“How could I have run out of ink? Spike always chooses the best times to pay visit to Canterlot,” Twilight mumbled to herself while trotting back to the library. The store wasn't far away and the fresh air actually gave her mind a well-deserved rest for the work it was performing. Not that it was all that challenging, but the usual paperwork for the library was very monotonous.
“Ok, almost home... the ancient history books that arrived are all cataloged... two more boxes and I'm done for today. Can't wait to actually read them instead of jus...” Suddenly Twilight stopped, just as she noticed the front of the library, she realized that it wasn't empty anymore. From the larger window she distinguished a familiar face.
“Princess Luna?!”
As Twilight rushed to the door, she could not stop wondering what Luna was doing there. They had seen each other in very rare occasions and she had always been accompanied by her guards. This time she was alone and, by the looks of it, the princess was not after any book, but waiting for Twilight.
Slowing down her pace a bit – trying to catch her breath and trying to hide that she ran faster than necessary to get to the library – Twilight entered the library and readily welcomed Luna.
“Princess Luna! Hi! I'm sorry I wasn't here, you see, I had to go out to buy supplies and I didn't expect such a visit tod...”
“ ‘Tis fine Twilight Sparkle,” Luna interrupted after noticing the lack of oxygen in the pony's body. “We should have warned thee of our arrival. Thou needest not worry with any formalities.”
Still surprised, but a little more calm, Twilight tried to take the conversation into a more casual route. “Still can't let go of the royal 'we' huh?”
“In fact 'we' applies perfectly in this case dear Twilight,” said a clear and familiar voice from near one of the book-stands.
“Princess Celestia!” Again Twilight was getting a bit overexcited, not only had she left Princess Luna waiting, but now she failed to even notice that Celestia was in the same room all the time.
“To what do I owe this visit? I mean, is there a problem? Spike did something back in Canterlot didn't he?”
At that point Twilight looked more like young filly seeing her older sister or best friend after a long time, which in fact wasn't that far away from the truth. Both Luna and Celestia stopped holding back the smiles generated by the sheer amount of silliness and overreaction that Twilight was providing, even more so by the fact that Celestia expected most of this reactions even if they had warned her that they were coming.
“No, no Twilight. Spike is fine,” replied Celestia. “We are here to ask something of you.”
Twilight was confused as more time passed by, she started to notice some things that did not seem right. Luna walking around without her guards was weird enough but now both Luna and Celestia were there, and not a single guard was to be seen. Coming to think of it, this was the first time since Luna was freed from Nightmare Moon that Twilight saw the two sisters together. And now, the casual smiling faces on the two ponies now gave way to more focused and deep countenances.
“Of course Princess! You can ask me anything.”
Luna, that was silent for a bit now, started talking, but for some reason her words sounded heavier. Even though Twilight was confident and sincere when she agreed to hear what the sisters had to say, she couldn't help but to start to feel unease.
“Thou recall that I was cast away from Equestria for a very long time in the beginning of our era correct?” - Luna spoken.
That was a sensitive question. Of course Twilight remembered, everypony remembered. But there was no easy way to answer that.
“Yes, and we brought you back!”
“Yes. But while I was Nightmare Moon I found something in my place of exile. When I was freed much of my memories were cast away but I retained enough to remember that place, and since I returned, me and my sister went back there to understand its nature,” Luna paused.
“I don't understand. What was it?” An ember of intrigue and impatience started forming under Twilight's mind.
This time Celestia started talking. “That's the point, we don't know exactly ‘what’ it is . When I was forced to send Nightmare Moon into exile, I chose the moon because it was supposedly desolated, when we took control of both the sun and the moon we reached to them, but found nothing at the time. But since Luna told me to come back there...”
Now the impatience was turning into frustration as the sisters were clearly avoiding a direct answer to Twilight's question.
“What was there?!” Right after she finished talking Twilight realized that her voice was louder than before, much louder in fact.
“I – I'm sorry.” She quickly apologized for and looked in another vague direction.
This time neither of the sisters showed any reaction, instead Celestia stared at her and said in a very quiet tone. “I want to show you something,” as she walked towards the book-stand where she were when Twilight arrived. There was a single piece of paper placed on it. As soon as Celestia was positioned in front of it her horn began to shine, but instead of levitating the quill to write or draw what she wanted to show, the very paper began to move. It was being torn apart, not to form letters or even symbols. The tears resembled - if anything - cracks on a wall, or an old tree's bark. The marks never repeated themselves but were organized just enough not to be confused with creased and torn paper.
After what seemed to be about ten seconds Celestia's horn stopped and she opened space so that Twilight could stay in front of the stand.
“Please, try to read it,” she said while positioning herself at the right side of the stand and facing her student.
Twilight stood there without saying another word for minutes trying to figure out what was happening. She couldn't read it, she was almost certain that they weren't even words on the paper, for all she knew it could be upside down or anything. If not by the seriousness of Celestia's face she would probably think this was some kind of joke. After trying to remember all languages, symbols, drawings, anything that she ever saw and read about she still didn't had any clue of what she was looking at, and finally curiosity and frustration won the struggle.
“I'm sorry princess but I can't understand anything here. I'm trying, but I can't. Not a word in this piece of paper. Not a single thing that is happening on this visit. I am very confused right now, please explain what is going on.”
“We are sorry Twilight,” Luna sounded like she really wanted to explain but was unable to do so, “but, if thou hath not the ability to see, it will be far to dangerous for thee to know.”
Only then Twilight remembered that Luna was even there, but more than that, now she was facing Twilight just as Celestia, but on the opposite side of the stand. That really scared Twilight. It was like she was trapped. Anywhere she moved she'd be in reach of one of the alicorns. Her face was now showing the mixture of frustration and fear in a subtle but very expressive twitch in her eye and mouth.
Celestia was quick to see it, and against the agreement she had with Luna, she spoken to Twilight.
“Don’t worry, we are here like this to be sure nothing happens to you. And one more thing. Don't try to read words if there are no word written there.”
Another riddle, that was the last thing Twilight wanted at that moment. “One more try,” she thought as her horn began to emit that distinguishable glow. That was the moment she realized something strange. As she started the levitation spell on the paper the border markings suddenly appeared familiar. A kind of déjà vu. Much like some ponies can associate numbers with color or words with tastes, the sensations produced by the levitation spell were in a way similar to the borders of the paper.
“Is this a spell?” She whispered almost without noticing. “I never saw a spell described in such a way.”
The sisters remained without reaction as Twilight continued to investigate the object with a increasing level of wonder and intrigue. She figured out that by 'reading' it probably meant to actually cast the spell, and so as pondering proceeded it became clear that although the border meant the 'ignition' of the spell, the more she approached the center, less and less sense it made, to the point that trying to cast it would be nothing more than wasting energy. The sensations became much more like an endless and convoluted stream of thoughts than a single release of energy and will that was used to cast every single spell that her had ever learned.
A subtle headache started to appear, and after what seemed like an eternity Twilight decided to cast it even though in her head it would not produce any coherent effect.
“Ok. Here it goes!”
As soon as she began to concentrate the alicorns started to mimic her actions with incredible precision. It was indeed what they expected Twilight to do. And with the progress of the spell she started to feel dizzy and the ground under her hooves gently started to move in strict patterns. It was nothing new though and Twilight was already familiar with that sensation, it was the same whenever she'd use the teleportation spell. The only thing is, at this point she was sure that, by the chaotic way in witch the spell was being performed, nothing should be happening. Maybe an aura formed by the wasted energy but nothing like the effects of a complex spell.
The next part was what most intrigued Twilight when she understood how to see the paper. In other spells the end of the casting was marked by the release of more energy than in any other part, but now, that scroll was telling her to stop. This was commonly done by beginners in the magic schools when they were too tired or not confident enough to complete the spells and the results were often embarrassing. Her trust in Celestia was strong enough to pass by that fact and, just as shown in the of the markings, she cut down the flow of energy.
However the dizziness didn't stop. It was, in fact, getting stronger. She felt pulled inside her own body and without effort her mind started to travel faster and faster. Just as a rock following the flow of a agitated river, her consciousness drew lines and shapes faster than she could understand or even realize.
It wasn’t a new way to cast a teleportation spell. That was a completely different spell altogether. Her very surroundings were being shifted and distorted in such incredible and wondrous ways but fast enough to avoid the formation of any reaction from Twilight.
When it stopped she struggled to conciliate what had happened, but one thing she was sure of, wherever this place was it wasn't her library anymore, perhaps it wasn't even a place. All that she'd seen faded and only blackness remained. If not by a faint light a bit far away, there would be nothing to distinguish up from down.
“Quick now! Come.” Celestia's voice was impatient and even for a being of such power as her it was clear that she didn't possessed total control of the situation.
“...”
“Now Twilight!” This time not only words, but a soft push from Luna's wings forced Twilight to trot forward in the direction of the light.
Only after being close to the light Twilight was able to see the figures of both the sisters so great was the darkness that surrounded that place. And as she approached it became clearer. A orb of light the size of a small room, standing there, contrasting with the absolute nothingness of anything else.
“We appeared far from it this time... I hope there’s still time.”
“Look! Look! I did it!” A young voice came from inside the light.
“I'm so proud of you my dear”
“It is almost over I believe.”
Twilight didn't spoke the entire time, if not by the presence of her companions she would had collapsed by now. The dizziness and shock from before, even though bearable, didn't allow her to formulate any sentence that made sense. And as the three traversed the light wall, they saw two unicorns in what seemed to be a filly’s bedroom.
“See mom! I told you I could do it! It's floating!” Said the little unicorn waving a little doll in the air.
The glow from her horn was the very center of the room, the very center or orb. And as it started to faint when the doll was placed back in the ground, the walls became closer and closer of the little filly.
Finally Twilight let some words out of her mouth as the rest of everything continued to disappear.
“She created this place?”
“In a sense. Now brace thyself, we are returning.”
Luna barely finished talking when Twilight realized her library. Not a single thing changed. All the books were sitting in their rightful places on the shelves, the distant sound of ponies galloping on the streets. But most importantly, in front of her was that piece of paper - unmoved - but now with a much more ominous aura surrounding it.
After a moment or two when Twilight's face started to show that she was feeling better, Celestia started some long waited explanations.
“What you saw was a spell being performed. And what it created in the process.”
“How could that little filly create such a powerful spell? I've never even heard oh something like this.”
“That was not a powerful spell Twilight. What it created is not uncommon I fear. For what we have seen, every magic performed possess similar effects.”
“'Every' magic performed?”
“Indeed. What I found on the moon, was cave. A very peculiar one. Far larger than anything I had ever imagined and filled with inscriptions much similar to the one showed to thee.”
Even though Twilight had experienced it just a few moments before, she couldn't help but to feel a bit skeptical about what she was hearing.
“I don't get it... one of this things for every magic trick? Since when? Who does it? Why in the...”
“That's why we are asking your help Twilight,” Celestia interrupted. “I've gone there several times before and, on the edges of the cave, there are always more than the previous time I visited. I believe that exist one marking for every spell that was ever casted on Equestria...” Celestia paused as if containing herself “...but that's where our knowledge of it ends. And I'm trusting you, my most dedicated student, with the task to help me understand it's meanings.”
“If thou agree of course. We cannot force thee to undertake such a feat since neither of us had the power to do so. But thine help sure will be most valuable to us.”
Walking towards a nearby table, Celestia grabbed something she had under her wing.
“Much like the teleporting scrolls Spike uses, this gem can send you to the cave, as well as provide you with anything you may need to actually 'be' on the moon. We do not want your answer right now. Take some time to think about it. But if you want to help, speak to us first. There are still things we need to tell you.”
“A- are you going already?”
“Yes, Luna and I are still in charge of the royal duties. That is yet another reason for us to ask your help.”
It was clear that Twilight didn't know what to do, and that she was still a bit scared from what had just happened.
“Don't worry Twilight. This is unusual indeed. But it probably existed even before Equestria was formed. I didn't harmed anyone before, and I'm quite sure it won't now. Think of it as 'the oldest magic history book you will ever be able to get your hooves on'.”
With those words they departed back to Canterlot, leaving Twilight and the red gem over the table.
Chapter 1 - The first visit
“Hey Twilight. What's this?” - The little dragon inquired looking at the book-stand. - “Should I throw it away? I don't know where to put it.”
Almost two days had passed since Spike first saw that. He wouldn't dare touch it. If he learned anything throughout the time he spend as Twilight's assistant was that, if she was done with that thing, it would be on the ground, over a ridiculous sized pile of books or in another strange place, but not as neatly placed on where she used to study.
“That's ok Spike, you can leave it there. I'm still working on it.”
“But what 'IS' it?” - He had hammered that question countless times already but just now managed to ask.
“It's history! Written in a very ancient language. And I'm trying to understand it, so don't put it away.”
“ 'Very ancient' is right! They didn't even knew how to use ink!”
Twilight forced a smile at the dragon's poor attempt to make a joke. But even if it was funny she wouldn't laugh. Only a unicorn who was good at magic would understand why it could not be represented with ink. It was not a primitive way of writing, it was very advanced. Not only the shapes, but the feel and texture of them played a important part of the spell it was describing.
“Anyways. I'm going to bed Twi. Good night.”
“Good night Spike.”
Twilight watched as sleepy dragon slowly walked up the stairs of the library, containing her excitement. Finally she would be alone and in a good state of mind to examine that place again.
“Celestia said I should talk to her again if I was going to use the gem... but I suppose I can see that spell one more time...”
She waited some more minutes until she was sure Spike was sleeping and then promptly put herself in front of the markings again. Only when she recollected her memories from the past days she realized how her initial fear and shock have completely turned into an almost uncontrollable curiosity. Part of it was due to Celestia's last words but even so, she felt so drawn into her questions and speculation that even if was some risk involved she would not stop.
This time, she knew what to expect from the spell and it happened just as she foreseen. Just as before the walls became shift and fade away, the already dim light coming from the moon outside soon ceased to be, and the peculiar orb started appeared way closer than last time.
“Luna was right! We 'DID' appeared way far from it last time.” - Trotting fast into the orb Twilight was able to enter it while it was still forming.
This time however there was not the filly's room waiting on the other side.
“Celestia?” - Twilight stopped. She saw a faint figure of a grand unicorn. Facing the center of the forming room. It take about a second for her to realize that it couldn't be Celestia, as it had no wings and a very translucent mane, neither any of the royal ornaments she normally used. But two things stood out from its image. She was a big white unicorn, and yet had no cutie mark, and her horn was very different as well. The horn projected out of the pony's skull as in any other unicorn but it was irregular, much more like a tree branch, and at it's base it grew sideways almost like a second horn but this one wrapped itself around the pony's head.
Twilight's intention in going there again was to see if the effects of the spell was reproducible so she could adventure the cave she was told about, but she never expected this. Now she understood why the rush when Celestia and Luna first brought her here. If only they've appeared closer it would be possible to see it.
At this point the room was almost completely formed. The unicorn lowered it's head and the mane moved towards the center and a small portion of it began to glow.
Twilight was static. She knew that glow. It was the same glow every magic produced.
Suddenly a small shock-wave spread around the orb. As it passed the unicorn vanished leaving her glowing mane behind, and surely enough the little filly appeared positioned perfectly so that her horn matched the glow.
“Look! Look! I did it!”
The room was completely formed by now, and Twilight remembered this scene. Just as before, the doll floating, the filly's excitement and yet completely oblivious to what had happened just before her very eyes.
“I'm so proud of you my dear”
“See mom! I told you I could do it! It's floating!”
The doll was put in the ground again just before everything began to be undone. The nausea was very less intense this time, but the confusion did anything but grow. If anything that majestic figure only sealed Twilight's decision of accepting the sisters proposition.
The morning came quickly and Spike reluctantly got up to begin his duties. - “Good morning Twilight!” - He said while going down the stair. It was weird that her bed was made up, as she didn't even had gone to sleep.
“Twilight?”
There was nobody there. And on the door a single note.
“Spike, I'm going to Canterlot to resolve some things. Don't worry, I'll be back by the end of the day.”
This was not very common to leave in such a hurry, but for once Spike got a day of. In the past days Twilight hadn't made much a mess in the library as she usually does and today was not going to be different. After a bit of thought, Spike said in very happy tone.
“Ok! Back to bed then!”
“I hope I sent the letter correctly, I never tried that spell without Spikes's fire.”
But as soon as Twilight approached the Palace's gates she knew Celestia had received her letter, for she was already waiting her there.
“Hi princess!”
“Hello my dear. I'm so glad you decided to help. There is so much we need to talk.”
The massive doors behind Celestia slowly opened revealing the familiar but always breathtaking hall of the palace. The sun reflected in the stain-glass windows and marble floor. The colored shadows singing past tales of Equestria all the way to the throne room. But even that could be easily eclipsed by the amount of information the cave Luna found contained.
“Princess...”
“Yes Twilight?”
“I've read one more time the paper you left with me.” - Celestia didn't say anything, but clearly started to pay extra attention to the pony's words - “This time I saw more...”
“You saw her?” - Celestia interrupted.
“Yes. That was what you and Luna wanted me to see right?”
“We wanted you to see the whole thing Twilight. But yes, we were hoping you could glance at her.”
“But why?”
“For you to question it. Just as we did.”
“You mean you don't know her? But you were here almost since the beginning of Equestria!”
They stopped in front of the throne room doors. Celestia gave Twilight a soft and honest look, the same look of a teacher who is asked something far beyond her ability to answer.
“Me and Luna, we existed for a very long time, almost as long as Equestria. But even Equestria itself didn't existed throughout all the history of this world. There are still many things that we still don't understand, even about ourselves.”
By finishing her attempt to answer she started opening the doors. Once again the typical glow surrounded her horn as the passage to the throne was made clear.
“Does she always appear as well?” - Twilight asked staring at the horn.
“So far, yes.”
Luna was already inside the throne room looking at several books. The entire room was very different from the last time she saw it, if this was the first time Twilight had visited the palace she could very easily have mistaken it for the royal library. Bookshelves as high as the ceiling all illuminated by the two great pale yellow windows behind the throne.
“Dear Twilight! I am so pleased! Have thou accepted our request?” - The pure joy of seeing Twilight there was visible in Luna's eyes, and that reaction comforted Twilight.
“Yes princess. I'll do everything I can to understand all this. I just don't understand why didn't any of you told me about that mare before...”
Luna's eyes immediately became wide open and she stared ferocious at Celestia.
“Calm down Luna. I told you she'd be fine. In the end, it is good that Twilight entered there again. Without us, she was probably way more focused on the experience.”
“Huh? Shouldn't I have gone there?” - Twilight didn't expected a reaction this different when she told about going there alone.
“It's alright Twilight. Since the beginning Luna was apprehensive of letting the scroll with you.”
“Why? You said it yourself that it was no harm on it.”
“Indeed. But you felt it when you first entered into it didn't you? That confusion. If we were not there to push you... would you have gone inside the light? Would you ran away from it? Or even, just wander around?”
“I would have...” - Suddenly Twilight realized the strangeness of the situation. Without knowing better, the light orb with his growing light, could be scary. Without any other reference of place the light could look like it was chasing the viewer instead of becoming stronger - “...I ... I don't know.”
“I was the first to figure out how to enter them. When I grasped my senses once again I avoided the light to the best of my abilities.” - Luna spoken in a somewhat embarrassed tone - “Thou probably did not spent much time inside, but magic isn't an option there. And once the orb ceases to be, it take a long time to repeat it's cycle. And when it does, there is no way for us to tell where it will reappear.” - she paused for a moment - ”And giving the short time in witch some of the orbs last, being confined there can be... terrifying.”
A chilling sensation creeped down Twilight's neck as she absorbed what Luna had said. 'Terrifying' was a pretty strong word, even more when it came from somepony who endured so much time in exile.
“That's why we were there Twilight, to show you how to use it. We didn't told you about any other thing because you were already shocked enough. You could refuse to do so. But I knew you would be interested and I trust you, so I convinced Luna to do it as we did as well as letting the spell with you.”
As the cryptic visit started to make sense, Twilight still had one question she couldn't figure out.
“But why didn't any of you told me how to read that thing in the first time?”
After a brief moment of silence Celestia spoke.
“How do you explain 'Green' to a blind pony? After Luna discovered it, she tried desperately to teach me. But it was impossible. We have been planning on talking with you for months, and after we decided to bring you a copy of one of the markings I spent weeks trying to reproduce it, even knowing how to read it. There was no way we could ‘teach’ you do read it.”
“In any case, I am relieved to see thee unharmed.” - Luna sounded much more calm, and happy to see the trust Celestia put on the her student was not unfounded. - “Sister, I do not think we should waste any more time.”
Celestia nodded - “Did you brought the gem with you?”
“Yes, I have it. But I don't know how to use it.”
“It's simple, just step on it. Don't be afraid to brake it. We will be with you as soon as you get there.”
The books Luna was using became alive and swiftly moved to their places in the stands followed by a bright flash and somewhat loud noise. When Twilight's eyes were able to survey the surroundings, Luna was no longer there.
“Are going there now?”
“Yes my dear. Isn't this the reason you came here after all?” - Twilight was eager to hear that, she didn't slept at all last night. And even though she more or less understood the markings, the cave itself remained a mystery. If recent past events have taught anything for Twilight, it was that the lack of information on that place was not an accident. So far the sisters have been studying Twilight as much as the cave itself. Throwing the purple pony in this situations and analyzing her reactions. This was bothering her, but she was forcing her attention elsewhere - “There must be a reason...” - she kept telling to herself.
Twilight put the small gem on the floor. That was the first time she had actually examined it, since it's purpose was clear it didn't grabbed her attention.
The scarlet red of the gem was hypnotizing. Even though it has such a small size it was possible to see face of the observer with fantastic detail. It was a shame that it needed to be smashed - ”Rarity would shave her mane just to able to use this in one of her creations... “
The sound of Twilight's hoof colliding with the gem spread throughout the room, and it was followed by the same flash she saw moments ago with Luna. It didn't crashed though, there was no resistance, the little gem simply decomposed into a thin mist that covered her body, and the familiar feeling of displacement soon followed. She closed her eyes just before feeling a push on her body.
When everything calmed down she began to slowly open her eyes.
“...” - She couldn't speak. Once again she was surrounded by a black veil as deep as one's soul, but this time it was filled with bright spots, going as far as her sight could reach. All perfectly positioned around a great blue and white circle, as if they were a legion of sprites quietly dancing around a flawless pearl. Twilight was used to watch the skies, the night-sky of Ponyville was usually beautiful, but the lack of any visual distractions and the simple realization that in front of her laid the very planet that she and everything she knew have spent their entire life had elevated that sight to whole new level.
“...”
“Twilight, are you alright?” - Celestia's head entered her field of vision in a weird angle.
“Yes...”
“Then you better get up, we have things to do.” - Her voice sounded muffled.
“Get up?” - Twilight forced herself to take of the eyes away from the sky, just to realize that she was laying with her back on the ground.
The little pony quickly rolled and stood up trying to to take a hold of the situation. Her eyes traveled east and west. The landscape was harsh, a gray mixture craters and distant hills.
“Let us proceed.” - Luna’s voice sounded muffled as well, just as Celestia’s. The first reaction was to look at right aside Celestia, even though the sound source didn’t point to any clear direction, but there was nothing there. Instead, far behind the white mare there was a tiny figure, the distinct dark blue glow of Luna’s mane marked her position in the base of a smooth hill.
“How can I hear her? She’s so far away.”
“We are all enchanted here. Thus we can hear and be heard by each other. And in thine case... well, suffice to say that thou did not perished without air.”
Even though muffled Luna’s voice was perfectly understandable. It was weird hearing that way, but it made sense, at least that was what Twilight was telling herself. Before moving Twilight gave herself a last look, it was possible to see the dust of the gem covering her entire body in a almost invisible layer. She felt a bit jealous, even though she was exceptional in casting magic, incantations always got her off guard (with a few exceptions).
They moved swiftly, there was practically no effort necessary to move around that place, and the more they approached the younger sister, the more the entrance became visible. A small hole appeared, reaching out as if gasping for air.
The first to enter was Luna, witch in that point was showing herself a bit impatient, then Celestia who made sure all her steps were calm and in plain sight so that Twilight could see that it was safe to go inside.
Twilight soon followed, pacing herself the same way Celestia did, even more because she couldn’t see ahead. The early part of the entrance barely comported Celestia and her body blocked all sight.
“Princess Luna, how did you discovered this place? This entrance is very... mmm... discrete.”
“ ‘Twas by mere chance I must confess. When it happened there was no hill here. I was simply wandering on the surface when I saw a beam of light rising in the horizon, and at the time I even thought that Celestia hath decided to take me back.” - The moment Celestia heard that, her wings twitched a little and her waling became a bit unbalanced, but she remained silent. - “But even knowing the direction from where it came, it took myself days to find the entrance.”
“Ah... so you made this hill for it to be easier to spot right? That’s why it looks so smooth. Very smart!”
“That was not necessary, impossible in fact... even though incantations work perfectly here, magic become completely useless near the entrance. The only ‘spell’ that works down here is the one we use to open the markings.”
That cough Twilight off guard she hadn’t tried any magic since they got there, but she didn’t felt anything that would suggest it would not work. - “But then, how this hill appeared?”
“I believe this place is growing.”
Before Twilight could elaborate any other question she noticed a dim blue light trespassing Celestia’s body. Soon enough they entered in a immensely vast chamber in the shape of a horned torus, the inner space was filled with pillars of stone that extended throughout the entire height of the cave. As the ceiling and the floor became closer to the center they converged in the exact center of the cave, around it a thick layer of pillars covered the center almost perfectly, just letting enough space so that the bright light inside could made it’s way through and illuminated the whole place.
“This... is it?” - Twilight said while trotting through the stone path. - “It’s huge...” - Now that space was no a problem she quickly passed through the alicorns so she could have a clear vision of it all. The path they were walking projected itself from the walls and was divided countless times, stretching in all directions.
“Be careful Twilight... if you fall we can do little to help you, remember that no magic works here.” - Celestia said, worried by the sudden actions of the purple unicorn.
Slowly approaching the edge of the path she looked down only to see a apparently endless array of paths wrapping themselves around the pillars below.
“This is pretty big fall...” - Twilight’s voice was cold.
“Well, we can’t teleport you back, and since there is no air here, we can’t fly either. However you can go back to where you crashed the gem... just rub the dust off your body, if the layer on you have a big enough crack it will sent you back to earth.”
“But however the case. Thou should try your best NOT to fall.”
Twilight smiled at the silliness of Luna’s commentary, and as soon as she turned to reply to her, she saw that both alicorns were standing right at her side.
“Gah!” - Last time she saw they were fairly behind Twilight, and with no sound aside their omnipresent voices, there was no way to tell were they were aside from sight confirmation. The surprise was such that the little pony lost her balance, but recovered in a fraction of second.
“Yes! I will try my best. Not to fall.” - Her hoof instinctively moved to her neck so she could brake the enchantment if she fell.
A bit further the stone way was another pillar, this one did not reached the ceiling but was high and close enough to the bridge for it to be examined. - “This one is new...” - Luna said approaching it. The same kind markings that seemed so erratic in the scroll were in the pillars, they covered every inch of it – in all of them – but now as they were put one next to the other they formed a beautiful and complex pattern that covered all the cave.
“I’ll enter these, Celestia please continue to show the rest to Twilight. I’ll keep up with thee eventually.”
Luna’s focus closed into a small portion of the pillar and a small shock-wave similar to the one Twilight felt inside the scroll spread quickly. Luna vanished, as the small marking she was staring became bright, it begun to ooze a white haze and about 2 or 3 seconds later it fainted, just before Luna reappeared. - “Yes, I’m quite certain these events happened yearly this day.” - She barely ended her sentence and already started visiting the next markings.
Twilight observed as Luna blinked in and out of reality, even though the spells didn’t take much time to be performed Luna was able to visit them in the matter of seconds.
“She will be there for a while. Come. There is still one last thing I want to show you.”
They headed through the center of the cave, it was a long walk but fortunately this particular bridge was some sort of main access way, connecting to most other paths that same height and leading directly to the center.
“The closer we are to the center, the older the records are. Past this point, you’ll find stories from about 7 centuries ago.” - She said after passing by a larger pillar easy to identify.
“Really? But we aren’t even half the way to the middle! Have you two checked all of them?”
“No, not all of them. But Luna sure is trying to. But since we are practically earth ponies here there are many we simply can’t reach.”
“How many ponies know about this place?”
“Just the three of us.”
The light was brighter and brighter as they came closer to the inner layer of pillars. At this point Twilight enthusiasm drove her to walk ahead of Celestia.
“I am finished here. Ye arrived already?” - Luna’s voice startled Twilight.
“I’m never going to get used to this...”
“No, but we are close.”
“Good. I will be with with ye soon enough.”
“Close to where?”
“Close to...” - “...The record where myself and Celestia first imprisoned Discord.” - Luna suddenly interrupted Celestia in a cold tone.
After that point both sister became silent once again. It didn’t take long before Luna cough up with them, but Twilight was still trotting ahead of the alicorns, like a little filly going to the store to buy a new toy.
The inner pillars were much bigger than the rest, and now the source of light was clear. The same orb that appeared inside the scroll, hovering in the center of the cave, emanating that shimmering blue light that reflected around the entire cave.
One thing caught Twilight’s attention, the path started to show markings as well, but not like the one’s in the pillar these were clearly symbols, a star and a diamond shaped gem. They repeated themselves again and again, in all the paths just outside the inner area.
“Did you felt something Twilight?” - Celestia’s voice was shaky, this was the first time Twilight heard it that way.
“Huh? No. Why?”
“The markings are over here.”
“Oh. Good.” - She turned to see what marking she’d be pointed to behind her, but instead both sisters were somewhat away from Twilight, their eyes wide open staring directly into Twilight.
“Why are you over there?” - Twilight didn’t knew what to make of that situation, but that was the first time she saw that face coming from the two.
Celestia didn’t speak, instead she just pointed her hoof in Twilight’s direction. A wall of light formed around the path blocking Celestia’s movement. It was clear that she was applying strength but the barrier was unaffected.
A sudden chill creeped Twilight’s body and she ran closer to her mentor.
“Twilight, thou felt anything?” - This time Luna asked.
“No! I just walked in.” - She started to run towards the alicorns.
Twilight started shaking her hooves in the same place Celestia did, but nothing happened.
“You never gone past this point?”
“It wont let us.”
With her hooves slicing the air back and forth right in front of her, Twilight began to think. It didn’t made sense, she haven’t felt anything, whatever it was it selectively holding the alicorns outside, or allowing only Twilight to enter. - “Once again they didn’t told her anything. They knew that was there.” - Maybe she was there to see the record of Discord, but surely she was left to wander so she would stumble into that wall. - “Why aren’t they telling me all?”
She gently sat on the floor facing the invisible wall - “I’ve could been hurt...” - Her voice was emotionless almost mechanical. She knew that bumping into a wall couldn’t do much damage, even if the lost her balance the floor were wide enough for her not to fall off, but she needed to make that point.
“... if it rendered you two powerless, what could it have done to me?” - Twilight made sure her words were well paced and perfectly understandable. She were trying her best to ignore how she’d become some kind of lab rat up until now, but she could hold it no longer. The soundless environment only aggravated the tension.
Both Celestia and Luna felt unease, it was obvious that Twilight would have noticed something was not right by now.
“We are not lying to thee dear Twilight! We do not know what this thing even is! Neither what is on the other side!” - A loud voice was finally heard amidst the muffled monotone that crossed Twilight’s ears since she got there.
“But you did knew I could pass through it right?” - She remained unmoved facing back to her companions.
“We believed you could... we are truly sorry Twilight, but since you accepted coming here we simply needed to test it. We are telling you all that we can, that’s why you are here.” - The tender voice of her mentor eased Twilight a little bit. Slowly she turned her head.
“Why you thought I could go through it?” - She was tired of asking questions.
“Didn’t you recognized the symbols on the floor?”
Twilight examined it one more time, last time her attention was shifted almost instantly, but now it’s meaning were as clear as a crystal.
“These are... two the elements of harmony?” - She whispered.
“Yours and Rarity’s it seems. We’ve tried everything. Nothing that we did pierced this wall, we needed your help to see if we could at least know what beyond that.”
“You could have just told me all from the start. I would’ve helped you anyway.”
The alicorns looked one another for a brief moment, then Luna turned around trotting gracefully towards one of the pillars. - “We didn’t wanted to hide anything from thee. But this was too much important to let your possible fear to wash the answers away.”
“That mare, we’ve seen her once, outside those spells, before Equestria as you know existed. When we first confronted Discord.”
More than quickly the tale flew across Twilight’s mind. How the sisters used the elements of harmony to banish away Discord and free the land from chaos. But never had she read or heard of any other magical entity helping in that fight. Pulling herself up once again Twilight followed Luna.
“You said that you both know the location of that record.”
“It’s this one fair Twilight.” - Luna pointed to a pillar close to her. This one was relatively bigger, so were the markings on it. The bright light coming from the orb given the impression that the fine sculpted stone was made from a metallic material such as silver.
“We are ready when you are.”
Without thinking twice twilight scanned the carvings and textures on the stone, and soon enough was ready to begin.
Realizing that her pupil was about to enter that marking she signed Luna and both got into position to follow her, but as soon as Twilight’s horn began to shimmer a small quake echoed. That place had been unmoved since they got there and the sudden change caught everypony by surprise. Twilight lost her concentration and her horn went normal again.
“... magic ...”
Almost immediately the quake stopped, all three looked one another trying to made anything out of it, but before anypony could formulate any kind of explanation lights began shine all over the cave. As the same way it did when Luna was testing the pillar a while ago, now all the markings were shining, in a frenetic and random way, as if desperately searching for something.
“What is this Luna?” - Celestia’s wings opened widely and her voice was unusually heavy and deep. The orchestra of lights was hypnotic, it traveled great distances in seconds and the haze that was pouring down from each one of the markings was getting thicker.
“I do not know! Such thing has never happened before!” - Luna looked down the pathway trying to see if it was happening on the lower levels of the cave, but at that point only a dense white fog was visible, but even with it blocking the sight it was possible to see the faint paths of light dancing across the white veil.
“Twilight! We better go now!” - Her voice lost all semblance of royalty, now Celestia was merely somepony trying to protect her friend and sister from something she didn’t even understood completely.
Twilight was more confused than the princesses, not only because of the tremor and the lights, but apparently she was hearing things as well - “Didn’t you heard that?”
“Hear what Twilight? We really need to go. NOW!” - For the second time Luna’s voice was loud, her hooves restless stomping the ground in the same place and her head trying to look at all directions at the same time - “We can talk about it once we are out of here!”
Twilight knew it was true, she didn’t even wanted to think what could happen if that place collapsed with another quake. The show of lights stopped just as suddenly as it began, apparently it found what it was looking for.
Just in front of twilight the single marking she was about to read was shining, nonstop.
“... magic ...”
“Twilight!” - Both sisters screamed. It was weird. Twilight felt numb, she wasn’t running, nor even moving, yet ground and pillars were moving away. She saw the sisters running on her direction only to be blocked by the invisible wall they saw before.
“It’s pulling me...” - She realized.
“twi...ht” - For the first time their voices felt distant, she couldn’t figure out what they were saying, only the melody of their voices was audible.
As she was pulled to the center, Twilight saw Celestia hitting the wall, her mouth was agitated, her face was distorted by despair, she was screaming relentlessly, but it was no use trying to figure it out. Each time her hoof stomped the wall a large ring of light spread around the place as the energy needed to relocate itself to keep the wall standing.
Luna was equally disturbed, but she never touched the wall, instead she turned to Celestia and, by the movement of her mouth, probably spoke one or two brief sentences to her sister. The two nodded and then she left Celestia, running away and using her wings furiously as if trying to push air to speed up. Soon she disappeared in the white fog that, by now, covered the entire place.
“... magic ...” - For the third time she heard that. ‘Heard’ may be not the right word, it was more like if Twilight ‘felt’ it coming from behind her. She continued to float into the center as the light was becoming so intense that erased the path from where she came, the pillars, the ceiling, everything.
The ground softly touched her hooves, and the numbness didn’t posed much of a problem now. Oddly enough, Twilight was not felling fear, that place seemed peaceful, the absence of any object on visual reference casted the impression of a infinite horizon, that stretched endlessly to all directions. She turned around, just to face a statue, a familiar one.
In front of her was the statue of the mare the resided inside the markings, sculpted in what seemed to be the same material of the pillars. She approached it, and was engulfed by stream of emotions. Nostalgia and relief, followed by sadness and regret, they were intense and chaotic, it troubled Twilight. She suspected she could find her here, but not as a statue.
Those emotions, they were not Twilight’s, they were leaking from the statue. As she became even closer she noticed the horn of the mare standing there, it completely blocked the vision of her face. - “She probably can’t even see...” - And just around the base of the horn, there was no stone, but a white coat, and a small part of her mane leaking out from some cracks in her neck.
“... I was hoping I could ever see you magic ...” - Twilight was unsure if it came from the statue or her own mind. - “... Where is generosity? I can’t feel her, I miss you so much ...”
“I-I’m Twilight Sparkle. Who are you?”
“... you finally let go of honesty and kindness … I’m glad … but it still not enough ...”
“What? I don’t understand!”
“... I missed you, so very much ...”
“Can’t you hear me?” - Twilight was frustrated, but it was obvious she wasn’t being heard, she sit on the ground pondering what she could do, when a loud flash erased the only remaining object on her sight. The dust on her coat became alive, she could feel it moving faster and faster.
“... don’t go ...”
“GAH!”
Twilight felt a great push and her eyes closed instinctively - “Twilight! Oh, thank the stars thou art safe!” - as she opened her eyes she saw Luna, practically without breath, on the throne’s room floor back in Canterlot.