Prologue
To most towns, today was a day like any other. But to him, today had all the meaning in the world. So while every town continued on their tedious way, he prepared for the inevitable trek he was prepared to make to the once forgotten Crystal Empire. The snow rained hard, and the train nearly derailed from the layers of ice which proudly sat atop the steel tracks, but he did arrive in one piece. Today was notable for the residents of the Crystal Empire however. For today was the day of disappearance. Today was the day that their beloved city vanished into thin air under the leadership of the dark king. And thus today was sort of the opposite of a festival. The streets were eerily silent as each and every citizen barred their doors for the dreaded day. All except one.
He walked towards the train station to greet the old pony which stood prepared for his journey. He was a stalwart stallion one would say, standing tall and proud even in the face of the harshest winters. This was Shining Armor, the modern king of the Crystal Empire, and what a king he was. It was somewhat forgivable for his lack of knowledge on the townsfolks’ belief and customs, but it was something entirely different whenever he spoke. It wasn’t ineptitude showing, but an understanding that was geared more towards military strength as opposed to citizen compassion. To him, a good king can defend his subjects to the bitter end, regardless of how they live. And it was for this reason that he was the perfect king for an empire built upon war. “Starswirl?” he said, showing hints of his confidence behind a sheepish and somewhat unsure tone. Starswirl nodded in recognition and began his first steps onto the snowy ground. He was an older pony sporting a grey coat and almost silver mane, but his most defining feature upon him was the long beard which he wore without a single thought towards shaving it. The beard itself gave off an air of long forgotten wisdom. And long forgotten wisdom he knew indeed for Starswirl has been around for the lot of it. He scanned his surroundings noting the differences from the world that he once knew right before he grabbed his bag from the train. His bag was small and patched with tiny strands of leather, but it wasn’t used to wade around a heavy load, in fact it only held one thing, a flower. A flower he had obtained from his friend Mistmane for just the occasion. The two of them began walking towards the castle.
“So, how was your trip?” Shining Armor said trying to make some sort of light conversation.
“It was fine, the train was a little bumpy.”
Shining Armor chuckled, “Yeah, the train does that.” Starswirl gave him a stern look which quickly silenced the rambling equine.
It was around halfway towards the castle that Shining Armor had the courage to speak once again, “So, what are you doing here?”
“I beg your pardon?”
“I mean, you seem to be here for something, maybe I can help.”
“I’m here for a friend, nothing more.”
“Weren’t you trapped in purgatory for a thousand years?”
“A thousand winters, yes.”
“Well, what friends do you have left?” The thoughtlessness of the question struck Shining Armor instantly as he quickly added, “I’m sorry, I didn't mean-”
“No, you’re right. The few friends I have left either don’t visit the Crystal Empire or are busy with the traditions of today. By all account I have no reason to be here.”
“So, what friend are you meeting?”
“It's not meeting so much as it is remembering.”
“Whoever it was they must’ve been special.”
“I knew him only a short while, but that short while proved exactly that. He-” Starswirl paused for a bit longer than he meant to, “He was someone to remember.”
“You mean somepony.” Shining Armor tried to correct, but quickly realized that Starswirl had chosen his words carefully.
“If you wish to think about it that way.” As soon as he said this, the two of them reached the castle’s glistening gates. The crystal which comprised the entrance was clearer than Starswirl had remembered, it was almost transparent save for the dark, glossy tint which resembled stained glass. The two of them walked in.
Inside was cleaner than outside. The grand hall was sparkling in every spot where the sun hit, and the majority of where it didn’t. Shining Armor walked towards the center of the grand room and turned around to greet Starswirl, “You stay right here, I’ll go get Cadance.” And with that, Shining Armor returned to his walking and disappeared behind a giant wooden doorway.
With the king gone, Starswirl took this time to admire the stained crystal murals placed towards the ceiling. They were small and subtle, but acted as a history book in and of themselves, recalling the small history in which the empire was reborn. The majority of the murals were chronicling the rebirth and heroism of the small dragon and his friends taking on the evil king with nothing but a heart of gold. Starswirl scoffed. However, there was one that refused to shine. Towards the back of the room was a mural comprised of pitch black pane where dust and decay had settled and refused to leave. This was the mural which Starswirl began to stare at.
After a while Shining Armor reappeared from the abyss behind the door. This time, walking alongside his wife. The three of them exchanged greetings and conversed for a while about meaningless topics such as the nature of spells and literature. After greetings and the brief bit of catching up the ponies were seemingly required to do alongside friends, a purple alicorn caressing a small pink filly barely old enough to speak emerged from behind her wooden cover. This was Twilight Sparkle, a pony which Starswirl was very much acquainted with.
“Oh yeah, I forgot. Twili is staying with us for a few days. We figured she’d enjoy seeing a bit of Crystal tradition.” Shining Armor said, attempting to explain his sister’s odd appearance.
Starswirl paid her no mind, for he merely wrote her off as a coincidence. And even if in some capacity he had concluded that she had taken her brother’s offer of companionship as a ploy to spend time with her idle; she wasn’t the purpose for his being there, and thus, would hinder him not against his true intentions. And thus, the strange appearance of the princess of friendship was delegated to the smallest portion of his mind such a memory would allow.
Twilight, her brother, and his wife Cadance all attempted to fill the evening with small talk. Their attempts, though shot down at every turn by Starswirl’s insisted silence, continued even into the dining room for which every one of them had taken a seat in preparations for a small feast.
Starswirl had no interest in the feast. To him the piles of food and pointless banter was just a distraction until the time which his friend would arrive and accompany him to his true goal. A few plates of apple recipes and other fruit concoctions would only serve as a momentary hindrance. It would also provide him with the strength for the harsh conditions ahead. And so he ate. By this point, Shining Armor and his company had given up on convincing Starswirl to join in a conversation or two, and began talking amongst themselves. It was of pointless matters which only served to provide white noise for the fearsome alternative that was silence. And thus the banter which was over good times and studies filled the room like water in a cup.
It wasn’t until Twilight had turned to Starswirl with an intrigued look, that Starswirl began to pay attention. “So, Shining Armor told me that you’re here to meet a friend. And who might that be?” Her curiosity and enthusiasm shined through the redundancy of the question.
“A hero. A hero whose name you’d not recognize.” Starswirl responded with much contemplation.
“Try me.” Twilight responded, daring the old pony to test her knowledge of the histories of the Arcane. She expected the response of some pony which wrote spells on time travel or unlocked the secrets to immortality. She half-expected a name which wrote spells and revolutionized the way magic or technology advanced, but such a response would be untruthful.
Starswirl knew what he wanted to say. However, the uttering of such a name under odd circumstances would result in a shared violation of agreements made prior. And thus he said one thing and one thing only, “The true hero of the Crystal Empire.” He left no words for afterwards. He ate the little food which still rested upon his plate and stood up with a sudden burst of energy. The three hosts watched as Starswirl purposely walked towards the doorway which led back towards the main entrance. He turned, “Thank you for the dinner, but I must be going.” With that, he turned back and exited the dining hall.
It was Twilight who eventually followed him towards the main door, outside the castle and into the cold abyss that was the icy tundra of the Crystal Empire. His hooves crushed the snow with every step as he kept his eyes pointed towards the sky. She took a seat next to the old stallion. They said nothing to each other, at least for a while. Twilight was the one which broke their unspoken code of silence. “I didn’t get an answer.”
“And you won’t.” he responded, cold and distant.
“I promise I won’t tell anypony!”
“I promised the same thing.”
“Starswirl, please-”
“It’s none of your concern Twilight. Somethings are better left forgotten.”
“If that were true than you wouldn’t be here.” Twilight responded, and for once Starswirl didn’t know how to respond. It was the first time in ages when his own logic failed him, and was the first time in ages when a twinge of fear consumed his thoughts.
At that very moment a large shadow covered the town in a veil of pure darkness. The sky grew a deep shade of pure red and the few spots which resembled something different were small patches of smoke and ash. To the citizens of the Crystal Empires this event was simply the heavens themselves shining sorrow for the day of silence, but for Starswirl this event meant something entirely different. To him the annual event signified something even more important than simply divine intervention. He stood up.
“Basil, it’s been awhile.”
The giant pile of red slowly began its descent upon the snow-ridden streets of the once great empire. The red pile first gave way to the large, scaly legs which penetrated the ground with an earth shattering thud, before revealing a giant body brandishing the fearsome, yet familiar, head of a dragon. The dragon’s snout was long and pointed sporting only two large fangs, two webbed wings and a series of five pale-pink spikes sewn across his head resembling hair. He had two large, red wings spanning several houses protruding from his back. The beast’s head slowly looked down at Starswirl. Once its gaze met Starswirl’s a puff of smoke erupted from the creature’s nose. “Of course it’s been awhile, you stopped showing up by the last millennia.” The creature’s booming voice echoed throughout the empty town, shaking the very foundation of which the empire was built upon.
“I was busy saving Equestria.”
“That’s not the story I heard”
“Really, than what did you hear?”
“I heard you were taking a dirt nap alongside Flash Magnus.”
“Well I can assure you, I didn’t enjoy a single moment of it.”
“You better not have. Do you know how many of my kind Flash has killed in cold blood?”
“Cold blood? I thought you attacked him first.”
“Well, yes. But that doesn’t excuse your immortalizing of him.”
“Oh, you’re still mad about that. I’ll have you know, Celestia had me write that legend. I wanted nothing to do with it.”
“Right.” The two of them began to slowly break out into an infectious grin as laughter escaped in rapid succession. The dragon turned his attention towards Twilight who was sitting completely dumbfounded at the spectacle she had just witnessed. “Starswirl, it seems we have an audience.”
“Basil, this is Twilight. Twilight, this is Basil.”
“Yes Starswirl, We’ve met before.” The dragon apparently named Basil responded.
“Really? Where?” Starswirl asked in genuine intrigue.
“On the mountain. I believe you were the friend of that yellow horse who cast me out of my favorite napping spot.”
“Oh-right.” Twilight said very sheepishly, almost as if the mere presence of the dragon was enough to send shivers down her spine.
“Why did you do that again? Oh yeah. Wasn’t it because Celestia asked you to tell me that my snoring would ‘darken Equestria for a thousand years,’?” Twilight nodded in her catatonic state. “I really wished she would’ve asked me herself,” He turned his attention back towards Starswirl, “Is she still mad over the crop incident?”
“Of course she’s still mad, you burned an entire year’s worth of flour. There was barely enough for a loaf of bread, let alone one of her extravagant cakes.”
“And that’s cause for a millennia of shunning? I told her I’m sorry as many times as I could. I even sent her a portion of my gem collection, and you know what she did with them? She made some peace sculpture out of them. Can you believe her? Using my peace offering to fix her mistake. It's absurd.”
“Of Course it is.” Sarcasm filling Starswirl’s voice. “But back on topic, are we going or not?”
“Do you really think we wouldn’t?” Basil asked sarcastically as he placed his spiny palm down upon the ice-ridden ground. Basil’s head gestured for Starswirl and Twilight to jump upon, but neither of them moved a muscle.
“Since when did you start flying to his grave?”
“Since Trygve lost his balance.” They both grew quiet, an awkward aura filled the air as if the name 'Trygve' was some forbidden curse.
“I’m sorry.” Starswirl responded as he slowly got atop Basil’s hand. Twilight cautiously followed.
Basil slowly began the flapping of his mighty wings, scouring the snow in every direction creating mounds of dangerous white ash in a large circle encapsulating the town. The blizzard was harsh as small frozen crystals danced violently across the two ponies’ faces, cutting deep wounds like knives against their skin. The air was thin yet thick at the same time, creating brief pockets of unbreathable concrete.
He flew until the skies grew a deeper shade of blue. Lowering gradually upon a seemingly arbitrary pile of snow. It was here that Starswirl teleported himself down, placing his hooves upon the cold patches of ice. It stinged only slightly, but the pain was a trifle compared to what he was honoring. Twilight slowly followed, taking her place beside him.
Starswirl’s levitation spell reached into his leather bag, strangling its contents using his magic. He looked up at Basil who, once the two met each other’s gaze, merely nodded. Starswirl’s attention turned back towards the patch of snow as he levitated a dandelion, placed it daintily upon its snowy resting place, and took a small step back.
“He was a hero.”
“He was,” Basil responded, pausing for a brief moment, “He was braver than all of us.”
“I’m sorry, but” Twilight chimed in, and after a brief pause, “Who?”
There was a brief silence, one which echoed mercilessly in a different tone than that of mourning. Basil stared deep into Starswirl’s eyes, a roaring blend of anger, confusion, and pity consuming all intent which Basil would otherwise have. “You haven’t told her?” He eventually muttered under his breath. Starswirl merely looked down at the darkened snow beneath him. “You haven’t told her?” Basil repeated, this time raising his voice in a tone which shook the very foundation of the ground.
“No, I have not. She’s not ready to-”
“Then why is she here?” Basil interrupted, yelling louder than before.
Starswirl looked up from his stone-cold stare, “Because I’m afraid!” The two of them calmed down, creating small evaporating clouds of mist with every breath. “She’s one of the few I trust. I’d die by her side, I’d give her a shoulder to cry on if needed; and I’d expect her to do the same if I were to ask. And I did. But I just can’t trust her with something like this,” Starswirl’s gaze turned ferociously toward Basil, “Not after what happened with Adagio.”
“This isn’t about you, or Adagio, or even him. This is about Twig; his memory, his legacy.” Basil began choking on his words, “You only knew him for a day. I pledged my life, my soul, my very being to be by his side until the day I too fall.”
“Yes Basil, but-”
“We can’t visit him forever. You didn’t have to watch as one after another every creature who remember Twig’s sacrifice kicked the bucket. Dragons don’t live forever, one day I’ll be gone and he’ll be alone,” Basil’s gaze shifted towards Twilight, “We need to pass the torch Frost.”
The only noise made for miles upon end was the forever raging blizzard the three had been caught in. That was until Starswirl finally spoke, “I’ll tell her everything.” His voice was filled with a wispy, sorrowful voice which barely made itself known above the constant barrages of snow. “But not here.”
“Than where?” Both Basil and Twilight asked at once.
Starswirl shot Basil a look which acted as a sort of hidden code, for after a few seconds of his unique stare; the ground began to shake violently. “You’re going to show her the book, aren’t you?” Basil said through fits of laughter. Starswirl signaled back a sharp smile, “But I thought they were all destroyed.”
“Luna and I still have a copy hidden deep within the library.” Starswirl turned towards Twilight, “If I show you this book, you must promise that whatever you do; you do not. I repeat; you do not tell Celestia of your findings. You promise?” Twilight nodded, her face lighting up in unparalleled excitement. “Than you have your wish Basil,” He turned to Basil who was staring at a small patch of snow, “Do you mind giving us a lift back into town?”
“Most certainly not.” Basil said as his wing descended down from its holster upon his back and gently laid down upon the soft cushion of the compact snow. The three of them returned to the gates of the Crystal empire. The townsfolk continued their reign of silence and the king and queen of such an extravagant nation were still nowhere in sight to tend to their cowering subjects, but such trifle matters of relative normalcy were only mere glimpses of the past. Basil accompanied the two to the train station, trotting slowly behind their meandering hoofsteps. Upon their arrival to the gate, they were greeted by the ticket vendor. They exchanged little banter before two tickets were purchased using the few remaining bits Starswirl had on his person.
Starswirl led the group to a series of three benches laying untouched in the snow. He beckoned for Twilight to sit down beside him as Basil stood just out of reach of the train’s metal tracks. “Will you be accompanying us Basil?” Starswirl asked through the fogged up window.
“Me? Oh, no. I’d love to but I’m afraid I wouldn’t fit in the train. Besides, Celestia is still mad about the whole, burning her crops and eating her peace statue thing.” Basil waved goodbye as the whistle of the Friendship Express echoed profusely over the whole of the crystal empire. This was their calling as Twilight and Starswirl waved goodbye to the fierce dragon, and boarded the train. In a second the train’s wheels began to roll in tandem with the large puffs of smoke emitted by the front of the train.
Twilight paced and shook uncontrollably in the train car, whether this was fear or excitement neither of them could tell. Starswirl beckoned for her to sit and at least act calm, but to no avail. In a desperate attempt to regain control over reality, Twilight began to ask question after question, most of which had no clear or rational answer. After a while of her line of questioning Starswirl finally spoke out, “Twilight, you are aware that such knowledge is dangerous. There’s reason for it being forgotten; only three ponies in the whole of Equestria know even a fraction of what this story entails.” His voice was a tone that Twilight had never heard him utter. He sounded somewhat somber; not so much admiration, but contempt for the events of the past. Yet a steady realization and even admiration hidden deep behind layers of heartbreak and torment. “Are you sure you want to go through with this?” His final plead for her to ignore the words of Basil went in vain as she quickly nodded and took a seat in front of the old magus. “Then so be it.”
He took a deep sigh, trying his hardest to grasp the words necessary to tell the young alicorn the knowledge she seeks. “I heard you banished Sombra. Is that true?”
“Yes, Spike and I banished him.”
“And what do you know of him?”
“Celestia said he was an evil king who captured the Crystal Empire and put a curse on it.”
“Absolutely amazing.” A huge grin slowly emerged from the corners of Twilight’s face. “Everything you said was wrong.”
“But that’s exactly what Celestia told me?”
“Because that’s the story the two of us agreed on.” He sighed in an almost sigh of defeat as his gaze turned to the window. “It’s complicated.”
“That’s why I’m here.” Twilight said in words that once again failed his logic.
“Well then, rule one; forget what you’ve been told. It will only lead to trouble down the road.” Twilight, as if taking notes, puzzled over his wording, lingering on every syllable before he continued speaking. “You’ll need a little background before you get your textbook.” The old magus started speaking through sporadic fits of coughing, “I’ll have to tell you the whole story.” He paused for only a moment, just long enough for the entire train car to fill with an eerie sense of dread. It took every ounce of his strength to not choke under the weight of the situation. He stuttered a few times but the words of Basil battled against every excuse he could muster. He opened his mouth, and spoke:
**************************************************************
The sky was dark with the swirling clouds of cold, damp death circling endlessly against the wretched time that was winter. The occasional flake of snow spiraled harshly towards the ground with such force that any pony caught in its path would innevitably be maimed by it’s sheer power. This would be the worst winter Canterlot would ever have. And the town knew of their demise. Doors were barricaded, shutters were barred, and the streets were draped in an ominous veil of silence. Not a single pony dared walk into the icy death that was the blizzard. All except one.
She slowly trotted across the barren streets, the occasional crunch of the snow beneath her hooves drowned out by the intense howling of the winds. Her cloak raged against the harsh winds, blowing violently in sporadic directions. She kept her eyes forward despite whatever harsh conditions the wind would throw her way. Nothing could stop her, not even death.
She eventually arrived at a small cottage, barely big enough to house a small family. This was her destination, this was her final stop. She took a deep sigh. From underneath her cloak, a small foal laid sleeping, unaware of the cold death that swirled around him. This would be his final stop. Her horn illuminated a faint yellow tint, just barely visible against the thick mist created by the snow as she tapped the infant’s forehead. The deed was done. With a heavy heart, she placed the baby on the floor, knocked upon the thin wooden door, and disappeared into the mist, never to be seen again.
The door slowly opened, revealing a petite, sky blue unicorn. She slowly scanned the horizon, trying her hardest to see what mysterious visitor would knock at a time like this. Once she finally concluded that no pony was in sight, she turned her attention to the ground where the small pony laid. Startled, she quickly carried the poor child inside and placed him against the fireplace. He was unconscious, no doubt because of the cold. She stayed with him the entire night, and well into the day until the foal finally opened his eyes.
This was no new occurrence inside the walls of the Brightspark orphanage, foals ended up on their doorstep every day more or less, but something about this colt stood out above the rest. The sky-blue unicorn became his designated care-pony, her name was Sunshine. It was her who named the foal, Frost. She was unlike any of the other caretakers, she was clumsy and somewhat ditzy with her movements, but her heart of gold shined out over any misfortune that would come her way. She was also cowardly when compared to the other care-ponies, her phobia of the dark blinded her to courage as often she’d find any excuse to sleep alongside whichever foal she cared for. But what stood out about her the most was her longing for adventure. On nights where the darkness crept in early, she had a book of fantastic monsters and daring adventurers preped by her bedside. She would read this tale to Frost when he would ask and often he did. The two were inseparable, Sunshine and Frost. Occasionally, when the sun shone its hue of gold and orange across the otherwise dulled out sky, the two would reenact scenes and chapters from their novel. It was her who pushed Frost into magic, scrounging up whatever bits she could so Frost had something to read.
But one day in particular would change Frost’s life forever. It was early morning, the sun’s rays cast beautiful strokes of pink and gold. Frost slowly arose from his slumber, blinking his eyes and wiping whatever foul gunk hardened them shut. It wasn’t unusual for the young colt to awaken before his carepony but today, something felt different. Despite his endless attempts and pleads she refused to get up. She was severely sick. One of the first known cases of hay fever the town had ever known.
Frost was rushed out of the room by the other care ponies, unable to even sit outside Sunshine’s door. She was quarantined, the only ponies allowed in or out of her room were those who acted as though they knew even the slightest hint of how to cure this untreatable menace. And thus Frost was alone. A new care-pony attempted to replace his dear Sunshine, but nothing felt the same. He began speaking rarely and without passion, only bringing himself to utter one or two word responses to only the most dire of questions. In his mind, the world was cast in eternal darkness, the sun had left and would forevermore be unreachable.
The other care-ponies tried everything to cheer up the young foal. From magic to stories, but their attempts had fallen in vein. Each of the care-ponies had given up hope; but as fate would have it, a miracle happened.
It was around mid day when every orphan piled into the small mess hall for evening supper. Frost, who no longer had the comfort of eating alongside Sunshine, was funneled into a large room decorated in moldy wood tables and chipped clay bowls. The few walls that weren’t held up by bent wood were dressed in a timeless hay which seemed to darken the room by its mere existence. Ponies lined the few tables and stools which crowded the center of the room while the few which weren’t seated were standing not so patiently in a line which ran to the other end of the room. On the far end stood the one or two care-ponies which volunteered for the dreaded lunch duty. They tried in vain to deliver the small portions of vegetable soup quickly to the rowdy foals, but such a task proved to be quite the undertaking. Foals would hit and scream at one another over small movements in line, occasionally a foal or two would break out into small fights or intense screaming fits.
Fortunately, Frost wasn’t hungry that day and he had no intention of interacting with any of the barbarians which crowded the tables. Instead, he longed for a silent spot to sit down and process Sunshine’s condition. He paced around the room, searching for someplace where no pony would either notice nor care to bother him. And he found it. It was a humble spot, illuminated only by the faint light of a misdirected window. It was dark, abandoned, and most importantly, quiet. That was all that mattered to him, so he took a seat alongside the cobwebs and the dust.
It didn’t take long for his isolation to be disturbed. “Leave me alone!” A colt’s cries arose across the deafening sea of noise. Frost turned his attention towards the source of the shrieks. There, sitting barely illuminated by the desaturated light of the dusty window, sat a colt. The colt was small for his age, roughly a year younger than Frost. His dark grey coat and pitch black mane absorbed most of the light, giving him a natural if ineffective camouflage which contrasted against his emerald-green eyes. He was curled over, and clearly quivering at the sight of three broad colts. These were the Neighsayers. This was their chosen name, for they would see the world burn. They longed for nothing but chaos and misfortune. Their head, an earth-pony named Blue Lightning was relatively new, only a year or two older than Frost. Just like Frost, he too had been abandoned at birth, but that’s where the similarities end. For it only took Blue Lighting a few days to adjust to his new surroundings, where he promptly found the previous head of the Neighsayers and seized his opportunity. It was his rule that gained the Neighsayers their fearful notoriety. Everypony knew not to mess with the Neighsayers, and everypony knew that if they chose you for the day, it would be a day to repress.
Of course, Frost chose to ignore the pleads of the small unicorn. Quiet was all he needed, and frankly things like this happened everyday at the orphanage. Why would this one be different? They would just continue their rampage against someone else, or even choose to target Frost from that day onward. It was too risky, too many negatives. And thus Frost sat still, quiet, and observed.
“Well hello there, runt.” Blue Lighting said to his victim.
“Blue, please. Not today. Can’t you just mess with somepony else?”
“I don’t know. How ‘bout it colts? Anypony else you wanna mess with?” As if by command, the other two colts shook their heads in complete unison. “Didn’t think so.” Blue turned his attention back towards the small colt on the floor. “Sorry runt, but the Neighsayers say that you're our target for today.” Blue and his pack took a step closer. The colt took a step to the side, as if guarding some unseen treasure. “And what do you have there?”
In a quick flash, Blue darted for the unseen object. The colt tried to block his path, but the other ponies quickly used a levitation spell, to pull the equine away from his goals. “Don’t touch her you-” Blue shot the colt with a glare so heinous it sent chills down Frost’s spine.
“What? What are you gonna call us, runt?” Blue yelled back, raising the gruff in his voice in some barbaric means of intimidation.
“I said-” A quick jab to the stomach quickly silenced the foal, who promptly recoiled from the strong blow.
“Don’t ever talk back to us again; you worthless, pathetic waste of life!” Blue moved his face closer to the foal’s and whispered, “If any pony cared about you, you wouldn't be here.” Blue nodded as the magical aura surrounding the colt dissipated and he fell backwards. Tears swelling up in his eyes.
Frost stood up. Some part of his body refused to let this foal continue his torment. He couldn’t decide what it was that compelled him to stand up. Maybe it was some shred of compassion seeping out through his cold exterior, maybe it was the nagging thought that his precious Sunshine would never be able to look him in the face if he’d done nothing, maybe it was the idea of the heroes from his stories and an admiration for their deeds. Whatever it was, he was standing, and slowly made his way towards the fight.
The Neighsayers noticed Frost almost immediately. “What do you want, runt?” Blue yelled out trying to intimidate the mysterious colt walking towards them. As Frost got closer, Blue turned his attention more towards him. “Aren’t you Sunshine’s colt? The one she kept locked away?” Frost said nothing, his heart racing. “Look, I know you're new around here. So let me give you a small lesson. We’re the boss here, no matter what you sheltered types might think.” Blue began walking towards Frost, “Why aren’t you talking? Speak!” Blue said that last word with such conviction that it sounded like some desperate plea for control. Frost, of course, remained silent.
The two eventually met each other. Standing in the middle of the lunch room. They both stared into each other's eyes like a predator stares at their prey. “You wanna learn, fine!” Blue uttered under his breath, trying one last time to intimidate the small foal, “Lesson one: Don’t stick your nose where it doesn’t belong” With that, Blue tried to jab at Frost, but with a simple teleportation spell, was rendered pointless. Trying to regain his composure, Blue quickly turned around and locked eyes with Frost. “Oh, you think you're so clever.” He nodded as another one his pack came charging at the young colt. Frost’s eyes began to glow white as the pony slowly began sinking into the floor. Panicking, the pony pleaded for help, but Blue looked on completely in awe.
Frost turned his attention towards Blue. His eyes were completely white and glowing, his horn covered in a thick veil of yellow magic. Fear filled Blue’s heart. His breathing began to grow more rapid. Frost took a step closer. Blue was paralyzed. Frost took another step closer. Blue finally regained his sense of movement, turned tail, and ran, crying the way out. His last henchman followed suit. After some consideration, Frost undid his melting spell, and the third Neighsayer ran faster than the other two. They were gone, at least for the rest of the day.
With the Neighsayers gone, Frost turned towards the colt. Slowly, he was picking himself up off the floor, wiping the occasional tear away from his face. “Thank you” he said after a brief pause. As if Frost didn’t exist, the colt turned his attention to a small sun-tanned piece of cloth. The mystery object. The colt’s horn grew a pale green as the tips of the cloth began to rise. He put a hoof out and neiled down to greet the exit. Out came a bird, a bright red cardinal. It was small, and frail and shaking. “Her name is Edna. I found her one day. She fell out of her tree.” He picked up the small bird in his hooves and lifted it to Frost’s vision. “When I found her, her wing had broken from the fall,” he put her down on the floor again, this time raising a small spoon-full of vegetable soup to her beak. Edna reluctantly began drinking. “I’ve been nurturing her to health for the past week now.” Satisfied, he sat down next to the cloth again, his gaze turned to Frost’s. “My name is Sombra, what’s yours?”
Frost was quiet for a moment before responding, “Frost. My name is Frost.”
“Frost huh? Hey! Aren’t you the foal that Sunshine brought in? During the blizzard?” Frost nodded. “You know what they call you right? Snowfall Frost?” Frost took a seat next to Sombra, keeping an eye on the bird. “Well Snowy, thank you for helping me. I don’t know what those bullies would’ve done to Edna.” Frost nodded before slowly getting up. He only got a few steps before Sombra began speaking once again, “Hey, Snowy. I was wondering. Edna’s feeling a lot better, so I thought it was about time to realise her. I was wondering if you wanted to see her off.” Frost turned around. And nodded.
Little did either of them know, but this would be the beginning of a friendship the two of them could only have dreamed of. Frost and Sombra went everywhere together, they ate together, they played together, they dreamed together. If the Neighsayers attacked, the two would defend themselves with more and more confidence, together. Sombra would occasionally teach Frost about the animals in the field behind the orphanage, while Frost would teach Sombra whatever spell he had learned that week. And when Sunshine eventually succumbed to her illness, it was Sombra who mourned alongside his newfound brother. As the years went on, the two’s bond grew stronger and stronger. Soon they were talking of plans and dreams. It was Sombra who suggested a tour of the land, one where the two of them could explore the uncharted boundaries of the forests and tundras, maybe even the dragon lands. Frost would get to learn the culture’s magic and go on the adventures that he and Sunshine had always hoped to go on, while Sombra could study the animals. This was their bond, their pact. They would one day see the world and go down in history as the brothers who tamed its many mysteries.
As the year went by the two grew older. Frost was chosen to represent Unicornia in the newly formed Equestrian Nation. Sombra accepted a job as an apprentice cartographer, hoping to be the first pony to chart the borders of Equestria. All went well, and one day Frost became the sole teacher of Equestria’s goddess, Celestia. His first move was to ask his brother to teach the princess alongside him. In a heartbeat, Sombra accepted. And for most of Celestia’s and eventually Luna’s adolescence, the two would teach the princesses what was required of them to lead. Frost would teach magic and politics, while Sombra taught geography and relations. For years the two lived in blissful harmony, but one day everything changed.
It was a sunny day as the castle of Canterlot overlooked the everfree forest. To most it was a calm day, one of little significance apart from its invisible beauty. But today was something more for Sombra as he ran down the cobblestone steps of the newly refurbished castle. His destination laid on the ground, in the courtyard. But only for a limited time. His breath grew faster and harsher and his muscles began to ack, but his boundless excitement tumped any feelings of discomfort this momentary hindrance would sustain. Along his way, no pony was safe. Any pony unfortunate enough to be in the path, would be forcefully shoved past. Many had been caught off balance, and many fragile objects were broken. Between Sombra’s short breaths came the occasional, barely audible “sorry” but nothing would stop him from his goals.
Eventually, he made it to his destination. In the courtyard stood four ponies; two fillies, a stallion and a mare. “Snowy!” Sombra called out.
“There he is.” Frost turned around to greet the barely breathing equine. “Sombra what is it this time? I’m kinda busy.”
“Sorry, this will only take a short moment”
Seeing Sombra struggling to finish a sentence without collapsing, Frost beckoned for his assistant. “Adagio!”
The mare trotted closer, her yellow coat and orange mane glimmering in the sunlight. “Yes Starswirl?”
“Hey Adagio.” Sombra said, still barely breathing.
“Nice to see you Sombra.” She turned her attention towards Frost.
“Could you please take the two somewhere and teach them invisibility or something?”
“Invisibility specifically? Or-”
“Just any spell”
“Will do,” She turns her attention towards Sombra, “Oh, and Sombra. Don’t keep him too long, the fillies are dying to show him some surprise they made.”
Sombra, still out of breath, responds “I’ll try not to.”
After a brief moment of Adagio walking away and Sombra trying to regain his breath, Frost asks, “Do you need some water or something?”
“Yes, but that’s not the point.” Sombra quickly regains his composure and begins to explain the reason for his intrusion, “So, you remember that pact we made when we were foals?”
“Yes, that we’d travel the world together. What of it?”
“I’ve finally figured it out” Frost raises an eyebrow, “I’ve been plotting it for a year and I think I’ve finally figured out how we’re gonna do it!”
“Oh really?”
“Yeah, I’ve heard rumors of little ponies living in the-”
“I’m gonna stop you right there.” Frost cut Sombra off, “What you're asking is for me to leave the princesses, and go on some magical quest with you? Grow up.”
“Okay! I never said to leave the fillies. This would be a great opportunity for them. They can build relations!”
“Or start wars.”
“Oh come on Snowy. Their foals! I’m sure these countries would understand a mistake or two.”
Frost scoffed, “Naive” He looked Sombra dead in his eyes, “So you want to bring the princesses with us?” Sombra nodded, “And just who will run the kingdom while we’re gone?”
“I’ve been giving it some thought and Adagio has been sitting in for some of your lessons. If we just give her a chance to spread her wings, I think she would-”
“That’s not happening.” he took a brief moment before continuing, “And on the off chance it did, would you really jeopardize the safety of the princesses for some foolish delusion?”
“We will be the protection. After all; you’re the best magus in Equestria, and I’m-”
“You’re what?” Starswirl said, again raising an eyebrow.
“I’m- I” Sombra began to stutter, “I can help!” He finally said in some desperate attempt to prove something. He just wasn’t sure what.
“Of course you can.” Starswirl said “You took an oath to protect the princesses, no matter the cost. Some silly dream we made while we were foals would compromise everything we’ve worked for.” He took a deep breath. “Sombra, just go back to your tower and make a map or something. Just leave the thinking to the professionals.” Saying his piece, Starswirl turned and followed the general direction of Adagio and the princesses.
“But what about our promise?” Sombra yelled as Starswirl had just begun his trek.
He only had two words for Sombra, two words which acted as knives against Sombra’s very soul, “Ponies change.” and with that, Sombra was alone, his thoughts acting as a warzone in his head.
The princesses were a bit worried when Sombra didn’t show up for evening supper, but when Adagio and her brothers reported that he was nowhere to be found in or around the castle, the sister knew that something was wrong. Sombra had never left the castle before, and certainly not without telling anypony where he was going. It wouldn’t be but a few days later when he would be seen for the final time.
Starswirl had gone into town purely with the intention of refilling his inkwell. He was on the verge of a spell that would revolutionize the way Equestria would function, but as he was exiting the shop, an odd pony caught his eye. A grey stallion, one he only caught a glimpse of, hauling a wagon full of supplies from rations to flint; and heading for the edge of town. Starswirl watched as this pony slowly shrunk and eventually disappeared into the foliage of the everfree forest. Never to be seen again.
**************************************************************
“Not a day goes by that I don’t regret what I said.” Starswirl said, a tear swelling up in his eye. “If I had just-” He cut himself off. It wasn’t so much out of a loss for words, but as a lack of words he had at his disposal. He could barely speak as he leaned back in the booth. “Twilight” he took a deep breath, “If there’s anything you get from this lesson, make sure to never make my mistakes.” Twilight nodded, “Promise me.”
“I promise,” She said, still processing this side of her mentor. She had always held him in such high regard as the peak of ponykind. But seeing his breakdown and hearing of how he, her idol, had created her greatest foe; it felt unreal, like the world itself was playing some elaborate prank, one that was less funny and more cruel.
From that moment on, time ceased to be of any hindrance. As the abrupt stop of the train jerked both ponies forward, hitting their heads against the backs of the booths. They were suddenly jerked back into the present time as Starswirl reluctantly stood up. He beckoned for Twilight to do the same. After a moment, the two of them were shuffling towards the sealed doors which separated the two from the city of Canterlot. It would only take a few seconds before the doors would open. By this time, it was past midday and heading towards dusk. This did not stop Starswirl. As if guided by some unseen force, Starswirl began his trott through the streets of Canterlot, ducking and weaving between main roads and alleyways. Until the two reached their destination, the Canterlot Library.
As the two entered through the old oak doors which greeted potential visitors, Twilight took it upon herself to flaunt her knowledge, “I’m sorry but, I’ve read every book in this building at least twice. I don’t remember anything like what you and Basil described.”
Starswirl, paying more attention to the path he was taking than Twilight’s confusion responded, “Even the restricted section?”
Twilight smiled, “Yeah, Celestia and Luna gave me access to it just last month.”
“Is that so?” He stopped in front of an all-too familiar bookcase. “Funny.”
“Funny how?”
Starswirl’s horn began to glow, “Funny as in, Luna doesn’t have access to the restricted section.” As he finished his thought, the bookshelf swung open like two pearly gates. Starswirl led on.
The two of them entered the restricted section. “I suppose she gave you access to our decoy.”
“Decoy?” Twilight asked, her whole world shattering in one night.
“Yes, you see, the Canterlot Library is many things. It’s a wealth of knowledge and traditions. It’s a treasure trove of ideas and stories from long ago. But it’s also a vault.” He turned his attention towards a seemingly arbitrary candelabra. “You see Twilight, When this building was in construction, Celestia and I agreed that some books are too dangerous in the hooves of your average Equestrian. And after a few ponies got their hooves on some of the more dangerous of said books, we knew we had to hide them somewhere. For the safety of Equestria. So we added a few design specs to the library’s blueprints. Two rooms, two restricted zones. One would act as our vault, keeping the secrets and dangerous books far from prying eyes. The other, would act as a distraction, a way to quell the curiosity of those who sought after the ‘restricted section’. Surely if you've read every book in this building twice, you’d have noticed that the majority of them were ordinary novels you could buy from a bookstore for ten or so bits. We literally just grabbed random books from off their shelves and put a ‘ban’ on them purely for illusion. Nothing in this room is even remotely important to Celestia or anypony who has access. It’s all a ruse.” His horn lit up its normal shade of rustic yellow as the candelabra began to light itself. The candelabras which were aligned in a circle around a rug bearing the Equestrian seal each lit themselves. A rumbling from the very foundation shook the building to its core. Stone slabs began dropping from beneath the carpet, molding themselves into a shape which vaguely resembled a staircase. Once the rumbling stopped Starswirl chimed in, “I’ll lead, it's a sort of labyrinth down there.”
Twilight sat dumbfounded, unsure if she was feeling excitement or betrayal. A range of emotions overtook her, swaying left and right molding themselves into unrecognizable amalgamations that a pony only feels once in their life. When these new emotions settled, they morphed themselves into a state of euphoria. This was her nirvana and she embraced the ideas of a previously unknown section of the library she’d grown to admire. Starswirl looked back, and smiled like a parent at their foal’s birthday party. Eventually, she followed him down the inky black abyss.
“I will warn you Twilight,” He said after a long pause, “These are the most dangerous books Equestria has ever seen. In other words, many of them are cursed. As such, I cannot stress this enough.” Starswirl stopped dead in his tracks, “Do not touch anything.” He looked her dead in the eyes, they’d have gone black if that sort of magic had existed. It was only for a second, but a second that lasted a lifetime as it rattled Twilight to her core. He eventually turned around and continued his trek, “If something were to happen, there’s no guarantee I or anypony else could save you. We’re dealing with magic beyond my knowledge.”
He eventually led them to a series of claustrophobic corridors which all melted into identical looking caves and tunnels. Without a guide it would be next to impossible to traverse this maze. But Starswirl made every move with intentional diligence. Not a single second was wasted on thought or doubt. He knew where this book was and was determined to find it. Twilight tried her hardest to read the spines of any and all books they came in contact with, most were worn beyond recognition with faded words and dusty pages. A few had no title printed on its spine at all. They were mostly dark leather bound with binds holding them shut.
Eventually they made it to a small, dimly lit grotto with a rotted wooden table in the center. There were no bookshelves, instead a small pile of books rested upon the table. “I’ll need your help” Starswirl finally said. His horn illuminated it’s yellow glow, which also surrounded the top of the pile before them. “I need you to levitate the book at the bottom, do it fast and without hesitation. Got it?” Twilight nodded. “Okay” he took a deep breath and levitated the books up. Something was clearly draining him as he grunted in agony every second he held them in the air. Quickly, Twilight took the book from underneath. Without a second to spare, Starswirl put the books down. He took a moment to catch his breath, “I don’t know how many times I’ve told Celestia to organize this place.”
Silence between them for a few moments as Twilight surveyed the book. “An Equestrian’s Guide to all Beasts and Creatures by Sombra Brighthorn” was crudely drawn at the top. She looked at Starswirl, “I’ve read this already.”
“Oh have you.” He quickly regained his breath.” Let me guess, the Lucky Apple version?”
“Yeah, the way he writes is so-”
“Fake. Lucky Apple could barely write his own name, let alone a novel. What you read was a dramatization of Sombra’s novel written by me and an old friend.”
“So none of it was real?”
“Very little.” He walked past Twilight, “Shall we leave?”
Twilight thought for a second, realizing this could be her only chance to see the true restricted section, she weighed her options. Eventually she said yes after Starswirl gave her a look of impatience. He led her out of the winding caves and back to the library she was accustomed to.
“Remember, your eyes only.” Starswirl said, sternly. Twilight nodded and Starswirl began walking away, “And remember. Once you're done, give it back to me. I’ll return it.” And he disappeared into the dark of night.
She began reading.