Equestrian Adventurers

When Reznox and Swift Storm returned back to the tavern for lunch was when Swift realized how hungry he really was. They spotted Zinc and Shield at the same table they sat earlier that morning.

“Swift! Rez! Over here let me see what my money paid for.” Shield motioned for Swift to hand over his new bag.

“Ah very well made bag that will last you a very long time. Let’s see …normal equipment for the average adventure, but there is one thing you forgot.” Shield pulled out a book from under the table. “This here is the hand book all adventurers live, breathe, and die by. If you accept this you are officially one of us. So do you Swift Storm take this book and uphold all that is called upon your duty as an adventurer?”

“Wait what? You are telling me that there is an official handbook? Like some type of code of chivalry?”

“In a way yes, but it’s more of a guidebook than a live by this or die rule book. It is full of tips and general information of our ways.”

“Oh ok, than sure yea.”

Shield passed over the book and Swift stuck it in his bag for later.

Zinc looked at his bag and noticed a pair of daggers in them. “Swift you are forgetting to show off your new weapons! Let me see I do know a thing or two about these things.” Zinc used his magic to levitate the daggers out of the bag still sheathed. As Zinc looked at the sheathes he then pulls one of the blades out.

“Swift, or rather Rez….Where did you buy these?”

“From Smithy, said that some guy came in and just wanted to rid of them or something like that. They were not cheap either!”

Shield takes the other dagger and examines it as well, “I trust Smithy. He is a long friend of mine and has been nothing for good. If he priced it than he thought that price was fair.”

Zinc then saw the gem at the bottom.” Shield look at the counterweight in the bottom. Is that what I think it is?”

“Well Rez either you paid too little or too much for these, or one is more believable than the other. It seems either the gems on the bottom are storm gems or they are fake”.

“Wait what are storm gems?” Asked Swift.

Zinc put down the dagger he held in his magic and looked to Swift. “Gems are used to hold certain spells for a period of time. Storm gems are the most powerful gems. Not powerful as in can destroy the world in a blink of the eye, but they are the only gems capable of holding long lost magic that Pegasi can do. Storm gems can contain a rare type of magic, what that is exactly isn’t known, but it is thought to be some type of weather magic. It is all here in the book I have been reading.”

“So how does one know if they really are storm gems?”

“Well typically they are a storm in a gem, but so far I have yet to see a storm in here just a bunch of fog.”

“If it helps earlier I saw some lightning in them.”

Zinc looked at Swift in awe. “Are you sure Swift? Are you sure it wasn’t the light reflecting off of it?”

“Pretty sure yea. Why is that bad?”

“Well my book doesn’t say, but for when you practice fighting with these use them outside please.”

Shield stood up then, “Speaking of practice Swift me and you out back in 10 min.” Shield walked outside to prepare an area for them two to spar.

Shield and Sky took turns training Swift in fighting and flight. After 3 days of this shield then begun to teach him how to fight with the daggers.

“Ok Since you are lucky and are a Pegasus you can float with your wings and hold the daggers in your front hoofs, or if are unable to fly hold one in your mouth or one hoof.”

Now you think that for a human turned pony would understand how to hold something in his hoof. Even being in this world for several days Swift still had problems with holding the daggers.

“Swift keep your grip on those suckers! The enemy will not stop to let you pick it up.” Shield yelled at Swift.

“Yea I  know” You yell it every time I do it.

After another session of sweat and the sun beating down on the training duo, Shield said that it was time for a break.

“You are getting better Swift. Soon that target dummy will never know what hit him.” Reznox said coming over to see how they were doing.

“Haha very funny Rez. How about you and me fight. No magic just pure manly fists.”

“Naaa I don’t want to make your face any worse than it is.”

“Enough Rez, Swift has been getting better. Soon he will be able overcome some enemies. This brings us to tomorrow. Swift you will spar off with your dagger against Sky.”

Oh my god. This is how I die. Sky has to keep up his tough guy face and will stab me with his weapon in the chest. Well might as well have fun.

“And before you get any ideas Sky will not kill you.”

HOLY BALLS Can he read minds?

“Yes I can”

“Now you are really creeping me out dude.”

“Na I was kidding. I am just really good at reading faces.”

Shield, Rez, and Swift all went to their rooms. Swift pulled out his adventure handbook and read where he left off in the chapter of looting.

In the event that loot is found all loot is evenly distributed. Anything that cannot be evenly done so will either be counted as special loot or given how the leader of said party wants. Special loot goes to whomever the party as a whole agrees it goes to

I will have to remember this out on the road. Note to self. Look under every rock for loot.

Swift woke up to Split Root knocking on his door.

“Hey Root, let me guess early day for an early beating from Sky?”

Root said nothing expect nodded and went down to the table that they always had their meals at.

After breakfast was eaten, the group of six went to where Swift has been practicing.

Zinc walked next to Swift.” Ok just to let you know I have enchanted the blades to dull so that you can’t hurt Sky too badly if you get lucky. Also I was examining them and it seems that the gems on the bottom do have magic in them. So if you feel at all a different let me know right away.”

“Ok will do.” Swift looked up to the sky and sees in the distance a storm is brewing. “Hope that storm is not a bad omen of what is to come.”

Sky and Swift stood on either ends of the arena. Shield walked to the center and started the rules,” Ok so normal dueling rules. If you set a hoof on the ground outside the arena you lose. If you are knocked out you lose. No killing allowed. And remember fight dirty!” Shield then stood over to the side.

“Swift as a friendly reminder you can fly outside of the arena and still be good. I want to take this to the sky as soon as possible so be ready!”

Ok just remember your training from Shield and Zinc. You are both Pegasi so don’t expect power from his attacks. I have daggers, but I bet he can disarm me in a second. I just hope I don’t get hurt too much.

Sky watched Swift have a mental discussion with himself,” I am going to enjoy beating him up so much!”

Swift made the first move. He rushed forward to try and just get a hit in on Sky. Sky simply side stepped Swift and used his wing to push him over. Swift stood up again and tried again with the same results.

“You know Swift you are not going to get anywhere by only using your hoofs. Use your daggers I won’t disarm you this spar is to see how you are with them you know.”

Swift sighed and pull out his daggers. Using his wings to float above the ground and hold both daggers in his hoofs.

Well here goes nothing.

Swift let loose of his thoughts and just did what he practiced. Using only his movements to turn and swing the blades into the next attack. Sky dodged most of the attacks and only suffered minor cuts.

“Hey kid you are pretty good I will give you that. How about we take this up a level shall we?”

Sky took to the skies and Swift followed. In the sky the two spared. Swift swinging his daggers and Sky dodging them.

Man this is hard trying to focus on flying and hitting Sky.

As they fight the storm slowly moved its way to Little Gem. Zinc saw this and shouted up to the two Pegasi, “Guys lets end this now! The storm is getting too close!” but his shouts were taken away by the wind.

Sky and Swift are still fighting. The wind currents take them in its grasp and only thing they Pegasi can do it just ride the wind out, Swift sees an opening when a gust of wind off balances Sky. Tilting his wings he let the wind shoot him at Sky. Sky never saw it coming and received a very deep cut in his side.

“OUCH! Dude that was cheap and smart.”

*hello this is your friendly Author here :D. This part that is about to happen is going to be in slow motion as multiple things happen all at once very fast. So please enjoy*

Swift realized what he did and decided to try something to finish off his opponent. He flew up higher into the storm to use the clouds as cover skill keeping an eye on Sky. Sky during this is still trying to recover from the cut Swift gave him. Once Swift was above Sky he turned downward toward Sky and used his wings to slam into Sky, but bad luck happens. A bolt of lightning hits Swifts daggers surging into Swift. Swift blacks out and start to fall. Sky sees what happens and dives down after him. Swift is falling faster and faster gravity takes over. Shield, Root, Rez, and Zinc all run to where they see Swift falling. Before anyone could do anything another bolt of lightning hit Swift again this time bringing him out of the black out. Seeing how he is about to hit the ground he tries to using his wings to slow his fall, but he was to close and was only able to get a single flap of his wings before he hits the ground rolling.