The Red Stone Amulet
In my time exploring Tartarus, I came across many interesting items. Libraries of books, rooms filled with glass jars that constrained creators, not of the world. Great stone doorways that seemed to lead to nowhere. But none more so than the red stone.
This was not an ordinary gem, as it was surrounded by runes and bars and any manner of trap and barricade tightly locked away as if it had spawned a rift in time itself. Interestingly enough, one of the walls of the room was no longer carved smooth, but looked as if it had been blasted away by a mighty spell or pulled from reality itself.
It was a mighty room, but all the detail in the room seemed to be centered around the middle. I suspect the gem was created elsewhere but was brought to this very room where it could be controlled.
It was some time before the bars could be removed and even more time for the barriers to be dispelled. But as the floating gem was just in reach, I realized just how powerful the gem was.
An interesting stone, not of this world, that magnifies and multiplies magic corresponding to your emotions. Its only side effect is that it also amplifies and magnifies your emotions. Used improperly, it can create devastation and discourse. Luckily for me, my intentions were strictly for learning purposes.
According to the history books deep within the school, a student once tried to mix the magic of many creators together but ended up creating a number of creations that had mixed and matched body parts of all different animals. Along with the various mashed-together bodies was powerful mashed-together magic.
It's important to note that the only difference between science and fooling around is writing it down. But luckily, the students here recorded everything right down to the smallest detail. Every detail of how the magic worked was recorded, so redoing the experiments should be no problem.
According to the notes, the creatures were so powerful and capable in their magic, the discord they brought to the school would have been devastating if the professors had not cast them away into a blank dimension.
In the notes, it said the creators were exasperated with their magic being so uncontrollable and unpredictable. Turning stairs into slides and walls into floors. In some parts of the school, the gravity would simply change unexpectedly. I was unsure if this was a side effect of the creators or the magic cave I was in, but it was most unsettling.
But that was not the only unexpected oddity deep within the caves. Rooms seemed to fold into each other. Sometimes if you went right four times, you might not end up back where you started; sometimes you would have to take lefts and a few more rights to get back where you were. I didn't know what was bending the space I was in, but it was most difficult finding my way around.
The stone was far too powerful for me at the time to use properly, so I cast it in silver and iron to lessen the effects of its magic amplification. An amulet that, when used correctly, should amplify my magic tenfold and my desire for learning tenfold as well.
I figured if I used gold and silver the dampening effect would be less pronounced and would amplify the gem more but still keep it controllable. I was unsure if I would ever need to change the amulet, but I always kept the materials on hand just in case. The zebras always said it was better to have what you need rather than having to get it when you need it.
When using the amulet, I would often work tirelessly for days, becoming sleep-deprived. I had to force myself to take it off every couple of days. If I didn’t, I suspect it would have consumed me.
But due to its power, I cast a spell onto the gem and the amulet: one could only remove the amulet if they themselves wanted to remove it. This way I could be sure if something were to happen to me or the amulet without my express permission, it would not happen at all.
I got much done with the amulet. But much like training to run faster, in time my magic grew in proportion to my new skills. Not only did it grow, it was much like trying to water a flower with a fire hose. And before I knew it, even before I put on the amulet, I found myself capable of all the magic I needed.
As time went on, I found I no longer needed the amulet; in fact, I had outgrown it. As my power had grown far beyond what the gem even without the casing could provide, so too did my ambition. In addition to not wearing a magical gem that could easily wipe a town of the map, there were no ill side effects. But a powerful artifact like this was dangerous to just throw out. And it felt unwise to place it back in Tartarus as I was not sure I could reset the traps and barriers, I was also not sure what else lurked deep in the winding caves.
I decided I would weaken the gem as much as possible: within the amulet’s casing, I carved runes and inscriptions which weakened the gems so much it would be limited in the power it had, one could do anything as long as it was not more than a simple age spells. I infused the metal with the magic of the mountains. It made the metal virtually unbreakable and the gem unremovable. Only the deers should be able to remove the gem now.
It would be some time before I needed it again. But another chapter in the book was ready to be written. The quill and ink were ready, but I had not yet found the pages. But there are always blank pages in the world just waiting to be filled.
A traveling magician I often liked to watch from the back of the crowd. Not the best at magic as her father in Las Pegasus was much more of a show pony, but she was by far funnier. Her antics and comical missteps turned a simple magic act into a real show. And she had a hint of narcissism which I found humorous in my age.
If there were two things I had learned from her, the first would be that magic comes in more than one flavor; it comes in many. While she was a magician, she was not great at magic despite her boasts. But what she lacked in magic, she made up for in tricks and sleight of hoof.
The second thing she demonstrated more than any creature I knew was just how vain a pony could be. She held a grudge like no pony else. It was a rather desirable trait for my plans.
As I followed her one night, she went to a small town, where she met a crowd she could not wow. It happened often, but this crowd was rather unhappy with her attitude, and they were quite vocal. It was not long before she got in a spot of trouble that developed into a much larger problem. If it were not for those two young colts that went to the mountain and found the Ursa minor, who knows what would have happened that night!
But good intentions can often turn into a bad situation, and it was not her that solved the problem. She was so furious and mad she bolted out of the town as fast as she could.
It was a perfect opportunity to make another thorn for my plan. I still hadn't mastered my changeling magic yet but it was enuff to change my main color and a few other features.
I approached the magician walking sullenly along the road and offered her a bit of information. Tales spoke of an amulet a few towns over that could amplify her magic. I neglected to leave off the part where it amplifies your emotions as well.
She wanted revenge, and the amulet would exact it for her, but at a cost.
I rushed ahead to the town and found the store. When the shopkeeper went home for the night, I made my move. Changing my mane and positioning myself behind the counter, I waited. I found a nice glass bell jar and made quick work of positioning the amulet prominently on the shelf.
It was a few hours before she finally came to the shop. The sun was nowhere to be seen behind the thick clouds that were dumping pails of water down from the sky. the shopkeeper was sure to come back in just a few hours. Finally, the pony burst through the door and sought the amulet she was told about. I hesitated at first to draw her in, but when she hurled her bag full of bits on to the counter her resolve was clear. we made our deal, and she set off. I made sure to put everything back, lock the door, and slip out the back through the opening under the door.
The following days were rather interesting. Large domes, secret plans, and a lot of scheming. I watched as a single pony managed to escape from the dome and get word to the only pony who might be able to beat the magician.
The one pony who would not win through power but through planning, for the amulet, even weakened as it was, was still far more powerful. But the pony was reasonable and sought the help of the zebras, just as I had once done. While it was not magic that removed my thorn, it was exactly as I hoped it would be.
Perhaps someday, someone who can use the amulet for good and associate magic with healing or helping might put it to good use. But for now, I think it best to leave it with the zebra of the forest.
But just as planned, the pages were written. It was not always smart to rely on magic alone; sometimes relying on friends and planning is far better.