DEiN KLO DOVAH
KUN FUS SPAAN
VOKUL TAHROViN

"Alright, Clover, let's see what we can uncover in this lighthouse."

We stood before the imposing structure, I had seen lighthouses before, but nothing this tall or this extravagant. The stone wall on the side facing the ocean was weathered from years of exposure to the salty sea air.

"It's open." Clover said motioning to a tall wooden door that was cracked open.

"Be on your guard, with the Order on our tails, we can't be too careful." I said to him and stepped forward to the large heavy door and peered through the opening into a dimly lit room.

KNOCK! KNOCK! I knocked on the door with a hoof and it echoed throughout the room as it swung open on it's hinges. The room inside was a welcoming, a stark contrast to the rocky cliff and roaring ocean outside, there was a fireplace in the center of the room that crackle with life, comfortable looking armchairs sat nearby with a stack of books left on a small table beside it.

"The smell is intoxicating." I said as I inhaled the scent of parchment mixed with salty sea air.

"Fire. Where do you think the keeper is?" Clover asked.

"I'm not sure, whoever they are, they sure do enjoy reading."

I walked over to a corner where table cluttered with seas shells and polished stones, it was plain to me the lighthouse keeper was a collector. Above the table was a map of the coastline with far off islands marked with notes and symbols of the sun and the moon.

"Welcome!"

I jumped in fright and then turned around to see who had spoke. It was a bespectacled dragon with gleaming orange scales, two ponies tall.

"You're a dragon?" I said.

She looked herself over. "Last time I scoped it out, for sure." she chuckled.

"I apologize, when Amethyst said we should come here, I had no idea the lighthouse keeper would be another dragon." I said sheepishly.

"Yo, name's Jasper, but you can call me the Warden of the lighthouse. A lightwarden if you will." she said.

"And I am Star Swirl," I bowed my head, "High Mage of Equinox. Clover and I are here for information on necromantic rituals we think might be in your possession. A dragon named Amethyst said you might be able to help us out."

"Necromancy!?" her eyes widened.

"For a good cause." Clover interjected.

Jasper looked at Clover and her expression softened when she saw that Clover's satchel was glowing.

"Equinox, huh? Radical, I've always wanted to visit the great white city to the north." she replied. "And you found that egg in Equinox?"

"No, I found it in Greenvale." Clover realized the egg was glowing and flared his horn to retrieve it. "I think somepony was trying to sell it to a group called The Order of Adamant Scales, we think they are using necromancy to kill and then raise dragons as living corpses."

"I think I know why Amethyst sent you here. I've totally done lots of research on magic in the last forty years." she winked at Clover. "Come upstairs, I think I have a book that might elaborate on necromancy. "This lighthouse has stood for centuries, way before dragons or ponies set hoof here, I am its keeper, I'm also guarding the epic knowledge stashed here."

Jasper walked towards the spiral staircase with her tail swaying behind her and began to climb the steps that were smooth from centuries of use, Clover and I followed her, I ran my hoof across the metal railing, it was polished like a mirror that I could see my face in, every few steps a lantern with a small flickering flame dancing inside hung above.

"And this is the seventh floor, the library." Jasper said cheerfully.

Clover and I were exhausted from the climb and Jasper had already talked my ears off during it, we knew the lighthouse was tall, but I didn't think there would be so many floors.

"Oh wow, I've never seen so many books." Clover said in awe.

The seventh floor was the lighthouse's library, and it was a big one. There were tall bookshelves on every wall filled with countless books, volumes, and scrolls. A mighty treasure trove of knowledge that might outclass the Silverman Palace library I spent so many countless hours in.

"You mentioned some sort of cult is using necromancy," Jasper motioned for us to sit down at a large wooden table in the middle of the room that held several open books and a map of the coast. "sit down for a spell and I'll get the book that might have some helpful information."

"Are you looking for something, Jasper?" I looked at the map.

"Sort of. I'm currently researching Alicorn magic, I know it's connected to the sun and the moon." she grabbed two books off a shelf and walked over to another shelf to grab a third book. "Have you heard of Skyros?"

"Skyros? Only as myth, a tale to tell foals." I replied.

Jasper walked back over, sat down at the table with us and placed the three books down.

"I think Skyros is real and I think it's located somewhere far to the east, across the ocean." she opened a book and started reading. "Don't worry, I'll explain everything I've read."

"Unicorns posses innate magic, their horns draw on the power of the vast and timeless cosmos. They are skilled in vision and truth and are generally regarded as the most intelligent pony species. Some Unicorns are capable of reading the stars to predict the future and tap into the infinite knowledge of the universe to create and weave their own spells."

"Have you ever created a spell Star Swirl?" Jasper asked.

"I have, quite a few in fact." I replied.

"Righteous." she held out her fist to me, expectantly. I don't know why.

"I knew we Unicorns were powerful when it came to magic, but I didn't realize it was on a cosmic scale." Clover added.

"Eh... kind of. It's more a cosmos within your own mind. Your brain is a muscle, the more you exercise it, the more powerful it becomes." Jasper said. I didn't want to correct her in saying the brain is actually an organ, so I let her continue reading. "Okay. Pegasus magic is up next, don't worry, we'll get to necromancy soon enough."

"Pegasus magic draws on the vast open skies, the energy and movement of the wind. The Pegasi are proud, they are fast in the sky and at times a little hot-headed, but they are also clever and caring. The magic they hold is different from that of a Unicorn or Earth pony, they can harness it to control clouds, and ride the currents of the wind using their wings."

"Do dragons have the same magic as the Pegasi do? You can fly." I asked Jasper after she finished reading.

"I've never seen a dragon explicitly use magic of any type, but I have my suspicions." Jasper said and turned to a new page. "Our scales protect us from fire, magic, and even lava. Okay, here we go, Earth and Sea ponies."

"Earth ponies draw their magic from the energy of the land itself. They are easy-going, care-free ponies, sometimes stubborn but they care deeply about the history and natural balance of the world. Many Earth ponies are skillful in farming the land by encouraging plant life to grow, they are grounded in stability and make excellent builders."

"It's no secret that Earth ponies have a strong bond with nature." Clover said.

"Speak for yourself, I've met the leader of the Earth pony tribe, Chancellor Puddinghead is very— eccentric."

"Puddinghead?" Jasper looked amused.

"He's a good pony at heart, if a bit of an oddball, he was well known the the guards at the palace for barking at trees." I said.

"Haha, no kidding?" Jasper laughed. "Okay, I think this part is particularly fascinating."

Sea ponies are often misunderstood creatures and thought to be monsters hiding in the depths of the ocean, this is simply untrue, they are reclusive and seldom interact with surface ponies. Sea ponies have a strong awareness of their surroundings due to them being able to sense the currents and tides with unparalleled ease. They posses the power of transformation using a type of primal magic that draws on the power of the tides and the depths of the seas.

I saw Cover's eyes sparkle with curiosity.

"Sea ponies sound amazing, I've never met one, maybe one day they will reintegrate." he said.

"It's possible." Jasper said bluntly as she closed the book and reached for a second, I looked out of the window and saw the setting sun. "Alright, Alicorns next, there's two left, well technically three if you include necromancy."

"The long forgotten Alicorns of Skyros use the gift of magic provided by the energy of the sun and the moon. Alicorn magic can draw on the spirit of the moon, Alicorns connected to the moon are private and secretive, often preferring to work in the shadows. They have a natural aptitude for stealth, trickery, and concealment. Their magic can mask their presence, create illusions, and even influence dreams."

"Sun is the counterpart to moon. It draws from the heat of the sun. Alicorns born with a connection to the sun are often intense and charismatic, with a natural ability to lead. They can harness the power of the sun to create blinding light, generate heat, and inspire those around them. Their presence alone can be invigorating, filling allies with renewed strength and courage."

I looked over to the window and saw the sun beginning to set.

"Jasper, it's beginning to be late, I would love nothing more than to hear it all, just tell us about necromancy." I said to her.

"There is a century worth of information and theories on Alicorns here." she lifted the book to face towards me , there was an image of two Alicorns, one silver with its wings spread wide under a crescent moon and another with gold.

"Alicorns have never been seen, all of ponykind believes they died out eons ago." I said.

"Well, I think they are closer than anypony thinks, I have a theory they use their Alicorn magic to hide themselves, and that's why nopony has ever been able to find Skyros." Jasper said. "But we'll discuss that another time. You're here for necromancy." she said as she picked up the third book from the table.

"Millenia ago, a powerful and skilled Unicorn named Nachtar Elderguard once ruled Lumoria, he went insane after performing a ritual to make himself a god among Unicorns. Using necromancy and the heart of an ancient dragon, he absorbed its power and infused himself with a dark and twisted form of Unicorn magic. It steals the lifeforce of other creatures, and at its most extreme, necromancy is capable of resurrecting ponies."

"May I?" I asked to see the book and Jasper handed it to me with her claw.

Every page was full of information on necromantic spells and rituals. It was fascinating.

"Jasper would it be okay if Clover and I stayed at the lighthouse tonight? I'd like to read more about necromancy to better understand on how to stop The Order." I asked and placed the book down.

"Not a problem, Star Swirl, I have a guest room on the fifth floor. But first, I insist you both join me for dinner, I make a pretty gnarly baked potato." she said as we all began walking down the word spiral staircase. "The secret ingredient is dragon fire."

Four Months Later

Clover and I stayed at Jasper's crystal lighthouse for far longer than we had planned, days turned into a week and weeks turned into months. The lighthouse had become a sanctuary for Clover and myself, I was able to delve deep into my research. Everyday, every book that I had read, I was closer to finding a solution to stopping The Order of Adamant Scales' careless use of necromancy. My understanding of magic grew more profound with each passing day.

Clover is eighteen now, he has found a rhythm in his new lifestyle, no longer a homeless colt prowling the streets of Greenvale for his next meal. The dragon egg he carries is a constant source of wonder and mystery to us all, even with Jasper's knowledge of dragon clutches, we still don't have a single iota of when the egg will hatch, if at all.

With most of my days spent in the lighthouse library with my research, Clover spends his time helping Jasper with her Lightwarden duties, sometimes they would disappear for hours while out exploring the cliffs and beaches surrounding the lighthouse. The three of us had formed a bond of friendship over the months, although he is still young, Clover was a formidable spell caster, and despite her strange use of words not in my Equish vocabulary, it was nice to speak about the intellectual side of spell casting with Jasper, she has even agreed to teach me how to speak some words in the ancient dragon language.

The best thing about being at the lighthouse is the fact that I can get mail delivered here. Once a week, there is a Pegasus mail pony that comes to the lighthouse to collect Jasper's reports, his name is Comet Flash and he comes all they way from Pegasopolis to the east of Lumoria. I convinced him to make a stop at Equinox so I could write a letter to King Bullion about my discoveries so far and an incident report of what happened to the Drakebark breeding ground. It was a success as the next time I saw Comet, he had two letters for me, one from King Bullion and one from Princess Platinum.

Star Swirl

I hope this letter finds you well, Equinox remains ever watchful and much has changed since your departure. Father speaks often to me about your quest and I have heard whispers among the guardsponies. The path you trot is filled with peril and I cannot help but feel a deep concern for your safety.

I suppose it is rather silly of me to think such things, you are unparalleled in skill. Please, Star Swirl, take care of yourself and the young ward you have taken on. The kingdom needs you, but more importantly, so do all of us.

May the stars guide you back to me.

Yours, Princess Platinum.

I put my snout to the parchment and inhaled deeply, it still smelled of her, the perfume she wore everyday, she knew I liked the scent.

"Star Swirl! You have to check this out!" I heard Clover's voice shout and the sound of hooves rapidly clip-clopping on the staircase behind me. I reached over the table, stashed the letter from Princess Platinum away in my saddlebag and pretended to be writing something with a quill.

"What is it, Clover?" I asked.

He reached the top step and trotted over to me in haste. Held in the grasp of his magic was folded fabric.

"What's this? Something wash up on the beach again?" I asked.

"Jasper and I found it." he flipped it over and revealed the cloak, it was the same dark green cloak as the Unicorns that attacked us back in Greenvale. "You recognize it, don't you? I bet they've been spying on us."

"Where's Jasper?" I asked.

"She's flying around in the sky, looking for anything out of the ordinary." Clover said.

My brow furrowed and a chill ran down my spine, this cloak unmistakably belonged to somepony from The Order.

"Clover, The Order of Adamant Scales is coming, I don't know when, but it's clear to me they know our location." before I could continued, a gust of wind rushed though the open window as Jasper swooped in.

"I saw them. There are five Unicorns, one of them is riding the bones of a dead dragon! If they don't stop to rest tonight, they'll be here by morning" Jasper said

Clover's eyes widened. "What do we do?"

My mind was racing, I began running scenarios in my mind of our next action, the past few months have been so peaceful and tranquil. "We have to prepare for what is to come, I think I have a counter spell for the dragon, but they are coming for the egg, we must put its safety above all else."

Jasper nodded, "I can try to hold them off." her expression was fierce.

"No!" I shouted, "Sorry, what I mean to say is- you can't hold them off Jasper. While the Unicorn's spells might not be able to harm you, that dragon will be." I said calmly.

Outside, the light began to shift as the sun lowered. The three of us exchanged determined looks, ready to protect the egg and protect each other from the approaching threat of The Order of Adamant Scales.

To be continued.

Author's Note

Nov 29 2024 - last proof read before publish. (and I bet I've missed something, I always do)