We waited in the throne room while a guard was out to find Celestia. It was only a few short minutes before she and Discord arrived.
“I wish I had better news to tell you, Swordulan, given recent events,” Celestia said. “But the protection of Equestria’s citizens must be my top priority.”
I instinctively stood at attention. “I understand, Princess. A guard’s duty comes first. What do you need your Lieutenant to do?”
Discord snapped his claws and my sword appeared beside him. “Your hunch was right,” he said. “Well, almost right. The entity has slipped into an alternate world, not a parallel one.”
Cadance and Shining Armor looked surprised in a way that said they understood what that meant.
“An alternate world?” I asked, eyeing my sword. Discord noticed and let me take it in my magic.
“Yes,” Celestia said. “There’s a magic mirror portal that connects our world to another here in the castle. Come with me.”
Celestia led us out of the throne room, down a hall, up some stairs, and down a few other halls before entering a room that seemed like a small art gallery, having a number of pictures hanging on the walls with lights hanging over them, and one large crystal mirror standing at the far end of the room.
My sword started pulsing.
“Oh, stay back!” I cried, levitating the sword away and casting a shield around it. “It might explode.”
“There’s no need to fret,” Discord said, rolling his eyes. “It’s merely resonating.”
I blinked. “Resonating?”
“Yes, with the magical entity. I told you so, Celestia. It must be in there.”
Celestia sighed. “I had hoped there was a chance it wasn’t.”
“I still don’t understand,” I said.
Discord teleported next to my sword and grabbed it without flinching. Realizing it wasn’t hot, I let go of my magic, and Discord brought the sword right next to the mirror, which made it pulse brighter and more rapidly. “When the magical entity escaped, it opened a portal into the world this mirror leads to. Now it’s loose doing who-knows-what sorts of damage.”
“Twilight Sparkle was the last to enter and return from that world,” Celestia said. “I myself don’t know much about it, but I know it’s more dangerous the more who go through. That is why it’s up to you alone, Swordulan, to enter and find the entity and trap it back into your sword’s enchantment. Once you return, Discord may be able to destroy it once and for all.”
I scratched my head. “How am I supposed to trap it back in my sword?”
“I’d recommend using magic,” Discord said. “A touch of pixie dust too if it pleases you, with maybe a sprinkling of some sugar and spice, and perhaps a dash of Stormlight mixed with some saidin. Or possibly it has a weakness to green rocks.”
“What he means to say is that you’ll unfortunately have to figure it out on your own,” Celestia said, with an unamused look at Discord.
I grunted. This was sounding more complicated than I cared for. “What about my duties in Canterlot?” I asked, worried about what Justice might say.
“I’ve already spoken to Captain Morningstar and had him make the proper arrangements until you return.”
That was a relief, though there was only one last question I had to know before I felt confident about this. “How will I get back?”
“Wherever you exit on the other side will be the portal back,” Discord said. “I will have to open it for you. The mirror normally only opens once every thirty moons for three days, but I can hold it open with my magic easily enough. After you’ve gone through, I’ll open the portal every day for half an hour at noon. I won’t do it forever though, so please try not to take longer than a week.”
I stared at the mirror for a moment and nodded. “Alright. Can I go say goodbye to Summer real quick? I expect she’ll want to get back to Canterlot before I return.”
“Of course,” Celestia said.
“She’s in her room,” Cadance said. “I’ll take you there.”
Cadance led me around the castle until we were back in the hall with a row of spare rooms. She went to one door and opened it only enough to peek her head in. She said something I couldn’t make out, then opened the door wide and stepped aside, nodding to me.
I entered and walked up to the bed. Summer sat against the back of it, half of her tucked under the sheets and head wrapped with a cloth bandage. She looked awake and healthy though.
I tried to put on a smile. It was difficult, remembering our last conversation. “Hey.”
“Hey,” she said softly. “Do you know how nice Princess Cadance is? She brought me breakfast in bed. If there were any place to have a terrible accident happen, it would be here.” She laughed and cringed a little. “Doctor says I should avoid moving too much or using magic, along with loud noises and bright light. Worst headache I ever had, but at least most of the dizziness and nausea is gone. Just the pain left. Thankfully no permanent damage besides the memory loss.”
“That’s good,” I said, trying to match her voice level. “I’m glad you’re taking it so well.”
“Yeah,” she said slowly. “I’m glad you’re still here. I was worried you weren’t going to be around when I woke up.”
“Oh. Well, that’s sort of why I came. I have to leave, and I don’t know when I’ll be back. I wanted to come say goodbye.”
Summer looked confused. “What do you mean you don’t know when you’ll be back? Where are you going?”
“I don’t know exactly. Another world. There’s a real possibility I won’t come back.”
She raised her voice. “What? No, why would…” She winced and took a deep breath, continuing more quietly. “Why would you say that?”
“Celestia has an important mission for me.” Why was I using my cold guard voice? “It’s not the kind of mission I can refuse. All of Equestria is potentially at stake. By the time I get back, if I do, I hope you’ll have recovered and gone back to Canterlot.”
Summer frowned. “I don’t understand. You don’t sound like you’re coming back. You sound like you know you won’t.”
I hesitated. “I don’t know.”
“Is this really how you want to say goodbye then?”
“I… don’t… Summer, I—” How did I want to say goodbye? With some heartfelt words? A kiss? No, none of those sorts of things. Why did I want a short, cold farewell? I looked back at the door to see if Cadance might have been there, but she wasn’t. Well, I didn’t need her help to figure it out. Maybe it was because on the off chance I didn’t return, Summer wouldn’t be as hurt if she thought less of me. I already failed to protect her once, how could I again?
I resumed my guard voice and said, “I’ll be back within the week.”
A second after I turned to leave something soft hit me on the back of the head. With a glance I saw it; Summer’s pillow.
I looked back at her. “Did you use magic to throw that?”
The pained expression on her face confirmed as much, but then she startled me by jumping out of bed and tackling me with an embrace.
“Summer, you shouldn’t… you need to stay in bed until you’re recovered.”
“I don’t care about the pain,” Summer cried, holding me tighter. “What you’re doing is no way to say goodbye, and… if Equestria’s fate is in your hooves, you need all the strength you can get. Just don’t leave me like this.”
I stood there, unmoving, as she cried into my neck. It was hard to pull away, but once I did I steeled myself and looked Summer in the eyes. “I’m sorry. Please don’t wait for me.”
“Swordulan, I—”
With the hardest effort I’d ever made, I teleported back into the room with the mirror portal. Everyone still waited for me there, my sword leaning against the wall and still pulsing. I took it in my magic and brought the hilt up to my face to look at the broken crystal. It showed a splintered reflection of myself.
“I’m ready,” I said.
“Stay on your hooves,” Shining Armor said. “Remember the rules of uncharted territory.”
“Yes, Sir.”
“I know Twilight made some friends when she was there last,” Celestia said. “I’d recommend seeking them out for help.”
“The portal’s ready,” Discord said. “I wouldn’t want to waste another minute if I were you.”
I took a deep breath and nodded. “Right. Keep a close eye on Katana for me, Captain.”
“Two eyes, and my guards’, as often as I can spare them,” Shining Armor said.
“Be safe,” Cadance said.
I walked up to the mirror and grabbed my sword hilt with my teeth. “Here goev nuffin.”