The Land After

by Fat1thatyoulove

Chapter 14

Chapter 14 – Nightly

The day has rolled on rather well for everypony in the castle as the sun slowly starts to fade somewhere under the Everfree forest tree line, leaving a gold and orangey glow to light the sky.

However, the same relaxed feeling that hangs to the castle does not hang to the tower as the old stallion continues to feverishly push his hoof along to the journal he writes to.

The realization to how bad his memory has come back in full as he finally realized that the last few entries where all the same. As a result the few crumbled up sheets of torn out paper sit to his left as he just focuses on the words he writes down.

...My fears from so long ago have finally come to fruition. Although the worst part about this whole predicament is that my mind has maintained sanity long enough just to torture me. Even worse still is the constant nagging in my head that tells me there is still so much left for me to do...

Star Swirl’s shaky hoof comes from the page for the moment as the beating heart in his chest gets a little harder from the words.

His other hoof slowly comes to his chest as he just slowly rubs the fur, all the while turning his eyes to the old side world as he lets the array of bright colors calm his body.

With a deep and soothing breath his hoof and the quil comes back to the page.
...Despite my feelings of regret and sorrow I still have found some humor to what lies ahead. There is a strange amount of wonder in staring into the eyes of one's successor, especially to whom you have no history with. Now this is not what I have found a slight laugh to, instead I find it almost bitter sweet to know how she will be sweeping an old stallion aside.

A low chuckle comes to the stallion's as he stops his hoof, however as the laugh subsides his eyes set back to the book he has wrote in for so long. Its sides have been a little worn down and its pages have slightly yellowed from all the various places it has been, but all in all the book is in perfect condition.

The slight smile to Star Swirl’s face is dropped as he sits forward a little more on his seat and to the book as he writes.
...Ever since my sickness grew and my memory first started to fade I have wondered to whom I write this journal.

He stops as he dips the quil back to the ink for a moment.
...Now of course I have always had in my mind that it was nothing more than a memoir that I would someday look back on. Although...I understand and I believe I have for a very long time, that this thought was mendacious.

Star Swirl skips a few lines in the book as he dips the quill back to the ink for the brightest black,
...In the back of my mine I know that the answer to whom this journal is wrote can be found. But I can not bring myself to flip those pages. So I leave you this, knowing that these words in some way will be seen again. ~ I hope this book finds you well...And know it will, because I have been left wanting for so long and deep in my heart I know that you have been too.

A knock on the door from down stairs closes the old stallion's eyes as he just taps the hoof he holds the quill with to the book with a strange overwhelming sadness crashing over him.

Again the knocking from down stairs rings up as Star Swirl opens his eyes and turns towards the door, "Coming!..." He gives a little sigh as he shifts his eyes back to the light gold glowing crown that sits to the open drawer beside his seat.

However, the sight of the crown is cut off as he brings himself up and towards the open door of the study.

As his eyes lock to the closed door Star Swirl's horn sparks up and the door comes open, Star Swirl does not wait to see who walks in as he just turns back to the seat he left.

It only takes a few moments for the old stallion to take his seat as the sound of hooves up the stairs continues to get closer.

Star just waits patiently in his study, all the while holding his eyes towards the doorway.

The sound of the hooves to the stone finally bring the sight of the stallion into view as Star Swirl speaks up, "Well I take it that you found your answer, like I expected." The older stallion holds his smile as he turns his eyes to the dark colored bag the maroon cloaked stallion has on.

Sagitta does not pick up on the stallion's gaze as he gives a little nod, "Yes I did..." A slight shiver comes up from the stallion's spine as he continues, "...Although one thing I have to ask. Did you tell me to come by later tonight so that I could catch a cold?"

A slight chuckle comes up from Star Swirl as he shakes his head.

The stallion's slight shift in his seat reveals something that Sagitta's eyes quickly catches too, as his friendly smile is chased away, only leaving a now full business expression, "Is that it?"

Star Swirl does not even turn his head as he nods, "Yes, it is."

Sagitta blinks a little confused to how coy the older stallion can be, but he maintains his respect as he speaks up, "Y-you have been keeping something like this in your study?"

The tone brings a slight smile to Star Swirl’s face as he finally turns to the gold and gem studded crown behind him, "Something with its power only can bring despair..." As the stallion's old hoof reaches to the crown Sagitta's breathing almost stops, as he racks his brain in anticipation.

However, no mind boggling spell comes up and no magic rings to the room. Instead the gold crown just comes to Star Swirl’s hoof like any other.

As Star Swirl turns back to the stallion, crown in hoof, he stares to the other pony with a smile, "Did you expect something more?"

A light chuckle comes up from Sagitta as he shifts a little, "I-it is just surprising to see that the item that united the three tribes, imprisoned the biggest threat to Equestria and torn the two most powerful sisters apart to be so...Small."

"Bha." Star Swirl shakes his head, "Some of the greatest things come from the smallest things." The stallion taps his other hoof to the top of the purple star on the crown as he speaks up, "This for example is a very special stone, a molded Rainbow-Shard, with Trottingham pure gold..." His hoof slowly lowers to the blue gems that line the gold crown, "And nine pure copy-..."

"...Stones."

The fact that Sagitta completed the word brings a slight smile to Star Swirl’s face as he nods, "Yes and-..."

Sagitta continues before Star Swirl’s sentence can end as he takes a step closer, "Nine pure copy stones? It is now wonder this Element of Harmony is so powerful, Celestia and Luna must have used so much magic to charge them."

Star Swirl’s face gets a little sour as he shakes his head, "Neither charged this item...."

A little laugh comes up from the stallion as he speaks up, "What do you mean? What else could have done everything that these have done."

The stallion's sure words do little to Star Swirl’s face as he set the crown to the table, "The Element of Harmony was created and originally enchanted to do nothing more than spark a joy filled and calming affect on ponies..."

Star Swirl gently moves his journal to the other side of the room with his bright gold magic as he clears his throat, "Take a seat Sagitta."

Sagitta blinks to the comment as he moves his mostly empty bag to the ground as he pulls the chair from the door to where he wants to sit.

To the seated stallion Star Swirl focuses back to the crown in front of him, "As you know the three tribes found this land to escape the hate filled land of old. However, there was no change, the fighting continued and we were teetering on the breaking point."

Sagitta just nods to the old stallion as he focuses in on Star Swirl’s glowing horn.

"...So Celestia had tasked me with plans on a crown that could be worn during the meetings. This way everypony could be calm and solutions to problems could be found." As his words end he shoots a small bolt of magic to the crown.

The sound of his magic is quickly amplified as it rings to the room, however Sagitta's eyes have locked to the bright purple glowing star as Star Swirl’s horn continues to glow brighter and brighter.

Within moments the chime has reached its apex as the star's magic burst forward in a bright and cheerful rainbow.

Sagitta can not help but smile as he looks to the small array of rainbow light that has shot up and towards the ceiling from the purple star.

Star Swirl holds his own smirk to the crown as his ears ring to the star's magic. However, he tilts his head back down as the star is hit with a quick bolt from his horn.

As the rainbow in the room disappears Sagitta's voice comes up, "T-that was incredible."

The older stallion nods to the comment as he looks over the gray pony's expression, "Yes yes, the crown has successfully done what it was made for..." A sigh comes from Star Swirl as he shakes his head, "But...It also has done something more."

Star Swirl wiggles his hoof to the pony as he continues, "Hold your head back for a moment please."

Sagitta blinks to the comment but he takes his head back a little as Star Swirl’s magic rings up. Like before the bright magic of the crown sparks up, however the rainbow of colors does not come up like before as a new green magic starts to bubble up from the star's points.

As the sound and color of the magic comes up from the star Sagitta's smile fades.

Star Swirl’s horn has stopped its spell as the green magic continues to ring up with an almost static like sound to the crown as the green magic continues to ring out.

"What is happening Star Swirl?"

The older pony just holds his head to the crown in front of him as he strokes his beard, "This is what happens when too much magic is pumped into the crown...It becomes unstable and subsequently a weapon."

Around the room the strange static sound of the magic continues to grow as the green color comes around the purple star almost blocking its color.

Star Swirl continues to stroke his beard as he speaks up, "I see no way to fix this problem, unless this Element was somehow bound to more than just one pony...Which can not happen seeing as how it is no longer bound to pony magic."

Sagitta becomes a little uneasy in his seat as he speaks up, "What do you mean? It has to be some form of pony magic?"

The older stallion just gives a slight smirk to the comment as he shakes his head.

Sagitta's eyes now get a little wide to the magic's color as he speaks up, "Star Swirl is this magic from the Hu-men's of the Crystal Empire."

Star Swirl squints to the comment as he turns to the stallion, "Human, yes. But the Crystal Empire...Not at all."

The words quickly turn Sagitta's head back to the crown as he tries to wrap his mind around the strange feelings the crown is bringing to him. None of which are the joyous feelings the rainbow brought up, "Star Swirl this magic is dangerous!"

To the slightly more distressed voice Star Swirl nods as he speaks up, "Precisely why it will be your responsibility to make sure it is never used-..."

"Never used?" Sagitta quickly shakes his head as he speaks up, "Star Swirl we must drain this Element of its magic, that is the only way to fill this properly."

"Never." Star Swirl wiggles his hoof to the stallion as the sound of the crown's magic in front of him forces him to raise his voice a little more to talk over it, "...This magic can not be used that fast, it-it would cause the balance of magic to change drastically! Everything the Element's magic has touched could be altered. Discord, Celestia, Clover, everypony?!"

Sagitta nods his head as he speaks up, "This is why we must bring this to Celestia."

"Bha!" Star Swirl immediately rejects the comment as he speaks up, "She has not listened to my letters, why would she heed my warning now?"

"This is the only way to make sure nothing bad can happen, once it is filled with the proper magic it-..."

"Proper magic?! The first time it was charged a pony lost their life and I will not-..."

"Pony?!" Sagitta stands from his seat as he shakes his head, "Mage Star Swirl I know this magic and it-it..-."

The sound of the crown has gotten so loud that it now bounces to the room with both its sound and bright green light that blocks out even the last light of the sun outside, "Can you stop this infernal thing for a moment!?"

As Sagitta's hoof reaches towards the crown Star Swirl’s eyes widen, "No do not touch-...!."

Just as the older stallion's words ring out Sagitta's hoof touches the crown. A loud thunderous sound similar to a bolt of lighting rings to the room as a pulse of green magic sends any loose book or paper flying about the room.

The wooden legs of the chair are shattered to the pulse of magic as the old stallion falls back to the paper cluttered floor.

His ears ring for a moment but he brings himself from the floor as he turns his attention to the other stallion who was thrown against the wall. Sagitta's back slumps to it and his head hangs towards the ground.

Star Swirl shakes his head trying to stop the ringing as he speaks up, "Sagitta are you okay?"

The name brings Sagitta's head up as he stares to the older stallion, however his crimson eyes now have taken on a few specks of green like the magic he touched. Sagitta's stare to the older stallion shifts to the crown that now lays on its side.

"Sagitta?"

Again the name turns the stallion's head, however this time Sagitta's face holds nothing but a burning determination.

End of chapter 14