~The thing that surprised the two royal Alicorns the most was that Black Magic had a use for good~
Celestia took a deep breath and opened the old book and started looking over and reading the pages. This books was very old and smelled as such. Each turn of a page wafted the scent of old books up into Celestia's nose.
She sniffled and turned a page again. Written in the book was many things. Most of it was old information about old magics. Celestia knew most of this information as she had grown up learning it. However, some of the information on pages that were deeper in the book was new to her. She had never heard of the old magics written on them. It was surprising for her to find something she didn't know about magic.
She let out a sigh and kept on reading. Page after page, nothing was looking like it was important or useful to what she was looking for. She was about the close the book when she saw something. She turned to the next page. The writing on it was old. She had never seen anything like it. "Hmm odd...." She said to herself. She then looked up. "Hey, Izar...I might have something." She motioned him over with her hoof.
Izar came flying down from up above her as he was looking at books from a farther up shelf. He landed right next to Celestia, and he was close enough his shoulder almost touched Celetia's. Celestia was a bit flustered with how close he was. Her heart beat started to quicken a bit. "What did you find?" He asked. Igniteus came over as well and sat on the other side of the table. This brought Celestia back to the matter at hand.
"A-Ah well! I found this." She showed the two stallions the page with the language she had never seen. "Ah! That is olden Unisus!" Igniteus said. Izar looked at him a bit confused as did Celestia. "Ah I image you want to know what it says." He smiled awkwardly and looked back to the book. "Well...this speaks of ancient Unisus magics...and, oh, now this is interesting." He put the book down and looked at the both of them.
"Igniteus?" Izar questioned. He looked at the old unicorn awaiting an answer. Igniteus sighed.
"Milord, Princess...this talks about and Ancient and cursed spell that gets rid of memories." Izar froze in place as did Celestia. This was something they were looking for. How lucky was it to find it here. Celestia shook her head a bit to Chase away her shock.
"Does it say how the spell is cast or how to undo it?" She asked. Izar nodded in agreement at the question. Igniteus looked the page over again and shook his head.
"Unfortunately, all it says that once it is cast, only the creature that cast it can uncast it. And then it just talks about how it is a cursed spell. Looks like it is some form of black magic." Celestia sighed.
"Damn...I thought we had something..."she said. Izar looked to her and placed a hoof on her shoulder. He smiled sweetly as if to say, 'It is ok, we can't give up yet.' Celestia blushed a bit and avoid his eyes. Her heart skipped a beat too. She then closed her eyes and opened them again. "Well maybe we can find something else?"
Igniteus looked up from the book. "Actually this book holds a lot of information about the Unisus which surprises me but I was lead to believe all knowledge of us and the magic we could use was lost to history in Equestria." Izar looked just as confused as Celestia did. Igniteus nodded. "Well let me put it this way, what you call black magic here in Equestria, we call normal in Neozarria." Celestia looked shocked. Igniteus continued. "We had found a way to use it for the betterment of every creature in our lands. In fact, prince Izar, you could use it too and you were actually very good with it. I remember one time when you helped a mining town with Crystal production. They were very grateful to you that year. You were called the "'Crystal Maker' by the ponies in the village for a while." Both Celestia and Izar were still just as shocked at this news.
"So you're telling me the "Unisus" can use...cursed magics...with no drawbacks?" Celestia said. Igniteus nodded. "By gods..." She put a hoof to her head as this was quite a bit to take in. Izar took a deep breathe in.
"Igniteus...Was I a good ruler?" He asked. There was a hint of worry in his voice. Igniteus smiled at Izar.
"My boy, you took after your parents well and you were an amazing ruler....well until everything happened..." He said with a somber look. Izar sighed and smiled.
"Wait...when you say "Us"....Does that mean...you were are a Unisus too?"Izar asked. Celestia looked to Igniteus. She too was wondering that as well. Izar added to his question. "Forgive me if that is nosey of me to ask but just the way you say "us" makes it sound you are older that you look." Igniteus sighed and nodded.
"Yes I am...well was a Unisus too a very long time ago." Izar raised and eyebrow. "I am will guess you want to know what I mean, well, I was a Unisus but I lost that right many moons ago due to a mistake I made. So my wings were taken." Izar looked at the old butler pony before him. Igniteus sighed. "I wasn't always a good pony. In fact when I was younger, all I wanted was power. And I'd do anything to get it, hurt others, terrorize small towns, you name it. Well your Great-Grandfather caught wind of what I was doing and well, he sent his men to capture me and for years I avoid it but one day I got careless because I had become cocky and well I ended up in the dungeons of Neozarria's castle. I was sentenced to death but you grandfather changed his mind, he told me it was because he saw something in me and that I had the potential for something good. I never knew what that meant until I was many moons older." Igniteus paused to take a breath.
"Your great-Grandfather was a kind man and I will always be grateful to him for sparing my life for the truth was I didn't want to die. I was scared to. So instead, he took my wings." Igniteus lifted his tail coat up just enough to where Izar and Celestia could see the scars where Igniteus wings were.
"Wow..."Izar said. "That...sounds rough....but, I can't picture you as being a power hungry lunatic..."
Igniteus chucked. "Well I have changed a lot. I was given a place in the castle as a servant and worked hard to earn my keep. I was soon made a butler to serve your family. I used to be your father's butler and then when you were born, I was assigned to you, milord."
Izar sighed. "Well...you know I am glad you're on our side." Igniteus chuckled. Celestia, who had been quiet for most of the conversation spoke up.
"Well I do say that every creature deserves a second chance. We have quite a few reformed villains here in Equestria..." Izar looked to her.
”Really? You do? That is pretty cool. Did you reform them by yourself?” Izar asked. Celestia shook her head.
”Not really, they were all reformed by my student Twilight Sparkle and her friends.” Celestia looked away and to the ground. “I have only ever been a guidance to her. She has done all the work in protecting equestria. Heck, she has even saved my life a few times.” Celetia’s voice sounded a bit sad. And in truth she started to feel like she wasn’t that important to the kingdom. A princess should be able to protect her subjects, and yet her student is the one doing all the work. She was proud of Twilight and her friends but sometimes Celestia wished she could be the one to save the day for once.
Izar took notice to the look in Celestia’s eye that she wasn’t aware she had, a look of self-doubt. Izar place a hoof onto Celestia’s and used the other to make her gently look at him. His blue eyes looked at her with a soft and kind gaze. “Celestia, I am sure your student is amazing but she only is because you were the one guiding her. I am sure she is who she is because of you and your amazing guidance. So don’t fret and don’t doubt yourself. I am sure your student would feel lost if you were never there to guide her in the first place.” He smiled at her, he cheeks a bit red. Celestia felt her face grow a bit warm. She smiled softly and nodded slowly. Her heart was racing.
Igniteus then cleared his throat. “Milord, Princess, this book might be of some use to us.” He looked to Celestia who had pulled away from Izar by this point. She was still trying to get her heartbeat under control when she turned her attention to Igniteus. “Princess, do you mind if I keep this book?” he asked. Celestia shook her head.
”No! Not at all. Go right ahead! If it can be of use then by all means, let it be useful.” She replied. Igniteus nodded.
Just then, there was the sound of a clock chime. Celestia looked at the time from the clock in the room. “Oh my, is it really that late?” she sighed. “We should head back, I have to lower the sun soon. And I am sure you two might be hungry.” Izar’s stomach then growled. “I’ll take that as a yes to being hungry. Come, I’ll lead you to the dining room.” Celestia got up and headed towards the door. Izar and Igniteus followed behind.
Izar caught up to Celestia. “Celestia, you said you had to lower the sun, what do you mean by that?” he asked.
”Oh right, I didn’t tell you did I? Well you see as a princess of equestria, it is my job to raise and lower the sun. My sister raises and lowers the moon. That is why we are the princesses of the day and night respectively.” she said. “It is the power we were given and so we use it to watch over our subjects and such. I handle the “royal duty part of the kingdom like all the meetings and such and my sister handles the dream walking. She helps our subjects with their nightmares and such.”
Izar looked at Celestia amazed. “W-What is it? Do I have something on my face?” She asked. Izar shook his head.
”No it is just I am happy I was right. You are important to your kingdom. Who else would keep it running than you?” He smiled at her. Celestia’s heart skipped a beat again. She blushed lightly and nodded.
Soon they got to the dining room and a meal was brought out. Izar and Igniteus ate it happily. Celestia went over to a window and lowered the sun slowly and soon the moon could be seen. She turned to face Igniteus and Izar. “So, I’m rather tired so I’ll have another pony escort you back to your room if that is ok.” she said softly.
Izar nodded. “That is ok. I am sure you need some rest after today. Thanks for all your help Celestia.” He smiled at her, his cheeks a bit red. Again, Celestia’s heart jumped. She nodded quietly and left the hall, but ask a servant pony to show Izar and Igniteus to this room.
Celestia made it to her room and sat on her bed. “No..Calm down.” she said to herself. “There is no way he is going to pick you. He is probably missed by someone back in his home kingdom. These feelings aren’t real. Forget them..” She sighed and laid down. Before she knew it, the princess of the day was fast asleep.
Little did she know the forces of evil where moving and the things that were about to happen would change everything that she knew. The world she knew was about to be turned upside down and it was going to be a bumpy ride.
~End of chapter 5~