Era Of Dawn

"Oh, Celestia, don't tell me you have gotten cold feet?"

She came closer and her face showed nothing of the optimism her sister had. She was always a bit more frosty, but now she added a worrying frown. She twirled her thumbs as if it was a habit, while keeping her head lowered.

"No," Celestia shook her head causing her hair to fling around, "never," she answered resolutely.

"Then what are you here for."

"I wanted to know what we would have to do now," she said and looked at me, "we aren't just staying here and doing nothing, right?"

"Of course not. But you know that stuff takes time."

"But, but," she stuttered, dissatisfied with what I said.

"ᴡʜᴀᴛ ᴀʀᴇ ʏᴏᴜ ɢᴜʏs ᴛᴀʟᴋɪɴɢ ᴀʙᴏᴜᴛ?"

"Oh, nothing too important," I whispered.

"ɪsɴ'ᴛ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴛʜᴇ ᴍᴀɪᴅ ᴄᴇʟᴇsᴛɪᴀ?"

"Eh, no way," I rapidly turned around and stared at her dumbfounded, "do you know her?"

She nodded, "ɪ ᴋɴᴇᴡ ʜᴇʀ sɪsᴛᴇʀ."

"Agnes," Celestia called, and fidgeted around, waiting for a reply. Her two little thumbs revolved around each other.

"I have already prepared the necessary steps. You just have to wait for me to be done."

"But there has to be something I can do. It wouldn't sit well with me to wait while you did all the work," she said, head still lowered.

Oh, I didn't know that she would be so proactive. I was impressed by her willingness to take charge. Then again, she may have had a bigger motivation to change the things in this world than I do.

But she should leave such things up to the professionals, her worries were unfounded.

"Well," I tapped my head, "there's one thing you could do."

She seemed better when I told her so, as her eyes lightened up, which made me feel better too, "what is it?"

"Come here," I asked of her.

Celestia moved closer again, close enough for me to reach her with my hands, and I did, I patted her head like I was patting a pet. I always thought that doing that would make people calm down, so it had become a routine for me to do so.

Celestia adorably moved her hands around her head, trying to catch my own.

I leaned forwards, just right next to her face and asked her with a smile, "have you eaten already?"

"Uh," she blinked twice, her eyelashes fluttering like the wings of a butterfly, "no not yet, why?"

"Then let's eat."

"Agnes!" She yelled, "don't joke around please, I'm being serious here!"

"I also am. You are still as thin as ever. Well, not as thin as me, but still. How will you change anything when you can't change yourself," I laughed.

"Ugh," she pouted and stomped the ground, "fine."

She then grumpily went away, her steps making heavy noises.

"ᴡʜᴀᴛ ᴀʀᴇ ʏᴏᴜ ᴛᴀʟᴋɪɴɢ ᴀʙᴏᴜᴛ? ᴄʜᴀɴɢᴇ, ᴡʜᴀᴛ ᴅᴏ ʏᴏᴜ ᴘʟᴀɴ ᴏɴ ᴄʜᴀɴɢɪɴɢ," Agnes asked me, after Celestia had left through the door.

"Not much, just the world."

"ᴛʜᴇ ʜᴇʟʟ," she looked at me like I was an idiot, "ᴡʜᴀᴛ ᴅᴏᴇs ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴇᴠᴇɴ ᴍᴇᴀɴ? ᴡʜᴀᴛ ᴡᴏʀʟᴅ?"

"This world of course. How many worlds are there?"

She laughed loudly, "ʏᴏᴜ ʀᴇᴀʟʟʏ ᴋɴᴏᴡ ʜᴏᴡ ᴛᴏ ᴍᴀᴋᴇ ᴊᴏᴋᴇs."

"I'm serious," I told her bluntly.

"ʜᴀᴠᴇ ʏᴏᴜ ɢᴏɴᴇ ᴄʀᴀᴢʏ," she asked me her mouth was gaping open.

"I didn't and I never will. I'm perfectly normal," I replied nonchalantly.

"ᴅᴏɴ'ᴛ ғᴜᴄᴋ ᴀʀᴏᴜɴᴅ," she screamed and grasped my hair, "ɪғ ʏᴏᴜ ᴡᴀɴᴛ ᴛᴏ ᴅɪᴇ, ᴅᴏ ɪᴛ ɪɴ ʏᴏᴜʀ ᴏᴡɴ ʙᴏᴅʏ, ᴜɴᴅᴇʀ ʏᴏᴜʀ ᴏᴡɴ ɴᴀᴍᴇ, ᴅᴏɴ'ᴛ ᴘᴜʟʟ ᴍᴇ ɪɴᴛᴏ ᴛʜɪs ᴍᴀᴅɴᴇss."

"You know, I've been thinking for a while now, but I feel that your words are a bit too rough."

She wasn't listening, instead she looked at me with ferocious eyes. She was gripping my hair tightly, and even though she did not grasp my neck, I felt like she wanted to kill me. That feeling was even stronger than the time she wanted her body back.

Her breathing was erratic, and her chest rose up, as if unable to contain the emotions inside her.

I was taken aback by her actions so I asked, "what's the matter with you?"

"ᴅᴏ ʏᴏᴜ ɴᴏᴛ ᴋɴᴏᴡ ᴛʜᴇ ᴍᴇᴀɴɪɴɢ ʙᴇʜɪɴᴅ ʏᴏᴜʀ ᴡᴏʀᴅs, ᴛʜᴇ ᴄᴏɴsᴇǫᴜᴇɴᴄᴇs," she stared at me bewildered, she then slapped her forehead and laughed like a siren, "ᴀʜ ʏᴇs, ʏᴏᴜ ᴀʀᴇ ᴏʀɪɢɪɴᴀʟʟʏ ɴᴏᴛ ғʀᴏᴍ ʜᴇʀᴇ. ʏᴏᴜ ᴅᴏɴ'ᴛ ᴋɴᴏᴡ ᴀɴʏᴛʜɪɴɢ ᴀᴛ ᴀʟʟ, ᴏʀ ʏᴏᴜ ᴡᴏᴜʟᴅ ɴᴇᴠᴇʀ ᴅᴀʀᴇ ᴜᴛᴛᴇʀ ᴛʜᴇsᴇ ᴡᴏʀᴅs. ʜᴏᴡ ᴅɪᴅ ɪ ғᴏʀɢᴇᴛ? ᴡʜᴀᴛ ғᴏᴏʟ ɪ ᴀᴍ."

I moved my head in confusion, "what exactly are you talking about?"

She kept giggling and stared at me with pity, "ʜᴏᴡ ғᴜɴ, ʏᴏᴜ ᴅᴏɴ'ᴛ ᴇᴠᴇɴ ᴋɴᴏᴡ ᴡʜᴀᴛ ᴇʀᴀ ɪᴛ ɪs, ᴅᴏ ʏᴏᴜ?"

"Era, what era?"

"ɪᴛ's ᴛʜᴇ ᴇʀᴀ ᴏғ ᴅᴀᴡɴ, ᴛʜᴇ ᴇʀᴀ ᴏғ ᴅᴀᴡɴ," she shouted frenziedly, "ᴡʜᴀᴛ's ᴀ ʙᴀᴄᴋᴡᴀᴛᴇʀ ɢɪʀʟ ʟɪᴋᴇ ʏᴏᴜ sᴜᴘᴘᴏsᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ ᴅᴏ? ʏᴏᴜ'ʀᴇ ᴊᴜsᴛ ᴀ ʙᴀsᴛᴀʀᴅ ᴄʜɪʟᴅ, ᴛʜᴇ sᴍᴀʟʟ ɢʀᴀɴᴅᴄʜɪʟᴅ ᴏғ ᴀ sᴍᴀʟʟ ᴅᴜᴋᴇ ɪɴ ᴀ sᴍᴀʟʟ ᴋɪɴɢᴅᴏᴍ. ʏᴏᴜ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ɴᴏ ɴᴀᴍᴇ, ɴᴏ sᴛᴀᴛᴜs, sᴏ ᴀᴄᴛ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴡᴀʏ, ɪғ ʏᴏᴜ ᴡᴀɴᴛᴇᴅ ᴛᴏ ʙᴇ ᴍᴇ!"

I was caught off-guard by the name of the Era, a name I had never heard before, "Era of dawn?"

"ɪᴛ's ᴛʜᴇ ᴀɢᴇ ᴡᴇʀᴇ ᴇᴠᴇɴ ʜᴇʀᴏᴇs ᴀɴᴅ ᴋɪɴɢs ᴡᴏᴜʟᴅ ʙᴇ ᴇxᴇᴄᴜᴛᴇᴅ, ɪғ ᴛʜᴇʏ ᴜᴛᴛᴇʀᴇᴅ ᴛʜᴇ sᴀᴍᴇ ᴡᴏʀᴅs ʏᴏᴜ ᴅɪᴅ. ɪᴛ ɪsɴ'ᴛ ᴛʜᴇ sᴀᴍᴇ ᴄʜᴀᴏᴛɪᴄ ᴛɪᴍᴇ ᴀs ᴛʜᴇ ᴏᴛʜᴇʀ ᴏɴᴇs. ɪғ ʏᴏᴜ ᴇᴠᴇʀ ᴛᴇʟʟ ᴛʜᴏsᴇ ᴀᴍʙɪᴛɪᴏɴs ᴛᴏ ᴀɴʏᴏɴᴇ, ʏᴏᴜ ᴡᴏɴ'ᴛ ᴇᴠᴇɴ ʙᴇ ᴀʙʟᴇ ᴛᴏ ᴄʜᴀɴɢᴇ ʏᴏᴜʀ ғᴜᴄᴋɪɴɢ sʜᴏᴇs. ʟᴇᴛ ᴀʟᴏɴᴇ ᴀ ᴄᴏᴜɴᴛʀʏ," she pulled my head towards her, our foreheads touched, "sᴏ ᴡʜᴀᴛᴇᴠᴇʀ ʏᴏᴜ ᴅᴏ, ɴᴇᴠᴇʀ ᴜᴛᴛᴇʀ ᴛʜᴇsᴇ ᴡᴏʀᴅs ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ ᴘᴜʙʟɪᴄ, ᴜɴᴅᴇʀsᴛᴏᴏᴅ?"

"Hey, what's going on, weren't you supposed to be against all authority, why are you so complain suddenly?"

"ʙᴇ ʀᴇᴀʟɪsᴛɪᴄ. ᴛʜᴇʀᴇ's ᴏɴᴇ ᴀᴜᴛʜᴏʀɪᴛʏ ɪ ᴡᴏᴜʟᴅ ɴᴇᴠᴇʀ ᴅᴀʀᴇ ɢᴏ ᴀɢᴀɪɴsᴛ," she shuddered and her face blanched, "ʙᴜᴛ ʏᴏᴜ ᴡᴏᴜʟᴅɴ'ᴛ ᴜɴᴅᴇʀsᴛᴀɴᴅ."

There was something in this world that could make her scared? Even though she was willing to face the devil?

I wanted to ask her a bit more, but she only stayed quiet. Her expression was worryingly dark, as if she had swallowed something bitter and clicked her tongue in annoyance.

"ᴛʜɪs sᴜᴄᴋs," she muttered under her breath.

Celestia returned before I could pry any information out of Agnes.

Her hair was disheveled and she looked like she had run back. She swiftly placed the tray on the table, and before I told her to do so, she revealed the food and shoved it in her mouth.

With a knife in one hand, and the food in her other, she chomped down vigorously. Sometimes she would choke and cough, but she freed her throat with a swirl of water.

I watched her in disbelief as she finished her food and her cheeks were stuffed to the brim, like a chipmunk. She chewed and chewed, until she swallowed down, leaving nothing on the wooden plate.

It was a potato by the way.

"I'm done, let's talk."

I sighed and wiped her cheek, "you have some grease left."

"When will you eat yours," she asked, while obediently letting me clean her.

I stared at my plate, there was an egg with some bacon and a porridge, "alright," I told her.

I took a bite of the meat, but no matter how I chewed, I couldn't remember the taste. That was because Celestia was giving me her fullest attention, with a gaze that seemed to see every detail of me.

"Do you really want to join me?"

She nodded her head silently.

"You won't run when it gets too hard?"

She shook her head.

"Even if you ended up hating me?"

She shook her head again, this time with more energy.

I placed the spoon in the table, and closed my eyes. "I understand."

Celestia smiled and looked like a huge burden was taken off of her. Her face brightened up and her she sighed in relief.

She leaned forward, with her hands on the table and shoved her face into mine, "what do I have to do, tell me please," she asked agitated.

"Have you ever heard of magic?"

She tilted her head and squinted her eyes. She tilted her head some more, twirling around to search for an answer.

"Uhhh, I guess? l sometimes hear the servants talk about it, or were I to stay in pub, I might encounter such rumors. Quite the fairy tale."

Yes, that was how it was.

Not everyone was accostumed to magic. So it was no surprise that she had such a reaction. It was something scarce, of which most commoners did not know anything about. Since she was a servant, she might be a bit closer to magic, but for ordinary people, it may seem like nothing more than a myth, or lies to sweeten the image of aristocracy.

"Well, it's real, you see. Magic exists," I told her bluntly and moved my hands in the air, much like my grandfather did when he explained magic to me.

Her eyes were opened wide, and twinkled like a child who had been invited into a dreamworld. She trembled uncontrollably and clapped her hands over her tiny mouth.

Celestia grabbed my shoulders and yelled, "is it true? Is it true? You aren't lying because I don't know much right?" The girl shot one question after another at me.

"I wouldn't do that. Don't you believe me?"

"I, I of course," she tightly gripped my shoulders, "but it's magic you know? Magic! Can you believe it! Ah, of course you could, you said it after all. Magic, how mesmerizing," she stumbled on her own words which flowed out of her mouth, almost biting her tongue.

I technically could even prove it to her. But sadly that wasn't up to me to decide, even if I wanted to.

Agnes humped and tossed her head away.

"So if you want to join me, you will have to learn magic. Or well, I heard some people call it Alterea. Use the name you feel comfortable with."

"Eh," she blinked in disbelief, "you want me to learn magic? Are you serious Agnes?"

"Nope," I shrugged my shoulders, "I want you to create your own," I looked at her, incredibly serious, and raised my finger, "two months. If you haven't made your own Alterea, I will not take you with me."

Before I heard Celestias answer, I felt a tug at my back. It was Agnes who had pulled me away.

"ʜᴀᴠᴇ ʏᴏᴜ ɢᴏɴᴇ ɪɴsᴀɴᴇ," Agnes was unable to fathom the situation unfolding i front of her. She touched my forehead and then her own, "ɪᴛ ʟᴏᴏᴋs ʟɪᴋᴇ ʏᴏᴜ ᴅᴏɴ'ᴛ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ᴀ ғᴇᴠᴇʀ, ʙᴜᴛ ᴍᴀʏʙᴇ ʏᴏᴜ sʜᴏᴜʟᴅ ʟɪᴇ ᴅᴏᴡɴ ᴀɴʏᴡᴀʏs."

"What are you doing?"

"ɴᴏ, ᴡʜᴀᴛ ᴀʀᴇ ʏᴏᴜ ᴅᴏɪɴɢ," she replied, emphasis on the you. "ᴅᴏ ʏᴏᴜ ᴛʜɪɴᴋ ᴀ ᴘᴇᴀsᴀɴᴛ ᴄᴏᴜʟᴅ ᴇᴠᴇʀ ʟᴇᴀʀɴ ʜᴏᴡ ᴛᴏ ᴡɪᴇʟᴅ ᴍᴀɢɪᴄ? ᴛʜᴇsᴇ sɪᴍᴘʟᴇ ᴍɪɴᴅᴇᴅ ғᴏᴏʟs ᴅᴏ ɴᴏᴛ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ᴛʜᴇ ʙʀᴀɪɴs ᴛᴏ ᴅᴏ sᴏ. ᴇᴠᴇɴ ɪғ ʏᴏᴜ ɢᴀᴠᴇ ʜᴇʀ 𝟻𝟶 ʏᴇᴀʀs- ɴᴏ, ᴍᴀᴋᴇ ɪᴛ ᴀ ʟɪғᴇᴛɪᴍᴇ, sʜᴇ ᴡᴏᴜʟᴅ ɴᴇᴠᴇʀ ʙᴇ ᴀʙʟᴇ ᴛᴏ ᴄᴀsᴛ ᴀ sᴘᴇʟʟ. ғᴏʀɢᴇᴛ ғᴏʀɢɪɴɢ ʜᴇʀ ᴏᴡɴ ᴍᴀɢɪᴄ."

"Don't be so quick to shut someone down. You may never know."

"ɪғ sʜᴇ ɪs ᴀʙʟᴇ ᴛᴏ ʟᴇᴀʀɴ ᴍᴀɢɪᴄ, ɪ ᴡɪʟʟ ʙᴇᴄᴏᴍᴇ ʏᴏᴜʀ sᴜʙᴍɪssɪᴠᴇ sʟᴀᴠᴇ," she promised me and then pointed at Celestia, who was quietly staring at me, "ʟᴏᴏᴋ ᴀᴛ ʜᴇʀ ғᴀᴄᴇ. sʜᴇ ᴅᴏᴇsɴ'ᴛ ᴇᴠᴇɴ ᴜɴᴅᴇʀsᴛᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ᴍᴇᴀɴɪɴɢ ʙᴇʜɪɴᴅ ʏᴏᴜʀ ᴡᴏʀᴅs. ᴀɴʏᴏɴᴇ ᴇʟsᴇ ᴡᴏᴜʟᴅ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ʙᴇᴀᴛᴇɴ ʏᴏᴜ ᴏɴ ᴛʜᴇ sᴘᴏᴛ. ᴀʜ ᴡᴀɪᴛ, ᴄᴏᴜʟᴅ ɪᴛ ʙᴇ ʏᴏᴜ ɢᴀᴠᴇ ʜᴇʀ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴍɪssɪᴏɴ sᴏ ᴛʜᴀᴛ sʜᴇ ᴡᴏᴜʟᴅ ɢɪᴠᴇ ᴜᴘ? ᴛʜᴀᴛ's ᴛʀᴜʟʏ ᴠɪʟᴇ ᴏғ ʏᴏᴜ."

"No?" I answered, "I do think that she will be able to do it."

"ᴛʜɪs," she staggered backwards and almost fell down, even though she was floating, "ᴘʟᴇᴀsᴇ sᴛᴏᴘ, ᴍʏ ʜᴇᴀʀᴛ ɪs ᴜɴᴀʙʟᴇ ᴛᴏ ᴛᴀᴋᴇ ᴛʜɪs ᴍᴜᴄʜ sᴛɪᴍᴜʟᴜs."

"Hey are you okay?"

The words that she wanted to say choked in her throat, and her chest felt stifled as she was unable to catch her breath, "ɪ ᴅᴏɴ'ᴛ ᴡᴀɴᴛ ᴛʜɪs ᴋɪɴᴅ ᴏғ ᴅᴇᴍᴏɴ," she uttered.

I let her sort her emotions and diverted my attention towards Celestia, "remember this, magic is based on your philosophy. Your way of living. If you have found something which you can stay true to, you will be able to cast magic. If you have any questions, ask my grandfather."

She nodded slowly. Her mind was still processing what I said, but she was clearly motivated, "how should I start?"

"There's a library in this household. Stay inside there. No matter what happens, read the books in there and understand them. When you are able, form your own opinion about them."

That should work, right?

"ᴀs ɪғ ʟɪғᴇ ᴡᴀs ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴇᴀsʏ," Agnes chimed in.

"Alright, but," she said, "I can't read."

My eye twitched at her sudden declaration. Ah, a fellow comrade, I thought.

"Ask my grandfather."