CHAPTER XII
Sweat dripped down Nick’s forehead as his muscles strained under the weight of the small boulder on his shoulder. His knees shook as he squatted down, breathing deep before standing back up in time with the exhale. In the late morning sun, Nick’s skin glistened giving emphasis to his muscles that were prominent on his thin body. He wasn’t a bodybuilder by any means, but he was glad to find a workout that helped maintain his physique. Even if the trainer was a bitch.
Sergeant Ironwood was forcing Nick to do weighted squats while the ponies in squad Ironwood took a break from the drills. Granted, forced was probably not the best term to use. Nick could leave at any time. He wasn’t a part of the Equestrian army. Instead, Nick glared at the sergeant with a cold glare as he went through the exercises.
“Enough,” Ironwood barked, motioning for Nicholas to drop the boulder. The rock hit the ground with a heavy thud.
“Color me surprised, didn’t think you’d last this long. Two days in and you seem to be keeping up fairly well.”
“Thank you, ma’am,” Nick said, wiping his brow.
“Don’t thank me human. Even though you’ve impressed to some degree doesn’t mean that I like you.” Ironwood tossed Nick a towel to dry off with. “Now get your ass moving. The captain sent word that her highness is looking for you.”
Nick raised an eyebrow. “Celestia wants to speak with me?” The princess hadn’t spoken to him since he confronted her about Will.
“Yes, what are you, deaf? And use the princess’s title next time! Show some respect to your superiors.”
Nick felt his blood run hot when he turned to leave the training yard.
“Might want to take a bath first. I doubt her highness likes the smell of sweaty alien monkey.”
Nick just scowled as a guard fell into step next to him, keeping his eyes forward as the two made their way through the basement of the castle. They made a brief stop at the barracks, pulling out a basin of sudsy water and another of clean water. Nick took a sponge and bathed as best as he could. Then, changing into a tunic and trousers that were way too loose, he made his way to the royal dining room. He followed the routine sitting down on a cushion as he waited for her highness to join him. Nick wasn’t kept waiting long as Celestia came into the room shortly after, her pink mane braided around the tiara she wore on her head.
“It is good to see you again Nicholas,” she said, seemingly testing the waters before diving right in. “But I do think I have some information you would like to hear.”
“Skipping the formalities, princess? Should I be worried?”
“Oh no, nothing of the sort. You see, it is more of a good news, bad news situation.”
‘Well that is comforting, I don’t think,’ Nick thought.
“Then what is the good news?”
Celestia smiled with relief, she hadn’t expected Nicholas to be open to conversation given their last discussion. “William’s condition has improved remarkably. He is completely stable, thanks to my sister’s helping hoof, and should be waking up in a few days’ time.”
“Why does the good news always make me feel like the bad news is going to be that much worse?” Nick deadpanned.
Celestia’s smile fell. “Well… If my sister, Princess Luna, hadn’t intervened, William could have been burned from the inside out due to the overwhelming amount of magic trapped in his body.”
Nick blinked at that. He had seen Will’s body before the princess ordered him to be taken away, and he knew Will was on hurt badly, but he had no idea to what extent. He was about to interject when Celestia started speaking again.
“Using magical relics here in the castle, Luna was able to give the magic in Will’s body a way to escape, but that also came with certain… complications.”
“Complications like...?” Nick asked.
“I’m sorry, I was never had the magically inclined mind of my sister. Clover should be along at any moment.”
As if on cue, Nick heard hooves clopping on the marble floors of the hallway. Not a moment later, a well-groomed Clover the Clever entered the private dining room, wearing silky purple robes a shade darker than her coat. “Sorry, Princess, I was held up with Jewel and Mrs. Amethyst.”
“Not to worry, Clover. You arrived at the perfect moment. Please, take over for this part. I was just attempting to describe Luna’s contribution to William’s recovery.”
“Excellent,” Clover said, taking a seat next to her princess and addressing Nick properly. “Originally, Princess Luna intended to allow the magic in Will’s body to vent out through his hands. That way, the magical pressure could be relieved without much hassle. However, the Elements of Harmony had an additional effect.”
“Wait a moment,” Nick interrupted. “What are these Elements of Harmony?”
Clover was forced to still her tongue for a moment as Celestia held up a hoof. “The Elements are a closely guarded secret that should not have been mentioned. I will leave it at that.” Clover wilted slightly at those words.
“Ah- forgive me, Princess. Regardless. The El- I mean, the magical artifacts altered William’s body somewhat, to the point where he can now handle all of the magical energy within him without any physical harm. He even has the capability to regenerate mana on his own like any pony.”
“Well, that is good news then, right?”
“In a way,” Clover said. “It does lead to some complications with the prospect of you returning home. Both of you had said that your ‘Earth’ is a world without magic, correct?”
“That’s right.”
“Well, depending on how much William’s body will rely on magic in order to continue living, going to a world without magic may cause all of the magic in his body to be forcefully extracted. Similar to when William absorbed a lot of magical energy from Princess Luna raising the moon, all of that magic could be sucked out of him in a world devoid of magic. Depending on how much he will rely on magic-”
“He could possibly die from that lack of magic.” Nick finished.
The room was silent for a moment as Nick mulled that thought over. Concern bubbled in the forethoughts of his mind. “Well, are there any other things I should know then.”
Clover put a hoof to her chin, looking to the ceiling in thought. “Well, given what we know about magic… and with the sheer amount of magic he holds within him… William could experience a few things: heightened strength and speed, incessant yearning to fly, magic surges, extended lifespan-”
Nick once again interrupted Clover, much to the mare’s frustration. “Wait. Why are these side effects so extreme? Apart from the fact that returning home is now nigh impossible, the side effects sound great. Why wouldn’t everybody be doing this?”
“Because ponies are not capable of absorbing magic like you humans can. Granted, your bodies are not suited for so much energy, so absorbing magic is quite dangerous for you. Will no longer has that problem, and will probably be able to grow even stronger over time.”
“This is the first time something like this has ever happened,” Celestia explained. “This is new scientific territory, but we are doing our best to adapt.”
“Now,” Clover continued. “If you don’t want the same thing happening to you, I would suggest receiving magical infusions slowly over time. That way, your body can naturally acclimate to the energy and make the necessary adjustments to your body over time. William had been exposed to this all at once, which led to his current state. This way, we can prevent you from undergoing the same, although it might take a bit longer.”
Nick blinked owlishly. “So… this is a preventative thing.”
Both Clover and the Princess nodded. Nick scratched at the stubble growing on his chin.
“We cannot rely on the Elements of Harmony to work the same way with you,” Celestia said. “This is the safest way to ensure that you won’t be harmed by any excessive casting you witness. I know it is not the perfect solution, but it is the best we have. We can focus on returning you home in the future, but first, we would like to ensure your safety.”
Nick nodded. “But, Princess. Why are you contributing so much to help two alien creatures? It doesn’t make sense.”
Celestia paused, stunned for a moment. She smiled. “I’ve actually grown to enjoy your company, Nicholas. And both Luna and the Elements have taken an interest in William. I feel like the world is on your side.” Celestia paused for a moment. “I think you two are more interwoven with this world than we originally thought. For better or for worse? I don’t know.”
Nick turned the princess’s words over in his head for a moment. “Will I be able to cast magic.”
Clover shrugged. “It’s possible.”
Nick smiled to himself.
‘...Bitch’n.’
-~xXXXx~-
In the far northern reaches of the continent, a pale green flash erupted in the darkness of the night, the trees casting jagged shadows on the snow-covered ground. A cloaked figure stood at the entrance of the gaping maw of a cave in the side of a mountain, hidden by the forest foliage. As he strode forward, he pulled his hood back, revealing his olive coat and horn, and strode into the cavern.
As his eyes adjusted to the dark, the hard clopping sound of his hooves hitting rock turned into the light ringing of crystal with each step. No amount of light would help here. He knew that the crystals in this cavern were black, lining every surface as the tunnel spiraled deep into the earth.
The caves split in multiple places, but the stallion took each turn without hesitation with the ease of a pony in their own home.
As he entered a larger chamber, the faint glow of a red crystal in the ceiling lit a furnished room, the black crystal reflecting dimly. In the center, a stallion was bathed in the red light distorting the actual color of his fur and mane. A smooth, upward-curving horn rose through his jet-black, wildly messy mane.
The green unicorn strode into the room, bowing to the other pony. When the stallion didn’t turn to address him, the green unicorn stood smiling wickedly.
“My Lord, I come bearing news from the Everfree…”