The First Immortal

The following weeks after the presentation were hectic. Khalifa had been busy reading up on reports and commentary regarding the Unicorn project. So far, there were seven hundred and twenty-two unicorns present in the world. He found this amazing. The first unicorn, whom he was actually traveling to meet, was a mare. Her name was Amalthea and she was supposedly born from molten diamond. Though the diamond could only be liquefied for a short instant, they used that instant to strike the pool of diamond with creation magic. The purest form of magic known to man. The report then went on to state that as she stood before the men who had created her, she shimmered like morning dew. She was unable to speak, yet she showed obvious signs of wanting to learn. Ever since then she had been learning.

That was thirty years before. Since then, unicorns had been able to prosper among each other. They were even capable of producing offspring. This aligned perfectly with humanity's intentions. Far to the east on the surface world, the unicorns lived in a land that would serve as their home. Amalthea, being first among them, serving as their queen. Leading the unicorns in magical practice to maintain the sun. Khalifa shaded his lens-covered eyes as he, Prince Judea, and King Kareth made their way across the calm skies of the surface world. The wind fought against them as their ship plowed through clouds like a train through snow. It was a small ship yet fit for a kind. The railings were gold and deck was covered in a very deep royal purple. It's engines spewed a marvelous white and gold fire that trailed through the sky. The figure head a brass griffin, spreading its wings along the port and starboard, its claws bared in pride. This was the Anzu.

The king sat lazily in his long chair near the bow, quietly gazing ahead. Khalifa and Judea sat idly by the railing passing time as they waited for their arrival. Khalifa was staring down into the passing fields as they whisked through the air. Agartha was only moments behind them. He look to the side, leaning further over the railing to see the platform in the distance that served as the entrance into the city. Surrounding that platform was a large town. Babel. The town was growing smaller by the seconds and Khalifa found himself already growing somewhat homesick.

"And from what Father has told me, she is as big as a man. Almost twice his size!" Judea said, raising his arms.

Khalifa only gave him a sideways glance, just then remembering he had been talking.

"Impossible. In the pictures she is just a head above Lord Malik'hen. Has the king seen her?"

Judea then leaned back on the railing, folding his arms.

"No actually. He never had any time to. He's only heard reports from the original team. Today will be his first sight of her."

"Then how can you be sure? Though, there are a lot of rumors about her. I heard that she is so beautiful, she could tempt a priest into sin!"

"A horse? Impossible."

Judea was then silent. Khalifa watched his face shift in and out of curiosity as he pondered the thought.

"Really?" he finally said.

"Apparently."

"How about you then? Would she tempt you? Could you love a unicorn?" Judea asked jokingly.

But Khalifa considered it regardless. He had to admit to himself that he did find the idea of a unicorn extremely appealing. He thought maybe it to be an infatuation with the supernatural world. Things outside reality waiting to be understood and known fully. He at least loved -that- idea. Though, he supposed in the end, it would come right down to xenophilia. But he never thought too much on the subject, and never did he openly express his opinion about it.

"Maybe. Stranger things have happened in both myth and reality."

"So, you would...?" Judea then leaned in, getting too close for comfort. Khalifa backed away, trying to keep the prince from coming any closer.

"I don't know. Well, I suppose if we got to know each other first..."

Judea only stared at him, resting his elbow on the railing. For a long while he was quiet, mulling over the words in his head. Khalifa stared back, now unsure of himself. It seemed like a few hours past until Judea finally spoke again.

"Freak."

Khalifa then shoved him, the pair laughing. The king looked over his shoulder to see them both shouting at one another. In his eyes, they were still the young children from long ago. Shouting at one another over petty insults and trivial matters. It made him smile. Through his sickness, few things gave him reason to continue living. He was ancient. Three centuries of age. Very few things were new to King Kerath, but his son's friendship remain a mystery to him. To him, friendship was fleeting and friends never stayed in one's life for too long. Eventually, friends came and went like the passing of time. It was very rare one could find a friend who would stick with them for a lifetime. Both Judea and Khalifa were of the same age. For forty years they had been friends. And that was just the start of their life. Humans live much longer than they did in ancient times. Some scratching the surface of four hundred.

Humans aged very slowly. Where a man would be fifty, he'd look as if he were still spry and as young as a twenty year old. But even then age was beginning to catch up to the old king. Had he not come in contact with the plague, he would be nearing death's door regardless. He leaned back in his chair and savored the sweet air around him. Like most Agarthan people he loved the surface. But he still held a resentment towards the people who indulged in meaningless celebration. The king then huffed a great big sigh as he began to doze. Though he was somewhat excited to finally meet the unicorn- Amalthea- he wouldn't stay awake for the entire trip. And so he slept a deep sleep one could only get when sailing among the clouds. Khalifa and the prince finally settled down and sat by the railings. Their feet were spread apart and their hands were placed in their laps. The both of them stared high into the sky, somewhat trying to look past the blue and into the black that stretched beyond into nothingness.

"What if we are not the only ones to have created unicorns? What if unicorns had already existed on another world?" Judea asked. Khalifa then folded his arms in thought.

"Another world? Judea, there is no other world but ours. It's what the church says."

"Well, let me rephrase what I said. Suppose that there is another world. Heaven."

"Heaven?"

"Yes. God's realm. Do you suppose he had already created unicorns, and that we merely discovered how he had done it?"

"...Perhaps. But why? What brought this on?"

Judea then shot a vacant stare at his father who slept peacefully. He had done a lot of thinking recently. Mainly brought on by that woman in K'veer, and something more.

"If God had already created unicorns. Would it be impossible to say he created this plague? And thus, creating a cure?"

"Well, I don't rightfully know. But if you were right, then what?"

A long dreadful pause came from Judea. He was staring straight ahead and his mouth hung slightly open. It wasn't until Khalifa nudged him that he regained his thought. Judea then turned to Khalifa. His gaze chilling, similar to a dead man's.

"Khalifa. I have it. I have the Sickness."

Khalifa's eyes shot wide open and he jumped to his feet. Judea didn't bother looking up at him and instead stared at the floor.

"Why haven't you told anyone!?" he shouted.

"What good would it do!? My father will soon die and soon I'll have to take the throne! How would the people feel if they knew their next king was already in his grave?"

Judea then stood. He was but a hand's width away from Khalifa's face. Khalifa had noticed just how pale the prince was. And his mind played back to the demonstration of the weapon. He was very pale then.

"Judea....tell me. How long have you known?"

Khalifa grabbed him by the shoulders in a panic. He shook him roughly and asked him again. Judea only moved his hands away from him and stepped back.

"A few weeks ago. I awoke in agony. It was a pain I've never felt before, and can hardly describe. It encaged my heart and I found myself unable to breath. I looked into the mirror, and in my eyes....there was a mist in them. A white mist that gave the appearance of blindness."

"The same as the kings?!"

Judea nodded.

"Yes. It was then that I knew. And for a time, I fell into despair. ...Do you remember what I said to you? In K'veer?"

Khalifa then paused, thinking back to his visit a month ago. After he healed the woman. It was then that he realized. Judea was afraid. Afraid of being alienated. Hated and feared. He was afraid of being left to die alone and be forgotten.

"I remember."

Judea hung his head low. He was quivering and his knees threatened to buckle over. Khalifa looked inside himself for anything to say. Anything that might ease that pain in him and his friend. He dug deep. So deep that he had reached the bottom of his heart, and then dug through it. He came to only one conclusion. But as he did, he immediately tried to find others, but saw none. Each time he thought of a method, it only looped back to the first conclusion. But that conclusion, was a sin. The ultimate sin. Even still, in that moment, he considered an eternity of damnation for his friend.

"Heaven." Khalifa said the word aloud and Judea shot his eyes to attention. "I don't know if God created unicorns. Or if he spread the plague to punish us for whatever his will may be. But I think I know where the answer lies. And that is in Heaven. I'll get you there. I'll figure out how."

Khalifa then looked into Judea's eyes. For the first time he saw how pale they were. Judea then stifled a laugh. With his right arm, he struck Khalifa on the shoulder.

"Careful what you say. Had I been another, I may have reported you to the church."

Khalifa scoffed and turned away, crossing his arms angrily. Judea laughed aloud. His laugh was like an ignition of flame.

"But thank you. It means a lot."

Khalifa had stiffened to his touch. It felt like a brisk wind had blown over him. But he soon relaxed and turned to his friend.

"I mean it, Judea. Even if it means throwing down all my morals, I will help you. What you said to me, on K'veer. You said you hated sickness. That you'd like to see a world without it. Just now I realized, the solution may be in the Alicorn project."

Judea stepped back. His hand fell to his side and a look of cautious fear overtook him.

"...You mean, immortality?" he asked.

Though he was afraid to hear the answer.

"If it comes to that. Think about it. An alicorn would be the perfect being. Suffering no sickness. No blight of age. An alicorn would be eternal and never dying. Think about what we could do with that!"

Khalifa outstretched his arm, appearing bigger than he was. Judea seemed to close in on himself as he shied away from his friend. He turned his head away, his pale eyes looking at the floor again.

"Khalifa..what you say is blasphemy. We aren't meant to live forever. It is law."

Then Khalifa threw his arms downward. The air blew in between them as they stood in silence. Never had he seen Judea so withdrawn on a subject. Many times they had discussed ethics at length. So much as challenging the very word of God. But to see him so small and shying made Khalifa feel like he was suddenly a stranger. Judea then returned his stare. And as he did, Khalifa felt a wave of relief.

"I am very lucky to have you for a friend. It means the world to me that you'd be willing to do so much."

"You know I would. Think on it. Who knows, immortality is only one solution. There are endless possibilities Judea. All we need is one."

A flash of confidence then shot across the prince's face. He stood upright, now level with Khalifa. He never figured him to be so generous. So committed to him that he'd be willing to even speak such words. It made him happy, even if his plans would never come into fruition.

"One possibility then? Right. But before all that, you have business. Try and concentrate on one task alone, won't you? You tend to get sloppy and forgetful when focusing on more than one project."

Khalifa smiled and nodded. It was then that he had decided on his great ambition. To see his friend's dream realized. A world without the sick.

The land of unicorns was very far. Further than the horizon and as distant as the sky. If a man wandered in, he would not know that he had slip into such a realm. It was a land hidden in plain sight. The land of unicorns, was a forest. Trees sprang up from the ground to stretch their branches across the bases of clouds. It was rich with life, from the biggest cat to the smallest mouse. Not one animal stood absent. The Anzu gracefully touched ground in a pasture just outside the magical forest. It was night, a chill following them as they disembarked. The pale moon sat contently parallel to the ground. Stars blinked in and out across the sky and dark purple clouds circled around the perimeter of the forest, not wanting to obscure the view of the night.

As the party stepped down the gangplank, there were none to greet them. All that stood before them were the shadows that creeped out of the forest. The king was the first to step forth, his robes brushing over the tall grass. He held open his palms and raised his arms. With a single motion he clapped, the sound as loud as thunder. Soon after, men emerged from the thickets and bushes. These men were not dressed like normal guards. They were dressed in darker colors and wore shining silver helmets that covered their eyes. Long black cloaks covered them, only allowing you to see under them when they moved across the pasture. There were five of them and they all came to the king's feet and bowed their heads low.

"Your Majesty." they said in unison.

Then they arose, greeting both Judea and Khalifa.

"I will have no delay. Take us to where they reside, and see that they know we are here." Kerath said commandingly.

A single guard bowed out of the gathering, placing his hand over his heart. If Khalifa hand't been watching, he wouldn't have seen the man's insane speed as he took off into the dark forest. Now that Khalifa studied them closer, he saw that they were Umbran Guards. The Umbran Guard were an order of immense secrecy. There were never more than fifty in the order at a time. They were the elite of the elite. And at times, they were the king's special forces, secret police, viziers and other such rolls. That had been the first time Khalifa had actually seen them and he found himself shifting nervously in his stance.

"Take us to the unicorns." the king commanded.

The guards then formed a line and began to march ahead. Khalifa and Judea followed the king as they left the open air and melded into the forest. Darkness seemed to slowly wrap them in layers. The canopy above was so thick that the moonlight could hardly breach it. The quickly approaching darkness was unnerving. Sounds followed soon after the loss of visibility. For a moment the sound of the entire earth could be heard in that darkness. Then the forest floor began to illuminate with each of their steps. A trail of magical blue dust marked their path through the dense wood.

Looking about him as they moved through the darkness, Khalifa swore he saw movement in the dark. Though it were impossible to see more than a few feet around him, he trained his eye on an object in the dark. It was still. Almost like a statue. But he was sure that it was there. He stared at it and he could feel that whatever he was looking at, stared back at him. Then in an instant, it was gone. Judea nudged his shoulder from behind and whispered into his ear.

"Did you see that?" he asked.

Khalifa's eyes then went wide.

"You saw it too?"

"It was massive.... like a great beast. It was still as stone, I nearly thought I was seeing things. But then it leapt away into the dark."

They walked on, keeping their eyes trained on the blackness around them. As they journeyed further into the forest, they saw more and more beasts in the darkness. They all watched them, and some even followed. Around them they could hear whispers. But they were almost in another language. Finally, they came to a clearing in the forest. The moonlight encompassed it, bathing the large clearing in its pale light. For a moment they stood in silence. Then they heard the twigs and leaves begin to snap under hooves and animals part ways to allow the beasts that followed them. Khalifa could do nothing but stare as he saw the beings come into the light. Unicorns.

They came in many colors. Colors that were unnatural. Their horns were as sharp as mountain peaks and their hooves as light as feathers. They stood in silence, their eyes staring into the humans. None dared to say anything. Not even the king who was blown away. His words were taken from him as he stared at their beauty. King Kerath nearly wept as he spun around, taking in the sight of all of them. "Real unicorns!" he thought. Both Khalifa and the prince were equally dazzled, though that dazzle was but a precursor. Another approached.

It was a unicorn, yes. But much more than that. It had been the first. She had been the first. She was their queen. And in a sense, their mother. She was tall, much larger than the rest. She walked with the care and stillness of a deer and it wasn't clear if her hooves exactly touched the grass beneath her. Her ears were thin, sticking up like needles. Her tail that of a lion's; long and trailing behind her with silver hair sprouting at the tip. She was a white mare. Whiter than white and as pure as Christ. Her mane was molded from snow and her eyes the largest blue diamonds. Her fetlocks were long, trailing down her cloven hooves. And in the center of her head, a single shimmering horn that came to a point sharper than the sting of love she instilled within longing hearts. She was Amalthea.

The three men felt their breath fly out of them and for a second they struggled to breath. Kerath felt himself bend over and bow to the creature as she came to a stop in front of him. The prince and Khalifa did the same; Khalifa wanting more so to throw himself at the ground. Amalthea stood over them. For a long while she observed them, craning her head in curiosity as she looked them over. Though she towered over the three, she did not appear as though she judged them. She was merely inspecting the new men who came into her forest. Her expression was empty. Vacant of any signs of hostility or hospitality. Her gaze settled on the king and she stared deeply into his white eyes. Kerath could not tear his gaze away from her and he felt a power come over him. A power he nor any poet could ever bring to life in words. And then she unexpectedly bowed her head low, her horn coming inches away from his face. Kerath drew a sharp breath in surprise. The motion was so swift and graceful that it felt like he had seen the wind pass through him. Finally she spoke. A voice as quiet as a psalm but all the more imposing.

"I welcome you to our forest, my king. I am Queen Amalthea. Your humble servant."

Around the three, the other unicorns began to bow their heads as well. The idea gave the king a sense of irony; such creatures bowing to him and calling him 'king'. He felt it was improper, yet he allowed it.

"There has never been a servant so beautiful and majestic in the reign of fifty kings. I must consider myself lucky." Kerath said. He then moved aside after regaining his composure and motioned to Judea and Khalifa.

"This is my son. The Prince Judea. And this is Lord Solomon Khalifa. He is to head the Alicorn project."

Like before she bowed politely. Khalifa returned the gesture, feeling he had to out of respect. He had to admit to himself that she was indeed beautiful. By far the most beautiful creature he had ever laid eyes on. He found himself instantaneously drawn to her and felt he had to know more of the first unicorn. But there would be time for that. Khalifa figured that for the time being, he would simply watch her.

"We all look forward to your discoveries, My Lord." Amalthea said.

"And I look forward to working with you." Khalifa replied.

Amalthea then went on to Judea, who found himself avoiding her deep blue eyes.

"Hello to you too, my prince."

Judea's pale eyes then snapped to her and like his father he was caught in her trap. She smiled at him. A gesture that seemed new to her, as she did not know how to properly mimic the expression. For unicorns never smiled nor frowned. Judea found himself smiling back and it put his racing mind at ease.

"I have been waiting for this day. For a very long time. Since my birth I had longed to meet the man who conceived me."

The use of the word conceive made Khalifa shift uncomfortably. True that King Kerath was responsible for the method used to create Amalthea. But he never really applied the concept of conception to it. But he supposed that in a way, she had been correct. As far as she was concerned, the king was her father.

"And I have longed to see the day when I would meet you, and your wonderful people. Had I been a more younger, foolish man, I would have given myself to love at first sight." Kerath chuckled.

Amalthea tried once more to smile, the second time coming off a little less awkward. Again Khalifa shifted in his stance. It didn't sit well that the unicorn's 'father' was coming on to her.

"So bold, Your Majesty! Had you indeed been younger, I feel I wouldn't be able to resist."

The pair laughed into the still air. Khalifa stepped closer to Judea amidst their chatter.

"What do you make of her?" he asked.

Judea only stared, unable to take his eyes off her.

"Well.....she certainly is beautiful. It's hard to believe she is even there."

"Aye. She has an aura about her. One that implies that she cannot be ruled. Hard to believe we created her."

Judea's eyes snapped from Amalthea and looked down in thought. Though she was queen she was still a servant of man. But she seemed too unruly and independent. Too good for the world. A mere man could never hope to hold such a creature. The two men watched the king and the unicorn for a little while before looking about them. The other unicorns were all absent. Gone back into the dark. They hadn't noticed that the conversation had died and Amalthea was then standing over them once again.

"They are preparing for dawn." she said.

Khalifa and Judea were startled and they felt their skin frost over in fear. Not only did she startle them, but she knew what they had been thinking.

"I see. I was thinking where they had went off to. How did you know?" Judea asked.

Amalthea then shook her head, her sharp horn cutting the air.

"I did not. I only assumed."

She then turned back to Kerath. He was standing with the Umbran Guard and had been waiting to move on.

"If you all would follow me. I will show you to the city."

Amalthea didn't stop to wait for them. Instead she continued on her own, half forgetting that the humans had even been there to begin with. They all followed, rearing behind her like moths drawn to a flame. Stepping back into the dark forest, the trees began to glow. It was a light as delicate as dandelions. It illuminated the dark forest, giving light to the trees and nocturne animals that scurried by. The animals all watched Amalthea, for no mind could resist the alluring form of a unicorn. The men watched as she pressed on. The wind that flowed along the forest floor now rushed to them. Trailing around them and tossing their hair around. The light then left the trees, shooting into the sky and like a firework, exploding into a multitude of colors.

The sound was deafening. It was like listening to the roar of a star as comets and asteroids crashed into it. Around them the trees began to bend and misshapen. They curled around themselves and dissipated. Only then had it been apparent that they were only illusion. In fact, the entire forest was a conjuring of the unicorn's power. A camouflage to conceal their presence. Where the trees and thickets once stood were structures that hadn't been there. Roads and streets replaced the earth beneath them. Towering spires and turrets. All capped with colorful onion shaped domes. Each structure a master mason's work of marble and polished stone. Now that the mirage of the forest had been dispelled, the whole of the city revealed itself to them in a blinding light. Even more unicorns walked the streets, no longer hiding. Lights from lanterns and torches lit the streets, making the city come to life. The forest was no longer dark and mysterious. But bright and comforting.

Amalthea still walked on, feeling more at home. Her tail swayed happily behind her and for the first time her hooves touched the ground. She was no longer in the world of man. They all had crossed over into the unicornian utopia. This was her home, as well as the home of all unicorns. Judea struggled to keep up. He tried to take in everything about the newly appeared city. Trying to take in ever detail, every aspect of unicorn life. But he found that he could not focus on one thing. Where he'd train his gaze, another thing would catch him and pull him in. Multiple times he stopped walking and slightly strayed off the path to go investigate. Khalifa was very similar. He was excited. Dangerously close to running off and exploring. He was curious and he felt that at any moment he would give into his curiosity. But they ultimately kept their way forward. Following Amalthea they came to gigantic steps. It was a pyramid. Massive in height. Taller than any structure Khalifa had seen in his lifetime. It stretched into the night sky like a monolith. It was four sided, the same massive steps trailing up each side. Unicorns could be seen making their way to the top. Kerath then stopped. Amalthea felt this and halted, turning to him.

"Your Majesty?" she asked. Kerath smiled and waved her off.

"Steps have become challenging for me in my old age. I will wait here."

Judea moved closer to his father and took him by the arms.

"Are you alright?" he whispered.

Kerath nodded over and over, patting Judea on the back.

"I'll be fine. It's almost third bell. The sun will be rising soon. I will watch from here. I'm sure Amalthea would like to show you both sunrise. Go on."

The old king then shooed Judea away. The prince was hesitant but ultimately complied. He then wondered how long he had before he would be like his father. Old and sick, unable to move as freely as he liked. Judea fell solemn as he stepped away from his father.

"We won't be long." Khalifa said, breaking the silence.

Khalifa took Judea gingerly by the arm and lead him up the stairs. They passed Amalthea, who had been ever so still. She stared at the king who avoided her. In her presence, he felt ashamed of his sickness. Then she moved her gaze to Judea's back as he moved up the steep steps. She said nothing. But she understood. Giving one last glance at Kerath, she found him staring. His eyes chilling. Almost defeated. She had noticed that it was a lot like his son's. She felt it unnatural and it sickened her and filled her with great sorrow. But as she stared at him, she remembered the other man that had came with them. The young Lord Khalifa. It was then in that moment that she felt a connection with the three. Predominantly in Khalifa.

"Well then. Don't keep them waiting. I expect you to give them quite a show, Amalthea." Kerath said.

Amalthea was still silent. But she bowed and left him to continue with the others up the steps. She did not know what plagued the king and his son, but she knew Khalifa was the one who would rid them of it. But quickly she put away her thoughts. A unicorn never dwelled on anything for too long. Especially omens. As they climbed, the stars around them seemed to grow closer. As if they had been walking onto the edge of Earth's domain. Nearing the top, Judea saw that many unicorns had gathered in a circle. There were about fifteen and they all waited patiently for the queen. Amalthea glided up the stairs and walked out onto the dais in the pyramid's center. She stood in the heart of the circle and her fellow unicorns looked up to her in waiting.

"So how is it done?" Judea asked.

Khalifa brought his voice down to a whisper. Knowing that the ritual required immense focus.

"From what I've read from Lord Malik'hen's reports; the unicorns gather and link their magical essence to the sun. In a way, they tie themselves to the sun and 'pull' it upward. But such a connection literally burns away their magical capabilities in time. The average serving time for a Solar Herald is usually about seven years."

"Seven years? But the queen has been doing it for far longer. How does she participate?"

Khalifa was now watching the ceremony begin. He was making note of everything he saw. From the stillness of each unicorn. To the soft light that swirled around their hooves and undersides of their eyes.

"The queen has long since lost her magic. But, due to her means of creation, she is quite unique. Have you noticed her slight translucent nature? You wouldn't be far off if you said she were made of glass. She acts as a lens of sorts- a catalyst. Though she herself has no magic, she can harbor the magic of others and amplify it. A process which originally took thirty unicorns, now requires only fifteen."

Amalthea stood calmly in the center as magic began to pour into her. For her, it was like liquid fire being poured into her veins. Though she wouldn't describe it as painful. Rather it was very pleasant. She could feel the magic swirl within her core. Like an angry sea of energy it surged within her. Her hooves left the stone beneath her as she began to slowly rise into the air. Around her, unicorns swayed and chanted. The peak of the pyramid was now overcome in a warm aura. Khalifa and Judea felt like total strangers. They were witnessing something only a few in the world would ever see.

Every unicorn's horn pointed directly at Amalthea, light radiating off them and swirling in a spiral around Amalthea. Her eyes were gigantic orbs of white light. The horn atop her head was encased in ethereal energy as she raised her head as if to drink from the night sky. The queen's mane now lashed out in separate directions, changing color. It was like her mane had become an aurora borealis. The two men who had came to the unicorn's forest were now speechless. Never in all their years had they witnessed such a beauty. They found themselves struck with inspiration and wonder.

Just over the horizon, the sun began to peak out from the distance. Its golden light igniting like a fire across the far off mountains and trees. Amalthea was now high in the sky. Shining like a biblical star. Wings of light began to protrude from her back. They encased her, wrapping around her and forming a sphere. She looked like an egg. Inside she incubated her magical tie with the sun. On her flanks a magical projection of the sun burned brightly. In an instant, she burst from the sphere, her wings spread wide and casting light in all directions. A single stream of magic blasted from her horn and into the horizon, catching the sun. Amalthea then pulled. With all her might she pulled the massive sphere into the air. The unicorns below still chanted and channeled their energy. Each chant a drum beat in the heart of man.

Everyone below the pyramid looked up. Every unicorns. Every creature of the forest. The king. Everyone around the world witnessed dawn. Amalthea then summoned all her remaining strength and with one final pull she shot the sun into the sky. With the sun taking its rightful place in the sky, Amalthea gently floated down back onto the dais. Her eyes were still shut tightly, tiny streams of light still leaking out like steam. Khalifa would have hurried to her if he weren't caught in a trance. He was still trapped by the beauty of the sun, and Judea fared no better. Around them, the unicorns began to rise. They themselves were dizzy and stumbled about themselves. Amalthea slowly came to, opening her eyes to see the blurry forms of those around her. Her eyes trained on the two men who stood wide eyed and slack jawed.

Slowly, she steadied herself on her hooves and began to cautiously trot her way over to them. Her eyes returned to their deep blue, her mane was once again the color of sea foam, and the sun glyph on her flanks was now long gone. Once again she stood over the humans, proud and imposing. Khalifa found himself questioning if she really was a product of human creation. He felt it impossible for anything less than a god able to create such a creature. Judea's pale eyes nearly swelled with tears. He turned away, hiding his face.

"I will go and meet my father." he said hastily.

He didn't waste time fleeing from her and descending the steps. Though he wouldn't admit it, he felt a surprising amount of fear within him. He had to get away as quickly as possible before he became slave to her beauty. Every other unicorn descended the pyramid as well, leaving Khalifa and Amalthea alone, baptized in the morning light. He didn't dare speak first, and she would not utter a word unless spoken to. For a very long while they simply stared at each other. Finally, Amalthea smiled, now more accustomed to the expression. It was genuine and calming. Without a word she passed him by and followed after Judea. Khalifa didn't turn to see her go. Instead he continued to stare into the sky.

"Unicorns, a creation of man." he said allowed.

Then he quickly turned on his heels and stared at Amalthea as she moved away. Khalifa found himself filled with the fires of ambition. After witnessing such a display, he was determined. Before, he had secretly doubted the possibility of an alicorn. But after seeing what was possible with the work of magic, he was sure of himself. He was confident. And if an alicorn were possible, so was a cure for the plague. Amalthea was a key. She would be necessary in his plans to eradicate the sickness and capture the sun. The first unicorn would be the first alicorn. Judea would live to see a world without sickness. And his curiosity would finally be sated.

He balled his fists at his sides and felt the wind on his face. The surface was such a magnificent place. There were so many wonders to explore there and he felt it calling to him. He inhaled deeply, indulging himself in the clean forest air. Now that there was a new driving force behind him, Khalifa descended the steps to join the others. There was a lot of work ahead of him and he was more than excited to get to it.