The Flame of Lifeby Burst_FireChaptersIntroductionCutie MarkMagicThe AmuletIntroductionMy name is Burst Fire, and this is my story. If you’ve ever read a memoir before, you may notice that the author starts with an early memory, or some significant event from his or her life that he or she will then use as a basis for the rest of the book. I prefer writing stories over anything else. This particular memoir is of the story of my own life. I’ll treat it as such and write it as a story. Beginning now. Far off from any major land mass sits an island. Though small and insignificant as it may seem, it is home to a whole village. By “whole village” I literally mean just a small and simple community. There is absolutely nothing interesting about it. Well, there is a volcano… Yes, this small community is placed near the foot of a volcano, an active volcano at that. Each month, the village appoints somepony to ascend the mountain and check if it’s going to blow anytime soon. Risky business, that is. Where was I? ... Oh yes, an island far off from any major land mass populated by mostly a dense forest with an active volcano and a small village. There’s also a barren wasteland, but we’ll get to that desolate area later. That brings us to the village’s residents. At this point in the story the only ponies who are of any importance are my parents. My mother is a unicorn with a dark navy blue coat and short, dark purple mane. My father is a strong pegasus with a bright orange coat and a vibrant yellow army-cut mane. He served as a paratrooper in some military group back in the day, long before I was born. I owe this story to them, I suppose, for without them, I’d never have been born and, in turn, never would have been able to tell my story. “My story”… This is my story, isn’t it? So why am I not talking about myself yet? My name is Burst Fire, and I am a unicorn after my mother. My coat is of a blazing red-orange while my mane is brown, shaggy and messy, and with lighter brown streaks running through it. My eyes are emerald green, and they sometimes fail to conceal my emotion. I also wear glasses. As for my cutie mark, well, let’s just say, for now, that it’s one heck of a story. I make many friends along the way, but some of the first, and best, friends I’ve ever had were and are May Field and Thunder Crack. Through thick and thin, they’ve always been there by my side as true companions. Our friendship is as strong as the tallest of red wood trees in the densest of forests. Thunder Crack, true to his name, is a yellow-orange Pegasus with a black mane. His cutie mark, also true to his name, is a thunder cloud with bolts of lightning jutting out from the bottom left and right. When he flies, his path is true and his strength is awesome. May Field is an earth pony. Her coat is bright yellow and her mane is baby blue and soft pink, much like cotton candy. Her appearance may seem extreme, and she is in fact very extroverted, but, to the contrary, she is actually very humble. She’s the kind of mare that anypony could approach and feel welcome. Her piercing blue eyes always seem to looking straight into one’s being, but in a kind and caring way. Her cutie mark is of two golden rings hooked together. I always saw it as a symbol of the bonds she makes with everypony she meets. She is friends with whomever she meets. Life on the island is simple, aside from the whole “living next to a volcano” business. As foals, we laugh and play with each other, and as we grow older more responsibilities take hold. Eventually, everypony does become part of the daily routine of the island. Then there’s this boat… This boat comes and goes every month bringing supplies. The island doesn’t have much fertile soil so it’s hard to grow enough food on our own. The boat brings us what we can’t produce on our own. What had always eluded me was where it came from. It may have been just foal curiosity, but I just couldn’t help but wonder, “What’s out there?” Cutie MarkRemember at the beginning when I said that memoirs usually start at an early memory? Well, this experience wasn’t one that could easily be forgotten. Consequently, it became my earliest memory. It was traumatizing, life-altering, and overall just plain scary. But let me tell you, I would never dream of wanting to forget about it. Do you know why? You could probably easily guess after having been given a major clue. It was a normal day; my parents and I were hiking along the forest trail. I was a mere lad, young and carefree. My pride had started gestating early, so I both enjoyed being praised for a good job and disregarded any sense of doubt of my own handiwork. Hiking was one way for me to represent myself as being hardy and proud of what I was able to do. Those trails were long and rough, and I always made it through. There was nothing different about that day from any other day that we went out hiking. The weather was nice, the sun’s golden rays shone through the leaves above us, and a cool breeze whirred by ever so slightly. Birds chirped from their perches and the wildlife on ground level stirred busily around us. It was truly a quiet and peaceful day. The ground shook. The sound of birds and a slight breeze were overcome by a low rumble. My parents and I stopped in our tracks wondering what just happened. We didn’t have to wonder for long: it happened. Despite being blinded by the forest canopy, we knew exactly what that specific sound was – an explosion. The volcano was erupting. My parents rushed me to hurry up so we could get back to the village and into the emergency bunkers. My legs were very short back then. I may have said that I was able to get through those forested paths, but I never said that I could do it quickly. I tried my best to keep up with my galloping parents, and they would always look back to make sure I kept pace with them. Alas, my small stature betrayed me, and I tripped. My parents didn’t notice, but I never blamed them. In a panic, I tried to catch up to them after getting back up, but the panic had overwhelmed me and I kept tripping over myself, unable to control my own balance. Whether my parents noticed my absence or not, they were long gone. I was alone. My mind was clouded. Fear and panic gripped my very being. I knew the lava would reach me soon. That was my panicking mind’s only thought. Every foal was taught about the volcano and how to stay safe if it ever erupted. I tried my hardest to remember what to do. All I could think of was to gallop away, nothing else, just gallop. So I did. I hadn’t a clue as to where I was headed; I just knew to get away from the sounds of the fiery eruption. I tripped often and it was starting to hurt. I remember the increasing pain each time I fell to the ground. Finally, it was too much for my small body to handle and I just collapsed. Out of breath and out of time. Fleeing only delayed my demise. The crackling of burning foliage surrounded me. I could feel the heat getting more intense as I ran, and I knew it wasn’t from overexertion or being overheated from the day. I could smell burning wood nearby, and soon I could see it as well. The lava crept closer and closer, scorching everything in its path from low vegetation to the trees. I was too tired and I ached too much to run any further. I didn’t want to give up, but I just wasn’t physically able to go any further. The lava was getting closer. It was a shame to know that a pony so young would be victim to such a cruel fate. Death was imminent. To have that thought in a young colt’s mind is frightening. I didn’t fully understand the concept of death; I just knew that nopony comes back from it. Whether it was panic inducing that “life flashing before your eyes” deal or just a random thought, I suddenly remember how my mother frequently used magic to do things. She always told me that magic can allow me to do anything I could ever dream of. I know today that that is untrue. There are many things that magic can do, but there are some things that are taboo and forbidden or even just plain impossible. Anyway, I knew that since I was a unicorn just like my mother, I could use magic as well. I tried doing it before, but it always ended up as just a few puttering sparks. The lava was getting close, and I could feel my own flesh sizzling. I was desperate. I needed to at least try to save myself from burning alive, so I concentrated on my horn. Nothing. I tried harder. It felt almost as if I was trying to force magic out of my horn like it was a substance. Nothing. The lava was getting too close, I had to muster up something to protect myself, but nothing would come out of my horn except puttering sparks. It was getting hard to breathe now, which was bad because my mother told me that breathing is key to concentration. I was scared out of my wits. The lava was then just hooves away from me. I was too scared to think, much less concentrate on producing magic. Closer, closer. I closed my eyes. I hoped for something to save me. I hoped for any spark of magic from my horn to come out and protect me. Just as the molten rock was supposed to envelope me, something happened. I opened my eyes to see that some sort of solidified aura had surrounded me and was protecting me from the lava. It was hot, hotter than even the lava itself, I thought. But there was something about it that was less menacing and more protective and secure. I thought my mother had come to save me and protect me from harm as she had always done before. Before I could look around for her, though, it went black. I had fainted, probably from the intense moment’s strain on a young foal’s mind. The next thing I remembered was waking up in the village with my parents standing above me, relief and happiness in their eyes. I thought it all was a dream, but then I saw the burned buildings and the hardened lava covering half the village. Something told me that that didn’t matter to my parents, though. Their little colt was safe and unharmed. But how? I looked to my mother about to ask if she was the one who saved me. As if she could read my mind, she nodded towards my flank, as if that would answer my unasked question. What I saw I didn’t believe, for on my flank was a sparkling mark that was and always will be unique in the world. My cutie mark is the veil of fire that once protected me from the lava all those years ago. Ever since that day, I’ve always believed that it still protects me, even guides me, throughout my life. The story of a pony’s cutie mark is likely the most important story of any pony’s life. Whether it’s a simple circumstance, the finding of one’s true calling, or, as in my case, a near death experience, one should never forget his or her cutie mark story. Despite having been almost killed in the process of receiving my own cutie mark, I chose to remember it. After all, it makes an amazing story on its own! MagicNow that I had the capabilities of using magic, my parents enrolled me in the local magic school. It was low-grade, but it got the job done. The school gave all students a basic understanding of magic then taught some intermediate skills. I can’t remember what those “intermediate” skills were, but I apparently learned them well. I do remember learning that there was a science to magic, though… Anyway, years passed, and I graduated from the school. I wasn’t satisfied with this minor education, however, so I set out on my own accord to find a higher form of magic education. It would be a while before I would find it. The best any of the graduates could do was practice and hone the skills they already had. They could read books from the library, too. It had a moderate supply of books for self-teaching magic. It took me less than a year to read all of them. And that’s saying something, seeing as how I took that time and then some to teach myself Fire Magic. Granted, I only did that every few days. There was one book that I was particularly fond of and made the most use out of. The title was something like “Arcane Arts.” I skimmed through the table of contents and saw a Fire Magic section. I paid no mind to the rest of the book, even though I probably should have. Later in life I would realize that that book held more than some fancy elemental tricks. I was smart for my age, I thought things through and applied earlier knowledge to try and learn new things. I did such when I applied what I knew from magic school to teach myself Fire Magic. I knew not to rush magic, but to rather meditate on it and eventually attempt the casting. One thing that wasn’t so smart was to trek through the forest (by now the trees had grown back from being burned down a few years ago) and ascend partway up the active volcano to “meditate on the heat.” I said I was smart for my age, but I was sure as Tartarus foolish as well. It wasn’t all about my practicing my magic, though; I also went briefly to the top to check the level of the molten rock to see if it would erupt again soon. Not all of magic school was boring learning; I did meet a new friend, who will become a major part of my life later. Her name is Libri Booksworth. Her family owns the library, and I’ve seen her sometimes when I went by to collect some magic books. She’s a unicorn, obviously. Otherwise I wouldn’t have met her at magic school. She has a tan coat, and her mane is light brown and blonde. Her cutie mark is of a quill pen writing in an open book. I’d never think anything more of it if it wasn’t for the fact that the quill pen is golden. Libri’s an interesting mare. She’s actually a bit like me- introverted, a bit nerdy, and loves intellectual conversation. She didn’t have quite the same foalhood that everypony else had. Having been raised in a library, she read many books, and was probably well educated from the moment she was able to read. I refuse to admit that Libri is smarter than me, even though she actually might be. Libri is an odd one, but she’s been my friend my whole life, so who can complain? Libri, May, and Thunder: my friends for life. They pick me up when I’m down and help me when I need it even when I don’t ask for it. We make quite a group of ponies. * * * Eventually, I felt ready to cast fire magic, but I also felt that the volcano was too dangerous and unpredictable to even attempt a cinder upon the mountain. The Wastelands would have been a perfect place, except I was too young to venture out that far. So I was left with other choices: burn down trees, burn down houses, or go to the beach. I reluctantly chose the beach. I didn’t like having to go near water to avoid causing damage, but it was my only convenient choice. I felt that being near so much water would be pejorative to my fire casting, but burning down buildings didn’t seem so optimal either. I tried something simple first – illumination using fire. I combined the simple spell with my practiced meditated heat. I wore out quickly from overexertion. I hadn’t any idea why a flame wouldn’t emerge. It was only the first try, though, so I kept trying… and trying… and trying… Panting and seeing the sun at the dusk phase, I decided to head back home and try again tomorrow. Perhaps I’d have more luck. The next day, I went back to the beach and tried the same process. The same results happen. Not wanting to feel like an idiot, I thought about any alterations I could make to the trials. The only thing that made sense to me was that the heightened moisture in the air from the ocean was what was keeping me down. Thinking this, I waited until the next day to – reluctantly, I may add – ascend the volcano where the heat is pure and the fire soars. Still no flame. I was never a patient pony, so naturally I was enraged that I could not conjure even a single torch by then. It wasn’t like I wanted a huge conflagration! Just a small ember would have satisfied me! Anger coursed through my veins, and then I felt something. A bellow of fire erupted before me and shot me back a few feet and against the cliff face. My horn was searing. Did I do that? Something popped in my mind. What if my anger caused that ignition? I didn’t want to believe that petty emotions caused my magic to swell, and I still don’t want to, but the evidence was there. It was apparent that I’d have to find a way to trigger an emotional state in which my emotions were intense enough that another ignition occurs. Only that once, though, would I rely on emotion to cause my magic to swell again. I try my best to not succumb to such trivial things. But to better understand how to cast fire at will, I had to use this tactic to get a better feeling for this strange magic. Alas, I had to retire for the day. This was something to figure out some other time. * * * One does not simply walk into a deep emotional state, nor would one want to, anyway. I had no idea what was going through my head if I thought that this was the only way I could achieve what I desired to do. Only once would I ever use anger or any other emotion to ignite my fire magic. As I’ve said before and cannot stress enough, I really don’t like succumbing to petty emotions. In order for this to work, though, I had to take in the feeling of the fire magic. I really do have no idea what I was thinking back then. This was crazy! What angers me, or rather what angered me? I was never easily angered, and I bet you can guess why. Hint: I hate petty emotions. The most I would ever feel is moderate annoyance. I had to dig deep to find anything worth getting fired up for. I could have said that I was alone in my quest to find knowledge of my power, but I chose that path on my own. To say that I was stuck on an island where nopony could help me would be a lie. I had my friends, and I knew they would try their best to help me in any way they could. “This is stupid. Any anger or frustration I experience is short-lived,” I said to myself. “I need to find a different approach to this.” … I talk to myself sometimes. “Hah hah! You’re stupid!” “I said that this idea was stupid.” “Same difference.” “Why are you always so derogative towards me?” “’Cause I can be.” “If this is just an effort to coax me into a state of anger, I must sadly inform you that it will not work.” “Why? Is it because you’re afraid of your own emotions? Is that why you try so hard to conceal them?” “Fear emotions? How could I ever be afraid of those wretched states of mind?” “You’re just too prideful to admit to yourself that you fear emitting emotions because they could ‘taint your mind’.” “Stop it.” “What’s the matter? Do you not like being told that you can’t handle your own emotions?” “Stop it!” “You can’t even handle feeling affection towards another pony for fear of getting hurt in the end!” “Stop it! Stop it! STOP IT!” A stream of fire shoots out from my horn. I had succumbed to the anger, but I reluctantly felt it was worth it. With no time to lose, I strained to keep it flowing, and I became familiar with the feeling of how this new magic is cast. It was powerful. It was nothing like I could ever have imagined of feeling! It was short-lived. The magic blew up in my face again, but this time it was much more severe. The explosion was much more massive than the previous one, and my ears were ringing. It also blew me in the opposite direction, so I was hurdling off the cliff towards the trees below. With the last bit of consciousness I had, I saw Thunder Crack swoop in and catch me. The next thing I remembered was being in the village infirmary. The AmuletRemember this. It becomes pretty important later in the story. I was walking on the shore with Libri, May, and Thunder Crack. We were friends having fun on the beach. It was a pretty normal day, and it continued being a normal day. Not much out of the ordinary happened except for finding a strange object being washed up onto the sand. Libri was the one who spotted it. “What’s that?” Libri asked. “What’s what?” May countered. Libri trotted over to where she saw the object. My eyes followed her, and then I saw the glint of reflected sunlight on the sand, the telltale sign of a shiny object. Libri picked it up and brought it back to us. It was circular and had an odd picture on it. I found it odd because it depicted a pony that had both wings and a horn. I never saw anything like that nor did I know something like that even existed. Maybe it was just some mythical creature that doesn’t actually exist. Maybe it was a freak of nature, but having both wings and a horn would be a blessing, so how could it be a freak? We galloped back to the village and showed it to Libri’s dad. He was a scholar and knew everything. At least, it seemed that way to us when we were so young. He took it and searched his library to find a book. He seemed to know exactly which book he wanted. He flipped through the pages and exclaimed with joy as he found what was looking for. He came back to us and showed us the book. He said that what we held was a Celestial Amulet. Apparently, the creatures on the amulet were called “alicorns.” They’re the rarest type of pony and are only present in royal families. He also said that it’s likely just a copy of the real one. The original was said to have been either lost or destroyed. Libri’s father was very knowledgeable when it comes to lore and history, and he even knew who the two alicorns depicted were. The darker alicorn, who embodied the moon portion of the amulet, was named Luna. The lighter one, who embodied the sun portion of the amulet, was named Celestia. He told us a story of old that dates back a thousand years – give or take a few years. It went something like this – Once upon a time in the magical land of Equestria, there were two regal sisters who ruled together and created harmony for all the land. To do this, the eldest used her unicorn powers to raise the sun at dawn. The younger brought out the moon to begin the night. Thus, the two sisters maintained balance for their kingdom and their subjects, all of different types of ponies. But as time went on, the younger sister became resentful. The ponies relished and played in the day her elder sister brought forth but shunned and slept through her beautiful night. One fateful day, the younger unicorn refused to lower the moon to make way for dawn. The elder sister tried to reason with her, but the bitterness in the young one’s heart had transformed her into a wicked mare of darkness – Nightmare Moon! She vowed that she would shroud the land in eternal night! Reluctantly, the elder sister harnessed the most powerful magic known to ponies – the Elements of Harmony! Using the magic of the Elements of Harmony, she defeated her younger sister and banished her permanently to the moon. The elder sister took on responsibility for both sun and moon, and harmony has been maintained in Equestria for generations since. I was skeptical of this story’s authenticity. What pony could be as powerful as to be able to control the sun or moon, or even both? That kind of power is unreal! However, the story did spark interest in this land of “Equestria.” I didn’t know if it was real or not, but the country depicted in that story could be of use to me. It could hold the education I sought out for. Libri’s father gave the pendant back to us. We all agreed that it should go to Libri since she was the one who found it. Little did we know, though, that this small pendant held significance beyond our comprehension. The end of the day was nigh, so Libri, May, Thunder and I went to our homes and regarded that day as moderately interesting. We found a cool necklace, we listened to a fairy tale, and we just had fun as friends.
IntroductionMy name is Burst Fire, and this is my story. If you’ve ever read a memoir before, you may notice that the author starts with an early memory, or some significant event from his or her life that he or she will then use as a basis for the rest of the book. I prefer writing stories over anything else. This particular memoir is of the story of my own life. I’ll treat it as such and write it as a story. Beginning now. Far off from any major land mass sits an island. Though small and insignificant as it may seem, it is home to a whole village. By “whole village” I literally mean just a small and simple community. There is absolutely nothing interesting about it. Well, there is a volcano… Yes, this small community is placed near the foot of a volcano, an active volcano at that. Each month, the village appoints somepony to ascend the mountain and check if it’s going to blow anytime soon. Risky business, that is. Where was I? ... Oh yes, an island far off from any major land mass populated by mostly a dense forest with an active volcano and a small village. There’s also a barren wasteland, but we’ll get to that desolate area later. That brings us to the village’s residents. At this point in the story the only ponies who are of any importance are my parents. My mother is a unicorn with a dark navy blue coat and short, dark purple mane. My father is a strong pegasus with a bright orange coat and a vibrant yellow army-cut mane. He served as a paratrooper in some military group back in the day, long before I was born. I owe this story to them, I suppose, for without them, I’d never have been born and, in turn, never would have been able to tell my story. “My story”… This is my story, isn’t it? So why am I not talking about myself yet? My name is Burst Fire, and I am a unicorn after my mother. My coat is of a blazing red-orange while my mane is brown, shaggy and messy, and with lighter brown streaks running through it. My eyes are emerald green, and they sometimes fail to conceal my emotion. I also wear glasses. As for my cutie mark, well, let’s just say, for now, that it’s one heck of a story. I make many friends along the way, but some of the first, and best, friends I’ve ever had were and are May Field and Thunder Crack. Through thick and thin, they’ve always been there by my side as true companions. Our friendship is as strong as the tallest of red wood trees in the densest of forests. Thunder Crack, true to his name, is a yellow-orange Pegasus with a black mane. His cutie mark, also true to his name, is a thunder cloud with bolts of lightning jutting out from the bottom left and right. When he flies, his path is true and his strength is awesome. May Field is an earth pony. Her coat is bright yellow and her mane is baby blue and soft pink, much like cotton candy. Her appearance may seem extreme, and she is in fact very extroverted, but, to the contrary, she is actually very humble. She’s the kind of mare that anypony could approach and feel welcome. Her piercing blue eyes always seem to looking straight into one’s being, but in a kind and caring way. Her cutie mark is of two golden rings hooked together. I always saw it as a symbol of the bonds she makes with everypony she meets. She is friends with whomever she meets. Life on the island is simple, aside from the whole “living next to a volcano” business. As foals, we laugh and play with each other, and as we grow older more responsibilities take hold. Eventually, everypony does become part of the daily routine of the island. Then there’s this boat… This boat comes and goes every month bringing supplies. The island doesn’t have much fertile soil so it’s hard to grow enough food on our own. The boat brings us what we can’t produce on our own. What had always eluded me was where it came from. It may have been just foal curiosity, but I just couldn’t help but wonder, “What’s out there?”
Cutie MarkRemember at the beginning when I said that memoirs usually start at an early memory? Well, this experience wasn’t one that could easily be forgotten. Consequently, it became my earliest memory. It was traumatizing, life-altering, and overall just plain scary. But let me tell you, I would never dream of wanting to forget about it. Do you know why? You could probably easily guess after having been given a major clue. It was a normal day; my parents and I were hiking along the forest trail. I was a mere lad, young and carefree. My pride had started gestating early, so I both enjoyed being praised for a good job and disregarded any sense of doubt of my own handiwork. Hiking was one way for me to represent myself as being hardy and proud of what I was able to do. Those trails were long and rough, and I always made it through. There was nothing different about that day from any other day that we went out hiking. The weather was nice, the sun’s golden rays shone through the leaves above us, and a cool breeze whirred by ever so slightly. Birds chirped from their perches and the wildlife on ground level stirred busily around us. It was truly a quiet and peaceful day. The ground shook. The sound of birds and a slight breeze were overcome by a low rumble. My parents and I stopped in our tracks wondering what just happened. We didn’t have to wonder for long: it happened. Despite being blinded by the forest canopy, we knew exactly what that specific sound was – an explosion. The volcano was erupting. My parents rushed me to hurry up so we could get back to the village and into the emergency bunkers. My legs were very short back then. I may have said that I was able to get through those forested paths, but I never said that I could do it quickly. I tried my best to keep up with my galloping parents, and they would always look back to make sure I kept pace with them. Alas, my small stature betrayed me, and I tripped. My parents didn’t notice, but I never blamed them. In a panic, I tried to catch up to them after getting back up, but the panic had overwhelmed me and I kept tripping over myself, unable to control my own balance. Whether my parents noticed my absence or not, they were long gone. I was alone. My mind was clouded. Fear and panic gripped my very being. I knew the lava would reach me soon. That was my panicking mind’s only thought. Every foal was taught about the volcano and how to stay safe if it ever erupted. I tried my hardest to remember what to do. All I could think of was to gallop away, nothing else, just gallop. So I did. I hadn’t a clue as to where I was headed; I just knew to get away from the sounds of the fiery eruption. I tripped often and it was starting to hurt. I remember the increasing pain each time I fell to the ground. Finally, it was too much for my small body to handle and I just collapsed. Out of breath and out of time. Fleeing only delayed my demise. The crackling of burning foliage surrounded me. I could feel the heat getting more intense as I ran, and I knew it wasn’t from overexertion or being overheated from the day. I could smell burning wood nearby, and soon I could see it as well. The lava crept closer and closer, scorching everything in its path from low vegetation to the trees. I was too tired and I ached too much to run any further. I didn’t want to give up, but I just wasn’t physically able to go any further. The lava was getting closer. It was a shame to know that a pony so young would be victim to such a cruel fate. Death was imminent. To have that thought in a young colt’s mind is frightening. I didn’t fully understand the concept of death; I just knew that nopony comes back from it. Whether it was panic inducing that “life flashing before your eyes” deal or just a random thought, I suddenly remember how my mother frequently used magic to do things. She always told me that magic can allow me to do anything I could ever dream of. I know today that that is untrue. There are many things that magic can do, but there are some things that are taboo and forbidden or even just plain impossible. Anyway, I knew that since I was a unicorn just like my mother, I could use magic as well. I tried doing it before, but it always ended up as just a few puttering sparks. The lava was getting close, and I could feel my own flesh sizzling. I was desperate. I needed to at least try to save myself from burning alive, so I concentrated on my horn. Nothing. I tried harder. It felt almost as if I was trying to force magic out of my horn like it was a substance. Nothing. The lava was getting too close, I had to muster up something to protect myself, but nothing would come out of my horn except puttering sparks. It was getting hard to breathe now, which was bad because my mother told me that breathing is key to concentration. I was scared out of my wits. The lava was then just hooves away from me. I was too scared to think, much less concentrate on producing magic. Closer, closer. I closed my eyes. I hoped for something to save me. I hoped for any spark of magic from my horn to come out and protect me. Just as the molten rock was supposed to envelope me, something happened. I opened my eyes to see that some sort of solidified aura had surrounded me and was protecting me from the lava. It was hot, hotter than even the lava itself, I thought. But there was something about it that was less menacing and more protective and secure. I thought my mother had come to save me and protect me from harm as she had always done before. Before I could look around for her, though, it went black. I had fainted, probably from the intense moment’s strain on a young foal’s mind. The next thing I remembered was waking up in the village with my parents standing above me, relief and happiness in their eyes. I thought it all was a dream, but then I saw the burned buildings and the hardened lava covering half the village. Something told me that that didn’t matter to my parents, though. Their little colt was safe and unharmed. But how? I looked to my mother about to ask if she was the one who saved me. As if she could read my mind, she nodded towards my flank, as if that would answer my unasked question. What I saw I didn’t believe, for on my flank was a sparkling mark that was and always will be unique in the world. My cutie mark is the veil of fire that once protected me from the lava all those years ago. Ever since that day, I’ve always believed that it still protects me, even guides me, throughout my life. The story of a pony’s cutie mark is likely the most important story of any pony’s life. Whether it’s a simple circumstance, the finding of one’s true calling, or, as in my case, a near death experience, one should never forget his or her cutie mark story. Despite having been almost killed in the process of receiving my own cutie mark, I chose to remember it. After all, it makes an amazing story on its own!
MagicNow that I had the capabilities of using magic, my parents enrolled me in the local magic school. It was low-grade, but it got the job done. The school gave all students a basic understanding of magic then taught some intermediate skills. I can’t remember what those “intermediate” skills were, but I apparently learned them well. I do remember learning that there was a science to magic, though… Anyway, years passed, and I graduated from the school. I wasn’t satisfied with this minor education, however, so I set out on my own accord to find a higher form of magic education. It would be a while before I would find it. The best any of the graduates could do was practice and hone the skills they already had. They could read books from the library, too. It had a moderate supply of books for self-teaching magic. It took me less than a year to read all of them. And that’s saying something, seeing as how I took that time and then some to teach myself Fire Magic. Granted, I only did that every few days. There was one book that I was particularly fond of and made the most use out of. The title was something like “Arcane Arts.” I skimmed through the table of contents and saw a Fire Magic section. I paid no mind to the rest of the book, even though I probably should have. Later in life I would realize that that book held more than some fancy elemental tricks. I was smart for my age, I thought things through and applied earlier knowledge to try and learn new things. I did such when I applied what I knew from magic school to teach myself Fire Magic. I knew not to rush magic, but to rather meditate on it and eventually attempt the casting. One thing that wasn’t so smart was to trek through the forest (by now the trees had grown back from being burned down a few years ago) and ascend partway up the active volcano to “meditate on the heat.” I said I was smart for my age, but I was sure as Tartarus foolish as well. It wasn’t all about my practicing my magic, though; I also went briefly to the top to check the level of the molten rock to see if it would erupt again soon. Not all of magic school was boring learning; I did meet a new friend, who will become a major part of my life later. Her name is Libri Booksworth. Her family owns the library, and I’ve seen her sometimes when I went by to collect some magic books. She’s a unicorn, obviously. Otherwise I wouldn’t have met her at magic school. She has a tan coat, and her mane is light brown and blonde. Her cutie mark is of a quill pen writing in an open book. I’d never think anything more of it if it wasn’t for the fact that the quill pen is golden. Libri’s an interesting mare. She’s actually a bit like me- introverted, a bit nerdy, and loves intellectual conversation. She didn’t have quite the same foalhood that everypony else had. Having been raised in a library, she read many books, and was probably well educated from the moment she was able to read. I refuse to admit that Libri is smarter than me, even though she actually might be. Libri is an odd one, but she’s been my friend my whole life, so who can complain? Libri, May, and Thunder: my friends for life. They pick me up when I’m down and help me when I need it even when I don’t ask for it. We make quite a group of ponies. * * * Eventually, I felt ready to cast fire magic, but I also felt that the volcano was too dangerous and unpredictable to even attempt a cinder upon the mountain. The Wastelands would have been a perfect place, except I was too young to venture out that far. So I was left with other choices: burn down trees, burn down houses, or go to the beach. I reluctantly chose the beach. I didn’t like having to go near water to avoid causing damage, but it was my only convenient choice. I felt that being near so much water would be pejorative to my fire casting, but burning down buildings didn’t seem so optimal either. I tried something simple first – illumination using fire. I combined the simple spell with my practiced meditated heat. I wore out quickly from overexertion. I hadn’t any idea why a flame wouldn’t emerge. It was only the first try, though, so I kept trying… and trying… and trying… Panting and seeing the sun at the dusk phase, I decided to head back home and try again tomorrow. Perhaps I’d have more luck. The next day, I went back to the beach and tried the same process. The same results happen. Not wanting to feel like an idiot, I thought about any alterations I could make to the trials. The only thing that made sense to me was that the heightened moisture in the air from the ocean was what was keeping me down. Thinking this, I waited until the next day to – reluctantly, I may add – ascend the volcano where the heat is pure and the fire soars. Still no flame. I was never a patient pony, so naturally I was enraged that I could not conjure even a single torch by then. It wasn’t like I wanted a huge conflagration! Just a small ember would have satisfied me! Anger coursed through my veins, and then I felt something. A bellow of fire erupted before me and shot me back a few feet and against the cliff face. My horn was searing. Did I do that? Something popped in my mind. What if my anger caused that ignition? I didn’t want to believe that petty emotions caused my magic to swell, and I still don’t want to, but the evidence was there. It was apparent that I’d have to find a way to trigger an emotional state in which my emotions were intense enough that another ignition occurs. Only that once, though, would I rely on emotion to cause my magic to swell again. I try my best to not succumb to such trivial things. But to better understand how to cast fire at will, I had to use this tactic to get a better feeling for this strange magic. Alas, I had to retire for the day. This was something to figure out some other time. * * * One does not simply walk into a deep emotional state, nor would one want to, anyway. I had no idea what was going through my head if I thought that this was the only way I could achieve what I desired to do. Only once would I ever use anger or any other emotion to ignite my fire magic. As I’ve said before and cannot stress enough, I really don’t like succumbing to petty emotions. In order for this to work, though, I had to take in the feeling of the fire magic. I really do have no idea what I was thinking back then. This was crazy! What angers me, or rather what angered me? I was never easily angered, and I bet you can guess why. Hint: I hate petty emotions. The most I would ever feel is moderate annoyance. I had to dig deep to find anything worth getting fired up for. I could have said that I was alone in my quest to find knowledge of my power, but I chose that path on my own. To say that I was stuck on an island where nopony could help me would be a lie. I had my friends, and I knew they would try their best to help me in any way they could. “This is stupid. Any anger or frustration I experience is short-lived,” I said to myself. “I need to find a different approach to this.” … I talk to myself sometimes. “Hah hah! You’re stupid!” “I said that this idea was stupid.” “Same difference.” “Why are you always so derogative towards me?” “’Cause I can be.” “If this is just an effort to coax me into a state of anger, I must sadly inform you that it will not work.” “Why? Is it because you’re afraid of your own emotions? Is that why you try so hard to conceal them?” “Fear emotions? How could I ever be afraid of those wretched states of mind?” “You’re just too prideful to admit to yourself that you fear emitting emotions because they could ‘taint your mind’.” “Stop it.” “What’s the matter? Do you not like being told that you can’t handle your own emotions?” “Stop it!” “You can’t even handle feeling affection towards another pony for fear of getting hurt in the end!” “Stop it! Stop it! STOP IT!” A stream of fire shoots out from my horn. I had succumbed to the anger, but I reluctantly felt it was worth it. With no time to lose, I strained to keep it flowing, and I became familiar with the feeling of how this new magic is cast. It was powerful. It was nothing like I could ever have imagined of feeling! It was short-lived. The magic blew up in my face again, but this time it was much more severe. The explosion was much more massive than the previous one, and my ears were ringing. It also blew me in the opposite direction, so I was hurdling off the cliff towards the trees below. With the last bit of consciousness I had, I saw Thunder Crack swoop in and catch me. The next thing I remembered was being in the village infirmary.
The AmuletRemember this. It becomes pretty important later in the story. I was walking on the shore with Libri, May, and Thunder Crack. We were friends having fun on the beach. It was a pretty normal day, and it continued being a normal day. Not much out of the ordinary happened except for finding a strange object being washed up onto the sand. Libri was the one who spotted it. “What’s that?” Libri asked. “What’s what?” May countered. Libri trotted over to where she saw the object. My eyes followed her, and then I saw the glint of reflected sunlight on the sand, the telltale sign of a shiny object. Libri picked it up and brought it back to us. It was circular and had an odd picture on it. I found it odd because it depicted a pony that had both wings and a horn. I never saw anything like that nor did I know something like that even existed. Maybe it was just some mythical creature that doesn’t actually exist. Maybe it was a freak of nature, but having both wings and a horn would be a blessing, so how could it be a freak? We galloped back to the village and showed it to Libri’s dad. He was a scholar and knew everything. At least, it seemed that way to us when we were so young. He took it and searched his library to find a book. He seemed to know exactly which book he wanted. He flipped through the pages and exclaimed with joy as he found what was looking for. He came back to us and showed us the book. He said that what we held was a Celestial Amulet. Apparently, the creatures on the amulet were called “alicorns.” They’re the rarest type of pony and are only present in royal families. He also said that it’s likely just a copy of the real one. The original was said to have been either lost or destroyed. Libri’s father was very knowledgeable when it comes to lore and history, and he even knew who the two alicorns depicted were. The darker alicorn, who embodied the moon portion of the amulet, was named Luna. The lighter one, who embodied the sun portion of the amulet, was named Celestia. He told us a story of old that dates back a thousand years – give or take a few years. It went something like this – Once upon a time in the magical land of Equestria, there were two regal sisters who ruled together and created harmony for all the land. To do this, the eldest used her unicorn powers to raise the sun at dawn. The younger brought out the moon to begin the night. Thus, the two sisters maintained balance for their kingdom and their subjects, all of different types of ponies. But as time went on, the younger sister became resentful. The ponies relished and played in the day her elder sister brought forth but shunned and slept through her beautiful night. One fateful day, the younger unicorn refused to lower the moon to make way for dawn. The elder sister tried to reason with her, but the bitterness in the young one’s heart had transformed her into a wicked mare of darkness – Nightmare Moon! She vowed that she would shroud the land in eternal night! Reluctantly, the elder sister harnessed the most powerful magic known to ponies – the Elements of Harmony! Using the magic of the Elements of Harmony, she defeated her younger sister and banished her permanently to the moon. The elder sister took on responsibility for both sun and moon, and harmony has been maintained in Equestria for generations since. I was skeptical of this story’s authenticity. What pony could be as powerful as to be able to control the sun or moon, or even both? That kind of power is unreal! However, the story did spark interest in this land of “Equestria.” I didn’t know if it was real or not, but the country depicted in that story could be of use to me. It could hold the education I sought out for. Libri’s father gave the pendant back to us. We all agreed that it should go to Libri since she was the one who found it. Little did we know, though, that this small pendant held significance beyond our comprehension. The end of the day was nigh, so Libri, May, Thunder and I went to our homes and regarded that day as moderately interesting. We found a cool necklace, we listened to a fairy tale, and we just had fun as friends.
