Premonitionist

Prologue 3

Sir Magnos Hoofwell

Nothing much in Ponyville changed since Twilight was last home. While everypony was together for lunch at the library all of her friends were just glad to have her back from her trip to Canterlot. Unsurprisingly, Applejack and Rainbow Dash spent much of their time avoiding each other as they considered how they'd throw a better sleep over. Since it was Applejack’s turn this evening to fillysit the Cutie Mark Crusaders, Rainbow Dash would simply have to wait her turn but they had plenty to do in the meantime.

Twilight Sparkle took the time to catch up on all the latest news concerning her home as well as her friends. Though there wasn't much to report it was still a pleasure just being together with them. After her friends left and the hours passed well into the evening Twilight didn't waste a second before sitting down and returning to her book. Though her friends agreed not to tell how she 'borrowed' it, the young princess preferred to keep The Legends of the Premonitionists to herself until she was done. When night was upon the village Twilight brought the book with her to bed and continued well into the night.

Soon after the Lords of Darkness were defeated for the second time the Order of Premonitionists discovered a new kind of weapon that would change the face of war forever. In the depths of the Zenheart Jungle an ancient temple was discovered with mystical powers in it. Waker, the young apprentice who found it, explored its dungeons and spoke with great enthusiasm of the things he found inside.

Floating platforms and gravity defying traps seemed contradictory to the state of decay that the temple was suffering after decades of neglect. Waker didn't immediately realize that the magical presence actually came from the Lords of Darkness, so entered the temple without fear. By taking advantage of his peculiar surroundings, he came out of the temple with a most interesting find.

Waker became the first Premonitionist to discover the art of World Building. He learned inside the temple that by enchanting the writing in a book, a Premonitionist could literally enter the book and experience the sights, sounds and feels like they were actually in another world. This art was an immediate controversy among the Premonitionists who believed using such magic defied their own sacred traditions. But, the much older head of the order, Master Osiris, was the first to defend this form of magic and believed mingling in this art would prove beneficial.

When he was proven right, the art of World Building was adapted into a powerful tool that became apart of the Order of Premonitionists, used time and time again against the Lords of Darkness who never stopped scheming their return.

The rooster was crowing when Twilight Sparkle realized just how late into the evening she had been reading. Under the covers of her bed her horn was glowing and she was about half way through the book when a beam of sunlight came in through the window.

Quickly slamming the book shut, she threw back the covers and saw the sun coming over the hills. Even though she had been awake all night she didn’t feel the faintest bit tired as she sat up. Beside her bed Spike was snoring in his basket and everything was normal as it should be, except for her.

“Oh my gosh, I’ve become just like Rainbow Dash reading a Daring Do novel,” Twilight muttered to herself.

But as she was saying that, Twilight looked down at her book and considered it. The young alicorn couldn’t remember the last time a book captivated her imagination quite like this. Everything about the book was so inspired and original, she felt almost like there was something more to it; something special she couldn't put her hoof on.

She picked up the book and smiled with satisfaction, right before something slipped out from between the pages. With surprise, Twilight looked down and saw a thin metal tag that plopped onto her bed. “A bookmark?” she wondered to herself.

Twilight lifted the thin metal tag with her magic and took a closer look. The item that she found was silver colored with an intricate pattern engraved into it and a gold rim along the edge. She knew this trinket that fell from the book had to be very valuable; especially when she considered the red jewel encrusted on the top. But as she studied it a dozen questions came flooding into her mind.

“Where did you come from all of a sudden?” she wondered to herself. “Were you hiding in the book all this time?”

It seemed hard to believe, especially since she recalled skipped back and forth a lot through the pages. She didn't know why this strange bookmark hadn't fallen out sooner but it seemed there was no explanation, except that she had simply missed it.

Twilight turned the bookmark over and realized that there was writing engraved on the back. Curious, she read it aloud. “To my brother, Magnos. Wherever you are, I will never forget you or the bond that war and tribulation has forged between us. Love, Raritas.”

After finishing, Twilight Sparkle paused and considered the words she had just read. It didn’t take her long to realize the value of the item she had found. “Oh my gosh... this bookmark belonged to the writer of the book himself,” she said aloud. “Magnos Hoofwell.”

Twilight could tell from the writing alone that this trinket must have meant a great deal to its owner. She hardly knew anything about Magnos Hoofwell and even less about this brother he apparently had, but it seemed she had stumbled upon something very special to them. With this silver and gold bookmark in her possession, Twilight wasn’t sure what she was meant to do with it. When she considered the options it didn’t seem right to keep the bookmark; even to hide it away where she’d never have to lay eyes on it. The alternative solution came to her quickly, but it sounded silly the moment it crossed her mind.

“Would Magnos Hoofwell be bothered if I paid him a visit, even if I was just returning this to him?” she wondered. As she was saying that the answer came to her quickly. “Of course he would," she mumbled. "If he didn't value his privacy I doubt he'd be a hermit living in the middle of nowhere.”

But as Twilight looked at the bookmark again she tried imagining how upset Magnos must have been to loose something so precious. The words on the back of it sounded very meaningful and she wondered how much the two brothers missed each other when the writing was first engraved. She didn’t know what circumstances surrounded those words but Twilight understood what she needed to do after reading them again.

Getting out of bed, she recalled everything Fluttershy told her from the day before and got ready to leave. “I guess I’m paying Magnos Hoofwell a visit,” she said. After quickly brushing her mane and making herself presentable, she took the silver bookmark and departed out the library before Spike was even awake.

“Don’t worry, I promise I’ll be back soon,” she told the baby dragon. At that, she closed the door behind her and started towards the Everfree Forest.

The gallop to Magnos Hoofwell’s house was considerably further than Twilight first imagined. Only after she left the boundaries of Ponyville did it occur to her that she had wings. Twilight took to the skies and went high above the Everfree Forest, covering a lot of distance quite quickly as she flew. As she passed above the tree line she scanned the wilderness for the cottage Fluttershy told her about. Though her memory was sketchy Twilight hoped it wouldn't take long to find the place Magnos Hoofwell lived.

After going five minutes in the direction she assumed was correct Twilight suddenly spotted a cottage against the side of a mountain, just outside the forest like she remembered Fluttershy mentioning. Guessing that it had to be the place, the princess descended from the air and landed on the ground a short distance away. The hillside she landed upon seemed very remote to her. There was no civilization for miles; just the forest and the mountains. Nopony could be expected to find this place without flight; or maybe knowledge from the woodland creatures like Fluttershy had.

When Twilight turned her sights to the cottage she cocked her head to the side and hummed. “Not too bad,” she thought aloud. “For a hermit pony, not too bad at all.”

Approaching the door, Twilight felt a little afraid that something scary might jump out at her, but bravely raised a hoof and knocked. After her hoof tapped against the wood she backed away and waited patiently for somepony to answer. Nothing happened for nearly a whole minute, which seemed strange.

When Twilight Sparkle began to feel impatient she approached again and knocked a second time. “Excuse me, Mr. Magnos Hoofwell!” she called. “My name is Twilight Sparkle and I wondered if I might have a word!”

Suddenly, Twilight heard the sound of glass shattering and nearly jumped with surprise. She heard ruckus inside the cottage, right before the door swung open and an older unicorn stepped out.

When the two of them saw each other, Twilight didn’t know what to say. She assumed she was looking at Magnos Hoofwell but he wasn’t exactly the hermit pony that she pictured him to be. He was a tall, tannish colored unicorn with a long grey mane that seemed messy yet handsome. Though he was at least twice the princess's age, when he looked down at her Twilight seemed to recognize a lot of energy and fire still left in his aging body.

Magnos Hoofwell wasn't shaggy or dirty at all. It embarrassed Twilight that she assumed so much before meeting him. Quickly forgetting about her preconceptions, Twilight went ahead and introduced herself. “Magnos Hoofwell? Hi. My name is Twilight Sparkle.”

But as she was speaking, the pony at the door just stared with a confused expression plastered across his face. After listening to her he turned his eyes to the side; like he was maybe expecting somepony else. “Um... are you lost?” he asked.

Twilight Sparkle frowned. “Uh... no,” she replied. She smiled again. “I came all this way to pay you a visit because I think I’ve found something of yours that I’d like to return.”

Magnos Hoofwell still looked confused. It wasn’t long before he noticed her wings and suddenly realized who he was dealing with. “Wait... you’re a princess?” he gasped.

Twilight was embarrassed that he took notice. “Well, yes. I am a princess. Princess Twilight Sparkle, at your service.”

“This is very curious indeed,” Magnos frowned. “Is your visit regarding official business?”

“Um, no,” Twilight insisted. “I just wanted to pay you a visit concerning the book you wrote.”

Suddenly, the unicorn jumped with alarm. “My book!” Magnos exclaimed. There was a hint of hostility in his voice before he brought himself back under control. After taking a deep breath, he spoke slowly and chose his words carefully. “What... exactly about my book?” he wondered.

Twilight began to feel very awkward in his presence; like maybe this brilliant writer she had admired up till now was maybe dangerous as well as crazy. When she studied his confused expression the young alicorn began to feel that this visit might have been a bad idea. But after giving herself a moment to think she slowly reached under her wing and showed him the reason why she came. When Twilight was holding the gold and silver bookmark in her hooves Magnos Hoofwell looked down and gasped with amazement.

“Sir Magnos, I found this in your book,” Twilight told him. “Naturally, Mr. Hoofwell, I would never intrude on your privacy unless I thought it was important. When I found this bookmark, coming to you and returning it seemed like the sensible thing to do. Does it look familiar to you at all?”

Magnos Hoofwell looked like he could scarcely believe his eyes. When he looked at the bookmark something suddenly changed. After an internal struggle seemed to distract him for a moment, he looked up and suddenly became like a different person. “I am sorry Princess Twilight, you must forgive me,” he unicorn replied. “I’m not used to be visited here in the wilderness by strangers. If you'll allow me to start over... I am, indeed, Sir Magnos Hoofwell. My dear princess, it is a pleasure to meet you.”

Twilight could scarcely believe her eyes. Magnos seemed like a complete gentlecolt and in a moment's notice became very friendly and charming. Twilight slowly began to recognize the kindly stallion that Fluttershy described him to be. But, since she was still unsure about him, she decided to cut straight to business.

“Mr. Hoofwell, can you tell me about this bookmark?” she asked. "Does it belong to you?"

“Yes, it does. Thank you very much for finding it for me,” he responded.

He came forwards and Twilight felt nervous of Magnos as she stepped away. But after the stallion stopped just within hoof’s reach, he calmly took the bookmark from Twilight and looked down at it. He was so amazed that it looked like he was going to cry for a moment. After holding back his tears, he looked again at Twilight and held the bookmark for her to see.

“Do you know what this is?” he asked her, in a much calmer, gentler voice. “This is a seeker’s tag. It’s a valuable tool. I will confess, I have used it in the past as a bookmark and have gotten it lost on occasion. But Princess Twilight, you have no idea how happy you’ve made me for returning it. Ever since I lost it nine years ago I have searched tirelessly to get it back. Never thought I’d see it again.”

Twilight nodded. “Uh huh,” he frowned. “So... if it's not a bookmark, can you tell me what a 'seeker's tag' is supposed to be?”

Magnos Hoofwell chuckled. “Oh, that’s not important,” he said. “I will say this, Princess Twilight. You’ve done me a tremendous favor. I wish I could tell you how happy this makes me feel... but maybe later. Tell me again where you found it?”

“In your book,” Twilight responded, “the one I found locked up in the library in Canterlot castle. Mr. Hoofwell, for a while I have wanted the privilege of meeting you. Now that we're here, I wanted to say how much I admire your writing. The book you wrote about the Premonitionists and the world of Dussk is a really good read.”

Magnos did not seem to appreciate that as much as he appreciated the return of his seeker’s tag. “And... where exactly is the book now?” he wondered.

At that moment, Twilight felt conflicted. Though she couldn't explain why it would be wrong to read a harmless work of fiction she still realized it was wrong to take The Legends of the Premonitionists from the restricted section. If Magnos Hoofwell was aware she borrowed it without permission she didn’t know how he’d react.

In one heart-wrenching moment Twilight decided to lie. “It’s still there, in the library,” she assured him. “I, uh, found it interesting but put it back as soon as I was done with it. But I did, however, find the seeker’s tag... as you call it... and showed it to Celestia. She agreed that after I found it you’d probably like it returned. Honestly, I don’t know why she decided your amazing book would be locked away in the restricted section, but I'm happy I had the chance to read it.”

Upon hearing that, some sort of inner struggle seemed to distract Magnos for a moment. But, the stallion looked at Twilight again and nodded approvingly. “Then I suppose there was no harm done.”

Twilight frowned. “What do you mean?” she wondered.

Magnos smiled. “It wasn’t Celestia’s idea to lock that book in the restricted section, I assure you. It was my own.”

Twilight almost couldn’t believe it. “But... you’re such a talented writer!” she exclaimed. “The mythology and the stories in your book are amazing! There’s so much mystery and so much suspense... there are dungeons and lost secrets, monsters and warriors...”

Magnos chuckled with amusement. “You are quite the enthusiast Ms. Sparkle,” he smiled. “Do you read a lot?”

“Why, yes I do,” Twilight nodded. “I absolutely adore it! Reading seems to be the most under-appreciated art nowadays. Nopony takes the time anymore to just sit down with a good book.”

Magnos modestly shook his head. “I guess we both see eye to eye where books are concerned,” he said. After a pause, he took a breath and changed the subject. “Princess Twilight... thank you again. I owe you a debt for finding my seeker’s tag.”

Upon hearing that, Twilight realized she liked Magnos. Despite his confusion earlier, he was actually very nice and considerate. There was still a lot she had yet to learn but he seemed like a genuinely good person.

Magnos was about to return to his cottage when he stopped and looked at Twilight again. A curious idea crossed his mind. “Princess Twilight, maybe if your not busy would you care for a cup of tea?” he asked.

“Oh... I’m not so sure,” Twilight frowned.

“I don’t mean to pressure you!” Magnos insisted. “Princess Twilight, I really can’t tell you how much it means to have my seeker’s tag back. I don’t often get visitors either. If it wasn’t too awkward a request, I’d love to have you for some morning tea and then we could talk some more. I’m probably not the best host in the world but if you didn’t mind...”

Twilight paused and considered Magnos Hoofwell’s request. Indeed, it was strange to be invited for tea by a pony who lived in the middle of nowhere. But, when she looked at Hoofwell she recognized the brilliant writer that she admired by the way he spoke and the way he acted, despite his crazy moments.

Figuring that she could maybe spare a few minutes Twilight nodded her head and agreed.

“Fluttershy, yes I remember her,” Magnos nodded. “Always shy and timid. She writes to me every so often about her struggles and her concerns and I write back with advice and words of encouragement. I don't expect that my letters help every single time I write to her but I do wish the best for that young pony. I hope that one day Fluttershy becomes the strong and willful mare that I know she was meant to be.”

Twilight Sparkle nodded and was pleased Fluttershy was friends with the author she was getting to know. But after she felt like they had discussed Fluttershy enough the young princess took a look around the cottage and found she was impressed. It wasn’t fancy, but it was very clean and had a warm feeling about it. Twilight sat at a small table in the center of the room that was meant for only one pony, but Magnos arranged it neatly enough to have the both of them sitting down.

The older stallion was standing across from her and was busy preparing a pot of tea while Twilight was observing her surroundings. The room she sat in served as everything, from a dining room, to a living room and even a kitchen. There was hardly room enough to walk around, but Magnos seemed to manage. The only other space he had in the cottage was a bedroom which he kept locked behind a door. Twilight imagined that Magnos kept his secret writing space behind that door as well but was too embarrassed to ask.

The decorations in the living room, though, were quite interesting to Twilight. Magnos made use of every bit of wall and every inch of shelf. There were pots and pans, as well as fancy tins with exotic spices inside. There were also herbs hanging by threads from the ceiling and a stove that stood by itself next to a pile of wood.

While Magnos was busy brewing the tea and trying to be a good host, Twilight took notice of his cutie mark for the first time and tried to get a closer look. She thought it looked kind of suspicious but it resembled a long sword with two hoof gauntlets holding the handle; proud and dignified. It hardly seemed to be the cutie mark of a writer or a hermit pony, but she didn't pretend like she was an expert on the subject.

A question soon crossed Twilight’s mind, which she hoped wasn’t too personal. Taking a breath, she asked, “So why exactly do you live out here in the middle of nowhere, Mr. Hoofwell?”

“What do you mean?” Magnos asked.

Twilight Sparkle frowned; figuring the question should have been easy enough to understand. “You’re a great writer and you’re a unicorn. If you moved to Canterlot you could be a celebrity,” she told him.

Magnos turned away from the brewing pot and gave Twilight a very curious look. “You make a fair point,” he nodded. But after a moment, he turned away and continued brewing the tea. “The truth is, I never wanted to become a writer. I’m not that creative a pony.”

“But you seem very creative to me,” Twilight interrupted.

“I know, but me and Princess Celestia made an agreement,” Magnos explained. “You see, I asked her many years ago for a favor. Before I was an old hermit, like you see me now, I used to be a soldier. I fought many battles and suffered many tragedies.”

“Many tragedies... from what?” Twilight exclaimed.

“Trust me,” Magnos chuckled, “the world has not always been a safe and peaceful place like Equestria now. After most of my friends left I chose a life of exile so I could escape from it all.”

Twilight lowered her head. “I’m so sorry,” she frowned.

But upon hearing that Magnos turned around, levitating a tray with his magic and facing the princess with a kindly expression. “Don’t feel so glum,” he told her. “It’s all in the past. Nothing to be ashamed of.”

After saying that, he put the tray down on the table and revealed the setup he had been preparing. When Twilight saw it, it seemed quite humble but surprisingly nice. On top of the tray was a steaming pot of tea, along with clean napkins and an assortment of sandwiches and cookies. A tiny glass with a flower sticking out finished the ensemble he was trying to create.

“Go ahead and have a cup,” Magnos told her, offering to pour the tea for her. “It’s my own special blend. It’s all I could make with the wild herbs that I find in the Everfree Forest but maybe it will be halfway descent for a princess such as yourself.”

Twilight was curious as she took a cup and saw the reddish brown tea inside. After taking a sip, words almost failed her. “Oh my gosh, that’s very good,” she said. “And all of this is from the forest?”

“Yup, every last leaf,” Magnos nodded as he took a sip from his own cup.

After Twilight enjoyed the tea she put her cup down and returned to the subject from before. Although it seemed like Magnos would rather avoid some of the details she wondered how much more he would be willing to share.

“So... taking care of animals,” she chuckled, “that’s not really your special talent, is it?”

Magnos frowned. “I suppose not,” he said. “My cutie mark makes it a dead giveaway, right?” He paused for a moment. “Taking care of the animals isn’t something I do regularly, but I have helped Fluttershy on a number of occasions mending the hurting woodland creatures. It does give me something to pass the time.”

Magnos quickly changed the subject. “But of course, I suppose you’re wondering why I waste my time out here in the wilderness when I could be making a fortune as a writer.”

Twilight was embarrassed to admit she couldn’t stop thinking about that. After a pause she replied, “Yes, I have been wondering.”

Magnos nodded. “My book is not meant to be an entertaining best seller,” he explained. “It was meant to be therapy. You see... I’ve experienced many terrible things in my day and I’ve retreated out here to the wilderness so I would never have to be reminded. Nightmares used to haunt me in my sleep and I began writing that book until the nightmares went away. It took quite a while but it worked in the end.”

Twilight understood perfectly. She would have done the same herself, but she was still brimming with questions. “So how did it end up in the library?”

“That’s where Celestia comes in,” Magnos continued. “It would have been a shame if all my work was lost, so I lent it to her for safe keeping. As soon as I die of old age I asked her if she could publish it. As soon as I’m gone, I expect my book shall give other ponies something to think about when they’re considering the horrors of war.”

“But... that seems like such a waste!” Twilight protested. “Why not publish it now and enjoy the praise everypony else is sure to give you.”

Magnos looked away and smiled with amusement. “No, that would only be a painful reminder of everything I’ve been trying to forget,” he told her. “Princess Twilight, I do appreciate your enthusiasm. I’m glad you enjoy it, but my book is better off in the Canterlot library... until the time is right.”

Twilight was nervous to admit that the book wasn’t there. She still had it, but Magnos didn’t have to know that quite yet.

With a smile, Magnos pushed the tray closer to her. “Care for a sandwich to go with your tea?” he asked her.

“Sure,” Twilight nodded. After taking one and having a bite she asked another question that had been on her mind for a while. “So who is Raritas?” she wondered.

“Raritas?”

“Yes, you know, the name on that bookmark I returned to you,” Twilight mentioned.

When Magnos realized that he had heard her correctly he seemed troubled, but looked up at her again with a smile. “Raritas was my brother,” he told her; holding up the seeker’s tag for her to see. “We were close, very close. Sometimes it feels painful to dwell on it, but not since you found the seeker’s tag. Thanks again.”

Twilight nodded. “So is he still around?” she asked.

“No... I lost him.”

Twilight suddenly realized her mistake. “I’m sorry.”

“No, don’t be,” Magnos replied. “It was a long time ago. Now that my seeker’s tag has finally returned to me after all these years, I feel like I have him back now. Thank you so much Ms. Sparkle. I wish I could tell you how much this means to me but I don’t know if I can.”

“It was... really nothing,” Twilight smiled. “I guess it was just lucky that I found it and one of my friends happened to know where you lived.”

“Despite everything you say Princess Twilight, this favor was definitely worth a little more than nothing,” Magnos told her. After a moment, he put the seeker’s tag away and looked across at Twilight again. “Thank you very much. I must say, this is a rare opportunity. I don’t often get to serve tea for a fine young mare like yourself. You are a very nice person, Ms. Sparkle.”

Upon hearing that, Twilight blushed but was also charmed. Although they didn’t seem to have much in common they continued talking for a while and enjoyed the tea until Twilight decided it was time to go. Feeling like he had wasted enough of her time, Magnos wished her a fond farewell and the princess flew back to Ponyville. After a most delightful morning it was time for life to go back to normal again.

When Twilight Sparkle finally returned to Ponyville she descended from the air and found that she arrived just as everypony was getting their day started. Ponies were walking up and down the streets and Twilight knew she'd find the Golden Oaks Library just a few blocks down.

Trotting along home, Twilight Sparkle didn't think anything could go wrong... until something landed with a thump right in front of her. Jumping with surprise, the princess looked down and saw a stack of paper bound together like a manuscript. After nearly hitting her on the head, she was curious where such a random object could have fallen from.

With a cross look, Twilight turned her head upward and searched for the one responsible. “Derpy Hooves, if you accidentally dropped anything else on me by accident I swear I’ll...”

But when Twilight looked up, the mailmare wasn’t there. Nopony was. There wasn’t even a ledge or a tree that the manuscript could have fallen from. Just open sky and not even a cloud anywhere to be seen. Twilight looked down and wondered where a perfectly harmless manuscript could have fallen from.

Feeling suspicious, she picked it up with her magic and tried reading it. “What is this?” she wondered, partly in disgust. “It doesn’t even have a title.”

It was, indeed, strange. And yet, there was something ominous about the manuscript. Twilight had trouble putting her hoof on it but she had the most peculiar feeling. The pages were a light grayish color and the writing was a very unusual font for a typewriter. Twilight kept the manuscript just within hoof's reach as she considered what to do with it. After giving it some thought she took the pages under her wing and continued on her way to the library. Later, she was sure there would be time to make sense of this.