//------------------------------// // Two Faced // Story: What Remains II: After the Fall // by Bateman66 //------------------------------// Talk about a wide open space… The thought echoed through Alistair’s mind as he inspected the interior of the Royal Canterlot Library. The sheer vertical design of the chamber was staggering enough, but row upon row of bookshelves that stretched the entire breadth of the atrium that nearly matched the ceiling in their height, dizzied the young human with its unquestionable mightiness. He remembered the fondness Twilight Sparkle had regarded the massive archives with, the absolute excitement that touched her whenever looking upon the storehouse of knowledge and realizing that she was in its presence. He’d never quite comprehended what the detestable mare had been speaking of, only now did he truly understand the grandiose image she had painted in what felt like a lifetime ago. I don’t even know where to start. How can you detect the presence of a single tome in the company of millions? He scanned the vertigo-inducing chamber for any identifiable sign and promptly sighed. Simple, you don’t. Without much direction in his movement, he began to casually walk along the ground level he found himself on, looking around for any semblance of a clue. He no longer moved with the same stealthy crouch he’d navigated the castle corridors with, nor did he stick with the few shadows that hadn’t extinguished by the wide glass windows on all sides. The way he saw it, there really was no discrete way to find the illusive spell book that wouldn’t drag the ordeal out into mid-morning. Besides, what was the likelihood that anypony would be in the library at this hour? Not much. I wish they would've given me some sort of hint to know where to start looking. For all the talk Shale goes on about the Night Lords and their planning it still seems like no matter what happens some sort of hole appears... Alistair stopped for a moment in thought. That really is a trend with them, both before and after that Blackletter stallion was terminated from all operations…permanently. I mean, it’s not like they fail at everything they do. Those agents, just Shale alone is a force to be reckoned with. And if that’s the case, why’s Silver Eclipse always intervening in their work, like, right now as I can’t find this stupid book?! It was at this moment that he felt a slight pulling on the edge of his essence, the energy locked into his soul being gently nudged toward something in his vicinity. He grinned. I guess complaining really does solve your problems. He felt his mind begin to creep back into auto-pilot as he followed the energy trail with the tenacity of a bored cattle hound. Taking the opportunity in stride, he fell back into the cloud of his own thoughts. Silver Eclipse had assigned both of us on this mission, but… he didn’t really give Shale much room to interrupt. And I mean she’s a genius! If she’d been in charge of this operation we’d already be on our way back to the Crescent Isle. But instead, the powers that be for some reason dictates that I have to do all the dirty work, while the more experienced Shale and Pen just have to stand back and watch. Where’s the sense in that? The question would have to wait for another time. The presence was calling out to Alistair much stronger than before, but the pull still felt strained to his senses. Closing his eyes in concentration, he let the magic inside him drift out and search for the energy’s source. A few moments later, he slowly opened his eyes and looked vertically up. Somehow I knew this would be the case. He wheeled a ladder over to where the book was calling out and began to gingerly step up the solid wooden legs. The age old secret of not looking down held true through the short ascent and in no time at all he could practically see the book sitting among its other literary friends. It didn’t look all that impressive up close, just a plain purple binding with a number draped across its side. No tattered parchment papers jutting out or caked dust surrounding it on all sides, just a book. He shrugged. A bit anti-climatic but at least I got it. Placing it under his arm, he began to move back down the ladder as quickly he’d climbed it. He’d never been afraid of heights (not that much, anyhow) but he always preferred solid ground over thin air whenever the choice was given. He hopped off the ladder with a triumphant leap of two inches and smiled further at the text in his hands. Alright-alright, looks like we’re already half way done. Now all that’s left is getting back out and finding those two. Hmm, that might be a bit more difficult than I thought. Alistair began to retrace his steps back to the entrance, a bit more careful now that the book was in his possession. I wonder if they’ll want me to go through with the entire ritual once we get back, or perhaps they’ll give us a few days to rest. I wouldn’t want to perform any sort of Realm Jump or Melding spell with a clouded head. One botch in magic that dangerous could collapse an entire realm and probably shatter several others in the process. Alistair shuttered at the mere thought. I hope Silver Eclipse knows what he’s doing with all this, or we’re all going to pay for it, dearly. I see the faults of Celestia and her reign but I’m not going to annihilate myself and the entire world just to have an exchanging of power. If that stallion really— Something flickered along the right side of Alistair’s vision and he immediately froze in place, his blood seeming to solidify in that very instant. He hadn’t heard anything but he most assuredly had seen something, the outline of a figure. Craning his head around to face whomever was watching him, his eyes widened at the sight of a bright blue unicorn standing just a few paces away. No! The pony as well looked just as surprised as he did, its eyes widened in horror. Alistair took a few nervous steps back from the unicorn, who in turn, did the same as him. He could hear the thud of his pulsing heartbeat as he raised his hands in defense towards the random pony. Almost at the same time, the colt as well raised its hooves to match his own. What the…? Alistair brought his hands back down to rest which the pony mimicked as well. Even more perturbed, he reached out his arm and slowly approached the pony that was now beginning to approach him. Just as it seemed they were about to grasp one another, Alistair’s fingers tapped against the cold flatness of glass. It was a window, and his reflection was in it. “What is this?” he mumbled, inspecting the figure that silently claimed to be him. It—he, was a wholesome shade of sky blue, with a straight and prim mane that was complimented by a unicorn horn poking out through the layer of hair. Alistair brought a hand to his face and watched in awe as his reflection mirrored the action, but with a hoof. “Two different creatures…opposites to one another, and yet we’re the same. Both sides don’t match…but we do.” He looked to his palm and back to the reflection, noticing that the image was starting to become blurred. He gasped in panic and reached out to the dissipating reflection only to see it dematerialize further until nothing but the outdoor view remained. Although he didn’t realize it then, the horrid feeling of loss would stick with Alistair for the rest of his existence. With a dark shadow over his face, he solemnly rubbed against the now empty glass. Turning his head toward the floor, he sighed dejectedly. “You’re still you,” echoed a familiar voice from behind, accompanied by approaching hoofsteps. “It’s only an image.” Turning towards the voice, he locked eyes with Princess Twilight Sparkle and merely nodded.