Penumbra, Lux, Terra (Private)

Shining and Cadence were standing ready in the room at the appointed time, waiting for their special guests to arrive. Cadence was shifting around a bit uncomfortable. Shining noticed this and looked at her, worried. "Honey..."

She looked up and smiled slightly. "Ah... I'm alright. Just... can't help but feel a bit... ah..." Uncomfortable, she wanted to say. Uncomfortable because the dark magic present clashed with her light, love magic. Shining knew, even though he didn't quite feel it.

"I understand, but it's for the greater good. Sometimes, you should fight fire with fire. Besides, who else could decipher a dark tome than a dark mage herself?" Shining looked at the door expectantly, as if to see the two come in at any moment.

Cadence still hadn't stopped shifting and sighed. "I know... but still..."
Shining smiled. "It'll be alright. I promise."

At that moment, a guard came in, announcing their presence. The royal pair sat up, ready.

Sugary and Umbra made their way in, and though he was still bothered by the lack of actual freedom, he still kept optimistic about their fate in the near future. Seeing Cadance and Shining from afar, he smiled a bit and led the way in casually.

Once they were close enough, he'd take a bow and greet them just as casually with a smile. "Sugary and Umbra, reporting! What can we do for you?" Maybe it helped to behave with a subordinate attitude. They weren't there to cause trouble to the rulers after all.

Shining smiled, but Cadence looked distinctly uncomfortable. Even so, she managed a slight smile. Shining spoke up first.
"Welcome! We're glad that you have joined us." He nodded. "I hope that your stay has been alright so far."
Cadence smiled and nodded too. "Is there something else you'd like to add before we begin?"

Sugary looked between the royals and Umbra, and while she was still quiet for the time being, he figured he'd say what he thought was the right thing to say. "Er... We're sorry we worried you and we're still really not here to cause trouble?" There wasn't much to say beyond that which he could think of, especially since he still didn't know what those before him and Umbra had in store for them.

As Umbra saw how the ruling pair still were clearly uncomfortable with her presence, something that made one corner of her lips rise up in a little smirk, allowed she Sugary to speak up first to calm the pair down before she spoke up. "My lady princess and my liege princess, while it is a honour that the pair of you honours us by asking if there are anything we would like, are the only thing that my travel companion and I would wish for are to travel and seeing more of your magnificent crystal empire." Umbra speaking as she was used to this kind of thing, standing in front of the royals as if it was an ordinary Thursday evening thing.

Shining Armor smiled and nodded. "And I'm sure you will travel without any problems. I do hope that you will enjoy your travels through our Empire." Then, his expression darkened. "But first, more pressing matters have to be attended to."

Next to him, Cadence nodded and looked curiously - and slightly afraid - to the book under Umbra's arm. "I see that you still have the book... have you learned more about it?"

As if she was about to show forth a two ton carrot to the judges at a farmers market pulled Umbra the still sealed book from her side, padding her golem friend whose spiderweb like body still kept the pages shut and the shadows within at bay. "Yes that is correct, the book is as you can see in my private custody and as your majesties can see well sealed and guarded by one of my most faithful servants." Her hand going almost caressing over her golem as she praised it, a few sparks of energy going from her fingers into it, the act of doing such magic sending a sliver of pain down her spine and made her else so lovely smiling face contort into a scowl for the shortest of moments as the pain went though her.

Shaking her head a little bit shook she the last bit of pain out and drew a new smile on her lips before she spoke again. "I am sorry to say that I don't know more about the book at this point in time, my first concern was to seal the entity inside it up so its shades wouldn't bring more even more harm to the city. The best, and one of the few, ways to learn more about it would be to open it up once more, and enter the realm of the book. In layman terms opening the door to the prison and take a peek inside to actually see who the noisy prisoner are there are making havoc."

Sugary felt things wouldn't go awry, but he also felt they wouldn't be going anywhere just yet. He listened carefully for the most part while keeping to his thoughts. "That still means we ought to investigate how it came to become active... If someone was responsible and not just the book itself, then who...?"

Once Umbra was done, he'd pitch in as well while rubbing his chin and pondering. "Yeah... But there's another matter someone ought to look into. The tower we found it in, has it been investigated yet? Finding out what makes the book work is one thing, but my concern is that there was probably someone else who opened it in the first place. Someone from the outside of that prison..."

Shining nodded, thinking. "Right..." He pondered for a bit, looking at the book and then at Market, nodding to him as well.
"Well... I have not yet given the order to investigate, but..."

Cadence interrupted him. "Let me study the book." She smiled at him. "I know enough about dark magic to be able to withstand whatever threat this book would cause. You, in the meantime, can go to the tower and see if you can find any traces of what was there, and see if you can find out where he is now."

Shining nodded after mulling it over. "Are you sure you'll be okay...?" he said, worriedly. Cadence just smiled and nodded calmingly, but resolutely. Shining nodded back.
"I suggest we will do it that way. Unless you have a better idea, of course..."

Why could they not just give the job to the professional, just because she was one of the undead and used the kinds of magic she did did it not mean that she couldn't be trusted. But if the princess wanted to solve the book problem on her own were she more than welcome to do it, if something went wrong would the act of her saving them all once more just seem even bigger.

Seeing as she no longer had to walk around with the book removed she it from her side, and seeing as she most likely woulnd't get it back ran Umbra a finger over the golem, it going in a circle around where its eyes was, a crack forming in its body were her finger had touched it, and soon feel the core of the golem out in her hand. "Seeing as the book soon will be opened to be studied have I weakened my seal laid on it, the seal should still be able to keep it closed for a few hours thou, so I would advice to study it as soon as possible." Came it from Umbra as she went over with the book, giving it to one of the nearby guards that could bring it further to the princess before going back to Sugary's side.

Sugary liked the idea to an extent, but he had some doubts he likely shared with Umbra. "Light can purge the Darkness, but Darkness can consume the Light... I really hope she knows what she's getting herself into."

He clicked his tongue lightly, and looked to Umbra as she removed the Golem Core. "Well, at least the little fella can rest better now... I'm ready to go any time, Umbra, so let me know when. I'm sure that tower is bound to have something else worthwhile." He began to focus on his magic, calculating where to teleport to regarding the tower, holding out his hand for Umbra. "Best not to waste our time and observe quickly. Something worse might be lurking for all we know."

Shining thought for a bit. "Of course, if you want, you may stay here with the book."

Cadence nodded. "You have managed to seal it, after all, Umbra." She hesitated. "I... I might need your help, as well as your powers here, once the time calls for it."

Shining nodded and stood up. "As for me, I will be going towards the tower now. I have given the orders to bring back the two guards you have fought with against the powers of the book... for interrogation, and to help with the physical examination of the tower itself." He nodded. "You may choose whom you go with."

"If the Princess says she needs my help will I of course stay to lend my help when needed." Said Umbra with a little polite curtsie. They had the book, so she could not see what more they could get out of the tower, but if they really wanted to travel out there once more and search and be cold, then should she not stop them.

"The shades should be connected with the book, so I take that my potion will be enough support if you need any in the tower Sugary"

Sugary thought about Shining's offer, and shook his head in rejection of the idea. "I think it might be better if those two stayed here instead. Maybe Umbra can examine them too... One of them did get possessed, and the other one was too busy trying to get his companion to come to her senses. They wouldn't know the tower any better than I do, so it may as well just be us two." Again he held out his hand for teleportation, but this time towards Shining.

Meanwhile, he gave a light smile to Umbra. "... I get the feeling the potion isn't the only thing helping me out there. Besides, I have an oath to keep! I got no excuses to fail on the trip."

Shining thought about Market's words and nodded. "You're right... I'll let them be brought here instead." He walked up to Market, but before he took his hand, he turned around to look at his wife. Cadence nodded in reply, smiling. Nevertheless, Shining took a deep breath and murmured something towards her, to which Cadence gently chuckled. Then, he turned towards Market.
"Ready?"

Seeing as the time for talking were over and it now was time for action did Umbra go over towards Cadence, but stopped up in a good distance, both because she wasn't invited closer to the royalty and because she still knew that Cadence wasn't too comfortable with her and her magic.

"Are there anywhere in particular that you would like for us to take care of the book and its inhabitant my princess? I take it that you have some kind of sturdy or other room where we could be, instead of doing such magic here with all those interrupting guards and other such elements."

With the mares getting ready to handle things by themselves, Sugary would take Shining's hand and coat him with a light sheet of light along with him, the teleportation about to happen. "Let's... Here we go!" A bright light later, the two were gone, seemingly up and out through the castle and over to the abandoned tower's base and entrance.

The light would reform in the shape of the duo, and disperse a bit once they made their trip successfully. "Ah... That didn't take as much out of me as I'd thought. Guess I really did need a good rest..." He said more to himself, now looking at the tower to begin their investigation as needed.

In the castle, Cadence would nod at Umbra. "I would prefer a special chamber over this... one which is magically sealed, so nothing can go in or out, if the... thing in this book were to escape..." She watched her husband teleport with slight worry in her eyes - but she took a deep breath and sat up.
"Please, follow me." She walked out of the chamber, expecting Umbra to follow her, four guards surrounding her.

In the meantime, Shining blinked slightly, a bit desoriented from the teleport. However, as a good magician like him could, he recovered quickly and looked up. "So this is where you've discovered the book...?" He studied the rickety tower with great care. "Hmh..."

Hearing how the two of them, the highest ruler of the country and an unkown shadow mage would be sealed up in a room could Umbra only shake her head at the whole thing, but did follow after Cadence. She had no reason to do so, but just to humour herself thought the striped mare over how many ways she could use the chamber to her own personal gain if she had wanted, having reached a really good plan for number eleven before they reached it and the mare washed all the hypothetical thoughts of treason away, she would win more by coming in the good graze of the royals instead of removing them after all.

Umbra still silent and following as she were the back up and not the main actor in regard to the book.

Meanwhile, Sugary harbored less thoughts of treason and more thoughts of gaining favor as well, and once Shining got his bearings, he was quick to point out what he'd seen so far. "Yes. The book was right over there..." He walked around a bit to a certain spot. "The mare was possessed right here..." He then walked in a circle around where the book had been. "And this is where the barrier was... That's about all I can really say for the time being that stood out. But how much of what happened was because of the book, or the voice I heard, I can't be certain of yet. All I know for sure is this was the area with the most concentration of magic... Do you feel any readings from anywhere else yet?" As he asked, his horn lit up, examining the trace amount of energy that he could from the center to outwards.

Cadence walked into the enchanted room, passing through a magical barrier. It was dark in the room, only lit by a single torch. Under the torch was only a small, but high table, which was also the only furniture in the entire chamber. It was just big enough to hold the book. As Umbra passed the barrier, she spoke up, motioning to the doorway. "That was the barrier I talked about... but now it's not sealed yet." She lit up her horn, and the door closed. The door then lit up in her magical aura, flashing black for a split second, as if all the light was seeped away. It was over before you knew. "Now, no magic can go in or out."

She smiled at you, although her smile was slightly forced, nearly a grimace. "I know what you are thinking. It is foolish to keep a light and a dark mage in the same space. But believe me," she trotted towards the table, "that I can hold myself towards you if it really came to that. I can feel some of your power, as you can feel some of mine, and tell me, do I look weak to you?" Her gaze went sharp and stern, and seemed to look straight through you, to your inner being. Then, her look softened and a bit of an easier smile returned. "But you are not the enemy, and nor am I an enemy to you. No, there lies the enemy," she pointed to the book, "and together we can destroy it."

She motioned towards the table. "Please, if you would put the book there, we can begin."

~

Shining Armor hummed as he looked around the interior of the tower. "This is... interesting." He walked around, his horn lighting up, his eyes closed, concentrating. "I can feel so much power here..." He then twirled around. "But where would it come from..." Like a wolf sniffing out his prey, Shining lit up his horn and meticulously searched the area in the tower to find a track, where the book could have been from and where it had been taken. After a bit, he stopped and looked out of the window the book had been the closest to. All he could see were the frozen wastes that surrounded the Crystal Empire. He nodded slightly to himself. "I have seen enough," he said, and walked to the door. "I think I know where to go."

As shining had found a likely trail to follow with the given clue, Sugary looked out the window as well. "Excellent! Lead the way then, I'll do my best to assist!" He then kept thinking to himself, looking over to the horizon out the widow. "Guess he does know the area more than I do... Shame Umbra wasn't here, she might like the fresh air. I hope she's doing okay with her research..."

Did the princess look weak to her? Compared to the other ponies Umbra had seen in the princesses land then no, but all things compared, and especially since they were alone like this in this lovely room where she couldn't feel the infernal hearts magic... Well she would not want to brag, or to say the words aloud, but she were rather sure about who there were the stronger of the two, or at least who there would walk away from a fight if one were to happen.

"You know," came it slowly from Umbra as she went over with the book to the pedestal, the seal that she had laid on it earlier crumbling away as she went. As she stood just infront of it were she turning the book over to sturdy it, and then going flipping through the pages as she spoke. "If I were up to anything would I properly have fought against the guard when they tried to arrest me instead of going with them willingly, I would properly not go so openly on the streets in the first place either. Neither would I have stayed here in your castle with the book had I planned something with it, or enchanted the guards weapon to save the life of an unknown number of people while you... I am not certain of what you did while I did that, or did in general to help your people, so I do really not know what there is up with these words dripping with mistrust." Her sighing before she laid the book down on the pedestal, closing it with a loud snap.

"As I have said to your guard, which I can't speak highly of, am I here to see the city. A visit with a purely academical purpose, I must say that the pictures that I have seen of it does it no honours at all, and the aurora... simply amazing, have never seen anything like it in my life, and it wasn't even mentioned once in any of the books. A great mistake if you ask me." Her leaning up against one of the walls as she talked and took in what the princess were going to do with the book next.

Princess Cadence sighs. "Please forgive me... My kind of magic simply isn't... all that comfortable around your kind of magic." She laughed nervously. "I mean no offense."
She sighed and turned her attention back to the book.
"Let's see..."

She closed her eyes to concentrate, her horn lit up. "I can feel... there are several seals on this book, three in total. What is behind the third seal, I can only guess, but I assume it is the source of the shadows..." She looked up to Umbra. "What do you think?"

~

Shining Armor walked out of the tower and went immediately into the direction he looked out through the snow, a few other guards in tow. He looked back to see if Sugary is following. "The tracks go into the wastes, but I have a hunch as to where it is. It isn't far."
He turned back towards the snowy hills and started to walk.

(("March Forward!"))

Quietly and obediently, Sugary followed and marched along with the group. He figured it was actually a fine expedition to make: He got to aid the local monarchy and military, got to learn more of the local terrain, and may even encounter something that needed to be brought to justice, if not something wondrous and terrible. The afternoon air was delicious as he got pumped for adventure. "We make the most of this, it just might be more than worth the arrest after all!"