A wizard is taken from his homeland named al'gathoria and is thrown in Equestria.
Nikolai Sanders, a wizard apprentice is chased through the al'gathoria forests by the talghier wolves. Nikolai finds a tree whilst running and is taken to the magical land of Equestria.
The forest was thick with redwood trees, dotted with small, unusual rocks, and filled with dangerous beasts. The trees where so thick that it was impossible to see the sun, this made the forest of al’gathoria dangerous from the beasts of darkness. As Nikolai Sanders ran through the forest, he was being pursued by dark beasts called talghier wolves. dangerous , smart, and efficient beasts. The wolves had the darkest black fur, the brightest green-yellow eyes with slits like a cats. Nikolai ran through the forest at a blinding speed, aided by a haste spell he cast a while ago. Unfortunately it was running out and Nikolai slowed down to a snail’s pace before he started to continue running. The beasts had almost caught up to him, Nikolai pulled a small wand made of willow wood with dust made from a unicorn’s horn in a notch at the bottom fueling the wands magic. Nikolai put up a ice wall behind him and heard a loud bang behind him before the ice shattered with 3 wolves with damaged faces gave chase. Nikolai didn’t look in front of him and smacked face first into a tree. This is no ordinary redwood. It’s feels different. It looks like it’s made of crystal with crystal branches, the branches extended out and it seems to have slots in the branches like something is supposed to go inside it.
Nikolai waved his wand at the earth beneath him and pushed it up far enough so that he can climb the tree. Nikolai sat in the tree and watched in awe as the beasts can’t get in the area of this strange tree. As if it was repelling them. Nikolai jumped from tree onto the earth platform and lowered it down. Nikolai stood back to look at the tree that saved his life. It was the most beautiful tree he has ever seen. Nikolai thought to take a scan to put in his notes for his mentor to take a look at it. Nikolai raised his wand and pointed it at the tree.
As he raised the wand towards the tree, the tree’s branches started to glow and emit a light blue light. All of a sudden all of the tree’s branches shot some kind of energy that connected to the tip of the wand. Nikolai could not pull his wand away as the tree started to eat it away, after the wand was gone Nikolai started to be eaten away, chunk by chunk. It didn’t hurt, but it felt weird. Nikolai was in for a wild ride as he was eaten away into nothingness. He felt as if he was in two places at once, half in the air, half on the ground. He made the realization that he was being teleported and stopped fighting the tree and let it happen. Next thing he knew he was in the air plummeting to the ground. He tensed up and couldn’t breath from fear and promptly passed out.
Twilight was in the ponyville park when she heard a massive explosion sound in the air above her. She saw that above the everfree forest was indeed a explosion with an unknown figure racing towards the ground. It looked unlike anything she had ever seen. Twilight packed up her books and galloped towards the forest. At the border she slowed down and hesitated going in.
“Should i go? I’m not sure. Uhh, but that pony could be hurt. Oooh, i’m going to get myself killed doing this.” Twilight trotted into the forest towards the explosion.
Nikolai woke up mid fall and took a deep breath and looked around, he saw that his wand was racing him to the ground out of reach. He made swimming motions and propelled himself towards his wand. He got a hold of it seconds before he hit the ground, he quickly cast a slow fall spell and he slowed down, but not enough and slammed into the ground, he was in pain, but not dead. He laid there in pain, he felt like his leg was broken, a quick heal spell and it dulled the pain. He was completely exhausted from casting that slow fall spell. Casting a spell with little preparation time was dangerous to younger wizards.
“Welp, guess i should get moving.”
Nikolai wandered north after casting a direction spell showing the nearest civilization. He had to walk and he dragged his leg behind him as he walked. Nikolai weaved in and out of trees, hoping to find some help. Little did he know, he was being stalked by a pack of timberwolves. Nikolai trudged on toward civilization.
Twilight was trotting through the forest, she kept scanning the trees for danger. Oddly, nothing was around, the creatures must have gotten to whatever fell from the sky. At the thought of this, she sped up hoping to get to the thing first. She had her doubts in her mind.
Nikolai started at a sprint when he heard howling wolves, and they didn’t sound normal. Nikolai turned around without stopping and saw 3 wolves made of wood that are out for blood. He raised his wand and shot a little ball of light at the ground, seconds later it exploded in white light, the wolves back off and were blinded by the light. Nikolai kept running.
Twilight saw a giant burst of light come from between the trees, she was a little stunned by it and ran towards it. She then ran from it when she saw the timberwolves sitting there blinded. She unknowingly followed in the wake of the young wizard.
Nikolai stopped for a bit to catch his breath as he was exhausted. He heard a rustle coming from a nearby bush.
Twilight hid in a bush near the creature, she saw that it was a bipedal , white-ish being with dirty blond hair. From what she can tell, the creature is male. He had a blue robe with gold trim, the trim had fiery red runes inscribed in them. Twilight moved forward for a better look, but she broke a branch underneath her hoof. She almost let out some not nice words but she stayed still and held her breath.
Nikolai pointed his wand at the bush. Ready for anything he spoke.
“Come out with your hands up. If you mean no harm, i mean no harm.”
A small horse popped out of the bush, she had pink-purple hair, purple fur, a horn, and a tattoo on her flank with a picture of a pink star with smaller white stars around it. It had been awhile since he had seen a unicorn with his own eyes, but he didn’t think they came in this color. Nikolai lowered his wand and kneeled down towards the unicorn. Upon further inspection she had wings on either side of her, a little big for her body but she had wings. What in god’s name is this creature, it's a pegasus and a unicorn. It’s perfect. As he kneeled down to her level she began to speak.
“Uhh… hello? Who are you?”
A pegasus-unicorn that can talk? What a crazy day. Nikolai must be tripping on something.
“You can talk?”
“Wait YOU can talk too?”
Both Nikolai and Twilight stood and stared at each other until the pain in Nikolai’s leg came back. He fell on his back with his leg pulled in.
“Ahhh, that really stings”
“A-re you okay? Do you need help?”
“No, i’m just dandy i just like screaming in pain for no reason. YES I NEED HELP”
“You don’t have to be sarcastic about it” Twilight put her horn over Nikolai’s leg, it began to glow purple, enveloped his leg, a couple snaps later and his leg was healed. Whatever magic that was, it’s powerful, he could learn a thing or two from this creature.
“Thanks miss?”
“Twilight Sparkle”
“Thanks miss sparkle. Would you happen to know how to get out of this forest?”
“Why yes i do mister?”
“Nikolai sanders, wizard apprentice.”
“Wizard? You can do magic?”
“Yeah, i control my magic through my wand.” Nikolai shows his wand and decides not to tell her what’s in the notch of his wand.
“Can- can you show me?”
“Why yes i can.” Nikolai took a second to think of what to cast. He pointed his wand at a nearby tree and shot out the same ball of light, this time it was less intense. It exploded and a flash of light was emitted.
“What was that?”
“Flash banish. It’s meant to blind creatures of darkness”
“Interesting, any others you can show me?” Twilight pleaded.
“I guess if you’re so interested.” Nikolai raised his wand above his head, made a circle motion and dropped the wand so it was pointing in front of him. A blue light shown from his wand. Seconds passed until a small black smoky cloud can to rest where the wand was pointing, red tentacles came from it and smashed the grass underneath it. The cloud dissipated.
“What was that?”
“Abyssal artillery. It is meant to take a enemy and throw them around like a ragdoll.”
“I could learn a lot from you.”
“I could say the same. By the way what exactly are you? You seem like a cross between a unicorn and pegasus, but you look nothing like the ones we have.”
“I would be an alicorn, magic of a unicorn, flight of a pegasus, and strength of a earth pony.”
“Interesting.”
“That heal spell i used is only temporary, we need to get you to a hospital.”
“What’s a hospital?”
“It’s a building that has doctors and medicine to help heal the wounded or sick.”
“That sounds amazing.”
“You don’t have hospitals where you’re from?”
“No, we just have doctors that come to our homes to tend to the sick and injured.”
“We should get started on getting to ponyville.”
“Indeed, lead the way.”
Twilight Sparkle and Nikolai sanders set off towards ponyville in search of getting Nikolai medical attention.
"So, Nikolai, what kind of magic do you study in?" twilight said questioningly.
"Personally, I study mostly in Cryomancy, but my mentor made me study all 7 basic elements of magic."
"7? i thought there are only 4, fire, water, earth, air."
"True, those are 4 of them, the other 3 are, order, chaos, and spirit. All three of those elements combine with the other 4 basic ones, like chaos and fire, or water and spirit. These 3 elements form sub-parts of the 4 regular elements, forming almost every magic possible, every single spell you think of is made of their respective 4 basic, and 3 sub-magics."
"I'm- i'm not sure what to say, to think there are 3 sub elements and that they combine with the 4 basic elements. This is something i will have to put in a note to my mentor. Also... what is Cryomancy?"
"Cryomancy is the magic of all things ice, cold, or freezing."
"That sounds amazing, maybe you could teach me someday?"
"Sure, I can do that."
Twilight stopped suddenly in the middle of the forest, she appeared to be on high alert, Nikolai knew this behavior from his village horses. Something is stalking them. Suddenly a huge, heavy, and gray rock came barreling out of the forest and stuck Nikolai in his chest, his ribs made a shattering sound and he was on the forest floor stunned from the attack and the pain, timber wolves pounced out of the thick forest and blocked the way to Ponyville. Twilight took a defensive stance, her horn lit up with a dark purple aura and she put up a fair powered shield around herself and Nikolai. Nikolai got up from the floor and held his left hand to his chest like it was going to fall out. Nikolai doubled over in pain as he raised his wand towards the sky.
His wand glowed a cool cyan and shot a ice blue beam towards the sky, extending upwards miles above the forest canopy. After using his emergency signal, he fell on his face from mana exhaustion and pain, leaving Twilight to defend herself and her new freind.
"Nikolai, what did you do?" Twilight looked over her shoulder at the collapsed human.
"Okay, okay, okay. Don't panic Twilight" Twilight shot magic purple beams at the wolves, the wolves dodged seamlessly.
"Nikolai, please get up, i need your help!" Nikolai heard her words and looked up at her.
"Remember what i said before, the 7 elements make up all the magic you can think of, the only limit is your imagination." He said this and he looked back down, recovering from exhaustion.
"NO, I NEED YOU TO HELP..... me. Wait, the only limit is my imagination." Twilight thought for a couple seconds before casting a spell she came up with, in her head she combined earth and chaos to cause a small earthquake around her, Twilight tried to limit the intensity but lost control causing splits in the ground, the splits caused trees to fall around them, the trees fell on the timber wolves. Oh the irony.
Twilight heard Nikolai speak behind her. "Great job."
Twilight started to have a mini panic-attack, Nikolai has his ribs and leg broken. Twilight heard rustling behind her a nearly shot a spell at Fluttershy. Fluttershy came near cautiously because she saw the creature next to twilight on the ground. Nikolai spoke.
"Hey can i please get some help?"
Fluttershy didn't know what to do with herself after knowing that this unknown creature can talk. She decided not to talk to the creature, but to Twilight instead.
"is.. is everything alright... i saw a blue beam in the sky... i felt attracted to it."
"That was Nikolai, it must be some kind of beacon spell."
"Is that the creature laying on the ground?"
"Yes, now, we need help stat!"
Fluttershy ran in the direction of Ponyville. It was going to take a while before she gets back with the emergency medics. Welp, guess it's time to make a small camp. Twilight used her levitation magic to make a tent out of rocks, sticks, and leaves, she also made a camp fire for heat. Twilight thought that everything was going to be alright. What twilight didn't notice was that Fluttershy she saw, was a changeling and went to inform the nearby camp. and in the night Twilight was attacked.
"Nikolai get up! We are under attack!"
Nikolai woke up slowly but eventually stood up, even with the pain. The first thing he saw was black figures darting around launching green fireballs at the camp. Nikolai put up several ice walls around the camp to absorb the blows of the fireballs, of course they didn't last long. Twilight began putting air and order together and blasting back the fireballs. A changeling snuck up behind Twilight and grabbed her, another bound her with a light green goo and caused her to be frozen, unable to move. The same thing happened to Nikolai and he was stuck in place. It seems the changelings have won. The two were carried back to the changeling camp and bound to upright posts. They were trapped with no place to go. The changelings bickered back and forth about what to do with them, it ranged from torture, to eating them, to burning them, and to use them as a 'play toy'. This is not on Nikolai's to do list, he started to plan how to escape, Twilight was thinking the same. An hour passed and the changelings agreed on burning their captors. Nikolai got his plan ready and struggled against the goo, and picked out a old battered scroll, a scroll gives the user a spell with one use to use absolutely free. he got one with a cyan seal with a crystal imprinted in it. he used the scroll by thinking of the spell he was going to use, the scroll iced over and shattered, the changelings looked at Nikolai ready to fire.
Everything went in slow motion as fireballs were fired at Nikolai, the fireballs disappeared into thin air and the temperature dropped to 30 degrees Fahrenheit. from the ground grew a ice crystal that expanded, after growing, it sprouted legs and arms made from ever-frost ice, and ice that cannot be melted. The ice pointed at the end to give a nice icy thrusting attack, small yellow eyes appeared in a cross formation on the front of the creature. a smashing sound resonated in the forest as the creature sprang with life. The ice golem stood up, looked around, and began its carnage on the camp. it started to smash the tents, stab the changelings and destroy the ground underneath it causing trees to fall causing even more damage. changeling corpses lay on the ground with green blood everywhere. the creature went to Twilight and Nikolai and cut them loose by freezing and smashing the goo. the ice golem then exploded in a shower of ice but missing Nikolai and Twilight. and just like that... it was gone.
"Nikolai... what did you do?" Twilight could hardly breath from fear that the creature would hurt her.
"Ice golem scroll."
"whatever that was... it was pretty damn 'cool'."
"Is now the best time to make puns?"
"Well seeing as we are safe and can get you help... yes."
Nikolai and Twilight wandered off towards Ponyville, the trees were thick as ever. The moon is not in sight from the ground. Nikolai and Twilight were getting tired, Ponyville didn't seem to be getting any closer. Nikolai thought of something, a certain something that can happen in his own world in buildings and forests alike.
"Hey Twilight? Can this forest cast spells or curses on the inhabitants?"
"Not that I know of, why?"
"I think we are stuck in a looping curse."
"That actually seems plausible."
"Can you use a magic detection spell?"
"Yeah gimme a second."
Twilight's horn lit up and promptly stopped. She looked puzzled.
"Anything?"
"Yes, we are stuck in a looping spell. Damn it."
"Welp we are going to have to dispell this."
"It's way too strong to dispell at my level."
"Strange, i'll try my hand it at."
Nikolai took out his wand and focused what energy he had left into his wand. His wand glowed cyan, the glow promptly stopped. Nikolai looked disappointed. Nikolai looked at the ground in despair. He thought the he had finally been defeated. He turned to Twilight.
"It's not the forest, it's some other creature, a powerful one."
"Is there anything i can do to help?"
"build a protective area, i need to decode this spell. The looping curse always has a way to go through it."
"Okay, i'll get on it." Twilight used her magic and made a tent out of stone, wood, and leaves for camouflage. She made a small campfire and made some basic wooden walls around the camp with an opening to get in and out. She put out some leaves and wrapped some sticks around it to make some beds. Nikolai went into the tent and sat on his makeshift bed and started to focus his magic on this curse.
Twilight wandered around camp gather materials, she made a quick table and chair. she gathered some stones and sticks, she made a stone sword, that's the best she could do for now, she needed something other than magic for defense. She kept looking around and checking on Nikolai for any changes in expression. Twilight heard a noise outside and she took up her sword in her magic, on the outside was a medium sized black rabbit with blood red eyes, the hellish creature made a roar that stunned twilight for a while, the creature threw swipes and twilight, she dodged some, got hit by other and the cuts bled heavily. She attacked the creature by swiping left to right and staggering her movements to be unpredictable. Twilight and the creature attacked each other at the same time and locked blade and claw. each opponent kept pushing into the attack. the creature was stronger and threw Twilight back into a tree. Twilight remained unmoved, stunned from the blow. the creature was bearing down on Twilight ready to finish the fight.
Nikolai heard a sound outside, the creature was a medium sized black rabbit with blood red eyes, the creature and Twilight were fighting sword against claw. Twilight was bleeding heavily and might not survive she she didn't get medical attention. Nikolai moved out of the tent, a small pain in his chest and leg, he seemed to have gotten used to his injuries. Nikolai saw Twilight lock blade and claw, she got thrown against a tree and appears stunned. He had to do something. he got his wand and ran through the opening in the wall.
Twilight saw her doom heading towards her, she tried to pick up the sword in her magic, but she was too weak. She started to tear up, thinking this was the end. The creature turned towards camp and was hit by a volley of 4 purple balls of magic. she turned to the side and saw Nikolai with his wand pointed at the beast.
Nikolai saw Twilight tear up and felt an anger rise in his heart, He hated seeing friends getting hurt and would gladly take damage in order to save his friends, he gripped his wand tightly and pointed it at the beast. He subconsciously mixed air and spirit, making a magic missile and sending a volley of 4 at the creature.
Twilight saw the creature get shot to the side with extreme force, the creature slammed into a tree, knocking it down and killing the beast. She saw Nikolai run at the creature, producing a dagger, and slicing the creatures neck, blood splattered on the ground and on the knife. Nikolai walked back to Twilight and picked her up in a hug.
"Twilight, are you okay?"
"Not really, everything hurts and i'm feeling sick."
Nikolai carried her into the tent and put her on her makeshift bed. He took off his robe and put it on his bed, Twilight saw he had a silk undershirt, he promptly took it off, Twilight could see that he was strong even though he didn't have much muscle definition. Nikolai cut the shirt into long strips and wrapped her wounds, he applied pressure to the wounds until the flow was staunched. Nikolai saw that Twilight still had tears and wiped them off with the last strip.
"Thank you Nikolai, I don't think i could repay you."
"No need to, I'm just glad you're okay."
Twilight sat up and gave Nikolai a hug, he was surprised and returned the hug. Nikolai went back to his quiet vigil. Eventually both Twilight and Nikolai went to sleep.
Nikolai woke up first and went outside, he knew that both he and Twilight needs breakfast, of course Twilight could not process meat in the way he can. Luckily he knew how to hunt and gather. he went out of the campsite and looked to the dead rabbit creature, he cut into the rabbit, the meat was a nice pink-red, looks edible enough, he cut out some rabbit creature chops and put them on the table in camp. next vegetables and fruits. He took a wander around outside the camp, always staying in view of the camp. He eventually found a weird kind of fruit tree that looks like a cross between a rainbow and a apples, it looks off, the apples where rainbow colored, he pick a couple and put them in his apprentice robe. he traveled a little more and found a orange tree, he put them in his robes and went to camp. He put them on the table and looked over his ingredients. He lit the fire with a flick of his wand, he made a pot using magic and stone, he held it up above the fire with a spit system, he put some water in the pot and he cut up the fruits into cubes, when he cut through the rainbow apples his blade shined, and he felt like he got some mana in his mana pool. The apples must give him a bit of mana, something to keep note of, he threw the bits into the pot and let them boil down into a meatless soup. he then cut out the fur and other bits from the rabbit creature meat. he tried the soup he made and it felt weird going down but it wasn't bad, he made a pan using the same technique and cooked the meat.
Nikolai cut a small piece off the meat and tried it, it tasted like beef and a hint of ash, not the worst thing he tasted. he made a plate and a bowl for him and Twilight. he felt something was missing, he went out for his last food run, he found some wild carrots, and a bit of wild lettuce. he threw the carrots into the soup, and he cut up lettuce and put it on top of his rabbit steak. Twilight just got up and was watching Nikolai cook for a bit she was curious about his cooking style. Twilight smiled and trotted outside.
"Morning Twilight, I got breakfast."
"Thanks."
Twilight got her bowl and scooped some soup up. she tried it, it was actually pretty good. Nikolai ate his rabbit chops in relative silence. again not the worst meal both Nikolai and Twilight had. after breakfast, Nikolai went into his silent vigil after washing off Twilight cuts and bandages. Twilight sat in the chair and tried to relax, but she couldn't for some reason, she just sat in the chair and tried to sleep. Twilight felt a tickle on her should, she turned around and blacked out, and fell on the floor. Nikolai heard her hit the floor and rushed out of the tent and got hit in the back of the head, unconscious.
Nikolai woke up tied to a cross like structure, arms tied out to the side and legs bound downwards. He saw Twilight in the same position across from him she had just woken up, Nikolai's robe was on a table to the side, he looked up at Twilight, she appeared to be silently crying. He hates seeing her like this. A taller female changeling came out from a nearby tent, as she spoke, it sounded like it had a weird echo.
"Well now my pets, i see you are in a conundrum. How unfortunate. Now i think it is a time for a bit of fun." Changelings gathered around this taller one.
"Who are you?" Nikolai Queried.
"I am queen Chrysalis. Welcome to your torture."
She went over to Twilight and grabbed a jagged dagger that was stuck in the side of the cross. Nikolai's anger got higher at the sight of the knife. He shuffled his hands into fists, he felt his ring on his ring finger. He smiled a little. Chrysalis pressed the dagger against her stomach. Twilight twitched a little, She cut a heart into her stomach and put 'T+N' in it. Twilight felt hurt and blushed a little. Nikolai felt a small blush also.
"Hey you bug piece of crap, she has nothing to do with you, if you are going to hurt anyone, then slice me up."
Chrysalis laughed "You think it has to do with rivalry? No it's for fun, i think pony blood is beautiful."
She then cut Twilight's arms up and down. Twilight tried not to cry from the pain. Nikolai started to twitch out of anger.
"STOP. She has had enough, I think it's my turn."
"I suppose it is. i'll be back for you Twilight." Twilight's head was down, she had appeared to have given up. Chrysalis trotted to Nikolai, she wiped the blade clean, She pressed it against his bare chest, she made cuts downwards. The pain was unbearable. But he needed to keep being damaged if he wanted to escape. he kept taking cuts, it went from his neck to his arms, legs, and chest. But he needed to keep bleeding. after 5 minutes of nonstop cutting, he looked like a cutting board. His ring glowed a faint red, his torturer didn't notice.
Nikolai's rage peaked and he felt time slow down, the ring glowed even brighter. Nikolai felt tougher, stronger, and faster. he completely destroyed his bindings and the cross, chrysalis was stood there, knife to where he was on the cross, she was slowly reacting. Nikolai grabbed a nearby changeling and put his hand on his head, thumb on his forehead and fingers beneath his ear, cyan glowed from his hand, when he let go a cyan hand print was left, the changeling slowly collapsed. Nikolai dashed to his robe, put it on, and pulled out his wand and dagger, just in time for the slow motion to stop. Chrysalis and the changelings turned towards Nikolai weapons in hoof.
"Enchanted ring huh? Well then, my children, it's feeding time."
Changelings rushed towards Nikolai ready to crush and stab. Nikolai pointed his wand down and to his side, the wand had a purple illusion of a sword. He brought the sword back up and held it with both hands. The first changeling jumped at him with a dagger, Nikolai parried the dagger sending it upward and landing in the ground beside him, he thrust his sword through the changelings neck. Another came at him, Nikolai simply ducked and the changeling tripped over Nikolai and landed on the ground completely stunned. A changeling ran at Nikolai with a spear, Nikolai kicked the spear upwards, sliced the changeling and caught the spear. Nikolai stuck the spear in the ground for later. It was time for Nikolai to be on the offensive. He ran towards the changelings, he sliced back and forth. Nikolai took a jab to the back of his left leg and his left arm. He got to a clearing in the changelings mass's, he was brought face to face with a heavily armored changeling wielding a clay-more sword. The changelings backed off to watch the battle.
Twilight was on the cross, head down, and in despair and pain. She watched as Nikolai sliced through the changeling hoard. A dark shadow overcame Twilight.
Nikolai locked blades with the changeling, his armor looked to be of steel. Nikolai prepared to disarm him, he heard a scream behind him. Nikolai got distracted and got disarmed his magic sword got stuck in the ground near him. Nikolai dived for the sword but the changeling threw it behind him. Nikolai pulled out his dagger with a plan. He did some small fighting and waited for the changeling to do a certain move. The changeling thrust the back end of his sword to knock him back, Nikolai made himself push back, he was outside the hoard where he started. He picked up the spear from before and put his dagger away. he ran back into the circle with the spear to his side, he ran directly at the changeling and jumped. He brought the spear straight into the helmet and was assisted by the velocity of his run and jump. A massive clang echoed through the forest. The changeling fell over with the spear in his helmet. Nikolai ran and picked up his wand which turned back into his regular wand instead of the sword. Nikolai ran back to the area he heard the screaming from. Nikolai received a blow to his chest and got knocked back. A shadow loomed over Nikolai and stuck a knife in his right arm, pinning it to the ground. Blood pooled under him.
Twilight was silenced by chrysalis, she held a knife and appeared to be waiting for Nikolai, he rounded the corner and chrysalis knocked him on the ground and stuck his right arm in the ground with a knife.
"NIKOLAI!"
"Silence, he won't be helping you now." Chrysalis got another knife and threatened Twilight with it.
Nikolai was on the ground stuck. He could only turn his head, he was paralyzed with pain. changelings gathered around ready to finish Nikolai. Nikolai quickly took out a scroll that was ghost white with a gold seal with a explosion imprinted on it. He held the scroll close.
Twilight watched as Nikolai was surrounded. He was certainly going to die.
Nikolai was surrounded in a glowing white light the light got extremely bright, the changelings were blinded. An explosion was heard. The changelings around him evaporated and were gone. Chrysalis looked at Nikolai with silent hatred, she turned back to Twilight and starting cutting her up.
Nikolai lay on the ground with the knife in his arm and watched Chrysalis cut Twilight up. He turned to the knife in his arm. He grabbed the knife with his other arm. He started to pull the knife out, it hurt immensely, but he kept quite. Every cut Chrysalis made, Nikolai pulled with more force.
Nikolai pulled the knife out, he bled and bled, he had a hole all the way through his arm. He twirled the knife with his fingers until he was holding the blade. Nikolai aimed the blade at Chrysalis.
Nikolai took the knife out of his arm, twirled the blade, aimed, and threw the knife at chrysalis. The knife stuck itself in her side. She lie on the ground howling in pain. She keeled over on the ground. A pool of green blood grew outward from her. Nikolai ran to Twilight and untied her. Twilight fell to the ground after being untied. She appeared to have passed out from major blood loss. Nikolai picked her up and slung her over his shoulder. As he was leaving camp, he spotted a portable alchemy kit and a few bottles, he took the kit and the bottles and put them in his pocket inside the robe.
"Don't worry Twilight, i will get you help."
Twilight didn't respond.
Nikolai walked off into a direction, he eventually found the camp he got kidnapped from. he went inside, Put Twilight on her bed and took the kit and bottles, and put them on the table outside. The kit contained a pestle and mortar, assorted boiling machines, assorted mushrooms, leaves, woods, and metals. the bottles were different shapes from round, square, and triangle. Nikolai got a bottle and placed it on the table. He took the mortar and pestle and ground up red mushrooms, green leaves, and yellow leaves. he took the materials and dumped them in the round bottle. he added some hot water with magic, corked the bottle, and shook and swirled it. The potion he made turned blood red with a small tinge of green. Nikolai threw in some iron shavings and the potion of fortitude is complete. He estimated that this potion could go for $100. He put the potion next to Twilight's bed. Nikolai sat on his makeshift bed. He decided if the curse is gone after severely damaging Chrysalis. After a bit of meditation he found that the curse is broken. Nikolai went over to Twilight and lightly shook her, she stirred awake.
"Hey, Twilight, i have good news."
"Ehhh, yeah?"
"The curse is broken."
"That's great, can i sleep now?"
"In a sec, but first drink this potion." Nikolai handed her his potion.
Twilight was suspicious of it, but she drank it anyway. She drank 1/4th of the potion and set it down. Twilight had a sudden burst of energy, Her bleeding stopped seconds after drinking the potion. Twilight sat up and looked at Nikolai, she seemed to blush.
"Thank you, Nikolai."
"No problem. That burst of energy won't last. I'll work on some more potions while you are asleep."
Twilight went back to sleep while Nikolai went out and made some more potions. He made a potion of stamina with gold shavings, yellow leaves, blue mushrooms, and a sliver of redwood, he mixed them with hot water. He put the potion in the triangle bottle, it glowed yellow. Next he was going to make a potion of light, He combined red mushrooms, blue leaves, green leaves, and a shaving of silver. He put them in the square bottle and put cold water in. Nikolai shook it lightly. He placed the bottles on the table for use later. Nikolai sat in the chair, and thought for a while. After a bit, he went to sleep.
Nikolai woke up and saw Twilight sitting at the table with the fortitude potion. The potion was half full. Twilight looked happy and concerned. Nikolai went over to Twilight. Twilight looked away.
"Twilight, whats wrong?"
"About what happened back there, with Chrysalis cutting the heart in my stomach..." Twilight blushed a bit.
"Twilight, if you like me that way, i'm fine with that."
Twilight blushed more. "I'm sorry. I just..."
Nikolai picked Twilight up into a hug. "It's okay Twilight."
The forest was still dark, Nikolai's internal clock told him it's day. He took the potion kit and the potions, picked up twilight and carried her in a hug. Nikolai took out the light potion, and shook it hard. The glow illuminated the area around him. Nikolai took a swig of the stamina potion while walking towards Ponyville with a direction spell, to make sure not to loose the right path. He noticed that Timberwolves were stalking them just outside of the potions glow. they stayed just outside the glow of the potion. Nikolai kept hearing sounds around him, making him more and more paranoid. He got sick of it and put twilight up against a tree and drew his wand, Nikolai shot balls of light around the forest, the timer wolves backed away. Nikolai picked up Twilight and walked back on his path. Nikolai took off his ring of life and switched it to a ring of defense. Twilight was getting restless. Nikolai put against a tree and sat down with her.
"Hey Twilight, are you alright?"
"Yeah, i have a question though. What was that thing you did to that changeling, when you put your hand on his head and left the mark?"
"I guess you should know, I am a mana leech. i can drain the mana of another being, and I can look into a creatures soul."
"That sounds amazing." Twilight tried to sit up, Nikolai caught her and lied her back against the tree.
"Don't make movements like that, you are still injured."
"So are you."
"Yeah, but i'm tougher."
Twilight didn't say anything. Nikolai picked her back up and continued. The clearing shone through the horizon. Nikolai could see the plains. His glow potion just fizzed out, the bottle was empty, ready for a new potion. Nikolai tucked it away. Nikolai started a sprint and got into the clearing. It was a massive plains. Nikolai sighed and moved on carrying Twilight. Nikolai took another swig of the stamina potion and made Twilight drink more of the fortitude potion, he decided that she should have the last of it even though he was in pain. Over the hill he saw a small village, homes made of stone, wood, and hay. they looked older than the style of houses he is used to. Nikolai saw a bigger building that looked to be made of concrete with a red cross, that seems to be the hospital Twilight was talking about. Nikolai trudge forth, Twilight stopped him.
"What's wrong Twilight?"
"The ponies will be scared of you, i'll go get the medics."
"Here take both of them." Nikolai gave her the fortitude and stamina potion. Twilight took a small sip of the stamina potion. Twilight went off to the hospital, Nikolai lied in the grass.
Twilight went into Ponyville, she kept to the side streets and went to the hospital. The hospital doors open and Twilight saw nurse Redheart.
"Hello princess twilight... what happened you look cut up?"
"That's what happened, chrysalis, changelings. I'm lucky I was with another. He's hurt and needs help."
"I'll ring up the field medics. just tell me where he is."
"He's at the plains right outside ponyville."
"Okay, they will be there."
Nurse Redheart called the field medics, Twilight went back to Nikolai, he was laying in the grass.
"Hey Twilight, are the medics coming?"
"Yeah they should be here in a sec."
Nikolai waited a couple minutes for the medics to arrive. The medics are more than a little surprised about Nikolai. The medics go to Twilight, Nikolai couldn't focus on the conversation and blacked out.
"Don't worry, he won't hurt you. He saved me from being killed."
"If that's what you say princess."
"Hey he blacked out." One of the medics started to work on healing magic. The other set up field vital monitors. The medic put the blood pressure wrap on Nikolai, and took his temperature. The medics picked up Nikolai in their magic and got him to the hospital, Twilight was concerned. The medics brought Nikolai in the back and up to the 3rd floor for extreme injuries. The medics put Twilight and Nikolai in the same room. Besides, Twilight would've requested it. Twilight put the last of the fortitude potion on the table next to Nikolai. Nurse Redheart came in.
"So Twilight, this is the creature that saved you?"
"Yes, I owe him."
"Okay, you need to fill me in on what happened."
Twilight talked to nurse Redheart about the past events, Redheart listen closely, not wanting to miss any details. When Twilight got to chrysalis cutting her and Nikolai making her cut him instead to activate his enchanted ring, Redheart was amazed that the creature took the damage instead of letting Twilight get hurt. Redheart went to Nikolai and took off his robe, she saw that he was extremely fit and strong. The cuts along his chest, arms, legs, and neck were thick and bleeding heavily. She put sterilized bandages around the wounds. Redheart tried to draw some blood for a blood test to see his blood type. As she put the needle in his arm, she got extremely weak and fell on the ground. Twilight went to Redheart.
"Oh my gosh, Redheart are you okay?"
"Yeah i'm fine. I'm just feeling drained."
Redheart tried to use her magic to pick up the needle, but she couldn't.
"What happened to my magic?"
Twilight thought about what happened. She remembered.
"Nikolai is a mana leach, i guess in this state, he has no control on who he drains."
Twilight saw some of Nikolai's wounds heal over. The drain must healed him. Twilight came up with a idea. She picked up the needle and went to draw blood, she gently brushed Nikolai and fell to the ground completely drained. Nikolai's wounds healed over, he still had scars but at least he wasn't bleeding out. Twilight took the health potion and poured it into a cup. She made Nikolai drink it. Twilight had what little was left. Some of Twilight's wounds healed, she looked at her stomach, she still had the heart cut in her. Twilight blushed a bit at the thought of Nikolai. Redheart got up and sat down at a chair to regain her mana. Redheart was more than a little pissed at what Twilight just did. Nikolai started to wake up. Twilight was excited.
Nikolai woke up to Twilight beside his bed and a white pony with bubblegum hair in a chair, looking like she was in pain. Nikolai felt refreshed, he felt that his mana pool was filled. Nikolai thought for a sec before realizing that he accidentally drained both of them. Twilight jumped up and into Nikolai's arms.
"I'm happy to see you too."
Twilight gave Nikolai a good hug and put her head in his chest.
Nikolai sat in his hospital bed, the bed he got was meant for a griffin. Twilight was hugging Nikolai closely. As Nikolai was getting up, he spotted the fortitude potion. He picked it up and examined it, only 1/8th was left.
"Nurse, catch." Nikolai threw the potion to Redheart.
Redheart caught the potion.
"What's this for?"
"Pain and Damage relief, also restores a small amount of mana."
Redheart drank the last of it, she got up out of the chair and seemed to be in no pain.
"That's... that's one effective drink."
"Thanks, and sorry for draining both of you by accident."
"It's okay, i forgive you. I just need some patient info."
"Of course."
"I just need to know if you have any other injuries that i may not know of."
"I broke my leg on my way here and my ribs are broken from timber wolves."
"I'll get some medicine ready to help with that."
Nurse Redheart went out of the room and went to get Nikolai's medication.
"Anything i missed Twilight." Nikolai looked down at Twilight on his lap.
"No, not really."
"Good."
The nurse came back in with several syringes. Nikolai was not fazed.
"Okay, i have the medicine ready, are you afraid of needles?"
"Nope."
"Good."
Nikolai took off his ring of defense momentarily. Redheart injected the medicine into Nikolai's arm. Nikolai put on his ring.
"Alright, it will take a bit before it starts working, so just relax for now. I need to check on other patients."
Redheart left the room, only Nikolai and Twilight remain. Twilight looked up at Nikolai.
"You going to be okay?"
"I hope so, i'm going to need a place to live."
"You can live in my house if you want."
"Would you be okay with it?"
"Of course, I still owe you. You saved my life."
"I guess it's a plan then."
Twilight hugged Nikolai, and Nikolai hugged back. Nurse Redheart came in.
"When you are done i need you to fill some papers out, then you are discharged."
Redheart placed some papers on the table next to his bed. Nikolai looked over and saw his robes and the round glass bottle. He set Twilight on the bed and put on his wizard robes. He took out his wand, it has a few small scorch marks, but it was strong. It is impossible to break a wand. He put his wand in the wand holster inside his jacket. He still needed a shirt, but he has other priorities. Nikolai filled out the papers and gave them to Redheart at the front desk, she quickly flipped through them.
"Everything looks good, you are free to go. Hope i don't have to see you here again."
Nikolai went out of the hospital and took a good meditative breath. Nikolai smelled something off in the air. It smelled like stressed mana. He quickly looked around and saw a purple unicorn with bright white fur and 3 diamonds as a cutie mark. She was out in the plains getting attack by the timber wolves that followed Nikolai and Twilight. Twilight was about to say something but was cut off when Nikolai ran out to her.
Nikolai reached the unicorn and the timber wolves. The unicorn was on the ground using stress magic, not a good idea. The timber wolves pinned her to the ground, and they were about to eat her whole. Nikolai took out his wand and cast a combination of earth and chaos. A wave of earth raced towards the timber wolves and knocked them out of the unicorns range. The timber wolves got back up and were hit by a volley of icicles. The beast's body splintered and were demolished. The unicorn got up and ran towards ponyville until she saw Twilight.
"TWILIGHT THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR SAVING ME!"
"I didn't save you, he did." Twilight pointed to Nikolai who gave her a little wave.
The unicorn passed out at the sight of Nikolai.
"Rarity was always a drama queen."
"Seems like it."
Twilight had a little laugh, Twilight picked her up in her magic and went to rarity's boutique. Nikolai followed along. He quickly changed rings. As Twilight was taking Nikolai and rarity to her boutique, she noticed no pony was panicking at Nikolai's presence.
"Hey Nikolai, shouldn't they be panicking?"
"No, i put on a shadow walking ring, only you can see me."
"That's useful."
Twilight brought rarity back in her boutique and set her on her bed. Twilight left a note on the door. 'hope you feel better - Twilight.' Nikolai and Twilight went to her house, Nikolai took off his shadow walking ring and replaced it with his defense ring. Twilight showed Nikolai his room. Twilight left to run to the store leaving Nikolai to his antics. He started by placing his items on a table and sorting them out, scrolls, rings and necklaces, potion stuff, and misc. He set up his alchemy on a different table and placed his rings, necklaces, and scrolls in a cabinet. He looked his wand over, he saw that it had little cracks in it, this worried Nikolai. He has never seen a cracked wand before. He shrugged and put it in his holster. He went to his alchemy station and worked on a a new potion. He added a blood red mushroom, rainbow oak leaves, a very small and white crystal, and some tea leaves. he put his mixture through the alembic station, after it was done being heated and destilled, he poured it into the round bottle, capped it, and shook it violently. the mixture went from blood red, to a pure white. Nikolai put his potion into his robes. Twilight came back from the store.
"Hey Nikolai, i'm back. Twilight gave Nikolai a small bottle, it was unlabeled and it made Nikolai worried.
"What is this stuff?"
"It's just apple ale, thought you might like it."
Nikolai looked down at the bottle, he knew that young wizards shouldn't drink, but then again, he isn't anywhere near the college. Nikolai uncapped the ale and gave it a sip. It tasted strong. Nikolai recapped it and set it on his night stand.
"Did you like it?"
"I like it, it's really strong."
"Really? that's the lightest drink we have."
"It may be something to do with the fact that you are heavier and have a higher drink tolerance."
"Maybe."
Nikolai sat on his bed and looked at the floor.
"You alright Nikolai?"
"Not really, I probably won't see my home ever again, and I won't get to be back in my college to continue my studies."
"Don't say that, there must be a way to send you home."
There was a knock at the door, Twilight went down and opened the door to the local mare-pony.
"Letter for Twilight Sparkle." The pony was grey with a blond mane and tail, she had bubbles as a cutie mark.
"Thanks Ditzy." Twilight took the letter and opened it.
Dear Twilight Sparkle
As you may have known, you have come in contact with a creature you never knew existed. This being is a species that create chaos and destruction, they kill each other for resource and dominance. Be careful, this being might attack you, I also want you to bring this creature to Canterlot for judgement. I must judge this creatures resolve. if he is to fail, he will be executed, if he is to pass, he will live. Please bring him to Canterlot at once.
"Princess Celestia requests a meeting to judge your resolve."
"Well then i should pass... right?"
"Why would you not pass?"
"I was thinking that she would judge me just for being human."
"Well... she can be bias sometimes."
"Well we are just going to hope. Besides, I always have a back up plan."
"If I know Celestia, then a train should be arriving soon."
"I haven't seen a train in forever. What fuel does it use?"
"Magic."
"Of course."
Nikolai went back to his alchemy station and used the triangle bottle, he put a green mushroom with white spots, a red mushroom with white spots, a small bone fragment, steel shavings, a piece of rainbow oak wood, and a orange crystal in the bottle, heated it up, and and put water in. After it was done heating up he capped it and wrapped a small piece of cloth around the neck of the bottle. Twilight was suspicious of the potion.
"May i ask what this potion does?"
"No, but i hope you don't have to see me use it, the white one is a emergency potion."
"Right, we should get to the train, you should shadow walk with me there."
"Good idea" Nikolai took his new potion, put on his shadow walking ring, and went with Twilight to the awaiting armored train. Seems excessive. Nikolai and Twilight boarded the train, the guards asked Twilight about the human.
"He is with me."
Nikolai took off the shadow walking ring and surprised the guards. The guard on the left of the train motioned them to board. Nikolai and Twilight followed suit into the middle of the train. The cabin was almost like a living room, there was a couch, tables, chairs, and some other furniture. It was painted a dark and lighter blue theme, it seemed dark and mysterious. Twilight lied on the couch and Nikolai sat in a chair. The door open and a tall pony with the same theme came in, she was in battle armor with a sheathed sword at her side. Nikolai as seen more menacing warriors.
"Hello human, I am Princess Luna, Guardian of the night. Our travel to Canterlot will be a couple hours, make yourself comfortable."
"Thank you Princess Luna, by the way, i like your armor."
Luna seemed stunned by Nikolai's compliment. She thought he would be scared of her armor.
"Um, thanks? I thought you would be intimidated by it."
"Nope, because I've seen More intimidating armor. You would be flat out afraid of the armor i have seen."
"I doubt it. I guess that means that you have sot out battle?"
"No, I have sot out war."
"I see. Anything else you want to tell me human?" '
"Call me Nikolai."
"Alright Nikolai. If either of you need anything, the guards and I will help."
Princess Luna went to her own car in the front. Nikolai and Twilight were alone. Nikolai noticed a mini fridge next to the couch, he looked in and found nothing of interest. Nikolai noticed Twilight looking a bit down. Nikolai went over and sat next to her.
"Hey Twilight? You okay?"
"Kinda, i'm just nervous about Celestia's judgement."
"Look, it will all be okay. I'll make sure of it." Nikolai gave a mischievous smile that worried Twilight.
"Okay, if you say so."
Nikolai lied down on the couch with Twilight and fell asleep.
"Welcome back me. Been awhile since I've seen you."
"Not now Nikolai. I have a important meeting soon."
"Well Nikolai, What if you never make it?"
"What are you implying?"
The landscape around Nikolai changed to pure black, in the middle was a small pool of water. Nikolai peered into the water and saw a reflection of himself. Nikolai's reflection was himself but with black straight hair, pastie skin, and blood red eyes. He hated seeing his inner demon of himself. His demon was a demon of rage, anger, and wrath.
"I am implying that you take a long walk out the trains door."
"Never. All that you are is a face in mirror. I close my eyes and you'll disappear."
"Do you really think that I would disappear? I live inside you, whether you like it or not."
"NO!"
"All that I am is the demon inside you, you may be the mana leach, but I am the life leach."
"NO!"
"I am anger, hate, and wrath. I CONTROL YOUR LIFE!"
"NO, NO, NO!"
"YOU WILL SNAP, YOU WILL DESTROY ALL YOU LOVE!"
"NEVER!"
"YES, ALL WITH FREEZE AND SNAP!"
"ALL THAT YOU ARE IS THE END OF A NIGHT MARE! ALL THAT YOU ARE IS A DYING SCREAM!"
"I AM THE ONE TO DESTROY, YOU ARE JUST THE PUPPET!"
"NO!"
"YES!"
Nikolai took a breath, Demon Nikolai burst into black fog and rushed Nikolai. Nikolai felt himself change, his skin turning pale and his hair turning black. Nikolai took his wand, pointed it to his head. Everything went black.
Twilight woke up to Nikolai talking to himself, pacing the room. He sounded conflicted and paid no attention to Twilight. She knew that he was asleep. Twilight went into the next car to Luna.
"Luna, something is wrong with Nikolai."
"Bring me to him."
Twilight brought Luna to Nikolai.
"He is having inner conflicts, we can't do much."
Nikolai stopped and fell to the ground.
"Luna..."
Luna took Nikolai in her magic and put him on the couch. Luna took the opposite side and fell asleep.
Nikolai lay on the ground in the void. Luna tears a hole and enters the nightmare. Luna went to Nikolai, picked him up and went towards the tear until Luna was grabbed by the leg by demon Nikolai.
"You aren't taking him that easily. He belongs to me and no one else."
"Silence, no pony belongs to any other pony."
"Oh but he does belong to me. After all, i am him."
"You think you are a true nightmare? I can show you a real nightmare, so i suggest you let go."
"Alright then, let us have fun."
The demon threw Luna to the ground and Nikolai fell away from Luna. The demon stood above Luna. Demon Nikolai crouched down to Luna who was subdued by darkness.
"What... what are you doing?" Luna was starting to get scared. She wasn't used to this emotion. The demon expanded and burst in smoke and came down on Luna. Luna started to cough as the demon was getting into Luna's system. She could feel herself losing.
Twilight was getting nervous as she was hearing Luna talk to herself. Twilight went into Nikolai's robe pocket. She could feel Nikolai getting cold. She pulled out a white potion labeled 'Nightmare emergency-shake well.'
Twilight shook the bottle and it turned a deep blue, she wasn't sure what it was, but she felt like she needs to do this. Twilight levitated the potion to Nikolai and made him drink half of it.
Luna had been taken over by demon Nikolai. He was fighting a losing battle, until he felt a surge of power. He got up from his sitting position and prepared to face his demon. Demon Nikolai appeared out of the shadows face to face with Nikolai.
"Feeling better?"
"A lot."
Nikolai grabbed his demon around the neck and choke slammed him onto the ground. The demon got back up unfazed to a good right hook to his temple. The demon kept getting back up after every hit. Nikolai took a quick glance at Luna, she was surrounded by a dark fog. As he was looking at Luna, his demon slide tackled him. Nikolai fell on his face and got back up. Nikolai kicked his demon's kneecap in for a stunner. Nikolai rushed to Luna and held his breath through the fog. He picked up Luna and brought her out of the fog. When he faced back to his demon, he just dodged a dark magic blast.
"You cannot win this battle."
"Watch me."
Nikolai roundhouse kicked his demon. He simply got knocked back. Nikolai's demon grabbed his arm and twisted it around his back and pushed up. Nikolai reversed it and got behind him. Nikolai's demon reversed his reverse and tripped him to the ground. Nikolai got back up and tackled his demon to the ground and started beating his face in, it was a battle of getting each other on the ground and beating each other senseless.
"Why won't you just die."
"Because you aren't dead."
"Well if I need to die to have you die. THEN SO BE IT!" Nikolai took out a shadow dagger and put it to his neck.
"STOP!" Luna yelled at Nikolai. Nikolai and his demon turned to Luna. She was standing up with her battle armor and a sword that splits off at the end. She came up to Nikolai's side. Both readied their weapons. The demon look at both of them and walked away.
"You have won this time." he uttered until Luna and Nikolai were brought back to reality.
Nikolai and Luna woke up at the same time to see Twilight with a empty potion bottle. Nikolai sat up and locked eyes with Luna.
"Thank you."
"No worries Nikolai. Tis my duty to help others with their nightmares."
"It wasn't a nightmare, it's reality."
"Either way, i am glad to have helped you."
"Thank you."
"If I am correct, we should be arriving to Canterlot in 15 minutes."
"And also Twilight..."
"Yeah?"
"Thank you." Nikolai swept her up in a hug.
"No problem, I also have one question."
"And that is?"
"When I went into your pocket, it felt like is was a void of objects. care to explain?"
"This robe is enchanted, as you can see it has runes on the trim. One of the enchantments make its pockets, infinite."
"That is cool, and strange."
Nikolai took the potion bottle and put in his robe pocket. Twilight still had no idea on what to think about Nikolai's enchantment.
The train pulled up to the station, the lunar guards got off an escorted Luna, Twilight, and Nikolai off and into the streets. The streets seemed abandoned.
"Where is every pony?"
" The went inside Twilight, under the order of Celestia."
"Why would she do that?"
"So the ponies, wouldn't panic."
"Smart."
Luna took Nikolai and Twilight into the castle, She spoke to Nikolai.
"Celestia said that you are to be put in a cell. Sorry, she gets paranoid."
"I completely understand."
Twilight was a little anxious about this. Luna took Twilight into a guest bedroom.
Two lunar guards took Nikolai into a cell in a tower to the left of the hall. They asked him to disarm. He simply gave him his knife.
"Thank you. We will come back for you when the princess is ready for your trial."
"Okay, thanks."
The cell door shut and locked, the guards exit the room. It was completely quite. Nikolai took inventory on what he had. He still had that beer, a bit of stamina potion, and the potion he recently made. Nikolai looked over his wand and saw that the cracks were bigger, that is highly unusual. He drank a bit of that beer and observed his cell. A bed, of course. A sink and toilet, standard issue. a table and chair, nothing new. Nikolai sat on the bed and thought about home, he might never see the city with the copper pipes overhead and the chimneys puffing out steam, the airships flying through the air, the gorgeous spire in the middle of the earth lighting the way for the travelers of the wind. Nikolai didn't have much family to look forward to. His dad was a drunkard who should be dead for the amount of times he crashed his airship. His mom died giving birth to him. He didn't have any siblings, it would be nice to have some one to support. Nikolai's uncle was a airship engineer and taught him how to build one out of scratch effectively. That would be a project to do. His grandfather taught him how to bend magic to his will, his grandmother was born a mana leech and taught him how to control it. He also missed his instructor who taught him the seven magic elements, and taught him how to break magic and destroy all who oppose him. Nikolai is supposed to move on from apprentice to journeymen soon. Nikolai looked down at his enchanted silver necklace, it had a ice cold blue gem, He couldn't properly identify what gem it was, all he knew was that it was powerful artifact, he didn't know what it did but he wore it every day. Nikolai decided that was enough thinking for now and went to lay down, he dozed off until judgement time.
"Luna? where are we going?"
"To meet your companions."
"Wait. What?"
Luna took Twilight into the guest bedroom, all her friends were there. Twilight went into a silent panic attack. She just couldn't say anything.
"So, Nikolai think you are going to pass inspection."
"Piss off, I am probably going to fail because of you."
"Oh that would be a glorious sight to behold. A powerful mage dying to a weak little pony."
"Just shut the hell up. i always have a backup plan, and i also have a backup plan for that backup plan."
"Oh, this shalt be fun then."
"These are the facts as i understand them. 1. you can piss in the direction of off 2. I will survive through what ever it takes."
"Oh sure you will."
"Nikolai you know that if I die then you die too."
"OOOH how wrong are you. I would simply take you over and destroy everything."
"You would."
"Love you too."
Nikolai was shaken awake by a royal guard instead of a lunar guard.
"You are being requested for judgement."
"Okay. I will just go to the bathroom first."
"Of course." the guard waited outside for Nikolai.
Nikolai took the newest potion and chugged it completely. He went outside to the guard and went down the hall. The halls seemed extremely long with Nikolai's anxiety rising. The walls had the same repeating pattern of white on top and gold on bottom. It seemed mesmerizing. Nikolai and the guard reached the end of the line, the throne room. There was two pedestals, on the lower was princess Luna, on the higher was a tall white pony with pink, green, and blue flowing mane. That must be princess Celestia. She seemed to be on high alert. to the right of the door was some stands with 5 ponies, one was yellow with a pink mane and tail, one was orange with the same color mane and tail, another was cyan with rainbow mane and tail. one was pink with the same color mane and tail, and the last one was the pony he saved before. In front of the door a bit away was a long desk with 2 chairs. In the far chair was Twilight, sitting and looking stressed. The room had stained glass windows with pictures made into them. The room was the same color pattern as the hallway. Well... looks like it's judgement day.
"Please have a seat." Luna motioned to the chair next to Twilight.
Nikolai took his seat,he didn't look at Twilight.
"This is a judgement for wizard apprentice Nikolai Sanders."
Nikolai nodded.
"Tell us why you are here."
Nikolai thought to himself: cause shit didn't turn out the way I thought.
"I will start by saying, I am not here on my own will. I was being chased by wolves in a forest on my home world and i found a crystal tree. The tree sucked me into this world. I fell from the sky and was severely injured. Twilight came to my crash site and helped me. we traveled through that damned forest, and got ambushed and taken prisoner twice. The 2nd time we were approached by this bug queen or something, chrysalis i think. Twilight was cut up, but I made her cut me up more to free both of us, I incapacitated chrysalis and got Twilight and I out. We got out of the forest and Twilight got medics and we got healed. Then we were summoned here. And now, here we are."
"Mhm, Twilight, is this human speaking the honest truth?"
"Yes princess."
"You have passed part 1. Now I will judge your resolve."
"How would you do that?"
Celestia lowered her head and her horn glowed yellow, Nikolai's heart glowed through his chest. It was pure black and sucked the light from around his chest. Luna and Twilight's eyes were wide open in shock.
"Nikolai. I am sorry, you have failed and shalt be smitten were you stand." Celestia drew back and cast forward her horn.
Time slowed as Nikolai's quick reflexes kicked in. He saw the yellow bolt fly through the air towards his chest. Twilight slowly turned toward him with sadness, tears ran down her cheeks. Luna slowly looked down is disappointment. The ponies in the stands had stone faced expressions, while rarity had a shocked expression. Nikolai took his wand from the holster inside his robe and took it out. He aimed it at Celestia, but then re aimed at the bolt. The bolt struck the tip of Nikolai's wand and held its place, the tip shined bright yellow, showing the spell absorption in effect. TIme went back to normal, Nikolai was knocked back from the spell. Celestia sat on her throne watching in awe as were all the ponies in the room. Nikolai held the spell in his wand and flicked it at the ceiling leaving a hole in the roof. Debris fell down. the light reflected off the dust giving Nikolai a Divine look.
"I see that you won't go without a fight."
"And I won't fight you. I know that you are trying to make me seem like the bad guy." Nikolai raised his wand above his head, he saw the cracks were bigger. he pulled the wand on the desk.
"So be it, perish were you are."
"STOP." every one looked to Luna.
"He is not the darkness you see in him. I have seen that he is not darkness. It's his inner demons that are trying to corrupt him."
"Luna..."
"NO. I have been inside his mind, he fights himself every time he falls asleep. He has powered through darkness you could never imagine. it nearly took me..."
"Fine."
"Thank you for listening."
"Is there any pony in the stands that can attest to Nikolai's light."
Silence until rarity spoke.
"This human saved me from timber wolves."
"He saved me multiple times in the forest."
"Very well. Nikolai Sanders. you have passed our test."
Twilight hugged Nikolai closely.
"It's over, it's finally over."
Nikolai hugged back. "It's over."
Nikolai thought he was finally safe, that he would be happy from then on. He was dead wrong.
A explosion was heard and all the glass busted out of the room. Green crystals launched into the room from the sides and the ceiling. The crystals shattered and changelings came from them. These changelings had heavy armor and swords. This is not gonna be fun. The changelings formed a shield wall with deploy-able shields on their arms. The royal guards rushed them down and got slain. Nikolai grabbed his wand and made spears of ice and threw them and the shields, the ice penetrated and stuck the changelings on the other side. Twilight started to spray-an-pray the wall. The ponies in the stands started to get ready for battle, but got his with a knockout grenade from changelings climbing on the ceiling. Celestia got stunned as more crystals exploded in the room. Luna summoned her sword and started to slay the changelings. Large black wolves came in through the window and got a hold on Nikolai casting arm, he promptly stuck the beast in the eye with a ice spear he had in his hand. A much larger crystal broke through the ceiling. It stuck into the ground and exploded. Chrysalis came from the crystal and focused down Nikolai, she had a bandage where Nikolai stuck her with a knife.
"I have come back for you Nikolai, I was sure hoping Celestia was going to take care of you for me."
Twilight started to ready a spell, Nikolai stopped her. Nikolai took off his necklace and put it around Twilight's neck.
"Whats this, a goodbye forever gift?"chrysalis said jokingly.
"Hopefully not."
"Well, why can't you just simply just die?"
"Because I have the will to live."
"And i have the will to destroy you."
Chrysalis shot a green beam at Nikolai and connected his own ice blue beam. Blue green sparks shot off the connected beams. The blue started to overtake green. Nikolai was going to win. The green beam shot back to Nikolai's wand. The cracks started to glow white. He couldn't let go of his wand, he gripped it with both hands and tried to pull away. The beam snapped and the wand was still glowing, it was now glowing green. Nikolai look over to Twilight. Tears in his eyes.
"I'm sorry."
"Why are yo...."
The wand exploded and so did Nikolai. The room was bathed in holy light, every pony but one was blinded. Twilight looked around as every pony else was stunned. She looked to Nikolai to find him gone. his clothes on the ground where he once was. Tears filled her eyes. She started to have a full on panic attack and couldn't breathe.
Nikolai woke up in a white room. He looked around and upon further inspection, the room extended infinitely in every direction. on his left was a table with some basic clothes. once he put them on he saw a person in front of him. She was smaller than Nikolai, her hair was bright gold, she was pale with ocean blue eyes. She looked familiar. Time felt slow as he inspected her. He realized that this person was his mother.
"Mom?"
"Hi son." She hugged Nikolai.
"But, aren't you de..."
"Wait. NO I CAN'T BE DEAD, NOT NOW!"
"Calm down. It's okay. I have come to bear good news and bad news to you."
"Okay, okay. Shoot."
"Good news, you will go back to Al'gathoria, bad news, your wand is destroyed."
"But... I don't want to go home. I have ponies I need to defend."
"Yes, he did say you would want that and that he would allow this."
"Who's he?"
"Your guardian angel."
"Micheal?"
"Who else."
"Okay, that's good, now what about my wand."
"He wanted to leave that part as a surprise. You can go back whenever you need to, remember, I will always look out for you."
"Thank you mother."
Twilight stood there shock and crying over the sudden loss of the only other being she truly loved. She didn't know what to do. Luna was locked in combat with Chrysalis and Celestia was fighting the wolves. The ponies in the stands were still knocked out. Twilight was losing hope fast.
A holy explosion happened in the middle of the room, All of the ponies look at it. Nikolai wearing all white clothes came down from the heavens, large wings made of the softest feathers carried him down to the ground. A large sword made of gold and silver sheathed on his back, his arms were covered in purple balls that circled around them. Nikolai touched down to the ground he went into a kneeling position. Nikolai stood up, and opened his eyes, they had turned the purest gold.
"Nice light show, it would be good for your second death." Chrysalis drew her sword and rushed Nikolai with it. He turned toward her and countered her blow with a quick draw of his sword. Her sword broke in half and fell to the ground. Nikolai grabbed her throat and held her up. He put his hand on the side of her skull, thumb on the temple and fingers below her ear. Blue fissures went across her skull.
"I SEE YOUR SOUL!"
A thick ice crystal enveloped both of them and froze them in place. changeling weapons snap froze when they tried to attack it. Twilight, Celestia, and Luna watched in awe. The crystal started to change color to gold with silver waves. after a couple minutes the crystal shattered, and Nikolai choke slammed Chrysalis to the ground, she was completely pale.
Nikolai looked to the unarmed changelings, he lifted his arms up into a L shape, and brought them down as quickly, a blue frosty wave raced on the ground. The changelings were completely frozen. Nikolai chopped down the iced over changelings. A wolf tried to jump on his back and was knocked to the wall with a flick of his wings. He iced up the walls and stopped any more changelings from coming in. Nikolai went over to Twilight.
"Are you hurt at all?"
"No just a little shaken."
"Good, we need to get everyone out."
A explosion knocked the ice walls to the floor. Changelings flew in lobbing fireballs. Nikolai caught one and returned to sender. Luna went to Nikolai.
"I can take the knocked out ponies to a safe place, Celestia can take you two."
"Okay."
Luna went to the stand and teleported out into were ever the hell she was going. Celestia went over to Nikolai but was caught in a fire trap preventing her from moving. Nikolai look to Chrysalis standing up in a offensive pose.
"Well, live and let die."
Nikolai swiped at her, she simply dodged. Nikolai tried to thrust into her, she grabbed the sword and threw Nikolai to the ground. The trap Celestia was in started to bring her into the ground, she got absorbed into the ground, likely brought to a lower level or cave. Nikolai got distracted and was met with a face full of green fire. Nikolai flapped his wings and knocked all the changelings back and bringing him back up.
"Rude."
Nikolai's arm lit up with fire, the ground around his feet started to be set ablaze. Chrysalis got out of the way and grabbed Twilight by the throat, horn lit up.
"Choose. Her life, or yours."
Nikolai looked to Twilight, fear in her eyes. Nikolai had a stare down with her. He thought of a great plan.
"Mine."
Green crystal shot from the ground and stabbed him through his back, damaging his spine and chest. He fell to his legs. He hoped that his plan would work. Nikolai in one fluid motion extended his wings, shot himself forward, grabbed Twilight and ripping off the necklace he gave her. In mere milliseconds They disappeared in a ice blue light. Chrysalis was very pissed. She had almost won.
Nikolai felt empty, he watched the stars go by, one by one. Some fast, some slow. The sun began to rise over the galaxy. A star shot past. A familiar star falling into a black hole and being spread across every dimension. A star hit him and was knocked into the same black hole, Nikolai felt whole again.
Nikolai woke up face up in the dirt. He took a glance around, Twilight lay beside him. She looks different now. She lays face down. Nikolai tried to sit up and had piercing pain in his back. Aw yes, the spikes. Damn you spikes. Why did spikes have to be so pointy? He was still in a haze and a bit loony. Nikolai shook his head back and forth, he rolled over on his chest and pushed himself up. One look around was all it took for Nikolai to realize where he is.
"HOME!"
Nikolai looked back to Twilight. It hit him then. She had turned human. She had pale white skin with the ever so slightest purple tinge. Her hair was short, but not too short that you can see her scalp, it was colored the same colors in Equestria. Nikolai also realized that he was staring at a unconscious naked girl. He took off his robe revealing his scarred chest and draped it over Twilight. Nikolai took another look around and saw scorch marks that made it look like they were tossed from a explosion. Nikolai checked himself for damage. Arms, check. Legs also check. Head, of course, Wings? Nikolai checked his wings, they had been shortened to a manage-able size. Magic? Nikolai made a spark with his hands. Yup. all that is in order now. Well, now what. Nikolai saw the tree that had taken him to Equestria had self destructed a while ago. Twilight started started to wake up. She was as hazy as Nikolai.
"Ahh, my everything hurts. My arms are sore and.... Wait, arms?" Twilight looked down and saw her body, most notably that she had a lack of clothes except for the robe Nikolai put on her.
"What in the hell happened. This isn't like the me through the mirror."
"Twilight. Are you okay?"
"Nikolai? Oh thank Celestia you are okay."
"Don't worry about me, i worry about you."
Twilight put on the robe Nikolai put over her.
"Thanks for giving me your robe."
"Yeah, a lot of weird stuff would happen." Twilight saw a very light blush on Nikolai.
"Where are we?"
"Al'gathoria. in the Al'gathorian forest. Home to deadly plants and animals."
"Sounds fun."
"Yeah, we should get moving."
"Heh, Déjà vu."
"Basically. But this won't be as long as last time. I know exactly where I am going."
"Good."
"Let's get moving."
"And thank Celestia that this robe goes down to my legs." Twilight tightens the rope across her waste.
"I dress to impress."
Nikolai took lead and started towards home. At the forest edge was ALWAYS something. Looking for easy prey like children and lost adventurers. As Nikolai and Twilight neared the edge He spotted a Talghier wolf. This wolf had cuts on its face. That was one of the wolfs that chased Nikolai. Nikolai was never a firm believer in revenge, but he is going to make a exception,
"Twilight, wait here. I need to take care of the bastard up there."
"Okay."
Nikolai snuck up as close to him. The wolf spotted Nikolai. The wolf got shocked until its fur stood on end. Twilight stood in awe at the beast, it struck fear in her heart. Nikolai came back to her.
"Twilight, are you good?"
"I think so. That thing is scary."
"That is their tactic, stun and kill. You will be fine."
"Thank you Nikolai."
Nikolai took her hand and led her out of the forest. Her skin was silky and smooth. Both Nikolai and Twilight dashed across open field. The grass seemed to whip at their legs. Every so often Nikolai would get down on his knee, Twilight followed even though she didn't know why he went on his knee.
"Twilight, look up ahead, tell me what you see."
"I see.... road, some cows, a wooden chest, and some dead bod..."
"That is a mimic ahead, nasty little bastard takes the form of a chest and lures greedy adventurers."
"That's a good strategy."
"Truly."
Nikolai stood out of range of the mimic and sent some fire bolts at it. The bolts just deflected off. This time Nikolai froze it in place.
"That thing isn't going to come out."
Nikolai and Twilight went down the road. They eventually met some traveling merchants. The wife was small with brown hair, blue eyes, and pale skin. The husband was larger with black hair, green eyes, and darker skin. They had a cart attached to a horse.
"Hello travelers do you need supplies?" the male asked them while he got ready to open the cart.
"Yes we do, i need clothes for her." He pointed to Twilight.
"Of course, Do you want to pick out the clothes." He asked Twilight.
"Yes please." Twilight went over to the male and looked around the clothes part of the cart.
"Also, I think we need a steam pistol if you have any."
"We do, we have 3 styles, overhand, double dragon, and double shot." The wife told Nikolai.
"I need one for her, she has never fired a pistol before."
"Okay, here. The overhand is best. Do you need bullets or steam capsules?"
"No i have some left from my last adventure."
"Okay, that will be 63 silver or 40 dollars."
Nikolai hands her 40 dollars and she puts it in her pocket. She gives Nikolai the pistol. The pistol had a single barrel, brass body, and a steel barrel. Nikolai broke open the barrel and checked the breach. It seemed completely new.
"Thank you very much. Also, just so you know. There is a mimic that i froze in place."
"Oh, then you must be a wizard."
"Yeah, one more thing, does this road lead to Castle Nathia?"
"Yes, just go the way we came from. It should be about 2 hours trip."
"Thank you so much."
The wife gave a nod and went to the cart. Twilight was still looking through the clothes, until she found a flight suit with armored padding in it. He didn't listen to much of the conversation. Twilight Went over to Nikolai with the flight suit in her arms.
"They gave me the clothes for free."
"That's nice of them. Can i have my robe back?"
"Of course."
Nikolai turned around and let Twilight put on the flight suit. After she changed she gave him his robe back.
"Thanks, and you look nice in it."
The flight suit was made mainly of hardened leather, the sleeves were made of wool between linen. That should keep her warm. The weather can be chaotic. Especially around this time of year. The pants were made of full unhardened leather with a couple pockets. She also got some boots that were made of the same leather. Nikolai really liked how she looks in it.
"Aw thank you, but what exactly is this?"
"That is a flight suit with armored padding. That should keep you warm and protected."
"Warm? But it's summer."
"Well here, the weather can be chaotic. So you need to be prepared."
"Okay noted. Also, what do we need flight suits for?"
"That." Nikolai pointed to the sky. Airships of different shapes and sizes, some armed, some with cargo held by a rope below them.
"Woah, that's cool."
"Yeah, and when we get to the castle we can ride on one if you want."
"Oh hell yeah."
Nikolai laughed, she really wanted to ride an airship.
"Well, we should get a move on, we just go down the road for around 2 hours, then we are home free."
"Okay lead the way."
"Good, before we go though." Nikolai takes out the pistol, loads a capsule of steam in the handle and a bullet in the barrel and cocks the hammer.
"Take this, and put it in your pocket. If something or someone hostile gets near you, pull it out, aim, then pull the trigger."
Nikolai gives her the pistol, Twilight nods.
"Good, lets get going." Nikolai waves to the traveling merchants and go on to the castle."
Nikolai and Twilight stay on the road and meeting other merchants and travelers. some recognized Nikolai. An hour passed on the road and not much had happened. Another hour left until they got to safety.
"Hey Nikolai, what is this castle like?"
"It is the primary trading hub and the most well defended. Normally it is hard to get in, but i'm friends with the guard out front, and I am a wizard so My friends and I can go through no problem."
"Good, because i am getting tired."
"If you are tired, we could take a rest."
"That sounds nice."
Nikolai found a tree a little off the road and made a lean-to against the tree made of rock. There was enough room for both Nikolai and Twilight. Nikolai went in and laid against the tree. As did Twilight. Twilight Closed her eyes and rested her head on Nikolai's shoulder. Nikolai decided that was a good idea.
Not even 20 minutes later, the grass rustled as dark figures ran through towards the lean-to. Ready to rob whoever was in it. Nikolai heard the bandits and lied still and silenced his heart beat. He waited until the footsteps were right outside. Nikolai pumped magic through his hands and struck the rock causing a blunderbuss of earth shards to fire out. 3 bandits fell motionless in the grass. Twilight woke up with a shock and look to see that they were surrounded by 15 more bandits. She slowly took out the steam pistol and aimed at the nearest bandit forcing him to put his hands up. Nikolai threw a spear made of ice straight into the bandits head, he fell over dead. Nikolai took quick glances at each opponent. He made a slicing motion and made ice spears jut out from the ground and impaled five of the bandits. Twilight kept waving the gun back and forth trying to stop any from making a move. Twilight didn't notice one reach for his own pistol. The bandit lifted the pistol to Twilight who was completely clueless. Nikolai sliced the bandits hand of with a swift slice of his dagger. The bandit screamed with agony, Nikolai span around and back stabbed the bandit ending his pain. Nikolai merely glanced at the remaining bandits before they fled the robbery gone terribly wrong. A bandit took a potshot as he ran, he missed Nikolai but it clipped Twilight's side. Twilight screamed in pain. That scream was one of the worst things he had to hear. Twilight fell to the ground clutching her right side. Nikolai gave a quick look at it and saw that it hit nothing important. Twilight let Nikolai look at the damage, it seemed that the bullet grazed her side, thus not getting buried in her skin. There was just a little blood, but Nikolai could tell that she was in pain. Nikolai looked at his options. He began thinking about the bullet. It could have been poisoned or it had small barbs. He couldn't decide which. He took another look and was sure that it was little barbs. And the bards are metal so that they will work its way in. Well he needs to get her to a healer. Nikolai wasn't the healer type and looked very little into it. Nikolai held his hand over the wound and put a minor painkiller spell on it. Twilight lunged into a hug with Nikolai.
"Thank you so much. That was hurting really bad."
"It's okay, we need to get you to a healer to get the barbs out."
"Is that why is hurt."
"That's the most probable reason."
"Okay, we should probably get moving then."
"Right."
Nikolai and Twilight got back on the road and headed down towards the castle.
Nikolai and Twilight walk down the pathway. They had met no other merchants. Nikolai could tell that Twilight was feeling anxious. He decided to talk to her.
"Hey Twilight, you feeling okay?"
Twilight woke up from whatever she was thinking about.
"Yeah. Yeah I feel fine." Her lie was obvious.
"You know? I don't like when people lie to me. It breaks my heart that you won't open up to me and see me as not only your friend, but as someone you don't trust. It hurts." Nikolai was good at the psychological stuff.
"Fine, i'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you like that. I was just worrying about my friends, my magic, chrysalis, and so much. I... I just can't stop thinking about it. And the barbs in my side aren't helping either."
"Twilight, stop and listen. First your friends, We are going to find a way to get you back. Maybe even me. Your magic, I think I have a way to solve that. Chrysalis, she was extremely weakened when we left. I wouldn't be surprised if she was in a coma for being extremely drained, the demon inside me took some of her life when i drained her. Look, I'll take care of you, and I will do it for as long as possible. Remember, I am doing this for you. Now stand up straight and walk with me."
"Okay. Thanks. And Nikolai?"
"Yeah?"
"I... Never mind."
"Okay then."
"Okay. Thanks. And Nikolai?"
"Yeah?"
"I... Never mind."
"Okay then."
Twilight didn't know why she couldn't say that she loved him. Even though she had already kinda admitted it and that Nikolai was okay with that. The only other relationship was with flash sentry for what? 3 days on whatever the hell that planets name was. She wasn't going to count that. And she was wondering what Nikolai's 'plan' was.
Nikolai and Twilight continued down the road. Not much happened. The fields were green, trees full of leaves, road of grey gravel. Not much to take note of. Nikolai kept scanning the area as if he was looking for something. At the farthest range of Nikolai's vision was a white figure with a nearly destroyed sword and shield, Nikolai knew that it was a skeleton warrior left behind a necromancer. The skeleton started to shamble towards the party. Nikolai's hand lit up and he threw a ice blast at the skeleton, he put up his shield and the blast deflected back to Nikolai who had sent back to the skeleton. The two both kept deflected the blast back to each other with the velocity increasing with every reflect. Twilight was getting anxious at would could happen. She had gotten sick of it and picked up a nearby rock and chucked it at the skeleton, hitting his head and stunning it for long enough to be exploded and freeze within seconds of each other.
"Thanks."
"No problem."
"We should be getting close to the castle now."
A couple minutes of walking go by and Twilight can see the walls of the castle. The walls were made of painted steel to look like copper. Nikolai's mood improved at the sight of safety. Nikolai broke into a run with Twilight trying to keep up. As they got close to the castle walls, they were lit up by spotlights on the walls.
"Halt, state your name and business."
"Nikolai Sanders and Twilight Sparkle. We are here on account of the wizards college."
"Oh shit, I didn't realize that it was you, Sanders. You and your companion are good. Just go to the front gate."
"Thanks man."
Nikolai led Twilight to the front gate. Four guards were at the gate, two with long swords and two with steam rifles.
"Oh hey Sanders, never thought you would get back. And who's the lucky girl?" A guard said from a small defense tower to the side of the gate.
"Yeah, a lot happened the past few days, and this is Twilight Sparkle."
"Well sanders, you should get your ass to the college. They are starting to worry."
"Thanks Antonio." The gates open and Twilight sees the first of the city. The buildings were made of wood, stone, and metal. The open gate led to a extremely long road down the middle of the city. Side roads led off the main road to what Twilight assumed were homes, and markets. The streets were busy. Nikolai took Twilight's hand, causing her to blush, and leading her down the road and to the left.
Nikolai and Twilight walked down the side road to a amazing looking building, It was almost entirely made of wood and stone, a small pipe at the top let out what she assumed was steam. On the top left wall was a small turret that had a couple chairs and a cone roof. The roof of the home was flat and had railing on it.
"Wow, is this your home Nikolai?"
"No, this is our home."
Twilight blushed even harder. Nikolai took Twilight inside. This interior was as amazing as the exterior. The walls are blue hardwood, the floor was a soft brown carpeting, the ceiling was gray stone. Assorted decorations are on the walls, at the back of the room were stairs that led to the next floor. A couple sofas and chairs are in the room. A arched doorway led to the kitchen, it was a REAL kitchen. A lot could be made with the tools and machines. She could only imagine how good of a cook Nikolai is. Nikolai went into the kitchen and into a brass fridge, the inside of the fridge was lined with green gel. It seemed like that was making the fridge cold. Nikolai took out a paper box from the fridge.
"Catch." Nikolai tossed the paper box to Twilight.
"What's this?" Twilight caught the box.
"Open it." Twilight took the paper off and revealed a purple like chocolate bar.
"Chocolate?"
"Not just any type of chocolate, wizards chocolate. This kind will change its flavor to what you like most."
"That's awesome." Twilight broke off a square and popped it in her mouth.
"Whoa, Creamy and smooth. Exactly what I like."
"Want to check out the rest of my house?"
"Sure." Twilight ate another square of the chocolate.
Nikolai took Twilight up another floor. The floor was the same as the first floor. The walls this time were made of black stained stone. The ceiling was gray stone. Tables are set up around the room with various alchemist constructs and circular tables with different runes and setups. A small hallway next to the stairway led into 3 spare and 1 master bedroom.
"What's all these chemistry tables for?"
"I get a lot of my money from selling potions to merchants and adventurers."
"And what about these tables with runes and stuff?"
"Enchanting and creation."
"Ah okay." Twilight felt a pain in her side and keeled over.
"Ah shit that hurts."
"Okay, we are taking you to the college.
Nikolai Sweeps Twilight off her feet and carries her down the side roads to avoid attention. Nikolai goes to the center of the castle and up the steps to a pyramid like building. At the top the guards carrying their steam rifles let them in. The top of the pyramid was roofed and in the middle was a table, a chair, and a couple students have some tea. The students saw Nikolai and got excited that he was back.
"Hey Nikolai, where the hell were you?"
"Long story, but my companion needs medical attention."
"What happened."
"Raider got her side with a barbed shell."
"Okay, we are going to get master to watch over us."
"Okay, hurry."
The students ran down a set of stairs in the corner.
"Twilight, we are going to get the barbs out."
"Thank you."
The students came back up with a older man in a dark purple robe and simple sandals. His short hair was grey, his skin was almost ghost white. His eyes were the deepest purple. He had a beard that was a little messy.
"Alright, what's the meaning of thi.... ah, Sanders. I was wondering when you would come back. You look different, what happened to those icy eyes?"
"A lot happened, I also have wings now." Nikolai lifted his robe with his right wing and showed it to him.
The students were fascinated at this.
"Nikolai... did you make that potion I told you to never make?"
"Look, I died and that potion gave me another chance, and it saved my companions life in turn. So yes S'under."
"Hmm, and your wand?"
"Exploded and killed me when I engaged in a willpower battle."
"Destroyed?"
"Yeah."
"How are you going to do magic now?"
"Yeah, about that..."
Nikolai's hand lit up ice blue.
"I see, well with this power, you can no longer be an apprentice, you now are granted the title of sorcerer."
"Thank you, but i need you to help my companion." Nikolai motioned his head to Twilight in his arms.
"Okay, Edward, if you are able to succeed you will become a journeyman.
A smaller student came forth in white robes. He took out his wand that was made of willow with a phoenix feather in the cap.
"Okay lay her on this cloth." The student rolled out white cloth with runes dotted around.
Nikolai put her on the cloth. The student took a look around the wound and found the barbs.
"Yeah, these are poison tipped barbs. Don't worry i'll get them out."
"The student pointed his wand towards the first barb. The wand and the barb lit up white. He pulled back and the barb did the same motion. S'under nodded and the student did this for 8 more barbs, Twilight didn't feel a thing. After the bards were removed, the student healed the flesh on her wound, like nothing even happened.
"Hey Nikolai, what are these scars from?"
Yeah, we kinda got captured and tortured. I got it worse so i could use that life ring i had for a while." Nikolai took off his robe and showed the students and S'under.
"Wow, you made a sacrifice to save her. That's special, most people wouldn't do that."
Nikolai put his robe back on. Twilight got up from the cloth and went to Nikolai. The student rolled his cloth back up and put it in his robes pocket.
"And also, long story, but Twilight lost her magic."
"Twilight, I like that name. But how did she lose her magic?"
"Well.... when we came here she lost her magic, she was extremely powerful but it's just gone. I can still sense her mana pool inside her, so she can still use mana."
"Hmm, come back tommorow and we might have a solution. Thomas search the library for arcane tapping volume one."
"Yes master." A boy with a red robe ran down the stairs.
"Thank you both for helping me." Twilight finally spoke up.
"A beautiful voice for a beautiful name."
"Thank you."
"Yes thank you very much."
"No problem Nikolai and Twilight."
Nikolai and Twilight went down the steps and down the main road and back to Nikolai's home. Nikolai took Twilight to the roof. The roof itself was made of marble. What Twilight didn't see from the front of the house was Nikolai's airship docked to the house by a bridge, she imminently got excited.
"I remember you wanted to fly on one."
Nikolai smiled at Twilight's excitement.
"YES, can we fly?"
"Of course, ladies first."
Twilight got on the airship, it was a good size, it had a good sized cabin and a ladder to go into the hull. on the front was a twin barreled HEAT cannon, it looked to be on tracks so you can move it back and to the sides if need be. The balloon itself was made of armored hide like Twilight's flight suit. It was already set to take it to a set altitude. Nikolai came in after Twilight and went into the cabin and to the controls.
"Twilight above you is a cable, your flight suit has a lock hook, hook to the cable."
Twilight took the hook from the her back and hooked it to the cable.
"And put these on."
Nikolai tossed Twilight a pair of flight goggles with purple lenses. Twilight put them on.
"Okay, I need to do a quick check on some things and then we will be off."
Nikolai got out of the cabin and went up front and looked over the gun. He opened the top and put two HEAT ammo belts into both breaches. Nikolai closed the top, and connected a hose to the side of the gun, a gauge labeled psi. maxed out. Next Nikolai went below deck and looked over the turbine, all was good. Nikolai went back up into the cabin and put on his cyan flight goggles.
"Set course for where ever the hell Twilight wants to go."
The bridge to the house retracted and the airship started to go up, Twilight was a little freaked but got used to it. The airship went out past the walls, to explore Al'gathoria.
Twilight was standing in front of the cabin Nikolai is piloting from. She could feel the wind in her hair as she was moving about the ship flying 600 feet above the ground to get a good look around this new world. Twilight went into the cabin with Nikolai and sat in co-pilot. She slid the flight goggles down around her neck. Nikolai looked ahead ahead to make sure that the sky was clear and turned towards Twilight.
"Liking the view?"
"Of course. I just wanted to sit with you."
"Did you want to talk about something."
'Is it that obvious?"
"Kinda."
"Look, do you remember in the forest..."
"All too much, yeah."
"You said you were okay with me liking you, does that still stand?" Twilight could feel the red hot blush on her.
Nikolai took a deep breath in and out.
"Yes, i'm okay with it. Look you love me right?"
Nikolai had exactly zero blush, Twilight was blushing hard.
"I.. I mean yeah..."
"Then okay, I love you back. Does that take a lot of pressure off you?"
"Yeah, it does. Thank you."
Nikolai got up and hugged Twilight. Twilight embraced the surprise hug. Twilight felt truly happy.
"No problem."
Nikolai got back to his controls, Twilight got behind him and wrapped her arms lightly across his chest.
The airship had flown far outside the castle. Nikolai didn't realize that he had gone into enemy territory. Nikolai looked out the side of the airship and saw 3 tanks and a flak cannon aiming towards the ship. What happened next was in slow motion. A cannon shell pierced the hull and fragmented inside the cabin spraying Nikolai with razor sharp fragments. Nikolai started to bleed heavily, blood pooled underneath his chair as Nikolai tried to steer back. Flak shells started to go off near the airship, the balloon was pierced and was loosing air. Nikolai got up and put Twilight in the seat.
"DO YOUR BEST TO STOP THE WHEEL FROM TURNING LEFT OR RIGHT." Nikolai shouted to Twilight. Anger in his voice.
Nikolai stumbled out to the HEAT twin cannon, brought the gun back and shifted it along the track to the right hand side of the ship. Nikolai shouted at the top of his lungs.
"I'M NOT GOING OUT WITHOUT A FIGHT YOU FUCKING ASSHOLES." He started to fire the cannon without lament, tears ran down Nikolai's face.
Twilight was having trouble keeping the wheel straight. A shell went straight through the hull and destroying the wheel while peppering Twilight with shrapnel. The airship started to jerk down into a spiral. Twilight ran out to Nikolai without putting her goggles on and started to hug him. Twilight had tears form in her eyes before Nikolai let go of the gun and came down to Twilight.
"I'm sorry, I should've payed attention."
"It's okay, I shouldn't have distracted you."
Nikolai pulled Twilight in for a kiss. The ship crashed into the ground. Metal from the ships hull pierced through the floor just in time for Nikolai to get gutted on it. The metal pierced all the way through Nikolai, leaving him to die slowly. He took out a journal.
"I never thought it would happen." Nikolai said weakly.
Twilight got thrown to the ground and broke her neck on impact, dying instantly unlike Nikolai waiting to die and seeing Twilight die. Nikolai's vision faded, darkness consumed him. The tanks crept up closer and closer to the crash. A explosion happened from Nikolai freezing everything in place.
A young boy stood outside his uncles home, it wasn't much but it did its job, it really was a scrap house. The young boys uncle was in the garage working on his latest airship made for long range travel while being able to defend itself with a HEAT twin cannon that can slide along a rail on the front of the ship. The boy was on break from helping his father. He explored the nearby lake looking for salvage. On the edge of a lake was a plastic bag with what looked like a book in it. The young boy got the book and started to read about a cryomancer going to a universe were ponies were the dominate species and how one purple pony found the wizard and went through a lot of trouble to get themselves out of a forest, and then being tried by a god, then escaping with the pony and turned human, went to a nearby castle, flying out in a airship, the story ended with both of them dying after getting shot down. The back of the book was signed. Nikolai Sanders. The young boy stood conflicted with what he just read. His name was Nikolai Sanders.
Nikolai jerked forward from his day dream. He was sweating head to toe. Twilight was on deck looking at the distant lands. Nikolai looked at the territory map and saw that his premonition was true. Nikolai turned the ship around to head back home. Twilight came into the cabin.
"Why are we turning back. And why are you sweating?"
"We should head back home because It's going to get dark out and the weather is unpredictable at night."
"Oh, okay." Twilight sat in the co-pilot seat. Nikolai knew what she was gonna ask already.
"Yes, I am fine with you loving me."
"How did you know that I was going to ask that?"
"Lets call it a premonition."
Nikolai got up and hugged Twilight, and of course she embraced it. Nikolai sat down and on queue she lightly wrapped her arms around Nikolai's chest. Nikolai saw the tanks in enemy territory, they hadn't even detected him. Nikolai flew on back to the castle. Twilight could see all sorts of beasts down below. Nikolai got up out of his chair, went out the cabin, and leaned over the railings, thinking. Twilight went out of the cabin and next to Nikolai. The night began to get colder. Twilight could see her breath. Whatever stress Nikolai had is gone, he always felt better when its cold out. Even with the flight suit, Twilight was starting to get cold.
"Hey, its getting pretty cold out. Does seasons even exist here?"
"They do, but from the conflict going on around us. It's cause what i think is called a windigo."
"Yeah, we had that in our world, it was just 3 of us in a conflict that caused it. It's hard to imagine a whole world."
"Well, you don't have to imagine that now"
"I suppose."
The airship is near the castle. Nikolai goes below deck and grabs a flag and goes back above deck. Nikolai waves the flag to the guards on the wall and they wave a green flag.
"What's that for?"
"Flag signals, communicate long range."
"That's smart."
The airship makes its way into the city, Nikolai gets back in pilots seat and docks in at home. Nikolai and Twilight get off ad go into the living room. Nikolai is glad that his premonition wasn't real. Twilight sits on the couch, obviously tired. Nikolai looked at a clock on the wall and saw that it was 10:30 pm. It was about time to get a full nights sleep without getting attacked or anything.
"Hey Twilight, i'm going to bed, if you want you can sleep in the guest bedroom, or you can sleep with me."
"I'll sleep with you."
Nikolai went upstairs into the master bedroom, the bed was king sized with purple sheets and a couple off white pillows. Nikolai got into bed on the right side of it, and Twilight got in on the left, she snuggled up to Nikolai and fell asleep fast. Nikolai stayed up a for a little and thunk about the stuff and has been going on.
'Wow, is this going to be my life? I never thought that I would be a person to settle in with someone, especially from another universe, or even dimension. I'll have to train her in magic and melee combat. This is going to be tough, but worth the pain. And I hope that the other Nikolai pisses off tonight, I really don't want to deal with him.'
And just like that Nikolai fell asleep with Twilight in his arms. Tomorrow will be a long day.
The world is scorched, fire and brimstone. The rivers red with blood. Above Nikolai are imps ready to fight him. The imps crashed to the ground and lunged at Nikolai, their claws sinking deep into his flesh. The blood flows down his arms onto the ground, the cursed earth. Nikolai can't move, Twilight is across the field, chained to the ground. She can only watch. The chains dug into her skin causing great pain to her. A imp scratched Nikolai's chest open. Blood pooled out onto the floor.
Nikolai jolted up in his bed. Twilight oblivious to Nikolai was still sleeping. Nikolai shook his head and got out of bed. Nikolai trudged down the halls to the first floor and sat on the couch in the middle. He held his head in his hands, Nikolai could feel the scratches on him. Nikolai took off his robe and looked for wounds and found none. He threw his robe on the table next to him and went out the door of his home. It was still extremely dark. Nikolai flexed his wings, they still felt weird to him. Technically Nikolai is dead. Nikolai pushed that thought out of his head. He walked down the alley into the main road, it was still busy but not really packed. Nikolai took a nice stroll down the road to clear his head.
Twilight was in her castle, she never really liked it but it was her home. The mane 6 were sitting in their thrones. Every pony was arguing, Twilight couldn't decide what they were arguing about. Their voices kept getting louder and louder, Twilight had a ringing in her ears. It was loud and Twilight snapped.
"EVERY ONE OF YOU FUCKERS SHUT THE HELL UP."
Fluttershy started crying, rarity and applejack sat with their jaws open, Rainbow dash sat quietly, Pinkie pie had sunk back into her chair. Twilight felt better after that. She needed that after the endless questions before Nikolai's trial.
'Who was that? Are you alright darlin? Is that your special somepony? Did he hurt you....'
Twilight needed to get her aggression out. It may not have been the best way, but it worked. Twilight jumped out of the chair and rushed outside and smashed face first into a wall made of the darkest material. She looked back and saw her 'friends' creeping out to her, eyes glowing red. Twilight prepared a spell and got hit with magic recoil sending her back to the wall. The wall sprouted tendrils and took Twilight and pulled her into the wall. Twilight's last words were muffled before she was absorbed.
Twilight jolted awake in the master bed. Twilight was in a panic and needed to calm down. She looked to her side and saw that Nikolai was not there. Even more panic set in. Twilight jumped out of the bed and down into the living room. She saw Nikolai's robes on the side table. Twilight ran out the door and down to the main street.
Nikolai for some reason had the absolute need to go down a specific alley. He traveled down the alley to be met with 3 figures covered by the darkness. One of the men strode up to Nikolai, pulled a steam pistol and pointed at Nikolai.
"Give us your money and you won't get hurt."
"You think... that I... Nikolai Sanders.... is afraid of a.... little gun?" Nikolai was completely dazed and confused, He kept blanking out.
"And who is this Nikolai Sanders, how special is a homeless man. Not even a shirt."
"You.... I... Me.... Am a mage... all great and powerful. I could... best you." Nikolai didn't see the copper pipe and put him to the ground.
"Kid thinks he is a mage."
"Yeah, see what he has."
Twilight walked down the road, she took note of the beautiful night, not too cold, not too humid, just right. Twilight kept darting her eyes down the alley ways. Twilight began to think about getting her magic back. She started to get excited to experience Nikolai's new magic. Twilight looked down an alley to see 3 people standing over Nikolai who was knocked out. Only one thought came to mind...
"Step... away.... from him." She pointed her steam pistol as the first goon who had the pistol.
"Ah lads look, The kids girlfriends."
"Marefriend... I mean..."
"Marefriend? Isn't a mare a female horse?" He turned away to look at his friends. His other friend just shrugged.
A loud bang echoed through the entire castle. The copper bullet went through the skull of the first goon, curved out and hit the second. The third goon took off down the alley as fast as he could... which wasn't very fast. Twilight scrambled to the first guy and picked up his gun. She took in a deep breath and aimed at the third goon and pulled the trigger. The copper bullet went straight through the chest puncturing the lungs and heart and going out of the rib cage to the wall at the end of the alley. The goon dropped dead, blood pooling under the body. Guards rushed down the alley to see 3 dead goons, a unconscious man, and a scared girl with two pistols. Twilight dropped the pistols and sank to her knees. One of the guards came up to her and put a hand on her shoulder.
"I didn't want to hurt anybody, I hate killing things. I just feel sick now. I need to rest." Twilight fell forward, out cold.
Twilight woke up on a cot in a medical tent. Nikolai across the way with a bandage on his head. Twilight looked around to see other sick or injured people. Twilight swung her legs to the ground and looked at Nikolai. Twilight really can't ignore it. She loves him and she can't hide it anymore.
'When he wakes up, i'm going to give him a nice meaningful kiss to welcome him back.'
A couple minutes go by and still no change in Nikolai. Twilight got up and sat down next to him. Waiting.
Empty. Nothing. Void. No mere word could describe the vast empty-ness that is reality. Nothing, Absolutely nothing.
'I hate being alone, no one to talk to. Just me and my thoughts. eeyup, just me."
Nikolai opened his eyes slightly and stared at the all familiar sight of the medical tent ceiling. Nikolai blinked a few times to clear the haze and cloudy-ness. Nikolai tried to sit up but fell back down from pain in his back. Nikolai saw Twilight next to him dozing away, probably waiting for him. He took a quick look around and saw that it was day. Day for Twilight to get her magic back. Nikolai turned back to Twilight.
'yup, cute as ever.'
Nikolai quickly laid up before the pain would bring him down. He turn his legs off the cot and glanced around. Nikolai felt like his mind was clouded.
Twilight woke up in the chair next to Nikolai's cot.
'OOH HE'S UP.'
Twilight slowly got up and sneaked behind Nikolai. She put her arms lightly around his neck and brought herself in front of Nikolai.
"Oh, hey Twilight. Glad to see you're up."
Instead of talking, she gave Nikolai a nice long kiss, time stood still as Nikolai took the kiss. Twilight could feel herself connecting to Nikolai. Twilight broke the kiss and took Nikolai close in her arms.
"Finally you made a bold move."
"Got kinda nervous."
"I can tell."
"Well, let's get my magic back."
"Whatever you say... Marefriend." Nikolai said jokingly.
Twilight had a light blush as she exited the tent.
Nikolai and Twilight climb the steps of the pyramid mages college. At the top was the grand master. 2 apprentices accompanied him. One with a dark blue robe, The other in bright white.
"So, Twilight Sparkle. Are you ready to take on your magic?"
"Ready as ever."
"So, here is what will happen. I will give you this injection" He holds a up syringe.
"What will that do?"
"The best way we have found. Next... I have no fucking clue, this hasn't been recorded yet."
"Sounds fun."
"Twilight, are you ready?"
"Let's do this." Twilight went to the grand master and rolled up her sleeve.
"Alright, let's go." The grand master inserted the syringe into Twilight's vein on her wrist. The syringe was opaque so she couldn't see what was inside. For a few moments, nothing happened.
"Is... Is it working?"
"Give it time."
"Alright."
Twilight was looking around at the pyramid, it was beautifully decorated. Rarity would like this. Twilight looked down to see her right arm was on fire. Wait.. Fire.
"OHH GOD I'M ON FIRE.!" Her left arm burst into flame and she sank to her knees with her arms to the sky, begging for mercy.
"IT BURNS!" Twilight fell forward, her arms were burning up, the skin and cloth burning away, the pain was unimaginable.
Nikolai put some frost on Twilight's arm to soothe it as best he can. The fires vanish, Twilight's skin and clothes went back to normal. Twilight was on the college floor, panting. The pain vanished. Twilight sat up looking to Nikolai.
"Well, from what it looks like, you are a pyromancer."
