The four princesses were still shocked at what happened. Even after Nocturne's battle with the Tantabus he was still able to escape. However something else caught their attention, the surrounding area, Canterlot itself was in ruins and without any signs of life it was clear to them that they were all that left.

"So...what do we do now? How do we follow Nocturne?"

"Twilight is right, we have no idea were we went." Cadence said.

"I don't know...Nocturne could be anywhere right now." Princesses Celestia said.

As for Luna however, she placed her head upon the blade of her Scythe and started thinking. The magic of the Scythe filled Luna's mind, she could feel and see things, she knew where Nocturne was hiding, she the raised her head, saw her reflection on the blade and said with a smile.

"I think i know how we can follow Nocturne."

The three mares then turned to face Luna.

"Really? Can you really get us to him princess?" Twilight asked.

"Yes i can, but i am gonna need some time to to do this. For starters i know that Nocturne is hiding in the Dream Realm."

"Wait, if that's the case then...shouldn't we like....fall asleep to get there?" Cadence asked.

"Not nesseseraly, but with this Scythe i can open up a portal to the Dream Realm and even to the exact location were Nocturne went."

"Luna that's amazing!" Princess Celestia said.

Luna smiled and said.

"Thank you for your praise sister, i appreciate it."

Luna then used her magic and lifted the Scythe into the air and said.

"Stay back everypony!"

The Scythe then started glowing blue along with Luna's eyes, she then swinged her Scythe in the air and to their surprise a portal appeared before them.

"Wow...." Twilight said.

Luna then fell to the ground but wrapped her hooves around her Scythe and stood there.

"Luna are you alright?" Princess Celestia said as she run towards Luna.

"I...i am fine, it was just very hard to concentrate."

"Can you walk?"

"Yes i can. We are very close to ending this, i will give it my all sister, i promise!"

Celestia then hugged her and said.

"I know you will sister and i hope too hope that we end this."

Celestia then extended her hoof and helped Luna get up. They all then gathered around the portal and Cadence asked.

"But...what will we find on the other side?"

"That i do not know so we must be extra careful. Nocturne may be weak right now but that won't stop him from setting up a trap." Luna said.

"I will go first then, you guys will follow after." Princess Celestia said.

"Alright" They all said.

Princesses Celestia took a deep breath and stepped into the portal and prepared herself to face whatever was on the other side.

When Celestia arrived to her destination see saw nothing but darkness.

"Huh?"

Then from the portal the three mares arrived and they took were shocked at the complete void.

"What is this? Are we in the right place?" Twilight asked.

"Yes we are! I am sure of it." Luna said.

The four mares then used their magic and lit their horns, creating some small lights around, but they weren't strong enough to reveal everything around them. After a few seconds however, their magic just stopped. They tried to use it again and again but after all these tries their horns would just return back to normal.

"Why isn't our magic working......wait a second i think i..." Cadence said.

"Cadence what is it?" Twilight asked and looked at the direction of Cadence's voice.

"I...i think i sense something....it's very weak but i can feel that it's close by!"

"I can feel it too! It reeks of evil." Princess Luna said.

"Nocturne....." Princess Celestia said.

Cadence then aimed her bow up in the sky and quickly fired a golden arrow that lit the area for a short time and revealing the surrounding area. The four princesses were on a giant rock surrounded by dark purple waters, the sky on top of them was dark and empty without any star and infront of them a giant stone staircase that led to a giant dark castle up on a mountain.

After a few seconds, the light arrow just vanished into the dark skies and darkess took over once again.

"Alright, we now know where he went." Twilight said.

"You are right Twilight, i can sence his dark energies from here, it must be him!" Cadence said.

"You are right Princesses Cadence, that can only be Nocturne without a doubt!"

"Alright everypony, let's get going but be careful, this darkness is suffocating and don't use your wings, i don't want any of you to get lost." Princess Celestia said.

"Got it!" They all said and started making their way on the castle by using the staircase.

Some time passed and they still haven't reached the castle, at first they ignored it due to the fact that this was a huge staircase but as they kept going on and on they felt that something was off.

"How much more? How big is this staircase?" Cadence said and stopped to catch her breath.

"I don't know Cadence, but we have to keep going....." Twilight said in a low voice and right after fell down and started breathing heavily.

"Twilight!" Princess Celestia said and rushed to her.

"Princess....i just need some time to rest.....i can't keep going."

"Don't worry Twilight, take your time, you could use the rest."

"Thank you....Princess."

Princess Celestia then looked over to her sister and saw her standing still and murmuring.

"Something is defetently wrong with this staircase...."

"Luna...."

"Oh sister, how are the others doing?"

Princess Celestia sighted and said.

"Not good and it's because of this staircase, sister i have a feeling something is wrong."

"Yeah me too....wait let's me check something out."

Princess Luna then made her way to Princess Cadence and asked.

"Princess Cadence, are you alright?"

"Yes, thanks for your concer....."

"Good but....can you shoot your light arrows in the air one more time? I want to see something."

"Yes, of course!" Cadence said and got.

She then used her magic and aimed the bow at the dark sky. She then took the shot that lit the whole area around them but revealed that they are.....

"Impossible!" Luna exclaimed as she looked over to the castle.

To everyponys' surprise they were still close to the start of the staircase and were still far away from the dark castle.

"Oh Gods no...." Princess Celestia said.

"How can such thing happen?" Cadence asked.

"I...i don't know....." Twilight said.

Soon, the darkess took over again and the light vanished.

"Alright, we are gonna try flying this time. It could work!" Princess Luna said.

"Ok...ok just....one second." Twilight said and started breathing fast.

"Good, but we will also need these." Luna then used her magic and from her horn glowing strings appeared and were wrapped around the mares' hooves.

"We won't get lost now, good thinking Luna." Princess Celestia said.

"Yes, thank you. Let's go now everypony, Nocturne awaits!"

And they all started flying towards the castle under the cover of darkness.

Some time passed again and the four mares were slowly getting tired. They stopped flying and landed on the staircase, Cadence then used her bow again and it revealed that they were still at the bottom of the staircase.

"This is frustrating!" Princess Luna grunted.

"I know....why is this happening?" Cadence asked.

"No...there must be something that we are missing...maybe it's some sort of spell that prevents us from getting any closer to the castle." Twilight said.

"Twilight is right, there is something that we are missing and we have to find out now." Princess Celestia said.

After that they started trying new ways to reach the castle. They tried teleportation, they tried flying to the castle while the arrow lit the world around the world, even flying around the castle in order to find another entrance into it. But it was all in vain, they couldn't find a way to get in.

"Oh come on! What are we doing wrong?" Twilight asked in frustration.

"I don't know, but i am sure that you are right about this castle being protected by a spell." Cadence said.

"Princess Cadence is right Twilight, don't lose faith!" Princess Celestia said.

"You are right! I am not just gonna give up. Now...."

Twilight said and placed her hoof under her chin and started thinking.

"First we must understand what type of magic this is and find a way to counter it hmmm.....Oh i think i have an idea!"

She then said.

"Princess Luna, this is the Dream Realm right?"

Twilight said in the darkness. Her voice was able to reach Luna's ears and she replied.

"Yes kinda.....i guess you can say that this is Nocturne's dream world that he created."

"Such thing can happen? I mean, he is not sleeping isn't he?" Cadence asked.

"No he isn't, he just created this place in his dreams...well back when he used to sleep. And now thanks to his powers i assume that he was able to open a portal to here...."

"A very intresting theory Princess, in fact i think that i know how to get to the castle!"

"Tell us what you have in mind Twilight." Princess Celestia said.

"Alright, first. Luna, we all know that you can enter the dreams of others but....can you change them?"

"Um...yes but, it's not nessesary unless of course they are having a Nightmare then i am forced to step in."

"Good, do you think you can do that in this dream?" Twilight asked.

"That...um that would be very hard, almost impossible....we are talking about Nocturne's mind here!"

"But if there is a possibility are you at least willing to try?"

"Twilight....Nocturne's mind is twisted....it will not be that simple. As for you Luna, as much as i want you to try. I am also afraid that something bad may happen to you, we better think of something-"

"I know the dangers sister, but it is a risk that i am going to take. Even if it means lossing my mind."

"Luna...."

"This is the only way out of this darkness Tia! And this Scythe right here, has been a big help at cutting down Nightmares and i am sure that it can help us in this Nightmare that we are stuck in as well."

Luna then lifted her Scythe up into the air with her magic, she grunted and struggled to make sure not to lose connection to her powers. The Scythe then started glowing, she then slammed the blade of the Scythe to the ground and the world around her changed. It was still an empty void but this time, she could see closed doors levitating around.

"What the...."

Princess Luna then flew towards the closest door and opened it.

From the door, tentacles appeared, they pushed back Luna and they were then followed by a monstrous roar.

Luna screamed out in pain and covered her ears and eyes. The scream that she kept hearing started driving her mad, she then puked down and the floor and screamed more.

"Luna! LUNA!" Princess Celestia shouted.

Luna had returned back to the others and was down on the ground screaming in pain.

"What can we do to stop this?!" Cadence asked.

"I...i don't know!"

The screaming then suddenly stopped and Luna struggled no more.

"Luna...." Celestia started.

Luna then opened her eyes and immediately rose up and addapted a grin on her face.

"Yes! YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES! THAT'S IT!" Luna shouted and started maniacally laughing.

"Luna calm down! What happened?!" Princess Celestia asked.

"Sister....Madness, it's the key! MADNESS IS THE KEY OUT OF HERE!"

"Princess Luna what do you mean?" Twilight asked.

Luna then just laughed again but this time her voice was disoriented.

"This! This staircase! It's not as simple as it looks! But i! I can take you inside of the castle! AND THEN MAKE THESE VOICES STOP!"

Luna said and covered her ears with her hooves while she breathed heavily.

"Princess Luna tell us what can we do to help you! Please" Twilight said.

"There! There is no time for me! We have to get through!"

Luna then smashed her Scythe into the ground but this time, golden strings came out from the ground and pierced the three foreheads of the three alicorns. When that happened, the world around them changed back to the void that Luna was in with the closed doors.

"Where are we?" Princess Cadence asked.

"This! This is the place, this is what the staircase truly looks like!" Princess Luna said.

"And i assume that one of them is the right one?" Twilight asked.

"Yes! But! HAHAHAHAH! Be careful! If we open the wrong door we are doomed!"

"Sister please, you need to calm down, you can't go on like this!" Princess Celestia said.

"I am sorry Celestia! But when i first got here! HAHAHHA, AH MY MIND!"

Then out of a sudden, the Golden Sword that Celestia was carrying started glowing and later created a shield around them.

"What is going on?" Princess Cadence asked.

The doors then suddenly opened and from there big muscular humanoid creatures with dark purple skin, green glowing eyes, along with big tumors and tentacles around their bodies appeared and they rushed towards them and started throwing punches at the shield.

"What are these things?! More Nightmares?" Twilight asked.

"No! These are different and much worse!" Princess Luna shouted.

"And my sword, it protected us!" Princess Celestia said.

The monsters kept throwing punches at the shield and then a small cracked appeared on it.

"This isn't good! If the shield falls! HAHAHHAHHA! THEN WE ARE ALL GONNA DIE!" Princes Luna shouted and then laughed some more.

"We have to do something! We can't just stay here!" Princess Cadence said and prepared her bow.

"And we have to do it fast!" Twilight continued and prepared her sword.

Princess Celestia then turned to face her sister who had fallen to ground and kept on whispering some unknown words and phrases.

"Hrl dmgcjlii ni seanjv! nh nbb dmaa pi mbb!"

Princess Celestia then grabbed her sister with her hoof and said.

"Luna! Get up! I won't leave you, you hear me? We will escape from here, i promise!" Princess Celestia said.

Her sword then started glowing again and after a second released a powerful light that made the monsters from outside of the shield to back away while covering their eyes. As for Luna it seemed that she got back to her senses, her started glowing and she got up with Scythe in hoof and said with a smile.

"Follow me and keep the shield going sister! I know the way out!"

Princess Luna then started running and the others followed, soon from the empty sky blood drops started falling all around them and once they touched the ground the blood turned into rats that started crawling around the shield. Soon more doors started opening revealing more monsters and tentacles. Then a demonic scream was heard and Luna quickly said.

"Cover your ears! QUICKLY!"

The four mares stopped and put their hooves around their ears but it prooved difficult due to the fact that they had to cover both of them and at the same time stay at the up by their back hooves. And most of the sound wasn't coverable, it just pierced through their ears that caused all of them to scream in pain.

"AHHHH, IT HURTS!" Cadence said.

"I FEEL LIKE MY EARS ARE GONNA BLOW!" Twilight said.

"WE ARE CLOSE TO THE DOOR! DONT GIVE UP!" Princess Luna said.

Princesses Celestia was slowly going to let go of the shield. The demonic scream, it was somehow disconnecting her from her magic.

"I...I CAN'T KEEP THIS UP! LUNA WE NEED THE EXIT NOW!"

Luna then used her magic and created a small flying platform under them, she then lifted it up and they kept on flying forward. However it didn't last for long, her concentration was also interupted and was forced to give up and the platform was destroyed and they fell to the ground.

When Luna lifted her head she saw a door unlike any other. It was dark with blue energies coming out of it. She, let go of her ears and said.

"THIS IS IT! COME ON!"

The scream however, with just a few seconds was able to take over Luna again and she started laughing and speaking the unknow language again.

"N nbb cnbb oep! mbb ez oep!"

The monsters and rats had once again gathered around them and all seemed lost until.....

"No....i will not give in, never!" Princess Celestia said with a determined look.

She then used her magic and picked up her sword.

"I will never surrender to evil! I WILL GET US OUT OF HERE!"

And just when she said that, the shield collapsed and the four mares were covered up by the rats and the monsters. Even though they all struggled and screamed, in the end it was all in vain.

"NEVER!"

Celestia's voice was booming all around the darkness and with a swing of her sword the monsters and the rats were all sliced and the four alicorns were covered in blood.

"Luna that's the right door over there isn't it?!"

Celestia said and pointed at the dark door.

"Yes that's it! Let's go!"

Celestia then used her magic and levitated her companions. She then aimed at the door and threw them at it and as a result, the door burst opened and they reached the other side.

"My turn!" Celestia said and took flight.

And just when she was about to reach the exit her back hoof was grabbed. She grunted and turned around to see what had got her. Then the whole room was simply rotated, creating a pit of darkness with opened doors and right at the bottom a giant mouth appeared, with spikes around it, along with moving eye balls and tentacles.

"What in God's name is!"

And just by looking at the creature Celestia was geting sick, she felt her head spinning and she was about to puke just when a hoof appeared from the exit along with a Scythe that cut the tentacle and Celestia was dragged up and when she reached the other side the door behind her had disappeared.

Celestia just kept looking at the dark sky and she kept on breathing heavily.

"Princess Celestia!" Twilight said and hugged her tightly.

"I thought i lost you! I thought that you were going to die!"

Celestia then hugged her back and said.

"I know, i thought the same about you, all of you and i know that i could never forgive myself if something bad happened to you."

"Sister!" Luna said and hugged her too.

"I am glad you are safe!" Celestia saw a small drop of tear coming out of her sister's eye and then immediately she started remembering a moment from the past.

Far far from Equestria there was a great Kingdom, filled with every type of pony. Earth, Unicorn, Pegasus and Alicorn. This Kingdom was ruled by a loving pair by the name of Cosmos and Galaxia. In one of the rooms of the giant castle, there was a younger Celestia with pink mane and to her side a younger Luna with light blue mane. Luna was close to Celestia under a small pink blanket. Then a thunderstorm was heard from outside and the little filly started crying.

"Don't worry Luna, you don't have to be afraid, i am here for you."

The little Luna pulled her head out of the blanket and asked.

"You promise?"

Celestia just smiled and said while hugging her.

"Of course, no matter what happens, i will always be there for you."

Celestia then snapped out of that memory and got up. She then looked at Cadence and asked.

"Cadence are you feeling ok?"

"I....no....that was terrifying! I....i just need a moment to clear my head....."

Celestia noded and looked around. The area was still dark but infront of them they saw a giant opened door with two small torches next to it.

"Everypony, this is it. We have finaly reached the castle!" Celestia said.

She then turned to Cadence and asked.

"Cadence you think that you can use your bow to lit the area? I can't see anything in there."

"I....yes i will do it!"

Cadence then used her magic that worked surprisingly well up here and aimed her bow inside of the castle. Cadence however was still shacking from their previous encounter and started breathing and sweating.

"I can do it! I swear! I just....."

"Don't stress yourself about it. I know how you feel." Luna said.

She then picked up one of the torches and said.

"Let's go inside with this for a while."

The others nodded and got inside of the castle.

As they kept walking inside of the dark castle, they came across many statues of hideous creatures but something that caught their attention was the fact that the very walls of the castle had a very intresting design, it was like if they could see faces carved on the walls. And as they continiued Twilight was grabbed by something, she then screamed and stepped away.

"Twilight!" Cadence said.

Luna then used the torch to look at the direction of the thing that caught Twilight and when they saw who it was both Cadence and Twilight gasped.

"MOTHER!" Twilight said.

"Twilight wait!" Celestia tried to warn her.

But Twilight just rushed to her mother who's torso was coming out of the wall.

"Twilight...." Twilight Velvet said.

"Yes mother, it's me! What has happened to you?" Twilight asked.

"I...and your father, after these monsters attacked....they took us away to some dark place, it was horrible! These things....fed....on us!"

"Mother that....." Twilight began crying.

"I am sorry sweetie.....but your father....."

"No...PLEASE DONT SAY THAT! YOU CANT DO THIS TO ME!"

"We thought we lost you and your brother and we just.....gave up, but now that you....ended up here...i don't know what to say....."

Twilight then hugged her mother and started crying even more.

As for the other three alicorns, they did nothing but watch as one of their own was suffering.

"MOTHER! WHY! WHY! WHY! WHY! If only i had realised how dangerous it was for you to be out there all alone! MOTHER I AM SORRY!"

Surprisingly however Twilight Velve started forming up a grin and said.

"You don't have to worry about that my dear, your father found peace and you too can!"

She then opened up her mouth revealing sharp teeth and she prepared to attack Twilight.

"TWILIGHT NO!" Celestia shouted.

But before they could do anything, from above Lynthea appeared and sliced Twilight Velve's head off with her hoof turned calw.

Twilight backed away and fell down on the floor crying at the image of her decapitated mother.

"Who are you?" Celestia said and prepared her sword.

"Isn't it obvious? A demon serving Nocturne of course!" Luna said.

But before Lynthea could say anything she was attacked by Twilight who charged at her with her sword. But Lynthea pulled out her whip and struck Twilight down.

"Twilight!" Cadence said and made her way to her.

"I didn't expect the princess of friendship to attack me in such a cruel way...."

"SHUT UP! I WILL KILL YOU FOR WHAT YOU DID! YOU HEAR ME!"

"Please...i only saved you from her teeth."

"Well let's see who will save you from my sword!"

Twilight tried to get up but she was being held by Cadence.

Celestia took a deep breath and asked.

"What do you want?"

"Well, my master ordered me to wait for you in the entrance, to see if you made it."

"Here we are, now get out of our way unless you want to die!" Luna said.

Lynthea just laughed and said.

"How about no. Nocturne ordered me to bring you four to him as i tried to say before and then you may....talk."

"Talk? Nocturne wants to talk now?" Cadence asked.

"Do not question my master, he has his reasons."

"And how do we know that you are not leading us to a trap?" Celestia asked.

"I am not, i will just take you to the throne room where he is waiting that is all But...i have to say that when i saw him all bleeding i was very impressed...."

"Save your praise demon, we don't need you to find the throne room!" Luna said.

"Oh really? And risk getting attacked by....more monsters?"

"MY MOTHER IS NOT A MONSTER!"

"Well, technically she was. But that doesn't matter now. The only thing that matters is that you have a meeting with Nocturne."

"And if we refuse?" Celestia asked.

"Then you will just....end up dying by the monsters that are roaming around the castle."

"We can defeat anything, especially with these weapons!"

"No, no you can't and you know why? Cause this is Nocturne's world and you should know better than all of them Luna."

"Don't call me-"

"Sister wait, i hate to say this but, she maybe right."

"WHAT!" Twilight freaked out.

"Listen to me everypony, we have gotten so far, if we die by whatever is in the castle then it will all be for nothing, let's just give Nocturne this...talk he wants."

"Excellent! Now follow me."

And without any other choice they followed Lynthea around the castle.

The castle proved to be more gigantic than it seemed from the outside. They kept taking the stairs down and down till they reached a giant dark room.

"We are here." Lynthea said.

"You sure? Well i don't see anything!" Luna said.

And just before anything else could happen the room was slowly started getting lit up by blue fires that were getting lit one by one and in the end of the big room, he was there.

Sitting on a big dark throne, Nocturne watched them coming down from the staircase. And once they were close enough to the throne he said.

"Welcome to my castle, princesses."