It was nighttime and I was lying wide awake doing one of my new favorite activities, pondering the bizarre circumstances I had found myself in. More specifically, how freakin’ weird this whole world was. I mean, the technology was all over the place. There was a magical horse country called Equestria, for some dumb reason, which was inhabited by technicolor ponies with butt tatoo obsessions. Yet there were tons of similarities to back home, especially this Gryphon Empire place I was in. It kinda reminded me of a bunch of European countries all crammed into one except they all hate eachother a whole lot less, especially the hate towards England from Scotland (which I’m assuming was where I was... Gaisgeil or... whatever the heck this place was called.) And last but not least, was the weird blend of mythologies! I’d heard mention of Tartarus, Hel, Odin, some person called Scorvar occasionally in passing (as a swear so assuming it was some mythological being.) Just... this place was a fluster-cluck of weird and oddly similar... and I didn’t like it, not one bit.
I sighed and glanced over at the gold ring I had set on the nightstand. That same stupid ring I’d been toting around in my pocket for a couple days.
“I wonder....”
I gingerly picked it up and turned it about in my fingers. It was hard to see in the low light yet I could feel the runes and carvings that covered its surface. If I put it on, would the same thing happen as last time?
I sat there, teetering on the edge of possible indiscretion. Finally, I decided to just say “screw it” and shoved the ring on.
It was cold, very cold. Snow-laden trees stood watch on either side of the road in solemn rank and file. My paws ached from the frozen earth and the shackles around my wrists only helped to sap the warmth from my slender frame. My stomach gave a low groan and pain lanced between my ribs. I was so hungry. It had been a lean year so the scraps I was given to eat were even smaller than before.
The small town rose up before me, the high gabbled houses covered in snow looked like something out of a picture book. Not that I actually owned one. The only time I had seen a picture book was before it was thrown in a fire while my master was cleaning out his belongings to make room for new loot.
”Just... you... wait. I’ll... I’ll find a way to get out of these shackles. And then... then you’ll be sorry. All of you s-stupid bandits will be sorry.”
Why did my master have to have found these cuffs? Why did they have to be magic? Why did they have to make me obey even when I didn’t want to? It wasn’t fair. This world wasn’t fair. I had never been given a chance.
After the rest of the dreary walk I was in the town itself. People of all sorts were hurrying from store to store, picking up food and supplies as fast as possible so they could return to their warm houses. A few people looked at me. A few even gave me curious looks given how unnaturally thin I was and how I wasn’t wearing anything to protect myself from the biting cold, but I was just a strange boy. They didn’t actually care.
I soon saw my destination, the pub. They had run out of liquor and I had to go out to buy more. My owner had thrust a piece of paper into my claw and shoved me out the door.
”You know the drill, finish the task and then come roight back. No lollygagging!”
I had silently nodded before trudging away from the hideout. One day, one day I’ll be free. And once I am I’ll burn that whole place to the ground with all the bandits in it. I’ll burn them like they burn me.
A bell jingled as I entered the pub. There were only a few people seated as close to the fire as possible as they nurses their drinks. I walked to the counter and dug the scrap of paper out of my bag
”I was sent to get this.”
The barkeep read it over before scoffing.
”Yeah right, bugger off lad. I wasn’t hatched yesterday. You’ll have to try harder than that to get your claws on some booze.”
”Please! If I don’t bring this to my—“
Stupid shackles, I can’t talk about my master or being punished. The barkeep gave me a scathing look and frowned before grabbed me by the scruff of the neck. I reflexively cringed away and tried to cover my head. However, all he did was gently drag me to the side door and drop me out in the cold.
”Go home, boy, and if I catch you here again I’ll tell your mum.”
As the door shut I just sat there, feeling miserable. I had failed to get more booze for my owner. I was going to be punished. I didn’t want to go back, I wanted to run away, but already I could feel the manacles forcing me to return. Making me stand and slowly walk down the back alley and out of town. I was to return to the hideout as soon as my task was done. It was done, but in failure. I was going to be punished, or worse, I’d be forced to punish myself again.
Instead of returning to the main street of the town, I started to meander through the back alleys in the general direction of the forest. I was still heading back, but... at least it wasn’t as soon.
”Oi! You there!”
I snapped my head around to see an old griffiness peering out at me from her small house. She raised a claw and beckoned me over to her.
”Ya look frozen to ya bones, and goodness me I can see them! Come warm up by me fire and have a bite to eat.”
I wanted to, I really did. I was so cold, and so hungry. I’d been cold and hungry for as long as I could remember. But I couldn’t stop, the manacles wouldn’t let me. I could never escape them. I was told I wasn’t allowed to take them off, ever. And they made me obey. I don’t know what it was that had tipped her off, but the woman must have seen something in my eyes that alerted her to my plight. As I slowly trudged on, desperate to cry out, to stop, to do anything; she pointed a knarled cane at me and croaked a strange word,
”Kêvra!”
A familiar feeling surged through me from my wrists. Suddenly I was turning, walking back towards her. She closed the door behind me and pointed to a chair by the fire. I didn’t need to be commanded to sit. I swallowed as I tried to express the questions bouncing around my skull. How? Why? What? Why?!? Before I could, she pointed to my wrists and asked,
”What sort of vile being put those on you?!”
Immediately my tongue stuck to the roof of my mouth, preventing me from answering. I tried and tried to speak but only strangled chokes came out. After a few seconds she growled and brandished her cane.
”Cutuio!”
I sat there stunned as my bindings gave a faint click and fell off. I... was free. I was finally free! I couldn’t even speak I was so surprised, but the lady must have known.
”I have a feeling you’re too happy to speak, it’s okay, take your time.”
I gulped as tears filled my eyes.
”How? How did you do that!?”
She cackled and tapped her beak with a wrinkly claw.
“This world holds many secrets, child. And those who learn enough and find the right things can learn to bend reality to their will.”
I gasped as I looked at her. She was wearing a purple shawl and various beaded necklaces with carved talismans and shining hewels. Along her cane were carved inticate designs and alien symbols.
“You’re a witch.”
She grinned.
“You bet your tail I am, and I have a feeling that you want to be able to do what I just did.”
I leaned forward.
“Yes, more than anything. I want to learn magic.”
Finally, I could have the power to save myself. I could end my suffering. She cast an appraising eye over me, lingering for a while on the burns that covered my stomach and legs.
“What’s your name, youngin?”
I looked away.
“I... don’t have a name. I am a slave.”
“Not any more.”
I looked at her and saw a twinkle in her eye, as if we were both sharing a secret. I nodded before asking.
“How... how do I learn to do magic?”
“Sit down and get comfortable, this will take a short bit.”
She busied herself making tea and biscuits as I sat by the fire, basking in the warmth. My eyelids were getting heavy by the time she returned and set a tray down between us.
“Help yourself.”
I waited just long enough for her to get a cup of tea and a few biscuits before pouncing on the rest. I voraciously devoured every single one with the speed of a starved animal. I was licking my beak and settling back to sip my drink when she began.
“You’ve probably heard by now that unicorns are the only beings able to willfully harness magic. That, is a lie. Long, long ago in ages past there was a civilization that learned to harness magic in ways that many thought impossible. That civilization faded away long ago, but their works still remain. Books, jewelry, weapons, you name it. All can be found if you look in the right places. Most people don’t realize what they are and simply keep them around as keepsakes or trinkets. However, those of us who learn what they are can unlock the secrets of their function. For instance,”
She hooked her claw around one of her necklaces and held it aloft. Hanging from it was a bright blue crystal that pulsed with faint light.
“This necklace came into my possession long ago. It wasn’t until I discovered an ancient book of spells and slowly, carefully learned how to decipher them that I discovered what this crystal did. This is a piece of magicite. A rare, magical catalyst that enables its wearer to utilize the magic inside them to an almost unlimited degree. Canterlot is built on a mountain of this, yet the princesses hide it all away. Yet that isn’t the only supply in the world. And once you learn the right words and symbols, you can learn to focus your magic through a single point, like a unicorn’s horn or my cane, and channel the magic in the form of spells.”
She pointed her cane at my empty cup.
“Intríni.”
Immediately tea flew from the pot and refilled my cup. I stared at her in awe.
“Please, I want to know more.”
She smiled.
“I can only start you on your journey. You’ll have to learn more on your own. You have lived a hard life, yet I can see you have the chance to become something special. However, if you are not careful, you’ll become that which you hate most.”
I nodded, eager to get my claws on some magic. She reached into a satchel hanging by the fire and withdrew a gold ring.
“This ring belonged to a friend of mine. It is only capable of one spell and I will teach it to you before you leave. Now go, and know that I believe in you. Become something great.”
I soon left the house and returned to the hideout. My former owner and his goons were waiting inside.
“Well? Where’s the booze?”
I didn’t even look at him.
“I don’t have any. They wouldn’t give me any.”
He swore and stepped closer.
“You worthless little scum! I’ll teach you to fail me! Go to the fire so I can punish you. In fact, I fink this time it should be somewhere a bit more... sensitive.”
I didn’t move.
“Did yew ‘ear me! Go to the fire! It’s gelding time!”
“No.”
He froze.
“What... did yew say?”
I slowly turned to look at him, absolute loathing clear across my face.
“I said no you mangey whoreson!”
He stared at me in shock before his face turned red with rage.
“That’s it, I’ll be sure to be extra rough wiv ya now. You’ll regret that, slave!”
“You’re wrong.”
“EXCUSE ME!”
I pointed at him.
“My name is Scorcher, and I am a slave to no one.”
With a roar he charged forward, brand held in his claw. Only my beak moved.
“Kvista.”
If you had been walking in the woods that day, you would have seen flashes of light as bright as the sun flaring from somewhere in the woods.
My eyes snapped open and I tore the ring off. It was glowing with a faint light and hot to the touch. I was panting for breath and sweating bullets. I staggered to the bathroom and steadied myself with the sink.
“That... was Scorcher as a child! How... how am I....”
I looked down at the ring. The same ring that the witch had given him so long ago. Slowly my breathing returned to normal and I sighed.
“I feel like... that’s not the last thing this ring will show me.”