Friendships are Magic: Season 1

Chapters

Prologue: Only Human
Chapter 1: Sub-pony
Chapter 2: Mors Heartigan
Chapter 3: Prying Eyes
Chapter 4: The Truth

Prologue: Only Human

Walking down the street, I could hear the music echoing in my head. It was the truth about us. More than once, we try to do more than we can, and then we fail. Others do the same. And they blame those around them when they fail, forgetting that those humans around them are just as flawed as them. But then again, that's humanity in most scenarios. We blame what we can't achieve on something else.

Then again, some are so different and bring about the best out of us. Friends, family, or good people you can meet on the street. Sometimes, we forget that there are both good and bad, because we see so much negativity all the time, that we forget about the positives. No matter how much of an optimist you are, there will be a moment when you have a bad day. And those are the moments we can lose ourselves in negativity.

But I learned a trick about this. It relies on learning one tiny detail, we are only human. There is only so much we can do by ourselves. And with that in mind, every bit of good we can afford to do helps things get better. Even if it is by a minuscule amount, the fact you tried to make a good thing, the world is now a better place than it was before. Therefore, a good message to carry around whenever you're feeling down is that you're only human. You also need help.

And to look for help, you need to speak. So, you need to be open to the idea of asking for help when push comes to shove. And it just so happens that my specialty happens to be hearing others so that I can treat them, or point them to someone who can. The hardest part of this is remembering that there is only so much I can do. since I'm only human after all. Guess what? That's fine.

Not really. Far from it.

I don't want everything to be just fine. I want to bring about the best possible outcome. But I can't do that alone. And I can't do that with all we have available as of now. Whether I like it or not, not every treatment is accessible to everyone. Not every disease and infliction has an explained pattern or known pathological mechanism. So, there is only so much we can do about it. I don't want to create perfection. But I want to make sure my patients won't have to suffer. I know not everything can be cured, but suffering is something that can be eased.

So, I kept walking down the lane with the music in my ears. My shoulder bag with a handful of basic tools every physician uses or should use, to evaluate their patients. However, little did I know that there was something about to happen. Something that was about to throw everything I knew out the window.

It started with the sound of someone crying. I had noise-canceling phones on, therefore, there shouldn't be any sounds reaching me. So, if there was a cry reaching me, they had to be screeching. However, no one seemed to notice it. I knew the townspeople around Equestria High weren't the brightest, but that was ridiculous. I mean, there are some questionable decisions here and there around town. But that didn't matter at the time, a child was crying somewhere nearby.

Grabbing my phone, I dialed in the nine-one-one while following the sound of the cries. They led me to an alleyway where I hit the call button while hesitantly entering it. The phone made the dialing sound before notifying me that the call got through. However, the call wouldn't connect properly. All I could hear was static mixed with a woman's voice through the speaker. The voice was nearly drowned in the static, but I managed to discern the words "calm" and "ok."

The alley seemed to turn darker as I proceeded through. I kept trying to dial the police number, but the first call got stuck there. I couldn't finish it. I eventually got to the source of the screaming and crying. But, there was nothing there. The sound continued to echo across the alley, but there was nothing there. I held my phone in front of my face to see if there was any change in the call. But all I could see was static, and all the buttons on-screen were unavailable.

Confused, I turned around and tried to trace back my steps, however, the moment I turned around, I saw a flood of thorned vines lunging at me. After that, I blacked out.

(Celestia's POV)

This is certainly strange. Concluded Celestia while watching the little unicorn rest on the ground by another creature that was covered in rags but their face was hidden underneath a bloodied cloth.

The day was far from perfect, and the number of things Celestia now had to fix and investigate had increased tenfold when she arrived at a classroom where a filly was tasked with an aging spell. Something Celestia's tutor struggled in his earliest years as a fully-fledged wizard, at the age of thirty. The filly that was forced to take that test was no more than five. How could the teachers believe it was a valid assessment of the young filly's abilities to put her through that? Neighsay was many things, but he followed the rules down to the letter. Therefore, something else was happening in that classroom before Celestia arrived.

At the very least, the filly was ok. She had already celebrated and everything after realizing she had been accepted and received her Cutiemark. But, it wasn't until she collapsed due to exhaustion that things had gotten strange. When the filly collapsed, another magic burst occurred, as several thorns shot out from nearby plants and formed a cocoon of sorts. The thorns burst into flame before revealing the ragged pony-looking creature with the bloodied face-cover. The teachers were horrified at the scene, but the filly kept her hand extended while holding on to the grayish-blue coat of the stranger.

After undoing most of the damage caused by the magic burst, Celestia had the little ones removed from the classroom as she needed to have them checked for any type of damage beyond surface-level wounds.

Later that day, Celestia received news that the raggedy pony had to be isolated from the rest of the ponies.

Chapter 1: Sub-pony

I felt no joy at the idea of waking up in a hospital bed. I preferred to be the one visiting someone on the bed. It may sound odd for a physician to say such a thing. But then again, hospital beds are not comfortable. And if you're in one, you are either in bad shape or about to get into bad shape. A surgery is inducing stress to the body where you are either removing or fixing something to remove another problem. And then, you pray that the patient won't have any infections or god-knows-what. So, yeah, waking up in a hospital bed is not a good thing.

I felt no pain when I woke up. Which was good, but then again, it could be a side effect of anesthetics or whatever medication they had hooked me on. They had secured some peripheric venous access on my right and left arms. Since I didn't have any catheters on my torso, I knew I had no medication being applied to my heart directly. I also didn't have any caskets on me, therefore, no broken bones.

I did have one problem. I had a ton of bandages wrapped around my face, which added to the size of the IV bags hanging by me made me conclude I had been burnt, quite severely might I add. Since the IVs were hooked to me, I didn't move my arms, the access points are usually placed in the popliteal fossa, so moving my arms around could stop the medication or the fluids from flowing.

I, however, looked around my body. I was certainly in some kind of odd situation. My body was covered in bluish-gray fur. I felt strangely cold. I knew that there were some situations where hypothermia would be therapeutical (namely in cases of cardiac arrests with loss of conscience after the heart's rhythm has been re-established), but I didn't have any monitoring devices on me. So, it would be dangerous for me to be cold like that. They would need someone keeping watch over me for it to be properly employed.

I knew my heart was beating. It was strange. But I knew it was beating, but it was as if it was far from me. Like a distant beat resonating with me. I heard steps before a set of doors opened to my right.

"Princess, they are certainly alive. Their blood is flowing. But we found no heartbeat in their chest. And their eyes, they are just orbs of light in their sockets. This is not a normal condition! On top of that, we found some kind of growth on their back. I suggest we keep them quarantined!" A panicked voice claimed while I turned my head to them.

The one who had entered the room was a tall white mare with wings and a horn in front of a crown. Certainly the princess, the physician was talking to. It was highly unprofessional of him to make a report on a patient to someone who wasn't part of the medical team. But, who was I to deny information to someone who could have potentially saved me?

"Good Heart, it seems your patient is wide awake," The Princess noted before the doctor turned to me as if they had seen some kind of ghost.

"Hello," I greeted without moving my arms. My voice sounded young. As in several pitches higher than it should be. "Thank you for saving me," I added before the doctor's eyes rolled back and he passed out on the floor. "Should we call another doctor for him? He could be having a convulsion."

"He is," The Princess said before waving her hand over the horse-like creature and making it disappear. "It seems your voice has some undesired effects for those that are unprotected. Or weak-minded."

"What?" I asked as my voice seemed to have its pitch altered again. This time closer to something I remembered from when I was a child. I almost moved my arms to reach for my throat. But the feeling of something latched to my arms made me stop. "I did not mean to do that."

"I believe you," The Princess said while approaching me. She was massive, and having her up close made her look like a giant. "You are a colt after all. Magic surges can have all sorts of effects. So, it would be best to have you wear a suppressor while you learn to control your magic."

"Magic?" I asked before feeling my eyes turn hot for a moment. For a few moments, I saw the princess' muscles, heart, and blood vessels with blood flowing inside her. It was a nightmarish vision for someone unaccustomed to looking at anatomical figures, or corpses. But I was accustomed to the sight. Not saying that I wasn't surprised by the sudden vision. The heat in my eyes died down before catching a glimpse of each layer of the princess' body turned back to normal with clothes. "Nevermind, I believe in the magic part."

"Would you mind if I removed the bandages covering you? They don't have any blood or show any signs of having ointments applied underneath them," The Princess said while pointing above my head.

"Um, ok?" I said before the princess reached for my bandages and removed them by hand. "Your Highness, shouldn't you use magic? As to not come in contact with me? The other doctor seemed to believe I had something contagious."

"Call me Celestia," She said while gently removing the bandages around my head. "And based on the pictures the doctor showed me, you're not sick. But he doesn't know that. No one else knows what you have but I," Celestia added with a smile.

"And, what is it that I have?" I inquired while keeping my head away from the pillow so she could remove it.

"If I am correct, which seems to be the case, you are a victim," Celestia said as she removed the bandage and looked at me with an expression that screamed pity. "Someone must have been keen on achieving their goals quickly. And decided to use a child as the coin for the transaction."

"Child?" I inquired as the pitch and size difference between us made me understand my situation. "Got it. Nevermind. Um, what do you mean by I was used as currency?"

"It means someone made a deal and sold parts of you as a means of achieving their goals. But, I would dare say their lives are now forfeit. Breaking a transaction by removing the payment tends to have some gruesome side effects," Celestia said with a faint grin sneaking its way into her muzzle. "I dare say it was well-deserved in this situation. And it seems that whatever was being done to you was halted halfway through. So, you may have retained the skills applied to you before being rescued by Twilight Sparkle," She explained while placing her hand on my face. I didn't feel my skin or my coat when she did so. I didn't feel anything when she touched it.

"Can I thank this, Twilight?" I inquired while looking at the door.

"Later, maybe. But, would you mind if I looked at your back? I need to verify this growth the physician mentioned," Celestia inquired with a gentle tone while removing her hand from my face.

"Sure," I replied while getting up from the bed and sitting straight. I felt Celestia's hand touching my back. And then, I felt a jolt as if I had hit my elbow's tendon, but on my back. I winced while hearing a gasp from Celestia before she hid her hand behind her back. "Are you ok?"

"You scared me when you jumped just now, my apologies," Celestia replied before getting up with her arm hidden behind her back. "It is fine. The growth is just scar tissue now. It will heal over time," She explained before walking away.

"Ok," I said while looking at the departing princess.

Lying back on the bed, I stared at the ceiling for a while.

(Celestia's POV)

That is not a pony. Celestia concluded while using her magic to purify the damaged area on her skin. The growth on the pony's back was a curse. It was a curse of thorns, something she hadn't seen since before Discord's reign.

When not tended to, the target would be consumed by thorns from the inside and die slowly as each organ was pierced by the thorned vines. However, the growth was concentrated on the back, causing something else to wither. The thorns were consumed by another energy that was trying to cause a pair of vestigial bones to grow. Bones that matched that of a young pegasus pony. If the curse remained there, it would become a part of the pony there. If someone was to survive that curse, they would become something other than a pony.

One could say that they had become a monster of sorts. Old stories told of creatures that could remove that which made them mortal and become some kind of sub-pony creature, a lich. Those cursed by the thorns had two chances of survival, one of which was ascension, something nigh impossible for most ponies. The other was to become this monstrosity. And that child, the poor colt had been subjected to both. Had just one path been selected, the solution would have been simple.

Had the colt ascended, tending to the curse would cause it to fade and disappear; becoming a lich, however, would have required them to find his heart and destroy it before they lost their sanity. However, this pony had both aspects. The ascension process would rid him of the curse's negative effects and leave a faint scar on its origin. The lich transformation, however, would assimilate the curse and make it a part of him. Liches were dangerous enough on their own. Cursed Liches were especially dangerous due to their ability to spread the maledict to their victims.

Something that wasn't known about liches, however, is that they are not undead. They removed their mortality and stored it in a vessel, meaning they never died beforehand. They are alive, but not quite like the rest. Without a heart, their bodies turn cold. Without the soul, their magic comes from the World itself and the Ether flame created to sustain their body. And the longer the lich remains alive, the stronger the Ether flame becomes as it assimilates more mana from the environment.

In short, that pony, as long as a lich lived, would become increasingly stronger. Until their sanity was completely corroded because of the Ether flame's power. That colt was a threat, but his future was uncertain. Liches would lose their sanity because their bodies and minds couldn't handle the Ether flame. However, an alicorn's body and mind are considerably stronger, granting them certain immunities. So, there was a chance that the colt could survive.

However, the real question was whether the colt should survive or not? They were a child. Their behavior was odd, similar to that of an adult, meaning, he was forced to mature at a much faster pace. But if allowed to live, he would become an extremely dangerous being. And if their moral compass was steered towards evil, they could become nigh unstoppable without knowing the location of their heart. Something that could be stored in Tartarus for all Celestia knew.

It was a cruel choice. Should Celestia deprive a victim of their future? Or should she make a bet to spare one life in hopes it would remain on their side?

What should I do? Celestia pondered while looking at her hand that was now healed. Back then, it was so easy. We had so much conviction. But, after that, Luna, what would you do? Celestia pondered while looking out the window.

"Princess?" A meek voice asked as Celestia felt her dress being tugged. "What happened to Mors?" Celestia heard as she looked at the ground and saw Twilight with teary eyes.

Tilting her head Celestia picked the filly in her arms. "Who is Mors?"

"My friend. Mors is the name I gave him. They had a grayish-blue coat. He took me away from a bunch of thorned vines that were hurting me. The thorns turned into flowers, he gave me one of the flowers, and I went to sleep," Twilight explained while resting her head against Celestia's chest.

"Did he now?" Celestia inquired with her eyes widened at the filly's tale. "He is resting. He needs to sleep after he helped you out of the thorns."

"Oh, ok. When can I see them again?" Twilight asked before letting out a yawn.

"When you wake up, I'll have an answer for that," Celestia replied while looking back at the door to the isolation wing.

Chapter 2: Mors Heartigan

Did you ever look back on something you did or say and think, why did I do that? Or, why did I act that specific way?

If not, you must be rather carefree. I know I did.

Why wouldn't I? Think about it. I used to be human, now I'm a pony. I used to be an adult, now I'm a child. I come from a democracy with technology, now I live in the middle ages during a monarchy. I should be in a blind panic, but, yet, I'm not.

And there seems to be a reason for that. Something I can't quite grasp as of yet. My mind tells me to panic, but there is also something else in there. Something that makes me think this is normal. I know that I am deformed. I know what happened to my head. In some scenarios, I would have thought this to be a secondary effect of the changes. But, I can feel my heart and I don't feel quite dead yet. Plus, the roaring panic thoughts don't form properly for them to be subdued. Somewhere in my head, there is a dampener of sorts.

This dampener is making me have strange impressions. Things that shouldn't come up appear. When I met the princess, somehow, my head made me think she was trustworthy, that she was just as beautiful as they said. But, those thoughts weren't my own. It felt like someone else's perspective was overlapping with mine, turning the visage of something that should inspire confusion and fear, into awe and tranquility. When I woke up in the hospital, I should have tried to call for someone, but I knew I was ok. I knew that the doctors did a good job of handling my situation. It was like those thoughts came like second nature.

But, this feels like something I'll need to bother with later. As of right now, I don't have anything from which to investigate this further. Perhaps, it would be better to continue to register these thoughts and moments. Maybe I could understand the cause of this later on.

It's been five days since I woke up in the hospital. Things haven't changed much since I first woke up.

It took me a day for the doctors to stop infusing fluids into my system. But it would take longer for me to leave. Not because I had any underlying conditions, but because I had to hide my face, scratch that, I had to hide all of my head. This task shouldn't be problematic at all. However, I have two horns sprouting out of my head, and that's not talking about the skull aspect of my boney head. Unlike the rest of the unicorns walking about, I have two, and mine is closer to a goat's than a unicorn's. If anything, I would look like the dual-horn from Persona or Shinigami-Tensei games. Therefore, I need to hide ALL of it.

Which is bothersome, not going to lie. Having to keep your face hidden can sound cool, but can turn into quite a nuisance. If these ponies are anything like humans, my masked visage will cause nothing but unwanted curiosity.

The Princess, who seems to be called Celestia, is working on something to conceal my head. As for my magic, she tried to give me a suppressor ring. But the ring ended up making me get encased in a cocoon, or so I was told. I can't recall the events, since the ring knocked me out cold the moment I put it on. It felt like I was out of my body until I woke up with Celestia holding me with several cuts to her hands. So, the cocoon was covered in razor-sharp thorns.

Yep, I have weaponized thorns. Normally, I would think this to be awesome. But now? I rather not have them at all. Fantasy settings and all are good when you're reading them, not so much when you're experiencing them.

Transported to other world settings have a few setups. And mine is turning out to look quite grim. I wasn't summoned by a desperate kingdom. Therefore, I am not a destined hero. I have no gift from the gods. Therefore, I have no blessings to aid me. I've been touched by devils. Hence, I stand on a razor's edge between good and evil. I have no legendary relic. Thus, I have no secret role to speak of. My setup is for a modern transported to another world, which quite frankly, points to my inevitable doom.

But, that is something I need to bother with when I'm able to speak or walk around again. If I come across something that points to the corruption of the estate. Hidden darkness among the princess or something of the sort, then I'll have reasons to run away from this place. However, as things stand, I need to stay here and wait for a proper adjustment.

Therefore, for my proper control of basic functions such as speaking and using magic, the Princess is working on something to suppress only my voice's power and a limiter rather than a suppressor for my horns. I won't deny that I feel bad for all the trouble I'm causing at my arrival. But there is only so much I can do. And not knowing how magic works, means I can't offer any help on getting these abilities under control. So, I keep quiet most if not all the time while in front of the doctors. I don't know what my voice did to others beyond making them pass out. Therefore, it sounds like a sensible idea to keep quiet.

Even if bored me to no end to remain utterly silent. Whether I like it or not, I'm in a fantasy setting. I should be excited. But, I can't do anything about it without having someone to read my questions. And since everyone seems to turn fifteen shades paler than they are before trying to finish their job to leave, I can't rely on that, can I? At least Celestia's been bringing books for me to read. I don't know what she considers child literature, because there is a bit of everything here, safe for adult content.

At any rate, I was sure my day would be normal enough. I would sit around in the bed while reading a handful of books that the Princess brought to me. But that didn't turn out to be true as I soon received a visitor. Before that, I think it's worth noting that some books of this world mirror tales of my world. Like the Lord of the Rings. The story is the same, but the characters are all reversed in gender, with the majority of the population of Middle Equos (don't ask, because I won't) being mares.

Back to my day, Celestia came to visit with a filly around my size and apparent age. I quickly hid underneath the covers as to not scare the little one to death. If I was scary-looking enough to make adults skittish, I could only imagine what my face would incite to a child. I heard their steps coming closer before feeling my bed shake.

"Mors! Mors!" I heard someone call while they pulled my sheets. Admittedly, I felt bad for doing so. As in, that was hurtful, in some way. I committed to it, but I didn't feel good about it. Even if it was a logical decision.

I didn't like it one bit.

I hated it, quite frankly, I wish I hadn't done it.

But, it happened, so, moving on.

Mors is my new first name. My last name is Heartigan. Celestia started calling me that after the first visit. And only the doctors that come in are calling me that. Therefore, the one calling me was someone Celestia trusted. I slowly crawled out from underneath the sheets. The one calling me was a little filly. She had a horn, her coat and eyes were lavender-colored, her mane was purple with two stripes colored in pink and bright purple, and she was dressed in a bright blue dress.

I don't know why, but I remember thinking she looked good on it. Like it was a good dress. Even if it was rather plain in design. And, I felt a bit of joy when looking at her face.

"Mors!" The filly called out when she saw me. She didn't hesitate to give me a warm hug. Strangely enough, my body could feel the tactile stimulus. But my head couldn't feel anything. "I was worried! You disappeared after we met!"

So, I'm dead from the head up, but not the opposite. That is something worth remembering.

I didn't respond. But, it seemed as though I had met this little one before. Or this body met her before I woke up. She could be the screeching child. But I had no means from which to confirm this. So, I decided to not question for now. I knew a bit of sign language because it was a mandatory subject in my college's medicine curriculum. It could be an alternative for speaking until Celestia got my voice properly controlled. Tapping Twilight's back, she backed away.

"Hello. I'm Mors Heartigan. What is your name?" I gestured with my hands. The little one tilted her head while looking at me.

"His voice is a bit dangerous. I'm working on something so he can speak normally. But he is asking for your name," Celestia said as I turned my attention to her. It slipped my mind for a moment, but there was a chance that sign language wouldn't exist in this world. But that didn't seem to be the case.

In retrospect, I should be more careful when trying to do things. Since, you know, I don't know what might be a bad thing here.

"He can talk with his hands?" The little one asked while looking back at Celestia. "Can you teach me?"

"There is no need, he can hear you just fine," Celestia reassured her as the little one turned to me. "Oh, but you won't understand him, will you?" She mumbled while Twilight looked at me.

That was a moment I wanted to facepalm hard. A real brainfart from the princess, but I give her props for noticing immediately the problem.

"Did you forget already? It's me Twilight! Twilight Sparkle!" She introduced herself with a bright smile. The name struck me as familiar somehow. But it didn't make sense, since, I have never seen her before that moment. I felt an urge to ask how she knew me. However, just then, I felt something crawling up my chest, looking down, I saw this HUGE purple lizard with green fins on its head and back. "Barb! I told you not to climb on others without permission! Bad dragon!" Twilight scolded while picking up the lizard. Their response was letting their head hang backward to look at me before showing me their forked tongue like a snake.

"Who is this?" I asked.

"This is Barb," Celestia intervened while patting Twilight's head. "She is a baby dragon Twilight hatched during her entrance exam to my school for gifted unicorns. I have arranged things so you can study there too. You'll enroll as a special case. So, no one will question your background. This way, you'll have proper education. I'm also making arrangements so that you and Twilight here can study magic with me as my pupils," She added while looking at Twilight. That was a bit pile of information, I'm glad I listened to anything after she said that the lizard was a dragon.

"Is that ok? Won't it be a problem? Because of my magic, shouldn't I be isolated?" I asked as Celestia's expression turned into a frown.

"I'll get to the details with you later," Celestia responded with sign language as I nodded.

Here is a little detail about sign language. Your facial expressions change the tone and the expressivity of the message. So, Celestia's frowning visage with a dead-lock on my eyes felt like I was about to meet my end.

"Now, Twilight, we have to go. Your parents are waiting outside. I'll be finished with the devices soon enough, so, don't worry," Celestia said with a reassuring tone. Twilight pouted while crossing her arms and looking away from me. Meanwhile, Barb climbed on top of Twilight's head and laid there like a bear rug with her eyes focused on Twilight's horn. I felt an urge to pinch Twilight's cheeks right then and there.

I enjoy cute things, but wanting to pinch them like that wasn't something I would normally do.

"Ok," Twilight resigned before giving me another hug and hopping out of bed. I felt a hint of sadness as she began to leave. Which was strange for someone I had just met. She ran back to the door and got out on her own. Once we were alone, Celestia turned to me with a serious expression.

"Listen, I'll lay some ground rules for your magic usage in particular. Without knowing what your affinities are, don't practice magic on your own unless it's an everyday magic spell. If it is a magic spell from one of your affinities, do not use it unless you're with me or alone in your room while exposed to bright lights. Under no circumstances are you to use your magic affinities on your own out in the open, am I clear? Because of your condition, your magic will be weaker while exposed to bright white lights or direct sunlight. Am I clear?" Celestia inquired before I nodded in agreement. If my voice could knock out others, I rather not experiment at random what other abilities I have. Celestia smiled after I confirmed that I had understood the rules and pulled out a piece of dark blue cloth with golden ropes hanging from it like some sort of necklace.

"I managed to finish the mask. This will hide your horns in a pocket dimension without severing your connection. So, you will look like an Earth pony while retaining your ability to use magic. These ropes fall around your neck like necklaces that will hold it in place. I put some safeguards so it can't be used to choke you. Plus, from the inside, the veil is transparent, so you won't have your vision hindered. Meanwhile, no one will be able to see your face. I made it larger than you so that you can grow into it," Celestia explained while securing the veil on me before covering my face with it.

"There, now you can step outside. But do not leave castle grounds. I'll have some guards escort you while I continue with the restraints and the voice modulator," Celestia said as I imagined something from a sci-fi movie attached to my neck to alter my voice.

"Ok?" I replied with a tilt of my head before Celestia walked away.

I picked a mirror the doctors left for me at my bedside. I immediately recalled a character from a manga called the Ancient Magus Bride. His last name was Ainsworth if I recalled correctly. All I needed was fancy-looking social clothes and I could play pretend with them. But, I rather not be like him, since he was some type of Fae combined with Humans and other things. And he was hunted for existing. So, yeah, no thanks. Placing the mirror back in its place, I laid back on the bed. I didn't have anywhere I wanted to go at the time. Without knowing the layout of the place I was in, I wouldn't have any areas of interest to visit.

It's been four days since I got my mask.

I'm as of yet to leave the hospital. I didn't feel like taking a stroll. But I did get to read a lot of books. There is a series that follows the theme similar to Indiana Jones, but with a mare, and monsters that try to get ancient relics to destroy the world. If I'm being perfectly honest, these sound like someone wrote down something they experienced rather than an invented story. And, based on some history books I got my hands on, the relics she collected were all donated by an anonymous source to the Equestrian museums for safe-keeping.

So, yeah, this author is the main character of the story.

I don't think I'll get to do much while being small like this. In the other books I got, I found out that until the age of seven, unicorns can still have magic surges. They become less frequent as we grow older. But until I spend another three years here, I can't do much more than wear a restraint and quietly study about the world. I don't think it will be a good idea to even touch my abilities until I'm free of these surges.

Something I think I should investigate is my current ability to read. These books are in scribbles that have the same linguistic construct as English, but their symbols are different. Yet, I can read them. It feels as if I had the alphabet already memorized somewhere else. As if I was borrowing it the first few times I read it. But, I learned it quickly and then my reading got faster. As well as my comprehension of the texts became way smoother.

Another thing I need to mind is the way I act. Celestia doesn't seem to mind, mainly because she thinks I'm a victim of sorts. So, she believes I'm more mature because of it. But when I start going to school, I might get into trouble for being too mature. But you know what? Fuck it. I don't feel like acting like a child in school. I'll keep to myself and do the lessons the best I can. It's a school for gifted unicorns, so, they ought to be the pompous ones with the ego the size of sky-scrappers. If anything, I'll make sure Twilight doesn't get into trouble.

She isn't afraid of my face. As it stands, she is the only one, aside from Celestia, for who I remove the veil without hesitation. Therefore, I'll make sure she won't scream like that ever again. If anything, I'll make sure there is always a smile on her face. And I pity the one that makes her cry. As for the veil, I keep it on twenty-four-seven, save for baths. The thing has an auto-clean function on it, so, no need to wash it anyway. And, my head can't sweat either, so how would it get dirty anyway?

I can't say for sure that my quietness is helping much with the doctors. But the veil did put them at ease. Although, some of the nurses that were allowed to enter after I acquired the veil seem to be taking interest in what is underneath it. This also makes me believe my file was either removed from clinical records, or it has been classified and the pictures of my face the doctor showed to Celestia are no longer available for the hospital staff.

Therefore, I should thank the princess for making my life easier. Now I won't have to worry about a bunch of ponies hunting me down as soon as I step out of the hospital because of some magazine or newspaper. Why didn't I get a normal face when I got transported to another world? And, why is it that I can't feel my heart inside me? Right! I am certain now that my heart isn't in my chest. I asked to play with the stethoscope from a doctor once and placed it on my chest. There was no heartbeat there. But I can sense that it is alive and beating. I'm not sure what happened to me, but my heart isn't working inside me anymore.

As far as discoveries go, the most relevant thing about the world is that I think we have a major figure out of the picture in the current political scenario of Equestria. I'm not sure what happened here. But someone pulled the perfect disappearing act after the rise of a creature known as Nightmare Moon. Celestia's sister, Luna, is a prominent figure before, during, and after the rule of someone called Discord. But, she completely disappears after the rise of Nightmare Moon. The stories make it sound like Nightmare Moon did something to Luna. But that doesn't make sense. After all, with Nightmare Moon sealed away, Luna should have returned, unless she died. But there is no grave or memorial of the Moon Princess. I doubt Celestia would bury her sister in an unmarked grave.

So, unless Luna is Nightmare Moon, I think something else is going on here. Celestia doesn't seem the kind to try and pull a coup, but I don't know about her sister. There are some mentions to those who live shrouded in the night, so, she could be in one of those locations waiting for a chance to take over the kingdom? Or it might just be me thinking this world is a Game of Thrones kind of place where everyone is out to get the one true throne.

Honestly, at this point, my world, the world of Mors Heartigan is the isolation wing of a hospital. How can I understand anything if I can't step out of the castle or into the world? I'm a child. The only thing I can aspire for right now is to be the top student or be a literal wizard when it comes to magic. So, yeah, not much in terms of ambition for the moment. Maybe I can work on healing magic? Is that a thing? I mean, if I can do so, I could probably try to figure out how to solve all the diseases known in this world. Nah, that's too big of a goal for someone like me. Not to mention, I think I'm more inclined towards hurting others than anything else in terms of talents.

So, as far as goals go, I guess, I'll try to be the best friend Twilight can have. She's far too kind to me. So, instead of aiming for a crazy goal, maybe I'll stick to something more mundane. Being a good friend to her and those around me sounds like a good idea. I might not be able to change the world, but I can make a few ponies happy. And that is alright with me.

So, I guess this is the beginning of my memoirs as Mors Heartigan, the skull-faced pony that was sold to a demon and was rescued by a little filly who became his friend.

I hope this is the beginning of a long life.

Wait...what?

Why am I planning to stay? These plans, what the hell am I saying? I should be trying to figure out if this place is safe. Not, diving deeper as if I plan to stay. I can't be getting attached when I haven't even left my bed, right?

I, I think I should get some sleep.

The more I write, and the more I think about this place, the less attached I feel about who I was.

Was? I'm still me. Right? I'm still...

What is happening?

Chapter 3: Prying Eyes

I am not me.

I am not the same person I was. Damn it. It feels wrong to call that place home. I have some semblance of who I was back then. But, it's just my preferences, my memories are a jumbled mess of fragmented reels, and my way of thinking is almost preserved, save for a few details.

Where do I begin? Do I still have some semblance of my old self stored here? And where does Mors start? Has he devoured me? I, I thought we were separate things. Two entities, one persona for this place, and one for my world. But I'm not sure about it anymore. I wish I had the answers.

Hell, I wish I cared enough to find the answers.

I can tell I'm slipping away here. But I can't give two craps about it. Instead, what torments my sleep is my first day at school.

I'm lost. If there is anything left of the old me in here, they are being assimilated by this odd creature that is Mors.

I'll leave this as my last words. I doubt I can take much more of this.

My name is...I don't know.

Oh, I'm already dead.

Good.

Well, I'll simply refer to this strange dream.

Dreams are often things that our subconscious constructs to tell us something.

It can be a warning. It can be a way of communicating fear. Or it can be just a random bit of imagination telling us we are thinking about someone or something strange.

As for me, dreams hadn't had any shape since I've arrived. All I do is look at the empty ceiling until I drift away. Eventually, I wake up with a feeling of being refreshed. But, this night was different.

I followed my routine down to the letter. I brushed the open area between my jaw bones and the rest of my skull. It gave me a sense of normality as if I was brushing my teeth. Everyone needs that in their life. And that is exactly what I came after when establishing a schedule for my nights. I then sunk my head into some water.

Tiny detail about me, I don't need to fucking breathe. Or, at least, I haven't found the limit of how long I can hold in my breath. And I should say, Celestia decided to house me. I have a room and some other daily necessities. She is kind enough to do all this, for a monster like myself nonetheless.

Is it wrong to call her a saint at this point? I'll hold my judgment for now, mainly because she has a melancholic air around her when she gets distracted. You can't have regret without some mistakes. But that doesn't change the fact she is a good pony.

Anyhow, that tends to clear away most dirt and other impurities that gather in the crevices of my skull. I got out of the bucket and dried my head. I can't poke eyes that don't exist, so, no problems with a towel in my orbits. I won't say it doesn't feel weird or that it doesn't tickle, but no pain at all. Putting my veil back up, I went to bed. I had to have it on while sleeping because of the maid Celestia had assigned to me. Hill Flower, if I'm not mistaken that is her name. She couldn't be much older than fourteen, my guess? Celestia helps a lot of ponies. Because I overheard some of the staff commenting on her family's monetary situation when she was appointed as my maid.

I don't plan on scaring her half to death, so, I keep the veil on.

Once I was in the pajamas Celestia had arranged for me, laid on my side to face the window. My vision blacked out and I went to sleep. As I said before, I should have blacked out before waking up with the sunlight.

However, this night something else happened. First, I felt a gust of wind. Then, I caught the scent of perfume in the air. My eyes opened and I saw my surroundings had changed. I was in a grand room lit by the moonlight. The decoration and aesthetic resembled something closer to the gothic era. Gargoyles hung above my head staring me down as if they were ready to pounce.

The stone floor beneath my feet had a strange feel to it. It looked like the soil I saw on the surface of the moon on the astronauts' pictures of their voyages. There was a carving on the floor with the symbol of the moon on it. I turned around and saw a throne with a figure that I had seen described in books before.

Clad in a black coat and donning blue armor crafted by the Thestrals, Nightmare Moon descended from starless skies to bring about night-time eternal. That was the passage describing her arrival in Equestria. Since I remembered going to sleep while facing the moon, this was probably my brain recalling the information I had read. Plus, I was scarier than Nightmare Moon.

If anything, I would dare say, Nightmare Moon was beautiful. Not like Celestia, but still, her figure, her piercing eyes, and the ethereal mane slightly illuminating her face was a sight to behold. I didn't pay her much mind as I realized that my height had changed. Therefore, I sought the nearest reflective surface available. Which happened to be a shield bearing the Moon insignia. My pony skull with goat horns was there, but my eyes had changed color. They went from something between pink and red to a pale blue.

I was also made entirely of thorns from my skull down. Save for my hands that seemed like long boney fingers that were closer to talons than anything else. When I moved my body would project thorns in that direction before dragging me there with ease, like a pseudopod.

"Don't ignore me, Darkling," I heard from behind me as I turned my attention to the throne once more.

"Darkling?" I inquired while looking around the room. Had I not played the game Darkness, I wouldn't have felt as offended as I did. Darklings were lesser creatures created in the likenesses of their master's worst traits. I wasn't about to be talked down by my dream. "Don't you dare drag me through the mud like that! You're but a bad dream. So, mind your words when in my head," I warned with a deep voice that seemed to distort into deeper tones as I spoke. For the first time, I felt my jaw moving when I said those words. It was a strange sensation.

"A soldier with passion? What a rare sight," Nightmare Moon spoke as she laughed with delight. "Tell me, if I'm but a bad Dream, what are you?" She inquired while leaning forward with a strange glow to her eyes. I felt some sort of pressure. Like something was trying to enter my head. If that was a dream, there was a small chance of that being the real deal talking to me in my head.

And if that was the case, she was trying to get into my head. I subconsciously growled at her before feeling some sort of surge happen around me. The pressure dissipated and Nightmare Moon seemed to broaden her smile. I was in deep trouble. I knew she was dangerous. Celestia had to use ancient relics to seal her away. And that was the only solace I had to act rationally.

I thought to myself. If she is sealed in the moon, she doesn't have much in terms of power to affect me. And if she wants a soldier, she is growing impatient in her prison. Therefore, she needs someone to do what she can't do.

Raising my hand to point at her, I saw the room turn into a brighter shade of blue as Nightmare's smile grew wider. "You're the real one, right? Nightmare Moon. You have no right to ask what or who I am. And I have no desire to involve with the likes of you. Return to the prison from which you came. And leave my mind this instant. You know not with whom you're dealing with," I warned while watching Nightmare walk towards me.

"So, mighty creature, what am I dealing with?" She inquired with a strange tone as she reached for my hand. "Do enlighten me."

"LEAVE!" I screeched while swinging my arm at her. Nightmare Moon turned into mist before the room faded. Suddenly, her cackle filled the darkness that was left as I heard her final words to me.

"Soon, my little nightmare. You'll see things my way, soon," She said before I woke up with the sun warming my feet.

I still had a little time before Hill Flower arrives for her first rounds. Hence, I wrote things down to remember myself that I might be in danger. I rather not forget about my first dream. Especially one with an important figure such as Nightmare Moon. Perhaps, should I mention this to Celestia?

I should be scared. But, Nightmare Moon is not a killer and she seems to want my help for something. Her goal was to be adored as the sole ruler of the Kingdom by creating an eternal night. As opposed to the day and night cycle that ruled that time. This means I won't be harmed unless something drastic happens or she finds a stronger puppet for her.

Now, I have a few more minutes before Hill arrives. So, I'll go change so she doesn't have to worry about that part. I'll write more once I'm back later today.

Maybe I'll just narrate things with my impression of things.

School never changes. Even Kindergarten remains the same, even in another world.

And that is not a good thing.

The awkwardness of entering a room filled with strangers that you need to get along with isn't pleasant. No matter how many times you experience it, the butterflies in your stomach appear the moment you step into the room. And the experience is made much worse when you enter the place escorted by royalty, who also happens to be the principal of the said school.

Yes, Celestia entered the room with me following close behind. The school didn't have a uniform, so I was allowed to dress in whatever way I desired. You could say I ended up like a chibi version of Elias Ainsworth. Except my clothes were deep blue and the cloak was of a brighter shade. I even got myself some gloves to complete the set. Celestia agreed with my fashion decision, she let it slip that I should cover most of my skin as I grow older.

Anyhow, Celestia stopped by the teacher's desk as I stopped by her side.

"Good Morning, my little ponies," Celestia said as I suppressed an urge to laugh. This translated into a noticeable shiver that made Celestia look at me worryingly. "It's ok. You're doing great. This is Mors Heartingan. Due to fortunate circumstances, he managed to arrive at the castle. Thus, I'm providing shelter and education for them. He has enrolled under the "special cases" clause of the school. I hope this makes it clear for all of you to not pry into his background. And Wayward Lore, he is excused of the magical assessment test, am I clear?" Celestia stated while turning to the teacher.

At that moment, I wanted to bury my face on the ground and disappear. Celestia had just given everyone in the class a reason to pry into my background. I mean, she just admitted to everyone that my history was covered in red tape and black markers. Children speak whatever comes to mind, and they are prone to do things they are told not to do out of curiosity. Plus, Celestia had the teacher the same color I made the doctors with my face.

I think it's thoughtful of her to try and make others not poke me for information. But some things can have the opposite effect when done thoughtlessly.

Then again, I'm not one to speak, Mr. Sign Language.

"Now, Mors, when the bell rings and the recess comes, I want you to come to my office. I'll have one of the monitors come to guide you," Celestia said while kneeling and holding my shoulders. "Understand?"

"Of course, Princess," I answered before turning to the class. "As the princess said, I am Mors Heartigan. It's a pleasure to meet you. I hope we can get along," I added before bowing to the class. There wasn't a word spared by them. Or a question. The teacher didn't even point me to a desk. I just walked to the empty spot in the room.

Unfortunately for me, I wasn't in the same class as Twilight. I would have been glad to see one recognizable face. However, based on what I've seen so far, it was a rather empty class with a handful off-looking -students, one of them was a snob-looking filly. She had some kind of weird mane styling. They were posing as if they wanted to look like a model or something. There was another filly with the same vibe. But she somehow managed to pull it off better than her. Another one was a filly dressed like a magician. One filly looked older and had a firey-looking mane on her. Then, there were two others, a colt with a weird frazzled mane, glasses, and a starry cloak; and the filly with a bunch of fashion magazines on her desk. The last stand-offish student I caught sight of was a purple filly with a broken horn.

At that point, I began to question if I was in one of those situations where the stand-offish character is put in a class of misfits for the sake of hiding them. Those plots usually have the top weirdo to stand out even more than if they were in a normal class. In short, Celestia is either trying hard to hide me or turn me into a center of attention. Given her speech, I would bet on the overly-zealous-hiding part.

The first lesson we got was a boring subject. The teacher was going on and on about the greatness of Princess Celestia and how all ponies should strive to follow her example. It was rather creepy how she would start breathing heavily now and then when she went on a tangent about the theme. It didn't take long for me to assess the rest of the class.

None of them wanted to be there. And with reason. There was no subject being taught, it was an ongoing fangirling of a creepy stalker. Wayward Lore was nowhere close to being a teacher. If she was a certified teacher, I was a grandmaster in Equestrian lore.

The shattered horn was sketching something related to a battle strategy. The wanna-be model was looking at herself in the mirror. The model was reading some books in economics (rather advanced if you ask me, she is probably more than a pretty face). The wizard-looking one with the glasses was reading a theory on ancient spellcraft by a nameless empire (again, it feels like a rather advanced topic for someone my age). The magician was working on a magic trick with cards (she wasn't very good, but there was effort there, so, thumbs up for it). The fashionista looked like she was reading on gossip, but her notes showed she was researching trends for other seasons.

As for me, once I was done scoping the place out, I kept staring at the blackboard waiting for some kind of information that was worthwhile to take note of, none came. And in case you're wondering, my eye-sight is top-notch. Not having irises and retinas turn your eyes into a set of binoculars. If I focus my vision, I can zoom into anything and see everything within twenty feet in detail. And that's not talking about my night vision; true, everything is in fifty shades of grey, but you won't get me scared of not seeing in the dark again.

Unless there are dementors. Then you'll see me running for the hills. I hate those things.

Once the bell rang, the others paid me no mind. They dashed off the room. Save for the wanna-be model. She kept looking at herself in the mirror.

"Narcissus died because of that," I mumbled under my breath while getting up from the desk. I didn't have my school supplies yet. Celestia said something about having it all arranged but didn't elaborate on it. So, I was a shoulder bag and a few pieces of paper as well as a quill.

"You read ancient mythos too?" I heard from the wanna-be model before she covered her mouth and tried to act as if she had never said a word.

Right. I mused before slowly exiting the room. I didn't plan on wasting Celestia's time. But, as I gained the corridors, I stumbled face-first on someone.

"What are you doing here? This is a school for unicorns. Earth ponies should not be taking classes here," The stern-looking stallion said while looking down on me. Based on his tone alone, I deduced he was a prick.

"I am a bicorn. This veil is meant to conceal my face and horns. To avoid ill-mannered ponies and superstitious types that assume everything which escapes from the so-called normal is evil. So, if you'll excuse me, I need to head to the Headmaster's office. After I find the monitor the Princess said she was going to send for me," I replied while gripping my bag's strap.

"Sharp-tongued, yet mannered. Considerable vocabulary, yet young. What a curious thing," The stallion mumbled while eyeing me with a different look now. And, I don't know why, but he started rubbing a spot underneath his horn on his forehead for a few seconds before talking to me again. "There is magic in the veil. Very well, I shall take you to the Principal. Follow me," He said before turning around and walking down the hall.

The school looked like one of those recreations of old European universities. Except, there weren't any nuns walking around and there were no monks dressed up in brown tunics. Instead, you had ponies dressed up in different types of garments and practicing magic. Some were shooting targets with magic spells, others were using their magic to manipulate ice bows that generated ice arrows. I would wager that touching those weapons was a big no-no.

The place was as white as the palace. So, most of the halls looked the same to me. But the stallion leading the way seemed to know the place like the back of his hand. We took about five minutes to go from my classroom to the principal's office. They knocked on the door before turning to me.

"Be mindful of your studies. Continue with the diligence to maintain your pride and standing. And do not falter to continue your pursuit of knowledge in this institution," They said in a strange tone. The wording made it seem like they were trying to be encouraging, but they couldn't quite put the right tone to it. So, it sounded like he was giving me a warning. I simply nodded before he walked away. Celestia opened the door soon after. She looked down the hall and noticed the stallion walking away.

"Huh, Teacher Neighsay brought you here then. Odd," Celestia commented before gesturing me to enter.

"So, what did you need me for, Princess?" I inquired while holding my bag's strap. It's a twitch.

"I needed to tell you of your schedule," Celestia explained while grabbing a list from one of her drawers.

"Sure. And just so you know, you have a stalker," I said while jumping on one of the chairs. Yes, I am short. Go ahead, call me a dwarf! I dare you.

"What? A stalker? What is that?" Celestia said with a tilt of her head.

"It's a term from where I came from. It refers to an obsessive-compulsive pony that follows closely the routine and deeds of another pony. They are extremely attached to their target and tend to project perfection upon the target of their adoration. Their actions can start harmless, but there is a risk of them spiraling down into a manic state. In long term, without the proper mental care, there is a chance of the pony committing crimes to anyone they judge puts you in danger or can stand in their way of adoring their target," I explained while removing the strap from my shoulder.

"That sounds like a serious accusation. And a serious condition, what made you think I have one of these stalkers?" Celestia inquired while holding her chin.

"When we didn't get a class on Equestrian History and instead got a class on how amazingly awe-inspiring you are. With a teacher that looked like she was about to climax at every mention of your perfect traits. Which listed in order are, ahem, mane, coat, eyes, eyelashes, tiara, tighs, arms, dresses, bust, and hips. The last one was debatable as Wayward Lore seemed to want to put it in the first place, but scolded herself like a schizophrenic over how impure the thoughts were," I replied. Like I said before, Celestia thinks the way I speak and act is a by-product of my unfortunate situation, so I don't need to walk on eggshells when mentioning things nor do I need to mind my speeches.

Celestia didn't speak another word. Her cheeks turned red while staring me down. The shock of hearing a child understanding the tone of someone about to orgasm in front of a bunch of children probably made her shut down and question what was I put through before getting here. I wouldn't put it beyond her to think I was abused at some point. With the horror and embarrassment in her face, no doubt she reached that answer on her own.

The real answer, though? Mature-themed games, movies, and books (Lords of Dinosaurs is a good one, light on sexual themes, but awesome in fights and growing back limbs). There were also friends with too much horniness who would keep sending the moan audio prank to a bunch of people, and the list goes on.

At any rate, Celestia gave me the scroll and walked away. I felt like that was an invitation for me to skedaddle back to class. So, I did my best, got lost, and found my way. This little misadventure occurred in empty white halls, so, I didn't meet or see anything interesting.

When it was time for the teacher to come in, however, something weird happened. As far as I remembered, Kindergarten classes have one teacher that covers various subjects. Unless we are dealing with special classes such as foreign languages and physical activities. So, you can guess my surprise when another winged unicorn entered the class. She had a white coat and her mane was some shade of purple with a single strand of light blue. She had cyan eyes and was shorter than Celestia by a few inches only.

She had a suit on, which made her look as if she was going to a conference or something of the sort. She was good-looking too, but she also looked younger than Celestia.

"Good Morning, class. Starting now, I am your new teacher. You can call me, Ms. Heart. Now, according to the official scheduling, you should be at the Post Nightmare Moon event. During the exodus from the Everfree. But, based solely on the notes, or rather, the lack of notes from the previous teacher, I do believe we need to compensate for the lost time. So, I'll ask that all of you read the chapter on the fall of Nightmare Moon in your books for the class tomorrow. I'll make a quick seminar, and without reading you will fall behind," She explained without much reverence or sign of concern.

"Teacher! Everyone knows of the fall of Nightmare Moon as a filly's story!" Claimed the Fashionista while keeping her eyes on the new magazines she had arranged. For a child, buying those is expensive, so, she must be rich, or is saving up for them, or is sacrificing her lunch money for them.

"A filly's tale, huh? Do you know who made the armor Nightmare Moon donned during the battle that forced Celestia to resort to the most powerful magic known to us, Ms. Saddles?" Ms. Heart asked while running her finger on what I believe was the class call sheet.

"N-no." Saddles answered while shrinking in her seat. I felt a bit bad for the kid. I found the story and the passage in a book that was NOT kid-friendly. So, I doubt she would have found the answer easily unless she was reading the history books.

Raising my hand, I waited until Ms. Heart pointed to me. "Yes, Mors?" She asked without looking at the sheet. I took that as a clear sign that she was aware of my situation beforehand.

"Nightmare Moon descended from the sky donning blue Armor forged by the thestrals. The blue alloy absorbed the light reflected from the moon. This fortified it and granted Nightmare Moon and gave her an advantage over Celestia, who was relying solely on her magic for defenses. This added to Nightmare Moon's abnormal power forced Celestia's hand to use the Elements of Harmony to banish the creature to the Moon," I replied while lowering my arm and standing up. Ms. Heart seemed to grin at my response. At first, I thought it was a satisfied grin. But as her eyes locked on me, I knew what she was about to do.

"And, what are the Elements of Harmony? Could you name them?" Ms. Heart inquired with a smug look on her face.

"The Elements of Harmony's true nature is undefined. And so is their definition. But the most agreed-upon representation of these relics is that of six crystals. Each represents an aspect of Harmony. And they can supposedly change based on the bearers. But, due to there only being two known users of the elements up to this day, the only confirmed aspects of Harmony to manifest are as follows. Kindness, Laughter, Honesty, Loyalty, and Generosity. And the only known bearers are Princess Celestia and the lost Princess, Luna," I replied without hesitation, as I had read about them in the books while staying in the hospital.

"What about the sixth element?" Ms. Heart inquired while putting on a wider grin.

"It is unknown. But it is said that their manifestation only came to be in the presence of the other five. As if their presence ignited a spark that brought it forth," I replied honestly before sitting down.

There was a brief moment of silence as everyone in class stared at me. Ms. Heart was the first to break the silence with a chuckle.

"Well, done, Mors. No wonder you were given the scholarship here. Now, How did you come across this information? It is much more advanced than what is covered in your books," Ms. Heart inquired while leaning forward.

"Post Script's Memoirs of Legends and Tales. Building connections between Mythos and Facts," I replied calmly. I decided to hold back on the information of where I read it since it would make the rest of the class want to pry on my background more than they already seemed to want to.

"Good source. Some connections are loosely made though," Ms. Heart said as she turned to the blackboard. "Now, due to Mr. Heartigan's little explanation, all of you know the gist of the arrival of Nightmare Moon and her Fall. So, we can continue with the theme tomorrow during my seminar. Now, let us begin on the basics of modern Pony society," Ms. Heart said while scribing Matriarchy on the board. "Now, Mr. Mors, do you know why all of the students are looking at you?"

"Am I to assume it has to do with mares being the ones ruling society?" I asked while glancing around. "Both in numbers and roles, apparently," I mumbled the last bit under my breath.

"Correct once more," Ms. Heart said while drawing a depiction of a set of wings around a frail-looking sapling. "So, when you answered my question to spare your classmate from the embarrassment just now, you deviated from the common role of the male in our society. Now, the population of Equos is mostly composed of females, with few males across the land. And due to their frail constitution, males are protected from harm and dangerous situations. This, of course, includes any situation where the psyche might be targeted as well." She said while pointing at the drawing. "This is the concept established by The Sisterhood of Queens. And this is the representation they decided upon over two thousand years ago."

And thus began a true lecture on Equestrian Culture. Ms. Heart truly put me to work as I had to take notes on everything she said on how things were and how they currently stand.

To summarize, during the initial chaos of the first reign of Queens, males were commodities and had little to no rights. They were kept in castles and the Queens would decide the mares that would breed with them based on the number of males each mare managed to give birth to. The greater the number, the more likely they were to get a child. This, thankfully, came to a stop due to the ascension of Faust as the ruler of Equestrians. She established the freedom to marry and choose partners. But the strict protection of males continued until the golden age of the Griffons.

The Griffons are the only known kingdom to EVER have a male ruler. And are also an example of how faulty they can be. Since, you know, the kingdom fell into ruin after the chalice that represented the king's golden rule was stolen and the entire place fell to greed and is now a shell of its former glory from which no ruler has ever managed to restore. And because of them, there was the second dark age for the males.

Males that had gained rights had risen to positions of power, and had deviated from the norm were quickly restored to their natural state (whatever the fuck this creepy chain of words means, I don't want to know) after the fall from grace the griffon empire. And from there, the princesses, Celestia and Luna (the most powerful princesses at the time), created the Laws of Sisterhood. Which are commandments to protect and shelter males while securing their freedom to walk around, choose their partners, and work on low-stress, low-risk, and short-timed jobs. But also demanding that they recognized and respected the powers of females and their orders.

These Laws of Sisterhood fell after two hundred years of Nightmare Moon's banishment. But, most mares at home still teach them to their fillies and discipline their colts to act accordingly to their commandments. However, enforcing them is considered forbidden by law, even if most will try to overlook these cases due to how ingrained the concept is in society.

In other words, I don't need to play the obedient colt role as my rights are secured by the law. But there will be plenty of creatures who will try to tell me otherwise.

And given how much my colleagues were staring at me, I don't think it will be long before I have someone prying into my personal life with the excuse of me having to tell them.

This might be a problem growing up.

At any rate, the second class ended shortly after. It was the first day, and due to the sudden change with the staff, we were dismissed after the end of this lecture.

Which also brings about the end of my first day in school.

On an unrelated note, I was told by Celestia that Wayward Lore was sent to a mental healthcare institution with the proper arrangements to secure her well-being.

Also, the scroll Celestia gave me was a spell that imprinted a mental map of the school and castle into my brain. Meaning, we are yet to have a conversation on my schedule.

Magic is a nifty thing.

But it is also terrifying.

Could it be that, maybe, I had Mors's mindset similarly imprinted in me? As in, someone forced these points of view and ideas into my brain. And thus, they feel foreign to me?

I don't know. And I couldn't care less, which is a scary thought.

Something that I do wonder though, is this, how did Twilight's first day go?

Chapter 4: The Truth

It's been a few weeks. As expected, the attention I drew to myself during the first day began to affect my everyday life. But not in the way I expected initially. However, it might just be them probing what they can get off me. For example, Tempest Shadow (obviously a fake name since she was born in recent times, and everyone is called something related to their features) approached me because of my clothes.

As it turns out, Ms. Sassy recognized the fabric used on my clothes. It's a combination of regular cotton and silk along with a special thread woven by a tiny species of bug ponies, the Breezies. This thing feeds off my mana and allows it to harden on impact. So, it's like a suit of armor. How much is this set worth? By comparing the prices, you could say I have a Mythril Vest in the land of Lord of the Rings.

Now, who else approached me? For now, we have, Tempest for the sake of figuring out if she could get some one-piece suits made out of the same type of material. But she wants black ones. Give her a black scarf to match the rest, she will be officially an anime character; Sassy Saddles because that type of material is rare and can be used with some spells to create unique dresses since it absorbs magic.

Lastly, we Blue Bells, who is Celestia's niece? I say it like that because she doesn't seem to have blood ties with Celestia. As in, she openly stated to me that she is not related by blood to Celestia. But she also didn't elaborate on it. Anyway, Blue Bells wanted to ask me about the mythos I knew of. She is obsessed with old stories and fantasy settings in general. However, she only acts like that when the class is over and I am the last one in there. This means she is actively hiding her brainy side in favor of keeping herself looking like a vain idiot.

The best explanation I have for that is this, she wants to keep others away, That's it. I have no further information to go on. I have no means to pry and do not wish to do so. My situation is twisting and turning based solely on how things are developing, and I don't want to get tangled with the political aspect of this world. Royalties and princesses are not things one should dabble on without certainty of what they are doing. And even if I find the Princess beautiful, I can't say I would have any chance with a creature of that stature.

But, this is not about this weird situation I am currently in. Nope, this is about something else entirely.

Someone is watching me.

Constantly, without fail, there are eyes on me. I can feel their gaze piercing me. But I can never catch them. It's almost as if they are hiding in the blind spots of my vision. And I can barely catch a glimpse of them before they are utterly gone without a trace.

I haven't brought this up with Celestia as of yet. But, there is a chance someone might have rummaged through my files in the hospital. And they might be coming after me. I am a monster by appearance, and they might hold it against me. It could even be Wayward Lore. She could hold a grudge against me for having her sent to a mental institution.

Well, back to my usual reports.

Lessons were progressing smoothly. Except we hit the day of physical education. Which meant exercise with the proper attire. I never showed an ounce of my skin to anyone, save for Celestia and Twilight. Plus, as the days progressed, I took notice that my sickening gray fur has a bunch of darker patterns on it. They are shaped like vines with leaves and thorns. The closer they are to my torso, the thicker the vine. I already seem to be racking up a reputation among the ponies because of my eccentric looks, if anyone takes notice while we are in the open field I'll be toast.

Among the things I've learned these past few weeks, two things seem to stand out the most. One is that a common-sense concept exists that dictates a good stallion is an obedient one. Stallions although free to choose according to the law, more often than not, fall into the ideals imposed by the old Sisterhood days. I can't blame them for it. It's an ideology that has been in place for at least twenty-two hundred years. You can't expect something that is ingrained in society to just roll over and die.

But I do find it odd that the entire thing was brought to an end "officially" after the fight with Nightmare Moon. The more I learn about her the more I come to question what the hell truly happened back there. The timing is just odd, exactly two hundred years after the fight, the remaining ruler destroyed the entire system that ruled their entire society. It makes me think of what could be the reason for the Long Night. If my logical jump connecting Luna and Nightmare Moon is correct, and the entire event revolves around the Sisterhood Laws, one or several males might be involved.

Now, for the second thing, there seems to be a recurring trend in modern society as of late. It's the "bad colt phenomenon". The designation of a bad colt is a colt that deviates from the mold. So, I've been labeled a bad colt. The consequence of this is what has me worried the most. I will unavoidably attract attention to myself by simply doing as I please. And, this is what worries me the most, there will be older mares varying from teenagers to adults trying to get me in line. The term used by them is "taming."

Being small has its advantages. For example, listening in on conversations from places others will likely overlook. So, I discovered how they will try and "tame" me. This will be done by two methods as far as I know. One of which is trying to get into a relationship with me, which is the method of the younger mares, and then slowly break my spirits by stimulating me to do as I please and watch me fail (more like sabotaging based on what I heard). While the older mares will try to become my babysitters, from there, they will try to brainwash me into submission.

So, yeah. I have plenty of problems already, and the PE won't help one bit.

And something I forgot, I still haven't got around to arranging my schedule with Celestia. But back to today's events.

The bell rang signaling the end of lunch break. I felt the dread of an unpleasant activity building up in my chest as I made my way inside. The rest of the class had their bags in hand with their PE clothes. My bag, however, was gone. Ms. Heart, her full name is Flurry Heart, gestured me to come closer before turning to the rest of the class.

"Alright, class, I want everyone heading over to the gym to meet with coach Spring Sprint," The rest of the class nodded and moved right on. Thanks to the new teacher, the behavior changed a bit. They were far from turning into model students, but their engagement and response changed quite a bit. Once we were alone, Ms. Heart turned back to me and sat down. "Now, Princess Celestia has arranged for you to have private exercise sessions with someone she trusts. She'll be here in a few minutes. She'll come for you every PE class from now on. So, your clothes will be moved to the session's location every day during lunch."

"Ok. So, how would I?" I started before I got blinked out of the room. The next thing I knew, I was on top of some type of white fluffy floor. It behaved like a trampoline of sorts. Each step felt like I was pushed upwards. And there was less air resistance.

"You're the one I'm supposed to teach? Huh, you can stand on clouds. So, there is a spell for that after all," I heard from an older mare. She was yellow and had a fire-themed mane, both in color and shape. She wore a bodysuit that looked like a uniform of sorts. "I'm Spitfire. I'm part of the reserves of the Wonderbolts. But that won't last for very long. Now, get down and do as many push-ups as you can," She said dismissively.

I wish I could say I did some sort of connection here. That I had some level of conversation with this Spitfire character. But what she had in looks, she lacked empathy. It could be another effect of the Sisterhood thingie, or she just didn't care about the entire thing. Another detail, Ms. Heart lied to my face. She said my instructor would come to meet me, but I wound up somewhere else entirely.

But never mind my rant, I spent about fifty minutes jumping between sit-ups and push-ups. The result was my collapsing due to exhaustion. The next thing I knew I was back at the hospital. No warnings, no nothing! I just blacked out. Celestia did come to see me. But, it wasn't anything worth noting. She asked if I was ok, when I confirmed it she just walked away.

It was a strange day, to say the least. I also wasn't allowed back to school the following morning. It was an even weirder event. I just woke up with a note beside me. Celestia wrote clear instructions that I should not leave my room, or do anything at all. She even went as far as to tell me to not make a noise.

Honestly, when I found myself sitting in my room hugging my knees waiting for time to pass, I began to question what was happening. But not about what was going on outside the room. I was worried about myself. I mean, I should have been more concerned about myself. I am a walking skeleton head with demonic horns hiding in a world of pastel-colored ponies with an entity that can level all life in the world by simply moving the sun closer.

As for my situation with Celestia ordering me to stay put, it wasn't that hard to figure it out if I thought about it. I was hospitalized, and I had a file containing my information on it. There were ponies traumatized by me in the hospital. It would be weird for someone to NOT have gotten a hold of that information. They were probably acting against Celestia to get to me and probably get me killed. I do look like an evil entity from pony tales.

So, if I was to stay in the room, there were two possibilities. Celestia proposed a counterargument by having me act obediently to prove she has me under control, whatever in Tartarus I am, I need to keep that wrapped. The other possibility was Celestia was facing off against a bunch of rioters trying to get to me, Coup d'état style (did I write this correctly?).

But due to the lack of screaming and a LOT of silence, the first option was the most likely part of my predicament. And since I wasn't done exploring my new life and trying to make something out of it, I thought it best to follow through with her request. Still, it was unnerving to just sit and wait there in silence.

I was not in control of that situation. And, whatever was going to happen to me, would be decided by someone else. It didn't sit well with me, but I am a child in this world.

Suddenly, I heard the sound of steps approaching my room. I backed away into the corner of the bed furthest from the door. The doors opened and Celestia entered the room. There were several noble-looking ponies behind her. I felt irked as if something foul had entered the room.

"There. He followed the instructions. Now leave!" Celestia ordered with a threatening voice as her eyes turned white and emitted an eerie glow.

"It would seem I was right in my assumptions," I mumbled as the nobles scurried out of the room.

"Mors, follow me," Celestia said while using her magic to seal the door shut.

I was about to ask where before another door spawned in front of my mirror. Considering the unknown factors of the situation, I thought it would be best to follow any orders she gave. I rushed behind Celestia as she disappeared into the door. Honestly, I felt like I was entering the door to Kingdom Hearts.

Unfortunately, I wasn't allowed to take my journal with me.

I guess I know why Celestia was so worried about my magic. So, remember that joke I made? The one about me using necromancy? I didn't? Huh, well, that's what I do. I am a necromancer.

FUCK.

I am a damned lich! My god. I bet that if someone stabbed me across my head or chest, I wouldn't die. You can't kill a lich without taking out the vessel holding their heart/soul. In role-playing games, Liches are powerful casters, they possess special actions that allow them to use magic to create lesser and medium undead. Elder liches can create greater undead and are extremely hard to kill or push back. Out of all the things I could remember, there was one thing I am concerned about the most. There is a spell/ability they possess known as Power Word Kill.

It was a special spell of high power. It could instantly make the target die. I knocked out an adult at the age of four with just my voice. What the hell will happen if I lose control of my magic and let out a Kill Word? What's to stop me from accidentally using my voice to kill?

But that is the least of my worries. I had a complete rundown from Celestia on what it means to be a lich in Equestria. Which makes me less worried. However, there is still a major issue here. The thing I mentioned about being watched? That's because there is someone else inside this body. As in, another soul living with me. The presence I mentioned, might be coming from within. Celestia didn't give me all the details, but when I passed out some stuff happened. And I teleported into the throne room.

I should probably write things down as Celestia told me. And I should Organize things to not make them too overbearing. So, I'll start with the definition of a lich, the short version, and then go to Celestia's revelation.

The definition of Liches in this world and my own are very different. Liches here never truly died to become undead in Equestria. They are ponies that artificially became immortal by placing that which makes them mortal into a vessel, a vessel that doesn't consume the energy which makes them age and die. But their bodies still age to the point of reaching their physical prime. However, they will be stagnant in that state forever.

Based on what Celestia told me, once upon a time, Liches pretended to be in the same league as Alicorns. But that was because of a Power-crazed state. There is a reason why Liches end up evil in this world, and it's also related to their creation. When someone becomes a Lich, their heart and soul are extracted and placed on a vessel. Both remain operational and also remain stagnant in time by the spell that removed them.

But the body still needs something to sustain itself from. And that is where a substitute appears and makes the body function. Liches create the Ether flame as a substitute for their souls and hearts. There are two types of Ether Flames. The Core, this part is a physical manifestation that emulates a heartbeat, is only physically manifested after ten years of the lich's birth. If it suffers critical damage, the lich's body decays and crumbles. But the other flame allows them to recreate their physical body. That is called Sin, as the original lich named it as a symbol of their Sin of envy from the alicorns' longevity.

My core is yet to be formed, so, I am currently vulnerable to having my body destroyed. Once my core is formed, I'll be very difficult to get rid of. And I mean it. A normal pony can die from a stab to the heart. A lich will take several stabs to the heart before dying. The easiest way to destroy my physical body with a core would be a constant magic beam being fired at my chest for one minute. And that is at its weakest.

As for Sin, this flame doesn't have a physical manifestation. But it gets weaker to recreate a body. If a lich is repeatedly destroyed, their Sin could be exhausted. This would cause them to enter a dormant state until the Sin is ready to reappear. An exhausted Sin can take from one week to months to regain its strength. Sin doesn't work like a normal Pony's magic well. It sustains itself and grows from the magic in the environment. Every part of the world emanates mana. And the Ether flame assimilates and consumes it. And the older it gets, the more efficient it becomes at the conversion ratio.

And it's exactly because of Sin that liches enter power trips. The Ether flame's growing power starts to saturate the body, and this poisons the mind of the liches. And this shifts their moral compasses and turns them crazy. The average sane lifespan of a lich is of around twenty-five years. In my case, I should be crazed at this point. But Celestia believes that I retained my sanity because of my mental maturity. She also thinks I might be able to keep my sanity if I strengthen my will (her words, not mine).

And this brings me to the second topic of my existence! I am cursed! And the fact I turned into a lich is the reason I am still alive! Otherwise, I would have experienced a slow and painful death within my first year here! Yay.

This curse is called the Curse of Thorns. And I would have died with my organs pierced by vines that would keep me alive until they burst out of my body.

Fuck whoever came up with this damned thing.

With that out of the way, I think I should express how grateful I am to Celestia. Even though it is a misguided wish, she wanted me to have a normal childhood, hence why she didn't tell me right away about my condition. So, when all was said and done, and I knew what I had become, I trusted Celestia with one last thing.

I told her, that if I ever turn crazy like the rest, I asked her to get rid of me.

But for that to happen, I need to find out where my vessel is.

And that's all regarding liches so far.

Onto the tale as old as time. And the truth about what the fuck happened way back then, the one responsible for the fall of the laws of Sisterhood. This is a clip notes version of all Celestia told me, so bear with me on this.

"A solemn promise, that's what he called it. Mors, when we first met the Nameless King, we had no idea what my sister and I had just stumbled upon. When my sister and I found him, he was but a pegasus pony with lavender eyes struggling to stand. But he continued to repeat the same vow. He kept reaching forward with lifeless eyes stating: One day, I will set things right. One day, I'll return. And I will bring everyone back."

"Luna and I thought the poor stallion was delusional. However, after allowing him to rest and recover. We sensed that there was more to the stallion than we could have imagined. He possessed an unnatural strength and his ability to fight was on par with some of the best mortal warriors at the time. Together, we fought, traveled, and experienced the world as mercenaries. We taught him how to fight, he taught us how to heal. His charisma was unlike anything we had ever seen. It didn't matter where he went, he would sway the hearts of those around him with words. My sister and I learned a great deal about handling situations with other means beyond physical power alone."

"But, one day, he told us he had to leave. That there were ponies he was looking for. And now that he had become stronger, he was ready to try and find them on his own. And for a long time, we thought he had died. Years passed and using the experience we gained with this pony, we formed our kingdom. As time continued to flow, we heard whispers of an expanding empire reaching as far as eyes could see beyond the equestrian borders. However, we were too busy with our problems to ever seek the truth behind such tales."

"All of this changed, however, when Discord's fall happened. Our heroic deed brought forth a parade led by the very same pony that we had met. Luna and I could not believe it. He hadn't aged a day. His strength had increased both in followers and his own. And he had brought allies with griffins, zebras, and even Kirins. We welcomed him with a hint of uneasiness. We had known about liches before. And how their minds and bodies can be corrupted by their artificial immortality. So, we were weary."

"Using honeyed words filled with poison, however, this stallion made his way back into our mist. Luna and I grew closer to the pegasus. He was unlike any other stallion we had ever met. We thought things could be perfect. That the union of the kingdoms could happen and create one big nation. Until he disappeared. No word, no letter, no nothing. Just as suddenly as he entered our lives, he exited them once more. It wasn't until later that we learned about an empire rising in a strange Eden that had emerged over the frozen plains where the old Equestria had once existed that we would see that stallion again."

"Sadly, when we met him once more, it was by his hand that the curse of thorns first came to be. The Eden from the Crystal Empire turned into a trap overnight. The Princess of Love he had appointed as regent died at the pedestal where a relic fueled by love was almost tainted by fear. The stallion brought a unicorn with him, one born from the darkness and formed from a vile crystal. Her name was Umbra. The mare stood by his side as our troops marched against the empire. The kingdoms he had ruled fell into dismay and chaos as his corruption became public knowledge. Using the power of the elements, Luna and I banished Umbra."

"However, her devotion to her master was beyond anything we had ever seen. Using all of her hatred and fear, Umbra sealed away the Empire with a curse that erased it from the memories of most of the ponies, causing it to become a myth. As for the king? During our fight, he influenced Luna. His words corrupted Luna's mind. She insisted on guarding the pegasus until we discovered his vessel. Years later, Luna became Nightmare Moon. And she freed the damned pegasus from his prison."

"Luckily, I had found the vessel by then. That same night, I ended the life of the pegasus lich, the Nameless King. And I sealed away my sister. But, it seems I was foolish to think such a vile creature could have been erased so easily."

"Mors, it seems the one that cursed you. The one to cause you all this pain is but a part of that same pegasus that managed to survive. They are within you. And I know that, because, I know it because when you appeared before us. I knew it, from the moment I laid eyes on it, that monstrous form and those lavender eyes. I knew it was him. And, he made the vow once again while pointing at me."

"One day, I will set this right. One day, I'll return to this land. And I will bring back everyone. That's what you said before collapsing. That stallion was the reason the Sisterhood began its fall, but because of the Sisterhood mentality, My sister and I tried to grant him some level of decency. And that allowed my sister to be corrupted. We cannot give stallions too much power, but we can't also completely shield them from everything. Therefore, I dissolved the laws and gave them some level of freedom. And in the end, now, he is back."

"I don't think he is strong enough to take over. Whatever happened between you and Twilight that caused you to be the way you are must have stopped it. But you need to become stronger, Mors. I need you to keep him sealed away within you. You cannot let the King come out. No matter what happens, you must be strong enough to push him back. And I'll train you to do just that. I wished you had a happy childhood. I did."

"But I can't allow that pony to walk in these lands ever again. So, please, grant me this selfish request, will you allow me to train you?"

I guess you can see what I answered, right?

So, not only am I a cursed lich, I am the vessel for an ancient evil that conquered a great deal of the world and caused the fall of several kingdoms on his own.

I don't know if Celestia told me the entire story. I can't shake the feeling everything seems a little too romantic. But, she had a romantic involvement with the stallion. And without Luna around, I can't exactly look for other sources of information.

And to make things clear, this training of Celestia. It would keep me isolated from everyone, for a great deal of time. I wasn't even aware of it until she told me.

But that's the truth, I'll be gone for a while. I won't even be able to write.

Hopefully, I'll make it in less than five years.

(Twilight's diary)

Dear Diary, I went to see the princess today at night.

I had a bad dream with a black mare cackling and laughing at me. It was a strange dream. It felt different, like a memory. But it wasn't my memory. And the mare walked on four legs instead of two. She could turn into mist, and her mane was made out of stars. She changed shape and size, and could even create storms with her mane.

I was scared. But, while I was having this nightmare, Mors' flower appeared. It sprouted from the ground and made him appear. He snapped his fingers and the mare became a beautiful giant blue rose. And another pony, a blue mare was sleeping inside it. She was crying.

"She needs your help," Mors told me before turning into a series of thorns and spreading through the landscape.

After that, I woke up. I thought I should tell the princess about the dream. It felt important. As in, it held some sort of important message to it. Like a prophecy.

But, when I got to the study, I heard something through the door. Celestia was talking to herself, I peeked into the room through the keyhole and used a spell to make my hearing better.

"I need to help Mors. If she gets a hold of him, I don't know if I can ever forgive myself. You're in great danger because of me. Mors, I'm so sorry. The best I can do is prepare you for what is to come," Celestia mumbled while trying to suppress her tears. She sounded so hurt.

I decided to run back to my room in the library. It sounded like Mors was in trouble. I don't know what to do. If he is in trouble, I want to help. But, I don't know if I can. He is getting special training from Celestia to get ready for something. I'm not on Celestia's level.

And maybe that's what I need to do.

That's it.

I'm going to become a magician as capable as Princess Celestia. I'll study harder than ever before!

(Spitfire's POV)

Report number 15#

I found a literal monster hiding among the ponies of Canterlot. The little pet Celestia tried to push me to train turned out to be a HUGE monster with a body made out of thorns. That thing moved faster than me. It blinked out of existence using some sort of magic. I flew as fast as I could to warn the castle, but I arrived too late.

The guards were knocked unconscious, and there was a line of nobles trying to act like heroes to protect Princess Celestia. Typical hero play, except they didn't expect its might to overpower them so easily. Purity in bloodlines causing an increase of power? Kiss my flank with that kind of donkey shit. That thing is nothing more than an amalgamation of creatures and plants living as one, and it kicked their flanks without as much as moving a finger. And the way it was just reaching for Princess Celestia, it felt like it was begging for help.

Wait, this makes it sound like I pitied the thing. I mean, it was a kid. And Celestia did tell me that he had gone through Tartarus and back. Maybe it went back to ask for help? It didn't say a word, not any word that I could hear at least. I say that because, from my perch, it looked like Celestia was having a conversation with it. She was sweating bullets and her eyes were filled with tears. I once heard that unicorns that touched their horns while casting a specific spell can communicate with each other without using words.

I may have hurt someone that the Princess considers close to a son. Damn it! I always screw things up with how brash I am. I can't just keep throwing myself out like that. I want to be the leader of the Wonderbolts.

Time to start acting like someone of that caliber. Otherwise, I'll never get to that point.

Research notes, Number #65

In terms of magical prowess, there is a total of eight standard ranks among unicorns.

These ranks are from lowest to highest: Elementalist, Neophyte, Acolyte, Magician, Arcanist, Sorcerer, Master, and Arcane Master. These ranks are used to identify the number of spells learned and mastered. The first is a great factor in the initial levels of the ranks. The latter being the deciding factor on the rise of rank from Acolyte upwards. In terms of climbing efficiently, the best method is to learn the minimal number of spells for each of the ranks. After that, you should focus on mastering each of the spells you already have on your roster.

These ranks are awarded by a table of casters from any rank above yours. If there is a consensus, you are allowed to pass on to the next level. Unless a special ranker decides you are allowed to get a promotion.

Above these ranks stand the special ranks that can only be given by someone of that special rank. These ranks are related to each of the elemental affinities of the unicorns. The elements known to Ponykind are fire, water, earth, wind, lighting, shadow, empathy, darkness, time, blood, void, Byomancy, metal, plants, magma, crystals, sound, and light. Each pony has at least two elemental affinities. If they are particularly gifted, they can go up to four elemental affinities. And most of the elements have the same branches of development. And the highest form from the magic branches from each of the elements is creation and destruction magic. The ones with the fewest branches are time, void, and empathy. Which also happen to be among the rarest elemental affinities of the bunch.

When it comes to some of the other branches, we have levitation, detection, beams, defensive, offensive, and art, which are the most common. And when it comes to getting a special rank, so long as you pass the Ranker's trial, you'll be promoted.

But such skills are unimportant at the time. The highest rank of magic is Heart. Each rank is accompanied by a term referring to the element the unicorn has mastered to this extent. For example, we have the Blazing Heart, Crimson Heart, Luminous Heart, and Living Heart.

Governing above all ranks, we have the Grand Wizard. Only a handful of casters have ever filled this position before. One of them is a mortal unicorn by the name of Starswirl the Bearded. The others are Princess Celestia, Princess Luna, and Princess Amore. Holding this title means you achieved the greatest honor of all when it comes to magic. And you can only receive the title if the number of Grand wizards.

But the process of receiving this used to be rather tricky. Since it's the highest form, the caster must receive an approving rating from at least fifty percent of the titleholders rounded up. Therefore, you needed to impress at least three holders in the past. Right now, so long as you perform to the standard before the only holder of the title, you could get the title.

But that is wishful thinking, considering there hasn't been a new Grand Wizard in at least a thousand years.

I will cover the military ranks in my next notes. This should make it easier to understand each function and branch of the Equestrian Army.

(Celestia's POV)

At the edge of the world sits a door leading to a place from which no evil can escape. The door was built long ago by someone stronger than Celestia ever knew, it could not be destroyed. However, that door was not without its flaws. Flaws that, if abused, could allow the evils contained within to escape. Flaws that Celestia had been thorough in correcting.

Tartarus, a prison from which no evil would ever escape. It was a place from which Nightmares could be born, and stories to scare children away were woven.

She knew that very well, Celestia had started those stories after all. Stepping closer to the monument against evil, Celestia touched the wicked adornment made out of gold decorating the door. It was one of three skulls representing Cerberus the once guardian of the gates.

"How fare you, A-?" Celestia said before feeling her throat close and a sudden feeling as if someone had grabbed her by the neck. A surge of magic enveloped her body as she gasped for air. "She still keeps your name away then. You will never walk upon these lands again," Celestia added as her mane seemed to turn into flames for a brief moment. "That child, it will be stronger than you ever were."

Stepping away Celestia opened her wings before turning around and glancing at the door over her shoulder. "And that is a promise."