"Welcome back!"
Before he even knew what hit him, Coloratura had given him a tight embrace. From through her shoulders he could see Wallflower with her head in a book and Trixie tracing circles in the air with her wand
"We were so worried about you!" Trixie said
"You're alright, right?" Wallflower chimed in
"I'm fine, I'm fine. Just good to be out of all the craziness." he said "How are you all?"
"Wonderful, just wonderful." Coloratura said "I've gotten nothing but A's in all my classes."
"Alright I suppose. I'm just trying to get some magic to work." said Blush
Trixie merely mumbled something about being bored and about too much school work. Anon walked straight to his bed and sat down. It felt like the first time he had gotten a real chance to himself. A chance to think. There was all the time in the hospital, sure, but things weren't escalating like they were now. Lyra was no where to be seen, no doubt preparing for the raid. The more he thought about it, the more nervous it made him. Nightmare Moon was going to be there. He was sure of it.
He couldn't forget when they met. It was burned into his mind like a scar. She was so powerful it was as if her mana itself had a presence of it's own, like that of gravity. How was he going to be able to compete with that? That level of power didn't even seem possible in several lifetimes, much less in the limited time he had now. Coloratura suddenly sat beside him.
"What's got you down?" she asked "You know that whole incident at the lake wasn't your fault right?"
"I know. It's not that. It's..." he paused for a while "Coloratura... Can I ask you something?"
"What?"
"Do you think I can do this? Do you think I'm worthy to be Clover's successor?"
"It's not my place to say. However Clover thinks you are. Far be it from me to question the decisions of one of the most prestigious mage's to ever exist."
"I wish I could talk to her myself. I have so many questions to ask her. So many things I want to know."
Coloratura grabbed your hand
"My mother always told me this old wizard saying whenever I'd get in moods like this: Peas can't be made to boil if the sky doesn't trust the trees."
Anon had a look of utter confusion on his face
"What in the world does that mean?"
"It's based off an ancient mage tradition. Mages would often channel mana to cook food such as peas. Back then, however, they believed that mana was the sun shining through their soul."
"And the tree bit?"
"The tree part is a reference to those around you. You have a big part of to play. But you're not alone in this. And you have to trust those around you, otherwise the sun won't boil your peas."
"That... has to be the silliest thing I've ever heard. But I love it."
Coloratura just giggled
"Feeling a bit better?"
"I suppose so. I'm just stuck in my head."
"Well then let's get you out of your head then." she said "Here. I've got a fun game for us to do."
That spent that night playing various wacky traditional mage games. Meanwhile, in an old, forgotten crypt in a long forgotten wood, a plan was being formed. Nightmare Moon finally had the strength to be caporal full time. She was slumped against one of the coffins, dressed in dark blue robes. A single candle lit the space in which they occupied. They being her and the rest of the cult that had waited faithfully for the promised day of her return. A hooded figured approached her offering cup of raw mana. As was expected, the cult had be kidnapping mages from far and wide, melting them down to nothing but their mana circuits and using the resulting mana to fuel their mistress. Nightmare Moon took a long sip before setting it down.
"I'll require mana more potent soon." she said in her signature soothing yet menacing voice "What's the word on Clover's sorry excuse for a successor?"
One of the cultists removed their hood, revealing a stark head of red hair and curly mustache
"Rarity intends to put him through the Way of White Trials. If he survives this could prove to be a problem."
Nightmare simply snickered
"The Way of White." she said in a mocking tone "I assumed they'd all but been forgotten. Always a thorn in the side of people with ambition. How is his combat skills?"
"They don't exist." the man said, keeping his head bowed "But they are going to start training him before long."
"Well they're a couple hundred years too late aren't they?" Nightmare stared up into the sky "Oh, Clover. I can't help but think you have some sort of hidden plan. You always were one for the obtuse and the odd. I won't let my guard down like I did the last time."
"One more thing my lady, if I may."
"Speak, Flim."
"In two days time they're planning to retrieve the Holy Blade Excalibur."
Her mood changed from that of relaxed and smug too angry and concerned.
"That is a problem. It will grant a wish to whom soever wields it. Clever indeed. Well we'll just have to go and stop them won't we? Flim, Flam. Get yourselves prepared. We're going to confront our little trouble doers."
"And what of me, milord?"
"Oh, Vignette. I have a special task for you."
The next morning Anon was woken up earlier than normal. It was Rarity.
"Come. We need to start preparing you for your trials."
Anon rubbed his eyes and checked his watch. It was just past 3 in the morning.
"Why so early?" he yawned
"We'll need at least 24 hours over four days to fully prepare your body for what's to come."
Anon got up and followed Rarity dow a long hall way towards the top of the building. She pulled a book from the bookshelf only to have the thing slide open, revealing another set of stairs. Once at the top, there was another door that looked as if it had been around since the dawn of time. It was full of ancient hieroglyphics and symbols. Rarity took a deep breath and pulled out her wand. She said something in an inhuman language and from her back emerged angel wings and a bright halo. Her hair turned a bright blonde and her eyes scarlet. She looked as though she had descended from heaven by a divine decree of God himself. She touched the door with her hand and the entire thing lit up like a Christmas tree before slowly opening wide. Her form evaporated shortly after leaving Rarity noticeably exasperated.
"You see that form I took? That's the ultimate goal of all of this."
"What is that form exactly?"
"It's a small piece of the Greater Magic. I'll explain more as we go through each trial."
"How many are there?"
"There are seven in total."
They stepped into the room behind the door. It looked as though to be a hybrid of a planetarium and a cathedral. The ceiling was a large dome depicting constellations while the wall panels surrounding it were stained glass depicting different people and events.
"What is this place?"
"One of the original meeting places of the Way of White at the hight of its power. Each panel you see shows some of the greatest mages who ever graced the organization."
"It's incredible."
"It is."
He could hear the sadness dripping from her voice. It was the sadness almost akin to a parent talking of a child they'd lost.
"Are you alright, Rarity?"
"I'm fine."
She reached into her robe and pulled out twelve candles, handing him six.
"Put these candles evenly spaced next to the windows. Then we can begin."
Anon did as he was told and joined Rarity back in the middle.
"We are going to prepare you for the first and easiest trial, the Trial of Day. This will awaken the power that lays dormant within you. However, it will come suddenly and rapidly. It's not uncommon for those unprepared to have their bodies torn in pieces or their magic circuits completely destroyed as a result. This also may cause an overflow of memories which could cause yours and Clover's personalities too conjoin. To prevent this we must do one simple thing: absorb the smoke from these candles."
"What makes the smoke special?"
"Once you light them with your mana, the smoke you absorb with act almost like a buffer. It will make the resulting explosion far, far less intense and less rapid. Of course the drawback is this will make it exceedingly more painful. Unfortunately it's the risk we'll have to run. We'll have to be here for 24 hours total so get comfortable."
"I'm ready."
"Good. The go ahead and light the candles."
Threading his mana through his wand, he lit each candle individually and a gentle smoke began to rise throughout the room. It had a very nice smell, akin to that of fresh rain.
"So what are the trails then?"
"I explained the first Trial, the Trial of Day. This will be followed Trial of Rain, the Trial of Earth, the Trial of Stars, the Trial of Life, and, finally, the Trial of Rest. Don't be fooled by the name though. The Trial of Rest will be the hardest trial you'll face."
"What do they all entail?
"I can only explain each trail as you experience them, unfortunately. Such is tradition."
"Why focus on tradition now?"
"Because that's what it means to carry this faith. I can't simply drop certain principals whenever it's convenient."
"I wish I could say I understood."
"I hope you will. By doing this you'll be taking my place."
"Taking your place?"
"You'll know when the time comes. For now, let's just focus on the task at hand shall we?"
"You're being incredibly cryptic." he said "I don't appreciate it."
"I apologize."
"Perhaps you can answer me this question then: what happened to the Way of White? Are you the last member?"
"I am the last member of this ancient order. When I was young, no older than 15, our entire order was butchered. We barely had time to react."
"By who?"
"A group of cultists that worshiped Nightmare Moon. They saw us as an anathema to what they were trying to achieve and believed we'd be a force strong enough to oppose her resurrection."
"Why did they miss you?"
"They didn't know I existed at the time. I was off attending this very school after I had gone through the trials myself. As far as I know they still don't know I exist."
Anon looked down
"I'm sorry, Rarity."
"It's alright. I'm happy actually. Even though the circumstances could be better, I'm taking in the first recruit since myself. It's up to you of course, but I hope you'll carry on what I teach you to future generations."
"Why haven't you trained anyone else?"
"The cult still exists today. And are far stronger than I could hope to match. If they were made aware I was rebuilding the Order they'd come to wreck vengeance for sure. But with you... with you maybe there's a hope that the Way of White will be as prestigious as it once was."
"I'll do what I can, Rarity."
"That's all I ask. I'm sure being mortal born this all must sound a bit crazy."
"We have similar sorts of religious orders in the mortal world. Of course without all the crazy trials and powers."
The smoke above their head began to coalesce, almost as if it had a mind of its own.
"This is one of the more fun preparations. The smoke, being that it's generated of your mana, can act in very interesting ways. Take a look."
The smoke shaped itself into a clover, the changed again into that of Sunset's crest with a heart around it. Anon began to blush profusely.
"Aww. Someone's thinking about his crush it seems."
"Stupid smoke..." he grumbled to himself
The smoke shifted again, this time into a form he wasn't expecting. It was Clover herself. The smoke spoke. It said one single phrase
"You cannot win."