Points of Interest

Twilight shook her head in disbelief.

"This is the other guy who's going to help with the magic stuff?" Spike asked. "But he's not a unicorn."

"Looks can be deceiving young one." The old pony said with a laugh.

Suddenly, a flash of light and smoke came over his body. Before their eyes the old stallion transformed into a broad, stern looking unicorn with a dark cream colored coat. His huge golden mane almost hit the floor before he arrange into a style he liked. Twilight's heart froze upon seeing this transformation.

"Wait, you're that Goldwin? Like in Sir Goldwin of North Order, Goldwin?" Twilight asked almost flabbergasted.

He nodded his head to signal yes.

Twilight's mind began racing with many questions. "Theres so much that I want to ask you. I don't know where to begin."

"Maybe you can began explaining who this guy is?" Spike asked, observing her reaction to the stallion.

"Sir Goldwin, of the North Order is one of the most respectable ponies in the field of magic. There is literally books, upon books about the things he has discovered. He's the one who developed simpler teleportaiton spells for others to learn. Then theres the book about his levitation spells, and the one on weather control. The list just goes on and on." Twilight breathed heavily.

"Well I wouldn't say that there are that many books." Goldwin said trying to play off the compliments . "But yes, I am Sir Goldwin, of the north. I am glad that you are familiar with my works, it should help later when we're working together."

"Working? With Goldwin?" Twilight said to herself.

He moved forward and gave a slight bow to all three princesses.

"I am glad to see that you were able to meet Twilight outside the city. You had Luna and I worried that you messed up your plans." Celestia said.

"So wait, this is the guy who made us walk to Canterlot?" Spike asked.

"Spike!" Twilight whispered. "Not now."

"Ah yes, I was going to explain why I had you come by road." Goldwin said to Spike, in a less meaningful tone. "Like all colleges I work with, I like to get a grasp of what they are like beforehoof. Usually I pretend to be some pony in need, or like today, an old story teller who's lost. I do it to see how they would treat me, almost like a test. It just shows who they really are, and it exposes themselves to me."

"So you wanted to see how I was, without knowing who you were?" Twilight asked.

"Indeed, and I must say that you were most kind to me. Usually when I play that character ponies will find me to annoying to help. You would not believe some of treatment I have received over the years. But you treated a total annoying stranger with kindness and patients. Also you stayed with me the whole time, and in all my experiences I have never had that happen before." He said with a warm smile. "Now then shall we get started with the task at hoof?"

"We are still waiting on one more." Luna said with a look of concern towards Celestia.

"Yes we have to wait." Celestia said in agreement.

"One more?" Goldwin asked. "But I thought there was only going to be three of us? Princess Twilight and I, and.......Mr. Happy over there." He said.

Twilight noticed that Mikeaus had concealed his face again in the hood.

"Who else do you need for this small task?" Goldwin asked. "It's just a simple field of magic that needs to be cracked open, not like it's going to end the world right?"

"The pony we have invited is an expert in energy fields, and we brought them here just in case we can't figure it out." Celestia said.

"And we invited 'her' here because we thought it was in the best interest of this situation." Luna added.

Twilight watched as Goldwin became stiff with the mention of the word 'her'. His face showed that he was begging to become angry, but it also showed that he was a tad bit afraid.

"Please don't tell me you invited her." He said.

The two sisters didn't say a word.

"Please tell me you didn't invite her, please tell me." He pleaded.

"And what if we did?" Luna asked almost upset with his question.

"Oh, for the love of all things in the world." He said bitterly. "Why of all the ponies in the known plains of existence, would you invite the one who knows how to make me angry. The only one who is nothing but a ravaging wolf in disguise as a pony."

Twilight caught Celestia holding her hoof up to her mouth, to show that she wanted Twilight to be quite. A blast of cold air rushed past Twilight, and soon small dots appeared in the air. They were small specs, like snow flakes, and they began forming an almost cloud of dust behind Goldwin. Gradually, they began taking form of a pony shape sillloete. Soon, and to her surprise, an alicorn appeared from the cloud. Spike was about to say something, but Twilight hushed him. The alicorn's coat was white as snow, and her mane was dark blue that matched her eyes.

"She's nothing but a lair, theif, and an arrogant brat if there ever was one. She is a backstabber who delights in the fact that I fail, and she is usually the one behind. Oh, others think that am crazy when I say that but I'll tell you this. She is out to get me and once she gets here, it'll will show. Trust me she is nothing but a cruel witch!" Goldwin shouted, with his face growing red with anger.

"Oh please do go on, I do enjoy flattery." The alicorn said in a sweet voice.

Goldwin spun around, almost knocking the pony off her hooves. Their noses were touching

"You!" He spat.

"Yes, me." The alicorn said with a smile stepping back.

"You vile she devil!" Goldwin spat.

"Sir Goldwin, I will have to ask you to calm down." Celestia said growing concerned.

"Yes Sir Goldwin." The alicorn said in a mocking manner. "You'll have to calm down before talking to me."

Goldwin's horn lit up with a bright, yellow aura. "Speak to me like that again, I dare you!"

The alicorn matched his aura with a dark blue one of her own. Her smile was now gone and replaced with a stern look. "You are overreacting, just like every other time."

Goldwin was shaking with rage. "Overreacting, really!?! I have ever right to act this way for all the things you put me through! All the humiliations, all the misery still burns fresh in my mind! So no, am not overacting! I am acting just about right when dealing with scum like you!"

"Sir, Goldwin cease at once!" Luna shouted.

The two ponies payed no attention to the princess.

"Threatening me is not the smartest thing to do Win, you should know that by now." The alicorn said then motioning for Twilight to step out of the way. "I would have thought you would have learned from the last time."

Goldwin chuckled. "Oh, but last time I was still young and stupid...."

"You're still as stupid as the day I first meet you! No matter what you think you have achieved, no matter what you have done, you're still that gullible fool who thinks he's better than everypony else." The alicorn quickly commented.

"You will pay for that comment." Goldwin growled. "I am three times the wizard that you could only dream of being."

"Then prove it." The alicorn said beckoning him on.

The two ponies stared in a gridlock, ready for the other to make the first move. Twilight looked on helplessly as the two began taking stances. Suddenly, Goldwin leaped forward at the alicorn with a terrible scream.

"ENOUGH!" Mikaeus shouted.

Instantly both ponies froze in place like statues, only their eyes moved to look at the unicorn. At first Twilight thought that they were just afraid of the sudden outburst. Then she noticed they couldn't move at all. Mikeus removed his hood to reveal that he too had his horn glowing with magic. Goldwin's groaning only confirmed Twilight's theory that it was the mysterious unicorns doing that froze the two.

"You two fight like birds over a berry." Mikaeus said getting in between the two. He turned to face Goldwin. "You will sit down and not raise your horn to fight anymore while you're here. Got it? And the next time when one of the princesses tells you to do something, you better do it! You are in their home as a guest and you will do exactly what they say." He then turned to the alicorn. "You know better to antagonized him like that. It's hard to defined your actions when you act like this in front of others." He said shaking his head. "Do something like this again and I will make sure both of you stay this way for eternity. Now on the count of three I am going to release you. If any of you try something I will not think twice about my previous threat. Alright, ready? One, two, three."

Like motions of a wave both ponies fell to the ground gasping for air.

Goldwin was the first to stand. "Try something like that again old fool, and I will..."

"You will remain silent until spoken to!" Mikaeus shouted, quickly causing the proud unicorn to ball up. "I am very sorry about this my dear princesses, it shall not happen again." He said putting his hood back over his face.

Twilight almost giggled at the expression on Celestia's and Luna's faces. It showed that Mikaeus must have had never used that tone in front of them before.

"Right, now that's all settled we would like to discuss the actions that are going to be taken place. We would like to formulate a plan on how to deal with our situation." Celestia said before making sure both ponies were calm.

Goldwin slammed his hoof into the floor dashing her hopes. "I will not speak to anypony as long as that, that pony is in the same room." He pointed to the alicorn. "If any of you need me I shall be in my cambers." He said storming off.

Mikaeus went after him. "Why you..."

"Let him go." The alicorn said. "You'll be wasting both time, and energy trying to stop him."

"Well he seems a little cranky." Spike said.

"He's always like that, don't worry about him though. He acts like that only when I am around so he shouldn't stay that way the whole time." The alicorn said to him.

"We thought that he would have matured by now, but it seems that there is still ill feelings within him." Luna said. "At least he wasn't able to cause to much of a scene."

"I feel Win will always be like that when I am around, but enough about him. So this is the princess I been hearing about? Twilight Sparkle right?" She asked turning to Twilight. "You're the one who solved the secret of Star Swirl?"

"Yes ma'am, I am that Twilight Sparkle." Twilight said.

"Ah, it is a privilege to meet you then. I am madam Salem Iceses of the eastern islands." Iceses said while bowing.

"Iceses?" Twilight said. "That name, you're from the college of the costal wizards right or am I thinking of somepony else?"

"You got it right my dear, I am professor Iceses at your service." She said with a bow.

Twilight smiled. "Thank you."

Iceses stood back up. "Now then, Princess Celestia and Luna, I have been studying similar fields like the one around the entrance to the tunnel like you asked me to. With the description you gave, whoever casted it wanted it to last a long time."

"Do you think you can break it though?" Luna asked.

"It will take time to conjure up a spell to do this, but I think I can. I need to look through the library for any history on those tunnels, you know me, have to learn the history of things. Who knows, maybe there is something there that can help us!" Iceses said excitedly. "Oh, I would like to go there now if thats okay with the three of you please."

"You may go." Celestia said.

"Thank you!" Iceses exclaimed with a jump then a bow. "As for you Twilight I shall see you in the morning. We got a big day ahead of us, with this mysterious thing and all." She giggled before disspereaing in front of them.

"Well that was interesting." Spike said. "Seems like they called everypony out of the woodworks here." He mumbled to Twilight.

"Princess Celestia, Luna." Twilight began. "Why did you call all of these ponies here? I mean, don't you think that one or two could of handled it? Not that am doubting your decisions but it seems kind of unessacery." Twilight said.

"We don't know what we are getting into Twilight, it doesn't hurt to be prepared for the worst." Luna remarked. "Plus we thought it would help Goldwin and Iceses come to terms with each other."

"Whats the deal between those two? I mean as soon as you mentioned her, he went all psycho." Spike remarked.

"Bad blood." Mikaeus spoke. "Iceses is a great wizard who has accomplished many things, some though came at a price."

"A price?" Twilight asked.

"Goldwin and Iceses have worked together on several occasions, each time they discovered something new. At first, many thought they would go on to become the most legendary pair of wizards of history. Then something changed in Iceses as the years past, though Goldwin didn't leave her much of a choice." He said closing his eyes as if to recall the past. "He started to be risky and didn't care how dangerous something was. One day, Goldwin wanted to manipulate one of Star Swirl's famous time spells. Though he calmed he wanted to just see what would happen for the sake of knowing, Iceses claims that he seemed to have something else on his mind about it."

"Which was?" Spike asked.

"She has never said, but he needed her for it. Goldwin wasn't as powerful as Iceses and she was familiar with the spells." Mikaeus said. "She kept telling him that it was to dangerous to mess with such magic."

"She refused." Twilight concluded.

Mikaeus nodded. "Exactly, she abounded they partnership leaving him, which filled him with resentment towards her. Though it didn't end there. Over the years they clashed ego's, and each time Iceses proved to be the better. Even though Goldwin was a respected wizard, he was often mocked for his attempts to prove that he was the superior. Soon though it became a game for Iceses and she would go out of her way to prove that he was wrong on whatever he was working on."

Twilight looked at Celestia, who nodded to show what Mikaeus was saying was true.

"So they're enemies now?" Twilight asked herself .

"Oh, that sounds splendid." Spike said.

"I am sorry for their behavior, I'll make sure that it doesn't happen again." Mikaesus said to Celestia and Luna.

"I am sure it will be fine now but thank you. He'll will calm down eventually." Celesita said.

"Don't count on it." Mikaesus mumbled.

"Now the sun needs to set, and the moon needs to take over the sky. I suggest that you should go ahead and get some rest Twilight. Tommorow we are going to tackle this task, with full force." Celestia said.

"Thou are going to need it if Goldwin and Iceses act the way they did all day." Luna said.

Twilight bowed. "I shall be in my room if anything comes up." She said before walking away. "It was nice meeting you Mikaeus, come Spike."

The unicorn grunted, giving her the only sign that he had ecnoualged her.

"Good night Twilight, see you in the morning." Celestia said.

"Same to you to princess Celestia, and princess Luna." Twilight said before exiting.

Twilight and Spike walked down the hall a little before speaking to each other.

"That was quite the party huh?" Spike said. "I mean talk about some interesting ponies."

"I know, and I am absolutely thrilled to work with two of them." Twilight said.

"So this Goldwin is this supposedly well know wizard?" Spike asked. "You sure got excited once you saw him."

Twilight stopped. "Are you kidding me?" She asked. "He is only the most respected and well renowned wizard thats still around, apart from Iceses. For years I heard stories about him but I never thought that I would ever meet him." She sighed. "It's just so incredible. Though it does seems weird that he can acts like a complete child towards somepony else."

"And Iceses?" Spike asked.

"From what I heard from others she is a genius amongst wizards. Like Mikaeus said in there, she is the only one to come close to cracking Star Swirl's advance times spells." Twilight said. "Also as you can see, she happens to be an alicorn."

"I was wondering that, isn't being an alicorn only for royalty?" He asked.

"Guess not." Twilight shrugged.

A sudden force came whooshing behind her.

"Twilight." Mikaeus voice whispered.

Spike almost jumped at the sound of the unicorn's voice. Turning around the pair stood before the large wizard.

"Princess Twilight, you must come with me for a moment. I promise not to waste too much of your time." Mikeaus said with a bow.

Twilight looked at Spike and nodded for him to leave. "I'll be there in a minute Spike, you go on ahead."

Spike eyed the unicorn. "Okay, if you say so." He said while backing away slowly, keeping his eyes on Mikaeus.

"I am sorry once again princess Twilight, its just that Celestia and Luna wanted me to show you something before you went to bed." He said removing his hood. "Tell me, are you familiar with advanced detection spells?"

Twilight looked around curiously not knowing what he was getting at. She kept a blank expression to see where he would go from there.

"Good, that means I still have something to teach you. The princesses wanted me to show you a particular spells that we feel is in your best interest while you're here." He said.

"Really, they wanted you to teach me something? I mean I know plenty about detection spells, the basics that is." Twilight said.

"Ah, but what am going to show you is something totally different than anything you learned from books." The unicorn said. "The spell I have in mind with let you sense other fields of magic such as other wizards natural energy. It will bascaily tell you when you are near the field of a barrier or fellow magic user."

"So your saying there is a way to feel the presence of other magic users around me? Like a radar?" Twilight asked.

"Yes and..." He looked up and down the hall, then he said a few words causing a flash of aura from his horn.  "It's safe for now, but the princesses wanted you and I to keep a close eye on this situation."

"Really?" Twilight said looking around. "Any reason why?"

"I don't like how Goldwin has done nothing sense arriving, before you journeyed here he sat in his room all day. Both Celestia and Luna think that he has good attentions, but they just want to have an extra set of ears hanging around."

"Just in case something happens huh? I am sure he's not going to be any trouble." She said hopefully.

"Always better to be prepared than being caught helplessly against a wizard." Mikaeus quoted.

Twilight perked up at the reference. "Ser parearuble number two hundred and six right?"

"Celestia taught you well, most students only learn the first hundred only." He said

"Thanks, I kind of read all of them." Twilight said bashfully. "So what was the spell you were going to show me?"

"Right, right, so would you like to learn the spell I spoke of?" He asked.

"If the princesses think I need to, I guess I am. As long as you tell me what I need to do to learn it." Twilight said eagerly.

"Close you eyes and let your mind be free." Mikaeus said. "Think of a waterfall, roaring into a soft stream."

She did as she was instructed, and soon silence was filling the area. Then out of nowhere Mikaeus's voice was somehow mumbling within her thoughts. She peaked open her eyes to see what he was doing. It almost made her jump though, for he was standing before her motionless with his head hanging down.

"There." His voice echoed.

His body sprang back to life as his voice was no longer present within her mind.

Twilight shook her head. "Did....you....just?"

"Something else that you'll have to learn down the road. But for now I want to you to tell me what you are feeling. Anything strange?" He asked.

She felt this tiny shock of energy snip at the back of her mind. It was faint, but then a big shock came when she turned her eyes back to the sturdy unicorn. "I feel something in the back of my mind. It's like telling me that something is here."

"You're feeling my natural energy right now, and the energy of the field around that tunnel entrance." He said. "You'll also feel if somepony is trying to disturbed the field too. Don't worry though, just like other spells you learned you can make yourself not feel anything that you don't want to."

Twilight concentrated on the odd feeling and soon it was gone. Then she tried recalling it, just like that it was back.

"That's incredible. You planted it in my mind, and I instantly know how to do it. How come you're not one of the famous wizards like Goldwin? I don't think I ever head of anypony being able to do something like this." Twilight said.

"I have my reasons of keeping quite but for now the hour is growing late. We both need rest and I certainly need to prepare for the task thats ahead." Mikaeus said.

"But there's so much I want to ask you now. Like where did you learn that ability? How long did it take for you to master it?" Twilight began.

He let out a quite sigh. "If you want to know more about my ways then I suggest you should come out to the garden in the morning. I shall be there taking my meditation there. As for now I bid thee good night. Also keep that new found sense of yours on, you never know when it my come in handy." He said before bowing to her.

"You don't have to bow before me sir. I am honestly still not quite use to it." Twilight said.

"I always show respect to those who earned it." He said. "I am sure you'll grow to it in time."

Twilight smiled at this. "Thank you sir, and good night to you too."

He returned her smile, which was the first expression she saw him make since meeting him. She didn't know how to react to it though, for it caught her off guard. So she nodded and went straight to her room. Upon entering she obviously woke Spike up from his early sleep.

"Twilight? I am not asleep yet." He said. "How did it go with creepy guy?"

She stopped for a moment to think about the spell that Mikaeus had given her. There was so much she wanted to know about how he was able to do such a feat. Then another thought crept in her head. If he was able to do that, what else was he capable of?

"Um Twilight, you alright?" Spike asked.

"What? Oh, yeah just fine." She said.

"So what did he have to say?" Spike asked.

Twilight looked out the window that showed the city resting. She could feel the presence even stronger, now that she was looking in its direction. Along with that she could feel little presences that must have been all the unicorns in the city. "Nothing much, but he taught me a really neat spell."

Spike raised an eyebrow. "That seems interesting."

"It's something alright." She said with a yawn. "Say, all that walking has really done a number on me. Think it's time for me to get some sleep. How about you?"

Spike let out a lounge yawn. "Way ahead of you."

Soon she was curled up in her bed as Spike fell asleep in his. As the night went on the weird feeling of the field didn't really bother her. It was as if it was just in the background, not really making it's self known. Then out of nowhere she felt another feeling joined in her head. It was just as faint as the first so it raised no concern to her. Out of the blue though, a sharp pain roared through her head. She tried her best to ignore it, but it kept growing and growing. Concentrating, she focused on not feeling any magical presences. As the thought came across, the pain was gone.

"Wonder what that was all about." She thought.

Within an instant she fell asleep, awaiting for what tomorrow would bring.