//------------------------------// // Chapter 4: A Waste Of Time // Story: A Strange New World // by DuyTheRandom //------------------------------// Chapter 4: A waste of time “Well, Clover,” Princess Platinum said as she looked to the large door,“Despite the delay, we have finally made it.” “It took us more than an hour to get here…” I mumbled. “What was that?” “Nothing.” We looked at the door, leading to the hallway of the Elder unicorns. The door had a mural of six unicorns, standing side by side with one distinct unicorn, wearing a cloak and wizard hat covered in stars leading them with a hoof raised up pointing towards the sun and moon. “It's been too long the last time I’ve looked at this door...” Princess Platinum said as she stared at the mural of the door. Silence lingered on for a while, I glanced around the area, seeing if anything was wrong but nothing seemed to be out of place. The torches were lit, the floor and the walls were clean. “So, shall we?” She turned her head and looked at me in the eyes. “Princess,” I tried speaking up in a sort of tired tone, “This is going to be a waste of time…” “Well, I do hope this isn’t a waste of time, for time is of the essence, especially now.” She said. We both stared at each other in silence, seemingly expecting something. The Princess broke the silence by saying, “So? Are you going to open the door or what?” “Me? Couldn’t you open it yourself, your highness?” I countered. “I would but I wouldn’t want to waste anymore of my precious energy that I have unfortunately spent on walking!” She complained. “Alright fine…” I sighed. My horn lit up as I used my magic to push the stone doors open but it didn’t budge. “Why isn’t it opening?” Princess Platinum asked “It’s too heavy-” I struggled speaking as I focused my magic on opening the door, “Could you please help me?” “Have you tried pulling darling?” “Oh uh, not yet.” I tried pulling the doors open and it worked with little effort done. A loud creak echoed as the doors were opened, revealing a large cavern in the mountain. The cavern was lit in white light using enchanted gems that would last for many moons. Beams of marble held the hallway in place to ensure that it wouldn’t collapse, even in an earthquake. We walked down the halls, passing by paintings and statues of former elder unicorns. After a long walk of silence in this maze-like cavern, we finally arrived at the door leading to Starswirl’s tower. It was a large double door made from stone with a face of an old and wise looking unicorn carved into it. “You know, Clover,” Princess Platinum commented on the door, “Whoever made this door must have had a lot of patience in carving this.” “What do you mean by that, your highness?” I asked. “You see, darling-” She explained, “This door, well the carving to be precise, wasn’t made using precise lasers. Laser cuttings can make it look clean and perfect but it seems like that whoever made this didn’t want to be perfect. Rather, tools were used to create this which is made obvious by the imperfect cuts and chips on the stone itself which would have taken up to half a day if one works nonstop.” “What a shame unfortunately, the carver was a brilliant artist. Could have gone for perfection using magic rather than using tools.” Princess Platinum sighed. “That’s…” I looked at the carving uninterested in it but pretended to be, “Interesting, your highness?” “I know right?” She stared at the door again. I wondered at what could be behind these doors? I thought of an endless amount of possibilities. Could it be a large cavern with a bunch of bookshelves, scroll and artifacts gathered by Starswirl from his journeys? Could there be some kind of ancient and forbidden creature behind this door as well?! I felt my legs shake as I had a rush of excitement to the possibilities to what could be behind this door? Well, I guess I’ll never find out. Or so I thought “Well, your highness-” I said as I turned around and started walking away,”As much as I would like to enter Starswirl’s room and learn the progress of the spell, we best be on our wa-” “Open the door, Clover.” Princess Platinum cutted me out. “I’m sorry what?” “You heard me, now open this door.” “I- I can’t, your highness.” I answered. “Why not?” Princess Platinum demanded. “Because-” I explained, “The door is magically enchanted to let nopony but Starswirl himself enter.” “Ugh, of course you're not going to open the door…” Princess Platinum ignored me. “Your highness? What are you doing?” I said as I suddenly realized that I was too late I saw her horn glow and a magical aura matching her aura on the door. I quickly positioned myself behind her back and braced for impact from a magical backlash. But all I heard was a loud creaking as if a door was being opened. It can’t be, it must be something else. I know the door was enchanted to keep anyone but Starswirl out. I slowly opened my eyes hoping to see that it was just in my head and the princess was being flung towards me. I saw that the door was indeed open. Behind a seemingly grand and large door, was a small opening, small enough that only a single pony can fit in without feeling cramped. “Well, that was kinda over dramatic.” Princess Platinum spoke first, “A large door just to reveal a small opening that a pony can barely fit in, let alone Starswirl and his long horn to fit in.” I remained silent as I looked at the small entrance. Why make another hallway just right after another one? It felt kind stupid and needless at this point since the only way to get in is by magic since the door was made out of stone anyways. But what bothered me more was the fact that there was no enchantment on the door. Starswirl told me that the door was magically enchanted to keep unwanted guests out, I even saw him enchanting it as well with my own eyes. So the question was, why was the enchantment gone? We entered the small entrance way and found out that it was actually a stairway going up from what I assume to be going to Starswirl’s tower. The stairway was quite large, going in a spiral going upwards. “Stairs,” Princess Platinum started complained, “Behind a seemingly large and over the top door, just to reveal a small opening that leads to stairs? What is wrong with him? And why in Faust’s name does it have to be stairs?!” “Well, your highness,” I said while nervously looking at the stairway, “We can always go back?” “No, we have made it this far, we can’t turn back now!” Princess Platinum said. I could tell that she was somewhat intimidated by the amount of stairs that she has to climb. Despite that fact, she knew what she wanted to meet Starswirl, so with a determined heart, she gulped and made her first few steps on climbing the stairs to Starswirl’s tower. I merely sighed and followed her as well. This was going to be a waste of time. Or was it?