Late was the hour in which my king did summon me to his side, I remember the sorry state of that poor messenger, nearly dead on his hooves as he gasped out the words of our sovereign.

With all haste I answered the call, finding sorrow and ill moods on what I had expected to be a time of joyous exultations. Words fail me here, for how does one describe the tormented cries of a goddess, grieving for a new moon that will not shine.

It was a sign from the heavens, an utterance of Fate warning against the things to come. I wish now, that I had paid it more heed. Perhaps then the fires of our judgment would not burn quite so fiercely. Alas, I did not see.

~ Luminescent Star: The Way of the Wizard.

/ / / Highlands of the Frozen North, 11,930 A. C. / / /

The frigid air was bitingly cold as snow fell freely all around. It was late winter in the Crystal Mountains and a blizzard was in full swing. Every surface was white and thoroughly covered in a beautifully reflective blanket of wonder. If one paid close attention they would hear a joyful melody on the wind created by the sheer majesty of the peaks around them. A choir summoned through pure perfection.

All of this and more went unnoticed however, by the young pony that was negotiating his way down the slopes of a particularly grandiose peak, running for his very life. He ducked and weaved through a jumble of great boulders the size of cottages, frozen breath heavy in his lungs as he attempted to will more speed from exhausted muscles. From somewhere lost in the swirling snow behind him a terrible racket of sounds echoed above the wind. A reminder of his pursuers as they rampaged after him, and with each passing second, they were gaining…

Just as doom seemed upon him the pony caught sight of his salvation. There just ahead, nestled between two large pieces of fractured granite lay the path of an extinct glacier, now little more than a thin sheet of ice encrusting the ground. The frozen water had formed into the perfect retreat for him, a slide that he had scouted the previous evening. Its path flowed directly underneath a massive pile of boulders and other debris, and then dropped down the side of the mountain to a sheltered place that would serve as a meeting point for the group. With any luck, he would find the others there to assist him.

His destination was close, perhaps a dozen yards now. Calling on the last vestiges of his strength the stallion poured on the speed, solely focused on the goal ahead. Many things rode on the success of his journey, including the fate of a young life. He would not let them down, despite the monsters that sought to devour him.

A blood curdling howl somewhere overhead announced the intentions from one of the pony’s pursuers, granting him a single precious second to react. In a blur of motion nearly too quick to see in the blinding snow a giant pair of hairy white feet slammed into the ground just ahead of his face. On instinct the pony threw himself to the right mid gallop, tucked into a roll and came up without missing a stride. He then ducked under an outstretched arm, the claws of which nearly cleaving his head off at the shoulders.

Doing his best to ignore the claws now raking at his tail the pony went into a flying leap towards the safety that waited so close at hoof, just as a second would-be attacker appeared from behind an outcrop of ice covered stone. Catching the first real glimpse of his attackers he took in the beast for what it was, a highland Yeti. Even at the zenith of his leap the creature towered over him, rippling muscles poised and ready to pounce, hunger filling its gaze.

Powerful though the Yeti may have been, its movements were predictable, easily read and accounted for by those who knew the beasts of the wilds. The unicorn closed his eyes, horn sparking faintly as his trajectory carried him straight towards the waiting arms of the snarling predator…

The Yeti lunged, giant hairy hands outstretched and ready to snatch its prey from the air, claws set to tear the life from its victim the second they found purchase. The pony almost wished he could see the brute’s doubtlessly surprised face as his whole body suddenly blazed with colors, undergoing a moment of molecular instability. The confused Yeti barely had time to register what transpired before its breakfast simply passed through the creature’s chest.

Gasping in a lungful of the crisp mountain air as he landed the young stallion took little time making all haste towards his goal, deciding to berate himself later for such a foalish waste of his magical reserves. The dazed Yeti behind him would not remain so for long, despite the rather, intimate, experience of having another living being occupying the same space as yourself.

Conscious of the first Yeti still thundering along behind him the pony darted for his cover. It would be close; the hot breath lapping at the nape of his neck was proof enough of that. Another swipe of the beasts’ claws snagged the fluttering edge of his cloak, shredding the meager garment to ribbons. The Yeti’s angered howl at having retrieved nothing but torn fabric echoed across the mountainside.

Not requiring any further incentive the young pony fixed his gaze upon his destination and continued at a full out gallop, horn charging once more as a tiny point of light gathered at the tip. Just as he felt the claws coming for him yet again he dropped, narrowly avoiding the grasping death and landed on his belly. The ice was thick and smooth here, the momentum of the run allowing him to slide down under the boulders and out of sight to relative safety.

As he passed along the underside of the first set of boulders his eyes snapped up, catching sight of the runes carved into the natural ceiling. A small piece of insurance placed there the night before, in the event of unfavorable circumstances. It was a simple enough mark of three intricate hieroglyphs, one representing the Caribou word for fire, the next was pressure. The third, was force…

With a flick of his horn the light at the tip shot fourth and speared into the runes, filling the etchings with a warm glow that shone brighter with every second. Closing his eyes to protect them from the radiance that quickly consumed the subterranean passage the young stallion hunkered down, coaxing as much speed as he could glean from his descent.

A final flash of light and the tunnel entrance was consumed in a maelstrom of fire and smoke. Pulverized bits of stone and ice shot out the opening, pelting the yetis as the pressure slammed them back, hurling the beasts away in a cloud of debris. With an echoing crack the huge pair of boulders hanging over the tunnels mouth fell, their shattered masses burying the entrance and preventing pursuit.

Yetis are hardy and stubborn things; undaunted by the explosion the pair of hunters were on their feet again in moments, howling for blood as they called out to more of their own. In an act of surprising agility for such a large beast the first creature leapt into the air and soared to the top of the crumbled rocks, pausing only a moment before leaping down the other side, followed in short order by the second.

As the pony slid along in relative safety under the rock he gingerly checked the contents of a small saddle bag strapped securely under his cloak. The bottle was there, safe and undamaged. With a smile he buckled the saddle bag and prepared himself. Thanks to his horn and a basic spell of life detection, he knew full well that the yetis would be there waiting for him by the time he reached the bottom. So, naturally a distraction was in order…

Crouching patiently to await their prey the yetis were completely dumbfounded as one can imagine, when not one pony but two dozen of the small equines came sliding out from under the rocks and then proceeded to run in every direction conceivable. Some ran or slid straight ahead as if to continue on their way while others simply charged back the way they came. One of the doubles more comically sprinted straight up the rock pile and hopped right over the lead yeti’s head.

With a surprised growl another of the beasts brought its fists down atop the pony as it tried to run under him, only to have the equine poof away in a cloud of magical smoke. Completely puzzled the hunters began to charge around, smashing as many of the pony doubles as they could catch. With no success at finding the real reason for the chase in the first place.
Then one of them caught a whiff of their prey’s scent, and the chase was on once again.

At the sound of a monstrous roar from behind and above, the young stallion once again lit his horn with magic, the energy surging into his muscles, granting unnatural speed to his tired legs. The sprinting pony couldn’t help but wonder where everything had gone wrong, he had only made it about two thousand meters down the mountain when the first of the beasts had made its rather sudden appearance. How had they discovered him so easily?

In a massive eruption of shattered ice and snow one of the yetis crashed down right where he had been not a moment before, ending that particular train of thought as the chase suddenly became much more dire. Howling angrily the beast lunged forward and tackled the pony, sending the both of them tumbling out of control down the icy slope and over the edge of a high precipice. There was nothing but the billowing snow to provide bearing as they fell, plummeting through the air together into the abyss.

The pony grabbed the beast’s arm in his magical grip as it tried to claw open his chest. Undeterred the yeti moved to bite down on the hapless pony’s face as they sailed downwards, only to receive a well placed hoof to the eye for the trouble.

Howling with rage the hungry Yeti brought its other paw to bear and swiped at the diminutive little creature it fought. The strike was hasty and poorly timed, only managing to leave several deep scratches as the pony leaned away from what would otherwise have been a deadly blow.

Grimacing with pain the stallion stole a glance at the fresh wounds on his side as they wept crimson. Looking back at his attacker he smiled as he quickly used his magic to spin the pair around so the yeti was now between him and the rapidly approaching ground.

The yeti’s next howl was that of pain as it smashed into the ice at the base of the drop-off, the sounds of breaking bone filled the air. The equine was thrown aside like a ragdoll as the giant beast tumbled away and slammed into a snow drift. It lay there, unmoving as the snow beneath its prone form was slowly stained with red.

Gritting his teeth at the stinging pain the young stallion rose to sit on his haunches, giving the fallen beast a weary glance before turning his attention to himself. He had left quite the trail as well; a ribbon of crimson through the snow traced a clear path to where he currently sat. He would need to do something about that if he expected to be of use much longer.

With a slight grimace he once more checked on the glass bottle he carried. The delicate container was remarkably intact, its contents still sloshing around inside. He lowered his cloak back down and tightened the strap around his withers to ensure its security. It was then that he detected the faint sounds of crunching of snow, and began to fear the worst…

“Took you long enough, Swirly,” called a voice from within the dark, its owner sounding rather amused as he rounded a nearby outcropping of rock. The newcomer chuckled quietly to himself as he slowly materialized out of the snow and approached.

Seeing who had arrived the wounded pony almost wished that it had been another Yeti, almost. “I was unavoidably detained,” the resting stallion said as he stood, moving toward his fellow apprentice. “Good morning, Silver. Did you get yours?” He asked, still fiddling with his cloak.

“Was there ever truly a doubt, Star Swirl,” the obnoxiously shiny silver pony queried rhetorically, a streak of unabashed pride underlining his words. “How poorly you must think of me! Why, to even ask such a thing causes me pain,” if the words had not been dripping with sarcasm, he may have sounded truly hurt.

“Come now, Silver Spark, I would never say such things. To your face,” Star Swirl replied with a strained laugh as he finally managed to get the tattered cloak to sit comfortably. “I have at least four more followers,” he added, looking over his shoulder. “You?”

Silver Spark shrugged his shoulders, a sheepish grin curling his lips. “I would have to say at least one,” he mumbled quietly with an innocent look in his eye, his slowly widening grin saying otherwise.

“Silver?” the other pony questioned in agitation, pulling out a wad of dressing for his wounds, unrolling the fabric as he quickly scanned the surrounding darkness, a distant howl hastening his hooves.

“Two or, three, perhaps,” Silver Spark answered calmly, a forehoof casually drawing a circle in the snow. Though he seemed complacent to the situation his swiveling ears told a different tale all together, on the inside, he was tensing.

Tossing away what remained of the bandages Star Swirl went instead for his weapon, a large blade hidden beneath his coverings. His own ears pointed straight ahead, honing in on something moving out in the night. “Silver!?”

Silver Spark bobbed his head a few times, eyes glancing to the side as if deep in thought. “Five or six at the most,” a series of not so distant growls sent a visible shiver down the Unicorns spine, his hoof rising from the snow in a defensive gesture.

“Silver!”

“Alright, alright, perhaps we call it an even dozen. Why the stare? We both know this is not the first time that this has happened, so why are you always surprised?” Silver Spark questioned defensively, calmly running his raised hoof over the bulge along his side that denoted the blade of his own weapon.

Star Swirl grimaced; the thought of defending against such a number of the beasts did not fill him with confidence. Perhaps if the third member of their party were here they could manage a less, violent outcome to this. Alas, as it would just be the two of them, it may prove necessary to kill in order to preserve their own lives. The thought was not at all pleasant to say the least.

Silver Spark noticed his friend growing lost in his thoughts and grinned. “You of all ponies should remember, like last time as an example. Let me think, yes, it was that group of evil camel guys in Saddle Arabia, at least ten of them as I recall. Oh yes, and who could forget those peculiar lizard things before that, remember, the ones with the fire? Oh, and then it was-”

“For the love of the king, Silver, just pull your blade already,” Star Swirl said, peering into the swirling snow. “We have visitors,” he said as he lit his horn and worked a buckle under his coverings. The blinding snow did not relent, visibility only being marginally improved by the slowly rising sun beyond the farthest peaks, yet he knew they were out there just the same. Star Swirl squinted into the dark, his eyes catching momentary movements at the edge of his magical light, flashes of white fur and fang…

The two stallions drew close, facing away from each other as they slowly spun in place, watching with dread in their hearts as the swirling shadows gradually gave way to one hulking form after another. It was impossible to keep track of their number; the smaller more juvenile of the pack were in constant motion, dashing excitedly to and fro. The larger more experienced hunters among them held back in small groups, hungry but remaining wary of the magic users, they could smell it in the air along with the blood of their kin.

By Star Swirls count there could have been as many as twenty. Each of the hulking beasts seemed larger than the last, and all looked exceptionally hungry, for pony. Concentrating inwardly Star Swirl pushed the faintest trace of magic through his horn, running a mental hoof over his blade to ensure that it would be ready if called upon. There would be no running from this; teleportation in these ravines was extremely limited and even if they could flee, the destination that would mean their salvation would prove vulnerable to such a sizable number of the beasts.

“Though, I suppose I could be wrong about it being an even dozen,” Silver Spark mumbled as he watched more of the yetis start to circle them. “More like a baker’s dozen, plus a few that fell in the box when the baker wasn't looking,” he continued, more of his usual bravado returning.

“Silver,” Star Swirl grumbled as he ran through multiple plans in his head, none of them having particularly promising outcomes. He could feel his magic threatening to fizzle out as still more of the creatures made themselves known, their cumulative numbers having a dampening effect upon his already limited reserves.

“And then a rat climbed in the box and died for some reason,” Silver Spark continued, still caressing the length of his hidden weapon. Not once even glancing at the prowling yeti as they tightened their circle, moving ever closer for the kill. If he was feeling the effects of the yeti’s mana draining nature, it did not show.

Taking his eyes off of the closest yeti to chance a sidelong glance, Star Swirl frowned at one of the only ponies to ever earn the rank of ‘friend’ in his life. “I really hate you sometimes, Silver, truly I do.”

Finally showing that he was about to take the situation seriously Silver Spark unfastened the small clasp across his chest. “Then my work here is truly complete,” he said, grinning madly as his cloak slipped to the ground. The fallen garment revealing the telekinesis blade he carried, its rune covered steel glinting in the faint light.

Sensing the quickly approaching end to the peace Star Swirl released the final clasp of his own cloak. “When these beasts have finished ripping us limb from limb, I am going to kill you, Slowly,” the other pony grunted as his tattered garment fell away in a similar manner, revealing a similar weapon that ran down his side. The handle-less blade came alight in Star Swirl’s magic as it floated from its scabbard, the energy like flames as it flickered over the metal.

They were left with very few options as the ponies found themselves with several disadvantages in this fight. Firstly, this far into the Frozen North ones magical abilities were often hampered severely by deposits of magic disrupting ores that riddled these lands, effectively reducing ones magical potential by as much as half at times. Secondly, the yetis of this particular region are naturally resistant to magics that attack the flesh. Let us also not forget the aforementioned cumulative dampening effect that large groups can have as well.

Silver Spark’s eyes locked on the beast nearest him as its pace quickened, its massive hands flexing in anticipation. “Well, I certainly hope that you are quick about it,” he replied with a halfhearted laugh as his horn lit and freed the strap holding the weapon against his body, clearly thinking the same way.

In a flash both ponies drew their blades as a yeti on both sides lunged for each of them, a single fluid motion that propelled the mighty predators a surprising distance given their bulk, an action that would have been the end of less prepared prey…

True as it was that the stallions powers may have been severely weakened, the yeti had made one serious tactical mistake. In a gleaming flash of sunlight the telekinetically levitated blades lunged forward, intercepting the leaping Yetis and effortlessly bisecting the surprised brutes.

With a quick turn of his blade Star Swirl drew the weapon edge first back the way it had gone, effectively halving the already dead yeti as it fell to the snow, hoping the others would understand the message to stay away. He scowled at his fellow’s typical disregard for their situation. “What would be your hurry, Silver?” He asked as another pair of the furry monsters rushed forward from the side, ignoring his warning and meeting with a similar fate. “You have a date I should know about?” He finished with a chuckle, ducking under a massive clawed paw that managed to get in close.

“Well, as a matter of fact,” Silver Spark grinned as his blade flashed forward again, followed by a spray of viscous crimson and a howl of pained rage. He released his grip on his weapon as he tossed it skyward, setting his stance before producing a massive wave of telekinetic force, lifting the very snow from under the feet of a group that charged him all at once. With beads of sweat seeping from his brow Silver swept his head to the side, hurling the huge pile of frozen water and his attackers further down the hill, yelps of surprise and fear fading after them.

“Believe it or not,” Silver continued seamlessly, his mind already elsewhere. “Star Shine finally agreed to go to the ball with me!” He sighed dreamily, not missing a beat as he caught his falling blade just above the snow, and angled it into the belly of the yeti that had nearly been upon him, the beast's claws swinging inches from his face.

Star Swirl rolled his eyes as he listened to the beast behind him scream away its dying breath. “She is merely taking pity on a lost soul,” he said, dislodging another new corpse from his blade, hurling it away to intercept another would be attacker as it leapt through the air. As the creatures crashed to the ground he hurled his blade into the face of his next target, dispatching it as humanely as the situation allowed. “I hope you do not think it will lead to anything,” he scoffed, spinning his weapon like a flail before sending the blade forward again.

“Of course I realize that there must be pity involved. By Tartarus, she is way out of my league,” he said wistfully while a yeti chewed on the blade now lodged in its throat. “Though, who am I to complain?” He questioned aloud, twisting the blade and forcing it through his attacker, silencing it instantly. “Oh that flank!” He shouted to the sky above.

In the last possible second Star Swirl swung his weapon around his body and brought it up under the chin of another yeti as it landed next to him, severing its head from the shoulders. He glanced up the hill to his left and smiled at Silver’s approaching doom. “I really think you should not have said that,” he muttered under a smile.

A blinding flash of light slowed the combatants as a loud crackle of static energy filled the air, causing many of the yeti to howl and the ponies ears to flatten. Moments later a large dome of azure energy appeared over the two stallions. For a few moments the transparent shield merely sat there, crackling with an ominous glow.

A few of the closer yetis, though momentarily dazed and confused, quickly recovered and charged the barrier that separated them from their prey. With animalistic fury they hammered away at the shield with fist and forehead, their strikes gaining ferocity as frustration mounted.

With each bone crushing impact the barrier shifted, its surface rippling like disturbed water, its color flashing with distortion. Then, under the force of a particularly mighty blow the walls buckled, cracks spread over the dome’s surface as it began to collapse inwards, its strength waning quickly in the face of the barrage.

The two ponies however paid their rapidly deteriorating shelter little attention, choosing instead to hunker down beside each other with their heads buried under their legs and weapons close to their sides. Ears flat against their heads, they focused on becoming as small as possible as the shield’s walls closed in around them, the frequency of the damaged flashing growing into a constant glow…

With one last devastating impact the barrier collapsed down to the point the arming sequence would activate, inverting all of the captured incoming force and weaving it into the spell’s own strength.

Star Swirl did his best to bury his head deeper into the snow, wishing there had been time to wrap his ears properly before they could be exposed to what came next. It was true enough that this would save them, yet he could not shake the feeling that Star Shine was a bit cross with them. In any case, this would not be pleasant…

With all the noise of a thunderclap the barrier’s walls exploded outwards, the dome expanding upwards of a hundred times its original size. The movement was nearly faster than the eye could track as the air split around it, the sheer force hurling away the remaining Yetis and snow alike. Anything that found itself in the path of the blast was hurled away out into the surrounding dark.

As the growing shield finally reached its limit, having burned up its collected kinetic energy, it popped with a deceptively quiet snap, leaving behind nothing but transparent shards that faded away as they fell. As the last of the glittering magic dissolved the wind returned, bringing with it fresh powder that settled on the now barren stone.

It was over this freshly exposed rock that the third member of the endeavor now found herself, striding with a purpose towards two of the most thick headed ponies she knew. In all honesty, Star Shine almost wondered why she even bothered. Almost…

Sitting in the middle of a small circle of undisturbed snow Star Shine could see two very disoriented stallions, both muttering angrily at each other. Star Swirl was pointing accusingly at Silver and from what she could hear was saying some rather, uncouth, things. Silver on the other hoof was struggling to rise on quivering limbs, shaking his head as if something were attacking his ear.

The grumbling pair grew quiet as they finally took notice of the newcomer, Star Swirl lowering his head in shame as Silver Spark managed to get his legs under himself and stand properly. Before tipping forward and pitching into the ice.

Resolving from the swirling snow, with a very annoyed look on her face, was a unicorn mare. She bore an apprentice cloak as they did, though hers was adorned with a mark of attachment as she had been chosen by a specific master of the order. Under said cloak was a gorgeous golden yellow coat that grew brighter as it reached her hooves. Her mane was a vivid orange giving her the equivocal look of a sunrise. Completing her beauty were a pair of deep pink eyes that had a sense of absolute intelligence behind them. If looks could kill, both stallions would have dropped from her mere presence.

“Mawp, Mawp!” Silver Spark muttered loudly, working his jaw as he held his ears. His snout was buried under the snow. “Oh… Hey there, Star Shine,” he sputtered, rolling over from his toppled position. He shook away the snow from his body as he stood. “We, we were just about to finish up and join y-” He froze as she swished her tail in annoyance, her ears slowly splaying.

“A royal life is at stake, and I find you idiots frolicking about with the local fauna,” Star Shine stated in that deadpan way she always used when purposefully making ponies uncomfortable. Something she was very good at in fact.

“Now hurry along, the both of you. It is nearly dawn and I want to be ready when the portal opens,” Star Shine said with a scowl. She looked over Star Swirl quickly and nodded, then turned to scrutinize Silver Spark. “I hope that I am safe in assuming you retrieved your ingredient, Silver Spark,” the mare added, more as a statement than anything.

“Why do ponies keep asking me that?” Silver grumbled. “Of course I have it,” he said, rummaging around inside a bag to produce a small glittering stone. “One Crystal Mountain amethyst from the Summit of Sapphire, as promised,” the item was displayed for her inspection. “Now why aren’t you asking Swirly over there for his? For all we know he just stopped at some mud puddle for his item.”

“Because I know Star Swirl would not have come back without his, you on the other hoof,” she said gracefully, turning away from them. “You have yet to earn my respect,” Star Shine giggled quietly to herself. She swished her tail into Silver’s face before trotting down the hill.

“Wow…” Star Swirl gulped as he watched her leave, the lithe mare making short work of the jumbled rocks and ice as she negotiated the path back to their final destination.

“Tell me about it…” Silver Spark replied with half lidded eyes, a faint trace of drool escaping the side of his mouth. His head swayed in time with the mares’ movements as she half trotted half hopped down the rocky incline.

After a few seconds spent regaining their wits the hapless apprentices gathered up their weapons and, once again, checked the cargo they carried. Satisfied that all was secure both stallions moved to follow the third member of their group, though, their prowess may have been somewhat lacking after such rough treatment, they eventually made up the distance.

The ponies headed for the shelter of a large outcropping of rock, the gold filled base of which served as a suitable anchoring point for a travel conduit, an advanced form of teleportation that would see them back home in seconds. It was also the only way to get back in time, and would be opening at any minute.

The three ponies gathered together near a scorched spot on the rocks just in time to see sparks of electricity arc over the ground. A moment later a mass of blue energy emerged from thin air, gyrating and flattening on the ground until it became a swirling vortex, much like a whirlpool on a lake.

Nodding at one another the trio stepped forward, jumping one at a time head first into the portal, vanishing from the bitter chill of the mountain-

-To reappear a heartbeat later in the bedchambers of the royal family. In the blink of an eye the small group of travelers had crossed more than three thousand miles, leaving behind the wild rocky frozen wastes of the north for a tasteful marble room with a warm hearth. The room was lit with torches along its walls that bathed everything in a soft glow.

One by one the apprentices flew up through the portal, appearing out of the floor and landing as gracefully as though they had simply hopped up a single step. It was a somewhat disorienting way to travel, as down suddenly became up, but the young apprentices were well experienced with the effects, and almost never became ill afterwards, almost…

Star Swirl wished that he had a few extra seconds to look around, seeing as this chamber was typically very much off limits to his like. The room however, had different ideas and would not stop spinning. He somewhat envied Star Shine, he managed an upwards glance as she materialized next to him and trotted forward without so much as a missed step. Always the best student that one.

“Quickly now,” called the tired voice of master Luminescent from where he stood beside the portal, sustaining it with his magic. “We have not a single moment to waste,” he added hurriedly, beckoning them through with a hoof.

“Master Luminescent,” the trio chorused as they stepped away from the portal. The apprentices took in their surroundings with understandable curiosity, seeing as none of the three had ever been in the room before. “It is very good to see you again, master,” Star Shine added quickly, striding forward to greet the age worn stallion as he closed the portal.

Luminescent returned his students greeting with a gracious bow, the bell atop his blue wizards hat jingling softly as it lulled forward. “And your safe return does my heart good; you did well, all of you,” he replied softly with a hint of pride. Turning away he headed for a large round bed that dominated the center of the room, its sleeping area veiled by silk curtains, through which could be seen the soft glows of differing magical hues.

The four ponies crossed the deceptively large room in a hush, dwarfed by furnishings clearly meant for significantly larger beings. Nearing the side of the bed Luminescent Star came to a stop and bowed low to the floor, the others doing the same. “My King, Terra. My Queen, Aeterna. The apprentices have returned.”

“Then come forward all of you, so that we may begin,” came the reply. A firm, yet kind and fatherly voice that sounded strained as though from a continuous effort. Seeing as the bed was too high to easily jump upon from the floor, the horns of the gathered ponies lit and together they teleported up to the edge before slowly making their way forward, passing through the veil into a place filled with magic.

Star Swirl held back a gasp as he fought the urge to bow again at what he found before him. The young apprentice had only ever lay eye on his king and Queen a rare few times before, and never had he witnessed anything like this in his life.

Laying together in a half circle was a pair of Alicorns. A gleaming white mare of such majesty she nearly hurt to look upon, opposite her was her husband, a massive stallion as dark as midnight possessing a feeling of infinite depth and power. Each of them radiated sheer energy and magic beyond anything the unicorn could describe. Both lay quiet, eyes closed in deep concentration. Power flowed from their bodies into the tiny thing laying atop a small cushion between them, a tiny, dark, unmoving body. A foal.

Getting a better look as he moved forward, Star Swirl could finally see. It was their foal, he realized with a bit of shock, having never even been told of the pregnancy. Scrutinizing what he now saw to be a filly Star Swirl noted the barely discernible wings tucked firmly to her side, and the little stub of a horn poking through a dull blue mane that lay flat across her face. What he came to realize however, was the worrying lack of breathing. As far as he could see, the little filly was lifeless.

“What is the matter with her?” Silver Spark asked bluntly, protocol seemingly forgotten as they approached the foal. He twitched slightly as Star Shine elbowed his ribs, the mare giving him a disapproving look. The three of them collectively winced however at the sound of a familiar, and somewhat demented feminine voice behind them.

Quiet as a whisper the ancient master Stardust Jade appeared behind the apprentices, passing between them with only a momentary appraising glance. “She was dark born, like her father before her,” she said softly, setting herself down next to the child in question. Lighting her horn the mares’ magic momentarily joined that of the parents. “For once the timing of you three is perfect, her soul is near enough to be bound,” the alchemist motioned them forward. “Silver Spark, the amethyst, if you please.”

With surprising seriousness the silvery pony complied, stepping forward and removing his cloak. With reverent hooves he pulled a tightly wrapped bundle from his side, carefully unrolling the portion of cloth to reveal his precious cargo. With almost reluctant hesitation he reached out and laid the stone in her outstretched hoof, its violet surfaces glittering in the changing light.

Offering a curt nod Stardust accepted his offering, studying it intently for a moment before turning away, her horn coming alight with a warm white glow, a soft chant escaping her lips that passed unheard by the ears of the apprentices. With each word the amethyst’s surface slowly turned glossy and smooth, a green glow flickering from within causing its inner facets to sparkle and shine.

With all the tenderness of a mother Stardust placed the now faintly illuminated stone atop the foals’ chest, her own magic entwining with that of the parents, and carefully guiding the Alicorn’s magic. Their combined energy slowed, flowing in gentle wisps around the amethyst before entering the foal’s body.

After a moment of silent observation Stardust nodded in approval. “Star Swirl, the spring water,” she said, not once taking her eyes off the filly. “Pour it over the stone until the light has faded,” she instructed steadily.

Star Swirl immediately stepped forward to do as instructed, opening the small Crystal bottle he carried and pouring the liquid over the stone. He watched in awe as the filly’s colors began to brighten. Her hair lifted and seemed to liven to a more lustrous shade, and her body began to shudder violently as if gasping for air that would not come.

In a quick motion of her hoof the mage ushered Star Shine around to the foal’s face as the child continued to thrash sickeningly. “Place your item near her mouth, so that she may breathe in the wind of the north, as passed through Noble Dragon’s Rest,” Stardust said calmly, still locked in concentration.

Shine complied and pulled the lid off the small jar she had been given for the task. A burst of chilled mountain air flowed out into the child’s face, still whistling with the winds of the peaks from whence it came. The draft of air whirled about the tiny filly for a moment, blending with the parent’s magic before being drawn into her nose and mouth. In a simultaneous action the amethyst was absorbed into the skin of the foal, disappearing from view.

In the same moment Star Swirl became aware of another magical signature that flared to life in the room. It was weak, but quickly expanded to overshadow his own in a matter of moments. He had just realized that It belonged to the tiny filly when she began crying out for her mother, which was possibly the most beautiful sound he had ever heard. The apprentices all backed away as the two parents came together to caress their newborn, calming her cries as the last of the magic vanished through her coat.

Stardust stepped forward, her eyes scanning the foal closely for a moment. “She will stay with us now, her soul no longer wanders. However,” she said, turning to address the king. “She will still become as you, Terra. A dream walker of the night,” Stardust added with seriousness, turning away with the intent to depart. “I leave it to you to instruct her as such.”

“Thank you, thank you all so much,” Aeterna offered quietly, the emotion plain in her voice as tears streamed freely from her closed eyes. Though the fur of her cheeks was stained from the crying, the smile she held against the squirming filly told all of the turmoil that had been lifted from her heart.

Terra said nothing as the assembled ponies gave one final bow; yet, the faint trace of a smile could be seen playing across the edge of his normally stony features. His only response to Stardust’s words took the form of a measured nod, the king’s eyes not leaving his daughter for a single moment.

As the group of unicorns headed towards the door to leave, Star Swirl sensed another immensely powerful magical signature moving towards them from outside the room. This one however, was very much familiar to him.

Before they could reach the door to which they sought to exit, it opened to reveal another tiny filly, perhaps five years of age with a soft white coat and a lovely pink mane. She stood covered in a flowing nightgown, rubbing sleep from her eyes as she wandered into the room. “Mama,” she cooed shyly, watching the passing unicorns as they left. “What is happening? I heard crying.”

Aeterna smiled softly at her elder daughter. She pulled herself up into a more comfortable position on the bed and motioned her forward. “Come forth, Celestia, my dear. Come and meet your new sister. Come and meet, Luna.”

Next Chapter: V: The Star Order Estimated time remaining: 3 Hours, 34 Minutes