//------------------------------//
// 70 - Enact 
// Story: Gladiator 
// by Not_A_Hat 
//------------------------------//

THUMP.
 
I woke up when I hit the ground.
 
"Ow." I pried my eyes open. No, I'd been mistaken; I was still dreaming.
 
Right?
 
It was spring break. On a whim, I decided to eschew civilization, so I’d ridden my motorbike into the woods and fallen asleep in a small nylon tent.

Now I was in a wide, grassy field, under a sky of unfamiliar stars. Of course it was a dream. What else could it be?
 
"Ahem."
 
Someone behind me cleared their throat. I whirled, and found... a manikin? I stared a moment; the scene was surreal. It looked like a fugitive from a department store, lost in a sea of grass. It was slightly shorter than me, perfectly symmetrical, and completely featureless. It had no eyes or mouth, and its nose was a smooth jag. It was formed from a white, waxy substance and had no identifying features.
 
It was almost creepy.
 
"Ahem." It carefully raised a hand and coughed. I flinched at the unexpected movement, but it's mannerism was so… studied, artificially casual, I almost laughed.
 
"Um, hello?" I looked around. Despite the surreal setting, this dream was one of the most realistic I'd had in a while. "Yes? Do you need something?" Might as well play along. My subconscious could be surprisingly entertaining.
 
"Could I possibly ask your name?" Its voice was a grating, mechanical monotone, but perfectly intelligible.
 
"Wesley Kilmer." I nodded firmly. "And who are you?"
 
"Please call me Cog."
 
"Huh." I walked slowly around it. "Some dream, huh?"
 
 "It's possible you could call it that. Wesley, let me ask you a question." Its head spun to follow me. Eventually I completed a full circle. Its face settled back in place with a click.
 
"Okay?"
 
"Would you like to go on an adventure?"
 
"Hmm." I turned, and started walking. The grass was cool on my bare feet. The starlight was bright, and the air was pleasant. "Nope, not really."
 
"Please elaborate." My waxy companion paced alongside. Its movements were fluid, but a subtle repetition gave it a mechanically deliberate quality.
 
"Well, I'm already on one." I shrugged. "I mean, I'm camping in the woods. I needed to get out of town, so I did. I needed some variety in my routine, so I made some. I stopped waiting around for adventure to come find me when I was fourteen, and began making my own. It didn't take me long to realize that civilization rocks, and adventure is best experienced in small, measured doses. There's no way I'd rush into something I have no control over."
 
"Hmm." Cog rubbed its chin. Again, the obvious affectation seemed awkward, comic. "And if you had no choice? If you were thrust into adventure, despite your wishes? How would you respond?"
 
"Step up and deal… I hope." I grimaced. "Surprises can be really painful."
 
"Hmm." Cog paused, and we stopped walking. "Wes. I'm sorry to say this… but it's possible you've met a terrible fate."
 
"Huh." I scratched my head. "Interesting."
 
"You don't believe me."
 
"No, no, go on." I waved for it to continue. It had been a while since I had a really epic dream, but this one was shaping up to be pretty good.
 
"Before that, maybe we could move to somewhere else? Where do you feel comfortable?"
 
"Move?" I raised an eyebrow. Usually, dreams weren't this proactive. "Dunno. Comfortable, you say? How about my grandfather's house?"

“Could you imagine it for me?”

“Here goes.” I pictured the destination, as best I could. Cog waved a hand. One massive click rang through the air. I blinked.
 
I was standing in the sun; the stars had vanished. A white fence surrounded me, tall vertical planks blocking the street. Bougainvillea runners climbed it enthusiastically. The grass under my feet was short-trimmed, and a sandbox filled one corner. Bright plastic toys lay abandoned. A glass and metal patio table sat in the center, surrounded by flimsy plastic chairs.
 
"Oh. Huh. Cool." I leaned one of the chairs back, spinning it with one hand. It felt real. I set it down, and lowered myself to the table. Cog took a seat across from me. "So, what's the skinny? The lowdown? What's my quest, mission?"
 
"Quest." Cog shook his head slowly. "It's possible laying it out now will be most efficient." It shrugged, intentionally. "Yes. Well, Wesley, what do you know about multiple worlds?"
 
"Multiple worlds?" I raised an eyebrow. "Like, the metaphysics theory? That quantum decisions create alternate realities?"
 
"That's the one."
 
"Not a whole lot." I shook my head. "In fact, that sentence may sum my knowledge up completely."
 
"Well, it's a start." Cog leaned forward slightly. "I’ll give you the condensed version. In certain settings, usually involving quantum measurements, observing changes the thing observed. That suggests observation, and by extension consciousness, shape reality. Besides being ridiculous and counterintuitive, this… causes other problems. Multiple-worlds theory is an attempt to resolve those. It says quantum decisions aren't either-or, but instead both realities come true, in different universes. Instead of choosing A or B it picks C, all of the above. It claims there is an infinite, or near-infinite number of universes, expanding at each quantum event."
 
"Okay?" I gave the manikin a puzzled grin. I'd have to write this down when I awoke. It would be interesting to see how my dream-babble stacked up against the actual theory.
 
"Remember this, because it’s very nearly correct." Cog rested its chin on a palm. Again, I got the feeling it was rehearsing the movement. "Though there aren’t nearly that many universes."
 
"Oh? Why not?" I'd heard variations on that theory, usually in novels. They varied in complexity.
 
"Ah. Well, multiple worlds means alternate futures are a valid idea." It drew a finger along the glass, leaving chalklike smears. A line, branching into two. "This world-line hits a quantum event, and splits into two. Different possibilities, both happen. Right?"
 
"Right."
 
"Well, why should that idea only apply going forward? If multiple futures are valid, then multiple pasts are equally valid. It's possible to reach the same position by traveling various paths. After most quantum events, the world is not changed enough to notice. Given enough time, all evidence of the event will disappear. Or at least become unmeasurable, due to uncertainty."  It looked up at me, and then merged the two branches back together.

"At that point, there's no observable difference between the worlds, and they stop being separate. Basically, worlds can split… but they can also merge. They have a tension, if you will. To create realities that are actually separate, headed strongly in different directions, the quantum event needs to be significant. Very powerful, or observed by many."
 
"Cool."
 
"It's possible."
 
"So, what does this have to do with me?" I leaned back in my chair. "Why teach me this?"
 
"Wesley Kimler, you have fallen out of reality. Left your world-line."
 
"Huh?" Despite myself, I nearly tipped backwards. I recovered after windmilling my arms a moment. "What? How? Shouldn't that be impossible?"
 
"Impossible… isn't. Most of the time." It froze for a second, as if thinking. "In truth, the multiple worlds theory is an analogy. Like the Bohr atom, it's useful and correct in some generalities, but wrong in several important specifics. Reality is not so easily encompassed. Understanding your predicament correctly is impossible without a lifetime of study." His mechanical voice took on a contemplative tone. "And that assumes scientific achievements your world lacks. Suffice to say, you have fallen out of reality."
 
"Then… where am I?" I pressed for specifics, curious. "Where have I ended up?"
 
"Between worlds. Right now, you're falling through inter-reality. I've matched the movement of this pseudo-reality to yours so we seem stationary, but your velocity is extreme."
 
"And how did it happen?"
 
"Your world… has a tear." It fidgeted, and actually seemed spontaneously nervous. "Just a small one. It's size and position are extremely uncertain, but… it was enough to pull you through."
 
"Is that the adventure you mentioned?"
 
"It is possible." It cocked its head. "You're falling right now. You will soon impact another brane, and enter another world. I can't help much; my power is limited to specific things, but I thought I'd warn you. It's a friendly world in many ways, though no place is perfect. Returning to your previous world is an eventual possibility. I may be able to give you guidance and help."
 
"Oh. Cool. So, let me get this straight. My adventure is to go to another world, work with the things you're giving me, and find my way home?"
 
"You still consider this a dream."
 
"Isn't it?" Dream characters usually didn't acknowledge that, but there were very few hard rules to dreams.
 
"Educating you now will significantly increase your chance of survival. I'm sorry about this, Wes." It raised a hand, and brought it back down on the table with a CLANG.
 
The sound filled my world.
 
CLANG echoed through my head, bouncing off the inside of my ears. It shimmered through my bones, shaking me violently from the inside out. I may have yelled; I know I clapped my hands to my head. I curled up, trying to escape the noise, and fell out of my seat.
 
Instead of landing on the ground, I just kept on going.
 
I fell through the earth. I glimpsed blackness so intense it scored my brain. I was hanging in space, totally alienated from stability and safety. My breath caught in my throat. For an instant, I was filled with fear, convinced I was lost forever in a void. Then I saw the Tree, and all my fear was forgotten.
 
It appeared as a glow, a sort of purple haze that seemed to rise behind me. I spun, somehow translating intent into action, and it dawned in my view.
 
It was magnificent. It was huge, incomprehensibly large. It spread through space, thrumming chords of power and beauty, crystal columns of truth and reality. It formed a snarling pattern of branches and paths, twisting and writhing in ways that strangely drew the eye.
 
"Do you understand?"
 
Cog's voice filled space, ringing from below my feet as the noise in my ears faded. I looked down. Below me, an expanse of mechanisms spread. I couldn’t point to a beginning or end. It was interminable. Ratchets clicked, flywheels spun, gears smoothly counted out their teeth.
 
This was not a dream.
 
This was too much, too fast, too strong, too… too real to be anything but reality. I shook my head, trying to clear it. What had I been doing? I’d made a logical conclusion based on my surreal surroundings. Deciding I was in a dream was reasonable, but… wrong. Tree. Cog. Seeing them like this, I was absolutely convinced. Maybe it wasn’t even a rational decision. I just knew; this was True, with a capital T. They couldn't be anything except what they were, and I was seeing everything they were.
 
And it hurt.
 
Reality was too MUCH. Knowledge, pure and simple, flared furiously through me. My head spun, my jaw clenched, my eyes dilated, my vision blurred. Fire crawled into my head, roaring behind my eyes and spreading down my spine in wires of red-hot agony. I threw my head back and screamed.
 
THUMP.
 
I returned to my grandfather's yard with a crash. I lay curled on the grass, whimpering, as a wash of scarlet pain crept over me.
 
"It's possible I'm sorry." Cog's voice was uncertain. "I'm not sure I understand the emotion, but… this may be it. The pain will fade. You are safe now."
 
"That hurt." Slowly, my nerves stopped screaming as the agony drained out of my fingertips and toes.  "A lot." I drew a shuddering breath, and lurched upright. "But… I understand, somewhat. This is real? Yes. This is real." I strengthened the conviction in my voice. "You're real. I saw… you. You're a mechanism?" I crinkled my eyebrows. "Somehow. And the… thing. Like a tree. I saw the Tree. You said I fell out of my reality. That was real? That was real. I'm… good grief." I rested my head in my hands, as the enormity of my situation washed over me.
 
"Will you be alright?" The solicitation in Cog's voice sounded genuine.
 
"I, uh." I lapsed into silence "Maybe. Woah." I forced myself upright and wobbled over to my chair, holding firmly to my self-control. The familiar surrounding soothed me, even though I knew it wasn't… no, it was real. But it wasn't the 'real' I knew. "I… yeah, I'll be okay. I don't have much choice, huh?" I laughed nervously. My former blithe confidence was gone, wiped away by a mega-dose of real. This wasn't a dream. I was in waaaaay, waaaaay over my head, and there was nothing I could do about it.
 
"No." Cog shrugged. "No, you don’t. I'll lay it out straight, Wes. You've drawn the short straw. You're up a creek. You've got problems. Still, don't lose hope just yet."
 
"Right." I rubbed my eyes, wincing. They were raw, and stung. "You said you'd help me get home?"
 
"It's possible you may succeed." It shrugged. "I'll do what I can."
 
"Then yes. I'm okay. I'll be okay. One way or another." I gulped, dropping my forehead to the table. "I hope."
 
Silence settled around us.
 
"Well." After letting my mind churn, I tried to sit up again. "Okay. I fell out of reality. What's happening to me now?" I concentrated, determined not to choke on the words.
 
"You will land in another." Cog sat motionless. "I've traced your trajectory. You're moving quickly, but not so fast I can't direct you slightly. My influence is very limited, but for now, it suffices. It is, on the whole, a soft world." Cog waved a hand, and left a glittering trail of images in the air. A sun, moon, rainbow… a half-dozen strange symbols. "Much like yours."
 
"My world was soft?" I frowned. "Maybe in some parts, but—"
 
"Trust me on this one." Cog cut me off. "Your world was soft, lovely, and kind. In comparison, at least." It placed a hand flat on the table, and lifted it slowly. A tiny, crystalline tree rose underneath, appearing from the glass with a ripple. It was twisted, knotted, strangely intricate.
 
"Is that… the Tree I saw?" I gulped, shielding my eyes for fear of the burning I'd experienced.
 
"Parts of it. Fitting the entire akashic record into this pseudo-space would be challenging." Cog pointed to the crystal bonsai. "It's the local pieces, the relevant bits. Look, here and here." It's fingertip sharpened, pointing to specific branches.
 
"Blackness?" I leaned in. The bonsai was maybe eight inches tall, and it sparkled incredibly. But here and there, it was dulled. "Is that… fungus?"
 
"Not a bad analogy." Cog shrugged. "Not correct, but enough for now. I call it the corruption. My work is to hinder it."
 
"Woah. Good versus evil? Light versus darkness?"
 
"If only. No, I am no moral agent, although I try. It's simply life versus death. Perhaps fighting for my life is good, but… desperation is my motivation." It shrugged, the most human motion I'd seen yet. "The corruption eats at the Tree, while I strive to burn it away."
 
"Wait. Fighting for your life?" I scratched my forehead, and pointed from the Tree, to Cog. "Are you the Tree? What? How? I thought you were the… infinite mechanism."
 
"Well, yes. Both. In some sense." Its voice grated. "You are your mind, and you are your body. If all I could see was your skeleton, maybe that could be considered 'you'. The Tree isn't conscious, but it is alive, in some sense of the word. It has a will, a purpose. All life reflects it; all life strives to live and grow. In order to combat the corruption, it's changed itself. The parts that fight become stronger, more effective, more mobile, more… aware. Me."
 
"You're an antibody!" I pointed a finger at him. "A white blood cell!"
 
"I am a whole, not a part." It waved the thought away. "No, the analogy is too vague. I won’t pursue it. Suffice, I'm tied to the tree on a basic level. I strive against the corruption, which strives to eat me. I seek to hinder it in every way, so I’m saving you."
 
"What?" I frowned. "How does… wait. Did the corruption cause me to 'fall out of reality'?" I made air-quotes with my fingers. Cog nodded slowly.
 
"Yes." It pointed to the tree again. "See? The corruption spreads. One way it manifests in worlds is through tears in reality. Small ones rapidly change size and position. You were unlucky to camp near one. It… swallowed you."
 
"So… I really just, sort of… fell out of reality." I rubbed my forehead. "Through a tear."
 
"Pretty much." It inclined its featureless face towards me. "I'd have stopped it, if I could. I apologize."
 
"Blech." I frowned. "Well, I can't say I'm happy… but blaming you is meaningless." I sighed. "As nice as it might feel." I shrugged. "Forget it. I don't mean to sound greedy, but… please, focus on helping me now." I swallowed. "This is hard enough to deal with. Anything would be welcome."
 
"As I said, I'm quite limited." Cog waved a finger, and the bonsai spun lazily. "But, I will do what I can. Watch the Tree."
 
I flinched.
 
"This won't hurt."
 
I reluctantly relaxed. I was wary, but I trusted Cog somewhat. He'd shown me… well, everything. I watched the bonsai. As it spun, the half-visible pattern in the branches, the twisted, intricate paths, wove themselves into a complicated knot that drew the eye strangely.
 
"Woah." I blinked, and the illusion shattered. "What was that?"
 
"My power is limited," Cog said, "but I can't be less than I am. I've shown you the Tree twice, reflecting various aspects of reality. It changed you. The first one blew away the illusions you lived in. The second one has given you a little more."
 
"Oooo." I traced a finger across the table. Around the bonsai’s pot was a pattern. The branches seemed to be projecting it. It mirrored their swirls, and it was almost layered above the glass. "Pretty."
 
"Patterns perceived on a subliminal level register with your consciousness as 'beauty'." Cog rested its chin in a palm. "An interesting study, honestly. But this Pattern is more than decoration. It's from a part of you that can see the truth of reality even from inside a world-line. It will reveal hidden magic, especially doors and portals. If you see anything, anything at all with this Pattern on it, it's important. This is your key to return, your road to home. Head for the Pattern, and find the Tree."
 
"So." I drew in a shaky breath. "Follow the yellow brick road."
 
"It is possible that's humor?" It cocked its head. "Yes. Possibly. Hah. Hah."
 
"Okay, nevermind." I waved a hand. "Follow the Pattern, and it will lead to… what?"
 
"Eventually, it will lead you back here." Cog gestured around. "Interreality."

"Interreality. Okay. And from here… I can get home?"
 
"It is possible."
 
"That's… not reassuring."
 
"It's the best I can do. There are no guarantees. If I meet you at a portal or tear, I may be able to help you return. It's all I've got for you."
 
"Then I'll take it." I sighed. "Is that really everything?"
 
"Unfortunately." His nod was solemn. "Yes."
 
We sat in silence for a while. I pondered everything I'd been told, and tried to fit it into my brain. Slowly, I felt stress begin weighing on me. I began tensing up. My stomach started to roil, the immensity of my predicament pulling me down.
 
"Cog." I cut the silence before the stress drove me crazy. "Tell me something."
 
"Of course."
 
"You said, the corruption is killing… you?"
 
"It tries."
 
"And it manifests as tears."
 
"More than that, but that's how it first attacks."
 
I leaned in close to the bonsai, trying to see the blackness more clearly.
 
"Then what?" I squinted. "After the tear, what’s next?" My voice went solemn. "What's happening to my world, Cog?"
 
"For now? Nothing to worry about." It pointed to a branch. "This is your world." There was a tiny black smear. "As you can see, it's relatively unharmed. Given time, it may heal. I'll do what I can, of course. As long as things progress linearly, it will be millennia before serious effects show." It seemed to sigh. "I hope that's the case. Your fellow humans may eventually take up the fight themselves."
 
"Is that… unlikely?" I frowned. "What happens otherwise?"
 
"The corruption spreads." Cog spun the tree. "It is… a cessation, of sorts. It mirrors the Tree, in some ways. It appears to be alive. It appears to grow. It feeds on the Tree, and on any life it encounters." It pointed to a branch.
 
"It's broken?" I leaned in. "No… it's rotted." I swallowed, and sat back. "What does that mean?"
 
"The corruption freezes everything it touches. Nothing survives a full-scale incursion. It pours through the tears, swallowing everything in its path, and converting the entirety of the world-line into… well, nothing." Cog pointed to the rotted branch again. "If it manages to consume everything, the world-line stops completely, and… that's it. The death of worlds."
 
"Oh." I swallowed. "Is… is my world really safe?" This seemed surreal, ludicrous almost, but I couldn't shake a looming worry.
 
"Again, for now. The most dangerous possibility would be intrusion from a more infected world." It pointed again. "You're headed towards one such. I've labeled it Equus Five Suns. They've managed to stem the growth of the corruption, through various means. But if any of them were to end up in your world, their innate makeup is different enough it would widen the tears and accelerate the process catastrophically. You transcendentals are extremely unpredictable, and I have little to no power inside the world-lines. I've seen it happen before, despite my best efforts. In your language, I might call it ‘Arcanaclypse’."
 
I frowned, mulling the word over, committing it firmly to memory. This was important.
 
"Arcanaclypse, Arcanclypse. Magical destruction?" I frowned. "Immense destruction, brought on by magic? That sounds… very, very bad."
 
"Yes. Due to your world’s population density and distribution, I estimate exposure to the corruption would kill eighty percent of your population in twenty weeks. The remainder would have at most a fifty percent chance of avoiding complete annihilation."

“Woah.” That might be worse than full-scale nuclear war. I ground my palms into my eyes, and tried to understand. Eventually, my brain just gave up. This was too much, too fast. I pushed the problem aside; I was literally incapable of doing anything about that, even if I wanted to. Still, one thing bothered me.
 
"Destruction, I understand. But why 'magic'?"
 
"Really." It pointed one finger at the bonsai. "You see this, and still ask?"
 
"But this is… science, right?" I raised an eyebrow. "Rules of the universe? I mean, you just showed me how things really work."
 
"To some extent, yes. But there's more to it than—"
 
"Huh?" Suddenly, a wash of chill air coated me. A chorus of soul-chilling shrieks rang out, as I turned. The whitewashed fence behind me was dissolving, eaten away by a howling darkness.
 
"The corruption has found us. This pseudo-reality can't hold long against it." Cog reached over the table, and picked me up easily with one hand. "Wes, I'll accelerate your trip. Be warned; you won't remember this experience right away. With a little time, it should return to you, but until then…" It flung me into the blackness. I screamed as an arctic frost engulfed me, and I was again sailing through the dark. "Try to survive!"
 



 
<"Good grief!">
 
I reeled back from the chest as a hundredweight of memories slammed into my skull. Something tingled in my grasp and I looked down; I'd been clenching the gear so firmly it was still in my hands.
 
<"Oh, that's just - ">
 
Blackness engulfed me again.
 



 
"OWCH!" I landed with another thump. 
 
"Ooof!" Something large, fuzzy, and blue landed on top of me. The Princess' transformation had dissolved in whatever sort of transfer we'd been through. Her ethereal mane filled my vision with stars.
 
"Luna. Crushing… ribs. Please. Move." I shifted back to Equestrian with a gasp, shoving ineffectually at her feathers.
 
"Wes?" The midnight alicorn looked down. "Oh, sorry!" She lifted off with a flap. "Where are we?"
 
"My grandfather's backyard." I frowned, inspecting the whitewashed fence, the bougainvillea, and the patio furniture. "Again."
 
"I apologize." With a click, the door swung open, and a waxy manikin stepped out. "I didn't intend that to be so choppy."
 
"Cog?" I scratched my head. "What's going on here?"
 
"I've returned your memories." It pulled out a chair, and sat down.
 
"But… it seemed really real." I joined it at the table. Luna glanced at the chairs skeptically, and sat on the ground.
 
"It was." It shrugged. Luna quirked an eyebrow at the mechanical motion. "Your original memories were damaged beyond repair, so I simply re-enacted them. As someone who’s business is understanding quantum differences, let me assure you; they’re indistinguishable from the original in all important ways."
 
"Uh-huh." I sighed. "Okay. Thanks.” I paused and drew in a deep breath. “Really, thank. you. But… why are we here, now?"
 
"It's possible you have questions, Wes." It pointed to Luna. "And you as well, Princess. I appreciate everything you two have done against the corruption in this world, and I'll do my best to repay you as I can."
 
"The corruption?" Luna looked to me. "What does that mean?"
 
"I think that’s... the windigoes. Can I try to explain?" I looked to Cog, who nodded. "It's… complicated, Luna, but here's what I've got. The Tree of Harmony is an offshoot of another Tree. Cog calls it an akashic record, I call it <Yggdrasil>, a World Tree.” I pointed to the bonsai.

“It looks a lot like that. It's not really a tree, but a representation of the world. Of all worlds. It shows how world-lines split into multiple realities. The original one contains and is made of alternate realities. It's… beautiful." I shook my head.

"Cog here, is an agent of the Tree. Part of it, kinda, fighting against the corruption, a sickness attacking the Tree. Both the sickness and the Tree are alive, but not aware. Cog gained awareness in order to be a more effective fighter. With me so far?"
 
"I think so." Luna nodded slowly.
 
"Now, here's where I move into conjecture." I pointed to Cog. "Correct me if I'm wrong. A moment ago, I remembered my first meeting with you, Cog. You told me I fell out of my world through a tear in reality, and the corruption causes those. If they get wide enough, it seeps in so it can, get this, freeze the world. Sound familiar, Luna?"
 
"Ah."
 
"And more than that. Right before we parted ways, the corruption attacked. It shrieked and howled, and felt like frost. Looking back, I recognize both those."
 
"Excellent observations." Cog nodded.
 
"Wait wait, not done yet!" I waved my hands. Connections were forming in my brain, neurons firing and intuition flowing. "You also talked about infection from another world. You said that Equestrians have been fighting the corruption here for a long time, and that if they ended up in my world, it could be bad, maybe catastrophic, because of their innate makeup." I pointed to Luna. "There's only one thing every Equestrian creature has in common."
 
"Magic," she finished.
 
"Exactly. It's even half of Arcanaclypse. The innate magic of an Equestrian would widen the rips in my world. It's the same as the Tuatha said; incautious walking causes tears."
 
"But—"
 
"Not done yet! More smartness coming! The Tuatha talked about ‘walking west’, and ‘rising in transcendence’. You," I pointed to Cog, "called us <transcendentals.> They're connected. I've also mysteriously acquired magical power since my trip through dimensions. You said the Tree had marked me twice. The second time, it gave me the pattern. The first… I think it gave me magic." My eyes widened. "No wonder seeing the real Tree hurt so much! Exposure to interreality is the cause of magic! It's a vicious cycle; tears introduce magic, like in the Everfree, and the magic widens the tears!"
 
"Um, Wes?" Luna tapped me on the shoulder. "I'm sure you're having fun, but there's a problem with that theory."
 
"Ah, huh?" I turned to her. "What?"
 
"Windigos don't like magic. They eat emotions. If magic was tied so tightly to the corruption, then why have we been using it to fight them for something like three thousand years or more? Not to mention the Elements, extremely powerful magical artifacts, were used to seal the tear under the Tree of Harmony. Also, the Tuatha had magic before they 'walked west'." She sighed. "Cog? Was any of that right?"
 
"More than I expected." It turned to me. "There is a connection between interreality and magic. That connection is here." It pointed to the Tree. "When you saw the Tree, it affected you. The things you know and how you think affect your brain’s physical structure. That burning you felt was an extreme example. The first time you saw the Tree, you gained the ability to use magic."
 
"Ahah!"
 
"But that ability is useless without authority. It’s imbalanced or misplaced authority, that really causes problems. Especially if a magical being enters through a tear, instead of a proper portal. Natural magic is ‘part of the system’, but misplaced magic is very dangerous."
 
"Tell." Luna fixed Cog with a stare, her eyes burning with lust for knowledge. "Explain about magic. Authority. Capacity. Please!"
 
"Of course." Cog leaned forward, clasping his hands. "It's something like this. Magic is direct interference with causality." It waved, and the bonsai grew. When it was a few feet across, the edges disappeared, delineating a cube. "This record is fractal." It pointed. As we zoomed in, it became obvious that each crystal branch was actually a myriad of streams, running parallel to each other. It focused on the ends of one set. "A world is made of lives." Zooming in further showed each was, in turn, wound from its own fibers of crystal.

"Lives are made of thoughts. This is one interpretation of reality. If you prefer another," the picture warped and jumped, settling into a slightly different orientation, "worlds are made of lumps. Lumps are made of smaller lumps. Eventually you reach elementary quanta." It shrugged. "Really, they're about the same. This, is magic." Suddenly, all the streams in the viewer glowed, and bent.

"From farther out." We zoomed out, and the streams combined into a larger flow, bending around the ones nearby, still energized with strange power. "Let me show you the ‘reality’." The viewer fogged, and cleared. Overlayed across the world-lines was a picture of a young unicorn lifting a rock. As the levitation magic pulsed, the glowing lines jerked and jagged.
 
"By the stars…" Luna breathed. "Direct interference? Magic is directly influencing the, the growth of the Tree?"
 
"Correct. True splits in world-lines are rare. Most divergences heal in a matter of moments. But it's possible to move world-lines without creating a split, given the ability and the authority. Ability is a matter of the mind's physical structure." It tapped its temple. "Every living thing can gain ability. It just takes the right mindset. Unicorns call the thought patterns needed for magic 'conduits'. Simply seeing the Tree, or prolonged exposure to magic, is enough to form those."
 
"Ahah!"
 
"Authority." Luna shot me a quelling glance. "How does that work?"
 
"Simply having the ability for magic doesn't mean you can cast it. Magic is not just inside of you." Cog pointed to the image of the unicorn practicing. "It affects reality on the most fundamental level. Growing magic conduits is like growing another arm. Authority is the strength of that arm, and it's not something that you can get for free. It's grown or inherited, and it’s something even I don’t really understand. It’s truly part of the Tree, and if someone incautiously moves between world lines, misplaced authority can stress the local reality enough to tear it.”
 
"But what about magic energy? The actual mechanism?" I leaned forward. “How does that work?"
 
"If the Tree understands your intent, it takes your energy for growth." Cog folded his hands. "Conduits transfer the energy. More authority makes larger changes possible. Conscious magic is simply willing the Tree to respond, and supplying energy so it can."
 
"Amazing." Luna breathed. "Finally! Celly will go wild over this!"
 
"Twilight, too." I smiled, imagining her excitement. "Um, Cog?"
 
"Yes?"
 
"How long do we have, here?"
 
"Not much longer."
 
"Then, one more question. What is transcendence?"
 
It regarded me for a moment.
 
"I'm not sure I should answer that."
 
"The Tuatha knew what it was." I crossed my arms. "And you called us transcendentals."
 
"Both of those things are true." It tapped a finger on the table. The gesture would have been thoughtful, if it didn't seem rehearsed. "Very well, I will explain the basics." It waved, and the view of the Tree zoomed sideways. Eventually, it settled on a branch that split off, moving away to join another. "Here is the Tuatha's world line."
 
"It leaves… Earth?" I looked up, and it nodded. "And it joins Equus… what did you call it? Equus Five Suns?"
 
"My world." Luna looked to Cog, who nodded.
 
"That is the basic idea behind transcendance. Correct and proper movement of world-lines can be a great good." Cog waved again, the view zoomed out. Again, the tree was tiny. "Look." It pointed to the base of the bonsai. "This is?"
 
"The trunk," I replied, bemused.
 
"Correct. But?" It turned to Luna.
 
"It’s the original world-line." The alicorn frowned. "And the largest."
 
"Correct again." It zoomed in, this time diving towards the trunk. "There's a reason for that." I gasped, as I saw what it focused on. Near the trunk, world lines split, jagged a few times… and merged back in. I'd understood Cog’s explanation of world-lines merging, but this seemed… extreme.
 
"Fascinating." Luna squinted. "Is that the end of magic?"
 
"End?" I glanced at her.
 
"Purpose." She glared back.
 
"I was actually confused by that!" I raised my hands defensively.
 
"Impressive deduction." Cog manipulated the bonsai again, returning it to its original state. "Yes, that's the eventual end of all world lines. If I'm able to hold back the corruption, the Tree may eventually look like this." Cog's fingers traced an outline above the crystal, and a glowing image took shape. I stared in amazement as a spindle-shape formed, with a thick bundle of world-lines at the trunk and top, but a fuzzy profusion of splits in the middle. "That, Wes, is transcendence. Returning towards the original condition of the world - of all worlds." It stood, and clapped once. "And that is all I can say. Again, I'm sorry to leave you with half-answers, but I'm limited in many ways, and time is one of them. Farewell."
 
"Dang it, Cog! Couldn't you at least give us—"
 



 
"—five minutes' notice?"
 
The gear slipped from my grasp, landing at my feet with a clatter. Luna stumbled into me with the sudden transferral. However, as we tried to get our bearings, another started.
 
"Hold on, Wes! Looks like we finished—"
 
This time, instead of blackness, it was a glaring light.
 



 
“—our time loop!”

"Wes! Luna!" We staggered, nearly falling, as Twilight glomped onto us. "You're back! What happened? Where did you go? You're an alicorn again, Princess!”
 
"We used Starswirl's Chronometer." Luna gave Twilight a comforting pat. "I’ll give you a full report later. What's the sitrep? How long were we gone?"
 
"Not long. A quarter-hour?" Twilight waved. "Once the Shard Field was down, the Wonderbolts showed up. They’re helping Bit with the golems." I heard a distant thrumm, and caught a flash of green. Just what was that bug doing with my sword?
 
"Luna, reporting." Luna tapped her earpiece on.
 
"Wesley Kilmer, reporting." I did the same.
 
"Good to hear from you, sis." Celestia's voice came in loud and clear. "Good job with the Shard Field. Leave cleanup to the Wonderbolts, and get over here as soon as possible."
 
The three of us exchanged glances.
 
"What's up, Princess?" I broke the silence. "What's the rush?"
 
"I discovered what Bodkin was after." Her tone was grim. "it should have been obvious, but I needed to double-check. You said his tracking spell pointed at himself?"
 
"Yes."
 
"He wasn't searching for golems or windigoes. He was searching for lieutenants. I had both Shadow Glory and Glisten imprisoned at this facility, and Bodkin escaped with both. Chrysalis was desperate because she discovered Sombra wouldn’t need her if Glisten returned. Things are going to start moving soon, and we need to be ready."
 
"Hay." I swore softly. "And the good news?" I joked.
 
"Actually, there is some." Celestia dropped some tension. "I've been pumping Chrysalis for info, and there’s more. Get this." Her voice rang with soft triumph. "Sombra’s moving boldly, because he’s committed to action. He’s traced the Tuatha, and to capture what he’s found, he started a serious maneuver. We have locations, dates, and even some troop composition. He’s got what he thinks is a tear, and he's headed for it."
 
"But we'll be there first," Luna cut in with a smile.
 
"Finally! Hah!" I threw my head back and crowed. "Finally, we've got our break! Finally! Watch your flank, Sombra!"
 
"We're coming." Twilight's grin was just as fierce. Finally, we had what we'd always needed; information. Finally, we weren’t going in blind.
 
Now he'd bleed.