Last night's meeting had been useless to say the least. Celestia had the final say in anything the representatives wanted to implement, and most things consisted of tax breaks, expansion, and exploiting the populace in a roundabout way. There were a few real threats like gem-dogs, but other than that it had been a meeting with as little happening as it was impressively long.
Celestia had just finished another session of day court and was in her office when there was a knock at the door.
"Come in." Celestia signed off on another document.
Raven entered the room with a box on her head. Her face was dead serious as always.
"Princess Celestia, your package has arrived." Raven set the box on her desk.
"Thank you, Raven." Celestia smiled as the box was placed in front of her. She could already tell from the hint of dark magic inside that this was what she had been waiting for. "Please, take a break once in a while. Your eyes are bloodshot."
"Yes, your majesty." Raven left on heavy hooves. All the recent celebrations seemed to have taken a toll on her poor assistant. Without the strength of alicorn biology she looked ready to fall over.
Celestia waited for the door to close before unwrapping the simple brown box with her magic. In moments she had the knots of rope around it undone. She considered closing it up and sending it back but ignored that thought. This was something that needed to be done. She levitated the lid off the box.
Inside was a simple amulet. It was triangular in shape and made of a dark metal. On its side were two wings that stretched out and were outlined in red. On top of the amulet was the metal head of a unicorn and a single red gem used as an eye. In the center of the amulet was a large red gem. Bracing the gem on both sides were two alicorns inscribed onto the amulet's face.
The Alicorn Amulet radiated with dark magic. Gently, she picked up the amulet with her magic and pulled it from the box.
"What's this? A little dark magic to start the day? Delightful." Void's voice echoed in her mind.
"Void." Celestia said. "Where have you been hiding?"
"Just been doing a little sightseeing. There are some wicked things down here, let me tell you."
"Down... where? My mind?" Celestia asked.
"Unfortunately not. Well anyways, how are you doing with that little amulet? Looks like quite the piece of work."
"I haven't started yet." Celestia turned over the amulet to look at the back. It was blank. "Do you know anything about this?"
"That would spoil the fun, wouldn't it?"
"You were so helpful before." Celestia hummed as she drew the amulet closer. "I admit, my expertise with dark magic is limited."
"Don't worry my sun, even a glacier eventually farts."
"How delightful."
Celestia took a long look at the amulet. It was in pristine condition. The edges were sharp. She looked deep into the jewel eye of the alicorn and got the prickly feeling in her coat like she was being watched. The red gem almost seemed to swirl as she continued to stare. From the depths of the gem, she could swear that she heard a whisper.
Staring at the amulet was getting her nowhere. If she wanted to truly understand this thing then she was going to have to analyze it. She could ask Twilight to help, or some of the mages under her payroll, but it didn't feel right. The alure of a powerful magical artifact to any unicorn could be tempting. This was her problem, and it was one she would solve alone. Besides, Twilight had friends to make.
There were the books in the inner vault. No, there was no point in accessing those old tomes. She had all the knowledge she needed. A simple spell matrix would do. She couldn't remember the last time she had made one, but it couldn't be that hard. After all, she was a master at the things. She had created teleportation circles; a simple analyzing spell matrix would be easy enough.
If she remembered correctly, the first thing she needed was... paint. Celestia needed some kind of paint. She couldn't remember if it was paint based on crushed ruby... or maybe it was berries.
"What are you brooding about?" Void asked.
"Trying to remember something that you no doubt carved out of my head." Celestia huffed.
"Well, let me see if I can dig it up for you my dear. I aim to please after all."
"Do you know what the paint used in a spell matrix is? I know that it is red, but the rest eludes me." Celestia said.
"Why don't you ask Twilight? I'm sure your faithful student would know something from all those dusty tomes she spends her days reading."
"You can't tell me?"
"Maybe if you ask really nicely."
"Predictable."
"What did you expect? We are still in this game after all, don't expect me to give you anything without getting something in return."
"What do you want then?"
"A little respect. As your future co-ruler and special somepony, I demand that-"
Celestia ignored Void and focused back on the amulet. His constant affections were grating, and she still wasn't even sure if they were real.
"Fine, I see how it is. Let me tell you the truth, I can't tell you."
"Can't or won't?" Celestia asked.
"That is up for me to decide and you to worry about." A crunching sound echoed throughout her head.
"As I expected. We are still at war no matter how much you say you love me."
"Thats a low blow Tia." A loud obnoxious crunch sounded in her head.
"Are- Are you eating?"
"What? Can't a voice in your head have a snack once in a while? The pretzels suck but eh, what can you do?"
"Where would you even get pretzels from?"
"Discord taught me the trick. It's actually pretty nice once you get the hang of it. Give it a try some time."
"Of course, Discord, how could I forget." Celestia stood from her desk. "One of my greatest enemies in the past is friends with a voice in my head."
"He isn't so bad once you get to know him. Well, he did kind of go a bit wild, but you and Luna sorted him right out. How's that spell on him doing by the way? Breaking anytime soon?"
"Twilight and her friends will be ready for his return." Celestia said. "Now if you will excuse me, I have a spell matrix to craft."
"As you wish my sun, give it a shot. I'm sure that no matter what happens it will at least be interesting."
Celestia ignored the demeaning tone. She was a master of the art of the spell matrix. Even Star Swirl the bearded had not been her equal. She had practically invented the art herself. Well, he had helped with the teleportation circle. Now, if only she could remember what paint she needed.
She tried to think on where to inscribe a spell matrix. There was an old room at the top of one of Canterlot castle's towers that would do. It was a secluded area if she remembered correctly. Celestia put the amulet back into the box it came from and levitated it as she walked.
Thankfully nopony stopped her as she walked to the secluded reaches of the tower. While she could take the spiral staircase up, she opted for a nearby balcony. She had not flown in a while and her wings itched with the need to fly.
Overhead was the glorious sun. Its rays warmed her body and face. She took a moment to bask in its glory before spreading her wings wide. Warmth soaked into her wings as she faced the sun. Then, she took flight. Warm wind aided her ascent as she flew to the top of the tower with powerful beats of her wings.
The whole of Equestria was spread out before her. She longed to go out into it, to explore every nook and cranny it had to offer. The adventures that could be had out there were endless. How many challenges might await on the road? What could be out there that she might find? Alas, it was not to be. She was ruler of Equestria and its protector. There would be no time for adventure in her future.
Celestia landed on another balcony at the top of the tower. She tore her eyes away from the enthralling landscape and opened the door leading inside. A dark, circular room awaited her. Unlike the rest of the pristine castle this room was covered in dust and spiderwebs. It had probably not been visited since the castle was built.
There was nothing in the room. It was bare and empty. It would do perfectly. She set the box in the center of the room. Now, all she needed was a bit of paint. Maybe crushed ruby paint would work. It would be a starting point at the very least. With that in mind she set up a ward on the box with the amulet before shutting the door to the tower. It was time to get her hooves on some paint.
After asking a few attendants to fetch her some paint, Celestia had three kinds of paint in her hooves. One was a paint made of crushed red ruby, the other of a red berry, and the last which was a simple flower-based paint. She brought all three buckets up inside of the tower.
"Now... how did that matrix go again?" Celestia hummed to herself as she looked over the three buckets of paint. She decided to start with the crushed ruby.
She carefully poured the paint onto the floor in a circle. Unfortunately, it wasn't really pouring in the right way. As she didn't have a brush and didn't feel like flying back down, Celestia took off her golden shoes and set them to the side. It was time to get her hooves dirty.
The paint was cold to the touch. Celestia began to draw with her hooves. The movements were half remembered and foggy. She closed her eyes and focused on the feeling of remembrance. Her hooves moved in large swathes then curled inward. Lines like lightning formed in her mind as she drew. She saw the circle form in her mind's eye. When she opened her eyes again, a circle had been formed before her.
It was created of lines of red. Its border was that of a circle which swirled inward. In the center of the circle was another smaller circle. That was where the item being analyzed would be placed.
The red paint in such a fashion reminded her of cultists she had dealt with in the past. It was not a pleasant sight, but it was simply the art of the spell matrix. There was no good or evil about it, it simply was. She just had to remind herself of that.
Carefully Celestia removed the amulet from the box and levitated it into the center of the circle. Now that the preparation was complete, it was time for the magic needed to supply the spell. She focused on the lines, then the amulet, then started to connect them in her mind. Her horn began to glow with a golden light.
Magic flowed into the circle, and it began to glow faintly with her magic. If she wanted to stop the spell, now was the time. She considered it, but the flash of Nightmare Moon's face in her mind fueled her resolve. This was for Luna, and besides, it was nothing more than a simple analyzing matrix.
Her magic flowed into the circle with renewed vigor. The lines which were once glowing faintly brightened to near blinding. The light followed the swirling lines inward to the center of the circle in a hypnotic dance. When it reached the inner circle the entire matrix flashed. Celestia connected the threads of magic from the inner circle and into the amulet.
The spell matrix held for a moment. Then, it started to burn.
Flames rose from the inner circle. Celestia redoubled her magic into stemming the sudden tide of magic that was emanating from deep inside the matrix. Something was fighting back against the matrix itself.
Celestia felt sweat dripping down her brow as her horn thrummed with magic. She tried to pull away from the matrix only to find she was connected to it too thoroughly. The threads of magic in the matrix she had made were weaved too tight and were too unfamiliar to unravel.
The flames burning in the inner circle of the matrix turned black. Slowly they began to creep along the swirling lines to the outer edge of the spell matrix. The presence of dark magic filled the room, powerful and virulent. There was a pressure building in the air, the pressure of powerful magic.
Celestia felt a flicker of panic in her chest. This spell had to stop. She scanned the entirety of the circle with her magic for a weakness in the matrix. The edges were too strong, they were the foundation. The middle was woven too thickly for her to find the proper threads.
She turned her magic to the inner circle. There were three threads that connected themselves to the amulet. They held all the thrumming power of the ritual. Celestia leaned forward and directed all of her magic into her horn that she could muster. Then with a flare of magic, she cut the three threads that were connected to the amulet.
The magic in the matrix pulled inward to the amulet and collapsed into that spot in a moment. Then, it exploded.
A powerful wave of black flame erupted from the amulet with a shockwave that shattered every window in the tower. Celestia was smashed with the brunt of the shockwave with such force that all the air was knocked out of her lungs. Her body was sent flying through the air as black flame scorched her.
Pain erupted from her entire body as she was hurled into the stone wall of the tower. The flames licked at her naturally heat resistant coat. It still hurt with such agony that she had the urge to scream. Yet, there was no air in her lungs to do so. Her ears were ringing, and she could barely think.
She stood on shaky hooves. The flames didn't burn her, but they still hurt, nonetheless. Dark magic was woven deeply into them.
The entire room was on fire with the black flames. They crawled up the walls and onto the ceiling where they began to eat at the wood like a ravenous demon. Hissing filled the room as the flames danced, for a moment they seemed almost alive.
Celestia forced her mind to focus. These flames could not be allowed to spread to the rest of the castle. She gathered her magic into her horn until she felt like it was going to crack. With a scream she let out a nova of purifying magic out of her horn that blasted the flames.
The flames shrieked as the light touched them and they were unmade. Where the flames once were only a low hanging dark cloud remained. It filled the room of scorched stone.
Celestia groaned from where she stood. Her white coat and golden regalia were covered in a thick layer of black soot. Her mane was a dark banner that blew in the wind. Pain radiated from the front of her body where the shockwave had hit her.
"Are you okay?" Void asked her. "That looked like it hurt."
"I- I am fine." Celestia coughed and a puff of smoke came out. "I may need to look into this further before attempting it again."
"You think? Why not look at your old tomes in the inner vault?"
"No, those were stowed away for a reason." Celestia gently laid on the floor. "I... will have to find another way to relearn these spells."
"You're doing so fine on your own, why stop?" Void said.
"Your mockery is not appreciated." Celestia cast a cleaning spell on herself with a glow of her horn. The soot from her body slid off her and onto the floor.
"I see you are not going to ask for help."
"Nopony should be exposed to an artifact this volatile." Celestia said. "It is my duty as princess to handle this problem for my subjects."
There had to be another way to perfect her spell matrix. Looking at her old spell circles might help. There was one she could think of off the top of her head. The teleportation circle in the throne room. It didn't have the exact purpose as the one she was trying to use but it could serve as an example. The problem was that it was supposed to be secret and hidden under a rug. She couldn't just look at the circle while there were guards and attendants in the throne room. She would have to do it at night.
With her next plan in mind Celestia turned to the tower she had destroyed and sighed. It was time to start cleaning this mess up.