//------------------------------// // 78 // Story: Supernova // by Incredible_E //------------------------------// Twilight responded, "We just learned how to make a solar amulet to improve protection spells. We should make it and save the world before it's too late." "Alright, what does it need?" Starlight said anxiously, ready to save the world post-haste. Twilight reread from the book, "The amulet needs inferno crystals, gold, and rubies." "We can use our bits for the gold," Starlight answered. "and we can take the inferno crystals out of the fireplace," Twilight added. "Right!" Starlight concurred. "But . . . where are we going to get rubies?" They both pondered for a moment, then slowly looked back at each other. "I won't tell him if you won't either," Starlight deviously said to Twilight. Twilight shook her head in agreement. "Oh, I promise, I won't say a thing to him but if you spill the beans, I'll deny it!" "No way I would ever tell him." They went into Spike's room and opened his closet. Twilight removed a stack of Power Ponies comics to reveal a once-hidden basket of gemstones. Twilight levitated a few rubies from the pile. "Spike thinks this is his secret stash of gems I don't know about. It's cute really." Starlight giggled, "Won't he notice though?" "He is too busy reading these comics to know what gem he eats and has left." With the rubies, they sprinted through the scarlet hallways of the castle, upstairs, and threw open the doors to the balcony to assemble the Solar Amulet of Protective Amplification. "Starlight, I need you to cast the protection spell once I assemble and ensure everything remains stable," Twilight instructed. Starlight nodded, determined to end this crisis once and for all. With Twilight's new knowledge of the appearance of the amulet, she could meld the inferno crystals, bits, and rubies into their proper shapes. The inferno crystals were refined into cut gemstones as the picture had them. Bits melted together to form the rims of the amulet. Finally, the rubies took the form of the flames on the solar charm. With all three parts created, Twilight fused them together to complete the amulet. Twilight held it together, "Yes! It isn't falling apart!" "It might have broken after we made it?" Starlight asked while still holding the amulet. "The book on amulets said the Princesses tried to recreate it after the first one incinerated itself after use. They couldn't make it again." "Huh, how curious. Why isn't it breaking now?" "I'm not sure, but I am glad it isn't. Now just enchant it with a protection spell to stop the sun." Starlight's horn lit up and shot at the solar amulet while Twilight continued to keep it stable. While Starlight cast and finished the spell, it grew brighter. It soon reached what seemed to be its brightest, when it began to emit noise. They stood there, sweating in place with weakened vision. It wasn't visible, but the thermometer on the floor was reading two hundred ten degrees. As the suspense built, their hopes grew, only to be struck down. To their utter disappointment, the amulet's sounds ceased and its brightness clicked off. It fell to the ground but did not shatter, unlike their hopes. The amulet fell with a soft but heartbreaking clang, Twilight became angry, "No! Why is it not working!? W—we did everything right . . . Two magic-wielding entities and . . . and a protection . . . spell . . ." The worsening conditions became too much for them to bare. Starlight lay herself on the floor for a quick rest. Twilight tried to get her back up but to no avail. She was soon forced to join Starlight on the baking floor. Her body struck the floor as the sun struck the planet shortly thereafter.