Every great man, every successful man, no matter what the field of endeavor, has known the magic that lies in these words: every adversity has the seed of an equivalent or greater benefit.
- W. Clement Stone
The grey stallion named Graphite Star was an imposing figure, made even more so by the tight cloak that wrapped around his body, with an impressive hood that concealed his horn and mane. He stood watching his subjects toil in the dirt. Tonight Graphite Star and his fellow brothers and sisters would accept a new pony, named Quiet Sting, into the fold. While the other members carved out precise patterns in the dirt, Graphite left the small clearing to prepare the new recruit for the intimidating entry process.
The addition of this new pony excited Graphite. When the mare arrived, she had spoken of curious rumors and whispered secrets of a group of Unicorns who had unlocked near unlimited power. According to the rumors, these cult members achieved in a matter of days feats of magic that normal hard-working unicorns would need months to learn. Fueled by ambition, this adventurous pony had set forth into the Everfree Forest, and Quiet Sting had been found by members of the fold. The significance of these rumors was bigger, though. It meant that the cult’s power and teachings were beginning to trickle into the minds of the regular citizens of Equestria. Before long, the cult may expand exponentially. Graphite looked forward to possibly accepting more ponies. The couple dozen subjects that followed him were loyal, but it was too small a group for his taste.
Understandably, Sting had been horrified when she first saw the methods of the cult, but the same determination that led her into the Forest allowed her to slowly accept the logic of what the organization had to offer. The sacrifice that was required was steep, but the benefit that the cult promised was far greater than any payment. This pony had seen the light, and soon the family would have a new member. Graphite Star remembered how bewildered Quiet Sting had been when first learning the basic teachings from him:
“You must understand, the magical energy we manipulate in order to cast spells, move objects, and any other feat we perform all comes from the same place: our horn. Each section of the horn governs a different task, with those simplest to perform starting at the tip segment. Normal Unicorns have four sections of their horns. The first section produces levitation and manipulation, allowing us to pick up and move objects around. The second governs the subtle powers of illusion, as well as certain spells with lower energy requirements. The third segment holds the impressive powers of complete transfiguration, and the realization of magical energy into violent, temporal form. In other words, lasers and projectiles of magic. The final section holds deep and powerful magic, that can vary based on the unicorn and their special talent, as well as many high energy requirement spells. Anything from teleportation to flight can be achieved by delving into the final horn section.”
At this point the newcomer had been intrigued. These theories made sense. Nothing was particularly sinister about anything that the cult had told her. However, Sting could see the twisted side of these ideas, and she was cautious in trusting Graphite Star immediately. She had continued listening.
“The problem with accessing these powers stems from the difficulty of transferring such high amounts of energy to the tip of our horns. The flow of magic through our horns is difficult, and requires intense amounts of concentration and skill coupled with education on the spell. Some ponies will never be able to access their fourth horn section, and are content with simply picking up things and moving them around. We reject this idea. In our minds, the first horn section is unnecessary. It is a cushion that unicorns have relied on for far too long. It is a barrier between us and greater power. The first horn section is deadweight, and it must be... disposed of. Sacrifice what lesser powers you can, and you can easily achieve greatness!”
At that, Graphite Star had thrown his hood back, revealing his horn. Two sections of the horn were missing, and there was a slow, glowing pulse of magical energy visible through a light covering of grey skin that had grown over the stub. Graphite Star had amazed Quiet Sting by unleashing massive amounts of his magical energy into the air, causing explosions of fireworks and sound to erupt from his severed horn. It was overly dramatic, but it got Graphite's point across. Quiet Sting had reeled back in amazement and horror, but she did not run away. She remained with the cult, and two weeks of learning and observation later she submitted to performing the ritual.
And tonight was the night.
When Graphite Star entered the new recruit’s tent, Sting's horn was glowing slightly as she finished tightening her cloak’s drawstrings around her neck. Graphite raised an eyebrow and remarked that she would soon need to learn how to clothe herself without the use of magic. Quiet Sting blushed lightly, but she jumped up to follow her leader. Sting’s cloak was black, like the other cult members’, but hers was bordered with white, showing her to be the lowest rank possible. Graphite’s cloak identified him as the leader with a crimson border. Both ponies’ hoods were pulled back, displaying Quiet Sting’s complete horn and beside her revealing Graphite Star’s glimmering stump which pushed out of his short, obsidian-colored mane.
Graphite Star attempted to make conversation; he didn't want the newcomer to feel uncomfortable.
“So, are you nervous?” He began.
“Yes, but that doesn't mean I’m not ready,” came the reply.
“That’s good. It’s a big event for you. Nervousness is to be suspected.”
“Sir, can I ask you--” The jittery mare began, before hesitating.
“Of course, anything.”
“How much will it hurt?”
Graphite Star was not a horse who dodged around any issue. A small part of him wished to comfort the anxious pony and lie to her, maybe say some falsity suggesting there would be magical anesthesia. Instead, he bluntly replied,
“The cut will be extremely painful, especially because it’s your first section. Most ponies have barely even injured their horns before, and this is on an entirely new level. But I can promise you this: this adversity will yield to you a much greater benefit. You will not regret this decision.”
Quiet Sting nodded quickly, and the two walked the rest of the short path to the clearing in silence. They arrived to find the entire congregation gathered and waiting. Two dozen regular members stood evenly spaced around an outer circle. Three cult members with blue borders around their cloaks stood about halfway into the circle in a triangle, surrounding another circle. Between the two larger circles there were four sections, each containing simplistic symbols of each category of magic. Each section of the horn had a section of the circle to represent it. The area between the smaller circle and the middle one simply contained three deep lines, reaching out to the three lieutenants. Every marking and symbol was connected by lines in the soil. The inside of the center circle was empty, and this is where Quiet Sting carefully walked to. There was just enough room for the newcomer and Graphite Star to stand together. Graphite Star unsheathed a sacrificial dagger adorned with arcane carvings. The two ponies faced each other, and the ritual began.
First the regular members threw back their hoods and projected small, bright balls of light on their stumps, each horn uniformly missing its tip. Slowly and silently the cult members knelt and placed the light spheres into the circle carved into the dirt in front of them. The magic slowly spread through the lines in the dirt, moving like water tracing along a web. The symbols and markings were illuminated, and the magical energy crept along the inner spokes towards the circle in which Graphite Star and the recruit resided. When the flow of magic had finally stopped, the entire clearing was lit up. The bright, magical light shifted and moved like the northern lights. The cult members stood up straight and moved back. A hush fell among the ponies gathered there, and all was silent, excluding the steady hum of the powerful, gathered energy of twenty amplified horns. Graphite Star glanced around him. The sight was beautiful, and yet it was only a backdrop for the mutilation to come. The stallion stood back at attention, and the lieutenants standing among the twinkling pathways began speaking. Their voices filled the air for a few moments, expounding upon the ideals of the fold in fanciful verses. They spoke in unison of the sacrifice every pony must make to achieve true power.
When the lieutenants had fallen silent, Graphite Star’s horn flashed brightly, and the energy from the section of the circle devoted to the tip of the horn began to move again, flowing from the outskirts, to the symbols, and down the inner spokes before lifting up into the sacrificial blade wedged into Graphite Star’s mouth. The other three sections remained bright and functional, but the magical energy from the first section of the circle had been sucked into the blade, surrounding it and enlarging it until it gained the appearance of a giant butcher’s knife. However, the energy did not expand the dagger’s width, its precise edge was preserved. Quiet Sting was shocked; her eyes widened at the sight of the awesome sacrificial blade, but she knelt down as she had been instructed.The cult leader reared onto his hind legs and slammed back down in one quick movement. The knife with an edge as sharp as magic sliced clean through the first section of the new member’s horn.
The feeling was like shoving her horn into boiling water, without being able to withdraw. Sting felt a significant part of herself fall away along with her horn tip, and she cried out in pain. The other ponies stood silently and watched. Nopony moved to help her. The agony was still present, but Quiet Sting grew aware of something else growing inside of her horn. A deep, smoldering power was rising within her. She gasped as her horn began glowing, and she closed her eyes, trying to wrestle with the new found energy pouring out of her. Blood and magic shot from her horn. Her eyes glowed brightly, and she screamed one more time before losing control of the new energy. A huge blast of crimson magical energy burst from her horn directly into the sky, and the less disciplined members of the fold glanced upward at the glistening, sparkling explosion of magic poured from a new part of Sting’s horn. It was pure magic that had never been used before, tainted by her blood. She looked upward, amazed that such a spectacle had come from her. When the power was exhausted she promptly slumped onto her back and passed out.
The Cult of Amplification grew stronger.
New Beginnings
The purple mare named Twilight Sparkle was a welcoming figure. She trotted through Ponyville, greeting ponies with a nod as she headed towards her home in the town’s library. Twilight had just been to Sugarcube corner to help make cupcakes with her friend Pinkie Pie, and she was definitely ready to get back to studying. She was reading a fascinating book on higher level spells, and she couldn’t wait to try some of them out. There was one spell in particular, an invisibility spell, that she was sure would come in handy, once she could figure out the complex magic required to work it.
Twilight quickly picked up her mail as she walked into her house. Subscriptions to science and discovery magazines made up most of her load, but there seemed to be a few letters among them. Twilight went inside and plopped the mail on her desk, but one letter caught her eye. This letter was sealed with the royal wax crest of her brother and sister-in-law, Shining Armor and Cadance. Twilight quickly tore into the envelope, eager to hear from her brother. She had always had difficulty keeping in touch with Shining Armor, but after the coronation a few months ago Twilight had made an effort to write him more often. She was sure Shining Armor would be writing back about all of his extensive duties as captain of the royal guard. But when Twilight began reading, the document was clearly written in the feminine hornwriting of Cadance.The letter read:
Dear Twilight Sparkle,
I’m writing you today to let you know the most wonderful news. Shining Armor and I are going to have a little foal! We thought you’d want to be one of the first ponies to know, and we’d love it if you could come visit us sometime soon. I know Shining Armor would be very happy if you could be here. I would also enjoy the chance to catch up, since we barely had time to talk last time we met!
Sincerely,
Princess Mi Amore Cadenza
Twilight read the letter over three times in quick succession, her smile widening every time. Twilight was going to be an aunt! She couldn’t wait to tell all of her friends. And the prospect of visiting Cadance and Shining Armor for the first time since the coronation was extremely exciting. Everything had been so hectic and confusing during her last visit to Canterlot with the parades and the festivities that Twilight was sure she’d enjoy a more peaceful get together with her family.
The next few weeks went by quickly for Twilight. In order to protect Cadance's privacy, the only horses in Ponyville who knew about the pregnancy were Twilight's five closest friends. Eager to respond to the invitation, Twilight made plans to visit Canterlot within a month of her receiving the letter. Because Twi wanted to remain subtle while Cadance's pregnancy was a secret to the public, her visit to Canterlot was alone, regardless of the protests of her glamorous friend, Rarity, who whined that Twilight "simply MUST take me with you! I haven't seen the latest Canterlot fashion in AGES!" Twilight upheld her refusal, on the basis that it wouldn’t be fair to only bring one of her friends along.
Quiet Sting woke in a haze. She felt weak, which made sense considering the outburst of power that she had experienced last night. She noticed one of the lieutenants, identifiable by the blue border on her cloak and the two horn segments missing from her head, standing over her impatiently. She was an icy blue, with a white mane that was cropped short. After Sting shook the sleep from her eyes, the lieutenant began her spiel.
“My name is Glacial Mark. I’ll be showing you around camp today,and then I may begin to teach you how to use your newfound power, as depleted as it is at the moment. Anyway, It’ll be difficult to get used to not being able to move things with your magic, but we’ve all adjusted. Take a second to prepare yourself and we’ll head out.”
With that the lieutenant strutted out. Even though Quiet Sting knew she had been the first to join since the first few dozen, the mare acted as if this was a commonplace occurrence. It was probably for the best; Sting didn’t want any special treatment. She fumbled with her teeth for a minute, finally tying her cloak’s strings together. She noticed the white stripes were gone. She was now a fully recognized member of the cult. Sting also took a look into a small hand-mirror on her bedstand a light layer of skin had grown over her stub, and the glow of the magic underneath shined like coals in a fire. Quiet Sting took a minute just looking at her reflection, getting used to her new look. The cut had been so clean that her horn actually looked pretty good. But there was no more time for vanity, Sting had somepony waiting for her.
Joining Glacial Mark, Quiet Sting began to take in the camp in a new light. Before she was an outsider trying to learn everything she could about a cult she did not understand. Now she was trying to learn the layout of her new home. These ponies were her family now, and they would help her attain vast power. Mark took her first to the cult’s farms, which she had seen before but only at a distance. Greenhoof, the main farmer who directed the other cult members’ efforts to farm up food for the cult, waved a hoof and welcomed Sting over.
“Hello, Quiet Sting. I see your horn is healing nicely. There’s not too much to see here, just dirt and plows at the moment, but say hi to the farm crew. I’m sure they’d all appreciate the chance to greet the newest member now that you’ve recovered a bit.”
Quiet Sting did, and as she went around, trying to absorb names and faces of the ponies she would be sharing her life with from now on, her attention was focused on one mare in particular, a yellow pony with a crimson mane who was clearly blind. The blind pony stared directly at her with sightless eyes with a concerned and oddly judgemental look on her face. Sting was unnerved by her, but at the same time she was impressed that the pony still worked in the fields without being able to see exactly what she was doing. It had to require a considerable amount of skill. When she and Glacial Mark left to continue the tour, Quiet Sting noted the blind pony’s cutie mark was two hands of a clock, without numbers or a circle bordering them.
After she was sure they were out of earshot from the farm, Quiet Sting asked Glacial Mark about the strange mare.
“Oh, Veil Shine? She’s quite an interesting member of the cult. Before she joined her talent was keeping of track of time. She could tell you exactly how long any action took; it was uncanny. When she decided to have her second section cut, she was blinded, and her new access to her powers allowed her to see time in a completely different way. She’s become somewhat disconnected from her place in the timeline, but she can accomplish any normal task as long as she’s focusing. We’re still trying to figure out how best to use her powers for our own purposes, but now she at least serves a good example for how delving into yourself can unearth completely different aspects of our core talents. Graphite Star says cutting out the illusion section of her horn allowed her time-related talent to cut through the ‘illusion’ of time, seeing everything at once. I’d ask him about it. He spent the most amount of time with her while she was still drifting through the timeline.” With that the Glacial Mark dropped the subject and continued the tour.
The tour of the farm, eating quarters, communal tents, etc. blurred together for Sting after that. Veil Shine was an interesting and new facet of the cult’s magic, but on top of that Quiet Sting couldn’t wait to try out her new magic. All this formality was just getting in her way. At last Glacial Mark took her to an empty meadow, the same one the ritual had been performed in. The markings in the dirt had been swept away, and now there was plenty of free space to practice controlling her new power. Glacial Mark explained:
“That outpour of magic that happened when your horn was cut was the reserves of your power pouring out into the world. Don’t worry, it replenishes itself, but you’ll actually be weaker than before for a few days. The tip of our horns serves as a kind of cap, which both holds our magic in and makes it difficult to tap into all that power at once. Now that you’ve removed that inhibitor, with little effort you can call upon the depths of magical power that reside in your horn. Even better, after using up your supply a few times the replenishment begins to quicken, like working out a muscle. This can take years for unicorns who have to work around their horn tip to use up their power, but for us you can achieve quick, vast power in a tiny amount of time. And even as a beginner you can cast very powerful spells, you’ll just exhaust your supply fairly quickly. This is the true virtue of our amplification: magic without limits!
“Now, show me. I want you to harness the magic in your horn and exhaust your energy. I’ll put up a shield, and you try to break through it. Don’t stop till you’ve got nothing left.”
Quiet Sting stood still for a moment, unsure of how to use her new strength. Glacial Mark met her eyes with a level stare for a few seconds, then reared her head back and cast her shield. A blue glowing sphere gathered on the tip of her horn, and when she threw her head back down the ball flew into the ground and burst into a giant barrier of pure ice. Faced with this obstacle, Sting focused on calling forth some kind of projectile. Immediately a rush of energy shot out of her horn in little bullets crashing into the ice. The sudden outburst startled Sting, who wasn’t used to using magic without the ‘cap’ of her horn tip. The force of the sudden burst also pushed her back a few inches. Regardless of this seemingly powerful display, however, the ice shield was barely scratched. Concentrating on forming more piercing magic to get through the ice, Quiet Sting shot more projectiles at the barrier, bracing her hooves so she didn’t fly backwards. These new shots looked like giant arrowheads, and she only fired off six before the red glow on the tip of her horn fizzled and she sat back, exhausted. The first four flew into one spot in the barrier, opening it up for two to go through, but Glacial Mark quickly repaired her shield with a burst of blue energy before any harm could come to her.
“Good, good!” Glacial Mark said. “Most of the people I’ve helped train started out with a very scattered burst of magic, hitting my barrier like a hose across the entire thing and not really accomplishing much. You not only recognized that you would need to make a weak point and hammer into it, but also you were able to act on that idea and sculpt your magic to fit your needs! That’s a very good start. We’ll refine our practice a bit when your magic begins to regenerate at a faster pace, but for now we’ll just work on what it feels like to use and empty your magic at an objective. Tomorrow we’ll work on hitting targets at a distance, if you’ve got the juice for it.”
Quiet Sting had never been so tired. When she had lived her own normal life she had experienced days of hard work in the kitchen she had worked at, but she had never felt so… used up. It was a good feeling, like she had finally started to fulfill her true potential. Quiet Sting was hungry for more.
Author's Note
I know what "purple mare" syndrome is, so don't think I'm falling into that trap from the first sentence. The purpose is to contrast Twilight and Graphite from the get go, so Twilight's introduction to this story mirrors Graphite's.
Anyway I like this length for chapters, so these should end up to be around 2000 words each. I've got a loose outline and there probably won't be more than ten chapters in the first "Act," and that will be its own complete story. If I've gained any sort of following by then I also have an Act II planned, but I won't follow through if no one is enjoying it at that point.
So far I've got a pretty comprehensive idea of how magic works in my version of Equestria, but if anything doesn't make sense or is unclear feel free to comment and I'll either explain or correct.
