Heir of the Nightmare

Chapter 20: The Last Lesson

Luna

The arch before them was of a simple design. Smooth stones cemented together with the large keystone at the top holding the whole structure together. There were no runes, no glyphs, no ancient hieroglyphs that might reveal the true nature of it purpose. The only outstanding detail that could be found was the single word etched plainly into the keystone.

Cadenza peered up at the keystone and read it aloud. "Magister?"

"It means 'teacher' in the old language used by ponies in the time before Equestria." Luna explained.

Cadenza looked down from the keystone and looked through the arch. "So we walk through it, and it takes us to somewhere or someone who knows where Twilight is?"

"Perhaps." Luna semi-agreed. "But this is Magic we're dealing with, so this is more than likely to be a trial to prove our worthiness. Magic has always been dramatic like that."

Cadenza glanced at her with a question burning in her eyes. "You speak of Magic as if it had a mind of its own."

Luna sighed a little, her memory turning towards old theories and arguments she had had with Celestia in ages past over the true nature of the elements. "It does and it does not. The Elements of Harmony are really a mystery inside a mystery inside a bottomless abyss. With every answer I give you, ten more questions will take its place. It was the same way when we first found the tree."

"Tree?" Cadenza asked, clearly desiring a concrete answer.

Luna paused and glanced at her, considering how much to tell her reluctant ally. After all, their alliance had a definite end date.

In the end though, Luna concluded that informing Cadenza of the facts outweighed the risk of Cadenza using that knowledge against her later. Since Magic was both their adversary at the moment in their quest to heal Twilight, having an informed Cadenza versus an ignorant one would be better.

Besides that, Cadenza might have something worthwhile to contribute instead of being a constant source of questions.

"The tree of which I speak of is no ordinary tree.It is a tree of legendary power and not the only one of its kind. Throughout history and even beyond it, there have been many trees whose fruit surpasses all logical thought and defies the laws of science. This particular tree is the Tree of Harmony, and its fruit is the Elements of Harmony; Laughter, Kindness, Honesty, Generosity, Loyalty, and Magic."

Cadenza's ears snapped forward in rapt attention. "Elements of Harmony. Twilight told me and Shining about how she and her five friends went into the Everfree forest to an old castle and found them." Cadenza assessed Luna from the corner of her eye. "She told me how she believed these Elements could defeat you. Should have defeated you."

Luna smiled and allowed some pride to enter her voice. "I have been bested by them once, when Celestia used them against me when she herself couldn't defeat me. I refused to be beaten the same way twice. When Twilight attacked me with the Elements I found a way to deceive the them and escape their wrath." Luna glanced up at the moon and the mare upon it and shuddered before looking away. "I will not be imprisoned again."

"So Twilight has the Element of Magic." Cadenza nodded. "And it's...what? Defending her? Protecting her?"

"Being stubborn probably." Luna dismissed. "Magic is the most prideful of the Elements. It does not like being denied or outsmarted."

"Why is that?"

"Unlike the others, which are individual traits of Harmony, Magic is the combination of the other five and therefore the most powerful. In a sense, Magic is representation of the Tree of Harmony itself among the Elements. However, Magic has a great weakness. If it is separated from the other five, it will become almost powerless. To be fair, it would still be powerful, but not enough to impede us seriously. All it can do now is throw illusions at us."