A few days ago; Everfree began to shoot out snow, and devoured the lands around it. After a quick journey into the Forest, Twilight Sparkle, Applejack, Rarity, Apple Bloom, and Spike, found Zecora, a strange Zebra from another land. When she had no answers for them, about what was going on, they moved on to ask Applejack's cousin. By the time Twilight and Apple Bloom returned, Zecora came for them and forced them out of Everfree, right before a strange living cloud came on her and she sealed the Forest from the rest of Equestria with a magick wall of ice and snow.
After many tried, nothing could break or go over, so Twilight tried to teleport; and when she returned, she told of how the land was now a Nightmare realm and the legendary Night Beasts were back. She also brought a strange mound of fluff that might be a clue to what is going on.
The Parasprite, and a surprise lesson from Pinkie, plus the return of Candy Apple. A move into Everyfree is in works to save Zecora, Adams Apple, and possibly the whole of Equestria.
The Magick of Friendship Chapter 14: The Snow Flies
A team of royal guards were attempting various tests and attacks, to break through the impossible shield. As they found out, as Twilight and her friends had, flying and teleporting were useless.
Queen Celestia trotted slowly to the wall, from where she was surveying the attempts. The others parted, as she stood near the wall.
All eyes fell upon her as she raised her arms from her sides, and her glorious wings flung out behind her. The magickal mane stretched to toward the sun above. With no aid of her wings, she floated up toward the sky and from the right angle she was in the center of the sun. Arms, Legs, Wings, all pointed in six equally spaced parts of the circumference. Her horn pointed up.
After a moment, the sky grew dimmer, not from clouds but the sun itself seemed to fuel into her. Her mane started to fade into the bleeding sun light. She lowered her head, aiming her horn down to the wall below, and energy formed at its tip. Shortly she blasted out a beam of purest Sunlight, the beam was focused, and like an arrow, shot the wall.
The wall did not change, and the energy launched at it rebounded and shot right back at the Queen, much to her shock. She was sent flying, crashing to the ground, as wild energy flew off from the impact point.
She lied there, unmoving, as the sky grew dimmer. Even her magickal mane was now normal hair, pooling around her in a pink sea.
Her guards and any pony near rushed to her, keeping a distance as one of the high ranking guards kneels by her. "My Queen!" He called.
She stirred, and sat up. "Well... that was impressive" The Queen, with some aid, got up to her hooves and stood there a moment as her mane slowly resumed its wondrous form. She slowly trotted to the wall again, placing her fore hoof to it.
"How is it possible, that something could cast a spell so strong?"
"It was not a strong spell, but a well-crafted counter. It is a simple spell to cast on something. Takes all magick assaults, and sends them back. Glad I choose to forgo using the full of the sun” The aforementioned orb was returning to normal, as she studied the wall.
***
The small group made it through the tunnel that the two Apple cousins had made. It was Only Twilight, Applejack, Candy Apple, and Pinkie Pie. Rarity found out of the news, but felt she offered little to the cause, and Spike and Apple Bloom stayed back to tell Queen Celestia of the news.
She wanted to charge in with her Student, but Twilight made a request that she stay out. If they did not return in a day's time, they could take the action needed.
Fluttershy and Playful Paws watched over the entrance though neither felt they really could do much if anything came through, but it at least gave them something to do and in these times, idle minds wondered to danger thoughts.
Twilight was first out of the passes that opened right near the little home of Adams and Candy Apple. She looked around, and noticed it was not as horrible as she recalled, but it still was not very good. She could see the land had become twisted, still blanketed in snow and few areas looked like some monstrous things had crashed through.
The other joined her, and took in the scene. None found it much better than her. Even Pinkie was a little taken aback by the sight. "Granny Pie, use to sing me a song," She started. "About Giggling at the Ghosties," They looked at her. "But I don't think it would work too well at this..." They feared a song, but found they were more afraid that even Pinkie Pie could not make light of this.
Twilight started to cast a spell, one that was mostly show, something she saw from Trixie. “A big flashy display”
"What in Tar-nation, are y'all doing?" Applejack asked, looking around to see if any of the unseen dangers saw what she was doing.
A little speck moved, and more and more moved, till a small group of them came into view. Little bats started flying around, a few Parasprites around them. Twilight stopped, and then cast a quick cage spell, and trapped one.
As the others flew around her for a moment, they moved on, some feeding on the Parasprites. All that was left was the one she caught. "I caught one, a Magick Seeker Bat" She said, a bit excited.
"Well and good, but why?" Applejack asked, looking at it.
"It will lead us to whatever is the strongest source of active magick. If it is Zecora, or whatever is causing all this” They all looked at her in amazement, it was a good plan, though none really knew what would happen if they came upon the source of the trouble.
With an easy spell to control minds, one that did not work very well on higher evolved minds, like most ponies or the like. It was pretty good on the simple minded creatures that lived on instinct, more than thought. With it, she commanded the Bat to seek, to find a source of great magick. It was easier than using her own spell, for her magick could be traced back easily, and she did not want to be surprised.
After some time, they all stopped and took a break. The Bat was leading them some place, for it never deviated from its path as most would naturally if it felt a nearer source or just lost interest. What it was tracking was big, this Twilight knew with a mental probe as it repeated "Food, big food"
She instructed it to take a break, it hesitated but did obey, coming back and landing on her shoulder.
"Look like a Pirate" Pinkie Pie stated, giggling. It was the first time since being here she did, and it was more soothing to hear then any thought it would be. "Twilight, the Pirate, Twirate... or Pirlight? Magick Beard, the Unicorn scourge of the Seas"
Was good that she was able to joke around again, and they all laughed some. Twilight suspected Pinkie was making a point to lighten the mood. She was smart and knew how to read ponies, and given her very nature, all this gloom was too much for her to stand by and allow.
After a brief rest, they moved on again. Following a little Bat, whose sole purpose, was to be their guide.
Twilight noticed that the whole time, Applejack and Candy Apple stayed very close. She took it as a good thing, for it seemed the crisis at least brought the two together again. Applejack was even looking protective of the other, as she would for Bloom, Big Macintosh, or Granny Smith. It was leading her to think to where Adams Apple was. They did not search the house, for Candy did say he went off to fight the creatures, but she was getting worried and she could see a bit of that concern in Candy's eyes.
The Bat made a sudden stop, and started to flutter around in the air. Twilight read its mind. "Danger! Bad food!" It was crying out. And with no warning, a large hand gripped the bat.
Twilight cried out for it as she had become a bit attached to it, and rushed forward casting a quick spell to force the hand open. She leapt onto it, and tried to manually do what the spell could not. She was rushed into the air, and saw just what she was fighting. It looked like a formation of ice, with disembodied limbs, and no legs to speak of, just a flow of snow keeping it up. It was three times her size, but she still fought it. She could feel the Magick that brought it to life, it was natural magick, but it was tainted with something like hatred. It felt familiar to her, but could not place it.
"Twilight?!" Applejack shouted, not wasting time to rush the creature. She jumped onto it but fell through, with only the snow to grab onto.
"Applejack!" Candy called. "Let me give you a boost!"
She nodded, and galloped at her. Candy leaned down, getting into a squat. Applejack jumped onto her back, placing her hooves on her shoulders and the other used her legs. Candy’s were not as powerful as the Orange mare's but strong enough to get her enough air to jump off and make it to something solid. She gripped to the creature, and started to climb to its "head"
"Y'all like messing with my friends?" She said at its shoulders, looking it dead in the eye holes. She turned, and with a fluid motion, she single kicked its head causing a massive crack that spread like shattering glass and sounded much the same.
It was not long till it let go of the bat, and its whole hand fell from its magick bonds. With a thud, Twilight rolled off the limb, and scooped up the bat. Applejack was not done and jumped up; bring both hooves down, breaking the body of the beat.
It was over much as it began, suddenly. The creature was nothing but ice and snow. Twilight would have dubbed it an Elemental, but it had no will and was not so much a spirit of snow, just something constructed of it. Naming would wait, as she was more concerned over the bat. Applejack dusted herself off, and trotted over to her. "Y'all ok?"
Twilight nodded, but only answering for her. She was casting spells, nothing really in particular; she was hoping to feed the bat to heal it. "Come on, you will be ok" Twilight was not sure she was right, as it did not seem to take to the energy she was offering.
The other two came to her, and looked on as she tried to save the bat. Neither Applejack, nor Candy really grasped why she was so worked up over the bat, but Pinkie seemed to understand, as she was a bit teary eyed.
"Can't y'all git another one, partner?" Candy finally asked.
"It... not the simple..." Twilight quietly replied.
"Why? Was before"
"He has been leading us this whole time!" She snapped looking at her with anger, mixed with sorrow. "If I had not forced him... he would not have been attacked”
"Y'all do-" Applejack put a hoof on Candy’s shoulder, and stopped her.
"Reminds me of Gummy" Pinkie said still looking as wounded by this as Twilight. "I had to give him up, he was too big"
After a moment of trying, the magick was not helping, and the bat was fading. There was silence as Twilight held the creature to her, crying to herself. Now, not even Applejack or Candy was safe from the pain the mare felt.
Something happened, and in a flash the bat was gone, but a little stone appeared and a rush of loose magick flooded the area and was being absorbed into it. Twilight could not help but drop the stone and fall backwards, they all took a step back as the colours surged and poured into the stone. With a second flash, the stone rose into the air and a sound of something shattering filled the area. A form appeared in the light now shooting out from the stone. When it was gone, a creature was hovering in the air. A Bat-like creature, more like a small Gargoyle than any other creature Twilight could think of. It was a little taller than a pony's head, and had much the same features of a bat in all its structure, but was lengthier, and almost attractive like an elf. Its wing span was three times its own height, and its ears were long and pointed.
Twilight could sense the power it held; it was consumed in magick energies, and like the bat before, seem to feed on it. The creature looked at her, and then flew to her. She hesitated, not knowing what it would do, but it landed and watched her. She was about to attempt a mind reading spell, but it suddenly filled her mind with its voice. "I serve you, my master, my creator"
She stared at it in shock. The others gathered around, looking at it. "What is that thing? You ok Twi?" Applejack asked, ready to move.
"I do not know..." She answered, and then focused on the bat thing. "What are you? And what did you mean 'master'?"
Again its voice was hers alone to hear. "I know nothing of what I am, but a servant for the one who gave birth to me. As I died in that primitive form, you fed me magick, and I was able to use it to take on my current form. My kind long to find such chances to be what we are truly meant to be"
She nodded. "I see"
"See what? The Bat thingy? I see it too" Pinkie said, poking it. The bat glanced at her, and she yipped.
"Cannot hear... it?
"Hear? Don't hear a thing" Applejack stated.
Twilight looked down to the bat, and then back up. "I guess… he only speaks to me..."
"This is too weird" Candy said. "And I've lived here for a good many years"
They all heard a sound, and Twilight quickly stood, and they all turned to the sound. The bat creature flew up, and took perch on Twilight's shoulder.
From the trees came a figure, looking very tired and worn. Their steps were weak, and each must have taken great effort. "Y..you... were not suppose to... return. Your.... own deaths, do...do you yearn?" Zecora stumbled, and fell. Applejack and Pinkie rushed and caught her before she hit the ground.
Abandoning their original trek, the group went back to the house and set the weak Zebra up in a chair. Twilight did her best to try and heal her, but she was drained of many things and not all could be healed by spells. Her will was weak, and obviously lost some amount of blood.
She tried to instruct her in some potion making, but Twilight did not take too much into that kind of healing. She was not good at making anything like that. Pinkie on the other hoof, rushed out and gathered what she could find and tried it herself.
After both brew and magickal healing, Zecora was well enough to tell the tale. She had faced the Parasprite cloud, but it was not the cause of all the trouble. They were only drawn by her magick and the Magick Seeker Bats.
After she made sure all of the Forest was locked up, Zecora sought out the source of the trouble and found many monsters were coming from nowhere. After much seeking, she found a single figure spreading vile magick in all directions. Using the natural flow of life in Everfree to spawn the creatures every pony was seeing. They were not real, much like the Ice Elemental they fought. Only constructs, to instill fear and prevent any from coming into the land.
She told them she tried to fight the figure, but it was too strong for her kind of magick and force her into retreat. Another came and managed to save her, but they were separated and she knew not where he was now.
Applejack and Candy knew it was Adams, he was the only other here who would save a pony.
"The real creatures that are here for keeps, are all trapped in very deep sleeps" Zecora went on. "Only we three, the two Apples and me, are awake and free"
Most had not taken notice of the world around them, as the scene began to change outside. The nightmarish landscape was changing back to normal. It was not complete, nor immediate. Candy took notice, for she was looking out the window hoping to see her brother. "Y'all see something?"
The others stood up and took a look. With fresh eyes, they saw the change instantly. "Yeah, it is a bit different" Twilight confirmed, and they all took in the scenery. "Zecora?" Twilight turned to her. "Take us to this thing you found, and galloped from"
She was hesitant, but nodded. The small group headed out into the forest, following the zebra as she made her way through. She clearly knew these lands, and not even with the odd changes still in effect did she faultier.
The longer they went, the more things changed and soon they were near the area Zecora found the figure, and here were the lingering effects of whatever it was.
All that stood here now was a pony, which was not so much dressed, as hosting an arrangement of flowers and vines. She looked like as if she was a statue, being still for a time long enough for the plants to claim her body as home. Her body was light brown, like wet mud. Her hind hooves and fore hooves, were green, fading into the brown partly up the limbs. Her mane and tail were a mixture of greens, like a canopy of tree leaves. Her eyes were sky blue, and looking deep into them, one felt like they were flying through them.
"Is... that her?" Twilight asked as they stood a distance away, the other not seeming to take notice of them. She was busy laying her hooves onto parts of the land, pushing a way the taint.
Zecora shook her head, and slowly moved forward. She seemed to sense something, as Twilight did too. She possessed a great amount of magick, natural magick that not even the greatest Shamans or Druids could dream to wield.
"Danger..." The Gargoyle-bat creature said into Twilight's mind.
She wanted to ask what he meant, but the figure turned and looked at them, finally acknowledging the group. "Greetings" She raised her arms wide in a gesture of invitation. She looked at them all, and smiled. It was soothing, but seemed to hide something. "If you are here to stop that which tainted this land, your worries are past"
"You took care of it?" Twilight asked in disbelieve.
She nodded, coming closer. Both Applejack and Candy Apple stepped back. Pinkie and Twilight stood their ground, as Zecora moved closer.
"What you have done, the battle you won. It is hard for me to see, it's seem impossible to be" Zecora said, now not far from the other. "Your power is great, this I can feel. Tell me your name, so I know to whom I kneel" She finished, bowing to her.
The other laughed, sounding like bird's singing. "I have many names, but to you ponies, I can be 'Nature's Love' I believe that is suitable to how your kind names each other. Please, do not feel the need to bow or kneel. I am simply a guardian of Nature. These few spots of land that are under the Great Mother's watch are mine to serve"
She looked out at the others, as Zecora stood straight again. Twilight and Pinkie came closer, but the two cousins stayed back. The little creature took to the air, to keep its own distance.
"Guardian? I did not know Nature had such things?" Twilight asked.
"This land of ponies, has become one, like much of the Dragon lands, and some other areas in this world, that thrives upon the use of Magick. Though the Dragons are still very strong in Nature’s embrace. A time ago when this was part of the Royal Sister's Castle, it too was under magick, but that same source caused a great rift. When it was sealed, it drained away the magick here. Nature reclaimed this land, so it would not be a void. A dead land"
Twilight nodded. "So, what was that thing that attacked this land?"
"That too, was part of that legacy. A lingering specter of the lost magicks, it had been gathering for a time and finally came to life. It was helped by some of the evil magicks of those who live in this land. Since it is a natural realm, the magick has no place to flow but too the gathering of negativity. Good magicks would have done nothing, and the Seeker bats and their true forms, the Protectors" She pointed at the creature that Twilight had helped bring to life. "Are here to try and keep the magick from gathering as it did. But Protectors are the only ones that can truly do the task at… hoof. The larval forms seek only the Parasprites. It takes much to create a Protector, so few are around"
"I see, but wait, I thought the Parasprites were food for the Seeker Bats, and..."
Nature's Love laughed again. "The Parasprites are actually the cause of the dark magick. Enough magick gathered to realize the danger of the Seeker Bats, and so to prevent them from gathering the needed magick, created the Sprites to multiply rapidly and feed them weak magick. Enough to keep them satisfied, but too little to allow them to grow into maturity"
"Ha, I knew they were bad!" Pinkie stated, feeling proud of her self. "Granny Pie was right"
"Please," Twilight started. "You know so much of this land, and things we ponies can only assume. Come with me, and together we can gather the knowledge you have and teach Ponykind so much about Nature"
The Guardian shook her head slowly. "I am sorry, but I cannot leave the realms of Nature. What knowledge I have, is not for me to share. I can only give out what I have. I must return to a more enriched environment of Nature. Combating the dark magick, and getting through that barrier of ice was much of a strain" She turned slightly. "Maybe one day, you all will learn a lesson of Nature" Something sounded dangerous in her words.
She looked past the three nearest, and despite the distance, seem to lock eyes with Applejack who flinched. "Some hold a love for nature, even if they do not know it. They will be the ones who will first be granted the true love of Nature" She glanced at Twilight. "Others… May find it harder to receive it"
Her departing words felt like both a blessing, and a warning. Applejack gritted her teeth. She took it as the latter. "Nature, maybe in primitive times, but we ponies can care for ourselves, and our lands just fine without it"
The Guardian did not stop, nor showed she heard. Just went on, with each of her step leaving blooming flowers, and growing plants in the wake.
The group returned back to the home of the Apple cousins, but Applejack waited outside as the others were inside. Twilight and Zecora were getting ready to take down the barrier and needed some rest, Zecora also needed to tell her of how to do it.
"Nature... ha" Applejack muttered. "I'll accept magick, but nature can't compare to what I can do with my own two hooves" She gripped her firsts, as if to grasp her point.
She heard a sound and looked over, seeing a figure coming from the trees. "Back again? Y'all want to try me? Could go for a scrap"
"Not really Cousin" Adams Apple said, coming into view. He looked worn out, and tired. "Am a might bit surprised ta see y'all around this place"
Applejack looked away. "Yeah, well... Candy came for help, and I won't be much of an Apple myself, if'n I didn't live up to the code"
Adams smiled. "Thank you Applejack. Y'all don't like me, but Candy didn't do nothin' to y'all. Glad you didn't hold our problems against her"
"Said, it was family code... y'all are..." She found it hard to say it. "...Family..." She fixed her hat. "Don't be gettin' no ideas now, I ain't still have'n much to do with y'all... but... glad y'all are both ok"
This took him by surprise, and he did not really know what to say back.
"Twilight don't know much about y'all, the real one" She moved closer to him, putting a hard finger onto his chest. "She seems to like y'all, if'n that'll change once she knows… I cannot say, but she is very accepting. So if'n you think I'm unforgiving about what happened, y'all ain't seen nothing if'n y’all hurt her"
He studied her, and smiled, causing her glare to deepen. "Y'all love her"
Applejack was stunned, and stepped back a bit. "How'd..."
"Cousin, y'all are only so protective of family, and those y'all care about. Ain't many outside our family y'all do. Also, part of who I am, to be able to read emotions"
He moved toward the door. "Y'all gonna tell her?"
"She knows, we're... making sure it's real" She looked shyly to the ground.
"I think it is. From what I've seen of her, and what I just saw... I can honestly say, it's real" He had his hoof on the knob, when he looked back and smiled at her. "Trust me on that"
***
Twilight and Zecora took down the ice wall, Pinkie and Candy made their way back to town to let the others know how it all went. Twilight addressed Queen Celestia on the matters. She went over the mysterious pony they met, and how it all was just twisted magick gone astray. She decided that if these Protectors were the key in preventing further troubles, she would have some of her top Unicorns go and raise their own and train them to do what they were born for. Seeing the one that was still with Twilight, she could sense the creature was not a threat. Breeding more was not something dangerous, but they would be watched just in case.
Zecora bidding her new friend farewell, returned to her home. Twilight stood outside Everfree, with the bat she had with her, and looked at him. "You should go back to your home too"
He looked at her. "I must stay with my master and creator"
"No, you do not. You are free to do as you please. I do not want to be your master, not in the way that you are a slave to me"
He looked down, then at the Forest. After a moment, he looked at her again. "I am free? Do as I wish?" She nodded. "I wish to stay with you. You gave me life, but also take care of me. You used your magick to create me, if unknowing, but with it was the love you had for that little bat I was. You wanted to have me then... do you no longer?" His handsome little face looked sad, almost painfully so.
She was stunned by his words, but she felt it was true. She had formed a love for the little bat when he was one, and even now wanted to keep him with her. "I do... I still love you and want to keep you, but as a friend not a pet or slave"
"Master" He said, in a loving way.
"No no, just call me Twilight. I am not your master"
He nodded. "So, what is my name?"
"What do you want?"
He thought about it. "I would like you to name me, seems proper, since you gave life to me"
After a few moments, something popped into her mind "Keese?"
"Sounds familiar, but I like it"
“Better than Batty or something, must assuredly” She looked around, and forgot there were still other ponies around. The others could not hear anything, but what she was saying. "Hehe... He only talks in my head...” She paused, realizing how that sounded. “That came out wrong... It is a telepathic kind of thing" She tried to defend herself, but they looked at her like she went mad.
With a sigh, she turned and trotted off, Keese following behind her. "Why do you not just think back? I can hear your thoughts, as you can mine"
“Now you tell me…”