//------------------------------// // Chapter One - Research // Story: Origins // by websterhamster //------------------------------//                            NOTE: Any similarities between events in this work of fiction and real life, or in others' works of fiction, or similarities between names in this story and names in other stories or names belonging to members of the community, are entirely coincidental. In a smoky octagonal room at the top of the highest tower of High Gate, a grey unicorn sat behind a desk of dark, varnished wood. He finished signing the Imperial Edict, then dipped his quill in a small bowl of clear water. “Corasar, I am most blessed to have you by my side when I place my seal upon this Edict,” the unicorn said, leaning back in his chair for a moment, and looking up at the other inhabitant of the room, a sable unicorn wearing a pointed hat and navy robe. “You and I know, as do those we rule over, that the fate of the Three Kindreds has always been ours to bear, the Unicorns. We shall bring glory to ponykind, and create a new dawn for our children’s children!” The wizard, for so he was, nodded at the grey stallion. “Indeed, majesty, and I am most humbly grateful for your favor.” “Ah, Corasar, old friend, it is I who should be grateful! Your studies of magic have opened many doors for my people, and your service for the Empire is worthy of legend. ‘Tis an honor to be working with you, my friend.” They mused in silence over what was about to happen, and then the grey stallion lifted a small sphere of purple wax and an iron stamp in his hornfield. After softening the wax over a smoking candle, he set it on the scroll, near his signature. The slight thump of the stamp striking it, had the citizens of the city heard it, would have filled their hearts with sorrow and fear. He waited for the wax to cool, then rolled the scroll into an ornate golden sheath, sealing it with a purple ribbon bearing a silver medallion with his seal. Lifting the sheath over to the wizard, he said, “Take this Edict to Guardian Light. The Empire will begin moving troops towards the Great Forest at once.” “Forgive me, your majesty, but what about you know who? Our sources believe him to be living with the Free Ponies in the forest. They’ll be more powerful than when we last encountered them if he’s been teaching them.” Corasar hesitantly made eye contact with the grey unicorn. “I fear him not! No matter what amount of competency those beasts may have, if they interfere we shall crush them under the steel-shod shoes of a thousand legions! He shall never again foil my plans.” “Yes, your majesty.” Corasar, Glowing Sparkle, took the Edict and left. The grey stallion stood, and pulled a silk cord hanging from the bookshelf behind him. The shelf slowly swung in, revealing an unassuming door behind, which he pushed open. Stepping out onto the balcony, he stood near the rail, watching the hustle and bustle of a city’s nightly business, the call of guards, the faint sound of music and smell of baking. He looked up to the sky, where the moon moved on its path across the sky, guided by a hundred of the most powerful unicorns on earth. “If only all of my subjects could know such peace and contentment,” he sighed. At last he returned to the interior of his castle. Galaxius, Galactic Swirl, Emperor of the Aetherian Empire and Overlord of the Three Kindreds, had work to do. A History of Equestria: Origins A thousands of years ago, deep within what would later be known as the Everfree Forest, a month's journey from any large form of civilization, there lived a mysterious unicorn who's quest for knowledge led him to discover some of the most powerful and dangerous magic known to sentient beings. The results of his research, and the magic he performed, set the stage for all significant events of the future. Midnight Shadow put down his quill, rolled up the scroll he had just finished, and sealed it with a white ribbon. Yawning, he looked over at his assistant, Forest Treasure, who had already succumbed to fatigue, and was lying on the floor snoring lightly. Smiling slightly, he gently picked her up with his magic and placed her in her bed. He turned back to his desk, picked up the scroll, and slid it into place in one of his shelves. Looking around his cabin, he reviewed all that he had discovered about magic, spells of every sort, from illusions and charms to spells of defense; he has also spent considerable time researching dangerous spells of great power, that could easily corrupt a unicorn who wasn't completely focused with the right intentions. His greatest fear was that someday, a unicorn who had the talent of magic would learn to utilize this magic for the purposes of evil. Ah, but the day was over, with a new one just around the corner! On the small blackboard over his desk he wrote the topic of the next day's study, then went to his bed and promptly fell asleep. As the first golden rays of sunlight filtered through the trees into the windows of the woodland cottage, Midnight Shadow was already up and about, making breakfast for himself and Forest Treasure, all the while planning how to go about researching his next subject. Forest Treasure yawned, and slowly got up. “What are we working on today, Master Shadow?” She asked. “Today we shall attempt to place a spell on my chair, to make it more comfortable while I work,” he responded. “But that's beginner's magic! Even I could do that in my sleep!” Forest said indignantly. “Aren't there more advanced things to do today?” Midnight chuckled. Forest Treasure was a bright young student, an able assistant, and had great potential. However, she still had much to learn, as did he. “Forest, our efforts today will be focused on completing this task; however, the magic we use shall only be to place the spell on the chair. Such a spell would be useless if I had to be constantly concentrating on keeping it going while I worked; my concentration would be broken much more easily.” He began to choose certain scrolls and books, stacking them on his desk. “I'm not going to ask you to suffer through the preliminary research with me. Such tedium is ill wisdom for a young heart on such a beautiful morning. Go outside and get some exercise! I'll call for you when I need assistance.” “Wow! Thanks Midnight Shadow!” Excited, she dashed around, gathering some things and placing them in a basket. This would be the perfect opportunity to gather some plant samples for my latest experiment, she thought. “Have fun, little one,” Midnight said, as he turned his attention to the mountain of paper in front of him. His goal was, of course, to imbue the chair with magical properties that would exists whether he was paying attention or not. The way unicorn magic normally worked was through the focus of the unicorn. He would make a spell, vocalize it so he didn't accidentally do something else, and then use power from his horn to make it real. However, unless it was an extremely simple spell, it would stop functioning after he turned his mind to other things. He wanted to find out if it was possible to create a magical item that would function even after he had completed his life and passed beyond the void. Several hours later, Forest Treasure returned with a basketful of greens, eager to begin testing her ideas. Although she was the assistant and apprentice of a unicorn with the magic talent, she was more interested in potions and the use of healing magic than the study of other forms of arcane energy. Forest picked up one of the leaves she had gathered with her horn's magic, and held it against her side. She giggled when the leaf disappeared completely against the green of her coat; it was exactly the same shade and color! “Forest, would you put these books away for me please? I think I'm ready to begin experimenting, but I still need to review some of my notes,” Midnight Shadow said. “Of course, Master.” Forest Treasure set her basket in a corner, and began to organize and put away the books, the green glow from her horn illuminating the shadows in the room. Midnight Shadow had finally formulated the rest of his plan. Although he was no stranger to advanced magic, he felt this would be one of the most significant milestones in his research! He knew that to be able to complete his study of magic, he would need to learn how to weave it into objects, and even to saturate the earth with it, if possible. A spell of this magnitude and power would involve the use of magic that would be dangerous if used by any but the most pure in heart. “Forest, I'm ready to begin my experiment. I would prefer if you went out for another few hours, as this magic will not be suitable for your eyes,” he told his young assistant. He didn't want to corrupt her general innocence so early in her life. She looked from the concoction she was brewing in her corner, to the pile of greens in her basket, and evidently decided there were more things she needed for her potion, so she nodded happily and prepared to leave. “When shall I return, Master?” She asked. “When the wild things roam the forest without fear, you should return. But not until then! For I fear this magic may corrupt your soul,” was his dire response. So Forest Treasure left on yet another herbal adventure. After she had left, Midnight retired into his basement laboratory with his chair. He had built the room by magically solidifying the earth around it, so experiments performed there would be unlikely to spill out into the world beyond. It was a precautionary measure, one that he had never really needed before. Now, however, he was glad he had taken the time to do that, as he was dealing in powerful magic that was completely, in all ways, unfamiliar to him. He didn't want any accidents. 'And now we begin,' he thought. Focusing on the magic in the world around him, and his own reserves, he began to carefully channel it through his horn into the chair in front of him. A dark blue glow emanated from his horn, and slowly flowed through the air to the chair, enveloping and penetrating it. His concentration firm, he continued to direct the energy, focusing his goal in his mind, willing the spell to take hold. If he was successful, the natural magical aura that pervaded the world would power the spell he was embedding in his chair. If he weren't successful... Well, if he failed there were an infinite number of possible outcomes. He hoped turning his house and him along with it into a smoking crater wasn't a part of the equation. And so he continued to concentrate. Forest Treasure was having a very enjoyable time in the forest, gathering plant specimens and making friends with the smaller, more innocent woodland creatures. In this magical forest, where unbelievable things happened regularly, and magic pulsed through the veins of life, she knew she could come up with all manner of herbal brews, which with the addition of her magic, could be used for healing and aid, or death and misery. She knew the potential for her craft to be misused, but since the only other pony in hundreds of miles was Midnight Shadow, she wasn't afraid. All she wanted to do was research! A plant she had never seen before caught her eye, and she trotted up to it to get a closer look. 'I've never seen something like this,' she thought, and with the help of her magic she uprooted it and added it to her basket. She would have to study this later. As she continued on her way, she realized that she had never been this far in this direction before. Usually she either stayed near the cabin, or she ventured as far west as she could. For some reason, she felt that the edge of the forest was closer to the west than in any other direction, and as she had lived there for as long as she could remember, she hoped to someday feel the open breeze on her face, a luxury that the oppressive woodlands could never grant her. She knew that the woods were full of dangerous things, but she was never afraid. She had yet to see the larger, fiercer things, like dragons or manticores. However, she was wary, and so when the night was fully ripe, and the wild things began to creep with less stealth, she returned home. Hopefully Master Shadow would be finished and maybe would even help her with her latest potion! When Forest arrived home, she found Midnight sitting in his chair, fast asleep, with a partially-written scroll on the desk in front of him. Not wanting to wake him up, she quietly closed the door behind her and put her things away. It was very late, so her own experimenting would have to wait for the morning; but she did want to know if Midnight had been successful. So she walked up to the chair and brushed her hoof against its arm. “Wow!” She sighed. The wood was so soft and smooth, it completely relaxed her foreleg. “I hope Master Shadow teaches me how to do that with my bed,” she said to herself. She had a turnover from the cupboard for her dinner, then quietly went to bed with the hopes that the next day would be just as rewarding. Midnight jumped to his hooves. What had happened last night? He ran through the events of the previous evening in his head. First, the actual spell on the chair was successful; it was extremely comfortable and didn't require his power to be exerted to maintain the spell. However, the main purpose of the spell was never achieved, as the chair now absorbed mana from living things around it constantly. He felt around with his magic, and noticed the life drain from the plants and animals around him... and from Forest Shadow! Frustrated, he picked up the chair and smashed it into kindling on the ground. At the crash of wood, Forest drowsily lifted her head. "Master, what happened?" She asked. Turning, he faced her sadly. "I'm sorry, Forest Shadow. I was careless, and the spell was draining your mana to maintain itself. This type of magic will someday be very important, perhaps even during our lifetimes, but absorbing the mana and life energies of living things is unacceptable." Forest was confused. "So, did the spell work or not?" She asked. "No, little one. While the chair was indeed comfortable, such a spell is very simple. However, the part that allows the object to utilize the mana in the air and ground around it is considerably more difficult. My spell was seeping not only the mana, but also the life forces out of all living things around it. This is evil, and I will not be content with this progress. And expending as much energy as I did for that spell would make it quite impractical for more complicated ones." Sighing, he turned back to his desk, looking through all his notes. There had to be a way! He had almost gotten it right, but the knowledge he needed was completely beyond his comprehension. He had never thought about knowledge in levels, to him anything was possible to those who put their head to it. There was no thought of 'perhaps I'm not advanced enough' or 'I must not be powerful enough', although those things might be true. He just needed to become advanced and powerful enough. And there was just one way to do that. "Forest, pack your saddlebags! We're going for a walk in the woods."