Entropy

by Rose Quill

Familiars

Wind whistled in my ears as I raced after Twilight. She had made like an arrow back towards he castle but banked sharply as we approached. I saw a tower with a large observatory window and several telescopes on the balcony. As we approached, I saw the interior packed with bookshelves, and Twilight made for it like it was the only place of safety in the city.

I landed behind her as she teleported past the locked doors and started ripping books off the shelves, pages flipping in a frenzy and being tossed to the side. Copying her teleport, I raised my question again.

“What do you mean, it’s not supposed to exist?”

She didn’t respond, books being tossed aside like they were nothing. Her eyes were wide, roving over each page as she frantically searched for whatever she needed. I recognized the look from when my wife would awaken from one of the nightmares she still had of her time in captivity or the battles in the Crystal Empire.

She was reaching for something to reassure her. As another book went flying past my head, I reached out and grabbed her face with my wingtips.

“Twilight!” I shouted, her face suddenly registering my presence. “What in Harmony’s Name was that thing? All you said was that it shouldn’t exist.”

“They shouldn’t,” she babbled, another book flying over to her. “They were supposedly destroyed millennia ago in the times before the founding of Equestria, before the Windigoes even descended.” Pages flipped rapidly between us.

“Twilight, calm down,” I soothed. “You’re not making a lot of sense. I don’t have the same vast repository of esoterica that you do.”

She turned the book around to face me and I saw a rough depiction of what we had just faced.

“Elder Blights,” she said. “Eldritch abominations created by dark arts lost to the mists of time. And if all the creatures doing these attacks are Blights, then we have a harder task ahead of us than we thought.”

I skimmed the page before me, the lore making me feel a little uneasy. “Twilight,” I said gently. “This says that they don’t act of their own volition. They have a handler, and it would have to be somepony we can trace.”

“But this is magic that isn’t even known anymore!” she shouted, her pupils still constricted in panic. “At least with Sorla, there were still texts she could locate. This is thousands of years old, older than the Diarchs, older than Equestria! I don’t know how to combat something like this!”

Like you have so many others, a soft voice sang, causing us to look around. I spied a glow deeper in the conjury, within a stairwell. It was growing brighter as it moved towards us. Spreading my wings and sliding into a crouch, I began to pull mana into my horn, setting the appendage aglow with red light.

“Who’s there?” I growled. The glow grew brighter, tinged with orange and red hues. I set my hooves, ready to dive to the side and attack when a winged form burst through the entryway, wings and tail aflame and eyes flashing with intelligence.

The phoenix alighted on the back of one of the chairs, eyes boring into mine before dipping slightly in a bow.

Princess Twilight, Princess Sunset, her voice said again, gentle in it’s tones. I have been dispatched by my mistress to counsel you. She tilted her head slightly. Though I must say, it is difficult to focus when one is directing magic at me.

I blinked, releasing the mana and standing up again. “Your mistress?” I repeated dumbly.

“Celestia,” Twlight cried out happily. “Is that you, Philomena?”

You know another phoenix with unlimited access to the castle and school grounds? the song-like voice returned. Though I’m surprised you haven’t summoned a phoenix of your own, honestly. We are linked to the solar and lunar rulers, no matter how short a time they have held the titles.

The left turns were coming too fast for me and I rubbed my temples. “So, what, we get pet firebirds?” I groused.

Familiars would be a more accurate term, Philomena responded, tucking her head under her left wing and nipping at a fiery feather. Though not all that you could call are flarewings, like I am. You could just as easily summon nightwings or stormwings, depending on your personal preferences.. Her eyes focused on me. Though I expect you would likely call one of my kin, honestly. Your temper is so much like Celestia’s was millennia ago.

I frowned. “How are you speaking?”

Twilight cleared her throat. “I think our link to the sun and moon allows similar links to Philomena,” She fluttered her wings, apparently calm again. “Which explains why even Fluttershy couldn’t understand her the last time we crossed paths.”

Well, that's mostly true, the phoenix said, ducking her head slightly. But sometimes Tenders are too good to resist teasing. Please pass my apologies to her at your next opportunity, Princess.

“You said to counsel us,” the lavender Alicorn spoke. “What do you know of the situation?”

My mistress sensed the return of the sixth immortal shortly before falling the ritual trance, Philomena responded solemnly. I am tasked with guiding you to the cavern where they rest. Along the way, my kin will flock along, along with the Princess of Love.

“Cadence?” Twilight asked, surprised.

“Why would she be coming?” I inquired.

Because the application of all routes of Serendipity must be present to dispel the dread seeping into the world, Philomena looked into my eyes, then Twilight’s. Compassion, Love, and Friendship. Sun, Moon, and Sky. Mind, Body, and Heart.

I felt a pang in the back of my mind, and a weight settled in my chest. I closed my eyes as runes engraved into metal passed behind the lids.

“Is it the only way?” I whispered. I felt Twilight slide a hoof along my shoulders.

It is if you wish to keep your mate and offspring safe, the voice of the phoenix responded. I have already tasked several phoenixes to ward the palace, but even our light can only push back so much darkness.

Opening my eyes, I looked at the fiery bird before us.

“Can I at least see her before we go?” I asked.

The bird nodded. Yes, she said softly in my mind. But be mindful, the winds are against us in this flight.

Comments

[Fullmetal Prime]

Interesting seeing Philomena communicate with Sunset and Twilight and their basically facing anarchists controlling Lovecraftian horrors this'll be fun

[Noctis Prism]

Awesome!

[Vic Fontaine]

Philomena? Cool!!

[ScisetShimmerEvan]

Twilight cleared her throat. “I think our link to the sun and moon allows similar links to Philomena,” She fluttered her wings, apparently calm again. “Which explains why even Fluttershy couldn’t understand her the last time we crossed paths.”

I was thinking it was telepathy but since this is equestria I think it makes sense why.