Author's Note

I apologize for the lack of updates for the last 6 months or so. But hopefully this will make up for it!

Doomseeker

The sun was up and it's rays of light blanketed the land from horizon to horizon in it's warm glow.
Rainbow Dash was leading the weather team to get rid of the last few spots of gray in the sky - remnants of yesterday's scheduled rainstorm - and was almost finished when one of her crew, a brown pegasus by the name of Swift Pinion came to her.

"Hey boss!" Swift said as he flew next to his boss, known for her tomboyish attitude and reckless behaviour. Her recent experiences with the dwarves and their ale didn't do much to fix it.

"Oh hey Swift! Done on your end already?" Dash said as her gaze fell over to the side of Ponyville that Swift had been assigned to, finding it completely clear.

"Yup, I was wondering if I could have the rest of the day off, got to visit this new pub that this dwarf Matrak Stonetooth is opening tonight." Swift said, pointing a hoof towards the stone structure that rose from a previously blank spot. It had been made recently after gold had been passed from hand to hoof. It had both a Khazalid name and an Equestrian name, both meaning the same: The Ale Hall.

"Huh, seems like you and I got the same destination tonight, Swift. Supposed to be a big party. Strange though, they said that Pinkie was not allowed into the party." Dash said, scratching her head a bit in amusement.

"What? Pinkie Pie and parties NOT in the same place at the same time? Did somepony just defy the basic truths of Equestria?" Swift Pinion said before grinning at Dash. Both of them looked at eachother for a moment before they burst out laughing.

"But seriously though, I'm interested in seeing what they'll do. We never really have seen these guys partying over anything. Seriously, these dwarves are a grim bunch."

"Yeah... It's as if they were sensing that something is going to go wrong. Weird." Dash said, rolling her eyes before returning to leading her team. Much of it was done by example.

Swift was about to lower down on to the ground and walk in the direction of the town when he saw a dwarf coming from the direction of the dwarf realm, which was known to the ponies as Ironpeak ever since the dwarves had claimed it for their own - something nopony dared dispute.
The stranger coming in the direction of the town was different from all the others. His hair had been shaved away with the exception of a thick mohawk that seemed bigger than the dwarf himself. It was dyed orange and he had no clothes except some pants. His body was covered in dwarven tattoos and a gold chain was hanging from his nose, ending on his belly button. His beard had some golden jewelry on it, crafted to resemble a leering dwarf, something the ponies found disturbing.
The dwarf noticed the pegasus but paid him no mind, simply walking like a pony on a mission of great significance, ignoring the stares he got from the ponies in the town.

"So this is Ponyville. Hrmph." The dwarf with orange dyed hair said as he entered the only open tavern in the town. Every tavern he had ever been to in the past had seen their fair share of strange stuff so he was not surprised when the ponies paid him no mind.

"Bartender. A pint of your hardest drink. And make it quick." He said, putting a big nugget of gold on the counter, likely worth more than the drink was. The bartender, a unicorn by the name of Ripe Barley, looked at the nugget, then back at it's owner, then back at the nugget before shrugging and putting the yellow rock behind the counter while his hooves worked to give the dwarf a big mug of the most alcoholic beverage Ripe could think of in such a short timespan.
The dwarf took the mug and left the counter, moving off to look for a table in the farthest corner of the Inn. Finding a suitable table he positioned the chair so its back was against the wall, with that done he hopped onto the chair, the wood creaking with his weight, he grunted as something poked him in the side, looking downwards he noticed the haft of one of his hammers poking into his ribs. He snorted and slapped the weapon, moving slightly so he could be comfortable.

He was just about to take a sip of the drink he was given when he noticed a few patrons staring at him. He proceeded to glare death at them until he caught their attention, doing so he took a hammer, slowly, from a catch at his side and slammed it on the table with a meaningful look.
The colourful patrons got the message and with more than a few blushes turned away before the dwarf took offense.
The dwarf took a sip of his beer and nearly spat, choking at the poor flavour. "Umgak.", he said distastefully, and went to pour it on the floor, but caught himself before he did. Sighing bitterly he took to sipping the poorly made drink morosely and fell into thinking. The dwarf's name was Throm Throrsson, once he had been a prosperous miner, valued through his hold. And then tragedy struck, a section of cave he was mining collapsed, trapping him and killing a party of his kinsmen. It took a week and a half to dig him and their bodies out. His clan had tried to console him but his guilt was too much, he had left in the night, gone to the priest of Grimnir and taken the slayer oath for his shame, vowing to fight against the most horrible of beasts until his heroic death was achieved. A few years prior to the events that brought the dwarf-hold to Equestria. He'd been in the hold to resupply - something he would have rather ignored but his human companion insisted on it. And the manling had been forced from the hold due to the High King's scheduled visit - a visit which never came to pass thanks to the strange things that brought the dwarf-hold to Equestria.

His thoughts turned to other things, in particular a certain forest that happened to be a short distance away. Throm had heard rumours of dark things that lived there but had disbelieved them. He doubted anything violent lived in this vibrant place of colour and kindness. It made him sick to think that there was nothing in this land that would grant him his wish. He snapped out of his thoughts with a shake of his head. "I am wasting too much time." He said.

With that he drained his mug in one go and got up to leave, taking his hammer with him. The bartender, seeing such a high paying customer go called out, "Thank you for choosing my inn, sir!" Throm turned and snarled at the colourful horse reflexively, making the pony recoil in shock and surprise. Now out of the tavern Throm hawked and spat on the ground, his scarred face looking around to get his bearings.
He could see the massive tree in the distance said to house the Golden Oaks Library. Grunting as he did so, Throm set off, walking down the road towards the building. While walking he recieved many strange looks for his hair style and colour, the looks only made his rage grow, reminding him of his shame. "Dreng tromm.." he said bitterly, pulling on his beard savagely. These creature were too innocent, once when he had left the ranger outpost he had encountered a pony on the road, the pony had remarked humorously of his hair and beard colour. Throm had nearly strangled him to death. "They don't know." He said trying to ignore the looks as best he could. There were a few dwarves that he noticed, but ignored them as he had other things to do. The other dwarves were too busy to notice him as they were carrying supplies into a building that had a sign which read 'The Ale Hall' in both Khazalid and Equestrian. Finally after a short walk, made grueling by the stares, he reached the Library. He glared at the door angrily and slammed his fist into it a few good times before he heard a young voice cry out in alarm and yell.
After a few seconds of waiting the door was opened, Throm, expecting too see a pony. looked down instead to find a young purple dragon.

"Hey man, what's the deal with you, you could have knocked the door off its hinges!"
Throms face turned thunderous with rage. "Drakk!" he hissed.
The young dragon looked confused and spoke, "What's a dra-urgk-" his voice was cut off in a strangled cry as Throm's hand shot out his large fist enveloping the small dragons throat easily.
He ripped a hammer from his belt and raised it high over his head, and brought it down with a savage jerk.

There was a scream from inside the house and Throms hand suddenly started slowing until his blow did nothing more than a slight thump, snarling he looked up to find a purple horse standing inside looking frightened.

"What treachery is this!?" Throm roared, throwing the dragon with all his might at her. The purple pony screeched and hurridly caught the small thing in a field of magic only making his rage grow. "You protect it as well?!" He took his other hammer from his belt, and moved inside of the doorway, blocking it with his bulk.

"I can explain!" the purple pony cried. "You better, or your life is forfeit." Throm growled, advancing on her.

It had taken 3 hours for the dwarf to calm down and listen to Twilight's explanation of why the small creature was with her. Throm didn't like it so he had told her to keep the fell thing away from him.
They were now in conversation about the forest, called the Everfree as Throm came to know. "So.", he said slowly "The rumours are true?"

"Yes, there are many horrible beasts that dwell in that forest, like manticores and timberwolves. It's why nopony goes there."
Throm tugged on his beard thoughtfully, and said: "How deep would one have to go to find these beasts?"

"Not too far. It only gets more dangerous the further you go." Said Twilight nervously, unsure of what the dwarf was getting at.

"I see, then that is all I needed to know, I bid you farewell, Twilight Sparkle."
He hopped off the couch and walked towards the door, opening it with Twilight close behind.

"Why did you want to know? Are you going there? What are you going to do?" The rapid fire questions made Throm smile.
He turned to her and there was a fell light in his eyes as he spoke. "I go to seek my doom little one."

"WHAT!?" Twilight shouted, everypony in the vicinity looking at the Golden Oaks. But the few dwarfs merely glanced at the slayer and knew that it was none of their business.

"I'm going to this forest and either slay every single one of these creatures or die trying. And if what you say is true, then my wish for a heroic death will be granted." Throm said, lifting a hammer to his shoulder.

"But why? Why try to get yourself killed? I don't understand!" Twilight frantically tried to stop the dwarf with her physical strength alone, but it proved insufficient. Soon she used her magic to grab his hand, which annoyed the dwarf a lot.

"Let go of me, pony. I don't have the time to answer your ridiculous questions, for Grimnir's sake!"
Seeing as how she found a way to stop the dwarf, Twilight looked at him with a serious face.

"I'm not letting you go get yourself killed without an explanation and that's final!" And with that the dwarf was dragged back inside the library for a long period of questioning.

"So you look for a heroic death to atone for a past sin?"

"I already told you, pony. And I will say no more. Now let me go! I have monsters to slay!"
Twilight sighed as her magical shackles gave way.

"You're not going to budge, are you?"

"Hrmph, you're lucky I don't kill you where you stand for this insolence."

"I was just looking out for you!" Twilight said, shocked.

"I look after myself, pony. I don't need one of you for anything other than a Rememberer and even then I would rather have a dwarf to be mine." He said, glaring death at the unicorn.

"But-"
Throm's gaze made Twilight swallow nervously instead of finishing her sentence.

"If the Ancestor Gods look favourably upon me, we will never meet again, Twilight Sparkle. Farewell." With that, the slayer was out of the library, leaving Twilight and Spike looking at eachother and the door.
After a long while, Twilight made up her mind and dashed out the door in pursuit of the dwarf. Spike facepalmed as she did.

"Seriously, risking your own life to save the life of a mad biped who tried to kill your assistant. Way to go, Twilight." He mumbled before shutting the door and flipping the sign to closed.

The edge of the forest was right in front of the orange-crested dwarf, who was grinning madly.

"The rumors were true indeed. I can smell the evil coming from this forest."
He heard a timberwolf's howl, a small distance away from his current position if his estimates were correct.

"Or maybe it's just those blasted walking piles of firewood." He spat at the ground in disgust.
His head quickly jerked up as he heard the feminine scream though. With a grunt and a curse he began running towards where he had last heard the noise.
He heard another feminine shriek as he neared the edge of what seemed to be a trail and stopped as a purple blur crashed into him. Throm was knocked back a step as his eyes finally landed on the purple thing - The librarian from Ponyville.
With a scowl he spoke:

"Valaya's tits, horse! What has gotten you so frightened?" The 'horse' in question was about to shout for help when a snarl interrupted them. Loping from the shadows along the trees from the road came five things that looked as if they came from some child's nightmare.
Throm looked on in curiosity as the creatures stopped a short distance away upon seeing the dwarf. Their eyes tracks the purple pony as it got up and hid behind this new creature and whimpered. They had chased the food for an hour through the forest and they were damned if they were going to let it get away now.
Throm swung his hammer loosely in one hand and while the haft was long enough to use two handed he liked the speed of using it single handed. He grunted and spat at the creatures; Timberwolves if he remembered, they looked... "Pathetic." He said dissapointedly to him the creatures looked like they were held together by some sort of magic. They looked like a weird amalgamation of wood and sticks with the occasional leaf sticking from them: it reminded him of a spell a manling wizard had shown him in his short travels from the clan hold. Not nearly as dangerous in appearance as the ponies claimed.
One of the creatures ran forward and with a howl leaped at the dwarf. The dwarf snarled and lunged forward bringing his hammer swinging in an arc for the creatures torso, there was a sickening crack as it connected and the wolf dropped down a few feet away from the dwarf in a pile of wood and twigs.
With a howl the rest of the creatures ran forward at the thing that had harmed its pack and Throm's eyes widened and gripped his hammer with both hands and swung backing away slightly. His first swing connected on the head of one of the wolves smashing it to splinters but Throm was unable to catch a moment's respite as he heard a snarl to his left and looked in time to see on of the beasts lunging at him. He turned, sucking in his gut as the wolf lunged past and turned quicly to keep it in front of him and with a curse brought his weapon back over his head and swung it down quickly smashing the beast back to shards. A weight settled onto his back causing him to grunt but that grunt quickly turned into a snarl as he realized it was the beast's jaw's sinking into the meat of his shoulder. Throm roared as he leaned forward putting a hand on the things jaws and tugging, making it lose its balance and fall to the side where it scrabbled to right itself before an iron shod boot crushed it's thick wooden skull.
He turned quickly as the final wolf lunged at him and quickly brought his arm up and winced as the creature's jaw's latched on and started tugging, tearing at the meat of his arm. Throm dropped his hammer and moved his hand to the creature's bottom jaw working his fingers into it and with a savage wrench snapped it from the creature's mouth, moving his other arm free he quickly grasped the wolf's head together in his palms and with as much pressure as he could began to squeeze until finally with a sickening crack the creature fell into a heap of wood. Throm stood there, panting with a mad gleam in his eye before he took notice of the surroundings. Sitting there staring in horror at the dwarf was Twilight.

"Good fight." He said with a grin. Twilight could only gape at him, making the dwarf chuckle.

"At a loss for words, are ya? Doesn't matter. You're answering." Throm said before closing the distance and staring at the unicorn's eyes.

"Why did you follow me?"
Twilight looked at the broken twigs and pieces of wood that had once been timberwolves. Throm grabbed her by the throat.

"Why did you follow me, horse?" His eyes suddenly looked up as he heard a noise.
The dwarf had no chance to wait for an answer as he pushed the unicorn forward and jumped back as a hooded figure landed in between Twilight and Throm.

"Do not harm my friend, bearded one, or this will be the last time that hammer is swung." The figure threw back the hood, revealing a mohawk of black and white stripes. Golden jewelry adorned the zebra's face.

"Zecora!?"

"Yes, it is I, Twilight. Here to save you from this brute's might." The potion maker replied before turning her full attention to the dwarf.

"Out of my way, horse. This is none of your business." Throm snarled angrily.
The zebra didn't move an inch. The dwarf grinned in response.

"Good, I was hoping you'd do that." With formalities out of the way, Throm threw his hammer at the zebra, who dodged it easily. The runes on the hammer began to glow before it began to switch directions, flying back to Throm who caught it by the haft.
Twilight was amazed. She'd heard of the magic trapped in dwarven runes, but they never taught her anything about it other than the basic information that every dwarf knows - even that info was shared only after petitioning from the king.
But her wonder abated quickly as the dwarf raised his arm in an attempt to throw it again. She wasn't sure if Zecora could dodge it again.

"Throm, wait!" She cried out. The dwarf threw the hammer again. Once again did the zebra dodge the hammer that could crush her skull in one blow. This time the hammer got lodged in a tree, the sheer force of the throw threatening to snap the tree in half. Even Throm was slightly impressed by this. Either he was growing stronger or the Everfree Forest had a lot of flimsy trees.

"Wait!" The unicorn repeated. Yet again did the dwarf ignore her, stomping to get the hammer, or to strangle the zebra, Twilight wasn't sure which.
The earth's rumbling stopped his advance. Looking behind him, he saw a gruesome sight. A gigantic timberwolf was glaring at him knowingly. The dwarf smiled, showing his yellow teeth.

"Finally! I've been looking for a challenge!" He shouted out to the wolf. He snatched his hammer from the tree, bits of it still sticking to it, before throwing it at the wolf. It hit the alpha with a resounding crunch as wood snapped and leaves began to fall from the force of the impact. Not that they could hear any of it over the timberwolf's cry of pain.

"Pah! I expected more from one of the wutrothvarf!"
The zebra and unicorn had both cowed as they saw the slayer face the giant timberwolf fearlessly.

"What is going on in that fool's head? Alone and with no hammer, he's bound to fall dead!" Zecora grunted, thinking that maybe she should take Twilight out of the forest while the alpha was distracted. Something made her stay, however.

"It's what he fights for. An honorable death." Twilight mumbled.

The dwarf and wolf eyed eachother, the former with a mad glint in his eyes, the latter with an animalistic intelligence that told it would be in for the fight of it's life.

Throm's smile turned vicious and with a roar torn from his throat he charged the giant beast. The wolf snarled and lunged trying to bull the small creature over using its weight, but the dawi dodged and hammered and meaty fist into it's side with a loud crack. The wolf jumped to the side and backed away before lunging again. Again Throm tried to dodge but the wolf moved with him and closed it's jaws on the dwarf's leg, snarling it lifted the creature and started shaking it. Throm howled in agony and - using his body's momentum - managed to swing forward and hammer a fist into it's balefully glowing eye.
Something unexpected happened; as the socket cracked the green glow exploded in a small burst of green sickly flame burning the dwarf's hand. Throm howled again as the great beast opened its jaws to howl in agony, releasing the dwarf.
Throm quickly scrambled to his feet and moved away, limping slowly backwards to avoid the beast's thrashing. Throm laughed; the pain, it made him feel alive. "Yes, good, come beast, let this be a fight worthy to remember!"
Suddenly a shout from behind him interrupted his dark thought glancing over his shoulder Throm saw the purple horse holding his hammer in a glowing aura.

"Throm, Catch!" Called Twilight, throwing the hammer to the dwarf.
The dwarf caught the hammer deftly by the haft and made to turn only to be tackled to the ground, feeling a set of jaws clamp around his leg. There was a crunch and Throm had felt like every bone in his leg had turned to dust. Screaming in pain he rolled over and - swinging the hammer in one hand - smashed the wolf in the face to get it away and buy time to stand. The wolf snorted and leaped back pawing its face and whining. Throm quickly stood leaning his weight on his only fuctioning leg. Having recovered, the giant wolf howled and charged. The dwarf held up his hammer and brought it down as the beast smashed into him, hitting the same side of it's face again. The thing flailed slightly as it's head was completely smashed, one side of the timberwolf literally falling off.
The timberwolf's weight proved too much as it barreled down upon him, twigs and branches scraping his skin as the main body fell on his chest. The dwarf let out a cry of agonising pain as he felt his ribs crack and shatter.
But the wolf was dying. Throm must have hit it in the brain, if the slight twitches were of any indication. The thing made a motion to rise again, but Throm, even in his prone state, managed to twist his hammer in his hand until he thrust the haft through the thing's eye and into the remains of it's brain, killing it instantly.
The timberwolf never even let out a death cry as it exploded, scattering twigs and dead leaves everywhere, the force of the explosion injuring the dwarf even more. His breathing was now ragged, one of his eyes didn't obey him and he was pretty sure his stomach acids were flowing into his bloodstream.
Twilight and Zecora were amazed that the dwarf was still breathing, but it made them all the more worried.

"Throm! Oh Celestia, Throm, we'll get you help!"
The dwarf snarled at the pony, making Zecora frown slightly.

"And rob me of a mighty death, horse? Killing this thing is my greatest achievement and has rid this forest of a grave threat. I gladly give my life in return for it's death." The dwarf gave a wet gurgle and spat a bloody red mess to the ground next to him. The zebra herbalist thought she saw a piece of flesh in there, making her grimace.

"Perhaps now... Now the Hall of Ancestors will welcome me... My... atonement... accomplished..." The dwarf said before his eyes slowly began to close, a smile on his lips.

"Throm.. Throm!" Twilight cried, tugging at the dwarf's body, until Zecora laid a hoof on her shoulder and shook her head.

"His spirit joins the ancestral hall. For this great deed, they'll answer his call." The zebra said, before turning back towards the road, Twilight following her almost automatically, though she took a long glance back at the dawi corpse.
After the two reached the edge of the forest, Twilight spoke up.

"Thank you Zecora for bringing me here, but I have to go see the dwarf king's representative here in Ponyville. I have to let them know what happened to Throm." She said, not feeling that cheered up considering all the events that had transpired.

"And I must return to my abode, even if I wanted to help you lighten your load. But I have heard of a place opening in town, how does the two of us going there together sound? A drink might help your thoughts besoothe, at the Ale Hall of Matrak Stonetooth." The zebra said, waving the unicorn farewell as she turned to go back into the woods.
After Twilight had stood there for a moment, she smiled.

"I'd like that." She said to herself.

"And then his hammer hit the timberwolf on the side of it's head. The wolf fell on top of him, still alive, until Throm thrust his hammer in it's eye, killing it. But his injuries were too severe. And he didn't want my help or Zecora's..." Twilight said, sipping at her drink as the collected dwarf group listened intently.

"Aye. A good death. A giant wutrothvarf sounds worthy of a drengi like him." One of the longbeards said, nodding approvingly.
Rainbow Dash was there as well, drunk as a sailor but had somehow managed to not get kicked out.

"I propose a toast! For the slayer of the big and bad timberwolf! The hall welcome him and all that you dwarves say." Dash said, holding her mug up while smiling stupidly.
The dwarves grumbled slightly at the cerulean pony's lack of respect but most of them raised their mugs in response and drank anyway. Unlike what Dash and her fellow drinking buddy Swift Pinion had thought, there was no dancing or singing. Just drinking their super-tasty alcoholic Bugmans XXXXXX while glaring daggers at anypony who looked at them funny.
The silence lasted until one of them started to hum to a grating tune, one that seemed to echo off the walls as the dwarves began to sing their hymn of farewell. Their honored dead now join the ancestors in the halls of the Ancestor Gods and shall forever be remembered as heroes. The ponies had no knowledge of what was going on, but the tune was easy enough for them to hum along. It was soothing in a way.

It was a slayer's farewell. And wherever he was in the Halls of the Ancestors, his kinmen knew that he was watching over them and smiling, with a beer mug in one hand and a pipe full of quality weed in the other.