I give a content sigh as I look around my dwellings once more. These ponies are masters of comfort if a guest such as myself can sit in such luxury. There isn't a want that has not been met within the walls in this castle. And even when I sneak out to explore these lands, the people here are strangely welcoming. Though, I imagine having someone appear behind them would compel many to falsify their smiles. It is no bother to me though. The conversations had are pleasant enough. This is a truly blessed land.

I close my eyes and fall back, slipping into the void. It cradles me as a mother would to its newborn. Softly. Gently. Yet with a cold touch the guides me to where I need to be. It is a familiar feeling to me. A soothing one. Even if I am just going to the restroom, or speaking with my family, the void brings a certain tranquility to me.

I had wished to postpone this meeting as long as I could. Truth be told there is no need to make the first move. I could wait for him to come out. Wait and see what will happen. But I get the feeling that it will be too late at that point. No, I've found him so I must act. So here I am, falling into the void; by all meanings of the phrase.

I wish I could bring the others with me. Into this dream world that neither exists nor is inexistent. It's a good place. Somewhere where everything falls away and lets you see the world from afar. I open my eyes and take a glance into this world. You can only ever look for a moment. That's the trick. The void cannot be seen, or it wouldn't be the void. But, a glance is all I need. I've learned how to take in everything I need with only a glance. There may be more to the picture, but I can focus in enough to blur out the distractions.

I can see the hybrids marching in their steam contraptions. They are ready for their war. The Shourn are with them in numbers as well. The Trell surely only needed a gentle hand in this. Well, the war in constant, as they would say. I'm sure they will forge their way in blood and iron. They always have. They will fight for their dreams, that much is certain. I just hope it doesn't turn into the nightmares they fear.

I can see the Joul scattering into the winds. With a new world comes a renewed sense of exploration. They will do their best to find it all, I'm sure of it. I do wonder why so many of them travel with the hybrids though. It is strange to see them so willingly aligned with the Shourn. Though I'm sure the Trell persuaded them easily. I wonder what they will find when this is all over?

The Killyg seem content saying in our new homelands. I wonder what use they find in such a primitive land? Maybe the Trell has a use for them there. Or, more likely, there is something they are waiting for. What sort of gadgets and gizmos will keep them pacified for so long? Or is there a long term goal towards building the future? Maybe they have found some sort of artificial dream to placate them. I hope it is a good one. I believe the nightmares are coming soon enough.

And then there's my people. My children, the Zellun. It breaks my heart to see them so lost. I wish I could give them the guidance they need. Or even some words of comfort as these dreams turn dark. But I mustn't. We are about to awaken into a new world. A world born in fire and death. Our enemies are numerous and powerful. And our allies are clever and hungry. If only we had gotten here sooner. Made less detours. Lost less in our history. Then, perhaps, we wouldn't drift into this lucid nightmare. Then, maybe, we could find our land of gold and purple.

As my eyes start to open, and I fade back into the physical, I focus on my goal. He is far away, but his power is distinct. It's like a torch standing alone in the woods, just waiting to tip over and burn all the trees to cinder. I cannot tell if he knows I am here or not. He may not care. Am I even a threat to him? What could I possibly do to harm such a person? Do the gods fear mortals when they appear before them? I guess I'll find out.

SHING

SHING

I let him toy with his weapon as I take in the surroundings. It is an old room. I assume from the world before. Held together now by the willpower of him. There isn't much to the room. Only what he needs, and he needs very little. A bed, hardly used it would seem, sits against the wall. A desk, heavily used, sits across. Two sconces give enough light to the room, though I get the feeling that it is not for his necessity. I take a deep breath as I prepare myself, giving away my presence to the lone person. I know not what will happen. Though, who ever knows what happens when you face death.

"I had wondered when you would appear." His voice comes out in a soft whisper. Like a tired voice trying to get its last words out. The flames from the walls nearly drown him out, but I manage to understand. I wish to keep my distance. I must be ready. "The father of the lost wanderers, The Nether Walker, this should be interesting."

"We can never be lost as long as we have our dreams," I tell him, trying to sound confident. The Terradisian language is not my strong suit. But I've practiced this for awhile now. "You are the one the humans tried to forget. The one who has neglected his duties."

He gives a small chuckle as he looks back to me. I try to get a good look at him, but his cloak conceals his face from me. He goes back to sharpening his weapon, paying me little mind.

"You think I neglect my duties. That is an interesting accusation. I wonder what you think my duties are? What neglect has transpired?"

"The souls you harbor are not yours to keep. You must perform your duties and send them to slumber. It is the natural order of things. It is as it must be." He chuckles again. The amusement in his voice lifting the feeling of the room, if ever so slightly.

"You wish me to cross the river Styx once more? Travel to the great Beyond? Is that what you came here to do? Persuade me to be a delivery boy once more?"

"All things as they should be, Ferryman." He stops his sharpening to chuckle deeper. I take another deep breath as I ready for anything. But he doesn't rise from his rested position. He has no need to it seems.

"Ferryman? It's been awhile since I've heard that one. Ferryman, Harvestor, Gate Keeper, Titulari, the titles mean nothing to me now. Do you know what was waiting for those lost souls at the end of those journeys? Do you know what it was like to guide them to Elysium, only for them to be cast down into Tartarus?" I can hear the pain in his voice. The sorrow in his words. I know he is speaking from the heart. So I must act in kind.

"It is not for us to determine their fates. Only to play our parts in the story. You must do what is necessary for the balance of life and death."

"Balance." He growls back at me. His anger causing the temperature in the room to rise. "Tell me what you know of balance! Tell me how the world can turn so dark yet be balanced! How can we have balance when the choices have already been made!?" His voice rises as he stands with it. Even though he's raised his voice, it still sounds as a voice that has no breath. He drops the sharpening stone and brings back his scythe. He seems ready to fight. But he must be waiting for the right moment. Or, perhaps, his anger is not there yet.

"The river does not choose where it lets out. We may build walls, or drain the waters, but the river must flow down. No matter how unfair it may be." I try to keep a calm presence, even as he starts to walk around the room. I can feel my leg trying to give out. My palms are getting sweaty as well.

I have never been a fighter. More of a thinker really. But this person, whoever he is, scares me deeply. Each step he takes is a story of each fight he's won. His life has been a life of wrath and tragedy. But he's made it this far, he has nothing to fear it would seem. But I mustn't let my nerves get the better of me. Calm. Just wait him out. The opening will come in time, I just need to be ready for when it does.

"It doesn't matter what you say," he tells me somberly, coming to a stop facing away from me in the small room. "It's too later now. It is happening."

"It is never too late to take the first step. Please, consider what I have said." I plead with him. He shut me out before I could really make a case. But I cannot lose hope that even the smallest words can reach him. There has to be hope for him somewhere.

But, like he said, it's too late now.

I see him start to make a sharp move, so I slip into the void and appear above and in front of him. He swings his weapon at my previous location and a torrent of energy slams into the wall, crushing it and sending it flying out. I bring both my hands above me and grip them together to slam against his head. Between my palms I tether into the void in the hopes of energizing my hit.

It only took a fraction of a second. But before I could connect his head whipped around and we made eye contact. Though I could not see his face, I could sense his intent. There was murder in those eyes. I slip thought the void to dodge him and slam the ground just to his side. The energy I had stored up explodes out and pushes us away from each other.

I look up and begin to panic when I see a hand reaching though the dust and debris. I slip away again, appearing out in some buried metropolis. I have to be faster if I'm going to strike true. I may only have one more chance at this.

Before I could finish the thought my attention is brought back to the ruins. He has exploded out of them and is racing towards me. I barely make him out before I slip away again, appearing high upon one of the leaning structures. That distance should have given me more time, he's too fast. This is going to be a timing game it would seem.

I slip in and out as quickly as possible as I weave my way around the buried skyscrapers. The only light guiding me are the breaks in the ceiling letting rays of sunlight. Each time I slip in I have to slip back out immediately. Either he comes crashing in or a blast of energy destroys my previous location. The buildings groan from the sudden force. Some even finishing their descents towards the ground.

I can't keep this up forever. Eventually I'll make a mistake and he'll strike me. And judging by the amount of power in each of those attacks, just one will end me. I must commit to an attack. Even if it means taking one myself. But there's no way to survive that, so I must ensure that the one move I make is enough to end him.

In one of the brief moments in existence I take a look at my arm. Each etching on my body is a calling out to me to use them. They want the bloodshed. They want to end my enemy. This is the moment to use them. But I must make sure to break them in the correct order. I cannot let him get me.

As the buildings around begin to crumble in earnest I begin to weave through the rubble and debris. I hope it'll give me the slightest moment to act. I appear on the ground just beneath a falling corner piece of skyscraper. Just outside the blast area he comes crashing down. The dust clouding at his hooves. We stare each other down as the twisting metal and concrete comes racing down.

The etchings on my legs and feet begin to glow with a pristine light as I feel the energy from all around start to flow though me. I push everything I have into my legs and launch right back at him. We race through the debris filled air at lightning speed, jousting for a moment. I manage to swing my leg and spin myself right out of his grasp, connecting right into the center of his chest. All of the energy in my connects into that one small point and sends him flying back. All around him a massive hole is blown out all around him and void energy is blown out. A perfect circle is cut out of existence directly behind him.

I land and take the moment to bring the light to bear all over my body. Each etching glows over my body as I consume all the energy within a large area around me. I have to take a slow deep breath as I feel the energy flow in and out of me. I have become one with the world around me. And now... I command it.

Death appears from my side, trying to take a wide swing at my head. I lean back with total ease and watch it go racing by. I raise a hand to it and give it a flick. The blade goes flying back, almost being ripped from his grip. The energy from my attack stops him dead in his tracks as he recoils back. Before he can fully register what happened I appear before him and reach out to his chest. The slightest touch sends him fly back and through a different dilapidated ruin. The game of hunter and hunted and switched sides now.

I give him no chance to respond. No chance to think about what is happening. He doesn't even have time to crash through buildings before I appear to send him flying in another direction. The rows of ancient buildings all begin to crumble as we go crashing through their buried skylines.

I catch him when he comes flying out one building as hold him as the air comes crashing all around us. I hold him by his throat as I stare him down. He seems unscathed so far, so I must go further. I drop him and open a hand. a perfect circle forms all around me. Nearby buildings all around me are erased from existence and another hole is punched in the ceiling far above me. The energy seems to crash into him and sends him flying back again. Interesting, but pointless.

I bring more energy into my being. With such an absence of nether wielders in the world, it comes flooding into me. I only have to guide the torrent of energy as I unleash it upon the world. With both hands pushed forward, I start sending pure nether energy at Death.

The dark beam breaks through reality and erases everything before it. Anything nearby is pulled directly into it. Death only has a moment to look up at me before the dark energy connects with him. He's engulfed into the beam, erasing him from this world. I feel the energy connect with him for a moment before blowing past him. No one can survive this. And nothing will be left of him.

"Death... is only the beginning."

My heart drops when I hear his voice. That's impossible! Nothing can survive this! Not even gods can unwrite this truth!

A hand reaches through my energy beam and grabs me by the throat. I drop my attack from the sudden attack, revealing Death before me. His wings are wide open in the sunlight as he rears his scythe back. I grab at his hands as I try to erase them, but they are adamant. I try kicking him with energy or nether to break free, but he is absolute. I try to fall back into the nether realm, but his grip is sure and unwavering.

All I can do as the blade comes for me is close my eyes and accept my fate.

SHING

I don't know what happened. I don't even have a grasp of anything actually happening. My struggling simply stopped. There was no more energy within me and I no longer felt his presence. Is this what death truly feels like? It reminds me of drifting through the void. There's nothing here, but at the same time I am here. Am I the proof of something existing? Or am I becoming one with nothing?

I feel something brush against my finger tips. It's cold. Fluid. It starts to move all around me, plunging me into an icy depth. I feel my lungs start to burn and I gasp for air. Cold fluid washes into my mouth. I try to open my eyes, but there's no energy within me to do so. I try to breath again, and find plenty of air for my greedy lungs.

Something is wrong. Did I survive? Is this the fabled after life? I'm floating down a body of water, I think. I need to open my eyes. I need to know what is happening.

The waters around me become calmer and calmer as I struggle to open my eyes. I try moving any of my limbs, but they are all unresponsive. It's only when I feel my head wash up onto something I I barely manage to peer into the world around me.

The world around me is a land of gold and purple. The trees, the waters of the river carrying me, the dirt beneath me. All are either rich golds or deep purples. I try to make sense of it all, but I can't. I try again to move, but I can't. There is nothing I can do but look out into this land of gold and purple. It is a good land. It's quiet. Peaceful. Familiar.

I feel a tear race down my cheek as I look around me. My dream has finally come true. I have found my land of gold and purple, and it is beautiful. But I am saddened by this dream. I am sad because I cannot get up and explore it. I am sad because my children are nowhere near this good place. I am sad, because I am alone in this land of gold and purple.

I cry to myself as I feel my life start to ebb away. This is truly it. The end has come, just as my dream has become true. But I have no regrets. I made the choices I made, and I shall die with them. There are no second chances. So I alone will die with this perfect land of gold and purple. And that will have to be enough.

A voice is calling out nearby. I don't know if I should try to call out to it. I probably couldn't even if I wanted to. I am not alone in this place. There is a comfort in that. They are not Zellun, but they are here. So I shall die with them.

I see a figure of a purple and gold man find me. He rushes to my side and lays his hands on me. His effort is true, but it's too late. He calls out to others, but I don't know what he says. He tries to keep me alive, but it is futile. I must tell him to bring my people here, but there's no energy within me to speak. So, I must let go and be content with this lone figure being with me in my final moments in this land of gold and purple...

No! I can't yet! Even if it's impossible I must try to speak with this person! I must do what I can for my children so they may find this peaceful land! I take all of the remaining magical energy with me and try to force out a message. Doing so probably will kill me quicker, but I must do it! They must hear!

"Land... g-gold... Pur...pur... Dream."

Kroth Unleashed

Brony on!