Guardian of the Hearthfire

Guardian of the Hearthfire

Ch 2: Hiding in plain sight

Ophelia awoke in a dark, unfamiliar room. Her back felt stiff, but she clambered to her hooves and looked around. It took a while for her eyes to adjust, but she could tell she was no longer in the yellow pegasus’ house. She could see no doors nor windows. The floor beneath her felt like stone, but it was hidden by a thin layer of mist. Ophelia stood in the middle, cold and shivering, her breath coming in white puffs.

She could only see one other thing in the room, just at the edge of her vision. She rubbed her eyes to see it better, and when that didn’t help, started walking towards it. It was within hoof’s reach before she knew what it was: a pink orb the size of her head, sitting on a gray stone pedestal. Ophelia nudged it gently with her hoof. It was cool to the touch, and clinked like glass when it moved against the stone. Acting purely on instinct, Ophelia wrapped her forelegs around the orb and lifted it off the pedestal.

Suddenly, Ophelia felt a sharp pain in her chest. Hearthfire, whispered a rough, deep voice brimming with implicit power. It seemed to come from the orb.

Startled, she dropped it. It shattered when it hit the ground, and a pink flame blazed to life and hung above the shards. The voice didn’t stop; instead it now came from the flame.

Hearthfire... Hearthfire... Hearthfire! The voice grew louder with each repetition. Ophelia tried to cover her ears with her hooves, as she tried to scuttle away from the strange chanting. It was too late. The voice was inside her head now. “Stop... Please... Go away... ” Ophelia whimpered, dropping to her belly. The voice, heedless, kept chanting louder and louder. “STOP!” she screamed. A blinding light burst from her horn, illuminating the room. There was silence.

“I have awakened,” proclaimed another voice. It echoed against the grey stone walls, which Ophelia realized she could see even though her horn had stopped glowing, but unlike the chanting this voice sounded like a pony.

“Who was that?” said Ophelia, looking left and right for the source of the voice.

“Do not worry Ophelia. I am a friend,” it replied. It was soft and comforting now. It reminded her of how her mother talked when Ophelia was afraid.

“How... how do you know my name?” Ophelia barely got the words out.

“I know many things about you.” She could follow the voice now. It was coming from the pedestal where the orb had rested. Above it pulsed a pink point of light, illuminating the walls but making itself hard to look at.

“I am Winter. I was once the Guardian of the Hearthfire.” The light began to move towards Ophelia.

"Wh... what do you want?" she said, terror in her voice.

“Do not be frightened, little one,” said the light in the same soothing tone. “By breaking the orb, you have awoken an ancient power. It has dwelt deep within you since you were born.”

“I don’t understand. Where am I?”

“Your body remains in the care of the Daughter of Kindness.”

“I’m... I’m dreaming?

“In a sense. You are also more awake than you have ever been. And in waking, you have also awoken me from my slumber within your amulet.”

“I still don’t understand,” said Ophelia, her head beginning to hurt.

“One day you will. For now all you need to know is that I am here to guide you as your power begins to manifest, and to... teach you.” The light began to dim.

“What... what do you mean?” Ophelia stood up again, worried that she would be left alone in the dark.

“I’m sorry little one... but your questions will have to wait ‘til another time... I’m still too weak, and it is not a full moon tonight.” The light flickered fitfully. “I’m sorry, but I must leave you for now. Sleep well, Daughter of-” The voice died before it could finish, taking the last of the light with it.

====SSS====

Fluttershy awoke to thin golden sunbeams peeking through her window and falling on her bed. A pair of blue jays hopped out of their birdhouse and whistled sweetly at the new day. Fluttershy slid out of bed, sang along for a few bars, then headed downstairs.

She found Ophelia on the couch, still asleep but fidgeting and moaning. Concerned, Fluttershy placed a hoof on Ophelia’s forehead. The filly’s eyes popped open, then darted around the room in surprise and fear. Fluttershy hugged her trembling body close. “Shh, everything's alright. You just had a nightmare,” she whispered into Ophelia’s mane.

It took a while, but her fears finally melted away in Fluttershy’s warm embrace. “Why don’t we go over to Twilight’s house now?” she said, leading Opelia to the door and putting her hoof on the latch. “We can get some breakfast while we’re there.”

====SSS====

The Neighagara-Everfree Limited blew its whistle, its brakes screeching as it pulled into the station. The small platform was crowded with dozens of ponies waiting for family and friends. An orange and brown banner charged with a white pony running through falling leaves hung from the portico. The doors opened and two earth ponies sporting brown hooded cloaks and black saddlebags emerged from the rear carriage.

“Why do you think the amulet is here, Tracer?” said one, taking his hood down and running a light blue hoof through his brown mane.

“Because, Hawk,” said Tracer, adjusting the golden clasp on his cloak with a lime green hoof, “before we left I pulled all the info we had on our prisoners. This was the last place they lived before moving to Nightingale.”

“That doesn’t mean anything, Cap’n. She could have sent it anywhere. And take that hood off! We want to blend in.” Hawk playfully snatched Tracer’s hood off his head, revealing his commander’s blue mane.

“That is true,” replied Tracer, ignoring the small prank, “but I have feeling that she sent it here. Call it instinct if you want.” He stepped out onto the narrow, crowded platform.

“Fine, but can we check in at least before we start looking? Maybe scrounge some grub?” wheedled Hawk, weaving through the crowd to catch up with Tracer.

Tracer gave his head an exasperated shake. “Always thinking with your stomach,” he muttered.

For a small town, Ponyville was surprisingly busy. Ponies of all shapes, sizes, and colors filled the streets. A brown and orange banner hung from a tall, round building that might have been the town hall, and strings of red and yellow leaves graced just about every doorpost. The trees in front of the Ponyville Inn had been stripped almost bare to decorate the building.

Tracer pushed open the door and he and Hawk entered the inn. The delightful aromas of pancakes, muffins, and coffee greeted them. Hawk’s stomach growled, but Tracer rolled his eyes and walked to the front desk. A unicorn stallion with a red coat and a yellow mane sat behind the counter with a copy of the Ponyville Express gripped in his red magic. Tracer cleared his throat, and the clerk folded the paper and placed it on the counter.

“Hello,” he said. “Can I help you?”

“Yes,” said Tracer. “We have a room reserved here.”

“Oh, you must be Tracer and Hawk. Right this way.” The clerk levitated two keys from under the counter. “Here let me get your bags as well.” He came out from behind the desk and lifted the bags from Tracer’s and Hawk’s backs with his magic. They followed him up the stairs and down a short hallway.

“Here you are, room 105.” The clerk nudged open the door and placed the keys on the nightstand and the saddlebags on the nearer of the two beds. “If you need anything just come find me.”

“Who should we say we want?” said Hawk.

“My name’s Hingard,” he said, bowing and closing the door. Tracer and Hawk could hear the clopping of his hooves as he descended the stairs.

Hawk sat down heavily on the far bed, claiming it for his own. “So, what’s our next move?” he asked.

“Our ultimate goal is to find the Hearthfire amulet,” said Tracer, not moving from his spot in the middle of the room. “I think the best way to do that is to observe the townsponies and to get to know them.”

“Okay,” said Hawk, a chuckle building in his throat. “So when do we start operation ‘Needle in a Haystack?’”

“We'll start right—” Tracer’s stomach gurgled even louder than Hawk’s had downstairs. Hawk spluttered in amusement. “Right after we get something to eat,” Tracer finished lamely.

“Good idea. I'm famished,” said Hawk, licking his lips. The two ponies plucked their keys from the nightstand and Hawk put his in his cloak pocket. Tracer locked the door behind them, and they headed down to the dining room.

====SSS====

After weaving their way through the crowded town, Fluttershy and Ophelia arrived at the Golden Oaks Library. Fluttershy knocked softly on the oaken door, which swung open almost immediately to reveal a baby purple dragon. “Oh, hi Fluttershy,” he said, opening the door wide for her and Ophelia. “Come in!”

“Thank you Spike,” murmured Fluttershy, nuzzling his cheek.

Spike blushed slightly, “Aw, you're welcome Fluttershy. You’re here to see Twilight?” She nodded. “She’s upstairs,” he said. “I’ll go get her. Twilight!” he shouted, climbing the stairs while Ophelia and Fluttershy made themselves comfortable. Ophelia was drawn to the books, remembering the stories her mother would tell her, while Fluttershy cooed over Peewee.

It didn’t take Spike and Twilight long to return. “Hello Fluttershy,” said Twilight. She sounded mildly surprised to see her friend, but Fluttershy could feel Ophelia duck behind her and out of Twilight’s sight as if she had said something scary. “What can I do for you?”

“Oh, I was wondering if you could help this filly.” Fluttershy nudged Ophelia forward with her wing. “Ophelia appeared on my doorstep last night, but she wants to go home. I was wondering, if it’s not too much trouble, if you could help her?”

“I could try,” said Twilight, looking Ophelia over like she was an interesting problem that needed solving. “Where does she live?”

“I’m not sure,” said Fluttershy, turning her head to hide behind her hair.

“I live in Nightingale,” said Ophelia reluctantly, taking a few steps away from Twilight.

“Nightingale? I’ve never heard of it.” Twilight sounded troubled at the thought, and pulled half a dozen rolled up maps and atlases off the shelves with her magic. She set them floating around her, unrolling scrolls and flipping through pages until she found what she was looking for. “Aha!” she said, letting everything but one scroll fall to the floor. Spike quickly set about picking them up and placing them back on the shelves. She unrolled the scroll on the table, and pointed to Neighagara Falls. A small black dot a few miles south of the Falls was marked “Nightingale”.

“I don’t know if I can teleport that far,” Twilight admitted, “especially since I’ve never been there before. But I have been perfecting my long range teleportation spell. You remember the one we used to escape those teenage dragons?” Spike and Fluttershy nodded, and even Peewee chirped.

“Would you be able to send Ophelia home?” asked Fluttershy.

“Maybe,” said Twilight, with a detached air like she was doing calculations in her head. “I want to try a shorter distance first though, maybe to the far edge of Sweet Apple Acres.” Twilight stepped up to Ophelia, “Are you ready?”

Ophelia nodded. She was scared, but excited at the thought of getting to go home. Twilight closed her eyes and her horn began to glow. There was a bright flash of light and a pop, but instead of appearing on Applejack’s farm, Twilight reappeared where she started, staggering as if she’d drunk too much of her friend’s cider.

Spike ran over to her, clearly concerned, but she opened her eyes almost immediately and shook her head vigorously. “That’s odd,” she said. “When I tried to teleport, something fought back.” Ophelia stood still, shaking a little at the thought she might have done something wrong as Twilight paced around her. She looked away when the older unicorn started looking intently at her amulet.

“Ophelia,” cajoled Twilight, “would you mind if I try a few spells on that necklace of yours?”

Ophelia’s jaw hardened, and she looked back at Twilight defiantly. “No,” she said, covering the amulet with her hoof. “my daddy gave me this necklace.”

“I promise nothing will happen to it. I just want to try a few simple spells.” Twilight crouched down to eye level with the filly. “You can trust me, Ophelia.”

She smiled wide, and Fluttershy nodded her agreement in the background. Finally Ophelia said, “okay.”

“Thank you.” Twilight closed her eyes and her horn began to glow again. “I’m going to try a simple levitation spell.” It didn’t look simple at all. Soon the unicorn was gritting her teeth and straining her neck with effort. The glow of Twilight’s magic grew more and more intense, until everypony had to look away. The amulet did not move. Finally she grunted triumphantly, and Ophelia felt a tug on her neck, but then there was another crack and Twilight was battered against the wall of the library, her coat and mane singed black and smoking. Books scattered around her from the force of the impact.

Fluttershy was the first at Twilight’s side, helping her to her hooves. Spike was next, gathering the fallen books and asking her if she was alright. Ophelia was petrified by what had happened and the possibility that she might have caused it.

Twilight groaned and blinked her eyes, then looked searchingly at Ophelia. She backed away and turned her head. “What is that?” Twilight walked slowly but purposefully to Ophelia, and knelt down in front of her again to get a good look at her necklace. “Hmm... a heart shaped jewel with an anti-magic spell woven into it. Where have I seen this before?” Twilight mumbled. A moment later, Twilight was halfway around the room tearing books off shelves with her magic, scanning the titles, and tossing them aside.

“Um, Twilight, I was wondering if Ophelia might get something to eat?” said Fluttershy, dodging a book with a maroon cover and a bronze title plate. “She hasn’t had any breakfast,” she explained.

“What?” she said, not pausing in her search. “Oh, yeah sure. Spike, get her something to eat. I need to do some research on Ophelia’s necklace.”

Spike led Ophelia into the kitchen, but Fluttershy stayed behind. The book that almost hit her looked familiar. She turned it over with her hoof and looked at the title: Amulets, Gems, and Magical Charms. “Um, Twilight,” she said, nudging it away from the growing pile of discarded books, “maybe you could look at this one again, if that’s alright?”

Twilight groaned, picked up the book again, and starting turning the pages. She was going almost too fast for Fluttershy to see, but she recognized the picture of an amulet with a pegasus’ wings and a unicorn’s head. Eventually, Twilight seemed to find what she was looking for, and Fluttershy settled down to wait. She did not have to wait long, however.

“Ophelia, can you come in here please?” said Twilight, setting the book down, open, on the floor. “I may have found something. You can bring your breakfast with you.”

The filly and Spike returned from the kitchen, the dragon carrying a plate full of blueberry pancakes in his claws. The three of them clustered around Twilight to get a good look at the book. On one of the pages was a sketch of Ophelia’s amulet, the thick gold necklace and the crystal heart proportioned exactly right.

“It’s called the Hearthfire Amulet.” Twilight said matter-of-factly. “Unfortunately that’s about all the book says about it. Apparently it belonged to somepony called Winter. The book calls her a guard, but doesn’t say what she was guarding.” She sighed in resignation and put the book back on the near-empty shelf. It looked lonely and forlorn. “The book says the amulet protected her from harm. I think it also protected her from spells,” she winced.

“So if Ophelia takes it off, can she can go home?” Fluttershy asked.

“I suppose so. Ophelia can you try taking your necklace off?”

“Okay,” said Ophelia. She tried undoing the clasp, but couldn’t get a grip. She tried pulling the necklace over her head, but it wouldn’t budge. “It... it won’t come off,” she said, fear in her voice.

Twilight stroked her chin with her hoof. “It must have some sort of locking spell that stops anypony from removing it.” Her eyes widened in wonder. “Even Trixie’s amulet let the wearer take it off.”

“So what do we do?” asked Fluttershy

“We need to figure out why she appeared here in the first place.” She looked at Ophelia, concern in her eyes. “If you were sent here to escape from danger, we don’t want to send you back. Wait!” she said, clearly struck by an idea, “Who are your parents?”

“My dad’s name is Silver, and my mom’s name is Crystal.”

“Oh, I remember Crystal,” said Fluttershy, smiling at the memories of her old friend. “She sold bells and wind chimes. I still use them to wake critters up for spring. She moved away several years ago.”

“That must be why Ophelia appeared outside your door, she probably trusts you to look after her daughter. Though why she sent her here is still a mystery.” Twilight pondered the thought for a moment, then looked up at Ophelia. “I need to do more research. Ophelia, would you like to stay with Fluttershy in the meantime?”

“I guess so.”

“Well then it’s decided,” proclaimed Twilight. “You’ll stay with Fluttershy, and I’ve got a new project.” She clapped her hooves with glee.

====SSS====

Scarlet lay on her bed, a cup of cold tea on her nightstand. Scattered around her on the bed were various books, scrolls and journals. She picked up one of the books with her magic and began flipping through the pages. The spine proclaimed it to be the third of Redcliff’s Journal. Finally she found the passage she was looking for.

February 17, 800 AU

After months of searching the Arctic North, my student Silver Wing and I may have finally found something related to the Hearthfire. It's not much, but we've managed to find a stone tablet with words in ancient Equine carved into it. It seems to be some sort of prophecy or warning. The writing is badly eroded but from what I can make out it says

When the moon is full...

The year of fire...

The corrupt...

While this tablet does not shed any light on the whereabouts of the Hearthfire, it has allowed me to ask new questions about an old story I once heard. Could this have something to do with the white pony? Next to the tablet we found a gold amulet, set with a gem with the appearance of a fire ruby in shape and structure. It cannot be one, however. It is dull, and while I am not a unicorn, I can feel strong magic emanating from it. Silver Wing and I will return to Canterlot and review our findings.

February 20, 800 AU

On our way to the train station, Silver wing and I ran into The Hearthfire Knights. The cult has tried to keep me from my work before. They say it’s for my own good, but they really just want to keep the truth about the Hearthfire a secret. Silver Wing and I managed to elude them and catch our train. This proves they’ve been watching me, and that I’m getting close.

Scarlet skimmed through the next few pages, which Redcliff had filled with technical descriptions and drawings of the jewel. She finally stopped when she found the start of another journal entry.

June 5, 805 AU

I have found another amulet in the Southern Desert. It is nearly identical to the one I found in the north, but it is silver instead of gold and its magic is stronger. It feels different too: cold, dark, and evil. Nevertheless there must be some sort of connection between this amulet and the one I left with Silver Wing back in Canterlot. I will return there as soon as the next carriage arrives.

July 9, 805 AU

The gem from the north is gone! I returned from the desert to find my study ransacked. Silver Wing has also mysteriously disappeared. I fear that the Hearthfire Knights may have foalnapped Silver Wing and stolen my research. Thankfully all is not lost. I still have the gem from the desert and my journals. As for my assistant, I have told the police and sadly there is nothing more I can do. He was a good lad, and I will miss him, but I can not let this distract me from my work. I am so close to unlocking the secrets of the Hearthfire!

Scarlet had to flip through several mysteriously blank pages to reach the next and final entry. It was smudged and hard to make out.

December 23, 810 AU

This may be my last journal entry. The Amulet’s hold over me grows stronger each day. Its maddening voice echoes in my mind. I can’t stop it. To any of my descendants who read these journals, the second Amulet is the key, the key to saving this world from the maddening voice. They must not meet. It wants the world. My will is weakening. It will take control of me soon. The Hearthfire Knights, seek out the Knights they will...

The writing trailed off into the meaningless scribblings of a mad pony. Scarlet looked down at the thick silver necklace she wore. The heart-shaped jewel set in the pendent pulsed with a blood red light.

"Such a weak pony,” a voice emanated from the darkness in the corner of the room. “He was not worthy of the future I promised him.”

“My great-grandfather was a visionary,” Scarlet shrieked. “He founded the Phoenix Order to free this land from the royal pretenders!” It took her a few seconds to regain her composure. Once she did, she slipped off the bed, being careful not to disturb the books and scrolls scattered around her. She opened the doors to her balcony and stepped outside. The landscape before her - the tall peaks of the Unicorn Range, and their reflection in the shimmering waters of Lake Luna - formed the perfect image of tranquility and peace. “Will you show yourself this time?” she inquired of the cool morning air. said, her voice calm.

Scarlet could feel a presence pushing at the boundaries of her mind. She complied with the pressure, moaning as it rushed through her being. “I will reveal myself when the time is right.”

“What do you want?” said Scarlet.

“I've come to check on your progress,” whispered the voice. “Have you retrieved the amulet?”

“No, the Hearthfire Knights managed to keep it from us,” Scarlet said, glancing down at the lake.

“Your time is running out. You have until Hearth’s Warming Eve to retrieve the amulet. If you do not, I cannot help you cast out the Princesses.”

“I will retrieve that amulet and bring the Phoenix Order to the throne.”

The presence pulled away from Scarlet, leaving its parting words echoing in her mind. See that you do.

Scarlet took one last glance at the landscape, then returned to her bed: to her journals and to her books. She had work to do.