Katzengold

Chapter 11 – Fool’s Gold

“Class, I know I said that I would return your essays today, however, there has been a slight change.” Spell Pact stood behind a podium facing a room full of Unicorns. His class at the University was rarely packed, but never too empty. He was popular among certain students for his fairness and willingness to help a struggling student, but was just as hated by others for his absolutely unyielding nature towards cheating, bribing, and failure. None of his students could argue that he was brilliant and his lessons certainly more lively than some of the other crusty old instructors’.

“Due to the events of last week, all your essays were, unfortunately, devoured by my chair.” While some students shared a confused look, most understood that their teacher was referring to the Discord Incident, that had thankfully lasted only a day. “Because they were all destroyed before I could finish grading them, I have no choice but to give you all A’s for the assignment.”

At this several students cheered, but they were silenced by a venomous glare from Spell Pact.

“Do not expect this to happen again. We’ll end class here for today, so turn in your homework as usual.”

Once the students had deposited their homework and filed out, Spell Pact bundled them together before leaving himself. He had an appointment he was eager to keep.

A few days ago, he’d been delivered a letter, asking him to come to the Royal Castle and study the Chaos Magic left behind by Discord. He was practically giddy with excitement, though his expressions were kept very neutral, and he made the short walk from the University to the Palace. It was not long before he stood in front of the gates, and flashed the letter to the guards.

“Enter,” one of them said, gruffly, while the other, a recruit from the looks of it, shot him nervous glances.

“Boo,” Spell whispered as he passed, the poor guard nearly jumping out of his skin as he gave a very feminine squeal of fear. The older guard smacked his junior upside the helmet, while scowling at a retreating Spell Pact.

Laughing, he made his way to the castle gardens. There, he was greeted by an unusual sight. Princess Celestia stood near a statue of the mismatched abomination from earlier in the week, while a team of labcoat wearing scientists carrying magical apparatus combed the area. Further away, a team of Royal Guards stood at attention, led by, of course, Shining Armor.

“I know for a fact there are other Captains and officers in the Guard, yet why is it I always see you?” Spell Pact complained as he approached, Shining Armor giving him a glare.

“I know for a fact there are other Magic Researchers in Canterlot, yet why is it always you?” The Captain snarked, earning a few muffled laughs from his soldiers.

“Careful with that sharp wit, boy, we don’t want you putting someone’s eye out with it, like you did when you were furiously making out with Princess Cadence last year,” Spell Pact retorted, Shining’s face flushing red as “oooo’s” and a “sick burn, bro!” came from the science team.

The poor captain properly humiliated by reminding him of when he was caught swapping spit with the Princess of Love and later almost gouging her eye out when they were found out by Princess Celestia herself, Spell Pact made his way to the Solar Regent herself.

“Greetings, Princess. I am here, as requested.”

“Thank you, Doctor, for coming on such short notice. The team here has already compiled some data, so please ask Professor Quick Wit for any help you need.”

“Quick Wit?” Spell Pact looked around, and spotted an aging Unicorn walking over. Yellow coat with a dark orange mane and tail, Quick Wit had been one of Spell Graft’s research assistants many years ago, and as close to a friend as the disguised human could have had.

“Is that you, Spell Pact? A pleasure to meet you. I knew your grandfather well.”

“Yes, he often told me about you. Said you were his best lab partner,” Spell Pact said, twisting the facts as he did.

“He was a genius, alright. Shame he had to die so young,” Quick Wit said, sighing sadly.

“He was over ninety. It was his time,” Spell Pact explained, while the elderly professor just nodded.

“When someone as smart as him passes on, it’s always too early. Still, you’ve carried on his work, so that’s something that hasn’t died.” A moment of respectful silence later, the scientists were ready for more work.

“So, what do you have so far?”

“Well, we’ve determined that Discord escaped his prison due to a pair of factors. One, the Elements of Harmony finding new owners, which severed their connection to the previous wielders, allowing him to weaken his containment. Secondly, he used localized strife and chaos to fuel his escape, breaking free thanks to three bickering fillies on a field trip.”

Spell Pact just stared at Quick Wit for a moment.

“You expect me to believe that three fillies broke out the most powerful entity this side of the world by arguing?”

“It’s what happened,” A nearby researcher said, but Spell Pact just groaned.

“If he feeds on chaos and disharmony, then surely that disaster of a Gala was more of a boost to his energy than not. Plus, this is Canterlot! Half the nobility are imbeciles whose arrogance, trickery and underhanded dealings would have likely contributed to the escape just as much. Three fillies may have pushed it over the edge, but there is no way it was their fault alone.”

By the sheepish looks of both the Guards and the scientists, it was clear none of them had thought about that. Face palming at their sheer stupidity, Spell Pact resolved to get out of this situation with his brain still intact, if not his already fragile sanity.

“We can deal with massive oversight and incompetence later, I suppose. For now, I wish to analyze the Chaos Magic myself.” Not waiting for an answer, he grabbed one of the Divining Rods, also one of his grandfather’s inventions, and began to run it around the area, watching as the inverted disc on the bottom blinked and lit up at intervals. Designed like a metal detector or one of those American mine sweepers, a disc would pick up stray traces of magic, then show what colors showed up on a second mirror near the handle.

As Spell Pact swept the device around, checking the magical residue, he was also discreetly gathering it up. A small scrap of magic was absorbed by the Divining Rod’s enchanted mirror every time he passed it over a clump of Chaotic magic. If anyone noticed the depletion of magical energy, they’d assume it was dissipating naturally, which meant he could detach the mirror of the Divining Rod at his leisure and use the residue for his own experiments.

As he plotted, the device began to detect a massive collection of Chaos magic nearby. Confused, Spell Pact followed the energy trail, before stopping right in front of the statue of Discord. Rubbing his chin, he reached out with the Divining Rod and tapped it against the stone.

“The Living do not fear the Dead!”

Pain, pain, pain…

“Blood and guts, from filthy sluts, serve me now, while they call me nuts!”

The ringing of an infernal Bell, while the sounds of cracking bones and ripping flesh echoed around.

“Tambelon shall fall, you cannot stop me!”

A black Goat with Seven Eyes stares out from the Abyss…

“Doctor Spell Pact! Can you hear me?!”

A voice was shouting at him, one that he knew. Who was it again? The darkness fled, and his eyes fluttered open. A very concerned Celestia stood over him, while Professor Quick Wit checked his vitals.

“I touched the statue…” Spell Pact whispered, and Celestia nodded.

“You did. The Divining Rod almost overloaded, and the backlash knocked you out. There doesn’t appear to be any damage from the Chaos Magic, though, for which we are extremely lucky.”

“I saw, heard things…” Spell groaned, and the Princess’ eyes widened.

“What did you experience?”

“…Tambelon shall fall…” He muttered, eyes distant and glazed, before he passed out. Celestia gasped, earning a confused glance from Quick Wit.

“His vitals are fine, Princess. I think he’s suffering Mana Burn from absorbing and expelling all that Chaos magic, hence why he passed out.” Celestia let out a relieved sigh, while Quick Wit packed up his supplies.

“Why the hay did that happen, anyways?” Captain Shining Armor inquired, walking over. He and the Guards had taken up a defensive position when the lights burst from the statue, but it seemed intact, and nopony expect the doctor had been affected.

“I believe the reason was the Divining Rod was trying to analyze too much. Discord’s Chaos magic is trapped beneath a powerful layer of Harmony energy, whatever it might be, and the two don’t seem to mix well. The Divining Rod may have picked up some of the residue, and contact with the Harmony forged prison may have caused the explosive reaction.” As the professor spoke, a team of Guards trotted over and lifted the unconscious Spell Pact onto a portable stretcher, hurrying him off to the castle’s infirmary.

“…That explains some it. But why would he have visions, and what do they mean?” Celestia mused.

“What did he mean by ‘Tambelon shall fall?’ I don’t think I’ve heard of a place like that,” Shining Armor asked.

“Children these days…” Quick Wit sighed. “Tambelon was the name of a kingdom in Equestria Minor. It was a powerful nation, and one of the first multi-species countries. However, one thousand five hundred years ago the Court Wizard of Tambelon was a powerful Goat named Grogar. Long story short, Grogar betrayed the royal family and destroyed the kingdom, raising an army of the dead to wage war on the rest of the world. Three heroes, one from each of the Equestria Minor City-States of Stalliongrad, Prance, and Germaneigh, eventually banded together a rag-tag army and vanquish the dread Necromancer. He’s the reason Necromancy is banned and labeled under ‘Dark Magic.’ Nowadays, what’s left of Tambelon is a cursed place, much like the Everfree Forest.”

“Indeed, it is a dark tale, and one I am glad is resolved. Still, it worries me that Spell Pact saw such visions.”

“I’m sure it’s nothing to worry about, Princess,” Shining Armor tried to reassure, but the Solar Diarch shook her head.

“I have no doubt that the doctor saw visions, Captain. But were they of the past, or the future?” An uneasy chill settled onto her shoulders, as Celestia silently prayed for nothing to go wrong.

Author's Note:

Alright, I'm finally back! It's been a while, hasn't it, but now that most of the problems are dealt with, I can get back to writing with a semi-regular updating period. Hopefully. Don't quote me on that.

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