The Odyssey of Sunlight Blaze, Rise of a Hero, Volume 5: Quest for the past.

by Justafanfictioner

Chapter 2: The Island of Storms

Capper’s ship had finally made it to the Storm Island, after having to face not one, but two storms along the way. Sunlight and the group set foot on the island’s ground and started immediately exploring.

“I know it is sudden, said Sunset. But i have a question for you, Sunlight...”

“Go on” he answered.

“Those magic spells you’ve used against the members of the Thousand Eyes, she said. You said that you had learned them at the time we faced Moonlight and his team, right?”

“Well, yes, answered Sunlight. I did mastered those spells before we battled Moonlight. But what’s your point?”

“Why didn’t you used those spells back to Canterlot, then?” She asked.

“Oh, that? Said Sunlight. How do i put it? First, those spells are extremely energy consuming. What i mean is that they require a very large amount of magical energy to be casted, especially that cloning spell. Secondly, the concentration of magic in this world and the one in the human world are not the same. Equestria is a world bound by magic, overflowing with it, so it make it way easier for me to cast those spells. However, back at Canterlot, the magic energy is scarce, rare. For you and your friends, who can draw your magic power from an artifact with limitless magic energy, and Moonlight, who can use dark magic to power himself and his gang, this is not a problem. For me, however, it is different. I don’t draw my power from any magical artifact nor magical source. When i use my magic, i have to drain in my own reserves to make it powerful enough to deal damages. The armor i wear was made specifically to absorb magical energy and stock it. I can either use this magical energy to launch powered up magic attacks or use it on myself, to restore my forces. But even if my armor had a full reservoir of magic, it wouldn’t be near enough to allow me to use that cloning spell you saw. It would take too much of a burden on my body just to create one clone of me. Plus, this spell has a drawback. Each clone i make halves my magical power. To put it simply, if i make 1 clone, i’ll lose 50% of my power, if i make 2, i’ll lose 75% of it, with 3, 87.5% on so on. Sure, they all got the magic power of the caster at the time he lauches it. But like i said, there is barely any magic energy for me to draw back there, let alone for 3 or 10 of me. This is why i didn’t used those spells back then.”

Sunset was looking at him with admiration and emotion.

“Sorry, said Sunlight, smiling. I guess this was a bit long for an explanation. What’s with those eyes.”

“That’s incredible, said Sunset. It’s true that me and my friends have magical Deus ex machina necklaces with endless amount of magic. And yet, despite not having a magical artifact to draw power from and the lack of magical energy in the human world, You are still able to hold his own against powerful enemies. I never realized, nor thought you were struggling this much to keep up with the rest of us.”

“This is no big deal, said Sunlight. I just made the best out of the situation thanks to my intelligence and magic experience. Money helped too. Although i have to admit that having to carefully think of each move i do each time i fight a powerful opponent is mentally exhausting. So it’s a joy whenever i can let my magic power run wild. Being able to use magic freely feel so good.”

“Thinking about those elemental gems, right?” asked Sunset.

“Having just one would definitively improve the magical energy issue, answered Sunlight. But Discord hid them i don’t know where. Maybe if i try really hard, i could definitively get my own element of harmony and by the same occasion, a necklace just like you. Just like you did...What would it be...What quality i have would be the most worthy of being considered an element of harmony....Heroism? Bravery? Selflessness? Righteousness? Or maybe Magic? I definitively see myself as the Element of Magic.”

“You being chosen by the Element of harmony is really unlikely, if you want my honest opinion, said Sunset. Maybe you are not destined to be an Element of Harmony, maybe you are destined to be something else. You have an affinity with Elemental magic, right? I can definitively see you become a guardian of the elements or something like that!!!”

“The only thing i’m gonna become is the greatest superhero of our time, said Sunlight. I wish i could have real superpowers thought...Being forced to rely on magic to fight in a place where magic is rarer than an oasis in the middle of a desert is troublesome.”

“It would be handy, i admit, to have power that doesn’t come from magic, she said. If i had to pick a superpower, it would defintively be Mind-related.”

“A psychic, uh? Said Sunlight. My answer would surprise you, but if i could chose a superpower, it would be manipulating the state of Space.”

“It’s true that elemental based superpower are overrated, said Sunset. But space related powers? Seem kinda lame to me...why would you not go for time powers instead”

“And be a mary-sue? Answered Sunlight. No thanks. If having to choose Time or Space, the majority of people would go for the former. Because nobody understand the power of Space. At first glance, being able to manipulate space seems lame, when it is as powerful as having the power to control time...”

“Care to give me examples?” asked Sunset.

Sunlight took a deep breath.

“Being able to teleport anywhere, opening rifts to other dimensions and worlds, transporting something in another dimension of place, slicing or piercing throught anything with no effort, increasing gravity, or lowering it in a certain point, trapping someone in an inescapable prison, defying laws of physics, growing and shrinking matter, be at mutliple places at the same time, confusing enemies by bending space around them, warping any attacks that come at you back to the opponent or in another dimension, bring someone close to you instantly by reducing the space between. Plus, laws concerning space are way less severe than those concerning time. Have you not noticed that almost all of my non elemental spells have a connection to space?”

“When you put it like that, said Sunset. It is an amazing power to have. You definitively have the level of intelligence to understand how physic work. Why did you bring that up, by the way?”

“It’s not like it will happen, said Capper. Do you think someone would give you the ability to bend space? Even less control time?”

“That seem rather unlikely to happen, said Tempest. I bet you have not even mastered perfectly every element yet...right?”

“Assimilating an elemental Gem to my body is the fastest way to achieve mastery over one element. Having assimilated the Flame Gem, albeit for a short time, my mastery of the fire element became perfect. There is a condition though: You have to already have basic or advanced knowledge about the element or else, the gem will absorb you. I know the basis for all elements.”

“If i am not mistaken, said Sunset. A single one of those gem was powerful enough to influence the climate or weather of a whole planet.”

“I know about the destructive power those gems have, said Sunlight. It is so huge that my body could probably not handle all of them at once, that’s what Discord told me. Becoming an Alicorn could solve that problem, but there is no records of male alicorns in Equestria’s history. Maybe that privilege is only for female Unicorns.”

“Well, for somepony to become an Alicorn, said Sunset. It either had to earn it by doing something worthy of a princess like Celestia, Luna, Cadance and Twilight did, being born one, like Flurry Heart did or gaining it via a spell. If i had to guess, A male pony could become an Alicorn if he did something worthy of a Hero.”

“Well, the noblest thing to do as a hero is sacrifice yourself for the greater good or someone you love, said Sunlight. Or renounce to your powers or what make you special for the same reason.”

“Oh, I defend you to sacrifice yourself to get a pair of wings!!” said Sunset, mad.

“You know i would sacrifice myself to save you, said Sunlight. And i will if i have too. Death doesn’t scare me...”

“How touching, said Tempest. You are going to make me barf...Anyway, be careful where you’re putting your hooves. One step in the wrong area and you’ll have millions of volt of electricity coursing through your body. I know the region by heart, so follow my lead.”

They started making their way around the island, searching in every safe spot in hope to find the second piece of the map and the hint to the next one. They found nothing and eventually came to the conclusion that the piece must be in one of the dangerous zones of the island.

“I’ve got this, said Sunlight. Millions of volts are nothing, especially with my amazing mecha-armor of mine”

“Oh, cool, i’ll need it” said Tempest.

“I’m the only one who can wear it, sweetie, said Sunlight. Without my magic signature, it is nothing more than a glorified tech suit.”

“Nonsense, said Sunset. I wore it and was able to use it perfectly.”

“You what?!”asked Sunlight.

“Just lend your armor to her, Sunlight, said Sunset. Stop being such a crybaby. She knows this island much better than any of us. I know you are really attached to your suit but.”

“I am not, said Sunlight. In fact, i would be happy to lend it to you or any of your friends. Because i like you gals. But i don’t really like Half-a-horn over here. I am not letting her wear my suit.”

“Too bad, because i actually kind of like you, said Tempest. I am sorry of you can handle that sassy face.”

Sunlight entered the dangerous zone surrounded by a magic shield. A thunderbolt stroke it and bounced back to the sky.

“I knew, it, said Sunlight. This lightning is magic. My armor won’t be necessary, after all”

He made a forcefield for everyone else.

“Those magic shields will last only for a couple of hours, said Sunlight. So you might wanna hurry and find that damn piece. They will protect you from any magic projectiles.”

“You shouldn’t use your magic like that, said Sunset. You still have not recovered from your last battle!”

“I know, said Sunlight. But i don’t care. It will be faster to find that piece at four instead of just one of us.”

“Your brother is right, said Tempest. A party of four will cover a lot more terrain in a shorter amount of time. He’s got lot of brain. He is as smart as Twilight.”

“You’re not wrong about that fact, said Sunset, annoyed. He and her got almost the exact same I.Q”

“Let’s get started, then, said Capper. I’d prefer not staying longer than needed on this island.”

The group each went in a direction and started looking for the second piece of the map. Sunlight was the one to find it after a minutious inspection. He prevented the group to reunite at the ship.

“You found it? Asked Sunset. Awesome. This one also look like a jigsaw piece, don’t you think?”

“It really does look like one, doesn’t it? Said Sunlight. Anyway, our next destination is somewhere i’d prefered never go in my life. The Crystal Empire, or more precisely, the Freezing wasteland surrounding it. "

Sunset read the message Sunlight gave to her.

“The third piece of the map is buried deep in the coldest place in Equestria, she said. That’s what the message says. I forgot you hate cold, brother.”

“Do you two still want to continue adventuring with us?” asked Sunlight to Capper and Tempest.

“I’ve got nothing better to do, answered Tempest. Might as well stay with you”

“I really want to visit the Crystal Empire, said Capper, all the shiny stuff i could get my paws on...”

Sunlight stared at him with a disapproving look.

“Don’t give me that look, i’m Just kidding!”he said.

“Then to the Crystal Empire we go!” Said Sunlight.