The Pentagram

I have been living in my house for some time now. Three whole weeks have passed since the creation of Doctor Meowgon. My raw power and focus had been increasing steadily since then. I now have roughly ten percent more performance in output, control, raw power, and collection speed. I have since had no problems, as my oneiromancy resistance has been increasing with my base magic. I have alchemized food, so that isn't a problem. I have been using transfiguration to try and revert the creatures bak to their natural forms, but my focused magic can't overcome what this raw energy leaking from me did without knowledge of how my magic did it's thing. But now, I have discovered something large and green and greek.

I had started my day like any other in my tower. I thought I should come up with a better name, procrastinated, and then eventually gave in and made me and Meowgon some breakfast. I still haven't figured out how to make it come out pre-cooked. I, bored as I was, made two extra side rooms in case I find anything else I need. I designated one as a storage room, and headed out to see if my magic could turn back the manticores, or the timberwolves, or anything else. But instead, I found another beast.

I was walking down to where I had last seen a manticore den, when I found something huge. There was a hydra in front of me. The beast looked a little angry, but mostly it was just confused, so I tried to use non-lethal measures. I quietly pulled up some earth, then used wind and water to grind it into sand. I gathered the sand, and used air to make a large dust devil. The hydra, it's eyes designed for air or water and not little bits of grit, was fairly quickly blinded, but I, wiuth both earth and air magic was immune. I summoned up chunks of earth, and used them to batter the hydra away from the nice peaceful woods, the Everfree, and my home.

However, my plan- quite literally -backfired. The hydra turned around, and swatted me back, it's claws slicing through my skin like plasma and paper, not to mention how many bones the sheer force from that thing did to my bones. In shock, I released a bolt of raw energy, which hit the hydra and hurt it enough to make it go away from the center of the Everfree and away from the peaceful forest.

I hurt so much.

Breathing hurt.

My right arm hurt.

My fingers hurt a little bit.

I stumbled back home. I tried to examine my body using the aspect of both transfiguration and transmutation that lets you see your target in your mind's eye. I was horrified. Fourteen ribs were broken, and they were all true ribs, the ones attached to the sternum. The right side of my collarbone was broken as well, and my scapula, humerus, ulna, and radius were fractured. Parts of my right hand were dislocated as well.

I started trying to use my water magic to heal but I was only managing to straighten my bones.

I needed a new plan. Painfully, I pulled out my book.

Alchemy

The Doctrine of Signatures: The attributes without mirror the powers within.

The Art of Alchemy consists of combining the signatures of available materials to produce a finished product that creates the desired effects. Products of Alchemy tend to be potions, powders, or other transient items. They retain their potency for a relatively short time (typically weeks or months), and cannot produce lasting magical effects, but within those restrictions they can be powerful indeed. Potions to produce invisibility or change the shape and abilities of the drinker can be created, along with others to alter their mind or hearts. Acids can be created to destroy all matter, or to aid in hardening of metals. Powders can transport the user vast distances or blast with fire or lighting. Ointments can protect the user from any danger, at least for a while.

The basic alchemical operation is the creation of a potion. This requires a recipe, unless the user is of sufficient skill to create a recipe on his own—few Alchemists have the requisite skill. Recipes are recorded in the creator’s notebook and jealously guarded, often trapped and warded, but sometimes traded for others of similar worth.

Each recipe consists of a series of steps, with each step consisting of an ingredient to be added to the mixture and an incantation to be performed. The ingredients range from simple (coal dust, ground glass) to the sublime (powder diamond, organs from exotic beasts). The incantations are taken from a secret magical language, and can be used only by those with magical talent. The more powerful the result of the recipe, the more steps and ingredients needed to produce it.

Each step has a chance of failure based on the power of the effect or signature added, the materials used, and the other materials in the recipe. If a given step fails, the entire recipe fails and must be restarted. Thus, if a recipe has more than a few steps, even a low failure chance for each individual step will result in a fairly high overall failure rate. In addition, there are often many alternative sources of a given effect, so making a high-yield recipe is a very complicated matter, especially as the number of steps rises.

Lastly, the results of Alchemy are often needed as ingredients for still-more powerful alchemical formulae, so you can see that successful Alchemy is a large-scale process, with production lines producing recipes involving dozens of steps with many workers and alchemists. Most of the preparatory work is done by labor (often slave labor), with the magic done by alchemists (sometimes slaves as well), and an alchemical formula that produces the desired result six times out of ten is considered very good. This makes Alchemy a very capital-intensive craft, with a large investment needed to ensure results.

However, throughout the long history of Procolon, two potion recipes were registered to work ten times out of ten. This particular recipe creates a healing potion.

1. Put water into a cauldron. All further steps will be added to the water. Wait for the water to boil before adding any other ingredients.

2. Add blood that is the same blood-type and from the same species as the intended recipient. Obviously, the blood should not be diseased and should preferably be from the recipient.

3. Add Powdered Flame. Mix well, and allow to sit for an hour or until the entire mixture is a deep purple.

4. Chant these words, "Kiputo na jipu, kuwa afya mwili, damu na maji, poda moto!" Repeat two times.

It is simple enough, but requires use of Powdered Flame. This is the recipe for Powdered Flame. It is essentially a magical lighter fluid, which ignites when the wordWaya is spoken. This can create some surprising- and dangerous -effects when someone uses it in the area of large amounts. Thankfully it only activates powder within earshot. Conviently, a relatively simple enchantment exists that will prevent this from happening if the powder is inside the enchanted object.

1. This is the most dangerous step. You must but some form of liquid metal into the cauldron. It could even be Gallium, but it must be a liquid metal.

2. You add flint. Wait until the flint melts. You may need to raise the temperature to unreasonable levels.

3. While chanting these next words thrice, add sand to the pot. The chant is, "Kiputo na jipu, kuwa unga moto, chuma kioevu, kioevu gumegume, na mchanga!"

These recipes were refined because of a unique property of fires lit by Powdered Flame- they do not permeate space, time, and the multiverse and the other recipe because of the monsters that commonly inflict harm on civilians.

I gaped at the last sentance, but then cleared my head. I quickly began gathering my ingredients, and had them ready without incident. I even prepared a cauldron with my magic.

I began making the potion and powders. I found indium with my earth magic, and quickly got the fire hot enough to boil it. The flint was insanely hard to melt though. As it was mostly silica, I had to heat the fire to around two thousand eight hundred degrees fahrenheit. It took up a lot of energy, but I successfully made excessive amounts of Powdered Flame.

I simply just stood over the cauldron when I was making the *snrk* Red Potion. It was a very pretty sight. Quickly, I drank a dose. My fractured bones healed and my sliced up front repaired itself partially, strangely, my clothing was affected too. Also, my clothing seemed to wash itself. It always seemed to smell slightly of lavender when I wake up, and looks like it had been washed and pressed.

I drank another dose. My cuts fully closed, and my broken bones partially fused back together, but they were still- and this felt unknowingly weird -partially hollow. Another dose and all was right with me. I quickly hermetically sealed all of the remaining potion except six dosages, which I put into glass vials. I got upstairs to the expansive top area, and was immediately accosted by a friendly but slightly annoyed mutant kitten.

And just where were you all morning!?!

"I was walking around, and I found what resembles a hydra in the forest. My plan to direct it away from here backfired, and I was injured. I learned a new type of magic and made a significant amount of healing potion, which I have stored." I replied deftly.

All I could hear with my telepathy when you came back into range was the feeling of pain and screams of pain. I was worried. Anything could have happened!

"Yet it didn't, and where were you when I came back into range? You're pretty fast, and 'within range' meant within the tree-circle, so you could have helped."

I was... sleeping! Yes, that.

I rolled my eyes, knowing that if he was sleeping he wouldn't have heard anything telepathically. I went into the kitchen, and made some lunch. I gave Meowgon his serving and decided to consult the book of all knowledge for something else to do.

Wizardry

Law of Ubiquity: Flame permeates all.

Law of Partial Dichotomy: Dominance, submission, or friendship.

The Art of Wizardry is a simple one, based on the summoning and control of demons. Demons are beings from another reality (not necessarily evil) who possess immense power when they are on our plane of existence. There are no complicated rituals, incantations, or formulae to memorize, but nevertheless Wizardry is the least practiced of the Five Magics, due to the dangers associated with it.

The Law of Ubiquity tells us that Flame permeates all. That is, that we can summon demons through fire. Small imps with minor abilities can sometimes spontaneously manifest through normal fires. Anything more powerful requires the active concentration and will of a Wizard. In addition, the more powerful the demon, the more exotic the fire necessary to provide it with a path to this world. Demons of slight power can be summoned through fires of wood or coal, with more advanced demons requiring exotic woods or liquids, or even stone or metals to be used as fuel for their fires. The burning of these normally incombustible materials is accomplished through an effort of will on the part of the Wizard.

The Law of Partial Dichotomy says that the Wizard, having once summoned a demon, must either control it with his mind and will, or be controlled by it. There is one third path—their existence on this plane can be sustained using the will of a wizard. Then, if the demon forms an emotional bond with somebody, no more will will be required. Once control is established, the one controlled is bound for a length of time or for a task. The length of time can be long, but is inversely proportional to the power of the demon. Imps may be bound for years or decades. Greater demons and demonic princes may only be bound for single task, but are able to perform astounding magical feats as a single task.

Wizardry has long been forgotten, only recently being discovered by the mage Alodar. He only has revealed that the burning of the nigh-indestructible clay of the heart of the O Diaño desert, which the raw fire magic is in enough quantity to boil tears as they fall, summons the demon Astron. He is a sibling of the mighty Djinn, and has a strong affinity for elemental magic.

"Hmm..." I muttered beneath my breath. "It would be useful to have someone to boost my elemental skills..."

I went over to a mirror I had liberated from the castle. "Ostende mihi viam ad O Diaño." I said.

The mirror shimmered, light bending, bouncing, and focusing to project an image of the entire explored area of the planet I was on.

"Whoa." I said. "Are those islands floating!

I quickly zoomed in on what I presume is Equestria, and then it showed me a path down to a place labeled the Badlands.

"That's a long trip... not to mention it says changelings be here..." I said worriedly.

I would recommend doing it. Having a sentry could be useful.

"But Doc, I'm late for school!"

Meowgon blinked. He narrowed his four eyes. Oh haha.

Look, maybe there is a way you can teleport? Alchemy has teleporting powders, right?

Yeah, but I don't know how to do it. Wait, did I just mind-speak!?

You did... Well, just throw some things together and see what happens.

That sounds incredibly dangerous. I like it!

I grinned, and headed to my alchemy lab.

"Okay, half of all my herbs, a wheel, a rudimentary stirling engine that's pretty much a firebox and a sheet of thin  metal, a protosoul- how'd that get in here -and a metric ton of sand." I listed.

The cauldron somehow managed to reduce it to a slurry.

"What."

"Na na na heyana hahiyaha naha naheya heya na yanuwa anhahe yunuwana na na na heyana hahiyaha naha naheya heya na yanuwa anhahe yunuwana na na na heyana hahiyaha naha naheya heya na yanuwa anhahe yunuwana na na na heyana hahiyaha naha naheya heya na yanuwa anhahe yunuwana ha ha ya nuwa nu nuwa heya nu nuwa nu nuwa heya nu nuwa nu nuwa nu na na na heyana hahiyaha naha naheya heya na yanuwa anhahe yunuwana..." I chanted.

"Why did I sing that." I said to myself flatly.

I looked down, and my cauldron was full of a teal powder. I hermetically sealed most of the powder back up. I brought two vials worth with me as I raced up the stairs. I grabbed a cold and hot enchanted plate from storage, and I stocked up on food and water, kept cold by the cold plate and ready to be warmed by the hot plate. I had enough for me and Meowgon for a month.

Let's go, Meowgon.

Okay.

He hopped up on my shoulder, and I threw one vial's worth of the teleportation powder onto me and Meowgon.

"Allons-y!" I shouted.

Insert some sort of teleporty sound effect here- Ooo, I know -Vworp vworp, vworp vworp, vworp vworp!<

I landed from the space between and stumbled down, eyes closed.

"Stone? Wait, cobbled stone!? What's that doing here!" I opened my eyes.

I was on a balcony. And right across from me were the two sisters, with some sort of magical artifact already charging.

Before I could react, a rainbow beam of light came straight at me. I somehow knew I was going to be turned to stone, and so because of that Meowgon knew as well, so we just straightened our backs and stood strong against the rainbow light.

It hit me, and I turned a light gray, to be trapped in stone for one thousand, five hundred years.

Inside of stone, it would be quiet. Except even when you're trapped in a nigh-eternal dream, you can hear the thoughts of the other statues.

This next torture was called Discord's centennial all-week karaoke of alternating between 'This is the Song that Never Ends' and 'I Know A Song That Gets on Everybody's Nerves'. It isn't fun. This is the end of my stay now, nearly.

But at least I could train. I was now very good at my magic.

"This is the song that never ends

It just goes on and on my friend

Some people started singing it not knowing what it was,

And they'll continue singing it forever just because . . .

I know a song that gets on everybody's nerves,

Everybody's nerves, everybody's nerves,

I know a song that gets on everybody's nerves,

and this is how it goes..." sang Discord.

"Discord." I said. "I hate that I have to ask you, but I've never been able to tap into my chaos magic. Could you help? It's always done the opposite of what I want it to do, or it's done it to me, or it just hasn't worked at all."

Discord popped into my area.

"My friend, let me tell you a story. There was once a dragon who was the most handsome drake in all of Equus. He was very vain. He also was a powerful mage. He tried to access his potential for chaos magic. He lost his beauty, but gained this powerful magic. The moral is, I was the dragon and I lost my handsomeness for chaos. I would never go back on my decision, but in return for control, chaos requires you to give part of yourself to chaos." he said gravely.

"Oh! My time's up! Adios!" Discord told me. With a flash of light, he disappeared.

I contemplated his words. It took me a little more than three whole weeks, but I decided.

I knew what I would give up.

I reached inside of myself, and I pulled at my chaos magic. Suddenly, I appeared in a chaotic place, covered in everything imaginable doing something completely unrelated to what it should do. A writhing mass of tentacles, beaks and eyes comes over to me.

"H̫̰̘ͤ̄ͯȇ̡̥͚͚̗̹̦̐̐ͤL̯̟͋ͯͩ̐͘̕͘l̡̟̼̜̒͌̌ͬŎ̡̧͔̺͇̬̞ͤͭͣ̀̅̓ͬ́͜,̶͇͇̪͌̓̎ͪ͑ ̦̮ͫͨ̀ͮ̀̚͢i̋̍ͭ͑҉̧̭̼͉͔͡ ̴̢͙̟̭͖͎̌ͩͣͨ̌ͬ͗͠A̦̬ͣ̾͒͂̎ͯ͜͠M͚ͨ̈̔̇́̐̽ ̗̻̪͓͕͑͛̅ͮͮ͌́̈́ͤč̵ͦͮ̀̎҉̙̙̬̦h͚̜̟͕̻̪̙̪́̈͠ͅÅ̢̛̘̜̳͙̳̻ͧ͆̔̀o̸̭̝̣̮̠̙͈̘̩ͪ͗S̙̻̖ͣ̈́͠͠.̷̡̱̭̥̲̯̇͞ ̣̣̅ͫ͜W̵͎̮̣̻̪͎̳̌ͥͬ̽͠H̵͎̘̾͢Ā̑̚҉̷̢̫̰̫̠̥ͅt̸̹̣͉͕ͤͪͨ̈͆͜ ͖ͣ̌́̓̋ẁ͒ͨ͛͛͌͏̞̺͎͈̯̖͙ͅI̸̛̲͈ͣ͐̐̊͂ͅl͓͖̭̓́͋ͪ̄̚͘l̬̖̹̫̝̳ͣ̽͒̌̈́̒́͟ ̨͈̣̜̻͎̭̖̺͊͐͛̎ͣ͗ͪY̤͙̙̩̲̘̙̬̓ͮ͂̓͒ͥ̀Ó̢͔̞̱͍̜̏̇̅͗͋̔ͯ̌͞u̡̘͖̽̑͒̂ ͔͉̲͔͊̾ͥͬ̆ͣͬ͜p̞͍̟͔͉̖ͭͬ̉ͧ̃̊̉ͥ̈A̵̲̜̟̝̦̮͓͖̽̏͋̽͛͐͂̆y͙ͩ͂ͭ̋́͝ ̼̱͇̫̊̑́ṃ̼̹̿ͫ́eͧ̂҉̯̤͕ ͭ̄̓͊͏͞҉͚͍͖̺̫̼̼͓̰W̒̈͏̙̰͖̩͎̰I͕͈̟̗ͭ̒̒̆̄ͥ́͡T̴̩͍̙̅́̎̎̒͂́H̵̨͖̦̩̯̉?̧̛̞̞͈̖͔̤̹̺̇̂" it said.

"I will pay with my right eye and my mortality." I told it.

'B̢͔͎̤̥̭͔̬͍͕ͤ͋͑͆ͫ͢U̶̙̮̣͈̺̤̘ͭ̆͜ͅẗ̢̙͉̞̮̳̰͈̾̀̕ ̰͈͔̠̘͓͔̉͂ͫͫ͗͛̎̿́͝Ḇ̵̡͙̘̖̟͍̟̭̞́ͬY̴̵̫͇̻̩̻̗̱͎͎̾ͦ͐̾̇͋̔͒ ̡͍̮̐̂ṯ̡̩̏ͩ͒̏͐̀͠a͙̝͇̪̠̟̩̩̅ͦ̑͐́K̶̨͛ͮ͏̙͚i̼̱̙̥̫̤͎͕̦ͣ͐̆͐̑ͥͨ̈́̽͠n̶̨͚̝̬̺̦̿͐̇̓͊ͅG̴̲̠̙̳̯̊̏̏̎ ̷͔̝̞̄ͧͫ͞Y̛̬ͦ̾͒̀͢ơ̦̥̙͊͆̋̒͡Ư̗̣̜͉̤̜̽ͧͭ͌͒̍͠R̛͕̤̹̤̭ͭ̂ͧ̆̊ͧ̄̿ ̹͍͖̟̟̗̘̏̌ͬ̒̃̓͊̓ͅm̵̭̔̐̍̏͛̚ŏ̧͈̊́̆ͮͥ̿ͥ́ŗ̷̘̮̭̫ͤͮͥ̃ͨT͎̂̆ͨa̔҉͎͚͚̺̦̗̱̙L̴̼̣̗̯̬̝͐I͕̬̗͓̿ͨ̏͊̈́͆͑̀t͊̉҉͇̰̝̖͉̟̣̩͞ỹ̨̟͇̆ͦͯ̐͡ ̖̻̭̝̈́̄̇͝i̞̜̺̟̠ͫ̒͢͠ ̢̠̗̖̩̩ͧ̓͌̈́ͧ͜ͅW͚̪̣̼͔̳̳͆ͪ̅́O̢̬͚̠͆̓ͪ̃ͯ̇͐̾u̳̳̝͗̾ͣ͂̚lͨ́͑̀͊̓͂͞҉̤͎̰̳̳̰Dͫ̇̃͂ͨͩ̌ͦ҉͔̹͖̣͖̦ͅ ̩̆̋̂̂ͥ͒ͧ͐ͣ̀G̡̛̹̦̯͙̃͗ͯ̄I̸̙̩͋̃͒̊ͤͬ́ͯ͢ṽ̊͌ͩͯͫ̆͡҉̞͍͇̺Ė̡͉̥͍̫͖͇̽ͦ̔ͪ͊͢ ̯̫̱̩͈͇̐̄ͨ̎̄̔̆ͣ̚y̡̛̫̟͓̺̥̝͋̈́̅̚o͙̠̺̟ͦ̅͜ŭ̹̬̭̝̦̜ͤ͊ ͉̣̳͊ͩͤ͠I̯͚̦͈̦͌̑ͦ̀̕Mͧ̒̅ͭ͑ͅM̗͈̗̝ͮͤ̅ͥͦ̏̔ͪ͜ͅō͉̋̚r͓̯̭̪̟͛ͭ̕͡͡T̗͖͇̙̯̒ͪ͊̔̍̈͘͘͝Ā̡͙͈̣̬̮̘ͧͦ̅ͤ̿l̟̘̹͙̖͔͉͖ͥͨ̅́̚̚͢I͉̬̬ͩt̶̹̖̤̦͔͓̿̏̀̽̀͊̾̄Y̮̩͍͙͍̪͒̆͢͡'.̢͉̦͚͓̥̮ͭ̈̐̍ͪ̍̾̚͞ it replied.

"Immortality is a curse," I looked straight into it's main pair of eyes. "You see everything you ever like or loved disappear. Everything dies, and then you do."

'Y̛̭̝̫̊͒̊ͥo̹̱̱̙͕̅̐̔͢͝Ŭ͔̖͗ͧ͑̓͠ ̶̥̥̗̮̓ͮͭͪ̊̄A̝͊ͯ͌͆͛͛̆̚ȑ͇̤̺̥̦̥̩̬͐͘E̛̜͉̲̟̪̦ͧ͞ͅ ̴͚͔̤̖͓̉ͤ̃ͪ̈́͛͞W͙̫̘̮͉̱̼̼̎̀̈̈́Iͪͭ̾ͭ͏̶̹͔̜̖͕̞̻S͗҉̷̪͍̺̕ͅe̷͙̦̳͙̖͂̋ͨ̑͘ͅ,̸̪̭ͣ͌̿̇ ͎̗̝̩̠̣̤͆̃̊̿̃͆̒f͈̙̣̘̖̿̾͌ͣͥ̎͜ͅo̵̷̮̘̳̼̰̝͕͙ͧ̍͆̑ͭ̒̐͡R̟̪̝̳̘̥͈ͩ̈̇͒̕͝ ̐ͯ͏̬̩̖͍͉S̴̢̰̱͐̎̈̋̈́u̬̜ͬ̅̋̀͢C̻̖͔͔͎̟̠̃̃̍ͨh͂̀͊̔͐͊͝҉̮͙̰̠̪͉̣͝ͅ ̗̱̣͇̦̟̯͂̀ͧ̓́̕ͅA̸̺̬̱̳̠͖̋͒̂ͬ̉̐͗ ̷͇̮͍̹̥̫ͮ̅̆͠y̐͐ͪ͏̫͔̖͓̗͎͉̳O͓͉̼̩̹̓͆ͬ͂́ͫ̓̉Ŭ̖̰̭͌n̨̥̮͖̹̩̰͂̍̂̒͐G͈̪̖̱͈̣̉ͪ̓̀̈́ͬ̃ͨ̆ ̛̗̦͖͓̜̭̣͌̐O̫ͮ̓͗̑Ǹ̹̞̩̭̖̺̘ͨ̈ͨ̐̒ͫͅEͦͣ͗ͮ̔ͤ̔̿҉̙̩̞͇̳̮̠̣.̛̺͎̍͂ͯ̉ͪͤ̚' it took my eye, and my mortality.

My eye turned mostly light green, even the sclera, with some parts a darker green. Yellow lightning appeared in the design, writhing, but letting the iris and pupil go untouched. Then, the yellow lightning formed the yin half of yin and yang with the black being yellow and the greens being the white. Then, the green becomes a pentagram, with yellow filling the holes left, and the tail end of the yellow yin stretched into a spiral covering the entire visible area of the eye.

I was suddenly thrust back into the statue, but a small portion of all the chaos magic I had stored was released in a flash of both light and dark green, covered in lightning. The statue cracked, light of the same shades of green with yellow lightning, as always, covering it, leaking through the cracks. Finally, after one thousand five-hundred years, I was released.

"Finally!" I shouted.

It's good to be out, isn't it Doctor Meowgon?

Ys it is.

I smiled, and applied the only vial of teleporting powder I had, for old times sake.

"Geronimo!" I yelled.

I smiled wider. I was back home at last. I put everything up, fed Meowgon and myself, and then went to bed happily.

Meanwhile...

"Sister!" Luna shouted as she broke into Celestia's room right as Celestia had almost fallen asleep.

"What is it Luna?" asked Celestia.

"The Archmage has escaped!"

Celestia was still calm. "I leave this matter in your capable hooves, sister. I trust you, and you know I am no good if I haven't slept."

Luna trotted out the door, and began to prepare herself. He will not escape capture once more.