Midnight's Shadow

Chapters

Midnight Begins: Chapter 2
Midnight Begins: Chapter 3
Midnight Begins: Chapter 4
Midnight Begins: Chapter 5
Midnight Begins: Chapter 6
Midnight Begins: Chapter 7
Midnight Begins: Chapter 8
Midnight Begins: Chapter 9
Midnight Begins: Chapter 10
Midnight Begins: Chapter 11
Midnight Begins: Chapter 12
Midnight Begins: Chapter 13
Midnight Begins: Chapter 14
Midnight Begins: Chapter 15
Midnight Begins: Chapter 1

Midnight Begins: Chapter 2

Midnight’s Shadow

Midnight Begins

Chapter 2

None of my little ponies are perfect.
-Princess Celestia

There are times where I must wonder what our ancestors were thinking when they decided that magi should live in towers. Those times usually correlate with when I am forced to climb the stairs of the Archmagus Tower of Canterlot. I have grown to dislike stairs with a deeply ingrained loathing that can only be born out of intimate familiarity. The rhythmic sound of hoof on stone had become an all-too-common note in my life. Just because climbing stairs was a necessity of life in a city built along the side of a mountain does not mean I like that fact.

Mother huffed from the effort of climbing the stairs of our home. The stairs of the old tower circled around its circumference to lead up into the ascending floors. “If thou art determined to spend time with Gale Kicker, I would hope that thou wouldst be less of a pawn to her machinations.”

As was her way, it had only taken my mother long enough for us to withdraw into privacy for her to criticise my actions at Cantrip’s Emporium. The privacy was only a small mercy next to what were usually scathing reviews.

I felt the weight of my legs grow as I ascended after Mother. “I know not what thou speakest of,” I grumbled.

“Neigh. And that is thy failing,” she said reproachfully. “Didst thou make any attempt to understand the pony the two of you sought, or was it merely the word of Gale which guided thy actions?”

I frowned at Mother’s observation. It was true that I had been dragged into Gale’s little misadventure on her word that ‘twas for a good cause. At the time, I could see little good in allowing a crooked merchant to sell a forbidden tome. Still, I did not wish to appear the complete fool before my mother. “'Twas true that Cantrip was dealing in forbidden articles. Some of the knowledge contained within the tome we confiscated wert most foul and vile, Mother.”

“Foals' play, Midnight.” She waved a hoof dismissively. “He had the leeway to do so.”

I narrowed my eyes at my mother. I would not have judged some of what I had found to be so harmless. The names of demons, for instance, were not things to be trifled with. Then again, what an archmagus considered a real threat might be a bit askew to the common pony. “Mayhaps if I had known that he was under thy protection, I would not have struck out against him.”

‘Twas likely that Cantrip was one of Mother’s more important contacts within Canterlot’s black market. The unfortunate reality of developing a contact within the less reputable parts of society was that one had to overlook certain activities performed by those contacts. The alternative was to be blind to the shadier world of equine society. As Mother would no doubt tell me, knowledge is power, and ignorance is dangerous.

Mother stopped short of the next floor of the tower, stopping my own progress as she blocked the stairs. “Indeed so, if thou placed less faith in thy apparent friend and simply looked into the matter for thyself.”

I gave Mother a level look, trying not to lose my temper in the face of her reprimands. “The tome in question would have been sold if I had taken the time to investigate the matter myself. The buyers for the dark tome had arrived not more than a few minutes after myself.”

She gave me a disapproving look. “‘Tis the concern of the gendarme to track those who would pursue such works—I have raised thee as a magus, not some petty guardspony.” She sighed. “You have left me much work, child.”

“By thy word, Mother.” I looked away from her stare. “I did not know this would cause thee trouble.”

She stared at me for a long moment before nodding. “Consider thy actions more carefully, then, when encouraged by the Kicker mare. Let us speak no more of this for now.” Mother finished the climb to the level of the tower dedicated to her work.

“Aye, as thou says,” I said flatly, following her into the laboratory.

Mother’s workplace was a dichotomy of the old and new of magical research. Ancient instruments whose usage goes back centuries lay next to the latest arcane inventions. Meticulously organized shelves, stuffed with tomes both new and old, sat opposite to those shelves holding Mother’s labeled alchemical and enchanting ingredients. Weathered oak tables sat in the middle of the room, covered in alchemic tubes and beakers, and a range of enchantment instruments sat on a long table against the far wall. Each had books, both ancient and newly printed, lying open or in piles.

“Hast thou saddlebags ready for travel?” Mother walked over to a safe imbedded into the wall of the tower and unlocked it.

I stepped up next to her as she opened the safe to reveal a number of potions and a few other articles mother used here. “Neigh. I had no plans for a sudden departure.”

Mother grunted in dissatisfaction. “I suppose thou wouldst not.” She studied the contents of the safe intently before wrapping a score of the vials in her green magical field and levitated them before me. “Hold these for me.”

“Aye, Mother.” I grasped them in my own ice-blue telekinetic field and followed her as she walked to a nearby double-doored closet. I looked at the vials and felt the magic within them, each brewed for different purposes from dealing with fatigue, pain, dealing with stealth, and other useful properties. “Art thou familiar with this Appleton?” I asked, considering my mission before me.

Mother pushed aside a series of skeletons and the stands from which they hanged. “Neigh, not much other than it being a den of rebels and malcontents since the end of the war. A couple of years ago we were forced to send a contingent of the Guard there. The violence between the Apple and Carrot Clans had become so fierce that the Guard was forced to hang a number of ponies to put a stop to the madness.” She pulled out a pair of small tin cases designed to hold vials and presented them to me. “Put them in here.”

I did as she instructed. “But thou knowest nothing else?”

She snapped the two cases shut. “Part of being a magus is adapting to hostile situations, daughter,” she said reproachfully. She then walked over to her enchantment bench, expecting me to follow. “I have trained thee to deal with worse than this.” I decided not to react to Mother’s provocations and merely watched as Mother began examining some of the enchanted gems that sat on the shelf above the table. I had long ago learned ‘tis not wise to get into arguments with her on most issues.

“Though I do offer some advice.” Mother placed some gems into a small bag and bade me to take it, adding it to the objects floating around me. “I recommend that thee refrain from introducing thyself by thy noble title or thy surname, Sparkle.” (1)

1. Sunbeam Sparkle had earned the title of Countess by this point in time. Given her lack of a legitimate heir, Sunbeam was able to get an exemption from Princess Celestia to make Midnight the heir to her title despite her status as a bastard.

“Why?” I asked. I was curious as to why my mother would give such advice. At least in Canterlot, they were things of prestige. Mostly. My mother hadmade more than a few enemies in her day.

Mother walked towards the stairs leading further up the tower, and I followed. “Because those plebeian earth ponies in Appleton will only look at thee with scorn for thy noble rank—which in turn will be nothing if they suspect that thou art the daughter of the Grand Vizier of Equestria. Some would take thee as a hostage or even kill thee for whom thy mother is.”

I shivered involuntarily. I had more experience than I cared to think about where being a hostage was concerned. “Aye, I will take thy advice to heart.”

“Good. Going by Magus Midnight should be all thou needs to engender respect in thy fellow ponies.” The two of us reached my own quarters in the tower, and Mother waved towards my closet. “Retrieve thy saddlebags. There is not time to tarry.”

I noted the hint of disapproval in my mother’s tone as I retrieved my saddlebags from the closet. “Does something bother thee, Mother?” I emptied my saddlebags of everything I did not feel I would need for my journey, which was virtually everything. I did not enjoy the idea of leaving everything on the floor to be cleaned up later by myself or by a servant, but I did not believe Mother would tolerate any further delay.

Mother was silent for a long moment as she watched me thoughtfully. Her thoughts are so byzantine that I am not sure even she knows how she decides her course at times. “‘Tis simply that I do not like the idea of my daughter going out and facing danger. If there was anypony else available, then I would have sent them.”

I felt a pang of annoyance at my mother’s remark. “Dost thou have no confidence in me? I am old enough to do this. This is what my education has prepared me for, is it not?” In truth, I was not so confident as my words suggested. There were far too many factors that I did not know, and that made me wary.

“No proper mother rejoices over the prospect of sending their child into possible danger. Speaking of...” Mother started looking about my room. “Where is thy dagger? Thou shalt make sure to have it on thyself at all times.”

I shook my head. “I do not have one, Mother. Not since the incident with the otyugh.” That had been a most miserable experience when Mother had dragged me along to the sewers. I do not know what possesses the builders of Canterlot’s sewers to make them spacious enough for all sorts of foul and quite large beasts.

Mother’s eyes narrowed. “I thought I told thee to buy one?” she said, her tone confused and conveying displeasure. She was always accustomed to her demands being invariably done.

“I did not have an immediate need of one.” I pulled my healer’s kit my mother had bought for me at the insistence I should have one. Checking to be sure it was in serviceable shape, I put it into one of my saddlebags.

“Stay here and continue thy preparations.” Mother turned from me and ascended the stairs to her own quarters. I had just finished donning my light blue magus cloak and midnight blue hat when my mother returned. “And I thought I told thee to rid thyself of that hat.” She gave my hat a sour look and clicked her tongue. Mother never been fond of my hats.

“I like my hat,” I said firmly. I studied the crescent moon, stars, and snowflakes sewn into it, giving the appearance of snowfall in the night. Confirming my satisfaction with it, I placed the wide brimmed and pointed hat down on my head. “It keeps the sun out of my eyes,” I said, giving my mother a practical reason for wearing the hat. As a rule, my mother likes practical things. “‘Tis traditional.”

“‘Tis most tacky.” She grunted and shook her head. “We do not have time to argue about this. Run around like a fool with that thing on thy head if thou wishes.” Mother presented me with a dagger in its sheath. The sheath itself had a strap intended to be tied around a pony’s leg. “But thou wilt take this.”

My first instinct was to argue with Mother, but I bit it back and took the dagger. “Very well.” I tied the dagger around my right foreleg. “As long as thou offers no further protests against my hat.”

“The dagger is for thy safety,” she said grudgingly. “Thou wilt not always have time to cast thy spells, and a dagger struck true can kill as readily as any spell.”

“I shall keep thy wisdom in mind.” My ears perked as I spotted my holster within the closet. “Ah, that reminds me.” I pulled the holster down from a peg, and after confirming that the dozen enchanted darts were still nestled within, I tied it around my barrel. Gale had given the holster and the hoof-length blades to me on my birthday several years past, and I had enchanted each of them at her insistence. Half of them had their own unique magical effects that I thought could be useful to deal with different situations.

Mother gave me a long, appraising examination. I daresay I might even have noted a hint of maternal approval in her eyes. “Except for thy hat, thou looks the part of a proper magus.” Start a statement with an insult only to end with a compliment, such was the way of my mother. Still, compliments can be a rare thing from Mother, and I could not help but smile.

“I thank thee.” I tied my saddlebag around myself and inspected everything to be sure it settled right. “I am ready to depart, Mother.”

I could only hope that I was truly ready for what was to come.

‘Tis most awkward when Her Highness, Princess Celestia, Queen of Unicornia, Sol Invictus, Lady of the Sun and Moon, and enough other titles to fill up a small book, suddenly lands before you on the palace grounds. Social decorum does not quite address such situations. Her Highness beamed down at me and my mother after literally plummeting out from the sky to land before us.

The two of us hastened to kneel before her. “Your Highness!” Mother exclaimed. “We did not expect you.”

Princess Celestia motioned for us to stand. “Rise, my magi. I was merely out on a flight to stretch my wings and remembered that I needed to speak with you on some matter of state.”

“My sincerest apologies”— Mother made a brief bow to Her Majesty —“but I was in the process of seeing my daughter off on an important mission to the town of Appleton, and I am afraid I must not tarry in seeing her off. As such, we cannot stay and talk.”

Her Highness smiled down at us. “Is that so?” She fixed my gaze with her own, and I felt as though she were peering into my very being. It always did feel as though such things were within her power. ‘Tis a most disquieting feeling. “Then mayhaps I could have a word with Midnight?”

Mother nodded respectfully. “If such is your desire, then I have no qualm with it.”

Princess Celestia gave Mother a warm smile. “I wish for our conversation to be in private.” She waved to the palace with a hoof. “In any event, I wished to speak with thee about the budget for the magi around Canterlot. I have seen to it that the necessary documents were placed within thine office. Wouldst thou be so kind as to review them before I meet with thee? I will seek thee as soon as I am done speaking with Midnight.”

I knew from my lifetime of living in Canterlot that Her Majesty was politely dismissing my mother in order to speak with me. She had done so readily enough with myself when she wished to talk to my mother in private over one affair of the realm or another, but ‘twas a rare occurrence indeed for the opposite to happen.

“I hoped to give my daughter a few parting words before her departure.” Mother gave me a hesitant look. I had to admit, I felt my own wariness to leave my mother behind in Canterlot. Those times she was away on her duties were often times of loneliness for me. I thought of voicing my own complaints against Her Highness dismissing my mother, but decided against it, given it would likely be perceived as me speaking out of turn.

The barest frown creased Princess Celestia’s mouth. “Canst thou not say thy words now? I am sorry to take time away from family, but such are the burdens of duty.”

Mother took a long, exasperated breath and nodded. “Duty is a mountain, as they say.” She reached out and squeezed one of my forelegs. “Remember thy training and everything I have told thee.”

I nodded. “Aye. I will, Mother.” I felt my throat tighten as we worked through our goodbyes.

She spread her forelegs to offer a hug. “Now, give thy mother a hug and her kiss.”

I hugged her in a stiff, awkward show of affection between us. Hugs were never something that came naturally to Mother. “I will think of thee while I am away.” I gave my mother her traditional farewell kiss to the cheek.

“And I of thee.” Mother hesitated for a moment, giving me a long look with something behind her eyes I could not identify before giving me another hug. “Be safe, my child.”

“I will,” I assured her. Silence lay between us for a moment, Her Highness watching on, before my mother finally brought herself to making a respectful, final bow to Princess Celestia and departing. Leaving me with the ruler of Equestria. I gave her a courteous incline of my head. “What was it that Her Majesty wished to speak with me about?”

I felt the power of Princess Celestia’s gaze upon me. “This is to be thy first mission for Equestria, is it not?”

“Aye, ‘tis so.” I confirmed. “There was nopony else available to go to Appleton, so my mother is sending me to deal with a series of disappearances there.”

Taking a moment to perceive my surroundings, I noticed that everypony in the courtyard was giving us a wide berth. I had to wonder if this was due to nopony being able to summon the will to approach the Princess or part of some strange power on the part of Her Highness.

“I wish thee well on thy quest.” Something about her gaze became more distant. “I remember the day thy mother brought thee before me to bless thy birth. I think thy mother was as surprised as anypony that she was now a mother.” She chuckled to herself, the laugh having a hint of sadness to it. “To think that the day thou art going out into the world as a full magus is already upon us.”

“‘Tis what I have been prepared to do my entire life,” I said, as much to myself as to her.

“Aye, ‘tis so.” She stroked one of my cheeks with a hoof. “And yet thou hast already experienced so much pain.” Though I suppressed the unpleasant memories, a cold shudder ran down my spine. Her Highness withdrew the hoof and her expression became stern.

“Thou willst face many challenges in the coming years. Many great burdens will be placed on thy shoulders, and they will weigh heavily upon thee.” She placed an encouraging hoof on my shoulder. “But know that I place these burdens on thee because I believe in thee, Midnight. Know that ‘tis through the challenges we face with that we show what type of ponies we really are.”

Her Highness bent down to kiss me once upon each cheek. “I bid thee to defend my little ponies: to be strong for the weak, to bring justice to the realm, and to be a point of light in the darkness.”

I felt my knees shake as I gave her a respectful bow. “By your will, Your Majesty. I will seek to please you and do my duties to the best of my ability.” There was something about the Princess’s words that pressed down upon me. The fact I was about to leave Canterlot and my home, be away from the only family I knew, was only now becoming real to me. ‘Twas a frightening prospect.

“Now thou had better be off.” She waved me off like a mother encouraging her children to run off and play. “Thou hast much work to do and little time to do it.”

“By your leave.” I made a final bow and moved to depart for the Kicker Compound.

“Oh, and one final word of advice for thee.” Her Highness gave me a conspiratorial wink. “Listen to the counsel of thy bodyguards. Thou willst find their wisdom most useful to thee.”

Bodyguards?

“Good tidings, Midnight! I am coming with thee to Appleton!” Gale gave me a hug that made me worry if I was going to have some of my ribs broken before we even departed. She had wasted no time greeting me upon walking through the gates of the Kicker Compound.

“What!?” I squeaked. Having ones ribs nearly crushed makes it rather hard to speak properly.

Gale released some of the pressure of her hug, and I took the opportunity to gasp in a breath. “Mother has given me permission to come along as an observer of thy mission.” She leaned in to whisper conspiratorially into my ear. “Officially, I am only to observe thee and step in if thou art in trouble, but ‘tis quite the opportunity for us to spend time with one another away from thy mother, aye?”

“Aye, that sounds most wonderful.” I gave Gale a strained smile and tried to wiggle out of her clutches before I found myself in a death hold.

While I was indeed happy to hear that Gale would be coming, I believe I now saw the game she was playing. While I cared for Gale deeply as though she were my sister, I could not help but see the machinations she had put into motion. She was always hoping to distance me from my mother while strengthening her bonds with myself, and in this instance she seemed to have done an admirable job of doing so. At the very least, the physical distance with my mother and closeness to Gale gave her a considerable lead in their latest plays against one another. I did not doubt that she did so with the best of intentions, but ‘twas most irritating to be the focus of such political games. Also, there was the matter of my mother’s inevitable retaliation for this slight to her.

Somepony besides us cleared his throat. “If it would please the Lieutenant Colonel and m’lady, perhaps we can proceed with preparing for our journey?” he said in a deep baritone voice.

As my mother had taught me, I took in the stallion’s appearance to gain a measure of the pony. He was a pegasus built for power rather than speed and looked every bit the soldier in his blood-red plate armor. His dual-toned, dark blond mane was mostly covered up by his helmet, and I noted the slightly darker streaks of hair on his light brown coat, likely caused by battle-scarring. He carried himself in that way confident and able soldiers always did as he stood stoically before Gale and me. He cut quite the imposing figure while he loomed over a head taller than myself. It seemed that Gale had selected quite the specimen of his breed to be my bodyguard for my mission to Appleton.

Gale let out a reluctant sigh and released me. “Aye, ‘tis best we make our final preparations. But first let us take care of our introductions. Midnight, this is Sergeant Stalwart Kicker.” She motioned towards the large stallion and then back to me. “Stalwart, this is Lady Magus Midnight Sparkle, heir to the County of Shetland.”

“M’lady.” Stalwart gave me a salute.

“‘Tis my pleasure to meet thee.” I bowed my head respectfully.

I straightened myself and spoke in what I hoped sounded like a commanding voice. I was Stalwart’s superior in rank, and this was my mission to Appleton. “Shall we depart without delay? I trust that a chariot has been procured.”

“Neigh, not quite yet,” Stalwart said firmly. He moved closer to me and he started looking me over intently. I gave him a questioning glance. “First, I wish to examine your equipment to be sure ‘tis suitable.”

“Why?” I asked patiently. I suddenly felt uncomfortable as he walked a circle around me. “I assure thee that all of my equipment is fine.”

“Neigh, I disagree. Let us step over here.” He motioned towards the central courtyard of the Kicker Compound, and Gale and I followed after him there. The old, repurposed fort had a large courtyard that I knew the Kicker clan used for any number of purposes, including training, instruction, and general gatherings. Even then, a group of children were being led through a series of martial exercises by a couple adults. Ponies paid us little mind as they went about their business, either coming or going, or talking with other ponies.

I narrowed my eyes at Stalwart when he stopped. “What is wrong with my equipment?” I looked to Gale, and she seemed content to let Stalwart do as he will as her mouth curved into a slight smirk.

Stalwart pointed at my saddlebags. “Your saddlebags are unsuitable for travel and combat.”

“They seem fine to me.” I looked to the cloth saddlebags that had served me well for the past couple of years. They had proven comfortable enough to wear, and did well to carry such things as books and gems.

Stalwart’s response was to step up to me, grab the side of one of my saddlebags, and with a quick jerk, rip the bag open. The contents of my saddlebag fell to the ground, and I was too shocked to do little else but stare on in horror.

He gave me a firm look that did not give even a hint of remorse for destroying my saddlebag. “That is what would have happened if a branch had caught your bag or if an enemy had gotten a grip on it.”

“That was no excuse for thy behavior,” I growled. I began the process of picking up my personal items from the ground with my telekinesis.

“But it made my point all the quicker. Come, we will procure you a proper set of saddlebags.” Stalwart walked towards one of the buildings in the compound, clearly expecting me to follow.

I gave Gale a pleading look, but her response was to give me a nonchalant shrug. ‘Twas clear whose side she was on in this argument. Seeing little other choice, I gathered the rest of my belongings and trotted after Stalwart. The stallion had not even bothered to check to see if I was following him.

I caught up with Stalwart right as he reached the counter of what I believed to be the quartermaster post in the Kicker Compound. At least that would explain the bags, mess kits, waterskins, and other basic items any soldier would need lying about the room.

“One saddlebag for the magus.” Stalwart gestured with his head towards me. “She needs something that will survive the road.” He gave me an inquisitive glance before turning back to the mare. “Better give me the smallest bags you possess.”

“Aye.” The clean-cut mare behind the counter nodded and walked towards one of the walls. “Playing foalsitter again, Stalwart?”

“Bit too old to be considered a foal,” Stalwart said gruffly. I shot the both of them a scathing look. It did nothing. He took a saddlebag from the quartermaster and stepped up to me. “Take your old saddlebags off so we can put your new ones on.”

I considered arguing with the sergeant. I was not happy with the way he had treated me thus far. Also, the saddlebags Stalwart had been given seemed to be of a coarser material and were less aesthetically pleasing to me than my own, silky-feeling bags. The problem was that I did need saddlebags to carry everything I might need, and even if I repaired my old bags with a repair spell, ‘twas unlikely Stalwart would let me use them without argument.

I sighed and removed my old saddlebags. I quickly removed everything from the bag that had not been ripped open and held the bag up. “Can it be arranged to have these returned to my mother’s tower?”

Gale took my saddlebags into her teeth and tossed them onto her bag. “I will call for a porter to have them delivered when we are done here.”

Without comment, Stalwart put the new saddlebags on me. With quick and firm motions that could only have been born out of experience, he shifted the bags to better sit on my back and then tightened the strap around me. I grunted when he tightened the bags too much, and he loosened the bags a notch or two to allow me to breathe properly. The new saddlebags were not as comfortable as my old ones and were much bulkier than I was accustomed to.

“Good, I was worried they would be too large for you.” Stalwart tugged on the bags to make sure they stayed in place, nearly knocking me to the ground in the process. I did not doubt my bodyguard could have pushed me to the ground with ease if that had been his desire. “There, that should work.” He did not seem to note the baleful glower I was giving him as he calmly patted the sides of one of my bags. “Be sure to take advantage of the pockets of your new bag. ‘Tis a good way to keep some equipment separate from everything else in your bags you might want to retrieve quickly.” I felt like a filly being lectured to, rather than a full-grown mare. “Now let us see what you plan on putting in your bags.”

I picked up my belongings with my telekinesis to put into my bags. “I assure thee, I selected everything with great care.”

Gale interposed herself between my cloud of items and myself. I was beginning to wonder whose side she was really on. “I think ‘twould be wise for thee to let Stalwart look through thy belongings, Midnight. I assure thee, he most knowledgeable.”

“Aye.” Stalwart pointed to everything in my telekinetic field. “From this point forward you will have to carry everything on you at all times, both weighing and wearing you down with every step. ‘Tis a common mistake by new recruits to try and carry everything they think they may need. They quickly learn the error of their ways after a long march or flight or when they need to flee from or chase an enemy. Given it is my duty to keep you alive, I would prefer to avoid having you learn this the hard way.”

I closed my eyes took a long breath to calm myself. After thinking it over, I decided it was best to let Stalwart examine my belongings. I was confident at least most of what I had brought would be deemed worthy of bearing with us, so it was unlikely there would be much to be upset over.

I looked at Stalwart levelly and tried to keep a growl out of my tone. “Very well. Thou may examine my effects to see what is suitable to bring, Sergeant.”

Stalwart gave me only the barest nod before beginning his examination. He quickly selected out the small bag that contained my makeup, confirmed what it was at a quick glance, and placed it inside my old saddlebag. “Neigh.”

“I did not bring much makeup. ‘Tis only a small bag,” I protested.

“Useless weight,” he said firmly, continuing to look through my belongings without missing a beat. “There is no need to impress a bunch of earth pony farmers with such things.” He reached the half dozen books I had decided to bring with me, a mixture of reference volumes and a couple magical tomes. He looked at the title of each, frowned, and then decided they were undesirable.

“I need those!” I said as he placed each within my old saddlebag. I levitated one of the books out of the title and presented it before Stalwart. “What if I need Lore Keeper’s Monsterum Totus but do not possess it?”

“Then we will manage.” Stalwart pulled the book out of my magic field and put it into my saddlebag. “These books are bulky and heavy, and are not worth the weight.”

I stomped a hoof. “But what will I read on the journey? Am I just to sit on the chariot and do nothing? Thou wouldst leave me with nothing to read or study.”

“You should have selected thinner volumes.” Stalwart finished putting my books away and turned back to the rest of my belongings. Fortunately, he did not find much else to remove other than some minor trinkets. Finished with everything I was holding with my telekinesis, Stalwart proceeded to examine myself. He pulled my dagger from its sheath, and finding it to his approval, returned it. He did the same with my throwing darts, though he tightened its strap around my barrel so that it would not shift around.

He gave my hat a disapproving scowl and leaned in to bite down on its rim. I jerked back away from him and held the hat in place with my forehooves. “Neigh! The hat stays!”

“Your hat serves no purpose and only draws attention to you,” he lectured to me in such a way that made me feel like a filly. “You are leaving the hat here in Canterlot.”

Stalwart stepped up to me and looked ready to rip the hat from my head when Gale interjected. “Let her retain her hat, Stalwart. Otherwise we shall never hear the end of it. ‘Tis likely she will lose it in good time, anyways.”

“I will not,” I objected obstinately. I eyed Stalwart suspiciously lest he make another attempt to remove my hat.

Gale cocked an eyebrow at me. “Pray tell, what happened to thy last hat?”

“‘Twas not my fault that the hat caught on fire,” I told her.

Gale gave me a knowing smirk, not unlike that of a cat who knew she had a mouse trapped in a corner. “And the one before that?”

Someday I would learn how to smite a pony with naught but a look. “I assure thee that the ravens that nest at the Archmagus Tower made good use of its thread after they removed it from my head.”

“And what about the one—”

“Thou hast made thy point, Gale!” I turned from the two of them and shoved my belongings into my saddlebags and closed them. I gave Stalwart a scowl. “Are we done now? I was under the impression that time was of the essence for our mission.” I was quickly growing impatient with my bodyguard. I doubted Her Highness ever had these types of problems with her guards. Certainly not Mother. Mother would never tolerate being treated like this.

“Not quite.” Stalwart motioned for Gale and I to follow him out of the quartermaster office. “Undue haste will only cause trouble for us later. We must be sure to be prepared. An hour or two should not make too much of a difference either way compared to being ill-prepared for our task.”

I could find no fault with his logic and followed him. “This better serve a purpose, Sergeant,” I said bitterly.

Gale nudged me in the ribs and gave me a reassuring smile. “Do not be like that. Sergeant Stalwart is merely trying to assist thee.”

“By thy word,” I said neutrally.

The three of us entered a building I readily identified as a smithy. Weapons and armor adorned the walls, and the temperature was noticeably warmer than it was outside. A large stallion was working a bellow. He noticed us and pushed up the goggles to look at us. “May I be of service?”

Stalwart nodded to the stallion and motioned towards me with his head. “Is there a set of barding that would fit her?”

The stallion rubbed a hoof against the stubble on his chin. “She is an awfully small pony.” I hated how other ponies always referred to my small stature. ‘Twas not my fault I am a small pony. “‘Twould be best if I did a custom job for her.”

“We are leaving upon the hour.” Stalwart shook his head. “There is no time to commission a new set of barding.”

Seeing this as a waste of time and effort, I stepped up to the two stallions. “I do not require barding.” I gave Stalwart an even look. “I am no soldier, Stalwart. I am a magus, tried and true, and such armor is not needed for a pony of my position.”

Mother had trained me in the way of the arcanist. While those magi who emphasised melee combat, those of the battle magi, were more prone to wearing proper barding, ‘twas considered gaudy and showed a lack of confidence in one’s magic to defend oneself—either through spells or enchanted gear. Mother had ensured that I had sufficient spells to protect myself. Sometimes through all-too-harsh methods.

“Neigh, but as long as you are under my protection, you will be given what defenses you can. I will not see you slain when it could have been prevented.” Stalwart turned back to the smith, having decided for himself that the debate was done and over. “Show us what you have available, and we will see how it fits.”

I opened my mouth to voice my displeasure, but I was stopped when I felt Gale place a hoof on my shoulder. She gave me a reassuring smile and a slight shake. “‘Tis fine, Midnight. Besides, ‘twould make me feel much better if thou wert better protected against thy enemies.”

I rubbed at my forehead due to the pain I felt building up there. “This can only make me a mockery among my fellow magi.”

Gale gave me a wry grin. “‘Tis better than being dead. Wouldst thou not say so?”

“Many things are preferable to being horribly killed, aye,” I granted her. “But still, I am not enthralled by the idea. Armor looks ... heavy. Not to mention what my mother will say of the matter.”

Gale looked me in the eyes with a sad, pouting look about her. “Please, for me?”

I let out a long sigh. Gale always seemed to know how to provoke me to do as she wished. “Very well. I shall try on some barding.”

Gale quickly wrapped me in a hug that made me reconsider the appeals of wearing barding. On one hoof, it might protect me from Gale’s hugs. On the other, she might very well crush my armor, causing it to squeeze and break my bones, puncturing and crushing my organs as I spasmed to death. I hoped it was good barding—preferably enchanted.

The blacksmith brought over one of his sets of armor on his back and presented it to me. “This is the smallest barding I have at the moment.”

I lifted up the barding from his back with my telekinesis. The plate armor looked new. It had not even been painted with the traditional Kicker Clan blood-red or any other color. “It looks ... acceptable.” In truth, I did not know much about barding other then it tended to involve a lot of steel and cloth to hold it together.

Stalwart motioned with a hoof for me to put the armor on. “Let us see how it fits.”

“Very well,” I said patiently. I attempted to put the armor on—emphasis on “attempted.” Stalwart stepped in to assist me somewhere between when I dropped the criniere and when I somehow managed to untie the peytral from the croupier. (2)

2. For those unaware, the criniere is the section of barding meant to protect the neck, the peytral covers the chest, and the croupier protects the hindquarters.

Stalwart picked up the criniere from the floor. “Have you never worn barding before?”

“Neigh,” I said solemnly. One of the sections of the armor fell to the floor with a loud clatter. The shoulder guard, I think.

He let out a resigned sigh. “Release your hold of the barding. I will assist you with putting it on.”

“Aye.” I released my magical hold of the barding and immediately regretted it. My own magical strength is quite considerable. In terms of pure magical strength I am among the most powerful unicorns in all of Equestria; I can lift a significant amount of weight telekinetically. What I can carry with my own body is considerably less.

My knees nearly buckled under the weight of the barding as it pressed down on me. I grunted as I pushed myself up and locked my knees into place. I was beginning to wonder if Stalwart had conspired to make me leave my books behind just so he could place this additional burden on my back. Stalwart proceeded to strap the armor to me and tied its various parts into place, nearly knocking me over in the process. His work complete after a few minutes of him repeatedly telling me not to squirm, he stepped away to examine how I looked. The results were less than awe-inspiring.

“I look like a filly trying on her mother’s clothes,” I said flatly. To put it generously, even the smith’s smallest set of armor appeared to be two sizes too big for me.

Stalwart looked to the smith. “Is there nothing smaller?”

The smith shrugged. “Neigh. There is little call for barding for a pony this small. The filly barely even has any bulk to her. Are you sure she is even eating properly?”

“I am standing before thee.” I gave the smith a look that I hoped was scathing, but there seemed little hope of that when I was more concerned with not collapsing under the armor. I may very well never have gotten up again were I to have fallen. The smith certainly seemed less than impressed with me, given he did not even give me the dignity of a reply.

Gale held a hoof up to her mouth as she snickered. “Thy appearance is most comical. ‘Tis a shame, but I do not believe this armor will do. Just look what happens when I do this.” I was not prepared when Gale gave me a sudden, rough shove to the flank, so I fell to the ground like a great oak being chopped down after the ministrations of an ax.

“Gale!” I yelled as Gale clutched her sides as she laughed uproariously. I attempted to stand up, but the weight of the armor and its poor fitting made it nearly impossible for me to move. My failed attempts to salvage what remained of my dignity only served to cause Gale to laugh even more.

Gale eventually managed to fight down her laughter and moved to assist me. “Sorry, sorry, let me remove that armor from thee.” ‘Twas probably fortunate that Gale was to help remove the armor for me; ‘tis likely I would have just throttled myself in the attempt. I did not wish to go down in history as the first magus to manage to choke herself to death with her own armor.

Stalwart ran a hoof through his mane and shook his head. “It seems we will have to procure thee armor at a later date.” He gave Gale a resigned look. “At least her magus cloak should be enchanted with protections, so she will have that much protection.”

I looked up at Stalwart—at least as best as I was able to given the restrictions the armor placed me under. “My cloak has no enchantments placed upon it.” Stalwart’s head whipped around to look at me while Gale looked at me as though I had suddenly grown two heads. “What? My cloak is merely ceremonial.”

Gale rubbed at her face with a hoof. Based on the grimace on her features, she looked to be in physical pain for some reason. “Midnight, pray tell, why hast thou not placed any enchantments on thy cloak?”

“There has been no need,” I told her. “Placing those types of enchantments on a cloak takes time and effort to do, and I haven’t felt the need to do so.”

“Compared to some of the enchanted items thou hast created?” Gale reprimanded.

I grumbled under my breath as Gale began the process of untying some of the straps that held the barding in place. “That talisman was intended to provide an assessment of the likely lifespan and cause of death for a pony, based on their health and lifestyle. I could be most useful for chirurgeons.”

Gale scoffed. “Did that talisman not claim that I should already have been dead for several years?”

“‘Tis a work in progress,” I protested. At least Gale had not brought up that time I tried to enchant an autonomous broom. I am not sure that my mother, the palace staff, or Princess Celestia had quite forgiven me for what had transpired.

Gale finished removing the criniere and removed it from my neck. “Thou wouldst be better served by a cloak capable of deflecting blows.”

Stalwart took the criniere from Gale and gave it to the smith. “Aye.” He sat down next to the two of us as Gale continued the belonged process of removing the armor. He crossed his forelegs before his chest and closed his eyes, appearing to be deep in thought. “Gale, how much martial training has Midnight received?”

I lifted my head to try and make eye contact with Stalwart, but he deliberately did not meet my gaze. “I think I would be an authority on that matter.”

He let out a patient sigh. “Gale knows what I am looking for. Be silent,” he said with the tone of a parent’s dismissing the annoying pratel of a child. “We are discussing how best to keep thee alive.”

Gale finally untied enough of the straps to allow me to squirm out of the too loose, yet still restricting armor. “She has received virtually none. I have taught her some of throwing darts and the art of stealth, but that oathbreaker Archmagus prevented me from teaching Midnight everything I would have wished to. Such as how to defend herself with her hooves.” I had to bite down on my tongue to keep from making a scathing remark when Gale made the comment about my mother being an oathbreaker. I feared that bad blood would never be settled. “She knows some magic to defend herself, but she has little experience using it.”

Stalwart rubbed at his eyes when Gale finished her assessment of me. “You know how to give a stallion confidence in his ability to complete his mission, m’lady.”

I finished extracting myself from the armor and sat up. “Aye, I thank thee for the vote of confidence.”

“‘Tis not all predictions of doom.” Gale poked me in the ribs, causing me to jerk away from the offending hoof. “Midnight here is a powerful and capable magus in her own right. She just requires more training in certain areas.”

Stalwart rubbed his chin while considering that for a moment. “‘Twould be best if we started her martial training as soon as we can.”

I tilted my head to the side as I considered the idea of training me in the martial arts. “I am not sure I see the point. In case thou havest not noticed”—I motioned to my body with a hoof—“I am not a very large pony. It strikes me as a bad idea to fight with my hooves given nearly any enemy I would face would be larger than myself.”

Gale gave me a quick smack to my shoulder that sent a flare of pain through my leg. “Thou wouldst be surprised how little it can take to do significant harm to another with proper training.”

Stalwart nodded. “More options in combat are never bad.”

“And maybe you would be able to carry a decent set of armor if you put some muscle on those skinny legs of yours,” said the smith as he collected the barding from the floor.

I frowned at the whole idea. I had seen guardponies train in the past, and the whole experience seemed quite unpleasant given the way they tended to hit one another and throw each other around. The idea of myself being subjected to all that pain did not appeal to me. “I will ... consider it.”

“Excellent!” Gale slapped me on the back. “Thou willst see, we will turn thee into a proper soldier yet. We will start on the morrow.”

“Huzzah,” I said mutely. I had a feeling that there was no escape from this training.

Once Sergeant Stalwart had finished with what felt like every detail about myself, we were ready to depart from Canterlot. Gale and Stalwart had strapped themselves to a chariot, and we had spent the better part of the afternoon flying over the Equestrian countryside. I had ridden in an airborne chariot a few times in the past, and for myself the process came to be a dull one. There was only so many green fields, villages, bodies of water, and forests I could look at from up high before it became rather mundane for me.

After considering what it would be like to fall from the chariot and hit the ground a few times, I quickly came to loathe how I was not allowed to bring any of my books along. I was accustomed to being in a constant state of activity. Mother was not a mare to tolerate idleness, and she was quite capable of finding work for me to do if I could not find things for myself. Stalwart seemed to have no similar compulsion and made no issue with me silently sitting in the chariot. If Stalwart noticed me staring balefully into the back of his skull for a straight hour, he did not show it.

Having little else to do for stimulus, I had taken to practicing the casting of some of my spells. I was in the middle of fine-tuning an illusion spell when I noticed Stalwart and Gale slowing down. Looking over the side of the chariot, I saw us approaching a town, though we were not descending as would have been typical for an approach to land.

I turned to the pegasi pulling the chariot and saw them speaking quietly to one another. “What are you two talking about?” I asked. “Are we to stop in that town?” The day was starting to get late, and I could see that the sun was already approaching the horizon. It would make sense to acquire lodgings before it became too late.

The two of them glanced at me and then exchanged a look between themselves that I could not read. Gale turned her head to me. “Midnight, could you retrieve my map from my saddlebag and hold it out for Stalwart and myself to examine?” she asked, completely avoiding my question.

“Of course,” I said, a hint of weariness in my tone. I could sense that the two of them were not telling me something. Still, I pulled Gale’s map out of her bag and levitated it out where my two bodyguards could see it. I also took the pains to cast an eavesdrop spell under the guise of my telekinesis so that the two of them would have a much harder time speaking to one another without me hearing—especially at such a close range. ‘Twas a common enough spell used in Canterlot and most helpful to listen in on conversations nopony knew you were interested in.

Stalwart leaned in to whisper to Gale, his eyes scanning the map. “Have you seen anypony walking in the town?”

“Neigh,” Gale whispered back. “It does not say so on my map, but I believe Crossroad might have been Lost.”

Lost. A word that had come to have an evil definition since the end of the Lunar Rebellion. The war had devastated many communities throughout Equestria. Communities had effectively ceased to be as the war destroyed whole villages or caused their residents to flee. Conditions had not improved throughout many regions in Equestria during the last decade. More towns all along Equestria’s borders had fallen to monster attacks, mysterious circumstances, or even had their whole populations suddenly disappear overnight.

I looked down at the town, and nothing initially seemed amiss, but on closer inspection, I saw that nopony seemed to be walking about the streets of the town. ‘Twas not so late that there would not be any ponies going about their business.

“We bypass it then,” Gale said with a firm finality. “There is another trading town a few more leagues down the road. Are you able to fly that far?” Looking at the two of them, I noticed that they each had a sheen of sweat from the flight. No doubt dragging a chariot while still wearing armor had taken its toll on the two of them.

“I will endure.” Stalwart wiped a hoof across his brow. “A little longer at least.”

I leaned against the front of the chariot. “Should we not investigate? Ponies could be needing our help.”

Stalwart gave the town a glance and shook his head. “Neigh. ‘Tis not our mission.”

Gale craned her head to give me a serious look. “A Guard patrol should investigate the town sooner or later, assuming they have not already. ‘Tis not a town marked as Lost on the map, but ‘tis a couple months old.” She poked at the map for emphasis.

“So we are to do nothing?” I asked, more inquiring then accusing.

“There are times of initiative, but this is not one of them.” Gale pointed down towards the possibly forsaken town. “‘Tis likely whatever has happened is done and beyond our ability to remedy. We would most likely just waste our time investigating and show nothing for the effort.” Her hoof then moved to point at the horizon. “But we are likely to do good in Appleton if we arrive in time to solve the mystery that has befallen it.”

While the idea of leaving whatever had happened to the town below us rankled something within me, I found myself agreeing with the logic of Gale’s statements. While I could have ordered us down to see what befell the town, likely it would come to naught. If we were less fortunate, we may very well wish we had found nothing. I had heard stories from other royal magi of some of the things they found in Lost towns—things that had caused the fall of the village or predators of one variety or another. Neigh, we would find ourselves more useful in Appleton.

I pushed off the front of the chariot and sat back down. “Let us continue on, then.”

We flew off, leaving the town of Crossroad to its fate.

We arrived at the merchant town of Greendale late in the evening. A dozen roads leading from the farm communities in the area converged on the town and made it a central hub for the region. Due to the constant influx of merchants, we hoped there would be lodgings available for travelers such as ourselves.

We landed outside of the town. Gale and Stalwart were weary from our journey and did not wish to fly about the town trying to find an inn. I hopped from the chariot after it had landed to lighten the load for two of them and proceeded into the town. We stopped in the Merchants' Square where the roads leading into the town met. ‘Twas different than I was used to in Canterlot, with its stalls and stores crammed in next to one another with only chaotically placed, curvy lanes to separate them. The sun was starting to hang over the horizon, and many of the merchants in the town were going about closing their shops and stands for the day as their customers made their way home.

Gale nudged Stalwart with a shoulder to get his attention. “Stalwart— take Midnight and and find some food ‘fore the farmers close their stalls? I would prefer to not have to eat nothing but trail rations this entire trip.” Gale waved towards the wooden, thatch-roofed buildings surrounding us. “I will see if I can find us some warm beds to sleep in.”

Stalwart began untying himself from the chariot. I considered assisting him with my telekinesis, but ‘twas likely he would find someway to criticise me for doing so. “Aye, sounds agreeable. Meet back here when we are done with our respective tasks?”

Gale nodded. “Let it be so.” She looked to me. “Midnight should have money to purchase food, aye?”

I looked about the stalls around us and the ponies walking about, slightly distracted by the unusual sights and sounds about me. “My mother gave me bits to cover expenses, aye.”

“Good. I shall see both of ye soon.” Gale took the chariot further down the street and disappeared from my view.

“Come. I believe the farmers are selling their food this way.” Stalwart started leading the way down one of the lanes, and I followed.

The Sergeant led us truly. We found ourselves in a circle of stalls of farmers in the process of packing up their wares for the day. Looking around, I saw an apple farmer. Deciding I would like an apple or two before bed, I started my way to her stall before Stalwart placed a leg before my path to stop me.

I looked up to my bodyguard with an annoyed frown. “Is there a problem?”

He nodded towards a pair of other stalls. “Let us buy some carrots or asparagus instead.”

One of my ears twitched. “We can buy some after I get a couple of apples. The farmers do not appear to be in that much of a hurry to leave.”

I moved towards the apple farmer but Stalwart stepped in my way. “I do not like the appearance of that farmer,” he said gruffly. “He has the look of a pony of the Apple Clan, and most of them do not look favorably on a royal magus.”

I craned my neck looked around Stalwart and confirmed that the apple farmer looked much as most of his kind did to me. No clothing except a wide-brimmed hat, a weathered look about her, dirty, nothing out of the ordinary. I turned back to Stalwart to fix him with a scowl. “All I desire is to buy some apples. She should want to sell apples so that she can purchase other goods and services. I do not see what the problem is.”

“To some ponies, their pride is worth more than a few bits.” I gave him a quizzical look as I tried to see what he was trying to say. Stalwart sighed and continued in a patient tone. “Many of the Apple Clan are still angry over what happened during the war and will not sell to an agent of the crown such as yourself. (3)‘Tis best just to buy from one of the other farmers who are less likely to cause trouble for us.”

3. The majority of the ponies from the Apple Clan had sided with the Lunars during the Lunar Rebellion. The Lunars’ defeat at the end of the war created long-standing tensions between the Apple Clan and Princess Celestia lasting for over a century before generational shifts and the passage of time eventually smoothed relations. Looking at other letters and diaries from this time period, it was not uncommon for any agent of the crown or even unicorns in general to be refused service by a member of the Apple Clan. Apple-based dishes became a rarity in Canterlot for nearly a decade as a result of the unofficial embargo on the part of the Apple Clan. It is likely that Midnight, due to the status of her mother, was one of the few ponies in Canterlot who still ate apples on anything close to a regular basis at the time.

I let out a patient sigh and nodded. “Very well, let us go to the carrot farmer, then.” ‘Twould seem I would not be purchasing apples this day. ‘Twas possible Stalwart was exaggerating the problem, but I was not in the mood for a conflict with some earth pony farmer. Knowing my luck, she would start throwing rotting apples at me just for asking.

The two of us stepped up to the carrot farmer’s stall. The carrot farmer turned from the crates of carrots she was loading into her cart and gave the two of us an inviting smile. “How can I help you two?”

“Aye, can I buy ... six carrots?” I looked to Stalwart to confirm that the number of carrots was fine with him, and he nodded in agreement.

The carrot farmer’s smile became all the wider, and she leaned on the counter of her stall. “That will be ten bits each, m’lady.”

I was surprised by the price of the carrots. I could buy gem shard or a ticket to a play for the price of each of those carrots. I had not been aware food was so expensive, but if that was the price of goods at the market, then there was little to be done about it.

“Very well then.” I levitated my bit purse out of my saddlebag and started counting out the sixty bits.

The carrot farmers eyes widened, and she started glancing about nervously. I was wondering what was disturbing her when Stalwart slammed his hoof down on the bits I was counting out, grabbed my bit purse, and then slid the bits back into the purse.

“Thy pardon, good farmer, but I must have a word with m’lady.” I was about to raise a word of protest at Stalwart’s actions when he bit down on my ear as though I were still a little filly and dragged me away from the stall.

“Owowowow,” I protested as Stalwart pulled me along. A few of the ponies gathered about giggled and laughed at my humiliation as my bodyguard dragged me along painfully. Eventually he let go, and I gave him a sour look as I rubbed at my ear. “What is the meaning of this? I was merely buying some carrots as thou wished.”

“No carrots are worth ten bits apiece,” he said firmly.

I pointed at the carrot stall. “Those ones are.”

Stalwart rubbed at his eyes as though in pain. “Are you familiar with the practice of haggling?”

“I am aware of the concept.” Finished rubbing at my ear, I looked at my hoof to confirm that Stalwart had not slobbered onto it. “I should let thee know that I have been tutored on economics.”

Stalwart gave me a level look. “Then ‘twould seem that your tutors neglected to teach you its practice in their lessons.” He sighed and shook his head. “E'en in Pegasopolis, we knew the act of bargaining, and we did not even make transactions in coin.” He nodded towards the carrot farmer, who in turn was staring in our direction with a befuddled look about her. “She expects you to haggle for a better price. The ten bits she offered for the carrots were but her starting price for the carrots.”

I blinked slowly at Stalwart. “Why? That seems like a terribly belabored way to go about buying carrots.”

Stalwart rubbed at the side of his head. “I do not decide these things. ‘Tis merely how they are done.” He regarded me as his mouth curved into a slight frown. “Have you never bought food before?”

I shook my head. “Neigh, the servants of Her Highness’s palace always delivered food to me. My time was better spent studying than visiting the marketplace for food.”

Stalwart grumbled something under his breath that I did not understand as he looked about the farmers market. “I will go ahead and purchase our food for the night,” he said, motioning with my bit purse.

I did not appreciate with how Stalwart seemed to be dismissing me, and I stomped a hoof on the ground to get his attention. “I believe I can negotiate with some lowly earth pony farmer.”

“Neigh.” Stalwart pushed his helmet up to run his hoof through his mane. “Midnight, ‘tis late, and I wish to purchase something to eat before the farmers leave.” He regarded me for a moment before letting out a long sigh. “I will teach you how to haggle properly in the morning, but now is not the time for it.”

He moved to go back to the carrot stall, but I stepped in his way. “I do not appreciate being dismissed as a child, Stalwart.”

Stalwart closed his eyes and rubbed at the base of his muzzle. “Please, let me buy our food, find our room, and then we can sit down with Gale to talk about this.” I opened my mouth to protest but he raised a hoof to cut me off. “Not now. Later.”

I puckered my lips and let Stalwart make his way to the carrot stall to haggle with the farmer. Annoyed with my bodyguard and not wanting to watching him negotiate with my bit purse, I quickly grew bored standing about doing nothing. This was a condition I was not used to, and I did not find it to my liking. Seeing little else to do, I started examining other stalls and falling into my own thoughts.

It seemed that fortune had not been in my favor this day. Just this morning I had been safe at home in Canterlot with Mother, but now I was off to deal with some mysterious disappearances that I knew next to nothing about. I had only come up with some general ideas on how to proceed once we arrived in Appleton. My mother had seen to it that I had received some training on how to conduct an investigation, but those lessons now seemed a poor substitute when faced with the real thing.

To make my discomforts worse, I have been given a bodyguard who seemed more and more determined to treat me like a child. At the rate I was going, Stalwart was going to start mashing my food for me and then feed me my meals with a small spoon. My only relief was that Gale had decided to come with me, but she seemed more than happy to side with Stalwart on all matters.

Possibly worst of all, I was profoundly bored.

I was eventually brought out of my state of melancholy when I heard Stalwart clear his throat. “Come on, let us go to our rendezvous with the Lieutenant Colonel.” I saw that he had a bag with filled with our purchases.

“Very well.” I turned and followed after Stalwart, not particularly wishing to get into another argument with the stallion.

Stalwart craned his head to look back at me. “Are you doing well?”

“Aye,” I said simply, looking down at the ground.

Stalwart looked as though he wanted to say something but seemed to think better of it. We arrived where we were to meet Gale and waited until she trotted up to us.

Gale gave us a smug smile. “I have acquired us lodgings at one of the local inns.”

“I hope it is inside this time. Last time we were on a mission, I had to sleep in a barn,” he said in a good-natured manner.

Gale smacked him on the shoulder hard enough that it would have threatened to barrel me over—Stalwart was barely even fazed by it. “Now thou hast to admit, it was a good barn.”

Stalwart smirked at Gale. “Only as far as barns can be judged. I believe I only woke up with three ticks on me in the morn.”

I frowned at the idea of Stalwart having to sleep in a place where he could gain parasites on his body. I knew that being a soldier was not the most hygienic of occupations, but that sounded outright unpleasant.

“Come, I do not wish to tarry in getting to bed.” Gale waved for us to follow her. “It has been a long day, and I wish to have an early morning.”

We followed Gale to a three-story inn near the Merchants' Square. By the looks of it and its customers, it was unsurprisingly intended to serve the various merchants and travelers visiting the trading town. With a polite nod to the proprietor of the inn, Gale led us up to our room. The room itself was a spartan arrangement with a large bed, a stand with a washbasin and mirror, and little else.

One problem immediately came to mind when I saw the room. “Gale, there is but one bed.”

Gale began the process of stripping off her armor. “‘Tis good that thy sense of perception has not failed thee this day.”

I took off my saddlebags and placed them against one of the walls of the room. “But there are three of us.” I cast an alarm spell on the door to our room, intended to alert me if anypony should happen to try and open our door, or stay overly long in front of it.

“Aye, ‘tis so,” Gale said without concern. She saw that Stalwart was in the process of setting his sleeping pack on the floor. “Ah! I have also procured thee a pillow and blanket, Sergeant!” She picked up the extra pillow and blanket, and with a flourish, placed them in their respective places around Stalwart’s sleeping bag.

“I thank you for your considerations, m’lady.” Stalwart had not taken the effort of taking his armor off and merely made himself comfortable on his sleeping bag. He pulled out a couple of carrots out of our grocery bag and proceeded to eat.

I was about to ask Gale where she was to sleep when she plopped herself down on the bed. She must have seen the anxiety on my face, for she gave me a mischievous smirk as she settled herself. “Is there a problem? There is room for the two of us.” She patted the spot on the bed next to her.

“B-but ‘twould be improper!” I decried. “For two ponies to share the same bed...”

Gale continued to smirk at me and otherwise seemed completely unconcerned. “Then thou canst sleep on the floor if it upsets thee so. Truly, thy disdain for beds will serve thee well in the coming times. Mayhaps thou should practice sleeping on a solid surface? See how Stalwart has already made his rest comfortable 'pon the floor.” She pointed to Stalwart, who indeed seemed to take no issue with sleeping where he lay.

I stood indecisively as Gale pulled the covers of the bed over herself and laid her head on her pillow. I looked to Stalwart and saw no hope where he was concerned as he chewed on some of the vegetables he had haggled for. I truly did not desire to sleep on the hard floor of the room, and I did not see Gale moving no matter what arguments against proprieties I might have. I probably could have gone to see the owner of the inn to see if I could buy another room, but I had a feeling Gale and Stalwart would object to such a measure.

Seeing no other recourse, I sighed and laid myself down on the other side of the bed.

“Goodnight, Midnight,” Gale said with a hint of smugness.

“Goodnight, Gale,” I replied, making myself comfortable on the bed.

I felt her hoof on my shoulder. “Do not worry; everything will be fine in time. Times may seem hard now, but you will see that these things take time to get used to, and you will adapt to them. Thou art strong enough to overcome them.”

I let out a long breath and closed my eyes to try and sleep. The trials of the day had left me mentally exhausted, and already I was homesick. “By thy word.”

Author's Note

I would like to thank Chengar Qordath for letting me play in his playground for the Lunar Rebellion Era and Winning Ponyverse in general. His help really helped to make this story possible.

I would also like to thank Comma-Kazie for his invaluable help in editing and bouncing ideas off of.

Finally, a big thanks to all my prereaders, Infinion, droplet739, notMurphy, Garbo802, mrjerrio, q97randomguy,
Pav Feira, Swiftest Shadow, Incidental Pegasus No. 5, and JJ GingerHooves for all their work to make this story all it can be.

Midnight Begins: Chapter 3

Midnight’s Shadow

Midnight Begins - Chapter 3

I awoke to find Gale’s legs wrapped around me. I felt her body pressed up against my back and her hot breath flowing down the back of my neck. The feeling of warm contentment I had experienced while sleeping was unpleasantly disrupted when I became aware of the close contact of my friend.

She stirred and nuzzled me. I turned my head to better look at her with a baleful glower. “Gale, why art thou nestling with me?”

“Because thou art warm and soft to cuddle with.” Gale smiled demurely and gave me a squeeze. “And thou didst not seem to find it objectionable during the night.” She leaned in and gave me a peck to the lips.

“Gah! Gale! Thou art too familiar!” (1) I felt my cheeks warm at the intimate contact between us. The knowledge that we likely had been in close contact with one another throughout the night only added to my embarrassment. I decided it would be best to remove myself from her grasp and the source of my mortification. I struggled, but between Gale’s grip and how interwoven I was with the sheets, I failed to make any headway.

1. It should be noted that kisses had a different social context during this period of time. It was socially acceptable during this era to use kisses for platonic shows of affection. Likely Midnight is being socially awkward at this show of affection.

Gale chuckled and hugged me closer. The differences in our strength became readily apparent as my struggles proved fruitless. “Do not be like that. Nothing is wrong with two good friends showing affection for one another. During my time in the Long Patrol, it was common for my comrades to gather together to share warmth.”

Having known Gale for years, it was clear to me that she was merely jesting. Those years of experience had also taught me how to visit revenge upon her. With a spell, I dropped the temperature of the surface of my body, making it icy cold to the touch. Gale let out a yelp as my body went from comfortably warm to freezing over the course of a couple moments. She pushed off of me to escape the cold, and the force and speed of her push resulted in her tumbling over the edge of the bed. She flailed her legs as she attempted to prevent her descent, but she fell to the floor nonetheless.

I looked over the edge of the bed to look down at Gale, who was sprawled upon the floor. Her lips puckered into a pout as she looked up at me. “Midnight, is my company so intolerable that thou must push me away?”

I shook my head and found myself grinning. “Thy company is fine. ‘Tis how thou shows thine affection that goes too far.”

Gale chuckled. “Thou art so cold to me.” She rolled to her hooves and stood up. “But ‘tis time we awoke and proceeded on our journey to Appleton.” The wolfish grin she flashed my way made me feel most uncomfortable. “And this will also be the first day of thy martial training.”

I groaned and pulled a pillow over my face. “Are we to continue with that plan?”

The idea of Gale attempting to turn me into some sort of soldier was not an appealing one to me. The pain such a plan would bring was no small deterrent. I had seen what new ponies in the Guard went through for their training, and I did not find it to my liking.

Not that my training with Mother had been a undemanding experience. Many of the tutors she had procured for me had been quite stern in what they expected out of my performance. Then there had been the lessons with Mother herself; while she never reached the point of wanton cruelty, she believed that fear of unpleasant consequences was the best motivation for her student. She expected the best from her daughter, and pushed me to my limits in all things.

I knew Gale well enough to know that, even if we were friends, she would not be inclined to show me much mercy in my own training. If anything, she might be driven to be harder on me because of our friendship. She did seem to be under the impression that this would better allow me to defend myself against real and present threats, and therefore, there were few reasons to show mercy. Which for me likely meant a great deal of pain. I did not like pain.

“Aye.” Gale prodded me with a hoof to encourage me to move. “Now rise. There is much to do today and a journey ahead of us. Stalwart is already up, and I would not have the two of us be responsible for delay.”

I looked and saw that Sergeant Stalwart was indeed no longer in our room. Likely he was securing rations to break our fast. He must have found mornings to be more amicable than I did.

“Very well,” I groaned. I slowly rolled off the bed and began the process of starting the day.

After a meal, we had immediately set off towards Appleton, once more with Gale and Stalwart flying and me in the sky chariot. After a few hours of tediously boring flying, my chaperones desired a break and brought us to land in an open field by a road. We had a short and unrefined meal of the leftovers from last night and some dried fruit and vegetables. My compatriots opted against the efforts making a fire or preparing a more elaborate meal for a short stop.

Gale finished chewing on a carrot and stood up. After dusting herself off, she gave me a grin that could only mean she had foul intentions. “Stand up, Midnight. Tis time for thy training.”

I groaned as I stood up from the chariot. I had chosen to lay down on the chariot, as uncomfortable as that might have been, to the dirty ground. “Must we? This seems like a great deal of effort for so little return.”

“I would not consider something that may very well save your life as a ‘little return,’” Gale said seriously. “I have been trained how to kill magi, and I know their weaknesses. I seek to address as many of those faults as I can with thee.” She pushed me along to a flat section of the field, overcoming my own reluctance with firm resolution and confidence. “One of the areas I find many magi wanting is their health. Too many of their number seem content to let their bodies wither amid books and flasks.”

It did not take much imagination to reason that Gale counted me among their numbers. “I am sure they had more important work to do than running in circles.”

Gale looked me in the eye, a serious frown crossing her features. “Aye. Pity more than one magi’s work was brought to a quick and sudden end because they ran out of breath fleeing some monster. Or because were cut down when they did not know how to defend themselves without the use of spells. Or hast thou forgotten how many of thy number were cut down during the war?” (2)

2. Unfortunately, we do not have an exact number of how many magi died during the Lunar Rebellion. Not enough records have survived the centuries for us to get an accurate count on exactly how many magi there even were during this time period. Additionally, casualty numbers are hard to determine due to the chaos of war, and especially when historians cannot even agree on the size of the armies involved.

Matters become even more complicated with magi due to the fact that magic gives them considerably more options for surviving a battle—even in situations ponies would normally consider impossible to survive. For example, Archmagus Sunbeam Sparkle herself was declared dead twice over the course of her career. The current record holder, Magus Lucky Day, was declared dead a grand total of nineteen times before old age (probably) claimed him.

All that can be said with reasonable certainty about the number of magi killed duringthe war is that the loss was substantial,considering that many sources from this time period speak of a staggering loss of magi and the critical lack of competent magi in the period following the war.

I paused to give thought to a proper response. It was true that a great number of magi had been slain, and the following decade after the war had been none too kind either. Mother had complained on more than one occasion about our fellow magi who had been hurt or killed, or had otherwise bungled some task because they had only thought to use magic to solve a problem instead of being more flexible in their approach. Given the logic of her argument and her personal experience, I had trouble finding a proper counter to her argument.

“I will concede thy point.” I let out a long sigh.

Gale gave me the most wicked of grins. “Given that I am reviewing thy performance on this mission, if I find thy state of physical readiness lacking, I could always recommend to Mother that thou shouldst attend a Guard training camp along with all new recruits.”

I fixed Gale with a baleful glower. “Thou wouldst not...” The prospect Gale suggested was undesirable to the extreme to say the least. Amongst libraries, labs, and towers was where I was comfortable. A soldier’s camp seemed as alien as the lunar surface to me.

She snickered and slapped me upon the shoulder. “There should be little need of that.” She flashed me a smirk that spoke of her ill intentions. “So long as thou makest thy best effort under my and Stalwart’s guidance.”

I rubbed at my face and considered my options. I saw no way out of this situation for the time being. Mayhaps I could talk to Mother about it once we returned to Canterlot. “Might we dispense with the tradition of bellowing in my face, or shall I undergo the full treatment of a new recruit?”

Gale patted me on the back. “There is little need of that. Verily, thou art making this seem like the end of the world.” She pointed at the ground. “Now if thou wilt go down and commence doing push-ups.”

“How many?” I asked.

Gale grinned. “Until I am satisfied.”

And so I was introduced to one of the true horrors of Equestria: calisthenics. True to Gale’s word, there had been no yelling. In fact, Gale and Stalwart were most courteous in their instructions. Shame for me that I quickly found my limbs straining and then burning to complete the rhythmic motions of each exercise. I was subjugated to a variety of methods of torture as I rotated between exercises such as sit-ups, push-ups, and squats. With the utmost politeness, they instructed me on how to do each exercise—often stopping me to correct my posture or criticise my technique in some way. They also worked to make sure I did not stop, despite my protests of pain and weariness.

After what felt like an eternity, Gale clapped her hooves together. “That is enough warm-ups for one day.”

I collapsed to the ground, gasping for breath. “W-warm-ups?” Every part of me seemed to burn with pain and fatigue, and sweat coated my body. The idea that this was a mere ‘warm-up’ in her mind horrified me. Already death began to seem like an acceptable alternative to this experience.

Stalwart nodded and smiled in amusement. “Aye, and the children in the Kicker Compound can endure everything you did without collapsing like thyself. Even most of the new recruits in the Guard can remain standing after a similar experience.” He let out a belabored sigh. “But I suppose the sedentary lifestyle of a scholar does little to prepare oneself for this.”

Gale prodded me to encourage me to stand. “Aye, ‘tis a shame. We will just have to do this every day until she is ready for more robust training.”

“More?” I groaned, laying my head on the ground in exhaustion. My white-and-ice-blue bangs clung to my sweaty forehead and partially obscured my vision. “You are ... both ... vile fiends...”

“Aye, more.” Gale nodded smugly. I was beginning to doubt the existence of her soul. For what good-hearted pony would inflict such torture on another, much less one they counted as friend? “If time were not so pressing, I would have thee pull our cart for a time. Any proper soldier could walk fifteen miles in but a few hours, and I see no reason why thou art not capable of the same.”

I wished to protest at my poor treatment, but doing so required more energy than I possessed. I sensed no jest in Gale’s tone when she spoke of me aiding with the chariot.

Stalwart supported me as I stood up and assisted me to the chariot, looking to Gale as he spoke. “Indeed, I would have felt much better if we could have started Magus Midnight’s training under better circumstances. But for now I believe she has had enough.” Before I could let out a proper sigh of relief, he continued. “We will simply have to do the martial end of her training once we have stopped for the night.”

I could scarcely believe what my ears had heard. My legs were shaking and felt as though they were going to fall off just from the effort of standing and walking over to the chariot—much less additional training that very day.

I all but collapsed onto the chariot. “You are both trying to slay me and are but drawing out the process. There is no other explanation.”

Gale patted me on the head. “Do not be so melodramatic. Thou shalt acclimate in time.”

Stalwart shuffled through his saddlebags and pulled out a small book. “Meanwhile, read these while we fly.”

I scowled at him. “Thou hadst something for me to read all this time but did not allow me to know?” He placed the book before me, and I quickly identified it as the basic Royal Guard training manual.

“This is part of your training. Being able to function while tired is a valuable skill for that you will likely face someday. I will test your knowledge of this manual later. ‘Tis but a small book in any case—one intended to be easily carried on the road.” He looked at me with disapprovement. “Much unlike those tomes you wished to drag along.” To my surprise, he assisted me in the removal of my saddlebags. “Maybe now you will understand why I did not wish for you to carry an excessive amount of weight. You can imagine how difficult it would have been to do your exercises while carrying all those heavy books around.”

I groaned at the thought of having to carry around more weight while doing those accursed push-ups. I did not wish to think about it.

The next several days of our journey continued in much the same manner. We would wake up in whatever town we had stayed the night in; thankfully, we had not been forced to do something uncouth like camp out in the wilderness. We ate, traveled for a time, stopped to eat, “trained” with torturous calisthenics, traveled, found some town that was still inhabited to stay the night, and then tortured me some more with martial training before going to sleep for the night. I was miserable.

Gale and Stalwart’s martial training had not gone any better for me than the basic exercises. I was no prodigy in the art of martial combat, and it was evident when they showed me a number of martial moves to defend myself with. I cannot remember how many times they sought to correct my fighting stance alone—criticizing me, showing me how I should stand, and moving my body this way and that. More times than not, I could not tell the difference from how I was standing and how they wished for me to stand. That may have contributed to their growing irritation with me. Maybe.

I was really not sure which group of exercises I despised more. They were both tiring, painful, and decidedly hot and sweaty to do. Aches and pains throbbed throughout my body during the day and had even woken me up with a cramp in one of my legs one night.

I was not sure if I should have been thankful that my efforts were so pathetic that Gale and Stalwart did not even wish to have a proper spar with me like they repeatedly expressed interest in doing. I decided there was little I liked about what I was doing.

It was almost a relief when we finally arrived in Appleton. Over the past few days of flying, the gentle hills that covered much of Equestria gave way to the shallow mountains of the Appleachians. Trees seemed to cover the entire extent of the mountain range. It reminded me of that foreboding forest, Everfree, that sat so close to the capital. Hopefully, this region was not as dangerous as that monster-infested den. Nearly every forest in Equestria had some variety of dangerous creature more than capable of using some hapless pony as food, but some were worse than others.

Being up in the sky allowed me to get a good view of our destination: Appleton itself was nestled down in a valley amongst the vast forest and had a large stream running through it. Farms stretched out along the valley until they seemed to be swallowed by the forest. The simple buildings of the town were made of either brick or wood. Compared to the grace and grandeur of Canterlot, most of the homes of these earth ponies struck me as little more than hovels. As far as such things go, the town struck me as notable for how unnoteworthy it was. It seemed more or less exactly like every other Appleachian town we had thus far flown over.

We descended and landed upon the main street of the town. Several ponies watched us as we slowly came to a stop by the shoulder. Gale and Stalwart promptly untied themselves from the chariot while I stared down disapprovingly at the road from the back of the chariot.

Gale gave me a curious look. “Something the matter, Midnight?”

I continued staring and considered my options. “The street. ‘Tis nothing but dirt.”

Gale’s look became one of disapproval. “Aye, a keen observation. Thy point?”

I cocked an eyebrow at Gale, not understanding why she could not ascertain the obvious. “‘Tis dirty. Where will I step and not sully my hooves?”

I had to wonder what type of uncivilized place I had descended upon that could not properly pave its roads. Did the earth ponies enjoy becoming dirty the minute they stepped out of their homes?

Stalwart stepped around the other side of the chariot and gave me a glower. “‘Tis only dirt. You will survive.” He waved to some of the earth ponies staring at us as they passed by. I could not help but note that each seemed to have a fine coat of dirt and grime upon them. “They walk these streets every day.”

“But what if it were to rain? The streets would become awash with mud, and then I would become profoundly dirty.” I looked up at the sky and did not appreciate its broiling gray clouds.

Gale applied her hoof to her face. “Midnight, I swear by my honored ancestors that if this is what slows down our mission...”

Stalwart scraped his hoof along the dirt of the road. “This is foolishness.” Before I could protest or step away, he wiped his dirty hoof along my chest. “There, now you are dirty. You have neither died of disease nor melted. Remove yourself from the cart and let us proceed.”

I looked down at the specks of dirt that now covered my coat, almost in a state of shock at such uncouth behavior towards my person. I considered being obstinate and sitting upon the chariot until some better option was discovered, but I reminded myself that I was in Appleton for a reason. My mission, as assigned by both the Lady Protector Shadow and my mother, was to discover who or what was causing the disappearances in this village. Otherwise the feud between the Apples and the Carrots could reignite. It seemed that soil was simply going to be something I was going to have to tolerate for the greater good.

I tentatively stepped off the chariot and onto the dirty street. I grimaced at the grainy feel of dirt beneath my hooves, but tried to push the thought aside.

“Now that we have confirmed that thou wilt not be swallowed by the ground, mayhaps we will decide how best to proceed on our mission.” Gale nudged me on the shoulder. “So what is thy plan, oh great magus of Equestria?”

I levitated my saddlebags from the chariot and strapped them around my barrel. “Hast thou no advice to give me?” I asked Gale.

Gale shook her head amusedly. “Neigh. I am here but to judge thy performance, not to tell thee how to do thy task.”

I turned to Sergeant Stalwart. “And what of thee, Sergeant? What are thy thoughts?”

Stalwart returned my gaze flatly. “I am curious to hear if you have thought ‘pon what we are to do.”

Grand. It seemed that the both of them were going to make me decide how to start this investigation. I had hoped to receive some advice, but none seemed forthcoming until I put a plan forward. I had little doubt that the both of them would harshly criticize any problems in any plan I came up with. It occurred to me that ‘twas likely that the two of them had conspired to do so from the start. Still, I saw no other option to proceed.

I took a long breath to give me time to gather my thoughts. “I do have a plan. I think the first thing we should do is find the mayor of Appleton and speak with this pony. Hopefully there will be other officials in this town we can work with—such as the local watch.”

Stalwart gave a slight shake of his head. “There is not likely too much in the form of a gendarmerie or other form of guard. Not for a town this size. I would be surprised to hear that there is a full-time watchpony or sheriff.”

And so the criticism began. Criticism aside, questions came to mind with what Stalwart had just told me. “How could a civilized town function without somepony to enforce the law?”

The sergeant shrugged noncommittally. “They probably do not have the bits in a town this size to pay for such a thing. Likely the the mayor is one of the local magnates who serves in his or her office free of pay.” (3)

3. Magnates was the term for the earth ponies during this time period who owned significant plots of land and served as the economic and political elite of earth pony society.

Gale nodded. “For a town like this, usually whoever is the head of the local militia also responds to any unlawful behavior.”

I considered that information before speaking. “So the closest thing we have to a proper guard presence is likely some farmer or craftpony playing policepony?” (4)

4. It should be noted that Unicornia possessed a civil police force before the reforms of the post-Lunar Rebellion period resulted in the Unicornian police force being absorbed into the Royal Guard and militarized. Lady Protector Shadow Kicker seemed to prefer a gendarmerie, likely a result of being a former ephor of Pegasoplis. Grand Vizier Sunbeam Sparkle, for her part, wanted to centralize power in Equestria and assisted Shadow Kicker’s plans.

While the Unicornian levies, magi, police forces, and knightly orders, earth pony militias and law enforcement agencies belonging to sufficiently large settlements, and those Pegasoplian clans who had remained loyal to Princess Celestia had all been consolidated under the Royal Guard, the earth pony militias and law enforcement institutions of outlying settlements had been allowed to continue to function. This had been done out of practical considerations, as the Royal Guard was still in the middle of reorganizing and standardizing training and equipment while dealing with a number of threats. Given that the Royal Guard could not be everywhere, smaller settlements—especially those near the frontier—were allowed to possess the means to police and defend themselves.

“Likely ‘tis so,” Gale grumbled.

That was not good news by my judgement. Virtually everypony around me had dismissed the militia as any kind of force worthy of proper recognition. Everypony seemed to agree that their performance on the battlefield during the war had been substandard at best. One of their larger contributions to the war had been for Lunar and Solar militia bands to ambush their enemies throughout the countryside, committing untold numbers of atrocities. We were still not sure exactly how many earth ponies had been felled in the disorganized slaughter.

So the idea that the militia was all I could depend upon to enforce the law in Appleton was disquieting. Little wonder the Guard had been sent in to bring order to Appleton when it had sparked into violence a few years ago. There simply was not much in the way of government to govern this area.

“That is grand news.” I rubbed the side of my head as I thought about the situation I was dealing with. “We can still talk to the mayor of this town. ‘Twould strike me as prudent to gather more information and inform the mayor that we are here.”

“That sounds advisable,” Stalwart said.

“So we will do that.” I looked around and spotted a two-story brick building that was the town’s courthouse. At least I guessed it was so, considering it was the largest building within the town. There was little reason for a typical family to possess a building that size when most of the space would go unused. I pointed to the courthouse. “Let us see if the mayor is there.”

We walked over to the courthouse but discovered that its doors were already locked. I looked up at the sun and saw that the day was not too late for a public official to be in her office. (5)

5. Courthouses often served as the seat of the local government of an area, in addition servicing court cases. They were also rarely in use until a town reached a certain size that the administration of a town required the mayor to serve full-time. Most mayors preferred to conduct the business of the town at their own homes and farms, so usually the town courthouse only saw use during town meetings, festivals, or when the circuit court came into the town to deal with any wayward trials.

“Mayhaps the mayor is out on business?” I thought aloud.

Stalwart busied himself with watching the ponies walking along the street. “‘Tis likely that the mayor only visits her office when there is actual business to be done. A town like this would not need its mayor to spend every day fulfilling her duties.”

“Aye, that would make sense. What dost thou thinkest, Gale?” After a period of unexpected silence, I looked about me and saw that Gale was nowhere in sight. “Gale? Where art thou?”

I felt irritation at her disappearance. From prior experience, I knew that she had a tendency to suddenly excuse herself from my presence without my knowledge that she was going nor where she was going. ‘Twas an annoying habit of hers, and Gale always seemed to take a perverse joy out of mocking any plan I might make.

I looked to Stalwart, whom seemed busy glancing up and down the street. “Stalwart, hast thou seen where my erstwhile friend has run off to?”

Stalwart looked to me and gave me a simple “Aye.”

Before I could ask where Gale had gone, I felt something tap my rump. I nearly jumped as I spun around to face the grinning Gale. I glared at my stealthy friend, and she continued to return nothing but that grin of hers. “Where hast thou been?”

The two of us had a bit of a contest between us to see if one could sneak up on the other on occasion. Normally I found entertainment in doing so, but the stress I was feeling was not making me prone to playing games.

“Gathering information. The mayor, Carrot Casserole, is likely at her farm in that direction.” Gale pointed down one of the dirt streets that lead out of the town.

I shook my head in frustration and started the journey to the mayor’s farm. My two companions followed along with me. “Thou couldst have told me thou wert doing so before leaving my presence.”

Gale’s grin became blatantly mischievous in character. “Aye, but my way was faster. I merely skipped the step where thou wouldst have asked me to discover where the mayor is to save time.” She gestured towards the courthouse. “I guessed that the courthouse would likely be closed for the day. Guessing that, I knew what information thee would want next for thy investigation.”

“That is true...” I was minorly annoyed with Gale, but she had correctly guessed my course of action. I had in fact desired to discover where the mayor was. I now possessed that information thanks to Gale, and we were all now making our way to her home. It seemed to me that Gale was likely allowing me to conduct my investigation as I pleased—mostly. At least as long as it pleased her to do so, in any event. Even after our years of friendship, I did not have the ability to perfectly predict my friend’s actions.

“Couldst thou at least inform me that thou wert about to depart?” I asked.

“I will consider thy request.” Gale playfully bumped into me. “Relax, learning how to adapt to the unexpected is an important skill. Thou canst not plan for everything, and attempting to do so will only drive thee mad.”

I had to work to keep from careening off the street after Gale bumped into me. I thought Gale may have underestimated her own mass with her armor and the additional weight I was under with my saddlebags on. Stalwart ended up unintentionally assisting me, and I was finally able to steady my hoofing when I bumped into him. Just from the brief contact, I doubted I could have caused him serious trouble even if I had run into him at a full gallop. He said nothing about the incident, and I felt too embarrassed to make mention.

Now walking in a straight line along the increasingly narrow street, I gave Gale a sour glance. “I like for things to be neat and orderly.”

Gale’s features became more stern. I noticed she was paying less attention to me and more to our surroundings. She was being wary, that I knew for certain. “Thou art unlikely to find ‘neat and orderly’ where half a dozen potential murders are involved. Best to start expecting the unexpected.”

My ear flickered with annoyance. “But how can I expect the unexpected? If it is expected, then it no longer qualifies as unexpected.”

Stalwart looked down at me with a firm expression. “‘Tis merely an expression. What I believe the Lieutenant Colonel meant was that you should be ready should the unexpected happen. Likely something will happen that none of us could have planned for.”

I conceded the point silently. There was far too much I did not know as of yet and thus could not take into account. I hated being in the dark. I was far too used to being able to find the information I required in a book or some other source of information.

Instead, I concentrated on what information I did have. “Gale, you implied that six ponies have now gone missing? And that they were likely murdered? I remember it being mentioned that only three ponies had gone missing in the mayor’s letter.”

Gale nodded grimly, much of her attention taken up by the farms as we passed them along the path. “Aye, ‘tis so. I did not find out much more, given I only wanted to be away for a few minutes, and the pony I talked to was rather biased in his opinions. The mayor should grant us more reliable information quicker, I think. She did request our presence.”

“Then let us hurry to the mayor’s home without delay.” My walk became a trot as I hurried my pace.

If we had gone from three missing ponies to six over the course of a few days, then matters were deteriorating quickly. I had been educated that the small towns of the earth ponies tended to be tight-knit communities, and their members closely related. It was not hard to imagine that the missing ponies were individuals everypony knew. Appleton would not have the level of anonymity that a city like Canterlot possessed. Kinship ties would only make matters more stressful. I knew my mother was not above committing great and terrible violence where my safety was concerned. Multiply that over an entire community, and I could very well be dealing with a bubbling cauldron ready to burst.

It took us some time to finally reach the mayor’s home. I had not quite appreciated the farms' distance from town nor their size from my vantage in the sky as we rode into Appleton. We passed by about a half dozen farms on the way, each with a very modest home sitting amongst the vast rolling hills filled with growing crops.

My breaths were heavy when we finally reached Mayor Carrot Casserole’s home. Trotting uphill had not been an enjoyable experience. ‘Twas not as bad as the seemingly endless flights of stairs that were necessary to traverse to get around Canterlot, but the hills of the Appleachian Mountains made up for steepness with length. I also missed the mountain air and breezes of my home city as I sweated. My exertions were further aggravated by the dirt gathering 'pon my hooves. I tried to ignore this last unpleasantness, but I still made note to have my shoes exchanged upon returning home.

The house we walked up to was the largest I had seen in Appleton. It was a two-story home, painted white with glass windows, a rarity from what I had seen in the area. Behind the home was a small structure that was doubtlessly the kitchen. (6) It seemed that the mayor of Appleton was also the magnate of the town. ‘Twas quite possible all the farms we had passed also belonged to Carrot Casserole and were being farmed by sharecroppers.

6. Due to the fire hazard an open hearth could pose to a wood building, it was common during this time period to make kitchens entirely separate buildings. This kept the main home safe from the kitchen in the event of a fire.

While I caught my breath, Gale quickly inquired to a couple of nearby ponies. We soon discovered the mayor was at one of her farm's barns. Following their directions through the fields, we eventually found her directing a few ponies moving goods into the barn.

Mayor Carrot Casserole was finishing giving instructions to another pony when we met her. The magnate was a mare in her middle years. While she possessed a layer of comfortable fat that came with age, muscles from years of hard farmwork still showed through. She possessed a light orange coat, and her mane was a shade of brown like moist dirt.

Mayor Casserole straightened her hat and approached us after dismissing her laborer. “Hail! My name is Carrot Casserole, and I am the mayor of this fine town.” Her accent had a familiar strain to it. In Canterlot, I had seen many of the earth pony magnates attempt to fake a more sophisticated-sounding accent when they dealt with ponies of a higher class. Typically, they sounded forced as they spoke in a way unnatural to them.

She reached out a hoof for me to shake, and seeing little reason to be rude to the mayor, I took it. I decided that was a mistake when the mayor nearly pushed me over when our hooves bumped into one another. I had nearly forgotten that the earth ponies preferred a strong hoofshake when they first met. “I take it that my letter reached somepony that sent all of you?”

“Um—aye.” I shuffled my hooves to try and remain standing. The mayor gave me a queer look as I kept myself from falling onto my rump. “We were sent to deal with the recent disappearances. I am Magus Midnight,” I introduced myself, making sure to avoid using either my noble title or my last name as my mother had instructed. I then motioned towards my companions. “And these are Lieutenant Colonel Gale Kicker and Sergeant Stalwart Kicker.” They all shook hooves and said polite and brief words to one another.

Mayor Casserole motioned for us to come into the barn. Getting into the shade struck me as an appealing proposition, and I followed her. “Can I interest any of you in some cider? I wager your journey parched your throats?” She moved to a couple casks and started filling a mug that had been sitting by them.

Gale leaned up against one of the barrels and smiled. “We would be most grateful for your hospitality. I am sure you know the proportions for pegasi.” She motioned in my direction. “Though for Midnight I ask that thou water hers down to half of what thou would give to thy children.” (7)

7. Due to the fact that only large cities possessed water purification talismans during this time period, most earth ponies drank alcoholic beverages instead of water in order to avoid waterborne pathogens. The alcohol in fermented drinks would typically kill any pathogens and would be significantly safer for ponies to drink. Spirits were typically significantly more watered-down than today’s alcoholic beverages.

Given that earth ponies have a significantly higher resistance to poisons, they can tolerate a comparatively higher level of alcohol in their drinks. Typically, an adult pegasus or unicorn’s drinks would be watered down to half of their earth pony cousins, and similar considerations would be made for children to avoid intoxication.

An annoyed murmur died in my throat. Though the suggestion that I ranked below a mere child in terms of alcoholic consumption irked me, Gale was watching out for me. There were severe consequences for a unicorn with my level of magical power becoming intoxicated. Still, it was not as though I could not handle a single mug of cider.

The mayor gave me my own mug, and I took a sip from my significantly watered-down cider. I nearly coughed up the strong beverage onto the ground. Even watered down, it was far stronger than I was accustomed to, and I barely maintained concentration on my magic to keep from dropping the mug. Normally all I drank was some water I summoned with my magic and maybe a little bit of watered-down wine when I felt the desire for it. This beverage burned on the way down as I swallowed it, and I started hacking. I blinked to keep my eyes from watering, lest they further add to my shame.

Stalwart turned away from his own mug and raised an eyebrow at me. “Are you alright?”

“Fine,” I managed to croak out. I could feel everypony’s stares as I coughed some more.

“Mayhaps I should have asked for a fourth of what a child might receive?” Gale mused.

The mayor pulled out a handkerchief and rubbed at her forehead. “So ... ’tis good you came. Matters have only become worse since I asked for help.”

Almost on instinct, I cast a privacy spell over us. We would likely be discussing important matters, and I did not want us overheard by the farm laborers or anypony else wandering around. ‘Twas unlikely the laborers, the elderly earth pony in the rocking chair, or the children running about doing their chores had ill intentions, but I had been warned repeatedly over the course of my life to err on the side of caution. At worst, I was merely being a bit paranoid and looked foolish.

The spell cast, I decided to start with an open-ended question. Mother had warned me about starting an investigation with presuppositions about what I was dealing with, and the mere wording of a question can radically change the answer one receives. “Tell me what has happened in Appleton.”

With a weary sigh, Carrot Casserole nodded, shoulders slumped. “The times have not been fortunate. Over the past two weeks, no less than six ponies have disappeared without a trace. Nopony can make heads nor tails of it. It is getting to the point I worry everypony in the town will soon be at each other's throats. ‘Twill not be long before my family and the Apples start fighting again, and I do not know how to stop it.”

I rubbed my chin as I thought that over. “Nopony has seen anything? I doubt ‘tis usual for that many ponies to suddenly disappear in a town like this.”

“Neigh.” Mayor Casserole shook her head. “Captain Red Steel has had little fortune in asking everypony what they have seen.” She pushed up her hat and rubbed at her head. “At least nothing anypony is willing to admit.”

I took a much more cautious sip of my cider as I considered what I had been told, and I confirmed the drink was as unpalatable as before. A shame I could not dispose of the drink without offending my host. “Dost thou believe that somepony in Appleton might be responsible?”

Mayor Casserole sighed and sat down on a sack of corn. “I cannot fairly say. At first I thought it was must have been one of the Apple Clan when poor Carrot Cupcake disappeared. But then Apple Strudel went missing, then a few days later Corn Husk. Then it took us a couple days to realize Carrot Glaze was gone. Then we heard one of the local weather pegasi named Hammer had gone without a trace. And I just heard earlier today that Hazen Apple has not been seen.”

I considered what Mother had taught me about this type of situation before deciding on my next question. “Was there anything connecting the ponies who disappeared? Were they kin? Enemies? Anything at all.”

The mayor crossed her forelegs over her chest and looked to think hard on the matter. “Nothing I can think of. I mean, Hazen and Glaze tended to give each other some mean looks over some unfinished business from the war, but you get that between everypony in the Apple and Carrot Clans. Corn Husk mainly kept to himself. I never knew this Hammer. Most of the pegasi keep to themselves up in the clouds now. And Cupcake is just a filly.”

That bit of information was only helpful in how unhelpful it was. Thus far it seemed the probable victims that had disappeared possessed nothing in common. If they had any matter of connection, I would have had some sort of basis to go off of. If all the victims had been either Carrots or Apples, then I could have easily guessed that this was but another chapter in the two farming clans’ blood feud. Instead, all I had was that the missing ponies had disappeared almost entirely at random. That in and of itself was suspicious.

I tapped my chin as I considered the situation before me. “Hopefully they have not been horrifically murdered by some crazy pony and buried under their barn. Or perhaps eaten by some monster and had their entrails feasted upon. Or otherwise mutilated in some terrible way. But likely ‘tis so. There are any number of unpleasant ways for a pony who has suddenly disappeared to have died.”

The mayor bit down on her lower lip when I said that and looked down into her drink. Gale poked me in the ribs and whispered warningly to me. “Thou art acting in a manner that other ponies find unsettling, Midnight.”

“I am?” I whispered back. Gale had sat down with me a number of years ago to talk about what other ponies apparently saw as ‘unsettling behaviors.’ I did not see why some of the things I did would upset some ponies, but Gale insisted that some of the things I said and did were off-putting to most. Apparently my last comment was one of those incidents.

Gale continued to lean in and whisper with me. “Aye, ‘tis distressing to others to talk about ponies they know in such a way. Do not refer to the fact they might have been murdered or killed, at least until we know more for certain.”

I did not see why ponies would want to avoid the truth, even if it was ugly in nature. ‘Twas unlikely the ponies who had disappeared were alive unless everypony had greatly misjudged the situation, and that was the unfortunate truth of the matter. But I had learned to trust Gale’s judgement in such situations.

I nodded to Gale and sat down opposite of the mayor on the cleanest crate I could see. I decided ‘twas better to continue with more questions than dwell on my apparently taboo behaviors. “Has anypony new come to town in the last two weeks?”

The mayor considered that question for a moment before answering. “Only the Patrolpony ... Silent Forest, if I remember. I can’t remember his rank. He showed up about a week ago to help, and he has been helping Red with her search. Then there was that bard that showed up couple days before the Patrolpony. Subtle ... Subtle-something ... Subtle Song! That was her name. She has been about town playing her instrument and singing to earn bits.”

“A bard? All the way out here in a backwoods town such at this?” I thought aloud. “An insignificant hamlet such as this hardly seems like the place a reputable bard would come. A disreputable bard on the other hoof...” I rubbed my chin, and noted that Gale seemed to be rubbing her forehead in pain. Mayhaps she was developing a headache.

One of the mayor’s eyes twitched. “Mayhaps you should ask her yourself why she is here.”

I nodded. “I think I will do so.” This Silent Forest also sounded like somepony I should talk to soon. At the very least, I knew I could put a pony of the Patrol to better work than some backcountry militia captain.

Gale leaned up against one of the barn’s support beams. “Mayhaps ‘tis one of the monsters which inhabits the nearby woods that is causing these disappearances?”

Mayor Casserole rubbed at her eyes. “If ‘tis so, then ‘tis like no monster or animal I have ever heard of. It is sad, but despite what anypony does, every once in a while, some poor pony will get picked off by some sort of predator, usually somepony out on one of the farms by the edge of the forest or actually in the forest doing something like cutting a tree down. But Cupcake was last seen in town, and Hammer would not have any reason I know about go to the forest.”

She leaned forward and gave all of us a serious look. “Usually we can find out what happened when something like that comes up. Red Steel or somepony else who knows the woods will go looking and usually find the poor pony that got killed. No predator drags a pony that far from the town just to eat them. Red and that Long Patrol pony that showed up a few days ago already went around the edge of the forest but did not find anything. Not for any of the ponies who disappeared.”

Stalwart glanced over warily as a pair of laborers came into the barn and pulled out a pair of bags. “‘Tis possible we are dealing with an aerial predator. There are a number of monsters that can swoop down and capture a pony. Even a pegasus that stays in the clouds has some predators to fear.”

Now that was an unpleasant thought. Such a beast would be difficult to find and kill if that was the case. One large enough could have the hunger needed to cause multiple ponies to disappear—like a large and aggressive dragon or a nesting roc that needed additional food to feed its hatchlings. Or potentially something like a pride of manticores, though manticores tended to pounce on a target and eat it on the spot instead of taking it away. A dragon could easily cause such death and mayhem. That was an unsettling prospect. We would need to call in at least a platoon of the Long Patrol to deal with such a creature, and even then we would likely suffer terrible casualties unless we were very smart and lucky. A dragon’s natural resistance to magic would make it difficult for even a capable magus such as myself to harm it.

I put the mug to the side so that I could put my full concentration on the problem at hoof. “Hast thou ever had problems with such creatures in the past?”

“None that I recall.” The mayor drank from her mug. “The Long Patrol have done a fine job of keeping such dangerous beasts at bay. It is rare indeed when sometimes something crawls out of the Forbidden Woods.”

Gale tapped her hoof on the floor in thought. “There is also the matter that dragons are hardly inconspicuous. The Patrol maintains detailed records of the usual places any aerial predators tend to take roost, and check those places regularly. ‘Tis possible something new has moved into the area which the Patrol has not yet discovered.” She shrugged noncommittally.

Gale had served at least a couple of years in the Long Patrol, so I could safely say she knew how they operated and their capabilities. If she thought some large airborne predator at work was unlikely, then it was unlikely. ‘Unlikely’ was not the same as ‘impossible,’ but I had to narrow down what to investigate somehow; otherwise I would wander around in the hopes I would bumble into a clue by luck alone. I knew my fortune well enough to know how that plan would turn out. At best, I would uncover the monster’s identity only because it chose me as its next meal.

“I would suggest talking to Red,” the mayor offered. “She is the pony looking into this, and likely knows more than I. Last I heard, the patrolpony was also with her.”

“I think I will follow that suggestion.” I had my doubts on how useful the local militia captain would prove. This Red Steel had not yet discovered anything from what the mayor had told us, but I had not learned much that was overly helpful towards finding what was behind Appleton’s recent misfortune. I had some ideas on how to proceed, but more information was key to an investigation such as this. “Where can I find this pony?”

“She’s usually at her smithy,” the mayor said. “But lately she has been about the town trying to figure out why ponies have been disappearing.”

So, it would appear that finding this Red Steel could prove difficult. Unfortunate, but probably workable in time.

I stood up and away from the mug of cider. I hoped ‘twould appear I had merely forgotten the mug of earth pony poison rather than not consumed it as an insult against my host. I may have been in a mere barn, but ‘twas Carrot Casserole's barn. “I have no further questions for now. I will go and speak with this Red Steel and see how she might be of assistance.”

Mayor Casserole tilted her mug back to finish the cup. “If you are sure you do not have any more questions.” Everypony else stood up along with me, and we all moved towards the door of the barn. “I am willing to offer the hospitality of my home while you are all in town.”

I waved my hoof to dismiss the notion. “That should not be necessary. I am sure we can afford a room at the local inn.” I broke the privacy spell I had placed over the barn, considering I did not wish to leave a stray spell laying about.

Sergeant Stalwart coughed loudly. “Midnight, Appleton does not have an inn.”

My eyebrows raised. “It does not?” In my experience, most every town had some sort of lodgings for travelers, and it struck me as odd that it was not the same in Appleton.

“Neigh, no offense to the ponies of Appleton—” Gale nodded to the mayor “—but this town has little use for such a thing. ‘Tis not a place many visitors come to, being far from the major roads or trading routes.”

“Oh...” I now felt a twinge of embarrassment as I looked to the mayor. “I suppose we might have need of thy hospitality.” I gave her a sheepish smile.

Mayor Casserole slapped me upon the back and grinned. “I thought as much would be the case.”

If we were going to be staying in Appleton, then I would prefer to procure the most comfortable arrangements we could. With there being no inn in the town, the magnate’s house would probably have the best accommodations in Appleton. At least it was not hard to imagine the magnate would have the best rooms available, given many of the hovels I had walked past on the way to Carrot Casserole’s farm. It was certainly not the largest home I had seen amongst the earth ponies, but ‘twas a considerably larger than that of the mayor’s neighbors.

I resisted the urge to rub the sore spot that had developed from the mayor’s hearty slap, and managed to keep up a smile. “I wish we could stay, but we really must continue with our investigation.”

“Understandable.” The mayor stopped me at the door of the barn with a hoof placed upon my shoulder. I could readily see the worry within her eyes as she looked into mine. “Please do what you can. My town depends on you. Many ponies are scared right now, and nothing good has ever come from that.”

“Um, I shall keep that in mind.” I gave the mayor a smile to try and reassure her, but it felt shaky upon my lips. “I will do my best.”

A creaky, old, sandpaper-on-wood voice from my side nearly caused me to jerk in shock. “Now ya’re not gonna just let the three of them go off without somepony to show them around town, are ya?” I turned to see that the elderly pony had somehow snuck up on me despite her decrepit frame. She looked downright ancient with her extremely wrinkled skin, liver spots visible through her dark green coat, crooked, old teeth, and a scraggly and thinning gray mane. I had seen some old earth ponies in the past, but this one showed her age more than any other.

I frowned at the elderly earth pony. I did not particularly care for her suddenly bringing herself into our conversation with the mayor. “I believe we can manage to find our way around the town. I received a good view of it when we first arrived, and I doubt I will get lost in such a small town.”

The old pony turned to the mayor and glowered at her. “Ye’re not gonna show a lack of hospitality to these ponies, are ya? Send Carrot Juice with them to help show them around.”

The mayor rubbed at her eyes and shook her head wearily. “Of course, where are my manners?” She nodded to a lime green earth pony mare who seemed busy placing baskets filled with produce into the barn. “Please, let Carrot Juice show you around. She knows the town as well as anypony and should be able to help you find Captain Red Steel.”

I exchanged glances with Gale, who in turn shrugged noncommittally. At least she did not see too many problems with us receiving a guide.

Stalwart leaned down and whispered into my ear, “It could be useful to have somepony to tell us where everything is around town and where to find certain ponies. However, we shall have to be careful with our words around her.”

With neither of my companions objecting to the proposal, I nodded to the mayor. “Very well. I graciously accept thy guide to the town.”

Casserole called over Carrot Juice, who trotted over to us. The mayor gave her instructions to assist us around Appleton, and she curtly agreed to help us. With that business complete, we made our way back to Appleton proper. It was on the path back to the hamlet that I came upon an unpleasant realization when my legs started to burn from exertion and fatigue.

I was going to be doing a great deal of walking over the next few days.

I asked Carrot Juice a few questions while we walked on the path—at least when I could manage to do so through huffing breaths. Concentrating on keeping my legs moving forward without tripping over one another was making it difficult to concentrate on much else.

Carrot Juice herself was not as helpful as I would have hoped. She answered my questions in a decidedly curt manner which quickly began to grate on me. I was given the opinion she would prefer to be doing something else other than assisting me with my investigation. I was alsobeginning to suspect that life in the Appleachian Mountains was hard on the ponies who lived here. Unless I missed my guess, Juice looked significantly older and weathered than she really ought to, considering that she looked as though she were in the twilight of middle age rather than a decade or two younger like I suspected.

I quickly grew tired of the sun beating down on me and causing my coat and skin to burn from the heat. I found the shading from the trees along the dirt path to be wanting, and so I decided to do something about that. With a spell, I caused my shadow to shift and move, growing in density as it moved to hover over me to provide a consistent source of shade.

Stalwart pursed his lips at the display of magic. “Are you sure this is the best time to be using your magic for such things? It would be unwise to exhaust your magic if we were to suddenly find ourselves in battle.”

“I know the limits of my magic,” I said confidently. “This spell will not exhaust me.” I levitated up my enchanted canteen and poured some of the magically cooled water into my mouth. Enchanting my canteen to keep whatever liquid inside it cool had proven a wise investment by my estimations.

Stalwart exchanged a look with Gale. Gale in turn nodded and shrugged noncommittally.

I looked back and forth between the two of them. “What? Why are you two looking at each other?”

“‘Tis nothing, Midnight,” Gale assured. “Stalwart is merely concerned that thou art wasting thy magic when we could be attacked at any moment.”

I could see some of Stalwart’s concerns, given how I was all but panting as we continued down the path. ‘Tis fortunate that a unicorn’s magical reserves and physical stamina were mostly separate—at least as long as I was not foolish or desperate enough to start tapping into my very life force for magical power. Though being physically exhausted could have a negative effect on my spellcasting and vice versa. But I was only at the point physically where it took more concentration than normal to cast my shadow manipulation spell.

Carrot Juice scowled disapprovingly at my now umbrella-like shadow. “You can move your shadow at will? Just like that?”

“Something like that,” I said in the most neutral manner I could manage. Telling everypony around me as little as I could about my abilities with magic had long been ingrained into me. Mother had made sure of that with many cuffings to the back of my head whenever I started to explain too much of what I was capable of to another pony. ‘Twas generally considered unwise for a magus to explain what they were fully capable of. Knowledge was powerful, and telling anypony the extents and limits of your abilities was “akin to giving a dagger to thy potential enemies,” as Mother put it.

“Three ponies up the path,” noted Stalwart. I sensed a tension in him that was not present a moment ago.

I looked up and saw that there were indeed three ponies heading our way with deliberate purpose. This in and of itself was not terribly suspicious. We had passed by about a half dozen ponies, usually pulling along a cart filled with some sort of goods, along the path. I cast a spell to refract the air before my face to create a lens for me to see through. I immediately noticed that two of the ponies were armed and armored. I had been told that pegasi had superior vision compared to their unicorn and earth pony cousins, and so it was not hard to imagine Stalwart had seen what I now saw.

Stalwart glanced in my direction and then back down the road. “Let us halt and wait for them to come to us. Midnight, stay a couple of steps behind and between me and Gale.” He locked eyes with me, and I saw his eyes purposefully look back at Carrot Juice for a moment, warning me to be wary of the Appleton farmer. I would say he was being paranoid, but such is the way of bodyguards. I had never known a bodyguard to be reprimanded for being suspicious of somepony who was not trying to kill their charge.

I nodded and did as he instructed. I took a couple of steps back and looked around warily while the trio of ponies trotted up to us. The earth pony mare at the center of the trio stepped forward.

The coat of plates and hammerhooves she was wearing were what immediately caught my eye on the maroon-coated mare. Something flashed in the mare’s eyes that I could not recognize, and they narrowed in my direction. “I am Captain Red Steel of the Appleton Militia. Who art thou?” Her tone was crisp and clear. ‘Tis possible she had served a tour in the Royal Guard, as she lacked the accent I had heard among the rest of the ponies in Appleton.

I had to admit, Red Steel cut a much more imposing figure than the bumbling and incompetent backcountry militia captain I had imagined. While short, I could see the corded muscle under her armor, no doubt gained from years of working at her smithy. ‘Twas easy to see why her fellow earth ponies had elected her to head their militia, given her confident and commanding demeanor. She walked with the aura of a mare who was much accustomed in the use of her hammerhooves.

I took a step forward to address her. “My name is Magus Midnight. I am here to investigate disappearances in Appleton. We just came back from a meeting with the mayor and were looking for thee.”

In truth, looking for Red Steel had not been my top priority, but I was not going to let a potential moment of good fortune pass me by. As Mother had taught me, every encounter with a pony is an opportunity to gather more information, and all information is relevant in some way.

Red Steel looked past us to Carrot Juice. “Is this true, Juice?”

“Aye,” Juice replied in her typical curtness.

I was annoyed that the militia captain had not taken my word on who I was and what I was here for, but these were suspicious and dangerous times.

I decided to ignore the captain’s rudeness. “And these are my companions, Lieutenant Colonel Gale Kicker and Sergeant Stalwart Kicker. They are here to assist in my investigation.”

Taking her cue from me, she nodded to the earth pony stallion on her right. “This is Corporal Silent Forest of the Long Patrol. He has been assisting me with dealing with the late unpleasantness.” Silent Forest in turn gave us a salute, which Gale and Stalwart returned. Magi generally did not make a habit of saluting unless they were a war magi directly tied to the Royal Guard.

I immediately recognized the Patrol-issued scale mail armor on the earth-brown pony, and his standard Guard helmet covered much of his dual-green mane. The crossbow on his back was also of Guard design. This was likely the lone patrolpony that had been sent to Appleton. I had a sneaking suspicion that all of the help I would receive in Appleton already stood before me.

I then turned my attention to the only unicorn I had seen in the entire town thus far, as Appleton had proven to be an earth pony town through and through. The only pegasi I had seen up to this point had been those flying about managing the weather, and none of them seemed in any hurry to come down to talk with their earth pony cousins on the ground.

Next, Red Steel looked at the unicorn mare on her left with a disapproving frown. “And this is—”

“Subtle Song!” the teal-coated unicorn said, her bubbly joy interrupting the glowering Red Steel. She gave all of us a friendly wave. “I was traveling through the area when I heard what troubles had befallen this town, and I decided to help.”

“Aye. ‘Help.’” Red Steel repeated the word in a flat tone, expressing his opinion of the quality of aid the bard seemed to offer him.

Subtle Song smiled at Red Steel. Either she was unconcerned with Red’s demeanor or was completely oblivious to it. I was not sure which one I preferred. “I further hope my time here will give me inspiration for new songs and stories.” She levitated her lyre from off her back and strummed a few notes. “I have already learned a few notes from some popular songs in the area. Hopefully, they will be something I can use elsewhere in Equestria.”

I gave Subtle a unconvinced frown. “Thou came to a backcountry, nowhere, insignificant little hamlet like Appleton for inspiration?” I was not sure why, but I suddenly received the distinct impression that Red Steel and Carrot Juice were trying to stare holes through me.

Subtle nodded enthusiastically. “One never knows where one might find inspiration. I decided to ply my trade here in the mountains to see what I might discover.” She took in a deep breath and then exhaled with a smile. “Aye, you can taste the inspiration in the air.”

“Indeed.” I remained unconvinced. Deciding I had enough talking with the potentially eccentric bard, I turned back to Red Steel. “Mayhaps we might concentrate on trying to discover what malady has befallen Appleton?”

Red Steel grunted in agreement. “Not going to get much done standing here and talking.”

“Excellent.” I had caught my breath by this point and started trotting down the road back to the town. “Thou knowest where the home of this Hazen Apple is? I have heard that he was the latest to go missing.”

Red Steel fixed me with a scowl before following along besides me. “Aye, I do. Why do you ask?”

“Because I have a plan, but I need to visit his home to enact it.” I gave Red Steel a confident smile that caused her to shiver. I never knew why, but my smiles always seemed to cause ponies to react in much a manner.

“Very well.” Red winced and looked away from my face. “But first I would like to ask a few questions.”

I was slightly annoyed, having to waste my time answering some militia captain’s questions, but decided it would be best to be friendly with Red Steel for the moment. I might actually need her help here soon. “Then make thy inquiries.”

Red Steel pointed to my shadow, which was still hanging over my body like an umbrella. “What is wrong with your shadow?”

Captain Red Steel seemed reluctant to follow my plan, but Gale eventually convinced her to go along with what I intended to do. I asked the captain some questions on the way to Hazen Apple’s home but learned little that I did not already know. It seemed that Red Steel had kept the mayor well-informed on her activities and what she knew, and she had not discovered anything new since they had last spoken. The more I heard, the more my suspicions were raised that some great evil had come to Appleton.

Red Steel and Gale assured me that for this many ponies to have disappeared without anypony being the wiser was most unusual. In a small town such as this, ponies were much more tightly knit than they were in the great cities of Equestria like Canterlot. Ponies were more prone to seeing the unusual and noting such occurrences, especially when they were already wary such as they were now.

Mother had previously made me spend time with Canterlot’s gendarmerie, and I knew from that experience that at least some evidence was almost always left following the commission of some grave deed. The fact that there seemed to be no signs of violence or anything else suspicious or noteworthy in this case was beyond suspicious to me. Perhaps ‘twas the magus in me, but I was beginning to suspect some sort of black magic was involved in this affair. Options for misdeeds were greater when magic was involved. If black magic was involved, then Appleton could be in grave danger.

With little evidence to effectively conduct an investigation, I had decided to make my own fortune. If I could find what I desired in Hazen Apple’s home, then I could very well discover the location of the missing pony with my magic. That could save me a great deal of time spent wandering around interviewing ponies about what they had seen and looking for other evidence that Red Steel and Silent Forest had missed. ‘Twas perfectly possible the two of them had missed something, but ‘twas also possible that there was little to discover.

Red Steel told me that Hazen was a young stallion working as a sharecropper with his parents on a farm nearby Appleton—one of the ones owned by Carrot Casserole. It struck me as likely that Mayor Casserole owning many of the local farms was a source of contention in Appleton between her and the Apples. Stories of the conflicts between sharecroppers and magnates went back to before the founding of Equestria, and had only been made worse by the war when Apple Tree’s supporters had attempted to redistribute the land after the death of their leader. There were reasons why the earth ponies’ government no longer existed.

The motley collection of ponies that had gathered around me approached the two-story farmhouse. It was not much to impress by my reckoning, given it looked like the ponies who had made it had just stacked logs on top of each other and then put some form of mortar between the gaps to make a serviceable building. I preferred the stone architecture of Canterlot.

As we approached the oversized shanty, a dark red earth pony stallion came marching around the side of the building. He looked like a pony on a mission as he stomped his way up to us with a deep scowl crossing his features. “Red, did you bring those Solars to mah farm?” the stallion demanded.

Red Steel put a hoof up to try and calm the stallion. “Relax, Applesauce. They are here to help find your son.”

“Ah do not believe that for a moment.” Applesauce, going off what the captain had called him, snorted derisively. “Ya know they are here to hang a few ponies, just like last time the Guard showed up and hanged mah brother.”

Red Steel stepped up to the stallion—nearly touching noses with Applesauce. “Neigh, they were asked by the mayor to help. They are not here to hang anypony.”

“Not unless I have a reason to hang somepony,” I corrected helpfully. “I am keeping an open mind.”

Red Steel looked at me slackjawed, and I felt an uncomfortable silence settle. Stalwart’s ears had flatted on his head as he grimaced. I looked to Gale, and she made a gesture that told me to be silent.

I felt one of my ears twitch out of irritation. “What? ‘Tis not as though I will just hang ponies out of hoof. I am not a monster.”

Applesauce stepped aside of Red Steel to face me. The fact I nearly had to look straight up to look the farmer in the face made me feel profoundly uncomfortable. There are many tall ponies in Canterlot, but the pony before me was quite massive in scale—no doubt a result of a lifetime spent doing hard farm work. The angry scowl he gave me did little to raise my confidence.

Subtle Song stepped between us with a big smile on her face. “Peace everypony. Nopony wants disharmony here. Let us all take a step—”

“Quiet, hornhead!” Applesauce whipped his head around at Subtle Song fast enough to to make her flinch and take a step back. “Ah do not know you nor any of these other ponies. As far as Ah can tell, the only ponies Ah can trust right now are mah kin.”

I noticed that more ponies—likely members of the Apple Clan, ponies passing by on the road, and even some pegasi watching from the clouds—were gathering around to watch my encounter with Applesauce.

“I hope to find thy son and everypony else,” I said reassuringly. “But first I need to enter thy home to collect something.”

An anger burned behind Applesauce’s eyes as his gaze turned back to me. “More like frame me and mah kin!”

I narrowed my eyes at Applesauce and his ridiculous assertion. “Neigh, that would be a stupid course of action. I am trying to discover who or what is causing these disappearances, not lay blame on another pony. Dost thou think I am an incompetent?”

“Ah think you are an idiot,” Applesauce said, scorn lacing his words.

I could feel my patience with the stallion slowly draining away at about the same rate as my irritation grew. This should have been an easy and quick stop while I continued with my investigation, and instead I was trying to talk my way past one of the very stallions I was trying to help. The fact he was trying to intimidate me and everypony else did not raise my esteem of him.

I pointed to the home behind Applesauce. “I am going into thy home to find what I desire. As a royal magus, I have the authority to do so. Step aside.”

Red Steel stomped a hoof. “You are not going to win here, Applesauce. Withdraw for you and your family’s good. Do not be a fool.”

Applesauce’s features hardened. “Sometimes it is about more than winning and losing, Red.” He looked down at me with a sneer. “Neigh, you have no right to enter mah home without mah permission.”

I pressed my hoof to my face. “I just told thee I have the authority to enter thy home! Art thou not listening?” I let out a frustrated groan. “Enough of this.” I stepped to move past the living embodiment of stubbornness. “I do not have all day to argue with—”

My progress was rudely stopped when Applesauce’s hoof shot out and struck me in the chest with a hard shove. I was knocked to my hindquarters. I looked up at the stallion that had smote me in astonishment as I rubbed at the aching spot where I had been hit. He had struck me! Me! A royal magus and representative of the crown. I had not expected some farmer to have the audacity to cross such a line.

Stalwart’s response was immediate. The fact he had been almost continually at my side since coming to Appleton had resulted in me almost forgetting that he had been there. His hoof shot out, and his foreleg wrapped around the upraised leg Applesauce had struck me with. Bringing himself chest to chest with the Apple farmer, Stalwart jerked Applesauce’s leg and violently pushed against his side. Applesauce hit the ground with a painful sounding thump, and he gasped as the air was blown out of his lungs.

Stalwart held onto the leg and twisted it painfully to keep the farmer down. “Applesauce, you are under arrest for assaulting a royal magus.”

“I did no such thing!” Applesauce struggled against Stalwart, but my guard used his leverage on the farmer’s leg to hold him painfully in place.

“Applesauce, you fool!” Red Steel spat. She quickly moved behind Applesauce and pulled out a pair of shackles. “Are you trying to get yourself killed?”

“What are you two—?” Applesauce struggled against the two ponies as they put him in chains. “You have no right!”

“Let mah husband go!” screamed an irate mare as she charged up to us.

Red Steel stepped up to intercept her. “Do not make this worse, Sweet Potato.”

“I think he looks good in chains, Sweet,” Carrot Juice sneered from behind me.

Gale was standing over me and looking around us wearily. “Art thou well, Midnight?”

I stood up shakily, my legs suddenly having trouble supporting me as the world whirled around. “Aye, I think so.”

The whole scene seemed a bit unreal to me as I rubbed where I had been struck. More ponies than I could keep track of were yelling at one another around me. It reminded me at least one similarly unpleasant situation I had experienced in Manehatten when surrounded by riotous earth ponies. I could see that the situation was rapidly growing worse. Likely I would be dealing with a riot if nothing were done soon.

Something neededto be done. I drew upon my magic, poured power into a spell that magnified the sound of my voice, and yelled in as commanding a voice as I could, “Enough!” The sound boomed forth and caused everypony around me to flatten their ears against their heads and flinch. Having a moment’s respite, I looked at Stalwart. “Stalwart, thou and Silent Forest stand outside the front door and guard over Applesauce. Gale and I will go inside and be quick about finding what we need.”

We all stood there for a moment as everypony gave me questioning looks after I gave out orders.

Gale pointed to one of her still flattened ears. “We cannot hear thee. Thy spell...”

Oh. ‘Twould seem I put a little too much magic into my spell in my haste to stop everypony from arguing. At least me deafening everypony had the benefit of disabling their ability to effectively argue with each other.

I had to resort to pointing to convey where I wanted everypony to go. Thankfully, I managed to successfully convey my intentions quickly enough.

Red Steel rubbed as her ears as she stepped up to me. “I am coming with you inside.”

“That is fine,” I said with a dismissive hoof wave. I walked up to the front steps of the farmhouse, and Gale and Red Steel followed me.

I really did not feel up to arguing with the earth pony captain—especially considering such an argument could result in losing the momentum I had gained. Most of the ponies about me seemed far more concerned with the ringing in their ears, and I did not want to give them time to recover.

The three of us made our way into the farmhouse while Stalwart and Silent Forest took their posts at the front door, guarding Applesauce. I could not help but notice Subtle Song as she sat down next to the two guardponies and pulled out her lyre.

The farmhouse was as modest as I had expected it to be—maybe even more so. The family that lived here did not seem to have many more belongings than were necessary for daily life, and most of what they did have was weathered from use.

Not wanting to stay in this hovel for longer than I had to, I looked to Red Steel. “Dost thou know where Hazen Apple’s room is?”

Red Steel flicked an ear. Either out of annoyance at me or because her ears were still ringing, I was not sure. It very well could have been from both, upon contemplation. “‘Tis probably upstairs.”

I followed Red Steel up the house’s creaky stairs while Gale busied herself looking about the house. I could only guess for what, but I trusted her judgement to make herself useful. Gale could be like a cat in how well she followed directions—when she was disinclined to do so, anyway. Her mother must have had some special hold on her to keep her on mission.

Red Steel pointed into one of the rooms. “This is probably his room. Now what are you hoping to find here?”

I walked into the room and began my search. “His mane-brush.”

She looked at me skeptically. “You have gone through all of this trouble to find a manebrush?”

“Aye.” I did not have to search long to find what I desired. I opened one of drawers of a nightstand. Taking a moment to examine it, I pulled out the hairs stuck amongst the bristles. “Does Hazen possess a dark green mane?”

“He does.” Red Steel watched on as I pulled out some chalk and started drawing a circle and arcane runes on the floor. “What are you doing now?”

“Preparing for a tracking spell.” I pulled out a small, plain-featured wooden doll of a pony and tied the hairs to it. “Successfully casting a tracking spell can be most difficult. Simply giving me the name of a pony is unlikely to allow me to track a pony. But if I have an aid, like a sample of their mane, the chances I will succeed go up admirably.”

Red Steel leaned down to watch my work intently. “And the circle will also help?”

“Aye; circles, as well as the arcane runes I drew and the doll, will help me concentrate, control, and focus my energies.” I put the doll into the circle and closed my eyes as I began to concentrate on the spell I would cast. Failure could result in me burning the mane hairs I had and thus destroy my best method to find Hazen Apple. “Now please be silent while I cast my spell.”

She stepped back when my horn started to glow. Visualizing the circle within my mind, I snapped it closed magically and began the process of concentrating my energies. I weaved the magical energies into the spell, focusing on the hairs within to establish a connection. I worked the delicate spell until I felt something, a presence within the spell extending beyond the room. I smiled and finished my casting. Scraping away an edge of the circle, I released the magical energies of the spell, and I felt them shoot out, creating a metaphysical string to the target of the spell.

Feeling out with my senses, I could feel that the connection with the spell was tenuous, but it was there. I would be able to follow it to Hazen as long as I made sure not to lose the spell.

“It worked.” I picked up the supplies I had used for the spell and made my way downstairs. “Come. We must go, lest the spell degrade.” I saw Gale in the living room. “Gale, my tracking spell worked. Let us go.”

“Good job.” Gale smiled and trotted after me along with Red Steel. “If we are fortunate, we may solve this mystery by the end of the day.”

“Aye, it might be so.” I opened the door and walked outside—being careful to maintain the fragile hold I had on the spell. “But we cannot dally.”

Red Steel closed the door behind us as we stepped onto the porch. “Where is the spell leading you?”

That was actually a good question. The tracking spell I had used was designed to point me towards its target, rather than telling me my distance from it. I felt along the magical pull of the spell and looked up at one of the mountains. “Up that mountain.”

“Then we have a hike to look forward to,” Red Steel said grimly. “Figures it would lead into the forbidden part of the forest.”

“Grand.” I looked at the miles-long journey we had before us and did not look forward to it. I could already feel my legs burning from the effort of climbing up a forested mountain. “I take it there are reasons why that part of the forest is forbidden?”

Red Steel looked pensively at the mountain. “It is infested with monsters of all types. Ponies do not go there for good reasons.”

“Somehow I am not surprised.” I pulled on the straps of my saddlebags to make sure they were as comfortable as they could be for the trip. “I wonder what misfortunes the universe will heap on me next?”

And that is when it began to rain.

Author's Note

I would like to thank Chengar Qordath, Comma-Kazie, and JJ GingerHooves for all their help in editing this story and making it the best it can be.

Finally, a big thanks to all my prereaders, Infinion, droplet739, notMurphy, Garbo802, mrjerrio, q97randomguy, Swiftest Shadow, Trinary, and Incidental Pegasus No. 5 who work ceaselessly to beat me over the head for my grammar mistakes.

Midnight Begins: Chapter 4

Midnight’s Shadow

Midnight Begins - Chapter 4

I did not even have the chance to start my journey before I found myself on the receiving end of a tongue lashing.

“Ya'll are the stupidest, dirtiest, and most deplorable ponies I have ever seen!” Applesauce’s wife screamed at me from a distance that did not require yelling, given the pain it caused to my ears. “How dare ya arrest mah husband! He is guilty of nothing, ya sun-loving cretin!”

I looked to see that Stalwart and Silent Forest were still watching over Applesauce, and given the annoyed glowers they were giving Applesauce’s wife, they had probably been subject to the irate mare’s grievances the entire time I had been inside. Most of the ponies that had gathered earlier had left by this point, though a few still milled about the small farm.

Deciding that the mare was not worth the effort of arguing with, I moved onto more important matters. I pulled my cloak tighter around me against the rain. “Red Steel, is there someplace we can imprison Applesauce?” I asked over the continued screaming of Applesauce’s spouse.

Red Steel assisted Applesauce to his hooves. “Aye, there are a couple of cells in the courthouse’s basement. I will appoint a deputy to watch over him until I return.”

“Dost thou intende to accompany us?” I asked.

Red Steel nodded. “I do. It is my duty to protect this town and its ponies.”

I could readily see the benefit of having a pony who knew how to carry herself. I had been around enough soldiers to know how to spot one on sight, in or out of uniform. She had helped keep the earlier incident with Applesauce under control. True, there was a risk that she was somehow involved in the disappearances in Appleton, but if I acted purely out of sheer paranoia rather than looking at the facts before me, then my progress was likely to be slowed. Thus far, I had not seen anything to suggest Red Steel was anything but what she claimed to be and saw little reason not to allow her to help me.

I inclined my head in acknowledgement to Red Steel. “Then let us proceed together.”

Applesauce’s wife stomped a hoof and was all but frothing at the mouth. “Are you ignoring me?”

I gave her a flat look, feeling increasingly annoyed by the mare. “Aye.”

Applesauce’s wife’s face reddened, and her body quivered. She took a step towards me, and I flinched when I thought she was about to strike me. Red Steel stepped between us before she could come within leg’s length of me.

“Peace, Sweet,” Red Steel said soothingly and gently pushed Sweet back. “She is going to help us find Hazen.”

Silent Forest had moved to hold onto Applesauce’s leg while Stalwart took his place next to me. I was silently thankful for that. I had already been attacked by one earth pony that day and did not wish to be struck again. Not only because of my aversion to pain but being smote would endanger the concentration I needed to maintain the tracking spell that should lead me to Hazen Apple.

Sweet Potate took a step back, looking as though she had been slapped. “Hazen? Ye can find mah Hazen?”

One of the ponies that had been standing about the farm, a mare late in her middle age and wearing one of the wide-brimmed hats that seemed to be the fashion of the town, stepped forward to stand besides Sweet. “Do not listen to them.” She scowled dismissively at me. “They are liars. No doubt they work to hide the schemes of the Carrots against our family.”

Red Steel gave the new earth pony a look that should have turned her blood into ice. “I did not ask you to become involved, Apple Butter. We do not need any of your trouble this day.”

Apple Butter snorted. “Somepony has to look out for the Apple Clan around here.” She rubbed a hoof along her dark-yellow coat and purposefully did not look at Red Steel. “Maybe if somepony were more interested in doing her job than looking good for the magnate, then there would be fewer missing ponies around here.”

Red Steel ground her hoof in the dirt. “I am doing the best job I can for everypony. The magnate has nothing to do with it. Stay home and let me and the magus do our work.”

My ear flicked at the insinuation that I was in Appleton to commit an act of slander against the Apple Clan. “I assure thee, that I am here to discover the perpetrator of these foul crimes, not to deceive any of you. I have every intention of finding Hazen Apple. I am using a spell that should hopefully lead us to him without delay.” Maybe if we were fortunate, the farmer would not have already died in some horrific fashion before we arrived.

Sweet Potato shot us a scowl. “Then why ye wasting time here? He might be lost or hurt or who knows what else.”

I let out an exasperated sigh. “Because thou art distracting us. ‘Tis most irritating.”

Sweet Potato snorted. “Maybe if ya di’n’t arrest mah husband, I would not need to tell ya what a miserable cretin ya are.”

Carrot Juice let out a bark of a laugh. “If it were up to me, we would put the lot of ya traitorous Apples in chains,” she said with a sneer. I had nearly forgotten about the guide Mayor Carrot Casserole had sent with us. It seemed she had decided to stand by the fence to the farmhouse, my confrontation with Applesauce having not driven her away.

Sweet’s eyes narrowed balefully at Carrot Juice. “What did ya say, Carrot?”

“Do you want a fight?” Apple Butter stomped her way over to Juice, ill intent clear in her posture.

No doubt seeing a confrontation unfolding before her, Red Steel inserted herself between Carrot Juice and Apple Butter and fixed both of them with a glare in turn. “Juice, go home. Now.”

Carrot Juice locked eyes with the militia captain. “The mayor told me to help show the magus around town,” Juice said obstinately.

“And no doubt telling her a bunch of lies so that she will hang more Apples.” Apple Butter stepped forward but was pushed back roughly by Red Steel.

Red Steel jabbed a hoof into Butter’s chest. “Not another word from you.” Red Steel turned back to Carrot Juice and leaned in until she was almost touching muzzles with her. “Leave, you are not needed here anymore.” Butter looked like she was about to say something but was silenced by a look from Steel. “Do not think I will not throw you both in chains if you impede my investigation.”

“This is not over,” Apple Butter said, though it was hard to say exactly who she was leveling the ambiguous threat against. “Ah am not going to stand for my kinsfolk being hurt.” She exchanged glares with Red Steel one more time before withdrawing.

It was then Juice’s turn to exchange looks with Red Steel for a long moment before breaking eye contact and taking a step back. “Fine. Ya can talk with the mayor if she becomes angered over this.”

Red Steel’s gaze did not waver as Juice slowly made her way up the trail leading back to Appleton. “I will deal with the mayor. I can guide them from this point forward.”

I must admit that I was at a bit of a loss for what to do during all of this. I had, of course, seen ponies confront one another within the court in Canterlot, but such affairs were far more orderly and civilized than the more brawlish nature of the argument I had just witnessed. In Canterlot, I was used to every argument or clash being carefully prepared and planned. They were run by master orators and manipulators who operated by long-standing rules of decorum. While sometimes arguments could flair into juris ungula in the palaces and manors of Canterlot, I had rarely seen even the most volatile affairs threaten to become a free-for-all. There seemed to be no way for me to defuse the situation without the risk of escalating it further on my part.

I was also not entirely sure how to feel about Red Steel threatening my mayor-appointed guide away. I was annoyed that Red Steel had not asked me if I no longer desired Carrot Juice’s services. But it was undeniable that Juice was attempting to provoke Sweet Potato. Given I was attempting to keep Appleton from erupting into violence, that was unacceptable. I saw no real gains to addressing Red Steel’s behavior at the moment. She seemed to legitimately want to help the ponies of Appleton and was working in concert with my own goals. Alienating her now would likely take away one of the few allies I had thus far in Appleton. Also given Carrot Juice was a mere farmer, the use she could be to me would be limited in any event.

I could not be sure, at this point, if my mere presence was causing discord within the town, if tensions were higher than normal due to the recent disappearances, or if it was always this disharmonious in Appleton. Whatever the source of trouble, it would be best to proceed with my investigation as quickly as possible before tensions boiled over.

I waved Carrot Juice away. “Do not worry about us, Carrot Juice. I am sure the captain is more than capable of escorting us about the town.” Mayhaps supporting Red Steel in her decision would do something to keep her from always staring so balefully at me.

Carrot Juice did not even grace us with a reply as she trotted away. I decided that she was a rude pony and washed my hooves of her. Given my experiences here, Appleton had not struck me a place where proper manners were taught to its ponies. It was probably best to not be over concerned by their mannerisms and focus on my task.

I shook my head, trying to dismiss Juice’s rude behavior from my thoughts. “Perhaps it would be best if we followed my tracking spell without delay. I would prefer to reach our destination before nightfall.”

“Aye, that would be best,” Gale agreed.

Red Steel motioned for Silent Forest to bring Applesauce along. “Then let us take Applesauce to a cell in the courthouse and proceed to the Forbidden Forest.”

I looked toward the direction my tracking spell was telling me to go. There seemed to be little difference between the section of the forest the ponies of Appleton had labeled the Forbidden Forest from the surrounding forest. Though I was no expert in such things, and I doubted it would have been given such a name for no reason.

“Ah am coming with you.” Sweet Potato’s shoulders stiffened, daring us to argue with her. “Ah want to find mah son.”

Red Steel shook her head. “Neigh, we are going to a place of danger. Best for you to stay here and mind your farm. We should be back in a few hours.”

I was surprised to hear Applesauce finally speak up from whatever stupor he had been in that had kept him silent thus far. “Sweet, do as the captain says. What happens will happen, and Ah do not want to see anything happen to ya too.” The two of them locked eyes. “Please.”

Confliction flashed before Sweet’s face for a few moments before she nodded. “Ah will wait here, then.” She placed a hoof on Red Steel’s shoulder. “Red, please find mah son. He means the world to me.”

Red Steel wrapped her fetlock around Sweet’s leg and squeezed it. “I know. We will do the best we can.”

For my part, I silently promised to do the same.

It was while I was marching through the Applelachian Mountains that I discovered something I hate more than dirt: mud. It has all the unattractive properties of dirt, only with more to make me disgusted by it. It clings, it’s slimy, it makes it more difficult to walk, and it can be everywhere. The slowly increasing downpour had turned the forest floor into a sloppy muck that I now had the joy of stomping through. My cloak had proven to be poor protection against the elements, and my hat had done little better as it now drooped before my eyes to partially block my vision. It had been intended for summer weather in Canterlot, and was not thick enough to keep from quickly becoming soaked through or protect me against the wind as it swept past us. It made me wish I had enchanted it to protect me against the weather. That might be something I would correct in the future after I was done in Appleton, especially if I were to be away from Canterlot more often.

I also regretted being unable to spare any focus to maintain my shadow spell. I did not dare risk losing the tracking spell by dividing my attention between multiple spells, as using both spells at once would drain my magical reserves further—especially considering the potential of a dangerous encounter when we found Hazen Apple. So while the rain and mud were extremely uncomfortable, they were things I could tolerate. Barely.

We had been marching for a few hours in the forest when I stepped into a particularly deep patch of the mud. It sucked down my forehoof and caused me to lose my balance. I flailed as I fell face-first into the mud.

“Midnight, art thou well?” Gale asked when I did not immediately stand up again.

I blew out some of the mud that had found its way into my nostrils. “I will live.”

Stalwart assisted me to my hooves, but to my chagrin, a layer of mud stuck to my coat. ‘Twas made all the more unpleasant thanks to the variety of twigs, leaves, and other refuse which clung to the mud, and therefore me. This had been the third time I had fallen to the ground. The novelty of being coated in a firm layer of muck had long been lost to me.

Simultaneously having to maintain the tracking spell, being wary of my steps had proven too much for the level of concentration I could muster—resulting in me looking like I had the steady hoofing of a newly born foal. I was not helped that I had to constantly maneuver around branches, shrubbery, fallen logs, and a multitude of other obstructions. The only relief I had was that the cold of the rain and muck could not touch me thanks to a spell I had cast earlier. I only had to suffer through being wet, dirty, in pain, and exhausted.

“How much farther do we have to go?” Subtle Song called out from behind me. Where most of the ponies of Appleton had shied away from the idea of going to the Forbidden Forest, Song had seemed more than happy enough to follow us. To my annoyance, she had managed to produce a heavier cloak than my own from somewhere.

I concentrated on my tracking spell. The long hours of maintaining the spell were starting to cause me a headache. I supposed I should have been thankful to my mother for having me practice enduring such spellcraft. Otherwise, I might have lost the spell during one of my falls or some other form of neglect. The spell was somewhat of a complex one and, given my tenuous hold on it, delicate. Losing the spell at the very least would have meant lost time. At worst, it would have meant I would have lost a valuable line of investigation.

But I had maintained the spell, and I felt its gentle pull farther up the mountain. “We are drawing closer. I believe we have closed most of the distance.”

Subtle Song drew her cloak closer to her body as a strong gust of wind blew past us. “But do you not know how much farther we have to go?”

I tried to scrape off the worst of the mud that clung to my coat. “Neigh. That is beyond the spell I used. I can tell which direction to go and when we draw nearer but little more.”

In truth, I had hoped that Hazen Apple would have been much closer to Appleton than he had proven to be—at least if my tracking spell was working correctly. A tracking spell could be an amazingly useful spell in the right circumstances. The problem being that it could also be a notoriously difficult spell to use. I had to use some of Hazen’s hairs to even stand a reasonable chance of performing the spell. Then there were any number of things that could be causing the interference I was experiencing with the spell. Some of them unpleasant in origin.

Subtle Song shivered. “A pity, I was wondering how long it would be before I would be able to enjoy a warm hearth and cider again.”

I had to wonder that myself. Well, mayhaps not the strong drink. But a good hearth did sound like paradise at the moment, and a shower most divine. That did not even begin to describe the notion of a warm bed. The draw of the comforts of civilization pulled on me all the more now that they were denied to me.

I tried to draw my own cloak closer to my body but found that to be a rather pointless exercise given it was dripping wet and covered in filth. “Let us continue, then.” I gestured with my horn in the direction it was drawing me.

I started trudging forward but was stopped when Silent Forest motioned for us all to halt with an upraised hoof. “Neigh.” The patrolpony pointed down a different forest path than the one I was about to go down. “That way.”

I let out a patient sigh. “Why? The path I was going down would be faster.”

Silent Forest gave me an expressionless look. If the pony showed any other emotion than calm detachment, I had not seen it. “Faster, but riskier.”

He also seemed to be one of those ponies who took laconicness to an extreme.

“He is right.” Stalwart pointed down the path I had chosen. “That way lies low in that valley, and there are small cliffs from where we could be easily ambushed or have our progressed blocked. The corporal’s path runs along the side of the hill. Not ideal, but better than our other option.”

I rubbed at my face, feeling growing fatigue and pain. “Very well. We will go down Silent Forest’s path.”

Silent Forest nodded to us and trotted ahead of us to take the point position for our impromptu band—much as he had since we started this journey.

I looked to Red Steel, and I felt envious of her thick cloak intended for the mountain rains. The cloak had been stored in the same section of the courthouse as contained its cells. I had noted that the cloak had been but one piece of equipment that she might retrieve on short notice.

Once Silent Forest had left immediate earshot, I spoke to the militia captain. “So how many words has he used during the time thou hast known him?”

“Only as many as he has needed,” Red Steel said wryly.

I so declare, these earth ponies were trying to drive me to madness.

I rubbed at the side of my head as I felt its pain grow. “Let us go before I soak up any more rain.”

As we proceeded up the trail, I found myself forced to be mindful of my steps as I walked through the slick mud lest I fall once again. Thus far, I had only managed to fall on my face in a humiliating fashion, but that was preferable to falling off the trail and down the steep hills that lined the trail. Gale and Red Steel were gotten a little ways ahead of me, and they spoke in hushed tones that I could not readily overhear.

Stalwart drew up next to me as I sneezed. He looked down at me with a pensive frown. “Are you well?”

More than a little of my chagrin might have entered my tone as I spoke. “I am soaking wet. My body is tired and sore from thy training and walking around town all day and now scaling a mountain. I am covered in filth from climbing said mountain, and the earth ponies of this town have done nothing but greatly irritate me. Take that as thou wilt.”

At first Stalwart did not reply, and I watched him as the rain pattered off his armor. “You should learn to be more stoic in front of others if you are going to be in a position of command.”

My ear flicked with irritation. “What art thou talking about? These conditions are almost completely intolerable. I see no reason to hide my displeasure.”

Stalwart ducked under a low-hanging branch. “Because whether you realize it or not, everypony looks to you as an example. If they see that you are afraid, then they will think there is something to be afraid of. If they see you complaining about every little thing, then they will think they will have every reason to do so too.”

“I have seen enough soldiers to know that they complain incessantly,” I said. “In fact, that seems to be their primary activity outside of standing about.”

The slightest smirk creased Stalwart’s features. “You will likely learn, in time, it is a right of soldiers to complain. At least where their officers cannot hear.” The smirk faded from his features. “My point is that—as a leader of ponies—you need to set an example for those around you. Both for soldiers and civilians. They will depend on you, and thus they will need to see that you appear to be calm and in command. This complaining is unworthy of a mare of your station.”

“I will be mindful of that in the future,” I grumbled.

Thinking over Stalwart’s words, I could see the weight of them. Mother had long talked to me about the need of a leader to display poise and confidence in front of others. She had always stated that the showing of weakness or fear could spread it like a plague amongst your fellow ponies, and thus one could never tolerate appearing to be so.

There was a moment of silence between us as we navigated a more difficult part of the trail that featured a sheer cliff on one of our flanks. Once past it, Stalwart spoke again. “You should also be mindful of your words in front of others.”

“What dost thou mean?” I looked behind me to see that Subtle Song was doing an admirable job of keeping up with the group, and she gave me a friendly smile when she saw my glance. There was a mischievous character to her smile and something else I could not quite identify.

“Let us look back to that incident with Applesauce at the farm,” Stalwart stated like so many of my tutors when they were giving me a lesson. “You made that situation far worse when you spoke of hanging ponies.”

“That was merely hypothetical.” I meant to elaborate but was stopped when I was cut off by a sneeze. I pulled out a handkerchief and wiped at my nose, thankful that at least the handkerchief was not completely soaked through yet.

Stalwart let out a long sigh. “You need to take more consideration in how other ponies hear your words. What was merely hypothetical to you sounded like a threat to Applesauce and the other ponies of the Apple Clan. Applesauce had even said that he had kin hanged the last time the Guard came to Appleton.”

I blinked slowly as I considered that. “I ... did not give that much consideration.”

It was true that a number of ponies had been hanged a few years ago the last time the town had erupted into violence. It had been a scene that had played out many times in a number of communities since the end of the Lunar Rebellion. There were sadly few ways to deal with those guilty of murder or seditious activities, and the noose was a rather permanent solution to deal with particularly troublesome offenders. Still, I had not given much thought to how that might have affected the ponies of the towns that had been plagued by the violence and discontent that had resulted from the war. The daily struggles of the earth ponies had always seemed so ... mundane and distant from my own.

“Neigh, you did not.” Stalwart wiped away some of the water that had gathered on his helmet. “And that nearly resulted in the ponies around us fighting one another. We were forced to arrest Applesauce because you provoked him. As a result, we earned nothing but enmity from the Apple Clan—thus making our task all the harder.”

The idea that I had made my mission all the harder for myself was an unsettling one. It seemed that my poorly chosen words had forced Stalwart to resort to violence against Applesauce after that stallion had struck me in anger. Unless I was fortunate and finished my mission quickly, there could easily be more negative consequences for my own actions.

I watched my steps as I moved through a particularly slippery patch of mud. “My apologies, I did not mean to make our mission all the harder.”

“I did not think that was your intent,” Stalwart said. “Remember, you need to serve as an example to the ponies around you.”

I nodded. “I will try and be more considerate in the future. How wouldst thou recommend I—”

My question was cut off when I heard a harsh crack from ahead of me. I felt as much as heard something zip past me not more than a few paces to my side. I barely had time to turn my head to follow the flying object when there was a high-pitched, animalistic roar. I looked to the source of the roar and saw a mountain cat as big as me thrashing on the ground not more than a few pony-lengths away from Subtle Song.

With a startled yelp, Subtle leapt away from the predator. Stalwart wrapped a leg around my chest and firmly pushed me back a few steps to position himself between me and the mountain cat. His wingblades were at the ready should it come too close to us. Probably wisely for the traveling bard, Subtle all but ran behind Stalwart to stand on the opposite side of him from myself.

For a long moment as I stared at it, I wondered what the creature was doing growling and thrashing about upon the ground. I could only imagine that it had been sneaking up upon our group, but now seemed to be seized by convulsions. That is when I saw the shaft of a crossbow bolt jutting from the cat’s throat. The wound bled profusely, soaking the beast’s coat.

Considering the situation, I looked behind me and saw Silent Forest holding his crossbow, a second bolt already loaded and ready to be fired. Given he was the only pony within the party who possessed a crossbow, ‘twas not hard to guess who had fired upon the cat. What did surprise me was the skill the patrolpony must have possessed to have hit his target. The fog that clung to the mountaintops like a blanket had been dissipated by the rain but the downpour had more than made up for it in obstructing our sight. It had only made it easier for the cat to approach our group. I had been closer to the predator—probably no more than a dozen or so pony-lengths away from it—and had no inkling that it had nearly been upon us, but Silent Forest had defied all the rain and vegetation to spot and strike the beast down. We had been lucky that Forest’s trail had curved along the mountainside when it had and thus allowed him to make his shot.

When the mountain cat did not get back up, Silent Forest trotted to the back of the group, took aim, and fired another bolt into the wounded cat with neither comment nor ceremony to end its life. It had been such a cold and deliberate act that I barely had time to realize what was about to happen when the deed was done. Not that ‘twould have made a difference in my actions had I known what he had intended, for I saw no reason to let the cat suffer, but it felt queer how quickly the whole incident had occurred without any of my own input.

I was not sure what I should do as I stared into the dead eyes of the mountain cat, or even if I should do anything. Nopony had been hurt, and all that had been slain was a wild animal in a wholly random encounter. I was so wrapped up in my own thoughts that I did not hear Gale and Red Steel step up next to me.

Red Steel craned her neck to examine the woods about us and then looked down at the dead predator. “Looks like one of the wild animals of the Forbidden Forest. It was probably hoping to pick off an easy meal.” She flashed Subtle Song a smirk.

Subtle Song put her hoof to her chest in a motion that made it look like she was worried it was going to beat out of her breast. “Should not the local animal caretakers be keeping those beasts from eating ponies?”

Red Steel shook her head. “Our animal caretakers do not come out this far. Also, this forest resists our attempts to tame it. Neither earth ponies or pegasi can seem to get a grasp of this area. Best just to avoid the place, considering this mountain cat is far from the worst beast you can find here.”

“Oh? Like what?” Subtle asked.

“There are some packs of bandersnatches, timber wolves, and the odd basilisk.” Red Steel pulled her hoof out of where it had sunk into the mud. Such was a disadvantage of wearing heavy hammerhooves. “As I said, there are few reasons to come to these woods.”

Subtle Song flashed me a wry grin. “Unless you are trying to discover why ponies are mysteriously disappearing and a magus leads you into said forest because one of her spells said to do so.”

Apparently, not even nearly having a mountain lion clamp its jaws down on her jugular vein could keep the bard’s spirits down.

I gave her a flat look. “I assure thee, coming to this filthy and predator-infested forest was not my definition of enjoyment.”

Subtle Song grinned. “Mayhaps you should have a talk with your spell then?”

“Spells do not work in that manner,” I huffed. This whole experience in the Forbidden Forest had put me into a foul mood, and everypony harassing me over my tracking spell was not enhancing my spirits.

“I know that.” Subtle pointed to her horn. “Unicorn, remember? ‘Twas a jest.”

I rubbed at my eyes as I felt the pain in my head grow. “Let us continue on our journey before I drown. Knowing my luck today, I will manage to find a puddle large enough to submerge in.”

“Perhaps we should reorder our line before continuing?” Stalwart asked in such a way that made it sound like a suggestion. He looked at me, clearly wishing for a response. “One that does not leave one of our more vulnerable members in a more exposed position?”

I was given the impression this was one of Stalwart’s tests for me. I examined the group and considered the best way to organize everypony. “Corporal Silent Forest, continue at point. Then Red Steel will be ahead of Subtle Song, Stalwart, and myself. Gale was in the Long Patrol once, so she can take the rear.”

I did not like the idea of putting Gale into one of the more vulnerable positions in the line, but as a soldier and former member of the Long Patrol, she was perhaps the most qualified of the group to take that position. At least with the way I had set things up, Stalwart and I would be near her to give her assistance in the event of trouble. It also let me be nearer to the two ponies in our group that I trusted the most. No small thing to me.

Stalwart inclined his head approvingly. “That should be fine.”

The rest of the group did not argue with my arrangement, and soon we continued deeper into the Forbidden Forest.

After a couple more hours, I could feel us getting close to our destination. Either through good fortune or the fact that no predators wished to face a group as large as our own, we faced no more attacks by random wildlife. It probably helped that we had a capable guide by all appearances in Silent Forest and a native of the area in Red Steel. Them keeping me away from poison ivy and other disreputable plants was certainly appreciated.

I also managed to only fall one more time into the mud. I had long ago attained maximum saturation thanks to the rain, and so I considered it a blessing that the only way I could become wetter was to drown to death. My headache had become a regular throb of pain, and I felt exhausted from trudging up the muddy, forested mountain for the better part of the evening. I was pretty sure by that point that the only way my condition could worsen would be for something to try and kill me.

That made me all the happier to finally reach our destination. The forest along our path gave way to a glade. The wind and rain had become worse as we had ascended the mountain and now obscured our vision more than a few pony-lengths away. The roar of a small waterfall echoed from the side of the glade. The water crashed along smoothed rocks that dotted the waterfall which fed into a creek that ran through the center of the break in the forest and then farther into the forest and down the mountain.

But that is where my normal impression of what a forest glade should be like ended: the place was dead. We had been walking through a vibrant—if hostile—forest one moment, and then as though crossing an invisible line, life ended. Trees, grass, all of it, dead around the glade from some blight that seemed to cling to the ground. Great, gnarled old trees dotted the field, their empty branches seeming to grasp in every direction. Even the animals seemed to avoid the place. I could only hear the chirping of birds in the distance, and nary an insect was to be found.

To state the obvious, there was something wrong about this glade. It made my hair stand on end and made my senses scream that I should avoid this place. That is, of course, part of why I proceeded to move forward and investigate.

Magi, perhaps, do not have the best survival instincts.

I followed my tracking spell to the base of the waterfall. I might have become concerned with the spraying mist that came from the water falling upon the rocks had I not already been soaked. Given my current condition, I could enter the mist with vulnerable immunity. I stared down into the murky waters my tracking spell pointed towards. The pool at the bottom of the waterfall smelled rancid, like particularly acidic chemicals in an alchemical lab.

Gale leaned her head down to look where I was staring. “So, have we reached our destination, oh great magus?”

I ignored her teasing tone as I considered what to do. “So ‘twould seem.” Sensing with the tracking spell, I reached down with my telekinesis and felt something solid other than the smooth pebbles that lined the bottom of the pool. I pulled up and revealed the white bone of a pony’s skull.

“I believe I have found Hazen Apple,” I called out to everypony. Scooping at the bottom of the pool some more, I found more discarded bones. “Or at least, what remains of him.”

I felt regret as I stared into the empty eye sockets of the dead pony. ‘Twould seem that I would not be returning him to his home and family. While I may not have liked Applesauce, I could not begin to summon the malice to wish for his son to have been slain. It also cast poor auspices on the fates of the other ponies that had gone missing.

Out of curiosity, I combed across the pool with my magic and drew up more bones than could have belonged to any single pony. There seemed to be a great mound of the remains, that of at least a dozen individuals. “Also I have reason to believe more than one pony has died in this glade.”

Gale gave me an oblique look. “Oh, and what makes thee say that?” She cut me off before I could tell her that ponies usually do not have two or more skulls. “That was sarcasm, Midnight.”

“Right ... I knew that.” Gale gave me an unconvinced look. She often complained I was too literal in talking with ponies. I always thought it was annoying how ponies did not always just speak what they meant.

Red Steel swallowed as she looked at the bones held in my telekinetic field. “So everypony that has disappeared over the last few days is...” She did not finish her statement. It seemed that the idea that ponies she had probably known much of her life had died did not settle well with her.

“Aye, ‘twould seem so. And possibly more besides.” I levitated the bones closer to examine them. “The question is: what killed them? Other than having the flesh removed from their bones, that is.”

Stalwart cast his eyes about the glade. “I believe we know what you meant,” he said patiently.

Silent Forest motioned for me to levitate a couple of bones closer to where he could see them. I did so, and he looked over what was probably a broken leg bone. He narrowed his eyes at it and grunted disapprovingly before speaking in his laconic manner. “Eaten. Bone marrow probably sucked out. Equine teeth. Bad teeth.” He pointed towards a small circle of stones the size of a pony’s head. “Campfire.”

Subtle Song covered her mouth. She looked like she was going to be sick as her voice came out as a squeak. “Somepony partook of cannibalism?”

I examined one of the bones and saw that there were a number of small indentations on them. The idea that somepony had eaten their fellow pony’s flesh was a disturbing one. My investigation had taken a very grim turn.

Red Steel’s face contorted with a mix of revulsion and rage. “Why would somepony do something like this? This is ... beyond vile.”

That was a good question. Were we dealing with some madpony, or were we facing something else? Not particularly wishing to do so but needing to follow a suspicion, I concentrated and extended my magical senses.

What I felt was a profound corruption in the land itself—like an acidic web had been laid over the entire glade. It choked and burned out all life and left me feeling befouled from touching upon it. I readily recognized what I was feeling.

“Black magic,” I hissed.

“Thou art sure?” Gale asked. I was only able to detect the hint of worry within her tone because of how long I knew her. She had good reasons to be concerned.

“Aye, I am sure.” I motioned to the glade. “The whole area had been blighted by it. I believe that this glade is a focus for the forest’s leylines. ‘Tis likely that whoever is responsible for this was drawing upon the leylines to assist them in their spellcraft.”

Subtle Song shivered and reached into one of her saddlebags—shuffling around something inside. “Black magic can do all of this?” She gestured towards one of the old, gnarled, dead trees.

I cast my eyes about the blighted glade and saw nothing but death around us. “This can be one of the reactions to black magic, at least when much of it is used or over a long period of time. This place is saturated with it.”

“Black magic could explain how so many ponies disappeared without a trace,” Gale pointed out. “A pony with the right spells could enthrall a pony and make them come to this place to be murdered. And there are plenty of spells that could be used to avoid detection.”

Gale was right, of course. If one knew the right spells, magic could open up all sorts of possibilities for misdeeds. It would have made matters far more simple for a ne’er-do-well if he or she could simply dominate the mind of another to make them come here or kill them quickly and silently with spells and then bring the corpse here for some nefarious purpose. Such things were, of course, illegal under the Laws of Magic. The use of magics such as mind control could corrupt the very soul of the pony who used them due to the sheer foulness of the act. But the reasons laws are made to start with is because there is some problem to address.

I nodded. “I am going to have to agree with Gale. ‘Tis likely we are dealing with a warlock.”

Red Steel narrowed her eyes at me. “And you are certain ‘tis black magic and not some other source? I can also think of more mundane methods for how one pony can drag them all the way up here and for this blight. Besides, I thought ‘twas only unicorns who could use such magics? And no unicorns live in Appleton.”

“I know what black magic feels like,” I said confidently and tapped my horn. “And black magic has been used here. I have experience with identifying it.”

The militia captain gave me an unconvinced frown. “At thine age?”

I tried not to grind my teeth. Ponies always seemed to have trouble guessing my age. Many ponies had believed me to still be a child, or else that I was well into my middle years. ‘Twas most irritating, and had been the case my entire life.

“I am quite old enough to know what black magic feels like,” I snapped at her, feeling my choler rise.

If Red Steel was affected by my outburst, she did not show it as she gave me a contemptuous look. “And pray tell, what experience do you have with black magic?”

I put the bones I had gathered with my magic on the ground. I had a feeling ponies would want to recover those. “I have been to the Sealed Repository. ‘Tis where the magi lock away all the evil artifacts and forbidden knowledge they gather. Black magic radiates from that place.”

Red Steel watched as I arranged the bones. “Have you ever dealt with warlocks before?”

“Um, neigh,” I admitted. “I have never faced a warlock in battle, per se...”

“I see.” She exchanged an annoyed glance with Gale, who, in turn, stiffened at the gaze.

I wondered what was passing between Red Steel and Gale when Stalwart placed a hoof on my shoulder. “Mayhaps we should concentrate on more important matters than the magus’ history?” He gave Red Steel a firm look, and she did not challenge him.

Taking the moment of peace to think, I asked, “Could somepony be hiding in the woods around here?” I gestured towards the pool with my head. “For a long time that is. I sense this blight has probably been here for years.”

Red Steel frowned as she considered that. “Neigh, ‘tis unlikely. Somepony looking for lumber in the woods or a sweep of the Long Patrol would probably have spotted them. Besides which, everypony needs food and other supplies sooner or later. This is not a terribly kind land. You could easily get yourself killed if something were to happen to you here. If you were to break your leg while on one of the trails and did not have anypony else to help you...” She shook her head. “There are very good reasons why nopony comes into the forest alone, even in the safer places.”

Silent Forest nodded in agreement. “Do not forget predators. Lone ponies are vulnerable.”

I could readily see the dangers for a single pony in this land. All ‘twould take is one day of ill fortune to kill you. One of our numbers had almost been killed by a mountain cat earlier today, and I did not relish the idea of descending this mountain with only three legs, given how much I had fallen to the mud with all of them available to me.

All of this made for unhelpful news. Briefly, I had hoped that Appleton only had a small population of unicorns that I had not yet seen, or some stereotypical mountain witch living in a remote hut. If that had been the case, then ‘twould have been a simple matter to go to each of their homes, interrogate their owners and investigate their dwellings. Gale had a talent for finding every hidden nook and cranny in which a would-be warlock might hide incriminating belongings, and I knew what foul articles and mannerisms to look for to identify a probable warlock.

Though there is one disturbing fact that magi do not like to advertise: ‘twas perfectly possible for non-unicorns to use black magic. Those methods were fewer and harder to do for earth ponies and pegasi, but they were available. Anypony had the potential to summon forbidden powers or to obtain some evil artifact and use it. Still, ‘twas not something magi such as myself were supposed to tell everypony. Often the best way to keep ponies from being tempted was to never let those temptations near them.

All of this amounted to more pieces to a puzzle that I could not yet put together. This assignment became more confounding by the hour.

Stalwart flicked off the water that had gathered on his wings. Likely everypony’s misery was comparable to my own at this point, thanks to the elements. “Could you tell us what form of black magic this is?”

“Give me a moment to concentrate.” I closed my eyes and focused on my magical perceptions. The touch of the corrupt energies around created a sickening pit in my stomach, but I pushed through the discomfort to carefully study those energies. I felt vast currents of energies moving about. Neigh, being moved about with purpose, rather than in natural currents. They were being shaped and molded.

I recognized it as some sort of ritual—a spell significantly more complex and powerful than a casting from a horn. Whoever had done this had put considerable effort into this working. One layer of spellcraft had been interwoven into another like some great magical quilt. The vastness and subtlety of it made it difficult for me to initially identify it. It was spread out, going beyond the glade, and I could feel it covering the valley as thickly as the fog that clung to the mountains here.

I wondered how much power had been gathered and so skillfully woven. The terrible and obvious answer came to me readily. ‘Twas possible that Hazen Apple and the rest of the ponies that had gone missing had been used as sacrifices for the ritual. Likely even. One can gather a great deal of power doing so, and ‘twas just about the darkest magic imaginable. ‘Twould readily explain why the land here had been so severely blighted. So much death-based magic could easily pollute the land with those dark energies that would radiate from such a ritual. As sickening as the idea was, the cannibalism might have been part of the ritual to harness the energies used for it.

The situation I was looking at froze the blood in my veins. The ritual had not even been completed yet. Someone was gathering massive amounts of power through pony sacrifices for some purpose. This ritual had been meticulously planned out, was being skillfully cast, and I could feel it nearing completion like some crossbow bolt slowly being drawn back to be shot. I could sense a tension in the air that set my teeth on edge. I could think of no good purpose such vile energies could be used for.

I put my full concentration into studying the ritual and its magics to discover what I could. If I could find out more about the ritual, I might be able to stop it. ‘Twas much harder to gather magical energies, harness them, and then put them into motion than ‘twas to disrupt them. And as an Alpha unicorn—the most powerful class of unicorn—I could throw a lot of energy around to attack this ritual. The problem was that I had to figure out how best to do so without doing something like causing a magical backlash that would turn me to ashes.

I went about my work to uncover the intricacies of the ritual when I felt something new in motion, a presence I had not felt before moving along the edges of my perception. New magical energies were suddenly in motions that were not directly related with the ritual. I had not detected these energies under the backdrop of the massive energies gathered for it. I turned my attention to the new disruption to see what was happening. I only had time to feel those energies directed and then shoot towards me with violent purpose.

I was barely able to throw up my mental and magical defenses from the sudden attack. But rather than some sort of metaphysical attack like I expected, the energies hit me and stuck to me like adhesive oil. Before I could discover what had happened, my concentration was broken when I was suddenly knocked to the ground and a body fell on top of me.

My senses snapped back to the material world, and I was seized by a disorientating sense of vertigo. My vision focused just in time to see a branch that was wider than my barrel slam into the ground just where I had been standing. I felt the wind as the branch fell past me and impacted the mud with a slushy smash of rotting wood against muck, and mud splashed against my face in clumps. I noted that Stalwart was lying next to me. I guessed that much have been the one to push me out of the way of the branch. In my moment of disorientation, I thought that one of the branches from the nearby trees had fallen and nearly crushed me by sheer happenstance. That was when the branch pulled itself from the mud.

I followed the length of the branch with my eyes and saw that it was still attached to the tree it came from. It creaked and cracked with the sound of breaking rotten wood as it moved. I stared up and up in confusion as I noticed that this blighted tree had a vaguely bipedal form. It was similar in proportions to some minotaurs I had seen visiting Canterlot and every bit as gnarled and aged as the rest of the trees around us. It stepped a massive trunk of a leg to position itself above me, causing the ground to tremble with its bulk, and sickly looking yellow sap poured from its crevices. The rain flowed down the crevices in its bark to create miniature waterfalls as it clenched the minotaur-like digits on its other fist, causing a loud series of pops, and lifted it above me and Stalwart.

“Move!” Stalwart yelled. He jerked me to my hooves with that steady strength of his and pulled me along to get me away from the attacking tree.

My legs did not seem to want to move right, and I stumbled as I tried to stay on my hooves and move where Stalwart was attempting to drag me. I was still trying to regain my balance from using my magical senses and with trying to come to grips that I was being assaulted by moving lumber. The reality of what I was dealing with became all too real when the blighted tree brought its fist down to squash me.

I would like to say I did not scream as the limb missed me again by no more than a hoof’s length and nearly knocked me down from the jar of the impact on the ground. Now feeling more emphasis to do so, I did what I very much felt was the wise thing to do: I ran. ‘Twould have been suicide for me to stay within that thing’s reach. A single strike of one of its limbs would have crushed me easily. Even being clipped by one of those limbs would likely have caused broken bones. Hence, I had no intentions of remaining where it could strike me. Two brushes with death were quite enough for me.

As Stalwart and I ran across the glade, I saw the blighted tree turn and begin to chase us with a long, purposeful gait. It may have seemed slow and cumbersome in its movement, but its long, tree-trunk legs ate up the distance between us.

I was in the process of calculating our relative speeds to one another when Red Steel bounded out from the mists. A distant part of my mind realized that everypony must have scattered when a giant tree had started moving with murderous intent. Red Steel pivoted when she reached the base of the attacking tree and contorted her body to lash out with her rear hooves against one of the thing’s legs. Her timing had been perfect. She struck with her hammer hooves right as it was raising its other leg. There was a resounding crack of rotting wood snapping, and the creature stumbled, flailing its arms around to balance itself, and fell to one knee with a loud thump.

The tree raised an arm with the deliberate purpose that marked its movements and swung at Red Steel with a backhand. The militia captain fell to the ground, and the limb swished over her. She stood back up gracefully—as if all of her movements were part of one big dance—and darted out of the tree’s reach. I watched on in amazement at how skillfully Red Steel had—at least temporarily—disabled the creature.

I should have been more mindful of where I was running.

I did not see the low-hanging branch until my face collided with it. I broke the degrading branch, and my momentum carried me forward as my vision burst with stars. I stumbled, lost my balance on the slippery mud, tripped upon what must either have been a log or rock, and fell to the ground. My momentum caused me to tumble and roll, and it felt like I hit everything I could as the world spun in my star-filled vision.

I lay there in the muck, my chest heaving. I suddenly felt all the pain and fatigue I had built up from the past few days from my protector’s training and from hiking about town and up the mountain redouble and combine with the new aches and pains I had just gathered with my fall. I knew I needed to get up, to move, to run, but I just felt too tired as the rain poured over me.

I dimly perceived Stalwart stop next to me and felt him try to drag me to my hooves. “Midnight! Get up!” He looked back behind himself and pulled on me all the harder.

I rolled to my stomach as much from Stalwart’s prodding as any exertion of my own will. I glanced back and saw that the blighted tree had stood up again, and while moving slower now, as the knee Red Steel had smitten buckled slightly when it put its full weight upon it to walk, continued its deceptively steady progress towards us.

Not wishing to suffer a lumber-based death, I stood up. A new wave of vertigo seized me, and I all but fell against Stalwart to maintain any semblance of balance. Without him, I probably would have fallen back to the ground. I felt my heart threaten to beat out of my chest as I realized I could not make my legs move correctly to flee. I needed to run, to stay out of that thing’s reach, but my legs just wobbled and took unsteady half steps.

Silent Forest stepped from around a nearby tree. He sat down and braced his crossbow against his shoulder and fired the weapon. The monster did not even seem to register the bolt slamming into what amounted to its chest. That bolt likely would have sent a full-grown pony sprawling to the ground from the impact, but against the mass of the blighted tree, Silent Forest might as well have been throwing twigs at it.

Unable to run, and seeing the gnarled creature closing the distance between us, I seized upon the first spell that came to my mind though the panic that was threatening to overwhelm me. I drew upon the moisture in the air, freezing it into half a dozen javelins as long as myself. I threw the icy projectiles into the thing with all the force I could quickly muster. I had wasted energy in the attack due to being rushed and having my senses dulled by pain, fatigue, and fear, but the javelins still flew fast enough to impact the blighted tree with enough force to bury most of their shafts into the thing.

I had no more luck than Silent Forest. Its bulk was likely too large to be properly affected by anything less than a ballista bolt, and in my current state, I could not draw up such an attack in the small number of seconds I had left before being killed. A creature of flesh and blood would at least have had a few organs punctured by my attacks and have caused significant bleeding, but its lack of any organs or blood made my spell wholly ineffective. I had wasted both time and magic at a critical juncture, and ‘twas likely to cost me my life.

I was momentarily confused when I saw myself waltz up to the creature. I—or something that looked exactly like me—stepped into the blighted tree’s path and started shaking my—her—rump at it. “Here I am! Come and get me!” The not-me started prancing about trying to get the blighted tree’s attention.

It seemed wholly unconcerned by the other me, as it walked right through it, causing it to shift and wave as though ‘twere a mirage in the desert, and continued its lumping path towards me.

“‘Tis after Midnight!” I heard Subtle Song call out from somewhere in the rain

It dawned on me that Subtle Song, the only other unicorn within our group, must have cast an illusion to try and distract the attacking tree. A shame it had not worked. Either the tree was unaffected by the illusion, saw through it, or some other factor worked against it. That was always the issue with illusions; they either worked spectacularly or failed disastrously in their task.

Stalwart growled and cursed something under his breath as the blighted tree came with just a few more steps of reaching me. “Silent, menace its flank! I will attack its other leg!”

Silent Forest nodded and ran in to attack from the same angle Red Steel had used so effectively earlier. Either out of intelligence or some form of instinct, the blighted tree swept a limb at the patrolpony. He was forced to break his charge and rolled out of the way of the attack.

Stalwart took full advantage of the diversion. With a series of flaps from his wings to help build speed, he ran forward and ducked under a klutzy swing from the walking tree. His left wing flashed out and an enchanted steel blade bit into the front knee of the thing. A jolt seemed to move through the tree as the wingblade cut a couple hooflengths into the leg. He jerked his wingblade out of the wood and used the momentum of the attack to swing his body and bring his other wingblade into the back of the tree’s knee. While not biting in as deeply as the first blow, it still caused a cut deep enough to make any lumberjack proud. (1)

1. It is unclear if Midnight actually knows enough about the lumber industry at this point in her life to make that judgement call.

There was a creak of wood being put under too much pressure from the blighted tree’s knee. Gale flew in and stepped onto a branch long enough to flick a pair of darts into the tree’s left knee. There was a small explosion of blue energy, and a layer of frost formed on its knee. Gale must have used one of the darts I had enchanted to explode with cold energy upon impact.

Red Steel took that moment while the creature was distracted by Silent Forest and Stalwart to attack. She ran in and gave the tree’s right leg another savage buck that caused splinters to fly into the air—the rotting wood made all the more brittle from the cold of the enchanted darts.

That seemed to be too much for the malevolent tree’s legs. There was an ear-splitting snap from its knee, and it slowly fell to the ground like—well, a felled tree. It crashed through the branches of nearby trees with its descent and landed with enough force to shake the earth below me.

For a moment, I dared hope that the creature had been struck down. That’s when it simply lifted its arms and started dragging itself forward towards me—using both its arms and crippled legs to propel it forward. In addition to not having to worry about bleeding or damage to its organs, the creature did not seem to be bothered by pain either. Life is not fair.

“Oh come on!” I heard Subtle Song yell from somewhere in hiding.

At least ‘twas moving slower now. And it moving slower meant I had more time to think. My legs now working, I also started trotting away from it, giving myself more space and time to think.

I thought, and facts started coming together. It had unerringly come towards me since the beginning of the fight. It only seemed concerned with my companions when they attacked it, and even then, only as long as it took to ward them away. Then I remembered the spell I had been struck with right before the attack. A quick check confirmed that ‘twas still upon me, its oily, metaphysical mass still clinging to me. I studied the spell, having to stop walking for a few precious moments to concentrate. I felt the spell I had been cursed with thrum with energy, a cold, calculating hatred behind it, and felt it calling out—calling to the blighted tree who heeded the call to attack me.

I tried to push the spell off of me with my magic, but all it seemed to do was spread it around the surface of my essence. Much like attempting to rub tree sap off of oneself, all it did was make a bigger mess. I was sure I could “clean” myself of the spell with given enough time, but ‘twas more time than I really had. And there were other problems with that plan; I could feel that the tree’s power was not tied directly to the spell upon me; the spell merely drew it towards me. Even if I managed to find the time to break the spell, ‘twas likely that it would just go on to attack the nearest pony instead of just me and anypony that stood between us. I found that unacceptable.

I might have been able to run from the tree I was increasingly convinced had been used as a guardian for the glade by the warlock of Appleton. But I had a whole mountain to run down to get back to Appleton. And given the rain was not letting up, there were any number of steep cliffs to fall off of, and the mud was as terrible as ever, fleeing down the mountain under such conditions sounded like a great way to fall and break some of my bones into many, many pieces. And even if I made it that far, there was no guarantee the blighted tree would not follow me to Appleton or attack somepony else.

I also had no reassurances that there was not some other guardian or trap lying in wait for me to do exactly that thing. If I ran, I would be apart from my group for at least a short period of time, leaving me vulnerable.

That left trying to fight the thing. Given the damage that had already been done to it, we would likely have to cripple all of its limbs to destroy it. It was fortunate, then, that this seemed to be everypony’s intent. I watched them try to dart in, attack, and then withdraw like they had done so before. But the blighted tree’s crippling had made it even more dangerous and difficult to attack. Every time somepony tried to attack it, it would sweep the limb—either an arm or a crippled stump of a leg—at its attacker. Its new, low base and ability to swing at an attacker from almost every direction was making it difficult for anypony to approach it.

Gale barked out orders to have herself, Red Steel, Stalwart, and Silent Forest all attack at the same time from different directions. They rushed it, and the blighted tree’s response was to roll around the ground and flail its limbs about. Everypony had to halt their attack as the tree became far too dangerous to approach. Stalwart leapt into the air with a couple flaps of his wings as a limb whipped out to strike at him along the ground. It then rolled towards Silent Forest, intent on crushing him. The partolpony ran, dexterously moving around fallen limbs, rocks, and low-hanging branches the blighted tree just barreled through. I worried he was about to be crushed when he darted behind a tree every bit as large as the one attacking him. The blighted tree smacked into the other tree and rebounded back off of it. With its attackers driven away for the moment, it started crawling towards me again.

At the rate we were going, a straight fight was going to get somepony killed. We had been fortunate thus far, but ‘twould take but a single blow from one of that thing’s mighty limbs to fell a pony.

I considered using the water that saturated the ground and air around us to summon enough ice to stop the blighted tree, but I dismissed the idea with chagrin. Given the strength of the creature, I would have to use a great deal of ice to keep it from moving, probably enough to completely coat it and thus make it impossible to attack. And if I did freeze it in a block of ice twould likely just be delaying the inevitable.

None of the other attack spells in my repertoire seemed to be the answer either. I looked around at my environment as I tried to find some method to stop the blighted tree. That is when it surprised me by lunging for me. I leapt away as its fingers grasped at me, kicking up mud and other refuse all about me. I dug in my hooves to run, but one of my hooves sunk into the muck, and I lost my balance and fell. My hooves scrambled in my attempt to get back up, but the ground was now so drenched that it made it difficult to even pull myself out as the mud sucked at me.

The blighted tree pulled one of its massive arms off a limb to strike out at me. Seeing no way to escape it, I pulled upon my magic, and an ice blue shield appeared between me and the creature. I poured energy into the shield as the malevolent tree swung. Its fist collided with my shield with such force that it actually pushed my shield back into me, and while the shield absorbed the majority of the force, the shield still struck me hard enough to throw me out of the mud. I went tumbling and sprawling through the mud and slid for several pony-lengths through the mud before stopping.

My vision swam as I tried to reorient myself. The others were attempting another assault like the last one on the blighted tree. I felt somepony help me to my hooves. I looked to see Subtle Song helping me balance myself and trying to pull me away from the blighted tree while ‘twas distracted.

“We need to flee!” Subtle Song cried over the battle. She glanced back at the melee with worried eyes and started pulling me away from the fight.

I nodded wearily but once again had trouble moving my exhausted limbs through the muck. ‘Twas as I looked down at the sucking mud that an idea struck me.

I turned back to the blighted tree, my horn glowing as I drew deeply upon the magic that flowed through me. I saw my heavy breaths in the air as the air around me became frigid from the aura of my magic.

Subtle Song pulled on me to try and get me to flee. “Magus, I do not wish to tell thee how to conduct yourself, but I do not think it wise to stand here and be slain by that monster!”

I ignored her and concentrated on my spell as the blighted tree’s flailing limbs fought off another assault. I reached out with my magic into the ground under the creature. I felt the earth with my perceptions, feeling the water seep into the soil, damping the uppermost layer. It felt the rocks and other refuse that had worked its way into the soil over the ages. And, most of all, I felt the corruption that had polluted it to the core of its essence.

I then reached out to the water that continued to pour all around us and began pulling on it with my magic. I felt a strain upon my horn as I moved the water, concentrating it, and then moving it deep into the soil under the blighted tree.

It swatted at Gale and forced her to retreat until she could turn for another attack or risk being knocked out of the air. It turned back to me and slammed its right fist into the ground to propel itself forward again. Except instead of gaining purchase and shuffling forward, the limb sunk down past the wrist in the mud.

Guessing its next move, I then poured magic into the ground underneath its other arm. I turned more of the dirt under the surface into mud—deeper and deeper into the earth. Not content to turn just the surface soil into mud, I poured on my magic and used the water to help transmute the bedrock of the mountain into mud.

The desecrated tree tried to use its left arm to pull itself out of mud but only sunk down to the elbow when it put its weight on that arm.

I growled as I kept pouring magic into the spell to turn the earth under the blighted tree into a pond of mud. Using so much magic pressed against my skull, and stars swam over my vision. ‘Twas rare that I had found reason to use so much magic at once and even rarer for the purposes of a single spell, but I had the need now. I had to stop this monster and keep it from killing me or anypony else.

The blighted tree continued to sink into the muck until most of its limbs had been consumed by the moist earth. It struggled to pull itself out and its limbs cracked and popped from the effort but to no avail.

I dropped the spell after finishing what I had set out to do with it. I had to fight to stay conscious as spots dotted my sight and my head throbbed from the transmutation spell. Breathing in and out to help with my concentration, I then called upon my dwindling reserves for another spell. With a gesture of my power, I froze the water within the soil around the blighted tree. ‘Twould do a little to help hold the creature in place, but more importantly, it gave my compatriots firm hoofing from which to attack.

I felt my legs give out under me, and Subtle Song had to catch me to keep me from falling to the ground. Again. This day had been one of nothing but ill fortune for me.

I grinned as I watched Gale, Silent Forest, Red Steel, and Stalwart descended upon the trapped blighted tree. ‘Twas over as soon as it started. The only question was how long ‘twould take for the final conclusion to be reached. It did not take long, relatively speaking. It rarely does when one is helpless in a battle. The four of them chopped and bucked at the blighted tree until all of its limbs had been removed, and it finally stopped moving. Every one of them gasped for breath from the effort.

For my part, I remained sitting as I tried to recover from everything that had just occurred. My body refused to move, and ‘twas all I could do to not fall asleep in the mud, and ‘twas entirely possible I would have done so if Subtle Song had not held me up.

“What was that thing?” Subtle Song asked, a slowly subsiding fear underlining her tone.

I concentrated on trying to slow my heart before speaking and steadied my nerves enough to talk without trembling. “I am not entirely sure. But what I do know is that the warlock we are looking for sent it to slay me. Worse still, he or she has something even more terrible planned. And soon.”

Author's Note

I would like to thank Chengar Qordath, Comma-Kazie, and JJ GingerHooves for all their help in editing this story and making it the best it can be.

Midnight Begins: Chapter 5

Midnight’s Shadow

Midnight Begins: Chapter 5

That mare was the worst thing to ever come to Appleton.
-Applesauce

“Being attacked by a tree. That is something new,” Gale said as she and Stalwart landed next to me. “I had only heard tales of such things while in the Long Patrol.”

“A dangerous foe.” Stalwart gave the fallen tree a wary look as the rest of my companions slowly made their way to me. It was of some relief to me that none of them appeared to be injured. The melee had been a vicious and dangerous one, and I considered us fortunate that nopony had been killed. Myself most of all, considering the monster had been intended to slay me.

Subtle Song slowly turned her head to look about the clearing. “Ye declare that ‘twas sent by a warlock?”

“Aye, ‘tis so.” Feeling some of my energy return after a minute’s rest, I stood up straighter. I may have been in deplorable condition from the various scrapes, bruises, clumps of mud, and woodland refuse from the battle, but I could still stand with some dignity.

“What was that thing?” Subtle waved at the chopped-up remains of the tree. “‘Tis rather disconcerting to be nearly slain by something and not even know what ‘twas called.”

“I do not know for certain.” If I had to hazard a guess, I would have said that we were attacked by some form of treant that had been blighted by the corruption of the glade and then bent to the warlock’s control. Such profane acts were not beyond the ken of the likes of warlocks. The problem was that I did not know for certain, and so kept my councel. Being incorrect often opened me to pointed criticism from my mother, so I did not like giving answers when I was not certain.

I shot Stalwart an annoyed glance, knowing of a potential answer to my ignorance that was not currently available to me. “Mayhaps if I possessed Lore Keeper’s Monsterum Totum I would have had the means to identify it.” I was perhaps still slightly bitter about the hours of riding in the chariot with nothing to read but the military manual Stalwart had given me, which had been a bore.

Stalwart failed to rise to my bait, but Subtle was quick to follow with another question. “Ye do not? How many types of killer trees could there be in Equestria?”

“I can think of over a score off the top of my head.” My answer prompted Subtle to give me a flat look that made me explain. “Between beasts natural to Equestria, magical constructs, and extraplanar creatures, the list of creatures that could fit what attacked us are by the score. I have read much, but ‘tis nearly impossible to know everything. There are simply too many creatures that live on this world. Even the tree-monsters can have unique properties between them such as size, intelligence, and unusual abilities. I cannot remember them all without my books.”

Subtle looked like she wanted to continue the conversation, but Stalwart interrupted her. “Are you uninjured, milady?”

I decided against pressing the issue of my books and addressed Stalwart’s question. “Other than aching everywhere, feeling as though I could quite ably lie in the mud and fall asleep from exhaustion, and being as wet as a waterlogged otter, I am as well as could be expected.” Red Steel shot me an unimpressed look. There was something about the judgment within her eyes I did not appreciate. “At least the attack ‘pon us seems to be over. I believe the warlock attacked us from afar given the magics used, so ‘tis likely the immediate danger has passed.”

Stalwart nodded. “If the warlock was here, then he or she should have struck at us again while we were scattered and distracted by the creature.”

Red Steel snorted derisively. “Assuming our attacker is not a coward.” She kicked away a branch. “Probably is given she sent a pile of kindling ‘gainst us instead of facing us honorably.”

“Or the warlock is wise enough to know that facing us directly would only result in us slaying him,” I stated. “Likely that creature would have been more than a match for any single pony or search party happening ‘pon the glade.” I interpreted Steel’s grudging silence as an agreement. Enough earth ponies from the Appleton militia could have taken down the blighted tree, but I could not see it done without any loss of life.

“Then I believe we should be quick in leaving this place,” Gale said. “I do not like the idea of overstaying in a warlock’s place of power.”

Red Steel looked to the glade’s pool where we had discovered the remains of those ponies slain by the warlock. “Though I am loath to delay giving my fellow villagers a proper burial, we will have to recover the bodies later. We will need the right tools to gather the bones from the bottom of the pool, and I dare not do the job while a warlock is loose in my town.”

That struck me as sensible. The blighted treant was probably the warlock’s only significant defense against invaders, but it would be best not to stay and find out if he had more ways of smiting us. “I am in accord. We can make plans for our next move when we return to Appleton.” In truth, in addition to wanting to get away from the place where I had nearly been crushed by sentient flora, I desired to give myself time to think about what to do next. Matters had become significantly more complicated than I originally suspected now that we were dealing with a warlock. Not to mention that I had preparations to make if I was going to deal with the ritual we had just discovered.

Nopony disagreed with the idea of moving down the mountain and within a few hours we were back in Appleton—if more drenched and bedraggled than when we left. The trip back had taken longer considering the light had been fading during the entirety of our trip, while the rain continued its ceaseless downpour. It made me desire to speak with the local weather ponies about exactly why there needed to be so much rain, but there was not time for such diversions.

At Red Steel’s prompting, we returned to Appleton’s courthouse. It had room enough for all of us, and ‘twas unlikely we would be overheard by anypony there at that late hour. The militia captain unlocked the front door for us and we all promptly shuffled inside. While the spacious building offered little in the ways of comfort, it did serve as a welcome relief to the downpour and mud. I was not long in casting a spell to dry out my cloak and saddlebags. My companions were quick to ask if I could give them the same service, and seeing little reason to be discourteous, I did so. Despite my somewhat miserable condition, my magic had recovered more than sufficiently to allow me to manage the minor spell.

Red Steel lit a hanging oil lamp for us, illuminating the interior of the courthouse. “I will see about fixing everypony some tea to warm up. I will be but a few minutes.” Without waiting for any of our approval, she trotted to the stairs leading down to the courthouse’s basement where they kept the town’s records and small prison. I knew not whether the mare’s perpetually foul mood was a result of the late unpleasantness or was just her nature, but I found it irritating either way.

I did not desire to begin talking about what was to be done next without her, so there seemed little to do but await her return. Though now that we were no longer in immediate danger, the fatigue in my body drove me to sit on one of the benches in the courthouse and take my saddlebags off. Shame even those efforts made my body ache. After everything that had happened, it felt as though I could sleep clear through the next day.

Most of the others had wandered about the courthouse, either to talk in pairs, rest like myself, or pace about the room while we waited. I think the evening’s events were all still weighing upon us too much for anypony to desire much in the way of conversation. Stalwart continued to stand vigil over me as I rested. Either he had far more stamina than myself, or he was better at not showing his fatigue.

Gale sat down on the bench next to me, though she also seemed far less weary than I. “Thou art well after the battle?” Her eyes looked me up and down, taking her measure of me. “At least thou art not seriously injured.”

“I fare better than the tree that attacked us.” I rolled my sore shoulders and felt them pop from the motion.

Gale murmured in agreement. “Aye, ‘twas well done when thou sunk it into the mud. Though I would have preferred if thou hadst kept running instead of turning to face it.”

“I knew what I was doing,” I insisted. “I crippled the creature, did I not?”

Stalwart turned to face me, apparently satisfied that the courthouse held no hidden dangers. “‘Tis true, and I do not call your skill into question, but it was clearly attempting to slay you. It only struck at the rest of us when we attempted to stop it. If you had made it a priority to continue evading the creature and had remained out of its reach, it could hardly have accomplished its task.”

Gale nodded in agreement. “Likely our warlock feareth thee the most of us, for thou art most ready to meet his or her mettle in direct battle. At the very least, thy death would have limited our options in finding and facing her.” I could not argue with that bit of logic. Magi were typically the natural predator for warlocks, given our knowledge and training often made us best suited for slaying them. Not that warlocks were ever to be treated with anything but the utmost caution—even by a fully trained magus.

After all, warlocks had become warlocks by breaking the Laws of Magic. By murdering with magic, invading the minds or bending the wills of others, committing necromancy, attempting to travel through time, or seeking the aid of forbidden powers, warlocks were considered to be extremely dangerous for using magics most profane and evil. There was more than one spell that had legitimate and legal uses, but could be used for vile purposes if misused. More than one community had been ravaged when a unicorn had gone mad and either started enslaving the minds of his fellow ponies, created a small horde of undead in the local graveyard, or summoned a demon. That was not even getting into if somepony found some foul artifact or dealt with a demon to gain more terrible power. There were simply things many warlocks were willing to do that a proper magus would not seriously consider. Such as sacrificing a pony to harness the power from the murder. Thus every warlock was to be considered a dire threat.

“I could hardly have left all of ye to face that thing,” I protested. “I am not a coward, nor incapable of defending myself.”

Holding up a hoof to forestall anymore protests, Stalwart said, “As I said, we do not question your ability, nor wish to make you second guess your every decision, milady. Though we do wish to point out the tactical situation we were under. ‘Twould have been more prudent for you to do what you could to deny the warlock of his objective rather than seek to win the battle. Discretion is oft the better part of valour.”

“What is done is done, but remember that thou canst hardly help thy fellow ponies when thou art dead.” Gale’s somber tone was lightened when she gave me a mischievous grin. “Also ‘twould be best if thou didst not slip and fall ‘pon the battlefield, and run headfirst into low tree branches. While humorous after the fact, ‘tis hardly practical in keeping thy hide intact.”

I grumbled as I rubbed at my forehead. It stung when my hoof met the swelling bruise where I had struck the tree branch. “I will keep thy wisdom in mind for the future. Though in truth I—”

Our conversation was interrupted when Red Steel came stomping up the stairs. She held a fierce scowl and her generally choleric demeanor had been redoubled. “Applesauce has escaped,” she announced to us.

‘Twould suffice to say that would explain Red’s poor temperament. “Didst thou not place a deputy to watch over him while thou wert away?”

Red Steel blew an angry breath through her teeth. “Aye, and Cornhusk is missing. If he was overcome before he could put up much of a fight or fled when he saw danger, I do not know. If I had to guess, some of Applesauce’s kin probably came in and allowed him to escape.” Some of her anger seemed to subside as her shoulders slumped ever so slightly. “At least I hope that Cornhusk is well. I do not think the Apple Clan would harm him much for doing as I asked of him, but Appleton has been set to a boil.” ‘Twas not hard to believe that a hooffull of angry and stressed ponies might do something ill-advised. Especially against a lone target ill-suited to protect himself.

“Dost thou knowest where he might have gone?” I asked.

“He’s probably hiding on one of his kin’s farms. Either that or hiding in the woods.” Steel marched her way to the front door. “I will see if I can sniff him out, and maybe find where my deputy has run off to. Also, somepony needs to tell the families of those ponies that were murdered what has happened to their kin, and ‘tis my duty to do so.”

That was a task I did not envy Red Steel for. I considered the idea of offering my aid in that, but quickly dismissed the idea. I was a stranger to the ponies of Appleton, and better they hear the ill-tidings from somepony they knew. Though I did have some reservations about Red informing everypony in town that there was a warlock amongst their numbers. That could potentially cause Appleton to boil over given the town was already tense from the disappearances, and matters would not be helped when ponies learned that ponies they had known all their lives had been horribly murdered in a cannibalistic ritual. But looking at Red, I doubted she could be convinced not to tell everypony what had befallen their loved ones, and mother had warned me of the dangers of giving a pony orders they would not follow. That being the case, I concentrated on pertinent issues.

“Is the stallion dangerous?” I subconsciously rubbed at the bruise on my chest where the earth pony sharecropper had struck me.

Red Steel picked up her recently dried cloak from one of the benches and hurriedly put it on, looking intent on beginning her search without delay. “Normally I would say no, but Applesauce can be a fool on occasion. Especially when other ponies or some strong drink get him riled up. That pony hardly uses the head on his shoulders. He’s probably just holed up someplace and hoping that he can hide until everything blows over.” She let out a snort. “Probably expecting a pardon from the mayor once tempers have cooled. And she will probably give it to him once he’s paid some small fine. Carrot Casserole’s always had a soft touch. Especially when it helps keep the peace.”

“I do not believe a mayor has the right to pardon a pony for striking a royal magus,” I informed her. In truth, I cared little about the stallion as long as he did not make my task in Appleton more difficult, but there was precedent and the law to maintain. Allow a mayor to pardon a pony striking an official of the crown, and ‘twould only encourage anarchy across Equestria.

Sniffing as though she had smelled something rotten, the militia captain narrowed her eyes at me. “Then you can take Applesauce back with you if I can arrest him again, or Her Highness can send somepony to take him. If she can even be bothered with a town on the frontier of Equestria like Appleton.”

Not particularly liking the mare’s belligerent tone, I opened my mouth to retort, but was stopped when I felt Gale place a firm hoof upon my shoulder. She shook her head and whispered into my ear. “This is not a battle worth fighting, Midnight. Alienating Red will gain us nothing.”

I bit down on my tongue as I considered Gale’s advice. While I was in the right legally, winning that argument would only have angered the already choleric militia captain. Given she was likely one of the few ponies in the town I could begin to trust and count on for assistance, driving her to the point of refusing to assist me would only be detrimental.

“‘Tis of little importance.” I waved to dismiss the issue. “I take it thou planst on leaving immediately to find him? Even though we have not discussed what our next move will be ‘gainst the warlock.”

Red Steel nodded. “The trail grows cold by the minute. He might even be fleeing Appleton to escape justice, or worse—be looking to gather a gang to lynch some ponies.”

That last idea sounded particularly unappealing to me. Especially considering I would be a likely target for a lynch mob to hang from a tree. I was willing to bet that they would not even bother doing the hanging correctly by tying weights around my legs to make sure my neck would snap upon being dropped, but instead would sloppily kill me through asphyxiation. They probably would not even measure the rope properly. Really, if one was going to execute a pony, one could at least do it professionally.

I suppose it's a comfort to know that they would be foolish enough leave me to decompose on the noose as a statement. Whereupon my corpse would prove a health hazard and likely cause many to become ill. So I would have a measure of revenge, as little good as it would do me.

When Gale spoke, there was a clear undercurrent of worry within her tone. “Thou dost not intend to go alone? It is almost without question that Applesauce had other ne’er-do-wells to assist in his escape, and I would not see thee wounded because thou didst not have aid. Let me come with thee.”

“Neigh, I will do this without you.” Red Steel’s narrowed when her eyes looked to me and I could feel the contempt in her glare. “No doubt you need to watch your charge. I am sure she is far more important than some blacksmith and militia captain in some backcountry town.” Gale winced at the harsh words, and I wondered why Red Steel had used such venom with my friend. Perhaps it was because of something said between the two on the trail up the mountain? That would have to be something I would have to ask Gale about later.

Still, whatever problems Gale and Red Steel might have with one another, it would hardly do for the militia captain to be slain by Applesauce and his kin. But before I could offer aid, Red Steel lifted up a hoof to forestall me from speaking. “And do not suggest to assist me. All you would likely accomplish is rile up the Apple Clan even more than thou hast. I should be able to handle Applesauce and his ilk. There is barely a pony in this town who knows how to fight, and I am swifter than anypony else should I need to flee.”

“It still strikes me as dangerous for thee to go about alone in such troubled times,” I hedged.

“I can go,” Corporal Silent Forest said, stepping up besides Red Steel. “Barely be noticed. That is, if the magus agrees.”

I saw some wisdom in allowing Silent Forest to assist Red Steel, if she accepted the Long Patrolpony’s help. Silent was more likely to be seen as yet another earth pony by the ponies of Appleton, and thus be less likely to be treated hostilely. Not to mention he seemed to do an admirable job of fading into the background when he chose to. “I have no problems with the corporal escorting thee,” I said.

Red Steel considered that for a long moment before nodding. “I suppose you will do. Let us go. There is no time to delay.” Tightening her cloak about her, she made a slight incline of her head that only made the motion of deference without showing any proper respect. “Gale, m’lady. I will find you when I have done all that I can do.” Without waiting for a reply, she turned and left the courthouse.

After Silent Forest carefully closed the courthouse door as they left, Subtle Song let an annoyed huff as she sat down next to me, opposite of Gale. “I swear that mare could freeze a pony to death with her sunny disposition. Not to mention a poor taste in music, and a sense of humor as dead as a graveyard.”

“‘Tis a hard life out here in the Appleachian Mountains,” Gale defended. “And in hard times due to the ponies that have been murdered by this warlock.” She stretched one of her legs gingerly, hopefully only due to fatigue rather than anykind of injury.

“Mayhaps that is so.” Subtle smiled slyly and nudged my shoulder. “Though I prefer a pony who knows how to enjoy herself,” she said in a way that implied more than what was said, and an implied something that caught me flat-hooved.

Gale loudly cleared her throat and shot Subtle with an unamused look. “That being so, we should probably concentrate on dealing with the warlock before he kills anypony else, neigh?”

Subtle crossed her forelegs and sighed. “I suppose so.”

“Midnight, thou art sure ‘tis a warlock we are facing?” Gale asked.

I took a moment to cast a privacy spell, and felt a shift in the air as the spell fell over us. After what happened in the glade, I did not relish the idea of the warlock listening on our conversation about her. ‘Twas hardly paranoia when somepony had tried to kill me earlier that morning. “Most likely. I felt somepony move about magical energies to activate the blighted tree, and ‘twould explain the leftovers of the ritual we saw in the glade. Otherwise ‘twould have to be some creature capable of using the dark arts, and not just some mindless beast with natural ability vile magics. The trap and the sacrificial ritual precludes that given the efforts that went into them.”

Gale tapped a hoof on the bench. “I agree. Though ‘tis worth noting that there might be more than one warlock in Appleton.”

“That seems unlikely,” I said. “Warlocks rarely find common cause outside of cults, given most are mad and aggressively power-hungry—which makes it difficult for them to work together unless one has managed to dominate others. Even then, such relationships rarely last long before the master’s paranoia results in him slaying his subordinates, or the subordinates slay their master to achieve dominance. Not to mention it becomes much harder for groups of warlocks to hide themselves over time than a single clever and subtle individual.”

“‘Tis rare to see more than one warlock, but it could be possible. Some foul cult of earth ponies working together might be able to achieve what we have seen thus far. ‘Twould not be difficult for a pony to find others with similar motivations, depending on the warlock’s goals. One should always be wary where dark magic is concerned. Especially when there is every possibility of more than one warlock.” My friend was not uninitiated on the subject of magic. Before the Lunar Rebellion, the Kicker Clan had been Pegasopolis’ experts on magic (at least as much as Pegasopolis had), and possessed their largest reserve of warlock hunters. (1) So Gale’s counsel was to be heeded.

1. It’s quite possible that the Kicker Clan’s ties to the magi from warlock hunting was a contributing factor for why the Kicker Clan stayed loyal to Queen Celestia during the Lunar Rebellion. Their greater exposure to magi and unicorns in general probably caused them to have greater sympathies with Unicornia and its queen. It is notable that the Kicker Clan had the largest following of the Cult of Sol Invictus in Pegasopolis, and that Shadow Kicker herself spent a significant period of her life working with the then Magus Copper Spark while warlock hunting.

Subtle puckered her lower lip out as she thought. “But Appleton does not have any unicorns amongst its numbers. Could an earth pony even be a warlock capable of the feats we have seen thus far?”

“‘Tis possible, but a very rare thing.” I closed my eyes as I recalled what my lessons and readings had taught me. “‘Tis easier for unicorns to use spells for evil, but earth ponies can just as readily make pacts with fell spirits and demons to gain power, or find artifacts capable of giving them dark magic. Though if there is some sort of evil cult in Appleton, then that would help explain the feats of magic we have seen thus far. Many rituals and magics are far easier done in groups than alone. Especially where sacrifices are involved to give the practitioners power.”

There were reasons why the magi had spent the centuries doing their best to scour the land of foul artifacts of power, and to remove knowledge of forbidden powers from the lore of ponies. Temptation was often the prelude to falling to the dark arts. So ‘twas considered a preventative measure to remove sources of temptation. Of course, while the magi’s efforts had curtailed such things, likely our efforts would never be completely successful. (2)

2. Midnight has proven to be sadly prophetic on this point even eight centuries after writing her memoirs. We are still suffering from incidents such as an alicorn amulet being bought from a small magic shop and a dark magic book being found in an abandoned castle, and dark spirits such as Discord and Tirek escape from their prisons with distressing regularity.

Subtle sighed and pulled her lyre from her saddlebags, plucking at some strings as she thought. “Then I admit that I am at a bit of a loss for limiting the number of suspects. From the sounds of it, anypony in Appleton could be our warlock.”

“And there is worse news still.” I felt out with my magical senses and felt the magical power from the warlock’s ritual still hung over us like an oppressive fog. “Our warlock has begun some sort of ritual using the energy gathered from the sacrifices in the glade. I do not know what the ritual is for as of yet, but I can tell that ‘twill be significant and to an evil purpose. Likely all of Appleton is threatened, or at least I think that is how we should act given the amount of power I am feeling and its foulness.”

Stalwart fluttered his wings as he glanced about the windows. “Is there anything that can be done about this ritual? From the sounds of it, it will take us time to find this warlock. Time we might not have.”

“Aye, I believe so.” I stood up from the bench, finding the need to pace as I thought. “I think with sufficient preparations I could dispel the energies of the ritual—whatever its foul purpose is.” The events of the day started weighing heavier on me, and I rubbed at my tired eyes. “Though I will need rest before attempting to do so. The counter-ritual I plan on using will require a great deal of concentration, and I dare not attempt it after such a tiring day. I will be working with considerable magical energies, and failure could result in me being left as a charred corpse from the magical backlash.”

“Then ‘twould seem best for us to return to the magnate’s home and get you to bed,” Stalwart said. “There seems little to be gained from marching ourselves into exhaustion at this point.”

Gale stood and nodded in agreement. “Aye, and I could use a hot meal in addition to a warm bed.” She shivered and tried to wipe off some of the water that still clung to her coat. “I will find myself with a cold due to this weather if I am not careful.”

Subtle Song quickly but carefully put her lyre back into her saddlebags. “Both of those things do sound wonderful.”

“I agree.” My stomach had been in a knot from the stress of battle, but the mention of food reminded me of my own hunger. “Dost thou have thine own lodgings, Subtle Song?”

“I have been sleeping on Red Steel’s floor for the past couple of days.” Subtle’s lips curved into a sly smirk. “Though I think I will venture an attempt at staying the night at the magnate’s home tonight.”

I moved towards the front door, ready to find some rest from an exhausting day. “Carrot Casserole might not have much room left considering she already offered hospitality to us.”

Subtle Song opened the door. “Oh, do not worry. I have my ways of finding a warm bed.” The extra sway she put into her hips as she crossed the threshold made me think that Subtle relied upon more than her skill with the lyre to accomplish her goals. (3)

3. One of my co-editors feels the need to note that it’s likely that Midnight is staring in order to note the movements of Subtle Song’s rear. Midnight is probably just too prudish to admit that she was doing as such. Not to mention potentially being too oblivious to see Gale’s motivations.

Gale stepped between me and Subtle, blocking my line-of-sight to the unicorn bard. “Then that will be between thee and the magnate, Subtle,” she said pointedly.

Giving Gale an amused smile, Subtle shrugged. “If you say so.”

The two of them exchanged a long look before I cleared my throat. “Could ye two stop blocking the threshold? I am hungry and desire rest, but ‘tis quite impossible for me to walk through the both of you.”

Gale gave Subtle one last glare before stepping out of the doorway, and thus allowing us to make our way to the magnate’s home.

It should perhaps come as no surprise that Carrot Casserole’s namesake was amazing. I was used to the fine cuisine of Canterlot given I had lived almost my entire life there. I regularly ate the finely and meticulously made meals servants of the palace prepared for me and other ponies who came into the princess’s orbit. So the more hearty spread of food laid out before me on the large dining room table by Carrot Casserole’s family was a unique experience for me. While I was no stranger to feasts, the plates stacked with prepared vegetables, grains, bread rolls, and fruits seemed far more than a single family could readily eat. I was quickly proven wrong on that point as Casserole, her wife Pea Soup, their six children, Grandmother Carrot, Carrot Juice, and her daughter Carrot Slice devoured the food before them. It was a larger gathering for dinner than I was accustomed to. Normally, ‘twas only me and my mother sitting at the dining room table unless she had invited some guest over.

Seeing them all finish one plate after another was almost intimidating as I slowly picked over the plate before me. While I was hungry myself, it hardly compared to that of the ponies around me. That probably wasn’t that surprising. I was not a large pony, especially in comparison to the large and muscular earth ponies that surrounded me at that table. Not to mention that the hard farm life they all lived probably took a great deal of energy.

“You getting enough to eat there, m’lady?” Casserole asked me not the first nor likely the last time. “Really, eat as much as you want.”

“I am fine,” I assured her. Looking down at my half-full plate, my guilt over not finishing the plate fought against my full belly. While I had said that I had enough on my plate, Casserole had insisted that I was merely being modest and kept shoveling more food onto the plate. Decorum demanded that as a guest I try and finish the plate, but I had long met my match.

“Could I have some more mashed potatoes?” Subtle Song asked gleefully while offering her plate. One of Casserole’s children promptly shoveled some potatoes onto her plate, and Subtle went back to eating enthusiastically. While the battle of attrition had long ground me into the dust, Subtle was still in high spirits. I could only guess that the life of a traveling musician was far more rigorous than I originally expected. Either that or she merely had a natural appetite to put most to shame. Gale and Stalwart were each eating their own fair shares, but soldiers were rather well known for their appetites. ‘Twould seem that I would once again be the odd one out.

We had been fortunate in that we had arrived right in time for dinner. The magnate had been little concerned with our disheveled appearance, and had swiftly ushered us to sit and eat. Though I sensed that Casserole wished to hear what news we bore as there was a certain tenseness in her movements and when she looked upon us, but she did not press at the dinner table.

The mayor looked around the table and saw that everypony had their fill. “Pea, wouldst thou mind cleaning up while I speak with Magus Midnight?”

“Of course, dear.” Pea pecked her wife on the cheek and proceeded with clearing some of the plates from the table. She also went about ordering her children about on various tasks with the type of expertise that only came with experience.

Casserole waved for me and my companions to follow her into the living room, which we did. “So what news can you give me from the day?”

I noticed that we had been followed into the living room by Grandmother Carrot. “It might be best if this meeting remained private, mayor.”

Grandmother Carrot snorted derisively. “Ya think Ah don’t have a right to know what is goin’ on in mah own town? Ah have been here longer than anypony.” From her tone, it didn’t sound like she would brook an argument from anypony. The elderly earth pony carefully sat down into a chair that creaked under her weight. “Now Ah am goin’ to sit here and listen, and that is all there is to it.”

I did not particularly enjoy the thought of the old Carrot matron listening to what might be some sensitive information about what I had discovered. True, Red Steel was probably at this very moment revealing some of what we knew, but she seemed to know at least a little bit about discretion.

I directed an unapproving look at Casserole, and her eyes flickered from me to the elderly Carrot. I could see her weighing who she wished to offend before making a decision. “I am sure it will be fine if Grandmother stays. She’s been around as long as anypony, and probably has some wisdom to offer.”

This decision did not please me, but I was too sore and tired to argue the point. “Very well, then.” I cast a privacy spell over the room—something I had a feeling was going to become a habit in Appleton. “I imagine thou wishest to hear everything we learned?” I asked as I sat down on a cushion. Gale and Stalwart each sat down on cushions on either side of me while Subtle Song lounged on one of the couches.

Casserole sat down on her own cushion and nodded. “If you would, Magus.”

I told them about our trip up the mountain, everything we had found in the glade and about the likelihood of there being a warlock committing some sort of vile ritual that threatened Appleton. The mayor swallowed as she tried to digest what I had told her. “That is evil news, indeed. So everypony that has gone missing...”

“Likely they are no longer amongst the living,” Gale promptly stated.

Grandmother Carrot sat so still that it was hard to tell if she was even alive at times or rather a corpse that had only just expired. It almost came as a surprise when her wispy rasp of a voice said, “Ya plan on findin’ whoever did this thing?”

I nodded. “Aye, it might take time, but we will find the one who slew those ponies. After a night’s rest, I will disable the warlock’s ritual. That will at least disrupt whatever the warlock’s plan was. From there we will do what we must to find the warlock and bring him or her to justice.” I was not exactly sure how I would do so without combing the town for evidence, but I would do my duty. One way or another.

“Then it would be best to get you cleaned up and to bed then.” The magnate stood up and gestured for me to stand. “Come, let us get you a quick shower. Most everything you should need should already be outside.”

“Outside?” I asked.

I discovered that the Carrot magnate had indeed set up a shower outside along the side of her home. In a feat of earth pony engineering, the family had a cistern—a metal tank intended to catch and store rainwater—and attached a showerhead to a pipe that ran down from it. It looked like a small watertower, though it seemed that its only purpose was to bathe anypony who stood within the wooden shack that jutted out of the side of the rest of the Carrot home.

Leaving most of my belongings in the guest room, I made for the shower. While it still rained, ‘twas not nearly as heavy as it used to be. Another blessing was that a stone path circled the home, thus allowing me to walk without getting more mud on my hooves.

I had just entered the shower-shed and was about to close the door when Gale entered. She closed the door and gave me a faint smile. “Greetings, Midnight. Needest thou mine aid to attend thy back?”

I shrugged, finding no reason to object. “If thou desirest. Then I can attend to thine.” (4)

4. It should be noted that bathing customs in Pegasopolis and much of Unicornia were significantly different than they are today. While bathing is now a much more private affair, the widespread popularity and availability of bathhouses caused there to be few taboos against public bathing.

“My thanks for that.” Her smile faded as she approached me. “I suppose I should be grateful that Subtle has not beaten me to it.”

I caused me to raise an eyebrow. “Subtle? Why dost thou think she would desire to join me?” I turned on the water and was glad for the spell I had upon myself to protect myself against the cold. Otherwise, the chilly water would have made the experience much less inviting.

“Hast thou not noted how her eyes linger upon thee? 'Tis unbecoming.” Gale looked about the shed before sighting a large brush hanging from the wall. She approached it and picked it off the hook it hung from. “And she is no mere troubadour.” She proceeded to scrub at my back. While I could have done so easily myself with my telekinesis, I felt it polite to let her do so given I would be returning the favor shortly.

I redirected the showerhead so that the water would fall on both of us. “Neigh, I had not noticed.” While Subtle had struck me as a flirtatious mare, I did not perceive her as having any desire for myself. “I do not know why she would do such a thing if 'tis true.”

“Dost thou not?” Gale took the brush out of her mouth to speak more clearly. “Thou art a comely mare, and the daughter of the second most powerful mortal mare in Equestria.”

I took the brush from her and started scrubbing her back. “So thou thinkest she wisheth to take advantage of me?” Mother had often enough warned me about ponies who might try and use my position and influence to their own advantage. Not to mention how coitus could be used to manipulate a pony.

“'Twould be like a bard to do so.” Gale snorted, making it clear how well she thought of Subtle. “Be wary of her, and do not let her find thee in isolation.”

“I will be wary then.” Continuing to rub at Gale’s back to remove the sweat and grime that had collected, I said, “She seemeth an ... odd one to me.”

“Aye. But enough of her, there are other matters to be discussed.” Gale moved on to scrub at my belly.

“Are there?” I picked up a bar of soap that was sitting on a shelf and began lathering up her coat with it.

“Aye. May I speak bluntly, my friend?”

The soap slowed as I considered that. “Aye, thou mayst.”

There was a moment of silence before Gale said, “Ne'er confess thine ignorance. A magus is expected to know all. Thy statements about the tree were unbecoming of one of thy station.”

I was taken aback by the subject, confused as to Gale’s exact meaning. “But I hardly know everything. Neigh, the more I have learned the more ignorant I have come to know that I am. No single pony can know all the knowledge the world possesses. Not even a tenth.”

“Of course. But to confess thine ignorance openly is unwise.” She took the soap and started applying it to my coat. “Thy subordinates will lose confidence. When thou hast declared that thou knewest nothing ‘bout the tree that attacked us, thou only lessenedst the respect of everypony around them, and made them all the more afraid of what they did not know. Our morale was not served well by thy words.”

I frowned as I considered Gale’s comments carefully before speaking. “But how am I to do as such? 'Twill become plain to all if I am ignorant in time, and giving them false knowledge can do all the more harm.”

Gale pushed my cheek so that I looked her in the eyes. “Choose thy words more carefully. Rather than confess thine ignorance, show thy knowledge. I know that thou knewest more than thou saidst back at the glade. Thou couldst have been forthcoming with what thou knewest, and have lost nothing in the eyes of thy fellow ponies. Even if thou didst not know for certain what that creature was, thou couldst have given us a reasonable guess. Ponies expect a magus to be knowledgeable, use that to thine advantage.”

“So I am to give them all the knowledge I possess while not discussing what I do not?” I asked.

She returned to scrubbing my side with her wing. “Just so. And do not betray thine uncertainty. Such a thing can be poison to the morale of thy subordinates.”

“That is easier said than done.” I sighed as I went back to rubbing Gale down with the soap. “I confess that I feel ... ill-equipped to deal with the task before me.”

Gale glanced at me through the corner of her eye. “And why is that?”

I put aside the soap and worked to wash the suds out of Gale’s coat. “I am no great investigator, or warrior, or anything. 'Twas not that long ago that I became a magus. I do not understand these ponies, and do not know their ways. Much less this warlock we face.” My ears flattened. “It all feels overwhelming.”

“'Tis a heavy burden thou dost bear, but one I think thee capable of.” She wrapped a wing across my back and gave me an encouraging squeeze. “When first I joined the Long Patrol, I faced similar worries. 'Twas there that I learned an important lesson: monsters can smell fear.”

“Is that literal, or a case of the metaphorical?” I asked.

“A bit of each,” Gale said. “But I find that all predators recognize fear and uncertainty. And they are drawn to it.”

I frowned at that bit of wisdom. “So thou art advising to show none? Even when one feels fear?”

“Aye.” Gale took a moment to have the water from the spout pour over her face before continuing. “During the war, the Triumvirate always sought to project an image of confidence. Especially when the war went ill. (5)

5. The Triumvirate was what Grandmaster Crossguard, Archmagus and Grand Vizier Sunbeam Sparkle, and Ephor Shadow Kicker were called by ponies after the defeat of Polaris’s army during the Lunar Rebellion. While this was not a formal position, their leadership of the loyalists during the darkest days of the war for the Solars caused many to see the three of them as working in concert with one another.

“There is a reason thy mother ne'er put much effort into denying the rumors that she betrayed Polaris to his doom.” She stated. “Though she did not, the rumor provided an odd sort of reassurance in the wake of his defeat—that e'en this disaster was a part of a grander scheme for victory.”

That much I knew to be true. Mother rarely made more than a token effort to dismiss any misdeed she did. Part of it is because I knew some of them to be true, but as Mother put it, she often wore her infamy as a shield against her enemies. “This is true. I have seldom seen Mother act without confidence in anything she has done, much less the Lady Protector.” Mayhap ‘twas only because I had not interacted with Gale’s mother as much as mine own, but if Shadow Kicker had any moments of weakness I had not seen any.

Gale nodded. “Their confidence inspirest those below them.”

I conceded with my own nod. “And thou wouldst have me do the same?”

“Aye.” She smiled with assurance. “If thou art confident, 'twill inspire confidence in others.”

“I am not sure how confident I can appear.” I sighed. “I am not either of our mothers.”

“Neigh, nor shouldst thou seek to be. Thou art thyself. Now...” Gale lifted my chin up with a hoof. “A smile.” I gave her a smile, and, to my consternation, she flinched. “...We shall work on that later.”

I frowned. “My apologies.”

“There is nothing to apologize for.” Gale pecked me upon the lips. “Pretense at confidence, and in time the reality will follow.”

“I can pray that 'tis so.” I began carefully preening one of Gale’s wings. Perhaps fortunately for Gale, I had gained more experience since my first sorry attempt at doing so.

Gale made a neutral murmur. “Practice at it.”

“Very well.” I took a long moment to breath before drawing myself up straight to appear more confident.

“Very good.” Gale nuzzled me approvingly, causing my heart to feel lighter.

I nuzzled her back and returned to preening her wings. There was a minute of silence between us before I brought myself to speak again. “Gale, if I may ask a question of thee?”

“Of course.”

I hesitated before making myself ask the question. “Dost thou knowest Red Steel? Thou seemest to be familiar with her.”

“I do,” she answered confidently. “'Tis valuable to have contacts all across Equestria.”

It was true that Gale knew many ponies across the realm, but I was not completely satisfied with that answer. “How didst thou come to know her? Near as I know, this village is far out on the frontier of Equestria, and near nothing of real importance.”

I detected a hint of hesitation in Gale as her shoulders bunched up slightly before she answered. “Thou dost not recognize her?”

My head tilted at that reply. “Neigh, I do not. I cannot remember an earth pony such as herself, and I think I would readily remember a mare with such a caustic personality.”

“Ah, of course.” Gale nodded to herself. “She is not an earth pony, and she bears a new name now. 'Twould explain thy confusion.”

I felt consternation as this mystery unfolded before me. “Not an earth pony? What meanest thou, pray tell? She possesseth no horn, and her armor is not so heavy as to cover wings, assuming she was foolhardy enough to cover them.”

“She no longer has wings. They were—” A flicker of emotion that I could not read passed over her face, “—taken from her.”

All attempts at continuing with the bath ceased. “She hath been maimed?”

“Aye, ten years ago,” Gale said softly.

I blinked slowly as the pieces of the puzzle fell into place. “Thou hast said I have met her?”

“Aye. In Manehatten, shortly after she was Clipped.”

I blinked as I finished the puzzle. “Red Steel is Swiftwing?” Memories a decade old flooded back of the Clipped filly on the verge of flowering as a mare. I remembered the daughter of Steel Striker, the paterfamilias and ephor of Pegasopolis, well. ‘Twas rather difficult for me to forget a pony who had viciously attacked me after I had asked about the stumps that remained of her wings after her elder brother had sawed them off. From what I had heard, her brother had been a fool who removed his sister’s wings as part of some sort of ill-conceived plan to gather his father’s approval. Though the idiocy of the plan caused me to wonder if that was the full truth of it. ‘Twas difficult to say considering the young stallion had quickly committed suicide in shame soon after the incident. Needless to say that the brother in question had not received his father’s approval for maiming his sister.

Multiple questions ran through my head, and I grasped one before I was perplexed into indecision. “After all these years she hath come to this town in the middle of nowhere of all places?”

“Aye, 'tis so.” Gale ran her mane through the shower, and I could see the tension that rested in her shoulders. “I am sure thou canst grasp the reasons for her name.”

“The former to allude to her maiming, and the latter after her father,” I quickly surmised. I also guessed the reason for her name change and why she had come to a place like Appleton, though I did not state it. There was the fact that the name ‘Swiftwing’ could only have brought her further pain after her Clipping. I could only imagine what permanently losing my horn would do to me. ‘Twas not a pleasant thought.

As the daughter of one of the defeated ephors of Pegasopolis, there would be those who would seek vengeance for some act committed during the war by the rebels. Nevermind that Red Steel had nothing to do with the war and its conduct. Aye, she had not even been in Pegasopolis when the war started. But ponies did not always act rationally or wisely, especially when they might have kin who had been slain upon the battlefield. Though like many of the rebels, Red Steel was most likely proud of the Lunar cause, and hadth thus taken part of her father’s name as her own.

I was drawn from my thoughts as Gale spoke again. “I would not speak to her of it. 'Tis an old wound.”

“I can see the wisdom of that.” I frowned. “Her origins would explain her hostility to me, I think. My mother had been one of the primary ponies responsible for Pegasopolis’s defeat and the death of her father.” I rubbed at my face as I thought over how this was going to complicate matters. “And she is the pony I count on most in this town.”

Calm steel lined Gale’s voice when she said, “She is of Pegasopolis, e'en absent her wings. She will do her duty, whatever her feelings.”

I closed my eyes and ran my head through the running water as I thought. “That would fit with her actions thus far. Though I fear she will have little love for me.”

“Thou needst not her love, merely her aid,” she stated.

“'Tis true, that.” While she had not treated me in a particularly courteous manner, thus far she had refrained from tackling me in a rage and striking me repeatedly upon the face me like she had in the past. I considered that a significant improvement.

Gale nuzzled me upon the cheek. “The matter is settled, then?”

“Aye, 'tis so,” I said.

“Very good then.” That settled, Gale started running her hooves through my mane to clean it. Her hooves felt soothing, and I fell back into mine own thoughts. My friend must have noticed, for she nuzzled my neck to give comfort. “What troubles thee, dear friend?”

I leaned against Gale, my energy leaving me after everything I had gone through. “I am trying to decide what I should do next tomorrow once I have rested. I will do what I can to disable the energies of that ritual, but I am not sure what should be done after that. Normally warlocks are more obvious in their misdeeds, and are thus easier to find and smite down. But such is not the case here.”

“I have confidence in thy skills.” Once again Gale tipped up my chin with her hoof and smiled into my eyes. “Now, share my confidence.”

The corners of my mouth turned into a small smile. “I will try.”

“Thou shalt succeed.” Gale leaned in and her lips met my own.

I prayed for our sakes that I would as I returned the gesture.

Now clean of the dirt and grime of the long day, Gale and I went back inside the home. There was only the one guest room in the magnate’s home, so Stalwart and Subtle were sleeping in the living room. (6)

6. As the more prestigious guests to Carrot Casserole’s home, it was the social norm for Midnight and Gale to receive the better accommodations. If Midnight’s retinue had been larger, ponies could have expected to sleep in the barn.

I opened the door to the guest room and stopped abruptly at the threshold. I took in the sight before me and screamed at the horror I saw inside. My saddlebags lay open while my possessions were scattered about the floor of the room. Only chaos served to express how my possessions were strewed about. The pages of Stalwart’s booklet had fallen out of their cover, my medical supplies lay in a disorganized pile in a corner, and several vials of my magus supplies had been opened and their contents emptied onto the floor.

There sitting amongst the carnage, I saw the perpetrators of the heinous crime. They turned to me and their ears fell flat upon their heads, knowledge that they had been caught in their horrible misdeeds plain to them.

“What are ye doing with my possessions?!” I roared.

Two of the younger of Carrot Casserole’s children clung to another in fear. “We are sorry, Magus,” the older of the two said. Though I could not recall his name. “W-we did n-not mean to—”

“Mean to what?” I glared balefully at them. “To go through my possessions without my permission and throw them about like toys?”

I felt Gale place a hoof upon my shoulder, and she gently but firmly tugged me back from the threshold. “Midnight, they are but children. Do not be so harsh with them.”

“B-but my possessions,” I replied, my voice breaking into more of a whine than I cared for. “My silver dust is scattered amongst the broken vial of one of my potions. And then there is—”

Gale firmly but calmly interrupted me, “I know, but look at them. Thou hast scared them out of proportion of their misdeeds.” She pointed and I looked. My ears wilted when I saw that the two of children had not moved from the spot where I had found them, and continued to stare at me with wide-eyed fright. While I had been wroth with them, it had not been my intention to frighten them so.

Stalwart came running up the stairs, no doubt responding to my scream. Gale quickly waved at him, motioning that everything was well enough, and to return downstairs. With that taken care of, Gale returned her attention to me. “Children often get into possessions that do not belong to them, for they are curious. While ‘tis not right, aye, even ill-advised for them to do what they have done, thou hast gone too far. Talk with their parents and have them see to their punishment, but not more.”

“Aye, of course.” I nodded to turned back to face the children. “While I am not happy with what ye have done, I should not have raised my voice with you. So I apologize for my actions.”

“‘T-tis fine, Magus.” Though the older of the two said the words, I could not help but sense that he had said them more to please me than actual sincerity. “C-can we g-go now?”

“Aye.” Gale’s maternal smile slowly became a wolfish one. “Straight to your parents where ye can explain to them your misdeeds.” The two little earth ponies moaned at the fate laid at their hooves.

Author's Note

I would like to thank my editors, Chengar Qordath, Comma-Kazie, and JakeTheGinger for all their help with this story.

I would also like to thank all my prereaders Swiftest Shadow, ZaneSkelton, Luminary, Web of Hope, Incidental Pegasus No. 5, Infinion and Llyander for all their dedication and hard work.

Midnight Begins: Chapter 6

Midnight’s Shadow

Midnight Begins: Chapter 6

I had hoped that getting some sleep after what had been an exhausting, painful, and irritating day would have helped to rejuvenate me for the next day. It did not.

After informing the elder Carrots what their children had done and seeing to their punishment, I had recovered what I could of my possessions. Unfortunately, several of the potions and many of the thaumaturgic aids within my saddlebags had been destroyed or rendered unusable. I could replace everything, but I would need to be in Canterlot or a city with a good-sized market to do so. Not just any market possessed silver dust, specialized scent candles, or runecarved gems, and an earth pony village like Appleton simply did not have much use for such things. The loss of so much of my supplies was upsetting, both for being the senseless waste that it was and for the loss at a critical juncture. Some of those supplies would be sorely missed the next day.

In any event, there was little to be done about it, and I yearned for a soft bed. As my mother would no doubt advise, it was best to deal with the situation one faced rather than dwell upon how one might wish it to be. Flights of fancy would not help me find justice for the ponies that had been so foully murdered in Appleton.

So I had crawled into bed along with Gale and slept with the intent to tackle the problems facing me with a renewed body and mind. ‘Twas a shame that I woke up feeling wretched. Mine eyes fluttered open as I was forced to make a wheezing cough. I promptly pulled a handkerchief out of my saddlebags to blow into. A pounding echoed within my head, and I felt I was every bit as worn as I had been upon going to sleep.

Gale groaned and rolled over on the bed to look at me. “Midnight, art thou sick?”

“Aye, I believe so.” I blew into my handkerchief again to try and clear my nose. “‘Twould seem that the trials of yesterday were not kind to me.”

Gale sat up and went about trying to straighten out her disheveled mane, which was almost always a mess after sleeping. “Thou dost have a talent for being the focus of misfortune, Midnight.” Gale looked as me and sighed. “There are times I wonder if thine ill luck is brought ‘pon thyself.”

“If ‘tis so, then I know not how I have done to deserve such ill-fortune,” I lamented. Of course I would become sick now of all times. It seemed that exhausting myself running about Appleton and being out in the rain all that time had taken their toll.

Gale got out of bed and stepped around, giving me a concerned look. “Art thou well enough to move, or art thou going to need more rest?” She placed her pastern upon my forehead to see if I had a fever.

“I think I can endure.” Shuffling out of bed, the weariness only seemed to redouble. “There is too much to do to allow me to lie in bed, anyways.”

My friend fixed me with a concerned frown. “Midnight, I do not wish for thee to worsen thy condition. Thou underwent through far more trials yesterday than thou art accustomed to.”

“I will be fine,” I assured her, moving to my saddlebags. “Besides, I have medicines that should help with my sickness. Assuming they survived the rambunctious behavior of those children, anyways.” I pulled out my medical kit, and looked through its remedies. “There is no time to delay. I need to try and disperse the energies of that ritual ere they can be used for whatever foul purpose they were intended. After that, we need to continue our investigation to find the warlock or warlocks responsible for the murders and stop them.”

I could see Gale mulling over the situation we now found ourselves in. “And thou wilt be well enough to deal with the ritual?”

“I will have to be.” Pulling out a vial from within the kit, I swiftly downed the green potion. The bitter and foul tasting concoction burned as it made its way down my throat, and I coughed. ‘Twas always the curse of potent remedies to be unpleasant to consume.

Gale moved to support me with her body. “At least I requested that Carrot Casserole allow us some extra time to sleep instead of waking up with the rooster like the rest of her family. She should have left out some food for us from breakfast.”

“That is good to hear, at least.” A twinge in my throat caused me to cough again. In truth, all I desired was to crawl back into bed, pull the covers over my head, and go back to sleep as I tried to forget all my troubles. My duty drove me on, though. Lives depended upon me, and I could not fail them.

“Then let me see what was left for us while you rest a bit more.” Gale pushed me gently back into the bed, and I could not bring myself to resist her. “Maybe some food will make thee feel better.”

“Aye, that sounds fine,” I said, making myself comfortable.

Gale made for the bedroom door. “I will be back in a little bit.”

My eyes felt like they had only just closed when they snapped back open as Gale returned to the bedroom, a tray of food balanced on her back. It seemed I was indeed as weary as I felt, if I had nodded off so easily.

Gale placed the tray onto the bed and sat down next to it. The tray had some sliced carrots and apples, some cornbread, and a broth. “There. Now eat, it will make thee feel better.”

“My thanks.” I levitated over some sliced carrots to chew on.

“I have been thinking, thou shouldst do what thou must to deal with the ritual while I go into town and see what I can discover on our warlocks.” Gale picked up a slice of cornbread. “At least thou wouldst not be exhausted by running about town and can rest here at the magnate’s farm if necessary if thy magics tire thee.” She put the cornbread into her mouth as she awaited my response.

“That seems reasonable.” I thought over Gale’s plan, seeing if there were any problems I could foresee and quickly came upon one. “I am to guess that Stalwart is to remain with me? If that is so, then thou wilt be alone in Appleton, and thus be an isolated target for any warlocks. Not to mention that Applesauce and his ilk are loose ‘pon the town. They may not mind attacking a lone member of the Guard.”

Gale let out a derisive snort. “The day some farmers manage to successfully ambush me is the day I ask to retire from my duties. I know how to be wary of such things and have more experience at them than you realize.”

“And the warlock?” I asked.

She chewed on some carrots before replying. “More troublesome, I admit. Especially since thou judgest that the warlock or warlocks responsible for this are skilled in their craft?”

“Aye, I believe so.” I levitated up a bowl of the broth to eat. “The types of magics I have seen used would require more power and skill than some petty young warlock just coming into their magic would be capable of, or anypony who found some dark artifact or made a compact with a forbidden power, for that matter.”

Gale rolled her neck and shoulders, using the exercise to delay for a moment before she spoke. “I have been trained to deal with warlocks and have had experience with their foul kind in the past. ‘Twill have to do, for if we take no risks then likely we will not find our quarry. Not before more ponies die.”

“I will have to agree with that, even if I do not like it.” Still, I misliked the idea of Gale being alone. I could request Subtle Song to go with her, but Gale seemed to care little for the bard. Though there were other options. “Mayhaps thou couldst find Red Steel and Silent Forest and work with them.”

Gale nodded. “That was my hope, honestly. I would like to know how her hunt for Applesauce has gone, and if she has gathered any other information. There is just the matter of finding them in town, but I can manage that easily enough from the air.”

I took a sip of the soup, and found it to have a delightful taste. “That sounds as reasonable of a plan as we can have, given the circumstances. Let us pray it will work out.”

After eating, I met up with Stalwart in the magnate’s home while Gale went into Appleton to do her own work. It seemed that Subtle Song had left sometime after breakfast and thus far had not returned. With the Guard sergeant in tow, I sought out Carrot Casserole in order to be provided a place where I could work my magics. While I think I might have prefered to do my work in the magnate’s home, ‘twould have made me feel like a poor guest in her home should something go wrong with the difficult spellcraft I had planned and I did something like burn her home down.

Thus Carrot Casserole had been happy to provide me with one of her old, less used barns on her farm. The barn had clearly seen better days; some of its wood was now rotting, and its paintjob had been eroded by the elements so thoroughly that barely any peeling bits remained. While far from a place of luxury, ‘twould at least provide me the space and quiet I required for my work. The magnate had even been gracious enough to give me some help while I set about my work in the form of her son, Carrot Root, and her niece, Carrot Slice.

“What are ye doing, Magus?” asked Carrot Slice, interrupting my progress once again with another question.

The helpfulness of that help was relative.

Closing my eyes, I pushed down my anger and frustration at being delayed. While my remedies had helped to relieve me of the symptoms of my illness, they had still left me tired and my thoughts sluggish. “I am working on preparing a ritual to counter the one the warlock is attempting to complete. As I was doing so when last thou askedst me a little while ago.”

I looked up from my work to see the youth, Carrot Slice, lazing about on her back atop one of the thick fences that divided up the barn. Boredom clear on the dark green young mare’s features as she stares off at nothing. While still in her maidenhood, she was far from comely with the weathered features that seemed common of the mountain folk of Appleton. The gangly appearance of youth and the scraggly, chestnut colored mane that she had inherited from her mother, Carrot Juice, had done little to help her appearance.

“Oh...” Carrot Slice looked at me through the corner of her eye with disinterest. “So do all those lines ye are drawing mean something?”

“Aye, they are arcane marks and sigils of importance,” I assured her, returning to my work. There was a large, open space within the barn that I had taken as my own. At the center, I had drawn a large circle within the dirt large enough to easily fit a pony within, and around that were arcane symbols I had meticulously dug with great care.

Carrot Slice rolled onto her side on the fence to face me. “And they are for what exactly?” From her tone, I could tell that she was asking more out of boredom than actual academic curiosity. Still, I doubted the filly would be harmed by having some knowledge given to her. All she probably knew about the type of magic I performed was in the form of myth and legends.

“These symbols will help me concentrate my magics for the difficult spellwork I am about to attempt.” Taking a moment to examine my work for mistakes, I began circling the clearning inside of the barn. Thankfully, the barn had a large enough open space in the center to allow me to do my work. “First is the circle within the center of it, a circle being one of the most useful magical constructs any practitioner of the art can use to help them focus their magic, and the circle is reinforced by the sigils. Each of those sigils represents certain concepts and ideas that are intended to strengthen the whole.”

“Uh-huh...” Carrot Slice said in the way a young adult typically did when they did not fully grasp an idea. “I will have to trust ye on that.”

I supposed I should not have been surprised that the concept might have been a bit difficult to grasp. Likely she had not mastered writing, much less the far more esoteric symbols I was using.

Stalwart stepped up to take a closer look at my work. “Am I to guess that you are not to be disturbed when you are concentrating on your magic?”

“That would be prefered,” I said, nodding. “I will be projecting my spirit into the dreamscape to try and dismantle the energies of the warlock’s ritual, so unless we wish to risk a magical backlash that could potentially kill us all.” I rubbed at my chin. “Fire that would consume everything near it being likely in the event of a cataclysm. Or a concussive force that will shatter every bone in our bodies. Though it can always be hard to say where wild magic is concerned.”

Stalwart blinked and took a step away from my the circle and sigils. “I will make sure you will not be interrupted, Magus.”

Slice gave me a curious look. “Wait, what is this dream-thing, and why are ye ... doing that thing ye are doing?”

“The dreamscape is the realm we touch ‘pon when we dream,” I lectured to the young mare. “‘Tis its own plane of existence, separate from ours, but still touching the material plane in certain places. Mostly when we sleep and dream. The reason why I am traversing the dreamscape is because it has a metaphysical connection with our world. While projecting into the dreamscape, I can better see and interact with certain forces. Many things that exist in our world reflect over there—sometimes in the form of copies, other times in allegory or in symbols, or as something truly is. I am confident that I can find the source of the ritual’s energies there and deal with it decisively. Dost thou understand?”

“I ... guess?” Slice said with all the confidence of a student who does not quite fully grasp a topic being discussed. She shook her head and slid off the fence to land on her hooves. “Suddenly this seems more dangerous than boring.”

I waved dismissively. “It should be fine. ‘Tis rare for a magus to die from such a thing.”

My bodyguard cleared his throat. “You mentioned projecting your spirit? Will that make it difficult to contact you before you are done with your work?”

That was a practical consideration about what I was about to do, and it was not difficult to divine why my bodyguard might be concerned. “Aye, thou canst attempt to yell to gain my attention, but ‘tis no guarantee. Though I warn thee never to break the circle; that is what will most likely cause a disaster. My work is delicate enough, and anything that might disrupt my concentration could be ill for my health.”

“Is there not another way?” Sticking his head out the barn doors, Stalwart glance about the property around us. “I do not like the idea of you being so vulnerable.”

“‘Tis not something I am entirely comfortable with myself, but ‘tis a necessary evil, I am afraid.” I noticed a minor mistake I had made, and grabbed the stick I had been using to make the minor correction to fix it. “I am dealing with a vast store of magical energies, and I dare not tackle them without every advantage I can muster.” Which made the loss of so many of my ritual items the previous night sting all the more. Bad enough that I was now sick, but now I was also bereft of many of my tools.

Our conversation was interrupted when a bright orange-coated colt came running up to us. He smiled up at me and Stalwart, a ceramic bowl with a lip balanced on his back. Sweat ran through his tussle of a dark green mane. “Magus! I have the salt ye wanted!”

I levitated the large bowl off of his back and lifted the lid off, revealing the generous portion of salt within. “I am impressed. My thanks, Carrot Root.” The Carrot clan’s naming convention made me wonder if perhaps they would at some point run out of carrot-based names between them. Granted, my mother had named me after herself, so mayhaps I had no room for criticism.

In any event, I was not quite sure where the colt had procured quite so much salt. Perhaps it had come from his mother’s stores, most likely without her permission given how much I now possessed. (1) However he had come upon it, I was not about to question it. Both because I had great need for the salt, and because the less I knew, the less I could be directly culpable should Carrot Root anger his parents. If anything, I would pay the cost of the salt and be done with the matter.

1. It should be noted that due to how difficult it was to gather salt and it being a necessary part of a pony’s diet, being one of the few preservatives available to ponies during this time period and a valuable component for magi, salt was a high value commodity. One often valuable enough to be used as a barter medium by earth ponies and with other nations. Likely Carrot Root had just given Midnight a pricy amount of salt.

“Ye are welcome!” Carrot Root’s smile became all the wider, no doubt pleased with himself that he had managed to satisfy one of his elders. “As I said before, sorry for getting into your things earlier. I do not know what caused me to think that was a good idea, so I hope that helps make everything better!”

“‘Tis quite alright, child. Thy attempt at amends speaks of thy intentions.” ‘Tis often the nature of youth to err and to learn from their mistakes. Holding a grudge against a child that meant no ill will would have been a foolhardy venture, while accepting his help had gained me the salt I desired. “Thou hast done quite well, and I am pleased.” I gave him an encouraging smile, but for some reason that seemed to damper his own mood as his own smile became strained.

“Y-ye are welcome, Magus.” He took a step back, threatening to step on one of my sigils.

“Now mind the runes.” I gently pushed him back a couple of steps away from my sigils, feeling he was too close to them for comfort. In truth, I had sent him out on his quest due to him getting far too much under hoof while I was working. Having a colt constantly asking me questions while prancing about me was not aiding in my delicate work. So I did what my mother had done when I was a child and was making a nuisance of myself while she was trying to work: send me off on some errand that needed completing. Now, to my mild surprise, he had gained me the salt I now required.

The bowl firmly within my telekinetic field, I carefully went about pouring the salt into the crevice of the circle carved into the dirt.

Carrot Root’s eyes widened as the salt returned to the earth. “What are ye doing!?” He dashed forward, but I blocked him from stepping on my sigil with a shield spell, and he bounced off it. I had desired to keep him from my symbols, thus I had made the shield be more flexible than norm to prevent him from hurting himself. I had become very adept at using shields thanks to my training. There had been little choice due to my mother.

I moved from filling in my circle with a solid line of salt to the sigils. “I am using the salt to augment my circle and sigils. Salt is a magical purifier and will make my task significantly easier.”

Carrot Slice frowned as continued my work. “Seems like a big waste.”

Irritation grew within me at the criticism. “I know what I am doing. I have been trained in this since I was a small child.”

Sighing patiently, Slice said, “If ye say so.”

I finished pouring the salt and felt quite done being judged by a child. “Stand away from the circle, I need peace while I cast my spell.” Stalwart helped herd the children away from the sigils while I carefully stepped into the circle. I took a moment to blow my nose on a handkerchief, clearing it as best I could before continuing.

Carrot Slice kept walking away from the barn beyond what advised. “You know, I think I am going to get some distance in case the magus sets the barn on fire.”

“I said that was only if the worst should come to pass and that it was unlikely.” I tell a pony what the worst possible outcome of a spell could be and suddenly they act like the sky will be raining fire, the oceans boil, and ponies will scream in lament of the horrors coming down upon them. ‘Twas most irritating.

“I still prefer my plan,” Slice said cooly. “I will tell Aunt Casserole that ye are not to be disturbed, if ye do not mind.”

“That is fine,” I said, waving for her to continue.

“Can I still watch?” Carrot Root smiled at me with hopeful optimism, no doubt infected with the curiosity of youth. It reminded me of when I had been a child and had desired to watch my mother as she did some working of magic. Those were some pleasant memories.

“Thou may.” I rolled my neck, slowly concentrating on the task ahead of me. “Though thou wilt stand behind Sergeant Stalwart and follow his directions.”

“Alright!” Carrot Root followed Stalwart’s directions to stand by him near the door of the barn while I closed my eyes.

I breathed rhythmically, deliberately. That was somewhat difficult when I felt a cough well up within my throat, but I pushed it back and in time ignored it. What I was about to attempt was difficult, and indeed, dangerous. The power one could collect through a series of ritual sacrifices was considerable, and whoever had created the spell matrix that held the magic of the ritual together had done so with considerable skill and ability. It was not unlike a tightly woven blanket, its magical strands entwined together, and the only way for me to destroy it was to pull the individual strands apart or meticulously cut the strings. I could perhaps have used a more brute-force method to destroy it, and while that would have been successful in disrupting the ritual, such an effort likely would result in me being the focus of a magical backlash that could very well slay me outright. Thus, I needed to be careful.

Drawing upon my magic, I focused on the circle and sigils around me. The circle being intended to contain and concentrate magical energies while the sigils stood for aspects of magic, dreaming, and defense. I activated the sigils and closed the magic circle, now set on my course. My magic, a dark and cold current, ran through me in earnest as I drank deeply of it. When I was as prepared as I could be, I cast the spell to project my spirit into the dreamscape.

I felt a sudden lurch at the completion of the spell. When I opened my eyes, I found myself, or at least the part of me that was not my corporeal body, in a vast and endless space filled with stars. It was often how the dreamscape chose to present itself to those that traveled it, or mayhaps ‘twas the result of how I believed the dreamscape should appear and it conformed to my vision of it. ‘Twas always difficult to say with a realm that was mutable based on the thoughts and will of those that entered it. It could change to almost anything a pony could imagine, and often did when ponies touched upon it when they slept and dreamed.

Now was not the time to reminisce on the metaphysics of the dreamscape, though; I had come here for a purpose. Extending my magical senses, I scanned about to find what I desired. It was in the starry mass before me that I found what I was looking for, the familiar thrum of energy that made up the corrupt power of the dark ritual.

With an effort of will, I moved towards it. Distances are relative in the dreamscape, always changing, shifting, and being changed by those that inhabited it. A road of stars extended before me, and I followed it towards my destination, knowing it would take me where I needed to go. In time, the road lead to a path in an old forest like that surrounding Appleton, though with a more ethereal feeling to it. The trees seemed too perfect, the air too crisp, and the grass too green—like the idea of a forest rather than the messy and imperfect reality of a forest of the material world.

A fog drifted up as I approached my target. I continued forward knowing I was drawing closer to the source of the magical energies, but the longer I walked, the more distant my objective seemed to become. Still, I was beckoned on. My heart beat faster as my walk turned into a trot and then into a run. The fog grew thicker, the forest more tangled. Branches flicked at my flanks, and I felt the pinpricks of thorn bushes as I ran through them. On and on I ran, the ritual eluding me. My chest heaved with effort, my legs burned, and I could barely see what was right before me.

Those things did not matter. What mattered was getting to my destination. Nothing mattered except my destination, to move forward and onwards.

Something snagged one of my hooves, and I was sent tumbling into the ground. My body felt every shock as it rolled along the ground, impacting stumps, bushes, and fallen branches. There I laid, gasping for breath as sweat dripped into my eyes. I was so tired. How long had I run? Did it matter? All I wanted to do was close my eyes and let the peace of the forest consume me. It even felt like a gentle blanket was drawing in around me. I blinked lazily, threatening to stay closed as sleep threatened to become my companion.

Ahead of me I could see the fog clearing a bit. I saw the vague outline of an old fortified tower, crumbling into ruin from age and disrepair. An old gnarled tree was even growing out of it, the land determined to reclaim its own against even the crafted stone of civilization. Through the haze of my weary mind, it just did not seem important.

There was the barest flash of something within my mind. A voice spoke, imperious and rich. “Thou art in danger, child. Wake up!”

Why?

The one worded question echoed in my thoughts, an annoying buzz in my head that kept me from drifting off into a peaceful slumber. What was I even doing? Where was I, and how had I come here? I wished to sleep but some nagging sense kept me from doing so. Was I in some sort of danger? From what? Who had spoken to me? I blinked my eyes, attempting to remove the sleep from them.

Something was wrong.

Now was not a time to sleep, I determined. I struggled to get up, but briars painfully dug into my skin as I tried to squirm out from under the branches that now held me down. The pain brought me to my sense and my heart raced, my instincts driving me to resist. I concentrated my will and magic, and froze the branches that constrained me. With another spell, my shadow writhed to life and whipped out and tore the branches from my body, the harsh crack of breaking branches echoing through the forest.

Frantically, I stood up as the fog thickened. I felt a weariness that had nothing to with fatigue sapped at my strength. The fog, now feeling like a physical force in its own right, pressed down on me. More of the briar branches snaked towards me. Now aware of the type of attack I was under, I concentrated and gathered my will to fight against the mental manipulation that threatened to overwhelm me. Lessons from my mother and my tutor on how to fight against mind magics quickly came to mind.

The air around me chilled as I pushed out a light-blue shield originating from my horn, driving the fog back. The branches plunged into the shield but were frozen into place, a light frost slowly overgrowing them. One by one, they crackled and then snapped off where they met my shield. A harsh, menacing hiss came from the foggy forest, seeming to come from everywhere and nowhere at the same time. There was something out there, watching me. I could feel its attention on me as goosebumps ran up and down my skin.

Drawing on Gale’s lesson from the previous night about not letting the creatures of darkness know of my fear, I called out into the forest, “Is that thy best, warlock?! If this trick is the full extent of thy power, then I find it wanting!”

There was the groan and cracking of moving branches at my right flank, and I saw a dozen thick branches striking at me. I replied with a blast of cold air that blew back the branches and snapped them as they yielded to the cold and the force of the violent gale.

Now the master of my senses again, and taking the moment of respite my counterattack had bought me, I turned my thoughts to decide what I should do next. I was all but certain some intelligence was directing the magics being brought against me. There was a coordination to the magical attacks that could be no autonomous spell, and I could feel a presence somewhere out in the fog.

I reached out with my magical senses, but could not find my attacker. The fog was muddling my senses more than a little distance away, preventing me from finding the warlock or the source of the energies of the ritual. That left me with few options. As my mother had driven into my skull during our lessons together, there were two proper responses for an ambush: fight through the ambush to defeat the attacker, or fight out of it to flee. The former option seemed unwise since I could not come to grips with my foe due to not knowing where he or she was. Staying where I was and fighting in a place of my enemy’s choosing was a fool errand that I was not even going to consider. That left retreating. While I could not navigate the fog, I did have one thing in my favor. I felt the metaphysical string that connected me back to my body back in the material world. It thrummed with the energy of my lifeforce and could not so readily be severed.

The problem was that I needed to fight clear of the power of the mind-fog. The disruption it caused to my senses made it difficult to follow the string back to my body, and that was not something I dared attempt without knowing for certain I could do correctly. While I could use my magic to try and jump directly back to my body, such a task required at least some precision to do right. Making a mistake could result in me accidently cutting my spirit from my body or killing me outright. Neither were things I wished to experience.

Thus I ran, following my lifeforce string. More of the branches moved to block my path, but I froze and shattered them as readily as I had done earlier. I thought I had seen the worst the warlock could throw at me.

That was when an unearthly screech like a dagger being dragged against a sheet of metal came from ahead of me. On reflex, I threw up a half-domed shield spell. ‘Twas good I had, for a pair of smoking orange eyes shot through the fog almost faster than I could notice. Larger than any pony I had ever seen, the creature seemed to be made of condensed fog as it streaked towards me and slammed into my shield. I was only able to catch a glimpse of a vaguely bat-like form, only with a flattened and widened head that seemed to have no neck, and numerous, misshapen claw-like appendages on its underside. As quickly as it had appeared, it flew back into the forest, the tree twisting out of its way to allow it to move without interruption. I cursed the always mutable nature of the dreamscape and its aid to my enemy.

I may have been in the realm of dream, but there were still very real dangers. While my body was safe in the material plane, my spirit being in the dreamscape made it vulnerable to its dangers. If I was not wary, my very being could be irrevocably destroyed, at best leaving behind little more than a comatose shell back on the material plane.

Sensing another attack coming, I strengthened my shield, and I felt the thing collide with it. It streaked back into the fog, leaving me no opportunity for a proper counter attack. Twice more the monster struck my shield before I could give a retaliate, and my horn strained from the effort of maintaining it.

I knew I could not keep up my shield forever against such an attack, but the creature of fog was moving with a supernatural speed that made it difficult to attack. I considered my options and what spells I had available as the creature struck twice more.

Deciding on a course of action, I waited for the monster to hit my shield once again and then dispelled it, making it seem like it had finally collapsed. Hoping that would make me appear vulnerable, I ran as quickly as I could towards one of the nearby trees. I reached the tree and kicked off of it to make an about-face. Using the tree to guard my rear, I cast another shield spell, this time making it as wide and translucent as I could. Not more than a moment later, there was resounding sound of an impact as the monster crashed into my shield. The creatures speed made it most dangerous, but that speed could be a danger to itself if it was not cautious enough about where it was going.

Knowing I had no time to waste, I used the fog to create a dozen razor sharp shards of ice and launched them at the fog-monster, timing the blow with me dropping the shield. It tried to dodge the shards, but the spread I had used and its lack of momentum only allowed it to avoid half the shards. The rest bit into it, and it let out a pained screech. The fog-monster flapped drunkenly, trying to regain its balance, but I tossed a pair of ice javelins with enough force to drive it to the ground.

It flailed on the ground, letting out more of its shrilled screeches into the fog. Determined not to give it a chance to recover, my magic had been being badly drained by my casting of several spells. Losing the advantage now could cost me my life. My horn glowed and a blue beam of light struck across the monster, freezing it in place as a solid block of ice encased half of its body. It struggled to break free of the ice, but it was held fast.

My breaths heavy, I cast about a look and found what I desired. I wrapped a large log in my telekinetic field and lifted it. Mayhaps I should have ended the battle with some witty line, but in all honesty, I was shaking from fatigue and fear and was just trying to end the battle. Thus, I brought the log down on the thing’s head—repeatedly. As well as those parts of its body that were not encased in ice. It was not until the fog-monster started falling apart and dissolving that I finally relented and released the log with a grunt of effort.

The monster defeated, I turned back to my lifeforce string and trotted after it, not wishing to see what other horrors the warlock and the fog would be able to produce if given enough time. I did not know how long I trotted, most of my concentration was on keeping the fog from confusing my thoughts and being wary of more dangers, but over time the fog did slowly dissipate and found myself back on the starry road of the dreamscape.

A quick check of my magic confirmed that I had indeed escaped the influence of the dark ritual’s fog. Bedraggled and exhausted, I cast the spell necessary to return to the material world. There was another lurch, and I gasped as I felt myself back in my body.

I made a deep, gasping breath, and then immediately started coughing, my throat feeling dry. The world swam in my vision, and I was forced to close my eyes lest my stomach revolt against me.

“Magus?” Stalwart called out to me, though with my impaired senses I had trouble saying from where. “Are you well?”

“Aye.” I breathed in and out to try and calm my swiftly beating heart. “I ... merely need a moment.”

“‘Tis safe for me to approach?” he asked.

I had to think the question over before replying. “Let me break the circle first.” Carefully opening one of my eyes, I fought through the feeling of nausea to extend a hoof to break the line of the circle. There was a release of pressure as the magical energies trapped by the circle escaped and dissipated into the surrounding area harmlessly. “‘Tis fine now.”

Stalwart walked over to me without delay and placed a comforting hoof on my shoulder. “Do you need anything?”

The minor headache I had been suffering from had turned into a harsh throb now that I had returned to my body, and I rubbed at the sides of my head. “A moment to gain my wits. Visiting the dreamscape was trying.”

“That was amazing!” Carrot Root bounded towards me, an excited smile on his face. “There were so many glowing colors from your magic, and all your symbols on the ground were crackling and glowing, and then it got really cold and dark but was really exciting!” The colt bounced about me. “I have never seen anything so grand in all my life!”

Seeing Root jumping up and down proved too much for my already roiling stomach. I started heaving and emptied the contents of my belly onto the barn floor. So much for maintaining my dignity and that of my position as magus.

“Eeew!” Carrot Root aptly summarized the situation.

My only saving grace, if I could call it that, was that I had eaten a light breakfast. With there not being much to expel, the experience was at least short, if still decisively unpleasant. I was so miserable at that moment that if I could have lay down and died, I would not have minded to do so.

Stalwart let out a patient sigh. “Come, Magus.” He helped me to shaky hooves and lead me towards some large sacks. “Sit here and have some time to compose yourself.”

I saw Carrot Slice leaning against the doorframe, an unhappy frown creasing her lips. She must have returned at some point while I was in the dreamscape. “Great, Aunt Casserole will probably want me to clean that.”

Stalwart pulled a canteen from his side and offered it to me. “Try and have some water. Just a sip for now.”

I drank a mouthful from the canteen, feeling a small measure better. At least it got the taste of bile out of my mouth. “My thanks.”

The sergeant screwed the cap back onto his canteen. “I think it might be time we found the local herbalist or healer. You are not well.”

“Oh! Oh! Oooh!” Carrot Root began hopping about once again, and I was forced to close my eyes or risk provoking my stomach to mutiny against me again. “That would be my grandmother! Also Aunt Juice, since Grandmother’s been teaching her everything she knows. They are wise in the ways of herbs and potions and stuff like that.”

Carrot Slice pushed off the doorframe to stand properly. “Grandmother is in town visiting some friends. But I will see if I can find Mother. I think she is somewhere on the farm.”

“It would help if you could bring her to Midnight.” Stalwart helped me sit down on one of the sacks and I leaned my back against the barn wall. “Root, could you retrieve some food from the house to help settle the magus’s stomach? Some of that broth still simmering over the kitchen fire, mayhaps.”

“You can count on me!” Carrot Root wasted no time galloping off towards the house.

“Children.” Slice made an exasperated sigh that only young adult can make. “I will try and find Mother for you if you do not mind.” She nodded before departing, leaving me and Stalwart alone.

“How did it go?” Stalwart asked once Root and Slice were out of earshot. I suspect he did not wish to discuss what had happened around the children. Fair enough; I did not wish to either for a number of reasons.

“Poorly.” I leaned my head into a shadow created by one of the support beams, the darkness helping with the pain in my head. “A trap had been laid for me. At least one warlock was waiting for me when I approached the ritual’s energies. I was forced to retreat before I was o’erwhelmed.” More than a little of me was greatly annoyed that I had been thwarted. As a magus, I felt that I should have been able to overcome anything some backcountry warlock should have been able to come up with, even if logically I knew that any warlock had the potential to be very dangerous in one manner or another.

Making an unsatisfied grunt, Stalwart sat next to me. “You think there might be more than one warlock now?”

“I believe there is evidence to support it.” I blinked my eyes open. The light feeling harsh, but I fought through the discomfort. “Much could be explained if there are multiple earth ponies in Appleton that were part of some kind of warlock cult. If such was true, they could have passed down knowledge from generation to generation, aided one another, and brought a variety of skills and talents together to achieve feats that no one of them could have been capable of. Enough of them could have been capable of the feats of magic we have seen. Not to mention there are practical concerns. ‘Tis much safer to move about in the forest in groups.” Our encounter with the mountain cat was proof enough of that. “And there are advantages to a group working in concert to maintain a secret.”

Stalwart took some time to think that over. “But you are not completely convinced?”

I shook my head. “As I said earlier, warlocks do not tend to work in harmony with one another. Then there is the problem that their use of the dark arts tends to be noticed sooner or later. ‘Tis difficult for a coven of warlocks to organize and stay secret when they become increasingly tempted to use their power on whatever ponies lay near them. And when such covens are discovered, the response is usually swift and decisive.”

“That is true.” My bodyguard looked about the land outside of the door. “In any event, I think it best to be cautious and assume there is more than one warlock. At least, then, we would less likely be caught unaware.”

“I concur.” I did not mention it to Stalwart, but I had felt more than one presence in the dreamscape. The one that had been attacking me, and then the second one that had warned me that I was in danger. The first was likely a warlock, but the other I was not so sure about. Mayhaps it was some spirit native to that plane, or even my subconscious warning me? I did not know, either way. For the moment, ‘twas something I would have to put along with the other evidence I had gathered to contemplate.

I levitated over my own canteen to take a quick sip of it. As was usually the case, my magic was quickly recovering from my previous efforts. “I think that brings us to what our next move should be.”

Stalwart turned from the door to look at me levelly. “Will you attempt to attack the ritual again?”

“Neigh, at least not right away.” In truth, I was disquieted by the fact that a trap had been set for me. Somepony had even been waiting for me, I had felt a presence there in the dreamscape. Unless at least one warlock was there to protect the rituals magic from the attack I had planned at all times of the day, somepony had known I was coming. My method of attack was esoteric in nature, and would not be something just anypony could have been prepared for and block. Not without preparation and forewarning, in any event.

There was a list of ponies who had known in at least general terms what I had planned, and from them it could have spread still further. Was one of the ponies near me the warlock I sought? I needed time to think it all over and try to glean what I could about the mystery that faced me. T’was a shame the stuffiness I felt in my head made thinking a laborious process.

I took another sip of the canteen before putting it away. I did not want to risk drinking too much and making myself sick again, or at least more sick than I was already feeling. “I will need a bit of time to recover. Maybe even think of a different way to tackle the ritual. I do not welcome the idea of walking into another ambush. Neigh, I think I would like to find Gale and see what she has discovered. We can try to find the others to talk to. Red Steel may have found something useful by now.”

“As good a plan as any for the short term.” Stalwart stood up and stretched his wings out. “Though first you are getting some rest. You look like you are about to collapse.”

Part of me wanted to argue with the sergeant, but I nearly did collapse as I stood and was only saved by being able to lean against the wall. “Aye, a nap would likely help. Though only a short one.”

Stalwart gave me a pensive frown. “‘Twould be best if you got as much rest as you needed.”

I shook my head. “I am afraid there is not time for me to rest in bed as long as I would like.”

“An hour then,” he said firmly. “You will do nopony any good being dead on your hooves.”

That struck me as an acceptable compromise, all things considered. “Thou dost promise to wake me in an hour’s time? By thy honor?”

Stalwart hesitated before answering. “I promise by the honor of my clan and as a pony of the Royal Guard.”

That was as good of a promise I was going to receive from the sergeant. In truth, if he let me sleep as long as my body desired, I knew not how long I would lie in bed. All I could do was trust that his word was good on this matter. “Then let us go to the magnates’ home so that I can find the rest I require.”

Stalwart Kicker was true to his word. About an hour after I had fallen asleep, I felt the old soldier gently shake me awake. I groaned and rubbed at my face, desiring nothing more than to go back asleep.

“Do you need more rest, Magus?” he asked quietly.

I heard the concern in his voice and his desire for me to say yes, and I was sorely tempted to say I did. Instead, I silently cursed the warlocks that forced me to wake. “Neigh, I will manage.” I sat up on the bed, fatigue making my body feel twice as heavy.

Stalwart offered me a hoof to help me sit up on the couch. “Carrot Juice is in the kitchen and has a remedy ready for you. As well as a little more for you to eat if you can stomach it.”

I had managed to eat a little before the knots in my belly kept me from eating more, but now I did feel as though I could eat a little more, even if my appetite was not great at the moment. “I can try and eat a bit, though I am more interested in the remedy right now.” To emphasize, I blew my nose with a handkerchief, trying to give some relief to my head.

“Let me get her, then.” Stalwart walked to the kitchen, and returned with Carrot Juice in tow.

As seemed to be her way, the earth pony fixed me with a sour look as she carried a tray into the living room. “So ye managed to become sick, did ye?”

“Not by choice,” I grumbled, coughing when a twinge caught in my throat.

“Not many ponies get sick on purpose.” The old mare paused, and let out a dry chuckle. “Well, unless you count the children when they want to get out of chores.”

I watched as she put the tray down on the low-standing table in front of the couch. “I suppose that would be something children on a farm would do?”

“Often enough. Farm work is not easy, if ye did not know. And usually boring.” Carrot Juice picked up a mug and offered it to me. “The remedy ye asked for. It should help clear ye up.”

Taking the mug, I looked its contents and gave it a quick sniff, trying to identify the concoction. “What is this? I do not recognize it.”

“Bluebush root extract,” Juice said. “It helps cure most illnesses.”

I blinked and put the mug back down on the tray. “Neigh, I will not be drinking that. ‘Tis poison for a unicorn.” From what I had learned, the medicine could damage many of my organs before running its course. Possibly even killing me.

The herbalist frowned and pushed the mug back towards me. “Drink. Grandmother has been giving this cure to ponies since she was a filly. Nopony has fallen over dead from it before.”

“And I am willing to bet that all of those ponies were earth ponies.” I pushed the mug away again, determined to have no part of the drink. I recalled my enchanting lessons from my tutor, Morning Star. Many components used in enchanting could have a variety of purposes, including creating potions and remedies. I remembered how bluebush was a popular medicine amongst the earth ponies, but ‘twas far too potent for unicorns and pegasi. “‘Tis fine for a earth pony’s constitution but it can only make a unicorn sick.” (2)

2. This isn’t entirely correct. Bluebush root can be used to treat certain diseases, but the dosage has to be much more carefully measured for non-earth ponies. An earth pony’s higher resistance to poisons allows them to be able to deal with the higher dosages that earth pony herbalists often used during this time period. As a result, unicorn and pegasi herbalists usually prefered using other safer and easier to use medicines.

Carrot Juice let out a frustrated sigh and picked up the mug. “Fine. If ye refuse the remedy I offer, then ye can keep being sick.”

Better sick than dead, I thought. A dark crossed my thoughts. Had the herbalist apprentice just attempted to poison me, or had Juice merely been ill-informed on the potency of her remedy? ‘Twas not impossible the mare was in council with the warlocks I sought. The problem was that I did not have much evidence to act on—yet. There was so much I wished to do, but so little time to do it.

I waved dismissively. “I will use what remains in my healer’s kit. It will be fine, I assure thee.”

Juice rolled her eyes. “I wish I had known ye would not need me before I had gone through the trouble of mixing this. Now ‘twill go to waste.”

“My apologies, but I do not desire to have my liver bleed internally at this time ... or ever, really. I like my organs whole and healthy, like most ponies.” I hoped that did not sound too morbid. Gale, amongst others, had been trying to keep me from being too morbid. I thought they were being overly cautious, but I did not wish to offend.

“Uh-huh.” Juice dumped the mug outside the window. “At least eat something. Ye will not recover if ye do not put something in your belly.”

“Aye of course,” I said, casting a spell to detect for poison in my food and drink.

After I had eaten and taken some more of my remedies, Stalwart and I made our way back into Appleton. I decided our first course of action should be to find Gale using a tracking spell. While it was not as efficient as using hair or blood to track a pony, I could track Gale through the armor I had enchanted for her over at least short distances. Morning Star was one of the foremost enchanters in Equestria, and she had taught me many tricks, including being able to detect my own more powerful works from afar. It was a feat I had not told my friend I was capable of. She had made a point to remove any tracking runes I had carved into any of the other enchanted objects I had given to her. Gale did not like being tracked, though she had not made too much of an objection to my attempts thus far.

In any event, I could pass off my ability to find her as a result of me happening upon her, rather than the use of a spell. At least if I did not use the spell too much. Gale would grow suspicious if I found her too easily too often.

Fortunately, it was not that hard to find Gale. I saw her standing with Red Steel and Silent Forest near the courthouse. Gale and Red seemed to be in a serious discussion with one another as I approached them.

Gale gave me a concerned frown. “Midnight, I thought thou wouldst remain at the farm? Wert thou successful in disarming that ritual?”

I shook my head. “Neigh, there were unforeseen difficulties. I am considering my options before trying again.” I decided it would be best not to mention the fact that I had nearly fallen to a trap while in the dreamscape. It seemed unwise to tell Red or anypony that might be eavesdropping on us exactly how much I suspected about Appleton’s murderers. “In the meantime, I thought it best to check with you two to see how you have progressed.”

“Grand.” Red Steel’s annoyed huff spoke of what she thought of the news of my failure. “Good to hear that your rest was put to good use while I have been up all night working.”

“Reeed.” Gale drawled out in a reproachful tone. “If Midnight did not succeed, then ‘twas because her task was difficult. ‘Tis not as though we are out of options yet.”

I chose to ignore Red’s needling, as annoying as it was, and instead focused on more important matters. “What didst thou discover during thy search? Didst thou find Applesauce?”

“Neigh,” Red grumbled. “His kin are hiding him from me, I am sure of it. But that is not the worst of it.”

Stalwart glanced around us, looking for danger. “What has passed?”

“For one, I could not find the deputy I put in charge of keeping Applesauce in his cell. Nopony has seen him since last night.” Red’s eyes turned to a large, squat building made of brick. “And the militia armory has been raided. A score and more of hammer-hooves and spears are now missing.”

Looking the building that must have been the armory, I saw that its front door had been broken in. A few good bucks from some earth ponies could have done such a thing. “That is troubling.” That many armed ponies could do much harm to anypony that became the focus of their attention. “Dost thou believe that some ponies are forming a lynch mob?”

“Aye, most likely.” Red Steel rubbed at her face, the bags under her eyes obvious. “Ponies have been riled up because of the murders.”

“I concur. Especially after what I discovered today,” Gale said ominously. “I was suspicious of Subtle, and so followed her into town. She talked with a few different ponies ere she went into some of the woods north of here. There, I saw her talking and making merry with Applesauce and a score of other ponies. Mostly Apples from the looks of them. Apple Butter was amongst them also, and she seemed to be working them up into a frenzy. Namely against thee, Midnight.”

“Me?” I contemplated the information I was being given. “I have indeed offended them enough to muster ‘gainst me?”

“Aye.” Red narrowed her eyes at me. “For you see, multiple ponies in town saw you—” She was interrupted when Subtle Song came galloping up to all of us.

Gale inserted herself between Subtle and me, and her wings flared out, wingblades bared. “Halt right there!”

“W-wait!” gasped Subtle, stopping short and backstepping away from Gale. “I-I need to tell you—”

“Magus!” I heard Apple Butter screamed as she and a score of angry looking ponies came around the courthouse, marching in our direction. She and her mob stopped well short of the rest of us. Jabbing a hoof directly at me, Apple Butter roared, “That is her! That is the pony who burned down my home!”

With multiple warlocks lurking about Appleton with their foul black ritual coming ever nearer to completion, I now had to deal with the dubious loyalties of Subtle Song, a small mob of ponies who believed I had burned down Apple Butter’s home when I had done no such thing, and potentially a full coven of warlocks that might control the town. Why did this day have to keep getting worse?

Author's Note

I would like to thank Chengar Qordath, Comma-Kazie, and JakeTheGinger for all their help in editing Midnight's Shadow.

Then I would also like to thank all my great prereaders Web of Hope, Novus Draconis, Cryosite, Incidental Pegasus No. 5, Rodinga, and Swiftest Shadow for all their work on this chapter.

Midnight Begins: Chapter 7

Midnight’s Shadow

Midnight Begins: Chapter 7

Some ponies think I am being melodramatic when I say that the universe has something against me. I daresay that they have never had to deal with an angry mob out for their lifesblood. But such are the unique challenges life chooses to throw at me.

“Be still!” Gale yelled over the gathering crowd with all the authority she could bring to bear, though she did not take her eyes off of Subtle Song. Little surprise when she suspected that the bard had betrayed us to the mob. “Cease thy clamor!”

Apple Butter jabbed a hoof in my direction in defiance of Gale’s call for order. “That one burned down mah home and nearly murdered me! Red, Ah demand you arrest that mare!” The mob shouted in agreement with their ringleader.

Red Steel glanced at me before she addressed Apple Butter. “You witnessed this?”

Apple Butter replied with conviction. “Aye, Ah saw her approach mah home when Ah was ‘bout to rest for the night. She used her foul magic to toss a fireball into mah home and set it ablaze, then cackled at her misdeed and walked away. Ah barely escaped mah home before ‘twas consumed by the flames.”

“I did no such thing.” I gave Butter a flat look. “That mare speaks slander 'gainst me. I was with my other companions last night. I even slept with Gale Kicker throughout the night.” ‘Twas somewhat unsettling that I had been accused of attempting to murder the mare. I was, of course, innocent of the crimes Butter laid before me, but the truth often meant little to the mob. They were fickle and violent creatures.

Stalwart nodded while keeping a wary eye. “We were with Midnight last night, and she did no such thing.”

“They lie!” Apple Butter stomped a hoof into the dirt. “You cannot trust the word of outsiders, Red.”

Red Steel grunted and turned to us. “You are her companions. To be blunt, your testimony is suspect.” To my irritation, the militia captain was unwilling to trust us even after our service to Appleton. I supposed she had a duty to confirm the truth of the matter, but it should have been obvious to her. “When exactly did she attack you, Butter?”

“During the middle of the night,” Butter said. “Ah was driven to such a fright that Ah was forced to seek shelter with mah kin. If that mare was willing to murder me with a fire, who is to say what she will not do?”

I snorted at the accusation. “I know not who destroyed thy home, but I had no part in the deed. Also, I take offense at the declaration that I am so incompetent that I could not successfully murder some backcountry farmer. I would not start a fire and leave it to chance that ‘twould consume my intended victim.” Clearing my throat, I continued defending my competence. “Neigh, if I were to plot this mare’s demise, I would have been successful. For you see, I would use a veil to sneak into her home and take a knife from her kitchen. From there, I would proceed up to her bedroom while she slept, slit her throat, and leave the murder weapon by the corpse, thus leaving nopony alive to see what I had done. Then ‘twould have been a simple matter to knock over an oil lamp to set the house on fire and destroy most evidence of a misdeed. 'Twould be an easy feat for a magus of my ability.”

Silence fell ‘pon the gathered crowd, and I smiled with satisfaction. No doubt they had been stunned by the logic of my argument and enlightened of their ignorance.

Gale coughed, gaining Red’s attention. “Thou dost have to concede that she is right; ‘twould likely be mistaken as a mere accident. ‘Tis not uncommon for ponies to be taken by a fire in their sleep.”

“Aye, that is true,” Red admitted. She puckered her lips before looking back to Butter. “And what motive would she have for burning thy home?”

“Ah...” Butter visibly struggled with her next statement. I wondered if she was merely lying in the hopes of removing an agent of the Crown from Appleton. Though mayhaps instead she was sincere in her belief that I had destroyed her home and nearly slew her? ‘Twas not impossible that the warlocks I sought had used an illusion or other magic to make her believe I had done the crime. “Because she is a magus!” she finally said. “And the crown despises us Apples for fighting with the rebels during the war! No doubt this was but a petty act of vengeance.”

Gale’s incredulity was plain ‘pon her frown. “That seems rather thin. If the crown wished vengeance against the Apples, it would not have pardoned them after the war or waited a decade to enact that vengeance in a small backwater.”

My irritation grew at each lame attempt to invent a motive for the crime. “And I have far better things to do with my time than murder some mare I will forget about when I leave this hamlet. Especially when I have far more important things to do with my time.”

“But Ah saw her commit the crime!” Desperation crept into Butter’s voice. “Red, do not tell me you would take this outsider's word over mine!”

Red frowned, mulling over the facts presented to her. I couldn’t help but suspect that part of her wished that the charges were true so she could arrest me. The mare had no love for me, after all—both due to our history and who my mother was. “They do raise good points. Did anypony else witness the attack?”

Butter ground her teeth before answering. “Neigh. She did the foul deed when everypony else was asleep.”

I had to wonder what she was doing up at an hour as late as she claimed. ‘Twas my understanding that farmers traditionally rose with the sun so that they could do their work while there was daylight to assist them. Being up in the middle of the night would have been counterproductive to such a schedule, something I knew well due to mine own nocturnal habits. ‘Twas possible that it had been mere fortune that she had awoken at that hour, but that struck me as unlikely.

If she had burned down her home in order to blame me for the misdeed, I had to wonder what would drive the mare to be so desperate. Likely she desired to protect her kin, but destroying her home seemed to be an extreme method of doing so. Surely there had to be other, lesser crimes she could lay against me. The problem was that I did not know Apple Butter; ‘twas possible she was merely a fool, but I was not in a habit of assuming that was the truth of the matter.

Red Steel rubbed her head and sighed. “Then we have naught but your word against that of hers and her companions. Though I do not care for the mare, I cannot try her on such thin evidence.”

“You will not even arrest her!?” Apple Butter’s face flushed with rage as she stomped a hoof. “Look at her! Surely you can tell she is not to be trusted?”

“Aye, I do not trust her.” Red Steel declared. “But I can hardly place a royal magus in custody simply because I do not trust her.”

I leaned towards Gale and murmured to her. “I do not have such an untrustworthy contenance, do I?” Surely I did not have the look of a rogue or ne’er-do-well about me?

“I do not think so.” Gale smirked at me with a mischievous glint in her eyes. “In truth, thou art quite comely.”

My cheeks flushed. “Ah, my thanks.” ‘Twas so rare for me to hear such compliments that Gale’s words could so easily fluster me. Though I wished she would save such things for when my life was not in danger, but Gale had a way of being somewhat flippant when danger approached.

Butter narrowed her eyes, and her voice carried a dangerous edge. “If you cannot take that mare, then maybe we should.” A disquiet murmur went through the mob, and I felt the air tense about them.

Stalwart place himself between me and the gathered ponies while Gale remained between Subtle Song and myself. Subtle had largely remained silent thus far, likely realizing that adding her voice to the chorus would not have helped her case with Gale. Silent Forest hadn’t moved from his spot and continued to watch with caution.

I looked about the mob, trying to gauge them. “I do not think they intend to leave.” I judged that we could likely fight off Apple Butter and her followers should things come down to it. Farmers rarely did well against trained soldiers backed up by a proper magus, but I did not wish to be responsible for a bloodbath. Especially when it involved the very ponies I was supposed to be protecting. Slaying a score of misguided farmers was not something I wished to explain to Mother, much less Princess Celestia. Despite the Apple Clan’s misgivings about me, ‘twas the warlocks who haunted the town’s numbers who were my true foes. The question was how we were to deal with the Apples bloodlessly.

Red Steel growled under her breath, then raised her voice to address the crowd. “Return to your homes. I will investigate the site of the fire and see if I can find any evidence of the crime and its culprit.”

Apple Butter shook her head. “And then what? Wait until she does manage to kill somepony?”

“That will not happen.” Red did not waver in her continence. “I will have her watched to ensure it, but I cannot arrest her until we have sufficient evidence for it. Equestria is a nation of laws.” I did have to give Red credit for her respect for the law, even if it meant protecting ponies she had no love for. It seemed that the fact that she had been a mare of Pegasopolis still won through, just as Gale had said.

It seemed wise, despite my own growing irritation at the situation to add another voice of sanity. "Aye, go home and be at peace. I am sure that—"

I was cut off when the world exploded into stars, and I was momentarily stunned by a searing pain that pierced my skull. My hooves nearly failed me before Gale caught me. Stalwart flared out his wings to protect me from the crowd.

"Ha! Nailed the nag!"

"Serves Celestia’s whorse right!"

"Throw another!"

I heard the words coming from the mob, but their significance escaped me. I also noted that Red Steel stood passively as the crowd threw their jeers.

I rubbed at the side of my head, trying to relieve the source of the intense pain. To my surprise, my hoof came back wet and sticky; blood now stained it and felt my blood trickle down the side of my face. Looking down, I saw the cause of my injury: a hoof-sized rock ‘pon the ground near my hooves. Realization flooded within me and my eyes widened. Somepony had struck me with a rock. A rock!

Apple Butter let out a harsh, barking laugh. “Look at the whorse! Better than she deserves!”

“'Tis alright, Midnight.” Gale gently shook my shoulder. “Only a scratch. Let us go and dress it.”

“Who threw that?” I snarled, ignoring Gale. “Who has the audacity to do such a thing?!” My head snapped around to look in the direction the rock must have soared from. There I saw the perpetrator: a young stallion barely more than a colt, his coat a dark orange and his figure still possessing the lankiness of youth despite a lifetime of hard farmwork. He wore a nasty sneer which I misliked. This must have been the pony that had struck me.

“Thou! Foul cretin!” Picking up the rock, I marched towards him. I was determined to teach the colt a lesson he would never forget. “Stand before me!”

A couple of ponies stood between me and my quarry. I created a pair of large disks of ice and used them to roughly shove the ponies aside, creating an opening in the mob that let me advance unimpeded. Gale and Stalwart stepped up with me to guard my flanks, with Red Steel only a short distance behind them.

My attacker looked about him, and he saw that I had casually brushed aside all those near him and continued to ward them away with the ice disks. Dread grew on his features as he realized he was about to face me alone. Good. Let fear grip his heart.

I narrowed my eyes and fixed him in place as our eyes met. “Didst thou find this amusing?!” I shook the rock menacingly at him.

He took a couple steps back and gulped. “Milady, I-I did not—”

I struck him with the stone. He yelped in pain and staggered as he was smitten ‘pon the head. “Art thou still amused? I do not hear thee laughing now! Is it no longer amusing now that thou art in pain?” Despite having smitten him, I only felt my choler rise. A couple of ponies moved to help their fellow, but I blocked them off by putting up a domed shield around us. “Didst thou think I would be intimidated by this?” I scooped up the rock again with my telekinesis. “What made thou thinkest this was acceptable!?”

The pony’s eyes were wide with fear and his lips trembled. Blood flowed from where the rock had opened his scalp. “I ... I was just...”

Memories long buried came to the surface. Those of a small filly at the center of a mob in Manehattan, with only her mother’s magical shield protecting them from a hail of missiles coming down upon them. Then there was the time that same filly's shields proved so inadequate against one after another being thrown at her, all while she begged for the torment to stop.

I struck him with the rock again, the blow to his jaw sending him tumbling to the ground. “I will not accept this being done to me!”

My attacker cradled his head in his hooves as I closed the distance 'tween us. A trio of his followers attempted to assist him, but I quickly moved my disks to roughtly push them back and sent them tumbling to the ground.

Gale placed a hoof to restrain me. "Midnight..."

"Release me!" I slapped away her hoof, for I held no interest in her words. Gale flinched at my reaction and took a step back. "I am not finished teaching my tormentor a lesson!"

My attempt to pick the rock up once again when Red Steel stomped a hoof down upon it. I turned a murderous glare at her but she met it with but a disapproving frown. "That is enough, Magus."

I tugged on the rock but her weight proved sufficient to holding it down. "He struck me with that—that rock!"

"And you have struck him twice in return," the militia captain said firmly. ‘Twas plain that she had no intention of relenting. "I think that adequate vengeance."

Gale waved at the earth pony. "Midnight, look at him. He has been more than cowed by thee. What more dost thou wish for? ‘Tis unlike thee to be so wroth."

“Neigh! I think—” My words trailed off when I saw the pitiful sight laying before my hooves. The earth pony was curled up on the ground, blood flowing from the wound on his scalp and his split lip. He quivered in terror in the face of a pony with greater power than himself and who he had no means to defend himself against.

“Please ... mercy,” he pleaded. For what else could he have done but beg for mercy against a magus out for blood?

I stumbled away from the young stallion. “I-I did not mean...” The rest of my words caught in my throat. What had I meant to do? Only scare him? For what purpose? To make myself feel righteous? Smite him with that stone over and over again ‘till his body was nothing more than a ruin? To kill him for striking me with a rock?

Nausea built up within my belly as I took in the sight of my work. I no longer wished to do that pony harm, whatever his crimes may have been. There were wiser ways I could have acted.

A flash of pain fell upon me, and I pressed a hoof against my skull in reaction. ‘Twas as though somepony were taking a hammer to the inside of my cranium. I felt the choler within me start to rise again, but ‘twas not my own. ‘Twas not what I wished for, I had seen enough vengeance for one day. That rejection only seemed to make the pain increase twofold, and the world swam within my vision.

Something was wrong. Some force that was not my own will pressed me to continue harming a pony who—either because of his injuries or fear—had not even stood. Then a realization came crashing down 'pon me: one of the warlocks was even now attempting to influence my mind.

Drawing on my training, I immediately gathered my mental defenses against the psychic assault. I felt the warlock’s presence jerk when I detected it, but rather than engage in battle with me like I had expected, the warlock instead withdrew from my mind. Was my opponent a coward who did not wish to risk battle, or was my opponent more experienced than I originally thought? ‘Tis extremely difficult to control the mind of a pony who is both aware of foreign influence and trained to resist it such as myself. Worse still, entering the mind of another opened the doorway to your own mind—leaving one’s mind vulnerable to any number of unpleasant things. More than one warlock had attempted to bind the will of a magus only to have that magus pull the warlock’s plan from their mind or leave them a drooling fool for their efforts.

The release in mental pressure felt as though I had suddenly emerged from the darkest depths of the ocean and into the sunlight. The experience caused me to stumble and Gale quickly stepped to my side and held me up.

“I think 'twould be best if we were elsewhere. Quickly," Gale said. Stalwart Kicker nodded and took his place on the other side of me while Silent Forest took up the rear. With the two of them holding me up from either side, we slowly made our escape as I fought against the growing pain to stumble my way forward.

“You all beheld that?” Apple Butter called out to the stunned crowd. “Poor Apple Crisp was nearly slain by that beast. She's a madmare! ‘Tis only a matter of time ‘till she strikes again. Only next time she may actually kill somepony.” She turned from her mob to look to Red Steel. “Arrest her before she hurts somepony else, Red. ‘Tis your duty to do so. Otherwise the blood that one spills will be on your hooves.”

Red stood her ground against the mob—standing between us and the mob that was recovering from its shock. “Be silent, Butter. And the rest of thee, disperse and return to thy homes.”

“Or what?” Butter said, menace dripping from her tone. A couple of her fellows stepped forward to accentuate her words.

Meeting Butter’s gaze levelly, Red Steel drew herself up to her full height. “Or I will have you dispersed. I hate her as much as any of you, but I will have law and order in my town. Is that clear?”

Butter glared hatefully but did not advance on Red. ‘Twould seem that for all her bluster, at heart she was too much the coward to press the matter despite the mob behind her. “This is not over, Red. Not by a long shot. We will have justice.” She waved for a couple of ponies to pick up their fallen comrade. “Ah suggest you go home yourself. Way I hear it, 'tis going to be a dangerous night.”

Needless to say, that made it sound like Apple Butter had her own foul plan. Yet another thing that would press me to act, and soon.

“Mind your tone, Butter.” Red ground one of her hammer hooves into the dirt. “You will have justice, but 'twill be the rule of law, not a mob’s chaos. You speak of the Crown sending agents to attack you? I assure you, attacking a magus without cause is a certain way to invite reprisals.”

Butter’s eyes narrowed but still she broke with Red’s gaze. “Come on, everypony. We have plannin' to do.”

At Butter’s prompting, the mob departed the opposite direction of me and my companions.

Confirming that the mob was on its way, Red trotted to quickly catch up with us. Not a hard feat with the poor pace I was making. "A fine mess you have made this time, Magus."

"'Twas not my intent—"

"I do not care what your intent was," Red snapped. "You have made my town all the more perilous with your actions, and now I am going to have to do what I can to fix it before somepony acts more foolish than yourself." She rubbed at her face. “Now I am going to have to form my own posse to counter Butter and hope that I can restrain her from more foolishness.”

“My actions were not my fault.” A cough overtook me before I could continue. Curse the poor climate of this town.

“Not your fault?” Red said incredulously. “Pray tell, who struck Crisp with that rock then? For I could have sworn that I saw you commit the deed with my own eyes.”

“One of the warlocks was controlling my mind!” I blurted, only realizing how poor a defense that sounded after it had left my lips.

Gale blinked. “Mind magic?”

I nodded, Gale at least would believe what I had to say, even if Red Steel did not. “Aye, I am all but sure there was a warlock amongst the mob’s numbers, though I could not identify who. Whomever had assaulted my mind withdrew before I could track down the source of the spell. The warlock made me wroth after I was hit with that rock.” I took a moment to think the matter over, making sure all the pieces of the puzzle aligned. “Aye, that would have been the best moment to do so. When I was both distracted with pain and inclined to strike out at whoever had hurt me.”

That was another disturbing bit of information. Not only had the warlock known when best to retreat, but also when best to strike against me. That showed both intelligence and experience.

“Troubling,” Gale growled, narrowing her eyes at Subtle. “A dangerous warlock, then. Only two types of warlocks use mind magic. Those so foolish they do not realize how easily it can turn against them, and those with the power and experience to use it with confidence.”

I scowled as a disturbing portrait formed before me. “Those are my own thoughts. Just earlier I faced at least one of the warlocks in the Dreamscape. I was nearly ensnared by a trap placed by them and was prevented in completing my task. Likely we are dealing multiple warlocks with at least one experienced and capable member.”

Red gave me an unamused frown. “And your proof of this, beyond your own word?”

“I would need another magus to confirm it—for the mind magic at least,” I admitted lamely. Another magus with the right training could discover the work of a warlock on the mind of a pony. Shame there were no other magi in Appleton to confirm my tale. “But I have nought but supposition and my word for what I have experienced myself for the rest.”

Red grunted, sounding unconvinced. “How about you return to Carrot Casserole’s home before you find yourself under the control of that warlock again? I think I can do more good work without you now.” While the suggestion did have some sense to it, Red’s tone made it sound like a stinging condemnation. It reminded me of how I had been twice fell under the enchantments of warlocks in but one day, something which sorely wounded my pride. I was certain that I was no longer dealing with some amateur warlock just coming into their power, but an experienced and wily warlock who knew what they were doing. Worse still, I had likely lost an important ally due to what the warlock had tricked me into doing. Red was unlikely to trust me quite so much in the future—assuming she had trusted me much at all to start with. Whatever game the warlocks were playing, I had the feeling that I was losing at every turn.

While I could probably have fought Red Steel on the matter or defied her outright, I saw little to gain from it. What I needed to do was plan and think about what my next move would be. Mayhaps Gale and I could come up with a viable plan, one we could put into action immediately. Events were quickly coming to a head in Appleton, and I feared time was precious.

I nodded to Gale and Stalwart. “Come, let us go then. We need to plan what to do next.”

“Sensible,” Stalwart said while assisting me back to Mayor Casserole’s home.

“Then I will find you after I am done with my own work here in town.” After giving us a brisk nod, Red left our company to do her work.

Subtle moved to follow us, but Gale stopped to shoot her a glare. “Not thee, bard.”

“I am trying to help,” Subtle hissed.

“Help?” One of Gale’s wingblades twitched. “Thou art consorting with the mob!”

“I was attempting to discover their intentions!” Subtle let out a frustrated groan. “I needed to infiltrate their numbers to see what really lay within their hearts. Trust me, those ponies over there have foul intentions. They see the Magus as a threat and would be done with her. Applesauce is amongst their numbers, though Apple Butter seems to be their leader. They stole the weapons from the armory and now intend on lynching the Magus. Butter planned to have Midnight arrested and would thus leave her vulnerable to be hanged this night. 'Tis ... they are being riled up to a frenzy I do not understand.”

“The violent armed mob was angry and hungry for blood.” Gale gasped sarcastically. “Truly, shocking. Wilt thou next tell us that the sky is blue, and bears leave their offal in the woods? I think the more valuable bit of information is that thou wert riling the mob.”

Subtle waved in the direction of the departing mob. “Then why was I running out ahead of them? Or would you suggest that I was leading them while half out of breath?”

Gale’s stance remained tense, and I could feel that she was ready to dive forward at Subtle at a moment’s notice if she felt it warranted. “I do not know what to believe, but I trust thee no further than I can throw thee. Likely ‘twas thou who cast that spell ‘pon Midnight. We have only one other spellcaster in the village...” She gave Subtle a pointed look. “A bard would have many uses for such magic.”

That caused Subtle to widen her eyes. “I am no warlock! I did not even cast a spell over there.” She jabbed a hoof in Gale’s direction. “You were watching me the entire time. Did you see my horn glow with magic? Even once?”

“There are ways to conceal that,” Gale countered.

Subtle shrugged. "Ways I am sure you know of and would watch for, given you were already suspicious of me."

Gale was silent for a long moment. She was probably reviewing her memories for any acts of deception on Subtle's part. "Aye, I will grant thee that much. Though I see no reason to trust thee."

“Gale, peace for a moment.” I took a moment to massaged the side of my head. The mental attack I had suffered had done no favors for the headache caused by my sickness. "There are other possibilities to explain what happened other than a unicorn casting a spell."

Stalwart wrapped a wing around me to keep me from falling into the dirt. "Aye, an earth pony who somehow gained access to dark magic, or a shapeshifter of some sort could be capable of such a feat."

I leaned against Stalwart considering I wished to focus my attentions on the puzzle before me rather than standing. "'Tis rare, but it can be done. And there are any number of shapeshifters who could do what I have seen." Once again I lamented not being able to bring any of my books to Appleton.

"But first, can we rule out the obvious suspect?" Gale gave Subtle a sour look.

"Hm." Considering the options I had available, I decided on the one I thought would be most useful for this situation. "I do have a means by which to ferret out the truth. If Subtle is willing, I could read her mind and look 'pon her memories of this day." (1)

1. While it is illegal to invade the mind of another, using mind magic is allowed under the Laws of Magic when authorized by the recipient. An individual is far less likely to be harmed under such circumstances as long as the caster in question is trained in how to use mind magic.

Subtle rolled her eyes. "If it will keep Gale from sticking something sharp and pointy into my back, I consent."

Not an unjustified fear in my opinion. Gale could be ruthlessly pragmatic when she felt there was a need. That would be another reason for me to rule out Subtle as a suspect, as I would not be pleased to find out later that Subtle had been buried in a shallow grave in the woods if she were innocent. Though ‘twould disturb me far less so if she were guilty. Either way, ‘twould be good to verify the truth of the matter.

“If she is cleared, I will consider a reprieve,” Gale said grudgingly. “Temporarily.”

“Then let us go to the mayor’s home to do that,” I said. “I would prefer to do this in a comfortable setting.”

Everypony consented to the idea and we departed for Carrot Casserole’s farm.

Thankfully, the pain of mine headache slowly abated during the trip to the mayor's home, allowing me to at least walk with the support of another. Though the various aches and pains from the cold were not so kind. I could only hope that my condition would not worsen for the stress I was putting on it.

Gale had Subtle walk before us and ever kept herself between the bard and me. Stalwart remained by my side while Silent Forest seemed content to walk behind us.

When we reached the farmhouse, we found the curious sight of the mayor's home being besieged by a vast unkindness of ravens. The birds had taken to covering every surface of the home and the nearby trees, making it appear as though a black quilt had been laid upon building.

Stalwart stopped well short and looked to me. "Is this your work or that of the warlocks?"

"'Tis not intentionally my doing," I told him. "The ravens tend to gather wherever I go, though I do not know why." At least it had been a more aggressive pattern since I had become ten winters old. Mother complained that unkindnesses of ravens always had a way of coming to me even as a little filly, despite all her efforts to ward them away. There were any number of theories for why ‘twas so. Either because I was a cursed mare for one reason or another, that the ravens saw me as one of their own, that ‘twas merely some unexplained side effect of my magic, or—like the ravens that followed an army—they knew that carrion would be available where I went. I was not quite sure what to believe myself, even after all these years. (2)

2. For whatever reasons ravens seem attracted to Midnight, it carried with her even after death. Even today her tomb is plagued by a continued raven infestation. From personal experience, it is every bit as creepy as one can imagine.

Gale grinned and nudged my shoulder. “That is my Midnight. Always morbid even when she is not trying.”

Subtle gave me a mischievous grin. “Now I bet you have more than a few interesting stories to tell once things settle down in Appleton.”

“I am not being morbid,” I objected. “I do not control this.” Well, I could control the ravens to a degree, but their gathering was beyond my immediate power.

“‘Tis unsettling,” Stalwart said flatly. He waved at the gathered unkindness of ravens. “They are all watching us.” The ravens were indeed staring in our direction, but I saw nothing odd about that, they always did that.

I shrugged. “‘Tis nothing to worry about. The ravens have never plagued me in the past, and I doubt they will do so now.”

I was about to suggest we proceed into the farmhouse when I noticed little Carrot Root coming around the side of the house. He looked about the ground before his eyes settled on something. Reaching down, he picked up a rock and then looked up to the roof. “Go away, birds!” He tossed the rock at the roof and caused several of the ravens to caw and take flight. Though it seemed to do little against the mass of black birds gathered, I flinched at the rock throwing. It did nothing but recall foul memories.

Carrot Root growled and waved his forelegs frantically to try and scare the birds off. “Go! We do not want you eatin’ our crops!”

He reached down and picked up another rock and was about to throw it when I jerked up a hoof. “No!”

My objection had been louder and harsher than I intended, and the colt jerked and dropped the rock. He looked to me with a hint of fear and surprise in his features. “Magus? I was only trying to scare away the crows like my mothers asked me to.”

I took a long breath to regain my continence. “I know, child. But I would prefer if thou didst not throw any more rocks.” I had enough of that for one day.

Carrot Root puckered his lips out in a pout. “But how else am I to get rid of them? Our scarecrows do nothing!” He waved in the direction of a particularly sad looking scarecrow in a nearby field. If ‘twas the intended to drive away undesirable avians, then I judged ‘twould only do so by creating such a melancholic atmosphere as to encourage them to leave for more lively destinations. “And my mothers say they will eat everything if they stay!”

I rubbed at the bridged of my brow, thinking for a solution to the problem. “Bring out a couple bags of corn for the ravens. I will pay for the birds’ feed while I am on your farm. The ravens will depart when I do. I promise. ‘Tis always their way. Sergeant Stalwart, please see to the payment for the seed.”

In truth, I wished to keep the birds close on hoof and without offending my host. There were things I could do with those ravens, but I did not wish to say so out-loud where one of the warlocks or their proxies might hear. I was beginning to suspect that I had been too liberal with my tongue when I had first come to Appleton and had paid for it. Now I intended to be careful indeed about what I said and where I said it.

Stalwart glanced briefly Subtle’s way. “Magus, I think my place is by your side.”

“I will still have Gale by my side,” I said firmly. I would also have Silent Forest nearby, though considering I did not know him well I might have need to look through his memories too. He had been the first in Appleton and thus vulnerable to a group of warlocks who knew how to wield mind magic. One thing at a time, though. “Time is precious right now. Pay a high price for the corn if thou must to settle the deal and return to my side, if thou dost feel that is thy duty. But settle the matter so as to not insult our host or allow undue suffering to come down on her house because of me.”

I could see Stalwart considering defying me, but in the end he nodded. “Aye Magus, by thy word.” Stalwart walked towards the barn where Carrot Casserole was supervising some of her laborers. He waved for Root to follow. “Come child, we will discuss prices with thy mother.” Root followed dutifully to leave the rest of us in front of the home.

“Silent Forest, stay outside and stand watch," I ordered. It still felt queer for me to order ponies about in such a manner, but I was pleased that my voice sounded clear and confident all the same.

Silent saluted and took station on the magistrate’s porch without preamble.

In honesty, if the Long Patrolpony had been enthralled by the warlocks, then I at least wanted a door between me and him while I worked my magics. That would at least buy me a precious moment I would otherwise not have. Such moments could mean the difference between life and death in circumstances such as these.

I met Gale’s eyes and then briefly had my eyes glance at Silent. The corner of Gale’s lips frowned and she gave me the briefest of nods, understanding my intentions. She had always a talent in the subtle arts.

I did not like spreading everything so thin like this, but taking calculated risks was part of being a royal magus. Once I knew who I could trust I would be in a far better position to act. I possessed many enemies and few friends at the moment, so I had to make what I had count.

"Let us go inside to do this business," I said, and the three of us entered in the parlor.

Gale positioned herself so that she could watch both Subtle and the doorway. Given she held her wings at the ready she no doubt planned to either hit Subtle with a throwing dart at the first hint of deception or whoever might force their way through the front door.

Subtle frowned as she looked back and forth between Gale and I. "I ask but one condition before we proceed: that when you discover the truth that I am not a warlock, you will tell nopony what you saw, Magus."

A somewhat suspicious request but not an unreasonable one should she be innocent of wrongdoing. "That seems fair enough to me. Gale?"

Gale took a moment before answering. Probably to consider what trouble this might cause. "So long as you confirm that she is not a warlock or otherwise a threat."

That decided, I moved towards Subtle with my horn glowing. "Subtle Song, do I have thy permission to enter thy mind and examine thy memories?" A bit formal, but the formality was best observed. Mind magic carried risks even under the best circumstances, and so one did not casually use it. Of course, all I might be doing is falling into the clutches of a very dangerous warlock.

Subtle waved her hoof flippantly. "Yes, yes, get on with it. I unequivocally give permission—et cetera, et cetera."

Not letting her seeming lack of caring disrupt my concentration, I cast the mind reading spell upon Subtle. I gently entered into her mind, and she felt me back. The touching of two minds was ever an intimate thing in nature. I quickly scanned her mind and determined that she was at least not being dominated by another. That taken care of, I probed into Subtle’s memories. The bard readily allowed me to find the memory I sought.

With eyes that were not my own, I watched as Subtle went from one pony to another in Appleton. The memory flowed past. Memory is always a somewhat unreliable thing, with some things only half remembered while others were as clear as day. In time she found some young stallion, naive to the ways of the world as Subtle seduced him. She whispered her inquiries and with but a few honeyed words and a soft kiss on the cheek the two of them proceeded into the forested hills surrounding Appleton.

Subtle was lead to a clearing in the forest. There were gathered a score of grim-faced ponies, mostly from the Apple Clan if I had to guess. Front and center was Applesauce. While met with suspicion, Subtle offered them a drink from a barrel of spirits she had brought with her and more honeyed words—assuring them that she was nothing more than a harmless traveling bard with no stake in anything. With her silver tongue and a few songs, she slowly won their trust.

Sometime later, for it was often difficult to judge time exactly when looking through a pony's memories, Apple Butter returned with yet more ponies. They carried a variety of weapons on their persons. No doubt the arms and armor pilfered from the militia armory.

Subtle fell to the back of the mob as the newcomers came, and I felt her cast a spell. One that caused the ponies about her to lose interest in her—the Background Pony spell, most likely.

Butter and Applesauce argued for a time. Applesauce in favor of waiting to see if I would leave without further issue, and Butter saying that they should go ahead with the plan to seize and hang me that day. In the end, the crowd came to agree with Butter and so she and a hooffull of other ponies left with her. With Butter and her mob gone, Subtle quickly departed also, likely leading to the events which just transpired in Appleton.

At least based on her memories, it did seem that Subtle had been telling the truth. If she was working with the Apple Clan mob, then she could have stayed with the rest of the mob in the clearing. She also did the Apples no favors by revealing their location to me. Neigh, she was being honest enough with us, I thought.

I started the process of withdrawing from Subtle’s mind when I began to hear her inner thoughts. “—a bit on the small side, even for a mare. Though it does not detract from her frame. She holds herself with the distinction typical of nobles, but it has been mussed up due to her recent troubles. ‘Tis most appealing; too many of the nobles wear their status so haughtily that it removes any charm. And then there is that fetching horn of hers. Though the mare is likely a virgin, so I shall have to spend half my time in bed instructing her. Still, such efforts can bear rewards.” I felt a shift in her thoughts. “Oh, and now that naughty mare is reading my mind.”

“I-I did not mean—” Profound embarrassment befell me over Subtle’s amorous appraisals of me and over the fact I had been caught reading her thoughts—even if it was unintentional.

“Now now, do not be so modest.” I could almost hear her cheshire smile. “This mind reading does suggest certain possibilities. Oh, if you could find a way to link our pleasures in the bedchamber when we lay together.” The bard showed me an extremely ... illicit scenario of the two of us sharing a bed. Needless to say, I could hardly write the details of it in this account unless I wanted my biography to be branded as a pornographic work. (3)

3. Of course, not including these details has been bemoaned by many a reader, historical writer, and sex historian. My editor has often complained about Midnight “not including the good stuff.”

Not wanting to be subject to any more of those images, I broke off the mind reading spell as quickly as I could. “She is fine,” I blurted out, voice cracking. Confound this mare. Did she have to subject me to such things?

Gale narrowed her eyes at Subtle. She was probably disappointed that we would not indeed be burying Subtle in the woods that day. “Very well then.”

Subtle tapped her hoof. “So can we decide on our next course now?”

“We need to identify the warlocks,” Gale said grudgingly. “Once we have done so, our course will be much clearer.”

I sat down on one of the living room cushions. My exhaustion seemed to crash over me like a wave the moment I was off my hooves. “A task easier said than done. The warlocks have thus far completely subverted our efforts to discover them. It appears we are dealing with wily foes indeed.”

“Aye, 'tis so.” Gale rubbed at her chin. “I see two possibilities for finding them. Further investigation, or attempting to draw the culprit out.”

“I would prefer the quicker.” I took my handkerchief to blow out my nose again. “I fear these warlocks will complete their vile plans soon.”

“Aye, and our investigation is fruitless thus far.” Gale rolled her head, stretching it out. “'Tis plain enough they fear thee and will strike if they see a chance.”

I nodded. “Considering they have struck at me twice already, it seems they think I am the greatest threat to them.”

“That being so, 'tis only a question of how best to draw them into our ambush,” Gale said.

Subtle crossed her legs over her breast. “Especially when they have been so cautious thus far. None of our investigations have turned up anything useful. I would not think it unlikely they have remained hidden for decades considering the evidence we have. I doubt some two-bit warlock just coming into their power could have done all of this. Neigh, such a warlock would have left more clues and made more mistakes.”

“Then we need a bait too tempting to ignore,” Gale offered.

“There is only one bait I know of that we possess that is of interest to our quarry.” Subtle gave me a serious look.

Gale’s wings twitched. “I do not care for the idea of risking her. Midnight is not some worm to put onto the hook of a fishing pole.”

Subtle shrugged. “Either we risk Midnight, or we wile away our time investigating.”

“There must be another way.” Gale looked Subtle up and down. “Mayhaps we could disguise Subtle as Midnight and use her instead?”

Subtle scoffed. “Why Gale, how kind of you to offer such a suggestion. Your motives are not transparent at all.”

Seeing another budding argument coming, I quickly stomped my hoof down on it. “Could you two please not snipe at one another? That is a stress I do not need right now. Remember who our enemy is.”

“Yes, of course Midnight.” Gale wrapped a wing about me in a hug. “My apologies.”

Subtle looked away from the two of us, her mouth creased with a frown of disapproval. “I did not provoke this feud.”

“Put it in the past,” I said firmly. “We need to think of a way to—

The door burst open, and Gale’s wing moved to throw a dart; she froze when she saw little Carrot Root running through the doorway.

“What art thou doing, child?” I asked as he stopped before me. He quickly answered me by rearing up on his forelegs and then bucked me in the knee. I screamed in pain as I felt something in my knee pop, and I fell face first onto the floor. Even an earth pony colt’s kick was nothing to make light of.

Root moved to buck me in the face but Gale dived in to tackle him. The child flailed about with a feral fury, lashing out at Gale’s face with his hooves. Silent Forest came running in next and, likely surmising what was going on, joined Gale in trying hold the colt down. Root tried to bite down on Gale’s leg, but she shifted to take the bite on her armor.

Gale pressed the child down to the floor, holding her leg against the child’s neck to keep him from biting anypony else, though not so roughly as to harm Carrot Root. “The child fights like one possessed!”

“Hold him!” Subtle levitated out some rope out of her saddlebags and deftly began tying the colt’s legs up. Gale and Silent held him still as he continued to thrash around to no avail.

I hissed in pain as I gingerly stood up, not daring to put weight down on the leg that had been struck. It throbbed with pain, and I feared further injuring it. “What is wrong with him? He bucked me for no reason.”

Stalwart came limping through the doorway. His eyes fell upon Carrot Root, and a fierce scowl creased his face. “There the little beast is! I was speaking with the mayor when he suddenly bucked me in the leg and ran off.” He moved to my side, placing himself between the feral child and myself.

Carrot Casserole was not long after Stalwart and stopped at the door when she saw the scene before her. “Root, what art thou doing!? And what are all of you doing to my son!?”

“He attacked us, Mayor.” Subtle finished tying the colt up, being quite liberal in the usage of her rope. Root was frothing at the mouth as he struggled viciously against his bonds. “He came barreling into here and bucked the magus in the knee without provocation. We were forced to tie him up for our safety and his.”

Casserole took a moment to consider that before nodding. “Root, why art thou acting like this? Stop behaving like this right now. This is not how civilized ponies behave.” She leaned down to try and comfort or soothe him, but had to jerk back a hoof when he attempted to bite her. “Son, speak to me.” When he failed to give her anymore response than to continue struggling, the mayor looked to us, begging for answers in her gaze. “What is wrong with him? He has always had a gentle soul. This is unlike him. Is he sick? Or cursed?”

Gale shot me a curious glance. “Mind magic?”

That would fit with what we had seen thus far from the warlocks of the town. Were they so depraved that they would use a child as a weapon against me? They had murdered multiple ponies by now, so it was not a leap of logic to say ‘twas within their foul ability.

I stumbled over to the colt, holding my injured leg to my chest. “I will need to examine him.”

Casserole wrung her forehooves as I began my work. “Of all the times for Grandmother to be away. She would know what to do.” Given her grandmother seemed to be an herbalist, likely the elderly mare was sought to deal with any number of problems came up.

Stopping short of Root, I looked to Casserole. “She has not returned from the town yet?” I remembered Carrot Juice mentioning that Grandmother Carrot had gone into town on some business. “And her apprentice, Carrot Juice?”

“I ... have not seen them for some time,” Casserole admitted. “Not since the morning.”

I hummed neutrally to myself as I digested that bit of information. My horn glowed as I drew upon my magic and began examining him. Immediately, a vile aura struck my senses when I brought them to bear on Carrot Root. It did not take me long to feel a second presence within the child, one filled with malice, and I could feel it grinning at me as I noticed it.

“This child is possessed,” I said calmly, withdrawing my magical senses. I did not as of yet know the exact nature of the spirit possessing the child, but I would discover that soon enough.

Root ceased his struggle and gave me a nasty grin. When he spoke, it came out as a gravely, wizened old tone that was not the child’s own. “Took you long enough to figure that much out. For a time I worried you were too daft to see what laid right before your eyes.”

“L-leave my child alone, whoever you are!” Casserole cried. “He is not yours to torment!”

“Oh, but he's such a good fit.” Root shifted around in place, as though seeing how comfortable an outfit was. “A little small, but he has a good buck to him.” The possessed colt grinned at me again. “Would you not agree, Magus?”

“Midnight, canst thou free the child?” Gale asked, overriding the fiend’s attempts to provoke us.

I thought over the question very carefully. Exorcisms were no minor matter. They could be long, difficult, and taxing, but I could hardly leave an innocent to the mercy of such a creature. Root was but a child and was most likely very aware of what was happening to him but having no control over what his body was doing. No doubt he was terrified and feeling very alone.

And there was but one pony in this town who could help him.

“Aye, I can do so.” Closing my eyes, I recalled what was needed for a proper exorcism. “But I will require a few things first to help the child, as well as make some preparations.”

“Anything!” Casserole said with all the desperation of a mother who wanted to save her child. “Just help my son!”

“I require salt, a water basin, some candles, chalk, and at least one of the child’s valued possessions,” I told Casserole.

“Right away!” The mayor ran out of her home and towards the barn.

“Silent, stand guard at the door while we work.” The patrolpony saluted me and took up his station back at the door. “Let us tie the colt to a bed, I will need him to be still while I work.”

Stalwart picked up the colt effortlessly and carried him to a nearby bedroom.

Gale stopped me as I started hobbling towards the bedroom. “How is thy knee, before we proceed?”

I winced as I tried to move it. “I think he may have injured it.”

“Sit before thou dost it further harm,” Gale instructed. I did so and she began examining it. ‘Twas standard for the clans to teach everypony at least the basics of battlefield medicine. “‘Tis dislocated,” Gale confirmed. “Shall I fix it?”

“It must be set.” My knee had already swollen from the injury and continued to throb with pain. “This pain will only distract me when I do the exorcism, which I cannot afford.”

“I will do it then.” Gale moved into position to do the deed. “I will set it on three. Art thou ready, dear Midnight?”

I took a long breath to steady myself for what was to come. “Aye, I am.”

With a quick jerk, she set my knee back into the socket. A flash of pain spasmed through my body. “That was not three! That was not even one, you fiend!”

“Had I waited until then, thou wouldst have tensed and made it far worse.” Gale grinned, no doubt finding amusement in her wit. “Now thy knee will be fine with some rest.”

I muttered something not appropriate for a lady under my breath and pulled out a spare handkerchief I had. Filling it with ice, I then applied it to my knee to help deal with the swelling and pain.

“There there.” Gale gave me a motherly peck on the forehead. “The worst of the pain is already past, and thou dost know it needed to be done.”

“‘Tis so,” I grumbled. I carefully moved my leg. It stung when I did, but not unbearably so. “At least I can move it now.”

“Rest until the mayor has returned.” Gale wrapped a wing around me to give me a hug. “Thou wilt need it before aiding Root.”

I nodded. “Aye, a spell of rest does sound—”

I was cut off when Silent returned. His face was grim as he spoke. “Problem. Mob is back.” He nodded at the door. “Have Red and Mayor.”

Wearily, I stepped to a window to look outside. Out by the barn were two score of ponies. Out in front were indeed Red Steel and Mayor Casserole. They each had a noose around their necks, and ponies were ready to pull on the ropes to choke the life out of them.

Apple Butter stepped out towards the mayor’s house and called out in a booming voice. “Magus! Come to us and surrender or we will hang these two! Now!”

As if my day could not become any worse.

Author's Note

I would like to thank Chengar Qordath, Comma-Kazie, and JakeTheGinger for all their help in editing Midnight's Shadow.
Then I would also like to thank all my great prereaders Web of Hope, Swiftest Shadow, Infinion, Rodinga, and Incidental Pegasus No. 5.

Midnight Begins: Chapter 8

Midnight’s Shadow

Midnight Begins: Chapter 8

As an apprentice, I was given a series of thought exercises by my mother and my master, Magus Morning Star. They had been among the more interesting experiences during my education. I had been presented with problems and then asked how to I would solve them. The exercises had ranged from the practical to the borderline ludicrous and from the simple to the impossible. While they had often proved infinitely frustrating, due to my mentors’ always incessant questions and them bringing up complications, I had learned a great deal about how to use my mind and how to think a problem through. Those were skills that were quickly going to become useful as I saw the mob gathering outside of Mayor Carrot Casserole’s barn, calling for my head.

Naturally, this was a distressing turn of events. I did not need a mob looking to hang me while I was trying to aid a possessed child. Though no doubt they would hang Casserole and Red Steel before coming for me, adding yet another complication to the mix. Worst still, all of this was delaying me from discovering who and where the warlocks in Appleton were. This was less than ideal considering I knew ‘twas only a matter of time before they finished whatever foul ritual they were working on. Finding a solution to this crisis that was quickly spiraling out of control was not going to be an easy task. Either I was going to be equal to the task or most likely many ponies were going to die. I would be lying if I did not say that filled my heart with at least a little trepidation.

Still, I was the pony in a position to make a difference. If I could not afford to fail, then I would just have to use all the magic, intelligence, and mettle I had available to me to succeed. I was a royal magus of Equestria, succeeding where others would falter was my purpose.

As my thought exercises had taught me, the first step to figure out a solution to a problem was to assess the situation. The rest of the mayor’s family and others, most likely laborers, were now fleeing into the perceived safety of the house. If I had at least a portion of good fortune nopony else would be seized by the mob. I did not know the lengths Apple Butter's lot would go to bring me harm but I would plan for the worst for now.

The mayor's wife, Celery Stalk, was busy corralling her children into the house when she spotted me. "Magus! The Apples have mustered and—" Her thoughts went unfinished when she looked into the bedroom where Stalwart and Subtle were finishing tying Carrot Root to the bed. Her eyes went wide, and she screamed, "What are you doing to my son!?"

Before I could speak to explain what had transpired, Root cried out, "Mother, help me!" It had been the voice of a child, not the unnatural tone the spirit that had used, but I could see the ruse it was attempting.

Celery charged at the bedroom doorway, no doubt following her maternal instincts to save her child. I intercepted her by placing a shield in front of the door. She collided with it and bounced back from the impact. Seeing that she had been stunned, I seized upon the opportunity to contain this budding crisis. I grabbed her by the shoulders with my telekinesis and yanked her to face me.

"Let go of me!" Celery screamed. As she struggled, I felt my magical grip beginning to slip. Before her innate magic could fully break her free, I decided it was safer to forge a layer of ice around her limbs; it would not do to needlessly tax myself. ‘Twas fortunate she was not properly trained in overcoming magic. I also cast a privacy spell upon the bedroom Root had been restrained in to keep the spirit within from either hearing what we were saying, or saying anything that might cause me more trouble.

"Celery, heed my words," I said with all the conviction I could muster. She continued to struggle but not with the vigor she had before as she looked me in the eyes. "Thy son is possessed by an evil spirit. We were forced to tie him down both for his safety and our own."

The mayor's spouse swallowed. She was calming, though her eyes were still wide and filled with fear. Not that I could blame her considering all that had befallen her house. "W-What sort of spirit?"

"One that had seen fit to attack me and Sergeant Stalwart." In truth, I did not know the exact nature of the creature that held Root, but saying so would only have given fuel to the fire of Celery's panic. No, best to tell her what I could to assure her that all would be well in the world if she trusted me. Even if I was not so certain of that myself. "I was in the middle preparing an exorcism when the mob showed itself."

It was then that I noticed Celery's family and a couple of the farm's laborers gathered at the neighboring room’s door. The laborers looked on the verge of coming to their employer’s defense, and Gale eyed them warily. No doubt she was ready to intercept them should they move. Though 'twas the pitiful sight of the four younger children of Casserole's family that held most of my attention. They looked fearfully at the scene before them as one mare they hardly knew roughly handled their mother.

Guilt came over me, and I melted the ice imprisoning Celery and hoped she would not do anything foolish now that she was free. "As a Royal Magus, I swear that I will bring no harm to thy family or those in thy home." Thinking over my promise, I amended, "Unless 'tis one of the ponies in the mob breaking into thy home or a warlock. In which case I am likely going to maim or kill them." I thought being honest was for the best. I would not want to make myself an oathbreaker, afterall.

She thought that over before shakily nodding. "What a-are you going to do?"

Gale coughed to gain my attention. “Midnight, there is a rather large and angry mob that is not going to wait much longer...”

“I am aware, Gale,” I grumbled. Though Gale did have a point that we did not have much time to waste. ‘Twas only a matter of time until the mob hanged Red Steel and Carrot Casserole. After that, they would come for us.

“I counted at least two score outside,” Stalwart said as he followed Subtle out of the bedroom. ”I can defeat a few of them, but I cannot protect you if they all attack at once.”

Subtle nodded. “I hope we are planning on escaping before the mob descends ‘pon us.”

Gale narrowed her eyes at Subtle. “That would be difficult with the Apples standing watch over the house.” She nodded at the Carrot ponies gathered in the other room. “Especially with more than ourselves to care for.”

“Not necessarily.” Subtle rubbed her chin. “How good are your veils, Magus?”

“Very. I have something of a talent for them.” Mother had made sure that illusions were a significant part of my magical education. As she said, they could be used to deal with any number of situations. Invisibility with veils being only one use for them.

“And I am not untalented with them,” Subtle said confidently. “Between the two of us, we should be able to make an escape.”

I thought the possibility over. Using veils to simply sneak away might very well be the solution we needed. Still, there were factors to consider. “How many couldst thou cover by thyself? Keeping in mind that thy veil must last long enough to get away from the farm.”

Subtle looked over all the ponies gathered. “I am equal to the task. I can veil myself and as many ponies as could remain in contact with me.”

“But where would we flee to?” Making a tactical withdrawal was all well and good, but running without a plan rarely leads to success.

“Somewhere without a large, violent mob waiting to kill us?” Subtle said cheerfully.

I suppressed my irritation at the bard. “This town is not that large and everypony knows one another. I think we will be found in anyplace we find refuge. At least eventually.”

Subtle nodded Silent Forest’s way. “I'm sure he could help us find somewhere to lie to low for a bit. While the town might not be safe, surely ‘twould be easier to hide in the woods."

Silent’s contribution to the topic was to nod in agreement.

“There is another complication.” I waved towards Root, still firmly tied to the bed, thankfully. “One of the ponies we would have to escape with is possessed. There are any number of complications attempting to move him could cause.” ‘Twould not be good if the possessed Root had some means by which to break the veil while we were out in the open. I did not know if the spirit could do so, but ‘twas not a risk I took readily. Not to mention it would probably try and resist us every step along the journey, and my aching knee did not relish the idea of being bucked again by the colt.

“We would likely have to leave him behind.” Subtle shrugged.

I narrowed my eyes. “I am not leaving a child in need behind either to be ravaged by that foul spirit or the mob.”

Subtle sighed and spoke in a patient tone. “Midnight, dear, perhaps you have not noticed that this mob has ten times our numbers? I am sure you are a skilled magus, but you have your limits. Sometimes you have no choice but to accept defeat and walk away. You cannot save everypony, and if you try, it will only end in misery and all of our deaths. Better to save a few than none.”

Gale growled and her wings twitched in the way that signaled she wished to throw one of her darts. “And thyself amongst those few.”

Subtle shrugged again. “I do not deny it. I have no particular desire to die. If you are so eager for death, Gale, then I am sure you can meet your end in whate’er manner pleases you.”

Gale’s response was to see if she could stare holes right through Subtle, or mayhaps set her on fire. ‘Twas difficult to say which.

I did not wish to die either, for that matter, and she had a point. As had been made clear to me during my education, ‘twas sometimes impossible to save everypony. There had been more than one instance when one goodly pony had failed to make the hard choices and had gotten a great many more ponies killed than needed to be. Was it not my responsibility to save who I could at little risk while sacrificing a few? Bringing Root with us could very well doom us all, and who was to say if Celery would abandon her son. ‘Twould be even more difficult to save Red and the magnate considering they were within the clutches of the Apples. Should I risk everything for two or four lives? If I was overcome by the mob here, whom would save Appleton from the warlocks?

My duty was to all ponies, my princess, and my country. I had been tasked with preventing the Apples and Carrots from reigniting their feud and having it spill over the entire region. Princess Celestia herself had asked me to do whatever I could to save the ponies of this town.

I looked about me and saw a variety of ponies. My protector in Stalwart and my friend Gale, both soldiers of the Royal Guard and clanponies. Subtle the bard whom was a mystery to me. The Long Patrolpony Silent Forest. Then there were all the farmers and natives of Appleton all about me in Casserole’s home. There was the mother and dedicated wife, Celery Stalk, and her innocent son Carrot Root. Each was an individual pony with their own story, their own goals, loves, hates, and dreams. Then there was everypony outside. Carrot Casserole whom had begged Her Highness to send somepony to save her town. Red Steel who seemed angry with everything in the world. There were also the scores of ponies of the mob that no doubt had their own tales to tell. I knew much about my friend, little about some of the others, and next to nothing about most of them.

And I was about to determine who was to live and who was to die.

I thought carefully about what I was going to do before speaking. “I am aware of the odds against us, but there is a child in need of me and I will not abandon him. My host and the militia captain of this town will also die if I do not aid them. Those two being slain could very well reignite the feud between the Apples and Carrots, the very thing I was sent here to prevent. I will go out with Stalwart and Gale to confront Apple Butter and her lot to do what we can.”

“That is true.” Gale looked to the Carrots. “But what of the others? They will be vulnerable if we leave to confront the mob.”

I looked to Subtle. “I think 'twould be best if Subtle and Silent took as many as they can away from here and find safety where they can. That should at least limit who will perish should the worst come to be.” While it disquieted me to split what forces I had available to me, I did have the responsibility to save who I could. Hopefully this compromise would not undo me.

Stalwart nodded slowly. “Evacuate anypony who does not absolutely need to be here.” It warmed my heart a bit to see the old soldier agree with my decision. At the start of this journey, I worried that nothing I could do would satisfy him.

"I will not leave my child's side," Celery said, her face a mask of grim determination that dared us to argue with her.

I knew better than to try and sway her. What pony of good character would outright refuse a mother to stay by their child's side in their time of need? Though there were other matters to consider here. "I cannot guarantee thy safety, and there are thine other children to consider." It felt cold reminding her of her duties at this dark hour. She was being given an impossible choice. Either stay with her child who was in the most danger, or go with all her other children to safety. 'Twas not a decision I envied her for, but in the end we all had our burdens to bear.

Celery bit down on her lip as she looked from her son to the rest of her family. "Is there any way I could help in freeing my son from this spirit's control?"

Thinking over what might be helpful for the exorcism ritual, I said, "Thy presence is likely to help, but 'twill be hard to say until I start the exorcism. After I have dealt with the mob."

After a moment of indecision, she nodded. "I will stay. Take my other children to safety, but I will not be chased out of my home and away from my son's side by anypony. My other children will be safe with Carrot Cake and Merry Spirit."

"That is thy choice," I said.

"Just ... one moment to say my goodbyes to them." She headed over to give her children hugs and some final word. I could only pray that they would not be the last between them.

I looked to my companions. "Subtle, Corporal Silent, if you will kindly escort everypony else to safety?"

Silent nodded and took station by the rear door.

"Of course." Subtle moved to step around me but stopped as she brushed up against me. She leaned in to give me a breathy whisper. "Do try to stay safe. Thou art far too comely to meet such an untimely and unpleasant end."

I swallowed, suddenly feeling most awkward at the closeness of the bard. "I have no intentions of dying today. Do not think I am merely marching off to make a martyr of myself."

She grinned coyly. I was wondering what she was thinking when she leaned in and kissed me. The sudden meeting of our lips stunned me. My mind was still trying to catch up with what had transpired when her tongue then parted my lips. My cheeks started to burn as Subtle proceeded to do very interesting things that I had never experienced before. Then just like that, it was over, leaving me light headed and breathing heavily.

"For luck," Subtle said with a smile that promised more very interesting things. That done, she walked towards Silent and the other gathered ponies waiting to be escorted away from danger. Her hindquarters swayed in a most intriguing fashion which I found impossible to turn my eyes from, despite my best efforts to do so.

"Um, good luck to thee too," I said lamely. My heart raced for what had most likely been a friendly kiss. Surely 'twas nothing more, aye? Though most friendly kisses did not involve such vigorous use of the tongue...

Gale’s wings twitched angrily. If she had not been considering how best to bury Subtle’s body in the woods before, I was certain she was doing so now.

“Come now, everypony.” Subtle clapped her forehooves. “All those who intend to depart should gather around me. Be sure to stay quiet once we go outside and this will proceed smoothly.”

Celery said her last words to her children and to the laborers before stepping back from them. They all stepped around Subtle as she instructed. I made a mental note of everypony that was there and noticed that Grandmother Carrot, Carrot Juice, and her daughter, Carrot Slice were not among their numbers. Subtle gave me a final wink before they all vanished. The back door opened, seemingly of its own accord and after a few moments closed again. One could only hope they would be able to find their way to safety.

“So that is taken care of.” Gale took a deep breath. No doubt to help her focus on the task at hoof.

Celery looked down at the floor and rubbed her upper foreleg. “I will attend my son.” She started moving to go to the bedroom but I held up a hoof to forestall her.

“Wait, a word please,” I said. She stopped and looked to me questioningly. “Whatever thou dost do, do not release thy son, whatever he says. That spirit possessing him may say all manner of cruel things, but do not listen to them. It will try to trick you, deceive you, and do anything that will give it an advantage. Do nothing it asks of you if you value your son’s life. If thou dost submit to that foul spirit’s will then thou wilt forfeit thy son’s life. Dost thou understand?”

Celery nodded her head shakily. “A-Aye, I understand.”

I gave her a piercing glare. “Swear that thou wilt follow my instructions.”

She froze for a moment before speaking. “I do so swear, on my mother’s name.”

I nodded, satisfied that my words had sunk in. “Very well, go comfort Carrot Root.” When she departed, I looked out the window leading to the barn and I could hear the Apple ponies becoming more riotous out there, as their calls for us to come out picked up in volume and tempo. “That does leave the three of us to tackle an entire mob.”

“Aye.” Stalwart joined me at the window. No doubt he saw the mob preparing to hang their hostages like I did. “I would suggest a show of force. Mobs lack discipline. Once some of them break and run, the rest will shortly follow.”

I closed my eyes to concentrate on what options were available to me. “Aye, I think I might be able to do that.”

Gale undid the strap that helped hold her throwing darts in place. “I could put a spike through the ringleader's head, if that 'twould suit thy plans.”

Focusing on the ponies gathered outside, I saw Apple Butter ordering her followers about while Applesauce helped put a noose around Red Steel’s neck. “That might provoke the mob into swarming us instead of cowing them. Especially if ‘tis done suddenly and without warning. 'Tis difficult to judge how the masses will act when gathered.”

“Aye, 'tis so,” Gale said. “But to do nothing will surely doom us as well as the mayor and militia captain. I see no reason for us to die in a pointless last stand.”

“Then I have no choice but to cow them so completely that they will not seriously consider attacking.” My horn glowed as I drew deeply upon my magic. I knew that I was most likely going to need it, whatever should happen when we confronted the mob. As I counted the mob, nearly three score in number, I could not help but feel some trepidation. “Gale, Stalwart, if the mob should charge us and it seem too much ... 'tis far easier for you two to flee than I. You both have wings while I am restricted to the ground. I would not think unkindly of either of you should you do what is practical when faced with death.”

Gale blinked in surprise. For a moment I worried I had offended her when she wrapped a wing around me. “We would never abandon thee.”

“Aye, we do not leave our own behind,” Stalwart said.

“Thou art our comrade in arms.” Gale smiled fondly and gave me a nuzzle. “Not to mention my dear friend. We could never abandon thee.”

“That is most kind of thee.” Their words gave me heart. While I could not have thought them craven for saving their own lives in a hopeless struggle, it raised my spirits to know that whatever might come I would not have to face it alone.

“Thou wouldst do the same for us.” Gale nudged my shoulder in a friendly manner. “I know thou art more courageous than some would give thee credit for.”

Reflecting upon those words, I could not find fault with them. Abandoning Gale or Stalwart was not something I would readily do. “Aye, I would.”

The moment was ruined when the shouting outside grew louder and one of the windows was suddenly smashed by a thrown rock.

“‘Twould seem they are growing impatient.” I rolled my neck as I focused my mind.

Taking some of Gale’s earlier advice to heart. I reminded myself not to appear weak. That I needed to seem strong, resolute, unwavering. Like a mighty glacier: large, imposing, and unmoveable. If the mob sensed weakness, they would pounce on us like wolves who had come upon wounded prey.

So I took a moment to blow my nose clean and took some more of my medicine to help with my sickness. ‘Twould be undignified and detract from my image to appear sick. Next, I cast a spell so that I would not feel my throbbing knee. Appearing to be limping would only help to provoke the Apples. Though I had to be careful. My spell only covered up the pain, not cure it of its injuries. While pain is generally seen in a negative light, ‘tis quite important to life. Pain tells us when we are hurt and when to rest an injured area and address it. Not doing so could have terrible consequences for the pony involved.

Finally ready to face the Apples, I said, “‘Twould be better not to let them wait.”

“Aye.” Gale stretched her wings to limber them up. “We have delayed long enough.”

“They will only grow bolder with time.” Stalwart opened the front door carefully and glanced about the entryway, looking for anypony that might be lying in ambush.

“Then let us have a talk with them.” With Stalwart and Gale on my flanks, I headed outside.

With all the confidence I could muster, I stepped onto the dagger’s edge, where the slightest misstep would result in disaster. I carried myself as Mother would have, drawing myself up, walking up to the mob as though 'twas the most natural thing in the world, that I belonged there, and more importantly, that I was the pony in power here, not the whims of the mob.

The gathered ponies jeered at me as I approached them. The ravens gathered all about the farm on roofs and trees cawed, almost as though they protested against the mob’s jeers. Many were armed with hammerhooves and spears, and the fading sun glinted off the metal of the weapons. They all had eyes for me as I approached them, though I did not let their stares affect me. To show weakness would doom us.

Red and Casserole had nooses wrapped around their necks. Red’s face looked badly swollen even from a distance. She had clearly not been taken without a fight. To my disappointment, but not to my surprise, these ponies did in fact not know how to do a proper hanging. They did not have weights tied to their legs and they were not even on an elevated position from which they could drop to let the fall snap their necks. Neigh, the ropes had been draped over the branch of a tree near the barn, and there were stout stallions ready to pull the ropes to lynch their hostages. A slow death by strangulation rather than a quick snapping of the neck that would occur if ‘twere done correctly. ‘Twas most unprofessional and lacking mercy—if they must execute the hostages, they could at least do it properly.

I stopped well short of the mob. Should they rush me, I wanted to have enough time to cast at least one spell upon them. I called out with a commanding voice. “What transpires here?” Of course I knew what was going on, but I had put on my mask and was determined to play the role that I believed would see us through this crisis.

The crowd responded with more jeers and yelling. They wished to intimidate me, to make me run so that they could have the pleasure of chasing me down and catching me. For what pony who was innocent and confident in their cause would run? So I did not give them the pleasure, but stood firm and unwavering.

I spoke with a passive and unconcerned tone. “Do you have a leader, or will I be forced to yell over all of you? Surely you must have grievances to have come here in such a manner.”

Apple Butter stepped forward and gave me a nasty grin that was filled confidence that she was carrying the day. “Ah speak for us.”

“What brings you to break the peace?” I asked.

Her grin became all the meaner. “You do.”

I looked about the crowd in an exaggerated manner, playing my role as the stalwart leader. “Last I checked, I did not organize a mob, seize two innocent ponies, and then march on the local magnate's farm with weapons on hoof.” I waved at Red Steel and Casserole. “And this is hardly the manner with which to bring your grievances to me.”

“Neigh!” Butter stomped a hoof. “You intruded in our city, attacked, arrested, and attempted to murder our citizens, and are generally poking about where yer not wanted.”

“I came to this town to discover who is murdering the ponies here,” I countered. “I have attacked nopony who did not strike at me first.”

Butter waved frantically at her hostages. “You came to pin the blame for the murders on the first Apple you could find and string us up! Just like the Sun Tyrant’s creatures always have!”

“Neigh, I sought no such thing.” I stood up straighter raising myself to my full height. Though I hoped that my small size did not take away from the image I was attempting to project. “I came only seeking justice. The clan a pony belongs to is not my concern. I seek only to punish the guilty and wish to bring harm to nopony else.”

“'Tis just a coincidence that you immediately took up residence in a Carrot's house?” She gave the noose around Casserole’s neck a meaningful shake. “And then started arresting Apples?”

I narrowed my eyes at the lies about my intentions. Could these ponies not see that I was trying to help them? Had they been so consumed by rage and fear that they could not see the truth? “As the local magnate, the mayor was gracious enough to provide me her hospitality after she had called on the government for help with the murders. If it had been an Apple to do so, my response would have been the same with that pony. And as thou dost well know, I have arrested but one Apple, and Applesauce was arrested for obstructing justice and striking a Royal Magus.”

Butter scoffed. “A likely story. We tire of your lies.”

“'Tis likely because 'tis true.” I was finding my patience with Apple Butter growing thin, but I persevered. Those hostages depended upon me keeping my head. “Name one other pony I have arrested in all the town.”

She grinded her teeth. It seemed my logic was having some effect, for the mob had not as of yet moved. That was good. Once they gained momentum ‘twould be like stopping a boulder being rolled down a hill. Seeing no way to counter my argument, my opponent yelled, “You aimed to kill us all! You burned down my house and tried to murder me!”

“That is also a lie,” I declared. “I did no such thing. If I did try and murder thee, I would have succeeded.”

Gale sighed. “Midnight...”

Butter turned to the crowd and howled, “Didst thou hear? She threatened me with murder!”

“I was only speaking hypothetically! Do not misconstrue my words.” I felt the mood of the crowd start to shift against me once again, and their glares turned more hateful. I could feel myself starting to slip on the edge of the knife.

She made a cutting motion with her hoof. “Enough! We will not be threatened by one of the Sun Tyrant's pet whorses! Leave at once, or suffer the consequences.” She waved at her hostages.

That made me pause as I thought through the situation before me. Specifically, at what Apple Butter planned on doing, but then I saw a problem with it. Could she not see the issue? Was there something I was overlooking?

I blinked slowly. “I do not understand.”

Butter glanced about her fellows, as though not sure how to proceed with me being confused. “Was I unclear?” She stiffened her spine to face me. “We will execute them! This is no bluff!”

I tilted my head. I could not help but think our thoughts did not yet align. Therefore ‘twould be best to clarify what I did not understand. “Neigh, I understand that much, and I believe that thou art sincere about murdering them. But what comes after you kill them? That is what I do not understand.”

Butter’s face contorted with confusion. “What?”

I could hardly believe what I was hearing. Was she so much the fool as to not think her plan all the way through and its consequences? Mother and Morning Star would have lectured me for failing to do so with one of their thought exercises. While not everything could be planned for, one could at least think of the likely responses to one’s own plans by a competent opponent.

Seeing that Butter had failed with the most basic elements of making a plan, I spoke slowly, as though speaking with a dullard. “If you attempt to commit a murder right in front of me, a Royal Magus, 'twould be my duty to stop you.” I slowly swept my eyes over the mob. “And given your numbers, I would be forced to smite you dead with the mightiest spells at my disposal. Starting with the ponies directly responsible for hanging your hostages, for they wouldst be the most responsible for the foul deed.” A worried murmur went through the crowd. Most of those that stood near the hostages backed away from them, while those holding the rope decided ‘twas best to put it down for the moment. Only Applesauce stood very near to the hostages, and even he looked like he wished he were standing somewhere else.

“Next, I would strike down your leaders to both dispirit you and ruin your ability to organize.” I then met Apple Butter’s eyes directly. “Starting with her first, I think. Tell me, Apple Butter, art thou suicidal, or is there a part of thy plan I do not see yet?”

Butter took a step back and I could see the concern as the possibility of her own imminent death overtook her. “That is... I...”

“No, wait, I have a better idea.” I looked to Gale. “Gale, if Apple Butter orders for the hostages to be killed, hit her with one of thy spikes. Preferably through the eye. I would like the wound to be fatal. That will leave me free to aid the hostages.”

Gale grinned. “I can do that.”

“My thanks.” I smiled to my friend.

Butter blinked at us, looking dumbfounded. “You cannot... That would be...”

I felt the momentum turn against Apple Butter. Now was the time to strike now that the mob was starting to waver. “I bid all of you, return to your homes. I have no quarrel with you. I seek only justice in Appleton. I promise that should I arrest anypony and press charges, they will receive a fair trial. Disperse now, leave Red Steel and Carrot Casserole in peace, and I so swear on my word as a Royal Magus that I will not seek redress for what has transpired tonight or even what happened ‘tween me and Applesauce.”

A couple of the ponies at the back of the mob started drifting away. Likely they had been coerced to come this day. Such was easy to do when one’s kin were all demanding that you do something. Though now that the glue that held the mob together was coming undone its less stalwart members were losing spirit. Watching a pony be killed by one’s kin is an easier prospect for most than the idea of facing one’s own mortality.

“Do not listen to her!” Butter turned back to the crowd and called to them, but I could readily hear the growing desperation in her voice. “All Canterlot unicorns speak lies with the forked tongue of a serpent! We must stand united 'gainst her, or she will kill us all one by one!”

I immediately saw a hole in her logic and struck at it. “Why would I go through the trouble of killing you one by one when, if the Apples were my enemies, I could kill all of you now that you are gathered in one place? And under inauspicious conditions. Thou art legally a mob and threatening my host. Under such circumstances I could strike thee down by the score and the law would see me in the right. I would just be creating more work for myself if I let all of you slink off into the night only to hunt you down one at a time.”

“She cannot stand against all of us at once!” She leveled a hoof at me. “If we all charge her, she cannot hope to stop us!”

So the moment had come. The moment when the mob would most likely turn to attack me and my companions or slowly disperse. Now was the time for me turn the tide decisively in my favor.

“Mayhaps not, but how many of you are willing to die for this foolishness?” I turned my head, trying to meet each pony’s eyes in turn. Let them know that I was deadly serious in my proposition. “Ten? A score? More? I am not sure you fully appreciate exactly what I can bring to bear should you attack me. I think a demonstration is in order.”

I turned to face a cart sitting by the side of the barn. It had been filled with baskets full of apples. It would serve nicely for my demonstration.

My horn glowed all the brighter as I pushed magic through it. A blue ball of magic shot towards the cart. When it reached its target, it burst. Scores of ice shards shot forward to scour the cart. Each easily sharp enough to cut through flesh on contact. They shredded through the produce and punched their way into the wood of the baskets and the cart itself. The cart all but exploded into splinters and apple shards. A few of the ponies standing near the cart were hit by the splinters, apple chunks, and errant ice shards. While there were screams of pain and confusion, none appeared too hurt as they all scrambled to put distance between them and the cart. The spell also caused the unkindness of ravens to take flight and they started circling overhead. Their caws echoing as enough of them flew to cast their shadows down upon us.

Many within the mob stood agape at the display while others looked up at the unkindness with fear. Others turned to each other and spoke in fearful whispers. It seemed that my spell had the desired effect of cowing the Apples.

“That is but one of the spells I can use to protect myself and those I am duty bound to protect.” I made my horn glow all the brighter and it gave off sparks of magic from all the magic coursing through it. “And I will use such spells to fulfill my duties. That I swear to you.”

Now that they had been cowed, ‘twas time to offer some honey to encourage them to disperse. For that, rather than draw inspiration from my mother, who had never held the love of those around her, I looked to Princess Celestia. She always had a way to calm the ponies around her, and I now sought to follow her example.

I soften my features and put compassion in my tone, where before there had only been cold ice in it. “Look at yourselves. How many of you have families to care for? Is this worth the risk to life and limb? What will your families do if you are slain this day? Surely the time to harvest your crops comes soon, and we are scheduled to have a harsh winter this year. What if you were to become crippled by one of my spells? You would become but another mouth to feed at the table, but one unable to plow the fields or pick crops to provide food for that table. Is this worth the risk of taking me? To murder me and my companions? Your mayor and the militia captain who tries to keep you safe? Neigh, go home in peace and let us not speak of this again. There need not be any bloodshed this day.”

“She might take a few of us, but if we run she will get all of us!” Apple Butter called out, but her fellows had lost heart. They would not meet Butter’s eyes and a few more in the rear melted away. None seemed eager to be the first to be smitten by my spells or cut down by my guard. It had probably been a long time since a lynch mob had formed in Appleton and met a force that could resist it.

“I have no interest in pursuing anypony, save those that have committed the murders in this town.” Seeing that the tide had turned against Butter, I marched up to her. “But if thou art so determined to see violence befall me, then act on it.” I slapped her across the jaw. “Apple Butter, thou hast committed slander 'gainst me, insulted me, and sought to do violence to me and my companions, and my host! I demand satisfaction and challenge thee to juris ungula!”

Butter froze, either too stunned that I had actually challenged or that I had struck her. “I ... that is...”

Good, she had not expected me to do such a thing and was not ready for it. It seemed that she had never learned an important part of being a leader of ponies. One needs to act as an example for those that you would have follow you. If ponies do not respect you, then their spirits would flag and you will lead them nowhere. Time to utterly ruin her in the eyes of her kin.

“What, art thou intimidated by the idea of facing me in honorable combat?” I asked mockingly. “Dost thou find thyself craven without a mob to throw at me first?” I lifted my nose and sniffed haughtily. “Very well, I challenge thee to face me three against myself. Choose thy champions and I will gladly smite you all.”

Butter’s ear flicked and she looked around to her kin, but all the ponies near Butter stepped away from her and looked to anything that was not her. It seemed nopony was willing to risk being named her champion. Certainly none called out to say they would be willing to face me in juris.

Time to rub salt into the wound. “Five 'gainst one, then. Anymore and 'tis less a duel and more melee with delusions of grandeur.”

The leader of the mob could bring herself to do little else but watch as her mob dissolved in front of her—for who would wish to fight for a coward? I had seen my mother use this tactic more than once in my life and once again, it seemed to be working. At a stroke I was discrediting Butter before her followers, and without that she could not use them against me.

Eventually Butter signed. She clamped down her teeth and grinding out the words, “I withdraw my remarks.”

“Tell thy mob to disperse,” I told her coldly.

She looked as though she wished to argue, but I kept up a pitiless glare towards her. “Return to thy homes,” she said weakly.

I called out to the crowd with an authoritative voice. “Aye, return to your homes in peace and attend to your families.” The mob rapidly dispersed at that. All their spirit had left them. Some even dropped their spears or left their hammerhooves in the dirt.

I had done it! I had beaten the mob without anypony dying! It felt as though a great weight had been lifted from my back. I had finally accomplished something in Appleton! With the mob gone, I could now concentrate on more important matters.

Butter was not nearly so pleased at my success as she glared balefully at me. “This is not over.”

I glared right back at her. “Do not test my patience. If I see thee attempt to disturb the peace again, thou wilt find that my patience and goodwill have come to an end.”

She chuckled, a nasty thing. “Don't worry. You won't see me.” At that, she turned to leave.

I let her go, even though she had threatened me. It might have been more practical to stop her and arrest her on the spot, ‘twas quite possible she would cause trouble for me later, but I would not. For one, ‘twould have broken my word that I was going to let everypony leave in peace if they did no harm. For another, arresting or attacking her could have unraveled all I had just done with the mob. Seizing defeat from the jaws of victory did not appeal to me, so I took the gains I had made and left it at that. I would face what came in time where Apple Butter was concerned.

Watching her as she left, I said, “She will be trouble later, I fear. Craven as she is.”

“Aye, a craven can still slip a knife into an unguarded back.” Gale’s wing slid over her spikes, and I could see her considering putting a spike into her back to snuff out the problem.

“Leave her for now,” I told Gale. I did not want to risk her undoing all that we had just done. “At least the mob seems to have lost its spirit.”

Stalwart nodded. “A temporary reprieve is better than none.”

I saw that Red Steel and Carrot Casserole remained where they had been. Likely they wished to see the mob leave before making a move that might provoke the ponies that had seized them in the first place.

I nodded towards them. “Come.” My companions followed me as I approached the now freed hostages. “Are you two well?” I asked them.

The magnate worked to remove the noose from her neck, though her hooves shook slightly as she did so, causing her to fumble at the work. “Alive and unharmed, though I fear my wits will take some time to recover.”

I helped her pull off the noose. “As long as thou art alive thy wits will recover. 'Tis good to see that you have not been too badly harmed.”

Red gave me a grateful nod. “My thanks.”

“Aye, I owe you my life, milady.” Casserole rubbed at her neck. “I will not forget this.”

“I am merely doing my duty, Mayor,” I said modestly.

“We can thank one another and be modest later.” Red Steel gestured at the house. “Casserole mentioned something about poor Root being possessed?”

Casserole’s eyes widened. “Root!” She barreled forward towards the house. In her haste to return to her son’s side, she bumped into me, and being a mare thick with muscle thanks to farming for a profession. Unfortunately for me, she was a large pony, I a small one. The blow, accidental as it was, sent me sprawling into the dirt, and I grunted from the impact. I was left on my back, staring into the open sky and the ravens flying about it.

Alas, my wounded dignity.

“Sorry!” The magnate yelled as she ran to the farmhouse.

Gale snickered down at me. “Art thou fine, Midnight?”

“I will survive,” I grumbled. “Gale, go after her and make sure she does nothing foolish with Root, if thou wilt.”

“Very well.” Gale flew after her. I would have hated to have gone through all that work just for Root to be released.

Stalwart offered me a hoof and helped me to my hooves. “Mayhaps we should collect what we need from the barn and return to the house?”

“That would be for the best.” I brushed the dirt off of me. The feeling of it felt most uncomfortable as it grated against my skin. At least it was not as bad as mud. “Let us not delay.”

“I will help you,” said Red as we entered the barn. The three of us worked to quickly gather the supplies I needed for the exorcism ritual. I was a bit surprised when Red stopped to place a hoof on my shoulder. “I wished to say that thou art braver than I thought.” She gave my shoulder a squeeze. “Or even more foolish.” For once, the words did not hold a bitter edge to them.

At first I did not know how to respond. I had effectively acknowledged that the militia captain was a pony with a sour continence and that was all there was to it. This though I felt was a different side to her. “I think the line between brave and foolish is whether one succeeds or not.”

Red snorted. “Aye, so it probably is. Still, you know that you could easily have died should the mob have charged you?”

“I am aware.” I found the salt within the barn and began collecting some. “‘Twould have come down to whether they could have overcome the first spell I threw at them or not. If their ranks broke and they lost their momentum, they would have been crushed. If they could have managed to get their hooves on me...” I shrugged. “‘Twould likely have cost me my life. I probably would not have had time to fire a second spell like the one I fired on the cart in the time it would have taken for them to close the distance.”

“And yet you did face them all the same, knowing that,” Red commented. “And considering you have claimed to be able to turn yourself invisible, you probably could have escaped easily.”

“Aye, I probably could have done so safely.” I looked through the articles in the barn, seeing if there was anything of use that I had not originally thought of to use. “But I am not so sure I could have lived with myself if I had left thee and the mayor to that lot. Thou wert in danger in no small part because of me, and ‘twould have been cowardly of me to have run then. Neigh, I did not have to do what I did, but I felt ‘twas the right thing.”

She patted my shoulder. “I think I can see why Gale thinks well of you now.”

There was silence between us for a time, with neither of us saying anything. For myself I was not used to praise, at least from ponies I did not know well. Sometimes I wondered if I had inherited my mother’s trait of being unable to be loved by others. I could only guess the reasons for Red’s demeanor. Mayhaps she was just unused to giving out compliments.

In the end, mayhaps nothing more needed to be said between us for now.

It took us a while to gather the materials I required and return to the farmhouse. By the time we did, the last rays of sunlight were beginning to fade. It had been a long day, and I doubted the night was going to be any shorter. Since Gale knew a bit about the medical arts, I asked her to look over Red Steel’s wounds. Her face was still badly swollen from when she had been captured. I had created some ice to help with that, but ‘twould still be good to know how bad the injury was. While I did not think Red held quite so much vitriol for me as before, I still sensed that she still had no great love for me. Better to let Gale treat her injuries.

Stalwart helped me carry the supplies we had gathered from the barn, and we made our way to the bedroom where Carrot Root was being held. The child’s parents sat vigilant by the bed and were no doubt trying to give what comfort they could to their son. Thankfully they had not been foolish and untied him or done anything else ill-advised. I did not relish the idea of being ambushed by the possessed colt once again.

Celery’s eyes appeared to be swollen with tears, and she dabbed at them with a handkerchief while her wife wrapped a leg around her to give comfort, or mayhaps to give herself comfort too. ‘Twas probably both, considering the situation they found themselves in. It could not have been easy to be in this room, and I could only imagine the things the spirit had said in my absence.

“Mothers, let me go!” Root pleaded with his parents. “These ropes hurt!” The pony speaking sounded like Root, and not the spirit, but ‘twas a trifling feat for most possessing spirits to use the voice of the one they possessed. I moved to the side of the bed and examined him again, quickly confirming the spirit still possessed him, and the vile presence set me ill at ease. It seemed that the spirit would indeed not give up its vessel easily.

“Do not attempt to fool us, spirit,” I said firmly. “I know your tricks and will not be easily fooled by them.”

The possessed child grinned and spoke with its unnatural voice. “Do not be so sure. You are not as clever as you think. Not by half.”

The mayor’s gaze immediately shifted to me when I entered the room. “Magus! Please, help him. Watching over him has terribly worn down my nerves. It had been hard not to do ... something to help him.”

“I ask for but a little more patience, Mayor.” I waved for the parents to please step back from the bed. When they did so, I moved the bed closer to the center of the room. “All I need is some time to free him.” At least it was my hope that I could do so. I had assisted my mother once with an exorcism when a particularly unpleasant ghost of a disgraced count had come to possess his distant descendant. Mother possessed formidable magic and knowledge, and the task had still been a difficult one even for her. Even in that case Mother had known quite a bit about her enemy and had used that knowledge against the wayward spirit. Here I knew next to nothing about my opponent. Something that was always very dangerous when dealing with the supernatural. Understanding an opponent was often the first step to overcoming them.

Root struggled against his ropes again. When that did not work, the spirit turned to the child’s parents. “She is lying to you, you know. She does not plan on expelling me from this child, for she will bind me to this body forever.”

“That is not true,” I calmly replied. “Cease your lies, they will not avail you.” I went about drawing a circle about the bed.

“You speak of not lying when your life is utterly shrouded by them.” The possessed colt grinned at me menacingly. “I see you, child of nightmares and winter. Disaster and death walk in your wake and all you touch withers and dies. I see you for what you are, Herald of the Night. ”

I did my best to ignore the words, though there was something about them that sent a chill down my spine. I had to wonder exactly how much the spirit knew, and how much it said in order to throw me off balance. I told myself that it did not matter. What mattered was the task at hoof and so I kept working on the circle, adding runes at the edges to add to its strength.

“Root, please, stop speaking.” Celery looked as though she wished to say more but then she was overcome with sobs and pressed her face into the shoulder of her wife.

My circle finished, I looked to the mayor. “Didst thou procure an object of value to thy son?”

“Aye, I did.” Casserole presented me with a wooden figurine. “He is always playing with this.” The figurine had been carved to look like a stallion in armor. A toy then. Not surprising a toy would be a precious object to a child.

“My thanks.” I took the toy and gently placed it at an appointed spot by the circle. “Now then, who brought Root into the world?”

“Me.” Celery said through a sob. “Why?”

“‘Twould help if I could have a drop of thy blood.” I pulled my mother’s dagger from its sheath. “The bond between mother and child is a powerful one, and will aid me in freeing Root.”

Celery extended a leg. “If it will help my son.”

Root snorted. “It will not. This is a fool’s venture and the magus knows it. She would rather destroy herself then admit she is not equal to the task.”

“I will make this quick.” I pricked her with the dagger and Celery winced at the wounding, but she did not jerk away. Some blood wet the edge of the blade. Satisfied, I placed the dagger and blood on the edge of the circle. Next I poured out a pile of salt at another point on the circle, salt being a symbol of purity. With a symbol of the child himself, another of the bond between mother and son, and finally one for the purifying ritual I was about to enact. I finished by drawing another circle that touched edges with the circle around the bed. That done, I carefully reviewed my work.

The mayor squeezed her spouse, giving me a pleading look. “Is there anything else you needed? If you need anything, say it and it will be so.”

I considered the question as I finished reviewing my work, finding it to be satisfactory for the limited time I had to do this. “Neigh, I have all that I desire. Though I would prefer to do this ritual alone. If everypony else but Stalwart would leave the room, I would appreciate it. What I am about to do is complex and distractions are dangerous.”

Stalwart moved to gently usher the parents out of the room. “Please, milady knows what she is doing.”

Celery looked from her son to her wife, unsure what to do. Casserole nodded and helped Celery stand. “We will do as you ask,” the mayor said, the two of them leaving the bedroom.

Stalwart closed the door after them and took station next to it. He watched as I placed myself within the adjacent circle. “Are you sure about this, milady? Would it not be better to wait, gather more magi to do this thing?”

Root laughed, a short, barking thing. “She will not. She is young and wishes all the glory for herself. She has not yet cut her teeth and wishes to prove herself to her peers.”

I stopped to consider Stalwart suggestion and the spirit’s taunts. Was I being foolish by pressing so hard and quickly? ‘Twas not considered craven to gather more magi to deal with a single warlock. Much less a group of them. When gatherings of warlocks were discovered, ‘twas common to gather a score of magi with many soldiers and knights to aid them. Nopony had openly suggested that warlocks might be involved in these murders when I was sent to Appleton. I could not see anypony declaring me to be craven if I were to run and call for reinforcements against a force that may very well be beyond my skill to face. There was no shame in retreating from an overwhelming force, and some would argue it the wiser course to go out and make that call for aid.

For a moment I was terribly tempted to do just that. I was not a fool. I did not wish to die in some hopeless struggle. Little would be accomplished by doing such a thing.

The problem with that plan would be that I would be dooming whoever might die while a force was mustered to crush these warlocks. The delay would be considerable considering Appleton was far out on the frontier. More murders might very well spark into open violence between the Apples and Carrots like it had nearly done so tonight. Then there was the terrible ritual the warlocks were fueling their blood sacrifices with. The energies from it were ever pressing against the back of my skull. Always a menacing presence hanging over me.

Also, I would be giving up on the child before me. A child in desperate need of my help. I knew of another child who cried for the help of anypony that would save her and how badly she desired it. Could I ever look myself in the mirror again after looking into this child’s eyes and damning him?

“Neigh, I will not abandon him,” I said, binding myself to the cause. “No child should be given to a foul spirit such as this. Please, watch the door and do not disturb me during the ritual.”

There was a tenseness in Stalwart’s stance, and I sensed that he wished to argue with me. He had been tasked with my safety, and I was about to enter a realm for which he would be of little use. I knew from experience that one of the hardest things to do in the world was stand aside and watch as events proceeded beyond one’s control. Whatever thoughts were going through his mind eventually settled when he said, “Very well, milady. I will be here if you are in need of me.”

“My thanks.” I sat in my circle and went through a calming exercise, breathing in and out as I gathered my thoughts for the coming struggle.

“You are going to die, you know,” the possess child said. “You are going to fail, everypony around you is going to perish, and it will be your fault. You could have run. Then at least some would have lived, but now you decided to be stubborn and doomed everypony. Fool.”

“If you are attempting to frighten me, then you will have to do better,” I said cooly. “I have faced beings greater than you, and I find you wanting. Now be silent. I am coming to deal with you, fiend.”

“Come then.” He struggled against his bonds. “Let us have a battle.”

I replied by casting my spell to enter the Dreamscape to engage in battle with the possessing spirit.

The material world and the Dreamscape touch one another. They are separate, but overlap in dreams, reality, mirrors, and echoes. They affect one another—changing, transforming, shifting. As with a dream the Dreamscape is mutable, shapeable, and always shifting while also being permanent, immense, and without borders. It is both real and not, it cannot touch us, yet it does. One can never know exactly what one will find in that strange, wondrous, and sometimes terrifying realm, but part of it is in us, and we enter it when we dream—or when we have nightmares.

When I cast my spell, I thought for a moment something had gone wrong with my casting. I found myself still in the bedroom with Carrot Root tied to the bed. Though Stalwart was no longer in the room, and my circle and sigils gone. The bedroom was the perfect picture of rural domesticity for the home of a magnate. Small paintings adorned light blue walls. Sturdy ornate dressers were braced against the walls while the bed continued to sit in the middle of the room. Moonlight spilled into the room through the windows.

I stood to a nearly silent scene before me. Only the lazy wind blowing the window drapes and Carrot Root’s breathing disturbed the peace. Then the child started letting out an unearthly pained wail. The bed groaned and creaked, and I backed up as the bed slowly stood. I heard the wood bedframe crack as it slowly transformed as I watched. Rotting wood grew over the ropes, and the growth worked their way to Root’s legs. When they reached his flesh, branches grew and pushed their way under his skin.

Root let out another scream of pain. “Ithurstithurtsithurts!” The mattress was torn asunder as the bedframe continued to grow and more branches sought their victim’s flesh. The frame grew out, smashing through the rug and floorboards to dig its roots into the earth and gnarled old branches punched their way through the ceiling. A foul stench of rotting wood started permeating the room as pussy sap oozed out of crevices in the bark. I could feel the floorboards under me rot even as I stood on them. The paint peeled from the walls as though suddenly aged by decades, and the paintings fell from the walls and glass smashed as they hit the ground. Even the shadows cast by the tree seemed to gain their own profuse life as they grew hungrily to consume the light of the moon and stars.

“I want my mothers!” Root screamed over and over again as thick tendrils buried their way into the back of his skull. The violated child wept as he bled from wounds across his body, bound to a tree that sought to bind him to it.

Before my eyes the bedroom had been transformed from a wholesome place of rest to some twisted mockery—a corrupt, profane thing that mocked all that was good. What type of horror was I experiencing? How much was metaphor and symbolism created by the Dreamscape and how much was real?

It took me some time to realize I was just standing there, dumbfounded at the sight. I gave myself a mental shake to regain my composure. I had come to this horrible place to save this child, not gawk at his suffering. Not to mention that the spirit that had done this foul deed could strike at any moment. My reason for coming to the Dreamscape was because I had thought it would give me the advantage. That it would give me a battlefield from which I could fight the fiend that tormented this child.

“Creature!” I called out, putting my power and will into the call. “Come forth and reveal yourself to me! I so declare, this child, Carrot Root does not belong to you! His body and soul are not yours to bind! You will come forth and face me so that this profane act will be addressed!” If I was to be successful in the exorcism, I needed to know whom my enemy was. Otherwise I would be flailing about in the dark.

A low, menacing chuckle echoed through the room, seeming to come from nowhere and yet everywhere. “The magus wishes to face what she cannot see, even though it is right before her eyes. She grasps, but comes to grip with nothing. She seeks to understand, but is ignorant. What a poor creature I face. It thinks itself strong, but it is brittle, unfocused, and dependant on others.”

“I did not come here to trade quips, spirit.” I stomped a hoof and it sent a tremor that reverberated out. “You hold this child against his will, and I demand his release. Defy me and I release him by force. I will not hesitate to destroy you, I promise.”

“Destroy me?” The spirit laughed. “You have no power here, magus. You are but a wisp on the wind, and ‘tis now time for you to be snuffed out.”

The tree creaked and several branches struck out for me. I could feel their hunger, their desire to grasp, to bind. ‘Twas as much a part of them as it is for a pony to eat and breathe, a fundamental force of nature in their profanity. Though if the spirit thought me helpless, then it was mistaken. With a burst of magic and will, I sent a wave of cold magic forth. It struck the branches and froze them in place just short of me. With another casting of my magic, a harsh icy cold wind howled through the windows and tossed about all the loose items in the room as they were caught within the gale. The branches shattered from the pressure and fell onto the floor to break into so many pieces.

Whiffs of light blue magic drifted off my horn as it cast its light about the room, creating its own shadows that danced about the room and contested the shadows of the tree. I sent more of my magic and will with my words and I yelled, “As a Royal Magus of Equestria, by the will of Her Royal Highness Princess Celestia, Sol Invictus, Ruler of the Three Tribes, and Steward of the Sun, twice I demand of you! Show yourself to me! Identify yourself! Your name I demand!”

A sharp hiss reverberated through the room and the branches of the tree leaned away from me, creaking and groaning as though resisting my attempts to pull at the thing. Even the shadows of the tree seemed to retreat behind it. “I deny you, Herald! I so declare you fraud and liar! You are no shadow of sun and fire, but a child of darkness! Under false pretenses you come! I do not acknowledge you, your titles, or your power!”

The words slammed into me like a physical force. More so, even. They hit me, and then pierced me right down to my essence, my very being. It felt as though my flesh was being threatened to be ripped from my bones and that my soul were being scoured as our wills met in battle. I endured it, weathered it, and stayed in the fight. I refused to be conquered this day.

This time the whole house groaned and all about me there was the splintering of large chunks of lumber. It seemed as though the house itself was about the collapse on me. Great branches punched through the ceiling while thick roots burst from the floor and the wall behind me. I growled as I poured out magic and my horn looked as though it had become some great torch of blue faerie fire. The long shadows created by my pale light leapt into action. They met the branches and roots, wrapping themselves around the extensions of the tree. They attempted to squirm and push their way through my shadows but they held them in place.

I did not relent in my counter. Instead of just holding the branches and roots, my shadows slowly drained the life out of them and the shadows slowly grew in power, depth, and life. The energy and warmth was drained from the wood and the tree’s extensions froze in place as life left them. Then with another savage tug of my will, my shadows broke the branches and roots into so many lifeless chunks.

The round of battle mine, I turned back to the tree and it leaned back further from my presence. Frost had covered my half of the room and was making a march to overtake the rest. Once again, I gathered my will and magic for a decisive strike.

The words poured forth of their own accord. Though I did not think of them, they felt like a natural extension of my being. “Thrice I say and done! I, Magus Midnight Sparkle, Daughter and Heir to Archmagus Sunbeam Sparkle, Child of Night and Winter, demand you reveal yourself and I bind you to it!”

My shadows darted forth and spread frost as they went. The branches and roots of the tree attempted to intercept them, but on contact they froze, withered, died, and broke under their own weight. My shadows invaded the darkness behind the tree and found what they sought. The wall about the windows crumbled and fell and the darkness evaporated under the shine of the moonlight, as large as the sun within the sky of the Dreamscape.

There, being held still by my shadows, was the being responsible for the evil that had befallen Carrot Root and Appleton.

I narrowed my eyes and spoke with icy words to my nemesis. “We meet again, Grandmother Carrot.”

Author's Note

Midnight Begins: Chapter 9

Midnight’s Shadow

Midnight Begins: Chapter 9

“You do not seem surprised to see me here, young magus.” Grandmother Carrot fixed me with a mocking smile, seemingly unconcerned that I held her with my shadows.

She now appeared different from when I had last seen her. While already a venerable mare, she appeared a century older. Any substance of flesh had long since withered away, leaving a husk with naught but sinew hanging off her bones. Her mane had done no better by her transformation; bald spots dotted her coat, and all that remained of her mane and tail were a few scraggly strands. Even her cutie mark, a black cauldron, now looked as though it had rusted. Had the Dreamscape’s magic and my exorcism not revealed that this was indeed Grandmother Carrot, I may not have recognized her. Whatever glamour of transformation she had been using had managed to hide the true from that now stood before me.

“Neigh, I am not." I tightened the hold of my shadows and frost started creeping onto her skin. "Though thou dost not appear as I last remember."

"Ah suppose not." She looked at one of her cracked hooves in a dismissive manner. "Though Ah admit, sometimes even Ah forget this is how Ah really look. When one uses magic to hide one’s appearance all the time, it becomes easy to forget what is under it all. Oh, Ah do miss being young. To be so young, so bold, so confident in oneself. To be filled with vim and vinegar. Those were the days."

"Aye, I see that has long since changed.” I looked her wizened and frail form up and down. “I have seen corpses more comely than thee.”

"Watch yer tongue," she snapped at me. "Did yer mother never teach you to respect yer elders?"

I glanced over at Carrot Root and noted that at least his screaming had stopped, and that his eyes were now shut. Maybe if there was some justice in the world, he could at least be asleep in this nightmare. "My elders? Aye. Warlocks and monsters on the other hoof? Neigh. Thou shalt receive nothing but my scorn and enmity."

Grandmother Carrot sneered. "A monster, am I? That is a harsh thing to level against a pony."

“I think not.” I let out a long breath, which misted in the cold air. “Not when one considers thy true nature.”

One of her eyebrows raised. “Oh, is that so? Pray tell, what is my true nature then?”

I drew upon a lifetime of reading, of all the times where my mother had made me read monster tomes front to back and then question me on their contents; there are near innumerable creatures out there to study, but being able to identify them from memory was important to a magus’ very survival. I took in all the facts I had about the magics I had seen thus far and of the form of the Carrot matriarch. Something in the Dreamscape and of the magic of the exorcism beckoned to my thoughts. I had revealed Grandmother Carrot, pulled her into the moonlight to let me see her for what she truly was. A spark of inspiration lit, and I stared at her squarely.

“Thou art a foul creature known as hag,” I declared. “Either born naturally from another hag or the result of making vile pacts with creatures of evil and power. They are known for their dark magics, their decrepit forms, and the evil which goes to the very pit of their souls. All of those seem to fit thee quite well. They also possess some sort of transformation or veil to hide their true forms. There is also the fact they tend to form covens, usually of three, which allow them to make their third eye, a gem with considerable power that allows them to use even greater magics.” I could not help but smile triumphantly. “Doth that sound right to thee?” (1)

1. All of this is supposition even today. Being prone to hide their presence and keeping their secrets, not much is known with absolute certainty about hags.

The humor in Grandmother Carrot evaporated and was replaced with a deep frown. “My, you think you are a clever filly, do you not?”

Her sour look confirmed to me that I was right in my declaration. “A life of study was no small help,” I said with a shrug. “Thou being a hag would explain much of what I have seen and heard. That would help explain how thou wast able to murder thy victims with none being the wiser. As the town herbalist, ‘twould not have been difficult to get ponies to trust thee. Add the aid of mind spells and other subtle magics, and ‘twould be a simple affair to make ponies seem to have disappeared. Such things have been done in the past.”

Grandmother Carrot snorted derisively. “You are a smug one. Ah should have expected as much from a magus. Figure out all of this on yer own?”

‘Twould seem that the elderly Carrot was becoming irritated by how close I was to the truth. That was good; were I off the mark, she would not react so. Well, there was the possibility she was an exceptional liar in that way, but that struck me as unlikely. I decided it was best to keep pressing to see what else I could discover.

“‘Tis not too difficult to figure out once the evidence and the right pieces to the puzzles have been put together.” As my control over this part of the Dreamscape increased, ice began crawling up the tree that held Carrot Root in place. “Especially when one has read about warlocks and their methods. For instance, one of the things which caused me to grow suspicious of thee was that thou wert in a position of prominence in Appleton, but I could never recall thee ever doing any work.”

I rubbed my chin, thinking over every instance when I had seen the hag. “Always thou art relaxing about the magnate’s farm and letting one of thine apprentices toil for thee. Even when I spoke with the mayor, thou didst not offer a word of real advice despite thy supposed wisdom and experience. I am sure thou hast used the excuse of thine age with thy fellow townsfolk, but that from what I have seen of other elderly ponies on farms, they still do something to help the farm. Either watching the younger children, or doing some simple craft to bring some income. Even proper healers are usually going about the town aiding with one malady or another.”

She scoffed at that. “Says the filly who does not look like she has done an honest day’s work in her entire life.”

“My life has been one of study, not out working in the field,” I retorted. “Besides, I think I would make for a poor farmer. But let us return to my real point: in general, warlocks turn to the dark arts for an advantage that no other means could give them.” I waved dismissively. “Power, prestige, wealth, revenge, it is always for one reason or another. For thee, I would say thou hast settled for a long life of comfort. It lacks in ambition compared to most warlocks, but some will abuse their power to carve a niche for themselves.” (2)

2. For clarification, hags are a species while warlock refers to anyone who uses dark magic. Midnight tends to use the terms interchangeably for the purposes of this incident from this point forward.

I did not know why, but the warlock’s frown turned back into a smile. “That is correct. I have always enjoyed being a big fish in a small pond. It was comfortable to me. I got to live in the magnate’s home, rarely did any real work, and lived a fine life.” She gestured at the ruined mirror of Mayor Casserole’s house. “A fine home to live out one’s life in. Many a decade I have lived better than anypony in Appleton.”

I considered what she had said ere asking, “So that is why thou didst turn to black magic? To live in a pleasant home?”

Grandmother Carrot shook her head. “Neigh, ‘tis not quite as simple as that. Though I grew up in the home of a sharecropper, poverty was not what pulled at my heart. I did not become ... this for that reason.”

I tilted my head. “Neigh?”

“Neigh.” She chuckled to herself. “If Ah am to be honest, ‘twas a silly reason. ‘Twas all over a colt. We often do foolish things when we are young. Things we only realize were foolish to do after the fact. Grandmother Carrot was not my first name of course. Neigh, Ah was named Bubbling Cauldron. But anyways, Ah had fallen in love with the son and heir of Appleton’s magnate. Casserole’s great-grandfather, if you must know.”

“I take it there were complications with the daughter of a sharecropper seeking the hoof of a magnate’s son?” I had to remind myself that, while we were having a conversation, not to allow my hold on the monstrous mare to weaken. Being lulled into a false sense of security could easily be fatal.

“Indeed.” She squirmed some more against her bonds, but to no avail. “His father disapproved, of course, and instead found his son a pretty young daughter of a magnate from another town. The son was always dutiful to his father, and so consented to his wishes to marry the filly. Ah was most heartbroken. Ah thought it was the end of the world.”

“Naturally it was not,” I said, encouraging her to speak. Every piece of information I could gather might be of use in my fight against her. Knowledge was power, and knowledge of one’s enemies all the more important.

“Neigh, but the passions of a young mare can make it seem so,” she said casually. “Ah thought Ah should just crawl into a hole and die. But then a curious thing happened: an elderly mare, a healer, herbalist, soothsayer, what have you, had come into town. She found me and my sisters, who each had their own grievances, and offered us our hearts’ desires. That one had a clever tongue, and soon we fell under her spell and honeyed words filled with promises.”

Seeing the course this conversation was going, I waved for her to continue. “Naturally nothing comes for free.”

“Of course not.” There came to be a distant look in Grandmother Carrot’s eyes. “Growing up an earth pony, Ah should have known better. Every magic has its price. But me and mah sisters went along with her plans, seeing only the prize but not the work that needed to be done. It came quite to our surprise when the wisemare led us into forest to a spot where she had my beloved’s bride-to-be tied down.” She chuckled to herself. “‘Tis strange, saying it out loud makes it seem so cut and dry to you, neigh? Ah suppose ‘tis one of those things where one had to be there to really understand.”

I readily divined where this talk was leading, and I felt my blood run cold. Indeed, the room became more frigid and the whole room was now covered with frost and ice. Icicles clung to the branches of the tree. “Thou didst murder that mare to fuel some evil ritual?”

Grandmother Carrot gave me a smile that revealed no guilt over her actions. “Ah am that transparent, am Ah? Aye, we were drawn to do that ritual. Ah carved out the mare’s heart myself. Once one gets started in such things...” She shook her head. “It does not really matter anymore. The act was done, and with the power of the ritual and some of my beloved’s blood, Ah was able to bind him to me. His love was mine and mine alone. Of course his father did not approve of the affair, but he was dealt with in the same way his chosen daughter-in-law was. Oh, it was quite a simple task to comfort my beloved after two so recent losses in his life. With the power of my newly begotten magic and his moment of weakness, he was like putty in my hooves, and we were wed ere the year was out.”

“Magic does not work that way,” I said levelly. “One cannot simply force one to love another. To make a pony act in a way unnatural to them, to bind the actions of a creature of free will, is terribly harmful to them. He could not really have been in love with thee, only made to act like he did.” I looked up to the pitiful form of Carrot Root and felt sympathy for the colt. A solid layer of ice now covered the tree but stopped just short of Root’s flesh. I had to wonder how many ponies had suffered their wills violated by this creature before me.

Who knew what damage had been done to him by the possession or if he would ever be able to recover from the utter violation. Grandmother Carrot must have used her blood relation with the colt to do this thing. I had to wonder what type of person could ever think doing such a thing to one's blood was acceptable.

“Sadly true,” she admitted in a casual manner. “All I had really done was bind his will to mine. I could hardly tell at the time. Ah am afraid my poor husband died young, the pressures of the magic being too hard on his mind. But as Ah have said, Ah was so very young and naive.” She rubbed at her face. “Though Ah did not appear so young once the ritual was complete. Neigh, Ah appeared much as Ah do before thee now. My sisters’ appearances had changed in much the same manner. Quite the shock it was, let me tell you.”

“Ah, the ritual also gave the power to fuel thy transformation into a hag?” I had read that such things could be done. By turning oneself into a hag through one method or another, one could gain great and terrible power. If one was willing to pay the cost of one’s appearance and soul, that is. They could, of course, appear as a pony and act like us, but they were no longer ponies. Not really. Ponies that had turned themselves into hags had crossed a line that could not be uncrossed. Such as Bubbling Cauldron had.

“Aye, ‘tis so.” She looked out the collapsed hole in the wall to see the starry sky. “We were most upset by what had happened to us, but there was nothing to be done about it by that point. Well, that is not quite true. Later we came to kill our master when we had learned enough to do the deed and not feel we were doing ourselves a disservice by doing so.”

That was often the way with evil. True evil, that is. Instead of harmony, true evil often seeks to dominate others, to control, to shape the world to its will. Thus as so often happened with practitioners of the dark arts, the apprentices had turned on their master once they believed they had grown strong enough.

“And what of thy sisters?” I asked. “Didst thou turn on them too in time?”

Grandmother Carrot let out a hearty laugh. “You know me too well, Magus. Aye, while we worked together for a time, eventually we grew distant and suspicious of one another. We each had our own goals and desires, and eventually we came into discord.” A pleased smile worked its way onto her lips. “It was quite the battle ‘tween us. Ah remember it fondly. One has not truly lived until one has given battle and left one’s broken enemies ‘pon the field. There is no taste sweeter than sucking the marrow from another's bones. Oh, and my younger sister’s marrow was the sweetest of all. I can still remember the taste of it, even after all these years. And my powers doubled after 'twas done.”

My stomach threatened to revolt at the thought of her consuming her own sisters. “Aye, eating ponies is yet another of thy crimes.” I remembered the piles of bones that had been hidden within the blighted clearing’s pond. Was there no depravity below this thing before me?

Her smile took on a menacing edge. “Oh, do not judge until you have tried it. There are so many delicacies one can partake of with an open mind. Ah especially like the heart. It's a natural focus on magical energy, and if you cook it properly and slice it thin enough, it makes an excellent sandwich. And I made the loveliest sausages using the lining of the stomach and intestines. It goes so well with eggs and flapjacks for breakfast.” She licked her lips and rubbed at her belly. “And it makes some use out of mah kin that get out of hoof.”

“Thou art a wretched being,” I declared. “There is nothing but evil in thy heart.”

“Your hooves are not so clean, Magus.” Grandmother Carrot looked me up and down before settling to looking me in the eyes. “Ah know a killer when Ah see one.”

“Thou art a murderer and a kinslayer,” I told her levelly. “Thou hast partaken of the dark arts, violated the Laws of Magic by killing and dominating the wills of others—even that of thine own blood. We are nothing alike, fiend."

She seemed to consider my words carefully before speaking. "You say that now, with all the certainty and clarity of purpose of youth, but Ah wonder if you will be able to speak with such conviction ten or twenty years from now. Trust me, age has a way of changing ponies. And you stand in the shadow of beings greater than Ah think you realize."

"Who, then?" I made a cutting motion with a hoof. "Either name them or cease thy cryptic riddle. I have neither time nor patience for that type of foolishness.” I so hated when ponies spoke cryptically and thought themselves clever for withholding information. ‘Twas an annoying habit of Princess Celestia’s that I would prefer she would do without.

Grandmother Carrot shook her head. "Ah think not." She looked back out to the starry sky and up to the moon. "Ah think some of those beings would become quite displeased with me if Ah did so."

"Then cease thy prattle so that we may return to productive matters." A strong bitter wind blew through the room, and for a moment I thought I had heard a whisper, but I dismissed it as part of the strangeness of the Dreamscape. "I know there are still more hags within thy coven. No doubt other members of thy bloodline. Thou clearly hast little regard for their wellbeing if thy sisters and grandchild are any indication."

“Such harsh words,” she chided.

“But true, nonetheless.” I drew my cloak closer as I felt the bite of the wind. “Thou wilt have to forgive me if I am not being generous to thee. I tend to not look favorably ‘pon those who attempt to kill me. Thy blighted tree was a nasty surprise, I must say.”

The hag casually shrugged. “You seemed to have survived it just fine. Really, that would not have happened if you had not gone snooping where you did not belong.”

“Aye, no doubt not going into the forest would have prevented thine apprentice from attempting to poison me,” I said sarcastically.

The hag grinned at that. “After Ah had made thee sick in the first place. Ah had hoped that you would have been forced to rest, but it seems Ah underestimated the vigor of youth.”

I felt my choler rise. It was perhaps a bit petty of me to let that of all things upset me on top of all of her far greater crimes, but I had been feeling wretched since I had come down with sickness. I did not even wish to speak of the vileness which had been coming out of my nose.

I growled. “And no doubt thou didst send Root and the other child into my room to destroy my things?”

“Of course,” she admitted. “Ah could not risk you befouling my ritual. Not after all the work Ah had put into it.”

I had to resist the temptation to kick myself for talking too freely about my intention to disrupt the warlock’s ritual through the Dreamscape. A great deal of trouble might have been prevented if I had simply kept silent about my plans. I had even spoken of them with Carrot Root and Carrot Slice, what with the latter likely being the most junior of the conspirators.

I bit back my frustrations to continue probing the warlock for information. “Then there was thine attempt to have a mob lynch me. Looking back to my previous encounters with the Apple Clan, I suspect thou and thy coven manipulated the mob with words and spells to make them do as you bid. Considering how long thou hast lived, ‘tis probable that one of thy kin has been long been implanted within that family.”

She rolled her eyes. “One of the things about a small town like Appleton is that you figure out that everypony is related to just about everypony else in one way or another. Apple, Carrot, whatever—we’re all linked by blood if you go back far enough. Why, this silly feud between the clans is a bunch of hooey if you ask me.”

“That did not keep thee from taking advantage of the discord,” I said. “Thou used’st the feud to hide thy murders while fueling their paranoia. Everypony became suspicious of one another. Neigh, except the elderly herbalist who would not harm a soul.”

She gave another one of those nearly toothless smiles of hers. “Nopony tends to suspect the kindly old grandmother who merely wishes to take some of the aches and pains out of their lives. A bunch of fools they are. They mill about their lives, tilling the land and breeding like cattle, and then they eventually break themselves and slowly rot away. They farm, they work, they feud, they live, they die, and all for nothing in the end. Over and over Ah have seen the cycle, and Ah have grown bored with it.”

I stroked one of my cheeks as I considered the situation. “And now thou dost plan on changing everything?

The hag let out an irritated sigh. “Aye, Ah had hoped my work would be done by the time anypony would do anything major about it. Ah should have put a stronger spell on that Casserole when Ah had the chance. Then you would not have come. But neigh, Ah had thought nopony all the way off in Canterlot would have cared about what happened in our little town of Appleton. Never really had before until it comes time to collect taxes. Ah certainly did not see them sending some young, cocky magus who would be nothing but trouble. But here you are.”

“Here I am,” I said with a nod. “Still, ‘tis curious. After maintaining a life of comfort, now thou art throwing it all away. For what purpose?”

She tisked. “Now Ah am not telling you that. You think Ah would tell you something that important?”

I frowned at the rejection. It had been my hope that Grandmother Carrot would divulge her intentions after becoming comfortable with me after a lengthy conversation. “That was my hope. Though it seems I will be disappointed.”

“Oh, Ah think you are due for more than just disappointment,” she said.

“Then I will find another means to discover what I wish to know.” I lifted her off the ground with my shadows. “I hold the power here, and I think ‘twould be best to destroy thee before thou canst cause more harm.” It seemed I had confirmed all that I could. ‘Twas more than enough to continue with my investigation. Aye, if all went well this could be finished before the rise of the dawn.

Despite the tightening of the dark tendrils, she kept that crooked smile of hers. “You think it will be that easy, filly? Aye, your power is greater than mine here, but Ah knew you would come to this place to fight me. You are so predictable. Of course you would come to save the child when it was in your power to do so. Who would not save such a sweet and innocent child as this? So Ah came prepared.”

I felt my morale waver at the sight of Grandmother Carrot’s confidence. Was there something I was overlooking, or was she bluffing? “What art thou speaking of?”

She closed her eyes and drew in a long breath. “You are not as clever as you think you are, filly. Aye, you are more clever than I originally thought, but not enough to make a difference.”

I felt the current of power growing within the warlock. Seeing the danger, I bid my shadows to squeeze her to death. When they attempted to do so, she exploded into a swarm of pale moths which scattered about the room.The bitter wind became a gale that blew snow into the destroyed room. The branches of the tree holding Root groaned in protest, and a couple snapped off and fell to the floor.

A whisper came to me on the wind’s currents. “‘Tis a trap. Leave this place, now.”The words struck at the very depths of my soul and reverberated within me. Where had they come from? Some part of my subconscious, or mayhaps some echo from the Dreamscape? I had heard the voice before, but from where?

The hag’s voice now came with a harsh edge and echoed about the room. “Ah figured that you would be able to expel me from Root and guessed how you would do so. Youth is predictable that way. Always playing to yer strengths. But even strengths can be undermined if you knows the way.”

“Enough!” I lashed out with a harsh blast of frigid wind. Wooden floorings cracked in splinters, split by the ice that had formed. The moths froze mid-flight and shattered as they struck the floor.

“So predictable,” Grandmother Carrot said, her voice continuing to echo about the room, completely unfazed by my attack. “You fight me in this place, but you do not realize its dangers. At least not the one danger that will be your doom.”

I did not understand. What was it about the Dreamscape that I had overlooked? I was more than capable with oneiromancy, and I was certain I could beat her in open battle here. Even with all her advantages as the possessor. Neigh, she was not referring to our personal contest. ‘Twas something else. Where was the trap?

“Time!” the voice echoed within me again.

Then I knew where I had made my folly. Realization made my heart clench and the whole world seemed to fall away. I had been in such a rush after all that had happened. After dealing with the mob, I had jumped right into trying to save Root. There within was my folly. Grandmother Carrot had provoked me in such a way that I could not easily ignore. Using a child to seize my attention at a critical moment. Aye, all that she had done was to delay me. Between making me sick, the mob, and Root’s possession, she had whittled away the time left to me.

Worse still, she had drawn me to a place where ‘twas difficult to judge the passage of time unless one was careful, and in my haste I had not. Neigh, all my attention had been focused on freeing Root. That was a problem in this place. Like any dream, the Dreamscape had its own sense of time; a minute in the material world could be an hour in the Dreamscape, or the other way around. ‘Twas even possible that Grandmother Carrot used her subtle magics to tilt the scale against me without my knowledge. I had a terrible sense that I had lost far too much time.

I needed to end this, and quickly.

I held up a hoof and my magic flew forth with my words, causing a winter storm to gather around me. “Grandmother Carrot! I banish thee from Carrot Root! Thou hold’st no power here! Begone and never return!”

Grandmother Carrot’s laughter echoed all about me. “Very well then, foolish magus. Have yer prize. You will not enjoy it for long.”

With that, I felt her presence leave. There was a relief of pressure about the room as her presence left with barely a whisper. I scanned quickly with my magical senses to confirm that she was indeed gone. When I was reasonably sure she had not fooled me, I turned to Carrot Root. With an effort of will, the frozen branches cracked and broke off and great slabs of the tree fell away. Eventually the ice-covered tree grew so brittle that it collapsed completely. I caught Root with my magic ere he fell too far. Carefully and slowly, I levitated him into my embrace.

He felt fevered to the touch, and he groaned in pain as I held him. Still, he was safe now and free of his traitorous kin’s grasp. Confirming he was well, I concentrated to try and end the oneiromancy as quickly as I could.

I was seized by a violent jerking motion and found myself within my body once again. It ached and groaned from all the injuries I had suffered over the last couple of days, from sickness, and from lying still for the ritual.

“Milady?” Stalwart said, barely above a whisper. “Art thou well? Is it over?”

I drew in a deep breath as I tried to steady myself, a hundred thoughts fought one another for my attention. “Aye, ‘tis over. I think.”

I looked to him, fighting against the nausea I felt as the whole world seemed to tilt sidewards on me. Going to the Dreamscape was always a taxing thing. Much more so when one did so to do battle as I just had. I noticed the room was now in a shambles. Everything about the room from picture frames to the furniture had been cast about as though at random. The damage seemed hauntingly familiar to what had happened in the Dreamscape.

Stalwart looked none the better. He had a pale look about him, and I could see the white of his eyes. His helmet had been dented above his right eyebrow, and a stream of blood trickled down from his brow.

“And how art thou?” I asked, though I could gather that the exorcism had not been kind to him.

He spoke with a reluctance. “I am well, milady. ‘Tis just ... I saw ... things.”

I could hazard a guess of some of the things he had experienced. I had been to couple of exorcisms myself and read no small amount on the subject. No doubt it had been a harrowing affair.

"How long has it been?" I asked.

He swallowed and glanced out the window to the dark outdoors. "Four hours, I think."

Too much time then. It had felt like I had been in the Dreamscape for no more than half an hour but already we were well into the night. I needed to find Grandmother Carrot before she could finish her ritual, and quickly.

I was about to ask about his condition when Carrot Root started crying. It was a pitiful and desperate thing. One intended to call for help from somepony, anypony.

I felt something within me stir. I fought through my own pains and discomforts to stand and stagger to the bed. Having no patience dealing with knots, I picked up my mother’s enchanted dagger from the floor and cut the ropes that held Root down. He looked up to me, tears running down his cheeks and his crying continued unabated. On instinct, I picked him up and hugged him to my breast. He wailed into my shoulder without restraint.

How much did he remember from his terrible experience, I wondered. Would he ever be able to recover from the violations that had been inflicted upon him by his own trusted kin? ‘Twas not something I had an easy answer for. The psychic trauma somepony could suffer from something like this could be severe. The only respite from the evil affair was that it had been a short one. Still, there was at least some comfort I could give to the child.

I gently shushed him. “Be still, child, ‘tis all over. That I promise.” My horn lit, and I cast a gentle sleep spell upon him. “Sleep now. ‘Twill be better in the morning. I so give my word.”

His sobbing gradually slowed as my spell took effect. He had little fight in him after all he had been subjected to. His shuddering gasps turned into the rhythmic breaths of sleep and his face became more peaceful as the strain left it. I cast another spell to guarantee him the sweet dreams he deserved. At least his sleep would be peaceful, even if all the world around him was going mad. It felt far too little, but ‘twas all I could do for now.

“Shall I fetch his mothers?” Stalwart said from behind me. I had been so wrapped up in comforting the colt that I had all but forgotten him. Foolish of me. There was work to be done. Aiding Root was necessary, but... I was not entirely sure at that moment what to do. It seemed cruel not to do all I could for the child, but I knew there was little time to deal with the warlocks. Both tasks were worthy of my time, but time was something preciously short supply.

I glanced about the room and saw the shambles it was in. “Neigh, we will take him to them.” I stood and carefully levitated the colt to place him on my back.

"Magus, allow me." The sergeant positioned himself so that I could place the child on his back instead. "I can better carry him."

I was tempted to be stubborn and continue carrying the colt, but in my heart I knew he was right. Even standing there reminded me of every ache and pain I was suffering from, and the knee that had been dislocated throbbed.

"Very well," I said. Though it hurt my pride to give the colt over to Stalwart, 'twould have been far worse for my legs to give out and for me to drop Root. "Now let us take the child to his parents."

“Aye, milady.” He followed me out of the bedroom and out into the living room.

There sat Carrot Casserole and Celery Stalk on the couch and were holding one another for comfort. I could only imagine their anxiety in the past few hours. Surely, the racket during the exorcism could not have helped. Though either through their own discipline or Gale and Stalwart watching over the event, they had thankfully not disrupted the exorcism. Gale was standing watch by the front door while Red Steel was sitting on a cushion with her eyes closed.

Upon seeing us, Celery lept from the couch. "Root!" She hurried over to examine her child. "Is my son alright?"

I nodded. "As well as could be expected. I have put him under a sleep spell for now to let him rest after everything he has been through, but he is no longer possessed."

Celery let out a breath of relief. "Thank goodness." After receiving a nod from Stalwart, she picked up her youngest son to hug him close to her chest.

Casserole was not long after her to hug them both. "Our thanks, Magus. I cannot express how much it means to us for our son to be safe."

"Of course, 'twas my duty to do so." Though I could not help but feel guilt over the fact that Root most likely would not have been possessed in the first place if I had not come to Appleton. Part of me knew it was foolish to feel so. How could I have known that Grandmother Carrot would be so vile as to possess her own blood? Responsibility is a queer thing. All of our actions have consequences, anticipated or not.

"Still, you have our thanks," Celery said, nuzzling her child.

I nodded. "We will leave you to attend to your son."

With parents now reunited with their son, I waved for Gale, Stalwart, and Red to follow me into the dining room.

Gale looked up at where the blood had caked Stalwart’s scalp as we entered the kitchen, and said, “Art thou well, Sergeant? Thou hast been injured.”

He touched his forehead where he had been wounded. “‘Tis a minor injury, I think. I will survive.”

Gale opened her saddlebags to pull out her medical supplies. “Aye, but let me put a bandage on it all the same.”

Red Steel nodded in agreement. “Best to make sure it does not become infected.”

“Very well, milady.” Stalwart removed his helmet for Gale. At a glance, the wound did not look bad. Head wounds have a way of bleeding profusely, but I still agreed that taking precautions was best.

I cast a privacy spell over the room as Gale aided Stalwart. Now that I knew the extent of Grandmother Carrot’s crimes, I had a better idea of how to ward myself against her. ‘Twas not hard to imagine that Casserole and her family had probably been repeated victims of her mind spells. Thus, I could not say with certainty that ‘twas safe to speak before any of them anymore. ‘Twas possible that Casserole and Celery were hags themselves, though I thought it unlikely considering they would have had an ideal opportunity to slay me while I was distracted by the exorcism. The elderly hag could possibly have moved to possessing those to attack me, and unlike the young colt, a fully-grown earth pony could very well kill or very badly injure me with a well-placed buck. So it seemed appropriate to speak only with the ponies I trusted most in Appleton at the moment.

“We have much to discuss,” I said, “and little time, so I will be brief. Grandmother Carrot is the pony behind all the trouble in Appleton. She is in fact not a pony, at least not anymore, but is a creature known as a hag. She uses magic to appear like anypony else, but do not be fooled. She is dangerous practitioner of the dark arts and leads a coven of hags at least three strong.”

Gale frowned at the news. “Thou art certain of this?”

“The old healer?” Red Steel asked incredulously. “She seems like she would have trouble killing a fly, much less a pony.”

I looked Red in the eyes to help show my sincerity. “Aye, I know this for certain. She was the one who possessed Carrot Root, and while thou mightest scoff at her vulnerable state, her dark magic is a real and dangerous thing. She and her coven have used their magics to lure a number of ponies to their deaths, and have been doing so for decades.”

Red crossed her forelegs over her chest. “But surely somepony would have noticed if so many were being murdered? This is not a large town. Ponies notice when others suddenly die or go missing.”

I waved her argument aside. “Neigh, but there are ways to do so without being noticed. Especially if one is willing to be patient and spread your misdeeds over a long period of time. Remember how I said I could murder Apple Butter and make it seem like a fire had done her in? The hags could easily use their mind magics to lure ponies away to slay them. I am sure thou dost remember the blighted tree that nearly slew us out in the forest? Or they could inflict a sickness on a pony to kill them that way. ‘Tis all the more easy when Grandmother Carrot and her apprentices are the healers of the town. Aye, by collecting somepony’s hair or blood, one could potentially use something like an entropy curse to inflict such misfortune on a pony that their death would look like a horrible accident.” The bout of talking caused my throat to feel dry and I let out a series of harsh coughs. “Grandmother Carrot herself admitted to making me sick, and Carrot Juice attempted to poison me while pretending to give me a cure. The ponies of the town only became suspicious when they murdered multiple ponies in a very short period of time.”

Red frowned as she thought over what I had told her. “If that is the case, then we are dealing with very dangerous ponies.”

“Ponies no more,” I warned her. “They have made dark pacts and have been transformed by the experience to beings of wicked evil. Do not forget that. They can use spells as readily as any unicorn.”

Gale’s wings twitched at my assessment. “How do we slay them?”

I recalled what information I could from my readings on hags, though ‘twas difficult due to my weariness and sickness. It felt as though I could go to bed and sleep a week. “Effectively the same as one would slay a warlock. Their magic is formidable, but they die as any pony would. If they have any special weakness, then ‘tis a secret to me.”

“There is one thing I do not understand,” Red said. “Why after so long being hidden have they now decided to act so openly. Mayhaps a death here and there could be overlooked, but over half a dozen ponies have gone missing recently. That does not fit their previous methods.”

I considered the question before answering. “It think ‘tis related to their ritual, though I am not sure to what end. But I fear they have nearly completed it. So we need to find the coven quickly to stop them.”

“Hast thou discovered what the ritual will do?” Stalwart asked.

I shook my head. “Neigh, and ‘twould be best if we stopped her before—”

I stopped speaking when the ravens on the roof started raising a great ruckus. On instinct, I began probing with my magical senses. It was not long before I felt ... something. It was as though there was some great release of magical pressure in the air. I glanced about as I tried to figure out what was happening. A growing sense of dread fell upon me as I started to put together the pieces of what I knew and what I was feeling.

Seeing my reaction, Gale looked around warily. “Midnight, what is it?”

“A moment of peace, please." Closing my eyes, concentrating on my magical senses. "Something queer is happening." There were magical currents now moving. The energies were massive and moving in a large wave of magic that seemed to wish to draw me in as it approached, bidding me to fall into it in a sleepless daze. I had to mentally shake myself not to just stare at it. I wished to sleep so badly, to lie down and let whatever come, but I knew that I could not. Once I had gauged the enormous amounts of magical energies involved, I realized with horror that Grandmother Carrot had finished her dark ritual. I could feel the bulk of those energies quickly approaching the magnate’s home, and I knew I needed to act quickly.

I turned to my friend and pointed out the door. “Gale, draw a circle around the house, now!”

Gale raised an eyebrow at the demand. “To what purpose?”

“No time!” I got behind her and started pushing her towards the door. “I bid thee, do it!” I was not nearly as fast as my friend, and time was crucial. ‘Twould not be long before the power of the ritual was upon us, and I could think of one defense that might keep us all safe on such short notice.

Finally catching onto my urgency, Gale ran out the door. Once outside, she stretched a wing so that a wingblade touched the ground. She then started running around the house, creating a furrow as she went.

I trotted out to the circle as Gale drew it. With my dagger, I nicked my leg and bled onto the edge of the circle. My horn glowed as I called upon my magic. Gale came back around the house and finished the perimeter.

“Make sure the circle has no interruptions,” I told Gale and Stalwart. They did not question my instructions, and I returned to concentrating on the circle. I pictured the circle within my mind, binding my blood to it, and poured my magic within it to give it power and strength.

Magic circles are important constructs for using magic. They can be used to contain, concentrate, or repel magical energies. Of course a unicorn could use magic with only their horn, but a circle, as well as other devices or items, could allow for greater feats of magic. A line dug into the dirt was not much in the way of a construct, nothing like the magic circles we had back at home, but it would have to be enough.

Red looked about, probably to try and figure out what I was doing. “What is going on?”

I continued to pour magic into the magic circle as I answered her. “The hags have activated their ritual. ‘Twill not be long before ‘tis upon us.”

“Something is coming.” Stalwart pointed off towards the horizon. “I can feel a fogbank coming.”

Gale stepped next to me as we stared out and ears twitched. "Aye, and there is something unnatural about that fog."

Red Steel gave a small nod of agreement. “It feels ... wrong somehow.”

I looked up from the circle but only saw darkness. ‘Twas now too late in the night for me to see much in detail, even with the aid of magic. At least where seeing fog was concerned. I wondered if my companions' natural ability with weather magic made them more sensitive to the foul nature of what was coming. As pegasi, they would be the ones to best know if unnatural weather was about, so I trusted their instincts on the matter.

"Stay inside the circle everypony!" I instructed. "'Twill be our only defense!" I could not help but feel a little bit absurd telling everypony to hide from a fogbank behind a line carved into the dirt. Though there we were, and ‘twould be far from the most absurd thing I had seen in my life thus far. Still, everypony did as I instructed.

“But what about everypony outside of the circle?” Red motioned towards the village. “What will become of them? Is there anything that can be done?”

I shook my head. “There is no time. Soon the magic will—”

And just like that, without further warning or preamble, a wall of fog slammed into the magic circle. It rolled right over and around the magic circle and looked as though it was swallowing everything around us like the Smooze of old. Only that which was within the circle was not consumed by the impenetrable fog. The ravens about the farm continued cawing their chorus, and all my companions reflexively took steps away from the edge of the circle.

The weight of the fog’s magical energies pressed upon the circle, and I was forced to brace my will against it. I could feel the presence of the fog just outside of the circle. It called to me with a mysterious allure. Beckoned me to let down the circle and go where it wished. It promised sweet, restful sleep if I would but let it embrace me. I shook my head, clearing its effects, and redoubled my efforts to make sure the circle held.

It was while I resisted the power of the ritual that I realized I recognized this magic. Its allure felt all too familiar. I had felt this siren’s call before in the Dreamscape when I had attempted to disperse the power of the ritual. There I had been caught unaware, but now I was wary of the danger.

The fog continued to press against the circle, trying to break or pop it, but the power of the circle held. Slowly, very slowly, the pressure started to lift and, while still there, was not nearly so heavy. Even where the fog had been a solid wall, it now lost some of its density. Allowing us to see at least a little distance beyond the edge of the ring.

Gale must have noticed some change, for she soon after placed a hoof on my back. “Is it safe?”

I let out a breath I had not realized I was holding. “Safe enough as long as we remain in the circle.”

“What happened?” Red Steel head rotated as she watched carefully for any movement. “I have never seen a fog descend so quickly.”

“That is the magic of the ritual.” I reached out with my senses and was careful not to be drawn in by the fog’s mind magic. “I think ‘tis some sort of mind fog. ‘Tis a type of spell where the mind is befuddled, though this one seems to be drawing its victims to a location.”

“To what purpose?” Stalwart asked.

“Nothing good.” I pulled back with my magical senses. “If I had to harbor a guess, the main reason a coven of warlocks would wish to gather a whole town’s population in one place under such a spell would be for ... some sort of sacrifice.”

Red’s eyes widened. “T-They would .. everypony? Then the town is...”

I felt a terrible weight fall upon me as the magnitude of my failure fell upon me. “Aye. The town has been Lost.”

Author's Note

Midnight Begins: Chapter 10

Midnight’s Shadow

Midnight Begins: Chapter 10

I had failed.

That was the single greatest thought that ran through my mind at that moment. My entire life had been based around becoming a great magus. It had been my mother’s ambition for me, and her ambition had become mine. It was something that I knew I would become for as long as I could remember. Becoming a magus was nothing I had ever really questioned. It just was. I had spent countless hours studying, practiced my craft, spent my time as an apprentice, and learned from my mother and other masters. When my magic had come in and I had gotten my cutie mark... After my magic had reached maturity and it was seen that I had magical power equal to that of Mother, it had only reinforced my self-image that I would be a magus of renown someday. Hopefully even an archmagus if the fates were kind. That was certainly Mother’s goal for me, and something she had been scheming towards for nearly my entire life.

Utter and absolute failure did not factor into that equation.

Worst still, that failure was likely to cost the lives of so many others—ponies who were just trying to go about their simple crafts every day, aid their families, and go about their lives in relative peace. The ponies of Appleton weren’t perfect, certainly, but who was? Even Princess Celestia, for all her magnificence, had her flaws. But these ponies did not deserve the fate that had befallen them. They had not earned warlocks nesting amongst their numbers and the pain they had brought to them.

‘Twas my duty as a magus to stop such evils. While such was not my only duty, ‘twas something I had been trained and educated to do. My mother was one of, if not the most fearsome warlock hunter in all of Equestria. If I could not learn from her and succeed in my mission, with all my talent and education at my disposal, then what hope was there for me? What purpose was there to my life when the focus of my life was a lie?

Despite all my efforts, I had been fooled, diverted, and defeated at every turn. My every victory an illusion meant to keep me distracted from my real goal. I had matched my mettle with Grandmother Carrot and I had been found wanting. Defeat was a bitter brew that left a foul taste in my mouth, but what was there to be done now?

I had failed.

The ravens had grown silent since the descent of the fog. This allowed me to hear movement out beyond the fog, all hoofsteps going the same direction.

“Everypony!” Red Steel called out to them. “Heed my words! Do not go! Stop! Come here!”

If they heard her, they did not indicate it as the ponies under the hags’ thrall continued to shuffle away.

Red Steel whirled to face me. “Magus, there must be something you can do!”

“I-I cannot.” I looked away, ashamed at my own impotence. “‘Tis impossible for me to use magic through the circle. It keeps in magic as well as keeps it out. If I had time to prepare, maybe something could have been done, but ‘tis a simple construct done in a rush.”

The militia captain grabbed me by the collar of my cloak and jerked me around with it. “Ponies are going to die and you will do nothing?!”

“If I break the circle then we will likely join them,” I murmured.

“Red Steel,” Stalwart said as he put a hoof on one of her legs. His tone carried both a warning and a plea for sanity.

“Fine.” Red Steel snorted and shoved me away. I stumbled and nearly fell to the ground. “But we cannot sit here while everypony in my town is sacrificed by warlocks.”

Gale nodded. “If anything can be done, then it must. We can settle for nothing less.”

Stalwart stared out into the fog to a group of ponies, probably a family by the looks of them, walking around the circle. "Why does nopony come too close to the circle? I thought material objects could break one.”

"There are two major components to breaking a magic circle," I explained. "The first is that one needs something of the material plane to break it, and second, there needs to be a will to metaphysically break the circle. Without both, a circle will usually remain as long as it is maintained. Otherwise the very air would immediately break it."

"And the reason these ponies are not walking past the line?" Stalwart asked.

"Because their will is not their own right now." I waved out at the farmers walking past. "The warlocks have subverted their wills, and since 'tis magic driving them and magic cannot penetrate the circle..."

Stalwart nodded. "Ah, I understand now. At least we will not have to worry about some poor pony blundering into the circle and dooming us."

“What is happening out here?” Carrot Casserole asked as she exited the house. She held her son as her eyes cast about at the queer scene about her. Celery Stalk was close on her hooves and stopped on the porch with her.

My mouth worked, but I could not get them to form words. I had to swallow and take a moment to compose myself before I could speak. “The warlocks have succeeded in casting their ritual.” I waved at the fog that was only held at bay by the magic circle. “We are only kept safe by the circle.” My shoulders slumped. “‘Twas all I could do.”

“Everypony else in the village has been caught in the hags’ spell,” Gale explained. “They are all being drawn to somewhere.”

“B-but what of our other children?” Celery Stalk approached me, and flickers of confusion, anger, and anxiety crossed her face. “What about them?”

“I … do not know.” I swallowed. I had nearly forgotten about them in madness of everything else. It had been my decision to send them away with Silent Forest and Subtle Song, as well as a couple of the Carrots’ laborers. If they had all fallen victim to the fog because I had sent them away... “If t-they were c-caught out in the fog, then—”

Celery Stalk struck me across the cheek, sending me sprawling to the ground. The stars blocked my vision as the world spun. I tasted blood in my mouth as I rolled over to look up at her. She was yelling something at me, but it took a few moments for my mind to interpret her words.

“You sent them away to be safe!” Celery screamed down at me. “You said it was for the best and I trusted you! N-Now they are g-gone!”

Stalwart placed himself between us and pushed the magnate’s wife back with a strong thrust of his hoof. “That is enough.”

“I-I...” Tears welled up in her eyes. “My family. What is going to happen to my family?”

Red Steel placed a comforting hoof on Celery Stalk’s shoulder. “We will do what we can, but striking the magus will not help.” She let out a huff. “As loath as I am to say it, we have all been made the fool.”

Carrot Casserole came over. “My love, come here.” Celery Stalk rubbed her eyes as she embraced her wife.

Gale walked over to me and helped pick me off from the ground. “Midnight, art thou well?”

“I will survive, I think.” I wiped at the corner of my mouth and felt a burning pain where I had cut the inside of my cheek. That would explain the taste of blood. Already my cheek swelled from Celery punching me, and I had to lean against Gale to keep my balance.

The mayor stroked her wife’s mane and looked up to me to ask, “Is there anything that can be done, Magus?”

I rubbed at my face and felt so tired from the last few days. If given the option, I think I could have fallen into a bed and gone to sleep for a week. “I ... need time to think.”

Gale steered me towards the farmhouse. "Let us go into the house. I do not think we will accomplish anything more out here."

Everypony agreed with Gale's assessment, and we made our way back towards the house. Gale and Stalwart stood on opposite sides of me to help give me support to walk. Stalwart leaned in to whisper into my ear. "We need to come up with a plan quickly, milady. Otherwise everypony will lose heart. You know best how to counter black magic, so if we are to overcome this fogbank it will probably be a solution of your invention."

He was right about that. While my bodyguard and friend might have training in how to defeat warlocks, their techniques tended to focus on how best to battle them and what tactics to be wary of. (1) Sadly, their options for actually countering warlocks was fairly limited if it did not involve stabbing or bashing their skulls in. Against the power of the ritual magic fog, their choices were woefully limited.

1. Having read old Pegasopolan manuals on how to defeat warlocks, much of it consists of ambushing the target and killing them before they know they are under attack. To be fair, a successful ambush does prevent a spellcaster from using their spells or activating any number of dangerous guardians or defensive wards. Any method that allows a warlock to prepare for an attack tends to result in significant casualties.

“I know, just—” A racking cough cut me off and scattered my thoughts. Everything had been moving so quickly, and I had so little time to think about them. My sickness was not helping matters. What malady had Grandmother Carrot inflicted upon me? Knowing her, ‘twould be something potentially fatal, if she could manage the feat. The knowledge that I might be living the last of my days did nothing to lift my spirits.

Gale and Stalwart exchanged glances as I was seized by the coughing fit. My friend wrapped a wing around my back to give me additional support. "Come, let us get thee a place to sit before we talk of what must be done."

I nodded in reply, and we stepped into the house. The Carrot family had returned to the parlor, so the rest of us made our way to the kitchen. I sat at the kitchen table with a tired groan. Bracing myself on the table, I cover my face with my hooves. I needed time to regain my composure and think this damnable disaster over. Though I had only been in Appleton for a few days, it felt as though I had been trapped here for at least a month. Two trips to the Dreamscape, an exorcism, my sickness, my dislocated knee, and the rest of my exercises from the day had left me weary to my much-abused bones.

Gale touched my forehead and hissed. "Midnight, thou art running a fever."

"My thanks, Gale," I said with biting sarcasm. "I never would have figured that out on my own. Any other insightful comments thou wouldst like to add to our predicament?" I knew the words were unkind, but I felt such the wretched creature that I could not withhold them like I normally would have.

So much for regaining my composure.

Gale frowned at my reply. “I am only trying to look after thy health. There is no need to snap at me."

I took in a long calming breath. "Aye, 'tis so. My apologies."

"Apology accepted," Gale said with a nod. "Though I worry if thou dost have any more in thee for the night. I do not wish to be too frank, but thou appear’st barely capable of standing, let alone proper battle."

"A shame I do not think Grandmother Carrot will cease her evils long enough for me to recover," I grumbled.

"Aye, she will not." Red Steel played with the straps of her hammer hooves. The mob had left a variety of weapons they had pilfered from the militia armory, including the hammer hooves and warhammer she now carried. "Though if the magus is too weak, the rest of us must simply make up for it."

I rubbed at my face to try and work past my exhaustion. The idea that I was becoming a burden was not an idea that sat well with me. I was neither weak nor useless, and I was offended by Red’s assertion that I was so. ‘Twas not as though she had done any better against the hags. "The problem being how to resist her. Her magic has us trapped here, and we do not know where Grandmother Carrot is."

Stalwart rubbed at his chin. "I think the latter should be easy to figure out; all we have to do is follow the trail everypony will leave. Most likely they are all going to some central location, and the coven will probably be there."

That struck me as logical enough. Everypony that had walked by the house after the fog hit had been heading in the same direction.

Gale looked to me when she asked, "As for the fog, 'tis a mental effect, aye? I might be able to resist it, and possibly thee as well. But 'twould require much of our focus, and the others..."

I closed my eyes to think. I was a magus, not some sulking child who had been kicked down and refused to rise to the challenge again. As Gale had said, she and I had training to resist mental magics. In fact, I was reasonably certain I could resist the fog as long as I was wary—I had already been subject to its power once—and I would not have been surprised if Sergeant Stalwart had gone through the same training.

That left Red Steel and the members of the Carrot family behind the circle; 'twas doubtful they would be able to resist the fog. The Carrots were no warriors and had not asked for this disaster to befall them, and I had a feeling that Red Steel would try and come no matter what warnings I might give.

I searched my mind for a possible solution. "There is one spell in my arsenal which I believe could resist the effects of the fog. Especially since we would all be wary." I felt like kicking myself for nearly forgetting a basic mind protection spell, but I knew many spells and remembering them all off the top of my head could be difficult.

Red Steel snorted, making no effort to conceal the anger in her words. "Then what art thou waiting for? Cast it!"

I held up a hoof to forestall her. "There is the matter of what is to happen to the mayor and her family. If we breach the circle, then they will be subject to the fog. Also, I do not think I could maintain the protection spell over too many ponies. I think three to four is all I can risk at the moment." The simple fact of the matter was that I was already getting perilously close to reaching my limits. True, my magic recovered quite quickly compared to most unicorns, but using so much magic still put a stress on my body.

“Then we need a better solution.” Red Steel said with a scowl. As much as she wished to meet the hags in battle, it seemed that she still placed great emphasis on protecting what few ponies remained safe within the magnate’s home.

Stalwart tapped his hoof on the table as he thought. “Correct me if I am wrong, milady, but could you not create another circle within the one already made? We could then break the outer circle and still leave the other safe, aye?”

“That is correct,” I said, thinking the possibility over. It showed how exhausted I was when I had not thought of such a simple solution myself.

“Aye, she could,” Gale said, though there was a hint of reservation in her tone. “Though without Midnight present to maintain it, 'twould not be nearly so difficult to breach it. Still, 'twould be better than nothing.”

“They would be defenseless if the circle were broken!” Red Steel jerked a hoof towards the living room. “‘Twould be wrong to do so.”

Gale met her eyes levelly. “And if we remain here doing nothing, the entire town will be lost.”

That is what it came down to in the end: where would we spend our limited resources? As my mother had often told me, when you try and save everypony, you often end up saving nopony. One could not be strong everywhere, or keep everything safe. One needed to prioritize and decide what was most important to defend.

I closed my eyes and said, “I think Gale has the right of it. As terrible as it will be to say, the lives of the many are greater than the few. ‘Tis more moral to put most of our efforts to saving the rest of the town, rather than just three ponies.” I opened my eyes to look at Red Steel. “Also, the second circle should last well after we depart, and the good news is that the magic behind the fog will weaken over time. A ritual that covers such a large area and affects so many ponies will not have the capacity to keep its full strength for too long. ‘Tis possible that the circle will outlast the fog, leaving the mayor and her family safe.”

“There is a child here,” Red Steel countered. “Wouldst thou so casually cast Carrot Root to the side?”

That caused me to grimace. Red Steel’s comment wounded me, especially after all I had gone through to save the colt. If the circle were to collapse and the fog take him, then all of my work would have been for naught. Should I go out to fight the hags and be defeated, then I would have saved nopony. Not even a single child.

Still, I had to weigh the value of the many scores of ponies from Appleton against those around me. 'Twas my moral duty to do so, even if 'twas a heavy weight to bear. “How many children are there in Appleton?”

Red Steel fell into silence. I could only imagine all that was going through her mind at that moment. Where I had only been in Appleton for a few days and knew the names of a few of their numbers, Red Steel had lived in the hamlet for years. She knew these ponies whose fates we now weighed. Somehow I doubted my logic made her decision any easier.

Reaching some sort of conclusion, she grimaced and lowered her gaze from mine. I did not think her pride allowed to say that I was right, but conceded the argument with her silence.

Seeing that there were no more open disagreements about our course, I sought to address the situation we were in. "I am afraid that this plan is the best that can be done. I fear what else the coven might be doing outside of their schemes in Appleton. The fog is but one stage in whatever evil plan they have, and I would bet every bit I own that it is to serve a purpose we do not know yet."

Red Steel did a reluctant hoof wave that lacked the usual fire that always seemed to energize the mare. "Aye, aye, I grasp the logic of it. That does not make me hate it any less."

"Trust me, I am not happy about it, either," I said.

Gale put an encouraging hoof on Red Steel's shoulder. "None of us are, but that does not make it any less necessary."

Stalwart glanced towards the living room. "Shall we tell the mayor of our plans?"

"Aye, and quickly." That was not a conversation I looked forward to. About the last thing that family would want to hear was that it was about to be abandoned.

"I shall speak with her, then," Red Steel said as she trotted to meet with the Carrots. “If I am to be party to this decision, I will take my share of the blame for it.”

"My thanks," I said as she left. Part of me felt the coward for leaving the task to her, but ‘twas probably better for the Carrots to hear what was to be done from somepony they knew, rather than some pony they had only met a few days ago. Though I doubted it would do much to quell their fear once we left.

I groaned and planted my face on the table. Though I knew it was necessary, I did not look forward to the struggle that faced me over the coming hours. ‘Twas even likely that I was going to my doom and leading everypony to our final resting point.

“Midnight,” Gale asked.

“Aye?” I replied.

Gale placed a gentle hoof on my back. “Courage. Thou art doing laudably.”

“I Lost an entire town,” I said, frustration growing within me. “I feel like a fool who was outmaneuvered at every turn.”

“Against multiple warlocks who were already in the final stages of their plan,” Stalwart said in a calming tone. “I doubt many would have done much better.”

Gale rubbed at my back. “Aye. The threat was far greater than any of us anticipated.”

“It does not change that I failed.” I sighed and lifted my head off the table. “I promised Princess Celestia herself that I would protect these ponies, and now...”

“Thou hast not failed yet,” Gale said firmly.

“If the coven can be struck down before they finish their plans, then the town may yet be saved,” Stalwart pointed out. “They would not have attempted to slay you if they were not worried you could stop them. And from what I have seen, milady, they have a right to fear you.”

The words of encouragement helped raise my spirits a little bit. The hags had made no small effort to thwart me. Why waste the effort at such a critical juncture if I was not a threat to them? Neigh, I was not dead yet, and they had not completed their work. This book had yet to be closed.

I rubbed the sides of my head to try and help me think. “If the fog yet remains, then its work is likely not yet done. There is yet time to stop them.” Standing, I moved towards the living room. “We had better draw that second circle and get ready to leave. Red Steel should be about done speaking with the mayor. Best to go as soon as possible.”

Red Steel was speaking in hushed tones with the mayor and her wife in the living room. The mayor and Celery Stalk held one another, with Root sleeping between them. Red Steel placed a hoof on Carrot Casserole’s shoulder. “All will be well. I give my word.”

The magnate nodded her head shakily. “Just save my family. Save my town. Please.”

“We will do what we can, Mayor Casserole,” I said. “That I do swear to thee.” If that would be enough, I could not say. All I could do was venture forth and give battle to see how fortune smiled.

Gale stepped forward and spoke firmly. “Time is of the essence, so if you would not object, Mayor...”

“Right, of course.” Carrot Casserole looked to her wife and son. “We will remain here.” There was a sense of dread and loss of hope with the way she said that, but what else could be done that did not waste time at this point?

Gale, Stalwart, Red Steel, and I headed outside. The fog remained on the other side of the circle, and I could feel it continuing to press against the invisible wall of magic. A sense of apprehension fell over me as I thought over going into that soupy mass of water vapor and magic, but I did not let it deter me. My course was set.

“One moment, everypony.” I drew upon my magic and cast the mental defensive spell upon my companions and myself. My horn throbbed from the effort, but I ignored the discomfort. “Gale, if thou couldst draw another circle?” Since she had done a capable job of doing so earlier under duress, I saw no reason not to have my friend draw another for me.

Gale nodded and went about her task. She was about halfway done with the circle when a curious noise met my ears. Out in the fog I heard the loud, rhythmic thumps of something large and solid hitting the ground and the groan of protesting wood. Next came the sound of light-hearted, whimsical whistling.

Red Steel tensed and looked out in the direction of the noise. “Something is coming.”

I frowned as the sounds drew closer. “Aye, and nothing good if I had to guess. It seems we are about to receive some guests.” I called out to Gale. “Gale, finish that circle!”

Gale went from a trot to a straight out run, dragging her wingblade through the dirt. After a quick examination ensured that there were no breaks in the circle, I put power into it and snapped it closed. Immediately afterwards, I noticed that there was perilously little room between the two circles for us to maneuver. Still, at least there was another magic circle between the house and whatever was out there.

The ravens started to caw as the noise drew closer, making it difficult to determine exactly where the sounds were coming from. After a couple minutes wait, three forms formed out of the fog. As I had feared, one was another one of those blighted trees that had attacked us in the forest grove. While I could not see its form clearly, the sound of groaning wood it made as it walked along left me with no doubts of its massiveness. The second figure was hunched over, similar in manner to a diamond dog, but it stopped too far back for me to see it clearly.

The third and final figure continued walking forward. Then as though with a will of its own, the fog parted to reveal Apple Butter. She gave us a malicious smile when she stopped well short of the circle. “My, my. It seems you all did manage to avoid the power of the fog. Ah admit, we were a bit worried when we did not see you lot shuffling along with the rest.” Her eyes scanned along the edge of the circle. “Though by the looks of it, you have trapped yourself inside that nice little circle of yours.”

Red Steel growled and she tightened her grip on her hammer. “So, thou art in cahoots with this madness?”

Apple Butter rolled her neck in an unconcerned manner. “Have been for a long time, Red. Even if you were always too stupid to figure out what was going on under your very nose.”

The militia captain gave Apple Butter a cold smile. “I think I will enjoy this more than I should. I ne'er cared for thee.”

“You break mah heart,” Apple Butter said with false hurt. “Though really, you have always been an annoyance. If ‘twas up to me, we would have hanged you or worse a long time ago. But Grandmother Carrot always has her reasons.” She spat on the ground. “But your time is up, you flightless bird.”

“So thou hast been sent to kill us, aye?” Assessing the situation, I felt trepidation; it had taken everything we had to destroy just one of those blighted trees, and it had not had the aid of a warlock or whatever else was standing near Apple Butter. Now we were without the services of Silent Forest and Subtle Song.

Though I had to wonder why only Apple Butter had been sent to deal with us. Were they confident what had been sent would be more than enough for the job of slaying us? A matter of pride on Apple Butter’s part? I had humiliated her just a few hours ago. Or mayhaps maintaining the fog required the power of the rest of the coven.

Apple Butter grinned. “That is so, and ‘tis a task Ah plan on enjoying. Ah even brought some champions, like you offered me before, Magus.” She pulled a jar out from her saddlebags and bounced it in her hoof. “Just the matter of dealing with that little circle of yours, and then mah friends can join in on the fun.”

As it stood, neither magic nor the blighted tree could touch us. The circle would block Apple Butter’s magic, of course, and the blighted tree could not cross the barrier if it were the magical construct I believed it to be. If I had to guess, the third hulking form was also some sort of magical construct and would face the same restrictions. The problem was that we were trapped within the circle. If we wished to fight Apple Butter, we would have to break the circle first. Also, there was nothing stopping Apple Butter, a creature of will and the material, from simply throwing something to break the circle.

Still, I could not afford to show this creature fear; ‘twould only give her more courage when battle was joined. “Twice before I have told thee that I could see thee dead if I wished it. So I warn thee thrice and done, Apple Butter, if ‘tis my intention to slay thee, I am more than capable of doing so. Run away and never return, or thou wilt not be walking away from this farm. That I swear.”

Apple Butter snorted derisively. “Nice try, Magus, but Ah am not about to run away like some beaten dog with its tail ‘tween its legs. You die here and now. All of you.” She bounced the jar a couple more times. “Oh, and the mayor's stuck behind that circle too, no doubt. Figures you would save her and let everypony else hang.” She chuckled to herself. “How I have waited for this day.”

“Thou hast some quarrel with her?” I asked. I needed time to think of some solution to this quandary we were in. ‘Twas only a matter of time before battle joined, and I wanted every advantage I could gain.

Apple Butter snorted. “Of course Ah do. Have you seen her? Living in that fancy house of hers, growing fat on the land while the rest of us have had to toil our lives away. Maybe you do not know what it is like off in your fancy city, but out here, we work and break our backs every single day. And for what? Just to go out and do it again tomorrow, and the day after that until we’re dead and buried? A mare cannot even get ahead thanks to the magnates taking half of what we harvest.”

Gale’s face contorted into a scowl. “And this led thee to make common cause with hags? Or art thou one of them?” She must have been thinking along the same lines as I did. In any event, all information was relevant. Knowing more about our enemy increased our chances of prevailing this night.

“Ah have been one of them for a good while now.” Apple Butter hummed to herself as she considered her jar. “When Grandmother Carrot offered me the chance to finally get out of working as some sharecropper, with the chance for some revenge on the rest of the Carrots, Ah seized it.”

“So thou wouldst murder everypony in thy village just so that thou couldst stop being a sharecropper?” I asked incredulously. “There must be an easier way, and one that does not leave corpses strewn about the forest.”

“And work with the matriarch of the clan thou wouldst claim to despise to do so?” Gale questioned.

Apple Butter chuckled. “Ah think sparing one Carrot to get the rest is a pretty good deal, all things considered. Besides, she will get what is coming to her someday. The old nag is slowing down. Eventually Ah will learn enough from her to put her down and take her place.”

It seemed that loyalty was in short supply between the hags. Something to take note of. “Already thou dost plan to betray thy fellows?” I asked. “And what of the ponies of thine own clan? Thou wouldst murder them too?”

“Cowards, the lot of them!” Apple Butter made a slashing motion. “‘Twas Apples that made this town. It bears our name, not the name of the Carrots or anypony else. But who owns all the land? Who do we have to toil day in, and day out for? Magnate Carrot Casserole. Carrot might be her name, but she is more than happy to sell our apples at the market. If the cowards of mah clan had a bit of backbone to them, we could have long ago taken this town back. But they are too craven to even deal with one rich snob from Canterlot who has not worked a single honest day in her entire life.”

I frowned at the memory of the mob. “If memory serves, thou wert too craven to face me, either.”

Apple Butter snarled. “Ah will show you who—”

Whatever Apple Butter was about to say was cut off when Red Steel threw her hammer at the hag. The hammer flew true but was interrupted when it slammed into a blue shield of magic.

Apple Butter grinned after Red Steel’s blow proved to be impotent. “Big mistake, Red.” With the outer circle broken, the fog immediately flowed in to surround us. I had to make sure to ward my mind against it at a critical moment, and I could only hope my companions did that same and that my protection spell would help against the fog’s mental influence.

“Neigh, 'twas thy mistake to side with evil.” With a roar, Red Steel charged at Butter.

“Let us begin the attack, then,” Gale sighed. With a flick of her wings, she tossed out a pair of spikes. Butter’s shield continued to shimmer with energy, but her eyes widened when the cold iron spikes pierced the shield without issue and struck her in the chest. Her form rippled, the magic-resistant cold iron tearing away at whatever veil she had to reveal a mare who seemed many decades older than before.

Butter screamed in pain and staggered back. “Kill them! Kill them!”

The hulking creature bound forward, using both its massive arms and small hind legs to propel itself. When it came close enough, I saw that it had a black, chitin exoskeleton, and large horns on its head made the demon look like a mix between beetle and a diamond dog. It moved with a speed the defied its size, and soon it was upon the charging Red Steel, its bulk looming over her. It swung a chitinous claw at the militia captain, intent on taking her head from her shoulders.

Red ducked and rolled under the blow, then used the momentum to get back to her hooves. She dipped her head as she kept up her run and scooped up her hammer. It seemed that it was her intent to continue right on until she got to Butter and smashed her head in. Unfortunately, the blighted tree stepped forward to place itself between Red and Apple Butter. It swept down one branch after another to block Red’s advance, and she was forced to back up or be crushed by one of the slamming branches.

The demon came up from behind Red and swung down another claw at her. She dodged to the side, but only barely avoided the blow. With the demon off-balance, Red swung her hammer at its chest. It moved with surprising speed to deflect the blow to the side with strength beyond that of any equine. Red stumbled back several steps before regaining her balance, circling the demon but clearly struggling.

Stalwart stuck to my side, no doubt to protect me should any of our enemies charge me. There could have been more opponents out in the fog for all we knew. Gale was circling around in the fog to try and get at Apple Butter, but the tree moved to block her.

Seeing that Red was in danger of being overwhelmed by her supernatural foe, I created a chunk of ice the size of a small boulder and tossed it at the demon. It crashed into its chest and sent it staggering back. Getting a moment to regain her bearings, Red return to the fray, swinging her hammer to hit the beast in the chest. The force of the blow forced it back further and cracks formed in its exoskeleton, though it dug its foreclaws into the dirt to maintain its balance.

Gale continued running to try and get around the blighted tree so that she could get at Butter, but the tree had the inside track, and its long strides always served to cut her off. It swung a branch down at Gale, forcing her to flap her wings to barely avoid the branch. The tertiary branches of the main branch shot forward to try and grab Gale. Her wingblades slashed back and forth to cut the branches off before they could get a firm grip on her.

She dashed in towards the trunk of the tree. Her enchanted blades sunk into the bark, but not nearly deep enough to fell it even after she struck it half a dozen times. The relatively thin wing blades were designed to slice through flesh and bone, not chop through thick wood.

Not content to let Gale chop it down, the blighted tree stomped down at her. Gale lept to the side. She rolled with her momentum to get to her feet. The tree monster swung another branch at her, forcing her to withdraw. “Damnation, I should have packed better weapons for trees!”

Butter emerged from the side of her tree guardian and tossed her jar at the house. I was in the middle of drawing magic for another spell, and was not ready to stop the sudden throw. It shattered against the side of the house and the contents burst into fire. The jar must have been filled with some sort of alchemical fire, as the ravens took flight to circle around the house as flames licked at it.

Gale flapped her wings to create some distance between her and the tree. She grinned at the fire and waved at it for me. “Midnight, if thou wouldst be so kind as to relocate the flames?”

“I will deal with the fire.” I cast an ice spell that created a solid sheet of ice on the flames, completely smothering them.

Gale groaned loudly. “I meant to put the fire onto the tree monster!”

Damnation. I had misinterpreted Gale’s intentions, and cost us valuable time.

Before I could reply, the tree closed the distance between us and swatted at Gale. This time she proved too slow and was likely distracted, and she was struck and careened into the dirt. The tree rose a leg up with the intention of smashing Gale. Coming up with the best I could, I threw up a domed shield around my friend. The tree came down on Gale and a wave of pain flashed through my horn as the weight of the creature slammed into the shield. It held, though I could feel the cracks forming in it.

Gale took the opportunity to regain her senses. She waved for me to drop the shield, and when I did so, she ran out of the range with which the tree could easily strike at her.

Red continued swinging her hammer at the demon, but its chitinous armor and sheer size made it hard for her to kill the beast. She gave another mighty swing of her hammer, but was thrown off-balance when the demon back-stepped, causing the hammer to miss entirely. Red lost her balance for a precious moment as she tried to recover. The beetle demon stepped back forward. The militia captain brought her hammer up for a block as quickly as she could, but the demon slammed its shoulder right through her guard and into her body. The weight and strength of the creature sent her sprawling to the ground.

The demon rose its arms with the intent of crushing Red, but its attention was so consumed with its target that it did not see Stalwart charging at it until the last moment. The Guard sergeant stopped just short of the demon and pivoted in place to buck the demon in the chest as it turned to face him. The cracks in its chest armor spread, and it was knocked back from Red.

Stalwart stood guard over Red long enough to let her pull herself to her hooves. She gave her savior a thankful nod, and he returned with his own nod, careful not to take his eyes off the demon. The two then circled the demon, taking cautious blows to force it back as they tried to create an opening.

Out of the corner of my vision, I saw Carrot Casserole and Celery Stalk stumble out of the house in a daze. It had not taken long for the fog to seize their senses, though I momentarily wondered where Root was.

My musings were interrupted when I felt Butter draw upon her magic. She still bled from where the throwing spikes punctured her chest, but it seemed to do nothing to take the rage out of her eyes as she scowled at us. The warlock thrust a hoof forward, and a score of rock shards flew at me.

I called on more of my magic, but my response felt slow as I cast another shield spell. Still, the shield was up in time to block the attack. The shards pelted and shattered against the shield. No doubt they could have done serious injury or even killed me if they had struck with such force, but I could feel myself weakening even from that effort and spots began to fill my vision.

Presented with an opening, Gale threw another pair of her cold iron spikes. They flew true, but Butter rose a hoof to the sky with an effort of magic. The earth shook, and a solid wall of earth intersected itself between Butter and the darts. Unlike the shield Butter had used earlier, there was nothing magical about the earth once it had been formed, and could thus block the cold iron spikes.

Seeing an opportunity, I forced more of my dwindling magic through my horn to cast a freezing spell at Butter. The ice blue beam hurtled towards the hag, but to my shock seemed to just melt away when it struck her.

“Magic resistant,” I said to myself, as much as to Gale. I had completely forgotten that was one of the hags’ abilities. That meant it was going to be all the harder to slay her. Yet another wasted spell from me.

Before I could think of a way to defeat Butter, the tree strode forward again. Of one mind, Gale and I ran to try and put distance between us. I needed time to gather my wits and think of a plan, while Gale’s weapons were ineffective against the blighted tree.

Butter clutched at her wounds, but still she grinned at us. “Suffer, you whorse!” she called out. She fired dark energy at us, and this time my attempt to form a shield spell was too slow. The magic struck Gale, causing her to shriek in pain. She tumbled to the ground and lay there in a fit of convulsions.

I stopped running and whirled about to dash back to Gale. Scanning her, I quickly recognized the pain spell and could feel Butter maintaining it to cripple Gale. Before I could counter the spell, the blighted tree was upon us. It brought down ones of its large branches, and it was all I could do to block it with a shield spell.

Butter laughed as she kept up the pain spell. She had us pinned down. I needed to keep up my shield spell to keep the monstrous tree from slaying us, which in turned drained heavily on my quickly dwindling supply of magic, thus making a counter attack against Butter difficult. We also could not move as long as Butter could maintain the pain spell. I could not leave my friend to be crushed by the tree, but we were going to be slain the moment my magic was exhausted. Stalwart and Red were of no help. Even now they were fighting hard to keep the demon from gaining any momentum. If one of them left that fight, the other would likely perish.

“What is the matter, Magus?” Butter laughed again as the tree continued to batter at my shield. “Are you not as mighty as you thought?”

I shot the warlock a baleful glare. She was hurting my friend, knowing that I would not abandon her.

“Slay her!”a deep and terrible force bade me, feeling like ice-cold water running through my veins.

I would slay her! I looked up into the sky and beyond the branches of the degrading tree, I saw the unkindness circling the farm. A thunderbolt of inspiration struck me. Reaching out to the ravens with my magic, I touched upon the birds’ wills, pointed a hoof at Butter, and said with dreadful finality, “Die.”

As one, the unkindness swooped down upon Butter, their malicious caws preceding them. Her eyes widened as she saw her doom come for her. In a hopeless gesture, she struck a hoof at them, causing more earth shards to strike out into the unkindness. She might as well have cast a stone into a flood; for every bird she struck down, a dozen more continued forward. The mass of birds fell on her, nearly drowning out her shrieks. Scores of ravens pecked with piercing beaks and slashed with talons. There were so many of the birds that I could not even see the hag underneath them all, but her shrieks carried on all the same.

For their parts, Stalwart and Red continued to work over the beetle demon. Each struck in turn, keeping the creature off balance and unable to take advantage of its size or strength. Stalwart swung a wingblade up at its head, causing the demon to block the blow with its forearm. Seeing an opening, Red stepped in and slammed her hammer into the weakened chitin of its chest.

The demon staggered from the weight of the blow and white ichor wept from the blow. The demon’s chest heaved for breath and it clutched at its wound. Stalwart took the opening in its guard to slash his enchanted wingblade against the creature’s knee. The sliced tendons caused it to fall to a knee, and it had to brace itself with one of its arms to keep from falling over.

With the demon now terribly exposed, Red brought her hammer down on its skull. There was a loud crack at the blow, and the demon’s head bled from a dozen cracks in it. The militia captain brought down her hammer again, leaving its head crumpled and spilling the white ichor all about its body. A third blow caused its head to smash like a pumpkin, causing ichor and chunks of flesh to splatter about. Its body crumpled to the ground.

That just left the blighted tree to deal with. My shield cracked as another rotting branch hit it. Gale was stirring now that the pain spell had ceased.

“Gale!” I pointed at Butter. “The jars in Butter’s saddlebags!”

Gale grunted and shook off the pain. She staggered to her hooves, and I opened a hole in my shield to allow her to run towards Butter. She dove into the pile of ravens covering the hag, and after a few moments, she emerged from the unkindness with Butter’s saddlebags in her teeth. She reached inside one of the bags and pulled out a jar, then—guessing my intentions—threw the bottle at the corrupt tree.

The jar smashed against it, and less than a moment later it was cast aflame. It started thrashing about with wild abandon. While it had remained unconcerned about any other blows before, it seemed that fire was its bane. Gale threw more of the bottles at the creature, each one spreading the flames.

The hags’ minion stumbled and crashed into the magnate’s house. It smashed right through the walls of the home, and quickly the flames spread.

I grinned as I watched the tree burn. How quickly the tide had turned against my opponents. Still, something nagged in my thoughts. Casserole and Celery had already left the house, having been taken by the fog. Looking about, I could see them nowhere. I was also now irked that my earlier attempts to save the house had been for naught. Worst still, I had failed to save a single pony in Carrot’s family from the fog. But...

Then I realized what was bothering me. While I had seen the two parents leave the house, I had not seen Root leave with them. Could it be that my sleep spell had kept the colt asleep and safe from the fog’s power?

“Root!” I waved toward the house. “He is still inside!” I dashed towards the house. I was halfway to the house when a sharp jolt of pain shot from my knee. I stumbled and fell, rolling painfully on the ground.

Damnation, the knee that had been dislocated now burned with a terrible pain. What cruel twist of fate was this that an injury done against Root’s will would result in him being burned to death?

Thankfully, not everypony else was so hurt. Red streaked past me and ran into the burning house.

Gale leaned down next to me. “Is it thy knee? How bad is it?”

“I think I may have sprained it,” I said through clenched teeth. “Help me to my hooves so that—” I was cut off when the tree groaned. Branches braced against the walls and it slowly pulled itself out of the burning home.

“Red, hurry!” Gale called out. She grasped me and helped me to my hooves. “Any ideas on how to finish this thing?”

I glanced about, trying to find inspiration. I did not have much left within me, so whatever spell I used, it would have to do the job. Otherwise we were going to be in a great deal of trouble.

My eyes fell upon the chimney of the kitchen building. I closed my eyes and concentrated my magic upon it. There was a groan and creak of protesting wood as I exerted my telekinesis on the chimney. Eventually there was a series of cracks as the wood that held the chimney in place gave out. I lifted the chimney up and then levitated it before me.

“Red Steel!” I called out as I aimed the pile of brick and mortar at the blighted tree. I would not be able to hold back my blow for long as the tree slowly walked towards me.

Thankfully, Red came running out of the house with Root lying on her back. She circled wide of the burning tree. Nothing now holding me back, I tossed the chimney and it collided against the tree. There was an explosion of bricks and mortar as the two forces met. The blow knocked the tree back, and with a loud, pitiful groan, it fell back into the house. This time the fall caused the house to collapse in on it. At least fate had not been so cruel as to have that smother the fire; instead, the alchemical solution kept right on burning, and the tree did not rise again.

My knees shook from my magical exertions and they gave out from under me. Gale quickly grabbed me and lowered me to the ground gently. “Careful, careful, Midnight. Take a moment to rest.”

My breaths came in labored heaves. I could barely even see straight, I was so exhausted. “P-please tell me ... that there are ... no more.”

Stalwart examined the demon and then the hag in turn. Though he had to brush some of the birds aside to look at Apple Butter. One might have considered it unnecessary to make sure our foes had been slain at that juncture, but I wished to be sure. No sense leaving half-dead enemies at one’s back who might then stab it later. “They are slain,” he said.

Red Steel walked over to stand over me. She looked down at me and grinned. “Well fought.”

“Aye,” I huffed out between breaths.

“Aye.” Red Steel frowned. “Though it would have helped if thou didst set the tree aflame when Gale asked it of you.”

I groaned and closed my eyes. “I am afraid I do not have much in the way of talent with pyromancy.” Not to mention I had embarrassed myself by not seeing what Gale had wished for me to do during the chaos of battle.

“We have won the day,” Gale said. “That will have to be enough.”

“We have won the battle, not the day,” I reminded. “Remember, there are still at least three more hags to deal with. And they may have more such as the demon and tree.” I sighed. “And now even the mayor and her wife are Lost.”

Red Steel cleaned her hammer on the grass. “They will not grow easier to fight if we tarry, nor will anypony be saved.” She hefted her hammer, careful to keep it clear of Root, who still lay peacefully on her back. “But first we need to take Root someplace safe. My home sound reasonable?”

“Reasonable enough,” Stalwart agreed.

Red Steel grinned at Gale. “I believe I have a wood axe thou couldst make use of.”

Gale gave her wingblades an annoyed look. “That would be prudent. After that, we can take this war to the covens’ doorstep.”

“Then let us be off.” Feeling a bit better after a moment of rest, I waved for Gale to help me up and she did so. I looked over to where Apple Butter laid, ravens still covering her corpse. “But one moment. I need to do something.”

I gingerly walked over to Apple Butter. Every ache and sore in my body making their presence known to me. I had to wonder if there would be anything left of me when the sun next rose. When I got close, I waved for the ravens to leave her be for a bit, and they took flight. ‘Twas not as though their carrion was going anywhere.

Seeing the corpse, ‘twas difficult to say exactly which wound had slain Apple Butter. She had bled from so many wounds that her coat had been dyed red, and the ravens had already feasted upon her eyes and tongue. It had been a brutal and terrible way to die, and it disturbed me that I had caused such a death. In order to cast a spell, something of that spell must be within one’s self. Some part of me, in that moment of mortal danger and hatred over what was being done to my friend, had dearly wished to kill Apple Butter in this manner instead of a quick and efficient one. I was not sure what that said about me.

Still, I had one last message for the hag that had so vexed me over the last couple of days. I leaned down to speak softly into what was left of her ear. “I told thee that I could slay thee if 'twas my intention.”

Author's Note

I would like to thank Chengar Qordath, Comma-Kazie, and JakeTheGinger for all their help in editing Midnight's Shadow.
Then I would also like to thank all my great prereaders Web of Hope, Cryosite, Swiftest, Infinion, Rodinga, 621Chopsuey, Novus Draconis, and Incidental Pegasus No. 5.

Midnight Begins: Chapter 11

Midnight's Shadow

Midnight Begins: Chapter 11

We left Apple Butter’s corpse for the ravens. There was no time to deal her body in one fashion or another. Besides, it struck me as appropriate to let the unkindness have their reward for helping us win the battle.

The four of us took Carrot Root to Red Steel's home. We tied him to the bed to ensure that he would not be taken by the fog if he woke up while it was still in effect, though we left the knots tied in such a manner that he could untie himself if he still had power over his own faculties. That would give Root at least a remote chance of survival if we did not return. 'Twas not ideal, but 'twas the best we could do with what we had available. 'Twas possible we were all going to our doom, but everypony with me had chosen to see this affair to its end.

Red Steel had been busy with unloading her cart of her blacksmith goods ere she dragged it towards me. "Hop on in," she instructed with a jerk of her head. "Take the opportunity to rest while we are walking."

"I can still walk," I informed her. "Dragging along a cart will only exhaust thee and create more noise."

Red Steel grunted in disapproval. "You say you can walk now, but what I see before me is a mare who can barely even stand, much less hike up mountain trails."

I was about to protest when Gale placed a hoof on my shoulder. "She is right, Midnight. 'Tis clear that thy trials have exhausted thee. A bit of rest would do thee some good."

"And what about the rest of you?" I looked around at my companions. Gale and Stalwart's armor had been dented and dirtied from the battles of the last couple of days, and neither of them looked much better than their armor. Dried blood still matted the fur on Stalwart's brow, and Gale walked with a slight limp, though I could not glean its nature.

Red Steel looked the worst of us. While the graver injuries the mob had given her had been treated, her swollen face and the bandages that adorned her did not inspire confidence for her condition. While she bore her injuries with admirable grace, she must have been fighting through pain to keep going.

"I have suffered from worse and have training to continue despite such things," Stalwart assured me. "And 'twould be best if Gale and I remained awake to scout ahead of the cart to watch you and the militia captain."

Gale examined the straps on her shin guards and took a moment to tighten her laces. "Aye, and I would feel much better if our magus was rested enough to confront the warlocks ahead of us. Facing practitioners of the dark arts is far easier when one has magic readily available to counter it, and while a trained warrior can often summon their reserves of strength when battle is joined, I have found the constitution of the magi to be more brittle in comparison. Especially when they need to draw upon their magics."

I bit down on my lip as I considered my options. They did have a point. In truth, I could not remember the last time I had felt so exhausted. Likely 'twas stubbornness alone that kept me on my hooves at this point, for I was not used to the types and scale of the trials I had gone through. I did not like the idea of being a burden on my companions, literally in this case, but 'twould be far worse if I were so exhausted when we met the hags in battle that I could not even cast a spell.

"Very well then," I said with a sigh. "I concede your points."

Red grabbed a bale of hay by the side of her house and spread it along the surface of the cart. She grinned as she patted the cart invitingly to me. "There, something for milady to sleep on."

I could tell she was trying to bait me. The ponies of Canterlot did have a rather infamous reputation for our love of comforts, though I did not see why such things should be frowned upon. I knew I missed my soft bed with its silk sheets back at my mother's tower and saw nothing wrong with that. I could never quite understand why some considered living in discomfort to be some great and noble virtue.

Still, I did not raise to Red's bait, but instead pulled myself into the cart with dignity. While I did not like the feeling of straw upon my coat, I endured it as best I could. "My thanks for thy consideration, Captain."

"You are welcome." Red Steel rolled her eyes, no doubt disappointed I had pre-empted her fun, and proceeded to tie herself to the cart.

I felt as though I should say more, mayhaps something to irk Red in return for trying to tease me, but my mind felt as though it were trying to wade through mud. I gave up my attempt at a witty response and instead put my saddlebags down on the cart and laid my head upon them.

Red pulled the cart along, with Gale and Stalwart flanking her as we headed deeper into the fog. They had ensured me on the way to Red's home that they could easily enough follow the trail left by the townsfolk. That was easy enough to believe, considering we were talking about many scores of ponies all shambling in one general direction and making no efforts to hide their tracks. No matter how powerful a spell or ritual might be, they always had their weaknesses, even if they were not always readily apparent. I doubt Grandmother Carrot had put much thought into the fact that we could follow the trail of her victims to find the source of her ritual, but such oversights had led to the fall of more than one warlock.

I closed my eyes to try and get what rest I could. I had to wonder if this would be the last moment of respite I would ever have ere my final and eternal rest. It was a sobering thought. 'Twas quite possible I was living my final hours and I was using them up trying to sleep on the hard wood of the cart with only a thin layer of straw covering it, and occasionally jostled whenever the cart hit a hump on the trail. I could not recall many times where old tales of honor and valor ever mentioned such thing, though I suppose recounting the times where the hero of the story needed to sleep or relieve themselves was not particularly riveting. (1)

1. Though this does not seem to keep Midnight from doing just that in this instance.

Despite my weariness, I found it difficult to fall asleep. The regular jostles of the cart and uncomfortable bedding made the experience miserable for me. I had heard that a proper soldier could find sleep whenever and wherever given the opportunity, but I was no soldier and my rest was less than what I would have hoped for.

I awoke with a start, but found my movements restricted somehow. I blinked as I tried to get the fuzziness out of them and wondered for a moment where I was. My throat felt painfully dry, my head throbbed, and my body ached from where it lied on the cart.

"What is—" I was cut off by a hoof covering my muzzle, something that stung far more than it should have.

Ere I could puzzle out what was happening, I heard Gale quietly shush me and slowly removed her hoof from my mouth. She leaned in and spoke softly into my ear. "We think we are drawing close to our quarry. We have spotted what we believe to be patrols of more of those trees creatures, so 'tis time to abandon the cart. If thou dost understand, nod thy head."

I nodded and tried to move but found I had been tied down to the cart. I gave Gale a questioning look.

"Thou wert influenced by the fog," she said softly. "Without warning, thou rose and fell off the cart. We were worried when thou landedst on thy face."

That would explain why my muzzle still stung. I supposed I should be thankful that was the worst of it.

Gale went about untying me. "We have had to watch one another. This fog is a subtle thing, and we must be vigilant against it.”

My freedom restored, I slid off the back of the cart with slow, deliberate movements and tried to ignore how my legs groaned with fatigue. To my woes, however long I had rested had only served to remind me of just how tired I was. All I saw was more of the fog, so 'twas nearly impossible to tell exactly what time it was. Though in the end it mattered little. What mattered was saving the ponies of Appleton.

Red Steel gave me a curt nod when she saw that I was up. She had already unhitched herself from the cart and looked ready to go. No doubt she was all too aware of what was at risk this night. I could only imagine what my own response would have been had Canterlot faced the threat looming over Appleton. Likely I would seek a terrible vengeance upon any who would dare such a thing. Of course, that was more or less what I intended to do in Appleton anyway.

Still, I could not let my thoughts become too distracted from our immediate concerns. Instead, I concentrated on more practical matters. I stifled a cough and cleared my throat ere asking, “How many of the trees are there? Do you know?”

If I had to guess, I would say they were probably some corrupted form of treant. They usually came to be either naturally due to growing in an area with much magic, or by direct intervention by a practitioner of the magical arts. They met the descriptions of what I had read in my books. Regretfully, I could not consult my books directly, so I could only guess for the moment.

“More than I would like to fight.” Stalwart pulled his head away from the bushes to look at me. “We have spotted at least half a dozen of the creatures. While not all of them are as large as the previous two we defeated, I do not like the idea of wasting our strength with such battles. Not when we have multiple warlocks to battle at the end of our path.”

Red Steel crossed her forelegs over her chest. “Mayhaps we could sneak past them?” I could sense from her tone that she still had plenty of fight in her, but even she was not overly eager to face one of those creatures again. It turns out fighting trees was rather difficult once they started moving and actively tried to kill you.

"We could try,” Stalwart said softly. “But ‘tis risky, for we do not know how those creatures can sense us.” He looked to me with a questioning glance. “Does her ladyship know?"

I considered the question. "'Tis difficult to say," I admitted. "It depend exactly what type of construct the hags made. They do not possess eyes, but they clearly have some means by which to find us in order to slay us. They must use more than some sort of tracking spell or direct instructions from the hags if they feel confident in using their creations for patrols." I shook my head. "I fear sneaking by them would be dangerous. Likely our own senses would be more hampered by the fog than whatever the tree constructs are using."

"Is there any spell thou couldst use to aid us?" Gale asked.

"Aye, I think one of my veils should be equal to the task." I took a drink from my canteen to give some relief to my sore throat. "I can cover all the senses they are likely to use. Unless they have been built to detect unicorn magic, we should be able to slip right by them."

Red Steel frowned. "How likely are they to be built to sense unicorn magic? While battle is inevitable, I would prefer to save my hammer and strength for Grandmother Carrot and her ilk."

"I think it unlikely," I said. "Doing so would be a significant investment in strength and resources. Every sense given to them will restrict what other strengths they could possess. Nothing in magic comes for free.” I rubbed my chin as I thought the matter over. “Furthermore, the warlocks would consider their main enemies to be their fellow villagers, earth ponies mainly, and maybe the odd Guard patrol. Grandmother Carrot had not planned for a magus to interfere with her plans, so I declare that my veil is likely our safest course to get past the patrols."

The others looked to one another and nodded. "Then our course is set," Gale said. "Thou wilt be able to maintain the veil long enough to cover all of us?"

I took a moment to gauge how much my magic had recovered. 'Twas not as much as I would have liked, but I was certain I could cast spells without losing consciousness at this point. "Aye, I think I can manage as long as I do not have to maintain it too long. Are we close to our destination?"

"Tis difficult to say, exactly," Stalwart informed me. “The tracks of the ponies drawn by the fog have been converging for a time and most now follow the same path up the mountain."

While I could not see far into the fog, I did take note of the animal trail that we must have been using to get up the mountain. It seemed large for an animal trail, and I wondered if that was due to the hags' influence. 'Twas likely that they needed to drag supplies up here to do their evil works.

I wondered how difficult it had been for Red Steel to pull her wagon with me inside it—and for that matter, how tired I had been when I had not been woken by the shakes from the trail, though it mattered little now that we were abandoning the wagon. At least as long as Red Steel was still strong enough to continue forward.

"Then we shall go onwards if everypony is ready." I waved for everypony to come closer. "Gather around me and be sure to stay near. If you stray too far I will not be able to keep you under the veil. I would prefer to not have to make the decision of having to save one of you from the trees and risking our quest coming to a premature end as we are o'erwhelmed and slain, or leaving you to be squashed into the dirt and your blood and organs squeezed from your bodies by our foes while the rest of us watch on." I gave them all a flat look. "I think either of those things would be bad, so let us not allow that happen."

Once everypony scooted a little closer to me, I cast the spell. The air around us shimmered for a moment until the veil settled over us, rendering us invisible to most conventional senses. While some would balk at using the amount of magic necessary to block taste, there were a number of animals that hunted through such senses, and I preferred not to take the chance that the blighted trees were drawn to us by some queer means. At least for myself, preserving my own life tended to make me more paranoid. Then again, I suppose 'twas not truly paranoia when there were in fact creatures actively trying to kill me.

We continued up the mountain trail. As I had been warned, there were indeed more of the blighted trees patrolling the path. The creaking of the moving wood and the loud thumps of their footfalls reverberated along the mountainside. How many of the creatures had Grandmother Carrot and her coven made? It could not have been a small commitment of time and resources to have made all of them, even if they only had to be powered for a short period of time to allow them to complete their ritual. While none of them were as large as the ones that had attacked us thus far, even the smallest of their numbers would have weighed as much as any three ponies combined, and as the Sergeant had shared, it sounded as though there were at least half a dozen making their way through the woods. I could only imagine there were more on the mountain somewhere.

Seeing no better path, I lead us down the trail near where a pair of them stood watch. Red Steel eyed the trees as we drew near, and Gale's wings twitched nervously. They must have been growing wary over the predicament. After all, they could not sense the magic that kept us invisible like I could. They were going under the premise that I was promising that it was going to be fine for us to walk around the creatures that had previously attempted to slay us two times already.

Still, they silently kept pace with me as we trotted past the patrol. I could feel the stress in my companions release once we were in the clear of our immediate enemies and their composure became more relaxed.

I sustained the veil, and we continued along the trail. Stalwart and Gale periodically confirmed with me that many of the ponies of Appleton had come this way recently. We could hear more of the blighted trees in the distance, but due to the fog and darkness we never caught sight of them. Even with the darkvision spell I was using, I could not see too far due the vegetation that covered the mountain side.

The pain in my injured knee seemed to increase with every few steps as we ascended the trail. It was not long before my limp prompted Gale step besides me.

"Come, Midnight. Lean on me,” she invited, wrapping a wing around me.

"My thanks, Gale." I leaned against her and it felt good to be able to take the weight off my knee. Though I had to worry about what would become of me should I need to flee. It seemed that I personally would only have the option to hide or fight in the event we were confronted. My sickness was not helping matters either.

Eventually, the slope of the trail levelled and we reached a plateau on the side of the mountain. Besides the hags' free constructs, we had seen nopony else on the trail. Though the mind fog had muddled the villagers' senses, it seems it had not impaired their ability to reach their destination. It also meant that we probably did not have much time to stop the hags. If they had all their victims gathered, then it was only a matter of time until Grandmother Carrot sacrificed them for whatever evil ends she had in mind.

Red Steel pointed further up the mountain side "I see a light."

I peered ahead and saw a green glow seeping through the forest. "Then let us see what is before us. Though be cautious; every step brings us closer to our quarry."

We proceeded carefully as the vegetation gradually became less dense. ‘Twas there that a structure came to rise out of the forest. It appeared to be some old, decrepit fort that time had forgotten. Its walls were badly crumbled and were overrun with vines and weeds. A massive tree had even come to grow out of the central building that dominated the fort. It must have dated at least back to the time of the Great Migration, if not before. (2)

2. Looking over the records, this structure seems to be one of the forts built on Equestria’s frontier by the earth pony government. Due to the ring of forts being extremely expensive to maintain and garrison and the fact that they proved insufficient defense against threats such as gryphon reivers, most were abandoned in favor of fortifications closer to more densely populated regions.

The fort felt strangely familiar. It took me a few moments to realize I had seen its counterpart in the fog of the Dreamscape when I had attempted to disrupt the ritual there.

About the fort grounds,the ponies of Appleton lie motionless upon the ground. Each of them were covered in bramble vines that extended from the fort, as though it were some great web.

“What is this?” Red Steel asked in a harsh whisper.

I leaned down and examined one of the enwrapped ponies. “No doubt a part of the hags’ ritual.” After a few moments of study, I found at least some of the answers I sought. “They are being kept asleep by the magic created by these vines. In fact, they are draining their victims of their very life force in order to power the ritual.”

Gale turned her head to look about the clearing. “So they are in danger?”

“Aye, or at least they will be shortly.” I followed the leylines of the vines and confirmed that they lead into the fortress. “As of right now, the toll of maintaining the ritual is not life threatening, but likely ‘tis only intended to keep these ponies passive. When the time comes, these ponies will probably have their lives snuffed out.”

“To what end?” asked Stalwart.

“I am not sure yet.” I followed the leylines of magical energies as far as I could, but my magical senses could not reach the final destination. “I am certain ‘tis to fuel something, but what I cannot determine. Not until I discover where the life force of these ponies will end up.”

“We need to stop Grandmother Carrot ere that happens,” Red Steel said firmly. “There is no time to waste.”

Gale nodded. “I agree. The sooner we move, the better.”

I stood from the pony I had been examining. “Aye, we should—” I was cut off when my veil suddenly dissipated. My heart sank at the sudden loss of my spell. I had not ceased the casting myself and had plenty of magic to keep fueling it.

“There you all are,” called out a familiar voice. Outside the main gate of the fort stood Carrot Juice. She gave us a nasty grin. “Ah was wondering when you lot would show up. Grandmother said you would try and use some sort of veil to sneak up on us.”

I realized that it had probably not been my wisest move to say that I was capable of using veils before everypony in Appleton. Knowing that, it had been advisable on the hags’ part to make precautions against me using veils to ambush them. Veils and illusions were very useful spells, but much less so when an opponent knew they were coming. The hags must have set up some sort of counter to my veil. Not a promising start to our final assault.

Red Steel dug her hooves into the dirt and looked as though she were going to charge at Carrot Juice. “So you were working with Grandmother Carrot all along?”

“For many years now, aye,” Carrot Juice confirmed. “Not that it will matter once we are done with our work.” She hummed dissatisfactory to herself. “Figures Butter did not have it in her to kill you.”

“Not for a lack of trying,” I replied back to her. While Carrot Juice had caught us by surprise, I was not about to let her see that I was perturbed by her revealing us. “She is feeding the ravens, by the way. In case I was not clear enough that she is dead.”

Carrot Juice frowned. “Ah gathered as much. Butter always was an idiot. ‘Tis probably for the best that she is dead now, since it saves me the trouble of putting her down like a rabid dog." She spat on the ground. "Though Grandmother should have sent me to finish the job where all of you were concerned. If she had, we would not be having this conversation.”

I nodded in agreement. “Of course not. Then thou wouldst be dead. As thou wilt be soon if thou dost not step out of our way.” I stood up straighter. “Run away, Juice. Flee now, and ‘twill be most difficult for me to ever find thee. ‘Tis thy grandmother and the ritual I am most concerned by.”

It would be to our advantage if Carrot Juice fled now. While I had no intention of letting her run forever, my priorities lay with preventing the ritual from slaying the ponies of Appleton and stopping Grandmother Carrot. Such a task would be made easier if Carrot Juice were not a factor in the battle during the critical juncture.

The hag scowled at me. “Ah do not think so.”

“Thou art outnumbered, Juice,” Red called out. "Thou cannot hope to stand against all of us."

"Neigh, but Ah need not do so." Carrot Juice waved a hoof towards the forest, and I felt her magic flow forth.

From the trees came a great commotion of creaking and breaking wood. She must have summoned all the blighted trees to converge on us now that we had been revealed. That was troubling news; while the blighted trees were not overly fast, 'twould not be long before the nearer patrols were upon us. We would have to break past Carrot Juice quickly or risk being taken from the rear.

"Ah only have to hold you down long enough for them to crush you.” She let out a harsh, unpleasant chuckle. “Butter was but a novice in spellcraft. Ah, on the other hoof, have perfected mine. Ah am the equal to any of your magi. Especially the sorry looking creature you have brought with you." I felt her draw upon her magic, a corrupt and sickening well of power that sent my senses on edge. "This farce ends here, fools."

Then a crossbow bolt shot out from the fog and smote Carrot Juice on the side of her head. She went sprawling down into the dirt, seeming quite dead from the massive brain trauma of having a two foot length of sharpened steel rammed through her skull.

It occurred so suddenly that it took me a moment to realize what had happened. I look to where the crossbow bolt had come from and saw a veil shimmer and then fade out of existence. To my surprise, Subtle Song and Silent Forest now stood in front of us.

Subtle Song flashed us a confident grin. "Greetings everypony, I trust that our surprise was to everypony's satisfaction?" She looked down at Carrot Juice with an amused smirk. “I think she got the point.”

“Being dead makes it difficult to learn,” I pointed out.

Subtle Song quirked one of her eyebrows. “Er, right...”

“She is dead, aye?” I asked. “Not merely terribly wounded? I do not wish for her to suddenly hop back to her hooves and disembowel me from behind. I hate being sloppy about such things.”

Stalwart trotted up to Carrot Juice, and with a swipe of his wingblade sent her head rolling from her body. As was the case with Butter, the glamour she used to hide her true nature ended with her life. “Aye, she is dead.”

I nodded to him. “My thanks for confirming that, Sergeant.” While it was a remote possibility Carrot Juice had survived the crossbow bolt, she was highly unlikely to have survived decapitation as well.

Gale stepped forward to place herself between me and the bard. “And where hast thou been? Last we saw of thee, thou wert with the ponies of the mayor’s household. What became of them?”

Despite Subtle Song and Silent Forest saving us the trouble of fighting Carrot Juice, it seemed that Gale was still did not trust the mare. Though I had to admit that she brought up an important question.

Subtle Song shrugged. “When we fled the farm, we went up into the mountains to hide. ‘Twas our plan to stay there for the night until matters had settled down in Appleton. But then that fog came. I barely had time to draw a circle ere it fell upon us.”

“Then how did you find your way here?” Gale asked, none of the suspicion leaving her tone. “We were only able to move about the fog with the aid of Midnight’s magic.”

“The fog was not as strong in the mountains.” Subtle Song let out an exasperated sigh. “We waited until its magic weakened ere escorting everypony further up the mountain and beyond the range of the fog. By then ‘twas safe enough for us to traverse the fog and do what we could to help.” She patted Silent Forest’s back. “Silent here was able to track where everypony was going. Probably the same way you found your way here.”

Silent Forest finished reloading his crossbow and nodded in agreement. For her part, Gale frowned, and I could see the wheels turning in her head. No doubt she was thinking of any problems with Subtle’s story. “So what, didst thou only arrive just now to just happen to save us at an opportune time? For all we know, you two are working with the hags and were merely eliminating some of your competition within their ranks. They have clearly shown little loyalty to one another.”

Subtle Song snorted. “If ‘twas my goal to aid the warlocks while betraying Juice, then ‘twould have been wiser of me to allow you to battle her. At the very least you would all be weakened by the fight, and make it easier for me to wipe out whoever survived the encounter. Not to mention I think ‘twould be far easier to kill Juice with one of Silent’s cold iron bolts than to fight all of you. ‘Tis simple math.”

“Then how didst thou maintain thine own veil while Midnight’s had been defeated?” Gale shot back. “Unless thou art arguing that the timing of your arrival was perfect. Something that is suspect.”

Subtle Song shook her head. “Neigh, I daresay that we arrived before you. I was inclined to go ahead and investigate the fort and the ponies lying about around it, but as Silent Forest pointed out, such would be perfect bait for anypony seeking the warlocks.”

Silent Forest nodded in agreement.

“So we took some time to look the area over and noticed that the area had been warded with a spell to detect anypony that drew too close and to disrupt veils.” Subtle Song smiled, clearly pleased with herself and her compatriot. “We were in the middle of trying to find a way around the ward when all of you came waltzing up to the fort and set off the ward. That being the case, we decided to use the lot of you as bait and ambush the ambusher.” She grinned. “A pony setting an ambush rarely expects to be ambushed themselves.”

That all struck me as a logical course of events. It irked me that I had been outdone by some traveling bard. I should have been more cautious about being attacked, but my wits had begun to erode from being on edge for so long. ‘Twas impossible to remain completely vigilant forever. Eventually one’s energy would be sapped and weaknesses opened in one’s defense.

Gale opened her mouth to protest, but I cut her off by raising a hoof. “That is enough, Gale. I believe she and Silent Forest are with us on our quest. If she were trying to sabotage us, she had better options available to her than she took just now.”

There was a loud crash of wood as a patrol of the blighted trees smashed through the tree line. It seemed that the death of Juice had done nothing to counteract their last order to return to the fort. That meant our time to do our work was limited.

“Come, we need to find the hags and end this before they can complete their ritual,” I bade.

“‘Tis past time.” Red ran towards the main gate of the fort. Seeing a danger, I bit down on her tail ere she could get to the gate. She dragged me along for a few steps before she stopped to shoot me a scowl. "What are you doing? There is no time to waste.”

I let go of her tail and trotted to the gate. “To waste, neigh. But the gate may be trapped.” I was overcome by a nasty cough that made it feel like a cheese grater had been scraped against my throat before I was able to continue. "‘Tis common for a warlock to ward such a door to stop trespassers."

Many magi did the very same, for that matter. Mother had any number of nasty wards on her tower—wards that I had also contributed to once I had learned the craft. They had been tested a hooffull of times over the years, and it had always been irritating to clean up what remained of the would-be intruders. Being the target of such wards was not something I wished to experience myself.

"Canst thou deal with any defenses?" Gale glanced back at the slowly approaching blighted trees. "Preferably sooner rather than later."

"I need a moment to see." Extending my magical senses, I felt around the gate. It did not take me long to feel a magical aura draped over the entrance like a molding blanket. After a moment of study, I determined that the ward had been finely crafted. The fibers of the spell were tightly interwoven to inflict a number of nasty effects on anyone foolish enough to simply try and batter the gate down.

"It is indeed warded," I warned the others.

"Can you disable them?" asked Subtle. "Because we're going to have a fight here very quickly if you cannot."

I could hear the patrol coming nearer behind me. While we might have been able to fight one patrol and come out victorious, the effort would sap our strength, and then there would be more behind them. Neigh, our best chance of survival was getting inside. Killing the hags might very well disable the tree constructs, and at the very least we stood a better chance of defending ourselves within the confined spaces of the fort. The trees would have trouble moving inside, and we would be all the closer to our true enemies and stopping the ritual.

That brought me to the question of disabling the ward. I did not doubt I could do so relatively safely given enough time. While the ward was indeed a finely crafted bit of magic, I could see the marks of an individual who, while talented and having spent no small amount of effort building the ward, lacked for a proper education in the magic arts. The ward was too structured and neat in its building. Its parts were only placed on top of one another instead of interwoven to make it difficult to safely disassemble. Clearly the work of an individual who had no experience dealing with trained spellcasters. All it would take to destroy the ward would be to take it apart piece by piece.

Shame that there was not the time necessary to do that safely. Thus, I would have to use the brute force method if we were to survive.

Bracing myself for what I was about to do, I reaching out with my magic to grasp onto the ward. A mental jolt of pain shot through my horn and down through the rest of my body as the ward fought against my hold. Despite the pain, I held on and pulled on the magical fabric. The ward ripped apart like an old and worn quilt, and the magical energies of the defensive matrix went wild and I grasped at them to keep them contained. My efforts caused the malevolent energies to lash out at me. They coursed through my body, overloading my senses with pain. My body went rigid as the backlash washed over me. It felt as though I was going to be destroyed as the power and pain seemed too much for me to bear.

Then the ward’s energies dissipated. My senses faltered a moment, and I awoke to Gale lifting me onto her back. “Stalwart, the door!”

Understanding Gale’s intent, Stalwart bucked the gate. The rotting wood gave way, and the door slammed open.

Gale waved for everypony to enter. “Hurry in and barricade the door!”

Not particularly eager to face the blighted trees, everypony rushed into the fort. Gale carried me in, allowing me to get a look into the interior of the fort. The large atrium showed the same wear of time that the exterior had. The walls were badly cracked, and vegetation and moss had both overgrown sections of the wall and grown through the cobblestone floors. The hooffull of furnishings in the room looked poorly used. It seemed that the hags had not taken much effort to maintain their hideout. The only real decorations the warlocks had seemed to add were a series of small clay gargoyles placed in nooks around the ceiling about the room.

Stalwart and Silent quickly pushed an old, decrepit weapons rack against the doors. Though I had to wonder how long that would hold back the tree constructs. Some of them had been small enough to fit through the entrance, even if it would be a tight fit.

I patted Gale’s side to get her attention. “Put me down, please. I think I can walk now.”

She did as I requested, and while my discomfort forced me to use Gale for support for a few moments, I was able to stand on my own hooves. I still felt pain in my muscles from the backlash from the wards, but ‘twas not so o’erwhelming. I would worry about the damage that had been done to my body once the hags were defeated. I needed to do what I could to keep us alive to complete our quest.

The others were busy stacking what ever furnishings they could find in front of the gate. Shame the poor state of repair of the gate did not inspire my confidence in its ability to hold back intruders. Still, 'twas what we had.

I suppressed a jab of pain as I cast a spell. When I completed my magic, all the moisture in the air collected about the door and encased the gate within a solid wall of ice. While I had no illusions how long the barrier would likely last, I had bought us precious time.

I was about to address what should be done next when Subtle first raised her voice. "Um, everypony?" She raised a hoof to point up near the ceiling. "I think we have company."

I looked up and saw that the small clay gargoyles were beginning to move in their alcoves. The score of them were a misshapen mixture of animals, though each had wings, claws, and long pointed teeth of one variety or another. Golems, no doubt. Of course there were guardians to the entrance of the hags' lair. Why would there not be based on how well this day had gone thus far?

The clay golems let out a deafening screech that made my hair stand on end. They all leapt at us, their wings carrying them as they dived down to slay us. I cast a wide shield spell to block at least a few of the golems. A half dozen of them collided with the shield, but to my shock, they were only delayed by it for a second ere passing through it. They must have been magic resistant somehow. Mayhaps the hags had mixed their blood or cold iron into the clay during their construction. Either way, my magic was not going to be as effective in this battle.

Which was disconcerting as one of the golems dove right for my face, intent on clawing my eyes out.

I instinctively flinched away from it, but knew I was not going to step outside of its range. The golem came within a few paces of me when Stalwart stepped forward, and with a speed that belied his size, smacked the golem down with his hoof. He struck with such force that the golem bounced when it impacted the floor and was sent rolling away. I resolved to never complain about having a bodyguard ever again.

Silent leveled his crossbow and shot at one of the golems. The bolt hit it dead center in its chest and sent it careening to hit a wall.

Subtle’s horn glowed and a dozen illusionary doubles of our party formed about us. The golems seemed to suffer the usual lack of intelligence of their kind and divided their efforts between all their available targets, both real and not. While the illusionary doubles winked out of existence as soon as they were touched by the golems, the spell had bought us valuable moments to regain our footing.

One golem dove at Gale’s head, bird-like talons extended. Gale ducked under the blow and there was a screech of talon on metal as the construct scored a glancing blow against my friend’s helmet. She sidestepped another golem coming in at another angle, and stuck out with a wingblade. The enchanted steel used the golem’s own moment to bite deep into its clay and sent the creature tumbling through the air. It crashed into the floor, but only seemed to suffer superficial damage to its body.

Another golem had dived through one of the illusionary doubles and caused it to blink out of existence. Seeing an opportunity as it sought a new target, Gale reared up and bucked the golem in the chest, sending it flying away.

Silent had dropped his crossbow, probably seeing that there was no time to reload it. Instead, he pulled out a small orb out of his bag and tossed it at one of the golems recovering on the floor. It struck the golem and exploded into a gray goo. The golem struggled to stand and take flight, but the tanglehoof held it in place. Silent pulled out more of the tanglehoof capsules and did the same to two more golems.

Subtle was busy dodging and weaving out of the way of our attackers with practiced grace. Her horn glowed all the while as she created more illusionary doubles to continue to distract and confuse our opponents.

For a moment I thought we were doing well in the fight. The golems were proving incredibly resilient against damage, but we were holding our own. Then I was reminded of one of our other problems when there was a loud crash against the gate. The gate held, but I could hear the ice beginning to crack as the gate was struck once again.

Right then, my spells were ineffective against the golems, and the room inside of the gate was about to become a death trap the moment the blighted trees broke in. While we were holding off the golems, it was proving to be a difficult and protracted battle. We could not afford to remain here. Neigh, we needed to find Grandmother Carrot and bring the battle to her.

Thinking of a solution, I turned to one of the nearby walls and placed a hoof in its shadow. “Sergeant, guard my back!”

“Aye, Magus!” Stalwart slashed with his wingblade at a golem that tried to dive at me, forcing it to dive out of the way and in a direction that did not allow it to land on my back to cause any number of nasty gashes along my withers.

Wasting no time, I fought through the throbbing pain in my horn and cast a spell. The spell caused my senses to extend into the shadow I touched. Through the spell I came to feel the outline of the gatehouse, and from there I reached out to the shadows of the other rooms in the fort. Soon I was mapping out the entire building. Once that was done, I redefined my senses, seeking out any source of magic. I quickly discovered a great wellspring of energy above us in a large room at the top of the complex. The life energy of the ponies outside was slowly seeping to a central nexus there. ‘Twas a prelude of what was to come, I knew, as the ritual built itself up to completion.

After making a quick double check of the architecture of the building, I ended the spell. I pointed to the nearest hall to me, leading up a stairway. “Everypony! Go up those stairs, down the hallway on the second floor, and then go up the next flight of stairs to reach the chamber there! The warlocks are in that room!” I ran towards the door, my blood now pumping after discovering where Grandmother Hag must be.

“Finally!” Red crouched down to duck under a golem diving at her. She sprung right back up and ran full tilt to hit the stairs at a run.

I was not long after her to get to the stairs, but I stopped short of them to turn back to the gatehouse. As soon as everypony was through I would close the opening with a wall of ice, thus giving us time to deal with the hags once and for all.

Stalwart was busy warding off any of the golems from following me too closely, and ‘twas Gale who next managed to break off from the battle to run towards me. She was about to reach me when the bricks of the walls started to shift, and to my horror, closed off the way to the stairs. The last I saw of Gale were her eyes widen with realization as the last of the stones moved into place, making it seem as though there had been a dead end all along.

I slammed my forehooves against the stone that divided me from the rest of my companions. “Neigh!” I drew upon my magic, intent on smashing the wall down with my strength, but then stopped myself short of doing so. I could not afford to waste what magic I had left, I told myself. Instead I took the time to feel out the stone with my senses. There I felt the dark presence of another. Grandmother Carrot, I knew.

It figured that she would have power over this place. She had no doubt spent the past few decades building her strength over this fort and making it her own. That was very bad. She would have the leverage against me if I wished to shape this place against her will. Breaking down this newly formed wall may very well drain what remained of my magic.

Worst still, Red Steel had run ahead of everypony else. She would soon be facing the hags, and they would be ready for her. Without anypony else to assist her, she would likely be doomed. I knew there were other ways around the fortress I could use to find the others—assuming Grandmother Carrot had not blocked them off too. But they would take time to use and I could feel the ritual coming close to fruition. The fort hummed with growing cascades of energy that throbbed against my senses.

Meanwhile the rest of my companions were in a vicious battle against the golems, and all too soon, against the tree constructs if they could not get out of that room. ‘Twas possible Grandmother Carrot had blocked off all their other exits, and I might be their only way out of that room.

That brought me the question of what I was to do. Go after Red Steel and hope that the two of us would be enough to defeat the warlocks and whatever traps they had in store for us, or link back up with the larger body of my companions to aid them in their own desperate battle? ‘Twas a dire decision, and ponies could easily die no matter which decision I made.

There was precious little time to deliberate.

I ran after Red Steel, praying that I was making the right decision.

Author's Note

I would like to thank Chengar Qordath, Comma-Kazie, and JakeTheGinger for all their help in editing Midnight's Shadow.
Then I would also like to thank all my great prereaders Web of Hope, Cryosite, Swiftest, Infinion, Rodinga, 621Chopsuey, Novus Draconis, and Incidental Pegasus No. 5.

Midnight Begins: Chapter 12

Midnight’s Shadow

Midnight Begins: Chapter 12

It felt like I was on fire as I ran along the cracked stone and overgrown hallways of the fortress. My guardians’ advice to train my body seemed all the wiser as my chest heaved to take in more air. Shame there was little to be done about it at this late hour. The long corridors and flights of stairs had done no favor to my injured knee, either. By the time I had reached the desired floor of the structure, I was reduced to hobbling on three legs.

Working off my mental map of the building, I forced my poor body to run down the final hallway. Ahead of me, Red Steel was bucking at the door that led into the room that held Grandmother Carrot. As I dragged myself the final few steps I saw that the door was in much better shape than the rest of the building, looking relatively new and reinforced with iron bands. Likely Grandmother Carrot or one of her ilk had installed it.

Red Steel ceased her bucking to face me. She craned her head to look behind me. "Where are the others?" she demanded.

I attempted to answer her but I was overwhelmed by a cough that denied me of speech. I fell to my rear as I struggled to catch my breath. Of all the things that had tried to kill me the past couple of days, I wondered for a few moments if it would be running that would be my doom. That would not be my preferred way to die.

“Take a moment to catch your breath. You will do nopony any good if you are about to fall over.” She scowled at me after a moment had passed and I was still breathing heavily. “Well? Grandmother Carrot is not going to wait forever for us to slay her.”

“I-I know ... that...” I wheezed out. “Others ... trapped behind ... unlikely ... make it ... in time.” There were other ways up to this level of the structure, but it would be the long way around. It was not helped that the others did not even know the way here. Not to mention they had still been fighting the golems downstairs and ‘twould only be a matter of time until the hags’ reinforcements broke through the gate to add their numbers to the fight. I could also feel magical energies moving about us as the hags’ ritual continued moving towards its evil goal. Our companions might arrive in time if we waited long enough, or we might damn our cause by delaying.

“Great, just great.” I swore I could hear Red Steel grinding her teeth in frustration. “Ancestors damn it all.” She reared back and bucked the door again. “I will kill them all myself if I have to.” It seemed Red Steel was making the decision for us on whether to wait or not.

At least there was some good news. The door Red Steel was assaulting was most likely not magically trapped. If it had been, she would probably would have been reduced to a bloody smear upon the opposite wall. That was good, that meant I would not have to enter into this fight alone, or go through the painful experience of disabling another ward.

Deciding not to waste my precious breath on words, I stumbled to my hooves and took position by the door while Red Steel continued to batter away at it. My horn glew as I carefully drew upon my wellspring of magic. In my tired state, I would have to make every mote of energy count. Grandmother Carrot and Carrot Slice must have used at least some of their own magic to enact the ritual, counter my own efforts to stop them, and control their servants, but I was willing to bet they were still fresher than myself. I would have to strike them down quickly if I wanted victory.

With a final buck, the hinges of the door gave way and it fell to the floor with a loud crash. Red Steel whirled around, readying her warhammer as she darted into the room. I more cautiously peered my head around the doorway to take in the environment.

Inside was a large chamber that took up most of the upper section of the fortress. All about the room were the instruments of a magical workroom—though most of the equipment looked like it belonged to a primitive hedge-mage. Shelves lined the walls covered with jars, herbs, and the remains of a variety of creatures. A rune-engraved copper circle laid in one corner of the room while a cauldron predominated another, and a trio of tables with a variety of crude magical tools sat about the room.

The tree that had grown up through the structure dominated the center. Starlight coming in through the punctured ceiling helped light the room. The tree itself was an ancient thing, gnarled with age, and bramble vines ran along its length. Various gems, small idols, and items whose immediate purposes were not readily apparent to me hung from the branches with string. Numerous runes had been carved into the tree’s bark, all interwoven and laid out in a complex pattern that would have required study on my part to understand. Green lines of energy ran through those runes. Following the flow of the energy, I saw that they concentrated at one point: a black gem set in an indentation carved into the tree.

The gem was so dark that it seemed to suck the very light out of the air. It was held in place by brambles, quiet but creating a sense of foreboding that defied its outward tranquility. An aura of magic drifted around it, and it thrummed with energy like a beating heart as it absorbed the life energy being fed into it. I recognized it for what it was.

The hags’ third eye.

In the tomes I had read, some of which were within the Sealed Repository itself, it was written that a coven of hags could create a special gem that amplified their power and granted abilities far beyond what any one of them could do alone. The exact powers granted by a third eye are a topic of speculation by magi and scholars, ranging from clairvoyance and the ability to possess animals, to the power to contact forbidden entities. All that was agreed upon was that it was indeed an object of dire power, and feeling the terrible magical energies coming off of it myself, I agreed.

And the hags were feeding it the life energy of an entire village of ponies. Were they using the life energies of the ponies ensnared by their ritual to empower their third eye? That seemed like the most likely answer, given the circumstances.

“Grandmother Carrot!” Red Steel roared.

The shout pulled me away from my speculations. I had become so enraptured by its magnificence that I had lost sense of what was about me. I carefully trotted into the room to stand behind Red Steel, granting me better sight of what lay on the other side of the room. Much of the far wall had collapsed, leaving a large gap that was only blocked by crumpling stone and a railing that had been installed after the degradation.

There sat Grandmother Carrot on a cushion, her back to us as she looked out at the fog-shrouded valley. On one of her flanks stood Carrot Slice, glowering at the two of us as she stood watch over her matriarch. Standing at her other flank was something else entirely: a golem. One made of clay, with patches of rune-engraved bark dotting its surface, and bramble vines running throughout its body. It vaguely held the shape of a pony, as though a young child’s creation, but was half again as large as any stallion I had ever seen.

I see why Red Steel had stopped her charge. The golem itself was something to consider carefully, much less its masters. It was good to see her thinking the situation through, mayhaps buying herself time to come up with a tactic to win the day.

Grandmother Carrot turned her head to look at the two of us out of the corner of her eye. Her mouth creased into a mocking smile. “Yes, dearie?”

Red Steel’s muscles tensed, making her look like she would run forward at a moment’s notice. “Stand up and face me so that I can bash your skull in like a warrior!”

Or mayhaps Red Steel was far too honorable with a wholly dishonorable enemy. Troubling. I worked to analyze the situation, seeking the best options available. The golem was an unwelcome complication to dealing with the hags. They needed to die first, for their spells could easily be our doom. It was a shame that the golem was probably going to charge us the second we attacked. It seemed I would have to trust in Red Steel to stop the golem long enough for me to deal with Grandmother Carrot and Carrot Slice.

Grandmother Carrot chuckled, a low, condescending sound. “You were always such an angry little thing, Red. ‘Tis almost endearing, in a way.”

Red Steel grasped her warhammer all the harder. “See how endearing my hammer is!” She dashed forward, readying her warhammer to swing.

Sensing something wrong as the hags’ smile grew all the wider, I attempted to warn her. “Red, no! Stop!”

Red Steel swung her warhammer at the golem’s head, but instead of smashing the thing’s head to pieces, it passed through effortlessly, only creating ripples as though she were running her warhammer through water. Stumbling forward due to the lack of contact, Red Steel tried to regain her balance as the illusion dissipated around her. Then the world turned white as an overwhelming wave of pain struck me.

I found myself on the floor when I regained my senses. My ears rang with pain, and I hastily tried to blink the spots out of my vision. Through my dulled senses, I saw Red Steel was also lying on the floor. I tried to collect myself to do ... something. I was still in danger, but I could not recall from where or only vaguely against what. What had struck me down? I did not feel injured, but the pain I had felt should only have come from a grievous injury.

The ringing in my ears abated, and I heard Grandmother Carrot’s menacing chuckles. Turning my head, I saw the veil around Grandmother Carrot and her companions fade. She was holding up a hoof which crackled with magic. It must have been a pain spell she had cast upon us, an echo in the back of my mind realized. Grandmother Carrot had laid a simple trap for us, and in our haste we had fallen into it.

Knowing I was in mortal peril, I fought against the pain to stand and defend myself.

I was woefully slow in doing so. The golem charged me as soon as I was halfway to my hooves. A half-formed spell was cut off when the golem slammed into me like a battering ram. Its unyielding mass easily picked me off my hooves and sent me flying. I hit the stone floor a couple seconds later with a painful jolt and was sent rolling.

All I could do was lie there and gasp for breath. I knew I needed to get up, defend myself, fight for my very life—but my whole body was a cacophony of pain. Everything was screaming for my attention but only served to paralyze me in place.

I only vaguely noticed the golem's heavy hoofsteps approaching me. It leant down to place a foreleg against the base of my neck and then pushed my head roughly against the floor—resulting in more stars filling my vision. I felt the golem's other foreleg press painfully against my ribs to pin me in place.

Pure primal instinct drove me to draw upon my magic. Grandmother Carrot stepped up to me and kicked my horn, causing another spasm of pain as the magical backlash ran through me like a lightning bolt.

"None of that now," the hag chided. "You have lost. Accept it already." Seeing that I was safely pinned to the floor and unable to fight back, she waved at Red Steel. “Slice, hold our dear blacksmith down."

Carrot Slice held up a hoof and black bars of energy appeared to hold Red Steel down. "We should go ahead and kill them," she said without a hint of pity her in voice. "We do not need them."

"Slice, you need to learn how to not waste perfectly good opportunities," Grandmother Carrot chided. "No need to kill either of them quite yet. ‘Twould be a shame to waste Red's perfectly good ephor’s blood.” She licked her lips. “Aye, I can think of many uses for such a thing.”

Carrot Slice narrowed her eyes but finally nodded. “Aye, Grandmother.” Red Steel started to groan and shifted to struggle against her bonds, though it was a sluggish movement. She must have taken more of the brunt of the hags’ assault than I had, or my training to fight such spells left me in a better position to recover. Either way, she did not seem like she was ready for a fight.

Grandmother Carrot turned back to me. "Now then, that leaves the question of what to do with you, Magus."

I narrowed my eyes at her as best I could from my current position. "I believe the normal custom of warlocks such as yourself is to ritually sacrifice any magi you happen to capture." The situation had become most dire. Both Red Steel and I were now at the hags' mercy, of which there was none, and our options were few. Our best hope was that our compatriots would come and save us or wait for some opportunity to make itself available. I needed to keep Grandmother Carrot talking. Words were a poor weapon against an enemy such as this, but they were the only one I currently possessed.

Grandmother Carrot smiled, looking pleased with herself. "That is one option, but not my first choice. Neigh, Ah have a better idea." She walked over to a spot where I could more easily see her. "Instead of dying in some backwoods town, how about you join mah coven?"

That caused me to blink in surprise. "I am thine enemy. Why wouldst thou offer such a thing?"

Red Steel struggled vigorously against her bonds. “Tell that whorse she can shove her—” Grandmother Carrot made a casual wave of her hoof and a silence spell descended over Red Steel. It seemed she wanted to keep this discussion between the two of us.

Grandmother Carrot gave me a vicious grin. "In case you have not noticed, my coven is a bit thinner than when we started this little dance. With Butter and Juice dead, we can no longer use our third eye at its full power. Which is a shame, considering Ah am about to sacrifice the entire town here in a little bit to give my third eye more power than it has ever had before." She tsked as she shook her head. "So if Ah am going to make all this worthwhile, Ah am going need a third member to my coven, and you would serve very nicely. Ah would not have to train you how to use your magic, and you have more potential than you have even begun to realize.”

“And then what?” I asked, trying to keep her talking as I desperately tried to think what options might be available to me. “After what thou hast done here, the Royal Guard will hunt thee down and anyone working with thee.”

Grandmother Carrot chuckled. “Oh, but Ah doubt they will ever find me. Ah hardly plan on staying in Appleton after Ah have consumed everypony. Neigh, Ah think ‘tis time for me to take my show on the road. Ah was thinking of going to Manehattan or Fillydelphia, or maybe even Baltimare. Ah hear that city is growing, and nopony would take note of a nice, elderly mare joining their number.” She grinned, and I saw nothing but evil intentions behind it. “With the new power granted to mah third eye, there are no limits to what we could do. Ah could do what Ah have done in Appleton on a much grander scale, and nopony would suspect a thing.”

Her grin became all the wider. "And you could be a part of it. You could do whatever you wanted without anypony telling you no. No more restrictions, no more laws, you would be above all of that. If you want something, you just take it. 'Tis quite liberating, Ah assure you."

“Looking for your own manor?” I asked in a mocking tone, ignoring her temptations. Such things held little power over me considering I already possessed much of the wealth and comforts I desired. (1)

1. It is certainly true that Midnight was quite affluent by the standards of her days. Due to her stipend as a magus and the investments of her mother over the years, Midnight had an income short only that of wealthy nobles and the most affluent merchants.

“Among other things,” she acknowledged. “And there are so many opportunities in a big city that you would not have in a small place like Appleton. Here ponies notice if somepony goes missing and make a big hoopla ‘bout it. But in a big place like Manehattan where everypony barely knows one another? Well...” she trailed off, letting more than one vile idea hang in the air.

I could well imagine the evils she could commit in one of the great cities of Equestria. With the ability to shift her form among the masses and even greater black magic at her disposal, she would become a nightmare for anypony seeking justice to find and stop her. Who could say how many would die before it came to an end?

But what could I do? Die pointlessly right here? With every passing moment that seemed like the most likely thing to happen. Unless I took her offer...

Could I do such a thing? I did not wish to die. There was so much I wanted to do with my life. What purpose would dying here serve? None that I could see other than to serve lofty things like principles and morals—things that would serve me little good when I was being served out of Grandmother Carrot’s cooking pot. Granted, there would be the problem that I knew Grandmother Carrot and her fellow hags were untrustworthy allies at best, and most likely outright treacherous.

Then inspiration hit me—a small light of hope in the darkness, and I seized it for all it was worth lest I lose it. “I see a problem with thy proposal,” I told Grandmother Carrot.

“Oh?” Grandmother Carrot’s smile lost its mirth.

I carefully weighed my words. “For one, I cannot help but think that thou didst send Apple Butter and Carrot Juice to their deaths. Thou couldst have sent more of your number to hunt me and my companions or harbored thy strength here where thou wert performing thy ritual. We would have had to come here to stop thee, and thou wert planning on leaving Appleton anyway once done. But thou didst only send Apple Butter.”

“True, Ah could have.” Grandmother Carrot made an indifferent shrug. “But Butter was proving too much hassle to manage. Always such a firebrand. She would have been nothing but trouble when we went to the city. I had hoped, though, she would have killed more of you, if not all of you.”

I had enough insight into her thinking to be able to understand her tactics. “Thou didst plan on killing the victor of that battle either way, much like how you planned on slaying whoever survived the fight between me and Carrot Juice. Either we would kill a threat to your leadership, or she would exhaust herself in the effort. No matter the outcome, you would be the winner.”

That comment caused Carrot Slice to scowl at her grandmother. Good, she did not enjoy the knowledge that her mother had been sent to her death.

Grandmother Carrot hummed to herself. “That is true.” She let out an annoyed huff. “Juice was too ambitious for her own good. She had so much power and potential, but she sought to overthrow me once she had learned enough. Ah could see the jealousy in her eyes. Really, Ah had no other choice but to kill her. At least this way her death did at least a little bit of good.”

I noted Carrot Slice as she ground one of her hooves against the floor.

Grandmother Carrot stroked my mane in a loving manner, and I had to bring my will to bear not to flinch at the touch. “But that hardly needs to happen to you, my dear. You be loyal to me, and Ah will be the same with you. We could rule a city together. You have the talent, but you need a bit of seasoning and teaching, is all. And Ah will not be around forever. Someone will need to take over after Ah have passed.”

I doubted Grandmother Carrot had any intention of passing away anytime soon. Hags had been reported to live for hundreds of years. (2) She was probably telling a bold faced lie to prod me to take her foul offer. An easy thing to do with a pony under pressure, such as myself.

2. This is still believed to be true by experts today, though we still aren’t exactly certain. Scholars have argued anything from three to five centuries, with Greensight the Eternal reportedly having lived for eight—though some have speculated that Greensight was in fact a series of hags all with the same name over a length of time. The issue is further complicated by the fact we don’t have much in the way of evidence of natural deaths for hags, considering 97% of recorded incidents of hags’ demises involve something like ‘killed by adventurers’ or ‘betrayed and eaten by their coven.’

I squirmed under the golem, working to try and find some wiggle room under the construct’s bulk. “That is one of my problems. I severely doubt thou wouldst everwillingly step down from thy position of leadership. In fact, thou hast done nothing but slay thy fellow hags whenever thou felt threatened by them.” I managed to shift my head enough so that I could meet Carrot Slice’s gaze. “Thou murdered thy master, slew thy sisters and consumed them, and I would bet every bit within my bank account that thou didst much the same with all thy previous disciples.” I looked into Carrot Slice’s orbs as she stared down at me, hanging onto my words. “Apple Butter and Carrot Juice were slain by thy design, and thou wouldst do the same to me. Just like how someday thou wilt someday slay thy own granddaughter, Carrot Slice.”

More than mere words passed between me and Carrot Slice as we stared into one another’s gazes, and I saw as realization dawn within her. Her eyes widened as she came to know within the very depths of her soul that her grandmother would try and kill her when she became a threat to her. I saw her mind work as that epiphany hit her, and her eyes narrowed as she discerned what she needed to do to preserve her own life.

That is the issue with true evil: it is inherently selfish, it cannot trust, and it seeks to dominate all around it. The desire for control so that one can benefit at the expense of others can only lead to conflict, especially when those others are of a similar mindset as you. Add in the willingness to kill in order to secure one’s position, and you have a poisonous relationship.

In such an environment, betrayal is almost inevitable.

Grandmother Carrot pursed her lips as she watched me staring at Carrot Slice, and then her eyes widened as she realized the true audience for my speech. She spun to face her granddaughter and started to raise her hoof as she brought her magic to bear.

Shame for Grandmother Carrot that Slice was already in the process of attacking while her back was turned. Green lightning struck out from Slice’s hoof and hit her grandmother square in the chest. She let out a howl of pain as she went into convulsions and fell to the ground.

Slice was upon her grandmother before she could recover from the attack, striking with a hoof that collided with Grandmother Carrot’s jaw and set her head colliding with the floor. Out for blood, Slice climbed on top of her and rained down a flurry of blows, screaming in rage the entire time. She knew that only doom awaited her should she fail to kill her grandmother, so she attacked with a relentless fury. The violence of the act did not even give Grandmother Carrot the opportunity to defend herself.

I had to wonder if Slice’s rage was at least partially driven by the death of her mother, or if her heart was too black for such things.

Either way, I did not have time to muse. With the hags distracted, I had bought myself a precious few moments by which to act. The binding spell holding Red down had been a sloppy thing, sufficient in strength to do as it was intended but bearing the marks of someone inexperienced in spellcraft. Compared to Grandmother Carrot's work, it was a trifle to rend the spell apart as I lashed out against it with my magic.

Her senses now recovered, it took but a moment for Red to realize that she was no longer bound, and she quickly rolled to her hooves, scooping up her hammer as she did so. Slice caught the movement out of the corner of her eye. She lifted her hoof as Red ran at her, the distance too great for the militia captain to close before she would get the spell off.

I telekinetically drew my mother's dagger from its sheath and tossed it at Slice. Sadly, the dagger buried itself into her foreleg, rather than her throat. Still, the blow threw off her aim and green lightning shot past Red.

Red let out a battle cry as she slammed her shoulder into Slice. Having all the muscle of a pony who spent long hours by the forge, Red knocked the slim young hag to the ground with a painful thud. Not missing a beat, Red braced herself and swung her warhammer with all her strength. The weapon collided with the golem's chest. Fragments of clay were sent flying from the force of the blow, and the golem was knocked clean off of me.

The golem staggered back as it tried to regain its footing, but Red struck it across the head. More shards of clay went flying as the construct's muzzle was shattered. It stumbled a couple more steps but regained its balance. Red had to cancel a third powerful swing as the golem charged her. She sidestepped the golem and took a swing at its rear leg as it ran past. Another chunk was broken off, but this blow lacked Red's full strength behind it and did not stagger the golem as before.

Against the pained groans of my body, I forced myself to my hooves with the intent of aiding Red. My plan to fight the golem was cut short when I saw Slice grasp my dagger in her teeth and yank it out of her leg. She let out a scream that caused her to drop the dagger into the puddle of her blood on the floor.

Blood poured from the cut, and Slice fixed me with a baleful glare. “Ah am goin’ to kill you!” she screamed at me. She gathered her magic and lashed out at me with more of her green lightning.

I fought through a flash of pain that shot down my horn as I channeled magic through it and threw up a shield in time to intercept the attack. The two magic forces collided and destroyed one another in an explosion of sparks. I began to cast a counter attack when Slice ran through the dissipating sparks and tackled me to the floor.

She landed on top of me, and it was all I could do to put my forelegs up to block the wild punches she threw at me. My legs stung as they were struck repeatedly, and I felt a wetness build on my legs—though if it was from my blood or Slice’s, I could not tell. A couple blows managed to work their way through my guard to strike me on the face, making more stars dance over my vision, but I kept my guard up out of desperation. I struggled to try and move out from under her, but Slice’s fury was once born out of madness. Her face was white with strain as she glared down at me with wide and wild eyes.

Slice forced my legs out of the way and shoved one of her legs against my throat to cut off my airway. I tried to push back against her, but she had leverage against me. I felt panic seize me as my lungs started to burn, causing me to thrash wildly. I struck Slice in the face, splitting her lip, but that only caused her to press harder against my throat. In desperation, I tried to cast a spell, but was stopped when Slice struck my horn, droplets from her wounded leg splashing onto my face.

My lungs felt like they were going to burst as they desperately cried for air, and my head grew fuzzy. I continued to struggle, but it was all in vain. I knew I was going to die as the world started going black, and with my death the hags would likely win the day.

Then the weight against my throat lifted and I felt Carrot Slice fall listlessly to my side. On reflex, I drew in a deep breath of air. The sudden inhalation caused me to cough and I had to take several moments to gather myself before I could take in what happened.

Slice lied next to me, her eyes wide with fear and confusion. A pool of her life’s blood grew where it poured from her leg. “Wh-wha...” She tried to speak but she could not form the words with her mouth.

Examining the sight before me, I guessed the cause of her sudden collapse. “Thou hast kill thyself, warlock,” I rasped, pointing at her wound. “‘Twas a mistake to remove my dagger from thy wound, for the median artery had been cut. ‘Tis only now that thy body realizes that its time has come to an end.”

“N-no...” Slice managed to squeak out. She looked pathetic, I thought, pitiful even. Yet she had aided her kin in the murders that had plagued Appleton. Still, I had to wonder how much choice she had in the matter. Not that it mattered at his juncture.

Her body went into convulsions as it started its death rattle. Her eyes pleaded with me to do something. I did nothing. Then her movements stopped, and I saw the light go out of her eyes.

I had always wondered if that happened when somepony died. Now I knew.

The sound of Red Steel’s warhammer hitting clay drew me out of my reverie. She was still in her battle dance with the golem, constantly circling around the golem to avoid its charges and wide blows and answering back with her own quick strikes that chipped off more chunks of clay. The problem was that none of the quick blows were slowing down the golem or doing enough damage to bring the battle to an end quickly. The golem knew not of fear, pain, or fatigue, while Red was breathing heavily from her constant movements.

It would take one of Red’s heavier blows to stand a chance of destroying the golem, but the golem was deceptively fast and always on the attack. Taking the time for such a smite would leave her open, and it would take but one blow from the golem to decide the battle.

Thus it was left to me—wounded, sick, and tired to the bone, my magical reserves near exhausted—to turn the tide. It would have to do.

I pushed myself back to my hooves, staggering in place as my vision swam. I shook my head and concentrated as I took in my environment. I could not fight the golem directly, and I did not have enough magic left to strike it down. I needed another plan.

Grasping one of the shelves with my telekinesis, I picked it up and levitated it next to me. I waited for Red to step dodge aside one of the golem’s blows, before charging the golem with my shelf, yelling. There was a crack of breaking wood when the shelf collided with the golem, and I kept pushing. The golem slid along the floor as I pushed it along towards the large opening in the wall. The golem’s hooves tried to regain their footing, but I had the momentum on my side and the sturdy earth pony shelf held together. My horn screamed in pain and sparked violently, but I kept on the pressure despite it all.

We continued until the golem hit the guard railing. It cracked from the force being applied to it, but did not break. The golem slammed its hooves onto the floor and widened its stance. I pushed with everything I had left, but the golem would not budge. With nothing else left to me, I threw myself against the shelf to add my weight to the push, to little effect.

The golem slowly turned the broken remains of its face towards me, and I had a bad premonition about what was about to happen to me.

“Magus, down!” Red bid me.

I fell to the floor, guessing at her intentions.

Red’s warhammer swung over my head and hit the golem squarely. The railing broke with a crack, and the golem tumbled out into the fog. It fell out of sight, and I heard a dull thud barely a moment later.

I breathed heavily as I used the shelf to help myself up. “I hope that fall destroyed the golem. I do not wish to fight it anew should it get up and make its way back up here.”

Red Steel looked out over the ledge. “I do not think it will be—”

Whatever she said was cut off when my world exploded into pain.

“Midnight!” I heard Red scream, though it felt like a world away.

I was on the floor when I came back to my senses. My whole body felt numb and did not respond to my commands, though if it were due to injury or my body simply being pushed past its limits I could not say. Red was standing protectively over me and was glaring in the direction of the great tree. I followed her gaze and saw a sight that I could only half believe.

Grandmother Carrot was leaning against the tree, her deep breaths ragged as she struggled to remain on her hooves. Her face was a mangled thing; bruised and badly swollen, she could not even see out of one of her eyes. Her scalp had been cut by one of Slice’s blows and had created a crimson mask. She was holding a hoof in our direction and the black orb that was her third eye floated before her.

She must have crawled her way over to the tree while the rest of us had been distracted by the battle. I had been sloppy. My fatigue had caused me to lower my guard and I had not bothered to check on Grandmother Carrot’s condition as soon as the golem had been dealt with. That had been all the opportunity she had needed to strike me down while my back was turned.

Grandmother Carrot wiped at her eyes, smearing the blood covering her face. “You vicious little bitch. Turning mah own granddaughter against me.” She glanced over at Slice’s corpse. “At least she got what she deserved. And soon so will both of you. Ah think Ah am tired of playing games.”

Red Steel stepped out in front of me. “This ends now,” she said, nothing but iron in her voice. “You are not hurting anypony else.”

“Oh, Ah disagree.” Grandmother Carrot leveled the third eye at Red Steel and it cracked with energy. “Ah think Ah am goin’ to hurt you a lot.”

Red Steel charged the hag, but was stopped short when a flash of green lightning struck her. She ground her teeth and gave Grandmother Carrot a savage grin. “That all you have?” She charged again, closing half the distance between them before she was stopped again by more green lightning.

I desired more than anything to aid Red, but I could not. My body would not respond and I could not even raise a hoof in my own defense, much less that of others. The freezing river of magic that was my birthright had also been cut off from me. My horn only ached dully as I tried to cast a spell—any spell that could aid my ally. All I could do was watch on helplessly as the fate of Appleton played out before me.

Grandmother Carrot grit her teeth, strain clear on her face. “Just die already!” She blasted Red with the third eye, but Red held her ground, spreading her stance to stay on her hooves.

When the magical assaulted ended, Red continued forward at a slow, steady pace. “I told you, this ends now, you fiend!”

As Red stalked to within a few paces of her, Grandmother Carrot struck her with another blast of magic. She shrunk back away from Red when that failed to smite her down. “S-stay away from me!” The third eye trembled within her hold as she tried to cast another spell.

“I am a warrior of Pegasopolis!” Red closed the final few steps between her and the warlock, her footing shaky as she did so. “Blood and steel, I will not fall!”

She made a sweeping strike with her hoof and hit the third eye, knocking it from Grandmother Carrot’s magic grip. The third eye smashed into the ground and broke into a dozen shards. The explosion overwhelmed my senses with light and sound. All I could do was close my eyes and cover them with a leg as the blinding light assaulted me.

For a long moment I worried I had been blinded by the explosion, or even for a fearful second, thought I might have died and been sent to whatever waited in the hereafter. But slowly my vision returned to me, and I blinked to clear my sight.

What lay before me was a scene of ruin. The great tree was now on fire, as red, orange, and green flames licked through the runes carved into the bark and up into its foliage.

Grandmother Carrot lay at the base of the tree. Her body was charred and blackened, and no hair remained on it that I could see. She was not a whole being anymore, having been shredded by the explosion. One of her legs was only attached by the barest strips of flesh.

Red Steel lay a few paces away from the hag, having been blown back by the blast.

She was no longer among the living.

All I could do was stare at the sight before me. Was it over? Just like that, had the struggle for the fate of Appleton come at an end? I was not quite sure what to make of it all.

Then Grandmother Carrot made a ragged gasp. Her eye opened, though it saw nothing.

“How art thou not dead!?” I demanded. What type of evil constitution did this foul creature have? Was she merely too stubborn to let death take her?

The warlock took a few more pained breaths before she finally spoke in a raspy, broken voice. “R-ruined... You ruined... Y-your fault.” The effort caused her to hack and blood frothed onto her lips.

“Wilt thou die already?!” This was becoming a pathetic affair. I could barely even move, while it should not even have been possible for Grandmother Carrot to be alive. “Must I crawl over there and slit thy throat myself? Cut off thy head? Drag thee to a fire to cremate thee and finally put thy evil to an end?”

“A-Ah could have ... could have b-been great.” Grandmother Carrot gasped, struggling to hold onto her tenuous grasp on life. “D-damn you.” She coughed some more before she recomposed herself. “Y-you think y-you have won? A-Ah will h-have something ... you will n-never have.”

I felt her draw forth what remained of her magic—and then more. I felt a void in my stomach as I watched her pour her very lifeforce into her last spell: a death curse. With her last action in this world, she was going to spite me and there was nothing I could do.

Her magic flew forth and washed over me, an oily thing that made my coat stand on end. “May you never dance with the one you love.”

And with her last act being one to bring more pain into the world, she died.

I could not help but stare dumbly at the corpse before me. In that moment of dread I had thought Grandmother Carrot would smite me down, but instead she had taken a different route with her death curse. Maybe she no longer had the power to slay me outright, being as near to death as she must have been. Another possibility is that she had intentionally struck out in a way to wound me for life.

A disquieting thought descended over me as I thought over her words. Had she just cursed me to never find a pony to love? It made a certain sense. Trying to gain the attention of the pony she loved had driven her to walk the dark path she had. For a creature that had fallen so far to make somepony love her, what worse curse could there be than to not have the one you loved?

The chuckle developed in the back of my throat. It built and built as I looked around the room. The bodies of Grandmother Carrot, Carrot Slice, and Red Steel surrounded me, and victory was mine. The chuckle exploded into an uproarious laughter. There was no restraint in the laugh. I was so tired. My throat was raw and tears ran down my cheeks, but I could not stop. All about me was death, fire, blood, and ruin, and I laughed.

I do not know how long I laughed before Gale and Stalwart came flying in through the opening in the wall. Each was pushing along a raincloud they used to put the fires out around me. The fire dealt with, the two of them looked at the scene around them, and then at each other. They silently nodded to one another. Gale lifted me up onto her back while Stalwart did the same with Red Steel’s remains.

They took flight, and we left the fortress. Looking about, I noted that the fog had dissipated. Down below I saw ponies stirring and milling about. The ritual had been disrupted in time and its power over the ponies of Appleton had been broken.

I had obtained victory over the hags, and nothing could have tasted so bitter.

My work done and feeling beyond weary, I let the darkness take me.

Author's Note

I would like to thank Chengar Qordath, Comma-Kazie, and JakeTheGinger for all their help in editing Midnight's Shadow.
Then I would also like to thank all my great prereaders Web of Hope, Cryosite, Swiftest, Infinion, Rodinga, 621Chopsuey, Novus Draconis, and Incidental Pegasus No. 5.

Midnight Begins: Chapter 13

Midnight’s Shadow

Midnight Begins: Chapter 13

I woke with a cough that made me worry I was going to hack my lungs up. It took some time for me to return moisture to my parched throat. The light of day momentarily blinded me when I opened my crust-filled eyes, and it took a moment to take in my surroundings.

I recognized the interior of Red Steel's cottage and smithy from my brief visit there the previous night. The militia captain had a spartan taste, probably born out her pegasi heritage, and the Striker Clan had been known to be austere even by the standards of the other clans. I could not see an object in her bedroom that did not have some utilitarian purpose. Even her furniture lacked the decoration and sense of warmth typical of most earth pony homes I had seen. Only the large bed with its soft mattress was a concession to comfort. I had heard that pegasi used to sleeping on clouds had trouble resting on the relatively firm mattresses.

Sitting next to the bed was Gale while Stalwart stood vigil by the doorway. Gale placed a gentle hoof on my shoulder and asked, "Midnight, art thou awake?"

I opened my mouth to speak but was instead overwhelmed by another cough.

Gale picked up a canteen and held it up to my mouth. I drank slowly, not wanting to cough the water right back into Gale’s face.

“Better?” Gale asked after I had a few gulps.

“Aye, a little.” I cleared my throat and took the canteen. My throat no longer felt as parched, but it was still very much sore. I noticed that my body was dotted with bandages from the various injuries I had suffered the previous night. No single injury was a concern, but all together they did make for something of a dreadful sight.

I briefly wondered why I was sleeping in Red Steel’s home. Vague recollections remarked that I had been lodging within in the mayor’s home. Then came the memories of my accidently burning down her house and of the battle surrounding the incident. Then I remembered the rest of that terrible night. My ears wilted as I realized I was sleeping in a dead mare’s bed. Something about that felt profane in character.

Stalwart took a quick glance out the bedroom window before addressing me. “Are you well, milady?”

I took another quick sip of the canteen. “I wished to asked the same of you.” I tried to make my words humorous, but my heart took the mirth from the attempt.

Gale rubbed at my shoulders. The familiar touch made me relax a bit. “We are all well. A few bruises and cuts here and there, but otherwise fine.”

“What happened after we were separated?” I asked.

Stalwart rummaged through his saddlebags and produced a bag filled with trail rations for me. “Not long after the passageway closed, the trees broke through the gate. We withdrew further into the fortress in order to escape them, and hopefully find another way to you.”

“Considering thou didst not find me until after our battle with the hags, I take it that plan did not go ... as planned?” I finished lamely. I was still too tired to be witty. Instead I took the trail rations and popped some of the dried fruit into my mouth. I was not very hungry, but I knew it had been some time since I had last eaten. Perhaps eating a little bit would revive my appetite.

Gale shook her head. “Neigh. The hags closed the other doorways to the room we entered, trapping us inside. We were just lucky that the one doorway left open to us was too small for those trees to easily follow us.” She gave me a grin with a savage edge to it. “They all ended up stuck in the gatehouse with one another trying to get to us. Seeing an opportunity, I used the rest of Butter’s alchemical fire on them, and set the whole room of them alight. It became a bit warm, but we survived.”

“The golems were a bit more difficult to destroy.” Stalwart rolled his shoulder stiffly. “But we managed in the end.”

“That is good then.” It took me a few moments to summon the courage to ask my next question. “And the townsfolk?”

“The vast majority are accounted for.” Gale sat back and her tone became more subdued. “Though not everypony. We think most of the ponies still missing, seven all told, were probably sacrifices used by the hags. Another pony was also killed along the trail by a mountain cat on the way to hags’ fortress.”

“Oh...” I fiddled with the bag of trail rations. How many ponies had died because of the selfishness of one pony over the years? I did not think we would ever find out the whole number. Grandmother Carrot had shown no regard for the sanctity of life and her treatment of others reflected that.

“Midnight.” Gale wrapped a leg around my shoulders and pulled my head to her breast. “Many ponies are alive because of thee.”

“But not Red Steel,” I said bitterly.

Gale winced at that.

I sighed, it had not been my intention to hurt Gale. She had seemed close to Red Steel, though I knew not all the nuances of their relationship. “I wish to see her.”

Gale nodded and offered me a hoof. “She is at the courthouse.”

I took her hoof and stood up from the bed. Severe vertigo hit me when I did so and Stalwart grabbed me to keep me from falling.

“Are you sure you are ready to walk, milady?” Stalwart asked with great concern. My poor bodyguard had been put through much on my account the past few days. Too much, really. I really needed to reward him later when I had the opportunity.

“Aye, just a brief bout of dizziness is all,” I assured him. “Some walking and fresh air should be good for me.” I cough and cleared my throat. “And I wish to...”

“Say goodbye?” Gale offered, her own spirits diminished.

“Aye, that.” I waved for Stalwart to let me go and made my way to the front door.

Gale opened the door for me and lead the way. “We shall take thee to her. Thou canst say whatever words you wish to her there.”

The three of us walk towards the courthouse. My legs ached as we walked. Though the sun was high in the sky by the time I had finally awoken, it felt as though I could have crawled right back into bed and slept straight through the rest of the day and into the night. Thankfully the courthouse was not far from Red Steel’s home.

We were within sight of the building when Gale spoke in a reluctant tone to me. “Did she die well?”

I could hear a hint of desperation in Gale’s voice, and readily saw what she wanted. She needed to know that Red Steel’s death had been worthwhile. The question is what I would tell her; looking back at the battle, I had made so many mistakes, and Red Steel more than a few herself. If she had but struck Grandmother Carrot instead of her third eye, or if I had not been so weak to be unable to aid her at the end she might be alive this day. But that is not what happened, and Red Steel was dead.

Still, my friend sought comfort, and it was poor manners to speak ill of the dead. Especially after Red Steel had given her life to bring the threat to her town to an end. I chose my words carefully. “She fatally wounded Grandmother Carrot ere she fell. She died very bravely in battle.”

Gale made a grim nod, satisfied with my answer. “As good a death as any warrior can hope for, then,” she sighed.

“Aye, I suppose so.” I climbed the courthouse steps, feeling a painful twinge in my knee as we climbed the steps. “Though I wish I could have saved her life.”

Gale’s gaze dropped to the steps as she kept pace with me. “As do I. She may have found a good death, but I would have much preferred a good life for her.”

I opened the door and ushered Gale inside. “It seems life had been far too cruel to her.” Crippled by her brother, her clan and all of Pegasopolis destroyed, the great disharmony between her neighbors, the murders in Appleton happening right under her nose, and now even her very life had been stolen from her. She had been too young for all of that to be leveled on her.

“Aye. She suffered far too much.” I sensed the guilt in Gale’s words. She had brought Red Steel to the earth ponies to live a life of peace, and instead it had been one filled with hardship and pain. And in the end, her death.

Stalwart took a position by the doorway. “I will stand guard here, miladies.” It was clear that he wanted to give us space to talk, something for which I was grateful.

“Thank you, Sergeant.” I entered the courthouse and took in the sight before me. Flowers had been gathered and placed around the interior of the building. A casket had been placed at the far end of the room. It was closed, though I knew Red Steel must be lying inside. It would not be an open casket funeral, as the manner of her death would not allow for it. Incense burners were alight on either side of the casket, though it if was to deal with any smells that might come from the casket or because of some earth pony custom, I did not know.

The two of us stopped short of the casket, neither one of us wanting to get too close too quickly. We stared at the casket for a long while. It was a plain thing, without any of the decoration that I was accustomed to in Canterlot. Certainly not what I thought Red Steel deserved to be buried in, but was probably all the earth ponies of Appleton could make for their dead, either because of poverty, lack of skill, or due to so many needing burying in swift order. Whatever the case might be, the poor arrangements I saw before me did not sit well with me. (1)

1. It should perhaps mentioned that due to the disparity of wealth between the ponies of a city Canterlot and a poor rural settlement like Appleton, Midnight's views might be a bit skewed on this matter. The average yearly income of a Canterlot blacksmith was usually about four to five times what their Appleachian cousins could earn.

"Did she never try and join the Guard?" I asked. "Even if she did not have wings, she still had skills the Guard could have used. I have seen Guard blacksmiths attending to the army's needs."

Gale sighed as she sat next to the coffin. "She was of two minds about military service. And ... I think she feared she would be known in the Guard. In this small town, nopony need e'er know she was naught but another earth pony. That, and she did not wish to serve under the pony who slew her father."

I could understand the latter reason readily enough. I would be greatly wroth with anypony who slew my mother. Likely I would go forth, find that pony, and then bring a bloody vengeance down upon her head. Though the former reason for Red Steel's self-imposed exile was another question.

"She did not wish for anypony to know who she was?" I sat down next to Gale and pressed my side to hers. "Was her shame so great that she wished for nopony to know who she was?"

"She thought it best that Swiftwing Striker died with her family." Gale placed a hoof on the casket and gave it a forlorn look. "A fresh start on her own terms, rather than living under the legacy of her mutilation and a traitor family."

That caused me to grunt in acknowledgement. "I think I can understand that. I know how difficult it can be living under my mother's infamy."

Gale hummed in agreement. "And for all her numerous faults, your mother is at least loyal to the realm and never mutilated you."

I found myself fidgeting by straightening some of the flowers. "Aye, I could not imagine her doing something as horrid as cutting off my horn." What could have driven a young stallion to do such a thing to his own flesh and blood? Had Steel Striker's education of his son been so wanting? It seemed that it would be up to scholars to debate and decide for themselves. (2)

2. Indeed the reason for Swiftwing/Red Steel's mutilation has been no small subject of controversy among historians. Reasons cited for the incident have included it just being a horrible mistake by a young stallion, to it being a cultural issue with Pegasopolis drawing from its ancient past, and Hammer Striker preemptively removing a competitor to him becoming paterfamilias for the Striker Clan while he could still overpower his younger sister. The truth of the incident that led to the Lunar Rebellion will likely never be known, considering Hammer was forced to commit suicide shortly after the incident.

Gale closed her eyes and rested her forehead on the casket. “Should I bury her in the way of Old Pegasopolis?”

“I think that is how she would have wanted it.” While Red Steel might have been denied her birthright in life, I thought it appropriate for her to have her honors in death. She had earned that much with her sacrifice. (3)

3. In the typical pattern of Pegasopolan austerity, pegasi were buried in a simple grave with a marker that only stated their name and “For Equestria.”

“Aye, and she was a fine warrior, who should be remembered with honor.” Gale’s shoulders slumped as though some burden weighed her down. “And if I repeat those words to myself enough times, perhaps they will dull the pain in my heart.”

I wrapped a leg around her shoulders and nuzzled her. “How well didst thou know her?”

Gale leaned against me and returned my nuzzle. “Well enough that her loss pains me.”

I had suspected something for quite some time now, and decided to confirm my suspicions. “Thou knewest she lived here before we left Canterlot.”

“I did,” she admitted. “I maintained a correspondence with her. 'Twas she who warned me of the dangers threatening her hometown.”

“I see.” I frowned as I contemplated that. Gale had said previously that Mayor Casserole had been the one to contact the government about the disappearances. Mayhaps it had been the both of them. One letter from the mayor to plead to the royal government and another more personal letter from one friend to another asking for badly needed assistance. "So why didst thou retrieve me to help in Appleton?"

Gale was slow in answering my question. "Many reasons. First and foremost, because the ponies of Appleton needed our help."

That much was obvious. Even discounting the hags we had not known about, we could hardly have allowed the earth ponies to descend into violence again. There had already been far too many deaths as a result of those blood feuds.

"What other reasons were there?" I asked.

"Second, to aid a friend in need," Gale said. "Third, because I wished to see thee on thy first quest." She continued when she saw my questioning look. "I have become too important to my mother to go on adventures anymore, Midnight. She needs me by her side. Frankly, Mother is coddling me by allowing me to come out to a remote village such as this to assist thee, and she made me promise that I would be diligent in my duties after this."

"I suppose that makes—" A violent hack overcame me, pulling me from my thoughts.

Gale rubbed at my back as I worked the coughs out. "Art thou in need of aid? We can return thee to bed if need be."

I let out a final back before speaking with a hoarse voice. "I admit, I worry what sort of disease Grandmother Carrot may have inflicted on me." I would have hoped some rest would make me feel better, but if anything I felt worse than I had the previous morning when I had woken, even discounting my various wounds from the night before. “We do seem to have inconvenienced ourselves by slaying all the healers in Appleton.”

"Whate'er it was, mayhaps it would be best if we took you back to Canterlot to recover?" Gale touched my forehead, and she frowned. "Thy fever is not improving. Mayhaps we should take thee back to see if a unicorn chirurgeon can heal thee with magic?"

“I would have thought that thou wouldst wish to wait until after Red Steel’s funeral,” I said.

Gale ran her hoof along the top of the coffin. “Aye, but I would not lose another friend if at all possible.” She let out a sigh. “The dead can wait until the living have been attended.” Wrapping a wing around me, she assisted me to my hooves. Something I was thankful for as the world swam from the sudden movement.

I felt guilty that my condition was taking us away from Red Steel’s funeral. Deep down, it felt like a betrayal of the mare who had given her life for so many, mine own included. But Gale was right, it would do no good to let me die of plague if my sickness was as terrible as we feared. I know I would not wish for anypony to die in such a way on my behalf.

“If thou art sure that thou dost not wish to stay,” I hedged. “Stalwart and I can go and leave thee behind.”

Gale shook her head. “Our travel will go much faster if there are two pegasi pulling the cart, and I would spend all my time fretting if I did not know that thou wert being attended to by a healer.”

“Thou art a good friend.” We headed towards the door when a bout of melancholy caused me to stop short. “Now that it is all over, I cannot help but feel at least partially a fool.”

“And why wouldst thou feel so?” she asked, squeezing me with her wing.

I leaned against her, feeling comfort as she held me. “I should have been ... better—at everything. I could have stopped the hags far sooner if I had been smarter, faster, stronger...” My ears wilted. “I feel the fool. A naive child seeing the world for the first time, but not understanding what she is seeing.”

“And if I were perfect and all powerful, I might have struck down the hags without sweat staining my brow,” she chastised me. “Do not judge thyself so harshly. Thou didst good work here, and against difficult odds. Nopony will fault thee for going up against a greater foe than anypony realized was here.”

“I suppose that is true.” Some part of me knew she spoke the truth, but I did not feel it in my heart.

“Midnight, listen.” Gale poked me in the nose to make sure she held my attention. “When one is given authority such as we are given, sooner or later, somepony will die because of a decision we make.” The look in Gale’s eye became touched with sorrow as she continued. “Many ponies have died because of orders I have given. Either because misfortune doomed them, because there was no choice but to accept casualties to achieve an objective, or ... because I made mistakes. All we can do is learn from our mistakes, honor the sacrifices of those that have fallen, and seek to do better next time.”

I was silent as I thought over Gale’s words. What she said was the truth, that I knew. One could hardly fault a general for suffering casualties in a war. Not when such things were inevitable, and it was little different when one hunted down warlocks or dangerous monsters. The best one could hope for was to end the threat quickly and decisively.

Nice words, but not terribly comforting at the moment as I glanced back at Red Steel’s coffin.

Gale followed my gaze and sighed. “Red made her own decisions, Midnight. She chose to help us, knowing what the consequences might be. Do not cheapen her death with thy thoughts.”

“I will not.” I lowered my head, feeling sufficiently chastised. “Still, I do not look forward to speaking to Mother about what has transpired here.”

Gale grunted and I felt her wing twitch. “If she so much as lays one hoof upon thee...”

I regretting bringing up the subject of my mother. This topic only caused me grief when discussed with Gale. “I can face Mother alone, Gale.”

“Thou canst, but thou needst not.” There was an edge to her tone I did not like. One that hinted at violence behind a carefully placed veil.

I found myself grinding my teeth and made myself stop. “She has not struck me since that day.”

Gale’s eyes narrowed. “Yet.”

I shrugged off Gale’s wing so that I could face her. “Couldst thou please end this feud with my mother? For a decade I have had to deal with it, and I am tired of having the burden of my friend and my mother sniping at one another at every opportunity.”

She brought herself to her full height to face me squarely. “She has more than earned my antipathy, and done nothing to deserve the love you show her.”

“She is my mother.” I was about to say more when a cough overcame me.

Gale waited for me to recover before she said, “She is hardly deserving of the term. She acts not as a proper mother should.”

“She is my sire and blood,” I insisted to her, feeling my choler rise. “She raised me, made sure I had want of nothing as a child, and she has been better to me than some parents I have heard of.”

She stood in silence for a long moment before she finally said, “But not so good as thou deservest.”

There was something about how she said those words that caused me to feel shame and lower my head and look away from her. It was no secret that my mother, while a superb politician and powerful archmagus, was found wanting as a parent. I knew this, I could hardly be so deaf as to not hear the infamous rumors surrounding her. Many of them were false, but I knew some to be true, and there were things she had done that I was sure few if any but myself knew about. I loved Mother, but her love is a difficult thing to find, sometimes. It was ever a pain upon my heart.

A long, painful silence lied between us. Whatever was in Gale’s mind, I could not perceive behind that stoic expression of hers. Mayhaps she regretted her words, or she knew her words had gone too far and did not press further. Either way, she kept her council.

“I would like to lie down,” I finally said, the quiet becoming too much for me. “I do not feel well.”

Gale nodded and leaned down. Before I could object, she lifted me onto her back, causing me to squawk in surprise.

“Gale! I think I can still walk!”

“Aye, but I can carry thee.” She opened the door and headed outside. “Thou art sick and should not exert thyself.”

I let out a grumble, knowing I would not win this argument. “Very well...” I was not looking forward to walking back to Red Steel’s home anyways. My knee still ached, and I was drained from illness.

Stalwart fell into place as we headed out of the courthouse. Apparently his ward being carried by the daughter of his commanding officer did not warrant a response from him. Either that or he knew better than to make any hint of what he thought of the matter. Probably a good habit to get into for a soldier.

We were halfway to Red Steel’s home when I felt compelled to speak. “I do not seek disharmony with thee, Gale. ‘Tis just...”

Gale gently shushed me, not losing a step. “I know, the last few days have been hard on thee, and ‘twould be unfair to expect thee to maintain a perfect continence after thy trials.”

“My thanks.” I did not expect we had seen the end of our troubles, especially when my mother was concerned, but at least I was confident every conversation would not result in an argument between us. That was something I did not think I could bear right then.

I did not wish to lose anypony else.

We were in the process of packing what of our possessions had survived the past few days into our cart when I saw a group of ponies approach us. I suppose I should not have been surprised by the fact that Mayor Carrot Casserole, Carrot Root, Subtle Song, and Silent Forest had sought me out before I left Appleton. It truth, it would have been rude of me to leave without speaking with them, and so fortune had smiled by bringing them to me.

Thankfully, none of them seemed to be injured in any significant way. Silent Forest was walking with a slight limp and Subtle Song had a painful looking bruise around her left eye, but otherwise they were hale in health. So were the ponies of Appleton now that I thought about it. Now that I was paying attention, the townponies had a subdued aura about them, but they were going about their business as normal and as though the events of the previous night had not happened. I was not sure what I had expected of them, but this all felt slightly queer to me. Mayhaps it was merely part of earth ponies' general desire to get on with their lives, whatever greater events try and shake their world.

"Leaving already?" asked Subtle Song, giving me an inviting smile.

Gale shot Subtle Song an unamused look. "Magus Midnight is feeling unwell, and so we are taking her to see a healer to treat her sickness."

Subtle Song pucker out her lips in a pout. "That is disappointing. I was hoping we could have spent more time together. We were getting along so well."

"Mayhaps our paths will cross again some day." That seemed like the polite thing to say.

Those words turned Subtle Song's pout into a smile. "I would like that. There is no reason my trail cannot lead back to Canterlot. I am sure we can be very good friends with one another."

Gale's mouth curved to form a disapproving frown. "Midnight is very busy with her studies and duties. Certainly too much for a wandering bard."

I wondered what it was about Subtle Song that made Gale so hostile to her. Thus far Subtle Song had been nothing but kind to us. "I am sure that—" I was cut off when Gale jabbed me in the ribs with a knee.

"She will be much too busy to see thee." Gale finished for me, even if those were not the words I was going to use, and the fact I was giving her an irritated look. "Also her mother would severely disapprove thy company. She takes her and her daughter's image very seriously. And sadly, Midnight is not likely to return to this area anytime soon."

Carrot Root let out a shocked gasp and lept from his mother's back to run to me. "What?! You will not be returning!?"

I winced as the child gave me the most pitiful look. It provoked a moment of weakness in me, but I steeled my resolve to tell the truth. "Aye, 'tis likely so. I am needed in Canterlot by my mother and Her Highness, and Appleton is far from there. It takes some time to get here by flight, and much longer by hoof." True, I had more magical means of travel, but I tended to reserve those for when speed is of great necessity due to the dangers of those methods.

"Oh..." Carrot Root's ears wilted.

Carrot Casserole placed a hoof on her son's shoulder. "The Magus is very busy, Root. She has to go and help other ponies like how she has helped us. ‘Tis what she does.”

“Okay.” Carrot Root scuffed his hoof along the ground.

“I will miss thee too, child,” I said, feeling sympathy for the colt. It was good to see that he was well after everything that had happened to him. At least I had done what was right where he was concerned. Well, except for one thing. “Though I must apologize for your home being destroyed.”

Carrot Casserole let out a sad sigh as she ran a hoof through her mane. “Aye, I am happy that my family and everypony else is safe, but being homeless is not something I desire.”

“I would hope that there is somepony willing to aid thee in thy time of need?” Gale asked sympathetically.

The Appleton Mayor nodded her head. “Aye, we are staying with family while we figure out exactly what to do.”

I considered in what ways I could assist my host during my stay in Appleton. “If we could get some paper I could get everything I need to fulfill a request with the government to get thee some relief funds for the destruction of thy home.” There was always some money set aside for ponies that had suffered some disaster, either due to weather, earthquake, monster attack, or other such things. Though such funds had been badly drained due to all the damage that had been done by the Lunar Rebellion and everything that had happened since the war ended. Still, I should do what I could for Carrot Casserole and her family after the role I had played in her home’s destruction.

“I would be most thankful,” Carrot Casserole said. “That would do much to help get us back on our hooves.”

Gale waved at Red Steel’s home. “There should be supplies inside that we can use. We can make what arrangements we need to before we leave.”

“That sounds like a plan to me,” I said. “Though I do apologize for having to leave so quickly.” The reason for me leaving was accentuated when I let out another rough hack.

Carrot Root embraced me with a hug when I finished hacking. “Thank you for helping me and my family and my friends and everypony else. I will miss you, Magus Midnight.”

I hugged him back. "Of course, child, 'twas my pleasure to help everypony." 'Twas perhaps generous to say it was my "pleasure" to do my duty in this instance, but 'twas something I would do again if I were called to do so.

To my consternation, Carrot Root shifted around within my hug as though displeased by my touch.

"Is something wrong, Root?" I asked.

He shifted around some more before finally looking up at me with a frown. "Um, my apologies, Magus, but your hugs are not very good."

I blinked when he said that. "My hugs are not satisfactory?"

Carrot Casserole cleared her throat and pulled her son away from me. "My apologies, it seems my son still needs some work to learn his manners."

"Neigh, one moment." I looked to Gale. "Gale, is it true that my hugs are found wanting?" Gale also shifted in place as she fell under my scrutiny. She opened her mouth to answer me, but I cut her off. "And do not lie to me to spare my feelings. I want the truth of it."

"They can be a bit ... inconsistent," Gale finally admitted.

"Inconsistent?" I asked incredulously. "What is that supposed to mean?"

Gale's wings twitched as though she wished to take flight. "Many of thy hugs are fine. Others ... could use some work."

I could barely believe what I was hearing. "My hugs are not desireable? Why did nopony tell me?" I turned to approach Stalwart. "Sergeant, hug me. I wish for another opinion on this."

Stalwart tried very hard to meet my gaze. "I do not think that would be appropriate, milady."

"Neigh? Why not?" I asked, stopping short of him. "Art thou saying that my hugs are that terrible?"

"Neigh, 'tis not that." Stalwart stood very rigid as he spoke very carefully and deliberately. "'Twould be inappropriate for a sergeant to hug a magus. Also, I am a married stallion. I do not think my wife would appreciate me hugging a mare she did not know."

"Very well then. I will not press thee further." Those seemed like logical enough reasons to reject my hugs, and I would not intentionally cause disharmony within Stalwart's home for this experiment. The problem is that I was left with few other options to test the quality of my hugs.

Subtle sauntered my direction. "I would be happy to hug you, Magus."

"Absolutely not," Gale immediately objected.

Subtle let out an annoyed huff. “You are most cruel.”

Gale only glared at Subtle. “Thy continued presence here serves no useful purpose, and is not desired. Be gone with thee, Subtle Song.”

“So terribly rude.” Subtle shot me a pleasant smile as she turned to leave. “We must speak again when thou art in better company, dear Midnight.”

I attempted to speak to give Subtle Song at least one polite word for helping us defeat the hags, but Gale put her hoof over my mouth and shook her head disapprovingly. I really was going to have to ask her why she disliked the bard with such vehemence. There were a number of things I could tolerate, but I did not like rudeness.

I shot her a look showing my own disapproval. That caused Gale to sigh, and speak softly to me. “I do not trust that one, and do not think she has thy best intentions at heart.”

My ear flicked with irritation. “I think I can judge that for myself, Gale.”

“I am only trying to protect thee.” Gale closed her eyes and rubbed at her brow. “Let us make our final goodbyes and put her behind us. We should not see her again anyways. Please, I would have this be behind us. I will make this up to thee later when we are back in Canterlot. I promise.”

Instead of arguing with Gale further, I turned to Silent Forest. “What of thee now that peace has been restored to Appleton?”

Silent Forest shrugged. “Wait for orders.”

As verbose as ever. Still, there were matters of propriety to attend to before I left.

“Then I wish thee well, Corporal,” I said. “My thanks for thy help here in Appleton. Thou art a credit to the Long Patrol.”

Silent Forest saluted me, and said a crisp. “Magus.”

Considering it seemed unlikely I would get anything more out of the patrolpony, I next turned to Mayor Casserole and Carrot Root. “And may you have better fortune now that you have been freed of the influence of those hags. If there is any more trouble, you know how to receive help.” I gave the two of them a friendly smile, but to my surprise, that seemed to cause Carrot Root to wince and flee behind his mother’s legs.

“Um, our sincerest thanks, Magus,” Carrot Casserole said, grimacing as she tried to look into my face. The attempt made it look like she was trying to stare into the sun itself. “Without you, well, perish the thought on what might have happened.”

“Thou art welcome, but I think ‘tis time for us to go.” With how well my attempts at socializing were going, I thought it best to get moving before I provoked another mob into trying to lynch me again. Why did I never seem to have any good fortune with such things?

We waved to one another as we departed company. Stalwart and Gale dragged our cart to the main street of Appleton in order to give themselves the best place to take off from. We were in the middle of preparing to leave when somepony pulled their own cart up next to ours. A family of earth ponies were gathered around it, and it seemed they had packed all their worldly possessions within the cart.

I readily identified Applesauce, who was pulling the cart and giving me a baleful glare.

Annoyed with the look he was giving me, I said, “Can I be of assistance, or have I so captivated thee with my beauty that thou canst not take thy eyes away?”

Applesauce spit on the ground near my hooves. “Hardly. If Ah go through the rest of mah life without seein’ another magus, Ah could not be happier.”

That provoked me to shoot the insolent farmer with my own glare. “That is not the proper manner with which to treat the pony that saved thy life.”

He scoffed at that. “So you say, but Ah do not believe it.”

I quirked an eyebrow, not quite believing what I was hearing. “Of course I did. Surely thou hast not forgotten the effects Grandmother Carrot’s fog had on thee? We slew her and the others responsible for the murder of thy son. That must mean something to thee.”

“So you declare.” Applesauce’s features lost none of their hardness. “But Ah am not convinced. You say Grandmother Carrot betrayed us, but she was nothing but kind to me and mah kin. Ah have half a mind that you murdered her and the others and blamed everypony disappearing on them. That is how you royal scum do it half the time anyways.”

I could hardly believe the nonsense that was being sprouted by this stallion’s mouth. He thought I had murdered somepony just to pin the blame for the murders on them? “That is a lie! If thou wert not so far below my station I think I would challenge thee to juris ungula right here.” The energy I put into my declaration caused me to go into another convulsion of coughs.

Gale placed a restraining hoof on my shoulder and shook her head. “Leave him, Midnight. He is not worth the trouble.”

I was considering following Gale’s advice when Applesauce opened his mouth again. “You are the worst thing that ever happened to Appleton. Everything was fine in our town before you showed up.” He spat at my hooves again. “Me and mah family are leavin’ this town for good. We are goin’ someplace where we will not have to deal with a bunch of dirty dealin’ royals such as you.”

The sheer idiocy of that statement broke the bonds of my restrain. “Thou art an ungrateful cur! Red Steel died for thee and everypony in this town and thou art tarnishing her sacrifices with thy words and deeds.” I felt something cold and merciless build up within me as my anger became like a harsh winter storm. Feeling it reach a crescendo I declared, “I curse thee and thy descendants to forever wander the land until Princess Celestia herself gives thee a plot of land!”

There was a flash of lightning despite there barely being a cloud in the sky, and I felt a cold shiver run up my spine. The sudden thunderflash caused nearly everypony to flinch and look up at the sky to see what had caused the sudden change in weather.

Gale pulled me closer and whispered, “Midnight, what hast thou done?”

I had to think what I may have done. ‘Twas possible that I may have accidentally cursed Applesauce and his family in a spontaneous moment of spite. Such things were rare, but not unheard of. Especially where more powerful magi were concerned. Magi that had been driven to extreme wroth by being wronged somehow... (4)

4. Long term magical entropy can indeed be caused by a variety sources. There is some proof that Midnight Sparkle managed to curse this branch of the Apple Clan. After considerable genealogical study covering eight centuries, there are a startling number of incidents such as farms bought by this family foreclosing within a year, homes burning down soon after being purchased, and a staggering number of strange incidents driving these Apples back to wandering Equestria. The only documented incidents they were able to settle down was when they bought plots of land being given out during royal land lotteries. The final group of these Apples were finally able to settle down when Princess Celestia personally gave them land to help found the town of Ponyville outside of Canterlot. It's incidents such as this that tend to make ponies wary of magi, especially the more powerful of their number.

“Nothing. Probably. Most certainly,” I insisted, though my voice was shaky as I said it. “‘Tis not worth thinking about. Let us go now.” I stepped onto our cart and made myself ready to depart. It struck me as best to leave before I happened upon more misfortune. I had a feeling that Appleton was simply a town that disagreed with me.

Gale frowned at me, but made no further comments, probably surmising as I had that it was time to put Appleton and its worries behind us. She and Stalwart tied themselves to the cart, and we took off for Canterlot.

Once we were in the sky, I felt a terrible weariness overcome me. I felt hot with fever and every ache in my body asserted itself over me. Considering there was little else to do, I lay my head down and closed my eyes to let sleep come to me.

The world around me burned. Images flashed before me, only there long enough for me to see them, but never to contemplate.

Armies of all the peoples of the world marched. Ponies of all types, zebras, gryphons, diamond dogs, and more. They clashed in a chaotic maelstrom of violence that created a deafening roar. A great pile of diamonds were fought over, staining the precious gems with blood. I saw the silhouette of a skeleton in the pale moon, laughing as all the world descended into madness. There were the cries of pain of a mare pierced through over the chants of a dark ritual. A three-eyed gryphon, talons and beak dripping in blood, picked up the crowns of the fallen and added them to his own. The wails of a foal echoed as ponies were set aflame. A pony made of vegetation danced with fey-like grace as a village burned around her. Ponies with plague fell by the score as their love ones wept.

A mare shining with brilliant light stepped forward, sweeping troubles aside with an easy wave of her hoof. All gathered around her in adoration, but none of them could see that the the light coming off of her was wrong, and that deep inside there was nothing but maggots and rot. Some day, they would extinguish the mare’s light too.

It all came quicker and quicker, bombarding my senses with images and sounds. I was overwhelmed by it all as the heat intensified, burning my skin and making it impossible to breathe.

Then a cool breeze swept over me and blew away the heat that scoured me. The images were carried away like so many snowflakes in the wind. I took in a huge breath of the fresh air and felt my pain recede. The sudden relief caused me to collapse, but somepony caught me. The pony gently lowered me to the ground and stroked my mane.

“Rest now, my Midnight,” said the voice soothingly. “The troubles of the future are not here yet. Rest for now and gather thy strength. There is much for thee yet to do.”

I closed my eyes as the voice sang a soft lullaby, and I drifted into nothing.

I normally do not expect to wake up to find Princess Celestia, Sol Invictus, ruler of the three tribes, and a list of other titles beside my bed, but there she was in all her glory when I opened my eyes.

Princess Celestia beamed down at me. “Good afternoon, Midnight.”

“Afternoon?” I asked, having trouble putting together what sounded so queer about that. My head throbbed and my thoughts were slow in coming together. I must have slept deeply, but how long had I been asleep? I was rubbing my eyes when it fully dawned upon me exactly who was besides my bed. “P-princess! I-I—” I moved to get out of bed and bow to her, but the stiffness and aches in my body made it slow to respond to my commands.

She gently placed a hoof on my chest to hold me down. “Let us not stand on formalities, Midnight. Relax, thou hast earned thy rest.”

I knew that beneath the gentle restraint of that hoof lay a strength greater than that of steel, and that there was little purpose in trying to struggle against it. I lied back down on the bed and instead objected with words. “B-but I am not decent, Your Highness.” My coat felt filthy and I could feel sweat dripping down my body. I could feel the tangles in my mane and did not bear to think what sleeping must have done to it. Certainly I did not have an appearance appropriate for an audience with royalty.

The princess removed her hoof, her calming smile never wavering. “I just spent several hours healing thee, Midnight. I think we can be a bit informal on this occasion.” She let out a soft chuckle. “Goodness knows your mother was when she asked me to help thee.”

It took me a moment to absorb all of the information I had just been given. Mother had asked Her Highness to help me? From the sounds of it she had done so in a rather irreverent manner where Princess Celestia was concerned. Mother was normally a composed pony, but sometimes she did let her temper get the better of her, and she could swear as terribly as anypony I had ever known. How serious was my situation that Mother had been driven to such extremes? My illness would certainly help explain the strange dreams I had suffered while asleep. They were certainly more vivid than normal.

“What happened?” I noticed that I was not in any room that I recognized. It was simply decorated with a bed, a stand with a washbasin, and a simple small painting on the wall. I would have thought I would wake up on the cart I had fallen asleep on, not wherever this was. “I admit, I think some events have transpired that I was not privy to.”

“Gale and Stalwart escorted thee to the Sol Invictus sanctuary at Sunny Springs when your condition worsened, and Gale rushed to Canterlot to call for further aid for thee. Thy mother would have come herself, but I arrived faster.” Her smile took on a hint of amusement. “And I am a better healer than she.”

“Her healing does tend to be ... severe.” Mother’s healing was entirely fire-based, and such healing magics were rarely kind in their application since it was conceived on the concept of renewal. While quite effective, it also tended to be quite painful. After all, for the phoenix to be reborn anew, it must first die. Thus, I usually attended to my own injuries when they were minor. A bandage was usually sufficient to treat a scrape or scratch, and did not come with the scorching pain of fire.

I must have been quite ill for Mother to demand Princess Celestia fly out here to heal me. At least that would make sense along with the information that Gale and Stalwart changed our original plans. Sunny Springs was not that far from Appleton, if I remembered its location correctly. The Sol sanctuary was well known for its hot springs having healing properties, and the two of them must have hoped that the healers here could help me. Her Highness had not said so, but their talents must not have been sufficient to cure me if it had required her to come out here to aid me. It must have been a very foul disease Grandmother Carrot had inflicted upon me.

“Fire is an element of healing, but it is not a gentle sort of healing,” she agreed. Her horn glowed, and I felt her scan me with a spell to make sure I had been properly healed. “I owe thee my thanks, Midnight Sparkle.”

“For what?” I asked. “I hope you are not this anxious to get out of the capital.”

“For thy good service in the matter of Appleton,” Princess Celestia said. “Thou defeatedst a foe that was far more dangerous than you had any right to expect. A great many ponies are alive because of thee, and for that I am thankful.”

“Oh, that.” I rubbed at my face as I tried to dispel the fuzziness in my mind. Her Highness’ magic had done much to heal me, but I was still regaining my bearing. “I was merely doing my duty, Your Highness. You asked me to help the ponies there. I could hardly have done less than what I did.”

“Many would have.” She levitated a cup of water to me. “Thou facedst a threat far beyond what any reasonable pony would have expected. I am sure thy mother will tell thee that the prudent thing to do would have been to withdraw and request reinforcements.”

My cheeks inflamed at my princess’ attentions and took the cup from her. I was not used to being complimented as such. “Aye, that is not a talk I am looking forward to, I confess.” I could already hear my mother’s criticisms for everything I had done wrong in Appleton.

“Do not take offense if her words are harsh,” the Princess soothed. “They would come from concern over your wellbeing.”

“Not that I think I will be able to argue with her.” I sighed and took a sip from the cup, feeling the cool water seep down my now healed throat. Not going around worrying about hacking up one of my lungs was certainly an improvement. Still, that did not improve my mood. “If I am to be honest... I did not do as well as I would have liked.”

“Oh?” she prompted.

I shifted in place, now very uncomfortable being the sole object of the sovereign of Equestria’s attention. “I made mistakes during my investigation. Mistakes that probably cost lives. I could have stopped the hags before they got as far as they had if I had been better.” Then maybe Red Steel would not have died before my eyes.

I could sense her considering my words of self-condemnation before she spoke. “And which one of us is perfect?”

“Nopony,” I relented after thinking the question over. Though the admission bought me no comfort.

"Exactly." Princess Celestia lifted my head my the chin so that we met eyes. "Trust me on this. The proper course is always obvious in hindsight. I've read Gale's report, and I think thou madest the best choices thou couldst in the midst of a dangerous, fast-moving, and unfamiliar situation. By all rights, I cannot have asked for more."

"My thanks for your kind words,” I said sullenly. "I swear, I did try my best. Only ... I wish to do better."

She tilted her head in and inquiry ring gesture. "In what way?"

I stared at my hooves as I considered my answer. "I think I want to be stronger, smarter, to be better than I am now. As I am now, I feel insufficient, ill-prepared."

"I see." A slight smile crept onto her lips "You want more power."

Power; there was a word that chimed within me. All too alluring after a lack of it had nearly resulted in disaster in Appleton. "Aye, power is what I desire. Power to use to fulfill my duties. To do what must be done."

"Well, there are ways to get that," she said cryptically.

"I suppose there are." I considered what options were available to me before I addressed Her Highness again. "Though I assure you, I have no intentions of becoming a foul warlock who will enslave the populace with spell and chains, raise an undead army to march at my beckoning, and deal with dark and seductive powers to increase my power, all while ruling from my dreadfort on top of a volcano and making the ponies of my dark realm quiver in fear at the sound of my name." I blinked slowly. "That would be evil."

"Yes. Yes it would," she readily agreed. That was good. I did not wish for her to think I was one bad day from succumbing to the dark arts and becoming a terror to the land.

"Still, I wish for power," I said.

"The power to protect that which is precious to you?"

I nodded. "Aye, exactly."

"A worthy goal, and one I would support thee in." Princess Celestia took the empty cup from me and placed it on the dresser.

That perked my interest. The royal favor was no small thing. "In what way, Princess?"

She gave me a mysterious smile. "Oh, a princess has her ways."

I frowned at her response. “You are being cryptic.”

“I am allowed to do that from time to time,” she replied.

“Aye, you are. Though I find it—” I bit my tongue before I could say something untowards to my sovereign. “Nevermind, I speak out of turn.”

Clearly the princess was in one of her mischievous moods. Mother often complained to me when Her Highness vaguely hinted at future plans or knowledge that only she possessed. Usually while throwing in the word “destiny” somewhere in there. I knew there was little point in trying to needle the truth out of her.

Princess Celestia gave me a knowing grin. “Regardless, thou seemest to be recovering well. On behalf of the ponies of Appleton, I thank thee for thy service.”

I bowed my head to her, about as respectful as I could be while being restricted to bed. “You are welcome, Your Highness. It is my pleasure to serve.”

“Is there anything else I can do for thee?” she asked, looking me over.

“I admit that I am a bit hungry,” I admitted, feeling some of the pangs of hunger. “And am sorely in need of cleaning myself. Appleton was not as hygienic as I am accustomed to.” Of the things I missed in Appleton, a proper bathhouse ranked high. Being covered in mud, blood, and all sorts of other things I did not wish to think about only made my heart yearn all the more for the trappings of civilization. “I must look like I am in a dreadful state,” I said while giving my coat a disapproving appraisal.

“Oh, not so bad as all that.” Princess Celestia gave me a polite smile as she stood. “I am sure we can make arrangements for that, and I will see that it is attended to.”

“My thanks, Your Highness,” I said as she left my room.

After a few minutes of waiting, a pony wearing the tabard bearing the heraldry of Sol Invictus came into my room. She smiled at me while giving me an appraising look. “Milady, the bath you requested is ready. If you wish, I can show you the way.”

“That would be appreciated.” I groaned as I slide out of bed, my muscles popping in protest. “Please lead the way.”

She bowed her head. “Of course, milady.” She lead the way and I followed. Outside of my room I saw that the building was made of solid stone, though carved smooth and painted white to give a soothing and clean impression to those that walked its halls..

Outside the door to my room stood Stalwart on vigil. I had to wonder how long he had been standing there, ever faithful in his duty.

“Sergeant.” I nodded to him as I walked by him. “‘Tis good to see thee.”

He fell in step besides me as we walked. "Magus, 'tis good to see that you are well and on your hooves again."

"Aye, I am still recovering, but I feel much better than I did before thanks to the Princess." He had not said so, but he had probably worried for my life. I must have been in a dreadful state if he and Gale had decided to forego going to Canterlot in preference for the sanctuary. It seems my condition had been poor enough that I could not even be woken to ask for my own thoughts on the matter. I suppose the good news was that I was so sick that I was not conscious enough to experience my agony. Still, I did not think he would enjoy me bringing up his worries now that the worst had passed.

"So I see," Stalwart said with the usual Kicker stoicism.

We walked along for a while before I spoke again. "I think I owe thee something of an apology."

His head tilted slightly. "Milady?"

"I think I have made things somewhat difficult for thee, Sergeant," I explained. "I was not anxious to leave Canterlot for a backwoods town like Appleton and may have taken out some of my unhappiness on thee. Also, for my inexperience with dealing with the wider world." I blinked slowly as I thought about anything else I needed to apologize for. "Oh, and I apologize for dragging thee into a nearly suicidal battle against multiple hags that was likely to only result in us being horribly slain and our livers torn out and eaten by our killers. I despise thy calisthenics with an unbridled passion, but I wish thee no harm."

Stalwart cleared his throat. "'Tis fine. I followed you willingly into danger and knew the risks." He gave me a smile that I could not help but call paternal. "In truth, you have an odd charisma about you that made me follow you."

My head tilted as I tried to contemplate what he meant. "Aye, that is so?"

“There is..." He seemed to struggled to find the words he wished to use. "There is something about you which draws me in. I have seen my share of leaders, and I think you have that same quality within you. 'Tis strange, when in so many ways you are unskilled in your dealings with other ponies, but ... aye, I would follow where you lead.”

I was not quite sure how to reply to that, feeling embarrassed by his statement. I had never thought of myself as a leader of ponies. Not when I had been surrounded by ponies with far more charisma than myself. There were times when I felt like I was surrounded by giants that loomed over me with their presences. Between royalty, generals, archmagi, the high nobility, and the other great ponies of the realm that I saw on a regular basis, I felt very small and insignificant. The idea that others could look to me for leadership and follow me was a strange one. Yet it had been so in Appleton.

Before the silence could become an uncomfortable one, the Sol acolyte stopped in front of a door and opened it for us. “Here you are, milady. All the supplies you need should be waiting within.”

“My thanks,” I said with a nod. I entered and saw that the room was dominated by a large steaming pool of water. Light streamed in through a large window in the ceiling, lighting a meticulously groomed garden that surrounded the smooth stones that circled the pool. Bowls filled with fruit, a plate covered in sandwiches, and a bottle with a purple liquid had all been placed by the pool along with a couple of towels and some grooming supplies. It seemed Her Highness had arranged for me to enjoy one of the sanctuary’s reputed hot springs. The royal favor did come with many benefits, after all.

Stalwart circled the pool, carefully examining the room. “I will be standing guard outside if you need me, milady,” he announced once he was satisfied that there were no lurking assassins in the room.

“Very well then, Sergeant.” I suspected that he wished to give me some privacy while bathing. In truth, I could use some time to gather my own thoughts while I relaxed. The past few days had been most trying. “I will call on thee if there is any need.”

Once Stalwart had taken station by the door, the acolyte gave me a hospitable smile. “Is everything to your satisfaction? If you have need of anything, I will retrieve it for you.”

“I think everything I need is here,” I said. “Now if thou dost not mind…?”

Taking the hint that I wished some privacy, she made a respectful bow of her head. “Very good then, milady. Enjoy the pool as long as you wish.” She departed and closed the door after herself, leaving me alone in the room.

Seeing no reason to delay, I slowly slipped into the hot water. At first it felt uncomfortable, but as my skin warmed, it gained a pleasing sensation. I rested my head on the side of the pool as the heat worked its way into my tired muscles and cleaned me of the filth that had gathered on my coat. Resting there, I could feel why ponies said the pools had a healing effect on those that used them. The water was perfect for a weary pony such as myself.

The sublime stillness of the moment was interrupted when I heard somepony slide into the pool alongside me. My eyes snapped open to see Subtle Song smiling at me. “Wouldst thou care for somepony to rub thy sore muscles?” she asked coyly.

I instinctively jerked from the sudden presence of the bard. “S-Subtle?! What art thou doing here?!”

She gave me a shameless smile as she levitated over a strawberry from one of the fruit bowls and popped it into her mouth. “Offering thee a service, of course.”

I narrowed my eyes at the bard. “Thou dost know what I mean.”

Subtle Song popped a couple of grapes into her mouth, clearly enjoying the opportunity to partake of some fresh fruit. “Your green guardian would have chased me off if I approached elsewise, and I suspect she gave similar orders to your shadow guarding the door.”

That was probably true. Gale had made her dislike of Subtle Song obvious. She must have used some sort of veil to hide herself when Stalwart had inspected the room, and a quick check with my magical senses confirmed that a very careful working of a privacy spell outlined the room. That would explain why Stalwart had not immediately come charging into the room when I had shouted in surprise.

“Thou hast come a long way to give me a backrub,” I commented. The sanctuary was a good ways from Appleton. I really should have asked somepony how long I had been unconscious, for now I did not have context for how quickly Subtle Song must have moved to come here.

She shrugged. “I was in the area on other business. Now, close thine eyes and relax.” She moved position to rub my back. “You have already been through so much, and have earned your reward.”

“As long as there is nothing untoward about it.” I grabbed some fruit and began eating it.

Subtle Song began rubbing at my shoulders, her hooves working into my weary muscles. “Me? Untoward? Perish the thought.” She then kissed me on the neck.

That kiss caused me to blink in surprise. “Um, there is no need for kissing in order to massage.”

“There is no need to drink more than water or eat more than plain bread. It is a terrible pity to go through all of one's life doing only what is needed.” She emphasized her point by popping a couple more strawberries into her mouth.

“There is a logic to that,” I allowed. I knew I enjoyed my own pleasures. My soft bed with its silk sheets was something I had dearly missed over the last few days, in addition to the comforts of Canterlot, and this was very enjoyable.

“And I find that this—” Subtle Song worked her hooves into tired muscles, “—enhances the experience.”

I could not help but groan in pleasure as the mix of the hot water and massage worked their magic. “Thou dost seem to have experience at this.” Receiving the occasional massage was one of the pleasures I got to receive in Canterlot, and I knew a skilled hoof when I felt one.

“I have done this before.” She tilted my head so that I met her green eyes. I looked into them, but could not divine her thoughts.

“So what business brought thee here?” I asked, feeling her hooves moved further down my back.

“I have business with you, obviously.” Subtle Song leaned in and gave me a light kiss on the lips. “Gale guards thee most jealously and would not allow me to thank thee properly for all that you have done.”

“Business with me?” I asked, a sense of caution building up within me. “What are thy intentions?”

“Well, I had been considering seducing you.” She smirked as her hooves moved even further down, moving in very pleasing ways as they worked along my coat. “But that is a secondary goal. I think you have need of a mare with my skills, Midnight.”

My felt my cheeks burn as the bard’s touch became all the more intimate. “T-Thy skills?”

“Indeed. Surely thou couldst find many uses for a mare with a talent in speaking with crowds and gathering information. Not to mention my ... other skills.” Subtle Song’s lips met mine, this time with a far more sensual kiss that sent a shiver down my spine.

I felt compelled to return the kiss as Subtle Song drew me in. While she acted with great skill, my own attempts to return the affection felt klutzy in return. When we broke it took a moment for me to catch my breath as my heart beat hard. “Um, it might be something to think about.”

“Well, you can think it over for a bit.” She grinned in a teasing manner that promised many things. “While I show you what I can provide. It is past time you learned how to kiss properly. I think you would quite enjoy the lesson. And all the other things I could teach thee. Come, surely I would make a valued addition to your retinue?”

“Retinue?” The idea was such a strange one that the word made me pause to think. I had never seriously considered having a retinue. Always I had been a part of my mother’s followers, and thus that was what my thoughts had been shaped along. The idea of possessing my own retinue was a curious and alluring one now that I thought about it. It was something that would aid me in my goals if I chose those that I attached to myself wisely.

“A magus should have her collection of followers,” she said as her hooves continued to work over my body. “Ponies useful to your cause and to add to your prestige. And a bard would make a valuable ally. I could provide you information. Spread tales of your valor and glory to improve your reputation, among many other things.” One of her hooves moved to an area that was not entirely appropriate. “And ... other personal services.”

“T-there is no n-need for the latter!” I quickly moved her hoof to a more appropriate place on my back, feeling quite embarrassed and flustered by the touch.

That caused Subtle Song to put on an impish grin. “No need, perhaps, but we can certainly enjoy ourselves.”

“We are currently in a public bath, Subtle,” I cautioned with an edge of disapproval. “I do not think what thou art suggesting is proper.”

She gave me a teasing pout. “Of course 'tis not proper. That is half the fun of it.” She sighed and kept her hooves massaging my back. “But I suppose that might be too bold for our first time. There can be some pleasure in saving more adventurous activities for later.”

“Aye, I would think so,” I said. “I hardly know thee. We only met a few days ago.” Not to mention I had to think what my mother would say about such a thing should she find out. Her disapproval about who I consorted with was not something I dealt with lightly. Not to mention there were other factors to consider with Subtle Song.

“Then we must come to know one another better.” She nuzzled me, keeping herself close to me despite her declarations of moving things along slower.

“That would make sense if we are to work with one another,” I agreed, letting her show her affection for me.

“Indeed.” She briefly paused her massage and began pouring the bottle of juice into a pair of cups. “How about we do a game, then? A question for a question.”

I frowned as I considered that. This might be an opportunity to get to know the bard, though it might result in her asking me some awkward questions. There was also the fact that Subtle Song was probably a good liar when she wished to be. She had admitted to having a silver tongue, and that often came with a talent for deception. Still, this offered opportunities.

“Nothing inappropriate will be asked, I hope?” I asked.

“You have the right to refuse a question or an act.” She grinned mischievously. “Though that takes away from the fun of the game if you do.”

“Very well then.” I took my cup and quickly scanned it for poison, as was the habit my mother had impressed upon me. “Dost thou wish to start?”

Subtle Song took a big drink of her own cup. “You wish to know me better, so you may ask first.”

“Where art thou from?” I asked, starting with something simple.

“Trottingham,” she said casually. “While you are from Canterlot.”

“Aye, I have lived there my entire life.” I thought her answer curious. There was only a hint of a Trottingham accent in her speech. Though if that was because she was hiding it, or pretending to be from Trottingham, I could not say for certain.

Subtle Song emptied her cup and refilled it. “Where do things stand 'tween thee and Gale?” Though she was putting on an air of disinterested amusement, I saw her looking at me carefully out of the corner of her eye.

I sipped at my cup as I considered my answer. I had been taught by my mother how one words a question is very important considering how it could affect the answer one received. “She is my friend, and has been for much of my life.”

Her eyebrow raised at that. “Only a friend? She guards thee so jealously...”

“She cares about my safety.” I tried to keep any tension from my tone. I was growing tired of always having to deal with conflicts between those I knew. Gale being the center of more than one of those ties of discord. “Normally she does not act as so, but she seems cross with thee for some reason.”

“Mayhaps she desires thee as I do.” Subtle Song’s lips met my neck in another light kiss that caused goosebumps. “I have asked two questions of thee it seems. How terribly rude,” she said with mirth. “'Tis thy turn twice o'er.”

I decided now was a good time to get a better idea at what lay at the bard’s heart, and so chose a more probing question. “What are thine ambitions?”

“Fortune, glory, and pleasure, of course.” She levitated a series of grapes into her mouth. “What more could I ask for?”

An interesting answer that gave me a glimpse into the mystery that was the pony before me. That answer certainly seemed to fit Subtle Song, or at least everything I had seen of her thus far. “And you seek to gain those things by attaching thyself to me?”

“Indeed I do. It seems a fine way to begin.” She finished chewing and leaned her back against the side of the pool with a lazy stretch. “I can see already that you are a pony of talent. Not many could have done what you have already, and I can only see your star rising higher and higher.”

“That means I am probably going to expect much of thee,” I cautioned.

She shrugged. “One must sometimes make sacrifices to reach one’s goals.” She finished up her cup and let out a large belch after doing so. “Mmm, sorry.” She wiped at her mouth. “And what are thine ambitions?”

I splashed some water onto my face to buy me a little time to think over what to say as I sought to confirm what type of mare I was dealing with. “I would like to become an archmagus someday, for one,” I said, giving her the most obvious of my goals.

Subtle Song picked up one of the sandwiches and took a bite out of it. Though the food had not been intended for her, she did not seem to have any shame in partaking. Mayhaps this was a habit of a wandering bard. That was a profession that probably saw more than one hungry night. “Given who thy mother is, that is no surprise. And future archmagus makes a fine mare to attach myself to.”

I was surprised to hear her mention my mother considering I had never spoken of her before. True, Mother was a prominent individual as an archmagus and grand vizier, but there was a difference between knowing who the vizier was and who her bastard daughter was. “I would hope so. I suppose it is time to that I start acting seriously about achieving that goal. I cannot be languid if I expect to be a great magus.”

A smirk worked its way onto her lips. It seemed that she was being drawn in by the seduction of me gaining power. “And the first step along that path is building an information network, yes? An Archmagus will need her contacts and informants. Your mother has them. Gale has them. If you wish to play the game at their level, you must have them too.”

“And dost thou think thou art a mare that can arrange such things?” I asked, drawing her in with another question as our game was quickly forgotten.

“I do not think it, I know it,” she said with the utmost confidence.

I blinked slowly, the wheels in my mind turning as the pieces of the puzzle fell into place. “One cannot help but think that thou art more than thou dost present thyself.”

She answered me with a cryptic grin. “Aren't we all?” She leaned in to give me a long, lingering kiss on the neck that started my heart racing again.

Despite what her touch made me feel, when next I spoke it was with a cold, hard edge. “Aye, but I would be a fool to trust a spymaster that I did not know.”

The change in my tone and my words caused Subtle Song to freeze in place and her lips left my neck.

“Surprised that I had guessed the truth, Subtle Song?” I made no move, but instead held the bard in place with my words. “I have been surrounded by spies of one variety or another my entire life. I live in Canterlot of all places, and half the city is an informer of some stripe. My best friend is a spy. Didst thou think I would be so blind as to not recognize one under my very nose?”

Her posture shifted, the allure that graced her every movement fell away, replaced by a tension that suggested a pony that was ready and alert to move at a moment’s notice. It was a quiet change, but I recognized how she now held herself—similar to the impression Gale normally gave me when she suspected danger may be present.

When she spoke, all the flirtiness had left her tone, leaving something almost predatory behind. “Oh, I just knew you were going to be an interesting one.”

“Being boring is not something I am usually accused of,” I said warily. I kept a close eye on the mare, now that I had revealed her true profession. While everything about her confirmed she was a spy, I did not know who she worked for, and my mother had her fair share of enemies. Now that her true nature was out in the open, this could be a dangerous moment for me.

“True, true. I suppose I should be glad you worked it out. It would have been so dreadfully disappointing if all it took was a few kisses to win over Sunbeam Sparkle's daughter.” Subtle Song gave me a quick kiss, though this one lacked any the seductive flair of the previous ones, instead this one seemed more—genuine, I supposed. Though I was not sure how to take that fact. “So what gave me away?”

“A variety of evidence.” I backed up a little bit from the spy, not feeling completely safe being quite so close to her until I knew more about her true intentions. “The fact thou happenedst to be in Appleton when thou wert. That thou hast shown courage and ability while in the heat of combat beyond what could be expected of a pony without training. Thou also knewest who my mother was, despite the fact I never told thee who she was. Then there are the talents one said that thou didst have. Thou didst arrive at this sanctuary despite me never telling thee that I was coming here.” I tapped my chin as I tried to think about what I might have forgotten. “Oh, and then there was the seduction. I have seen my mother use such tactics on many a pony before, and know all the signs of such tactics.”

“I see.” Subtle Song let out a lighthearted chuckle. “Well then, congratulations.”

I tilted my head in confusion. “Congratulations?”

“My opinion of you has improved considerably. My services are yours, if you would have me.” She stood up in the pool, and gave me a flourishing bow. “Subtle Song, agent of both your mother and your princess.” She shot me a knowing smirk as the revelation. “Surely you did not think they would let you venture into danger without some protection of their own?”

I leaned back against the side of the pool as I thought that one over. “Neigh, I suppose I should not have. They always are working several steps ahead.” Having a moment to consider the issue, I asked, “I suppose their intention was to have thee work for me as thou hast worked for them?”

“You have need of one with my skills, yes?” She settled back into the water, her smile never leaving her features. “I assure you, I am very good at what I do and will be of the utmost use to you.”

I would have to confirm that she was who she said she was later in case she was indeed lying to me, but there was truth to her words. “Aye, so I do.” After a some careful consideration, I took her hoof and kissed it. “Very well then, Subtle Song, I accept thy services. May our relationship be a long and productive one.”

“I am sure it will.” Subtle Song leaned in, a teasing tone in her voice as she whispered into my ear. “And for the record, while the attempted seduction was largely meant as a test, I did still enjoy it.”

At that, she lifted herself out of the pool and walked away, her hips moving in interesting ways as she departed. Thus leaving me to think long and hard about many things. I did have a future to think about, after all.

Author's Note

I would like to thank Chengar Qordath, Comma-Kazie, and JakeTheGinger for all their help in editing Midnight's Shadow.
Then I would also like to thank all my great prereaders Web of Hope, Cryosite, Swiftest, Infinion, Rodinga, 621Chopsuey, Novus Draconis, and Incidental Pegasus No. 5.

Midnight Begins: Chapter 14

Midnight’s Shadow

Midnight Begins: Chapter 14

Princess Celestia returned to Canterlot after giving me another healing session and making sure that my body was indeed on the mend. At her bidding, I remained at the Sol Invictus sanctuary for a full week to make sure that I was healed by its acolytes. It was a rare and welcome period of rest, and it gave me time to think about a great many things. Appleton had been a rude awakening to me for a number of reasons. I now saw that I had let myself float adrift in my life for too long, and that corrections needed to be made.

Once I was done resting, it was time for me to return to Canterlot and resume my duties there. Ever faithful, Stalwart flew me to my home city in our cart. Once there, the two of us wished each other well and parted ways. Sergeant Stalwart had his own duties to attend to, and 'twas time for me to find my mother and speak with her on a number of matters.

It could be tricky to gain an audience with my mother due to how busy she could be, so I decided to go to her tower to try and find her. If she was not there, I would simply have to search several other locations she often frequented.

Upon reaching home, I disabled the tower's wards to cross the threshold. I closed the door behind me and carefully brought the wards back before returning my attention to the interior of my home. My mother had a redundant series of defenses for her home, so it was best to be sure I did not accidentally trigger one of them. Most of them were nonlethal—it would not do to vaporize some poor pony just trying to deliver a message to our door, but they were still designed to be extremely unpleasant. I thus made sure to take suitable precautions when dealing with them.

"Mother? I am home!" I called out, listening for any sounds that might indicate where she might be.

Mother came up from the stairs leading to her laboratory. "Ah. Welcome home, Midnight," she said pleasantly.

A sudden sense of nervousness wracked me now that I was before my mother. This had not been a conversation I had been looking forward to, though ‘twas a necessary one. "I am back from my mission to Appleton. As you have probably noticed, with me being here."

Mother raised an eyebrow at my behavior. "Yes, I rather noticed." She closed the distance between us for a closer look. She gave a faint frown as she noticed my mostly healed injuries. Princess Celestia and the healers at the sanctuary were skilled at the healing arts, but there was only so much that could be done with spells and medicine. "And worse for wear, 'twould seem."

My ears wilted under my mother's scrutiny, and I could not bring up my gaze to meet that of hers. Guilt had seized me. Both for how things had gone in Appleton, and for the state I had allowed myself to be reduced to. "Aye, my mission to Appleton was ... trying."

"So I heard." She circled around, studying me with an analytical eye. "It was too dangerous a mission for a magus of your skills. It might have been more prudent to fall back and request additional aid. I would never have sent thee had I any idea what dangers thou wouldst face there."

"Aye, I suppose." I rubbed my leg, summoning the reasoning for my behavior I had prepared before this meeting. "But I could not just allow so many to die. Not when ‘twas my responsibility to protect them.”

Mother made a discontented hum and then shrugged. “And even though the threat was something greater than you should have faced, you succeeded. I would not punish any of the magi under my command for saving a town, much less my own daughter. I expect it was one of those situations that developed too quickly to fall back and ask for aid, regardless. All is forgiven in victory.” She cupped my cheek with her hoof. “Though do be more careful in the future. I have far too much planned for thee to die in some heroic last stand.”

“I assure you, I have little intention of dying anytime soon.” I cleared my throat as I summoned up the courage for the next subject I wished to discuss. “And speaking of having no wish of dying, um, there were some things I wished to speak with you about.”

“Oh?” Mother rolled her hoof to bid me to continue.

“Appleton proved to be an unpleasant experience,” I said with slow deliberation. “I wish ... to have more power. To be stronger.” I took a calming breath before continuing. “I feel the time has come for me to ask you to teach me more of evocation.”

Mother was widely considered to be one of the most formidable spellcasters in Equestria. Learning from her would be a unique opportunity that few would ever have. She had given me a few lessons over the years in magic, but we both knew that they were not as intense as they could have been. Not after the incident while learning how to cast shield spells. Instead she had left much of my magical education to tutors, such as my master, Morning Star. Now I felt I needed such intense lessons to improve my spellcasting; I could no longer afford a situation where I may be overmatched. The knowledge didst not make this decision any more welcome.

“Ah, I would be glad to teach thee,” Mother said casually.

“You will have time for such exercises?” I asked. Part of me wished she would say no, but I steeled my resolve to continue on my course. This was something I needed. “I will do what is necessary to be a good student and make your time worthwhile.”

Mother rubbed at her chin before nodding. “Yes. If you will be going on such missions in the future, it would be prudent to ensure that you return home without need of a healer’s touch. I would not have thee be so badly injured again.”

“I would prefer not to be injured again too. That was most painful and unpleasant.” I sighed as I remembered everything that happened in Appleton. “Loath as I am to say it, I did not feel adequately prepared for my trials.”

Mother fell into a long silence, a deep frown on her features. “Indeed. 'Twould seem that after certain ... misjudgements on my part regarding your earlier training, I have been lax in preparing thee for a magus's duties. As Shadow recently informed me, I had already faced several dangerous missions when I was thine age. 'Tis past time that I corrected that mistake. I should have personally selected thy first mission long ago.” She waved a hoof to dismiss the matter. “But there is nothing to do about it now but plan how we will move forward.”

I knew of the mistake she was referring to, from all those years ago, but I did not comment on it. There were too many painful memories there.

I could also well imagine the discussion Mother and Shadow had about me. It was probably true that I should have been sent on missions sooner than I had, especially considering my ambitions. But as Mother had said, there was little to be done but to plan towards the future now.

“I have to agree with you, Mother.” I hung my cloak, or what was left of it by this point, on the rack. “I admit, I would like to learn how you can use both ice and fire at the same time, among other things.” I had seen my mother interweave both of those elements together seamlessly. ‘Twas a thing of beauty to see, from the perspective of spellcraft. I knew that was a skill that would serve me quite well in the future if I could master it.

A wide grin crept onto Mother’s mouth when I mentioned her particular skill. “Yes, it is past time I showed thee that secret. In truth, it is something I have wanted to teach thee for some time.”

“Then we will make plans to do just that.” I paused in my speech, suddenly feeling the need to say something else that had been on my mind. “I would like to be an archmagus someday, after all. I wish to follow in your hoofsteps if possible.”

“Indeed.” Mother placed a hoof on my shoulder and squeezed it. “And I have every intention of helping thee in that goal. After all, somepony must carry on my legacy.”

“There is nopony better than your daughter.” My heart warmed to hear that my mother wished for me carry on her legacy. There were times when I worried that I would never be able to live up to such a thing, considering all that she had accomplished in her life. ‘Twas a daunting prospect to reach the heights she had attained, but a feat I wanted to achieve all the same. "I have already seen some of your help already," I commented. "Considering you sent a spy to assist me."

Mother gave me a faint smile when I mentioned Subtle Song. "Ah, so you uncovered her identity? I do not know whether to be pleased that thou art so perceptive or annoyed that she was so easily caught."

"I have taken some of your lessons to heart, Mother,” I said evenly.

“I am glad to hear it.” Mother frowned thoughtfully to herself. “And I suppose Gale has taught thee a few things as well.”

"That she has. Though I do have to ask, did you have to assign me a spy who is so prone to trying to seduce me?” I asked. “'Tis somewhat distracting."

She chuckled at my consternation. "Every spy has their quirks. And she will not be the last pony who attempts to subvert thy will by offering you the pleasures of the bedchamber. ‘Twould be best if thou wert prepared to resist such measures."

"I am sure I can deal with it," I grumbled, my pride having been pricked by the idea that I could not overcome a spy attempting to seduce me. I had seen ponies deal with such tactics for much of my life; surely 'twas something I could overcome myself.

"Well and good, then." Mother's smile took on a mischievous character. "And really, there would be no harm in taking the mare as a casual lover for a time."

I choked on air when she uttered such a brazen thing. "M-mother! That is not a proper thing to discuss!"

She rolled her eyes at my outburst. "Come now, thou art old enough that we can speak plainly of such things. Surely thou dost have an eye for comely ponies around thee. There is no harm in desiring carnal pleasures and seeking them out when ‘tis appropriate."

I could hardly believe what my mother was discussing with me and felt my cheeks burn. Mother was one of the last ponies I would have expected to suggest to me that I should bed some bard I had only recently met. True, Mother had told me the advantages of using sex to my advantage, but ... this was something else entirely, for sure.

"I am ... that is," I spluttered. "I do not even know what to say right now!"

Mother frowned at my display of consternation. "Ah, this will not do. Thou art too old to be so unsettled by such topics. There is hardly anything so outrageous about the act that thou should act this way."

"'Tis a rather private matter," I said, trying to resummon my dignity in face of this indignity. "And one I am not comfortable speaking so casually about."

"I see." She rubbed at her chin as she considered me. "Thou art yet inexperienced in the matter?"

"Aye," I grumbled out my admission. I could have denied it or attempted to resist her questioning, but sooner or later she would find the truth of the matter. Better to just admit the truth and deal with the consequences. "I have dedicated myself to my studies and other duties, not ... such activities."

"So be it, then," she said with a casual finality.

The fact that I was certain Mother had come to some sort of decision worried me. "So be what?"

"We will correct this. I can purchase thee the services of a courtesan," she said.

That caused me to blink as the insanity of the proposition overcame me. "Mother! I hardly—that is... You do not need to buy me a prostitute!"

Mother let an exasperated sigh. "Need not, but I think it for the best. Really, thou art making too much of a fuss over this. There is nothing wrong with a young mare such as yourself enjoying the services of a courtesan. (1) Plenty of ponies thine age have had their first time be with a prostitute. I dare say that thou wilt even enjoy the evening."

1. As is true today, Canterlot possessed a number of brothels, with the upper scale ones offering courtesans. While prostitutes generally just offer sex for their services, courtesans were paid significantly better for their time, often being able to entertain their clients in a variety of ways, with sex only being one of the aspects for why they were sought after. It was common for single nobles and other well-to-dos of Canterlot society to hire the services of a courtesan for a day of relaxation.

I covered my face with a hoof. "I cannot believe we are discussing this. There is no hope that I will persuade you from this course, is there?"

Mother rolled her eyes at me. "I can hardly make thee bed thy courtesan if thou art so opposed to enjoying thyself, but thou dost thyself a disservice by allowing thyself to become so easily flustered." She tipped up my head by the chin so that I looked her in the eyes. "Trust me on this. I know what I speak of."

I sighed as I felt my resolve break down before the onslaught of my mother's argument. "Very well then, Mother. I am sure I can trust you in this."

"As well you should." She rubbed her chin and I could see her mind working towards something. "Another option, if thou dost not wish for thy first time to be with a courtesan, is for thee to ask one of thine acquaintances, if thou wouldst prefer for thy first to be somepony known to thee."

"I-I have nopony like that!" I exclaimed, feeling my indignity doubling.

"Well, there is Gale," Mother suggested, far too casually for the topic. "Were she not already married, I would have already asked Shadow to betrothe the two of thee. It would have made for a fine alliance."

I gasped with indignation a few times before I could speak again. "I would not ... neigh! She is already married and-and ... there are reasons."

Mother rolled her eyes. "Just because a pony is married does not mean she cannot have other lovers. And really, sharing the bed with both her and her husband would allow thee to experience both forms of lovemaking."

All I could do was cover my face with my hooves and pray that one could not indeed die of embarrassment. "I do not know what to say right now." Gale had been my friend for much of my life and while Gale might be very comely and her husband a fine example of the male breed--it was not to be thought of in detail, and I most certainly was not thinking of explicit scenarios where I were to make love with the two of them.

"Or if not her, some other." Mother chuckled to herself. "Ah, I remember this one clerk in the royal court back when I was no older than you, who gave me the most useful tidbits of information once I had ... made him comfortable."

I pressed my ears down to my head. "Mother, I do not think I wish to hear of your past dalliances." I knew too much of her current dalliances.

"As you will," she said with exasperated patience. "So ... if not Gale ... hmm. The sergeant who was guarding thee seems fetching enough, but thou wilt likely complain that he is married too." She hummed unhappily. "And he is a bit low-ranking for thee in any case." She tapped her chin. "No, thy first lover must be a pony of distinction. Preferably experienced as well. That way, they can serve as a patron to your career. I would prefer that you not remain wholly dependent upon me to advance your career." (2)

2. During this time period, it was common for patrons and mentors to have a variety of relationships with those they supported. Often these could become of a sexual or romantic nature.

"And I do not wish to be a homewrecker," I grumbled, trying very hard to not think about Sergeant Stalwart at that moment. While he might have been handsome enough, it would hardly have been decent for me to think amorous thoughts of the stallion.

"Very well then," Mother said, though I knew that she was far from done. "An unwed pony. Some distinction and experience. Hrm..." A grin that I found only evil in creeped onto her face. "Oh, I just had an idea I think you will quite like."

I let out a patient sigh, already guessing I would not like the answer. "And who is that?"

A pleased grin worked its way onto her mouth. "I know the perfect single mare of distinction. And as I recall, thou didst fancy her as a filly."

I gave her the most displeased scowl I could manage. If she were referring to whom I thought she was... "Nooo."

"Shadow Kicker does fit my criteria and yours," Mother said. "She is experienced and one of the most powerful ponies in Equestria. Thou couldst do far worse. She would no doubt become a powerful patron to you should you please her."

"She is your lover!" I objected. "And more than thirty years my senior!"

She shot me a chiding look. "Child, if you are worried about the age difference, I assure that nopony ever truly believes they are too old enjoy a comely young mare's attention. And the two of us have not shared a bed for quite some time considering we have each been busy with the affairs of state." She shrugged. "'Twas but a passing thought. All I ask is that you consider the option. It will take care of this little problem of yours and advance your career, both worthwhile things."

I rolled my eyes. "I will think about it," I said, having no intention of following up this suggestion. I was hardly so desperate I needed to seduce Shadow. I admired the mare greatly, but it was not an admiration that involved the carnal desires.

"As you will," Mother said casually, running a hoof through her mane to give it a bit more fluff. "Just keep my offers in mind. And do not hesitate to come to me for advice."

"I will be sure to do that." While there were many things I would discuss with Mother, I believed this was one I would seek to avoid in the future.

"Well and good, then. And if not Shadow or a friend of yours, there are always the courtesans." She made a pleased smile, no doubt happy that she had once again carried the day in her mind. "I am your mother, after all. And really, treat this as a reward for saving Appleton and an acknowledgement that thou art a full magus, tried and tested." She waved in a dismissive manner. “And do not worry, thou wilt be allowed to select the pony who will be thy pleasure for the evening. Thou hast earned that much, at least.”

“That is good to hear.” I supposed that there were worse ways to be rewarded, and as Mother herself had said, there was nothing that required me to take the courtesan to bed. All I would have to do is spend some time with the pony in order to please Mother. “I know that I could use some rewards after Appleton considering how trying it had been.” While I was not really seriously considering Mother's suggestion, at least we had moved the topic away from that of Shadow.

That prompted Mother to scowl. “Aye, I have not forgotten, and certainly not Gale’s role in tricking me into dragging thee into that mess. Especially after it resulted in your injuries. There will be a reckoning for that.”

There was more than a hint of a threat in her tone that I did not like. “Mother, leave it be. I am tired of this discord between the two of you.”

Mother actually blinked, as surprised as I was with the command in my tone towards her. I certainly could not remember a time when I had spoken with such resolution. "What didst thou say to me, child?"

I realized that I had stepped into a great deal of trouble. I would have to think and talk quickly if I was going to manage this matter. Mother had been tolerant of Gale's provocations in the past, having launched her own retaliations in response, but Gale had overstepped when she had—however inadvertently—put my life in danger by taking me to Appleton. Such was not a thing my mother would tolerate. She was coming perilously close dealing with Gale in a permanent manner, and I did not wish to see Gale mysteriously disappear or suffer an unforeseeable accident.

"I am asking you to leave it be." My thoughts raced to think of a way to persuade my mother not to act rashly. I knew that arguments of morality would not convince her. Therefore I turned to cold logic and self-interest. "Gale is a useful contact for me. If something were to happen to her it would hurt me. Not to mention 'twould damage your own relationship with Shadow if she were to find out that you were responsible for the death of her daughter—and there is what would happen if Princess Celestia were ever to suspect what had happened. I do not think you would retain your freedom, and you would undoubtedly lose your titles and position—again."

She met my argument with a long silence as she thought it over. I worried that she was merely thinking of a proper argument of her own when she finally spoke. "So be it, then. I will leave her be for now. This would be a poor time to move against her anyways." She raised a hoof before I could let out a proper breath of relief. "Though she has e'er been the instigator within this particular conflict. Take your objections to her. I have grown weary of her provocations, and will suffer no more injuries."

I nodded, knowing that I had at least bought myself time to deal with this problem. "I will see to her later."

"Well and good, then." She looked at me thoughtfully. "Though back to a more productive topic. We should see to improving your active defenses as well. It has been near a decade since I trained you in shield spells. While certain lessons in that regard ended regrettably, that does not excuse my continued laxity on the matter."

I felt myself stiffen at the mention of that particular lesson. It took an active effort on my part to push that memory aside so that I could concentrate on what needed to be done. "I hope that we can ... improve 'pon past exercises?"

Mother absently waved a hoof. "Of course, of course. I plan on this being a productive venture. I will not have my daughter return home injured once more because my training has been lacking in any regard."

"Neigh, I suppose not, and I admit I do not like being injured," I said through clenched teeth. "It is... unpleasant."

"Quite so." Mother placed a hoof on my shoulder and looked me in the eyes. "Which is why we will train until I am confident it will not happen again."

I felt my resolve harden as I stared into my mother's eyes. I had come this far to ask for her aid, I was not about to back down now. Far too much depended on it, I knew. "Then that is what we will do."

"Aye, we shall."

To my surprise, Lady Protector Shadow Kicker summoned me to her office. I could hardly deny a summons from one of the most powerful ponies in the realm, so I arrived at the Kicker Compound at the appointed hour. After speaking with the guards intended to serve as a buffer between her and anypony who might bother her, they led me to her office and instructed me to enter.

Despite my mother's continual protests for her to possess a workspace that showed the dignity and grandeur of her title, Shadow's office was plainly furnished. It only had the bare necessities to serve her needs as was often fit the austere ways of the warriors of Pegasopolis, and hardly looked the office of the pony who served at the right hoof of Princess Celestia herself. The only concession she had made to any luxuries were a mounted jeweled dagger Mother had stuck to the wall with a magical solvent (3) and a portrait of Shadow with her children.

3. Whatever substance Sunbeam Sparkle used to stick the dagger to the wall, it has stood the test of time and the dagger is still hanging in the same spot to this day. While the Kicker Clan could probably remove it if they wanted to, the fact it belonged to Shadow Kicker and that there is a legend that Sunbeam Sparkle had placed a curse upon the dagger against anypony who might remove it have dissuaded anypony from trying.

Shadow was busily scribbling away at some paperwork as I approached her. She did not acknowledge me as I entered the room. Either she was so engrossed with her work that she had not yet noticed me or was ignoring intentionally. Mother had certainly taught me the value of keeping those of a lower station waiting in order to show your superiority over them. Of course, Mother would probably also wish for me to take this opportunity to try and seduce the Lady Protector, something that was not going to happen.

"Lady Protector, you summoned me?" I asked to draw her attention.

"Aye, I did," she said, not bothering to immediately look up at me. After a couple more moments she finished up whatever she had been writing and put it to the side so that she could give me her full attention. "I have read your report on the incident in Appleton."

"That does not surprise me, considering Gale was there too." In truth, I did not know why Shadow had summoned me. So I was curious to see where she was going with this conversation.

She hummed neutrally and leaned back in her seat. "I have also spoken with thy mother on the matter. She has decided, and I agree, that thou wilt be a full time field magus once some additional training is complete."

Not quite sure what she was getting at, I asked, "My performance was found wanting?"

"Not at all," she said. "Dost thou disagree that thou couldst use more training?"

"I admit, 'tis something I desire, aye," I hedged, not liking the idea of openly admitting to the Lady Protector that I felt unprepared for some of the work being a field magus would require of me. 'Twas just the fact that I knew it to be true, and I was not about to insist I was ready in order to salvage my pride. Not when the lives of others depended on my actions.

"Then we are agreed." Shadow steepled her hooves as she studied me. "I trust thou canst see to it thyself, with thy mother's aid? She told me that she will be seeing to some of thy lessons."

I nodded. "That was my intent. She is one of the most capable spellcasters in Equestria."

"A fine teacher, then," she said. "And for when thou art ready to take the field once more..."

"I admit, I have not planned that far ahead." I said reluctantly. "Most of my thoughts and efforts have been consumed with improving myself and making myself ready, not what exactly what I will do after." I felt some embarrassment over the admission. I had determined that 'twas my goal to become an archmagus someday during my recovery at the Sol Invictus sanctuary , but the exact path towards doing so was still murky to me. That was something I intended to cure in the near future, but future planning did me little good in the present.

"Then 'tis a good thing that I have," Shadow said, betraying no emotions or thoughts that I could see. "'Twas common for a magus to work alongside a Pegasopolan warrior once. I see no reason not to retain the practice in thy case, and thy mother agrees."

That announcement piqued my interest. "Is that so? I take it that you already have somepony in mind?" I could not imagine that she would summon me here without having already made all the preparations. The Lady Protector was usually a very orderly mare.

"Aye, I do." A hint of a smile worked its way into her mouth. "Somepony who should quite suit you. Sergeant Stalwart worked well with thee on thy last mission. I see no reason why he cannot continue to serve thee well."

The answer was not a surprising one considering our history. Our success together certainly suggested that we could accomplish much. “He is a fine soldier, and I would welcome him by my side.” He had proved himself to me back in Appleton, and ‘twas good to hear that I would have a pony at my side that I knew I could work with. “I am sure he will serve me well.”

Shadow nodded. “I see no reason to break up a ... winning team, as it were. He is an excellent soldier.” She gave me a faint smile. “I think I will miss his services, but thy need is greater.”

“My apologies for pulling him away from you, but I promise to put his service to good work.”

Shadow waved off my apology. “I can spare a sergeant. Were I truly so distressed to lose him, I would not let him go.”

“Neigh, I would think not.” That issue decided, I asked, “Was there anything else, Lady Protector?”

“That will be all for now. Good day, Midnight.” Shadow picked up another piece of paper before she stopped herself. “I was most pleased by your performance in the field, by the way. ‘Twas most well done.”

I could not help but let a smile crease my lips. I had known Shadow for many years now. ‘Twas inevitable when she spent so much time with my mother for one reason or another. “Tis good to hear that from you. Though I intend to do better in the future.”

“Aye, one should always aspire to improve oneself.” Something about her demeanor changed as a frown worked its way to her features. “And I will need all the capable magi I can find in the days to come.”

“Is something worrying you?” I asked.

“I wish I could say that bandits were the worst of our problems.” Shadow let out a frustrated sigh. Banditry had been a menace in Equestria since the end of the Lunar Rebellion. Many pegasus warriors had taken to raiding the countryside and engaging in all sorts of base acts, and putting down those gangs had been no small problem the Lady Protector had to deal with. It was not encouraging to hear that there was a larger problem troubling her. “It may be something or nothing, depending how events transpire. It seems that one of the claimants to the Griffonian throne has finally managed to emerge as the winner. I just received a report that Severus managed to defeat Gustavus in battle not long ago, and even captured him.”

That was troubling news. Severus and Gustavus had been the last two serious competitors to be High King of Griffonia. That nation had fallen into a terrible civil war after a Pegasopolan raid had destabilized Westmarch and had led to one province after another getting dragged into a conflict that started over who was to rule Westmarch. (2)

2. This vastly simplifies an extremely complicated conflict. Griffonia has a long and multifaceted history, with the various noble houses within it interconnected by an intricate web of alliances, hatreds, and ties. When the archduke of Westmarch was killed during a Pegasopolis raid, it sparked off a succession crisis when the slain archduke’s brother attempted to steal the title for the duchy from his underage nephew. Neighboring nobles took advantage of the crisis either to try and install their own favorite to the title or seize land from Westmarch. This in turn led to more noble houses attacking those houses for one reason or another, and soon civil war spread across Griffonia. The situation descended into nationwide civil war when High King Gustav XIV died heirless fighting a battle in Westmarch in an attempt to quell the unrest. This phase of the Griffonian Civil War continued until High King Severus VIII defeated all his rivals.

I felt my spirits flag as I considered the implications of that. “You think he might wage war against Equestria?” Griffonia had no love of Equestria, and Equestria showed none in return. Not after the vicious series of wars to resolve who would control Manehattan.

“‘Tis too soon to say,” Shadow said warily. “It will take Severus time to consolidate his power. How much I cannot say as of yet. Thy mother would be a better judge of something like that. After he has done so...” She shrugged. “We will do what we must.”

“So we will.” I made my own shrug. While this could be the beginnings of another war, there was little to be done at this point in time but contact High King Severus to see what his intentions were and attempt to form peaceful relations with him. Either he would seek peace with us so that he could tighten his hold on power or renew conflict with Equestria. “Then I will be sure to be ready when that time comes.”

“I am sure that thou wilt.” Shadow gave me a distant look, as though seeing something I could not within me. “But that will be for the future. Off with thee for now, I have more paperwork to see to, and I am sure there are things thou dost wish to attend to also.”

“Aye, ‘tis so.” I moved towards the door. “We all have our burdens to bear.”

My meeting with Shadow complete, I went about looking for Stalwart within the Kicker Compound. I thought it best to speak with the sergeant about the new arrangement we now found ourselves under. I had left plenty of time to meet with the Lady Protector, not knowing how long our meeting would take or if I would be made to wait by the busy mare. That left me with the time to seek him out and speak with him.

After inquiring about the Compound, I discovered that Stalwart had no duties for the day and was likely in his home within Canterlot. After learning the address, I made my way to find Stalwart. Eventually, I found myself in a section of the city dominated by craftponies. As was so often the custom in Canterlot, the first floor of their homes were dominated by their shops. Following the instructions I had been given, I arrived at a blacksmith’s shop, though it looked to be closed for the day.

I stopped short of the home when I heard a great ruckus from within. It sounded like a mare was screaming at somepony within. I glanced about at the ponies gathered on the street to see if this commotion was anything to be worried about. The ponies about it seemed to pay it little mind other than the occasional weary glance and sigh when the volume reached a peak before returning to their work.

My own indecision about what I should do was cut short when a young pegasus mare opened the front door. She was a tall mare, with the rigors of warrior training showing with the corded muscles that covered her body despite her youth. Short brown hair made up her mane and tail, and she possessed a sea blue coat. Overall, I would say that she was comely mare whose features would ripen nicely with age, though the fierce scowl on her face took away from her beauty at the moment.

She slammed the door after herself hard enough to make me wince. Without missing a step, she spread her wings and took flight, her gaze forward as she did so. A few second later, Stalwart opened the door and frowned as he watched her fly away.

“It seems I might have caught thee at a foul time, Sergeant.” I said to catch his attention. If he had intended to go after her, I thought he would either have flown after her or called upon her by the time I spoke.

He blinked as I interrupted his meditations and turned his attention to me. “Oh! Good day, Midnight. I was ... not expecting you.” Neither was his heart in the greeting. Not something unexpected if he was having some sort of argument with the mare who had just stormed out of his home.

I shrugged. “That is little surprise, I was not expecting to come here when I awoke this day.”

Stalwart took one final glance in the direction his daughter had taken before looking back to me. “What brings you to my humble abode, Magus?”

Seeing little reason to avoid the issue, I got right to the point of what had brought me here. “Hast thou heard the news on thy latest assignment?”

He nodded. “Aye, Shadow spoke of it. I trust I meet with your approval?”

“Thou dost. I have full confidence in thine abilities to assist me.” After some consideration, I added, “I admit, there is still much that I need to learn and would not mind continuing with some of thy lessons.” After Appleton, I saw that there was a great deal I needed to learn about the world, and not all of it could be from a book.

That brought a warm smile to the sergeant's face. “We never stop learning until the day we die.”

“Unless we suffer severe brain damage and have been reduced to great simpletons as a result,” I agreed.

“Cheery as ever, I see,” he said dryly. He sighed and stretched out his wing, showing quite the impressive physique doing so. “Well, may I invite you in?”

“Thou might, but thou dost not have to,” I said, wishing to be polite. “I do not wish to impose with my unexpected visit.”

“Please, be welcome as my guest.” He opened the door for me.

“Very well then.” Seeing no reason to be rude, I headed inside at his behest. We walked through the blacksmith shop portion of the house and headed upstairs to the living quarters. Once there, I took the opportunity to look about the house and gain a measure of the stallion I would be working with in the future and his family. You could understand a great deal about a stallion by understanding his family. All facts are relevant, after all.

The home was neat and orderly, though not to the point of being obsessive, merely possessing the order and warmth of a home. While the decorations were relatively modest and spartan, they struck me as having a personal touch with decorative metal knickknacks and a variety of other items adorning the house.

“Thou dost have a fine home, Sergeant,” I said as we reached the living room. “'Tis my pleasure to visit thee.”

“Thank you very much, Magus.” He waved for me to sit on a cushion when he sat opposite of me. “‘Tis my pleasure to offer such a distinguished guest the hospitality of my home.” When I had finished settling myself he continued. “I should apologize for my daughter's behavior. Matters with Astra have been ... difficult since the war.” His ears lowered when he mentioned his daughter.

“Why is that, if I may ask?” Though I knew there was probably little I could do about the discord within his home, I still wished to know the reasons for it. At the very least he might appreciate an open ear for his woes.

“Her mother fought with the rebels and died in the assault on the Western Redoubt.” The revelation was spoken in a calm, even tone, but I could hear the pain underlining his words.

"My condolences," I said sympathetically. "I apologize if I brought up an old pain." It was a story I had heard more than once from the pegasi. Lyequinegus had laid out that the clanponies were to marry and have children outside of their clans, no doubt to help bind the clans together into the nation he envisioned. While it had been a successful law for many centuries, it had born sour fruit during the Lunar Rebellion when Shadow had sundered the Kickers from the rest of the clans. As a result, kin had often made to fight and there had been many instances of kinslaying during the war.

He waved off my apology. "I have come to terms with what happened. 'Tis an old pain, but one I endure."

Though he said he bore the pain, I could not help but see that it left its scars. "I take it thy daughter takes offense with the fact that one parent survived, but the other did not?"

"Aye," he said with a sigh. "That, and she is of an age when young mares become ... difficult."

I had never been so difficult for my mother, but I had heard 'twas so with many young adults. "I hope the division in thy family heals. Family discord is never a pleasant matter. Mayhaps 'tis something she will grow out of."

"That is my hope." Stalwart let out a huff. "Astra has always possessed a choleric spirit, but even her temper cools with time."

Feeling that it might be best to change to a topic that did not relate to Stalwart's familial woes, I said, "I did wish to discuss the idea of giving me martial training like what we started with before going to Appleton."

Stalwart rubbed his chin when I made my proposal. "An intriguing choice. Most magi disdain such arts."

"I am not most magi." He was correct that most magi did not bother with any sort of martial training. Usually only the knight-magi bothered with such things. "I was nearly choked to death by one of the hags. I would see to it that I do not experience that again." Upon thinking about it, the magi's disdain for this type of pursuit might be something that needed to change. Many magi had been slain because they had inadequate options once an enemy had entered into melee with them. But that was something that would have to wait until I had become an archmagus and could change some policies.

"I imagine not," he agreed. "So we shall ensure that does not happen again."

"I would like that," I said. "I cannot say that I will ever become as skilled as most of the warriors that thou hast served with, but I would at least like to become competent."

"I have much experience in training young warriors, I am sure I can manage with you." I had heard from Gale that Stalwart was often in charge of training many new warriors, and so I believed his words. Part of me had to think that Shadow had intended for me to do this very thing when she had selected Stalwart as my bodyguard. "Was there anything in particular you wished to learn?"

"Besides how to avoid dying?” I asked. “I admit, I am not sure. I have little knowledge of the ways of the warrior other than what I have read.”

“Then I will begin with the basic foundation and work from there.” Stalwart was about to say more when the front door opened and closed. His ears twitched as he listened closely to the sounds that came from the first floor. “Ah, I think my son has returned.” He stood from his cushion as a colt stepped into the living room.

“Father, I am home.” He stopped short when he saw me sitting in his living room and looked to his father for direction on what to do.

The unicorn colt struck me as a blue-coated brick with legs. While he was still young, I could already see that he favored his father’s strong form, and his messy mane as well, though Stalwart’s was not grey. Considering the colt’s age, the fact he was a unicorn, and that Stalwart had mentioned in the past that he was currently married, I guessed that this boy was from his second marriage.

Stalwart took place beside his son and wrapped a wing around his back. “Magus, this is my son, Cobalt Kicker. Cobalt, this is Magus Midnight Sparkle. I will be guarding her for the immediate future. Go ahead and greet her.”

At the beckoning of his father, Cobalt stepped forward and gave me a nod. “Greetings, Magus, ‘tis good to meet you. My father has spoken of you.”

“And ‘tis good to meet thee, child.” I gave him an inviting smile, but for whatever reason, he then immediately grimaced and turned an uncertain look to his father.

Stalwart shrugged to his son, and I got the impression some message passed between them. “Anyways, an idea has struck me. If you have time, milady, I could give you your first lesson on how to defend yourself.”

I pursed my lips as I considered the offer. “I see no harm in doing so.”

I was being mauled to death by a child.

To say the least, it was an unpleasant experience as Cobalt bent one of my forelegs at an unnatural angle while wrapping his legs around that leg and my neck to choke the life out of me. Not only did the child look like a walking brick, he in fact seemed to be made of brick. He possessed none of the softness one would normally associate with a child and seemed to only possess the hard muscle of a warrior. At least that is how it felt when he had wrestled me to the ground and utterly dominated me in our spar.

Probably thinking it unwise to allow his son to murder the pony he was supposed to be protecting in the middle of the Kicker Clanhold practice yard, Stalwart patted his son’s shoulder. “That is enough, Cobalt. Thou hast won.”

“Aye, Father.” Cobalt released me and stood up away from me, finally allowing me to get a breath of fresh air.

The time it took for me to recover from my defeat only served to deepen my embarrassment. I had helped defeat hags, blighted treants, and a demon, but a child not quite a decade old had easily overcome me.

Probably sensing my thoughts, Stalwart gave me an encouraging pat to the shoulder. “‘Tis fine, Magus. My son has been training since he was six, and shows much promise.” I could not help but detect a fair share of paternal pride in his voice as he spoke of his son. “I am sure you would have done much better if you had been allowed to use your magic, but right now we are concentrating on teaching you how to avoid what happened with Carrot Slice.”

"I know, I know," I said reluctantly. I readily saw the wisdom of his words, but they did little to reduce the sting of my defeat.

Stalwart moved into position next to me. “Here, how about you let me show you how not to get caught in that hold Cobalt put you in?”

“Very well then.” As much as I did not like to admit my failures, I liked the idea of continuing to have a child shove my face into the dirt even less.

Stalwart was in the middle of showing me basic methods by which somepony loudly cleared their throat. I looked up to see a grim-faced mare staring down at us. She was a blocky unicorn, with a dark gray coat and light-blue mane.

“Enjoying thyself, dear husband?” the mare asked.

Stalwart glanced down at me, and we both noticed that, due to him teaching me about grappling, that we were now in very awkward positions with one another. The sergeant coughed and swiftly removed himself from me, though the quick movement only seemed to make him seem all the more guilty.

“Zinc, ‘tis good to see thee,” Stalwart said, sounding unsure if ‘twas indeed good to see the mare. He gave her a peck on the lips before taking his place besides her. “Magus Midnight, this is my beloved wife, Zinc. Zinc, this is Magus Midnight Sparkle, whom I spoke of with thee.”

I picked myself off the ground so that I could introduce myself properly. “A pleasure to meet thee. Thy husband was merely teaching me how to defend myself from warlocks attempting to strangle me to death.” I blinked slowly, feeling the urge to explain what Zinc had seen. “I do not like the idea of being strangled to death. I know from personal experience ‘tis unpleasant.”

“I see,” Zinc made a contemplative frown as she looked me up and down. “Stalwart, may we speak for a moment? If the magus does not mind, that is.”

“‘Tis fine,” I assured her. “I could use a break in any event.”

Cobalt gave his mother a big, toothy grin. “Aye, I have beaten Magus Midnight in all our spars with one another. Just like Father taught me!”

Her son’s enthusiasm brought a smile to Zinc’s face. “That is very good, Cobalt. I am sure thy father is very proud of thee.”

Stalwart smiled, though I think it had as much to do with the change in topic as the actual topic now being discussed. “Aye, he is doing very well in his lessons.”

“That is my big, strong colt.” Zinc pecked her son’s forehead.

"Mother!" Cobalt leaned away from the kiss. "You are embarrassing me in front of everypony!"

"Oh hush." Zinc gave her son a nuzzle. "Thou wilt survive a little bit of love from thy mother." Done with her show of affection, she turned back to Stalwart. “Now then, we need to talk for a moment, Stalwart,” she said, pulling her husband aside by the leg. The two of them went off to the side of the practice field to speak with one another, leaving me and Cobalt alone with one another.

I was not sure what to speak with the colt about in order to fill the silence, and I was not overly eager to face his mettle again with another wrestling match. I knew how well that would go, and was not anxious to be put in another chokehold while the colt’s father was away.

Cobalt had seemed to take an interest in looking at my flank. When he noticed that I saw what he was doing, he hastily pointed at my snowflake cutie mark. “What does your cutie mark stand for, milady?”

Ah, he was of an age where a pony could become quite concerned about discovering their special talent and earning their cutie mark. I remembered being curious about such things at his age, even if I had not become obsessed with it. “For its literal meaning, it stands for my talent for the magic of the winter night. As for the more metaphorical part of my special talent, it stands for my tendency to end things, much as winter ends the cycle of life so that new life can rise with the next spring.”

“Oh.” Cobalt stood there for a long moment, probably thinking over what I had said. “Father is good at teaching while Mother is a good blacksmith,” he said, sounding like he had said such things more than once. I had a feeling I was not the first pony he had inquired about cutie marks with. "How did you earn your cutie mark?"

I felt my jaw clench when he asked the question. "That is not something I speak of, child."

He tilted his head at my response. "Why? Everypony likes to tell their cutie mark story."

"I am the exception to that rule," I said briskly. "Mine is filled with blood and death, and 'tis not appropriate for a child thine age."

"Oh..." Cobalt looked down to the ground and scraped his hoof along the ground. "My apologies if I offended you, Magus."

I let out a calming breath, realizing I had been too short with the curious colt. "'Tis fine, Cobalt. The subject sours my mood. Thou didst not know." Feeling that I needed to make some sort of recompense to the child, I drew upon my magic. "Here, let us not end this on that note." I created a sphere of ice and then began to shape it into a recognizable figure. Soon I was levitating an ice sculpture of a proud pegasus warrior to the colt.

Cobalt's eyes widened as he took the ice sculpture into his hold. "Wow, this is wonderful! My thanks!"

His bright smile caused me to smile myself. "Ah, but a 'twould not be proper to have such a warrior at thy beckoning and have no foe for him to face." I went about the same process I had before, only this time creating a larger figure. This time that of a fearsome looking dragon. I had often entertained myself by creating such things in my spare time. It had been good practice for finer manipulations of ice magic and it allowed me to be something of an artist. My grandsire had been a glass maker after all. "I have cast a spell that should allow them to last a few days. Though I suggest that thou keepest them out of sunlight."

"My thanks, milady." He turned the figures in his hooves, staring in wonderment as he took in the fine details I had crafted.

"Thou art welcome." I was considering creating more of the ice sculptures. Then inspiration hit me. I would create an eldritch horror the likes of which the world had not seen before. One with too many eyes, innumerable grasping tentacles, a gaping maw with more maws within that seemed to go on forever, and an alien geometry to its body that would defy explanation.

I was about craft my creation when Stalwart and Zinc returned and interrupted my concentration.

Stalwart smiled at his son as he went about playing with the sculptures. "My apologies, Magus, but this is where we must part for the day. I took this day off to spend with my family, and I am going to have to go and find my erstwhile daughter before 'tis time for dinner."

Zinc wrapped a leg around her husband's foreleg. "We do not spend as much time as we would like, what with my husband's duties so often taking him away from us."

I nodded. "I understand. Do you require assistance with finding Astra? I have spells that can assist with a search."

Zinc hugged her husband's leg more tightly. "I am sure Stalwart will be fine on his own. We know where all of Astra's usual brooding spots are, and not all of them can be easily reached by a unicorn."

"Ah, very well then," I said. "There are other things I must attend to before the end of the day anyways. Though first I would like to give Cobalt one last gift before I go."

Stalwart's family was not as pleased with my third sculpture as I would have hoped.

Later that night I was leaving the theater after watching a play with Gale. Being one of my favorite pleasures, ‘twas nice to be able to relax and enjoy myself. Especially when I had kept myself so busy over the last few days. Naturally acting the part of a proper young lady, I did not seek to carouse with Gale in the way suggested by mine Mother. While Gale was an attractive mare and one whose company I enjoyed, I did not see anything good coming out of my attempt to seduce her. Not that she would be taken in by my clumsy attempts anyways. I knew that from experience.

Putting such thoughts behind me, I grinned at Gale as we worked our way through the crowd departing the theater. “That was pleasurable. I especially enjoyed the part where everypony died due to their own hubris.”

Gale snorted in amusement. “Aye, I figured thou wast enjoying thyself when everypony died horribly.” She smiled back at me. “I had nearly forgotten such simple joys. When is the last time we attended a play together?”

I gave Gale a wry smile, remembering well the last time. “Sometime before thou didst drag me along to slay a black market merchant in order to prick my mother.”

“Ah, yes,” she said, falling back on her stony stoicism. “That incident.”

“Aye, that incident.” I took Gale by the leg and gently pulled on her to come with me. “Shall we talk in that garden over there?” I asked, nodding towards one of the small garden nooks that dotted Canterlot’s streets.

A gentle smile worked its way onto her lips. “Of course.”

She let me lead her to the garden, and once I was confident that we had privacy, letting go of Gale’s leg so that I could face her. I let the amusement in my tone drop when next I spoke. “Gale, please stop provoking my mother.”

“Hrm?” Gale tilted her head at the sudden change in conversation.

“Thou hast driven her wroth with thy latest deed,” I explained, trying to express the seriousness of the situation forward with my tone. “She blames thee for my life being put in danger in Appleton. She will no longer abide thine actions against her.”

“Ah, so thy betterment enrages her now?” Gale let out a huff and sat down on a stool. “She was coddling thee and holding back thy career by always holding thee to her side, and thou know’st it. While I did not know how dangerous Appleton would be, I do not regret giving thee field experience. Only that the mission was not an easier one for thee to cut thy teeth on.”

I glowered at her. “She is considering slaying thee. Thou hast gone too far this time.”

Gale’s eyes narrowed. “She would not dare.”

“What wouldst thou do to a pony that thou didst believe threatened thy daughter's life to their own ends?” I asked.

“I hardly threatened thy life.”

I rubbed at my face as I realized Gale was not easily going to be convinced of the danger she was living under. “That is not the way she sees it. Not after all of thy previous provocations, and thou dost know how she can be overprotective of me. Thou didst take me to Appleton as part of thy plans, and I nearly died there. In her mind, thou art responsible for what happened to me.”

Gale rolled her eyes. “Aye, she is most protective of thee when she is not abusing thee.”

Her bringing up old, sour memories brought a scowl to my face. “Gale, I am telling thee to cease. For thine own protection.”

My continual insistence that she stop caused Gale to narrow her eyes at me, irritation building behind them. "I do not fear thy mother.”

I grasped her by the collar of her armor and jerked her forward so that she was forced to look me in the eyes. "Do not be an arrogant fool. She is dangerous. Mother is the Archmagus of Canterlot, a pony of considerable personal power, and one with much influence and many allies to call upon. She has left a trail of enemies in her wake and thou hast angered her."

I softened my tone as I pleaded with her. "If it comes to a conflict, either I will lose my mother or my best friend. It could also create conflict among Equestria's leaders. I do not think Her Highness or thy mother will stand to the side long if it comes to blows between thee and my mother. Such could have dire consequences, consequences we can ill afford now." I placed a hoof on her shoulder. "Either for my sake or Equestria's, end this quarrel. Please."

Gale stared back at me, and I could see the turmoil going on within her. I saw a decade old anger over my mother's lesson to teach me shield magic, her wounded pride from a hundred cuts traded with Mother over the years, and the desire to protect me from a mare she despised.

Eventually she lowered her gaze away from mine. "So be it. For thy sake, I will not pursue the matter further."

I resisted the temptation to let out a relieved breath. I needed to be sure that this feud was good and done now. "My thanks. And worry not, I am not a scared, helpless little filly anymore. That should be obvious now after Appleton."

She made a shallow bob of her head. "Aye, thou art strong now, but I would still protect thee."

"Then do so at my bidding, rather than only at thine own volition." I nuzzled her. "Together there is little Mother can do against us, even if the worst of her nature surfaces again."

Gale let out a sigh, looking older and more dogged than she had before this conversation started. "Very well."

"Thou art speaking the truth with me, yes?" I asked in a firm tone. "I will be very vexed if I find out thou art conspiring against my mother without my knowledge."

Her head snapped up to look me in the face. "I would not lie to thee so. I do not trust Sunbeam, but I can trust thee and treasure thine own trust."

I nodded and sat next to her on the bench. "I can help manage Mother." I gave her a grin. "I did keep her from making thee disappear mysteriously, or suffering an unfortunate accident, after all."

A dark scowl appeared on Gale's face. "Oh? And when was this?"

"The other day." I grasped her so that kept her attention. "Why I wished to discuss this with thee. I would be greatly upset if thou wert to die, and so I needed this feud to end. Mother has told me that she will drop the matter as long as the provocations ended." And she very well better do so if I kept my end of this arrangement, otherwise I was going to make my displeasure known.

She let out an annoyed huff. "I have no intention of dying, whatever thy mother's intentions." I sensed that the words were born more out of attempting to salvage her pride than any planning on her part to act. That suited me just fine.

"And I have no intention of letting thee die." I poked her on the side of the head. "No matter how stubborn thou art. Besides, I think thy husband would be quite upset if thou didst perish."

"Aye, most likely," she grumbled.

I rolled at Gale's discontentment. "I have rarely seen anypony so unhappy with their spouse." Ever since Gale had come to marry General Dusk Cumulus she had done nothing but belittle and insult the stallion in my presence. 'Twas a mystery to me why she stayed with the pony that seemed to cause her so much grumbling.

"Familiarity breeds contempt," she groused, though I found the information she gave irritatingly unhelpful in explaining the issue.

"Sometimes I wonder why thou even married him," I said. "Or not gone ahead and divorce him for that matter."

"Temporary madness." Gale drew herself up and put on a haughty air. "And since I have already trained him in how best to please me, I might as well retain him for now. 'Twould be a pity to waste all that time and effort."

I was not sure what type of training she spoke of, and whenever I had asked she had only given me a knowing smile and answers so vague as to be useless. "Aye, I am sure that is what it is," I said without a hint of conviction.

She grinned. "What else could it be?"

"There is no love in Gale Kicker's heart?" I asked.

Gale scoffed at that. "For Dusk Cumulus? Ne'er."

"Thou canst be so strange." It seemed that Gale's heart would always be a mystery to me on this matter. "I am glad I am beyond such madness."

Gale raised an eyebrow. "What madness is this?"

I waved vaguely. "Whatever thou hast fallen into. Marrying a stallion that thou dost not love, nor for political advantage. Certainly not for wealth, for he possesses no fortunes beyond thine own. So 'tis madness as far as I can tell."

"Ah, that madness." She nodded in understanding. "A laudable goal to avoid that."

"Aye, I will be sure to marry for political advantage." Hopefully I would at least be able to find a pony I could at least get along with to marry. Whatever Gale had with Dusk struck me as much too complicated and draining to be sensible.

Gale shrugged. "As thou wilt."

"Now then." I took her by the leg. I was now content that she saw me as more of an equal and that the feud between Gale and Mother was now at least manageable. In addition, I had further bound Gale to me in the process. Now I had power over her, and from there furthered my goals. "How about we enjoy the rest of the evening? I am quite famished after that play and wish to go someplace to eat."

Gale smiled and stood with me. "A fine idea. And while we dine, thou canst tell me what thou hast been doing. From what I have heard, thou hast been quite busy."

"So I have." Together the two of us started towards somewhere to eat. "After Appleton I was thinking..."

Author's Note

I would like to thank Chengar Qordath, Comma-Kazie, and JakeTheGinger for all their help in editing Midnight's Shadow.
Then I would also like to thank all my great prereaders Web of Hope, Cryosite, Swiftest, Infinion, Rodinga, 621Chopsuey, Novus Draconis, and Incidental Pegasus No. 5.

Midnight Begins: Chapter 15

Midnight’s Shadow

Midnight Begins: Chapter 15

The next day I went to the Royal Armory. Like many buildings in Canterlot, the Armory had been modified, rebuilt, and expanded upon, usually straight up, over the centuries. This was little surprise considering the Armory was where much of the Royal Guard’s arms and armor were made and then enchanted. Granted, the changes that had been made to the structure over the century had resulted in it becoming something of a labyrinth in its layout, especially to those that had never been inside before.

Thankfully, I had served much of my apprenticeship within the Armory, and so knew my way around its foundry, workshops, storage areas, and labs. ‘Twas not long before I had made my way to the office of the magus I had made an appointment with. I knocked on the door, and was not long in waiting for a reply. “Come in, Midnight,” came a voice from within.

I opened the door and found myself within a well-organized magical workshop. All about were tables covered with high quality enchanting equipment. Shelves lined the room, each either covered in books or a variety of items intended for enchanting or alchemy. The familiar aroma of cookies wafted from the oven sitting in the corner of the room. A unicorn mare sitting at an office desk turned to me with a smile as I entered, the wrinkles that came with the onset of old age only served to make the smile all the more motherly. “Good to see that thou didst come to our appointment.”

“‘Twould have been the height of rudeness for me not to come to a meeting I arranged.” I closed the door after me and approached the familiar peach-coated mare. Her blue and gold striped mane was done up in a neat bun. “Especially when that meeting is with my old master.”

“And being rude is not something I would expect of thee.” Magus Morning Star, senior magus of Equestria, stood up to give me a proper nuzzle. “And good thing too, for then I fear that the cookies I made would go cold.” She walked over to the oven and opened it to pull out the sheet of chocolate chip cookies from within. “And that would not do.”

“You did not have to.” I felt some embarrassment over Morning Star going through the effort of baking me cookies as she had when I still took lessons from her. “I am no longer a child, nor your apprentice.”

She waved off my concerns and grinned as she confirmed that the cookies were indeed fully cooked. “We do have our traditions, so do not worry about it. ‘Tis not as though I am very busy right now.”

That was most likely true. In all honesty, Morning Star’s position as Senior Magus for Special Commissions was a sinecure in reality. While on occasion she would be required to help craft unusual enchanted items to stop a rare monster or deal with an unusual crisis, the position usually required very little work from her. She had earned the position immediately after the Lunar Rebellion; due to Morning’s archmagus husband being murdered by warlocks during the war and the fact that she still had two children to raise by herself, Mother had given her a title of prestige and income sufficient to let her live a comfortable life. I suspected taking me on as an apprentice had been part of the agreement between them. ‘Twould be like Mother to do such a thing. Morning Star could have become an archmagus herself had she been a little more powerful or more ambitious, but she was content with her current position and with the raising of her children.

I took one of the cookies and bit into it. As always, it was delicious. “I do enjoy our traditions.” The opportunity to eat freshly baked cookies was always something I had looked forward to as a filly. True, I usually had to earn the right to eat those cookies, but that only caused me to strive all the harder to please my master.

“As do I.” Morning Star sat back down on her cushion. “So, what can an old, used-up war widow do for thee?”

“I would hardly call you used up.” I sat down next to her. “I would not have come to you if that was so.”

That brought a pleased smile to her. “Oh? Well, thou wert always kind...”

“I try to be, especially to my old master,” I said. “You deserve nothing less.”

“True.” Morning Star skillfully levitated all the cookies onto a plate and then brought the plate over to her desk. “So, what brings thee by?”

Seeing no reason to avoid the issue I wished to bring up, I dived into the task at hoof. “I intend on making multiple magical items with which to help me be a field magus. I found myself ill-prepared during my first field assignment, and I would not find myself in such a situation again.”

That brought a smile to my old master. "Well then, thou certainly chose the right pony for help."

"I like to think I know a skilled pony when I see one." I knew Morning Star to be a highly talented enchanter, quite possibly the greatest of her generation. She had been involved in the creation of more than one notable magical item, and had been one of the three ponies that had enchanted Shadow's armor. Considering that her armor had been intended to allow a mortal to defeat a demigod, that was no mean feat.

Morning Star chuckled. "Still thou dost continue to flatter me.”

"I suppose 'tis a skill I learned from my mother," I admitted. Some of Mother's lessons had covered the wisdom of flattery under the right circumstances. Praising the accomplishments of a pony that had earned them was one method by which to get within a pony's good graces.

"I was hardly complaining. Thou art too kind, Midnight." She pulled out a quill and parchment. "So, what items did you have in mind? I doubt thou hast come to me without any ideas on what would benefit thee."

"Armor, for one." My lack of protection was something that had been made woefully clear to me. I had been one true strike away from losing my life for the entirety of the crisis in Appleton. "Preferably nothing too heavy, but it needs to be strong enough for me not to suffer terrible wounds like being stabbed through my heart to let my lifeblood pour out, or have my stomach opened up so that my entrails will fall out."

Morning Star hummed to herself and made some notes on her parchment. "Light chain then, perhaps? I presume money is no concern? I am sure thy mother will be willing to pay, if nothing else."

I nodded. "Aye, money is not a concern. I have plenty saved in the Royal Bank."

"Excellent, that means we can use the finest of materials," she said. "I know a master blacksmith whom I can ask to make this armor. Anything special for the armor aside from the usual strengthening and ease of wear enchantments?"

"I was thinking to enchant it to help me hide and blend in with the shadows." I pulled out some notes I had made for my proposal. The types of enchantments I was considering were a magnitude more complex than the typical set of Guard armor, and I thought it best to let Morning Star review my work. "And also to give it resistance to the elements. In addition to mine own skill with cryomancy, I am going to be learning pyromancy from Mother. 'Twould be best if mine own spells did not damage or weaken my armor." It struck me as counterproductive to make my armor brittle with cold or accidently heat the metal to the point I started to burn to death.

Morning Star took my notes and started going over my work. "Ah, playing to thy strengths, I see?"

"I imagine I could make far stronger enchantments if I do, aye," I said.

"True." She put my paper to the side to give me her full attention. "Though if thou wishest for mine aid..."

"I wished to make it the best it can be," I said. "Which is why I have come to you. You know much more about enchanting than I do, even after our lessons together."

She gave a conceding nod. "As much as anypony, save perhaps Princess Celestia."

"And I do not think it quite proper to ask her for aid to enchant my armor," I pointed out.

"She is rather busy at the moment," Morning Star mused. "As I am sure will come to everypony's surprise, ruling Equestria does eat into her free time."

"Aye, and Mother's also." Mother was already going to be spending much of her free time aiding me in improving my spellcasting, and I did not wish to take more of her time than was fair to her. Even she enjoyed her free time now and again. "One of the reasons I sought your aid. I mean no offense, but you are not as busy as they, or many others I might consider asking about this."

She waved my concern off. "No offense is taken. 'Tis the truth that I possess a comfortable position, and one that lets me be happy. I am glad to offer my help." She gave me a warm smile that reassured me that I had chosen wisely. "In all honesty, I could use a project to busy myself with for a bit. I have been a bit bored the last couple of weeks, and this will fix that nicely."

"Excellent, for there is more than just armor I wish for," I said.

"Oh really?" Morning Star steepled her hooves and rested her chin on them. "Do tell..."

I pulled out some additional notes for some ideas I had. “I need an enchanted cloak, horseshoes, saddlebags, and a variety of other gear to aid me.”

“My my, thou art serious.” Morning Star took my notes and looked through them one sheet at a time. “And what sort enchantments didst thou have in mind?” She rose an eyebrow at the plate of cookies. “And more importantly, why hast thou not eaten any cookies yet? I do hope I have not made an error with the recipe...”

“Mine apologies. I am somewhat absorbed with my plans.” I took another cookie and ate it. “As always, they are delicious. But back to the enchantments: I wished to give myself a variety of protections and options while on missions. As you can see, I aim to weave protective wards into my cloak.”

“Reasonable,” Morning Star said. “They are the most popular enchantment for cloaks among magi.”

“Then I would like to enchant some horseshoes to give me bursts of speed when desired,” I said. “Having the ability to run away from a battle gone badly is useful.”

Morning Star ran her quill over her parchment. “Not an uncommon spell, but I will warn that they would only be good for short bursts. And of course, whilst thy legs will move faster, the rest of thy body may not always follow. It takes time and training to become used to such speed.”

“Aye, there are always the weaknesses of that enchantment, from what I have read.” Once the horseshoes were done, I would have to take time to learn how to use them. Yet another thing to add to my increasingly busy schedule.

“‘Tis good to know what the weaknesses of thy magic are.” She grinned as she lifted her own cookie. “I hope thou hast not forgotten one of my most important lessons? Not all problems have a magical solution.”

“Aye, I have not.” I finished off the latest cookie I had picked up. “Though I still insist many problems can be solved with magic, or at least made easier to solve.”

“True. But sometimes a simpler solution is better.” Morning put aside her quill and parchment. “For instance, thou shouldst pick up a hobby to keep thyself from being overwhelmed by thy work. From what I have heard, thou art keeping thyself very busy. So spending some time on a hobby will keep thee from becoming too stressed.”

“I will think about it.” I shrugged. “‘Tis not as though I will spend all my time working. Though I did find I was incredibly bored while traveling. Sadly, I could not carry enough books with me to keep me entertained.” Thinking the issue over, a spark of an idea lit within me. “You still have that book on runes that Argentium gave you?”

Morning Star leaned back and gave me a contemplative look. “I do, aye. I take it thou wouldst like to learn more of runecasting?”

“I think carving runes is something I would enjoy while on the road.” From everything I had read, runes took quite a bit of time and skill to make. If I was going to have a hobby to do while away from Canterlot, one that consumed time to do and I could continually grow in with practice struck me as ideal. Additionally, if the quality of my work was good enough, I would have additional magical tools to call upon in times of need.

“Then I will loan thee the book.” She made a quick note on her parchment. “The work of Argentium the Runescaled is quite fascinating, I must say.”

I nodded. “That is of little surprise when she is an ancient dragon with millennia of acquired magical knowledge.” At least from what I had heard and read, Argentium was a mighty wyrm from the North who indirectly ruled the native caribou tribes. Runes were the common type of magic among them, and while their magic did not have the flexibility of unicorn magic, it was very potent.

“What dost thou intend to carve thy runes into?” Morning Star offered the last cookie to me and I took it. “Wood? Stone?”

“I was thinking bone.”

Mother led me onto one of the Arcs Arcanix practice fields to begin our first lesson to perfect my casting. Equestria’s premier school for teaching magic had a number of places where students and others could practice their spellcraft, and as was often common, a place where ponies could duel if there was the need. The field was covered by cobbled stone and was surrounded by seating on upraised platforms. The very stones were enchanted to help contain any of the magical forces used within. I was mildly surprised when I saw the field covered in snow. While a long winter was approaching, ‘twas far too soon to be seeing snow. Mother must have made special arrangements with the weatherponies.

When we reached the center of the field, Mother turned to face me. “Create ice,” she said brusquely.

“Very well then.” Knowing that I would find out faster why Mother wanted me to create ice by complying with her instructions, I did as bidden. I pushed aside the heat in a small area while also concentrating the moisture in the air at that point. Soon there was a crackle as ice condensed in the pocket, creating a ball of ice the size of a hoof.

Mother watched on carefully with an analytical eye until I was finished. “Good. But surely thou couldst find a use for all the heat being pushed aside?”

The idea took me back astep. “I have ... not considered such a thing.” Always heat had been a dynamic opposite to my cryomancy, an obstacle to be overcome on the way to my goal of creating ice. Using that heat for anything useful had not really occurred to me.

A sly smile crept its way onto my mother’s features. “It seems a pity to waste it, doesn't it?”

“Assuming I could harness such a thing,” I said. “I do have little talent with controlling heat.” As was often the case, ‘twas difficult for me to master a type of magic that was diametrically opposed to that of my special talent. Mine was the magic of the winter night, thus heat and light served as an opposing force to what I wished to do. Doing more than lighting a candle had thus far proven beyond my ability with pyromancy.

“Oh? You make ice well enough.” She pointed at my iceball. “Is that not controlling heat?”

“More like I am removing the heat from an area,” I said, though my explanation felt like I was splitting hairs to mine own ears.

“And to where are you removing it?” Mother asked.

“Into the surrounding area.”

Mother’s smile took on a vicious edge. “Why not remove it all to the same place?”

I frowned as I considered the practical concerns of such a feat. “That would take a great deal more concentration, adding another layer of complication to the spell. ‘Twould be similar to casting two spells simultaneously.”

“Aye, it would,” she said. “But 'twould bear rich fruit, I assure thee. Many magi waste so much energy and time concentrating on but a single element when with a bit more effort they could vastly increase the effectiveness of their spellcasting within a limited period of time.”

“If one could do it without overtaxing one's ability and magic reserves,” I pointed out.

“I can and thou wilt as well. I will accept nothing less from thee.” Mother held up her forehooves, keeping them away from one another as her horn glowed. “Now pay attention. With sufficient effort...” I watched on as she created a ball of flame in one hoof and one of ice in the other. I could see what she was talking about in practice. She was removing the heat from where she was creating the iceball and feeding it into the fireball.

“Aye, I see what you mean.” ‘Twas quite the feat of magic, though one the uninitiated might not fully appreciate. While Mother made it seem simple, I knew it must have taken her a great deal of practice to master. The amount of concentration and skill needed to maintain such a balance was no mean thing.

Mother grinned at my appreciation of her works. “Few can manage this. None but me, in truth. But if there is another pony with the needed skill, 'twould be mine own daughter, neigh?”

I nodded. “I would like to think so, even if learning this skill will not be easy.” Mother’s pheonix of flame on her cutie mark readily showed her talent for pyromancy. If she could create ice with her talent for fire, then I should be able to do the same with my own talent for cryomancy. It might take a bit of reverse engineering from where my mother started, but it seemed a doable feat.

Mother dispelled the fire and dropped the iceball. “If 'twere easy, I would not be the one teaching it.”

“That is true,” I said. “You are an archmagus for a reason. There seems to be little to do but to practice until I learn this skill. Usually how one learns how to cast spells.”

Mother grinned. “How shocking. I am teaching thee a new spell in the manner which one usually learns new spells in.”

I grinned at my mother’s humor. “Truly this is a revolutionary development.”

Mother nodded. “I should write a book on the matter.” (1)

1. In fact, both Sunbeam and Midnight Sparkle would end up writing several books each ranging from topics such as magic, politics, and history. Most of them were influential in their time, and a couple remain in circulation today.

"That would help secure your legacy, I am sure," I said most studiously, enjoying the moment of levity with Mother. "I would like to write my own books someday."

"Oh?" The humor in Mother was replaced with a more curious tone. "On what topic?"

I had to think for a moment before answering. What I should write about someday was something I only had vague ideas about. 'Twas something I wished to do, both leave my legacy upon the literary world and to raise my own prestige. Many archmagi had written some sort of academic book before they achieved their title in order to prove they were learned ponies.

"I would like to write at least one book on magic," I finally said. "Perhaps other topics such as history." History was my favorite subject outside of the more practical sciences, so the idea of writing my own chronicle on some historical event met my fancy.

Mother nodded in approval. "Good topics. Those who write history determine how 'twill be remembered."

"That is true, but the facts of history should be preserved." As was something of a habit for me, I found myself desiring to debate. Mayhaps 'twas born out of the thought exercises Morning Star and Mother had always tested me with.

"Ah yes, the 'facts'." A savage grin came to Mother's face. She was never one to turn down a debate and prove her intellectual superiority. "Truth, I find, is often a matter of one's perspective. Ask twenty ponies what they saw during a particular event and you are likely to receive at least twenty answers. Matters become even more murky once time has passed and the ponies who were at those events age and die."

I frowned, not being able to completely argue against her points. "That is not always true. We know with reasonable certainty that some events happened. Even if not always the reasons for why those events happened."

"Ah, that much is so," Mother said. "Though I still say 'tis important who ends up writing history. I am sure the history books for the Lunar Rebellion would be quite different if the rebels had won."

"That much I have to agree with." It probably helped that Mother had commissioned the official history of that war. Having read it thoroughly as part of one of my assignments, I knew it colored several events that took place during the war. If one read that chronicle, one would think that Princess Celestia was nothing but a paragon of wisdom and virtue during the conflict, when the truth of the matter was much more complicated. Certainly I had heard some of my mother's much more passionate, and often colorful, discussions with Her Highness when she had disagreed with her. Then again, 'twas Mother's policy to never outshine Her Highness and always put her on a pedestal. "In any event, that is something that I will concentrate on in the future, even if that is not an immediate goal. Right now I wish to concentrate on learning how to use both ice and fire together."

"That you do." Mother rolled her neck to stretch it out. "And also, thy training in shields."

I stiffened at the mention of shields. Painful memories forced themselves to the surface. "Aye, there is that as well..."

Mother stretched out each of her legs out. "Before anything else, I wish to see thy skill with magic while in battle. I will throw objects at thee. I will be doing my utmost to strike thee. Thou wilt block them. Understand?"

I swallowed, my throat suddenly feeling very dry. "Aye, I do. I will do my best."

Her eyes narrowed. "No. You will block them."

I unclenched my jaw and wondered what projectiles she would be throwing at me this time. "Then I will have to do my utmost to block your attacks."

"Art thou ready?" Mother's horn started glowing.

I dreaded myself mentally and started drawing on my magic. "I am, Mother."

"I will strike in five seconds," she said.

It was barely three before she tossed a snowball at me. Thankfully, I already had my shield up well before it reached me. "And I imagine there is no point to complaining about you attacking before you said you would? No doubt your lesson is that an opponent is never to be trusted." In truth, I felt no small relief that she was throwing mere snowballs at me, and it would explain why she had arranged for all the snow. When I had heard she wished to test my shields I had expected much worse.

Mother smiled with self-satisfaction. "Thou wert e'er a quick student."

I watched my mother carefully for whatever trick she might be planning for next. "I tend to learn my lessons well."

"Precisely. And better for it, as—” she chucked several more snowballs into my shield as she continued speaking "—life rarely gives second chances."

"So I have noticed." Certainly my experiences at Appleton had not been so kind, and the hags had paid dearly for their own mistakes.

"Thy defense must be flawless." I sensed Mother lifting more snowballs behind me, and so I turned my shield into a solid dome, thus causing the new angle of attack to fail also.

"No defense is flawless," I pointed out.

“As near as thou canst manage, then.” Mother threw more snowballs into my shield, seeking a weak point no doubt. “And do not fall so fully into defense that thou art as a turtle. For ceding the initiative to the attacker rarely ends well.” She pulled together a snowball large enough to bury me in snow.

“Mine apologies, I did not know that you wished for me to attack also.” Mother could often be quite ambiguous about what she wanted during an exercise such as this. Now that I knew that attacking was an option. I created a concentrated ball of cold air outside of my shield. I fired it into Mother’s growing snowball. There, the concentrated air released and exploded the snowball, sending snow flying in all directions. It splashed against my shield, and to my annoyance, evaporated before striking Mother. I studied the currents of magical energy around her, and I saw that she was concentrating the heat in the area around her. That was going to be a tricky defense to break with just snow.

Mother scooped up more snowballs from the ground and then levitated them all about me, moving far too many to keep track of around in unpredictable patterns. I was in trouble: I could not hold up the shield forever without draining my magical reserves, and if I dropped the shield Mother would immediately attack. Thus I created a dome of ice around my magical shield, making it thick enough to withstand Mother’s snowballs. I heard the impact of snowballs on ice and felt satisfaction at my defense.

Then all the snow under my hooves turned into water, and then solidified into a layer of slick ice. I slipped and cracked my skull against the side of my own shield. I grit my teeth and cast a spell to melt the ice and add the moisture to the ice dome. Shame Mother was not relenting in her attacks. The ice of the dome melted, resulting in me crashing through the section of the dome I had been leaning against and falling face-first into the snow.

Mother was grinning down in delight at me. In a bid to reverse the momentum of the fight against her, I gathered all the snow about me and tossed it at Mother in a great wave. She did not even bother to move in the slightest as a burst of fire melted the snow I tossed at her.

It was then I noticed that I was suddenly under the cover of a large shadow. I looked up just in time to see the massive snowball Mother had been gathering above my head land on me. I was buried under a pile of snow, cementing my defeat in this particular exchange.

Mother chuckled as I dug myself from out of the snow. “'Twould seem I am the victor.” She smiled down with satisfaction. "Well fought."

"It seems I am yet at a disadvantage against you." My pride felt stung by the defeat. Once again I had been completely outshone by my mother. It did not even feel like I had stood a chance against her.

"That was inevitable, child. I see now that we need to work on thy combat instincts and thine ability to adapt in battle in addition to the need to improve thy spellcasting.” Mother offered a hoof to help me up. “There is no shame in losing a practice duel, unless one does not learn from the lesson and improve from it.”

“As you say, Mother...” I took Mother’s hoof, but when she pulled on me as I stood up, I popped out of the snowdrift much more easily than we expected me to. I stumbled against Mother and pushed her back a step before she regained her balance. Mother wrapped her forelegs around me to steady me.

I found myself in something like a hug, though my mother had never been particularly skilled at such things. Certainly nothing like Gale’s much more enthusiastic hugs. I hugged her back, feeling comfort in her hold and pressing against her white coat. “Um, my thanks.”

“Of course, my child.” She seemed to hesitate for a moment before giving me a maternal peck to the cheek. “Midnight...” I smiled at her and gave her a nuzzle that she returned. “'Tis good to have thee returned to me.”

“I was not gone that long,” I said.

Mother gave me a squeeze. “Thou wert gone long enough for a mother to miss her child. How much more is needed?”

“Aye, I suppose so.” I relaxed in her embrace, feeling an all too rare moment of contentment. “I know I missed you while in Appleton.”

Mother nuzzled me again. “Then 'tis good that thou art returned to me, and will not leave anytime soon.”

“I do not think so, neigh,” I said. “Not until I am sent on another mission.”

“That will be some time yet,” she assured me. “I will be ... glad to have thee about more often. I have become accustomed to thy presence.”

I smiled at her. “As am I. You have been here my entire life, for you are my mother.”

“I am. And I always shall be.”

Something had been bothering me since my time spent in Appleton: the Voice. That powerful, feminine, imperious voice that had spoken to me at Appleton and within the Dreamscape. Though I did not know the nature of this being, I knew it existed. It had spoken to me when I had been ensnared by the hags' trap within the Dreamscape, during my battle with Apple Butter, and during my fevered dreams. My lack of knowledge of this being necessitated that I find out more about it. If I had attracted the attention of some spirit, I would know why and what its intentions were.

Thus I descended down into the lab of my mother's tower. I made my way over to the room where Mother's magic circle lay at the center. 'Twas an object of great value in its own right, made of many precious metals all interwoven together, enchanted gems precisely placed all about its surface, and runes of power ran along its circumference. Mother had put no small time and fortune into creating it, and as a result 'twas an object of great power for those who knew how to use it correctly.

I placed a sign over the door that I was not to be disturbed and locked it. Whether one intended to harness great magical forces or summon spirits, concentration was usually key to preventing disaster. Distractions at the wrong moment could become fatal, both for the magi using the circle and any who might disturb them. The books I had read certainly warned of such things and had many examples of magi who had not been cautious and paid dearly for it. Then there were plenty of stories of warlocks, either ill-trained or reaching beyond their ability, who had summoned beings they could not control or whom had lost control of a ritual and slain themselves. Thus, I made sure Mother and anypony else who might visit would not disrupt what I was about to do.

I carefully walked around the magic circle, using a broom to sweep away any dust that had collected on it and making sure that no item broke its ring. Satisfied that there was nothing compromising the integrity of the circle, I placed myself inside of it and closed my eyes.

I took several minutes rhythmically breathing, concentrating on the act I was about to do, removing any thought from my mind that might distract me. Slowly, I empowered the magic circle, pouring energy into it and closing it shut. Once I was convinced that my only thoughts concerned the task before me, I cast my spell and projected myself into the Dreamscape.

I found myself in a starry landscape devoid of anything else. A million and more stars surrounded me in the endless void. It was out into that void that I called out, projecting both my will and magic out to help gain the attention of the spirit I sought. "Being that has spoken to me, I call to you. Creature that whispers in my ear in my dreams, come to me. Presence that is always with me, show yourself to me so that we might speak with one another."

I waited for a while and I was about to trying summoning the spirit again when someone spoke from the side of me. "Ah, so thou seekest me out at last."

I turned my head to see the being that had addressed me. It was a queer thing the likes of which I had not quite seen before. It had the shape of an equine, though as tall as any pony I had ever seen except for Princess Celestia herself. A body as dark as night, it had an almost translucent color to it, for I could see the star-like points of light within it. Its mane seemed to be carried by the astral winds, and its eyes were two silver points of light.

And it had power. Power the likes of which I had rarely felt. It radiated off the creature to my magical senses, and I had to wonder if it had been a mistake to contact this spirit directly. But whether it was a mistake or not, I had committed to this action, and I still had the power of my Mother's magic circle to protect me. Best to see the intentions of this spirit now that I held its attention.

I spoke with confidence, betraying none of my uncertainty. As Mother had always instructed me, confidence was its own shield. "Aye, I have contacted you so that we might speak. You have spoken to me a few times in the past, and now seemed a good time for us to have a more thorough conversation."

"That we can both agree on. I have been watching thee for quite some time now, but it has been most difficult for me to contact thee. Though now that thou havest sought me directly..." Despite the fact the spirit had no mouth, I got the sense that it was smiling at me.

I had to wonder what the long term consequences might be for contacting this creature. Now that I had sought it out so boldly, it might be much more difficult to be rid of it. Such were the hazards of dealing with a spirit one did not know much about. “So why do you wish to speak with me?”

“Because I have much and more I could offer thee,” it said amiably. “The advice and help I have given to thee already is but a pittance compared to what I could give thee.”

“Depends on the price, for there is always one for such things.” I was not so foolish as to think that this spirit's help would come without a cost. More than one pony had made that mistake in the past.

“I ask nothing but thy trust and friendship, dear Midnight,” it said. “For if thou wert to die, I shall be diminished.”

“Oh? Who are you then?” I asked, cutting to the quick of the matter. “What is your name so that I know who I am dealing with.”

I got the sense the spirit grinned at me. “I have had many names.”

“Then surely you can give me one of them if they are in such plentiful supply,” I pushed, not letting it get away with such an oblique answer. If I had a name then I might be able to discover what this spirit was with research. The Forbidden Archive had the most comprehensive list of names for spirits available to ponykind. (2)

2. This was as true then as it is today. The Book of Names is a magically enchanted book of infinite pages that contains the names, biographies, and natures of many of the spirits, fey, demons, and other such beings ponies have encountered over the centuries. Continuously edited and expanded upon by generations of magi, the table of contents alone is so large that it would take a couple months of continuous reading to get through.

It made an acknowledging bow of its head. “I am the Raven Queen, ruler of all ravenkind.” In the blink of an eye, her appearance changed. While still equine in shape, the being before me was covered in night-black feathers and wings folded in at her sides. Her face was like that of a pony, but her eyes had a beadier, and her muzzle was more pointed than normal. Feathers were interwoven with her mane and tail, and she almost seemed to suck in the light around her.

I frowned as I tried to take the full measure of the being before me. “That sounds more like a title than a proper name.”

“What is a name but a commonly used title?” she returned.

I rubbed my chin as I thought it over. ‘Twas a title I could at least research, if anything. Though now that I thought about it, ravens had always had an affinity for me. The birds had always followed me wherever I had gone, and spells using ravens came easily to me. Could it be because this spirit favored me? “That is true enough. Very well then, Raven Queen.”

She let out a wry chuckle. “Now that I hear it said so, it does sound rather ... pretentious. At least for being called upon”

I let out an exasperated sigh, now having an idea of how difficult this spirit was likely to be. “You did pick it to give to me.”

“So it seems. My mistake. Let us try something more ... grounded.” She tapped her cheek in thought. “Thou mayest call me Corva.”

“Corva it is then.” That was probably not her real name considering that ‘Corva’ was just Old Unicornian for raven, but at least it gave me something to call her. And names did have power, especially over spirits.

“And I shall call thee by thy proper name, my friend,” Corva said.

Now that I had a name to work with, I decided it best to press for more information. “You do seem hold me at a disadvantage, though. Considering I know so little about you, but you seem to know a great deal about me.”

Corva waved a hoof, and suddenly we were within a forest glade. A pair of comfortable looking cushions sat by a campfire, one of which she sat on. “Ask a question, then. Let me share my knowledge and power with thee.”

Seeing little to gain by being rude, I sat on the opposite cushion from her. “What is your nature? What are you?”

“I am a spirit, obviously. One that wishes to help ponies such as thyself.” Corva summoned a small table with a teapot and a pair of cups.

“A spirit?” I took the second cup when offered, casting a spell upon it to make sure it was not some kind of poison. “Why have you sought me out?”

“It is thou whost sought me.” Corva gave me a sly grin. “It was thee who needed my help against the hags in Appleton, and thou called on me now.”

“You came to me first, near as I can tell,” I countered. “I did not even know of your existence before going to Appleton.”

She absently sipped at her cup. “Thy need for power called to me.”

I sipped carefully at my cup, and found it to have a delightful flavor of tea. “Why do you seek to help me?”

“As I said, it is to my advantage that thee grow stronger,” she said.

“Why?” The spirit seemed to have some sort of connection to me, but I needed to know what that connection was.

Corva chuckled. “So very curious...”

I was growing wary of Corva’s evasiveness. She was as bad as many magi I had interacted with. Always hiding their intentions, strengths, and weaknesses. “I am a curious pony, and I wish to know what you are, who you are, and what your goals are.”

Corva let out a patient sigh and poured herself another cup. “I have told thee all of these things already. I am a spirit that wishes to give thee power. Our fates are linked to one another. Thy destiny and mine are entwined. Thy success is my success. ‘Tis not as though all spirits are malicious, Midnight. Thou must have read of plenty of examples of spirits that have aided magi or heroes over the centuries. This is so in this case too.”

“You are a very strange spirit then,” I mused. “Attaching yourself to a mortal in such a manner.”

Corva twirled her tea as she started down at it. “'Twas not entirely my choice.”

“You are enslaved to do so? As part of your imprisonment?” I guessed, hoping to get a little more insight.

“Destiny is a cruel, fickle thing.” Corva put her cup down. “But thou wouldst know all about that, wouldst thou not?”

“So I have found.” I finished my cup and set it down also. “I admit, this is a most curious situation I find myself in.”

“On that, we are agreed.” Corva stood up from her cushion and approached me. “But if our destinies are linked, I would have thee be successful. While I am powerless in some ways, there are others where I can be thy greatest ally and friend.” She casually waved a hoof, and dozens of bookshelves appeared about the glade. “I can give thee the knowledge and power to protect those who are precious to thee. Magics forgotten by all ponykind ... or hidden from them.”

I tilted my head as I looked about at the books collected on the shelves. “That is usually for a reason.”

“Of course.” Corva pulled a book from a shelf and levitated it over to me. “Many reasons for many spells and facts. Untold lore has been lost merely because it was not recorded or the books they were written upon have long degraded and fallen apart, not because it was forbidden.”

I fixed Corva with a frown. “I hope this is not some poor trick intended to make me sacrifice children and fuel dark rituals on their joy and souls?”

Corva chuckled. “Nothing of the sort. I am not so foolish as to offer spells I know thou wouldst ne'er use. Such would be a waste of time and only make thee suspicious of my intentions. Neigh, what I offer is knowledge and power thou willst use.” She opened the book for me. “Things thou canst use that will help thee accomplish thy goals: to become an archmagus and protect thy friends and loved ones. Noble and just goals.”

I carefully started scanning the pages of the book, finding it to have theories on shadow magic I had never seen before. “That is at least one barrier we can avoid, then.”

Corva smiled as I started reading. “Agreed. And many more. I would not ask anything of thee that thou wouldst not willingly do.” She placed a hoof on my shoulder and turned the page. “Remember, there is nothing wrong with power. Power is merely the extension of one’s will. Power only makes us more of what we are. It allows thee to do the things thou wishest to do. Great ponies, heroes or villains, had it. But at the end of the day, thou havest the choice to do what thou wilt with it.”

I hummed as I considered her point. My mother had said similar things in the past. Some ponies said that power corrupted, but I thought that a simplistic and false look on the matter. After all, was not Princess Celestia the most powerful pony of all? And I would not say her power had corrupted her. Merely given her the ability to do what she thought was best for Equestria, and overall, Equestria had been made better by her rule.

“I am forced to agree with you.” I read over another page, and saw nothing I found objectionable. Quite the opposite, considering the unique knowledge I was reading about, and even if Corva did try and give me something nefarious I would be able to identify it and act accordingly. I was not some novice warlock with only a basic knowledge of magic. “This might very well be a promising start to our relationship. I see no reason why I cannot study what you are offering.”

“That was my intention.” Corva levitated out more books to lie besides me. “I think if thou listen to me, we will have a very fruitful and mutually beneficial partnership.”

I looked away from the book so that I could stare Corva in the eyes. “Just be aware that I will not tolerate being manipulated. I have read more than enough books warning of such things. If I suspect that you have evil intentions...”

“I would expect nothing less. Your caution is but an assurance to me that thou wilt preserve thy life, something I very much wish to see continue.”

“Well and good then.” I returned to reading the book. “Let us see how we can aid one another as friends and allies. If this will be a prosperous and happy relationship, then let it be so.” While I did not completely trust this spirit, sometimes it was necessary to accept some risks in order to make gains. Nothing ventured meant nothing gained. Mother would not have reached the heights she had without taking many risks on the road to power. If I wished to reach my goals and protect those I cared about, I would have to take my own risks. I would accept this spirit’s help and see where it led me. Though I would always keep a cautious eye on her, as I would everyone around me. That was simply the life I lead. The life of ambitions.

Mayhap Corva was as trustworthy as she said. As she pointed out, many spirits had helped ponies in the past. Even if she did intend on tricking or betraying me, the first step to avoiding her trap was to identify it and know my nemesis. In the end, I was probably going to learn useful knowledge out of this arrangement, and if I suspected the spirit of betrayal, I could act accordingly with what I had learned of it. 'Twas not a safe path, but one with great potential rewards.

“Excellent,” Corva said, sounding most pleased with my agreement to accept her help. “Really, just think of me as thy helpful shadow.”

The End

Author's Note

I would like to thank Chengar Qordath, Comma-Kazie, and JakeTheGinger for all their help in editing Midnight's Shadow.
I would also like to thank all my great prereaders Web of Hope, Cryosite, Swiftest, Infinion, Rodinga, 621Chopsuey, Novus Draconis, and Incidental Pegasus No. 5.

Midnight Begins: Chapter 1

Midnight’s Shadow

Midnight Begins

Chapter 1- An Illegal Purchase

Sometimes I ask too much of my little ponies.
-From The Candid Quotes of Princess Celestia.

I believe that my life gives conclusive evidence that there must be some greater forces in the universe; otherwise, it would be impossible to account for why I have suffered such wholly disproportionate pain and misery in comparison to the ponies around me.

To say the least, my life has been a difficult one. Some would argue that I have no reason to complain. That as the daughter of Sunbeam Sparkle, Archmagus of Canterlot and Grand Vizier, my life up to becoming an adult should have been one of comfort and luxury that the majority of Equestrians could hardly dream of. Those ponies had obviously never met my mother. While ‘tis true that my life was never one of want or privation typical of the average earth pony farmer or unicorn craftsmare, it has been filled with its own unique trials and tribulations.

As was the determination of my mother, my early life was focused on my strict--and on rare occasions, unacceptably harsh--education. Either through private tutors, my mother's personal teaching, or escorting my mother as she conducted her daily business, I was expected to better myself for when I was to serve a royal magus in Her Highness’s service. The mundanity of my daily life was punctuated by periodic assassination attempts on both myself and my mother, being kidnapped on three occasions, finding myself at the center of a riot, experiencing life at the political fulcrum of the Lunar Rebellion, and many other disasters, upheavals, and misadventures. One thing I can not claim for myself was a boring fillyhood.

While I may reflect on my fillyhood on occasion, ‘twill not be the central focus of what I intend to write about. It is true I might be tempted to write about my early years at some later point in my future, but I believe the works of others will prove to be much more useful to those who desire a historical account of the important events of those days. Especially in relation to the Lunar Rebellion, for which I was only a filly of ten winters at the time. (1)

1: Midnight begins her memoirs when she was twenty years old, and is believed to have written her accounts sometime during the latter part of the 2nd century CR.

No, what this work will cover is my early career as a magus, my meteoric rise in fame and fortune, and how I reached the station I have enjoyed for most of my life. A significant motivator for putting my memory to paper was the call of my friends and compatriots to do so. For, at the time of writing my memoirs, I possessed a mixed reputation. Depending on who one would ask, my reputation can range from one of Equestria’s greatest heroes and a figure worthy of exaltation to that of a villain, madmare, or a monster in pony flesh. The reason for such a diverse opinion of myself is in large part due to the adventures revolving around my early marehood.

If I am to be honest, my primary motivation for writing this memoir is for the sake of historical accuracy of the events surrounding my life. I have often lamented in my own study of history how much has not been recorded by the great ponies of our past. How much richer would our lives be if the accounts of ponies such as Starswirl the Bearded, Ephor Pansy, Queen Magnificent, or Apple Dumplings had been made and survived to our day and age? I would like to think we would have benefitted from a firsthoof account of the lives of these ponies, rather than having to depend upon rumors, stories, and legends.

I have left nothing I feel is of importance out of my memoirs, whether to the benefit of my legacy or to its detriment. (2) I have used memory-enhancing spells, divinations, conducted interviews, and contacted extraplanar beings to assist with my recollections. Though I must admit that even with the resources at my disposal, I cannot claim to have a perfect recollection of all events. Not even a pony of my considerable intellect and education can recall every word of every conversation of consequence I have ever experienced. After reviewing my memoirs, perhaps as a result of my repeated recollections to friends and family over the decades and my love of plays, I also noticed a tendency on my part to somewhat dramatize events. I hope this does not detract from the historical accuracy of this account, for the events of this account are as true as I can make them. I will leave it up to the judgement of the ponies who read this to determine how my actions reflect on my character.

2: Based on what we know of this era of history, Midnight’s accounts do appear to be quite accurate, at least for those events that can be cross-referenced with other firsthoof accounts. Any points of contention or controversy will be addressed within the editor’s notes.

My second goal in writing my own account of my life is out of the hope my fellow ponies will benefit from my experiences in some way. My life has been filled with harrowing struggles against all manner of threats during some of the most trying years in Equestria’s history, ranging from beasts and monsters, to warlocks and traitors to the realm, malicious fey, godlike entities, and other foul beings not of this plane of existence. I have fought and, more often than not, defeated these malignant threats against Equestria.

As a result of the accuracy of this account, I suspect this work will only see the public eye long after I have passed from this world, given the inflammatory and controversial nature of some of the subjects I am to cover. (3) Such I find to be a necessary evil, and while my contemporaries will likely not live to see a full account of my adventures, future generations should gain from my wisdom and experience.

3: This was, in fact, true. This unabridged version of Midnight Sparkle’s memoirs were seized, due to being considered a threat to national security, and placed within the confidential records of Royal Archives. They were not seen again until CR 428, when an accounting error resulted in the memoirs being released to the public.

Thus I start my account during the summer of CR 120.

I entered the store to make an illegal purchase. The bell to Cantrip’s Emporium of Books and Components chimed as I opened the door. It was a small establishment, sandwiched between two larger stores. Its presence could easily have escaped my notice if not for the instructions I had been given. It was not a well-lit store; even in the day, the lack of windows and its subdued magical lighting left the interior with a musty, oppressive atmosphere.

The darkness of the store was of little concern to me. I had cast a spell on myself that allowed me to see through the dark without encumbrance. I looked around, seeing various components and minor magical items intended to help with spellcrafting and enchantments lying on shelves. The aisles were so close to one another that only a single pony could hope to fit through. The walls were covered in bookshelves that were laden with books.

At a quick glance, I could tell that many of the materials were of a questionable nature. Not necessarily illegal, but questionable. Obsidian, dried scorpions, and cockatrice scales were rarely used for benevolent purposes. The bookshelves were not of an encouraging nature, with titles like Lethal Home Wards and You; Curses, Hexes and Dark Elixirs; and Great Poisons of Previous Ages. More reputable stores did not typically carry such wares. ‘Twould not have surprised me if the Royal Guard regularly inspected the store for contraband. I was beginning to suspect that the reason for the lack of windows and light was so that nopony would see who was shopping in the disreputable establishment. No unicorn lightly accepted the accusation of practicing as a warlock (4), and Canterlot was a city infamous for its rumor-mongering.

4: A warlock is a practitioner of the dark arts of magic, with all forms of black magic considered highly illegal.

As I was closing the door, a grey unicorn stallion walked out from the back of the shop and stood behind the counter. I guessed that this was Cantrip, the stallion after whom the store had been named. He was a rough-looking pony in his middle years. Clearly of poor breeding with his narrow face and eyes which looked perpetually half-closed, giving him the appearance that he was always about to fall asleep. His eyes narrowed at me as I approached him. “Can I help you, m’lady?”

I felt a moment's hesitation as my heart beat more quickly in my chest. “I am here for the special order from West Trottingham,” I told him, fighting through my nerves to make the final approach to the counter.

Cantrip stared at me for a long moment, and I worried that I had perhaps said or done something wrong in spite of following the instructions I had been given. I felt a wave of relief when he slowly nodded. He silently moved past me to the front door, and I saw him lock it. He then moved back behind his counter and gave me a level stare. “Do you have the bits?”

I fought down the urge to rush and grab my bag of bits to get the foul business over with. But ‘twould not do to appear hasty and act outside the role of a suspicious buyer. “I do. Does thou hath the book?”

Cantrip frowned and once more there was a period of waiting before he spoke. “Show me the bits.”

Part of me wanted to be stubborn about the issue, but it would not serve my purpose if we just stood opposite of one another and glared mightily at each other. I untied my bits bag from beneath my cloak and levitated it over to the top of the counter. I dropped it with what I hoped would be a satisfying clatter of coins. At least it should have been a satisfying sound: carrying hundreds of bits had been uncomfortable. It would have been easier with my telekinesis, but something about floating around a bag filled with more bits than some ponies saw in a year, in a glowing field of magic, in a less-than-reputable neighborhood, struck me as less than wise.

“Here are thy bits.” I raised an eyebrow. “The book?”

Cantrip’s eyes slowly worked their way from the bits and back to me. He gave an affirming grunt. “Aye.” His horn glowed, and I watched the flow of magic he wove. After a moment, a book suddenly appeared, as though out of the aether. I recognized the spellcraft. ‘Twas a magical construction known as an interdimesional pocket plane, a device used for storage. That would explain how he kept the book hidden from anypony else. They could be quite difficult to spot, unless one knew what they were looking for. Fortunately for myself, I had significant experience with such creations thanks to my mother, and she made Cantrip look like a novice in the craft.

I made a mental note of this as I examined the book that was in Cantrip’s light-green magic field. It was an unassuming tome wrapped in a brown cover, likely some sort of cloth by the looks of it. At least, I hoped it was not leather. In any event, I needed to examine it closer to ensure it was not a forgery.

“Might I examine the tome?” I asked in a manner that made it clear that I was not asking a question.

Cantrip made an annoyed grunt and placed the tome down on the countertop. “Flip through it with your hooves. I shall not entertain any trickery from you.” ‘Twas likely that he was worried I would somehow spirit the book away if I used my magic. Probably not an unjustified concern, given his clientele.

I let out a patient sigh. “Very well.” I stepped closer and flipped the book open with a hoof. As I perused its pages, I quickly discovered what I had been hoping to find: a tome of black magic. Within, I found spells that would break at least three of the Laws of Magic (5). A spell to bind the will of another, summoning rituals for a couple of beings from the infernal planes, and a spell intended to violently invade the mind of another. Being found in possession of such a book could get a pony into a great deal of trouble with the Guard.

5: For those unaware, the Laws of Magic area series of seven laws outlined at the founding of Equestria. Breaking the Laws of Magic can easily result in a pony getting declared a warlock, a practitioner of black magic and an outlaw.

I was about confirm that I found the tome to my satisfaction when I felt something sharp against my throat. I looked down with my eyes to see a dagger wrapped in Cantrip’s green magical field. The feeling of the blade against my throat was quickly followed by one of frustration of my own stupidity. I had become far too enraptured with the tome and had not paid any mind to Cantrip, and he now held me in a most compromising position.

I slowly turned my eyes toward Cantrip, too afraid to make any sudden moves lest I provoke him to slit my throat. I considered asking the store owner an inquiry, but I was disinclined to do so as that would have risked having the dagger cutting into my flesh. Despite what some ponies might say about me, I am not inherently suicidal.

Though I did wonder: what it feels like to have one's throat slit? From what I have witnessed, it seems a most unpleasant sensation. Sadly, I have not yet had an opportunity to make inquiries of anypony who has experienced such. Throat-slitting does have the unfortunate tendency to render ponies incapable of answering questions. Hopefully, I would not have an opportunity to discuss my personal observations on the sensation at any point in the near future. (6)

6: Based on the accounts of some of her contemporaries, many ponies were under the opinion that Midnight must have been a madmare based on some of her actions throughout her life.

Silence hung between us as I considered what a life-threatening injury would be like. Perhaps he had waited in the hope I would start begging for my life the moment he put my life in danger? Or mayhaps he was just letting the weight of the situation wear on me? Mayhaps he had not killed me because he did not wish to contend with the disposal of a body; a pony’s corpse does contain a rather large volume of liquids, and the mess a corpse could create would be inconvenient.

Cantrip finally broke the silence. “Here is what is going to happen,” he said in a low voice. “You shall leave the tome and the bits; I shall escort you to the door and out of my shop. You may retain your life, unless you are foolish enough to return and attempt retaliation..” He pressed the dagger into my throat, forcing me to crane my head back to avoid injury. “Do you understand?”

I nodded with deliberate slowness, to keep from cutting myself on the dagger.

“Good. Back up slowly, no sudden movements,” Cantrip said, slowly backing me up with the blade of his dagger. He came from around the counter, likely to make sure he could keep a steady telekinetic grip on his weapon.

I considered my options. They were not very optimistic. Attempting to rush Cantrip was likely to result in me lying on the floor, choking on my own blood. I considered that less than desirable. In turn, trying to use my magic would result in much the same. After considering it for a moment, I came upon the realization that I could accomplish all my goals by going along with Cantrip’s plan. ‘Twould not reflect overly well on me, but I would live. I was in great favor of that part of my new plan.

But as is the standard of my life, the universe had other plans. Even when I lose, I cannot win.

The front door was kicked in behind me. I turned my head as much as I dared in order to see a trio of ponies enter the store. The pony in the center was a white mare, whose long cloak covered most of her features, though the protrusion pushing the front of the cowl of the cloak suggested that she was most likely a unicorn. The two earth ponies flanking her wore their own cloaks and barding, the metal painted black. It did not take a genius to imagine the earth ponies as the unicorn’s guards. Earth ponies make for good, dumb muscle. Cantrip and I stood perfectly still as the new group of ponies faced us, blocking the nearest exit to the emporium.

The unicorn tapped her hoof, the sound of hoof on stone echoing through the room. “Wouldest thou explain this occurrence, Cantrip?” she asked, finally breaking the silence. She tilted her head to look past the two of us, likely espying the bag of bits and the tome upon the counter. “I hope thou didst not intend to sell my book to another pony.”

Thus marked the complication of this affair. Figures Cantrip would try to rob me over a book he was planning on trying to sell later. It turns out that one cannot trust ponies entangled with the black market. Who would have thought?

“I was merely showing this thief the door,” remarked Cantrip after a moment of hesitation. “She claimed to be working for you, but I saw through her duplicity.”

I felt the unicorn’s gaze turn on me with a scowl. “Is that so?”

I did not like where this turn of events was going. It seemed that Cantrip had been quite busy in his dealings where the tome had been concerned. I wondered if he had been planning on betraying me from the start or had merely seized upon an opportunity. Given his flat-hoofed reaction to the newcomer, I could guess that he did not expect this other buyer to appear when she did.

Based on what I had been paying for the book, my fellow buyer was probably paying at least as much and had likely taken precautions against any possible double-dealings Cantrip may have considered. One of her minions had likely been watching the store at all hours and had summoned his mistress when I had entered the emporium. The unicorn's foresight brought my own lack of such to the forefront and served as a reminder of the dangers of failing to prepare for unforeseen circumstances.

Seeing the noose close around me, I used the only weapon available to me—my wit. “Neigh!” I declared. “This ne’er-do-well declared the tome was to be mine! I knew of no other buyer, and he was in the process of robbing me when you came.”

As a general rule, outlaws are an untrusting lot, due to them believing everypony is as untrustworthy as themselves. I hoped to use this fact to my advantage or at least buy myself some time. At very least Cantrip had not slit my throat upon pleading my case. Likely he worried his buyer would simply dispose of him also if he slew me.

It did not, however, keep him from pushing the dagger harder into my throat, eliciting a sting of pain as it cut into my skin. “She lies! I have never seen this pony before.”

The unicorn mare let out a belabored sigh. “I have had enough of this.” She casually waved a hoof in Cantrip and my direction. “Kill them, then retrieve the tome and the bits. We will burn the store to destroy the evidence.”

Cantrip’s eyes widened, and he took a step back as the earth pony thugs advanced on us. I felt Cantrip’s dagger break from my throat at his retreat. Seeing I was likely to be slain in mere moments if I did not act with haste, I struck out at Cantrip’s horn with a clumsy jab. His focus had been entirely on the menacing earth ponies, and he reacted too slowly to my blow, and my hoof collided with his horn. He gasped in pain and stumbled back away from me, his dagger falling to the floor as his concentration broke.

The danger to my jugular now removed, I drew upon my magic. Desperate for something to stop the earth ponies’ advance, I grasped a nearby shelf and hurled it at my attackers. Far from the most elegant spellcrafting imaginable, but I could not deny the effectiveness of my attack as the shelf crashed into the two thugs. One of them was knocked to the floor while the other was sent staggering into a neighboring shelf, sending various knick-knacks crashing to the floor. I lamented that the shelf did not do as much damage as I would have liked to my attackers. The crowded emporium had prevented the earth ponies from taking the full force of my attack, but it had bought me what I most desired: time.

I sensed movement from behind me, and I turned in time to be smitten across the cheek by my bitpurse. Stars swam over my vision as I stumbled and fell against a shelf, its corner painfully jabbing into my ribs. My vision swirled and blurred as I looked up to see Cantrip wrapping the tome in his magical aura. He dodged a magic bolt shot by his former customer and ran for the back door of his shop.

Cantrip did not make it far. When he reached the doorway, a light green hoof shot out from around the threshold and struck him in the eye. He let out a cry of pain as he stumbled back from the blow clutching at the bleeding eye. He promptly fell to the floor, the bitpurse and tome along with him.

Gale Kicker twirled through the doorway, the pegasus’s magically enchanted cloak and armor causing her to blend in with the shadows. She saw the unicorn charging up another spell and she ducked behind the counter to dodge the incoming bolt of magic. The bolt exploded against the bookshelf, sending bits of paper flying into the air.

“Midnight!” Gale called out to me. “Darkness!”

I blinked as I regained enough of my senses to realize what she intended for me to do. I concentrated, and an inky, swirling black cloud billowed from my horn. It quickly expanded as I poured magic into the spell, and soon the entire store was cast into an impenetrable, dark veil.

The earth pony thugs had tossed the shelf I had thrown at them to the side, opening the way to me. I scrambled down one of the aisles to escape them, the darkness concealing me. The veil didst not inhibit Gale and I. I could see in the darkness thanks to the spell I had cast earlier, and I knew Gale still possessed the talisman I had made for her which granted the same ability.

Her movements now covered by the darkness, Gale jumped to her hooves. She leapt over the counter with a couple flaps of her wings, and, with a grace that defied the difficulty of the movement, trotted across the top of the store’s shelves. She jumped and, with a midair flip, landed in the aisle behind the two thugs. With speed and accuracy that could only come from years of practice, her wings flicked twice each, and she struck both of the hindlegs of each of the earth ponies with her throwing darts. They cried out in pain and collapsed to the floor, grasping at their wounded legs.

I glanced over the shelves and saw Cantrip’s buyer stumbling through the darkness towards the exit. Not particularly wishing for the pony who had given me a death sentence to be allowed to flee, I drew upon more of my magic. I cast my spell, and a wall of ice filled the doorway. The unicorn bounced off of the ice wall, her avenue of escape cut off.

She turned back towards the center of the store, and her horn glowed as she drew on her magic. All she got for her trouble was to have a dart thrown into her horn by Gale. She flinched from the blow and fell against the ice-filled doorway.

Gale was upon her in a moment and extended a wing to place her wingblade against the throat of the unicorn. “I suggest thee cease thy struggles,” Gale said with amusement. She nicked the buyer with her wingblade, and the dripping line of blood stood out against her white coat. “Unless thou seek death this night.”

The unicorn went very still, her eyes looking down to where Gale’s wingblade lay against her throat. I was uncertain if she could actually see the blade in the darkness, but I was confident she could feel the weapon’s enchanted edge.

Gale smirked. “Good filly.” Her wing retrieved a thick metal ring from a small bag upon her side. She snapped the magical inhibitor ring onto the unicorn’s horn, rendering her magic useless. She nodded to me. “If thou wouldst kindly retrieve a set of shackles from my saddlebags.”

I jerked at the request. I had nearly forgotten myself after the excitement of the battle. I suppose I could be forgiven, after nearly being killed. “Aye. Of course.” I walked over to her and did as she requested of me.

Gale pulled out another set of shackles and locked them onto her prisoner while I did the same with the two earth ponies. The unicorn secured, she turned to me and gave me a frown. “Art thou alright? Were thou injured?”

“I am well,” I said tersely.

The earth ponies protested little as I locked their legs together with the shackles. Their injuries and inability to even see me probably crushed any resistance they might have wanted to put up against their arrest.

Gale dragged the unicorn to her hooves only to roughly shove her back to the floor next to her thugs. She turned towards me and leaned her head in to look me over. “Luckily, thy cut is not too deep. Though 'tis best to cleanse it soon-after.” She grasped my head to better view my rapidly swelling cheek. “I do not believe it is broken. Summon some ice to reduce the swelling.”

“I know how to treat wounds,” I grumbled. I conjured a small block of ice out of the moisture in the air and placed it on my cheek. “I just wish thou wouldst have told me that this was thy plan for the night.” I could not help myself but to stomp a hoof. “Thou hath said we would be going to the theater tonight! I knew I should have been more wary when thou wanted to bring so many bits with me.”

“Now do not be like that.” Gale nuzzled my uninjured cheek. I had to close my eye to keep her blue-and-white mane out of my eye. “I just wished to pick up a few things before we went to the theater.”

“‘A few things’ typically doth not involve seizing a tome filled with black spells and the outlaws trying to purchase said tome,” I pouted. I should perhaps have been more suspicious of my friend when she had come to me earlier in the day and told me she desired to go to the theater. The fact that she had asked me to bring no small amount of bits with me should perhaps have raised my suspicions more than they did. “Nor getting my throat nearly cut. Which I can only imagine is an unpleasant experience. Where were thou when I needed thee?”

Gale flinched at the accusation. “The lock to the back door was of a higher quality than I expected, and there were more wards than I planned.” She nudged me in the shoulder and smiled. “Besides, thou accounted well for thyself. If this one—” she punched the unicorn in the ribs, causing her to cough and moan “—had not shown up when she did, thou wouldst have been fine.”

I let out a belabored sigh. “By thy words.” I felt quite cross with Gale at that moment.

Gale gave me a sad frown and looked me in the eyes. ‘Twas a most pitiful gesture. “And I needed thee. Thy uncanny eye with tomes is most invaluable, and thy ability to acquire bits was most impressive. Thou wouldst not allow such a tome to be used, would thee?”

I removed the ice block from my cheek and moved it to the cut on my neck, when it started to sting. “Very well, Gale, I concede on the matter. I am glad that I could help thee. Can thou at least promise me that we shall indeed be going to the theater tonight?”

“Of course, once our business here is concluded.” Gale gathered up the tome and returned my bitspurse. “Didst thou discover where Cantrip was hiding his contraband?”

I looked down at the late shop owner. ‘Twas clear that Gale’s ironshod shoe spike had slain the stallion. “Aye, he was hiding the tome in an interdimensional pocket plane. I am almost surprised some lowly shop owner managed such a feat. A proper magus can manage, but that is with considerable study and effort.”

“Need can drive a pony to do many things.” Gale placed a hoof against Cantrip’s neck, likely to make sure that the shop owner was indeed dead and not just sitting on its doorstep. “Canst thou access it? I would like to see what else he has hidden away.”

I considered the request for a moment. “I believe so.” My horn glowed as I extended my magical senses. I recalled watching Cantrip access the pocket plane, and I found the fold between the planes and started to probe the magical creation. “Hm. I believe I can open it, though I do not know what defenses he might have placed on it. It will take me some time to discover them.” I felt my impatience growing. The next play at the theater was to start within the hour, and ‘twas likely that the best seats were going to be filled soon. “Or I can...” I sought a simpler explanation for what was a fairly complex act of magic. “Collapse the pocket plane. ‘Tis a faster method, and it should release anything hidden within. Though the act will destroy the plane.”

Gale moved to keep an eye on our prisoners. “I hold no objections. As thou will.”

With Gale’s leave, I proceeded to dismantle the pocket plane. The magic of the construction quickly came undone 'neath my assault. I had but a heartbeat to realize the danger of my actions 'fore I was victim to an avalanche of books, wands, vials, spellcasting components, and other such paraphernalia. Lying there under the refuse, I could not help but feel that I had just made a great deal more work for myself.

I merely wished to attend the theater.

“Midnight, ‘tis time to rise!” Mother said, pulling the bed sheets off of me. “Endless night, this ritual should have ended with thy fillyhood.”

I groaned as I blinked against the sun’s torment. I was not a morning filly. Mother was. I supposed that was somewhat inevitable when she had a name like Sunbeam. My attempts to awaken were only further impeded due to being up a great deal of the night helping Gale with her errant errand. My head pounded from sleep deprivation and did little to aid me in weathering my mother’s displeasure.

“Aye, Mother,” I groaned. I rolled out of my bed to stand on the Zebrican rug that covered most of my bedroom floor. My room was well-furnished, not quite attaining the ostentatiousness familiar to some of the elites of Equestrian society. My furniture was made of exquisitely carved darkwood. My bed, desk, dresser, and bookshelves took up most of the room. It had been my room for essentially the entirety of my life, and I had decorated it to serve my own needs and sense of style.

I walked over to my dresser and its mirror to commence with my morning grooming. As was typical, my mother had already taken care of her daily needs. Her white coat was brushed out, and the curls of her long, yellow-and-red mane that always covered one of her green eyes were as immaculate as always. It contrasted sharply with my own dark-blue coat and light-blue-and-white mane.

I picked up my brush and started smoothing out my own long mane. Mother walked up to stand next to me. She was tall for a mare, and that was yet another trait I had not inherited from my sire. (7) Her height was a constant and irritating reminder of my own short stature.

7: Midnight Sparkle first showed up in historical records when Sunbeam Sparkle brought her to Canterlot as a newborn foal during the winter of 100 CR. Sunbeam claimed that she had gotten another mare pregnant through the Magicof Love, and the unknown mare had died soon after foaling.

Midnight’s parentage was an item of considerable speculation in Canterlot. Rumors abounded, ranging from but hardly limited to: Midnight being the result of an illicit affair; Sunbeam having foalnapped her daughter; Midnight being a demon, summoned and disguised by the Archmagus; and Midnight being a particularly sophisticated golem.

She looked at me through the mirror, and her eyes narrowed. “Midnight, how didst thou receive that?” She gestured to the bandage I had put on my neck to cover the dagger wound from the previous night.

My brushing ceased as I considered how to answer her inquiry. “T’was a minor incident from the previous night.” Some foolish part of me hoped that would be the end of Mother’s line of questioning.

“Minor?” She touched the painful, bruised swelling on my cheek. “And this, and this here?” She ran a hoof along the long bruise on my ribs from when I had collided with the shelf. I was almost surprised she had noticed the latter through my coat, but Mother had always been infuriatingly perceptive.

I considered trying to be evasive with my mother, but deep down I knew how this dance would end. She would discover the truth through my attempt to cloud the truth, and I had no confidence in my ability to lie to her. “I made a stop 'pon my way to the theater with Gale,” I told her. “We became entangled in a minor scuffle.”

Mother gave me a haughty scowl. “I have made my displeasure of your association with Gale Kicker most clear. Thine injuries could have been far more grave.”

I started brushing my mane again and tried to not look at her. “I am a grown mare; am I imprisoned, without the right to do as I shall once my duties are fulfilled?”

As was her way, Mother avoided my own difficult question with her own. “And what errand required my daughter to appear as though she were in a plebeian tavern brawl?”

I let out a frustrated sigh. Mother had a most infuriating talent of needling me until she uncovered her desired truth. “Gale uncovered a nefarious, dark tome in a local shop and required my aid to confiscate it. ‘Twas a minor matter which was resolved quickly.”

Mother’s scowl deepened. “And who owned this shop?”

“A stallion by the name of Cantrip,” I said.

Her demeanor became all the darker. “Meet me downstairs for breakfast. Do not tarry, lest it be cold upon thine arrival.”

“Yes, Mother.” I did not entirely keep a hint of irritation out of my tone.

With that, she departed downstairs. I increased the pace of my grooming. It would appear as though fortune was not my companion this day.

Mother slammed her hooves on her office desk. “Would you mind explaining why your daughter killed one of my contacts, Shadow?” Mother had wasted no time getting right to the task on her agenda as the Lady Protector, Shadow Kicker, and her daughter, Gale Kicker, entered my mother’s office in the palace.

Gale appeared much as she did the previous night, her mane wildly swept back, wearing her blood-red armor, wingblades, and ironshode shoes. It was such a rare thing to see a member of the Kicker Clan without their armor that one could scarcely imagine one without it, and Gale was no exception.

As always, Shadow was a striking figure. Battle-scarred and unbowed, her own blood-red armor contrasted sharply with her black coat and braided, yellow mane. Her equipment gave off a gentle hum of magic that was always there in the background. That was not surprising, given the sheer magnitude of all the enchantments on her armament and armature.

In any event, Shadow let out a patient sigh at my mother’s display. “What is this about, Archmagus?”

Mother walked from around her desk to get closer to the two Kickers. “Your daughter slew a contact of mine by the name of Cantrip,” she grumbled. “A petty shop owner, but a pony I used to keep tabs on the movement of certain items. He was an invaluable source of information on the black market in Canterlot, and now he’s a corpse.” She scowled and jabbed a hoof into Gale’s chest. “Thanks to thee.”

Gale gave my mother a condescending smirk. To say Mother and Gale did not get along was akin to saying cats and dogs had a historical misunderstanding with one another. They had traded barbs for the past decade, and it did not look like their exchange would end any time soon. Fortunately, it had never escalated to a violent state. It truly could be much worse.

“I am sure Gale had her reasons for acting in the manner she did,” Shadow tried to assure my mother. Gale continued to smile her confident smirk while Mother fumed. It seemed that Gale was content to hide behind her mother in this matter. I could see little Mother could do in this matter considering Cantrip had been selling highly illegal goods and had then threatened and assaulted a royal magus. No doubt this was something Gale was all-too-aware of. Stars and stones, I cared for Gale deeply, but I did not like being used as a tool in her games against my mother.

“I think we both know her intentions,” Mother bit back venomously. “And by using my own daughter and placing her in harm's way, she adds insult to injury.” I was doing my best to stand to the side, and remain silent and uninvolved. Shadow’s own uncomfortable shufflings told me she would rather be elsewhere. Shadow and I shared this kinship; we were often caught into between the two feuding parties.

Shadow inserted herself between Gale and Mother. “‘Tis done and over,” she said, giving Mother a firm stare. “There is other, more important business I wish to discuss with you.”

“You would so lightly dismiss your daughter’s injury against me?” Mother glowered.

Shadow let out a long breath. “There are far more pressing matters to contend with than the death of a crooked peddler.”

Mother stood looking at Gale and Shadow for a long moment before she relented. A battle had been fought and lost, but I knew from my mother’s countenance that this was not the end of their war. She waved a hoof dismissively. “Very well. What matter be this?”

I saw Shadow’s posture relax now that Mother had allowed the topic to be changed. “News was sent by the mayor of Appleton. (8) ‘Twould seem the town has suffered a series of disappearances.”

8: Appleton was a town east of Canterlot, along the Applelachian Mountains.

“I am aware of the community.” Mother walked back around her desk and sat down on the cushion behind it. “A town filled with recalcitrant rebels from the Apple Clan who have been nothing but trouble. What are a couple disappearances to me next to the other troubles we face?” There was a cold resentment in my mother’s tone, one likely born out of the Apples’ involvement in the Lunar Rebellion and the evils which had resulted from the conflict.

“The relationship between the two clans is naught more than a dry haystack; one spark would reignite their grievances into open warfare,” Shadow stated firmly. “Since the time the letter was written, four ponies are now missing. Without a trace, and nopony any wiser as to the cause. To add to the curiosity of the matter, members of both the Apple and Carrot clans have gone missing.”

Mother leaned forward and tapped a hoof on her desk. “You are worried that there is a danger that the feud between the Apple Clan and the Carrot Clan could be reignited?”

“Aye,” said Shadow.

“The Apples and Carrots are still fighting a decade after the war’s end?” I asked. It struck me as a curious thing. I found it a pointless exercise to fight a war that had already been decided.

Mother gave me a frown she normally reserved for when my wit was not quick enough to please her. “The signing of a treaty rarely brings about an end to the enmity cultivated by conflict. Less so the earth ponies with their typical stubbornness.” She let out a frustrated sigh. “And here I had thought that they had finally tired of killing each other for the sake of petty vengeance.”

“We should nip this in the bud," Shadow said. "Peace has only just begun to truly settle in Equestria.”

Mother retrieved a couple of scrolls from her desk and skimmed one of them. “And am I to hazard a guess that the Guard is unable to respond?”

Shadow’s shoulders sagged with a resigned weariness. “Neigh, the Guard is busy with other matters; a group of griffin exiles have formed a band of reivers and threaten our borders, and all my other forces to the north and south are either busy or ill-disposed to assist in a meaningful way. The nearest unit to Appleton is a squad of the Long Patrol. (9) I have already requested that those available attend Appleton to keep the peace.”

9: The Long Patrol was a Pegasapolian unit that patrolled the borders against monsters and other intrusions. It was absorbed into the Royal Guard to serve the same purpose after the end of the Lunar Rebellion.

Mother put down the first scroll and began her perusal of the second. Glancing over her shoulder, I saw that the scrolls were lists of magi currently in Canterlot and how they were disposed. “You fear that the Patrol may lack the numbers or skill to contend with the situation in Appleton?”

Shadow shook her head. “Neigh, ‘twas my hope that you would be able to send at least one magus with the skills necessary to deal with the matter.”

Mother did not immediately respond, her frown deepening as her eyes moved down her scroll. She growled and tossed the scroll down onto the desk. “All magi of that caliber are otherwise occupied. I have nopony that I would trust with this to send.”

Shadow’s ears flattened on her head. “Verily? There is nopony? ‘Tis troubling that we cannot respond to this budding crisis due to mere ill timing.”

A pall fell over the room, the type that comes with a difficult problem that has no obvious solution. We stood there for a long moment until Gale’s eyes brightened. She nudged her mother in the shoulder and nodded my way. I was not so sure I liked the glint in my friend’s eyes.

Shadow gave me an examinatory glance. “What of Midnight? She is trained, is she not?”

“No, absolutely not.” Mother said without a moment’s hesitation. “She is not yet ready,” she said as she fixed Shadow with a fierce scowl.

“And when will she be ready?” Shadow asked. Mother sat at her desk, not giving an answer. The Lady Protector took the all-too-rare moment of my mother’s hesitation to continue her offense: “She is a grown mare and a magus in her own right now. At her age, Gale had already served in the Long Patrol for two years. Midnight’s career as a magus will not be served by tending to you as a servant for the remainder of her days.” (10)

10: The reforms after the Lunar Rebellion had consolidated Equestria’s various military forces, law enforcement, and royal magi under the Equestrian Royal Guard. As commander-in-chief of Equestria’s armed forces, Shadow Kicker could technically have ordered Archmagus Sunbeam Sparkle to send her daughter on this mission. Though in reality, doing so could have greatly alienated one of her principal political allies in the post-Lunar Rebellion period.

I was not so sure I was keen about this idea as I saw my mother mull over the idea. A part of me was curious to see more of the world and to prove my abilities. A larger part of me, however, was content in Canterlot. It was my home, the place I was comfortable in. I had seen some of the greater parts of Equestria when I accompanied my mother on some matter to places such as Manehatten and Cloudsdale. However, many of those voyages had not been the most pleasant of experiences due to circumstances beyond my control. Canterlot had my home in the Archmagus’s Tower, and the city had the libraries, theaters, museums, restaurants, and other features that I was accustomed to.

I was considering whether I should protest against the idea of being sent to Appleton when Mother spoke up. “Very well. Midnight.” She fixed me with a resolute stare. “Thou shalt deal with this matter.”

“Art thou certain I am—” I started to say before Mother cut me off.

“I have spoken on the matter,” She said with finality. “Thou will go, discover what is causing these disappearances, and put a stop to it. Am I understood?”

“Aye,” I said. It seemed that my fate had been decided on the matter. I surmised it would be better worth my energy to focus on more practical concerns at this point. “When am I to begin my assignment?”

“As soon as arrangements can be made.” Mother put her scrolls back in her desk before turning to Shadow. “My daughter will require a bodyguard. Have you a pony up to the task? The speed of a pegasus wouldst hasten their approach to Appleton.”

“I would like to recommend Sergeant Stalwart,” Gale cheerfully offered with a quickness that raised my suspicions. One can only thrive in Canterlot if one learns to listen to what ponies say and how they speak their words. I would not put it past Gale to have had her selection ready before this meeting began. ‘Twas the way of the city.

I sensed my mother felt the same way, as she tapped on her desk while staring at Gale. “And what are your thoughts, Lady Protector?”

“Stalwart is a reliable soldier,” Shadow said. “He is a steady hoof who knows how to conduct himself.”

Mother grunted and stood up. “When can he be ready?” She looked at me and frowned. “I would like to know how much more time I have with my daughter before she must go.”

Shadow rubbed her chin. “Within an hour or two, I believe. I can send Gale to tell him to ready himself. If Midnight were to meet him at the Kicker Compound, they should be ready to leave Canterlot before midday.”

Mother nodded. “That is acceptable. Come now, Midnight. We must prepare thee for thy task.”

“Um—aye, Mother,” I said. It had all happened so quickly that I was still trying to wrap my head around the events that had just transpired.

In only a few minutes, it had been determined that I was to leave Canterlot, go to a town I had only seen on a map, prevent a community of stubborn earth ponies from killing one another, and put an end to a mass disappearance. I was not so naive as to believe that the coming days would be anything but trouble for me.

Author's Note

I would like to thank Chengar Qordath for letting me play in his playground for the Lunar Rebellion Era and Winning Ponyverse in general. His help really helped to make this story possible.

I would also like to thank Comma-Kazie for his invaluable help in editing and bouncing ideas off of.