//------------------------------// // 10: Lessons... // Story: A Pact to Live // by OblivionShadow //------------------------------// Phoenix looked over his shoulder, ensuring that nopony had followed him out to Ghastly Gorge. He had finally gotten away from town to try to work on learning Kahl’s flames and try to overcome his fear of fire. His hooves carried him deep into the Gorge before he finally slowed and stopped. “Far enough out?” He asked the dragon aloud. He had gotten into the habit of speaking aloud to the dragon when they were out and it was just them. “Can we also work on how you can sense ponies and others around me?” “This is far enough. We can work on it as well. We will work with the Flame first then work on expanding your senses. We can also break up the Flames if needed.” Kahl replied. “Break it up?” “Yes. Work with the flame for a time then switch to your senses and then back to flame.” Kahl advised him. Nix was quiet as he listened to the dragon to speak in his mind. “Okay. So fire first?” “Yes.” “Great. Okay, so what do we do?” “All right. You have control of the raw flames that I carry at all times. You are also able to summon them from within the world itself. For now, I do not recommend that we try that until you have more control of it outside of yourself.” Kahl went on. “That being said I want you to reach within and call the flame to your horn. You have the ability to allow the Flames to be first in our magic versus your natural aura. So try to accomplish that for now.” “Okay,” Nix replied and reached out to the flame that Kahl spoke of. Nix could feel a familiar heat reach back out to him as he called on it and he looked up as his horn burst into flames and he yelped and fell back, landing heavily on his flank as the flame faded out. He got back to his hooves and breathed out slowly. He breathed out and called on the Flames once more. His horn burst into flame and he breathed in, fear coursing through him and he tried to hold it but he cut off the magic and let it go dormant once more. “Nix?” Kahl’s voice reached out to him. “I know.” He snapped pout. “Give me a minute!” “Easy. I was asking if you were all right. I have no desire to push you. I am aware of your fear of flame and I am willing to take this slowly. Take your time.” Kahl replied to his angry tone, his voice calm. Nix sighed and tried again. “Sorry. I’m a bit tense.” He admitted. “I can tell.” “Okay, so same thing?” “Perhaps. A moment.” Kahl replied. “Okay?” “Try this. Sit down.” Nix complied as the dragon went on. “Close your eyes and reach out to the flames within. Do not use your horn. Hold it as you did when you were merging our power. A simple hold. Feel what it is and what it can do. Do not command it, simply hold it close.” Kahl instructed. “Got it.” Nix closed his eyes and reached out to the Flames within him and he could feel it respond to him. He was surprised with how quickly the power responded to him and he did as Kahl had said and simply held it close to him. He could feel the warmth that came from it and he held it a bit tighter, allowing that warmth to spread through him. A gentle wave of heat went over his body and he could feel that it was both untamed but under control. A force of raw power that had no end, but would cut itself away to save those attached to it. Nix was quiet as he would feel the natural contradiction of the Flames and how they would kill the world, but underneath was the power to give and save a life. Nix raised his head as the heat got stronger. “Stay calm and open your eyes.” Kahl whispered to him. The dragon’s voice whispered in his ear and the pony obliged. He opened his eyes and they widened as he saw that fire had covered the area around him. He started to pull away and the flames stayed with him. The Unicorn was quiet as he watched the fire twist and flow over the ground around him. Nothing burned and it made no sound as it flowed, water like over the ground and through the air above him. “Stand.” Kahl said gently to him. Nix stood and he could feel the heat from the fires around him as he began to move slowly forward. It was warm and comforting as it stayed close to him. “Kahl?” “This is one form that Flame can take. What you are seeing is a type of shield. It is meant to protect and warm.” Kahl replied. “It knows of your fear and despite the natural tendency of fire to burn all that is around it, it chooses to protect.” “It chooses?” “Yes. The Flames of this world are many things, but they are not murderous. Fire can burn a world to ash, but in its wake life is brought out. After a forest fire, there is life under the ash.” Kahl advised him. “If you wish it, it will burn the world to cinders. If you wish it to warm you on a cold night, then it will.” Nix was silent as he broke into a trot and then to a gallop as the Flames stayed close to him. His heart beat in his chest and he could still feel the fear going through him. His eyes closed as he galloped forward. He willed the fire to stay close to him and he opened his eyes as he bid it to strengthen and he watched as it burned through stone and he slid to a stop. He looked up as it began to run around him and he felt panic coming over him as it began to rage around him. “Kahl!” He cried out as he fell to the ground. “I’ve got you.” Kahl’s voice was soothing as the flames calmed around them. “You were doing well. You’re not ready to command the destructive side of the Flame yet.” Nix sighed and covered his face with his hooves. “What did I do wrong?” “You called on more than you were ready for. Not a mistake, but still more than what you can handle at this time. You did very well. Considering your fears.” “Really?” “Yes. Your fears are set and that is hard to overcome. You allowed the Flames to come to you and you did well with finding them encircling you and allowed them to show you what they are able to do within the confines that you give them.” “So at first it was acting that way because it’s what I wanted?” “No. You were being protected because it’s what you needed.” “Needed?” “Yes. It can sense your fear and anxiety. You do not need the raw power that it has, you needed to see it acting gently, as your shield. You are not ready for it to act as your sword.” Kahl explained. “But I’m doing better?” “A great improvement.” Kahl praised and Nix sat up. “Got it.” “Now to move onto expanding your senses.” Kahl said to him. “Now for this you do not need to use your horn. This comes from within.” “How so?” “You are able to sense those you know or those you wish to within a certain distance.” “Can you sense further than I can?” “For now yes.” Kahl admitted to him. “I have had a long time to hone this skill so I do not ask that you outdo me yet.” “Okay. So what do I do?” “Who do you wish to reach out to?” “I have to choose a pony?” “We need something to focus on. I was able to find ponies for you before. Now it is your turn.” Kahl said to him. “Okay…Umm…Distance?” “For now do not try to go beyond Ponyville. Anything farther than that will backfire on you and could hurt you.” Kahl advised. “Okay. How about Twilight or Spike?” “That will work. Pick one and we will see if you can extend your senses enough to find them successfully. We will work with the Flames more another day. That last part gave you quite the scare so we will wait till tomorrow for more. I want you to find her and allow that sense to lead you directly to them.” “Okay sounds like a plan. I need to get some work done anyway.” Nix agreed. “Okay so teach me what the hell I am doing.” Kahl chuckled and replied to him. “It will probably be easiest for you to close your eyes and bring up a feature or image of the one you are hunting. Keep that image in your mind and reach out for it. Similar to how you reach out for the magic within you. But in this instance, you are reaching out to the pony in your mind. In time this ability will be as easy as breathing and become second nature to you.” “Okay. Here we go.” Nix thought of Twilight and focused on the image of her in his mind. “Okay now what?” “Reach out into the world around you. Similar to how you would reach out with your horn but you are using the senses within. Reach out and find her.” Kahl said to him. Nix could feel the dragon withdraw a bit in his mind, allowing him to try and follow the dragon’s instructions on his own. The Unicorn was silent as he opened his eyes and he was surprised to find that he could see beyond the Gorge and out into the world around him. He pulled back as it snapped into focus and he lost the sight and he grumbled under his breath. “Try again.” Kahl urged. He nodded and refocused on the mare in his mind, closing his eyes to allow him to focus on her. “How will I know when I have found her?” “You will know.” Kahl chuckled. “When you think you do, let it lead you.” “That’s not helping.” “Trust me.” Kahl urged him. Phoenix was quiet as he reached out and kept his eyes closed this time. Kahl watched as the stallion reached out once more and tried to reach for the mare once more. The Elemental Dragon watched in silence as the Unicorn lost his focus and attempted to locate the mare once more. He had to admit that Nix caught on quickly and he watched as the pony began to walk forward, his steps cautious. Kahl watched as he opened his eyes once more and was greeted with his normal eyesight. He felt the stallion pause but then keep going forward. If he had a body he would be smiling as the ponies steps became more determined and certain in his stride. Nix walked forward. He wasn’t sure how he knew he was going the right way but his hooves kept going under him. The unicorn was quiet as he broke into a lope and ran back into town. A few miles passed him by and he saw Ponyville ahead of him. He slowed to a strong trot and skirted the main street to avoid the market crowds and he followed his own inner compass as it led him toward the edge of town. His pace slowed as uncertainty about his location began to bite at him. “You’ll help if I get lost right?” “Of course.” Kahl replied. “Okay, good.” He lengthened his stride and came up to a wooden fence, he looked to the sides and a small opening caught this attention. He trotted through the opening and found himself looking at a farm house and a large red barn. Nix stopped in his tracks and after a few moments of hesitation he crept forward slowly. He weaved through a small group of trees and he looked up as he came to a field in the back of the orchard and he narrowed his eyes as he saw two ponies in the distance and he crept slowly forward, careful of where he placed his hooves to avoid stepping on any of the produce. He looked at them and he could tell that one of them was twilight. He raised his head as a sense of pride washed over him. “Well done.” Kahl praised. “Sweet.” Nix voiced aloud and turned to leave them behind. “Not going to say hello?” Kahl asked him. “Wasn’t planning on it.” He admitted to the dragon. “What excuse would I give to them if they asked me why I came out here?” “Fair enough.” Kahl admitted. “Back home then?” “Yep. Need to decide which project I want to start on.” Nix was quiet as he made his way out of the orchards and he glanced toward the barn to see a large red stallion looking at him. He paused and then lowered his head and started to walk faster away from the red pony. “He’s behind you.” Kahl advised. “Shit.” He whispered and looked over his shoulder to find that the dragon had been right. “Sorry.” He said aloud and was about to break into a trot when a tug from his tail stopped him in his tracks. “Hold up pardner.” Nix stopped and looked anxiously back to the red stallion who had released his tail and came to stand in front of the Unicorn. Nix could feel anxiety at the back of his mind but he was also certain that if this pony was going to hurt him he had the magic to get away easily enough. A long range teleport would do the trick within a second. “Ya new ta Ponyville?” He asked. Nix nodded in reply. “Yeah. Just got here a little while ago.” “Ah’m Big Macintosh.” He replied and extended a hoof to the other pony. Nix stared for a moment before he reached out and took the others hoof. “Phoenix.” “Nice ta meet’cha.” The other replied and shook his hoof for a moment before releasing it. “Now Ah don’t mean ta sound angry, but what are ya doin’ here?” “Oh. I was testing a locater spell.” He rushed out. “I was looking for a friend and it led me here. I didn’t want to disturb anypony so I tried to keep out of sight. I’m sorry for trespassing.” The red stallion looked at him for a moment before a smile went over his muzzle. “So that’s what yer up ta. Shoot that’s no problem. Feel free ta drop by anytime, yer always welcome.” Nix stared for a moment at the change in demeanor but recovered after a moment. “Thanks. I’m sorry for coming onto your farm without saying anything. I just didn’t want to disrupt anypony.” The roan nodded and assured the midnight blue pony that there was no harm done and to have a nice day. Nix trotted out of the gate and loped back toward the town. He reached his house with a bit of help from Kahl and walked inside. He leaned his flank against the door and sighed. “Okay, I’m done with interacting with ponies today.” He said aloud. Kahl chuckled. “I agree. You should get something to eat in the meantime.” “Definitely.” Nix agreed and moved toward the kitchen. Nix was down in the basement as he went over the list that he had made of the projects with him. He looked over the materials list for some of them and he cringed, some of them would involve him getting more materials than he had at his disposal currently. “Should have asked about a materials budget.” He said aloud. “Perhaps. Try one that will not require a large list for now. The last thing we need is to worry about the budget.” Kahl replied to him. “That’s true.” Nix went quiet as he looked over the next page of projects. “Did you ask for that one?” Kahl asked him. “If you mean the Application of Magical Theory, no.” He admitted and shrugged. “I guess she thinks I might like it anyway.” “Perhaps.” Kahl replied. “What theory?” “I have no idea,” Nix admitted with a laugh. “I guess I pick one?” “Do you even have a book on the separate theories?” “Nope.” Kahl laughed in his mind as Nix set the list aside. He looked over to the locked box and his mind went over the ones that he had sitting inside the safe. He walked over to it and set his horn in place to open the safe for him to look over the few that he had set inside. “Thinking of the one about blood rituals?” Kahl asked him. “Yeah. But I don’t think I’m quite ready for that one. I mean I can separate it into its parts and see where it takes me but for now, I don’t think I’m ready for it.” “Perhaps expand on the storage of magical essence?” Kahl replied. “You were beginning to work through it already.” Nix nodded. “That’s true.” He replied and pulled out the gem stones that had been sent with him. He set them onto the table and pulled out the research notes that had been compiled already. “Okay so let’s see what the original pony has to say about this.” Nix opened the notebook and he frowned at the lack of organized writing. “Oh man.” He groaned under his breath. “What in the Flames?” Kahl said to him. “I have not seen anything so disorganized in quite some time.” “I know?!” Nix yelped at the dragon’s words. “This is awful. I am not exactly one to complain about it since my own notes can be a bit scattered but Goddess preserve me.” “You may be better off redoing them.” Kahl replied as the stallion set the notebook on the table. “As much as I hate to admit it, you’re right. I hate redoing somepony else’s work.” Nix griped. “Best get started then.” Kahl chuckled. Nix groaned as he pulled out a notebook of his own and set it aside. “Okay. So this page is practical theory and the next is application notes after that is my own notes…Ugh.” “While you are doing that I will be pulling back to rest.” Kahl said to him. “You okay?” Nix asked. “I am fine but even a spirit needs to rest at times. You can reach me as normal but it might take a moment.” Kahl explained. “One should take rest when able instead of waiting for it to be required.” “Fair point. Enjoy your nap.” Nix could feel the dragons presence fade to a dull sensation in the back of his mind. Kahl had explained what it meant when he needed to rest as well and Nix understood it but it always concerned him when Kahl sounded tired or strained. He looked back to his notes as he took the pencil in his magic and began to write. “Okay. So the first thing I need is the process. I have my method but that is different than what they chose to do.” Nix scanned the papers and his eyes widened at the processes before him. “Oh, you have got to be kidding. Process one is to refine a gemstone. Oh hell no that process is out of date by a hundred years. I guess gems were not as easy to use? Or was it better to use a pony made gem versus a natural one?” He cringed as he realized that he had said it all out loud expecting a reply from Kahl. “Never mind.” He said to himself and a chuckle broke from him. “And I will probably end up talking to myself a lot.” He looked to the notes once more and wrote down everything that he could find that talked about the application and added it to the list of notes he had in front of him. He ripped the papers out of the book and set them in piles to go through as he went. Before long he paused and his eyes fell on the stack of papers and he sighed. “Geez. This guy was really long-winded. That would be fine if he made any sense, most of his notes are just going over the same processes over and over. I’ll just use his method as a base and start over. And I’m talking to myself again.” He said to himself and he put his head back as he laughed at himself. Nix was quiet as he shook his head and pulled the box of various gemstones in front of him and he read the note that came with them. “Various purity, various size, various blah, blah, blah…Right.” He set the note aside and looked through the organized gemstones. He set them aside as he removed the small clear boxes that held the separate types of gems. He paused as he set the last one on the table and he found a compartment on the bottom that was hidden under the others. “What the hell?” He said aloud and opened the compartment which held a note for him, his name written in flowing writing on the envelope. Arisen Phoenix: Thank you for taking an interest in these topics for my sister and myself. Many of these are from a time when things were not so clear cut and have been left behind. My sister has enclosed a set of gems that she believes will be helpful to you. I do not know what gems they are but she seemed to think that you would know them. I am glad to see her taking an interest in things and that she wished to help you as well. The gemstones are under this letter. Thank you again. Princess Celestia “Huh?” Nix voiced as he set the letter aside. He picked up the larger container and pulled it out onto the table and his magic set aside the original box that they all came in. His hoof pulled open the lock and he flipped the lid back to reveal the gems. “Wow.” He said aloud at the sight before him. His eyes were wide as he stared. The gems were in various sizes but even he could tell that the comparison to the gems he had stopped there. Their colors varied and all of them were a mix of colors, none of them was a uniform color. They were all encased in a velvet container that kept them from rolling around inside the box. There was no change in purity or cut with the ones that sat in front of him. He picked one gem up and set it in his hoof. It was an inch and a half long and an inch wide. The stone was close to a half inch in depth and he rolled it over in his hoof before he set it down and looked to the largest of the group. He picked it up and it was close to the same size as his hoof. It was close to five inches tall and four inches wide its depth was over two inches. “Holy shit it’s huge.” He muttered aloud and stared. He set it back in the case and leaned back in his chair. The other gems were close to the same size as he looked at the case and realized that there was a second layer under the first set. He looked at the sides and found a set of buckles in place and he clicked them open to allow himself to move them aside. He set them gently down and looked to the pure black gemstones in front of him. The Unicorn had seen onyx and obsidian gems before and these were different. Onyx paled close to the edges and you could almost see through them. These however did not. No light came through them and he moved them in their velvet enclosures. He reached out a hoof and plucked one from the case and a flash of pain went through him and he nearly threw the stone to the table, dropping it to the table instead. “What the buck?” He whispered as he gripped his hoof. His mind raced as he stared at the stone on the table. Its perfect edges seemed to glare back at him as he looked to his hoof, thinking that he had hurt it at some point. His eyes went over his hoof and he found nothing to be visibly wrong with it. His blue eyes went back to the gemstone that stared back at him. He reached for the gem but hesitated before he touched it again. His mind went over what could have happened and he pulled his hoof back and held it to his chest. His magic reached out and he gripped the gemstone. He was ready to throw it away from him if something happened as his magic held it. When nothing happened he set it gently back into the box and pushed away from the table. “Okay…That was weird.” He was inclined to reach out to Kahl but he decided that since he had not been hurt he would leave the dragon to rest. The stallion was quiet as a knock from above caught his attention. His magic gripped the gems and put them back into their box and hid the black ones back at the bottom with the other gems. His horn slid into place to lock the safe. His hooves carried him up the stairs and he locked the basement door behind him. He hesitated for a moment and looked at the basement door, he shook his head, trying to put the strange event behind him. “I’ll ask about it later.” He said to himself in a whisper and trotted to the door. He pushed the door open to find Twilight and Applejack at his door. He paused and stared as they looked back at him. He opened his mouth to speak but he stopped at the unhappy look from Applejack. He backed up a step, ready to close the door and run if the need came. “Now Ah ain’t gonna be mad at ya.” She finally spoke up. “Huh?” He replied. “Big Mac said ya came to the farm ta test a spell.” She went on. “Said ya didn’t stay to say hello and ran away.” Nix was quiet and he gave a slight nod. “I did go to the farm but I apologized for going onto the land without permission. He said it was okay.” Twilight didn’t say anything and he looked to her for a moment before Applejack spoke again. “And the spell?” “It was a locator spell. I was checking to see if it worked.” He replied. “Twilight said there is no such spell.” She went on. “Now ya need ta explain, Phoenix.” “It’s not a spell to find anypony exactly it creates a feeling within that guides me to a pony or being. I was testing it and I used Twilight as the beacon for it.” He tried to explain in a way that would make sense. Without Kahl, he had a strong doubt about whether he was making any sense. “I’m sorry.” “Why didn’t ya tell us then?” She asked. “I…You looked like you were involved with something and I didn’t have anything to say. Interrupting you was not the right choice at the time. If I had known you’d get so mad about it I would have teleported and avoided everything.” He snapped to her as he grew more frustrated. The mare looked startled and she looked to Twilight who nodded. “He can teleport as well as I can, if not better. I told you there was a good reason. I’m sorry we came over here like this Nix. You didn’t do anything wrong.” Applejack looked startled and then she looked apologetic. “Ah’m sorry. Ah’m not really angry, Ah was just surprised ya didn’t say hi.” “Well, the look on your face was not exactly nice. You looked at me like I killed your dog or something.” He argued. Applejack startled at his wording but she nodded. “Ah’m sorry. Ah really ain’t sore at ya.” “Sure.” Nix snipped back at her. “Ah brought ya some apples and vegetables from the farm. Ah though maybe ya needed something and got too nervous to say anything ta Big Mac.” She said and took off her saddle bags and set them in front of him. Nix groaned. “And now I’m the asshole.” He quipped and set his head against the door jam. “Come in.” He said to them and his magic picked up the saddlebags, bringing them inside. The mares came in behind him and he shut the door while he went to the kitchen. He opened the fridge and began to unload the apples and veggies into the fridge. He looked over his shoulder as the two mares took a seat in the kitchen at the island. His magic put the saddle bags by the front door on the coat rack. His eyes fell on the mares as they sat in silence. “You guys want anything to drink?” He asked them. “Whatcha got?” Applejack asked him. “Water, milk, juice, a few bottles of beer, and with the product you brought I can make a smoothie if you want one.” He replied. “Don’t wanna put ya out makin’ anything.” Applejack said to him. “It’s no big deal. I was going to make myself something anyway. After reading through some of the notes I have for work I need to have something sweet.” He laughed as the orange mare chuckled. “A smoothie of whatever yer gonna make fer yerself is fine.” She said to him. “Perfect, fruit smoothie it is.” He looked at Twilight who nodded. Nix set about making the smoothies and the mares sat quietly as he finished and set their drinks in front of them. “Thank you,” Twilight said as she gripped her drink in her hooves. “Mighty kind of ya, Nix.” She said to him. “Not a problem.” He said as he leaned against the island as they drank their drinks. “I’m sorry about being snippy a bit ago.” “It’s fine. Ah could have phrased things better.” Applejack replied to him. “Yer always welcome on the farm. Feel free to drop by anytime.” “So who is Big Mac?” He asked. “Oh. That’s mah older brother. Mah Granny Smith lives there and so does mah little sister, Apple Bloom.” “Oh, so the whole family,” Nix replied. “That makes things interesting.” “There are days that we get on each other’s nerves. But in the end we are still family.” Applejack agreed and a smile crossed her mouth. “What about yer family?” “Oh. Yeah, my parents are in Canterlot and I’m an only child.” Nix replied. “Ya miss ‘em?” Nix shook his head. “I was on my own for five years. I mean I still care about them, but I’m fine on my own.” Twilight gave him an odd look but didn’t she didn’t say anything to him. Applejack didn’t ask him anything else as she took a drink of her smoothie. “So what are you working on?” The Unicorn asked him after a pause. “Umm. I’m going through the notes for Storage of Magical Essence. The pony who made the project is…eccentric I think is the right word.” He explained. “Or maybe he just had a really hard time writing out his thoughts since he goes over the same thing in the most roundabout way I have ever seen. It’s taking time to read through his notes and rewrite them.” Twilight nodded in reply as Applejack looked to him. “And what does all that mean?” Nix chuckled. “It just means that the way he wrote it all down makes no sense and I’m working on figuring it out.” “Ya get paid ta read through the writin’ of a crazy pony?” She asked him. Nix snorted and covered his nose as he tried not to have his drink come out his nose. “Owww.” He said aloud as he rubbed his nose. “Ya okay?” “I’m fine. I just wasn’t ready for that.” He sniffled and shook his head to get rid of the pain. “It’s not that he’s crazy just didn’t organize his thoughts very well.” He explained. “Ahh, that makes sense.” Applejack replied. “So what are ya tryin’ ta do with all his notes?” “Right now I’m just writing it all down in an organized manner then I’m going to work on figuring out the method that he was going to use for accomplishing his goals for the project.” “And what is the goal?” Twilight asked him. “From what I can tell so far, now mind you this is a guess, was to store the Magical Essence of ponies and then be able to use it at a later date to power higher tier spells. That is a bit of a guess so I am working on a base understanding of it.” Applejack stared at him as he finished and she blinked after a moment. “What in the hay?” Nix looked confused for a moment before he realized that he was talking to an Earth Pony. “Sorry. Umm. I don’t want to insult you.” He replied a bit of anxiety began to bite at him. “Yer not insultin’ me. Ah have no idea what ya are talkin’ about.” She replied. “Okay. So the goal is to store the magic of a Unicorn in a gemstone and use it later for a really powerful spell that you can’t do normally alone.” He tried and looked to her. His expression showed his nervousness as she listened. “Okay. That makes more sense ta me.” She said to him, her expression pleased. “Thanks, fer explainin’ it.” “I‘m just glad I didn’t insult you.” He admitted. “Nah. Ah don’t get upset easily so Ah appreciate ya keepin’ it simple fer me.” Nix nodded and relaxed against the island and smiled. “Not a problem.” Applejack finished her drink and his magic gripped it and set it into the sink for him to take care of later. He opened his mouth to speak when searing pain went through his mind, his boy shuddering in place. “WHAT DID YOU DO!?” Kahl roared.