Force of Will

Ring...ring...ring..."What time is it?" After rubbing my eyes for a bit, light from the alarm clock gleamed in my face. "I over slept!" I rushed to grab my stuff and head out the door. "I knew this kind of thing would happen. Man I have the worst luck in the world!"

When I got to my car I took a quick look around to make sure everything was in place. My phone had two missed calls! We have been waiting for this day all year. Why of all days did I over sleep! Quickly calling my friend back, "John! Sorry for over sleeping I will be right there!"

"Okay, we almost left without you. Mat and Jessie were getting sick of waiting!" In the background I heard very odd music, but I could not make out what it was.

"Tell them that I am sorry, and I'll be there soon." After putting my phone away, I started my car and drove down the highway.

Finally arriving where the meet up spot was at. Mat's angry expression was the first thing I saw. He did not even talk to me for the most of the trip to our hotel! Mat did like to hold a grudge. Either that or he was angry at the music John was playing. After we arrived to the hotel, I took some time to get ready for the next day. Hopefully tomorrow my luck will turn around, it could possibly not get any worse. Convincing myself that the worst is passed I went to sleep.

"It is going to be my day today! I just have that feeling," I said while walking down the halls of the convention center. Dressed in my Jedi Knight cosplay beaming with excitement. It was one of the few times I have ever cosplayed, and finally putting it together was an riveting experience.

"Hey John, I am headed to the dealer room. Do you want to check it out with me?" I asked, while pointing in the direction that I was heading.

"No, have fun standing in line though." he said jokingly as he gave me a pat on the shoulder.

"Okay, just call me when everyone is meeting up for food," I replied. As I turned to head down the hallway.

"WILL do," chucking to himself. "Now off to the gamer lounge I go!" John roared, as he rushed down the hall looking like a complete moron in the process.

It was bad enough he used my name as a pun, but does that man have to act like a goof ball were ever he goes? Now back to the task at hand, to find the line for the dealer room! After searching for a few minutes, I finally found the line only to see it wrapped around the edge of the building. "Man...so much for being my day," I moaned.

When I finally got in the room I was amazed with what I saw. There was so much merchandise, cosplay, and swag everywhere it would be hard not to be amazed. Even some of the stall owners were in costume. This year must be special dealers usually do not cosplay. While I walked around the room to take pictures of people's cosplay, I hear from my side.

"Over hear stranger, got somethin' that might interest ya' heheehahah," an odd man cackled.

"Really, what would that be?" I turned to look at him and what I saw was the best Resident Evil 4 Merchant cosplay I have seen. Looking around his stand I saw high quality replica items from a lot of different games and comics. What caught my eye was a realistic looking Lightsaber. The one I had looked like it was from the trash compared to the one on display. "How much for the Lightsaber?"

He looked me over, "For you only one-hundred dollars! After all it would be a wonderful addition to your cosplay," he praised.

Hum...that did seem like quite the deal. Before I said anything however, in the corner of my eye was something that no con-goer could resist. A grab bag in all of its glory. "Sir, how much is one of those grab bags?"

The man turned around to take a look at what I was talking about. "The science fiction one?" He said with a smile so big I could practically see it under his bandanna. "If you buy the Lightsaber it will be fifteen dollars compared to the normal price of thirty."

Feeling luck, I decided to take him up on that offer. "Deal!" I said, while handing him one-hundred and fifteen dollars.

The stall owner laughed, "Heh heh heh...Thank you!" After handing my items to me he stated, "Come back anytime." Then he proceeds to look for more customers.

"Will do!" I took a picture of him then turned away happy with what I bought. About five minutes later phone rang, John was calling me. Has it really been three hours since getting in the dealer room? "Yo John, what is going on?"

"Mat and Jessie want to go eat at this amazing pizza place that is only a few blocks from the convention center, you in?" He asked. "By the way man I saw this amazing Pinky Pie cosplay, you should have seen it! It was so cool!" he yelled in my ear.

Knowing that John is a huge brony. I could just imagine how he pestered that poor cosplayer, especially if that cosplayer is a girl. Probably tried to get their number, and made himself look like a dork in the process.

"Just text me the address and I will be there at the pizza place, you can tell me all about it then," I sighed.

"Okay Bro, I will see you then!"

He hung-up before I could say anything else. John must be in a rush or is in a good mood, I cannot tell. My phone buzzed receiving the text with the address on it. While I traveled to the pizza place, suddenly everything went black and I was out cold.

When I finally came to, my head was pounding with an awful headache. "Where am I?" I hissed. As I took a look around it was clear that I was nowhere near the convention center. It looks like the halls of a castle. That cannot be right, there is nothing like that in Indianapolis. Noticing a window a little ways down the hall, I get up to see what was outside.

I gazed in awe at the pure natural beauty of the landscape. The grasslands, trees, and even the mountains all had brilliant color that left me just stuck. As I observed this wonder land, that is when I saw the rest of the building I was in. It was a castle built on the side of cliff! "Who builds a castle into a cliff side!" I yelled, and start to go into a panic.

"Okay, calm down," I took a minute to breathe. "Just think about the situation." Maybe I am just in an well-designed area of the convention, and on the other side of the windows are just fantastic art. There is no place in the world that beautiful! And I know some people go to the extreme when it comes to their LARP. That is the only thing that makes any since! As I tied frantically to make sense of what has happened.

"Something on me might give me a clue on what is going on," I panted. Taking a look at what was on me. I had my phone, and grab bag. Luckily, none of my cosplay was missing. However my ID badge, and wallet where gone. "Great I have been robed! At least they did not take everything, and I am still alive."

Unexpectedly I found a bag that didn't belong to me, it was full gold looking coins. Okay, this has to be a sick joke. Missing my wallet, but I just so happen to have gold coins in an area that looks like a castle. Someone must have knocked me out and dragged me here. For a joke they went to the extreme pull it off, I bet money John has something to do with this.

Convinced that this is all an extreme joke, I started to relax. "Might was well see what is in my grab bag." To my surprise the bag contains all star war items. I guess that dealer really wanted me to have something star war related, either that or I just got lucky. I got two books The Jedi Path and Book of the Sith. A Jedi Starfighter key-chain with a key, a belt clip for a Lightsaber!

"Well, that is convenient!" Deciding to taking a closer look at that key, it looked like my car key. "Really?" Now I know John as something to do with this. "John you're going to get it the next time we meet. You do not knock a friend out and open his grab bag!"

As I gather my things and attach my new belt clip someone from behind me barked, "Who goes there!"

So here they come, to bad for them I already figured out this stupid joke. "I don't have time for this. I have questions that you are going to answer!" I barked while still not turning around.

"We do not negotiate with potential assassins. I am captain Iron Shield of the Royal Guard. You are under arrest for trespassing, threatening a guard, and possible assassination attempt!"

Shaking my head, some people do not know how to brake character. "look pal, I am not taking any of your crap!" I roared, while I turned around dramatically pointed one of my Lightsaber at him.

That is when I got my first good look at him. Iron Shield was in gold mid-age stilled armor. He held a sword and an iron shield. While wanting to face palm at the horrible pun, something did not seem right. On a further inspection he had a white coat, ears, and a blue tail just like a pony... Really! John you are going too far for with this.

"I will not say this again surrender, or I will have to use force!" As his voice echoed thought the hall, he shifted into a battle stance.

That startled me enough that my whole body jumps, and accidentally turned on the Lightsaber. To my surprise a violet light came out the end of it, and sounded just like a real Lightsaber.

"So be it!" he yells, as he starts to charge his footsteps made a loud stomping sound as he is dashed toward me.
Before I have even time to react, he was already in my face about to deflect the saber out of the way.

Something happened that neither one of us expected. As Iron Shield tried to swipe my weapon out of the way, the Lightsaber cut his sword in half. With the amount of force he used, this through him off balance. He ducked out of the way from taking major damage, but he could not completely dodge the blade. His right ear was severed.

As Iron Shield rolled on the ground in excruciating pain he howled, "Somepony stop this assassin!"

I cannot argue with anyone that I am not an assassin when just cutting their ear off, so I ran away.

"This can't be happening!" I wheezed, "I thought this was a joke set up by John. Well, I have to find out what has happened later. Right now I need to get out of here!"

I was just about to turn around corner into the next hallway until an excitedly loud voice started to yell. I stopped at the corners edge, and slowly peeked around to see what was going on. It was a unit of guards that was receiving orders from a huge jet black coated pony. He wore back armor that had moon symbols in the center of the breast plate. He had to be least six foot eight. With the immanence amount of muscle he had. Fighting that guy would spell disaster!

"Everypony listen up! We have an assassin on the loose. We have received threats for weeks now, and one has finally showed up! From what we know he is dressed a light brown robe with a white tunic. Consider him highly dangerous, he was able to take down Captain Iron Shield so be careful!" The large stallion yelled. That statement made the other guards gasp.

Word travels quickly I thought to myself. Did he just say that they have received threats for weeks? This couldn't get any worse.

"Captain Strong Fang, is Captain Iron Shield alive?" A small light purple colored guard asked. As she moved to the front of the group.

What stood out to me about this guard, was the fact she had bat like wings. I have never seen anything like it, and it sent a shiver down my spine.

"Yes Private Shadow Sneak he is alive, but has lost his right ear," replied Strong Fang. "Now before I am interrupted again, we know he has a burning blade of some type. It is unknown if the assassin is capable of using magic so keep try to keep a unicorn with you at all times!"

Did he just say magic! Things got worse! I really need to get out of here now. Who knows what kind of messed up things they can do to me with magic. I thought.

"Above all else protect the princesses! Lunar Guards, move out!" Strong Fang ordered. As the guard unit was running down the other hall, Strong Fang stopped and started to turn my direction.

Ducked back to avoid being seen, I started to shake with fear. Not knowing what these ponies would do to me if I was caught, gave me an uneasy feeling. I have to make it out of this place...

"Must have been my imagination," Strong Fang said. Followed by loud footsteps going in the direction of the rest of the guard.

As he went the other way, I could feel all the tension in the air lifted away. After sighing a breath of relief, I went down the hall opposite the way the guards went. Traveling down that hallway took an excessive amount of time to, but it opened up into garden.

While I was looking around in the garden trying to find some kind of exit I stumbled upon an odd looking statue. It had a house-like head with a right deer antler, a left goat horn, a fang and a beard. It also had a lizard right leg, a goat left leg, a bat right wing, a feathery left wing, a lion right arm, an eagle's talon for a left arm and a snake like tail. Whatever this creature is, it appeared to be singing.

At the bottom of the statue there was a name plate that read Discord. "So your Discord?" I said a loud. "Why does that name seem familiar?"

Before I can finish my though, the sound of marching troops was getting closer. "As much as I would love to stay and chat I have to run," I stated. "It is not as if you can hear me anyway."

Then I turned to look at the maze, hopefully I can hide there until forming a plan to get out of this place. When I entered the maze the statue of Discord started to crack.