All the Shining Stars

Chapter 2

A Shocking Discovery

I have no idea why, but I was running. I had to keep running. Why was I running? I had to press on. They were nearly right behind me; I could hear the clattering of hoofs on the cobblestones of the sewer. Suddenly, there was a dead end. No, not a dead end, a row of bars. With enough energy, I could probably force the bars. I focused hard on the bars and my horn started to spark with magic, but it wouldn’t stick. The clattering of the guards’ hooves were getting near. I needed to make my final stand here. I turned around just as they rounded the corner.

I could barely get a proper spell going, my mind was too scattered. It was almost too late. They were just rounding the corner. Electricity suddenly started coursing through my mane and tail. My eyes turned stark white, glowing with pure energy. Now it was definitely too late.
“No, stay away! Please!” I tried to shout to the guards, holding up my hooves to keep them back.

It was way too late.

I shuddered slightly, but then there was a deafening boom and I suddenly burst with shimmering waves of lightning. The three guards’ eyes widened for the split second that they were still alive. I could only watch as they disintegrated into piles of ash and a few leftover bones. The tunnel around me was smashed into piles of smoking, charred rubble, and there was a nearly spherical chamber left from where I was standing previously.

Floating down from my magical outburst, I started to weep openly over the unfortunate deaths of these three guards. These three innocent ponies. I had just killed three other ponies. After a few minutes, I managed to pick myself up and move on, but their deaths would stick in my mind the greatest.

I bolted upright from my bed and I felt strange. Looking down at the damp spots on my bed and pillow, I realised that I had been sweating profusely. I was also a tad nauseous. Ruffling my blue and purple mane a bit, I managed to roll out of bed, hitting the floor with a dull thud. I didn’t even bother to get up, I was still a little bleary from waking up and I would most likely fall down again if I tried. Glancing out the window, I took note of the time. Wait... The test was at 5:00 sharp.
It was about 7:30.

Disregarding my stability, I managed to stumble down the stairs a bit, but then I remembered that I should probably bring my lucky charm. I pulled myself back up the stairs and opened my door, just managing to fall inside. I sat there for a moment and then levitated my charm over. It was a stone of a deep blue hue in the shape of a bolt of lightning. Whenever I looked into it, it appeared almost as if it was swirling with magical energy. It reminded me of my father. After all, he was the one who had given it to me.

Finally ready to go, I remembered the Slowfall spell and decided to have a bit of fun by coasting down the stairs. My horn started to glow, and I flashed white for a moment as I soon felt weightless once again. I took a few steps back, then galloped straight towards the spiral staircase just outside my door, then leaped. A smile grew on my face as I floated easily down the stairs. It wasn’t often that we got many freedoms from the rigorous apprenticeship to Starswirl. I guess it was excusable in some senses, seeing as that each of Old Swirly’s hand-picked students were prophesied to become some of the greatest, most powerful unicorns in history.

Approaching the end of the staircase, I felt the weight setting in again. I sighed as I remembered what this meant. I tumbled down the rest of the stairs, bruising myself up quite a bit, right into breakfast. The table surrounded by my fellow students was a few meters in front of me, and its occupants had stopped talking to look over and stare at me. They slowly started to turn back to their meals, but they were completely silent. I pulled myself to my hooves and trotted over to the table, trying to find the most empty seat available. I found a suitable one and started to move towards it, but Morning Star got up and blocked my path.

“You know, Master Starswirl is pretty angry with you right now. You might want to go talk with him before you eat anything.”

“No thanks, I’m actually kind of hungry right now.” I tried to push my way past her, but she held firm and looked me straight in the eyes.

“You don’t understand-” She moved closer to whisper something in my ear. “He said there was something important he needed to talk to you about. Something involving your parents.”
I stood there, dumbstruck for a moment.

“O-Okay, that actually sounds pretty serious, I should go discuss that with him immediately.” I mouthed a quick thank you to her before galloping straight to Starswirl’s office.

I flung open the door with a quick manipulation spell, slamming against the wall unexpectedly. I peered inside to see papers floating down to the ground and a very, very startled Starswirl.

“Don’t... ever... do that... again...” He said between gasping breaths.

“Heh, sorry Swirly, I guess I’m just excited. I came as soon as Morning Star told me. I thought both my parents were dead.

“Well, we haven’t confirmed anything yet, but...” He flipped through a wooden box on the edge of his desk. He finally found what he was looking for. “We received a letter earlier this morning.”

“Okay, so? What does it have to do with my parents?” I said, my heart pounding in my throat.

“Well this is a very confusing letter. It says-”

“Oh get to the chase already!”

“As you wish. This letter is from your parents, Storm Runner.”
My mouth hung open. I didn’t know exactly what to say. I nearly thought I was about to faint, but I caught myself and closed my mouth manually. It wouldn’t stay shut.

“It’s... from my parents? But they’re dead! A dead pony can’t send a letter! …It’s illegal.”

“Well, take a look for yourself.” He turned the letter over and pushed it towards me. Sure enough, the envelope had my parents names on it in careful handwriting.

Cloud Runner and Spark Blitz.

I stared at the envelope, mouth gaping again. However happy I was, I still had one sneaking suspicion I couldn’t shake off.

“Hey, are you sure this isn’t a fake?”

“That’s exactly what I was about to say to you before you so eagerly interrupted me. It says it’s from your parents, but we can’t be entirely sure that this isn’t some joke that a couple young, foolish colts played on you.”
He had a good point. How could we possibly know if this was the real deal or not?

“Can I read the letter?” I asked cautiously.

“Of course you can. It is addressed to you, anyways.”

“Right.”
I ripped open the top of the envelope, exposing a roughly folded piece of parchment inside. As I slid it out of the envelope, I could hardly hold in my excitement and my hooves started shaking. Starswirl just raised an eyebrow at me.

“Are you going to read the letter or not?”

“Sorry, it’s just that if this really from my presumably dead parents, this could mean that they’re actually alive...”
I unfolded the letter slowly, taking care not to rip it in the slightest.

I gazed at the letter, with my name printed at the top of the paper.

“Dear Storm Runner,” I read out loud. “Our precious child, you have come so far to be where you are right now. We are very proud of you. You need to realize, however, that your power does have its bounds. You must remember not to stretch yourself too far, lest dangerous consequences occur. Come meet us in Gryphus, we will teach you of your full extent.”

I read the letter again. And again. And again. I read it until I had it memorized. I opened my mouth to speak to Starswirl, but he cut in before me.

“I know what you’re about to ask, and no, you can’t just go unknowingly on an adventure of which you don’t know what the outcome could be.”

“But I need to get to Gryphus! My parents could be there!”

“Yes, and a party of bandits could also be waiting just outside the city. It’s just not worth the risk.”

“Yes, it actually is worth the risk! You know I’m the best student since Arctic Frost! I could easily handle myself against some petty thieves! Please Master Starswirl, if these really are my parents, I need to see them...”
He gazed at me with a sad look in his eyes.

“Yes, I know. If I got any clue that my parents were still alive, I would do anything to get them back. Regardless, I need you to stay here at the castle until we can further investigate this mysterious letter. This will be my final say on the matter, no arguments.”

“Okay, Starswirl...” I said, ultimately defeated.

I trotted, head slumped, out the door only to see Morning Star quickly trotting off back towards the table. Curious, I caught up to her.

“Hey, Morning Star, by any chance, were you eavesdropping on us?” I said with my ears perked.

She sighed. “Okay, fine. I was. I’m sorry, I just get curious is all. Listen, I only heard the end of your conversation, and I’ve decided that-” She looks around to make sure nopony was listening in. “I want to help you escape from the school.” She said with an excited grin on her face. She looked at me expectantly, waiting for a response.

“Are you serious?” I questioned with my head cocked to one side.

“Of course I am!”

“But I barely even know you.”

“So? I’d be glad to help you out, especially in a situation as important to somepony as this!”

“So you’re really being sincere...?”

“Yes.” She said resolutely, nodding her head once in emphasis.
She was surprised for a moment as I threw my front legs around her in a hug.

“Oh, thank you so much! You have no idea how important this is to me. This could mean that my parents are still alive...”
Morning Star just smiled back at my joy and gently pulled out of the hug.

“Okay, I think I have a plan as well. Meet me in the library study after sundown, we’ll discuss it then.

“Gotcha! I’ll be there. And really, thank you Morning Star. I’m glad I at least have somepony on my side.”