Royal Knights

Injuring Velstadt and meeting the locals

We were walking in a random direction for a few minutes now, Smough thought that if we make small talk it could pass the time.

“So...what if we run into trouble?” Smough asked.

“Throw Artorias at them and you’ll spin around and slice em in half,” joked Raime.

“Hey you could use your sword instead of throwing me,” I said annoyed.

“But you’re the only one that knows how to to that kung fu spin thingy.”

“Why haven’t we tried to figure out what we can do?” Asked Ornstein.

“We could do that now.” Velstadt answered.

“Nice, can’t wait.” Raime said.

“Let’s get to a clearing first,” Alonne added.

“Look! Up ahead.” I said seeing a clear path.

        We walked a short ways out of the forest and into the sunlight. I took a deep breath of fresh air as I basked in the sunlight. I don’t know what it was, but I feel some kind of pull towards the sun. The warm of the sun made me satisfied in some way.

“Alright time to test what powers I got,” said Raime

        Raime walked out in front of us, he raised his smaller sword in right hand and swung it hard to his left and trying to spin like I did. In short he failed and was thrown to the left by the weight of his other sword. The rest of us were laughing at his failure, he rises from his spot and looks at me.

“I think we should let Artorias go first,” he said walking next to me.

        I walked in front of everyone and raised my sword and swung it. During my spin I wonder if I could still move. I slightly moved my sword upward during the spin and I was flung upward off my feet. My momentum was lost and I fell to the ground on my back.

“Woah man! You flew up so high!” Exclaimed Ornstein.

“How do you do that?” Asked Raime.

        I had an idea how I was able to do that. I was going to try again expect with a possibly a better outcome. I lifted my sword again and began to spin again, I angled my sword up again and I was flung back in the air. As soon as all my momentum was gone I swung my sword under me causing me to spin vertically. Time seemed to slow down as I saw me falling while spinning in the air. My mind predicted when to land on my feet during my spin. My lower body stopped moving and landed on the ground as my torso was was moving forward. My sword connected with the ground as a loud thud was heard. My sword made a small crater in the ground. I then jumped as high as I could doing a flip upward and bring my sword back down to the ground. I spinned with another swing then I stopped my swing then very quickly changed the direction. I then jumped as far as I could which was a very far distance, then I put down my foot and completely cancel my entire body's’ momentum.

“You can control your momentum,” said Alonne.

“And change it’s direction on a dime,” added Velstadt.

“Yeah I guess,” I said happily.

“My turn,” Alonne said.

        Alonne and I walked past each other. Alonne was now were I was and I was back next to the group. Alonne drew his sword and stared at it. He swung it around, testing its weight. He swung it to his left with both hands. His movements were like a blur as he kept swinging as fast as he could. One thing was for sure, he is fast. He sheathed his sword and charged forward to the nearest tree. I didn’t even see him draw his sword before he got there. The tree slowly slid to the side and fell to the ground. What was there was the stump. You could see were he had cut it from the bottom to his sword. He walked back to us and I was sure that he was smiling under his helmet.

“I’m done,” Alonne said walking back.

        Ornstein was next as we walked past Alonne. Ornstein thrust his spear forward once, then he did another one. Then another one, yet another one. He suddenly switched it up and started to spin his spear like a twin blade. He then put his spear behind his back catching it with his other hand and thrusting it forward. Doing this let out a lighting bolt that started at the entire length of the spear then quickly shooting off when he thrust his spear forward.

“Awesome, do it again!” Shouted Smough.

        Ornstein pulled his spear back and electricity started to build up in the spear, then he thrusted it forward. The lightning bolt sailed off to who knows where as Ornstein kept practicing his skill with a spear. Then Ornstein did something that surprised me. He tried to do what I did when I was jumping a far distance, except this time he didn’t slow down or stop. He looked like he was gliding across the ground.

During this time we had no idea how he could actually fly like this and not be able to get off the ground more than two feet. See what Ornstein does, he quicklys pushes his foot on the ground. You can’t see this on the ground because as he is ‘gliding’ a small dust cloud appears at his feet. It was hard for the rest of us to see but Alonne could see it.

Ornstein stopped his gliding and he surprised all of us as he jumped backward back all the way to us. Landed next to Smough...if I mean next I mean he crashed into Smough. Ornstein picked himself off of Smough and looked at him.

“Thanks for breaking my fall big guy.” Ornstein complimented and patted the belly on Smough’s armor.

“I guess it’s my turn,” Velstadt announced to us walking past them.

        Velstadt held his bell hammer in his hand trying to think about what to do with it.

“I think you can ring that bell,” Raime snicked.

        Velstadt look behind his shoulder toward Raime. Velstadt then lifted up his bell and rang it once. Electricity started to build up at the bell, Velstadt was surprised by this and dropped his bell. A lighting bolt shot out of the bell as it reached the ground. Velstadt stood there for a few seconds before he picked up his bell again. He stared at it a while, then he raised it again rang it two times. Instead of the bell being covered in electricity his entire weapon was covered in it. He thrusted it his bell forward copying Ornstein. Instead of a lighting bolt appearing from the bell a ton of lighting bolts rained down around Velstadt. Velstadt just stood still waiting for either one to hit him or waiting it to pass. One bolt actually hit him and was reflected off of him. The lighting ended and he stood back up. He stared at his bell and he picked up his bell and rang it one time. He then slammed his bell on the ground sending out a lighting bolt forward. He picked up his bell again and rang it two times then he slammed the but of his staff on the ground. A shower of lighting bolts rained down around him. Velstadt yelled out of pain, he dropped his bell and fell to his knees.

“Velstadt!” I shouted as all of us ran to him.

“I’m fine…*pant* just a little winded,” he said panting.

“Come on I think you’re done. Artorius, Raime carry him in the shade,” Ornstein ordered.

        I grabbed Velstadt’s arm and Raime grabbed the other. We dragged him against a tree and carefully sat him down. Raime put his armored hand on Velstadt’s shoulder.

“You okay?” Raime asked shaking his shoulder a bit.

“I think so, just a little…” Velstadt started.

“Velstadt, Velstadt come on man speak to me.” Raime said shaking Velstadt’s shoulder

“VELSTADT!” Raime yelled.

“What’s wrong?” Alonne asked jogging with the others towards us.

“Velstadt isn’t moving and I can’t feel a pulse,” Raime said taking his hand out of underneath Velstadts’ helmet.

“We need to get help.” I said worried for my new brother.

“Smough!” Raime yelled

“Huh?”

“You and me are going to carry Velstadt, Artorius and Alonne you guys see if you can find a town anywhere. Ornstein you go get Velstadt’s bell. Everyone understand?”

“Yes,” we all answered.

“Let’s move!” Raime yelled.

        Alonne and I ran off in a random direction close to the forest edge. We ran a few minutes and we found a dirt road up a hill. We ran to the top and spotted a town only what we saw was a surprise for us. What we say confirmed that we were on a different world because the inhabitants of this world were equine like humans. They were like humans but not. Their body shape was like a human but they had certain differences made them like equines. Their heads were closer to equines and they had hooves for feet, they also had tails. I was just stunned by the humanoid equines. While Alonne quickly shook his head and grabbed my shoulder.

“They may be weird but they might be able to help Velstadt.”

        I nodded and we turned the other direction and headed back to the others. Once we got back we noticed they were headed away from the forest. We ran toward them and caught up with them.

“Hey we found a town a few minutes from here,” I said barely tired from our run.

“Few minutes? Good, better than where we were headed,” Ornstein said pointed in front of them.

I looked where he was pointing and noticed a castle on the edge of a mountain in the distance. How they built that was beyond me. I mean the work they had to do to make sure it stayed there mus… sorry off topic.

“Come on let’s go!” shouted Raime.

        On the way Alonne explained about what they were going to see when we got there. Raime cared little about what they looked like only that they would help Velstadt. Once we arrived over the hill Raime was urging us to move faster. Once we were in the sight on the locals they just froze and watched us walking past them. I would freeze to if I saw a group of guys in armor carrying giant weapons. Once we were about in the middle of town Raime asked Alonne to hold Velstadt and Raime walked up to a girl with pink hair and a yellow coat, who yelped and tried to hide behind her hair as he approached. He was about to say something to her until I heard Velstadt speak up.

“Hmm...what’s going on?” He asked slightly sleepy.

“Velstadt!” Raime yelled running over to him.

“Where I am I?” Velstadt asked.

“You're in a town, we thought you were dying.” Ornstein said.

“I’m fine, I think I just passed out back there,” Velstadt said.

“So you're fine then?” I asked

“Yeah, can you guys put me down?” he asked.

        Sir Alonne and Smough carefully set him on the ground. Velstadt stood up and stretched his body while I looked around at the equine humans looking at us. I looked at Velstadt and motioned my head toward the locals. Velstadt had noticed the locals and was staring back at them.

“I think we should go somewhere a little less in the open,” Velstadt said to us.

“Where should we go?” I asked him.

“Into someplace that doesn’t get a lot of visitors,” he said grabbing his bell hammer from Ornstein.

“How about the library over there?” Raime said pointing to a tree with a door and windows. In front of the tree was a sign that read Golden Oaks Library.

“If this world I like ours nobody goes to the library often,” Smough filled in.

“Alright, let’s go,” Velstadt agreed.

        We walked a ways to the library once arrival I took in little details about the tree house. It looked like someone carved out the tree and made a home here. There was a couch in the middle with a table and tons of books stacked around the room. Out of the corner of my eye I saw movement. I turned my head to notice a human version of a dragon. The dragon had purple and green scales on his body. He was also wearing blue jeans with a red shirt. The dragon was little, he head barely came up to my chest and I was the tallest in the group. He was carry a large stack of books and started sorting them on the self while talking to use without seeing us.

“Sorry the library's closed for right now,” he said sorting out more books.

“The sign says it’s open,” Smough said to him.

“Oh I forgot to flip the si…” he said turning around.

        Once his eyes fell on us they became wide with fear. I saw this and I could not pass this opportunity up.

“Is the library still closed?” I said lowering my voice and cocking my head to the left a little.

        He reaction was quick. He shook his head dropped his stack of books and took off up a staircase. I look toward the others and noticed Velstadt just staring at me. I couldn’t see his eyes, but I know he was looking at me.

“What?” I asked.

“Did you really have to scare him?” he asked.

“We have the liberty to ourselves now. Velstadt,  I would have done the same thing, But I would’ve said something much worse to him,” Raime said patting Velstadt on shoulder. Velstadt just sighed at his comment.

        I saw Ornstein out of the coner of my eye place his spear on a coat rack. Smough placed his hammer next to the door. Sir Alonne pulled off his sheath and hang it on the coat rack. Velstadt put his bell by Smoughs’ hammer on its side. Raime leaned his giant sword on the wall and place his smaller one on the floor. I took off my sheath and laid it next to the coat rack. I stretched out my shoulders a few cracks were heard at I strech. As I looked around I saw Smough had greeted himself to the couch, he completely took up the space of the couch as he laid back. Ornstein was trying to get Smough to move to let him sit.  Alonne was browsing through the books. Raime was talking with Velstadt making hand motioning to all of us. Velstadt nodded and spoke up.

“Everyone,” he said. Everyone turned their heads towards him.

“I think we should get down to business,” he said walking toward the table.

“What about?” Ornstein asked.

“The firekeeper probably.” Sir Alonne answered.

“Yes, thank you Sir Alonne,” Velstadt said to Alonne.

“We need to find out where she is,” Raime said to us.

“How are we going to find her?” Smough asked.

“That’s the thing, we don’t know.” Velstadt answered.

“Let’s think, if this world will be plunged in darkness. How could this world be plugged in darkness?” Raime questioned.

“There could be many things to that, everyone will become evil,” Alonne started.

“Black clouds could block out the sky,” Smough continued.

“The sun could go out,” I finished.

        Everybody looked at me like I had just solved the question, but to be honest I was justing thinking of ways the world could be plunged into darkness. I notice a few seconds later they were staring at me.

“What?” I said confused.

“The sun going out...it makes sense!” Velstadt exclaimed.

“What makes sense?” I asked really confused.

“The sun and Fs’ letter, if she dies this world’s fire will fade and die.” Velstadt said.

“OOHH, I get it. The sun is basically a giant fireball.” Raime said.

“Yes, we need to find someone that controls the sun.” Velstadt said to us.

        I was sceptical at this, because how could someone control the sun. It doesn’t move it’s just stationary and the planets move around it...but from the things I’ve seen here so far I wouldn’t doubt it very much. I saw something out of the corner of my eye. It was the dragon...and he was spying on us. Something tells me, that he would squeal any information to and intimidating character. Which is good news to us and bad news to us.

Well small fry, I hope you like attention, I thought. I crossed my arms and noticed the others were still talking.

“Hey guys.” I said getting everyone’s attention. I turned my head to the stairs and being speaking again.

“It seems we have an eavesdropper.”

        The dragon eyes went wide when I turned my head towards him. He noticed every head in the room look directly at the stairs. Alonnes’ reaction was in an instant as he jumped over the table and up the stairs. The dragon let out a scream as he ran away. I heard some thumping coming from upstairs then silence.

Oh god, I hope he didn’t kill him

        I heard shuffling on the floor and a voice repeating a word over and over again. Once it got close to the stairs it sounded like someone saying ‘ow’ over and over again. I saw the dragon coming down first and one of his hands were behind his back next I saw Sir Alonne walk down with him and holding the dragons right hand behind him.

“Ow, ow, ow, ow, ow,” the dragon repeated over and over again.

        Sir Alonne brought him to the bottom of the stairs and moved him to the couch.

“Smough get up,” Alonne ordered.

Smough moved quickly out of Alonnes’ way as he dumped the dragon on the couch. Velstadt then walked up to the dragon looking down on him.

“Why were you spying on us?” Velstadt said harshly.

        The dragon didn’t respond as he was just staring at us with fear in his eyes. Velstadt asked the question again except this time he walked by him and grabbed his bell hammer. He then held it above the dragon.

“Do you know how heavy this hammer is?” He asked the dragon rhetorically.

“This hammer can crush a two ton rock from being dropped a couple of feet off the ground,” Velstadt said bluffing.

        The dragon stared at the bell and gulped. He then looked back at Velstadt silently pleading for him not to drop it on him.

“Are you going to tell us what we want to know?” He asked and the dragons response was nodding.

“First question, why were you spying on us?” he asked.

“I-I was going t-to tell T-Twilight.” he said shaking like a leaf.

“Why were you going to-” Velstadt started but I cut him off.

“Do you know anyone that controls the sun?” I asked him.

“N-no, control the sun t-that’s ridiculous,” he answered looking away from me.

        I grabbed his face with my armored hand and turned his head back toward me. His eyes were still trying to look away from me. I snapped my fingers in his face to get his attention.

“I’m going to ask again and this time don’t lie to me. Do you know anyone that controls the sun?” I said in a more serious tone.

“Celestia,” he said in a whisper.

“Speak up!” Raime said loudly.

“C-Celestia controls the sun,” he said louder.

“And where can we find her?” Velstadt asked him.

        His eyes shifted to look at something behind me, but I didn’t think anything of it at the time.

“Well she lives far away, like really far you’d have to take a train then take another train and another one, then you would have to take a balloon to a place then to another_”

        As he kept going on his eyes were constantly shifting to behind me and then back to me. I quickly realized what he was doing. He was stalling.

“Shut up!” I said while quickly silencing him with my hand.

“Which way is north?” I asked him.

“Artorias what are you doin_” Alonne started but was cut off by me.

“Shhhhhh.” I shushed him and took my hand off of the dragons mouth.

“Uhhh it’s that way.” he said pointing to my right.

        I looked to the right and angled my head to look behind me and still look like I was looking to the right. I noticed something move in the window and notice a girl with a white coat and purple styled hair. She looked worry about us being in here intimating the dragon.

“Guys, guys c’mere,” I said motioning them toward me.

        They walked toward me and looked where I was looking. They just started at the random bookcase until Raime spoke up.

“What are we looking at?”

“Why would a window be open in a closed library.” I said turning my head slowly to the window.

        Everybody slowly turned their heads toward the window. The girl yelped and ducked her head down.

“I believe we are overstaying our welcome.” Velstadt said walking toward his hammer.

“Where we going next? Smough asked Velstadt.

“Anywhere but here. I believe trouble’s coming,” Raime answered.

        I left the dragon there and went straight for my sword. The others grabbed their weapons and Smough opened the door outside. I was the last one out, I turned around to the dragon and grabbed the door knob.

“Sorry for everything, nothing personal it’s just really important business.” I said and started to close the door. I stopped a second to say another thing.

“Oh, also sorry about my brother twisting your arm like that.” I said closing the door.

        I notice the others were walking away, I quickly jogged over to him and walked next to Alonne. We were following a random road down the street when I see something flying at us at full speed. I see the figure slow down and looked like someone was going to ninja kick Alonne. I quickly tackled Alonne out of the way as the figure crashed to the ground. I quickly got off Alonne and stood on my feet. Sir Alonne was dazed for a second then he quickly jumped back up to his feet. The figure groaned as it slowly stood up. The groaned sounded quite feminine. She was a blue color with rainbow hair. She wore a white t-shirt with blue sleeves and was wearing jean shorts. She quickly gained composer and flew back up in the air. She then dive bombed back down toward us. I quickly jumped out of her way and rolled next to a house. I noticed Smough had put up his hand and stopped her without any effort. He quickly dropped his hammer and grabbed her arms and started spinning her around. He let go and she was flung against a house, she bounced off the house and fell to the ground. I watch the scene play out  then suddenly, I felt a pain at the back of my head as I fell to the ground. My vision was spinning and was disorienting colors, Once I thought I could see again I notice a orage girl standing over me. She was wearing a red flannel shirt and jeans that barely went over her knees. I swung my foot under her legs and knocked her off balance, I used my momentum to flip myself back on my feet. I backed up a couple feet and watched her get up.

“Yer gunna regret that,” She said getting up.

“Am I?” I said taunting her.

        She picked up her leg and kicked her leg at me. She kicked her leg at a speed that I barely reacted against. I pulled up my arms to block it, when it connected with me I was knocked back a little from it. The armor had cushion the hit a little, if I didn’t have armor that kick could’ve broken my arm. She moved backward a little from it, it was clear that she didn’t expect her kick to hit to have little effect to me. She quickly regain her  focus and kicked at me with her other leg. I responded by quickly jumping backward a little and then I flipped up in the air and moved my body sideways, I stuck out my leg to connect with her. I missed as she fell on her rear. My foot landed on the ground and I back flipped away from her.

“What in tarnation?” She said wide eyed at me.

“What never seen a flipping knight before?” I said smirking even if she couldn’t see it.

She got off her rear and held up her arms. She swung at me and I blocked it, she then quickly moved her leg to give me a swift kick to my side. It hurt a little, but I could tank it. I wrapped my arm around her leg and grabbed her leg with my hand. I swung her hard to the left, I spinned her around as I  angled my arms to the air. I flew upward and fell back to the ground slamming her to the on it. She tried to get back up but I did another flip, dragging her on the ground a short second then lifting her with me. I slammed her on the ground again, this time she didn’t move. I looked to the others and noticed they were watching me. I noticed that the other girl was gone.

“Where you_,” I started.

“Yep,” Raime said cutting me off with his arms crossed.

“Wished I had popcorn to watch that,” Smough said.

“So when I was fighting her, you guys were watching the entire time?” I asked rhetorically.

“To be honest we were focused on the other one before we noticed you.” Ornstein answered.

“That being said, where is the other one?” I asked.

“Flew off when she realized we were too strong for her,” Smough answered.

“Soo...what do we do about this one?” Raime asked pointing at her.

        Velstadt walked past Raime and knelt down in front of her. He removed his gauntlet and placed his hand under her head. Velstadts’ hand was a white with calluses on his hand. Velstadt lifted his hand off her and put his gauntlet back on.

“She’s alive, but I think Artorias knocked her out. I wouldn’t want to be here longer and wait for more of them to show up.” Velstadt announced as I let go of a breath I didn’t know I was holding.

“Let’s go.” he said walking away from the girl.

“Where?” I asked walking close behind him.

“I saw a train station early, we need to get out of here, Now!” he said seriously.

        I didn’t make another word as we neared a train station with a male equine behind glass handing out tickets. Velstadt walked up to the guy and leaned his arms on a desk in front of the guy.

“I have a question for you,” Velstadt said while the guy under a desk cowering a little.

“Do you know who Celestia is?” he asked.

“You mean princess Celestia?” the guy….stallion maybe? Said peeking his head from the desk.

“Yeah, her. Where can we find her?” Velstadt said.

“She lives in Canterlot Castle,” he said pointing to his left.

        I turned my head to see that castle we saw earlier. Raime was heading that way earlier, can’t believe we were on the right path since we got out of the forest.

“How long does it take to get there on foot?” Velstadt said to the stallion.

“Well on hoof it takes about three days at most.” the stallion said getting more comfortable with our presence.

“When does the train arrive?” Velstadt said sighing

“In about...ten minutes, tickets are fifty bits each.” The stallion said looking at a clock on the wall.

        Velstadt walked off suddenly, we followed close behind him asking him what we’re going to do. He said that we were going to jump on the train when it comes by. We walked a ways from the train station, following the track we see the train coming this way. We moved out of the trains way as it passed us. Once it reached the station the last cart was were we were standing. After climbing on (after helping Smough climb on due to his heavy armor) and hiding in the cargo, I was alone to collect my thoughts.

        I was here for a day and already I have; Injured a lion scorpion thing, met five guys in badass armor along with myself, intimated a dragon, fought a equine girl, and snuck on a train. Oh god help me, this day was fun. I thought about if I only had a little more challenge when I fought that girl.

        The others were settling down and I could hear gentle snores from Raime and Ornstein. They had the right idea, I laid down on my side as my head rested against the wood floor. My eyes slowly drooped closed as I was smiling knowing that tomorrow will get to the fire keeper and if we will get stopped by someone wanting to fight. I didn’t know that the next day, that I was right.