A/N: This is a follow up to "Interview with the Changeling. please read that story first, lest this story not make much sense.
Disaster had been averted, and once again the kingdom of Equestria was locked in the vice like grip of an almost uninterrupted peace. The sun was shining down over fields of verdant green, birds were singing and chirping as was their want and travelling down a sun drenched dirt road was a single azure blue unicorn in a tattered and dirty purple cape and hat.
Trixie Lulamoon, also known as the Great and Powerful Trixie, saviour of Hoofington, defeater of the Ursa Major, High Magus of Sheldor, slayer of the Chimera, wielder of the hidden holy flame, keeper of the light, knower of the forbidden secrets, and generally the best unicorn to have ever lived was not having a good day. She was hungry, thirsty, tired and didn’t have a single bit to her name.
During her brief interlude with the royal ambassadors she had forgotten just how much her life sucked at that particular point. Her cart had been stolen from her by some unknown pony and almost every town in the greater Equestria area had banned her from returning, some pitiful excuse like ‘you cause too much damage, get out’ or ‘you monster, you could have killed my children’.
“Trixie will show them, Trixie will show all of them. The Great and Powerful Trixie will become the strongest unicorn to have ever lived. Then they will rue the day they chose to snub Trixie’s obvious greatness.”
Even with no other pony around, Trixie refused to drop her stage persona, to her there was no persona, no second ego. Trixie was Trixie, and that was all there was to Trixie.
Despite her defiance and massive confidence, Trixie knew she was in a rather tight spot. With no money, she had no food or water. The grass growing in this region, while edible was not particularly nutritious, and streams with running water suitable for drinking had been scarce. Without a miracle, she would not last more than a few days.
This did not deter Trixie from her plans however. Such was her overwhelming confidence that she was destined for greatness that she simply refused to accept an outcome where she did not rise to the top, and as such there was no way that she could possibly die here in some Luna forsaken backwater hole of Equestria. The universe owed Trixie too much to simply allow her to perish here.
Trixie continued down the dirt road, the sun beating down on her back, the hat and cape keeping the worst of the heat from her, but still it was almost unbearable. Distantly, over a hill or two, Trixie caught the sound of running water and turned directly towards it, breaking off into a gallop. Cresting the hill she was a small stream running out from a cave, the entrance just large enough for a pony to enter if they squeezed.
Trixie didn’t hesitate and dived right at the water, cooling her aching hooves in the icy flow. Pausing a moment to cast a spell, Trixie checked that the water was safe to drink, then began to drink her fill, slaking her thirst in this pristine flow of water, cleaner than almost any she had encountered before. Only once had she had better water, when she had managed to steal a single bottle of Princess Celestia’s Private Reserve Aqua Vitae, and this water came close. The Aqua Vitae was the most expensive brand of bottled water in Equestria and Trixie could have sworn they may have just been bottling it from here.
Her thirst parched, Trixie decided that this would be a suitable place to rest up for a few hours, regain her strength, and find some grass or leaves to eat. The cave offered a tantalizing rest stop out of the sun, the coolness of the water and breeze flowing out through the gap hinting at a pleasant chill inside.
The grasses growing along the banks of the creek were significantly more juicy and succulent than Trixie was expecting, eating them was almost pleasant, a fact the Trixie attributed to the high quality of the water. Further up along the hill stood a grove of elderberries that, despite not seemingly having been tended by anypony still were full, their branches sagging under the glut of fruit waiting to be picked. Trixie quickly stripped off as much of the ripe berries as she could stomach, revelling in the sweet taste and texture. Still it did not compare to a well prepared meal, filled with oh so fattening yet delicious fried foods. That was perhaps the greatest thing Trixie missed from her original wagon, the ability to prepare a simple meal for herself. Her now lost replacement wagon had had no such facilities and ration cubes of alfalfa only went so far.
While the royals in canterlot had said they could procure her a new wagon if she wanted it, Trixie was not going to simply turn up there with nothing, lest she look desperate. Trixie would never beg, she would rather die than beg. Only once she had found something impressive to show those snobs in Canterlot would she consider returning to mainstream Equestria.
Trixie finished up her simple meal and moved to wash off the berry stains in the creek, red juices mingling with the pristine waters. Once she was clean Trixie moved towards the inviting embrace of the cave, the noticeable drop in temperature not a concern. Ever since she was a little filly, Trixie had never been bothered by cold. While other fillies were wrapping up in scarves and hoof booties, Trixie would prance around oblivious to the near-freezing temperatures around her. Within moments, she had squeezed into the cave, her slightly malnourished frame fitting in between the mouth with ease.
Inside the cave, the light from the entrance quickly vanished as the path of the water led Trixie around a sharp corner. The unicorn lit a light ball from her horn, revealing a dank moss covered wall, with water trickling along the floor. Despite the close walls and lack of light, Trixie was not afraid. Something about this cave was calling to her. While she couldn’t place it, something about this cave told her that the thing she was seeking would be found here. Plus, she was the Great and Powerful Trixie. Nothing could best her.
Deeper and deeper into the cave tunnel Trixie went, stumbling over a rock and landing in the running water, soaking her coat and mane, the frigid water seeping onto the ground. Trixie felt the chill of the water but paid it no mind, she had experienced far colder without complaining. “Stupid Rock, get out of Trixies way” Trixie called as she telekinetically picked up the rock and flung it away from her, disappearing into the inky blackness. Trixie continued for a few more paces until she noticed something odd: She had never heard the rock hit the other side of the cave. It seemed that the cave was more of a cavern, much larger than she had originally thought.
Trixie continued unabated by this new knowledge, she still felt something calling to her. In the light of her horn, the walls of the cavern started to subtly change, rough hewn rock gave way to polished stone, the trickle of water moving through clean cut channels. It was clear that the area had been worked over by something or someone.
Quickly Trixie found that the walls opened up and she entered into the main chamber of the cavern. Worked obsidian stone rose up to form a dais in the center, pillars and columns surrounding stairs leading up to the top of the dais, polished and reflective surfaces bouncing the light from Trixies horn around the cavern revealing its immense size. Trixie felt the static charge of very powerful magic filling the stale air. Something here was generating a massive amount of magic. This had to be her destiny, if she could find out what this magic was, she could master it.
On a pillar directly next to the entrance, Trixie could see a single tabled inscribed with words. Bringing her horn around to view it, she could see that it was in a language she was able to recognise – Ancient Equestrian. ‘it must have been ponies that made this chamber’ Trixie thought, looking closely at the tablet
Upon the tablet Trixie could make out words hewn into the surface. Despite the feeling of age within the cavern, the carvings were as fresh as the day they had been etched.
‘The Three Lords – Wielders of the primal forces.
The Star – Archon of Fire. Burning as brightly as her namesake
The Moon – Scion of Ice. Frigid as the endless void
The Elder – Prelate of Lightning. Master of the Heavens
‘What could this mean? Who are these three, and what is this about fire, ice and lightning?’ Trixie moved on undaunted, coming to the full end of the tunnel she had followed to get here.
With a single step into the main chamber Trixie felt the stone beneath her hoof depress slightly. Grinding of stone on stone could be heard from within the walls. Trixie jumped back into the relative safety of the tunnel and watched the main chamber. The feeling of magic intensified to an almost painful level, all the fur on her coat standing up, small arcs of electricity flowing along her horn.
With a whoosh sound, 4 torches mounted on the dial podium lit in rapid succession, casting a weak blue light over the scene. Arcane glyphs and sigils began to glow on the pillars, pulses of energy shooting out from the bases, streams of light filling up channels carved into the obsidian floor, creating large runes of light. Something or somepony was waking up, clearly Trixie had triggered some kind of trap stone. She was not afraid, whatever was in this place, she could handle it.
From each of the pillars, a beam of blinding energy shot out, converging on the dial. With a thunderous crash, the magical aura of the chamber vanished, the pillars sucking out every drop from the air. The closest pillar sent out a second beam, this one latching directly onto Trixie’s horn, leaching out her magical aura. Trixie quickly clamped down on her magic as she felt it being drained, shutting of all her spells, but not before a sizable portion of her stored magical power had been sucked out of her.
In the light of the torches, Trixie could see something happening on the dais. All the energy was condensing into a single form, recognisable as a pony, though ethereal. A light glow permeated the figure, wisps of ectoplasm coming off its body. It seemed that this cavern was actually a tomb, but for whom, Trixie had no idea. She knew one thing, she would banish this ghost and claim its power for her own.
After a moment the ghost turned its face directly at Trixie, two empty sockets looking at her, piercing her very soul. Slowly it started down the steps towards her, its empty eyes never wavering. With a voice like the rustling of the wind over a pile of bones the apparition spoke.
“The warmth of life has entered by tomb. Who dares disturb my eternal rest?”
As it came closer, Trixie could see that the ghost was a unicorn like herself. It made sense, many of the most powerful magi or warlocks of ancient times built elaborate tombs for themselves, designed to amplify their magical abilities so that they may continue to exist after death. The Princesses had banned such practices after they came to power.
“I am the Great and Powerful Trixie wraith. It is my destiny to be the greatest unicorn who has ever lived, and I will not allow a spirit as feeble as you to stop me.”
Trixie quickly opened up her magic, charging up a spell she had learned but never actually used before, one she had decided to call the ‘holy sea of banishing light’. The original owner of the spell, the mage Lord Ixion was unlikely to notice the theft, he had been dead for many millennia.
The wraith stopped as it watched Trixie charge and cast her spell, a blinding wash of pure white light blanketing him, blotting out Trixies ability to see the ghost for a moment.
As the spell faded, Trixie could no longer see anything, her eyes having been dazzled by her own brilliance. As she regained the use of her eyes, Trixie saw that the ghost was still standing right where it had been, only now it was laughing, a laugh that did not reach the voids where its eyes would have been. Trixie suddenly felt very afraid.
“Ha. Pitiful witch, to think that you could banish me, using one of my own spells. Me, the great lord Ixion, prelate of lightning, wielder of the powers of the void. Do not think that your petty magic, already drained of its weak power can harm me. Now ‘weak and feeble Trixie’ taste the frost of unbridled winter breath.”
The ghost of Ixion lit his own horn, the glow almost indistinguishable from the light of his own body. Trixie tried to turn and flee, but her hooves were stuck to the ground, due to a spell the ghost had cast or simply her own terror, she knew not.
“Farewell young magus. Your life force shall serve me for eternity.”
With that the ghost released its spell, and Trixie watched as a wave of ice and frost blasted out of its horn. Trixie closed her eyes, not wanting to see the end coming, as she felt the bitter chill of the ice surround her body, trapping her within its cold clutches.
The ghost watched as the upstart blue unicorn was caught and covered in his conjured ice. Nothing could survive in there for more than a few seconds. Soon her meagre soul and magic would be used to fuel his own body, and once more he would live again. None of the other sorcerers of his time had had the foresight or raw talents to practice necromancy, not even his former friend and eternal rival Star-Swirl. Before long, the world would once again tremble at the name of Ixion.
The ghost turned back up the stairs, moving himself into position to receive the incoming soul of the unicorn. Draining her magic had been tasty, but hardly filling. The mare had fire in her, but also a bitter coldness to her heart. Her soul would make a far better meal.
From behind the ghost there came a loud CRACK, and the block of ice encasing Trixie first cracked, fracture lines appearing all over the surface then shattered revealing the mare inside. Ixion watched in mixed horror and fascination as for a brief moment Trixies body turned a translucent pale blue, flecks and sparkles of light could be seen refracting from within. Trixie’s mane resembled an icicle, sharp and angular, even her eyes, normally a light purple, had turned an icy blue. The show only lasted for a moment before Trixies body and mane abruptly turned back to normal, fur and hair returning to cover her. Emotion returned to her eyes, and the only thing they conveyed was pure fury, directed exclusively at the form of Ixion.
“Impossible. Nopony has ever survived such a blast before. Who are you?”
Trixie snorted. “I am the Great and Powerful Trixie Lulamoon, and I serve nopony.”
At the mention of her name, Ixion glanced over at the inscribed tablet, his empty eyes falling on the second line.
‘The Moon – Scion of Ice. Frigid as the endless void’
He turned back to Trixie, fear and wonder entering his voice. “It’s you. You are the Scion of Ice...”