“Is it time?”
“It must be, the time for her to decide is near.”
"Good, it has been so long."
"The time of his return is here, the circumstances of his arrival have occurred."
"We have waited, and now it begins!"
"It begins."
"Awaken!Awaken and take your place!"
"Awaken...."
"Hey, mister?Wake up, are you okay?"
The voices slowly penetrate my thoughts, some seem to be inside my head, but my ears still flick in response. Even the swiveling of my ear hurts, did my ear just flick? I lift my head slowly, those words are familiar and yet unfamiliar. I can understand them, yet they seem strange. What's going on here? Dear God, my body hurts in places I didn’t even know I had. Like I’ve ran some kind of marathon followed by fighting…
Something presses against my shoulder, shifting my entire body momentarily. “Hey...”
Other voices impinge on my mind, still odd to my ears. “I didn't know there were stallions among Equestria’s royalty.” That voice is distinctly feminine.
“Why is HE here?” A gruff voice, the sound of someone who is ready for trouble, followed by several loud stomps on the ground.
Am I in trouble? Why am I in trouble? Why do I hurt?
“Shush, Faris, I doubt a single pony, no matter what tribe, is a danger to us. Ponies are peaceful.”
“Ow, ow, ow, ow.” I reach to touch my head, then I stop, that feels different. “Oh my head.”
Pain shoots through my body again, up and down my legs. My body is fighting every movement I make with a response of pain. I slowly peel my eyes open. A dusky brown hoof is there, connected to a rich tan foreleg. My eyes widen slowly as my vision drifts in and out of double images. The effect turns my stomach as a feeling almost like sea sickness floods over me. “What the hell?”
“Oh, the prince has chosen to awake!” comes the gruff voice.
“I'm no prince,” I find myself muttering. Slowly, my vision refocuses on my hoof, then moving my head slowly, I look back. I'm partly dug into the sand like I had slid to a stop on some beach. Blinking a few times, I note the dusky tan coat extends all the way down to my tail. Though one thing catches my attention, I've got wings. Feathered in the same tan color, one folded easily at my side, the other its splayed out in the sand. I close my eyes for a moment, I can feel them, they hurt but don’t seem broken, with a little work I pull the outstretched wing against my body. Rotating from laying on my side to lying comfortably on my folded hooves, I look back and extend the wing, then retract it, the motion and sensation fascinating to me. I'm a winged horse. That's pretty cool.
“He's mental,” the gruff voice growls.
I shake my head then look at the source of the voice. A heavy bodied horse is standing there. “No, this is...” I narrow my eyes in thought. “New to me. Everything seems… new”
The horse rolls his eyes. “Yeah, sure, your wings are new to you.”
I look around, over a dozen other horses are standing around me. One mare comes up slowly. “What is your name?”
My name? I open my mouth to speak, then I stop. It should be natural to me, I should know my own name, right? Her smile becomes strained at my silence, finally I answer, “I don't know.”
“You really don't know?” The disbelief is plain in his voice.
“Be nice, Faris.” the mare says gently, then she walks over to me, lying down, she leans close. “Can you stand up?”
I look down at my legs, all four of them.Then at my wings for a moment, slowly I try and sort out what is what before I let out an exasperated huff and narrow my eyes. “I’m not sure.”
She uses her head, pushing against my shoulders, prompting me to lift the front half of my body a bit, she moves and nudges my flank, she alternates a few times, and I find myself on four hooves. She scrambles to her hooves. “There, that was easy.”
“Actually, it was.” I look down, this feels different. After laying down so long my legs feel weak and wobbly. It just doesn't feel right to me. I give my head a shake and almost lose balance.
Faris tosses his mane. “Even a foal can stand on their own hooves.”
There are actually quite a few of the horses standing around. The mare smiles at me. “My name is Ghaliya, this is my caravan. The suspicious one is Faris.” He frowns in response, she moves on. “My scribe, Irfan, has joined me on this trip.” She gestures to a shorter horse, more white than anything, with a black star on his face between his eyes. “And as you can see, we have quite a few horses that are handling the cargo, and Faris is in charge of our security.” She looks around. “This is a normal stopping point; this oasis is always a pleasant place to rest during our travels.”
I look around. “Oasis?”
The area is quite beautiful and peaceful. Crystal outcroppings of Desert Rose are scattered throughout, along with a large, deep blue pond. Palm and date trees sway gently in the breeze filling the air with a soft rustling sound.Hardy grasses push up against the water. Some of the caravan horses are busy drinking at the edge of the water.Others are filling small barrels or drinking bags. All in all, this is a very restful and beautiful place. I sniff the air, moisture, growing, plant life. I close my eyes and instinctively take a step as I lift my head high feeling the air toy with my mane, then a second, then with a loud grunt I plant my face in the sand.
Faris barks a laugh as he comes up. “Ok, I don't think you are too much of a threat to worry about; you can't even walk correctly. Try alternating between front and rear. Left front, right rear, right front. left rear, repeat until you are comfortable with the walking. Any horse foal can do it, though I’m not sure about pony foals.”
That’s right, I’m not a horse like them, I’m a pony. Shorter, stubbier, less graceful…
Ghaliya frowns at Faris, “We have accepted him as a guest among us, Faris. Treat him with respect.” Faris glowers at Ghaliya, then he spins away and canters off. Ghaliya watches the large stallion for a long moment, then she whickers softly before moving closer to me. “He is an excellent warrior, but he must learn tact.”
“My Lady.” Irfan says, stepping forward, “the night will be upon us soon. We need to get the horses unhitched from the wagons so we can camp. You know, as I do, that it will be quite dark soon.”
She nods. “Have a fire started. We shall dine by the water tonight.”
“Very well, My Lady.” With a turn and a flick of his tail, he is gone, among all the horses getting ready for the night. The next hour or so is occupied by tents being pitched and preparation of a meal. More than I would expect from a traveling party. Several horses get busy bringing out pots and pans as the fire is lit. Ghaliya lays down comfortably near the fire as the sun gets low in the sky. Quite soon a two large cups of tea are brought to us.
I sniff the proffered cup. “Mint?”
She takes a sip, answering, “Yes, mint tea.”
I take a sip as well, then let out a relaxed sigh as the cool mint spreads across my tongue. The sensation causes me to smack my lips appreciatively as more food is brought to us.Several platters are set out for the horses to choose from.
“Prince, may I offer you a healthy, prepared meal?” One of the younger stallions says softly after setting a platter before me. He sits and points with a hoof. “We have fresh dates and raisins, seffa, and for your main course, B’ssara. The bread will be ready soon.” He points to some large flat stones placed next to the fire with bread cooking.
I slowly look at all of the food, the aromas wafting into my nose has me drooling a little. I glance over at Ghaliya as she fits a spoon onto her hoof with a little strap that holds it too her hoof. I look at the silverware provided. “Um, why don’t I have a strap?”
Her eyes widen, “I would expect that you would be using your magic.”
My eyes narrow. “My…magic?”
She points. “You do have a horn, and telekinesis is fairly universal, even among Equestrian royalty.”
I look up, then reach a hoof up tentatively, “I’ve got a horn?” I glance back at my wings, then feel the horn again, “I’m a winged unicorn?”
She stops for a long moment, blinking slowly as she looks at me. “Are you seriously trying to tell me you didn’t know all of this?”
I shake my head. “No, I’m sorry.” I lay my head down on the ground, “I sort of remember my head and face hitting the ground hard, but really nothing from before you showed up, my mind’s pretty blank.”
One of the others quickly bring a set with the straps, and after a bit of struggling, I’m able to put a bite in my mouth.
She looks over at me. “Having a mage here would help. We sometimes contract some work out to unicorns to help with the caravan.”
“Are you offering me a job?”
“You could call it that. Unless you are a proficient flyer, it’s going to be days to fly to the City of Gardens. It’s easier and safer to walk there in a caravan. Would you join us?”
I look away, embarrassed. they just met me and yet showing such trust. Hell, I just met me. Closing my eyes, I search my mind trying to find memories. Screams, a lightning bolt, flying backwards, a brilliant flash of light. My mane stands on end as a shiver goes down my spine. Shaking my head, I open my eyes quickly almost gasping, then I gulp. I look back at Ghaliya then nod. "I'll be happy to join you."
She smiles brightly at me. I look around, night has truly fallen while we have been conversing and eating. I see the moon out of the corner of my eye, and turn to look at it, “Well, that’s odd.”
She follows my vision. “What? Oh, that’s the mare in the moon.”
Huh? The figure on the moon looks like a unicorn in profile. I look back at figure on the moon. “What is the mare in the moon?”
To my surprise, she sidles up against me, leaning her body against mine. “The mare in the moon, the wise old mare that looks down on all of us, she watches us as we sleep and protects our dreams. We only know that one day, long, long ago, her face appeared to us in the moon after a great eclipse during the day. The entire world was in darkness for a long time. And when the eclipse finally ended, she was there, and has been there ever since.”
I look up at the moon for a long time, feeling the wind in my mane the sand under my hooves, I feel alive. The camp activities continue around us, a few younger colts and fillies are galloping around, laughter is in the air as all the horses are getting ready for the night.
“My Lady, your tent is ready. Are you ready to retire?” Faris’s voice interrupts my thought as he trots up.
Ghaliya smiles and nods. “Thank you, Faris.” She looks over at me. “Are you ready to sleep?”
I nod as I struggle to a standing position. I look down at those hooves, why don’t they want to cooperate with me? Ghaliya in contrast makes it to her hooves quite easily and gracefully before she moves off. Turning to follow her I find my path blocked by Faris who quickly moves in between, blocking my view.
“Hold on there, Prince Lovercolt. We’ve got a tent made up for you as well.”
Ghaliya smiles softly as she walks off, flicking her tail as she goes. Faris jerks his head, keeping his body between me and Ghaliya, guiding me with his shoulder. I note that the direction of my tent seems to be on the opposite side of the camp from where Ghaliya had gone. My guide through the camp remains silent as we walk. This lets me take the opportunity to look around. Over a dozen tents are pitched, some older, patches evident in the thick fabric. Some are newer as well, their cream color nearly glowing in the full moon. Horses from the caravan are bedding down for the night, oil lamps abound as light sources. Some of the horses are sitting comfortably or laying on mats and reading. A few are laughing and singing around the fires interspersed throughout the camp. A couple larger stallions are walking among the group of wagons standing among the tents. Finally, Faris noses a tent flap open, then he holds it open with a hoof as he turns to look at me, “We have guards stationed all around. And if you need anything, Prince, we will be happy to provide. A guard will awaken you at sunrise.”
I duck into the tent, it’s quite simple, an elevated cot for sleeping, a collapsible washstand with a pitcher of water and a pewter cup. The lit oil lamp is hung from the peak of the tent. Though the condition of the canvas of the tent tells me that this is an older one. I turn back to Faris, “You don’t like me.” It’s more a statement than a question.
He snorts softly, “I don’t trust you. The relationship between Saddle Arabian and Equestria have not been on the best of terms for the last few hundred years. Princess Celestia has been rather… difficult when it comes to negotiations. And having an Emir al-Eq’wasiya show up out of nowhere is unsettling.”
I stomp my hoof, nose flaring as I snort, “I’m no prince!”
He rolls his eyes, “Sure you aren’t. I wouldn’t be surprised to find out you are some young Equestrian prince, newly raised, and here to harm my mistress.” He glowers at me. “You will fail, no matter your magic, young stallion. Our guards know how to deal with mages. So sleep or don’t sleep. If you are here in the morning, you will be escorted back to the presence of the Lady Ghaliya so we can continue our travels. I will be keeping an eye on you in her presence. And speaking of her, it would do you well to learn your manners with mares."
"What manners?" I ask.
Faris answers, "Unlike you ponies who facilitate and celebrate sin, we horses believe in standards and rule for behavior between the sexes. Unless a mare and a stallion are family, they would do well to not spend much time together, especially alone. We believe in stallions with stallions, mares with mares. You may have noticed all your attendants and servants thus far have been male. That is intentional. If you seek female companionship, you much either find yourself a wife or a bondsmare. Ours will not just present themselves to you on a whim."
"But what about Ghaliya?"
"She, as our leader, is a special case, but do not seek her companionship in private. If she wishes to see a stallion alone, she will send for him, and it will be known that nothing unseemly was meant or transpired."_
“Look, I don’t even know what the hell is going on here. I don’t remember or know anything. I’ve never met or heard of this Celestia that I know of. If I did I’d tell you, but I don’t even know my own name!”
Narrowing his eyes, he lays his ears back. “Then how do you KNOW you’re not a prince?”
“I… I… Argh, I don’t know, I just don’t feel like a prince, I guess. I don’t know what I feel like,” I say and spread my wings in frustration.
He snorts and nearly prances as he advances on me, getting me to shrink back. “For your sake, I hope you are telling the truth.” He glowers at me for a long moment, then he whirls around and stomps out from the tent.
I watch as the canvas settles from his passing, tassels swaying gently. Finally, I shake myself out, that big stallion made that nice meal turn into a lead weight in my stomach.I turn to the cot, a simple raised cot covered in pillows and climb up on it.For some reason, I’m completely exhausted, I feel drained.I lie down comfortably curling my legs and draw the covering up over my body. I really wish I knew what the hell is going on.I really wish I understood what happened.I really wish my wings would behave and let me sleep. With a sigh I roll over a little, and nuzzle the pillow, my wing stretched out and laying on the ground. I snort softly as sleep claims me.
***
“Prince, it is sunrise.”
I don’t even open my eyes, “I’m no prince.”
"Yes, your highness, your majesty, your eminence."
I find myself groaning, "Ugh, I think I liked prince better."
“Nevertheless, it is time to awaken. The camp is being struck, and we have a long day ahead of us. The Lady Ghaliya has requested your presence.” I don’t recognize the voice, opening an eye, I see a teenage colt standing there. He ducks out of the tent.
I roll out of the bed and take a moment to get to my hooves. A quick glance around has me confused. Though the mare gestures for me to leave the tent. I look around at the tent again, she smiles softly, “No worries, Prince, the tent will be struck and then set at our next stopping point.”
I finally nose my way through the tent flaps and follow the younger mare. She remains silent as we walk, so again I can observe the camp being packed up for the day. The horses are working diligently to pack all the tents away among the various wagons. The voices are raised, horses talking amongst one another, and the baying of camels as they are harnessed by the horses to some of the wagons. This caravan is huge!
Finally we make it to the head of the caravan. Ghaliya is standing there, several horses around her. She brightens as I approach, “Amir al-Akwastariya, shams wa akhdir! I trust you slept well.” I noticed she called me in Arabian, but differently from Faris. I take note but say nothing. Perhaps it is some accent or dialect?
I rub the back of my neck with a hoof. “A few odd dreams, I would say.”
She leans forward. “Many times dreams can give you insights to your memories. Did you see or hear anything that has given you a clue?”
I shake my head. “I’m sorry, My Lady, only vague impressions that faded as soon as I woke.”
She clicks her tongue. “A pity.” She looks pointedly at Faris, who is standing stiff as a board before her. “It is time to depart.”
He nods as she walks towards a large wagon, but instead of mounting it, she turns and steps out ahead. And with a shrill whistle from Faris, the wagon starts to move. After we’ve walked for a few minutes, I look back. The caravan is stringing out behind us. Hundreds of horses, several dozen fillies and colts running among the adults, and quite a few camels helping with pulling the wagons. Four horses are pulling the wagon that we are walking ahead of. Ghaliya leans closer. “We prefer to walk before it gets too hot.”
The sun slowly rises as we continue walking. The heat builds and the youngest among the horses find their way into the various wagons on the caravan. The wide wheels of the wagons gliding along the hard packed sand quite well, our hooves leaving barely an impression in the ground. Ghaliya and I talk during much of the walk, and while I am distracted by talking to her, my hooves move the way they should. Though one moment of thinking about how I’m walking, and I find the ground with my face. She is too polite to laugh at me outright, but she does suppress a smile at my plight. I am grateful as to her discretion.
Before long, a speck becomes visible in the distance. I gesture with my head, for some reason, I feel I should be using a foreleg, bit that also feels awkward, and I don’t feel like face planting again. “What’s that?”
She looks where I’m indicating. After a bit, she finally blinks, “Oh, that’s Hadi.” She looks at me, “you have really good eyes.” She ducks her head a bit, “Must be your pegasus aspects.”
I frown. “He’s ahead of us?”
She nods. “Of course. We have scouts who run ahead of the caravan, keeping an eye out for anything unusual, and then they wait for us to catch up if everything is normal, or run back if something isn’t.”
I look around, there is not much around that I can see. I look back at her, “Why?”
“There are dangers even in the desert outside the lack of water,” she says cryptically.
"But... he's young, isn't he?"
"He wants to do it; we couldn't keep him back without tying him to a wagon."
"Isn't it dangerous?"
"He has a way of finding places to hide and wait, plus he always has supplies with him in his satchel. He has a miquelet and a jambiya if there is trouble."
“What are those?”
“A musket and a dagger.”
“But he’s just a colt.”
“Every horse in the tribe must be capable from a young age. The desert respects not age nor sex nor rank. Nor do bandits or enemy clans. The caravan is a company, a family, and an army unto itself.”
As we approach, the colt scampers towards us. “My Lady! The road ahead is clear! Have any water?”
One of the other horses walking with us brings out a water skin and the colt gets a long drink. Finally, he nearly dances up to us. “So, who’s the visitor?”
“He is our guest, Hadi.”
He looks at me. “You're a pony. You got both horn AND wings, so why are you here then?”
His exuberance gets a smile from me, though Ghaliya tuts, “Hadi, it’s not polite to pry. And you know to respect you elders, colt!” I see genuine anger in her eyes. These Arabians are a harsh folk. I don’t remember much of ponies, but I know they weren’t like this.
He looks at her, “We don’t even know his name!”
That gets a chuckle from me. “I don’t even know my own name.”
He scampers around in a circle, “Well, then we should name you. Can’t go around saying ‘hey you’ all the time.”
I look at Ghaliya. “Well, they’ve been calling me Prince.”
He shakes his head and snorts, “You may be an alicorn, but you have a name, just like Princess Celestia has her name. What’s your cutie mark?”
“My what now?”
“Ponies have cutie marks, you are a pony. So, what’s your cutie mark?”
I look back at my body. “I don’t know what you are talking about.”
“Look at your flank, under your wing,” Ghaliya supplies helpfully.
I lift my wing, “Well, would you look at that.” I say softly. A globe with wings protectively folded over it greets my eyes. I look up at Ghaliya, her face has gone completely blank, and she is blinking slowly, though she keeps at the slow and steady pace of the caravan.
I lean closer, “Ghaliya?”
She shakes her head as though she’s coming back to herself, finally she snorts softly, “I’m sorry, I was remembering a dream.”
“Oh, oh, oh, I’ve got it!” Hadi says brightly, pronking up and down on the spot, “Ki Ren.”
That gets a giggle from Ghaliya, who then blushes and looks at the little colt. “Do you like that name, little one?”
“Uh huh!” Hadi yelps, bouncing up and down.
She looks up at me, for some reason her cheeks still bright. “What do you think, Prince? Would you like to be known as Ki Ren?”
Hadi is offering the biggest smile I’ve seen on any horse, and she is smiling softly, her face still tinged red. Finally, I offer a smile of my own. “Ki Ren is just fine.”
That gets a whinny and a gleeful laugh from the colt as he scampers around. Ghaliya moves closer and bumps me softly. “Well, you have been named properly. Welcome to our little corner of Equus.”
“Equus?”
The colt laughs, “You have shown up in the Kingdom of Saddle Arabia. We welcome you, Ki Ren.” He performs a walking bow.
I mimic the movement, “Thank you,” I murmur softly.
The colt scampers around and ends up walking between Ghaliya and I. After a bit, he looks up at me. “So, what can you do with your magic?Can you blast dragons, or summon elementals?Oh!How about banishing your enemies to some magical prison? I don’t have any magic, so when bad guys come, I have to use my musket.”
I cross my eyes a bit looking up, I can barely see my horn. “Nothing.”
“Nothing? Wait, I thought Alicorns are the strongest ponies. Princess Celestia moves the moon and sun herself. Are you sure you can’t do something like grow a giant Crystal castle from the ground with your magic?”
That gets me to rear my head up with a snort. “That’s not just impossible, that’s downright silly.”
Ghaliya laughs softly, “No, it’s quite true. We have not had diplomatic relations with Equestria for centuries. But it is well known that the princess of Equestria controls the moon and sun. She has done so for as long as we can remember.”
“We need to fix that!” the colt chirps and scampers off. I follow him with my eyes as he gallops full bore. He takes a turn and vanishes, and I turn back to look at Ghaliya, who shrugs.
When the sun is high, Ghaliya signals to me, and I follow her into one of the lead wagons. While it is rather cramped, there is sufficient room for both of us to lie down comfortably, with a plethora of pillows to arrange for comfort. Before too long, the wagon shifts slightly and the energetic colt is back. “I brought him!” The colt squeaks.
Again the wagon rocks, though a bit more than when Hadi had climbed aboard. A larger stallion noses aside the interior curtains, he nods to Ghaliya. “My Lady.” Getting a regal nod from Ghaliya, the mostly white stallion finds a comfortable spot and lies down. “I am to understand that you are having trouble with your magic.”
I thump the side of my head with a hoof. “No memories, remember?” Shaking my head for a moment, I let out a snort. “Until last night when it was pointed out, I didn’t know I had magic at all.”
He nods. “You are an alicorn, though I’ve never heard of alicorn stallions. All the pictures in the scrolls I’ve seen have been of princesses, of mares. If you need knowledge, that is one thing I can provide.” He looks over at Ghaliya. “With your permission, my lady.”
At her nod, he states, “Our knowledge of pony lore is rather scant. Ponies very rarely visit Saddle Arabia. We do meet some in trading parties, though. We have collected many old books over time that give us some knowledge of our neighbors to the northwest. Are you sure you have no memories of Equestria?”
I shake my head. “I’ve been thinking, trying to remember, I remember buildings of stone and crystal, taller than anything I’ve seen here reaching up high. It’s mostly vague flashes, though, as nothing stays. A sight, a sound, a smell will trigger a flash and for a moment and everything feels different. Then I forget it.”
He nods sagely. “Understandable. A quick history is in order then. The ponies are comprised of three tribes, the magical unicorns, the pegasi with the power to control the weather, and the sturdy earth ponies who grow the food. For millennia, they fought amongst each other, but had tenuous agreements where they traded the necessities of life, food, rain, and the sun.”
I find an eyebrow raising. “But I thought the princess raises the sun.”
“She does now, and has done so for thousands of years, but there was a time before Princess Celestia. Now, as I was saying, they were squabbling and fighting. Eventually, that escalated to the point where the windigoes, great jinn of wind and cold, made their land uninhabitable. Driven out, they traveled until they found their new land, what is known today as Equestria. During that time, they learned to live in peace and harmony. And not too long after, Celestia was raised to be an alicorn, along with her sister, Luna. They took the job of the night and day from the unicorns, ruling together.”
“This is the first I’ve heard of Luna.”
He frowns. “The details are not well known, but what is known is Luna turned on her sister, and she is no more. She has not been seen in nearly a thousand years. Nohorse knows what happened to Princess Luna.”
I glance over at Ghaliya, whose face has gone stony. “By the look on your face, you seem to have an opinion on the matter.”
“Mom always said she killed her sister because Luna wanted to have the ponies appreciate the beauty of her night.” She shakes her head, “Horses honor the night, we neigh out to the moon. The stallions take turns sleeping and walking the night, to protect us. Ponies, however, simply hide inside.”
Irfan snorts, “It’s not well known exactly what happened, My Lady.”
“She would not be the first in power to kill for it Irfan,” she says with an ominous glare, her ears laying back. “I know she will not be the last.”
He nods. “That is quite well understood. But the ponies themselves don't know much about Princess Luna.” He looks at me. “You are an alicorn yourself, which means you have the aspects of all three pony tribes. With your wings, you can fly. With your horn, you can do magic, and with your hooves you have amazing strength.”
I reach up and touch my horn. “What good is it if I have no idea how to use it?”
He smiles. “I may not be able to do magic myself, but I am well read. And I will tell you what I know.”
Hadi moves over and crawls up close to Ghaliya, snuggling close to her and laying his head on her barrel. Both of them watch as Irfan gives me instructions to feel the magic he says is inside me. At first, I get absolutely nothing. So, he has to shift his strategy, working to help me quiet my mind.
“I have the flame.”
“Good, now feed it, every emotion, every thought, feeling, fear, hope, love, hate. Feed that flame.”
I listen to his voice. It continues to drone on in the background as I focus on the flame in my mind’s eye. He said to feed my emotions into it, first of all, I feed it the fears buzzing around in the back of my skull. As some of my fears ebb, the flame gets larger. Encouraged, I push everything into that flame, it’s warmth making me feel comforted. As he continues, I’ve finally found everything inside me and pushed it into this flame. Slowly that flame is all consuming, and I feel it nip away at me. Finally, I surrender to that flame, and in moments the flame is gone, everything is gone, I’m still in this moving wagon, but I’m within a void, an emptiness that is both everything, and merely a point within my mind. I find my voice. “I’m there.”
“You’ve found the void? Good. Now, within that void, feel for your magic. It’ll be like a source of heat or light. It will feel like it’s just out of sight, over your withers.”
I mentally reach around, I don’t feel anything. He seems to be watching me intently, “No, don’t reach, don’t search for it. It is there, you’ve got the magic. You have to open yourself to it. You have to feel it.”
The void trembles for a moment as my emotions threaten to crash into me, but I’m barely able to keep them at bay. Finally, I slowly settle down. Ahh, there it is, a heat, a warmth. Comforting, beautiful, and it’s just out of reach. He said open myself to it, okay. I slowly open myself to that warmth.
With a rush, it’s enveloped me. For long moments, it is the most blissful, comforting feeling in the world. I hallucinate the smell of musk, a sensation of heat, and a mare’s voice. Well, most blissful other than that… Then there’s light, heat, electrical discharges, explosions. I gasp, I don’t have the magic, it has me! My entire body tenses as the magic rushes through me. Faces I should know, they aren’t ponies, they are different. The world turns white as more magic pours through me. It’s everywhere, it suffuses the entire world, it drives the world. Magic is everywhere. Light, heat, cold, darkness to consume the soul.
“Ki?” Ghaliya’s voice penetrates, barely. I’m too consumed to really notice.
I shake my head. There’s more here than I could ever believe. It feels wonderful, just touching that power is like touching life itself. It’s not just calmness, but all the tumult and chaos that is life is there. The power is ebbing and flowing, like mighty river rapids. Enveloped by the void, I float along it. Can I do something with this power? With a grunt, the world flashes white, explosions, flying through the air. Smoke, panic, fire. My body warms as the power flows through me, centering on the point of my horn.
“It’s okay, I’m here. You are safe, it’s time to come down. Time to calm down.”
I blink as reality crashes down around me, Ghaliya is hugging me tightly, murmuring softly. I snort softly as I use my forelegs and wings to hug her back. I look around, Hadi is standing there, his jaw dropped open. Even Irfan is looking more than a little stunned at the moment.
“I think I’m okay now.”
“WOW! That was AMAZING!” Hadi squeals. I look over at Irfan, who blinks slowly.
“Truly remarkable,” he murmurs.
“Okay, what happened.”
“I’ve seen unicorns use their magic before, but that must be how Celestia raises the sun! You nearly blew the wagon apart! Your horn glowed brighter than anything I’ve ever seen before! If Lady Ghaliya hadn’t calmed you down, I don’t know what would have happened! That was AMAZING!”
Ghaliya shifts, and I withdraw my wings for her to move a bit away, she looks up at me. “You had a surge. I know you are telling the truth, that is a problem that unicorn foals can have when they are extremely powerful and don’t know how to use their magic.” She looks back at Irfan who seems to come to himself before nodding. She looks up at me, our faces are inches apart. Though her cheeks start to glow in a blush. Then she flinches, ducking her head away. “I’m sorry for being so forward.”
I open my mouth to respond then am interrupted by the stopping of the wagon. In a matter of seconds, Faris pushes into the wagon. “My Lady, something has happened.”
She nearly leaps from embracing me to her own set of pillows, she draws her head up regally. “Announce yourself, Faris, before you barge in.”
He gives me a look that freezes me in place before ducking his head. “I’m sorry, My Lady, but something has happened.” He whirls around. “Please, come with me.”
Ghaliya sighs and gets to her feet, Irfan bows as she moves past him, Hadi bouncing at her heels. I struggle to my own feet, though it’s easier than it was yesterday. I slowly move to the door and step down. “Oh, Ki, what have you done?” I hear Ghaliya say.
“Huh?” I say, blinking in response to the bright sunlight, though the sun is setting, it’s still quite bright outside. But all the horses are looking around in wonder.
“It’s green!” Hadi exclaims.
And indeed, it’s quite green, plant growth, maybe a day or two old, no more than an inch high, but plants are growing around as far as the eye can see. Ghaliya leans down to inspect the rapidly growing plants, before our eyes, the sprouts more than double in size. They reach greedily for the brightness of the sun, leaves growing before our eyes.
Ghaliya plants herself before me, looking at me seriously. “Exactly what are you?”