A Harsh Cure

A Harsh Cure

Prologue

Clover opened the door to her master's study, expecting the old stallion to be gently dozing by his desk. It's been a long night of studying, a typical evening for the great Starswirl the Bearded. As his apprentice, it was Clover had taken in upon herself to check in once in a while, making sure to put out the candles, give her master a warm cloak, and set aside his notes for tomorrow. Years ago, this was an ocassional incident, brought upon by a particularly strong inspiration or the day having taken too much of a toll. Recently, it's been a nightly routine. Clover sighed softly as the wooden hinges creaked. Time marched on a little too quickly to her taste. There was still so much to learn.

"Master?" Clover called out softly, just enough to catch Starswirl's attention if he was still awake, but not enough to wake him if he wasn't. She heard no reply, so she stepped into the study. The flickering lights from the study's many candles had already dimmed to a ruddy, red-orange glow, making it difficult to see past the tall stacks of books and scrolls. Her hoof brushed against a spilled sheaf of papers before knocking against a spilled ink bottle. She made a mental note to tidy up in the morning. After a few steps, she finally caught sight of Starswirl.

Clover gasped, and rushed forward. She knocked over several book stacks in her hurry, but their dull crash went unnoticed. Starswirl lay back on his chair, his forelegs splayed outward, and his long, curly, white mane spilling across his face, and the back of his neck. His eyes were closed as if he was sleeping, but his eyelids could not hide the faint glow from them. His head shook from side to side as he spasmed violently.

"Master!" Clover cried out. She tried to come nearer, but as soon a she was a few feet away, a jolt of magic from Starswirls direction forced her away. She cast a light spell to get a better look at whatever was ailing Starswirl. His horn was glowing, and it was his magic that was enveloping the open book on his desk. The glowing words of a spell being inscribed appeared on the pages of the book. She cast a protection spell on herself, and pushed forward again. More arcs of magic struck her, but she gritted her teeth and reached Starswirl. "Master!" she called out again. "Wake up!" Another burst of magic punched through her shield, ripping a portion of her burlap cloak, and striking her hard on her shoulder. Her muscles tore and blood dripped on the floor, but she made it. She grabbed a hold of Starswirl, and worked on a dispelling spell. "Master!" She gave him a vigorous shake.

Starswirl's eyes fluttered open, and the hum of magic faded. "Clover..." he mumbled. He jumped to his hooves. "Clover! Are you alright?"

Clover clutched her injured shoulder, and gave a weak smile. "I'll be fine. Master, what was going on?"

A drop of sweat trickled down Starswirl's bushy eyebrows. The bells on his wide-brimmed hat tinkled as he picked it from the floor, and set it on his head. "Arcane nightmare," he whispered breathlessly. "I've had a few in the past. They come with delving into new spell-crafting knowledge. But this one..." He wiped the sweat from his forehead. "It was so vivid. It felt as if I was falling through the torments of Tartarus itself." He looked to Clover. "I'm sorry for hurting you, Clover."

"It's not your fault, master," Clover said. She gestured towards the desk. "While you were caught in that nightmare, you were trapped in that arcane nightmare, you were writing something on that spell book."

Starswirl frowned, and examined the book. "Did I? That's never happened before. Why...it is a spell! How could this have happened..."

Starswirl had sat down to begin studying when Clover put a hoof on his shoulder. "Master, perhaps you should rest first? The night grows long, and you've spent a lot of your magic."

For a moment, Starswirl opened his mouth to argue, but he snorted, and nodded. "Yes, you're right," he said. "Clear my schedule for tomorrow morning, Clover, I must attend to this immediately."

Clover groaned inwardly, already imagining the time juggling she'll have to perform just to accommodate this newest incident into her master's busy schedule. "Yes, master," she said. She worked a mending spell on her injury, and limped back to her room.

The following morning was indeed spent on that strange spell. Clover busied herself with breakfast, fending off angry nobles and scholars that Starswirl cancelled on. It was almost noon when she knocked on his study. "Master, I'm about to have lunch. Would you like me to make you something as well?"

"Clover, come inside," Starswirl called through the door. Clover did so, and found Starswirl leaning against his desk, his eyebrows furrowed.

"Have you made any progress on that strange spell?" Clover asked.

"Yes," Starswirl replied. "This is an evil spell, Clover, the manifestation of some rogue power from...outside."

Clover tilted her head. "Outside, master? As in the realm of magic?"

Starswirl nodded. "It's the danger of tapping into great magical power, Clover. We sometimes stumble into forbidden dreams that may unleash these abominations into our world. If this spell is cast, the entire world could very well be torn apart."

Clover gasped. "Then we should destroy it!" she said. "The kingdom's magical knowledge does not need to have this lying around."

The book floated towards the nearby fireplace and hovered within the flames. The fire crackled and spat, but the book remained untouched. "I've tried everything, from burning, to tearing, to my strongest spells," Starswirl said grimly. "The words have made this book invincible. Our only choice is to hide it away."

"How terrible," Clover said. "No matter how carefully we hide it, the world will always be in danger."

"Perhaps," Starswirl said. He mustered a small smile. "Don't be so gloomy, Clover, we will hide it well. Not only that, even if an utter imbecile of a unicorn were to read this spell aloud without studying it first, the amount of magical energy it requires is immense. It needs a caster of immense magical potential, and quite possibly a roomful of powerful magical artifacts to draw from."

Clover smiled as well. "I suppose the chances are indeed very slim, master," she said.

"Good." Starswirl closed the book, and patted Clover on the back. "Then, let us have our lunch, after which we shall rid the world of this horror."