"That's it Everen, good job!" exclaimed Beatrice, complimenting the unicorn, as he dodged left and right, avoiding the many rocks being thrown at him, while he was blindfolded. "Very well done, Everen. "That's enough for now, go back to your posts." the princess said. The guards who were throwing the rocks left to go back to their stations.
"How does that spell work even when I'm not using my magic exactly?" Everen removed his blindfold. "I still don't quite understand it."
"It's a self-enchantment spell, even though you're not using the spell now, the effects of the spell still linger." Beatrice explained. "You know how your necklace is magical? Well that's because it was enchanted. Even though nopony is currently using magic on the necklace itself, it still contains the enchantment, and it will always hold it. But remember the Spatial Awareness spell that you are enchanted with right now only lasts twelve hours, so recast the spell at six o'clock in the morning, and six o'clock in the evening."
"Yes princess. I'll be sure to. Thank you for explaining the spell to me." Everen said politely, treating the princess with the utmost respect, as usual. "And you said the Spatial Awareness spell allows me to know everything that is going on around me at all times, within a thirty-five foot radius, correct?"
"You're quite welcome, and quite right Everen." she chuckled, satisfied with the progress her student has made. "Now, why don't you show me that little trick you've been practicing."
"I do apologize, princess, but I can't show off this trick just yet." he replied, taking a step back.
"Why must you be so persistent in keeping this a secret?" she questioned, irritatedly.
"Because everypony keeps secrets. Not even YOU are immune to that fact." Everen stated.
Beatrice faked offence at this remark. "Well then, you're going to get some severe homework!" she cantered inside her mansion, and came back out wit a green and brown spell book. "You're going to practice earth magic when you get home, pages ten through fifteen."
"I dislike using earth magic." Everen groaned, getting a headache just thinking about his homework now. The last time he used earth magic he dropped a fairly large rock on his head, so he wasn't looking forward to trying that again. He was at least decent with all of the other elemental magics, but earth is his achilles heel.
"Too bad, you're going to practice it. You need to get better at it anyways." Beatrice said, giving him the book. Everen took the book in his magic, not looking forward to getting home.
"So, is there anything else you want me to practice here today?" Everen asked looking for an excuse to stay longer.
"Just a simple summoning." Beatrice answered. "Try summoning Tsunami. She's at your home, right?"
"Yes I left her at home. I'll try to summon her." he said, recalling the runic circle that he used to summon her before, creating a mental image of it in his head. His horn lit up with the tell-tale green glow of his magic. The air began to take on a slightly metallic taste, and wind started encircling the space between Everen and Beatrice. A few seconds passed and then, boom, Tsunami appears in front of Everen.
"Well done my pupil. You didn't even need to draw the circle this time." the alicorn congratulated him. "Next time we'll be summoning something a little more complex, so be ready."
"Yes princess." Everen placed Tsunami on his his back and began to canter back home, levitating the earth magic spell book with him.
As he was making his way home, he happened to spot Lily sobbing at one of the tables at a nearby cafe. Cyrulian was comforting her, a forehoof over her shoulders. She shrugged off his hoof though and continued to cry. The sight of this pained Everen greatly, but he found it hard to look away from the table. When he finally pried his eyes off of them, he turned away and sped up his pace, wanting to get home faster. Suddenly earth magic didn't seem so bad. In his haste to get home, Everen ran into a purple earth pony.
"Oh, I'm so sorry miss. I wasn't paying attention." he apologized, helping her up.
"It's okay. At least with you it was an accident." she said, rubbing her forehead. "Most ponies run into me on purpose and then blame me, because they think it's funny."
"Why would they blame yo-..." Everen trailed off, noticing her bright yellow eyes. She was blind. "Oh, I see. I'd say I'm sorry, but I'd wager you get that all the time and would prefer not to hear it at all."
"You're pretty sharp there. I am tired of hearing that, it's not like this condition is holding me back. I still get around as well as anypony else does." she responded, blowing a lock of lavender hair out of her face.
"I don't doubt it. I really do need to get home though. I'll talk to you if we run into each other again. Sound good?" he offered.
"I don't think we'll meet again for quite some time. But I would love to talk to you again. Thank you." she said, cryptically.
"I'll be sure to look for you in a crowd." Everen assured her. "We will meet again, count on it."
Everen cantered past her, getting back on track to get home. "Oh I didn't catch your name by th-..." he turned around to see that the pony had disappeared, not leaving a trace. "Where'd she go?" Everen looked left and right, but saw no sign of where she went.
Everen turned around hesitantly and kept on walking home. When he got to his front gate Blaze was sitting on the front porch, calm as ever. Frost was running all over apparently looking for something.
She spotted Everen and galloped over to him immediately. "Everen do you have Tsui?" her voice was full of worry and concern.
"Yeah she's right here." he said, turning to the side and revealing the pink-eyed dragon.
"Oh good." she sighed with relief. "We thought she'd been dragon-napped."
"No, Frost, only you thought that. I thought I was a training exercise with Everen and the princess." Blaze corrected his wife.
She glared back at Blaze and huffed. Everen chuckled at the stark contrast between his parents, wondering how it was possible for them to fall in love. He trotted through the gate, giving his mother Tsunami as he headed for the backyard.
"What's your homework today son?" Blaze inquired, a knowing look on his face.
"Earth magic." Everen moaned.
"You still keeping something from the princess?" Blaze asked.
"Yes. And you're not going to figure it out either." Everen stared at his father, looking determined.
"Will I ever know?"
"Not if I can help it." Everen responded adamantly.
He moved to the back yard and opened the spell book to page ten. After reading the spell on the page, he set the book down a safe distance away and proceeded to channel his magic, planting his hooves firmly on the ground. He loosened the soil in the back yard greatly, and then reared on his hind legs and stomped his forehooves into the earth. Upon impact he splashed a good deal of mud on his face and chest. Then a small cloud of dust arose in the yard.
"Well that was impressive." said a voice from the back porch.
"It was supposed to engulf the whole vicinity in dust." Everen retorted, wiping the mud out of his eyes. "Wait a minute, that voice." He turned around to see Ivory standing there, watching Everen. "What're you doing here uncle Ivory?" Everen chuckled nervously.
"Just checking up on my favorite nephew." Ivory replied. "You do know the principle of earth, right?"
"The book says you have to be like a mountain; an immovable object." Everen answered bitterly. "But that advice isn't helping."
"Because that' not the REAL principle of earth. It's patience, the mountains stand there, waiting for days, years, centuries. They don't move yes, but rock slides occur, cave in's happen, the mountain can kill you if you're not careful. But for any of this to happen, some outside force must disturb the mountain to make it so. The mountain waits for you to make a move, then it strikes." Ivory walked down into the yard and stood across from Everen. "Throw a rock at me."
"What?" Everen was not expecting his uncle to be an expert on earth magic. It just didn't seem like him.
"Throw a rock at me. I'll show you true earth magic." his horn took on the cyan aura of his magic.
"Okay." Everen said, disinclined. He picked up a baseball sized stone and launched it full force at Ivory. The white unicorn then created two triangular shaped slabs of granite in front of him, each about nine inches thick. The thrown rock exploded against the barrier, which was then propelled towards Everen. He summoned his energy shield as protection, the slab hit the shield and just stopped, not a crack on it's surface.
"I see you rely on your shield when things get rough. But I will teach you how to properly use earth magic. Just let me know whenever you have earth homework." Ivory offered, returning the granite slabs into the ground.
"That, was, AMAZING! I never knew you were so amazing with earth magic. It'd be my honor if you'd mentor me. Thank you greatly uncle Ivory." Everen shouted excitedly, happy to have such a skilled unicorn to teach him earth magic.
"Alright then. Try that spell again, but this time, try with a little more patience." he said, stepping back onto the porch.
"Alright." Everen said. He lit his horn up, and he began loosening the soil again. He waited a few more seconds, then he reared up and stomped the ground again. A titanic cloud of dust engulfed the entire backyard, even going a bit beyond the fence.
"That's much better Everen!" Ivory cheered, moving away from the dust, not wanting to get his tie dirty. "Do you need any more help today?"
"No I only need to do one spell per day." Everen explained, moving out of the cloud. "Ii I need your help again I'll let you know post haste though."
"See that you do." Ivory said, hugging his nephew before heading back home.
When Ivory had gone, Everen suddenly got the feeling he was being watched. He turned around swiftly, but saw nothing out of the ordinary. Except a shadow coming from a tree on the other side of the fence. A shadow that seemed just a bit too deep. He stared at it for a few seconds before approaching it cautiously, not taking his eyes off it. When he reached the shadow he placed a forehoof on it and his hoof disappeared into the blackness. Everen gasped and removed his forehoof. Then the shadow vanished. Everen looked around for it, but saw nothing. The shadow was gone.
"What have you to report?" the Cyan alicorn asked. Beatrice was standing in her garden courtyard, looking up at the stars.
"His uncle is very adept at earth magic, and will be mentoring him in the ways of the mountain. I predict that the colt will become very skilled with earth magic." said the deep voice from the shadows.
"He has broken his relationship with the female earth pony in order to protect her from the dangerous life he is sure to have. And he has ceased all interaction with his friends, partially to protect them as well, but mostly because he doesn't want to have to explain his actions. He fears they may take it the wrong way." came the mares voice.
"The shield is chipping away at our anti-detection magic. Paired with the Spatial Awareness enchantment, he's already discovered us. He does not yet know what we are, but if we continue to observe him, he'll find us out within days." said the child-like voice. "We'll need to keep a greater distance from him if we wish to stay a secret."
"Then do so. Keep your distance, but keep an eye on him. We must see him grow up." Beatrice instructed, her amber eyes open and alert. "Keep a little side watch on the dragon too, I'd like to know how Everen raises her."
"As you wish princess." the three voices said together. A shadow dissolved from the garden.
"Well, Everen. It seems you're getting a bit too wary. It can't be helped now though." Beatrice said, her white mane practically glowing in the moonlight. "Where are you headed now young stallion?"
Authors Note:
I realize this chapter is shorter than the rest, but this chapter is just a wrap-up for Everen's chapter and the ones before it were the build-up to the real adventure. Which will begin next chapter. The next chapter will be the first to include canon characters, so please tell me if you believe I did them justice.
I enjoy the positive feedback I've been getting, it's helped me to continue my story. But I would appreciate some constructive criticism. I'm writing this to improve upon my writing skills, and I can't do that if I don't know the problems with my story now. And if any of you cried, or even just felt sad when Everen broke up with Lily, let me know. If I can make people feel emotion through my story, that would mean the world to me.