10 - Arcanism
Twilight’s eyes widened as she lifted a hoof, seeing that the carbuncle glamour had been well and truly dispelled. She blinked a few times before setting her hoof down. She met Y’mhitra’s gaze and saw nothing but scholarly curiosity and a gentle, if firm, face staring back at her. Her anxieties over this meeting slowly began to melt away, and she managed to return the welcoming smile with one of her own.
“Wow… Y’shtola wasn’t kidding. You really know your way around magic.”
Y’mhitra smiled. “Well, I am from Sharlayan, and an Archon at that. My specific fields of research may vary from Shtola, but I am no less competent a spellcaster for it.”
A mischievous glint came to Y’shtola’s eye. “Is that right? Shall I remind you of your own contributions to Nixie?”
To Twilight’s surprise, a furious blush came to Y’mhitra’s face, and she took a step back. “S-shtola! First of all, we were children. And secondly, such stories are not to be told in front of the - surprisingly adorable - otherworldly equine!”
Twilight frowned. “Guh, again with people calling me adorable… Flattery is one thing, but then there’s this.”
That interjection brought the sisters to a halt, both sets of eyes loitering on Twilight. A moment later, Y’mhitra lifted a hand to her mouth to stifle an amused giggle. “Ah, forgive us. We see each other in person disappointingly rarely.”
“If you thought that was bad,” Y’shtola added with a warm smile of her own. “Then I pray you never overhear us when we are alone. Such verbal barbs as we trade would be like to make the barbarism of the empire blush.”
Twilight smiled back at her for a second before returning her attention to Y’mhitra. “Well, I’ll try not to sneak up on you, then,” she said before lifting out her hoof to shake.
Y’mhitra eyed the hoof for a second, seemingly not sure what the intent was. For emphasis, Twilight wiggled it up and down, and the conjurer quickly caught on. She took Twilight’s hoof in her hand, giving it a firm shake.
It was at this time that Y’shtola spoke up again. “But, alas, further catching up shall have to wait until later. Mhitra?”
Y’mhitra gave off a quiet sigh before rising back to her full height. “Right, of course. To the matter at hand…” she replied before shaking her head and turning to face her sister directly. “When you contacted me, Shtola, you gave me a summary of the events that led us here, but if you don’t mind, could you provide me with a more thorough explanation? If I’m to be of any help, I’ll need the full picture,” she stated matter-of-factly, her eyes narrowing in what Twilight recognized as focus.
Y’shtola nodded. “Very well, though most of the story is not mine to tell. My concerns may come after.”
Y’mhitra turned back to Twilight. “Alright. Whenever you’re ready.”
Twilight took a moment to compose herself, going over the events in her head. She took a deep breath before launching into her story, retelling everything that had led them to this point: from a brief summary of Equestria to her run-in with the Ascian Scarmiglione, her capture by the Amalj’aa, and her subsequent meeting with Thancred, the Scions, and their duly-named champion.
Y’mhitra nodded as Twilight brought her lengthy and suitably in-depth tale to a close, the mare feeling rather pleased to see the same ‘taking extensive notes behind their eyes’ look her typical group of friends infuriatingly lacked. Especially Rainbow Dash.
Either way, with recent history successfully imparted onto the miqo’te, the alicorn let silence fall between them as the woman mulled over the information in her head. It lasted but a few moments before she gave a small hum of contemplation.
“That is… quite the story! Another world… the aetheric implications for such a transference without suffering any negative repercussions… Such a feat of magic would surely require- Oh, don’t mind me. I’m sure you didn’t come all this way to hear me go on a tangent.”
“Oh no, I find it quite delightful,” Twilight responded.
“Regardless, we should keep our eyes on more pressing matters,” Y’shtola scolded the two. “The intricacies of her crossing can wait, aside from that which brought us to you, Mhitra. Namely, the effect it's had on her own aetheric balance.”
“Right. And you had some other concerns, hm?” she asked.
“Indeed. Benign though she may appear, the claimed connection to this ‘Tree of Harmony’ is concerning to me, not to mention the nature of her own existence. She is an otherworldly unknown, and one that withstood a primal’s influence. To my knowledge, there are only two things that afford such a phenomenon. Either she is blessed with a power similar to the Blessing of Light...”
“Or she is already tempered,” Y’mhitra concluded, idly stroking her chin in thought.
Twilight shuffled uncomfortably in place. She knew she wasn’t tempered, or at least, not in any way that resembled what Ifrit had done to those soldiers back in Thanalan. But it was nevertheless concerning to think about. What if she really was being influenced in subtle ways she couldn’t perceive? What if her thoughts weren’t entirely her own anymore? As ridiculous as it was, it was still a dark path for her thoughts to wander, and under Y’shtola’s scrutiny, it was a very easy path to get lost on.
Y’shtola nodded. “Correct. Which is why we have come to you. When last we spoke, you told me that you had been studying the various ways in which the ancient Allagans had attempted to bend the Primals to their will. It is my hope that your recent studies on that subject could help provide some insight on Twilight’s condition.”
Twilight blinked. “The Allagans…? Papalymo mentioned them back outside of Drybone. They were that really old Empire that created Dalamud, right?”
Y’mhitra answered her. “That is the right of it, though their achievements reach far beyond that of the red moon. To go into such details now would be to derail the entire day, however,” she said before focusing back on Y’shtola. “In short, yes, I have been researching the Allagans’ means of controlling Primals. Specifically, I have been studying a specific order of Allagan mages known as ‘summoners.’ I’ve even been petitioning the Arcanists of Limsa to lend me a capable member of their guild to aid in my research, as I am given to believe Arcanists and Summoners share a great deal in common. But thus far, none have answered my call…”
Twilight tilted her head, making yet another mental note to investigate these ‘summoners.’ “Gaaaah! A whole world full of things I don’t know about and I don’t have time to study any of it!”
Shaking that thought aside, Twilight turned back to Y’mhitra curiously, and hopefully. “So… Will that help you figure out if something’s… wrong with me? Like, if I’m tempered?”
Y’mhitra closed her eyes, continuing to tap at her chin in a manner similar to how Y’shtola often would when deep in thought. A few moments later, she opened her eyes and nodded. “I believe so… Though I would rather not do so here in public. As remote as this spot is, it does still receive some small amount of foot traffic - especially from other conjurers.”
“Know you, then, of a place where we can speak in private?” Y’shtola asked.
“Yes. I have a room set aside for myself down at the Carline Canopy. It is where I have been staying these past moons. We can speak further there.”
Twilight let out a grunt of irritation. “So we have to walk all the way back to where we started in this city?” she asked even as Y’mhitra strolled by.
Y’shtola grinned down at her. “I trust your hooves can weather the journey?”
Twilight flashed her a small smile of her own. “Probably.”
“Then turn them to paws and let us be on our way.”
Twilight pouted at the blunt command, but for the time being resigned herself to doing as she was told. She focused on the prism on her leg, channelling her magic into it. A moment later, there was a flash and a puff of smoke, and she was once again disguised as a purple carbuncle.
Y’shtola gave a satisfied nod, and together they set off after Mhitra for the Carline Canopy.
Well, this place was crowded.
Arriving at the Carline Canopy, Twilight was met with the winding grassy path alongside a cliff edge that led back out of the city. To her right, however, was a building she’d paid little mind to before. It was a wide-open entrance that didn’t seem to believe in windows or doors leading straight to a decently sized room covered with tables and chairs. She’d almost describe it as a tavern, but the desks lining the far wall seemed far more… logistical, and far less inclined to serve the likes of Sweet Apple Acres’ latest batch of apple cider.
That didn’t seem to stop the tables from being packed with a wide assortment of individuals. Many were dressed in common clothes, while a smattering of others wore flowing robes or battle-dented armour. The quiet chatter that permeated the interior space was enthusiastic but reserved.
To the far left was a winding staircase leading downward, though she couldn’t tell exactly where to. Off to her right, however, was another entrance and a desk that appeared akin to a hotel check-in; an inn, perhaps?
Sensing her numerous questions, Y’mhitra glanced down at the softly glowing carbuncle and gave her a small smile.
“This place serves as Gridania’s adventurer’s guild, where the brave and the bold get their starts. Alternatively, it is also the entrance to the airship landing as well as host to a few inn rooms where those mentioned adventures can get some well-deserved TLC.”
Twilight just nodded along. She’d have some comments, but carbuncles didn’t seem to be the talkative type, so it was best to not defy that particular expectation.
“Come on,” Y’shtola said. “Let us go to this room of yours so we can speak privately.”
“Way ahead of you,” Y’mhitra confirmed, striding off towards the check-in nearby. “Hi there! Just checking in!”
“Oh, Miss Rhul,” the innkeeper greeted. “I didn’t expect to see you. Not at this time, at any rate. The sun is still high and all.”
The innkeeper looked past the miqo’te, ignoring the ‘carbuncle’ while their eyes came to a rest on the Scion in the room.
“Uh, will your companion be requiring one as well? You do recall your room contains but the one bed.”
“It is fine, we’re sisters. Top and tailing is nothing new to us.”
Y’shtola glared at her sister quite venomously. “We are visiting, Mhitra.”
“Yes, but I had to get back at you for the Nixie comment. Besides, you snore, so I wouldn’t share a room even if there was a second bed.”
Y’shtola’s eye twitched.
Before any further barbs could be traded, the innkeeper swiftly stepped around and pulled open a small, waist-high wooden gate next to the counter that led deeper into the building. “Y-your room awaits you, Miss Rhul!” they stammered out, clearly eager to get the impending catfight out of public view.
Y’mhitra gave a victorious smirk before sashaying through the gate. Y’shtola huffed. “The nerve of that one…” she grumbled before smiling and following after her, Twilight close at her heels.
“Reminds me of Shining, almost…”
Y’mhitra led them through the halls for a short way, eventually pushing open one door near the end of the corridor. The room beyond was spacious, lit by a single lamp hanging from the ceiling that was wrapped in orange paper, providing a very homely ambience. Afternoon sunlight streamed in through the window against the back wall, lending its own soothing glow to the space. Against the far right corner was a single bed fit for one, while numerous other basic amenities were scattered about.
Most notable of all were the books. Twilight’s eyes bulged in their sockets as she spied tomes upon tomes stacked up on the table, at the foot of the bed, and anywhere and everywhere else that wasn’t already occupied by necessities. It was almost like a miniature library in here!
“And here we are,” Y’mhitra stated, closing the door behind them. “Now, down to business. Twilight, if you would, please stand in the centre of the room and hold still, please. And drop your glamour. I need as few disturbances as possible.”
Twilight nodded, heading for the middle of the room, allowing her disguise to fade away. All the while, her eyes roamed around the numerous books the miqo’te had collected. “Wow… you have a lot of books,” she dumbly stated.
“I may have… gotten a little carried away in my research,” Y’mhitra confessed with a small blush as she made for the window to close the curtains. “I am still not sure how I’m going to move all of it when my time here is at an end…”
Y’shtola shrugged. “When the time comes, perhaps you could allow the Scions to take some of these off your hands?”
“Perhaps.”
The trio lapsed into silence as Y’mhitra continued to flit about the room like Pinkie in the bakery, closing the curtains and rummaging through various books she had scattered around the room. Finally, she settled on one. She read over one page multiple times before stepping forward and taking up a position in front of Twilight.
“According to this, the way Primals tempered their victims was by way of pouring an immense amount of their own aether into their targets. In such a manner, their victim’s aether would become elementally oversaturated, and their souls shackled to the essence of the Primal. And so, behaviour aside, a surefire way to tell if one has been tempered is to observe the state of their aether.”
A muffled thump accompanied the tome being snapped shut. “Such a spell is simple enough to work with. However, that said, with you, Twilight, it may not be so simple…”
Twilight frowned, tilting her head. “Huh? How come?”
Y’shtola spoke up. “Because, if all you have told us is true, then the Tree of Harmony is not aligned to any one aetherial element. Your descriptions make it sound more like it is aspected to Light.”
“...Light?”
Y’shtola nodded. “Think of Aether as elementary particles, and each can come with a sort of ‘charge.’ Astral, or Umbral - light, and darkness, respectively.”
“So… like protons and electrons?” Twilight asked with a frown.
There was a brief pause as the two sisters shared a confused glance.
“...I do not know what those are,” Y’shtola bluntly confessed.
“The point is,” Y’mhitra redirected them. “If this Tree of Harmony of yours has tempered you, then it may be difficult to determine. Without any particular elemental alignment, it could simply be it has supercharged your aether and left you, for want of a better term, ‘glowing.’ But without knowing your base elemental inclinations…”
Twilight frowned. Did she have a base elemental inclination? It had never occurred to her to really think of it that way. ‘Aether’ was still such a foreign concept to her, and for it to permeate this world so completely as to form the fundamental building blocks of all matter made her own contributions to the discussion very limited.
That said…
“Well… I’m an alicorn,” she began slowly, slowly working through the logic in her head. “Which means I have a little bit of three different races of pony flowing through my body. I have earth pony strength, who are naturally attuned to the land. I also have the gifts of flight and cloud walking from the Pegasi, which I would assume is tied to the air.”
“So it’s possible you’re naturally aligned to Earth and Wind,” Y’mhitra noted. “And the third race?”
Twilight winded. “Er… Unicorns. And that’s how I started. I only became an alicorn later. I can’t think of an element that unicorns would be associated with, though. We don’t really measure worldly elements beyond what is light and what is dark.”
“Nevertheless, it is a start,” Y’shtola noted before turning to Y’mhitra. “Is there aught I can do to assist you?”
“For now, just make sure nothing explodes,” Y’mhitra said before turning to face Twilight. She took a deep breath and outstretched her hands. “Now, this may feel… strange.”
And then her hands began to emit white light.
Twilight immediately felt something washing over her, a tingling on her skin swiftly worming its way into her core. She squirmed in place, trying not to fight the sensation as she, too, began to glow and radiate magical light.
Y’mhitra closed her eyes, focusing intently as she went to work. Time began to pass, seconds slowly ticking by into minutes. Every so often, Y’mhitra would mutter something to herself, but she was otherwise perfectly silent as she worked her magic. Twilight did her best to hold still, but it was hard to resist the urge to shift, squirm, and occasionally grimace with discomfort. It was an odd feeling to have another’s magic so effortlessly rooting around within her own, and she had to fight her own instincts to try and force the intruder out.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, it ended. Y’mhitra ceased the flow of her magic, and the near-blinding glow that had filled the room winked out. Then, to the surprise of all, the miqo’te collapsed to one knee, gasping for breath.
“Mhitra!” Y’shtola exclaimed, rushing to her sister’s side. “Are you alright?!”
Y’mhitra nodded, still panting. “Y-yes. Forgive me, I just… over-extended myself,” she apologized weakly, offering Y’shtola a weak smile.
Twilight slowly stood up, the anticipation starting to get to her. “So… what’s the verdict?” She asked anxiously. “Am I alright? Am I tempered, or…”
Y’mhitra looked up to Twilight. Then, with a grimace, she rose back to her full height, with Y’shtola supporting her all the way. “N-nay, I do not believe so. For all of the abnormalities I sensed in your aether, nothing I saw was consistent with the effects of tempering.”
Twilight blinked. “...Abnormalities?” she questioned. Somehow, that word only made her feel even more uneasy.
“No doubt a result of your otherworldly nature,” Y’shtola theorized. “We have long pinned down the fact that your magic flows in slightly different ways from our own.”
“It’s more than that,” Y’mhitra corrected with a shake of her head. She pulled away from Y’shtola and walked closer to Twilight, now steady on her feet. She knelt down in front of the alicorn so they were eye to eye, and Twilight could see the fascination the miqo'te now had for her.
“In all of my years, I do not believe I have ever come across another being with so much… dormant aether. You were like the sun in my mind’s eye… a sun that had gone dull and dim… or, perhaps, simply had yet to brighten with life.”
Twilight blinked. She wasn’t sure how to feel about being compared to the sun of all things, as that was Celestia’s domain. And while she knew she had a great deal of newfound magic potential as an alicorn, that comparison had to have been a bit of a stretch.
Right?
“But… I’m not tempered,” she stressed, wanting to distract herself from that. “Right?”
Y’mhitra nodded. “As far as I could tell, no, you are not.”
Twilight visibly relaxed, and even Y’shtola seemed to bleed some of her tension and scepticism.
“If anything, I’d compare her more to the primals themselves.”
The hairs on the back of Twilight’s neck violently stood on end as Y’shtola’s glare returned with divine vengeance.
“Wait, Shtola, don’t get the wrong idea!” Y’mhitra blurted out, interposing herself between the Scion and the pony. “I assure you, she is perfectly physical and not at all made of aether! Flesh and blood, just like you and I. I merely meant to state a comparison between her dormant energies to the power level you might expect from those accursed deities.”
Y’shtola’s eyebrow raised high. “That only assuages my concerns slightly. Just how powerful is she, exactly?”
“I… can’t really say. Twilight, do you have any frame of reference? How strong are the magic users of your world?”
The alicorn scuffed a hoof across the wooden floor. “I mean, I was among the most gifted unicorn mages. There weren’t many above me, actually! But ever since I became an alicorn…”
“You…?” Y’shtola bade her continue when she paused.
“...Well, there aren’t many others like me in Equestria. There’s Princess Celestia, Luna, Cadence… Cadance isn’t all that different to me, honestly. But Celestia and Luna… well, the sun and moon kind of… move when they command it…”
The silence that hit the room was most telling, the two sisters glancing at each other with quite different expressions. Y’mhitra took this newest information with an equal mix of fascination and profound concern, while Y’shtola seemed to be resisting the urge to grit her teeth and break her calm facade.
“The sun,” Y’shtola subsequently deadpanned. “You are telling me that, were you to will it, you could move the heavens themselves?”
“No! Well, I don’t think so. Celestia is specially attuned to the sun, and a millennia more powerful than I am!” Twilight quickly explained. “So don’t worry! Completely harmless!”
“Just don’t feed her crystals anytime soon. Who knows what might happen?” Y’mhitra lightly joked.
“Indigestion,” the alicorn shot back. “I’m not a dragon!”
“Be that as it may,” Y’shtola continued. “All the more reason you are not to leave my sight. And all the more reason we need to find your assailant, if the magic of your world is truly capable of such feats…”
“You know, I’d kind of hoped to earn your trust through this little exercise…” Twilight noted dejectedly.
“Some of my concerns have indeed been set aside. I concede you are not a tempered agent of a primal. But if such raw power lies within you, more the fool am I to let you wander Eorzea in reach of all who would use you for ill.”
“To be fair to the poor girl, she’s not moving a rock in her current state, let alone the sun,” Y’mhitra noted, standing and walking towards one of her many stacks of books. “And on that note, I have something that might help with that.”
Twilight watched as Y’mhitra plucked a thick leather-bound book from the pile. Its cover was a deep shade of blue, with elaborate geometric patterns etched into its surface. She brought it over to Twilight and presented it to her.
Twilight tilted her head, gingerly taking the book in her magic. It weighed more than it should have, once again reminding her how stunted her capabilities were. Flipping it open curiously, she was met with pages upon pages loaded with unusual patterns, shapes, and grids, each one surrounded with labels and detailed notes. Confused, she glanced up at Y’mhitra.
“What is this?”
“I mentioned earlier that I have been waiting for the Arcanists in Limsa to send me someone to aid in my research on the summoners, yes?” she asked, turning and walking over to the window. She pulled the curtains open, allowing sunlight to stream in. “...Well, given how long I am being forced to wait, I decided it might be for the best if I attempted to study Arcanism myself. Alas, with all of the other responsibilities I have, especially with all of that research going on with the Crystal Tower of late, I’ve had little to no time to actually practice that field of magic.”
She turned and pointed at the book Twilight now held. “That book is an Arcanist’s spellbook. In it are the geometric shapes and patterns with which Arcanists weave their spells, tapping into natural power housed in specific geometric patterns. It is a form of spellcraft rooted in logic, reasoning, and critical thought; and from what I have seen and heard of you, these are areas in which you excel.”
Twilight’s eyes widened as she returned her attention to the page in front of her. “Wow… so, with this, I can use my magic more effectively?” she asked, her wings unfolding slightly in anticipation.
“If nothing else, it should allow you to control it better,” Y’mhitra said. “You’ve had trouble calling on your magic since arriving in Eorzea. Well, with that tome in your possession, you effectively have a means of overcoming that hurdle. At least until you learn to harness this world’s aether effectively into your usual spellcraft.”
Y’shtola frowned, crossing her arms over her chest. “A very generous gift, Mhitra… but I feel compelled to remind you that Arcanism is no simple field of magic. The book all on its own will do Twilight precious little, and we are still a long way from Limsa Lominsa and its Arcanists.”
Y’mhitra smiled, gently placing a hand over her heart. “I said I had little time to practice the craft. Not that I hadn’t practised it at all. If you are so concerned, then I’d be willing to teach Twilight the very basics. I even have a few books on the subject as well.”
Twilight’s ears shot up at that. Her eyes sparkled with anticipation as she looked up to Y’mhitra, a big grin splitting her muzzle. “You have books on this?! Oh, then yes, please! Teach me everything you can! I need all the help I can get! And maybe I can prod your brain about these summoners while we’re at it!”
Y’mhitra smiled in amusement at the declaration before turning to her sister. “Well, so long as you have no objections?”
Y’shtola smiled and shook her head. “Nay. I am bound for Limsa, but I can afford to wait a few days if it means Twilight can get a better grasp of her surroundings and her abilities. I may even be willing to offer some assistance with the former.”
Y’mhitra grinned, her hands coming together in a joyous motion. “Wonderful! Then we should get started right away!”
“I agree!” Twilight said, flipping back to the first page in the Arcanist book. “So, where do I start?”
She suddenly paused when she came to the first page and saw the words inscribed above the first geometric shape.
Summon Carbuncle.
“...What kind of joke is this?”
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I honestly would be mildly surprised if Twilight wasn't using that tome properly by the end of the next chapter. Poor Twilight. The Carbuncle thing was pretty funny.
FWIW, in G1, unicorns were associated with fire (seaponies being associated with water).
That is funny, especially if the glamour interacts with her natural magic, and causes her to summon herself. Especially if the summoning makes it so that it is no longer a glamour, but an actual shapeshift ability. I would really love to see Twilight's reaction to that actually.
So Alicorns are sort of like Shiva then? Immense power summoned into a living creature.
That's what Sidequests are for!
Looks at Summoner segment in the Endwalker Job actions trailer
Not quite a joke... unless you're talking what was shown for Scholar
10985203
And they paid it homage in G4, having Twi turning into a Rapidash for a moment
Carbuncle Recursion?
I seriously doubt Twilight did this intentionally, but it was probably very wise of her to not mention the specifics of Cadance’s unique Alicorn abilities. Cat girl got suspicious of her due to the Tree, she definitely doesn’t need to her about Cadance’s ability to boost people love.
10985203
Never mind Twilight's almost Nirik-like anger flares. Celestia seems to have a habit of taking fire friendly students.
Nice! Though I do wonder why Y'shtola had to resort to using a spell though? She has the aether googles in her possession which should function like what she has after trip in the lifestream and allow her to observe aether. After 4.1, she notes that she would be assisting the guards to check who were tempered or not tempered.
11014878
Her goggles can measure aether, yes, but at this point to tell if someone is tempered required a different method, for which she went to Y'mhitra. If you recall, the whole 'the tempered have aether leaning in one direction akin to Sin Eaters' hadn't been established yet. They still knew incredibly little about the primals they were sworn to fight.
So, while she'd undoubtedly see it, she wouldn't really know what she was looking at yet. While the spell looked a little deeper for corruption.
11015124
Huh I see that makes sense. Might be misrembering then. I thought I remembered in Stormblood Y'shtola mentioned that she could see was not tempered and who was not in a side dialogue to examine if there were still guards tempered to Lakshmi after 4.1. Though there might be difference from the aether sight gained by her trip in the lifestream and a physical tool.
11015127
Her aether sight is significantly deeper than the goggles, certainly. She sees everything as its base aether in a clarity the goggles couldn't manage.
10986859
Considering Twilight has been compared to Primals more than once, that can of worms would probably be seen as a kind of tempering.
Did you mean protons and electrons?
Neutrons have no charge.