My Little Mages: Academia Ardens

by Foxhelm

And the sun goes down

Back in Tartarus, at the same time that Sandbar was wiping the tears from Ocellus’ eyes, Rainbow Dash was finally healed fully, Twilight sat down with Fluttershy, “Um, are you sure there's magic in Spot?” the druid asked.

“Um, who’s Spot?” Rainbow asked.

“There is etymological evidence that can lead us to infer that Kerberos means ‘spotted or speckled’, and looking at Kerberos’ coat being speckled with snakes I can see why.” Rarity said as she looked at the massive hound as Applejack and Pinkie were stretching being a couple of his ears.

“Informative but not helpful,” Twilight said before she turned back to Fluttershy. “Yes, there is magic inside Kerberos that allows him to be his size, have three heads and his coat spotted with serpents.” Twilight elaborated, “But even with that, I can’t open the doors, I’ll need to borrow that … well, spark from all the other creatures here.”

“I am not sure it will work. Couldn’t we try Rainbow’s and my connection to the Elements or Applejack’s and Pinkie’s to the Earth?” Fluttershy asked pointing out an alternative.

“I am a demigod, which means I also have a connection to the Elements and the Earth, mine is not as defined as everyone else’ but if I can’t open the gate…” Twilight trailed off to let Fluttershy connect the dots herself.

Fluttershy sighed, “Even if I do convince the other creatures to help, are you sure it will be enough?” Fluttershy asked after she looked at the creatures and the doors that barred their way.

“We need to try everything if we want to get out of here,” Twilight said as she placed both her hands on both of the druid’s shoulders.

“I don't know.” Pinkie said as she took out a stick and marshmallow and went to over to the cage of the chimera and held the marshmallow out, “Tartarus isn't so bad. I could hang out here for a while!” she declared as the chimera burnt the marshmallow and stick and devoured the stick and marshmallow. Pinkie took a step back in some fear, “Maybe not forever though.” she tried to shrug it off.

“But that is just what it will be!” Tirek shouted from his cage. Twilight scowled as she flew back to the cage. “If my protege has followed my instructions, by sunset tonight, every last vestige of Mystican magic will disappear into the ether forever!” he shouted as he started to laugh as if he had won.

Twilight thought for a second and then smiled, “Have you even thought about what losing magic would mean?” She asked the spell thief.

“It means the six of you will be trapped here!” Tirek replied as he was trying to stifle a laugh, “Like me!” he then started to laugh.

“Seven!” Spike shouted in wrath.

Twilight smiled, “Exactly. It means you're trapped here.” She pointed out the obvious, “Forever. With us.” she said as she pointed to her group and then smiled. Tirek was about to speak but as he was counter but he was at a lost until it dawned on him that it was true. Before he could finally articulate his thoughts, “Didn’t think about it that way did yah?” Twilight asked rhetorically with a smirk. As she flew back. “So Fluttershy will you ask these creatures to help?” Before the druid could answer, “Let them know I will put in a word for them to be on parole, I can’t promise anything more.”

“I'll do what I can, but even with all the creatures helping, will it be enough?” the druid asked, repeating a previous question.

“We could ask Tirek?” Spike asked. “He's probably got some magic, too, right?” he pointed out to the spell thief.

Pinkie started skipping over to the cage, “Leave him to me.” she declared.

“It will take a while to convince everyone,” Fluttershy said as she went over to the cage with the cockatrice and started to cluck and hiss as if she was talking to it.

Pinkie appeared in Tirek’s cage and started to sing slightly off-key as pulled birthday party stuff on, “I know it's not your birthday, so
You get a party, even though
We'll sing and dance from one to ten
And then we'll do it all again!” she then blew the candles out the candles on the cake. “More tea, Princess Pudding Rock?” she asked as she pulled out a teapot and set of cups. “Oh! Don't mind if I do!” she said as she moved Tirek’s lips. She then gave a couple of laughs. “I can do this all eternity,” she whispered into Tirek’s ear.

Tirek’s eyes shot open in horror. “Fine!” he shouted in an attempt to make it stop. “I'll help you leave! Just please stop!” he begged.

“Tirek's in!” Pinkie’s shouted from the cage.

---

Back at the school shortly after Cozy led the CMC from Twilight’s office, “It's just so excitin' to have a girl our age runnin' things.” Apple Bloom cheered, “We should have an ice cream social every day!” she suggested.

Cozy smiled as she neared a door, “That's a splendid idea, Apple Bloom.” she said as she seemed to reach her destination, “But to tell you the truth, the thing I need help with most is cleaning.”

“Say no more. Just take us around the school and show us everything you want cleaned.” Sweetie declared as they all stopped at the destination Cozy was heading.

Cozy then opened a door and pointed inside, “Well, actually, you could start right in here.”

The CMC then entered the room only to find that it was a closet for cleaning supplies, “ It looks pretty clean already.” Scootaloo said as she was at a loss.

Cozy first smiled and scowled at the trio and then slammed the door and locked it from the outside, “Do you three think you can fool me?! I know a diversion when I see it!” she all but shouted and left the three in the office.

---

About an hour after leaving Twilight’s office, Sandbar et al were climbing the roots of the Tree of Harmony under the grate in the library. “Uh, why Sandbar lead us back down here?” Yona asked as she was the next to get to the bottom as Sandbar was the last down as the other four had flown down.

“We obviously can't handle Cozy on our own.” Sandbar answered as he headed to the front as he was about to lead everyone again, “But we can't just sit around and wait for help.” he continued. “So, there's two more prisoners I think we should free.” Sandbar said as he guided the rest.

“Wait, wait, wait, two more prisoners?” Gallus asked as he stopped.
“Ooh! I guess Starlight is one! Is it Starlight?” Silver asked as she flew to be in front of Sandbar.

Smolder rolled her eyes, “Are all aasimar royals airheads?” she asked sardonically. “Obviously Starlight is one of the prisoners.” she berated the aasimar only to earn a smack from Gallus. “Fine.” she groaned, “You’re not an airhead, Silver.” she wanted to grumble. “But who is the other prisoner?” she asked as she recalled what Sandbar said.

“I am going out on a limb and guess it’s Lt., Corneal Sentry.” Ocellus guessed as the group followed Sandbar through the caves in what seemed like hours.

After a while they found the magic circle Cozy made, there the six found what was going on, “Counselor Glimmer, Corneal Sentry come out!” Yona shouted as she charged the circle only to be barely stopped by Sandbar. “We need help with Cozy!”

“They can't talk to us from in there.” Sandbar said informed, “And unless someone here can read Mystican standard sign language, we'll have to figure a way to get them out on our own.” Sandbar said as the others walked up to the circle. Everyone shook their head with sad frowns. Then almost like moths to a flame, each was dawn to the artifacts related to their peoples. Sandbar to Clover the Clever’s Cloak, Ocellus to the Talisman of Mirage, Gallus to the Crown of Grover, Silverstream to the Amulet of Aurora, Yona to the Helm of Yksler and finally Smolder to Knuckerbocker’s Shell.

Gallus paused and rubbed his chin, then his eyes shot wide open with a ‘eureka’ “Hey! This is just like chapter twelve in ‘Kanthaka's Facts and Artifacts’ from Twilight's class!” Gallus stated as if it was common knowledge, not unlike Twilight has done with her friends. There was a second of silence as everyone looked at him in utter bewilderment that Gallus knew that. Gallus scowled, “What? I've been studying. Finals are coming up, you know?” he deadpanned.

Ocellus then looked at the Talisman in front of her and how the magic of the circle linked to it and by extension all the artifacts, “Cozy must've linked these artifacts to act as a mystical magnet, attracting all the magic in Mystica into that orb.” she concluded given her own understandings.

Smolder took a good long look at the conch, “So, we can shut it down by yanking one of these things out, right?” she asked as she got into the air and was about to grab the shell in question.

“Sure,” Ocellus informed, “though that would probably cause a magical feedback loop and destroy the whole school!” she pointed out a potential disaster that could result from the six acting without thought.

“Destroy the School of Friendship?!” came the voice of Cozy. The six turned to see Cozy with all the other students of the school. “Oh, dear!” she said as if hurt. “Chancellor Neighsay was wrong about a lot of things, but I guess he was right about all of you!” she declared.

---

At the same time back in Tartarus, Fluttershy walked up to Twilight, “Everyone is willing to help.” the druid informed.

Twilight smiled with a nodded, “All right. Is everybody ready?” she asked her friends as they nodded.

Back at Tirek’s cage, “All eternity!” Pinkie reminded Tirek as she was banging a set of symbols.

Tirek groaned and fell to the floor and wept, “Please, take it, take it all, just make it stopped!” Tirek said as he drew the magic out of his magic and had it sent to Twilight.

Twilight started to grunt and groan as she was pulling the magic from all the creatures, changing them to into the animals that would have made them, the chimera became a lioness, a she-goat, and serpent, the manticore became a lion and a scorpion, the hydra became nine serpents, just to list a few, ending with Kerberos becoming three molossuses. Twilight then directed the magic to the doors and they began to open, “That's it! It's working!” The doors slowly opened, “We don’t have much time.”

Applejack, Rainbow, and Rarity headed to the door first with Twilight slowly following. Fluttershy looked to all the animals that were made from the draining of the magic, “Bye, friends. Hopefully, we'll be able to turn you all back into your normal, wonderful selves soon.” she said as she joined the others as the

Pinkie gave Tirek a kiss, “Thanks for the assist, your evilness!” she said and then zoomed to be with the others. Everyone then exited as the doors were just open enough for the six humans and dragon were able to slip out. After the last of them were out the adamantine doors slammed shut with a resounding thud. “Yay! Twilight did it!” Pinkie cheered.

“I'm not sure she did!” Rarity said as she pointed to the slowly setting sun, it was dusk of the third day.

“No!” Twilight cried as she dropped to her knees, “We failed!”