//------------------------------// // 06 // Story: Pandora's Box // by Rocinante //------------------------------// Celestia left Twilight and her sister to study the spell. With practiced facade, she moved through the castle halls until she reached her private quarters. She give her door guards a casual smile and nod. “Tell Shining Armor I need to see him at his first convenience,” she said Entering her room and closing the door behind her, she finally let her posture slip. “What have I done?” she moaned. Clearing her head, Celestia breathed in meditation. “They’re just gods, second born even. The ponies handled them before, when they were less advanced; less unified.” Walking over to a curio cabinet, she opened its glass and iron doors, and pulled a slender brass key from its hook. “I thought I had hung you up for the last time.” Knock Knock ‘That was fast,’ she thought. Shining’s knock held a rhythm she could always recognise. “Enter,” she called. Shining Armor opened the door and stepped through with precise military posture. “You summ-” “At ease,” she told him the moment the door clicked shut, interrupting his salute. Dropping his hoof, Shining relaxed, allowing his smile to replace the stern look. “You called Princess?” Celestia had a sad look to her. It was a rare mood, it both saddened and frightened him. “What’s going on?” - - - “-if we’re lucky, Twilight will be able to fix the old spell, if not we will be at war with the plaguebringers.” Shining sat with his mouth slack. The hour-long history lesson, ending with a prophecy of war, was almost too much. His mind spun with lists of things that had to be done. “I’ll start preparing the troops immediately,” he said, turning to leave. “Wait,” Celestia said floating the key over to him. “I brought you here for something else, something only you can do.” Shining took the key with confusion. “You don’t want the guards readied?” “Yes, but others can handle that. You, must be an instructor again. That is the key to the killing books. You are to study them, and see to it that every unicorn in the guard knows at least one killing spell.” “Killing spells! That’s forbidden... It’s dark magic.” “Yes, it is. And you are the only one I trust with them.” "Somepony from the college, they should be the one for this," he protested, pushing the key back. "No, Shining. Your gift for magic is second only to Twilight's. Even I can not cast your shield spell. Twilight could in time, but she has a gift that is once in a generation.” Shining blinked at the praise. True magic came easy to him. "But still, why me? I've never taught magic in my life.” “That's not true. Twilight used to tell me about you helping her with her homework. And besides, you are the best instructor we ever had. It's why you made captain. I need somepony the guards respect, and that I trust. That leaves only you.” “Still, killing magic?" Shining asked. The thought sat like a stone in his gut. It was anathema to everything he had ever been taught. Sure, spears were weapons meant to kill, and he was an accomplished instructor in its art, but spears were wood and bronze, used by hoof. Magic is an extension of the soul. Using magic on another was intimate, stronger spells second only to love play. To mingle with an enemy's soul and then kill them rang wrong to Shining on every level.   Celestia rested a hoof on Shining's shoulder. "It's a tool we might have to use soon. The plaguebringers have old allies that will be glad to help them, changelings the least among them. We cannot be caught unprepared.” "Before, you said six had to die to seal away the gods. If it comes to that again, that would mean my sister and the Elements," Shining said more than asked. "The sacrifice must be of free will," Celestia said, not answering directly, but her omission told him what he needed to know. He knew them well enough; they would take up that knife to save Equestria, and he would do anything to keep them from having to make that choice. “Very well." Shining nodded, taking the key and stowing it in a pocket. “I will start familiarizing myself with the spells tonight." Shining saluted and turned to leave, squaring his posture as the door opened. When the door closed behind Shining, Celestia closed the curio. “And now for the conversation I really don’t want to have.” Taking up a small silver bell, Celestia rang it with a quick shake. “You rang?” a guard asked through the barely opened door. “Yes, send a message to Princess Cadence that I need to speak with her about something urgent.” “Yes Princ-” “And also, when she gets here. You two are dismissed for the evening.” “But-” “No buts. I’m doing you a favor. When that door closes behind her, you two get out of here.” “Yes Princess.” - - - The key turned in the steel door with a thud that echoed through the academy's library. Heads turned in unvoiced questions as Shining opened the door and stepped through; lamps lighting as he entered. No pony had opened this alcove in generations, yet neither age or neglect showed in the little room. Books and scrolls covered the far wall, arcane instruments rested on another, and bare stone made for the other walls. A heavy table served as a desk in the center of the room. Sloping his saddlebag on the table, he scanned the spines of the books before him. "I don't even know where to start," he grumbled. Slipping out a book titled, The Incantations of Thanatos, Shining flipped it open, '-oak tree battle scarred, chips of bone, chips of steel, seven generations blood soaked soil-'. Shining slammed the book shut with a shudder. "Theory... I need proper formulas, incantations are too dangerous. I have to teach this." Reshelving the book he spotted another tomb: Magic and combat, a history. "That's what I need." - - - “He should have been home hours ago,” Cadence fumed. The clock tower finishing it’s midnight toll, she paced the main room of their suit, anger at Celestia only kept in check by concern for her husband. Cadence knew the dangers of dark magic, she had seen ponies corrupt and twist in its shadow. To know a spell or incantation was harmless enough; if learned for a good cause. But to study it, to try and understand it, that was a path few could walk unscarred. Now Celestia has sent her husband into that dark place and left her to patch up the wounds. And then there were her siblings, those six alicorns that the fates had found amusing to call her brothers and sisters. Born with the task of cleaning up after them, she had spent time uncounted giving succour to the lives they had ruined. Now one of Celestia’s schemes threatened to free them from their prison. Free to live her own life for the past two millennium she was again faced with their burden. Anger melted from her in a flash as the front door cracked open. As her husband slowly waded into the room, she reflexively checked his eyes. They were tired, but no signs of smoke. Before he could react, she ran to him and pressed necks in a hug. “Celestia told me everything. How’d it go?” she asked. Her horn lit as he smiled and leaned into her. With not a spell, but her innate divine gift. Cadence soothed her husband’s heart and warded it against corruption. “Better now,” Shining said with a content sigh.