The Dragonslayer

This is a story that takes place over hundred years before the rise, and fall of Nightmare Moon.

There have always been dragons. They have always been mighty and fierce creatures that can rain down terror on villages and strongholds alike. No matter where you live, or where you go, there is and always will be the threat of a Dragonic attack. As they have adapted and changed to survive in any environment. From the snow capped mountains in the north, to the great desert in the west, the rich forests of the east, and the grassy fields of the south. No village is safe. No Fortress is strong enough. Dragons roam as they please. Some even say that they have taken to living in the oceans and seas. Dragons can come an many sizes and shapes with an unlimited number of terrible skills and abilities.

Equestria was still a relatively young nation. Unfortunately, for an unknown reason, dragon attacks were at an all time high. The young nation had no idea how to handle such fierce and wild attacks. Entire towns would just go silent over night. When others would go to find out what had happened, they would bare witness to the terror, and waste that dragons could bring. There were hardly ever any survivors.

That is, until a great dragon attacked the capitol city. When Canterlot was... was assaulted by the dragon dubbed Ravage, three heroes rose up to the challenge and saved the capitol city. Blood Tooth, and earth pony, Star Swirl, a unicorn and Wonder Volt, a pegasus. Together they united and defeated Ravage. They gave Equestria the answer that they so desperately needed. Dragonslayers.

An entire military force was created to train soldiers for the one purpose. To learn how to kill dragons. Only the best of the best would make it. Of the hundreds thousands who applied, few thousand were ever accepted into the program every year. Being a Dragonslayer was like being a celebrity. Everypony loved you. You got money, protection, high ranking titles, ponies vying for your affection! The country needed heroes. Dragons kept coming and fighting, Dragonslayers kept rising to the occasion and fighting back.

Even with the Dragonslayer program enabled, many innocent ponies were still being killed. Then... mysteriously. The undeclared war stopped. Dragon attacks changed from a multiple attacks a month, into a yearly one or two. This went on for nearly ten years.

In the beautiful city of Canterlot, there was a mare. Young Ms. War Bond, a mare who is one of the many new recruits for the Dragonslayers, she trained everyday in case of a dragon attack on any nearby towns or villages. She was a dark ebony mare, her mane was an icy light blue, usually cut into a short, yet still remarkably cute cut. Her eye's were a deep crimson. She wasn't much of what one would call a... girly mare. Her trained muscles and stubborn tomboyish personality just never attracted very many bucks.

The day had been rather taxing for her. After starting her morning with a fifteen mile gallop, she went on to weight training for a few more hours. After that she finally ate her first meal of the day, noodles, rice, and potatoes, caloric fuel. After that came weapon training. Broadswords, warhammers, long bows, shields, all for a minimum of forty minutes, both in her hooves, and using her teeth to wield the weapon. Before mid-afternoon, she ran another fifteen miles. After her intense work out, she finally got a chance to rest back at base.

She trotted through her barracks, trotting to her bed where she sat down and took a deep relaxing breath. Her eye's closed, she rested for a minute, going about her plan for the rest of the day, and evening. After a soothing hot bath, and a big meal, she decided to do a bit of reading and study up on dragons.

She went over the anatomy of the listed and defeated dragons.

Blood Dragons. Usually smaller then the average dragon, and with a darker primary color, with a bright secondary one. Most commonly, they will be a dark black, with a bloody red underside. Unlike other dragons, they weigh more then their size would dictate, slowing their flight. This is due to the blood dragon's unique ability of which it gets it's name. Blood dragons cannot breath flames of any kind, instead they spew up vast amounts of their own acidic blood. The blood can easily burn through most standard armor sets, but is unable to burn through it's own scales. These dragons, cannot be burned by their own acid blood, but they can be burned by other blood dragon blood. They have the blood to support this due to their having roughly five hearts, each pumping more blood then the regular dragon heart. This extra liquid slows them down, but also gives them extreme levels of stamina. Do not try to out last these dragons, they will out last you. It is best for these dragons to be taken down by archers, and lancers.

She set down the guide book. She already knew these things, but she figured it was best to keep refreshed. She wanted to build a habit of reading a bit about any kind of dragon at least once a day. She was now ready to start her evening, she's probably hit some bar, have a drink or two, then head back to base for some rest.

This was her schedule. For what seemed like a lifetime, she stuck to this same routine. Work out, eat, train, work out, shower, eat, study, drink, good night. That was it. The mundane schedule was not what she expected. Granted, she was not the kind of pony to go bragging about being a Dragonslayer, she had seen several of her fellow Dragonslayers doing that very act, but she thought it was shameful. She wanted to be just like Blood Tooth. She wanted to be recognized for her skill, not her title.

It was the middle of the night. She was fast asleep.

“GET UP, COLOSSAL DRAGON SPOTTED HEADED EAST, LETS GO STOP THIS FUCKER BEFORE HE GET HERE!” Her commanding officer blasted from her dorm room. It didn't take her more than five minutes, to get out of bed, make her bed, suit up, place her claymore on her back, and make her way outside. She really liked claymores, mostly because it was also Blood Tooth's weapon of choice.

As she made her way on to skywagon number nine, her registered transport unit, she went over Colossal Dragons in her mind. Mostly to calm her nerves, this was her first time in active duty. This is what she was training for. She and over a thousand other trained warriors would do battle with the Colossal Dragon.

Okay, Colossal Dragons, no breaths of any kind, slow, bad fliers, too big. But they make up for all that with shear might and size. You don't need to move very fast when a single step is going to move you nearly a mile... most likely cause of death... trample... stay calm. Slash and dodge, slash and dodge. Keep inside blind spots, and watch out for claw-steps. You can do this.

Her and nearly one hundred others sat in a sky wagon. Everypony was silent, save for the one commander. Who instructed them that teamwork was key here. Told them of their battle plan and formations. She looked to the faces of others, to see how they held up. Being that three ponies in that wagon had already vomited, she knew they were all scared, for most of them, this was their first chance to be in active combat.

“We're dropping off a bit of a trot away. We don't want it to know were coming, but from the look of things out there, I don't think it could anyway.“ the commander ordered.

The roof of the sky wagon opened wide, they were a solid three miles away from their original landing zone. Which was already a good ten miles off from the dragons reported location. She looked up at the sky.

It was completely consumed with smoke, any higher, and their flier would choke to death from lack of air. It only looked like it got thicker from where they were flying.

“C'MON, WE'RE DROPPING NOW LET'S GO!” the commander roared through the loud winds, before leaping off the skywagon. One by one, each pony unbolted themselves and jumped from the sky wagon.

She took a breath as she saw her turn was coming, undoing her bolt, she held her breath as she made the leap of faith. In seconds, the sky wagon looked far away. She felt the wind slash at her underside. The wind flowed through her armored body. It was so cold so high up. That's where things got blurry for her. Fading away.

She awoke in utter darkness. She struggled to move her body, which felt horribly stiff and rigid. She tried desperately to feel for her surroundings. She couldn't move more then an inch in any direction. Her nose was full of the stench of death, and muddy soil. She was trapped.

She was trained enough to know to control her breathing, not to panic. She knew that there was a good chance that she had very limited air. She couldn't recall what had happened. She couldn't remember any from the last few days. She didn't know where she was, or how she got there. Her head ached, and her chest burned.

She felt about her small container. There wasn't much distance between her muzzle and whatever she was trapped in. Using all the strength she could muster in such a confined space, she bashed her hooves against the roof of her container. Again. Again. She bashed at the roof with all of her force.

The container let out a painful cracking moan. She instantly knew that she had been trapped in some kind of wooden container. She knew she could break it. She felt her escape coming. With a few more bashes, she felt her hooves break the hard wood, and penetrate into the outside.

Unfortunately when she moved her hooves, some kind of soft substance began to fill her container. She made the sudden realization all to late.

She had been buried alive.

She awoke dreary in darkness once again. However... things were not pitch black.

She lay on her side in the mud. The rain falling hard. It was night, and very dark. Yet somehow, she could see. She could see through the blackness, she saw everything in a dark dull gray. This however, was far from her greatest concern.

She, for the second time, awoke in a daze. Now she lay in mud, struggling for breath.

Rain soaking her down to her core. Her chest burned with an intense hot pain. She was missing... a lot of memory. The last thing she remembered was reading about Tower Drakes, then heading to bed. She had no idea how she ended up getting buried alive.

The more she tried to remember, the more her head pounded.

OK, just drop it War, forget the how for now. Focus. Where am I.

She struggled to stand in the friction-less mud. She felt her hooves slip, and she slapped against the mud with a splat. Reminded her of the hazing she got as a new recruit.

This is easier, I don't have anypony watching and judging. There is no weights stuck to my sides. I can do this.

She pushed herself up, and her hooves clapped in the mud. She looked about for her surroundings. She saw nothing. She was in some kind of open field. The only thing she saw were tiny rocks placed in an odd formation. They went on as far as she could see. They were all equidistant from each other. A flash of light filled her vision, for just an instant, she saw a gate not to far away. Then the booming thunder blasted the field loudly.

At a gallop, she rushed for the gate. She felt her hooves slip, but she was fast enough to catch herself this time. Steadying, she kept up the dash. She galloped hard, when she reached the gate, she scaled it in seconds. It was much easier then the one she had been training with. She was glad all that exercise was legitimately useful.

The soil beneath her was still wet, but grass kept her from stepping in mud now. The grass was soft, and squished under her hooves. This didn't slow her down, she kept moving forward.

Another flash of light. Out of the corner of her eye she spotted a large stone... thing. She couldn't describe it. Not from the single instant she got to notice it.

She turned and rushed in that direction. Eventually her short ranged night vision illuminated the stone for her. She looked at the flat rock. Feeling as if this was just some dumb rock. Randomly here in the middle of the field by mere circumstance. Trotting around it, she took a careful look at both sides. She froze when she reached the opposite side, according to where she approached from. She realized that she came from the stone's back, and now she looked at the face of the stone. A pure level of dread and panic filled her.

Canterlot Memorial Cemetery.

What the fuck!? What the fucking fuck!? Am I a fucking zombie!? What the shit!

She fell flat on her flanks hitting the wet grass with a squish. She couldn't escape the cold. That extreme impossible cold. It froze her down to her core save for the burning in her chest, in her heart.. She was confused. She was scared, downright terrified. She was clueless to what was going on and how things have been happening.

She wouldn't let any of those thing stop her. She had year's of training to become one of Equestria's best warriors. She was a fucking Dragonslayer!

She took a deep breath. Calmed herself down. And began to think.

Okay so first things first I need to get out of the damn storm. Where am I? Canterlot cemetery. So that means I am underneath the capitol. That's a hell of a trot on hoof, where else can I go. Pok! Pok is only a thirty minute trot from the cemetery. Crossing that field is a lot easier than climbing that mountain in a storm. It's a start.

After a fifteen minute gallop, she arrived the small town of Pok Pok. It as a small neighboring town. Built entirely off of the success of Canterlot. When ponies dreamed of moving to Canterlot but found it a bit outside of their price range, Pok Pok offered a place to stay and significantly lower rates.

The small village was quiet in the heavy downpour. The booming thunder pounded the place, bellowing across the sky and throughout the town. She quickly scaled a two pony tall fence to touch down on the soggy thick grass of Pok Pok. She felt her hooves sink deep into the wet soil. She was impossibly cold. Yet her chest was burning, not from the gallop, no. She couldn't place it, and it had been burning since she first woke up in that coffin.

It felt like her heart was on fire, melting, making a burning hole in her chest. Yet the entirety of her body felt cold, ice cold. She was shivering viciously, the cold piercing her body's core. As she approached the town, she felt her body slowing down, stiffening. She thought she might be freezing quite literally.

OK I need a plan! The Inn! Shit no bits! Okay... umm... what can I do?

"War Bond? Is that you?"

Young Lyve Wyre, a unicorn mare with an ivory coat and a sword metal gray mane with a colorless streak in it, she had emerald eyes, and nice teeth. She was a mare who was very to herself, but not really by choice. At a time she was actually close friends with War Bond, back when they were both small fillies. However, when they became of age, War Bond left to go train and follow in the hoofsteps of Blood Tooth himself. Lyve Wyre however left to Canterlot, as one of the first sets of students to attend Canterlot's School for Gifted Unicorns. These two separate paths, among other things, lead the two astray. They hadn't talked to each other in what felt like a lifetime.

“Wha? War Bond!?” Lyve Wyre stated with a level of disbelief.

“Yea... yeah it's me!” She was glad for a friendly face... but of all her old friends... it had to be her...

“How... what? I can't...” She seemed to enter some kind of state of shock.

The fire place blazed. Filling the main room with both light and warmth. The tiny room looked big with the lack of furniture. There was an armchair sitting there next to a lantern, facing the fireplace. Then there was the tiny table, only reaching high enough to touch in between the knee and shin. The house itself was quite small. As were most houses of Pok Pok, but the residents preferred the term cozy.

War Bond sat on the floor by the fireplace, she was wrapped in a bedsheet, she wanted to forget the word cold. The hardwood floor was cold, so she used the extra length of blanket to sit on. She was mostly dry now, Lyve Wyre helped dry her with, “wimpy flame magic”. That bitter cold was now replaced with a soothing warmth. The burning in her chest seemed to fade away.

Lyve Wyre trotted into the room, the sleep still in her eyes, her magic holding a tray of two small tea cups. Neither of the girls liked tea, the cups actually contained soothing hot chocolate. Rather than sit in the chair, Lyve took a seat not far from her friend. The fire cracked and burned. Her magic moved a cup of hot chocolate toward her friend, who then set it down on the tiny table.

They both sat in silence for a while. Enjoying the warmth of the fire. Listening to the howling winds outside, accompanied by loud rain drops, and the occasional bellow of thunder. The hot chocolate steamed the cool air. Flames danced on the pieces of wood in the fireplace, wiping about rhythmically. As if the flames were dancing.

War Bond sniffed her drink, wanting to enjoy the nicest thing thats happened to her in a while.

“Careful, it's hot.” Lyve warned. unphased, War took a long drink, loving the pleasant warmth flowing into her body, and the chocolatey taste in her mouth.

“Thanks Lyve.” War stated calmly. The two mares were still a little shocked about where they were, and who was in their company.

“I'm sorry to drop in on you like this Lyve... things have been... weird for me, recently and I wasn't sure what to do.”

Another cackle of thunder filled the air.

“It's alright War. Its really good just to hear from you again, We have talked to each other in... wow I can't even count them... since before I graduated from Canterlot's School for Gifted Unicorns.”

“Wow, your right. Come to think of it I wasn't even a recruit back then.”

“You enlisted! That's right! I just went to school.”

“Magic school, and your magic still sucks.”

“Warmed up this hot chocolate.”

“Your magic isn't great.” War stated with an over-sized grin. The two girls traded looks and gave a short laugh.

“Its good to see you again.” Lyve replied with a small grin.

“Same to you Lyve.”

The two friends were obviously still tired. That sat in the silence of each other's company for a little while longer, until they finished their drinks.

“Hey... not that I don't want to catch up... but its really late, and I'm super tired. Would you mind if we continued our awkward silence in the morning. I only have one bed... so you're sleeping here. You can this chair cushion as a pillow. Or just sleep in the chair.” Lyve stated after a long yawn. Her magic taking the armchair cushion and setting next to her friend.

“Hey, that's totally fine. Thanks for the help and chocolate. We can chat later.” War Bond replied, as she flipped the cushion to the less sat on side.

With a grin and a wave, Lyve blew out her lantern, and trotted back to her room. Glad to see her friend alive and healthy, and glad that she opened her door to her, she retreated back to her fitful sleep. War Bond was thrilled to out of that damn storm. She just laid down casually and grinned. The warmth of the fire was beyond soothing. Like a flaming blanket of cotton... or fluffy puppy fur. She had a hard time putting it into words. She heaved a sigh, and rested down, closing her eyes and hoping to sleep away all her worries. She was confused but also very tired. She wanted to tackle the confusion of her situation while she was well rested. Unfortunately for her, sleep didn't come easy.As tired as she was, she just laid there, back to the fire place for awhile. She was tired, but at the same time was not sleepy. She just laid there trying to blank her mind from the night's events.

Okay, this is not working. I want to sleep! I need to sleep! Guh! Just sleep already!... maybe if I do something to take my mind somewhere else...

Her mind immediately jumped to a very... primal urge.

Well... I could do that I guess... I doubt Lyve would walk back in here. Even if she did, I don't think she can see through these blankets. Wow... first time in a while... I haven't done this since... since before I enlisted. Well alright, yeah. I'll do it. Take my mind off all other troubles.

She moved on to her side. And slowly moved a hoof down her belly... and into a much more sensitive place.

What... General Blood Tooth? You want too what?! Oh my, I'm just not that kinda of mare... but... but your so strong... so very...muscular... and handsome...

I apologize for interrupting... this, but do know that you are not as alone as you think you are.

Years of training had made her reaction so smooth, she moved like well oiled machine. Bolting up and immediately grasping a fire iron from the container just in reach of her teeth. She looked about the room, giving the entire room a quick look over. She searched for the source of the sound.

“Who's there!?” She ordered.

Be silent young one. We need not wake the maiden of this home. The voice was eerie and hauntingly familiar. Deep... and beastly. She looked about, looking for the voice, but no matter where she looked, the voice sounded as if it was over her shoulder.

She tried to scream... scream for her dear friend. Yet she couldn't open her mouth.

Do not yell, if you wish to speak to me, speak to me through your mind. As I do to you now.

How the hell am I going to do that!

You just did.

FUCK you can read my mind!? Where are you!? Who are you!? Get out of my head!

That awful burning began to get hotter again.

I cannot read you mind.. I am part of it. We are now one. They both felt it. The pain was unimaginable.

Who the... that doesn't make any sense. She was losing focus, the pain was over taking her.

Yes I don't quite understand it eith...-

A flood of thought came rushing into War's head. All of a sudden she remember everything. The burning pain peaked, then faded away. The colossal dragon. The eye looking beyond her... into her soul. She was hit with the memories like a surge of tidal water. Instantly extinguishing that flame in her chest.

-no it makes complete sense now. I assume we just experience the same rush... the same... flood of memories.

This is impossible....

No, it was a spell I learned when I was but a child. It is called a Soul Bond. We are now bound by the soul. We are one in flesh, but two in mind. A new experience for both of us I believe.

You bound our souls? What does that even mean... well I guess you just explained it but...

It was a spell, I stated that already. As for what happens next... well I am not sure. Why we lost our memories of just before the binding temporarily I do not understand. I awoke to you panicking underground, so I dug us out, but for some reason, I lost consciousness, only awakening again not long ago. Just long enough to see you wave good night to your friend, then begin...

Lets not talk about that What does a soul binding do exactly?

I am not entirely sure of the after effects, but I know we are now two souls bound into a single body. I see what you see. Feel what you feel. That is all I know on the spell however.

So you really don't know what is going to happen next do you?

Indeed. I was curious to see how this all works. At my age, new information is quite rare.

So when I blacked out in my grave...

I... took the reigns... for lack of better words.

And you just stopped me from screaming...

Indeed. It would appear that we can both control the flesh. Yet one of us remains... in the primary control station. Your body. You have the most control. I can stop you, but I cannot directly counter your movements. Odd. I didn't think I could silence you.

This is freaky... there's a dragon in my head... in my body.

Indeed. This must be much to take in. I apologize for this... you did not ask for this. At the very least, you have a good chance to change physically for the better.

Whoa... what do you mean that?

We are in this together. I have a theory of what's happened, and will happen to our body.

Well... thats... nice I guess... There is either a dragon in my head or I'm insane. This is fucking crazy. Why did you do all this. Who are you? You are part of me. You did this without my permission. I deserve answers!

Indeed you do... what would you like to know. We don't need much sleep. Probably just a few hours every few days... I assume this is because you have my body's systems. Which are intended for much... larger beings. So this small body requires less rest.

So we have most of the night huh? Okay... first things first. Introductions. Who are you?

My name is Goliath Mountain Claw.

War Bond. Pleasure to umm... have the same soul I guess.

Separate souls, but they are linked to one body.

Yeah... alright. Next question. Why did you bind our souls.

I was fighting a losing battle. I didn't need to win. I just needed my enemy to not win. Joining souls with you denied him his victory.

Alright... I don't really get it, but I doubt you would give me more. That was cryptic enough. I know when things are hidden. I don't like it, but I respect it. We can talk more about that later, lets move on.

Thank young one. You have my thanks.

Okay... so what difference did all this make to my body.

From what I believe. You have become stronger physically. As well as had an increase in your stamina. You also should have taken my resistance to flame. I am almost sure there is more to our union then that though.

What is your plan now that we've joined souls.

You have done me a great deal. For that I am greatly thankful. I intend to do the same for you. Using my ancient knowledge and skills I shall aid you. You are also now half dragon. I do not know how this will effect your body, but I shall help how I can.

No alternate motives? Not that I trust you just yet anyway, but it's worth asking.

I have made clear to you all my intentions young one.

You do realize that I am a Dragonslayer right. I kill dragons.

Ahahahaha, Young child. I have slain more dragons then you have ever seen.

So... How old are you than?

Old Enough to have seen what you ponies call the first day. Ever.

Alright then.... I guess that will do for now. Just don't try to get me killed.

We share a body, if you die, as do I. You may remember blacking out six feet underground. When I pulled us out? I intend to keep us both alive.

Well... I guess this is happening. This is really happening.

Indeed... and if your intention and goal is to court this... General Blood Tooth, I can aid you in winning a male's affection...

What... NO! NONONONO! Ignore that! That little moment never happened alright!

I am a male, I can help.

I don't want your help with that! Blood Tooth is a-

Dragonslayer I know. We all know of him.

So you get it! Me being with him is impossible.

Nothing is impossible. Why not long ago, I'd bet you were sure you wouldn't end up half dragon.

NO! NOPE! NOT DOING THIS! We're not talking about Blood Tooth. Or.. Thinking about him! Shit this is really weird.

Indeed. I do believe we are going to be stuck together for a while. What an interesting turn of events.

Oh please wake War Bond. Just wake up, this is just some crazy dream!

You are handling this better than I expected.