Authors Stana w/ help from Kit
Date 7\10
title Finality


Another head hangs lowly
Child is slowly taken
And the violence caused such silence
Who are we mistaken

But You see it's not me,
It s not my family
In your head,in your
Head they are fighting
With their tanks, and their bombs
And their bombs, and their guns
In your head,
In your head they are cryin'
In your head
Zombie
What's in your head, in your head
Zombie

Another mother's breakin'
Heart is taking over
When the violence causes silence
We must be mistaken
It's the same old theme since 1916
In your head,
In your head they're still fightin'
With their tanks
In your head they are dying

In your head, in your head
Zombie
What's in your head, in your head
Zombie
Zombie-The cranberries


Stana staggered, reaching out to the Unicorn to steady herself 
as the entire Nachtmer around them shimmered and shifted. 

Clip snorted, feet splaying out for balance, head dropping low 
as he shuffled for a foothold. His eyes remained locked on 
the nightmare child who had lost his self-satisfied smirk, 
and looked almost anxious. 

"Its true." Stana repeated, and Clip nodded. He had seen what 
she had, and then Stana realized Audion must have as well. 

Where was Audion? The earth Chosen looked around quickly, and 
saw the Elementalist had found his feet easier than the rest of 
them and was even now standing tall and ready.

"None of that matters, Ramdek." She said. "If you were trying 
to drive a wedge between us, then you have failed. Even 
Chaos is not absolute it seems."

"You are still in my world, Chosen." He replied, composure 
resumed on the elfin face. "and every moment more you remain, 
the more you ensure that you won't leave,"

*Something just happened to weaken his power. * Clip said. * 
for a moment, we were free of this nightmare *

"What though?" she said, still glaring daggers. 

"The time for games is over." Ramdek said "I will have all 
of your life to torment you, but there is much to be done 
until then. " 

Stana stepped back as Clip reared, a shining barrier 
enclosing about the group. Ramdek stopped for a moment, 
a frown crossing the face, before a slow smile lit the 
pale eyes.

"Think you that little bubble able to halt the power of 
Chaos?" he said, head tilting.

*We need but a little time. * The Unicorn told Stana and 
Audion *It's true that this will not hold long. What was 
it we did to cause the fluctuation in this place? *

"Are you so sure" Audion answered "That we did it?" 

"Had to have been us." Stana countered "You saw his 
face, he wasn't expecting it."

Clip whinnied as a bolt of darkness ricocheted off the 
sphere. All three of them felt a crackle over their skin.

*that that was bad. * The Unicorn admitted. *we need to 
hurry. * 


ÒOne moment and we will have more time to think, 
Ò Audion raised his ringed hand, the bands shimmering 
faintly in the darkness around them. ÒUjistreÕs power 
formed a cage about Chaos, so be it that herÕs form a 
shell about us. The shield glimmered and swirled with 
the entire spectrum, and its light increased exponentially 
to drive back the darkness. Even such, it pulsed like a 
heartbeat. With every quiet thud the glow receded a bit 
towards ClipÕs original magic.

The chaos child frowned.

"Could it have not been a weakness of his form?" Audion 
expanded "He admits he is not fully wakened."

"Something had to precipitate it. He's still strong as ever" 
Stana countered "He's going to break this barrier very 
shortly. And then we are going to be in serious trouble."

* his power lost cohesion soon after his revelation of 
the Unicorns. * 

"No." Audion negated "It was after the Chosens' acceptance 
of the truth of it. It was the reality of the situation 
that intruded on the dream" 

* The mortal is correct * Clip seconded, wincing as another 
blow shook the barrier. The rainbow of light was very nearly 
touching the surface of his barrier. He closed his eyes and 
shuddered. Stana reached out to steady him. 

"So we need to combat this nightmare with reality? In other 
words pinch ourselves to wake up?" she shook her head "What 
reality would be strong enough to combat this?"

The two stared at each other very quietly, and in that silence, 
there was an answer neither wanted to say.

"I think" Clip said quietly. "I finally understand. A reality 
so final that no slumberer, or Nightmare sojourner can but waken." 

"Clip?" She inquired, alarm sharpening her voice. She heard a 
finality in that bell voice that never had been there before.
 A resolution, a will that the young Equine had not posessed. 
::He can't be:: she thought with a small shudder. ::he can't
be thinking that::

"I don't like the flow of your thoughts, but at any rate, I 
will not let you go it alone. There has to be another solution 
doesn't there?" Stana replied, glaring defiance at the boy child.

* There may well be had we the time to find it.* Clip answered * 
but I do not believe so and belief has total power here.* 

"But" she began, eyes overbright in the gloom. She saw him shake 
his head and bit her lower lip, head dipping in acquiescence. 
"I never wanted to be a part of this." She admitted. "But then, 
my wants were never considered. I'm scared."

He nuzzled her briefly * We can only do what we must. It's a 
twisted road that fate winds leading us to this point. We both 
know that the power of your element cannot be conquered here. 
For what it is worth I am sorry Stana.*

It was the first time she remembered him using her name. That 
fact alone hammered home the finality of their choice. 

None.

::So it's this, or an eternity entombed.:: she thought., 
staring at Clip. She found no pressure in his calm gaze, 
but the situation warranted immediacy. She nodded finally, 
moving so she wouldn't have to think. 

"This whole thing is insane. But if this is how it has 
to be then it's time for all dreamers to awaken!" 
She shouted. Those words freed a sense of recklessness 
that brought a laugh to her lips. Clip shoved his head 
into her hands, and with those words still echoing in 
the Nightmare around them, she reached out and grasped 
his horn firmly. Clip cried out, twisting his head queerly. 
With a snap, the alicorn came free in her hands. 

* There is only change * he told her with a gentleness 
he never had towards her before. * never death. It is not 
ugly to change...it is very very beautiful * With a whicker 
he turned, taking down the barrier surrounding them and 
squealing a battle cry, he leapt to the darkness. 

Clip felt the tendrils of darkness whip around his body as 
he dove forward. They did not stop him. Nothing short of a 
direct assault would. He would show what his loyalty was 
worth, when it finally mattered to be filial. 

* Princess! * He bellowed * The Keeper has woken, 
and Chaos stands at the threshold of our world. It 
is for us to block the path. Assist me!* 

At the back of his mind, he felt the acknowledgement. 
And with the wake up call the Keeper was about to 
deliver, he knew the boundaries of nightmare and reality 
would shatter. At that moment alone, would it be up to 
them to buy the time to rebuff Chaos.

He felt a wild surge of power and his body blazed brightly. 
He had to but wait for the sign.

In spite of her resolution, Stana hesitated for a moment. 
She looked back on what her life had been, and had too
 many regrets to count. If she could have done things over againÉ

She realized that she still held the alicorn. The fact 
puzzled her for a moment, as she groped for logic. 
Then she recalled that this world was still partly dream, 
and that within the dream Clips beliefs still had power. 
He would face his fate as a unicorn, horn or not. 

That thought gave her sudden resolve, and the confusion on 
her mind cleared. The hold the amulet had on her psyche 
shattered against her self-realization.

Clip was waiting for her.

"Stana?" Audion asked, sensing a startling change in her aura. 
This situation was beginning to become less and less amusing. 
The Unicorn relinquishing his alicorn meant he was the sole outside 
protector for her, a condition which experience told him would be 
of little joy to either of them. He turned his attention away 
from her, some sense in his mind of her final action. 
His eyes watched after Clip, and despite his normal judgement 
his tenor voice called strongly after in Freylian, Ò<Bleesings 
of stars to you Clip, that the Lady of the Skies may protect your 
soul from the darkness.>"

*stana* the voice was so far away, ineffectual. 

"No death." she murmured, not seeing the darkness enveloping 
the unicorn, or reach for her. She didn't hear Audion's blessing 
to her friend, or even the clarion challenge of Clip "only change." 

With a quick snap of the fingers she reversed the alicorn in her 
grip and plunged the tip of it into her breast.