Strong Hearts, Undying Flames
by CasualColt
Chapter 1 - Search for the past
Magic exists in many forms around the universe; it is used, abused, or ignored by nearly every living being out there. This is true enough for me.
The name is Cliff punter. I have just turned seventeen and I’m finishing up my final year of high school. I could have been what anybody would call totally normal, except for one tiny detail. It so happens that I have the ability to use and manipulate magical energy; I’m a sorcerer taught by my uncle.
My parents and my younger brother Jake disappeared after an unknown incident during a picnic trip when I was about five years old. I was found two days later, lost and starving in the middle of the forest clearing with no recollection of what had happened to them. Cody, my father’s younger brother searched high and low trying to piece together the whole situation but without success. Eventually, Cody took me in as his son, having no children of his own, and from that day forward I became the child of a sorcerer.
My uncle, Cody Punter and I, are two of the last sorcerers left on planet Earth. Most of the world remains oblivious of our existence. There are still a small number of people who can detect magical energy, so called ghost whisperers or psychics, but people like us are far more legitimate and rare. I only know of two others apart from myself and Cody that have this ability. Did I also mention that Cody is also incredibly well connected? Every time he takes me around for one of his ‘lessons’ we take a private jet and travel to some remote location to study some godforsaken ruin or temple, usually protected by all manner of wards and curses.
This is not to say that I’m rich or pampered, hell Cody is one strict cookie. I was about seven when I first showed signs of magical power to which prompted Cody to start my training in magic. On our first ‘lesson’ he dumped me in the middle of a dessert. The only way I could escape was to walk for a week in the direction of the rising sun, learning to draw water with my magic from deep underneath the ground, hiding my presence from desert predators that prowled the cold nights. Not only did I almost die when reaching the desert town, Cody also proceeded to ridicule me in being too slow and pulled me for another ‘lesson’ that very day. THAT’S not the worst of it. Cody’s lessons might seem extreme, but he damn well made sure my safety was the number one priority. He even sacrificed the eyesight of his left eye to save me from a curse I unwittingly set loose during my first foray into an ancient temple.
Earth, the world we live in today, is currently devoid of ambient magic. Only mere traces remain in what used to be a world thriving with magical energy. From what Cody had taught me, thousands of years ago, in a time when mankind was struggling to survive in a world populated by strong and dangerous magical creatures, we inherited the ability to alter our surroundings with willpower, drawing magical energy from ourselves.
Soon, mankind made a great leap forward, rising above all other creatures. We developed language, then towns soon enough we formed cities, all populated with people with magical capabilities. At first, mankind could only draw energy from what some call it the life-force of their own bodies. Human magic was simpler in those times, with the enormous strain it posed on the body. This was all about to change in the discovery of the ability to draw magical energy from the surrounding world rather than the body.
Though its initial influence to mankind was small, magical research and discovery exploded out of proportion. The discovery of runes, magical catalysts and spell words came into being. This progress, elevated mankind’s magical abilities to an even higher level and resulted in an enormous drain of magical energy from the world. This caused absolute pandemonium, most other magical creatures died from this rapid drain of ambient magic. It erratically caused areas once lush with life to transform into barren wasteland. Soon when war broke out between neighbouring clans, the strain of magic consumption threatened to destroy the world. Fearing the worse, a group of elders gathered trying to end the conflict, and as a final resort, proceeded to wipe out most of the population including themselves in a gigantic flood that cleansed the world. With the lack of ambient magical energy, the resulting generations of humans had no capability of controlling inner magic and most if not all magical beasts have gone extinct.
That is the history of the world I learned from Cody. Slowly but surely, magic would eventually return to Earth over time from the life-energy of all living things.
Ever had a dream that was so real that you thought your past life never existed? Only recently, the sinister nightmare of my past had reawakened from its slumber. Who would have thought that in my search of the past could have disastrous consequences.
Chapter 2
On all fours
The crackle of magical energy reverberated in the still air. In the middle of the small, dank basement sat a figure on the cold grimy floor, his eyes closed. The young man was wearing a plain grey collared shirt with a pair of dark blue jeans; his black hair was billowing as if caught in a slight breeze. Raising his left hand, his thoughts focussed on the bowl of cold white wax which lay close beside him. The soft whisper that left his lips seemed to reverberate and distort the very air around him. In an instant, the cold white wax began to bubble, the contents of the bowl churning loudly. With a gesture towards the centre of the room, the bowl slowly lifted off the ground, floating in the air moving forward. Another murmur and tendrils of wax seem to leap out of the bowl like a giant net, landing quietly on the dusty basement floor forming a large white circle filled with ancient symbols. Opening his eyes, Cliff Punter stared at his down at his handiwork, face full of determination.
It had taken him several months of studious research as well as cunning, to hide all of plans from his ever watchful Uncle. The amount of magical energy for the spell was quite large and due to earth’s poor amount of ambient magical energy, it had meant that he had to spend endless nights absorbing what little energy was available into the storage crystals that lay beside him. This spell was designed for one purpose, to reveal to him the events of that fateful day of his family’s disappearance more than thirteen years ago. From his pocket, Cliff drew out an old photograph; there stood a family of four, two young boys and their parents smiling cheerfully towards the camera. Staring down at the photograph for a few seconds, he flipped it over where another smaller photo was stuck on the back, crudely attached in his earlier years with sticky tape. Here he stood with his uncle on his first birthday while living together with him; he could still see the sadness of his younger self through the eyes but the smile was full of hope and happiness with his uncle was standing beside him, hand on his shoulder. Carefully, he placed the picture back safely into his pocket, before turning back to the circle.
Sorry Cody, I know it must have been hard for you as well, losing your brother like that so suddenly. You’ve have been a great father to me in the last 13 years. But I can’t continue on ignoring these nightmares of mine that continue haunt me. I must find answers.
Closing his eyes, Cliff began the incantation, his words echoed gently, coaxing the surrounding air like a flowing melody. The large crystals beside him gently rising, moving towards the centre of the circle. The lines and symbols in front of him glowing brighter and brighter.
The feeling of countless minds and the thoughts of animals, plants rocks even the land’s rivers and lake engulfed his very soul. Cliff detached himself from the spiritual stream of the world and directed the spell towards that day, the day in which he lost his family. The crystals, now forming a ring around the dead centre of the circle began to glow. The flow of memory engulfed him yet again.
Seeing my family once again, being able to hear and discern their thoughts, both happiness and sadness seem to press upon Cliff in equal measure. It was like listening to a half remembered voice, his mother’s thoughts were busy mulling over day plans for the picnic. An overwhelming cheerfulness seemed to emanate from his father, after finally being able to get free time from work to spend this day with his sons. Both his younger self and Jake were playing around, childish innocence and ignorance, oblivious to their surroundings. Just as his family gathered together, setting up the picnic, a dark presence loomed. Cliff directed his thoughts towards the presence but immediately reeled back in shock. Whatever it was, it was both part of the memory and was conscious of Cliff’s presence. Suddenly his hold on the stream snapped suddenly. Quickly opening his eyes, Cliff gasped to see the rune circle aflame.
No…NO! NO! The fail-safes!
Jumping quickly on his feet, Cliff tried to sever the magical connection between the spell and the crystals. Just as he was about to utter the words, the crystals, one by one, shattered into a billion pieces, pouring magical energy into the centre of the circle. The wax symbols evaporated in the intense heat.
The spell was now out of control, leaving Cliff helpless.
Suddenly the door to the basement smashed open. There stood his uncle, Cody, with his black hair and grisly beard, wearing his usual casual blue suit. His eyes filled with horror gazing at the scene, rushing down the stairs he yelled "WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?!" He was suddenly blocked by an invisible barrier at the foot of the stairs. Turning to face Cliff he saw the young man's raised arm, eyes filled with resignation.
"The spell is no longer under my control," Cliff whispered.
The sound of the spell was like a roaring fire crackling with intense energy. The spell would consume a large portion of the surrounding area and would lead to utter devastation of the surrounding area if left alone. However the spell would end after its original source had been absorbed. Cody banged loudly on the invisible barrier yelling an incantation, trying to undo the barrier but to no avail. He could only watch in horror as the young man, shaking uncontrollably, slowly approached the vortex of energy.
"DON'T YOU EVEN THINK ABOUT IT!"
The young man continued head bowed.
“STOP!”
Suddenly the vortex expanded outwards. With a blinding light, that filled the entire basement, Cody felt the energy barrier give in as he fell to the foot of the stairs. All that remained was the charred floor, the powdered dust of the crystals and the scorched remnants of the bowl that contained the wax. Sobbing in the sudden darkness, the old man cursed to the world.
The sound of the ocean rang loudly in his ears.
Slowly opening his eyes, Cliff found himself gazing into the deep blue expanse of the sea, its slow waves glittering in the sunlight. The feel of the warm sand in between his toes soothed his mind. It was a blissful scene, the ebb and flow of the ocean waves sounded like the breathing of some enormous beast, dozing peacefully. He dropped down on one knee scooping up a fistful of sand with his left hand. Cliff could vividly feel the coarse grains on his skin. Raising his fist, he released them, the slight breeze carrying the grains off into the distance. The sound of laughter could be heard not far away. Turning he saw the silhouette of three people in the distance, a man, a woman and a child.
The child was laughing with glee as the man lifted the small boy up in the air onto his shoulders. The woman's graceful laugh could be heard clearly as the other pair proceeded to run towards shallow water, splashing loudly in the surf.
“Mum! Dad! Jake!” Cliff yelled appreciatively as he started to run towards them, leaving large footprints in the golden sand.
They turned to face him with those loving smiles.
Impenetrable darkness suddenly surrounded him.
The eerie silence engulfed him like a sea of ice to his flesh. His breath quickened, heart raced, hairs prickled on the back of his neck.
He remembered.
In the darkness something stirred, moving slowly and silently. Its gleaming eyes fixed on him.
“No, no not again,” he whimpered softly.
Then the screams rang out.
They pierced him to his very core. Trembling and shaking the screams echoed again and again through his ears.
“CLIFF! HELP ME!” Jake’s voice screamed hysterically, sobbing loudly.
“HELP ME! HELP ME! HELP ME!”
“CLIFF! YOU NEED TO GET OUT OF HERE NOW!” His father yelled, fear bubbling in his voice.
“RUN!”
“DON’T HURT HIM!” mother screeched in desperate pleading.
“DON’T HURT HIM! DON’T HURT HIM! DON’T HURT HIM!”
Cliff charged blindly in the darkness, tears running down his cheeks trying desperately to reach the voices. Their screams of pain and anguish became louder and LOUDER. Cliff fell over in the darkness; waves of helplessness crashed on top of him. He covered his ears in between his hands and lay sobbing on the cold dank nothingness.
Then the screams immediately stopped.
The silent creature moved forward its eyes glowing. Something was different this time, Cliff, by this time, would usually be jarred awake by the screaming, so what was going on? Shivering and convulsing he looked up at his tormentor. Looming out of the darkness the beast gave a soft dark laugh and revealed its face. A horribly familiar face, one greatly contorted in malicious glee, black liquid oozing from its eyes and mouth.
He was staring at himself.
“NOOOOOOOOOOOOO!”
Heart still pounding loudly in his chest, Cliff awoke with a start. Breathing heavily, a bead of sweat and tears rolled down his cheek, his eyes adjusting to his surroundings. It took Cliff a few seconds to realize that he was in the ward of a hospital. The clean, sterile surfaces gleamed dully. From the amount of light streaming in from the ward window, it was clearly midday. The sound of birds could be heard faintly from outside. He shuddered, the nightmare had resurfaced again. This time it was worse than ever before. Then the most unexpected sound came through the air, breaking his train of thought. The clopping of hooves approached the ward door. As the door opened, out walked a white coated unicorn with glasses along with a pink-maned white pony.
“Are you alright sir?” the unicorn asked.
“What happened? Why are you yelling?” the pony asked.
Cliff had seen his own fair share of crazy things during his 17 years of life. This by far was one of the strangest moments in his life. A unicorn? More importantly, a talking unicorn with another talking horse appearing in a hospital? After a lengthy pause, trying the best he could not to sound dazed at the scene he replied slowly,
“uhh nothing, umm just a nightmare,” confusion and fear obvious in his voice.
“I see,” the unicorn replied. Straightening his glasses with his hoof the unicorn continued.
“Well my name is Doctor Stable, this over here is Nurse Redheart, you have had a slight concussion with several scratches and bruises after a fall you had close to Ghastly Gorge. The mail mare Derpy Hooves, witnessed your fall and found you unconscious at the time and flew you all the way here to the hospital. May I inquire what your name is?”
“uhh my name is Cliff, Cliff Punter.” Cliff absentmindedly attempted to scratch the back of his head with his left hand.
Then it hit him.
He could not feel or move his fingers.
“Is there something wrong?” Doctor stable asked.
Slowly moving his left hand towards his eyes, he stared at it. What used to be fingers were now replaced by a single large bone structure which was indeed a hoof. Quickly raising his right hand and lifting the bed covers, he checked his other limbs. Both his hands and feet where replaced by hooves.
“WHAAAAAAAAAAAAT!?!??”
“M..Mr Punter?” Doctor Stable said nervously.
“Please calm down,” said Nurse Redheart in a slightly anxious voice.
Cliff’s heart began to beat faster and faster. Observing a small rectangular mirror next to his bed, he attempted to seize it but was unable to do so with his new hooves. Doctor stable, observing Cliff’s actions stepped forward. With a small light from his horn, Doctor Stable levitated the mirror to Cliff’s face. Shocked at the sight of magic, but having more pressing issues, Cliff turned to face the mirror. What stared back was a yellow, black maned unicorn with a bandage across his forehead.
He stared at his reflection for a several long minutes. His eyes had grown huge; his skin was now a coat of light yellow fur. Most disturbing of all was the large horn sticking out of his forehead. The only solace he had was that his mane of hair remained sleek and black like his former self, the irises of his eyes remained the same color as well, a warm brown.
“Umm.. are you alright Mr punter?” Doctor stable asked tentatively.
Startled, realizing that both Doctor Stable and Nurse Redheart where still there, he felt a lump rising in his throat. With a large effort he cleared his throat and croaked “how...when did this happen again?”
“Well,” Doctor Stable replied, lowering the mirror to the table, the light from his horn vanishing. “As I’ve said before, Derpy Hooves found you close to Ghastly Gorge at around midnight in which she witnessed your …”
“Where is this Derpy Hooves?” Cliff asked quickly, interrupting Doctor Stable.
“I need to know the exact location of this…this accident.”
“There, there,” said Doctor Stable said in a calming voice. “You needn’t worry about right now, just try to calm down.”
“I NEED TO KNOW!” Cliff stood up, or rather stood all fours; his previous feelings of fear and confusion were now replaced by frustration and anger. He must find out, what happened there. It had to hold answers to his current predicament. “TELL ME WHERE THIS GHASTLY GORGE IS! NOW!!”
“M..Mr Punter?” Doctor Stable stuttered wincing yet again at his yell. “Now really,” Nurse Redheart fired up gazing angrily at him. “Don’t make me call security, sit back down on the bed and CALM down.”
“WHERE IS THIS GHASTLY GORGE??!!!!” Cliff shouted in desperation,, eyes glaring as he jumped off the bed, approaching the cowering spectacled unicorn.
“THIS IS YOUR LAST WARNING!” Nurse Redheart shouted dangerously.
“N…N..Near the Everfree Forest North of Froggy Bottom Bog,” Doctor Stable stuttered.
“SECURITY!!”
Suddenly another clatter of hooves sounded, and a uniformed dark earth pony with a white Mohawk entered, followed closely by another two similarly uniformed earth ponies all with security badges on their chests.
“Restrain him,” said Nurse Redheart, pointing her hoof at Cliff.
Immediately the trio began to edge closer toward Cliff, ready to subdue him to the ground. Backing away slowly, it took Cliff a split second to realize that they were pushing him into one of the corners of the room. The closest of the trio lunged towards him. Cliff, reacted instinctively, as the security colt was about to grab him, both front legs outstretched, Cliff sidestepped; his front hoof knocked into the earth pony’s back legs, causing him to trip and crash into Nurse Redheart. The second tried to ram into him with a tackle, to which Cliff jumped quickly onto the bed, causing the other security colt to slam into the wall. The third, the one with the mohawk grabbed the bed sheets under Cliff with his mouth and yanked the covers off, causing Cliff to tumble on the bed. In the split second in which it took Cliff to recover, the security colt with the mohawk was already on top of him, pinning Cliff’s left front leg to his back. The sharp stab of pain breaking all remaining restraint he had.
“Qū Mó!”
The sound of the words seemed to ripple the air around Cliff. With a flash of white light, the mohawked earth pony was tossed aside, hitting the opposite wall. Cliff jumped back on all fours observing the scene.The trembling Doctor Stable was cowering on the floor, front hooves over his head. Nurse Redheart was looking dazed and woozy, the security colt who hit into her was standing back up. The other security colt, the one who hit the wall, had his front hooves over his forehead, slowly clearing his head before turning to face him. At that moment, two more security ponies, this time both unicorns, galloped into the room, their horns shining brightly. There was nothing for it.
Grabbing the pillow which was lying next to him, Cliff charged towards the window, dodging the incoming bolts of magic fired at him, each missing him by millimetres. With the pillow against his right shoulder, he braced himself as he smashed through the glass window. Fear bubbling inside his chest, time seemed to slow as he looked down, the feeling of weightlessness disappeared as he realized the drop to be far greater than expected. He was falling two stories towards the ground.
“Yǔ LIàNG Jí!”
His body emitted a small glow as he felt the spell take its toll on his body. With his weight lowered by the spell, he shuddered as he landed and all fours on the grass outside of the hospital. Without turning back to check his pursuers, he galloped away towards the dark green forest in the distance.
