The last solstice
Chapter 6: Contact
Nocturnal Mirage laid still on the soft grass. The warm rays of the sun were stroking his senses very gently. The stallion got 로스트 gazing at the sky. There were no clouds, just the endless horizon. He let his dark blue 코트 absorb the heat of the fiery orb above. Freedom at last!
There’s no other place like this in the entire country! Maybe the tall mountains of his birthplace, Terra Absolutia could outshine the magnificent beauty of Amethyst Lake. The jewel of the Crystal Empire. No ripples disturbed the surface of the obsidian water. In spite the fact that the water seems to be black, it’s so pure, that one could see even the bottom of the lake. It’s quite a contradiction. That is why it’s so beautiful, whimsical and full of mysteries, like a mare. If the time allows him, Mirage always comes here to relax and meditate.
The cobalt earth 조랑말 sits back, enjoys the quietness and the solitude. Although he had 더 많이 of these things than he wanted to in the past few weeks, this is utterly different. There are no responsibilities here. No duties… no haywire Princess… no alicorns.
Mirage’s eyelids close. A satisfied grin expands on his face very slowly. He almost falls asleep when something disturbs him. It lasts only for a glimpse and as the stallion opens his eyes, he wonders if it truly happened 또는 not. He looks around, sweeps the area with his senses, but the idyllic environment calms him down very soon. He closes his eyes again. The cacophony of nature dulls his conscience....
And it happens once more. A bright white flash slits through his brain, like a 빠른, 스위프트 and cruel blade. Mirage sees a silhouette of a 조랑말 for a millisecond.
The cobalt stallion gets up very quickly and stands still. He spreads his legs, ready for an attack. But it’s only him at the edge of the lake. Mirage furrows a brow and perplexity starts to overtake his being. A grimace of pain distorts his features, as another image pierces his mind for a short moment, but this time he’s able to see the 조랑말 better. It’s a mare.
Mirage grinds his teeth and rubs his forehead.
Another image assaults his brain. It’s all whiteness, like an overexposed photo, but the earth 조랑말 can see the left side of the mare’s face. She narrows her eyes and snarls furiously. Wait… those eyes… it’s…
“Celestia?!” Mirage gasps in shock.
The alicorn emerges out of nowhere and flies rapidly toward the stallion.
“AAAAARRRGGGHHH!!!” she roars viciously, like a bloodthirsty timberwolf.
The dainty figure of the Solar Princess grows larger and larger in Mirage’s eyes, as she gets closer and closer. Her wings block out the sun and the royal blue stallion can’t see anything else anymore, just Celestia’s purple eyes, with that terrifying flame dancing in them. Yet, even now, those purple eyes are so… enticing…
The distance between them decreases quickly. The mask of untold rage furrows the solar alicorn’s features. She raises her hoof, preparing for a strike. She almost reaches Mirage and…
The earth 조랑말 wakes up to his own desperate scream. He realizes he crossed his hooves in front of his face as a final, instinctive movement of self defense. Cold drops of sweat roll down on his temple and he huffs violently. Mirage looks around and acknowledges that he’s in his bedroom… at the Ivory Tower. So it was only a dream… he thinks and a sigh of relief escapes his chest. The stallion cannot sleep for the rest of the night.
His thoughts are whirling around the Princess of the Sun, for the first time in weeks, even though he still remembers the first “encounter” with the solar goddess. Mirage has seen the same purple eyes in his dream. The cobalt 조랑말 knew it has to hold some relevance. Numerous 질문 surfaced in his mind about the Princess he’s been guarding for almost three months now.
질문 that he has not thought of before. At first, he was a bit curious of course, but then the daily routine turned everything grey. He got used to Celestia’s late night freak-outs and remained quite neutral about the main reason of his job.
Hours have passed and Mirage did not even notice. The royal blue stallion glanced out of his window.
“At least, she’s awake too.” he smiled and watched the sunrise.
Mirage calls down to the Royal 부엌, 주방 to have a meal prepared for the Princess. His eyes widen 의해 surprise as he brings Celestia’s breakfast to her door. An old, large book awaits him on the marble floor. What the hay?
Mirage walks closer and puts down the silver tray. He reads the 제목 of the book: Astronomy in depth 의해 Starswirl the Bearded.
She actually read my letter!
Mirage idles in front of Celestia’s suite for minutes. He completely forgot he requested a book from the Princess, it was half a 월 ago. He thought she will ignore the letter altogether. The stallion leaned against the door and perked up the ear. He knew the alicorn was there, only a few inches away from him, at the other side of the large, thick door, probably doing the same thing as he does now. Listening.
“Thank you…” Mirage says softly.
He picks up the heavy book and returns to his suite. When he peeks outside twenty 분 later, the silver tray with the 음식 is gone.
*** ***
After Mirage's usual weekly report, Luna paces around her room nervously. She does not have to look behind her to know who entered the room.
“Have 당신 heard all of it?” the Princess of the Night asks quietly.
“But of course.” Cadence replies and stops beside the cobalt alicorn.
“It’s been three months and there’s no progress.” Luna declares.
“Sure there is.” Cadence counters.
“Please, enlighten me.” the Moon goddess snorts.
“What he said is irrelevant. What he didn’t say that matters.” the Princess of 사랑 says with a suggestive smile.
Luna raises a brow, but remains silent, allowing the 담홍색, 핑크 alicorn to continue.
“The feelings flow deep within Nocturnal Mirage, it’s difficult to read them. But, I sense a different emotional vibration in his soul. Something happened that brought him out of his neutral and reluctant standpoint.”
“Hmm… If he becomes emotionally invested, it means he will revise his attitude and grab the initiative.” Luna speculates.
“Exactly.”
“Are 당신 sure about your diagnosis?”
“I wouldn’t be the Princess of 사랑 otherwise. Jut give him time.” Cadence smiles gently.
“Time is such luxury we do not have... I’ll have his room searched; maybe we can find out 더 많이 about… aaahh…”
Luna’s legs tremble, but the younger alicorn grabs her before she could collapse. A cyan blue tendril of magic escapes her horn, floats up in the air, shatters into millions of sparkly pieces, then vaporizes altogether.
The light seems to fade. The Moon goddess moans in pain and grinds her teeth as she channels 더 많이 magic through her horn. Cadence wraps a hoof around the cobalt alicorn’s neck to keep her standing. The Princess of 사랑 then charges up her own horn with magic and puts it close to Luna’s to unite their powers. Everything brightens up around them and the light returns to normal.
“Are 당신 okay?” Cadence asks, her voice becomes pale under the weight of concerns.
“Yes… but... the headaches... are getting worse...” Luna replies exhaustedly. Her breathing accelerates.
“I don’t know how long I can keep this up…”
Chapter 6: Contact
Nocturnal Mirage laid still on the soft grass. The warm rays of the sun were stroking his senses very gently. The stallion got 로스트 gazing at the sky. There were no clouds, just the endless horizon. He let his dark blue 코트 absorb the heat of the fiery orb above. Freedom at last!
There’s no other place like this in the entire country! Maybe the tall mountains of his birthplace, Terra Absolutia could outshine the magnificent beauty of Amethyst Lake. The jewel of the Crystal Empire. No ripples disturbed the surface of the obsidian water. In spite the fact that the water seems to be black, it’s so pure, that one could see even the bottom of the lake. It’s quite a contradiction. That is why it’s so beautiful, whimsical and full of mysteries, like a mare. If the time allows him, Mirage always comes here to relax and meditate.
The cobalt earth 조랑말 sits back, enjoys the quietness and the solitude. Although he had 더 많이 of these things than he wanted to in the past few weeks, this is utterly different. There are no responsibilities here. No duties… no haywire Princess… no alicorns.
Mirage’s eyelids close. A satisfied grin expands on his face very slowly. He almost falls asleep when something disturbs him. It lasts only for a glimpse and as the stallion opens his eyes, he wonders if it truly happened 또는 not. He looks around, sweeps the area with his senses, but the idyllic environment calms him down very soon. He closes his eyes again. The cacophony of nature dulls his conscience....
And it happens once more. A bright white flash slits through his brain, like a 빠른, 스위프트 and cruel blade. Mirage sees a silhouette of a 조랑말 for a millisecond.
The cobalt stallion gets up very quickly and stands still. He spreads his legs, ready for an attack. But it’s only him at the edge of the lake. Mirage furrows a brow and perplexity starts to overtake his being. A grimace of pain distorts his features, as another image pierces his mind for a short moment, but this time he’s able to see the 조랑말 better. It’s a mare.
Mirage grinds his teeth and rubs his forehead.
Another image assaults his brain. It’s all whiteness, like an overexposed photo, but the earth 조랑말 can see the left side of the mare’s face. She narrows her eyes and snarls furiously. Wait… those eyes… it’s…
“Celestia?!” Mirage gasps in shock.
The alicorn emerges out of nowhere and flies rapidly toward the stallion.
“AAAAARRRGGGHHH!!!” she roars viciously, like a bloodthirsty timberwolf.
The dainty figure of the Solar Princess grows larger and larger in Mirage’s eyes, as she gets closer and closer. Her wings block out the sun and the royal blue stallion can’t see anything else anymore, just Celestia’s purple eyes, with that terrifying flame dancing in them. Yet, even now, those purple eyes are so… enticing…
The distance between them decreases quickly. The mask of untold rage furrows the solar alicorn’s features. She raises her hoof, preparing for a strike. She almost reaches Mirage and…
The earth 조랑말 wakes up to his own desperate scream. He realizes he crossed his hooves in front of his face as a final, instinctive movement of self defense. Cold drops of sweat roll down on his temple and he huffs violently. Mirage looks around and acknowledges that he’s in his bedroom… at the Ivory Tower. So it was only a dream… he thinks and a sigh of relief escapes his chest. The stallion cannot sleep for the rest of the night.
His thoughts are whirling around the Princess of the Sun, for the first time in weeks, even though he still remembers the first “encounter” with the solar goddess. Mirage has seen the same purple eyes in his dream. The cobalt 조랑말 knew it has to hold some relevance. Numerous 질문 surfaced in his mind about the Princess he’s been guarding for almost three months now.
질문 that he has not thought of before. At first, he was a bit curious of course, but then the daily routine turned everything grey. He got used to Celestia’s late night freak-outs and remained quite neutral about the main reason of his job.
Hours have passed and Mirage did not even notice. The royal blue stallion glanced out of his window.
“At least, she’s awake too.” he smiled and watched the sunrise.
Mirage calls down to the Royal 부엌, 주방 to have a meal prepared for the Princess. His eyes widen 의해 surprise as he brings Celestia’s breakfast to her door. An old, large book awaits him on the marble floor. What the hay?
Mirage walks closer and puts down the silver tray. He reads the 제목 of the book: Astronomy in depth 의해 Starswirl the Bearded.
She actually read my letter!
Mirage idles in front of Celestia’s suite for minutes. He completely forgot he requested a book from the Princess, it was half a 월 ago. He thought she will ignore the letter altogether. The stallion leaned against the door and perked up the ear. He knew the alicorn was there, only a few inches away from him, at the other side of the large, thick door, probably doing the same thing as he does now. Listening.
“Thank you…” Mirage says softly.
He picks up the heavy book and returns to his suite. When he peeks outside twenty 분 later, the silver tray with the 음식 is gone.
*** ***
After Mirage's usual weekly report, Luna paces around her room nervously. She does not have to look behind her to know who entered the room.
“Have 당신 heard all of it?” the Princess of the Night asks quietly.
“But of course.” Cadence replies and stops beside the cobalt alicorn.
“It’s been three months and there’s no progress.” Luna declares.
“Sure there is.” Cadence counters.
“Please, enlighten me.” the Moon goddess snorts.
“What he said is irrelevant. What he didn’t say that matters.” the Princess of 사랑 says with a suggestive smile.
Luna raises a brow, but remains silent, allowing the 담홍색, 핑크 alicorn to continue.
“The feelings flow deep within Nocturnal Mirage, it’s difficult to read them. But, I sense a different emotional vibration in his soul. Something happened that brought him out of his neutral and reluctant standpoint.”
“Hmm… If he becomes emotionally invested, it means he will revise his attitude and grab the initiative.” Luna speculates.
“Exactly.”
“Are 당신 sure about your diagnosis?”
“I wouldn’t be the Princess of 사랑 otherwise. Jut give him time.” Cadence smiles gently.
“Time is such luxury we do not have... I’ll have his room searched; maybe we can find out 더 많이 about… aaahh…”
Luna’s legs tremble, but the younger alicorn grabs her before she could collapse. A cyan blue tendril of magic escapes her horn, floats up in the air, shatters into millions of sparkly pieces, then vaporizes altogether.
The light seems to fade. The Moon goddess moans in pain and grinds her teeth as she channels 더 많이 magic through her horn. Cadence wraps a hoof around the cobalt alicorn’s neck to keep her standing. The Princess of 사랑 then charges up her own horn with magic and puts it close to Luna’s to unite their powers. Everything brightens up around them and the light returns to normal.
“Are 당신 okay?” Cadence asks, her voice becomes pale under the weight of concerns.
“Yes… but... the headaches... are getting worse...” Luna replies exhaustedly. Her breathing accelerates.
“I don’t know how long I can keep this up…”
The mirror
