OCT 30 Monday.

I quietly stand in the snowy field and focus on the wooden post I'm using as a target right now. A slight twist of space later and the log is cut cleanly at the midsection, the top half falling to the ground with a few other sections of the log.

The past two weeks have been one of silent work for me. I've spent some time over the last few days working on Luna's garden again and I think it should look beautiful tomorrow. But today is for other things, specifically the ritual that is now completely carved out and ready to be used.

Actually, I finished it a few days ago but I wanted to wait for Celestia to have some time to observe. Over the past week, I've seen Celestia more and more but only I talked to her a bit. Mostly us chatting a little as I go about doing chores, breeding plants, or practicing. On that topic, I've started breeding more varieties of frost crops, but that is slow going as always.

I could use Guided Evolution to speed things up but my life magic is better spent on other projects at the moment. So I'm just going with the slower method for now, and I feel like using a method I haven't mastered to create something others will be eating is a bad idea.

I know the process doesn't always follow my will correctly and I know the old method does work. There goes my mind getting distracted again, back to the topic at hoof. Celestia has been distant but asked to meet today and tomorrow. Tomorrow's plan is obvious enough and today we'll be using the ritual to Imbue Entropy's band.

I myself have spent the last two weeks focusing on a few things, mainly Luna's garden and training to be ready. I know things are still happening in the background even if I can't see them so I've focused on bringing some new cards to the table in case I ever need them.

I've improved and learned a new lightning spell as well. I've mastered the Lightning Bolt spell and it is great for ranged attacks, but I needed something with more of a punch to it. So I learned the Lightning Strike spell, which is basically the same spell just a few dozen times more powerful.

It's able to blow apart a one-foot-thick tree log without much difficulty and has some significant range. As you can imagine though the spell takes a lot of magic to cast, even after improving and optimizing it I can't just throw the spell around wastefully.

Beyond the new spell, I've also been working on my Spatial Cut ability, mostly its speed. I normally take a few seconds to form the spatial field and compress space properly, I've already gotten that down a little. I don't think it's fast enough for combat right now but with more practice, I can get it there.

It's worth the work for an attack that can't be blocked or even defended against. It's pretty terrifying actually but much like the new spell it takes a decent amount of magic so I can't just use it for everything. I stop my practice as I notice the sun dipping below the horizon.

I was asked to meet her after sunset so Celestia should be here shortly. I breathe out slowly while casting a light spell to beat back the darkness before making my way over to the ritual site to make sure everything is still in order. I step onto the platform and wipe the snow off of my hooves to not tack it onto the ritual.

The ritual itself consists of four concentric rings all filled with runes and mathematical equations in between them. The entire magical structure is around eight feet wide and has a small one-foot clear space at its center for the object to go. All the carved wooden channels are filled with a dust that sparkles in the light of my spell.

Getting gem dust for the ritual turned out to be much easier than I thought. Gems are very common and even with the Fire Starter I made there are many small slivers of gems left over when cutting a gem into the shape or from broken gems. Many of those tiny pieces are used for other things.

I went to a high-end arts and crafts store and was able to buy gem dust in fairly large quantities with ease. It's used in many products and fashion pieces so it wasn't hard to find in bulk. I was able to buy a small barrel of several types of gem dust for a decent price, I didn't need too much though as the ritual lines are very thin and don't take much dust to fill.

I bought a few types of gem dust because depending on the ritual a weaker or stronger type might be preferable, even if all of them would work just fine. This Imbuing ritual is made from a mix of topaz and ruby dust, the ruby to hold the shadow magic and the topaz to let the magic move slower.

Topaz can't move magic as quickly as Ruby which lets the ritual stay more stable as the magic will slowly spread more evenly instead of rushing at certain points. Everything is ready, all that remains is doing the actual ritual itself and that can wait. After checking over the ritual again I walk over to the pavilion lit by Moon Glow Vines and start to make some tea.

I've still been slowly improving the Blood Leaf Tea for a long time, but the plant makes it very difficult to do. Guided Evolution takes a monumental amount of life magic to affect the plant's magic as well so for now I can't use it on the Blood Leaf Tea, but even with the slow progress the tea has been improving.

While I wasn't able to improve the Blood Leaf Tea's magical effects with Guided Evolution, I was able to change its flavor relatively easily. I may like the slightly lemony taste it normally has but it can get tiring after drinking it so much. Sometimes I have to force myself to drink it if I'm using it a lot.

So I made a variant that tastes like juniper berries, a nice change of pace that I think Celestia will enjoy as well. Speaking of Celestia, I feel space shift and warp as Celestia appears out of thin air next to the pavilion only a dozen feet away. Her appearance gets Entropy's attention as she flies off of her perch on the Vita Tree to join us.

I move a little to turn to her with a smile as Entropy lands on my back. "Tea?" I offer softly noticing that she's not in the best mood, rather down as is normal for this time of year. "I have a little surprise, and no I didn't spike the tea." I try a bad joke to help the mood.

She looks over to me with a sad smile, a look that shows just how much this time weighs on her. A smile that doesn't try to hide the pain of loss or her low mood. But my jokes seem to do something and she lets out a chuckle mixed with a huff. "I would hope not, but I wouldn't put it past you for a prank." She jokes back softly while walking over to lie down with me.

I move over a cup of fresh tea and smile more to try and help in whatever way I can. "Speaking of pranks, I think I know what I'm going to do to Cadance, might need your help though. But that's for a different day." I go silent for a long moment. "Feeling ok?" I ask a stupid question.

She looks at me and nods slowly. "No, But I am better than many years before this, if you can believe that." She makes a rather morbid joke, or at least morbid for her. Her ears fall a bit and she sags, fully discarding any mask she had in place. "I am well enough, thank you for asking. Are all your preparations done?" She says changing the topic while looking ready to stand up.

I nod and leave that topic alone. "I would like you to look it over to be safe, but it seems to be ready and correct. We have plenty of time to talk if you'd like though?" I offer gently hoping to have a more thorough conversation with her, but also not wanting to push her into it.

She pauses for a moment before nodding and smiling a bit more. "I think I would like that. But sadly I'm not the best at picking a topic right now. Hmm, my question, did you come to an answer?" She thinks for a moment before picking something I was planning to bring up after Nightmare Night.

I wanted to wait until it was out of the way so it wouldn't weigh on her. I can see she's struggling to find a good topic but still wants to talk with me. I nod slowly and motion to the tea, "Yes, but tea first, I want to know what you think. And, you look like you could use it." I push her untouched teacup closer.

She looks interested in my answer but does as I ask and drinks the tea. "Hmm, juniper? Not a common tea ingredient, although I suspect this is not so simple?" She gives me a knowing look while drinking some more tea. "It is very good though, thank you."

I smirk a bit. "Kind of? You know I'm creating new plants so I thought a new flavor of Blood Leaf Tea would be nice. So now I have a variant that tastes like this." She raises a brow at that and gives me an odd look. "What, it's easier than adding juniper to the tea itself, and tastes the same."

She chuckles a little bit. "There it is. I suppose you can make any flavor you like then?" She makes small talk and I'm getting the feeling she's just trying to not think about other things.

I nod. "As long as it's from a plant I can do it. Tell me if you'd like a flavor made or even several, it's not too hard to change something like that." She smiles more and we lapse into silence for a moment. "I'm willing to get as involved as possible with this, but how much are you willing to let me be involved?" I finally answer her.

She stops for a moment before nodding, looking unsurprised. "I gave the option for a reason, and I will respect your choice. I also suspected you'd do this, no point in trying to stop you. I'm guessing you will be disguising yourself? If not I rather you do, this is not something I think you want linked to your life." She advises me calmly but also just accepts my choice outright.

I'm again reminded of just how kind she can be, even with me wanting to get involved in a war to some extent she's willing to let me make my own choices. She even offers me advice on how to best go about it. "Yes, I will be. I have just the thing, wait here." I stand up and she watches me quickly trot off to my shack with a curious look.

I make quick work of putting all my armor on from all the practice I have. After everything is on I decide to have a bit of fun to entertain her and activate the enchantments from the silence spells and my voice changer on my armor to show them off.

I cancel the light spell I have with me and walk out into the pitch-black night, she turns to me but can't really make it out for a moment until I get closer. When I step into the light silently she perks up paying far more attention. "I made some improvements," I say in a far deeper tone while walking over to sit down again.

Her eyes widen at my tone and she looks around my armor for a moment. "It seems so. Look at you, full knight armor and all." She slowly teases. "It is certainly impressive though." She says while closely inspecting the armor as I stand there.

"You do know a meeting would be diplomatic, right? This? Is frankly intimidating." She points out seriously but looks somewhat amused. "Why the silence spell? If I remember correctly that works as a sound barrier and blocking out noise at an event like this is unwise." She adds some more advice.

I take off my helmet and look at her. "Different spell, this silence spell only affects the armor and nothing else, I can hear and speak just fine. As for the intimidation? That's part of the point, a scary guard can be rather useful." I say while getting comfortable sitting down in my armor and drinking some tea.

She looks interested. "Guard? Elaborate." She asks with a more level tone.

I nod and continue. "No matter how we go about this the meeting will probably be small. A few dozen on each side at most?" She nods. "Then even if I'm disguised I'll draw attention anyway just by being there. So why not instead provide some extra protection while having a much more thorough disguise?"

She raises a brow with a small smirk. "A guard like that would draw much attention, but that would be focused on the potential threat. You want to hide under the spotlight, to blind them to the truth." She uses some more fancy words but she's completely correct.

I smile back. "Yup, but it is also simply practical. Trying to find out who I am under all this will be a challenge, that's why the horn is there." I stand up and start to remove the armor as she's gotten a good look at it and it's a little uncomfortable to sit in. "And, to go with it I commissioned some actual weapons."

She again doesn't look surprised and just nods. "If you're going in that it will be fitting. I'm also willing to bet you bought something out of the ordinary? You're not the type to get subpar security." She chuckles a bit when I pause and stare blankly for a moment.

I laugh a bit too. "A full mithril greatsword and dagger made by a master smith," I answered bluntly after removing the last piece of my armor. "They should be done in a week or two and then I am obviously going to enchant them," I say while lying down again.

Her eyes widen some and she goes silent for a moment before laughing. She lets out the first full laugh I've heard from her all mouth and while I'm confused it's good to hear it again. "Of course. The MOST expensive thing you ever buy is a weapon, do you just like sharp things?" She teases me again.

I try to think of a rebuttal, but she's correct, this is by far the most expensive single thing I've ever bought. I just stay silent and let her enjoy the moment, once she's done I continue with a larger smile. "What do you think? Is my plan half decent? Or good enough to convince you to let me be at the first meeting you will have?" I ask bluntly as being vague won't help here.

She takes a deep breath and gets a more serious look. "The first meeting? ... It's not a bad plan, far from perfect but such a thing is not really available in this situation. You do know things could go very wrong at the first meeting?" I nod back seriously. "Then yes, but only if you bring Entropy and promise to not be dumb." She says that with a dead serious tone.

I chuckle a bit. "I promise, but I will also promise to actually try and be a guard. You won't need my protection but others will if things go wrong." I will be a bit firm on that point because I probably am dumb enough to disobey her and help others. She just looks a little proud of that.

"I won't disagree with more protection for them, I'll get things set up for you to attend like, THIS." She motions to the armor. "Are you going under your alias? It would be good to have Veil Winter at the meeting if you are still planning to take credit for this invention. Having Veil Winter be like this will raise questions."

I told Celestia of my plan for Veil Winter to take credit for the Love Gatherer and Love Cell. But do I want Veil Winter wrapped up in all this like that? It would simplify things but my weapons draw too much of a link in between that alias and me to make it work well.

I speak after a moment. "Take credit? Yes. But it's best I don't take up the name for this meeting, it might complicate other things and several guards know my weapon choice, maybe an expert of spells though? There is more then one. How are your efforts going? Got any response yet?" I'm happy that she's agreed to me being at the first meeting and going with my plan. I guess I have to get used to her letting me do dumb things more, yay.

She tilts her head a bit. "Somewhat. We've made contact and have actually gotten a response, but keeping things secret is really slowing it all down. A meeting might not happen for a few more weeks, most likely a while longer. Before the end of the year seems likely though." She answers with some slight uncertainty.

I nod and go silent for a long moment, after some stifling silence, I speak up again deciding to change the topic to something different. "I find that I get oddly philosophical when in low moods, and you're spreading the mood." I use a very joking tone to show I'm not serious. "I find myself asking questions that have no real answer when like that, and yet I ask myself them all the same," I say abruptly.

She seems to catch on that I'm being philosophical with her to keep things going. There is a long beat of silence, "I do something similar. I find myself thinking about what could have been." Those words seem to hold a weight of their own. "But I find it often leads me to think about what can never be. What question comes to mind?" She smiles sadly and engages in some philosophical talk with me.

I brought up this topic because while it may make her sad she does find things like this interesting and she needs a distraction. "Bigger questions I suppose. Those mysteries that no pony has ever been able to solve. Does time end? Is there an edge of existence when things just end?"

She smiles a tad more. "Things like the origin of life? Or magic?" I nod. "I like thinking about those things when truly alone, to let those stray thoughts play out. You are right though, such questions don't really have answers, or at least answers we shall know easily." She stands up a bit abruptly.

I raise a brow but stand up with her. "Thank you, Shade. It is nice to just, pretend it's all not there for a bit." She closes her eyes for a moment before exhaling slowly. "But we have a ritual to do and... I think I'd like to be alone after that, sorry to cut things short." She adds the second part with an apologetic tone.

Her blunt statement throws me off a bit but I don't bat an eye in following her lead. "Nothing to be sorry for, I am always here to talk when you need it. Now, are you ready Entropy?" I ask Entropy as she flies from my back to Celestia's. Entropy rubs Celestia a bit with her wing to comfort her.

Celestia gives her a thankful look as we walk over to the ritual circles edge. Entropy turns back to me with an excited posture and a quickly nodding head. "Yes. Dress, makeover!" I raise a brow as I don't remember teaching her that word, but I'm happy she brings her upbeat attitude to this somber mood.

Celestia chuckles a bit, she then takes a moment to look over the ritual. "It seems to be in order, all we need is the band and her magic." She picks up Entropy and places her down next to the outer ritual line. "Just push your magic into the line when he says so. If we tell you to teleport back to us do so, ok?" Celestia explains simply.

I nod in agreement and Entropy bobs her head excitedly. I take out the band and place it in the center of the Ritual Matrix before me and Celestia back to the edge of the ritual platform. "Go for it," I call out to Entropy as she impatiently waits next to the ritual. She quickly reaches out a shadowy wing and moves it over a line of gem dust.

I don't think Entropy is skilled or smart enough to utilize her magical affinities in other ways beyond her natural abilities. At least not right now, maybe someday though. Luckily all she needs to do is push her magic out and into the dust, and that is something I was able to teach her easily enough.

I cast a magical light to light up the ritual area so we could watch clearly. A beat later shadowy wisps start to twist and seep into the lines of gem dust from her wing. The light is blocked and the complex channels are filled with a spreading darkness slowly seeping out through the lines.

It takes a few minutes for the darkness to fully cover all the lines and at the same moment, the last of the dust is covered in darkness. All the lines flash with light and the shadows converge on the center all at once. They move very quickly, twisting into each other as they all seep into the tiny band sitting on the ground.

After the shadows are all absorbed we walk over to Entropy. Entropy slowly waddles over to me and I pick her up before placing her on my back again. "Tired?" She nods her head slowly. "Well, it worked, so how about we test it and then you can get some rest?" That causes her to perk up despite the exhaustion.

I bring the band, it looks and feels the same, I attach it to her leg. I don't even have to say anything as she slips into a shadow, the band goes into the shadows with her and she comes out a moment later before looking at her leg. "Yes! Work!" She celebrates a little before looking at me. "Sleep, keeping dress." With that, she slips back into my shadow before I can say anything.

I laugh a bit and smile. "Rest well girl, you earned it." I turn to Celestia as she smiles slightly, but I can tell she wishes to be alone. "Thank you, this was a large help, and you got me into rituals as a bonus." I made one last joke. "Good night Celestia, I'll see you tomorrow," I say softly intending to give her the space she needs.

She smiles down at me before looking sad again. "She most likely can't take you home, yes?" I nod. "Sleeping here then?" I nod again and she looks a bit uncertain. "Would you mind if I sent you home? I think, I would like to be here alone." She has a slightly guilty tone but I wave that off.

I smile wider. "Please do, and take all the time you need. I'll be here in the evening tomorrow." I answer immediately as I don't mind her kicking me out for a bit, it's her home as well after all.

She looks off into the distance for a moment. "Thank you for letting this old mare be alone with her thoughts. Good night, Shade." Her horn lights up and a moment later I stumble a bit now back in my apartment. I stand there for a moment before deciding to get some sleep, I'll need to be rested for tomorrow.

I sigh tiredly. As much as it hurts seeing her like that, I must remember that it will get better. Because it will be ok in the end.

Author's Note

Thanks for reading. :}
Current year is 995

Not much to say here, see you next time.