//------------------------------//
// Journey Through the Dark - Part 4 
// Story: Book 1 - The Behemoth came to Canterlot 
// by Equimorto 
//------------------------------//

Twilight pondered the wooden door and its iron lock. It wasn't physically hidden, or particularly noteworthy, but magically it was the exact opposite. She hadn't realised it was there at all when first looking at the inwardly rounded corner, she'd only noticed the spell hiding it. She doubted anyone in the castle could detect it properly, anyone close to being able to was allowed to get there, and anyone would try to enter in the first place if forbidden to.
But that didn't mean it wasn't otherwise protected and tied to other spells. Neither did the evidence of the one hiding it mean other ones should have been as easy to spot. And so she was faced with the most classic of issues when dealing with protective spells and magical alarms, that being having to blindly detect whatever charms might be there without triggering any in the process.
It was a subject of real study and tests for students in magic schools, mostly because it helped build other traits besides the obvious ability to detect spells. Having to figure out what kind of spells might be associated with a given object given the information provided, being able to precisely modulate one's magic around them, finding creative solutions to the problem. All fun stuff. But school only offered cases built specifically for educational purposes, designed for students to apply their knowledge, without any heavy consequences besides maybe a failed test. That some students equated that with the end of the world was another matter.
Schools didn't teach in depth about dark magic, of course. Or about lockpicking spells, for that matter. Not out of any lack of awareness for the utility such things could have in an emergency, but merely because there was no need to teach students something they all ended up learning by themselves as soon as they had the means and time to. Then they taught themselves a few protective spells against it, and usually things ended there.
Twilight somewhat regretted missing out on that particular bit of childish behaviour. She was pretty sure her room was warded by spells put there by the guards, but no one had ever tried to play a prank on her anyway. Celestia had-
Twilight shook her head. There would be time to think about Celestia when she got back. If she got back. Actually, that was a good way to frame it. She would get back, because she still had unfinished business with Celestia. The door opened with a low metallic click.
What schools didn't teach, and students didn't learn, were localised mass magic neutralisation spells and how to couple them with limited area containment spheres to stop any fail-state pings being sent off. Not that there seemed to be a need for one there, nothing got caught in it.
She could have tried to figure out the specifics of whatever spell was potentially on the lock and door, and maybe spend hours on it if it turned out there was none. On a good day, she might have even liked to do it. She didn't have time for it right then.
She closed the door behind herself, and began to carefully descend the spiral staircase she found herself facing.