//------------------------------// // Compilation: Diary of Twilight, March 3-April 7 (Without annotation) // Story: Shadow of the Necromancer // by Cynewulf //------------------------------// Compilation: Diary of Twilight, March 3-April 7 March 3 I’m not sure where I heard it first. I have been waiting to write about it, hoping to have solid details to go on, but nothing has surfaced. It is only a shadow, really, plaguing me. Sometimes I wonder if I’m going crazy. Maybe it’s a dream, something that came to me in the night and I simply forgot its source. That would explain why I can’t remember any one pony talking about it. And yet... I know somepony has, somewhere. I feel as if I’ve talked about it. Somepony had to have told me. But I’m rambling, aren’t I? It’s only a rumour, and yet I begin to believe it. There’s whispers of dark magic in the Everfree of the oldest kind. No reports of any specifics, nor any real eye witnesses... just feelings. Rumours. I only write about it now because Zecora came into town today. I’ve been thinking about it for weeks... but today I first began to believe it. Or at least, I began to give it some serious thought. I still need to find out more. Zecora was nervous. Not overly so, but I could tell when she found me and Rarity a little after lunch. Rarity had just stopped in for tea, and I was making it when Zecora came in and asked if I was busy. We never get to see her enough, so of course we invited her to join us. We talked, and she seemed normal at first. But as we kept talking, I began to feel like she was on edge. It was as if... No, I was going to say that it was like she was trying to get her mind off of something, but I’m assigning her all sorts of motivations. I’m a scholar, not a novelist! I must begin to act like it. Perhaps she was simply lonely. March 6 Another letter from the Princess! When I graduated, I think what bothered me most was the thought of no longer being able to write the Princess freely. The pressure of post-graduate studies, the whole “being-an-adult-for-real” thing, Spike starting to grow up... all of that I could handle. I still think I can! But I was glad that Celestia let me continue to write her. I even write her about things I’m learning day to day, sometimes, and it feels like old times. I’ve been thinking a lot about old times, recently. Sometimes I miss being younger and new in Ponyville. But anyhow! Her letter was quite wonderful, as always. She wrote that she was proud of me and my progress in mastering Star Swirl’s Nine Incantations, and told me some of the news in Canterlot. Luna is considering reopening her own academy, and Celestia may have asked me if I might help her along. If she decides to go through with it any time soon, of course. I was very honored. It would be nice to see the Princess of the Moon again! It has been too long. But it was not all good news. The Griffons sent a strangely hostile delegation that arrived two days ago in Canterlot. They haven’t revealed much, but Celestia suspects civil war brewing. Whatever it is, the most recent Gathering of the Nations at Canterlot Palace has been tenser than in past years. March 10 Dash and I spent most of the day together. I’m glad that the Wonderbolts are on break for the next month. I’ve missed her so much! We read and... well. It was wonderful. Kind of slow today in the library, but it’s spring. School is wrapping up, and that means a lot less traffic. Cheerilee’s new reading programs have been wonderful. But I don’t mind, in the end. It’s nice sometimes to have some peace and quiet in the old tree. Time to catch up on my reading and maybe write that letter to the Dragonic ambassador. Time for some alone time with Dashie. I think I might drag her downstairs to the archives and search. I don’t get to explore those dusty shelves nearly enough, and I’m sure as long as she has a candle and some Daring Do, Rainbow will be fine. Later: Have you ever been afraid to write something? I have. It makes it more true, to write it down. I found a book. Rainbow is asleep. She stayed the night, but I couldn’t enjoy her company at all. I kept thinking about the book. It’s in my hooves right now, and I’m using my magic to write this. The whole time she was awake, I kept worrying Rainbow would see right through me. Or that she would ask me about what must have been suspicious behavior, as I left her behind in the archives to hide the book. I’ll write more about it later. I’m worried she’ll notice I’m not in bed. March 12 I need to write about the book, don’t I? The Princess has warned me about books like this. She showed me once, what books like this could do and what they would make of me. I even recognize it from the vision she gave me of the future when I was in my last year of the Academy. I suppose I’ll have to write about it now, won’t I? I never did. It was simply too much. I dreamt about it last night, anyhow. I woke Dash up in the middle of the night with my crying, and she kissed my forehead and held me until I fell asleep. It helped, but... The Princess revealed to me in a letter that, to a certain extent, she could see into the future. She could, in fact, see many possible futures. By almost providential luck, she had spotted something... terrible. That I was going to the archives as I eventually did, and find a locked chest full of books. Books of forbidden lore. And, as is my nature, I would not be able to keep them locked up. I would read them all. I would learn all they had to show me. I would be a monster. I would kill Rainbow Dash. I lived that possible Twilight’s final defeat, and I still have nightmares sometimes. But from her memories, I retained some knowledge. Most of it was inconsequential. But I remember this book. It’s black, with a leather cover. I was horrified by this, but I tell myself it isn’t made from ponies. Goddesses, I hope it’s not made from ponies. It’s worn and a little fragile, but still very readable. I haven’t made it past the first page yet. I just... I can’t. I can’t do this, can I? Celestia was desperate enough to keep me from these books that she risked me hating her. For pete’s sake, in one version of the future, this branch of study causes me to kill Rainbow Dash! But now we come to thinks I wish to forget. I've tried to forget that night, when she came to me with Luna's help, and plunged me into a dream of what could happen. She burned that book that was in the library. I'm sure of it. I saw it happen. It can't exist. But I just keep looking at it. It really is a lovely book. So old, so fascinating. I’ve always loved books, not only for what they give me but for what they are. Something in me loves this one too. Isn’t it beautiful, though, for everything? March 15 Pinkie bounded into the library today with her husband Caramel in tow, and they convinced me to go out to eat with them. She’s right, I have been a bit solitary since Dash got called away to help with weather work down south. I’m worried about her. I mean, I know that she can handle it, but... It’s always wonderful to spend time with Pinkie and Caramel. You know, I always thought that he had a crush on me. I’d never ask Pinkie, though she probably knows. Or would she? I don’t know. I’m not sure I would tell Dash if I used to have a crush on Rarity, which I didn’t. At all. But if I did, it would be strange. Anyhow. He’s working on a new painting, which he promised to show me after Pinkie had seen and he was done. I did enjoy his paintings when I was new in town. I can’t believe I’m writing this, but I posed for one once. It was nothing major, but... honestly, I should have known he was pining after me. I mean, the look on his Yes, I need to move on, don’t I? Gods out of the Song, but I hope Pinkie doesn’t read this. I’d be mortified. This is the one place I can ramble and be perfectly safe. Anyhow, it was a good visit. I had been feeling a little lonely. It’s kind of alone in the library, just me, Spike (when he’s not at Rarity’s or with Sweetie Belle!) and that book. March 16 I read the book today. Not the whole thing, obviously. It’s a textbook, after all. I mean, it’s not Basic Spellcasting or Aerodynamics for the Advanced Flyer, but in it’s own...weird... fashion, it’s just a textbook. Right? So I read some. I took notes on the first “chapter” I guess you could call it. Mostly, it was drivel, just a kind of credo for the writers or writer, talking about the utility and power of his art. Drivel mostly. But.. interesting drivel? Can drivel be interesting? Is that a thing that drivel does? Regardless, I was intrigued despite myself, in the end. The kind of almost effortless power the writer speaks of... Think if that level of power could be put to work. Not for evil, and not these spells, obviously. This books is evil. I don’t need to read it all to know that! But what if we could simply rearrange life as we knew it? Think of the world we could make. Of course, we can to some extent. We can change the course of rivers, make forests smaller or bigger... but we can’t truly create. Entropy is still a thing that happens. But... maybe I’ve misread him. I’m sure I have. Blood magic can’t do that. March 17 Rainbow is back!! I was so excited to see her. She told me the storms over Rusted Hoof had gotten out of hand and started some flooding. Apparently, we’ll have a few refugees in town over the next month. I’m so sorry to hear of their loss... it hurts my heart, hearing about their houses and farms swept away while they had to watch from the hills. I already wrote the Princess, and she’s informed me that help is actually already coming! I’m delighted to hear it, and I’m sure the ponies who come from Rusted Hoof will be too. I asked if I could help, but the Princess says that Archmage Spiral and his entourage will handle it. The Archmage is so old, though. I hope they can turn back the flood. Rainbow is back, though! I’m so excited. We’re going out to eat tonight, just the two of us. It’s been too long since we had a nice romantic dinner. I look forward to it. March 18 Dinner went well last night, in case you were wondering, diary! Ha. I’ve begun a new project, actually. The black book (that’s what I’m calling it now) is hidden under our bed upstairs, safe. Honestly, I’m tempted to write Celestia right after I finish this and go ahead and tell her. I don’t need something like that. Anyhow! Project. As you can see, I’ve been working on my knowledge of older tongues and modes of writing. I think I’m going to work on an old favorite of mine, working on a translation of The Mareiad. I read it once, learning under Professor Hope Blossom in University, and I remember loving it. I actually went looking for a translation today... and I couldn’t find one that I loved in modern Equestrian. It’s high time I fix that! March 24 Work continues on translation. I remember the words, and how the roiling waves come out in the very language as Pious Word leads the weary unicorns of ancient Brouha to a new home... It’s been quite fun. I even got my featherbrain in on it, a little. I read what I’ve worked on to her every night, and she’s been mostly good-spirited about it all. It’s been a nice thing to add to our regular bedtime routine, really. I confess I look forward to producing that turn of phrase that will make her smile or comment. It’s been my goal for this translation, mostly for my own benefit, to make something anypony can enjoy. I wrote the Princess about it, actually, and she’s asked me to send each book to her, as I finish! March 27 Reports of strange things in the woods today. Somepony (I think it was Golden Harvest?) saw something big moving, like a shadow. Applejack was in town today, and she seemed grim. Shadow. I heard that word and I shivered. Timberwolves seems to be the general consensus. I asked AJ if there was anything I could do, and she told me I’d be the first to know if the farm needed some magic. I feel so useless. How am I supposed to be a good friend if I can’t help my friends? My magic is useless if I can’t do anything with it. There’s talk of a curfew, but nothing’s been done yet. Golden Harvest asked if one of the local guardsponies could stay at the farm tonight, so the Carrot family can rest easy on the edge of the Everfree. My translation was short tonight, as I did a lot of reading today in Practical Combat Magic just in case. It helped me feel a little better about being stuck in the library. We’re only halfway through Book I, and Rainbow already doesn’t like Pious Word. Ha! But she is enjoying it, I think. We read after our chapter of Daring Do. We’re almost done with this one... I should look for our next book. March 29 I looked at the book again today. I just... I had nothing else to do. No, that’s a lie. I had things to do. I could’ve translated a bit more for Rainbow tonight (She’s really enjoying the speeches! I’m surprised. We’ll make a connoisseur out of her yet. Though maybe it’s just because it’s me translating...) But it was there. Rainbow was working today, clearing up some rain clouds that were drifting into Ponyville’s weather sector. Spike was working downstairs, just sweeping, and I was kind of alone. I tried reading, tried working a bit on that paper I was putting together for the Journal. Nothing held me. I just kept feeling that cover under my hooves, seeing that nice black surface. It’s really a beautiful book. I took it out and stroked it, sitting on my bed, feeling warm. I wonder if it’s enchanted? Maybe a low level “Need it, Want it” sort of spell. I should check that out! Back. I don’t detect one... but there’s something going on here. It’s definitely not without magic. That’s sort of typical of really old spell books though. Back then, they were a lot rarer and ponies guarded them jealously. I proceeded further into the book today. It’s not structured like modern textbooks, that’s for sure. The “chapters” are rather vaguely delineated, and mostly there’s just titles of spells and rites with notes sort of everywhere. I’d expected something more. More... evil, I guess? I only read a few pages before I stopped. It was mostly simple stuff, things I guess you’d teach an apprentice. How to grasp things properly with magic, how to manipulate the shape of something, bend it. It’s ugly, crude, brutal. Nothing evil, though. Not yet. It... fascinated me. Classical spell casting is usually known for being seamless, fluid. But this is all force and power. I tried it out, and it feels quite good to learn a new way of doing things. A bit hard to control, but that will come with time. I stopped after four pages, though. It felt strange, reading this thing I shouldn’t even have. I liked it. But it felt so wrong. I really should write Celestia. April 1 Pinkie. Today, I avoid Pinkie at all cost. No news. The Everfree hasn’t troubled anyone in awhile.