23 - Just me and my Books
Twilight sat by herself in the library. Spike had already retired to bed, and nopony else was reading, leaving Twilight to slowly breathe in the smell of books, new and old. She tried to clear her mind, to fill the space with that smell. Knowledge. The smell was knowledge, old, new, relevant and wickedly deviant. She imagined countless pages turning before her closed eyes, teasing her with facts she wanted to know. As Spike had prompted, she reached out with her thoughts, offering a warmth to anypony else that could appreciate the books with her.
It was quiet. Just as the silence began to get to her, she cracked open an eye in time for a book to bonk her on the head. She yelped in surprise and fell back, the book rolling onto her belly. While a hoof rubbed at the sore spot between her ears, her magic lifted up the hostile book and brought it over to look at.
She read the title out-loud, "A tale of two magics, an explanation of mystic theurges." She tilted her head one way and the other, sitting up to start looking through the book. The book detailed how someponies were so obsessed with the knowledge of magic, they would learn two different types at once, both arcane and divine. The book even included helpful tips for getting started, but Twilight gently set it aside.
"I didn't call you to learn your magic." She paused, frowned, "Well I guess I kind of did, but I want to talk to you, about you."
The air crackled with a strange expectation, but Twilight wasn't sure what to do. With sudden inspiration, she struck her fore-hooves together and brought out a book, her spellbook. "A book of spells written by somepony not of this world. Isn't that worth peeking for?"
The sensation grew more intense, but nothing happened. Twilight frowned a little, then smiled, "You can come have a look, promise. I just want to show it to you. No strings attached."
A soft voice echoed through the room, "No strings? Are you certain?"
"Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye," swore Twilight.
The voice gave a nervous giggle at the words, "I have never heard such an oath before." A head poked free of the book on Theurges, white with purple and lavender highlights in her mane. She regarded Twilight through her monocle before the rest of her began to follow, filling the room with power. "I will hold you to it, princess of another world."
Twilight's wings sprang up in surprise. The feeling... it was like being in Celestia's presence, but somehow different. "Um, a pleasure. I am Princess Twilight Sparkle, of Equestria. It is an honor to meet you." She bowed low before the divine being.
Luminace reached a hoof forward and cupped Twilight's chin, raising it, "No scholar as eager as you needs to bow in front of me," she insisted, "Our love of knowledge binds us together. Now, you promised a peek?"
Twilight went mildly red as she quickly fished out her spellbook and lifted it up in view of Luminace, who took a hold of it in her own magics and opened it. "I have been watching you. Under Score prays for you, even if he is not a religious pony, but you do not need my blessings."
Twilight tilted her head, "No? Uh, so you're a princess too huh?"
Luminace looked at Twilight over the book, "I was a princess in life. I am to understand it is not the same where you come from?"
Twilight quickly shook her head, "The princesses are, as far as I know, the gods of our world. Masters of the sun and moon, no one questions their power, unless they're screwy in the head." She twirled a hoof beside her head for emphasis and smiled.
Luminace leaned forward, monocle adjusting itself slightly as she looked over Twilight, "Tell me, what are you princess of?"
Twilight shuffled in place as she directed at her flank with a flick of her snout, "Well, I... used to be the element of magic, but I became the princess of friendship."
The larger alicorn smiled as she reached forward, her grand wings coming around Twilight, "We have much in common. There is a certain power in friendship, in the bonds we form with those most dear to us."
"Friendship is magic," agreed Twilight. She returned the affection with a soft nuzzle, but the touch made Luminace flinch back and look awkward in place. It was the larger pony's turn to squirm and look ashamed.
"I am," confessed Luminace, "only used to the company of my friends, even if you feel like a sister I never knew."
Twilight took a slow breath before she spread her wings, brushing Luminace's feathers with her own, "We can be awkward together. I won't tell if you don't. So if you know about me, do you know how I should get home?"
Luminace went quiet for a moment, sitting there with her wings touching Twilight's, perhaps just enjoying the proximity, or considering the question. "You will have to grow stronger. I could send you back, but it would break several rules. Since your friends have learned how to see you and reach you from their home, I am confident you will succeed."
Twilight suddenly tensed, "Are they watching now?"
Luminace nodded, "I see one. She is striped and full of wisdom. I would like to read her books, but she is not mine, or even of this world. How like a zebra to be such holders of secrets and information."
Twilight nodded quickly, "That would be Zecora. She's really great! She's helped us out so many times around Ponyville." She looked around, unsure from what angle Zecora was watching from, and raised a wing high to wave broadly, "I hope she's alright."
"They will survive," spoke Luminace softly, "And I am sure they miss you, all of your friends. One of them missed you enough to join you on your quest."
Luminace suddenly slapped shut the book, having been reading it slowly as they spoke. "By the same rules I mentioned, I must withdraw now that I have read your gift."
Twilight quickly wrapped her arms around the goddess, "Don't go so quickly!"
"The impudence," spoke Luminace in fond tones, nuzzling Twilight as timidity and affection warred on her face, "I will stay a little longer, if only because you remind me of myself. Tell me, did you plan to become a theurge? I was one, once. I could not be satisfied with choosing between arcane and divine."
"I... I'll consider it. I don't know what god I would call to, when I went back," admitted Twilight with unsure tones.
"Why not me?" asked Luminace, "We are two birds of a flock, as they say. It seems unlikely I will ask you to do something you would not already be eager to do."
Twilight's ears twitched as she looked over Luminace, then reached up a hoof, tapping at the staff that floated alongside her. "I had meant to ask, what is that?"
Luminace smiled as she brought it around between them, "This is my personal tool. It holds my favorite spells, and channels my magic as I cast. I made it myself, when I still drew breath. But... that does not answer the question."
Twilight rolled her ears back then, "Well, I mean... Princess Celestia is my tutor, was, I mean..." she started to grow flustered and squirmed in place.
"Does she request your faith?" asked Luminace.
Twilight shook her head quickly.
"Then I see no issue. She is a mentor to you, not a god. When you have gone back to your realm, you may have need of a god. Call on me, and learn of my magic, and I will help you."
Twilight was a frazzled mess of nerves considering her place with the princesses, but was roused by a sudden soft kiss on either cheek. Luminace was smiling at her, "I must go. But my offer stands. Think of me, pray to me, and I will give you whatever aid I can."
Twilight watched as she vanished back into the book she had emerged from. The lavender alicorn gave a slow sigh before she shut the book on theurges, then tucked it into her saddlebag. It might be worth looking into...
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Interesting Chapter, are you or Twilight considering, the pros and cons of multi classing.
I'm not sure she has enough skill points in religion to be a Mystic Theurge, not yet at least.
And remembering skill points when are we going to see Spikes character sheet. Are you waiting for Spike to get his first class level. Also if Long Road and or Pinkie joins they will need a sheets to.
5477499 Pinkie Pie posted! Twilight is not much of a multiclassing mare, hence her indecision, but if she was going to pick up some divine, Luminace does seem a compatible god for it.
Am I the only one concerned by the idea of bringing the gods of one world to another? There is great good there, but equally great evil. And with gods come their coteries, celestial and fiendish alike.
But that is a concern for another time. For now, Twilight has managed something for which most clerics would give their left hooves and most inquisitors would see as grounds for execution. (The impudence indeed!) Probably a good idea not to spread that one around, Twilight.
If she does seek the path of the mystic theurge, it will be a long time coming. She'll have to begin exploring the mysteries of the divine from scratch, and she lacks the wisdom for the clerical approach. Of course, Luminace may be so charmed by their meeting that she'll give Twilight an oracular gift... though that comes with a curse as well.
In all, a chapter that opens up a lot of intriguing possibilities. Looking forward to more.
5479647 I was actually a little concerned myself, one of the primal rules of the gods is keep them mysterious, You should not just give them a walk though on a campaign all wily nilly, unless you have a really good reason and even then avoid bringing them up a casually.
And your very right anyone who announces or proves that they met a good is asking for trouble. Whether that trouble comes from some cult of one of the gods rival power's (I say that because mortals worship more than god's, Theres Demons, Devils, Aberrations, Dragons, Pretenders, and don't forget Elder Evils.) And even if she avoids one of those groups Luminace's own followers will as you said call her a heretic. And everyone knows how religious groups have historically treated those they thought of as heretics, especially in the age they are in.
Well what all I'm saying is Luminace should not be a recurring character, And I agree with you it may be best for Twilight to keep said meeting to herself. Unfortunately I don't see her having that wisdom, But I'm sure any of her new friends, or Spike can inform her.
5479647 Not all the gods of Everglow are nice ponies, and that's just speaking of the pony gods. Twilight could become an open door, allowing others to attempt to tempt the populace of Equestria with a new power. It could get very hairy very quickly.
Discord approves.
5480005 Alas, there are those who know when ponies have been messing with things, as revealed in the next chapter.
Ooooh foreshadowing!
I take it you have the sequel planned out already, Anyways I am looking forward to the shenanigans that are heading to Equestria.
5479647
Granted, the god likes Twilight, so to attempt to execute a god's favored would be foolishness.
It's just asking for a whallop to the head.
Princess/goddess of magic/friendship meet the goddess of knowledge . ^_^ BFFs in the making. ^_^
5598555 It's what my cutie mark is telling me.
Wow.
This is kind of a surreal chapter. Twilight talking to the goddess that's esentially her Everglow counterpart, and in real life whose creation was inspired by her.
-"leaving Twilight to slowly draw in a breath full of the smell of books, new and old"
"leaving Twilight to slowly breathe in the smell of books, new and old"
-"offering a warmth to anypony else that could appreciate the books with her." An interesting way to say that. I'd have gone with "Warm invitation" But I think I see what you were going for there and, it works rather well actually.
-"She tilted her head one way and other," Should probably be "Then the other" but if you want to keep and it still needs a "the"
Couldn't find much in this chapter, not only was it short but very well written. I know I'm only a short ways in considering how large this story is but I've noticed a gradual improvement in your writing as a whole as I move through it.
I know others have said luminace should not be a recurring character but I'd like to see her come back, even once or twice. Maybe not in full manifestation but... Well the idea of mystic theurge Twilight is very very fitting. She strikes me as the "I go to bed with more spells prepared than you start the day with." Type of caster and if she follows that role it would only make some sense that she would at least interact with the deity of her choice on some level. Maybe an epic quest for a powerful holy relic or somehing.
5912073 Fixed! Thanks for pouring through the story step by step.
5912073
Seconded about bringing back Luminence but not for the same reason. I like the way that the two interact and I would love to see them get into a debate/discussion about magic. Also if making friends with a god from another realm isn't worthy of a friendship report then I don't know what is.
could get is right i think
She helped us out so many times
Suddenly Luminace slapped the book shut,
Twilight should tell Moon Dancer about this when she gets back. Moon Dancer would be just as eager as Twilight to learn more about a new world and its gods.
Nooo! Twilight Do NOT do it! Mystic Theurge is a trap you can be shiny more optimally than that!
HA! She said it!!!
Ah, so she's kind of a wizard-goddess.
To clarify, as far as i know, wizards
While Sorcerers
8973951
This is basically correct. A wizard will sprinkle a bunch of random little things to cast a spell, a sorcerer will just do it. A wizard sees a scroll and eagerly gobbles it up, learning a new spell. A sorcerer just sees a one time use of a spell.