Just a Buncha Old Mages
The following morning after the “donut shop incident”, the six ponies found themselves standing idly outside the borders of Canterlot. They waited near the base of a shimmering waterfall, next to the city’s cool, pure river.
Scootaloo sat with one hoof in the river, letting the water rush past her limp leg. Cheerilee and Redheart watched quietly, each having a few scrapes all over their bodies. Soarin splashed his bandaged face with water, his scalp still tingling from the scalding-hot latte. Braeburn stood with his hat on his back, basking in the morning sun. And making sure he was separated from the cowpony by everypony else was Lucky, who paced back and forth.
Finally, after minutes of awkward silence, the sound of somepony clearing their throat caught their attention. Appearing out of the Canterlot gates was Princess Cadance, who levitated a few extremely small sacks with her. The ponies stared guiltily at the ground, unable to face the royal’s gaze.
But to their surprise, Cadance’s voice held no animosity, and she addressed them with, “Good morning, everypony! How did you sleep?”
Braeburn was the only one who responded, mumbling, “Alright.”
“Well…I hope you all had some time to prepare. Today’s a big day, and I don’t think I need to warn you how urgent this mission is,” the princess told them, distributing the burlap sacks to each of the six.
Each of the packs contained only a few apples and some bandages, only enough supplies to last for a day. Lucky took a glance at the meager rations, and asked the princess, “Is this all the things we’ll be taking?”
Cadance replied, “One must travel light, especially when you’re sneaking into someplace you’re not supposed to be.”
“Thanks fer the supplies, Princess,” Braeburn said, equipping his cap as though he was ready for some adventure. “Now if you’ll tell us where the sanctuary is…”
“Oh…about that,” the princess replied, giving a rare sarcastic chuckle. She revealed another saddlebag hanging by her side, and she told them, “After yesterday’s…episode, I shall be accompanying you to the outskirts of the Sanctuary.”
The ponies froze in their tracks, stepping back in shock. Their agape mouths and wide eyes all said the same thing. They simply could not believe that a piece of Canterlot royalty would be watching their every move. Not realizing that she had been doing that for a year, of course. But the pink alicorn took no heed, and the Elements had no choice but to venture into the open world. And not only were they travelling with complete strangers, but with royalty at their backs too.
They ended up marching along a paved road for miles, taking up most of the morning. Luckily for them, the cool winter breeze made the march tolerable, and the sun was able avoid the few puffy clouds that dotted the sky. Soon, the winding path through the mountains leveled out into a grassy expanse that seemed to stretch into infinity.
Lucky had been craving some bagels for quite some time, but with zero of the treats in his sack, he made due by nibbling on an apple. He looked back skeptically at Princess Cadance, who was currently in a friendly conversation with Scootaloo. He whispered to the nearest pony, “What is she…our babysitter?”
The pony happened to be Miss Cheerilee, who replied, “Actually, she was the Royal Babysitter at one point. When she was young, Celestia did this to teach her the lesson of…” She turned around to find she was lecturing to thin air, and she finished disgruntledly, “…responsibility.”
Redheart strolled politely next to the princess, making idle conversation. In the meantime, Soarin had decided to take Scoots on a little fly-by. With the orange filly holding on to his neck tightly, the Wonderbolt soared high into the air, much to the filly’s glee.
“Whoo! This is so awesome!” Scootaloo cried, marveling at the bird’s-eye view of the terrain. “This is just like when Rainbow Dash took me up to Bronco’s Bluff!”
“Rainbow Dash, huh? Now where have I heard that name?” Soarin pondered, keeping perfectly steady despite the filly on his back. “Oh yeah, she was the one who won that Young Flier’s Competition! You know her?”
“Of course I do!” the tiny pegasus exclaimed. “She’s only the fastest pegasus in all of Equestria!”
Soarin broke out into a mischievous smile, saying, “Oh really? Well I bet she can’t do…this!” Then the Wonderbolt veteran began to corkscrew and somersault his way across the sky gracefully, with Scootaloo shouting in pure joy.
Meanwhile, Braeburn walked out of formation from the rest, remaining uncharacteristically silent. He looked up at the two pegasi, twirling their way through the air as though they had not a care in the world. Then he stared at the vast expanse before them, shuddering.
Cadance could sense this, and she asked, concerned, “Pardon me, Braeburn. You’re looking a little shaken. What’s wrong?”
He hid his anxiety with a shy smile, and he answered, “Ah ain’t never gone far from Appleloosa. Ah guess…I’m just nervous. Ah ain’t really sure what to expect. Don’t get me wrong, it’s excitin’ to be serving you like this, princess. But still…”
At that moment, Soarin decided to fly down from his spot high above the group. Braeburn watched the pegasus swoop down next to him and deposit Scootaloo with Princess Cadance. The Wonderbolt told her, “While I was up there, I saw this forest about a mile down the road.”
“Good. Then we’re getting close,” the pink alicorn replied.
Braeburn asked, “How ‘bout you Soarin? You’ve seen the world, right? Been all around the place?”
Soarin blinked, being caught just a bit off guard by the cowpony’s question. But as usual, the pegasus just crossed his hooves and smiled coolly. Braeburn could hear just a twinge of sadness as Soarin spoke, “Me? You'd think that being a Wonderbolt means travelling around the world and getting all the ladies, right? Well...that's completely true. I guess you could say I’ve been all around the place.”
The pegasus turned around and looked at the horizon longingly. He trained his eye on the spot where the sky met the earth, reveling in the possibilities that lied beyond that unknown border. He continued, “But everywhere we go…we just stay for a show and then take off for the next one. We never really get a chance to just hang around, y'know? I guess…in a way…I’m thankful for a break. Now maybe I can finally have a chance to see the world like I want to.”
“The world isn’t all it’s cracked up to be,” a voice muttered. The cynical whisper had come from Lucky, who had apparently been marching next to them the whole time.
“Really?” Braeburn said sharply. “Ah take it you’ve been somewhere.”
The unicorn replied, “Yeah, I get around. Seen the big lights of Los Pegasus to the forests of the Amarezon. And remember this…it’s a pretty dangerous place. Gotta keep a good head on your shoulders.” Then with a sly nod and a coy wink, Lucky added, “And of course…a little faith.”
Just as Soarin had said, the path soon diverged into a dense forest. To their dismay, this “path” was completely covered by years of moss growth and leaves, causing the group to tread through the thick foliage. Cadance and Lucky led the way, parting the thick branches with their magic. The crooked limbs seemed to reach towards the Elements, trying to grab the ponies in their wretched claws. In fact, the forest would have looked as eerie as the Everfree if not for the sun streaming through the foliage.
Soon, they came upon a clearing, a rare area where sun was able to break through uninterrupted. Here, the group sat and rested after their long march.
It was here that Princess Cadance informed them, “I’m afraid this is as far as I can go. Just up ahead at the edge of this forest is the Frost Star Sanctuary. There, you must find a way in and scour the place for any tomes or books on dark magic. The best entrance would have to be an old cellar door in the back. It leads into an abandoned part of the catacombs underneath, so I’m guessing it is very loosely guarded. Once inside, I’d suggest searching the Arch Mage’s quarters, located at the top of the building, and the Arcaneum, far below the surface.”
“You know quite a lot about this place, Princess,” Cheerilee remarked.
“Well a gal’s gotta do her research!” Cadance stated. “Now remember, these mages are masters of the arcane. Who knows how dangerous they will be? So I’d advise you all to be careful, and stay out of sight as much as possible. And, er, I’d suggest you take these.”
The princess levitated a small black case out her pack, holding it out for all to see. She opened the container to reveal three tiny pink darts, which looked very cool, and very deadly. The princess said rather timidly, “These are…poisoned darts. Not deadly, mind you. Just a small paralyzing mixture that will knock a pony out for about an hour.”
Soarin reached longingly for the container only for Cadance to slap it shut. She said curtly, “Only use them as a last resort. If you get spotted, or are in danger, you may use them.” The pink alicorn gave them to Nurse Redheart, who carefully placed the darts into her pack. “And umm…don’t tell my aunts I had those. I didn’t exactly obtain them…conventionally.”
The ponies nodded their heads in response, but one thing still nagged at Braeburn’s mind. “But Princess, why can’t you stay and help us out?” he asked, scratching his head.
“Well…” the love princess began. She cast her gaze to the side, pursed her lips, and told him, “My magic is so powerful, they will…easily detect me if I tried to sneak in with you.” She then gave them the wide innocent grin she was oh-so good at, her purple eyes gleaming. But her poker face was almost as bad as cousin Applejack’s, and Braeburn could sense the deceit hidden in the princess’s voice.
But he decided not to make a fuss about it, and sat back as Lucky whispered, “A bit conceited, no?”
With her mission briefing complete, Cadance turned to leave, placing utter trust in her freshly-selected Elements. As she was about to trek back through the foliage, the princess gave one last parting message. “And remember…you are the embodiments of the Elements of Love. Use that to your advantage. Because when it comes down to it…nothing can overcome the power of love.” With that, the princess disappeared through the green forest, leaving the group to start their first mission.
As they trudged towards the Frost Star Sanctuary, Soarin commented lightly, “They’re just a buncha old mages. No way they’ll find us!”
Xxx
The Sanctuary was a tall stone tower, looming far above the trees like a sentinel. It had to have been about 40 stories high, not including the catacombs hidden underground. Balconies jutted off the square tower randomly, where the ponies could make out telescopes and astronomy tools. And at the tip of it all was a stone dome-like structure, no doubt the Arch-Mage’s quarters Cadance had told them about. The exterior was visibly old, with the stones cracked and worn from the tests of time. However the building was still an ancient architectural marvel, somehow able to stand centuries of wear and tear. Hanging above the main doorway was a blue banner adorned with a silver star; the symbol of the Frost Mages.
The group sat just at the edge of the forest, concealed by low shrubs. “Whoa, that place is huge!” Scootaloo said, trying to peek over the larger ponies. “How are we supposed to find those dark magic things the princess was talking about?”
“Well the princess said to check the Arch-Mage’s quarters and the Arcaneum. That’s probably the Arch-Mage’s up there,” Cheerilee replied, pointing to the rounded top. “As for the Arcaneum, well, your guess is as good as mine.”
“You haven’t read any books about this stuff, teach?” Lucky uttered.
“I’m a language major, not a history buff,” Cheerilee answered.
While they were conversing, Soarin and Braeburn had been making their way around the tower, trying to figure out a way in. Not surprisingly, the large doorway up front was under constant watch by guards, who patrolled the entire yard. The back door, with two guards standing in front, didn’t seem like a viable option either. However, just a bit of ways from the tower in a wooded area, the stallions could make out a small wooden trapdoor, concealed by leaves.
Braeburn motioned for the rest of the group to follow their lead, and he whispered, “There’s that cellar Cadance talked about. We can get over there if we move quickly.”
The six waited patiently for a guard to turn away. When the guard began to patrol the other way, the group silently crept their way towards the door, using the shrubs for cover. Once, Scootaloo had accidently ruffled some leaves, and the guard perked his ears, causing the whole group to lay in wait. But then the armored stallion just shrugged his eyebrows and continued his march. After everypony gave a stern glare to the filly, they moved on until they stood next to the unused door.
“This thing looks like it ain’t been used for years,” Braeburn said, brushing the leaves off. “Ah wouldn’t be surprised if those guards had no idea this existed.”
With a gentle, silent touch, Braeburn lifted the door open just enough for them to squeeze in. He ushered the mares in first, then Soarin and Lucky, and finally himself. With one last glance to make sure they hadn’t been seen, he slipped inside, shutting the door behind him.
The place was, unsurprisingly, pitch-black. “Whoa, this place is dark,” Soarin said loudly, which prompted a quick “SHH!” from everypony else. Light began to emanate from Lucky’s horn, filling the dank room with a dim glow. The room was very small, crammed with disused barrels and shelves, forcing the Elements to squeeze together. Cobwebs lined the wall, much to their disgust.
“Let’s get out of this place,” Lucky whispered, pointed towards a door hidden behind a stack of crates. Using his magic, the unicorn silently unblocked the door, and he stuck his head out to survey the interior. For the time being, the hallway seemed just as abandoned as the cellar. To his left, all the way down the corridor was a spiral staircase leading up. To his right, at the opposite end was a stairwell leading down.
“Which way do we go?” Redheart asked after everypony had taken a peek.
Braeburn spoke, “Well, ah think we’d be able to cover more ground if we split up. How ‘bout me an’ Redheart find the Arcane…whatever it’s called. Lucky an’ Cheerilee, y’all can take the Arch-Mage’s quarters. An’ Soarin…” Braeburn looked questioningly at the grown pegasus, then to the little pegasus standing next to him.
Soarin could see the worry on the cowpony’s face, so the flier rubbed the filly’s mane and said, “Don’t worry, Brae. I’ll keep an eye on her.”
“Alrighty then,” Braeburn replied. “Well then, y’all, let’s make the princess proud!”
“You take good care of her, okay?” Redheart uttered toward the Wonderbolt.
“Yeah. I’ll make sure she’s safe,” the Element of Self-Sacrifice assured.
But before the team broke up, Redheart stopped them while pulling out the black case from her pack. She said, “Oh, one more thing! Each group should take one of these, huh?” She handed the small darts over to each duo, keeping one for her herself. “When we’re done, we’ll meet back at that clearing, okay?”
The six murmured their agreement, and with that they scattered into duos, unknowing of the secrets that lay deep within this mystical Sanctuary.
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Now the action is starting!!
I honestly don't know why this story doesn't have more views. It's amazing!!
1237753 Hmmm, I think I may know of a way to promote this story. But only if the author is okay with it.
1237753
I'm so glad you're enjoying reading it! After all, I'm certainly enjoying writing it!
1238786
What's that? Shameless promotion you say? Heck, I'm game.
But how 'bout you tell me what you have in mind first? I'll be interested to see what you have in mind.
1238786>>1239282 Ooh! Ooh! Can I help? Please?
... No?
Why?
NOT ENOUGH BUDGET?!
But I was gonna promote this to an author with over 400 followers and maybe get him to help advertise this...
(He's recommended me all these stories, why shouldn't I do the same?)
And we are finally arriving at the action. Now we've got around seven more chapters until your stockpile runs out.
1239282 Oh I was just thinking of the simple standard blogging that's all. Can't guarantee how many people will go for the story, but I do have 100 followers + 500 people reading my fan fiction. It's worth a try. All I need is your permission.
1244718>>1244780
God I love you guys so much. Seriously. No homo.
Seeing awesome people such as yourselves want to help me, a humble writer with a mere 13 followers under my belt, it really does make my day. Of course you have my permission! I dunno if it'll work or not, but whatever happens, I'll still be extremely thankful for all the support. Let's get the ball rolling, y'all!
1244780 Might get an author with 400+ to advertise. Doubt it though.
1246285
1245339
I say we should start small I suppose.