Of Myrs, Fire And Mind

Malik’s POV…

I woke up in my human form, still thinking on how many levels the previous day could have gone better. But well, what’s done is done. They know now that I am the king of blades and the ponies are skeptical. I’m still not sure if they or Chandra wanted to even talk to me.

Chandra… she reacted very strongly to this, she seems to have a deep hatred for the zerg. I hope that, in the end, she realizes I am still Malik and I’m still her friend.

I decided to walk downstairs and have breakfast, it’s not good to think with an empty stomach.

So I walked down and spotted a note stuck to the door. I approached it but decided to only check it out after I had breakfast, which consisted on three apples, guess I was a bit hungry. While eating I remembered I had to get a job, which would not prove so hard because of my, seemingly rare, expertise with hextech.

I walked to the door and read the note:

‘I’m sorry about how I reacted yesterday Malik. You see… I have a bit of history with the zerg, which caused me to hate them. Forgive me if I choose to avoid you for some time but I need time to think. You’re my friend but you’re also part zerg and what has been seen cannot be unseen. I will need some time but when my mind settles if I continue to treat you as a friend or if I treat you like I would treat any other zerg (that would mean burning you).

Ps: That Zetto guy planeswalked in the middle of the night. Something about settling some unfinished business in a tournament of sorts.

-Chandra’

My mind was on overload. Chandra apologized, which was a rare ocurrence, Zetto left, she had some mysterious reason to hate on the zerg and it was very likely I was going to make it out of this mess without a burn of sorts. I started writing.

‘Don’t worry Chandra, I understand you need time to think. It was quite a lot to take in after all and taking into account you hate zergs it was even more. I just hope that, in the end, you remember the good times we had as friends. I think those would make up for at least a part of it. But, when you’re willing to talk, I’d be interested in what made you hate the zerg. Taking my time to meet Kerrigan, she wasn’t that bad, she just wanted revenge, and that can happen to the best of us. Revenge is something beyond our control and I’ll admit it: a small part of the reasons I’m determined in killing Flynt is revenge. But I’m afraid I’m digressing now. I guess I’ll see you when you make your decision.

-Malik’

As I finished I couldn’t keep a smile from my face. I was managing to reason with Chandra, quite an accomplishment if I do say so myself.

I walked out, headed towards the library. Why? Twilight seemed the most… understanding for lack of a better term the previous day. The ponies I had met at the party the other day waved and greeted me, oblivious as to whom my true self was.

I reached the library and, unsurprisingly, Jace was there. “Hey Jace. Any progress on figuring out the mana of this plane?” I asked.

“I got nothing.” He sighed in defeat, closing his book and picking up another.

“You have done things more difficult than this Jace. You’ll get it eventually.” I encouraged but Jace did not hear me as he was enraptured in the book. Twilight wanted me to teach her about artifacts, which gave me another reason to come to the library. I spotted Spike walking around, reorganizing books.

“Hey Spike! Do you know where Twilight is? I’m here to teach her about artifacts.” I asked.

“Yeah she’s right downstairs.” He replied. I nodded my thanks and began my descent.

As I arrived to the basement I saw Twilight examining some sort of blueprints. I coughed to get her attention, which failed horribly. I tried coughing louder, still to no avail. I approached her and tapped her shoulder, giving her a bit of a scare as she jumped and looked around frantically. “Woah calm down! It’s just me!” I said, trying to calm her frenzied mind. Apparently it worked.

“You gave me quite a scare there. You could be a bit more… subtle.” She said.

“I tried.” I deadpanned and Twilight blushed with embarrassment.

“Oh… sorry then. I just get so enraptured when it comes to learning something. I just can’t get my mind off it.” She explained.

“It’s alright. Now let’s see what you have here.” I said picking up the blueprints. A simple mana coil, still a bit complex for a first lesson. “Where did you learn to make one of these?” I asked.

“It was all in the books.” She answered.

“Well not bad at all. It seems perfectly functional, the drawing is just right, and everything seems to be in order. Rather impressive taking into account I haven’t actually taught you anything.” I said, congratulating her on her magnificent work. This resulted on a blush from the mare.

“Well thank you. I just want to know, tough. Is everything alright?” She asked. The question took me by surprise. Was my slightly different mood that noticeable?

“What do you mean?” I asked back.

“Since that thing yesterday happened I noticed you’ve been… sadder, regretful and other things like that. I want to know if you’re ok.” She said with genuine worry in her eyes.

“This whole situation is a bit stressful. Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Rarity, Fluttershy and Chandra showed some signs of either fear or anger towards me. I don’t know if my agreement with the zerg was that great any more. What I did two years ago is starting to seem like a bad idea.” I said.

“We may have met only a few days ago but I’m sure you did it for all the right reasons. You said it yourself that you wanted to protect. As soon as Chandra understands your reasoning and remembers you are her friend, she will instantly forgive you. You may be the king of blades but you’re still Malik. All it takes is for you to give Chandra and the girls some time to think.” She reassured.

I knew that but I still had no idea of how much I needed to actually hear it. “Thanks Twilight. But now… shall we get going with the class?” I asked.

<…>

???’s POV

“Finally I tracked down the other survivor, I still have to find him though. Maybe I could use the tricks I learned with the Dimir to sneak around the castle and get some more information.” I muttered to myself.

I had a perfect cover in the shadows, no one would be able to detect me, something you had to learn with the Dimir mastermind as your teacher, and my black cloak helped too. There were few agents that were as sthealty as me.

I blinked to an alley nearby the one I was hiding in. I had a feeling that sneaking into the castle in this equine world was gonna  easy. Using a mix of shapeshifting and blink I managed to get to a balcony.

It was still morning but to someone like me it doesn’t make a difference, at the end of the day no one can catch Rythian, student of Lazav. And in the off chance someone did find me I had my trusty dagger at my side, and when they found the body I would be miles away.

I walked inside and overheard a conversation. “You should have been there! The machines took care of the changelings like they were nothing! And the strange creature became even weirder when it grew a purple and boney exoskeleton kind of thing! He was about to kill another creature with blue hair and a mechanical arm before another, this one in blue robes, stopped him and drove the changelings back!” A voice exclaimed.

“Sure they did. I’m sure that you’re not making any of this up and that the creatures are actually nothing special.” Another voice said, dripping with sarcasm.

Through the information I realized there had been some sort of battle recently. I heard something about machines. Maybe they were Malik’s. The question, however, was where was he?

I have heard from rumors from the other Dimir agents that the other survivor went by the name Malik. An artificer that was learning to planeswalk from Jace Beleren, one of the most skilled mind mages out there.

“I’ve heard the creatures are staying in Ponyville and that they have befriended the wielders of the elements rather easily.” The first voice continued. So Ponyville it is. Once I find Malik we can take Flynt down and avenge Earth.

Blinking away and towards Ponyville I had a feeling things weren’t going to be that easy, but I set them aside. Luckily I wouldn’t be a fool when those prove to either or not be true.