//------------------------------// // Of Binding and Breaking // Story: Lines and Webs // by Airstream //------------------------------// The unicorn duo broke camp later that morning, waiting for the sunlight to gather strength in order to get the most light possible out of their trip. Twilight took the opportunity to compose herself, burying the evidence that her dream probably wasn't a dream at all underneath one of the trees, bowing her head respectfully and muttering a quick prayer to Celestia that it nourish the land and create new life. As she stood there, lost in respectful silence, she thought back to the horrible things she had seen. She contemplated what she had seen. She should have asked who ordered Golden Radiance killed, she was sure now. A list of candidates presented itself in her mind. One. A group of traditionally minded ponies, ones who would have been offended at the evidence offered by her book, and determined to silence her before she created any more scandal. Two, a rival House, jealous of her newfound popularity. She had brought a lot of credit to House Radiant, and that must have been threatening to the other Houses in power at the time. Twilight recalled that this sort of thing was precisely the kind of event that necessitated Celestia herself to step in and speak to the assembled Houses before a civil war set in, approximately a hundred years before Twilight was born. Third. Her own House, shamed by her incessant questioning of the other Houses, especially the ones with which they were trying to curry favor. The fourth and final suspect worried her the most. The Guard had been involved, those who had sworn to take an oath of loyalty to the Realm before being allowed to enter its hallowed ranks. Twilight supposed it could be possible that they would break their oaths, but she had never heard of that happening before. The fourth possibility was a shadowy party in power, who could order the guards to kill them. A rogue commander, a sergeant who was being paid by another House, somepony in command of soldiers could have ordered the murder of that family. Twilight turned, trotting over to Morning Star. "Thanks for understanding." she said, leaning in close. He was warm and comforting, solidly built and supportive. "No problem. You had a bad dream and you don't want to dwell on it, I can respect that." he murmured, taking her weight easily. "We should have enough sunlight by now, I can see further into the trees." he said, pulling a loose strap on her saddlebags tight. Twilight stood up, facing the woods. "Alright then. If we go hard enough we can be through it in a few hours." she said determinedly, trying to push down her fear. Morning Star pretended not to feel the same way. "Sounds good then. Are you ready?" he asked, a low tone of concern in his voice. "Let's go." Twilight replied, and she fell in behind Morning Star, following closely. Soon the two unicorns were swallowed by the thickest part of the woods, into twilight even though the sun had just risen. ________________________________________ The light that filtered through the trees was dim at best, and everything was tinted green. It was difficult to make out details on objects more than twenty paces away, and downright impossible to see anything at more than fifty paces. To make matters worse, this part of the forest was far from silent. In fact, there was a deafening cacophony of insects, bird calls, and yips and growls emanating from the woods around them, ensuring that not only their sight but their hearing was handicapped as well. It was insidious, threatening to invade not only your ears, but settle in your mind and resonate in your bones. They had agreed not to use magic in this area. There were predators in the Everfree that fed not on flesh, but on spirit and sanity. Using magic would be like sending up a flare, complete with a giant explosion and a plethora of whistles to accompany it. Conversation was impossible, when Morning Star turned to say something to her half an hour in, she couldn't hear a word he was saying, and when she tried to tell him so, she realized that she couldn't even hear herself. As neither of them could read lips, they resigned themselves to walking. In perpetual twilight, surrounded by natural static, they walked. And walked, and walked. The path led straight through the woods, without so much as a bump or dip to relieve the monotony. One hoof in front of the other, picking one up as another landed, keeping rhythm. The scenery never changed, and Twilight couldn't even think with all of the noise. Her head felt fuzzy, a product of the damnable noise everywhere. Her temper grew, and she picked up the pace to match Morning Star, jerking her head to indicate they should be going faster. He agreed, and they soon settled into an easy canter, picking up the pace nicely. Twilight enjoyed slow running, having participated in several Running of the Leaves events herself. She was pleased to find that Morning Star kept up with her with minimal effort on his part. Now, instead of maddening, the buzzing seemed to be egging them forward, telling them to go faster. Twilight flashed a competitive grin, an expression that made her look oddly like Rainbow Dash. Morning Star nodded in acceptance, and they gradually shifted from a canter into a smooth gallop, racing forward, manic grins stretched over their faces, running faster and faster, flying into the darkness. Neck and neck they raced, filled with joy and passion. The insects grew even louder, Twilight's thoughts completely replaced by buzzing. Her body felt strange, as though she really was resonating with the forest. She stole a quick glance at Morning Star. His pupils had dilated, taking up most of his eyes. His face was stretched in a rictus, teeth bared, either in anger or joy, she couldn't tell. His coat appeared shiny and black in the dark green of the forest light. Mentally, she shrugged, turning to face the path in front of her, lost in the wild emotions generated by running. It was by chance entirely that their sanity was spared. A lone pinecone, falling from a nearby tree, hit Twilight Sparkle squarely in between the eyes. With a squeak, she lost focus, veering into Morning Star. Over and over they tumbled, crashing into a nearby tree. Both ponies disentangled themselves, finding their thoughts again. The insects had stopped. What were they doing? There were dangerous creatures in here, and they were in unfamiliar territory. Thinking rationally, they realized that they should be saving their strength for the rest of the trek to the castle. They brushed themselves off embarrassedly. Setting off at a much more sedate pace, they found themselves able to speak once again, and soon their quiet conversation floated through the air behind them. Not long after, they left the darkness of the deep woods behind, and sunned themselves by the riverbank before their crossing. Deep in the tangled trees behind them, a young Changeling Queen cursed her bad luck. Her mother would have been most pleased to have the purple one presented to her, but as it was she would have to content herself with the knowledge that she had drawn out enough emotion to feed her Hive. Another hatching would be soon, and they needed all the nourishment they could get... ________________________________________ "Well, that settles it. The log is nowhere around here." Twilight Sparkle announced, plopping down on the riverbank next to Morning Star. He had found some wild tubers growing by the bank, and was now boiling them in a small pot over the fire. Twilight had announced her intentions to find a shallow area to bathe, and to see if they were near their intended crossing point. She was successful in the former, but not so fortunate in the latter. After a quick dip, she had looked quite a ways upriver, but could not see any sign of the bridge, or even a relatively shallow ford to cross by. And downstream would be taking her the complete wrong direction, if the sun was any indicator. "We'll need to find another way across, then. There's bound to be an opportunity downstream if we go far enough. We have a full afternoon to get to the castle, and it can't be far. Worst comes to worst, we wrap up the papers, wade across at a shallow point, and hope for the best." Morning Star said, stirring the vegetables. "Mmm. Almost done, I think." "We could also build a raft, but given the way this expedition has been going, I don't see that ending well. Besides, I'm sure that there will be something waiting in the deeper part of the river for us." Twilight said, getting out a bit of salt and some bread. Settling down next to Morning Star, she withdrew a tuber from the pot with her magic, salting it and waiting for it to cool. "These look good, I'm starving." "Still hot, though. Don't burn yourself." he said, levitating the pot off of the fire and taking one for himself. Grabbing salt, he did the same. "That raft idea might have some merit, but we need more time to do that than we actually have. We need to be at the castle by nightfall, and I don't like the idea of sleeping outside for another night more than we have to. At least when we get to our destination, we can find a room to sleep in that isn't exposed." As they ate, they discussed possible plans to get across the river without their intended bridge. Each was discarded as either too risky or too impractical. Trekking downriver, towards Froggy Bottom Bog, crossing there, and then trekking back upstream to the castle was ridiculous. Breaking down another tree able to support their weight would take less time, but it would also hurt the forest, and both unicorns agreed that would be a bad idea. Likewise was causing a landslide to temporarily dam the river. Finally they were out of food and ideas, and so they packed up their bags and began looking downstream for some way to cross. The trip downriver was pleasant enough. The climate was cooler here, a relief after the stifling forest they had just left, and the musical sound of the water was definitely welcome. An occasional fish jumped out of the river in order to snap at some unseen insect or to avoid a predator. Twilight could almost believe that they were on a date, walking by the river, sharing a moment together. Almost. But she was here, with him, and that was enough for now. They walked for an interminable time. The sun seemed frozen in the sky, letting golden rays of light play across the water. Twilight was unsure of how much time they had spent walking, but it seemed to her that they were caught in the moment, one beautiful sliver of time. A bend approached in the river, and suddenly excitement welled up in Twilight's chest. She felt as if she was approaching some old friend's home, or a familiar place she had spent much time in before. So, she was much less surprised and more delighted when she saw a small house set into the riverbank, a tiny door of brightly polished wood, with a brass knob gleaming in the sun. A smoking chimney protruded from the grass above the door, and a perfectly round window looked out over the river. A porch with several chairs turned into a dock protruding out over the water, a little wooden boat moored to it, bobbing gently with the current. In all, it truly seemed to be a home that happened to be in the middle of the Everfree forest. Morning Star and Twilight Sparkle shared a glance. On one hoof, it hardly seemed dangerous at all. On the other, it seemed too good to be true, and the forest had taught them to be wary of everything. "What do you think?" Morning Star asked, not taking his eyes off of the scene in front of him for a moment. "I'm not sure," Twilight replied doubtfully, seeing if she could sense anything malevolent nearby. "But I don't see us having any other option at this point. Whoever lives in there will know if we pass by, and we already know there's nothing upstream." "True. Well then, let's introduce ourselves, shall we?" Morning Star said, trotting forward. Twilight followed behind. Arriving together, they shared one last glance. Twilight raised her hoof, knocking politely. There was a brief pause, followed by the sound of somebody slowly moving to the door. The knob rattled for a moment, and then the door swung open wide. ________________________________________ A unicorn stood before them, her greying reddish mane drawn back into an untidy bun, a crystal pendant dangling around her neck. She appeared to be around the age where she would have grandfoals, though they probably wouldn't be able to walk or speak yet. Her white coat was well kept, and she had the corded, lean muscles of someone who was used to doing plenty of honest work, and liking it. Her eyes were the brown of a hawk's eyes, and twice as sharp looking. Despite this, they were crinkled with laugh lines, and her face had a pleasant, earthy beauty to it, open and approachable. Her voice, when she spoke, was full and melodious. "My goodness, a couple of visitors. I can't remember the last time someone came around to my neck of the woods! Please, come in!" she said, a smile on her face. "Can I offer you a cup of tea? Wonderful stuff, this is. Flowery and spicy at the same time, tickles my nose something delightful every time I drink it." Her home was clean and well kept, paneled in wood and lit by a cheerful fire. A kettle was hanging over the flames, whistling merrily. An old pot-bellied stove sat in the corner, several shelves labeled with different spices nearby. Brightly shining copper pots and pans hung from hooks, and several nearby tunnels led off to different rooms. Twilight caught a glimpse of a modest library, a bedroom with a feather bed inside, covered by a homemade quilt, and a desk stood alone in another, several sheets of paper and ink nearby. The mare was chattering on amiably. "I'm glad I decided to fill the kettle further today. Never do usually, I prefer to keep it half full so I don't have to wait, but I decided I might want three cups today instead of my two, so there you are. Oh, please have a seat!" she said, noticing the confused ponies standing near her doorway. "Never was one for standing on ceremony myself, and it's been quite a while since I've had visitors of any sort." "Please ma'am, we can't stay long." Twilight said, trotting forward. "We need to make it to the Castle of the Pony Sisters by nightfall if we don't want to be caught outside. We actually came by to see if you might be willing to ferry us across in your boat." The mare's face was inscrutable. "We'd gladly trade for passage, or pay you if that's what you want. If you like, we can perform a service in exchange for passage, but we need to make it there tonight." The unicorn laughed. "Oh, dearie, I don't need payment. Of course I shall ferry you across. I can tell that it's fairly important. However, it's been absolute ages since I've had the pleasure of company, so I shall make you a deal. Enjoy my hospitality for the night. I shall feed you, and house you, at no risk to yourself or your companion. In the morning, I shall ferry you across and take you to the castle myself. I know a few shortcuts there myself, it's a lovely old place for exploring. In return, you will provide me with news of the outside world, anything you can think of. Sit a while with me, and I shall make sure you get to the castle safe and sound tomorrow morning." Twilight and Morning Star looked at each other. Morning Star spoke up. "We would be delighted to take you up on your offer, ma'am. And thank you." "Not at all, dear." the unicorn said. She levitated the teapot over, pouring it into three red clay cups that Twilight was almost sure hadn't been there a moment before. With that, she turned to her pantry, pulling out a jar of small cookies. "Now, come and sit. Let us eat, and drink, and spin our tales wide and long, and let good food and companionship be ever ours." ________________________________________ The unicorn's name was Radiant Zenith, and she had lived in this house for quite some time. "Ever since I can remember," she had said. "And I can remember quite a bit!" Twilight and Morning Star talked with her for hours, on such subjects and friends and family, books and scrolls, sports, dances, and major events. They realized that out here in the Everfree forest, she had no idea of anything happening outside of the trees. The news of Discord's escape, Nightmare Moon's defeat, and the repulsion of the Changeling Queen was a complete surprise to her. She had wondered about all of the ruckus, of course, but never really had an explanation, until now. Twilight downplayed her role in these events, leaving her role and the identity of the other Elements out of the stories. Morning Star, understanding her desire for anonymity, aided her, deftly turning the conversation away whenever Radiant Zenith asked too closely about the Elements. Thankfully, she seemed more interested in the smaller aspects of their lives, and soon the conversation turned away from battles with gods and monsters. They talked until the fire began to sputter and flicker. "Oh, dear." Radiant Zenith said, looking over worriedly. "I'm out of wood for the fire, and I'll need fuel for the stove as well. Morning Star, would you be so kind as to fetch the ax and gather some more? Just follow the path, and don't be worried. I've made a deal with the forest regarding wood. Don't venture too far and you'll be fine." Morning Star nodded, grabbing an old, well used ax from near the door and heading outside to chop wood. Radiant Zenith turned to Twilight as the door closed. "Now dear," she said, smiling as she stirred her tea. "Tell me. What is it like, being the Element of Magic?" Twilight froze, staring at the mare in front of her. Shifting slightly, she began to covertly channel a bit of magic to herself. If she could stun this mare, they might be able to bolt for the woods and... "Oh, I wouldn't do that, Miss Sparkle." Radiant Zenith said. "I wouldn't hurt you, but spell slinging creates a bit of a mess, and I do so hate a messy home." With that, she grabbed a book from her library. Its title read "Portents and Prophecies, a Collection of Signs of Import". She lifted it onto the table, flicking to a chapter entitled "On the Bearers and Their Catalysts". She indicated a sketch of the supposed bearers. Each was depicted with frightening accuracy, from the curls of Rarity's mane and tail to the distinctive Cutie Mark on Rainbow's flank. The only thing missing was Applejack's hat. Radiant Zenith sent the book back, pulling over another tome. She looked at Twilight expectantly. "Who are you?" Twilight asked fearfully, shrinking back from the strange mare in front of her. "I am a friend, and for that you may be grateful." she replied with a sniff. "One who was once so powerful her House was blessed by Celestia herself, and when she had fulfilled her duty, left the service of the Royal House to live a life of solitude. One who realized that her magic was so powerful as to rival that of the gods themselves, though she was only mortal to them. And so, as her last act to her monarch, sealed her power away, until such a time as it expired on its own. As reward, the Royal Alicorns allowed me to depart as an equal, not a subject, and blessed me, so that I can live as long as I choose. I invested my magic in the land, allowing it to grow wild and unchecked. And so here I must remain, bound to the forest as it is to me, no more able to leave than the castle standing in its center." Twilight Sparkle sat quietly, processing this new information. The unicorn made no sense. If what she was saying was true, then she must have been over a thousand years old. She could very well be the founder of House Radiant, or one of its earliest members. The implications were staggering. She could know so much, answer so many questions. Twilight took a deep breath. "Could you tell me, exactly, how many years it has been since you were last visited? By anypony?" Radiant Zenith screwed up her face in thought. "By my estimation, I was visited at least six hundred winters ago." Twilight sank down in despair. This mare knew nothing of Golden Radiance, then. "I see." Radiant Zenith leaned in closely. "I am sorry, dear. Truly, I have no knowledge of the world outside my forest. I know that is not the answer you wished to hear. But you never did answer my question. You are the Bearer of the Catalyst of Magic, though you now call them Elements. Is your life not full of wonder? Truly, your magic must be powerful indeed, if you are able to bring such an artifact under your will. Who was your teacher?" Twilight perked up a little at the thought. "Princess Celestia taught me most of the magic I knew before I took up the Element. She was a wonderful teacher, I learned a lot from her. Not just for magic, but she gave me all of the tools I needed to be a good pony. She's something of a role model to me. The only pony I know will always be there should I stumble or fall." Radiant Zenith nodded thoughtfully. "Would it shock you, child, if I told you that my feelings towards Princess Luna ran much the same way?" Twilight Sparkle cocked her head. "Luna? She always struck me as more of the silent type. I didn't know she had ever taken on apprentices." "Yes. She has always preferred the subtle, the long and winding route. But in my time, back before she had turned into Nightmare Moon, it was customary for only the most talented spellcasters to be apprenticed under her. You won't find much of her workings in Equestria, at least not outside of this forest. Celestia has always had the magics of Binding under her demesne, loud, noticeable, and fairly effective defensive magic. Luna taught us of the more subtle art of Breaking. It is the more difficult of the arts. Those who choose that path walk the boundaries of dark magic, as we draw on the forces of entropy and chaos. Celestia's magic is the rock, Luna's the sea that wears it away. Neither has ever had much taste for the other's magic. I myself did not learn of Binding magics until I had left Luna's tutelage." Twilight was fascinated. Here was a whole new realm of magic in front of her, a half she had never before seen or heard of. A thought occurred to her. "But your House served Celestia when Luna became Nightmare Moon! Why didn't you fight for Luna?" she asked curiously. "Just because Luna taught me does not mean that we were loyal to her alone. When the war broke out, I was pleased to learn that my house had decided to stay loyal to Celestia without hesitation. Though she was my mentor, I prevented her from sheltering here, near the end, when she was fleeing from Celestia's Elements of Harmony. Someday, Twilight, all students outgrow their teachers. Mine was on that day." she said, staring into her cup. "I managed to hold her back, but only just. It took Binding magic of my own to hold her here until Celestia arrived and bound her into the moon. That was the last time I spoke to either Celestia or Luna. And after that day, I have done my best to make sure that this is a place of balance, of Light as well as Dark." The silence that followed was broken only by the popping and crackling of the dying fire. "Come, dear." Radiant Zenith said, heading for the pantry. "Let us begin preparing dinner." ________________________________________ Morning Star and Twilight Sparkle enjoyed a wonderful dinner that evening, thankfully not cans of beans or road bread. A hearty vegetable stew was prepared, with fine white bread and clear, fresh water. After they each enjoyed an apple, roasted in the old stove and covered in honey and brown sugar. They talked for a while more, before each heading to their rooms for the evening. Morning Star and Twilight slept in separate rooms, in supremely comfortable beds. It was just as Twilight was getting ready to retire for the evening that she heard a quiet knock at her door. Opening it, she was not at all surprised to see Radiant Zenith standing in the hall. "Hello, ma'am." she said, stepping inside and allowing her to enter. Radiant Zenith shut the door behind her. "Thank you for understanding my desire for privacy, Miss Sparkle. I do appreciate it, and I wanted to talk about one more thing." "Of course, ma'am. What is it?" Twilight said, sitting on the bed. She tucked her tail in behind her, an unconscious gesture she used to perform when she was listening closely to something Celestia was saying. "As you walked in to my home, I caught the faintest whiff of rot coming off of you, as well as a certain kind of magic. Unless I am very much mistaken, you met with the Keepers of the Grove of Truth, did you not?" Radiant said, her voice low and comforting. Twilight shuddered. She had been trying to convince herself that the fox corpse had just been coincidence, but this confirmed it. She really had seen all of those things in the pool. She had spoken with the Keepers. "Yes." she said, her voice small and frightened. "I thought so." Radiant Zenith sat beside her, hugging her in a motherly fashion. "What you must understand about the Keepers is that they mean no harm. They are not evil, though they are a bit...unpleasant. They were here when I arrived. I think they have always been here. But you must remember that whatever they showed you, good or ill, was meant to aid you in your quest for truth. They give you tools. You must use them. But you must also be able to recall the details perfectly. Your dreams will be unpleasant for the next few nights, so I have made you something." She held out a hoof, a crystal pendant similar to her own dangling from the cord. It caught the candlelight, glowing a warm yellow. "This allows you to remain lucid when dreaming, so that you may rest peacefully, while studying any problem you choose in your dream. Keep it on during the day, and you shall be able to recall what you dreamed the night before. It is a gift, I give it freely." And with that, she looped it around Twilight's neck. "It requires a bit of focus to use during the day, but it should help with the dreams at night." Radiant Zenith said, a smile on her face. Twilight was speechless. This was a powerful magic item, and one that promised to make her life much easier. "Thank you, ma'am. I...I don't really know what to say, but I'll be sure to put it to good use." "I know you will, dear." Radiant Zenith said, heading for the door. "Sleep well, you have a big day in the morning." The door closed behind her, and Twilight blew out the candle on her table, climbing into bed. As Twilight drifted to sleep, she felt the cool weight of the pendant on her chest. It seemed to tug at her mind. She let it, feeling her consciousness slip into a crystal clear realm of perfect mental control. With her mind departed, her body lay at rest, smiling and undisturbed by dreams. The unicorn mare slept through the night, waking fresh in the morning.