Keeping Locks (ATTN: Daedalus)

[SteelEagle]

 

Twilight could feel the air around her shimmer and crack with every movement of her horn, a bright sparkling sword cutting through the aetheral plane with catastrophic ease. It took only the barest thought or effort for Twilight to do what took immense calculation and thought for others but even then, what she was attempting to do now was risky. Teleportation of self was easy. She was the world's first and foremost expert on teleportation and the aetheral inflection that came with the aural dispersion related to the transportation and arrangement of the aether bubble that they used to travel. Teleportation was not necessarily a pony vanishing and appearing in another place. It was more like a wormhole through the aether that they traveled safely in a ball, appearing wherever the tunnel ended. Depending on the power of the unicorn using the spell one could teleport a few inches away or a few miles. Some were capable of slightly faster travel- measured in fractions of a nanosecond which actually had an impact on immediate post teleportation health- and some of slightly longer distance, but they were utterly devoted to the craft.

 

Nopony did it as nonchalantly as Twilight and she was at the very tip of the spear in both other categories. She was also without peer in the art of symbology related to magic. Infused with the power of a unicorn, symbols could be etched on the ground or in the air dependent on the spell to amplify or change the effects of aetheral inflections. In this case, Twilight had placed a symbol in a back alley in a city far, far away from Ponyville. It would be invisible to all except a pony who had been given one of her enchanted medallions. Once a pony with a medallion stood on the symbol, it would light up- as would the symbol in her inner chamber. She would know that her agent had passed his first test by being where she needed him to be at the time she needed him to be there. Once he was there, Twilight would cast her teleportation spell through the symbol, pulling him from that spot to her inner chamber as easily as she had cast any teleportation spell in the past. It was more or less safe.

 

The only thing that could cause issues would be distraction, but she had seen to it that she was safe in that regard. She had constructed her hidden complex connected to her private library for just that reason. Nopony- no, not even her number one assistant or friends- knew of it. It was beyond soundproof- it was aetherproof. There existed no windows or entrances, another pair of symbols for entrance and exit via teleportation. Only Twilight could go from the castle to this spot. There would be others who could get into this room, but they would not be able to enter her castle proper. This space was neither here nor there. Secret and hidden for secret and hidden things. Two store rooms with various charms and hexes to supplement her spells to keep dark magic and relics stored at bay. A fortified laboratory. A fortified library, a small store room with tables. This was a purpose built location and Twilight made sure it did its one job well.

Ever since she had become a Princess, Twilight had sent teams of the Royal Guard to hunt down magical relics and other lost magic. She had been met with some success, but quickly she realized the scope of the problem. Equestria was an old nation in an older world that had always been magical. Very ancient relics of artificial magical power dotted the world in revolving patches of history. Before the Magic of Friendship and the Elements of Harmony, magical societies used the power of technology to enhance magical power. Ancient relics hummed with unbridled fury, enchantment so advanced back then that a simple piece of wing armor could become a weapon of mass dominance when used by a ruthless pegasi king.

So others would build their own relics. Societies would arm themselves with magical weapons. Powerful creatures would wield powerful, landscape altering designs. It was not the windigos who came closest to erasing ponykind, it was the ancient ponies themselves before the three tribes who waged war amongst themselves with powerful artifacts. Many were lost and forgotten about but the fact is that a magical artifact rarely lost its potency because of time. How many powerful pieces of dark magic littered the world? Two thousand? Five? Ten? The number was certainly high. High enough that Twilight considered it the single greatest threat to the future of the ponies. Celestia, alone at rule, was incapable due to time to hunt them down. Twilight Sparkle had no such reservations and committed herself to hunting down and neutralizing such magic wherever it could be found.

She had at her hooves vast resources for the task at hoof, but instead went with something more subtle. Perhaps the only reason such relics had not already come to crash against Equestria was because so few were aware of the extent of their employment and those who wished ill upon Equestria did not yet grasp the full picture. But it seemed as if every year brought a new terror from the past. More eyes were being cast back. Eventually, there would be a general realization and a mad dash. Equestria would be torn apart more so by those who wished well but did not understand the dark arts as much as by true foes. Once that happened, there would be nothing- nothing- she could do. Instead of waiting and reacting, Twilight instead decided to be proactive.

She formed a secret organization so secret it existed only in her hidden complex. So secret that the other Princesses had no idea it existed. So secret there would be no official documentation. Small and skilled, less so in combat and more so in their knowledge of dark arts. If they did run into a situation that demanded a more militaristic approach, Task Force Suntrot and EPIC would respond to a small series of codewords Twilight would give her agents. Their job: Find dark magic relics and tomes and retrieve them for Twilight. She had three ponies as members, all of whom seemed to have a knack for the dramatic as they stood in the darkened balcony on the second floor of the library, overlooking the small landing with some chairs and book cases that surrounding the symbol. Speaking of, that symbol lit up. Good.

Twilight cast her spell. A few moments later, a flash of light and he was here. Good. Good. “Welcome, Daedalus.”

[Dio]

To say that Daedalus of House Sarconyx was difficult to find was not untrue.  Though to say that it was the product of due diligence and a desire to remain undiscovered would be just as untrue.  Instead, he often found himself traveling, with gear and belongings constantly in transit and no permanent residence to truly call home.  Not that it mattered.  With enough bits coming in from various jobs and a sterling line of credit owing to the Sarconyx family lineage, Daedalus had just about everything he needed even while on the road.

 

His jobs came from a variety of places; nobles and commoner, rich and poor, mundane and extraordinary.  Thus it was not unusual for him to arrive at an inn in Saraneighvo only to be greeted by the concierge with some mail for him.  However, unlike the others, this one was presented in a seemingly plain unmarked envelope.  Given that most contracts were presented with some fanfare or at the very least, a maker’s mark, this one presented piqued his curiosity.  A hunch told him that perhaps the lobby was not the best place to open it.

 

Trotting into his hotel room, Daedalus closed the door and secured the physical lock.  He placed the letter on the desk, noting that it seemed to not make a single sound when dropped, nor could he ascertain its contents by physically feeling it.  There was definitely a magical ward set upon it.  Even more curious.  Who could possibly go through all the trouble of disguising a letter to him and sealing it with magic?  Daedalus was set on finding out.

 

******

 

The letter was not so much a letter as a set of simple instructions and a pressed platinum medallion bearing a symbol Daedalus did not immediately recognize.  A gift perhaps?  An ancient artifact as a token of good faith?  Whatever it was, he had arrived at the appointed location at the appointed time, a closed alleyway at dusk.  If the graphic novels were to be believed, this could end only in murder or pornography.  Daedalus actually preferred neither right now, as snub was not his genre of choice.

 

Much to his relief, it was instead the opening of a teleportation circle that greeted him.  There it was, safe and well-understood spells.  Whoever it was very clearly wanted to keep him alive, otherwise they very well could have eliminated him at the hotel prior.  Or the letter could very well have been a bomb.  But since neither was the case, Daedalus was not afraid of being killed outright.  The question of who had sent the letter, however was still in the air.  There was one way to find out.

 

Daedalus stepped into the ring.

 

The flash of light was expected.  The strange sensation of vertigo as he was flung through the aether was also expected.  Even the windowless room into which he re-entered the material world was expected.  Rich ponies loved saferooms.  Even more so if they involved unreachable chambers, unreachable except through the aether that is.

 

The one thing he did not expect was to be face to face with the Princess of Friendship.  Ever one to keep his composure, Daedalus immediately bowed in deference.  Still, the thoughts raced through his head.  Why would the Princess summon him?  Did this mean trouble?  Was this on Equestrian or Maretonian business?  Was this business at all?  Was this Princess Twilight’s personal dungeon for personal things?

 

“Princess Twilight!” he said, head still bowed.  “I did not expect you to be the one who summoned me.  To what do I owe the honor?”

[SteelEagle]

 

“You will soon now why I have chosen you. Just know, it is an honor to meet you as well. Somepony with your knowledge is almost as rare as a Princess,” Twilight replied matter of factly as several candles lit, creating a lighted path up one of the stairs. One of the three Keepers closest to the light teleported away from it in a dark purple mist. Twilight walked up the staircase as the light fluttered out in front of her, lighting the path as she walked. “It is very troubling the extent I have to go to in order to find a pony with your qualifications!I guess it can't be helped. The magic of friendship doesn't really leave a lot of space for the training and understanding of the darker arts,” Twilight stated resolutely as she finished her trot in the middle of the main library foyer. She nodded back at the three, two of whom vanished, leaving behind a blue and black trail behind them.

“I am going to be direct with you. Our world is in danger, but the danger is ancient and subtle. The dark arts, black magic, have always been known to Equestrians but I see a much graver threat than I have ever believed possible coming from a subsection of it. Princess Celestia saw it but could do little for eons and as old threats emerge, old dangerous come along. Only a few ponies understand what lies in the past- and right now, only four ponies know the full extent of the threat, and what it could mean for the future. All four are in this facility at the moment. All four...and you, of course. I have read everything there is to know abou you and I am intrigued by your knowledge, but we still need something more.

“I have some items for you to examine. I have them behind wards, but you should be able to investigate them as long as you do not read or use them,” she spoke quickly as her horn flashed. In front of her several items popped into existence. One was a series of four stones, each one vibrating with archaic energy behind aetheral locks. The second was a book, the cover of which was constantly shifting to new words and images. The pages inside seemed to change size and drip different liquids. The third was a blue medallion shaped much like Twilight's, except broken and leaking a black aura. The fourth was a dagger that phased in and out of existence, each time it phased in a different hoof was holding it.

“I don't expect you to know all four, but do you know anything about any of them?” Twilight asked, her voice cautiously optimistic. She knew everything there was to know about the Enchanting Stones of Flamme Island, the Tome of Forbidden Thoughts, the Blackwater Medallion, and the Doomsoaker. The important thing to understand was that all four had been recovered by her agents, all four were active, and all four were thankfully contained within her wards. The question was not could he stop them, but did he know them- she needed her Keepers to be thinkers and investigators, knowledge their greatest weapon. Hopefully he could pass this test so she could move on to the important elements of today's meeting.

[Dio]

“You will soon know why I have chosen you. Just know, it is an honor to meet you as well. Somepony with your knowledge is almost as rare as a Princess,” Twilight replied matter of factly as several candles lit, creating a lighted path up one of the stairs. One of the three Keepers closest to the light teleported away from it in a dark purple mist. Twilight walked up the staircase as the light fluttered out in front of her, lighting the path as she walked. “It is very troubling the extent I have to go to in order to find a pony with your qualifications!I guess it can't be helped. The magic of friendship doesn't really leave a lot of space for the training and understanding of the darker arts,” Twilight stated resolutely as she finished her trot in the middle of the main library foyer. She nodded back at the three, two of whom vanished, leaving behind a blue and black trail behind them.

 

 

Daedalus had seen pictures of Princess Twilight and read the interviews in the papers with great curiosity.  After all, it wasn’t every day that a new alicorn arose.  The circumstances around the tale were even more curious, especially to a researcher of the dark arts like Daedalus.  He filed the thought away for later.  There were more pressing issues at hoof.

 

There were others accompanying them, but Daedalus hardly got a good look at them before they had vanished into the aether.  Apparently Twilight’s private vault was quite the hub of arcane activity with her agents coming and going as they did.  The Princess wasted little time on introductions or fanfare, instead going straight to business.  She started up the stairs out of the reception room, a stairwell lit by the cold, smokeless flames on floating aethereal candles.

 

“I’ll admit that I am not always easy to get a hold of,” he said.  “My work takes me all over the world and my clients hail from as far away as Aquellia and Saddle Arabia.  That said, I make no effort to hide myself.  I just never expected to draw the eye of the Princess.”

 

“I am going to be direct with you. Our world is in danger, but the danger is ancient and subtle. The dark arts, black magic, have always been known to Equestrians but I see a much graver threat than I have ever believed possible coming from a subsection of it. Princess Celestia saw it but could do little for eons and as old threats emerge, old dangerous come along. Only a few ponies understand what lies in the past- and right now, only four ponies know the full extent of the threat, and what it could mean for the future. All four are in this facility at the moment. All four...and you, of course. I have read everything there is to know about you and I am intrigued by your knowledge, but we still need something more.

 

 

 

Daedalus was not expecting hors d'oeuvres and champagne, but his clients were usually ones to do entertaining while talking business.  It appeared that when Twilight talked business, she was all business.  Which, to be fair, was actually refreshing.  Dealing with international politics and obscure customs was something Daedalus could happily eschew with for the moment.

 

 

“I have some items for you to examine. I have them behind wards, but you should be able to investigate them as long as you do not read or use them,” she spoke quickly as her horn flashed... “I don't expect you to know all four, but do you know anything about any of them?”

 

 

 

“I wasn’t quite expecting the interview to involve handling live artifacts,” he quipped.  “But I will most certainly take a look.”

 

Daedalus lit his horn, the subtle blue of his usual aura shifting to a deep purple.  His eyes glowed green and soon tongues of what appeared to be purple flames rimmed the edges.  It was a failsafe he used when examining artifacts, especially those of great magical potential. He was sure that Twilight already knew all about aetherokinetic shunt channels for aura discharge dispersion, so he did not bother to explain. Suffice to say that it would provide extra insurance against an attempt at possession or assault from the aether.

 

He first picked up the four stones.  In the glow of his dark aura, they rotated and shifted, giving him a good look from every conceivable angle.  They were roughly hewn, as if chiseled out of a natural formation with crude tools with no attention to detail or polish. Daedalus could both feel and hear a faint thrumming that came from within each stone, a pulsing warmth that synced perfectly with the rise and fall in intensity of their visual glow.

 

"This is quite ancient.  I dare say you've got a very well preserved set of Forma Stones, or as Equestrian scholars would probably recognize them, The Enchanting Stones of Flamme Island.  They are of course, merely one set of many, each with different names depending on their final resting place.  I did a cursory study on a set of these a couple years ago and traced the origin back to the Megiddo Basin in northern Aquellia.  Forma stones are made from meteorite fragments which, coincidentally, happen to be great sinks for aether encapsulation, thus making them very desirable for anypony wishing to create aetheric foci.  This particular set appears to be enchanted with elemental fire, as their name suggests.  Great for artificing sunstones for cold climes and hardlight armor kits, but also good for burning things down in the wrong hooves.”

 

For the book, Daedalus closed his eyes, reaching out tendrils of dark aether to gently inspect it.  The flashing text and images were of course illusory.  Behind the seemingly innocuous illustrations were glyphs etched in aether, bound to the book through some arcane ritual.  Daedalus recognized the first set of hidden glyphs as the header to a geas spell.  Perhaps a present for its unwitting recipient?

 

“Tome of Forbidden Thoughts.  Looks to be a Fourth Generation type.  Opening it would be a bad idea, as it’s been coded with a geas that will trigger upon reading.  Whoever crafted it was quite clever concealing it beneath a shifting image holograph.  Given the time it dates from, it could very well have been a fanciful travel gift for an unsuspecting regent.  Spell strength and header status suggests that it has been triggered at least once.  Hopefully it wasn’t anyone you knew…”

 

The medallion was a bit of a conundrum.  Daedalus retrieved his own issued medallion from one of his saddle pouches and took a closer look at it, arcane failsafes still in place.  A comparison between the two revealed that they were essentially the same, save for coloration.  The glyph they bore was identical, the finish was nearly identical save for the lack of platinum coat, and the size and apparent weight were identical as well.  However, to his aetheric senses, the broken medallion was noticeably cold to the touch, whereas the platinum one responded to body temperature.

 

The mercenary mage pursed his lips.  There wasn’t much he could say about it, seeing as its design was far more contemporary than any of the other artifacts.  Suddenly, something jumped out at him.  The edges of the broken line were smooth, as if whatever had broken the coin had been heated hot enough to melt the metal.  It also showed signs of corrosion, more than likely from salt water.  The black smoke was a little easier to identify.  It was not endemic to the coin itself, rather the coin served as the focus for a weakness in the manifold between the material and aethereal realms.  The blackness was wisps of chaotic aether dispersing into real space, leaving an unnatural chill on the broken metal.

 

“No idea what to call this other than ‘older than the one you gave me and younger than the other artifacts I’ve examined.’  I can’t tell you much about its history, but I can tell you about what caused it to become the way it is.  See those smooth bits?  That’s heat damage.  The metal actually melted before it was torn in half.  The crustiness around the rim of the coin suggests saltwater immersion, so I would say this was likely found underwater, in the sea specifically.  As for the smoke.  Well.  Looks like you’ve got a bit of raw aether leaking in.  There’s a hole in the Fold that’s bound itself to the body of the coin.  That’s kind of a problem.  I’m not questioning your ability to set up wards, but I would see about proper disposal of that ASAP.  The best I can say is that it was probably hit by a magic bolt, a likely reinforced with dark magic, and was lost overboard on a ship or in harbor.”

 

The dagger was designed with a distinct falcon motif, with the falcon’s head as its handle and wings as the hilt.  The blade was etched with feather-like carvings, each one hoof stamped with various glyphs, each one likely painstakingly enchanted to power the weapon.  The design was Saddle Arabian in origin, as evidenced by its stylings, but the enchantment was most definitely Maretonian.  Daedalus’ lip curled in disdain ever so slightly at the realization.  Were artifacts like this what kept nobles in Kastrot in power behind the scenes?  He wouldn’t put it past them.  None of them truly knew what they dabbled into, did they?  Or perhaps they did and dove in regardless?  Daedalus took a deep breath and refocused on the task at hand.

 

“Doomsaker, low serial maker’s mark, so you lucked out with getting your hooves on one of these before it had gotten too strong.  They’re very difficult to find and very valuable on the black and grey markets.  Saddle Arabian design, but Maretonian make.  If I had to guess, it would be from House Invictus in Kastrot.  Don’t quote me on that, though.  It’s a clever, if bombastic weapon.  Adamantite coated edge, aetherium blade core to hold enchantments, and a mithril chassis for light weight and concealability.  The cleverness, however, lies in the fact that the blade lies partially outside space-time, residing instead in the the aethereal realm.  Whenever you strike, you are literally striking with the strength of every other person who has ever spilled blood with the weapon, up to a limit.  These things show up as heirlooms occasionally, but are usually kept out of the public eye.  The heirloom Doomsakers are even deadlier than the standard ones, as they have no theoretical limit, but I can’t recall the last time I’ve ever seen one close enough to evaluate it…”

 

Daedalus released the dagger from his aura, returning it to Twilight.  “That kind of power comes at a price.  They’ll literally take years off your life, even with just one use.”

 

With the artifacts returned, Daedalus dispelled the failsafe.  His eyes returned to their familiar blue and his aura softened to its previous color.  His voice returned to its usual chipper timbre.

 

“That’s about all I can give you without access to proper research facilities.  I trust that you’ll find my recitations satisfactory.”

 

Of course, there was something else.  If Twilight had truly read every possible document that existed of him, she would know what he knew.  Why then, was it necessary for her to question him directly?  Why did they not go directly to drawing up the contract?  Certainly she must have come by his name through a trusted contact?

 

Putting his thoughts to words, Daedalus met the Princess’ eyes.  “I’ll be blunt.  You already know what I know, if you’ve truly done your homework.  You didn’t just invite me to tickle your technical fancy, did you?  Is there something in particular you’d like to ask me?”

[SteelEagle]

 

Very impressive work by Daedalus, his research and experience doing well by his reputation. He was only wrong where his knowledge would have been impossible to have been fortified further. You couldn't fault him for those mistakes because she was partially responsible for ensuring it, as were the factors of the past few years. One by one he spoke at length about them until he was finished and Twilight nodded.
“There is something particular I would like to ask but I need to be sure you understand what exactly is going on. As for these particular items- you are almost entirely correct. A few small tidbits before we move on, mostly just for my own sake. The Forma Stones are indeed rather common, and when properly maintained, were useful in giving their enchantments to hundreds of items before they were used up. This allowed whole armies to be enchanted before battle. It is also neither Aquellian or Maretonia in design- it is pre-Maretonia. You were correct about the Tome, except it has no generation attached to it- it is also pre-Maretonian. The medallion, pre-Maretonian. Doomsaker, one of the 'newer' ones by serial, but the Saddle Arabian design and Maretonian enchantment? Neither fixture can be found codified in any text once you break it upon with an aetheral artefacting corrosion and application spell. It is also pre-Maretonian. All of these designs are from the pre-Maretonian cultures of ancient ponies.”

“We live in different world from the ancient ponies. Long before the three tribes formed, pony nations and cities rose and fell. Some had no barriers except borders. Others based their societies on color or species. Regardless, the friendship of magic was unknown to them. Because of that, they had to push themselves further than current pony societies do. They reached a level of technology we cannot reach- but more importantly to this discussion, they reached heights in certain magical branches due to necessity that we cannot. I...well, I try to remind myself that they lived different lives and I shouldn't judge them, but it can be hard to do so when I look at the weapons they built,” Twilight breathlessly explained, her voice giving in at the end. It was true. Lost histories displayed societies that took on every stripe and flew many flags for many causes using technology modern ponies were just now starting to understand.

“Point being, they were far more in tune with dark magic than we are. In the absence of the magic of friendship, technology promised better methods and black magic promised the power with which to use them. So they did the unthinkable- they made dark pacts, used blood magic, and did whatever they had to do to survive. The result is what you see before you and what is scattered across the world. Ancient and powerful relics of lost worlds, greater in sheer strength and power than anything that we can create today,” Twilight added as she allowed the relics they had been observing before to pop one by one out of existence.

Twilight brought out mystical pages filled with unending lists of items and locations as a map came to life between them humming with life as dots appeared across it, “what you see is what my crystal augurs can show me. Green dots are ancient relics that have been purified over time of their dark magic or have been used and spent. They are safe. Blue dots are inert- the key to their activation is gone or they were used and spent, but some of their potency remains. Yellow dots represent relics that hum with power and are unknown in most other aspects. Red dots-” as each one appeared it was highlighted, “are dangerous relics that we know about. They represent a maximum threat to the world

Many relics are green and blue. While they are better served protected, look at the yellows and especially the reds- and note how we're discovering relics as a whole at a breakneck pace. This is the threat: There are getting to be too many potentially dangerous relics to keep track of. That would be bad enough, but at least we could solve that easily. We have the ability to recover a great many of them by just using our armed forces and diplomatic corp. But there are many groups or individuals in this world who would see such an act and seek these relics out before who were previously ignorant of them. We could not hope to retrieve them all before some of them could be captured and used against us. The results would be...” Twilight shook her head as the map and lists vanished, replaced instead by the room lighting up. Oddly enough, they were the only ones there, the others apparently missing.

“So I have formed a small group that answers only to me. Yes, I know how that sounds. I would love to tell the other Princesses but I fear that once word gets outside of this very room other forces may move to find these relics. This group answers only to me and only I know them. You are standing in my castle- well I mean technically you are and you aren't, you're more standing in a slice of hyper-realistic aether space shrunk down into the size of a cube that is attached to the masonry of my bathroom- and it is also the headquarters of this group. The goal: find as many relics and artifacts infused with black magic, dark magic, the black/dark arts- whatever you want to call it- as possible. Pull them back here so I may either purify it, neutralize it...or destroy it. Daedalus, I seek out ponies not for their combat ability or brawling capacity, but for their spellcasting and knowledge. You fit the bill- and I am offering you a position as a member of the Keepers. Do you accept?”

[Dio]

It was easy to tell that Twilight was very different from Daedalus' past clients.  Despite her title, the sanctimony and extravagance of noble birth was nowhere to be found.  She dressed simply, spoke with a candidness usually unheard of from the upper class, and focused herself on the task rather than her own edification.  It was additionally reflected in how she chose to set up her working spaces.  The great expense of the vault was masked by its spartan furnishing and clean industrial design.  Perhaps this was far more reflective of the architect's personal thoughts than she would say in so many words.

 

Daedalus continued to observe while Twilight exposited further on the artifacts.  He was less concerned with whether he was empirically correct than with how Twilight chose to correct him.  She was clearly vested in being right, but not for the sake of being more right than him, but to ensure that the unadulterated truth was passed on.  That in and of itself had a particular charm all its own.

 

His ears perked up at the last bit.  Pre-Maretonian?  Were the books he read wrong then?  How far down did this rabbit hole go?  Twilight continued.  Blood magic.  Dark pacts with creatures from the beyond.  Trans-aethereal weapons like the Doomsaker.  Yes, the past was far darker than the present, but its legacy endured even today.

 

Daedalus diligently studied the map that Twilight brought in.  It was no surprise that many relics were long lost, some buried right under Equestrian or Aquellian noses without anypony knowing it.  What was surprising was the sheer number of artifacts that the reports had uncovered.  The princess must have had her agents working around the clock to compile this quantity of information.

 

Many relics are green and blue. While they are better served protected, look at the yellows and especially the reds- and note how we're discovering relics as a whole at a breakneck pace. This is the threat: There are getting to be too many potentially dangerous relics to keep track of. That would be bad enough, but at least we could solve that easily. We have the ability to recover a great many of them by just using our armed forces and diplomatic corp. But there are many groups or individuals in this world who would see such an act and seek these relics out before who were previously ignorant of them. We could not hope to retrieve them all before some of them could be captured and used against us. The results would be...” Twilight shook her head as the map and lists vanished, replaced instead by the room lighting up. Oddly enough, they were the only ones there, the others apparently missing.

 

 

“... catastrophic.” Daedalus finished.

 

Ah yes, the old quandary had surfaced again.  Equestria was of course a peaceful nation.  It was nothing like the backstabbing politics of Maretonia or the harsh social and political climes of Aquellia.  Most ponies would never think of hurting another being.  But there were always a few bad apples in the bunch, whether it be through ignorance or malice.  Those were the dangerous ones.

 

 

“So I have formed a small group that answers only to me. Yes, I know how that sounds. I would love to tell the other Princesses but I fear that once word gets outside of this very room other forces may move to find these relics. This group answers only to me and only I know them. You are standing in my castle- well I mean technically you are and you aren't, you're more standing in a slice of hyper-realistic aether space shrunk down into the size of a cube that is attached to the masonry of my bathroom- and it is also the headquarters of this group. The goal: find as many relics and artifacts infused with black magic, dark magic, the black/dark arts- whatever you want to call it- as possible. Pull them back here so I may either purify it, neutralize it...or destroy it. Daedalus, I seek out ponies not for their combat ability or brawling capacity, but for their spellcasting and knowledge. You fit the bill- and I am offering you a position as a member of the Keepers. Do you accept?”

 

 

 

Daedalus was stone-faced for a moment as he carefully thought out his response.  If there was one thing he could be certain of, it was that Twilight was honest.  He had watched her carefully throughout the meeting and she showed no tells or nervous tics that could indicate he was being deliberately deceived.  In fact, the level of pure genuineness she expressed was shocking.

 

“Ordinarily, this is where I would ask you to draw up a contract which I would then review for legal soundness for the protection of us both.  In case I cannot complete my mission, you would not be held liable for your sponsorship and in case you were unable to pay, I would still be compensated for my time and effort.  But seeing as this appears to be off the books entirely, the normal plan has seen itself fit to be defenstrated.”

 

He supposed that if he could bank on anypony’s honesty, it was the Princess of Friendship.  Without great risk, there could be no great gain.  This could be exactly the kind of break he was looking for.  It wasn’t the first time he’d participated in risky business and it certainly wouldn’t be the last.

 

“You are taking a great risk in making this a black operation, both to yourself and your operatives.  They, nor I, will not be able to protect you if this goes south.  Likewise, you will not be able to leverage resources to retrieve them if they are caught or killed, not to mention the fact that this information will not be shared among the other princesses, something that could potentially come back to bite you in the flank.

 

“That said, I cannot ignore your offer.  My life has been dedicated to the arcane, the taboo, and the extraordinary, and this is a once in a lifetime opportunity.  Consider this a ‘yes.’  All I ask for is sufficient stipend to cover room and board while abroad and authority to conduct research and task local assets.”

[SteelEagle]

 

Twilight was overjoyed at his acceptance. Truth be told she had yet to fail in her recruitment effort, but then again, she targeted only certain types of ponies. They had to be devoted to the ideals of Equestria if not Equestria itself- nationality didn't matter much to her in this endeavor- and they had to be serious minded and intelligent enough to understand the ramifications of the job at hoof. It took intelligence, care, and the ability to understand that you are part of something greater. He understood and would be bound to his word. If he had decided to go in a different direction Twilight had been prepared to use a mind wipe spell. Luckily that would not be needed and they could get on with their day.

“Great!” Twilight exclaimed, a bit of her filly-like glee punching through her relatively spartan attitude so far. The lights in the area sparked to life as the items were snapped back into their secure positions across the chamber. The compound in its entirety could now be seen. They were on the second story, the main section. Book cases abound with some seats for reading and research. On either side of the main room were doors leading to smaller rooms, usually specific cells or storages. In front, flanked by more book cases, were two larger doors. Behind were two half-circle staircases heading down to the landing he had entered at, also flanked by book cases. One Princess, three other ponies, and Daedalus.

“Welcome to the Keep, Daedalus. I was trying to think of a better name for it but this proved accurate enough. As one of the Keepers, you may return here at any time and make use of the majority of its facilities. The only places you are barred from are behind those doors in the front. Best not think about that too much. In order to help you accomplish your mission, we must outfit you appropriately. Follow me, please,” Twilight let the words roll out as she did so, her hooves not making a clicking-clacking sound as they rammed off of what appeared to be solid marble. In just a few moments she approached one of the doors. A hole appeared and she stuck her horn in it. The door glowed deep and vibrant. “Please insert your horn into the hole, please. Every door is sealed against unauthorized access. Once it recognizes you, you won't need to do this again for this door,” Twilight purred. Once he did so, they moved in.

It was bigger inside. Color coded lights fought in the middle- green, yellow, and purple alike. Twilight glided paast the first two and ended in a large purple chamber which was lined with all manner of duplicate items. “Purple is a unique designation. It is a formerly yellow or green item I have been able to rein in and duplicate. As a Keeper, you will have a number of purple artifiacts. First off-” she levitated a ring onto his horn. Within a few moments it glowed and duplicated itself to five rings, each of which grew snug around his horn, before retracting back to the single one, “the Rings of Aether will help you amplify your magical abilities. You will also be able to cast a few specific spells- mapping and sniffing, mostly, to help you locate dark magic as well as the trail its use and touch leaves.”

She levitated over a cloak which seemed to shimmer around him before grabbing on tight to his body, seemingly washing over him and getting into every nook and cranny before growing tighter and tighter...and then vanishing. “Cloak of the Ruined Sea. You may now copy the appearance and voice of anypony you meet as well as ones you construct. This is an entirely different form of transformation than what we can do via illusions and Changelings can do through shape shifting- you will become this pony entirely down to the smallest detail in terms of how you look and feel to others. You will find some limitations in terms of your own experience with your body, but that is because you have the knowledge of it being a fake. As far as the world is concerned, you are your disguise. The length of time this works is dependent on how much power you pour into its effect, but you should probably use some caution. One of my other Keepers put too much power into hers and has been stuck looking like a middle aged donkey for the past few weeks. You do not gain the powers of whatever creature you turn into, even if you look like you do to others,” Twilight touched her horn to his and allowed several dozen fully formed personalities flood momentarily into his mind and then into the cloak, “this is a nice starting roster. You can make tweaks as you please.”

She levitated four small hock circle locks which fit around his hocks and then burst into light momentarily, right before dimming into camouflage. “Together, these are the Locks of Celestia, used by some of her own agents. I have some of my own and have made changes. When all four are on, you will have increased speed, strength, and stamina. Though I'd prefer you to avoid combat, this will give you that option- and if you need to run, easily gives you the ability to outrun everything short of a Wonderbolt. They will also give you slight regenerative capabilities. My addition is simple: You will amplify the aetheral well around you wherever you walk. This will make the aether easier to manipulate, making spell casting easier. What do you think?”

[Dio]

Daedalus flinched at Twilight’s sudden outburst, less from fear than sheer surprise.  The reaction was quickly rectified.  In a way, Twilight's gleeful response was comforting, as it showed she was not merely all work; that there was a real pony under that princess shell.  He couldn’t begin to count the number of times a pleasant face had given way to a less than pleasant disposition once the pageantry of the noble courts was left behind.  Twilight sent the artifacts back to their holding places and finally fully lit the vault.  Daedalus scanned the room, familiarizing himself with the shelving of the books and the layout of the facility floor.  If he was going to be spending a lot of time here, he may well understand where to find everything he needed to do his research.

 

“Welcome to the Keep, Daedalus. I was trying to think of a better name for it but this proved accurate enough. As one of the Keepers, you may return here at any time and make use of the majority of its facilities. The only places you are barred from are behind those doors in the front. Best not think about that too much. In order to help you accomplish your mission, we must outfit you appropriately. Follow me, please,” Twilight let the words roll out as she did so, her hooves not making a clicking-clacking sound as they rammed off of what appeared to be solid marble. In just a few moments she approached one of the doors. A hole appeared and she stuck her horn in it. The door glowed deep and vibrant. “Please insert your horn into the hole, please. Every door is sealed against unauthorized access. Once it recognizes you, you won't need to do this again for this door,” Twilight purred. Once he did so, they moved in.

 

 

The Keepers.  It had a nice ring to it, not unlike the secret organizations in the graphic novels he sometimes purused.  The door, on the other hoof…

 

“Oh you are a cruel mistress indeed, Princess Twilight!” Daedalus chuckled.  “Showing me doors only to tell me I cannot enter!”

 

It was in jest of course; at least marginally.  Curiosity was one of Daedalus’ defining traits.  After all, only the curious and the foolish would dare to dabble into dark magic, and Daedalus was no fool.  He would likely inquire about them later.  Right now it was time to follow the mistress, rather, boss.  After passing through the security gate, they entered what appeared at first to be an artifact storage chamber.  But once Twilight began speaking, it became clear what it actually was: an arcane armory.

 

What happened next was a whirlwind of seasoned spellcasting, fluttering finery, and apparating apparel.  Before he knew it, Daedalus was clad in all sorts of magical regalia while being excitedly lectured by Twilight.  The gear was potent.  Daedalus could feel every addition thrum with magical power before camouflaging itself in his coat.  Finally, Twilight was done.

 

“I half expected a leash and collar to come with this,” Daedalus snarked as he looked over his new threads.

 

“With all due respect, Your Highness, I appreciate your offer of top-end gear, but I prefer to keep things low-key.  Clothes do not a stallion make.  If the time comes where I need it, I will use it, but for now, I believe a keen eye, an ear to the ground, and a nose for staying out of trouble would be far more useful.”

 

As he spoke, he pulled up the sleeve of his jacket, showing the tessellated hexagon pattern of a sleeve tattoo.  He lit his horn, his eyes glowing the same dark aethereal glow as when he activated the protection ward.  The lines of the tattoo began to glow a subtle purple, disappearing as he allowed the spell to dissipate.  He looked to Twilight with a cheeky grin.

 

“Besides, I have a few tricks up my sleeve that I think would better satisfy the need to be subtle.”

[SteelEagle]

 

Twilight couldn't help but smirk at the mention of a leash and collar. He wouldn't have been the first Keeper to be a little unnerved by the amount of gear she had prepared, nor the first to crack jokes at the expense of her over-preparation. She didn't mind it. She knew that compared to others she could be the sort to overburden her charges and agents with information and equipment, but the success rate of her efforts were so alarmingly high that they alone spoke to the quality of her processes so effectively she didn't consider debate vital. When her processes no longer reflected success then she would change. Until then, she would bear her agents' humor with good manner all her own. After all, she had specifically attracted mares and stallions who seemed to operate beyond the veil of good taste. It would be a bit silly to expect them to suddenly grow an agreeable aspect. Besides, sometimes a leash and collar were used.

“Oh, would you want that?” She said with a smirk, that very pair of items cracking into existence nearby. They were behind a yellow lock. “Bet you didn't expect that to actually exist, did you? Hehe. It's an, uhh...interesting item. Yellow because it is up to the user to a large degree what it does. The leash gives the power, whoever wears the collar adapts to the will of the one with the leash. History shows it was made by a Kastrotian Princess from the not entirely too distant past who gave it as a sign of affection to her Acroneighan stallionfriend, a sign of submission. What she didn't understand is that dark magic flowed in her family bloodline and gave it a dark and terrible power. You wear that collar and become whatever the user of the leash desires, think whatever the user wishes you to think.
Literally can be turned into a dog or a cushion or a toy...or be made to think whatever the leash user wants you to think. After just a few uses the collar sets in to the degree that it becomes a permanent change. In the right hooves it can be used to make ponies comfortable with who they are, what they are, by changing them and removing terrible thoughts from their mind. In the wrong? Well...wrong or ignorant hooves are equally bad, and it is the ignorant we are just as worried about. This leash and collar were found in use by a sister on her brother as part of a game. I'm told the brother's change back to a pony from a cat was easy enough, though we were lucky- it was only hours old and nopony seems to care that his tail is that odd,” Twilight laughed nervously, thinking back to that event. Yeah, that had been close.

“It is pretty dangerous. I mean if you want it I can...” Twilight smiled and laughed as he continued on. Yes, at times it could be a bit difficult for her agents to see why she gave them so much, but the leash and collar told a story about how even relatively benign, non-world destroying objects could be abused easily. Each one of her items was not expected to be used all the time but when the chips were down and she needed her agents to perform above and beyond the call of duty, she needed them to meet or exceed her crushingly high standards of success and excellence. “I don't expect or need you to use these items all the time, but they are now a part of you- do not remove them or they break the enchantment that hides them from those who may seek out the signatures they leave. After a day or two they should entirely recede into you, becoming a part of you. At this stage you will have complete control over whether you use them or not- but you still need them. While most of your job will consist of research and problem solving, those who are seeking these artifacts out are ruthless and cruel. You will not be allowed to fail against them and I will not send you out there without giving you the greatest possible chance at victory,” Twilight stated just before he went ahead and showed a sleeve tattoo, the response of his horn telling her he indeed had something up his sleeve- and it wasn't just a play on words.

“Haha, I like that! Something up your sleeve. Sleeve tattoo. Clever word play!” Twilight laughed hiding her mouth with her hoof out of habit. “Only a minor aetheral flow so the magic lays mostly in the sleeve tattoo, feeding off of your own aura and allowing you to cast harder spells faster. Very nice! I once considered using symbology on myself but Celestia refused to teach me since it could possibly have harmed my relationships with other students. Well, I guess looking back she was right! In any case, don't worry. I recruited you for a reason. I trust you to be able to handle yourself and to do your job superbly with or without my help, but I care about you like I care about anypony I am sending in harm's way. Speaking of harm's way- I'm hungry, are you?” Twilight asked, her stomach roaring suddenly.    

[Dio]

“It is pretty dangerous. I mean if you want it I can...” Twilight smiled and laughed as he continued on. Yes, at times it could be a bit difficult for her agents to see why she gave them so much, but the leash and collar told a story about how even relatively benign, non-world destroying objects could be abused easily. Each one of her items was not expected to be used all the time but when the chips were down and she needed her agents to perform above and beyond the call of duty, she needed them to meet or exceed her crushingly high standards of success and excellence.

 

 

“Well, seeing as I’m technically on the clock now, it would be wholly inappropriate to play *ahem* those types of games on the royal bit.  Though if you’re dead set upon it, I’m sure I can accommodate you later this evening…” Again, it was spoken half in jest.  Half.

 

A few past clients had requested non-professional interaction, some innocent and others not so innocent.  Not that Daedalus minded.  The pay was nearly always exorbitant and excellent hospitality was assured.  He didn’t expect Twilight to be terribly different.  A subtle, sly grin tugged at his lips as he briefly considered the possibilities.  But those were details that could probably be worked out later.

 

“I don't expect or need you to use these items all the time, but they are now a part of you- do not remove them or they break the enchantment that hides them from those who may seek out the signatures they leave. After a day or two they should entirely recede into you, becoming a part of you. At this stage you will have complete control over whether you use them or not- but you still need them. While most of your job will consist of research and problem solving, those who are seeking these artifacts out are ruthless and cruel. You will not be allowed to fail against them and I will not send you out there without giving you the greatest possible chance at victory,” Twilight stated just before he went ahead and showed a sleeve tattoo, the response of his horn telling her he indeed had something up his sleeve- and it wasn't just a play on words.

 

 

“Well, I suppose I’m in it for the long haul then, lest you activate some spell that explodes me from the inside out with all that hidden equipment.  I’ll hang onto these until they’ve settled.”

 

Some clients had threatened him with that as well, sometimes after termination of a non-professional association.  Daedalus was sure he could figure out some way around it if that were the case.  He always did.  But he would still prefer to have it presented to him upfront, especially seeing as Twilight seemed to class among the more candid of his clients.

 

 

“Haha, I like that! Something up your sleeve. Sleeve tattoo. Clever word play!” Twilight laughed hiding her mouth with her hoof out of habit. “Only a minor aetheral flow so the magic lays mostly in the sleeve tattoo, feeding off of your own aura and allowing you to cast harder spells faster. Very nice! I once considered using symbology on myself but Celestia refused to teach me since it could possibly have harmed my relationships with other students. Well, I guess looking back she was right! In any case, don't worry. I recruited you for a reason. I trust you to be able to handle yourself and to do your job superbly with or without my help, but I care about you like I care about anypony I am sending in harm's way.

 

 

 

“Very astute,” Daedalus nodded.  “I can use it that way as well, but I had it tailored for use as a spell reservoir.  Cast once, save it for later, use as a quickdraw spell for when the horseapples hits the fan.  As for ink in general, it’s not for everyone.  But personally I think you would look great with it!  If you ever reconsider I can point you to the guy in Manehattan who did mine.  He gets a bit hoofsy sometimes, but he does good work.”

 

Daedalus only replied to Twilight’s compliments with a smile.  As genuine as the Princess seemed, only time would tell if she truly cared for whom she said she did.  Honeyed words and volatile intuition could only go so far in vetting a client’s strength of character.

 

Speaking of harm's way- I'm hungry, are you?” Twilight asked, her stomach roaring suddenly.

 

 

Daedalus burst out laughing at the comedic timing, stifling his chortling down to snickers with a hoof.  Adorable.  Simply adorable.

“Apologies,” he finally said, regaining his composure.  “I am feeling a bit peckish, but unfortunately I am not familiar with the shops around your immediate area of residence.  Did you have a particular place in mind?”

[SteelEagle]

 

 

Twilight's eyebrows arched up in partial confusion at his tone. Was she missing something here? She was used to sometimes missing on some of the social cues that dominated Equestrian day to day life, but she thought she was being playfully attentive to his desires. She had made a joke! Was it a bad joke? Hmm. Probably not. She was confident that playing the leash and collar off based on how they had been talking was the smart joke to make and he didn't seem displeased. He seemed almost too pleased. A perplexing development and turn of events, especially as she tried to decipher his eyes and movements. Luckily for her she had read up on how some stallions could get nervous in the company of a Princess and even luckier for him that she was too task oriented to make a note of it. Instead, twilight laughed as the items went away, returning his gestures with a gentle smile and good humored expression.

Speaking of good humor: She wouldn't touch with a ten feet pole the aspects of his past employment that may have been unsavory, but she wasn't about t explode him. Not yet, anyway. Unless some interesting things happened, interesting and horrible. “Don't worry. All of this is incredibly safe and the only thing this allows me to do is track you when you use the abilities these gifts give you. That way if I see you using them in quick succession I can try to open lines of communication so may know if you need help! Really quite efficient. That is a hidden ability of the ring around your horn- we can open up communication, though I caution against using it frivolously. Use of it really slices through the aether and a good spellcaster will be able to tell exactly where you are if you're on for more than a few seconds,” Twilight warned as the conversation returned to earlier and more enjoyable frivolity, a welcome change of pace from the discussion that had started their meeting.

A plate of noodles, fried at that, popped into existence and seemingly followed them as she left the room and headed back into the main area of the headquarters. “I do have a particular place in mind, in fact. Here! Because while I'm hungry, I'm not just hungry for food- I'm hungry for some serious aetheral evolutionary aetherology discussion. Do you want some pasta? What do you see?”

[Dio]

Speaking of good humor: She wouldn't touch with a ten feet pole the aspects of his past employment that may have been unsavory, but she wasn't about t explode him. Not yet, anyway. Unless some interesting things happened, interesting and horrible. “Don't worry. All of this is incredibly safe and the only thing this allows me to do is track you when you use the abilities these gifts give you. That way if I see you using them in quick succession I can try to open lines of communication so may know if you need help! Really quite efficient. That is a hidden ability of the ring around your horn- we can open up communication, though I caution against using it frivolously. Use of it really slices through the aether and a good spellcaster will be able to tell exactly where you are if you're on for more than a few seconds,” Twilight warned as the conversation returned to earlier and more enjoyable frivolity, a welcome change of pace from the discussion that had started their meeting.

 

 

At least there was that.  Still a collar and leash, he mused, though not in the sense that he had toyed with earlier.  The enhancements always came with strings attached.  That said, any dire consequences seem to have been reserved only for the most egregious act of treachery.  Even then, given what he had observed from Twilight, it seemed the Princess would be hesitant to push the red button.

 

“Of course.  Any mage worth his salt should easily be able to utilize a simple triangulation spell to localize such a disturbance.  I don’t anticipate ever having to contact you via anything more than post or telegram, but I appreciate being given the option.”

 

A plate of noodles, fried at that, popped into existence and seemingly followed them as she left the room and headed back into the main area of the headquarters. “I do have a particular place in mind, in fact. Here! Because while I'm hungry, I'm not just hungry for food- I'm hungry for some serious aetheral evolutionary aetherology discussion”

 

 

Well, Daedalus supposed that made sense.  Since this little organization technically didn’t even exist, his connections with the Princess would have to remain discrete.  It simply wouldn’t do for them to be seen dining together.  Scandalous!  They’d call it.  Twilight took the lead again, taking them out of the armory and back into the headquarters commons.

 

“Do you want some pasta? What do you see?”

 

 

“Evolutionary aetherology?  Are we speaking of biological adaptation to ambient ley shifts, the cosmic evolution of ley flow and coalescence itself?  Those are two very different topics with similar titles!”

 

Daedalus gave the plate of noodles a sidelong glance.  “I… kind of had a hankering for Manechurian, but I’ll take whatever you’re offering.  Alfredo is it?  In any case, I think it would be rude to demand things from my boss; at least not without a requisitions form in hoof!”

 

[SteelEagle]

 

Tsk tsk, and he was doing so well. Perhaps she needn't cut him down in her own biased estimation on account of his lack of knowledge. After all, few ponies- perhaps none- had ever made a concerted effort to bridge the gap between disciplines and had the power to connect the aethereal dots of a much wider picture. Nopony had ever done what Twilight had done and she had yet to write many of her findings down so others may learn- until she had solidified her theories and made safe the passages in between one and another, at least. So perhaps her opening up the discussion that she was waiting for like that was a bit presumptuous and arrogant and of her, assuming a level of understanding that would simply be impossible for him before he was educated. Then again, maybe what she just thought was presumptuous and arrogant. Well if that was the case too bad- he was going to get an education one way or another.

“From a layman's perspective, they are a little similar I guess. Not really so far apart when somepony sits down to think about it, but still separate- right?” Twilight shook her head as she sat down to one of the few two pony tables, the plate of pasta sitting between her and the empty sea across from her, “incorrect, actually. Biological adaptation to ley shifts in local aetherology is a given; cosmic evolution of ley lines and aetherology is also a given. However, what if that was reversed? What if biological modification of ley shifts in local aetherology influences the cosmic evolution of ley lines in a cosmic sense? What if a magical creature came before there was magic and through its existence created magic? It is an odd thought, but consider history. For as long as any records indicate, ponies have been magical. There is no signature I can find back in our genetic history that points to a pre-magical time. Mind you, this should not be true if biological adaptation to ley lines is how we became magical. There would have to be something tucked deep in our genetic code which told us there was a time when we were not able to access the ley lines.

But there isn't. Unusual, right? Opens up a whole panel of possibilities. Were ponies created by the aether? Are we manifestations of magic itself, given form? That's a possibility. The more intriguing, and dangerous, is that we were magical before there was magic to access. Ley lines came after we did, and then we realized what we were the whole time- magical creatures. If this is true, doesn't that throw all of evolutionary aethology into flux? And if biological modification, not adaptation, is what has shifted the cosmic ley lines into what they are now, then what are the greatest influences on it? Does direct will have a greater impact, knowing application against the ley line, or does the zeitgeist of how society uses magic the greatest determinant?

If this is all true, then the chicken came before the egg- Applejack taught me that expression, and its a pretty easy way of describing it. And if the chicken came before the egg, the chicken must have been responsible for the first real egg. If we were magical before magic, we must have played a part in the development of ley lines. We created something out of nothing, tapping into something greater, or we created something out of nothing and those cosmic ley lines are as much a construct as any of the artifacts we find. So-” she stopped for a second, manchurian food for her guest blinking into existence, “again, what do you see?”

[Dio]

Daedalus frowned.  Layman?  Harsh.  Perhaps he had oversimplified.  Twilight was the Element of Magic and the Princess of Friendship.  Of course her knowledge of aetherology would border on encyclopedic.  Old habits died hard, however.  Daedalus was quite used to having to dumb things down for the average pony; it was rare that he got the chance to spar with somepony on his own intellectual level.  Perhaps he should start playing like it!

 

“Related, but separate; I can personally agree to that,” Daedalus said as he took the seat directly opposite Twilight.  “It really depends on whether you subscribe to Starswirl’s corollaries on classical aetherobiological evolution or Meadowbrook’s postmodern theoretical framework.  Kastrotian education firmly adheres to most of the classical theory.  According to my primary tutelage, magic is the raw stuff of the cosmos and predates any form of either cosmic or biological evolution.  The math doesn’t quite give meaningful results when extrapolated past a certain date, but researchers are always looking for adjustments that can be made to Starswirl’s Aetherokinetic Equations.”

 

Daedalus had not studied aetherocosmology at a doctorate level before he’d left Maretonian politics, but he did have a passable knowledge of the basics and a smattering of more in depth topics.  After all, his strength wasn’t in his extreme specialization of magical knowledge, but his ability to process and adapt to most anything magical thrown his way; that and his unique ability to tap into dark magic.  Princess Twilight was surely more than a match for him intellectually.  Surely a lifetime of tutelage under an ancient alicorn mage was worth more than a college education and some on the road experience?  Still, he was willing to try to give her a run for her money.

 

Daedalus continued.  “Just because ponies have been magical since recorded history does not mean they were always magical.  In fact, magic sometimes clouds conventional dating methods.  Take the Doomsaker daggers, for instance.  They exist partially outside of the material world, which makes it extraordinarily difficult to nail down a true date of manufacture.  After all, any one of those hooves holding the dagger could have been the original maker.  I think we thoroughly demonstrated that in our prior disagreement on dating and maker’s marks.  That said, such hypotheses are subject to re-dating based on constantly improving aetherokinetic theory and the precision of our instruments and spells.

 

The chicken and the egg.  It was a classic conundrum when discussing the origins of magic and the general cosmology of the known universe.  Nopony really knew where everything originated from and general aetherokinetic theory only went so far when extrapolating backwards to the origin of the material realm.  The current estimates were just that: estimates, best guesses based on what limited information remote sensing could tell them.  Aetherobiology wasn’t much better in terms of numeric precision, but at least the theory pointed toward a logical common ancestor.

 

“According to Zero Point, the chicken and egg situation is not really an appropriate descriptor.  Zero Point being somewhat whimsical described it as an Ouroboros twisted into a Klein bottle.  Zero’s Hypothesis posits that any sufficiently aetherreactive biomass can begin to influence the flow of ley through the entire system according to a special case of Starswirl’s Equations.  In qualitative terms, like the snake eating its own tail, the aether gives rise to life and life gives rise to the aether.  There  was a lot of mystical mumbo jumbo that became associated with it once Zero’s Hypothesis was published in non-peer reviewed publications, but no self-respecting mage or aetheroscientist subscribes to the woo part.  Suffice to say that it doesn’t really matter which came first; one always leads into the other.  The cycle may very well be eternal with no conceivable beginning or end.  Still an interesting bit of food for thought.”

 

What do you see?  There was that question again.  He’d glossed over it as idle chatter the last time, but Twilight’s repeat of it highlighted it as far more important than he had originally guessed.  He met the Princess’ gaze for a moment, trying to read her, but all that he got was an expectant smile.  Daedalus sighed and closed his eyes.  This was another test, wasn’t it?  The previous episode with the artifacts had been a show of active magical prowess.  Perhaps now it was time to put his passive senses to the test?

 

Daedalus breathed deeply and took in the room with his non-visual senses.  There was the smell of Twilight’s pasta, the slightly spicy hint of Manechurian Lo Mein.  There were the faint breaths of alicorn princess and Kastrotian mage.  With the distractions of sight removed, Daedalus could more readily interpret what his other senses were telling him.  All of this was real, was it not?  There was a feeling in his gut that told him otherwise.

 

When he listened intently enough, however, there was a very distinct background hum that surfaced.  It was subtle, lingering at the edge of perception, but definitely present.  In addition, it was not merely an audible hum, but a tactile one as well, in both the material world and the aether.  Daedalus couldn’t just hear it, he could feel it all around him.

 

“This is purely synthesized, isn’t it?  I see a plate of Manechurian noodles and a plate of alfredo, but if the rest of what I’ve been shown is any indication, I could very well be looking at a simulacrum rather than a ‘real’ meal teleported in.  If I were a betting stallion, I’d put bits on it being a simulacrum.”  Daedalus paused to sniff more closely at his lo mein before musing again.  “I trust that my own boss wouldn’t attempt to poison me before our lunch interview is even through.”

 

Picking up chopsticks from the table, Daedalus twirled the noodles onto the implement, staring hard one last time before gingerly taking a bite.  He slowly chewed them over, noting the flavor, the finish, and perhaps most importantly the texture.  The primary purpose of simulacra was to emulate sensory effects.  This thing was a poor substitute that would never beat a proper Kirintown noodle shop in Manehattan, but it still felt like food all the same.  That was what was important.  Something as complicated as cooked food wasn’t simulated very easily.  When Twilight summoned it, there was no high-powered aetheric lattice assembly that occurred.  It didn’t appear to be anything more complex than a simple recall spell.  Perhaps that how she got it here so quickly?  Daedalus swallowed the bite, noting that he could still feel it in his stomach.

 

“This is… the best simulacrum I’ve ever had,” he snarked.  “Unless it’s not a conventional simulacrum.  Let’s do a full rundown of the possibilities.  You didn’t assemble a complex lattice in front of me or I would have sensed that first.  You don’t have any means of housing a complex lattice on your person such as arcane marks or an aesper spell reservoir gem.  So I’m left with two options: either you teleported it in from a cheap takeout place that you had on standby this whole time or you somehow created it out of raw aether without utilizing an aetheric lattice.  Logic would dictate that the former would be more reasonable, but a meta-understanding of this entire interview suggests that the latter is more than possible.”

 

He leaned forward for extra emphasis as he asked.  “So Princess Twilight, which is it?  Did you really find a terrible little Manechurian place to bring this in from or did you find something that can literally create lo mein out of thin aether without use of a lattice?"

[SteelEagle]

 

 

He was very well learned, especially for a Maretonian. She had met far too many Maretonians who were forced to subsist on a sub-standard diet of education. Luckily, Kastrot had the best system even if Kastrotian education sounded backward. Still relying on all those old methods and theories? Twilight couldn't blame them, she figured. After all, it was only the past few generations that Equestrian education had made its own leap forward. Add on to that recent events and her own additions to the record of Equestrian theorems and she had to step back her negative views on Kastroti education. As a privileged unicorn of the upper class Canterlot, personal protege to a Princess, and exceptionally talented mare on her own right, she was in no position to judge harshly the logic of others.

He was missing the mark on a lot of things in terms of what she was saying, even if what he was saying was all very sound and high-minded. He was simply off base- accuracy mattered in this instance. For all of his magical knowledge he had most of the picture, not all of it, and he couldn't possibly have ever done so. As much as he was an expert on dark magic, perhaps on her level which by itself was an amazing compliment and exceedingly well versed in the aether, he was not a biologist of any sort. Twilight had mastered many disciplines in the sciences outside of aetherology, and as much as she would forever be known as a magical creature, she would have been one of Equestria's foremost scientists. Suffice it was to ay that the biological evidence was what drove her theory and he lacked that evidence.

What he proposed was interesting but if failed to take into account the available evidence, again being more or less basic theory. Nothing necessarily wrong about keeping basic theory in mind as a backup in case this was a wild goose chase, but that would still require some sign of biological adaptation or change. There simply wasn't. You needed one before the other simply because as she had learned under Celestia, the development of the cosmic aether followed local aether development and ley line usage. Cosmic development followed, did not lead. Point was, there had not been any evolution at all, at least nothing that would have an effect on a pony's ability to access the aether. Without that sign and with the knowledge that local development lead the way, what was there but the possibility of mad science?

Then they moved on to the subject of what he had in front of him, which he complimented as good simulacra. Close, but no cigar. It was not simulacra, which the thought of disgusted her. She had yet to taste a good example of it. Simulcara involves manipulation of some sort. Complex lattice construction to produce food- a very inefficient use of aura, aether, and the ley lines. This required no construction. No manipulation. It was an act...of creation. Pure creation. Pure aether. “Close, but not correct. This is not simulcara. Simulcara requires manipulation of ley lines. It requires the use of available magic. This is different. It has no connection to any ley line, no connection to any aether, yet it is still created by use of magic. Created by use of a magical artifact of a special type,” Twilight revealed as she levitated her food over.

“There are only a few possibilities,” Twilight started eating her portion as she speaks, “the one I have put my stock into after a lot of trial and error is that there is a major, major artifact that creates ley lines, creates aether, and manipulates that which it creates. It does not use that which already exists because it does not need to do so- it creates magic on its own.. This would be the missing link- how the chicken created the egg. In effect, ponies used science to create magic. There exists a philosopher's stone of ley line laying, aether creating magic,” Twilight finished, levitating her bowl away, “if this is true, then somewhere in the world this artifact exists. It must- it must because we are eating evidence of it's existence. This food was found in a sealed magic stasis chamber in the deserts of Saddle Arabia.

The food was preserved but the language around it is dead- so dead that I can't find references to it. My theory is that whoever created this artifact used it for good, creating food stuffs that could last forever without needing aether protection for preservatives. This must have been powerful- so what happened to it? If it still exists, whoever owns it will decide the fate of the world. It may seem odd to say so based on this, but it is creation. The potential is absolutely unlimited. In theory, a foal could outstrip the collected powers of the Princesses with barely a thought. One could undo the ley lines of the world and remake them, shift the balance of power, change the nature of magic as we know it!” Twilight chattered excitedly, pulling herself back from the brink of total geekdom. She cleared her throat and returned to a degree of royal bearing.

“There is one final designation for artifacts- a blazing sun, a symbol rather than color. Whatever artifact is capable of this power goes into this category and this artifact alone goes into this category. Any and all efforts to find it take priority over everything else. As part of your job, I will give you a code. This code can only be used once and it must be used only to find this artifact. Transmission of this code will result in the deployment of military forces- first selected, specialized military task forces and then the full brunt of the Equestrian military and other allies forces. This will blow the lid off of the whole operation of course, but if we can find and secure this artifact that is a risk I am willing to take,” Twilight said as she transmitted several codes over to him using the device she had given him earlier- no words were spoken publicly. That over, Twilight sighed.

She teleported some real food in. “That artifact created food has nutrients and is filling, but I believe you'd rather have something more...earthy. Real. After we're done eating you can go ahead and leave or you may ask some more questions, even explore the headquarters. It doesn't quite matter. Time doesn't move here.”

[Dio]

And that was that.  Daedalus hadn’t actually expected Twilight to actually call it something else.  The food was a simulacrum, but not.  It wasn’t real, but neither was it aetheric or illusory.  It was somewhere… in between; definitely magical, but nothing like conventional lattice work.  It was magic, but not aetheric magic.  So it must have come… from the Void?  Twilight’s theoretical musings and notes of prior research all but confirmed it.

 

Had it come from anypony other than Twilight, Daedalus probably would have laughed it off.  But none of his interactions with her indicated that she was being deceptive or ranting like a disenfranchised Kastrotian lunatic mage.  This never happened.  Daedalus was honestly stymied.  In all his years of freelance work and travels across the far-flung corners of Equestria he had never imagined that he would be dealing with raw void magic.

 

The Source, the power of creation, it was something that mages had worked for centuries to find.  Even when they resorted to dark magic, they were only able to tap a fraction of its power, often at great cost to themselves.  When lattice theory became more widespread, the use of void magic fell out of favor.  But as with most ancient traditions, a select few kept it alive, hoping to unlock its secrets someday.  After all, the void was orders of magnitude more powerful than anything an aetheric lattice could ever hope to produce.  If lattice aetherokinetics was a joy buzzer’s shock, void magic was a solar prominence in potential power.

 

Daedalus stared at the noodles on the dish before him, finally putting the chopsticks down.  He looked to Twilight.  “This was… unexpected.  If all you say is true, this could be the key to truly understanding what lies beyond the Fold.”

 

Unexpected was an understatement.  Daedalus chose his words carefully.  Herein could lie the key to his future successes.  Not in the power of creation, but in truly mastering his ability to channel the void.  Add to that the fact that if anypony else had figured it out, any of his old adversaries would surely be searching for it as well.  It was a stroke of fortune, killing two birds with one stone as it were.  But he worked for a princess now, and the boss came first, at least until they had gotten a bit cozier, in a manner of speaking.

 

She teleported some real food in. “That artifact created food has nutrients and is filling, but I believe you'd have something more...earthy. Real. After we're done eating you can go ahead and leave or you may ask some more questions, even explore the headquarters. It doesn't quite matter. Time doesn't move here.”

 

 

The chopsticks glowed and floated to the newly arrived food. It was proper Manechurian lo mein now, complete with the little takeout box. Daedalus silently unwrapped the box, folding it out into a plate. The warm notes of spice and freshly cooked vegetables filled his nostrils. Gingerly, he took his first bites.

“I can probably figure out anything in the HQ myself, seeing as I’ll be spending a lot of time here,” he finally said. “Now what I’m truly curious about is you, Princess. What makes a Princess of Magic tick?  What brings her utmost joy as she goes about her tasks?  Or does she derive all her pleasure from hunting down rogue mages and tomb thieves?”

[SteelEagle]

 

Daedalus was correct in his belief that if she was right that the artifact in question would hold the key to many doors in the great halls of magical thought. Void magic, dark magic, hocus pocus, whatever you called it, it all required an unknown nexus or starting point for everything to have started. The fact that cosmic ley lines were known provided many with the answer, or at least the belief that the answer lay out in the cosmos, but if she was right the answer was a lot closer to home and far more malleable. Twilight nodded along, happy that they had reached the end of the line in terms of what she was trying to tell him. “Yes, it would be the key. Hopefully we can find it, but I don't think it'll be any time soon. Until we can find it, however, you have plenty of other artifacts to find. I trust you can do this- I know you can. You have my support and the support of all resources I can make available here,” Twilight assured him hopefully putting that phase of the conversation to an end.

Daedalus proved to be a fair enough conversationalist, asking her what made her tick. Well, that was many things and the biggest part of it was in her name. She had always been a smart mare who loved to read and research, owned a sharp mind that cut through problems with elementary ease. She had inside of her more magical talent than possibly any pony who had ever existed and was taught by the one who could challenge that claim and was the receiver and beneficiary of centuries of experience. All of that was part of her but in all honesty they were fringe elements that helped inform the core of who she was, not the center that derived strength from other causes. She was the Princess of Friendship- that was what made her tick, that was who she was even more so than the Element of Magic.

“Well, I do enjoy hunting down some really interesting artifacts, but I definitely don't think it is what makes me tick, or is even the biggest part of it! I am the Princess of Friendship, after all. Day in, day out, what gives me strength is the power of the friendships I have made. Without them I wouldn't have any of this-” Twilight gestured to the headquarters, though she meant the castle in a more direct sense, “-and more importantly, I wouldn't have any of them. Without them...uggh, my life before them, knowing what I know now just seems so...empty. Lifeless,” she shivered, smiling afterwards as she remembered that such a future had not been chosen for her. How lucky was she? “So Daedalus, your turn. What makes you get up in the morning? Is it the Manechurian?” Twilight asked impishly as she continued to eat, her alicorn diet stopping for no bite.

[Dio]

“Well, I do enjoy hunting down some really interesting artifacts, but I definitely don't think it is what makes me tick, or is even the biggest part of it! I am the Princess of Friendship, after all. Day in, day out, what gives me strength is the power of the friendships I have made. Without them I wouldn't have any of this-” Twilight gestured to the headquarters, though she meant the castle in a more direct sense, “-and more importantly, I wouldn't have any of them. Without them...uggh, my life before them, knowing what I know now just seems so...empty. Lifeless,” she shivered, smiling afterwards as she remembered that such a future had not been chosen for her. How lucky was she? “So Daedalus, your turn. What makes you get up in the morning? Is it the Manechurian?” Twilight asked impishly as she continued to eat, her alicorn diet stopping for no bite.

 

 

 

Daedalus watched closely, studying Twilight’s mannerisms as she responded.  It was cheesy, but honest.  The princess truly valued her friends, far above and beyond what he had expected for somepony so high up on the noble food chain.  The Kastroti nobles he had met had a tendency to treat their contacts as subordinates rather than comrades, a tendency that had persisted even into some Canterlot circles.  This alone made the Princess the subject of great curiosity for the vagabond mage.

 

“I would be lying if I didn’t say I was surprised,” he said in reply.  “It’s not often I meet somepony of noble standing who is interested in more than relationships of convenience or opportunity.  I would say I’ve found an alicorn, but…”

 

He cut the pun off with a wry grin.  Even in their short time together, Twilight’s insistence on remaining informal was beginning to rub off on him.  It was much easier for Daedalus to drop the professional demeanor in exchange for something a bit more light-hearted.  It didn’t even take the promise of after-work shenanigans as was typical of Kastroti who were willing to hire freelancers!

 

“Always the Manechurian!” he laughed.  “I’m Kirintown in Manehattan’s best client!”

 

Daedalus twirled his chopsticks and wound up a large wad of noodles to slurp up, giving Twilight a moment to soak the joke in as he ate.  “But in all honesty, magic consumes me.  It’s not just a subject of my study, it is my way of life.  I may be a scientist in my head but I still have Kastroti blood in me and that at times compels me to seek out the company of others for more... recreational purposes."

 

Daedalus purposely dragged out the bit about recreation, emphasizing the sarcastic and euphemistic bent it was meant to take.  That distinction was more or less meaningless in Maretonia.  Kastroti courts took business as business and pleasure as another angle on business.  Gifts were always for a purpose, favors could be traded alongside financial transactions, and loyalty was bought and sold like any other commodity.  True friendships were few and far between and anything from magical prowess to horseshoe size could be used against individuals to end their careers, lives, and relationships… or send you far from home for sins against the corrupt system.  A note of melancholy crossed Daedalus’ face, momentarily tainting his otherwise cheery countenance.

 

“I never had that many friends growing up, but that was really the nature of Kastroti society.  You didn’t have friends, you had contacts.”

 

In a flash it was gone, replaced by neutral introspection.  “I guess it really was magic that drove me onwards.  When my abilities first manifested I knew this was what I was meant to do.”  The cheeky, leering grin hid what was left of the still-painful wound.  “Not that the Assembly of Heads would have anything to say about it!  A void mage?  Walking right into the Assembly Chambers?  Unheard of!  And yet father insisted on the lessons in court etiquette and family dynamics...”

 

Daedalus put down his chopsticks and licked his lips, making eye contact with Twilight once again.  Would she have noticed?  Could she have noticed?  Just how interested was she in Daedalus himself?

 

“So I suppose you could say I’m pulled in two directions: the magic I love and the politics I despise.”

[SteelEagle]

 

 

Daedalus spoke in a fashion that struck Twilight as unusual. It was almost that friendly sort of deflective that passed before introspection, when you made light of your problems or eased into some manner of serious discussion with humor. Twilight had never been that way but she knew ponies who were more comfortable sharing when the landing zone had been prepared softly. Friendly but without leading with the meat. It had taken Twilight a lot of observation and some good friends to understand that some ponies were simply unprepared to share or really unwilling to dig deeper and give it to others. She wouldn't push him before his time and no doubt the rather intimate and introspective nature of their job together would encourage him to open up. All he needed was time...and indeed, he started to open up.

She understood his obsession with magic perhaps better than anypony else ever could. The power, the allure, and the way it spoke to a pony versed in it was entirely different from any other experience. She didn't think it possible to compare how it felt to a cutie mark or how a unicorn felt when accomplishing a great spell. It almost felt like another presence; never alone, eternally accompanied by this seat of power ensconced in your heart and traveling across you like a double edged viper-blade that needed control more than anything else. Twilight had lived with the greatest single source of it in history; who knows how she would have turned out had Celestia not taken Twilight underneath her majestic wings of love and respect. She'd faced many powerful enemies who had only been wrangled by the Princess too late into the process and they became overwhelmed by the greed and the majesty of their own potential. Luckily those who were trong of mind like Daedalus could sharpen themselves in other ways.

It wasn't because of the place he lived in any circumstance. Kastrot was a notable viper's nest of backstabbing and distrust. She had the misfortune of meeting several different families from the region and they all displayed the same sort of sensibility that made Twilight not want to turn her back on them. It was a dark place on maps from Equestria where the lack of friendship and the severe distrust and hate that flowed through that city as a disgusting, putrid sewer system. She knew better than to judge ponies on an individual basis but she couldn't help but label the entirety of Kastrot with a deadly misfortunate label. His upbringing would be tragic were it not stereotypical, dangerous if it wasn't simply so normal for them.

Hopefully his time in Equestria would show him the truth of where real and lasting power lay. It was not in the gilded promises of powerful spells or in the riddles in ancient tomes locked behind deceitful traps and terrible ideas. No, it lay within you and within the connections you made on an intimate, near euphoric level in the spectrum of friendship. Love, honesty, kindness, generosity, loyalty, and laughter- these weren't just the elements to a great friend, but the elements to real power. Each of those ideas held something more lasting and amazing than even the most powerful spell ever cast by Starswirl the Bearded or dreamed about in her most delirious moments.

“Kastrot isn't known for being the...nicest of places, I suppose. I try to tell ponies to look on the bright side of their upbringing but I've always had a special distaste for Kastrot- no offense, if after what you've said you still feel attachment to it. I have always believed in fairness and that place is the poster child for inequality. One day the Assembly will see to not allowing ponies like you receive your proper due, but allow ponies of all types to get equal treatment. That's besides the point- at least your father helped foster your talent and passion, even if it was under the razor's edge. Tell me, what sort of disciplines have you studied outside of magic?”

[Dio]

“No offense taken.  Most non-Maretonians feel the same and honestly, rightly so.  The squabbling between houses and under the table trading that occurs in the Assembly has become a fixture of Maretonian culture.  Or at the very least Kastroti culture.  I can’t really say much for Arconeighos or Hipposton as I’ve spent most of my non-Kastrot time on the mainland.”

 

Daedalus paused to chew both noodles and thoughts.  Twilight had listened raptly to his entire speech, seemingly studying him like she would a book.  He was able to follow the subtle cues of her eyes and the corners of her lips as she processed each little bit he told her, the ups and downs, the bits of fanciful levity and the depressing gravitas, the implied politics of all things ranging from petty to existentially threatening.  Yes, he could certainly weave words and the Princess would surely eat it all up.

 

But there was something else behind it all.  She wasn’t just absorbing, she was processing.  She was forming connections, building models in that head of hers, breaking him down and rebuilding an internal simulacrum of him as she received new information.  She was a thinker, not a daydreamer, and it showed in every little movement and every bit of body language as they conversed.  In another life, another time, Twilight could have been the ruthless head of a Kastroti house, a magister-princess nonpareil, perhaps even one to unify Maretonia.

 

Were it so easy.

 

“I could only hope that at some point the Assembly would actually begin to do what it was built to do.  After all, Aquellia wasn’t the only nation to adopt democracy as a form of government.  Of course, right now that really feels like wishful thinking.  Sometimes I even think a benevolent dictatorship would work better than what they have now.  After all, is that not technically what the Celestial Diarchy is?”

 

Daedalus allowed himself a chuckle at the wry bit of political humor.  “As you’ve surely figured out by now, I’ve studied far more politics than I’d care to deal with.  I have the tutors of my youth to grudgingly thank for that.  I don’t quite remember all the names of staff, but I would likely still be able to navigate embassy paperwork and diplomatic etiquette if it were ever asked of me.”

 

“That wasn’t an invitation, by the way!” he pointed a hoof  in jest.

 

“The rest of my schooling was a broad survey of many different fields.  If I were to take the certification tests, I would likely score well enough to teach at the School for Gifted Unicorns, not that I'd actually get to speak of my true talents there.  I'm sure teaching fillies and colts the basics of void magic would go over about as well as trotting Nightmare Moon into the classroom!"

 

"Or at least that's what I'd expect.  What's your take on it?  Working Void magic into a formal curriculum that is.  Being their star alum, I figure you've gleaned some insight I might have missed about the institution."

[SteelEagle]

 

He may not have been familiar with all of Maretonia but that was expected. When you are sickened with a place there are two reactions: Either you become fascinated and studied it or you fled. He had done the latter, Twilight the former. She was disgusted by the factionalization that struck the country's potential down so harshly and so thoroughly, even though it was done in different ways in every city. Kastrot was all about politics and power. Acroneighos was different. Acroneighos offended her the least if only because it was difficult for pegasi to relate to those who dwelt solely on the ground. Basic psychological differences were much more likely as a result. They were highly militaristic and operated on a very strict code of honor which likely saved the other major cities from destruction. As much as they were on a personal level the most realistically able to interact with Equestrians, it stuck in Twilight's mind that Acroneighos had a lot of earth pony and unicorn communities under its command that weren't there willingly. Acroneighos admired and demanded strength and service to the state as much askastrot was devoted to the idea of supremacy and personal power.

Hippostion was a different animal. It was near lawless. Neither Kastrot or Acroneighos was necessarily off limits to Equestrians, but Hippostion had travel warnings and advisories to and from it. Nopony went there for a good reason. It shocked her that a pragmatic species could run such a lawless city but perhaps that was the point. Such chaos allowed the best and the brightest to stand above the rest based on their own merit. Those who dominated that devilish port were formidable leaders and capable in many fields. If they were found wanting then somepony else would overthrow them in a very direct way. It was similar to Kastrot in that sense but had one rather large difference, namely that it tended to welcome just about anypony to it. Sure, Earth ponies ran it, but that was more to spite the other cities. While Kastrot was devoted to supremacy and personal power and Acroneighos strength and service, Hippostion held the traits of ruthless aggression paired with absolute merit, which was tested just about every day.
 

Political talk continued. His understanding of democracy was flawed if he thought of the Assembly as a democracy. A democracy implied some manner of power invested in the population to elect officials when there was no such thing in the Kastroti Assembly. If you had an island, if you were the head of a great family, you were in the Assembly. As corrupt as Aqueillian politics were they had a form of direct representation of the common folk that was missing from Kastrot. It demanded- wait, benevolent dictatorship? Dictatorship? Equestria was not a dictatorship. It was a a special form of a Monarchy. A dictatorship was different. The feathers on her wings danced a little in exasperation before she got them back under control. He was just misinformed, yes. A Kastroti education was most certainly subpar. She had to get back on track, betraying little of her processes as she prepared to do so. He was a nice and gentle conversationalist. In a different time and place he'd have made a wonderful spy.

“Well, that depends on how you approach it. That goes with even basic magical scholastic work and the rudimentary elements of most subjects. You can only ever teach what you can effectively approach and diagnose. Lesson plans are crafted so the teacher knows how to approach the discussion point and let their own connection with the students play off of it. No doubt dark magic would be a little harder, but I think it is entirely reasonable to teach it from a theoretical level in most ways. The ability to use dark magic is different from learning about it, after all- somepony without the ability to do so can't, and better we teach it responsibly to those we can than have them feel ostracized for their abilities.

Of course, I'd only want it to be taught in advanced schooling such as the Gifted Unicorns School. But that is neither here nor there. You could probably make a good professor in the Academy but that would distract you too much, and I don't need distracted agents. So don't get married just yet to that lucky mare!” Twilight added with her attempt at good humor not really being effective. She nodded and got up as a stark orange light flashed across the room, Twilight's mood instantly changing, “but you do have a very wide range of skills and knowledge, Daedalus. That is good to know. I picked you for a reason. Now, it is time for you to get to work.”

A map fluttered to life from a globe in the middle of the room which seemed to leak a sand like substance, coalescing into a blue dot near the Sea of Ruin. Twilight's eyes furrowed. “Hmm...haven't seen one there yet. I wonder...well, you better get there. I'll do some more work to discover the local topography. When you arrive at the border of the Changeling kingdoms, wait twenty-four hours. I'll have some there for you!” Twilight finished excitedly her hooves rubbing in delight as she started hovering in place and examining the map in a giggling stupor. This was fun!

[Dio]

Daedalus pouted in jest.  “Already?  We were just getting to the fun part!”

 

A job was a job, but the job would always be ready for him when he left base camp.  The princess, on the other hoof, had precious little time to give him among all her royal duties and by extension precious little time for him to study her.  Twilight herself was a fascinating creature, seemingly single-minded in her devotion to the friendship eclectic and the preservation of harmony, but simultaneously immersing herself in numerous subjects whose depth and breadth Daedalus had barely covered in years of cultural and academic osmosis.  She was a veritable sponge for information and the sheer joy she took in absorbing and learning was fascinating and -- dare he say it -- adorable.

 

The map fluttered to life before them, dispelling any reverie that might have been brewing at the edge of Daedalus’ thoughts.  A single blue dot flared to life near the Sea of Ruin to the north of Equestria, deep in changeling territory.  Daedalus had very seldom dealt with changelings, the few he had met being freelance information dealers and spies who supplied him leads for artifact hunting or research jobs.  The hivelings were a different beast altogether.  If they were anything like their “liberated” cousins, Daedalus was sure each one was an individual, dispelling any preconceptions of a changeling hivemind or collective, but their fierce devotion to their queen was not to be underestimated.  Daedalus put a hoof to his chin and narrowed his eyes as he went over what he knew.

 

“I have a contact I could get local maps from,” Daedalus said, dismissing the prompt for further research on Twilight’s part.  “They’ll be accurate and more in depth about hostile territory and changeling patrols.  What I need to know is what kind of artifact we’re dealing with and who else might be interested in it.  You wouldn’t happen to have any intel reports on what could have been lost in the area and who it once belonged to, would you?”

[SteelEagle]

 

Twilight analyzed the map a little more as she listened to Daedalus, the Princess running through all the possible variations of how to handle this situation. Luckily the Changelings were not ones to go after dark magic. What few Changelines had the capability, drive, or knowledge to do so were lacking in the capacity for detection or the tools with which to work. That made them reliably incompetent foes to face when it came to dark magic artifacts. The only real problem you faced was attempting to navigate the area and hopefully not have your presence detected but that was easier than some believed, especially for agents like The Keepers. Twilight didn't know what Celestia and Luna did though she had every cause to believe they had their own special agents- funding in the budget for projects that didn't actually exist tended to go to such secret programs, after all- but the fact she couldn't find them told her they were good at this too.

Which was good for Equestria but always a little worrying. This artifact was unknown to them or they had failed to retrieve it. She hedged her bets on this being a niche that hadn't been filled. The idea that she was a line of defense in a murky strategic sense was disheartening. And unlikely. In any case- yes. Avoid the basin, avoid the Griffons- go through the Crystal Empire, then the mountains. Small towns on the edge and a lack of any heavy encampments of Changelings or other hostile forces. Avoid any serious trouble and hit the sea from a relatively safe angle. But that was what she would do, and she was not the one doing it. She chose her agents wisely, or as wisely as she believed she could. She could give him the tools but she couldn't lead them once they left the headquarters. They were independent operatives of the Royalty and as such had a degree of freedom beyond all others.

And hopefully Daedalus was worth all that. “Sadly, no. Not yet. Once we return it here we can do some fact finding on it. From there we can pair it up with known records. And you have assets you can call upon? Good. Keeping aware of their likely patterns will do you well. When you reach the border marked...here...” Twilight said, a point on the map lighting up, “just wait the twenty-four hours. I'll have something for you then,” she ended with a smile, turning to him as the portal that brought him here crackled back to life.
“Well, this is it. You have everything I gave you and- well, you'll soon now you have more than that, too. I trust you to do this, Daedalus. When you the artifact return it here and we can research it. That is easily the best part of all this, trust me!” Twilight finished with a severe glint in her eyes. Ahh, the wonders of research. She took a deep breath. “This portal will take you back to the exact spot where you were before you entered here. You will have what you need to get you where you need, but this is all up to you. Good luck, Keeper.”