Novalis, the Genius Magineer

I awoke with a pounding headache. Note to self, don't faint on a stone floor. Second note to self... Stop fainting already, before I'm accused of being weak. Third note to self... I am weak... Fourth note to self, work on that weakness. Fifth note to self, stop making notes to self already.

I groaned as I picked myself up off the floor. I almost immediately noticed that the noise of the party above had faded. Perhaps everyone else went home or passed out? Either way, I needed to tell Dusk about Rathmaro. I made my way gingerly up the stairs, wincing when I opened the door and light blared into my sensitive eyes.

Once my eyes adjusted, I looked around the room. Books were strewn on the floor, and tables of refreshments had been emptied. The music booth where Avec worked her magic was empty as well. Making my way upstairs, I found that all the rooms up here were empty as well. OK, where was everyone? Scanning around for a clock, I found one and was shocked. I had fainted for the entire night! Rathmaro's rise was imminent, hell, it may have already happened!

I rushed outside into the warm air, praying and hoping I was not too late. Making my way to the city hall, where the Queen of the Sun was set to make her appearance, I became uneasy at the lack of sounds on the air. With increased haste I finally arrived at city hall and opened the doors. What I found shocked me. Inside the infrastructure were dozens of life sized statues. Looking closely I could recognize some of my friends, including Paloma frozen in the act of running in terror. I saw Dusk and her new friends in a bunch, seeming to stand defiantly against whatever had done this.

Feeling a touch of inspiration, I recalled all the spells I could perform. One in particular, taught to me by Princess Lunara herself, stood out. I focused my energies on Dusk, feeling out the formation of stone encasing her. Shocked, I learned that instead of stone, they were encased in some sort of static energy. Right now they could probably all see me, but were unable to move at all. With some on the spot tweaking, I began to undo the magics that kept Dusk and her friends frozen. After about a minute and a half, I succeeded in fully freeing her, leaving her stumbling groggily as she tried to regain bodily control.

Leaving her to sort out how to move her hands instead of her legs, I continued to work on her friends. Stretching the spell to encompass all of them, I freed them all within seven minutes. Spells used over greater distance tended to take longer, which was why Celestina and Lunara usually started their rituals about an hour before they worked. Even with their vast power, they still needed a little time.

When Dusk and her friends were free, I paused to recover. This was the most magic I had used in my life, and I still had a way to go. She wanted to help free the rest, but I knew that she and her friends had more important business. I felt in my heart that they were destined to great things. I told them to track down Rathmaro, before all of Anzaria was his. Unfortunately there were no leads to follow...

"Ha, ha ho ho ho."

We all heard a deep, resounding laughter. Looking around for the source, I noticed that one of the decorative ribbons had started floating overhead. Looking closely I could see a strange, lopsided face on one end, peering creepily at us.

"So, this must be Princess Woonie's little apprentice. And he's freeing Celestiyuck's little student as well. How precious. In return for touching my heart, I will tell you where I am. 'Under the sun these do dwell, although in the moonlight they grow well. A field of perfection, lit only by the light of the heavenly selection.'"

With these final words, the ribbon vanished in a tuft of smoke. Dusk was sitting there trying to figure out the riddle while her friends had already given up. Seeing her stumped made me decide to try to figure it out. I knew she needed to find him quickly, but it seemed like this obviously night based riddle was directed towards me...

It was frustrating, not being able to help when I felt it was my duty to figure out this riddle. While I was contemplating the riddle, Dusk and her Celestial friends began trying to free the other trapped people in the room.

After a few minutes, they came over to me, and I began to teach them the basics of the spell I used. When Dusk asked where I learned this spell, I mentioned it was a modified spell taught to me by Lunara.

"You modified one of the Royals' spells? That's not easy. How did you learn to do that?" Dusk looked irritated that I was able to change this spell.

"It's not too difficult, for me at least. My eyes are a result of trying to modify a visual screen spell as a child. I wanted to watch a show, but my mom had put me to bed, and so I just kind of modified the spell she used to make her book reading come to life when I was young."

"You, modified a spell, that you had no idea how it worked, as a child?!" Dusk looked incredulously at me. She was practically hyperventilating at the end of her statement.

"Well, yeah."

"Why the hell were you studying Astronomy instead of Magic, then?"

"Well, seeing as my spells often backfired when I was younger, hence my eyes, I decided not to really use magic for a while. It wasn't until a bit into my training with Princess Lunara that she asked about my eyes, and decided to train me in magic to help me control my abilities."

Dusk shook her head. It was obvious the so called Magical Prodigy of Soluna and Queen Celestina's personal student was not pleased with some random human outclassing her at spellcraft. But jealousy aside, she also looked at me with a bit more respect, and stopped interrupting me as I taught them the freeing spell. 

After teaching them the freeing spell, we went about and began to free everyone in the town's main hall. Then I returned my attention back to the riddle from before.

Under the sun these do dwell, although in the moonlight they grow well. A field of perfection, lit only by the light of the heavenly selection.

My mind raced quickly, attempting to discern this riddle Rathmaro left behind. Under the sun these do dwell, although in the moonlight they grow well... It was obviously a reference to flowers that bloomed only at night. Or was it a nod towards mushrooms? They grew best in the darker areas, untouched by the sun most of the time. A field of perfection, lit only by the light of the heavenly selection... Obviously whatever field this was had a structure to it. But lit by the heavenly selection? Mushrooms usually grew in caves, so they saw barely any light, not just a lack of sunlight. But a normal field is often lit by the sun at some point. So this field was either a trick from Rathmaro, or it... Wait... Of course. OF COURSE!

"OF COURSE!" I shouted in glee without realizing it.

My outburst made Demura squeak and hide behind Tempest, while the rest of Dusk's friends stared at me in confusion.

"Dusk, does Queen Celestina have a garden in her part of the castle?"

"Yes, she... Wait, does Princess Lunara have one, too?"

"Yes, Paradiso Luna, the Garden of the Moon. It's located three doors from her teaching chambers, on the left side of the hall. Now, please go on without me, I need to finish freeing the townspeople. This doesn't look like everyone was gathered here yet."

"If I lend my strength, we can free them faster and go together..."

"No time. The Sisters are probably captured. Princess Lunara left me a note when I came here. I won't be of much help as I am, but you have your stronger reserves of magic. I have enough to free them, so go on, while you are still fresh."

Dusk bit her lip for a moment before nodding. Turning around she began to sprint out of the hall and towards the train station. After a brief hesitation, her new friends nodded at each other before running out to follow her. I had a feeling they'd stick together with her. Hopefully they would be of use to her this night.

Looking away from the entrance, I glanced out across the room, finally accepting the magnitude of my task. Their were a lot of people here, and most of them were free, but not of much use yet. Deciding to try to make this job easier, I began to free the Celestials scattered to and fro outside. I started with Avec Cappricio, still frozen as she was by her booth. Drawing slightly from the vitality of my target, I began to slowly weave my spell around her. Once she was free, I taught her the formula for the spell, including how to control how much she drained the target. When Lunara had first shown me the spell, she had stated many times that it had originally been a war spell. She and her sister would encase their target in unbreakable stone, and then drain the target's vitality to break their own spell. An ingenious manipulation of life energies that ensured the Celestials' status among the elite.

Once our work started, we quickly freed the other Celestials and taught them the spell. As our ranks swelled, we worked on releasing the humans. Using their dynamic metabolisms to bolster our energies, together we released the rest of the townsfolk. Once the population was freed, I gathered the few friends I had made along the way.

"OK, I know that we have a major problem here concerning Rathmaro. For one, he may have the Sisters hostage. Now, I've left this matter in the more capable hands of Dusk and her friends. Dusk was top of magic school, and her friends will be there to lend support. Now, we need to get this mess here cleaned up, for when the Sisters return. So what say you? Ready to get this show ready for their return?"

As one they nodded and spread out into the crowd. I watched as they tidied up the mess, brought the decorations back into place, and brought out food reserves to replace what had been destroyed. As they worked, I looked over the preparations, hoping my judgment was good enough for our Royal Solar Sister.

Today was not just the celebration of the sun, nor was it merely the longest day of the year. Both of those were merely by products from the fact that this was the Solar Queen's birth date. This fact had been lost to time, as was the Winter Solstice being the longest night and the birth date of the Lunar Princess.

As the preparation were wrapping up, a loud bang outside the auditorium caused everyone to jump and look around in fear. After calming my shaking heart, I went outside and beheld a wondrous sight. The Celestial Sisters had returned, along with Dusk and her friends. Around each of their arms, save Dusk's, were ornate and beautiful bangles. The jewels within resembled the respective wearer's Celestial Brand, signifying a deep bond with the wearer. Upon Dusk's head was a magnificent veil attached to a crown, complete with a massive jewel that also resembled her Brand. Each of them looked exhausted, but pleased with themselves.

Celestina hugged her student gently while Lunara walked over to where I stood. She stood by my side for a few moments, making me very uncomfortable before she spoke.

"Dusk and her friends have reawoken an age old power within their friendship. The Spirits of Order have chosen to dwell directly within them."

I nodded my head and looked up at her. She was staring towards her sister without any expression. I gulped as I looked back to my feet.

"I had expected you to follow her in this battle."

"My apologies, Princess Lunara. I woke up late today, and by the time I arrived here, he had already arrived and vanished. I needed to free everyone imprisoned here, but it drained my magic. As such, I asked Dusk to help while she was more well rested."

Lunara was quiet for awhile before she spoke again.

"And after that? What have you been doing?"

"You sent me here to help oversee the preparations for your sister's celebration. Since Dusk was occupied with Rathmaro, I took that responsibility into my own hands. After freeing everyone, I organized the few friends I made here, and returned the auditorium to a presentable state. I had high faith in your return, and decided to make sure your return was splendid."

Lunara fell silent once more, and after a few moments returned to her sister. She leaned in and whispered into her sister's ear. As one, both sisters stood up straight and proud. Turning towards the auditorium, they strode regally and purposefully into the reception awaiting the Queen of the Sun.