[i]Crystal Quartz galloped.[/i]

[i]She galloped as blood pounded in her ears, pushing herself through the dim light of the alley. A bloodcurdling screech echoed behind her, almost freezing the unicorn in her tracks.[/i] Run! Get away! [i]she yelled at herself.[/i]

[i]Crystal pushed harder on her hooves, desperate to distance herself from the sound. However, it was to no avail. The pounding steps behind her grew louder and louder, shaking the cobblestones underneath her.[/i]

Gerhard was supposed to be here! [i]she thought as tears welled in her eyes.[/i] I knew he would…

He wouldn’t abandon me—

[i]”Cyrstal!”[/i]

[i]Crystal Quartz almost stumbled, her legs weak at the sound of Gerhard’s voice. However, something felt off with his voice. It sounded faint, its echoed fading away rapidly.[/i]

[i]”Gerhard! Where are you?” Crystal screamed.[/i]

[i]Come to my voice…[/i]

[i]Tried as she would, she could not pinpoint Gerhard’s location. His voice had grown soft, almost indistinct now.[/i] No, no, no!

[i]Crystal tumbled into a sprawl as her hoof kicked a loose cobblestone, tears staining her cheeks. Her pursuer roared and leapt, landing in a crouch in front of her, taking the form of an enormous dark griffon. The griffon grinned, his red eyes glinting with malice.[/i]

[i]Where do you think you are going, wench?” he said.[/i]

[i]Crystal sobbed, her legs curled up against her as the griffon—Gerald—towered over her. Talons gripped her shoulder, digging into her as Gerald’s grin grew larger.[/i]

[i]”Did you think you can run away from your new life, slave?”[/i]

[i]Gerald raised his claws and swung—[/i]



Crystal screamed, flailing her hooves at the claws. It was almost an instant before said claws swatted her hooves away and wrapped around her barrel.

“Let me go!” she yelled, squirming under the firm grip of the griffon talons. Once again, her hooves flailed, a feeble hope in hitting her attacker.

“Crystal!”

Crystal froze. “G-Gerhard?”

The claws squeezed her, a familiar gentle pressure, no longer terrible. “Yes, it is me, Crystal.” It was indeed Gerhard’s voice. Loud and clear.

Crystal’s sobs choked to a stop, leaving only hyperventilating breaths. Her eyes shot open, taking in the feeble light of the early dawn. She was once again in her bed, in her coltfriend’s warm embrace. She said nothing but her hooves fell over his arms, wrapping tightly. Uncontrollably, her body shook.

“Shh, it is merely a nightmare, Crystal,” Gerhard said, lifting a paw and running it through her mane. He bent down and planted a kiss just under her horn. “Gerald can harm you no longer.”

Memories of last night flooded her. The fire. Gerald standing over her, silhouetted, a manic grin on his face. Gerhard plunging the dagger into Gerald’s side…

Crystal closed her eyes and took a deep breath. “Yes, he can’t. Not anymore.”

Gerhard ran his claws through her mane once more.

Sleep retook Crystal Quartz a few minutes later.