Dreams of the Damned

Chapter 8

A crack rang out across the field, and one of the guards jerked backward, tumbling to the ground.

“Sniper!”

Before anypony could react to the sudden death of a comrade, the loud road of the aircraft flying overhead was interrupted by a dark purple energy beam shooting out the trees, striking the wingtip and sending the aircraft spiraling into the forest where it burst into flame. A rallying cry emanated from the woods as a large number of ponies suddenly leaped out from behind trees and rocks, charging toward the few guards remaining aboveground.

Luna squeezed the trigger, the recoil rattling the gun in her hooves. She had to be conservative of her ammo, as she hadn’t yet found another clip that fit the gun. She leaped to the side as a distinctive whizz of a bullet flying past shot by her ear.

“Nightmare! Entrance!”

“On it!” The Shadow alicorn dived down to prone, forcing the soldiers who had come up from the fight below to deal with them to take cover. The one remaining aircraft repeatedly strafed the area, slightly disorganizing the assault, but, while they made a valiant effort, it was too little, too late. Luna dived into a crater as dirt was kicked up around her, hissing when she landed on her bad leg. Three more soldiers dived down with her, leaving the crater rather full.

“Crap, if they roll a grenade down here…” Someone mumbled, reloading their rifle.

“You three! Can you do something for me?” Luna asked, tossing her gun to the side, empty.

“Yes, your Highness?”

“I need a new gun. Cover me!”

She leaped out of the crater into a roll, her body turning to shadow just as a round of tracers cut through her form. She grunted, the feeling of objects passing through your body not being a pleasant one. Just as her body returned to its normal state, she reached the open door of the helicopter, finding a cowering griffon inside. A quick mental manipulation spell took care of him. Doing a quick visual scan of the interior, she found the two objects she was searching for, mounted in each door. The rest of the cabin was mostly empty, with a row of benches lining each wall, with some boxes in the back, most likely for carrying ammo. The cockpit was fully enclosed with class, with two seats for the pilot and copilot to sit. In front of them as a large control panel, with a whole bunch of buttons and levers all in different colors, and different dials and gauges covering the surface. All in all, it looked very complex, not that she would expect any different.

“Nightmare! Can you help me please?”

“Whaddya need cap'n?” She asked, materializing beside her.

“Think you can grab that other gun over there? We're going to need the firepower,” She asked, lifting her own off its mount with a bit of careful levitation.

Nightmare nodded, and walked over to the gun, but simply stared at it for a moment, before turning her head back to Luna. “You wouldn't happen to know where the nearest set is Power Armor is, would you? My strength stat is too low.”

“Just grab the fucking gun Nightmare.” Luna jumped out the door, wincing a bit when her bad leg hit the ground, the crunch of her landing of the snow barely audible over the sounds of gunfire.

When the last remaining aircraft came flew over in another strafing run, it was met by a hail of bullets from the alicorns.

“I got him!” A shout of joy echoed across the field as the aircraft sped away, smoke streaming from its engine.

“Nice job.” Luna smiled at her, before remembering something. “Hey… Where is Vessel?”

“Right here.” Luna turned, finding the aforementioned unicorn standing next to Nightmare.

“Wha? How did-”

“We have a battle to fight, remember?”

“Oh, right.”

Her and Nightmare formed up, walking close together, slowly walking closer and closer to the entrance to the base, putting down a stream of continuous fire, suppressing the defenders, forcing them to keep their heads down and unable to fire back.

“EVERYPONY ON ME!” She called out, the soldiers all surrounding her. “Now, CHARGE!”

The sight of two large alicorns and a number of soldiers rushing at you and screaming is very intimidating, and the few defenders retreated down the hole.

Luna didn’t stop, and with another battle cry, they ran down the pit separating the world from the horrors that lay below.

Throwing up a shield to stop any bullets, Luna ran up and bucked the nearest grey-uniformed soldier in the face, sending him sprawling on the ground.

“Watch out!”

Luna turned in time to see to unicorn wielding a knife leap at her, only to get knocked out of the air by Nightmare. Pinned to the ground, he swiped at her, but his knife only passed through her ethereal body. He looked at his knife in shock, and then back at Nightmare, before getting flung across the room.

“Thanks,” Luna said.

“Don’t mention it.” Nightmare said, helping her up. “I would do anything to help myself.”

The rest of the rest of the fight was quick and uneventful as a gunfight could be. The attackers couldn’t hope to hold on when they were being attacked from two sides. Soon the whole room was clear, and then the offices, and then the whole floor.

Soon, the only sounds of combat were those that echoed from deep within the base, as the last few remaining enemies were taken care of. They had stopped to take a rest, treat their wounded, and count their dead. Shining Armor sighed, reading their current casualties off a list.

“We have 28 wounded, 5 of those life-threatening, and nine dead.” He hung his head. “We were unprepared for this. Those weapons they carried, it's like nothing we have ever seen before.Where could they even get such advanced technology?”

“Don’t hold it against yourself, Dear.” His wife, Princess Cadence said, getting checked over by medics. “You said so yourself, there was nothing any one of us could have done to prevent them from getting killed.”

“If anyone should be blamed, it’s me,” Luna said, hanging her head. “Because of me, these ponies sacrificed themselves.”

“Yes, but if you hadn't…” Shining began. “...Equestria would have had to face a much stronger enemy down the line, and much more would have gotten killed.”

Luna nodded sadly. “I guess you’re right… The feeling, of having someone die because of your actions, either directly or indirectly, it’s… A feeling I had forgotten, it’s been so long.” She looked at the Prince and Princess before her. “We should never forget the sacrifices of those who came before, remember that, both of you.” The two of them solemnly nodded.

They stood there for a few minutes before Cadence decided to speak. “Luna? Can we talk with you about something?” She glanced nervously at her husband. “It’s about your… friend.”

Luna looked up to see Vessel being tended to by a medic, her small and undeveloped body and frail figure having taken a few hits during the fighting, but she had always been protected by her unlikely ally. “I suppose you’ve figured it out, then. She’s not evil and is not going to take over Equestria, if that is what your asking.”

The two monarchs glanced at each other. “It was in some of the documents we uncovered.”

“Then I suppose you're looking for answers, but I must ask you to refrain until we return to Canterlot. And…” She turned to look at the two of them. “...I ask you not to mention this to my sister. It’s a… sensitive subject for us, and this something I need to do myself.” They looked at her skeptically, but nodded.

“General!” A red stallion ran up to them and saluted. “Private Broadsword of 2nd squad, reporting in. Captain Steel Hammer has reported the capture of a number of enemy soldiers, and requests additional support to help transport them to the surface.”

“I better go handle this,” Shining said, following the Private. “You two stay safe.”

Luna nodded and walked up to Nightmare, who, after receiving aid, had been left alone. “You okay there?”

“Just a few scrapes and bruises, nothing we haven’t suffered before.” Luna noticed a bandage tied around one of her back legs.

“Just so you’re aware, both Shining and Cadence both know about you now.”

“Oh. How did they react when you told them?”

“I didn’t, they just… figured it out.”

“Hmm.”

Silence for a moment.

“So, what now for you?”

“...What do you mean?” Nightmare asked, confused.

“You're a free Mare now. You can go anywhere, do anything. Did you think I would force you to stay in Canterlot?”

“You… you're serious?”

Luna smiled. “Look, I know that the royal life was something that I nor my sister ever wanted, but we were forced to live with it. But you… you’re not a Royal. So, I give you one thing I never had; freedom.”

She was about to continue but was cut off by two hugs. While Nightmare’s tears didn’t exist on the current Ethereal plane, the tears coming from Vessel were very much real. “Thank you.” She whispered.

Luna smiled. “And for my third wish, gene, I set you free.”

“Stop it.” Nightmare chuckled. “That's my job around here.”

“What, quoting ancient Saddle Arabian folklore?” Luna asked, pulling away.

“No, breaking the fourth… you know what? Forget it, too dangerous.” Luna gave her a confused look, but said nothing. Nightmare was about to say something, when the words died in her mouth, watching something behind her. She turned to look.

A line of beaten and injured soldiers marched past them, escorted by a squad of the guard. Most wore the standard gray uniform, although there were few remaining intact, many were ripped, tattered, and bloodstained. A few soldiers were bandaged, and they didn’t look happy about it. They passed silently, a few giving hard glares at anyone who dared to make eye contact. There were about 30 in total, a mix of first defenders, and the reinforcements who had arrived later. As the last one passed, scowling at them, the two approached Shining Armor as they walked to the surface.

“You have any idea where we can contain these guys Princess? Bringing them back to Canterlot would bring unneeded attention,” Shining asked.

“Horseshoe Bay, it’s large enough to contain all of them and it's far enough away from everything to not raise suspicion,” Luna answered.

Shining agreed. “Although I would recommend splitting them up, having different bases handle them.”

Luna looked over the assembled prisoners, a few muttering amongst themselves, most likely wondering what was going to happen to them, afraid at the prospect of remaining in jail the rest of their lives. Most we’re little over their teens and were the ones muttering to themselves. The veterans, the older ones who stood perfectly still and looked straight ahead, remained silent.

As she looked over the crowd, a very familiar pony caught her attention, as well as Nightmare’s. Nightmare approached him, and noticed something odd. He was staring straight ahead, his eyes wide with a blank stare, looking at something no one could see off in the distance. He was rocking side to side, muttering something to himself.

Nightmare smirked. “It seems the tables have turned, Light Horn. Who is at whose mercy now?” The ponies standing near him took a big step back, as the former tormenter stopped his muttering and glared at Nightmare.

“You think you are safe here.” He said, keeping eye contact, refusing to yield.

“Why would I not? I’m outside, surrounded by guards, while you are here, with a blocker on your horn. You can’t do anything to me.”

“Nightmare.” Luna approached the two. “Ignore him. The chariot will be here soon, and we can finally get out of here and leave this all behind. “

Nightmare growled at him, but turned to follow Luna.

He giggled a creepy laugh. “That what you think!” Light Horn called after them once they were a distance away. Luna froze and sighed. She was most likely going to regret this.

“Why?”

He grinned, still twitching slightly. “We have ponies everywhere, spies, all reporting back to us.” He giggled again.

“Hey, any idea why he’s acting like a junkie going through withdrawal?” Luna whispered to Nightmare, who shrugged.

“Most likely because he is. He’s acted like this a few times before.”

“Wait, really?”

“You would be surprised at the stuff they have cooked up down there.”

They turned their attention back to Light Horn, who continued whatever what he was saying.

“There are a few who are unhappy with your rule, a few in high place who want a... change in leadership. There is a storm coming, Princess, and your country is ill-equipped to stop it.

A deep growl escaped Luna’s through, and she punched him to the ground. “You know nothing. You’re just a lowly grunt. Don’t speak like you are in some position of command.”

He lay there for a few moments, muttering something to himself, before standing back up, wiping a few drops of blood off his face. A few guards approached, but Luna told them to stay back.

“I know nothing!?” Luna could see the insanity in his eyes. He was scared and desperate. There was no telling what he would do. “I know everything about you!” He giggled again, and Nightmare backed away slightly. “I KNOW EVERYTHING!”  He began to tremble, now laughing like a madman. “I know your strengths…”

Suddenly, without any indication, in an amazing burst of speed, he leaped past the guards surrounding him, through Nightmare and Luna, and straight at Vessel, shoving a hidden blade into her chest.

“...and your weaknesses.” The guards leaped on him, but before they could reach him he turned it on himself, and with a cry of “Long live Ethernia!”, slit his own throat.\