8 Realms of Magic

by AzuraKeres

EP 1: Where Destiny Lies|CH 13

The auric roots swarmed after Chipped Flint. The twins retreated atop the stoned stairway as Chip raised more rocks to deter the roots’ movement.

Yori dived back on the ground beside Yuki, who provided aid to Chip with arsenals of glaciating beams. Yuki groaned heavily after unleashing dozens of magic upon the unrelenting roots. No matter how much she froze to shards, their number never dwindled.

“I don’t understand,” Yuki said. “Why are they so upset with us?”

Yori assisted her sister with her fair share of beams. Her magic sparked many of the roots with fire as they blackened and fell off the stoned stairway. However, more roots came in its place.

“I don’t know.” Yori said. “Maybe it’s a territorial thing.”

Chip noted the twins back on ground. Though he held doubt their safety were assured, he held confidence their odds of survival were greater at their position.

Knowing that, his eyes laid fiercely upon the incoming roots.

“Get out of my way!” Chip roared. He used his magic to drop a wall to bury the roots. With them crushed underneath, Chip used the brief opening to leap atop one of his many walls. He leaped through the top of them eluding and ripping incoming roots with shooting pieces of rocks.

He eventually came upon the end where Lune Star leapt. The entrance to the Cosmic root laid below his sight.

“Hey, Chip!” Yori called. “Where are you going!?”

“Isn’t it obvious!?” Chip responded. A pack of roots raised from the edge of the stairway. Chip used his magic to rip pieces from the stairway to shoot swift pebbles that punctured the roots in many holes as it retreated down. “I’m going after Star and Ratty!”

“See that, Yuki.” Yori bumped her hoof onto Yuki. “I knew there was a shining armor in him.”

“Less bantering, more firing,” Yuki ordered.

Chip pulled blocks from the ravine wall to form long platforms to make his descent. As he leaped down closer to the entrance, Chip made frequent repurpose of his magic to fend off the endless tendrils of roots.

But he couldn’t keep this up forever. His constant use of terraformation and blasting rocks like a shotgun was quickly exhausting his tank of magic.

“Not yet,” Chip told himself. “Not until I know she’s safe.”

“Chip!” His ears perked to the voice of Lune Star. He found them looking below from the entrance hole.

Star!” Chip shouted. His horn lit bright and propelled the rocks beneath Star and Ratty upward. Their ascent was swift as it launched Star square into Chip’s grasp.

He grunted at the rough collision but absorbed her force.

“What are you doing?” Star asked. “You’re going to tucker yourself out like that.”

She stepped back from Chip and saw him fall on the platform. Chip panted heavily. “I think it’s... a bit late for that.”

Star came to his side and tried to pull him back to his hooves. However, his body was too heavy for the mare. “C’mon, this isn’t the time for this,” Star scolded. “We’re getting out of here.”

The auric roots began to swarm around their rocky platform. From every direction, the roots encroached upon them, ready to ensnare them in their grip.

“Star,” Chip breathed as he laid a hoof onto Star’s. “I still have enough magic to provide you cover back up the ravine. If you go now, I can clear most of your way.”

“That’s a stupid idea!” Star retorted. “There’s no way I’m leaving you behind.”

Chip smiled. “It’s okay, Star,” he assured. “If it means keeping you safe, then I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

“Star, I’m gonna need you to make up your mind again,” Ratty said. “We don’t have much time to think about this.” Ratty pointed at the roots trodding closer to them.

Star looked up where she noted the twins firing barrages of ice and flames upon the roots. Despite their bombardment of magic, they only tore small layers of the collective roots.

Star, Ratty, and Chip were on their own.

Star anxiously looked across her surroundings. She hoped to find something, anything she could use to escape their predicament.

But all she saw was the fierce river below and the predatory roots that limited their hope for escape every second. It seemed as if she had led her friends to their doom...

“No,” Star said with a cracked voice. “I’m not going to let it end this way. There’s still so much to live for. Ungh!”

Star yelped to a sharp pain that pricked her body. It felt as if something had stabbed into her very soul.

Her purse had suddenly rumbled and bursted yellow light. The obsidian cube shot out of her purse and fell inches away from her.

“Star!” Ratty called. “What’s wrong!? We don’t have time to dawdle!”

“What the...” Star gaped her eyes upon her fore hooves. She could see her veins. They shimmered chromatic light that emitted through her gray coat.

Star, Ratty, and Chip stared stunningly at the pulsing wave of light Star’s hooves released. It spread like a ripple across the ravine, blowing waves at the tempo of Star’s heartbeat.

When the light waves phased through the obsidian cube, it shook about and increased the intensity of its yellow light. The Cosmic sap on the cube slithered into one another until Star could piece together texts of rune.

“Laguz¹, ehwaz², jera³,” Star read the cube’s inscription. The cube then floated at the sound of Star’s voice and boomed a black flash that swallowed the entire ravine in an instant.

The flash disappeared as soon as it came, but left the roots ratted and squirming wildly. They slithered back into the ground they came from and disappeared, leaving behind the damaged stairway of rocks.

Star, Ratty, and Chip shared an astonished glance amongst each other. Ratty was the first to break the silence, hopping off from Star. “Uh, what just happened?”

“It worked...” Star uttered. She stretched a hoof underneath the cube as its yellow dissipated. When it fell into her clutch, Star noted the rainbow light had disappeared from her veins.

Star felt light-headed. She found herself close to teetering to the ground but was caught back into Chip’s grasp.

“I got you,” he said.

“Nice move, Chip!” Yori cheered from a distance.

Chip rolled his eyes before pushing Star back to give her space. “Are you going to be okay?” He asked. “I’ve never seen you do that before.”

Star rubbed her head. “Uh, yeah. I think I’ll live.”

Chip let out a relieved sigh. “Good.” And then he glared at the mare. “Do you realize how much danger you put yourself in!? I nearly thought we lost you!”

“I know, and I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have been so reckless. My friends should have taken priority over my selfish goals. I don’t even know if the rumors were even true or not.” She let a sigh. “I’ve been a terrible friend.”

Chip eyed at her for a moment and then dropped the fury in his eyes. “As long as you understand, then it’s okay. We know how much this meant to you. Why else would we let you drag us all the way here?”

“Sometimes I think you guys are way too forgiving,” she admitted. “But I promise I’ll never abuse it again.”

“Nah, you probably will. But at least I know you’ll stick with us during the fall.”

“Say,” Ratty spoke. “Since those plants are gone now, we could still check if those predictions are true.”

“I thought you didn’t believe in it?” Chip asked.

“Course I don’t, “Ratty confirmed. “But it’s what Star wants.”

“Is that okay?” Star asked Chip.

Chip rubbed his chin, glancing toward the entrance hole below. “Well, you did manage to scare off the roots. And we’re already close by, so we might as well get what we came for.”

“Thank you, Chip.”

Star’s group entered a wet cavern that was littered with stones and dripping water. Their eyes traced upon the only ray of light found within its darkness that revealed the chaliced Cosmic root still remaining whole atop the small hill.

“Looks grander than I would imagine,” Yuki commented. “Normally, they don’t turn out like this.”

Yori rushed over to the Cosmic root and poked her hoof upon it. “Now this warrants a study of its own. Say, sis, you think we should place our research on this?”

“Okay Yori, what’s your problem?” Yuki asked. “Are you against going to Nimbus?”

“It’s not that. I just don’t know if we’ll find the answers that we’re looking for there. I’d hate it if it ends up being a waste of time for you.”

“It’s fine, Yori,” Yuki assured. “As long as we’re together, it will be well worth the time.”

“Aw,” Yori cooed and skipped to her sister for a hug. “That’s why you’re my favorite sis.”

“I’m the only sis you have,” Yuki reminded with a chuckle.

“Choosing to study this root would never work out,” Chip said. “You’d have to explain when and how you discovered it in the first place. But let’s not worry about that. We should get over with this now before the sun rises.”

“From what rumor says,” Star began, nearing the Cosmic root. “All we need to do is to be in contact with the root and the spirit should come to us.”

“And how long would that take?” Chip asked.

Yuki shrugged. “Who’s to say? I would assume whenever the spirit decides to show itself.”

“Wait!” Yori’s call earned her friends’ attention. She opened a pocket in her saddlebag and withdrew a camera. “We need to take a group picture to celebrate this.”

“A bit early to celebrate, don’t you think?” Yuki questioned. “We haven’t even met the spirit yet.”

“There’s also the matter of not leaving any evidence of us ever being here,” Chip added.

“I’m up for it,” Star answered to Yuki and Chip’s surprise. “What? I think we deserve a little celebration after what we went through.”

Chip raised his hoof to begin a retort, but was stopped by a tap from Yuki. “Let’s humor them,” Yuki suggested. “It’s not often we get to go out like this.”

Chip relented and gathered with his friends in front of the Cosmic root. Yuri pushed the camera a distance away from them with her magic and then counted down the flash. “Three...two...one... Cheese!”

The camera flashed upon the group in brief light. Yori happily whisked the camera into her hooves in a giddy chuckle. “I’m going to keep this as a lucky charm when we get to Nimbus.”

“You two better remember to write me letters,” Star advised. “I’m rather curious about those clouds as well.”

“Don’t worry,” Yuki assured her. “I’ll be sure to print a copy of our report for you .”

“Alright!” Yori cheered. “Let’s call in a spirit!”

They each gathered around the Cosmic root and placed their hooves and paw on it. They waited for the arrival of the Norn spirit, making small talks to pass the time. Minutes went by uneventfully.

“So,” Ratty said. “Am I supposed to be feeling something?”

“I don’t know,” Yuki said. “Maybe if we stay quiet, it may come out.”

“How about you, Star?” Chip asked. “Do you feel anything?”

He glanced upon Lune Star and noted that her eyes were closed. her face completely calm as if she was sound asleep.

“Star?”

Author's Note:

Runes

(1) Laguz (ᛚ):
The rune of water. An element of dynamic force that can guide those to enlightenment or stagnation.

(2) Ehwaz (ᛖ):
The rune of teamwork. An element that promotes partnership which may result in unity or disharmony.

(3) Jera (ᛃ):
The rune of harvest. An element drawn from diligence that either provide a reward to misfortune.