XXIX
Twilight sat on the bench at the Ponyville train station, and she was not happy. The alicorn was looking away from the barbarian who was gazing into the distance and she was intensifying her facial scrunching. She had found out via Spike Mail that Baen was to go to Canterlot that day on a special invitation from the princess, and she hadn’t even been told or invited. Baen was surprised as she was, though the Princess of Friendship was less than amused.
“Twilight,” he said, “If you continue to do that you’ll be covered in wrinkles.”
Twilight huffed in mild annoyance, “I just don’t see why I can’t come with you. I mean for Celestia’s sake, I found and thawed you out.”
“And she probably realizes that,” Baen stated, “But Celestia most likely has her reasons.”
“Oh now you two are on name terms now?” Twilight crossed her forelegs and looked away.
Baen leaned over with a playful look on his face, “Jealous?”
Twilight meeped as her wings flapped irritably, “AM NOT!”
“Really? That’s a shame,” Baen smirked as he glanced sideways at her, “Celestia swore not to tell you, but me and her are doing this little thing of ours over wine.”
Twilight’s eye twitched, “What…what thing?”
Baen’s train arrived as he bid her a fond farewell, “See you later Twilight, don’t wait up.”
Twilight stood on the spot as Baen boarded the train with a playful wink and a matching smile, “BAEN! YOU GET BACK HERE AND TELL ME WHAT THING?!?!”
Baen was howling with laughter when he sat down. The train chugged away leaving a fuming Twilight Sparkle to glare at the caboose of the departing train. As Baen sat in silence his mind wandered back to the one thing that had been plaguing him for quite some time. He remembered his final moments against Tirek, and that ominous warning he had been given. This was a little much for him to process; it wasn’t possible…or was it?
Baen shook his head, “Times like this I wish I had some guidance.”
It then hit Baen, “Of course!”
Baen shut his eyes and drifted off into a trance, and then soon, slumber took him.
*
Baen gazed around the white train car like room. The door to his booth remained shut but he sat still, waiting. Soon the door slid open and a familiar mare entered, only this time, her armor was absent. The absence of her armor showed just how much of a mare she really was. Her curves were unobstructed, they were firm and yet they radiated an aura of untameable beauty. Baen stood and approached Lucretcia whom mirrored him. She nuzzled his neck lovingly as he returned it. Their nuzzling transitioned into a warm and loving kiss before they parted. Seating themselves, Baen eyes her up as she laid lengthwise along the bench.
“As sultry as ever I see,” Baen softly said.
“I never stopped,” Lucretcia countered but her expression became one of concern, “What troubles you old friend?”
Baen sighed, “I…I fear I now know what the threat is. Is it true? Will the Four Harbingers return?
Lucretcia bit her lip for a moment then sighed, “Yes.”
Baen became as white as a ghost, “It’s not possible. I defeated-“
“You did not,” Lucretcia cut in, “all you merely did was stall the inevitable.”
Baen shook his head, “No. I refuse to believe that! If they are to surface, the world as it is now. They will not be able to challenge them.”
Lucretcia was at his side and placing a calming hoof on the back of his neck, “Maybe they can, but the ponies of this age must know of what they will soon face. Baen, you cannot fight this battle alone,” she turned his head to hers and placed her forehead against his and shut her eyes, “I do not want your spirit to pass on before your time,” tears trickled from her eyes, “I don’t want the loss I felt to be felt by another.”
Baen raised her head to look him in the eyes, “Your sorrow will not reach any other. I promise I’ll finish what I started; I shall spare this land of the horrors of our age. This I vow.”
Lucretcia placed a hoof to his face, “I longed to feel you again you know,” she smiled sadly, “But I can only do so as a shade. It’s like a cruel joke.”
Baen touched her face, “I know. I regret never seeing you one last time after we parted ways every day. Even if you are a shade,” Lucretcia’s lip trembled, “You are still my Princess.”
Lucretcia embraced him in a hug, “You brutish idiot.”
Baen smiled, “I know.”
For hours they merely held each other, whispering in a dialect none could understand. But each word held both comfort and sorrow of time lost.
Lucretcia gave a small smile, “Your touch isn’t all I miss you know.”
Baen chuckled, “Priorities m’lady. You recall I am currently seeing another.”
Lucretcia nodded, “She is lucky to have you.”
Baen stared into her falcon like eyes, “I must ask, in your time in the hereafter, have you by chance crossed paths with...”
Lucretcia moved his mane from his face, “Peace my love. Do not dwell, just know that we ALL watch over you every day.”
Baen nodded, “I suppose that gives me some peace of mind.”
“Oh, that reminds me,” Lucretcia smacked him.
Baen rubbed his face, “Ow!”
Lucretcia glared slightly at him, “That’s for knocking up that Inn mare and leaving her.”
Baen blinked in confusion, “How did you…”
Lucretcia smirked, “There’s not much I don’t know Baen. When I passed into the hereafter, I looked back on you up to the point you were petrified.”
Baen muttered, “In my defence I was lonely and she…”
“She what,” Lucretcia gave him the look of, ‘say the wrong thing and I gut you.’
Baen sighed, “Nothing.”
“Well I suppose all is forgiven,” Lucretcia rubbed his sore spot on his cheek, “You did after all allow the one known as Cheerilee as well as her family line to be born into the world.”
Baen chuckled, “Yeah…I suppose.”
Lucretcia glanced up, “Hm…seems our time is up. You’ll be arriving soon.”
Lucretcia turned and sauntered off but stopped, “One more thing Baen, you felt how my blow carried substance?”
Baen nodded slowly, “Yes?”
“Well,” she wiggled her hips and swished her tail, “That’s not all that holds.”
“Princess, how unlady like of you,” Baen mock chided.
Lucretcia laughed, “Indeed, just know I’ll be here if you ever wish to talk or…” she winked at him with a playful gleam in her eye.
Baen chuckled as he nuzzled her one final time, “How vulgar, and you call me the brute.”
“Oh hush,” Lucretcia countered softly, “I’ve been without you for so long.”
Both ponies gazed at each other as Lucretcia ventured out the door.
*
Baen awoke and stared around his cabin as the conductor opened his door to tell him that they had arrived. Thanking the pony, the barbarian disembarked and gazed around the city of Canterlot. He had only seen the city at night, but to behold it during the daytime reminded him so much of the castles and towns that he and his band had once ventured through. He inhaled then exhaled before heading into the city. Many Nobles either turned their noses up at him or stared after him in intrigue. Many ponies did do one thing in common; they gave him a wide berth due to his axe. Soon, after much walking and taking in the city as a whole, he arrived at the city gates. Many guards stared at him, most with stoic expressions. Others stared with looks of skepticism of Baen being either friend or foe. Shaking his head, Baen went to move forward, only for a pair of wings to cross in front of him with a metallic shwing.
One Guard glared at him, “Who goes there?”
“I am Baen, I have been invited on special matters by her highness Princess Celestia,” Baen droned out.
The Guard eyed him up, “Be that as it may, I am afraid I can’t allow you to enter with that weapon.”
Baen smiled in a non-chalant fashion and leaned forward, “You’re more than welcome to try and take it from me.”
The Guard narrowed his eyes and snorted only for him to freeze up when a voice rang out, “Ah Sir Baen, tis good to see you.”
Baen smiled as Luna walked past the day guard, “Likewise Luna.”
The Guard snorted, “You will address-“
Luna raised a hoof, “There is no harm. We are all friends here correct?”
“Yes,” Baen eyed the guard.
Luna ushered him through the gate, “Come, come, my sister is expecting you.”
Baen smiled then blew a raspberry at the guard when Luna wasn’t looking.
Upon entering the grand hall, Luna escorted him past it and into one of the castles many corridors.
“Nostalgia Sir Baen?”
Baen chuckled as he gazed around, “I haven’t been around Castles since my nap, so one such as myself tends to be in awe.”
Luna nodded, “Tell me Baen, what was your home like? The Equestria before now?”
Baen stared into space, “Well firstly, it was not called Equestria.”
“It wasn’t?”
Baen glanced to the side and saw Celestia had fell in step munching on a biscuit, “Celestia.”
“Baen.”
Baen went back to his place, “Nope. This land, before it’s renaming, was once The Kingdom of Elysium. From its sunny shores to its frozen north, it was a prosperous land. All the races mingled amongst one and other. Each land did have its own sovereign that oversaw it, that hasn’t changed.”
Soon the trio arrived in a private library as Celestia and Luna curled up on dark blue and red pillows respectively. Celestia manifested a scroll in front of her as Baen continued to speak.
“Though the land was prosperous, it wasn’t without its dangers,” Baen’s looked became clouded, “Sorcerers & Sorceress, Witches, Bandits and their kings, thieves, and monsters.”
Celestia’s quill stopped, “Did you say monsters?”
“Yes, creatures of that were so ancient that they had not seen a living being in millennia. Abominations that only a pony could perceive in their blackest of nightmares, and horrors from the void that many fear never to speak the names of,” Baen leaned forward, “I have seen and slain them all. You think you ponies of Equestria know fear,” Baen’s voice became hushed; “I have seen things that could drive a pony to madness and reduce the bravest to whimpering piles. I’ve fought things that could turn your mane white…”
Luna waved a hoof in front of Baen as he snapped out of it, “Sorry, when I get going I tend to go off the handle.”
Celestia smiled sweetly, “It’s no trouble. We all ramble from time to time.”
Luna nodded.
Baen sat down, “Well on the subjects of creatures, there were always the Guilds that took care of them from time to time.”
Luna tilted her head, “Guilds?”
“Yes, they were formed when a group of ponies sought the same objective. Be it treasure hunting, monster slaying, thieving…and other questionable things."
Celestia raised an eyebrow, “Were you ever in a guild?
Baen tapped his chin, “Once.”
“Oh,” Luna lay on her stomach while resting her chin on her two forehooves, “do tell.”
Baen scratched the back of his head, “It was before I started off on my own, it was a simple monster hunting guild that was just looking for some extra muscle. I lent my hoof to them and eventually left. No big deal.”
Celestia nodded as she brought out more parchment, “I see, I’m curious, who were your companions that you held in such high regard?”
Baen stopped, “Well if you must know….”
Celestia looked at him with an understanding look, “You don’t have to say if you don’t want to.”
Baen smiled in thanks, “What else do you want to know?”
“Old Magic,” Celestia stated simply, “What exactly is it?”
Baen leaned back, “Ah, I knew that would come up sooner or later.”
Luna was hanging on his every word, “Tell us!”
Baen thought for a moment, “Well I’ve seen the way magic is now. The best way I can describe it. Old Magic….it’s a much more primal, mysterious, and powerful force one could harness in my time. The Old Magic could do things you present day ponies could only dream of,” his eyes got the same spark they always had as he recalled the old days, “Old Magic wasn’t just limited to Unicorns like today, it could be used by all. All one had to do was receive the proper training in a field he or she wished and it could be done. That being said, it wasn’t for everypony.”
Celestia was also hanging on his every word.
“To be frank, the only limit was ones potential and natural ability. Some ponies could be strong enough to move mountains with a thought, while others could only specialize in the healing of the sick and injured.”
Celestia felt like a young student learning from a professor as she giddily wrote on her scroll, “Fascinating!”
Baen smiled, “There were many fields Old Magic. But they were all in sections that were defined quite clearly ranging from the White Arts,” his voice became distant, “to the Black Arts.”
Luna was more intrigued, “These Black Arts you speak of…what did they entail?”
Baen narrowed his eyes, “The manipulation and most of the times, destruction of the natural world and all within it. The spells were vile, deceptive and even at times, pure evil.”
The princesses leaned forward as Baen continued, “Some spells were so strange that they could alter the world itself just on the sheer whim of the user. Some were even so powerful that the user could defy life and death itself and bend it to their will.”
Celestia lowered the scroll and gazed at him, “Have you fought many users of the Black Arts?”
“Many times, the most prominent I remember were a Necromancer, a Demon Summoner, a…Sorceress, and a Mage King.”
Celestia and Luna both questioned in unison, “Mage King?”
Baen nodded, “A powerful Black Arts user that has achieved a great level of skill and power through ability and strength alone.”
Luna amazed, “To think such magic existed. But…”
“Where is it now,” finished Celestia
Baen tapped his chin deep in thought, “My guess, as time went on, the Old Magic and it’s arts were slowly forgotten and,” his eyes lingered on the princesses Cutie Marks, “changed with the times.”
Celestia pointed her quill at Baen, “But here you are, living proof that Old Magic still exists. If you can still use your skills from your time, Old Magic still lives in this world and strongly within you. Which would also explain your lack of….,” she stopped herself when Baen’s ears drooped, “Oh. I’m so sorry.”
Baen waved a hoof, “Its fine.”
Luna clapped her front hooves together, “Well that was quite educational, Sir Baen, would you care to join us for dinner?”
Baen tilted his head, “The royal us or the two of you.”
Celestia giggled as Luna blushed, “I mean the three of us eating dinner together.”
Baen smiled, “Who am I to deny a dinner invitation.”
All three ponies stood and headed toward the royal dining hall.
*
Within the vast blackness that was the Void…something stirred. It was growing restless. Its injuries were almost fully recovered and only one thought rang in its head.
“Revenge….”
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Well... time to leave. I wonder what the griffon kingdom is like this time of year.
4621477 Really, Twi? Never be perverted? Why not ask Baen about that little box of things under the table in your basement?