self up. Showing her full self reveals her many wounds. Her right hind leg's skin is ripped off only showing the cooked muscles and some bone. her back was also skinned showing off her internal organs. Her left eyes was gone leaving an empty hole. Most of her fur on her right side was gone and burnt flesh occupied the spaces. her plot was smashed in having her flesh hang out slightly and her breathing was very fast as if she had lost it all. Striker steps back in utter shock of how she is still alive but pushes that to side to get the chance to talk to her again. She arches her head over to him and says :

"Why didn't you move on?"

"Why do you remember me only like this why not like me when we had fun?"

"Move on Striker or forget me altogether. Please I don't want you to waste your life, please."

"But I can't be anything without you. I.." "you were complete with me? No Striker look at yourself you are a lunar guard you protect the weak you don't need me to be complete you are complete."

"No I'm not you were the one who kept me up. Your were always there for me."

"Why wouldn't you listen don't waste your time remembering the bad. Remember the good and get going."

"But.. "

Shadow ponies appear one by one around Rose. Rose looks around herself and shouts:

"Run my idiot run!!" tears drop from her right eye the one that still remained.

The shadow ponies all jump into the air and pile up on Rose and a scream erupts. The shadow ponies get off of her to reveal nothing and then they look at Striker and twist their heads and seem to prepares to dash towards him.

"Run!"

Striker turns and gallops his way through the endless hallway again. This time running for his life. He pulls out his wings to gain so speed but after reaching nine feet off the ground level he hit something and falls to the ground bruising his left wing joint and skiting six feet across the ground. He pulls himself up to started dashing again to get the things off his trail.

Author's Note

This the most chapters I have ever uploaded in a story so here you go another mistake you can all hate. :D