A fire crackled merrily in the centre of the camp. Its dancing flames casting light upon the faces of the various creatures surrounding it. Beyond the ring of light lay only darkness. The trees were barely visible, and all that could be heard was the gentle chirps of bugs and frogs. The occasional woodland creature would scurry through a bush, or a small predator would chase another animal a ways away. Not once did any of these things come near the camp.
Sitting in a circle, eight of nine beings regarded each other in silence. Midnight, being the quickest and stealthiest, decided to take the first watch, hence his absence. The silence continued on for sometime, only disturbed by the occasional shuffle or breath. No one knew how to start a conversation here. What could they talk about? There was no news on the weather, and everyone knew the state of affairs around the country.
Dean sighed, and all eyes turned to him. His helmet was off, but he still wore the majority of his equipment. His rifle lay in his tent, but his pistol was still strapped to his side. An untouched MRE sat beside him, its green and grey texture seeming to absorb what little light the fire gave off. He shuffled slightly in his seat before straightening his back. A series of pops was able to be heard from underneath his armour, and more than a few of the current spectators winced.
"Alright. It's been almost an hour that we've been sitting here, and nothing has happened." Dean looked at each and everyone in the eyes.
"Well, there isn't much to talk about. Zecora and Gilda know that we are heading towards Stalliongrad, and we've gone over the plan countless times. Everything is set up, watch times have been set, and all that remains to do is eat and go to sleep." Spitfire raised a hoof to her face and inspected it as she responded. Her wings ruffled at her side, but she otherwise remained sitting.
Dean brought a hand to his face and scratched the stubble on his chin. He would have to shave again as soon as he got back to Maritime Bay. Twilight had told him she liked his facial hair, but he intended to follow protocol. If he was going to make it home, then discipline was essential.
"Well, I was actually wondering, what are you two doing here in the Everfree? It's pretty dangerous here." Cobalt directed his question towards the two newest members of their group, breaking the awkward silence that had suddenly descended. Dean saw Gilda jump, but Zecora remained collected.
"We are in the Everfree, where the prying Elven eyes cannot see. This place was once my home, and Gilda has come, so as not to be alone. The area we are in is sacred land, and cannot be affected by the outside hand. You folks stumbled in here by surprise, and leaving soon would likely be wise." Spitfire frowned from across the fire.
"What's that supposed to mean? Why have none of you tried to find the resistance? Surely you've heard of us!" She crossed her hooves and glared in their general direction. Zecora huffed and shuffled in her seat.
"I do not wish us to be put in harm's way, and I can feel in my bones, Equestria is beginning to decay. With the Emperor still in power, I can't help but feel this country is upon its final hour. I have seen bits and pieces of the future, and what I viewed cannot be seen with humour." Zecora stopped her tirade and instead gazed into the fire.
"H-how can you see the future?" Dean heard a tinge of fear in Spitfires voice, and upon glancing at her, found that her eyes were wide and her pupils were thin. A quick look around showed the other ponies having similar expressions. Turning his eyes back to the zebra, he listened intently as she continued her story.
"I am a shaman, little pony, take me not for a fool. I've seen things like daemons, and all things cruel. Whatever this mission of yours intends to accomplish, know that there is a bigger threat that needs to be abolished." Zecora sat back, and the air suddenly seemed to grow chilly. The fire's light didn't seem so welcome anymore, and everyone present could feel their hair standing on end. Dean reached up and began to rub his slowly forming stubble. He was more concerned than afraid; the Zebras' words confused him. Due to her riddles and constant rhyming, he was having a hard time understanding her message. He needed to see this future for himself...
"What are Human's like?" Gilda suddenly piped up.
At first, the question didn't register in Dean's mind, and he kept scratching at his face. After about five seconds of an awkward silence, Dean looked up at the various creatures once more, whom were looking at him expectantly. His eyes darted around before his face fell into a frown.
"Did I miss something?" He set his arm down on his knee and sniffed.
"Yeah, I asked what Humans' are like? I've never heard of them." Gilda shuffled nervously, and her voice was barely above a whisper. Her eyes stayed locked on Dean's face, which had seemingly fallen into a shadow. He appreciated the change of subject from the doom and gloom. It was an interesting question on her part, and completely random. He needed time to think.
"Well, you folk have stories of Humans on Equis, right?" He saw Zecora and Spitfire nod, but the others didn't. He huffed and cast a glance to the side, analysing the darkness. "Well, if that's the case, then I don't know how different my world is in comparison to yours--"
"You speak like you are not of this planet, yet I see something my Elders spoke of in my old Hamlet. Surely you jest when you speak of this, otherwise, I think something may be amiss." Zecora crossed her hooves and raised an eyebrow. Dean hummed in thought for a second before an idea popped into his head.
"How about this: you guys tell me what you know about Humanity before I arrived here, and then I'll share my story. Most of you know I'm from another world, but I want to hear what this planet's Humanity was like." Dean leaned forward and stared into the fire. The previous conversation seemed all but forgotten, and everyone was slowly becoming invested in the talk of Humanity. He expected Zecora to start talking first once more, but was in for a surprise when Swift Spear spoke instead.
"Upon making friends with you, and finding out you were a Human, I decided to do some research. I had heard the name before, but it wasn't until I went to Maritime Bay's decrepit library that I found out more. I may not look like it, but I am actually quite a bookworm on occasion." The constant swirl of light and shadow hid his blush from the rest of the group. Dean signalled for him to go on.
"I found two books, one on various societies, and one on technological achievements. I searched in the first book for a few hours, and had nearly come to the end, when I found mention of Humans. It was the last chapter, and some of the pages had stuck together. I read what I could, but it wasn't all that much." Swift Spear paused and reached to his side. After a second of rummaging, he slowly straightened in his seat. Where his hooves were once empty, a canteen now sat. After a quick swig of water, he continued.
"It said that the Human race had existed thousands of years prior to Ponykind; as far back as the earliest records. Apparently, the copy I had was one of the last additions to be printed, which was exactly three hundred years ago. Anyway, the book spoke of a mighty civilization which spanned over entire continents. Cities with buildings that reached the heavens, machines that moved to and fro, and terrifying equipment meant for Death and Destruction. It said that out of all the existing races, Humanity was the most violent. Constant wars, greedy governments, plagues, and pollution cut through their history like a knife. Their civilization was said to have lasted nearly ten thousand years, but it didn't go into detail on how it ended. All the book stated was that Humanity became too advanced, and to corrupt with disharmony, that they ended up waging their last war, and erasing themselves from the planet." Swift Spear paused to take another sip of water, giving time for Dean to speak up.
"You mentioned another book, something about technologies?" He waved a hand dismissively. Everyone present was focused on Swift Spear as he continued.
"I did. Just like the last book, this one only mentioned ancient Humanity near the end, though this time, the chapter was much longer. It contained diagrams of strange machines and equipment; I even saw a device that resembled your gun! Once again, the book was one of the last of its kind, and was nearly falling apart by the time I was done reading it." Swift Spear hummed and sat back. "That's all I know about Humanity on Equis. A lot of ponies no longer know about them because they became irrelevant. In the dark ages, according to the prologue of the book, the rise and fall of various civilizations was common until the royal sisters brought peace and order."
There was silence once more, but this time, it didn't last very long. Dean was slightly confused, for a lot of details seemed to be missing. What level of technology was Humanity at that caused its extinction? There was no way that they were a measly ten thousand years old before the end. It didn't add up!
"There are holes in the story, but I'll find them when we get back to Maritime Bay. I guess it's my turn, eh?" The group collectively nodded and focused on him with rapt attention. It was slightly unnerving to have so many sets of eyes focused on him, but he shrugged it off.
"Well, where do I begin..." Dean mumbled under his breath.
"How about a timeline to start things off?" Spitfire piped up. "I was kinda curious about your history ever since I came into your squad."
Dean nodded and shuffled in his seat. The wooden log beneath him wasn't the most comfortable of furniture, but he'd sat on worse before.
"Alright. Well, unlike your stories, Humanity where I came from has been around for nearly three hundred thousand years. My planet has been around far longer. Through evolution, we used our minds to create various technologies. We had no magic, no flight, no uncanny strength... just intelligence. I don't know for certain, but one of the first proper societies to start was the Greeks. They are seen as an ancient people from an ancient time, their legends and folklore are still popular today. Things like Pegasi, unicorns and Gryphons were part of their myths. I-- Yes?" Stormfly had raised her hoof into the air, like she was at school. With all her armour on, it actually looked quite funny.
"You said Unicorns, Pegasi and Gryphons, but what about Earth ponies and, erm, zebras?"
Dean thought for a moment. He hadn't told anyone what horses were actually like where he came from. He wondered how they would react.
"Well, hor-- er, ponies and Zebras certainly existed. I don't know any good way to word this, but on Earth, neither of those species are intelligent." This was met with an assortment of gasps and 'whats' of shock. Everyone present stared at him with wide eyes and open mouths. Dean shifted once again.
"Before my planet was invaded by aliens, Humans were the only intelligent species," he kept going in the hopes that they would soon forget about his revelation, "We progressed through many different era's, which brought upon many new technologies. It wasn't until the industrial revolution that Humanity really started to progress. From what Twilight told me about your people, Equestria was just beginning their own industrial revolution. after--" Dean stopped when Zecora gasped.
"Y-you said Twilight, yes? The Princess Twilight Sparkle?" Dean immediately noticed the lack of rhyming, as did everyone else. Confusion sat on many of the ponies faces as they stared at the zebra. "I-I..." Dean watched as tears began to flow from Zecora's face, and his own eyes widened.
"You know Twilight?" Dean sat up a little straighter and tilted his head slightly to the side. He watched as Zecora tried to wipe away her tears, but with little success.
"S-she was, er, is my friend, one of my first in Equestria. She got the ponies of Ponyville to trust me and accept me into their society. After the invasion, I had heard news that the Princesses had been executed publicly. I assumed Twilight was among them, and it gives me great relief that she is alive." Her words spilled out in a flood, and once again, she did not rhyme. Dean gave her a moment to collect herself, and Zecora took a deep breath.
"Dean saved her from the Elves, you know." Zecora's head suddenly whipped around to face the slowly emerging Midnight. The lithe black pegasus slowly walked into the clearing and sat down beside Dean. Cobalt, who had previously been silent, stood and walked to his post on watch without a word. Dean let a small smile appear on his face, but it was gone a second later.
"I was not informed of this heroic act. Is what Midnight says false, or truly a fact?" Zecora faced Dean now, her pupils wide and her tail swishing from side to side. Dean shrugged.
"I did, yes. She had been captured by one of the Dark Elves princes, and she was going to be taken back to the Emperor. I intervened before that could happen." Dean looked at the ground, his face falling in shadow.
"If it was a member of royalty, then surely he was well guarded? Did the resistance help you?" Gilda's question caused Dean to shift, the firelight flickered and reflected off of his armour. His face remained hidden in shadow as his eyes travelled upwards.
"I was alone, and there were thirty six elite guards. After rescuing the Princess in secret, I went back... and killed all but two. The Prince is under resistance custody, and I left one survivor to tell the tale. Have either of you heard of the Demon in metal?"
Dean's question was met by a shake of Zecora's head, but Gilda slowly nodded.
"Yes, he was in a newspaper I stole a few days ago. He's apparently a fearsome fighter who took on the town of Ravenford, saved a bunch of ponies, and is currently one of the most wanted beings in Equestria. I assumed that the Demon in metal was a pony, o-or a gryphon or minotaur! You're saying that you..."
"Yes. I am the Demon in Metal. The only Human on this planet. I freed those ponies at Ravenford, I took on an army of Elves so they could escape. I've captured a member of the Elven royalty , and massacred a group of Elite guards that were once thought indestructible." Dean sighed and shook his head. "It's not enough yet. My end goal is not to keep harassing the Dark Elves; that'll just make them angry, and they might eliminate the Resistance. No, within the next few months, I intend to attack them at their core, and eliminate the Emperor in hopes they will all back down." He stood up and stretched. "I think that's enough storytelling on my part, I'm gonna get some sleep before my shift, I suggest you all do the same. We leave at dawn." Dean moved towards his little one man tent and moved to unzip the front.
"But, you never really told us... what are Humans really like?"
Dean turned and looked back towards the campfire. His squaddies knew a lot about him already, but no one nearly knew what his species was truly like. He gave pause for a moment before sighing loudly.
"Put it like this. Humanity is resilient, and steadfast. We are capable of both love and hatred, creation and destruction. Our intelligence and ingenuity knows no limit." Dean turned and pulled the zipper on his tent, but Zecora called to him one last time.
"Human, I have heard stories of your people's capability with conflict and war. Does this have anything to do with your people's lore?" Dean turned and regarded the Zebra. The questions were starting to nag at him, and his temper was growing short. He stifled a curse under his breath, and instead let his face fall into a scowl.
"Humanity is the master of violence and brutality. I would assume that my reputation is a testament to that." Dean then turned and headed back into the tent. He felt a headache coming on, and he did not want to answer any more questions about his people. It made him homesick, and only reminded him of the small amount of time they had left. He needed to get home, his family's lives depended on it. He laid his head down on his pillow, and the inky blackness of sleep immediately took hold.
*****
He was standing in a hallway, that much was certain. The walls, floor, and roof were all made of stone: like you would see in a mediaeval castle. The hallway was lit with torches for some time, and upon looking in both directions, he found he could not see either end.
Dean inhaled sharply; something wasn't right.
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He slowly reached down to his waist, and his hand rested on his pistol grip. His eyes scanned back and forth, but there wasn't much to see. Dean suddenly realised that he wasn't wearing his helmet, and upon looking over his person, was unable to find it.
'Okay then, that's fine... I think.'
Dean got a sudden feeling, like a subconscious thought. It told him to go forward, and to keep moving forward. Dean debated whether or not to ignore this feeling. That was a mistake.
An ungodly screech echoed down the tunnel from somewhere behind him, its sound bouncing down the hall. The force of the screech actually caused Dean's hair to blow back, and he winced as warm air assaulted his face. Quick as a snake, his pistol was now in his hands and pointed down the hall, the iron sights trained on the seemingly never ending corridor.
He stood there, unmoving, for what seemed like hours, but in reality, it was seconds. Maybe, whatever it was was gone? Maybe it realised he wasn't running for his life and got intimidated. Maybe--
'What was that?'
Dean squinted down the hallway and tried to see as far as he could.
'I swear I just saw... there!' His eyes slowly grew wider as he watched a strange phenomena.
Some hundred metres down the hall, two torches had suddenly winked out. The occurrence kept happening, getting closer and closer to the stock-still Sergeant. Every time a torch would go out, an inky darkness would appear. It seemed to be consuming everything in its way.
Dean's brain restarted in slow motion, all the while letting the darkness get closer. It was twenty metres away now, nearly a quarter of a football field's length, and didn't seem to be slowing down. Dean blinked, and his arm shot up once again.
KRACK!
Dean realised that the silencer on his pistol was missing, thus allowing the noise from the gun to reverberate through the enclosed hall. The noise was loud, too loud, and it overloaded Dean's senses. A ringing began in his ears, and his teeth grit together. However, not once did his eyes close, for they were widened in fear.
Ignoring the pain in his ears, Dean pulled the trigger two more times.
KRACK! KRACK!
Two tracers flew down the hall at supersonic speed, but as soon as they entered the dark, they suddenly hit something. The first bullet deflected off of a massive hide of some sort, while the second one went whizzing past the things head. The darkness suddenly stopped some five metres away. Its oppressing nature seemed to suck the air from the hallway, and pull the light from the remaining torches. Suddenly, four beady eyes, each set a different colour, opened on the creature and narrowed. Their eyes seemed bigger than a Humans, and Dean couldn't help but shiver. Instinctively, he took a step back.
The beast's eyes snapped to his leg, and Dean froze. Ever so slowly its eyes travelled up his body before settling on his face. The two just sat there, staring at one another. Dean's breathing became laboured, but he wouldn't back down. At least, not yet.
A sound like a creaking door suddenly began to emminated, and it seemed to be coming from the beast. Dean watched in horror as a split began to open about a half-foot beneath its eyes and slowly began to widen. He watched as what seemed to be the creature's mouth slowly opened into a massive maw of razor sharp teeth. The protrusions seemed to go down its gullet, where a light seemed to be flickering. The light provided Dean a good view of what else was inside that mouth, and a rotten, pungent smell began to waft through the air, making him nauseous.
"Helppp... meeee..." A head slowly rose from the depths of the mouth, and Dean nearly gagged when he recognized a unicorn. He had grown so familiar with them, that it disgusted him to even see such a gruesome display of one. Its skin was in tatters, and no fur remained. Its eyes were missing, and blood seeped from its various wounds. Its horn was nothing but a snub.
Dean felt fear like never before. The maw was still getting bigger, big enough to envelope him, and not once did the eyes break contact with his own.
'Run.'
The thing drew closer. He recognized it as the beast from his prior dreams, the one that was constantly terrorizing him. He hadn't seen it in days, so why now did it appear before him now?
'Run.' The beast drew closer, and he could now see tentacles swishing around on its back. One was slithering along the floor and towards his feet, the slimy appendage wiggled and turned. The end of the tentacle opened, revealing a suction like protrusion.
'RUN!'
Dean's feat gained motion, and before he knew it, he was sprinting down the hall. Torches and stone became a blur as he sprinted forward.
A roar echoed from behind him, and Dean nearly stumbled. His mind was full of blind fear, and his terror spurred him onwards down the hallway. Not once was there a turn, or bend. There were no doors or alcoves he could hide in. Just the endless hallway!
He heard it then, the lumbering of the beast. He could feel the darkness creeping up on him. His surroundings were still a blur, but he had the uneasy sense that the thing behind him was gaining. He heard an odd sucking noise behind him, but he was too terrified to look. All he could do was run, and run fast.
Something smashed into Dean's back, and he caught air. The world seemed to spin before his eyes, and the feeling of no gravity overtook him. It only lasted for a second before his back impacted against something solid, and he slid to the floor in a daze.
Thump, thump, thump...
The beast's large gate slowed as it got closer. The torches near it continued to extinguish, and there was only one more set before it got to Dean. He smirked at the thought.
It all felt so real. The impact, the fear, the setting, and the monster. Even if he knew it was a dream, he couldn't help but feel helpless and terrified. The great Demon in Metal, Sergeant Dean Forrester, First Sergeant in the RSTF, was scared. Captain Mason would be disappointed, yelling at him to get up and fight. Something about this beast was affecting his mental state, and he needed to figure out what and why.
"Huummmaaannnn..." The beast gurgled as it drew closer. Dean tried to move, but a wave of pain overcame him. He wasn't supposed to feel pain on this magnitude; his augmentations didn't allow it. "This is my domaaaiiinnn. Thisss iss myy powwweerrrr." The beast gurgled, and its maw opened once more. One of the tentacles was snaking its way towards Dean's torso. His hand twitched.
"W-what do y-*cough* -you want?" Dean snarled as he tried once more to move, and succeeded. His arm lifted and rested on his torso. Blood was leaking from his head, no doubt from him hitting the door at the end of the hallway.
'Wait, door at the end of the hallway?"
Dean looked to the side and saw a small wooden door. On it was a grip meant for pulling, and hinges were bolted onto the side. He stared at it for a few moments before returning his attention to the creature.
"Princeesssss Twiligghhhttt... Wheerree isss sheeeee..." The beast stood stock still, its many teeth resting a few feet away from the Human. Dean snarled in response.
"Y-you'll never get anything from me!" Dean slowly stood up, his back pressed against the wall. His teeth grit as he forced his body to move, and his limbs screamed in protest. The door was directly to his left; all he needed was a distraction.
"Isss thattt soooo..."
Dean just barely moved his head to the side as the tentacle, which had not gone unnoticed on the floor, rocketed towards his head. its blobby form smashed against the stone, crushing a few inches into the rock and dislodging debris. Dean's hand found a cylindrical object on his waist, and he grabbed it. The Beast roared, but did not move, obviously it was trying something with those tentacles; he couldn't let them touch him.
He removed the pin, but before he could throw, a second tentacle flew from the darkness and attached itself to Dean's face. He screamed in shock and fear as the slimy appendage suctioned around his mouth and nose, cutting off his airways. It was then that a slimy... thing tried worming its way past his lips. Dean clamped his mouth shut and struggled with all his might. His one hand was around the tentacle, trying to rip it off for all it was worth, but he wasn't strong enough. He fell onto one knee, and his face was turning red from the lack of oxygen. He shuffled left, hit the wall, then shuffled right, and did the same. The tentacle was winning this fight, and there was nothing he could do.
A calmness swept over Dean, and he realised he was still holding his ticket out of this. Without hesitation, he released the nine-bang and kicked it towards the monster with his feet. Just as the explosion went off, the tentacle made it past his teeth and down his throat. There was a bright light, an impossibly loud noise, and then he was free.
He choked and dry heaved as the appendage retracted from his mouth, and the monster began screaming in pain. Blind, and deaf, Dean began reaching around blindly behind him. The door handle was around there somewhere. He stumbled around, dragging his arm across the surface of wood in search of that damnable handle.
His hand touched metal, and Dean squeezed his fist around the handle. The door swung open easily with nary a sound. Without a second thought Dean shoved his way through the opening, and promptly began falling. His scream of terror only got lost in the wind roaring past his ears, and he flailed his arms in panic. Like a bullet hitting him in the chest, Dean's training finally kicked in, and he spread his arms and legs as wide as they would go. He had no sense of sight or hearing, and his body was roaring in pain. A sixth sense warned him, and he suddenly found himself lying face down on something smooth. There was no pain, no flash into the afterlife... just nothing. Dean rose to his knees. His breathing was heavy, but now it seemed to echo. It was as if he was in a cavernous room, which was quite odd seeing as where he just came from.
Closing his eyes and shaking his head, Dean tried to force the effects of the flashbang away. With such a close proximity, it was a miracle that he hadn't lost his hearing.
"May I assist you, Human?"
A female voice, deep, professional, and with a strange accent called from somewhere in front of him. It reminded Dean of someone from the Victorian Era. Dean stood awkwardly and faced in her general direction. It was then that he realised she had actually not spoken to him, in a sense. He had heard her voice in his head! Dean began to sweat as he took a nervous step back.
"How do I know I can trust you?" He brought his arms up into a defensive stance and scowled in the voices' general direction. His eyes remained closed and in pain while he slowly turned around. He heard a sigh before a strangely familiar feeling suddenly overcame him. Something akin to warm water enveloped his head, and he felt the pressure in his body dissipate.
"'Tis merely but a dream, this place, so small nuisances such as this are easy to mend." Dean felt his ears stop ringing, and his eyes stop burning. Ever so slowly, he blinked, and all he saw was darkness.
He quickly and whipped his head back and forth in search of the women.
At first, he missed the Alicorn standing a few feet away, but upon a second passing of his eyes, he stopped to regard her. She was dark blue, and had massive wings on her sides. Her hair was waving in a nonexistent wind, and a moon overtop of a black splotch was her cutie mark. Dean recognized her from somewhere, but that didn't matter, she had indeed helped him.
"I have been attempting to reach you in my dreams, Human, but IT was constantly blocking me. My name is Princess Luna of Equestria, 'tis a pleasure to meet you." Luna smiled warmly and her wings ruffled at her side. Dean could only stare at her in shock. This was one of the famed Princesses? But both Twilight and Zecora had said they were murdered.
'What the fuck...'
"Princess? But.. but you died." He stated dumbly. Luna tsked and nodded.
"Indeed I did." She deadpanned.
"But, how are you here then? I...I-" Dean was cut off when Luna raised her hoof.
"I am not here to trade stories, Human, for my time is limited. I am here to give you a warning and hopefully some wisdom on the conflict at hand. This is not my true self, but a conjuring of what little remains of my mind." She analysed his features, and a sad look came over her.
"The Emperor has created a terrible monster out of mine, my sisters, and King Sombra's bodies. That is what chased you here through the hall. It is a twisted and demented thing, that beast. In order to beat it, you will need something called the Elements of Harmony, but your time to use them is running out. Something big is going to happen, a ritual of some kind. I don't know the extent of the ritual the Emperor intends to conduct, but it will take place on the next blood moon in two weeks. If that ritual is complete, then everything you have fought for will be for nought. You have to stop this from happening."
Dean held up his arms and waved them in a 'slow down' manner.
"Whoa there, what the hell are you talking about? Two weeks? There isn't enough time to get everything done! Plus, the ponies won't even be able to fight in one week, they aren't ready." Dean huffed and crossed his arms in front of his chest. "I think you may have your dates wrong your--"
"DO NOT QUESTION OUR WISDOM, UNGRATEFUL WHELP!" Dean's hair was blown back from the force of Luna's voice, and the ringing returned. Once Luna was done yelling, she took a deep breath and looked to the ground in shame. Suddenly, she cried out in pain, and Dean saw multiple shadow images of her suddenly appear throughout the void. The beast's tentacles had ensnared the one to his left, and on his right, the corpse of the Princess was laying at the feet of a hidden biped. Blood poured down her face, and a look of shock was over her muzzle. Dean stepped away as the shadow Luna's dissolved, only to leave the first princess sitting on the ground before him.
"I'm sorry, Human. I only have so much time, a-and what the Emperor d-did to m-my p-ponies..." she looked up with teary eyes and right into Deans. It was heartbreaking really, watching her ears and wings droop while tears streaked across her cheek. Even if this wasn't the real Princess, she had obviously been through some traumatic experience. Dean's caution and common sense battled with his heart as he regarded the Princess. She had looked down again, and was quietly weeping to herself. She was saying things under her breath, too quiet to hear, and Dean's eyes softened. The hard soldier's kinder side took over, and he felt his muscles relax.
Dean strode forward and bent down to the Princesses level. At first she shied away, but Dean was too fast and quickly wrapped her in a hug. There was no smell to her coat, but her fur was soft. Her own hooves wrapped around his midsection as she sobbed into his armour.
For several minutes, they just sat there. Dean could understand her pain, and a hatred deep within him was once again brewing. That damned Emperor and Dark Elves. Had they not invaded, she would still be alive. Dean wouldn't have to play the part of a hero, and everyone could have lived happily. He was going to fix this, and he gently whispered into Luna's ear.
"I-I will save your people, and I will kill the Emperor myself. You, your sister, and everyone else who lost their lives will be avenged... I swear it." Dean squeezed the Princess one more time before letting go and standing up. A content look crossed her features, and a remorseful smile came across her muzzle. She moved to wipe a tear away and gave a shuddering breath.
"I can feel the truth in your words, and I find you to be a worthy champion. I have one last request for you, and it is likely my most important one." Dean nodded and straightened his back.
"Protect Twilight Sparkle with your life, for she is the key to everything. If the Emperor gets his hands on her, then Equestria, and the whole of Equis is doomed. Promise me." she looked into his eyes with a steely expression, one that he returned. It was a look of determination, and Luna seemed to see that. She looked into the air and closed her eyes.
"Thank you, Human. I'm only a memory now, a being of a time long past, but you give me hope for Equestria's future. Kill my possessed body, stop the Emperor, save my little ponies, and protect Twilight Sparkle." A tear ran down her face as she smiled towards the sky. A light was forming above, and Dean immediately looked up as well. "My duty is complete, you have given me reassurance for the future, and there is no more need to stay on this plain of existence. Thank you." Her lips began to tremble, and she brought her eyes back down to the Human. Silvery wisps were slowly peeling from her body, giving her an astral-like appearance.
Luna surprised Dean by galloping forward and wrapping him in a bone crushing hug. Had he sported no armour, his bones would have broken. He returned the hug, but was surprised to find that nothing was there for him to wrap his arms around. Looking down, he found that Luna was gone. No dark blue Alicorn, no wisps of smoke, nor a trail to follow. Just gone.
"Thank you, thank you so much... Sergeant Dean..." A ghostly voice seemed to pass by him before moving towards the ever brightening sky.
Dean felt something on his face then, and it confused him. He winced as he brought the front of his hand to his cheek and wiped. Upon lowering his hand and examining it, Dean found a small drop of liquid directly in the centre of his palm. He looked up and around, his arm remaining suspended before him.
The severity of the conversation he just had suddenly hit him full force. The Alicorns were nearly gone, wiped from the planet, all thanks to the Dark Elves. Dean had a promise to keep, multiple actually. But they all led to the same ending. No matter the cost, no matter the danger, Dean was going to save the Equestrians. He was going to make a change on this planet, and he was going to free its people... or die trying. He would honour Luna's memory, and heed her final message. He would ensure, no matter what, that she, and the rest of the slain, were not forgotten.
"I'm coming for you, Emperor." He whispered harshly.
Dean scowled and stared at the droplet in his hand, which was slowly dissipating. He looked into the sky, where a bright light was suddenly becoming blinding, and squeezed his hand into a fist. The fabric stretched and protested from the force he was applying, but he didn't care. What happened was more than just a dream now, and what he did in the coming days would decide the fate of this planet.
"I promise, Princess. I promise to save your people. I promise to rid the scourge of the Dark Elves, and I promise to avenge yours and your sisters' deaths. I promise."
The light enveloped Dean, and he slowly worked his way to the land of the living.
*****
Twilight awoke with a start. Something was off.
She kept her breathing even and her body movements to a minimum. It was a feeling that made the spine tingle, like one was being watched while they slept. Twilight prepared herself and readied her wings. Counting to three, she closed her eyes, tensed, and...
Fwoosh!
The blanket around her flew into the air, courtesy of her extended wings. She let out a whinny of aggression, hopefully to confuse her attacker. Her horn charged an electric violet, and her stance lowered into a threatening pose. She quickly jumped down from atop her bed and landed on the now squirming bedsheets on the floor.
With a snort, she grabbed the sheet in her mouth, keeping her horn charged, and yanked the cover off. A tiny purple and green head revealed itself to the world and Twilight gasped in shock.
"Shpike?" She questioned with the blanket in her mouth. She quickly spat the fabric out and trotted over to her assistant. "Spike! I'm so, so, so sorry!" She danced in place for a second before lighting her horn and hauling the baby dragon to his feet. She quickly dusted him off with her hooves before beginning to fret over her little brother.
"Are you okay, Spike? Did I hurt you? I really didn't mean it!" Twilight examined her little brother up and down, side to side, before sitting on the floor.
"Jeez, Twilight, what was that for?!" Spike snapped at the Alicorn. Twilight's ears folded against her head and she tapped a hoof on the floor nervously.
"Well... you see... I thought someone was in the room, and most have overreacted--"
"Overreacted?!" Spike half yelled. "Is this what spending two years in a forest has done to you? Made you all crazy in the head thinking you should jump at every shadow? I was only going to get some water!" Sike snorted and crossed his little arms. His eyes flicked to the side for a moment, before he focused back on Twilight.
"S-Spike, I truly didn't mean it! I-I'll get your water for you, how about that?" She was already up and moving towards the sink and preparing her magic. She wasn't able to fully complete her task, for there was a quiet 'whooshing' sound, and something heavy hit the back of Twilight's head. She collapsed to the floor in a heap.
"Sorry Twilight Sparkle, but you just don't get it."
Twilight's eyes cracked open, and she groaned in pain. She saw Spike, and then another pony standing above her: Starlight. She tried to move, but a magenta hoof pressed her neck into the floor. Twilight gave a whimper of pain. Spike leaned down to her ear and whispered the last words she would hear for a while.
"You should always trust your instincts, even in a 'safe' place."
Twilight's eyes finally closed, and she fell into a very deep sleep.