The Failed Spell

by silverspawn

Author's Notes

Author's Note:

Welcome!

So... uhm. I'm... not sure how to say this best, but I have a... strange relation to my work. I don't often think about the fact that there might be people who actually read what I write, and whenever I do, it is... ... woah. It's not something I can really comprehend, and I find myself caring to a ridiculous degree about every down- or upvote or comment. This is so despite or perhaps because of the fact that I try to let my writing be dictated entirely by my own vision, and to let what others might think about it have zero impact on the result.

Anyway, I am really, really sorry about the ending. I've been more emotionally invested into this story than I've ever been into anything I've written before, and, particularly near the end, found myself wishing for Twilight to make it, but... there was never a chance, because the ending was actually the first thing I wrote. I'd been reading Lost and Found, and I had this vision of Twilight and Rarity being out there, failing to reach the world, giving up, making out, and dying, and I sat down and wrote the final chapter. Everything afterwards was destined to reach that point.

I also want to address the fast ending... I originally envisioned this going on for quite a while longer, but I realized near the end that I wouldn't be capable of writing for much longer. I think that my writing tends to be the least terrible – or at least I tend to dislike it the least – when it happens in a moment of inspiration wherein I just write a section in one piece (which I will then reread and edit a million times, but usually without changing much about what happens). If it doesn't work that way, then it'll take much longer and the result will always be worse. And... I was running out of those moments. Everything I thought that Twilight and Rarity wanted to say, they had already said.

I think that's it... if you have any questions or remarks, I'll answer everything that's related to the story.

Comments

[Hillbe]

Meh. . .

[fourths]

The ending felt fitting, though the romance felt perhaps a little forced--perhaps the idea at least could have been introduced earlier? Otherwise, though, I have no complaints; the piece was short and achieved what it set out to do. Good on you.

[silverspawn]

6758694

I see what you mean. I think the reason why I didn't foreshadow it in any way was because, in my mind, there is nothing to foreshadow. The ending isn't about love, neither of them actually fell in love with the other, it's just about the idea of 'let's make the best out of the final five minutes we have,' and that doesn't work until they've given up.

I also don't think that something romantic would have happened between them had they made it home.

[fourths]

6758774 Well, that's fair then; it seems odd to me that the story is tagged romance, then, but I suppose it makes sense. Nonetheless, I enjoyed reading the fic (and how convenient of me to read the first half the day before the rest was posted???) There's something refreshing in the utter hopelessness of their situation.

[Cross Lament]

Well, I hoped at least one of them would make it in the end; but at least neither of them were alone.

Darn it, Silverspawn, I knew this was coming and you still got me in the feels.

[Commander Darklight]

-well....fuck i kew i shouldnt have read this not that the writing isnnt excelent but i havve to stay away from sad and tradgety fics involving twilight they depress me something fierce

[Cross Lament]

6758994 Haha, I know how you feel. There are several stories here - good stories - I wish I'd never read.

[Commander Darklight]

6769629 yeah i made the mistake of reading ' the assasination of twilight' depressed for like a week

[AlsoSprachOdin]

Not exactly feels. But yeah, that's pretty much the way of it.
I think the best word is evocative.

[silverspawn]

7136595
Yeah, that chapter... that was pretty much at the peak of my emotional attachment, second only to the ending. I wrote it all in one sitting, of course, but it's been taking shape in my head a while before that. It was partially inspired by this image which I'd been using as cover image for another story that I'll prob never publish.

7136641
Shit. And here I was convinced there wouldn't be any grammar errors left. They're the worst in these kinds of stories, take you immediately out of the experience. Well, me at least, when I'm reading. Thanks.

7136730
*profound sobbing*

Though fwiw I actually really do believe in what I've been writing about there, it wasn't just because I needed a big revelation for Twilight or something. I haven't been able to do this myself, but there are no shortage of people who've benefited greatly from it. I also think it's a message that's popping up at numerous places in various variations, and most people will get in touch with some instance of it at some point or another, but usually won't take it seriously or draw any connection.

For Twilight, it just makes me feel even more sad for her, since she only benefits from it so shortly.

[EverfreePony]

From what I have heard from you, I was expecting a story where every chapter will include an elaborate about pain and suffering, depressing the reader. However, such description doesn't fit the story at all.
Instead, I see it as a piece documenting not only a pony's state of mind and its changes under such circumstances, but also an interesting view on friendship between Twilight, Rarity and the rest of Mane 6. I mustn't forget to mention the deep thoughts about magic and energy trapped on the pages nor the notions about the world and life itself.
It was a great read, thank you for it

[silverspawn]

7957454
Ah. I admit I did not think to do research there. That might be worth changing. Rarity could be as ignorant as I was, but Twilight would probably know better. Well, there's also the thing that it's a different universe, but if something is mundane enough that real animals can have it, it's probably also a thing in Equestria.

7957537
I was a bit worried that it might be too dark for your taste. Glad that wasn't so.

There's actually a lot of worldbuilding that didn't make it into the story. The most basic idea was that the universe cares about feelings, unlike ours. Sentient creatures living in harmony and having lots of positive feelings increases the uh harmony density, which has a direct affect on the environment, hence why Equestria is so beautiful, but the remaining land less so. And the effect goes both ways; a low harmony density affects creatures, particularly ponies, and especially when their bodies and psyche are used to an environment with a super high density (and I always think of Ponyville as the most harmonious town in Equestria). So there's some of the weirder stuff explained, like Twilight suddenly not feeling the cold anymore. And it's how Equestria and the remaining land can organically (though gradually) grow as population increases.

Twilight and Rarity would in theory also affect the landscape, but unfortunately two ponies aren't enough to make a significant change, even if they were thoroughly happy. Lastly, I imagined a tiny part of the effects of each positive feeling to reach a much wider area, into the ring of land where the story takes place, between population and the rest of the infinite plane, where there's truly just earth and nothing else. The ring area has developed some kind of bizarre eco system that functions on the tiny amounts of harmony-energy-stuff that it gets from the populated world.

Heh, I never wrote this down before!

I do agree that it's overall more about exploring Twilight's psychology than just her suffering, though the latter is what stuck in my mind the most.

[EverfreePony]

7958720 It's common in invertebrates and their hemolymph, but I don't think many people know it. Twilight is more centered around magic, but it's still possible she has read something about it. If you want to know more about it, look up hemocyanin and chlorocruorin

As long as a whole story isn't about ponies slicing and grinding each other and nothing else, I can bear it.

That's an interesting bit of theory, thank you for sharing it! Now all the remaining details fall in place. Really great mechanism

[Exemter]

My favorite thing about this was the world building. This concept you have set up is interesting, and I can appreciate just how hard it can be to create something that intricate. The way you get it to tie in with the effects of Twilight and Rarity's plight is something I found pretty clever and really enjoy, and your expounding here 7958720 really helped.

One of my only complaints is that it feels like it could have used a bit of proofreading. Take that with a grain of salt though, because I still have trouble sometimes figuring out where a comma needs to be.

This was a good read, thanks for putting it up.

[silverspawn]

8676803
Thanks, that’s nice to hear.

One of my only complaints is that it feels like it could have used a bit of proofreading. Take that with a grain of salt though, because I still have trouble sometimes figuring out where a comma needs to be.

Yeah, that’s probably true. I spent a lot of time editing it myself, but there are probably some mistakes left.