Chapter 18 – Closing eyes but freeing minds
The shadowy figure stands unflinching to the older stallion's gaze as Star Swirl musters his strength for the will and ability to fight.
But as the short moment turns over the old stallion quickly sparks up his horn as he shoots a bolt of magic towards the shady stallion.
The figure does not shift its stance as a wall of dark purple magic ends up sending the bolt of magic aimlessly to slam into the ceiling.
At the same moment a slight piece of the ceiling from the bolt of magic falls to the ground the wall of magic has dropped as the shadowy figure charges forward with two quick bolts of magic towards the stallion.
Star Swirl’s skill proceeds the pony-less armor as he vanishes with a slight poof sound from his gold magic.
However, his rapid spell only brings him to where the stallion once stood. The shadowy figure's charge is brought to a halt as it calmly turns itself for the orbs of purple like where its eyes should be.
Star Swirl however waste no time as he quickly turns tail and gallops towards the spiral staircase at the end of the room.
But, the old pony's escape is brought to an end as a wall of dark purple magic covers the doorway. Star Swirl brings himself to a sliding stop as he looks over the blocked path, "I see now..."
The old pony turns back to the shadow as he continues, "...Sagitta can not fight his own battles."
His words bring no response from the mindless would be pony as it just stares to where the old stallion stands, all the while with a building dark purple magic too the neck area of the armor.
Star Swirl’s eyes lock to the magic as he readies his stance and his horn.
The room quickly starts to glow from the two magics as the old stallion waits for the first strike. But just as the air in the castle gets heavy the shadow sends a cracking bolt that spread out like a blanket being thrown towards the old pony, instead of a normal straight shot spell.
Star Swirl jerks his head forward as a thunderous gold lightning like bolt is sent towards the wall of magic that rushes him. In the blink of an eye the purple wall is split in two as it brushes past the old stallion doing nothing more then wave his mane with a gust of wind.
The gold bolt of magic however slams against the armor as a sound similar to electricity zaps around the metal armor.
As the gold magic bounces and rolls around the armor the shadowy figure's orb eyes gets dimmer, and just as the spell ends the shadow disappears and the armor falls to the ground with a clang.
Star Swirl sways from the spell he just performed but he is quick to turn around as he starts up the spiral staircase.
The dark and sharp spin up the stone stairs both messes with the stallion's mind as well as drains his last bit of energy. However, just as he gets halfway the stones of the castle began to rumble and his foot is lost a little to the next step.
Star Swirl is cut by catching himself before falling backward, but his left knee has now been gashed by one of the stone stairs. Never the less he ignores the pain, the stallion pushes himself up as he continues to near the intense ringing of magic that pours down and bounces to the staircase.
After a few moments the old stallion has come into the empty room as his eyes now lock to the bright balcony a short trot away from where he stands. However, his eyes turn their attention to the waving maroon cloak wearing unicorn, whose horn shines from the spell it holds.
"Sagitta!"
The words just barely chime over the tremendous cyclon of magic that shoots up from the crown on the ground, but it does turn the stallion's head as the spell he holds comes to an end. His horn however still glowed as a bright blue stone revolves around him, "Star Swirl?!"
With a slight groan the old pony brings himself more into the room as he sparks his horn up, "Stop this maddness Sagitta!"
"Stop?!!" A laugh comes up from the taupe gray stallion as he trots more into the room, "This can not be stopped Star Swirl! This was inevitable! You know yourself that the magic from this dreadful device would eventually seep out into our world, I am saving everypony! I am fixing the problem before it can fester!"
"NO!" Star Swirl’s chiming horn is dropped as the old stallion quickly adjust his footing to balance himself, "You have released to much, it must be ended now!"
“My magic is being amplified by my own copy stone, the released magic is being drained too fast too affect anything.”
Star Swirl shakes his head as he speaks up, “No, it is only making it worse, just look outside!”
The words bring a scowl to the younger stallion's face as he rises his head, "Your mind has been lost in your old age Star Swirl, leave now or lay here forever." Sagitta's horn sparks up as his face goes rock hard to his determination.
Star Swirl sparks his horn up as he shakes his head, "Whether it be my own fault or my own guilt, but I will not be leaving this place without success."
"So be it."
The small blue stone that spins around the pony starts to glow with its master’s horn as Sagitta quickly jerks his head forward as he sends a bolt towards the stallion.
Star Swirl brings his horn up as a bubble of gold comes around him, however the over charged spell still sends the stallion to his back and sliding a little across the room.
A cry of pain comes up from the old stallion as he tries to push himself up from the ground.
Sagitta slowly trots over to where the old pony struggles to bring himself to his hooves, however as he watches the stallion his horn's glow starts to lower as he brings his head down towards Star Swirl's, "I had sent Clover and Preston to make sure you were okay. You should not have come here Star Swirl."
The words only force the stallion to try again as he tries to bring his frail older body up, however with a grunt he only falls back to his front knees as he drops in front of the stallion. His voice is panting both from fatigue and the thoughts that roll in his mind as he speaks up, "I hope you have made peace with yourself Sagitta, because I have."
The words cock the stallion's head, but before he can speak up the old stallion has sent a bolt of magic towards the crown that sits in the middle of the balcony.
Sagitta's eyes go wide as he turns to the gold magic that now wraps around the crown on the ground. The cyclone of magic above it, is instantly brought to an end and for a moment it feels like time has slowed down, "What have you done!?"
Star Swirl closes his eyes as he just focuses on his heart pounding and his ears stay pinned to the sound of the galloping stallion that charges towards the balcony.
- - -
(outside)
Clover's horn finally drops its hold to the castle doors she has been trying to open since they closed. Instead her attention is brought from the door as Preston's voice comes up from behind her, "Clover look..."
The mare turns her head to the man and then to everypony around her as she notices their upwards gaze, the loud sounds of gale winds still chime out above. But as she looks up her eyes lock to the cyclone of magic that has started to take on the shape of a glowing ball just next to the castle, "Star Swirl must have-..."
"Cllaaaggggfffffaahhhhhsssss!!!"
A loud boom comes up from the ball of magic, almost like a metallic gong as the swirling sphere pops over head. Streams of blue-purple, gold and green magic spew through the sky like an aurora borealis as the ground around the castle shakes.
However, the tremors do not end quick as the sound of the castle's glass windows shattering ring into the night followed by the sight of part of the castle collapsing.
Clover's eyes get wide as she stares to the building that sits only a few hooves in front of her.
"RUN!!" Everypony charges down the dirt path from the castle.
Preston's voice comes up as his body starts to jitters from the collapsing building in front of him, "Clover come on!!"
The words bring the mare's legs up as she charges from the building with Preston close behind.
Around the hill the sound of stones falling and the tremors in the ground ring up as the ponies flee from the castle's sides.
Clover's gallop slowly starts to come to an end as she pants hard and turns back to the sight of the castle. The building has not completely come down, but the topmost part of the castle where the cyclone of magic streamed from has collapsed into the center.
The mare's blue eyes well up with tears as the ground's rumbling slowly starts to come down, however before she can take a step Preston brings a hand to the mare's back to stop here.
However, his voice does not come up as Violas's panting tone comes up beside them, "M-maybe they got out. T-they could have teleported."
Clover shakes her head as she closes her eyes, "A-a massive release of magic that powerful would have canceled out any s-spell..."
Her stance now leans to the man's hand, which brings Precision to a knee as he brings his arms around the mare that now moves closer to him with a light sob. Preston however just stares to the castle in front of him not really knowing what to do or say.
However, his voice is not needed as the crowd behind him starts to shout something.
Preston, Violas and Clover slowly turn their heads towards the commotion behind them as they turn to see the familiar sight of the large white alicorn being followed by a few pegasus fitted with bright gold armor that sits in contrast to the dark night.
But, the Princess's flight along with the ponies that follow her is brought down as they stare to the partially collapsed castle up towards the hill.
Celestia's wings are the first to bring her down as she lands a little in front of the group of ponies that now swarm around her with loud distressed voices.
The purple mare next to Preston however just turns her attention back to the castle as she just stares to it, silently hoping to see the old white bearded stallion trotting from it.
For the next few minutes the mare just holds her gaze, until a voice from behind flicks her ear.
"...Star Swirl and Sagitta were inside?"
The calm tone brings a slight annoyance to the purple mare as she like the stallion a little behind her speaks up, "Yes."
Celestia gives a simple nod as she turns her head towards the castle, "And the Element of Harmony?"
"Inside..." Clover turns her head towards the tall mare as her shaky voice continues, "Buried, like it should be. L-like Star Swirl wanted it, out of any ponies reach."
The words pause Celestia for the moment as she just looks over the mare's watery eyes, but she gives another simple nod as she speaks up, "Perhaps it should be."
Her head turns back to the castle, but she does not continue as she turns back to the two ponies and Preston, "I will make sure you all are safe tonight, tomorrow we shall search the castle."
Clover gives no reaction to the words as she just turns her head forward, "Yes Princess..."
End of chapter 18