//------------------------------//
// Bargain 
// Story: The Codex Amicitia 
// by malletmann 
//------------------------------//

	It was the dead of the night. All were sleeping in Ponyville, save the single bipedal figure moving at a brisk pace away from the town, carrying a sack of books and occasionally glancing furtively over his shoulder to make sure nopony was following him. 

Carpathios stopped in a clearing some distance from the main body of the town, near the border of the Everfree Forest. It was open enough for his purposes, but shielded from the view of most of the town's inhabitants, so he felt reasonably safe here. But just to be absolutely certain, he cast his eyes into the Veil, to make sure there were no inquisitive souls about. Satisfied, he set to work.

Gently placing his books on the ground at his feet, he took his heqa staff in both hand and drew a circle of about five feet in diameter around himself. Kneeling, he planted the staff in the center of the circle. A rosy, flickering light appeared at the edge of the circle, the ground within it beginning to quake and buckle. In a few moments, it had lifted into the sky, forming a small floating island of earth upon which knelt Carpathios. Grabbing the strap of his bag to ensure it did not fall off, he cast his thoughts to one particular location, and the earth disk shot off into the night, deep into the Everfree.

Everfree Castle was, according to his research, an ancient and long-abandoned fortification first constructed when the Sisters co-ruled in the Old Days. It was also where, according to Twilight's firsthand account, the Elements of Harmony were recovered, Nightmare Moon was defeated, and co-rule of the Sisters restored. It was a remote location, hard to get to, and almost forgotten by the ponies, making it a perfect location for Carpathios' ritual.

He landed in the courtyard, the crumbling ruins around him not responding to his arrival in the slightest. Checking that there were no monsters in the area, he lit a great sphere of illumination, ensuring he would be able to see well enough to complete the delicate task at hand.

He worked quickly, for there would not be much time before his absence was noticed. Clearing a great swath of bare stone, he inscribed a large circle of arcane glyphs onto the floor. The process was long and tedious, for he had to be absolutely certain that he was perfectly accurate. Several times he consulted the tomes he had brought with him to make certain he was correct in the marks. A mistake now would have utterly dire consequences.

After several hours of work, he stepped back, satisfied that everything was just so. Standing back some distance, he raised his staff. It glowed a bright crimson as he began to chant, "Dis’Cord ngli'hee 'bthnk lw'nafh shugg ee, ron Dis'Cord bthnk sll'ha hrii, shtungglinyth h'syha'h..."

The circle lit up, infusing the courtyard with a blinding white light that overpowered Carpathios' own illumination. In the center of the circle now stood a most bizarre and terrible creature. Its body seemed to be composed of a myriad of creatures' members. It reared back, basking in the moment, displaying itself for all of the world to see.

"Behold, the anarchic majesty that is... Discord! I thank you kindly for freeing me and will-" He jolted as he tried to extend a claw outside of the circle, only to have it stop at the edge. He smirked for a moment, then his eyes widened indignantly. "WHAT HAVE YOU DONE? Where are my powers?"

"You have merely moved from one prison to another," Carpathios said, his tone and expression perfectly neutral. "I have not brought you here for your sake."

"Oh, well alright. Though I will admit that this is a great improvement over my last one. Being encased in stone gives you such a crick in the neck," he said, making a show of popping his vertebrae. "And I get to chat with people! Or ponies. Whatever." He looked around, as though for the first time. "Oh. Well, at least I get to stretch. So, what is so important that you felt compelled to summon me, Lord of Chaos, and bind me to your will?"

"I have something I wish to show you." After he spoke, Carpathios cast a spell he had prepared, to conjure up a portal from one world to another. Behind him, light and color danced in a truly maddening display. He made sure to keep his back to it, for fear of his sanity.

Discord's eyes grew comically large as he beheld the spectacle. "What is that place, filled with so many wonders?" he asked, a slight trill to his voice as though he was about to break out into song.

"Where I dwell, it is known by several names. The most common are the Realm of Primordial Chaos, and the Maelstrom. Both are accurate enough." Carpathios waited a moment as the being before him looked on, hearts in his eyes and drool coming from his mouth. "There has been an accident in Ponyville. Three young fillies are injured to the point of permanent maiming, or even eventual death."

"Oh, such a tragedy," Discord said, faking wiping a tear from his eye. He then pantomimed playing a violin, humming the dark notes of a dirge.

"I know a worse one," Carpathios kept his voice even. "For a great and powerful Lord of Chaos to have seen the full extent of his wildest dream..." He sealed the portal shut. "...and never attain it."

Hurt first shown on Discord's face, followed briefly by rage before finally resignation. "So that's the game your playing, is it? You want me to heal the fillies, and in return are willing to send me to the Maelstrom?"

"I have two stipulations. The first is that you tell nopony of this encounter. Ever. The second is that once you are in the Maelstrom, you never return to Equestria, staying out of it for the rest of eternity."

"Is that all?" Discord eyed him. "And I was so looking forward to gloating to Celestia. But I can see why you wouldn't want her to know about this." He sat for a moment, making a show of pondering the bargain. "Ugh. I guess if I have to make one rational decision for my entire life, this is worth it. Very well, I agree to your terms. You drive a hard bargain."

"My deal is perfectly fair," Carpathios responded. "In fact, you get far more out of it than I, so don't complain." He weakened the protective wards just enough that Discord could use his power. "Do be aware that the seals will hold us both to our words. You need not fear treachery from me, nor I you."

Discord snapped his fingers, a white spark flashing. "It's done. Your little friends are healed. No tricks. Now can I please leave this frustratingly ordered world?" 

Carpathios reopened the portal. "Begone, creature." With a whoop, Discord dove headfirst into the portal, and was sucked into the ever-changing depths of the Primordial Chaos. Sealing the portal behind him, Carpathios began the task of cleaning up the ritual.

First he ensured that all of the proper sigils were copied onto parchment, so their power could hold without the risk of disruption. That complete, he loaded everything back onto his earth disk, and returned to Ponyville just as the sun was beginning to rise.