Chapters Jordan wiped his brow and paused to take in his surroundings, he was currently in a dense and lush forest. The plant life here was quite diverse and he was only able to recognize a few plants. The same could not be said for the wildlife, he had only seen some birds and bugs, a few bunnies, some deer, a fox, and one snake. He'd been walking for what felt like hours, he took his phone out and looked at the time 'damn, only been two hours'.
He put his phone away and looked at the sky, the sun was slowly making its descent. Jordan needed to find shelter before it got to dark. He adjusted a black backpack on his shoulder and continued walking. The backpack was a gift from Discord, it carried basic survival gear such as flint, a serrated hunting knife, some rope, a canteen with a built-in filter, and oddly a journal with three pens.
He turned his attention back at hand and continued his walk. After 30 minutes of walking he came across a small clearing and decided to make camp before it got to dark. He began to gather some firewood and returned to the clearing. He placed the firewood in the middle of the clearing and made it oven shaped so as to let off more heat. Being a pyro taught you a few cool tricks and techniques.
Jordan than grabbed some nearby rocks and placed these around the soon to be fire so it wouldn't spread. Satisfied that the fire had no way of spreading he began to forage for any edibles, luckily he came across some blueberry bushes. These would be enough to fill him for the time being. After gathering a healthy amount at his camp he looked at the sky, the sun was just disappearing behind some mountains.
Jordan brought out the Flint and his knife and started the fire. After a few tries he had roaring fire. He set two logs on top so the fire would burn slow and last through the night. He leaned against a tree and breathed deeply, this was real, he was no longer in his world, no longer feeling suffocated. He felt free, he felt relaxed, and most of all he felt happy.
He looked at the sky again and took note that the stars here were brighter and clearer. He ate a few berries and washed them down with a drink of water. Just as he began to contemplate about tomorrows goals he heard a twig snap and the sound of padding. He assumed it was a passing animal and reached for his knife. He poked the fire, causing the flames to momentarily flare, illuminating the surrounding area.
To say he was surprised was an understatement, the fire had revealed five wolf like creatures except these wolves were made from bark. Jordan' first thought was to yell some very vulgar words and work from there but something told him to hold that thought. He carefully sat up a little straighter and relaxed his hold on the knife.
If these Wolves wanted to kill him they would've done it by now, 'Maybe they just wanna play with their food'. "Oh shut up conscious."
The Wooden Wolves ears perked up at his voice and tilted their head, "Fuck," Jordan said quietly. One of the Wolves began to move forward directly across from him and sat on its haunches. Now that is was closer to the fire, he could make out more of its appearance. Its eyes were a florescent green and its fangs were sharp looking splinters that looked like they could still tear a throat if need be. Its most interesting trait to Jordan was its body, it was made purely from wood but in a way that fitted the creatures.
The funny yet strange thing was the fact that the Wolf looked as if it were studying him. "Nah, couldn't be," he said waving his hand. The Wolf gave him a curious glance and barked questioningly. Jordan looked at the Wolf and shook his head, "Its nothing, so go away I have some sleep to get to."
The Wolf barked once more and looked at his Blueberries pointedly. "What, you want my berries?" he asked curiously. The Wolf nodded and barked once more. Jordan was about to say go ahead but paused, "You can understand me?" The Wolf nodded once more and Jordan just stared before chuckling. Not even a day here and he met Wolves made from wood that could probably kill him with ease and here they were asking for his damn Blueberries, with manner too.
After his chuckling he said "Go ahead and help yourself, I'll find some more later."
The Wolf looked to his compadres and barked, they trotted forward and they all began to eat the berries. 'This moment right here made it to the top 5 weirdest things that I've done'. The Wolves ate in silence and Jordan pulled out his journal and a pen. He opened it up to the first page and wrote 'Day:1, My time here has already proved to be new and different. I have encountered new plants and new wildlife. The night skies are clearer and more beautiful than I could have thought. I currently appear to be in a forest and it seems to contain most of our basic species, but I have come across something quite peculiar, a Wolf made entirely from wood save for its eyes which appear to be filled with an uncanny green glow. The Wolves seem friendly enough but I would assume like most Wolves at home they are semi-friendly because I have yet to be seen as a threat. Their diet seems to be made up of fruits and judging by their teeth, meat as well. I have met Omnivore Wolves and even now as I write this they continue to eat my Blueberries which I came across. So far my deal with Discord seems to be a fine deal I've made but for how long, I don't know. I do know that Murphy's Law will soon kick in and that I should expect the unexpected but also unexpect the expected. Tomorrow I continue with my journey in search of civilization and or at least evidence of it.
Spiderzilla hissed hungrily and drool leaked, dripping off those fangs of hers. She was hungry and she was pissed. It had been a while since she sunk her fangs into a nice sized victim. This..whatever it was making it harder for her to enjoy her meal.
Jordan was concerned, well actually he was scared shitless. He was fighting something out of Skyrim or Eight-legged Freaks. He gripped his two weapons harder, a torch and a knife. 'I could really use a big can of bug spray right about now'. Breaking the tense silence, Spiderzilla began to scuttle forward causing Jordan to curse.
With a "Fuck You", Jordan threw his torch at Spiderzilla's face watched it smack firmly into her eyes. Three eyes were burned in the process causing her to screech and hiss loudly. Even while screeching she continued to charge forward in a blind fury. Jordan quickly dodged and ran to the side, grabbing another torch.
This was getting him nowhere, Spiderzilla would be a lot more wary of his actions and he was running out of ideas. While Jordan was thinking of a plan, Spiderzilla turned her spinnerette towards him and shot out a thick strand of silk that stuck to his legs. With a victorious screech she yanked with her sharp legs, causing Jordan to fall on his back.
She slowly began to reel in her catch so to speak. 'Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit,' was all Jordan could think. One look at Spiderzilla's gleaming fangs was all it took for Jordan to snap out of it. "Fuck that and fuck you, I am NOT going to be a fucking smoothie for you!"
He used the torch he was still holding and used them to burn her silk off, stopping his deathly approach. He scrambled up and took a few steps back, he quickly looked at his surroundings and noted that there were no exits. It was a Do Or Die situation. He breathed in deeply and exhaled, preparing himself for his next or possibly his last act.
Jordan fixed Spiderzilla with a determined look and began to run forward, clutching his torch and knife tightly. Spiderzilla hissed in delight, her prey was running towards her, towards his demise. In her eagerness she leaped forward. Jordan cracked a small smile, he was hoping for this. He slid forward onto his back, still moving but on his back..
As Spiderzilla began to move over him, confusion written on her face, he raised his knife into the air, stabbing her in the abdomen and thanks to his and her momentum, the knife continued to drag through her abdomen, slicing it open. Her insides spilled out and she dropped like a stone, hissing and screeching in agony. Her legs were kicking wildly and her body was thrashing. Jordan was breathing hard, his plan had actually worked, if it hadn't she would of been on him in an instant.
He looked at her thrashing and angry eyes. "Fuck you too," he said angrily, he stood up and walked towards the still thrashing spider. This prick had tried to kill him, had tried to sink her fangs in hit and inject lethal poison into him. To suck his insides like one would drink a smoothie. He was pissed, he dropped the knife and gripped the torch in both hands and walked towards her dying body.
He swung silently and smashed the head of the torch on to her head and scorched the rest of her eyes. He didn't stop smashing, he smashed her Cephalothorax into a fine pulp. He set her legs on fire and listened to them pop, like popcorn. He looked at was left of her and spat disgustedly, just a pile of spider mess. He dropped the torch on the remains and watched them catch on fire.
He walked back to where his knife and began to walk towards the mantle holding the gem. As he neared it, a strange sensation began to run over his body, as if the air was humming. He reached the gem and stood in front of it, the humming even stronger, 'Lets hope this isn't cursed.' He reached for it and grasped the gem, when he did this a pulse was emitted from the mysterious gem.
Jordan felt a cool feeling wash over him, as if ice cold water had been thrown on him. He blinked, he wasn't in the room anymore, instead he was in dark room that contained a throne. Nothing was seated on this throne, as he looked around for any signs of life, the room flashed once. Seated on the throne was a Horse, but this horse had Wings and a Horn. It was sitting on the throne listening to a Unicorn garbed in a military uniform.
"Sire, they have made it to our gates." stated the pony calmly. The Winged Unicorn nodded grimly, "Quick Jab, I want you to evacuate the castle and take everypony with you." "But sire-."
The King raised a hoof, "Do not worry old friend, I will handle this," a subtle sadness coated his words. Quick jab looked at is King, at his friend, "Very well, King Torva," he bowed and left the room. King Torva got up from his throne and waited. Jordan noticed what looked like a picture of a forest on his side flank. It didn't take long for "Them" to reach the throne room. The doors were blown off their hinges and these corrupted Things stumbled in.
They looked ghoulish and looked as if they were bathed in corruption. Bipeds and Ponies alike made the group up, but the one in the front was the most eye catching. Whatever it was, it literally leaked evil, drops of darkness plopped onto the tile marble floor. "Well what do we have here, the King all alone and nowhere to run," a broken demonic voice taunted. King Torva only shook his head.
"Your Ponies shall fall, your Kingdom shall fall, this land will fall, and you will fall, all fall to the Corrupted."
King Torva looked up at the Corrupted beings and smiled sadly, "The only ones falling Today will be us." He looked up at and closed his eyes. His horn began to glow a forest green and the Corrupted looked confused as his horn glowed brighter and more intense. When he opened his eyes, they hardened on the tall figure and his horn let off a flash that engulfed his castle and all the corrupted that attacked. When the flash subsided, there was nothing left, just a forest.
Jordan was slack jawed, this Winged Unicorn had sacrificed himself and took everything with him. He closed his mouth and blinked, he was back in the dark throne room, 'Why was I shown this?' "Because I need your help."
Jordan looked up at the throne, there sitting calmly on his throne was King Torva. "Did you just say you needed my help?"
"Yes, you are not of this world, and neither is the leader of the Corrupted."
"Okay, why do you need me?"
"It seems only an outsider can truly destroy the Corrupted."
"But didn't you destroy the corrupted already?"
King Torva shook his head sadly, "All I was able to do was banish him for a certain amount of time. He is rising again and I am dead, the only reason we're talking is due to a piece of my soul being tied to the gem you touched. Will you help me outsider?"
Jordan rubbed his chins thoughtfully, 'Help a King save this world and do something epic and possibly die or say hell no and die anyways..damn it.'
King Torva smiled, "Remember how I said a piece of my soul was in the gem?" Jordan nodded, "Yeah, so?"
"Well I can fuse that piece with your soul, giving you some of my powers," he stated simply. Jordan blinked, this was way to easy, there had to be a catch. "Whats the catch?"
King Torva smile, "Good, your a smart one, the catch is its going to be really painful when the fusion happens and your appearance might change. Also I ask that you gather my followers, they will be needed for your battle."
Jordan nodded, he felt like he was in a video game, but he was okay with that. "Lets just start the fusion," he said casually, but was bracing himself.
King Torva nodded and his horn began to glow the same forest green from before. A searing pain invaded Jordan's chest, like something was melding to his very soul, oh right the fusion. It wasn't so bad, it just really burned, like someone was welding his damn soul. When the pain stopped, Jordan noticed that he had his clenched shut his fist were balled, 'That bad huh?'
He was back in the room where he fought Spiderzilla, he could still smell the burned remains. He didn't fill different, just a bit more lighter, like he could run a few miles and more. He looked down at the gem, it wasn't surrounded with that strange feeling but he still pocketed it, 'Mine.'
He looked around and noticed something on one of the walls, a strange marking. He felt something in his hand and saw the knife, it was still covered in blood and other "stuff". He grumbled and wiped it on the mantle and sheathed it. He walked over to the wall and looked at the symbol. It looked like a tree with numerous roots, he scratched his head. He pressed his palm to it and blinked in surprise, the symbol glowed a bright white and clicking could be heard.
The wall began to slowly slide open, slightly shaking the room. A small narrow hallway was revealed, lined with torches that lighted the way. He followed the torches and began to think. Did Discord have a hand in this, did he know this was going to happen? It was a possibility and Jordan would ask Discord himself the next chance he got. As he muled over his thoughts he noticed light at the end of the hallway.
When he reached it, he smiled, he was back at the entrance were he started. Waiting patiently for his return were the wooden wolves, they were laying in a circle. As he neared them, their ears perked up and they trotted towards him. They stopped in front of him and tilted their head, "Yeah, its me guys."
He looked around and decided to make camp around the pyramid. He gathered some firewood and got a fire going. The Wolves took off somewhere, he assumed they were hunting. After about half an hour later, the Wolves returned. What surprised him was the fact they brought back a deer with them.
"Why did you guys bring that back to me?", the Wolves only continued to look at him. "Is it for me?", he asked. The Wolves nodded and Jordan smiled, "Did you already eat?", the Wolves nodded once more. He walked over to the deer's carcass and looked at it. Its throat was ripped and it was a nice sized stag. Jordan pulled out his knife and began the dirty work, skinning and cleaning it. After all that was said and done, he set the meat over the fire and gave the organs to the Wolves who had been watching curiously.
As the meat began to cook and the Wolves happily ate the organs, Jordan washed his hands with the water from the canteen and pulled out his journal.Day 2: My second day and I have found a Pyramid that was filled with traps and puzzles and one giant fucking spider who I have dubbed Spiderzilla. She has met her demise when she failed to kill and drink my insides like a slurpie. May she burn in hell like she did here. Did I mention the Wolves are now traveling with me as well? If you think that's strange, I found a Ebony gem that showed me a scene from the past of this world. There was a war and neither side one, more of a temporary break was put into play. The King, who I belive who rules or at least helps guide nature has asked me to fight in his steed. The strangest thing was he was not a human, but a Winged Unicorn and he needed his help. It seems only an outsider can kill the leader of the Corrupted. The corrupted kind of look like heartless from Kingdom Hearts but look and seem a lot more malicious. It seems I have powers now, since I have a piece of that kings soul fused with my own, does that make me royalty now? If i happen to meet Discord again, there are a few questions I would like to ask. For now I am enjoying this world, even if I may die in it. That's all for now, my cooked deer is beginning to burn, till next time.
Jordan closed the Journal and put the pencil back in it, saving his spot. He reached for the meat and cut off a piece with his knife. He put the strip in his mouth and chewed thoughtfully, it could have used some spices but he didn't have any. The Wolves began to settle around him when a slight breeze blew by. He sighed, this place was odd and it seemed that Ponies or Horses or whatever they were, were the dominant species. Tomorrow, he hoped would at least find some more signs of civilization.
Author's Note
Well, that did indeed escalate quickly. Took me a while to come up for a name of an Alicorn that ruled over the Wold. Torva is l
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A Cliche Fated Battle That Was Somehow Predicted..cliche much.
Jordan felt something hard and rough rub against his face. He mumbled in his sleep and began swatting at whatever was touching him . His hands met the bark covered face of the alpha. He sighed and looked around him, it was barely morning and there was some fog. The pyramid plus the fog made the area seem a little creepy in Jordan's opinion. He got up and brushed the dirt and twigs off him. He began to stretch and look around. It seemed like as soon as his ordeal with King Torva, the pyramid lost its pull.
He pushed that thought away and smacked his lips. He grabbed his canteen and took a swig, he sloshed the water around in his mouth and spat it out. He shook the canteen and noted that he'd really needed to find a water supply. He ran a hand through his mangled hair, his bed hair must have been really bad. He never had that problem when he had his mohawk and arguably he looked better with one, till his grandma saw it. One look and instantly, "You look like a delinquent!", she practically screamed.
He smiled at the thought of his grandma, she was probably coddling his little sister while his grandpa would just smile warmly. Home, it'd be a while till he could go back home, well if he could go back. He shook his head, now wasn't the time to think about that, right now he had work to do. First off he needed to find some more water, second he needed to find some evidence of civilization or a town. Actually he would have to be wary around the towns, but he didn't want to fight some damn unknown evil by himself..well he kinda did but he didn't feel like dying just yet.
He rubbed his chin thoughtfully, how would he fight, hell he didn't even know what his powers were. As he mulled over his thoughts, the alpha of the pack nudged his knee. "Hmm, what is it.., I don't even know your name, I don't even know what to call you."
"It matters not what you call us, we follow you Tall One.''
Jordan looked around wildly and slowly looked down at the Wolves. He looked at the Alpha and asked "Did you just talk right now?''
The Alpha looked at Jordan and barked, "We've been talking, you just didn't understand us Tall One."
Jordan just stared at the Alpha and simply said, "King Torva, I know you should be able to hear me cause our souls are linked now. Why the hell can I understand the Wolves?"
Jordan could feel a presence inside him flicker, like a light switch, "Well as you could probably tell, I rule, well Ruled over the Wild. I could naturally speak to the Animals of the forest and of the Wild. I couldn't control them, but I did have a sway with them. Now that power is yours, as well as a few others," he said calmly like he was expecting this.
Jordan just ran a hand across his face, "Okay, care to tell me what these other powers are?"
"Not only do you possess the Speech, but you also can manipulate plant life as well as a few basic unicorn level spells such as levitation, teleportation, and arcane bolts. You also can heal by using the nature around you.
Jordan sighed, "I feel like that guy from Avatar who could bend the vines," he muttered quietly. "Okay, I can work with that. So what exactly am supposed to do?"
Torva sighed, "Honestly, I can only tell you to watch for signs of His awakening and when he does awaken, fight. Just fight and win, because if you lose, we all lose."
Jordan just sighed, "Jeez no pressure huh? Well you don't have to worry about that, I'll fight even if it wasn't intended for me..maybe."
Jordan felt as though Torva nodded approvingly, "I thank you, Jordan."
"Yeah, it's nothing. Gather an army and kill an enemy that a divine being couldn't beat, piece of cake."
"That's the spirit," Torva said lightly before his presence faded for the moment.
Jordan nodded as he felt Torva's presence fade, he looked at the Wolves who had been watching silently. "I still need to know what to call you."
The Alpha spoke up, "You may call me Silent Fang or Sil."
The second largest Wolf in the pack stepped up, he assumed this was the Beta had a scar running from his muzzle to his eye. "I am Scar," he said quietly but calmly. The rest, which he assumed were just gamas, introduced themselves. The smallest in the pack was named Runner, simple but spoke for it self when they hunted. Razor, the one with the sharpest looking claws out of the whole bunch was really playful. Than there was Fal, the one with a piece of his ear missing.
"Okay, now I know your names, mine is Jordan, not tall one," he said slowly. The Wolves nodded in understanding, "One question, why did you choose to follow me?"
"You show promise as a leader, you make it feel like its worth following you."
Jordan hummed in thought, yeah sure he could be a leader, but sometimes found it to be a tad bit annoying. He just nodded, "Thanks for the answer, Sil. By any chance do you know any close water sources?"
Sil was silent in thought for a moment before nodding, not to far from here, a few hours walk and just another from a town."
Jordan was relieved that he wouldn't have to worry about water but the info about a town just a few hours from here was slightly welcome as well as worrisome. How would its inhabitants react to a 6ft tall biped with canines and a Wooden Wolf pack. That reminded him, "What exactly are you called?", he asked Sil. "We are a type of Wolf known as Timber Wolves, It takes a lot to kill us."
"Good to know my woody friend, okay that was cheesy." Sil and the rest nodded at his wording. "Lets get to that Water guys."
The Wolves nodded and Jordan picked up his pack and made sure the fire was completely out. Satisfied that he wasn't going to be an arsonist, he nodded to the Wolves and they led Jordan to the water. On the way, they encountered another cat sized spider and Jordan was so close to killing the spider, but was barely able to restrain himself.
They finally made it to the water, it was a small river. A few beavers could be seen and some ducks. Jordan didn't care, he quickly filled his canteen and drank the water, the cool refreshing water. The forest had become a tad bit hotter due to the making its climb into the sky. The Wolves made their way to the water and lapped a hearty amount. Making sure that his canteen was full to its maximum capacity, he took a look around his surroundings. It wasn't just a river, there was plenty of wildlife flocking about, some rabbits there, and a few birds here.
It was serene almost, like those moments in books and movies where nothing could go wrong. A scream shattered the silence, well Screams. 'I had to jinx it huh?'
Jordan immediately began to run towards the direction of the screams, the Pack following him loyally. He pushed his way through some bushes and saw a sight that had him baffled for a second. Roaring and harassing a tree was a Lion, a lion the size of a minivan and had a scorpions tail with a mean looking stinger. It also had demonic looking bat wings, oh and it looked like it lifted and took steroids.
It roared viciously at the tree once more and this time it swiped at the tree with claws sharper than a scalpel. High pitched screams were emitted from the tree, confirming his suspicions. Whatever that thing was, it had children cornered. That wouldn't due at all, not one bit. Jordan had a real big soft spot for kids.
He threw his pack down and looked at the Wolves, they were snarling, waiting for the okay. He took a deep breath and reached deep within, "Feel the nature around you, feel the Wild. Now harness it and control it, visualize what you want to happen. Your mind is your is the guide, you, the trigger."
Right now he wanted the beast's attention, so he made a vine sprout from the earth and smack the bastards ass so hard a red searing mark was made. The creature howled in pain and anger. It spun, tree forgotten and a new target in mind, Jordan.
"I know you can understand me you overgrown pussy cat, either leave the kids or die," Jordan said calmly.
The Beast roared, "I am hungry and none shall command me!!"
"Leave now, that's my last warning."
Instead of answering the beast charged, on instinct, Jordan threw up his arms and a pillar of earth came up, stopping the beast in its tracks. The pillar slowly began to sink back into the earth and Jordan was already puffing. "Don't strain yourself, you've only just gotten these gifts," chastised Torva.
"Yea yea I got it, don't overdo it," as he began to analyze the situation he noticed the Wolves slowly encircling the beast. Runner and Razor who happened to be behind it's legs went in for it's veins that ran up the leg. There was a spurt of blood and a howl of pain and anger, lots of anger. The bastard's tail began to strike randomly at the Wolves to keep them at bay. It turned its angry eyes towards him and roared to the world. It did what any desperate injured animal does, it charged him in a last ditched effort.
With a curse and a wince, Jordan threw his arm up and this time a dozen smaller and thinner sharp pillars of rock came out of the ground, impaling the creature. It roared miserly and began to twitch, slowly dying. After a few minutes of twitching, it stopped. The pillars slowly lowered back into the ground, leaving its carcass. Not wanting the children to see such a sight, he called the Wolves over, "Think you can drag that thing out of here?"
Sil nodded once and the Pack began to drag the body away with their teeth. When they were out of sight, he collapsed on his ass and slowly layed down. He was tired and sore as hell, he definitely needed more practice. As he rested he heard the sound of bickering, definitely children. He couldn't make out what they were saying, but he figured that they were arguing if it was safe to come down.
"Its alright kids, your safe now," he called loudly. The bickering stopped, and ever so slowly the children made their way down. Well in a sense they were children, but Jordan was still surprised to see three little kid horses, er foals? The foals looked around timidly, one foal was a white unicorn with a pink and purple mane and tail , the other was a pegasus with a pink and purple mane and tail with a orangish coat. The last foal was a regular horse, er pony with a red main and hair with a brilliant olive mixed with a gray coat.
They looked like they came out of a kids cartoon, but they were adorable. They noticed him and the one with the orangish coat took the lead. They were just about a foot away from him, "W-What are you?"
"I'm just someone looking for a bit of adventure, and you three?", he casually asked.
The three foals were speechless, this creature in front of them had actually talked, than they remembered his question, "WE'RE THE CUTIE MARK CRUSADERS!!"
Jordan was not expecting three excited amplified voices to be blasted at him. Honestly, he preferred going another round against the weird Lion creature. After the kids finished their little introduction, they began properly introducing themselves. The Unicorn was Sweetie Belle, the Pegasus was Scootaloo, the Earth Pony was Apple Bloom. Again, adorable little kids, he had a soft spot for them.
"My name is Jordan, I'm a Human."
"That's a weird name and whats a Homan?" asked Scootaloo.
"Scoots, that's rude and its pronounced Human."
"Dictionary," mumbled Scootaloo embarrassingly.
Jordan laughed and sat up, these ponies were really small,"Don't worry to much about it."
Just after he finished his sentence, Sil and the Pack returned. Almost immediately the three foals squeaked and hid behind him like a shield. Jordan just chuckled some more, he patted each of the foals reassuringly, "Did you get rid of it?"
Sil nodded and looked curiously at the kids, "Friends of yours?"
Jordan nodded and looked down and the scared little girls. They weren't cowering as much, that was good. "Can you girls tell me where your home is?" 'That sounded a lot weirder than I thought it would.'
"We live in Ponyville,'' said Sweetie Belle as she eyes the Wolves cautiously.
Jordan saw this and waved dismissively, "Don't worry about them, they're friends of mine."
He turned to Sil and asked, "Think you could give these kids a ride on your back?" Sil looked at Jordan than at the foals and nodded. This was going to be fun. He looked at the foal who were no longer scared but looking curiously at the Timber Wolves. "Girls, I'm going to take you home, okay?"
The girls nodded, "But our home is a bit far mister Jordan," piped up Apple Bloom.
"Good thing we have some transportation huh?"
Before the girls could ask what he was talking about, he picked each one up and set them on Razor, Fal, and Sil. The girls were about to protest but Jordan silenced them with a finger, "Girls I know that this is weird and all, but the sun will set soon and this isn't a place for kids at night."
They nodded silently, "Good, Runner lead the way."
Just before they made their trek, Jordan ran to his pack and slung it over his shoulders. He nodded to Runner and the Pack began to move. They traveled in relative silence, that was till Apple Bloom spoke up. "Mister Jordan, ah can't help but notice that ya talk to the Timber Wolves like they can understand ya, can they?"
He looked at her smiled, "Well your a smart one, yes I can talk to them and they can talk to me, but I can also talk to plenty of other types of animals."
The kids looked at me in wonder as we neared the town, by the time we reached the outskirts it was barely sunset, just in time. He could see a group of older looking Ponies ahead, two Unicorns, two Pegasuses, and two Earth Ponies. He stopped and so did the Wolves, "This is as far as I go girls."
The girls hopped off their rides and looked at me, "Why is that mister Jordan?" asked Sweetie Belle. "Sorry Sweetie but now isn't the time for me walk into town."
She nodded in understanding, they looked looked at Jordan and trotted off towards the waiting group that looked like they were going to enter the Forest. He watched them leave and smiled as two of the Ponies, um Mares began to scold Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom while one mare with a colorful mane lightly scolded Scootaloo. Just before the the Ponies left, the three turned around and waved at Jordan. He face palmed, but smiled and waved back at the girls.
"Sweetie, Apple Bloom, and Scootaloo, what are you waving at?" asked Twilight. "Our friend Jordan, he helped us get back home and saved us from a Manticore," answered Sweetie Belle.
Twilight raised an eyebrow and looked to where they were waving. Her eyes scanned the darkness and than her eyes widened. Since there was still some sunlight she could vaguely see a tall outline that looked bipedal and 5 pairs of glowing eyes at its hip level. Her jaw dropped almost to the ground when she saw the darkness swirl around its head almost as if it were waving..
"Um Sweetie, what exactly is Jordan?" Twilight asked.
"He's a Homan!" exclaimed Scootaloo.
"No its Human," corrected Sweetie Belle while Scootaloo mumble something about dictionaries.
Twilight watched the silhouette slowly fade back and than it was gone. It seems she had plans tomorrow and a letter to send to Princess Celestia tonight. She said her farewells to her friends and dashed home as the rest of the girls went to their respective home.
"Spike! Spike where are you!" called Twilight.
Spike poked his head out of the kitchen, a gem in his mouth, "What is it Twilight?"
"I need you to take a letter for Princess Celestia."
Spike grabbed a quill, some ink, and some parchment,"Ready when you are Twi."
"Dear Princess Celestia, today Applejack's and Rarity's sisters had gone missing along with Rainbow Dash's number one fan Scootaloo. But before we could go look for them, it seems a creature had not only protected them from a Manticore, but also safely brought them home. They said it was a Human, I have no knowledge or any books on the subject or species. I plan on going into the Everfree to find this 'Human' to determine if it is a threat to Peace and Harmony. Your ever faithful student, Twilight Sparkle."
Spike rolled up the parchment and gently blew his fire onto it, magically sending it to Celestia who would probably read it tomorrow. Tomorrow held a lot of opportuneness to learn about a new species. Twilight was giddy with excitement for tomorrow.
Author's Note
I wasn't to sure on the CMC's coat and mane color. the site had different names. No journal entry tonight and tomorrow will the shit hit the fan? Maybe~
Jordan woke up with no problem, no annoying sun in his eye nor any bark noses in his face. Yet he could not shake this feeling that he was in for a hard day. 'Whatever, its probably nothing,' he stood up and did a now regular routine. Stretching his body and rinsing his mouth with water. He poured some on his head and ran it through his hair. He also poured some into his hands and vigorously rubbed his face.
Satisfied with his mostly clean face he gave a glance around his surroundings. He was currently camped in a small clearing just past the Pyramid. He scratched at his chin, feeling some stubble growing, 'What I'd do for a good razor.' He sighed and ate a small handful of berries that he came across while looking for firewood. He chewed thoughtfully and kicked some dirt onto the remains of the fire.
'Lets see what Lady Luck has up her sleeve to screw me over today.' Jordan grabbed his pack and motioned for the Wolves to follow him. "Sil, do you know of any suspicious activities happening in this forest?"
Sil was silent in thought and than nodded, "Lately there have been violent killings and a reek of evil near the Mountains. Not many of the creatures living here have dared to go near there."
Jordan rubbed his chin, 'Gruesome murders, Evil presence, and the feeling of a bad day starting, check, check, and check,' he thought grimly. "Take me there."
Sil and the others looked at each other worriedly but nodded. "Very well, follow us, its only a few hours walk."
Jordan nodded and followed the Wolves, hoping that his day wouldn't be completely ruined. They made their way towards the forboding mountains
On their way up he noticed two other Timber Wolves up ahead. It looked like they were debating if they should go up or go back. When Jordan got near them, they took notice of his presence and began snarling. Sil and the others immediately stepped forward, "Peace, comrades. The Tall One means no harm."
The smaller of the two spoke up, "How can you tell, I have never seen such a thing in this forest before!" he said.
"I swear by Lupus's Fang that he is of no harm to you or us. In fact he is here to help us."
"Ha, help us!? This naked thing looks weaker than those Ponies. How could this Thing be of any help to us?"
"He killed a Stinger.''
The Smaller Wolf was silent. The slightly larger one spoke up, "Can he be trusted?"
"You see us following him, yes?"
The Wolves were silent and then nodded to each other. "One more thing, whats the leader of one of the Great Five Packs doing traveling with a small hunting party and a Thing?"
Sil was silent, "Taking a small vacation."
The larger Wolf was silent and then nodded. The two then began to walk back towards the forest, casting one last glance at Jordan and the others before trotting off.
"So, one of the leaders of The Five Great Packs huh? That's some important stuff dude, why didn't you tell me?"
Sil looked at Jordan and simply said, "You never asked," causing the others to snicker.
Jordan smiled and chuckled, "Yeah, your right about that. Well that's some important info to know, ya know? Think you might be able to convince the others to help me?"
"If you want the other Packs to help, your going to have to convince them that your worth following. Show them that your worthy of their help and maybe they might be willing to lend some warriors. You already proved to us that your worthy of our Packs help."
Jordan nodded in thanks and they continued to walk towards the upcoming boss battle that was surely to happen. He looked around and noticed dried blood stains and some not so dried blood stains. He looked up, it was at least another hour before they would reach the summit, so he began to experiment with his new powers.
He first concentrated on a rock the size of his fist and lifted it. There was no aura whatsoever, but that was because he was using of Torva's abilities. Now that he had the rock floating, he aimed it at a boulder and imagined that he was firing a gun, even making the hand and trigger. With a ''Bang'', the rock went whistling towards the boulder and was smashed to dust. The boulder was left with a very large crack in the center, almost a foot long.
'Damn, I almost feel like a damn Earth bender right now. At least I don't have to do the movements, that would be so awkward. So I can obviously control Earth and Plants.'
"Yes, but imagine the possibilities if you could master these powers," said a familiar voice.
'Torva?'
"Yes, Jordan. It seems like you could use a little advice."
'What are these ''Possibilities?'
"Lets say if you mastered your powers over the Earth, you could literally shake mountains. If you mastered Nature, you could make a Forest rise from the ground. You could even give sentient life to the Plants."
'So I could basically do what you did when you first banished The Corrupted?'
"Yes, but you'd need to train for a while. This all in the end is up to you, weather you become the Hero you need to be and live or be a Hero and die."
"Thanks, no pressure right?"
"I know what you mean but right now just focus on what you can do and hone those skills. You'll need them later on."
Torva went silent and Jordan noticed they just about reached the summit. The Wolves stopped and immediately began snarling. 'Shit~ I'm already at the Boss Battle and I don't feel like risking the Wolves.'
Jordan sighed, this was going to be epic, yes. This was also going to be very stupid and was stupid already said? 'Well at least I get to try my new powers out.'
He looked at the snarling Wolves, "You guys stay here, I got this one."
Jordan looked at the sky, it was cloudless, a nice day. "Yeah, I'll be fine. Just wait here, it won't take long. Its not like I'm fighting Sephiroth or anything."
Sil just tilted his head, "Its nothing Sil, don't worry about it." Sil just nodded and the rest of the Pack sat on their haunches and waited patiently.
Jordan looked ahead, the summit was just about 100 ft away. He sighed once more and began to make his way towards the summit. When he reached it, he looked around. It was pretty flat and a few boulders were scattered about. The thing that caught his eye though was all the blood stains and bones. Lots and lots of bones. Some even had meat on them, others looked like they were picked clean.
While Jordan was inspecting the remains and blood stains, he failed to notice the large shadow that quickly ran over him. He could feel something wrong, something evil, something corrupted. Just as he finished his inspection of the carcasses, if you could call them that, a crashing sound was emitted behind him. He slowly turned around and looked at the sky, silently shaking his fist.
In front of him stood a very large avian shaped..thing. It easily towered above him , at least two stories tall. Its wing span was at least 13 ft and it's beak. Holy shit, its beak was filled with black serrated teeth. He could see fresh blood stained on them and bits of meat and flesh stuck between them as well. It's body was covered in dark ebony feathers that looked like Corruption given a color and being. It's eyes, like red flames staring into your soul. Not to mention it's long wicked talons and ripped tail.
'Why me? I just can't catch a break can I?' Jordan thought bitterly as the Avian creature screeched and wailed at the same time, causing the mountain to slightly tremble. 'I'm fucking fighting a corrupted Lugia, awesome,' Jordan thought sarcastically. During his train of thought, Corrupted Lugia screeched once more but this screech was silently different. On instinct, Jordan sent up a wall of Rock to shield himself. Almost right after, four large and very deep cuts were formed on his wall.
"Oh come on, you can use sound attacks?! That's fucking bullshit!"
Another screech and the wall was obliterated. Jordan was running out of options. In a act of desperation he sent a pillar of spikes shooting upwards at Corrupted Lugia. Corrupted Lugia just simply flew into the air, screeching once more at him. Jordan dove out of the way but his leg was grazed and a very deep gash was formed, ripping through his jeans. He could feel the blood already leaking and soaking his leg and jeans.
"I really liked these jeans you asshole!"
While Jordan was on the ground and wounded, Corrupted Lugia saw this as an opportunity and screeched once more at him. He saw this and again raised a Wall of solid rock to protect him momentarily. The bastard decided to swoop in close and wail almost tauntingly at him. Just as it neared his shield, Jordan concentrated and made it burst, peppering it's wings with rock shrapnel.
Corrupted Lugia wailed angrily and crashed downwards back onto the summit. It tried to flap its wings but wailed in pain as the shrapnel dug deeper into the sensitive nerves and flesh. "Take that you stupid ass Turkey!"
Jordan had grounded the bastard but he was losing blood, fast. A few more minutes and Jordan would be dead. 'Would of been real helpful if Torva had shown me a few healing spells.' Jordan decided to wing it and closed his eyes. He concentrated on his wound and pulled on the surrounding Nature's energy. He felt a cooling sensation on his leg and felt it go numb.
He quickly looked at his leg and saw that the gash had closed but a scar was visible. With that taken care of he turned his attention to Corrupted Lugia. The bastard was wailing in pain and anger as the rocks kept digging deeper into it through every movement. This had to end before he passed out from blood loss and became bird food.
He made a small prison made of Earth around the bastard. Jordan then scanned the area for any advantage he could use. He spotted a few rocks the size of his head and smiled, 'Wonderful.'
With a mighty screech, Corrupted Lugia's prison was destroyed and left as dust. When it turned towards Jordan it saw him smiling and a large rock hovering near him. He was making a strange sign with both of his hands clasped together. He then said one thing, loudly and calmly. "Bang."
The large rock flew at a tremendous speed towards the damn turkey and struck him in the throat with a sickening crunch. It tried to squawk but due to it's windpipe being severely damaged, it came out warbled with a dribble of blood. With its main attack sealed and most of its movement binded, Jordan had a fighting chance. Not much due to those talons, but still a chance. It looked at him with its red eyes with so much fury and hate.
With a warbled cry, it dashed forward at a surprisingly fast pace. All Jordan could do was raise his arms as a shield to protect him as razor sharp talons raked over his forearms, sending him flying.
This was really bad, new wounds met more blood loss. More blood loss meant being closer to death. He looked up at the turkey bastard and saw it preparing one more charge. 'Shit, one more and I'm done for.'
With a victorious cry, Corrupted Lugia charged forward one last time. Time seemed to slow down for Jordan as the turkey slowly made its way towards him. With what remaining energy he had, he raised his bloody arm upwards just as the bastard neared him.
A cry of pain and misery could be heard through the forest and echoed around the mountains. Corrupted Lugia looked down, a pillar of Earth was jutting out of the ground diagonally. The end of it was buried in it's chest and the point just sticking out of its back.
It was done, the damn turkey was dead and Jordan was close to following it. But just before he could do anything else, the turkey did something unexpected. It spoke in a deep guttural voice, ''You are too late, my master is already rising. This world will fall and your souls will be devoured.'' It spoke it's message and finally it's head slumped, signaling it's death. "Bout fucking time," Jordan muttered irritably.
The bastard's body than slowly began to corrode into dust. Jordan let the pillar recede back into the Earth and made his way back towards the Wolves. When he reached them, they bounded over to him quickly. "We need to stop the bleeding at once," said Sil with urgency.
Jordan nodded, "Yeah I know, I'll see what I can do.'' He closed his eyes and concentrated on gathering as much energy as possible. Satisfied with the amount and thankful that there were some plants and bushes nearby, he was able to heal his wounds. He sat down on a rock and breathed deeply. The battle had been bitter and long. He took his phone out, they had reached the summit around 12:00, it was 1:34. The fight was that long, it felt a little shorter but that was probably the adrenaline.
He put his phone back in his pocket and thanked whoever the hell was out there that his phone was built like a Nokia. He slowly inhaled and exhaled, trying to regain some energy. He brought his canteen out from his pack which now had a few cuts but otherwise fine. He took a long swig and sighed in relief as the water ran down his parched throat. "He looked at Sil and the others, "Go ahead and hunt you guys."
Sil was silent for a moment, ''Are you sure you'll be alright by yourself?"
Jordan waved his Sil's and the other's worries away, "I'll be fine, but if you could, please bring some berries back."
The all nodded and took off down the mountain in search of prey. Jordan once again puled out his phone and put on some music, just some simple classical music to calm him down. He didn't plug in his earphones and let the soothing music fill the surrounding area with soft piano keys. It wasn't long before Sil and the others returned. Razor came forward and carefully set down a branch riddled with blueberries.
"Thanks Razor, after I rest up a little we'll leave the mountains look for some allies."
They all nodded and Sil spoke up, "I suggest starting with the Cockatrice, they're pretty powerful and dependable
Jordan nodded, ''Sounds like a plan, we'll rest for about half an hour and head out."
He sighed and looked at the blue sky. He was really going to lead a war, hell he almost died..again. This new life was definitely something else. He wondered if given the chance, would he return home, 'Na, I'm having to much fun and the Party's just started.'
Author's Note
Just a little something to pass the time. Let me know if I happen to Mary Sue/Gary Stu him. Feel free to share any insights as well. Lugia and any other Pokemon related stuff do NOT belong to me in anyway. Next chapter, will be less bloody...maybe.
Jordan was currently deep in thought as he played Corrupted Lugia's message again, "You Are Too Late, My master Is Rising. This World Will Fall And Your Souls Will Be Devoured."
He shook his head, 'Ha my soul being devoured? Yeah right, not today and not the next day or any other damn day.'
He looked at his resting comrades and smiled. They were a strange bunch but trustworthy and loyal. He liked their attitudes and their personalities. Almost like a family, dysfunctional but a family still. He sighed and stood up, wincing at the few aches left from his battle. He was mostly healed and only a little woozy from blood loss.
He looked up at the sky and saw dark clouds approaching. They'd reach the forest by night. "Come on guys, we got work to do," he called to the resting Wolves. They nodded and began to lead the way down the mountain. They traveled quickly through the dense forest, surprising a few birds and some rabbits.
They traveled in silence, a comfortable silence. Jordan looked around and noticed they weren't that far from the Pony town. "Hey Sil, are the Cockatrice near the Ponies or something?"
Sil nodded, "Somewhat, they live just about an hour away from them. They're pretty calm, unless you invade their nest."
"How do you know if your near or in their nest?"
The Pack stopped and Sil raised a paw and pointed. Jordan looked to where he was pointing and whistled. In front of them stood one of the weird Lion things, but petrified. "What exactly can these Cockatrice do?''
Sil smiled grimly, "They can turn their enemies into Statues if they look you in the eye. The only way you can be released is if the Cockatrice that turned you releases you."
"What exactly do they look like?"
The Pack began to bark in laughter, "Jordan, you've already met one."
"Your kidding me," he said disbelievingly.
"That wounded Dragon Chicken was a Cockatrice, it either trusted you or didn't want to take on a pack of Timber Wolves by itself."
Jordan rubbed his chin, these Cockatrices would definitely be a major help in this upcoming War. That is, if he could persuade them to help. He looked at the Statue again, this kind of power was a nice plus. It was worth it, he hoped,
"Alright lets keep going, try not to look them in the eye. Can't have one of you becoming a Statue on me."
The Pack nodded and they proceeded further into Cockatrice territory. It wasn't long before the sound of movement could be heard all around them and a faint hiss. They stopped and looked at the ground, "I bare no hostility towards you. We just want to talk to your leader."
There was silence and then, "Why should we listen to you, who would invade our territory, our nest?"
"I just want to talk to your leader, that's all."
"Why should we trust a creature we have never seen before and travels with Timber Wolves.?"
"Well as to why you should trust me, take a chance and you won't be disappointed. I travel with these Timber Wolves because I trust them."
Jordan and the Wolves were met with silence and then, "Very well Strange One, we will 'Take a Chance', but if you do disappoint you'll be a new additions to our collection."
One by one the Cockatrice began to reveal themselves, eight in total. The tallest one spoke, "Follow us and we will take you to our Leader but be warned, any signs of hostility will be met with swift action."
Jordan nodded and the Cockatrice began to lead him and the Wolves. They traveled in silence and were met with curious looks from nest that housed at least two Cockatrice and either a small chick or egg. A few chicks ran in front of Jordan and looked at him, curiosity filling their red eyes. Jordan smiled at them and they smiled back at him, well tried to. They chirped and ran back to the clusters of nest being guarded by their parents. They were miniature replicas of their parents. It seemed that they didn't have that power yet.
They walked for a few more minutes and the Cockatrice they were following stopped. In front of them there was a cave entrance that stood about 17ft tall and 10ft wide. A Cockatrice stepped out and said. "He waits for you."
Jordan sighed, 'Moment of truth huh?' He walked forward and entered the dark cave. Sil and the others began to follow after him but were stopped, "He needs to do this on his own." Sil nodded, "I understand."
The cave was surprisingly well lit when Jordan proceeded further in. He looked at the ceiling and saw some type of fungi that was glowing a neon blue, needless to say it was pretty cool. He carried on and stopped, hearing a breathing sound. He looked around and noticed a peculiar nest. It was built up as a throne, but that wasn't the weird part. It was fairly large, just about 4ft wide. What was sitting in it was even more peculiar was what or who was sitting in it.
A Cockatrice was patiently sitting in the nest. Oh and it was very large Cockatrice, and very long. It looked like any of the other Cockatrice but its length was easily 20ft and its scaly part being thick as a tree trunk. Its upper half, was yes that of a chicken but there was nothing to laugh about. This Cockatrice gave off a feel of grace and power. This was as close as you got to a Dragon, the scales instead of being green, were a ruby red.
It raised its head fluidly and gracefully, "Your definitely a strange looking one."
Jordan for a moment forgot manners, "Your not the first one to say that and you probably won't be the last to say that," he said casually.
"Strange and has spirit, what is your name?"
"Jordan, and what may be yours?"
"You don't need to be formal, I'm to old for that. As for my name, I am Rizenclaw. I have lived for 300 years now, So tell me why you have come."
"Honestly, I'm looking for allies."
"Why would you have a need for allies? Are you being chased or is there something else?"
"To put it simply, there is going to be a war and I have been chosen as piece to participate in it. I need allies, I'm not stupid. I can't fight this war on my own. If I do nothing We all fall. I can't let that happen, I just got here."
"Stupid no, Wise maybe. Your smart enough to know you can't fight this fight on your own. And I have no reason to not believe you but I have yet to see a reason to follow you. I like you Jordan, your young. You remind me of my son, but you need to prove to my people that your worthy of our help."
'Ah the 'Scratch My Back, I Scratch Yours'. I completely understand, I'm more than willing to prove myself. I already have one of the Great Packs of the Timber Wolves on my side. I've already fought one of the enemy's pawn. I barely survived, if proving my worth to you is what needs to be done so be it."
Rizenclaw stared at Jordan intently but slowly stood up. "In all my years I have met very few that left in impression on me. I get this feeling that you'll be doing that a lot later in the future." He crawled and slithered out of his sizable nest. "Come we have to prove your worth to the rest of the Nest."
Rizenclaw led the way while Jordan followed. Rizenclaw moved with grace even with his old age. His movement was a slithering and walking with his claws but that didn't make him slow one bit. The traveled in silence and began to near the entrance.
"Oh before I forget, what kind of plants are those?" Jordan asked pointing towards the glowing life on the ceiling.
Rizenclaw paused and looked up at the ceiling, "Those are..well we never really chose a name for them, We just call them Lumen Moss. They only grow in either dark caves or caves that have a strong residue of magic left in them. They aren't poisonous and they easily maintain themselves. They've been here longer than me."
Jordan was amazed, this was moss. Simple moss, yet it had such an alluring glow. 'This world just amazes me daily.' They reached the entrance and Rizenclaw exited first. The sun made his scales shimmer, all the surrounding Cockatrices bowed. Sil and the other nodded politely. Jordan exited left and was met with a sudden tinge of pain and annoyance as his eyes adjusted to the sunlight around him.
"Jordan, you said you wanted our help, right?"
"Yes, your help would be much appreciated," Jordan answered while rubbing his eyes.
"It seems my grandson is missing. If you can find him and bring him back to me, you will have all the Cockatrice in this forest behind you. My grandson is next in line to become the Nest leader. Please bring him back," he said almost pleadingly.
"I'll see what I can do, what is his name?"
"His name is Razlif, he was last seen in near the marshes."
Jordan absorbed all of this info and looked at his Pack, "I assume you know where the Marshes are?" he received a nod. "Alright then, lets go."
Sil and the others began to lead the way. As they made their way out of the Nesting grounds, they were all seen off by most of the Cockatrice. He could feel Rizenclaw's eyes on his back, they felt pleading. Jordan understood perfectly, Rizenclaw needed to stay and command from the back and watch over his Nesting ground. If there were a war brewing, they needed to be on their toes.
He shook his head, he needed to focus on the task at hand, finding Rizenclaw's grandson. That was going to be a tad difficult but he'd manage somehow. He followed his Pack silently, dodging the "Lions" and going around hazards. Jordan was trying to conserve energy and not wear himself out.
After about an hour of traveling, the humidity began to rise. Jordan wiped his brow, 'Whew fills like I should be somewhere in Florida.' They finally reached the Marshes, Jordan looked around and found claw prints, Chicken prints to be exact. He looked up at Sil and nodded, ''Keep your open, he should be around here somewhere. We need to get him out of here before anything bad happens."
At this point Razor spoke up, "What could go wrong Boss?"
Jordan's hand could be heard throughout the forest as it smacked his face, "First, Ow. Second, Razor you just jinxed us. Something IS definitely going to happen now."
"What do you mean Boss?"
"Stop calling me Boss, and where I'm from we have a Law, Murphy's Law."
"Whats that?"
"Anything That Can Go Wrong, Will Go Wrong."
"How uh accurate is this Law?"
"With me, usually almost every time. Lady Luck is a sadist and I'm her masochist. No matter how many times she fucks me over, I keep coming back for more. Tempting fate and taking chances."
"Geez this Lady Luck seems real mean," said Razor while lowering his ears.
"Haha don't worry Razor, She's only like that to me, you're safe."
Razor nodded his head, "If you say so Boss."
Jordan sighed, but before he could say anything a deafening roar was heard further in the Swamp. "That's our cue, lets go."
Jordan didn't have to look back to know that his Pack was following as he ran towards the sound, jumping over logs and rocks. They closed in on the sound fairly quickly and met with the sight of a Cockatrice being cornered by a Hydra.....'Wait what?!'
The Cockatrice was bleeding badly and probably wouldn't hold out long. "Sil, I want you and the rest to get Razlif while I distract the Hydra."
He didn't look to see if they had heard him, he knew they did. They just needed a distraction and he was going to give them one. He looked at the Hydra, this bastard or bastards was easily 70ft tall and towered over the trees. "Hey, yeah you, I need you to give me the Cockatrice," he called towards the towering serpent.
The Hydra looked at Jordan and then looked at each other before braking into hissing laughter. "Did you hear that brother, it wants us to let our food go." "Yes brother I heard, lets eat it next," the two heads conversed while the other four snapped their jaws hungrily at the Cockatrice trying to dodge.
A vein throbbed on Jordan's neck and he clenched his fist. It was an understatement to say that Jordan was mad, he was pissed! "You had your chance assholes," he muttered. With a upwards motioning of his arm and quick visualization, vines began to shoot of the water. They wrapped themselves tightly around the Hydra's mouths. With a pulling motion, the Hydra was yanked forwards and tumbled towards the ground, causing the surrounding area to quake.
All eyes were on Jordan and jaws were forced open. He now had six very large reptilian and very pissed off heads glaring at him. With a thundering roar, the Hydra raised itself up and they began to lunge at Jordan. Jordan immediately dodged and began to lead them away from the forgotten Cockatrice. Immediately his Pack jumped in and they carefully carried him out of there. Now that was taken care, he could focus on the Hydra.
He looked at his surroundings and saw the bubbling swamp surrounded by boulders and rocks. He formed an idea and hoped it would work. There was only one way to find out. He began running towards the swamp and yelled over his shoulder, "Your mother was a newt and your dad was a garter snake. You were just the accident from a hole in the condom!"
This did what Jordan hoped, pissed the Hydra off even more. It began to run at a faster pace and Jordan used his Terra forming powers to raise a short pillar of earth to shoot upwards. This caused exactly what Jordan was hoping for, the Hydra tripped. Well flew was more like it, with its stupefied faces passing over Jordan.
With a loud splash it sank downwards into the swamp. He knew it wasn't over and began to levitate the surrounding boulders, huffing at the strain. He raised them into the sky and just a moment later the Hydra burst out of the murky waters roaring and hissing. It didn't notice the shadows, with a downwards motion all the boulders began to smash downwards like a shower of brain splattering death.
Luckily for Jordan, Hydra hide was very thick and his attack only knocked out the bastards. They sunk into the murky waters, bubbles forming and popping. "I am so lucky that I didn't decapitate any of them. That would of been so damn annoying." Just as he began to walk away from the swamp he heard a gasp. 'Shit.'
He looked to where the gasp came from, 'Even more shit.' There was not one but six mares standing where the gasp was from. The same mares from when he dropped off the kids. One of them was currently face down, he assumed she must have fainted. She was a yellow mare with a faded pink mane. The rest had their mouths wide open and stared at him.
They continued to stare at him, 'this is going nowhere'. He turned his back, but before he could take a step one of the mares cried out hurriedly, "Wait!"
Jordan sighed and looked at the one who called out to him. A lavender mare with a purple mane with one pink streak look at him with a look that screamed "I have questions!"
"What, I don't have all day."
"You can talk?!" she asked excitedly.
"No, your just crazy and imagining that I'm actually speaking, of course I can talk."
She slightly flinched at his retort but quickly shook it off, "What are you?"
'Lets have some fun at her expense,' he thought wickedly.
"I'm a Demon from the 12th realm of pain," he said so calmly.
''She went slack jawed at the answer and looked at one of her friends, a tanned orange mare with a blond mane topped with a old stetson. "Is he telling the truth Applejack?"
The one called Applejack eyed Jordan carefully, "Ah can't tell Twi, it feels like a lie but ah ain't sure."
"Are you telling the truth or what bub?!" yelled the rainbow maned mare.
"Temper temper, ask nicely."
Her face turned red and she snorted. She looked about ready to charge him, but was stopped by the lavender mare. "Twilight, let me at him, I'll cream him in 10 seconds flat!"
Twilight just gave her friend a pleading look. The rainbow maned mare calmed down slightly.
Twilight then looked at Jordan and asked, "Can you please tell me who you are and how you beat a Hydra?"
"Hmm see that wasn't so hard. To answer your first question, I am a Human."
Twilight immediately pulled out a small notebook and used her magic to scribble eagerly. She looked up at him when he didn't continue on. Before she could ask something else, she was abruptly interrupted. Behind Jordan, the Hydra burst out of the swamp, hissing angrily. The mares immediately backed up, the orange one carrying her still unconscious friend. Jordan casually turned around and spoke before the Hydra could attack, "I have a proposition."
The Hydra tilted their heads in confusion, "What?" asked one of the heads.
"I want your help."
"Why?"
"Lets just say very soon, I'm going to need your help."
"Whats in it for us?," one of the heads hissed.
"How about a bigger swamp?"
The Heads began to converse with each other, casting glances at Jordan every now and then. "Very well, we will help you but only if you make our swamp bigger. But how did you know that's we wanted?"
"Bigger swamp means bigger ecosystem, which means more food for you. Your swamp is small which makes you have to hunt further out. This benefits both of us."
"I see, well thank you," the Hydra slowly sank back into the swamp.
"Now that that's done, I believe you had questions?" Jordan asked the stunned and shocked Ponies.
"You can talk to animals!?" Twilight yelled with glee.
"Yes," 'No use denying that.'
"Do you have other powers or know any other magic?"
"Not gonna tell."
"Why not?"
Jordan smiled, "Everybody needs secrets."
"Its Everypony," Twilight corrected.
Jordan shook his head, "No, for you it might be but I am not a pony."
"Well that aside, I need you to come with us."
Jordan tilted his head, was she serious. Before he could answer, Sil and the Pack returned with Razlif. Jordan quickly made his way towards them, ignoring the mares gasp..again. He took Razlif and carefully set him down. He began to inspect his wounds and found something that stopped him. A bandage, a bandage made from a shirt that Jordan happened to be wearing. 'It was that Cockatrice huh, poor guy.'
Jordan immediately set to healing all his wounds. He was getting better at controlling his powers and for that he was thankful. Razlif's breathing slowly returned to normal and all his wounds had been healed. With him taken care of he turned back to the Ponies.
They were slack jawed..again.
"I won't go with you, I don't have time to play around. I have lives to save and Allies to gain."
Twilight tilted her head in confusion, "What do you mean?"
"Simply there is going to be a war. I have been chosen to gather an army and lead them in battle."
The mares were silent, that was to be expected. "Is there anything we can do?"
"Hmm so you want to help, you can first alert your current leader of the situation. I will be honest, there will be deaths."
Twilight nodded grimly, she had to do something. "Could you meet with our Princesses?"
Jordan rubbed his chin thoughtfully, ''Sure, tomorrow will due. We'll meet here." Jordan looked at the Sun, he guessed it was around 4. He looked at Twilight, I'm sorry but I need to go, I'm burning daylight."
Twilight nodded in understanding, "Just be here tomorrow."
Jordan smirked, "We'll see."
Jordan picked up the Cockatrice and began walking towards the Nest. The Wolves followed loyally, watching his back. 5 pairs of eyes watched them leave. Twilight was the first to break the silence, "Well girls, what do you think?"
"I think I need to go take another nap."
''Rainbow Dash, be serious, there's a war that's about to happen."
"I know I know, lay off will ya, its just a lot to take in," Rainbow Dash defended.
"Well ah reckon he was telling the truth."
"What do you think Pinkie Pie?" Twilight asked her usually bubbly friend.
"I wonder if he likes parties," she giggled while hopping in place.
"His attire is quite interesting and that bag on his back was quite peculiar darling."
"Well what do we do now sugarcube?"
Twilight looked at her friends, "We inform the Princesses and hope the Elements of Harmony can help us. Come on girls, we have work to do."
The 5 friends left the forest, Applejack carried poor Fluttershy to her cottage. Elsewhere, Jordan continued on with Razlif on his back. He now had the Cockatrices on his side, but he knew he needed more allies. He looked at Sil, but shook his head. He'd worry about that tomorrow, right now he had to get his cargo home safely. Today wasn't so bad, he got a Hydra to join him as well. Just a few more species to go, then maybe they might stand a chance.
Author's Note
I'm kinda iffy on this chapter, let me know if it seems rushed. Don't be shy, I welcome constructive criticism. If anythings seems out of place please let me know.
Twilight was giddy with excitement, she had finally met the Human that the CMC mentioned. His attitude was a tad bit rude and his attire strange. She stopped, his attire was strange. He wore clothing and seemed like any other colt. But any other stallion wouldn't be covered in blood and nor would they be able to fight a Hydra. They also wouldn't have a pack of Timber Wolves following them. 'He's definitely a weird one,' she thought idly.
She was currently in the Library going over her conversation, " I Don't Have Time To Play. I Have Lives To Save and Allies To Gain."
That reminded her, she needed to send a letter to the Princesses. She called out loudly, "Spike, where are you?" The sound of claws on wood could be heard. "Yes Twilight?" Spike asked as he found Twilight in the living room hunched over books on mythical creatures. Apparently Twilight and the Girls had met some weird creature in the Everfree Forest.
"I need you to take a letter please."
"Sure thing Twilight," Spike replied as he gathered a quill, some parchment, and an inkwell. "Ready when you are."
"Dear Princess Celestia and Princess Luna, I am writing to you about the situation regarding the Human. It seems that something big is going to happen, well actually already happening. There seems to be a force intent on going to war with all of the lands. Jordan, the Human, is gathering his own army to fight them. When asked why, he said he was Chosen. As for Jordan's appearance, he seems to wear clothing and has a somewhat short mane. He is bipedal and a most notable quality would be what looks like a Cutiemark on the top of his hand. It appears to be a Tree of some kind with roots extending from the bottom. I can't explain why but that mark seems quite special. He has requested an audience with the two of you and wants to meet in the Everfree. Please reply as soon as possible Princesses, your faithful subject and friend, Twilight."
Spike finished with a quick flourish and rolled up the parchment. With a gentle breath of magical fire the Letter was sent to Canterlot, to the Princesses.
Currently seated on the throne was a certain Alicorn. She was currently in the middle of listening to the requests of the citizens of Canterlot. A stallion with a brown coat and short mane with a gold coin for a Cutiemark. "Your Highness, I ask that you would let me demolish the park next to Doughnut Joes."
Celestia tilted her head, "Why would you want to demolish such a nice little park?"
The stallion cleared his throat, "As you know your Highness, My name is Quick Bit and I deal in creating Super Stores. The park just happens to be in a perfect spot to open another of my stores."
Celestia sighed inwardly, 'These Nobles never learn do they?' "My answer is no, the park happens to be my favorite and I shall not deprive the foals of such a wonderful park."
Before Quick Bit could protest and make up some miserable attempt at an argument, Celestia signaled her guards to 'Escort' Quick Bit out of the throne room. They quickly 'Escorted' him, leaving Celestia alone in the throne room. Her thoughts quickly shifted towards Twilight's letter from yesterday. Apparently there was some new creature in the Everfree Forest and it had saved three foals. Since it didn't seem to be too much of a threat Celestia left it to Twilight her friends. She looked out from a nearby window and saw her sun slowly beginning to set. It was nearly time for Celestia to bring down her Sun and for her sister Luna to raise the Moon. As her thoughts turned to her younger sister, the large double doors that her guards had so kindly 'Escorted' a certain noble, opened. A tall mare with a Deep blue mane with what appeared to be tiny sparkling stars shining within the confines of it. Her mane was slightly that of two colors but only slightly due to the outer ends being a subtle purple. Her coat was a Dark almost navy blue with a picture of a dark splotch and a crescent moon in the center on her flanks.
"We hath come to relieve thou of thy duties sister!" The blue mare exclaimed loudly as she made her towards Celestia. "Luna, inside voice please," Celestia said in a gentle voice. Luna blushed and coughed into a silver hoof guard, "Ahem forgive me sister, We sometimes forget about fair Fluttershy's lessons."
Celestia smiled at her sister and brought her into a loving hug. "Its alright Lulu, its kinda cute when you do that," she teased and mushed her little sister cheeks with a gold hoof guard.
A whooshing noise and flash of green interrupted them. A roll of parchment marked to both Princesses was currently laying on the ground in front of the two sisters. They looked down at it with curiosity. Celestia carefully lifted with her magic and unrolled it. The two Sisters read silently, that is till Luna spoke, "Tia, pray tell, what is a Human?" She looked curiously at her elder sister. Celestia answered truthfully, "I have no idea whatsoever." They read further on and their eye's rested on one word, a word that had not been used for a long time.
Celestia released the letter and let it fall to the floor, she stared at it. She was tempted to banish it to the Sun, very tempted. War, a word that the citizens of Equestria knew but did not understand. She was ashamed to say that not even her Royal Guard could count as a military. They were more of a police force if anything. War was soon to be upon her beloved country and well loved subjects. She looked at the stained glasses that adorned the Throne room, her loyal subjects feats and accomplishments.
"Tia..," Celestia looked up at Luna, she was holding the scroll in her magical grasp. She was reading more, where they had left off. "It seems this Human is here to help us fight. It even seems that the Human hath requested our presence in the Everfree Forest. We believe that we should see what this Human has to say."
Celestia nodded, Luna took her sister into a warm embrace, "All shall be well, Tia." They embraced in silence, "Now, we belive that thou has a sun to lower and sleep to get to." Luna nuzzled her softly and took a few steps back as Celestia nodded and made her way towards a balcony behind the Throne. She closed her eyes and lowered head. Her horn began to glow a soft gold and she slowly began to raise it, the glow intensifying. The sun, began to noticeably began to lower itself. With a mighty flash the sun disappeared beyond the horizon. Luna joined her sister on the balcony and repeated the steps as her sister did, except her horn radiated a soft yet dark blue hue. The moon began to gracefully rise from behind the horizon from which the sun had retreated past.
Luna looked at her beautiful sky, her night sky. The moon was at first the only one in the dark sky but slowly yet surely, stars began to ease themselves into existence. Some appeared to be random while others made constellations to amaze stargazers and perhaps a sailor or two. The night sky was Luna's canvas to do what she pleased, not even the chance of war could even hope to have a chance of ruining this for her. She looked at her older sister and smiled, "Come dear Tia, we shall accompany thou to dinner/breakfast."
Celestia smiled at her sister, her loved sister, "That sounds like a wonderful idea, Lulu." Luna grinned mischievously and said, "As long as thou does not decide to gorge thy self with cake again, thy waist seems slightly bigger." Luna took off with "Eek" towards the kitchen as Celestia galloped after her sister yelling "My waist line is just fine!"
Jordan wiped the blood off of the wounded Cockatrice's bleeding wing. Poor guy had it rough, real rough. He focused the nature magic around him and used it to heal Razlif's injuries. The guy was knocked out and twitching every now and then in his sleep. Jordan looked around at his surrounding, they were currently camping in a small clearing. A fire was going and his Pack was out hunting. A pile of berries sat next to him, he was currently snacking on a few. After a while, Jordan reached into his pocket and brought out his cracked phone. He turned on the screen and looked at the time. 7:45, he didn't bother to look at the date, he didn't need to. Dates and days held no importance to him in this world. In the morning he would take Razlif to his grandfather and then wait for the "Princesses" arrival. 'I swear to all that is unholy that if they're snobs or act like they're better, I'm so going to throw them in the swamp.'
He put his phone away and pulled out his knife. He ran his finger along the edge while looking up at the starry sky. 'What am I supposed to do after all this? I guess I could go exploring and claim lands in my name, ha Jordan, King of the Forests. Interesting, but that is, if I survive and make it out alive.' It was funny in a way, here he was, a 16 year old in highschool who dreamed of being a writer, whisked away from his world and practically forced to take part in a war. The act of killing would make some people sick, but other would try to justify it. Jordan on the other hand, had no excuses, excuses are the nails that build the house of failure. His World History teacher told him that, damn good advice. Yes, he had killed and he had not once tried to justify it. The act of killing never bothered him, the strong do indeed prey on the weak, but the stronger prey on the strong. That's how Jordan felt, there always going to be someone out there abusing their power. They just need someone to put them in their place.
Because of this outlook on life, Jordan was sometimes classified as slightly mental or if a little insane. The truth was that Jordan had his views on life and the World had theirs, none which concerned him. He honestly didn't give a rat's ass about what others did, he did not care. Only his family and friends mattered, as selfish as that sounded it was true. 'Than why the hell am I trying to save these ponies and animals?'
Jordan didn't know, maybe it was the good in his heart..doubtful. He shook his head, this topic wasn't important at the moment, he needed to focus on the Now. ''But I wonder what happened to Discord?" The sound of a snap shook Jordan from his thoughts and he looked across the fire. A man with raggedy clothes and a raggedy top hat was sitting down casually drinking from glass of some dark liquid, actually it looked like he was drinking the glass itself while the dark liquid stayed in place!
The man gave a toothy grin, one canine jutting out, "You rang?~"
Jordan stared at the man, he looked at his eyes, to yellow eyes with misshaped red pupils. "Ah there you are Discord, where the hell have you been?"
Discord chuckled loudly, "Around, not around, just watching how your progressing in this new world. I must say, becoming a champion for the God of Nature, quite impressive." Jordan shrugged, "I'm still kinda iffy but at least I'm doing something top pass the time. Plus if I don't do anything this world will end and blah blah blah. So Discord, whats your angle?" He raised a hand and put it against his chest, "My angle, what angle?"
Jordan just gave him a flat look, "Really?"
Discord chuckled once more, "Alright you got me, I don't gain much exactly but its enough for me.'' Jordan raised an eyebrow, ''And what DO you gain?''
Jordan still had a confused look on his face, ''But you look just like a regular guy to me.'' Discord smirked, ''Looks aren't everything Jordan, this is not my real form. This is what some might call a glamour, if you want to know more about me, just ask Princess Sunshine tomorrow. Oh and I am really impressed at how fast you're gaining allies, very impressed. And if I may, heres a little tip, theres an ally that could come in real handy to the East. I'm sure if its you you'll be able to convince them to help.'' Discord looked at his wrist covered by a long sleeve covered in stitches, ''Oh would you look at that, I have somewhere to be, Chaos to spread, and to throw a little spice in some pony's life. Ta ta for now, Jordan,'' with a snap of his fingers he was gone.
Jordan stared at the space where Discord was sitting not to long ago, "Strange guy, I like him, I really do.'' he checked Razlif and noted that he was still out. A few minutes later with the occasional cracks from the fire and the few sparks spat were interrupted by the sound of twigs snapping. Sil and the rest of the pack arrived, dragging a deer, nice sized too. Jordan knew that it was for him and Razlif. He got down to the messy part and disposed of the skin and part he didn't want or need. What was left was the meat and the liver. After wiping his hands on his pants, he gently shook Razlif, waking him.
He hoped that he wouldn't end up being turned to stone. Razlif blearily opened his eyes and coughed a bit. When he was fully awake he finally noticed his surroundings. He was wide-eyed at first but then he slowly began to remember the events that happened earlier. Looking at Jordan he asked, ''Why?" Jordan smiled and looked at his Pack, they had amused eyes, "Well, why not? You needed help and plus your grandpa asked me to find you.''
Jordan was expecting this so he put it bluntly, ''Theres going to be a war and I need allies. If I try to fight alone, I'll die and then we all die. So to prevent that, I'm gathering an army to fight. Your people will be a great help and your grandfather said if I wanted your people as allies, I had to find and bring you back home safely. Any more questions?"
"One, What is your name?'' Jordan smiled, ''My name is Jordan and that's all that really matters. So Razlif, what do Cockatrice eat?''
Jordan smiled, ''Good, you hungry?'' he asked while pointing to the berries and deer meat. Razlif nodded slowly, ''Cooked or raw?'' Jordan asked. ''Raw will be fine.''
Jordan nodded and handed Razlif a slab of deer meat who wasted no time and tore at the flesh with beak and teeth. While Razlif ate, Jordan busied himself with cooking his portion. While the meat cooked slowly Sil asked, ''Why do you burn your food?" He scratched his chin and began, ''Well my kind are built differently on the inside. Some meat we can eat raw, while others if eaten raw will make us deathly sick. My dad once caught food poisoning, said it was like having a knife in your gut. I do admittedly like my meat rare and a bit bloody, but I'm not stupid enough to think I have a iron stomach.'' Sil nodded thoughtfully layed down with his head on his paw's, the rest of the pack followed suit.
The only sound that could be heard through the campsite was the sound of a few insects, some animals, and the sound of Jordan and Razlif eating. 'Funny, never thought I'd share a meal with a mythical creature in the company of a pack of Wolves made from wood.' He shrugged mentally, shit tends to happen, better to go with the flow. He popped the last of the deer meat into his mouth and chew while thinking.
He looked up at the stars, they were much clearer here since there was no smog. He could make out the Big Dipper, Canis Major, the Milky Way, and just maybe saw a shooting star. This place was a lot cleaner and peaceful than Earth. 'Hmm well that's debateable now I guess.'
He looked at the others and saw that they were all ready to drop off. ''Well, night, guys,'' he said as he layed his pack against the base of a tree behind him. He rested his head on it and closed his eyes, soon falling asleep as the rest mumbled their own ''Good Nights.'' The fire slowly burned throughout the night as if it were diligently keeping watch as the tired group rested.
It wasn't long before Jordan slowly opened his eyes. He rubbed them absently and looked around the camp to see Razlif sleeping, yes like a regular chicken does. He then saw Sil and the others sleeping just like any other canine save for Razor who was currently on his back with one paw on his stomach. Jordan chuckled at how human it looked and slowly stood up, stretching his joints and back. The popping caused six pairs of ears to twitch. The respective owners of these ear's also slowly began to wake up.
While the others began to wake themselves, Jordan grabbed his canteen from his pack and proceeded to pour some of the water on his head and face. He swirled a mouthful and spat this out onto the dying fire, causing it to sizzle and steam. He grabbed a handful of berries and munched on them, following with a swig of water. He looked up at the sky, the sun was just barely rising.
''Alright, while we got the time, lets go and drop off Razlif and then make a stop at that river.'' The Pack and Razlif nodded and Jordan began to kick some dirt onto the fire. ''You all ready?'' he asked as he grabbed his pack and slung it over his shoulders. eagerly
They nodded their consent and began their walk back to the Cockatrice Nest. They traveled in relative silence, only the sound of the Forest being heard. The trip was quite uneventful with the occasional sightings of the very large spiders, Jordan almost smashed one with his Terra forming powers. The same Cockatrice from yesterday met Jordan and the rest near the Nest. They bowed in respect towards Razlif and in gratitude towards Jordan and his Pack. He turned to Razlif and said, ''Tell your gramps to be ready when I need his help.''
Razlif nodded, ''I will and again, thank you for saving me, Jordan.''
Jordan waved his hand, ''Don't worry about it, because of you I gained an Ace and I plan on gaining a whole lot more. Just try not to wander to much, yeah?" Razlif chuckled softly, ''Yeah, I'll try and be safe.''
Jordan turned around and began walking towards the river while waving a hand towards Razlif and the other Cockatrice. The Wolves followed close behind and Jordan whistled a tuneless tune. They walked in silence, well if you counted no one talking but the Forest echoing with animals and insects going about their business as silence. While the Wolves followed quietly, Jordan began to think about his next Ally. He had Timber Wolves and Cockatrice, as well as a Hydra. All pluses, but it wasn't enough. He would possibly have the Ponies but he wasn't to sure about their fighting capabilities. He'd most likely use them for magical purposes such as healing and offensive magic. He had an Ace, the Hydra, he had a nice defence, the Cockatrice, and he had an okay attack force, the Timber Wolves. There were some more things he needed in his army. He needed heavy hitters, he needed some brute force. He also needed some forces in the air, he knew that there were some pegasus, but he didn't know how well they'd do in the air with the Corrupted's air force.
His train of thought was interrupted with a nudge from Sil. He looked around and noticed his surroundings, they were currently in front of the river. ''Damn, sorry about that guys, just thinking a little too much.'' Sil tilted his head curiously, ''Thinking about what, Jordan?'' Jordan looked at Sil, ''Do you happen to know of any possible allies that could be used as heavy hitters?''
Sil nodded, ''Yes, I have a few in mind but some of them might take a bit of convincing.'' Jordan shrugged, ''I'll do what I have to if it means gaining even just an inch of ground against the Corrupted.'' Sil looked at Jordan with respect, ''Well if its you, it shouldn't be too hard. The Diamond Dogs would be a good asset due to their natural ability to dig through most kinds of rock and because of this, most Diamond Dogs are exceptionally strong. Their only problem is their obsession over gems and low intelligence. Offer their Alpha gems and they're bound to follow you. They reside in the mountains. They look like bipedal dogs and their sizes vary. If you want a heavy hitter in the air, there are some Dragons scattered about in the Forest and in the mountains, offer them Gems and you just might be able to have them help you. Last but not least are what my kind knows as Shifters. I believe the Ponies have another name for them but I can't remember. These Shifters resemble the Ponies but differ in a few ways. For ne thing, their coat is always black. Another thing is that they all have holes scattered about on their body and their wings are insect like. We call them Shifters because they have the power to change their appearance of whatever and whoever they desire. Their magic is pretty powerful from what we've seen. They have a queen, I'm sure you could negotiate some terms with her if you tried. They live just inside the desert inside a big hive of some sort. This forest is also home to a rare type of Bear, Ursa Majors. The babies are know as Ursa Minors and are typically as large as a village, sometimes bigger. Ursa Majors could step on a village without noticing. They are very protective of their cubs and usually live in large mountains. I wound not recommend even trying with them, they're too dangerous. Not even a Dragon could fight a Ursa Minor.''
Jordan nodded and rubbed his chin thoughtfully as Sil listed possible Allies and near impossible Allies. He'd start with the Diamond Dogs and the Dragons since they seemed closer and both might want the same thing, 'Practically hiring mercs really.' The Shifter sounded really interesting, they'd be next. Later on he'd try to convince some of those Lion things to join him.
He grabbed his canteen from his pack and refilled it. He took a long drink and refilled it again. He set it back in his pack and waited patiently as Sil and the others took drinks from the river. As they refreshed themselves, Jordan took the time to enjoy his surrounding. He sat down near the waters surface, and watched as all kinds of fish flitted by looking at him curiously. Back in his world he fished whenever he got the chance, it was like a stress reliever. He looked past them and saw some turtles catching some sun on a thick branch sticking out of the water. Before Jordan got here, in his world it was the middle of Winter. Here, it was probably the middle of Spring or Summer.
His eyes wandered skywards and he saw that there was not a cloud in the sky and the sun still on the rise. He reached into his pocket and brought his cellphone out. He hit the Home button and looked at the time, 12:34. He slipped it back into his pocket and looked at his Pack. They were done getting refreshed and were waiting for him. ''Alright guys lets get back to that swamp, we got a meeting to attend.'' They nodded in acknowledgment and began to follow him as he began to walk.
Half an hour later, they were waiting at the same spot where they met the six ponies from yesterday. While they began their wait, Jordan decided to play with his powers to pass the time. He started with his Terra forming powers and brought up a block of stone, just a regular block of rock. He then began to form an image in his head. He raised his hand towards the block of stone and with a focused image in his head, he closed his fist in one fast motion. Almost instantly most of the stone crumbled away from the block, leaving a half formed Angel, a Weeping Angel to be exact. His head didn't hurt as much as it normally did when he used them and he wasn't breathing as hard as before.
Sil and the others were watching him curiously now as Jordan raised three more statues of the same Angel. Satisfied with their spacing, he began to walk away from them. After reaching at least thirty feet, he stopped. He picked up a small piece of rock the size of a quarter with his Terra powers. Making the same gun motion as last time when he fought Corrupted Lugia, he 'Pulled the trigger' and sent the rock flying. It whistled through the air at such an intense speed that when it hit one of the Angels in the chest, that Angel was completely destroyed. ''Damn, its like having a 50.cal at my fingertips.'' With a smile, he raised some more rocks, even smaller and began target practice.
Elsewhere, Two Alicorns were preparing a to visit a certain purple mare. Behind them stood a large chariot with two large pegasus attached. Behind that stood a small group of Royal Guard which consisted of Unicorns, Pegasus, and Earth Ponies all garbed in golden armor. The Earth Ponies and Unicorns each had their own chariots to be pulled by some of the Pegasus. Celestia looked at her younger sister and they both stepped onto their chariot. Soon after they were halfway to Ponyville, ''What does thou think this Human gain from this war?" asked Luna. Celestia looked at her sister, ''I hope to find that out when we meet him. I hope that he has no ill intent towards Equestria.'' Luna nodded thoughtfully, ''Well we can only hope that it is friendly.'' Both sisters turned their attention to the approaching town, wondering just what was in store for them.
In Ponyville, six mares were huddled in a certain Library going over todays plan. ''What gives Twilight? I was enjoying a nice nap,'' complained a grumpy looking rainbow maned Pegasus with a colorful lightning bolt coming out of a cloud plastered on her flanks. ''Now simmer down Rainbow Dash, ah'm sure that Twilight has a good reason why we're here,'' said a tan mare with a blonde mane topped with a old stetson. Her flank's were adorned with three apples. ''I agree with Applejack, I'm quite sure Twilight wouldn't call us together for nothing, right dear?" spoke a white mare with a purple styled mane. Her flanks were adorned with three diamonds. ''I wonder if that Human likes parties!? Or if he likes cupcakes or muffins!'' exclaimed a very hyper pink coated mare with a cotton candy looking mane. Her flank's had three ballons on each flank, two were blue and one was yellow. ''Ahem um yes the reason as to why I've asked for you to be here is that both Princesses will be arriving in a bit. We're going to meet the Human again with the Princesses,'' clarified Twilight, her flank's were adorned with a purple star surrounded with smaller white stars. ''U-um I think that one us should stay here to keep an eye on things...if that's okay with you..'' mumbled a light yellow mare with a soft pink mane. Her flank's were adorned with three butterflies. This one was currently hiding behind her mane.
''Sorry Fluttershy but we all have to attend,'' said an apologetic Twilight. ''Don't worry about a thing Flutters, if that Human tries anything funny, I'll stop him flatter than one of Twilight's pancakes,'' said a enthusiastic Rainbow Dash. Before Twilight could grumpily reply to Rainbow Dash's remark about her cooking, there was a firm knock on the Library's door. ''That must be the Princesses,'' said Twilight as she went to get the door.
Princess Celestia and Luna greeted Twilight with smiles and a small nod. Twilight returned both and backed up, letting the Princesses enter. Princess looked behind her and ordered the Guard to wait outside. They nodded in unison and placed themselves around the Library and chariots. With that taken care of, the Sisters turned towards the Ponies inside the Library. ''As you already know, there seems to be a Human inside the Everfree Forest and it claims that war will be upon us. Twilight could you please tell us what you know regarding the Human.'' Twilight nodded, ''Of course Princess, well when Applejack's and Rarity's sisters, Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle also their friend Scootaloo hadn't been seen for most of the day. We then came to the conclusion that they must have entered the Forest. Just as we were about to go look for them, they came out. They said that they were attacked by a Manticore and that something called a Human saved them. If I'm correct they said his name was Jordan. When we went to go meet Jordan, we happened upon him while he was fighting a Hydra in the swamp, protecting a Cockatrice. From what we saw, he could either use Telekinesis or levitation at a proficient level. He was also commanding a pack of Timber Wolves and it seems that he can speak to animals. In the end, he made some kind of deal with the Hydra. He also seems to have other powers but wouldn't tell me,'' said a somewhat proud Twilight.
Princess Celestia nodded in thanks to her student, ''Thank you Twilight, you've given us a better insight on how to handle this.'' She looked at her sister who nodded. ''I believe its time to go meet this Human, shall we get a move on?"
All the mares save for a pleading mumbling Fluttershy nodded in unison. As the Princesses and the gang filed out of the Library, the Guard snapped to attention and awaited their orders. ''We will be traveling into the Everfree Forest to meet a possible Ally. When we reach our destination, do not engage. The Elements of Harmony will be coming with us as well.''
The Guards saluted and began preparing the chariots as the Princesses entered theirs. One of the Guard signaled Twilight and her friends to an empty chariot. They quickly entered this and with a signal from Princess Celestia, they were off into the sky heading towards the Boggy Swamps. While the Girls excitedly talked among themselves, the Princesses just waited patiently. It wasn't long before the Guard shouted that they had arrived. The Girls grew somewhat nervous and the Princesses a bit more serious as they began to descend.
Jordan was currently in the middle of shooting marble sized rocks at his targets, weeping angels. He found that the smaller the rock, the faster his 'Gun' shot. It was handy trick since it required less focus and energy than lifting boulders and smashing them onto an enemy. Just as he was about to blow apart the last of his targets, Sil and the Pack's ears began to twitch. They stood up from the shade they were lounging in. 'It's about damn time, I was getting bored.'
As he stood patiently, Sil and the others walked over to him and stood at his sides. Just seconds later seven chariots touched down from the sky and landed about 20 feet from him. These chariots were pulled by Pegasuses in gold armor. The chariots contained both Unicorn and regular Ponies also in gold armor. Two of the seven chariots however held something different. One chariot held two Ponies, definitely female. The odd thing was that they had both horn and wings as well as being an easy two feet taller than the other Ponies. They also had lone manes that had an ethereal look to them. One's coat was a proud Ivory with a mane that reminded him of the Aurora Lights. The other had a coat that was navy blue like the night and had a mane that resembled the starry night. Both had an air of power around them and both wore hoof guards and crowns. The Ivory's being Gold and the Navy Blue's being Silver and Black. They both had a crest of some sort on their chest, the Ivory's being Gold with gems and the Navy Blue's being Black with a crescent moon on it. 'They have pictures on their ass..why does that feel so familiar?' he thought randomly. The Ivory's picture was that of the Sun but more celestial looking. The Navy Blue's mark was a black splotch, like the night sky with a crescent moon in the middle. Now that he noticed, they all had marks on their ass, 'Didn't Torva have the same thing? Well whatever.' the second chariot held six mares that looked familiar, 'Oh yeah, they from yesterday.'
The Guard looked wearingly at the equally weary Timber Wolves. There was a tense silence, well for the Ponies. Jordan was just waiting for them to say something. He made a point to look at his wrist as if he were looking at a watch and looked at the Ponies imploringly. The two tall Pony..things seemed to catch on and the the Ivory one opened her mouth to speak, ''Greetings Human.''
''Hello to you as well tall Pony thing,'' Jordan said calmly back. Quite a few of the Guard, there were about 20 in all, looked a little offended. Before they could say or do anything, Princess Celestia spoke again, ''I see that introductions are in order. I am Princess Celestia, this here is my younger sister, Princess Luna. We both co-rule and I am Princess of the Day, my sister, of the Night. These here stallions in armor our our country's Royal Guard. Now who might you be?''
Jordan looked thoughtful, 'Princesses huh, that explains the crowns and soldiers. ''My name is Jordan, I originally came from a different World. I was bored and wanted a little spice in my life, this is what I got, I first decided to explore but through a series of events I was needed to lead an army to protect this land. So now I'm just playing the cards I've been dealt.
'''Who knows, probably explore,'' replied Jordan as he yawned.
''Who's side are you on?" asked Celestia. To an untrained ear, that sounded like a simple question but if you listened close there was a subtle hint of suspicion.
Jordan smiled, ''Don't worry, you aren't an enemy. I'm on your side since I plan to completely destroy the bastards who attacked me.''
Some of the mares slightly flinched at his choice of words. Even Applejack wasn't needed to know that he was telling the truth. ''Why should we ally ourselves with you?" asked Celestia curiously. Jordan shrugged, ''Wether you ally yourselves with me or not doesn't affect me much. When the enemy attacks, and they will, you'll be left to fend for yourselves. I just plan to gain as many allies as possible, strength in numbers. I already have the Timber Wolves on my side and the Cockatrice. I even have a Hydra as my Ace. After this, I plan on meeting more possible allies. Also let me ask you something, has your Royal Guard ever killed? The allies I currently have do that for survival.''
Celestia and Luna slightly looked down and the mares became slightly green at the mention of killing. ''No, the Royal Guard acts as a Police force,'' answered Celestia. ''We have not had experience with war for over a thousand years. So I ask, Jordan, will you accept us as allies?"
Jordan looked at the Ponies, he rubbed his chin thoughtfully, he then remembered the kids from a few days ago. ''Yeah, sure I did say strength in numbers. And don't worry, your Royal Guard won't even be apart of the main forces. They'll probably just be used as support. I don't think that they have it in them to kill in cold blood, to be merciless on the battlefield.''
At that last remark, one of the Guard spoke up, ''What gives you the right to say that?" Jordan turned towards the voice, a blue coated Unicorn. ''The fact that you all look like your from a cartoon and that you have cute little pictures on your ass. Also the fact that I'm leading this Army.'' The Unicorn sneered at Jordan, ''You don't look like much, I bet I could whip you in a fight.''
Jordan tilted his head and smirked, ''Is that a challenge?"
Celestia rose her hoof to intervene but was stopped by Jordan raising his hand, ''Don't worry, I won't hurt him too bad.''
Almost immediately, the remaining Guard backed up and stood on the sidelines as the Princesses watched with mild fascination and a bit of horror. Celestia wanted to intervene and stop this before it went of control. ''Fear not Sister, I belive that Jordan will keep his word and would it not be a bad thing to see his powers?'' Celestia hated to admit it but she was slightly interested in seeing his powers.
The six mares on the other hand were shocked, wowed, frightened, and a little excited. From what was a rough start at an alliance became a dual between a Guard and a strange creature leading an Army. Rainbow Dash and Applejack were betting on who would win, Applejack was rooting for Jordan while Rainbow Dash the Unicorn. Fluttershy and Rarity were slightly horrified at what was currently happening. Twilight was excited at seeing what Jordan knew and Pinkie was wondering if she'd have to give Jordan a congratulation party or a consolation party.
The match's rules were no lethal magic and first one to make the other give up wins. When the match started, the Unicorn, Cross Etch, quickly brought up a barrier. Jordan just looked at Sil and the others who had decided to go back to their shaded spot, and shrugged. Cross Etch fired a lightning bolt at him, it wouldn't kill him, but it'd definitely hurt. With a small gesture with his hand, a thick wall of rock erupted from the ground, intercepting the bolt. When the bolt struck the wall, the wall barely shuddered. ''Your gonna have to do better than that if you want to hurt me~,'' Jordan practically sang which only infuriated Cross Etch. He fired fire balls and bolts of lightning but each attack was stopped by the Wall. ''I'll give you this, that's a neat trick with the barrier but your attacks are lacking.'' Jordan raised his hand and a marble sized rock floated in the air. Jordan then made the Gun motion with his hand and 'Fired', ''Bang.'' The rock whistled like all the others and hit Cross Etch's barrier. It didn't stand a chance, with a shattering sound like glass, his barrier crumbled. With a flick of his wrist, Jordan made the earth around Cross Etch surround his hooves, immobilizing him.
Before he could even curse, Jordan fired his Gun once more at Cross Etch. The difference though was that the rock had the same force of being thrown. The rock smacked him in the muzzle and Jordan simply said, ''Do you give up?" as he raised his Gun once more. With a dejected sigh and a few choice words, Cross Etch looked at Jordan, ''I concede.'' Jordan nodded and the earth around Cross's hooves broke off, releasing him from their grasp.
Applejack chuckled as Rainbow Dash looked dejected. Fluttershy and Rarity on the other hand looked relieved that no one was seriously injured. Twilight looked intrigued and fascinated at Jordan's control over the earth and looked eager to question him. Pinkie looked the happiest out of all of them and giddy that she was going to throw a congratulatory party. Celestia and Luna looked impressed and also looked intrigued about his powers. The rest of the Guard looked at Jordan with respect.
''So are we done here?" asked Jordan as he looked around at the Guard for any other challengers. They all shied away at his glance, not wanting to look hostile. He turned to Celestia as she spoke up from her earlier silence, ''Does all of your kind have powers like that, Jordan?" Jordan replied, ''Well no, my kind and world does not have magic. Our only true weapon was our knowledge and ability to adapt. When the going got tough, we got tougher, and when the going got even tougher, we became even more so.'' Celestia looked thoughtful, ''So your the only one with magic?" Jordan shook his head, ''I guess you could say these were given to me.'' Luna tilted her head, ''Who gave thou thy powers?" Jordan rubbed his chin, ''It was a pony, same type as you two, but was a guy. He seemed really old, his mark was a tree with long roots at the bottom, like this,'' he said as he showed the back of his hand. Jordan watched as the two mares looked at his hand and their eyes slowly widen. He heard Luna mutter, ''It can't be,'' and Celestia say something similar. ''Does thou know the name of this Stallion?" asked Luna. ''Yeah, he said his name was Torva and he was the God of Nature.''
Celestia and Luna looked at each other, ''It was him, is he still alive?" asked Celestia, almost desperately. Jordan shook his head, ''He's dead, I just met what was left of his soul and absorbed it. So I take it you understand why I'm in a hurry to gain allies?" They nodded solemnly, ''May I ask, who are these possible Allies that you intend to meet?" asked Celestia. ''Well I plan to recruit the Diamond Dogs, some Dragons if possible, something that the Timber Wolves call Shifters, apparently they can change their shape. I'm hoping that these Shifters have some strong magic. If I get the chance I also plan to get some of these weird Lion looking things, the Timber Wolves call them Stingers. I want to try to recruit some Ursa Majors but I'm told that's a suicide mission, still gonna try though.''
Celestia's and Luna's eyes widened in shock and narrowed when he mentioned Shifters. ''Did they tell you what theses Shifters looked like?" Celestia said almost urgently. ''They said something about them looking like insects and that they could change their form, you know them?" Jordan asked curiously. ''Oh I know them, Equestria knows them as Changelings. They feed off love and take the form of the one you love the most. Their magic is strong and they get stronger off the love the feed on. They invaded our capital and their queen posed as my niece during her wedding. They almost managed it but thanks to my student, Twilight Sparkle, we were able to repel them.''
Both Princesses looked down in shame, just thinking that there was a species out there on the brink of Starvation, but kept alive by the Queen's love. ''I never thought of it that way..'' said Celestia. ''There are always three sides to a story, Your side, Their side, and the Truth. Now if you could, would you tell me the name of their Queen?" Celestia nodded, ''Very well, her name is Chrysalis and she almost resembles us in height, magic, and having wings and a horn.''
Jordan thanked the Princesses gestured for the Wolves to join him. When they reached his side, he turned around and began to leave. ''Wait, where are thou off to,'' said Luna who was mostly quiet during the conversation. ''I got Allies to gain and things to kill,'' he replied. ''Could thou at least join us for lunch, I'm sure Twilight Sparkle and her friends have questions they'd like to ask,'' Luna asked.
Jordan looked at the mentioned Ponies and saw their faces. He sighed and rubbed a hand down his face, ''Sure, but only if my friends come too.'' Luna looked at her older Sister who nodded, ''It is settled, to Canterlot,'' she said just a tad bit enthusiastically. ''Question, is Canterlot your capital?" Jordan asked curiously. ''Yes, tis a marvelous city built upon the side of a mountain,'' she said proudly. ''And is it filled with nobles?" he also asked. ''Also yes, tis a city practically filled with nobles,'' she confirmed. ''I'm not going, I'll probably punch one of them,'' he casually said.
Celestia and Luna gave him a wide-eyed look while the Wolves barked a chuckle, they'd seen him punch one of those large spiders when it got to close to him when his back was turned. "Why would thou even say such a thing?" Luna gasped. ''I don't like rich people who think everyone else is dirt compared to them,'' he stated calmly. Celestia said inwardly, 'Lets hope Blueblood never meets Jordan.'' Before anything else could be said, Twilight stepped out of her silence, ''How about Ponyville? Its a small quiet little town and everyone is really friendly,'' she offered. Celestia looked at Jordan, asking, ''Is that okay with you?" Jordan looked thoughtful, ''Huh, yeah sure, as long as no angry townspeople chase me with pitchforks and torches then I'm alright with it. What would they say about my friends?" he asked, gesturing towards the Wolves. ''I'm sure if the Princesses explained everything it would be alright,'' she said confidently. She then took in his attire, ''Um but I'm not sure how they would react if they saw you with ripped clothing stained with blood,'' she said, her ears drooping slightly.
Jordan weighed his options, go to a snob filled capital and risk jail for assault or face an angry mob of ponies. ''Lead the way,'' he said with a sigh. Celestia told the Guard to head back to the castle and the let the staff that she and Luna were on important business. They saluted and took off into the sky, all that was left was her, Luna, Twilight and her friends, Jordan, and his Timber Wolve friends. In a matter of minutes, they were off. Travel was quiet save for Pinkie's rambling and Rarity's complaints about her dirty hooves. The mares were nervous inside the forest, even with two Goddesses and a Human with powerful magic. The animal noises and eerie trees put them on edge, especially poor Fluttershy. Jordan and the Wolves took the walk in stride, only weary of an ambush by the Corrupted.
It wasn't long before they reached Ponyville and Jordan prepared his eyes for the oncoming storm of bright colors. They crossed the bridge and entered the town with Jordan and his Pack in the middle. It wasn't long before the town's Ponies began to notice the Princesses walking through town and the strange bipedal creature walking with a pack of Timber Wolves. Some looked like they were ready to scream and run but the sight of the Princesses and Elements of Harmony eased their nerves.
They stopped in front of a building that looked as if it was made entirely from sweets. 'I already feel cavities growing just looking at this place' he thought while amazed at the architecture. They entered and were greeted by a tall lanky stallion and a plump mare. The color of their coats made Jordan's head hurt, he couldn't even describe the stallion's and the mares was like a neon blue. Her mane looked like a swirl of pink icing and the stallion's was that of a carrot cake color. ''Oh Pinkie dear, why didn't you tell us that the Princesses were coming for a visit,'' asked the pleasantly plump mare. ''I'm sorry Miss Cupcake for me and my sister's intrusion, we plan to have lunch here with our friend,'' Celestia said while gesturing towards Jordan. They looked to where her hoof was pointing and their eyes widened. Jordan just waved casually, ''Of course Princess, it would be our pleasure to serve you and your friend,'' the stallion manged to sputter. ''Thank thee Carrot Cake, we promise not to cause thou trouble,'' quipped Luna. They seated themselves at a large booth while Sil and the Others layed on the ground and closed their eyes, resting. The lanky stallion, Carrot Cake, came over to take their orders. Celestia ordered a chocolate slice of cake, Luna ordered a plate of fudge with a glass of milk, Fluttershy and Rarity ordered a strawberry smoothie, Twilight ordered a Vanilla shake, Rainbow Dash ordered some vanilla ice cream with sprinkles, Applejack ordered a apple pie, and Pinkie Pie ordered a cupcake. Carrot Cake turned to Jordan as he looked at the menu, ''I'll have the caramel sundae.'' Carrot Cake wrote down the orders and stopped Pinkie as she got up, ''Today's your day off Pinkie, enjoy it.'' As he left to go fill the orders Jordan looked at Pinkie Pie, ''You work here," slightly not surprised. The pink very hyper Pony nodded rapidly, ''Yup, I live with the Cakes and work here. Its super fun and I love to bake and bring smiles to everypony. I even watch their foals when they need me to,'' she finished with one breath. Jordan whistled in awe, wondering how many energy drinks and sugar he'd have to consume to be like her.
The Ponies chatted idly with each other while they waited for their orders. The Princesses stared at Jordan, feeling their stares he returned their stare, ''Can I help you with something?" The Princesses, realizing that they had been staring, blushed slightly, ''Sorry, we're curious about your age is all,'' said a curious Celestia. Luna nodded in confirmation, ''Thou speaks as if thou hath lived for a very long time.'' Jordan said casually, ''I'm about to turn 17, satisfied?" Luna spoke up at his answer, ''We would have thought thou would have been older.'' Jordan shrugged, ''I get that a lot, what about the rest of you?'' he asked. Celestia waved a hoof casually, ''I am around 3000 give or take a few years.'' ''We are 2000,'' Luna plainly stated. Twilight raised her hand, ''I'm currently 21.'' Applejack tipped her hat, ''Ah turned 22 not ta long ago.'' Rainbow Dash shrugged her shoulders, ''Also 22.'' Pinkie bounced excitedly, '' I'm 22 turning 23 in a few months!'' Rarity placed a hoof to her chest, ''It's rude to ask a mare her age, but if you must know I'm also 22.'' Fluttershy, behind her hair, muttered something like, ''23.''
Jordan shrugged, ''So what, you're not that much older than me.'' Twilight nodded thoughtfully, ''True but we already saved Equestria plenty of times. Just a few moths ago we fought against a tyrant by the name of King Sombra who enslaved an entire kingdom,'' she said. Jordan nodded, ''Okay I see your point, but my age has nothing to do with what I'm currently doing.''
Fluttershy who was mostly quiet spoke up, ''B-but your still a colt..'' Jordan looked her way and she quietly squeaked and dove under her hair. He smiled gently so he wouldn't scare her, ''Yes I am what some of you might call a colt but in some parts of my world I'd already be seen as a Man or in your terms, a stallion.'' Twilight seeing that Jordan was talking about his World seized the chance to ask a few questions. ''If you don't mind me asking Jordan, could you perhaps tell us about your World?"
He looked at Twilight and shrugged, ''Sure.'' Twilight clapped her hooves and the surrounding mares looked interested. Twilight pulled out a notebook and pen from her saddle bags. ''Okay, first question, what kind of animals do you have on your World?'' she asked while Fluttershy perked up at that question. Jordan rubbed his chin in thought, ''Well from what I've seen, we have almost the same animals as you do save for Timber Wolves, Cockatrice, Giant Spiders, and weird Lion things with wings and a scorpions tail. Also on my World, Ponies are not sapient and we don't have Unicorns or Pegasuses.'' Most of the Ponies gasped while the rest wore looks of shock. Twilight was the first to shake off the shock and asked her next question, ''How advanced is your World compared to ours?'' The Princesses tried to look passive but their ears perked slightly. 'No use holding back,' he thought casually. ''You can't even begin to compare to our technological advances to yours. If it was a race, we'd have already been finished before you could even take a step. My kind does not have any magic as yours does like I said earlier but we make up for it with our brain power. We are the Apex predator of our World and will always be for some time..But for all the advances we've come across, we are still weak and young. We have War, we have Famines, we have variations of Plagues, and we are not perfect. As much as my Kind like to believe, we are not perfect,'' Jordan finished with a subtle hint of sadness.
Twilight devoured all of this information voraciously as a glutton would eat at a buffet. He looked at the other Ponies and saw their expressions, some wore saddened looks, others awe, and the Princesses, pity and respect. Twilight although wasted no time to ask another question, ''Could you show me an example of your Technology?" she practically begged. He shrugged, it wouldn't hurt anybody. He reached into his pocket and retrieved his phone. He placed it on the table in front of the Ponies and a look of wonder registered on all the Ponies faces. ''This is a Cellphone, my kind use this to communicate with each other over long distances. This particular Cellphone is a special type, an Android. This Android has many features, such as being able to take pictures.'' He raised his phone and turned the screen on. He touched the camera icon and aimed it at the Princesses, ''Say cheese.'' Before the Princesses could react, the Phone made a clicking sound of some sort. He turned the screen towards the Ponies and showed the Ponies a picture of Celestia and Luna with bewildered expressions.
''Another neat thing about the Android is it's ability to play music, for example,'' he exited the camera mode and switched to the Music feature. He scrolled down his playlist and chose a classical piece, Canon D. He watched the the Ponies listen quietly, it was plain to see that Rarity and Fluttershy enjoyed it as well as the Princesses. Rainbow Dash and Applejack as well as Pinkie Pie weren't as impressed. So Jordan played a different song, You Can't Take Me, by Bryan Adams. Just enough Rock and just a bit of Country for the Ponies. This song seemed to have the desired effect as Rainbow Dash mumbled something along the lines of ''Pretty Awesome'' and Applejack nodded approvingly. Pinkie Pie was excited and nodded her head with the beat.
''These are just a few of the many things my kind can do,'' Jordan said as he stopped the music and placed the Phone back in his pocket. Twilight was amazed to say the least, ''How can your kind do such things without magic!?'' she exclaimed loudly. She received a shrug from Jordan, ''This isn't even the tip of the Iceberg, we have something called the 'Internet'. Imagine if you will, a place where vast amounts of information can be located and read and even copied with ease. Think of a Library at your hands er hooves, a Library with an almost unlimited amount of knowledge. But sadly I can't access this currently so I can't show you this 'Library'.
Jordan would have continued but he noticed that all the Ponies had grown extremely quiet. He looked at them and noticed them staring at Twilight. She looked like she had been told that there was something she always wanted and almost had it within hooves reach but was suddenly told she couldn't have it.
Author's Note
Alrighty, first off I am so sorry that it took me this long to update. My Net was off for a while and I had to reedit this chapter so damn much, not to mention the fact every time I wanted to end it, It wouldn't sit well with me. Well the only upside is a really long chapter and a bit more of talking. Please leave a comment and tell me what you think.
Jordan was currently huddled behind a table he flipped over. The Ponies were standing off to the side, well most of them. He peered over his improvised cover and quickly ducked his head, narrowly dodging the bolt of lightning. Twilight had snapped. Apparently being told that there was a source of nearly limitless knowledge existed and that you'd never get to see it again really irked her.
So here he was, sitting behind an overturned table while eating his caramel sundae. It was just too damn good to leave wen the mares dove for cover. He quickly peered over the table and saw her. A twisted grin that would even make the Joker proud adorned her face. Her left eye was twitching too, real fast. He figured that if he just sat there she'd run out of juice sooner or later.
Just as he was about to take another bite of his delicious treat, a bolt of magic impaled itself onto the table, sinking through the wood and hitting his ice cream. ''...........,'' Jordan looked at the floor in front of him. The ice cream could not be saved and Twilight's soul wasn't going to be either. Sil and the others perked their ears and watched Jordan intently from the other side of the room.
Jordan stood up slowly and looked at Twilight, ''You fucking bitch.'' Twilight, the insanity of a thirst for knowledge egged her on to fire a bolt of lightning. Without even blinking, Jordan focused pure nature magic around his hands and basically bitch slapped the bolt, launching it back at her.
Jordan was pissed, very pissed. One does not simply destroy ice cream fit for the Gods and gets away with it. Not without paying the price that is. The bolt slightly staggered Twilight, seizing this opportunity he kicked the table at her. Twilight shook her head and aimed a blast of pure magic at the table, blasting it into a shower of wooden splinters and dust.
She readied her horn, expecting Jordan to follow up from the front, but only met empty air. Before she could scan the rest of the room, her body jerked forwards and she slumped unceremoniously to the floor. Jordan walked forwards, shaking his hand out. A quick chop to the back of the neck could do wonders in a fight. Jordan walked over Twilight's unconscious body and grabbed a chair. He sat down and called towards the shocked couple behind the counter, ''Mind if order another Sundae?"
They numbly shook their heads and both walked into the kitchen. Jordan tilted his head wondering why it took two Ponies to make a Sundae. The Princesses and the mares shook their heads out and rushed towards Twilight's side. ''What did you do?" asked a mortified Rarity. ''Relax, all I did was just knock her out, she'll wake in a few minutes. Plus she attacked me first and I held back,'' he answered before the Ponies could say anything else. Luna stepped forward and bowed her head, ''We wish to apologize for Twilight's behaviour.''
Jordan waved a hand casually, ''Don't worry about it, I won't hold it against her.''
''Are you some kind of ninja or something?" asked a curious Rainbow Dash as she poked at Twilight's face. ''I'm half Asian, so pretty damn close,'' he answered. The couple came out of the kitchen and Jordan walked over to them and took his ice cream. He happily dug in, Jordan is very fond of ice cream even during the Winter.
Jordan looked at his phone, the time read 2:45. He figured that he could at least get the Diamond Dogs to join him before he'd have to turn in for the night. He sighed as he started to eat his ice cream just a tad bit faster. He turned towards the Princesses and said, ''I'm sorry but I need to go, I want to at least have the Diamond Dogs as an ally before nightfall.'' The Princesses nodded in understanding, ''How can we contact you?" asked a curious Celestia. He hummed quietly, ''I dunno, do some freaky shit with the sky I guess, like raise the Sun and Moon at the same time or something. Meanwhile, I suggest you notify the allies you already have about this war.''
He finished his Sundae and placed the cup on a nearby table. He looked at the Wolves and motioned with his head for them to follow him. They complied and trotted over to his side, ''Well Princesses and Mares, it was nice meeting you and your tattooed butts and all, but I got work to do.'' He waved his hand over his shoulders as he left the quaint bakery, leaving 7 pairs of eyes staring at the door he just exited from. ''He was pretty cool,'' Rainbow Dash casually stated as she resumed eating her ice cream. ''Ah reckon he is, strange feller and all but ah guess he seems alright ta me,'' confirmed a mellow Applejack. ''As brutish as he seems, he seems to have an air of mannerism, I noticed that he knew table manners, like not putting your elbows on the table,'' Rarity stated while giving Rainbow Dash a pointed look who coughed and straightened up. "I thought he was nice....,'' mumbled a meek Fluttershy, hiding behind her mane. "Oh my gosh!!! I forgot to invite him to his party!'' exclaimed a frazzled Pinkie Pie as she began to hyperventilate feverishly. As the Ponies began to try and calm Pinkie Pie, something elsewhere was happening.
Jordan trudged up a another mountain, although this one seemed different from the last one. It seemed not evil, like it was just a plain old mountain. He climbed silently and it wasn't long before he and the others reached the summit. It was a flat area with a few bushes growing here and there. Other than that, it was a seemingly barren summit. He turned around and looked met the spectacular view that he was met with. Needless to say, it was breath taking. From the vast Forest, to the fringes of the visible Desert, and from the jagged peaks that surrounded the Forest. He even saw Ponyville and the river he had been to earlier. He even saw the Swamp where his Ace was laying in wait. After a few moments of taking in the awe inspiring visage, he turned back to the summit.
He asked, ''How am I supposed to talk to these Diamond Dogs, huh Sil?"
Sil and the others stood at attention with their ears perked, ''They're already here,'' he said in a deep calm voice. Before Jordan could ask a question, the rocky floor in front of them erupted blasting chunks of rock and pebbles everywhere. When the dust settled, seven large dogs in armor save for the one in the middle were standing in front of him with seven holes behind them.
'Well shit, that was actually pretty awesome,' Jordan thought quietly as he eyed the Dogs. The six armored ones were carrying spears and had short swords at their sides and seemed to have what looked like brown fur. The unarmored Dog was slightly taller than the others and stood straighter. A broad sword about the length of Jordan's arm was resting at his side. It's sheath was decorated with gems and intricate patterns that resembled Cerberus. His fur was black and he had a set of three scars on his chest.
The Leader, the one without armor, spoke up first breaking the silence, ''Ah Silent Fang, it has been too long old friend,'' he said while slightly bowing his head.
Sil bowed his head as well, ''Same to you Onyx Claw, although I hate to say that I'm here for serious matters than pleasure.''
Onyx Claw slowly tilted his head, ''Would that Serious Matter have to do with the Thing standing next to you?" he asked, genuinely curious. Sil nodded and gave Jordan a pointed look, catching the message he coughed once, ''Yes, this Serious Matter does have to do with me, the Thing.''
The armored Diamond Dogs began to slowly snarl but were halted by Onyx Claw, ''Well aren't you a strange one, tell me, what is your name?''
''My name is Jordan and I have a proposition for you and your kind,'' he said respectfully while slightly bowing his head.
''Interesting, Jordan, tell me more about this proposition,'' he replied in a interested tone while putting a paw to his chin. Jordan took a moment to prepare himself, ''Well you see, I am obviously not from around here and I'm quite intrigued with this land. I wish to explore but due to some unexpected setbacks, I can not do so. I don't know if you've noticed but a dark presence has began to reside in the Forest. I've been tasked when getting rid of it.''
Before Jordan could continue, Onyx Claw raised his paw and halting Jordan from continuing. ''Let me guess, you want my people's help? Well Jordan, I have indeed noticed what you speak of, but why should we help? My people are shunned by most races around these parts, what does it matter to us if some Ponies happen to die?''
Jordan nodded along with Onyx's argument which had valid points. ''What if I offer you gems? As many as you desire,'' Jordan said, relying on his only trump card.
Onyx Claw raised an eyebrow, ''Oh and what if we ask for a Dragon's hoard worth?'' he said challengingly. Jordan answered, ''I give you two Dragon hoards worth and you join my Alliance,'' he said confidently.
Onyx Claw smiled, he like this Jordan. There was something in those eyes and that tone, he had spunk. ''Haha very well, two Dragon hoards worth of gems and I'll gladly join your Alliance,'' he said while folding his arms across his broad chest.
Currently inside his head, Jordan was swearing up a storm. He could control rocks but gems, that was a new thing altogether. As he silently mulled over his thoughts while the Canines watched and waited for what Jordan would do next. As he began to think up of numerous plans, a voice spoke in his head, one he had not heard from in a while.
"Seems you could use a little help Jordan,'' said a calm voice.
'Yeah, you wouldn't happen to know any spells that can help me find gems would you?'
''You already have that ability, Jordan. In fact, you've already used it."
'Your shitting me, I don't remember jack.'
''You know how you've been using your Terra forming powers to fight, well you can also control gems and crystals. Anything that comes from the Earth and is made up of minerals of any kind, you can control. All you need to do is focus on the kinds of gems or etc and bring them up with your powers. All you need is focus and an open mind. I've given you the tools you need, now put them to use, don't disappoint me,'' Torva said as his voice began to fade.
Jordan silently thanked Torva, and looked at the Diamond Dogs. "Before the sun sets, I'll have your gems and you in my Alliance,'' he said with confidence. ''I just need you ready to pick them up.''
Onyx Claws clapped and laughed, ''You're an interesting one, I like you and I can't wait to see what and how you'll pull this off.''
Jordan looked over at his Pack, they nodded, believing in him, trusting him. With newfound knowledge and an itch in his knuckles, he started his race against time as the sun began to slowly decline towards the horizon.
Author's Note
Just a little something to keep you occupied while I do some more typing. Hope you all enjoy it, and remember, I am always open to suggestions and willing to listen to your thoughts so far.
Jordan cracked his knuckles and smiled, this was going to be easy. Then he realized a small problem, he had to remember all the gems names and what they looked like. 'Fuck...um emerald is green I think and ruby's are red or something like that.' He closed his eyes and focused on they looked like and used his powers to scan the surrounding area. There were pockets of the two gems inside of the mountain but he assumed the Diamond Dogs already owned them.
He focused harder and found a large pocket of Rubies and Emeralds along with what felt like Gold. 'Win, so much win,' he thought eagerly. He opened his eyes and turned towards the watching Canines and said, ''I found some gems and gold at the base of the mountain next to that dead tree. Do you want to retrieve it or would you prefer me to do it?"
Onyx Claw was silent, ''I'll trust you, I'll send two of my soldiers to pick it up. So please, continue if you will.''
With a flick of his ears, two of his soldiers lep into the hole they made earlier, disappearing from sight. With that taken care of, Jordan once again closed his eyes and focused on remembering the names of Gems and Minerals. 'Um amber is like golden brown or honey looking. Amethyst is a purple looking quartz, and Opal is like a chameleon like stone that um diffracts light..I think.' A little further away from the mountain, a pulse was set off, 'Okay, gotcha.'
He opened his eyes once more and looked at the remaining eyes, ''There's a very large pocket of Gems about 80"ft away from the mountain, I'll make a land mark of two pillars set up on its side. Have your Soldiers dig in between them.'' He concentrated on where the pulse was emitted and flicked his wrist, two pillars of rock shoot up from the ground and could be seen over the tree tops.
Without needing to be told, two more Diamond Dogs split off from the group and also leap into the hole. Before Jordan could begin locating more Gems, the two Diamonds Dogs from earlier, don't ask how he knew, leap out of the hole. ''Where are the Gems and Gold,'' Onyx Claw asked curiously. The two Diamond Dogs looked at each other then at him, ''There was too much to carry sir, we'll need a lot more Diamond Dogs,'' said the one on the right, the one on the left nodding in agreement. Onyx Claw was quiet, he cast a glance at Jordan who was wearing a stupid grin, ''Well go ahead and take some Workers with you,'' he said finally. They saluted and disappeared in the hole.
Not even 5 minutes later, the Soldiers sent to the pillars showed up empty handed. Before they could state their reason, Onyx Claw held up his paw,'' Let me guess, too much to carry?'' They nodded, and Onyx Claw sighed while running a paw down his face, ''Go ahead and take some Workers with you.'' They saluted and went to fulfill their orders. When Onyx Claw turned back to Jordan and his Pack, he was smiling. ''Your definitely filled with surprises. I think I might just join your Alliance even if you don't give me the required amount,'' he said with a chuckle.
Jordan just shrugged, ''I didn't even think there was that much to be honest. So I've been wondering, are you the only Diamond Dog leader here or what?''
''Good question, There are many packs of Diamond Dogs through out Equestria, mine just happens to be very large, well actually its the biggest, around 4,000 with multiple Dens. My Pack happens to be one of the few that doesn't rely on slave labor to get Gems,'' he said the last part proudly.
Jordan nodded, ''I can respect that, hard work goes a long way.'' Before Jordan could say anymore, multiple Diamond Dogs garbed in a sleeveless jacket hopped out of the hole, carrying the Gems that he had told them about. He also noticed they were carrying a type of Quartz, it was clear but had a rainbow tint to it. The Diamond Dogs carrying them, were grinning from ear to ear. They began to pile on the Gems, Gold and hardened crystals. The pile grew larger and larger, pretty soon it was almost towering over them like a tower of riches. If Jordan had to guess and he was a great guesser, he'd say there was about a few tons worth of assorted goodies. Needless to say, the Diamond Dogs hit it big and it was all thanks to Jordan.
Onyx Claw's smile grew wider and wider as the tower grew higher, thanks to Jordan, they had gained what they would normally be able to find in two years, only took them two hours since their meeting. After a few more handfuls, the Tower was done and it was beautiful. ''I think that's good enough, right?"
"More than enough Jordan, you can definitely expect us in your Alliance. You would honor us for accepting us into your Alliance,'' he said with a deep bow. Jordan rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly, ''If anyone should be feel honored, it should be me. Your People joining my cause means a lot to me and if you ever need a hand with some Gem expeditions, let me know.''
Jordan and Onyx Claw looked each other in the eye, a feeling of respect for each other could be clearly seen. Onyx Claw turned his eyes to the excited Diamond Dogs and said, ''Take the Gems to the base of the mountain and distribute them equally among the Pack. Take the Gold and Quartz to the Vault, also be sure to bring some of the Gems to the rest of our Dens and take the rest of the day off to spend with your pups and mate.''
The Diamond Dogs wagged their tails eagerly and got to work at once, happy that they'd get to see their pups so early. As they worked quickly, Jordan gave an approving glance towards Onyx Claw, ''Even distributing the Gems to the other Dens, your a kind one.'' Onyx Claw waved a paw casually, ''We share when we can, whenever one of us makes a big find, we split it equally. Its always been that way with our Pack, All For One, And One For All."
Jordan nodded in agreement, 'I'm liking this guy well uh Dog,' he thought amusingly. He looked at the sky, there was still time to at least possibly talk to a Dragon depending on their living arrangements. He got a thoughtful look, ''Excuse me Onyx Claw, I was wondering, do you know where I could find any Dragons?"
'Well shit, I only have time for one and that's the one who lives on the peak'. He looked at the said peak, it was fucking tall. It seriously almost touched the clouds, hell he couldn't even see the peak. He thought about the distance and how long it'd take for him to just get to the mountain, 'Fuck that, too long.''
He rubbed his chin, he wanted to at least get a Dragon on his side and if his hunch was right, this one would be a great asset. As he began to think he was struck with an idea, it was simple in theory but actually putting it to use, probably fatal, but he needed some Dragons. He sighed and ran a hand through his hair, this was going to be an interesting experience for sure. He turned back to the watching Onyx and his Pack after measuring looking at the distance from the summit he was currently on and the side of the other mountain. ''Alright guys, I'll be back, I'm going go meet that Dragon that lives up on that peak,'' he said while hooking a thumb over his shoulder. Sil and the others were about to argue but Jordan cut them off, ''Look guys, I know that you want to come with me but I'm pretty sure the frigid air would cause you guys to snap like well snap like twigs.'' They reluctantly nodded their consent, they didn't wish him luck, they already knew that their friend was to stubborn to die.
He breathed out deeply and looked at the other mountain in the distance, it was roughly 3 miles away, maybe more. This was it, with his eyes focused and his mind determined, he raised both hands slowly. At first nothing happened, but slowly a grinding sound could be heard, then immense shaking could be felt. The earth in front of Jordan was rising to create a pathway for him, he was creating his own road that would shave off hours. Onyx Claw was slack jawed along with the remaining Diamond Dogs that choose to watch the events unfold. Sil and the Others just watched with pride.
'Fuck. This. Is. Fucking. Hard. As. My. Morning. Hard. On's,'' he thought while exerting his mind and body, pushing them beyond his limits. The process was slow but it was progressing. Animals of all kinds scattered from the area, a few Cockatrice watching with awe as a bridge of rock and dirt was being raised before their eyes. Jordan was sweating, hell he was sure that he could taste blood in his mouth, he was already seeing spots appear in his vision. His knees were buckling and his arms were shaking, but he showed no signs of stopping, not now, not when he was so close. Another hundred feet and the Bridge would be level. Then it happened, it was faint, but to Jordan it was like a gunshot. *CRACK*, his left hand had just snapped from the sheer pressure and power that was being exerted. Jordan barley winced and only bit his tongue, drawing blood to stop himself from grunting. His broken hand was telling him to stop, to just rest even if only for a moment, but Jordan knew that if he stopped now, he'd look weak. He couldn't look weak, not now, not this close. With the last of his strength he used his broken hand to grab his still functioning hand to steady it even with it protesting with sharp stinging pain.
With one final push, the Bridge was level and Jordan could relax. He let out a deep breath that turned into a cough with red flecks leaving his mouth. He fell to one knee and held up his good hand to stop the others from rushing to his side. They stopped but continued to look at Jordan with worry and concern. He began to breathe in and out at a steady pace, the pain he felt was undescribable, his body hurt but it felt good in a way. Even through all the pain, he smiled a bloody smile brimming with satisfaction. 'Totally worth every drop of blood I'm about to cough up,' he thought with a bittersweet smile as the he hacked and wheezed while mumbling a string of curses when he began to slowly stand up.
"By my mother's teats...'' Onyx whispered in a barely audible voice. The Diamond Dogs were impressed, awed, shocked, and dumbfounded. Sil and the others were proud and worried, they chose to stay where they were at and only nod approvingly when Jordan looked their way. He stood up to almost fall, but caught himself somehow. He held his broken hand to his chest and took the first few steps onto the Bridge. There were trees and bushes on it but a path was clearly made between them. As he walked past all the plant life, he could feel them giving him energy, with each step he took, his power came back bit by bit. Soon he was moving at a steady pace, and had gathered enough power to heal his hand. He touched his mouth and found blood, he wiped the remaining stains off with his sleeve continued with his mission.
The journey was quiet, with only his thoughts to keep him company. He was so busy with his thoughts that he failed to realize that he had already reached the other side of the mountain. Instead of a summit, he came upon a path that led upwards and downwards. Jordan cared not for the second and traveled up with eyes forward. It wasn't long but Jordan could feel the temperature declining. Soon he could see snow falling and some already lying on the ground.
With a loud sigh and a mumbled "Fuck", he carried on, zipping up his hoodie and tightening the hood. Luckily it was a light snowfall and the there weren't any frigid winds whipping about. He breathed into his cupped hands and rubbed them. After an hour of walking he looked over the edge and slowly walked the inside of the mountain. He was currently above the clouds, no wonder he was having a hard time breathing. He kept going and eventually came to the entrance of a large cave. Ice crystals surrounded the area and frozen bones were scattered about. He took one step forward and immediately a thunderous roar was emitted from the cave that shook the crystals all around him. 'Shits about to get real..,' he thought as he prepared himself for a fight.
Author's Note
Well what do ya think? I personally think I did pretty well on this chapter. I got to thank Carbon Maestro with his epic songs to motivate and insight the ideas inside my head that helped create this chapter. I hope you enjoy this piece and forgive me for rambling. :P
Jordan covered his ears as the roar echoed about the peak, shattering a few Ice crystals and making the rest vibrate. Abruptly the roaring ceased and the only sound left to be heard was the howling wind. Shivering when a blast of chilling air shot down his spine, he decided that he should do what he came to do.
With one last look around the area, he proceeded towards the Cave. He was shrouded in darkness, but as he peered into the darkness he could see the soft glow of light. It was a strange looking light, it was white and moved about, like a fire, like a torch. He carefully made his way through the dark towards the peculiar torch.
When he reached it he was mesmerized by the "Torch", it was a beautiful white flame, it looked like snow and ice made into a flame. When he extended his hand, he noted the closer his hand crept, the colder it got to the point where it burned. Ice fire, he'd heard about in stories and comics but seeing it was something else, Ice so cold, it Burns.
He pulled his hand back into his pocket and looked around. He was definitely inside a cave, the Torch showed that much as he surveyed the weathered rocks and stone. As his back was turned, more Torches were lit behind him, creating a path. Jordan looked around to see if he could see or hear any signs of someone or something lighting them, he heard nothing.
With a quick shake of his head, he continued on. After what felt like hours, he came upon a large opening. The sight that met him caused his mouth to go agape. Crystals made of Ice surrounded a wide open area in the cave. It was not even a cave anymore, more like a cavern, and the crystals weren't what begged his attention. It was the mass of Ice Fire in the very center of the cavern, it was massive. Jordan couldn't even tell if he was cold or hot anymore. The Fire cast a beautiful light that reflected upon the crystals, making the walls come alive with their vivid imagery, a blend of colors that soothed the mind.
As he watched the colors dance around the cavern, he failed to hear the slithering that was being made behind him. He continued to watch the lights as the slithering grew closer and closer.
".......''
Jordan froze, there was something behind him, something big, and something scaly judging by the slithering. With a gulp, he slowly turned around, 'Holy fucking shit.'' He raised his head, standing in front of him was a Dragon, a very big Dragon, a very big Dragon with very sharp teeth. It was staring at him, watching him with curiosity and intrigue. It's scales were a Snow white with a tinge of blue, the kind of blue that leads to frostbite and amputation. Two ebony horns adorned it's skull and were pointing backwards. It's eyes were a soft blue, and it's claws were black as night and looked like they could cut titanium like butter. It's tail swept from side to side as it watched him. For some reason, Jordan felt as if it were a female.
"Um..hello?" he said awkwardly.
The Dragon tilted it's head, ''Not only are you the strangest thing I've layed eyes upon, but you can speak too,'' rang a feminine voice that sounded like the trilling of bells. It was soft but calm and full of grace.
''Hmm, well you see uh...basically theres going to be a war and its either save this land or perish with it. Before you get the wrong idea, I am in no way whatsoever forcing or demanding that you help me. I only come asking for your help, should you refuse to, I will leave at once to leave you to your own devices,'' he said respectfully.
The Dragoness frowned at the mention of war but soon wore a face of wonder. ''You are obviously not of this land, Strange One. What do gain from this war?"
He rubbed the back of his neck, ''Your not the first to say that or the first to ask that. I originally came here seeking to explore and learn all that I could about this land, but thanks to a pyramid and certain God or should I say Gods, I am now leading an Army to fight an Evil that wishes to kill everything. A Stranger in A Strange World if you will.''
She now wore a neutral expression, ''Your cause is a noble and worthy one, a Scholar turned Warrior. I have to ask, why would you risk your life coming up here, either the cold or I could have killed you,'' she said seriously.
Jordan laughed a little, knowing she was right. ''Your right, I could have died from the cold or you could have just eaten me or hit me with your flames. I believe that nothing can be gained easily. I am determined to win and destroy this Evil that threatens me and this Land that I have barely begun to explore.''
The Dragoness was silent when she heard Jordan's reason. She looked into Jordan's eyes, she smiled, revealing her very sharp teeth. ''What is your name?"
"My name is Jordan, and I am a Human.''
"My name is Borealia of the Big Four, its a pleasure to make your acquaintance,'' she said with a small nod of her head.
Jordan was grinning, ''So you'll help me?" he asked eagerly.
Borealia smiled softly, ''Not so fast, I will join you if you can do one thing for me.'' ''Lets hear it then," Jordan said, eager to gain her allegiance.
"If you want my help, get the other Three of the Big Four to join you as well. Do this and you'll have the support of the Northen Wind at your back.''
Jordan smiled, ''You have a deal Borealia, I was going to ask for their help anyways, but when I do convince them which I will, how am I to contact you?'' he asked curiously. She hummed which was basically like sound waves shaking the air, ''I have just the thing,'' she said as she reached into the Ice Fire that burned brightly. When she retracted her claw, she held a Gem, well what looked like a Gem. It was the size of his head and looked like a pebble compared to the Dragoness. Without the tiniest hint of concentration shown, the Gem began to shrink to the size of a golf ball. She could use magic, she could breathe Ice so damn cold it burned and she could use magic. He had to have her on his team.
The Gem was the color of Ice but it shimmered with an unyielding brilliance. It was white but blue at the same time, it was magnificent. She gently brought her large hand down and motioned for Jordan to pick it up. It was cold, but it also burned with a faint heat but a burning sensation could be felt, like dry ice. ''Speak my name only once and I shall race to your side faster than a snowflake can melt.'' Jordan carefully placed the Gem inside his pack.
He looked up at Borealia, her face was etched with sincerity, Jordan believed her. She smiled softly, ''Now go, Jordan, go forth and assemble your Army to battle the oncoming Darkness,'' she said with passion. Jordan couldn't help but become a little pumped, ''I will and thank you for believing me and not eating me,'' he said while turning around and heading for the hole he had entered from.
Borealia watched him leaving, laughing softly at his parting comment. After he had disappeared from her view, her face became serious in thought. War, something that this land hasn't seen for some time was now on the horizon. She slowly crawled into the freezing fire, eyes slowly closing. Something was telling her she'd need all her strength for the upcoming ordeals.
Jordan was pumped and hyped to say the least. He had basically convinced a Dragoness that could blast Ice from her mouth and that could use magic. All he needed to do was convince the other three to join him and Jordan was going to strike while the iron was hot. The next one on his list was other mountain Dragon and hopefully the mountain wasn't going to be covered in snow.
He exited the cave and braced himself for the chilly winds and freezing air but was surprised when he felt nothing but a pleasant breeze. He was sure that the air would be freezing at least since snow was still falling and his clothes were being whipped about. Yet he only felt the kiss of the wind on his face like the cold had little or hardly any affect on him. He pondered what was the cause and could only come to one conclusion, the Gem in his pack was making him immune to the harsh weather.
Thankful for such a gift, he quickly made his way down the mountain to convince the next Dragon to join his cause. He made it to the Bridge he created in less than 30 minutes and began to cross with an air of purpose surrounding him. He made good time and he could see the Diamond Dogs and his Pack waiting patiently for him. The sky was still lit and the Sun just reaching its peak had barely begun to sink.
Time, he still had some before he would have to find a place to sleep or he could try to pull an allnighter. He reached the awaiting canines and met them with waves and nods. ''I have somewhat convinced the Ice Dragoness to join our cause. She will join if I can convince the other three to join as well. I plan on talking to the other mountain Dragon,'' he said while casting a glance towards the mountain that housed the said Dragon. Onyx nodded and rubbed his chin, ''The other three huh, well I must say you're quite the ambitious one. I'll let my troops know that we prepare for war while you do what you must.'' He nodded his head and walked towards the hole and leap into the black abyss. Jordan sighed and ran a hand through his hair and stretched his body out, this Dragon was hopefully going to be just as easy as Borealia..but most likely it wasn't. He straightened and looked at his "Bridge", that might cause some problems for the locals. He grit his teeth and focused on pushing the "Bridge" downwards. Ever so slowly it began to sink, hardly rumbling and what surprised Jordan was how easy it was. 'Maybe I leveled up or something,' he thought while laughing a little, grateful for not having to use too much strength.
He turned towards Sil and the others, ''Well guys, lets get going.'' He didn't wait to see if they'd follow, he didn't have to. Their padding fell in match with his walking and soon they were off the mountain and in front of the next. They stood in front of a enormous cave, a little bigger than Borealia at the base of the mountain. The Pack waited patiently while he made his way inside, as soon as he entered the cave, a blood curdling roar was emitted from the darkness and the cave was lit with flames. A green Dragon definitely bigger than Borealia was on all four in front of him with red hot flames leaking out of his mouth, bathing the cave walls with dancing shadows. The walls soon became covered in fire, the Green Behemoth no longer having to breath fire, stopped. It stared down at him, as if trying to break his very spirit into tiny pieces. The stare was powerful to say the least, it reminded him of a police officers stare, challenging. So Jordan did the only thing he could do, he stared right back, beads of sweat rolling off his face from the heat and intensity of the Dragon's stare.
After what felt like 10 minutes of a extreme staring contest, the Dragon spoke, his voice a deep cross between a growl and grumble, ''Your stronger than you look, puny ape. Now state your reason for entering my cave less you end up like the rest of the foolish trespassers,'' he chuckled darkly while motioning towards a pile of charred bones.
Jordan gulped, 'Fuuuuck', he thought silently, "Well basically theres going to be a war and I need Allies. I have the Ponies, probably not gonna do much save for healing, I have the Diamond Dogs, the Timber Wolves, a Hydra, the Dragoness Borealia, and the Cockatrice on my side.'' The Green Dragon nodded his head and even tilted his head a little at Borealia's name. He rubbed his chin, ''You've been a busy one and its been quite some time since I've been in a good scrap, what are you killing?''
"They're called the Corrupted and they're some mean sons of bitches. I've fought a solider of theirs and almost died, they do not play. They want everyone dead, and I have things I'd like to do. Our goal are as you can see, are conflicting.''
"Well that's a good enough reason, but first tell me, what are you? I've not seen a creature like you and I've been around for quite some time now,'' the Green Dragon asked, voice full of curiosity.
Jordan smiled, ''I am not of this land or World, I come from a different realm because I was bored and I guess you could say I thirsted for adventure. I was given a chance by a peculiar man by the name of Discord who I later found out to be a God. I explored for some time and soon met another God, the God of Nature, King Torva. I was tasked with finishing what he couldn't and given power over the Earth and Plant life. But to ask exactly who I am, well I guess you could go with a Stranger in a Stranger Land.''
The Dragon grinned, ''I like you but that doesn't mean I'll join you. Just because you have lil old Borealia doesn't mean I'll join you as well. If you really want me as your Ally, fight me. You don't need to win, just hurt me enough to make me yield. Then will I join you, do you accept?''
'Say no, say no, say the fuck no,' ''I accept,'' 'Shit.'
The Dragon laughed loudly, shaking the cave with his booming laughter, ''Your a brave one, I'll give ya that. My name is Magnus, Dragon of the Earth. We'll fight outside so you have a chance.''
Jordan nodded and turned to walk out the cave, Magnus following. Sil and the others watched as he exited the cave and raised their ears when Magnus also walked out, stretching hid enormous wings. "Hey guys sorry to keep ya waiting, looks like I got another battle today,'' he said while laughing a little. In truth, Jordan was nervous as hell, seriously though, he was fighting a fricking Dragon. When Magnus fully exited the cave, Jordan had a better look at him. His scales were in fact green and his snout was sharp, full of serrated teeth ready to cut flesh.
Magnus looked down at the Pack of Timber Wolves and tilted his head, ''You even have a pack of Timber Wolves following you, impressive. Lets lay down the rules shall we, I won't kill ya, intentionally anyways, and ya have to fight me on your own. I won't kill, but I also won't hold back, seem alright to you?''
Jordan sighed, 'Well this is gonna be fun,' he thought grimly. ''I accept the conditions.''
Magnus grinned, his body was itching for a fight and something was telling him this was going to be a interesting match. ''You can start off with the first attack, child.''
Jordan inhaled and then exhaled, preparing for the first strike. With a quick gesture with his hand, a pillar of rock shot upwards, heading straight for Magnus's face. He didn't even flinch when it connected, sending out a small shockwave and creating an explosion of rocks and dust. ''Nice attack, but it seems you forgot something, I am the Dragon of the Earth, your Earth based attacks won't do much against me, child.''
As soon as he finished his sentence, Magnus shot a torrent of red hot flames towards Jordan. Jordan cursed under his breath as he used both hands to erect a wall of rock to block the attack. And just a second later a wave of intense heat washed over him, like the air itself was on fire, 'So this is a Dragons Flame, huh.'
As his thoughts raced, looking for a counter, Magnus raised his claws and slammed them down. The force jarred Jordan and he leap to the left as his rock barrier began to recede back into the Earth. ''I forgot to mention, I can also use Earth attacks too,'' Magnus said while aiming another gout of flame at him. 'Shit, can't use rocks, so lets try this,' Jordan quickly shot his his arms up, thick vines shot out of the dirt and wrapped around Magnus's snout, stopping him from bathing Jordan in flames, if only for the moment.
Jordan backed away from Magnus and saw that Sil and the others had gone a safe distance away from the fight. Glad that his friends wouldn't be in the way, he turned his attention back towards the Dragon. Magnus reached towards his snout and used one of his claws, cutting the vines with ease. ''Resourceful but not very effective, lets up the ante shall we?" Before Jordan could process those words, Magnus stretched his wings to their full length, and began to flap them. His flapping caused massive gusts of winds that almost blew Jordan away before he finally shot upwards into the blue sky. ''Lets see how ya deal with me in the air now, child!" he said while spewing gouts of flame at Jordan. He cursed loudly, all he could do for now was dodge the flames. What he didn't expect was a wall of rock to stop him dead in his tracks. More walls began to erect themselves around Jordan till he was surrounded by them, like a prison. ''What are you going to do now, child!?''
Everything seemed to slow down as Jordan watched the flames leave Magnus's mouth and slowly head towards Jordan. He knew that if he brought out a barrier of rock, Magnus would just bring it down. Time was running out as the flames drew nearer and nearer, 'Think damn it, think! Wait, he can only control the Earth, I can control Plants, Rocks, and Gems and Crystals! Its worth a shot,'' he thought grimly as he focused on a thick wall of Diamond to erupt in front of him creating a protective wall. Seconds later the Flames met the Diamonds, Jordan knew that the Diamonds would soon oxidize so he threw an extra layer up and ripped the wall of rock apart that was blocking his way. As he made his escape from the prison, he saw a look of shock appear on Magnus's face.
He ceased his assault and looked at Jordan with awe, ''So you can control Crystals as well? I'm impressed, but will it be enough to hurt me?"
"How about you come find out!" Jordan yelled.
"Now your talking, here I come!"
Jordan raised his hands and almost immediately sharp pillars of Quartz launched out of the ground next to Jordan. Not expecting this, Magnus tried in vain to dodge but was hit in the chest and his left wing. A few of the Crystals stuck into his chest, piercing it while other ripped clean through his left wing. He roared in pain as he began to spiral out of the sky. There was a mighty boom that could of been heard from Ponyville as he crashed into the ground. Before the dust could settle, pillars of rocks shot out of the cloud and one of them scored a lucky hit against his left shoulder, throwing his off balance. Immediately blood began to seep from the wound, his clothes becoming soaked with red.
Jordan began to cough out blood as he began to heal himself. Before he could finish, Magnus roared with enough force to dissipate the dust cloud. His left wing was adorned with holes leaking blood that were slowly closing. His chest had several crystal spikes sticking out of his chest, he reached with his claws and ripped them out, growling as each one left his body. Almost immediately his wounds began to heal.
Magnus began to chuckle, ''That was a surprise, a surprise that hurt but still a surprise indeed, but your going to have to try harder than that."
Jordan was clutching his shoulder, blood trickling down his chin as he tried to slow the blood loss. "Your a tough bastard, that's for sure, guess its my turn to up the ante, yeah?" he said while giving a bloody grin.
Magnus gestured with his claws for Jordan to attack. Jordan looked at up at the sky, the sun was close to setting, this next move was going to determine the outcome of this fight. He turned his attention back to Magnus, he was breathing hard and his wings hadn't healed completely. With a nod, he took his hand off his shoulder and raised both arms up and focused his gaze onto him. With a mighty yell, the ground behind him erupted as Crystal spikes began to shoot towards Magnus. Magnus smiled and let loose his own roar as he raised both claws upwards and brought them thundering down, causing his own spikes of Earth racing towards Jordan.
Crystal met Earth and Earth met Crystal, causing the dirt to kick up a cloud, covering the battlefield. Eventually the dust began to clear, when it finally cleared, Magnus lay on his back pinned to the ground by two Crystal spikes protruding from his shoulders. Jordan layed on his back as well, one rock spike sticking out from his left arm. He slowly and painfully reached with his right arm and grasped the projectile. Ever so slowly, he began to pull it out, gasping from the pain as every few inches the wound sent up a spurt of blood. Finally, with most of it out, he quickly pulled upwards, tossing it aside he layed his arm down.
He closed his eyes and began to focus on the surrounding plant life, drawing its power in, slowly healing himself. After sealing his wounds, he shakily got up and made his way over to Magnus, limping the whole way. When he finally reached the said dragon, he found him holding a large bloody Crystal in one clawed hand. He tossed this aside and reached for the other, quickly yanking it out with a sharp grunt. The wounds left by the Crystal began to slowly heal, Magnus raised himself just as slowly. They were left there, just staring at each other, not saying a word. They looked at each other's wounds, then they looked at each other. Magnus eventually nodded, ''I yield, this is your win, Human.''
Jordan smiled tiredly, ''My name is not Human or Child, its Jordan.''
Magnus smiled as well, ''Very well, Jordan, are all of your kind this strong?"
"Not really, I'm just a stubborn bastard,'' he said while laughing a bit.
Magnus laughed as well, ''I'll say, using Diamonds as a shield so couldn't control them, pretty smart.''
''That damn prison of rock almost got me, thought I was done for.''
As they chatted, Sil and the others made their way to them. Jordan noticed them and smiled, giving them the thumbs up, ''I won..barely, but still won.''
Sil nodded, and looked at the darkening sky, ''Its getting late.''
Jordan nodded, ''You don't mid if we set up camp here for the night do you Magnus?"
"By all means go ahead, you've earned my respect and I'd be happy to fight alongside you,'' he said while giving a toothy grin. Jordan nodded in appreciation and watched as Magnus entered his cave, most likely to rest and heal his wounds. Jordan sent Sil and the others off to hunt while he prepared camp. They returned shortly with another deer and Jordan cleaned it quickly and set it over the fire. He was getting better at this sort of thing, growing accustomed to living in the wild. As the deer cooked, Sil spoke up, "What do we do now?"
Jordan rubbed his chin, ''I'll head into the Dessert tomorrow to meet the Changelings and the other Dragon. But I'll head into Ponyville for more supplies. Also I'm having you guys stay here, I don't think you'll do to well in the Dessert.'' They nodded in understanding, ''We'll keep an eye on things in the Forest while your away.''
''Thanks, I'll be counting on you guys.''
Jordan began to relax as the scent of cooked meat met his nose, he had gained another ace of his sleeve and planned on another tomorrow. His Army was almost ready, the only problem was how were the Enemies doing. He cut a piece of meat off with his knife and began to eat, he'd think about those things tomorrow.
Author's Note
Well sorry guys it took so long, I'll try to update more often. I've been busy with another project and all but rest assured I'll be updating a bit faster. Promise. Oh and don't forget to leave a comment about anything you liked or disliked.
Jordan woke up as the ground began to rumble and shake. He shot up from from the ground and almost fell back down to it. When he he looked around looking for the cause of the ground shaking, he finally noticed Magnus moving about in front of his cave. The Dragon was busy shaking his body out, ''Hey whats up Magnus?"
Magnus turned his head to Jordan, ''Ah Jordan, sorry about that, its been a while since my body has ached like this, its quite refreshing.''
Jordan chuckled a little, ''To each their own, yeah.'' Jordan began to stretch his body out as well and kicked some dirt onto the mostly dead fire. Speaking of fire, he cast his his gaze about and saw the scorch marks from yesterdays battle. He was kinda relieved that none of the trees caught on fire. He looked at Sil and the others, they were somehow still asleep. With a small laugh and a shake of his head he began to poke them till they finally woke up.
"Was wondering when you guys would wake up,'' he said while grabbing his pack. ''We sleep when we can,'' Sil said with a small shrug with was quite funny to Jordan.
Magnus looked at Jordan, ''So tell me Jordan, what are your plans for today?''
"Well I plan to talk to the Changelings and the Dragon that resides in the Desert, gotta get those Allies. Then I plan to talk to the River Dragon as well.
Magnus nodded and rubbed his scaly chin, '' I'll handle the River Dragon for you, me and him go way back. As for the Desert Dragon, her name is Mirage. She's a master of illusionary magic, and her flames are hotter than mine. She's just a little smaller than Borealia, shes very playful so be wary.''
Jordan nodded, ''Thanks, that really does help me a lot,'' he said, thanking the Dragon.
''Oh and one more thing, are very hateful of the Ponies, so it might be quiet difficult to convince them. Your going to have to give them something worthwhile, something that could really help them,'' said Magnus seriously.
''Oh I have a few things in mind, thanks for the info, I need to go visit the town Ponyville for supplies.''
Magnus nodded and extended his wings before taking off into the sky. The force almost threw Jordan away but he somehow stayed grounded. He looked at the Wolves and them waiting for him, ''Guys, we''ll have to separate once we get to Ponyville.''
''We know, but we also know you'll be back,'' said Sil and the others nodded in unison. With a laugh Jordan gave them a noogie and he motioned for them to follow as he began walking in Ponyville's direction. The walk was quiet and uneventful, save for a few Cockatrice that bowed politely when seen. His thoughts soon began to wander towards the Corrupted. What were they doing, and how many were there? These questions could not be answered at the time, but Jordan would rather have something he didn't need then not have it when he needed it. He cleared his thoughts when the the town became visible. He hurried his steps and stopped in front of the red bridge. He looked at Sil, who nodded in understanding. He and the others nudged Jordan's waist and then turned towards the wood, taking off at a light trot.
Watching them go, Jordan smiled and then his smile became a slight grimace. 'My eyes are gonna hurt like Hell in a minute,' he thought as he began to cross the bridge. It wasn't long when he was hit with a multitude of colors, bright colors. Colors of all kinds assaulted Jordan's eyes, he resisted the urge to claw his eyes out and simply narrowed them, so not to see as many colors.
These Ponies looked at Jordan openly, well most of them, a few others either took off or fainted, ''Weaklings.'' He scanned the crowd that had gathered and finally stopped his gaze on a certain lavender mare. ''Ah Twilight, we need to talk,'' he called out to the studious mare. She looked surprised as well as the rest of the Ponies who seemed to relax. He shrugged it off waited till Twilight made it over to him. She looked excited as she neared him, but stopped when she saw his shoulder, ''Is that blood?!"
He looked at his shoulder, there was a rip, and most of the area a blood soaked red, ''Oh this, its nothing just got in a scrap with a Dragon is all, well two Dragons but only the second one hurt me. I won though,'' he said casually, enjoying her look as she stared at him. ''Your telling me you fought two Dragons and only one harmed you?" He scratched his chin, ''Well no, I talked to the first and we struck a deal, the second one would only join if I could hurt him, difficult but not impossible.''
''Are all Humans this strong and reckless?" Twilight asked skeptically. ''Well no, I'm just stubborn and uh lets say ambitious, yeah lets go with ambitious. Anyways that's not why I came here, I need some supplies for traveling in the Desert and a map.''
Twilight nodded, ''Do you mind if I contact the Princess first?''
"Yeah sure, I don't care unless she tries to stop me,'' a hidden message in his words. Twilight nodded and motioned for him to follow her. They walked in awkward silence, well awkward silence for Twilight, Jordan was busy being bored. Twilight tried breaking the silence with some small talk, ''So how do you like are land so far?'' she asked curiously. He cast his gaze over to her, ''I like it, plenty of adventure but not enough danger, well theres plenty currently. What I mean is, I get bored easily so I'm hoping after this War, there will be something to do.''
Twilight nodded at this, at least understanding for the most part, ''Well theres plenty of interesting places to explore in Equestria and there are other Countries like the Griffin Kingdom and Saddle Arabia. So I'm sure you won't be bored anytime soon.''
He looked at the Lavender mare, ''We'll see,'' was all he said as they stopped in front of a massive tree. It looked like it had been made into a house but the tree was still alive, quite nifty. A sign read Golden Oaks Library. Twilight stepped forward and opened the door with magic, motioning for Jordan to come in. He had to duck a bit but thankfully the ceiling was quite high. Jordan looked around, books, lots and lots of books were shelved all around him. ''Beautiful...,'' he whispered.
''I'm sorry, did you say something?" asked Twilight as she called for a Spike. ''I said this Library was beautiful,'' he repeated as he walked towards one of the shelves. He immediately began to run his hands along the spines, feeling how hold the books were. Twilight looked thoughtful, ''I take it you like books?" He turned to her, ''I fricking love books, its like a damn drug when I read,'' he said wistfully. ''I once read all the books my school library had, I even used to work in one over the Summer.''
''I've read all the books in this library,'' she said proudly, even puffing her chest out. ''Impressive, I was featured in my local newspaper for reading a certain amount of words in one month.'' Twilight was curious now, ''How many words?" He smiled, this always dropped a few jaws and earned quite a few Damns,'' If I remember correctly, it was 6,500,000+ words. That was still in grade school, mind you.'' Twilights jaw dropped in amazement, ''Holy hay, that's amazing!"
Jordan chuckled, ''Nah, it's nothing much, just had something to prove.'' Before Twilight could ask what he had to prove, Spike walked in. Expecting a pony to appear Jordan raised a brow, standing in a doorway that led to the kitchen he presumed, seeing an oven, a small purple and green Dragon stood in front of him. Most of his body was purple save for the green fins that ran down his head and back, including his ears. His tale ended in a spade shape and he came up around Jordan's knees, he was also bipedal. ''Who's this Twilight?'' the Dragon asked curiously, not in the least bit frightened or surprised, just curious. ''Spike, this is the Human I mentioned, Jordan, this is my number one assistant, Spike the Dragon.''
Spike and Jordan looked at each other, they each gave a synchronized nod, while saying ''Sup.'' Twilight facehoofed herself at their introductions, ''Spike I need you to send a letter to Princess Celestia informing that Jordan is here at the Library.'' He nodded and fetched a nearby sheet of parchment and some ink with a quill. He began scribbling, not needing Twilight as he wrote the gist of it. Finished, he breathed in and let out a green flame that burned the scroll, but surprisingly instead of turning to ashes like Jordan expected, it flew out of a nearby open window.
Jordan whistled in amazement, ''Nifty little skill right there,'' he said, praising the little guy. Spike puffed with pride and shined his claws on his chest, ''It was nothing.'' Twilight rolled her eyes, ''Anyways, could you tell me how you convinced two Dragons to join you?" At the mention of Dragons, Spike looked excitedly at Jordan, piquing his interest.
''Well alright, ya see what happ-,'' before he could finish his sentence, a golden flash was emitted in the room. When the flash subsided, Princess Celestia was left standing where the flash started. Twilight bowed in her direction while Spike stepped back a bit next to Jordan as he waited quietly. ''Twilight, you don't need to bow when my guards or any citizens are not around.''
Princess Celestia turned to Jordan, waiting for him to speak. ''As I was saying, I've gained the Diamond Dogs and two Dragons as Allies.'' Celestia was a little impressed at Jordans progress, ''And how did you exactly convince them?'' Jordan cracked a smile, ''Pretty easy, I met the leader of a rather large pack of Diamond Dogs and we spoke. He'd agree to join me if I could provide two Dragons horde worth of Gems, kinda easy really,'' he said shrugging. ''I then went to visit the Dragon that lived on the snowy peaks, Borealia was her name and Ice so cold it burned was her game. She was a wise one for sure, I like her. She'd join if I could convince the other Dragons, well I've got all of them basically. The next Dragon was Magnus who lived in a large cave inside the next mountain, now he was tough one. Oh he understood the situation but was reluctant to join. We came to a "Understanding'' so to speak. If I could make him yield in battle, he'd join, if not, well I'd probably be dead. Honestly, he had me cornered since he could manipulate the Earth like me except he could only control rocks and dirt.''
"You can only control Rocks and dirt as well as the plants right?" asked a curious Celestia. Jordan nodded, ''I just recently awakened a new power that lets me control Gems and Crystals, quite useful for convincing Diamond Dogs and makes a decent protection against flames,'' he said while laughing loudly as he remembered how close he was to a fiery death. His thoughts were interrupted when a skeptical Twilight raised a hoof, ''Wait, your telling me that you not only convinced the Diamond Dogs to join you, but also two Dragons who can apparently control certain elements?" her right eye was beginning to twitch, even Celestia took a step away from her. Spike just gave a sigh and rolled his eyes, ''Here we go again,'' he said as took a few steps next to Jordan.
Jordan scratched his chin, ''Yeah, I am and I did. Theres no reason to be surprised, I have things I'd like to do and to do them I need help. Anyways, before we get sidetracked any further I need some supplies for my trip into the Desert.''
Celestia nodded as Spike began to try and calm Twilight. "Very well, just state what you need exactly and it shall be provided. Twilight, Spike, if you could give Jordan and I a moment."
Both nodded as they exited the Library, with that attended to, Celestia turned her gaze over to Jordan. "How powerful are you Jordan?" it was a simple question, but it was straight to the point. Jordan just smiled and scratched his chin, ''Hmm honestly, I can create Mountains with a bit of effort, well actually a lot of effort, but it puts a lot of strain on me and I can control the Earth's minerals as well as plants.'' Celestia merely absorbed the information and nodded, ''What exactly are your plans after this War?"
"I plan on exploring, simple as that. I'm only creating this Army out of a necessity.''
She was silent, ''And what if some of your Allies were to go to war with each other and asked for you to choose a side?''
"Then I'd choose, I'd choose whoever I deemed the lesser evil, whoever deserves my sympathy,'' he said casually.
She nodded in agreement, she began to study him, ''What will you do after you have finished exploring?"
He was silent, what would he do when he was done exploring? "I guess I'd settle down somewhere, most likely a forest of some kind. Now if we're done with 20 questions, I'd like to grab the supplies needed for my trip into the Desert.''
She nodded in understanding, ''I apologize for asking such prying questions but I must do what I have to for my citizen's safety.'' Jordan shrugged, ''Do what ya gotta do.''
''So what exactly will you need for your excursion?"
He sighed and rubbed his neck, ''I'll need at least 3 canteens of water, dried fruits, a compass, a map of the Desert, and that's about it, I hope.''
Celestia mentally checked off each item, ''The supplies you require shall be provided with ease, when will you leave?''
Jordan pulled his phone out and hit the power button, the time read 9:36. ''I'll head out as soon as I get the supplies,'' he said as he put his phone back in his pocket. Celestia nodded and made her way to the Library's front door, ''Twilight, Spike, we're done, you can come in now.''
The two entered and looked at them, ''So whats going on?" asked a curious Spike. ''Just talking about the supplies I'll need and some other boring stuff,'' Jordan answered offhandedly. "Speaking of which, you'll need this,'' interjected Celestia as her horn gave off a golden glow causing a flash to be emitted. In her magical grasp was a bulging bag, a very big bulging bag and judging by the clinking, it was filled with coins. ''Our currency is that of Bits, golden coins, this bag contains around 200 Bits. Twilight, if you could be so kind and take Jordan to any nearby shops so he may purchase anything he needs. If you'll excuse me, I still need to run Day Court, it was a pleasure seeing you all,'' she said as her horn gave off another flash, teleporting out of the Library. Twilight looked at Jordan as he picked up the bag of Bits, ''Well I guess we should get going then.'' He nodded and turned to the door but was stopped by Spike asking, ''Mind if I tag along?''
''Sure, I don't mind,'' he answered as he exited the Library, Spike and Twilight following. ''Alright Twilight, mind showing me to these Shops?"
To his amusement he watched Spike lift into the air thanks to Twilight's magic and was placed onto her back. With a shrug he proceeded to follow her to their destination. Jordan ignored the stares once more from the early risers and raised an eyebrow as Spike tried to start a conversation. ''So Jordan, what were the Dragons like?" he asked as he turned his body around, Twilight's ears perked a little, obviously wanting to know as well. "Well Borealia, the first Dragon I met was real chill and made a deal with me. Said if I convinced the others to join, she'd be in too. She seemed really wise and I'm pretty sure she used magic.'' Spike nodded at this and asked, ''What about the other one?" Jordan smiled a little, ''His name was Magnus and he was a tough one, bigger than Borealia and had some really hot flames. His scales were green and he had a simple condition which you already know. If I could hurt him at the very least he'd join me, if not then I'd be barbecue."
"How did you beat him?" Spike asked with a curious tone. ''Honestly he had me beat since he could also manipulate the Earth like me. All my Earth based attacks were useless so I tried a different route. I used Crystal based attacks and aimed for his wings. Heck there was a moment in our fight were I was about to be roasted but I quickly threw a wall of Diamond up to shield me. Eventually I did enough damage with the Crystals to make him yield.''
Spike looked thoughtful and asked, ''Could you show me?"
"Sure just give me a sec,'' he answered before searching for any nearby gems or crystals. There was a golf ball sized sapphire just a few feet below. Jordan gave a quick snap and with ease the blue Gem made its way upwards before shooting out of the Earth and into his hands. Twilight immediately began to take notes while Spike was left awestruck. "Dude that was amazing," he exclaimed loudly.
Jordan just laughed a little and tossed him the Gem, "Take it, I can get plenty with ease.''
Spike clumsily caught it and looked at Jordan, "Thanks for the snack man," he said happily before tossing the Gem in to his mouth. Jordan watched curiously as Spike crunched on the Gem with ease. "Huh, Dragons can eat Gems?"
Spike finished his Meal and licked his lips, "Yeah Gems are like candy to us and another food source,'' he explained happily. "What do they taste like?" Jordan asked.
"Hmm well Sapphires taste like blueberries except they have a sugar filled center that makes my tongue tingle. Emeralds have a sour and sweet taste that shock the taste buds. Diamonds have a plain flavor but leave a cool mint after taste. Onyx acts like a alcohol for us Dragons but we have to consume a lot of it for it to take affect otherwise it taste like cough syrup but tastier. Rubies have a more spicy taste to them but a good salivating spicy. There are plenty more I could list but we'd be here for a while."
Jordan took in all this information and smiled, "Damn makes me wish I was a Dragon so I could have a taste."
The two shared a laugh while Twilight rolled her eyes and nudged him forward, "C'mon we're almost there."
The two stopped laughing and continued forward and eventually stopped in front of a grand looking shop called "Survival Shack". Jordan pushed the door open and whistled in amazement. The place looked like a Big 5 but dedicated to survival, camping, and hiking. He made his way towards the survival area first and began grabbing canteens and the other things he'd need. Twilight was busy calming the manager and assuring that everything was fine. "Hey Spike think you can find me a map?" With a small salute he hopped off of Twilight and was off in search of the best map he could find.
After assuring the manager once more that everything was fine and no one was in danger Twilight made her way to Jordan. "What were the things you needed again Jordan?" He thought for a moment and replied, "A few canteens, a map, either a sleeping roll or tent, some medical supplies, dried food, a compass, and that's it I hope."
The sound of writing caused him to look at Twilight only for him to see her making a checklist. With a shrug he decided not to question it. Picking up 6 canteens he made his way over to the register and deposited them onto the counter. "I'm not done yet, '' he told the surprised Stallion before heading back to the Survival aisle. Just as he grabbed a compass Spike came up to him and showed him a detailed map of Equestria and its desert. Luckily the desert on the map had oasis's marked so Jordan could refill his canteens and camp.
"Spike my Dragon you really pulled through for me, let me know if you ever need a favor done, '' Jordan praised while giving him a fist bump. He tucked the map under his arm and looked for packaged dried food. He found plenty of trail mix and grabbed a lot of those. He looked at Twilight and asked, ''What else is on the list huh Twilight?''
She looked at the list and checked off the map, dried food, and compass. "A sleeping roll or tent and some medical supplies," she said in a matter of fact tone. "Cool, I think I see a few sleeping gear up ahead. They walked further down and came to an aisle dedicated to camping. He looked at the tents and sleeping rolls and decided to take both. He carefully hand Spike the dried food to Spike and put the roll under one arm with the map and grabbed the tent with his free hand while putting the compass on top of it. They made their way back to the counter and also placed these next to the canteens, ''Still not done buddy," he said to the Stallion who had his eyebrow raised. "You wouldn't happen to have any First Aid kits here would you?" he asked the now patiently waiting but still confused Stallion. "Head pass the Camping aisle and you'll find them,'' he said professionally, trying to maintain his cool while he gave directions to a tall naked biped. "Thanks," he said before heading there with Twilight and Spike in tow.
They found the aisle with ease and Jordan grabbed two packs just in case. Even though he could heal himself, a few pills and antibiotics could mean a difference between life and death. He made his way back to the counter and nodded to the Cashier, ''Now I'm done.''
The Stallion merely nodded and simply began to rack up the total amount. ''That will be 64 bits... Sir?" he said questioningly. Jordan only nodded and opened the bag Celestia had before counting 64 bits and laying each one on the counter. The Cashier deposited them into the register and proceeded to bag the supplies. With a well practiced smile he handed Jordan the bags, ''Have a nice day.''
"You too,'' Jordan replied before turning around and exiting the store. As they exited the store Jordan asked, ''Can we head back to your place Twilight?"
"Sure, just follow me,'' she answered while Spike walked alongside him. As they walked back to the Library Spike once again struck up a conversation with Jordan. "So Jordan how old are you?" Twilight's ears perked slightly, "Well I'm 16 about to turn 17 in a few months." Spike just tilted his head, "Huh I'm three years younger then you. Whats the age for you to become an adult in your world?"
"Well like I said earlier, it varies depending on the region. In my country, you had to be 18. My father on the other hand said being an adult and man are two different things."
"Man?" asked a confused Spike.
"A Stallion basically. You're an adult when you turn 18 and can live by yourself. You're a man when you start your own family.''
"Your dad sounds like a cool person.''
Jordan just laughed, ''Yeah you could say that.''
They continued in silence, ''So what do you all do in particular?"
"I'm the personal student of Princess Celestia and the town's Librarian, Rarity is a Designer of everything fashionable, Applejack and her family own an Apple farm called Sweet Apple Acres, Pinkie Pie works at a bakery, Rainbow Dash is apart of the Weather Patrol, Fluttershy acts as a Vet and caretaker among pets and wild animals, and Spike here is my number 1 assistant," Twilight said with an air of pride. Nodding, Jordan began to look around at the other Ponies he began to past. 'Hmm no direct signs of hostility but I can see bits of fear.'
Giving his head a little shake he looked his phone, time now read 2:26. Just as he was about to ask if they could speed up they stopped in front of the Library. As he laid his supplies out in front of him, he began to stuff his pack. As he stuffed his dried food into the smaller pockets he found a card. "Jordan, I give this little special pack here to help with your journey. I've imbued a bit of my chaos magic to greatly increase the inside of the bag to the point of being able to stuff a Manticore, just simply think about the object you wish to retrieve and you'll be able to get a grip. Oh and try not to fall in, it will most likely be a pain to get back out haha," he read silently. Looking at the end, he saw Discord's name and for some reason decided to stuff the card into his pocket.
Armed with the newfound knowledge, he proceeded to stuff his pack quickly. Of course stuffing a vast variety of supplies into a regular looking pack would cause some confusion, confusion which was written all over Twilight and Spike's face. "Its bigger on the inside," he said simply. Truthfully he felt quite silly for not noticing the card and tried to shrug it off. "Oh yeah, are you by any chance important to the Princesses? I was just curious about you and your friends having connections with the Rulers of this country."
"Me and my Friends are Bearers of the Elements of Harmony,'' she said happily. "Sounds sappy, whats the Elements of Harmony supposed to do?" Twilight looked a little offended and Spike had to stifle his laughter with a clawed hand,''An Element of Harmony is a representation of one the six Elements of Harmony or qualities. I am the Element of Magic or the spark that can create an opportunity for harmony or friendship. Applejack is the Element of Honesty, she'll never hide her thoughts if you ask. Rainbow Dash is the Element of Loyalty and she'd rather lose a wing then betray her friends. Fluttershy is the Element of Kindness and would even give a Dragon a scolding and even show a roaring Manticore kindness. Rarity is the Element of Generosity and she'd rather give a pony her own clothes then see them without. Pinkie Pie is the Element of Laughter and she'd turn the whole world upside down just to see you smile.'' She described each of her friends with a warm smile to which Jordan just nodded along. "With our Elements we were able to overcome many evils that have threatened Equestria in the past."
This piqued Jordan's interest, "Oh really, like what?"
She put a hoof to her chin, ''Well there was Nightmare Moon." "Who's Nightmare Moon?" Jordan asked, his curiosity rising by the moment. "Nightmare Moon was a split personality of Princess Luna who was born from her subjects neglect. She came to being and tried to plunge the whole world into in an everlasting night. She and Princess Luna were sealed inside the moon by Princess Celestia who used the Elements of Harmony. A thousand years later she was able to use the stars to aid in her escape and again try to plunge the World in eternal darkness. But thanks to me and my friends we were able to stop her and become the new Element Bearers."
Jordan listened to her prattle on how she and her friends also stopped Discord, The Spirit of Chaos. He kept silent about the fact that he was brought here by said Spirit and simply nodded every now and then. She then began to talk about how her and her friends stopped a tyrant called King Sombra and how he had enslaved an entire kingdom and had tried to do it again, but thanks to Spike and Twilight's babysitter who happened to be a Alicorn and ruler of the Crystal Kingdom they had defeated him.
"Well Twilight it seems you and your friends definitely had some crazy adventures but I should get out of here."
Twilight and Spike looked a little downtrodden. "Well don't let us hold you back any longer." Spike lifted a clawed fist, Jordan automaticity understanding due to the fact he was a guy, bumped his fist with Spike's, "Catch ya later bro?" Jordan laughed a little, "Course bro, I'll be sure to come back and hang with you."
Before he could leave though Twilight asked uncertainly, "I forgot to ask, but Jordan how did all that stuff we bought fit in your pack?" 'Oh yeah, was wondering when she'd catch that.'
"Well uh ya see..um..Magic, yep it was magic."
"Could you teach me that spell?" she asked.
".....no."
He quickly made his way towards the forest and ignored the shouts of frustration and smiled when he heard the snickering of Spike. He just lifted a hand into the air and raised it, waving to the duo behind him.
Just a few minutes later Pinkie showed up asking where Jordan was, "Hey Twilight have ya seen Jordan around?" she asked with glee. "Oh hey Pinkie, you just missed him," she explained to her hyper active friend. Pinkie who had been hopping in place stopped hopping, "Well can ya tell me where he is then?" At this moment Spike spoke up, "Sorry Pinks but he's heading off to the desert to pick up some more Allies.'' "But I didn't get to give him a Welcome to Ponyville Party."
On the outskirts of Ponyville Jordan shuddered a little and felt as though he had just barely avoided an unnecessary amount of annoyances. Blaming society he reached into his pack and began to look for his map. Almost as if it was pushed into his hand, he pulled it out and unfurled it to its full size. Taking a close look he saw that if he continued going straight he'd eventually enter the desert. There also seemed to be around 7 oases and they were relatively split up almost randomly. "Wait...where the fuck am I supposed to find the damn Changelings? Ah fuck it, I'll find them eventually, I mean they're black pony looking things with bug wings. Shouldn't be too hard to find in a barren wasteland and I really need to stop talking to myself.."
Before he could shake his head, a smooth voice entered the conversation, "Why Jordan, theres nothing wrong with talking to yourself, I do it all the time." Looking around he spotted Discord in his regular form sitting at a table that looked awfully like the one from Alice In Wonderland. "You really enjoy popping up unannounced," he said as he took a seat across from the God of Chaos. Discord merely smirked and snapped his talons causing a cup of tea to wink into reality in front of Jordan. "So Jordan, I hear that you're having a problem locating the Changelings." He took a sip of his own brew and awaited for Jordan's response. He looked at the clear liquid in front of him before sighing and grasping the cup and lifting it to his lips. After taking a sip he answered, "Well yes, I'm definitely having some troubles. I have no idea whatsoever where to find the Changelings."
Discord laughed nonchalantly, "My dear boy, that's easy. All you have to do is find their hive and mind you, its fairly easy to spot. Let me see your map real quick," without waiting for an answer Discord snapped his talons once more and the map was lain out on the table. "Ah yes, their hive should be right here," he tapped the space between two of the oases and slowly a large X became visible and above it was written "Changeling Hive". "Oh even better," he this time only tapped the map once and it rippled like disturbed water. At first glance there seemed to be nothing wrong till Jordan looked at the Everfree Forest. A stick figure was currently placed where Jordan assumed they were sipping tea at.
"We'll I'll be dammed, is that what I think it is?"
"Oh if you mean the stick figure that represents you and moves as you do, then yes it is what you think, awesome right?'' Discord said cooly while rubbing his lion paw against his chest. "Ha that is awesome, you're a real cool dude," Jordan said as he looked the map over. "Pish posh it was nothing, being the Spirit of Chaos does have its perks."
They shared a laugh and finished their tea, "Well as enjoyable as this was, I have places to be," said Jordan as he stood up and picked up his map. "Ah yes of course, but before you go Jordan a bit of advice, You are never alone till you're dead and even then you have your thoughts. What I'm saying is its alright to be a little mad," explained Discord. "Yeah I hear ya and thanks for the pack and map, see ya later Discord."
With that Jordan gave a little wave and began reading his map, heading towards the Hive.
Author's Note
Welp, there it is. I know its been a while but I've been held up with my new job and stuff. Not to mention Finals. I was kinda iffy on this chapter so I plan on making the next one even better. Hope you all had a awesome Christmas though :D
And please don't be shy to leave a comment about how you feel about this chapter or story overall.
On a decent sized map was a stick figure currently surrounded by a large forest titled the Everfree. Currently inside the Forest Jordan wiped the sweat from his brow and trudged through the large Everfree. Just a little longer and he'd finally enter the outskirts of the desert. Apparently the desert was called the Red Pan due to heat being so bad that plants would sometimes spontaneously catch on fire.
"This is just a picnic full of fun ain't it?" Jordan asked no one in particular. Swatting at the mosquitoes he quickened his pace, carefully navigating over roots and the nesting snakes that gave off hissing warnings. He sighed once and stopped, leaning against a tree he brought out his phone and connected it to his hoodie buddy earphones. Tossing his hoodie on and placing the earphones in, he put his music player on shuffle and carried on.
Wearing a hoodie in a humid forest probably wasn't the brightest idea that Jordan could of had but for some odd reason wearing warm clothes in the heat kept Jordan cool. After what Jordan assumed was an hour he looked at the map and noticed he was even closer to the desert. As he studied the map something compelled him to look behind him. There was a path of roots that should of definitely tripped him but for some reason he didn't. 'Almost as if the Forest is making it easier...'
This time when Jordan continued forward he watched the ground and his surroundings. He saw a gnarled root and purposely tried to trip over it but surprisingly as he neared it the root itself sunk into the ground. After he passed it he stopped and looked back to see the root rise once more back in its original spot. "That's trippy," he said aloud.
"How so?" asked a voice that belonged to none other then Torva. "Do not the subjects of a king bow before him?"
"Oh, so they're bowing to you, Torva?" he said aloud, not caring if anyone or thing saw. Torva gave a short laugh, "No, they respect me but no longer bow to me, they're bowing to you. Jordan you took my place."
Jordan stopped and took out his earphones, "Wait, what?"
"You heard me, you're the new King of the Wild. Well you're almost there, you haven't fully ascended but Nature knows, she knows all," he said softly.
Jordan slowly accepted the situation, "So I'm not gonna turn into a Pony or something? Like those Princesses?" he asked dreading the answer. "You mean becoming an Alicorn? You won't, you weren't a Pony in the first place so if anything I wouldn't be surprised if you eventually grew wings today or tomorrow. You do remember the changes that would happen to you, well those are just some of those changes."
Jordan rubbed his chin while he watched some more roots recede so as not to trip and injure him, "Will I be immortal?" Torva was silent for a moment, "Yes and no. You won't die of old age and you'll be immune to almost every disease or sickness out there but if you suffered enough magic trauma you'd be finished. But even then your tolerance for magic based attacks have been highly increased. But also you can end your own life if you choose to do so. Also if your body were to experience massive damage you will die."
Jordan stopped rubbing his chin and looked at the map noticing how close they were to the Red Pan, "Huh so basically I just won't age anymore and my immune system is literally Godlike. The thought of wings is a bit enticing but I won't worry about that too much. As long as I don't turn into a Pony or something else I'm cool with it. Oh and while we're talking, do you happen to have any idea where the Corrupted might be hiding?"
"Honestly I have no idea, I could never find out where they hid."
"Can you at least tell me about the head honcho?"
"The what?" asked a confused Torva.
"The guy in charge, the one who wants to kill you all."
Torva was silent for a moment. "He was a friend who became corrupted by black magic and Demons. The fool wanted power and he foolishly made a deal with a Demon and not just any demon but a Glutton Demon. His hunger for power grew each passing day and he soon decided that he deserved the world. I pleaded and tried to reason with him but he wouldn't listen, he didn't want to listen. Eventually he declared war against all living being and with his ill gotten powered raised an army from Hell, literally. Lesser Demons, Imps, the Undead, Shades which were shadows given life, Goblins, and other horrors from the Infernal Pit. He razed countless towns and slaughtered many innocent lives. Overcome by his pride, he made his way with his entire army into my kingdom. You saw what happened, thanks to my sacrifice he was sealed for a time but eventually he was able to whittle the seal down. On the Other Side I found that only an outsider was able to truly destroy him since the Demon that possessed him is not of this realm. Thanks to an old friend I was able to find that Outsider, you."
Slowly realization ran across Jordan face, "This old friend, would his name happen to be Discord?"
Jordan swore he felt the smile form on Torva's face, "Yes, I asked Discord to find me a Champion and he happily obliged. You weren't dropped randomly in the Everfree Forest, home to many deadly creatures of all sizes by coincidence. I had Discord drop you near my temple and we used your curiosity which led you to explore it. The only thing we didn't plan to happen was the pack of Timberwolves and the giant Spider. To simply say, Jordan you have gone far past mine and Discord's expectations."
Jordan put on a shit eating grin, "Ah you're making me blush, honestly I've just been going with the flow. A part of my brain is telling me to freak out and try to find a way home but the rest of it is saying just wing it and so far I've done pretty well. Shit, right now half my brain is telling me to be pissed I was used but the other half is stoked with the powers." He looked at the map and saw that just a few more feet and they'd enter the outside of the Pan.
"Jordan, from what I've seen of your progress since you've entered this World you've become closer and closer to the King I once was."
Jordan couldn't just hear Torva's words but he could feel the emotion behind him. Torva was genuinely happy that someone else would take the Throne. Just as Jordan was about to reply, he immediately felt the air change around him. In front of him were miles and miles of sand, rock, and cacti. The air became dry and he could see the heat waves dancing across the air, waiting to create mirages of all sorts. "This is going to suck,'' he said stating the obvious. "Yep,'' was all Torva said before settling back somewhere inside Jordan's head.
With a heavy sigh he took his first step into the Red Pan. Each step was met with sand, so much fricking sand. He passed cactus after cactus and rocks after rocks. He saw very few animals and the ones he did see seemed to give him a respectful nod and carried on with their business. At one point a trio of Vultures were flying ominously over him but with a few choice words they flew off to harass some other poor creature. By some stroke of luck the heat hadn't reached the point of catching plants on fire or Jordan would of had a heat stroke. He stopped what he assumed was every mile or so to take a swig of water and swish it around his mouth before swallowing. He was in no way about to waste his water which was his life preserver.
"Fuck~ how much further till I hit a damn oasis?" he asked himself as he looked at his map. He estimated that it'd take at least another day and a half till he arrived to the Changeling Hive. His eyes widened in surprise as he saw how close one of the oases was. In fact all he had to do was keep moving forward and within the hour he'd reach it. With renewed vigor he hurried on to his salvation to avoid the heat's wrath. As he made his way across the Sandy hills he looked at the sky and estimated he had around two more hours till the Sun would set.
With a strained breath he finally made his way over an unstable hill made of sand and dead plants. He squinted his eyes to not only minimize the heat's damage but to get a better look in front of him. He saw what he thought were palm trees and the shimmering of water but he was skeptical. Wary of mirages that might throw him off his path, he took a look at his map. There was the stick figure and literally just in front of it was the oasis marker. Slowly a smile began to form on his dried out face and soon that smile became a grin. With a "Fuck yes,'' he tore down the hill, careful not to fall down.
He finally reached the oasis and stopped to admire its brilliance. The watering hole was at least 30 feet in diameter and 5 feet deep he guessed. He dropped his pack and refilled the canteens that needed to be filled. Setting those next to the closest tree he began to take his hoodie and then his undershirts till he was left in his jeans. He knelt next to the pool of clear cold water and cupped his hand. He used his cupped hands to wash his face and to pour some of the water onto his head to remove the sand that was irritating his scalp.
After finishing his ministrations he made his way back to his pack and noticed the sun was beginning its descent. He opened his pack and reached inside for the tent. Again it felt as if it was handed to him and he brought it out with ease. Luckily his father had taken him camping and taught him basic survival or he'd have a tough time in the Forest. The tent was set up fairly quick so he began to look for some wood to burn. Although scarce he was able to scrounge up enough for a small fire that would suffice.
After getting the fire going he brought out his dried food and just sat next to the fire munching on dried fruit. As the sun got lower so did the temperature. Not wanting to catch a cold he put his clothing back on. As he pulled his shirt back on he stopped midway and had the feeling that someone or something was watching. Ignoring the sensation he proceeded to dress himself and resumed his place near the fire. He looked up from the fire and looked at the sky, the stars were shining. "I could get used to this," he said to no one. Poking the fire a bit he stood up and put everything into the tent and entered, deciding a early start in the morning would make the journey shorter.
Unbeknownst to him, a trail of fresh tracks that looked like they belonged to a dinosaur were effectively covered up from a sudden gust of wind.
Author's Note
So yeah, just a little quickie as an apology for my tardiness. I truly apologize for taking so long. I'll try to be more punctual. Also dont be shy to leave a comment on what ya think :D
Snowflakes gently floated through the air, caking the earth below. It was early Winter and the temperature was already at liquid freezing. To most people this was a unwanted weather, but to some this was a calming time of the year. Jordan was one of these few people that enjoyed Winter and it was his favorite.
Jordan was an average looking teen but was taller than most of his classmates. At 16 years old he stood at 6ft tall and was quite athletic. His only problem was his lack of motivation, when Jordan was interested in something his motivation was uncanny, heck even a little scary. His hair wasa a dark raven color and his eyes a dark brown. His hair wasn't long nor was it short, it was medium length and when wet, made him look like an anime character.
He wore black clothing most of the time and not because it matched his soul, but because it was a color he just simply liked. One of Jordan's passions was reading, he couldn't get enough of it, in a way it was his drug. Now Jordan was not some teenager who was bullied nor was he from an abusive family but he did feel like he could be doing so much more.
It was a strange feeling really, here he was sitting at the park in his polluted city staring up at the night sky just waiting, for what exactly, he didn't know. To some, Jordan was a genius, to others he was a racist sarcastic bastard, and to his friends he was all of that, but to Jordan..he was himself. As corny and cliche that sounded Jordan was in fact a very original person, he disliked mainstream things.
Jordan looked up as a snowflake landed on his cheek and looked around, the park was empty. He looked down at his watch and noted that is was 11:54. His parents were so going to kill him, as he stood up and brushed the flakes off his clothes. He gave one last look around the park and began to make his way out. He was halfway across a little bridge that was built over a small pond. Just before he got to the middle of the bridge he heard the sound of crunching snow. He looked over his shoulder and saw a tall figure walking towards him.
Jordan was curious as to why a person would take a walk through the park at this hour. He stood there and watched the stranger make his way onto the bridge. Jordan could not help but feel a strange feeling wash over him, as if something was telling him to walk away as fast as possible. Jordan merely shook the feeling off and waited for the stranger to reach him.
"Kinda late for a stroll through the park don't ya think?" Jordan said.
Jordan had to admit he had him there, "Touche Mister...?"
The strange thing was that Jordan was sure he heard the name Discord before but couldn't remember where. His thoughts were interrupted by Discord asking "So Jordan, what brings you out on this fine night?"
Jordan looked up at the night sky and said "I don't know, guess I was hoping for a little change. I just don't feel really attached here."
Discord looked at Jordan and grinned, "So let's say that if you were given a chance to spice your life up, you'd take it?"
Jordan laughed, "I'd take it and thank whoever made it happen,"
Discord's grin grew wider and he began to stroke his goatee, "What if I said I could make that happen, would you still do it?"
"I'd say deal, but I would at least like to say bye to my family,"
"Shake my hand and we have a deal," said Discord.
Jordan looked at him and raised an eyebrow, Discord was wearing a gray mismatched suit with a crooked red tie and a silver pocket watch peeking out of a pocket, he looked like a businessman. Jordan thought quietly 'If this is real than I get something new, if its fake I look like a fool. Well what the heck, might as well and do it and see what happens'
Jordan reached forward and shook his outstretched hand, "You got yourself a deal Discord."
Jordan felt a tingle, like electricity run through his body and realized he was in his room, Discord standing next to him. "Go and say your goodbyes, I'll be waiting." Jordan nodded and exited his room, he entered his sisters room and looked around, it was a typical 5 year old's room. My Little Pony accessories and posters littered the room. His baby sister really like the show, he thought it was alright and admitted that some of the mares were pretty but he wasn't obsessed with the show.
He saw his sister laying on her bed under a pile of My Little Pony plushes, she was snoring loudly and he had to stifle a laugh. He quietly made his way over to her and reached under his shirt. He pulled out a necklace with a small silver Wolf attached to it. He gently placed it around her neck and kissed her forehead.
As much as it pained him to leave his family, there was nothing else here for him. While he pulled away he heard her mumble in her sleep, "Come back soon," for a 5 year old she was a fast learner. He chuckled quietly and stood up, he didn't say Goodbye, instead he said "See you later Felicity."
He gently placed a Pink Pony Plush in his sister's arm and quietly left her room, careful not to make any unnecessary noises. He went to his parent's room next, they were asleep of course. Jordan didn't have much to say except "Later."
He made his way to his room and found Discord twiddling his thumbs, his laptop had so many error notifications he couldn't even see the background. Jordan just laughed and waved it off, "Not like I was gonna take that with me."
Discord just nodded quickly and than looked at Jordan curiously, "Are you ready?"
Jordan chuckled and nodded, "Will I need anything?"
Discord shook his head, his white and black hair shaking with him, "I'll give you the necessities and the rest is up to you."
Jordan nodded and looked down at his clothes, white and black converse, a black pair of jeans(Not skinny jeans), and a white T-shirt under a simple black hoodie. "Can I bring something with me?"
Discord rubbed his chin and nodded thoughtfully. Jordan went to his bed and moved the sheets around till he found what he was looking for, a silver android phone and a pair of earphones. His hoodie already had earphones built in them but Jordan was "Cautious". He slipped these into his pocket and looked at Discord.
"I'm ready"
Discord grinned and began to rub his hands together, "Excellent, lets get started shall we." he stated.
Discord stood up and snapped his fingers, at first Jordan couldn't belive it was real but it looked as if a small pocket of reality was split open just enough for him to enter. He gulped and steeled himself 'Out of the frying pan and into the fire, right?'
He walked through and almost immediately he felt as if he were falling, like he was on a rollercoaster and that rollercoaster was speeding down from its highest point. All around him lights of varying colors and sights of various things passed him by while he fell. He heard chuckling and looked behind him, a Chimera looking creature was laying while falling right next to him, "Enjoying the ride?"
His head was horse-like, with a deer antler on the right, a goat horn on the left, one long fang, different-sized pupils, a snake tongue, and a goat beard. His right arm was that of a lion, the left claw of an eagle, the right leg of a lizard, and the left leg of a goat. In addition, he has a bat's right wing, a Pegasus' left wing, a horse's mane and a Dragon-like snake's tail with a white tail tuft. The shape of his body resembled that of a snake.
Most people would of been scared or even screamed, but Jordan just said, "I feel like this is a reference to Alice In Wonderland and your the Mad Hatter."
Jordan laughed and replied, "Touche."
"I hate to cut off our conversation but this is where we part, Alice."
Jordan looked at Discord and saw him pointing downwards. He looked down and saw the tops of trees. Only one word came to mind, 'Shit.'
He smashed through the canopy and hit most of the branches on the way, cursing the whole way down. He finally hit ground, thankfully on a patch of grass. He layed there for a moment, aching but alive. Alive, he felt the adrenaline coursing through his veins and he let a smile form on his face, this was going to be fun.
Author's Note
Well I'm trying something new, when I say Racist jokes, I don't mean the ones that a KKK person would say, just the jokes say about my friends and myself.If it really bothers you latr on in the sory, I might tone it down.
The sun slowly rose and an eye cracked open, "Fucking Christ on a crutch," Jordan muttered loudly while rubbing his eyes. Jordan didn't mind mornings, he just hated it when the sun would always hit him in the eye. After a minute of rubbing, he looked around his camp, 'The fuck?' Spread around his camp were the wooden Wolves from last night. He was sure they would of left in the night yet here they were, napping like they owned the place.
After shaking his head and chuckling quietly he stood up and began to stretch. He twisted his body left and right, causing audible pops to emit from his back.
Five pairs of ears perked at this sound and the Wolves slowly arose from their sleep. They gave Jordan a calm stare, well calm to them and awkward to Jordan. He waved a hand and mumbled, "Whatever, I'll deal with it later."
He looked at the fire from last night and saw that it was down to a small fire. Since he didn't want to burn down the forest he was currently walking through he kicked some dirt over it, watching it smolder. When he did this he heard Smoky The Bear say "Only you can prevent wildfires."
"Ha for now maybe," he said aloud, oblivious to the watching wolves. He noticed that there were still some Blueberries left. He grabbed a small handful and popped them in his mouth, chewing thoughtfully. He looked up at the sky and saw a few clouds lazily drifting by. He grabbed his pack that he'd been using for a pillow and slung it over his shoulders.
He gave one last look around the camp and began walking in a random direction, sadly or luckily there wasn't a compass in the bag. Jordan liked gambling anyways, he preferred throwing his chance with Lady Luck, even if she had a tendency to burn him. After a few minutes of walking he heard something following him. He paused and began to look around him. His eyes settled on five pairs of ears, wooden ears.
He didn't know whether to laugh or face palm, so he did both. Noting that the ears perked and twitched at his laughter he decided to call them. "Hey, Ninjas, your not being one with your surroundings."
The Wolves slowly got up and trotted to him, looking up at him. Jordan crossed his arms, "Since you all seem pretty smart, why are you following me?" They looked at one another and shrugged visibly. He sighed, this was getting him nowhere and he had a forest to explore. "Okay, lets try that again, do you want to follow me?"
They nodded and Jordan began to rub his chin thoughtfully, "Well I guess theres no harm in it."
The Wolves visibly brightened and began to follow Jordan at a closer distance, but were still behind him slightly. Jordan was oblivious to this and continued walking East or what he assumed was East. He wasn't to good with directions but he didn't let it faze him. He and the Wolves soon passed a small group of weird looking bugs that looked like the fairies from The Legend Of Zelda. The Wolves became slightly wary around these bugs so Jordan ignored them.
He passed the regular wildlife and saw a spider as big as a cat. To this he cursed this worlds God for letting spiders getting this big. Jordan was tempted to light the bastard on fire but decided it wasn't worth it..yet. After an hour of walking the Wolves suddenly stopped, and began sniffing the air. Curious about this, Jordan walked a little further and his jaws dropped, in front of him about 50 feet away was a pyramid.
This pyramid looked like the ones that the Aztecs had back home and looked just as impressive. He began to walk forward and the Wolves followed slowly, eyeing the surroundings cautiously. Where the steps started there was a door, a very large door in fact. He pushed with all his might and was barely able to open them. When the doors fully opened, a dozen bats flew out and a low moan emitted from the darkness. Yup, this was official, this place was probably riddled with death traps.
"Fuck yes please," he said before entering the dark entrance, not noticing the Wolves whining and staying behind.
The weird but normal part of the entrance was the door closing by itself. 'Luckily' a few torches just so happened to light almost immediately. "Yup, I'm either going to die really painfully or come out with some treasure."
Jordan grabbed a torch and and began to walk deeper into the tunnel. He stopped in front of a wall adorned with writing. "If you want to pass answer a simple question, What comes once in a minute, comes twice in a moment, and never in a second?" he said aloud.
He rubbed the back of his neck and thought. With a small chuckle and slight groan he said "The letter M."
He wasn't expecting to be answered in anyway, he just had a habit to say things aloud that were on his mind. But apparently old pyramids are voice activated because the wall began to slide open, reveling a narrow hallway riddled with webs. "Fuck that," Jordan practically sang and began to swing the torch like a sword, burning all the webs and spiders.
He didn't hate spiders, he just knew the little shits always had a surprise waiting. After passing a few more boring riddle tests he came across a wide room with odd shaped panels on the ground. "The make it or break it part, huh?"
He tossed a piece of rubble onto a random panel and watched a dozen darts shoot from the wall, probably coated with hundred year old poison. "Fuck...well as some idiots back home would say, YOLO"
He began running towards an opening on the other side, throwing his torch down. The first two steps were okay till the third one, 'Shit!' He put an extra burst of speed behind his running and barely dodged the darts and painful death. After running and jumping like a crazed maniac playing hopscotch on cocaine he began to near the end of the room. Sadly this is the part where he conveniently slipped.
He felt the dart impact his ass as he made a wild dive for the safe zone, so to speak. He landed on his belly and looked behind him, the room was riddled with darts and one long dart was sticking out his ass cheek, 'And I'm dead...wait..'
His brows furrowed as he noticed one thing, he didn't feel a sharp pain. He carefully pulled the deadly dart away and put it aside. He reached into his back pocket and cried out suddenly, "MY PORN!!!!"
In the upper right hand corner of his phone was a hole and small crack. His phone had literally saved his ass. He pressed the home button, causing the screen to appear, 'Thank you Lady Luck.' His phone was still intact and seemed to work fine.
After making sure there weren't any other darts in him, he proceeded to the next room. In the center of the room stood a mantle with an obsidian like gem. "Mine," was all Jordan said. As he took his first step he heard a loud hiss coming from above. He looked up and immediately said, "Fuck you too Lady Luck, I thought we were cool."
A spider began to slowly come down from the ceiling but this wasn't just any spider, it was fucking Spiderzilla. The bastard looked like it was on steroids and meth. It was the size of a god damn pool table and it was fricking ugly. Jordan looked for a weapon. But to no avail, "Fuck that, Everything is a weapon."
He saw a dozen or more torches placed around the room and grabbed one. He pulled out his knife and held the torch in the other. He yelled loudly, "I'm about to dual wield on your fat ass!" Apparently the spider did NOT like this and hissed louder, leaping down and landing on the other side of the room. Jordan winced and said, "I was just kidding, I'm sure we could work this out."
Spiderzilla just hissed loudly, "Don't believe me, well neither do I"
Author's Note
Tell me what ya think