//------------------------------// // Chapter Twelve: Ghost Pony // Story: Heart of Light // by TheCrimsonDM //------------------------------// Heart of Light Chapter Twelve: Ghost Pony Written by TheCrimsonDM The air cooled around Valiant’s fur. The room she was in held a soft blue glow from the luminescent crystals which hung on the walls. A wardrobe, vanity mirror, bed, several chests, and wonderful pristine tapestries hung from the walls. It was a wonderful room. Valiant wasn’t sure how she got here but her first instinct was to go and rummage through the chests, perhaps to find some cool loot like Rainbow Dash always talked about on her adventures. There was a bigger concern however, as Valiant was currently floating two feet off the ground. White runes covered her body, and when she looked into the vanity mirror all the color had faded from her eye, only a pale white color remained, softly glowing. The only thing that she could think of was the fact that her entire body was glowing, and that she looked a little bit like a ghost. She could hear Boulder’s voice speaking in the back of her mind, “I wasn’t sure if this would work yet. So glad it did, that was a pretty far way to fall. I, can’t, keep, this, up, for, much-“ Valiant fell to the floor, the light vanished from her body along with the runes and her eye returned to normal. She turned around and looked desperately for any sign of Boulder, she couldn’t see him. The hole in the ceiling however caught her attention as it was a pretty long ways up there. Of course the way she’d fallen was blocked up already. “What was that?” Valiant asked. “I might be part griffon but I don’t have any wings.” “You can cloud walk though,” Boulder replied. “Explain, now.” Boulder let out a sigh. “It’s part of who and what you are. The healing powers, the ability to glow as bright as the sun, and even the ability to eventually fly. I’m here to help you learn to use those abilities, and aid you along your journey.” “But, but, but you’re my imaginary friend. I invented you to make myself sane after what happened in Manehattan. Even Doctor Timequill said that you weren’t real.” “Maybe you did make me? Maybe I was already here waiting for you? Either way I am still here to help you.” Valiant shook herself and stood up. “Okay, so where the Tartarus am I?” “Language.” “Sorry, where the hay am I?” There was silence for a brief moment. Valiant halfway expected Boulder to tell her he wasn’t sure but instead a new voice spoke. An older stallion’s voice by the sound of it, kind, gentle, and warm. “You’re in my panic room, child.” Valiant looked around. There was nopony else here. Just her and her, not quite so imaginary friend. In fact there wasn’t even a doorway out of here. This chamber looked more like a trap than a bedroom. Of course if she was losing her mind, she might as well go all the way and embrace it. “Okay, how do I get out?” Valiant asked. “And more importantly how do I find where Book Mark is buried?” The kind stallion laughed. “There’s a button in one of the drawers to the vanity mirror. Push it and the escape door will open. As for where I am buried. Well I didn’t have a burial. There was no body left to burry.” Valiant froze. If this was Book Mark, and he was dead. Than she was speaking to a ghost. A chill ran down the length of her spine. Carefully she removed her eye patch and looked around. There on a chair by the vanity mirror she saw him. He was indeed an earth pony, and had a pale orange color to his fur that his hazelnut mane seemed to complement. As for his cutie mark it was the same leather bound book with the symbol of an eye on its cover. This was the Book Mark. “So you can see me as well as hear me?” He asked, his eyes sparkled, actually sparkled like Princess Celestia’s mane in the sunlight. “A-are you dead?” Valiant asked. Boulder took up a spot next to Valiant. “What do you think?” Book Mark laughed, it was warm and inviting, like a grandfather’s laugh should be. “Not quite. I’m what you might call a spirit. Different from a ghost as I am not bound to this world, I am here by choice. I have gone on to other planes, different worlds, and seen many different sights over the years but this castle I had built to celebrate me and my friends before my passing. It is my home after death as it were.” Valiant shook her head. “A spirit, like the spirit of chaos?” “I would prefer to be a spirit of knowledge, but Discord is indeed a spirit as well. Though he is far more powerful than I am, and still holds a semi physical body.” Valiant had to sit down as she processed this. She turned to Boulder and the gears began turning in her mind. It was not unthinkable that other ponies couldn’t hear Book Mark, it was also true that she couldn’t see him unless she used her broken eye to do so. Boulder was much the same way. Nopony else could see or hear him. But if she was able to see and speak to the dead… “Boulder,” Valiant said quietly. “Are you dead?” Much to her surprise Boulder smiled brightly at her. “Beginning to put the pieces together are you? Yes I am, and I have been since about the time you were born.” Valiant shook her head. “But, why me? Why did you decide to hang out with me? And what is your real name?” “I chose you because you are very special. I can’t say too much on that right now, but I can tell you that my real name is indeed Boulder Dash.” Book Mark laughed again. “I see, I think I know what you are. I’ve heard tells of the kinds of ponies that could speak to the dead and even go so far as to borrow their power. I saw you floating there, and glowing as bright as a miniature sun to boot.” “What am I?” Valiant asked without missing a beat. “I believe you are called a wisp. Though I have not seen one in all of my days, it was rumored that your race went extinct after the war for Light and Shadow. I know that I had a few books on the war and the wisp back in the archive, sadly I didn’t have much time to read them, there are more books there than there are ponies in the world, and a single lifetime can only allow one to read so much.” Valiant smiled at that knowledge. “Then I know where I must go. Please, I need to get to the archive, we already have two of your clues, but we need the last one. The one you guarded.” Book Mark smiled. “A seeker of knowledge are you?” “Not a real Seeker I’m afraid. Though when I grow up I’d love to be one.” “Alright little pony, I will grant you my knowledge. The final clue you seek; just east of the mountain of smoke will you find truth.” Valiant stared at him. “That… doesn’t make sense.” “Perhaps because you are not looking at the clues correctly?” Valiant blinked. “Okay, what else can you t-“ An explosion up above shook the room and rattled Valiant’s teeth. A few bits of stone came falling from the ceiling. The one thing that was truly important here other than the clue itself was also something Valiant had completely forgotten about. There was still an evil alicorn chasing after her. It was a shame to have to leave the company of Book Mark so soon but if she was going to survive long enough to help Twilight, she’d have to leave now. Valiant rushed over to the vanity mirror and pulled open the drawers. Another explosion rocked the room and she nearly lost her balance. Still she found the button and pressed it. On the opposite wall behind her a section of the wall slid up, it was as large as any door and led into another tunnel. Valiant gave a sad look to Book Mark. “I wish we had more time to talk, Grand Seeker Book Mark.” He smiled. “Maybe we will speak again, little wisp. Now off you go, take flight and flee this place. Oh and good luck on your journey. Remember, the truth is ever fleeting, and to be a seeker you must be ever seeking.” Valiant nodded, spun around and galloped for the door. A third explosion, even larger than the last one threw Valiant off her hooves and she went rolling out the doorway. Behind her flaming bricks fell into a pile on the floor. A large dark form dropped in after them and landed with a thud. The alicorn looked back at Valiant and frowned. Never before had Valiant got up and ran so fast in her life. Even in the first chase with the alicorn Valiant didn’t feel this fast. The tunnel quickly turned into a stone cavern. Puddles of stagnant water made splashes as her hooves galloped through them. The alicorn was still behind her. Heat washed over Valiant’s back. She ducked her head just in time as a blast of flame flew over her. Adrenaline spiked in Valiant’s heart and she pushed herself harder than before. She could already feel her rear leg beginning to hurt from the exertion. The alicorn shouted something at her, but she was too focused on making her escape to focus on it. Pale moonlight poured through the opening of the cave and Valiant saw her chance for escape. The alicorn was further behind her now, somehow Valiant was outrunning the giant flame baring monster. If only she could keep going. The exit was only a few yards away. Something dark moved out of the corner of her eye and before Valiant could react a shadow leapt up at her. Her side exploded in pain as the shadow kicked her. Flames erupted along Valiant’s side where the shadow touched her, and the shadow too was burning on his hooves where he’d made contact. Valiant hit the ground rolling. When she came to a stop she looked up and saw that the shadow was actually Shade. The alicorn slowed on approach and wore a victorious smile. It hurt to move but Valiant pushed herself up and began backing away toward the exit. Neither pony moved to intercept her. Of course that’s when Valiant realized that the cave exited to a sheer drop over the jungle below. At least a couple hundred feet stretched between her and the ground. It was no wonder why the alicorn had slowed down, and why Shade didn’t follow up his sneak attack. She had already lost. “Dumb kid,” Shade spat. “You should look before you leap.” The alicorn stood next to him. “I should be angrier with you for attacking a filly, not once, but twice now.” Shade smirked. “Not my fault, she’s the one always getting in my way, and besides that first time was an accident. This time I’m just saving a Dumbflank from going head first off a cliff.” Valiant switched her gaze between the two of them. There was no way she could win in a straight up fight against either one of them by herself. She was no hero, she might have had weird powers but at most they allowed her to scrape by long enough to survive. Now there were two opponents, and no way to escape. Even if she somehow got past them and back into the panic room, there was nowhere else to go from there. “So,” the alicorn said, turning her full attention to Valiant. “I’m going to have to end your little quest here.” Boulder’s voice came in loud in clear in Valiant’s mind. “Remember what we did when we first landed in the panic room?” The little colt was now standing right next to Valiant. He looked up at her expectantly. He was right, there was one option left to her, though with an alicorn capable of flight, it was a decidedly dicey option. It was still preferable than being roasted alive. “Okay, now let’s get this over with shall we,” The alicorn said as she approached Valiant. Valiant turned around, gave one last look to Boulder, and upon receiving a nod of approval jumped off the cliff. There was a split second where she ascended from her jump, the ground was left behind as she put her life on the line. When she plummeted like a rock her heart got caught in her throat. The air rushed past her as she raced down the cliff face. Boulder was right next to her. “Do not worry, it will be okay.” She’d reply with sarcasm if she wasn’t already screaming from the completely idiotic maneuver she just pulled. Boulder reached out with his hooves. They sunk into Valiant’s flesh, though it didn’t hurt, it actually felt good. Like a massive surge of energy was going through her. Next Boulder put his legs in, followed by his torso and finally his head. It was more energy than Valiant had ever felt before. Her fur was positively glowing, light cast upon the cliff face as she fell. The jungle trees were only a moment away from colliding with her when she felt gravity turn about face and stop. For a long moment she simply hung there, floating a few feet above the jungle canopy. She looked up and saw the form of a powerful winged alicorn hovering above her. If Valiant could see that far, she would have guessed that the alicorn would be wearing an expression of utter and complete disbelief. It was like knowledge had been instantly planted into her body as she began moving forward. Floating slowly at first, but picking up speed quite quickly. Remembering some of the comic books her little sister had, Valiant couldn’t help but to strike a Supermare pose as she flew above the trees. Like riding a bike for the first time in years, Valiant seemed to remember how to fly properly as if she had done this many times before. She aimed herself up and flew back up over the cliff, past the alicorn who was still floating there. She caught a glimpse of Shade staring slack jawed at her and gave him a taunting wink on her way up. Once she reached the top of the cliff she saw the castle, only from the backside. It would seem that the castle, much like Canterlot’s was built on the edge of a cliff. Valiant flew toward the entrance where she was sure she could find Twilight again. Just as she thought, Twilight was actually just outside the castle, her eye patch was removed and her face contorted in an expression of rage. Valiant aimed for Twilight and shouted, “Twilight!” Once Twilight looked up, she squinted at Valiant. Her anger was replaced by confusion, and finally settling on awe. Than Boulder popped out of Valiant’s body, and all that energy vanished. For a split second she saw Boulder, he looked ragged, exhausted, and beaten. “S-sorry,” he said. “I don’t have that much energy.” Gravity was a cruel mistress as it grabbed hold of Valiant right away and dragged her back down to earth. So it looked like there was a time limit on Valiant’s ability to be a glowing floaty ghost pony. Which meant that she was going to really hate this crash landing. Twilight was faster on the draw and caught Valiant inside a telekinetic cocoon bringing the filly over to her. “Valiant, how, why, what, when, and where?” Valiant couldn’t possibly answer all those questions, but she’d try. “I’m a wisp, I don’t know, I can fly, since like ten minutes ago, and from the secret tunnel where the alicorn and the shadow pony are probably regaining their senses right now.” Twilight bit her lower lip. “When I find that alicorn I am going to kill her. But I made a promise and I intend to keep it.” Twilight’s horn lit up, and grew incredibly bright. A deep red aura surrounded the two of them. Valiant didn’t argue, she was done with this trip anyway. She did however have something to say. “Twilight, I got the last clue, and I found out that the Archive does have information on what I am.” Twilight smiled as a second layer of magic covered her horn. “Good.” Off in the distance Valiant could see the cloaked alicorn hovering above the tree line. For some reason she didn’t approach, but simply watched. It was unnerving to say the least. A third layer of magic formed over Twilight’s horn and her face scrunched up in noticeable pain. The world grew tense, a bright crimson light surrounded them, and the world vanished. When Valiant blinked next she was in her backyard, and Twilight was panting heavily. Her missing eye socket was only faintly glowing with gold light. Twilight covered her eye back up and nodded. “Okay, I need to get home before we both get in trouble.” Valiant agreed. “Okay, oh and the clue is; Just east of the mountain of smoke will you find truth. I don’t know what it means but it should be useful.” Twilight smiled and quickly trotted off. “See you tomorrow, Val.” That promise made Valiant Heart happy. So she climbed back into her bedroom window. It was dark in her room, too dark too see. When she closed her window she crawled back into bed and closed her eyes. It was exhausting to go out on adventures in the middle of the night. Of course just as she got snug under her covers she heard hoofsteps draw close to her bed. She opened her eyes and saw Maud standing over her bed, her expression might have been blank to most ponies but Valiant saw the slight curve of her lips ready to be turned into a frown. “So,” Maud said in a dry tone that felt like death itself had run into Valiant’s room. “Where have you been?”