~The Jewel Empire - Book 3~ posting not welcome

[Kodabomb]

This is written from Princess Wildfire's point of view.

A thundering knocking at my door alerted me to awaken from my deep slumber, and upon opening my eyes I nearly fell out of bed. I got stuck at the side of the mattress, however, wrapped in my sheets like a tight cocoon. I was unable to escape.
“Flare... it’s too early...” I groaned, struggling to free myself from the sheets that just hugged me tighter as I edged closer to the floor.
“No, it’s not! I have something very special planned today.” I heard her say. I moaned, finally using my magic to get myself out and topple onto the carpet below.
“Ow...” I managed to grumble staggering to my hooves and rubbing my head. My mane was a mess. “OK, what are we doing?” I asked.
“We’re travelling today. I’ll tell you where soon.” She grinned. I didn’t exchange it, making her smirk.
“Do I need to bring anything?” I asked.
“Just your Fire Alicorn powers, but that shouldn’t be too hard.” She snorted. “DO NOT wear any of your jewellery unless you want to lose it.”
“Why?” I said blatantly.
“You’ll definitely see. We’re going bare.” She replied. “We’ll leave after breakfast, and I’ll have to speak to Whirlwind.” Flare went around the room and opened my curtains.
“Hey, that’s for my maids to do.” I pouted. “And why Father?”
“Because he’s the only one who knows, numbskull!” she said. I suppressed an ugly snort, then went over to my dresser to brush my mane. I got out all the matted knots, then tied it back into a bun, before turning back to Flare. “Alright, let’s go!”
I felt a little awkward walking down to breakfast without my jewellery, as it felt like such normal attire for me, but I supposed it wouldn’t be too bad. When Whirlwind, Storm and Fighter weren’t up to anything, they didn’t even bother at all when they were just in the castle all day. But Sparkle, Aka and I were used to our normal dress every day.
When we came to the breakfast hall, we sat down as the food was served. I munched hungrily on my cereal, cake and milk, while Flare practically shoved her face into her bowl and ate everything within a metre of her. She was stuffed quite quickly as I slurped up the last of my drink, when she then grabbed my hoof in her aura and dragged me out the door.
She released me and we walked up a staircase. “Whirlwind now?” I asked.
“Eeyup.” She replied. I nodded. As we walked, I pressed a hoof to my throat and tried to massage the food I didn’t manage to swallow down my throat. I honestly did not know how Flare could eat so much without being uncomfortable. I could feel corn flakes in my lungs.
It wasn’t very long when we reached one of the lounges. I knew Whirlwind didn’t have anything important on today, so he was probably excessively reading until his brain hurt. Flare knocked and instantaneously allowed herself entry, strutting inside and flopping down next to Whirlwind. He didn’t looked up, placing a hoof onto Flare’s face as his eyes widened at the book.
“Looks thrilling.” Said Flare sarcastically, grabbing it in her magic and tossing the thing onto the chair behind us.
“Hey! What, no, my page!” whined Whirlwind. I giggled a small snort.
“Don’t worry I folded the corner.” Sighed Flare. “We need to ask you something.”
“Actually, only you do, I don’t even know what’s happening.” I put in.
“Sssh,” she hissed, “I have to ask – are there any volcanoes in the Empire?” offered Flare. What? Volcanoes? What was she talking about? We needed no volcanoes.
“Volcanoes? Uh, yes, over on the north-west side. It’s where all the dragons live, but why are you asking?” grumbled my father in haste.
“Thank you!” said Flare cheerily, not answering Whirlwind’s question. Before he could ask again, she had tossed me out into the hallway and slammed to door, trotting quickly away. I followed her in confusion.
“What was that? No more questions? You’re not bothering to answer him?” I demanded. She was now just muddling me even more, her motives quite strange. Why would a volcano have anything to do with anything?
“Hold on,” she stopped me. Her hoof quickly touched my shoulder, and I had no time to breathe as we teleported straight to a balcony. When I felt the air again, fresh autumn breeze on my face, I gasped to fill my lungs with oxygen. Flare spoke again.
“OK, see. Volglacia is FULL of volcanoes, only a few of them full of lava instead of ice.” Ice? I tried to butt in but she continued. “I go there in secret every six months to recharge my Fire powers, but it’s too dangerous to take you.” She told me.
“What? You recharge your Fire powers? What are you talking about? Why don’t I need to?” I demanded. She was quick to shove a hoof into my mouth.
“I don’t know why I did it, OK? It was instinctive! Plus it made me feel amazing afterwards, made me strong. I need to all the time.” She pushed. “I think you’re so strong and able to use your powers, because there was something left over from when you went all queen-crazy and transformed.”
We were both silent. As if we could read each other’s mind, we both lifted a hoof and lit the single limb on fire. I was suddenly started to feel excited, magical, powerful... like I could do anything with this stuff. I pulled my mouth into a grin.
“Alright, show me what we’re doing.” I said. She smiled – I could see pride in her eyes.
“OK. We’ll teleport over there. It’s a long way but we’re fine to do it, so holding on is the first step.” She replied. I nodded and touched her shoulder, before suddenly Flare teleported us.
I held my breath, feeling the pressure of teleportation all over my body. The sensation lasted longer with the distance, but right when I thought I was going to suffocate we were thrown from it. I squealed as I began to topple down the slope, but Flare, with her coordination, swooped down and grabbed me. I panted when she sat me down on a rocky ledge, while I looked around at where we were.
It seemed we were on the edge of a huge mountain. We were close to the bottom, almost surrounded by the thick forest below, but above us I watched the wide slope stretch into the empyrean. I watched steam and smoke emit from the top, and my body filled with dread at the prospect of an active volcano.
I tried to calm myself, rethinking that. There’d never in hundreds of years been an issue with an active volcano. There’d be towns around for sure, and no harm had come to them.
It was just a massive mountain full of deadly, molten lava.
I snapped from my thoughts and noticed that Flare was beginning to fly again. Her wings beat hard as she lifted herself into the sky, so I followed. I flew upwards next to her, and like great eagles we climbed into the sky. We neared the top of the huge mountain, the smoke filling my nostrils.
I coughed. “What are we even doing?” I asked, covering my mouth with my hoof.
“You’ll see! It’ll sound really stupid but you’ll see,” she replied. I groaned. Flare’s version of stupid was probably insane. With our strong wings, we were very quickly at the top of the slope within all the horrid mist.
“Flare, aren’t there dragons here?” I whispered. There was a wide stretch of rock at the top of the mountain, and I knew that a few metres ahead was the lava basin. My legs wobbled a little.
“I don’t think many are here. They nest in the night, we’ll be fine.” She replied casually. Only a second later, the alicorn’s horn was alight. Swirls of sparkling pink magic flowed into the air, gathering the breeze in a thin, strange aura. I was about to ask what she was doing, but it was quickly answered. The magic pushed all the smoke away from the entire volcano top. It was amazing! Flare, in concentration, then tossed her head around, sending the grey and pink into a whirlwind and tossing it through the air into the clouds. I gazed.
“Wow! That’s cool!” I grinned.
“Thanks. It’ll make it easier to see now!” she smiled back. I looked around, knowing she was fully correct. She’d temporary stopped the lava from emitting smoke, making the air clear from all ends of the volcano. I could see everything, and the slope into the hot lava was just steps from us. I swallowed, absolutely terrified. That was a large drop, full of magma that would simply burn us to death. I looked away, staring down the steep edge of the mountain. Suddenly that height and drop into the forest seemed a lot safer than our position.
“Flare, only dragons are immune to lava. You’re insane, we’ll die.” I insisted, trying to secretly ask where we were or were not jumping into the volcano.
Unfortunately, my wishes we’re granted.
“Well, that’s why you’re a Fire Alicorn, ‘fraidy-pony!” she snickered. She looked over at me with a grin that was possibly the most evil thing I’d seen in six months. I growled at her, trying to back away, just about ready to jump off the edge and soar away.
But suddenly, in a split second, I thought twice when I saw Flare run. I screeched in fear for my friend, leaping toward her as she sprinted toward the edge of the volcano. “Flare! No! You’ll kill yourself!” I screamed out, launching myself onto my bell to attempt to grab the end of her tail.
But it was too late. Leaving me shocked and afraid, Flare tossed her entire body downed, falling into the red and orange of the swirling, infinite abyss of lava. “Flare! Flare!” I hollered, hoping she wasn’t that crazy...
A second later her body hit the surface, but instead of breaking in a shattered fashion like water, she sank slightly slower in the thick, hot liquid. I watched her wince, my breath held in horror.
But... nothing seemed to happen. She was just inside the lava, her head poking out of what seemed like a solid, hard mass of molten rock. I felt the heat radiating from the well of magma onto my face while I stared in astonishment upon my friend, who spun around in the lava. It was the strangest sight I had ever seen, seeing her swimming in the thick, insanely-heated goop.
Then, as casually as she originally did it, the alicorn lifted her wings and pulled herself from the sea of red, heaving her body into the sky and flying up to my side. When she landed next to me, her body temperature was so heated, I could scarcely be near her. I was sweating, simply from being in the presence of Flare. With a grin, my friend lifted a hoof and set it on fire, proceeding then to light all her hooves at random intervals. When she erected her wings again, they too set alight.
Her expression became relaxed, like she was enjoying the feeling. The was released all her power, full charged with magical electricity...
“Wildfire, you NEED to do this.” She insisted with a sigh, ceasing her fire and looked over at me. I looked at her with the most ultimate expression of disbelief.
“There is no way you are making me jump in a freaking volcano, you crazy pony.” I said flatly. She grinned again. I huffed.
“You Fire Alicorn blood is screaming for this, Wild!” she said persistently. Lighting one hoof once again, she lifted one of mine and touched the flaming surface to my body. It instantly ignited it, and I stared into her insisting face. “Please. Do it. Charge your fire, for the good of my kingdom.” She whispered.
I delved my eyes into hers, watching the expression of her pleading. I wanted to help her, I needed to charge my Fire within and help her face her destiny, but... jumping into a volcano? Was she absolutely nuts?
“Look, you are a Fire Alicorn. I am exactly the same as you too, and I manage to jump into there without hurting myself. You are suited to it and it won’t harm you, I promise. You’ll feel... amazing when you get out; your powers will go CRAZY.” She pushed. I sighed.
“OK, I’ll... I’ll try.” I felt the butterflies in my stomach, roaring around and wanting to fly out of my throat to make me vomit. I wanted to puke everywhere from utter fear. She told me my blood screamed for it, but nothing was screaming in me... I couldn’t feel any urge to simply and madly leap into a deadly pit of molten rock and fire.
“I’ll count.” Whispered Flare into my ear. I nodded, walking forward a little. I stood at the very teetering edge of the basin, looking downward through the clear air at the swirling orange. The heat blasted up at my face to a much farther extent, making me sweat waterfalls.
“Alright.” I said almost inaudibly.
“One...” I tensed my back legs. “Two...” I folded my wings tight to my sides so they crushed me. “Three...” I shut my head and held my head up. “JUMP!”
At the sound of Flare’s yell I knew I could only do as she said. It was by far too late as I pushed from the rocky edge, falling through the air. My eyes opened, and I could see the hot surface close to me as I couldn’t help but scream.
“NOOO!” I screeched, thinking sanely against it, but I was suddenly silenced. I plunged into the lava, falling into the hard liquid as it surrounded my body. I instantly felt it burn me, singing at my skin, but doing no more. It tingled, sending electricity through my veins, and I opened my eyes. I was beneath the surface of the magma, staring around at the... beauty.
It was like a hot, orange sea – a strange ocean unknown to all ponykind. It was so solid, I couldn’t even begin to see ahead, but it was so stunning...
When I began to lose breath, swimming to the surface was as easy as being in a pool. My head broke into the air, soon finding Flare high above on the ledge. Her beam was the brightest, proudest thing I’d seen in a long time. I found it a little hard to state afloat, because the lava was so thick like goo. But then, I found that when I spread my wings out beneath the surface, I could balance myself and stop kicking so hard.
I then heard a hiss behind me, and realised it was my headband. The only item on me, definitely not immune to such heat. No wonder I wasn’t allowed my jewellery; any adornments would just be incinerated.
“Oh my gosh Wild well done!” squealed Flare. I smiled.
“It’s so weird! And amazing!” I yelled back. I could feel the power from the lava pulsing through me, making me feel so... magical. It was amazing, I just felt like I could do anything. It heated me, I knew my body temperature was soaring, but it didn’t feel painfully hot or uncomfortable. It felt normal, like this was what I was always supposed to be like. I shuddered and let the electricity flow.
Then, after what seemed like forever, I lifted my wings above the surface and flew upwards. I pulled my weight out of the thick lava, and swooped up to Flare. The little bits of magma still on me didn’t burn my skin – they were just like drops of water. Before I said anything, I touched Flare. She wasn’t hot to me anymore. We were the same temperature.
I grinned, looking at her. She looked so proud, it made me feel stunning.
Then, looking down at my hooves, I was able to light it without any concentration. It flowed from me like the most normal magic I’d experienced, and I was then able to light all my hooves randomly, just like Flare. I squealed, it was just perfect, and then again without a strand of force, I set my wings alight.
“Oh my gosh, Flare... it’s... this is just amazing. I feel so powerful!” I gasped, flapping my feathers whilst still on the ground. The fire crackled and sang to me, no heat. Just tingling my skin. Why had I not known all my powers from the beginning?
“I know! Well, you’re charged. If you want to stay this powerful, we can come to this volcano every six months together. If... if I’m not you know; ruling a kingdom.” She said. Her eyes sank a little. As did mine. I didn’t want to lose her.
“Yeah... I wish you didn’t have to go.” I sighed. She nuzzled me.
“Don’t worry. We’ll visit. Promise. I’m not even ready to rule, what if somepony steps in?” she offered. We both knew how unlikely that was. Neither of us spoke. A few seconds later, it was pushed away.
“Let’s go home – they’ll be wondering where we’ve got to!” I said. Flare nodded. She too set her wings aflame again, before taking off. The two of us swooped down the slope, our gorgeous, magical fire flowing behind us like cloaks of light.
We reached the canopy of the forest and swooped over it, bathing in the gorgeously warm daylight. The tips of my hooves touched the leaves and I grinned, sighing a little. I felt powerful, tingly and relaxed, like I could do anything.
I was suddenly so much more... accustomed to the idea of marching to Volglacia and taking down Flare’s unknown mother. It seemed like something we could do easily, me and her. We WERE powerful and unbelievably magical, it wasn’t an overstatement. It was true, and no other ponies in the entire world had the powers that we did. We could defeat anything.
We took down the Hiems before, and I didn’t even know what I was capable of.
Now I could control it, and the prophecy of Volglacian peace would come true.
After we silently swooped over the forest for a while, quietly thinking to ourselves and pondering all the prospects of the near future, Flare came closer to me and touched my hoof. I smiled at her, before she teleported, taking us straight back to the castle.

[Kodabomb]

This is written from Queen Aka's point of view.

I stacked up a large pile of paper, placing it next to the other large piles of paper. They were heavy and loaded with writing. It was hard, it was painful. Even this far along, details across the Empire needed sorting after the Hiems. Insurance, housing, finance.. . that was just the start. It was amazing how much damage Latinix had inflicted.
I sighed and propped my forehooves onto the desk, pressing them into my eyeballs. I’d been in this office non-stop for weeks, unable to get out for any outings or schooling for Wildfire and Fire Fighter... it was just lucky they were older and managing better than they used to without me. Storm and Whirlwind were too busy with the army and its business, and Sparkle was all over the place doing her own tutoring. She left the Empire so often now.
I then heard the door open and looked up when one of Sparkle’s maids, Sweet Star, approached me. She held in her aura a tray of biscuits and tea, wearing a delightful little smile when she came to my desk. “Hello your majesty!” she grinned. “Can I interest you in some snacks?”
“Oh, thank you so much Star.” I sighed in gratitude, making her beam when I took the meal from her. When I set everything in front of me, she left my office with a spring in her step. I sniffed and held the tea to my lips, draining half the cup in seconds. I needed the caffeine and the hydration.
I wasn’t really managing all that well. Nothing was going right for me, as hard as I tried. I felt at times that even Whirlwind was a little disappointed. I was trying, so, so desperately to keep everything in line without the stress, but I WAS turning into a stress-head. I had four foals. Four. I doubted that any royal had four children before, and I wasn’t dealing with it. It was a weight off my shoulders when Whirlwind sent Fighter and Storm to do army training. It was relieving when Sparkle Flame left the Empire every week for her tutoring.
But, with taking in Flare as somewhat our own, I had two daughters the same age. I couldn’t figure out what they wanted, and what they were doing with themselves. I had high hopes, though they were quite secretive, for Storm and Gamila. I truly did. I knew that Fighter didn’t like her Princess stance, and she was working as hard as she could to remove that from herself. She wanted the official title as ‘general’. I could probably manage that, but she was too young.
Sparkle Flame had a bright future ahead of her. It was quite daunting, her situation, but she could find her own way.
Then there was Wildfire, clinging onto Flare. Flare, the little filly whose origin I was unaware of, stood in the Empire with nowhere to go. That’s how I saw her, and I didn’t know what to do about it. Of course I wasn’t going to get rid of her, definitely not, but she needed to find a path in her future life.
Wildfire could probably manage simply as ‘princess’. She wanted that now too, after what happened to her.
I sighed again, letting my mind seep back into reality. I put down my now empty cup and looked absently down upon my sheet of paper.
Without meaning to, a low, painful moan slipped from my mouth as I lifted up the paper and moved it aside. It was stressful. It was DOING MY HEAD IN. I couldn’t handle it any longer and I almost didn’t want to, as much responsibility lay upon my heavy shoulders.
Suddenly I heard the door open again and glanced upwards. Whirlwind was slipping into the room, and when his eyes fell into mine he jumped.
“Oh my gosh! I didn’t know you were here. I’m having a heart attack.” He gasped. I rolled my eyes. The way he stood seemed a little awkward, looking at me like he was just as nervous as he said.
“What are you up to, Whirlwind?” I asked.
“Nothing. I... am doing nothing. Ignore me.” He muttered, trying to slip back out the door. I easily used my magic to close it.
“OK, you’re being suspicious and you’re a terrible liar.” I sighed. “What are you doing?”
“No, really, nothing! I’m looking for some books.” He said. I decided to believe him. I didn’t really mind too much if he was doing something strange. “What are you doing?”
“Everything. There’s about seven towns left that need more funding for their houses and roads. Most towns have been fixed, but some are in need of more money...” I groaned and stuffed a biscuit into my teeth.
“Oh, so... you haven’t started planning for the ball?” he asked blatantly. I looked up and glared. The ball? Oh my... the ball! I’d forgotten!
“Oh stars, when’s that again?” I panicked.
“About a week.” He replied.
“Gaaah...” I grumbled, opening all the draws and rummaging for the notes. He watched me in half amused silence. When I found the original plan notes, I spread them out across the desk and picked up my pen again.
“Uh, you’ll need to make sure all of our family is here at the same time, organise the band, fit it in properly with other events,”
“I know, Whirlwind, I know what I’m doing!” I snapped. He raised an eyebrow and opened the door.
“I’ll see you when you’ve calmed down.” He said, slipping out into the hall. “Don’t forget the tickets!”
“Gaaah!” I snarled, scribbling down all the notes. I was now just beyond frustrated.
Who was going to come? Those were the ponies I needed to invite; the rest could buy tickets directly from us. Invites were ponies from various royalties and even students.
I began putting down the closest royals and such to us. I wasn’t going to invite ponies from far across all the kingdoms, but they could come if they wanted. The Starian royals, Equestrian royals, Crystal Empire’s royals... then came some knights, students and friends... I then remembered Whirlwind’s sister Syrenix and anybody close to her.
When my initial list was complete, I started designing the tickets, transferring them onto a draft piece, and sending it off to be edited and printed.
Before I knew it, a few hours had passed, and this process was complete. I had the guest list, and the palace office workers were working on the official tickets. The event, the annual ball, was called ‘Laheb Regale Aliqua’, and was most prestigious among many ponies throughout the Empire and beyond. The event equal to it in Equestria was the Grand Galloping Gala, which we had attended most years. It was only fitting for the Equestrians to be invited to the Aliqua.
It was now late afternoon, so I decided I was very much done for the day. I stacked my papers in places I’d remember for the next day, took my biscuit tray and teacup, turned off the lights and stepped into the marble hallway outside.
When I shut the door behind me, I couldn’t help letting out a long, groaning sigh. It felt good to have done some productive stuff that day, and I was sure that the funding for the last few damaged towns would be sent out. All I needed to do was finish the last financial pieces and plan the Aliqua. It was always a huge event, and all of us had to make room to help out.
I came to the end of the hallway where there was an open staircase, that overlooked one of the more grand hallways below. The stairs to my right led up to the guest rooms, and the ones on the left led down to that grand hallway.
I decided to stay in my position, happily overlooking the hall. It was empty; all the office workers from that area had gone back to their residence. The quite rung in my ears as I leaned on the rails, but I enjoyed it. I allowed my day’s thoughts linger, but not bother me. I needed to get rid of all the annoying stress that was just piercing through me in the most frustrating manner.
While I silently stared into the diamond chandelier hanging from the ceiling not far from when I stood, I began thinking again. These thoughts... they bothered me so! Especially in regards to Wildfire and Flare. Flare had remained quite absent-minded since the end of the Hiem war, and Wildfire had begun slinking off with her only in the past few days. What they were doing, I didn’t know, I was only hoping Flare was planning her own future. I worried about her, I truly did. As her only mother she seemed to have had, she was just as important to me as my daughters were.
This led me back to my thoughts of Storm, and I honestly thought he was going somewhere with Gamila. What they planned, I did not know, but I hoped that Storm would find his own way into the society of the Empire and not be clinging to our rule forever. I knew he wanted to help and to assist us, but the more my now older children were, the more work they were if they decided to be a far more dedicated royal family member.
I didn’t want to think about it anymore.
I decided to go and return my tray to the kitchens and get some early dinner. I’d then go to bed, think about absolutely everything and wake up again the next morning. The Aliqua needed planning, and that’s what I was going to focus on.

[Kodabomb]

This is written from Aqua's point of view.

It was the night before the Aliqua, and being assigned to the task of one of the head ball planners made me feel like the happiest pony in the world. I was able to sort out what was happening with a few other ponies, and WE were the ones deciding on everything! Normally it was the royals, but Sparkle was away, Aka seemed to be isolating herself and everypony else was busy.
I wasn’t going to complain though. We decided on the decorations, the music, the food... though the ponies I was working with were slightly dry in taste, I was able to convince them of many things to make it elegant AND exciting.
Carrying my clipboard, I waltzed into the ballroom that was already lit with the silver and diamond chandelier, casting a dim but glittering light over the entire space. When I arrived, the platform on the opposite side of the room was occupied by the band, setting up their instruments in preparation for the next night. They were a friendly bunch – I liked them.
The food tables were getting set up, but the food was only getting brought out the next day. We never ran with a theme, but to match the colours of the marble palace and blue carpets, the decorations I set out were quite snow-and-ice. The statues positioned around the room were crafted from a marble base with ice figures, spouting water that magically disappeared. I enchanted them myself.
The floor was clear of all items and such, ready for the dancing, and the railed hallways above were draped with intricately designed flags of the Empire. When I stood back right at the door, the room gave a wonderful sense of highness in its gorgeous stance.
All the tickets had been sold over a single week, and all the invited guests said they were able to come. I bought tickets for all of my own friends as gifts, and they were all coming.
Except for one.
Lunar had told me in an almost frightful manner that her sister was missing. Solar hadn’t been seen at all for more than a week and a half. The Equestrian royals had offered to try and find her, but Lunar turned down that offer. She told them that she was just having a meltdown and she’d return.
It was concerning us all though. We didn’t know where she was or what she was doing, or even if she was coming back. I just hoped she could settle herself. Even though Lunar didn’t mention why she ran away, every time I thought of her acting like this, I thought of my husband, Golden Bolt.
I groaned at these thoughts and buried my face into my clipboard, trying once again to focus on my job. All seemed well. The music was fine, the banners were hung, the food was being prepared, the decorations were placed. This was the main ballroom, the place where the ponies would mostly be hanging about, but during the Aliqua a fair bit of the palace was open to all the guests. It was a semi-public event, not something reserved for just royalty.
I needed to make sure the rest of the open palace was decorated and the entrance was grand enough. It was be simple to do, as it was quite late and not many ponies were even awake to watch me doing the final touches. I gave the ballroom one last glance before exiting, stepping down the stairs just outside, going down to one of the throne room doors and entering the large hall.
The enormous doors of the throne room were open, going into the entrance hall where the doors were closed. They would open at the night of the Aliqua opening, allowing guests to give their tickets, greet the royals at the thrones, go through the side door, up the stairs and into the ballroom. A few more hallways leading elsewhere we going to open too, while some to more private areas would shut.
It wasn’t up to me to make sure of those things, and I knew that the others would see to that a few hours before opening.
I was very excited though. On the actual night, I wasn’t going to be seeing to any of the preparations or welcoming. I was going as simple a guest. I was going to dance with my husband and my friends, greet the royals, eat, drink, and wander around the palace. It was going to be great.
I attended the last Aliqua, and that was just as good. But now I was married and all my friends were so much closer, it was going to be far more fun. I squealed at those prospects, gazing thoughtlessly around the room simply to straighten the banners on the wall with my magic.
When I was finished, I looked around to see the band ponies coming through the throne room doors. They were chatting heartily to each other, before spotting me.
“Hey Aqua! I reckon we’re done. Go get some sleep you busy pony.” One of the stallions winked to me. I snickered.
“Alright. I’ll do the last touch-ups tomorrow,”
“Hey, no more needs to be done! You’ve done heaps girl, nopony will mind.” He said back. I laughed. They were really cool and laid-back. I then huffed happily.
“Fine. I’m really excited though!” I replied. I followed them out the doors into the entrance hall. We crossed it to the front doors where we stepped into the castle garden path to the grand silver gates.
“Yeah, us too. Well, we’ll see you then!” said one of the mares. I grinned, stepping onto the broad street before the gates and watching them go. The few Pegasi took to the sky and flew off over the buildings, the unicorns teleported themselves home, and the earth pony walked into a street, disappearing out of the light from the street lamp.
With a small sigh, I held my breath and teleported home with ease. I arrived on all four hooves at our front door, as our house had an anti-teleporting enchantment. I was paranoid. I opened the door and went inside, where the house greeted me with a friendly glow. The fire crackled from the fireplace in the lounge room, as the weather was cooling down rather quick. When I placed my clipboard on the coffee table and let my hair down, I was greeted by Bolt lying on the couch.
“Hey baby.” He said in a ridiculously smooth voice.
“Oh cut it out.” I giggled, as she kissed me on the cheek. I tried to move away from him, but he grabbed me and pulled me onto the sofa with him. I was in hysterics as he kissed my hair repeatedly. “You’re being ridiculous.” I snickered.
“I know.” He replied casually. “How was work?” he asked.
“It was great. The Aliqua’s going to be amazing.” I replied in wonder. He sighed. I relaxed.
“Can’t wait. Hey, you want some dinner?” he offered. At those words, I realised how hungry I was. I glanced at the clock and saw the time. It was half past nine.
“Oh gosh yes!” I gasped. I climbed off the couch and he followed, both of us heading to the kitchen. “Have you eaten?” I asked him.
“No. I was waiting for you to get back.” He replied, digging through the cupboard. I grinned. That was sweet. He pulled out some crisps, looking at me with a weird grinning face. “You know you want them!” he said, shaking the box.
I facehoofed and shook my head. “Of course.”
“There’s also cheesecake in the fridge. Completely by accident.” He said. I giggled again. We sat down on the cough next to each other and opened the bag. It wasn’t very healthy of me to be doing this, but they were nice and it was OK to treat myself to it.
As the night droned on, I was thinking of the dance. It was going to be great.

[Kodabomb]

This is written from Dawn's point of view.

“Dusk? Dusk? Dusk? Dusk?” I hammered repeatedly on my sister’s door. “Dusk? Come on! Dusk? I’ve said your name so many times I don’t know what it means anymore!” I giggled.
I heard her groan. “Yes, Dawn, I’m coming!” she replied in a disgruntled tone. I pranced around in a circle. Outside on the balcony it was dark –obviously the doing of Dusk and I - and the glimmering lights from far below at the main entrance could be seen. I was so excited for the Aliqua.
In a moment my sister emerged, and I could only clasp a hoof to my mouth to suppress my excited screech. She looked... amazing! I thumped my hooves on the ground before revealing my mouth to squeal. I saw her blush and try to hide her gorgeous face.
“Oh my gosh Dusk you look gaaaah!” I screamed. Her dress was absolute perfection; layers of translucent material glittering with stars over her rear end were held by the tight torso piece covered in star and moon decorations. She had a neckpiece that was a false representation of her actual moon-raising jewel; the real one was locked up safely in her room. Her hair was fashioned into the most elegant style, piled onto her head into a shining bun fitted with a moon charm, bangs over her cheekbones.
“Stop it, Dawn. You look just as amazing!” she replied, brushing off my squealing. My dress also had a false neck jewel, slightly more decorated. My torso piece was fashioned with shining rays of what looked like sunshine, the gorgeous draping gown reaching to the floor and flowing around just like the sun as well.
Candy was amazing.
“Alright, let’s go.” Smiled Dusk. I nodded. Walking by her side, the two of us headed down the spiral steps of our tower and down one more staircase at the end of the hall.
“Hey, do we get privileged entry?” I asked quietly.
“Yes. We don’t have to go through the main entrance, we can just head up to the ballroom.” My sister replied. I nodded. Finding corridor leading from the throne room to the ballroom, we headed up the wide, curved staircase until we reached the open doors.
We were greeted by fittingly dressed guards who welcomed us into the room, and the moment we went inside we could feel the amazing energy of the event.
Music played casually from the band at the front of the room, and the small number of ponies already present babbled with excitement and social liveliness. The place was well lit by a number of icy lanterns on the sides of the wall and the immensely grand diamond and silver chandelier well above our heads. I could smell the food and drink, wonderful aromas wafting over to us from the side of the room... But I’d eat later. I’d probably only have some drinks when we merged with our friends.
“Can you see anypony yet?” I asked.
“Nope. We’ll just wait,”
“Dawn! Dusk! Girls!” a voice suddenly squealed behind us, halfway through Dusk’s sentence.
“What? Oh, Sparkle Flame! Hey!” I gasped. Sparkle was finally back from Equestria from studying with Celestia and Luna, and even in her very short time in the palace over the last possible few hours, she already looked gorgeous.
The princess hugged both of us. “How are you?” she asked.
“Well, thank you!” smiled Dusk. “Was Equestria interesting?”
“It was great. The Princesses are very informative and wise, I had a great time gathering information from them.” Sparkle replied with a grin. “Have you seen my sisters?” she peered over our heads.
“I haven’t seen Wild and Flare, but they’re coming. Fire Fighter’s putting on a show, not wanting to get into a gown...” Dusk chuckled. “Don’t you guys sit on the thrones in the throne hall for the occasion?”
“We should, but they let me go straight to the ballroom to catch up. Storm and my parents are there though.” Sparkle Flame said thoughtfully. “How about we go get some drinks?” she offered with a grin. We both nodded and headed straight for the drink table. I, being younger, filled a large cup with punch, while Dusk and Sparkle who were of age, got some wine. We sipped them and lingered. Though of course, being of such high stance, all three of us were mobbed by the rich citizens when the room began to fill.
I made shy conversation with a few of them, but I wasn’t very good at talking. Dusk took over, and I just found myself covering up giggles when rich but snobby young stallions tried to court her. I was glad that at 16, it wasn’t such an issue.
Before long, I was thrilled to sight Wildfire, Flare and Fighter, dressed in flaming gowns, making their way into the room. I abandoned the company of Sparkle and Dusk who were now bonding, when I sprinted over to my friends. I squeaked and threw myself into a hug with two of them.
“Hey girls! How gorgeous is this year’s Aliqua?” I asked. Flare answered, Wild seeming slightly off. I wondered why.
“It’s amazing! I heard Aqua organised the decorations.” She replied. Wild’s expression seemed the like of her trying to brush off everything on her mind and focus, and soon her eyes came into full focus. She grinned more at me.
“It’s great.” She said. In a few seconds Fighter had completely left us, and I couldn’t begin to think what she was doing. I knew by the end of the night she’d be hanging with her soldier friends, shunning the company of the slightly more feminine companions.
“So uh... what should we do?” I offered.
“I don’t know... how about we stuff our faces with food!” Flare replied with a grin. I smiled back with a vigorous nod. We ran over to the table and all gathered around it, making a few ponies move away. Flare levitated almost every sweet food item around her, shoving them into her mouth and swallowing almost whole. I grabbed some fruit pies, filling my mouth with berries and apricots, while Wildfire washed down a mouthful of peanuts with a chug of punch.
“Oh my gosh it’s so yum,” said Flare over a her cake-filled mouth.
“Screw sophistication.” I agreed, slurping another cup of cola. I pushed my hair away from my face, watching Wild as she grinned, holding the edge of a cup in her teeth.
I giggled and got a plate of pavlova, and as I chucked the thing into the air and let the meringue fall into my mouth, Wild snorted and dropped the cup. She gasped as it smashed on the floor. Flare gaped, corners of her lips turned up, when one of the cranky maids approached us.
“Hey! What are you ladies doing? I’ll have to clean that up now!” she barked. I squeaked.
“Run, go!” hissed Flare, giggling as she shoved us away from the table and we sprinted toward the door.
“Oh my gosh!” wheezed Wildfire in hysterics.
But, just as we were about to go out the doors, Flare skidded to a sharp halt in front of us, making us both thump into her rear end. I looked around in surprise, trying to see past Wild and Flare. Then, I suddenly saw who was standing there.
I sort of recognised her; she had visited the palace before. It was Whirlwind’s sister, Princess Syrenix, ruler of Skyrithia. She was wearing the most gorgeous of wind-themed gowns that made her sparkle in the blue light of the castle. She looked down at us with a warm smile, and when I glanced behind her I could see Storm, Aka and Whirlwind coming up the steps too.
“Hello ladies!”grinned Aka when she came beside Syrenix.
“Hey mother!” replied Wildfire. Flare waved and I sort of looked at them all awkwardly.
“We’re heading in now. I suppose if you’re heading out we’ll see you later.” Smiled Whirlwind. We all nodded in quiet unison as the four of them went inside, before stepping away from the door and the guards around it.
We waited a few seconds in silence before Wild spoke. “Do you want to, sort of, walk around?” she offered awkwardly. We both laughed.
“OK, we’ll um,” I started.
“OH MY GOSH guys there’s a stallion over there!” Flare suddenly hissed. I jumped in surprise when her hooves covered my mouth.
“Get off!” I snickered. “What are you talking about?”
“Him! Over there!” she pushed. I looked around, suddenly seeing a stallion walking up the stairs slowly.
“So? What’s wrong? He is a normal pony.” I said flatly.
“He’s our age! Let’s go make him our friend!” grinned the purple alicorn. I tried to pull her back, not too enthusiastic, but followed her when she broke free of our grasp. We all stood in front of the door, and when the young stallion looked up, he seemed taken aback by our presence.
Flare smiled widely at him and I wanted to facehoof. He stared at us, eyes wide and muscles tense.
“Can I help you?” he asked slowly. He was attired in a fancy suit for the Aliqua.
“Hello there! I’m Princess Flare. That wasn’t supposed to rhyme. We’re your new friends!” she grinned. I groaned. She stretched a hoof out for him to shake.
“I am? Um... I just... are you being paid to talk to me?” he asked quietly.
“No, we’re bored.” She retained the wide beam on her face, and if I were in his position, I’d feel scared.
“Flare, stop intimidating him,” whispered Wildfire.
“Sssh, I’m talking.” She said back, not moving her line of sight. “These are my friends, Princess Wildfire and Lady Dawn.” She told him. The stallion instantly bowed his head.
“Your highnesses. I, uh, I’m uh, Blaze.” He replied, lifting his head but looking at the floor.
“Here, come into the ballroom.” Offered Flare. I settled a little as it became less awkward. The timid stallion followed us into the room where we gathered in an empty space of floor.
“Where are you from, Blaze?” I asked him. He looked at me.
“Skyrithia. I’m Syrenix’s messenger, but she offered to take me along.” He replied in a soft tone.
“That’s cool! I’m sort of a Princess, Wildfire is a Princess, and Dawn raises the sun.” Replied Flare happily. Wild and I waved a little. “What’s Skyrithia like?”
“It’s... nice. Why? Uh, are you wanted something?” asked Blaze, looking impossibly nervous.
“No! No, we’re not,” Flare’s head whipped over to me, “What is he talking about?” she hissed in my face.
“You’re being REALLY confronting.” I spat back. She pursed her lips and looked at the floor, before turning back to Blaze.
However, before she could speak, suddenly the music changed. The lanterns around the room dimmed a little, allowing the chandelier only to create the diamond-like light. I smiled. The music was upbeat, but I could tell it was romantic, and in a few seconds a familiar pony approached our tiny group.
“Uh, dance with me?” offered Tenebris in a quiet tone to Flare. She beamed, grabbing one of his forelegs while they trotted off together. I looked over my shoulder to watch them dance, twirling around one another elegantly.
But, unfortunately, that left me, Wildfire and Blaze standing silently in a strange little group. Wild and I were the best of friends, but we didn’t know Blaze and I was seriously voluntarily regretting Flare’s decision to randomly make new friends. Especially shy, male, unfamiliar friends. It became ever more tense as a few minutes ticked by, while I tapped my hoof to the timing of the music.
However, I was most relieved when Tenebris and Flare spun their way over to us, panting and blushing. “You guys look lonely! Let’s do a group dance!” said Flare enthusiastically. I breathed a sigh relief and grabbed Wildfire’s hoof, dragging her with me as we went over to the dance floor. I watched as Blaze followed us too, and when we gathered in a large, clear space, we all faced each other in a circle and danced. I grinned as the music became faster and more grooving, so I flung my hips around and swung my head to the beat.
We twirled around I was loving the sound of the tune, made with an electric guitar and other rocking instruments. Though it wasn’t hardcore rock music, it was still harsh but made you feel immersed in the sound. I soon found myself holding forehooves with Wildfire as we spun, giggling hysterically and flying around her. I held my hoof high and Wild spun around, moving elegantly away from me. As though we were all thinking in synchronisation, she spun from me to Flare, Flare to Tenebris, Tenebris to me again, until I accidentally spun her right into Blaze.
He didn’t see it coming and Wildfire shrieked as she toppled right onto the unsuspecting stallion, who gasped. She nearly fell but he caught her, setting her gently on her hooves. Wildfire flushed from embarrassment as I bit my lip, and I watched her frown a small apology.
I facehoofed. Great. Wonderful friendship Flare had going with them, I thought sarcastically.
However, the incident didn’t last and it was off our minds in only half a minute. We were back to dancing again, grooving and shaking our tails. My hair come loose by accident but I didn’t even care, and when the music slowed a little more and turned romantic again, I was dancing with Wildfire. We smiled at each other in a joking manner.
“Oh Princess, you look so beautiful tonight.” I giggled, trying to fake being some sort of seductive noble.
“Thank you sir, most flattering.” She snickered back. This made us burst into a fit of hysterics, earning us a few strange looks out of the silence.
“May I offer you a beverage, madam?” I asked.
“Why thank you, kind prince.” She replied, fanning her face with her hoof in a faux fashion. We sprinted through the crowd over to the drink table, where I began chugging punch down my throat once again. We stood side by side and watched the dance floor, the slow music droning on. I could see Flare and Tenebris dancing around each other. They shared a kiss and I snorted, pouring more liquid into my mouth.
“You should dance with Blaze. He’s all lonely.” I absently suggested.
Wildfire put some cake into her mouth and chewed. “As if. He’ll find somebody.” He replied. I sniffed, not bothering to push it further.
“Hey, when this song ends, do you want to go outside? We’ll grab the others.” I said instead. Wild swallowed.
“Sure!” she replied happily. Then, as if the musicians could read our minds, the song slowed to a gentle stop, and all the ponies in the room kissed or hugged when they finished the dance. I nodded to my friend and we went back through the crowd, finding our two friends and an awkward Blaze standing around. As soon as we reached the group, I leaned toward Flare.
“You’ve made Blaze all lonely. He could’ve gone with a group that actually had somepony else who was lonely.” I whispered. She pouted.
“Don’t worry! I’ll handle it.” She told me matter-of-factly. With that, she put her arm around Tenebris and lead him over to Blaze, who looked at them both with an expression of confusion. “Tenebris, talk to Blaze and see what happens. Everypony, moving out!” she said loudly. I snickered and Flare herded us out the door like sheep. We filed into the hall and instinctively started up the stairs, reaching a more private hallway.
In silence, we walked swiftly down the hall and up more stairs. Flare opened a pair of large doors in her magic that were unguarded and showed us entry.
“Hey, um, should we be going in here?” questioned Tenebris.
“Yeah, we have access. Dawn, Wild and I are royalty, you’re my boyfriend, and Blaze is with us now.” She replied casually, quietly shutting the doors behind us and going down the grandly decorated corridor, lit by pretty little ceiling chandeliers. I just realised, knowing that entrance was actually blocked for the ball, how much I appreciated living in the castle with all access.
“Laheb Palace is gorgeous...” whispered Blaze, gazing all around at the hallways and its stunning decor.
“Yep! We live here!” said Wildfire proudly.
“Hey, we shouldn’t wander too far from the ballroom. We’ll miss out on the party.” I pointed out. When Flare opened another door to one of the luxury lounges, she wore a short expression of contemplation.
“Yeah, good point. We’ll go back soon, let’s chill for a minute.” She replied. I nodded, and we all went over to a comfortable area with a mat and pillows. I grinned and lay myself down, leaning my head onto a pillow and groaning with happiness. We all lay down in a circle, facing each other in the most casual of friend groups.
“Would it be nice for some of our other friends our age to be here?” asked Wild.
“I guess it would. My brain’s too full to think who.” I giggled.
“What about Maera?” offered Tenebris.
“Nah, she’s older than us and is probably drunk or sugar-hyped or dancing with a bunch of friends.” Replied Flare with a wave of her hoof. I nodded. Maera’s new persona was getting happier by the week and she was becoming far more fun-loving that anybody we knew. Besides Flare. I laughed at the thought.
“Haha, it must be just us then!” I smiled. The others nodded with a few smiles. A mild, finally non-awkward silence followed before Wildfire spoke.
“Who wants to place truth or dare?”

* * *
We arrived back at the hall near the ballroom, knowing we still had hours of the night left to spare. The multiple games we’d played whilst in the lounge were marvellously fun, full of giggling and dancing on the furniture and all the other care-free things we did as the foals we actually were. Though the event was prestigious and royal, young ponies like us could only appreciate it as a party, not a ball, and we had fun doing random stuff. Blaze was becoming more of a friend now, much to Flare’s delight.
When we came to the doors, we stopped rather than going inside. “Why don’t we go into the gardens? They’ve got more food and lights, and we might be able to find the celebrities.” Said Wildfire.
“Celebrities?” I gasped.
“Yeah, of course! It’s the Regale Aliqua; celebrities from all over the Empire are visiting!” replied Wild in an obvious tone. “Hey, why don’t we see celebrities more often? We’re royals.” She was now quite stricken by the idea.
“I don’t know. Maybe your parents have and you’re too busy being you with me.” Grinned Flare. We all giggled. Then we began walking down the staircase, along the bottom corridor, through the throne room side doors and across the grand hall itself. When we walked through the entrance hall and out the opening doors past the guards, we sprinted off again into the grass in the night.

[Kodabomb]

This is written from Princess Sparkle Flame's point of view.

I walked up the staircase and readily untied my mane for bed. I couldn’t believe how late I stayed up even after my trek to Equestria – I was up later than all my siblings. Although, Aka and Whirlwind were still up to see of the important nobles and celebrities at the end of the long, long night.
But I was ready for a nice sleep. I came to the stretching corridor of our bedrooms and walked to mine on the left side next to my parents’ doors. I pushed it open and found it empty and dark, so I turned on the lights and stood by my bed. With a yawn, I slipped off my gown, letting it fall to the floor, before removing all my headbands. I then went to my bathroom to wash off my eyeshadow and lip gloss, as I was far too tired for a shower at that minute.
When I was all done, I grabbed a hair band, quickly made a plait in my mane, then slid into bed. I turned off the light in my magic and snuggled into the pillows, allowing only the light from the city and the rest of the palace to shine in through my open balcony doors. The breeze swept in, gently blowing my translucent curtains and my face.
I sighed, and it was not long until I was sound asleep.

* * *
I awoke to a noise.
It was loud, broken, and blood-curdling.
I gasped and sat up in bed, quite dazed and unable to comprehend where I was.
I wiped my nose and levitated my necklace watch over to my face, illuminating it with my horn. The face showed four in the morning. Still dark as dark outside. I tried to wonder where the noise was coming from. But, it had stopped.
I knew it was there. I wasn’t dreaming. But who made the noise?
I groaned, concerned for what was beyond my door, as I slid out of bed. I used my magic to put on my slippers in my dreariness, after which I headed for my doorway and opened the heavy thing.
I couldn’t see very well, but I lit up the area in front of me. The blue lamp at the end of the hall was the only thing letting me see. I stopped, standing in the middle of the hall. Was I dreaming? I strained my ears, trying to hear it... I didn’t want to give in to myself and admit it was my imagination.
Then I heard it. I clasped a fluffy-slippered hoof over my mouth and listened.
Screaming.
Like somepony was getting hurt.
“Hello? I’m coming!” I cried, sprinting away. I kicked off my slippers and shot down the hall, leaping up the stairs at the other end. I reached the next floor up and stood at the top of the stairs, where the horrific screaming was louder. “I’m coming!” Who was screaming?
I traipsed down the hall, listening in every room... none of them seemed to, but as soon as I reached the end, I could hear it! Coming straight from Flare’s room! “Flare! Flare!” I yelled. I instantly teleported inside and looked around, seeing everything normal.
Except for Flare, in her bed, slashing around and jerking. I gasped and my magic fumbled for the light, and when it turned on, I saw her. She was lying there, panting, so I sat beside her and stroked her face. A nightmare. A nightmare. I tried to calm myself down. But how does a nightmare force a pony to scream so much?
“Flare, come on, wake up.” I whispered gently. After a few seconds of me stroking her mane, her eye opened and she gagged a little. Her pupils flew wildly about.
“What? Where?” she panted, trying to sit up. I pressed a hoof to her shoulder and cooed, so she slid back down.
“It’s alright. You had a nightmare.” I whispered. “You were screaming and woke me, I thought you were getting hurt.” I laughed nervously.
“Oh man...” she murmured, rubbing her face. “Sorry about that.”
“It’s fine! What were you dreaming of?” I asked softly. Flare’s expression went blank and she looked to the side. I watched her face hesitate when she tightened her throat.
“Nothing. It’s nothing. Don’t worry,” she replied. She then snuggled back into her pillow and looked at the floor. I stood and turned away from her. When I stood at the door and switched the light back off, I spoke.
“Goodnight Flare.” I said, before shutting the door behind me and heading back down the corridor and toward the stairs. I came to our corridor and arrived at my door, picked up my slippers from the floor, and leaned against the door. I sighed, not bothering to go in. I didn’t know why I concerned me so much, as nightmares were normal, but ponies – especially Flare – didn’t scream like that unless they were prone to night terrors. She wasn’t prone to night terrors.
I tried not to let it bother me. It was simple, a fluke. A dream, that scared her enough to scream in her sleep. I groaned and brushed it off, opening my room with an annoyed shove of the handle. Why did my mind have to be full when I had to sleep? I threw my slippers next to my bed and flopped onto the mattress, lazily using my magic to pull the covered over me and collect the pillows around my head like a nest. I needed sleep. Not concern over useless things.

[Kodabomb]

This is written from Queen Tainted Rose's point of view. (like the next chapter, deliberately short haha)

I wasn’t even woken by his screams. By this thrashing, yelling, questioning in his sleep.
I felt it for myself, but with no nightmares. Only vague and unimportant dreams. So, instinctively, I strode from my bed in silence, slipped on a robe, and stepped quietly down the dark hall to his room. Before I opened the door to tell my son to stop, I stood right in front of it and listened. I felt like it was important not to waste a single moment of this, to feast on the information that his very nightmares could be dealing to me.
Something was coming. What though?
However, as I listened harder, his questioning had stopped, and he was no longer giving full words. He was simply coughing and sobbing. I’d never heard the foolish colt cry before, so listening to the screaming gasps of his horrified and saddened dreams made me cringe with curiosity.
After a few minutes, I could no longer tolerate listening to him thrashing and crying, so I opened the door and stepped inside, forcing a sympathetic look upon my face. I came to his bedside, my surroundings outlines by only the blackened light of my horn. I could see my son Frost, wrapped in his sheets, panting and whispering with just a strained, painful expression. I brought up one of my delicate hooves and rubbed his forehead.
“Frost, it’s alright.” I whispered. “Come on, stop dreaming...” I hushed.
No, I wasn’t going to wake him and bring him out of this. I was going to let him sleep. I felt a strange... w weird urge not to help with the wisp of motherly instincts I have possessed. I felt the need to shun his thoughts and prevent him from doing anything about them. I wasn’t going to let him out. These nightmares were too precious.
My thoughts were whirling, swapping from opinion to opinion, as I cast a temporary black aura over my son’s head. He gasped, gagging, but when he whispered a final few words of defiance, the silent slumber enchantment was finished. However, I wasn’t finished with him. A few acts of special magic were needed in order to stop this.

* * *
I murmured the enchantments. Whispers of dark, poisonous magic emitted from my lips as I stirred, watching the deep blue swirls and soft moonlit ribbons of light while they came from the cauldron. When they landed and coiled their path into the whirlpool of translucent night, I held my breath and muttered the final spells.
When the magic was complete, I conjured a glass bottle and poured some of the stuff inside. When it was done, I chuckled at my own work and teleported, arriving just at Frost’s door. It was still the middle of the night, as I crept over him with the only light being from the bottle itself.
I purred and laughed a little, opening his mouth with one of my hooves and pouring the entire bottle down his throat. Frost coughed a little and groaned, and while he tried to awaken himself from his nightmares, I pressed him down onto his pillow.
“Sleep, my son. Listen to your dreams.” I whispered, taking the bottle with me and fleeing from his room. He was going to rest until those nightmares were the only things he could think of in his waking hours. They would consume him, not enough for madness, but enough to make him realise who he was and where he belonged.
If my own swirling dreams were true, enough to make me consider that perhaps – though she was dead – her foretold allies would rise, then I needed to understand them, take Frost into full power at my side, and carry out the final steps of her death. She was gone. She was dead.
I knew it.
I just needed to force everything that was below me to succumb to my wishes.

[Kodabomb]

This is written from Lunar Eclipse's point of view.

I couldn’t tell anypony about it. Nopony more. Aqua and a couple of others could know, but no more than they needed. It was killing me. I was crumpling under the weight of solitude and my own need to keep this darn secret.
Solar would never forgive anypony if they found her! She’d know I told them, she’d get annoyed for... caring or something, and then she’d never come back. For weeks I’d been covering up for her to the Princesses, explaining her absence every time they or somepony else asked where she was. But what if the Princesses went on some royal trip? They’d need Solar to guard the sun! Nopony else could do it...
But then I didn’t even know where she was. I had no clue whatsoever where she’d be hiding, grumbling and complaining about Bolt and me and Aqua and every stallion she’d ever liked that was just a stupid crush. I don’t think she understood what she could do to ponies when she shunned everything like this, and assumed we’d either ignore her or love her to death.
I was obliged to think it selfish but couldn’t bring myself to. Solar was my sister, and her mind worked differently in regards to what she had to centre herself around. She was assuming that she should centre herself around stupid crushes instead of her destiny as guardian of the sun. She needed to realise that stupid crushes weren’t getting her anywhere, they were useless, and that being the secondary version of the Sun Princess was her duty.
Was it?
Surely it was. Surely that was what she supposed to be doing, just like she did in her teens.
Surely I was right and she was wrong, and everything would play out how her cutie mark told her.
I glanced at mine with a tiny, proud smile. A little, glowing light brown moon. That was what I felt comfortable with, what I was supposed to do. Protect the moon when Luna was gone.
And Solar, she had an eclipsed sun. That was what she had to do.
I sighed and pressed my hooves into my eyeballs. That was what she was supposed to do.
When she got the cutie mark.
I let out a little depressed dry sob and wiped my puffy eyes, before leaving my bedroom. I didn’t want to look at Solar’s door, engraved with the symbol of the eclipsed sun. I wanted to spend some more subtle time with some friends.
But as I opened the door to the winding tower staircase in the open night air, I sighed.
What friends? Where were they? It was too much effort to travel to the Empire where my friends resided. Moon Flash and Rainbow Bliss were now in Skyrithia... I thought of the prospect of Frost Bite, but not knowing her as well as I was comfortable to hang out alone with made me sceptical of inviting her over.
I was just about to go back into my room to write or draw or sleep, when I suddenly heard hoofsteps coming up the tower. I looked around in curiosity, to find one of the castle’s messengers. I pursed my lips.
“Hello?” I said.
“Lady Lunar! My greatest apologies, I thought you’d be in bed.” He said hurriedly, bowing. “I had a letter for your mail slot, but I suppose I shall give it to you personally.”
I nodded as he dug through his saddle bag. When he pulled out rough-looking envelope, I took it in my magic and bade him goodbye. I quietly snuck back into my room and opened it with cautious actions. It wasn’t even a real envelope; it was all makeshift.
I pulled out the scraggy letter and began reading.
Lunar,
I’m still mad. I’m not coping well with my emotions and so far have no desire to forgive anypony for anything they’ve done in any way. I am only sending this message, enchanted so that you may not track my location, of warning. Don’t come looking for me. Not because I don’t want to see you, but only because I fear for your safety and everypony I love. I’m afraid I’m turning dangerous again. I’ll hurt somepony, I know it.
I’ve been having nightmares that possess things I don’t understand, and my magic is changing. I can feel everything I used to stand for slipping away, so I don’t know how to handle it.
That’s all I finished with. Lunar, please; don’t come looking for me.
Solar
I finished reading.
I couldn’t contain myself.
I let out a roar of rage, throwing the letter to the floor and stamping on it. I was angry, I was sad, I missed her, and I hated her.
I hated her for being so selfish!
I hated her for leaving me. I wanted her back. I didn’t want this change.
“SOLAR! Solar you... you.... AAARGH!” I screamed, tears flowing from my eyes onto the floor. “Stop doing this to me!” I howled.
I picked up the letter again, stroked its page, before setting it aflame.
The wisps of burnt paper fell to the floor, and as I collapsed in my heap of depressed rage they flew everywhere and I sobbed into the carpet. I repeatedly thumped my hoof upon the floor and muttered to myself.
“Why’d you have to go, you selfish pony?” I sobbed. I didn’t want to look up, to search for any more company, to assist the Princesses, to look for my sister. I just wanted to accept that she didn’t want to be with me anymore, and that her connection to me, the sun, and the moon, and everything in her past was futile to her.
“Fine.” I muttered.

[Kodabomb]

This is written from Murder Rose's point of view.

“Whoa, the map was right. This place is empty.” Said Swooper flatly, holding a hoof over her eyes to look around. The place was blinding white from snow, but the sky was brown with dust and smoke. The horizon in our view was short, blocked by snowy hills and smoking mountains. A couple of times, as strange as it seemed, we were forced to cross a crevice in the ice filled with lava. I couldn’t comprehend it, and I didn’t understand why such a place even existed.
The map told us this was simply an abandoned land of no life, and it was true. It was a plain of snow, ice and molten lava that couldn’t support anything. If we kept travelling then perhaps we’d wind up somewhere, but so far we weren’t very successful.
“This is beginning to seem like a bad idea.” I muttered, pausing as well to gaze around. No snow fell, but on the hillsides we saw glaciers that vomited more ice and lava. I could feel myself starting to sweat and shiver at the same time, and it was certainly annoying me. What was up with this place?
“Yeah, sorry.” Replied Swooper, shaking her wings to rid them of tiny frost icicles. “We could teleport a little farther?” she offered.
I grunted and pulled out the map. As far as I knew, we were in the piece of unknown land, all blurred and strange, and the border of whatever country Volglacia seemed to be was past it. “I suppose. I’ll teleport us near the border and go from there.” I sighed. Swooper came and touched my shoulder, and in a second we teleported in my red flame.
When we were spewed out, we were in a very different setting. Instead of snow, it was rock. Brown, barren rock, with patches of snow and frozen lakes here and there as far as I could see. A few miles away I sighted a huge, smoking mountain.
Spewing smoke and ice?
I shook my head and muttered something similar to ‘strange magic’, before looking around for Swooper. She was getting up from the dusty, hot ground and shaking herself off. Curiously and wordlessly, I walked slowly over to one of the snow patches and leaned over to brush my hoof over the rock. It was steaming hot, almost enough to make me flinch. I then brushed the snow; ice cold. That was enough to make me flinch, as I stood straighter and stared around more.
“Geez, sad neighbourhood.” I scoffed. Swooper nodded in agreement, and I began walking again. The ground was so warm, its head radiating from the surface and making me sweat again. It was the most uncomfortable place I’d ever been to. I’d been to a lot of uncomfortable places.
“What, so we’ll just wander aimlessly until we come to a civilisation?” said Swooper. I huffed.
“Yes.” I replied stubbornly.
“Does this place appear to actually have any liveable residences?” she asked almost sarcastically.
“No.”
She groaned and flew along slowly over my head and I walked slowly and aimlessly in a straight line through the smoky, snowy desert of nothingness. The air made me want to cough and gag, but I knew it would do nothing for me. However, a few long minutes later and much to my annoyance, Swooper spoke again.
“What do you suppose we’ll do when we reach a town?” she said. I growled.
“We will walk down the street like a normal pony and ask who rules them.” I said through tightly grit teeth.
“Fine, fine, cranky pants,” She replied. I resisted the urge to tackle her.
We continued on. In silence we walked through the wasteland in hope of encountering a place of interest, but as the sky darkened and the moonlight tried its best to penetrate the smoke layer, we were so far completely unsuccessful. I was getting weary, so I drew out my dagger and let it hover as a precaution.
When it was pitch dark, and our wide view of the horizon and its volcanoes and glaciers was black, I decided it was time to rest. I knew it would be safe; there was nopony here to get us and the Empire had no clue of this place anyway. I tapped Swooper’s hoof above my head and lay down, exhausted, letting my dagger lie beside me as I removed my hood as a bed. At least it did a job of shielding my body from the hot ground under me.

* * *
My senses of the slightest movement sent me jolting into full consciousness in a millisecond. I was on my hooves, unaware I was even awake when my dagger came hovering next to my face, and I frantically looked around. Swooper was still asleep, amidst the steam of the hot ground, so I knew it wasn’t her. I peered into the darkness, attempting to sight who dared awake me.
“Hello?” I hissed. I waited a moment.
Then suddenly, out of the misty, steamy smoke and darkness, came the figure of a pony. I remained tense, dagger aloft, as he approached me. When all his features were recognisable, I could see that he was weak. Sweat coated his body, his skin was wrapped rather tight around his bony figure, and the way he walked in a swaying motion indicated fatigue. He was a meek Earth pony.
“What do you want?” I demanded, relaxing slightly.
It took him a few seconds to see me and look up. “Oh my gosh... I’m so sorry.” He muttered. I sniffed. “But, now I’ve found somepony – do you have some food for a poor soul like myself?” he asked. I shuddered and examined him.
“No, I don’t. What are you doing?” I asked tightly. It was then that Swooper awoke. I remained silent for his response as she timidly came to my side in confusion.
“I’m fleeing. The Queen... she’s... it’s getting worse,” he mumbled, wiping the sweat from his forehead before spreading his legs to steady himself.
“The Queen? What is she doing?” I asked in suspicion.
“You, don’t know about her?” he asked. I grumbled, making him continue in haste. “She kills Earth ponies, as she has for decades and decades. You must be foreign to not know that.” He wheezed and coughed into his hoof.
“Then, what do you mean she’s ‘getting worse’?” asked Swooper. We both stared at him, making him swallow a dry mouth.
“She’s sent soldiers out to the furthest reaches of the kingdom to capture all the Earth ponies. My wife and foals are gone, so I fled.” He replied. I nodded. Well, we’d come to the right place. A kingdom with a complete mad-mare of a ruler. The stallion’s eyes sunk further, but I had no sympathy. “Also, I don’t know why you’d sleep here,” he commented.
“What?” I spat.
“Well, the ground is quite a fair bit hotter than normal. We’re probably over a magma crack. They’re common in the wasteland outskirts like here.” He said. When he finished, the stallion let out a coughing sigh and swayed more. I didn’t care. I needed to get to this Queen.
“Let’s get out of here, Rose. The crack will open soon probably.” Whispered Swooper. Without taking my eyes off the stallion, now unfocused and slowly collapsing, I nodded. I then used my magic to grab my cloak and put it on, slipping my dagger into it.
“Where... where are you... going...” he wheezed, getting weaker by the second from the heat.
“Come on, Swooper.” I said. She nodded and we began walking away, breaking into a trot. We were off to where the Queen resided. After we’d trotted a fair bit away into the night, I felt the ground rumble. The area where we stood was cooler, so I stopped to turn around.
Exactly where we’d camped, and right below the weak figure of the Earth pony stallion, the earth slowly opened up. It cracked and rumbled its moan, revealing a light that glared up from it. When the crack opened further, and the light of the lava shone from its depths, the Earth pony disappeared with a yell of despair.

** *
We teleported, and the second we were thrown from my flame I was on my hooves, looking at everything around me. I wanted to know we were safe in our place. Swooper stood close next to me, as we embraced the far cooler air of the position in which we were placed.
A cobblestone street. It was still night, the street lamp near us was smashed and broken. The roads and alleys I could see frequently around were dark and eerie, but nothing I was not used to. Nopony was out and about in the city, so it seemed a lot safer to explore.
We walked along the street, emerging into what seemed like the city square. The statue in the centre wasn’t pleasant like in the Empire. It was an unidentified, featureless alicorn standing on the body of an Earth pony, holding a spear that bore a flag I didn’t recognise.
But as I stared around a fair amount more, I gasped at the very sight that made my thoughts glimmer with hope. For standing against the grey of the night sky was the silhouette of an enormous palace. It was tall and spiked, quiet sinister in appearance as the windows glared down with golden light. It was behind the rooves of a few buildings, so we’d be able to make it there easily.
I led Swooper down one of the dark streets that led to a huge stone wall protected by massive black iron gates. These were guarded by a couple of soldiers, attired in quite confronting-looking armour. I knew we weren’t going to be able to teleport inside. Most palaces, including the Empire, were enchanted, allowing only royals and certain other ponies to enter.
So of course, I shielded Swooper behind my back, cleared my throat, and addressed the guards without looking at them with a stance of importance.
“Entry please sirs.” I demanded. I felt one of them looking upon me.
“Genuine unicorn?” he asked gruffly. I nodded. “Do you hold weapons?” I shook my head. “Upon what premises do you wish to enter?”
“I must speak to the Queen. Is she awake in these hours?” I asked, allowing my gaze to slide over to the speaking guard with a raised eyebrow.
“The Queen does wake upon early night hours. You may enter.” He said formerly. Still retaining my regal stance, I passed through the gates that the guard opened with his magic. Swooper followed close behind, and soon we were at the drawbridge entrance of the castle. However, getting across the ravine it covered would be tricky, as it was flowing with lava. But just as we reached the edge of the lava pit, the guard back at the gate drew it down with his magic, and we were able to cross it with ease.
The castle was just as aesthetically dark as it was from the outside. Grim stone, with beautiful but unusual decorations here and there. We went through the entrance hall and arrived at the throne room, where the three thrones stood in ugly highness upon a tall, spiked stone platform. It was lit up by two bright, flaming torches on either side of the platform.
One of the thrones was grey, silver and blue. The other was black and red, and the third was grey and green. Only one of them was occupied, as a tall alicorn Queen sat on it, glaring down on us. It was quite scary, in the way that she was simply... there, in the dark, staring at us like a bird of prey. Even I was scared of the fashion in which she sat. It was so different to the blue, orange, white and silver of the Empire’s palace and rulers.
Though, for Swooper’s sake, I approached the Queen in bravery. Both of us bowed low to the ground when we reached her, and remained there as she addressed us in a silky, black, emotionless voice.
“For what reason do you mortal ponies wish to speak with me at such a time, and with such confidence?” she asked. I replied smoothly.
“Your highness, with have come seeking refuge and work in your domain. The Empire is a place nopony like us can reside, as their defensive forces are against us.” I replied. I heard Swooper breathing very quickly like a sheep.
“What work would that be, unicorn?” she asked. I shivered and stood up, though my accomplice still low in her deep bow. I felt pretty good about myself, speaking in such formal language.
“Your highness, we wish to assist you, in that my friend and I are assassins. Our league has been wiped out in the Empire, so if you wish for any aid in that area we would be more than willing.” I said matter-of-factly, retaining a tone of utmost respect. “We are skilled and our hunting styles are like that of a professional.”
“Professional, you say?” she purred, stepping from her throne. Her movements were perfect; she stalked down the stone stairs like a cat, making me shiver. I nodded, gently nudging Swooper for her to stand. “Names?”
“Murder Rose and Midnight Swooper.” I replied. The Queen considered us for a moment.
“Excellent. I am Queen Tainted Rose, you mustn’t be aware of that for you’re foreigners.” She scoffed. “I do think that I will accept your assistance. Ponies like you are valuable.” She smirked, coming to stand right in front of us. “Guards! Show these lovely ladies their suite, and treat them with your highest respects.” She called.
“Thank you, I give my humble bearings to you, my Queen.” I smiled. She nodded, turning to stand on her throne again. In a moment, two guards were on either side of us, leading us away from the throne room and down a stone corridor lined with torches.
“This is JUST like when Wildfire hired us,” Swooper hissed almost inaudibly in my ear. “It’ll turn out bad! It’s like... déjà vu!”
“No, it won’t. We might have a future here.” I replied just as quietly. In no time, we’d reached a tower showing two doors on either side of well-lit, short stone corridor. In just a moment, the guard abandoned us, and I smiled at Swooper. She nodded nervously and went through the door on the right, while I went in the left. With my magic, I switched on the light and looked around in wonder.
The room was fabulous.
It was occupied by a large, luxurious bed and many other piece of furniture. It wasn’t colourful or delightful in the slightest, but I felt at home. Despite its dark appearance, it was still quite fit for royalty. I had a private balcony, bathroom and wardrobe. I felt like this mission was a success. However, I knew better than to take everything for granted. The Queen may have given us a room, but she was still looking for us to do our job. Doing it wrong made me blatantly and very truthfully assume she’d do something about it; she didn’t seem like a kind soul.
But all the same, I went over to my bed, flopped my head upon the pillow, threw off my cloak and dagger and fell fast asleep.

[Kodabomb]

This is written from Princess Wildfire's point of view.

The room was black. I could see nothing. Not my hooves, not my magic, not anything that lay ahead of me. The darkness was choking me, and though a place of such isolation would frighten the normal pony, this was not doing much for me. It wasn’t scaring me. It wasn’t making me feel anything.
My emotions were blank, as blank as the room, as blank as my mind that was absent. Devoid of all thoughts, just clear, like it was making room for more thoughts. For something to come at me, get down my throat, and force me to circle my mind around it.
How did I know that? Nopony had told me such information.
Places like these were supposed to have something of interest. It immediately jolted my mind into thought again, but just those thoughts. It made me question where I was, and maybe I was to seek out something in my close surroundings. A few things came into consideration. A mirror? A room full of fear? A trial? A guardian?
I walked forward. I could feel my muscles moving, my movement through the blackened space, but I couldn’t feel weight. I couldn’t feel pressure on my knees or my hooves, or air moving over my body, or anything to show me I was going anywhere at all. There was no light or objects to shift out of my field of vision to indication mobility.
I was stuck.
However, I was still not afraid.
But suddenly, like that was all gone, an enormous fright leapt through my body as something burst out of the darkness. I gasped and my heart raced, but fear wasn’t what I felt. Only a little scare, as I tried to examine the shapes that moved in front of me.
They were little flakes... flakes or sparkles or something, completely white and far lighter than air or whatever substance was occupying the space around me. They floated, but with body, swimming around everywhere and around my body. They emitted no light, but although no other light source was illuminating them, I could see them. In a moment, they formed a shape.
The shape of a pony head, with mane that flowed around her. It was only her torso, and she moving with such grace. The particles swirled around to show the pony tossing her head, yelling down at invisible and unidentified creatures or ponies.
But then... then they began to colourise. Orange, yellow, white, blue, red... flaring and dancing around to finally give the figure of a white pony with fire for mane, decorated with flaming adornments and blue jewels. Her eyes were shut as her mane flared around her...
Then it came.
Fear struck.
In my conscious state it wasn’t something that struck such fear, such terror, such hatred and dread and horror into my heart in that way. I tried to scream but no sound came out in this black void, as the pony’s shape of particles moving with her flaming mane...
She opened her eyes and all I could see was her red, glaring, piercing demon pupils of bright crimson, looking down and filling my mind with a long, blood-curdling scream. I gasped and struggled to breath, the flakes beginning to move around me. They swirled around, showing just fire and deadly red eyes closing in on me.
Her scream
My scream
MY OWN screech of hate filled my mind so that nothing else mattered, nothing else could be comprehended... circling my mind around it...
“STOP! PLEASE!” I howled, trying to get my voice over the top of it but failing harder than anything, making me collapse onto an unobserved surface as I screamed.
“WHO ARE YOU, WILDFIRE? WHO ARE YOU?” the words of an unknown voice came down on me, making me writhe in physical pain and forcing me to scream more and more.
“GET AWAY FROM ME! GET AWAY! NO!” I screamed, blind terror coursing through my body at a million miles a second and causing true bodily pain, like I was being kicked. “NO!”
“WILDFIRE, YOU ARE A CURSED BEING! YOU WILL NEVER, EVER ESCAPE YOUR FATE OF A DEMONIC BEAST!” the voice hollered. I opened my eyes and saw the flames of the particles closing in on me. I gagged in horror, fearing the end of my sanity or life.
“I’m not! Leave me! I’m good! I’m good! I’m sorry,” I sobbed.
“You demon, you devil of fire! Abuser of magic and untruthful Princess!” they spat on me. I heard it in perfect clarity over the ringing screams in my mind. I screamed like something kicked me in the chest, breaking all my ribs.
“I’m a Princess! I’m good! I’m not a demon!” I cried, making my throat feel agonised beyond belief. The voice suddenly changed, though it meant nothing to me, as it spoke again. I continued to cry, not wanting to hear it... I couldn’t shield my ears to make it go away...
“Come back, Wildfire... I am not simply a side of you... I am a part of you. Come back to me, little one, reclaim what you abandoned long ago...” they whispered, though it was louder than ever inside my mind.
“No, no, I’ll never... I’ll never...” I gasped, trying to give myself air.
“The Shadow Spirit... she is a weak fool. She knows not, she is never coming back for you...” she whispered harshly.
“You’re a figment! You’re not REAL! What are you doing?” I demanded, crying still.
I waited for a response, but both voices sounded at the same time over my internal screaming. They both cackled a screech of evil whiplashes, laughing at me, taunting me... I didn’t know what they wanted, I had a new path... I didn’t understand!
Though soon, their laughing faded, settling into place with the screaming. I wanted it to go, my body and mind exhausted from the sounds. I couldn’t go on, I couldn’t feel, see, hear or breathe. My body was in pain, my head was only screeching at me like an agonised monster torturing me... what was the point? What was it doing to me? Why was it that all I could do was simply lie on the invisible floor of space while the face of an inner beast swirled around me, penetrating my soul?
“Please leave me... please... I won’t let you hurt my family...” I whispered through my tears. The screaming got louder. My heart lurched, more pain flowing into my blood. “Get away! Leave me alone!” I pushed desperately, trying my hardest, my best, to get this burden off me.
The screaming became broken, like it was getting smashed and torn into little shards, but not enough for it to stop completely and free my terrified little self. I wanted to scream more at it, the visions of my dark self, a never-leaving prospect of evil in my mortal body and mind... I just couldn’t pluck up the confidence or determination!
“GO AWAY!” I screamed, this time opening my eyes and staring up at the swirls of white and orange flakes, waiting for that face, those eyes, to come and stab me again. My expression and my words were harsh and demanding, but I couldn’t take full control and just tell it to leave... force it to leave!
I gasped suddenly again, the terror taking hold of me but not quite enough for me to collapse. The voices were gone, I was only hearing the broken screaming, fear pulsing through every vein in my body and forcing all sense of absolutely everything out of the tips of my invisible hooves.
I breathed heavily as the eyes lowered, the particles flying faster than ever to make a glimmering image staring down at me. Red, bloody eyes examined me, their gaze so far focused that I couldn’t even see beyond them.
This was just an illusion, but it gave a picture in pure clarity of what it was like for those around me when I was like this.
A fire devil. Abuser of magic.
But no.
I was not. I was NOT a fire devil or an abuser of magic. I wasn’t!
I WAS A FIRE ALICORN! User of magic! A Princess of the Empire!
A Fire Alicorn!
“STOP DOING THIS TO ME! GET AWAY!” I screamed. Determination was rising. Slowly rising. “LEAVE. ME. ALONE!” a burst of emotion suddenly jolted through my heart and throat, up my spine and into my mind, making me gasp and struggle for air. The fire was surrounding my horn, burning it and sending hot flares all along my figure. I gasped from the overwhelming spurt of magic, and at the power channelled from my mind to my hooves, they caught alight too.
I could see it! I could see the flames upon my hooves and head and now my wings as well! I could see my body, I could feel myself, spreading my legs and standing tall. The fear and stabbing pain was gone, draining out the tip of my glowing tail. My mane was afire, glowing in shimmery waves and flowing slightly, as I began released the fire in spurts.
The screaming got louder, but it was no longer confronting me. It was terrified, pained, like I was the attacker and they were trying to get away from my insanely powerful abilities that flared from every corner and inch of my once feeble body. I took a breath and smiled, tossing my head back and flapping my wings, giving off sparks of fire that attacked the evil flakes.
I was powerful! I was strong! I was the summoner of all the magics that wallowed in my mind.
The power was enough to silence the screaming.
The dream flakes of illusion were gone.
I shuddered and my body went hot for a second, before all of a sudden my magic vanished. I began to cool, my wings shaking off the last flakes of the hot little fire drops, and my mind settled. I panted, senses tingling, as I stared around. Those flakes, that scared me in a way I hadn’t experienced, had drifted away, and were strangely no longer visible in my eternal black void of dreamland.
I puffed and held my head, steadying myself. I saw my hair was still glowing, but that power was sort of flowing calmly and naturally. Why was my hair doing that every time my magic got strong like that? I guessed it was just normal. I shook my head quickly and stared ahead to focus myself, eyes delving into the black, never-ending universe of this odd place. It was strange, but I wasn’t questioning it. It seemed normal enough. Was there any point in worrying?
I settled myself. I moved my hoof to my heart and massaged my hot chest, steadying my racing pulse and calming my body. No. There was no point in worrying. I was going to be safe, whatever it threw at me.
What else would it throw at me?
I drew in a breath and blew it out slowly, walking forward a little on the non-existent ground and steadying my air intake as I walked.
My shining hair, shimmering with pulses of white and light yellows and oranges, flowed around me like there was wind. In that sort of magical way, like the Equestrian Princess’ hair did. I smiled softly. Odd. A new aspect of my power, finally in a fashion that was... aesthetic? Was that really a factor in anything?
My hair used to, before I became... became her. But not in this way. This was different. Beautiful. Something I did want to look at without the lingering though of eternal power in my mind.
As my breaths slowed, my heart beat at that same pace and I lumbered through space, my mind suddenly jolted.
I gasped and sat up in bed, letting out a tiny scream.
I panted, I coughed, jumping from the mattress and stumbling from the sheets to the floor. Moonlight poured in through my window, trickling through the crack in my curtain, allowing only minimum light in my otherwise dark room. I swallowed, hyperventilating a little. A nightmare.
A weird, weird nightmare. I shuddered repeatedly and stroked my plaited mane to calm myself, turning around in circles to examine the room. Realise reality. Focus.
I didn’t want to think about the dream or its meaning. If there was a meaning. It was... disturbing to say the least. I just... it was slipping from my mind like a stream, but I didn’t care. I was too frightened to look further into it, especially in my waking mind.
It seemed so real. So strange and odd and out of the blue – I never had dreams like that.
Did I scream like I know I did within the dream? Did I wake anypony. I glanced briefly at my bed and saw it strewn completely; no wonder I had to fumble my way from it if the duvet was under the sheets and they themselves were in an actual knot around my pillow.
“Whoa.” I whispered, absently using my magic to straighten it up again. With one final look at my room and its objects for assurance I was actually alive, I climbed back into my bed and buried my face into my chest.

* * *
I awoke again in the morning, though this time far more calmly. Memories of the dream hovered at the back of my mind, but they weren’t haunting me. After staring at my ceiling and its diamond chandelier for a moment, I found myself hauling my body out of bed, putting on my slippers and heading to the door.
The palace was empty and soft in the morning, so I supposed I’d go and have breakfast nice and early then go back to my room for the rest of the morning. Or until Flare decided it was a good idea to train more. It just wasn’t a priority at six in the morning.
I groaned a little yawn and trudging down the dim corridor, fluffy slippers scuffing the long, blue carpet of the hallway. Nothing was on my mind. I was just thinking about fried eggs, biscuits and tea. I licked my lips at the thought. That was what I’d have for breakfast.
When I went down the steps at the end of the hall, stumbling slowly down one by one, I suddenly came across a pony I didn’t ever expect to be present. I stopped halfway down and slouched silently on the stair, hair a mess, as Princess Syrenix stopped and peered up at me with concern.
I made a ‘pop’ sound with my mouth and grinned, as she silently walked to meet closer gaze with me.
“Wildfire, are you... alright?” she asked in a worried voice. I raised my eyebrows.
“What do you mean?”
“You were um, screaming. Did you have a nightmare last night sweetie?” she offered. I pursed my lips and considered my answer.
“What were you doing near my room?” I asked, getting only a look of surprise in response before my aunt spoke.
“Aka was up rather late last night with me, we both walked up that hall before she went to bed.” She replied, chuckling nervously.
I blinked. My mind wasn’t working at full speed and my words weren’t thought out.
“Oh err... alright.” I shrugged. “And yeah, I did have a nightmare. It’s fine though, not major.”
“You were screaming rather loud. I had to use a quieting enchantment while I checked on you.” She replied, looking away. I was about to speak but she held a hoof to my lips with a grin. “I’m your family, Wildfire, even though you don’t know me well. It’s a job of mine to make sure you’re fine.” With a warm, tired smile, Syrenix kissed the top of my messy hair and strode back down the stairs and around the corner of the hall.
I stood there for a moment, quite stunned, before making a raspberry with my lips and tripping down the last few stairs. I wanted to wonder why she was in the castle in the first place, but I just thought it wasn’t worth the effort or bother. She was my father’s sister, and she was welcome here whenever. I’d probably have to get used to her presence and whoever else she decided to bring along to our home. She wasn’t too bad, but I was only annoyed because it was so early.
My arrival at the dining hall was very low-paced, and when I staggered inside I was only greeted with the maid who set a few plates, platters and cups down. She glanced at me.
“Up early, Princess?” she smiled. I sniffed and nodded, making her grin as grabbed a plate and filled it with choc-chip biscuits, fried eggs and fruit. The maid slid a cup of hot tea over and instinctively knew how much sugar I wanted, so I thanked her and began munching on my feed.

[Kodabomb]

This is written from Prince Frost's point of view. Shortest chapter in the history of JE, but meant to me so. Mwhahahaaaa

”I’ll give you the secrets of the snow... the future... deep in the future of your ways as Prince...”
“NO! NO! Stop! PLEASE!” I screamed, making my throat hurt as I hollered into the snow as it closed in on my paralysed body. “PLEASE!”
“The secrets Frost... they shall entwine with the fire of your future and what you shall become as King...”
“No... no, no, no she’s dead! SHE’S DEAD!” I roared in rage. The snow got down my throat and I coughed, sobbing harder than ever. I writhed, I couldn’t move, my body stiff and cold.
“You are the Ice Prince, and you must follow the destinies of you and your other half... the fire is only just below the surface...”
“STOP, STOP, STOP!” It was scaring me so much. I wanted to die. I didn’t understand what was happening, the repetitive explanations that I couldn’t handle... I was too weak.
“The gems! The gems, Frost! The gems of the flames and frost! Find the snow gem and finish this!”
“NO!!” my breaths heaved, a heavy weight of solid ice weighing them down. I couldn’t escape, I couldn’t move away... It was so cold... so cold...
“NO!” I gasped, gulping down real air. The ceiling of my room came into view, blurred and swaying. I couldn’t see... I wanted my consciousness in the sweet, sweet paradise of reality to stay for more than a minute this time!
I didn’t want to go back!
I couldn’t comprehend it or begin to understand the cause of suddenly seeing her red eyes come over me. Her mouth turned up in a grin, and I tried to reach for her but my body was stiff.
“Please... please...” I begged her, but I felt a heavy weight on my chest. I let out a long, low scream of pain and terror, as I tried to get back to the surface and the oxygen my thinking mind held, but the nightmares were pulling me down. Her face sunk away from mine, and I tried to reach and pull myself out.
But it blurred, and with a final yell of despair, I was pulled into the darkness.