//------------------------------// // Chapter 15 - Getting ahead of yourself // Story: Headless, not Heartless // by Thadius0 //------------------------------// It crystallized in my mind a moment later exactly what I'd done. I, or rather, Amber, had just lit the equivalent of Venus Lighthouse in Equestria. If the Wise One couldn't feel that across dimensions, I'd eat my sword. Plus who knows what the effect of the Venus Light would have on the Crystal Ponies. Most likely, they'd gain phenomenal cosmic power Psynergy, but it could take time. As in, generations of time and being exposed to its light. Being exposed to its light... The thought bounced around in my head, and then my slight funk dissipated. Now that was a plan. But first, I had a Diamond Dog to care for. Not wanting to waste my strength, I swapped to Venus and prepared to heal Amber, only to realize something. Over the years I could always...sorta feel the extent of my powers. And they were always further than I was willing to go. Morality and all that. But now, I could feel naught of Venus save for Move, Growth, Cure, and Quake. After another second to puzzle this one out, I came to a conclusion. It wasn't that the Star had contained my strength in Venus, because that would be silly. It was that my strength in Venus had been devoured to ignite the beacon. And then I realized why that was. I had been the closest to the palace when the Light had ignited, and we didn't have a proper Lighthouse for it. I mean, technically, the entire bloody palace could count, but nobody had built it with this in mind, had they? And then I realized something shocking. If I hadn't given over my strength, it would have gone after Amber's. I slowly poured streams of Cure into Amber as the ponies reconvened around me. I held up my other hand in their direction as I finished attempting to heal Amber's weariness. She was whispering to me as I kept healing her. "It spoke to me...as I channeled it. Something about...having overcome my trials...already. And that others...will need to do so as well..." I think I have some explaining to do, I said to the ponies. ----- "So these Elemental Stars...they contain the essence of the elements that you draw on?" Correct. The pink alicorn nodded and looked up, where we could still see the faint glow of the light of Venus. "And this is what they are meant to do?" I shifted a bit. Well... The eyes of everyone in the room narrowed as they realized I may have been keeping information from them. "You said you would explain, Dullahan." I sighed and rolled the three remaining spheres around in my right hand. They were not crafted with this in mind, per se, but this is what they are used for. In places of great elemental strength, the Star unleashes the Light of its alignment. Without a Lighthouse, though, it drains power from those nearby during the ignition sequence. The alicorn's gaze let up a fraction. "What were they crafted for, then?" I 'stared' at her, which ended up awkward for all parties. Terra, Dracen, Puck, Newton. The first four Djinn I found. They crafted these Stars for me, that I might have a proper focus for my strength. Over the years, the Stars influenced ponies, most especially, those closest to them, in Canterlot. Silver Cross interjected then. "M'lord, ye said the Light drains power from those of us nearby? I don't feel any different." Nor will you. It took a moment for that to sink in, but when it did, I almost heard their worldviews breaking as they realized what had happened. Before they could uselessly object, I raised my hand to stop them. Yes, it drained me, because I was the strongest, closest one nearby. And I would have it no other way. To protect you all as much as possible, I would sacrifice as much of my power as needed. At this, Shining and Cadenza looked shocked. Possibly because they realized just how much of a heart I had. Cadenza raised a hoof and cleared her throat. "Anything else you feel like telling us, Dullahan?" I mulled it over before deciding she'd been nicer to me than her aunts and could probably be trusted with the information. Yeah, when I touched the Heart, I learned where all the other...hmm, let's call them Elemental Locations, are. Cadenza pulled out a map and nodded at me. "Proceed." A mountain that was used during the Great Dragon Migration with a fiery heart. Cloudsdale's Weather Factory. And the Badlands. She had marked the empire and the other two on the map, but when we got to the third one, she dropped the quill in shock. Hell, everyone in the room was shocked at the last statement. "Her land?" I turned to Shining. I assume you mean the Changelings. Yes, apparently they're sitting on the Mercury Location. Fitting, really. They can change their form, and they are to be the wardens of the power with nearly as many forms. The mountain is to be home to Mars, and Cloudsdale, naturally, is to be home to Jupiter. As Cadenza continued to make notes, I turned to face the ones I had brought with me. There is another stipulation. Each element has a 'champion', one meant to bring it out. Amber was the champion of Venus. Shiver and Silver are champions as well, for their elements. Shining's face drew into a scowl. "And what pony is the champion of Mercury? Who will you drag into the Badlands, Dullahan?" I turned to face him and would have given him a mischevious smirk. Oh Shiny, I don't have to drag anyone into the Badlands. And even if I did, I think you'd let me drag her there. As it stands, she's already there. It's only the convincing that'll take some time. Everyone's jaw dropped, again, as they realized what I was implying. Chrysalis, Changeling Queen, was to be the champion of Mercury. Cadenza found her voice first. "Why would you do any of this, let alone anything involving her?" I sighed again, realizing I would have had to tell someone sooner or later. A massively powerful entity, known only as the Wise One, is coming. He is to me like your aunts are to unicorns. The only time I can think of anyone actually standing up to him, even for a second, and succeeding, is when all four beacons were lit in another land and time, and then...a miracle happened. I turned to 'face' upwards, staring at the Venus Light. The light from all four beacons merged in the center of the land, causing the Golden Sun to shine down on the one standing there. His power was increased tenfold, and he achieved...not immortality, but longevity. For the Wise One foresaw this, and secreted away a portion of one Star's power. The Sun was incomplete. I turned back to face the alicorn in the throne. Even still, with as little comparative power as he got, he actually stood up to the Wise One. These Stars are uninfluenced. This Sun will be complete. I will not permit him to threaten this land. If that means giving up my strength, my foci, so be it. ----- We were, of course, rapidly escorted from the Crystal Empire. Save for Crystal Clear. I still managed to make a good case for her to stay and study the place. This was, predictably, my plan. Having someone who could report back to me the changes the Crystal Ponies would undergo would help us deal with the effects from the other Lights. Naturally, Cadenza probably saw right though me, but played along anyways. She was most likely worried about the empire as well, along with any effects the Light might have on the subjects. Having someone versed in the strange and unusual power that had lit the beacon would serve her well. Which led me and those that had followed me being snuck off the train a mile before Ponyville so we could make our way, in secret, back to Newvale. It wasn't easy. Oh, not the sneaking. Convincing the train operators to let us off early. Cross eventually threatened to set them on fire and take over, and that got through to them. No matter what, I did not want to end up in Ponyville. It would probably not end well, even though the Princesses and I weren't trading blows anymore. Didn't mean the ponies outside of Newvale knew about me. Or would accept me. Or not run screaming at the sight of me. I sat in my chair in my Penumbra Sanctum, thinking out loud to Silver Cross and ShiverSpine about what I had deduced from our time in the Empire. The problem is the Light requires more than just the Star and the Location to activate. It should really have a Lighthouse, but we can't build those in time. So it'll devour nearby sources of aligned strength to start itself. Ideally, I would light all four, but I can't exactly walk on clouds... ShiverSpine nodded. "Which means my Light will be the most dangerous, at least to me." I 'nodded' at him. Correct, but there may be a workaround. If you were to gather as many Jupiter Djinn as possible, your strength would be amplified. True, it would still hurt, but at least you would still have strength to return to. Seven should do. Probably. For Mars and Mercury, I can be present, and so shall endeavor to be. Yours should be peaceful enough, and you will require time to gather the requisite Djinn, so you should go last. Silver shall go before you, and I shall, soon enough, go to Chrysalis and attempt to light Mercury. Silver nodded. "Aye, it makes sense to go deal with the bug while you still have most of yer strength." I then 'looked' in the direction of the courthouse. Say, whatever happened to that noble Inferno Blaze took back with him? Shiver scratched at the back of his head as he tried to recall. "Hmm. Sky blue pegasus, right? I think...oh yeah, he had a beef with the Sun Princesses' nephew. Last I heard, Inferno was slowly burning off portions of the stuck-up's mane to try and get all the names of his slavery ring out while he still had a tongue to use." Silver nodded. "Aye, and that Fulminata mare, she had her own prisoners and was lookin' fer you to place a curse on 'em. Said something about retribution." Shiver perked up a bit as he recalled something. "Oh, yeah! A unicorn and a sheep came in today after word of us got around to them. And two changelings are seeking asylum from the Royal Guard here. Caught 'em with a Reveal at the gates. What do you want to do?" I sighed a bit. Administrative duties still fell to me, it would seem. I'll go looking for Fulmy then, and don't harm the changelings. As long as they don't harm anyone, I don't see any reason we shouldn't return the courtesy. Afterwards, I have a changeling queen to go deal with. I paused before leaving fully. While I am gone, though. It would be prudent for you to figure out how to best work past your issues. You will need to do so before you can use the Stars. The two sputtered as they realized the enormity of the task before them. Before they could object, I added on one final sentence. It'll be hard enough for me to work out what Chryssy's issues even ARE, much less how she can work past them, I'd rather not have to do it twice more! And thus I began my next adventure, one to a cracked and barren land.