Level Up!

by RisuUmbra

Chapter 43: Discussion

Author's Note:

Actual Author's Note (No Plot Here)
Mini Chap
College is starting back up and I wanted to get something out before getting swamped with homework.
A lot of talking this chapter, don't worry story will progress in the following chapters.

Chapter 43: Discussion

Spike’s reveal rattled me, it rattled me much more than I would like, and I think everyone could tell. Spike quickly wrapped up his story after we agreed to help and let us go find a place to stay. I was almost completely despondent as David and Morgana guided me to whatever home they chose. I didn’t know how to feel, should I feel betrayed? The one who is trapping me here in Equestria is apparently Twilight Sparkle the Princess of Friendship? Something chimed again in the back of my mind, I ignored it easily. ‘Twilight’ was apparently trying to speak to me, but I didn’t want to speak to her right now. I zoned back in and found myself standing at the bottom of some stairs. David had found a house that was built over an abandoned shop, at one time it would have even been nice looking. I wasn’t paying much attention to my surroundings as I entered, I just went straight to the bedroom and made sure Falling was comfortable in bed.

Falling Star was still sleeping soundly, and his magic had finally settled down which was a good sign. That means there aren’t any more major injuries left and that he just needs to recover his energy. He’s going to be starving once he wakes up. I don’t want to make him sick with solid foods, so he’ll be on a soup and broth only diet for a while. I tucked the kid in and returned to the living room, there was a screen door that led out to a balcony with a couple chairs. David and Morgana were waiting for me out there sitting on some old cushions, Calcifer perched on the stone railing.

“So… what next?” David’s question broke the silence first and I mentally thanked him for that, I didn’t know how to start the conversation. I forced my tensed shoulders to relax as I thought about what to say. I knew the conversation with ‘Twilight ’ was inevitable, but it could still wait a bit, thanks to Spike we now had an overarching goal. I also needed to find out what’s going on with Aaron which I will most likely need Twilight’s help for. Before we left the castle, we had made extra sure that Aaron wouldn’t be escaping… then we chucked him into a dusty broom closet. The guy was encased in solid granite by Morgana, then I imbued those rocks with Astral magic that would detonate if he tried to escape, then David perched a thundercloud over his head just in case. It didn’t feel like overkill at the time, and it still doesn’t now. I let out an audible sigh and responded.

“Do you two want to make something to eat? I need to have a chat with somebody” I might as well get this conversation over with before I try and put it off any longer. David and Morgana gave each other a look I couldn’t decipher before nodding their assent to me and heading back inside to try and throw something together in the barebones kitchenette. I moved over and started to idly pet Calcifer’s warm feathers, he sent calming emotions down our bond while telling me to try and keep an open mind. I sent back my thanks and got myself comfortable on the cushions David and Morgana left.

“I’m ready to talk now…Twilight” my voice echoed out further than natural as the familiar prickle of mana started to gather around me. It seems Twilight opted to not stop time during our talk, I felt another presence slide into my mind alongside Calcifer’s bond.

Thank you for hearing me out

Being petty or angry won’t get me anywhere right now, so how would you like to start? Want us to ask questions or do you want to just start at the beginning?

…

Don’t be so hesitant now, if this is as big as I’m assuming it is then we need to be able to trust each other. No more secrets, no more machinations running in the background, no more exacting prices out of me. If we’re going to be in this together then we both need to be on the same page, if there are some things you can’t tell me then say so. I remember you mentioning the timeline at one point which means you know the future to some extent and you’re trying to guide us in a certain direction.

You’re right, there are some things I cannot simply tell you and I thank you for understanding that. Maybe… it would be for the best if I simply started with the small things.

First and foremost is my true identity, I haven’t been Twilight Sparkle for a very long time. I was born from the shattered mind and essence of two beings, Twilight Sparkle and the Element of Magic. The element of magic tried to protect its wielder but was only to hold onto most of the shards that made up her existence.

Without its wielder the element was mostly powerless so it did the only thing it could to save her… it absorbed her. The element of magic was never meant to house a living mind inside of it, it had become more… I had become more. Neither Twilight Sparkle nor Element of Magic, I had become something… new. I floated around for a few generations just following the scattered memories of Twilight and following the element’s instincts.

I think it was around the time Canterlot was rebuilt that I bonded with my first host, she’s in here too. She didn’t want to leave me alone… so she decided to become part of me. That’s how it went for the following century, finding new partners to bond with then growing stronger. Some were heroes, some were villains, some were farmers. I don’t remember exactly when I became what I am today, but I do remember the exact moment when I found out what I needed to do. I needed to track down that group, The Book of Hours.

The sudden vitriol in their otherwise melancholy voice caught me off guard. So, it’s revenge you’re after? And what about the other elements?

While I can tell you that there are others like me, I can’t tell you where they are. That is something you need to find out on your own and no I do not wish to find this group for revenge. As much as I claim that I am no longer Twilight, she still holds sway over a large part of my personality. There are some parts of me that can’t tell where I begin and Twilight ends. I cannot bring myself to hate them, If possible I wish to befriend some of them. Moving on, I wish not for revenge but for knowledge, for understanding. I want to understand why and how they did what they did. It’s why I granted you ritual magic, all of the Chapters are well versed in the art. Of course there are parts of my story that I omitted but it conveyed what I needed to.

I was reeling from that infodump of a story and was still trying to parse through it all before a thought occurred to me. Is that why you have me extract Ozymandias’ soul instead of just straight up killing him? You wanted to take his knowledge?

Essentially yes, except for the fact that the poor creature was completely mad. His mind is a swirling quagmire of half formed thoughts and damaged memories. This is actually a good lead in for why I had you become a witch-

Actually yeah, why did you make me become a witch? Aren’t witches supposed to be female, wouldn’t I be a warlock or something? I felt a little bad cutting off twi- the spirit?

-Actually a very interesting historical fact is that the misconception of the gender differences between witches and warlocks come from the ‘Harry Potter’ series and has no actual basis in magic. Warlocks lean more towards summoning creatures to fight for them and making pacts with stronger magical beings to gain strength. A good hint to this is the ‘War-’ part of the name Warlock as most Warlocks thrive most in combat. Witches are a much more broad topic that can actually do just as much if not more than Warlocks. Though Warlocks can get much more powerful in a short amount of time while it takes Witches a long time to become formidable opponents through combat alone.

I swear I could hear Twilight talking as the spirit lectured at me, somewhere in that resonating voice was definitely Twilight. This is all very interesting and I am definitely going to ask more about it later, preferably when I actually have a notebook or something on me.

Ah yes… I may have gotten a bit carried away. It’s been quite a while since I’ve taught anyone, I guess I missed it. I made you a witch because combined with your natural affinity with magic and power of ritual magic I am almost certain that we can unravel every mystery we come across, magical or otherwise. Witches are steeped in understanding and knowledge which means with enough time and experimentation we could find answers to anything… even a way to get you home.

That made me pause, I thought you didn’t want me to leave Equestria. I didn’t want to hope, suddenly having the option to go home was… it lifted a heavy feeling in my chest that I didn’t know was there.

In the beginning I intended to just wait until your usefulness ran out then move on… then everything started to fall into place. Something is in motion, I can’t tell you what it is exactly, but I can tell you it’s good, very good.

Comments

[Alyarin9000]

24hrs without comments? Well we can't have that!

So, this is definitely interesting! The fact that she can't tell us everything means that she is at least a bit of an unreliable narrator... Though, the statement "In the beginning I intended to just wait until your usefulness ran out then move on" sorta implies that he isn't a reincarnation. Awww, fine

Good to hear a decent bit of Twilight survived, though! I wonder how intelligent those other fragments of Twi are...

So, an aggressive desire for friendship. I'll take that a bit of the elements' personality (or the tree) - Twi has been known to be reformation-happy, but she really only ever extends the hoof if the being she's fighting has been corrupted by outside forces, or surrendered from a position of power because they realized what they were doing was bad...

[erictheblue]

that last part reminds me of the Discworld novel "equal Rites", which involved a female wizard.

[Mary-Rowland]

Well you have definitely thrown me for a loop the last few chapters. You threw a lot of stuff out of left gate. And in just a few chapters you have broadened your world in our eyes by a Megaton and I look forward to see how you build this up even more.