Druids and the Wooden Heart

They all were still in the cave sitting around the black orb. Switch had taken care of their wounds and they have got their stuff down. Right now was Spirit working to heal Bites wounds in the core while the others looked at the orb.

Darren grabbed it and looked closer at it. "So this is the prototype? One of the first? I thought they all were gone with the dark mage."

Leaf nodded, Spirit now laid Bites core aside after he did all he could. "A prototype of what? What was that and where does this come this from?"

Darren sighed. "It is something from over thousand years ago but Leaf should explain that she knows more about that." He turned to Switch. "Come help me take care of these animals."

They both stood up and went to the cages of the animals and began to open them. Leaf there while sighed and began to explain. "So to this orb. You probably already noticed that it is made of dark crystals. This kind of crystal can be made with dark magic and was used by a race that attacked the empire once but got banished underneath it. The zebras call them the dark."

Spirit nodded and Leaf continued. "You know what a dark one once did? Long ago one of them did something unforgivable."

Spirit got what she meant and looked at Bites core. "The Timberwolves!"

She nodded. "This orbs was used for a dark spell to rip off their destiny as it was called, in the notes that were made. As you probably know gave the druids the wolves later a destiny with the wooden heart."

She sighed and looked at the dark orb. "But this is what the dark one created at this day we thought that he took all of them down with him."

Spirit raised an eyebrow. "You called it a prototype, what does that mean."

"It means that they made more."

Sprits widen his eyes. "You mean more of these creatures ? How could this happen?"

She sighed again. "Well at this time there was only the archdruid and a few recruits left. As you saw is this one not stable his existents is always on the edge. They decided to make more of them. For every Timberwolf there is a shadow wolf but only for the oldest generations since the spell couldn't reach too far in the future destinies of the wolves. At this time we didn't exactly had the ponies to do anything and as they were gone they took most of their magic."

Spirit looked down. "You mean that they made probably hundreds of these in the years? Can we not free their destiny from these crystal."

Leaf opened hear mouth to answer but Darren, who stood behind Spirit, interrupted her." No you can't. These are no longer the wolves. They are a small thing that was ripped off and destroyed the rest by doing so."

Switch walked next to Leaf and nodded. "He is right. Even if we would be able to free them and repair them there would no place for them. As the druids created the timberwolves, the place from the original wolves was closed."

Spirit looked at the orb and grabbed it. He laid it in his bag and turned to the others and asked slowly. "So what now?"

Darren turned his head around. "Well we should look through the stuff here maybe we find something out about this strange pony."

They all nodded and began to spread in the room but Spirit first tried to talk with Bite. He sat down, closed his eyes and concentrated on his bond. "Bite can you hear me?" "Yes I can hear you but I am still weak." Spirit explained him everything about the shadow wolf.

"What should we do with the black orb?" Spirit looked unsure at his bag and sighed. "I would say we keep it and maybe we find a way to help free it, without killing it." Bite was about to answer but then his mind blacked out and his communication faded.

Spirit opened his eyes and looked closely at Bites core. "Bite? Bite? Are you alright?" Spirit waited a few seconds and made sure that Bite was still alive. As he was completely sure everything was aright, put Spirit Bites core in his left bag before laying the bag carefully aside.

Spirit now began, like the others, to search through the documents and books that were laying around. The first five books were written in the old language so he had to give them to Darren but after a while he came across a folded paper.

As a he unfolded the paper, he saw that it actual had the size of one pony. The first half was a big rune and under it, in the second half, were a bunch of instructions how to make it. The first half was written again in the old language but after that was something written in the equestrian language. There was also a smaller paper which Spirit began to read that part:

Entry number 1:
I have searched for ingredient to finish rune but none of the books even mentioned this rune. It seems that that I have to finish it on my own. I still don't know what this rune is suppose to do but I will find out what.

Entry number 2:
Still nothing found how to finish the rune but I tried the rune without the it but it just absorbs the magic from the nature around it. Considering that there is something missing I guess it is just a side effect.

Entry number 3.
Finally I found something. In a book in the crystal empire I found the rest of the rune but there is still nothing about what the rune is suppose to do. I will add the missing things to the instructions. Now I only have to find a way to get these things.

Entry number 4.
Now I know where to get the pieces but I don't have much time to gather them, if it takes too long time the magic energy will fade from the first object before I can get the last. I will have to follow the order correctly that I take the most unstable the last.

Spirit laid the paper down and turned to the big paper. He turned his head to the others. "Hey I think I found what he is trying to make." The other laid down what they were reading and walked to him. Spirit pointed at the rune. "I think that is what he wants to make. I also found these smaller paper with entries to this rune."

He gave Darren the smaller paper while Switch began to read the instructions and Leaf began to look at the rune. Spirit read to the instructions form what was written in equestrian.

"When the rune is drawn you need four objects that you place in the four circles in the middle. Then activate first the whole rune then power the four circles, one after another, with extra magic. The four things you need are a Alircorn feather, magic from the nature, a root from harmony itself and the breath of the cold ones.

The order is very important! If not followed the energy might faded before finishing the ritual. "

As Spirit finished reading it he saw a small note on the side. It were four letters: M A R B. He turned to the others. "Hey I think I found something."

They all turned to him. Switch raised an eyebrow. "M A R B? What does that mean?"

Darren grabbed the paper and looked closer at it. "I don't know but we have to figure the order out quickly." Darren laid the paper on the ground again and turned to Leaf. "Copy the rune and try to figure out what it does. Does any of you has an idea what the order is?"

Spirit looked at the paper for a few second while Leaf began to copy the complicated rune. Then Spirit got an idea and pointed at the paper. "I noticed something. M A R B and look at the underlined letters in the list. They match up so that means that this is probably the order he has to collect the objects."

Darren looked at it and nodded. "That could be the case and with magic of the nature he probably meant the magic he got from Bit. So his next target should be the alicorn feather."

Switch still looked at the list and asked. "But what does he means with root from harmony itself and breath of the cold ones?"

Spirit tapped his chin before he answered. "I am not sure about the breath of the cold ones thing but I have an idea what the other thing is but I have to ask Twilight can confirm it."

Leaf finished coping the rune and turned to the other. "I am done. What now?"

Darren nodded to Switch who quickly pulled out a small piece of paper and a pen and began to write down the list in the correct order. There while rolled Darren the paper up and reached in his bag. He pulled out a phial with a red bubbling liquid in it. He opened it and pour it over the paper. It immediately caught fire and burned to dust.

Spirit looked surprised at the ash. "Why did you burn it?"

Darren began to walk towards the exit and said over his shoulder. "So that no pony can ever use this again. Now we need to contact the archdruid quickly! We will head to Canterlot as fast as we can."

They all grabbed their stuff and followed Darren and as they were outside spread Darren his wings and began to fly followed by Switch. Leaf and Spirit began to ran after and it took them all strengths to keep up with them.

They ran for at least five hours until they reached Canterlot. As they reached the entrance from Canterlot Switch quickly put on his disguise before they entered the city. Just as they were at the entrance. Stopped them a group of guards.

Two guards crossed their spears in front of them and another one walked to them. "Halt! Why do you want to enter the city in the middle of the night?"

Darren looked annoyed at them. "Because we have to talk to somepony! Now let us pass."

The guard shook his head. "I am sorry but you have to identify yourself before that happened we can't let you pass."

They rolled with their eyes and pulled out their identifications. The guards looked at them and nodded. "They look alright but I still want to know why two ponies a griffon and a..." He looked shortly at Leaf. "A Zebra? What do you want so late in town?"

Darren looked angry at them. "it is important that is all you need to know. We have identified ourselves and now we have to go!"

The guard seemed to think for a moment but then shook his head. "No I can't let a group of strangers enter the city in the middle of the night. I ask again what do you want in the city?"

Now Switch stepped forward to answer. "We have to talk to the Root, the advisor at the school for gifted unicorns."

The other two guards looked surprised at each other and the third nodded. "We will go with you and if it turns out that that was a lie you all go have to face the consequences!"

The guards lifted their spears and walked next to them and they began to walk. As the third one also wanted to turned around stopped Daren him. "Then let us hurry at least, we have an important message!"

The guard nodded and they began to walk quickly through the city. After a while they reached a compare to the other houses, small house. The guard walked to the door and knocked at it.

The door was opened and in the light from the inside there was the silhouette in from of the archdruid. He stepped outside and looked at the guard with a raised eyebrow. "What brings you so late to my home?"

The guard saluted. "These four individuals say that they have to meet with you."

The archdruid looked behind him and as he saw them he nodded. "Yes they work for me. Thank you for bringing them here. You can go now."

The guard nodded and he left followed by the other two guards. As they were gone walked Root back inside. "Come in and tell me what happened."

They followed him and all sat down around a table. They explained them what happened and what they found out. In the end Spirit had still one question. "As the advisor of the school, do you know this unicorn?"

The archdruid sighed. "Yes I do. Normally I wouldn't tell you. I too, swore to never talk about him again. He once was a well know professor but then all the things about his experiments came to light. Until that I even considered making him a part of the druids."

Spirit raised an eyebrow. "Then who is he?"

"His name is Test Bolt. Professor Bolt focused his work on unfinished spells and testing spells under almost all possible conditions but he was young and thought that he could do what he want. Then the animal tests came to light and he was imprisoned and we destroyed all information that he was ever a professor at our school." The archduid sighed and shook his head. "As I heard that he began to study the old language I thought he would start studying history but it seems like I made a mistake assuming that."

The archdruid was silent for a few seconds then straighten again and looked at them. "If that what you tell me is correct he will be after a alicorn feather next. We need to guard them!"

Spirit raised an eyebrow. "Isn't that the job of the royal guards? Also with what explanation do we want to give them? I don't think they would believe us that a evil pony wants to harm them."

The archdruid nodded. "That is right and that is why we will go now to the princesses and talk with them." He stood up and the other quickly followed him.

The archdruid walked quickly and Spirit had to ran to catch up with him. As he was next to Root slowed Spirit down again. "Isn't it a bit late?"

Root shook his head. "You have to change your behavior. As a druid we work for the safety of the nature and right now the nature could be in serious danger! Your job as a druid has to be your top priority." Root began to walk faster and the others followed him.

As they reached the entrance of the castle two guards crossed their spears in front of them and the left guard spoke up. "What do you want in the middle of the night? Oh advisor, I am sorry but I can't let you pass."

Root looked at the left guard then to the other and said to the right one. "We have to speak to the princess on an instant."

The guard saluted and turned around and walked into the castle, leaving behind the other guard, who seemed very confused. "What? But we have to stay here! " The guard shouted to the one that left. He turned back to Root. "Can you explain this, advisor?"

He shook his head. "Not now your friend knows me that is all you need to know." The guard first raised an eyebrow but then shrugged.

After a few minutes came the guard back and nodded. "The princesses are now informed you can enter and wait in the audience hall till they come."

The archdruid nodded. "Thank you my friend." He walked inside followed by the others. They walked for a bit till they reached the audience hall. The two thrones were still empty so they just waited.

After a few seconds a big door opened and Celestia and Luna, followed by a bunch of guards entered the room. Celestia and Luna both sat down on their thrones and the guards took position next to them.

Celestia looked at the four. "Good to see you advisor what brings you and your friends here so late?"

Spirit was about to bow but was stopped by Darren who simply shook his head before turning back to the princesses. Root there while nodded. "I will explain but first have to insist that the guards leave."

The guards looked shocked at him and wanted to protest but Celestia stopped them. "Please leave us alone." The guards first didn't moved but then nodded and left through the door again. Celestia turned back to the group. "So what is it that you want to tell us?"

Rot nodded. "Well I first of I am not here as the advisor for the school of gifted unicorns, I am as the archdruid."

Luna looked a bit confused but Celestias expression didn't changed a bit. As they didn't said anything, continued Root. "My organization discovered the plan of a former professor from the school. If our information are correct should he after a feather of an alicorn. I come to ask if my druids can guard you and watch the situation."

Now Luna spoke for the first time. "Why should we allow that? We all are able to protect our self not to mention the royal guard."

The archdruid nodded. "I understand but it is our duty as the druids to protect the nature and if he gets the feather and we didn't try to protect you we would have failed our duty."

Celestia nodded with a smile. "I understand. You may send to each princess one of your druids. I give you this on your way to prove to everypony that you work in our name."

Her horn began to glow and two symbols, who seemed to be made of some sort of glass, appeared. "Give this to the druids you send to Twilight and Cadence. I will also inform them in a letter."

The archdruid nodded with a thankfully smile. "Thank you for your help." He turned to Darren und Spirit. "You two will stay with the princesses." He turned to the other two. "You Switch will go to Twilight and you Leaf will go to the crystal empire." They both nodded and immediately left.

Darren looked at Root. "What will you do?"

Root turned to the door and said over his shoulder. "I will go through your documents and study the ritual. Be ready, you could be attacked anytime. Till now Bolt was always step ahead."