Far away, Celestia’s forces clashed against Sombra’s slave army. Somewhere in that fray Shining Armor lead brave ponies to fight and push those dark forces back. Looking up from her books, Twilight glanced at his last letter home. Blots of smeared ink spoke of tears that had fallen as he listed the names of his dead. Twilight knew he had memorized every name from the many letters he had sent home.
It was a long list, but Twilight was sure she could help it from getting much longer. Somewhere in the archives there had to be a book with the right spell. Something to take with her when she left to join her brother. Graduation was soon and as far as Twilight was concerned, she hadn’t been taught a single spell for war.
The academy’s idea of how to train a unicorn was laughable. Glorified physical training with bad fashion sense. They’d taught her how to dress and march, but little else.
Magical theory: sure. She was the top of her class in theory. Spells to help with the necessities of daily life: of course. Few ponies could match her vocabulary of spells. A thorough education in how to help your fellow pony and the importance of sharing your talent: meh... She had kinda dodged a lot of those classes to spend time in the library, and she had wholly forged her volunteer hours.
Twilight stood from the library’s study table. She stretched a moment, then wandered deeper into the ancient archives. The pre-unification era had been her first hope, but she should have known the easy answer would be wrong. She had found useful spells, but they were spells she already knew, or had at least heard of. Others had to have plumbed the depth of the tribal wars: If those many had found nothing, neither would she.
On a whim, Twilight lifted a book on minotaur magic. Perhaps other cultures would have crafted spells for war.
She turned back to her study table, but paused. Something wasn’t right. The air around her held a shimmer, and the room’s magic prickled at her. She was being targeted by a spell, and a powerful one. Twilight let the book drop to the ground as she wove a shield around her.
The world twisted. Time slipped with hours passing in seconds, then hiccuped as seconds passed in hours. A slice of reality cracked open and, as Twilight stood frozen in time, a unicorn stepped through.
With a clap, the world returned to normal.
The unicorn’s eyes found her instantly, but there was a tired, sad look to them. “Twilight,” she greeted with a little bow.
“Who are you?” Twilight asked, restraining the volume of her voice.
“My name is Starlight Glimmer. I’m a friend, from another time and another place.”
Twilight’s ears perked up. “The future?”
“Yes,” Starlight hung her head with sadness. “But a different one. I made a mistake once. It caused the timeline to split. Many, many dark futures that were not meant to be were created that day.”
There was shame in Starlight’s eyes as her magic floated a book from her saddlebag. “I can not undo the damage, but I made this. You should be able to get your world back to mostly normal with it.”
Twilight watched the book come to rest in front of her. It was more of a notebook really, little more than a dozen pages thick. The visible stitching and card-stock cover suggested it was hoof-made by somepony that read books more than made them. It was a clumsy thing, yet Twilight felt compelled to touch it. Resting a hoof on the tome, she could feel the strings of destiny strain against the book’s presence. There was dread power here.
“Is this for me?” Twilight asked, Twilight hoped.
Starlight’s gaze bore into her. “They are spells that were scrubbed from this world for a good reason. Open the book. Read the first page.”
Twilight obeyed like a good student. “Twilight Sparkle, I have condemned you to this world, now I condemn you to this knowledge. I hope you forgive me one day,” Twilight read aloud.
As the words left her lips, the page turned to ash. “Wh- What happened?” Twilight asked stepping back from the book.
“It’s an enchantment. Every page you read will be committed to memory, but you may only read it once. It will turn to ash after that.” Starlight sighed. Taking a deep breath, she blew away the ash. “It is bad enough I’m making you carry this burden, I will not curse others with spells of war.”
A smile spread across Twilight’s muzzle. She stepped forward and read the next page. As it turned to ash, she read the next. When that page too turned to ash, she looked back up to Starlight with bright eyes. “This is what I was looking for!”
Twilight bounced on her hooves. “I can protect ponies with this!”
“No.” Starlight’s cold eyes drained the excitement from Twilight. “You will kill ponies with this. You will feel Sombra’s heart beat between your teeth and snuff out his very essence.”
“Oh...” Twilight looked back to the book, this time with less eager eyes. She was right. Two spells in, and they were both deadly. To shape those spells was to will something’s death. Her mind’s eye showed her a field of charred bodies, and the romance of war in her heart died.
“But it is better for you to clear my blood debt in one awful payment than for twice as much to be paid over many dark years. Take the book, and find your brother. You two will be the hammer and anvil that reforges Equestria.”
Twilight picked the little book up and clutched it to her chest. She tried to say something, but could only nod.
The air in the room rippled, prompting Starlight to look over her shoulder and nod to some unseen force. “The spell is about to collapse. I do have a gift for you, something for after the fighting is done.”
The word ‘gift’ distracted Twilight from the dread in her heart. She watched with foalish curiosity as Starlight pulled something from her bag. A pretty gold chain, and from it hung an amulet. It looked much like her own cutie mark with one star surrounded by five others, but each star held a brightly colored gem.
“When it’s all done, you will go find that dragon egg Celestia has, and hatch it,“ she said pointing to the green stone in the center.
With a sigh, Twilight deflated. “I can’t. I tried. That’s why I went into academy like my brother.” The words “poor reaction to failure” echoed through Twilight’s memory.
Starlight smiled. “You can, and you will. I’ve seen you do it with my own eyes. You just need the right motivation. You’ll find it, I’m sure. Hatch the egg, and raise him like you would your own. These other gems will find their way to you; or you to them.”
“Okay...” Taking the offered gift, Twilight placed it around her neck. The air crackled, and with a pop the other unicorn was gone.
Twilight looked to the book, then touched the amulet with her hoof. The book felt heavy all of a sudden. Slowly, she walked back to her study table. She took a deep breath before opening the book, then began to read.
Ash cluttered the desk as words etched themselves into her mind. When the book was no more, Twilight stood. Graduation was soon. She needed to make sure her uniform looked good. It’d be blood stained soon.
Author's Note
Inspired by:
http://www.zeldadungeon.net/2013/04/monday-comic-corner-its-dangerous-to-go-alone/
