“So, you were the chosen ones for this mission” Mirror Coat observed, looking to Star and Bramble. “Well, but what a curious pair to send… but nevertheless, very logical. Prince Star Knight has experience, wits and power, while Prince Bramble has the knowledge about the Enchanted Forest that can be very useful to this mission. My creation is really something else.”
“You mean your creation and Purple Smoke’s” Heartbeat teased.
“Please, don’t start…” Mirror Coat said.
“What if we focused on what is more important?” Golden Paladin asked. “Like… knowing what this emergency is all about?”
“Yeah, sure…” Mirror Coat replied, a little embarrassed.
Using his magic, the General of Knowledge passed the glow on the Enchanted Forest’s sphere and directed it to the Observer, causing the map of the Enchanted Forest to appear.
“Oh, I can’t wait to know where in the Enchanted Forest is this new mission” Heartbeat said, with an excited voice. “I bet it’s something related to those nasty Mountain Dragons… I hate those guys… Oh, or maybe it’s on the other side of the mountain region, we haven’t had much contact with that area. Or maybe it’s…”
When Mirror Coat went to locate the origin of the signal the Tree of Crisis was giving them, they saw that it came from a big dark area.
“But that’s…” Bramble started, seeing the location the Observer was showing. “That’s the Dark Forest.”
“Falancia…” Mirror Coat said.
After getting to know where Star and Bramble were about to be sent to, Heartbeat’s excitement, turned into frustration.
“What?!” she asked. “Really?! After what just happened, it had to be that place?!”
Noticing the others looking at her, Heartbeat realized she was letting her lack of self-control dominate her. Laughing nervously, she went to say:
“Well, look at the time, I have so much to do… in my room… where I can be alone and not say the wrong thing to the wrong pony…”
With that, she quickly went to the portal that would lead her out of the Mirrored Library.
“That was weird…” Bramble commented.
“It’s Heartbeat, there’s nothing weird about that” Star replied to his friend. “But she really was acting stranger than usual…”
Golden had also noticed that. Could it be that was connecting to whatever secret she and Mirror Coat had? If that was true, then it had to be something related to Falancia. But he knew he couldn’t let that cloud what needed to be done at the moment and so he tried to remain focused.
“I can’t believe we need to go to the Dark Forest” Bramble said. “My father used to tell me a lot of stories about that place… He used to tell me once you get in, you can’t possible get out.”
“Yeah, I heard the same thing about Falancia” Star said. “However, I don’t know much about what really happened there.”
“We also don’t know much” Golden Paladin told. “Falancia fell after the Light Kingdom, so we don’t know much about it… at least most of us don’t. Mirror Coat, you must know something. Your library collects all information, after all.”
“Yes, it does have that information, but I’m afraid it won’t be of any help” Mirror Coat replied, as he made some books appear that had golden chains binding them. “The information had been sealed… by someone with a greater status than me, if you know who I am talking about. But don’t worry, despite I don’t know much about the details, I know exactly what happened to Falancia… especially thanks to someone.”
Mirror Coat charged his horn and then the Observer started showing an image from the past that was none other than…
“Bright Night” Star said.
“That’s the General of Portals you told us about?” Bramble asked.
“Yeah, but… what does she has to do with all this?” Star asked.
“She was the one that isolated Falancia from the rest of the Enchanted Forest” Mirror Coat explained, as the Observer showed Bright Night using her magic to contain Falancia as a dark thundering cloud covered it, preventing it from spreading. “Bright Night prevented the rest of the Enchanted Forest to fall victim of the Dark Curse that doomed Falancia to centuries of despair.”
“Wait, did you say Dark Curse?!” Golden Paladin asked, with a shocked look.
Noticing the look in Golden Paladin’s face, Star and Bramble realized that was a serious thing.
“What kind of curse is that?” Star asked.
“The worst kind” Golden Paladin replied. “The Dark Curse is designed to cover a wide area, imprisoning the ones caught by it in time. It’s like you get to live the same day over and over again, without you even realizing it, despite the fact you see days and nights pass.”
“Not just that, but the curse also prevents its victims from getting out on their own” Mirror Coat continued. “The curse is also very flexible and can have any other effects. The user can use it to make others forget or adopt new personas.”
“But the worst part is the way this curse needs to be enacted” Golden Paladin continued. “One needs to commit an act so horrible that will leave a hole in their heart that can never be filled.”
“That sounds awful…” Bramble commented.
“What kind of act would be needed?” Star asked.
“I think it’s for the best you don’t get to know” Golden Paladin replied. “Especially because your mission is to free Falancia from this curse.”
“Okay… and how do we do that?” Star asked.
“The Dark Curse is one of the most unbreakable curses there is… only one thing is powerful enough to undo it… true love” Mirror Coat said.
“So… you mean a kiss between those who feel true love for each other?” Bramble asked.
“It’s… a little more complicated than that” Mirror Coat replied. “Yes, a kiss is a more common form of expressing true love, but love… works in mysterious ways. Heartbeat is the very representation of that.”
“I see… well, I guess we’re just have to know a little bit more about the situation in Falancia before figuring the best way to try to free it from the curse” Star said, with Bramble nodding in agreement.
“Don’t you think you’re forgetting about one thing?” Golden Paladin asked.
The two young princes shared a confused look before that question from the General of Peace. Sighing, he asked:
“How do you expect to free a cursed kingdom, if you can’t even get inside of it? Have you forgotten that Bright Night sealed the all kingdom?”
“Oh yeah…” Star and Bramble said.
“Can’t we just ask Bright Night to let us in?” Star asked. “I mean, if she created the barrier, she can create an opening for us.”
“I don’t think that will be possible at the moment” Mirror Coat replied, as he went to organize some books that have just arrived to the library. “While Generals like me or Golden are capable of doing our jobs mostly in any place in Creation, Generals like Bright Night need to be with hooves on deck most of the time.”
Star thought for a moment, but then he said:
“Okay… what about… I locate a weak point in the barrier and then make a small hole… just big enough for me and Bramble to get in and out freely?”
Mirror Coat and Golden Paladin traded looks and then the latter replied:
“What you’re suggesting can be very dangerous. You would need to have absolute control on the magic you would need, not just to break through, but also to not break too much.”
“You would also need to protect that same spot so no one from the Dark Forest would leave… especially the caster of the curse” Mirror Coat added.
“Wow… that does sounds a lot complicated” Bramble commented, turning to Star. “Do you really think you can do all that, Star?”
“With the help of my Element of Sorcery… I think I can” Star replied, while placing his hoof on the one Element of Virtue that was on his scarf. “It doesn’t only boost my magic, but it can also help me control it when I can’t do it normally.”
Golden Paladin approached Mirror Coat and asked him so the two princes, who were talking to each other, wouldn’t listen:
“Are you sure about this? Sending Prince Star Knight to a place we don’t know nothing about its current situation… We don’t even know who casted the curse to begin with. Maybe you should check the tree to make sure it is working right.”
“The tree is working just fine” Mirror Coat replied, a little coldly. “But what’s up with you?! You’re letting your current state of mine dominate you. Normally, you have absolute faith in Prince Star Knight. Have you forgotten that he had already faced so much… like the Lord of Chaos himself?”
“I know that, but…” Golden Paladin started, trying to find words to justify his own caution regarding letting Star Knight infiltrate Falancia. “What if Quita Moz’s prophecy is about the young prince going to Falancia? Maybe I should help him and…”
“Golden, stop with that” Mirror Coat said. “You’re letting one prophecy that you don’t even know when will happen get to you… again. I mean, if you’re so worried about that prophecy, why don’t you go meet Quita Moz?”
“That’s… actually a good idea” Golden Paladin said, with a thinking look.
“Wow, you made it look like it’s a first for me” Mirror Coat replied sarcastically, rolling his eyes.
“Sorry, it’s that… I don’t know why I didn’t think of that before” Golden Paladin told. “But… I don’t know if I should just leave my post just to go to Serenity Valley.”
“Golden, we live in a kingdom that prevents any evil from crossing its borders, other Generals besides you living in it, including one that can blast a pony just by getting angry, not to mention that Princess Twilight can handle things quite nicely. I think we can survive without you for a few hours.”
“I know, but the princes…” Golden Paladin insisted.
“They will be fine” Mirror Coat said. “It’s not like they are defenseless. Besides, you going with them will make it harder to infiltrate Falancia unnoticed. Whoever casted the Dark Curse must be powerful enough to sense whoever gets in their domain. It will be already hard for them to do it, with Prince Star Knight being a jinchuriki to Kurama, but add the leader of the Generals of Order… It’s like showing a big and bright sign saying you’re there.”
The General of Peace sighed and then came to agree with Mirror Coat. Turning then to Star and Bramble, he approached them and then said:
“Okay, young princes, I hope you’re ready for this. You’re going to be on your own while you’re in Falancia.”
“Don’t worry, Golden, we’ll do our best in this mission” Star said.
“Yeah… despite I am a little nervous about it… I’ll make sure to not disappoint anyone” Bramble said.
“And I am sure you won’t, Prince Bramble” Golden Paladin answered. “Now, just go back and save a cursed kingdom.”
They nodded and, while Bramble started heading to the mirror that would take them back to the academy, Star headed towards Golden and asked him:
“Golden, I’m sorry, but… I need to ask. Are you okay? You still seem a little… off.”
“I just… have somethings in my mind that I need to take care of” Golden replied. “But it’s nothing serious. Nothing it’s worth to worry about.”
“I hope you’re right, because… You’re my mentor and you’ve done so much for me” Star said. “If you need anything… you can count on me.”
“Thank you, young prince, I’ll have that in mind” Golden replied. “Now, you better go.”
Star then turned around and followed Bramble back to the academy. After they were gone, Golden turned to Mirror Coat and asked him:
“Tell Prince Blue Sword to hold the fort, while…”
“Considered done” Mirror Coat replied.
And so Golden Paladin headed towards the exit of the Mirrored Library and pass through it. After he was gone, Mirror Coat said:
“He’s gone. You can come out now.”
After he said that, Heartbeat appeared beside him.
“You knew I was never…” she started.
“You’re always forgetting I know everything that happens in this library” Mirror Coat told. “By the way, you still didn’t return the book you took last month.”
But Heartbeat didn’t reply to that, what Mirror Coat found odd, but he could notice she was very nervous about the all Falancia situation.
“You know, there’s no reason to freak out” he told Heartbeat.
“No reason to freak out?” she asked. “Star and Bramble are about to enter Falancia. You know what that means, right?”
“Just because they are going there, it doesn’t mean they are going to find out the truth” Mirror Coat said.
“Sure, you say that now, but when you least expect it, they are meeting him, notice how much he resembles… you know who… Next time we know, they are discovering everything and our secret is... GOING TO BECOME LESS OF A SECRET!”
All that nervousness of Heartbeat caused her to lose control of her magic, causing many books to just be cast out of their respective shelves.
“Can you please calm down?” Mirror Coat asked, as he made the books return to their places. “If you keep going like this, for sure they will find out about everything.”
“I can’t help it” Heartbeat said. “It’s stronger than me. You know I feel my emotions in a more intense degree than any other creature.”
“Really, now?” Mirror Coat ironized. “And here I thought that random things exploding or be thrown around was a normal thing with you. Look, why don’t you go to your room and stay there until you calm yourself? You can play with your toys, eat some of your treats…”
“Fine… I’ll do just that… But mark my words, Mirror Coat. Our secret won’t last for long, no matter how much you use your logic to prove otherwise.”
With those words, Heartbeat got out of the library. After she left, Mirror Coat turned to the Observer, making it project an image of Falancia, which also included its castle.
“You may be right, sister… Secrets do have a tendency to be ephemeral… including ours…” he said.