My eyes snapped open as my senses rushed back to me. Quickly I was on my paws and straining my neck to look at my new environment. All around me, in every direction, was nothing but darkness.
‘Aw, that's never a good sign.’
“No, it’s not.” a voice echoed in the darkness making me continue my efforts to find something around me, “But this time, it is an exception.”
The darkness began to swirl in front of me, solidifying into a solid shape. As the basic outline of a pony took shape, color began to fill it in, “Hello Scruffy.”
‘How do you know my name?’ I thought, knowing he could hear it.
“I’ve been watching you since you started hissing at me.” he said as his coat color turned a shade of grey and his mane started to turn white.
As his eyes began to turn amber like mine I knew I needed a plan to get out of this. The first step to every good plan was to distract the target, ‘That is an awesome beard.’
The now obvious unicorn let out a sigh as he slouched, “Let it be a lesson. You can create over a hundred different spells, a good number of which revolutionary in their time, and everypony will remember you for the one you messed up.”
‘You hate that awesome beard?’ my mouth opened in mock shock as I slowly began to move to the left.
“Well not at first, but as-wait wait wait! We’re getting off topic.” he said before noting, “And I can see you trying to circle around. I’m not your enemy.”
My plan figured out, and the unicorn out of my pouncing range, I sat down and narrowed my eyes at him, ‘I’ll just come out and say it then. I don't trust you.’
“Then you’re as smart as I hoped you were.” he said with a smile, “Back in my day-”
‘So he's that type of old timer.’ I thought as the unicorn shot me a glare, ‘Oh right, sorry. I'm not used to having my thoughts heard out loud.’
He let out a sigh, “Todays generation.” he shook his head, “Look, all you need to know is that I’m very hesitant to do this. The power I offer, none that have walked these halls in the past thousand years have possessed what I seek to pass it on.”
I frowned, ‘Talk of power, check. Old guy, check. Saying things mysteriously, check. Are you evil?’
For the first time since he appeared, the unicorn smiled, “No, those things are just part of the fun of being old and knowledgeable.” his smile dropped as his eyes locked with mine in something matching the Stare, “What I’m about to offer you is no laughing matter though. The last two ponies I tried to give this to went mad as their minds were not strong enough to handle the dark magic’s influence.”
‘... Damn.’ to be honest, I was about to just say no right there. When you’re told by a mysterious figure about an offer and dark magic after they've knocked you out, the average person would just stay away from it.
I was not average, ‘What's the catch for this offer?’ having magic would make me able to actually do something if Spike or the others were ever in danger.
“To answer that, I must ask a question.” he said with a smug smile, “Do you feel any different right now?”
My eyebrows furrowed in confusion. ‘I feel just fine.’ I thought immediately as I flexed some muscles and tried to feel anything different, ‘Bit cold, but normal.'
The unicorns smug smile became bigger and he got a twinkle in his eye, “Then there will be only one catch.” he turned his head and looked around into the room, “Ever since you came into this room the dark magic I harbor has been trying it’s best to manipulate you. To find a new host. Only two have ever tried to hold this burden of mine in Equestria’s history... Both failed from just the tiny amount I gave them, succumbed by greed and depression.”
‘Power corrupts, that's common sense.’ I thought as I looked around at the darkness with new found curiosity... My eyes snapped back to the unicorn again as an old phrase passed through my head.
He actually started to laugh, “Yes, curiosity can kill you if you’re not careful, but with how you have yet to even say you have a headache I don’t think you’ll have a problem.”
‘What was the one catch though? So help me if I hear the word soul-’
“No no, nothing like that.” he said before his smile dropped, “Dark magic can twist the mind of it’s user,” I was about to stop listening and say no, “But the fortitude you have shown reminds me of myself. I have no doubt that you will never feel the temptations like the other two.”
‘The catch though?’ I asked getting impatient.
“Immortality.” he said with a quiet voice.
‘...’
“...”
‘...’
“...”
‘... We talkin where I'll never die or I'll never grow old?’ my thought broke the silence.
“When your body reaches it’s peak you will stop growing. If you die you’ll be in the same state as me, though you won’t be able to die easily.” he sat down and seemed older for some reason now, “Many seek this power for their own personal gain and it is for that they will never find it. Personally, I never sought this power. All I wanted was to help Equestria and make spells.”
‘If you never wanted this power, then how did you get it?’
As he looked up our eyes locked and he seemed even older than he had ten seconds earlier, “Because the last holder was beginning to go insane in the same form I am in now. If I hadn’t taken it then somepony else, who wasn’t ready, would have.
“Out of all those I’ve seen in these ruins none have possessed the three requirements needed to control this power.” he smiled, “Never thought it would be a reincarnate that would possess all three.”
‘So you know what I am, that explains why you're thinking of giving this power to a cat. Thought for a moment there you were senile...’ I thought with a smug smile and a raised eyebrow, ‘Think you can tell me those requirements for when I pass it on?’
He smiled gently, “They are my three requirements. When you pass on the power you will have your requirements. If you find an apprentice you can give them a portion of your power to test the waters, but this is a very dangerous act. I’ve had three apprentices in my life, two I shared this power with, only one has been saved.”
Standing and popping his neck, he continued, “Dark magic manifests itself differently for each who takes it, otherwise I’d give you a crash course of what to expect. Feeling cold here though has some connection I’m sure.” starting at his tail he began to fade away.
‘Wait, you can't just dump this on me without some type of warning of what's going to happen! People get killed from crap like that!’ I mentally shouted as he continued to fade.
“You won’t get all of the power immediately. It will trickle in gradually like water filling a pool. When you rest you will get your power back. When you are full on power the intake will stop.” he said with a smile, “It’s only difference from unicorn and alicorn magic is mental fortitude it takes to wield it. I have no doubt that you will be fine.”
‘Yeah, what could go wrong?’ I asked mockingly.
His body had disappeared up to his neck, “Though, you might want to stay away from the Princesses. Ever since I passed they put a lot of laws up regarding the usage of dark magic.” he shook his floating head, “I wish you luck and watch out for the Nobility in Canterlot. Ever since Twilight ascended the entire city has turned into a powder keg waiting to blow.”
'Wait, I never got your name!' I thought as I saw a final smile grace his face.
As he disappeared completely and my vision began turn bright white, his voice echoed with a laugh, "Star Swirl, Star Swirl the Bearded!"