//------------------------------// // Chapter 4: A Legend's Secrets and a Journey's Beginning // Story: It Was All Destiny // by Turtleboy76 //------------------------------// Spike awoke early in the morning and thought it would be best to use the time before Rarity was awake to look for some answers to his problem. Spike quietly left Rarity alone in their room and exited the Boutique, he then made his way to the Library to see Twilight as she might know something or somepony that could help in this situation. While walking to the Library, Spike began to think back on the events which had lead him to this need.... The previous year had been the best of his life. Being able to spend so much time with his treasured white unicorn. It was a beautiful summer evening. The dusk had engulfed Ponyville with an azure and violet glow. A few lampposts started to light up the streets and there were couples present on the streets, among these couples were a young dragon and white unicorn who after spending a splendid sunny day together were now embracing the beauty and wonder of this joyous evening. The couple were walking silently back to the Boutique after having a date in town. Rarity was leaning against Spike while he had his arm over her. The two had decided to go to a nearby park which had a big pond in the middle with a bridge over it. The moon's white light was reflected over the pond, radiating the water. Rarity looked down on the moon's reflection, Spike commented that it looked nice, but nothing compared to Rarity, causing the young unicorn to go a shade of pink. Yes it was a beautiful night. As they looked down into the water, a leaf landed atop the water and caused ripples which altered the reflection of Rarity, but not Spike's. Spike looked at Rarity while her gaze was still admiring the moon's reflection. He still couldn't help but be mesmerized by the unicorn's beauty. But as he starred at her, his eyes started envisioning the ripple that happened earlier, almost showing her to have....wrinkles? Spike rubbed his eyes removing such a vision. Rarity turned to Spike; "Yes my darling what are you starring at?" "Oh just you my beautiful love." "Oh now Spike, flattery will get you nowhere." As she looked at him, her eyes seemed to focus on a point behind him. "Beauty will not last forever my dear." The concern disappeared from her eyes, but Spike was pained to see Rarity's eyes show such an emotion. "Oh Rarity, you will always be beautiful in my eyes and even if a time comes when others do not see it, I will still have a thousand other things to flatter you with that they can see." "Oh Spikey-Wikey." She kissed him on the check and snuggled him as they started to walk home. Silently enjoying the night, Spike's mind started to wonder remembering that strange image of Rarity from earlier. "What was that about? Oh well I'll love Rarity no matter what happens. We will grow old toge-" Spike's eyes widened and he stopped dead on his feet. Rarity questioned why he had stopped so suddenly, he said it was nothing and just continued to walk. "Can we be old together? How long do unicorn's live for? Wait why am I just realizing this, I'm want to be there for her forever.....but can we have a forever? The two arrived back at the Boutique, "Well darling I'm going to take a shower before going to bed." "OK Rarity, I think I might stay up for a bit." "Alright, but don't stay up to long now." Rarity kissed Spike on the cheek and walked up the stairs, looking back at spike with a smile. Spike sat down as he began to realize that his perfect life might just be a mere fragment of his life." "I want to be with her always.......but I'm a dragon, we are ancient beings......we live for millenniums" Spike looked at a picture of himself and Rarity on the wall "And she'll just fade away like it never matter and I will live on alone....." A tear fell from Spike's eye. As he turned towards a clock ticking, ticking away second by second as it was slowly forgotten into history. Click Click Click KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK A surprisingly awaken Twilight came and opened the door; "Spike? Wow, what brings you hear this early?" "Well Twi......" He just stood there wondering exactly how to explain things. "I was just wondering If I could look for a book or two?" "This early in the morning?" "Umm....yeah?" Twilight stood there with a doubting Spike, but just decided to let it be for now. "OK, do you need any help looking for something?" "Uh no thanks Twi, I'll let you know if anything pops up though. A few hours passed and Spike was beginning to get angry and flustered, turning up no leads in the books. Twilight beginning to get worried approached Spike to question what was wrong. Spike looked up at Twilight looking as though he was about to cry. "Spike what's wrong? Are you OK? Spike tilted his head down and sat there silently for a few moments before letting out a big sigh and talking to Twilight. "Twi, I really need your help with something....something big." Twilight's expression turned serious, she could tell that something big was up with Spike; "OK Spike, come in and explain everything to me." Spike spoke to Twilight about his worries; about how he will outlive Rarity and the others, trying to hold back some tears as he did so. Twilight was first at a loss for words as she didn't expect Spike was so upset about this predicament. But she knew Spike was serious and would do anything to solve the problem. "So Spike, you want some way to extend Rarity's lifespan?" "Well I would want to possibly share my life force since it will be near immortal, that way we can always be together." Twilight was moved a little by his statement, but as nice as that sounded Twilight gave Spike a stern look, and questioned him so that without a shadow of a doubt, he was dead serious about trying to do something so life changing. "Spike I can't say that I completely agree with the ethics or morals of this idea, even if it is somewhat noble. Are you absolutely sure about this? I don't want you to regret this later." Spike agreed and he knew it was crazy, but he was just that serious about being with Rarity he was willing to do anything for her. "Twilight do you know if there is a spell or artifact of any sort that has the power to do that?" "Hmmmm, well that would need to be quite the sorcerer or artifact to pull of something magic which could greatly affect somepony like that." Twilight was in deep thought, thinking if she had ever read anything like that before. Twilight focused her energy and began to levitate all the books in the Library to swirl around here like a tornado, trying to find one to jog her memory. "No...No...No...No...No...NO!" Twilight said coming up with nothing as she searched her books. "So nothing then?" Spike said in a pessimistic tone. "Oh come on Twilight Sparkle, you have read every book in the Library and all the ones you've ever bought, there was to be somethi-" Twilights eyes lit up as she realized something. "I haven't read every book." "Huh? What was that Twi?" "I remember now there is one book I never read because Princess Celestia said it contained forgotten, more powerful ancient magic and she didn't want me getting any ideas when I was younger and inexperienced." "Really, even I don't remember you mentioning that one" "Well you were probably still young, I got it from a second-hand book shop, it looked really old and had a big hard back cover, so I thought It might be interesting to see magic from the past. But as soon as I showed Princess Celestia she said I couldn't read it until I was far older and experienced. It pained me to not read a book that I just bought, but i had to trust in the Princess' words. So I hid it away and well with all the other books I read, I guess I just forgot about it." "Wait really? OK so where is it?" "Well, It is back at my home in Canterlot." "Ah man, Canterlot is a train ride away" "Oh not necessarily Spike, do you forget who you are talking to? I can do some pretty handy magic spells now." Twilight put her hoof on Spike's Shoulder and with a purple pulsating light, the two were in seconds standing outside Twilight's old house. "WOW, what a handy spell Twi." "Well I do my best." Twilight said very modestly "So will it be hard to find, where is it?" "In the basement and well, It definitely had a unique appearance at the moment that's for sure." "Appearance? Isn't it just a book?" "Well yes, but you see I used a spell that would protect it from myself until a certain time to stop any curiosity I had." "Huh?" Spike said very confused. "I'll just show you Spike." The two headed downstairs into the basement. It was dusty and there were boxes of old books everywhere, but a few some were illuminated by the light coming down stairs. "Twi, don't you have any lights down here?" "Hold on a second Spike." Twilight’s horn then started to illuminate the room in a blue glow. "A little dark of a colour to use for a light isn't it Twi?" "Oh it’s not what you think Spike." She then pointed her hoof towards a wall which now had a glowing X that was revealed from Twilight's magic. "Whoa, what is that?" "Spike, go to the wall and remove the brick that has the X on it, the book is hidden behind there. Spike approached the wall and removed the loose brick from the wall, he reached in and grabbed the book and although he couldn't see it properly it felt a little strange. The two returned upstairs and Spike saw exactly what was so strange about the book. "Hey Twi......any reason why this book is covered in chains?" "Well, that was the spell I put on it to stop me from seeing it, they have an age spell attached to it which can only be removed from me after I'm a certain age, which if memory serves me right, I should be able to remove it now." Twilight's horn began glowing again as she concentrated her magic on the chains. The chains began rattling and after a few seconds, they eventually degraded down and disappeared into dust. "Phew, good they came off. Now let me see what Princess Celestia was so worried about in this book." Twilight opened the old tome title: The History of Ancient Magic and Sorcery in Equestria As the two looked through the book they were surprised at some of the spells they saw some truly horrifying spells, ones which had long since been outlawed across Equestria. There were spells that covered all fields of dark magic; necromacy, mind control, extreme weather manipulation to name a few. These spells would have made the old Discord go on a field day if he weren't reformed now. Twilight was downright horrified by some of the stuff she was reading, she was hesitating turning to a new page with her horn, it just seemed to get more devastating as the book progressed. "Wow some of the magic in here could really wreck some havoc in the wrong hands, no wonder Princess Celestia didn't want me to read stuff like this, something like this might corrupt a pony if they weren't mature enough to understand the consequences. No wonder it is all forbidden today." "So Twi, do you think there is something in here that might help me?" "Well, there is probably something in here tha-" Twilight stopped mid-sentence as she found a page title: Life Alteration Magic. "Well....here we go I guess, lets hope nothing to scary will be written down here." "Hmm this is odd, nothing on information about a spell, it's just a paragraph about an old legend." "What legend Twi?" "One I have never heard of before, it’s called the Mountain of the Three Enlightened Ones" Long ago lived the three enlightened ones. The three all lived together on a mountain which had a strong blizzard present all year round. The three studied everything they could about magic, day in, day out. The three are said to have found secrets to life magic and many others. If anyone is brave enough to go to their mountain they may be rewarded, but to what cost, no one has ever been able to find out. "Wow, do you think it's possible? Could there be three immortal wizards on a mountain somewhere?" Spike said as his eyes grew wider with anticipation. "Well it is definitely quite the legend that's for sure" Twilight then looked at the next page of the book and noticed it was blank. "Hmmm, now why would this page be blank, was it meant to have information about life magic on it? Wait, how old is this book I wonder and who wrote it I wonder?" Twilight looked at the cover of the book and saw the author's initials: S.S. Twilight stared at the initials until it clicked; "STAR SWIRL! This has to be his, it must have been his and he was probably trying to fill every page. He was lost and no one ever found him, but maybe somepony did and took this book and it has been floating around since." "Does that mean he was going to the mountain? If he did I guess he never made it then...." "I guessing this means there might be something at the mountain if Star Swirl possibly went there, but maybe it wasn't him.....maybe it is just a prank, AHHHHH I DON'T KNOW." Twilight screamed as she was trying to process all these new possibilities in her head. Twilight and Spike sat down and thought things over. Spike made some breakfast as he figured they could think better on a full stomach. After breakfast Twilight picked up and atlas and flipped through many pages until she found what she was after. "AH HAH, I think I found the mountain that the legend was meaning; Mountain Evermare, in one of the coldest places in all of Equestria." "Really, so how far away is it?" "Well...Even if you were to fly there Spike It would take....." Twilight scrunched her face as she didn’t want to reveal the answer. "Tell me Twi!" "It will take at least a year Spike...." "A year? A year away from everypony! A year from Rarity!" Spike dropped his head in sadness, he didn’t want to consider that time away from Rarity." The two sat there in silence, millions of thoughts running through their brains, processing what if scenarios and multiple outcomes. Spike stood up slowly and started staring at Twilight, he had made his decision. "Twi, I'll do it, even if it kills me, if there is a chance I have to find it." Twilight knew there was no point in arguing, this was just something that Spike had to do. She walked up and hugged him, not wanting to let go. "You know, I always saw you as my little brother and although this seems dangerous I know that you have to do it." She stopped her hug and looked at Spike, "so when do you think you will leave for Evermare?" "I was thinking in two days maybe, give me some time to try and explain it to the other mares and tell Rarity I'll be going to do something that can keep us together no matter what." "How do you think she is going to take it?" "It's not going to be easy that’s for sure." "Well if you need anything from me Spike, do ask, you want to be well prepared for this journey." "I will Twilight." The two hugged each other one final time before Spike left the Library to go inform everypony on what was happening. Spike made his way back to the Boutique around lunch time to find a worried Rarity pacing around the shop. "SPIKE! There you are, I was worried when I couldn’t find you when I woke up, you normally tell me when you are going out." Rarity said with her eyes tearing up. "I’m sorry Rarity, I really am. I just had some business I had to do with Twilight this morning." Rarity rushed over and hugged Spike, "OK but please tell me in the future, you make me worry too much sometimes, you know that?" Spike hugged her back before pushing her back slightly and putting his hands on her shoulders. "Rarity, sit down, there is something I need to talk about." Rarity looked surprised but just did as he said and sat down with him. The Dragon took a deep breath and exhaled, calming his nerves before talking, "Rarity you know that you mean everything in the world to me, and I want you to be happy forever. But, I'm sure you must have realized with us being together, me being a dragon...." "Now darling, you know that doesn't matter if we both aren't ponies, I love you, you know that." "But the problem with me being a dragon is my lifespan; it’s near immortal, whereas a unicorn's isn't." The realization hit Rarity and she started crying heavily "Sp....Spike....no....I do-" "Rarity, this is why we need to talk, there might be something out there in the world that can make me and your the life span the same so we can live longer together.” “But why Spike?” “Because never in an eternity could I meet somepony like you." Rarity lost all sense of her emotions and cried for the longest time with Spike putting his arm over her, comforting her. "You wouldn’t want to give away something so indescribable precious just to be with me, you....you can't do that it's not right, surely I'm worth that Spike, you deser-" Rarity was cut off with a deep kiss from Spike, which calmed her down. Spike then removed his lips from Rarity's. "Rarity, I know we are both young, but dying after you, thousands upon thousands of years before you is not worth it, I won’t us to be together always, no matter what." "But Spikey-Wikey this all sounds so unnatural, I wont lie and say that I'm not happy that you would do something that extreme for me, but it is extreme and there is no denying it. So Spike, don't do something so silly just for somepony like me." Spike stood up in anger; "NO RARITY! You need to stop saying stuff like that, I know you are the element of generosity, BUT COME ON! You need to just accepts things instead of pushing away things that offered. Also if it is coming from somepony you love, it should be considered as more of an affection of their love towards you." Rarity was speechless, but still had a flow of tears flowing from her eyes. "Oh.....Im sorry Rarity, I didn't mean to yell at you I only jus-" Rarity quickly hugged Spike causing him to be in a state of confusion. "Uhhh...Rarity?" "Spike, you really do surprise me sometimes, I know that you really love me and I can't thank you enough for it." "I just want us to be together always." The two embraced each other, calming themselves after the argument. Rarity still sniffing from the tears started to talk again, "Spike, if this turns out to be real, you must also include Twilight and the rest of the girls, they are our friends and Twilight is practically your older sister." Spike face grew somber at being reminded of his friends. They had slipped his mind with Rarity occupying all of his thoughts. "So you found something to do this, a spell?" "Well I can’t be completely certain, but there might be some answers at Mt. Evermare." "Evermare, Spike do you know how far away that is?" "Yeah, it will take around a year to travel there." Rarity trying to hold back more tears, managed to form a sentence. "But, a whole year! That's too long to be away from you!" "I know I don’t want to be away from you either, especially a whole year. But I have to do this for us." The two lovers stared at each other for the longest time, realizing the extremities of the situation at hand. Rarity was the first to speak "So when are you going?" "In a few days.......you will wait for me right Rarity?" "Of course darling even if it were ten years." "Then I'll give you something to look forward to when i come back, but you get part one now." "Ummmm what do you mean darling?" Spike stood up and then got on one knee and pulled out a ring with a big diamond on it, Rarity's eyes widen as she was realizing what the dragon was doing. "Rarity I love you more than anything else in the universe as soon as I'm back from this journey I would like to take your hoof in marriage and make you my wife. Rarity will you marry me?" "Rarity starting breathing irregularly as she was in a state of shock over the proposal' "Oh *huff* Spike *huff* I......" Rarity calmed down and let her breathing return to normal. She stared at Spike and he started to worry that she was about to reject the offer, just when he thought the worse she gave him one of the biggest smiles her face had ever produced and yelled so loudly that most of Ponyville could have hear; "YES SPIKE YES, OF COURSE I'LL MARRY YOU!" she then lunged at him, wrapping her hooves around his head and giving him one of the biggest kisses ever. After what seemed like eternity, the two broke free of each other's lips and then smiled happily at each other. "So darling shall we go and tell everypony, the good news?" "Well I didn’t want to tell the other mares that I was leaving, maybe we should just keep it under wraps for now. Don’t get me wrong Rarity it is definitely not like I don’t want people to know, I just want this to be a surprise for when I return." Rarity definitely looked sad, but agreed that the rest of the mares did not need to know what was happening, especially if it was Spike’s decision. “Well darling…I hope that you find what you are after, and you better return, you can’t leave your fiancé alone now can you?” “I wouldn’t dream of it!” The two sat together in the Boutique, falling asleep on a couch together. Just sampling embracing each other’s bodies, because it may be one of the last times this could ever happen. A few days later The sun was rising over Ponyville. Twilight and Rarity were present to see Spike off before he left on his journey. “Spike, you must be safe out there; Mt Evermare is in a remote part of the world, so who knows what could happen out there!” “Trust me Twi, I know to expect anything.” “Just be careful, everypony would be sad if you were to disappear.” “I know Twi, and if anyone asks, just tell them that I had to do something that dragons have to do when they are this age, I don’t want anyone else to worry.” “Ok, you got it.” Twilight and Spike looked at each other with frowns starting to overtake their faces. “I’m going to miss you, just come back to us.” Twilight and Spike shared a hug to ease the tension. Spike then drew his attention to his love Rarity who looked like she had been on the verge of tears for a while now.” “Rarity….” “Spike, It pains me to see you go, but I know you wont rest until you do this. You must promise me though that no matter what, you WILL return to me!” “Rarity, I am going to do all within my power to make you the happiest mare in all of Equestria.” “Oh Spikey-Wikey, why do you have to go…especially after what you said to me.” “Rarity, don’t worry, I'll put you in that white dress as soon as I return.” Twilight curious questioned about the ‘white dress. “Oh darling it’s a surprise, you'll just have to wait and see.” Rarity said with some joy in her voice. But that joy didn’t last long in the present circumstances. Rarity and Spike stared at each and then moved closer to each other before both saying something simultaneously. “I love you.” The two young lovers than embraced in a final kiss and long hug before Spike left. Twilight and Rarity watched on as Spike started to hover and wave at them. He then started flying away towards Evermare. Leaving Ponyville behind him, he had one task to do now; he would find a way to be with Rarity forever. No matter what. DAYS WEEKS MONTHS Time just keeping flowing as Spike continued to fly towards his destination. Eleven months had passed. The scenery had grown cold, and there was endless white as far as anypony could see. Spike was growing weak in this weather, most dragons and reptiles alike cannot handle cold environments and Spike was no exception. Spike looked at a map he had, he knew he was getting close, but he was definitely growing tired and slower as he got closer to the mountain. A couple of days later. Spike had gotten to the base of Evermare, but the blizzard was too intense for the dragon, flying was out of the question. Spike started to climb the mountain but it was proving to be more challenging than he could have imagined. "Come on Spike *huff* you can do this *huff* just...keep...climbing" As Spike reached for another rock to grab onto, his footing gave way. Plummeting down the mountainside, Spike was disoriented, he was dizzy and close to passing out. He opened his eyes and saw what looked to be a white unicorn, gently calling out to him. ....."Spike" He reached out for the image of the unicorn, and as he went to touched it, it disappeared, all a hallucination bought on the fall. Spike fall over, lying lifeless on the ground as he was quickly being covered in snow. As his eyes were closing for what might be the last time he mustered a small sentence from his mouth; "I’m sorry, Rarity" Just before his eyes closed he saw what looked to be a silhouette approaching him, but before he could question it, the young dragon had lost consciousness in the frozen tundra that was Evermare. Spike was in darkness as Rarity stood in front of him. She smiled and said "Come on Spike" and started running away from him. Spike couldn’t move his legs, or wings, he reached out his hand to try and grab Rarity who was becoming smaller and smaller the further she ran. "NO! NO!" "RARITY!" Spike gasped for breath as he woke up in an unknown place. He looked around and had no idea what had happened. Just as he was trying to grasp where he was, a voice appeared behind him. "Finally awake now young dragon?"