Chapter 28 – Final Night
Trixie opened the dark gazing window and looked out at the bustling city of Fillydelphia as the caravan clacked through its paved streets. Celestia’s golden orb had already begun its descent in the orange sky with much of its light hiding behind the tall skyscrapers and antiquated buildings around them. A chill nipped at her hooves as they relaxed on the sill while her cape kept the rest of her body protected from the cold gust that seeped through the window, lightly blowing her hat that was fastened securely around her head. There were no signs of any mages wandering the streets that she could tell, making her wonder what was so special about this city that would make the two of them come out here.
“Trixie,” Magus called, prompting her to look back into the foyer. “A word.”
Closing the shutters, she walked over to him while he groomed himself, paying her no mind as he stood before the foyer’s blazing hearth. With a pair of aura shrouded scissors and comb floating around him, Magus tidied himself up as a circle of magic formed a reflective surface in front of him.
“You look awfully tidy,” Trixie said. “What’s the occasion?”
“Do I really need a reason to look presentable?” he unenthusiastically said, focusing on the mirror, sounding as if he was annoyed.
“Well, no, but—”
“Then stop asking,” he snapped, making Trixie recoil. The scissors and comb disappeared as he passed through the reflection, causing it to dissipate into a wisp of smoke.
“Are you okay?” she said with a wrinkled brow and pinned ears. “You’ve been…distant ever since we left Baltimare.”
“How I feel isn’t important,” he answered, still not explaining himself as he pulled on his hood. “You need to be concerned for yourself tonight.”
With a stomp of his hoof the two armchairs and the rug flew to the corner of the room, leaving the center of the entrance hall clear of any obstructions. Pulling out a stick of chalk from his robe, he levitated it into the air before beginning to draw a curved line on the floor.
“And why’s that?” she asked, briefly following the chalk around the room with her eyes.
“You’ll find out,” he answered as he took out an odd trinket and presented it to her. It appeared as a simple necklace with a woven wicker circle and a long piece of twine for a chain. “Put this on.”
“What is it?” she asked, leaning in to get a better look and seeing nothing else of note.
“Just do it,” he barked as she took the object in her magic with a glare, not liking his tone one bit. He walked to the center of the half-completed circle that the chalk had been creating as she eyed the strange gift.
Not wanting to start an argument, she slipped it over her head before joining him as the drawing finished. With another stamp from his hoof, five tall candle stands sprung out of the floor around the outside of the circle, all lit with a purple flame. All other lights in the room went out, leaving a dim, ominous purple glow around them.
Trixie and Magus stood side-by-side, neither one saying a word. Her eyes darted about, anxiously waiting for something to happen.
“What now?” she asked with no response. “…Master?” she added when he didn’t answer. She looked over to see him with glassy eyes, gazing off at nothing. Although subtle, his forelegs trembled uncontrollably like they had done before.
“Trixie,” he finally said, “do you acknowledge me as your teacher?”
“Well, yeah. I wouldn’t be here otherwise.”
“And you know that a teacher only wants what’s best for their students?”
“I hope so. Why? What makes you say that?”
“An Archmage has a strict code to follow. They must do what needs to be done, no matter if they want to or not. This code pertains to you as well, Trixie.”
“What are you saying?”
Without warning, the room started to violently shake before Magus could reply. Trixie jumped as she glanced around, the tremor vibrating through her. Despite the unexpected quake, nothing in the room, even the candle stands, seemed to be affected, remaining steady as stone.
“M-m-m-a-a-a-s-s-s-t-t-t-er,” Trixie said, unable to control her shaking voice as she looked back at Magus.
“We’ve arrived,” he said, surprisingly without a stutter, before everything went dark.
The whole caravan disappeared into the rapidly encroaching blackness, consuming every light as Trixie looked around for anything she recognized. Magus’ magical presence was still evident even if she couldn’t see him next to her, but everything else, even the floor, felt as if it was gone. Before she knew it, the darkness receded, unveiling a new area around them.
The warm, wooden floor had changed to a cold stretch of cobblestone with tools and a row of taxi cabs lined up next to them. Everything smelled of oil with cans of it sitting atop the tool boxes; all the wheels appeared to have been recently lubricated. Noise from the city roared behind the rickety doors that kept the garage locked up. The lanterns that hung in the rafters above flickered wearily as if awoken by their sudden appearance.
As Trixie looked about, she could see no sign of the caravan. While she questioned if they had teleported, she glanced over to Magus and noticed a small elongated box in his hooves, oddly looking like a miniature model of the wagon, before it disappeared into his robe.
She opened her mouth to express her query, but Magus walked off towards the side door before she had a chance, paying no mind to her or anything else.
“Master?” she said, chasing after him. “Wait a second.” He didn’t heed her request and proceeded through the door, out into the noisy city.
“Master!” she shouted as she hurried after him. Bursting through the door, Trixie found herself staring down a large street where a cluster of ponies walked along the concrete sidewalks. Taxi cabs sped by, clacking noisily, making it nearly impossible to cross the street.
It wasn’t hard to find Magus as he and his bright red coat marched up the road, passing the line of streetlights that had started to glow with the parting sun. The moon rose moments later, shining, although the bright city lights had left the normally starry sky blank.
Trixie rushed towards him, darting past the rows of business and small commercial buildings flanking the city street, some of which appeared to be closing up for the night, judging by the fading lights in their windows. Squeezing past a small group of ponies, she rejoined his side. When he didn’t react to her presence, she looked around his hood and, regrettably, saw a blank, distant stare. She had learned from experience that those eyes meant nothing good was coming.
“What’s wrong with you?” she was compelled to ask, yet already knowing the answer. “Could you at least tell me where we’re going?” He didn’t answer. “Hello? Didn’t you hear me?”
“I can hear you,” he replied, not taking his eyes off the road. “Stay focused.”
“Stay focused on what? …Answer me?!”
Magus pushed ahead, ignoring her again as he picked up the pace. He had been very reclusive since their talk in the library that morning a few days ago. At first she thought he was just sick or feeling some side effect from the potion, but seeing him now made her think that maybe there was more to it.
‘Could this really still be the potion’s work?’ she thought, eyeing him as she stayed with him. ‘He couldn’t have just spontaneously changed on his own, could he?’
Before long, they came across one of the many antique buildings in Fillydelphia, a large, white building that, while not appearing as old as some of the other sites, had clearly been there for quite some time. Along the top of the boxy building was the name Chestnut Theatre, which was obviously empty due to the sign on the dark, glass doors that plainly read: Closed.
Just as Trixie was about to disregard the cinema, Magus turned down a street beside the theater.
The narrow street was filthy, as was to be expected in a large city such as this. As they moved further down the path, past a few cans of garbage, a tall gate with thick bars and a heavy chain wrapped tightly around the opening marked the end of the alley. As they neared the spiked barricade, the noise of the city behind them was progressively drowned out by the sounds of laughter and voices somewhere beyond the fence. Only a hazy darkness lay on the other side of the metal bars, but the sounds signaled that somepony was certainly nearby.
A heavy padlock adorned the chains, making it seemingly impossible to continue without a key or, the more obvious solution, a little magic. Magus stopped before the gate and lightly touched the lock. As if it were a mirage, the chains and lock disappeared as Magus pushed the gate open with a sharp wail sounding their arrival to anypony within earshot.
When they were both on the other side, the door whined shut behind them, the restraints reappearing around the entrance, as if they hadn’t moved. While glancing back to see the enchanted gate close, Trixie noticed that the road and even the city street were just barely visible, appearing as if they were on the other side of a wall of fog.
Her gaze turned forward to the now clear path; the darkness receded as a new light bloomed from around the corner. The voices grew louder the farther they went and a light started to flicker against the bend.
Progressively, the alley opened up into a large clearing where stone walls boxed them in.
A fire pit in the center of the dirt floored area provided ample light, illuminating the group of rugged ponies that lay around it with frothing tankards in their hooves as they filled the air with sounds of laughter and distant conversations. The smell of cider wafted towards them from across the field where racks of barrels spanned the far wall, spigots dripping amber liquid onto the ground.
Trixie didn’t think much of the crowd until she noticed that she couldn’t sense any energy from them, leaving her to guess who they were and what they were actually doing. Magus took little notice of them as he headed for a door that was attached to the back of the theater.
Two weathered ponies sat on either side of the door, half-asleep by the look of it until they neared. They snapped awake as they raised their heads to catch a look of them as they approached. After batting an eye at each of them for a moment they got comfortable and started to nod off again. They too carried no magical signature.
In spite of the seemingly worn shut lock, it opened with ease, not making a sound as it swung by itself at their oncoming presence. Nothing was beyond the threshold but a shroud of darkness and a gust of wind that whipped past them as if fleeing from the building. None of the ponies around the fire even glanced in their direction as they entered, stepping onto a creaking wooden floor before the door closed behind them, silencing all but the sounds of their own breathing.
They followed an aging red carpet through a hallway with embossed walls and lamps to light the way that occasionally flickered and buzzed as they passed. The dim light shining against the dusty laminated wood and maroon-colored walls did little to improve the dark mood of the place. At the end of the hall, Trixie could just make out a large double door with what appeared to be glass panels that shone against the light of the hall.
When they were about halfway down the hall, Trixie could’ve sworn she heard an extra set of hoofsteps walking almost in unison with theirs, sounding as if they were being followed. A chill ran up her back as a cold breath of air brushed up against her neck.
Quickly, she stopped and looked back to see emptiness of the hall they just traveled. The chill and the hoofsteps were gone with only Magus’ hooves remaining in her ears. She looked around for a moment longer before disregarding the event and turning forward to—!
“Hi!” a figure said, standing only an inch away from her face.
Trixie shrieked, her heart jumping out of her chest as she fell onto her back in shock at the sudden figure that stood before her. She hit the floor, but didn’t stay there long, instantly propping herself up, staring up at the ghostly white pony smiling down at her.
“Name please,” the erratic-looking pony said with a grin.
“Wha—?” Trixie said as she stared at him, recognizing him almost immediately after. “Knickknack?”
“Hey! That’s my name too,” Knickknack said, cheerfully, pointing at himself. “What are the odds?”
Trixie blinked a few times with distant eyes, trying to make sense of the ghost-pony’s sudden presence and his response to her unintentional question. His face was one that she never thought she’d see again.
“Let’s check the guest list, shall we?” Knickknack said before literally coughing up a paper-filled clipboard into his hoof. He quickly flipped through the pages, as if it were a flipbook, barely looking at a single one. Trixie quickly noticed that nothing was actually printed on the pages as he turned to the last page. “Awww,” he expressed with a long face, lowering the clipboard. “Knickknack wasn’t invited. Boo-hoo…But!” he smiled widely again. “Knickknack is supposed to be the doorpony for tonight.”
Laughing maniacally, he started to float, levitating upward. Returning to her hooves, Trixie watched the crazed specter phase through the arched ceiling, disappearing while his chuckling remained, echoing through the hall. Strangely enough, she wasn’t surprised at all, now feeling a little more accustomed to the Circle’s…inhabitants.
The laughing stopped as Magus reached the door where Knickknack floated up to meet him.
“Name please,” he asked again, seemingly unaware of what just happened.
“Grand Archmage Magus of Highrock and Initiate Trixie,” Magus said sternly as Trixie rejoined him, keeping an eye on the ghost.
Knickknack did the same as before, flipping through the blank sheets at an exaggerated pace. This time, however, he stopped on one and placed a hoof on the page.
“Ah, yes, here we are. Magus and Trixie.” Looking to Trixie, the ghost happily said, “Hi Magus. Pleasure to make your acquaintance. Funny, you don’t look like a Magus.” Trixie ignored his insane babbling with a grimace before he turned back to Magus and said, “The party has already started, but the main event has yet to begin!”
Performing an unnecessary back flip, Knickknack disappeared through the door. After a few moments, lights began to flicker through the glass panels as a powerful magical sensation started to build up just beyond.
The sounds of some strange machinery roared and wailed, shaking the ground before abruptly stopping as suddenly as they’d begun. The flashing lights steadied and the doors slid open, accompanied by the chime of a bell. There Knickknack stood, wearing a pillbox hat and a double-buttoned coat, in the small, empty room next to a large lever on the side of the wall.
“All aboard!” he gleefully said waving them in to which they obliged. As they turned around to face the hall, the decorative door slid closed. “Going somewhere!” Knickknack said, the lever making a loud clunking sound as he pulled it down.
The high-class elevator, if that’s what it really was, started to shake and rumble. It didn’t feel as if they were going in any particular direction, in fact, besides the trembling, it felt like they weren’t moving at all. The power she felt before was more apparent, but now she couldn’t tell where it was coming from. But as the elevator stopped vibrating, the energy was clearly coming from behind the door they had just walked through as a muffled, rhythmic sound caused her ears to flick and twitch.
“Floor something or other: magic, magicians, cake, and a whole lot of hoopla,” Knickknack said as the doors rattled opened to reveal an entirely different room and setting.
The long hallway had disappeared and the dead silence was now replaced by a festive gathering filling the air and her ears with the delicate melody of a harp and violin accompanied by the thunderous yet soft beat of drums and horns that just barely overshadowed the numerous conversations being held.
Leaving the elevator, they followed the purple and gold lined carpet to the top of a large staircase and looked down at the crowded floor where equines talked and strolled about, clothed in robes, capes, hats, and dresses of every exotic color and design she could imagine. Tall columns stood around the room that supported a second floor, overlooking the first, where more party guests socialized. Looking to the ceiling, Trixie saw orbs of yellow light floating high above, illuminating the entire room, leaving no dark corner untouched. Beyond the balls of light, she stood in awe at the massive skylight that provided a clear view to the beautiful starry night sky where twinkling stars mingled into constellations.
“Where are we?” Trixie asked, staring out into the crowd.
“The Theater of Illusions,” Magus answered. “And out there are some of the greatest magicians of our time.” He proceeded down the steps as he said, “I suggest you go speak with them.”
“And where are you going?” Trixie said, chasing after him. “Aren’t you coming with me?”
“Must I hold your hoof through everything?” he snapped, stomping and shooting her glare.
“Sorry!” she snapped back. “I didn't mean to be rude. I just figured that you'd be the one doing the introductions.”
His glare remained on her for another moment before he scoffed and started back down the stairs.
“I have other matters to attend to. I'm sure you can handle this task on your own.”
Trixie watched as he disappeared into the crowd, even his bright red robe was difficult to see as it was drowned out in the sea of colorful fabrics. She was positive now, something was bothering him. What it was, she couldn't be sure. She'd hoped all the secrecy and tension between them had ended, but apparently there was still more going on than she thought.
Walking to the bottom of the stairs, she looked out at the crowd, not recognizing a single face. Some of the mages that passed by wore an amulet similar to the one Magus had while others displayed the same wicker trinket that she had around their necks. She could sense an overwhelming amount of energy in the room of varying levels, some feeling familiar to her own.
With the size of this crowd, she felt the urge to perform, getting to an elevated area and putting on a show like she used to. But at the same time, she didn't much care for being showed up by one of the hundreds of sorcerers in the room that were probably as skilled as Magus. Trixie let out a sigh, loathing the thought of there not only being one, but a whole room of ponies better than her with magic.
“‘Scuse me miss. Gonna need to see some I.D.”
Trixie was roused from her thought as the low, grungy voice caught ear. Next to her, stood three Ordo Fatorum, each with their faces shrouded by their burgundy hoods. She didn't even notice them approaching, an advantage, she guessed, of being able to hide their magic. A glint of gold shone from their amulets that were even more noticeable with their black, twisted armor behind it.
“I.D.?” Trixie replied. “I don’t know what you're talking about. I've never needed an I.D. before.”
“Well, that be a serious problem then,” the large pony in the middle replied, scratching his poorly shaved chin. “Guess were gonna have ta take ya into custody.”
“Wh-what!?” she said, taking a step back. “No, I belong here.”
“Really? And where’s yer Master then?”
“He’s around…Somewhere.” Trixie glanced around, trying not to look too fast as she searched for him in the dense crowd.
“Right,” he said in an unconvinced tone. “How ‘bout ya put yer ‘ooves on yer ‘ead and—”
“Oh, for goodness sakes, Captain!” the armored mare next to him said, stepping towards him. “Don’t you think this pathetic attempt at a joke has gone on for long enough? We’re not here to have fun.”
“Meh, yer probably right, Lieutenant,” he said, looking to the mare with the rosy pink snout poking out from under the hood. “Wouldn’t want ta give Poppet too big of a scare tonight after all.”
‘Poppet?’ Trixie thought, recognizing the nickname. In fact, the grungy accent in the voice was familiar as well.
“…Ripper?” Trixie asked, eyeing the stallion while trying to steal a peek under the hood as she lowered her head slightly.
The Captain and the Lieutenant looked to her as the robed stallion smiled, showing off a gold tooth. Removing his hood, revealed that this was indeed the same pony she had met in Trottingham. He ran a hoof over his greasy, combed mane, putting down any hairs that stood up. It seemed to be the only thing he did to look tidy. At least his breath was more bearable this time.
“‘Ello Poppet. Good ta see ya again,” Ripper said as Trixie quietly exhaled.
“Don’t do that!” Trixie shouted. “What’s wrong with you?”
“Sorry ‘bout that,” he replied with a chuckle. “I couldn’t ‘elp meself. But the important thin’ is that yer finally ‘ere.” Ripper looked to the Lieutenant. “Told ya she’d make it.”
“I never said she wouldn't,” the Lieutenant replied with a scoff.
“What are you doing here?” Trixie asked. “Shouldn’t you be in Trottingham?”
Ripper looked back at her with a tilted head and a slack expression. “What do ya mean? Didn't ya see the sky? We’re ‘ere fer the festivities, of course,” Ripper replied.
“The sky?” Trixie looked up to the transparent ceiling and stared at the star-filled sky, seeing nothing of interest. “What about it?”
“Do ya see it?” Ripper asked as he approached. “The star on yer right; the bright purple one.”
Trixie scanned the sky further and eventually she saw what he was talking about. Amongst Luna’s lights and unending blackness was a tiny amethyst stuck in the black, alone like stranded ship lost at sea. She had never seen such a sight in the sky before, shining brighter than the stars that surrounded it.
“A violet star? Did Princess Luna do that?” Trixie said.
Ripper just started to laugh, smacking a hoof on the ground.
“Nah, of course not. That up there, is ours. It's why we’re ‘ere tonight.”
“What do you mean by that?”
“Well, that star only shows up once in a while and when it does show, we magical types all get together and throw a party. And as this is the only time the ceremony can be done, we welcome all new mages who ‘ave passed the initial test.”
“Ceremony? What ceremony? I never heard of any kind of ceremony.”
“It’s the initiation ritual. Ya can’t be a Circle mage without it and tonight’s the only time to do it. I doubt ya would want to wait for the next one.”
The Lieutenant cleared her throat and tapped at his flank as he glanced back at her.
“Oh, which reminds me,” he said. “I—I mean, we, are representin’ the Ordo Fatorum for the ritual and we’d gladly welcome yer unique skills into our ranks. Concealin’ yer power and detectin’ magic with such mastery is very unique fer a first timer.”
“Well, thank you I do have a talent for—Wait! How did you know I could do that?” Trixie said. “I never told you that.”
“Magus informed all archmages ‘bout it. We’re standin’ in fer Archmage Iron Hail tonight.”
“Why?”
“Oh, well, ya see, Knight Commander Iron Hail is currently away dealin’ with—”
“No, no, I mean, why did he tell all the archmages about my ability?”
“You don’t know?” the Lieutenant injected, moving next to Ripper as she removed her hood, exposing her face fully. “Do you even know what the initiation ceremony means?”
“Should I?”
“Wha—Of course you should!” A hair broke free of the large cherry bun her mane was wound in, the small red strand dangled in front of her face for a moment before she wrapped it back over her ear. “Tonight, you’re not only being inducted into the Order, but you’re also choosing your teacher, the sorcerer who’ll train you in their unique way of magic. Why do you think you’re wearing that?” she said, pointing at the flexible bits of wood at her chest. “And why we’re wearing these?” The Lieutenant held up her amulet. “You’re a future apprentice and we’re your potential masters of magic. Whoever you choose, will help decide what you’ll become in the Order.”
“What!?” she said with the pitch in her voice briefly rising. “Magus never told me that.”
“Apparently,” the Lieutenant replied under her breath. “I’m surprised you even know what—”
“Which is why we’re ‘ere,” Ripper quickly intervened, stopping the Lieutenant before she could say anything hazardous. “Why all the archmages are ‘ere tonight. To offer you an apprenticeship and I can guarantee that you’d go far in the Ordo Fatorum. Just ask the rookie, ‘e’s been with us for a couple months now.” Ripper stepped aside and gestured to the third, shorter guard behind him who was busy drawing imaginary circles into the carpet.
“Attention!” Ripper called as the rookie immediately stopped doodling and spun to face them, standing upright and freezing into position. “See,” Ripper said, looking back at Trixie. “Got ‘im to do that on ‘is first day. So, what kind of weapon do you prefer? A sword? A spear? Maybe a bow? Or...”
His words faded into the background as Trixie’s mind was scrambling to comprehend why Magus didn’t tell her about this. She searched the floor, looking for answers that weren’t there. Why would he keep this from her? Why wouldn’t he tell her what this ceremony was for?
“…but, you’d ‘ave to be quick or else—”
“I have to find Magus,” Trixie interrupted before turning towards the crowd.
“W-why?” Ripper called, causing her to stop and listen to what he had to say. “I doubt ‘e’d be able to ‘elp with much. ‘E’s not even on the roster for available masters.”
“He’s…he’s not? Why?” she said looking back at him, feeling her heart sink.
Ripper shrugged. “Dunno. ‘E took ‘imself off of it sometime ago. In fact, I think this is the first time I’ve seen ‘im ‘ere.”
“You mean, I can’t be his apprentice?...Even if I wanted to?” Trixie asked, feeling a knot form in her gut.
“Well, no, but ya could talk to ‘im, I suppose. Ya might change ‘is mind,” Ripper replied.
Trixie said nothing as she turned and trotted off into the crowd.
“If it doesn’t work out,” he called, “we’ll be ‘ere!”
Trixie pushed into the crowd, squeezing through whatever openings she could find. Many of the mages were grouped up, speaking loudly about spells and socializing as more wandered around, levitating glasses of purple liquid and small plates of bite sized treats.
“Excuse me…Excuse me…Oh! Excuse you!” Trixie said as she moved through the crowd, ducking under glasses and plates, and almost being knocked over by a pony whose hat was too big for his head.
Many of the ponies stopped her, the gleam from their talismans telling her what they wanted. They attempted to start a conversation with her, yet they didn’t get much further than introducing themselves before she waved them off and quickly slipped by, much to the confusion of the mages. Ordinarily, she’d be all too happy to stick around and soak in the attention, but her mission compelled her to reluctantly pass them up.
Soon she came upon a group of long, marble tables with climbing plates of food from rolled cheeses to bits of odd looking fruit next to fountains of what smelled like alcohol. There weren’t as many guests around the tables, merely passersby that got their snacks and drinks before moving on. It seemed the best place to start searching for Magus now that she had some breathing room.
Relaxing and focusing on her intended target, everything grew quiet as she closed her eyes. It was a peaceful feeling, but soon erupted into a torrent of echoing sounds and pulsations of energy from all directions. It all hit her at once, as a screeching noise wailed in her ears and the power swirled around her like a tornado, feeling as if it could fling her off her hooves. A sharp, stabbing pain struck her temple, forcing her out of the trance-like state. She felt lightheaded as she lost her balance for a moment. Trixie winced as she held a hoof to her head, the pain slowly receding.
‘What was that?’ she thought. Looking around, she noticed all the mages strolling about and it dawned on her that with all the mages and assorted magic in the room, why wouldn’t it be hard? ‘Well, that would explain it. Should’ve known.’ Shaking her head to rid what soreness was left, she tried to think of another way to find Magus.
After a moment, she had it. Remembering back to a few days ago, she recalled Magus showing her the smoke-like chain that he said, “bonded them.” With it, he was able to find her despite all that Silver did to hide her location. She wasn't sure if she could tap into the chain's connection, but she had to try, she had to find him. Reassuming her stance, Trixie closed her eyes and focused her power, attempting to move what energy she could to her heart where the chain had originated.
There was nothing at first, but she soon found it. It was faint, but she could feel it was there. The more power she managed to direct to the spot, the clearer it became. She could sense it latched onto her, snaking into the room as another source of energy emanated from the bond. It was difficult to tell, but it felt like Magus and it seemed to point in a specific direction.
Opening her eyes, Trixie could still sense Magus' energy circulating through her, almost pulling her across the hall. It begged her to follow which she was more than inclined to accept. She removed the amulet and stuffed it into her hat to ensure that she wouldn’t be bothered.
Weaving her way through the crowd, she followed the trail of energy left by the chain, hopeful that she would find him at the end of it. She was led out of the busy gathering and towards a room off to the side of the hall where few guests wandered through.
Passing through an archway, she found herself in a lavish room with a plethora of exotic decorations from the rich, silk fabrics that practically glowed like sunlight on the walls to the comfortable sofas that many ponies relaxed on as they chatted away, unaware of her observations. Although she hadn’t seen a band, the music from the previous room still resonated around her, undiminished by her distance as if it was following her. It was thankfully less crowded which made following the trail easier as the increasing power grew, calling her towards the alcoves in the back of the room.
Trixie walked past the row of recesses, each containing a small sitting area where ponies could talk in private. Some were unoccupied while others had wooden screens in front of them, decorated with images of climbing ivy and lilies winding between the wooden bars of the frame where whispers faintly emanated behind a few of them as she passed. The trail dragged on, but with every step she could feel Magus' energy becoming stronger and clearer until, at last, it peaked as she reached the last, screened covered alcove.
She immediately stopped before passing in front of it, leaning in close to the panel. Her ears flicked as muffled whispers turned into words.
“….Do you even know what you're asking?” Magus’ voice sounded, hastily spurting out his words as quickly as he could. “This is madness. What’s more, it’s impossible!”
“Madness and science are one and the same,” another, unfamiliar voice chuckled deeply. “As for the probability, so long as the subject is as you described, then I can assure you, it is very much possible.”
Seeing a small crack in the frame, Trixie tiptoed forward and peered through it. She could see Magus, hunched over a small table, gritting his teeth and openly staring at someone who remained just out of sight. His hooves stood as straight and firm as tree trunks against the table’s surface, refusing to buckle under the pressure that he seemingly put on it.
“But the ethics of this are—are…” Magus stuttered.
“There’s no need to be so dramatic,” the other being said calmly. “Is it any worse than what you’ve been doing?”
“Yes! Yes it is. This isn’t even legal.”
“To the alicorn worshiping Equestrian fools, no. But we are so much more than they. Mages like you and I are willing to do what needs to be done. We make the impossible, possible.”
“Just because you can do something, doesn’t mean you should,” Magus retorted, slamming his hoof on the table. “There must be another way.”
“Magus, I’m surprised at you,” the voice responded, not at all sounding surprised. “Do you not trust my methods?”
“No one in the entire Order trusts your so-called methods.”
“Well then, if you have a better solution, why am I here?” Magus glared, his eyes narrowed. “You asked me here for my help, which I’m more than happy to offer. But, if my solution is not to your liking, then I’ll leave and you can continue your noble, endless quest.”
“I couldn’t do this. Regardless if it works or not,” Magus said solemnly, staring down at his hooves. The sorrow in his voice was all too evident. “Besides, she won’t be with me for very much longer.”
The stranger sighed halfheartedly before he said, “As you wish. Well, if events change, don’t hesitate to let me know. I’m sure we can work something out. As for me, there are still some associates I must meet with before midnight. Besides, I believe our little wallflower has heard enough. Wouldn’t you say?”
Magus’ looked back up at him, eyes narrowed. “What are you talking about?”
‘Wallflower?’ Trixie thought.
Suddenly, the screen disappeared, folding up with a snap, leaving her exposed to Magus and the stranger inside. Trixie froze, her muscles tightened as she and Magus stared wide-eyed at each other. As much as she wanted to hide, it was obvious it was too late. His face grew pale and he quickly stared down to his hooves, wide eyed, as if he was more worried to see her than she was to see him.
To his right, an orange colored stallion sat comfortably in his chair with his hooves clasped together barely hiding a small smile as he looked at her. Adjusting the gold mask that concealed his eyes, he got out of his seat and brushed the wrinkles out of his magenta cape before approaching her.
“It appears you two have a lot to talk about,” he said, walking past Trixie before stopping to glance back at him. He ran a hoof through his short, wavy, golden mane as he said, “You know where to find me if you change your mind.” Casually, the mysterious pony walked off, locking eyes with Trixie, giving her an eerie smile for a moment as he left. The pony gave her the chills for some reason as she could feel something unusual about him even as he took his leave.
She watched him go before Magus’ voice brought her back to him.
“How long were you there?” he said slowly in a low tone, slightly fumbling his words.
“Huh?” she replied, having a hard time hearing him.
Slamming his hooves on the table, he darted over to her and took hold of her shoulders. He pulled her close before they stared into each other's eyes. Beads of sweat began to form above his wrinkled brow as his hooves shook, as if he were freezing in their embrace.
“Trixie! How much did you hear?”
“Nothing!”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes, I swear—”
“Because, this is not the time to be lying.”
“Master!” Trixie said, swatting his hooves away. “I'm not lying. I really didn't hear anything of importance. I don't even know who that was,” she said, gesturing in the direction that the mysterious pony went.
Magus took a deep inhale through his nose and rubbed his face before looking back at her.
“Alright… I trust you. Nevertheless, what are you doing here? Didn't you learn your lesson last time about snooping?” he said calmly as he readjusted his mane, moving a few hairs from out of his eyes.
“Looking for you.”
“And I assume you want to ask me something,” he groaned, walking back towards the table.
Trixie hesitated for a moment, having second thoughts. “…Why didn't you tell me?” she finally said, throwing caution to the wind.
“Hm?” He half looked back at her with a narrow glare, as if judging her.
“About this place, about this event, everything. And why do you want me pick a new master?”
“I'm not your master. Not in the formal sense anyway. My time is done.”
“What are you talking about? Why am I forced to call you ‘Master’ then?”
“Respect. And you’ll keep calling me that long after we go our separate ways.”
“Separate ways?”
“As I've told you before, as the Archmage who saw you use the Order’s magic, I'm obligated to teach you the art, but only as much as it is required to see if you are truly worthy of it. You passed, so my work is done. It's time for someone else to teach you the rest of the way.”
“But you're my teacher. That's your job.”
“I'm not a teacher. I never was and I never will be.”
“So, just like that, it’s over?” she snapped, his careless demeanor stinging her. “You're just dumping me on somepony else?”
“It isn’t like that,” Magus retorted, turning to face her. “If you still want power, then there are hundreds of mages out there tonight that could teach you. Anyone of them will be able to give you what you want.”
“I don't want anypony else to teach me. You know me, I trust you. You taught me that dance thing and everything else. Why would I want anypony other than you?”
“It's not that simple!” he barked, stepping towards her. “Get this through your thick, stubborn head; our time together is done and tonight you will choose who you will apprentice under for the duration of your training if you choose to pursue it. But, regardless, it will not be me that teaches you. So find somepony else and leave me alone.”
“Why? Why not you?”
“I have my reasons.”
“How can you say that? What happened to the pony who was glad I stayed a few nights ago?”
“This is different,” he said with a stomp. “You're in the Circle now, you've passed all the tests. I couldn't force you to leave now even if I wanted to. You get to pursue your quest for power and I no longer feel that I wronged you.” He looked away from her. “We all get what we want. It's better this way.”
Trixie could feel her heart move into her throat. “Master, I can't–“
“You must. I promise you, it will work out. Just go out there. There will be somepony who will possess a connection with you. You’ll know when you’ve found the one. Now please, it's best to just forget me.”
“After all we've been through, you expect me to forget you?” she replied, voice heavy.
“That's exactly what I expect you to do! We both must follow our own paths.”
“And if I refuse?”
“You don't have a choice.”
It was as if her chest was in a vice, her thoughts scrambled to come up with a reason that would change his mind. Her only answer was an open stare at the stone faced pony in front of her. Backing away from him, she couldn’t stomach to look at him any longer, altering her gaze to the floor.
After a pause, Magus approached and gently pressed the side of his head against hers. She didn't react, feeling like she had been paralyzed by his words.
“I'm sorry,” he whispered.
And just like that, he was gone. The sound of his hooves trailed off into the distance and that was the end of it, she was alone. She didn't know where he went and, at this point, she didn't want to know. The feeling of her loss pressing down on her was enough without having to see him go.
She remained motionless for a moment longer before looking about to ensure she was alone. She let out a heavy sigh, looking down to the floor again. Part of her wished he was still there. Magus, as much as she didn’t want to think about it, was her friend and to see him gone made her realize how few ponies she really trusted.
‘Come on Trixie, you're better than this,’ she thought, drying her damp eyes with a foreleg. ‘You've been through worse. You don’t need to get emotional because of him. You can do this on your own.’
Taking a shuddering breath, she collected herself, adjusted her cape and hat, before moving on, optimistic that she’d find somepony that would be able to help her; somepony that would be more powerful and useful than Magus.
Removing the amulet from her hat, she put it back. She mustered up the most confident smile and determined eyes that she could before marching back into the main hall where her new teachers awaited.
Trixie conversed with mages of all kind, their golden medallions shimmering as they moved about the room. She introduced herself as they did the same in a very formal manner with a bow. They spoke highly of their abilities and styles of sorcery that all gave her an idea of what to expect from both the magic and the pony. Other ponies seemed to be doing the same with their wicker amulets hanging off their necks.
Some of the sorcerers were healers, some researchers, and others preferred the secluded life of a hermit while there were still others who had some unique career. Most were nice enough, yet others were snobs and preferred to showboat, even going as far as to fling a spell or two to prove a point. She saw herself in them, but they had a lot more of a reason to show off as, much as she was reluctant to admit it, their demonstrations left her in awe.
For all the power they possessed, however, Trixie couldn’t feel any connection with them. They offered her everything she could’ve wanted, but it wasn’t the same. She couldn’t explain her hesitation or reluctance, all she knew was that the mages she spoke to weren’t who she was looking for. After hours of searching, none met her approval, unable to feel a connection with any of them as she did with Magus.
After speaking with what was probably the hundredth wizard, her legs ached and her ears felt as if they would fall off if she had to hear one more sorcery-filled word. She had to find someplace to clear her head and get away from all the commotion.
Finding a set of winding stairs, she ascended to the second level that was practically empty compared the floor below with only a small bar occupied by a patrons. None of the patrons had amulets presented, leading her to believe that she was safe from any pestering at the moment.
An empty balcony caught the corner of her eye, its solitude beckoning her. Trotting over, Trixie collapsed against the cool metal railing as she massaged her temples, trying her best to knead the stress out.
‘Not one. Not a single one,’ she thought as she looked down at the crowded room below. ‘Why is this so hard?’
Trixie sighed, thinking back to Magus and their time together, trying to figure out what was so special that she’d actually long to go back with him. He was a pain at times, but she’d be lying if she said she didn’t enjoy his company every once in a while. The places they went to, the things they saw, the ponies they met were all very exciting, even when her life was at stake. Trixie felt her adventures had finally come to an end. She could think of a few ponies she'd call a friend and, as much as she didn't like thinking about it, he was one of them. Reluctantly, she wished he was here.
A sharp, sweet-smelling odor suddenly wafted through the air around her, smelling like a flower garden had just sprouted up around her. She raised her head off the rail in reaction, unsure where the scent was coming from.
“All partied out, are we?”
Quickly, Trixie spun around, not expecting to be bothered, especially with all the mages below her, but, standing before her, was a white unicorn giving her mischievous smile. The mare looked upon Trixie with eyes like pools of liquid sapphires that shimmered with the air of refinement that surrounded her. A royal blue robe hung off her slender frame as she moved next to her.
Trixie didn’t even realize she was there until she said something. No energy emanated from the mare as she approached. Trixie wondered if she was one of those armored ponies, but she didn’t seem the type.
“Excuse me?” Trixie replied, taken aback by her sudden appearance as much as her enchanted beauty that hid behind her hood.
“The party,” she said with dainty giggle. “Are you tired? Perhaps a few too many visits to the refreshments table?”
“Well—I mean no, I’m just taking a break is all.”
“Overwhelmed?”
“Me? Overwhelmed?” she said with a single, obnoxious laugh, hoping the mare wouldn’t notice her false confidence. “No, of course not.”
The mare gave her a smirk before she said, “I suppose that is true for one so well-traveled. However, that’s not the real problem, is it?”
“Huh?” Trixie replied.
“Choosing somepony who will teach you vast secrets of the unseen magic is never easy. Especially when you’ve been with somepony else for some time. Am I right?”
“How—how do you know that?”
“An educated guess, but it’s mostly because I’ve been watching you since you left the lounge.”
Trixie stared at her with mouth agape. “Are you here to convince me to become your apprentice or are you just trying to be creepy?”
The unicorn laughed lightly, covering her mouth with a hoof. “My sincerest apologies, that came out all wrong.” Her laughter ceased as she returned to a serious, yet strangely playful demeanor. “Sadly, I’m afraid I’m not looking for an apprentice at this time, but you’re having difficulty, aren’t you?”
Trixie scoffed, looking back down at the crowd. “So what if I am? You can’t help me. I talked with every sorcerer, warlock, and witch out there tonight and not one was right for me. I doubt even Star Swirl would be a right match for me at this point.”
“Star Swirl!?” the unicorn said, almost falling over herself as a smile spread across her face. “My, my. Please, don’t think so little of yourself. You shouldn’t be setting your horizons so low as to consider that humorous excuse for a wizard as your superior.”
“Too low?” Trixie said, looking at the mare with a cocked gaze, unsure if she heard her right.
“Oh, my apologies,” she said, recomposing herself. “I thought you were being serious. My point is, you will find a master, everypony does. The Fates have a destiny for every creature.”
Brushing her strange reaction aside, her gaze returned to the floor as she said unconvincingly, “Yeah, right.”
“Come now, there must be somepony you liked?”
“There was somepony, but he said he couldn't teach me. And…and why am I telling you all this? I don’t even know you.” Trixie said directing a furrowed glare back to the mare.
The mare wasn’t fazed by her defensive attitude, but instead, almost seeming impressed. “Sometimes a mage might do things that they wouldn’t otherwise do. At times, it is out of pride, other times, out of fear.”
“What, so, he did this without thinking? I highly doubt that. He thinks of everything. And tonight, somepony I don't know will have to teach me magic whether I like it or not.”
“Do you wish this pony was still teaching you?”
“Of course I do! Why wouldn’t I? It’s easier to trust somepony you know than somepony you’ve never met,” Trixie said, unsure why she was even talking to the mare let alone being so open with her problems.
“Then do what you feel is right,” the mare calmly answered. “Follow your heart and the Fates will do the rest.”
“Thanks for all your help,” Trixie scoffed as she collapsed onto to railing.
“Apologies again,” she laughed. “I’m a bit of an old fashioned mare, you see. But, you must know how Magus really feels for you. The more he pushes you away, only proves how much he cares for you, Trixie.”
Trixie was about snap at the mare when she realized what she’d said. “How—How do you know my name?” she said slowly rising from the rail. “How do you know about Magus? Who are you—?” Trixie turned to see the mysterious mare was gone. She didn’t hear her leave, nor, she noticed as she looked around, was there any place to hide.
‘Who was she? How long had she been watching me?’ Trixie thought as her eyes darted about.
The chime of a large bell shook her from her thoughts as the music came to an abrupt end. All the mages immediately stopped what they were doing as it continued to ring, sounding as if it were coming from the back of the room. She never saw a bell, but it rang as if it were in the same room if not right next to her.
The room began to blur before fading away into darkness. “What’s—?” she said, almost in a panic, before her vision went black and cold. In a mere blink of an eye, the room was gone as was the sound of the bell, leaving no trace of it or its inhabitants around.
As she stared into the dark, she felt a presence suddenly appear behind her. Spinning on her hooves, she found herself standing before a tall, narrow door that seemed to have appeared from nowhere. It was the only thing that was visible but it didn’t appear to go anywhere. As much as she tried, she found that she couldn’t look away from the metal entrance as if she had lost control of her body.
Slowly, it opened, making no sound as a void, as bleak as the one that surrounded her, lay beyond, causing her to wonder if it really did go anywhere.
Something called to her in the nothingness, beckoning her to enter. She completely lost control as she was pulled beyond the door. Even as the new darkness enveloped her, she couldn’t control herself, unable to even speak or think clearly.
Trixie didn’t know how, but she could sense the door closing behind her, locking her within this dark ocean. It changed nothing for her, as she continued to forcefully wander onward, into the strange abyss that pulled her along like a puppet on strings.