//------------------------------// // Chapter 27 - Lament // Story: True Magic // by CodeMonkey //------------------------------// Chapter 27 - Lament Slivers of clouded sunlight seeped into the room through cracks in the velvet curtains, spotlighting the dust floating in the room of upturned tables and burnt pictures. Celestia’s light moved along the room, passing over scenes of violence and despair until it made it to the torn covers of the bed where a ray struck the sleep deprived stallion at the head. Magus opened his eyes halfway, annoyed that the morning had come all too soon. His mane stuck to his forehead and pillow from the cold sweat that had become a common irritation on mornings like this. He lay in bed; awake, never really asleep, but unwilling to get up even as his stomach churned. As the images from his most recent night terror subsided from his mind, he looked to the new dawn’s light. ‘Another sleepless night,’ he thought, wiping the dry moisture from his face. Sitting up in bed, he rubbed his tender face before looking around room. A sharp pain struck his head, every inch of the room carrying a bad memory that he longed to forget. Looking down to the covers eased the torment if only slightly as he let out a sigh. ‘I suppose I should wake Tri—’ His mind went blank when he realized that one of his nightmares had come true. Trixie was gone by his command, probably far away by now. She was off finding her fortunes in some other town, oblivious to what she went through. Forgetting her now sealed power, the caravan, the horrors that she witnessed, and…he, himself. ‘No,’ he thought as foolish decisions came to mind. ‘It was for the best. She tried her best and was unable to make it. She should’ve been gone a long time ago anyway. It’s her own fault.’ Things were better without her. No longer would he have to endure her incessant nagging, her defiant nature, her rudeness, or her…smiling face. He gave himself a proper slap across the face, putting the silly notion out of his mind and got out of bed. Kicking aside the empty bottles, jars, and books on the floor, he made his way to the door, ignoring the various paintings next to it as well as the subtle voices and memories that crawled into his mind from them before entering the hall. Making his way to the foyer, he stopped at the top of the stairs and gazed down at the scorched floor and overturned chairs. The sight left a sour taste in his mouth, the memory now refreshed in his mind in agonizing detail. He quickly turned away, refusing to taint his eyes any longer as he shut them. When he opened them next, he stared at the adjacent corridor, realizing who used to be down there. As if in a trance, he walked over and looked down the empty, warmly lit hall, counting every door and marking what room was behind each. He didn’t know why he was doing this, but he continued on until he reached her room. Magus froze as he gazed down the bending path, lost in thought. With a huff, he strolled down the passage, taking note again of which door went where. Everything looked normal, the lamps were lit, the air was still, but something felt off. Magus stopped as the sudden sounds of hoofsteps running up behind him struck his ears. His head spun back, gazing down the hall to see nothing was there. In the back of his mind, he knew what it was. With his heart beating in his ears, he put it out of his mind. ‘It’s nothing,’ he thought, reassuring himself as he continued on. ‘She’s not here. She can’t be here.’ Even as he kept reminding himself that he was alone, he instinctually stopped when he reached her room and turned to face the wooden entrance. As he put a hoof on the dusty surface, he could hear something rouse behind it; almost feeling a presence pressing against the door. Something could be heard rustling around before a scratching noise rattled against the door in a frantic pattern, sounding desperate to get out. Magus stared down at the floor as he listened, feeling the presence. He began to hyperventilate as the tempo hastened, knowing what it was. ‘No…Please…Fates please no…’ His eyes shook in their dilated state as he began to sweat. ‘I…I can’t…She’s…not…’ he thought as his hoof reached and grasped the doorknob. Turning the knob slowly, Magus stood to the side of the entryway so as to peek in. The sounds beyond the door stopped as he began to pull, the hinges screaming as he did. He put his face near the widening crack, shaking uncontrollably as he stood there, steeling himself for what he might see. Tangles of old, silken threads stretched out across the opening, veiling the darkness within. The decaying scent of the room struck him like a piercing spear, but he didn’t see anything inside. Opening it a little further he still only saw pitch blackness before, like a waking nightmare, it suddenly appeared before him, materializing from the dark to stare back at him with those accursed, tormenting eyes. It rushed towards him, making no sound as it flew through the void. Magus’ breaths skipped as he jumped out of his skin, slamming the door shut, putting both hooves against it to ensure that it wouldn’t try to force its way out. His heart pounded as he panted and his lungs wheezed. Sweat poured down his face and onto the floor as he shook like frostbite had consumed his being. The door was silent, nothing moved and nothing tried to push its way out as Magus turned and collapsed against it. Holding his face in his hooves, he recuperated from a sudden dizzy spell as air violently passed his trembling, terrified lips. After a few moments, he was able to calm himself and steady his posture. When the moment had passed, he screamed as he bashed the back of his head against the door to try to relieve some of the stress that corrupted his mind. ‘I have to stop thinking about it—I need to stop thinking about it,’ he thought, resting his eyes for a moment as he emptied his mind. Opening them, he quickly realized whose door he was now staring at. ‘Trixie…?’ Magus slowly got up and approached the door, resting a hoof on the cold surface. With the prior incident thoroughly suppressed, his thoughts dwelled on his former apprentice. He couldn’t help but think how stupid he must’ve looked right now; standing before an empty room, but still believing somepony still occupied it. After last night, she was too smart to stay. She knew better. He should just leave now and put this affair behind him, yet, he couldn’t bring himself to remove his hoof. ‘Am I really going to check? Why? I’m alone again and it’s better for everypony if it stays that way.’ He took a deep breath. ‘When I open this, she won’t be there. I know she won’t be.’ Removing his hoof, he opened the door and took a hasty step inside. ‘Thank the Fates,’ he thought, scanning around and the empty room. The bed was a mess with the sheets pulled apart. The necklace that Hex gave to her was still lying on the nightstand where Magus had left it. Expressing a sigh as worrisome thoughts left his mind, he turned to leave. Before he could take a step, something caught his eye. Trixie’s purple hat and cape sat on the dresser that he had put there when they came back that night from the ordeal at Hex and Loa’s home. He left them there for her until she got better. Making his way over to them, he picked up the hat and inspected it. The stitching was fine, but he found it a cumbersome piece of attire. Magus never saw the point to wearing a hat over the concealing nature of a robe’s hood and wondered why she wanted this so badly. Ensuring that nopony was around, he put it on and looked into the vanity mirror. ‘I look like an imprudent ostentatious performer…It suited her well.’ Purple certainly wasn’t his color and he took it off and examined it once more. Finished looking at it, he folded it up and placed it into his robe. He didn’t know why in the world he did that, but was in no mood to think about it or remove it as he walked out of the room and closed the door behind him before heading back to the entrance hall. Needing something to quell his nerves, he proceeded down the steps of the foyer, trying to pay as little attention as possible to the lingering destruction around him as he entered the corridor to the dining room. The evidence of his mad rage was everywhere with twisting black scars spiraling across the walls and ceiling. The next room was no better as the table and chairs were thrown against the far wall, intact for the most part save for some torn upholstery and cracks in the wood. Magus didn’t need to worry about opening the door to his lab as it was completely gone, ripped from its hinges, leaving only a scarred entryway. Stepping over the charred remains of what was left of the door, he looked into the room. With the stinging smell of what could be described as ammonia filling his nostrils, he didn’t need to look around to know that many of his chemical compounds were destroyed. Practically all the shelves were either overturned or had succumbed to fire damage while many of his machines were torn to pieces, bits of smoke and steam still rising up from the wreckage on the floor. This wasn’t the first time he had seen this room in a state of devastation, just as it wasn’t the first time he had created the potion. It most certainly wouldn’t be the last. He tried not to look around too much as he carefully stepped over broken glass and wood chips to a large cabinet that was thankfully unharmed. Opening the doors with his magic, he removed a tea pot, a cup, and a small jar of tea leaves and in mere moments he made a cup, adding a few drops from his personal vial before going back into the dining room. With a flick of his horn the table and the chairs were put back into place, for the most part, as he sat down in his usual spot. Feeling a headache coming on, he took a couple sips until the pain vanished. ‘Why do I do these things?’ he thought, resting his head in a hoof as he looked around at the portraits that, for the most part, were undamaged. ‘Sometimes, I wonder if I’m doing the right thing. Maybe, I’m just destined to suffer this for the rest of my days.’ ‘Something wrong, Master?’ Trixie’s voice chimed in. “No, Trixie, it’s nothing. I was just thinking—!” He shot up from his daze and gazed at the far side of the table only to see a seat with nopony in it. He sighed as he kneaded his temples and took another sip of his medicated drink. “I did it again,” he mumbled. ‘But, why is it you this time?’ he thought. “Are you to haunt me as well?” he said, clutching his head as he leaned on the table. ‘…You could always go after her,’ came a feminine voice that burned his ear and lifted the hair on the back of his neck. “I won’t,” Magus replied to it. ‘Come on, Magus. You came back for me, remember?’ Disturbing images flashed before his eyes that seemed to last an eternity. He held his breath to keep from shouting as his limbs restlessly shook. With a painful grunt and another large mouthful from the cup, he managed to suppress them. “Leave me alone.” ‘You can’t keep everything bottled up forever, you know,’ it laughed. ‘Or only weep when nopony’s looking. I’m lonely. I could use some company.’ “You’re not real. I know you’re not,” he said, covering his ears to try to down out its sound. ‘Of course I’m real,’ it said with a chuckle. ‘All you need to do is come find me.’ Suddenly, he felt it embrace him, wrapping its forelegs around him as the smell of jasmine danced in the air. A soft, silky mane brushed against his hoof and a warm breath lapped at his check. Blood sped through his veins as his heart pounded like a drum beat. The room spun as the nostalgic experience overwhelmed him, while unsettling memories appeared before his eyes again. ‘Come back to the Crossroads, Magus,’ it cooed into his ear. ‘And I’ll show you how real I am.’ He screamed as he jumped and threw his forelegs about, trying to get it off of him. When he felt he was free he clung to the chair and breathed heavily as he frantically glanced around to see that nopony was there. With a deep flame igniting within, he threw the empty cup at the only incinerated portrait on the wall, letting out an aggressive growl. “Be gone accursed specter!” he roared. “You will not tempt me back to that forsaken place.” He took a couple breaths as he continued to look around, making sure he was alone. Nothing more happened, but, nonetheless, he wasn’t going to risk its return and jumped off the chair before quickly heading back to the foyer. Propping the exotic chairs and tables back up and reasserting their place in front of the fireplace, Magus sat down in his typical spot, wanting nothing more than to reassure himself with something as familiar as loneliness. Running a hoof across his face, he stared up at the chandelier to see it still hanging in place. With a wave of his hoof he lit the doused fire as it roared and sparked to life in the hearth. Gazing into the lapping flames, he breathed slowly, trying to collect himself as best he could. When he had calmed himself enough, he laid back before looking over at the empty chair next to him. He recalled having conversations with Trixie as she sat in that chair. For all the painful memories she brought up by just being herself, it was agonizing to know what he had done for his own selfish desires. He wished he knew a time spell so that he could reverse his misdeed or somehow tell Trixie that he had lied. His chest clenched up, feeling as if it were in a vice as he thought about the returned solitude due to his actions. Trixie had been cheated out of her one chance, robbed of something that she had tried so hard to achieve and for what, to be alone with nothing but his thoughts and his own insanity to comfort him? “What have I done?” he said aloud, realizing the mistake he made last night as his blank eyes grew misty. He crumpled into the chair as he said, “Why did I lie to you, Trixie? I was trying to save both of us but I ended up only burdening us. I wish I could tell you that I’m s—” He couldn’t continue as he squeezed his eyes shut and shook his head. ‘I truly am a monster.’ With nothing left to do and no way to correct his mistake, he got up and walked to the library with his head hung low, hoping a book would ease his eternal punishment as it had in the past. The slow walk was a short one as he opened the doors into the room where the shelves stood tall in their rows, unmarked by his frantic rage. Aimlessly strolling through the central aisle, he glanced at every book and found nothing of interest. All the tomes in this section were about enchantments and he didn’t feel any theories or studies on the topic would be helpful to him at this point. A row of location spells caught his eye for a moment as he browsed a few of the books on the topic, but moved on when he found no point in trying. Trixie had forgotten all about him and the Circle, he would just be a nuisance if he found her. As he neared the center of the room, no book looked capable of easing his sorrows. ‘Perhaps I should try, Fates forgive me, the fiction section. It would at least take me somewhere that’s not here—!’ “Vexius!” a voice shouted as a bolt of lightning soared passed him, knocking him onto his back at the sudden display of magic. He quickly sat up in time to see the bolt reduce a crystalline target at the other end of the room to dust. His eyes were about to pop out of his head as he turned to see where it had come from. ‘Impossible,’ he thought when he laid eyes on the blue coat of the mare who stood at one end of the floor design. “Vexius!” she shouted again as another bolt was launched from her horn before striking down another materialized target. “Tri-Trixie?” he said quietly, believing it was another illusion. “Vexius!” she said once more with the same result as the last occurring before his eyes. “Trixie?” he said louder, getting the mare’s immediate attention. “Magus? Magus!” Trixie said, rushing towards him as he picked himself off the ground. She slid to a stop as she panted heavily, looking as if she was about to collapse with her mane out of sorts and bags under her eyes. “Okay…I know what you’re going to say,” she quickly said before he could utter a single word, “…but you have to believe me. I successfully cast the spell before the sun came up, I swear. I know I can’t prove it, but it’s true. I can show you it again. Watch.” As she turned, he grabbed her hoof, stopping her as she faced him with a grimace. “That won’t be necessary,” he said as he blankly stared at her. “Oh, please, please, don’t send me away. I’ll even repair the book I accidentally burned.” She grunted as she swatted her face. “I probably shouldn’t have told you that…But I’ll fix it.” Magus looked over at the tower of books that stood around where she was with many left opened; a single, scorched book poking out from behind one of the piles. Glancing over at the targets, he saw nothing but sparkling dust on the floor. “You…cast the spell?” “Yes,” she said with a nod. “And before dawn too.” “How?” “Oh, well, I, uh, flipped through a few more of your books for some tips and I did a few of those forms we used to do and then I just did it. It took a while, but I finally got it. So…A-a-am I a mage?” “No,” he said as he continued to gawk at her. “N-no!? Bu-but I cast the spell like you said,” she stammered, shaking her head and looking to the floor for some way to convince him better. “I destroyed the targets completely, you saw me. It really was before dawn. Cast a truth spell on me or-or something you’ll know I’m not—!” * * * In her hysterical state, Trixie felt something land on her head, causing her to stop as it fit snugly onto her. Glancing up, she saw the rim of her purple hat before looking back at him, lost for words. Her mind tried to piece together why he had done this and why he had her hat in the first place. “You’re not a great and powerful mage, without a great and powerful hat,” Magus said as his face returned to its normal. Despite his stone-like expression, she could swear he was on the brink of smiling. “Magus? You mean…?” “Congratulations, Miss. Trixie. You have proven yourself to be one of us in the Order and are welcomed to count yourself among our ranks.” “I—I-I Passed? You’re not just saying that, are you?" “Would you have preferred I said different?” “NO! No, no, I mean. I…I…” Trixie said with a smile stretching across her face as she struggled to find a way to express the intense emotions filling her. “I believe the words you’re searching for are: woo hoo.” “Uh…Well…I…” Trixie hesitated before springing onto her hindlegs, extending both forelegs into the air and shouting, “WOO—” Before she could finish her celebration, she let out a groggy moan as she drunkenly swerved, her legs turning to jelly. She collapsed onto the floor, the strain of the spellcasting finally catching up to her as her head swam through a dark sea of bubbles and hard cider. “…I think I got up too fast…Ugh…” she groaned, lying on the ground with a hoof against her forehead. “That will pass. For the moment, though, I must address something on my part.” Magus reached down and helped her up. She wobbled for a moment, but quickly regained her footing. “What is it?” she replied. Taking her hooves, Magus sighed before looking into her eyes. “Trixie…I lied.” “Lied? About what?” she said as he face grew hard. “About how much time you had left. I—I told you that you slept for almost three days and that you had until sunrise to succeed. I lied. The same evening you and I spoke before all this…undesirable business occurred, was one a single night ago. You still had a full two days left.” “You mean, I worked my tail off last night when I didn’t have to?” “To be honest, I’m surprised you finished when you did. You have a real talent for this.” His eyes smiled as she stared at him. “But, Trixie, I must say that I’m deeply, wholeheartedly s—” Trixie stopped him as she put a hoof over his mouth. “You’re forgiven,” she said, smiling, “But I expect you not to lie about that kind of thing again!” She broke away from his hooves and scowled at him. “I almost had a heart attack and I think I have blisters on my horn. Promise!” “I,” he began, raising a hoof, “Magus, High Archmage of the Circle, solemnly swear.” “You forgot the ‘Emperor of the Crimson Flame’ part.” He glared at her, not sensing the joke. “But, I’ll take your word for now. So, what now?” “We head for Fillydelphia. Oh, and you must to refer to me as Master once again. Is that understood?” “Understood, Master,” she said, giving him a playful smile. He didn’t return the gesture, but the twinkle in his eye betrayed him. “Excellent, now, clean up this mess.” “Yes, Master,” she responded with a soft giggle as he turned around and started back to the door. “Oh, and Trixie,” he said, stopping briefly with his back still to her. “Yes?” “…Thank you.” “Please, I would’ve learned this spell eventually, you know,” she said with a scoff. “No, not that.” He turned his head slightly back. “Thank you, for staying with me.” She blushed slightly as she shyly smiled. Shaking off her glee, she strolled towards the stack of books. “You’d be lost without me anyways,” she said in a confident tone. “Yes, I would,” he quietly replied. “What was that?” She stopped to glance back at him. Clearing his throat he continued on. “Nothing. Join me in the foyer when you’re done.” * * * Magus proceeded forward, leaving Trixie to her task, feeling an unexpected release of tension leaving his body. For once, something had turned out for the better in his life. ‘…Are you happy now?’ an all too familiar voice chimed in his ear as an extra set of hooves sounded next to him, moving in unison with his. “Leave me be,” Magus mumbled to it. ‘You sound happier. So, what is she to you now?’ “That is none of your concern. She’s safe now and that’s all that matters.” ‘Is she? You and I both know what you are, and what she has now become because of your incompetence. Why lie?’ “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” ‘Now Magus,’ it chuckled. ‘You know that nopony can have you but me. I’m sure he’ll take good care of her when the time comes.’ “He? Who’s…” Magus paused before realizing who it was referring to as he came to a complete stop, it followed suit. “No. That’s not an option!” ‘Are you sure? Not many would suffice, but her.’ He stared down at his hooves, lost in thought. “I know you’re not here,” he said. “You’re just a figment of insanity.” ‘Answer me this, Archmage Magus. Do you really think you’ll be happy the way you are now? You always said that if there was a way, you’d do it without hesitation. You have considered asking him before, remember? Ask, you know you want to.’ “Why are you doing this?” Magus shuddered, lowering his head. ‘Because, you belong to me,’ it said, moving close to his ear. ‘Forevermore…’ The sound of hooves echoed around him again, but now getting quieter until they disappeared. Magus waited, standing in silence in the aisle until he was sure that the manifestation had left. He didn’t want to listen to it, but its words struck a cord. It wouldn’t be long now, the night he had been dreading was approaching. A decision had to be made and there was only one option, an option that he’d rather not consider. Was it all for the greater good? “…Trixie…I’m sorry…”