Akasa's Tale

   With all of us present, the Empress turns and moves with purpose towards the large double doors of the library. Her long strides force me to trot to keep up, and as she approaches the entry for the building there is a flicker of magic, and the oaken doors open before us.

   The Trotsdale library is a two-story building, with the upper floor being an open gallery that looks down upon the bookshelves, tables, and pillows below. The dark wood paneled walls and gas lamps give the large open room a more intimate, peaceful feeling, and the rows upon rows of books muffle all stray sounds. Above the central gallery is a roof made entirely curved glass and iron supporting frameworks, and it allows sunlight to slant down and illuminate the low desks in the center of the room.

   Just inside the main doors sits a curved desk, one that is intended for information and returns. The mare that tends the desk barely even gets in a bow between the moment she notices the doors opening, and when the Empress has already swept past her. She glances up at me from her bow with a curious expression, and I give her my best ‘I have no idea’ look as I trot past, desperate to keep up.

   The Empress sails through the library like one of the Imperial airships at full steam, and I have a hard time keeping her in sight as she navigates her way to a back corner of the room. As I round a corner she has just passed, I slide a bit on the polished wood floor as I try to stop quickly and avoid running into her. She is standing before a dark stairwell that leads down below the building; the door is already open.

   She looks over her shoulder at me, and with a smile motions with her head for me to head down the stairs and into the basement.

   The stairwell is quite dark; thick wooden slats line the narrow staircase and the boards of the stairs creak a bit as I settle each hoof. I take a moment to acclimate to the gloom as I come to a landing below floor level, and making the turn for the next set of stairs I can see the wavering light of lamps coming from below.

   I carefully make my way down the last flight of stairs and enter a large stone room that I assume to be only slightly smaller than the library above. To my right are several alcoves that use floor to ceiling bookshelves as walls. The light in the room comes from hanging oil lamps suspended over a few chaotic workbenches, all of which are covered in scraps of parchment and old books. Ahead of me are the thick iron bars of what appears to be a dungeon cell, though the contents of the cell are simply – more books.

   In the center of the room are two ponies; a mare and a filly. These two must be the ponies the Empress was here to see. One, the filly, is dark of coat and has a deep burgundy mane, and also has a decidedly frightened expression as she looks down at her hooves. The other is a young Unicorn mare of lavender coat and blue mane, with unusual purple stripes, and she is standing near the filly with a look of concern.

   In the far corner of the room, hidden in shadow, I can just barely make out the large form of … the celestial wolf? But... How? It was outside and I know it did not pass us in the library above… I nod and mutter to myself, “Creepy,” and I swear I hear a chuckle come from the far corner.

   Satisfied that the room is safe I step a few paces forward as to vacate the stairwell and to have an unobstructed view of the room, and I come to attention as is proper. I clear my throat and announce, “Attend! The right royal Empress of Roanoak, her highness Aurora.”

   The lavender mare smiles, and the filly seems to shrink a bit as the Empress enters the lamplight from the darkened stairwell. She nods to the mare, “Good afternoon, Miss Sparkle. I take it this is the filly you spoke of?” She turns and looks at the cowering filly.

   “Empress. Yes – this is Akasa, the filly I have been tutoring.” The lavender mare motions to the filly next to her, “She has been experiencing some highly unusual magical problems, and as she is one of your subjects, I felt it best you be informed.”

   The Empress turns to face the filly, “Akasa is it?”

   The filly, still looking down at her hooves and with her long forelock covering her eyes, takes an involuntary step back and in a quiet voice, “Y-yes, your highness.”

   Aurora looks back to Twilight, who merely motions with a forehoof for the Empress to continue.

   “Dear – there is nothing to be afraid of. I am here to help.” She folds her long legs under her to lie upon the flagstone floor before the frightened filly, to be less intimidating, and reaches out with the tip of a wing to gently move the filly’s mane aside. “Come now little one, be calm – no harm will come to you here.”

   “I-I don’t want to be sent away…”

   The Empress looks back to Twilight, who looks just as confused, and then back to the filly, “Why would anyone send you away dear?”

   “B-because my magic is dangerous… I was just practicing a shield spell and – and things caught on fire… Nopony wants somepony dangerous around. The others at school said so.” Akasa sniffles a bit.

   Aurora uses the tip of her outstretched wing to gently lift the filly’s chin, and smiles at her a moment before speaking, “I do not see a dangerous pony here. A dangerous pony would not be worried about harming others, even accidentally.” She locks the filly’s gaze with her own, “And that is why I am here little one, to see if perhaps I can shed a little light on your situation. After all, we are very similar, you and I.”

   The filly sniffles and nods, “Why is this happening to me?”

   “That is something we will have to discover together – if you will trust me to help that is.”

   Akasa nods, “I – I do your highness.”

   Aurora nods and smiles again, “Very good. Now, let us see this shield spell of yours.”

   “Are – are you sure? I mean, last time… With the fire and all…”

   “Dear, Miss Sparkle here is the most accomplished Unicorn mage in recent times, hence why it is such a privilege for her to be your tutor. If she cannot counter a foal’s spell gone wrong, then I think we have larger things to worry about…” Aurora laughs as the filly smiles a bit. But beside them both Twilight looks a bit nervous.

   The Empress gets back to her hooves and takes a few steps away before turning and nodding to Twilight.

   “Alright Akasa, just like we practiced okay?” the lavender Unicorn coaches. “Just clear your mind and think of that soap bubble like we did the other day.”

   From my vantage near the entry I can see that both the Empress’ and Twilight’s horns are glowing softly – spells are prepared, waiting. Twilight looks nervous, the Empress wears a passive expression – no doubt a poker face born of generations of practice. The little filly on the other hoof stands between them with her head lowered, squinting in concentration as a few fitful sparks of magic pop from her horn and fade out.

   Twilight takes a step forward and lowers her head, “Just clear your mind Akasa, feel the magic and just shape a soap …”

   The next few seconds pass in a blur; before me multihued lights of violet and blue dance in geometric patterns as the sound of an ocean fills my ears and I lay them flat against my skull. I can just slightly smell the odor of singed wood in the air as I wince at the lights and sound. My eyes tear from it all, but I can just make out the little filly suspended above the stone floor in a scintillating sphere of bright light. She makes a stifled little scream and I get the distinct impression something very bad is going on.

   “Twilight! Bring your shield in just around hers, cancel her magic – I shall take care of the others! When I say, close it off – completely. Not even air!” The Empress shouts above the roaring sound and slowly moves towards the filly, “Akasa! Akasa – can you hear me? You must gain control of the spell!”

   The Empress takes each step deliberately, head down and ears flat, as if moving against a hurricane wind. Her mane and tail whip around behind her as she approaches the sobbing filly. “Akasa! Focus on my voice! Please! I need to you take a deep breath, the deepest you can and hold it! Do it for me dear! Now!”

   The sobbing stops for a moment and Aurora yells, “Twilight! NOW!”

   There is a subtle pop as the flames around the filly are snuffed out, and a heartbeat later the bright purple barrier of the Unicorn vanishes as the floating blue and purple lights that separated me from the inferno also wink out, and Aurora catches the filly in her telekinetic magic.

   The Empress kneels once more, “Sergeant, your cloak please.” I step forward and unhook the clasp with my mouth as I feel the wool lifted from me. She folds it and lays it on the flagstone floor, and then gently lays Akasa upon it, before draping the rest over her like a blanket.

   “Breathe…”

   There is a small gasp, and then quiet sobs between “I’m sorry. I’m sorry. I’m sorry.”

   “Shh, quiet now dear. All is well.” Aurora nuzzles the filly’s forelock, “Rest now. You will awaken at home with your dam and sire shortly.”

    A few moments pass before Aurora stands, “Clyde, make sure she stays sleeping. If she starts to stir, let me know immediately.” I nod, and she motions for Twilight to follow her over to where the Celestial has been sitting this whole time.

   They confer for some few minutes out of my earshot as I look down upon the sleeping filly. She is truly one of the rare Alicorns, with fledgling wings and a short little horn. I wondered if all Alicorns were like this… This display of raw magical ability frightened me a bit, truth be told.

   “She should be magically exhausted for several days after that…” The Empress, Twilight, and the wolf approach. “If you would return her home Twilight, I feel she will be safe. In fact, it will probably be difficult to get her to cast anything for a while out of base fear… I would suggest working on her control – give her plenty of reading assignments for now, and save the practical work for when we have a better handle on this.”

   Twilight nods, “I agree, a workable plan. I will send a letter to Canterlot with our observations here and see if the Princesses have ever seen the like.” Twilight gently lifts the blanketed filly in her magic and proceeds up the stairs.

   The Empress turns to the wolf, “You have been conspicuously silent my Friend – even for you. What are your thoughts?”

   The wolf stares straight at me while he speaks. “The filly stirs memories from long ago my Liege, before even the time of ponies… Ill memories. I shall speak no more of it until more is known, lest I alter the course of events unfavorably.”

   She looks at him quizzically for a moment before determining that was obviously all she was going to get. “Very well. Miss Sparkle will report to the regents of Equestria and learn what they may know. I will peruse the library at Roanoak for anything that may link into this puzzle as well.”

   She looks to me, “Are you ready for a return trip Clyde? I have research to attend, and you have a report to deliver – and we should both be about our tasks before the night grows too long…”

   I steel my resolve and nod, once, “I am ready Aurora.”

   She smiles at me, “Quick learner – I like that…”