Rarity wandered through the Imperial Gardens outside of the palace, admiring the extremely detailed statues of ancient famous personalities of the Empire. It also had several water gardens and many beautifully shaped bushes and trees in a maze of mesmerizing green wonders. She walked past sculptures of warriors, summoners, monks and courtiers from different clans, until reaching a specific statue. She gazed up at the statue of her ancestor, Shiny Jewel, the original founder of the Jewel Clan, before clearing her throat loudly to check if her companion was waiting for her.
“How did it go, Lady Rarity?” asked an inquisitive voice behind the statue.
“Not quite as expected, darling,” she answered with a smirk, “but that makes it better for us.”
“Is that so?”
Hoity Toity appeared from behind the statue, and both started walking together. Hoity was one of the finest courtiers the Jewel Clan had, and was Rarity’s second in command in the clan.
“As I expected, Applejack was as stubborn as usual,” Rarity said, rolling her eyes. “That’s fine for me. Now we can fashion our offer of support to look like she’ll owe us a favor.”
“A most brilliant perspective. You are indeed worthy of your position as the Jewel Clan leader.”
Rarity chuckled. “Generosity calls for generosity, darling. We have a web of contacts among the Empire with ponies that can grant us anything we need or our allies ask for. That way, we can keep our flanks covered against everything.”
“Nopony would dare to refuse our help having so many favors granted,” he pointed out, nodding in approval.
“Certainly, Hoity, dear,“ she said, smiling sardonically. ”Knowing what we can grant anything to anypony, they’ll swallow their pride in order to avoid losing our favor.”
“I’ll go personally to send the Gemmed Gallants to the Wall. My regards, Lady Rarity,” he said, bowing before trotting away, leaving Rarity to enjoy her stay in the gardens.
Rarity sat alone on a bench next to Shiny Jewel’s statue. The gardens were devoid of ponies, the only audible sound being the wind blowing through the tree branches.
“So few ponies that pose a political threat,” she said, talking to herself and rubbing her hooves. “With such a flawless government, I’ll be able to climb up in the social hierarchy and end up becoming the Imperial Chancellor!” She giggled and clapped in excitement. “Soon, the fruits of my labor will be mine for the taking.”
-o-
Pinkie walked towards the huge temple dedicated to her clan. A gate welcomed the pony, two red posts tied together by a rope with several colorful decorations on it them. She went through it, walked up the stone stairs and stepped onto a road of polished wood.
Pinkie arrived at a small fountain off the path and put her front hooves into the water, washing them and having a sip before moving on.
She giggled as she walked across the balloon-shaped lanterns, each one of a different color. As she kept walking, she glanced left and saw the building they used for parties and celebrations among the clan members. The columns of the wall-less building resembled thick streamers, and the roof was light blue. On Pinkie’s right, in front of the previous building, stood the shrine’s administrative office, where BonBon, the Party Clan’s courtier and main spokesmare, spent most of her time.
Finally, she got to the main shrine, flanked by two alligator statues climbing down the columns, glaring menacingly at the newcomers. When Pinkie started hearing some cries and the sound of breaking wood, she snorted.
“I can’t believe she’s still doing that,” she giggled.
She trotted through the short hall through more streamer-shaped columns to meet her trusted student.
Lyra was standing on her hind legs in front of a stone block with her eyes closed, motionless and surrounded by broken planks. Pinkie covered her mouth with her hoof to avoid making any noise. In a flash, the unicorn opened her eyes, let out a short cry and smashed the block, breaking it in half. A young spotted stallion, apparently a younger apprentice, applauded and jumped. They both turned to meet the clan leader and bowed, Lyra still standing on her hind legs.
“Wow! That was awesome!” Pinkie applauded. “You have to do that in our next party!”
“Heh, thanks, Pinkie Pie,” Lyra blushed a little, scratching the back of her head with her hoof. “How was the meeting?” She summoned a basic spell to pile all the wooden planks on a corner, next to the shrine’s fireplace.
“Oh, too much chit-chat. Oh, I need you to call some bladedancers and send them to the Diamond Bulwark. Applejack said she didn’t want us to help, but I’m sending them anyway.”
Lyra lifted an eyebrow. ”Pinkie, does this has something to do with what dream you had this morning?”
“Yes indeedy, Lyra. I know something’s going to happen. My guts keep telling me.”
“You told me something about it.” Lyra rolled her eyes trying to remember the exact words. “It was… ‘New blood will empower an old enemy’ or something like that.”
Pinkie nodded, her eyes looking at the horizon. “I don’t know what that means yet, but one thing is for sure. If Discord’s the ‘old enemy’, any attempt to weaken him is important.”
“What about the ‘new blood’ part?”
“I’ll think about that here. For now, go get the bladedancers and send them to the wall.”
“Yes, Pinkie,” Lyra said, bowing to the Party Clan leader. She trotted towards the exit to the barracks.
Pipsqueak watched the unicorn left, leaving him sharing the shrine with Pinkie Pie. The years had passed incredibly well for him; he had become a strong and healthy pony, but he still lived in his fantasies about being a legendary hero. Under Lyra’s tutelage, he had become a decent warrior monk at the service of the Party Clan. Pipsqueak approached Pinkie Pie slowly, opening his mouth with a lowered head, but words wouldn’t come out.
“Hi there, Pipsqueak!” she said, looking at the young stallion with a broad smile. “What can I do for you?”
“Uh, uhm… Mistress Pinkie uhm… Lady Pie… Uh…,” he said, trying to search for the adequate way to refer to the clan leader.
She giggled after hearing him. “Just call me Pinkie, or Pinkie Pie,” she said while raising a hoof. “We’re all monks here. I am the clan leader, but I’m also a monk like you. Mistress or Lady is just too formal, and I don’t like formalities too much. A little respect for your superiors is enough.”
“Ok, Pinkie. So, I was thinking… I am not to judge your wisdom but…” Pinkie’s smile comforted Pipsqueak, allowing him to formulate his statement. “Do you really know the answer to the prophecy?”
She shook her head without losing the smile.
“And how do you know if sending help is the best thing to do?”
“I don’t, silly,” she giggled.
“Huh? Then why do—?
“I follow my guts, brother Pipsqueak. Come with me.” She got up and walked through the shrine, the young stallion following closely. “Do you know about Fate and Karma?”
He nodded. “We all have a predestined place and duty in this world.”
“Righto,” she said, nodding in approval. “Now, have you studied our sacred scrolls about the Path of Laughter?”
“Well, I haven’t read a lot of it, but I didn’t understand much.” He lowered her head, fearing she’d scold him. “It looks so complicated.”
Pinkie giggled. “Of course it’s complicated, silly. But there are secrets to reach the wisdom of the Path easily.”
Pipsqueak had sparkles of hope in his eyes after hearing Pinkie’s words. “Would you please share those secrets with me, Pinkie Pie?” she said, trying not to sound too excited.
She stopped walking and looked at the ceiling, humming with a hoof on her chin.
“I promise I won’t tell anypony!” he begged, bowing so profoundly that his forehead touched the floor.
Pinkie remained silent for a moment before caressing his head with a smile.
“Okey dokey lokey, Pipsqueak! I’ll tell you, on one condition.”
“Yes, Pinkie! No matter what is it, I’ll do it!” He hopped joyfully around Pinkie.
“I’ll tell you if you promise to share it with everypony!”
“As you… huh?” He stood motionless, surprised because of what Pinkie said. “What do you mean, Pinkie?”
“Happiness is not only for us members of the Party Clan. The wisdom must be shared.” She resumed her walking, Pipsqueak following her closely. “One of my ancestors said ‘If the problem can be solved, why should I worry? If the problem cannot be solved, why should I worry?’ Do you understand what it means, young monk?”
“I… I think…” He gave up after a moment, for it didn’t make sense to him. “No, Pinkie. I don’t get it.”
She giggled, patting his head with her hoof. “You may be able to know what the future awaits, but why should that limit your dreams or wishes?”
“Well, if you know—“
“Would you tear apart your best wishes and hopes just because somepony told you that they will fail?”
Pipsqueak thought about his dream of becoming a hero, with songs and scrolls telling about his feats. He shook his head with rage at the idea of giving them upt.
“Well, if you want to, do it! Even if you think Fate wasn’t written for you to do it, nopony should stop you! Do whatever you want! Your dreams are a grasp of your Fate. Embrace them!”
“I want to be a hero that everypony will remember for his bravery and determination!” Pipsqueak cried, hopping around Pinkie. “Fighting for justice, saving the ones in need, the... the... the most awesome samurai ever!”
“Then go for it!” Pinkie encouraged with a broad smile. “The ‘Path of Laughter’ focuses on the idea that we should do whatever we feel if it’ll fulfill us. Satisfaction and joy will fill our hearts forever!”
Pipsqueak jumped towards Pinkie and gave her a huge hug. When they broke the hug, the young stallion’s eyes were watery, but had a broad smile.
“Thank you, Pinkie,” he said, wiping his eyes. “I really thought there was no future for me apart from being here, taking care of the shrine.”
“In a few months you’ll have your chance, Pipsqueak. Your test for adulthood will be soon. Our clan has high hopes for you.” She winked at him. “Once you pass, you can take the life you want, without having to ask for permission to anypony. That’s adulthood for you!”
“Yay!” he cried, jumping happily. “I’ll continue training until Lyra comes back!”
Pipsqueak galloped away towards the training chamber, leaving Pinkie alone. She smiled watching the young stallion’s enthusiasm. When she felt the touch of loneliness once more, she returned to her meditation in an attempt to decipher the prophecy.
-o-
Fluttershy left the Imperial Palace and gave a sharp whistle. A moment later, a bird covered in scarlet flames flew down towards the pegasus, who lifted her hoof and let the creature alighted on her outstretched leg.
“Hello, Eugene,” she said, snuggling her pet tenderly before resuming her walk.
If there was an animal that was a symbol of the Wilderness Clan, it was Eugene. A nameless phoenix at first, owned by the clan founder, he was believed to share a life-link with his master. Every time the clan leader died, the bird died too, only to rebirth once more and to look among the Wilderness Clan members for an appropriate leader that had his first master’s qualities. He was named Eugene because it meant “the well-born”, reflecting his gift for choosing the worthiest leader.
A few months ago, Eugene went to visit Fluttershy. One of the clan elders saw this and summoned a court where she would be invested as the new Wilderness Clan leader. Some elders and clan members disagreed at first, for Fluttershy wasn’t a relevant pony at the courts and was only well known by some ponies in the whole Empire, but Eugene had chosen her, and it soon became clear as to why. The pegasus had a strong link with the earth and an animal empathy that some believe is only outmatched by Eugene’s original master. Fluttershy chose Carrot Top, a Wilderness courtier famous for her fruitful farms, to be her clan’s spokesmare.
Fluttershy finally arrived to the farm. Several dozen ponies worked in those colossal fields where most of the Empire’s sustenance came from. The workers bowed at the sight of the clan leader and pointed towards where Carrot Top would be working, to which Fluttershy thanked and followed their signs. The courtier was outside the house, a humble construction with only a few plain columns helping the walls to hold the roof, leaving a nice porch to check the harvesting without the Sun blinding them.
“Lady Fluttershy,” Carrot Top greeted, bowing at the sight of her clan leader.
“Oh, Carrot Top, please, you don’t have to…“ she started, looking at the ground, ”uhm… I wanted to… well, if you don’t mind, that is…”
The courtier rolled her eyes and sighed. It was hard to get used to having a leader who took so long to say anything because of shyness or fear when it should be the other way round. Carrot Top invited her to get inside. When both entered, the courtier closed the door and talked in a low, comforting voice, smiling.
“Lady Fluttershy, is there anything I can do for you?” she asked. “You don’t come to visit my place often.”
“Well, uhm, I wanted to… to send some falconers to the Diamond Bulwark.”
The courtier lifted an eyebrow, not knowing about what happened in the meeting. “Why should we send troops there?”
“Oh, uhm… It’s okay, it doesn’t matter.” Fluttershy stepped back, speaking even lower.
“Lady Fluttershy, please,” Carrot Top stepped forward trying to get close to the leader. “If we have to send reinforcements, we will. I just want to know what happened in the meeting.”
“Well, uhm… looks like Discord’s leading an army against us and I uhm, decided that we could…”
“What?!” Carrot Top stepped back, horrified.
“Sorry!” Fluttershy cried as she cowered on the floor, covering her head with her hooves.
“Nonono, don’t apologize! We have to send the falconers. I’ll send a messenger immediately!” she turned around and galloped towards the aviary.
“Wait!” the Wilderness leader demanded, still on the ground.
Carrot Top stopped instantly, not used to such direct commands from Fluttershy.
“Uhm… we can’t send them. Applejack… I mean, the Apple Clan leader refused to accept any help.”
“But what are we gonna do then!?” Carrot Top asked hysterically. “Are we gonna stay here until they kill us all!?”
“I… I… I don’t know.”
Fluttershy started sobbing, the pressure being too much for her. Carrot Top lowered her head, the shame for losing control eating at her insides.
“Lady Fluttershy, I’m… I’m sorry,” she apologized, lying in front of her, trying to look at her in the eyes. “I know that leading a clan is a huge burden.”
“Then why… why… “ She coughed in her sorrow, trying in vain to calm down. “Why did Eugene choose me? I don’t have… I don’t have what it takes to lead.”
“Because he probably sees something in you that makes you right for it.” Carrot Top smiled as she got up, helping Fluttershy. “Come, Lady Fluttershy.”
The pegasus wiped away her tears before following her spokesmare. Both walked across the room, ignoring the humble furniture and unfinished lunch plates on the table. Under an open window, a book rested on a small stone table.
“Lady Fluttershy, in this book we have the story of our clan,” Carrot Top declared, opening the tome with a smile. “I read it to learn how the relationships with the other clans are, and to act according to it. I’m sure you read it some time ago, but I think you should check this part again.”
Fluttershy wiped away the remaining tears and read the paragraph, her eyes traveling slowly through the written words. As the mare said, the clan’s story was there, in front of her. The original founder, Green Greens, was a wanderer who kept an unnamed phoenix as his pet. When Empress Celestia gave him and his followers the Clan status and the duty to protect the wild life and nature of the Empire, Greens worked to study and tame nature to help Celestia.
“Do you understand now, Lady Fluttershy?” Carrot Top asked tenderly with a broad smile. “Eugene doesn’t choose the future Wilderness clan leader looking for a general, a powerful summoner or a cunning courtier.” She shook her head, still smiling and giving the pegasus a tender pat on her back. “He came looking for you because you have the gift that Green Greens had. You are the closest pony resembling his original teachings. You are the chosen, and I shall be your spokesmare as you asked.”
Fluttershy nodded with a smile, her confidence regained. “So, uhm… what shall I do now, Carrot Top?” she asked.
“Well, you decide if we send the falconers or not,” the spokesmare replied patiently. “The Apple Clan leader declined your original offer, but you also have to think about your clan, the animals and wildlife in general, as the Wilderness Clan leader has always done.”
Fluttershy nodded, looking through the window. She saw the ponies working hard to grow the crops that kept the Empire fed. If the Wall fell, thousands would die. The animals would be killed and the trees and plants would be burnt to the ground. She wouldn’t tolerate that. She bit her lip trying not to cry again, but she stood firm and made her decision.
“Carrot Top”, she called with a clear voice without turning back.
“Yes, Lady Fluttershy?” she inquired politely while bowing.
“Send the falconers.”
“As you wish.” She trotted out of the house and led to the stables.
Fluttershy sighed, feeling a bit uncomfortable after being so bossy. She loved hanging around animals, but she still wasn’t able to interact fluently with her fellow ponies. Sitting on the chair, Eugene stood in front of Fluttershy, nodding in approval, which made her smile in relief.
Step by step, young Fluttershy, Carrot Top thought to herself while rushing to search for the falconers. Soon you’ll be a notable leader. But, until then, you can count on me.
-o-
Applejack reached the Diamond Bulwark, grunting and cursing. All of the Apple Clan defenders were already in position. Hundreds of eyes stared towards the Everfree Forest, as the soldiers prepared themselves the best that they could for the impending swarm of destruction. As she tried to enter her watch tower, two soldiers stopped her.
“Apple Leader, we have received reports from other provinces. It looks like we are going to receive some help from the Rainbow Clan.”
“Ah don’t care,” she roared, throwing a menacing glare at the guard. As soon as she moved away from him, the soldier rolled his eyes, as if he was expecting such a behaviour from ther. “Since the Dawn of the Empire, we’ve been the ones who’ve stood fightin’ and sacrificin’our lives for Equestria!” Every time Applejack said “we”, she smashed the ground with her hooves. “We can defend this wall without any help! We‘re the ones that endured wars unlike any other clan! And they offer help now? To hay with them!” She yelled, looking at the Empire. “We’ll charge against our enemies without them!”
“Nnnope.”
A voice came from behind Applejack, prompting both soldiers to bow. Big Macintosh stood behind Applejack. Dressed in heavy armor, Big Mac walked forward, his large trademark jade-headed mace hanging by his side. As he approached, six elite soldiers followed behind him.
“B-b-brother?” Applejack felt her strength sap away, her yelling turning into a weak stutter. “W-w-what are ya doing here? Didn’t you retire?”
“Yer being kinda rude with your brother there, young lady.” Big Macintosh said as he walked towards his sister.
“S-s-sorry, brother.” She stepped back. She knew he shouldn’t be here. For the first time, she thought this army was more serious than she had in mind. If her brother had come to fight, even after retiring, it meant that something horrible was about to happen. He was a beacon of hope for the Apple Clan, but she knew that only the most dangerous events concerning the Everfree Forest and everything that came out of it could draw his attention.
“We ain’t here to fight. We’re here to defend. You ain’t forgettin’ that, are ya, sis?”
“N-no, brother. Ah ain’t forgettin’ that.”
“Ahm not so sure about that,” Big Mac said, piercing his sister’s soul with a cold stare. “We know that Discord’s leading the army, but know nothin’ about what’s in it. And you wanna send our ponies to what could mean certain death?”
“Ah just... Ah just...” She tried to talk, but the tinge of shame in her heart after hearing his brother’s words didn’t allow her.
“As you said, it is our duty to defend the Empire. We ask for nothin’ ‘cos it’s a great honor. We must defend Equestria from foes coming from Everfree Forest. Nopony from the other clans has to help us but we’ll greet them when they join us. Now, what are they sendin’, sis?”
“W-well… Ah refused to accept any help so...” She looked at his brother with a defeated expression, but her ears perked up as she heard something in the distance. It sounded like thousands of wings beatind in the wind. She looked up to see an army of pegasi flying towards the wall. Noticing the Rainbow Clan’s war banners among them, Applejack sighed in relief.
“AJ!” Rainbow Dash shouted, flying at full speed with the rest of the batallion behind her.
“Dash,” Applejack muttered.
“AJ, my clan and I are here to fight!” she said in a bossy voice. “We’ll fight by your side even if you don’t like it!”
”You ignored mah wishes, Dash,” she said in a calm voice, her head lowered looking at the floor. She slowly raised her head with a weak smile. “Thank you.”
“Hey, look over there!” one of the scouts in Rainbow Dash’s army called. “Isn’t he the Apple Clan Hero, Big Macinstosh?”
“Eeeyup,” he said, looking at the newly arrived reinforcements. “Are you here to defend the wall with us?”
“Yes, sir!” the army cried, rising their bows.
“Oh my gosh, oh my gosh, the Jade Stallion is with us!” Rainbow Dash flapped hastily in place. “I gotta tell everypony, they’ll love hearing about it!”
“Wait, Dash!” Applejack called.
“I’ll be back in a flash, AJ!” she said as she winked at her friend. “Expect the reinforcements the others offered, and some Imperial Guards too!” She saluted and flew away at maximum speed.
Applejack smirked looking at his brother. “Well, that means we’ll get some Jewel Clan Gemmed Gallants, Party Clan Bladedancers and Wilderness Clan falconers. And apparently some Imperial Guards.”
“Good.” Big Mac nodded in approval. “What about the Lore Clan?”
“Sorry, bro...” Applejack shook her head. “Twilight was the only one who said she could spare nopony.”
“Ah understand.”He looked at the Rainbow Clan scouts and pointed at the upper section of the Wall. “Divide yerselves in squads and spread across the upper strongpoints.”
“Y-you do?” Applejack asked in surprise. “What do ya understand, bro?”
“When Ah was the Apple Leader, we fought some foes using strong and dangerous magic.” When the last scout left, he turned back to his sister. “They call it Maho or Blood Magic.”
“Blood what now?” she said, completely lost.
“You are still young and lack experience in battle and commanding against our most uncommon enemies, sis. Not everypony knows much about it anyways.” Big Macintosh stared at the Everfree Forest, watching for the incoming enemy. “We haven’t seen any of those for a long time, but Twilight Sparkle’s duty is to hunt down those Maho users.”
“So that's why we ain’t getting help from her?”
“Not in this battle.” Big Macintosh confirmed. “But I can tell ya she’s helpin’ us. And her enemy is worse than ours.“
“Why’s that?” she asked, lifting an eyebrow in disbelief, finding it hard to believe that there was something even more dangerous than anything from the Everfree Forest.
“Cos Maho users hide among us. Inside our Empire. And we won’t notice them until it’s too late.” He looked back towards Twilight’s castle. “Twilight has a hard job, but she’s doin’ the best she can.”
For the first time, Applejack realized that the other clans sending help wasn’t such a bad idea, after all.
-o-
Twilight Sparkle was reading some scrolls at her castle’s library, the largest of all the Empire. If a written work was worth it, the Lore Clan library had a copy of it. Most of the scrolls there were several centuries old, some having been written by the Lore Clan founder himself.
The Lore Clan were the Keepers of Magic, making sure that spells weren’t used in an inappropriate way. Most of the spells ever created were made by their summoners, having a strong affinity with magic and the elemental spirits. Even non-unicorn ponies were able to understand magic or fight against it.
Twilight had read most of those scrolls and books. She learned the arts of magic thanks to them, as well as the rules and etiquette of the courtiers and even some military and combat tactics. However, she was too focused in her magic studies, making her a socially awkward leader, though extremely efficient in her duties.
A knock on the door distracted Twilight from her reading.
“Come in,” she said, switching from one scroll to another.
“I brought the summoner you requested,” a voice said.
“Thank you, Spike.” She breathed a sigh of relief when she saw Spike and Trixie.
The young dragon had been Twilight’s assistant for several years, until her magic skills and knowledge made her worthy of the title of Lore Clan leader. He wanted to stand as her bodyguard, but Twilight refused, saying that it was too dangerous for such a young dragon. Spike then decided to go on a pilgrimage, and Twilight consented. During his travels, he found a group of monks that revered dragons and stayed with them, learning something they called ‘spiritual hoarding’.
Dragons grew larger and stronger by acummulating treasures, but they showed him that, if focused, feelings could also be hoarded for that matter. He considered Twilight and his beloved Rarity as creatures to treasure and defend as a real dragon protects its material hoard.Three years after the dragon left the Empire, Spike returned and presented himself in front of Twilight, standing as tall and broad-shouldered as an Imperial Guard. It was only then that the Lore Clan leader acknowledged him as her personal bodyguard.
“What can the Great and Powerful Trixie do for you?” Trixie asked, full of confidence. She was one of the most prestigious summoners in the Lore Clan.
“I’ll be short on words,” Twilight announced. “I’m leaving for the Imperial Castle to continue my research. The Empress has offered me her protection there. Both of you already know about Discord’s legion marching towards the Diamond Bulwark and I was asked by Empress Celestia to send some help.” Twilight looked at each of them as she referred to them. “Spike, you’re my most trusted bodyguard; Trixie, you’re one of my most talented summoners. I’ll be sending you two. Get yourselves ready and leave as soon as possible.” Twilight put the scrolls in her saddlebag and started to leave the room.
“But Twilight!” Spike said. “I can’t leave your side! I’m your personal bodyguard! You have to understand that it’s my sacred duty to-”
“I know, Spike, but this is an order,” she said, smiling at him. “You have to defend the Diamond Bulwark. Rarity is counting on us.”
“Rarity? On my way, Twilight!” he shouted as he rushing from the room.
For some time, it was silent. Both unicorns stood quietly in the library, staring at each other.
“Well?” Twilight asked, impatiently. “What are you waiting for? Prepare your scrolls and get going!”
“B-b-but, Trixie-“
“It’s an order as I said. Now go. I have things to do.”
“Y-yes…“
Twilight’s horn glowed with a blinding light while the mystical energies swirled around her. With an intense flash, the Lore Clan Leader vanished, leaving Trixie by herself. She was really worried, for she got her position as a high-rank summoner by sabotaging the other contestant’s spells and being persuasive enough to make the other ponies believe that she deserved her position. She had a decent amount of skill as a summoner, but far less than one would expect a high representative of the clan to have. Trixie thought about running away, but decided against it, knowing that she would eventually get killed if she made any hasty decisions. As she was leaving the room, two young stallions stood in her way.
“Hey, Trixie. How is everything?” Snips asked.
“Yeah, did they tell you something?” Snails added.
Snips and Snails were Trixie’s apprentices. They weren’t that talented and were pretty slow learners, but since they admired Trixie, she liked having them around.
“Well…“ Trixie started slowly. “They want Trixie to go defend the Diamond Bulwark.”
“Coooool!” They stared, eyes wide open. “Can we go? Can we go?”
Trixie sighed. “Sorry boys, you aren’t allowed to come. Besides, you’ll only get in the way of Trixie and her astounding magic.”
“Aaaaw.” They pouted.
“Now now, don’t be too upset. Trixie has to go now. We’ll catch up later.”
With a flick of her cape, she left her apprentices behind. Her visage was an avatar of confidence and overwhelming prowess, yet fear crawled inside her. She had to find a way out of this.
-o-
In the Imperial Castle, Twilight continued studying her scrolls, She was so focused that she didn’t hear the door opening. One of the Imperial Guard unicorns entered the room, an orange unicorn with a scarlet mane. He approached the champion silently, curious about the scrolls she was so focused on. Feeling a pair of eyes over her shoulder, the clan leader turned and threw a glare at the guard, causing him to freeze in his tracks.
“L-L-Lady Twilight Sparkle. My apologies, I was just…” he stuttered.
There was silence for what seemed like an eternity. Finally, she broke the silence. She looked the guard over and recognized him as one of her former students.
“I wasn’t expecting visitors. What do you want, Zephyrus?”
“Well, I… ahem. I wanted to thank you personally. This is a huge honor for me, being chosen to defend our Empire.“
“Just leave me in good stead slaying as many of those monsters as possible.”
“I-I’ll do my best, Lore Clan Leader.”
“You were a talented student back then.” She winked at him with an approving smile. “Now it’s time for you to show that I didn’t waste my time on you.”
“You… you’re a bit different than when I was your student.“
Twilight sighed. “I know. But I have a lot of responsibilities now. Stress gets the best of me. I can’t be as nice as I used to be.”
“But you really need to remember you are not alone, Twilight. I...” He trailed off, realising he was being too informal. An lmperial Guard was still a soldier. He may be a more respected soldier because of his duty as Empress Celestia’s personal guard, but he was still talking to a clan champion and his former mentor. He felt that he should talk with much more respect and froze, aware of his blunder. “Apologies, Lore Clan leader.”
Twilight giggled, crossing her hooves and looking at her former student. “Please, go on, Zephyrus. I can spare some time.”
“Well... I know that you have a lot of responsibilities as the Lore Clan Leader.” He raised his hoof, stopping Twilight from replying with a smirk. “However, don’t forget that you can rely on your whole clan, as well as the other clans too. Rainbow scouts can give you reports about dangerous magic use, and Jewel courtiers are really good at gathering information.They will make your job easier.”
“Thanks for your worries, my dear student. But none of them can help me with this.” She put her hoof on the scrolls she was reading.
”May I take a look, Twi- I mean, Lore Clan Leader?” He said, correcting himself.
She cordially invited him by gesturing with her hoof for him to come closer. “Twilight will do for now, Zephyrus. And, you may take a look. But don’t tell anypony about what you’re going to read.” She had a grim expression when she said that last part.
“Oh... okay.” He read the first scroll. “Maho?” He gasped. “Are you studying Maho?”
“I am the Lore Clan Leader,” she explained. “It is my duty to avoid the spread of Maho across the Empire. It is not an easy task, for everypony can use it.”
“Even earth ponies and pegasi?”
She nodded. “Maho is a dangerous thing, like everything that comes from the Everfree Forest.”
“How so?”
“There is something in that place that corrupts everything that goes into the Everfree Forest. We call it 'the Taint'. Maho is, in laymare’s terms, tainted magic.”
“I understand, Twilight. But is it really so easy to get the Taint?” Zephyrus was a bit curious, but the more he learned, the more worried he became.
“Well, you don’t get contaminated by the Taint just by setting a hoof into the Everfree Forest,“ she said, trying to enlighten her student. “But you shouldn’t go in there without some jade anyways. Jade works like a ward, but even that protection is limited. Most creatures in the forest are tainted too. Wounds caused by them could infect you with the Taint. But summoners have it worse.”
“Even worse?” he wondered aloud, thinking Twilight might be exaggerating a bit.
“As you remember from your studies, we summoners are ponies with the gift of communing with the kami, spirits of the elements. We call them to empower our magic. Though I’ve heard some myths and legends talking about non-unicorn summoners, I don’t believe them. However,” she continued, tapping her hoof on the table, “that must have something to do with other ponies being able to learn Maho.”
“Maybe everypony is able to commune with the kami, Twilight,” he pointed out, rubbing his chin with his hoof. “It could be that we unicorns are more attuned to them because of our nature.”
Twilight nodded at Zephyrus with a smile. “That’s an interesting approach. I’d thought about a similar theory myself. Anyway,” she said, turning serious again, “trying to cast a spell while in the Everfree Forest may call the attention of a tainted kami, which will infect you as well. As I said, Maho is corrupted magic given to summoners by kansen, corrupted elemental spirits. It’s a terribly powerful magic, but the price is unspeakable.” Twilight pointed at one of the scrolls with some drawings and sketches showing horrible monsters and deformed ponies, her voice sounding slightly scared at the sight of those pictures. “The Taint corrupts your mind, body and soul. You end up turning into an abomination. The more tainted you become, the more you transform into an unthinkable blasphemy.”
“That... that’s horrible!” Zephyrus stepped back in abject terror. “If this is true, then why aren’t these lessons taught in all of Equestria? It could save lives! Prevention is the key!”
”For the same reason I asked you not to talk about what you learned here.” She sighed and leaned back, staring at the ceiling. “It’s quite troublesome to talk about Maho or the Taint freely. You’re usually looked down upon for that, you know?” Twilight recovered a normal sitting position, turning back to Zephyrus. “Most ponies know that Maho is dangerous, but only a few know just how dangerous it really is. One of them is obviously me. Another pony that knows the horrors is-”
“The Empresses?”
“The Empresses know what Maho is and how dangerous it is. Luna is the one who knows the most about it. They both trust me to get rid of if, for they understand that having Bloodspeakers in Equestria is serious business.”
“Bloodspeakers?” he asked, lifting an eyebrow.
Twilight nodded. “Yes. Maho users call themselves ‘Bloodspeakers’.”
“Oh. So did you gather all this information by yourself?”
“No.” Twilight looked out of the window, staring at something off in the distance. Standing behind the Diamond Bulwark, she saw Sweet Apple Acres, a place that reminded her of fond memories. Upon seeing Twilight gaze out of the window, Zephyrus looked out of the window too. Finally, he realized what she was talking about.
“I think I know what you mean, Twilight. Was it thanks to the Apple Hero?”
She nodded vaguely. “Most of these reports and scrolls came directly from him. He really cared about the Empire and wanted to make it a safer place. He’s also the one who knows the most about the Everfree Forest, the Taint and Maho. That’s why he helped me so much.”
“If you excuse my daring, Twilight…” He wasn’t really sure if he wanted to ask the question. “If he wanted to protect the Empire so much, then why did he retire? He is still young enough to keep his position as clan leader.”
“That is a good thing to ask.” Her face paled at the guard’s question. “But I’m afraid the answer is quite personal.”
“Worry not, my teacher. I swear by my honor and rank that nothing will leave these walls. I just want to help you.”
“Well, I feel that I can trust you. You’ve been my most faithful and talented student. The thing is, Big Mac and I…” Twilight’s face betrayed her as her cheeks blushed as soon as her mind became flooded by pleasant memories.
“No!” He gasped realizing what she was implying. “You were in love?”
“Actually…” She blushed. “We still are. Or at least I am. I don’t know how he feels.”
“And what happened? If you want to tell me, of course. I understand that…” Trailing off, he stared at his hooves in silence and regretted starting the conversation.
“Don’t worry, Zephyrus,” she said, trying to comfort her former student. “Maybe, I need to express myself.”
“Doesn’t Spike—”
“Spike is an extremely trustworthy and loyal bodyguard, but I know his weaknesses. I know about his crush on Rarity, and I try to keep myself in a respected position. I don’t want everypony knowing about my personal life. That would make me vulnerable, and I don’t want that; I simply can’t afford it.”
”My apologies. I didn’t want to—”
“It’s okay. I know you didn’t,” she sighed with a smirk, her heart fluttering as she remembered pleasant memories. “Big Mac and I dated in secret. At that time, he was the Apple Clan Leader. We didn’t want anypony to know. But most dates were, well, all of them were… “
“Problematic?”
She nodded. “We had something in common that made our love strong: We both wanted to protect the Empire. And, as I said, he helped me a lot with these scrolls. Unfortunately, every time we met there was another story about Maho users or tainted ponies.”
“Not the most romantic date if you ask me,” Zephyrus said, trying to cheer her up.
“But it was our duty. I didn’t know much about blood magic or the Taint at the time. So I was terrified by everything he told me. Yes, he tried to cheer me up. It was hard, but he was always able to.”
“And why did you, you know…”
“Well, he was worried about me. He knew that every time we met, it meant bad news about Bloodspeakers. He felt terrible for seeing me so sad, but it was his duty to give me those reports. He is a wonderful stallion, but I know that when he wants to see me it means that something terrible has happened.” She tried to hold back her tears, but it was too hard. Zephyrus gave a handkerchief to her. “Thanks.”
“It’s okay,” he said, smiling and putting his hoof on her shoulder. “He is a very lucky pony.” He heard a knock at the door. “Huh? Who could that be?”
“I don’t know,” she said, trying to rub her tears away.
The knocks on the door became stronger. “Twilight! It’s me, Rainbow Dash! Can I come in?”
“S-sure. Come in, Rainbow Dash.” She took a deep breath and pretended she was reading the scrolls. “What can I do for you?”
The doors opened with a thunderous slam as Rainbow Dash rushed into the room, flying and somersaulting in mid-air. “Awesome news, Twilight! We’re gonna win!”
“Wait, Dash, please. If you start from the beginning, I think I will be able to understand you. But before that...” She turned to Zephyrus. “You may leave, guard. I hope you do well at the Diamond Bulwark.”
“Yes, Twilight Sparkle.“ He saluted and rushed out of the room.
She turned back to Rainbow Dash, taking a deep breath before talking. “Okay. Now, can you start from the very beginning, please? Why have we already won?”
Rainbow Dash, on the other hoof, couldn’t contain her joy. “Hay yeah! Listen, I called my scouts and started flying to the Diamond Bulwark. And when we got there... Oh boy oh boy. You’re never ever gonna guess who I saw there.”
“Listen, Dash,” she said patiently while moving from one scroll to another. “I really don’t have time for this. I’m working on a really important research. So if you have something to tell me, then-”
“The friggin’ Apple Hero himself, Big Macintosh!” she said, flying around in circles.
“Big Mac is defending the Diamond Bulwark?” Twilight asked in shock, running to the window.
“He sure is! There ain’t nopony in Equestria better at flank-kicking than him!”
“Why have you come here to tell me that, Rainbow Dash?” Twilight asked, surprised at the news. She wasn’t expecting Big Mac to join this battle. “Did you leave your position just to tell me that?”
“Oh, I’m so telling every single clan leader! This is the best news we could get! The Jade Stallion is back!” she howled victoriously and left the room so fast, the wind slammed the door shut.
Twilight was left alone dwelling on her thoughts. Memories of the times she shared with Big Macintosh flooded her mind and she couldn’t help but feel desolate. She looked through the window to the Diamond Bulwark, a tear streaming down her face.
“Big Macintosh…” Tears flowed from her face. “Please… return safe and sound. If something happened to you I…“