//------------------------------// // Arrival 9: Knowledge // Story: Arrival at Dusk // by Vohira //------------------------------// Midnight fidgeted nervously as he sat alone with Magister Heartfire in the now empty classroom. The adult unicorn’s intense gaze was what made him nervous. It was unlike anything he experienced earlier from the older unicorn. The cause of all this floated in the air between the two held by Midnight’s magic, it was the dark crystal pendant Midnight bought a week earlier. “And you are saying, that you wore it for a week and nothing strange happened around you or to you?” “Yes,” Midnight said while furiously trying to think what could have caused his teacher to behave like that… He blinked as a ridiculous thought crossed his mind. “Sir, is the pendant cursed or something?” “In a way,” the orange maned unicorn said with a sigh. “I think it’s best we visit somepony more knowledgeable in this matter. Right now.” As he said that Heartfire turned toward the blackboard, closed his eyes and ignited his horn. He outstretched his right front hoof and an arc of red energy connected his horn and hoof just as he began to spin it in a small circle. With each turn sparks would began to form a larger circle before him and with each turn there were more and more of them. By the fourth turn a solid circle of sparks formed before the casting unicorn, suddenly the inside of the circle was no longer empty. A set of grand, golden double doors intricately decorated with circular and triangular patterns could be seen… and in the center a large sun was sculpted. They were set in a corridor with white marble walls and only a shade darker floors. Inlays of golden vines and swirls were present on almost every part of the walls. “Let’s go Midnight,” Heartfire said as he stepped through the portal. “Wa… what? How? What?” Midnight was dumbfounded and his jaw almost hit the floor. Almost mechanically he stepped through, with the portal closing behind him with a silent whoosh and a spray of magical embers. “An advanced and far more subtle form of teleportation, better suited for taking somepony alongside.” Just as Midnight was about to ask a question the doors began to open without a sound and he felt a hot, almost scorching wind brushing his entire body. They both stepped through the golden doors into a large circular room. A row of high, slim columns formed an inner circle where a dozen pony figures clad in white, hooded robes trimmed with gold sat on a slightly raised, round platforms. From the ground Midnight couldn’t see the pattern but he clearly saw a plethora of burning, red lines connecting those platforms and filling the space within. What he could see were the six, giant arcane circles floating vertically in the air each a different colour and design, too complicated for him to even comprehend… beside the sense of overwhelming power that filled the cathedral sized chamber. The air was so heavy with magic that it exerted a physical pressure on him, making his eyes go wide and his knees wobble a bit. In in the centre of it all floated Princess Celestia, her mane creating a flowing, burning halo around her head, the colours of her mane were far more vibrant than normally. Her wings were outstretched and unmoving but her hooves moved slowly, precisely in a pattern known only to her. It was a mesmerizing dance, as when she moved the arcane circles moved with her. And all the while she had her eyes closed. “I sense something that I haven’t sensed in a long time…” the alabaster alicorn said as she opened her magenta eyes and brought her front hooves together with a silent clap, causing all arcane circles to collapse with a whooshing sound and a final gust of warm air. Celestia floated down to the floor and bowed slightly. “That will be all for today my friends.” As she said that some of the cloaked ponies groaned with exhaustion as they began to move. “Any time... Princess…” said one of the ponies as she pulled the hood down to reveal a graying, exhausted unicorn mare that looked as if she had run a marathon. Midnight watched as the twelve white clad ponies moved to nearest columns, some in pairs or larger groups. Small snacks and what looked like water bottles were passed around, greedily snatched up from the saddlebags resting against the columns, that Midnight only now noticed and after a few awkward minutes Heartfire and Midnight were alone with the Princess of the Sun. All the while the ex-human couldn’t help but stare at the Princess with amazement clear on his muzzle. “As you can see Princess I’ve stumbled upon something very interesting. I thought it important enough to take care of it immediately,” the older unicorn said with a slight bow. “Indeed,” Princess Celestia said observing the young unicorn carefully, she sighed after a few seconds. “Very well, I’ll take care of this. You are dismissed Magister.” Heartfire blinked at the dismissal but bowed once again and turned to leave, but not before patting reassuringly his young charge on the shoulder. Midnight watched with a bit of trepidation as he was once more left alone with the Princess. As he looked back and up again at the white alicorn he saw her look at him with disappointment. He nervously shifted his weight around turning his gaze away from Celestia. “I should not be as surprised, that you attracted my sister's attention,” finally Celestia broke the silence that in this enormous hall was far more oppressive. “After all you are an intriguing colt.” As she was talking Celestia began to move slowly, gesturing with her wing for him to follow. “Did anything unexpected or strange happened to you while you were wearing the Key?” The question made Midnight stumble a bit as they passed the ring of columns. “No… and a Key? This is a Key?” The ex-human asked noticing they were nearing an alcove, one of many that he now spied out of the corner if his eyes. It had a low, glass coffee table directly beneath a ceiling high window - he guessed it was at least three floors high - and a few red, large pillows to sit on. There was a silver serving tray with a matching, steaming kettle and two porcelain cups. “A key to what?” Midnight asked as they both sat on the pillows. At least Midnight sat, while Celestia laid down comfortably with her forelegs tucked close to her and her hind legs splayed to the side. “Knowledge,” she said cryptically with a shadow of an emotion Midnight couldn’t quite place. She ignited her horn. “Tea?” “Uh, yes please,” so far this conversation was turning out far more strange than the first one they had in the white unicorn colt’s opinion. “Princess? What kind of knowledge?” “On a day similar to this more than a thousand years ago, my sister and I reached an epiphany. On that day we decided to write down our own findings, our own spells and theories… our life stories,” Celestia was looking into the depth of her tea cup with utmost concentration, and without looking up she passed the other full cup to Midnight. “However we knew that somethings should not be shared freely with everypony. So we created routes that could not be found, locks that could not be picked, scripts that could not be read… without a Key of Knowledge.” Celestia looked up after a small sip. All the while Midnight listened with a bated breath. “Mages of that time knew of our plan, as we asked them to lend us their family grimoires, the greatest treasures of unicorn families. They complied with great zeal and called my growing library the Cradle of Fire, an appropriate name if I say so,” Celestia took another sip and hummed, as the liquid soothed her. “In my long life I have gifted many of my friends with the keys, ponies that valued honesty, hard work, optimism… common decency. I favored the… let’s call it hooves on approach. It was easy for me.” Here she topped for a bit and sighed sadly. “However my sister… was not me. She had her struggles even then. Suffice to say she did not trust easily and did not let ponies close enough to truly judge them. The few she truly called friends were few and far between,” Midnight clearly saw, that as Celestia spoke longer a more and more hurt, sad expression was blooming on her muzzle. “She was always more gifted with the more abstract magicks, and so she infused her Keys with slivers of her essence making them sentient. There are only three of her Keys in existence that I know of. Through the ages they were named by the few that the Keys found their way to as the Maiden, the Mother and the Crone. Which of the three you now possess I can not tell,” Celestia ended her speech as she closed her eyes. “But I do know that the Keys have different personalities, and someday... it will test and judge you. If it finds you unworthy, it will move on.” “This is amazing and a bit scary,” Midnight said, his now lukewarm tea forgotten just hanging in his magical grasp. “As it should. My sister’s library, the Reliquary of Stars, holds many dark secrets so she made sure no unworthy creature made its way there,” Celestia said pouring herself another cup of warm tea. “Wait a moment…” something occurred to Midnight. “How come the battlemage who sold me this Key knew nothing?” “Oh? You didn’t tell me how you got it, do tell.” After a short story from Midnight, Celestia was frowning and she just commented it with a short, “I will look into it.” “I’m sorry my little pony for having to tell you all of this, but it is for the best,” Celestia said standing up and stretching her wings. “I know that you will be able to handle the situation young Midnight.” It was the ex-human’s time to frown, it did not fit. For all intents and purposes he was a six year old colt… as he thought about it he came to a sudden realization. During the whole time he had been in this place, Celestia had not treated him like a colt. His eyes widened, did she knew? The white alicorn saw his the sudden shift in the young colt’s behavior. “Is something wrong Midnight?” “It’s just, it’s a lot to take in… and I’m just a colt! ” Midnight stated, trying to get an answer to the mind boggling question. “Does she know?!” And he saw it. The small knowing smile, the glint in her eye. “Yes you are…” She said taking a step out of the alcove. “Now come along young one I don’t want to keep you here longer than it is strictly necessary. Mrs. Rose will be worried as it is.” Following the white alicorn Midnight still mulled over all the revelation this day brought. Now he also wanted one more answer. “How did you know about me?” As he looked up he saw Celestia smile. “Magic,” he groaned at the non answer, she chuckled. “Remember that our magic grows with us so while majority of your magic feels ‘right’, some parts are matured already. You are quite unique that way, as it means that part of your magic will mature once more with your body. You have a lot of potential Midnight.” He didn't quite get the true meaning of her words but was kind of proud of himself anyway after those words. Even so… “And that’s a good thing, right?” He asked with a smile of his own. “Hmmm… Perhaps, my little pony.” Celestia ruffled his black mane with her right wing, with a small smile on her lips still present. With an indignant huff Midnight made a step to the side as he felt yet another pony messing up his mane. Maybe it was not the best well groomed mane but still… As a reward for his efforts in dodging, he got a chuckle out of the Princess. Soon enough the large double doors to the chamber closed behind them and the two ponies found themselves back in the corridor. Midnight spotted Heartfire sitting under one of the many windows lining one side of the corridor, reading a book. “Magister, we’re finished. Would you be kind enough to escort young Midnight back to the orphanage?” Celestia asked before she looked down on the unicorn colt. “Until we meet again Midnight, let the sun guide you.” With wide eyes Midnight watched as the white alicorn bent down and laid a delicate, motherly kiss close to his horn. He felt a spark of something passing between them, making him almost jump, but instantly it enveloped him in a warm feeling… before seemingly fading away. She smiled - and Midnight was almost certain it was a strange mix of kindness and mischievousness - and without another word Celestia passed the two unicorns, leaving both of them to gape at her until she disappeared behind the nearest corner. “Uh, what just happened?” Midnight looked at his teacher and gulped when he saw a fiery glint in his eye and a wide smirk. “What just happend was you earning extra lessons,” the orange coated unicorn said as he began to open up a portal. “And extra homework.” “But… why?” Midnight would forever deny that he sounded kind of whiny at that moment. “Because our Princess saw something in you worthy of her blessing, and we’re going to find out what.” With that both of them stepped through the portal, returning to Midnight’s school. That day Magister Heartfire and Mrs. Rose had a long chat that ended with Midnight signed up for magic lessons on every weekend as a trial, both adults came to an agreement that if the matron saw him struggling she had a right to withdraw him. When the night has fallen and he was lying in his bed Midnight, using hooves, played with the dark crystal that the Princess told him was in truth a key… “I will not fail…” Midnight whispered before he put it into his nightstand drawer and falling to sle News traveled fast as it turned out. By monday morning everypony in the orphanage knew about his extra lessons. Partly due to the fact that yesterday was the first one and him leaving the orphanage for almost the whole day raised questions. However he was surprised to find that of all the ponies, it was Trixie that reacted the most. Meaning she didn’t sit with him during breakfast as was usual, or talked to him much… well talked even less than usual. During morning classes he had a thought of what was this about. So during a recess he approached the blue coated filly. “Trixie you know I will try to help you with your magic, right?” “Yes, Trixie knows. And are you helping?” She asked with a scoff. That made Midnight look at his hooves and smile awkwardly. Lately he wasn’t really helping her as much as he could… He sighed and looked at her. “I’m sorry. Today after school?” “Deal,” she smiled a bit, in turn making him smile. As it turned out it wasn’t a one time thing, Midnight trying to be a better friend for Trixie offered his help almost every day. With the upcoming semester's end and their magical exams, his extra magical lessons and his own studies his afternoons and evening became rather busy. More often than not he had to say ‘no’ to Dandelion and the twins invites to play. By the time the magical exams were upon them he didn't even notice that the twins stopped asking him to join them… Currently he was pacing in the orphanage entry hall, as he waited with all the other unicorn fillies and colts for Mrs. Rose. “Alright then fillies and colts, I have all the important documents checked. Let’s go,” when he heard the matron speak he almost run of towards Celestia’s School for Gifted Unicorns, as it was there that their exams would be taking place. It was a long trek through snow covered streets of Canterlot. Celestia’s school was located closer to the royal gardens, on the other side of the city. When they all arrived before the magnificent building, they were welcomed to the sight of dozens of other fillies and colts moving around. Some playing in the snow, some with noses buried in books and some just chatting with their friends. Inside was something that Midnight could only describe as organized chaos. Ponies moving to and fro, talking, yelling. For half an hour they had to stand in queue to the reception set up for today. Midnight was close enough to hear what Mrs. Rose talked about with the unicorn receptionist. “This year your group takes their exams in the Clover’s Auditorium.” For a while that meant nothing for Midnight, but when he looked at the two older unicorns in their group as they paled, especially Summer Dew. “What’s Clover’s Auditorium?” Midnight asked Silvertongue. “That’s one of the two main auditoriums, it’s well… large. And every exam held there always gathers the most attention. If you want to get into apprenticeship there's no better place for it in Canterlot,” Silvertongue explained calmly before he began to whisper what Midnight thought were words of encouragement to Summer. Now that got Midnight a bit more stressed. In his effort to not think about the upcoming exam while they walked towards the auditorium, he looked around, focusing on the many pinboards, maps, cabinets with prizes and exhibits. Too quickly in his opinion their group of four was sitting on floor like many others, waiting for their turn. It was kind of nostalgic for Midnight… how many hours had he spent in his old life waiting for an exam, sitting just like now and counting for the best? A fair few. He had to zone out because the call “Midnight Blackmane,” came startlingly quickly. As he entered he finally could see what made Summer Dew nervous. The auditorium could probably comfortably fit a hundred ponies, right now Midnight saw more than twenty sitting as guests. Among them he immediately spotted Princess Celestia, with her escort of four pegasus guards in golden armor. Taking a deep breath he moved to the centre, and stopped facing a long desk behind which five unicorn sat, the audience behind his back for now he tried to forget. “Good morning.” Midnight manage to say rather calmly. “Hello young Midnight, this is your first exam of this kind, right?” The unicorn seated in the centre asked. He was evidently an older one, with grey hair visible in his brown mane, and his beard. “Yes, sir.” “Each one of us will ask you first a question and then ask you to perform a spell that you may or may not know. If you do not know an answer or the spell please tell us, there are no consequences to not knowing something on this exam. Now then let’s begin. Pearl, dear why don't you start?” The unicorn said in the end looking the mare sitting at the far left. “Very well. Midnight, can you tell me what a magical core is?” The mare's voice had that teacher quality to it. And while Midnight answered as fully as he could he could see the approval in her eyes. The theoretical part was easier than he expected, the only time he stumbled was when the apparent leader of the examiners, the older unicorn in the middle, asked him what the five rune spell he wrote on the black board was meant to do. He didn’t know two out of the three runes so he had to do a bit of guess work. The worst thing for him personally was, that the examiners didn’t give him any grade or score when he answered, only wrote something down on the papers they had before them on the desk. Finally it was Mrs. Pearl’s turn again. “Now then, why don’t you cast a Light Spell?” When he heard that, Midnight almost smirked. With the long practiced image of light reflecting off of freshly fallen snow, enhanced with a quick imagining of the rune that meant ‘light’ his horn blazed to life and bathed the auditorium in an intense white-bluish light, strong and sudden enough that he heard somepony from the audience yelp. “I think that’s enough Midnight, thank you.” As suddenly as it appeared, the light died off. Midnight opened his eyes and had to blink a few times and adjust to the lack of light. It was a neat spell, but as strong as he could make it even he couldn’t stand it with eyes open. “Something to work on in the future, it’s kind of silly that I have to close my eyes too…” “That was quite the spell. Well then why don't you show me how many of these marbles can you make move around you?” It was the next unicorn, one that Midnight still hasn't learnt the name of. The ex-human looked at the offered - levitated to him - pouch with glass marbles. Just lifting up and moving them in an organized fashion, were two different things. He decided to play it safe and picked up with his magic two marbles and focused on making them move around him in circles. It was always tricky moving something that was out of his field of vision, he learned that rather quickly on his magical lessons. After being certain that he had the feel of the “orbit” he decided to add a third marble and add some speed to them. On a fourth pass, something clinked behind him and on of the marbles was shot of to his left side. “That’s enough. Well done,” Midnight smiled hearing those words from the older unicorn that had a small smile of his own. “My turn then. Midnight, can you manifest your aura, perhaps?” The head examiner asked with curiosity evident in his voice. “Um... I’m afraid I can’t sir,” the young unicorn answered with a small scowl. “That’s all right. Maybe I was hoping for a bit too much, next then,” what the old unicorn said made Midnight look at him questioningly, but all he got in return was a small nod and a smile. “If you would follow me, we have a set of weights over there. Lift as many as you can with your magic, all methods are allowed.” The fourth examiner said as he stood up and walked up to a set up of stone weights. Now that was something Midnight could do. Magister Heartfire gave him exercises like that regularly. He looked at the weights. There were six of them starting with a cube, its edges roughly a hoof long. The second had edges twice long, the third twice as long again and so on. The last one was monster compared to his body, with a thirty six hoof long edge… He really didn't want to think about how much it weighed. He took a deep breath. He had a method to move them… maybe even the fifth one if he gave his all. But there was one more practical test so he couldn't just exhaust himself to that extent. He reached for his magic, searching mostly for that heavy feeling part of it. It still eluded him what it was exactly. As Magister Heartfire said, most of the time there are multiple ways to cast almost every spell. Midnight cast his modified levitation spell. First two stone cubes lifted up immediately, soon the third followed. Calming himself, and taking a deep breath he willed his magic to extend to the fourth cube. Once more he cast the spell that mixed in with standard levitation the intent and runes that reduced the block's weight. It was convenient that he always liked physic, really. Imagining the forces that granted the cube it’s weight was simple for him. The fourth cube lifted up slowly, and Midnight almost groaned out loud. It weighed more than the previous ones combined! Kind of expected but he didn’t think it would be so demanding on his magic. He could literally feel his mana pool draining away. He dropped the stones cubes with a loud thud quickly after the fourth one lifted up. He looked to his left at the examiner and almost laughed out loud. The poor unicorn looked rather pale. “That, that will be all. Very well done.” Midnight returned to his spot before the examiners and for the first time he could hear silent murmur of conversations behind his back. He had really almost forgotten about them… “To end this exam, cast one spell of your choice.” The last examiner, also a mare, said. That got him stumped. What could he cast? He didn't really know any spells beyond the basic Light and Levitation ones. Heartfire promised to teach him some spells later on but now he had non. So that left improvisation. Maybe... a combination of the two of some sort? He glanced at pouch with marbles. That could work… if he kept them in his field of vision… Midnight sat down and stretched out his right front leg, pointing at the pouch with marbles. His horn blazed with magic and the nine marbles from the pouch flew to hover over his outstretched hoof. With brow furrowed he made them spin in tight circles, and while he cast the Light spell he held to the intent of magnifying the light reflected of the marbles. Slowly what was a small vortex of glass marbles, turned into moving lights. “Interesting… That’s enough. Thank you Midnight.” With a sigh Midnight allowed the marbles to dim and fall to the floor. That was more taxing than he expected. “So… what grade did I get?” He couldn’t help himself, he had to ask. “It’s not really a grade Midnight, but where you stand compared to other young unicorns,” the lead examiner began to explain. “But just how exactly you compare to other young unicorns well… you will have to wait until all have taken the exam and a list is composed. A letter will be sent to you with your score, or if you don’t want to wait I think in two days lists will be hang out in this school. That’s all, thank you Midnight Blackmane.” Midnight nodded and turned to leave, he quickened his pace when he saw almost everypony in the audience looking at him with ill concealed curiosity. To be honest, a quick nap was kind of tempting... An hour later, he was nudged awake by still beaming Trixie when the Silvertongue turned up after his exam finished. The four of them and Mrs. Rose returned to the orphanage, where it turned out Mr. Soup prepared them a magnificent dinner, with cake as a desert. All the while the four talked about their exams, however when Midnight talked he missed the bewildered looks of Summer and Silvertongue as he was too busy looking in amusement at Trixie’s pouts and dreamy expressions when she listened to the three of them talk...