Clover
Magical Theroy III
Star Swirl
The Forest Everfree had long been a dangerous place. Its denizens are most dangerous when a powerful being takes control of the various inhabitants in order to further their own gains. However, do not underestimate the power of the individual being: the cockatrices which are capable of petrifying even a draconequus, Timberwolves, impossible to kill completely without using a negatus opori spell, various draconian beasts which are capable of manipulating the sorcery of even the most learned unicorn scholar, as well as hazardous vines which will spew toxins and devour any living thing they sense. Many of the children of the Everfree, most notably dragons, cragadiles, manticores and hydras, share the ability of unicorns to negate magic. Dragons are the best known of the various species to use magical weapons, such as using Incendus halutis, but dragons use their flames for a variety of purposes, including making their young fireproof, teleporting objects, and summoning heat, without the need for spells. When one befriends a dragon, one can use the magic inside of it for one’s own spells, with the benefit of keeping the beast docile. However, I have discovered that manticores and hydras can also be used for this purpose, provided one modifies the relative frequency of one’s magic, to account for the intelligence of the beast in question. Further study is needed for the other creatures capable of using magic. For example, one could increase the scope of one’s magic to slowly sedate a stupid beast which can not understand Equestrian speech, such as a hydra, under the banner of friendship. This would be unethical to use on even the most roguish unicorn, although it is difficult to drain even a low level unicorn to fund one’s own pursuits, due to the equality of magical frequency.
The land of the Everfree forest would be highly difficult to map. It is made near impossible, as the very land itself contains a magic foreign to even the most powerful unicorn scholars, which makes the landscape highly variable in composition. The same magic, which encourages growth of its own hazardous plants to sustain the powerful creatures mentioned above, as well as controlling its own weather, is powerful beyond compare. Sustaining even the weather spells would rival even the power of an Alicorn. Legends further describe ponds capable of Ecfingo spells (guarded zealously by parasprites), trees able to cast scutum spells in order to protect themselves, and potion ingredients capable of devastating effects on ponykind.
The ancient City of Everfree, abandoned when the two royal sisters fought, is likely the source of the magic. When the three powerful alicorns fought, they unleased enough magic which sustains the forces traditionally carried out by ponies. The treacherous Nightmare Moon had seduced Luna, who was feeling spurned by Celestia, into friendship and finally overpowered her. Nightmare Moon then summoned up various tribes of manticore, furious sea serpents, and cunning dragons, including the legendary Swyndor the Deceptive. It is also widely known that Nightmare moon, flush from power after defeating Luna’s Loyalty to her sister, created the race of Ursa as an insult to the beloved princess of the night. As the starlit bears bore down on the city, they bore the symbol of Luna, even as they rampaged on the city that she loved so much. These terrible Amalgamations, races created by pony tribes, had never been seen before that night, and do not share the ability to cancel out magic that so many of the other children of Everfree share.
As a side note, Princess Celestia became unable to use the Elements without her close friend and sister, Luna. Apparently, the Elements require at least two users to activate.
Notable temporary leaders of the Everfree include Srpth the cockatrice, who defeated an army of draconeqqui with help of select dragons resistant to chaos magic, Nightmare Moon, using friendship to lure in and destroy our beloved princess Luna, and Ukungavumelani, the draconequus who combined the tribes of Wendigo and Siren to spread chaos and hate, even though he was ultimately betrayed by the dread Sirens Dusk and Blaze. Fortunately, the energies they released called the attention of Star Swirl the Archmage, who banished them to a world with nonexistent magic using the immensely complex Apstergant spell. He went farther and sowed seeds of distrust among the children of the Everfree, rapidly ensuring that no one creature would unite all the Everfree’s tribes in order to disturb peace again, rather than exterminating them outright, or binding them with friendship they would eventually abandon.
In order to spread derision among the creatures, he first united the dragons by offering them gems for their hoards. Star Swirl would collect the gems by levitating them through solid stone, where the dragons find it difficult to dig without the help of Diamond Dogs. With the Diamond Dogs kicked out of the mines, they proceeded to find new sources of prey. Attacking a Phoenix nest is always a foolish prospect. Once a phoenix egg was consumed by the greedy hounds, the phoenixes attacked the dragons. Star Swirl saw his opportunity, then proceeded to wage the first of the Phoenix-Dragon Wars, betraying the dragons in the Battle of Fires Unending. The location became a fiery swamp, where the scavenging chimeras hunted, with few other predators there. The Unicorns, Pegasi, and Earth Ponies all united under the Phoenix Warlords on Star Swirl's command, with many Unicorns and Pegasi having joined them before the battle.
Opposing the Phoenixes were the Parasprites, Zebras, Cockatrices, Diamond Dogs, and Bison. Only mules, breezies, and alicorns remained neutral, while draconequui merely reveled in the chaos. The effects of this war are still felt today. Bison and dragons enjoy a close alliance, while phoenixes are hunted by ponies as pets, and dragons hunt them for spite. Zebras are feared by superstitious foals who worry that zebras are capable of using magic. Parasprites proved instrumental for the dragons; although they have no resistance to magic, they are difficult to corral simply due to their multitude.
Due to the powerful magic released in this long war, the settlements near the forest were abandoned. They may become habitable again, in approximately 835 years. They Earth Ponies, by royal decree, were scattered all over Equestria. Notably, the Earth Ponies have spread the tradition of melting snow without the need for magic.
Celestia looked at the ancient essay of Clover. It went on for pages and pages about forgotten treaties and ancient pacts. Perhaps, she thought, it was time to recolonize the area. It was right next to the abandoned Everfree City, where the Elements could be found. She nodded, hoping she could manipulate ponies who accurately represented the Elements into the town. She already had a Bearer for Honesty in the Apple Family, whom she had just sent there to colonize a town.
" What do you think, my sister?" she asked, gazing at the moon.
A cold visage of her sister stared back at her.
The Day Star shed a tear.
"I will not fail again, my sister. Soon, we shall be reunited." She said, levitating a picture of Luna toward her as she lay in bed.
" I cannot contemplate my life if I fail again."
