A Reunion By Proxy

Revenant had spent the last few days trekking through the Everfree Forest towards the Castle of the Two Sisters. Between the Timberwolves and manticores, and hostile and poisonous plant life, it was a small wonder he'd made it this far unharmed. But his dark magic and crystal sword had served him as well as ever. To his understanding, some months ago a corrupt and evil unicorn had taken this castle as his own. No doubt one of his other parts had played a role in their down fall, but Revenant was less worried with a tyrant, and more worried with what the tyrant might have left behind for an unsuspecting pony to find.

As he slowly crossed the bridge to the castles old gate, he looked around at the rotting tapestries and crumbling stone. Truly, time doth lay us all low.

Andy gracefully picked her way though the Everfree, scanning the ground for some specific mushrooms. She'd been sure to cast a camouflage spell when her mother insisted. Honestly, Andy had to feel bad for her poor mother, the mare hated to be on her own and who could blame her? Her father left with barely a moment's notice, Nyx hadn't come back from Prance and then Andy was gone during the fashion seasons. Pausing when she found the mushrooms, she gathered up enough to fill a medium sized jar before stowing them in her saddle bags. Now... for some berries... And the best crop she knew of, grew close to that old castle. Welp, off I go, she thought to herself.

With that Revenant walked through the gates and into the keep, his dusk colored cloak sweeping across the ancient stones he passed over. There was obviously scoring along the walls from magic blasts, and flecks of long dried blood in places. Indeed it all looked fresh in comparison to the rest of the castle, and so he made his way towards the throne room. It was there he felt he'd find what he came for, or at least the next clue to it's location.

Andy found the berries she was looking for, collecting another jar full before looking up at the castle. Normally, she wouldn't go in but maybe there were some old spell books she could read. Stowing the jar with the others, she trotted inside, looking around in awe of the architecture of the old place. The stained glass that still stood looked magnificent, the sun shining a dancing rainbow of colors along the floors. "Too bad this place hasn't been repaired, it'd be amazing to see in its full glory," she said to herself, knocking over some rubble when she wasn't pay attention and wincing at the sudden noise that startled her.

Hearing the clatter of tumbling stones and a faint voice in a nearby hallway Revenant diverted his course from the throne room. He drew his blade as he silently moved towards the sound, he hoped he wouldn't need to use it, but one never knows when it comes to the Everfree Forest. Taking a brief second to charge the magical runes on his armor should he need them, Revenant swung out in the hallway, leveling his sword in front of him in an offensive stance.

Now, Andy grew up around swords, Tartarus, her father even gave her a few lessons on sward play just so she knew how to handle one since they were around the house. Her mother had a big no weapons at the table rule. There had even been a few occasions where Andy would get caught by her father, sword drawn and ready to fight some dangerous intruder only to find his daughter was sneaking back in from some party via the living room window since she forgot her keys. But still, being on the other end of one was not what she'd call an experience she was used to. She let out a startled gasp and automatically casted a shield around her, readying another defensive spell. "Now, now.... That's really not necessary," She said after a moment, looking the stallion over. He was handsome... and looked quite familiar...

Seeing it was another pony Revenant returned his blade to it's scabbard, content that if they tried something his magic could handle them. Still, never one to forget his manners, Revenant bowed low as he spoke "Many apologies M'lady, but these woods are dangerous and one must be prepared for the worst."

"So I see," she muse, glancing him over again then simply trotted past him. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I have some searching to do."

The soft click of her recently manicured hooves rang out in the marble halls as she aimlessly wandered to find the library. She was in no hurry and had plenty of time before she needed to head home and that was just a simple series of teleportation points she'd already mapped out before hand.

Making his way back towards the throne room, Revenant sighed to himself, thinking out loud. "I swear, these princesses have no idea what they're doing. They leave a castle full of forbidden and old magic laying around, and don't even bother to post guards? At least I can be content in that fact that I've already stolen most of the more dangerous texts... not to say there's old magic that isn't dangerous..."

Walking up to the throne Revenant closed his eyes, recalling a spell from ages past he'd use to divine the location of things or people he was searching for. As he prepared to begin casting it, he wondered to himself if it was merely coincidence that brought that young mare here, or if some greater power was at work.

Finally finding the library, Andy looked around with big eyes. There was just something about the smell of old books that was addicting. She smiled and started scanning the shelves, her magic pulling out books she was interested in as she went. Maybe her father would like some of these? It'd make for a good father's day present, maybe she could send one to Nyx too... wherever he was...

Opening his eyes Revenant shot a beam of pure magic at the wall, carving ancient runes into it and imbuing them with magic. With one last flourish he completed the spell, sending a pulse of old and forgotten magic through the halls of the castle. As it searched it way through the palace, it focused itself in the library, illuminating a old tome high upon a pedestal. His eyes opening Revenant made his way into the library. there was something off... this felt too easy.

Andy shivered, sensing the sudden pulse of magic, turning to glare at the entrance of the library before going back to collecting her books. Picking up a rather large, old tome and scanning the cover. "Hmm... 'Lost Remedies for the Herbally Curious'... Not my speed but still sounds useful."

It was official. Revenant know once he got into the library some horrible trap would be spring, or there'd be an ancient wendigo, or perhaps a platoon of murderous griffons. He was completely sure of this, and not paranoid at all. And so he slowly made his way towards the library, making sure all his gear was ready, and his spells prepped. Okay so he might be a bit paranoid.

Meanwhile in the library, at the end of the corridor of shelves Andy was in, there stood a stone pedestal. Upon the pedestal lay an incredibly ancient tome.

Andy finished collecting her books, the tomes seemingly disappearing as they were placed into her saddle bags. She looked to the tome on the pedestal, snorting. "Oh yeah, ominous looking book on it's own. Pfft, only an idiot would take books like that," She said, moving on to another shelf.

Walking into the library, Revenant wasted no time in making his way towards the tome he had sensed. As he notice it was upon a lonesome alter he sighed to himself. "There's no possible way this isn't a trap. Well, I'm as prepared as I can be."e

Stepping up to the alter, Revenant slowly lifted up the old book. And it seemed as though nothing would happen, until he spoke. "Huh, I guess it wasn't a trap..." Not a moment before he finished speaking, a low and ominous howl came echoing from the old castle's dungeon.

Andy raised her eyebrow at the stallion, watching as he walked by and headed straight for the pedestal. No... There... There was now way this stallion was- she winced at the howl after he picked up the book. Oh Tartarus. "You are UNBELIEVABLE!" She glared at the stallion. "Who the hay knows what you've just done!"

"Would you rather have some innocent pony who has no idea what they're doing take it instead? Let the suffer some horrible fate they can't defend themselves from?"

Turning towards the dungeon Revenant began walking away, tucking the ancient tome into his satchel.

"I think a sign would work! Wait.... where are you going?" She gave him a bewildered look as he headed towards the danger. He wasn't just and idiot, clearly he had no sense of self-preservation... Or he was crazy.

"I'm going to make sure Equestria is safer tomorrow, and I'll continue to do the same till I meet some cruel and bitter death. It is my quest, I do not expect you would understand." He pushed an old door aside as he trudged into the dungeon, drawing his sword and creating floating motes of flame that lite the hall as he walked down it, their eerie purple glow casting grim shadows around him.

"UGH! You sound like my father!" She yelled after him with a scowl. Actually... with whatever that was, maybe going to get her father wasn't a bad idea, especially after this reckless stallion got himself killed.

"Then your father must be a good stallion-" Revenant went to say more, but suddenly tensed, and rolled to the side as a ancient and starved wendigo shot out of the tunnel, leaving frost and snow in it's wake.

Andy was about to reply that he indeed was a good stallion but froze at the sight of the Wendigo. "Oh sweet Celestia..." she whispered in horror before it kicked in that this thing couldn't get out. Horn glowing, she quickly cast sealing spells on the doors and windows of the library before it could escape.

Grabbing the unicorn with is magic, Revenant dashed into the dark dungeons. After running for at least half an hour, he stopped and let her go. They were now in a small cell deep within the dungeons. It was reasonably safe, and only had one entrance. Looking over at her, he spoke up "That was good thinking, but I'll need sometime to plan for this. I didn't expect to find a windigo this far south, or at all. They're supposed to be extinct."

Andy let out a yelp when she was suddenly grabbed, struggling in the stranger's hold. By the time he'd put her down, she'd given up and was just glaring at him. "I really don't like you right now. I should seriously just teleport home and forget this day ever happened. My dad's going to kill me for not just leaving the second you picked that book up."

"As much as I wish you could teleport away to safety, these dungeons were enchanted to prevent unicorns from using anything other than their most basic magic. We're stuck with basic levitation, and dim lighting." As he spoke, them temperature began to noticeably drop