True Magic

by CodeMonkey

Chapter 16 - Magic 101

Chapter 16 - Magic 101

Trixie lounged in her warm bed with eyes shut, not quite asleep, yet not fully awake. The sun had barely been up an hour as it peeked through her window and birds chirping outside, but she could care less. It was too early and after all that happened yesterday, she deserved another hour to rest. Not that she wasn’t excited about today, but she would need to be fully rested in order to learn whatever kinds of fantastic magic Magus had planned for her. Trixie wondered what she would be learning first…a fire spell perhaps.

Just as she was starting to enjoy the peace, her nose began to itch uncontrollably. Scratching subsided the irritation only briefly before it returned in force. Cracking her eyes open, Trixie saw a small ball of red light sitting at the tip of her snout. She was unsure if she was dreaming or if the glowing sphere was real.

Before she could take any action, the light flew out of reach and hovered overhead. It was surprisingly fast, moving quicker than she could follow. The sphere was an appealing and curious thing as it whimsically floated above. Trixie had never seen anything like it, but before she could inspect it further, the sphere disappeared under the bed.

In an instant, her bed was violently flipped onto its side, sending Trixie tumbling to the cold floor. Briefly dazed from the spill, she was unsure of what just happened. Without warning, her hat fell onto her head before being pulled down over her eyes.

“Hey!” Trixie objected as she sat up and attempted to dislodge her cap.

Her efforts were interrupted when she felt something wrap around her neck and quickly tighten, choking her as it did. Reaching for her throat, she pulled at what felt like the threads of her cape and loosened the stranglehold before returning to her hat. Who or whatever was responsible would pay for this attack as soon as she was free.

With a swift tug, she was loose and hastily began scanning the room, searching for the offender. Her search ended as soon as it began, however, and her look of rage quickly changed to confusion when she saw the ball of light hovering in front of her.

Trixie couldn’t believe such a tiny thing could cause so much trouble, let alone lift her and the bed by itself. She stood up, eyeing the light with interest as she stepped closer. “Did you--?” Trixie began until the light dashed over her head. Before she had a chance to turn around, she felt something grab her tail, sensing a forceful tug a moment after. Suddenly, she was overturned onto her back, dazed once more by the intruder. Trixie groaned, tightening her eyes as a stinging sensation ran up her spine. Through the pain, Trixie opened her eyelids to see the luminescent sphere floating above holding her silvery tail in its glow.

The shining orb released her before getting in her face, violently fluttering around as if trying to speak. She tried smacking the glowing pest away, but it proved far faster than her hoof. It proceeded to pull her mane, lifting her to her haunches with its surprising strength. Taking another swing at it, the light effortlessly dodged, flying to the door.

In retaliation, Trixie rushed toward the shimmering ball to get another strike in, but as she swung her hoof it seemed to disappear, leaving her in an awkward stance with only three hooves on the ground. A moment after it vanished, she felt a gentle push from behind, sending her crashing through the door and into the hall, falling flat on her face as she struck the ground. Trixie had no time to recover as the mischievous being gripped her tail again and began dragging her down the corridor.

“Stupid pest!” Trixie said, as she freed herself, springing to her hooves to attempt to swat at the sphere again.

The light evaded her once more and flew down the hall with Trixie in hot pursuit. It didn’t take long for the chase to enter into the foyer. Trixie raced down the stairs, following the creature that always remained one step ahead of her.

“Come here, you annoying, little thing!” Trixie shouted as she reached the bottom of the steps, just missing another swipe at her tormentor. Rearing back, Trixie fired a magic bolt from her horn in hopes of stunning the light. She wasn’t surprised when the hex missed its mark. Undeterred by a single failure, she held her ground and continued to cast spell after spell at the agile being, missing every time. It was difficult, if not impossible to get a clear shot as it avoided every attempt with little to no effort. Fortunately, the foyer and everything else in the room appeared unaffected by Trixie’s magic as she continued to wildly cast spells.

After a while of this, the red orb quickly closed and took hold of her horn, dispersing the aura and the magic it held. She was stunned, even more so when she was unable to call on her magic any further. The creature gave her no time to comprehend how it was preforming this feat as it violently pulled her forward. Trixie stumbled uncontrollably as she was practically dragged into a hallway at the opposite end of the room.

“L-let go of me! Let go of me I said!” Trixie demanded as the light towed her through the unexplored hall. As much as she wanted to clobber the little creature, whatever it was, she was unable to get her footing as she was forcefully tugged forward. The corridor went on and on until she was abruptly yanked through a set of elaborately decorated doors.

When she crossed the threshold, her horn was forcefully released as she was practically tossed into the room, briefly stumbling and staggering before regaining her balance. Without a second thought, she powered up her horn and spun around, searching for the creature in fury. But Trixie stopped as her rage-filled eyes turned to amazement when she discovered where she was.

Rows upon rows of books surrounded her, neatly organized on white, gilded bookshelves that gleamed by the light of the sun, shining through the enormous window that spanned the leftmost wall, almost reaching the ceiling as the outside world rolled by. A large, gold chandelier hung high overhead, looking like something one would see in the Canterlot castle. The room appeared circular, the walls and shelves curving around the perimeter without a corner to be found.

Trixie’s hooves echoed loudly against the hardwood floor as she moved through the innumerable shelves, proceeding deeper into the eerily silent library, looking around in wonder. Multiple, balcony-like levels stretched high above, each with its own rows of shelves. Grand, colossal paintings adorned every wall that the bookshelves did not occupy, displaying images of robed ponies and mythical places. A foyer was one thing, but a library of this size was almost too much to comprehend. Trixie had never seen so many books in her life. She couldn’t imagine that so many could even exist in one place.

Just as she was beginning to get dizzy from swinging her gaze from one side of the room to the other, the irritating red light flew by, flicking her nose as it past. Rubbing her muzzle, she was reminded of the little nuisance that continued to plague her. Looking down the aisle with a glare, she saw the glowing sphere a few feet away, swaying back and forth, as if taunting her.

Trixie stared the glow down as it continued to oscillate, before, with a snarl, she bolted toward the creature, her horn sparking to life. When she started to close in, the light retreated further down the aisle with Trixie following behind. As she reached the end of the aisle, it opened into a small, circular area with smooth tiles lining the floor. Her eyes momentarily left the sight of the orb to look around and instantly fell on the pony she called master, sitting across from where she'd made her hasty entrance.

Magus observed her as she dashed into view, looking as if he’d been expecting her. Trixie promptly ceased her magic and slid to an abrupt stop as the light zipped next to Magus.

“Master!?” she said in a surprised tone, unsure why he was here.

“Is this magic a joke to you?” Magus replied, sounding none too pleased with her.

“What? No, it’s--”

“Because if it is, then allow me to escort you to the door, so that I may perhaps find another pony who actually takes the favor I’m doing for them seriously.”

“I don’t see why you’re so upset. What did I do?”

“You’re late. Did you want to learn magic or am I mistaking you for somepony who cares?”

“How am I late?” Trixie venomously objected. “You never specified any time or even where to go. How’s this my fault?”

He huffed before saying, “If you have ever been to a school then you should know that education starts at sunrise. And if you were downstairs around that time, then you would know where this is. I shouldn’t have to send a sprite to fetch you.” Magus gestured to the red light, which began to sway again. It may have been just a glowing ball, but Trixie could swear that the little pain in the flank was laughing at her.

“Well!? Have you come to learn or not?”

“Yes! Of course,” she said out of irritation.

“Well that is good to hear,” Magus said as he approached her, waving a hoof behind him, causing the sprite to fade away. “Before we get started however, there are a few things that we must cover, so that you may better understand this world.” He stopped in the center of the area and beckoned her to accompany him. She obliged, although she was still upset at his usual behavior, especially this early in the morning.

When she was in front of him, Magus conjured a small book into his hoof from a cloud of black smoke. She admired the polished, brown cover that gleamed in the light with its gold pages and elegant desi--

“AH!” Trixie cried as Magus struck her over the head with the hard cover, knocking her hat off in the process. “Wha-what the hay was that?” she shouted in a fluster, scowling at him as she rubbed the side of her head.

“For the countless times you defied my orders and otherwise aggravated me,” he quickly answered as the book disappeared in a puff of smoke. “I recommend you find it fortunate that I’m refraining from using a much thicker volume or striking you more than once. You do deserve it, but you’ll need what brains you have to practice today.”

“You can’t just hit me!”

“A stern scolding appears to have little effect, so this will have to suffice for the remainder of your education. Or would you prefer to leave?”

Trixie gritted her teeth and bit her tongue, trying to hold back her fury. She had put up with him thus far and if he thought he'd get rid of her that easy, he had another thing coming. Her hoof returned to the floor as the stinging pain ceased, though her scowling face remained.

“Look down,” Magus commanded. “What do you see?”

Complying, Trixie stared at the tiled floor and noticed something that she didn’t see during the commotion. The tiles were all separately colored and placed in intricate patterns, forming three rings of design that expanded out from the center. Inside the first ring, gold pieces formed wispy looking equines; some with horns, others with wings, while the rest had neither. They were all depicted without eyes and galloping around the black marble circle that served as the center of the design. Numerous dots and lines, which Trixie could identify as constellations, decorated the second ring. The final ring was filled with a repeating black and white pattern of images that looked a lot like the different phases of the moon.

“A picture,” Trixie said, still observing the art at her hooves.

“Close enough. And do you know what the equine creatures are?”

“Blind?” she guessed.

“They are the Fates. The beings that guide our world’s events and lives.”

Trixie looked up from the image. “Is that why you refer to the Fates instead of princesses?”

“It is one reason, yes. We of the Circle believe that the princesses are merely a substitute for the true power that guides our world. But the Fates gave us the secret of magic and if not for them, you and I would not be conversing.” Magus levitated a large tome from the bookshelf behind him over to them. “Do you know what this is?”

“Uh, a book?” Trixie said, wondering why her intelligence was being brought into question yet again as she braced for another assault.

“Yes, but observe closer,” the silver maned stallion said as he levitated it closer.

She couldn’t see where he was going with this, but humored him anyway. Cautiously, she leaned in closer, getting a better look at the cover. The book was dark purple with black embroiled markings, forming an alien language that looked like scratches underneath an image of a dying tree. Other than that, there appeared to be nothing else that really distinguished it from…from…'What’s that sound?' she thought, her ears just now catching faint whispers.

It could’ve been just be her imagination, but she could swear she could hear voices, speaking in a distant, inarticulate language around her. When Trixie tried to look around for the source she found that, no matter how hard she tried, her focus remained fixated on the book. The longer she stared the louder the indistinguishable voices became. Under no power of her own, she took a step forward and reached out to open it. It was as if the book was controlling her, bending her to its will.

When her hoof was mere inches away, Magus swatted it aside. The touch snapped her out of the spell, and the voices ceased to speak any further. Free from the unnatural influence, Trixie looked back at him as he put the book back in its place on the shelf.

“Wha-what was that? What happened?” Trixie asked, feeling a little light headed.

“The voices of the Fates,” Magus answered with little interest in his eyes or enthusiasm in his voice. “You’ve heard them before, remember?”

Trixie thought for a moment before it dawned on her. “Your medallion, at the antique shop. It did the same thing.”

“It was something similar,” Magus corrected, “but slightly different from the book. The Fates are always speaking to us. Calling us. Always trying to communicate from the beyond.”

“Why?”

“The Fates reside in a world that is far from our understanding of reality. A realm of infinite knowledge, where the secrets of this world and beyond are gathered. They wish to share this wisdom with all, but it can be dangerous to those who cannot comprehend what they are given.”

“Can you hear them?”

“I am a member of the Circle. I’ve been allowed to understand the Fates without worry. It is only mages of the Circle that are capable of interpreting and fully understanding their writings.”

“But I am a part of the Circle--”

“No you’re not,” Magus quickly interrupted. “You’re an initiate, which means you have the potential to be one of us, but as of yet, you are not considered within our ranks. Tell me, do you have any idea what would have happened if I had allowed you to open that book?”

Trixie stared at him with a questioning gaze, figuring the answer would be obvious given how little she knows about the order as it is.

With crimson eyes still on her, he didn’t wait long for her to answer. “The creations of the Fates are not meant for the eyes of your average creature. To view such works and the infinite understanding of existence would compel one to madness. But it is within that madness that the secret to insurmountable power lies. I showed you the book merely to demonstrate the danger in going beyond my instructions.”

“So what do I have to do?” Trixie asked as she continued to process this new information.

“First, you must be capable of wielding such power.” From his robe, Magus pulled out a small, milky white pebble and placed it on the floor in front of her. The smooth surface of the stone gleamed in the light like a polished gem. “Lift it.”

The lack of explanation confused her as she looked down at the stone. Lifting a rock was a simple task, especially for one of her ability. Trixie assumed that she wasn’t supposed to simply pick it up, so, concentrating on the stone, it was captured in the aura of her horn.

Her eyes followed the rock as it floated a few inches into the air, then a foot, then a few feet, then--

“AH!” Trixie exclaimed as she felt something familiar smack her again. The stone fell to the ground as her concentration was broken. Her enraged attention turned to Magus who appeared not to have moved a muscle except for the visible wisps of smoke that still floated in the air next to him.

“Lift it without unicorn magic, if you would.”

Trixie couldn’t help but feel that he purposely left that last bit of information out just so he could hit her again. “And how do you expect me to do that?” she said in frustration, rubbing the side of her head. “Just pick it up!?”

With a sigh, Magus rolled his eyes. “With the Circle’s magic, of course. Is that too great of a challenge for you?”

“Yes!” Trixie stated, assuming that it should be apparent to him by now that she understood little of how the magic worked.

The bored expression on his face did not change for a moment as he stared at her, silent, with a spark of ire in his eye. His vision narrowed as he skeptically asked, “Do you mean to tell me that you cast an Atterio spell and you had no idea how you even grasped the magic?” He paused for a moment, waiting for her answer. None came. “…My sincerest apologizes, Trixie,” he said, sounding genuine, almost bringing music to her ears before he added, “for mistaking you for somepony with talent.”

“And what’s that supposed to mean!?” she quickly and furiously retorted, taking the insult to heart.

“Not understanding how to control a spell is one thing, but not even knowing how to call on it is entirely different. Do you even know what the Atterio spell is?”

“That should be obvious to you.”

Magus eyed her briefly, before looking off at the corner of the room. At that moment, a black sphere appeared, just above the outer rim of the floor design, before abruptly vanishing, leaving a small, circular target in its place. It appeared to be made out of glass with three bright red rings shrinking from the rim until they ended with a dot at the center.

“Atterio,” Magus said subtly, his eyes flashing blue for a second. Instantly, the target was consumed in a silvery-blue stream of energy that quickly reduced it to dust before her eyes.

Trixie watched in amazement as the spell left no trace of the bull’s-eye behind. It would pain her to admit, but she was astounded that she managed to do such a thing, twice!

“Atterio, the disintegration spell,” Magus solemnly began, still looking over at the destroyed target. “A powerful and extremely dangerous cast for the untrained. Not even highly skilled mages use such a potent technique lightly. If control cannot be maintained, it can easily turn on the caster... and kill them.” He turned his attention back to Trixie, “You were very lucky to have managed it without being harmed, but from now on, you must promise me that you will never again undertake such an endeavor. Understood?”

“But what if…” Trixie started to question, but hesitated when she saw his serious, unflinching stare, “…alright, I promise.”

“Good--”

“But you’d better be there when a giant, living shadow tries to eat me!” Trixie immediately stated, barely allowing Magus to end his response.

“…Agreed. But on to your studies.” Magus sat down and picked up the stone, inspecting it briefly before squeezing it tight. “The first time you used the magic, how did it feel?”

Trixie pondered on the question, thinking back to the two times she used it. It wasn’t hard to remember the use of the spell but it was difficult to describe the experience. “It felt…” Trixie started to answer, trying to explain it as best she could, “…powerful.”

“Please refrain from stating the obvious.”

“What else can I say? It was something that only lasted a moment and, on top of that, I was in the process of almost dying on both occasions.”

Magus was silent, thinking as his eyes connected with hers. “Hm, very well. Then perhaps if I rephrase the question. How did it compare to the magic you are used to? Surely you could explain some noticeable difference between the two. Preferably something that isn’t about the act of casting.”

She scratched her head as she thought long and hard, looking for the right words to convey the incident. “Well, last night, when that shade or whatever you call it was chasing me, I was too tired to use my horn. I could barely keep my light spell active, but that Circle magic, I could cast and feel strong doing it…at least until it backfired.”

“And do you have any idea why that is?”

“No, but it’s obviously used differently than unicorn magic.”

“…A decent observation I suppose,” Magus said, placing the stone back on the ground as he stood up and approached her. “I assume that you are well versed in the common pony’s magic and all of its principles?”

“Of course,” Trixie mocked the question. “I attended Celestia's School for Gifted Unicorns, I should know,” she said with pride.

The disinterest on Magus’ face displayed that he was far from impressed, but he held back any derisive remarks for the moment. “What are the basic principles for casting magic?”

Trixie groaned as she was forced to recount something she learned when she was still a filly. “Magic requires concentration and effort,” she lazily said with discontent. “It is fueled by a pony’s mind and body.”

“Save the attitude, you are correct. But now it is time to forget how you used magic before. You won’t need it for what’s to come.”

“Why?” she said in disbelief. Trixie had spent almost her entire life learning magic and although she didn’t get much farther than a few simple tricks, she was still reluctant to just forget all that she knew about the art.

A heavy sigh left the pony’s lips. “The common pony’s magic stems from the horn,” he said, pointing to the magical appendage on her head. “It is fueled by a mix of mental stability and physical fatigue.” He moved his hoof down to her chest. “The Circle’s magic derives from the spirit, the soul if you will.” Placing a hoof to the side of his head, he said, “Yet, in similar fashion, our magic is conjured from the serenity of the mind and the flow of energy through our bodies.” When Magus finished he moved his hoof down against his chest. “It demands focus, visualization, and discipline. If you cannot master these principles then the likeliness of you ever joining this order is slim.” Returning his limb to the ground, he asked, “Answer me this, what drives you?”

“What do you mean?” she said, sitting down as she answered.

“Why are you here? What purpose do you have to study and wield such talent?”

There was no simpler question he could’ve asked her. She remembered all that she went through in her life in the pursuit of magical prowess. It made her teeth clench, being reminded of all her past deeds and what drove her to this point. There was one and one reason alone that she stood here today. With almost a whisper, she said, “Power.” Shooting up onto all four hooves, she shouted, “I want to be the greatest unicorn that ever lived! I want to be so powerful that nopony will question my abilities or dare challenge me or question my skill. Nopony will stand in my way. I will not be called a failure again!”

Magus appeared somewhat unprepared for the vehemence of her answer, his eyes widening. “I see…Forgive me, but it sounds like your drive is that of vengeance.”

“So what if it is?”

He went silent, looking away briefly before meeting her eye again. “So long as you understand what your passion is, I have no objections. That drive, that…inner fire, empowers and helps generate the magic within. Without said ‘fire’ we cannot reach our full potential. Are you now ready to start your training?”

“Of course,” Trixie said with certainty, although she was a little bewildered at this new concept of magic as she sat back down.

Without a word, Magus walked back to the rock on the floor and, with his rear leg, kicked it over to her. She watched the stone as it slid to a stop in front of her. “Can you clearly remember what the stone looks like?” Magus asked as he turned to face her.

“It’s a rock,” she said in a smug manner, thinking that her intelligence was once again being tested. “I think I can remember what one looks like.”

“Let’s hope,” he retaliated, getting a glare of irritation from her. “Now, close your eyes.”

Wary of his attempts to insult her, she eyed him for a moment before shutting her eyelids. Trixie could see nothing, but she could still sense Magus’ energy and could clearly tell he was nearby. She soon started to hear his hooves clop against the floor, getting louder with every step. Her ear flicked as the noise began moving off to one side, sounding like he was circling around her.

“Clear your mind,” Magus’ voice sounded behind her while his hooves continued to resonate in a consistent rhythm. “Empty it of all thought and think of nothing but the pebble. Picture it, recall every last detail.”

Trixie followed his instructions, all the while listening to his hoofsteps around her. She could clearly see the stone in her mind as she remembered every feature about it. Strangely, the more she thought about the pebble, the more she could feel an energy pulsating at her hooves. Was it the stone?

“Good,” Magus’ voice chimed in. “Now, relax your body. Leave nothing taut, just breath and let yourself go.”

Filling her lungs with air, Trixie exhaled as she began to ease all the muscles in her frame. It was as if she was doing some kind of yoga, something Trixie had never believed she'd find herself doing. Despite her misgivings, she continued to focus on the rock and ease her body.

Just as the last muscle loosened, Trixie started to feel smaller pulses of energy all around her. Similar to how she could sense Magus, she could make out every single object in the room, all the way to the front door of the library. Everything felt…alive, each object generating a faint energy. Magus and, what she assumed to be the pebble, were the only two that emanated a stronger form of the power.

As everything radiated around her, Trixie started to feel strange, like some new part of her was awakening inside her own consciousness. At the center of her mind, she could feel a small bump and could sense a familiar power just beyond the barrier that enclosed it. Everything, the room, Magus, the hypnotic sounds his hooves made, even the air felt alien as her mind observed the imprisoned energy.

“Visualize the pebble,” Magus’ voice echoed, “slowly floating into the air.”

The barrier shattered like glass as the thought made contact with it, unleashing a wave of power that surged through her body. Trixie was unable to move as it flowed through her like a raging river, making the blood in her veins quiver. Not even the hairs on her fur were spared the power’s heart-pounding effects as they stood on end.

The pulse of the pebble began to change, beating faster and stronger, moving like the flow of energy that filled her. After a moment, the raging storm of power began to calm as the stone’s pulse slowed. The energy from the pebble and her own became identical, both beating at the same rhythm. It was like two hearts, spreading much needed life throughout her form.

“Trixie,” Magus’ voice echoed once more. “Open your eyes.”

Slowly, Trixie’s eyes opened to the sight of a glowing red Magus standing in an ethereal state before her, staring at her with a trance-like gaze. The world around them was a blur, the bookshelves fading into blackness. The light in the room was so dim that she could swear it was non-existent. Only the crimson pony, save the distorting glow, was in full clarity.

“Look down,” he commanded, his lips moving slower than his echoing words.

She obeyed, her head moving slightly to see the pebble right where it was supposed to be, but something seemed off about it. Her neck felt stiff and yet relaxed at the same time as she tilted her head to the side to get a better angle at what she was witnessing. Before her eyes, she could see it; the stone was levitating a few inches off the ground. Through hazy eyes and a reaction of apathy, she observed the stone hovering in the air with no aura holding it in place. All her senses told her that the spectacle was nothing unusual. The rock was simply moving in the way it…was…supposed…to…

It was almost instant, but the comprehension of what was happening hit her. The pebble…it was floating. Floating! As the realization came to her so did her old state of mind which abruptly subdued the pulses and energies around her. The sensation in her body halted as the power quickly slipped away, vanishing into nothing more than a memory. Her dreamlike experience ended and Trixie returned to her normal, now stupefied self.

Trixie breathed deeply as her lungs burned, feeling as if they had been without air for some time. The world returned to its original state, sending the pebble back to the earth with a light thud. She stumbled back before quickly getting to her hooves and shaking her dormant nerves awake. Her eyes quickly shot back to the now solid Magus.

“Two inches,” Magus said. “Save the wobbling at the beginning, it wasn’t completely horrible for your first attempt.”

Trixie assumed he was talking about the levitation height of the rock, but what she was more interested in was the power that she felt. “Was…Was that…” Trixie stammered, trying to regain her breath at the shocking experience.

“The Circle’s magic? Yes. And congratulations, at least we know that the first two times weren’t just a fluke or shear dumb luck. You have the potential of controlling it, but how much, remains to be seen.”

Trixie sat back down and cradled her head in a hoof, still feeling a little spacy. Observing this, Magus said, “We’ll have to work on your meditation, it’s perhaps your weakest aspect. How do you feel?”

“Like I just got hit by a train,” she answered, looking up for a moment before holding her head again.

“Hmm, do you feel the pocket of power anymore?”

Raising her head back up, she said wearily, “I don’t think so. When I used it, I could sense all of it disappear. I think it’s gone.”

“Then we’ll work on your energy consumption as well.”

“…So when can I use my magic again? I can use it again, right?”

“Of course, but you’ll have to wait until your reserves recharge. After a mage has exhausted all of their magic, they must wait for it to replenish before they can use it again. The length of time one has to wait depends on how open the flows of magic are. You, being an initiate, will have to wait an hour or so before you can attempt any form of spell casting again.”

Although she still wanted to learn the ways of this new style of magic, Trixie felt relieved that she had to wait before attempting…that again. She rubbed her eyes, remembering back to the event. It wasn’t exactly frightening, it actually was very serene, but it wasn’t all that pleasant either. Trixie removed her hooves from her face and saw a teacup floating in front of her with steam lifting from the light brown liquid inside.

“Drink,” Magus said. “It’ll settle your nerves.”

Reluctantly, she took the cup in both hooves and sipped the drink. It was still as bad as she remembered, but at least it tasted sweeter this time and it did help.

“When your magic returns I want you to try lifting the stone again,” Magus said. “You won’t get any better if you don’t practice.”

“How will I know when my magic is back?”

“You’ll know. The more proficient you become at this, the better you’ll be able to detect your own power.” Using his horn, Magus levitated a few large books from the surrounding shelves over to Trixie, stacking them next to her. “For now though, I want you to study these. They’ll help you better understand the art. You should also practice meditating again.”

“How will that help?” she asked, taking another sip of her tasteless drink.

“Our power, although similar to the common pony’s magic, requires a calm and disciplined mind. Meditation will help you with that as well as open the channels of magic. Trust me, it will aid you. Now, if there’s nothing else.” He got up and approached Trixie, levitating the stone into the air. Taking one of Trixie’s hooves, Magus placed the pebble in her possession before walking past her.

After staring at the rock for a moment, it dawned on her. “Wait!” she shouted as she levitated her cup into the air and spun around to him. “That’s it? You’re not going to help me at all?!”

Magus stopped and glimpsed back at her. “I’ll return on occasion, but I’ve told you all that you need to know for the moment. Being able to summon the magic was the difficult part; you must improve on your own. When you have mastered mustering the power and applying it to the stone to the point that it becomes second nature, we may move on to the next step. For now study the tomes and practice meditating, the books should help you with that. When your magic returns, lift the stone for as long as possible. It’ll be some time before you’re able to master this, so don’t rush it.” He turned back ahead and started to walk again. “If you require something, I’ll be in the kitchen beyond the dining room. Please, knock first.”

Magus quickly made his way through the aisle before walking out the door, leaving her in the library alone. She looked down at the jewel-like piece of earth in her hoof, then at the stack of books next to her. Trixie huffed at the amount of work she had to do. It was her hope that Magus would be helping her through this, but then again what more could he do? The only option was just to work now, which wasn’t all that appealing, considering she hadn’t even had breakfast yet.

Out of nowhere, a powerful force accumulated behind her. She turned to see rays of red light appear, converging together in the back of the central chamber. The beams fused, creating a bright red silhouette before transforming into a short, wooden table. More glimmers of red appeared right after, converging on top of the table, repeating the same process as before but instead creating a plate, piled high with warm, steam covered croissants.

Overjoyed at the sight of food, Trixie dropped the rock and sat the cup down before eagerly approaching the newly formed table. She wasted no time in picking up one of the savory pastries with her magic and taking a generous bite. The puffy bread was extremely hot but it tasted amazing and the heat didn’t deter her from consuming the rest in a few quick bites.

Before she could continue on the rest of her meal, another pulsation of power arose next to the plate. With a few beams of light, a small, folded notecard was created with something written on the front. She picked it up. “Enjoy,” Trixie read aloud. She smiled at the kind favor and message from her otherwise callous master.

The pebble and her hat glowed blue behind her as Trixie levitated the rock into her hoof and the hat onto her head. She sat the note down and looked back at the smooth piece of earth. Trixie tossed it into the air and caught it as it came back down. Looking at it once more, Trixie could feel a wave of confidence wash over her. 'I can do this,' she thought, lifting another croissant from the plate and taking a bite out of it.

Trixie could see the long journey ahead, but at the end she would have everything she could ever want. Lifting a pebble would be child’s play in comparison to the reward she would receive and nothing, especially a rock, would stop her. She would become a mage, no matter what. Trixie’s journey into magic had begun, and she was ready for whatever might come on the road to her destiny.

Comments

[Cusi]

Excellent chapter. Trixie is finally starting on her magic lessons. Keep up the good work, my friend. This story is just getting better and better.

[CodeMonkey]

3309789
Thanks so much, even though I'm still kicking myself for not getting to the lessons sooner.

[CodeMonkey]

3152582
Well, better late than never to answer two epically worded comments I suppose.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR YOUR BAD@$$ COMMENTS!! NOW IF YOU'LL EXCUSE ME, I HAVE TO FINISH BENCH PRESSING THIS DRAGON BEFORE I PUNCH HANDSOME JACK IN THE DICK!! ...EXPLOSIONS!!!

[CodeMonkey]

3351183
I must've laughed for a straight minute in sheer amazement that you actually caught one of the most obscure references in this story! When I wrote that scene, I could only thing of that movie. Bravo and hats off to you.

[Bjorn Aleswiller]

3353165

Ha lol I knew it I had just finished watching that movie with my little sister when I found this story so it was still fresh in my mind lol and ummmm... not to rush you or anything but when is the next chapter coming... I just finished magic 101 and I'm already going through withdrawals from my addiction to this story....

P.S. as you can see from my profiled pic the G&PT is one of my personal favorites and in my not so humble opinion this is the best Trixie story ive found so far....

[CodeMonkey]

3356607
Thank you, I'm so glad that you like it.
The next chapter is...kinda, sorta, not really, somewhat...done, but there are a few technical issues I need to resolve first, just to make sure I'm going in the right direction, because the ending chapters kinda depend on it. Although I think I've figured a way around my problem last night, so I'm going right to work on it and, with luck, I can have it out soon.
And again, thank you sooooooooo very much for your comment and support. It helps a lot.
Now then, writing ho!

[Bjorn Aleswiller]

3357322

You're most very welcome and its ok to take a bit if you're trying to make your story the very best it can be so no harm in it being done already

[Rennoc215]

Most enjoyable, dear sir.
Liked and faved, ready for more.

[WannaBeDark]

Thumbs up just for this chapter. You have my complete attention now. Just wish this wasn't the 2nd last chapter at the moment.

May the inspiration hit you like a train and crush your hand at writing this epic tale in further fruition. Awaiting eagerly for your mind to deliver this world in a electronic-written form of awesome.