Midnight’s Shadow
Midnight Begins: Chapter 8
As an apprentice, I was given a series of thought exercises by my mother and my master, Magus Morning Star. They had been among the more interesting experiences during my education. I had been presented with problems and then asked how to I would solve them. The exercises had ranged from the practical to the borderline ludicrous and from the simple to the impossible. While they had often proved infinitely frustrating, due to my mentors’ always incessant questions and them bringing up complications, I had learned a great deal about how to use my mind and how to think a problem through. Those were skills that were quickly going to become useful as I saw the mob gathering outside of Mayor Carrot Casserole’s barn, calling for my head.
Naturally, this was a distressing turn of events. I did not need a mob looking to hang me while I was trying to aid a possessed child. Though no doubt they would hang Casserole and Red Steel before coming for me, adding yet another complication to the mix. Worst still, all of this was delaying me from discovering who and where the warlocks in Appleton were. This was less than ideal considering I knew ‘twas only a matter of time before they finished whatever foul ritual they were working on. Finding a solution to this crisis that was quickly spiraling out of control was not going to be an easy task. Either I was going to be equal to the task or most likely many ponies were going to die. I would be lying if I did not say that filled my heart with at least a little trepidation.
Still, I was the pony in a position to make a difference. If I could not afford to fail, then I would just have to use all the magic, intelligence, and mettle I had available to me to succeed. I was a royal magus of Equestria, succeeding where others would falter was my purpose.
As my thought exercises had taught me, the first step to figure out a solution to a problem was to assess the situation. The rest of the mayor’s family and others, most likely laborers, were now fleeing into the perceived safety of the house. If I had at least a portion of good fortune nopony else would be seized by the mob. I did not know the lengths Apple Butter's lot would go to bring me harm but I would plan for the worst for now.
The mayor's wife, Celery Stalk, was busy corralling her children into the house when she spotted me. "Magus! The Apples have mustered and—" Her thoughts went unfinished when she looked into the bedroom where Stalwart and Subtle were finishing tying Carrot Root to the bed. Her eyes went wide, and she screamed, "What are you doing to my son!?"
Before I could speak to explain what had transpired, Root cried out, "Mother, help me!" It had been the voice of a child, not the unnatural tone the spirit that had used, but I could see the ruse it was attempting.
Celery charged at the bedroom doorway, no doubt following her maternal instincts to save her child. I intercepted her by placing a shield in front of the door. She collided with it and bounced back from the impact. Seeing that she had been stunned, I seized upon the opportunity to contain this budding crisis. I grabbed her by the shoulders with my telekinesis and yanked her to face me.
"Let go of me!" Celery screamed. As she struggled, I felt my magical grip beginning to slip. Before her innate magic could fully break her free, I decided it was safer to forge a layer of ice around her limbs; it would not do to needlessly tax myself. ‘Twas fortunate she was not properly trained in overcoming magic. I also cast a privacy spell upon the bedroom Root had been restrained in to keep the spirit within from either hearing what we were saying, or saying anything that might cause me more trouble.
"Celery, heed my words," I said with all the conviction I could muster. She continued to struggle but not with the vigor she had before as she looked me in the eyes. "Thy son is possessed by an evil spirit. We were forced to tie him down both for his safety and our own."
The mayor's spouse swallowed. She was calming, though her eyes were still wide and filled with fear. Not that I could blame her considering all that had befallen her house. "W-What sort of spirit?"
"One that had seen fit to attack me and Sergeant Stalwart." In truth, I did not know the exact nature of the creature that held Root, but saying so would only have given fuel to the fire of Celery's panic. No, best to tell her what I could to assure her that all would be well in the world if she trusted me. Even if I was not so certain of that myself. "I was in the middle preparing an exorcism when the mob showed itself."
It was then that I noticed Celery's family and a couple of the farm's laborers gathered at the neighboring room’s door. The laborers looked on the verge of coming to their employer’s defense, and Gale eyed them warily. No doubt she was ready to intercept them should they move. Though 'twas the pitiful sight of the four younger children of Casserole's family that held most of my attention. They looked fearfully at the scene before them as one mare they hardly knew roughly handled their mother.
Guilt came over me, and I melted the ice imprisoning Celery and hoped she would not do anything foolish now that she was free. "As a Royal Magus, I swear that I will bring no harm to thy family or those in thy home." Thinking over my promise, I amended, "Unless 'tis one of the ponies in the mob breaking into thy home or a warlock. In which case I am likely going to maim or kill them." I thought being honest was for the best. I would not want to make myself an oathbreaker, afterall.
She thought that over before shakily nodding. "What a-are you going to do?"
Gale coughed to gain my attention. “Midnight, there is a rather large and angry mob that is not going to wait much longer...”
“I am aware, Gale,” I grumbled. Though Gale did have a point that we did not have much time to waste. ‘Twas only a matter of time until the mob hanged Red Steel and Carrot Casserole. After that, they would come for us.
“I counted at least two score outside,” Stalwart said as he followed Subtle out of the bedroom. ”I can defeat a few of them, but I cannot protect you if they all attack at once.”
Subtle nodded. “I hope we are planning on escaping before the mob descends ‘pon us.”
Gale narrowed her eyes at Subtle. “That would be difficult with the Apples standing watch over the house.” She nodded at the Carrot ponies gathered in the other room. “Especially with more than ourselves to care for.”
“Not necessarily.” Subtle rubbed her chin. “How good are your veils, Magus?”
“Very. I have something of a talent for them.” Mother had made sure that illusions were a significant part of my magical education. As she said, they could be used to deal with any number of situations. Invisibility with veils being only one use for them.
“And I am not untalented with them,” Subtle said confidently. “Between the two of us, we should be able to make an escape.”
I thought the possibility over. Using veils to simply sneak away might very well be the solution we needed. Still, there were factors to consider. “How many couldst thou cover by thyself? Keeping in mind that thy veil must last long enough to get away from the farm.”
Subtle looked over all the ponies gathered. “I am equal to the task. I can veil myself and as many ponies as could remain in contact with me.”
“But where would we flee to?” Making a tactical withdrawal was all well and good, but running without a plan rarely leads to success.
“Somewhere without a large, violent mob waiting to kill us?” Subtle said cheerfully.
I suppressed my irritation at the bard. “This town is not that large and everypony knows one another. I think we will be found in anyplace we find refuge. At least eventually.”
Subtle nodded Silent Forest’s way. “I'm sure he could help us find somewhere to lie to low for a bit. While the town might not be safe, surely ‘twould be easier to hide in the woods."
Silent’s contribution to the topic was to nod in agreement.
“There is another complication.” I waved towards Root, still firmly tied to the bed, thankfully. “One of the ponies we would have to escape with is possessed. There are any number of complications attempting to move him could cause.” ‘Twould not be good if the possessed Root had some means by which to break the veil while we were out in the open. I did not know if the spirit could do so, but ‘twas not a risk I took readily. Not to mention it would probably try and resist us every step along the journey, and my aching knee did not relish the idea of being bucked again by the colt.
“We would likely have to leave him behind.” Subtle shrugged.
I narrowed my eyes. “I am not leaving a child in need behind either to be ravaged by that foul spirit or the mob.”
Subtle sighed and spoke in a patient tone. “Midnight, dear, perhaps you have not noticed that this mob has ten times our numbers? I am sure you are a skilled magus, but you have your limits. Sometimes you have no choice but to accept defeat and walk away. You cannot save everypony, and if you try, it will only end in misery and all of our deaths. Better to save a few than none.”
Gale growled and her wings twitched in the way that signaled she wished to throw one of her darts. “And thyself amongst those few.”
Subtle shrugged again. “I do not deny it. I have no particular desire to die. If you are so eager for death, Gale, then I am sure you can meet your end in whate’er manner pleases you.”
Gale’s response was to see if she could stare holes right through Subtle, or mayhaps set her on fire. ‘Twas difficult to say which.
I did not wish to die either, for that matter, and she had a point. As had been made clear to me during my education, ‘twas sometimes impossible to save everypony. There had been more than one instance when one goodly pony had failed to make the hard choices and had gotten a great many more ponies killed than needed to be. Was it not my responsibility to save who I could at little risk while sacrificing a few? Bringing Root with us could very well doom us all, and who was to say if Celery would abandon her son. ‘Twould be even more difficult to save Red and the magnate considering they were within the clutches of the Apples. Should I risk everything for two or four lives? If I was overcome by the mob here, whom would save Appleton from the warlocks?
My duty was to all ponies, my princess, and my country. I had been tasked with preventing the Apples and Carrots from reigniting their feud and having it spill over the entire region. Princess Celestia herself had asked me to do whatever I could to save the ponies of this town.
I looked about me and saw a variety of ponies. My protector in Stalwart and my friend Gale, both soldiers of the Royal Guard and clanponies. Subtle the bard whom was a mystery to me. The Long Patrolpony Silent Forest. Then there were all the farmers and natives of Appleton all about me in Casserole’s home. There was the mother and dedicated wife, Celery Stalk, and her innocent son Carrot Root. Each was an individual pony with their own story, their own goals, loves, hates, and dreams. Then there was everypony outside. Carrot Casserole whom had begged Her Highness to send somepony to save her town. Red Steel who seemed angry with everything in the world. There were also the scores of ponies of the mob that no doubt had their own tales to tell. I knew much about my friend, little about some of the others, and next to nothing about most of them.
And I was about to determine who was to live and who was to die.
I thought carefully about what I was going to do before speaking. “I am aware of the odds against us, but there is a child in need of me and I will not abandon him. My host and the militia captain of this town will also die if I do not aid them. Those two being slain could very well reignite the feud between the Apples and Carrots, the very thing I was sent here to prevent. I will go out with Stalwart and Gale to confront Apple Butter and her lot to do what we can.”
“That is true.” Gale looked to the Carrots. “But what of the others? They will be vulnerable if we leave to confront the mob.”
I looked to Subtle. “I think 'twould be best if Subtle and Silent took as many as they can away from here and find safety where they can. That should at least limit who will perish should the worst come to be.” While it disquieted me to split what forces I had available to me, I did have the responsibility to save who I could. Hopefully this compromise would not undo me.
Stalwart nodded slowly. “Evacuate anypony who does not absolutely need to be here.” It warmed my heart a bit to see the old soldier agree with my decision. At the start of this journey, I worried that nothing I could do would satisfy him.
"I will not leave my child's side," Celery said, her face a mask of grim determination that dared us to argue with her.
I knew better than to try and sway her. What pony of good character would outright refuse a mother to stay by their child's side in their time of need? Though there were other matters to consider here. "I cannot guarantee thy safety, and there are thine other children to consider." It felt cold reminding her of her duties at this dark hour. She was being given an impossible choice. Either stay with her child who was in the most danger, or go with all her other children to safety. 'Twas not a decision I envied her for, but in the end we all had our burdens to bear.
Celery bit down on her lip as she looked from her son to the rest of her family. "Is there any way I could help in freeing my son from this spirit's control?"
Thinking over what might be helpful for the exorcism ritual, I said, "Thy presence is likely to help, but 'twill be hard to say until I start the exorcism. After I have dealt with the mob."
After a moment of indecision, she nodded. "I will stay. Take my other children to safety, but I will not be chased out of my home and away from my son's side by anypony. My other children will be safe with Carrot Cake and Merry Spirit."
"That is thy choice," I said.
"Just ... one moment to say my goodbyes to them." She headed over to give her children hugs and some final word. I could only pray that they would not be the last between them.
I looked to my companions. "Subtle, Corporal Silent, if you will kindly escort everypony else to safety?"
Silent nodded and took station by the rear door.
"Of course." Subtle moved to step around me but stopped as she brushed up against me. She leaned in to give me a breathy whisper. "Do try to stay safe. Thou art far too comely to meet such an untimely and unpleasant end."
I swallowed, suddenly feeling most awkward at the closeness of the bard. "I have no intentions of dying today. Do not think I am merely marching off to make a martyr of myself."
She grinned coyly. I was wondering what she was thinking when she leaned in and kissed me. The sudden meeting of our lips stunned me. My mind was still trying to catch up with what had transpired when her tongue then parted my lips. My cheeks started to burn as Subtle proceeded to do very interesting things that I had never experienced before. Then just like that, it was over, leaving me light headed and breathing heavily.
"For luck," Subtle said with a smile that promised more very interesting things. That done, she walked towards Silent and the other gathered ponies waiting to be escorted away from danger. Her hindquarters swayed in a most intriguing fashion which I found impossible to turn my eyes from, despite my best efforts to do so.
"Um, good luck to thee too," I said lamely. My heart raced for what had most likely been a friendly kiss. Surely 'twas nothing more, aye? Though most friendly kisses did not involve such vigorous use of the tongue...
Gale’s wings twitched angrily. If she had not been considering how best to bury Subtle’s body in the woods before, I was certain she was doing so now.
“Come now, everypony.” Subtle clapped her forehooves. “All those who intend to depart should gather around me. Be sure to stay quiet once we go outside and this will proceed smoothly.”
Celery said her last words to her children and to the laborers before stepping back from them. They all stepped around Subtle as she instructed. I made a mental note of everypony that was there and noticed that Grandmother Carrot, Carrot Juice, and her daughter, Carrot Slice were not among their numbers. Subtle gave me a final wink before they all vanished. The back door opened, seemingly of its own accord and after a few moments closed again. One could only hope they would be able to find their way to safety.
“So that is taken care of.” Gale took a deep breath. No doubt to help her focus on the task at hoof.
Celery looked down at the floor and rubbed her upper foreleg. “I will attend my son.” She started moving to go to the bedroom but I held up a hoof to forestall her.
“Wait, a word please,” I said. She stopped and looked to me questioningly. “Whatever thou dost do, do not release thy son, whatever he says. That spirit possessing him may say all manner of cruel things, but do not listen to them. It will try to trick you, deceive you, and do anything that will give it an advantage. Do nothing it asks of you if you value your son’s life. If thou dost submit to that foul spirit’s will then thou wilt forfeit thy son’s life. Dost thou understand?”
Celery nodded her head shakily. “A-Aye, I understand.”
I gave her a piercing glare. “Swear that thou wilt follow my instructions.”
She froze for a moment before speaking. “I do so swear, on my mother’s name.”
I nodded, satisfied that my words had sunk in. “Very well, go comfort Carrot Root.” When she departed, I looked out the window leading to the barn and I could hear the Apple ponies becoming more riotous out there, as their calls for us to come out picked up in volume and tempo. “That does leave the three of us to tackle an entire mob.”
“Aye.” Stalwart joined me at the window. No doubt he saw the mob preparing to hang their hostages like I did. “I would suggest a show of force. Mobs lack discipline. Once some of them break and run, the rest will shortly follow.”
I closed my eyes to concentrate on what options were available to me. “Aye, I think I might be able to do that.”
Gale undid the strap that helped hold her throwing darts in place. “I could put a spike through the ringleader's head, if that 'twould suit thy plans.”
Focusing on the ponies gathered outside, I saw Apple Butter ordering her followers about while Applesauce helped put a noose around Red Steel’s neck. “That might provoke the mob into swarming us instead of cowing them. Especially if ‘tis done suddenly and without warning. 'Tis difficult to judge how the masses will act when gathered.”
“Aye, 'tis so,” Gale said. “But to do nothing will surely doom us as well as the mayor and militia captain. I see no reason for us to die in a pointless last stand.”
“Then I have no choice but to cow them so completely that they will not seriously consider attacking.” My horn glowed as I drew deeply upon my magic. I knew that I was most likely going to need it, whatever should happen when we confronted the mob. As I counted the mob, nearly three score in number, I could not help but feel some trepidation. “Gale, Stalwart, if the mob should charge us and it seem too much ... 'tis far easier for you two to flee than I. You both have wings while I am restricted to the ground. I would not think unkindly of either of you should you do what is practical when faced with death.”
Gale blinked in surprise. For a moment I worried I had offended her when she wrapped a wing around me. “We would never abandon thee.”
“Aye, we do not leave our own behind,” Stalwart said.
“Thou art our comrade in arms.” Gale smiled fondly and gave me a nuzzle. “Not to mention my dear friend. We could never abandon thee.”
“That is most kind of thee.” Their words gave me heart. While I could not have thought them craven for saving their own lives in a hopeless struggle, it raised my spirits to know that whatever might come I would not have to face it alone.
“Thou wouldst do the same for us.” Gale nudged my shoulder in a friendly manner. “I know thou art more courageous than some would give thee credit for.”
Reflecting upon those words, I could not find fault with them. Abandoning Gale or Stalwart was not something I would readily do. “Aye, I would.”
The moment was ruined when the shouting outside grew louder and one of the windows was suddenly smashed by a thrown rock.
“‘Twould seem they are growing impatient.” I rolled my neck as I focused my mind.
Taking some of Gale’s earlier advice to heart. I reminded myself not to appear weak. That I needed to seem strong, resolute, unwavering. Like a mighty glacier: large, imposing, and unmoveable. If the mob sensed weakness, they would pounce on us like wolves who had come upon wounded prey.
So I took a moment to blow my nose clean and took some more of my medicine to help with my sickness. ‘Twould be undignified and detract from my image to appear sick. Next, I cast a spell so that I would not feel my throbbing knee. Appearing to be limping would only help to provoke the Apples. Though I had to be careful. My spell only covered up the pain, not cure it of its injuries. While pain is generally seen in a negative light, ‘tis quite important to life. Pain tells us when we are hurt and when to rest an injured area and address it. Not doing so could have terrible consequences for the pony involved.
Finally ready to face the Apples, I said, “‘Twould be better not to let them wait.”
“Aye.” Gale stretched her wings to limber them up. “We have delayed long enough.”
“They will only grow bolder with time.” Stalwart opened the front door carefully and glanced about the entryway, looking for anypony that might be lying in ambush.
“Then let us have a talk with them.” With Stalwart and Gale on my flanks, I headed outside.
With all the confidence I could muster, I stepped onto the dagger’s edge, where the slightest misstep would result in disaster. I carried myself as Mother would have, drawing myself up, walking up to the mob as though 'twas the most natural thing in the world, that I belonged there, and more importantly, that I was the pony in power here, not the whims of the mob.
The gathered ponies jeered at me as I approached them. The ravens gathered all about the farm on roofs and trees cawed, almost as though they protested against the mob’s jeers. Many were armed with hammerhooves and spears, and the fading sun glinted off the metal of the weapons. They all had eyes for me as I approached them, though I did not let their stares affect me. To show weakness would doom us.
Red and Casserole had nooses wrapped around their necks. Red’s face looked badly swollen even from a distance. She had clearly not been taken without a fight. To my disappointment, but not to my surprise, these ponies did in fact not know how to do a proper hanging. They did not have weights tied to their legs and they were not even on an elevated position from which they could drop to let the fall snap their necks. Neigh, the ropes had been draped over the branch of a tree near the barn, and there were stout stallions ready to pull the ropes to lynch their hostages. A slow death by strangulation rather than a quick snapping of the neck that would occur if ‘twere done correctly. ‘Twas most unprofessional and lacking mercy—if they must execute the hostages, they could at least do it properly.
I stopped well short of the mob. Should they rush me, I wanted to have enough time to cast at least one spell upon them. I called out with a commanding voice. “What transpires here?” Of course I knew what was going on, but I had put on my mask and was determined to play the role that I believed would see us through this crisis.
The crowd responded with more jeers and yelling. They wished to intimidate me, to make me run so that they could have the pleasure of chasing me down and catching me. For what pony who was innocent and confident in their cause would run? So I did not give them the pleasure, but stood firm and unwavering.
I spoke with a passive and unconcerned tone. “Do you have a leader, or will I be forced to yell over all of you? Surely you must have grievances to have come here in such a manner.”
Apple Butter stepped forward and gave me a nasty grin that was filled confidence that she was carrying the day. “Ah speak for us.”
“What brings you to break the peace?” I asked.
Her grin became all the meaner. “You do.”
I looked about the crowd in an exaggerated manner, playing my role as the stalwart leader. “Last I checked, I did not organize a mob, seize two innocent ponies, and then march on the local magnate's farm with weapons on hoof.” I waved at Red Steel and Casserole. “And this is hardly the manner with which to bring your grievances to me.”
“Neigh!” Butter stomped a hoof. “You intruded in our city, attacked, arrested, and attempted to murder our citizens, and are generally poking about where yer not wanted.”
“I came to this town to discover who is murdering the ponies here,” I countered. “I have attacked nopony who did not strike at me first.”
Butter waved frantically at her hostages. “You came to pin the blame for the murders on the first Apple you could find and string us up! Just like the Sun Tyrant’s creatures always have!”
“Neigh, I sought no such thing.” I stood up straighter raising myself to my full height. Though I hoped that my small size did not take away from the image I was attempting to project. “I came only seeking justice. The clan a pony belongs to is not my concern. I seek only to punish the guilty and wish to bring harm to nopony else.”
“'Tis just a coincidence that you immediately took up residence in a Carrot's house?” She gave the noose around Casserole’s neck a meaningful shake. “And then started arresting Apples?”
I narrowed my eyes at the lies about my intentions. Could these ponies not see that I was trying to help them? Had they been so consumed by rage and fear that they could not see the truth? “As the local magnate, the mayor was gracious enough to provide me her hospitality after she had called on the government for help with the murders. If it had been an Apple to do so, my response would have been the same with that pony. And as thou dost well know, I have arrested but one Apple, and Applesauce was arrested for obstructing justice and striking a Royal Magus.”
Butter scoffed. “A likely story. We tire of your lies.”
“'Tis likely because 'tis true.” I was finding my patience with Apple Butter growing thin, but I persevered. Those hostages depended upon me keeping my head. “Name one other pony I have arrested in all the town.”
She grinded her teeth. It seemed my logic was having some effect, for the mob had not as of yet moved. That was good. Once they gained momentum ‘twould be like stopping a boulder being rolled down a hill. Seeing no way to counter my argument, my opponent yelled, “You aimed to kill us all! You burned down my house and tried to murder me!”
“That is also a lie,” I declared. “I did no such thing. If I did try and murder thee, I would have succeeded.”
Gale sighed. “Midnight...”
Butter turned to the crowd and howled, “Didst thou hear? She threatened me with murder!”
“I was only speaking hypothetically! Do not misconstrue my words.” I felt the mood of the crowd start to shift against me once again, and their glares turned more hateful. I could feel myself starting to slip on the edge of the knife.
She made a cutting motion with her hoof. “Enough! We will not be threatened by one of the Sun Tyrant's pet whorses! Leave at once, or suffer the consequences.” She waved at her hostages.
That made me pause as I thought through the situation before me. Specifically, at what Apple Butter planned on doing, but then I saw a problem with it. Could she not see the issue? Was there something I was overlooking?
I blinked slowly. “I do not understand.”
Butter glanced about her fellows, as though not sure how to proceed with me being confused. “Was I unclear?” She stiffened her spine to face me. “We will execute them! This is no bluff!”
I tilted my head. I could not help but think our thoughts did not yet align. Therefore ‘twould be best to clarify what I did not understand. “Neigh, I understand that much, and I believe that thou art sincere about murdering them. But what comes after you kill them? That is what I do not understand.”
Butter’s face contorted with confusion. “What?”
I could hardly believe what I was hearing. Was she so much the fool as to not think her plan all the way through and its consequences? Mother and Morning Star would have lectured me for failing to do so with one of their thought exercises. While not everything could be planned for, one could at least think of the likely responses to one’s own plans by a competent opponent.
Seeing that Butter had failed with the most basic elements of making a plan, I spoke slowly, as though speaking with a dullard. “If you attempt to commit a murder right in front of me, a Royal Magus, 'twould be my duty to stop you.” I slowly swept my eyes over the mob. “And given your numbers, I would be forced to smite you dead with the mightiest spells at my disposal. Starting with the ponies directly responsible for hanging your hostages, for they wouldst be the most responsible for the foul deed.” A worried murmur went through the crowd. Most of those that stood near the hostages backed away from them, while those holding the rope decided ‘twas best to put it down for the moment. Only Applesauce stood very near to the hostages, and even he looked like he wished he were standing somewhere else.
“Next, I would strike down your leaders to both dispirit you and ruin your ability to organize.” I then met Apple Butter’s eyes directly. “Starting with her first, I think. Tell me, Apple Butter, art thou suicidal, or is there a part of thy plan I do not see yet?”
Butter took a step back and I could see the concern as the possibility of her own imminent death overtook her. “That is... I...”
“No, wait, I have a better idea.” I looked to Gale. “Gale, if Apple Butter orders for the hostages to be killed, hit her with one of thy spikes. Preferably through the eye. I would like the wound to be fatal. That will leave me free to aid the hostages.”
Gale grinned. “I can do that.”
“My thanks.” I smiled to my friend.
Butter blinked at us, looking dumbfounded. “You cannot... That would be...”
I felt the momentum turn against Apple Butter. Now was the time to strike now that the mob was starting to waver. “I bid all of you, return to your homes. I have no quarrel with you. I seek only justice in Appleton. I promise that should I arrest anypony and press charges, they will receive a fair trial. Disperse now, leave Red Steel and Carrot Casserole in peace, and I so swear on my word as a Royal Magus that I will not seek redress for what has transpired tonight or even what happened ‘tween me and Applesauce.”
A couple of the ponies at the back of the mob started drifting away. Likely they had been coerced to come this day. Such was easy to do when one’s kin were all demanding that you do something. Though now that the glue that held the mob together was coming undone its less stalwart members were losing spirit. Watching a pony be killed by one’s kin is an easier prospect for most than the idea of facing one’s own mortality.
“Do not listen to her!” Butter turned back to the crowd and called to them, but I could readily hear the growing desperation in her voice. “All Canterlot unicorns speak lies with the forked tongue of a serpent! We must stand united 'gainst her, or she will kill us all one by one!”
I immediately saw a hole in her logic and struck at it. “Why would I go through the trouble of killing you one by one when, if the Apples were my enemies, I could kill all of you now that you are gathered in one place? And under inauspicious conditions. Thou art legally a mob and threatening my host. Under such circumstances I could strike thee down by the score and the law would see me in the right. I would just be creating more work for myself if I let all of you slink off into the night only to hunt you down one at a time.”
“She cannot stand against all of us at once!” She leveled a hoof at me. “If we all charge her, she cannot hope to stop us!”
So the moment had come. The moment when the mob would most likely turn to attack me and my companions or slowly disperse. Now was the time for me turn the tide decisively in my favor.
“Mayhaps not, but how many of you are willing to die for this foolishness?” I turned my head, trying to meet each pony’s eyes in turn. Let them know that I was deadly serious in my proposition. “Ten? A score? More? I am not sure you fully appreciate exactly what I can bring to bear should you attack me. I think a demonstration is in order.”
I turned to face a cart sitting by the side of the barn. It had been filled with baskets full of apples. It would serve nicely for my demonstration.
My horn glowed all the brighter as I pushed magic through it. A blue ball of magic shot towards the cart. When it reached its target, it burst. Scores of ice shards shot forward to scour the cart. Each easily sharp enough to cut through flesh on contact. They shredded through the produce and punched their way into the wood of the baskets and the cart itself. The cart all but exploded into splinters and apple shards. A few of the ponies standing near the cart were hit by the splinters, apple chunks, and errant ice shards. While there were screams of pain and confusion, none appeared too hurt as they all scrambled to put distance between them and the cart. The spell also caused the unkindness of ravens to take flight and they started circling overhead. Their caws echoing as enough of them flew to cast their shadows down upon us.
Many within the mob stood agape at the display while others looked up at the unkindness with fear. Others turned to each other and spoke in fearful whispers. It seemed that my spell had the desired effect of cowing the Apples.
“That is but one of the spells I can use to protect myself and those I am duty bound to protect.” I made my horn glow all the brighter and it gave off sparks of magic from all the magic coursing through it. “And I will use such spells to fulfill my duties. That I swear to you.”
Now that they had been cowed, ‘twas time to offer some honey to encourage them to disperse. For that, rather than draw inspiration from my mother, who had never held the love of those around her, I looked to Princess Celestia. She always had a way to calm the ponies around her, and I now sought to follow her example.
I soften my features and put compassion in my tone, where before there had only been cold ice in it. “Look at yourselves. How many of you have families to care for? Is this worth the risk to life and limb? What will your families do if you are slain this day? Surely the time to harvest your crops comes soon, and we are scheduled to have a harsh winter this year. What if you were to become crippled by one of my spells? You would become but another mouth to feed at the table, but one unable to plow the fields or pick crops to provide food for that table. Is this worth the risk of taking me? To murder me and my companions? Your mayor and the militia captain who tries to keep you safe? Neigh, go home in peace and let us not speak of this again. There need not be any bloodshed this day.”
“She might take a few of us, but if we run she will get all of us!” Apple Butter called out, but her fellows had lost heart. They would not meet Butter’s eyes and a few more in the rear melted away. None seemed eager to be the first to be smitten by my spells or cut down by my guard. It had probably been a long time since a lynch mob had formed in Appleton and met a force that could resist it.
“I have no interest in pursuing anypony, save those that have committed the murders in this town.” Seeing that the tide had turned against Butter, I marched up to her. “But if thou art so determined to see violence befall me, then act on it.” I slapped her across the jaw. “Apple Butter, thou hast committed slander 'gainst me, insulted me, and sought to do violence to me and my companions, and my host! I demand satisfaction and challenge thee to juris ungula!”
Butter froze, either too stunned that I had actually challenged or that I had struck her. “I ... that is...”
Good, she had not expected me to do such a thing and was not ready for it. It seemed that she had never learned an important part of being a leader of ponies. One needs to act as an example for those that you would have follow you. If ponies do not respect you, then their spirits would flag and you will lead them nowhere. Time to utterly ruin her in the eyes of her kin.
“What, art thou intimidated by the idea of facing me in honorable combat?” I asked mockingly. “Dost thou find thyself craven without a mob to throw at me first?” I lifted my nose and sniffed haughtily. “Very well, I challenge thee to face me three against myself. Choose thy champions and I will gladly smite you all.”
Butter’s ear flicked and she looked around to her kin, but all the ponies near Butter stepped away from her and looked to anything that was not her. It seemed nopony was willing to risk being named her champion. Certainly none called out to say they would be willing to face me in juris.
Time to rub salt into the wound. “Five 'gainst one, then. Anymore and 'tis less a duel and more melee with delusions of grandeur.”
The leader of the mob could bring herself to do little else but watch as her mob dissolved in front of her—for who would wish to fight for a coward? I had seen my mother use this tactic more than once in my life and once again, it seemed to be working. At a stroke I was discrediting Butter before her followers, and without that she could not use them against me.
Eventually Butter signed. She clamped down her teeth and grinding out the words, “I withdraw my remarks.”
“Tell thy mob to disperse,” I told her coldly.
She looked as though she wished to argue, but I kept up a pitiless glare towards her. “Return to thy homes,” she said weakly.
I called out to the crowd with an authoritative voice. “Aye, return to your homes in peace and attend to your families.” The mob rapidly dispersed at that. All their spirit had left them. Some even dropped their spears or left their hammerhooves in the dirt.
I had done it! I had beaten the mob without anypony dying! It felt as though a great weight had been lifted from my back. I had finally accomplished something in Appleton! With the mob gone, I could now concentrate on more important matters.
Butter was not nearly so pleased at my success as she glared balefully at me. “This is not over.”
I glared right back at her. “Do not test my patience. If I see thee attempt to disturb the peace again, thou wilt find that my patience and goodwill have come to an end.”
She chuckled, a nasty thing. “Don't worry. You won't see me.” At that, she turned to leave.
I let her go, even though she had threatened me. It might have been more practical to stop her and arrest her on the spot, ‘twas quite possible she would cause trouble for me later, but I would not. For one, ‘twould have broken my word that I was going to let everypony leave in peace if they did no harm. For another, arresting or attacking her could have unraveled all I had just done with the mob. Seizing defeat from the jaws of victory did not appeal to me, so I took the gains I had made and left it at that. I would face what came in time where Apple Butter was concerned.
Watching her as she left, I said, “She will be trouble later, I fear. Craven as she is.”
“Aye, a craven can still slip a knife into an unguarded back.” Gale’s wing slid over her spikes, and I could see her considering putting a spike into her back to snuff out the problem.
“Leave her for now,” I told Gale. I did not want to risk her undoing all that we had just done. “At least the mob seems to have lost its spirit.”
Stalwart nodded. “A temporary reprieve is better than none.”
I saw that Red Steel and Carrot Casserole remained where they had been. Likely they wished to see the mob leave before making a move that might provoke the ponies that had seized them in the first place.
I nodded towards them. “Come.” My companions followed me as I approached the now freed hostages. “Are you two well?” I asked them.
The magnate worked to remove the noose from her neck, though her hooves shook slightly as she did so, causing her to fumble at the work. “Alive and unharmed, though I fear my wits will take some time to recover.”
I helped her pull off the noose. “As long as thou art alive thy wits will recover. 'Tis good to see that you have not been too badly harmed.”
Red gave me a grateful nod. “My thanks.”
“Aye, I owe you my life, milady.” Casserole rubbed at her neck. “I will not forget this.”
“I am merely doing my duty, Mayor,” I said modestly.
“We can thank one another and be modest later.” Red Steel gestured at the house. “Casserole mentioned something about poor Root being possessed?”
Casserole’s eyes widened. “Root!” She barreled forward towards the house. In her haste to return to her son’s side, she bumped into me, and being a mare thick with muscle thanks to farming for a profession. Unfortunately for me, she was a large pony, I a small one. The blow, accidental as it was, sent me sprawling into the dirt, and I grunted from the impact. I was left on my back, staring into the open sky and the ravens flying about it.
Alas, my wounded dignity.
“Sorry!” The magnate yelled as she ran to the farmhouse.
Gale snickered down at me. “Art thou fine, Midnight?”
“I will survive,” I grumbled. “Gale, go after her and make sure she does nothing foolish with Root, if thou wilt.”
“Very well.” Gale flew after her. I would have hated to have gone through all that work just for Root to be released.
Stalwart offered me a hoof and helped me to my hooves. “Mayhaps we should collect what we need from the barn and return to the house?”
“That would be for the best.” I brushed the dirt off of me. The feeling of it felt most uncomfortable as it grated against my skin. At least it was not as bad as mud. “Let us not delay.”
“I will help you,” said Red as we entered the barn. The three of us worked to quickly gather the supplies I needed for the exorcism ritual. I was a bit surprised when Red stopped to place a hoof on my shoulder. “I wished to say that thou art braver than I thought.” She gave my shoulder a squeeze. “Or even more foolish.” For once, the words did not hold a bitter edge to them.
At first I did not know how to respond. I had effectively acknowledged that the militia captain was a pony with a sour continence and that was all there was to it. This though I felt was a different side to her. “I think the line between brave and foolish is whether one succeeds or not.”
Red snorted. “Aye, so it probably is. Still, you know that you could easily have died should the mob have charged you?”
“I am aware.” I found the salt within the barn and began collecting some. “‘Twould have come down to whether they could have overcome the first spell I threw at them or not. If their ranks broke and they lost their momentum, they would have been crushed. If they could have managed to get their hooves on me...” I shrugged. “‘Twould likely have cost me my life. I probably would not have had time to fire a second spell like the one I fired on the cart in the time it would have taken for them to close the distance.”
“And yet you did face them all the same, knowing that,” Red commented. “And considering you have claimed to be able to turn yourself invisible, you probably could have escaped easily.”
“Aye, I probably could have done so safely.” I looked through the articles in the barn, seeing if there was anything of use that I had not originally thought of to use. “But I am not so sure I could have lived with myself if I had left thee and the mayor to that lot. Thou wert in danger in no small part because of me, and ‘twould have been cowardly of me to have run then. Neigh, I did not have to do what I did, but I felt ‘twas the right thing.”
She patted my shoulder. “I think I can see why Gale thinks well of you now.”
There was silence between us for a time, with neither of us saying anything. For myself I was not used to praise, at least from ponies I did not know well. Sometimes I wondered if I had inherited my mother’s trait of being unable to be loved by others. I could only guess the reasons for Red’s demeanor. Mayhaps she was just unused to giving out compliments.
In the end, mayhaps nothing more needed to be said between us for now.
It took us a while to gather the materials I required and return to the farmhouse. By the time we did, the last rays of sunlight were beginning to fade. It had been a long day, and I doubted the night was going to be any shorter. Since Gale knew a bit about the medical arts, I asked her to look over Red Steel’s wounds. Her face was still badly swollen from when she had been captured. I had created some ice to help with that, but ‘twould still be good to know how bad the injury was. While I did not think Red held quite so much vitriol for me as before, I still sensed that she still had no great love for me. Better to let Gale treat her injuries.
Stalwart helped me carry the supplies we had gathered from the barn, and we made our way to the bedroom where Carrot Root was being held. The child’s parents sat vigilant by the bed and were no doubt trying to give what comfort they could to their son. Thankfully they had not been foolish and untied him or done anything else ill-advised. I did not relish the idea of being ambushed by the possessed colt once again.
Celery’s eyes appeared to be swollen with tears, and she dabbed at them with a handkerchief while her wife wrapped a leg around her to give comfort, or mayhaps to give herself comfort too. ‘Twas probably both, considering the situation they found themselves in. It could not have been easy to be in this room, and I could only imagine the things the spirit had said in my absence.
“Mothers, let me go!” Root pleaded with his parents. “These ropes hurt!” The pony speaking sounded like Root, and not the spirit, but ‘twas a trifling feat for most possessing spirits to use the voice of the one they possessed. I moved to the side of the bed and examined him again, quickly confirming the spirit still possessed him, and the vile presence set me ill at ease. It seemed that the spirit would indeed not give up its vessel easily.
“Do not attempt to fool us, spirit,” I said firmly. “I know your tricks and will not be easily fooled by them.”
The possessed child grinned and spoke with its unnatural voice. “Do not be so sure. You are not as clever as you think. Not by half.”
The mayor’s gaze immediately shifted to me when I entered the room. “Magus! Please, help him. Watching over him has terribly worn down my nerves. It had been hard not to do ... something to help him.”
“I ask for but a little more patience, Mayor.” I waved for the parents to please step back from the bed. When they did so, I moved the bed closer to the center of the room. “All I need is some time to free him.” At least it was my hope that I could do so. I had assisted my mother once with an exorcism when a particularly unpleasant ghost of a disgraced count had come to possess his distant descendant. Mother possessed formidable magic and knowledge, and the task had still been a difficult one even for her. Even in that case Mother had known quite a bit about her enemy and had used that knowledge against the wayward spirit. Here I knew next to nothing about my opponent. Something that was always very dangerous when dealing with the supernatural. Understanding an opponent was often the first step to overcoming them.
Root struggled against his ropes again. When that did not work, the spirit turned to the child’s parents. “She is lying to you, you know. She does not plan on expelling me from this child, for she will bind me to this body forever.”
“That is not true,” I calmly replied. “Cease your lies, they will not avail you.” I went about drawing a circle about the bed.
“You speak of not lying when your life is utterly shrouded by them.” The possessed colt grinned at me menacingly. “I see you, child of nightmares and winter. Disaster and death walk in your wake and all you touch withers and dies. I see you for what you are, Herald of the Night. ”
I did my best to ignore the words, though there was something about them that sent a chill down my spine. I had to wonder exactly how much the spirit knew, and how much it said in order to throw me off balance. I told myself that it did not matter. What mattered was the task at hoof and so I kept working on the circle, adding runes at the edges to add to its strength.
“Root, please, stop speaking.” Celery looked as though she wished to say more but then she was overcome with sobs and pressed her face into the shoulder of her wife.
My circle finished, I looked to the mayor. “Didst thou procure an object of value to thy son?”
“Aye, I did.” Casserole presented me with a wooden figurine. “He is always playing with this.” The figurine had been carved to look like a stallion in armor. A toy then. Not surprising a toy would be a precious object to a child.
“My thanks.” I took the toy and gently placed it at an appointed spot by the circle. “Now then, who brought Root into the world?”
“Me.” Celery said through a sob. “Why?”
“‘Twould help if I could have a drop of thy blood.” I pulled my mother’s dagger from its sheath. “The bond between mother and child is a powerful one, and will aid me in freeing Root.”
Celery extended a leg. “If it will help my son.”
Root snorted. “It will not. This is a fool’s venture and the magus knows it. She would rather destroy herself then admit she is not equal to the task.”
“I will make this quick.” I pricked her with the dagger and Celery winced at the wounding, but she did not jerk away. Some blood wet the edge of the blade. Satisfied, I placed the dagger and blood on the edge of the circle. Next I poured out a pile of salt at another point on the circle, salt being a symbol of purity. With a symbol of the child himself, another of the bond between mother and son, and finally one for the purifying ritual I was about to enact. I finished by drawing another circle that touched edges with the circle around the bed. That done, I carefully reviewed my work.
The mayor squeezed her spouse, giving me a pleading look. “Is there anything else you needed? If you need anything, say it and it will be so.”
I considered the question as I finished reviewing my work, finding it to be satisfactory for the limited time I had to do this. “Neigh, I have all that I desire. Though I would prefer to do this ritual alone. If everypony else but Stalwart would leave the room, I would appreciate it. What I am about to do is complex and distractions are dangerous.”
Stalwart moved to gently usher the parents out of the room. “Please, milady knows what she is doing.”
Celery looked from her son to her wife, unsure what to do. Casserole nodded and helped Celery stand. “We will do as you ask,” the mayor said, the two of them leaving the bedroom.
Stalwart closed the door after them and took station next to it. He watched as I placed myself within the adjacent circle. “Are you sure about this, milady? Would it not be better to wait, gather more magi to do this thing?”
Root laughed, a short, barking thing. “She will not. She is young and wishes all the glory for herself. She has not yet cut her teeth and wishes to prove herself to her peers.”
I stopped to consider Stalwart suggestion and the spirit’s taunts. Was I being foolish by pressing so hard and quickly? ‘Twas not considered craven to gather more magi to deal with a single warlock. Much less a group of them. When gatherings of warlocks were discovered, ‘twas common to gather a score of magi with many soldiers and knights to aid them. Nopony had openly suggested that warlocks might be involved in these murders when I was sent to Appleton. I could not see anypony declaring me to be craven if I were to run and call for reinforcements against a force that may very well be beyond my skill to face. There was no shame in retreating from an overwhelming force, and some would argue it the wiser course to go out and make that call for aid.
For a moment I was terribly tempted to do just that. I was not a fool. I did not wish to die in some hopeless struggle. Little would be accomplished by doing such a thing.
The problem with that plan would be that I would be dooming whoever might die while a force was mustered to crush these warlocks. The delay would be considerable considering Appleton was far out on the frontier. More murders might very well spark into open violence between the Apples and Carrots like it had nearly done so tonight. Then there was the terrible ritual the warlocks were fueling their blood sacrifices with. The energies from it were ever pressing against the back of my skull. Always a menacing presence hanging over me.
Also, I would be giving up on the child before me. A child in desperate need of my help. I knew of another child who cried for the help of anypony that would save her and how badly she desired it. Could I ever look myself in the mirror again after looking into this child’s eyes and damning him?
“Neigh, I will not abandon him,” I said, binding myself to the cause. “No child should be given to a foul spirit such as this. Please, watch the door and do not disturb me during the ritual.”
There was a tenseness in Stalwart’s stance, and I sensed that he wished to argue with me. He had been tasked with my safety, and I was about to enter a realm for which he would be of little use. I knew from experience that one of the hardest things to do in the world was stand aside and watch as events proceeded beyond one’s control. Whatever thoughts were going through his mind eventually settled when he said, “Very well, milady. I will be here if you are in need of me.”
“My thanks.” I sat in my circle and went through a calming exercise, breathing in and out as I gathered my thoughts for the coming struggle.
“You are going to die, you know,” the possess child said. “You are going to fail, everypony around you is going to perish, and it will be your fault. You could have run. Then at least some would have lived, but now you decided to be stubborn and doomed everypony. Fool.”
“If you are attempting to frighten me, then you will have to do better,” I said cooly. “I have faced beings greater than you, and I find you wanting. Now be silent. I am coming to deal with you, fiend.”
“Come then.” He struggled against his bonds. “Let us have a battle.”
I replied by casting my spell to enter the Dreamscape to engage in battle with the possessing spirit.
The material world and the Dreamscape touch one another. They are separate, but overlap in dreams, reality, mirrors, and echoes. They affect one another—changing, transforming, shifting. As with a dream the Dreamscape is mutable, shapeable, and always shifting while also being permanent, immense, and without borders. It is both real and not, it cannot touch us, yet it does. One can never know exactly what one will find in that strange, wondrous, and sometimes terrifying realm, but part of it is in us, and we enter it when we dream—or when we have nightmares.
When I cast my spell, I thought for a moment something had gone wrong with my casting. I found myself still in the bedroom with Carrot Root tied to the bed. Though Stalwart was no longer in the room, and my circle and sigils gone. The bedroom was the perfect picture of rural domesticity for the home of a magnate. Small paintings adorned light blue walls. Sturdy ornate dressers were braced against the walls while the bed continued to sit in the middle of the room. Moonlight spilled into the room through the windows.
I stood to a nearly silent scene before me. Only the lazy wind blowing the window drapes and Carrot Root’s breathing disturbed the peace. Then the child started letting out an unearthly pained wail. The bed groaned and creaked, and I backed up as the bed slowly stood. I heard the wood bedframe crack as it slowly transformed as I watched. Rotting wood grew over the ropes, and the growth worked their way to Root’s legs. When they reached his flesh, branches grew and pushed their way under his skin.
Root let out another scream of pain. “Ithurstithurtsithurts!” The mattress was torn asunder as the bedframe continued to grow and more branches sought their victim’s flesh. The frame grew out, smashing through the rug and floorboards to dig its roots into the earth and gnarled old branches punched their way through the ceiling. A foul stench of rotting wood started permeating the room as pussy sap oozed out of crevices in the bark. I could feel the floorboards under me rot even as I stood on them. The paint peeled from the walls as though suddenly aged by decades, and the paintings fell from the walls and glass smashed as they hit the ground. Even the shadows cast by the tree seemed to gain their own profuse life as they grew hungrily to consume the light of the moon and stars.
“I want my mothers!” Root screamed over and over again as thick tendrils buried their way into the back of his skull. The violated child wept as he bled from wounds across his body, bound to a tree that sought to bind him to it.
Before my eyes the bedroom had been transformed from a wholesome place of rest to some twisted mockery—a corrupt, profane thing that mocked all that was good. What type of horror was I experiencing? How much was metaphor and symbolism created by the Dreamscape and how much was real?
It took me some time to realize I was just standing there, dumbfounded at the sight. I gave myself a mental shake to regain my composure. I had come to this horrible place to save this child, not gawk at his suffering. Not to mention that the spirit that had done this foul deed could strike at any moment. My reason for coming to the Dreamscape was because I had thought it would give me the advantage. That it would give me a battlefield from which I could fight the fiend that tormented this child.
“Creature!” I called out, putting my power and will into the call. “Come forth and reveal yourself to me! I so declare, this child, Carrot Root does not belong to you! His body and soul are not yours to bind! You will come forth and face me so that this profane act will be addressed!” If I was to be successful in the exorcism, I needed to know whom my enemy was. Otherwise I would be flailing about in the dark.
A low, menacing chuckle echoed through the room, seeming to come from nowhere and yet everywhere. “The magus wishes to face what she cannot see, even though it is right before her eyes. She grasps, but comes to grip with nothing. She seeks to understand, but is ignorant. What a poor creature I face. It thinks itself strong, but it is brittle, unfocused, and dependant on others.”
“I did not come here to trade quips, spirit.” I stomped a hoof and it sent a tremor that reverberated out. “You hold this child against his will, and I demand his release. Defy me and I release him by force. I will not hesitate to destroy you, I promise.”
“Destroy me?” The spirit laughed. “You have no power here, magus. You are but a wisp on the wind, and ‘tis now time for you to be snuffed out.”
The tree creaked and several branches struck out for me. I could feel their hunger, their desire to grasp, to bind. ‘Twas as much a part of them as it is for a pony to eat and breathe, a fundamental force of nature in their profanity. Though if the spirit thought me helpless, then it was mistaken. With a burst of magic and will, I sent a wave of cold magic forth. It struck the branches and froze them in place just short of me. With another casting of my magic, a harsh icy cold wind howled through the windows and tossed about all the loose items in the room as they were caught within the gale. The branches shattered from the pressure and fell onto the floor to break into so many pieces.
Whiffs of light blue magic drifted off my horn as it cast its light about the room, creating its own shadows that danced about the room and contested the shadows of the tree. I sent more of my magic and will with my words and I yelled, “As a Royal Magus of Equestria, by the will of Her Royal Highness Princess Celestia, Sol Invictus, Ruler of the Three Tribes, and Steward of the Sun, twice I demand of you! Show yourself to me! Identify yourself! Your name I demand!”
A sharp hiss reverberated through the room and the branches of the tree leaned away from me, creaking and groaning as though resisting my attempts to pull at the thing. Even the shadows of the tree seemed to retreat behind it. “I deny you, Herald! I so declare you fraud and liar! You are no shadow of sun and fire, but a child of darkness! Under false pretenses you come! I do not acknowledge you, your titles, or your power!”
The words slammed into me like a physical force. More so, even. They hit me, and then pierced me right down to my essence, my very being. It felt as though my flesh was being threatened to be ripped from my bones and that my soul were being scoured as our wills met in battle. I endured it, weathered it, and stayed in the fight. I refused to be conquered this day.
This time the whole house groaned and all about me there was the splintering of large chunks of lumber. It seemed as though the house itself was about the collapse on me. Great branches punched through the ceiling while thick roots burst from the floor and the wall behind me. I growled as I poured out magic and my horn looked as though it had become some great torch of blue faerie fire. The long shadows created by my pale light leapt into action. They met the branches and roots, wrapping themselves around the extensions of the tree. They attempted to squirm and push their way through my shadows but they held them in place.
I did not relent in my counter. Instead of just holding the branches and roots, my shadows slowly drained the life out of them and the shadows slowly grew in power, depth, and life. The energy and warmth was drained from the wood and the tree’s extensions froze in place as life left them. Then with another savage tug of my will, my shadows broke the branches and roots into so many lifeless chunks.
The round of battle mine, I turned back to the tree and it leaned back further from my presence. Frost had covered my half of the room and was making a march to overtake the rest. Once again, I gathered my will and magic for a decisive strike.
The words poured forth of their own accord. Though I did not think of them, they felt like a natural extension of my being. “Thrice I say and done! I, Magus Midnight Sparkle, Daughter and Heir to Archmagus Sunbeam Sparkle, Child of Night and Winter, demand you reveal yourself and I bind you to it!”
My shadows darted forth and spread frost as they went. The branches and roots of the tree attempted to intercept them, but on contact they froze, withered, died, and broke under their own weight. My shadows invaded the darkness behind the tree and found what they sought. The wall about the windows crumbled and fell and the darkness evaporated under the shine of the moonlight, as large as the sun within the sky of the Dreamscape.
There, being held still by my shadows, was the being responsible for the evil that had befallen Carrot Root and Appleton.
I narrowed my eyes and spoke with icy words to my nemesis. “We meet again, Grandmother Carrot.”