Prologue
~~~~~~PROLOGUE~~~~~
It was a normal day in the small Unicorn village; the sun just about reaching its mid-day peak, radiating its warmth down upon the villagers busying themselves in the village square. Clouds were scattered and fluffy, and a variety of birds could be heard singing their daily melodies throughout the sky. No rain, no swirling winds, no thundering storm clouds spitting lightning as the Pegasi often enjoyed placing over Unicorn villages. Nothing to suggest anything worth happening was happening today.
So it was strange to see a small collection of hooded ponies quickly making their way through the mid-day crowd. Their black cloaks which covered their faces and body hovered inches off the ground making it seem almost as if they were floating were it not for the shuffle of their hooves against the dirt. Many curious ponies glanced with interest at the group making their way to the far end of the square. Surely if they wanted to be covert, going in the dead of night would have been more appropriate. Even avoiding the town square would have been a more logical approach to avoid unwanted attention. But the band of black cloaked ponies clearly stood out on this normal day as they left the square.
The small group of four continued down a dirt path leading away from the village square. They did not speak to each other as they continued their brisk trot through the thickening trees until they reached a small clearing where just before a large hill, stood a little schoolhouse. The building itself was not much to look at apart from being the only sign of civilization in the clearing. It was a small rectangular box with stone walls sloppily painted white and a triangular wooden roof to match. Most of the small windows contained red shutters, some which hung loosely from their hinges and swayed gently in the breeze. A small playground consisting of a small, poorly constructed wooden fort and a hazardous looking swing set stood a few yards away from the building.
The four ponies kept their distance, watching as about a dozen Unicorn foals spilled out of the building’s front doors signaling the end of the day. After a few minutes of frantic scurrying, the young foals had cleared from the schoolhouse, and the clearing sat empty once again. One of the hooded ponies nodded, and the four began to walk towards the schoolhouse. As they got closer, one of them stopped just parallel to the playground causing the other three to pause.
“Is something wrong?” one of them asked him.
“The swing,” he said, motioning towards the swing set.
The other three turned to look at the pair of swings hanging precariously from the wooden beam by the frayed rope. One simply hung from its rope while the other sat suspended in mid-air, as if the rider had jumped off at the very top and gravity had simply forgotten to pull the swing back down. The four ponies stared at the swing for a moment before the one in front began to move towards the building. The other three followed up the stairs, coming up behind as the first pony knocked sharply on the door. A scuffle of hooves was heard shortly before the door was opened to reveal a very startled green coated Unicorn mare. The small mare’s youthful blue eyes had been reduced to mere dots complimenting her already frazzled bright orange mane and adding to her surely strenuous day.
“Oh heavens! S-sorry, I didn’t expect you so soon,” she stumbled out.
The four ponies pushed themselves into the room, and swiftly closed the door behind them. Two of them stepped forward, pulling their hoods down. The one on the left was a tall, much darker green Unicorn stallion with an almost glowing golden mane that was cut short just above his light green eyes. The other was a cream coated Unicorn stallion, just as tall as his companion with his light brown mane cut similarly short above his ice blue eyes. The two positioned themselves just to the sides of the two other hooded ponies holding the statuesque pose that shouted “guard pony”.
“Presenting Mrs. Spellbook, Chancellor of Magical Education and member of the High Council of King Gemstone,” the cream colored one announced.
Spellbook lowered her hood as her guard announced her. She stood proud and tall, snout raised at an unnecessary angle in the air and quite regal in appearance. Her face was that of an experienced and hardened educator, which only made the green coated mare more nervous. Her light purple yet almost pink mane, unfurled from being stuffed inside her hood, hung just above her knees in long elegant straightened locks. She had a light blue coat that was neat and glossed, dark magenta eyes set behind a pair of thin silver rimmed glasses that hung just off the end of her snout, and single gold ring attached to the base of her horn. She removed her cloak, revealing a striped grey vest with white ruffles about the collar circling her neck.
“And presenting Dr. Charm Caster, Headmaster of the Royal Unicorn Magic University, Head of the Magical Research Division, 2nd Chair to the Department of Magical Education, Lead Advisor to the Celestial Coordination Committee, and member of the High Council of King Gemstone,” the dark green Unicorn announced.
Charm Caster was much older than Spellbook and the grey hairs creeping through his already silvery blue mane was enough of an indicator of his progressing age. His raspberry colored coat seemed to be just as colorful and youthful as ever, but the growing lines under his sunny orange eyes told otherwise. He slipped the hood off his much longer horn and sent his bright orange aura down it, changing the color from a dark black to a silvery white, decorated with streaks of blue and gold that ran along its edges. Spellbook looked over her shoulder at him and rolled her eyes, huffing slightly, gaining a mild chuckle from Charm.
“Oh, don’t be jealous Spell,” Charm said coyly. “If you had spent more time in the field instead of surrounded by scrolls, maybe you could have acclaimed my stunning array of titles.”
Spellbook whipped her head around, mouth agape at her colleague, earning her another chuckle. Charm looked past her at the still frazzled green mare who had opened the door and gave her a wink. She smiled slightly and took a relieved breath.
‘Ok, maybe they aren’t the ruthless administrators I thought they’d be,’ she thought, readying herself and extending a hoof to Spellbook with a warm smile. “Hello, pleased to meet you. My name is Sunny Daze. I’m the teacher here at the elementary school.”
If the silence wasn’t enough of a hint, the ice cold stare Spellbook was now giving her was a clear indication of how wrong her thoughts were. Awkwardly, Sunny lowered her hoof as Spellbook marched right past her as if she barely noticed her existence.
“Miss Daze, it is the middle of the day. Both Dr. Caster and myself have very busy schedules that do not include making round trips to village preschools. As such, it would be most expedient and painless for you to dispense with the pleasantries and continue with your claim so that we may return to our royal duties. Is that understood?”
Spellbook stopped with her back to the group, eyes focused on the nearest rows of desk and inspecting the note ‘I’m so bored’ scratched into the desk’s wood surface. Sunny had her face about as far down as she could reach hoping to somehow bury her head in the dirt so nopony could see the reddening of her checks as she scrapped the ground with her fore hoof. Meanwhile, Charm was busy rubbing his temple in attempt to soothe the oncoming headache he knew he was about to endure.
“Come now Spell, no need to stress the poor mare more than she already is. Just take a seat and you’ll be back to troubling the rest of the council before lunch,” said Charm.
“I…you…” Spellbook said, struggling for words through her state of shock. “Well we are on a schedule. And it is Mrs. Spellbook to you doctor!”
Spellbook gave another loud huff and situated herself in front of the desk at the front of the classroom as the cream coated guard hurried to her side. Sunny was busy trying to straighten the frays on her disheveled mane when Charm came up beside her.
“Apologies for my associate Miss Daze,” Charm said to her. “However, we are on a bit of a tight schedule so if you could please…”
“Oh yes, of course Dr. Caster,” Sunny replied leading Charm to her desk and situating herself on the opposite side making sure to stay as far away from the ever impatient Spellbook as possible. “So, you’re here about my students?”
“Obviously,” Spellbook said before Charm shot her a warning glance.
“Right,” Sunny said nervously. “Well, where to begin. These two are…well…special. I’m not really sure how to describe it other than that. They’re good kids, really. Twin brothers and very close to each other I’ll tell you, but their magic. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a foal with this much magical potential, much less two of them. They’ve surpassed all of my other students, their ability to learn spells is unlike anything I’ve ever seen, they-”
“Yes, yes, all good, you’ve got a pair of wonderful students, I’ve heard this bit before,” Spellbook said before waving a hoof to dismiss Charm’s glare. “Look, it’s not the first time there’s been advanced students even at such a low level. Their magic hasn’t even fully developed yet so it’s natural for them to show signs of increased ability. Just because they get through lessons faster-”
“But it’s not just that,” Sunny said cutting off Spellbook earning her yet another cold glare. “Here, take a look at these.”
Sunny opened a drawer on her desk and pulled out a folder. She passed a paper to both Spellbook and Charm who picked it off the table and levitated it before them to read over.
“These are the lessons I had planned for the year. It covers basic, elementary magic for Unicorn foals at this level including basic magic build up, auras, magical reach, elementary levitation, and basic sustainable spell casting.”
Charm lowered his copy, “This is quite an advanced course load. Levitation isn’t something normally practiced at this level, and I see you also have basic spell theory on here. That’s quite a bit for foals who can barely access their magic. And you say these two students excel at these?”
“No,” Sunny replied. “Not excel, passed. They’re done with the lessons, the both of them.”
Silence. Charm and Spellbook sat staring at Sunny as the words hung freely in the air, as if they were waiting for her to tell them she was joking. Sunny sat back in her chair, not sure of what to say next, flipping between the quizzical eyes of Charm and the skeptical eyes of Spellbook. After what seemed like hours, Spellbook gently lowered the class schedule and removed her glasses, placing them in her vest pocket.
“Miss Daze,” she said slowly. “Are you telling us that these students have completed an entire year’s worth of study?”
“Completed and even gone beyond the scope of the class ma’am,” Sunny replied.
“But…it’s March,” Charm said, startled for the first time since his arrival. “The students still have four more months of school.”
Sunny nodded. Charm stood dumfounded as he looked to Spellbook. She sat with her eyes pointed towards the ground, deep in thought. She closed them and after a moment, took a deep breath and looked back up at Sunny.
“Before I make the report of this clearly falsified claim, do you have any proof that two elementary aged foals have managed to surpass not only the standard requirements for Unicorn magic across the kingdom, in record time I might add, but have also done so on an advanced curriculum reaching several levels higher than what is expected of them?”
As much as Charm would have liked to have berated her for her curtness, he couldn’t argue with the facts. Unicorn foals this age shouldn’t be able to do some of the things Sunny claims that her foals can do. Levitation was pushing it as it was, but spell theory even as basic as described on her curriculum was beyond the age. Charm knew better than most that this age’s schooling was deigned more to test a Unicorn’s abilities and open their minds rather than actually train them on subjects. He looked back over to Sunny, who had her head resting against her hoof, eyes locked on the first row of desks Spellbook had been observing when she walked in. She gave a small sigh and turned her attention out the window to the still floating swing. She looked more tired than she was when they walked in. Not nervous, just a bit more exhausted.
“Well,” Sunny began. “Apart from the swing set, this schoolhouse used to be blue.”
From the desk of: Starswirl the Bearded
Date: August 14th, 4 C.E. (Current Equestria)
Journal Stamp: #407a.
As I take the time to reflect upon my long and illustrious life, I cannot help but recall the earlier times of my foalhood. In the ages long before the foundation of this new kingdom of ours, before the union of the three pony races. It was a simpler time if anything. The tension between the three races still very prevalent, but balance seemed to be kept in the knowledge that we needed them as much as they needed us. I was but a young foal at the time when things began to change so my memories are bathed in the eternal…or I suppose, not so eternal conflict. But sour memories of a past era are not ones I wish to purvey here in what may be my last written account. I wish to fill these pages of my early days which nopony has privy to. The long forgotten days of my brother and I.
Not a day goes by that I do not think of him. Clover would be quite upset with me knowing I never shared this story with her. She trusts me so. But no, this must be one story kept most secret. His life, so close to mine, and yet so different. I often wonder that if things had gone differently between him and me, if I would have taken his place. Surely, if anypony could understand him more in this world it would have should have been me, being his older twin and all. I think he would still be cross with me calling myself older, he always was. In fairness I was out first, but he would of course argue the definition of twins as he always had. I miss him so.
I’m rambling, but the point is this. To whomever may read this in the future, if my name shall be cataloged like the many tomes now held in my home or forgotten and overwritten by the many spell casters clever enough to fill in the holes in my work, know there is a reason I do not tell this story to anypony. There are many secrets here that may topple worlds, incite the most dangerous of curiosities, and expose many things I would wish to keep buried beneath the sands of time, but this is a story that must be told. The story of the Unicorn brothers blessed with powerful magic and our journey to the fateful unforeseenunavoidable tragic end.
Spellbook let out an unexpected snort causing Charm to quickly turn his head away from the window. Spellbook continued for a moment with a light chuckle, covering her mouth with her hoof in an attempt to subdue her giggles. After she calmed she cast an amused, if not coy, smile at Sunny Daze.
“I’m sorry, but did you say they changed the color of this building?” she said still quite amused. “As in a color alteration spell? Implying they understand the intrinsic properties of light distortion magic and the emission spectra enough to cast a fully-fledged spell on an entire schoolhouse? As in a spell five levels above kindergarten students?”
To her dismay, Sunny had not once looked her direction during her entire speech. She continued to only stare at the floating swing out the side window.
“Only because one of the colts deflected it with a shield spell I think,” she said.
Spellbook slammed her hoof against the desk jerking Sunny from her distant thoughts and pulling her into Spellbook’s angry glare.
“This is ridiculous! Guard!” she shouted while the cream colored Unicorn guard approached her. “Check the outer walls for any traces of magical tampering.”
“Yes ma’am,” the guard replied, quickly trotting to the front door.
“A suspended levitation charm, eh,” Charm said staring back out the window. “That’s quite impressive magic.”
Spellbook spun to face her colleague and angrily said, “You can’t honestly believe this, can you? I mean…color spells, a levitation charm, shield spells!? That kind of magic rarely…no, can’t be seen in anypony this young.”
“And yet here it is, staring us in the face,” Charm casually replied. “One would be a fool to deny the evidence lying right in front of them.”
Spellbook let out an angry groan as her glare shifted between Charm and Sunny. The sound of hooves drew her attention as her guard returned inside. He stopped for a moment, caught in her cold stare, before nodding slowly. Spellbook’s eyes widened in shock then shut tightly for a moment. Eventually, she gave an exhaustive sigh sat back, crossing her hooves and staring at Charm to get him to continue.
“Miss Daze,” Charm began. “These claims are…a bit much to believe on your word alone. May we perhaps see the two colts in question?”
Sunny let out a long sigh before saying, “Yes, I thought you might. I kept them after school. Colts, could you please come in here!”
What exactly came next was quite different to each pony in the room. For Spellbook, it was mostly shock, and awe. For Charm, burning curiosity, and a little more awe. For Sunny, this was just another day in which these two had gotten out of hand.
Around the corner peeked the body of a young colt, no older than six. He had a dark grey coat that was ruffled and covered in patches of dirt that shook off a little as he slowly made his way into the room. Twigs and grass found themselves tangled in his bushy, coal black mane that was mostly pushed back away from his face save for the few stray bands that hung loosely around his head. His wide emerald green eyes looked up towards the five ponies now staring back at him, exchanging glances with each of them. He started out from around the corner before he noticed the stern glare of his teacher, Sunny. His cautious and innocent nature quickly melted as his eyes rolled themselves into narrow slits, and his cautious smile faded into a grumpy frown. He grudgingly turned back around the corner and returned with a string in his mouth. The little colt walked into the room pulling the string and the floating mass hovering a good six feet off the ground.
In the air, with a rope tied around his belly, floated another young colt. This one looked about the same age as the first, but was just a bit taller. He had a muddy green coat, partly due to the actual brownish hue of his green fur, and partly due to the actual brown mud that was smeared in it. His mane was far less bushy than the other, cut above his eyes in straight, sea blue strands…or at least they would have been straight had they not been messily thrown about his head. The little green colt had his front hooves crossed, body limp as if he was hanging from some invisible fishing hook, and his deep set golden eyes were fixed into the hardest stare the young colt could manage throwing daggers down at the grey colt pulling him. However, he quickly took notice that his teacher was not the only pair of eyes staring at him as the gathered audience was now intently focused on him. His cheeks burned slight red before he hung his head in a fruitless attempt to shield his face from the stares of the gathered ponies.
“Dr. Caster, Miss Spellbook, I would like you to meet Starswirl and his twin broth-“
“Ow! Quit it!” shouted the colt in the air.
“Sorry, but I’m trying to get you down,” the one on the ground said after yanking on the rope.
“We already tried that you dolt,” the floating one responded sourly.
“Said the pony stuck in the air,” the other sneered back.
“COLTS!” Sunny shouted silencing them both, and causing their heads to droop.
“Sorry Miss Daze,” they said in unison.
Sunny sighed and turned her attention to the now petrified professionals before her. Both of them still had their eyes locked tightly on the scene before them.
“Why is your brother still floating?” Sunny asked the grey colt. “Get Starswirl down from there.”
“I’m sorry Miss Daze, but I don’t know the counter spell,” the grey one said.
“Big surprise there,” Starswirl mumbled just loud enough for everypony in the room to hear.
“Hey,” the brother said, turning on him. “You don’t know the counter spell either, and I don’t see you coming up with any great ideas.”
“Colts not now,” Sunny said approaching them before Charm stepped forward.
“If I may,” Charm said approaching the two colts now giving him their full attention. He looked down at the grey one and said, “A levitation spell huh? You do the same thing to the swings?”
“No sir,” Starswirl piped up. “That was all me. Pretty neat right?”
“Oh by the gods, not this again,” the brother moaned.
With a flash of magic, Charm enveloped Starswirl in his aura and slowly lowered him to the ground before another argument could begin. As Starswirl’s hooves touched the ground, Spellbook had walked over to them and was now keenly inspecting the pair. After watching Starswirl attempt to dust the excess dirt off his coat, her eyes settled on the brother.
“So,” she started. “Am I to presume that you changed the color of the school young mister-“
“What’s with the black cloaks?” he said pointing to the corner and cutting her off, leaving the room in an unexpected hush while Starswirl brought a hoof to his face. “I mean, it’s sunny and in the middle of the day. Did you all travel through town wearing those black cloaks in front of everypony? I bet you all stood out like a Pegasus in a magic contest.”
There was a moment of silence before Charm burst out in a loud, “Ha!” continuing in a good size chuckle while Spellbook gave him what was growing to be an uncountable number of concerning and utterly annoyed looks.
“I like this one,” he said. “Perceptive. Told you there was no reason to go out in official attire.”
“The royal doctrine clearly states that…UGH, never mind. Just…,” Spellbook said finishing her huff and taking a long breath before looking at the two colts. “Young foals, some claims have been made about what you two have done today. Would you care to explain what exactly happened?”
The two colts exchanged side glances as they shuffled their hooves on the ground. They hesitantly looked towards their teacher who had continued her heated stare at the two of them.
“Well…” the grey brother started.
“What happened was…” Starswirl continued.
“Give it back,” Starswirl demanded.
The little colt was standing in the busy playground surrounded by other young foals. Recess was in full swing for the youngsters as they ran around and played happily in the large field around the bright blue schoolhouse. All except for one angry little green colt watching his brother swing casually in front of him.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about Swirls,” his brother said.
Starswirl huffed angrily and got closer to his brother.
“My juice box. I know you took it. I want it back.”
“Hmm, juice you say,” his brother said dramatically pausing. “Nope, I can’t seem to recall this juice you speak of.”
“That’s not funny. I know you took it.”
“Clearly some evil villain has stolen your precious drink,” the brother said giggling. “Quickly, we must solve this mystery before the trail runs cold.”
“Stop it.”
“It must be somepony close.”
“Give it.”
“What mastermind could be behind this?”
“I’m warning you.”
“Only somepony truly evil would dare touch the precious apple juice of the great Starswirl himself.”
“I never said it was apple juice.”
“….I bet it tasted pretty good.”
Starswirl quickly powered up his little horn, wrapping his golden aura around it, and fired a spell at his brother, turning the colt’s mischievous grin into a wide eyed gasp. The spell hit the rope, and the swing froze at the top of its arc. Surprised the spell was not aimed at him, his brother slipped out of the chair of the swing, and hit the ground with a hard thud. Some of the foals in the yard turned to look and laugh as he picked himself off the wet ground beneath the swing. He looked up to see Starswirl sticking his tongue out at him only to turn and trot happily away.
“Oh dear brother,” came the menacing voice from behind Starswirl.
He turned just in time to duck the oncoming spell aimed at his face. The purple ball of energy flew just inches over his head and collided with the side of the schoolhouse, causing a ripple to form on the solid wall as the paint slowly faded from blue to white. Starswirl smiled triumphantly and turned to face his brother.
“Ha, you miss-“
He was cut short by the sudden impact force of a small colt running into his chest. The two brothers angrily swatted at each other as they rolled around in the dirt before finally Starswirl managed to break free from his brother’s grasp.
“C’mon little bro, is that all you got?” Starswirl goateed.
“I’m not little!” his brother cried, wrapping his purple aura around his horn and firing another spell.
Starswirl was ready, already gathering his magic and bouncing the spell off his horn like a baseball in a different direction. He turned and galloped away as his brother began to fire more spells and began the chase. They ran around the play set with Starswirl constantly deflecting the spells that his brother sent his way. The clamor of the foals watching was enough to drown out their shouting teacher. After a few moments of chase Starswirl began to slow as his horn sputtered, and his aura began to dim. His brother, sensing his coming opportunity, rushed forward sending a volley of spells at him. Starswirl did his best to block, but he was too exhausted from his earlier spells, and one of the beams hit him square in the chest. Instead of knocking him on his flank, Starswirl began to float upwards, flailing his hooves trying to reach the ground.
“Hey, get me down from here!” Starswirl shouted looking at his brother who was sprawled out on the ground, breathing heavily from exhausting the last of his magic reserves.
“Oh sweet heavens!” Sunny Daze’s voice broke out from the mass of shouting foals. “What have you two done now!? Oh my, Daisy, go inside and get some string to tie to Starswirl. Everypony please go inside.”
A collective “aww” was heard as the foals began to trot back inside. A crystal blue aura appeared in the middle of the small crowd, and a grey colt was plucked from the group and pulled in front of his teacher’s face.
“And where do you think you’re going?” she asked.
“Wow, you look very pretty today Miss Daze,” the young colt said hopefully getting nothing but a deadpan expression as a reply from her. “Yeah, I know, detention. I’ll have the note from my parents signed by tomorrow.”
“Now that’s something,” Charm said enthusiastically. “This young and already performing far above average spells and flexibility of casting.”
“Oh it’s more than that,” Spellbook said happily for the first time since she arrived. “How much magic do you two know?”
“More to the point, where did you even learn how to do that?” Charm added.
“Well, I read spell books when I can,” Starswirl said. “The ones I have are kind of old, and we don’t get to go to the royal library all that often, but I manage. Mostly I just try to breakdown the spells and put all the little pieces together.”
“I tend to just try random stuff and see what works,” the brother said. “Usually I just find a problem I want to solve with magic and work out a way to do it. The hard part is finding the right basic idea to work the spell, but after that it’s pretty easy.”
“It would be easier if you opened a book and read about it first,” Starswirl stated.
“Hey, nopony asked you.”
“I’m just giving my opinion.”
“Nopony asked for your opinion!”
As the two began their newest argument, Spellbook and Charm turned to each other.
“This is unbelievable,” Charm said quietly. “These colts have mastered spells far beyond their age level.”
“No, don’t you see,” Spellbook said back. “They’ve mastered spells they shouldn’t even have access to. Unicorns this young don’t have that kind of raw magical power built up in their bodies and yet these two have managed to not only surpass that, but their natural sense of the inner workings of magic is beyond even what I’ve seen some of your students capable of.”
Charm turned back to look at the two colts still squabbling among themselves, slightly unaware of the other ponies in the room.
“That kind of raw ability,” he said slowly. “It’s unheard of in…well I daresay all of pony history. These two…they’re going to be special. I can feel it.”
“The Unicorn race could use a pair of exceptionally talented young casters,” Spellbook replied.
“The entire pony race could,” Charm corrected, casting a glance at her.
“Hmph, well-“
“Pegasi already know how to fly. They don’t need to be taught; it’s instinct. Just like magic,” the brother said, snapping Charm and Spellbook back to the conversation.
“They do to!” Starswirl exclaimed. “What kind of crazy nonsense is-“
“Ok young foals,” Spellbook said, halting the debate. “It was lovely to meet the two of you. We’d like to ask you some more questions and do a few tests, but I think you should run home now.”
“Yes, go on. Your parents are probably getting worried,” Sunny said.
“Probably not,” Starswirl said, levitating his things to him from the side of the room. “They’re used to somepony causing their older brother to come home late.”
“We’re twins, bookworm. Just because you were born a few minutes before me doesn’t make you older,” his brother replied sourly.
“We’ll be coming back in a few days,” Charm said to Sunny. “If they’re as far advanced as we believe, then there’s some special instruction I feel would be best for them. We’ll take care of informing their parents.”
“Hey ma’am, can I take your cloak? It looks really good on me,” the brother said, draping one of the cloaks over his shoulders and striking a regal pose, causing Starswirl to roll his eyes.
“That is royal property mister…apologies; I didn’t catch your name?”
February 20th, 300 N.E. (New Equestria)
It is said that time governs this world. All things succumb to the decay of time. Worlds come and go, empires and kingdoms rise and fall like the waning tides, and even the lives of these lesser ponies are victims to the onslaught of time. For none can escape its grasp, none may attempt to control its unequivocal power, and none may beat the unstoppable force.
All except me.
It is after so many years of ruling this land that I have come to appreciate the power in my own hooves and horn. The power that has survived the ravage of the elements, magic, Gods, and even time itself. Eons of time. I have dominated the indomitable force of time and death itself and have become master of this world. Not even these so called goddesses dare to stand against me. The ponies of my kingdom cower beneath the swirling rage of my power. All is mine and all shall remain mine, for not even time is my enemy…as much as my dear brother would have hoped it to be.
…my brother…
Long has it been since his name stained my mind. The self-proclaimed master of time itself. HA! Even he could not stop me forever. He had always assumed his magic was the strongest even when were but foal, never considering his own twin to be a match for him. His ego stroked by the hollow title bestowed upon him by the false deities of old. How I love to read of their demise. How ironic that they carve their destroyer into the walls of their elegant halls.
Perhaps it would be a good time to recount the throws of my foalhood. Recount the epic that is my rise to power. Through the treachery of false gods, the ignorance of masses, fear, hatred, power…the betrayal of blood…I wish to bask in my glory, for I am unbeatable. I am unrelenting. I am all powerful. I am immortal.
I am King.
Signed,
King Sombra
King of the Crystal Empire & Lord of the Northern Hills
Author's Note
Had to change the last journal date so it would make sense later
Ch.1 - The Graduates
The Graduates
“In the many a years I have spent educating and molding the minds of this tribe’s most studious of young spellcasters, I find that each new generation holds new surprises and talents that astonish me to this very day.”
The crowd of Unicorns sat still, attentively listening to Dr. Charm Caster’s speech. The many graduates of the Royal Unicorn Magic University proudly lined the front of the crowd, their brilliant white and blue gowns shimmering in the midmorning sunlight. The occasional bobbing or shifting of the caps was becoming all the more frequent, suggesting the students’ awareness that the ceremony was at a close, and soon they would be graduate spellcasters from the most highly distinguished magical university in the land. The shuffle of hooves and sniffs of proud parents were dispersed throughout the audience and out into the vast open field in front of the campus’ main doors.
“…which are both as encouraging as they are delightful,” Dr. Caster continued. “But among these bright minds are those who shine ever brighter; it is on this day that we acknowledge the determination and talents of your truly remarkable peers.”
Dr. Caster took a glance behind him from the podium at the small collection of graduates sitting on the stage, donned in extra gold and silver ribbon. The seven of them sat poised and proper, moving only to nod their heads in the acknowledgement of his compliment. Dr. Caster turned back to the audience as the two Unicorns in the front of the distinguished section shared a quick grin.
“And to congratulate these fine young mares and stallions, it is my honor to have councilpony Shine Bright of the Royal High Council, who will be awarding these young ones.”
An elderly mare with a dull yellow coat stood up from the other side on the stage where other members of the school’s faculty sat. Unlike the rest of the faculty, she wore a dark black cloak, embroidered with the bright purple seal of the Unicorn King. She briskly trotted up to the front of the stage, ignoring the subtle groan echoing in the crowd of graduates, and she bowed her head to greet Dr. Caster.
Shine Bright only showed up to the school on occasion and when she did, it was only to hold a lengthy lecture about their future prospects in serving either in the Royal Military or joining one of the several magical research departments, or some other subject the students had found less than entertaining. Not only that, she had a habit of tracking students she found most valuable and forcing herself upon them to take harder classes, do better work, and basically find ways of annoying them at all hours of the day. Usually her advances paid off with the most studious and serious of students, but unfortunately she had her eye on a rather troublesome pair of brothers.
“Thank you Dr. Caster,” Shine said, levitating a stack of diplomas towards her. “As I look around I see the faces of many promising adult spellcasters…”
“Adults?” a voice whispered from the group of distinguished graduates. “I guess she doesn’t know who’s in our class this year.”
The comment earned a slight chuckle from four of the other Unicorns sitting around him. With a sly smile, he leaned forward in between the two Unicorns who were seated just in front of him.
“I’m sorry little colts. I guess she forgot you were here,” he said mockingly.
The Unicorn on the right leaned his head back, careful not to disturb his trimmed, sea-blue mane, turning it ever so slightly so that his deep set golden eyes were able to make contact with the other Unicorn’s.
“Is that jealousy I hear, Crown?” the young Unicorn joked back before returning his eyes to Shine’s speech. “Upset that two fifteen year olds got the better of you Mr. Almost Class President AND Valedictorian?”
Crown huffed, narrowing his eyes and said, “Why don’t you stuff a hay barrel in your muzzle, Starswirl?”
“If we’ve got a few days for you to figure out a summoning spell I’d love to see you try,” Starswirl shot back.
“How about you grow another few hooves and say that to my face,” Crown shot back angrily.
“How about,” the darker Unicorn on the left interrupted before his brother could come up with another retort. “You both be quiet and listen for a bit?”
Starswirl shifted his eyes at his brother giving him his classic ‘you-are-ruining-my-fun’ glance only to be returned by his brother’s ‘stop-acting-like-such-a-baby-in-public’ counter stare. Starswirl rolled his eyes and grudgingly put his attention back on the ceremony. However, Crown had only become more aggravated and sharply turned his head so that he was directly in the brother’s line of sight.
“Excuse me, but I think you are the last one here who has any right to talk, markless,” Crown said.
“…with all the resources available to these young ones, they have truly gone beyond what was expected of these University students,” Shine continued, cutting a break in the argument.
The brother glared at Crown before turning his head from him. Crown grinned in a self-satisfied smirk as he leaned back into his seat. Starswirl looked over to his brother, watching his tail flick instinctively over his bare flank before returning uncomfortably to his side. Starswirl gave him a concerned glance, which he purposefully ignored. Starswirl turned from his brother and sighed sadly. A moment later, his darkened demeanor was replaced with a wicked smile as he lit his horn up to magically straighten a “crease” in his gown.
“So without further ado, I would like to personally recognize this year’s top graduates,” Shine concluded.
With that, the seven Unicorns on stage stood and approached Shine Bright at the podium. They formed a line just to the side of her as they had rehearsed before with Starswirl and his brother leading, followed by Crown and the rest of the student government. Shine looked to the line and her determined smile faltered only slightly. As much as she loved her job, there were always the students that gave her trouble, and the two leading the line were among the worst. If it wasn’t Starswirl’s numerous pranks and out of control experiments then it was his brother’s scuffles in the hallways or his dangerous experiments. She let out a quick huff before returning to her professional composure.
“It is my honor to present this official diploma to Starswirl, this year’s class valedictorian and this university’s 2nd youngest graduate in history.”
Hooves clapped together as Starswirl approached Shine Bright. He bowed his head before coming up and taking his diploma, shaking hooves with the councilpony. She smiled warmly at him, which he returned in earnest. She turned back to the podium just as Starswirl crossed behind her, unaware of the golden aura slowly building around his horn.
“And in this university’s first, I would like to present this diploma to this year’s other valedictorian and this university’s youngest graduate in history…”
Shine paused, eyes locked to the sky above them. Several murmurs ran through the crowd as they wondered what had caused her to stop her presentation. Several audience members followed her gaze into the sky. Floating gently down from the top of the university building were dozens of large bubbles. They were each about a meter in diameter and were tinted slightly blue. The oddest thing about them was that they seemed to hold an almost perfectly spherical shape as they floated nearer and nearer to the audience.
The first one down began falling on top of the student section. It floated slowly in front of them until one student approached it. He stuck his hoof out expecting to pop it, but it did not burst. Instead, the bubble began to quickly draw the young Unicorn inside it. He was only able to yelp before being sucked completely into the bubble, becoming trapped inside. A loud gasp rippled through the audience as the Unicorn was sucked inside. He tried to push on the bubble, but it stretched and bent, keeping his entire body curled awkwardly inside.
Chaos ensued as more of the bubbles rained down upon the crowd, sucking up anypony that they came in contact with. Soon chairs and benches were being tossed as ponies scrambled to get out of the way of the oncoming bubbles as the faculty tried to restore order. Shine was struck at loss for words, unable to comprehend what was happening. She looked down of the line graduates beside her, most of which were as confused as she was, except for the one in front whose eyes were locked on a figure behind her.
Starswirl was rolling on the ground in an uncontrollable fit of laughter. Tears were forming at the end of his eyes from watching the success of his prank. He only calmed down when he noticed the burning glares of his brother and a confused and upset yellow mare above him.
“Starswirl?” Shine asked before becoming furious. “STARSWIRL!”
Deciding not to tempt his luck any farther, he snatched his diploma up with his magic and took off across the stage past his brother. On his exit, he bumped Crown in his side, making him stagger sideways into one of the many bubbles flooding the ceremony. With a surprised scream, Crown found himself trapped inside unable to get free. He tried using his magic to blast his way out, only to find that his magic seemed to have no effect on the bubble.
“Starswirl!” he shouted though his voice was muffled by the bubble and the shouting of the rest of the ponies in attendance. “You get back here and let me out right now!”
His brother found himself stifling a chuckle as Crown angrily tried to break free of his prison that was slowly floating away from the stage. He turned his head only to come snout to snout with a very angry looking yellow Unicorn.
“Wow Ms. Bright, great speech, really moving, but…” he said before quickly snatching the still levitating diploma she had with his mouth and making a quick dash for the edge of the stage.
Shine Bright stood there at an absolute loss as the two young colts dashed off the stage. She was only brought back to reality when she noticed that one of the bubbles had gotten a little too close to her.
“Get away,” she said using her magic to push the bubble away from her before turning to shout at the escaping culprits. “You two get back here! STARSWIRL! ECLIPSE!”
The two young colts burst through the wooden door, skidding and sliding unceremoniously to a stop. One quickly tumbled over the mat near the entrance, slamming the door shut and securely locking it behind him before dropping to the ground exhausted. The other stood just a few hooves away, panting heavily and dripping with sweat from the nearly mile sprint the brothers had just endured.
Eclipse looked up from his panting and shot an angry look at his brother who leaned his head from off the door towards him. Starswirl nervously made eye contact with him, fully aware that Eclipse was probably quite upset with him. To his surprise, after a moment of heated looks, Eclipse’s mouth widened into a smile and he began to chuckle tiredly. Starswirl’s own grin appeared and he joined him. Soon the two brothers were laughing quite loudly as they sat exhausted and drained from the day’s events. The two enjoyed a good laugh for a few minutes before calming down enough for Starswirl to raise himself from the doorway. Eclipse shook his head as Starswirl passed him.
“You are thick in the head, you know that right?” Eclipse teased.
“Oh come off it, you know it was funny,” Starswirl said back, magically taking off his cap and gown and hanging them from the chair that was sitting in the small backroom of their house they had entered through.
Eclipse followed him, hanging his things next to him before following him out adding, “How did you even…no, wait…don’t tell me…moldable strength spell on soap water with…an entrapment charm?”
Starswirl stopped before turning a coy glance at his brother, “You know me better than that.”
Eclipse thought for a moment as he and his brother entered their living room. Starswirl sprawled himself down on the couch and began to pour himself a glass of water from the kitchen on the other end of the room.
“Crown couldn’t use magic to pop them,” Eclipse said still in thought. “And magic can’t…” Eclipse stopped turning towards his brother whose coy grin had turned into a giddy, full out broad smile. “You didn’t, did you?”
“They were blue,” said Starswirl reading his brother’s train of thought.
Eclipse plopped down on the couch opposite Starswirl and said, “You stole some of Professor Graph’s dragon scale dust? Wha…why?”
Starswirl sat up, proudly facing Eclipse. He levitated his cup of water to his side and offered another cup to Eclipse, who grudgingly accepted it, catching it in his own purple aura and taking a sip.
“Firstly, I didn’t steal it. I was doing some experiments with it for the Professor,” Starswirl began before catching his brother’s questioning stare. “Ok, maybe I told him I used more than I did, but that’s beside the point. Secondly, I wanted to see if the dragon scale would be a stronger additive in liquid form than a simple trap spell. And thirdly, how long do you think it will take for them to realize what those bubble are made out of?”
Eclipse stared in awe at his brother before throwing his hooves up in the air in utter defeat. Of the two of them, Starswirl had always been the more rambunctious and free-willed soul. His exploits at school would land him into trouble more times than either could count, much less keep track of. And of course, whenever Starswirl got into trouble, Eclipse was never too far behind, dragged into the problem at the worst possible time and never when he was expecting or prepared to deal with them. Eclipse furiously rubbed his hooves on his face, trying to soothe the oncoming headache he knew was coming whenever it came to dealing with the aftermath of one of his brother’s practical jokes. Starswirl, grinning proudly in his “victory” hopped off the couch and headed upstairs to his room.
Their house wasn’t small by any standards, but it was a little small for the family of Unicorns living in it now. The university dormitories were not designed to house more than two or three young students per year. However, special considerations had to be made when Starswirl and Eclipse were accepted into the Unicorn tribe’s most distinguished university at the age of fifteen. Too young to live on their own, they and their family made the long move to stay in one of the larger dorm rooms, renovated to accommodate the family. The school believed they would be there for the average four to six years, however now at age seventeen; the family was looking to move again.
Eclipse pulled his hooves off his face and turned to watch Starswirl club the step to the second floor. The entire dorm itself was pretty much a large open space with rooms pegged on its side. The doorway opened straight to the main sitting room where a few couches, chairs, and tables were set up. The kitchen was further back and their parents’ room was located off to the right. The second floor wasn’t really a floor itself as much as it was a landing. A single curved staircase lead up the side of the room to two ledges sunk into the wall while still jutting out over the sitting room.
On the left was Starswirl’s room, just above the kitchen. It was very simple, just a bed, a desk, and a table with a lantern and several magical items on it. Oh and scrolls. LOTS of scrolls. He had converted his wall into a giant scroll shelf that stretched around his room, containing any magic scroll he could get his hooves on. Half unrolled scrolls and empty holders of spells that Starswirl was either trying to master or experiment with were strewn about anywhere there wasn’t furniture in the way. Above his bed he had carved his cutie mark the day he got it.
On the right was Eclipse’s room, which was in stark contrast to his brother’s room. For one, it was clean. No mountain of scrolls covering his bed and, as much has he loathed, no cutie mark engraving anywhere. Eclipse had gotten one of the few windows in the house, but it was draped over with a curtain, making the room dark even on the sunniest of days. However, what set his room apart so drastically was the random assortment of strange items that were sitting on his desk, hanging from the ceiling, or arranged neatly on the floor. While his brother developed a taste for reckless albeit interesting testing and experimentation methods for spells and charms, Eclipse had found a fascination in objects with magical powers. The little tchotchkes that littered his room were capable of doing a variety of things from simply changing color when the right magic was pushed through it to complex lock puzzles that seemed to work on no magic at all. Something about these charmed gizmos intrigued him and had given him much notoriety in the university with curious professors. Eclipse looked up at his brother, who was busy pulling out and examining a few of his scrolls.
“Dr. Caster is not going to let us on this trip anymore,” Eclipse said.
“Ha, are you kidding?” Starswirl responded rolling up the scrolls and placing them by his bed. “Did you see him laughing? You know the headmaster loves my magic.”
“Of course Dr. Caster likes your magic,” Eclipse said, rolling onto his back. “You both share that same strange obsession with reckless magical experimentation, and I’m going to be spending a month with the both of you in a frozen wasteland while you discuss the intricacies of magic theory…tell me again why I agreed to this excursion?”
“Firstly, I wasn’t the one who turned off gravity in the music wing because I was messing around with some weird orb in class,” Starswirl said, waiting to hear his brother huff before continuing. “Secondly, Headmaster Caster is one of the most recognized spellcasters in the entire tribe. To be asked to go on a research trip with university graduates by not only the Headmaster but a Grandmaster himself, at our age, is a once in a lifetime opportunity, one I will not let you pass up on.”
“A Grandmaster, huh?” Eclipse said.
“Yes, he’s very powerful. Or don’t you remember the ranks?” Starswirl teased.
“…don’t” Eclipse warned.
“We could always jog your memory.”
“I swear…”
“There’s a catchy song.”
“…to the most powerful Alicorns that can hear my voice…”
“How did it go again?”
“…I’ll skin you alive.”
“Ohhhhhh, N is the-“
Two bright purple rings appeared around Starswirl’s snout, snapping it shut before he could utter another word.
“By the Gods, I know already! Novice, Apprentice, Spellcaster, Arcane, Senior, Sage, Magus, Master, Grandmaster, Archmage! Gods help me if I have to go through that one more time! The drill sergeant is enough. I really don’t need it from you,” Eclipse fumed.
Starswirl wedged his magic between his brother’s, snapping the rings that help his mouth closed. He trotted over to the ledge of his room that hung out over where Eclipse was now on his hooves pacing.
“Speaking of,” Starswirl continued. “Doesn’t the military require a certain number of in field hours before boot camp?”
Eclipse only huffed again as he rolled his eyes at his brother and sat back down on the couch. He could never admit openly his brother was right about anything less it shamed him, but the recruiting officer was very specific. Unless he got a large number of field hours in before the end of the summer, he wouldn’t be allowed to register for the year’s training. Eclipse had wanted to go into military service for a long time now, not out of any sense of duty to his tribe, but it was the only practical use of magic he could see, unlike his brother’s dreams of working in a lab every day for the rest of his life.
Eclipse shivered at the thought before directing back at Starswirl, “Why are we going to the Crystal Mountains anyway? There’s nothing there but rocks, snow, cold wind, more rocks, and surprisingly very few crystals.”
“Because,” Starswirl said. “The Crystal Mountains emit a magical aura unlike anywhere else in the world. Their magical signature is in a constant state of flux, the strange rays of light that seem to wrap themselves around the mountains at night are a complete mystery, the flora and fauna living there develop amazing magical abilities and bizarre characteristics, and magic goes haywire the deeper or higher you go which is why only Earth-Ponies can mine the crystals that are in the mountain and you’re not even listening to me are you?”
Starswirl suddenly shot a serious look down to his brother when he realized that Eclipse had begun levitating a pillow in front of his face and studying it with intense focus.
“Nnope,” Eclipse replied flippantly. “Tuned out after I heard something about ‘Oh, my brother Eclipse is so amazing and better than me at magic and I’m so jealous cause I’m a huge nerd and-”
A large leather sack found its way on Eclipse’s face as he was doing his best imitation of his brother. Eclipse pulled it off of him and realized it was one of his travel bags. He looked up as Starswirl threw the second one at his head.
“Just start packing you big dolt. We’re leaving in four days,” Starswirl laughed as he went back to grabbing more scrolls.
“Ugh, fine,” Eclipse replied heading towards the stairs, levitating his bags up to his room.
A loud crash shocked them both and they whipped around to the source of the noise. In the doorway stood an out of breath, out of patience, and very upset Unicorn mare.
“STARSWIRL AND ECLIPSE, YOU GET YOUR FLANKS OVER HERE RIGHT NOW!”
“…yes mom.”
From the desk of: Starswirl the Bearded
Date: August 16th, 4 C.E. (Current Equestria)
Journal Stamp: #410b.
It was called Vallis Pace, The Valley of Peace, and it was truly beautiful. Seasons bloomed in full force with harsh, yet serene winters, colorful and sunny springs, hot and enjoyable summers, and vibrant, cool falls; lush, rolling fields of tall grass that extended far, like the sea, and waved as so when the wind swept across it on a cool midsummer’s day. Thick forests, shrouded in mystery and adventure with powerfully old trees wound their way through, around, and in between the lands of the three tribes. Towering mountain hills that reached up past the clouds, puncturing even the highest Pegasi city, surrounded us all in a majestic arc leading to its peak at the awe inspiring Crystal Mountains. It was a wonderful place to live.
I suppose, looking back, this mess began with our little excursion to the Crystal Mountains. Funny…those few days should be an ancient memory in the minds of most who have lived to my age, yet I can never bring myself to forget that experience. I may have only guessed it at the time, but Eclipse and I were destined for greatness. It followed us everywhere we went and we knew it was only a matter of time before it revealed itself to us. And though I was too young at the time to realize it, the genesis of that greatness started with that little cave in the mountains.
The Crystal Mountains were a dangerous and unknown place. Even after the exodus of the tribes from Vallis Pace through them, they remain a danger. Creatures unlike any ever seen live in those mountains, fueled by magic unknown to most and dangerous therefore. It is cold and desolate, but that never seemed to stop ponies from going there. We do have a rather bold taste for the mysterious. Our team’s goal for that trip was supposed to be a simple research expedition, but what Eclipse and I found in those mountains would set the stage for the strugglethe tragedy what was to come.
Author's Note
And we're off. Some things to note, this is going to be a long and in depth story. I didn't plan it that way, but that's what it turned into and I'm quite happy about it. So enjoy the ride and such. Updates will not be regular since I procrastinate on writing so just check back every so often. K bye.
