For the majority of the journey Bleak remained silent, much to Emerald’s surprise. Emerald constantly tried to start conversation, however each time he was met with a cold silence and cold stare. It became clear that Bleak was living up to her. The pair had walked roughly five miles away from the city.
“So…” Emerald awkwardly started. “I noticed you don’t live in the city…”
“Nope.” Bleak replied for the first time, her voice was cold and emotionless. “Too many ponies living there for my liking.”
“Huh…” Emerald’s voice froze up, a sudden realization hit him. “Are you a…”
“Am I a..?” Bleak’s replied curiously.
“You know…” Emerald swallowed his fear. “A witch.” Bleak stopped in her tracks and chuckled.
“A witch? You think I am a witch?” Bleak sighed loudly and shook her head. “And what makes you think that?” Bleak furiously barked. “Is it my name? Is it because I don’t live in a city?”
“Well..!” Emerald began to panic.
“Because…” Bleak calmed down and began chucking. “You’re right. Perhaps I underestimated you. What gave it away?”
“Uh…” Emerald thought for a brief moment, the realization that he was working for a witch only just starting to settle in. “The sudden shift in your behaviour that, and I know that there are no villages this way for five days.”
“Hmmp, well I guess that’s my fault for thinking you were a simple lug.” Bleak turned around smiled at Emerald. “I misjudged you.”
“Wha..?” Emerald stumbled back slightly. “You thought I was a lug?”
“Well, you were the last pony in town. I mean, normally ponies who get left behind aren't normally… Smart.” Bleak chuckled coldly and Emerald chuckled nervously.
Emerald stopped laughing and cleared his throat, much to his surprise Bleak stop laughing and gave him her attention. “I wasn’t left behind.” Emerald stated. “I was waiting for somepony. Not that it matters though, she never showed up.”
“A love matter no doubt. That emotion is one of the main reasons why I avoid living in cities, too many ponies trying to get your affection. None of them seeing the bigger picture, or realizing how pitiful they look.” Bleak chuckled meekly and turned around. “Or bother to ever really ask what you are interested in.” The witch shook her head and continued walking.
“Hey! What’s that supposed to mean?” Emerald shouted out as he started to chase after Bleak.
“I’d rather not dwell on the matter.” Bleak shook her head. “We are nearly at my house.”
“Alright…” Emerald gently rubbed his temple and sighed, Bleak continued to walk unfazed by Emerald’s attempts to pry information out of her. The two continued to walk for a few more hours until they arrived at a small pocket of dense woodland. The woodland was almost fully closed off, however a small break in the treeline allowed entrance into the thick overgrowth.
Bleak lead Emerald through the overgrowth, the witch easily moved through the dense forest while Emerald struggled behind. Eventually the pair mad their way to a clearing with a large house in the centre. Emerald stopped and quickly took in the features of the mini-mansion, a pair of eerie blue torches lit the front door, all the windows were circular and the mini-mansion seemed to resemble an old gothic style complete with gargoyles towards the top.
Bleak paused just before opening the door and turned around. “Before we go in, I have a quick… Test for you.” A cryptic smile overcame Bleak. “Tell me, did you ever do any sort of offensive magic while you were learning?”
“Uh well…” Emerald started to sweat, the look Bleak was giving him made him feel unconfutable. “I guess they taught some basic stuff?”
“Basic stuff?” Bleak’s smile turned sinister. “You don’t sound so sure of yourself.” The witch sighed and her horn started to glow a sickly green colour and a thick black mist began to seep out of it.
“Bleak…” Emerald slowly began to walk backwards. “What are you doing?” The mist began to congeal around the house, slowly moving up floor by floor. Upon reaching the section of the house with the gargoyles the mist stopped rising and began to madly swirl around the house.
“As I said Emerald this is just a little test.” Bleak coldly said. “In a few moments a gargoyle will come to life and jump down. If you do not find a way to stop it you will be torn to tiny pieces and make a mess on my lawn. We wouldn't want that now, would we?”
The swirling mist began to discharge green bolts of lightning, these bolts crackled loudly as they struck the stone gargoyles. After a few moments three large bolts struck one of the gargoyles and the mist then dispersed.
“What..?” Emerald heard a low creaking noise coming from the gargoyle that had been struck by the lightning, before the magician could react the stone monster sprung to life and leapt down to the ground and let out a fearsome roar.
“Now Emerald I suggest you start thinking of a plan, these gargoyles can be rather vicious when attacking.” Bleak coldly remarked. Just as the witch finished talking the gargoyle sprang at Emerald, attempting to slash him with his a heavy stone claw.
“Hey!” Emerald yelped as he jumped out of the way. However the gargoyle ignored him and immediately made a second attempt, this time landing the slash. Emerald recoiled in agony as he fell to the floor. The gargoyle roared loudly and jumped up into the air and landed next to Emerald.
Emerald clenched his eye shut and quickly channelled a teleportation spell. Within the blink of an eye he found himself falling through the air above the clearing. The magician made an attempt to latch onto the roof of the house as he fell down however he lost his grip and slid off the house.
“I don’t really see what you were trying to do there.” Bleak commented as she walked over to Emerald. “You know, the best defence is a good offence in this situation. Right?” Bleak laughed evilly and shook her head. “Well you have roughly five seconds before he finds you again, so make them count.”
Emerald staged back onto four hooves, he could hear the gargoyle’s stone wings flapping nearby and he quickly began to ready himself for another spell. Emerald’s horn lit up blue and static energy began to snap and crackle off his horn. A small blue ball of energy ball started to form on the tip of Emerald’s horn, the ball quickly grew larger and larger until Emerald was struggling to keep it contained. Emerald heard the gargoyle land and launched the ball of energy into the gargoyle and was rewarded by an ear splitting scream when the ball of energy made contact.
“I…” Emerald felt his legs give way and he collapsed on the floor, his eyes slowly began to shut as the rush from the fight began to wear off. The last thing he felt was a light trickle of blood running down his head.
“Hm, I guess he had it in him.” Bleak flatly said to herself as she moved over to the unicorn. “Poor little thing, not used to fighting it seems.” Bleak chuckled evilly as she gently poked Emerald. The witch hauled Emerald up with her magic and took the magician inside.
“Emerald… Wake up, please…” Emerald heard a familiar voice call out to him, he couldn't move or open his eyes. “Emerald…” The voice sounded sad, as if it had recently lost something. It only took Emerald a moment to realize why the voice was sad. “Emerald I'm sorry… I didn't mean to… Please just wake up.” Emerald tried to move but his body continued to ignore his request.
Emerald could feel a presence near him, for a reason unknown to him he felt safe and secure. “I…” Emerald mumbled weakly. “I want… Where...”
“You know I would do anything for you Emerald. I can’t imagine what you are going through right now to put you here, but I know it’s my fault.” The sad voice began to cry quietly. Emerald slowly began to regain control of his body, he opened his eyes. All he could see was a vast expense of white nothing and a black silhouette sat down next him, gently caressing his mane. “I'm so, so sorry…” A white tear fell from the eyes of the silhouette and vanished into the expanse.
Emerald had many questions, where was he? Who was the silhouette? And why was it so upset over him? However he couldn't put his questions into words. “Where…”
“Don’t tire yourself, just hear me out. One day, I will find you. I will apologize and I will make it up to you.” The silhouette said firmly. “And we will live like we planned. I promise.”
Suddenly it started to make sense, the silhouette wasn't a figment of his imagination but White Light. While he wasn't dead he must have been close to it. The only place where seeing White Light in such a state would be the realm between life and death.
“White…” Emerald mumbled softly. “You… Left me…”
“It wasn't like that!” White hastily replied. “Please just…”
“You abandoned me… When I needed you the most…” Emerald started to feel a rage burning in his heart, the white expanse was starting to turn black and the silhouette had gotten up and started to back up. “I needed you and you left me!” Emerald angrily shouted as he sprung up.
“Emerald please! It wasn't like that! I'm sorry for what I did, but you must understand!” White argued back as Emerald start to approach her, however before he was able to reply he felt the floor shake. Emerald stopped dead in his tracks and fell to the ground, he was waking up. “Don’t worry Emerald, we’ll meet again. I don’t know where, I don’t know when. But I know we will meet again some sunny day.” White sang out as she slowly began to drift away.
“White wait!” Emerald called out as he scrambled back up and tried to catch up. “Don’t leave me again…” Emerald fell down onto the floor and shut his eyes and shouted loudly into vast expense of nothingness.