//------------------------------// // Prologue // Story: A Lasting Legacy // by TCSNxs //------------------------------// A Lasting Legacy By: TCSNxs Prologue Star Swirl watched the scenes unfold like a horror story. His golden eyes, though advanced in age, studied the images in his crystal ball with all the attentiveness of a foal coloring an picture. He originally had split his attention between a tome he labored to finish and the pictures from the scrying device, the latter of which was winning. The bells on his trademark cape and hat jingled as he absently stroked the white beard that had become part of his namesake. Though it was the same color as his mane and tail, the beard was his most distinctive feature. His gray fur had somehow retained its luster through the years. In the dark room he kept within the Castle of the Pony Sisters, located deep within the depths of the Everfree Forest; the Royal Archmage slowly shook his head, both at the scene that continued to play out and his own hubris. He turned away from the flickering images of his crystal ball and looked about the expansive room that was his domicile. Upon the many shelves that lined the walls, various nicknacks and treasures from his adventures mixed in with items he'd created. Some were for service to his beloved homeland; still others were just for fun. On the few tables that randomly dotted the room, beakers containing various colored liquids (some of which smoked incessantly) sat with barely a thought given to organization. In the middle of the broad room, the outline of a circle was permanently chiseled into the floor with various crushed gemstones place permanently as an outline and many sigils and symbols were drawn all about the diameter. He was particularly proud of it as he used for everything from summoning to binding. Off in a corner, a large four post bed served as his only real creature comfort. He had dedicated his life to his calling; magic in all its forms was his love and his life. As a master of every conceivable school of magic and nearly every spell there in, he was formidable in the extreme. Luna and Celestia both remarked once that he could give either of them a run for their bits in a straight magical contest. It was a compliment he had taken in stride and was a source of some of some egotistical satisfaction. There was a noticeably vacant space between the multitude of tomes he penned, one that drew the eyes of the powerful mage. The naked space above the fireplace had wrecked him on many levels. The item that once occupied it was intended to be his greatest triumph. Of course, that was before it facilitated his most spectacular failure. The creation of the item occupied the better part of his life for a decade. After many long nights and a few mishaps (always inherent when experimenting with arcane forces), he believed he had it item's construction and operation perfected. However, it needed a more power than he could have given himself. After months of painstaking research, the Royal Archmage had finally figured out the means to give the item that power. It was a foolhardy idea, but if there was a chance to cement his legacy, it was worth the risk. "If one does not dare, one does not accomplish," as he penned in many of his tomes to his students. That's when the incident happened. All things equal, he believed everything was accounted for. But one variable he felt he could control, despite all warnings to the contrary, proved beyond his grasp. That overreach proved a costly mistake. Once he came to after that incident, he had quickly surmised what happened and, more importantly, how it happened. Star Swirl, to his credit, acted immediately upon the realization. He told the Royal Sisters as much the story as his memory would allow. The Archmage even gave them the volumes of notes he kept throughout the entirety of the process. Though it might damn him, given the sheer power both his creation and the being that took it possessed, the prudent thing was to inform those who were best equipped to deal with it. If anypony could. "You knew it was foolish!" Luna had yelled at the mage. He remembered those words echoing in his mind for a long time, "Why did you do it?" Why did he do it? He wasn't entirely sure when he had a chance to think about it. Perhaps it was equal parts devotion to his patrons and defining a legacy worthy of remembrance. Perhaps it was the challenge of controlling the entity? The normally gabby mage was left speechless, only managing an acknowledging nod. Perhaps his greatest heartbreak was the disappointed look Celestia gave him after Luna finished her tirade. The Solar Regent didn't need to say a thing. The look, from the most tranquil pony to ever grace his existence, went straight to his core. Star Swirl had offered his resignation and stood ready to accept any punishment they saw fit. He figured that, if any apprentice of his committed the same error, a scolding and disapproving stare would be the least of their problems. He wouldn't blame them one bit if they banished him to the celestial. But the eternal sisters ultimately forgave him of the transgression and begged his help to correct it. To right the situation, they needed to know where the item and the possessing entity were. It was a mission he zealously accepted. For their part, the Royal Sisters had worked through a myriad of plans for deploying their meager military resources and the strategies for, as they saw it, the inevitable battle. But with the ever expanding boundaries and the state of logistics, moving entire units of troops would take months. More than that, until Star Swirl gave them an answer, they weren't entirely sure where to focus their efforts and certainly wouldn't have the time for a concentration of force. Regardless of those circumstances, they had to make due. The sisters had also set their nascent Intelligence Ministry to watch for signs of anything unusual, no matter how small the occurrence seemed. All of it was conducted under the strictest secrecy, being chalked up to "battle drills and war games" as their small military and operatives spread throughout their young country of Equestria. For his part, Star Swirl had worked himself ragged trying to locate either the object or the entity that took it. The effort worked him beyond his limits, but he needed to make it right. He didn't eat. He'd barely slept. Working hour after hour with barely a break started to take a toll on the once vibrant mage. He worked all the Divination spells he knew (and created a few new ones besides, much to his chagrin) but to no avail. The effort seemed more futile as the weeks passed but he would not relent. The sisters even went so far as to order him to take a respite. For once in his life, he summarily disobeyed them. When his magical reserves had expired, Star Swirl called upon other forces to help him. All sorts of devices he called "Mana Batteries", created for just such contingencies, were put to use. They were never meant to fuel more than a few spells. But he called upon them for dozens, if not hundreds of spells. Those external reserves were created in part by taking some of that magical energy from his own internal reservoirs. The connections necessary to feed his internal will the power needed for his arcane manifestations had one unforeseen effect. They drained the casting pony's life if used too much. It was a minor oversight as far as Star Swirl was concerned. Finally, after the long weeks of fruitless expenditures, he got a hit. On the far eastern edge of the empire, in an area called Dream Valley, he had finally felt that familiar vibration he was looking for. After casting a second spell to confirm his inclination, he told Royal Sisters where to find the item and, likely, the entity. After getting a heartfelt thanks from his patrons and dearest friends, Star Swirl collapsed before them with a sickening thud. The effort taxed him greatly. The use of the Mana Batteries greatly reduced his remaining years greatly. But given his failure that had started the whole mess, he knew the expenditure would be worth it to protect those that looked up to him. Star Swirl had asked with the sisters to let him accompany them on the journey east. But his reserves were tapped beyond complete regeneration and his strength was practically gone. Though neither Luna or Celestia said it, he would have been a liability. Given his age and the sheer strain the work put on him, Star Swirl couldn't logically fault them. He turned away from the mantle to the flickering images in the crystal ball. The resident earth ponies of Dream Valley were marching up the mountainside to do battle with the entity and, though they didn't know it, reclaim the one thing that would define his legacy. Among their numbers and and leading the march was a fiery orange pony named Applejack. Though the sisters spoke highly of her, he never had the chance to meet her personally. Just one more regret. As the contingent continued ever upward, a host of monsters tried to block the way. Due to no small part of the mare, most the monsters took flight for the first time ever off the side of the trail. He knew the entire point of the battle up the mountain was simply a diversionary act. Though the plan had its risks, the overall idea was sound. After all, most of the plan, as he worked out with the sisters and Applejack via a communication device of his invention, was his idea and the Royal Sisters would need just one shot. He also knew Celestia and Luna would cover up his disgrace. They were always good for that. He had tried to console himself with that knowledge, and the fact that his labors over the long weeks perhaps prevented more death than had he failed to act as he did. The effort had cost him though. Star Swirl the Bearded had accomplished much in his life. He was the Royal Archmage and Advisor to the Solar and Lunar Regents. He was a hero in the realms of Equestria. He had created of many spells and was a teacher to many mages, including the promising Midnight Sparkle, descendant of the famous Clover the Clever. For all of that, Star Swirl the Bearded knew he was also dying. The old mage was sure it wouldn't be long now. As the scene unfolded, Star Swirl snapped closed the final tome he was scribing. On the page he finished, he made a single note in the margins as a testament to the foolhardy nature of going too far. He underlined parts of it to add emphasis to his warning. Perhaps future generations would understand what he failed to fully comprehend before it was too late. Never, under any circumstance, make a deal with a daemon.