Limitations of Imagination

"Shh...It's him...The one who..." "I heard no one else survived..." "They say he was by his self..." "...and then murdered them in cold blood, he did..." Clip cli-clop cli-clip cli-clop. Ragged was an understatement. Worn, battered, bruised. Cuts and scratches all adorned like a patchwork display on a tattered canvas. A single saddlebag of tan color rested against his side as his dark brown mantle kept his neck and chest warm. The hood of his cloak was already lowered to reveal the messy, ashy black hair of the stallion. His coat was crimson, deep like the blood that had dried running down along his face, only to contrast the sapphire oceans of his eyes. His horn was scarred in a few places just like parts of his face, history etched with his body as the sculpture. Amity ignored the crowds of whispers dancing around his ears and their words of fear and disdain and accusation. He maneuvered his way through the city streets as he left town, a strange peace washing over them where a quiet angst bubbled underneath. Honestly, he was glad to get away from the town for many reasons. He was never one to stay around long after a mission anyway with the talk of the town being a prime example why. The crimson unicorn stallion let out a soft sigh before shaking his head. He knew taking on jobs like these wasn't for any glory, reputation, or good will. These were for logic. For the future. Didn't make him feel any better about carrying them out. After having set out for a little bit and disappearing into the forest, he'd trekked deep within the trees to find a comfortable clearing in the woods. The adventurer set down his pack before moving to the center of a forest space. Closing his eyes, his horn began to glow with a sapphire hue. The air around him began to vibrate and glisten, pressure increasing all around him before he opened his eyes. His sapphire eyes glistened into azure light as an orb of magic began expanding outward from him and just like that in a flash, the area around him had been carved out perfectly in a sphere in a fairly sizeable diameter. The glowing subsiding from both his horn and and eyes, he slowly lowered and his hooves touched the ground. Protection from matter. Amity kicked along the dust before burying his muzzle into his bag and pulling out a blanket to lay on the ground. Defensive magic was all that Amity knew. He couldn't throw a fireball. He couldn't give his self super strength or jump super high. He could only cast magic that protected his self. When he was younger, it was barriers and shields, wards and talismans. But what if there was more? What if protection was more than a bubble of magic? Amity held up a hoof, his horn glowing before he cast out another bubble, more translucent this time. Protection from visibility. Within the confines of his fortress and away from prying eyes, he began to set up camp. He wasn't surprised to hear the rustling of leaves close by as a few of the brazen townsfolk were out with their brass hooves and pitchforks, having made sure to keep them within earshot upon leaving the town. "Where'd that murderer go!?" "I swear he was just here." "We were tracking him all this way! There's no way he just disappeared!" They went on past as Amity started setting out some dinnerware, gathering some kindling and wood together to start a fire with a tinderbox. A calm night was what he was hoping for as he began opening a can of beans. They'd go pretty well with his hay. Another crackling of twigs and branches before a scream. Amity lifted his head. Never a calm night. His magic lowered as he stood up and walked over steadily. There, in the middle of the trees, the townsfolk huddled in fear against a bear. Amity watched quietly from a distance. One of them had gotten clawed viciously against the chest, the others trying to stand their ground in front. A valiant effort. Amity was going to turn back before he flinched, doing a small double take before scowling. He lifted his hood up before quietly and calmly walking over, leaving little noise behind him before he was upon both of them. He walked slowly, step by step, hoof by hoof till he was between the scared townsfolk who had held their ground on shaky legs and the bear that roared with ferocity. A faint glow came from under his hood as his eyes began to glow azure once more. The bear lunged out towards him, tons of physical mass barreling towards his self before the bear was frozen in place. Protection from motion. It was just instances that were at his protection's disposal. What if there were moments of repetitive application of protection. Protection from space. The bear was suddenly flung back against one of the trees, letting out a grunt before growling and scampering off. Amity turns towards the town folk, looking like a spectre with his eyes glowing under his hood. He reached out with a hoof, the townsfolk on the ground wrapped his sapphire magic. The labored breathing of the injured townsfolk began to slowly subside and calm and his magic worked over him. Protection from harm. Soon, his magic begins to subside before he began walking away, back towards his camp. "Monster!" "Sold his soul to the devil!" Would it be a waste to cast protection from hearing? The thought easily passed by his mind before he was out of sight while the townsfolk treated to their own. He settled back into his camp a moment later, returning to the safety of his sphere. "My beans are burnt..." Never a calm night.