Eye Will Find You

I bit my bottom lip harder and tried to focus all my effort into creating a spell to conjure crystals using pure light, love, and laughter as energy.

It was easier said then done, but I wasn't about to give up.

I let out a deep breath and stared ahead trying to focus on nothing.

The aura beginning to form on my horn began to swell in size until it seemed to gain an unexpected  boost in energy and wrench itself from my horn, blasting me into a polished crystal wall.

"Ow," I mumbled rubbing my back with a forehoof hoping I didn't bruise anything.

The glowing white-blue substance began to fly everywhere crashing into the slick reflective walls of the heart shaped room with a resonant and high pitched plink, plink, plink!

It shot up toward the uneathly ceiling and burst into sparks of the same colors. This scared away the drifting lights: silver, peridot, ruby, and emerald who had previously been floating up near the glittering violet blue mist where a solid surface normally was.

"Well," I asked the blue Alicorn next to me. "How did I do this time?"

Sapp'ra had a disappointed frown on her face. "It seems that is another failure to your name Empress."

This was the most forward she'd been with me since I'd met her. The queen, I mean Sapp'ra as she preferred to be called, was an even-tempered mare who never lost her pleasantly cool demeanor and rarely spoke. When she did it was either a lighthearted joke, a simple bit of kind advice, or a vague and cryptic comment that I assumed to be about something from the past.

Just as I thought.

For three hours I had been in the Inner Heart trying to learn this spell.

Standing up, I trotted over to the tall blue crystal mare.  She had a flowing mane of the color tri-colored aurora which concealed her eyes and was partially worn up. It did make me a little uncomfortable being unable to see her eyes since that could often aid me in figuring out how a pony was feeling.

"What am I doing wrong?"

"I am unsure Cadenza, this is a crucial spell that should be easy for you to perform."

She sounded worried. Sapp'ra was a mare who seemed to be worried by few things from what I knew of her. The mysterious creator of the Crystal Heart was a regal figure who seemed to embody the glacial beauty and harshness of both the Empire and the Arctic itself. Whatever troubled her was worth taking seriously.

In the brief sessions I spent with these ponies learning about the Empire I now ruled and those who ruled it before me I remembered that Sapp'ra's daughter, Ezmeralda could see beyond some of the limitations of time.

Maybe Sapp'ra could too.

"How bad is this?" I asked.

A bench of crystal sprouted from the ground and Sapp'ra sat down, nodding for me to join her.

"I want to believe this is worrisome at most Cadenza, though I am unsure of what the future holds. Ezmeralda has not reported anything of disturbance."

"But can't you see the future too?" I asked as I took my place on the bench

She shook her head. "For Ezmeralda it is more getting a vague peek at future prosperities or plight then seeing the entire future. She is often lucky if she receives only a comprehensible hint of what is to come. We still have not seen anything of the world outside the mountains in all these years. Then there is also the fact that I have not seen anything for many millenia."

I sat patiently, waiting for her to go on. although I was unsure of what she meant. She seemed to know this.

"I am blind Cadenza."

"Go on," I said empathetically. She was a mare who was brief in what she said and never repeated herself so it was important for me to pay attention to what she said.

"I used my eyes to make something special, but now they are lost from the light."

The temperature seemed to drop. "Do you want me to find them since you're...umm..."

Dead? No that won't work. Unable? Well, it is the best I've got.

"...Since you're unable?"

"Yes," she whispered so quiet I almost hadn't heard her.

"Where are they?"

Another shake of her head. "Hidden, like the Heart by the one you call friend for he could not use them. They must be found and returned to the light Cadenza, not to me. The Empire was weakened during that Shadow's reign and the loss of the Eyes has taken it's toll for you see these artifacts are more powerful when both work together. The Heart might freeze if one of its partners is not recovered."

Freeze? That didn't sound good.

I nodded again this time more frantically and then readied to leave, walking over to the door marked 'Empire' when she called out. "Cadenza, there is one thing I must tell you."

When I turned around I noticed with alarm frost spreading across the room.

"The Empire will not be in danger of decay but there is one you must beware. Do not trust the wraith that haunts the halls of this castle!"

A wraith? I never knew the castle was haunted. Just what else was in here that I didn't know about? A waterpark?! I had to know more about this ghost.

I turned back to ask her one last question, frost already grasping at my hooves. Uh-oh...

She faced me, and I saw a translucent hoof push me and then she dissolved into a streak of sapphire light as I was pushed trough the door.

As I escaped the last bit of ice, emerging in the Crystal Heart Plaza, currently empty.  I remembered that the opal colored orb wasn't there although I wasn't sure how it fit into all this.

Only I noticed the stinging cold that could be felt by gently prodding the heart. It seems I was without guidance. What I would do to have even a certain cynic here to help out in his own particular way.

...

That was two days ago, and already I was sliding down another wall in frustration.

Twilight just had to pry...it was hard not to pity those two. They would be stuck on the train together as well. I just hope Sombra doesn't do anything else to hurt poor Twi.

At least I would be the only member of royalty in the castle. With Shining Armor at a hospital in Canterlot for the broken leg as a result of my last adventure, it would be easier to ensure that nopony else got hurt.

All I needed to do was make sure everypony who worked here got a nice vacation.

A nice paid vacation, I thought with a smile as I left the room and Twilight's troubles behind me. After all who can resist that?

It was time for some very intense hide and seek. The eyes will hide, and I will seek.

...

I presumed that dark magic would be involved. This means I had to be prepared. After everypony got news of their paid vacations I got to work.

Manespray? Check!

Lovely boots I wore to that concert a few years ago? A must!

Talcum power for ghosts? Definite check!

Granola bars and other assorted snacks? Affirmative! I have to eat at some point right?

Silver hoop earrings? Double yes!

Emergency eyeliner! I can't forget it!

The most obscure magic books I could find? Acquired!

I was even able to locate a book on ghosts in the library.

I wasn't incredibly sure on how to ghost hunt, but according to my book talcum powder would show any spooky hoofprints that weren't mine. Since I would be wearing very unusual boots I would be able to tell mine from the ghost's.

Now, all I have to do is wait for nightfall to see if I can find any hidden passages, since using dark magic in broad daylight-even in the castle-is not very smart.

All I have to do is warm up my brain and wait for sunset, I thought as I stared out at the evening sky which was still blue. I picked up a sudoku book I had found lying around the castle earlier a few of its pages were very loose and the spine was dented, suggesting somepony had dropped it but otherwise it was fine.

I grabbed a pencil and flipped open to the first page and I hoped I was still as good at these as when I foalsat for Twilight.