The Wizard's Log

by rapostl

Magic is a part of human history. In the past magic soared through the clear skies, burrowed beneath the deep earth, and swam through the vast seas. Now practitioners of magic have long been disregarded as myths and legends and folklore. But this is the tale of one real wizard, and how his quest for power led him to the world of Equestria.

Author's Note:

Hey everyone, welcome to the first chapter of my new story "The Wizard's Log!" I'm pretty excited for it, and after reading, I hope you'll be too. I'll be trying to post a chapter every 2 weeks, though occasionally I will post a chapter the next week so you guys can have more content on your hand. Please, enjoy yourself, and leave me a review on your thoughts or critisisms criticicsm criticism! Thanks my bros, bruhs, and brosephines!

-rapostl

The Wizard's Log - Chapter One

I trudged along begrudgingly. Gliding and shuffling through the plethora of people here at the fair. Women in varying dresses of simplicity and color, doing their best to hold on to their rowdy boys that sought to escape their mothers and look at the venues. Young teenage boys keeping their partners close to them, trying to steal kisses from the girl at their sides but to no avail. Barkers running their stands appeared tired and had pained smiles, the laughing children giving them headaches and the cuddling couples giving them heartache.

Then again, I didn't look too friendly either, what with my own scowl and slouched body. Plus I also wasn't dressed in a way that gave off any positive feelings: decked out in deep brown leather clothing, black adventuring boots, various belts holding some of the metal armor I had to the rest of my ensemble. I wasn't here to join in on the entertainment and activities the festival offered. Feeling the weight of my traveler's pack reminded me of every step I took that I was here for research and research alone. Though occasionally I would walk by a sideshow game that would, at the wave of my staff, somehow end up with the children cheering at the shock and dismay of the barker. I scratched at the beard on my chin and continued my way to the temple up ahead.

After making my way through the stands of skewered meats and children dancing everywhere, I arrived at the foot of the temple that gleamed in the sunlight. It was a simple temple alright, with a few pillars here and there and a couple flags of the country I was in draped in front. A large dome at the top rose up high, with a large rectangular base supporting it. I walked up the stairs, my boots worn down by the many paths I had taken, my staff lifting me and my spirits up every step I took that got me closer and closer. Two guards stood by the entrance, a claymore at their sides and beads of sweat dripping down their forehead. It truly was a hot day today. I sighed, knowing what was about to happen. I approached them as their heads turned towards me.

"How can I help you-" one guard started before a swift chop of the hand silenced him. The other, startled by what happened to his comrade, started to pull the claymore from his sheath before he found a staff knocking the wind out of him and a fist knocking him down onto the floor. I groaned as I grabbed hold of the two guards' capes and dragged them away from the entrance and into a nearby bush, bounding them together with a hemp of rope. Dusting my pant leg off, I walked into the temple and took in a breath of fresh air, sighing contently.

The inside was lit up well, and I took in all the sights it had to offer. Bookshelves upon bookshelves lined the walls and formed little aisles to explore, scrolls and novels filling them to the brim. Tables and chairs were set up for visitors to relax as they browsed. Not to mention the giddiness I feel walking into a place like this where tons of useful knowledge was right at my fingertips at every turn. I was excited to start wondering through all of them, and maybe even take one for the road. What made me a bit nervous were the scholars walking back and forth slowly through the aisles. They had masks with large golden eyes and mouths that covered their real faces, and wore long white and gold robes that flowed to the floor. All of them were completely covered, and would occasionally pick up a book as they edged around. Seeing a bunch of them around meant it was going to be hard to get what I wanted.

I started to walk around, pretending to look at books to find something to read. One of the scholars came down the opposite side, so I politely moved out of the way while covering my face from him. As I thought I got by him, I felt a cold hand on my shoulder turning me around to face him. His mask glowered at me as I heard his raspy breathing.

"Another lost soul." The scholar said in an older voice, his hand squeezing a bit harder. "Perhaps I could guide you to the correct passage?" I sighed as I grabbed his hand and moved it off of me.

"I am no lost soul. I came here to research, as any reasonable man would do in his spare time." I said hoping he would believe me and let me go. He got a bit closer, rubbing his chin.

"Only the Scholars of Apollo are allowed in this temple during the Solstice Festival. You need to leave my good sir." He grabbed my arm and started to pull me out the door. "The guards will be happy to hear an intruder entered unbeknownst to them."

Instinctively, and probably a bad move in retrospect, my other arm slipped beneath his and made him release me. Then with a swift move, I slapped his hand away and landed a direct blow to his stomach. He groaned in agony as he bent down holding his stomach, to which I hit his temple with a couple of fingers, and watched him slump to the floor. I sighed heavily as I started to ease the pain in my bicep where he grabbed me. I never seem to have an easy day recently. I looked up and saw the rest of the scholars looking at me, covering their mouths or raising their hands up in defense.

"What in the name of God are you all gawking at?" I yelled at them all. A couple flinched, and they turned around and, one by one, started running for the exit. I just sighed again as they flew past me. People were going to get pretty suspicious if they saw a bunch of robed men running out of a temple like that. "Well, isn't this quite lovely?" I told myself, picking up my pace and looking around erratically. I leaped over tables and bookshelves, grabbing scrolls in my hands in case they were useful in any way. Eventually after a minute or two, I found what I came here for: a large pair of stone doors that begged to be opened. Five giant locks ran down the middle, locks that could only be opened by sliding them in a certain way. Since only the scholars knew the code, it was going to be hard to get in here if I were to just guess the codes.

But luckily for me, I am one of the greatest magic-users that I know of.

I took my traveler's pack off and put the random scrolls I grabbed inside. Then with a couple waves of my staff, I concentrated on the tip, imagining burning flames and the destruction it comes with. And with a mighty yell, I thrust my staff forward and braced my feet.

"Draconic Breath!"

At that, red hot energy started to swirl around the tip of my staff, creating a ball of flames. It grew bigger and bigger as little flames shot to the floor and onto some of the books nearby. Then it burst out at blinding speeds and collided with the door and its many locks. I shielded my eyes from the light as the recoil almost interrupted my balance. Slowly I lowered my hand, and my heart jumped a little as the doors were blown away and a clear passage was made.

Wasting no time picking up my belongings, I rushed inside the room, a couple candles lighting the room and the altar in the center, the thing I was searching for. A scroll in the most pristine condition sat on top of the stone altar, surrounded by tiny pieces of glass, probably what was left of the case it was in. With caution I stepped forward, picking up the parchment. Slipping it into my traveler's pack and leaving the room, I was shocked to see that most of the temple was on fire.

"Yeah...I should've expected that one." I said to myself as I dusted my clothes off. I turned and walked out, hearing the crashes of bookshelves falling down and the smell of pages being burned into ashes. While it is sad to see such amazing knowledge going to waste, I couldn't afford to care: what I got was more valuable than any scroll or book that collected dust in that place. I never felt more like a champion as I stepped out of that small temple and saw that dozens of people from the celebration were watching me leave the fiery hellhole that I just made.

I walked back into the festival, people staring at me and parting the middle of the road as to not cross me. I adjusted my cape and went on my way, pulling out a map from my pack. Opening the map and revealing a lot of places within the area, I marked out the temple with a quill and retreated the map once more. Now, I can start the real part of my investigation.

The thing is, I'm not just a researcher or a criminal stealing pieces of paper or cheating at festival games or an arsonist. I am one of the few practitioners of magic left in the world. As more and more of my peers are getting lynched for black magic or witchcraft or satanic rituals, it becomes an even greater danger to pursue the mystical arts of magic. I'm simply a wizard that seeks to be the most powerful being in this world that shuns the supernatural and kills those who believe in it.

I was once originally a scholar myself, at an old university ahead of its time. I studied the arts of arcane magic ever since I was a young lad myself. I had always yearned to learn of alchemy, illusion, and necromancy. The university, however, had different plans in mind for me when I enrolled and became a full-time student there. I was forced to abandon my dreams of alchemy and necromancy and was forbidden to learn about them or encourage others to learn them. Instead I was taught to use abjuration to protect me and others, divinity to seek information and become a better student, and conjuration to bring my brilliant ideas to fruition. Of course, wanting to be the best meant I didn't have much of an issue with my lifestyle changes for very long. But I couldn't hide my passion forever, you know. After I graduated at the top of my class and was even offered to become a teacher there, I refused to stay any longer and sought to learn what I wanted to learn. That led me to a precious and extremely rare artifact simply known as The Scepter.

The Scepter is really an urban legend that I truly believe to be real. It is said to grant the one who wields it limitless use of the aether that surrounds this sad excuse of a terrestrial sphere. But to gain access to that power essentially means that I would be the most powerful being in the realm of reality, second only to God Himself. That is my true wish; to be able to bend this mortal coil and reach immortality while ruling over this world.

But it's not as easy as taking a sailboat and searching the seas for an old artifact. Legends say that it lies in a separate dimension distant to our own, and magic users have come to call this place the Dusk Reality, a dimension full of unknown possibilities and hidden secrets. We are essentially left in the dark when it comes to this, thus the name Dusk Reality. No one has ever truly been inside the Dark Realm, but there are times where astrologists have claimed to glimpse as to what laid inside.

The scrolls I've been collecting at various shrines are essentially clues on how to get there. Therefore I will raid every shrine, destroy every wall, and pick every bookshelf clean if it means getting one step closer to godhood.

But for now, I'll let my mind rest a little as I try to enjoy the countryside around me: birds with velvet voices and vibrant wings, trees that stood strong and leaves that grew out, and hills that seemed to roll right past the horizon. The soft and luscious grass beneath my boots comforted my steps while I traveled alone. People are always astonished by spells and aether and the supernatural, but sometimes the nature of the earth around us is much more magical. I can conjure mighty seas and roaring waves, but when I look up and see the blue of the sky, I'm the one that feels all washed up.

Sightseeing aside, I got to a wide-open space with hills all around me, the breeze rushing through my hair and body while the grass beneath sways to the beat. I took off my pack and set it on the ground, removing the cape and leather chest plate that I kept on my person. I pulled the scroll out and opened it up, ready to read.

Scanning the pages, taking in all the words and ink splotches and information. I nodded, breathing in and preparing myself physically and mentally. I put the scroll away again and picked up my staff. It was a staff given to all top-notch students at my school. It had a long wooden handle that started to spiral near the top portion, with leaves and thick little branches that came outward. The tip was a giant circle, and inside of it was a glowing amber gem containing three items: a dragon scale, a phoenix feather, and a unicorn horn. Those three pieces are the most powerful tools when it comes to conjuring magic, and combined give me almost unlimited potential for spells.

I waved the staff in the air in a circular manner, magic pooling in the air around me. With a shout, I stomped my staff into the earth and an arcane seal appeared below my body, light blue aura pouring out of it. Wind rushed out of the ground, blowing my hair back.

"Thrai va ora, suud muroth... Druv thora, verkum muroth... Oh great aether, at mine beck and call! Lift mine soul, transform mine body all!" Dark lightning shot up from the seal and attacked the gem of my staff, swirling around my body. I gritted my teeth in pain; it felt as if my body was burning alive. "Take me to the dimension unknown! Discover me the darkness so light may be shone!" Smoke billowed around me, soaring up into the heavens and blocking out the clouds and sky.

"ARGH!" I screamed in pure agony! What was this hellhole I'm putting myself through!? The black lightning scarred my skin as unimaginable pain went through my veins and muscles! The hair on my head felt like the wick of a candle, burning down right to my arm! A headache pounded itself into my skull more fierce than a fanfare for a king! What the hell is this!? I wasn't prepared for this shit!

Suddenly a dark void spun from below me, seemingly eating the earth surrounding me and the arcane seal. Pitch black, empty, and cold. It rose up slowly and longingly, ready to send me into a world beyond the reaches of my imagination. I was in pain, I was terrified, and realizing that I'm dealing with arcane magic I've never dealt with before. I looked down inside and despite the horrible pain my body was experiencing right now, I could see the stars that plagued a clear night sky, only they felt closer. Like I was truly immersed into the cosmos. Deep voices and growls and groans filled my ears as the darkness enveloped me whole, and took me away.

To be continued...