The World of Nymoria - Time's Arrow

“Terra, hurry up, we’re going to be late!” A voice shouts from outside. Terra Nova runs over to the window, looks down from her second floor apartment and sees a female kirin with an icy blue coat and an azure mane looking jittery and nervous. Next to her, a male kirin with a dark orange coat and maroon mane sits half-asleep.

“Are you still sleeping? We can’t afford to be late again!” The blue kirin shouts.

“I just need a few more minutes!” Terra rushes back to the mirror in her bedroom and finishes combing her mane and tail. She tugs to get the knots out but it still looks as messy as ever.

“Perfect.” She then levitates her saddlebags over and dashes through her living room, nearly tripping over the scattered books and vials littering the floor. She swings open the front door, nearly hitting herself in the process, and is greeted by the blazing sun blinding her for a moment.

“It’s not even mid-year and it already feels like the end of summer.” Terra complains to herself. She exits out the door and starts walking down the wooden stairs leading down to street level while partially covering her eyes. She then jumps over the last two steps and accidentally lands in a pool of mud at the bottom.

“UGH! Seriously?!” She quickly jumps out of the mud, trying to scrape it off her hooves and fur as she makes her way to the cobblestone road. “Of all the rotten luck.” She whispers to herself.

“It’s about time, Terra. We’ve been waiting forever!” The blue kirin says, noticing her hobble out onto the street.

“I’m sorry I overslept, Temara!” Terra exasperates, still trying to get the mud off her hooves. Temara grabs one of Terra’s hooves and drags her a bit.

“Come on, don’t mind that mud, you know how Moon Shine is with tardiness! If we get one more infraction, we’ll be scrubbing every alembic, beaker, and flask in the lab!” Temara worriedly adds. Her outburst wakes up the sleepy kirin next to her, and he gives them both a tired look.

“Are we ready yet?” He questions with a big yawn.

“You too, Nero? Jeez, do neither of you have proper sleep schedules!?” Temara exclaims.

“Okay, okay, Temara, I’m ready.” Terra shakes loose from her grip, not wanting to answer that question. The three of them sprint south and east weaving through cobblestone streets, and alleyways. Soon, they pass right onto the main road connecting the northern and southern gates of Kyrinia. Near the center, they pass through the heart of the market district containing many stalls and shops selling food and wares. At its center, a marble statue stands tall depicting an old kirin holding up a sword. East of the statue leads up into the eastern district and the Jade Palace. West leads down a grassy hill into the gardens, and towards a great lake and small forest. Shops, restaurants and other businesses line up north to south along the road between the two gates. Plenty of kirins crowd around the many open carts circling the statue buying food, jewelry, and foreign commodities.

“Wait, hold up.” Terra stops and calls to the two kirins ahead of her. They both stop and look confusedly at her. Terra walks back a few meters to a produce stand selling strawberries.

“She can’t be serious right now.” Temara says to Nero who simply shrugs.

After the kirin in front of her leaves, Terra walks up to see a frazzled blue pegasus with a magenta mane organizing the bits she just received. “Hi Amber Leaf, how’s business this morning?” The blue pegasus drops some of the bits from her mouth and looks up at Terra.

“Oh, miss Terra Nova, good to see you again! Business is certainly going today! I might run out of stock before lunchtime!” Amber chuckles a bit and picks up the bits she dropped before quickly tossing them in a large pouch underneath her cart.

“Could I trouble you for eight Equestrian strawberries?”

“Certainly!” The pegasus places a fine piece of cloth on the table and picks eight fresh strawberries from one of the barrels behind her. She then places them on the cloth and pulls up on the four sides and ties it into a sack with some loose string.

“That will be one and a half bits, please.”

Terra levitates a gold and silver coin from her saddlebag and stacks them on the table.

“Thanks for your patronage, Terra!” Terra grabs the bag with her mouth and throws it into her saddlebag before returning to Temara and Nero.

“Strawberries? Really, Terra?” Temara asks, irked. Terra simply rolls her eyes as the three of them pick up the pace again towards the southern side of the market. Before long, they slow down in front of a dark brown, two-story shop nestled between two, wide four-story buildings. Much of the exterior is made from old decaying wood and cracked cement with a hanging sign above reading ‘Moon Shine’s Magical Potions and Remedies’. Terra slowly opens the door and uses her magic to hold the bell above the frame, preventing it from ringing. She then motions the other two to enter. Trying not to disturb the silence, Terra turns around and starts closing the door.

“You’re late, all three of you!” An angry, gruff voice yells from across the shop causing Terra to slam it shut. “This is the third time this month!” A large, charcoal-colored figure with a grey mane emerges from behind the stacks of potions lining the small aisles.

“Well you see what happened was-” Nero answers, sweating bullets.

“I don’t want to hear your excuses, none of it!” He interrupts. “Understand this, if you arrive late once more, you’re out of here. We have an entire batch of orders to fill this week, sent by the royal military and I need all the help I can get.”

“Wouldn’t it be counterproductive to get rid of the only three potion-makers you have for something…small…like…tardiness.” Nero questions, his voice getting quieter and more broken, noticing Moon Shine’s darkening expression. Moon Shine levitates a heavy leather-bound book and pushes into Nero’s chest.

“Seventy-five Ithralian disease-preventing potions are needed by the twenty-fourth, one-hundred milliliters each.”

Nero holds the book against his chest, sighs, and disappears behind the wood door separating the store front from the laboratory.

“Temara, you will be brewing two-hundred small vials of a blood-freezing poison, each at no more than ten milliliters.” He levitates a scroll over to her that was sitting on the counter. She takes it with her own magic and unrolls it looking at the procedure and ingredients. “Take care when crafting this particular recipe; you do not want this stuff on your hooves.”

“Zero point seven grams of powdered basilisk fang per vial? That’s…one-hundred forty grams total. Do we even have that much?”

“Mhm, check the dessicator in the cellar, there should be enough for the full two-hundred, all freshly acquired.”

Temara walks into the lab towards the cellar door, her face still buried in the scroll.

“And you Terra will be assisting me in crafting a special potion requested by the High Commander himself.”

“What kind of potion?”

“I can’t disclose too many details other than that it’s supposed to enhance nirik transformation. Pick up a blank scroll and quill, and meet me at my workstation.” Terra nods and walks with him into the lab. The two separate, and she walks over to the cabinets containing rolls of parchment. Using her magic, she carefully removes one without disturbing the rest. She then snatches a quill off of the nearest alchemy table and pauses for a moment. She takes a moment, peering into the separatory funnel holding a mysterious green liquid. A piece of torn parchment rests below it with bold text reading ‘EXPERIMENT #801B, DO NOT TOUCH’

“What in the Matriarch's name could you be making, Moon Shine?” She whispers to herself. She gives the funnel a light tap causing some bubbles to form in the viscous liquid.

“Terra, did you find a scroll and quill!?” Moon Shine yells across the lab.

“Yes, coming!” Terra picks up an inkwell next to the warning label and trots over to him.

“Excellent, I’m going to need you to document our procedure. I’m not quite sure if this will even work, but I’m certain I got the formulation down.” He clears his throat and levitates a dark rock over to him from a burlap sack on the floor and a mortar and pestle from the shelf above.

“Experiment nine hundred twelve-A, dated the seventeenth day of the fifth month of the three-hundred and sixty-third year in the third era. First we’re going to grind up pure obsidian into a smaller form.” Terra begins writing in the scroll and observes him. Using his magic, he places a small, black rock in a mortar and pestle and grinds it up into a fine powder with some difficulty.

“Next, add fifty milliliters of water along with five drops of aqua fortis and boil at one-hundred degrees celsius until the liquid is blackened.” He grabs a graduated cylinder off the bench with magic and walks over to the water spout across the lab and dispenses the appropriate amount of water before quickly returning. He then transfers the obsidian dust to a clear beaker and adds the water. Terra uses the silence to draw some diagrams of his method. Before he could continue, the front door bell of the potion shop rings.

“What in blazes? Now who could that be?” Moon Shine asks, with a hint of frustration. He sets down the beaker and goes to the front of the lab, peering through the cracks in the wooden door. Terra sets down the scroll and quill next to the beaker and follows him, just as curious.

“It’s the Empress’s royal squad!” He says to Terra trying to keep his voice low. “But they’re not supposed to be here until next week.” He looks again through the door getting a head count. “Hmmm, there’s only three of them.” She tries peering through one of the lower cracks and sees three kirins in brilliant white full-body armor containing the royal family’s crest. Two of them appear to be wearing silver kabutos while the one in front is holding one at his side. Terra moves out of the way as Moon Shine opens the door and greets the royal squad. Terra looks through the same cracks, listening in on the conversation.

“Ah, welcome sirs, I was not expecting to see you until the twenty-fourth! Is there a problem?”

“Our business is not alchemically-related, we’re looking for someone, a Miss Terra Nova.” The lead kirin answers. The other two armored kirins stand by the front door, both giving Moon Shine an emotionless stare.

“Oh, and, uh, what do you need from her exactly?”

“We have orders to give her this from the Empress herself.” The lead kirin produces an envelope from his saddlebag with the royal crest.

“Ah, I can assure you she’ll receive this next time I see her.” Moon Shine holds out a hoof to grab the envelope, but the guard holds it back.

“The Empress wanted us to deliver it to her, personally.” Terra takes this cue to open the door, directing all attention on her. The lead kirin takes one look at her horn and walks over to her. “The Empress sends her regards, ma’am.” He then levitates the letter over to her. She takes it by the hoof and inspects it, getting a better look at the royal family’s seal, a symbol of a kirin facing to the left, standing on their hind legs, holding a sword in one hoof and breathing fire. On the other side, a symbol is sketched in black ink, one Terra is all too familiar with. She holds a hoof against her horn in response.

“Th-The Empress sent this to me?” Terra asks in shock, looking up at the lead kirin.

“Indeed. We intended to get this to you sooner, but our royal courier service is overwhelmed at the moment. That’s why Her Grace sent us instead.” Terra averts her gaze back to the envelope, mouth agape. The kirin gives a soft nod to Moon Shine and turns around, walking towards the exit. The two other guards follow, taking their gazes off of Moon Shine.

“What does the Empress want with me?” Terra asks, causing the trio to stop in the door frame. The lead kirin turns back towards her.

“I do not know, and it is not for me to question the Empress’s motives.” He answers before returning to the exit. A breeze passes through the room from the open door, disturbing the potions and glassware. Moon Shine walks over to Terra and gazes at the royal insignia.

“By Mystigo’s beard, I’ve never seen a royal letter from the Empress herself.” Moon Shine comments, watching Terra open the letter. She unfolds the single sheet of parchment within and reads aloud.

“Miss Terra Nova, your presence has been requested by Empress Rhayla Solaria, first of her name and mother of the kirins. We’ve been watching you for some time, and we wish to discuss an important matter with you. Please arrange to be at the Jade Palace at fifteen hundred hours on the seventeenth day of the fifth month. This letter will grant you entry beyond the eastern district and into the palace. We await your arrival. Signed: High Commander Astral Comet.” The timestamp next to his name reads ‘3/363/05/14’, three days ago. Terra lets the parchment fall to the floor allowing Moon Shine to see the rest. Below the text, the same symbol from the envelope is drawn in a calligraphic style. He studies it, then looks at her horn wide-eyed.

“In all my years, I never would’ve expected…” He starts.

“...Expected what?”

Moon Shine clears his throat and his eyes divert away from the letter and Terra.

“It’s…nothing. Don’t worry about the experiment today. That royal summons is far more important.” Terra gives him a nod, and watches him disappear back into the lab. She picks up the letter again with magic and traces the symbol with a hoof, then traces the one on her horn.

~

Terra looks up at the towering Jade Palace before her. A massive sprawl of emeralds coat the pagoda-styled structure gleaming in the afternoon sun just along the path upwards. Bridges attach the central building to two wings both left and right of the structure towering at the same height. Additional bridges extend from those wings further into the base of the Peaks of Peril. Many more structures appear to be built into the mountainside behind the center all appearing similar to the central pagoda. Multiple kirin guards holding spears and long swords are stationed at the entrance with a handful patrolling both the perimeter and marble stairs leading back down along the mountain to street level. Red, velvet carpet extends from the entrance into the palace foyer. Terra takes a deep breath before following the carpet inside.

“Halt, state your business!” One of the guards firmly shouts.

“Oh, the Empress has requested my presence.” Terra responds, trying to mimic the formality. She holds up the letter she received earlier today with the high commander’s signature. The guard levitates it over and thoroughly reads through it before giving it back to her.

“Understood.” He steps aside and resumes his position. Terra meekly walks inside feeling a sense of unease at the sight of all the expensive and ornate objects decorating the foyer. Gemstones dress the walls most notably emerald, and drapes holding the royal family crest hang over the walls and ceiling. The noble kirins inside don’t pay attention to Terra and continue talking amongst one another. The set of double doors at the far end open abruptly and a heavily armored kirin with a sheathed sword at his side emerges and walks down towards her.

“Ah, glad to see you’ve made it miss Terra Nova.” The kirin bows. Terra pauses, not sure how to react. Feeling the eyes of the other kirins in the room, she mirrors his bow trying to keep up her formal facade.

“My name is Astral Comet, the Empress’s high commander. You have my deepest apologies for not getting you that letter sooner. I hope it wasn’t too much trouble getting here on such short notice.”

“It’s an honor, sir, and it’s not a problem.” The two stand back up, and the kirin gives her a small smile.

“The Empress is expecting you in the other room, just down the hall.” He points to the set of doors he just exited from. Terra nods and proceeds along the velvet carpet once again looking at the expensive furniture and tapestries, her sense of unease growing.

Passing through the door, it closes sharply causing Terra to flinch in fear.

“Thank you for accepting my invitation, Terra Nova.” A voice echoes across the great hall. Terra turns around to be greeted by a large sun-drenched room with walls standing up two to three stories tall. Sunlight floods in through the white paper windows on the left down onto a tiled depiction of the sun. Statues of nameless kirins line the corridor leading up to the throne where a white kirin with a very long and flowing pink mane looks down upon her with her soft citrine eyes. On her head rests an impressive looking stag crown with a single emerald jewel front and center with a number of fine colored chains decorating her horn. Two other kirins sit to the right and left of her, one of them holding a piece of parchment and a quill with magic. Terra takes note of how young the Empress looks, giving her a brief sense of relief.

“You stand before Rhayla Solaria, Empress of Kyryo, daughter of the sun, mother of the kirins, and chief commander in the Great War.” The kirin on the right loudly proclaims. Terra bows, feeling uneasy and intimidated. Rhayla notices her fear and starts walking down her throne’s stairs.

“You have nothing to fear, Terra. You see I-” Rhayla is sharply cut off as she trips and falls down the remaining stairs after accidentally stepping on her long mane. The crown on her head tumbles down the stairs ahead of her and rolls in front of Terra.

“Your Grace!” The two other kirins simultaneously shout. They both quickly trot over to her and help her up.

“It’s okay! I’m fine! It’s nothing!” She exclaims, dusting herself off and regaining composure. Terra picks up the crown with her hoof and looks at it in awe, the details of the crown much more noticeable now. Inscriptions of a strange nature are carved into the antlers of the crown, and the center jewel gives off a mesmerizing glow. Odd tendril and branch-like markings give Terra an eerie, but comforting feeling as they glow the same green color as the gem. The Empress approaches Terra and gives a light chuckle.

“Trust me, it’s not as flattering as it looks to wear that thing. Not to mention the job it comes with is much less enticing.” Terra snaps out of her trance and holds out the crown for the Empress. She takes it with magic and repositions it on her head as the glow dissipates.

“Now where was I? Ah yes, the reason why I summoned you here…” The Empress retreats back a few steps and stands directly on the tiled sun. The sunlight from above glistens in her reddish-pink mane. Terra follows her but stops just before the tile, still intimidated by her regal presence.

“What do you know about that symbol on your horn?” She continues.

“Oh, uh, my parents told me it’s a birthmark.” The Empress raises an eyebrow.

“Do you believe them?”

“Of course, I don’t see why they would lie about that sort of thing.” Terra replies confidently.

“And what if I told you it’s more than just a birthmark?”

“I don’t know what else it could be.”

“Tell me, have you ever heard of the story about Tyberius the Talented?” She asks curiously.

“Yeah, it’s an old war tale about a kirin who could control the forces of nature, wind, rain, thunder, and lightning over a hundred years ago. He used his powers to save kirins whenever they were in danger, but what does this have to do with my birthmark?”

“Did you know he also had a unique symbol carved into his horn since birth?”

“I don’t recall that ever being mentioned, but then again I never really cared for the story. To tell you the truth, I always thought it was propaganda to get more kirins to fight in the war. Y’know, to boost morale.” The Empress gives a light-hearted chuckle.

“Well, I can assure you he was very much real, and so were his abilities.” Terra raises an eyebrow, her intimidation replaced with curiosity.

“Over time, details change and facts become myths. As his legacy ages, the spread of disinformation rises, and many don’t believe in the amazing things he did. Further, many aren’t aware that he wasn’t even the first kirin with extraordinary abilities.”

“He wasn’t?”

“Mhm, there’s a lot to explain, but I feel showing is better than telling. Follow me.” The Empress moves her mane back to avoid stepping on it again, and walks behind her throne towards a lone door. Terra follows suit with the other two kirins maintaining some distance behind them. Rhayla’s horn glows a bright yellow and the runes on the door begin transforming into symbols similar to the ones on her crown. It unlocks and opens letting out a dusty smell. Terra peers into the darkness curiously trying to see anything.

“This way.”

Rhayla passes through the door and her horn lights up once more. Light particles spread throughout the room and pin themselves against the walls and ceiling. Terra follows her into the small yet cozy room appearing similar in decor to the throne room adjacent. In the center, a metallic spiral staircase descends down into more darkness. The door closes abruptly and the Empress begins the descent using her horn to light the way. Terra follows closely behind her and uses her own magic to add additional light as they descend a couple floors below the surface. At the bottom, the magic in Rhayla’s horn disperses into the darkness in front of them and into many orbs down the dark hallway. Suddenly the whole hallway lights up, causing Terra to shield her eyes a bit. Rhayla steps forward to a tattered, old painting on her left depicting a crude sketch of an unknown kirin.

“All throughout history there have been kirins who possess exceptional abilities that trivialize our own magic in comparison.” Rhayla holds a hoof against the painting. “Beginning with this one two eras ago, we tried to understand how and why such phenomena occur.” Terra looks at the painting taking note of the strange symbol on their horn. “We believe that once in a generation, a kirin is born with special powers to help us overcome a potentially fatal future event. We haven’t fully deduced the ‘how’ yet, but our current theory postulates these gifts are bestowed by the Ethereal Matriarch, Laniakea.” Terra looks at Rhayla quizzically and is about to speak, but Rhayla continues talking.

“This one here, the one called Mystigo, possessed incredible regenerative abilities and near limitless chakra. He was able to hold nirik form indefinitely without exhaustion. We don’t know much else about him, other than that he fought a chaotic draconequus at the end of the first era.” Terra attempts to speak again, but Rhayla doesn’t notice and moves down the line onto the next painting depicting another kirin with a strange symbol on their horn.

“Emerald Forest was able to shapeshift into any creature they desired be it dragon, unicorn, pegasus, griffon and so on. For a time, many thought she was a changeling which led to her imprisonment for a couple of years. Fortunately, it was later discovered that changelings cannot replicate nirik magic, otherwise she would’ve never been able to prove her innocence. And here we have Arcadia, one who was able to duplicate themselves without splitting their chakra, a marvel kirin…and here-”

“Okay, I get it! I understand that all these kirins are special, but what does any of this have to do with me!?”

Rhayla stops, taken slightly aback by her outburst.

“I-I’m sorry for interrupting, Empress. Please forgive me.” Terra hangs her head, embarrassed. Rhayla smiles.

“Curiosity is nothing to be sorry for. Sometimes I find myself lost in my own words.” Rhayla approaches Terra and holds a hoof against her horn. “You all share one common trait, a magical symbol etched into your horns. You are the next matriarchal kirin, Tyberius’s successor.” Terra backs up a bit letting Rhayla’s hoof drop.

“And h-how are you certain it’s me and not someone else with a birthmark?”

Rhayla frowns. “There is no other kirin with a mark like yours. My father has been searching since Tyberius passed, and up until his death, his efforts yielded nothing. Shortly after my coronation six years ago, I heard about a young kirin who nearly burned down an entire block from a misfired spell.” Terra’s cheeks turn red in embarrassment and she looks away from Rhayla. “It was then that rumors of your mark started circulating, rumors that the chosen one has been reborn, and I’ve been keeping a watchful eye on you since then.” Terra shakes her head in denial.

“I know this is a lot to take in, and I can’t imagine the thoughts and emotions going through your head right now, but please try to understand.” Rhayla places a hoof on her back.

“I-I can’t accept it. I’m just a nobody from the western district, and I only know potions and a few spells, none of this crazy ethereal magic. That accident years ago was just my first attempt at nirik transformation. I didn’t intend to nearly burn down Temara’s and everyone else’s houses.”

“Regardless of intent, there is still a strong, burning flame within you. There’s another thing I’d like to show you, if you don’t mind.” Rhayla takes her hoof off Terra and walks further into the hall. Terra turns back to face Rhayla and hesitantly follows her. As they get deeper in, Terra looks to her left and right at the paintings depicting more kirins with odd horn markings and symbols, though aside from that, they look no different than any other kirin. At the end of the hall, Rhayla stops at a wooden door noticing Terra’s attention directed at the paintings. Rhayla opens the door with magic revealing a closet holding various old relics on an ornate shelf, all preserved quite well. Rhayla picks up an emerald locket from the top shelf and holds it in her hoof.

“The magic a matriarchal kirin possesses is not of our own world, rather it’s more cosmic, otherworldly. That is because it is derived from the Ethereal Matriarch’s own chakra pool. That’s why we so aptly named this phenomenon the ‘matriarchal kirin’. You all share in Her chakra pool.”

Terra looks at the locket curiously.

“These are relics of the past. Some call them ‘Zyntrithian artifacts’, others ‘divine instruments’, regardless they are pieces of history left behind by the divine mother herself. Since the first era we’ve been hunting these fragments of time to better understand Her and Her relation to us. So far we’ve amassed about fifty relics over the last couple millennia. As you can probably guess, they are quite hard to find.”

Terra looks up and down through the five shelves at the shiny, pristine relics. From a diamond ring to a tattered book, they all give off a soft glow and emanate energy.

“Each one has been imbued with Her own magic, and we’ve found that they resonate with magic signatures that match their own.”

“Resonate?”

“We believe they are all connected to each other and to the Ethereal Matriarch through the cosmic ley lines in our own universe.” Rhayla levites the locket over to Terra, motioning for her to hold it. Terra holds up a hoof allowing the locket to fall into her grasp. A light shockwave emanates from the locket causing the other relics to shake. Terra’s horn markings and eyes glow white and her vision gradually fades into darkness. She closes her eyes for a brief moment before reopening them to the colorful reaches of outer space before her. All around her, semi-transparent white lines travel through and far in many directions and to the planet below her. The same white lines wrap and entangle around the planet’s surface with seemingly no beginning or end. Within them, a strange, off-white liquid flows in one direction down into the planet and further out into the great unknown.

“Where am I? What is this place, Empress!?” Terra’s voice echoes through the nothingness of space. Terra looks at her hooves and gasps, now being able to see right through them. Like a ghost, only her light green coat can be seen faintly. She starts flailing around in a panic, trying to move away from here, but her efforts fail, and she continues floating in the same spot, unmoved.

“This has to be an illusion…a dream…or even a nightmare.” She rubs her eyes for a moment and gazes into the expanse of space. Millions of distant stars decorate the furthest of space and glow much like festive lights during the lunar new year festival in Kyrinia. Beyond the planet below her are two more smaller planets, however the white lines don’t seem to make contact with either one. So entranced by the scene before her, she just now notices a single line just outside of hoof’s reach leading down to the planet. She holds out a hoof to the line hoping to grab it and pull her in, but despite her best efforts it is too far out of her reach.

“Hmmm, what if I…” Instinctively, she charges her horn, and releases a beam of white magic at the line. Without warning, she is instantly flung into the network, her body dematerializing into pure energy as she travels down into the planet. In a matter of seconds she releases her magical hold on the chakra zipline, and her body re-materializes above a tall, snowy mountain. She gets up, disoriented, and nearly vomits in the snow. As she regains her senses, she looks around the summit, now feeling the effects of the subzero temperatures, and tries to produce some fire. Nothing, not even a spark erupts from her horn. Confused, she tries other spells, though all of them fail.

“Why is my magic not working?”

She walks over to the edge and looks down to see a vibrant, glowing city suspended along the side of the mountain.

“This is Canterlot, but how did I get here?” She looks back at the snowbank she fell in, and doesn’t see any white chakra lines anymore, just an endless rain of snow. She then looks down at her hooves again, noticing her semi-transparency is still present.

“There’s got to be a way off this mountain.” Terra explores all sides of the tiny summit looking for a safe path down, but is disappointed to find she is surrounded by steep cliffs. She returns to the snowbank she arrived from and sits in the snow, looking out into the gloomy, snowy sky around her.

“There’s got to be a way…” Just now, an azure glow from beneath the snow radiates outward from the snowbank. Terra directs her attention to the snow and stands back up. Her legs start to lock up from the cold as she digs through the snow. Eventually, she unearths a block of ice with the mysterious object frozen inside. The block is a perfectly-shaped cube, and inside is an azure arrowhead pointing up. The winds around her begin to pick up as she attempts to break the ice with her hoof. Terra buckles down as all her hooves seize from the cold. She stares at the arrowhead, trapped inside, and then at the dark clouds above her.

“If r-regular spells d-d-don’t work, then wh-why was I able to connect with those w-white lines…?” She suddenly gets a similar idea, rolls over, and aims her horn at the ice cube. “I-if I can t-travel through these lines, then c-c-can I make objects do the same?”

She focuses on the shape of the ice cube, its density, and its size. White chakra lines begin forming within the ice and a semi-transparent blue cube takes shape around the arrowhead, a cube within a cube. As all sides of the inner cube form, she levitates it through the white chakra network much like a bead through a piece of string. It holds the arrow head and safely removes it from the block of ice. She allows the blue cube to dissipate, dropping the arrowhead into the snow. She takes one look at its shiny, azure surface before touching it, causing a surge of energy to flow through her. Lightning strikes all around her as she feels her body being pulled away from the frozen mountain. She closes her eyes once more hoping this this will all end soon. In a matter of seconds, a familiar warmth engulfs her and she opens her eyes to see the Empress smiling in front of her.

“You are the chosen one.” Rhayla points down at Terra’s open hoof to find the locket is no longer there. Instead lies the same arrowhead from her cosmic experience, now dormant. Rhayla picks up the arrowhead and inspects it herself.

“What was that!? I nearly froze to death!” Terra shouts, shivering.

“You saw what She wanted you to see.”

“What were those white lines? Why was I on Mount Canterberry? Why could I not use magic? And why did She want me to find that?” Terra points at the arrowhead. Rhayla turns her attention away from the arrowhead and places it on the shelf next to the returned emerald locket.

“Those are the ley lines of the universe. They are the magical tethers that bind together our world and the beyond. They are imbued with natural chakra from the Matriarch herself. The ley lines themselves are capable of delivering chakra to anywhere in our world and beyond, even through time itself. The phenomenon you just experienced was astral projection, a process where your mind and body separate.” Terra holds her head, trying to process this information.

“And what about magic and the arrowhead?”

“Well, projected spirits cannot perform magic as they temporarily sever the connection with their own chakra pool. Why She sent you to Mount Canterberry and why she wanted you to find this relic in particular is a mystery, but the Matriarch tends to work in mysterious ways. In the past, we’ve found that those who possess Her magic are capable of locating relics due to the same magical resonance I brought up earlier. Matriarchal kirins tend to ‘react’ when they also come in contact with these relics.” Terra gives a deep sigh, and Rhayla takes note of her dissatisfaction.

“I’m afraid I don’t have all the answers you seek, but I can tell you, however, that past matriarchal kirins have undergone similar astral projection experiences. Experiences that required them to overcome a challenge in order to understand the particular ability they were blessed with. May I ask how you acquired that new relic?”

“I…don’t know how to describe it. It’s like I was able to pull the object through these ‘ley lines’ as you describe except, I was able to fabricate the lines myself.”

“Hmmm, I see…” Rhayla rubs her chin and ponders for a moment.

“Is that a good thing?”

“I’m not sure…this is a peculiar one. You see, the matriarchal kirins before you have all had their powers rooted in the physical world. Tyberius controlled the forces of nature, Earth Shine could bend lava, Skysong had electrokinesis, Radiant Ember was able to transform into fire…but yours doesn’t seem to have any connection with our own world…” Rhayla taps her hoof against Terra’s horn symbol.

“That is the final piece of the puzzle.” Terra strokes her horn, feeling the grooves of the symbol.

“What does it mean?”

“We’re working on that. Zyntrithian is an ancient and lost language originally formed by the Ithralian lung dragons in the first era. Unfortunately, our resources for translating it are limited due to a lack of a comprehensive glossary.”

“Oh…”

“Terra, these powers, this phenomenon can be seen as both a blessing and a curse. What may come across as a gift, some would consider a bad omen. Many kirins see the birth of a matriarchal kirin as a sign that we are in danger.”

“In danger of what?”

“We don’t know, however shortly after your predecessors discovered their destinies, they were faced with hardships that impacted our civilization. Take Tyberius for example. Ninety-one years ago, he fought in the Battle for Kirin Grove giving us a major advantage. If he never existed or never had the gift, we would’ve lost the grove to the Ithralian lung dragons, and possibly Kyrinia if it were to follow. We need you, Terra, here in the palace, so you can train and be prepared for what’s to come. There’s still so much more for you to learn.” Terra drops her hind legs and sits on the red carpet, staring into the fabric. Rhayla stays silent, patiently waiting for any response from Terra.

“Is that why you summoned me here? To fight in the war?” She says, saddened.

“Ultimately, we are not sure, but our theory suggests that your gift has something to do with the war.”

“Well, I’m not a murderer. I don’t want any part of this.”

“Do you view Tyberius as a murderer?”

“...I think he did what he thought was the right thing to do.” Terra avoids eye contact with the Empress. “But, I’m not him. I don’t want to use these powers if it means killing innocent lives, even if they are our enemy.”

“You have a kind heart, Terra…but that same heart could very well put us all in danger.” Terra turns to face the Empress.

“It’s my own philosophy to never harm a living creature.”

“Would you follow that same philosophy even if your own life was at stake?”

Terra looks down again, unable to answer.

“I’m sorry you have to bear this burden, Terra. Believe me, it pains me to see such a kind kirin such as yourself have to choose between your own principles and the will of others. I can’t make you fulfill your destiny, I can only guide you.”

Terra doesn’t respond and continues staring into the carpet with a saddened look. Rhayla bends down, holds up Terra’s chin and gives her a warm smile.

“I think I’ve said more than enough today. How about we get out of this dusty, old room?” Terra’s frown doesn’t change as she and the Empress stand up and exit through the corridor. Terra takes one last look at all the matriarchal kirins framed along the walls before ascending up the stairs with the Empress.

On the journey back up, the lanterns below extinguish engulfing the room in darkness once more. Back in the throne room, the two advising kirins greet Rhayla. She manages a weak smile, but returns to a more serious expression. The sun is no longer shining above through the room’s ceiling as the afternoon shifts into the evening. The walk back through the throne room and the ornate hallway is silent save for the other kirins presently talking with each other. Along the way, other royal kirins in the palace bow to her as she and Terra march out with the two advising kirins leading the way. Rhayla and Terra come to the palace entrance just before the long marble stairs leading into the city and Rhayla stares out into the setting sun just above the horizon while maintaining the same serious look.

“Terra, I have one more thing to tell you.” Terra looks up at the Empress curiously.

“Over time, when a matriarchal kirin uses Her chakra, they develop magical degeneration. It is a process that disintegrates one’s own chakra network over time the more they use it.”

“So, what does that mean?” Rhayla turns to face Terra.

“It means don’t use the Matriarch’s ability unless you really need to.”

Terra nods and bows before descending down the stairs and back towards her home. Halfway down the stairs, Terra looks back up at Rhayla close-talking to a few guards while briefly staring down at Terra making her uncomfortable. As she reaches the end of the stairs she looks out onto the cobblestone street and the setting sun.

“Why did you choose me, Laniakea?” She whispers to herself.

~

Terra puts two hooves on her kitchen counter and opens one of the cabinets with magic. She sorts through the contents inside and takes out a large amber bottle with a dark liquid inside. She levitates it down and looks at the print on the side.

“Tendrils of the Forest, fourteen point eight percent alcohol. Haven’t opened this one up yet since I got it for my birthday a month ago.” Terra then levitates three cups from an adjacent cupboard and sets them on the counter.

“What’s taking so long, Terra?” Nero shouts from the next room over.

“Just trying to find an uncorker!” She looks through the few cabinets and drawers she has, and a bucket of clean utensils. She holds a candlelight to the bucket and sees it buried at the bottom among other cutlery. “Found it!”

She levitates the uncorker, the three cups, the bottle, and candlelight over to her living room where Nero and Temara sit before a low wooden table on some cushions. The living room is much more well lit with candles and moonlight pouring in from one of the open windows.

“What do you think?” She asks as she sets down the bottle in front of them.

“Wow, all the way from Canterlot. We’re surely getting treated tonight!” Temara squeals in excitement.

“How did you even get this?” Nero asks, inspecting the bottle.

“Someone gave it to me on my birthday last month.”

“Was it that strawberry merchant on Oak Street? I hear she carries more than just Equestrian strawberries.”

“Oh who cares where she got it from, Nero.” Temara gives him a light tap. Terra smiles and uncorks the bottle, letting the fragrance of the mixture fill the room. She pours an even amount into the three glasses and they all share one drink together.

“You know we were starting to get worried after not hearing from you in three days. We figured that the Empress may have held you captive for questioning or something.” Temara laughed while immediately taking another drink.

“Haha, yeah…almost” Terra answers, whispering that last part.

“You missed a lot of work and Moon Shine’s getting on our asses about progress. I don’t know how he can expect us to fulfill these orders by the twenty-fourth. Only four days left, and I still need to brew fifty more disease potions! Insanity!”

“Well, I’m almost done with the blood-freezing poisons, and I have to make two-hundred. You just need to be more efficient.” Temara says, smirking.

“That’s easy to say when you have an easy formulation. I have to combine illyra roots, fire-beetles, red-cap mushrooms, and cockatrice eggs in a pot of royal water. I’m thankful my fur hasn’t burned off from the fumes alone! Crazy to think that putrid, acidic concoction prevents disease in Ithral.” Nero looks into his cup of dark liquid.

“Hey, I spent the first day just grinding up basilisk fangs, and that’s harder than it looks-

“Okay, okay you two, it’s not a contest.” Terra interrupts, pouring more wine into her cup.

“Sooooo, are we allowed to ask what happened at the Jade Palace?” Temara asks, looking curiously at Terra. Terra looks into her cup for a moment before downing its contents in one gulp.

“Is it as beautiful as they say? I’ve never had the chance to see it up close.” Temara inquires curiously.

“Eh, it’s not as great as everyone makes it out to be. I’ve been there once before and the interior just felt like a tacky display of antiques. Kind of felt like my nana’s house.” Nero answers. Terra turns away and out the window at the luminescent full moon.

“You guys remember that story of Tyberius the Talented?”

“Oh yeah, I remember him from school years ago. He was a powerful kirin that gave us a major advantage in the war almost a century ago. He was a big inspiration for many back in the day.” Temara responds.

“Pffft, that story sounded so fake. Everyone knows he was just used as a political figure to boost morale and get more kirins to join the Emperor’s army.” Nero bashfully criticizes. Temara rolls her eyes.

“Well…what if I told you I can do what he did?”

Nero chokes on his drink while Temara looks at Terra inquisitively.

“How do you know this?” Nero asks.

“It’s her birthmark, the symbol on her horn.” Temara answers before Terra could speak. Both Nero and Terra look at her surprised. “What? Did neither of you actually read the entire story? He had a weird ‘S’ shaped symbol carved into his horn. It was how he knew he was the chosen one.”

“Yeah, but you…sound like…you’ve always known.” Nero brings up while recovering from his coughing fit.

“How did you know?” Terra steps towards her.

“When we met six years ago, I was so fascinated by your magical abilities. I mean, you nearly burnt my house down! I wanted to learn more about you and your strange markings. You simply shrugged it off as a birthmark, and for a time, I was content with that answer. It wasn’t until we were taught about Tyberius in school when I started thinking about your answer again. I’ve never seen any other kirin in this city have a birthmark on their horns that was so carefully shaped, and looking at Tyberius’s symbol reminded me of yours. It was different, but the style looked the same. I think I’ve always known there was something special about you, but you’ve always seemed so adamantantly against that notion, so I stopped bringing it up.”

“Does that mean you can control the weather like he did? Can you make it rain right now?” Nero pours himself another drink, but nearly knocks over Temara and Terra’s cups while doing so, the effects of alcohol beginning to kick in.

“Well, not exactly, it’s hard to explain.” Terra rubs her chin and looks up at the ceiling, pondering how to describe it.

“Let’s take a walk.” Terra moves over to her front door, while the other two struggle to get up. Temara takes the bottle without them noticing and follows behind the other two as they all exit Terra’s apartment and into the dark street below. On the street, very few kirins are out, mostly city guards patrolling the area. Temara makes a habit of hiding the bottle every time they cross paths with someone.

“Where are we going, Terra?” Nero stumbles around, trying to fight his drunk disorientation.

“Somewhere open…and away from everyone.”

All three of them continue south down the road until they reach the sprawling market district, now completely vacant in the late night. Once they reach the first Emperor’s marble statue, Terra looks around in all directions with a confused look.

“Is something the matter?” Nero asks.

“Kind of have this weird feeling we’re being followed…” Both Nero and Temara look around with Terra but don’t see anyone else around.

“I don’t see anyone.”

Terra scratches her head and resumes walking through the desolate market with a sense of paranoia. All three of them take a right not far beyond the statue and continue into a grassy field that descends down into darkness. Terra follows a set of wooden stairs leading down into the field sticking close to the dimly lit path. The full moon above gently gives the field a whitish-blue glow and off in the distance ahead of them, the moonlight reflects off of a large lake surrounded by trees. The further they travel, the quieter and darker the atmosphere gets save for Temara giggling in the back and taking small shots from the bottle.

“What’s so funny?” Nero asks, getting a little irritated.

“It’s nothing!” Temara giggles some more.

“Is that the wine? You weren’t supposed to take that with us.” Nero stops walking and tries reaching for the bottle, but Temara levitates it just out of reach.

“What’s the magic word?” She taunts. He sighs and relents.

“Please?” Temera smirks and lowers it but still out of his reach.

“Okay, now say ‘pretty please with-’” A white aura overtakes the bottle and floats over to Terra, unamused.

“Temara, why did you bring the wine? Kyrinia’s open alcohol policy is harsh, and we could all be heavily fined if caught.”

“Ohhhh, psssshhhhh, it’s all good.” She stumbles forward, knocking into Nero. He lightly pushes her off, still as irritated as before. Terra holds the bottle up to the moonlight to determine what’s left. Roughly a quarter of the bottle remains.

“Jeez, how much did you drink?”

“Only a teensy tiny bit, haha.” She makes a gesture with her hoof.

“Ugh, well, I don’t want to get in trouble, so we might as well finish it.” Terra takes a long swig and coughs a bit, then hands it off to Nero.

“Here, finish it off.” She says in a raspy voice. Nero eyes the remaining liquid and chugs the rest. He gags a bit and holds a hoof against his mouth.

“This stuff was not meant for chugging.” He notices a trash can not too far down the trail and trots over to it, occasionally losing his balance. He tosses the bottle inside and waits for the other two to catch up with him. The entire way, Temara has a hoof around Terra’s neck trying to stay balanced.

“You really need to control your drinking habits, Temara. You’re going to end up in the hospital one day if this continues.” Terra comments.

“Mmmhmmmm.”

The two join up with Nero and all three of them reach the moonlit lake just ahead. The trail ends just before the shore, and the silence in the area is deafening save for the small ripples in the water. Terra shakes Temara loose and both of them look at her curiously.

“What I’m about to show you must never be mentioned to anyone. No friends, no family, got it?. I’m still trying to figure this all out and process it.” Nero and Temara nod with Temara doing her best to look serious. Terra looks around the shore for a rock, about the size of her hoof. She digs one just underneath the sand and places it in front of the other two. She then closes her eyes and focuses her magic. The rings and symbols on her horn glow white and blue sparks start arcing off her horn. Suddenly a small, blue, transparent cube begins forming around the rock. The same sparks appear around the sides of the cube and begin forming a plasma channel between Terra’s horn and the cube. All the while, Temara and Nero look stupefied at the spectacle before them. The electricity between her horn and the cube amplifies and Terra strains over the magical force. More and more electricity arcs off the plasma channel until a loud bang erupts and the force sends all three of them flying back. The two kirins slowly recover from the shock and groggily return to their hooves. Terra sits up and rubs her horn in pain, looking at the smoking, burnt patch of grass. The rock is coated in ash.

“What was that!?” Nero asks with a bit of fear in his voice. Temara freezes in shock.

“Wait, that wasn’t supposed to happen. I thought I got it right.” Terra struggles to catch her breath and charges her horn again, aiming it at the rock. Arcs of electricity once again bounce off her horn though much weaker than before. Nero and Temara quickly back up further to avoid another explosion. As a weak, very transparent cube forms once again around the rock, Terra collapses to the ground and loses her charge. The alcohol starts taking its toll on her and she begins seeing double. Nero and Temara run over to her and help her up.

“Okay, it’s probably best to call it quits for your safety and our own. What were you even trying to do?” He asks. Terra’s breathing returns to normal, and she stands on her own.

“When I visited the Empress, I had…well an ‘out-of-body’ experience...” The two kirins look at her quizzically.

“And in this dream, or however you want to call it, I had to perform an unusual spell to retrieve something and return home. I can’t explain it, but I just knew how to do it, like I’ve always known.”

“What does the spell do?” Nero asks, appearing more interested than Temara.

“I still don’t fully understand it myself, but from what I understand, I can suspend and move objects through space.”

“Through space? You mean like levitation?”

“No, it’s not like that, it's…hard to explain.” Terra walks over to the charred pebble and lightly kicks it back into the lake. “But I haven't been able to perform the spell again since that day.”

“I’m just struggling to comprehend any of this.” Nero holds his head with one hoof while Temara drunkenly embraces Terra.

“Don’t worry about it Terra, we still love you even if you can’t perform the spell!”

“Gee, thanks.” Terra pushes her off again.

“If you can supposedly cast that spell on objects like rocks and stuff, can you do the same on living beings?” Nero questions with heightened curiosity.

“I don’t know for sure, but to tell you the truth, I don’t think I’d ever want to use this on anyone…” Terra is cut off as something out of the corner of her eye catches her attention. She looks through the trees and sees a pair of torches further back down the path. They appear to be approaching them at a fast pace.

“Oh shit!” Terra ducks down below the bushes and signals the other two to do the same. They both notice the moving torchlights in the distance and huddle down next to Terra.

“What do we do, Terra!?” Temara scream-whispers. “How did they even find us?”

“Well, her show was bright, flashy, and loud, so it’s not surprising that we drew some attention.” Both Nero and Temara look at Terra worriedly.

“We can avoid them if we stay low and in the trees and bushes.” Terra tries to stand up, but immediately falls sideways, losing her sense of balance. She curses under her breath, trying to get back up. Her vision becomes blurred as she looks around.

“Are you okay?” The two kirins ask in unison.

“I’m…fine, just follow me.” Terra rubs her eyes, then disappears in the dark forest back towards the city proper. Temara and Nero follow her while occasionally looking through the bushes to get a better look at the two kirins on the path. Eventually they get close enough to recognize them. All three freeze in place upon seeing two city guards armed with spears through the bushes. None of them say a word as the guards quickly proceed towards the lake. As soon as they leave earshot, all of them breathe a sigh of relief and run through the remainder of the forest until they reach the hilly, open field just before the street. They all drunkenly fall over onto the grass breathing heavily. Terra rolls onto her back and closes her eyes for a moment, while Temara bursts out laughing.

“I can’t believe it was that easy.” She laughs.

“Are you kidding? We were one snapped branch away from getting caught.” Nero criticizes.

“Oh come off it, Nooruuuuuu. Terra what do you think? Easy as pie, right?”

Terra doesn’t respond. She opens her eyes and her gaze fixates on the stars above. A red, fiery star shines above, near the moon although dwarfed in comparison.

“Terra?” Temara and Nero get up and look down upon her. Her gaze doesn’t change.

“Can I ask you guys something?” The two look at each other, then at Terra confusedly.

“Would you give up your life if it meant possibly ending the war?” Temara bites her lip, and is about to answer, but Nero speaks before her.

“That meeting with the Empress…it wasn’t just about this ability, was it?” Terra lightly shakes her head.

“They want me to fight in the war like Tyberius did.” The other two kirins give her a sad look. “But I don’t want to hurt anyone.”

“I don’t want you to go, Terra.” Temara pulls her up and embraces her in a bear hug. Nero hugs both of them as they all collapse to the ground. Terra doesn’t take her eyes off the stars.

Temara and Nero separate, lie down in the grass next to her and look up at the stars with her. Minutes of silence pass as a cool gentle breeze blows through the field. The sound of windchimes can be heard back up towards the city, and the leaves on the nearby trees rustle. Not long into the silence, Temara dozes off and starts snoring, interrupting Terra’s state of zen. Both Terra and Nero stand up and look down at the drunk, sleepy kirin.

“Let’s call it a night.” Terra says as they both levitate her with their magic and travel back up into the city.

~

“Hey Terra, are you awake!?” A deep, masculine voice shouts, causing Terra to stir in bed.

“You’ve been asleep all day!” A blue kirin adds as Terra’s vision focuses on the two kirins in her tent. “We’re all going to the Northwestern Passage near the border to collect more bananas and coconuts from the valley. Food’s been very scarce around here.”

“Nnnngggg” Terra moans, pulling the covers over her head.

“Jeez, that must’ve been some dream. It’s been years since I’ve seen you sleep in this late.” Nero comments over Terra’s laziness.

“Come on, Terra, time to get out of bed.” Temara rapidly throws the blanket off Terra, forcing her to roll out of her cot and onto the ground.

“Okay, I’m up.” Terra stands up and spins around to face her two companions as they roll their eyes and exit the tent. Before she leaves, she shakes her mane and looks over at her calendar, pinned to the center pole in the tent.

“The twentieth day of the third month in the year three hundred seventy-nine.” Terra ponders for a bit and squints at the subtext on the calendar. “Huh, it’s also Naturaden in Ithral, seventh of Raina.”