//------------------------------// // Chapter 3 // Story: Ancient Twilight // by demonbaker //------------------------------// Time is staring up at the timestream, the rainbow of colors moving across the white void. It's her domain. her charge. her failure. As she watches, she can see the long stretches of grey coloring tainting the stream. It's Chaos' influence on the normally vibrant flow of time. For the first time since her ascension, something has changed the timestream. And it wasn't her. That sounded arrogant, but up until know Time has been viewing the timestream as a toy. Like a dollhouse she could arrange however she saw fit. She was wrong, she wasn't the only one who could tweak things. The streaks of Grey are growing more prominent, Chaos is destabilizing the magic of harmony, changing the nature of the universe. The balance is tipping in his favor. He underestimates her. This is a challenge, and as with all challenges, it is one she shall overcome. So what if she's not the only one outside of time anymore. So what Chaos has one of the most destructive artifacts shes ever created. So what she failed. Time adds 'work on pep talk skills' to her mental checklist. That was far more depressing than it helped. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Time slips back into the timestream After what appears to Celestia as mere moments after she pulled Chaos out of it. Time is awfully subjective to those inside the timestream. Looking glumly at a confused Celestia She sighs and rubs the bridge of her nose with a free hoof. Celestia for her part simply waits for Time to compose herself before asking her question. "Tell me, what was that book that Chaos was taunting you with?" Again, leave it to Celestia to ask the worst possible question. She's far too perceptive for her own good, having a knack for finding the crux of an issue. It will serve her well in the coming millennia. Breathing from her nose. "That is a Grimoire." Time summons one of her simpler ones from her shelf and shows it to Celestia. The title reads Pyromancy and the eternal magic of fire and heat. It's one of my artifacts." Celestia nods, artifacts are items that the gods create and imbue with power from their domain. Casting a quick spell she checks the enchantments around the tome with a critical eye. An anchor to seal it to Time's domain, a tracker so she can know where it is at all times, a very complicated spell designed so that it can only be opened by those Time deems worthy. Enchantments to make the book near invulnerable. "I find it hard to believe you would show that much...emotion, on something like this." Celestia waves a hoof toward the book. "I sense no magic inside other than the usual protection spells." Time nods as if she expected that reaction and simply opens the tome to the first page, causing Celestia to blanch and stare at it dumbly. Moving closer she grabs the book in her magic and begins scanning the first page. The glyphs on the page appear to be a series of runic circles, connected by chains to form a simple pattern. She finds that she can read the circle both left and right. Each direction changing the meaning, moving out a layer of rings she finds that they combine with the previous rings through the small 'chains' to provide even more information, each time with tweaks and changes to the concepts shown in the ring before it, and with each progressive ring the applications of the spell listed in the previous rings are given new purposes, different uses. Reading the whole thing backwards provides various counter-spells. only when she finishes with the final ring does the whole thing finally make sense. Like her mind was pushing against a brick wall, but only now did she break through, the resistance shattering and simple understanding filling her. And the whole page was devoted to one spell. But that single spell behaves like thousands. Once Celestia's mind quits buzzing with the many new applications of the spell she turns her focus back toward her guest after what feels like ages. Now that her focus isn't on the tome she notices a glowing golden barrier around them along with a patient Time waiting for her to finish. "Great Sun...how could fireball of all things have this many variations?" Time simply nods. "Congratulations, you have achieved the understanding of a spell in record time." Celestia eventually shakes off the feeling of awe, looking down at the tome, no the Grimoire floating in her golden magic with a lot more respect. "It is one of the simplest and easiest applications of fire, how...how can something so simple be used so many different ways?" While she waits for Times response she studies the barrier around her. She can't feel it in her magic, a trait most of Time's magic shares. Whatever it is, It's making her internal clock go haywire. She can't feel the passing of the day. For the god of the sun...that's a big deal. "The simpler a tool, the more things you can use it for, spells are no different. Each one we have is made of untapped potential. I simply tested everything you can do with the spell, and wrote it all down." Nodding in the direction of the Grimoire Time explains. "The pattern varies based on the type of magic, concentric circles work best for fire. As it is in fires very nature it consumes and propagates. It also has similarities to Life magic." A Green tome appears, its cover open to the first page, the glyphs shaped to resemble a large tree with an expansive root system. "Ice magic is the same pattern, but in reverse." Another tome appears this one blue and sharing the same concentric circular pattern as fire magic. "Most magic is connected to other types that share certain traits." Slowly the golden barrier around them begins to dissolve. "I should have known you would make it past the first page in only Six months. One twentieth as fast as an intelligent mortal." When the barrier fades her inner clock stabilizes and informs her its only been a few moments. Knowing that Time doesn't lie it solves the riddle of the golden barrier. "Thanks for the barrier, I haven't studied like that since..." She frowns, when was the last time she studied magic that fiercely? Not since she was young and seeking her place in the pantheon. "I understand, I have the benefit of being able to do things at my own pace...mostly. The timestream is already corrupted enough, I don't need your return to the world to be delayed even further." Making a mental note about that surprising revelation something is nagging at her, Seeing the Grimoires floating in Time's magic none of them resemble the black tome that Discord was holding in his claw. A sense of foreboding fills her as she looks at Time, her voice carefully neutral. "Exactly how many branches of magic have you made Grimoires of?" Times expression goes carefully neutral. "All of them." "All?" The implications hit Celestia almost instantly, her neutral expression growing strained as she struggles to keep anger out of her voice "That implies you've also created them on dark magic." A hint of anger fills Celestia's voice. "You also said you 'tested' each version of a spell in order to understand it." "Yes, that means I've cast dark magic on mortals, immortals, and animals alike." Expecting the attack Time shifts her form halfway out of the timestream, knowing that her Grimoires are nearly indestructible, the end result is the first blast of pure magic passes right through her body. For her part, Celestia's form is wreathed in flame. Wings of fire adorn her back as her mane and tail ignite with a fury to match the sun beneath them as she hurls bolt after bolt at the unphased Time. Realizing the danger of the gods' anger Time raises another golden barrier around them as Celestia fires blast after blast, trying every spell she knows to do something to the being standing right before her. Left unchecked Celestia's power is easily enough to turn the young planet beneath them into a barren wasteland. The barrier causes Celestia's magic to remain contained in the space around them, shuddering with each blast from the angry solar goddess. Requiring more and more of Time's power to keep the raging energies trapped within the small time bubble she's made. Eventually, Celestia is too tired to continue, panting as she glares at Time. When her mind finally catches up with what she was just doing her eyes widen at the mistake she made, looking up at the planet and relieved to see the barrier keeping it safe. Of course Time would think about that even when facing the fires of her anger. Looking at Time once again, her body slowly losing its blazing form as the fatigue of using so much of her magic hits her. "Explain." Her voice is tired, and her wings are drooping low to the blazing inferno beneath them. Her voice however still has the steel of anger behind it, the simple word being spoken with as much command as Celestia could muster, her tired form doing nothing to hinder her natural authority. "I've done unquestionable evil, Celestia, that much is true. But I've also done unparalleled good. I exist in between, neither good nor evil." Seeing that no further blasts are incoming Time lowers the barrier around them, using the task of stabilizing the potent magic still around them to collect her thoughts. "Now is not the time Celestia, you need your rest. I shall answer any questions you have later when the time is right. I've already extended your slumber enough." Time looks up at the planet floating serenely above them. "The world will need you soon, I don't know what Chaos is planning with the Grimoire he stole. But he's changed the timeline, his influence is spreading across it from the small things he changes. I'm going to need your help to stop him. "This wouldn't have happened if you never created tomes of dark magic in the first place." Time winces at that, Celestia was right. It never occurred to Time that her books could be stolen. She would feel if her tower was breached by anyone powerful enough. Which has happened a few times as mortals figure out spells to pierce the timeline and move outside it. Unless she was distracted, and her last failure was a big distraction. Time floats over the Grimoire Pyromancy and the eternal magic of fire and heat to Celestia, waiting for the god of the sun to grab it in her magic. Celestia understands a bit more about what kind of deity Time is. Though she hates to admit it, there is a reason Time is considered a god of neutrality. Celestia has much to think of, and many questions the elusive deity will be answering when she wakes up again. She also has a Grimoire to read. Perhaps hidden in the tome is a way to actually hurt Time. at least enough to punish her evil actions. For now, though, expending that much energy has drained her. It is mildly frustrating, but she's not back to her full power yet. Celestia slowly sinks into the surface of her charge, returning to her deep slumber and taking the tome with her. The last thing Time see's of her mentor is the tired, but steely glare of the fire goddess. She may never be fully forgiven. Time returns to the surface of Equestria, looking at the glowing orb in the skies that almost seems to be still glaring at her angrily. Channeling her own magic She weaves a different cage around the solar body, Calling upon her domain to accelerate time for the sun above. Angry or not, Time isn't going to let that confrontation mess with the scheduled appearance of the sisters. The world doesn't have the time to wait a few extra centuries for their shining light of hope to appear. As she works even though Time's emotions are bordering on depression, slowly, an idea is beginning to form. Amid all the fatalistic thoughts swirling around her mind a spark of something ignites inside her. Chaos thinks he can win, but now that Celestia knows one of her secrets, its no longer a card he can play at an inopportune time. A slow smile spreads across her face as she pulls a Grimoire from her shelf outside of time. Twilight's eyes roam over the cover of the tome. Ice, the magic of cold and freezing. . Not as destructive as fire, but much more manipulative. Focusing more on controlling than using overwhelming force. Time thinks the world is ready for the Grimoires. She's waited long enough. She's going to give the gift of knowledge to those who can make the most use of it. The book held aloft in her magic Time makes her way back to The cave where the tribes learned the magic of friendship. She has a meeting with Clover the Clever.