The Land Before Us

Chapter 26 – Element of Taking

Its been about an hour since Star Swirl left for the castle, and Preston's attention span has slowly dwindled away as he now mindlessly searches around the study's bookshelves.

The blond haired man walks back and forth like he has done for the last ten minutes, not really looking for a book but at least reading the titles.

Clover still sits at her chair but her eyes are still focused on the slight chime coming off of the gold crown resting on the table.

After a few more minutes of studying the bookshelves Preston moves his eyes to the two books that fell out of Star Swirl’s bag, both brown almost leather books are title less and the blonde haired man can't take his eyes off of them. He slowly walks over to them as he picks the first one up.

But as he flips through the pages all he finds are meaningless remarks the old stallion must have put down to remind himself of something.

"Put that down."

He moves his eyes from the book to Clover as he smiles, "There's no TV and i'm board."

Clover rolls her eyes to unfamiliar word as she talks, "Well these books are Master Star Swirl’s personal journals and I do not think he would be happy if he catches you reading them."

Preston nods at the comment as he puts the first book down and brings the second open to a random page towards the back of the book, unlike the other one this one is almost full as he reads the page aloud, "...Today is the first day of our quest to create the elements of harmony, our first task is to get a pure Trottingham gold crown made. As it is the finest gold in the land..."

Preston shots a smile back to Clover as he tries to copy the old stallion's raspy voice.

The mare holds an annoyed look to him but she doesn't stop him a he flips to another page and reads again out loud in the old stallion's voice, "...It's been four days since we have left the unicorn capital and Clover has not stopped complaining about the cloak I have asked her to wear."

Clover's ear flicks as Preston gives a laugh and continues, "...Her voice is starting to harm my old ears, she may be part ghastly eel..."

"Hey..." Clover now turns herself to Preston as she holds her hoof out, "Let me see that book."

Preston holds it out from her hoof as he chuckles through the next few pages to himself, "...Oh here we go..."

Preston's copying of the old stallion has started to get a little better as he talks, "Bha..." He gives a loud laugh as he stops, Clover slightly giggles to his voice as he reads, "...Today marks the fifteenth day of our journey and strangely after following a new feeling of magic we have discovered a creature I have never once seen before...." Preston stops his copying voice as he squints to the words now talking about him.

"...This creature has vomited on itself and not even said excuse me, very strange."

Clover gives a louder giggle as she points her hoof to Preston. He ignores her as he reads more, "...I have noticed that the weird magic field around this human seems to react to Clover's magic. I am starting to wonder if this is a sign of their magics trying to pull each other together."

The purple mare stop her giggle as Preston flips the page and reads, "...Day two of the weird creature, it has called itself Preston Armor even though it has no armor that shows it to be a guard or knight. But my first thoughts were proven true, that Preston and Clover seem to have a magical attraction that has allowed them to grow close despite their obvious difference in a very short time. I wonder what may happen if they were left alone with no other distractions. I shall continue to push at this new thought until I am proven right or wrong...."

The blonde haired man moves his eyes from the book to the mare that now impatiently waits for him to continue. He stops his gaze of her as he flips a few more pages, "Night one of the element of harmony, I feel as though Celestia's task is more than just what she has asked I feel-..."

His voice is cut off as the crown on the table gives off a loud ear pounding screech.

"OW!" Preston and Clover both shield their ears as they turn to the no longer glowing crown.

Clover squints to the crown as she talks, "It-it's ready!"

Preston pushes the stuff he read in the book aside as he looks over the crown, "Really?" He moves closer to it as he moves his hand towards it, but as his hand is placed onto it a zapping sound rings from it and he collapses to the table too weak to move his head. The man's eyes become half shut and shutters his body.

"Preston!" Clover quickly pulls him from the table with her magic as he flops back to the ground, her voice is rushed and concerned but she holds her cool, "Are you ok?"

Preston's hands glow a slight green as they shake in front of him. But his voice is cut off as a old stallion's voice rings through the room behind him.

"I told you magic is dangerous when unstable."

They turn there heads to Star Swirl as he trots into the room a little upset, "...Did I not?"

Clover and Preston are silent as Star Swirl moves to the crown and studies it for a moment.

"W-whAT was that?" Preston's voice is shaky but he gets his words out.

"That my friend was the element trying to charge from your magic..." Swirl turns his gaze back to him as he holds his hoof up, "...This element is so unstable it needs another magic to power it...for how long I do not know."

Preston finally moves to his feet with Clover as the mare talks, "Master what does that mean?"

Swirl is silent for a moment as he shakes his head, "I do not yet know."

A knock at the door down stairs breaks the tension in the room as Swirl points his hoof to Preston, "Clover hide him somewhere until I see who it is."

Before the mare can react the old stallion has teleported himself to the bottom of the stairs, his hoof comes to the door as he opens it, "Yes?"

On the opposite side of the door stands Celestia, "Celestia? I-I said I would bring the element in a little."

The white mare smiles as she talks, "Mage Star Swirl, I am aware of the elements unstableness." She holds her smile as her voice drops to a low sweetness, "The element of harmony is only meant to spread the feeling of unity, it does not have to work."

The old stallion blinks his eyes a little confused but he nods his head as his voice comes to him, "I-I suppose that makes sense..."

Celestia nods her head as she moves her hoof out, "Shall we unite the land Mage Star Swirl?"

The old stallion studies her extended hoof for a moment before he calls out to the house, "Clover could you place the element in the satchel please?"

"Y-yes Master."

A low chime runs through the house as Swirl studies his eyes to Celestia's, "You wish to have it now correct?"

Celestia nods her head as she smiles, "But of course, I want to have peace before this day ends."

Clover comes down the stairs with the dark bag floating next to her as she looks to the white mare in the doorway, "Sunkeeper Celestia, how are you?!" Her voice is excited as she passes the bag to Swirl.

The tall white mare blinks a little confused to Clover's voice before she speaks up, "Oh, I am fine this day...Thank you for helping Swirl on this quest."

Swirl hooves the bag to her as Clover bows her head, "It was my honor Celestia."

As the bag passes over to Celestia her horn glows a faint gold as the bag floats beside her, her smile slightly shifts a little as her horn sparks up a little, "Thank you Mage Swirl..." Her voice is cut off as her figure is teleported away in a gold shimmer.

Clover gives a sigh as she looks to the old stallion, "Our quest has finally ended Master." She holds a content smile as she closes the door in front of him.

Swirl lets out a coughing laugh as he shakes his head, "That was not Celestia." He trots back towards the stairs casually as he talks, "...Celestia never calls me Mage Star Swirl."

Clover's eyes shrink as she talks almost in a scream, "WHAT!"

Swirl cocks an eyebrow to her as he talks, "What?"

"You gave her the element of harmony!" Clover's voice is in a panic as she hyperventilates.

"No no no, we gave her a bag of rocks." Swirl squints to her as he talks.

"NO! Master you said put the element in the bag!"
Swirl studies her serious face for a moment as he repeats her, "Put the element in the b...OH!" He extends his front hooves to her as he talks, "I said put the element in the bag!?"

Before Clover can speak up Swirl calls back to Preston who is still upstairs, "Preston, you need to come with us!"

Preston comes to the top of the stairs as Star Swirl speaks up, "We can not teleport with you and we must get to the castle hurry!"

Clover opens the door outside as she springs from the tower, "WE have to tell Celestia!"

Swirl shakes his head, "No Luna, we can not risk telling the wrong Celestia!"

The three run out of the house as fast as Swirl's old legs will take him.

End of chapter 26