> Diary of the Necromancess
>  by Sebbaa
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> Chapter 1: Crashing a Show
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Diary of the Necromancess

Chapter 1: Crashing a Show  

You take the book back to a table, hidden in a corner of the library, stacked with scrolls and tomes of your research. You quickly light a candle stuck on a heap of wax on the table, where dozens of candles have lighted your solitary reading before it. You brush away some scrolls to make room for the book and place it on the table. 

You look down upon it in awe; to think that such a small, unassuming tome might hold the secrets to bring back the dead. You brush over the black, worn cover with your hoof and shudder. It's not bound in paper, fabric, or bark like any book you know. No, to describe the subtle, yet tough material it is bound in, you have to use a word from the griffon language: Leather, a material made out of a creature's skin.

You have trouble keeping your hoof from shaking, as you open the book and turn to the first page; only to find that it is covered with some unreadable gibberish. But you had anticipated this much. You take a pair of glasses from your bag you have bought for this sole occasion and place them on your nose; looking through the enchanted crystals, the script changes to eligible Equestrian before your eyes. 


I was lost, truly and utterly lost. I was once again floating in the endless gray nothingness of the limbo, the realm between worlds. The stomach turning feeling of constantly falling had almost become familiar in the last few days. I would have let out a tired sigh if there had been any air to breath. I had to flee from another world, emergency teleport without destination. With this the rate of hostile, life threatening worlds to actually welcoming ones had become ten to one.

I meditated on the thought for immeasurable moments. Immeasurable, because there was nothing to tell the time in the limbo. With my own home world and the one of eternal night I had only visited two realms that were no dry waste, totalitarian slave states, planes of elemental fire, or deserts of sharp glass splitters. On second thought I had to remove the realm of eternal night from the list of hospitable worlds after all. As much as I had liked it there, there were no plants growing in this world without sunrise, and its inhabitants had to rely on trade with other worlds to feed themselves. That left only my home world on the list.

Dere, the only nice place in a myriad of worlds. I made a mirthless, silent chuckle at that thought. Maybe there was no good in all of creation after all, and the only constant was strife, if I had to consider a war torn battlefield of men-made gods as a nice place.

I shook my head to brush away that thought. This kind of moping would get me nowhere. I had to concentrate on getting out of the limbo again. Luckily the astral energies flow freely between the worlds and I had recovered enough of them to cast a spell. And not too soon, I could already feel the nothingness tugging at my very soul, sapping away my life.

I caught myself sending a silent prayer to anything that might listen, pleading for a at least non hostile world where I could recuperate for a while. I shook my head and thought better of myself. Even if an immortal would be willing to help, their help always came with a price. No, I could only rely on my own strength. I concentrated on the spell, a reversal of the spell that had brought me here. The formula formed in my mind, and my lips silently formed the words. “Reversalis Revidum ilasrevsnarT.”


.oOo.


Bright colorful lights blinded me, and cold air stung in my lunges, as I entered another random world. The constant feeling of falling only lasted one more shocking heartbeat, then I crashed onto something soft that gave a startled “Uff,“ as it broke my fall.

With weight, feeling came back into my body. I groaned; my skin was riddled with small cuts and bruises, I had strained my right arm and, all considered, felt more dead than alive; small curtsy of the last worlds I had visited. I righted myself into a sitting position and blinked a few times to clear my vision.

Eyes, lots of eyes, eyes the size of plums in strange faces of absurdly colorful creatures were looking at me. If I had to guess, their blank stares meant that they were as shocked of my appearance as I was of their presence.

“The Great and Powerful Trixie has summoned a demon from the beyond!” One of them pointed one of its forelimbs at me.

Before I could reply anything to that, and luckily before the crowd could panic, something beneath me stirred. I rolled off whatever I had landed on and stumbled to my feet, noticing that I was standing on some kind of wooden platform. I looked up to see whatever creature's ire I could have provoked, just as it stood up and turned to look at me as well.

Our eyes met, and we stared at each other for long breathless moments. It was one of the most curious creatures I had ever encountered. It was quadrupedal, its body resembling that of a small horse, its shoulders at the height of about my hips and its curiously round head, with a small snout protruding from its face with a wide mouth and distinct nostrils, at the height of my chest; surprisingly expressional eyes mustered me up and down. I figured if it were to stand on its hind legs, it would be as tall as me, maybe a bit taller. It had a coat of light blue color, and long hair of even lighter, almost white blue. A single spiraling horn, the same color as its coat, grew from its forehead. Its appearance made me think of the fabled unicorns. Only that it was not white, and actually didn't look much like a horse; the part about virgins was kind of hard to test at this point.

As it stared at me, I could see its forehead starting to shine with sweat, and its eyelids twitched. I found myself taking a step back, reaching for my dagger involuntarily, moving as slowly as I could not to startle the beast.

“The demon will gobble us all up, whatever shall we do?” A call from the crowd made me stop short and at take another glance at them. All of them still looked at the stage, their mouths wide, their eyes shining. Some of them laughed. I looked back at the blue creature standing with me on the platform in puzzlement. Only now did I notice, that it was wearing some kind of cape, embroidered with gold and silver stars. I took a look around. On the side of the platform opposite from the crowd was a red curtain. It slowly dawned on me, that I had stumbled into some kind of province theater; I relaxed, lowering my hand away from my dagger.  

“You know, I'm not actually. . .” But just as I was starting to explain myself, the unicorn thing stopped staring at me, instead it took a wide stance and lowered its horn.

“Yes indeed a demon! Now behold humble spectators, as the Great and Powerful Trixie banishes the neather-creature back into the void!”

I raised an eyebrow at her and placed my left hand on my hip. For a second the creature that called itself The Great and Powerful Trixie dropped her act and looked at me with great and shining puppy eyes.

I sighed, asking myself if I really should play along with this. It would alienate me further from the crowd, and -if I was unlucky- the word would spread that I had been defeated by some lowly actor. Then again I had dropped onto her stage, so it would be polite to salvage her show. And it would make the unicorn indebted to me.

I decided to play along, reached over my shoulder, drew my mage's staff from my back and grasped it firmly with my left hand. I struck the pale, twisted staff onto the wooden stage with a bang and threw myself into a wide -what I hoped was intimidating- pose.

“I am Morcana from Thargunitoth's endless Legions! Cower before my might feeble mortals!” And with that I raised my staff and rotated it high above my head, bellowing the magic formula of “Gardianum!”

A wide, glowing sphere appeared around me. I had given my shield spell as little power as I could. Still, the crowd had fallen utterly silent, and even the Great and Powerful herself shrank back from my improvised charade. When she took more than two heartbeats to collect herself, I winked at her, giving her a brief, reassuring smile.

She straightened herself and cleared her throat. “Never vile enchantress! You will not lay hoof on even one innocent pony while Trixie still draws breath. Have at thee!”

And with that a bright, pinkish light collected at her horn. She closed her eyes, grimacing in concentration, then a hailstorm of colorful wisps shot at me, ripping right through my magic shield.

I yanked my staff in front of myself and shielded my face with my arms, clenching my eyes shut in expectation of pain. But as the the magic missiles showered me, all I felt was a light tingle of astral energy.

I let out the breath I had been holding and stood tall again. As the shower of harmless lights played over my skin, I raised a hand to shield my mouth from view and cackled the most haughty laugh I could fathom.

“Hoa Hoa Hoa! Your pathetic spells may surpass my shield, but they cannot even scratch my immortal body!” I spread my arms wide and pointed the ram's skull at the end of the staff at her. “And now say your final prayer and die, foolish mortal!”

And with that I began casting myself, taking my sweet time and exaggerating the arcane gestures as much as I could. “Come to me you forces of darkness, rain ice and destruction down on my enemies and freeze them all to death!” I tapped my left shoulder with my right hand, then yanked it at Trixie, pointing my index and middle finger at her and shouted the real spell formula: “Frigifaxius!”

Unlike my quadrupedal counterpart, I don't know any flashy spells that aren't meant to harm or kill. So I used my most trusted combat spell and gave it as little power as possible. I was aiming at her hooves, but I didn't want the spell to kill her outright if she was still to slow to avoid the attack. But mainly I wanted to save on my arcane energies.     

I was a bit surprised when a two finger thick ice lance shot from my fingers and hit the stage where the unicorn's hooves had been a heartbeat earlier; a head sized block of ice formed on the wood, and hoarfrost spread over it where the spell had hit.

Trixie had jumped back; she swallowed hard when she saw the destruction my magic had done. I averted my face from the audience and gave her a sheepish smile behind my upheld hand.

I have to give her credit for how quickly she recovered and found her act again. She gnarled her teeth and scraped her hoof across the floor. “Then the Great and Powerful Trixie has no choice! She will have to summon the earth shattering magic of her ultimate spell, the one she used to defeat the mighty Ursa Major!”

She closed her eyes and clenched her teeth. A gleaming light began to form at the tip of her horn, showering many-colored sparks everywhere. I responded by raising my staff again and chanted some nonsense that I hoped sounded like foreboding incantations, instead of casting an actual spell. I already felt a headache coming on, signaling the end to my arcane reserves, and I didn't want to chance killing a potential servant just for the show.

The light from her horn swelled to a blinding radiance and I had to avert my eyes. Then she released her spell.

For a second the whole world went white. I heard loud bangs as some kind of alchemics ignited in front of the stage, and I smelled sulfur. While every onlooker was practically blind, and rising clouds of smoke obscured the stage, I made my escape through the curtain. I dropped my staff where I had been standing as a grisly reminder that their “demon” had really been there.

I had just snuck into the shadows behind the stage and realized that it was build in front of some kind of wagon, when clopping of hooves on cobblestone, whistles and cheering roared from the front of the stage. I couldn’t help a satisfied smile sneaking onto my own lips, as I used the opportunity to retreat from the place, the show had been staged, and sought shelter under a tree in between thick bushes.   


.oOo.


Now that I was not in the middle of a play, I had finally a moment to assess my situation. The first thing I noticed was the cold. Not the biting cold I knew from the frozen desert of Gor, but that of a northern province winter's day. I wrapped my cloak tighter and it was about bearable, but my feet stung, as the wet snow had soaked through my sandals and foot wraps. I grimaced, took off my backpack and began to search through it for anything I could abuse to keep my feet warm.

I quickly evaluated what I had with me. I had a bit of spare, white clothing I had worn when I was ripped from my world in the desert of Khom, two blankets, a water skin, writing material as well as my diarium, vademecum, and a spell book I had picked up from another mage. All of my coins were gone, spend in the realm of eternal night, but I still had some astonishing trade wares I had brought there. Other than that I only had the clothing I wore and my banishing sword; which is no more than a long, narrow dagger with a silver cross guard in form of a skull with ruby eyes.

I folded my two blankets to a thick pillow, spread it on the snow below me and sat down. I quickly slipped out of my sandals, undid the foot wraps and rubbed my throbbing feet dry with snow. I took my desert clothing and cut it to shreds with my dagger. Then I tried to warm my feet up to the toes by rubbing them with my hands, little good that did, and wrapped them in thick layers of cloth.

With the immediate concerns taken care of, I pushed the bush to the side with my hand and glimpsed out onto the place where the play had been. By now it had finished and the crowd was slowly dissipating. But some still stayed behind to congratulate the actress or whatever, so it would probably still take some time until I could approach her unseen.

I sighed and sat back on the blanket cross legged. I closed my eyes and concentrated on my body and the flow of the astral energies around me. But before I could focus, my stomach growled and reminded me that I had not eaten in three days, not slept in two, not drank for one and was generally cold and miserable. I grimaced, stuffed some snow into my water skin and placed it on my lap under my cloak. That would take care of one problem once my body heat had melted the snow.

I closed my eyes again and focused once more on the astral flow. I could sense that it was strong in this world. Certainly stronger than in my home world of Dere. Judging by the effect my supposedly weak ice lance had had earlier, the astral flow was stronger by far. I wondered what that meant.

I had been to a world with a similar strong flow of energy before. But that had been a barren, empty world where lifeless stone islands floated in black nothingness. The astral flow had been so strong there that stones could fly. But the only life I had found there were a race of bat winged apes made out of rock, who lived and died in a single day. And while my astral reserves recovered immensely fast in that realm, it sapped away at my life like the limbo did. So I had come to the conclusion that no world could be rich in life and magic.

Yet this world was amazingly gifted with magic and there were bushes and trees and warm pastel colored creatures all around me. True enough it was wintery cold, but there would be no trees and little horse things if there were no summers as well. Or at least that's what I hoped. A realm of eternal winter didn't sound very promising.

I decided I had to experiment on this theory. I stood up again and prepared another spell. I closed my eyes and whispered: “Odem Arcanum.”

When I opened them again, I was almost blinded by what I saw. The world around me was alight in red! Every creature, every tree, the air around me and the ground I stood on was glowing red, where my spell revealed the magic within them. There was only little in the air and earth, a little more in the plants, even more in the birds sitting in the tree. The quadrupedal creatures that still lingered on the place were shining bright, but the unicorn standing on the stage was outshining them all, its aura rivaling that of any mage I knew.

I dropped the spell and shook my head. This was a lot to take in. In my world only a few creatures are magical, like dragons, and there is no magic in the air or in the earth. Well, in some places where lay lines meet maybe, but that is stuff of legend. There is certainly no magic in a province village, and most certainly no mage would waste their talent in a theater show.

The edges of my mouth curled up without my initiative. This world promised to be more interesting than I had thought possible. I felt my stomach tingle with the excitement of all the wonders I would find here. Maybe even finally the one I had been looking for since I left my mage's circle in Bosperan behind to go exploring the ancient magic of the Tulamyd lands.    


.oOo.


I estimated it took about an hour until every onlooker had left the place and the unicorn began packing up its stage. The sun was nearing the horizon by now, and I decided to wait until nightfall before approaching it, so there was less chance of one of the others seeing me.  

When the last glimpse of the sun vanished, I took a deep, relaxed breath. I had always liked the night; for some reason I don't even know myself, my magic is more powerful during nighttime, and ever since that fateful magic accident, direct sunlight makes me uncomfortable. Furthermore, with people going to sleep, it is always nice and quiet; no one to disturb me studying in the library.

I got up, and a spell of dizziness hit me. I leaned onto the tree for support not to fall over. I shook my head and blinked, trying to clear my vision. It took a moment before I had my body back under control. I quickly packed my things, peaked out of my hiding place, then I finally stepped out and approached the actress at her cart.

She didn't notice me until I was but a few steps from her; the fresh snow did wonders muffling my steps. “I didn't get the chance to properly introduce myself before.” She turned form fastening some luggage to her cart; her eyes went wide when she saw me, but only for a heartbeat. “I am Hela Regina Mortium from Bosperan of the world Dere.

“If that means anything to you,” I added under my breath, when she only looked at me confused.

She quickly thought better of herself and cleared her throat. “Ah yes, Trixie has been awaiting you.” She raised her chin and looked at me expectantly.

“Is it normal for your people to speak of themselves in third person or is something wrong with my translation amulet?” I held up the green stone amulet that was hanging from my neck and gave it a curious look. It still boggles my mind to think about how that thing even works. It had been lend to me by the first person I met in the limbo. A curious, old man who had created his own world; a ship in a bottle. Yet something had stolen all of his water and he was grounded in a desert when I came to his world. I don't think he will ever demand its return.

“What? No! The Great and Powerful Trixie is just to important to merely refer to herself as 'I'!”

I raised an eyebrow at that remark. “Hmm. Then enlighten me please, tell me of the great things I should know about Trixie.” She hesitated a moment, then took a deep breath. Before she could drown me with her mindless babbling, I took the amulet off my neck and interrupted its enchantment.

The unicorn went into a lengthy speech, I guess about herself, but in truth I have no idea, because I couldn't understand a single word. I am fluent in Bosperan and Tulamydia, speak Cyclopean and Rssahh and know the secret tongue of demons and wizards as well, as some bits of a half a dozen other languages. Yet the noises coming from the unicorn were an incomprehensible gibberish of whinnies, snorts, and melodic nonsense.

I sighed and put the amulet back on. I had conducted this experiment in every world I had come to, hypothesizing that languages in a world close to mine would at least sound familiar. I almost let my shoulders sink at the thought of being further away from Dere than ever before.

“. . . and after Trixie had vanquished the Ursa Major. . .”

“Ah yes, very impressive. Say do you know where a wary traveler could get something to eat and stay the night? And would you happen to know where the nearest trollpath is?”

She was dumbstruck by me interrupting her monolog for a second. “What is a trollpath? I have never heard of such a thing.” Her eyes gleamed with curiosity; something I can relate to. If I were to meet a strange, world traveling enigma, I would shower her with questions.

I rubbed my face with my hand; I could hear the blood rushing in my ears and my head started swimming. “Its a path between worlds, trodden wide through constant use so it connects these worlds and enables travel between them without the use of magic. I was following a trollpath that I hoped was connected to Dere, before I was forced to retreat to the limbo.”

When I looked at her again, she was staring at me like I just told her the sky is green. “You are telling me there are more worlds, not like lands beyond The realm of Horses, but altogether different worlds? And what is this limbo thing?”

I fought down the urge to roll my eyes and grown. I felt myself swaying on my feet and my vision began to darken at the edges when I replied. “That's kinda hard to explain. Say, do you know someone really knowledgeable in magic, or, stuff. That would be really helpful. . .”

Just great, I thought as I felt my body falling towards the snow. Just like me. Should have asked for a bed instead of babbling on about magic.

Then nothing.  


   
 
> Chapter 2: Unlikely Companions
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------



Chapter 2: Unlikely Companions


I had waited months for this day. The day the stars aligned just right and favored the invocation of ghosts. I had prepared methodically. The summoning room in the highest tower of the circle; the heptagram's corners aligned with the seven citadels of power, drawn with chalk made from the ground up bones of the dead, candles made from their fat at every corner.

The hardest part of the preparations was finding the right specimen for the ritual. A recently dead who's ghost still lingered in the city.

I had thought about preparing such a corpse myself. Buying a whole family of slaves, then torture wive and children to death in front of the husband's eyes, before finally killing him.

I decided against it; too elaborate, too fail prone. Instead I volunteered for the circles exorcism branch. Getting hired to banish ghosts was sure to lead me to one of a recently deceased in time. And when the specimen was found, the bribe to get the body was far less expensive than buying even a single slave. 

I had embalmed the corpse personally. Even though the man had not been impressive in live, I was sure he would be magnificent in death, as I looked down on the wrapped and bound body in the center of the seven pointed star of the heptagram.

Claudius, a fellow novice and submissively depended to me, was my assistant for the ritual. He was handsome and tall, a real price! But most importantly he was very versed at summoning ghosts. When he looked up from his final memorizing of the spell, he smiled at me dreamily. If the ritual was going to work, we would revolutionize necromancy and be sure to become masters of the circle.

My part in the ritual was the raising of the corpse through an invocation of the power of Thargunitoth, the arch-demoness of undeath. Claudius would summon the ghost. The final part of binding the ghost to the risen corpse, giving it control over the body and then subjugate it to our will, we were going to do together.

We took position at the head and feet of the corpse, gave each other a last reassuring nod, then began the ritual.

Raising the corpse was but a formality for me. I didn't need to enhance the spell-matrix to make the undead stronger or more intelligent. No, if the second part of the ritual worked, it would be the most special walking corpse ever created anyways. Not a simple puppet dancing to the necromancer's strings, but a conscious soul bound to its former body, with all its skills and memories and capable of independent thought. True life after death.

The candles flickered in unseen wind as the astral powers swirled around us. Ten minutes in the ritual the body stirred as I finished casting the Ressurectio Infinitus. I forced the rising dead under my will by habit, and it stopped moving. It was not necessary. The body was bound with ropes, and once it was controlled by the ghost it wouldn’t matter if I had enthralled it beforehand or not.

Moments later Claudius finished his spell and a formless specter appeared in the summoning circle above the corpse. I could see sweat form on my lovers brow as he struggled to force the ghost under his command, force it to stay until we finished the ritual.

After long moments he finally stirred. Clausius took a relieved breath and gave me a nod. We took each others hands and started chanting the final incantations.

I had constructed the spell in many a sleepless night. Puzzled it together from fragments scattered over all known writings on necromancy, taken parts from half a dozen other spells and woven them together to a new matrix. It was a piece of art!

I closed my eyes and concentrated on the arcane patterns of the spell matrix, the chanting guiding me through the different parts in the right order. Whirling winds danced around the summoning room, tugged at our togas, scattering our notes, as I and my partner channeled considerable amounts of arcane energies into the spell.

I opened my eyes again, and we spoke the final words of the spell. The ghost floating above the corpse withered and struggled. I could only imagine the magic chains grabbing it, dragging it down to its former body to bind it. I watched as the specter was slowly drawn into the body. Its aura lit up brightly one final time, then it vanished.

Only to ignite twice as bright from the corpse's eyes, as it opened them and began to strain against the physical ropes holding it down.

“Quick now, we have to subdue it!” I had to yell. A storm blew in the room around us with the summoning circle in its eye; tools whirled through the air, furniture was thrown over.

Claudius nodded breathlessly and wiped his brow with the back of his hand. Both of us concentrated our will, trying to force the undead under our control. The spirit thrashed against our magic bounds, threatened to break free. I clenched my teeth and summoned the last of my arcane reserves, trying to pummel it into submission with sheer power.

Then Claudius let go of my hand and stumbled backwards. Our link broke; my concentration wavered, and my spell was battered off. Pain exploded in my head and my vision went white as the arcane backslash hit me like a club.

I found myself on all fours on the floor, blood dropping onto it from my nose. I held the back of my right hand up to stop the flow and looked up, just in time to see the corpse break free from its ropes. I threw myself around and crawled backwards, trying to get away from it. Around me was utter chaos; no longer a quiet tower room, but a cacophony of wind and fire.

The undead rose, and its burning eyes settled on me. Then it came towards me, stretching out its hand, grabbing for me.

“No!” Claudius came from the right, threw himself at the walking dead and tried to wrestle it to the ground. The undead didn't even stumble. He grabbed my lover by his neck. Claudius' scream echoed through the room, stinging in my ears. Then suddenly they stopped, and I watched in horror as naught but a shriveled corpse collapsed from the hands of the monster we had made.

I tried to get up, to get away from it and out of the room. But it was like I was moving through thick oil slowing down my every movement to almost standstill. Something grabbed my left hand and yanked me around. I looked right into its burning eyes. “For your arrogance you will pay. Your body and soul I shall consume!”

Pain soared through my hand where the creature touched it. I tried to scream but found I had no breath to do so. I could only watch as the flesh of my hand turned black, dried up and finally fell from the bone as my limb decayed in a matter of seconds. And from there it spread, up my arm, shoulder and neck until it finally reached my face.


.oOo.


I groaned and labored to open my eyes. I had stopped waking from that dream with a start months ago. Still, my body was cold with sweat and I had managed to kick off my blanket. I held up my left hand and flexed it before my eyes. It was masterfully wrapped in white bandages, hiding the awful truth beneath.

Reality had not been quite the same as my dream; far less magical side effects, and the creature was unable to speak. Other than that it was quite similar. Claudius, that stupid moron, died before my eyes, trying to save me instead of saving himself. But it had given me enough time to grab an iron candlestand and smack it into the creature's face as it grabbed my hand. It stumbled back with its face smashed in, and I dropped an oil lamp onto it for good measure; burning out the whole tower in the process.

From there everything went to the nether-hell. People I had considered friends turned their backs on me; I had fallen from the favorite pupil of every master and pride of the circle, to an example of failure, a grim reminder what awaited every necromancer should they lose control of the powers they summon.

With nothing in Bosperan to hold me, I set out on an expedition. My masters were too glad to finance my trip to be rid of me. Thus started my days of adventure, that had me finally stranded in the limbo.


I must have stared at my hand for minutes, lost in thought, before I finally noticed the bed beneath me move with a constant rumble. I jolted fully awake and examined the room around me. It was shrouded in twilight, the only light coming from drawn curtains covering the windows. The room was tiny and packet full with traveling supplies and theater requisites. I found my own belongings stashed beside the bed I was in. It was too short for me by about half a step, but wider than necessary by the same length. Yet the mattress was very comfortable, snuggling against my form, following every curve and supporting it quite firmly. I wondered how it was made. It was certainly not filled with straw, feathers or wool. It definitely beat sleeping on the ground.

I sat up and drew a curtain to the side to look out of the window. I instantly regretted it, as the ghastly light of a midday sun blinded me. I shielded my eyes with my hand and waited for them to adjust. When they did, I saw the world outside moving by; meadows, fields and trees on rowing hills, all covered in a white blanket of snow. It looked quite homely; the land was cultivated wherever I looked like it was around my home city of Bosperan. It was totally unlike the harsh wilderness I was now used to travel through.

I quickly checked on my foot wrappings, threw my cloak over my shoulders and opened the door at the rear of the room. It swung outward and I jumped from the moving cart. As I had expected, it was the wagon of that actress. It was traveling at walking speed over a dirt road that was hardly wider than the wagon. Yet it was free from high snow, someone must have cleared the road to keep it passable. I closed the door, wrapped my cloak tight to keep me warm and pulled up the hood to shield my face from the sun.

With a few quick steps I pulled even with the cart. I was a little bit surprised, when I saw no one on the drivers seat. “What? You're drawing the wagon yourself? Don't you have a draft horse for that or at least an ox?” I hurried to draw even with Trixie, who was clearly toiling to keep the cart going, but didn't seem too taxed by the task.

“Oh, finally awake I see. I was a bit worried when you just collapsed on me like that.”

“Ah yes, thanks for getting me out of the snow. . . whatever happened to the 'Great and Powerful?'”

She gave me a very horse like, and what I thought was dismissive, snort. “Oh please, it's just an act, part of the show. But seeing as you are no potential audience and I already slipped once. . .” She shook her head and went on in her stoic pace.

“I see.” I looked ahead, to see where the road was going, but as far as I could tell there was only farmland with the occasional farmstead. The buildings were not made out of logs, or dirt, but what looked like wooden planks. I had noticed this in the town where I had arrived, but now it was striking me as curious. This way of building was unfamiliar to me from my home world. I wondered what it meant. As far as I know making planks is a time consuming process of splitting a log with ax, hammer and wedge. Don't they have enough wood for building their houses out of whole logs like they do in the northern provinces? Or not the tools to make them of stone bricks like in Bosperan? One more thing to add to the list of curiosities in this world.   

“So, where are we going?” I didn't look down to Trixie and kept my eyes one the road ahead.

“To Pony Ville. Its a small earth pony town in the shadow of great Canter Lot. I know a unicorn there who may be able to help you. Her name is Twilight Sparkle. I hate to admit it, but she is quite skilled with magic, the personal pupil of Princess Celestia none the less! She is all over the news. If anyone can help you, it is her.”

I poked my translation amulet with my finger and gave it a crooked look. It seemed to me it failed to probably translate the towns' names. I figured it meant that there was neither a direct translation, and that what Trixie actually said would sound like horse gibberish to my ears. I thought Trixie only used one word for them, so I decided to call them Ponyville and Canterlot for  the time being. Curiously the amulet translated the names as such after I had done so. I shook my head and focused back on the conversation. “Ah, that's very good!”

But something struck me as odd. A looked down on the creature walking besides me, trying to pierce through her facade and look at the truth beneath. “But say, why are you helping me?”

She finally looked up from the road, didn't answer, but raised an eyebrow at me.

“I wonder, it would have been far easier to just let me lie there and let someone else take care of my body. But not only did you get me out of the snow, but you put me into your own bed. And instead of throwing me in chains and sell me to the next circus, you are bringing me where I need to go.”

Her eyes went wide as I explained this to her. “That's horrible!” she said.

“Pff! Of course it is. So what is it you want from me? Do you need my help to get out of this world yourself? Are you trying to trick me into going into an asylum, or do you need me to help you topple the government? What is it you gain from helping me?”        

Her mouth hang open, she needed a moment to collect herself before she replied. “No! What nonsense are you talking about? What kind of pony do you take me for, to abandon a creature in need. Everyone would have done the same.”

A smart pony. I replied in thought, but kept it to myself. “Ugh. Never mind.” I rubbed my temples with thumb and middle finger of my right hand. “The last few worlds I have been to have just been crazy.” The explanation seemed to satisfy her, she looked back at the road ahead.

At this part our conversation had pretty much died. We walked side by side in uncomfortable silence for a few minutes. Finally I made a tired groan; I was already dragging myself along again, my feet hurt, I was thirsty and a light nausea reminded me that I still had not eaten. “Mind if we take a break and share some food? I haven't eaten in days.”


We made camp at the side of the road and started a fire to make tea. I found the sight of Trixie preparing our lunch most interesting. She made up for her lack of hands with exuberant use of telekinetic spells. She was levitating and manipulating objects with impressive precision, often several at once. She didn't seem to have any trouble levitating a blanket, two sets of tableware and several bags containing her traveling rations at once.

I wouldn’t stand idly by while my new travel companion did all the work, so I started to build the fire. Luckily Trixie had a stock of dry firewood on her cart; it would have been challenging to find dry wood in the midwinter forests. It had been some time since I actually had to start a fire myself instead of leaving it to a servant or my travel companions, but I quickly remembered how it was done.

In a matter of minutes I had staked the wood and kindling and fluffed out a small portion of tinder from my own supply. I took my fire stone in my left hand and used my dagger to strike sparks. A real abuse of an unbreakable magic weapon, but over the course of my adventures I have learned to use anything that was at hand. The tinder caught on quickly, and I carefully blew the flame to life, before I put it to the kindling. It took only a bit of more blowing, and the fire was started and would be fully ablaze shortly.

As I stood up from my work to see to the cattle, I noticed that Trixie had been watching me just as curious, as I had been watching her. “Why do you light the fire the earth pony way? Why not simply use a spell?”

I cleaned my hands with some snow and put some more in the cattle. “My masters taught me only to use magic when it is necessary, and not because it would be convenient to do so, or one will become lazy. And a lazy sorceress is a weak sorceress; she will make mistakes and finally corrupt to the temptations of demons.”

I didn't add the part where I didn't even bother to learn a spell that could light a fire, nor the part about conserving power so one would not be exhausted when she really needs her arcane energies. I have also learned that it is unwise to let anyone know of your weaknesses, less they will use them against you. It was a hard lesson, and I have learned it well.

“What a strange thought.” Trixie tilted her head sideways, as she watched me set up the cattle.

I sat down next to her on the blanket, waiting for the water to boil. “I can see why the concept might be strange to you. Is every member of you species as versed in magic as you are?”

She smiled, taking my words for a compliment. “Most certainly not! Only unicorns can use magic, and most don't even try to learn anything but levitation.” She pointed a hoof at her own chest and held her nose up high. “I can proudly say, that I have a rare special talent for magic!”

I hid a chuckle behind my hand, but Trixie caught it none the less. “What's so funny about that?”

I motioned her to stay calm and quickly recovered myself. “I didn't mean to be rude, but where I'm from, being able to do magic is considered a special talent as it is. Only about one in a thousand of my people are born with magic ability. Furthermore not every child who has the potential gets the proper training to use it. So being a mage is a rare privilege in itself.”

The answer seemed to pacify her, but she looked at me like I was an even greater curiosity than to begin with. I gave her a shrug. “It doesn't really matter. But I have to wonder. How do the other members of your species get by? The ones without horns. What did you call them? Earth ponies? How would they even do something as simple as lighting a fire without magic?”

“Well, the earth pony way of course; with mouth and hoof. Winged ponies do that as well.”

Now it was my turn to look at her curiously. “I'd like to see that!” I stopped short when I realized what she had said. “Winged ponies?” Only now did I remember seeing them back in the town where I had appeared. “Are they some kind of chimera or something?”

Trixie shook her head and gave an amused snort. “No, of course not. They are just as much ponies as everyone else. She put her hoof to her chin, contemplating the thought. “Even though I sometimes think the thin air in the sky gets to their heads.”

Now that I think back on this, winged ponies probably have a name and not just a description of what they are. The amulet seems to have translated my use of the description back into that word though, or else Trixie didn't notice my blunder.   

“So, you are all one species? Unicorns, earth ponies, and winged ponies? You can all produce fertile offspring among each other?”

“Eh. . . yes.”

“Fascinating! Are there any mixed breeds. Like, let's say, winged unicorns?”

“No. . .”  She stopped her explanation, when she saw me pulling my diarium from a big belt pouch, I was waring on my left hip, to take notes.

“Please go on!”

“Alright then.” She quickly cleared her throat before she continued. “Every pony is of one of the three races no matter its parents. But the races have been mixing for so long that even two earth ponies could have unicorn or winged pony offspring. The only ponies with both wings and horn that are known of are the princesses and. . . well, they are the princesses! They encompass the traits of all three species!”

I looked up from my notes. “That's interesting. Are they able to produce fertile offspring with other ponies. And is it of one of the three races or mixed like they are?”

“Why are you so obsessed about fertile offspring?”

“It's important to understand the boundaries of a species. If the princesses can have fertile offspring, they are merely of a different race, but still the same species. Please, just answer my question.”

She let out a deep sigh. “Alright, since you asked so nicely. There are some noble families who claim to be descendants of the princesses. So I guess they can have fertile offspring. And since the nobles are just plain old ponies, their offspring seems to be of one of the three races.”

After I had hastily written down what she had explained, I tapped my coal pen on the bottom of the page. Something didn't add up. “Wait! If the offspring of the princesses are of the three races, and there are nobles who claim to be descendent from them, how can there still be princesses around? You said that unicorn you know is the personal pupil of a princess. How do they reproduce?”

She rolled her eyes. “Well, the princesses are immortal of course. They are the princesses!”

“I see. . .” I bit my lower lip absentmindedly, contemplating what I had heard. “How many princesses are there?”

“Three.”

“What about their parents? Emperors, queens or kings?”

“No. . . it's just the princesses.”

“So, they rule the land?”

“Yes?”

“Wouldn't that make them queens?”

“No?”

“So you are living under the tyrannical rule of some immortals?”

“No! The princesses are benevolent rulers! Everyone loves them!”

“Are they, or are they using some kind of mind control magic to make you love them?”

“No!” She stamped her hoof on the ground. “The princesses would never!”

I held up my hands to pacify her. “Alright, alright! I get it. Just checking if I'm in another world I have to leave sooner than later.” I shook my head. “I'm getting tired of those. A few days of rest would be most welcome.”

Only now did I notice the cattle on the fire was whistling. I forgot about the princesses for a second and took it off the fire. It stopped whistling shortly after. “Is this some kind of magic artifact that tells you when the water boils?”

Trixie levitated it off my hands and put two little bags into it without even looking. “No, it's not. Don't you know anything?”

I raised an eyebrow at her and crossed my arms in front of my chest. “Actually I'm well learned. But for the sake of my research, lets pretend I'm as clueless as a newborn child.”

Trixie groaned and rolled her eyes. “Alright.” She levitated the cattle close to my face. It was made out of bright, polished metal, little clouds of steam still puffed out of a tiny hole at the neck. “See this? There is a small hole in the cover of the neck. When the water boils the escaping steam gets so fast it whistles. Does that sounds like magic to you?”

I had started drawing the cattle into my diarium and made some notes. “What a clever design.” I think I heard her smack her face with a hoof, but I didn't look up to check.

Eventually the tea was ready, and Trixie poured both of us and distributed her food, dried fruits and nuts mostly, but also some hay, which I gratefully declined.

I was in for another surprise when I took the first sip from my cup of tea. It was all I could do not to spit it our immediately. It was the most atrocious brew that had ever been offered to me as tea.

I forced myself to swallow it and suppressed the urge to throw up. I looked up to my host, only to find that she was actually enjoining her cup. I sighed. Figuring that it was actually drinkable and would not kill me, I forced myself to take another sip. It was still as bad as the first, but I continued to drink it along my meal.

Eventually I had to ask an important question anyway: “Say, are there actual tea plants in this world? Or do you make all your tea out of grass?” A world without proper tea would be as unpleasant as a world without water.


.oOo.


We were soon on our way again. We didn't talk much; I was deep in thought, trying to comprehend what I had learned so far, and I think Trixie was happy enough not having to explain every little thing to a clueless offworlder. We eventually engaged in some smalltalk, and I learned a bit about pony cuisine, and that the main roads between major towns were indeed kept free of snow by use of some kind of plow.

It was late afternoon when we reached the outskirts of Ponyville. As far as I could tell it was an agricultural community. The outer parts of town considered mostly of farmsteads, orchards and vegetable gardens. But it was a rather large one at that. I could make out bigger buildings and even towers at the town center and the far side.

Trixie stopped in front of a large two story building not far from the town center. “This is where I will be staying.” She began to strap herself out of her harness. “Twilight Sparkle lives in the town library. I'm sure any local can give you directions.” Finally free from her cart again, she turned towards me. “Do you think you can manage that without my help, or do I have to take you to her doorstep?”

I just smiled and made a mocking bow. “Please, I was born in a city of over a hundred thousand people. I think I can find my way in a province town like this without someone to hold my hand.”

Trixie snorted and shook her head, but I could not let yet leave her to her own. “Believe it or not, but I'm very grateful for your help and you hospitality. I fear I have nothing to pay you, so I will grant you a boon. Ask of me what you will, and I will grant it, if it is in my power to do so. . . within reason of course.”

Trixie shook her head again. “That's really not necessary. Every pony would have done the same.”

But I couldn’t leave it at that. I wouldn’t have it said about me, that I was taking charity. “Please, I insist!” I leaned closer and stared her right in the eyes.

Finally she broke eye contact and sighed. “Alright. If it will make you stop bugging me. Wait here a second.” She quickly disappeared in her cart and I heard her rummaging in the inside. In the meantime I collected my luggage, slung my backpack over my shoulder and draped my cloak over it all. Trixie came back out about two minutes later, levitating a scroll in front of her. “Deliver this letter to Twilight Sparkle, and we are even.”

I took it out of her magic grasp and placed it inside my right big belt pouch. I gave her another bow, a sincere one this time. “It will be done. I wish you farewell now, and good fortune on your travels!”

She took a deep breath to collect herself, before she looked up and waved me goodbye. “To you as well. I hope you will find back to your home world soon.”

I nodded, and with this our ways parted.


> Chapter 3: Bones and Leather
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------



Chapter 3: Bones and Leather


I headed for the center of town. Not many ponies were out on the streets, I guess due to either the hour or weather. I actually walked past a few buildings until I spotted the first one. A cream colored creature with neither horn nor wings; its hair had two different colors. I quickened my steps and approached it.

"Hello? Could you give me some directions?"

It turned around, a ready smile on its lips, but when it saw me, its eyes went wide, it reared on it hind legs and gasped for air. "Incubus! Run for you lives!"

Before I knew it, it had turned tail and ran, slipping on the snow in the process. It jumped back onto its hoofs as fast as it could and made a beeline into the next building. The door shut close behind it with a bang.

I scowled and went after it. When I knocked on the door, the shutters on every window were slammed close one by one. I turned around as I heard more clapping and banging around me. The residents of the buildings around me were barricading themselves in their homes.

My body tensed up, but I quickly forced myself to stay calm. Stomping the ground in anger would be most unbecoming of a sorceress. Instead I turned with bellowing cloak and continued towards the town center with ever more determent steps.

But word of my coming must have preceded me, for wherever I went the streets were deserted, doors and windows shut tight.

By the time I reached a marketplace at the center of town, I was fed up enough to force my way into any house and demand common curtsey from its inhabitants. I stood in the center of the place, turning on the spot, looking around for the most promising door to face my ire.

The place was in the shadow of a round three story building with red tiled roof. All the market stands where deserted, not a pony in sight. That is not a pony in sight until I turned around again.

"Hi! Are you a human?" A mint green unicorn was standing behind me, her snout not two fingers away from my face. I jumped back, involuntarily reaching for my dagger, but I stopped myself short when I saw the creature beaming with excitement, rather than snarl at me in anger.

I straightened myself, but before I could properly greet it, the unicorn dropped back unto all fours, rushed over to me and grabbed my left hand between her hooves. "A real human! With hands and fingers!" She grinned so widely I feared her face must split any second.

I pulled my hand free and cleared my throat. "Yes, a real human indeed. I take it you know of my species?" I raised an eyebrow when I saw her walking around me, lifting up my cloak and inspecting every part of my body. I rolled my eyes. "And I'm the first one you have ever seen. Great, just great!"

I snapped my cloak out of her grasp, took a quick step back and raised my hand before she could close in again. "Hey! Stop it! Is this how you treat guests in this world?"

This gave her pause, she stopped her advance and looked down on her hooves. "Oh, sorry about that, I was just so excited to finally see a real human."

I took a deep breath to collect myself. "It's alright." She looked up the second I said this. "Just don't do it again!" I quickly added. She let her ears sink again, but my respite was short lived.

"I think we started this wrong so lets do it again right I'm Lyra nice to meet you who are you where are you from do humans really play instruments with their hands. . ."

I stopped her babbling with extreme measures; I invaded her personal space, pushing my right hand over her muzzle to make her stop. She didn't seem offended, instead she squinted her eyes to get a better look at the fingers she so admired for some reason.

"I see you are excited," I said, looking her straight in the eye, "but for the sake of conversation slow down and only ask me one question at a time."

She nodded and I let go of her muzzle. "Sorry again," she said with a sheepish smile, "it's just, that I have read so much about humans. Having a real one walk right here through Ponyville is so exciting!" She paused for a second and cleared her throat. "Nice to meet you, I'm Lyra. What's your name?"

"I am Hela Regina Mortium, it's a pleasure to make your acquaintance." I gave her a slight bow. When I looked up, she was staring at me with wild eyes. I groaned and put a hand on my hip. "Let me guess, my translation amulet has made something atrocious out of my name. Would you mind repeating for me, what you believe you just heard me say?"

"Radiance Queen of the Dead," she replied deadpan.

I had a sudden urge to rub the the bridge of my nose. The translation was actually accurate. It's not the name my parents gave me, but a sorceress' name I took up after becoming a full member of the circle. I wondered why it spooked the unicorn; this place was probably a backwater province that still clung to superstitious old ways and was afraid of any advanced magic. Trixie had not been bothered when I had introduced myself. I wonder if she took it for part of an act.

I shook my head. “Just forget about that. You see, I speak a vastly different language than you and use a magic amulet to translate it, but it seems to botch up names. Just call me. . . uhg, I don't know. Any suggestions? Something beautiful, something with the air of mystery to it?”

She immediately sparkled with excitement. “Uh, uh! How about. . . Black Lotus?”

I raised an eyebrow at her. “I. . . suppose that is a wonderful name, but I don't want to give someone the impression of being a delicate flower. A sorceress has to bear her powers with pride!”

She rubbed her chin with her hoof, pondering for a moment. “Then what about. . .Sapphire Glow?”

I let my shoulders sink. “It's no use, the amulet messes up every name. Oh well, it will have to do. Call me Sapphire for now. It's a precious gem, and it comes in my favorite colors.”

Lyra clapped her fore hooves together in some form of applause. “I have named my own human, brilliant! We have so much to talk about! You can teach me to walk on two legs, we can sit together on a bench the human way. . .”

“You are getting quite ahead of yourself!”

She looked at me like a beaten dog, with big watering eyes. “Please!”

I sighed. “Look, you seem to know a bit about my people and I'd like to chat and find out why, but I have to find a troll path back to my home world and for that I have to find a unicorn named Twilight Sparkle. Do you know her?”

“Of course I know Twilight Sparkle! She lives in the library. I could lead you there.” She gave me her best smile, complete with big puppy eyes. “We could talk along the way, and you won't miss a second of your time!”

“Fine, lead the way! But let's make this an actual conversation instead of an interrogation. So, where did you learn about humans?”


.oOo.


The library wasn't really far from the market place, but since the conversation turned out to be quite interesting for both sides we were in no rush, and I think Lyra took a deliberate detour as well. Along the way I learned that humans are only obscure creatures of legend in this world, like unicorn are in mine. Lyra explained that there was evidence of human presence in architecture and the design of some everyday objects, but there was no accounted sighting of a human in known history. As far as she knew, no human had been in this world for several thousand years.

I was reluctant to tell her about my world in return, so I spend most of the time explaining the working of every joint in my hand and anatomic requirements for upright gait to her. She was fascinated by those topics none the less.  

When we finally did reach the library it took me a few moments of staring, before I brought any words out. “You made a building inside of a tree?” And a giant tree it was, at least a dozen steps in diameter. Light came out of several glass windows, hinting that the tree was hollow up to it's crown where a balcony had been constructed onto a large branch.

Lyra nodded. “You should see it in summer. The crown spends a lovely shade and keeps the inside nice an cool.”

“You're saying the tree is not only a house, but also still a living tree?” She nodded with a proud smile. “Fascinating. The magic of this world seems to offer more than I had anticipated.”

I stepped towards the door an raised my hand to knock. “Thank you for bringing me here.” I said, looking back at Lyra over my shoulder. “You were of great help. I wish you farewell.”

She walked up to stand right next to me. “If it's alright with you, I will stick around. This is just too exciting!”

I shrugged. “If you don't have anything better to do, suit yourself.” And with that I knocked on the door.

It took a moment, I could hear movement from the inside. Not the four-stroke of hooves, but the sound of two feet. Shortly after the door was opened, and this world surprised me once again.

“Good evening. Oh, hi Lyra! Didn't see you there. Who's that big friend of yours?”

The creature hardly reached above my knee and looked like a wingless, round headed dragon with pink scales and a row of green spikes running down the the center of his head and along his spine.

I squatted down so I got a closer look. “How curious. A baby dragon! Didn't expect to ever see one again, one that can already talk. Draco had wings though.”

The little guy took a step back. “Uh? What now? You knew a dragon that was named Dragon?”

“I know! Stupid isn't it? But Omar kept calling him that and I didn't have time to care.”

Lyra took a step in front of me and shot the Dragon a reassuring smile. “Oh don't mind her, she's from another world.”

I stood up and cleared my throat. “Ah yes, of course. I am here to see Twilight Sparkle. I need her magical expertise.”

His eyes darted between the two of us for a few seconds. “Alright, I will get her. Please come in.” With that he hurried inside of the building and up some stairs winding along the wall.

Me and Lyra stepped inside; I had to bow down to get through the door. The unicorn closed it behind us, and while I was still busy staring at the rows upon rows of books stacked in cases carved all along the walls into the very wood of the tree, she began to hang up her clothes on a coat rack. Oddly enough she was only wearing a scarf and a saddle matching her hair as well as yellow boots.

I hung my cloak on the rack and began undoing the wraps around my feet. Getting my host's floor wet would probably not be the best first impression I wanted to make, if I wanted to get the information I needed.

“Let me help you with that!” Lyra called out, and before I could protest, her horn glowed and a golden magic field undressed my feet. “Real human feet, complete with toes!” Her face was hovering right above my feet with barely contained excitement.

I refrained from wriggling my toes, less she would never stop staring at them. “Ah yes. Now if you could put my sandals back on, my feet are getting cold.”

She made some sort of squeaking noise and looked at me bashfully. She quickly levitated my shoes and put them back on my feet, giggling sheepishly. “Sorry, got a little excited there. Won't happen again.” She boggled, took another look at my sandaled feet and sniffed at them. I inhaled sharply, but she looked up and asked me a question before I could say anything. “You shoes look strange. What are they made of?”

“Leather! And it's considered rude to sniff at someone where I come from!” I stopped short when I saw her with a now familiar expression. “Oh come on! What did my amulet translate this time?”

“Flayed and processed animal skin.”

I smacked my face. A herbivorous species. I should have known. They probably never got the idea of slaughtering animals for resources. I sighed and shook my head. “No, that's stupid amulet got it completely wrong. I was using the name of a certain tree native to my homeland. It has the most resilient bark, you can make almost anything out of it.” I didn't have to play being annoyed, just to lie about what I was annoyed about and make up a cover story. The act was pretty good, but I think she would have believed me either way. With the difference in body language of our species and a magic spell for translation, it was all but impossible to see through a lie. That would of course work the other way around as well. I made a mental note about that, just as Lyra recovered and began beaming again.

“What useful plants you humans have. Tell me more about it!”

Before I was forced to elaborate on that, I was rescued by our host. “Sorry to make you wait, but I had to finish a list.” Twilight Sparkle turned out to be a female unicorn with lavender fur and square cut hair and tail of a dark pink with light pink strands. She trotted down the stairs, the dragon skipping behind her. Her rushed demeanor gave me the instant impression of a novice; a full fledged sorceress was never rushed to do anything.

I was already disappointed by the proclaimed magic expert when she reached me and  Lyra at the entrance, but I tried not to let it show on my face when she greeted us.

Twilight Sparkle slowed down and came to a standstill, her eyes going wide as she looked up to me. “You are a human.”

“Yes, indeed. Now if we can get past the awkwardness of meeting a strange fabled species, I'm getting  quite tired of the act. So, good evening to you! I assume you are Twilight Sparkle? You can call me Sapphire. I'm a traveler from another world, and I was told you are an expert in magic and the most likely person to help me find a way back to my own world.”

After I had finished my introduction, Twilight eventually caught herself staring and quickly recovered her composure. “Ah yes, I am Twilight Sparkle. Why don't you explain everything to me over a cup of tea. I'm sure we can work something out.”

I just nodded and took a step into the room. She began to lead the way further into the building. But after a few steps she stopped and looked back over her shoulder.  “Say, Lyra, why are you here anyway?”

“Real live human!”

“Alright? Come along then. Spike? Would you make some tea?”

The little dragon nodded and hurried towards another room.

“Real tea for me please, not the grass one!” I called after him, earning me curious looks from both unicorns. “I hope you don't mind. Grass is not a part of human diet, and I find the taste to be. . . lacking.”

I had expected our host to lead us into her parlor, but instead she stopped in the middle of the main room and just lied down on the floor. Lyra followed her example. “Would you like a pillow?” Twilight offered, when she saw me hesitating.

I looked around the room for a table or chair, but didn't find either. “No, it's quite alright,” I replied and sat down cross legged.

“You say you come from another world how did you get here?” the magic expert asked as soon as I had settled down.

“A rip opened up in my world and I was swallowed into the Limbo. I have yet to figure out why this happened. I assume it was an aftershock of a battle between great sorcerers ages ago or something. In the Limbo I cast a reversed teleportation spell and was transported into a random world. I later learned that there is an infinite number of vastly different worlds.

“In one world I met a man, an expert in Limbo magic, who had created his own world, a ship in a bottle. It's from him that I got this amulet that translates any language, and from him I learned spells to orient myself inside of the formless void of the Limbo as well as its basic rules. We started following a troll path, connecting a series of worlds which were inhabited by creatures that I knew from my world. Furthermore they prayed to gods I knew from my world, so there was a high chance that we would end up in my home home world of Dere if we kept following the path.

“But the last two worlds we had been to had been most hostile, and I was forced to make an expeditious retreat by teleporting back into the Limbo. After recovering some arcane energies I cast another reversed teleportation spell, and from all the myriads of possible worlds landed in this one.”

By now Spike had brought a tablet with three cups, a steaming mug, and a plate with baked goods on it. He placed it between the three of us and poured us all, before he excused himself and vanished upstairs.

“A troll path you say?” Twilight's horn lit up, and dozens of tomes were floating around her within seconds. I was astonished by this display of magical prowess, but tried my best to look unimpressed. I lifted my cup of tea to my lips an blew on the hot brewage before taking sip. With delight I noticed the tea to almost taste the same as I remembered it from back home. I briefly noticed Lyra watching intently how I used my hands to hold the cup.

“The topic is rather obscure,” Twilight began after browsing through several books. “There are old references to troll paths leading to both the Griffon Kingdom and the Dragon Lands. And by old I mean really old! Like centuries old. But that's strange, both lands are part of this world.”

“Maybe both griffons and dragons emigrated to this world in large enough number to form their own nations. The origin would surely become an obscure legend over the course of centuries. Do you know anything on troll paths and humans using them?”

She shook her head. “There are barley any records on humans at all. Until you showed up, everyone, that is everyone excepts Lyra here, thought your species to be a myth.”

I frowned. “I feared as much. Maybe the only humans who ever came to this realm came the way I did, by accident. Couldn’t have been more than a handful in all of recorded history.” I rubbed my face with my right hand. Suddenly I felt dead tired. “That would put me back to square one. Teleport back into the Limbo and make another random jump, hoping to find the troll path again.”

What I saw on the faces of the two unicorns was something I had neither expected, nor did I care to see: pity. “I could send a letter to Princess Celestia. If anyone knows about a troll path to a human world, it's her!”  

“You can stay at my place until the Princess replies if you want. You look travel weary I mean. . . if you want to.” The human obsessed unicorn offered with a hopeful smile.

I considered the possibility for a moment. True, an immortal would be the most likely person to know about long forgotten knowledge. But there was also the chance that she had met another human who got stranded in this world, and then in turn there was a good chance he had made a bad impression. Could have tried to conquer this world or something similarly pointless.

“That would be most helpful,” I eventually answered. I was going to teleport out of here anyway, so the risk of provoking the princess' ire was reasonable if it gave me another chance to find the right troll path again.

“Oh, we could have a slumber party. My first slumber party with a human!” Lyra clopped her hooves together excitedly.

“Eh, yes. Thanks, but no thanks. I'll think I will stay in the library and conduct some research if Mistress Sparkle has no qualms with that.”

“Oh, not at all, I was going to study late into the night anyway. We could study together, it will be fun!”

“Than it is settled!” I emptied my cup and poured me another one, before standing up.

“Then I will stay and conduct some studies too!” Lyra followed my lead and drank the rest of her tea, then rose to her hooves.

“Oh, what studies are that?” Twilight asked.

“Human studies!”

“Be my guest.” I just shook my head and began walking along the rows of books, searching for any interesting topic. “Do you have any actual spell tomes in here?”

“There are plenty! Any specific spells you are looking for?”

“Anything on healing magic, temporal spells or necromancy.”

“Temporal spells are kept in the Canter Lot library, in the Star Swirl the Bearded wing. . . wait, did you say necromancy?”

“Yes, do you have anything? Anything on necromantic diseases or the draining of life?”

“But. . . that's black magic!”

I turned around to look at my host. “What? Black magic? What does magic has to do with color?”

“I mean it's evil magic.”

I crossed my arms before my chest. “Is it? Please, explain to me what makes this kind of magic evil.

Twilight shook her head in disbelieve. “It's magic to raise the dead! It unnatural!”

I sighed. “I see. Let me approach this differently then. Say Mistress Sparkle, what do you people believe happens to one's soul after death?”

The sudden change of topic seemed to confuse her, it took her a few seconds to form an answer.  “The soul crosses the river styx, where it is washed free of all worldly ballast and then rejoined with harmony. It is then reincarnated into the world anew.”

I pondered the thought for a second. “Rebirth. . . a very interesting concept. Quite different from the believes of my home world. Say, do you think of this as a positive outlook, or are your people trying to get out of this endless cycle of reincarnation?”

I think by now she had forgotten the original topic. She looked eager to explain the workings of this world to me. I figure she must normally be surrounded by simple minded oafs who don't listen to a voice of wisdom. Having someone at least as intelligent as herself to lead a proper discussion with must have been a nice change of pace. I know that feeling well. I too jump at every opportunity for a proper intellectual exchange. Just as I did right then.

“It's generally perceived as a blessing, or at least a hopeful opportunity. A blank slate to begin a new live and enjoy the wonders of the world. Only a very small minority believes live to be a cycle of suffering and try to find a way out of it.”

I nodded. “So life in this world is not constant strife, at least not for the majority of the population. Is that correct?”

“No, of course not! Though it wasn't always like this, and only through everyone working together did we make this world what it is today.”

“Fascinating! You see where I come from life is a constant fight for survival, the vast majority of the population lives in poverty, and even for the rich and powerful live in constant fear of loosing their wealth and power. And now you see, there are several gods who promise that one's soul will go to live in their paradise after death, if only they live by that god's principles. No one knows for sure what those paradise are like, or if they even exist, for no one ever came back. It is as if the gods are competing with each other for the souls of the mortals, for what purpose I can only guess.

“But I digress. So from you explanation I take it that the mortal body of a person is only a hollow shell once the soul leaves it, is that correct?” She nodded hesitantly. “So what do you do with said shell?”

“We bury it.”

“What do you do with dead animals?”

“We bury them too, of course.”

“And what do you do with your waste?”

“We bury that as well, so it can decompose and fertilize the soil.”

“So tell me Mistress Sparkle. What is the difference between the body of a dead person, animal, and waste?”

She boggled at the question, but pondered it non the less. I couldn't repress a smile. The sign of a true intellectual! Question everything you think you know, think even about the absurd, about the abstract, and the revolting. Simply believing in the things you are taught is the sign of the ignorant!

Twilight rubbed her chin. “There are several differences. For instance the graves are places where family and friends can remember their loved ones. No one ever goes to a waste deposit to remember her broken furniture.”

“So there are sentimental values attached to the corpses. But say there is a corpse in a forgotten grave, or forgotten altogether, with no one there to care what happens to it. Would anyone be offended when it is dug up and used as say, a crafting material?”

She frowned, took her time to form an answer. “I think some people might still be offended.”

“Offended by what?”

“By principle! You just don't disturb the rest of the dead.”

“But since the soul is reincarnated, it is not the dead that are disturbed, but merely their remains. And since there is no one with sentimental attachment to said remains, those people who are offended don't have a real reason to be. They wouldn't care if you dug up broken furniture and used it to make new one?”

“No,” the unicorn replied slowly. “They wouldn't”

I could see that she was not yet convinced that using corpses as a resource was not in itself evil, but just common sense, but the idea had certainly taken hold, and I could see her thinking about what I had said.

“But I'm not looking for any spells to raise corpses anyway.” I finally said to get back to my original intent. I already knew those spells anyway. “I'm looking for a way to cure a necromantic disease, a curse laid upon me by the touch of a necromancer's creature.” I generously left out that I had been said necromancer myself.

She instantly looked up, eyes wide with shock. “What? That's horrible! Why didn't you say so in the first place.”

I had to smile again. “Because I had too much fun arguing with you.”

She shook her head, then quickly levitated a scroll and a quill to take notes. “What kind of disease are we talking about, what are the symptoms?”

I grabbed my left arm with my right hand and turned, so Twilight couldn’t see it, involuntarily. “I'd rather not tell.”

“Please, I promise I will do everything I can to help you, but you have to trust me!”

I shook my head. “Thank you, but no. I'll do the research on my own, just point me in the right direction.” I watched her intently from the corner of my eye, but it was all but impossible to tell what she was thinking. I asked myself what it was that she wished to gain from helping me. Knowledge? The opportunity to place a spell on me an enthrall me like that dragon? That sounded almost likely. It would make her the only sorceress in this world with a human minion.

I should have left immediately, but I decided to risk it. If there was any chance to find a cure I had to take it. I swore to be on my guard though.

“Alright.” Twilight rolled her eyes.  “You don't have to tell me if you really don't want to. But it will make the research much more complicated.” She started to walk around the library and levitated several dozen tomes from different cases and put them in three stacks on the floor; one of them she levitated into my hand. “This is a work on supernatural diseases and remedies. Its your best point to start out.”

I opened the book and skipped pages until I reached the first one fully covered with text. “Damn it!”

“What is it?” Twilight walked closer, when she heard my outburst.

I snapped the book shut and slammed it onto one of the stacks. I leaned onto it and rubbed my nose's bridge. “It seems like my translation amulet does only work on spoken language. I can't even begin to comprehend the gibberish written in that book.”

I almost jumped when I felt something touch my shoulder, my head snapped around, and I looked into the warm, golden eyes of Lyra. She was standing on her hind legs, resting her fore hoof on my shoulder. Quite a remarkable feat if I think about it. “Me and Twilight could do the reading for you,” she offered. “If you tell us what we are looking for.

I took a deep breath to collect myself and brushed her hoof of my shoulder. “Fine, if there is really no other way.” I slipped my left arm out of the neck of my gray robe and began to roll up the sleeve of the underlying shirt.

“Oh, shiny!” The white glow coming from my shirt reflected in Lyra's eyes.

“Focus please, I'm not undressing here to show of my wardrobe.” I had to suppress a smile though, being the focus of admiration had always pleased me. But soon I had the sleeve rolled up to my shoulder, and there was nothing that could make me smile anymore.

“Just to remind you, I'm not a demon, and I'm not in a pact with one. My condition is the result of a magic disease, nothing more, nothing less.” By now I had their utmost attention, but the way they stared at my arm made me more than uncomfortable. I gnarled my teeth as I began to undo the linen wrappings around my arm.

“Where the creature had touched me, a form of rapid decay set in,” I explained as I uncovered my hand. “It spread fast, consuming my hand, arm and finally gnawing at my shoulder before I found a way to stop it.” I undid the last of the wrapping and let it fell to the floor. I clenched my now naked hand a few times and bit my lower lip. It didn't get any easier to see it, no matter how often I did.

The two unicorns stared mortified at my arm, that was nothing but bleached bones up to my black and decaying shoulder; stared in horror how it moved with unnatural life.

Twilight only broke out of her stupor, when she heard a body slump on the floor beside her; Lyra had fainted. “Merciful Celestia!” she gasped an took a step towards me. “Does it hurt?”

I shook my head. “No, actually I don't have any feeling in the arm. Even the rest of my body began to feel numb ever since the decay reached my shoulder.”

“How fast did this spread.”

“Fast at first. The hand was but bones in a matter of days. I manage to slow down the process by drying out the decaying part with salt, but only a year later did I find an alchemical balm to stop the decay altogether.”

“What if it had reached your torso, your head?”

The very thought sent cold shivers down my back. “I shudder to think about it. Would I die and my body be reanimated as a skeleton? Or would I continue to life as an undead abomination, my soul forever trapped in this decaying shell?”

Twilight reached out with her hoof and touched my skeletal hand tentatively; I immediately pulled away and turned her the other side.

“I promise you, I'll find a cure,” she all but whispered.

“Tss, yea sure. Spare me your pity! I don't need it, all I need is a cure.” I took my bandages from the floor, sat down in a corner of the room and began re-wrapping my arm. I could feel the unicorn look down on me for a few more moments. I gnarled my teeth and tried to concentrate on the task at hand.

Eventually she let me be and turned to Lyra instead; she picked up her unconscious body with her magic and carried her upstairs. I looked after them when I heard the door close. I let out a relieved sigh. Only now did I manage to regain control over my emotions, and with clarity, my mind began wandering again. Was that really pity I had seen in the unicorn's eyes, or did I misread her expression? And why would she pity a strange creature from another world? Throwing me out of her home would be far easier. No, there must have been something else; sooner or later she would come up with a potion or spell to use on me, and if I were to be lulled into trusting her by that time, she would put me to sleep, poison me or worse.

Only the small hope that my suspicion was unfounded kept me from leaving at that very moment. I continued wrapping my arm. I still wasn't done when Twilight Sparkle came back down after a few minutes. Bandaging a skeletal arm to resemble a limb of flesh an blood is no easy task. The hardest part is the hand, wrapping every finger separately takes a lot a patience.

Twilight didn't bother me in my work when she came back down. I felt her gaze on me for a short time, than she began skimming through the books she had stacked for me. I noticed she was a very fast reader, and a systematic researcher. Soon she had reorganized the stacks for -what I thought was- cross reference, put some of them on a pile for discarded sources and pulled new ones from the shelves. By the time I was fully redressed, she had started on her second scroll of notes.

I watched her work for a minute or so. If this was all an act to make me lower my guard, it sure was an elaborate one.

With nothing there I could do to find out what she was really doing, and no way to speed up the research, I took out my diarium to write the events of the last two days down. When I pulled it out if my belt pouch, the scroll Trixie had given me fell out with it.

I had totally forgotten about that. I picked it up, and went over to the unicorn. “Mistress Sparkle?” She looked up as I called for her, and I offered her the letter. “A unicorn by the name of Trixie ask me to deliver this to you.”

If she wondered why I didn't give it to her earlier, she didn't ask. She took the letter with her magic and unrolled the scroll. I saw her eyes darting quickly over the lines. “When did you met Trixie?” she asked as soon as she had finished reading the letter.

“I fell into her magic show when I was transported into this world. It was her who recommended you and brought me here.”

She nodded and quickly finished the letter. “You mean she is still in town?”

“Yes, staying in a tavern right at the border. Why? What did she write?”

“She apologized for the last time we met. We. . . didn't part under the best of terms. But now she asks me to meet her.”

“Huh? Sounds like a. . .” Before I could finish that sentence one of the windows exploded, as something crashed through it at high speed. I ducked, shielding my head with my arms from incoming splinters. Twilight was hit by the projectile, and both vanished in a pile of books.

“Twilight, there is a monster attacking the town! We need your help.” The head of a light blue pony with the most impossible, rainbow striped hair burst from the pile of books.

Twilight quickly dug herself out. “What? Where? What kind of monster?”

“It's horrible! You gotta see for yourself!” And with that the rainbow menace freed herself completely, grabbed the unicorn under her fore legs and dashed out of the window with rapid wing beats again, leaving a rainbow streak and a quickly vanishing scream of a unicorn.

I shook my head. “Never mind me, I'm unharmed too.” My spite only lasted for a heartbeat, replaced by a stomach turning feeling of foreboding. A monster attacking only hours after I came into town? Could be a coincidence, but most likely not. And if it was not, I knew what the ponies were about to face.

I hurried for the door, grabbed my cloak and threw it around my shoulder before rushing out into the cold. I didn't bother wrapping my feet up again; time was of the essence.


It wasn't hard to find where the battle was taking place. All I had to do was follow the screaming and head to the point the the fleeing ponies came from. Incidentally it was the way I had taken before; the battle was taking place where I had come into town. I shuddered, it looked like my prediction was right. I clenched my teeth and quickly looked around, when I was sure that no one was paying me any attention, I threw my pretense of a sorceress never running over board and jumped into a wild run.  

My lungs were burning, and legs heavy as lead, when I reached the outskirts of town. Still, it looked like I was running late anyway. The town lay in utter chaos; buildings were burning, carts were overthrown, and wounded ponies were dragging themselves from the sight of battle. The fight was still raging on. Several ponies were flying and running around in circles, throwing spells and various heavy objects at their opponent.

My heart skipped a beat when I saw what they were fighting, and I reached for my banishing sword. "Not you again!"

 
              

	  	       


> Chapter 4: Carefully Waged Heroics 
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------



Chapter 4: Carefully Waged Heroics  


The demon towered above all those that assailed him, brushing of their every attacks like water. It was a rider, his black, ragged cloak bellowing around him, a white bone lance in his skeletal hand. His undead steed alone was at least three times the size of the ponies attacking him, a cold light burning in the dark pits of its eyes.

It was a guardian of the limbo, set out to destroy any life that gets lost in his formless realm. I don't think that this was its real form, or that it even had one for that matter. It had chosen to appear as a pale rider to mock me, show me that the power I desired was never for me to control.

I grabbed my dagger -my banishing sword- and drew it with a wet and shaking hand. Four ponies were still in combat with the creature, though none of them looked like a soldier.

Twilight Sparkle was there, summoning shield spells to protect her and the others, blasting away at the demon with crackling bolts of purple energy.

The rainbow pony flew around him at unbelievable speed. My eyes could barely follow her movements, as it dashed about in a multicolored blur and struck the rider from every direction with its hooves.

An orange earth pony wearing a stupid hat tried to brawl it out with rider and horse hoof to hoof. 

Its strength was unreal; its punches broke the bones of the horse, its bucks send demon staggering backwards.

A white unicorn with the most impossible curly hair was using its telekinesis to throw any object in reach at the demon. It showered him with sharp stones and bludgeoned him with a heavy wooden beam.

I spotted only two other ponies on the fringe of the battle. A pink one who hopped around and carried the wounded out of the creature's reach, and a light yellow one with pink hair who treated their wounds.

Still, it was all no use. Wherever they managed to wound the rider, to break bones or scorch his cloak, the damage vanished in the blink of an eye as though it had never been there. As strong as the orange pony was, she was no trained fighter, and only Twilight's shields had protected her from being skewered so far, but they were rapidly growing weaker and started to break after one or two hits.

I clenched my teeth and grabbed my dagger so hard my knuckles showed white. With vigorous steps I began walking towards the demon while undoing the midnight sash around my waist with my free hand. The last time the guardian had caught up with me it had been noon on an endless waste of splintered glass. Every step I had taken had cut up my feet, the scorching sun had burned in my eyes and I had been on the verge of exhaustion; I had barely escaped with my life. But this time was different. It was night in the magical land of Equestria where small ice spells froze entire stages, and I was rested and felt the magic energies surge through my body. A feral smile grew on my lips, this time would be very different.

I approached until I was less then seven steps from my foe and planted my sash on the ground; a black, silken cloth with a scarlet pentagram embroidered onto it. “Keep him busy! I will try to banish him!” Only now did the ponies notice my approach. Only Twilight Sparkle was not dumbstruck by my presence; she briefly nodded and started yelling orders at the others, while casting even more magic bolts, trying to gain the riders attention.

I described a circle above my head with my dagger, speaking the formula of “Gardianum” and the bright, translucent sphere of the magic shield appeared around me.

I hoped that the spell and the ponies would give me time, time I would desperately need if my next spell was going to work. I raised my hands up high, and began to slash the air with my banishing sword; down to the left, up to the right, to the left, down to the right again, drawing the lines of a pentagram, as if to severe the ropes holding the demon in this sphere. I closed my eyes, concentrated on the magic formula and gathered my arcane energies for the spell. The wind picked up around me, I felt my hair bellow in arcane currents, as I gathered enough raw energy to reduce a grown man to a pile of ash. I wasn't going to ask the demon to disappear nicely. I would pummel it into submission with a magic battering ram.

When I opened my eyes again I saw that the situation had deteriorated fast. The pony with the stupid hat was on the ground, the white one standing over it with a feral snarl on its face. Twilight's last shield spell failed, and she was thrown to the ground by the magic backslash. The rider had finally gotten wind of my presence; he threw his horse around and began to charge at me. The demon pointed its bony fingers at me, and from it shot a magic spear, hurtling towards me like a ballista bolt. It shattered as it struck my magic shield; the barrier flashed brightly, but it held.

Then the rider was upon me, his lance crashed against my shield, his horse threw its body against it. The sphere wavered, flickered in and out of existence, it barely lasted long enough to throw the demon back before it collapsed. I gnarled my teeth, my spell was nearly complete, the air above the pentagram whirring, the arcane energies cracking at the tip of my dagger. All I needed was a few more heartbeats.

Out of nowhere shot a blue streak, it began flying circles around the demon, engulfing him in a tornado of wind and rainbow blur.

Then suddenly there was a sickening crunch and it was gone; the tornado disappeared and gave sight to the rider discarding the rainbow haired pony, he had impaled through the side, with a twist of its hand.                              

But the distraction the pony had provided had been long enough. As its body slid free from the lance and fell to the ground, I cast my spell. “Pentagramma Sphaerabann!” A black portal appeared in the middle of the pentagram; with a deafening, slurping rush it began drawing the demon in. The creature struggled, turned its horse around and spurred it on, but its hooves dragged over the ground fruitlessly. In a few heartbeats the rider began to be sucked into the portal, its form deteriorated, twisted, lengthened, and disappeared. The hole closed, and nothing was left in this world of the guardian's demonic presence.

“Rainbow Dash!” As soon as the demon was gone, Twilight stumbled to her hooves and rushed over to the fallen pony. The others came as well, even the orange one, who fought to gain her hooves, limped over. I sheathed my dagger and took a few steps closer to get a better look.  

Twilight was sitting on the ground, cradling the winged pony's head in her fore legs; desperate tears were running down her face. The other ones cluttered around her, their faces a mixture of shock and helpless confusion. “Quick, we have to get her to the hospital!” The orange earth pony urged, but Twilight just shook her head.

It took me only one glance to see why. The rainbow pony had been impaled by the rider's lance all the way from one side of her ribcage to the other. Blood was running from the wound and  mouth, quickly turning the snow around her red. She had already lost consciousness. “It's no use to get her anywhere, she's dying.”

Shocked, defeated and even angry eyes turned my way, as I stated the obvious. Then they all broke out in tears and various degrees of unsightly emotional displays, yet that was everything they did.

“Don't you know any healing spells?” I snapped. Twilight looked up again, no idea what I was talking about. I waged my options for a heartbeat. Clearly these ponies were emotionally attached to the rainbow one, including Twilight Sparkle whose help I needed.

“Out of my way!” I shoved two of the ponies to the side and knelt down in the red snow beside the dying pony; ignoring that I stained my clothes in the process. I pressed my right hand over the now barely bleeding wound and summoned anything that was left of my astral reserves. “Balsam Salabunde, Balsam Salabunde. . .” I began chanting the incantation of the only healing spell I knew, concentrating on the pattern, slowly channeling my magic into the body of Rainbow Dash.

The spell began working at once; it stopped the bleeding, ripped arteries grew back together, broken bones mended and flesh returned to its original form. I kept chanting all the while; sweat formed on my brow from the arcane effort. After what could only have been a few minutes, but felt like half a lifetime, the spell was complete; a thin layer of new, pink skin had grown where two bleeding holes had been. As soon as I withdrew my hand, Rainbow began coughing, spitting out bloody phlegm. Once she had cleared her lungs she looked around herself, blinking, confused.

Before she knew what hit her, she was beset by her friends, hugging her, crying in her hair, and generally doing nothing to make the situation any less confusing for her. I leaned back with a groan. My head hurt with a vengeance; a well known sign, telling me that I had used up all of my arcane powers. But I too had no time to recover; without warning I was embraced in a crushing hug from the pink and pink pony.

“Idon'tknowwhatyouarebutyousavedRainbowDashthankyouthankyouthankyouyouaremynewbestestfriendever.”

“Can't. . .breath.”

Luckily, before I passed out from too much gratitude, I was saved by the other earth pony. It  grabbed the pink one by its hair and pulled it away from me. “Slow with the young horses there sugar cube, you don't want to smother Rainbow's savior to thank her.”

I took a few deep breaths and worked out my arms that had been crushed against my body.  “Thanks.”

“Don't sweat it non. I have to thank you! Not only did you just save Rainbow with that spell of yours, but I think you also saved the whole town from that monster thingy.”

I stood up, cleaned my right hand with fresh snow and brushed of the worst of the bloody slush from my robe. “She was lucky I was around. I can't believe Twilight Sparkle doesn't know any healing spells.”

Twilight shook her head. “I have never even seen magic such as this! I don't know how to thank you. If you had not been here. . .”

“Think nothing of it, you were the one to help me out first after all.” I held up my bandaged left hand to remind her what research she had been doing.

“Right! The cure. I will get back to research as soon as I can!”

I nodded, then looked down my wet and bloodstained clothes. “I think I'll have to wash up before I join you again.”

As soon as I had mentioned that, the white unicorn shoved itself into my field of vision. “Oh darling, look at you! Your clothes a ruined, and your poor hair! I cannot leave you like this, please, come back to my place and I'll take good care of you, it's the least I can do.”

A groan sounded from the ground, as Rainbow strained herself to stand up. “You!” I took a quick step towards her and thrust my finger downwards. “You stay down. You just survived being run through by a lance. My spell may have closed the wound but it is not fully healed and you will rip it open again if you strain yourself.” I quickly looked around for the yellow, winged pony that had been taking care of the wounded. I found her hiding behind the orange one. “You there! Take care of her, make sure she doesn't move and get her cleaned up and into bed.” She jumped, made herself as small as possible behind her friend; she was shaking, but nodded nonetheless. 

“Right then.” I stepped out of the group and looked back at the white unicorn. “Shall we go?”

She looked back at Twilight, who nodded. “Go ahead, you take care of our guest, we take care of things here.”

As the two of us walked away, she had already begun to work things out. “Applejack, Pinkie Pie, can you put out the fires and organize the cleanup, while I explain everything to the major?”


.oOo.


We shared introductions on the way. Her name was Rarity; she lived and had shop in a round building whose name was raped to “Go around tailor shop” by my amulet. It was quite the fancy place, with multiple stories, lots of windows and decorations.

Very soon I was standing inside of the unicorn's bathroom. The room was lit by dozens of candles my host had magically ignited just as she entered it. A large bathtub, easily big enough to hold three or four persons, was set into the floor. A wide mirror stood at the wall, tall as the room itself. Last but not least was a vanity case with beautiful floric wood carvings, bristling with brushes, bottles of perfume, makeup and ever more beauty products.

I walked around the tub one time, looking at all the various soaps and bath salts in the shelves, marveling over the perfectly white and fluffy towels and the robe of the same make hanging from a hook on the wall. “I see you are a woman who not only takes her personal care quite seriously.”

“Of course, a lady always has to look her best.”

“True, but I can see you spending lots of time in here, it's quite cozy.”

“You got me figured Darling, there is nothing like relaxing bath after a long day of work.”

“Indeed. So, please tell your servants to fetch scalding hot water, and lots of it. I seldom get the opportunity for a real bath on my travels, I wish to make the most of it.”

I turned around and looked at her with a raised eyebrow, when she didn't call for her servants immediately.

She cleared her throat. “I fear I don't have any servants, but you shall have your hot water nonetheless.” Her horn glowed, and under her magic a knob on a pipe at the edge of the tube turned. Water began flowing out of it; it soon began to steam.

“Now that's running water if I have ever seen one. Fascinating!” I crouched down beside the pipe to get a closer look. “Have you got a magic artifact providing the hot water? A bound djinn perhaps?”

She gave me the same look Trixie had given me, when I had asked her about the whistling kettle. “Eh, no its just regular hot water, heated by the central fireplace.”

I found myself smiling again. “Your world has the most impressive technology, you know that?”

“Really? Your world must be quite. . . different, if you are this impressed by simple running water.”

“It is,” I said, wrinkling my brow. I shook my head, stood up again, unbuckled my belt and placed it with all its pouches on a free hook on the wall. As soon as she noticed me undressing, Rarity turned to leave the room.

“If you need anything else, just call. I'll be in my workroom.”

“Thanks, I will.” I watched her leave and close the door behind her with her telekinesis, as I  slid down my robe.

I discarded my underwear next and threw all of it on a pile next to the door, only then did it occur to me, that no servant would come to pick it up and clean it for me. “The only thing I can't live without is luxury.” I shook my head and went over to the large mirror.

It had been a while since I had seen all of me in a mirror, but it had not improved since the last time. Once I had been a striking beauty; men and women fought to gain my attention. But all that was left of it were the symmetric, noble features of my face, and my hip long, night sky black hair. My body, even the part that was left untouched by the decay looked like that of a dead; my rips showing, no bosom or hip to speak of and skin as pale as snow.

I shook my head and turned around, I couldn't stand to look at what I had become. While the tub was still filling with water, I selected a soap that smelled strongly of lotus blossoms and had a caressing, smooth feel to it; I placed it together with a sponge and towel next to the tube.

I stopped the flow of water, turning the knob on the pipe with my hand; I turned it in the wrong direction at first, increasing the flow, but then managed to make it stop. I turned it on and off a few more times, marveling at how precise I could regulate the flow of water.

But eventually the hot water called out to me, and I lowered myself into the tub. It was scalding hot, giving me the feeling of stepping into a cooking pot as I submerged my body, but I quickly adjusted, and what was left was the blissful feeling of being completely warm. I sighed deeply and leaned back, enjoying the first good soak I had since I joined a caravan to travel through the desert long weeks ago.   

I closed my eyes, trying not to think of anything, but eventually began to reflect on this strange world I had landed in.

I ranked it third strangest in my list of strange worlds. Not as strange as the inside of a limbo whale, or a plane of floating rocks, but far stranger than any human inhabited world I had been too. Yet it was amazing; the technology alone was worth studying for at least a month. If I were to bring any of this knowledge back to Bosperan, it would make me rich and famous.

But then what? I would still be a decaying freak. Worse, everyone would know about it. No, finding a cure was all that mattered right now, and this world's magic was my best chance so far. After I restored my body I could go back my original goals I had before the incident.

What had that been? Create the perfect undead? Was that even my own goal, or had it been pummeled into my head along with necromantic spells by my masters in the circle?

I drove the thought away by immersing my head in the water, the hotness on my face blocking out anything else for a moment. Pondering such possibilities was pointless at the moment, I would wage my options when they were to present themselves. 


.oOo.


I left the bath with the largest towel I could find slung around my shoulders, carrying my clothes in a bundle. I had only left the tube when the water became cold, and my skin was wrinkled like an old woman's. I felt better than I had in a long time; I was clean, my hair smelled like lotus flowers instead of smoke from a camel dung fire, and even my headache from magic exhaustion was gone.

Rarity looked up from some kind a sewing work. She was standing behind a table covered in cloth of different colors, yarn and needles. There was some kind of machine on the table as well, I wondered what it was used for. I couldn't possibly be a machine for sewing, could it?

“Did you enjoy the bath darling? I almost feared you'd fallen asleep in the tube.”

A quiet smile crept to my lips. “Not far from it. It was very nice.” I began heading for the door, when the unicorn took something from the table and levitated it in front of me.

“Here sweetheart, try this on, I think it should fit.”

I placed my cloths on the floor and took the thing in my hands. I lifted it before me and stretched it out to get a better look at it. It was a robe, open on the front with a sash to close it. It was made from the same soft, white fabric as the towels and the robe I had seen in the bathroom. “How did you make this in such a short time?”

She waved my comment away with a hoof. “Oh, its just a little bathrobe, no highlights or embroideries there. Hardly took any time at all.”

I was still amazed, either she had several seamstresses work on this, used a spell to sew it together or that thing on her work table really was some kind of sewing machine. I discarded my towel, and began slipping into the robe.

“Celestia! What happened to your arm?”

I followed her shocked stare, and of course she had noticed my freshly bandaged appendage. “Just a skin condition, think nothing of it.”

I finished putting on the robe, and found it to be an almost perfect fit. I looked down on myself and nodded approvingly. “First time making something for a human. Taken all the measurements by eye. This is amazing!”

A modest blush came to the unicorn's cheeks. “Oh it's nothing. The least I can do is make you new clothes after you ruined yours while saving the life of my friend Rainbow Dash.”

I gave her a slight bow. “You are very generous Mistress Rarity.” I picked up the bundle of my clothes and went for the door. “But my clothes are far from ruined.” I opened the door, put the bundle on the ground again and picked up the first piece. “Watch this!” I held my shirt out of the door and brushed over it with my hand, letting a little bit of magic flow through it. Under my touch the white fabric began glowing again, and all the dirt, the stains were just stripped from it and fell to the ground.

I looked back at Rarity, presenting my shirt that was as clean again as on the day I had bought it. She was visibly impressed. “That's a very useful spell you have there.”

I shook my head. “It's not a spell, its a property of the fabric. Just let a little magic flow through it and it sheds any stains from it. It's even possible to repair cuts and rips, a little magic and it weaves together again as if it had never been apart.”

Rarity took a few steps closer and eyed the shirt with big, sparkling eyes.
“Wherever did you get cloth as amazing as this?”

I smiled, relishing the opportunity to show of my clothes, showing them off to someone who appreciated beautiful dresses as much as I did. “I got it in a world of eternal night, where everyone only ever spoke in lies. They called this fabric starlight. See how it shines? Feel how light it is? It's like wearing nothing but woven light on your skin.”

I left my shirt with her to get a better look and got back to my other clothes. I picked out my robe and repeated the process of cleaning it, before showing the dull, gray cloth to Rarity. “This is made from what they called half shadow; it has a quality like heavy silk, but it feels light and is soft to the touch like a cool shadow under a tree on a midsummer day.”

I left the robe with her too, almost giggling at how she marveled over the cloth. I quickly cleaned my pants, then I got the last piece of my attire, my cloak. The thick black fabric fell heavily into her waiting hooves. “This is my favorite piece, made from moonshadow. It's thick and heavy, impenetrable by wind or rain and keeps warm like finest wool. But see how it is not simply black, but seems to absorb the very light around it? It's like always carrying your personal shade with you.”

“I have never seen fabric such as this! It's amazing, think of the possibilities!” She looked up from the cloth and direct into my eyes, a feverish gleam in hers. “Can you get any more of this?”

I shook my head. “I fear not. I came into the realm of night falling from the skies in a ship made out of stone, and I left it jumping into a bottomless pit. Believe me, I wish I could, but traveling between worlds is no easy feat.” She frowned, I think I saw her eyes watering up. I quickly changed topic.

I snuggled my face into the collar of the robe she had made me. “But I find this fabric amazing too. It's nice, so soft and warm. We have nothing like this in my home world. Can you tell me, what else you make dresses from in this world.”

When I looked up, she was smiling at me again; I think I had found her soft spot. “Would you like some tea?” she offered.

“Gladly!” I said. I didn't add that I disliked the grass one. I couldn't imagine a sophisticated person like her drinking something so vile and common.   


.oOo.


The evening was growing late, but me and Rarity were still idly chatting away. I had learned quite a bit about pony fashion. Having a fur to keep them warm, they didn't really need clothing and wore them solemnly for esthetic reasons. “When I make a dress for a pony,” she explained, “I try to make it as to ascend the features of her body, not hide them. To make them stand out in the most favorable way.”

She showed me some of her designs, and I could easily tell that ponies were not in the least concerned about modesty. Much like the dresses the high society of Bosperan wore, they hid just enough to make the onlooker's fantasy fill out the blanks. But I swear I had never before seen a dress that guided one's eyes as unfailingly to a person's posterior as some of the 'summer dresses' the fashionista showed me.

Eventually our conversation deteriorated to merry gossiping, and we began sharing embarrassing stories of our closest friends. I couldn't remember when I had that much fun talking to anyone, or when the last time was that I had a proper chat with another woman at all.

At one point I had mentioned, that I needed to brush my hair, and she had instantly offered to do it for me. I was sitting with my back to her, while she was carefully brushing out every entangled knot with a soft brush she held in her telekinetic grip. She had just shared a story about her and her friend Applejack -the orange pony- spending a stormy night with Twilight in the library.

"No way!" I said. "That's just like my friend Morlea. I tell you, that woman has the most amazing hair. Black like ebony, hip long and so thick you could make a rope from it. But she doesn't care for it at all. It's always an entangled mess with like twigs and leaves stuck in it; you would think a bird had made its nest in there! One time we had to go to an official reception of a local caliph, and I couldn't stand it any longer. I dragged her into my room, rubbed her clean until her skin was all pink and put her in a traditional tulamydian dress. But then I came to brush her hair."

I shook my head, only slightly because Rarity was still brushing it. "I broke three brushes trying to untangle it, then I gave up and just put it up in a knot."

Our bright giggling filled the room, when a knock on the door interrupted us. We fell silent, and Rarity went to answer the door.

"Oh Twilight! It's good to see you. How is Rainbow Dash doing?"

"She's fine. We had her checked out in the hospital. The medici couldn't believe me when I told them about the injury. They said even if something like that could heal, it would take weeks, maybe even months to get to the state of healing it is in."

I had to chuckle from back where I was sitting. I waved at Twilight when she looked past Rarity and spotted me. "I have to say, for all the magic in this world you have a real lack in healing spells, if even your studied medici are astonished by my spell."

The comment made Twilight look down on her hooves, biting her lower lip, contemplating for a moment. "Can you teach me that spell?" She finally looked up, her eyes boring into me with determination.

I slowly shook my head. "I don't think I can. Your way of casting spells is completely different from mine. It would take days, maybe weeks to teach it to another human of a different school of magic. But to a unicorn. . . " I shook my head. "that would be all but impossible."

Twilight frowned at this news, but she quickly recovered. "That's too bad. But anyway, I came to bring some good news." With that she had both mine and Rarity's full attention. "The Princess is coming to Ponyville tomorrow. She wants to personally thank the hero that has saved her subjects from a rampaging monster."

I forced a slight smile upon my lips. "Oh, that is great," I said. But what I was thinking was quite different: Just what I need, an immortal empress to see through my act and banish me into a dark oblivion!   


> Chapter 5: The Elements of Harmony
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------



Chapter 5: The Elements of Harmony


I spend the night in Twilight Sparkle's solar in the library's upper story. She had a large guest bed there, easily big enough for two people, though no separate guest room. I lay awake for several hours, before my exhaustion finally caught up with me again, brooding, pondering strategies for the meeting with the Princess.

When the little dragon Spike came in the morning to wake me and his mistress with a hearty: "Breakfast is ready!" I felt like I had not slept at all. I forced my body to rise like I would a corpse and headed for the lavatory with the grace of a shuffling zombie. By the time I reached it, Twilight was already leaving it. She was efficient like that.

I could probably write a whole page about the facilities of a pony lavatory, but lets just say it's a good thing I was used to relieve myself crouching somewhere in the wilderness. On the other hand, it was still impressive; they had hot, running water even in their lavatories!

By the time I had cleaned up and brushed my hair -I already missed having someone doing it for me- Twilight had almost finished her breakfast in the kitchen. Spike poured me tea, when I came to the table. I could tell by the smell alone, that it was not the grass variant; I lifted the cup to my face and inhaled its glorious aroma, before I took a sip.

I sat the cup down a gave the little dragon a warm smile. “Thank you little one, you remembered!” I think I saw him blushing at the compliment, quite a feat for a dragon, but for now I had to speak to his mistress.

“Is it normal in this world for a sorceress to have a baby dragon as her major domus?”

“Oh no!” Twilight smiled sheepishly and waved the notion away with her hoof. “Spike is special. I hatched him when I did my entrance exam for Celestia's school for gifted unicorns. We have been together ever since; he's like little brother to me! I'm lucky to have him around.”

“I see.” I took another sip from my tea, choosing my next words. “So, this Princess Celestia that is coming today, I gather that she is some all pony immortal, who has ruled this land for centuries, beloved by all of her subjects.” As hard as I found that to believe. “But you are her personal student, are you not? What can you tell me about her?”

I could see her face light up, as she thought about her mentor. “She's a wonderful pony! Kind and caring, she loves each and every of her subjects like they were her own foals. She's like the mother of the whole nation.” She giggled. “Or grandmother, if you catch my drift.”

“And what about foreign policy? What's her attitude towards non Equestrians?”

“We live in peaceful cooperation with all our neighboring countries, the griffon kingdom and diamond dog republic among them. Princess Celestia is always very benevolent of guest to our country.” Twilight gave me a reassuring smile. “So don't you worry, I'm sure the Princess will like you. Everything will be fine.

“I'm that easy to figure out right now, ain't I?” I shook my head. I was still not convinced and had Spike give me a bowl of porridge, thankfully rejecting every extra to actually flavor the meal, that he offered to me. I took a spoonful in my mouth, wondering if the non unicorn pony races would use spoons, or eat right out of the bowl. The dish was as tasteless as I remembered it; I started to eat with stoic disregard.

“One time I and some adventurers traversed a trap and riddle filled labyrinth to settle an argument between two magic schools. After we had succeeded and won the dispute for the school we represented, we were received by a Sultan to be honored for our success. When we finally spoke to the man -after climbing several hundred steps just to get up to his ridiculous throne room- he turned one of my companions to dust and blew him out of the window, because the man did not kneel before him.”

Both Spike and Twilight were just staring at me wide eyed, when I had finished the story. I took another spoon of porridge, chewed and swallowed in complete silence. “So just to be on the save side, would you give me some basics in Equestrian etiquette before I am to meet the Princess?”


.oOo.


I was still preparing, when Celestia ambushed me. Twilight Sparkle came trotting upstairs, telling me that the Princess wanted to speak to me personally before the official reception.

Cold shivers ran down my spine, and my stomach turned, as I came down the stairs. My heart skipped a beat, when I saw the Princess waiting for me in the librarie's main hall. She was easily twice the size of any other pony I had seen, with long, slim limbs and a much more pronounced snout. She reminded me more of a horse than the other ponies did. That is if a horse had a sharp tipped horn on its head as long as my arm and swan like wings with a span of at least six steps. She was wearing some kind of golden, royal insignia, a tiara, some kind of chest plate and what I would describe as horseshoes, meaning they were like actual shoes and covered more than just the underside of her hooves.

But I have to say, apart from all that, the most impressive part about her was her mane; it was a multicolored, bellowing aurora borealis. Words cannot hope to do it justice. It was set off by what was easily the most annoying part of her, her fur. It was white as milk and so bright that it seemed to shine with some inner hue. Looking at it irritated my eyes like direct sunlight.

I swallowed hard, and forced myself to walk down the steps slowly and steadily. With every step I slipped more into the role of the untouchable master sorceress, my face becoming an opaque mask bearing an ever superior half smile. I had become so used to this role over the years that not even the presence of an immortal was enough to break it down and make me show how terrified I really was.

Not even my voice shook, when I descended the last stair and greeted her. “Ave Princess Celestia. It is honor to be received by you personally.” I walked up to her until I was only two steps away -noticing with disdain that I had to look up to her- and knelt down before her, looking down onto the ground.

“Please rise, there is no need for such formalities.”

When I rose again, she was gracing me with a warm and welcoming smile.

“I take it you are Sapphire? The hero who saved the town and the life of one of my subjects with her magic?”

I made a deep bow. “The same. A human sorceress from the world of Dere, if that means anything to you, your grace.”

My first objective in this conversation was to find out if she could read my mind. If she could, I could spare me any more words and teleport out of this world right away. So I went on the offensive and thought about all the things she might dislike about me: That I was necromancer, that I had practically brought the demon who almost destroyed Ponyville here, and that I hated the color of her coat.

“I fear I have never heard of your world, and it has been well over a thousand years, since I have spoken to any human. Twilight Sparkle wrote that you seek a troll path back to your home world?”

The second objective was not to let any of the aforementioned slip. For that I had planned to keep this conversation as brief as I could, but the prospect of finding a troll path made me rethink that plan. “Yes, your grace. I am. I got ripped from my world and have been traveling through the limbo for weeks now. A troll path to my world, or any human world would be most helpful.”

She slowly shook her head. “It pains me to say this, but I can't help you in this matter. You see, when this world was still young, there was many a path open to other worlds, some human worlds among them. From those that traveled through that paths did my little ponies get the first glimpse of civilization. You can find many remnants of that times even today.

“But then came the reign of chaos. A powerful spirit by the name of Discord had been summoned to this world. Discord twisted everything that was good and pure, the very laws of nature were his plaything. The borders between several worlds -whose troll paths had been trodden so very wide- broke, and they merged with this one. Each one bringing its own sentient species with it. Dragons, griffons, changelings; beings so very different were forced to live in the same world. War was inevitable; the loss of lives was so very high.” She looked down and shook her head, even I could see that those memories were still hurting her.

“When me and my sister came to aid my little ponies, we closed off all paths leading to other worlds for good, before Discord's influence could spread to them. That included the paths to any human world; they are forever gone.”

I let a slight frown of displeasure show on my face. “I am sorry to hear that. But I thank you for taking your time and telling me this, your grace. I'll just have to leave this world by my own means then and continue my search. I doubt I will stay longer than a few more days”

“Please, you are our honored guest. Feel free to stay in this world as long as you like. Now please excuse me. I still have much to attend to. I will see you in the reception in two hours.”

I bowed down before her, and she vanished in a bright light, leaving me alone in the hall. I chuckled, this princess was unbelievable. First time a noble had ever asked me for my leave, even if it was rhetorical.


.oOo.


The reception was a boring affair. Lots of very important ponies who wanted to thank me personal to look good in front of the rabble, long speeches, useless medal. I won't waste any ink on that.

Much more interesting was Twilight's continued search for a cure to my decay. After two more days, she had finally found one.

“So tell me again about this Elements of Harmony.” Me and the five of Twilight's friends who had battled the demon were sitting in the library's main hall. “You say they are the most potent magic in this whole world, even more powerful than the princesses themselves. And they have been used to defeat Discord, when he reappeared only a few month ago, turned him into stone?”

Twilight nodded. “And they banished Nightmare Moon, bringing Princess Luna back after her thousand year exile. They cured her form the nightmare if you so will.”

“And you say they can cure me like that. Are you sure they will not turn me to stone too? The effect seems a bit random to me.”

She shook her head. “It's not like that at all. You see, me and my friends are the bearers of the elements, chosen by them because we represent the virtues of each element. When we use the elements, we guide them, channel their power to serve harmony the best way they can. So you see, we will just guide them to cure your curse, and then you will finally be healed!”

She was more excited about the concept of shooting the mightiest magic of this whole world at me than I could ever care for. Still, it sounded like a good chance, maybe the only chance I would ever have to get my mortal flesh back.

“Alright, it's worth a try. How soon can you have the Elements ready?”


.oOo.


We had traveled to Canterlot in the most amazing machine I have ever seen. It was like a chain of carriages all drawn over a road made out of two iron rails by a machine with the power of many horses. I had Twilight explain to me exactly how it worked all along the way. She was happy to tell me everything I wanted to know, much to the dismay of her friends, who didn't seem interested in engineering at all.

Truth be told, I understood almost nothing of what the unicorn told me. I decided it would be best to just label it as “science” and be done with it; no use in even trying to understand it and instead focus on my magic studies.

Canterlot itself is an amazing city. It was build onto the steep side of a mountain right above a waterfall, standing on platforms with impossibly long support beams. Every building seemed to be made out of stone, most even from marble. It reminded me of the ancient cities of the Tulamyds with their slender minaret towers and buildings that can only be reached by flying carpets. I wondered if the builders of Canterlot used summoned demons and elementals for their construction work too.  

But I have to say for the capital city it is surprisingly small. No comparison to great Bosperan. It makes me wonder how big this land actually is.

We got an escort of soldiers from the royal guard, the first armed ponies I had seen so far. They carried spears and wore bronze armor. I thought they served only representational purpose, because with the technologies I had seen I thought ponies should have far more advanced weapons. But maybe the spears and cuirasses were heavily enchanted.

We were brought to the royal palace, and I found the lack of thousands of stairs you have to climb just to get up to it quite refreshing. The palace was not the largest one I had ever seen, but it had quite the interesting architecture; high rooms with arched ceilings, many towers and overbearing use of colored glass windows. Some of them even showed important events from the land's history.

Luckily the Princess had considered my wish of having no official reception. Instead Celestia and her sister, whose name my amulet translated to Luna, welcomed us in an almost private parlor adjoined to the throne room. I gathered it was usually used to receive important envoys.    

The younger sister of Celestia, Luna, is just as impressive a sight as Celestia herself, but I found her much easier on the eye. She was of similar build, if a bit smaller, and she had a dark blue coat instead of the garish white one. But her mane was even more amazing than Celestia's. It was as long and bellowing in astral winds, but it was like a window through which I could see the stars, thousands of them, blinking and gleaming among the vast blackness of the firmament.

I made the princess a compliment on it, but it only produced giggles and laughter. I think it must have translated to something as stupid as : “Dear princess Luna, I really like your mane.” 

Luckily Celestia was not staying with us for long, for she had other state business to attend to; she left after sharing only one cup of tea with us. Keeping my act up under the scrutinizing eyes of two immortals, no matter how nice they pretended to be, was one of the hardest things I had ever done. My respect for professional diplomats grew tremendously that day. Princess Luna stayed; she would be our host and oversee the ritual herself.


I had just enjoyed my first sip of tea with only one Princess to worry about, when the pink and pink earth pony who was even named Pinkie Pie held some form of small cake right in front of my face. “You should try the cupcakes! They are super ultra delicious!” The smell of freshly baked wares -a symphony of buttery and sugary delight- alone made my mouth water.

I took the cake from her, but set it back on the table. “Thanks, but no thanks. I'll stay with the tea.”

Pinkie tilted her head to the side and mustered me. “Don't you like cake?”

I shook my head. “Actually I do, and I can smell that it is as tasty as you say. I just don't eat any sweets.”

“A lady has to watch out for her figure, I understand completely.” Rarity said and put down the piece of chocolate cake she had been eating.

The comment confused me a bit. I looked down on myself, holding my arms apart from my body to get a better look. “Well, I know I'm beyond skinny and should probably eat more, but my masters always told me that one has to be above the fleshly desires of her body. Only through disciplined ascesis is it possible to train the willpower required to wield higher magic.” That was a lesson I had ignored before that fateful night I lost my arm. Before that I had indulged in every debauchery that had struck my fancy, as it was common among the high society of Bosperan. Self discipline and ascesis was another lesson I have learned the hard way.

“What an old fashioned way to approach magic.” Princess Luna set down her cup of tea and leaned a little bit forward. “Every magic school in Equestria nowadays will teach you that a healthy mind resides in a healthy body. A proper diet and regular training is required to prepare the body for the stress of channeling greater amounts of arcane energy.”

A thoughtful expression came to her face. “Actually I haven't heard of ascesis since the times of Starswirl the Bearded. In those days sorcerers would summon spirits to do their bidding; they required great strength of mind to subjugate those spirits to their will.”

I figured if ponies didn't like necromancy, the summoning of ghost and demons was also frowned upon. I needed to change topic, fast. “Who is Starswirl the Bearded?”

“He was the greatest conjurer of the pre-classical area. He invented over two hundred spells. He even has his own wing in the Canterlot library.” Twilight came to my rescue without fail, she seemed to jump to any opportunity to display her vast hoard of knowledge.

“An accomplished wizard I see. Have you mastered any of his spells?” That question brought me five minutes of respite from the Princess' questions. But she was on to me, and I had to figure out what I could tell about myself without falling out of favor. And to tell something I had, for Luna directed the discussion my way whenever she could without outright interrogating me.

Eventually I decided to go into the offensive; tell so much useless information about my world that everyone would eventually tire of it. “And his son Bardo followed him on the throne. Under his rule the great temple to the goddess Rhaja was build. He expanded the network of imperial roads all the way to the far provinces of Garethia. I have to say I quite miss traveling on those roads. They are wide enough for two wagons to pass each other and are plastered with solid stone. You can easily make a third more way in a days travel than on the dirt roads the Tulamyds still use.”

By now Rainbow Dash had fallen asleep and Pinkie had started building a tower out of the tableware, the only one still listening intently was Twilight Sparkle. She had even started taking down notes. I smiled, it was about time to turn the tables. “But enough of my world, I don't want to bore you after all. There was this one thing I wanted to ask since I had seen the first of your species.

“What are these marks on ponies' flanks? I first took them for tattoos, but each pony seems to have one, and a unique one at that.”

“That are our cutie marks. They show what a pony's super special talent is!” Pinkie replied from behind her tower as soon as I had finished the question.

“So, they are some kind of tattoo, and everyone gets them? Is there are law for that or something?”

Twilight shook her head. “It's not like that at all. They are a differently colored parts of our fur. They magically appear once a pony finds out what its special talent is. It's no spell or anything, just a part of pony nature.”

“I see.” Now it was my part to take out my diarium and make notes. “So, you have a star with stars around it as a cute mark, what exactly is your special talent?”

Twilight smiled and held a hoof to her chest. “My special talent is magic! I got it when I passed my entrance exam for Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns.”

One by one the six friends began to tell me about their cutie marks after only little encouragement, and how they had gotten them. Nothing of consequence, but I found their talents and stories quite fitting on how I had experienced the six of them so far.

In the end only Princess Luna was left. “And you Princess? You got a moon sickle as your cutie mark. Let me make an educated guess: Your special talent is moving the moon across the firmament.”

“Indeed it is. I control the course of the moon and stars in the night sky.”

“Interesting,” I said without looking up from taking notes to hide my surprise. This made four immortals I knew of that claimed to control the moon, though the first one I had spoken in person. “I'd very much like to see this!”

“Then so you shall. You can join me on my balcony in the evening after the ritual is completed. All of can join me if you want to.”

Me and the others were just voicing our most thankful acceptance of the offer, when a servant entered the room. “Your majesty, the ritual room has been prepared.”

“Excellent! Now, Mistress Sapphire, my little ponies, we can go and use the elements any time you are ready.”

“Great!” I stood up from the pillow I had been sitting on. “I'd like to go on with this immediately if you don't mind. I can't wait to feel the wind on my arm again.”


.oOo.


The ritual room was in a high tower at a far wing at the very edge of the castle; just as they often were in my world, to prevent damage to the main building, should the tower explode. It was a large, circular room with an arched dome and high glass windows on all sides that let the the setting sun flood the room in orange light.

The elements were already there, resting on a marble stand on silken pillows. They turned out to be in the form of jewelry, five golden necklaces with different gemstones set into them, and a golden tiara. Twilight Sparkle levitated the necklaces onto each of her friends and put on the tiara herself. The six of them took position in a half circle around the center of the room, the setting sun behind them.

I gathered all of my desperate courage and forced myself to walk into the center of the circle, one step at a time. The Princess stayed behind, observing the whole ritual from a distance.

“Sapphire, are you ready?” Twilight Sparkle asked.

I took a deep breath to calm myself. My heart raced, the hairs on my skin stood on end and I felt hot and cold at the same time. I slowly nodded. “I'm ready, please go on.” I hoped that my translation amulet would keep the shaking out of my voice.

Twilight looked once again to her friends on her left and right. “Alright girls, ready when you are.” When all five of them had nodded, Twilight's eyes focused back on me, then she closed them and took a breath to collect herself. “Let's go.”

The other five closed their eyes too and all six of them concentrated; the gems on the Elements began to glow. Ever brighter their light became, until it outshone the setting sun. An astral wind picked up and blew through the room, tugging at my hair and robe. The very air around Twilight and her friends began to shine white, and the they were lifted from the ground. Then suddenly they opened their eyes again, and they were ablaze with astral energy.

The light around the ponies became so bright I had to shield my eyes with my hand. I felt my hair standing on its edge, my toes tickled. I wanted to run away, but my legs wouldn't move. Then a great rainbow shot forth from the Elements, arching towards me. The colors engulfed me, my body became weightless and everything around me was white light.

Then the world went dark.
> Chapter 6: Not really a Choice
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------



Chapter 6: Not really a Choice


As you turn another page and start reading, you notice that the hoofwriting has changed dramatically. It's almost impossible to decipher the scribble that goes all over the page in big, smeared letters. Only on the following pages does it slowly but steadily become readable and finally as neat and clean as it used to again.

I could write there was blackness all around me, but that would be a ludicrously inadequate description. There was just nothing, a so profound absence of anything, that space and time only seemed to be a distant memory. This nothingness included myself. I had no perception of my body, I had no concept of my own self. All that was left was pure consciousness, my spirit, my soul if you will call it so.

There was no way to tell how long this dark oblivion lasted. Worlds could have been born and died and be born again in the meantime, or it could have lasted only a heartbeat.

But I do know that it ended at last, when Twilight Sparkle appeared before me. Not in the form of something physical, not ever curious eyes, not her face or voice; what appeared before me was what Twilight Sparkle was, the pure essence of her being.

“The Elements have weighed your soul, Hela Regian Mortium.” There was no voice that spoke those words, no amulet that botched up the translation, just the very meaning of her words conveyed to my very soul. “We have weighed you against harmony, and we have found you lacking!”

Her presence vanished and that of Applejack appeared before me. “You cheat and lie whenever it serves your purpose, there is not a grain of honesty in you.”

She too disappear and made room for Fluttershy. “You have no respect for any living creature, you maim and kill anything and anyone without remorse whenever you want. There is no kindness in your heart.”

Next up was Rarity. “You have never ever given something freely without calculating what you would get in return. You only ever think of your own benefit, you are a vain and petty woman.”

Rainbow Dash crashed into my consciousness like a storm. “Your only loyalty lies with yourself. You would murder those who call you friend if it served your goals. You know no friends, only people who don't want to kill you.”

“And you didn't eat the cake!” Of course it was Pinkie who broke out of the line. I had the feeling of the other Elements giving her stern looks. “What? What did you expect me to say? Alright, I'll try again.” I perceived something that must have been the mental equivalent of someone dramatically clearing her throat. “You are no fun lady!” And after that there was a metaphysical slapping of faces.

“But we can see that you are capable of all those things you consider as weakness.” At the end it was Twilight again to speak for all of them. “And since we  are not without mercy, we decided to give you a second chance.” Her presence and that of the rest began to vanish from my perception. “Use it wisely Hela Regina Mortium.” The last words were but a whisper. “It will be your last.”


.oOo.


I woke with a start, and the world came back, crushing down on me with way too much light, way to much sound, way too much stink and way too much backache from sleeping in the wrong position. I let myself sink back into my pillow and raised my right hand to rub my face. But instead I was smacked in the eye by a heavy slab. Or rather I smacked myself in the eye with a slab, for I could feel myself touching something with my hand.

No, hand was the wrong word.

As my eyes slowly gained focus, I saw an almost black furred leg, with a blue shine to it and a hoof at its end, stretch out in front of me. I quickly lifted my other hand, to be greeted by a bleached skeletal leg with another hoof at its end.

I groaned and let my limbs fall back onto the bed. My sight was immediately interrupted again by the face of Twilight Sparkle. She had a look on her face I could not place. Relieved? Guilty? A mixture of both? She said something, but all I heard was the horsy gibberish the ponies called a language.

I sighed and looked around myself. All of my clothes were stacked on a nightstand next to my bed, my translation amulet among them. I thought about putting it around my neck, and so it did. Actually it was engulfed in a green aura and just floated onto me, but my mind was too busy with a more pressing matter to pay any attention to that small detail.

I gave Twilight a stern look. “Why I'm I a pony?” The words came out as incomprehensible mumbling; courtesy of my new stupid pony mouth, with flat, stupid, useless teeth, stupid lips and stupid tongue. Twilight could understand me anyway, which at least told me something about the amulet I had been wondering about; it translated what I wanted to say, the thoughts, not the actual sounds.

“Oh, I'm so sorry, I just don't know what went wrong. Instead of curing your arm, the Elements turned you into a pony. Even the princesses don't know why that happened. I'm so sorry.”

I had to force myself not to scream at her. “It's alright, I was once shrunk down to the size of a mouse and had to battle my way through hungry cats. This is no stranger than this.” But the instant I had said that I knew it to be a lie. “At least not by much. Just turn me back now, and everything will be fine!”

Twilight Sparkle didn't reply right away, she just looked down onto her hooves, averting my gaze. I felt the edge of a panic coming on. “You can turn me be back, right? Just use the Elements again and make them do what you want this time.”

She slowly shook her head. “We already tried that when you were still unconscious. I researched every spell and magic I know of, but not even the princesses know how to undo this magic, I'm sorry. . .” I stared at her wide eyed, unable to say anything, unable to think anything, but I felt a murderous rage beginning to burn in me. “. . . but there is now way turn you back; you will have to stay a pony.”

“Mirror!” I forced myself upright in the bed and almost hit her face, when she didn't jump at my demand right away. “Mirror!” Twilight rushed out of the room and came back moments later, bearing a handheld mirror in her telekinesis. I yanked it out of her grip and held it in front of my face; again it was engulfed in a green aura, again I payed that no heed.

Looking back at me from the mirror was an angry unicorn. Her big eyes had the same green color as mine, her coat was the color of my hair, while her long flowing hair was of my favorite color; a dark and vibrant blue. She was way too skinny to look healthy and had a pronounced snout not unlike the princesses or those model, whose pictures Rarity had shown me. I had to cackle at that thought; in a way I still had those classical, noble features I had been proud of.

But the crazy merriment vanished as fast as it had come. I let myself fall back into the bed. The mirror slipped from my grip, fell to the flour and shattered. I didn't care. I didn't care about anything.

Twilight's face once again came into my field of vision, pouting anxiously. She opened her mouth to say something, but I cut her short. “Out!” She hesitated, didn't leave right away. “Out, now! Leave me alone!”

And so she did.


.oOo.


When I met Twilight Sparkle again, I was watching the night sky from a platform on the highest tower of the castle. She approached me from behind with careful steps, but kept her distance as not to startle me. I may have been leaning over the railing quite a bit.

“I have been wondering,” I said without turning around. “Can your newly born children stand on their legs and walk right away?”

She took a few moments, before she answered. “They can.”

“And can unicorns cast spells at that age?”

“Yes they do, and winged ponies can fly, though they lose those abilities once they learn talking.”

I nodded. “Just what I thought. You see, I woke up about an hour ago, and I was no longer in my room but up here; I had been sleepwalking. But as soon as I woke up and contemplated what I was doing, I stumbled and fell. I couldn't even stand on this four stupid legs. But know what? As soon as I stopped thinking about what I was doing, I managed to stand up and walk around. Took me only about half an hour to get used to it.

“It's different with the spell casting though. I remember I had been doing it right after I woke up earlier, but now I can't levitate anything, no matter how much or how little I think about it.”

I heard her taking a careful step forward. “Sapphire? What are you doing up here?”

“I'm waging my options Twilight Sparkle, I'm waging my options.” I looked down, saw the rest of the palace and the sleeping city of Canterlot spread beneath me. Falling from this height would kill me outright, even if I were unlucky enough to land feet first, my head would still be smashed on the ground before I'd notice the pain.

“You see, as far as I'm concerned, I have two options. On the one hand, I could jump. . .”

“Don't!”

“. . . and die. But I'm not sure what would happen afterward. Would Thargunitoth, or some other immortal from my world come and take my soul and do with it, whatever it is the gods do with the souls they gather, or, since I'm a pony in this world now, would I be reborn like you people believe. A blank slate, a new start. Maybe this time around my parents won't sell me to a bunch of horny old men and their stupid magic circle so they can feed their other five children.”

I turned halfway around and finally looked at Twilight; I saw fear in her eyes, guilt, hope. I had no idea why she would care about my fate, why anyone would, yet here she was, trying to save my worthless life. “One the other hand I could come with you and live the rest of my life as the only human ever turned into a pony; live the rest of my life alone in this world where friendship and harmony seems to be a religion, become resentful and bitter and then die anyway.”

Twilight took another step forward and reached her hoof towards me. “Please, we can do this together. I can show you around, teach you how this world works, how to be a pony. You could even stay at my place if you want to. And you won't ever have to be alone, I promise!”

I looked up to the sky again. “So I can choose between death and an uncertain future, or life and a bunch promises. Oh well.” I looked back at her. “That's not really that hard a choice, is it? And I really do like to live. But!” I looked back up again. “I just spotted your rainbow friend hiding in a cloud, waiting to swoop in and save the day.” A wide grin spread on my face. “And we don't want to disappoint her, do we?”

And with that I jumped.


.oOo.


I have to say, of all the irrational, rash decisions I have made in my life, that jump had been among the rashest. Not only did it take about an hour and Twilight to convince Rainbow Dash, the palace guards and medici, that I was no danger to myself and had indeed known that the winged pony would catch me, but Rainbow was also convinced afterward that she was no longer in my debt.

I will admit that getting carried in her strong hooves and flying through the air at impossible speed had been an exhilarating experience. Furthermore I came to the conclusion that the winged ponies use their inborn magic for locomotion, namely flying. It is all but impossible that a creature could fly, and fly that fast, with such a tiny wingspan. I wonder how earth ponies use their magic.


I took Twilight up on her offer and went back to Ponyville with her the next morning. The princesses had offered me stay at the palace too, but I was happy to put some distance between me and the immortals.

The unicorn was eager to teach me anything I'd ever want to know about ponies, but after a brief show around town, all that I was interested in was learning the levitation spell every unicorn seemed to know, to make up for my lost hands.

We started lessons on the day after we came back, immediately after breakfast. We went up to her solar for the lessons, while Spike remained downstairs to address the library and any visitors, so we wouldn't be disrupted.

We were seated on her bed, the curtains were drawn, the room only dimly lit; everything to make me comfortably and make it easier for me to focus on the arcane flows. A purple ball was sitting between us as an exercise target.

“Alright, since you are experienced with casting spells, I think you will know the very basics of tapping your magic energies and focusing them throughout your body.” I nodded. “Good, than I think this shouldn't take long at all; for you know, levitation is not so much a real spell as an inborn ability every unicorn has, a form free use of arcane power.

“Let me explain the process step by step. First you have to tap into your arcane reserve and draw as much power as you need to move the object. Then focus this power in your horn. Now you have to visualize the object you want to move and the way you want it to move,
and. . .” Her horn glowed, a magic aura engulfed the ball and it rose from the ground. “It will move the way you expected it to.”

She lowered the ball onto the bed again, and let go of it. “Here, you try, I'll guide your through every step.”

“Tap into you arcane energies, visualize it if you have to; imagine a bright ball of light within yourself.” I didn't really have to use visualization for that anymore, using magic was as natural to me as breathing, but I closed my eyes and did as she told me anyway to be on the save side. “Now imagine a single ray of light coming from that ball.”

“This is easy.”

“Take that light, and guide it through your body and into your horn.”

I frowned. “There might be a problem with that.” I guided the arcane flow into my hands, as I was used to, and they dissipated in colorful sparks of light coming from my fore hooves. I looked up to see Twilight blink at my hooves in confusion. “My astral body is still that of a human, it doesn't have a horn!”

“Huh, I hadn't thought about that, but yes! Of course it is. You know what that means.”

I sighed, Twilight beamed and clapped her hooves, and both of us spoke at the same time: “Yoga lessons / full body tickling.”

We looked at each other in surprise. “Let's do whatever you said!” I said before she could ask me about the method I had mentioned. I should have known there was an alternative for a young girl to get an astral image of her body, that didn't require her being tickled by a wrinkled old man with a goose feather!

I knew the word yoga from my studies of Tulamydian magic, but I didn't have a concept of what it actually was. It turned out to be a combination of contorting one's body into positions it was not meant to assume, and meditating on how uncomfortable that made you feel.

Or that's what it was like for me; I think I did it wrong. But it did serve its purpose. After a long day of self torture, I had somehow gotten used to have a pony's body, and had formed a workable astral self image of it.

We were once again sitting on the bed, the ball between us. By now night had fallen, and with it came the familiar ease I had at magic during nighttime. It was almost dark in the room, the only light source was the silvery glow from the moon shining through the window.

“Okay now, just as we practiced. Focus on your astral energies.” I took the tiniest bit of my arcane reserves. “Channel it through your body, and into your horn.” I imagined it flowing from the center of my being, and into the unfamiliar new appendage, concentrating it at the very tip. “Very good!” Even through my closed eyes I could see a light coming from my horn. “No, focus on the ball, imagine it in your mind's eye, visualize how you want to move it. Now, release the magic.”

In my minds eye the ball floated between me and Twilight, rotating around itself. But when I opened my eyes, it only wiggled a bit on the mattress.

“You did it!” Twilight smiled, and applauded, but I was not satisfied.

“I think I can do better, let me try again. This time with a bit more power.” I skipped the visualization of my astral source part and just focused on gathering some in my horn, once again I imagined the ball floating between us, spinning around itself.

I released the energy, and indeed the ball rose. It hovered between us and began to spin slowly. But then it was distorted in the green aura of my magic, and finally torn apart. It burst with a loud bang.

I laughed sheepishly. “I think that went pretty well, what do you think?”

Twilight levitated a shred of the torn ball from her nose with a somewhat unreadable expression and tossed it into a trashcan. “I think we need a sturdier ball.”


.oOo.


I spend a few more days at the Library, until I had mastered levitation to a point, where I could manipulate a single object almost as well as I used to with my hands, and knew the basics of levitating multiple objects, then I moved out.

I couldn't help but pick up a few particularities about pony culture along the way, the most interesting being weather management. I saw it myself on a very snowy day. Suddenly all of the winged ponies in town gathered under Rainbow Dash's supervision and cleared the sky by simply pushing the clouds out of the way.

I was of course very astonished by this discovery and had Twilight explain everything to me. It is some of the inborn magic ability of a winged pony. They can manipulate clouds with their hooves, even stand on them as if they were solid objects. Furthermore they can generate wind simply by flying fast in the direction they want it to blow.

With this they make the weather all across the land. There is nothing random to it, and no angry gods they have to appease so they won't ruin their corps. It's all efficiently planned and organized beforehand according to a schedule worked out to maximize plant growth and population's comfort. Knowing a week ahead when you would have a nice overcast day to go out, simply by looking at a schedule, was an unusual experience, but one I wouldn’t ever want to live without again.

So I could go out on nice overcast days, I had Rarity make some new clothes for me; not only for warmth, but mostly to hide my disfigurement. So to a pair, no make that two pairs, a quadruple, of white boots, I wore long, black socks all the way to my shoulders and hips under my new white cloak. I would have worn  only one -over my skeletal limb- but Rarity said that this would only draw attention to it. And of course she was right, so I never left the house with less than four socks.

I moved from the library to a small house a bit outside of the village, at the edge of what they called the Everfree Forest. The place was generally shunned by ponies, because they were afraid of the way nature behaved there. As they told me it was completely unnatural; animals cared for themselves, clouds moved, all on their own. Living near it made me feel a little more at home.

The proximity to the Everfree, and the great unkempt hedge around my new resident's proper, meant that I only got view visitors. And that was just what I needed, for I had work to do, and I didn't want to be interrupted. For now the crown granted me an allowance for my rent and other expenses, but I hated being dependable and in dept to anyone. I had already come up with a plan to make money of my own, enough to pay back what I had been given and more. And for that plan, I needed some time to work uninterrupted.    

There was one pony however who just wouldn't let me be alone. I think Twilight had kept her at bay, while I still stayed at her place. But once I had moved, the pink menace came upon me. So far I had barely avoided four “Welcome to Ponyville” parties, one Pinkie had set up in my own house, while I was asleep. I put triple deadlocks on my door after that.

I guess it was her useless special talent of making people around her smile, that drove her to wanting to make me feel welcome, and shower me with -what she probably thought were cheerful- surprises.

I was walking home from buying some groceries at the market, when she ambushed me. As I entered my front yard through a gap in the thick hedge -where at one time a gate must have been-, I heard a bang and was suddenly showered in colorful sprinkles and blinded by garish decorations, that had appeared seemingly out of nowhere all over the place. Pinkie Pie jumped out of a cake and blew a party whistle into my face. “Surprise!”

It was the fifth time she had thrown me a welcome party; this time no pony, she had invited, had come; it was just me and her. The silence after she had blown the whistle was almost touchable.

I shook my head to clear sprinkles from my hair that had stuck there. “Pinkie, what are you doing here?”

“Duh, this is your Welcome to Ponyville Party! It will be a blast, there are drinks, and cake and games, and music. . .” I shoved a hoof into her mouth to shut her up. 

“I told you before, I don't want a party! I don't want to make friends to anyone, I don't want to dance, I don't eat cake and I don't drink!” Though I have to admit, that drinking myself senseless had seemed like a great idea after I had become a pony. But the fact that I couldn't lift a bottle without holding it in my mouth had kept me from indulging in that idea.

I let go of the meddling pony and started to move around her to my house; she followed me, bouncing at my side.

“But you always look so gloom, like you are really lonely and could use a good friend, and hugs, and cake. Please, I just want to make you smile.”

I stopped in my tracks and turned to face her, leaning forward, almost thrusting my horned forehead into her face. “Now listen to me, and listen carefully! I was ripped from my world and thrust into this madness you call your home. Everyone I knew is either dead, or I won't ever see them again, because I can't ever return to my world.

“And you know why I can't? Because your stupid Elements of Harmony turned me into a stupid pony! Even if I were to find a way home, I wouldn't have much fun being there. They would view me as a curiosity, catch me and put me in a cage. Some rich bastard would buy me for a ridiculous sum, so he could look at me and parade me in front of his friends for their amusement. But that would grow old sooner or later, and then they will seek new ways for me to entertain them.”

I had talked myself into a rage. Pinkie tried to get away from me, but I followed, driving her back step by step. “They will take turns raping me! Every one of them, and they will have animals mount me for their entertainment. Then they will try to breed me. But that won't work, and once they grow tired of me, they will skin me alive, cook me and serve me for dinner.”

I had forced her all the way back to the hedge, she sat on her backside, looking up at me in horror. I absentminded noticed that I was about half a head taller than her; that meant I was still a bit taller than the average woman, so no change there from my natural form.

“But they will not stop once I'm dead, oh no! My bones will be sold to the highest bidding necromancer, and he will raise me as his undead thrall, to parade me before his circle. The rarest undead specimen in the entire world, the only undead unicorn pony in all of Dere. And you know what worst of all of that is?”

By now she was a shivering pile of misery, cowering on the ground; I think her mane had visibly lost some of its absurd curly volume. “With the curse still on me, I don't even know if I would die from all of that, or be conscious throughout, my soul forever bound to this damned decaying shell!”

After this outbreak it took me several deep breaths to calm down. Pinky was still cowering before me. I gently touched her quivering forelegs, she hid her head under; I stroked them, coaxed her to show me her face. When she did, I put a hoof under her chin and forced her to look up into my eyes. “So you see, I have all reason to be gloomy. Now be a good pony and stop bothering me. I promise I will smile once you are gone.”

“OK” she sobbed and dragged herself out of my yard. And don't you know, I really did smile when I saw her crawl away.

After that there were no more surprise parties for me. But I don't think she ever gave up; she just changed her approach. I had the strange feeling that someone was working in the background, doing her best to explain my eccentricities to the peasants, doing her best to make me feel welcome in a town I don't think has any reason to welcome me.

> Chapter 7: Winter Wrap-up
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------


Chapter 7: Winter Wrap-up


There was a knock on my front door. I tried to ignore it, but of course it was no use. My house was too far out of town for anyone who comes here to give up easily. I groaned, left my study and headed for the door. I quickly undid the three deadlocks and yanked it open. “What?”

“Good morning Sapphire, I hope I didn't wake you.” Twilight Sparkle greeted me with a cheerful smile. She was wearing some kind of multicolored vest, and Spike was riding on her back. I glanced past her and saw that the sun had barely risen past the horizon.

“No, you didn't wake me. Actually I was just about to go to bed. What do you want?”

“It's winter wrap-up day! I came to get you, so you won't miss it.”

I raised an eyebrow. “Winter wrap-up? Is that some kind of pony spring cleaning? When is spring anyway? You have spring in this world, don't you?”

“Spring is scheduled for tomorrow, that's why we have to clean up winter today. You know, clean up the clouds, the snow, get everything ready for spring.”

“Uhu. . . wish you fun then!” In slammed the door shut and turned around to go to the bathroom, when a call through the door made me stop.

“Everyone will be there! It will look bad on you, if you are the only one not coming.”

I opened the door again and frowned at the smug grin in the unicorn's face. “You know me way too well. Remember me to kill you once we're done with this winter wrap-up thing.” She just chuckled at my antics; she was used to my dark humor by now. I turned around to go to the bathroom again, but left the door open this time. “I will need some time to get ready, make yourself at home.” I made sure that the door to my study was locked as I passed it.

Twilight came in and closed the door behind her. “It's alright, it's still three quarters of an hour until the meeting at town hall, take your time.” She knew me much to well indeed.

A brushed my mane, tail and coat, using three brushes at the same time, bandaged my left front leg and put on my socks. I put a few things I thought I might need into my slim, brown saddlebags on my way to the kitchen and slung them onto my back. I quickly wolfed down some dried fruits and nuts, and drank the last of the tea, I had made earlier that night. I grimaced; it was cold and bitter by now. I regrouped with Twilight and Spike at the door, where I grabbed my cloak from the rack, flung it around my shoulders and stepped into my boots. “I'm ready, lets get this over with.”


.oOo.


We still had more than enough time to get to the town hall, so we walked there side by side in a moderate pace.

“So, what have you been up to in the three weeks, since you moved out? I haven't seen you around.”

“I was busy relearning my own spells. You know, my spells require spoken words and hand gestures. I can cast most of them without either, but it's much harder. So I had to learn how to actually speak my own language with my new mouth and figure out a way to do the gestures with hooves.”

Spike gave me a sympathetic look. “That must have been hard!”

I shrugged, or I would have if it were possible to shrug while walking on four legs. “I managed. Only the spells that require the use of actual fingers still give me headaches. I pretty much have to relearn those from scrap.” Luckily that included only very few of my spells. I kept to myself that my most trusted combat spell, the Frigifaxius was among them. I also kept to myself that the first spell I relearned had been the one I knew best: Resurrectio infinitus, a spell to raise undead thralls. It would have been too complicated to explain what manner of new pet I kept in my study anyhow.

“But it's great that you did manage to relearn you spells!” Twilight's eyes were sparkling in excitement. “I have never seen anyone cast spells the way you do. That spell you used to banish the demon? I'd love to learn that too!”

I had to laugh at that statement and shook my head. “I bet, but that's quite impossible.” I looked her in the eyes. I could already see the disappointment in them, and I wanted her to now my next words were sincere. I wouldn't have it that anyone came to steal my vademecum -my spellbook- in hope of learning Bosporan magic. “I told you before, it would be hard for me to teach my spells to a human sorceress of a different school; teaching it to a unicorn would be nigh impossible. It would take years to teach my way of conducting magic, preferably from a young age so the mind can still adapt to new concepts easily.

“So you see, even if the code of my magic circle would not forbid me from teaching our spells to outsiders, I still couldn't do it.”

“Ow,” Twilight looked disappointed anyway, but I think she knew I was telling the truth. “Your magic school forbids you from teaching spells?”

I nodded. “We take vows to seek knowledge, to keep knowledge, and to forsake all worldly pleasures to achieve greater magical powers.”

“Why would you keep knowledge to yourselves? Isn't knowledge something that should be shared with everyone?”

I gave an amused chuckle. “Oh, you can be so naïve sometimes Twilight Sparkle. Don't you know that knowledge is power, and that you don't share power? Or do you think the Princess has taught you everything she knows?”

“Celestia would never keep secrets from me!”

“That so? Then tell me, do you know how she came to be the immortal, all powerful ruler of this land she is?”

Twilight opened her mouth to say something, but it stuck in her throat. She thought a moment what to answer and made another attempt, but once again caught herself before she spoke one word. She looked down at the road before her hooves. I had clearly given her something to think about.


.oOo.


Every single citizen of Ponyville was gathered at the plaza in front of the town hall. The mayor held a boring speech about everyone doing their best, together we can do this and such, then she gave the word to Twilight. The unicorn assigned task to every group, and reminded them of keeping to the plan, then everything should be done on schedule.

When everyone went to do their assigned tasks, I stayed behind and waited for Twilight to have time for me again. “So, what shall I do?” I asked when she had finished speaking with the last stragglers.

“You can join every team you want to. Let me show you around. I'm sure we find something.”

“Alright, lead the way.”

We headed towards Rarity's place. All along the way I saw ponies doing different chores to clean up the town. Some were standing on the roofs, clearing them of snow, some did the same on the ground. Ponies were busy carting around supplies and handing out tools. Now that I think about it, handing out tools doesn't make much sense when talking about ponies, oh well. Overhead winged ponies were gathering to head south, or busy clearing the sky from clouds. Much to my dismay. I raised my cloak's hood over my head, as soon as the first garish rays of the spring sun irritated my eyes.

At Rarity's shop several tables had been set up, with straw, twigs and ribbons neatly stacked onto them. Several ponies, including the fashionista herself were busy crafting small baskets from them or something.

“Hey Rarity! How are the nests coming along?” Twilight greeted her friend, as we approached.

“Oh, hello Twilight. And oh my, if that pony with you, hiding her lovely face isn't Sapphire. One could think you are hiding from the sun.”

“I am! Salve Rarity. What are you doing there?”

“Oh my, it's your first winter wrap-up in Ponyville isn't it?”

“First winter wrap-up in general. Twilight is showing me around.”

“Ah, I remember last year, when Twilight was new in town herself. Poor thing looked so lost. And now look at her in that vest. All team coordinator, organizing the wrap-up as if she had never done anything else.”

Twilight blushed and waved the comment off with a hoof. “It's nothing really, just doing what I'm good at.”

“So Rarity,” is said. “What is it exactly what you are doing?”

“I'm making bird's nests.”

“What?”

“Bird's nests! When the winged ponies bring back the southern birds, they'll need a place to live and lay their eggs.”

“Don't birds usually do that on their own?” The surprised stares that statement earned me from the two unicorns wasn't promising. “You are telling me, that birds in this world can't build their own nests?”

“Only those living in untamed wilderness do so; in the Everfree Forest for example.”

I shook my head in disbelieve and started walking away. “There is no way I will do this! Salve Rarity.”

Twilight excused herself and hurried to catch up with me. “What's wrong with making bird's nests? Won't you at least try?”

I sighed. “No, I won't support animals that are either too stupid or lazy to fare for themselves.”

“That's horrible! Don't animals need help where you come from?”

I shook my head. “My world is like the Everfree Forest, only everywhere and all the time. The only animals humans care about are those we domesticated, and I think most of those would fare quite well if left alone as well.”

I saw her shudder, as she tried to imagine Dere. “I can't imagine living in a world like that. How do you even survive in a place like that?”

“By being more powerful than anything that wants to eat you.”

“More powerful than anything?”

“Yes,” a ferocious grin came to my lips. “And we do have dragons in our world too.”


After we had walked for a bit, we came across a frozen lake. Pinkie Pie was moving over its surface on some kind of boots with blades under their soles; they left cutting marks wherever she went.

“Oh, why don't you try this out? We glide over the ice so it breaks along the lines and melts faster.”

I stopped and watched Pinkie practically dance over the lake. She made it look easy and was smiling from ear to ear. It looked like a lot of fun.  

Yet I shook my head. “Pass. I only learned walking a month ago; I would only ridicule myself trying to glide over the ice like she does.”

Twilight looked at her hooves sheepishly and blushed. I think she knew exactly what I was talking about. “Alright, just let me quickly check on Pinkie, then we move on.”

I kept my distance while the unicorn talked to her friend; I didn't have any desire to talk with the annoying party pony.


We moved on soon after, this time heading for Fluttershy's place. The timid winged pony lived in a cottage near the Everfree Forest, actually not far from where I lived. But where my place looked foreboding and haunted, her cottage had a welcoming, homely feel to it.

We heard her, long before we saw her; she was ringing a hand held. . . make that mouth held, belle, standing at the entrance of an animal den. She poked her head into the hole afterward, saying something that was lost in the earth. When we walked up to her, a family of hedgehogs left the den and went for a morning walk or whatever. The pony looked after them, a dreamy smile on her face.

“Hey Fluttershy! How is waking the hibernating animals coming along?”

“Hello Twilight! It's going great, but I still have so much to do. And hello to you too, Sapphire!”

I greeted her with a nod. “Salve Fluttershy. You need any help waking the animals? I think this is finally something I can do.”

“Oh, that would be great! Here, take this belle. Try the burrows over there, I haven't been to any of them yet.”

I took the belle in my telekinesis and headed for the den with a confident smirk. When I got there, I levitated it right to the entrance and shook it with force. “Come out of there you lazy slacks! Sleep time is over!”

I stepped to the side, and smiled proudly, as a family of mice jumped out of the burrow and scattered into every direction in a headless panic. “See? Nothing too it.”

“Oh my goodness! My little darlings, wait!”	 Fluttershy went after the mice in a hurry and vanished in a snow covered bush.

“Right. . .” Twilight looked after her, biting her lower lip. “I think we'd better move on.”


From Fluttershy, we circled back towards Ponyville across the town's plentiful hills and fields. A whole army of earth ponies was busy clearing the snow with some kind of plow cart they could strap into that had a large shield in front to clear away the snow. Others came after them, planting seeds and watering them. Why they would water the ground after they had cleared away the snow, that would water the ground anyway if let melt, and cleared the snow in the first place, was beyond me.

Among her legions, Applejack stood on a hill and directed her troops like a centurion. She saw us approaching way before we came to the hill and waved at us.

“Howdy you two! How can I help you?” she asked, when we finally arrived.

“Hi Applejack! I see the plowing and planting is coming along well. I was just showing Sapphire here around, seeing if we can find anything she can help with.”

I looked around the hill with a frown. This looked like peasant's work, not something a sorceress should lower herself to, yet to my surprise I spotted one of the richest shop owners from town working one of the plows. That made me think. If even a rich and respected man such as he did manual labor on this day, instead of just paying someone to do it for him, it must be something that is really expected from every citizen of the town.

I sighed, as a master sorceress, I couldn't possibly stand by idle, while a spoiled merchant worked the fields. It would look bad on my entire profession. “I think I can plant seeds. That looks easy enough.”

Applejack shook her head. “Sorry sugar cube, that's something you can't do.”

“Oh please, do I have to be nice to the plants and talk to them, so they grow faster or any other stupid nonsense?”

“No Sapphire, what Applejack meant to say is, that only earth ponies should plant the seeds. Everything an earth pony plants grows much better than anything planted by other ponies. It's part of their inborn magic.”

I levitated my diarium from my saddlebags and made a quick note about that. “Interesting. What else can earth ponies do with their magic?”

Bonus gave me a bemused look, but answered after briefly gathering herself. “Well, apart from growing plants, earth ponies are the best at working with their hooves, handling tools and all that. And we are also plenty strong and though. Can buck apple trees all day long, if I have to.”

I noted all of it down, then replaced my diarium and looked up. “Alright, I will try working one of those plows then.” I started heading for a free one at the base of the hill. Bonus and Twilight followed me.

“You sure about this sugar cube? No offense, but you don't look very strong to me.”

I caught myself giving a very inhuman like snort. “Please, I'm a master sorceress. This is nothing to me!”

Twilight and Bonus shared concerned looks, but didn't stop me. “If you say so.”

I strapped myself into the contraption, then took a deep breath to center myself. I concentrated on the magic formula of the spell I was about to cast, laid my left fore hoof onto the biceps on my right leg, and spoke the formula of “Attributo!”

I immediately felt the magic surge through my body, empowering me. I smiled confidently and leaned into the plow. It began to move forward, easily at first, but it got a lot harder when the snow began to pile up in front of it, it was still manageable though. I looked back at the other two with a triumphant grin. “Snowplow Sapphire is ready for duty centurion! Now where shall I put all of that snow? And who is going to be my planter?”

Applejack quickly looked around. “Ah yes, will do that myself. Let me quickly grab a bag of seeds.”

Twilight walked up to me and the plow, and mustered the two of us with big eyes. “You are not using a come to life spell on the plow, are you?”

I shook my head. “No, I'm using magic to enhance my own bodily abilities. Not quite that different from the natural magic of earth ponies I'd guess. It's not a form of transformation that grants me more muscles or anything, just pure magic strength.”

“That's amazing. How much stronger are you?”

I gave the plow another testing push. “About twice as strong I'd say.”

Applejack came back, wearing green saddlebags with an onion embroidered on them. “Alright, I'm good to go. Head for that formation of plows over there, we'll line up with them.”

“Understood my centurion, right away my centurion!” I could see Jack roll her eyes at my antics, as I looked back over my shoulder at Twilight. “Thanks for your help Twilight. I guess I see you later!”

She nodded. “My pleasure. We'll all meet up in front of the town hall again when the wrap-up is done. See you then! You to Applejack, have fun!”


I can't say I remember the last time I had done any manual labor. It was probably before my parents sold me to the circle, for we had undead servants at the tower, as well as slaves. As such I was quite unused to it. Back at the tower I would probably not have lasted more than half an hour, even with the spell. But I had traveled deserts and climbed mountains since then, I was in better shape than I ever had been, and I knew how to pace myself. We plowed the field all day long, with little rest in between to eat, and -in my case- renew the spell. It was strenuous, maybe the most exhausting thing I had ever done, but my stubbornness kept me going, and somehow I managed to pull through.

I wouldn't go as far as say, that the work had been fun, but it wasn't as mind-bogglingly monotone as I had imagined it would be. There was something about working in a group, seeing how everyone around me was working just as hard as I did, how our combined effort slowly but surely cleared every field of snow, that I found oddly rewarding.

And then there was the singing. Once we had worked us into a steady pace as a group, the ponies around me began to sing. Only one at first, but everyone else soon picked up the song, and they were singing and smiling as they labored on the field. My amulet translated the words of the song, but in translation everything that made it a song, every rhyme, rhythm or melody, was lost. I stashed my amulet in my saddlebags after listening to the cacophony for only a few minutes.

Without the magical aid, I couldn't understand the words anymore, but I could finally make out the melody. It was a happy tune, with a steady rhythm that matched the rhythm of our hoof fall; I found myself humming it along before long, and somehow it seemed to make the work easier. That might have been psychological, but maybe it actually did; we were in the magical land of Equestria after all. Maybe there was magic in songs as well. I will have to do some experiments on that.

The sun was nearing the horizon again, when we were finally done. It was as though the land had magically transformed from winter to spring in a single day. Even knowing how much work had been put into that, it was still a sight to behold, and certainly not something that could have been done on Dere.

Everyone was smiling happily, patting each other on the shoulders, praising for a work well done. Even though my legs were shaking, and the coat under my cloak drenched in sweat, I couldn't help but smile along with them.

When I had parked the plow, I felt a hoof on my shoulder too. I looked around to see the approving smile of Jack. “I have to admit, I had been skeptical at first, if you were cut out for this work, but you proved me wrong! You pulled through, working as hard as anyone, I'm mighty proud of you.”

To my surprise, being praised by her made me feel proud myself. I felt the blood rush to my cheeks. “Thank you, I tried my best.”

She nodded, then reached to her back and produced a towel. “Here, let me rub you dry. You are mighty wet under that cloak of yours, and we don't want you to catch a cold, don't we?”

That offer surprise me even more. How did she know? Did she just figure I had to be sweaty, cause I was not used to labor? One sniff gave me the answer; the stench of wet horse was very strong about me. Let me tell you at this point, having one's own body odor change over night, along with a much more sensitive nose to tell it, is an outlandish experience. I did bath quite a lot the first few days, trying to get the smell of horse out of my coat, but it was of course no use. I only got used to the scent of my own body after about two weeks.

I took off my cloak and bags and hung them over a nearby branch, and at once Applejack made good on her offer and rubbed me dry from head to tail with those strong hooves of hers. I'll admit it felt surprisingly good, and I felt a lot better afterward, even the shaking in my legs was gone. I gave a relieved sigh, when she was done. “Thanks, that was just what I needed.”

“Your welcome sugar cube. Now let's head back to town hall and meet up with the others.”

I quickly folded up my cloak and put it on my back, and the saddlebags over it. It was already as warm as one would expect on a spring evening, and the setting sun for once felt nice and warm on my coat. We headed back to town hall, where everyone had already gathered.

Once again the mayor held a speech, if a short one this time, and she declared winter as officially wrapped up. The crowd cheered and applauded, not so much for the mayor, but for each other, for the success of all their combined efforts. I too clopped my hooves on the ground, and for the first time since I had left Bosperan, didn't feel like a complete stranger in transit.

That concluded the official part of the wrap-up, after that, the crowd began to dissipate, heading in small groups to their respective unofficial parts. I had the feeling that the local taverns would make a fortune this night.

I lingered yet a bit longer, for I wanted to talk to Twilight Sparkle before heading home. So I happened to be there, when she and her five friends came from talking to the mayor in their functions as team leaders and coordinator.

“. . . animals ran off in a panic. The poor things were out of themselves with fear, when I finally found them.”

“Well, not everyone knows how to handle animals like you do Shy. But you know what? Sapphire has been helping with clearing the fields. She sure doesn't look like it, but she was plowing the snow like it was nothing. She must be the strongest unicorn I know. . . Speak of the demon, there she is! Hey Sapphire, what you doing here all on your own?”

I nodded into the round to greet them. “Salvete you all. I was hoping to talk to Twilight for a moment, before I head home and take a nice, hot bath.”

“Oh!” Rarities eyes sparkled at that motion. “I was just about to head to the public bath myself. Nothing like a hot soak after a long day of work. Why don't you come along? Why don't you all come along, my treat!”

There was a general mumbling of agreement form the other five, but I shook my head. “Thanks, but I have to decline.”

“Oh darling, don't be shy. I promise it will be wonderful!”

“I'm not shy, but I don't want to startle the other guests and the servants in the bath with my skeletal leg.” Its funny how fast I had gotten used to call what used to be my arm, a leg. There was a concerned silence after my words; some of the group looked to the ground, or up to the sky in an attempt not to stare at my leg, or their own legs for that matter.

It was Twilight Sparkle's eager voice that finally broke the silence. “I'm sure it won't be a problem. We always get private rooms anyway, and Aloe and Lotus will understand, if we explain it to them.” She thought about the last statement for a moment. “At least they will not be too startled. . . I think.”

I hesitated; while visiting a real bath, complete with steam rooms, hot and cold basins and massages sounded incredibly tempting, and I had not visited one since leaving Bosperan, I was very self conscious about my decaying body, and the stares of others on me if I ever showed it. I must have stood there for a minute or so, and in the end, Rarity made the decision for me.

“It's decided then. To the bath!” She started walking, and somehow I found myself between her and Applejack and was just taken along before I could make up my mind.


.oOo.


I tried to be as polite as I could, and explained my affliction as good as possible to Aloe and Lotus, the two women that ran the local bath. They took the final revelation better than I expected.

“It's not that bad.”

“I have seen worse.”

“Yea, like that one stallion with that nasty athlete’s hoof? That was a lot worse!”

“And it's like we have a whole set of muscles less to massage.”

“So, do I get a discount?”

We shared a bit of awkward laughter, and I think the ice was broken. They didn't grew entirely comfortable around me for the rest of the visit though.

“Hey, you laughed, you actually laughed!” Of course, the party pony was not far, and suddenly her face was blocking my vision, grinning from ear to ear.

“Yes Pinkie, I did.” I shoved her out of my face and began pushing her inside. “Now let us get into the water before I remember how to frown again!”

Traveler, if you read this, and ever come to Ponyville, go to the bath of the twin sisters! You won't regret it. It was very relaxing -I fell asleep several times-, and it did wonders for my complexion. My whole body was positively shiny from head to hoof, when we left.


When we all split up to head back to our homes, I went with Twilight and walked with her until the library. “You know, I was more than skeptical when you picked me up this morning to do this winter wrap-up thing. And while I will not say that plowing the fields had been fun, I still found it quite rewarding. I enjoyed working with everyone, and I enjoyed going to the bath with you and your friends.” I bowed my head respectfully before her. “Thank you Twilight Sparkle, for this wonderful day.

She blushed slightly and smiled back at me. “You welcome! I'm glad you liked it.”

We had reached the Library, and as she stopped in front of the door, to say her goodbyes, I spoke up before her. “I have come to a decision! I want you to teach me to speak and write the language of your people.”
> Chapter 8: An Awkward Affair
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------



Chapter 8: An Awkward Affair


As you turn another page, you notice that the script has suddenly changed to Equestrian while still retaining the same hoofwriting. You turn the pages back and forth and quickly come to the conclusion that several pages have been ripped out of the tome. You frown and read on, hoping that these pages don't contain the secrets you are looking for.

“Rarity, I need your advice!” I almost jumped into her face, when she had finally opened the door after I had knocked on it furiously for several minutes. She was wearing her white and purple trimmed bathrobe and her sleep mask still on her brow.

“It's three in the morning dear! Can't it wait until tomorrow?”

I bit my lower lip, I had not realized what time it is, or thought about normal ponies sleeping at this hour. I clearly couldn’t think straight anymore. I can't remember when I messed up common curtsey this badly before. “I'm sorry, I didn't mean to wake you, but I can't sleep, I can't think!” The word felt odd on my tongue. My masters had told me never to apologize, it was a sign of weakness. I had not done since I left the tower. But then again I had come to Rarity, because I was weak, confused, lost.

She mustered me with a raised eyebrow, then quickly stepped aside. “It's alright dear, please come in! You want a cup of tea?”

I guess my inner turmoil must have shown clearly on my face, all the hours of standing in front of the mirror, training to control the every motion of my face and body so I wouldn't betray my thoughts were useless at that moment. “Yes, tea is good. Tea is very good.”

She ushered me into the kitchen. Or rather the spacious room that served as both kitchen and living room in Rarity's apartment in Canterlot, a kitchen-cum-living room if you will say so. I thought it strange at first, but if you have friends over regularly and cook for them yourself, it is quite nice.

I sat down at the table, and she lit the stove and put on the kettle. As she waited for the water to boil, she sat down next to me and placed a hoof on my shoulder. “Now dear, tell me what's bothering you.”

I looked up to her with feverish eyes. “Rarity, I don't know what's wrong with me. I think I'm in love. And it's madness Rarity madness!”

“In love? But that's wonderful darling! Who's the lucky stallion?”

“Lionheart, the captain of the Night Guard.” I answered without thinking.

Rarity paused and raised an eyebrow. “I always thought the captain was a mare.”

“Of course she is! Why?”

“Oh nothing! Nothing wrong with loving another mare in this day and age. It just took me by surprise, that's all. I always thought you were into stallions, you know, when you had your first heat and came to me for advice. . .”

“Ugh, don't remind me. That was awful! I don't know how I would have lived through that without your advice and Zecora's potion.” I shook my head and sighed. “Well, I didn't know that I was into mares until I met her either. I knew that I didn't much care for male or female back on Dere, but you know. . . that was human males and females.”

“Hmm. . . of course. We must have looked as alien to you, as you did to us. But you have gotten used to ponies, have you not?”

I shrugged. “Took me only what? Two years?”

By now the water was boiling. Rarity levitated a set of china onto the table and poured the water into the teapot with practiced ease, then focused her attention back on me, her eyes sparkling. “Now, tell me everything from the start! How did the two of your meet?”

I took a deep breath to collect myself. “Alright. It was about a month ago. . .


.oOo.


I was conducting research in the Canterlot library. I was sitting in a lone and dark reading room, surrounded by piles of old books, the only light the azure shine from my beloved gwen petryl stone hanging from my neck. I had totally lost track of time, but it must have been late into the night, only a few hours before dawn, when I was interrupted by somepony walking up on me.

“You can't be here Ma'am, library's closed at night!” I had not hear anyone approaching, but I saw why when I looked up. Standing before me, doing his best to look stern, was a young sarosian wearing the deep purple armor of the night guard. You know sarosians; those bat ponies move without a sound if they want to.                                                    

I looked back down on the notes I was scribbling with a quill. “I've got special permission.”

He boggled at my nonchalant reply; it took him a moment to find his act again. “Special permission?”

“Yes, from Princess Luna if you must know. Now move on and stop disturbing me!”

“Of course, from the Princess herself! And who might you be Miss?”

My quill stopped and I looked at him sternly. “Sapphire! Soldier, I don't like your attitude. I've got important research to finish, and you are keeping me from working!” I have learned that it is actually possible to talk down most guards if you are just impudent enough and never let any doubt come up that you have every right to do so.

It didn't work on this one though, I guess he was either brave, or stupid. “I know nothing of any special permissions. I have to insist you follow me to the guard's office.”

I dropped my quill and stomped around the table. “No, I insist! I will have a word with your captain about your insolence!”

“Of course you will. Now, come this way! Don't try anything stupid.”


The library is part of the castle complex, just like the guard house. Still, the Canterlot Castle is big, it was like half an hour walk from the library to the guard's office. Even at this hour, there were still several ponies in the room, either on stand-by playing cards, or sorting through paperwork. Most of them were sarosians, as night shift actually coincides with their natural sleep cycle.

The young guard lead me to a waiting area, which didn't mean there were pillows to rest on, just some free space to either sit on the floor or just stand. I preferred later.

“Wait here, I go an tell the captain!” he said and entered the captain's office with pride swelled chest.

That couldn't have lasted long, after only a minute, a furious shout came from the room, and I found a satisfied smile sneak onto my lips. The door was yanked open, and the captain stomped out of the room, followed by her subordinate trotting behind her, his head low to the ground. The young sarosian looked even smaller in his armor than before.

The captain herself was a strong contrast to that. Even though she was a bit shorter than I, her figure was most imposing. She was lean like most flying ponies are, but of broad chest and shoulders. I got the immediate impression that this mare could break me in half like a dry twig in the blink of an eye if I ever provoked her ire.

She looked angry, with a dangerous gleam in her yellow, cat like eyes. But her anger was not directed at me. “I am very sorry Miss Sapphire,” she said when she approached me; she had a strong voice with a rough edge to it, perhaps from shouting down recruits. “Apparently my very green and incompetent subordinate didn't read the note on not bothering the unicorn in the library after closing time.” She looked back over her shoulder and snarled at the young pony. “Not once in the two weeks since it was posted, despite passing the notice board several times every day!”

“I'm sorry captain,”

“Don't apologize to me, I don't need it! Apologize to the mare you are keeping from doing her work!”

The recruit stepped before me and bowed down, his snout almost touching the ground, his ears lain on in humility. “I am very sorry for disturbing your work Miss Sapphire, please forgive me.”

I felt my stomach tingle at this sight, not just from a soldier cowering before me, but from the sight of the mare that had made him do it. “I accept your apology.”

“Good soldier! You are still on latrine duty for two weeks! Now get out of my sight. Dismissed!” The recruit swallowed, quickly saluted and stumbled over his own hooves, trying to get away before provoking the captain any more.

When he had left the room, the mare turned back to me, and her whole demeanor changed; she let her head sink a bit and laid her ears back sheepishly. “I'm very sorry for your inconvenience Miss Sapphire. I should have informed each of my guardsmen of your presence personally.”

A felt my cheeks heating up, and if my stomach had tingled before, a hurricane of butterflies now raged through it. I inhaled sharply through my nose to collect myself, I spoke my next words on a whim though.

“That you should have captain,” I said, looking down on her my head held high. The sarosian reacted by making herself even smaller. “But I think you can make it up to me.” She looked up to me with a little confused, yet a hopeful shimmer in her eyes.

“You will treat me to dinner. Are you free the day after tomorrow, captain?”


.oOo.


“And? Did she say yes?” Rarity had moved closer to me, as my tale went on, and now leaned over the table.

“She did, not that I left her any choice.”

Only now did she sit back, and rubbed her chin, pouting. “Yes, that you didn't. Don't mind me saying so, but you were quite brash towards her, were you not?”

I nodded with a sigh. “That's actually just like me, I usually just sugar coat it in politeness. But you know, with her acting all submissive, I kinda felt like taking up the reins. And I didn't want to risk her saying no. I really wanted to see her again.” I shook my head. “That was stupid of me, I know.”

Rarity reached over on took my hoof in hers. “Oh no, absolutely not darling. It's perfectly understandable. Ponies are known to do the strangest things out of love.”

Her reassuring words managed to lure a faint smile from me. “Well, I wouldn't say it was love back then. But serious interest for sure. I had never met a mare like her, not pony nor otherwise.”

She nodded. “So how went that first date between you?”

“Uhg, it was an awkward affair. Lionheart was just as clueless what she had gotten herself into as I was. She had gotten herself an early shift, and I had set myself an alarm clock to know when I had to stop with my research.”

“What are you researching anyway? You make it sound awfully important.” Rarity interrupted me with a raised hoof.

“Among my continued studies of Equestrian culture and magic, I'm helping Twilight with her research on Equestrian history. Pre-classical era, if that means anything to you.”

“The time between the founding of Equestria and the princesses' reign, of course. The time of Starswirl the Bearded and the Knights of Equestria.”

I nodded. “Actual historical records of that time are rare, most of what we know today is just folklore and old mare's tales. So I sort through crumbling scrolls in the deepest corners of the archive and copy and sent to Twilight whatever relevant information I can find.”

I didn't tell her about the part where that conveniently granted me entrance to the “forbidden” part of the archive, which only meant that it was not accessibly by the public because the tomes kept in there where so old they would break apart if handled incorrectly. Still, hidden in this part of the archives where books and scrolls one might associate with its foreboding name; one only needed to know how to look, and writings on magic, alchemy and forgotten history revealed themselves.

Rarity frowned. “Twilight has been obsessed with ancient history lately. She's even planning to conduct archeological diggings. She hardly finds any time to spend with her friends anymore.”

I shrugged. “Can you blame her? After the changeling invasion and the reappearance of the Crystal Empire, I guess she wants to know beforehoof what other forgotten threats might rise from the past.”

Or was it because I questioned her trust in Princess Celestia back when I had started my life in Ponyville? I can't really tell, but I kept that thought to myself nonetheless.

Rarity sighed. “I guess you are right, she just wants to be prepared. But I were interrupting you. So you had set yourself an alarm.”

It took me a moment to pick up my tale where I had left. “Ah, yes! I headed home quite early actually, so I had enough time to prepare. . .


.oOo.


I know I take thrice as long to groom myself than the regular pony, but as I was staring at my own reflection in the mirror, it just never seemed good enough; the mane not straight enough, the coat not shiny enough. Only when Lionheart had arrived to pick me up and knocked on the door, did I call it sufficient, and only because I didn't want to let her wait. It's unbecoming of a sorceress to not be ready precisely when she means to.

I had put on my black socks and my favorite evening dress, you know, the black and blue one with all that lace and frills, the one that hides my gauntness very well. But when I opened the door, I found that Lionheart had not dressed up at all.

And I don't think that she should have, don't get me wrong. She had obviously groomed herself thoroughly too; her coat shone in the moonlight, and her mane fell like silk over her shoulders. I was stunned by her sight for a moment, my eyes tracing over her body; steel knot muscles were moving under her coat with the smooth grace of a panther, as she shifted her weight. White scars shone through her coat in several places, on her legs, sides and even one on her face running over her left eye, yet they only added to her aura of invincibility. My gaze finally lingered on her flank, not only because it was well toned, but I saw her cutie mark for the first time; it showed a constellation of white, gleaming stars.

She smelled nice too, clean and fresh like the air after a midsummer rain; she had not bothered to put on any perfume, and I suddenly felt very conscious of the elaborate dress and heavy fragrance I wore; more so it made me feel conscious of what I was hiding underneath.

I quickly collected myself and forced a smile on my lips, before she would notice my discomfort. “Oh hello there captain, I almost didn't recognize you without your armor.”

“I know! It hides my scent rather well, doesn't it?” She must have seen my nostrils flaring or something, and I think she was right too; night guard armor is enchanted that way. Helps with covert operations, or Luna just dislikes the smell of sweaty soldiers or something.

My smile widened to a real one, as I grabbed my summer cloak and swung it around my shoulders. “Alright then, shall we?”

From my apartment we headed down the mountain, leaving the spires of upper Canterlot behind us. I tried to come up with something, anything to say to her, but everything sounded stupid or shallow in my mind. We walked in uncomfortable silence for several minutes until I couldn't take it anymore, and just said the first thing that came to my mind. “So, where are you taking me, captain? Or is it supposed to be a surprise.”

She shook her head. “It's not, I just forgot to tell you, I guess. And please call me Lionheart! I'm off duty.”

“Well, if you insists Miss Lionheart .”

“Just Lionheart please, Miss Lionheart makes me sound old.”

“Alright Lionheart . I am Sapphire, pleased to meet you.”

She gave me a sheepish smile. “We are going to a place called Auerbach's Cellar. A sarosian runs it, so it's open all night.” She made a shrug with her leathery wings. “You know, there are not many places we can go with our schedule.”

“I don't. But I guess with your people as a minority and the other races being day active, it is to be expected.”

She nodded, then for a few moments said nothing, but bit her lower lip trying to come up with the right words. “I was wondering about that,” she finally said. “About why a unicorn like you works in the library every night, though it would normally be closed.”

“Now that I think about it, why is it closed at night? Don't sarosians read books too?”

“The staff needs time to resort returned books and clean the place, and there are not enough sarosian customers to justify a night shift. Besides, it is open long enough in the evenings and early enough in the morning for every night pony to get all the books they want, so its not an issue.” She raised an eyebrow at me. “Except for you it seems.”

“And back at prying out my strange behavior.” She cringed, laid her ears on when I pointed that out to her. I chuckled at her discomfort. “If you must now, I just feel more comfortable living at night. I have sensible eyes and sunlight irritates me. So I prefer to have the moon and stars over my head, and I also enjoy the peace and quiet. Working in a closed library with nopony to bother me has a certain tranquility to it.” That was not really a lie, I just left out all the other reasons. I had not told anypony, not even Rarity or Twilight. It's never wise to let anypony learn the nature of your strengths and weaknesses.

The rest of the walk was mostly spent in awkward silence again. I think I briefly tried for smalltalk, but there is only so much that can be said about the weather when everypony knows the schedule anyway.

It took us a bit less than an hour to arrive at Auerbach's Cellar. After descending some stairs, we came into a long vaulted cellar, dug into the side of the mountain itself. The walls were whitewashed, only soothed black where candles had lit the room with their cozy orange light for decades. Narrow passages led to similar rooms to the left and right. Each room had a heavy wooden table running its entire length, but only the middle one had a bar at its end with an white bearded sarosian wearing an eyepatch busy hoofing out countless drinks. Every room was packed full with ponies of all ages and races, a good part of them being sarosians themselves. They were sitting all along the tables, crowding the passageways, the bar or even flying over the crowd. The noise was deafening, and the thick smell of sweat, smoke and spilled cider almost breathtaking.

“I think I'm overdressed.”

Lionheart chuckled sheepishly, rubbing the back of her head with a hoof. “I guess that is far from the quiet and tranquility of the library, isn't it? Sorry, I should have known better.”

“Well, now that we are here let's make the best out of it. Carpe noctem! Go and get us a table!”

She began shoving herself through the crowd towards the far end of the table in the left room, furthest from the bar, which was the quietest place in the cellar, if not by much. Getting a whole table was of course illusory, but when Lionheart put her hoof on the table, making all the cups on it clatter, and snarled: “You foals should be drinking milk. Get lost!” a group of fillies and colts generously made room for us and left the cellar in a hurry. 

I sat down at the end of the table, and the captain took seat opposite me. A pegasus waitress, alerted by Lionheart's entrance, walked over to us, carrying two tablets full of empty glasses on her wings. “Good night you two! Lionheart, Miss, what can I bring you?”

“I'll take a mug of the strong cider. Sapphire, what do you want to drink?”

I looked at the waitress with a concerned frown. “I don't suppose you have green tea, do you?”

She shook her head. “Only if you consider long island ice tea a sort of green tea Miss.”

“Alright, bring me a glass of red wine then.”

I usually don't drink, and I don't do salts or whatever consciousness altering substances ponies take. A sorceress with a clouded mind is a bad sorceress, a potential danger for herself and everypony around her. But with Lionheart around I had the feeling I could indulge in a single glass of wine.

The waitress nodded and trotted off to the bar.       

“So eh. . . ” The captain rubbed her hoof on the table in circles, fishing for words. “you are not from Canterlot, are you.

“Oh, what gave me away? Is it my Bosperan accent? Or the fact that I'm more comfortable standing on two legs instead of four?”

She boggled at my riposte, shook her head and wrinkled her brow. “What?”

“Oh come on, we both know the princess has briefed you about my whereabouts, probably told you to keep an eye on me while I work in the castle.” I leaned over the table, staring at her with an angry frown.

“Actually,” the captain replied slowly, “she has done no such thing.”

“Wha. . .?”

“The order to let you work in the library at night came in written form. Truth be told the princess didn't even ask about you until she got my report on your arrest two days ago.”

“Oh. . .” I drew back from the table, trying to make myself small. I could feel my face flush hot red and considered just teleporting to get out of the situation. “I guess the princess actually respects my privacy. Who'd have thought,” I mumbled more to myself than to Lionheart.

“Of course she does! Why wouldn't she?”

“Let's just say I wouldn't hold it against her.”

Just that moment the waitress came back and brought our drinks, saving me from elaborating on that topic. We thanked the pegasus, and Lionheart wasted no time to take a long draft from her big, foaming mug of cider. I in turn only nipped from my wine; it was sweet and thick, almost black in color in the candles' dim light.

Lionheart set her mug down with a thump and wiped her mouth on her fetlock. For a moment she mustered me with an indecisive pout. “You don't trust the princesses, do you?”

I shook my head. “Well, I don't distrust them, I just don't really know them.”

Her raised eyebrow told me she wasn't satisfied with this answer. I sighed. “By now I believe their whole 'all powerful but benevolent ruler thing'. They don't seem to indulge in excessive debauchery, at least no more than any other pony, taxes are low, civil order is high and I haven't seen a single pony starve since I came here.”

“Of course not! The princesses would never allow such a horror.”

“Exactly! But I just cannot help but think that Equestria is just too good to be true. There has to be a drawback with all of this.”

“Like what?”

I shook my head, and took another sip from my wine, before I replied. “Freedom, the freedom of choice to be exact!”

Lionheart just looked at me puzzled, so I continued my explanation. I made a wide gesture with my hoof. “Cutie marks for instance. When they appear, ponies think they have found their special talent and purpose in life, and they will continue to order their life according to that belief. A pony who gets a cake cutie mark will become a baker, a pony with a plow cutie mark will go on the be a farmer.”

“It's not really all that simple. Many ponies work as something completely different and pursue their special talent merely as a hobby.”

“Still, there are enough farmers to keep the population fed, there are enough soldiers to keep them safe, and just enough ruling aristocrats to keep order.”

She gave me a nonchalant shrug. “Your point?”

“Wouldn't everypony just try to become an aristocrat if they really had a choice in the matter?”

Lionheart took a gulp from her cider and rubbed the back of her head. “You know, I think you have a misconception about an aristocrat's life being more desirable than a farmer's.”

“Is it not?”

“Are you trying to become an aristocrat?”

That reply took me aback, I lifted my glass to my lips and nipped at the wine for several moments, contemplating the thought. “No, I really am not.” I finally said when I put it back down.

“There you go! There are a lot of drawbacks to being an aristocrat. With the wealth and respect come a lot of responsibilities too. They have to rule, keep public order, make hard decisions, keep up their public image because they represent the citizens of Equestria and go to that really boring galas.”

I had to chuckle at that explanation; I think the wine was getting to me. I had thought more along the lines of not wanting to get poisoned by envious peers or waking up to find a dagger in my back. I kept that thoughts to myself.

Encouraged by my amused reaction, Lionheart continued eagerly. “Most farmers really love their work too! Something about growing plants just really resonates with earth pony nature. Pegasi on the other hoof prosper in civil service, because it gives them a chance to show off their prowess.”

I swayed the last of my wine, holding the glass in my telekinetic grip right in front of me, staring at it deep in thought. “Well, I didn't get to choose becoming a sorceress either, even without a magical mark, so I guess it really doesn’t matter. And if it brings peace and prosperity, it can't be a bad thing, right?”

“We had cutie marks before we had peace and prosperity, you know that right? A ponies mark is considered a blessing from Harmony, but harmony between ponies doesn't happen on its own. It's something everypony has to work for.”

“Ah yes, you are referring to the time of the warring tribes aren't you?” I stopped moving my glass. “When I learned that bit of Equestrian history, it actually reminded me a lot of my home.” I shook my head, then emptied the rest of the glass in one go.

While I was busy staring at my empty glass, Lionheart took the liberty to order a second round. “Now you really got me curious. Wherever do you come from?”

“Really, really far away. Let's just leave it at that.”

That killed our conversation until the second round arrived. I found myself taking a generous sip before I started talking again. “Enough about me! I'm getting myself depressed. Let's talk about you. However did you become a captain of the royal guard? Please don't mind me saying so, but you seem to be quite young for the position.”

“I don't mind, I'll take it as a compliment.” She took a sip from her cider, and rolled her eyes. “You know,” she said when she put her mug bag down. “The Night Guard had only been reinstated after the return of Princess Luna. Since traditionally only sarosians served in it, they couldn't just take soldier from the ranks of the regular guard. So they ended up with a bunch of raw recruits who had only just joined for the prospect of gloriously serving the Princess of the Night, and a hoof full of actual trained soldiers.”

I placed my forelegs on the table and rested my chin on my hoof, listening closely. “Did you join in search of glory too?”

She shook her head. “No, I was one of the soldiers. Joined the Royal Equestrian Army shortly after I had gotten my cutie mark. I guess Luna was impressed how I handled the raw recruits, she promoted me to captain herself.”

“Your cutie mark? It's the constellation of the lion right? Now I sense a tale to be told here.”

Lionheart raised her mug again, and her voice was muffled by the wooden container as she answered. “No there's not, I wouldn't want to bore you.” She then proceeded to empty her cider in one go and order yet another one. I tapped my chin with a hoof. Now I was truly intrigued, wondering whatever sad tale she was trying to hide. But it would be useless trying to get it out of her just then; I frowned and raised my glass to take another sip, finding it to be empty.

Lion ordered a third round and something to nibble on, nuts or whatever, I don't seem to remember. Actually my memory becomes foggy after that because of the wine. I'm a real lightweight as it seems.

There is only one more thing I remember clearly. A thing she asked me at one point.

“Say Sapphire. . .”

“Uhu.”

“Why did you ask me out to dinner?”

“Pff, can't I ask out a pretty mare when I see one? Just because I'm a sorceress, I have a thought out reason for everything?”

Even though her face was pretty red from all the cider already, I still saw her blush as she looked down at her hooves. “You don't have to make things up. We both know that I ain't pretty. Nothing compared to a beautiful lady such as yourself.”

I snorted very unladylike and broke out laughing. “Now we both know that's a lie! I'm a walking skeleton, while you are so full of life!”

“Right,” she stretched the word and looked around the room, avoiding my eyes. “Moving on then.”

“I liked your attitude towards me.” I suddenly said in a low voice, playing absentmindedly with an empty wine glass in my hooves. Her eyes stopped wandering, and focused back on me. “You are so very powerful, not only physically, but as captain of the guard too, and yet when your subordinate was gone, you humbled yourself before me, as if you were a peasant compared to me. And I liked that, it made me feel. . . really good I guess.”

She looked down and her hooves with a shy smile. “It just came over me. Your confidence, they way you hold yourself, you just have this overwhelming presence. It was hard not to kneel before you and. . . I guess I kinda liked that.”

A wide grin slowly spread my lips, as I looked up from my glass. I gestured her to come closer, lean over the table towards me. With quivering lips she drew near to me.


.oOo.


“Then, what happened then?” Rarity had leaned ever closer and closer during my tale, now she could barely sit still. I took a slow sip from my cup of tea, smelling it first, letting it run over my tongue, and I sat the cup down slowly before continuing my tale.

“Then I threw up all over face.”

Rarity blinked. “What?”

“Told you it was an awkward affair.” 
                       
> Chapter 9: Prancing in the Rain
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------



Chapter 9: Prancing in the Rain


Rarity brewed up another pot of tea and asked if I wanted to have some cookies with it, which of course I declined. We continued our conversation when she sat back down.

“So your first date didn't go that well, but you continued seeing each other, am I right?”

I nodded. “I went to her office the very next night. I told myself that I just wanted to know that tale of her cutie mark, she didn't want to tell, that I just liked to talk to her out of academical interest the way I like talking to Twilight.”


.oOo.


The way the soldiers in the guards post began whispering, when I entered the premises, told me that gossip about me and the captain had already spread. One of them had probably heard from our visit to the tavern last night, or was even there.

I acted like I had not noticed, walked right up to the Lionheart's office and knocked. “Enter,” she grumbled from the inside, expecting somepony else I think, because when I came into the room the angry scowl on her face quickly made room for wide eyed surprise.

“You?”

“Yes me! Captain Lionheart, I have to talk to you.”

She quickly remembered her position, cleared her throat and got up her act. “Ah yes, of course. What can I help you with, Miss Sapphire?”

I grinned slightly at the sight of her acting all captainly and turned towards the door. “Follow me captain! There is something unusual in the gardens I have to show you. Time for your nightly round!”

She raised an eyebrow, but followed me nonetheless. Only when we had left the palace and were walking along the twisting paths running through the trees and hedgerows of the palace gardens side by side did she speak up.

“So, we are here, what is it you wanted to show me?”

“Captain Lionheart, do you see this? There are two mares taking a romantic walk in the park in the middle of the night!”

“What? Where?. . .oh.”

I looked at her with a mischievous smirk. “And I can't say I blame them. It's the perfect night for a walk, the weather is nice and the moon is almost full.”

Lionheart rolled her eyes. “Sapphire, I'm on duty.”

“I know, that's why I'm calling your captain and accompany you on your nightly rounds.”

“Whatever! What do you want?”

“I merely wanted to thank you. You know, for holding my mane when I was sick, walking me home, getting me into my bed, watching over me until you were sure I was alright.”

She blushed at me mentioning the last part. “I'm surprised you remember any of this. You were pretty drunk last night.”

I chuckled. “Oh I don't! But you just confirmed my suspicions.” They were pretty well founded suspicions though. I have a certain good spirit in my house who had told me when I and the captain had entered, and when she had left.

“You didn't? I did? Oh. . . well, you are welcome.”

I shook my head. “I still feel like I should show my gratitude properly.”

“It's alright, anypony would have done the same.”

“No I insist! So, I will treat you for dinner!”

“What?”

“This time I will choose the place! I don't know where yet, but I will have a suitable location until the end of the week. So captain, are you free next weekend?”

She stopped dead in her tracks. “Another date? Didn't you hate the last time? I messed everything up!”

An amused smile crept to my lips at her bashful sight. I shook my head, leaned over to her a gave her a kiss on the cheek. “No you didn't,” I whispered into her ear. The look on her face was priceless.

I didn't wait for her to form a coherent reply, instead I turned and started to walk to the library. “I will pick you up Saturday at dusk then. Wear a dress!” I said, as I walked off and left a very bewildered captain of the guard sitting in the middle of the garden.


.oOo.


“Did that second date go better then?”

I shook my head and shrugged. “None of us got sick that night, but it was still an awkward affair, as was when she took me to some party she called a rave, as was when I took her to the theater.”

Rarity rubbed her chin with a hoof. “But you two still kept seeing each other.”

“Yes, I know!” I leaned back and threw up my hooves in defeat. “That's the crazy I have been telling you about. No matter how bad our dates went, I always enjoyed them. You know, we always had fun. And now I'm no longer able to deny it, I'm in love! And I know Lionheart has serious interest in me too.”

“But darling, that's wonderful.”

“No, it's madness Rarity!” I leaned forward again and slammed my hoof on the table in frustration. “Madness!

“I'm a sorceress! I should stand above such mundane matters. It distracts me from my research, it weakens my resolve.” I shook my head violently. “I can't allow myself such weakness!”

Without warning Rarity grabbed my head in her hooves and forced me too look her in the eye. I had not seen a pony look at anything with that much determination, since I had witnessed Fluttershy stare down a hobgoblin.

“Now listen to me, and listen to me closely, Sapphire.”

I nodded, or I tried, but her hooves were like a vice.

“Love is the most wonderful thing there is. There is nothing that a pony can't do for love. It's a power that has banished windigos and moved mountains. It is no weakness!”

“ok,” I whimpered in my best imitation of Fluttershy.

“And you will pursue this love with all your heart, all your passion! You will not sleep, you will not rest until you are in your lovers hooves! You will overcome your petty fears, your lonely desires. You will forfeit everything you are, and then emerge a new mare at your lovers side, better and stronger than you were before.”

“ok”

With that she finally let go of me, sat back and took a sip from her cup of tea, as if nothing had happened. I rubbed my face with my right hoof, trying to get some feeling back into it. “I didn't know you could be this forceful, Rarity.”

A faint smile came to her lips. “Let's just say you are not the only dominant spirit around here, darling. So, how will you go on with your courting of Lionheart?”

I lifted the tea pot with my magic and poured myself another cup. “I think the next step would be to kiss her on our next date and confess my love, but there are some real practical problems with that.”

“What problems could there be? Don't tell me you are shy. You have been hiding it so well!”

I felt a definite blush come to my face, as I lifted my cup to take a sip. “I'm not shy!”

Rarity chuckled and waved my rebuttal of with a hoof. “Then where is the problem?”

I finished drinking and putting the cup back down before I answered. “I don't know how ponies kiss.” That stunned her, she just looked at me at a loss for words. “I suppose they do kiss, because there is a word for it, but I don't know if that means the same as human kissing. I fear my research on inter-pony relationship have been more than lacking.”

She blinked and quickly recovered; a dangerous gleam came to her eyes, the kind she got when she saw a pony with an interesting fur color and gulled her into her shop, just to wrap her in fabric and needles to start with a new dress without warning. “That's it? Well then, that's hardly a problem at all, let me show you.”

I had come to fear that look on her, for it had cost me a fortune in bits already. I couldn't help but buy every dress that came into being that way. I drew back from the table, laying my ears on involuntarily. “Show me, wha. . .”

My protest was silenced by my best friend locking a hoof behind my head, drawing me into an embrace and planting her lips firmly onto mine. Instead of pushing her away, I felt myself responding to the kiss; parting my lips when I felt the hot touch of her tongue upon them, letting it slip into my mouth. Her tongue began exploring it, while I began exploring hers. I briefly noticed that her taste was quite pleasant; the aroma of the tea we both had been drinking lingered on her tongue, yet so much sweeter, because she drank hers with sugar, and well. . .what I suppose the inside of a pony's mouth tastes like. Words fail to describe it, just go and kiss somepony, and you will know!

Eventually she slowly drew back and ended the kiss, a dreamy expression in her eyes, but the satisfied smile of a pony who loved it when a plan came together on her lips.

I raised a hoof to my mouth and cleared my throat, trying to collect myself, but from the burning heat on my face, I knew that it was a lost cause. “Alright, that's pretty much how I remember human kissing, besides from the obvious anatomical differences of course.”

“Of course.” Rarity sat back and picked up her teacup again.

“Say is it considered proper behavior for a lady to just kiss somepony out of the blue?”

She giggled. “Everything to help a friend in need, dear.”

“Huh. . .I'll take your word for that.” I shook my head and took a sip from my own tea. “Maybe we could train some more later? Will have to wait though, I just remembered there is another, much more serious problem.”

Rarity leaned forward and rested her chin on a hoof. “Another problem dear? And what might that be?”

I raised up my left leg and waved it. “However can I possibly explain to her that I'm a creature from another world turned pony with a skeletonized leg to top it off?”

That of course managed to kill the mood unfailingly, and my host sat back with a frown. I lowered my leg again and looked at her expectantly. Her yaw moved as she tried to think of anything, finally she shook her head. “Just tell her the truth, you might want to do that before the kissing part though.”

I let my head sink. “I suppose you are right.” I stood up from the table. “Thanks for your help Rarity. I will let you go back to your beauty sleep.”

She stood up to and we embraced in a friendly hug. “I wish you the best of luck dear. Let me know how it went.”

“Of course I will. Good night Rarity. See you soon.” And with that I left and headed back to my house, my mind racing, constructing possible scenarios in which I told Lionheart who I was, none of which ended with the two of us kissing.


.oOo.


I furious pounding on her door yanked the fashionista from her well earned rest once more. After ignoring the disturbance for several minutes, she finally gave in, put on her bathrobe on the walk and hurried for the door.

“Rarity, I need your help!”

“Is this becoming some kind of habit? If so I might reconsider being a friend of yours.”

I put on an apologetic smile and my best puppy eyes. Me being soaked from head to tail contributed on wearing her down, and eventually she couldn't let me stand in the rain any longer. “Uhg, alright, come on in.”

She walked into the kitchen and began setting up the kettle. I stayed in the hallway and put off my wet socks, before drying myself off with a towel, that came floating towards me in a blue aura. I wrapped myself in a simple white bathrobe, offered to me when I entered the kitchen. Rarity was already waiting for me at the table with a steaming pot of tea, and a bottle of rum.

“It's madness Rarity, madness!”

“Please, darling, sit down and calm yourself first.” I did as she asked mechanically, my shivering body moving without my initiative. Rarity poured me some tea, and added a generous dash of rum to it. “So, the date didn't go well?”

I lowered my head to drink directly from the cup, trusting neither my magic nor my quivering hooves to lift it. I felt the liquid burn down my throat, all the way down to my stomach, from where a welcome feeling of warms began to spread almost immediately.

I shook my head. “No, it went way better than I had any hope for. It's still madness Rarity, madness!”

She blinked in surprise, then a smile spread on her lips and she leaned closer. “So you did kiss? Tell me everything from the start!”

I took another sip from the tea, and a deep breath to collect myself. “Alright, we actually met earlier this night. . .


.oOo.


I had it all planned out perfectly. A picnic on top of the Canterlot Falls. It was the perfect place; the view there is breathtaking, no pony ever comes there at night, and the soothing rush of the falls would put Lionheart in a calm mood, much more receptive for disturbing revelations. I wore no dress this evening, no cloak, only my socks to hide my disfigurement from common sight. It would not hide the fact that I was hiding something from Lionheart though, so she would be prepared at least for something.

I had it all planned out; then it started to rain.   

We had just laid out the blanket and food, when the sky darkened in a matter of minutes and thick drops began to fall. We rushed to repack everything and sought shelter under a rock overhang.

“I'm sure it's just a short downpour. Will be over in a view minutes,” I said, hoping to lighten the mood.

But Lionheart shook her head and looked up to the clouds with a grim expression. “There was no rain scheduled for tonight, and I don't see any pegasi.”

I bit my lower lip. Of course she was right, there was every reason to be worried; only somepony from a world where the weather is completely random would hope for it to change on its own.

“I don't like it, something is not right.” Lionheart took a step out of the shelter. “I have to go to the palace and report for duty, I'm sorry. Can you make it back home on your own?”

I was grinding my teeth, this was not how I had planned this out, yet I didn't want the situation to slip out of my hooves either. On a whim I reached out for Lionheart with my hoof. “Please wait, there is something I wanted to tell you!”

She turned around to face me. “Can't it wait until tomorrow? The guard might need my help.”

A vision ran through my head, a vision of me breaking down at Rarity's doorstep, crying in tears, because my brilliant plan had failed. I started to panic. “No it can't!”

Lionheart sighed. “Alright, what is it?”

I took a deep breath and it all just poured out of me: “I'm not really a pony I came from another world two years ago and have been turned into a unicorn by the Elements of Harmony when they were trying to heal my skeletal leg oh and by the way my left foreleg is only bones because I was cursed by a necromancer sorry I never told you but I wasn't sure how you would react and how do you even tell somepony something like that.”

When I had finished I stood there, my chest heaving, trying to catch my breath, and I looked at the mare I loved with dread, hoping she would understand.

She took a deep breath. “I understand.”

“You do?” My heart made a jump.

“I understand you don't want to be with me anymore.” And my heart shattered and died.  

“You know, its fine, I understand.” The sad look in her eyes made room for an angry scowl. “But you really didn't have to come up with this nonsense story about coming from another world. You could have just told me. I think I would have earned at least this much.” She turned to leave, her hoofs splashing hard onto the muddy ground.

I trotted after her, tears flowing down my cheeks. “No wait please! I'm not lying.”

“Yea, of course not. How could I have been so stupid,” she murmured without even looking at me, then with one powerful beat of her wings, she took flight.

I sat down on the soaking ground, my hind legs giving away underneath me. “What can I do to make you believe me?” I cried, but even if she had heard me, she chose to ignore me.

I watched from tear stained eyes, how sje became smaller and smaller in the distance, as she headed towards the Castle.                      

I stomped on the ground with my hoof and staggered to my feet. I wouldn't let it end this way, I couldn't! I gathered my arcane powers, focused on the vanishing speck in the distance, I could no longer live without, and rose onto my hind legs. “Transversalis!” I shouted and crossed my forelegs in front of my chest.

The brief sensation of being pulled into every direction, the rushing of my own blood the only thing I could hear, as I traveled through the limbo, a flash of light, then I appeared in the middle of the rainy sky right before Lionheart.

And I immediately realized that this had been the most stupid spell I had ever cast. “Oh. . .” was all I managed to say before gravity took me and I started plummeting towards the earth with a startled scream. I tumbled in the air, flailing my legs in vain, my vision spinning between sky and earth, sky, earth, sky earth, skyearth, ever closer coming earth. My mind was racing, I was too panicked to concentrated for another spell, so I closed my eyes and braced for impact.

Powerful hooves grabbed me and held me tight, a few flaps of mighty wings ended my fall until I stopped in midair. Only then did I open my eyes, and I looked into the wide, yellow ones of a terrified sarosian.

“By Celestia's flowing mane, what are you doing? You would have died, had I failed to catch you!”

I cried, torn between sorrow of losing the one I loved and relieve of still being alive. “If have to tell you something!” I sobbed.

“Didn't you tell me enough already?”

“I love you!” I shouted the words, shouted over the rain, shouted over the wind, shouted over my own doubts. Lionheart just looked at me at a loss for words.

“That's what I really wanted to tell you, but I had to tell you everything else first. I didn't make that up, I didn't lie to you, because I love you!”

I looked up at her face, my throat sore, my chest tight. She stared at me wide eyed, hovering in midair.  Thick drops of rain were falling all around us, soaking her mane, dropping down from her snout. Then without saying anything, she pressed her lips onto mine and kissed me.

It was a clumsy kiss, too rash, too forceful, and yet it was the most wonderful kiss I ever shared. While even more tears flowed from my cheeks, I felt the knot in my chest vanish, and an exhilarating warmth spread through all of my body. When Lionheart drew back from the kiss, she was smiling at me, and it was I who was at loss for words. I just smiled back at her, flung my hooves around her neck and held her tight.

We slowly descended to the ground, and she let me down in a street of upper Canterlot. My hooves were shaking, and I would have stumbled to the ground if she had not held me.

“Easy there Sapphire. You OK? Can you stand?”

“Yes.” I swallowed. “Just give me a second.”

I noticed her trying hard not to look at my left leg, where my sock had begun slipping off, glimpsing at it again and again. “So,” she began, brushing her wet mane out of her face. “Everything you told me is true? Creature from another dimension? Cursed by a necromancer?”

I bit my lower lip and nodded. With a brief burst of telekinesis I slipped down my sock and undid the bandages hiding my leg. “Everything is true. I'm not a real pony, just a freak with an undead limb.”

I let my head sink. “Now that you know, I wouldn't hold it against you, if you don't want to see mehmpf. . .”

I was silenced by her taking my face in her hooves and kissing me again, before I could finish my pitiful speech. This time the kiss was softer, longer, full of longing and need. I wrapped my hooves around her neck and responded in kind, feeling my lips quiver as I did. When we eventually separated, we were both breathing hard, our faces flushed.

“So I take it you don't mind then?” I said, finding some of my usual self confidence again.

“I wouldn't mind if you were a tentacily monster, because I love you too, you stupid mare!”

I had to chuckle and drew her into an affectionate hug. “Well, I would be your tentacily monster, and yours alone.”

After just holding each other for a few moments, we somehow did remember how to stand on our own legs and separated again. Lionheart cleared her throat. “Alright then, that's really great an all, I mean really great, but I still have to get to the palace and report for duty.”

The happy butterflies fluttering in my stomach died instantly, and a sad frown came to my lips, but I nodded understandingly.

“Are you OK to make it home on your own?”

“Please, I'm still a master sorceress! I could teleport all the way home if I had too.”

“Alright then! I will come and see you tomorrow. Take care.” We shared one more brief kiss, then she wheeled around and jumped into a running start. A few seconds later I lost sight of her over the roofs of Canterlot.


.oOo.


“That's. . . quite a tale!” Rarity marveled as my story had drawn to its end. She took a sip from her cup of tea, but noticed that it had gotten cold. Irritated, she sat down the cup and looked at me again. “But however did that go way better than you expected?”

I threw up my hooves in the air. “Because she loves me Rarity! She loves me!” The sudden outburst made me lose my balance, and I flailed my legs unbecomingly not to fall over. I took proper seating again and composed myself, before taking a sip from my cup as if this slip had never happened, only to find that my cup was empty.

“That's wonderful dear! And I'm happy for you, so don't mind me asking, why did you come here instead of going home?”

“Oh well. When Lionheart was gone I felt this uncanny happiness come over me. I felt so light, like all the worries of the world had just fallen off me and I could just dance. So I did! I pranced through the streets of Canterlot, pirouetted on my hind legs through puddles of rain. It's summer, the rain is not so cold that I was feeling it right away, so I just started out homewards on my hooves.”

“Alright, I get that. But that still doesn't explain why you came in here shouting about madness!”

“Oh yes, I remember! It's madness Rarity, madness!”

“Yes yes, but what is?”

“You know, while I was walking home, I could think of nothing but Lionheart. Nothing but being with her, kissing her, and then about having sex with her.”

Rarity took a moment before she answered to that. “OK, that's quite understandable. I guarantee you it's a completely normal reaction.”

I leaned forward and put a hoof on the table, gesturing with the other one widely. “No, you don't get it. I fantasized about having sex with her the way I had sex with my lovers in Bosperan. But I was never in love with any of them. It was always just about power, how I could use them to feel good and powerful myself.”

She eyed me for long moments, gauging if I was messing with her, before she replied. “OK.”

“No, it's not OK. You don't understand. I love Lionheart, I don't want any harm come to her, I want her to be happy. Yet. . .” I shook my head and looked to the side, out of the window where it still rained. The next words I spoke much quieter, more to myself than to Rarity. “All I can think of is seeing her cower at my hooves, of whipping her lovely flanks till they are bloody and relish her cries of lustful agony.”

“OK!” Rarity said, letting out a long breath she had been holding. “Now I understand!”

“You do?”

“Yes. As I told you, you are not the only dominant spirit around here.” She walked around the table and put a hoof on my shoulder. “Let me reassure you, that it is not a strange thing to be thinking. Well, it might not be considered normal by general Equestrian standards, but its not that uncommon either.”

“It is not?”

She shook her head. “Actually, there are quite a few ponies here in Canterlot who share the same preferences.”

“OK, but what should I do about it? How can I tell this to Lionheart? What if she hates it?” I bit my lower lip.  “I don't want to mess this up.”

Rarity sat down at the table again. “Don't worry. There is a pony who can help you, a good acquaintance of mine. She owns a shop in central Canterlot. It's in the shopping district, but it's a little place in a back ally, very unassuming from the outside. It's simply called 'Silken Mane's` Silken Mane is the owner. Lovely mare, very gentle and caring. Go to her and tell her Rarity send you, tell her about your problems. She will help you!”

I gave her slow nod. “I will do that. Thank you Rarity.”

She waved it off with her hoof. “It's nothing darling, I'm glad I could help you.” She leaned forward, and the smile on her face made room for a concerned frown. “But what is that about this rain now? Has something happened in the castle?”

I shrugged. “Could be. If one of the princesses is upset it could affect the weather. But I have no idea what could have upset them. I will ask Lionheart when I see her. Should I come by tomorrow and tell you what I learned?”

“That would be great dear! Thank you.”

I stood up. “So, see you on the morrow then?”

She drew me into a friendly hug. “See you tomorrow.”
> Chapter 10: Letters
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------



Chapter 10: Letters


You find several letters inserted between the pages of the diary. Half of them are written in the same clean, minimalistic hoof writing as the diary, the other half with a more neat and twirly one. You unfold the first one of the later eagerly and begin to read.


Dear Sapphire

With the latest records you sent me, my research on the pre-classical era has come to a momentary hold. I came to the conclusion that it is not possible to learn more about the area with research on written records alone, but how I came to that conclusion is the actual significant result of my research.

I came to the conclusion that the records have been destroyed or altered deliberately, to hide the truth of the events that unfolded in those times.

Pages in the books you sent me are missing, other records that should exist were nowhere to be found and some of those we found don't match with other writings of the same author.

I find this facts to be most disturbing. If somepony went to these length to hide the truth, it must mean that we are kept in the black on historical events of utmost importance.

I will travel to Canterlot at once and tell Princess Celestia about it. She will know what to do.

Thank you again for your help with my research.

Yours truly, Twilight Sparkle.



You eagerly unfold the next letter, one that is written in the same hoof writing as the book, just to find that it is written in code. You try your best to decipher it, but even with your best efforts and the magic goggles, that were able to translate the strange writing at the beginning of the book, you have no luck. You begin rummaging through the diary to find some clues. You are in luck, after a short while you find a ragged note containing the cipher, most likely the original piece that had been used to encode the writings in the first place. With new vigor you begin deciphering the next letter.


Dear Twilight

Do not go with your findings to Celestia! She was most likely the ruler of this country when those documents were altered in the first place. I doubt it happened without her blessing. She may even have ordered it done.

And truth be told, I would not be surprised. In Bosperan it is common practice to alter the records of the previous government when a new emperor took power. There is even something called “demnatio memorae”, the complete erase of records about an unloved ruler, so that he may be forgotten from history.

I urge you to keep your findings between the two of us. Additional research is required before anypony can be told. We must first find out who altered the records an why. I have told you before, that knowledge is power, but you must know that knowledge can also be dangerous. There may be a perfectly good reason for erasing the information you seek, and telling Celestia about it might escalate the situation.

Hoping the letter reaches you in time.
Sapphire    



Dear Sapphire

I only got your letter when I came back to Ponyville. It had been lying in front of my bed. It most likely arrived when I was asleep and I didn't see it when I rushed to catch the train for Canterlot in the morning.

And only now -two days later- do I find the calmness of mind to answer it.

You were right, I shouldn't have told Celestia. When I confronted her she didn't even try to deny it. She explained it to me. I'll spare you the details, but she basically had the same reasoning you do: some knowledge is dangerous.

And clearly she doesn't trust me with this knowledge. She still wouldn't tell me the truth when I asked her for it. Instead she tried to find out why I started this research in the first place and tried to persuade me to stop it. But if she has lied to me in this matter, what else is she keeping from me? How could I still trust her?

In short, we had a fallout. There was some shouting involved and I ran out of the palace and took the next train back to Ponyville.

Now what will I do? Spike says I should try to talk to her again, and we would work things out. I don't think he understands the situation at all.

Do you have any advice?

Hoping for your swift answer Twilight Sparkle.



Dear Twilight

I know it can be troubling to find out that your teacher has been lying to you. I found out that my teachers at the circle's tower had been keeping secrets from me only a few years after I started my training. It was more of a gradual process though, and I do not regret it, as it lead not only to me questioning my teachers and all they taught me, but to question everything else too. My understanding of the arcane arts increased rapidly afterward.

I may not have much to give as advice, but I will share what I can.
Don't act rashly, best postpone important decisions until your confusion clears up.
Trust in yourself. You are a powerful sorceress and one of the most intelligent ponies I know, even without your teacher. I'm sure you will manage to learn everything and achieve anything you want well on your own. You are now free to choose your own path. Don't rush it, choose wisely.

My last advice is to not touch the subject of the pre-classical area for some time and continue with some other research until the furor has died down. You have been doing research on the magic of friendship before, have you not? I know you to be too curious and stubborn to give up on it though. So if you do continue your research, do so in secret and keep up appearances. It will be much easier to find the truth, if nopony knows you are searching for it.

Yours, Sapphire


You pick up the next letter with the twirly hoof writing, you know recognize as the one of Twilight Sparkle. But now her letters too are written in code, luckily the same code, that is used for the other letters, so you have no trouble deciphering it.


Dear Sapphire

I know it has been a long time since I have written, but it took some time for the events after my fight with the princess to settle down. I'm no longer her personal student.

But I'm still living in Ponyville, in the library, and all of my friends are very supportive of me. I'm fine.

I have been doing some wider research on magic again and am in dire need of somepony to discuss my findings with, and since you and Trixie are the only competed sorceresses outside of the Canterlot school I know and I can trust, I'm asking if I can share my findings with you.

I'm also making plans to pick up my research on the pre-classical area again, but that will still take some time, especially since I'm following your advice to do so in secret.

Hope to read from you again soon.

Yours truly, Twilight Sparkle.



Dear Twilight

I am delighted to hear from you again, and am pleased to learn that you are doing well.

Of course will I help you with your magic research, you know how much I like the subject myself.

I will come to visit you in Ponyville next Saturday if you do not object. Then we can discuss everything in length. Have some tea ready.

Hope to see you soon, Sapphire
> Chapter 11: Meddling Immortals 
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------



Chapter 11: Meddling Immortals  


Yesterday I finally finished my great meditation. Withdrawing myself from all worldly affairs for a whole month to engage in meditation would not have been possible living on my own. Yet another reason why it was a good decision to move in with Lionheart. She was very supportive the whole time. If it were possible I would love her now even more than I did before. Truly, I love her to death, and I can't imagine living without her.

The ritual of the great meditation was a far greater success than I would have thought possible. When I reached the deepest level of meditation, completely opening and aligning myself to the streams of magic, it was like submerging myself in an ocean of power. Only one short instant had I felt a similar rush of arcane energies before; when I was standing in the outburst of magic power the Tulamyids call “Star's Stairway” -it doesn’t translate very well to Equestrian- in the center of the freezing desert of Gor.

But unlike that short instant the feeling didn't go away when I ended my meditation. Even now I feel my mane bellowing in arcane winds and my horn is tickling and spraying sparks of excess power. It's only slowly residing as my arcane reserves dwindle down to a level my body is capable of holding. Clearly the ritual of great meditation is far more potent in Equestria then back on Dere and has expanded my arcane reserves greatly, most likely because of the much higher flow of arcane energies in general. I will have to conduct further experiments on this. Is this a possible explanation for the princesses' extraordinary manes? Are they constantly shedding excess magical energy that way? If so, just how great are their arcane powers? (I could cast an Odem Arcanum on them to see it, but I fear I might go blind.) Could a mortal pony possibly reach a similar level if it just lived long enough to do many great meditations? And how long would it have to live? And in the end, could it still be considered mortal? Are the princesses truly immortal or just ageless?

I know a spell that might yield answers to my questions in time, if I cast it in reverse through the Reversalis spell. I have never used it before though, will have to do some experiments on that when I find the time.


Today I was interrupted when I did some paperwork in my office by somepony knocking on the door. Not loud or anything, but president. It was well past sundown, so I wasn't expecting anypony. I tried to ignore it, but the pony just didn't go away.

After about five minutes it really started to annoy me; I slammed my papers on the table and stamped to the door.

I yanked it open with a burst of telekinesis, ready to greet whoever was at the door with an annoyed frown. But there was nopony at the door.

Only when I heard a faint whimper from below did I look down, to find a little filly cowering before me, her ears laid back. It was a unicorn, hardly more than a foal, who had not yet found her cutie mark. She had an ashen coat and a long, unkempt mane of a darker shade of gray; it was the most muted combination of colors I had ever seen on a pony. The whole thing was filthy and ragged and made for a sorry sight.

I raised an eyebrow. “Yes?”

The foal flinched as if cut by the sharpness of my voice. “Are you Radiance Queen of the Dead?”

I boggled when I heard that name. I had not heard the translation of my mage's name since Lyra had told it back at me, all those years ago when I first came into Ponyville. “Wrong door,” I replied dryly and slammed the door shut, quickly finding my composure again. The foal didn't bother me again.

That is until the next evening when the now familiar knocking sounded for fifteen minutes at the house I shared with Lionheart. The filly must have followed me home. Once again I opened the door and found the foal standing at my hooves. “What do you want?”

She looked up at me, her dark golden eyes swimming with tears. “Can you teach me how to raise the dead?”

The question took me aback. “Who told you that?”

The filly replied with quivering lips. “I saw you in a dream. A voice told me you would help me.”

“You shouldn't be out this late. Go back to your parents!”

She sniffed, tears started to flow down her cheeks, drawing lines through the dirt on them. “I can't,” she sobbed. “They died.”

I hesitated for a moment, but then I shook my head and stared her down with an angry snarl. “Get lost! Stop bothering me, or you will be punished!” And with that, I slammed the door shut once more.

I closed the deadlocks on the door and drew the curtains shut, then I slumped down right in front of the fireplace and stared into the flames, biting my lower lip. The whole affair with the foal had been deeply unsettling. She had seen me in her dream she had said, a voice had spoken to her. I know a few entities who could manipulate the dreams of mortals, but only two of them could have a reason to do so.

Thargunitoth, Archdemoness of the Undead, Queen of Nightmares, the one whose power I summon to cast necromantic spells. She could be arranging for a way to spread her influence to this world. A task I had obviously been lacking at.

And Princess Luna, though her motives I can't even grasp, but she is the only pony I know capable of this, and that is reason enough to suspect her. It is a greatly unsettling idea. Does the princess know about me being a necromancer?

I brooded about those ideas until only glowing embers remained from the fire, but the best solution I could come up with was killing the girl and dispose her body in the Everfree. Nopony would ever find her there, nopony would miss an orphan.

I shook my head and got back to my hooves. I levitated some new wood into the fireplace and blew the flames back to life, than I headed for the study for some research. But I couldn't concentrate and just stared at the pages without recognizing what was on them until it was almost sunrise.

When the first colors of the rising sun brightened the horizon, I sighed heavily and put the books down. I shook my head and headed downstairs, resolving that some breakfast was in order.

I put my cloak around my shoulders and opened the front door in mid stride, heading out to get some fresh buns. Lionheart would be home in a bit, sharing breakfast with her would be a welcome distraction.

I stumbled and almost fell, when my front hoof hit something soft on the doorstep. I gathered myself and took a step back in surprise, when I saw what had blocked my path. “Did you wait here all night?”

The little filly stirred and looked up from dark, tired eyes. It took her a few seconds to recognize me. When she did, she threw herself at my legs and raised her hooves pleading. “Please, teach me how to raise the dead! I'll do anything you want!”

I stared at her for long moments, stared at her matted mane, her filthy coat, and her thin, shivering frame. “Alright,” I said eventually. “Now you will be punished!”

Her eyes widened in fear, as I lifted her with my telekinesis, carried her into the house and slammed the door shut behind us.  

She was too afraid to move or make any sound, as I carried her through the house and finally dropped her unceremoniously into the bathtub. She whimpered when I dropped a piece of soap after her and opened the hot water tab. Only slowly did it dim on her, that she was not inside of a witch's kitchen, but the luxurious bathroom of an upper Canterlot manor, and not inside of a cauldron, but a spacious bathing tube. But only when the water reached her dirt stained hooves and didn't scald her skin did she look up at me in bewilderment.

“I'm getting a bath? That's punishment?”

I watched the water rise up on her body, nodding with a mischievous smirk. When the water had reached her neck, I closed the tab. “Oh, you have seen nothing yet.” My smirk spread to a malevolent grin, and I levitated a scrubbing brush with notoriously hard bristles in front of her face. She swallowed hard.

For the next fifteen minute the room was alive with the complaining moans of a little filly and the haughty laugh of a crazy mare scrubbing her all over until every grain of dirt was gone from her body and the skin under her coat shone pink, twice.

The water ran from the tub as a brown smear when I was finally done and dried the filly with a big towel. By now she had stopped complaining and just endured the procedure in defiant silence. When she was dry, I wasted no time waiting for her to get ready for what fate awaited her next, and just carried her with me in my levitation spell.

I got a chair from the closet, put it next to the kitchen table and and placed her on it. “Wha. . .” she tried to speak up, but I cut her short before she got even one word out.

“Just be silent and accept your punishment foalish child!”

She didn't speak up again, as I began rummaging through the kitchen, levitating half a dozen objects from various shelves at once. The kitchen was a small and simple affair, as neither I nor Lionheart were especially fond of cooking; the table was just big enough for two, the stove had only two flames and the shelves were mostly empty.

Still, after about fifteen minutes, I had produced a steaming gray mass and poured it into a bowl in front of the little unicorn. She sniffed it wearily, then looked up at me in utter confusion. “Oatmeal? I'm getting something to eat as punishment?”

The evil enchantress' simper spread on my lips again. “I cooked it!” I leaned closer to whisper into her ear. “I can't cook to save my life.” The look on her face when I drew back was priceless. “And now you have to eat it all, and lick the bowl clean!”

I'm actually not as bad a cook as I made it sound; only I do approach cooking like I do alchemy, meaning that I choose ingredients and method of preparation in order to achieve a certain effect. But as Rarity once explained to me, cooking is a form of art. You have to be passionate about it, cook with love or some other nonsense, in order to be good at it.

Anyway, there is not much you can mess up with oatmeal. Even less if you are feeding a starved foal; it is as they say: 'Hunger is the best chef.' After one tentative taste the filly dug into the food with a vengeance. The bowl was licked clean in a matter of minutes.

She slumped back on the chair, moaning, holding her belly. She could barely move any more. I nodded satisfied and once again lifted her with my telekinesis to carry her off once more. By the time I put her into my bed and draped the blankets across her, she was hardly awake.

“This is punishment?” she yawned, fighting to keep her eyes open.

“We'll discuss your punishment once you are fit enough to endure it. Now sleep tight, you are safe here.” And as soon as I had said that her eyes fell shut and she was fast asleep.


.oOo.


Lionheart came home an hour after dawn, she found me sitting in front of the fireplace again, pondering. “Hello there sunshine! You look especially gloom today.” She greeted me with a brief kiss. Concern spread on her face. “OK, I can tell somethings up. What's bothering you?”

I got up and began heading for the stairs. “It's easier to explain if I just show you. Follow me and be quiet.”

I lead her to our bedroom where the unicorn filly was still fast asleep. Lionheart only took a few heartbeats to assess the situation. “Alright,” she whispered, “why is a foal sleeping in our bed?”

“She came to my shop yesterday, looking for me. I send her away, but in the evening she showed up at our doorstep, asking if I could teach her magic.”

“Teach her magic?”

I nodded. “She's an orphan, saw me in her dreams and a voice told her I would help her.”

Lionheart raised an eyebrow at that. “OK?”

I shrugged. “I think she is telling the truth. Anyway I send her away again under threat of punishment. But when I wanted to get out this morning to go to the bakery, she was still waiting at the doorstep.”

“So you took her in.”

“Cleaned and fed her, put her into bed.” I turned towards Lionheart, looking at her with a determined frown. “I want to take her in as my apprentice.”

“Alright.”

“She showed her determination by staying here through the cold of the night, even against the threat of punishment.”

Lionheart nodded.

“I think she got the discipline it takes to become a sorceress”

“That's great.”

“And I don't want to hear anything about it. I made up my mind, the decision is final! Wait, you are not contradicting me?”

She shook her head. “I'm not.” She gave a long sigh. “I didn't tell you how I got my cutie mark, did I?” I shook my head, and she turned back towards the door. “Right then, let's go downstairs, then we can talk.”

We got down into the kitchen, and I set us up with some coffee, before we sat down at the table to talk. “I have been wondering about that, you know. Now do tell, how did you get your cutie mark?”

Lionheart took a long breath to collect herself before she started. “I was a little filly living in an orphanage in Manehattan.”

“Wait, orphanage? That explains why you never introduced me to your parents.”

She rolled her eyes. “Well neither did you.”

“My parents sold me to a mages' circle when I was five. Even if they were not living in another world from us, I would never show you to them, for I do not care if they live or die.”

My lover stared at me for a few seconds. “Oh. . .”

“Yes, that's why I never tell you about my past. It doesn't make for a cheerful story.” We sat in silence for a few moments, then Lionheart came over and embraced me in a hug. I let myself relax in her strong, caring hooves and leaned against her. “It's alright,” I said. “That was all so long ago, so far away, it feels like memories from another lifetime.”

I gave her a smile and nuzzled her cheek when she didn't look convinced. “Enough about me. You were telling a story!”

She sat down behind me without letting me go, if anything holding me tighter. “Alright. So as I was saying, I was living in an orphanage in Manehattan together with a dozen other foals. Meaning we slept there from time to time. Most days however we foaled around as a band of misfits together with some street urchins. We called ourselves the corsairs, fashioning us some kind of freebooters, the city our endless ocean.

“You can imagine we got into all kinds of trouble. Pulled dog's tails, snitched sweets from the candy shop, that kind of thing, nothing too serious. But as time went on, some of the other kids got adopted, the cute ones, the unicorns and pegasi. I was left behind with the other refuse, and as we grew older, we became bitter, angry. Our little foal's pranks made way for acts of vandalism, drugs, theft and robbery, anything to pass the time and forget about our problems.

“So one day we had this big thing planned. We had learned about a smugglers den in the docks and wanted to sneak in at night and lift that place, grab as much as we could carry. Sell some of it, get Cloudsdale high for weeks on the rest.

“As you might imagine the whole thing went horribly wrong, and we found ourselves beaten up and thrown into a dark, wet room, to be sold as exotic food for griffons, or worse. While the others were busy wailing in self pity and cursing the cruel world in general, I would have none of it. I was not about to let myself become dog food, so I stepped up, even to the older and stronger fillies, slapped some sense into them and took charge.”

Lionheart had told her story in a low voice, clearly uncomfortable facing those memories again, up to that point. Now she raised her voice, and spread her wings, her eyes shining with passion. “When one of the thugs came into our cell, all of us jumped him on my mark from the corners of the room. We dragged him to the ground, gave him a few hard bucks to the rips, then rushed out of the room.

“We galloped through the warehouse, the den was in, in a tight group and managed to avoid, or overrun any smuggler that came into our way. We had the advantage of surprise and the place was a maze, so they had a hard time cornering us with any significant numbers. When we came across some wooden boxes with straw and strong liquor in them, we smashed an oil lamp and set fire to the whole place. In the resulting confusion we managed to get out, all of us in one piece, if a little worse for the wear.

“But of course there were consequences. Head of the orphanage got wind of the whole thing, as did the guard. I went ahead and turned myself in, told them it was all my idea and accepted full blame.”

“Why ever would you do that? It wasn't even your idea, was it?”

She shook her head. “No, but after taking charge of the others in that cell, I felt that I was responsible for them. And know what? It turned out that was my special talent. Leading and taking care of others, shouldering the burden of responsibility, fighting like a lioness protecting her cubs if I have to.”

She shook her head and a grinned. “Should have seen the look on the guards face when they arrested me and my cutie mark appeared as a result.

“From that time on I kept myself and the others out of trouble. I joined the army as soon as I was old enough. They welcomed me with open hooves and became the family I never had. Soon I had a command, then the night guard was reinstated and Luna made me it's first new captain. You know the rest.”

I didn't say anything right away, just sat in her embrace and stroked the leg she had slung around my chest. “So that's why you didn't say anything against me taking the filly in.”

She made a solemn nod. “If she was as neglected as you said, she probably doesn't have any relatives and has run from the orphanage. She will need somepony she can trust to take care of her. And if harmony guided her to you, who I'm I to object?”

“Harmony,” I mumbled, wondering again who had actually send the filly to me.

“We'd have to adopt her though. It might be normal in your world for a five year old to live with a mage's circle, but in Equestria a foal needs a legal guardian until it comes of age. Might not be easy to get the permission to adopt a child though.”

“You are captain of the guard, that must count for something.”

“It will count as a steady job, but beyond that I don't know. They usually prefer married couples or herds.”

“Then let's get married.”

“. . .”

I freed myself from her grasp and turned around to look her in the eyes. “You heard me, let's get married! Now, I know this is supposed to be some romantic event with presenting a ring or something, but I'm too tired right now to care. Don't tell me you have not been thinking about it yourself, even before I showed you the filly.”

A smile spread on her face, and she leaned in and kissed me, putting into that kiss all the affection, all the love she felt for me. It was the only answer I needed.


.oOo.


The late afternoon sun shone through the curtains and tickled my nose, waking me where I was sleeping on the couch. I yawned, untangled myself from my lovers grasp, careful not to wake her, and went to the bathroom.

Half an hour later I felt barely presentable and went upstairs to wake the unexpected guest occupying my bed. She stirred from her sleep as soon as I entered the room. “Morning sleepy head.” I drew the curtains to the side with my magic and orange sunlight flooded the room. “Or make that afternoon. Get up and follow me. And be quiet, I don't want us to wake my fiance.”

She blinked a few times, shielding her eyes with a hoof until they adjusted to the light, then quickly nodded, slipped out of the bed and followed me on silent hooves.

We went into the kitchen, and I carefully closed the door behind us. I motioned her to sit down at the table with my snout and began scouring the shelves for something edible. “You want anything to eat?” I asked, levitating a box of oats and nuts onto the countertop. She just nodded and I poured some into two bowls together with the last milk from the refrigerator.

“Am I still getting punished?” She asked, trying to make herself small, as I carried the bowl onto the table.

“Actually no, or yes, depending on how you think about it.” I sat down beside her at the table. “But that's not important right now. We should start at square one, so some introductions are in order.” I put a hoof on my chest, puffing it out proudly and held my head high. “I am Sapphire, formerly known as Hela Regina Mortium, master sorceress.”

Then I dropped the act and looked back at her with a warm smile. “And who might you be?” I asked when she didn't reply right away.

“Serene,” she said with the most adorable little voice. “Serene Winter.”

“Well met!” I replied solemnly, then the smile died from my lips and was replaced with grave seriousness. “You said you wanted me to teach you how to raise the dead.”

Something flashed in her eyes, perhaps hope. “Can you?” She swallowed hard, I saw tears gathering at the corners of her eyes. “My parents, they died. And now I'm all alone. I hate being alone, I want to bring them back!”

I nodded. “Well, you may be in luck, for I am the only necromancer alive in all of Equestria, and your determination has impressed me. I have decided to take you as my apprentice.”

She dried her tears on her fetlocks. “Does that mean you will teach me, teach me to bring them back?”

I wonder why she didn't just ask me to do that for her. Foals have a strange way of thinking sometimes.

I nodded. “If you are willing to learn, I will teach you, but I won't promise you anything beyond that. The path of sorcery is a lone and treacherous one, if you don't have the determination and discipline it requires, you will fail, and it might very well cost you your life. Do you understand.”

She stared at me with big, frightened eyes for a moment, then she swallowed hard and nodded.

“Good. So I ask you. Do you really want to become my apprentice and learn the secrets of necromancy?”

She nodded again, immediately and eagerly this time.

“Very well then, swear the oath and be welcome in my circle. Speak after me: I solemnly swear.”

She took a deep breath and sat up tall, raising her hoof. “I solemnly swear.”

“To call everypony in the circle my brother or sister and help and respect them as if they 	were my own family.
To seek and acquire knowledge for the circle wherever I can,
and to teach that knowledge only to the ponies of the circle and nopony else.”

It was not the same oath I had sworn when I entered the Circle of the Highest Magic all those years ago, but something I had made up on the spot, so it was rather lacking. Still, Serene repeated those words as if they were the most important thing ever spoken. I gave her a satisfied nod. “And with that you are a member of the circle. Welcome sister!”

That made her start grinning from ear to ear besides herself, but I held up a hoof, stopping her from getting too excited. “Now there are certain rules you will have to follow.

“I will call you my apprentice, and you will call me Mistress, and the first and last thing I want to hear from you is 'Yes Mistress'! Is that understood?”

She nodded, but my stern glare gave her to understand that wasn't enough. “Yes. . . I mean yes Mistress!”

In gave her a satisfied nod. “Good, now the first rule is that you will obey my every command without question. Sorcery is dangerous, ponies will die if you make mistakes.”

“Yes Mistress!”

“The second rule is to keep everything I tell you within the circle, meaning between the two of us. You are not to tell anypony about what you see or hear, everything we do in the circle stays within the circle. Even if Princess Celestia herself asks you about it, you have to keep the circle's secrets to yourself.”

She swallowed. “Yes Mistress.”

“Alright, these are the rules. I might add to that, but for now it will suffice.” I gave a final nod, then I took up a spoon in my telekinesis. “Now eat your breakfast apprentice, we got a long day ahead of us.”

Serene smiled and shifted her bowl right in front of herself with her hooves. “Yes Mistress!” she chirped and began eating her food right out of the bowl.

I sighed and shook my head. “Remind me to teach you how to use a spoon first thing tomorrow.”


.oOo.


It was dawn when the two of us arrived at my workshop located in my previous Canterlot residence. I found having the place I worked separate from the place I lived in to be a blessing. It also gave me way more space to set up my workrooms.

“Close the door behind you and lock it. We don't want to be interrupted.” While she did as asked, I lit the candles on a stand with a spell -the second unicorn spell I had learned- and levitated them to my side. “Follow me.”

“This is where I work. On this floor I have an alchemy lab,” I explained as her led her through the hallway. “I do a lot of profane alchemy, like making soap, baking powder or distilling alcohol. Generates a steady income if my other services aren't wanted. You will learn this too, it's the basis for all higher alchemy.”

We reached the end of the hallway, where a set of stairs led upwards, and a second one behind a closed door downwards. “My office is upstairs, but we are heading down into the cellar.”

Serene tugged her head between her shoulder and looked around anxiously, as we walked down the stairs. The air around us became cooler with every step. “The cellar is dug right into the Canterlot mountain. Keeps the same temperature all around the year.” After passing through another door at the base of the stairs, we came into a large rectangular room. Unlike the staircase itself the walls here were not covered with wooden panels and revealed the roughly chiseled rock itself.

With a brief burst of arcane energy I lit several magic stones set into every corner of the room and the ceiling, and the room was flooded with their bright, bluish light. No longer needing them, I blew out the candles and set them down on a cupboard near the door. “Welcome to the anatomy!”

The little unicorn looked around the room in dreadful wonder. The walls were lined with shelves containing various instruments, alchemicals, and large diagrams on pony anatomy. With wide eyes and open mouth she walked up to a shelf containing anatomical preparations; hearts, eyeballs, lungs, brain, a whole pony floating in pieces in formaldehyde. She stared at them with morbid fascination.

I levitated a metal bucket in front of her, as I walked to the center of the room, regaining her attention. “Hold onto this.” She took the handle in her mouth and walked to stand beside me.

Before us, standing in the bright light of the crystals set into the ceiling, stood a large metal table; something big was laying on it, covered under a gray blanket. Had Serene been familiar with the heavy scent of starting decay, she might have guessed what. “This is what we'll be working on tonight!” I declared and lifted the blanket with my magic.

It revealed the lifeless body of an aged unicorn, his frame even more slender in death than it had been in life. The stallion was of dull orange coat and had a short gray mane.

Serene jumped when she saw this, and took several steps backward. “There is nothing to be afraid of apprentice.” I walked to her side and laid my hoof around her shoulders, guiding her back towards the table.

“The dead cannot hurt you. This body is nothing but a hollow shell. Everything this pony was in life is gone. His memories, his soul, even his cutie mark is gone. Don't think of this as a dead pony, but a corpse; just an object like a stone or a piece of wood.” I felt her trembling under my hooves, as we came closer, but she nodded and didn't shy away from the body.

I lifted one of the body's legs with my magic and let it fall back onto the table, where it landed with a dull thud. “Look, nothing! Just like a doll. Try it yourself.”

She swallowed, then followed my lead. She raised her hoof and gave the corpse a tentative prod, when that didn't provoke any action, she got bolder and shifted one of the legs around. I felt how she stopped shivering under my hoof. She looked back at me. I nodded and gave her an approving smile, which made her lips curl up a bit in return.

But immediately concern spread on her face. “Mistress? Why do you have a corpse in your basement?”

“Valid question my apprentice! You see I work as a preparateur, preparing the bodies of the deceased so that they look good for their funeral. The relatives don't want to look onto a hideous corpse after all. This stallion here arrived just yesterday. His family is Canterlot nobility, so they want the best.

“And I am best, for I am a necromancer. I know the mummifying techniques of the Tulamyds and the ancient Achaz, balms and potions nopony has ever heard of. I know each and every muscle and bone in the mortal body, every organ, every vessel. I know spells to knit together flesh and bone, even the disfigured body of somepony mauled by a manticore is nothing to me.”

I turned to Serene, who was staring at me, her ears laid on in dread, but her eyes shining with admiration. “They pay the best too, but this not only a way to earn bits. This is an easy way to get fresh corpses for studying too. If you can make the body look fine on the day of the funeral, you can dissect it as much as you want, make it yield all of its secrets. Nopony will be the wiser.”

I gave her a stern look, holding her gaze with a serious frown. “This shall be your first lesson! To control the body of the dead, you first have to learn everything about it. You have to learn how the joints move, how the muscles work and how it all was once controlled by the brain in life, if your spells shall bring anything resembling life. You understand? You got your bucket ready? Then come close, and don't look away.”

And with that I got a tray with my tools from the shelf, picked up a scalpel with my magic and made a cut along the corps' foreleg. Serene clenched her teeth, but didn't flinch away, only when I began peeling back the skin, exposing the muscles beneath, did she find out why I had given her the bucket.

And while she emptied her breakfast into the container, I couldn't help but smile proudly, for she didn't run, didn't flee from the scene. And so she did better than most students in my circle had done on their first dissection.’

> Chapter 12: Secret Letters
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------



Chapter 12: Secret Letters


 Dear Sapphire

I am so happy to hear that you got yourself an apprentice Though the circumstances under which you met her are strange to say the least, I am positive that this will be a wonderful blessing for the both of you. Obviously Serene has found a new place where she belongs, and two good ponies to take care of her. But I think it will be good for you as well. You will finally experience the joy of teaching, of sharing your knowledge with another pony, instead of just keeping all of your secrets to yourself.

I know you will say that you have been talking about magic with me, but I know there is much more you don't talk about, since the oath to your magic circle forbids it.

And that Lionheart agreed to marry you in the process is wonderful to hear as well. I'm so happy for you! Do you already now when the wedding will be? Am I invited?


Sadly I don't have such good news about my private live to share with you. I'm just way too busy with my research so there is no time for romance left. But I won't complain. I'm traveling a lot and learning so much. Spike is with me, but you knew that of course, the letter arrived you by dragon fire after all. Rainbow Dash also insisted on accompanying me -ever the embodiment of loyalty- and I am very grateful to have her around.   

Just last month I found some actual writings from the time of Starswirl the Bearded. In a small village at the coast south of the smokey mountains, I came across an eyewitness account of the fall of the Necromancer's Kingdom. It was a diary, kept save over the centuries in the attic of a rock farmer family mansion.

It's a personal story of course, but it sheds lights on the events from the perspective of somepony actually living in the kingdom. On the first glance the events seem to be the same as in the records in Canterlot, but they differ so much in detail!

And they are a lot grimmer than the sagas of Starswirl as well. So many ponies suffered during that time, so many lives were lost.

It's great for my research though, if I can link this accounts to actual places, I have a new lead where to look next, maybe I will even find the ruins of the Necromancer King's castle!

I will keep in touch. Give my regards to Lionheart and Serene.

Yours, Twilight Sparkle

P.S. Rainbow asks how a boring egghead like you managed to get an awesome mare like Lionheart to marry you.



Dear Twilight

We didn't set a date for the wedding yet, but of course you will be invited. It will only be a tiny ceremony though. Without any family to invite, it will just be close friends of Lionheart and I. I will tell you far in advance, so you can schedule a visit to Canterlot within your travels.

As I started to teach Serene to become a sorceress, I found myself reevaluation everything I knew about being a sorceress. As you know, I despise my former masters at the circle and their methods of teaching. There has to be a better way for a young filly to learn the secrets of magic.

I already used those meditation and yoga techniques you did, when you thought me the unicorn way of spell casting. But that's just a good start.

Mostly I have been concerned about how it can be possible to learn the self discipline required of a sorceress, without rigorous ascesis, for I want Serene to grow up healthy and strong. I only managed to do so myself, because I had already stopped listening to my masters advice when they found us old enough to begin proper magical training that required strict ascesis. Other adepts who didn't, grew stunted and miss formed. But because I forsook ascesis, I never learned self control and grew arrogant. Then I learned the hard way what consequences arrogance can have.

So how can I teach my apprentice proper self control without hurting her bodily development? Lionheart gave me an idea. She said that the they use physical training to teach their recruits discipline. And I can see it. Standing up in the middle of the night, going out in any weather, no matter if it hails or the sun burns, running until your lungs burn and your legs feel heavy as lead, that requires self discipline. I will read up on the subject.

Will probably have to go through the same training I put Serene through, but that's alright; Rarity tells me that muscular calves and well toned flanks are en vogue among the Canterlot nobles. That's quite a difference to the fat, decadent elite of Bosperan I tell you. Can you believe I had been afraid that traveling would ruin my scrawny frame, no longer making me look like I didn't have to lift a hoof to make a living?   

I wish you good luck on your search for the Necromancer King's castle. You should speak to the locals too, they might know old stories, fables even, that ground on true events. The cursed hill where the animals won't go could very well be the site where a wizard's lair is hidden.

But be careful if you go out to investigate a potential site. A necromancer's traps and guards can still be active even after centuries, and it might be haunted by ghosts. Feel free to call on me if you are in doubt; I have scavenged more ancient tombs and lost wizard's towers than I care for. I'm kind of an expert on the matter.

Yours, Sapphire

P.S. Tell Rainbow Dash, she will want to join my herd too, once I show her my mastery of rope and riding corp.



Dear Sapphire

I thought about the self discipline training you plan for Serene. I think that physical training is a good start, but you should also consider a pure mental training. Like having her sustain a strict, healthy diet, despite sweets being readily available. Maybe often make food she isn't found of. You still don't like hay tea, do you? Or do meditations in a room with lot's of distraction she has to blend out.

You will however have to give her proper motivation to do so. Something positive.

There is one thing I am concerned about though. You said yourself that you didn't trust your masters in the circle. You said it made you learn more about magic than you would have else wise, but I think you are wrong. It only made you disobey their orders, not following their advice. Don't make the same mistake with Serene.

She is just a filly, and you and Lionheart are the only ponies she has. It is imperative that she can trust the two of you, especially you! Foals need to feel safe, they need to be able to trust in the ponies around them, in the world around them, so they can find their place. And since her trust was once betrayed already -not that her parents had planned on doing so by dying- it is even more important she can build it once again. She might develop serious mental disorders otherwise.

Now that I think about it, a psychosis developed through the trauma of losing her parents might have been the reason for her to run from the orphanage and seek a way to resurrect her parents in the first place. She is lucky she found you, and not some questionable practitioner of black magic. Just imagine a little foal learning Necromancy! I shudder to think about it.

You can make her a critical spirit by employing on her natural curiosity! Show her the things that are hidden from plain sight, show her the wonders that are to be found if one just looks beyond. Trust her, don't keep secrets from her, and in turn she will show worthy of that trust, and trust you the same way.

Yours, Twilight Sparkle

P.S. Rainbow looks so cute when she is embarrassed.



Dear Twilight

I think you are right. All the books I read on pedagogy agree with you. (At least the ones that have any credibility. What nonsense some ponies readily believe!) So I will try to do as you said, trust in Serene, and earn her trust in turn.

Also I hate you! You made me drink hay tea at least once a week. Remember me to thank you properly with my riding corp when you come to Canterlot for my wedding.

Best wishes

Yours truly, Sapphire


> Chapter 13: Ghosts
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------



Chapter 13: Ghosts


Today I taught Serene her first magic spell. That means the first magic spell not including unicorn telekinesis, which is not really a spell, and what I thought her as soon as her magic talent had grown strong enough to do it.

But we were already past that, past the meditations to feel and control the arcane flow, past the yoga exercise to form the astral body. This night we were sitting in the study, comfortably stretched out on large pillows on the floor.

Serene was staring down at the spell thesis I had provided for her. Eventually she would be able to copy those from my vademecum and start her own spell book, but for now I made copies for her myself. She studied the complex geometric pattern that made up the spell matrix in the dim light provided by the fire and a few candles scattered around the room, the tip of her tongue sticking out at the side of her mouth.

“You want me to explain the thesis to you again?” I offered.

“No, no!” she replied without looking up. “I can read this just fine, just let me make sure I memorized it alright.”

I nodded and waited for her to finish, idly watching her, listening to the cracking of the firewood and the late autumn rain dabbling against the windows. My apprentice had grown much more confident in the past two years and always held herself with a certain dignity, I would normally only expect of a sorceress twice her age. She wore her gray hair braided into a top knot, as she always did when she was working. It gave her a kind of stern look, but I knew how nice and comely she looked when she let it back down.

“Alright, I think I'm ready.” Her sudden exclamation jolted me from my thoughts. I blinked at her a few times.

“Oh, good! Then let's get started.” I cleared my throat and shifted a bit on my pillow. “This is a very basic spell, but surprisingly useful, and more complicated than it first looks, so make sure to take your time.”

She nodded, her lips drawn tight in concentration.

“Now, focus on the object you want to cast the spell on. Focus on me for now; my aura is the strongest in the room. Take your time, focus on the spell matrix and summon your arcane powers, let the words guide you through the spell.”

Sweat formed on her brow, her left eyelid twitched, but her voice was loud and clear as she spoke the words of: “Odem Arcanum!”

For a moment she just stared at me with wide eyes, and I couldn't help a proud smile spreading on my lips. After a few seconds the spell stopped and Serene began to cheer: “It worked! It really worked! I could see you in a bright red light.”

I gave her an approving nod. “You managed to cast it on first try, very good! Well done my apprentice.” I went over to her and drew her into a hug, patting her back with my hoof. “Well done indeed.”

When I sat back down again after a moment, she was grinning from ear to ear. I nodded at her once again. “Keep practicing this spell. When your mastery of it improves, you can gauge the magic power of whatever you are looking at and you can modify the spell matrix to expand it onto your whole field of view. When you get really good, you can even tell the nature of the magic you are looking at, if it is just an illusion, an enchantment or an elemental summon.”

She listened to my words intently, nodding several times.

“Now, lets keep on practicing it. You should have the arcane reserves to cast the spell at least four times. So, do it again!”

“Yes mistress!”


.oOo.


“Apprentice, what have you learned about ghosts?” We were walking through the snowy Canterlot streets of early winter. The full moon shone bright in the clear night sky. It was freezing cold, our every breaths showed as puffs of steam.

“Sometimes a pony's soul does not leave this world, because something is keeping it here, usually something they regret.”

I nodded. “That's right. Often those are murder victims, or ponies insanely obsessed with something; serial killers for example. Ghosts are actually pretty rare in Equestria, but even in Bosperan, where they are commonplace, people don't see them. Why is that?”

“Because ghost are incorporeal! They only have a spirit body, invisible to the mundane eye. Only a spell of clairvoyance like the Odem Arcanum or Occulus Astralis will reveal them to the caster.”

A proud smile came to my lips. “Very good. Some ponies with supernatural faculty may be able to communicate with them. Other than that they are only able to interact with the world in very limited ways. Some may appear once a year at the date of their murder and haunt the place they died as a translucent specter, others might only be able to make their presence felt to ponies they touch, usually as a shiver easily mistaken for a gust of cold air. So how does a sorceress interact with a ghost when she wants too?”

Serene grinned widely at that question. “By summoning them with the Phasma Vocatus spell. Using this spell a sorceress can not only summon every ghost in the spell's reach, but also give them the ability to appear as a specter and speak with her.” She pranced a few steps. “Are we going to summon an actual ghost tonight mistress?”

“Maybe, just wait for it. You know of course that I get commissioned to banish ghosts that haunt places around Canterlot, even though I have not done so since I took you as apprentice. How do you banish a ghost?”

“The Pentagramma spell can be used to banish every off worldly creature, be it ghosts or demons.”

“That's one way to do it, and keep practicing the spell. If you ever encounter a demon, it might be the only way to defeat it. Be careful though not to cast it if the the demon or spirit possesses the body of a pony or has one in its grasp, for they will be banished with it.” That was something my own teachers neglected to tell me, resulting in me banishing my friend Morlea's soul from her body, luckily for her only into the skull the spirit was bound to. It was a nightmare getting her and only her back into her body anyway.

I shook my head at that memory, and quickly focused back on the lesson. “My customers actually always paid me extra for not using the Pentagramma, even though I offered. Why is that?”

She had ponder the question for a moment. “Because the place the spirit is banished to is unknown, but most likely the nether hells?”

I nodded. “Most ponies don't even knfreow about the nether hells, but once I told them of it, they always wanted me to banish the ghost some other way. What other way?”

“The sorceress can speak to the ghost, find out what is keeping it in this world, and then help it sever the connection and pass on to the next life.”

“What of course is far more sumptuous than casting a Pentagramma spell, thus the extra charge. It might only require to pass on a message, but could also lead to a full blown murder investigation. Priests may do this too, but I found that the expertise is surely lacking in this world. I think apart from me, only the princesses could actually banish a ghost. And you of course, once you finish your training.”

We came to a halt, and Serene let her ears sink, when she saw where we were. “Oww, the workshop? I was hoping to see a ghost.”

“Patients apprentice. And you shouldn't look forward to this, ghost can be dangerous. Some may attack you at a whim, others are nightmares that only exist to drain the live from their sleeping victims.” I opened the door to my workshop and stepped inside.

“Yes mistress.” Serene stepped after me, holding her head low. She closed the door behind her.

I hang my cloak on the rack, but didn't take of my boots; I left a wet trail behind me, as I walked across the floor towards the office. Serene noticed this with a raised eyebrow when she took off her own boots and followed me.

As I entered the study, I lit the fireplace with a spell, then took a single unlit candle from a shelf with my telekinesis and placed it on the empty space before the fireplace. Only now did I take of my boots, leaving them at the door and walked to sit besides the candle on one side in front of the fireplace.

“Take out your vademecum,” I said to my apprentice when she came in and motioned her to sit at the other side of the candle with a nod of the head. “And cast the Phasma Vocatus spell.”

She walked over to me, wearing a disappointed scowl. “Another dry run?”

I couldn't help a mischievous smile coming to my lips. I interrupted her before she sat down: “Oh, I forgot to take of my boots before. Would you be a dear, and bring them to the door?”

She raised an eyebrow at this, but quickly turned back and picked up the boots in the golden aura of her telekinesis. When she had left the room I counted down the seconds. Five, four, three, two, one.

Frantic hoof clopping came from the stairs, as somepony galloped up on them. “The water stains on the floor!” Serene said with a breathless gasp as she came into the door. “They're gone!”

“Of course they are!” I replied with a big grin. “Now, calm yourself and sit down.” She quickly followed suit, rushed through the room, threw herself onto the floor and only when she noticed my disapproving look did she take a deep breath to regain her decorum.

I gave her a satisfied nod. “We are going to summon a ghost this night.” An excited smile came back to Seren's face the instance she heard that. I gracefully ignored it. “This very building is haunted by a poltergeist, but a very peculiar one; instead of breaking things and attacking ponies by throwing furniture at them, this one keeps the place in spotless order.

“He is actually the very reason I bought this place. Though he is a benevolent spirit and a useful one at that, the last ponies to live here were afraid of the unexplainable cleaning and wanted it sold. But nopony wanted to buy a haunted house, so the broker hired me to purge it. And of course when I offered to just banish the ghost with Pentagramma, he instead payed me extra to deliver the ghost.”

Serene raised an eyebrow at this. “How come he is still here?”

I shook my head with an amused smile. “Because I couldn't! It's the ghost of the house's former butler and apparently he liked working here so much, that when he died he just continued to do so. So, because I'm not afraid of ghosts, and I wanted to keep my reputation intact, I declared that I had purged the ghost and then just bought the place myself.”

“Huh,” she pondered this for a moment, rubbing her chin with a hoof. “But is he really happy here? Or is he just bound to say that he is?”

“Why don't you find out yourself?”

A sudden gleam came to her eyes, she pulled her vademecum from her bag and quickly flipped through the pages to the spell she wanted. She concentrated on the spell formula for a long moment, gnawing at her lip. Then, with a sudden flash of her horn, she ignited the candle standing between us and began to focus on the smoke rising from the flame.

Minutes passed, the only sound in the room the occasional crack of the firewood. I rested my head on my hooves and watched my apprentice sunken deep into trance like concentration while she cast the spell. Finally her lips moved, whispering the words of: “Phasma Vocatus.”

“You have called me young mistress?” The room became drenched in eerie white light, as a translucent specter appeared floating above us. Even in death the former butler of this place radiated a calm decorum, bowing before my apprentice and me, barely opening his eyes.

Serene looked up at him in open mouthed wonder.



“How can I serve you?” In live the stallion must have had a deep, soothing voice, but in death it had a hollow ring to it.

Only now did my apprentice realize that a pony was talking to her, she quickly closed her mouth and shook her head to collect herself. “Ah yes, I did. Say, you have been the butler of this place?”

A proud smile came to the ghost stallion's lips. “I'd say I still am young mistress. Major domus Silver Cutlery at your service.”

“Oh, thank you. My name is Serene.”

The specter nodded. “I know young mistress. You have honored this house with your presence many times, and always have I served you, even though you didn't notice until tonight.”

Serene just looked at him for a moment, her yaw working, but no sound coming out. “Oh, yes, of course. Thank you for your services Mister Cutlery.” He just bowed before her.

Serene shot me an unsure look, but I just motioned back at the ghost with my snout. She boggled when she remembered what she had summoned him for.

“Ah yes, I almost forgot. Say Mister Cutlery, why are you still working here? You know, in your condition?”

“You mean dead?” He didn't even lift an eyelid at the question. “That's quite simple young mistress. You see my cutie mark? It's a tray of tea. My special talent is serving the ponies living in this house with utmost decorum. I have served three generations of Goldengleams in this house and I see no reason why I should stop doing so because of my minor inconvenience.”

He made a deep, rattling sight. “Unluckily, the family didn't understand that I was still serving them, because they couldn't see my ghostly form, they were afraid of my work, thought the place was haunted, so they sold it. I could speak to nopony until the mistress came and summoned me. The mistress has no objection against me continuing my work here, and I am eternally grateful for her giving purpose to my existence once again.”

Serene gave a hesitant nod and looked back at me. “He seems to be honest, but I'm still unsure.”

“Well, we could always sever his worldly anchor by burning down the house.” I raised my hoof in an offering gesture.   

“Please refrain from doing so!” Silver spoke up, looking at me lifting one of his eyelids. “This place is very dear to me, I would hate to see it destroyed.”

I chuckled, and waved at him dismissively. “But we won't have too,” I looked back at my apprentice. “Take a look at his flank.”

She raised an eyebrow, but did as she was told and looked up to the old stallion's flank. “What about it?”

“Don't you see it?” I pointed at it with my hoof. “He still has his cutie mark. Even in death he has not lost his special purpose.”


.oOo.


Hearth's warming eve. The day that ponies celebrate the founding of Equestria. It is a nice little tale of how the three tribes overcame their differences and started to live together in harmony. And that's what it is, a tale. Actual records from this time are even harder to get than of the pre-classical area. I can only imagine what really happened back then. Was it an all out war? Were the Windigos actually demons, called by the ponies to annihilate their enemies? Did they turn on their masters, when there was no enemy left to slaughter?

Something like that had happened in my world while I was still a child. The province city of Gareth declared itself independent of Bosperan, after the Emperor raised their taxes, because he envied the treasures the trading town had accumulated. When the Garethiens rebelled, he marched against them with five legions. But Gareth got aided by every other province that saw an opportunity to break free from Bosperan's shackles.

It came to a battle at the meadows before Gareth, the largest battle in recorded history. For five days and nights the armies clashed, and the ground was drenched in the blood of men. When finally the Garethiens got the advantage and the legions were on the edge of defeat, emperor Fran Horas himself called down the Arch-Demons from the neather hells to defeat his enemies.

But after the demons had slaughtered the Garethiens, they turned against the Bosperans, annihilating them to the last man. Fran fled the field of battle. “What have I done?” he supposedly has said. The Emperor withdrew himself to his solar, for five days his lamentations could be heard through the palace. Then on the fifth night, screams echoed from his chambers, and he was simply gone.

The empire did not recover from the loss of five legions. One by one its provinces declared independence. Gareth was overrun by Orks, and the field of battle was transformed into a demon haunted swamp, called the 'Dämonenbrache' by the locals.

I write this down to point out what makes this world so different from mine. So maybe the three tribes almost annihilated each other in a great war, but after that the survivors overcame their differences and founded Equestria, a nation that has lasted hundreds of generations, a nation that has embraced love and harmony as its prime virtues.

In Dere Bosperans, Tulamyds, and Orks just continued fighting each other. I wonder if they will eventually succeed where the three pony tribes had failed and wipe each other out. Or did they already manage that in the time I was gone?

I fail to understand the why of the differences between the two worlds. Maybe the situation in Dere was not dire enough for the survivors to work together. Maybe Dere is the playing field of immortals, and men are just their game pieces. Or maybe it just pure chance. A cosmic whim that Equestria is the only peaceful place in the myriad of worlds.

Whatever it is, I am happy to have found this place.


Tonight Serene came home a few hours shy from morning. Lionheart was still out on guard duty. We had planned to celebrate hearts warming in the morning when she would be back.

Serene opened and closed the door with a listless quiet, and I heard her carry herself up the stairs and into her room without ever stopping to greet me. I knew imminently that something was up, and I actually had a hunch what that might be. I sat down the book I was reading and followed her on gentle hooves.

When I came upstairs I heard muffled sobs from her room. I took a moment to breath and gather my courage, then I slipped through the door. She was lying on her bed in darkness, her face buried in her pillow. I carefully closed the door behind me, lit a candle on the nightstand and sat down on the bed behind her.

“What is it that grieves you my apprentice?” I said, stroking her shoulders gently with my hoof. She looked up from her pillow, her eyes red and swollen.

“I went to the place our house burnt down. . . where my parents died.”

I gathered her up, so she sat cradled in my hooves and nuzzled her behind the ear. “And you tried to summon them with the Phasma Vocatus.”

She sniffed and nodded. “I cast the spell three times until I was too exhausted to try again. And nothing! They just didn't come.” She turned around and buried her face in my mane. “That's when I realized that they're gone. They didn't stay as ghosts, there is no way to raise them from the dead, they are just gone! And they left me all alone.”

“Hush, hush.” I wrapped my hooves around her. “Your parents might be gone, but you are not alone,” I said and tightened my grip. “Never alone. Your parents could leave this world in peace, because they knew other ponies would take care of you. You are part of this herd now. Both me and Lionheart love your dearly, you know that.”

She calmed down a bit, untangled herself from the strands of my mane and rested her head on my shoulder. “But what if you die too?”

I faked an amused chuckle and pushed Serene from me so I was holding her with my hooves on her shoulders at legs length and looked her in the eye. “What about it, my apprentice? We are necromancers you and I. Death holds no meaning to us.”

How could I have told her that that I am actually terrified of death? That I am so unsure what would be my fate, that I can't even find brief relieve in my sleep? No, I had to be strong for her, I had to be an example of a master sorceress.

I made a dismissive gesture with my hoof. “Even in the unlikely event of my demise there is no reason to despair. You will hold you head high and rejoice that you have known me, and you will overcome your grief and come out better and stronger. Just like I know you will overcome your present grief and will become a better mare for having known this pain.”

I held her eyes for a moment longer, waiting for a sign that my words had their desired effect. Finally, she nodded and dried her tears on her fetlock. I let go of her, but then, without warning, she threw herself around my neck and hugged me tight.

I heard her whispering in my ear, her voice trembling with barely restrained sobs. “May I call you mommy?”

A smile crept to my lips and I felt my own eyes water up when I heard this words. I slung my legs around her and returned the hug. “Only if I may call you my daughter.”


I began teaching her actual necromantic spells the next day.


> Chapter 14: Long Distance Correspondence
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------



Chapter 14: Long Distance Correspondence


Dear Twilight Sparkle

It was so good to see you and the others during winter wrap up in Ponyville. Lets continue this as a tradition for years to come. Next time I will not only bring my daughter, but Lionheart as well. I bet she has never even held a snow shovel.

Now spring is in the air, and even I feel its rejuvenating powers. Yesterday me and Lionheart had a date with a stallion. His name is Merry Mead and he works as a cook in the Castle's kitchen.

He actually approached Lionheart a week ago. Seems like he was impressed by my presence the view times he saw me in the Castle, maybe he heard a few rumors about me and Lionheart as well. Anyway, he said he had never seen mares that held themselves like I do apart from the princesses before (shameless flatterer!) and really wanted to meet me.

I brought Lionheart along. I am still not very versed in pony relationships, but from what I gathered a pony herd is a lot like a Bosperan family. A mare or stallion at it's head and several wives or husbands and their children who all pretty much belong the the family head. It seems to be way more open than in Bosperan though, more like a union held together by common interest and love, sharing their resources, raising their foals together. Anyway I really wanted to have Lionheart at my side when I went on that date. It would have felt like betraying her if I didn't.

Unlike my first date with Lionheart it was a funny and lighthearted affair. Merry is a butter yellow earth pony of strong build with an unruly orange mane. He is quite cheerful, gentle, well spoken and generally easy to like. I wonder why he is single and doesn't have half a dozen fillies in his herd already.

Lionheart seems to like him, and while I don't find him to possess the qualities I normally find attractive I don't mind seeing him again. I think I'm actually looking forward to it. That mead horn cutie mark of his deserves a good spanking. Having an actual stallion at our disposal when our next heat hits would be a welcome change for Lionheart and I as well.  

Yours, Sapphire



Dear Sapphire

Yes winter wrap up was a lot of fun, let's make it a tradition!

Marrying Lionheart, finally calling Serene your daughter and now you are seeing a stallion? I think you are becoming quite the lead mare.

I have to say I envy you in this aspect. (You, Fluttershy, Rarity, Applejack and Pinkie Pie actually. Feels like me and Rainbow are the only single mares left.) But as always, my research leaves little time for a private life.

I have located three potential dig sites for the Necromancer King's capital. I secured some research funding from the Royal Equestrian Association of Science. I bought digging tools, tents, hired workers, everything a professional archaeologist needs. We will start digging at the first side within the week. I am already so excited! Just what will we find? A lost city? Clay tablets? Maybe magic artifacts? I actually hope that by some magical way large portions of the city and the palace have been preserved, like the Crystal Kingdom has been. Maybe I'll even find a library that contains every written tome from the era. But I try not to get my hopes up too high. Most likely we'll only find the ruins of a city buried under six hooves of dirt.

Anyway, wish me luck! Greet your herd from me.

Yours, Twilight



Dear Twilight

Today Merry Mead officially joined my herd and moved in with me and the girls. I am so glad I didn't turn him away based on my first impression. He may not possess great physical or magical powers, but he has a big loving heart and is the most dependable pony I know. Very resourceful too, and he can cook. (And if Rainbow asks, tell her he loves my skills with rope and riding crop as much as Lionheart. Oh, he is such a wonderful submissive stallion. I might have to lend him to Rarity sometime.)

Did you already move on to the second dig side? I hope you will find something this time.

Yours, Sapphire



Dear Sapphire

We finally found something! We had almost given up hope on the third and final dig side, when one of the workers made a breakthrough in one of the outer search perimeters. We found an actual cave in the mountain itself. And from the first looks it is pony made and enormous!

We will mount an exploration party first thing in morning! I don't think I will even be able to sleep, I'm just so excited. I think the only thing keeping me on the ground is Rainbow Dash, however ironic that may sound. I would be so lost without her. I should probably go join her in the tent, or she will wonder why I'm still up.

Will write you as soon as I come back from the caves.

Yours, Twilight



Dear Twilight

I am a mother! Well, actually Lionheart is and Merry is a father, but it still means there is a new foal in my herd. Such a small little thing, a sarosien like her mother. We called her Wisp O'Wind and I love her to death. She is just so adorable. (Which goes a long way telling you how smitten I am with motherly love, since objectively spoken she is little more than a wrinkled, screaming and pooping bundle of purple fur with a messy, dark blue mane.)

I'll send pictures your way once Serene makes some copies.

Can't write more, have to change diapers. Thank Celestia unicorns came up with a spell for that!

Yours, Sapphire



Dear Sapphire

The mapping of the City in the Caves goes well. (We will have to come up with an official name for it, Rainbow just calls it Cavetown.) To find the place in such a pristine condition still amazes me.

I will admit, I was crept out and scared when we found the first mummified citizen. Every citizen of a whole town reduced to a dehydrated corpse? What kind of magic could do something like that? I shudder every time I think about it. But for archeological purpose it is a miracle! Every pony frozen in a single point in time, just as they were going about their everyday lives. It is an unparalleled opportunity to learn how they lived, how their society worked.

We still couldn't get into the palace itself. I found spells to get rid of most of the wards, and we disabled the traps that were still active, but we couldn't get past the gargoyles guarding the gates. Maybe we can get around them though, Rainbow is looking for a second point of entry from above as I write this.

With any luck we will be inside within the week. Then everything is possible. Hooves crossed I will find the palace library still intact. Think of all that lost knowledge!

I will write you as soon as I find the time.

Yours, Twilight



Dear Twilight

Yesterday was one of the happiest, yet saddest days of my life.

As you know my herd had agreed on getting about three or four foals, with me and Lionheart taking turns in carrying. Me and Merry actually tried for one when I was in my heat this spring, but it didn't work. We thought nothing of it, but when we tried again this fall, (I mean tried really hard. I'm impressed by his endurance.) I still didn't get pregnant.

I was devastated, and in the darkest of moods, but I tried not to let anypony know and kept up a brave face. Eventually the girls talked me into seeing a doctor, though I knew what the problem was. Today I went to get the results of the examination, and even though it was just as I had expected, it hit me like a rock.

I came home in late afternoon, the bright summer sun adding to my already fatal mood, the birds singing in the trees. Lucky I don't act on random impulses to incinerate annoying things with my magic.

Before I walked through the door I took a deep breath, forced myself to hold my head high and make my face an unreadable mask, then I went in.

Everypony was waiting for me in the living room, Lionheart, Serene, Marry and little Wisp. All of them dropped what they were doing and stared at me full of expectation. “And? What did the doctor say?” Lionheart stood up from the sofa and came to greet me with a kiss. I can't have tasted good.

“Nothing I didn't expect,” I said matter-of-factly, waving dismissively with my hoof. “Looks like a decaying body can't bring forth new live. I'm barren.”

As soon as I had said that everypony stood up and gathered around me, staring at me in shock. I took a step back and raised a hoof. “Don't worry, apart from that the doctor attested me good health. I'm quite alright.”  I turned to walk upstairs to my study. “Now if you'll excuse me, if got some research to finish.”

“You sure you are alright?” Lionheart took a step after me.

“Of course!” I headed down the corridor towards the stairs, but suddenly a gray filly bumped into my chest, threw her hooves around me neck and stopped me from going on.

“You don't have to pretend anything mom,” Serene hushed and nuzzled my neck.

“We all know you are a strong mare.” Lionheart's voice came from behind. I heard the clopping of several hooves, and saw the others gathering around. My lips trembled as I fought to keep my composure.

“But we are here for you, you don't have to carry every burden on your own.” The massive form of Merry shoved itself besides Serene and he joined her in her efforts to hold me in place. Within heartbeats I found myself in the middle of an all herd group hug.

“Let us be strong for you mom.” Serene buried her face in my mane. “Just this once.”

It was the last drop, I collapsed in the loving hooves of my herd and cried like I have not done since I was a child. And my loved ones all stayed there in the corridor with me, sharing my pain, taking part in my suffering.

Until that moment I had not fully believed Rarity, when she said that love is a source of strength, not a weakness. Only then did I know that she was right. I found the strength of my loved ones, so I could allow myself to be weak.

And for the first time since I was a child I felt that I could let my guard down. For the first time since my parents sold me to the circle, I felt truly save. For the first time since I can remember, I felt at home.

So even if I can not have foals of own, I feel like I am the luckiest mare alive, to have such an amazing herd. I can't imagine ever going back to the way I lived before I was turned into a pony. I never thanked you for using the Elements on me. Let me catch up on that.

Thank you for turning me into a pony Twilight Sparkle!

Yours truly, Sapphire

P.S. I visited Rarity today and told her everything over some tea. When we were done sharing tears and laughs alike, I took out a packet I had brought and spread it between us on the table. “Say, could you modify this so that it will fit me again?”

Her eyes went wide when she picked up the glowing white shirt of my last human attire, the one I had gotten in the realm of eternal night. “But I thought you wanted to keep them as a memento?”

I just shook my head. “There is nothing more I want them to remind me off, but I'd very much like to wear my favorite clothes again.”

Her eyes began sparkling when she realized she would finally get to work on the off worldly fabric. I can't wait for her to be finished! I will be the envy of all of Canterlot!     



Dear Sapphire

We finally got into the castle! There is so much to discover here. There really is a Library, and an archive, and a laboratory and so much more! The throne room alone is twice as large as the one in Canterlot Castle!

Gathering, preserving, and finally reading through all of this will take some time. Especially since every document we found is written in a language unknown to me. I think it was lost after the kingdom's fall. Reconstructing it will be a challenge, but I feel exhilarated at the prospect. Bringing a dead language back to life, can you imagine?

Yet I have the feeling there is more to discover, much more. Something we are missing. I constantly feel like being watched. Maybe some of the warding spells are still intact. Will have to search with a spell of clairvoyance through the entire castle. I just know there is something there.

Rainbow is insisting that I take a break and get some sleep, but how can I sleep when I'm about to discover something that is even greater than everything we found so far? I'm so close, I can almost smell it.

Yours, Twilight



Hi Sapphire

I know you are probably busy with your research and herd an all, but I don't know who else to turn to.

Twilight has been acting strange, I mean real strange! Ever since we found the city she has been taken up, but since we came into the Castle and started exploring it, she became obsessed. She has not slept since and hardly eaten anything. She searches through the library and the corridors all day, trying to find something we are supposed to have missed. I don't know what she means, we have already turned the place upside down.

I really don't like it here either. As if Cavetown with its mummies had not been creepy enough, this place is even worth. There are no mummies in here, no bones, no corpses at all. In fact the place looks like it was just left the other day. And the silence in these halls is so unnerving, sometimes I think I am hearing voices.

Please, write something to Twilight to make her take a break. Better come here yourself! I am really worried about her.

Hope to see you soon, Rainbow Dash
> Chapter 15: Necromancers
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------



Chapter 15: Necromancers  


I read the letter Rainbow had sent me with great unease. It had reached me at night while I was alone in my study, reading through some texts copied from the Necromancer King's library Twilight had sent my way. I had been uneasy when I read those text before, for the unknown, dead language Twilight had written about, I could read perfectly fine. The scrolls were written in Zhayad, the language used by mages to commune with demons from the nether hells. What is more the words were written on a material I had not thought to see ever again; actual parchment, goat skin if I was not mistaken.

After having read Rainbow's letter, I was filled with a dark foreboding . My fur stood constantly on its edge, my stomach churned violently and even breathing seemed to take effort.

I quickly scribbled a letter for Twilight, telling her of my findings, yearning her to wait for my arrival before doing anything else. I didn't even bother to encode it, quickly sealed it, then opened the window and stood on my hind legs facing the night sky. I crossed my hooves in front of me, wriggled them like beating wings and called out the formula of “Nuntiovolo!”

As soon as I had finished and dropped back on my four limbs, a squall of black smoke appeared before me, and from it formed a pitch black carrion crow, its demonic eyes shining red. The spell used to summon the demonic form of a bat, but ever since I had lost the flesh on my leg, it had become this cursed bird as If to mock me.

“Bring this to Twilight Sparkle,” I ordered and levitated the letter in front of it. At once the creature grabbed the scroll in its talons, flew through the window and vanished in the night. I closed the window behind it and sat down at my desk with a tired sigh.

I let my head sink and rubbed over my face. This was not the time to sit idly by I thought. I should write a letter explaining my absence to my herd, then quickly grab my traveling gear and leave Canterlot with the first train heading west.

I was just about to grab pen an paper to write the letter, when a cold shiver ran down my spine. I looked over my shoulder to find that the room was unchanged, the fireplace lit, the window closed. Yet I knew something was wrong. I quickly whispered “Odem Arcanum”, confirming my suspicion. There was an astral presence hovering right in front of me, gesticulating wildly with hooves and wings.

“Hold on, this will take only a few minutes.” I quickly levitated a burning candle onto the desk in front of me and began concentrating on the smoke. It took awhile to go through every step in the summoning formula, then I invoked the spell of “Phasma Vocatus!”

The ghost took from in front of me as a shimmering specter. “Can you hear me now?”

My lips trembled, and I had to fight for composure as I recognized the pegasus hovering before my already watering eyes. I swallowed hard. “Yes, I can hear you.”

“Finally! I was going nuts. No pony could see or hear me, and I couldn't get into the palace to see the princesses; there was this huge, stupid shining dome thingy blocking my way.”

“The palace is shielded against magic intrusion.” I dried away the tears on my fetlock. As much as the now white and gray form of a once so colorful mare disturbed me, now was not the time for an emotional breakdown, not when somepony was clearly in need of my help. I gathered myself, sat up tall and looked into her ghostly eyes. “Rainbow Dash, why are you here? What happened?”

“I came to warn the princesses something has happened to Twilight she is possessed or something and she's coming here with an army of living dead mummy things!”

I raised a hoof. “Calm down Dash. Twilight has been possessed? What happened?”

She stared at me for a moment in silencer. “I think I died,” she finally murmured and settled down besides me, trying to sit down, but only now finding that she didn't need to beat her wings to hover in place.

I tried to swallow the knot in my throat and nodded. “Yes, you did, and I'm sorry Dash, but I need you to remember and tell me what happened.”

After only a few heartbeats of hesitation, Rainbow nodded firmly, her face hardening with a determined scowl. “Alright, I can do that.”

“Start at the beginning. What happened after you send me the letter?”

Rainbow rolled her eyes and rubbed the back of her neck, as she tried to gather her memories. Dying can be a very confusing experience; many ghosts are insane and are not able to articulate anything but mournful howling and bone rattling screams. So given the circumstances Rainbow was doing a very good job of keeping herself together. “The letter,” she finally said.

“Yes, I remember. Right after I had Spike send you the letter, Twilight came running into our tent. She said she had finally found something and we had to see it. She looked like a wide eyed maniac, strands standing from her mane, her eyes bloodshot with large dark circles around them. I don't think she had slept since we entered the castle.

“We followed her anyway, I mean what else could we do? Knock her out and force her to take a break? She lead us into the cellars beneath the Castle, that place is even more creepy than the rest of it, strange laboratories, large dungeons, and real torture chambers, stuff of nightmare. Twilight led us into a corridor that just stopped in a dead end and presented it like the biggest find in all of history, then touched several stones in the wall with her hoof.

“First nothing happened and I was just about to call her a nutcase and drag her back into camp, when suddenly the stones she had touched began to glow in a green light, and the whole wall just vanished. The corridor went on behind it. Twilight trotted ahead, chirping with excitement. Spike and I were reluctant to follow, we constantly checked if anything was behind our backs.

“The corridor led to a staircase, must have been a hundred steps downwards. The air around us got cooler with every step, we could see our own breath by the time we reached the bottom. We stopped at the base of the steps and just stared at what we saw. The corridor opened into a large chamber, blue flames hovering in midair lit up as Twilight passed through it, lighting the place in a cold, eery half light. The room was not very big, nothing compared to the throne room above. It was hewn from the mountain itself, complete with rows of stone pillars at each side. Faces were carved into them, horrible faces, ponies screaming with their mouths wide agape. To make it worse, the pillars were piled up with bones and skulls.

“Twilight didn't pay attention to any of that, she just walked straight trough the room, to its end where a throne made from bones stood on a platform of black obsidian. Twilight went up the stairs leading to the throne, then stopped and just stared at what was on it.

“Sitting on the throne was a shriveled corpse, like the ones we had seen in the city. It was garbed in the rags of an elaborate attire, a black robe, trimmed with gray fur. A long, curved horn was on its sunken head, protruding from under a shimmering black crown.

“I called out for Twilight, but she didn't respond, so I flew up to her, grabbed her by her shoulder and turned her around. I shrank back when I saw her eyes; she had rolled them back so far into her skull I could only see the white of them. I shook her, yelled at her, trying to snap her out of it.

“Then slowly her eyes turned back again and focused on me, at first I was relieved, but then she  began to smile in a way that shivered me to the bones. Then this weird green fog started coming from her eyes, her horn lit up and there was this bright light.

“I felt something pull at me, leading me somewhere, but I knew I had to tell the others that something had happened to Twilight, so I shrugged it off and flew away. Next thing I know I am like this and Twilight is prancing through the City, casting spells left and right and every time she does the dead ponies start to move and crawl onto their hooves. I tried to warn the others from the expedition, but I was too late.” Rainbow shook her head and looked down to the ground.

“So then I flew all the way here to warn everypony. An here I am.” She leaned closer, almost touching my snout, and looked at me with desperate eyes. “You have to help me Sapphire! I know Twilight would never do such things, she must be possessed or something. You have to get her back! Promise me you will get her back.”

I swallowed hard and nodded. “I will do everything in my power to bring Twilight back Rainbow. I promise!”

As soon as I had said that, Rainbow sat back with a relieved smile. “Thank you! I'm so glad I could speak to you. I feel like a huge burden has been lifted of my shoulders.” She rubbed the back of her neck, sticking her tongue out at the side of her mouth. “Oh, one more thing! I got this little lock box I keep under my bed. You know, in my cloud house in Ponyville. Can you give that to Scootaloo for me? And like, as soon as possible?”

“Yes, of course,” I sobbed, for I knew what would come next.

“Thanks. And please tell her that I know she will do great things, even without me!” Her voice became more hollow with each word, her form began to dissipate. “I think I'll go now, bye!” And with that she vanished.

“Good by Rainbow Dash,” I sobbed, “I hope we meet again in another life.” And I began to cry.

So died the best friend a pony could wish for, loyal beyond death.


.oOo.


When I went to warn the princesses, my words were given credibility by a letter that arrived Celestia by dragon fire. So hopefully Spike is still alive, if kept in chains as a trophy by the King. The massage was an ultimatum, giving Equestria three days for an unconditional surrender or face certain destruction, signed by Trot Amon King of the Dead.

Soon reports came in, frantic pegasi telling of an army on the march towards Canterlot, killing everypony who didn't manage to flee.

With the Elements of Harmony incapacitated and an army of undead between them and the king, the princesses didn't dare face this threat on their own. The royal guard and the army were mobilized, through the later would take days to muster, as a large portion of it were reservists who had to be drawn in. Whatever fighting pony was available gathered in and around Ponyville, getting ready to face the Necromancer King's forces on the hills and fields before the town. This must be the first time I ever wished for a cold, damp Bosperan castle with thick stone walls.

Celestia took the message of her former student marching on her hard. She withdrew to her chambers, not admitting anypony. Luna took control of the army in her stead, leading the troops herself.

Me and Serene went to Ponyville, Lionheart was of course deployed with her Nightguard, leaving only Merry and Wisp behind in the relative safety of Canterlot.

The first thing I did after arriving in town was making sure Rainbow's last request was taken care of. I send Serene to get the box and give it to Scootaloo. She handled these things well better than I did. After all her special talent was death. From making dying ponies comfortable in their last hours, to giving counsel and solace to family and friends, preparing the body and organizing the funeral itself, she had overtaken and expanded that part of the family business with great conscientiousness. And ever since a mourning couple had thanked her for the beautifully funeral, and told her that they had no idea how they could have lived through their son's death without her help and consolation, she had a white lily on her flank to show it.

After meeting with Twilight's friends, telling them of Rainbow's fate, trying to give them counsel and repeating my promise to do what I can to save their lost friend, I sought seclusion to think how I could actually fulfill that promise.

I went to my old house at the edge of the Everfree forest. I had kept the property even after moving to Canterlot. It kept secrets there I didn't want to have in Canterlot, and in its cellar was my ritual room I used for actual necromancy. But right now it was my refuge to ponder what I could do, and curse the world in general for its unfairness.

When the day had passed, I still had not come to a solution. Several ideas, doom promising ideas and dangerous strategies with little chance of success had come up, but nothing that looked promising. Finally, when the moon had risen high over Equestria, I had come to a decision.

I finally got up, stomped the ground in anger, then I threw on my saddlebags, sheathed my banishing sword, strapped my wizard’s staff onto my back and headed out into the night.

My first stop was at the backdoor to my cellar. I opened the three locks and removed the heavy shackles, then threw the door open and called into the darkness beneath. Three figures emerged from the shadows, their bones clacking, their empty eyes staring at me, waiting for my command.

Three times had I invoked the Resurectio Infinitus since I came into this world. The first time when I relearned how to cast magic in a pony's body. The result was the a skeleton lioness I called Felicitas.

The second time I used the spell was when I taught it to Serene, and the skeleton of a lion joined the pack. I called it Furvus.

The last time I used the spell when I found an extraordinary specimen. With Seren's help I raised the skeleton of a Saber-tooth tiger and I called it Invictus, for I could not imagine anypony overcoming this monster.

For a moment I marveled at my creations, as always glad that I had chosen skeletal corpses for they do not stink like rotting zombies, then I turned west and let them slip into the shadows behind me.

I had not walked more than a mile when my ears twitched, picking up the rustling of leaves. I came to a stop and looked back over my shoulder. “I know you are there! Come on out.”

From the bushes emerged Serene, she too was carrying her saddlebags and had her banishing sword -an actual slim and elegant longsword, not a long dagger like mine- strapped to her side. “If you are thinking about sending me back to Ponyville, you can forget about it, mom! If you are going to face the Necromancer King, I'm coming with you.”

I chuckled at the stern look she gave me and shook my head. “Wouldn't dream about it. Actually I was counting on you following me in secret. But since you are doing such a poor job of it, why don't you come here and walk with me?”

She curled her lips and walked up to me. She hated it when I showed her up like this, and she looked so adorable whenever I did. But opportunities were getting fewer, soon I would have nothing left to teach her.

I drew her into a hug when she reached me. She was reluctant at first, but then overcame her moping and returned it, wondering what she had done to earn this unfounded sign of affection. I patted her back, then let go of her and turned back into the direction I had been heading and set off in a slow trot. Serene fell in step beside me. “So, what's the plan? You have a plan right?”

I gave her an exaggerated shocked expression. “Of course I have! I am a master sorceress after all. I always have a plan!”

Suddenly a voice from above interrupted our conversation. “And what plan would that be?”

With a gust of wind an armed and armored Lionheart landed and looked at us very crossly. “What are the two of you doing out here? Where are you going?”

“Is this becoming some kind of running gag? Will Rarity show up next, followed by Lyra and Trixie?” I gestured dramatically with my hoof and turned towards the nearest bush three ponies could spring from.

That response managed to boggle Lionheart. “What? How?” She walked up to us shaking her head. Her next words had lost their sharpness. “No really, why are you heading out on your own? We got the guard assembled to take care of things. The princess got it well under hoof.”

I shook my head, and dropped all pretense of gaiety. “You can't fight a necromancer with a conventional army; it will be a massacre! Undead don't know fatigue, pain or fear. Living ponies do. And once the first of them die, and get reanimated to fight their former comrades, panic will spread through the ranks.

“I have seen battle hardened soldiers drop their weapons and run when walking corpses came at them, arrows and axes still buried in their heads, their intestines hanging out of slashed bellies. I have seen veterans cower on the ground and weep, welcoming death when they saw their wives and children bore onto them with dead, empty eyes.”

Lionheart stared down at the ground, gnawing her teeth. She must have known before that they wouldn't be facing a normal enemy; she is no foal! But only now the magnitude of the horrors her soldiers would be facing sunk in. “Alright,” she eventually said and looked back up. “I didn't expect it to be a walk in the park. But what will the two of you do? Why do you think you have any chance where an army would fail?”

“Because,” On a wink of my hoof the three skeletons jumped from the bushes and formed a half circle behind me and Serene. Lionheart jumped backwards, eyes wide. Another wink with the hoof made the three sit down on their haunches. “We are necromancers!”

My wife stared at me, my apprentice and our three thralls for a long moment, before she eventually managed to gather her yaw from the ground. “What? You are what?”

“Necromancers,” Serene repeated with a soft voice. “We are mistresses of corpses, paragons of black magic. Death holds no secrets to us.”

That only managed to put Lionheart into a paralyzed stupor. After a moment of just watching her stare into nothing, Serene took pity on her, walked over and embraced her in a reassuring hug. Eventually the sarosian stirred, and put a hoof around her shoulder. “OK, so my wife and daughter are both necromancers, and kept me in the dark for years. Luna, what crimes did I commit to deserve this?”

I had to smile at this, walked over and pressed a short kiss on her lips. “I'm sorry love, but I couldn't risk anypony finding out. Necromancers have a bad reputation, ever since that stupid Trot Amon tried to conquer the world.”

“Yes, for a very good reason! Necromancy is evil.”

I shook my head. “Necromancy is just a tool, no other than an ax or a sword. It is ponies that are evil, or would you blame the ax for the murder, if somepony used it to split another's skull?”

That gave her to think. “I. . .don't know. You are still raising the dead, that's just unnatural!”

“It's not really raising the dead, more like using corpses to make elaborate dolls. These creatures have no soul, nothing that makes a living thing what it is. And I wouldn't call it unnatural, just unusual. It was commonplace where I'm from.”  

Lionheart looked between me and Serene for a few seconds. “OK, OK, I know you and will just trust you with this. But we will have a talk about this once this is all over. You hear me?”

“Yes mom/ yes love!” me and Serene chirped at the same time and nuzzled our herd mate's face, until she blushed and shoved us away. “But if you think I will let the two of you go alone you are dead wrong! I'm coming with you, no discussion. Now let's go, we are wasting moonlight!”

I sighed and studied her lovely face, all tense with fierce determination as she took the lead. I remembered the first time I had met her. How the neglectfulness of her subordinate had eventually lead to me wanting to grow old with this mare. I gnawed my teeth and fell in step besides her, before my herd mates would notice me staring.   

The three of us and our undead entourage set of in a moderate trot, heading down the road west toward Whitetail Wood.

“Now tell us, what actually is your plan?” Lionheart asked after we had traveled in silence for a few minutes.

“Alright, I'll tell you, listen up you two! We will force our way through the endless hordes of the undead. The pack should have no trouble clearing a way, and I will cast a shield spell that should keep most of the undead off. Anything that gets through, we have to dispose of the old fashioned way; hit it until it stops moving!

I looked to my right where my daughter was trotting. “Serene, I want you to keep in the back and conserve your powers. I will try to force the Necromancer King's spirit out of Twilight's body. Once I do that, we need to banish it immediately with the Pentagramma, and I may not have enough arcane power left to do so. Then it is up to you! Forget any fancy subtlety with the spell casting, just force it with everything you got!”

I looked to the other side to Lionheart. “Once Twilight is free, you grab her and fly away with her to safety, no discussion! Me and Serene are in far less danger then your are once you leave my shield.”

Lionheart nodded but gave me a curious frown. “However can I be part of your plan? Don't say you knew I would come along.”

“Let's just say I modified the plan a bit.”

“Which sounds way better than admitting that you make everything up as you go.” Serene chuckled and gave me a wide grin.

I shook my head and let the matter drop. My mind was already elsewhere, for I had not told my herd mates that there was no actual spell or method to make a ghost leave its host, and that part of my plan had me greatly worried.


.oOo.


The sky was already brightening on the horizon when we trotted over a hilltop and finally found the enemy we had set out to fight. We stopped in our tracks, and both Lionheart and Serene stared at what we saw beneath us with wide eyes. I gnarled my teeth; It was even worth than I had suspected.

The land stretching before us was alive, a mass of moving, shoveling bodies. Thousand and thousand of them, walking towards us in huge waves. They were already at the base of the hill, close enough for me to make out that most of them were the shriveled corpses of the citizens of Cavetown, but a few recent victims had joined their ranks; ponies who had been taken by surprise or were to slow to get away from the horde in time. The blood had not yet dried on their mutilated corpses, but they too staggered towards us with deadly intent.

“This is it.” I glanced back Lionheart and Serene, sending a silent prayer to Celestia that they would be alright. “You know what you have to do. These ponies are already dead, so you are not killing anypony. Don't weaver! Crush everything that comes into our way with extreme prejudice!”

They nodded, and we embrace in a brief hug, then we turned towards the enemy. At a wink of my hoof the three undead cats took point. I drew my staff with my telekinesis and gave it a testing swing, then described a circle above my head and spoke the word of “Guardianum”. The translucent, shimmering sphere of the magic shield appeared around us. Serene drew her sword, Lionheart readied her hoof blades, and we charged.

The pack drove into the mass of undead ponies like a wedge. The Necromancer King might have had an army of walking dead, but I always preferred quality over quantity, and the King's sorry excuses for undead stood no chance.

Felicitas tore into them like they were made of straw, their spears trusting harmless between her exposed rips, their hooves and teeth not even leaving a scratch.

Fruvus merged with the shadows around him. Wherever he went, darkness followed, and broken bodies were left.

And Invictus was a maelstrom of claws and fangs. My masterpiece threw the shriveled corpses through the air like they were little ragdolls. He moved with the same supple speed he had in life, murderous intelligence burning in his eyes. Whatever damage his enemies might strike through sheer luck repaired itself as quickly as it appeared.

In the packs wake we made good speed through the horde, barely slowing down to a trot. The few undead that managed to get close to us stood no chance against our hooves and blades.

So we fought on for minutes, until we had crossed about half of the army and had undead crushing in on us from every side. But suddenly they just stopped and drew back from us, clearing a circle around us. Then their ranks parted at the front, and through it, carried on a throne carried by four massive rotting stallions, came Twilight Sparkle.

“What is this nonsense? Who dares defying my army?” Her voice sounded eery, as if a mare and a stallion were talking at once. She was wearing a cloak of black fur, and her face was hidden behind the skull of of a large horse-like beast, she wore as a helmet. Only her eyes were visible, and those looked down on us with utter contempt, aglow with green miasma. “You? The host knows you. Yes, you are Sapphire, master sorceress. Very interesting.”

She stood up from her throne and walked to the edge of the platform carrying it. “I have to say you got impressive thralls sorceress Sapphire. Why do you oppose me? You are a necromancer yourself, are you not?”

I took a step closer, stomping my hoof on the ground. “Because power hungry warmongers like you gave necromancy a bad name and I have been forced to practice my art in secret!”

She waved that off with her hoof. “Pff, please! Once I conquer Equestria, necromancy will be regarded the highest art there is. Joi. . .”

“And what is far more important,” I interrupted him with an angry yell. “Is that you occupy my dear friend Twilight Sparkle. I demand you set her free at once!”

“Pha!” The king raised raised his nose. “Who are you to demand anything of me? I am the Necromancer King! Together with the powers of the Element of Magic I am unstoppable!” He walked backwards and settled back onto his throne. “Let's see how you can plead for mercy.

“Airborne guard, kill them!” He raised a hoof, and from behind his throne shot six pony forms and took to the sky, lead by a rainbow maned mare. The undead ranks closed again, then the horde began to descend on us from every side once more.

Lionheart craned her head back to keep the new, flying enemies in her sight. “I'll take care of them!” And with a gust of wind that made me shield my eyes, she took after them.

My pack tore the bodies shambling at us to shreds, Serene cut down with her Sword whatever remained to pound against our shield, and I absentmindedly crushed things with my stuff, as I watched the battle unfolding above us.

The airborne unit was circling above us, when Lionheart shot up to the sky. The undead mare leading them actually pointed her hoof at her when she saw that, and the other pegasi changed their course to intercept.

But Lionheart was too nimble for them. She passed them with a corkscrew, then she began to climb straight up. The undead fliers tried to follow her, the rainbow mare at their head. It was fast, soon out climbing the others. It was indeed very fast. But while it is possible to give an undead the resemblance of the skills the pony had possessed in life, the magic spark that animates them is a poor replacement for a soul. It does not posses the living pony's dreams, its love, or passion.

While in live, Rainbow Dash had been the fastest flier in all of Equestria, her reanimated body was but a shadow of a great mare, and Lionheart finally out climbed her by a hundred pony lengths. Then she rolled around and angled herself towards her enemy. With a single mighty clap of her wings she sped down, and dropped a hundred pony length faster than the eye could see, before coming to a standstill once more.

Her soldiers called this move the Lion's roar. Thunder rolled across the sky, and all around the captain of the Night Guard fell the broken bodies of her enemies, crushed by the shock wave she had created.

I watched how Rainbow's body crashed to the ground and vanished among the horde with grim satisfaction. I swore that Trot Amon would pay dearly for murdering her.

Now it was my turn. I reared on my hind legs and spread my hooves wide. “Just who do you think I am!” I yelled at the top of my lungs. “I am Hela Regina Mortium! A necromancess from another world. I know secrets of sorcery you ponies could never dream off! Your pitiful minions mean nothing to me! Watch!”

I briefly concentrated, then pointed my hooves at the horde before me and bellowed the formula of “Pandemonium!”

The ground under the undead before me turned black, then skeleton hands, shadowy tentacles and hungry yaws appeared from the darkness and began hacking and slashing and biting, obliterating everything within a hundred steps.

That caught the King's attention again. Engulfed in the aura of a spell, he floated over the battlefield. “Nopony knows more secrets of sorcery than I do!” he thundered. “Have a taste of true power.”

His horn came alive with bright green and purple light. The sky above us darkened, then it began to rain fire. I barely managed to circle my staff over my head, and yell “Gardianum!” once again to strengthen my shield, before a thick hail of burning rocks crashed down and annihilated the whole area around us. For long moments the magic attacks drummed against the flashing sphere above me, but when the fire ceased, the shield still held.

I looked around, to see that the King's spell had wiped out at least a thousand of his own troops clearing the area around us, while from my own thralls only Fruvus was destroyed. Felicitas picked herself up from the ground and shook off some flames as her bones knot back together. Invictus didn't even appear bothered.

I looked up at the Necromancer with a cocky grin. “Is that all you can do? It's my turn again.” And with that I threw at him the spell of “Frigifaxius!” and a leg thick ice lance shot at him from my hoof. In the last instant he managed to bring up a shield of his own, deflecting the spell.

Then erupted a mage's duel. We traded spell after spell, while our minions ripped each other to pieces, trying to get to their enemy masters. Ice and fire flared across the sky, magic shields flared, broke and were cast again.

I yelled every spell at the top of my lung, gesturing wildly with my staff and hooves, making an exuberant show of it, but in truth I was holding back as much of my arcane powers as I could. Not because I was afraid I could hurt Twilight, but because I had to conserve energy. I tried to match the Necromancer King spell for spell, wrestle the control of his undead from him and send them back and smack everything else with my ram headed staff, and all the while I tried to make it look easy.

I knew I was hopelessly outmatched. While Twilight Sparkle knew more spells than I, she had wasted much time learning to turn apples to oranges and similar useless magic, and I was confident to be more versed in combat magic than she was. But I could not hope to ever match her for raw magical power. And now that her arcane reserves were added to the King's own, all I could hope for was that he had already spend much of it on raising his army, or I would collapse from magic exhaustion long before my plan came to work.

I fought a desperate battle for time, using techniques to save on arcane power unique to my school of magic, leading many attacks with nought but rocks and bones I threw at my enemy with telekinesis or bare hooves. I danced around between the shattered corpses, raised burning skulls from the ground with the “Ressurcetion Definitus!” and threw them against the King's shield, where they exploded in smoldering balls of flame. I dashed across the battlefield, avoiding spells rather than deflecting them, battering undead to the side with my staff as I went.

But none of it seemed enough. I felt my magic come to its end, my legs felt heavy and I had to force myself to breath steadily or reveal my exhaustion to the enemy. Felicitas lay on the ground in pieces, and even Invictus was already missing a leg. Yet the saber-tooth was still writhing on the ground and killing. Soon my reserves would barely last for a teleport spell of a single mile, and I was just about to call at Serene and Lionheart to make an expeditious retread, when finally the King's voice bellowed across the battlefield.

“Enough!”

I looked up and saw that Twilight's chest was weaving fast to draw breath. Her coat was torn in several places, and the bone helmet broken, revealing half of her wet, shining face beneath.

“This host is inadequate!” The Necromancer King cursed. “But your power is impressive sorceress.” A vicious grin came to Twilight's lips. “I shall make it mine!”

With that words the miasma faded from her eyes and the rolled back into her head. The aura of levitation around her faded, and she began plummeting towards the earth. Lionheart was there, she shot down from the sky and caught Twilight before she crashed to the ground. Lionheart grabbed Twilight's body firmly in her hooves and began speeding off towards Ponyville.

I smiled, for my ruse had worked. With an effort of my last magical powers I shattered Invictus into pieces with an ice lance, less he might fall into enemy hooves, then I sat down on my haunches, closed my eyes and began humming a lullaby I remembered from my childhood.

With this came the uncomfortable phase of my plane, the one I had found no way around, no matter how much thought I had put into it. With the force of a battering ram hitting my head, Trot Amon invaded my body. I could feel his revolting presence in each of my limbs, yet most strongly in my chest, where it seemed to crush my heart into a frozen rock filled with nothing but despair.

You are mine!

I heard his voice within my mind, then I lost all feeling, as he pushed my conciseness into the far corners of my mind. I heard him laughing, gloating as he made himself comfortable inside of my head.

But his laughter soon stuck in his throat.

What is this? You arcane powers are all but depleted. You are nothing compared my former host! What trickery?

“Mom!”

A voice penetrated through the darkness surrounding me, just as the king realized he had fallen into my trap. I stopped humming the lullaby, and re-erected my mind's barriers in an instant, trapping the king within it, while wrestling control over my body back from him.

I opened my eyes, and looked into the worried face of my daughter standing over me. “Cast the Pentagramma spell now!” I shouted.

“But mom, he is still inside you.”

“I know, and I can't keep him there for long.” I stumbled onto my legs and laid my right hoof on Serene's shoulder. Tears were flowing down her cheeks, she clenched her teeth and shook her head. “You must! If he gets free he will just search for the next host, and I won't have my daughter enslaved by an old, rotten ghost.”

Hesitantly she stopped shaking her head and looked me in the eye. “It's okay,” I hushed and let go of her. Finally she wiped her eyes on her fetlock, took off her cloak with the pentagram stitched onto it and drew her banishing sword to cast the spell. “I love you,” she sobbed, a tear falling from her chin.

I wanted to say, that I loved her too, that she meant everything to me and how sorry I was to force her to do this. But all I could do was swallow the lump I felt stuck in my throat. I closed my eyes, sat down on my haunches and waited for damnation to come. Trot Amon raged against my mental barriers, frantically trying to break out of my trap before Serene would finish the spell.

Foal! The spell will banish us both! You will be thrown into the nether hells together with me! 

If that means my family and friends are save from a monster such as you, it is a price I am willing to pay.

His struggles became even more desperate, but I paid it no more heed. For the last seconds on this world I recalled the memories I had made since I crashed into Trixie's show. The ponies I had met; human crazed Lyra; oh so clever Twilight; ever gracious Rarity; Lionheart my first true love; Serene the apprentice that had become my daughter; Merry whose foals I had wished to bear; and little Wisp, sun of my live. Though I would never see any of them again, I couldn't help but smile, thankful for all the wonders they had shared with me.

Finally Serene raised her voice, and I could already feel the arcane winds pulling at me. “Penta. . .”

“STOP!”

A bellowing voice, carrying the undeniable force of divine order echoed across the hills. I opened my eyes in wonder. Serene dropped the spell; the arcane powers dissipated in dancing whirlwinds and colorful sparks. Both of us looked to the east where the voice had come from.

With the raising sun at her back -ironically- Princess Luna hovered high above the hill we had come from, her Night Guards fanning out behind her. With a few flaps of her majestic wings she descended towards us and landed on the scorched area we stood on. Behind her some pegasus chariots touched down, and ponies spilled forth from them before they even came to a halt and rushed to the princess' side.

“Why did you interrupt the spell? The King is trapped inside of me, and I can't keep much longer!” I barked at her royal majesty as she walked closer.

She just looked down on me with a benevolent smile. “Your courage is admirable Sapphire, but your sacrifice is of no need.”

I blinked and stared at her in confusion.

And from behind her stepped six mares, wearing the most powerful magical artifacts in all of Equestria. Twilight was at their head, still beaten up, but standing tall, her face and eyes burning with fierce determination.

The Element of Loyalty was worn by a new face of orange coat and pink mane. Scootaloo looked at me with an unsure simper, trying to fit into place best as she could, and in her being here, I sensed the presence of another pony at work; Rainbow Dash, loyal way beyond death.

“OK girls, you know the drill. Scootaloo? Take it easy, just focus on the friendship you felt for Rainbow and you will do fine. Everyone, let's do this!” And with that Twilight's eyes started blazing in white light, and the six of them were lifted from the ground. I motioned for Serene to stand back, so she would not be caught in the blast, then closed my eyes one more time.

I think we should start getting more acquainted, since you and I are going to share a prison cell for a long time. Hope you like being trapped in stone Trot Amon!

I saw the Rainbow of the Elements even through my closed eyelids. Warm light engulfed me. The world became white, then it went black.
> Chapter 16: This Story's End
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------



Chapter 16: This Story's End


I have actually been turned to stone once, but I think it was not the real experience. It happened in a broken world of floating rocks where stones were alive and could soar through the sky. I remember that I felt hard, and weightless.

The experience after the Elements hit me was nothing like it, but something I knew too. An impossible time of profound nothingness, until the presence of a certain unicorn reminded me of my own consciousness.

“Oh come on, this again? Just banish me, turn me to stone or whatever and be done with it. I'm way to old to listen to another schooling of some formless entities.”

The presence that I recognized as Twilight Sparkle seemed to boggle at my outbreak. “What? How can you even talk back? This is supposed to be one way vision!”

“It's for dramatic purposes silly, to tell the reader what her expectations of this event are.” Count on Pinkie Pie to explain things without making any sense. Well, it would make sense if I were to get an opportunity to write this down in my diarium, and if at some point in time anypony would actually read it.

“Could we just get on with this? I know we are not pressed for time, but this is just silly.” Applejack presence interjected before Twilight and Pinkie could elaborate on the fact that I could talk back to the Elements.

“Alright, alright, I will just continue then?” Twilight took up my attention again. I felt how she gathered herself for a moment, before she spoke up once more. “Sapphire, you had your second chance to start a new life in Equestria and redeem yourself from your previous ways. We, the Elements have weighted you against Harmony.”

This time again, the spirit of Applejack was the first to appear before me. “You cheat and lie wherever it serves your purpose. The truth is a precious commodity for you, you share only with few.”

The kind and warm presence of Fluttershy was the next to take up my mind. “You have taken in the foal Serene and raised her as if she were your own. You are a far kinder pony than you will admit yourself.”

After her spoke Rarity. I think I was smelling my favorite tea. When was the last time I had spoken to her without having tea? “What is yours you share freely with those dear to you. You are as generous a mare as anypony could expect.”

She was almost pushed to the side by the exuberant energy bundle that I recognized as Scootaloo. “You were ready to sacrifice your life and even face eternal torment to save a friend. Your loyalty is admirably.”

“And you still don't eat cake!” Of course I had expected Pinkie to break protocol again. “Why don't you like cake? Everypony likes cake!”

I shook my conceptual head. “I like cake as much as every other pony Pinkie, I just don't eat any.”

“Well you should! Know what? When we are back in Ponyville I will bake the biggest cake a pony has ever baked. Everypony will have to eat from it if we want to have any chance of eating that beast! Then you have no excuse not helping to eating the cake.”

“OK?”

The sensation of a pony clearing her throat brought my attention back to Twilight Sparkle. “We have weighted you against Harmony, Sapphire, and found you adequate. From this day on you shall be welcome in the Harmonic Lands, now and forever forth.”

I was still trying to comprehend that words, when the Element's presence already began fading from my consciousness. “Welcome Sapphire, welcome to Harmony. . .” The last word were almost to faint to understand.


.oOo.


The first thing I noticed was the thick stench of blood and charred flesh. I groaned as the sensation of weight came back; my body felt heavy and pressed flat against the ground. To make it even more uncomfortable my skin felt strangely sensitive, I itched all over, and my left front leg was throbbing with every heartbeat.

That realization shocked me out of my stupor. I opened my eyes; bright sunlight blinded me, and I had to blink several times before I could make anything out. I looked into a large number of worried faces. Standing or sitting all around me were Serene and Lionheart, the bearers of the Elements and even Princess Luna.

I didn't have time to say anything before my daughter threw herself at me, crushing me down in an overwhelming display of affection. “You are alright! Thank Harmony you are alright!”

“Serene, you are choking her!” Lionheart came to my rescue, she pulled the over eager filly off me and helped me to my hooves. She didn't even wait for me to be steady on my hooves though, before showing how glad she was to see me herself by drawing me into a kiss.

I threw my hooves around her neck not to fall over again, rubbed her messy mane and brushed along the contours of her face, marveling at feeling her under my hooves. Then I quickly ended the kiss and drew back.

“OK, hold on a second.” I took a step back and raised my left hoof. Instead of seeing the sock or bandage I used to cover my leg with, or the blank bones I hid beneath, shining, dark purple fur greeted my eyes.

“Your leg, its not just bones anymore!” Lionheart took it into her hooves and looked it up and down in wonder. I just nodded, trying to keep my jaw from dropping.

“And look here!” Serene said, and I could feel a hoof on my flank. I looked over my shoulder, then bend my body sideways to get a better look.

“It's an owl.” My eyes widened in wonder, and slowly a wide grin spread on my face. I couldn't help but start jumping around in circles. “I've got a cutie mark! I'm a real pony now!”

Lionheart's eyes looked up and down, as she followed my bouncing form. “But what does it mean?”

Somehow I managed to stop in midair and came back to the ground. “Actually, that's a good question.”

“Owls are considered guardians of knowledge.” Me and everypony else looked up from what we were doing when Princess Luna approached. I had to look up as her shadow fell upon me, and her alicorn form towered above me. On her lips was an unreadable smile. “And you are guarding a lot of secret knowledge, my little pony, are you not?”

Twilight and the other bearers also walked up to me. Serene placed herself right besides me to give me support. I took a deep breath to collect myself, then I looked the princess in the eye. “I guess we have a lot to talk about.”


.oOo.


If I have learned one thing in all the years that I have lived, it is that love is not a definite resource. When only two years after the banishing of Trot Amon I finally gave birth to a foal, I felt that I had endless love inside of me. No matter how large my herd grew in the years to come, I always found within me more love to spare. The only thing that was in short supply was time, and before I knew it, it had run out.

In Equestria it is possible to plan the weather for a funeral ahead of time. A skillful mortician will schedule it according to the mood he finds the bereaved in. If their loved grandmother died of old age, she would be buried on a sunny day, and her descendants would remember the good times they had shared. If a pony died young of sickness or in accident, it would be buried during rainfall, giving the guest the impression that the heavens shared in their grieve. This funeral however was held under a clear, moonlit sky.

I have always found the guest attending a funeral more interesting than the corpse to be buried, for I told me something of who the pony had been in life. How many other lives it had touched.   

Serene was there, together with her husband and their whole herd. She had organized this funeral, as she had so many before, held a beautiful, moving speech, and was now the first pony to throw a shovel of dirt into the grave.

Wisp O'Wind came after her, followed by her twin sons.

North Star, my only son had come alone. That he came at all was enough to move me to tears.



Rarity's daughter Gemstone was there, for once seen without a horde of admirers following her everywhere.

Her aunt Sweetie Belle, Apple Bloom and with them a stampede of Fans and Apple Family members were there as well.

Scootaloo came, wearing her Wonderbolts parade uniform, and with her came a dozen veterans from the Nightguard.

Last but not least Twilight Sparkle came to say her farewells. Or was that Princess Twilight now? She had changed much since she had fallen to Trot Amon. Rainbow's death had devastated her. She blamed herself, and only through the support of her friends and her former mentor did she eventually overcome her grief. She emerged as a better mare, wiser and stronger. She took a post at Celestia's School for gifted Unicorns and eventually became its headmistress and royal adviser. Then only a few years ago she grew wings and left mortality behind. But that is a story of its own.

By her side, towering above everypony, was Spike. He had perhaps taken the longest journey to get here. He had not been in Canterlot since the last dragon migration.

I watched them all pass their farewells. I watch them talk and share quiet words of condolence. I watched them all leave in small groups, heading home, or to one of the official after parties. I knew North Star would try to bring down Auerbach's Cellar this night.

I watched them all, and when they were all gone, I stepped from the shadows where I had been waiting in my black shadow cloak and approached the grave on silent hooves.

It was only one of three graves, all sharing the same stone. The one furthest to the left was overgrown by grass and flowers. On the one right next to it still lay bouquets of shriveled white lilies. I ignored the fresh grave and stood in front of the middle one. With a tentative hoof I reached out and brushed over the name engraved into the stone. I faint smile crept to my lips, yet a tear fell on the grave when I read it out. “Lionheart.”

“Not many ponies are mere guest at their own funeral.” The Princess of the Night stepped out of the shadows at my back and walked to stand at my side. She looked down at the gravestone, at the name engraved above the newest grave. “She died only two weeks after her beloved wife. Who would have thought.”

I shrugged. “It makes for a good story. When the love of her life died, she lost the will to live and soon followed her.”

“You look good Sapphire. More than sixty years have I known you, and you still look as on the day we first met. Or is it again?”

I drew back the hood of my cloak, letting my hair flow free in the wind and looked up to her. “I think I actually look much better than the scrawny half skeleton you knew back then.”

She gave me an amused smile. “True. Makes a mare wonder what your secret is.”

“Same as yours princess. Sport, a healthy diet and of course magic.”

“Of course.” She looked back down on the grave. “And you had not thought about sharing that magic with your wife?”

I shook my head. “I had. But in the end I decided against it. I was the happiest pony to share with her one lifetime, it would be selfish to deny others the same opportunity. But who knows? Maybe we'll meet again, fall in love again. Stranger things have happened.”

“Indeed they have.” We just stood side by side for a few moments, looking down at the graves. “So why the funeral?” Luna eventually asked.

“You can't just turn yourself sixty years younger and life on as if nothing happened. Ponies will ask questions, wonder if your are in secret a princess or a demon. Reporters or a mob with pitchforks and torches may follow. Better to just bury the past and only tell the ponies that have to know.”

She raised an eyebrow. “I see. . . you know it is not impossible to become a princess. You already got the immortality part down.”

I had to snort and chuckle at that. I waved the motion off with a hoof. “Oh please, you and I know I would make a terrible princess.”

“If you say so.”

We shared a few more moments of silence, before I spoke up again. “There is one thing I always wondered, Princess.”

“What would that be?”

“It was you who send Serene to me, was it not?”

“Yes, indeed. I had heard her plight, and brought the two of you together, for I knew you each were what the other needed.”

I slowly nodded. “I never deceived you, did I? You always knew what I was.”

“I felt the aura of death upon you when we met for the first time. My sister may have forgotten what a necromancer's magic feels like after a thousand years , but for me the memory was almost fresh.”

“Then why didn't you blast me the instant you saw me?”

“How could I deny anypony the opportunity for a second chance, when I was only there because I had one myself?”

“Huh. . . I guess you would know about that.” I shook my head and chuckled. “Ha! We could open a club of ponies who have been hit by the Elements of Harmony twice and live to tell about it!”

She smiled at that. “It would be a small club though.”

I shrugged. Silence spread once again, and together we watched how the sky slowly turned from black to blue.

“What will you do now?” Luna eventually asked.  

“I think I will travel the world, help ponies where I can. You know, adventuring. There is so much I haven't seen, so much to learn. I hear Saddle Arabia is nice this time of year.” I shrugged.  “Maybe I will take on a new apprentice along the way. I always wondered if an earth pony could learn magic.” I made an arbitrary gesture with my hoof. “A wise pony once said that a journey is better measured in friendships made, than in miles traveled.” I looked up at her, an eager grin on my lips. “I could write you letters about it if you want.”

Princess Luna returned the smile and nodded. “I would like that.”


The End