Tempest drew in a raspy breath as the feeling of a knot grew in her heart. She had always been resolute in not peeking into her future, or anypony else’s. It just felt wrong. Alistor had offered her a look at the beginning of 2nd year, claiming that his talent had become much more reliable, but she had rebuffed the offer. She didn’t want to fool around with deeper powers involving fate or destiny, and she said as much. Now, after her latest meeting with Princess Luna, it was just too much. She needed more information, some kind of cosmic wisdom. Hopefully, Alistor’s magic might be able to provide a little of what she needed.
 
“Do it.”
 
Alistor nodded his head once. “Alright. Just wait a minute while I cross-reference a few things and then re-align them with the new information you just shared with me. When I tune in my magic, I will be drawing all of the connections and associations possible, and all the probabilities that exist between you, Princess Luna, and Princess Celestia. Once I ignite my horn, please don’t interrupt.”
 
Tempest watched as he flipped back and forth in his book for several minutes, scanning different notes and tables inside. Then, after he had spent time doing that, he opened his book exactly in the middle and pressed his hooves down on either side. Standing up on his hind hooves, Alistor’s horn began to glow. After a few moments, layers of overglow surrounded his horn, and his eyes began to glow as well. There was a ringing hum in the air as the ambient light in the room seemed to diminish, before the pages of his codex began to lift and spread out, almost as if the book were suspended upside down, or subject to no gravity at all. Visually, this struck a paradox as Alistor’s hooves were still occupying the same space, until Tempest realized that the pages had become ethereal.
 
Eventually, Tempest experienced what felt like a dividing sensation in her body, almost as if she would be torn asunder, but it wasn’t a physical sensation. Her stomach began to twist as if she were under the effects of severe vertigo. She looked up again and found that there were ghostly images of Alistor and his book, repeated in a perfect line off to the left and the right of him. It was almost as if she were seeing the repeated image made by two mirrors facing each other, but instead of being in the way she was viewing the image from the side. It was rather disconcerting, as these images continued on as if through infinity, almost as if there were no walls, or any room or library of any sort.
 
Finally with a choked breath, Alistor intoned his prediction. “The knot grows ever tighter, drawn from forces and powers beyond us. And conflict, ancient as the cosmos, inevitably will occur and is almost at hand. The light of one will hide the other in darkness until one shall come to free her of such tyranny. This would be enough, except that the power beyond us still beckons, and will appeal to you—at a time where you would least expect it but also have the greatest need. You will step forward as you will be given hope to right an ancient wrong—and because your eye will be single to your cause, you will be blinded—only because you are already sure. You will then achieve your aim, only to find that it was not your own, yet your own freedom may yet be purchased with a cost.”
 
The shimmering turquoise light in Alistor’s eyes began to fade, and the almost blinding glow being emitted from his horn began to diminish. The apparition of multiple Alistors and multiple codexes faded, leaving him to gasp and fall forward over his book, a trickle of blood from his left nostril. Breathing rapidly, Alistor slid back from the table until he sat in a heap, blinking his eyes and wiping the small amount of blood from his muzzle. Left behind on the table was his Codex, opened to the very back, where a page displaying shimmering writing was gently glowing in a turquoise hue. After a few more seconds, the light finally extinguished, leaving an oversized, unassuming book
 
Tempest’s mouth was hanging open. How could it not, after witnessing such an amazing display of magic. She had never seen the like, and it was both beautiful, and terrifying. She felt like her coat was standing on end, and her mind was swimming with questions and a desire to know more. “That was amazing, Alistor! I mean—I’ve never seen the like from any of our instructors—or from anypony!
 
The smaller colt gave a tired smile as he leaned forward again, wobbling as if he had enjoyed far too many ciders.“Yeah?” He lisped blearily. “Well, conthider it my Happy Hearthsh Warming Eve prethent… heh. Ow. That really hurts.” He squeezed his eyes shut, rubbing his forehead with a hoof.