(prolog) a unwanted waking
Deep, deep in the dark forest known as the Everfree was a old and withered temple, or tomb if you prefer. It was made by a clan of Pegasi in long forgotten times and hidden deep in the pages of history. There bravery was astonishing. There skill was unbeatable. They were the best. They were Spartans.
Little did anyone know that there was one still breathing. And now fate had decided that his part has come to play and see this world again. And make a difference to it.
"ahh!" the warrior was trained not to scream but when the last thing you remember was a Elephant charging its tusk into the side of your wing and then waking up in a dark, damp and cold enclosed space really makes you freak out.
The Spartan used his strength to push the huge slab of rock in front of him up. After the slab was completely off he sat up. 'where am I?' He thought. 'Well, it certainly isn't what I thought the heavens to be.' He looked around only able to see a small amount of light coming through a hole in the sealing. "Zeus? Posiedon? Apollo?" He said with curiosity, then he saw the the rest of the room. thing no warrior would ever want to see.
Row after row of graves. This was not the heavens, this was a tomb of his brothers. and at the very middle, his king, Leonidas.
"my brothers!" he yelled. he ran from tombstone to tombstone making his respects to all three-hundred of them. They had lost. He and failed to even Die in battle. he made it to Leonidas eventually. How he could tell was there was gold and this tombstone was bigger than the others and in the centre of this huge square room.
"My king" he said putting his helmet on the ground and kneeling in respect. "I have failed you and every Spartan in this room. I am not worthy of you any more. I will venture out into this world and I will find my place, and regain my honour if I can. That my king is a promise!"
After a few minutes he grabbed his shield, sword and spear that were in his crypt with him and made his way out by climbing up and out of the hole in the roof. When he reached the top he stood and looked on at the huge over grown forest in front of him. He still had questions in his mind though.
'Why am I still alive? How long has it been? What happened to Sparta?' he thought over and over again. He didn't let that stop the task ahead of him though. He readied his wings and jumped into the air...... And fell... when he hit the floor he shrugging off the pain like he was tort to. "Okay maybe my wing is more damaged than I thought."
"Damn these vines!" the stallion said in a annoyed tone. he had been trudging through the stupidly thick forest for a day now. He had came across a river and hoped that it would lead to civilization of any sort. Even if they were hostile, he could at leased die with honour.
After another two hours the sun was going down and he could say only one thing. "Princess Luna" He said as he watched the the moon rise from the top of a tree that was higher then the others. He new of the Princesses of night and day, They weren't his gods of course but he did once appear at a royal council with there mother. He spotted them in a cot in the middle of the council when he was on guard duty. 'I was so energetic back then.... So very young.
A very, very long time Ago.
The high council of Canterlot
'Focus damn it' he said to himself his composure. And by composure he meant stand completely still and look like a bloody statue. 'keep your ears open and your mouth shut. you need to make a honourable impression on the Equestrian guard' his eyes darted around the huge council room.
It was at leased thirty forty meters with huge marble pillars with beautiful swirling pattern forming there way into the gold lined sealing. The ground was made of stone with a huge rectangular wooden table in the center, it's surface concealed by hundreds of scrolls and maps laying atop it's surface. There were ponies everywhere. There were at leased a two-hundred of guards on each side of the room, one side were Equestrian guards and one the other there were the Spartans, which is where he was standing. They were there to make sure there was no treachery involved, I guess the Equestrians had the same Idea.
Our king Leonidas and high queen Faustia were discussing diplomatic problems wile looking at a map. "Done" Leonidas said "We keep the trade agreement for as long as possible and in return we shall have a defensive alliance"
Faustia nodded "yes we shall. Your people are still part of the four clans and we must stand together in dark times."
"agreed" said Leonidos "Is there anything else?"
Faustia didn't answer for a few moments "a Spartan"
"What?" he asked with suspicion.
"A Spartan" she said more clearly. "I wish to have one Spartan to keep as the Royal protector."
"Why in the name of sanity would you want a Spartan to Protect you? Wouldn't you want to use a Equestrian guard of your own?" Leonidos protested.
"Think of it as a sign of our friend."
Eventually king Leonidos agreed on the terms that the Spartan who is chosen will get treated well "But remember, Faustia. One day I will need all my Spartans, and I mean all of them."
"Very well then" she they both sighed the treaty and shook hoofs in with a smile. Faustia looked at the Spartans on the other side of the room.
Leonidos saw this and yelled "SPAAAARTANS!!!!!" and suddenly all the Spartans that were as still as a statues sprang to life, all of them at once lifted there shields and stood to attention. The Spartans always held there shield in there hoof, unfurling there wings to keep them balance. There wings also provided a great scare tactic by making them look bigger. it wasn't to learn to walk on three hoofs or even sometimes two on the occasion of using different weapons.
In the mean time of the Spartans made there action the royal guard across from them were startled by this action, some raised there swords and growled, some took a few steps back before remembering themselves and a few just ran. If the Spartans were looking for a fight the smart ones would the few who ran.
Faustia sighed and continued to walk through the lines of Spartans. I think you can guess who's going to bee picked. she spotted a foal in the very back of the room. He was tall, brisk and energetic. He looked only little older than faustia's daughter, Celestia.
The almighty goddess stopped him in the corner behind "I see something to become of you" she said.
he didn't reply.
"What is your name?" she asked in a curious tone, slowly walking towards me.
Leonidos glared at me, telling me to answer quickly. But being in the presence of a goddess had given me bit of a shock.
"I will ask again." she started to pace round me. "Your to young to be a Spartan, and if you were you would be up in the mountains training so, who, are, you?"
He finally spoke up. He said "My name is Sharp hoofs... Though most just call me sharp."
"you look very young" she said "how old are you?" she asked sternly
Leonidos answered this "As far as I know he's eight years of age, if not younger. I found him as a baby wondering round a forest on the Edge of Sparta. It appeared he had potential since he tried to kill me at that age. I don't know where he's from or who he is but I do know that he could make a fine Spartan given the training. I brought him along so he could see what he would be when he was older. He's no use to you right now."
"Yes he wont do any good now. But I will take him." Faustia said
"What!?" Leonidos said dumbfounded and angry.
"you can send some people to train him if you like. I know how much training is important to the Spartans. I will not bend him to his will. He will not haft to swear allegiance, and he will not fight in our ranks, He must only serve as a protector for my daughters."
Leonidos argued and argued. but there no such thing as a quarrel with a goddess.
So that was that. Lord Faustia took me as a guard for traditional purposes. King Leonidos took me aside and said "Stay strong young one. You'll be doing Sparta an honor for this.
"But I'v not even done proper training" I said.
"Don't worry, you will be trained here by trainers from Sparta herself, none of those silly Equestrian trainers." he said. your a good fighter sharp, you beat almost all of the other young Spartans in fair combat and your smarter than most Spartan foals your age. I couldn't think of anyone better to represent us here in Equestria for our strength. Now Spartan are you prepared for anything?
This lightened my spirits and I stood up tall and said "Yes sir"
The Everfree forest.
10pm
I Steadied myself as I almost fell out of the tree I was sleeping in. I turned to to the other side of the tree in a attempt to stop from falling and then I noticed something behind me for the first time. "A village" I said. I small town lost in slumber was sitting next to the forest, at leased to miles away. I Decided to start moving again since civilization was so close to me.
I climbed down the tree and headed for the edge of the forest where I saw the town. Then I heard it. A loud growling from behind me. I turned to see A large wolf made of old trees and lumber with branches and sap holding it together, with huge bright green eyes that showed a ravishing hunger for blood.
I raised my spear and said "A timber-wolf, And I thought you were only a legend, told to keep the young in there place."
The creature growled even louder and prepared to pounce.
I raised my shield "you don't want to do this pup. seek another creature to hunt. I said snarling. But to no chance of talking to a wild animal the creature pounced. I raised my shied blocking it's claws and pushing it right over me. It growled and came in for another attack this time it ran straight towards me i's teeth ready to bite... but I was ready for it. The Timber-wolf's head collided with my shield, pushing me back but I held my spear up and drove it into the side of it's neck. It yelped but continued to push against my shield. so again I stabbed at it's wooden skin, and again, and again, and again. Eventually the creature fell after a few more stabs, But it still was alive so I did the only thing I new... I rolled it onto it's back, pined it down and stabbed my spear into it's chest. the creature writhed around in agony.
After a minute I pulled my spear out the Timber-wolfs chest, skewered on the end was a large grotesque ball witch i assumed to be the creatures heart. the light faded and and the timber-wolf stopped moving. I took the heart off my spear and took one last look at the dead creature to see it's body separate into nothing but twigs. 'now, where was i, ah yes the town' I moved on, running through the forest.