Skyfall

by Viktor Lionheart

Revelations (Part 1)

Skyfall

Concept and Writing by Viktor Lionheart
Chapter 7: Revelation

At the far end of the room, the little object silently taunted her from its perch atop its pedestal. Princess Luna scowled at it for a moment, daring it to defy her as she took a deep breath and tried to focus.

This is easy. She told herself. Just stop fooling around and do it already.

As her lungs filled to capacity, she pinched off the stream of air and held it. Almost immediately, she felt her heartbeat begin to slow, and the tug of energy beginning to pour into her horn. The flow began as a steady trickle, then slowly grew, a faint azure light collecting in a tiny point at the peak of her vision. She exhaled, and as the air left her lips, the weight seemed to melt from her shoulders, peeling away until the very ground seemed to disappear from beneath her hooves.

Floating…She was…floating. It was eerie, in a way, as though she was slowly submersing herself in a depthless pool of water, feeling the air dissolve into a clammy, clinging blanket that perfectly fitted the contours of her body. Her skin tingled pleasantly as she reveled in the feeling, the sudden influx of magical power that surged from within her gut. It had been far too long since she had had to focus this intensely to accomplish anything with her magic, and the heady rush of exertion made her mind run wild with possibilities.

No…don’t get distracted. There’s no way to brute force this.

Luna drew another long breath, holding it for a moment before letting it go, shaking herself mentally to regain her focus. Slowly, the flood of giddily inspiring magic ebbed slightly, and stabilized. It felt strange, even a little silly, to have allowed the sensation to consume her over something so little. Her lips twitched slightly at the flash of embarrassment, but she suppressed it, and instead tried to tell herself that the ease with which she otherwise could have handled such a menial task was exactly the point of this exercise.

“You remember. It’s the same method, essentially. Simply will your objective to happen. Do not try to bend the magic to your will, but rather, allow it to follow its natural course. Magic like this is no mere tool, Luna. It is very much alive.”

The words seemed to come from far away, barely audible above the rumbling fury of the silvery fluid that swirled slowly around her. Though it was a bit odd to witness the flow of magic around her with her eyes open, it was not a situation to which she was entirely unaccustomed. The rhythm and flow of the current was as familiar to her as the face of an old friend, and she had seen it many times before whenever she had attempted any of her more demanding spells. But deep below its surface, concealed beneath the myriad roiling eddies, was something new, something that she had heard countless times before but had never truly taken the time to appreciate. It was speaking to her, too, though its voice was much softer, much less distinct. She strained to drive all other noise from her thoughts, but the whispering call only seemed to shy further and further away, taunting her from the edge of her awareness.

“I…I still can’t make it out…” she frowned, her eyes beginning to water. “It doesn’t sound any different than-“

“You’re over-thinking it,” the voice called patiently. “Relax. Do not think of them as separate words, but a constant flow of sound. The rhythm will come naturally.”

She nodded, biting deeply into her bottom lip to force herself not to blink. There, at the center of her vision, the silhouette of the object of her attention sputtered angrily, the shining bands of energy splitting chaotically away as the thing seemed to repel every bit of magic that came close. Her instinct told her to reach toward it as she had always done, to guide the strands of silver energy closer, but she forced herself to be patient, to wait for the sounds to resurface. For an instant, she had the fleeting impression of a young schoolfilly struggling to grasp her latest lesson. With a powerful effort, she swatted her frustration away, trying instead to focus on taking slow, easy breaths.

“That’s it. Do not think of this as magic. It is something far more visceral, far more intimate.”

Slowly, the sensation of weightlessness returned, and she found herself once more surrounded by the tittering cacophony. The object shivered slightly, like a wary creature surveying its surroundings, unsure whether it was safe to reveal itself. As the familiar shape once more began to resolve, the sounds grew louder, and she found her lips moving in rhythm of their own accord.

“Meccus…Sentra…Crosum…Tosk…”

She paused, silently testing the weight of each syllable as they repeated themselves on an endless loop. Gradually, her voice grew more confident as the motions became familiar.

“Meccus…Sentra…Crosum…Tosk…”

“Very good. Once more.”

“Meccus…Sentra…Crosum…Tosk…”

“Again.”

“Meccus…Sentra…Crosum…TOSK!”

As the last word left her lips, the vase atop the pedestal at the far end of Luna’s bedroom shot high into the air as if by its own motivation. It hovered there for an instant before warping fantastically, its fragile porcelain shell ballooning explosively, then collapsing over and over again in a mad aerial dance. With a final, resounding pop, the object abruptly ceased in its display, snapping violently back into focus.

As the vase settled gracefully back down upon its perch, its elegantly curved mouth humming in a low, steady tone as its sides continued to vibrate, Luna held her breath, enthralled by the sight of her creation. Where once had sat a squat, dull, age-faded bit of quaint decoration now stood a shining example of the artistic prowess of the pre-Harmonian era at its peak. Every aspect of the object’s physiology had been completely repaired, even the jagged crack that had traversed the entire length of what was now a beautifully drawn image of a dancing dragon with scales of deepest ruby-red.

“Wow…” Luna breathed, her mouth hanging open as though to say something else, but any other words she might have uttered were lost to her wonderment. She darted to the vase, levitating it gently with her magic, examining every nook and cranny of its ornate anatomy with childlike rapture.

“Wow, indeed…” the voice behind her agreed. “That was, what, your third attempt?”

Luna did not turn to face him as her tail gave a small twitch of annoyance.

“Give me a break. It’s not like I’ve had hours to practice and study. I only just heard about this today.”

The voice chuckled warmly, this time drawing Luna’s attention briefly away from her work. She couldn’t help but grin slightly as the alicorn behind her smiled a tiny smile.

“I meant that it’s extraordinary that you’ve been able to grasp it this quickly, Luna,” her father said, gliding silently closer. He, too, took a moment to study the little vase, appraising it with the same small, yet friendly grin. “True, you did use a bit more energy than was necessary, but still…this is amazing…not even a trace of damage…”

Luna blinked thoughtfully as an idea occurred to her. Not bothering to draw on the power of the arcane language this time, she closed her eyes, effortlessly probing beneath the thin layers of paint, examining every tiny granule and imperfection below the vase’s surface. At least, she tried to do so; despite herself, her eyes popped open for a moment, blinking rapidly in surprise. She caught herself, shaking her head at what must have been an obvious oversight, and closed her eyes once more.

Again and again she launched the fingers of her consciousness into the glittering material. Sure enough, she came to the same result no matter how thoroughly she searched. The porcelain was perfect. Impossibly so; no crafter she knew of, however skilled, could have ever forged such a masterpiece.

“…It’s…It’s not just been fixed…” she stammered, stepping backward as she eyed the impossible thing with increasing wonder. “It’s not even old anymore. How is that…?”

“As I said...” the ghostly alicorn nodded, still smiling gently. “There’s no topping the original thing.”

Without warning, Luna’s face cracked wide with a hungry grin. Her entire body suddenly felt fully and intoxicatingly alive. She was inspired, and eager to test this new source of power on anything within hoof’s reach. She spun about, her eyes sweeping the room for anything on which she could focus.

With an excited little snort, Luna selected a tiny doll from its place atop the dresser by her bed. Immediately she focused, forcing all other objects out of her awareness, and tried with some effort to slow her breathing. Almost instantaneously, the streams of silvery magic flashed into existence around her, and with them, the welcoming sound she sought.

She exhaled, holding a single thought in her mind, allowing the muscles in her face to relax as her lips began to move unbidden once more. The sounds and their constant melody came more easily this time, and she found the syllables within seconds.

“…Valera…Erus…Urso…Havim…” she chanted, smiling triumphantly as the doll immediately obeyed. Its tiny limbs shot out from its body, hovering erect for a moment before they each began to twirl in rhythm with her voice. It rose from its seat, spinning gracefully through a series of pirouettes, its dance becoming increasingly inspired and energetic as her chant continued. With a leap and a final, twirling flip, the doll landed at the edge of her dresser and concluded its performance with a dainty bow before clumsily flopping down on its back to move no more.

“Fantastic…this is fantastic!” she chirped, positively giddy with anticipation. The doll had barely finished its dance before her eyes began anew in their search for another subject with which to experiment. In moments, her gaze was drawn to a small, dark shape upon her nightstand, and her excitement sputtered slightly as recognition sank in.

As though sensing her thoughts, her father turned his attention away from the restored vase, following Luna’s line of vision to the little book on the table across the room. He did not move, but simply watched in quiet curiosity as she trotted forward, gently lifting the tome into the grip of her magic and idly turning the tattered yellow pages.

Suddenly, he frowned, leaning closer to get a better look at the object. Luna, however, paid him no heed; she was far too preoccupied to notice much of anything besides the crumbling tome before her.

“...Is that…?”

His features drooping somewhat, the pale alicorn slid nearer to his daughter. As his eyes fell upon the slanting, elegant text that covered the aged paper, his face tightened slightly, though only for a moment.

“Aurora…”

“Huh?” Luna blinked, her attention disturbed by her father’s sudden proximity.

With the same eerie silence that always accompanied his movements, he leaned closer, his silver-blue mane drifting before Luna’s face.

“…Hm…So she kept her promise. Good,” he whispered, his voice utterly devoid of any emotion.

Luna relaxed slightly, gently transferring the book into the grasp of her father’s magic. As she did so, she couldn’t help but notice a peculiar look in the pale alicorn’s eyes. The knowing weight in his gaze seemed to give his features a slightly harder, though not unkind edge. In a way, she thought, he resembled an elder lion, grizzled with age yet never completely relaxed, always watchful for its next meal. The thought sent a tiny chill shooting down her spine; her father was definitely a King in every sense of the word, and even without a proper body, he was a distinctly intimidating individual.

She shifted uncomfortably. Testing her ability to use the ancient form of magic had distracted her from the looming awkwardness of her father’s presence in her chambers. Now, in the lull following the heady rush of her success, the feeling was returning full force, and she found herself looking away as he silently examined the little book.

“What’s wrong, Lulu?”

Luna started slightly as his deep, delicate voice slid over the familiar name. Only Celestia had ever called her that.

“W-What?”

“You look troubled.” He cocked an eyebrow, then added, “Is my company so unpalatable?”

That same heavy look lingered in his eyes as a tiny sliver of white cracked through his lips.

“…I-I…N-n-no, I…” she stuttered, suddenly furious with herself, though she wasn’t exactly sure why. Immediately, she swallowed deeply in an effort to swat aside her childish fluster, but to no avail.

“I never…” she whispered, one hoof working spastically up and down her right foreleg. “I-I did not mean to-“

But the rest of her sentence was lost beneath the sound of her father’s delicate laughter.

“Perhaps you are not so skilled with words as your abilities may suggest,” he chuckled. “I wonder if Celestia finds it so easy to reduce you to a stuttering foal.”

“H-hey! That’s not-“

But that only seemed to heighten his mirth. At a loss for words, Luna blushed furiously, yet before long her lips began to twitch in eagerness to join in the laughter. She finally settled on swallowing again, tossing her mane to the side as though to shake aside her discomfort.

“That wasn’t fair. How the hay am I supposed to know how to respond when you put it so bluntly like that?”

“Perhaps,” he whispered, his expression losing some of its levity. “But in my experience, such things have a way of festering and can lead to a great many hurt feelings when left untended. Which is why I must say that I do not think it proper for me to demand anything from you of which you would not willingly give. Your time being included.”

Luna stepped forward instinctively, her mouth opening wide to offer her retort, though she did not find the gesture nearly as encouraging as she had hoped.

“I never said that you were bothering me…” she muttered, half-apologetically. “And it’s not like I mind. I just-”

But she was interrupted by a harsh squeal from the far end of the room. For a second time, Luna started violently, completely losing any traces of composure she still retained.

Her condition was not helped by the guilt-heavy expression on her sister’s face as she emerged from behind the heavy mahogany door to Luna’s chambers. She paused, eyeing Luna with a curious intensity for a moment before her gaze shifted suddenly to her father, and finally to the small, dark book that still hung motionless in the air.

“I’m…sorry…” Celestia began uncertainly. “Is this a bad time?”

Before Luna could respond, her father stepped forward to greet her sister.

“Not at all, Celestia. Is everything alright?”

As seemed to be his wont, his tone had effortlessly cast aside any trace of the preceding conversation in favor of adopting a very stiff, businesslike demeanor. It unnerved Luna somewhat that her father could change tracks so easily like that, and she found herself pausing as she had several times earlier that day to wonder dimly at the fact that she could not read anything from the anomalous alicorn.

Of course, whispered a tiny voice at the edge of her thoughts, that does make a certain sort of sense. I only just met him, really.

She wondered briefly if he shared something like the subtly nauseating twinge of worry that festered in the back of her mind at his unexpected frankness. She was conflicted, half thankful that Celestia had returned to ease the tension, half annoyed that their conversation had been interrupted, and otherwise angry with herself for causing the look on her sister’s face with her own clumsy floundering at failing to hide how uncomfortable she was feeling at the moment.

It will have to wait, whispered that same little voice. Just be glad she’s here.

Without another moment’s hesitation, Luna shook aside her misgivings, adopting a hopeful grin. She gently took hold of the little dark book and replaced it upon the nightstand by her side.

Celestia’s gaze lingered on the two for a moment longer before she sighed heavily, closing the door with a wave of her horn. As the heavy slab of wood swung on the massive iron hinges that supported it, the same sharp, grating squeal split the air before ceasing with a heavy clunk as the locking mechanism fell into place.

“Yes, yes, more or less…I’m sorry I had to run out like that,” Celestia breathed, walking slowly toward the window of the spacious room. With another flick of her horn, she undid the clasp on the tiffany windowpanes, throwing them wide to allow a warm breeze to filter into the room. She stood there for several seconds, reveling in the feeling of the fresh flow of air through her mane.

Seeming to compose herself a bit more completely, Celestia began to turn about when her gaze caught for a second on the shining porcelain vase.

“What…” She squinted, moving closer. Like the other two alicorns before her, she too levitated the object before her wondering eyes, turning it over to examine its entire surface.

“...Father, did you do this?”

The elder alicorn simply smiled, casting a hinting glance toward his younger daughter. Her excitement returning at her sister’s apparent fascination with the object, Luna immediately beamed.

“What do you think?” She asked brightly. A tiny, prideful grin cracked the edges of her mouth, but she did not take particular care to hide it.

Celestia seemed to take a moment before the full meaning of Luna’s question set in. When it did, her brow shot skyward, and the vase wobbled dangerously as it nearly fell from her grasp.

“Luna?! But how…?”

“I’m surprised that you have to ask,” her father stated matter-of-factly. “Your sister’s talents are formidable indeed.”

Celestia seemed positively floored. Her face contorted in an odd series of spasms as it struggled to express all of her emotions at once.

“You…you taught her?” she stammered, her gaze leaping from father to sister. “You taught her without my permission?!”

In an instant, Luna’s smile disappeared. She had expected praise, maybe a bit of surprised congratulation. She had not expected her sister to sound angry.

If her father shared her surprise, he did not show it. Instead, he frowned slightly, raising a transparent hoof-like extension to bid Celestia fall silent.

“Before you fly off the handle, I had a very good reason,” he explained patiently. “Your sister is and always has been, as you put it, enthralled by the world of magic and exploring its applications. I simply thought that this would be an effective ice breaker.”

Celestia’s jaw twitched slightly, but her tone remained controlled.

“Did you not also think that there was a reason that she had not studied the Word?”

“It’s okay, sis…” Luna offered a placating smile. “We both know why it was outlawed, and we were not about to do anything reckless. Besides, I’m the one who agreed to it. I thought that maybe-”

Her efforts did not seem to have the intended effect. If anything, Celestia looked even angrier.

“And what possessed you to think that breaking the law was a good idea? That by itself was reckless enough. Those laws exist for a reason.”

With a spark of chagrin, Luna’s own lips curled into an annoyed frown. She had never been fond of the motherly tone that her sister was currently employing.

“It’s just a vase, Celestia.”

“That’s not the point, and if you really knew what you were talking about, you’d be aware of that.”

“I’m not an idiot, Celly! I am aware of the danger. And I’m sure our father is perfectly capable of teaching me.”

“I don’t want to hear-” Celestia spat, but before she could utter another word, the breath seemed to catch in her throat. She paused for a moment, taking a long, deep breath in the heavy silence before continuing. When she did, it was with a visibly appreciable degree of self-control.

“…Yes. Yes, you’re right…I’m sorry.” With that, her anger seemed to disappear in favor of the same weary weight that she had carried with her upon her entrance. She ran one hoof tiredly across her face, her horn glowing dimly as she pulled on the thick alarum cord beside Luna’s bed. Almost instantaneously, a youthful unicorn mare in maid’s attire appeared with a muted pop at Celestia’s side.

“How may I assist you, Lady Luna?” the mare inclined, bowing deeply.

“It’s for me, actually.” Celestia gestured to draw the maid’s attention. “On second thought, I’ll need something a bit stronger for tonight. Please have Dark Roast prepare some of his coffee for me.”

“As you wish, milady.” With another dainty bow and a flash of light, the maid was gone.

“Celestia?” Luna’s annoyance had gone, and she now eyed her sister with a puzzled frown. “What’s wrong? What’s…tonight?”

Celestia took another deep breath as though to steady herself. When she spoke, she stared at an invisible point between the two of them, not truly speaking to one or the other.

“Major Chevron’s unit has located the Stone,” she whispered, her tone flat.

“What?!” The elder alicorn’s translucent form jumped forward several inches. “Already?”

Celestia simply nodded. In mere seconds, the room had seemed emptied of its air, its silence suddenly oppressive and grim.

“Was…was somepony hurt? What do you mean he located it?” asked Luna, her eyes frantically searching both faces for any sign of hope to remove the lump from her throat.

“Thankfully, just one. And her injuries are not serious.”

“W-wait…that’s a good thing, isn’t it? This is good news!” Luna said hopefully, alarmed at the dire expression on her relatives’ faces. “Isn’t it?”

Her father said nothing. Though neither pony confirmed it, she could sense that he and Celestia both knew that they were thinking the same thing.

“Perhaps.” Celestia muttered. “But I’ve not ordered the guards to cease in their search just yet. I never expected to find it this quickly.”

“Nor did I. What about him? You said that Chevron found the Stone, but-”

“Nothing.” Celestia shook her head, her features taut. “Not a sign just yet.”

“Hmm…That’s very bizarre. I don’t like that at all.”

“There’s no need to go jumping to the worst case scenario just yet,” Celestia replied sternly, more out of an effort to keep herself from openly agreeing with her father for Luna’s sake than anything else. “I’ve had the property in question under constant surveillance since we first learned of the discovery, and the Bearers are being escorted by a full flight of guards as we speak. For now, the Bearers are safe and we have the primary threat under control. His power is severely limited without the Stone.”

“So what will we do?” Luna fidgeted slightly as she spoke. “What’s happening tonight?”

“Tonight,” replied Celestia, regaining a bit of her confidence, “we will be entertaining the Element Bearers, seeing as how it was Fluttershy who found the Stone.”

“Fluttershy…” Luna’s brow shot skyward as the name connected with a face in her memory. “That sweet little pegasus from Ponyville? The Bearer of Kindness?”

“The very same. Don’t worry, Luna…” Celestia’s tone softened somewhat at the alarmed expression on her sister’s face. “She’s been examined by Ponyville’s top physician and seems to have suffered little more than some minor burns and a bit of lost sleep. We’ll have her checked out at the Mendwell Hospital before she leaves.”

Luna sighed in relief, but a crease of worry still marred her brow.

“Where is the Stone now?” Her father’s cold, all-business tone cut through the momentary lull, bringing them jarringly back to topic.

“It’s on the way here, father. Major Chevron is carrying it personally with him to Canterlot with an escort of thirty guards.”

“Separately from the Bearers?”

“Of course. It should be arriving at any moment.”

“Then we have no time to waste.” He nodded briskly, turning to address his youngest daughter. “Luna, I’m sorry but we will have to continue our lessons at another time.” He paused, then added as an afterthought, “If that’s alright with your sister.”

Celestia did not immediately respond. Whether her mind was on other things or if she simply was still not fond of the idea, Luna wasn’t sure, but her sister’s jaw worked back and forth in silence for several moments before she spoke.

“Fine. I’m glad that you two have something in common…” she sighed. “And I’m sorry for blowing up before, just…just be careful. You need to make sure that she understands the danger that comes with using that power.”

“I already told you, Celly, I -“

“As you wish.” He shot an oddly distant glance in Luna’s direction that she couldn’t quite place. “In the meantime…” his gaze lifted back to rest on Celestia, “are you prepared?”

“…There are a few points about which I would like to speak with you. We can talk about it on the way down.”

“Wait…what do you mean “we?”” Luna looked first at Celestia, then to her father. She didn’t like the way her sister had said that. It almost sounded as though-

“I’m afraid that I have other work that cannot wait to be attended to, Luna. I’m sorry, but I’m going to need you to see to it while father and I handle the current development.”

“What?!” Luna stomped the ground with one hoof despite herself. “Don’t be ridiculous. I can help-“

Celestia’s hoof shot upward as she fixed Luna a firm, but not unkind look.

“I know, Luna. It’s not a question of your ability or your right to have a say in this case. We simply cannot afford to have our nation come to a complete stop, especially at a time like this.”

“But…” Luna scowled. “There’s no need to keep me in the dark, either. I need to know just as much as you do about what’s happening.”

“Now Luna, do not be stubborn. We have no intention of excluding you,” her father chided. “Besides, this is nothing more than a briefing of sorts. The Element Bearers will be made aware of the current situation insofar as it pertains to them, and we will ask them a few questions about the circumstances surrounding Fluttershy’s discovery of the Stone.”

“Insofar as it pertains to them? That’s a little vague. What does that mean exactly?”

“Exactly what it says. They will be told what they need to know, and nothing more.”

Luna blinked a couple of times as she processed what that meant.

“…I don’t know if lying to them is wise at a time like this, Chronus.” She hovered uncertainly on that word for a moment. Across the room, Celestia’s expression gave an odd spasm as though she were about to protest at Luna’s use of their father’s name, but she said nothing.. “Wouldn’t it be safer, given the circumstances, to give them the full story?”

“I don’t think so, Luna. Not at this time.”

“Celly?”

Luna had not expected Celestia to be the one who answered. She regarded her sister with a look of wary curiosity.

“At present, their understanding of the Elements must be maintained. Don’t worry; I will take measures to ensure that they do not try to use their power in such a way that they would be put in harm’s way. Any alternative may only endanger them further and would only make this more difficult for everypony involved.”

“She’s right, Luna,” Chronus said. For now, maintaining their perception is a necessary evil. If we can handle this discreetly, we can minimize any potential fallout.”

“...Hang on…” Luna squinted as though she thought she could pick out some minute, betraying detail of Celestia’s expression. Something about her sister’s tone had put her off.

“What do you mean by “potential fallout?” The two of you seem like you’ve talked about this before.” , she rustled her wings irritably, suddenly distinctly annoyed. “Why wasn’t I involved when this was first discussed?”

“Frankly, you were asleep.” Her father chuckled a bit as he spoke. “Had I been able to time my arrival with a bit more etiquette, we would have involved you in the conversation as well.”

“I’m sorry, Luna. We would have discussed this later today, but I wanted you two to have some time to get to know each other a little and I’m afraid things are moving quite a bit more quickly than we’d anticipated. We’ll make sure to involve you in all of the planning from here on in.”

Luna’s frown deepened slightly. She was starting to feel like a bit of a fifth wheel in their little trio.

“But what kind of “fallout” are you worried about? It’s not as if any of them-”

“Another time.” A vague note of impatience had crept into Chronus’ tone. “If we’re going to be ready, we need to move quickly. I’m sorry, Luna, but your questions will just have to wait for now.”

“Which brings us to your duties for the night.” Celestia blinked, and as she did, a heavy scroll burst into existence before her eyes, bathed in a soft pinkish light from her horn. Her eyes darted nimbly back and forth in silence for several seconds before she nodded curtly to herself as though to confirm what she had read, and then she levitated the object into Luna’s grasp.

“I have outlined everything that needs to be tended to on that list; I trust your judgment as to which matters take priority.”

Luna’s lips still clung stubbornly to the front of her teeth in a sour expression, but she did not voice her displeasure. Instead, she took the scroll dejectedly from her sister’s grasp and began to read the topmost line of the leisurely, elegant text of Celestia’s hoofwriting.

“That said, I do have a word of advice. Mayor Thunderhead’s request for financial assistance concerning the replacement of equipment at the old Cloudsdale weather factory should be given attention as soon as possible. I trust you remember what happened in the city last week.”

Luna nodded, her expression suddenly serious. “That reminds me. Bon Appetit should have finished analyzing the yogurt by now. I would like to keep the old machines for study, myself. I’m curious as to exactly how a device dedicated to forging thunderclouds managed to conjure up a storm of something so delicious.”

Chronus cocked an eyebrow, clearly at a loss for words. At this, Celestia loosed a tittering little laugh.

“As would I. In the meantime, duty calls.” She turned quickly about, trotting to the door as it opened with a soft pinkish glow. “Good luck, Luna. This should not take too long, but if you need any assistance, I have informed Second Lieutenant Blitz that he is to be at your side for the evening. He should be arriving soon.”

“…Thanks…” Luna muttered, her eyes not leaving the scroll. She knew the lieutenant; enough to know that he was even more humorless and less companionable than Captain Hussar.

Celestia paused for a moment her gaze lingering first on her sister, then on the vase by the window. She said nothing, but simply continued out the door and began to close it behind her, her father floating by her side.

Just before the door fell closed, Celestia turned her head, watching her father with a curiously intense look.

“Yes?” he said simply. Celestia wondered if he already knew what was on her mind.

Luna’s eyes remained fixed on the center of the paper, no longer reading the text but staring through it as she focused all of her attention on the door. She heard Celestia begin to answer, but her words were lost in a muffled heap as the heavy door clicked shut behind them.

The instant that the door had fallen closed, she loosed a heavy sigh, allowing the paper to slip from her grasp. It s wooden handle clattered to the floor, rolling several feet so that the heavy paper paved a path to the foot of her bed, but she paid it no heed. She would attend to it soon enough; something else was on her mind at the moment.

Lifting the ancient journal once more before her eyes, she began to leaf through the pages in search of a single particular page. Something about that page had leapt forth from her memory the moment that she had seen it after performing her spell on the vase.

In seconds she found it, staring at the single line of text that it bore. No decoration nor trace of ink marred the ancient paper, save for a simple inscription set into its center in tiny, hastily scribbled letters.

Raza Idun Nakoume. Never forget who you are.

Comments

[Journeyman]

Whew, that was a close one Viktor.

And I's liking this. Have a mustache.

[Viktor Lionheart]

972277
Why, thank you! I'll put it on the shelf with the rest of my collection. If you happen to find anyone with a handlebar they could spare, I spilled some wine on my old one. Thanks

[Insidiaphilia]

Hmm... no dislikes? Not possibru! Now! I shall enact my plan of pure evil! Sometime in the future someone will dislike it! And they shall feast upon your unhappiness!
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[Pink Butterfly]

3088795
You have no idea how badly I want to dislike the story... nooooooo idea....
But no. I will dislike for the sake of disliking. I am not a youtuber.