Keeper of Life - NaPoWrMo Entry

Solar walked toward the tower she had spent so much time in. Yet this time it seemed different, taller, darker. A shudder ran through her body as she ran through the possibilities again. Forcing her breathing under control she made toward the imposing ironwood door.

As Val burst through the doors she jumped, already on pure nerves. Val's concerned look worried her.

“Val, what's going on?” she asked seemingly catching the tall unicorn off guard.

“Oh, Solar,” she said distractedly, “it's nothing.” The guard paced ahead of her and stopped, looking back. “You'll do fine Solar, just remember to relax.” She gave the small unicorn a warm smile, hiding the swirling mind beneath. “I have to go now,” she said following the guard.

“Great now I'm even more nervous,” Solar told the air. “Just deep breaths,” she said as she made toward the doors.

They were waiting for her on the third level. Their eyes bored holes into her as she entered and found herself staring at the floor. Knowing better she readied herself and met their gaze. “Grandmaster Ilos, Grandmaster Serene and Grandmaster Song, I present myself and am ready for your judgment.”

“We shall see,” Grandmaster Song said. Her melodic namesake doing little to hide the disdain in her voice. Or maybe she was just being too nervous. Solar found she had been holding her breath, and forced air back into her lungs attempting not to make it look obvious.

'Stop being so stupid, just calm down,' Solar told herself. Easier said then done.

“You're late,” Grandmaster Ilos said, though distractedly. “Let's begin,” he said before giving her a chance to explain herself. “Lady Valor may be lenient with you now Miss Flare, but once you serve under her she won't accept tardiness.”

“Yes Sir,” she said following behind, the daggers stuck from her chest and she couldn't dislodge them.

“It's being noted,” Grandmaster Song said, another knife in her shot nerves.

They entered a darkened room that was illuminated with Serene's magic. “First,” Song said, “we shall judge your scholarly attributes, history and general knowledge.” She stood beside a large chalkboard filled with mathematical and historic questions. The letters and numbers filled the dark-green reminding her of weeds in the garden. When she was younger it had been one of her duties to pick the weeds and store them so they could be used for future compost. 'But there'll only be more weeds,' she had said then, and got another lecture about the circle of life.

'Breathe Sol, breath,' she told herself again.

Grandmaster Song pulled an hourglass from the table. The sand glowing blue from her magical grasp. “You have until the last grain falls. You may ask questions on the context of the problems and we can clarify. That is the only assistance you will have. Do I make myself clear?” she asked.

“Yes,” Solar said, her voice meek. The hourglass spun and landed on the table with a soft *thack*. She picked up the chalk and began writing, trying to keep the chalk from vibrating. Sweat lurched into her eye and she scrawled a line through a question.

Getting to this point had almost killed her yet the questions seemed to comeeasily, as if the answers were being whispered to her. The textbooks of old began to squirm with life telling her their knowledge. She stopped shaking.

'The war began -22 After Life, and declared by the griffons under King Callan. It ended in 321 AL,' she thought, 'easy.' This was stuff they told kids to remind them of what The Tree had done for them, and what they had endured. They had held strong under the weight of three armies!

She thought back to when she had been younger, how they'd gathered in the classrooms and read over history books that seemed to get heavier as the days went by. It was odd, then she had so many friends, in fact she never did have time for school, funny how life had a way of punishing you. There were far too many nights in the tower studying, pulling out her old books and reviewing.

All of her friends were elsewhere now, spread around they city, and none cared to keep in touch. The only one who was there for her was now gone. Clover had always been there for Sol, despite her living so far away from the inner ring where Sol lived. She remembered once when she had accidentally broken a water main in the school while playing around with magic and Clover had convinced the teachers it was old age, and how the abundant humility in the air that year had caused over corrosion due to the sweating of the pipes and how they were just unlucky bystanders. 'Clover could have done this test with her eyes closed,' Sol thought. Not that she was having particular problems with it.

The questions recounted the war, how they'd driven their enemy from the barrier and from their walls. How they'd snuffed out the spies hiding among them, and collapsed the tunnels they had dug under the city in an attempt to undermine and destroy The Tree. She answered questions on the number of matriarch’s there had been. It was a trick question, Val was known as “the seventh”, but technically the Queen was the first as the position of matriarch hadn't been made yet. 'Eight,' Solar thought as chalk lined the board.

She answered questions about Queen Emerald, how she had driven the invading changeling army back, how she had collapsed their tunnels and shown them mercy by allowing them to return to the sands. Solar thought back to pictures of Queen Emerald, like those that hung in a throne room she never saw. How they'd learned about her foresight, how she'd been able to see through the Changeling tricks. How they'd tried to sneak their way in, but she had been waiting. 'Should have gotten rid of them when she got the chance,' Solar thought.

As she poured through the questions her motivation only ramped up. The pins that had been stuck by her nerves were gone. She was glad they started with this and wasn't sure if the questions were just really easy, or she was that good. 'Probably the latter,' she thought.

There was enough geography here to make a map spin, and she was only taken for a loop twice. How long had she spent staring at a map? Though what really helped her was the trolly trips she had taken around the city when she was bored. The voice of the conductor rang in her ears telling her the answers.

She placed the chalk down and reviewed her questions until she heard Song's booming voice.

“Stop!” she thundered.

'I can hear you without yelling, I'm, like, four feet away,' Solar thought now that she'd regained some confidence. She jumped when Song snapped her a scowling look and wondered, for only a moment, if she could read minds.

Grandmaster Song made to her side and looked up at the board. “Incorrect,” she told Solar pointing out a math equation. The tone came down with such scorn and brimstone that Solar was afraid she'd throw her out the tower window.

“Ninety nine point five percent. Congratulations Solar,” she said flatly.

“Well done child, a perfect score has only been achieved once and you've come very close,” Ilos said. Song shot him a sharp glance. He didn't seem to notice, giving him the appearance that he couldn't see through the beard that surrounded his face like a mane. “Follow me, I shall be administering your next test,” he said. They followed through, Serene trailing behind Song.

Serene's body wobbled slightly as she walked, her thin legs giving away her age. Solar guessed she was the oldest mare in the city, and the oldest she's seen. 'I wonder if she even has grandfoals?' she thought as the room around was lit.

Ilos continued to the center, passing her. The other two stood silently along the wall. He took an aggressive stance and contorted the room into an artist's canvas. Lights and trails of color spun off in random arcs. Solar was stunned momentarily by the view before lightning crashed down on her. A purple bubble lit around her momentarily, showing itself only when being struck. She strafed and lunged forward, blades ripping from the floor. He deflected them easily and with a noise she barely heard, she was thrown violently away. She skidded along the floor before shooting to her knees and deflecting another blow. Whips of spikes evanescent violent rained down on her. The bubble bulging before breaking and tossing her against the far wall.

She weakly got to her legs. “I wasn't ready, I didn't know we were starting,” she said in defense, fearing that she'd already lost.

“The enemy will not give you warning Miss Flare. The enemy will not show you mercy and will not hesitate to stoop to any levels of depravity. Now on your feet,” he commanded and she obeyed. “You are to be the protector, the defender, the keeper and the watcher. Now show me your strength!” he bellowed. The placid demeanor he once held was now gone, she thought him more a lion now.

She lashed out, manually controlling her shield, reflecting specific areas. The blows sent her skidding left, then right, but she stayed course. With a lunge she pulled her shield like one pulls a string on a sweater. The shield unraveled becoming a infinitely thin line which she brought down with blinding speed. There was only the skim trail of light as a deafening crack blind-sighted her. Pain lit into her side and sent her mind reeling. Her body crumpled on the ground instantly as if she had been pulled from her body.

Her eyes opened moments later, Ilos pacing beside her. “You left yourself open Solar, it was a daring move,” he said. She hung her head in disappointment. “On your feet Solar.” With weak legs she rose. Her muscles and joints quickly gained energy back, it was only a stun, but her heart trembled and she worried she would topple again.

“I'm sorry Grandmaster, I have disappointed you,” she said.

“Oh no child, you did very well. Excellent use of defensive manipulation. Clever strategy, consolidating energy from offense into speed and using that with the energy already expended. With more practice I think you could become a very accomplished warrior,” he said brushing his face lightly. He turned revealing a patch of missing hair. “Keep in mind Solar I've been doing this for longer then you've been alive. It's why I get the fancy title,” he said with a grin.

“You have passed this test Miss Flare,” Song interjected, as if the conversation had gone on long enough. “The last test shall be administered by Grandmaster Serene, it is the hardest of the tests and your final trial. Do not disappoint us,” she said. Her voice filled Solar with hesitation and that trembling in the legs she kept having like a bad itch.

Another door opened and she entered. This time nobody lit the room and the silence hung like lead. The moment was shattered as the doors boomed closed behind her, the noise dancing off the walls and twisting into rabid voices. Yet they didn't stop. The voices built and climbed as if they were literally scaling the walls preparing to jump and assault her. The darkness was alive.

She created a burst of light but the darkness snuffed it as if it were feeding off the light. Another attempt proved worthless the utter blackness devouring it, lusting for more.

“Grandmaster Serene,” she called over the mounting noise. “I don't understa-” in the middle of her words silence fell again. “Grandmaster Serene?” she asked, timidly.

“Help me!” a voice called out. Instinctively she rushed toward the dull light that appeared. A body lay distorted and twisted on the ground. Limbs lay in a position only the dead would find comfortable, and blood crept along the floor like a living animal.

She tried to speak but found no words. The closer she came the more injured he appeared and the weaker his voice. His lips moved but no words formed and she leaned in closer to hear.

As she blinked his body shifted from the blood stained white to coal black, scales appeared along his body, white teeth. With fangs drawn he dove at her. The image tore through her as she screamed, mist circling her. The meek light faded again and she felt sick, her world spun and she tried not to vomit.

“Flare?” another voice said, a voice she recognized.

“Mom?” she asked as the image appeared. “Mom I... wait.” She understood, they were illusions. “This isn't real,” she said. Yet the image pressed on. She shook her head trying to make sense of it when a creature burst from the side. The scene seemed to move in slow motion, Sol could see his image shift from normal into demon, she saw his fangs as he dropped his jaw, saw the venom as it trailed from them. Her mother's eyes filled with dread as the creature bore down on her. Another pulled from the darkness staring at Sol, his eyes piercing her, making her cower back as the image of her mother continued to be mauled.

The black body tore at her throat while she whimpered, “Help me Flare, please.” She held out a hoof as the creature drained life from her.

“Mom!” she called throwing magic into the air and on the ground. Another grabbed her tail dragging her back into the darkness. “No!” Solar called out as she used every ounce of magic in her body. When her mother disappeared she collapsed in the puddle of tears that was already appearing. Every muscle shook so violently they stung and begged for release. It was only moments later that her stomach attempted to repel its contents once again.

It took a minute for her to register the voice of Grandmaster Song. “It's okay child, they're all gone,” she said crouching beside Solar. The room was now lit revealing golden tiles spread out in clockwork patterns. Song reached out and stroked her mane then lowered her hoof and raised Solar's head. “It's okay,” she said again.

Solar looked past her and traced the lines in the tile as they climbed the walls. She followed the patterns until she was looking straight up at a mosaic tree, the tiles seemed so new. The roots of the tree twisting inside the colors of each tile, trails of green marking leaves, it made her feel so small. Song smiled.

“The Tree finds ways to comfort us when we are most afraid,” she said. “Now come on, on your feet.”

“Grandmaster, I... I failed didn't I. I'm so sorry, I failed you all, I... I...” she stammered.

“No child,” she said, her voice melodic and maternal, “it was a very difficult trial. We were too hard on you.”

“Deep breaths,” Grandmaster Ilos said beside her.

“Not one soul has passed this trial on the first try. One has to know fear in order to defeat it,” Song said. She wasn't satisfied, she felt coddled, patronized.

“I should have done better,” she said tearing her eyes away from them.

“The Tree has a way of showing us our direction,” Grandmaster Serene said from the back. “Follow its path young Flare and you shall triumph.”

“Now come, you need rest,” Ilos said and they escorted her to the tower doors.

“Try not to become too worried about this,” Ilos said. “We shall summon you again, and I expect grand things.” He turned to show the tuft of hair that was missing and smiled. It did little to alleviate the pit left in her heart but she did her best to smile.

She turned and walked away, a shadow following her path. “Mom,” she said under her breath and tried to hide the tears that flowed from her face.

The trip to the hospital was slow and even more painful then the trials. Smells of fresh baked bread and cakes flowed from the market and it helped distract her for only a second. That was until the memories of her mother's baking came back, then she erupted in more tears then before.

Stone archways marked the city's districts, and thankfully they all revolved around The Tree. She could dip into every district right from the tower. Though she knew she couldn't close the entire distance on foot and waited for the soft chime of a bell.

The trolly approached behind her, she felt it through the rails before she heard the bell, and stepped to the side so not to be crushed. A small group gathered under a sign near by waiting to get on. As the trolly slid to a soft stop the glow around the wheels dimmed then died. She got on a the conductor yelled, “All aboard for District 3, next stop Fire Response and Control.”

For this time of day the trolly was practically empty, but this wasn't a popular part of the city. Besides the trolly would be going to pick up those just finishing work, and transport them to District 2 where all the houses were.

The conductor yelled a few other things before her stop came up. “Health services,” he said and she almost got off. As they approached the stop after, “Hospital and medical lodgings,” she found her legs wouldn't work. How could she face her mother now, how could she go in there and say what a failure she had been?

“Miss Flare,” the conductor said, “It's your stop.” He knew her, almost all the conductors did. She made the trip to the hospital almost daily. Yet during the last week her mother had been even weaker so they weren’t allowed to visit.

She nodded. “Oh, ya, thanks,” she said stepping off the trolly. Not a soul was left on the trolly but he yelled again, “Essential services, support administration and logistics.”

The building towered before her, seemingly larger then ever before. The windows scowled at her making grimacing faces and warning her to stay away. She placed a hoof on the door and found she couldn't go any further. The disappointment her mom would have for her. She was supposed to be a guardian of The Tree now, she was supposed to be something. All these years of training only to fail now and there was no excuse. There was no telling her about the last trial, it was hard enough on herself, let alone telling her mother something so horrific.

It wasn't until the sun started to tip and spread twilight streaks through the sky that her father came out.

“Solar!” he said. “I thought you had gone home, I...” he trailed off. Stupid, of course she had been here, why would she have missed seeing her mom. “Or that you were still at the tower, well how-” he bit his tongue. The dried tears, the red roots that climbs through her eyes. “Sol,” he said sitting beside her and holding her head beside him, “what happened?”

Tears came instantly back to her face but her father just held her until she was ready to talk.

“I... I...” she stammered, “I'm a failure Dad.”

“Shh, you know your not Sol, now tell me what happened, everything is going to be okay,” he said. It was hard to be so brave, to see his wife near death in the hospital bed, to hear her painful wheezing, then to say “It's going to be alright honey,” knowing that it won't. How long did he have to force a smile? As long as he had to.

“The test, I failed Dad, I failed!” He didn't pause and continued to stroke her mane, softly and calmly. He let the time travel at its own pace then finally she continued. “It was the last one, it had...” she said trying to bring air into her lungs. “It had mom in it, she, there was images, and, and, I got sacred, and I shouldn't and there was nothing I could do, and mom she, she,” her panicked voice climbed. Her father squeezed her tighter.

“Shh, Sol, it's okay.” She took in deep breaths and calmed herself. “Now what did the grandmasters say?” he asked.

“Well,” she said, “they said that there hasn't been one yet that's passed the final test on the first go.”

“See,” he said almost ruffling her hair now, trying to lighten the mood.

“And that they'll call for me again, when I'm ready,” she said herself already lightening. Perhaps all she needed to do was just talk about it.

“There you go, see Sol, everything tends to work out for a reason. I bet you aced the other two though didn't you?”

She smiled and said, “A little yeah.” He put her in a head lock and gave her a noogie.

“Daaad,” she wailed and poked him in the ribs. He chuckled and let go of her while she straightened her mane.

“That's my girl,” he said tousling her mane once she'd groomed it straight again. “Now I bet you wanna see Mom don't you?”

She nodded and entered the hospital. As they climbed the stairs the emotion and clamor came to their ears and they rushed faster. When they pulled open the doors to Wing B nurses and doctors scrambled around them. She saw where they were coming from and into, her mothers room. They were spotted and pulled aside instantly.

He looked at her father, then at the floor, back at him and shook his head. Her eyes lit up and she dove toward the room marked “27” and pushed past the nurses that tried to stop her. She saw her mother's lifeless body lying on the bed as a nurse pulled her eyes closed. They all paused and looked at Sol as she bellowed. Magic glowed from her horn causing the shelves and glassware in the room to shake. The windows blew out and metal squalled.

When her father pulled her out and held her in his arms she almost collapsed. She would fall asleep in his arms and cry in her sleep.