Just a normal day...

[ϞSymreeϞ]

The longer that I stood in Draldoth's office, the more my heart seemed to burn with a flame that I could no longer define as love. This was pain. I closed my eyes a few times, trying to escape it. Blinded. Blinded by a mare, by beauty...how could I have allowed this to happen? The rules were there for a reason, they were always there for a reason. I had been called stupid and rash, immature and a failure at life, but not even Jormax had ever called me blind. God, what had I gotten myself into?
I rocked back slightly, fighting the fire that raged like an inferno around my heart. I had to put out the flames. I could feel an unfamiliar pressure behind my eyes, and it took a very long time for me to realize that it was the pressure of un-shed tears. She had used me, hadn't she? Had it all been a ruthless, terrible game to her? God why did I have to be so stupid around her!? Never again. Never again would I allow myself to be blinded by a pretty face.

Draldoth moved slowly out from behind his desk, walking in a dazed state to the far side of his office. I followed his progress out of the corner of my eye, not looking at him until he spoke. At first he seemed to be trying to puzzle it out for himself. He knew better than to ask if I was sure. I wouldn't have risked sounding insane if I hadn't been sure. I may have allowed myself to be fed lies about her motives and feelings, but my eyes were as keen as they had ever been. I could still trust them.

He whipped around to face me, a wild glint shining for a moment in his eye. "You said several kinds of magick, what exactly? Was it suggestions of the magic, or was it a full-blown demonstration? How much knowledge of magic does she have? Extensive? Limited? The hidden loopholes that only the most advanced of us would know? I want to know exactly what she said; her words, her implications, her ideas. Did she give you any idea of how this would be possible?

"What inclined you to think she didn't have wings, but a horn? Anything specific, or a slow gathering of knowledge over time? Positions, cues, implications? Anything and everything is relevant. I want to know, this Academy needs to know." He took a deep breath, closing his eyes, and relaxing his wings. Carefully he took the time to relax the muscles throughout his body, and then opened his eyes again. "If she's a threat, which I strongly believe is the truth in all likelihood, we need to know why, how, and how dangerous she is. Think carefully, and try to recall every detail, every instance, every moment that you've been around her. Most importantly, we need to find out the source of the magic that is giving her this power. Is it her? Or is it someone else, someone in the sidelines that supplies the tricks as she delivers the performance? Anything and everything is relevant. Everything is important. Are you willing to begin?"


I blinked a few times, feeling a familiar rush somewhere in my stomach. This was the old Draldoth, the way it had once been when he would assign me missions every few weeks. In his presence, I suddenly felt drained of emotion. The information remained in my mind, strange and true, but all of my feelings for Arix seemed to seep out of my hooves. I was left with nothing but anticipation for another mission. I gave him a firm nod, "Yes, I'm willing."

Without even a moment's hesitation, I started by telling him of the first time I spoke with her in private, how she naturally fell into a couple positions that would have been perfect for a unicorn preforming the magick, without being told. I told him of our quick visit to the Mortigi desert, our small argument, and the basis of it. I told him how she had pushed me to reach further with my magic, how I could now transport others without touching them. I told him of our every meeting since, and of how her eyes would flash a different color when she was angry or excited. I told him of how she sometimes looked at me when she thought I wouldnt notice, the thinly veiled lust for not my body, but my blood. She was a killer, and I had known it all along. I just hadn't realized it until this moment. I told him of the other feats of magic I had seen her preform, occasionally with the slight tilt of her head as though a horn still rested on her brow.
"I couldn't tell you exactly what kind of magic it was that she was preforming. She was always careful around me, headmaster. Half the time, I felt more as though I was something to keep her busy for a few moments, like a game that she was particularly fond of playing... and not yet ready to dispose of. Her knowledge is vast, headmaster, she knows much more than she wants me to think that she does. I don't think that she knows all of the loopholes yet. I- I think that that was why she kept me around. She needed me to finish her training.
It wasn't always a full blown demonstration with the different kinds of magic, sometimes it was small, but other times it was larger, like she let it slip by accident... Sir, when she's alone, she moves like a hunter, like a giant cat or a raptor. She's impatient, always wanting to master something faster than it can be mastered. Things come so naturally to her, and yet she acts as though it's taking eons longer than it should.
It wasn't anything she said really, that made me think that she may have once had a horn, it was the way she moved, and the way she always seemed to be pulling herself out of the position that a unicorn would use for the runes, even though I was showing her the pegasus movements. it almost seemed like she was learning it all over again for a different body... but that's preposterous." Wasn't it?
"I'm not sure how much of what I know can be trusted, headmaster, but I can be sure of this much, whatever magic she produced, it was hers. She produced it on her own. There was no puppeteer holding her strings."

[Shanza]

Draldoth listened quietly, with focused concentration. It was as he feared. She not only understood magic, but knew it well enough to push Malglo where she could. It was also likely that at sometime in the past she was a unicorn. But how was that possible? How could it happen? To the extent of Draldoth's knowledge, there was no way she could transform. No possible way. However, who her eye color would change would suggest Body Class transformation magick. He knew it rare for anyone to remain for a day in a different form, let alone for weeks on end. Did she ever change back?

"Sometimes she looked at me when she thought I wouldn't notice, the thinkly veiled lust for not my body, but my blood." Malglo paused, sighing. "She is a killer, I knew it all along. I didn't realize until this moment."

Draldoth looked at him worriedly, and immediately his calm serenity evaporated. The rest of his story could wait. There were things he needed to know now. "Do you think she's an immediate threat to the Academy? What about a lurking one? Is she just a danger to the students? Or could she take on a teacher or an advanced pupil? Do you think she came to kill?"

When he spoke of her fondness of games, of how the blood bay was likely just something to amuse her and to pass the time, it worried him. Someone with little or no notion of another's feelings was someone to be worried about. Her callousness, however didn't concern him nearly as much as how much she appeared to know. "So she's not done training yet?" He nodded, looking hopeful. "We may be able to stop anything she tries yet."

"She's a hunter? Are her movements what clued you onto her likely being a killer?" Her impatience would support that. To be able to hunt successfully, hunters would need to be full of energy, and frustration should come quickly.

Draldoth nodded as Malglo confirmed that she was the one producing the magic. He suspected that, but it made the whole situation even more strange than it already was.

"I want you to keep watching her. Use Enjori if you have to, since I suspect she won't let herself be left in the dark. But if Enjori is to continue a joint surveillance, then you need to train her to remain invisible. She could be a valuable asset if she learns to listen to the forest. Also, Kathridge needs to mask her fear. It seems likely that she'll be a target, so she needs to learn how to defend herself. If you wish, teach both of them at the same time, and Okolim if he's willing. However, under no circumstance will you let Kathridge follow Arix. If caught, that could make the whole situation explode into a disaster."

[ϞSymreeϞ]

Draldoth's calm cadence that I had come to expect evaporated so quickly that I jumped as though electrocuted. He was always my rock, always so solid, so sure. He usually never reacted to anything that I said. It was the one sharp glance that he gave me, filled with worry for the words that I had uttered. The look stopped my words in their tracks.

"Do you think she's an immediate threat to the Academy? What about a lurking one? Is she just a danger to the students? Or could she take on a teacher or an advanced pupil? Do you think she came to kill?"

Slowly and carefully I answered him. "No, I don't think that she is an immediate danger to the academy, but it is more than possible that she could be a lurking one. If she is a danger to the students, then she would only bother with Kathri, however, I don't think that students would be her target. I think that she would take on anyone that challenged or intrigued her. I think she did come to kill, but she came without a specific target in mind."

"She's a hunter? Are her movements what clued you onto her likely being a killer?"

I nodded. "Yeah. She moves like a jungle cat when she thinks that no one is watching. Her movements become longer, almost as though she's stalking something. Also, there's this strange thing with her eyes...when she's angry or very happy, her eyes turn yellow. I- I don't quite know what to make of it."

"I want you to keep watching her. Use Enjori if you have to, since I suspect she won't let herself be left in the dark. But if Enjori is to continue a joint surveillance, then you need to train her to remain invisible. She could be a valuable asset if she learns to listen to the forest. Also, Kathridge needs to mask her fear. It seems likely that she'll be a target, so she needs to learn how to defend herself. If you wish, teach both of them at the same time, and Okolim if he's willing. However, under no circumstance will you let Kathridge follow Arix. If caught, that could make the whole situation explode into a disaster."

I nodded, again with caution. I wasn't used to this side of Draldoth. He had always worried for my safety on missions, fearing that I would try something rash, but he had never looked so serious, so frightened of the outcome should I let a single thing get out of hand. I knew with absolute certainty that this would be my most dangerous mission yet. "Yes, sir. I will seek out Enjori and her brother, Kathri as well. I will teach them all the art of invisibility, and I will warn Kathridge to steer clear of being alone with Enjori. I will watch Arix, but do I pretend that nothing has changed? That I still care for her, and am under her spell?" I couldn't afford to tell her the truth...could I?

[Shanza]

A quick, hidden sigh of relief was all he gave himself when Malglo informed him that any threat wasn't immediate. He was worried with her propensity for games, but relieved at the same time. Games required time, and time was on their side. "You're sure only those who challenge her will be in danger of being targeted?" Draldoth nodded, answering his own question. Of course the staff would eventually become targets, but as it stood now it appeared that she wasn't strong enough to take on even the weakest.

As Draldoth listened, he relaxed slightly and detached from the conversation, but he also became more focused. They would have to deal with this problem, and quickly. That not only needed but required a calm mind; one that could see all the angles in a chess game and outmaneuver his opponent. For the first time since accepting his position did Draldoth realize how much of a strategic windfall his friend had. He shook his head, realizing the simple brilliance of it. Even if Arix realized they were onto her, she could never know who was behind the curtain and directing the play.

"As for watching Arix, can you act well enough to fool her? She is an actress herself, to be able to pull off this stunt for so long. I want, if you think you're able, you to continue 'hanging out' with her. If anything goes wrong that way you will be right in the middle of it. You should probably have a talk about calming things down and taking a step back, to figure out what you really think." He paused, mulling it over in his head. "Well, come up with something, but don't play it too hard. She's likely to realize sooner or later that you're double-crossing her." He stopped speaking, and looked Malglo right in the eye. "When she finds out, and she will, are you ready to take her on? Can she throw you with any hidden tricks or are you prepared for anything? Unlike in the past, we have no idea what we are dealing with. I guess my main question is; if she proves too much for you, are you willing and ready to get the hell out?"

* * *

Draldoth stood alone in his office for a long time, contemplating his choices. He didn't envy any of them, and likely he would like to know what was going on before it went down. Maybe this could wait a few more days, but likely it couldn't. Snorting with annoyance, he trotted through the staff tunnel to the lower level. He rapped twice on one of the openings, then quickly left, heading deep into the forest. The shadow that followed him minutes later stretched across the large clearing by light of the dying sun.

In the twilight, Draldoth related what he knew, and what he suspected. "I've already deployed Malglo to watch her, and to prepare Kathridge and her friends. She'll be a great asset if we can use her, but it would be a waste if she takes out any of the students. I don't like this, letting a fox in among the hens. Even compared with everything else we've done, this is the riskiest yet." He sighed, and quietly continued. "No matter what other goals we have, my first and foremost responsibility is the students of this school. I won't let anything happen to them." His voice hardened, and his ears pinned against his skull. "Even I have to go through everyone and everything to protect them. That includes this new up-and-comer. That also includes you."

A snorting laugh answered him, and suddenly all his anger dropped away. "I mean it. I can take you, and you know it. I know more magic than you do, and I know how to use it better. I follow you because of your brilliance and your plan, but I stand by my responsibility to this Academy. Don't cross me, or you'll regret it." A warning crept into his voice, and his eyes hardened as he felt rage billow up. "Don't underestimate me, friend. And don't hurt my students." Shaking out his wings, he trotted a few paces, then launched into the night. Coming from nowhere, a brisk wind carried him away from his silent friend and back to the Academy. Back to his home.

[ϞSymreeϞ]

Draldoth seemed to calm as I told him my thoughts on just how dangerous Arix was at the moment. I had always admired him just for this reason. He saw the power in knowledge as simple as this.It meant that we had time, hopefully plenty of time to either change her heart o r destroy her. I only hoped that I wouldn't be the one to have to do it.

However much clarity this had brought to my mind, I knew that there was still a part of me that would want to keep her near for my own selfish reasons. It would be my downfall should I give into it. Draldoth knew that this part of me still existed, perhaps better than I knew it myself. It was the same chance that frightened him as well. For a moment our eyes met, as though we both thought of the same sticky end this could come to.

"As for watching Arix, can you act well enough to fool her? She is an actress herself, to be able to pull off this stunt for so long. I want, if you think you're able, you to continue 'hanging out' with her. If anything goes wrong that way you will be right in the middle of it. You should probably have a talk about calming things down and taking a step back, to figure out what you really think."

I nodded, smiling slightly,"Acting? Draldoth, I think we both know that once I'm around her, It wouldn't be much of an act. I'm with you till the end, friend, but a part of me still trusts a part of her." It was a fancy way of saying that I was sort of head over heels in love with her. "I wont have to pretend that I'm still interested. I can 'hang out' with her for as long as we need. However, I don't think it's a good idea to tell her that I want to take a step back for a while. She's starting to trust me, and it will arouse her suspicions. If I back out now, I know that she wont let me back in." My smile grew, "Don't you see? It's another game, another test. She's only interested in me as long as I keep up with her games. If she grows bored of me, then she'll just cast me aside like a broken toy. If you want information, we have to do this part my way."


"Well, come up with something, but don't play it too hard. She's likely to realize sooner or later that you're double-crossing her." He stopped speaking, and looked me right in the eye. "When she finds out, and she will, are you ready to take her on? Can she throw you with any hidden tricks or are you prepared for anything? Unlike in the past, we have no idea what we are dealing with. I guess my main question is; if she proves too much for you, are you willing and ready to get the hell out?"

I met his gaze firmly, almost laughing. "Sir, with all do respect, Arix doesn't play soft. I cant go lame on her, or she'll only suspect more quickly. She plays hard, and she plays fast. If we're going to do this, then I have to play harder and faster to keep her off my tail for as long as possible. I think that I can take her on when she finds out. I know that she has magic that I don't understand, but I've learned with her to expect anything at any given moment. I don't know if she realizes it, but she's teaching me tricks as well, and giving me clues as to how she operates. But yes, Draldoth, should she surprise me, I can get the hell out faster than anyone else."

***

Not Malglo

By the light of sunset, the dark shape trotted towards the trees. His movements were swift and secretive, but in the blink of an eye, one would miss him, and shake their heads, thinking that his shadow had been but a trick of the light. A thin, changing veil of smoke hovered around his form, blotting out his color, and disguising his shape. It was a fine piece of magic that had been years in the learning for the equine, but it had turned out to be well worth it. You could never be too careful. Twilight came across the land by the time that the figure swept to a halt before the headmaster. He removed the veil of smoke and smiled expectantly. "What do you have for me?" He listened attentively as Draldoth spoke, nodding occasionally, but otherwise standing very calm and still.

"I've already deployed Malglo to watch her, and to prepare Kathridge and her friends. She'll be a great asset if we can use her, but it would be a waste if she takes out any of the students. I don't like this, letting a fox in among the hens. Even compared with everything else we've done, this is the riskiest yet." He sighed, and quietly continued. "No matter what other goals we have, my first and foremost responsibility is the students of this school. I won't let anything happen to them." His voice hardened, and his ears pinned against his skull. "Even I have to go through everyone and everything to protect them. That includes this new up-and-comer. That also includes you."

The dark figure's lips parted in a soft smile, along with a snort and a dark thrum of laughter.

"I mean it. I can take you, and you know it. I know more magic than you do, and I know how to use it better. I follow you because of your brilliance and your plan, but I stand by my responsibility to this Academy. Don't cross me, or you'll regret it." A warning crept into his voice, and his eyes hardened as he felt rage billow up. "Don't underestimate me, friend. And don't hurt my students."

"Peace, Headmaster, you know that I seek no quarrel with you. After-all. I still need you on my right hand." The lips no longer held shadow of mirth nor grin, and the dark figure dipped it's head to the winged stallion as he took to the skies.

The dark figure smiled after his departure. It was true enough that the headmaster's magic was great, but he underestimated the skill backing the mind of this creature. He had learned a few tricks since their last duel, but he preferred that the headmaster remain ignorant...at least for the time being.

The dark equine took a deep breath, and with the slight smell of smoke in the air, he left the shelter of the trees, just as soundlessly as he had arrived.

[Shanza]

I was nevous, and scared. Correction; I was jumping out of my skin and scared to death. Nothing else I had ever done made me this nervous; I couldn't believe I was planning on ambushing Malglo right outside of the Staff quarters. But I had a reason! He was avoiding me! Alright, if he told just one teacher I had been following him around I would be labeled a stalker and no one would trust my word again. This, however, was worth it. I needed to talk to him, for Kathri's sake. She had calmed down since the fire-field incident, but now she was getting all depressed as starting to doubt what she had seen, what she had done. I needed to do something, and I needed to do it now.

So that meant Malglo. He was suppose to be watching her, monitoring her, making sure she didn't do whatever she did again! Instead he was making out with her. Oh, how glad I was that I didn't tell Kathri I had agreed, behind her back, to watch her arch-nemesis with her forever-after-who-betrayed-her-and-made-her-feel-like-he-ripped-her-heart-out-crush. Yeah, I was glad I hadn't told her. What the hell had I gotten myself into?

Of course, I went to my brother, but all he did was mumble and stare off into the distance. Then he reminded me that I should have stayed away from both Malglo AND Arix to begin with. As if I didn't know that already. Thanks alot.

Another teacher went by, and again, I told them that I was waiting for a friend. Yes, they were suppose to be here half an hour ago. Yes, I was still going to wait. No, there's nothing you can do. No thank you for the company, I'm fine. Yes, I'm absolutely sure they didn't forget. No, I'm sure I got the right place. Is everyone this helpful, or just this nosy? Besides, if he avoided me by his witch-trick-magic, I'll just find a different way to corner him. Could he vanish with vines wrapped around him? Probably not, but that would require two things. One, I would have to learn to use my magic, and two, I would have to be able to move it fast enough to catch him before he poofed. Scratch that, three things. I would need to be able to control it enough so it wouldn't crush him at first try.

Needless to say, that idea is in the wind. It would have to be at least a couple of years before I could begin to check those off my list. I saw a flash of a bay coat leaving the other entrance, and I ran to catch up. It looked like him-- and yes, it was him. He was headed over to the healer's area, probably to have her check up on his latest set of bashes and bruises.

Picking up a fast lope, I circled around the entrance to the library, and nearly collided with him. "I need to talk to you. NOW."

He had rocked back on his haunches to avoid a collision, and he just looked at her.

"Well?" I was getting nervous. I never liked confrontation, and this was ten times my weekly dose. Of course, I would do it all again if I needed to for Kathri, but without so much enthusiasm. My voice dropped to a whisper as I spoke, unwilling to gain attention from the various delinquents. Which reminded me, I was missing Magic Theory right now, so I had better make it worth it. "You were suppose to be watching her and you end up making out with her?!? What were you thinking?" I hissed, "Do you have any idea how mad and distressed Kathri is right now? It's a good thing I haven't told her that I'm in cahoots with you, 'cause she'd be likely to go jump off a bride! Do you have any idea how crazy you are? Kathri thinks that you're Arix's next target! That unless she does something, sooner or later Arix is going to take you out! Now, we both know that Kathri is a little obsessive, and I've been able to talk her out of most of her crazy ideas, but you've got to do something." She paused, tilting back away from Malglo as she remembered the other crazy thing she hadn't been able to convince Kathri to forget about doing. "Oh, you might want to check you normal sleeping area, and your normal lunch area. And you might want to start rotating randomly. Kathri's got it in her mind that if she can't stop Arix from being around you, she'll stop, or help stop, you from being around her. So I think she plans to spread some crazy demon plant to get you super sick." She paused, and leaned in again, her intent for information clear on her face. "I've given you some useful information, and unless you want to be dodging Kathri's mysterious poison bombs and other traps without guidance, you'd better start talking. Why, would be nice to begin." She backed away a step, but she was determined to hound his steps until she got some answers.

[ϞSymreeϞ]

It seemed to me that the healer's quarters had become something of a second home. I practically lived there, and spent more time in the reeds there than in my own quarters. Many times, the healer had threatened to burn my name on the occupancy chart. Not as funny as she thinks it is.

I had been uncharacteristically lucky this week. No broken legs or ribs, no one had tried to drown me, and I wasn't bleeding. No, this week I was merely dealing with an old injury that had flared up again. My foreleg felt as though a low kindling of flame had been set inside of it. The pain was nothing intolerable, but I knew that, left unattended, it would have me on the ground, writhing with pain if I didn't get something for the pain. It happened every so often, and the healer could find no explanation.

The next moment, a dark shape tore around the bend, nearly crashing into me. I rocked back on my haunches, ready to poof when I recognized the flustered form of Enjori. She looked angry and slightly uncomfortable. I was about to smile, and tell her that I had just been looking for her when her voice barked out at me, an angry, snapping command, "I need to talk to you. NOW."

My eyes narrowed slightly, and I wondered what on earth I had done to piss her off. She had been so friendly and civilized the first time we had talked. I guess that things can change in a heartbeat. I clenched my jaw slightly, not entirely sure that I trusted myself to speak. I was in minor pain and very tired. I knew that I would say something that I would later regret. My eyes locked on hers expectantly.

"Well?" She shifted uncomfortably under my stare, and with an effort, I forced my expression to soften slightly. I was sore, not angry with her. Not yet at least. Her voice dropped to a whisper, "You were supposed to be watching her and you end up making out with her?!? What were you thinking?" She hissed, "Do you have any idea how mad and distressed Kathri is right now? It's a good thing I haven't told her that I'm in cahoots with you, 'cause she'd be likely to go jump off a bridge! Do you have any idea how crazy you are? Kathri thinks that you're Arix's next target! That unless she does something, sooner or later Arix is going to take you out! Now, we both know that Kathri is a little obsessive, and I've been able to talk her out of most of her crazy ideas, but you've got to do something."

Guilt, and then anger filtered through my body, and it took more strength than I had right now to keep the expression out of my eyes. I managed not to let it show on my face, but only just. She had no right to look at me that way, as though I had betrayed her...ok, yes, it looked like that from her point of view. I took a deep breath and closed my eyes. I had allowed myself a moment of weakness, it was true, but I felt like biting the mare's head off. I felt like telling her to climb inside my body and make it behave as it should around Arix. I had to bite my tongue to keep the words from spilling out. She was right- partly- I had lost my way...forgotten that there were things more important than my happiness. How nice those weeks had been...it was hard not to wish that I could afford to be selfish more often. I allowed her to continue.

"Oh, you might want to check you normal sleeping area, and your normal lunch area. And you might want to start rotating randomly. Kathri's got it in her mind that if she can't stop Arix from being around you, she'll stop, or help stop, you from being around her. So I think she plans to spread some crazy demon plant to get you super sick."

The first sound that got past my lips was a laugh mixed with a groan. Great. Poison. That was exactly what I needed.

"I've given you some useful information, and unless you want to be dodging Kathri's mysterious poison bombs and other traps without guidance, you'd better start talking. Why, would be nice to begin."

I hesitated a moment, gathering all of the patience that I had left. I didn't want a quarrel, but there wasn't any reason that I had to take her crap either! Deep breath. "I'm sorry. I don't know what happened, but sometimes there isn't a why. I can't tell you why or when I fell in love with her, but that's what happened, OK? We knew going in that there was a danger of this happening, I already liked her before I agreed to spy on her for you, the way I figure, it was only a matter of time. Yes, I know, I should have walked away when I realized what was happening, I should have backed off and forced myself to walk away. I should have, I know it, but I wasn't strong enough. I messed up, OK? I admit it! If it had been a real mission, I would have failed, I would have been dead...."

I paused, looking away from her, noting gladly that I had remembered to lower my voice before starting. I took another deep breath, wishing that she could have waited for me to come to her. "Listen," I whispered, "I was blind, and I was tricked, I understand that, and now I know how to ward myself against her, that's the lesson learned, but I wont be reduced to hiding in the bushes. It's a step backwards. You see, I made a stupid mistake, but I have her trust now, or I nearly do at least, and I think going back to her after seeing Draldoth will seal it. No- hear me out. As long as I'm interesting to her, as long as I entertain her, she wont lay a hoof on me. I wont be her target, and if I can keep her busy with lessons, no one else will be either unless she's provoked. Do you see now? Are you beginning to? Arix is a hunter, and she's a killer. I know this much for a fact, but she loves games, and I'm some sort of fabulous puzzle to her, if I break it off now, we'll never learn anything, but If I pretend that nothing has changed, then I'll have passed a level in her game, and she'll trust me just a little more, and let me in just a little farther. She plays hard and fast, but so do I, and as long as I keep up, and let on no clue that I have double crossed her, we may stand a chance to stop whatever it is that she has planned before she finds out about me, I have no doubt, she will, and she'll try to kill me when she does, but no matter how quickly she moves, I can get out faster. No one can get the hell out like I can." Here I managed a smile, but continued on, knowing that she would want to interrupt and challenge some part of my theory. "No, I don't want to hear it. Draldoth has already assigned it to me as a mission, and he wants you and Kathri in on it as well. Meet me in the woods this afternoon, skip out on your magic theory class, both of you, and I will teach you invisibility. From this meeting on, we are only to meet at night, after hours when no one will see or hear. If I see you when I am around or even in sight or Arix, I wont talk to you. Even that much would raise her suspicions. You can follow Arix when I'm not around her after I teach you to hide effectively, but under no circumstances will you allow Kathri to follow her alone, she may come with you, and you may come alone, but Kathri cannot be allowed to spy on Arix on her own, are we clear?"

[Shanza]

I guess I should have seen that coming. Of course Malglo would fall for her; he's a stallion, and she's a beautiful and available mare that apparently shared his feelings. That, however, is forgoing the part about her being a manipulative and evil witch-mare with demon powers. I shook my head, trying to shake my thoughts out of my mind. I had left that life long ago; too bad the words didn't go with it.

I felt rather ashamed that I had pushed him. He knew the risks, and the drawbacks, and knew what to do in these situations. I should have trusted his experience, and yet even he admitted that he screwed up. His admission that he would have been dead in a real mission truly brought the facts to life with it's sobering reality. This was a really mission, this was real life. It was only by Arix's propensity for games and her love of seeing another's reaction had kept the bay stallion alive. I started to realize our stoke of luck. If she miscalculated from this, that might mean she would miscalculate other things. On the other hand, she might be just going with the flow to see what would happen. That would probably be the case.

I started to feel the first tricklings of fear. Malglo was going to be right out in the open; he was going to play hardball with a mare who knew nothing but hardball. Except this wasn't a game. If he screwed up, if he lost; if anyone screwed up and let on that he wasn't what he appeared to be.... well, the consequences would be dire. I took a breath, trying to quell the fear, but he must have taken it as a sign that I wanted to interrupt him. Far from it; I was nervous as hell, but I was going to listen to him. I didn't know what else I could do.

My teeth clenched as he confirmed that Arix was a killer. Not an assassin, not a murderer; a killer. A cold-blooded, deadly, focused hunter. Someone who compared the value of life against her entertainment. I hid a shutter at the thought. Wait, what? Skip class? Meet, hidden, in the woods? Bring Kathri? Invisibility? What the? I was startled at the begging, turning to confusion when he mentioned invisibility. Invisibility magic? Is that what he meant? But that just wouldn't be possible.... would it?

I froze. My jaw dropped slightly, and I know my eyes widened, at least slightly. He wanted me to what? Alright, I know that's what I was doing before, but that was before. This was with the Headmaster's knowledge and consent. This was crazy. Kathri couldn't follow her? Of course she couldn't follow her! She wouldn't want to! And that reminded me; she would kill me when she found out that I had been working with Malglo.

As I watched the bay stallion walk away, my stomach hardened into a knot. Oh, I definitely wasn't looking forward to this. I really wasn't looking forward to this.

[ϞSymreeϞ]

If there was one thing that the Academy had taught me, it was that if your sneaking off to meet someone you shouldn't be meeting, don't look as though your sneaking. Don't run into the woods; walk. You attract far less attention that way. So it was with a leisurely, unconcerned pace that I made my way towards the wood to wait for Enjori and Kathridge.

My conversation with Draldoth hung heavily in my ears. I found his words repeating themselves in my mind, focusing and haunting me all at once.

When she finds out, and she will, are you ready to take her on?

I paused mid stride and took a deep breath before entering the trees. I began to wonder how dangerous this mission would be. Oddly, I felt no fear. This was just another mission, and I was back in my own element. Let her play as hard as she liked, I could match her game. I was the only one among my fellow travelers that would dare to attempt it. I was also the only one left behind as the semester started. I paused, blinking before allowing a curse to pass through my lips. How could I have been so stupid? Draldoth hadn't been trying to keep me from the outside world! He'd kept me here to protect the students from an interior threat. A threat that I had brought back with me at the beginning of the term. The headmaster had suspected Arix all along.

I shook myself and continued on into the wood, a heavy sense of duty in my stomach. I should have known better than to doubt Draldoth. He had never led me astray, why would he start now? My head lifted proudly and I came to a halt, waiting patiently for Enjori and Kathri to arrive. The earlier would be a fast learner, I knew, and my main back up if things went wrong. Kathri would be of little help. She would be too busy drooling over me, or trying to "save my life." God, I hoped that she would know by now that I was more than capable of taking care of myself. That mare had more than just a few screws loose, but someone had to teach her to defend herself. Why was it that someone usually meant me?

[Shanza]

This was not good. This was not good. This was really NOT good!! How in the world would Kathri not kill me after this? I was working with him, her crush, and going behind her back to do it. And we were going after Arix, the little demon-witch who had seduced Malglo. I mean, really, how the hell was she going to forgive me?!

I trotted around the corner, quickening my stride down the tunnel that led to our class. I had to get to her before she got there, otherwise there would be a lot of explaining to do with the professor. I had the impression from Malglo that the less explanations happening, the better. "Kathri!" I yelled at her, right before she entered the room. She turned to look as I came up, slightly confused. "Listen, ok, don't listen, just come with me, please. I don't have time to explain right now," I added in a low tone, trying not to attract the attention of our classmates who were filtering in. For a moment, she looked like she wasn't going to come, so I shot in a sentence that I knew would grab her. "It has to do with Arix."

That brought her around. Wordlessly, she followed me back to the outside world. I headed towards the forest, and she walked next to me. I could feel her stare burning a hole in me, as if she knew what I'd been up to. I took a deep breath, and slowly started to explain. I didn't know how far I would get, but I had to try. "I've been working with Malglo, tracking her. Well, at least I started working with him. You know, and I know, that they've had a little more fun than they should. Well, I confronted him about the broken plan, and he said he fell in love with her." As I said it, it sounded more crazy by the second. How the hell had he managed to convince me?

Maybe she saw my expression, or maybe she just wasn't listening. I don't know. What I do know was that she didn't interrupt or start yelling at me. That was both a relief and a fear. "He went to Draldoth, I guess, who managed to get his head back on right." I paused just for a second. What if his head wasn't on right? What would we do then? I shook, trying to throw it out of my mind. "Apparently, the headmaster wants us trained, and wants us to help watch Arix." So I kept walking, and waiting for the explosion I expected to come.

[ϞSymreeϞ]

You know that crummy feeling in your stomach that you get when you know that your best friend is lying to you? The one that means she's sneaking around behind your back with the stallion that she knows you have a crush on? I may not have been the sharpest tool in the shed, but I wasn't stupid. I had eyes, and I could see that she was up to something. She had barely spoken to me in the past few days! Enjori seemed to be forever "Doing homework" or "not feeling well". Whenever Malglo walked into the vicinity, her eyes would snap towards him. Admit ably, so would mine, but that was different. I would look at him because he was gorgeous. Enjori would look at him like he was a mildly attractive Russian spy that she was supposed to hate, and then leave to follow him, claiming that she had a belly ache or that she wasn't hungry.
I just couldn't believe that by best friend was falling for my forever crush!

"Kathri!"

I spun around to face Enjori, my eyes forming twin question marks across my face. What did she want? It was only a few moments before class would begin. I almost turned back around, but the urgent glint to her eyes held my attention. She wouldn't ask me to be late for class if it wasn't important.

"Listen, ok, don't listen, just come with me, please. I don't have time to explain right now, It has to do with Arix."

My gaze narrowed and I followed her a bit away from the classroom. Arix. Had she done something to Malglo? Had she finally snapped? Had Malglo come to his senses? Even though Enjori had been hanging around my crush, I couldn't pass up information on the dappled pegasi mare. She was more of a danger than it was worth to be mad at Enjori.

We walked for a while, setting a path across grounds towards the forest. I had a bad feeling about this. What was so important that she had to tell it to me way out here...and during a lesson? What if Enjori had been converted to the dark side and this was all a trap so that Arix could drink my blood or something? Don't be ridiculous Kathri, Arix is an evil witch, not a vampire.

I stared at Enjori, wondering how much I could still trust her. She had been skulking around with Malglo! My Malglo! And had she said one word to me about it? No. Not a one. What was the use of having a best friend that went behind your back? My stomach clenched again.

"I've been working with Malglo, tracking her. Well, at least I started working with him. You know, and I know, that they've had a little more fun than they should. Well, I confronted him about the broken plan, and he said he fell in love with her. He went to Draldoth, I guess, who managed to get his head back on right. Apparently, the headmaster wants us trained, and wants us to help watch Arix."

"What!" I yelled, stopping dead in my tracks. "You've been working with my crush to spy on the most dangerous equine in the academy! What the hell is wrong with you? If she catches you, your dead!" I glanced around and lowered my voice, eyes glinting dangerously. "I cant beleive I trusted you! I've told you before, that mare needs to be stopped, but not like this, not behind enemy lines lead by her boyfriend! Did you ever think for a moment that Malglo could have been lying to you? That Arix knows all about his plan, and plans on making us her first targets? Where is your proof that Malglo is really on our side, Enjori? All you have is his word that Draldoth wants all of this! Is that really enough for you?"

[Shanza]

It sounded stupid, idiotic, I know. I was the one who said it. Her reaction, however, was even more vehement than what I expected. With a slight snap to my voice, I replied to her. "Yes, I've been watching a cold blooded murdered. Do you know why? Because of what you told me. According to all the rules I've read, there is no way short of crazy-demon powers that she should be able to do what she did." She took a deep breath, trying to calm her anger and fear. "Do you think I wanted to work with Malglo? You're the one with the crush, not me! He's way too reckless for my taste." In a slightly more serious tone, I continued softly. "I'm not trying to put a brave face on what I've done, what I'm doing. I know if she catches me, I'm dead. I understand that, I can face it. What I can't face, won't be able to live with, is if she continues unchecked and unhindered to ravage a blind school. I wouldn't be able to live with myself is she did something to you, and I did nothing to stop it.

"As for behind enemy lines?" I snorted, annoyed, and was sure my fear was showing at least slightly. "It wasn't my idea for Malglo to hang out with her. Like I said, I yelled at him for it. Do you have any idea how quickly he can make you seem in the wrong even when you know you're right? I was taken to task like a naughty foal by an elder. Do you have any idea how that feels? He's an idiot, he admitted that freely, and I don't know if his head's screwed on right, but he was the only one I felt I could come too. I don't want Okolim anywhere near her. If he loses his temper the whole academy could go up in smoke. I couldn't talk to you, not when you had just come to me for assurance. I don't know the Proffessors well enough here. I'm hear to learn, but that doesn't mean I trust them. I figured he needed to know why you nearly killed him, and he had the experience I needed. I never really planned on working completely with Malglo, don't you see that? He's given me tips and advice on how to follow without being noticed, and it's working. I practice on others, only following Arix on occision.

"I'm careful, Kathri, more careful than I think you imagine I can be. My grades are suffering because I'm skipping out on studying and homework to make sure I'm not seen, not observed. I've been fighting the forest for the past two weeks to keep it under control, and to listen through it. I've kept better track of her general location than I think even Malglo has, but I've only gathered where she is, not what she's doing. I'm no where near good enough to actually see or hear what's going on where she's at. Also, I don't trust my skill enough to physically follow her very far outside of the Academy field.

"I know when she leaves, and when she comes back to the island. She's only left twice, once with Malglo, the first time when I think they started hanging out, and once later. I'm pretty sure she flew into the forest, but I don't know where she went. She couldn't have gotten far, because she was back before class the next morning. I'm getting enough sleep, but barely. The forest sort of 'records' her presence, and I sort through the information when I wake up. It tends to be very confusing, but I generally can sort it out before the morning graze." I took a deep breath, just looking off into the distance, and didn't look at her. If she thought I was a fool and an idiot, alright, but at least I had a plan, at least I was careful. I finnally looked back at her, saying quietly, "The thing is, I know Malglo has lied to me about some things, but there's not much I can do about it. If I want to keep tabs on Arix, I need him. And as long as I remain within two hundred klicks of that mare, I want to know where she is at every moment of every day."

Shaking my mane out, I gave her time to process that. Weather she was with me or against my plan, I didn't know, but I dearly hoped it would be the former. I didn't want to lose her as a friend almost immediately after we had met. "As for proof, Malglo is going to want our cooperation for quite a while. I told him that you had spread poison at his eating and sleeping places, which was a desperate attempt to keep him away from Arix. To back my story up, I did that, and snuck a few more surprises where he normally goes. None of it will seriously injure him, but all of it will take him out for at least a week." I looked up at her through tired eyes. "I want and need your help, Kathri. You're the only one I trust besides my brother in this whole damn place, but if you can't help me I'm alone. We do have one thing going for us, however." I grinned hesitently, hoping she'd see the light. "As long as he thinks you're insane, and I'm worried sick, he'll constantly underestimate us. For one, you're not insane, and two, I'm not sick. So we just have to act like that to keep them believing it. I also plan to keep any information found through the forest to myself," she added in a grim voice. "Just because I can track them without being there doesn't mean that they have to know that."



Word Count: 1042
Characters: Enjori & Kathridge
Place: The Academy

[ϞSymreeϞ]

Don't you hate it when you blow up on someone, and then they turn it around and make you feel horrible about saying...whatever it was that you said? I went from feeling certain that Enjori was a terrible backstabber of a best friend, and that she was out to steal away the stallion that I never had had a chance with anyway, to feeling that I was the crummy one who had betrayed her. Before she even started speaking, I knew that I had gotten it all wrong. She wasn't betraying me by going with Malglo to spy on Arix. She was the only one that seemed to believe me about the pegasi mare and what I had seen her do. Enjori was the truest friend that I had.

"I'm not trying to put a brave face on what I've done, what I'm doing. I know if she catches me, I'm dead. I understand that, I can face it. What I can't face, won't be able to live with, is if she continues unchecked and unhindered to ravage a blind school. I wouldn't be able to live with myself is she did something to you, and I did nothing to stop it."

I had already forgiven whatever she had done for the past few weeks, for keeping me in the dark, and being so distant, even for hanging out with Malglo while I had to steal glimpses of him in the tunnels of the Academy. She was right, Malglo was my crush, but I only existed to him as the crazy fruit loop that had tried to drown him. Nothing more. I was ready to continue on to meet the bay stallion, but once Enjori started talking, it was as though the flood-gates had opened and she couldn't stop. Apparently it had been just as hard on her to keep me in the dark as it had been for me.

Enjori had felt just as alone as I had. She couldn't turn to me when I was scared to death, not her brother when one slip could destroy us all. Not the teachers because they wouldn't have believed her even if she had trusted one enough to tell them. She knew my fears. The only difference was that she knew how to do something about it. I didn't. My stomach clenched again, and I tried not to feel like a useless pile of manure. Could I do anything for myself without it blowing up in my face?

Enjori finally started filling me in on how she had been tracking Arix through the forest, able to pinpoint her general location better than Malglo, but clueless as to what the mare was up to. That was the bay Alarion's job. Suddenly I realized why Malglo was such an important part of this scheme. Whether he had been distracted or not, it was clear that he had formed some sort of a relationship with Arix. He was the only one that could get close enough to her to get any useful information without her suspecting. Malglo was the one operating behind enemy lines, not Enjori. Wow. It was like falling for an old flame all over again after learning that he was a brave, reckless, handsome Russian spy. It was like something out of a Fairy tale...or WWII.

The bottom line was that Enjori was on my side...and always had been. She believed that Arix was a real problem, and she wasn't going to sit back and set up the guest bedroom for the Academy's potential destruction. We were raging an underground war against the enemy. Hmm...maybe Malglo wouldn't be the only one to obtain Russian spy status by the time that this was all over. I really would need an awesome code name...

"As for proof, Malglo is going to want our cooperation for quite a while. I told him that you had spread poison at his eating and sleeping places, which was a desperate attempt to keep him away from Arix. To back my story up, I did that, and snuck a few more surprises where he normally goes. None of it will seriously injure him, but all of it will take him out for at least a week. I want and need your help, Kathri. You're the only one I trust besides my brother in this whole damn place, but if you can't help me I'm alone. We do have one thing going for us, however.As long as he thinks you're insane, and I'm worried sick, he'll constantly underestimate us. For one, you're not insane, and two, I'm not sick. So we just have to act like that to keep them believing it. I also plan to keep any information found through the forest to myself, just because I can track them without being there doesn't mean that they have to know that."

I quickly closed the gap between us, wrapping my friend in a tight embrace, "I'm sorry that I doubted you, Enjori," I said, quickly releasing her, "Wherever this thing takes us, you can count me in...just as long as we can have awesome code names."

[Shanza]

It was black, and then I was awake. My eyes opened to the dark of the moonless night. Trees, both scary and comforting at the same time, loomed pitch black and vanished into the darkness. Several equine shapes stood around, one of them being Kathri. Was it a noise that woke me? I didn't think so; it was more primal, more instinctive than just hearing something.

I took a deep breath in the quiet night, trying to calm my nerves. It had been only a week since Malglo had started training us, and we had already had four two hour training sessions. The last one was at night, I guessed only several hours before the current time. It had been a hard session, focusing on night fighting, traveling, tracking, and hiding. I needed the sleep, I didn't need to be waking up to false alarms in the middle of the night. Slowly, I shook out my mane, and shuffled into a new position. My head bobbed, and my eyes closed. The world started to fade from my consciousness, but then I felt something. It was faint, but it was there. The disturbance came through the trees, and that was likely why I didn't recognize it earlier. My eyes snapped open as I requested more information, and received it in a flood. Breath caught in my chest as I reviewed it, and it didn't look good. She, and I meant Arix, was traveling at night, deep into the island. That in itself wasn't unusual, but the forest was sending strange rumblings. No longer sleepy, I slid over to Kathri, nudging her awake. "Somethings happening."

Like a ghost, a gray shape swept through the trees. The pegasi mare paused, quickly glancing back and forth, then continuing on her way. She slipped through the trees silently, shedding her act that got her through life at the Academy. Her walk was swift but silent, quiet and lethal. She had long since learned how to glide, how to walk, how to stalk and hunt. It had been two and a half months since she had arrived at the Academy, and it was time, no, it was well past time, to see what she could do. Weeks ago she had scouted the island, and had chosen her spot for practice. She would have preferred to practice completely away from both the Academy and the island, but believed that travel to and from the island was monitored.

Finally arriving, she glanced around the small clearing. It was dark, but that was how she wanted it. Now, for the magick. She had memorized the rune, and had practiced the movements when she was alone and unobserved. Her dark eyes closed as she took a deep breath in. Slowly, she called to the magick; her magick. For a while, nothing happened, but she stuck with it. The first time in a new form was always the hardest. She felt it slowly gather, like the tide in the sea. It would ebb, then flow in, then ebb again. Every time there was more, it was stronger, and readier to go. She sighed, opening her eyes and lifting her head. The golden-yellow cast was there, but not overbearing, just barely noticeable over the black. In all her time training and practicing, she never learned how to change her eye color. Everything else was putty, going in whatever direction she wished. But her eyes? Always pitch black, rarely catching the light, she was told they seemed alien in her true form. In that form they never changed, never shifted. Upon transformation, however, they would change. When she was calm and analytical they were black, but never as dark as when in her true form. When she was emotional or excited, they would take on a golden cast that would vary in strength in response to her emotions.

That's how she timed it perfectly with Kathridge in that gym class so long ago. She had just worked herself up, she had gotten very good at that, and when the fool of a mare turned to look, she gazed right into her golden eyes. Oh, it had done a number on that mare, making her nearly kill Malglo by trying to 'save' his life. Arix snorted, moving to the center of the clearing. She needn't have worried. Malglo was too skilled, and her too unskilled in this present form, to do him any damage. Besides, if he vanished a lot of questions would come up, and she wasn't ready to leave yet. Her mind avoided the third reason, as she was unwilling to admit defeat to herself. His magick, the kind that warped space and time, was an unstable, unpredictable power that could, and would, easily turn on its owner if not controlled. She had known several equines with that power who had gone crazy with it.

Then there was that trip into the desert... and him calling her down to him. She managed to stop a shudder, but just barely. At the time, she was high from the thrill of it all, the power, the raw ferocity. Now, she saw how easily it could have called her into itself, have taken her forever. She would never have known what was coming, and would have reviled as it claimed her. If Malglo didn't have the control that he did, if he didn't have the skill, she would never have made it out of that nowhere tunnel that bridged here and there.

Shaking the feeling off, she stood tall, and called to her magick again. In her mental ramble, it had faded, almost ebbed completely away. It came back quickly this time, almost too quick. She forced it down before it could explode out, then began. First a small fire, floating in mid-air, which grew larger, turning in on itself to twist and bundle into a sphere. It wasn't perfect by a long shot, but once she got the hang of the different movements of the pegasi control, everything was coming quickly. It stretched, and formed into a fiery square cross, and she smiled. Next she tried one of her favorite things to do with fire. The far and near arms of the cross stretched and thinned into narrow ropes, while the middle thickened. The two side arms lengthened as well, but widened as it went Four small stump-looking things reached out of the bottom of the fattened middle, and then the side arms thinned so they were barely paper-thick. It took time, but she refined it into the shape she wanted. It wasn't anything near what she could do in her true form, but it was good. Floating in front of her was a crude, sort-of realistic, fire dragon.

Arix let it devolve into nothingness, not even trying to have it move around. For her first attempt, it went much better than she had hoped for. Some day soon she should have full control back, able to construct almost a real miniature of a dragon out of fire, it able to fly, breath fire, and roar with a scarily realistic sound. When she was younger, making a fire dragon was one of her favorite ways to pass the time. She even had it chase an annoying colt or two until her mentor told her to stop.

Water she could always practice nearer to the Academy, because that was the magick she was suppose to be gifted with. Practicing with her Enchanter magick was near useless without a subject, and she wasn't about to expose her secret to better one of her more useless magicks. With a will, she started to ply her Air magick, moving it around and gathering it. Arix had never had much practice with it before she had come to the Academy, but she intended to fix that now. It went well, although she didn't push the bounds of her abilities. That would come later, and she had to keep reminding herself that she was just here to test what she could do tonight.

For the last attempt... could she change back? She believed she could for several weeks now, but she hadn't had time to get away. The runes came easily, as she had practiced them most of all. Her body swayed slightly as she called the magick to tie it in, and then felt it start to take hold. A slight smile turned to a powerful grin as she felt her wings vanish, her body change, and a horn burst from her brow. It was slightly painful, but it was worth it. Where moments before a rather thick, tall to medium-height gray pegasi mare stood, now a unicorn stood in her place. She was black, and seemed blacker than the night. Hooves were a deep storm gray, horn black crystal, and her mane and tail didn't show a hint of another color. Her eyes were that startling deep, solid black, but she knew that it was more how she carried herself that didn't let the light touch them than any trick of nature. The mare's coat was the real marker for her however. She was born a deep gray, but it darkened with time to a common shade of black. However, when she went rouge, killing for magick, it slowly took on a different sheen. Oils collected in it, and deep, dark colors could be seen in light. Purples, blues, greens, and deep reds flamed across the hair, turning it a deeper, darker, and sicker color than anything that could have been achieved naturally.

Northarian knew that her appearance in her true state marked her as one who used, and maybe abused, magick. It frightened others, and they responded in surprising ways. Some reacted better for the knowledge, some panicked and made stupid mistakes. Not many survived an encounter with her, as she usually chose her prey carefully and well. She valued her appearance, and used it to help control her prey. It was nice to be in her own body, after all this time. In a few hours, she would change back, but for now she would graze.


Word Count: 1714
Charracters: Enjori & Kathri; Northarian
Place: On the Island of the Academy

[ϞSymreeϞ]

K A T H R I D G E

I'm not going to lie, I was scared out of my wits. The magic that Malglo was teaching us was the sort of stuff that I would expect to see from students in their final year of training. It was magic that was, in my mind, against the rules. Malglo called it an "advanced, perfectly legal private lesson." Yeah ok, then why were we sneaking out in the forest to do it? I knew he only called it that to make me feel better, but he wasn't very convincing. He was, however, a very good teacher, despite his stress on the fact that he was not certified to teach.

I wondered why Draldoth had entrusted him with so much. Malglo was, after all, not much older than most of the students in the academy. (Unfortunately, this was a bit of a distraction for me during our lessons.) But why would Draldoth trust Malglo to figure out what Arix was up to, just with the help of Enjori and I? I knew that Malglo was most likely the only one that could get the information (he was amazing like that), but why have him share his mission with two first year students? Why not with qualified, trusted individuals? It was unnerving to think that the fate of the school may partially rest in our hooves. It was downright terrifying to know that Malglo could be killed if we made even one mistake... restless and agitated, I shifted on the cool grass, forcing my eyes closed. Sleep. I needed sleep, not to worry about everything that could go wrong with the plan. I had to trust that he and the headmaster knew what they were doing.

A few moments later, I heard Enjori sliding towards me, her muzzle nudging my shoulder. "Something's happening," She whispered. My eyes opened wide and I straitened up so fast that the world went dark for a moment before I could see her again.
"What sort of thing?" I asked, "Is it- is it her?"
Enjori's wordless nod of confirmation left me wishing that I had been wrong. "Lets go."
"Wait," I said, "Should we call Malglo first?"
The silver bay mare shook her head, "No time, we'll call him on the run, he can meet us out there when we find her."
I nodded grimly and followed her at a silent canter out of the tunnels and into the open air, where the forest waited like a group of giants, looking down at us curiously, or perhaps with pity or annoyance. somehow it seemed well aware of our intentions. I looked away from the green crowns and followed Enjori into the woods, my muscles sore and tired from our lesson but a few hours past with Malglo. "Should I call him, or did you want to?" I whispered.
She sent me an apologetic sort of look. "I called him right as we left the tunnels, sorry, but you're too polite to wake him up."
I shrugged, scowling even though it was true.

It took a surprisingly short amount of time to find Arix, thanks to Enjori's gift with the forest. Even though she had left no visible tracks, she may as well have. Or, that was how it seemed to me as we came across her clearing. We stopped just out of sight, preforming the simple spells Malglo had showed us to hide our scents. My heart raced as I looked over at the pegasi mare. She was standing square, and before her, floating in mid-air, was a fiery cross that shifted as we watched into a fire-dragon. My mouth hung slightly agape before I clenched my jaw, looking over towards Enjori, my eyes saying, told you so.

I never would have believed the events that followed. It was uncommon for a creature to have two magics, but it was possible. I had heard of it before. Never would I have guessed that she was capable of air magic as well. She was not, perhaps, quite as gifted with it as she had been with fire, but it was certainly enough to make me want to get the hell out of there. My next glance to Enjori was fearful. What else could this mare do that we had no idea about? We didn't have to wait long to find out.

As we watched, the mare swayed slightly, and then something happened that I will never forget. She started to change. Her wings were shrinking back into her body, becoming one with her ribs and thinning until they vanished completely. Her color darkened from dappled gray to black, I nearly lost her in the shadowed forest floor. Then, when she straitened, I caught a glint of light off of a horn. Arix was a...a unicorn? Slowly this time, I glanced at my companion, dread filling my heart. She was more powerful and more dangerous than I ever would have believed. It hit me like a sack of potatoes, like a bullet to my brain, that I should no longer just be worried for Malglo and us. She was a danger to the entire academy.