Waking Nightmares: Remix Heart

Interlude 1: Seven

by Jonathan "KnightMysterio" Spires

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Far away…

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"Seven groups of seven," Star Swirl said, the bells on his hat jangling as he sketched and wrote on countless scrolls. His eyes were wide, and he clearly hadn't slept in days. "Seven groups of seven," he said again.

"Star Swirl?" said a voice from behind the old wizard. Star Swirl jolted, turning towards his doorway. In it was a small, lanky, gray-coated unicorn with a blue-green mane. A worried expression was on his face. "Star Swirl, are you all right?"

"I..." Star Swirl blinked, stroking his beard and looking around, as if he finally realized what he was doing. "I… I don't know..."

Stygian came in, levitating a few scrolls and looking at them. "You're usually very punctual with your letters. When you didn't write us for the past couple weeks, we started to get worried. Since I lived closest to you I volunteered to check on you..."

Star Swirl blinked. "Two weeks? Oh, good heavens..." he said, worried.

Stygian frowned. "I don't understand. What does all this mean?"

Star Swirl frowned. "I had a vision, my friend. A vision so intense that it has dominated my thoughts these past weeks..." He looked at himself in the mirror, grimacing at his haggard, slightly emaciated appearance. "Apparently, it dominated them so much that I have only been doing the bare minimum to keep myself alive..."

Stygian frowned. "Let me get you something to eat," he said, heading for his mentor's kitchen. "And perhaps you can explain further..."

Star Swirl nodded. "Thank you, old friend..." He sighed, sitting down amid the piles of papers. "...Seven groups of seven. I have had a vision, Stygian. A vision of a time of great chaos, culminating in a final battle against a powerful force. In this battle, seven groups of seven shall participate. Seven heroes in each group, each representing an Element of Harmony."

Stygian frowned, assembling a sandwich from the food in Star Swirl's pantry and collecting some fruit as well. "But there are only six Elements."

Star Swirl shook his head. "Each is led by the Guiding Soul of Friendship. Enforced by the Stalwart Will of Honesty. Enhanced by the Unbreakable Beauty of Generosity. Made mighty by the Fierce Shield of Loyalty. Uplifted by the Bright Joy of Laughter. Healed by the Loving Heart of Kindness. And protected by the Resolute Guardian of the Six."

Stygian looked thoughtful as he made some fresh juice for the aged wizard. "Six Elements and a Guardian..." he said as he finished preparing the meal and bringing it over. "Did your visions tell you who these seven groups would be?"

Star Swirl gratefully accepted the food. The sandwich and fresh fruit were a great relief to his empty stomach. "Unfortunately, no. I only have a vague idea. The visions gave me names of the groups, along with vague impressions of who would be among them. But not anything specific."

"Names of the groups?" Stygian asked.

Star Swirl nodded. "The Chosen. The Comrades. The First. The Travelers. The Redeemed. The Royalty. And the Broken."

Stygian tapped his chin thoughtfully. "...The Chosen could easily be either Twilight Sparkle and her friends, or those students who stopped Cozy Glow a few years ago..."

Star Swirl shook his head. "Those remarkable younglings, I fear, will not play a part in the final battle, of that I am certain… I pray that they simply will not be involved, and not that they meet a dire fate..."

"Indeed..." Stygian said. "The First, then could be a reference to us. I'm not sure what role I'd play, though..."

Star Swirl chuckled. "I would think that obvious, old friend," he said. "You are our Resolute Guardian."

Stygian blinked. "Me?" he asked, shocked.

Star Swirl nodded, taking another bite of fruit. "You possess wisdom that we six Pillars do not," he said. "And more than once since being freed of the taint of the Pony of Shadows, you have kept us from making foolish mistakes." He cringed, remembering Flim and Flam. "Granted, sometimes I do not listen..."

Stygian blushed, grinning widely at the praise. "We all make mistakes, Star Swirl," he said. "The important thing is that we learn from them."

Star Swirl chuckled. "Indeed," he said, the two of them turning their attention back to the notes.

"The Redeemed… I know of four it could refer to. Twilight's apprentice, the traveling showmare, the former Storm King general, and that pest Discord..." Stygian said.

Star Swirl snorted. "I still can't believe that lunatic actually switched sides..." he muttered.

"But I'm at a loss for the others..." Stygian said, frowning.

Star Swirl sighed. "I pray we can find them soon," he said. "For if anything that I saw in my vision is real, we'll need all the help we can get..."

TO BE CONTINUED...