From the Stars

Chapter 6

Personal question

An audible pop was heard, in front of Twilight appeared a quill and parchment.

“What is it like to be the only male Alicorn in existence?”

Confused Ten looked at her incredulously.

“I am me, nothing more nothing less.”

“What’s it li….”

“I am still a pony. Alicorn is just the type of pony, it doesn’t mean I am alone. Now enough, it is Rarity’s turn to ask a question”

Everypony looked at her expectantly. They were startled at his outburst. Maybe there were more male Alicorns? yet why was he so defensive.

Pausing for a moment, Rarity decided to ask a simple question to defuse the tense air in the room

“What were those delicious breakfast items you made, they were quite delightful and I would be ever so grateful if you could share how they are made?”

“Those were waffles, one of the greatest breakfast confections to ever grace my home. I would gladly share the recipe with you. I will even teach you how to make them.”

Princess Luna was fidgeting the entire time. She looked like she was about to burst. Ten finally looked at her and spoke softly.

“It is your turn now princess, what would you like to ask?”

She opened her mouth and closed it. Grasping for the words. Finally after a few moments she asked.

“Why do you have my night sky in your right eye?” she blurted out with barely restrained enthusiasm.

Nodding seriously, he waited for her to calm down after her outburst.

“It is not just your sky princess, my eye is showing our entire galaxy. All the stars that exist near and far. Yet I see nothing from that eye. I am blind in my right eye.”

All the ponies were shocked to hear this. Physical maladies were rare in Equestria. Especially blindness. As magic was a key factor in keeping health several illnesses that had been around had been found and treated. The few that were resistant to magical treatment were done either with herbs or intense research went into curing whatever ailed them.

Luna was nonetheless shocked at this outcome. “I am sorry ten, I never meant to ask a question that was delicate to ask.”

He laughed and shook his head. “ do not worry, I have never seen out this eye since I was born, however I do not worry, because there are other ways to see than with eyesight.”

Looking over at twilight he motioned for her to continue as it was her turn again.

Looking expectantly at him she asked

“Can you demonstrate you’re magic for us, I am curious to see what it looks like? As you do not have a cutiemark yet it could be anything”

At this Tenebris truly gave a frown, “I am sorry twilight, I am no longer able to feel the call of magic. It has been lost to me as one loses their life. I will never know the touch of magic again, and neither will magic know my touch.”

If ten thought they were astounded at his partial blindness they were stupefied when he said this. All three began to scan him and the room and found that no magic’s beside their own had ever been used inside his house.

He continued on, "and without magic I cannot fly either as the magical qualities of the pegasi are needed to take flight. I am nothing more than an earthpony. No less than an earthpony. There is very little for me in this world. I will have to use my hooves to forge a living.”

“With that I must begin the day’s work. Ladies if you will excuse me. I must start on my new black smithing job. I must make some wares to demonstrate my skill to potential customers.”

With that he began to walk out of the room. Everypony still present was still as stone. None of them noticed Tenebris leave. They still couldn’t wrap their heads on a life with even the simplest of magic’s embrace. The only thing it answered to them really was why he didn’t have a cutiemark. For they were innately tied to magic. It was magic that inscribed it into them. Magic that defined them and yet in there midst was a pony, an Alicorn no less that didn’t have access to any magic at all. He had done everything with his own four hooves and did it well.

Each mare slowly become unfrozen and looked at each other. They quietly left as the started to hear a ringing noise throughout the house.

Ting, ting, tang

Ting, ting, tang

A steady rhythm of the hammer hitting iron rung throughout the house. Working alone basked in the grace of flame and steel. Tenebris worked the rest of the morning. At lunch he stoked his fire with several logs he found behind the house.

In front of him he was making the sign. His first work as a blacksmith in Equestria. It saddened him that he no longer had magic. Once great and powerful and open to the ebb and flow of the entire universe. It was like losing all five senses at the same moment. There was a hole in his heart, he knew that there was very little chance of him ever getting his power back.

With his magic he lost everything. His magic was his lifeline. It had kept him alive for countless eons. And now without it he was mortal.

A single tear rolled down his snout and into the flames burning out with a hiss and crackle.

Mortal