The Conjuration Wizard

The delicate task at hand demanded my complete focus. Each bead of gold required precise imbuing with the essence of the Fireball spell. One significant enough of a mistake, and the bead could detonate, triggering a deadly chain reaction of Fireballs that would undoubtedly spell my end. Needless to say, all open flames were strictly prohibited from my room until every bead was safely attached to the Necklace of Fireballs.

Note to self: Develop an item that grants immunity to one or more energy types, preferably fire. Everyone loves throwing around fire.

The bead’s creation emitted a faint, flickering glow that cast dancing shadows on the walls, a mesmerizing display of arcane blues and fiery reds. Nearby, Aldin perched on his usual spot, watching me intently with his large, curious eyes.

“Careful there, Seb,” Aldin said, his voice a mix of teasing and genuine concern. “Wouldn’t want to blow us both to pieces just because your mind’s wandering off again.”

I chuckled, shaking my head as I delicately applied the final touch of magic to the bead, sealing it with a whisper of arcane energy.

“My mind’s not wandering,” I lied, even though we both knew better. I focused on the bead, feeling the power settle into the gold with a faint hum. The truth was, my thoughts had been slipping away more often than not lately, and they always seemed to drift toward the same place — or rather, the same mare.

“Sure it’s not,” Aldin quipped, his tone as dry as the parchment scattered across my workbench. “I’ve seen you staring off into space more in the past week than I have in months. Let me guess, you’re thinking about a certain princess?”

I didn’t respond immediately, my fingers working to attach the bead to the necklace without setting off the volatile spell trapped within. The soft clink of gold on gold echoed in the quiet room.

When I was sure the bead was secure, I glanced over at Aldin, trying to deflect. “I’m just focused on this project, that’s all.”

“Uh-huh,” Aldin said, the skepticism in his voice obvious. He tilted his head, his large eyes narrowing playfully. “And I’m just a regular owl. You’ve been moping around here like you’ve lost something, and I’m willing to bet it’s got something to do with the fact that you haven’t seen Luna in, what, a week?”

My hands stilled for a moment, his words hitting closer to home than I was willing to admit. A week since I last saw her. A week since I watched her try on my wonderous items. A week since I had felt this new gnawing sense of longing whenever I thought of her.

“I am not moping,” the words sounded hollow even to my own ears. I forced my attention back to the necklace, but it was no use. My mind was already drifting again, back to the memory of Luna’s smile, the way her eyes lit up when she tried on the laurel, the soft laugh she’d given when I handed her the teashades.

“Seb,” Aldin’s voice cut through my thoughts, snapping me back to the present. “You’re doing it again.”

I sighed, and set down the necklace. I couldn't deny it anymore. Not to myself, and certainly not to Aldin. “Okay. Fine. I guess I am.”

Aldin hopped closer. His eyes filled with that odd mixture of wisdom and mischief that only he could consistently pull off. “You're down bad, don’t you? Never thought I would see the day when you — of all people started daydreaming about a mare.”

“I am not daydreaming — it's nighttime,” I grumbled but my heart wasn’t in it. I leaned back in my chair and took to staring up at the ceiling. “I just can’t stop thinking about her, Aldin. Every time I try to focus on something else, she’s there, in the back of my mind.”

“Sounds like love to me,” Aldin teased. But there was an undercurrent of seriousness that made my stomach twist.

Love.

What a daunting prospect. Love. I did not know if love was what I was feeling, or maybe I was just too afraid to face it. Love was something you read in books. Something reserved for others. I had never thought such a thing as 'love' wouldn't befall me. Not like this, not with someone like Luna.

“Maybe,” I muttered to myself. I could feel his eyes on me. But I kept my focus on the project laying before me. I tried my hardest to engross myself into the golden necklace. I failed.

“Why don’t you go see her?” Aldin suggested after a moment. “It’s not like she’s avoiding you, right?”

“No. It’s not that.” I shook my head. “She’s just busy. Running the kingdom, preparing for whatever missions she’s going to send me on. We both have a lot on our plates.”

“And that’s all the more reason to see her,” Aldin pressed. “If you’re really falling for her, don’t you think you should spend time together while you can? Before she sends you off to who-knows-where?”

His words sent a chill through me, a reminder of the conversation I’d overheard between Luna and Celestia. The missions. The dangerous, isolated places she would send me, far away from Canterlot, and far away from her. I hadn’t told Aldin what I’d overheard, and he didn’t know the full extent of what those missions could mean.

But he was right about one thing — if I was going to be sent away, I didn’t want to leave with things between us unfinished.

I considered his words. My consideration was interrupted by a sudden knock that echoed through the room. I glanced at the door, and my heart skipping a beat. Aldin gave me a curious look, but I was already on my feet. A strange mixture of anticipation and dread took root in me as I moved toward the door.

"Expecting someone, Seb?" Aldin asked, his tone light but edged with curiosity.

"No. But I think I know who it is."

As I reached the door, I felt the familiar hum of the Arcane Lock spell I’d cast over it react to my approach. It was a protective measure, ensuring no one could freely enter or leave. I knew of only one person who would come knocking at this hour of night.

I took a breath. Then I released the lock with a turn of the doorknob and opened the door.

Luna stood there in the doorway. There was something different in her eyes this time. A weight that had not been there before.

"Luna," I said while stepping aside to let her in. "Is everything alright?"

She hesitated for a moment before entering, her hooves silent against the floor. I closed the door behind her, the Arcane Lock automatically engaging and enhancing the already in-place lock.

“Sebastian,” she began, her voice holding an unusual softness that caught me off guard. “I apologize for coming unannounced.”

“No need to apologize,” I replied as I watched her move further into my room. “You are always welcome here.”

She put on a smile that never reached her eyes. I couldn’t help but notice how tired Luna looked. She looked as if something had been weighing on her for days. Had she been this tired when I last saw her? Or was this something new?

“Thank you,” she said quietly, her gaze drifting to the nearly-finished Necklace of Fireballs on my workstation. “You’ve been keeping yourself busy, I see.”

I followed her gaze, shrugging slightly. “Just working on a project. Something with a little kick to it.”

Luna nodded. There was a distant look in her eyes. A distant look that said that she was only half-listening. After a moment she turned to face me fully with an unreadable expression masking her face. “I have something I need to discuss with you. Something important.”

The tone she used sent a shiver down my spine. I knew without her saying anything. This was about the missions. The ones I wasn’t supposed to know about. The ones I had overheard nonetheless.

“Of course. What is it?”

Luna took a deep breath as if she needed to steel herself for what she was about to say. “I have two missions that require your talents. The first is urgent and must be completed as soon as possible. A death worm has been sighted in the Badlands near Dodge City. It poses a significant threat to the nearby pony settlement. You must track it down and eliminate it before it can cause any harm.”

I nodded slowly, processing the gravity of her request. A death worm was no small threat — about fifteen feet long, easily a thousand pounds, capable of spitting both acid and electricity. It was a lethal force of nature, particularly to those unprepared or without the capacity for flight. As I compared the creature's capabilities to my own, confidence began to build within me. It would be a dangerous task, but I was certain I could handle it — probably without too much difficulty, provided it didn't catch me off guard.

I nodded, already calculating what I would need for such a task in the Badlands. “I can handle that. And the second?”

She hesitated a moment before continuing. “The second mission is more… delicate. I need you to go to the Crystal Mountains and locate a door made of ice and gems. You are to mark and verify its location, but under no circumstances are you to open it or attempt to pass through it or mention the door or its location to anyone.”

“A door of ice and gems?” I repeated, frowning slightly. “Why is it so important?”

Luna’s expression grew guarded, and she shook her head. “That is not for you to know at this time. Just… do as I ask, and report back to me once both missions are completed.”

There was something in her voice that made me uneasy. I pushed the feeling of trepidation aside. “Understood. Won’t mention the door to a soul. I will leave for Dodge City first thing in the morning.”

Luna nodded. But her eyes remained troubled. A part of me wanted to reach out through the tension, and reassure her that everything would be alright. Before I could act upon that desire, Luna's horn began to glow with the aura of her magic.

I watched on as the air around her shimmered. In an instant, a long and slender object materialized before her. Suspended in the air by her magic was a sword. The blade was a masterfully crafted longsword. It was sheathed in a dark ornate scabbard with a hilt wrapped in midnight-blue leather. The pommel bore a familiar mark. Luna's cutie mark. Her mark was intricately engraved into the pommel's metal.

My breath caught in my throat as memories surged unbidden. I knew this sword. It was the same longsword I had wielded in my last nightmare, the one I’d used to decapitate the vrock demon from Meridin’s childhood. The vividness of the sword had stayed with me, sparking curiosity in me at times, but I had always dismissed it as just a dream. But now, seeing the sword here, in the waking world, I realized that it had been something more. Something real.

“This sword…” I began, my voice taking a whispered tone as I stared at the weapon. “I’ve seen it before… in my dreams.”

Luna’s gaze softened, a hint of sorrow in her eyes as she floated the sword toward me. “This sword is not of this world alone. It exists in both the physical plane and the dream plane, as do many of my own weapons. It has served me well in the past, and now… I wish for it to serve you.”

I hesitated, my hand hovering over the sword’s hilt. The weight of her words, and the sword itself, felt immense. “Luna, I—”

“Please,” she interrupted, her voice firm yet pleading. “Take it, Sebastian. I cannot always be there to protect you, not in the dreaming or waking world. But with this, you will carry a part of me with you. It will guide you, shield you, as it once did for me.”

I hesitated for a moment. The significance of the moment settled upon me. This was more than just a magical weapon. It was a gift, a symbol of trust, and perhaps something deeper. I reached out and took the sword from her magical grasp. The sheath was cool to the touch. As my fingers enclosed around the hilt, I felt a surge of power, a connection of sorts to the blade that I couldn’t quite explain.

“I will keep it safe,” I vowed.

Luna stepped closer, her gaze intense. “You must do more than that, Sebastian. This sword is not just for protection — it is a reminder. A reminder that you are not alone. Even in the darkest of times you are not alone.”

I swallowed hard. “I understand.”

She held my gaze for a long moment as her eyes searched mine. “Then promise me something.”

“Anything,” I replied, almost without thinking.

“Promise me that you will return. No matter what happens on these missions, no matter how dangerous they may be, you will make it back to me.”

The earnestness in her voice, the unspoken plea beneath her words, hit me like a physical blow. There was no mistaking it. What had been lingering in her eyes was fear. Fear of losing me. It was not a fear that she held alone. I shared in that fear as well, though I had not fully acknowledged it until now, never fully tasted its bite.

“I promise,” I said, my voice steady, even as my heart raced. “I’ll come back. I’ll always come back.”

For a moment, the tension between us softened, replaced by a quiet understanding. Luna gave a small, almost imperceptible nod, and I saw a flicker of relief cross her features. But it was fleeting, and soon her usual composure returned.

I looked down at the sword in my hand, running my thumb over the engraved cutie mark on the pommel. “What’s its name?” I asked, feeling that the sword, like all great weapons, deserved one.

Luna paused, her gaze distant for a moment as if searching for the right words. Then, with a small, almost wistful smile, she said, “Promise. The sword’s name is Promise.”

The name resonated within me, echoing the vow I had just made to her. It was fitting, in more ways than one.

“Promise,” I repeated softly, feeling the weight of that word, of everything it meant, as I looked into her eyes. “Perfect.”

Luna’s smile grew though it was tinged with sadness. “It is yours now, Sebastian. May it keep you safe… and may it guide you safely back to me.”

I nodded. I wanted to say more but I found myself unable to find the right words. A sense of resolve settle into me as I watched her. It was a burning desire to fulfill the promise I’d just made. I would complete this mission. I would do so and complete any others she needed me to undertake. I would return and not just because it was my duty, but because of her.

With one last lingering look, Luna turned and left the room. The door letting out a click as it closed behind her. I was left alone, the sword — Promise — still clutched in my hand.

And as I looked down at the pommel that carried her mark, I felt a renewed sense of purpose solidify within me.

I just have to make sure that I don't die.

That would make her cry.

I really hate it when people cry.