It's Always Worth the Price. (2022)
Chapter 47: Sleep. Dream. Or Die. pt.2
Previous Chapter Next Chapter“Do you always have to be training?” Asked a very confused Shadow, he stood on the gazebo as he watched me training with enemies I had created using thought. I paused everything and turned to my brother and nodded. “Can’t you learn to relax and have fun? You’re in the Dream realm, you have infinite power to do as you wish as long as your imagination can create it, but you wish to train? Fascinating.”
“I have to keep myself sharp, I don’t need to slack off on my studies just because I’m in a coma.” I told the dream seer.
“But you’ve been training non-stop since you’ve been here. You’ve been here for four days and this is all you’ve wished to do? No. I will not allow this.” As he spoke his last words, the enemies I created turned to dust and faded into nothing. I turned to Shadow and I felt confused.
“Why does it matter if I train or not? You said that I can do anything I want, and I want to train.”
“You’re forcing yourself to train. I can see it. Just try and relax, image something peaceful. Or you could imagine your greatest memory. Just give it a try, brother.”
I gave a sigh of irritation,“Alright then.” I rolled my eyes and then closed them as I tried to think of something relaxing. I could feel something coming into existence and as I opened my eyes, I saw that Shadow was giving me a ‘Really?’ kind of glare. I turned to what I had created and found the Canterlot Training grounds. I turned back to Shadow and he was pinching the bridge of his nose in irritation. “I actually did try, so don’t judge.”
“Training, training. Is there anything you actually do for fun?”
“Training is fun, but if it makes “Mr. Ohdon’ttrainbecauseyou’reinacoma” happy, I’ll just ponder on a good memory then, ok?”
I closed my eyes and thought hard, I tried to focus on anything that would come to mind but couldn’t seem to grasp anything. I opened my eyes and ran my hands over my face,“I can’t do anything, it’s useless.”
“So what would your fondest memory be of?”
“Well, I tried to remember and bring back the first time I took my little brother Nicky out for a quad ride, the entire ride consisted of laughing and smiling. I miss him.” I could feel my heart sink a little but then Shadow placed a kind hand on my shoulder.
“Brother, I know that your family before your time here was important to you. I know what it’s like to have a family but not being able to see them. Just focus and it’ll come to you.”
“Ok.” I calmly closed my eyes and let my memories scatter and waited as they came to me. One came to mind and I could feel it come into existence. I opened my eyes and I found a lopsided smile cut across Shadow's face, As I turned to see what I had created, a feeling of inner warmth shot throughout my body.
“Well then, say hi.” Shadow said.
I looked to him and asked,“These are the real ones? Or are they only memories?”
“It’s a good thing it’s night in the waking world and that they were dreaming as well. They’re the ‘real’ ones.”
I looked to the two before me and I could see tears streaming down the small mares face,“Moon?” I ran up to her and wrapped her in my arms as she did the same to me.
“Why don’t you wake up? I know what it’s like for people to go into a coma, but why did you have to?” She said through sobs as she cried into my shoulder.
“I’m sorry I have to put you through this Moon, but I’m trying to find my way out of her. I’ll promise you this though, I’ll be up soon.” I held onto the mare a moment longer and broke away from the hug and wiped the tears from her eyes away. “There’s no need to be sad.” I turned to the other mare before me as I stood up.
She stood there silent, holding one hand with the other as she stood elegantly. “I haven’t seen you move like this in quite some time, it’s nice to be able to talk with you, love.”
I quickly grasped her in my arms and held her close. “My Queen.”
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Some time had passed since Chrysalis and Moon had left and that left Shadow and I alone once again. “I need to wake up Shadow, is there any way I can force myself to wake up?”
“Well, there are two ways. But I would highly go against one more than the other, though the other is difficult and complex.”
“What’s the problem with the first option?” I asked. He looked to me and frowned.
“It requires... the life force of another.”
“Well, what do I need to do for the other? I can’t kill. That’s a number one rule here.” I asked my equestrian counterpart.
“Option two is a difficult task, are you sure you’re up to it?” He asked. I responded with a nod and a look of determination. “Follow me then.”
As we walked down the ever-present stone walkway, Shadow turned to me and seemed worried. “Brother, this task is not one you should take lightly. Do you remember when you first arrived due to the coma, to the Dream realm?” I looked to him and nodded. I was confused by his statement.
“Yes, I remember. Why?”
“Good, then you remember me telling you I ‘handle’ our permanent guests. I show them around and tell them the world is their oyster and they go and do as they wish.”
“And what does this have anything to do with the task at hand?” I asked.
“I was just getting to that. You see, I am an advisor for.. him. He’s been around for many eons and possibly longer, and he is a cold man. His soul is stained with the lives of many, though he doesn’t end them physically. He is seen as a ‘Boogeyman’ to many, but accepted by some. If you wish to get back to the world of the living, you will need his approval before you can even try to leave.”
“And who would that be?” I felt that I already knew the answer to my own question. I could feel my heart begin to thund loudly inside my chest cavity.
“The man, the spirit, the end. You may call him anything you wish, for he has many names in many tongues. Though these names are all different, they all point to the same person. He is the man in tattered black robes, shrouded in darkness and known universally and feared by all. He is the pale rider of the apocalypse, Death.”