Valiant's head was throbbing and every part of his body was aching, he couldn't concentrate. Discord was using his lack of a helmet to make pain shoot threw his entire body. Before he had thought of war as just knocking down the unworthy, but now he was seeing. He knew the name of every pony and griffon he had ever struck down. Discord was having a shadow pull his helmet away from him; it was getting dangerously close to the fighting.

"Why!!" Valiant shouted.

"I told you! You called me the worst insult you can call a draconequus the worst thing they can be called, plus you threatened to cut off my head, and you naturalized my power at the worst possible time."

"I am also partially responsible for you and your new girlfriend!" he shouted as his nose started to bleed.

"Trying to appeal to my kinder side are you?"

There was no response as valiant was writhing in pain, unable to talk or even see straight.

Princess Celestia was heading to the throne room to get some work done when she passed by a window that overlooked the hedge maze, she walked right passed it. Then she immediately backed up and saw a small battle being played out in the direct center of the maze. She rolled her eyes.

Discord was laughing at Valiant’s pain. Suddenly he found himself flat on his back with princess Celestia over him, and she was fierce. "Oh Celestia are you enjoying the show" Discord said creating some popcorn and holding it up to her.

"Discord You will stop this battle now!" she commanded.

"Oh fine" he said as he snapped his talons.

The only sound left was the wails of agony of Valiant who was still trying to get to his helmet. "All of them!" Celestia said sternly.

"I don't have to listen to you about this one" he said pointing towards Valiant. "He cannot accept aid from you, by the rule of his order."

"He is in no condition to reject my help." Celestia pointed out.

"Nnnnoooo!!!...I!...Can!...And!!...I!!...Will!!!" Valiant shouted out in between wales of agony.

"Well I will help you. No disputing it."

"I!...Would!...Rather!...Die!...Then...Put!...You!...In!...Any!...Danger!!!" he shouted threw his agony.

"Discord holds no danger to me." Celestia pointed out.

"I!...Don't!...Under...Under...Underestimate!...Any!...Beast!!" He yelled as his agony increased from Discord.

"I can release you from your agony."

"My!...Vows!...Still!...Hold!" he got out now only inches away from his helmet only to have his own shadow push it away from him.

"Fine, I recognize the rules of your order. And Discord don't you dare do anything to my hedge maze."

"Oh don't worry I'll put it back the way it was."

"Get!...Help!!" Valiant shouted.

Celestia teleported away and Discord turned towards the writhing Valiant "So, while watching you squirm like that is entertaining, it just isn't entertaining enough. And with your helmet off I can teleport you now" and he did just that he teleported the two of them off to the far north.

"Oh thank Celestia" Valiant breathed a sigh of relief. He had his helmet back on, thanks to Discord forgetting how Valiant’s armor worked when teleported.

"Oh I'll just be taking this” Discord said reaching for Valiant’s helmet. Valiant turned away from Discord and ran off with a wobble, still disoriented. “Where are you running to? We’re in the far north there is nowhere to run to.”

Then Discord saw just over the ridge he could see the very top of the Crystal Palace. Can’t have him getting there. Not when Fluttershy and her friends are visiting, definitely don't want open that can of worms. he though.

He teleported in front of Valiant “Where do you think you are going!?” He shouted in anger.

“Away from you beast!” Valiant shouted gaining a sudden burst of energy and running past him.

Discord teleported in front of him again “Well just take off your helmet and I can teleport you away” Discord offered.

“I don’t trust you beast! Just leave me be.” Valiant shouted through his chattering teeth.

“All you have to do is remove it.”

“So you can torture me more, I would sooner rescue Swift Feather from Tartarus!” he pushed past Discord, causing minor burns and continued in his original direction.

"Do you even know where you are going?"

"Away from you."
Discord summoned walls on all four sides of them. "Ha! Now you can't go anywhere." Discord danced in victory."

"These are made of snow." Valiant pointed out and pushed one of them over. "Oh that reminds me..." Valiant shot his anti-magic beam at Discord. Discord was too distracted while dancing that he didn't block and was thrown on his back.

"What did you do that for?!" Discord said snarling.

"Because you tortured me, and stranded me in the far north! now take us ba... I DON'T HAVE MY SWORD!!!!"

"What's that got to do with anything?"

"My sword is what make offensive spells not work, I shot you without it. I canceled out all of your magic. Stupid! Foolish! Mortal! Valiant! I've just caused torment on myself. BY TARTARUS!!!!" he shouted as it started to snow.

“That’s stupid!”

“Yes it is, but it is standard issue, and I don’t have the ability to change it.”

“Who does?”

“Only an enchanter of my now dead order.”
"Great we’re stuck here. Wait! We could make it to the train station, look the track is right over there." he said pointing.

"Wait if we go to the Train station then we'll be near the Crystal Empire."

"So."

"So I have an old friend who is in charge there, he could arrange transportation directly to Canterlot"

"And this friend is?"

"Shining Armor, oh I could tell you stories about his drunken late night escapades."

"As enticing as that is let’s just wait for the train." Discord said his eyes looking away.

"Why would we, when we can just travel there via chariot."

"You can't accept help from Alicorns. He couldn't help you."

"Why am I arguing with you when you have been tormenting me all day! I'm heading to the Empire and now you can't stop me?"

"No you don't want to do that."

"And why not?"

"Fine!!"

The two bickered and argued for several hours; Valiant's armor had been boosted by the teleports and had affected Discord so that he couldn't use magic till further notice. By the time they reached the outskirts of the Empire it was the dead of night and they were exhausted. As soon as they're hooves and foot hit the grass they both collapsed on it.

"Come on Valiant."

"Who has armor that locks onto their body? And how can we be sure this is even him?"

"His order required it of all of their fighters."

Valiant's eyes shot open and he sat up quickly looking for Discord "Where is the beast?!" that was the first thing to come out of his mouth.

"Well you're welcome Valiant." said a very familiar voice.

"Shining! Is that you how have you been, how’s the new wife?"

"Why don't you ask her yourself?" Shining Armor said pointing to his left.

Valiant turned to see who Shining armor was pointing at, when he saw Princess Cadence he fell off the bed he was in and scrambled into a bow "Princess forgive me for the intrusion into your Empire. I understand if you would have me take my leave immediately"

"Why would I do that?"

"Then I shall take my leave" he said getting up and walking past her to leave the room.

"Shining?" Princess Cadence said looking at her husband.

"I've known that stallion since I first entered the royal guard"

"How well?"

"Well enough to know he can handle his cider and mine, and flashes, plus..."

"Ok I get that, but you won't even let me call you 'Shining'"

"War builds bonds that can never be broken no matter what."

"Like you were in a war"

"I was in some skirmishes"

Valiant was leaving and was just in time to see Discord being chewed out by Fluttershy. He was informed by a small dragon that Celestia had sent word of what had been going on to all of the other princesses. But there is something about this ordeal that Valiant didn't like. How did Discord know my past, and who was this hooded pony that had known my name. he thought as his chariot pulled up.

Author's Note

TheGrandSpellCaster: Glad that's out of the way.
TheGrandSpellCasterMind: Wait! I'm confused, who tiped off Discord?
TheGrandSpellCaster: No pony important to this story.