I opened my eyes to stars.

Stars all colors of the rainbow, bright and dull, the size of marbles to the size of boulders, stretched far into the distance. Faint strings seemed to stretch from star to star, creating a glowing web with the universe.

It was beautiful.

I tried to recreate this natural wonder, in painting and in poetry. But my power is limited, I can only mimic and mock with the mediums available to mortals.

Celestia may boast that she has the power of the Sun at her command, but I only smile in reply because I know I have the power of many stars to call on.

With something akin to swimming, but as easy as thinking, I pushed my way upward, already hearing the call of my interest.

Ten black spheres that seemed to radiate darkness sat nearby in a cluster. I needed only to gently caress one to confirm my suspicions. Frowning, I grasped the basket sized orb roughly in both hooves and concentrated.

I opened my eyes to a dark dungeon. The first thing I noticed was the stink of equine suffering. The second, was that the cells, while they were empty, had been recently occupied. The telltale signs such as feces, puddles of blood, and the inevitable leavings of a prisoner not afforded basic comforts. One even had a rack that looked to be well used.

The dream compelled me down the cell block corridor, walking me past more empty, but filthy cells. Then the first true thing of note loomed out of the darkness. A stack of cursed helmets lay near a wall where a cell had been bricked over. The dream however pulled me opposite of the pile of armor. The cell contained an emaciated, and filthy Crystal pony mare, rusted wrought iron chains kept her hanging from the back wall, forced to face the cursed objects outside the cell. She looked like she had gone to Tartarus and back, her natural emerald coat matted with sweat and blood. Her face was streaked with dried tears, and despite the misery she was in, she had no more tears to shed.

"Hello." I greeted, trying to appear calm and friendly. The mare flinched at the sound of my voice, but looked up with slightly glazed over eyes.

"Are you here to put one of those on me again?" she weakly asked. "To punish me for my failure?"

"No." I stated, inwardly flinching at her tone. "I swear to you I will do everything in my power to keep those things off every Pony." She didn't look like she believed me, but I pressed on. "You're safe now, this is just a dream." I reassured.

"A dream?" she snorted. "You'll have to do better then that Sombra." she all but spat the last word. "Torture me all you want, but you will have nothing from me."

I took a moment to ponder my next move, she clearly was in great anguish, and probably wasn't stable. The nightmare could twist down an even darker path with no warning if I wasn't careful.

"Then perhaps you should have something from me." I gently said, pushing the dream to unlock the cell so I could enter. The mare watched me warily, but otherwise said nothing. "Long ago, there once was a filly." I began. "The filly looked upon the world and was sad, for many dark and dangerous things lurked and prowled. The filly wept for all of those lost to the darkness." I sat down next to the cell wall, leaving the door open. "But one night, the Moon came to the filly as she slept. 'Hark!' the Moon exclaimed. 'I am held prisoner by a great evil! And I choose you to be my champion!' 'But my lady;' the filly replied. 'I am just a humble filly, with no great strength or courage.'"

I took a moment to glance at the mare. At some point her chains had vanished, but she still sat still, an ear occasionally flicking to my voice.

"The Moon then smiled kindly. 'Alas, this may be true, yet strength and courage does not a hero make.' The Moon then presented the filly with a gift. 'Go, take with you my light, to shine in the darkest of places, and to vanquish my enemies.' and the Moon gave unto the filly a bright star of silver. 'But my lady,' the filly replied once more. 'How may I do such a thing with your light?' But when the filly looked to the Moon for an answer, the Moon had gone. Leaving only the tiny mote of silver light." The oppressive miasma of the nightmare had seemed to lessen. "With little else to do, the filly ventured into the dark, with not but her tiny silver light. Many monsters of the dark rose to challenge the filly on her journey. Yet all she had to do was to lift the light high, and the monsters fled. 'You are Moon blessed! We can not challenge the likes of you!' they cried in anguish." I took another moment for dramatic effect, but I used that moment to nudge the inner workings of the dream, letting the dungeon fade into nonexistence.

"Eventually;" I continued. "The filly came before a mighty castle. Guarded by the most vile and devious monsters the dark had to offer. 'Let me in!' the filly cried. 'You have taken someone I love dearly, and I want them back.' 'Hoho!' The monsters chortled. 'We have taken many, and in turn, many have come to our gates for their loved ones. By what right do you have to challenge us?' And the filly held up the silver light in defiance. 'This is my right.' she exclaimed. And the monsters burned when the light touched them. The masters of the keep vanquished, the filly searched for the Moon, and found her the filly did. 'My lady! I have come to free you just as you asked!' she cried happily. 'Thank you my champion, you have done well.' the Moon smiled kindly. 'But my lady,' the filly frowned. 'It was you who gave me this light that vanquished the monsters, I merely held it aloft.' The Moon's laugher was that of a silver bell. 'My champion, do you not see?' she asked. 'This is not my light, this is your hope that shines as bright as any star."

Having finished my tale, I conjured a small silver of pure moonlight, which radiated with an overwhelmingly gentle promise that things would be okay. The crystal mare was mesmerized by the display, now looking much less disheveled.

"Here." I gently offered the silver of moonlight towards her. "Whenever you fear the dark, I want you to hold your hope as high as you can. And when you do, I want you to remember the Moon."

"I-I'll try." the mare swallowed nervously.

"That's all I ask my little pony."

Looooooooooore!

Also this;
https://discord.gg/RVvqpuGaRa