Ch3 The Fate of Darkness

Book 6/Chapter 3
The Fate of Darkness
Year 04, Month 01, Day 08

Zeil sat quietly as he stared into the campfire in worry. With his mind centered on his situation, Zeil looked to the sleeping mage as the dark enchanter slept peacefully in the one pony tent. Confused as to how the mage could sleep so soundly, Zeil looked back to the empty cauldron as he remembered the conversation before the mage went to sleep. With his surrounding silent, Zeil could hear the words echo through his mind when he replied to his being chosen, “You want to train me to become the mage of Zebrica?”
The mage replied, “No… I can only choose you, the one to train you must be an enchanter of light. That is who you must seek out to become the mage.”
“Seek him out? Who? And where?”
“Zebrica.”
Zeil was confused, “Zebrica?”
The mage nodded, “Yes, once you get to Zebrica you mu-“
“No...”

The mage gave him a curious look, “Oh? And why not?”
Zeil replied, “If I continue west, I’ll eventually hit the coast in a few months. From there I only need to cross the sea to reach Equestria. If I wanted to go to Zebrica I’d need to go south from the coast, which is out of my way. I’m sorry, but I can’t go to Zebrica.”
The mage nodded, “I see… but I’m sure you will change your mind soon.”
Zeil was curious, “What makes you so sure?”
The mage replied, “Let’s just say, things will become clearer as the truth is revealed. For now… I’m tired and these old bones need rest.”
The mage trotted to his tent as he spoke, “Feel free to try reading that book if you want. You couldn’t understand it anyways.”

Curious Zeil looked at the book as he realized the cover didn’t have any legible letters on it, instead it has a strange row of lines, dashes, circles, dots, and shapes that didn’t resemble any form of literature in any language. As Zeil picked up the book he asked, “What is this written in?”
The mage replied as he laid down, “It’s no language… it is actually a spell. Only a mage can read it, and even if you tried deciphering the text into a legible language the symbols would change place to make it impossible to read. That’s the power of the Tome of the Mage. Just… be careful with it… once I’m gone… it will need to remain in your care.”
With that the mage laid down and fell asleep.

After remembering everything that happened earlier, Zeil decided to pick up the book a second time as he examined the cover closely. The book was leather-bound, and it was obvious that the leather wasn’t artificial, meaning that he was holding the flesh of another in his hooves. And if that didn’t make it eerie as is, as Zeil held the book, he could see something odd happening to the symbols on the cover. Slowly, the symbols seemed to move about the face of the book’s cover until they finally merged to create legible letters that spelled, “Tome of the Mage.”
As Zeil saw this, he became curious as he opened the book and started looking through the pages, however, every page he flipped through held a mix and match of symbols and lines that looked like the cover before its translation. As Zeil looked closely at each page, he hoped the symbols would merge to create text, however this didn’t happen as he found each and every page of the forbidden spell book to be unreadable. With this, Zeil closed the book as he laid it down on the ground and mumbled, “So it’s true, this book can’t be read… I wonder what spells this book must hold for it to keep others from reading its pages.”

As Zeil looked at the book, he heard a strange noise come from a nearby bush as he immediately looked up at the bush and braced himself. Though whatever it was didn’t make itself known, Zeil could sense the aura of the beast as he slowly backed towards the mage and spoke calmly, “Um… Mage?...”
The mage didn’t react as if he had just woken up, instead he sat up as if he were awake the entire time as he spoke, “Good… its time then.”
Zeil gave him a confused look, “Time?... time for what?”
The mage didn’t reply, instead he only sat up as he put on his saddlebag and cloak before calling out, “Come out beasts!!! I know your there and I know why you’re here!”
With that, as if they were following his order, a large number of the brainless feral griffin slowly emerged from their hiding places as Zeil realized that he wasn’t just sensing one, he was sensing almost a dozen as they approached the camp, leaving nowhere to run.

As Zeil saw the large number of griffin, he felt confused, their aura was still an earth pony, and their emotions still seemed to be the unbridled pain and misery as they always had, but their physical expression wasn’t one of anger like before. In fact their expressions seemed plain, as if they had no real interest in their visible prey what so ever. It was like the expression of a cow seeing something happening near it, but had no interest in what it was doing, or why. As Zeil looked at the strange expression on the creature’s faces, he spoke, “Mage… something is different… I don’t know what… but they aren’t acting like the others we saw before.”
The mage nodded as he replied, “Your right… they aren’t hunting for prey… They are hunting for us.”
Zeil was confused, “What?”
The mage explained, “The one pulling the strings can see and hear everything that his creations see. And it looks like he got my message.”

Zeil was confused, but remembered the last time they saw one of these creatures as he spoke, “You mean… that threat you gave that one?”
The mage shook his head, “Not a threat… and invitation. Looks like he got it.”
As the two stared at the creatures that surrounded them, the mindless griffin slowly made an opening in their formation as the mage saw this and continued, “And it looks like they want us to follow them.”
Zeil asked, “Should we?”
The mage approached the book as he put it into his saddlebag and replied, “It’d be rude not to… besides… we need to deal with this quickly.”

With no hesitation in his step, the mage put the hood of his worn cloak over his head as he looked at the creature closest to them and spoke, “If you want to speak with me… Then lead on, Just know that the changeling here is with me, so where I go… he follows. Got it?”
Though the creature he looked at showed no expression that confirmed his understanding, it still turned to the open path and began leading the way, as the mage nodded, “I’ll take that as an okay.”
As the mage started to follow, Zeil felt that if he wanted to survive he would have to follow so he too put the hood on his cloak up and mumbled, “Well… here goes nothing…”

The two enchanters followed as the griffin led them away from the camp until they reached the torched lit road and began trotting towards the village. As they continued, Zeil looked to the sky to try and guess the time of day, but with the thick canopies above, it was impossible to see the sky as the mage spoke, “Its around midnight…”
Zeil looked at the mage as he replied, “Really? How do you know?”
The mage replied, “Trust me… I could never forget a sunrise like that.”
Zeil replied in confusion, “Sunrise?”
The mage replied without looking at him, “Only after one sees true darkness, will he come to appreciate the light, even if… it lay outside his reach.”
Zeil gave the mage a confused look but before he could reply, the mage pointed forward, “Look there.”
As the two looked up the torch lit road, they could see it enter the Pergola Village. And lining the sides of the streets as if they were a crowd awaiting a parade were the residences of the village, each with charred colored coats and lifeless ruby eyes.

Shocked at what he saw, Zeil spoke, “The residents… are they?”
The mage nodded, “Yea… he turned them all into these creatures. Now… this village is no more than a ghost town, of mindless ghouls.”
As the two continued through the village Zeil looked up the row of beasts as he not only noticed griffin cubs amongst them, but he even saw one with an axe embedded in his head as he remembered the incident at the tavern. Remembering that night, Zeil looked at the mage, “Did… did you know this was going to happen? The whole time?”
Zeil looked at the mage as he continued without while looking forward, “Yes…”
Zeil asked, “And you didn’t stop it?”
The mage shook his head, “No… didn’t even try.”
Zeil gave the mage an angry look, “You let this happen without even trying to stop it? Why?”
The mage replied with a serious but somewhat disappointed tone, “Because I can’t change anything… even if I wanted to.”
Zeil replied with a confused but angry tone, “What? Why?”

The mage didn’t reply, instead he stopped trotting as he glared down the road at their destination ahead. Curious, Zeil looked forward to see the rows of feral griffin trailing off the main road, to a simple chapel that sat between two tall canopied trees. Like most sanctuaries, the building was tall and rectangular with a roof shaped like a triangle and a small bell tower on the front over the main doors. As Zeil climbed the small staircase leading to the double doors of the chapel, the mage spoke, “Zeil… Take note of everything that happened from now until my death.”
Zeil looked at the mage, “What?”
The mage replied with a serious but dark tone, “Every little detail of the next few minutes, no matter how trivial it may seem… Remember it, carve it into your mind so that you will never forget… No matter how terrifying it may become… Never forget… what I’ll do to him.”

As the mage said these words, Zeil started to feel the darkness of the mage’s aura resurface as the very presence told him that even if he tried, what he was about to see would stick with him for life. Knowing this Zeil decided to press on as the leading feral griffin approached the double doors of the chapel, opened the doors and held them open till both Zeil and the mage entered the building. As the two enchanters entered the structure, Zeil did what he was told as he observed the room closely. Like all chapels this too had a long room with pews lining a walkway that lead strait to an alter at the far end of the room. Lighting the room was a series of candelabras that sat beside every other pew that lined the aisle making the room full of undead griffin sitting in each pew visible through the darkness of the forest and night. Although the room was full of the feral griffin beasts, this didn’t catch Zeil’s full attention as he looked straight down the aisle to the large statue of an unidentifiable alicorn and the earth pony standing before it looking at the stone image.

As Zeil looked at the earth pony who was facing away from the two enchanters, he and the mage continued down the aisle across the marble floor before stopping a few pews away from the alter as the mage gave the lone pony an angry look. The pony seemed harmless, with his coal colored coat, grey mane and peaceful expression, but as Zeil felt his aura he was confused. The earth pony seemed to be at peace as he sat praying to the statue with his eyes closed, but his aura was extremely faint, as if Zeil were looking at an image through fog. Confused, Zeil continued to watch as the earth pony spoke as he opened his solid black eyes and looked upon the statue, “The Queen of Eden… The benevolent deity who is responsible for creating all pony and griffin life in this world. But now… I have surpassed the likes of her.” He smiled, “Now… I am god!”
With a careless action, the earth pony waved his hoof upwards as a water made blade flew upward slicing the statue in half as the power of his attack caused the statue to crumble, leaving only the marble pedestal standing as the earth pony turned to his guest and held up his damp hoof, “Impressed? All I had to do was see your water magic spell once when you decapitated one of my creations, and now, I made it my own.”

As the earth pony looked upon the two enchanters, Zeil could only feel sickened by his pitch black eyes that held no such color in them, no white, no irises, and no pupils. As the earth pony looked at the two he focused on the mage as he smiled, “I have been waiting to meet you. By chance, are you the Mage of Zebrica?”
The mage nodded and replied with a casual tone, “I am.”
The earth pony continued as he bowed, “Then it is an honor to meet you in person. My name in Xemnes I’ve read so much about you, and had I known that there was a living mage at this time, I most likely would have sought you out. But to have you seek me instead, I’m flattered.”
The mage replied, “We will see.”
Sensing the mood of the room, the earth pony smiled as he gestured to one of the many mindless griffin sitting in the pews, “So… what do you think? Do you like my work? I’ve studied for so long but I think I’ve finally mastered this craft and as a messenger for all darkness, I would like to hear what you think of my skills.”

The mage replied while holding his careless expression, “You want to know what I think?”
Xemnes nodded, “Oh yes very much. After all… I did this to prove a point.”
The mage replied with a less then curious tone, “Really? And what point is that?”
The earth pony smiled as he sat down and looked at his hoof, “I didn’t ask to be an earth pony… in fact I wanted to be a unicorn… an enchanter like them… but… they made fun of me. Said I was delusional and was wasting my time. Then, I heard an interesting story. I heard that an earth pony from a faraway kingdom somehow gained the ability to fly like a pegasus. So I wondered, if an earth pony could do something as crazy as fly, then why can’t he cast spells? So I studied, and did research, and found out that there was a way to use magic without an, oh so precious unicorn horn. The zebra had been doing it for centuries so I decided to study it, herbalism, hermeticism, alchemy, and more recently… necromancy. And now look at what I can do? I took one of the most forbidden spells with the most annoying penalty and made it one hundred percent safe. Now, we can bring back the dead all we want and not have to worry about our lives. By trapping them within the void between life and death, they have become immortal so now, we don’t have to worry for their safety. We can bring back all who die, and with that, remove the fear of death all together. So… what do you think?”

The mage gave him an unamused look before looking at one of the mindless griffin sitting in the pews. After a brief hesitation the mage looked back to Xemnes as he replied, “I won’t talk in the presence of these… things.”
Xemnes smiled, “Do not worry of their judgment. In their presence, your words will fall upon deaf ears. They know nothing of what they hear unless it is an order from their master.”
The mage replied with a serious tone, “Deaf or not… they are not worthy of hearing what I have to say.”
Xemnes gave the mage a confused look, but after a short period of silence he smiled and nodded as if he understood, “Ah I see, peons shouldn’t need to know of his masters opinions of them. I understand completely, so I will take this time to demonstrate their obedience.” He looked over the room and called, “Leave us!”
Although they showed no expression that said they understood, the mindless feral griffin still stood from the pews as they filed out of the chapel and made their way out of the building. As they left the room, one griffin that was walking by Zeil accidently bumped one of the candelabras as the tall source of light fell to the ground leaving the candles on the ground. Ignoring the knocked over furniture, the griffin continued to file out of the room until the last one left closing the two double doors behind him.

Once the door was shut, the mage turned his attention back to Xemnes as the earth pony spoke, “Incredible aren’t they… obedient to a fault. Now we can discuss this properly, unless you wish to dismiss your friend as well.”
The mage shook his head, “No, Zeil here is my assistant so what I have to say should pertain to him as well.”
Xemnes nodded, “Very well, now as you were saying, regarding my creations?”
The mage nodded, as he chuckled, “What do you want me to say? You altered a spell for your own amusement, so tell me… what do you think my opinion would be?”
Xemnes smiled, “Why, I would think you’d be impressed to my ingenuity. To remove the limitations of a curse so foul, it’s something that only a true mage could accomplish… not that… I am a mage per say, but I do fit the qualities do I not? So… well… I’ll just ask right out. In order for one such as I to become the mage of Zebrica, I must have a sense of darkness within me, and I must be selected by the previous mage… so… I wish to request.” He bowed his head slightly, “I would be honored, if you’d choose me to become the next mage of Zebrica?”

As Zeil gave the hopeful earth pony a surprised look, he started to hear a strange scratching sound behind him as he looked to see something that made him worry. When Zeil looked at the double doors to the chapel, he could see a number of black vine growing from the ground as they weaved across the doorway covering the white painted entryway and bracing both doors shut so that none could enter… or exit. After seeing this, Zeil looked back at Xemnes as he saw that the earth pony was too enraptured by the mage’s visit to notice the vines as the mage replied with a chuckle, “So let me get this straight… You want me to choose you as the next Mage of Zebrica?”
The hopeful earth pony rose from his bow and nodded, “Yes, very much so.”
The mage sighed with disappointment before replying, “Sadly, I cannot.”
Xemnes was concerned, “Oh? But… why? Haven’t I proven myself worthy of such a tittle?”

The mage shook his head as he spoke, “In order for one to become the Mage of Zebrica, one must hold darkness within himself, and be chosen by the current mage. However the darkness that must be held can only be held by one. So once that one is chosen, no others can be. You see, Zeil here has already been chosen to become the next mage of Zebrica. Therefore, until his time to choose the next arises, no others can become the mage.”
Xemnes gave Zeil an angry look as he replied, “Really, then how about this.” He pointed to Zeil, “Zeil! I challenge you to a duel to the death! The winner will become the next Mage of Zebrica, but the loser… Will die here and now!”

At that moment, Zeil started to feel a great threat of impending death arise not from the threatening earth pony but instead from the mage as Zeil looked to the mage as he saw something that truly terrified him. As the mage stood giving Xemnes an angry look, the fallen candles that were on the ground casted the mages shadow across the wall and ceiling on the other side of the room, but it wasn’t a zebra’s shadow that Zeil saw, instead it was a large beast-like creature that greatly reminded Zeil of the dark beast that he felt when he first met the dark enchanter. Though the size and details of the beast were hard to make out through the shadow’s angle, it was obvious that it stood much taller than its zebra host, and held the same appearance as a normal Minotaur to include a large muscular torso, coiled horns, muscular arms, and large fists with claws at the end of each finger. Nervous from both the shadow and aura, Zeil stepped back from the mage and looked back to Xemnes as determined pony looked at the mage and spoke without noticing what made Zeil nervous, “Is that aright with you mage? If I kill this contemptible zebra here, will you reconsider your decision and cho-”

All of a sudden a black vine that the zebra had control over jettisoned from the alicorn statue’s remaining pedestal as wrapped around Xemnes’s neck before pulling him back and pining him to the marble structure. Feeling shock from his unexpected assault, Xemnes reached up and gripped the vine that choked him as he spoke through the shock, “B-but… why?...”
The mage spoke with a tone that sent chills up Zeil’s spine as he replied with anger, “You want to become the mage so badly? First explain yourself… Explain what you did to insult this spell so willingly. Tell me who you tested this spell on before turning it onto the village. Tell me how you killed your wife, and tried to bring her back, only to fail when the spell didn’t work. Then, explain how you felt when you did the same to your daughter, killed her, and then brought her back as one of those abominations that even dark magic would refuse to claim. Did you feel pride? Doing that to your own family?”
As the mage spoke, more of his vines began growing beside him and weaved into a wooden spear as he continued, “Yes… I know you, Xemnes. You’re the type of pony who gives us mages a bad name. You’re willing to bring the world to flame, just to prove that it can burn and expect praise in return. To kill any and every pony you want just to show off your skills, like a spoiled little colt wanting approval from his mother.”

The pinned Xemnes reached into the pocked of his cloak as he replied, “I… I thought you were different… I thought you would appreciate the artistry that was my magic. But I was wrong… you’re just like the rest… YOU’RE JUST A FOOL!!!”
With that, that yell, the pinned earth pony pulled out a vial of an unknown liquid and slammed it against the pedestal as he brought up his now wet hoof in an attempt to use the substance as a liquid blade to cut down the mage just as he did the alicorn statue moments ago. However after bringing his arm across his body, the mage quickly grabbed his newly acquired weapon as he reared back and threw it with great accuracy as the projectile flew towards Xemnes as the lethal projectile pierced Xemnes’s raised hoof and buried into his chest nailing his hoof to his body, stopping his attack, and vitally wounding him all in one go.

Horrified by everything that was happening around him, Zeil stared at the mage as the mage spoke in anger, “No… you’re the fool. To become a mage one must have Darkness within him but that’s not an analogy. To become the mage you must have a very specific sense of darkness, a presence that can only be held within his creations. But you, you were created by an alicorn, so you can never hold such darkness. Don’t worry though, if it makes you feel any better, you won’t be completely useless.”
Xemnes tried all he could to breathe through his wound, but with his breaths short, it could only be assumed that the piercing wound hit a lung as the blood from that same wound ran down the angle of the spear and puddled on the marble floor beneath him. As this happened, mage reached into his saddlebag as he pulled out a strange maroon cube that looked to be made of a type of clay. As he held up the strange cube, the mage glared at the dying earth pony as he spoke, “Here… you know what to do.”

At first Zeil thought the mage was talking to him, however before he could reply, the mage’s shadow reacted first. At that moment, the demon like shadow reached out towards the dying earth pony and opened his palm as the tip of the claw on his index finger reached forward then elegantly placed itself into the center of the puddle of blood that sat on the floor beneath Xemnes as a ripple appeared as if the shadow were actually interacting with the liquid. Curious, but at the same time terrified, Zeil watched as the shadow then ran his long claw towards the mage while loud screeching sound was heard as the shadow’s claw cut into the marble leaving the blood to run down the alter, drip down the single step and run across the floor following the small canal that the shadow’s claw was cutting into the floor. With the blood following the path so easily, it wasn’t long before the shadow stopped just beneath the mage’s hooves as the mage looked down at funneling blood and smiled, “Thank you.”

That said, the shadow seemed to turned back to the zebra’s normal shadow as the mage preceded to dip the small cube into the blood, then he tossed the cube into his mouth and started chewing the item like it were a snack. Seeing the mage cringe under the hood of his cloak at what was obviously a terrible taste, Zeil could only feel confused as the gasping Xemnes smiled through his pain, “That… spell… is… is that?...” His smile faded, “No… I won’t be used… like this… Kill… them… KILL THEM ALL!”
Shortly after Xemnes’s yelled command, sounds of banging and clawing was heard from the double doors of the chapel, as Zeil looked to the doors and realized that the undead griffin outside were reacting to the order as they all started clawing at the doors in an attempt to get inside. The mage finished chewing the small cube as he swallowed it and stood silent for a few seconds as he ignored the obvious danger that the two were in.

As the creatures bashed on the doors causing them to rock back and forth with the black vines holding them shut, Zeil spoke, “That won’t hold them long… what do we do?”
The mage shook his head as he spoke with a calm and casual tone, “They are no threat, not now that their master is my puppet.”
Zeil looked back at the mage as he started to reply, “Puppet? What ar-“
All of a sudden, Zeil silenced himself as he saw the mage’s irises in his eyes change from their faded green, to a blood red. When the zebra noticed Zeil’s silence, he replied, “The capture spell, now… his every fiber is under my control… even if he doesn’t know it yet.”

With a careless expression, the Zebrican Mage trotted towards the pinned and dying earth pony as the weakened enchanter glared at his new foe and spoke between his gasps for air, “Y-you… you’re not the stallion… I thought you were… you’re just a hypocrite. I hold dark magic… but you shun me for what I am?… fine… then consider this… I gave my last order… to kill them all. You know what that… means?... it means… that my creations… will come in here… and rip you two apart… then… after I die, they will seek out any… other living creatures they can find. They will kill… everything on this… world… then… they will convert the dead… and triple there numbers within days… Before you know it, they will have consumed the entire world… making the dark alicorn’s attack seem like foals at play. And you… you are responsible. You and your chosen mage… will go down in history as the zebra that ended the wo-“
“Shut your mouth…”

Although the zebra’s tone didn’t seem even the least hostile, intimidating, or angry in any way, Xemnes still strangely silenced himself by closing his mouth like he was told, however it wasn’t as if he silenced himself naturally, instead he only closed his mouth and still muffled as if he were trying to talk through his closed lips. Confused, Xemnes looked around trying to see what was holding his mouth shut, but when he saw that nothing was there, he looked at the approaching mage as the dark enchanter spoke, “Who do you think you are? First, you have the gull to attempt one of the most forbidden spells in all zebra kind, then you try to allude its laws by tormenting the very beings that you try to return to life bringing them into a point that is worse than a death after death. Then you dare wish for praise for this debauchery that you’ve let loose on the world? Your no enchanter… just a sick soul lost in his own greed. Your black eyes are proof of your weakness alone. You’ve surrendered to the darkness as if it were meant to cradle you… but it isn’t. It’s not always bad… but it can be cruel and evil… here let me show you.”

The mage reached back and punched the platform that Xemnes was pinned against as a large cluster of thin black vines grew from around his hoof as the hundreds of very thin vines grew out and spread across the statue’s pedestal as they quickly covered every inch of the statue-less base. Terrified but still unable to open his mouth, Xemnes screamed with a muffled shout as the vines quickly covered his entire body before stopping leaving only his head visible and the rest of him and the pedestal covered with the black plants. As soon as the vines stopped growing Xemnes breathed rapidly with both his wound and his fear as the mage spoke, “Calm yourself and don’t feel any further pain.”
Strangely, Xemnes’s breathing slowed as he seemed to calm down almost immediately as the mage noticed this and smiled, “There… now you can speak if you want, but carful of your next words… They will be your last.”

With no concern, the mage turned around and started trotting away from Xemnes as the confused earth pony opened his mouth and spoke, “Wh-what… are you?...”
The mage stopped trotting when he was standing beside Zeil yet again as he turned back to his victim and spoke with anger in his tone, “I am the Mage of Zebrica… and those were wasted last words.”
That said, the mage pulled out the small cone shaped vial from the night before as he replied with a commanding tone, “Xemnes! Hear my words clearly!” He pulled the cork from the vial’s opening as he held it up and spoke, “Xemnes! Surrender thyn self and soul. Unit it with this potion so that I may use it to bring death to all of whom are meant. This order I make… as the Mage of Zebrica! FINISH THIS CURSE!!!”

With that call, the mage stomped his hoof against the ground as the area momentarily went silent. Confused Zeil looked at the mage as he started to speak, “What was th-“
Before he could finish, Zeil felt a sudden spike in Xemnes’s emotions as he quickly looked at the trapped enchanter while the dying pony looked to the ceiling as if his head was being pulled to the sky. As Xemnes looked up, his pitch black eyes started to glow a bright white as a cloudy apparition slowly emerged from his eyes similar to the red glow of the creatures when they brought others back from the dead, but this apparition held the very aura of the earth pony leaving behind what seemed to be an empty husk. As the fog like silhouette hovered over the area, it slowly flew towards the mage until circling the opened vial of potion then entering the cone shaped flask as the mage quickly closed the vial behind it.

As the aura of the earth pony vanished into the small flask, the potion inside turned from its milky white to a pitch black, as Zeil could only stare at the mage in shock as the mage smiled, “There… now… we can end this.”
All of a sudden a cracking sound was heard towards the chapel’s double doors as Zeil looked to see that chips of the doors were falling off as the claws of the beasts outside were starting to dig through the entrance as he spoke in worry, “Um… Mage?”
The mage turned to look at the double doors as he nodded, “Don’t worry… I only need one.”
The mage preceded to lay the cone shaped flask on the ground in front of him as vines grew from ground beneath him as they slowly weaved around the small flask, as the cone shaped glass vial was lifted from the ground as the vines started to resemble a staff making the pointed flask resemble a spear’s blade.

As the newly made spear continued to grow in length, the mage spoke, “Zeil… I hope you remember everything that happened here… Remember… nothing can change, even if you want it to.”
Zeil was confused, “Change?”
The mage shook his head and smiled, “Never mind… In my saddlebag I have a few items for the rest of your journey… including a letter with information you need to know about becoming the mage. When this is over… take them with you. I have no need for them where I’m going. And… since this is the last I can speak with you…” his smile turned peaceful, “Take care of her for us.”
Zeil was confused, “What?”
At that moment, a smaller griffin managed to squeeze himself through the damaged double doors as he charged at the two with a mindless veracity. When Zeil saw the danger, he took a step back as the Mage grabbed the newly formed spear as he lunged forward, digging the glass blade into the griffin’s chest stopping him in place. Then with the spear embedded, the mage flung the mindless beast over his head as he slammed the monster down on the ground with enough force to shatter the unseen spear blade leaving the black potion to course through the griffin’s body as the griffin seemed to react to the potion as if it could actually feel pain.

As the griffin beast jerked his body in spasms of agony, the mage released the spear as he back against the side of the pews as he fell to the ground as if he were suddenly weakened by an unknown force. Confused Zeil rushed to his side while the mage’s blood red eyes turned back to their pale green as he looked up at Zeil and smiled, “There… now, there is no reason to worry. The creatures will die… and… I can rejoin my love.”
Zeil was confused as he spoke, “What? What are you saying? That creature felt that potion… he reacted to the pain… but how? I thought they couldn’t feel pain. And… What’s happening to you? Your aura… it’s fading.”
The mage smiled, “All part of the plan my friend… the letter will explain it all… just… remember what I said. Nothing can change.”
Zeil was confused, “Wh-what?”
The mage didn’t reply, instead he looked at the ceiling as he smiled, “My time is finally done… my journey… at its end… I’m coming home… Zec-”
Before he could finish his last words, the mage’s aura slowly faded away entirely, as his breathing stopped and he passed away with a smile still on his now lifeless face.

When the zebra’s aura vanished, Zeil started hearing shrieking sound coming from the feral griffin that was still in the chapel with them. As Zeil looked to the flailing creature, the feral griffin struggled through its pain before the beast stopped moving then dissolved into a pile of ash on the floor. As Zeil looked at the remains of the creature, he could only feel complete confusion at what he had witnessed. However as he did he heard the door to the room shatter open as the rest of the feral beast outside charged into the chapel and headed straight for him with obvious intent to kill. Seeing the incoming threat, Zeil picked up what remains of the mages shattered spear and readied himself for a fight. But as the creatures got close enough to attack, Zeil swung the staff with all his might as the bladeless weapon passed completely through the closest target as all the feral griffin dissolved into a large clump of ash that colligated with Zeil causing him to fall to the ground from the dust’s impact. Confused, Zeil wiped the dust from his face and picked himself up to ready himself, but as he looked around for the charging foe, all he saw was an empty dust filled chapel.

As Zeil looked around in confusion, the sounds of vicious roars, claws scratching against wood, and monstrous rustling of hundreds of feral griffin seemed to vanish into the night air as the area around him became silent as the grave. Worried it was a trick, Zeil tried to sense any living creature in the area, however, all the earth pony auras enveloping the creatures were gone, leaving nothing in the area, but the lone changeling enchanter. When he assumed himself safe, Zeil quickly rushed back to the mage to check on him, but as he looked upon the lifeless Zebra, he already knew that the elderly stallion was gone. Although he didn’t know the mage very well, nor did he even trust the dark enchanter, he still felt somewhat sympathetic as he closed the mages still open eyes and smiled, “You did what you set out to do, and now you’re with you wife again mage… Rest in peace.”
Although he felt a little guilty, Zeil knew that whatever was in the old stallion’s saddlebag was already given to him as he removed the saddlebag from under the zebra’s cloak and looked through the items. Along with the spell book, Zeil saw an assortment of common ingredients and potions, and an envelope at the very bottom as he pulled out the letter and started to read.

Dear Zeil,
Though our time was short, I felt it was well placed. I know I said I needed your help, and you probably think you did nothing but stand there during the whole situation… but, as long as you remembered what happened… then you did more than you know. Do not worry for the creatures outside, the spell I used is by far the most forbidden spell of all. It’s called Spiritual Extinction, and as the name suggest, it brought extinction to the feral mindless beast with the aura of an earth pony. Luckily this had no effect on regular earth ponies or griffin in general so don’t worry, we only killed those that were controlled by Xemnes. That being said, the cost of that curse, is the use of the Capture Spell, whose cost in itself, is the life of both the victim and the caster. That’s why, I died shortly after using it on that griffin that charged me. So don’t worry, for the time being, you are safe to continue your journey though I’m sure your probably wondering where to go from here… so I’ll tell you.

Travel west, Till you reach a city of ruins, there you will meet with an adventurer who will assist you on you journey to the coast. Once at the coast, you will board a ship, and there… you will have to make a grave decision. To continue west to Equestria, or to journey south to Zebrica. In other words… this is the choice made by the riddle I gave you a few days ago. If you journey west, you will meet with Zecora sooner, but… it will cause a drastic change in your goal that may not end with the happy ending you wish for. But if you journey south, though you will reach Equestria later, your journey will end happily for you… or it may not. Like I said… the difference between happy and tragic eludes me now a days. Just… follow your heart with what you know, and I’m sure you will make the right choice. But if you do journey south, you will arrive at a port of Zebabwee, then travel east for about two days, until you reach the Northern Tribes of Zebrica.

There you must seek the teacher of light. But he will not be known by this tittle, to find him, you must ask for Chief Basarum. He will refuse your request to be taught numerous times, but all you can do is persist, and eventually he will agree to train you to become the mage. HOWEVER… Do not tell him why you want to be taught in public. The Mage of Zebrica is a touchy subject which borderlines taboo. If others hear of your goal, it is possible that they may turn hostile towards you. Speak of the mage ONLY in the absence of all else. And when you tell Basarum show him the book as proof. Only then will he teach you, and only then will your future be set. As for my true identity… look at the picture in the envelope… and you will know the truth. Take care of Zecora, and may good fortune smile upon you and your journey.
Good luck my friend,
The Mage of Zebrica

Smiling at the letter, Zeil looked to the lifeless mage and spoke, “Thank… for what it’s worth, I’m glad you got what you wanted.”
With that Zeil looked into the envelope as he saw a small photograph was tucked into the corner. When Zeil looked at the photo, his face turned white, as he dropped both the picture and the envelope and took a few steps back in complete shock, “Wh-what… No… it’s not possible… He’s… he’s a zebra… I know he is. But… how?”
Feeling like he saw it wrong, Zeil slowly picked up the picture and looked over the three zebra’s again. The first, was a younger looking stallion that looked like the mage only a few years younger with a longer mane that draped slightly in front of his face. The second was a little filly zebra with a green strip in her mane as she hugged her father with a happy smile on her face. And the last zebra in the photo who was obviously the filly’s mother and the stallion’s wife was a slightly older but still recognizable, Zecora.

With no idea as to what this meant, Zeil tried to understand, “This… this can’t be real. If it is, then he… then I’m… it’s not possible, he’s a zebra. His aura says he is, and if he wasn’t he would have changed back when he took his last breath. He can’t be… c-can he?”
Zeil felt conflicted with himself and what he discovered, however there was only one way Zeil could know for sure that what he discovered was the absolute truth. Slowly Zeil looked to the deceased mage as he reached down, and lifted his cloak just high enough to see his flank. However what he saw only proved his theory. On the old mage’s flank sat a lined image that resembled poison joke. The same placement mark that Zeil had created and worn since the day he casts his first spell. Zeil looked at the mage’s lifeless face as he spoke, “So it’s true, He… is me.” He rubbed his head in irritation, “This is too confusing to understand… but… if anything has proven itself before, it’s that magic can be unpredictable. But still… how can this be possible?”

Convinced that he would have to meditate on the subject, Zeil decided to put away the items into his saddlebag as he looked over the mage and mumbled, “If he is me… then, I should take his advice… but… will it help? Zebrica is too far out of my way to go… but… if I don’t go… then… will this happen? Will I… or he ever sacrifice himself to kill Xemnes?” Zeil paned his eyes over to the dust on the floor, “And these creatures… if it comes to pass that he doesn’t kill these things… will they still exist? Will I die here?”
Confused Zeil placed his hoof on his head as he mumbled, “This is too much for me to process right now. But… if anything, I… he… deserves to be laid properly to rest.”
Carful with his action, Zeil picked up the deceased mage and carried him through the damaged doors as he looked around as soon as he was outside. As he looked at the newly abandon ghost town around him, Zeil could see large piles of ash and dust gathered on the steps and around the doors to the chapel as he mumbled, “He was right… all of them turned to dust. And if what he says is true, then any created from now on will also dissolve.”

Seeing that the coast was clear, Zeil carried the mage around the side of the chapel where he took the time to dig a shallow grave to lay the fallen mage to rest. Once the mage was laid in the grave, Zeil took one last look at the photograph left behind as he focused on both Zecora and the filly in the photo. Looking at their smiling faces, Zeil mumbled, “If this is true… then… what should I do? These smiles, this happiness… is it meant for me or… will it change since I know the truth now?”
Annoyed with confusion he was feeling, Zeil tossed the photo into the grave with the mage as he buried them both together. Once the mage was properly laid to rest, Zeil took the spell book and letter along with the mage’s supplies as he left the now empty village and started back on his journey west. After about an hour of traveling, Zeil managed to find the edge of the forest as he looked up at the high tree canopies to see stars between the branches. As he trotted along the trail looking to the stars, he started to see more and more of the sky as if the tree canopies were dispersing clouds.

Soon the trial lead out of the forest and into a vast field as Zeil looked around at the landscape that was illuminated by the moon rather than the torches that he had become used to seeing. As he looked at the land around him, he started feeling a deep pit in his stomach as he realized he entered a forest populated by griffin, but left as the sole survivor of an evil enchanter’s wrath. As he felt this guilt an even darker feeling fell upon him when he started to see light peer across the landscape from behind as the Enchanter turned around and saw the twilight of day start cascading from over the canopies if the towering forest trees. As Zeil looked at the first gleam of sunlight he had seen in days he started to remember what the mage said as he repeated the words, “Only after one sees true darkness, will he come to appreciate the light, even if… it lay outside his reach. What am I in that analogy?... and… what was he?...”
Zeil placed his hoof against the outside of his saddlebag against the book inside as he mumbled, “That mage couldn’t be me… I don’t know who he is, or if anything he said was true… but he is a zebra… and I’m not… but…” He turned back to the road, “I won’t let that stop me… Long path or short, I’m getting back to Zecora… and I will do it making my own choices.”

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