Chapter 16 – Fate
The cooler outside air rushes through the grassy field that sits between the castle and the mage's tower that sits a short gallop away. However, despite the shorter trot and temperature Clover and Preston have maintained a slower speed.
But, the trot has started to come to its end all the same as Clover brings herself a little in front of the close door of the tower.
As she nears it she brings her hoof up to knock, "Star Swirl, you wanted to see us?" The words loft into the night as she and Preston continue to just wait outside for the moment.
Preston rubs his arms a little as another light gust of wind rolls past him, but he keeps his voice silent as he just looks around the impressive tower of stone he stands in front of. It is a little hard to see that few windows from this angle, however as Preston stares up to the mostly dark windows he slowly brings his head down to the mare as he speaks up, "Maybe he went to sleep?"
The words flick Clover's ear as she knocks her hoof to the door and speaks up a little louder, "Master, it is Clover."
A slight chuckle comes from Preston as he crosses his arms and sways a little to where he stands, "Maybe he forgot."
"That is not funny Preston."
The words only prompt another response from the blonde hair man as he speaks up, "He either forgot or needs a hearing aid."
An annoyed little groan comes from Clover as she taps her hoof once more to the door. Again as no answer comes up she sparks up her horn, "We'll just see if he is okay."
Preston cocks an eye to the mare's magic as he shrugs, "Breaking and entering on a forgetful, all powerful wizard pony...Sounds like fun."
As his voice comes down the door takes on a blue magical glow, however Clover's concentration is taken back as she blinks her eyes, "Not locked?" Her hoof comes to the door as she pushes it open.
"Ha ha, why didn't we just-..."
"Master!?"
The mare's quick dart into the room and her tone washes Preston's smile away as he comes in after her. All the while looking at the same stallion who lays on the ground with one of his legs still on the last stair, almost as if he had fallen.
However, the fact that no response has come up from the downed stallion brings Clover's voice up a little louder as she jets her front hooves to the stallion's sides in a panic, "Master? Say something?!"
Preston's mind snaps into gear as he sets to his knees and moves Clover aside, "Okay, I-I know what to do."
Clover just blinks to him as her emotions start to get the better of her, but she moves aside as she watches Preston's head coming down to to the stallion's chest. It only takes a second for Preston to bring his head up as he snaps his fingers to the mare next to him, "He's breathing! G-get me something with ammonia, strong peppermint or-or some kind of eucalyptus oil."
The mare just blinks to the words as she shakes her head, "W-what?"
"Something that smells really strong, he's unconscious but not too deep because he's breathing okay on his own. Now come on you have to have something in here right?!"
Preston's words quickly bring Clover to her hooves as she speaks up, "Blaze mushrooms! Master always uses them in stews!"
"Ya ya, as long as its smell is strong. Go!"
Clover's trot up towards the stairs as she speaks up, "The kitchen is on the third floor hold on."
As the sound of her hooves echo around the house Preston turns his attention back to the stallion on the ground as he gently leans the stallion forward as he rolls him to his back. While he does this he unhooks the cloak around Star Swirls neck as he mashes it to a makeshift pillow to rest the stallion's head on.
Star Swirl's mouth is open and from this the man can see that his tongue is slightly moving a little, which is a good sign.
Before he can even shift his eyes the loud chime of magic pops beside him as Clover teleports down stairs with a glass jar in hoof, "Here."
Preston looks over the bright red almost powder in the jar as he takes the jar to his hands, as he does he uncaps the jar as he takes a whiff of the contents. But he ends up turning his head and coughing as he feels his nostrils almost burning, "This will work."
The man brings a hand to Star Swirl’s jaw line as he pushes his mouth closed, as he does this he brings the jar right to the stallion's snout as he shoves it almost right into the powder.
Within moments the older stallion's eyes burst open as he squirms and kicks his legs in confusion to what is going on.
Preston quickly sets the jar to the ground as he wraps his arms around the stallion's frame to stop him from hitting his head to the ground, "Stop moving you dumb ass!"
Star Swirl’s eyes dart around the room as he tries to place himself, but as he does his voice screams out, "Let go of me dragon! We have to stop him!"
"Master, just calm down!"
The words slow the stallion's falling as he speaks up, "Clover! You must go and retrieve the crown from Sagitta."
Clover just blinks to the statement as she speaks up, "What do you mean?"
As her voice comes down the door behind her burst open with a mare, her mane looks wind blown and the maid outfit she has on looks dirtied, "Something has happened in the Castle!"
The words loosen Preston's grip as he and Clover just stare confused to the words, this looser hold allows Star Swirl to move from Preston's hold as he tries to stand up. However he drops back to a knee as he stumbles a little woozy, "We must get their quickly.."
"You can't leave, you have to sit down!" Preston holds his hand out but Star Swirl just brings his hoof to knock the hand away as he stumbles and leans to the wall, "Do not hold me back, this is my fault!"
The maid's eyes go wide to the comment as she moves a little from the doorway for the stallion who continues to inch himself from the wall.
However, Clover cuts the trot off as she speaks up, "What are you talking about Master?"
"I have shown Sagitta the crown's power, in hopes that he would understand why he must protect it. But he wishes to drain it of all of its magic and instead refill it with a tamed magic, Clover if he releases that much magic at one time thousands of ponies will die and all of Equestria's magic will be thrown from its equipoise just like in the old land!"
The sentence is shaky but the stallion maintains his mind as his imposing stare comes to Clover, however his stance brings Preston's voice up, "You can't do anything, you have to rest."
Star Swirl turns a sharp gaze to the man as he speaks up, "I would rather die on my own accord then blissfully fall into insanity."
As the shaky words leave the stallion's mouth his trot comes up as he moves past Clover and out into the night sky.
However, his trot stops for the moment as he looks over the castle across the field. The windows of the stone building glow bright with a dark green and blue-purple magic, the same magic that steams up into the sky. The cyclone of magic has whipped up above the castle and now even starts to spin the clouds above it almost like a hurricane of magic and gale.
Star Swirl’s eyes lock to this for a moment as his horn sparks up with the same gold magic that wraps to everypony around him.
End of chapter 16