Crystal Warlock CYOA

As you walk through the empty, brooding halls of once beautiful and glittering Crystal castle, you cannot help but tremble. Those who are not slaving in the mines or on the rock farms are bended by the Fidelity Helmets to fight in the South. Nobody passes those halls except you, Royal Centurion Golden Shield and King Sombra. Nobody breaks the creeping, almost echoing silence of the shadow corridor.

You stop in front of the giant, thickly framed door. It towers above you.

You gulp, loudly, every motion and every sigh reflecting in the empty building back at you.

The Shadow King has personally called for you, and you know better than anyone that he hates waiting.

The doors swing open, both sides shattering against the walls as the cold, almost dead wind from the inside entangles you, forcing you to step inside as you cowardly shudder.

>===============
> [Talk] “It is me, Aurora Flare, Your Majesty.”
> [Talk] “You called for me, Your Majesty?”
> [Action] Remain silent, allowing King Sombra to speak first.
> [Action] Look around the room, trying to spot something.
>===============

>>25649585
[Talk] HATE NEWSPAPERS

>>25649585
> [Talk] “You called for me, Your Majesty?”

>>25649585
>> [Action] Remain silent, allowing King Sombra to speak first.

>>25649585
>[Action] Remain silent, allowing King Sombra to speak first.

Are these suggestions, or do we have to do one of these things?

>>25649585
>[Action] Look around the room, trying to spot something
Check out his shit

>>25649578
Would rather a Crystal Warlock Umbran in the AU story.

>>25649585
> [Action] Look around the room, trying to spot something.

>>25649585
> [Talk] “You called for me, Your Majesty?”

>>25649710
Have to pick one of them.

>>25649776
I'm out.

>>25649585
> [Action] Look around the room, trying to spot something.

>>25649578
It had to be a fucking mare.

>>25649585
>> [Action] Remain silent, allowing King Sombra to speak first.

>>25649776
You should always be willing to take an option made by the players

Since it's a stalemate, I'll be going by the rule of the first majority. I'm still new so if you have suggestions to improve please say in CYOA thread.
> [Action] Remain silent, allowing King Sombra to speak first.

You keep your mouth shut, not daring to even mutter or whimper from the sudden cold. Darkness envelopes you quicker than you can even react. You are barely able to feel the room through the cold, standing air. To see through the veil is, on other hand, literally impossible.

The king, if he’s even there, takes his time, allowing you to twirl before his image as a scared foal. To think this once used to be the throne room, the brightest place in all of empire!

You knock your head back, bumping into something heavy and solid, yet strangely mild to the touch. Adjusting your eyes does not help, but now you can clearly see a strange glow hidden beneath something that resembles a thick cloth.
>===============
> [Action] Remove the cloth from the object.
> [Action] Touch the object without lifting the cloth.
> [Action] Use a spell to brighten up the area around you.
> [Talk] “Your majesty, are you here?”
>===============

>>25649926
I know, right? Can we just have a Stallion?

>>25649585
> [Action] GET A FUCKING TRIPCODE

>>25649970
> [Talk] “Your majesty, are you here?”

>>25649970
I'm not sure if presetting actions is a good idea.

> [Action] Touch the object without lifting the cloth.

>>25650035
This is the way I did it on /tg/ but on CYOA I'm willing to adjust. Should I leave the input completely to you guys?

>>25650035
RGS did it but was also open to suggestions.

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>>25650057
>I did it on /tg/

I suggest you to leave open suggestions

>>25650057
Not completely. Give info while describing surrounding, state the possible ways and actions [don't make a way/possibility if you don't wish to exploit them, but you're from /tg/ so you know better than me about this part], but prepare for unpredictable.

I said clearly that I'm not sure, so you can do whatever you wish, I will give this CYOA a chance anyway.

>>25650071
This. RGS had a good system. Usually 2-4 likely suggestions, but always open to free or completely different suggestions

>>25649970
> [Action] Remove the cloth from the object.

>>25650107
>>25650116
Okay then, next choice will be on the input with suggestions.

>>25649970
> [Action] Use a spell to brighten up the area around you.

>>25650190
How about no

>>25649970
> [Action] Touch the object without lifting the cloth

>[Action] Touch the object without the cloth

As soon as your hoof presses against the hard surface through the soft interlining of the cloth, it begins to shine. Suddenly, all of your most positive emotions and memories flash before your very eyes: the moment you got your Cutie Mark, your first fishing trip with your father, the visit of the princess during the Sunset Celebration, the last peaceful days before the cursed banishment of the Empire…

You wave your head angrily; you almost forgot you could actually remember all of that. You tried to make all those memories and emotions go away after you joined King Sombra, yet…

The object before you remains calm, as if being the only bastion of hope in all of empire…

“Apprentice,” His voice suddenly calls, “Apprentice… How are you feeling?”

His voice sounds as dark and evil as ever, but something in it has a note… a note of ridicule.

>What do you do? How do you answer?

>>25650339
*Summer Sun Celebration, of course.

>>25650339
I think it would be proper to bow.

>>25650339
Oh shit we found the Crystal Heart.

Act cold, but don't try to lie to our master. We should tell him that we saw memories we werepushing away to faithfuly serve him, orsomethig along these lines.

>>25650399
This

>>25650399
What the fuck happened with my spacebar.

>>25650461
GIRL
IWANNATAKEYOUTOMYSPACEBAR

>>25650386
>>25650399

You bow as low as possible, your forehead touching the freezing, stone tiles of the throne room.

It was a well know gesture, something you learned from your peers and family when the Empire was taken over for the second time. It was a gesture of respect, a gesture of fear. A gesture that would please any king, especially His Majesty. And judging from his almost silent snicker, he was.

You stood up after you made sure Sombra was pleased and acknowledged you properly. You were just a slave with free will, after all, and it was out of the question for you to think any higher about yourself. As soon as his snicker faded, as soon as you made sure you would not interrupt His Majesty in any way, you began:

“I have seen things that tested me, as you warned me, my King.” You said the truth, to the extent.

“I have seen my family, my friends, my childhood and the entirety of my life before you…”

Sombra grinned, the red aura of his shadow magic dimly brightening up his face. He nodded, interrupting you.

“Good... Do you know what that is? Apprentice?”

Every time he mentions your position, a cold, invisible dagger pierces through your hearth. You can't hide the pain, but you can get used to it.

>>25650525
The Crystal Heart. Anypony would recognize it.

>>25650525
Your position is not certain, you might go straight to the uranium mines. Only a whim of His Majesty is enough to end your career as his apprentice.

With that said, let's just answer his question at once and humbly.
>"It's the Crystal Heart, Your Highness."

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“The Crystal Heart, Your Highness.” You say, trying to sound as unimpressed and cold as possible.

Without a moment to blink, the cloth is removed from the object, the entire room flashing in colors of the entire rainbow. You notice King Sombra closing his eyes in disgust after performing the spell, his head turned away as the radiance of the Crystal Heart appears to be more painful to him than he though.

After a short while the energies calm down and, while the room now stands bright and visible, there is no longer warm outside of it. The Crystal Heart is just as beautiful as you remember it, yet the sharp edges now are able to contain the pathetic amount of love and hope within it. Without the Crystal Princess all of the emotions slowly dimmed away, and with them, the Crystal Heart as well.

Yet in myths, no matter the hardships, the hope will linger no matter how small.

“Destroy it.” Sombra hisses, his voice like a horn against the chalk board.

You blink. Then you blink again. You have never seen King Sombra so distressed or tired, but you are more than certain it is because of the Crystal Heart. Yet he doesn’t appear to be asking you to do here and now.

“I want you to destroy it, Apprentice.”

>>25650714
Question, what are we?

A unicorn, a pegasi or a mudpone?
Do we get to make our own character at one point? Or is your call?

>>25650714
Throw it on the ground.

>>25650738
Aurora Flare is a Crystal Pony.

>>25650714
We break it, Sombra reigns supreme.

We don't, we spend the rest of our pathetic life on the front line or in the mines, if he doesn't just kill us where we stand.

So yes, destroy the Crystal Empire's last bastion of hope.

>>25650714
I know we're not in the position to question anything but... how we're supposed to destroy it? Are we powerful enough to blast it with our magic? Can we hit it with a hammer? Shatter it?

I don't want to destroy it I partially count we will turn to good/less evil as the time will pass, but if it's another test, I don't want us to fail, there might be terrible consequences. I wonder if Sombra is able to imitate good feelings in us, he seems to be good at mind control after all.

>>25650714
Use a spell to drain the energy from it.

>>25650756
Oh, that is interesting!

But still, do we have wings, horn, or nothing?

>>25650766
No wings or horn, but you can try casting basic spell. I'd explain how she does that in the promt.

>>25650766
Crystal ponies have nothing, bro.

>>25650771
What do we look like?

>>25650789
Is a pony creator image alright?
It doesn't really matter right now but if you want.

>>25650714
How, my master?

>>25650803
Oh god no. Just describe our look if you don't have art.

>>25650803
A detailed description could work.

>>25650803
Just do your best to describe it through text.

Let readers form their own ideas from your description.

>>25650714
We weren't aware it could be destroyed.

>>25650714
Use hoof to smash the crystal heart

Don't any of you dare to fucking destroy it yet.

>>25650803
Generally, the basic description is:
Mane color and style
skin/coat color
and eyes color

And maybe, just maybe, you'll get free art
Don't expect much tho

>>25650884
black long mane
dark white coat
blue eyes

>>25650884
Don't forget the cutiemark. Also clothing and other details are good.

>>25650927
He's not our QM. He gives advices.

>>25650927
I dunno, that's kind of bland.

Especially for a pony called Aurora Flare.

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>>25650884
>skin/coat color
Clear

>>25650933
Sadly, I cant make cutie marks in pixels ponies (will work on later)
>>25650935
Exactly!

It’s just another test. You know that His Majesty King Sombra is testing you once again. Unlike those pathetic slaves and worthless soldiers, you are something that he actually spends his valuable time and effort upon. You are a pony that King Sombra actually addresses as something more than fodder.

You are his apprentice, and this was yet another test. You shudder, your pale, yellow hide still shining from the bolt of love and care inside the Crystal Heart… The love and care you had to destroy by your own two hooves. Something that you never imagined you’d have to do.

How naïve you were when you stood up out of all the ponies in the crowd and shouted your allegiance to the crown, now naïve you were when you accepted with a grin like no other the Crystal Note that King Sombra gave you himself. How naïve you were when you though becoming his apprentice were going to be easy. Regrets… Shame… Disgust, there’s no time for this. You are better than that.

You made sudden and rushed steps towards the Crystal Heart, spinning upon the pedestal with no force, magic or reason. You looked at the throne of the King and shudders under his cold stare, watching your every movement, judging your every action.

You take the Crystal Heart into your hooves and the room explodes in vibrant colors once again, the wave of emotions forcing King Sombra into his own throne. Grunting from annoyance, he doesn’t respond, still watching you patiently. You begin to feel joy for life, you begin to appreciate every positive thing you experienced and every kind word you have been told.

No matter how hard you move your hooves against the crystal surface, you only suffer more.

You can’t do it, you are too weak. You attempt to throw the Crystal Heart away despite everything but…

It doesn’t move an inch.

[1/2]

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>>25650947

>>25650985
Then you feel it again, the dark shadows creeping through the room as the bright of the Crystal Heart dims until it’s almost completely vanished.

“Good try, Apprentice.” King Sombra whispers straight into your ear, making you jump in fear.

He’s standing right behind you; have never been this close.

“But I already tried that… Though, your enthusiasm is admirable, “He goes silent for a moment, your and his glare concentrated upon a heart shaped gem, and “It’s a task, Apprentice. I want you to find a way to destroy it. You have one week…”

That’s impossible.

The mane is straight and caressed, just like every Crystal Pony under the influence of Sombra.
The color of the skin is very grayed and dimmed yellow.
The color of the eyes is pink.
The cutie mark will be revealed later.

[2/2]

>>25650985
>naïve
>ï
You. I like you.

>>25650947
My name is aurora, my mane color is clear, my favorite number is zero

>>25651002
I don't know about him but spellchecker automatically sets it to naïve for me.

>>25650985
Fuck. Will try to be a bit more careful with grammar.

>>25651012
I don't have a spellchecker, but I have this letter in my alphabet.

>>25650997
Unfortunately, Sombra destroyed all the information on the crystal heart, and allegedly locked our memory of the object, so...

Poring through the library on subjects related to powerful artifacts and dark magic it is then.

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>>25650997
NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE

>>25650997
If there are no questions then it shall be done.

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>>25651065
How did that even become a meme? I mean, I have seen the video of it and it's super annoying.

>>25650997
I still have a feeling that we might try to save Crystal Empire one day. But today is not the day. Today we obey our master and >>25651048 visiting the library first.

>>25651082
Because it's over the top, and it's a celebrity making an ass of themselves while also looking visually stupid.

>>25650997
Master do you... not know yourself? Or is it solely a test for me?

>>25650997
What kind of spells can we cast?

>>25651108
Oh shit nigga here we go. Uranium mines await.

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>>25650997
search for a sharp weapon to pierce the heart.

and this >>25651087
search for something that block\nullified magic(vial, spells),

>>25651143
I love how she looks at the fucking hammer like she didn't expect it.
>"The fuck did you do, hammer?"

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>>25650997
>The mane is straight and caressed
Like this?

“Yes, your majesty.” You barely manage to whisper, peering upon the Crystal Heart. Only now you realize the task that the Shadow King set before you… Destroy the Crystal Heart, the last hope for the ponies of the Crystal Empire if not all of Equestria. Who knows, perhaps this is the only thing that could possible defeat Sombra once and for all.

And that’s horrible, you remind yourself. You cannot allow King Sombra to be defeated. There’s no place in this world for an object that could bring harm to his rule. With you in charge, you’ll make it that way.

You do not question why the King does not destroy the heart himself, but you smart enough to know that asking him if he can’t is suicide. He must have a reason. Either it’s to humiliate the Crystal Ponies even further with you, not him, destroying the Crystal Heart or it is truly a test like no other, making you forget your last shreds of being a pony.

Perhaps he wishes to mold you in his image.

You shake your head, that’s bizarre. You long embraced the fact that your apprenticeship is a joke for him, you are nothing but a jester to him. And you shall dance to his music.

“Your highness, I’ll begin straight away. I shall visit the library.”

Sombra’s shadow image vanishes into the darkness, silence falls and as soon as you walk away, the doors loudly crash against each other and close. He didn’t even say “Goodbye”.

[1/2]

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>>25651185
You finally manage to relax, it’s impossible to do under his presence. The alley remains as cold and empty as possible, it appears the Royal Centurion was asked to be somewhere else. Out of all the brainwashed and lost, he’s someone you could share a few words with. He was in your shoes.

You know that there’s a royal library inside the Crystal Castle itself, but you also know that there are a few small shops that were abandoned during the arrival of King Sombra, ones you used to frequently visit. If there’s a way to destroy the Crystal Heart, it would certain be in something abandoned and forgotten.

You peer upon the jail chambers, perhaps…

Being an apprentice of the king, you have free reign to go anywhere you want but… until today you stayed locked in your room, forced to study and experiment the basic magic inside of your Crystal Note. You were not a unicorn, but this book, a gift from the king, allowed you to do what they could…

You didn’t practice much after forcefully levitating one part of a frog over another. Crystal Note had a twisted sense of humor of its own. You had no time to spare. Research, research.
[2/2]

>>25651158
Like this.

>>25651195
Try and find a way to corrupt the heart, and take its power for yourself.

>>25651237
Do edgy things like kicking puppies, stealing candy from little ponies, laugh at the weak and focus your anger in the inocent.

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>>25651195
Actually, made a mockup of Aurora Flare with this image.

>>25651283
Well we don't have to be a dick, but if we ever wanted to leave Sombra, being a little stronger wouldn't hurt.

>>25651195
Allegedly, the only thing keeping the heart alive is some semblance of hope.

Somepony in the empire still hopes that Sombra will lose, so the heart isn't dead yet.
So somehow, we have to destroy that hope.

>>25651311
>little stronger
What was that? Did you forget something MAGGOT?

>>25651362
Not really sure how strong the heart is after being with Sombra.

>>25651237
Would you go for the library or the bookshop for that?

>>25651424
Library, probably.

>>25651315
How would you attempt to proceed with that?

>>25651424
more like find a way to nullified magic of the crystal heart.

>>25651424
Library would probably have the most books and we should have some clearance to get to some restricted texts.

You decided to go straight to the royal library wing. Once a bastion of knowledge and research, it now lied in ruins and neglect. King Sombra had no reason to allow his subjects, especially the slaves, to study and learn. There was a war to be fought and won, and he needed his crystal soldiers on the battlefield.

Perhaps someday, when all of Equestria is under his rule, times will be peaceful and the Shadow King will be lenient enough to allow some samples of old life back. Perhaps there can be slumber parties, because there can be gatherings and perhaps, just perhaps, the musical school will be reopened again.

You peer upon your Cutie Mark, a strange thing indeed. It was a sun, or a resemblance of it, with musical notes and instruments within it. You were the happiest when you taught the crystal ponies of the joys and wonders of the musical word, and until Sombra returned, this was the life you adored.

It didn’t last long, as you have betrayed even your precious students.

You sighed as you slowly, with a rasp, opened the door into the library, barely able to fit through the ruined bookshelves. You looked around, trying to find an oil lamp that you quickly set ablaze with a turn of your hoof. You heard stories about abandoned hospitals and graveyards, but this was way worse.

A deep breath in, breath out.

You managed, in all of this chaos, to find the wing you were searching for: Forbidden Knowledge. After a few harsh attempts you picked up a few books which had some semblance of readable text inside of them and put them in front of you. Which one to start with, thou?

>”History of the Crystal Empire.”
>”Known Magical Artifacts of North Equestria.”
>”The Beasts of Olden Tale.”
>”Spells You Forgot”

Anyway, this will be all for today. Sorry for the clusterfuck and thanks for joining.

>>25651579
>>”Spells You Forgot”
>”Spells You Forgot”

>>25651579
It'll take Equestrian Psy-I mean, Spells you Forgot

>>25651579
Take Known Magical Artifacts of North Equestria and Spells You Forgot.

>>25651579
Lets just take them all and study when we get a chance.

Also, what do you guys think about the appearance?
>>25651308

>>25651738
Works for me.

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>>25651738
I TRIED SO HARD AND GOT SO FAR
IN THE END, IT DOESN'T EVEN MATTER

R8 or h8
Told you so

>>25651738
Nice, little more anger wouldn't hurt

>>25651772
Eyes are pink.

>>25651772
I like this image.
Blue eyes are better then pink.

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>>25651772
Fixed?
>>25651816
Dammit

>>25651851
It's good.

>>25651982
R-really?
Y-you liked it =?

>>25652023
It's a neat little mare.

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>>25652036
T-thanks =

What do you HATE about it?
Please tell me so I can improve

Pic unrelated

>>25652073
It's basic pixel art. Not really anything you can do wrong.

>>25652073
more pixels :^)

Pretty much guaranteed that Sombra knows just as well as we do that the task he assigned us is impossible.

To him, we're just a cowardly music teacher who would do anything to avoid putting herself in danger, including destroy her whole race's only chance at survival.

It's just an abstract form of torture, he gets to see us flinch every time he calls us his apprentice, watch how much it hurts us to feel the happiness from the heart and be told to destroy it.
And when we fail in a week, he gets the pleasure of watching us plead for our life.

He sees himself above the crystal ponies, and as Aurora said herself, we're just his court jester, meant to dance in whatever way he chooses.

>>25652073
Try different poses.

>>25652242
Maybe there's some distant hope that we might be able to do it, but he knows that the crystal heart can't really be broken by us.

Really, our only value to him is that we're the only pony who willingly bows.

>>25653482

>>25652658
So we may stick a dagger in him one day. One distant day, after we gain some power, allies and manage to hide it from mind-controlling omnipresent cloudpony.

UPRISING

>>25654147

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Xbump

>>25655505
Rolling

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Still a bit busy to continue right now but I made a mockup of the Cutie Mark.

Sombrero bump

Bump for a new CYOA

>>25655570
Evil bump

Let's penetr8 the King of h8 with our huge cock

>>25657705
We're a mare.

>>25658040
That's the spirit

>>25658040
So what?

>>25657705
>>25658040
>Big black magic incoming

>>25658133
>Big
of course
>black
I guess that will work
>magic
oh it will be magical

I'm sure that Sombra can conjure up a nice fat cock for us.

>>25658040
If our overlord wants a big fat dick penetrating his butthole, who are we to deny him, regardless of our gender?

>>25658467
It's pretty much an unspoken rule, that all autocrats have some pretty weird fetishes.

>>25658478
Stop. Sombra is a male, good and straight umbrum. Not some homo closet wanting to service glory holes in a public bathroom piece of crap.

>>25658524
>straight
Would a straight stallion use that much eye shadow?

>>25658524
You're right. He calls himself Umbra when he's doing that.

>>25658524
He just needs someone to hold him an tell him that everything's gonna be okay.

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>>25658535
>>25658536
>>25658562

:^(

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>>25659525
>seige bump

>>25659549
Wait what? Is that real?

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Inventory:
>Crystal Note
>[Spell] Telekinesis
>[Spell] Brightness Unfold
If dictionary contained only the solid words and no explanation of the meanings or the pronunciation of them, it would resemble the “Spells You Forgot” book perfectly. Holding thousands of spells and the history of their making it fails to include the casting and preparation, rendering the “forgotten spellcasting” absolutely useless.

You skip through the useless knowledge until you spot several notes of “draining” magic. At closer inspection you softheartedly make a mark, perhaps all of this wasn’t a simple waste of time after all. Removing a dark chalk from your backpack you begin to scribe the name and then description of the various spells that include the word “draining” in their title. If you cannot destroy the Crystal Heart, you wager, perhaps you can simply dry it of any remaining positive emotions, making it way easier job for King Sombra. You think he’ll appreciate the kind gesture of his personal protégé.

You write down two noticeable examples. One is a spell called “Life Tap”, removing one’s health energy and life. You are unsure about the true meaning behind the energy of life and at this point, you are not that bothered to question. The second one is a spell called “Arcane Recall”. The spell forces the energies of another unicorn into your own, basically acting as a spellsteal of another one’s magic.

As soon as you finish listing through the book, making sure you read through any useful detail, you turn you gaze towards the other pile. Yet, as soon as you do that, the door opens with a gritting noise, making you jump and hug you Crystal Note as harsh as possible.

>How do you react to the sudden intrusion?

>>25659901
Find a place to hide in the rubble.

>>25659901
See who it is while hiding the note.

>>25659901
We're the goddamn protege to Sombra we can look through books if we want.

What's the note again?

>>25659985
Then lets use telekinesis to trip them up for interrupting us.

>>25659725
Yes, kek

>>25660005
Not sure if we're bad enough to cause harm for very little reasons yet. Also I'm not sure how a non-horned pone is capable with magic thus far.

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You jump into the rubble and piles of ruined and barely held together books, drawing your breath. You make yourself impossible to notice, at least to your own judgment, as shuffle deeper into the void of paper and ink, trying to keep a very small window to be able to see the intruder and interrupter.

You gulp, the black shadow flowing through the barely lit room as it stops upon the pile of your hiding. The figure of a pony passes through the hall with very slow, careful and rather uncertain steps before making yet another stop and turning its head towards you, shuffling uneasily.

The intruder pushes a hoof to its chest and takes a deep and relaxed breath, making a long, almost hovering jump towards the other side of the room soon afterwards. As soon as the figure lands, you notice the distinct lack of a helmet and a crystal hide on it, forcing you to grasp your magical note.

The black figure looks at right, then at left and then slowly tramps through the books and rubble into the balcony. If this pony, probably a Pegasus, reaches to the balcony, it’ll be too late to stop it.

You mutter the spell of Levitation as low as you possibly can, the magical force of the Crystal Note slowly creeping around the back hoof of the intruder. With a sudden, unpredictable rush, it’s forced back into the library wing, its face loudly smashing against the solid floor as you hear a rather obnoxious crack of its bones.

>What do you do?

>>25660112
Ask them what they want from us.

>>25660112
Restrain him best we can and question him.

>>25660093
Blood magic
http://pathofexile.gamepedia.com/Blood_Magic
The blood magic user gets weaker/older when magic uses.

>>25660112
Use Telekinesis spell to strangle the neck.
Use your deep voice to intimate it, then talk very slowly.

>>25660112
Damn, did we kill it?

>>25660112
Call him a little bitch for tripping.

The pony yelps in pain that grinds your ears and demeans you mind. Your narrow your eyes as if the pain the pony you just forced to eat solid stone was your own, trying not to think of yourself as the despicable pony you are. You swear you could hear the Crystal Note chuckling in pure malevolence, both the guffaw and screams of pain mixing into one.

With an asking, almost begging tone of voice you ask the Crystal Note to keep the pony from as much harm as possible, muttering the Telekinesis spellcasting once again. The crystal notes obeys with its own twisted humor, forcing the creeping, invisible tentacles of magic energy around the body and the neck of the intruder. The vines, with burning pain, force the Pegasus pony to scream once again as it can barely move.

Sometimes the spells required of the Crystal Notes would not happen, but more often than not they end up in something far more vile and horrible than you could anticipate. You usually avoid using the book of shadows for your own benefit but this time, you tell with barely meant truth, it was different. You are no fighter, and you are no soldier, so wherever this pony was doing, it had to be stopped.

The Crystal Note, on its own personal behave, raises the piles of books surrounding your cocoon, exposing you to the dark silhouette on the ground. You take a few careful steps, making sure the magic of the cursed book is still intact, before saying as strictly as possible:

“What are you doing in here?”

You can notice the figure stopping, his or her wings trembling in the air before folding themselves and hiding under the brown robe. The Pegasus pony grunts and yelps from the pain, before finally admitting his or her situation. With a repulsed glare, it stares straight at you, both surprised and angry.

“Release me.” It tells you coldly, making you gulp in fear.

>>25660334
Tell me why you're here.

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>>25660334
But... If he refuses to talk, we'll have to hurt him more...
Why is he not talking...? He's making it hard for everyone

>>25660334

Tell it speak or it shall plead and vail, in the end they all do that.

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>>25660470
>if he dies we rape his tortured anus

>>25660703
No.

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“You are in domain of King Sombra, worm. And you shall speak when told and answer when asked.”

“I’d rather eat a wet, moldy hay stack!” A feminine voice screams in return, forcing the magical tentacles to fold over her with a painful, tight grip. As her wings swing widely, the storm of air flows through the library, forcing the books and you to fly and smash against the nearby bookshelves. The pain and confusion forces you to drop the Crystal Note from your hooves, scrolls and rubble falling on top of it.

And this brief second of silence and neglect is enough for the female Pegasus intruder to rise tall and strong, flowing onto the ceiling of the library wing with a movement of a phoenix. The owl like stare of the robbed figure is set right upon you, and as soon as you attempt to order her once again, it flies right towards you. Your hoof slides towards the nearest rubble but the Crystal Note is too far out of your reach.

When your vision begins to blur in fear and shock of the incoming impact and, perhaps, death, a tall figure appears. The clang of metal is heard echoing through the library and dozens of Pegasus feathers land upon your head. You adjust your glare but in the barely visible darkness, all you can see is the Sombra’s royal uniform, pale silver plates standing in front of you.

Golden Shield, the Royal Centurion.

The aggressed invader rushes straight towards the balcony window, her emotions a mix of anger and anger. The flapping of her wings is stronger than any Pegasus you have ever met, but even this strange pony is no match for the Centurion, his heavy hooves already trotting through the library.

>Would you sit and wait, try to incidentally help the invader or the Centurion?

>>25660903
*her emotions a mix of anger and panic.

>>25660903

Help the Centurion as you can; retrieve Crystal Note and telepathy grab that pegasus again.

>>25660903
>anger and anger

Damn, she must be pretty fucking mad. Double mad.

>>25660903
There is no need for help her. shelter from the incoming storm has been denied for her .

This is a test, Let her arrogance blind her, See were it takes her.

I propose we conscript her. If she has obtained a punishment, lets give her a better option. And also fuck her.

Approach the Centurion and ask for information on who she is and what she's done. From there, we can move towards adding her to our roster.

>>25661328
>And also fuck her.
No.

>>25661328>>25660984
>Helping a stranger who feels nothing but anger and that just break inside our home a minute ago.
>Not being loyal to the master. even after watch what was our own death for betrayal.

Get the crystal note and stop her. do it.

>>25661453
Yep.

>>25660903
Retrieve the Crystal Note and grab the Pegasus, afterward ask the centurion what she is wanted for.

Unable to help the Centurion in any feasible way, you decided for the best course of action and rush towards the pile covering your magical Crystal Note, trying to throw all the ruined garbage and shambles off your precious artifact. You can feel the growl of the cursed item underneath the heavy weight and you did not wish to be one to suffer from the fury of the dark magic inside; anyone but you.

The Centurion swings his head, the heavy javelin bit by his teeth rushing through the air like a lightning in clear sky. The thunder is replaced by the scorching voice of the Pegasus as her wing shatters in the air, her body spinning high up like a mad butterfly and soon afterwards, rashly turning to come crashing down. The mare attempts to adjust her flying pattern but her other wing soon follows afterwards with a throw of Centurion’s second javelin.

By the time you discover Sombra’s gift, the Centurion has long since succeeded in his mission. With a relaxed sigh and acknowledgment that you won’t have to use the cursed book to unwillingly harm another pony you begin to slowly walk towards the sobbing, crawling mess of a pony.

The Royal Centurion acknowledges you with a rather distressed by still calm nod. You bow in return, trying to look over the strange Pegasus as much as possible. The brown, heavy robes were still hiding most the body but the light-blue mane and blue hooves told you as much as you needed to know.

“She’s a prisoner,” Golden Shield begins, his gaze sealed within the plated helm of the Sombra’s personal design. Unlike the Fidelity Helms this one was regal, noble and most of all, scary.

[1/2]

>>25661590
Prisoner from the Royal Jail. She escaped.” He says in cold, unemotional tone. You always knew and acknowledged the way the Royal Centurion took his job, always serious and always on topic.

Unlike you, Golden Shield was selected through hellish tests and trainings. Sombra specifically looked for the strongest and bravest colt in all of Crystal Kingdom. And for some reason, he was the one.

“She did? How?” You ask, the Ill curiosity taking the best of you.

“It doesn’t matter…”

“I’ll… get you… I’ll tell the whole world! You…You traitors!” The Pegasus screams, making you flinch.

>How would you proceed?
I'm so used to anonymity tripcode is a pain in the ass for me.
[2/2]

>>25661606
I think it does matter.
If she escaped, then there must be some exploitable weakness in the prisons, which we should correct right away, yes?

>>25661636
This and where do we rank in relation to the centurion?

>>25661733
Royal Apprentice and Royal Centurion are both very high ranked positions, but Aurora Flare doesn't know anything about rankings.
I think I'll go grab some sleep, thanks for the play.

>>25661606
tell the guard to knock her out cold.

then ask the guard why there was a crazy pony trying to break in.

>>25661590
So we're a coward. Didn't realize it until now. Makes sense though, she's bowed down to her fears and subsequently, Sombra. He fear overrode all other morals and logic.

>>25661762
sleep tight vicent.

>>25661885
>Coward
i see that someone is reflecting himself.

>>25662069
We kind of are a coward, though.

>>25662080
>We kind of are a coward, though.
not really, we didn't choose to run away or let the scoundrel get away.

>>25662171
>you did not wish to be one to suffer from the fury of the dark magic inside; anyone but you

Sounds like a coward to me. Nearly everything about the character does.

>>25662171
She pretty much betrayed her whole race, friends, and family so she didn't have to wear the helmet.

>>25662337
Just becouse you don't want something harmful it does mean you wish on ill on the others.

>>25662353
Race of earth ponies you mean?
I am sure their family want the best for her, not working in some mine or waxing king sombra rod all day long.

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>Inventory:
>Crystal Note
>[Spell] Telekinesis
>[Spell] Brightness Unfold

Can we get some more info on the crystal note and that second unused spell? It's info I'd want to have before I make any further decisions regarding them, info we should already know in character but still don't know much out.

bunp

>>25665112
If we write the name of a pony will it die?

I've got to say, the premise of ths quest sounded very interesting to take part in

So I was very disappointed to find out the protagonist had litteraly zero quality from the start
She's easily scared, not funny, not badass, week willed, quite unsuccessful and we don't know enough about her for her to be relatable or likeable at all

We better earn those corruption points very quickly or master some heavy dank magic shit, because right now we're just an annoying crybaby who littereally succeeded nothing she tried to do so far and can't do anything that hasn't been forced on her.

I hope you have some fast progression in store, OP

>>25665882
It really depends on how you want her to go, some wish to act on her more bravest side, some on the more evil and others on more heroic ones.
>>25665112
Second spell is just your basic Flashlight spell, I guess, I just couldn't come up with proper name. As for the Note itself:
>Being an apprentice of the king, you have free reign to go anywhere you want but… until today you stayed locked in your room, forced to study and experiment the basic magic inside of your Crystal Note. You were not a unicorn, but this book, a gift from the king, allowed you to do what they could…

You didn’t practice much after forcefully levitating one part of a frog over another. Crystal Note had a twisted sense of humor of its own.

>>25665983
We should attach the crystal note to a chain and put it around our neck at any time

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“She’s getting on my nerves.” You mutter with a fake anger, looking at the Royal Centurion in a vain hope he’ll get the meaning behind your request. Luckily, he does, forcing the blunt end of the javelin against the head of the intruder. With the last whelp she cries once again and her unconscious body joins the worthless ruins. You attempt not to wrinkle up at the though.

“You should tell His Majesty, at least. If one escaped, then…”

“You’re going to tell me how to do my job now, Royal Apprentice?”

You can hear an unimpressed, surprisingly sarcastic tone in his voice. You can’t help but smile at that.
He was one of the very few who could completely understand the situation you are in, and he was among the very few whom you could engage in some resemblance of a dialogue. If only he didn’t take his job that seriously… at least not so far from the gaze of the Shadow King.

“Well, Royal Centurion. You almost failed, don’t want to disappoint then king, do we?” You say with a sly, though a bit scared voice. The Crystal Note in your hands soon calms down and you can, with a clear conscience, put it back into your backpack. You also have an idea for putting it over your neck for an easier chance of grabbing it but in a rushed glare, you are unable to find either a chain or even a rope.

Maybe later.

You notice Centurion’s glare. As much as you are interested in his “duty”, he’s interested in yours.

“The locks have not been in use since thousands of years, I’m surprised this was the only one who managed to break out,” He motions, hitting the barely alive body with the side of his javelin.
[1/2]

>>25668189
“It’s not often His Majesty takes prisoners.”

“Not often,” He mumbles, looking at you through the visor in his helmet, “This is one of the two we have. But that’s the extent I’m going, Aurora Flare.”

“Golden Shield.”

The Centurion shakes his head, lifting his helmet just a bit to allow his gray eyes to look straight at you. With a calm wink he returns his helmet into place and kneels down, starting to push the body of the Pegasus over his back with as little struggle as you imagined.

Golden Shield was a big colt with a heart as strong as a horse. In line with his name, his mane once used to be as bright and yellow as the sun before it dried up and paled to the state it was now. He had grayish color of a skin and even though now half of his body was hidden beneath the heavy, metal armor you once was able to see his Cutie Mark: A shield with golden borders.

Even though you have seen the Centurion before the first and second return of King Sombra, you only managed to get to know and… semi-befriend him when both of you became His Majesty’s willing subjects. It was hard not to find this act of fate funny, but no matter how much you tell yourself this is all going for the better, you cannot but wish for all of this to be over.

You sigh but remain in your spot as the Centurion begins to slowly trot away.

“I’d tell you to be more careful and battle ready, but there won’t be another repeat of something like this. Until later, Royal Apprentice.”

You suddenly have a sudden urge to follow him.
[2/2]

>>25668200
Do we have something to attend in particular?
If it's not the case, ask him if you can come with him
Because ... You feel like it

>>25668347
Well you have a mission to find a way to destroy the Crystal Heart but that's about it.

>>25668358
We can take a break to cool down you mind, then
Dealing with escapees is not suposed to be on our schedule

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“Do you need help?” You ask as you begin to slowly walk behind him. The Centurion would answer you with a simple, negative jolt of his head.

Dully understanding his decision, you stop and turn towards the pile of books you gathered to help you with your mission. With a mark of your chalk you note down the “Life Tap” and “Arcane Recall” before putting the useless, heavy book away. The note should be enough.

As you turn towards the exit prepared to leave in a chance to calm your mind, you notice the Centurion running straight towards you. In shock, all you manage is to take a few steps back but his body and speed is impossible to predict… Impossible to dodge!

Luckily, Sombra’s blessing, he stops right in front of your muzzle.

“Royal Apprentice!” He shouts at you, his tone even more official as ever.

“W-what?” You ask, clearly scared and completely baffled by his reaction.

“His Majesty has called for me –right now-!”

“Oh…”

“And you know I can’t waste a minute! I left the prisoner and locked her cell, I ask you to be a comrade and warden over her until I am back. I –ask- you!”

“W-what, but I…”

Yet the Centurion was already trotting full speed ahead towards the King chamber. You take a deep breath and allow yourself to massage your neck. It’s not like you didn’t ask simply to be nice to him.

You can’t spare a minute either, if you fail in a week and there’s no solution!

You being to shudder, cold sweat strolling down your cheeks. You can feel his gaze. You can feel his presence.

You have your own things to do! But...

>>25668628
If the prisoner escapes, we're dead. We have to watch.

>>25668628
Do it
Try to find how he escaped in teh first palce while you're at it

You begrudgingly agree to help you “comrade” in trouble as you slowly trot towards the long corridor leading into the basement floor where the Royal Jail was located. While you walk through the dark, dusty aired tunnel you still decide against using the Crystal Note for some light. The dimly burning torches, probably set by Golden Shield himself, should be enough for you to do his duty.

What –is- his job exactly, you ask yourself. No matter how strong Golden Shield was, he was no match for King Sombra, who obviously could protect himself or sometimes lead the attack on the battlefield personally. You have not seen a single time the Royal Centurion participated in wars, happily doing patrols and explorations around the castle. Was protecting two prisoners something that none other could do?

You stop. The low groan and hiss addressed toward you as you enter the jail chambers makes you suddenly stop. Most of the iron, though rusty, cells were opened and abandoned but two, as you expected, of them still had locks and chains on them. The one where the unconscious and beaten Pegasus was lying had additional set of chains, locks and blunt spears forced into it.

Another had the rusty lock that you assume the Pegasus was able to break and set her free, even though you weren’t the smartest cookie, the broken lock made it rather obvious. The pony inside the second cell was staring straight at you, her blue eyes blazing with pure hate and vengeance. You could see her being a simple earth pony, no wings or horn. She had battle scars and some of her neck had a nasty rend.

Her pale green coat was cut and soiled with powder and dark magic while her dark-green, slightly yellowed mane was tarnished and hungered up.

You make a motion towards her, and she responds with snarl.

>Do you even want to bother questioning her?

>>25668975
Ask her name.

>>25668975
There's no need to be angry at me you know...

Just checking in, do we have a dick yet?

>>25669216
We still haven't been a dick to anyone, so having one...

>>25669216
Go back to coltquest

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>>25668975
We need to become the smartest cookie

This shall be our new life goal

>>25669245
but coltquest is boring

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“Your name?” You ask awkwardly, bluntly as bit coldly, her figure disappearing in a silence for a blink of a moment before her face comes crashing towards the rusty cell bars, forcing her muzzle and white teeth through it. Mare’s crazy.

“There’s no need to be angry at me, you know.”

“Of course there is!” She snarls, her body kicking and trembling in anger as she apparently attempts to push through the bars or rip them off the cell completely, as long as she’s able to reach you.

In a small glimpse of fear, you take a step back but allow yourself to remain calm. No matter how strong a pony is, there’s no way something this heavy and well build will budge. You and she soon realize this, yet she doesn’t show a sign of giving up. She can just yell and direct your anger in additional to her craze.

“I heard enough from your friend to know what’s going on! Do you have no shame? Do you have no family? You should be out there freeing your friends! What is your excuse? What are you doing?”

>>25669317
With no crystal princess or crystal ponies around to power the crystal heart, it's hopeless.
Sombra's going to win, and all I've done is picked the winning side.

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>>25669276

>>25669317
Boop her if her muzzle is still trough the bars to prove our dominance.

>>25669350
This sounds accurate.

“There Crystal Heart is nothing but an empty, useless gem now. With no Crystal Ponies and lost Princess, it’s hopeless to think there’s any chance of victory. All I did was picked the winning side, because…”

You stop, trying to gather your thoughts. You truly meant everything you were saying, but no matter how hard you tried in saying it, it sounds faked. You glared at the mad, still struggling mare and slapped her across her face, making a visible red mark and loud smack. The green, earth pony fell from the sudden shock on her rump and stared at you in disbelief. She didn’t expect that.

She should have had. You were thinking! Can’t think with crazy.

“Because?!” She shouted at you, interrupting your though once again.

“Because when the war is over, and King Sombra rules Equestria, I’ll be able to make our live as painless as possible. Don’t you see?” You looked her straight in her crystal eyes, your reflecting boiling within them.

“Everyone who opposes King Sombra is going to end up as either his mindless soldier or slave! There’s no future for those who fight against his will. The only thing you do is prolonging the Tartarus for yourself.”

“Shut up! We are lead by the rightful Princess. We have Friendship, Loyalty, Kindness and Truth on our side! No matter how hard the struggle is, we will never give up. We. Will. Never. Give. Up!”

“Shut up! You are acting childish!” You burst at her, your hoof sliding towards the Crystal Note without you even realizing it.

“It won’t end with me or Gliding Wind. Sombra’s end is near!”

“Sombra is winning!”

“Not for long.”

>It appears there was a reason she was locked behind those bars. How did she even get caught and transported all the way here?

>>25669610
Gliding Wind went straight to the balcony, they might have been spies or something.

>>25669610
Why don't we ask her?

>>25669610
I remember when I was so filled with hope like you.

You know when that hope died? One thousand years ago, when Celestia and Luna failed to defeat Sombra even with the elements of harmony. We were all collateral, everyone in the empire. All of us were banished for a thousand years.

And you think you stand a chance this time? Without the elements? This war is over, it's just up to Equestria to realize it. It would be easier for everyone if they would just give up.

>>25669610
Pull out the harmonica we carry with us and play a somber tune to bide our time until the Centurion returns.

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>>25669997
“All of this Harmony didn’t help you much with avoid capture, now did it?” You say with a fake snark.

The green pony glares at you with absolute insult and smashes her head against the iron bars once again, scorching her skin visibly. You flinch and take a step forward, looking at her with a genuine regret, meaning every word you say and trying to make her understand and see the dim light.

“Did you manage to enter the Crystal Empire, only two of you?”

“Why should I tell you?! So you can get a badge from the Tyrant for good work?”

“I’m trying to be nice here.”

“Well, being nice is not going to help you when you’ll be standing before Celestia for your crimes.”

You sighed, loudly, looking over her once again. You spared a few glimpses towards still unconscious Gliding Wind and began to shake your head. This was going nowhere.

“You have no right to judge me, or him. You know how many times His Majesty conquered Crystal Empire? Twice. And you know how many years Crystal Empire lived in peace and harmony in the last thousands years? None. Even when Celestia and Luna managed to “banish” Sombra they couldn’t spare or didn’t even bother to keep him from banishing the Crystal Empire with him as well. For thousand years!”

“Spare me your excuses, bah!”

This insufferable brat. How dares she think she knows best! You bet that if she was in your shoes, she would be the first to jump on the opportunity you currently held.

“It would be easier for Celestia to give up, and I think you walked straight into King’s chance at that.”

She answers you with silence, though her smashing obviously did some damage to the walls and ceiling of her cell, not enough to break the bars but still… alarmingly so.

What’s taking Golden Shield so long?

You turn your head away for just a second and a pebble come crashing towards your head, leaving a visible mark and sending a painful tick through your body.

>>25670145
Trying some art, tell me if it's so horrible you'd rather have plain text.

>>25670145
Let's be honest here, we look absolutely depressed, our coat's color is faded, our mane and tail have no life, we look about as pathetic and sickly as a pony could be.

Threatening's not going to do anything, looking and sounding the way we do, and I'm starting to think this is yet another test. The only way we're gonna get answers is by using the crystal note.

>>25670220
How do you wanna use it?

>>25670145
Time to use your time for study

Try life drain

>>25670242
I guess we could try draining. I doubt trying to control the spell would be very effective, but do our level best not to kill.

>>25670157
The art is nice. But can we still have a harmonica we carry around?

>>25670242
Lets train using life drain of her.

>>25670283
Sadly, Aurora does not carry musical instruments as having her remember her previous life maker her depressed.

>>25670294
Damnit. I wanted to give her something to give her more character.

With painful groan you turn towards the green mare, a couple of rocks in her hooves. You offer her an annoyed growl and then remove the dark covered book from your backpack. The Crystal Note only to your ears in voice unknown before it allows you to open it, a cold shudder send by your spine.

You list through the various notes and a rather pathetic amount of empty pages for a student of Alicorn Magic using King himself. With another throw, the pony suspiciously looks over you. Being the better judge, you can see she’s afraid. She should be.

“What is that?” She asks you, but you do not answer.

You wasted enough time as it is, if you are going to be doing another’s work you might as well improve in your task. The note you have made in the Crystal Note about both the “Astral Recall” and “Life Tap” boil with strange shadow bubble, akin to Sombra’s energy when you hover your hoof above them.

With an uncertain gulp you look at the shuddering mare and gulp, pressing against it. The “Spells You Forgot” book did not contain the reagents or any instructions whatsoever but hopefully, it appeared the Crystal Note knew more than you needed. Suddenly, regret swings in your mind.

Your stomach turns; your vision goes all blurry. The only thing you can understand in the black, shadow haze is that of an echoing voice. You barely can make up syllables, forget the words.

“Challenge me.” You finally manage to repeat, the Crystal Note and its sense of humor.

How do you even fight for a spell? You… Shouldn’t try stealing the knowledge from the note. Right?

This can end badly. Very badly.

>>25670375
Fuck if I know.

However, the only way we're getting anywhere in this story is if we let dark magic start corrupting us, so let's go for it.

>>25670375
Challenge the note, show it whose boss.

>>25670375
You've walked next to the darkness long enough
You've let go of so many things to arrive here
So a mere book is not going to take you over, you' re sick of it
It makes you enraged
This is one time too much
This is the time we take control!
Focus your determination, enough of being the drudge
Make this magic yours
And use it to take the pony in front of you
This is not time for mercy or measure, not today
Today we make it burst

>>25670428
It's about time we make it do what we want.

You dare to challenge the Crystal Note of King Sombra himself, and you to allow your mind to vanish to only reappear in completely, hollow void with nothing but heavy winds and silence within it. You look around, your eyes jumping from one side to another, but there’s no way to know South from North in this psychological prison. You attempt to remove a note from your backpack but forget the note, you don’t even have a bag.

You have not explored the powers and abilities, or anything, even, about the Crystal Note but you always knew it was a powerful artifact. So it came to you as a surprise when King Sombra first granted you as a sign of his good will and your official entrance into his “apprenticeship”. What a load of…

You suddenly glare towards the ceiling as you hear a shattering sound, thousands and thousands of green crystals beginning to break and fall, showering you first in small shard and then in much bigger sizes, leaving cut marks and even blood rends. You attempt to jump away but it appears that the entire ceiling is covered in those things, and there’s nowhere to go.

Perhaps you can light up the area and see a way out, or maybe you can levitate… something to guard you from all of this? You don’t seem to have any other ideas, and there’s not really much time to think.

>Good think you remember those two spells by hoof. Now, does being inside the note work as well as reading it outside?

>>25670555
We'll have to use levitation then.

Can we make a field with it? Lifting all the objects within a certain radius?

>>25670555
Use the telekinesis on the bigger shards aviable and make a shield from it

>>25670575
This

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>>25670622
Despite the pain and the situation you found yourself in, you attempt to calm yourself down to the best of your ability and shout out the words of the levitation spell as loudly as possibly. You close your mind imagining all the biggest shards from the ground and those coming straight at you from the ceiling molding into one big shield, and for some reason, the spell allows you to sense every object as big as your hoof around you.

They smash together over your head, but the smallest shards still manage to leave a rather visible bruise on your body(?). Forcing you to stand on your back legs, you try to hide as much as you as possible from the constant, no stopping rain of shards. It works, kind of, acting as a makeshift umbrella.

Soon silence is replaced by the constant rain of never ending ceiling of shard. You take a deep breath and try to look around but nothing comes to your vision.

Is this the best you can do?

A though passes in your mind and soon, it all ends. You shouldn’t have had said that.

That's all for today, cheers.

Oh shit niggers what do you think you're doing? We shouldn't allow the Note to corrupt us, at least not completely. We still have an uprising to arrange. While bowing so low that our intentions will remain hidden deep in our soul.

>>25670819
The uprising is us throwing down Sombro and taking his place, bro

>>25670830
Close enough, if we un-enslave Crystal Ponies.

>>25670860
Of course, we shall be the honourable chairman of the crystal empire

>>25670871
And then we will nuke 'Questria for not aiding the Empire when it needed help most. How does it sound?

I'd like to hear your comments about the quest so far if possible happyrainbowdash.jpg

>>25671134
So far it''s pretty good, I like it.

>>25671134
>>25671173
Same. I like this quest and I want more.

>>25671134
Did you run anything before? That MS paint artstyle is vaguely vamiliar.

>>25671210
Stealing Weaver's style.

>>25671134
Why do you have a filename in your post?

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>>25671560
Tried to be funny.

page 9 bump

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>>25671134
It's decent so far, though I hope that once we beat the crystal note's challenge it's properties and uses become Crystal clear

>>25674517
Thank you Blitz.

>>25675275

>>25674517
You dipshit.

Hello, how are y'all feeling today?

>>25677441
I feel like you should run your quest immediately when you will be able to.

>>25677465
Eh, sure, I guess. Give it an hour or more

>>25677479
Shit, I'll probably be heading to work.

>>25677492
Oh, well, then I can do it later or next time. A bit hard to pick a time, currently. Unsure of when you lot are available.

>>25677505
'm just only one anon, don't worry.

Every single emerald piece and shard vanishes into thin air as if it was a fever dream. The air around you hardens unexpectedly, as if suddenly being full of toxins, forcing you to heavy your breathing.

Then you hear a hiss, echoing louder and louder towards you from the deep darkness. In panic, you slide your hoof by the ground and push your face towards the presumable culprit of the noise. Then, you yell out, no matter how much every word renders your throat, the spell of “Darkness Unfold.”

Exploding in a circle, radiance emits all around you. But nothing is easy with the Crystal Note at play. Neither was it this time. To your surprise, the note acts as wicked as it did the first time you have tried using the spell in your room. The blinding radiance leaves you stumbling and sightless just as well.

You close your eyes; the hiss of a creature is heard in the long distance yet it doesn’t dare to come any closer. You narrow your eyes but all you are able to see is bright spot of the spell you casted.

You can be stuck like this forever.

>Insert input

>>25678464
Have you never stared a the sun? open your eye, no metter the pain
This is some sort of mind scape anyway, the pain is real but the damage isn't

>>25678464
So, walk towards the noise?

You begin to walk towards the noise of the hissing creature, your vision still blurry and painful. Dreamscape or not, you are not but a player in this realm of the Crystal Note and its intentions. As soon as you leave the bright, light circle you created, the noise grows exponentially until you can feel the breathing of the creature from the dark, but you do not dare to step further. Neither does it.

You peer around, narrowing your eyes as darkness as you grow accustomed to the light but you know that every spellcasting inside, and outside for that matter, this realm will only dare the Crystal Note to punish you. Or maybe, punish is not the right word. Your suffering is confusion is some sort of “reagent” and “payback” for the book’s powers.

The creature growls and you can feel its predatory hiss growing stronger, walking in circles around the area reached by the darkness. It doesn’t reach further, waiting for the spell to drain out and the short pause it can use to attack you while there’s no light to see it.

>You are either going to have to lure it towards you, trap it or win the waiting game but in this real, is there even such a thing as time?

>>25678815
How's the light source, can we move it? Can we use telekinesis to catcht the thing from sound alone?

>>25678881
It's a circle radius casted on a specified place for a uncontrollable duration. I really should write down the spells, my big fault. You can try catching the thing by the sound.

>>25678911
Could we break the light up into pieces and send them out, where if they hit something they flare up really bright.

>>25678950
You can make Aurora try that, but using telekinesis on something like light particles is not bond to succeed.

>>25678815
We could surround the area we believe it's in with rings of light and then cast one last one when we trap it.

>>25678984
Very well!

You close your eyes, enchanting your hearing ability this way as much as possible, at least, according to popular myths, before relaxing. You can hear a silent hiss crawling outside of your slowly diminishing circle of light. With an ensured resolution, you yell out the words, command for the Crystal Note for a telekinesis spell and force the binding vines around the creature. It begins to spasm and twirl in the embrace but, as you feel it, it cannot escape the telekinetic shackles.

You bite your lower lip in exhaustion, wondering how in Tartarus unicorns manage to do their own magic themselves and still be living after all of that before yelling out another spell. The circle of Light that surrounds you disappears and another Solar Flare bursts right in front of you and the captured creature.

You nearly lose control of both of your spells as your eyes begin to tear up, your winking barely helping with the problem. As you try to look at the creature through the blur and brightness, you notice a slowly vaporizing tentacle lying on the ground, the only thing it hissing about is defeat and death.

With a certainty, you let go of both of your spells and shroud yourself in the darkness once again, finally relaxing your eyes. Crystal Note is obviously not preparing to let you take a break.

The ground beneath your hooves begins to crumble in the mad dream manner before you come crashing down into some inner level of the “cave”.

“I… Finished your challenge. Did I not?” You ask uncertainly, but still forcefully.

“I’m surprised you have such a control over my powers.” The echo returns, as if the entire world was talking to you at this moment, “But you are a fool if you think that’s it. Do you even understand what you are asking for? I want to know.”

>>25679088
Well since we don't know, lets ask it.

>>25679088
The life tap spell? It´ll force the vitality out of the prisonner, what basicaly means killing him. And we'll have that energy for us to use.

“A… A “Life Tap” Spell?”

“A “Life Tap” Spell? Is that it?” You feel a sudden chill slashing by your muzzle, then your neck, then your whole body like a cold, long, hungry snake.

“Do you understand what this spell is? I can create and cast many spells, many sorceries.”

“What are you?” You ask bluntly, your eyes trembling visibly, unable to even find a place to concentrate your eyes upon to be able to speak with the Crystal Note on equal terms.

“Sombra gave me freedom and became my vessel for my powers. What are you willing to sacrifice?"

[Edit]

>>25679177
I was hoping we were trying to convince it to cast spells reliably rather than gaining another defective spell.

>>25679228
I have not much left to sacrifice, but when I accepted your challenge, I had already decide I would give up my feeling for fellow ponies

But I think I'll have to give up more of me, so I can become different, and more... Adapted to my new world

>>25679245
How about instead of a sacrifice we offer to work with it; it's sentient so it has to want for something.

>>25679276
So you want us to be a robot in exchange for unreliable magic?

>>25679305
Our suffering.

>>25679245
I'd rather beet the book into submission and finally have magic we can actually use.

>>25679305
Give it money

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“Struggling with your love and destiny and instinct to survive…”

You hear a sudden flickering of thousands of pages, sound of fluttering paper echoing as if migratory birds. From the dark void itself, page after page, a silhouette begins to form in a shape barely resembling a pony. Dark magic of King Sombra flowing through it like an uneven fountain, before it suddenly stops and blazing eyes appear on its surface.

The black, unreadable ink texts on the pages begins to flash with blood red colors, making it slightly remind you of a golem statue you read once in your books. You shudder at the silhouette, the Crystal Note finally deciding to appear, at least in some way, before you.

“You have to sacrifice to gain. I do favors for sacrifices. And you suffer a lot…”

You lower your gaze in a slightly insulted manner, but your hurt feelings are nothing before this creature. Still, ouch.

“If there was no Sombra, there wouldn’t be any sacrifice to make.”

“I know. Isn’t that such a waste? There’s a reason I accepted to help him. And a reason he decided to give me to you.”

“…R-reason?”

“Even such boring information, you’ll have to pay me in something for it.”

The figure suddenly vanishes, the pages spreading all around you before it begins to form slightly behind you, forcing you to turn your head and look at it with annoyance.

>>25679404
He’s playing with you! You raise your voice and shout as loud as possible your command for the “Telekinesis” but…nothing happens.

The figure begins to laugh at your confusion, clearly amused, “Why would I answer –that-?”

Oh right, -he’s- the Crystal Note itself. Those spells are something he casts, not you.

“Is there anything you want…? That I can give? Besides killing and enslaving ponies.”

“Sombra already does that… You know. I think we can make a deal.” The pages flicker, thousands of “ha” appearing all over them in vivid, red colors as you begrudgingly look at him.

“Give me five years of your life upfront, for starters. And then… And then, all of the energy you should gather with this spell will go to me. It will, but I’ll request that you “tap” energies of different creature every week. Does that sound fair?”

You keep your silence. That’s ludicrous. You have enough problems as it is… But it’s a way to solve one of them, probably?

“And if you can’t. I’ll take your remaining years.”

>Your answer?

>>25679409
That's an absolutely terrible deal.

Like laughably bad. We get nothing but a combat ability, he gets every single benefit from it.

No deal, that's absolutely absurd.

>>25679409
If it were just the any time we use the life tap, that would have been okay, but going to different creatures EVERY WEEK at the consequence of losing our life? In a position where we may not even leave the palace in that much time, plus five years already? Hell no, the spell is now less than useless to us.

>>25679409
Agree to the five years, but instead of all the energy going to it, it goes to us and we choose when and on what we use it on.

Take your time in deciding y'all.
Note, you can try bargaining with it.

>>25679409
Wow, even with all your power you manage to screw up negotiations so bad? I feel a little better actually

>>25679450
WHY do you want to make us the books bitch so badly?

>>25679409
Challenge it. Instead of sacrificing for the unreliable powers we should win mastery over them.

>>25679524
You'll have to specify that. Unless you wish for the Crystal Note to select it's own challenge if it agrees?

>>25679493
Alright, It gets all the energy of this one, plus half of whatever we drain from every single use after. Giving up anything of our own life make it practically pointless. I'd rather not go for another challenge right this moment, but it's something to try when we have our shit more together later.

>>25679548
This.

5 years of our life is little when you think about it. Seem like an investment for that spell. But I absolutely refuse to let it have anything from the life tap. Or more than 40%. We'll never get to control it if it keeps getting stronger

>>25679548
>>25679595
We're already Sombra's slave and now your making us a slave to a book. A BOOK!!

You guys do realize that "Life Tap will be just as unreliable as our other spells and probably more of a hindrance than anything. What we need is not more broken spells, but for the spells we use to actually do what we want them to. I can accept being Sombra's dancing monkey, but we cannot allow a book to control us.

>>25679661
>>25679688
I agree. If we were allowing the book to corrupt us, it might be one thing, but I'm not agreeing to being a book's personal chef.

>>25679709
Then we'll tell it that Sombra gave it to us not the other way around; so we should be give some respect and the ability to use spell without any side affects.

>>25679751
You do realize that would only make it laugh at us. The only way we're going to get any respect is by force.

The book is actually in a very strange position, I'd say he'a lot like a genie right now, he got the power but need commands to use it. Seeing the type of bargain he proposes, he'd gladly tyrant itself if it could. And I think we can play on that to make it more obidient. If we can't control it, we'll never destroy the crysal heart in time, so any threat he could make on use means nothing.

Tonight, we doodle on its pages if he look upset, we burn its corner
Repeat until we can doodle on without any trace of displeasure

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“This is an unfair deal!” You complain, raising your voice at the chuckling, or at least that’s what the constant appearing “ha” on the flickering and turning pages suppose to convey, you assume.

“It’s absolutely fair. You get to use –my– powers after all. And do not forget about you current “task” by your “Majesty” The eyes narrow in a rather gleeful expression before the dark magic bursts once again making the phantom appear right in front of you like a sudden flash.

“But why would I give my own years? If…If you are so powerful, you would have had used this magic yourself long ago! You need me to do it for you, you just a notebook!”

You can notice his expression changing for a moment, the Crystal Note staring at you with a rather distant expression before the pages explode in black smoke once again, appearing a little further from you than before. The text on phantom’s pages twists and turns in a vertical circle, as if he was thinking.

“And different creature? Do you not trust me to use this spell often?”

“Hmm…”

“You know, we both lose something if we both simply leave, but you lose something much more than I in a week time. There can be many potential magicians who’ll want my power.”

“A part of your life is simply a price to pay to use the spell.”

“You’ll get the price with the energies the spell will consume anyway.” You retour, “I know you want this as much as I.”

>>25679804
The phantom begins to hover above the ground, the pages slowly turning and spinning around each other, keeping his silhouette and figure.

“You are still young, I know you are. I know more about you than you can even imagine. Twenty…?”

“I’m thirty…” You say, rather surprised. Did the Crystal Note just make stuff up? Or was that a compliment?

Concentrate. This is serious!

“Twenty nine and eleven months, I was going to say.” Its eyes diminish to barely visible flickers, “Either I’ll get all the life energy from the spell you consume or… You’ll have to pay for that “half” with your own. I’m waiting for an answer.” The phantom appears before you, “I’m waiting for an answer.”

>>25679813
It's absolute nonsense.

>>25679813
If we aren't getting the full reliable spells than this damned book is worthless. We already have a telekinesis spell that breaks anything it touches and a light spell that blinds us, we don't need a life stealing spell that steals our life.

>>25679874
Forgot to mention this point.
“Is this spell going to have unfunny jokes and harming effects like me getting blinded or telekinesis going mad crazy? If that’s the case then I’m going to go with…”

“No. As long as I get all the energies there’s no reason for me to be play with it. I need the life energy, after all.”

“For what?”

“Who knows?”

“So… A spell to drain the Life Energies of another person. I’ll be able to use it as much as possible?”

“There is some leeway with your ability to hold the Crystal Note and pronounce the spell, as well as concentrating the beam and how strong or fast your target is but basically…”

A big page with even bigger “Yes” slaps across your face.

“Ouch. Alright. What will I be able to do with half of the energy if I’ll agree to that deal?”

He sounded bored and unimpressed, that was the worst of the two deals for him.

“Heal yourself, that’s what you flesh beings thing. Maybe even some of your mental scars.”

>>25679938
The hell do you mean "You’ll have to pay for that “half” with your own."

Like half the life we take would come out of our lifespan?

You know, usually deals like this should be mutually beneficial. We stand to lose absolutely everything, you stand to gain everything.

>>25679938
This still doesn't fix the fact that we only get broken spells from this thing. We need to make this damned book respect or fear us enough to actually help us. It doesn't care what happens to us because it'll just get a new owner to torture after we're gone. We need to find a way to make it share our fate.

>>25680002
He means it's either the Crystal Note gets the 100% of the life tap energies or Aurora Flare agrees to give five years of her life and then she'll be able to control 50% of the life tap energies.

>>25679938
And do you agree to drop the 'I'll kill you if you don't use it on a different creature every week" bit?

>>25680055
It's still making us it's bitch, just in a slightly less painful way.

I can think of three choices:
1) We become it's slave.
2) We challenge it and gain enough respect to not only use the full Life Tap, but also the other spell we currently have and future spells are less broken.
3) We find a way to make it share our fate so it would be more inclined to help us rather than screw us over.

The Crystal Note Phantom would begin to resemble more of a pony race than before, his silhouette gaining some kind of mane and body. You can hear an annoyed sigh.

“Sombra made a deal with me and look where he’s now.”

You can’t trust that smirk. Can you?

“And yes, I trust you to go mad with the power of the spell you’ll consume more creatures than I can even set the bar for but… You are something.”

The phantom lifts from the ground, the whirling papers surrounding your body and neck, his eyes staring deep into your soul as you begin to lose control of your movements. You completely forgot you were in his domain, after all. He’s a god in this dreamland.

“Listen. You’ll still come to me later, because you’ll need this. You’ll need my powers. But later, when you do, you won’t like a much worse deal, for you. Struggle as you may, it adds to the flavor.”

>>25680114
Sombra got his power from this book?

>>25680114
What did Sombra give?

>>25680145
>>25680179
>“Sombra gave me freedom and became my vessel for my powers. What are you willing to sacrifice?"

>>25680194
Freedom from what?

>>25680194
That's a really strange freedom
What was it even before that?

>>25680216
>>25680228
Sadly, the Crystal Note is not willing to answer questions unless some kind of payment is provided. And right now it's more busy trying to make Aurora Flare to sign a contract.

>>25680249
Give it 30 minuets of our life for the answer.

>>25680249
Would Sombra loose his power if the book was destroyed? If not then Sombra might destroy it himself to make sure it can't empower his enemies.

>>25680114
The entire life of the first pony we take each week, starting from the second one,( I really need this one) plus 100.000.000 seconds of our life

Final offer

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Most of you appear to be in agreement that both deals are bad and Aurora Flare should not take it?
>>25680347

>>25680347
That means we'll start by killing one of Sombra's prisoners.

>>25680420
>starting from the second one

>>25680418
Yeah, nah, if he can't be more cooperative, let's get out of here
I wonder who'll learn to be more complient first, the notebook with an ersatz of a soul, or the pony holding it

>>25680114
Negotiation's really not your strong suit, bud.>>25680114

>>25680473
Well, you haven't managed to convince him in any way.

>>25680505
We don't plan on taking a bad deal, and we can't use force ot threat in this realm or he might simply keep us here forever in his dreamscape should he take us seriously

>>25680505
That's because haggling wont accomplish anything since we have no leverage. The only realistic option is to either challenge him or threaten him.

>>25680505
That's because we have nothing to use to motivate him.