The Ancients

The Ancients: Chapter 1

"Once the bloodied no man's land, these meadows anew I walk. With disgust I kneel and tremble, Before the old, shattered stone of unanswered prayers. Before it I cry out in demise, "Lo! In life is but a new death! Anew is the pain of old, but in forms of demons I comprehend not! Sweet death set me free of these burdens, so in rotting silence I may be remembered not! This is what it means to exsist! It's the ever constant pain of being! Of the never-ending patterns we take in stride and never stop! Aye, I see what hath been done; in curing the hateful tyrannies of above, I hath brought down upon us... The burdens of life..." —Sjorkil. Pg 1 of The Meadows: My journey

***

Once, I was naive... Childish even. Though I thought I new what lay out there... I didn't. I did not know for a long time. I was only thirteen by the years I was of human life, and I really wasn't quite prepared for such responsibilities that were bestowed upon me. I was very intelligent for my age, yes, but wits do not help when they are built upon false foundations.

To... Force oneself to only keep your mind open to one possibility for something, is a terrible flaw that certain ideals have. My beliefs were like that. Even though I was very open minded about things in science, wishing to one day become a scientist myself, I still believed there was one answer to everything. Now, I am rather agianst that. For although all answers still logically works under the rules of the truth I have learned, The Domani was many a time my savior, and he/she still is.

But, I have not written here to compare and contrast myself, but rather, to tell of my story, lest I wish it fall to the trails of time and become forgotten. So tell my story I shall, and you will listen. Some will doubt, others will believe, but only a few will ever truly understand. For just because you have read about the crusades, doesn't mean you have the same experience as a man who lived through them. I have lived through these crusadings of hate and war, and while you most likely cannot feel the emotions i have through these simple words, know that in each of these words is a life. A life deemed worth the effort of summing up and lying about... Yet also deemed worthy of a truthful story. While you may rot away. These words will hold me from death, and forever upon these pages i will remain. But these words hold the truth, and the truth shall set me free. Let it be known that this story starts from the beginning and most of what I have just spoke of shall only make sense later on.

***

"HOLD FIRM!" I shouted above the clash of enemy battle drums in the distance. I stood at the head of the defense group, a loose phalanx formation on the ground with earth ponies braced to hold the entrance to the pass, and archers and unicorns on the ridges to either side ready to lay down arrow fire and cauldrons of oil to burn on my command. Dragons covered us from above and behind, and some even scouted ahead to either slow down or report on our enemy's movement. It was clear they had better knowledge and experience when it came to war then the ponies or even me.

I only knew of some battle tactics and a little of what weapons are used in this kind of warfare. But I was still required to be here, even more so that I be at the head of the defense. Not due to skill or knowledge, but rather, background, and cultural history. The mysterious creatures of the North, the brutes known as Trolls, that we would be soon to fight had knowledge just as the dragons, of what I was. Even creatures as war loving and brutish as these Trolls,would hesitate at the sight of a human once more. My return would remind them of brutality they only once before had to face, the brutality of extremely angered and pride-damaged Norseman warriors, who in more ways than one had been beaten down and furthermore had their religion scoffed at by the Trolls. I could very well make the Trolls retreat for the first time in a thousand years of war against the dragons. Suddenly, cries rung out around me and from the plains ahead I saw my enemy for the first time as they emerged from the northern forests. Then, I heard a voice overtake the sounds of the scene around me, " Ahk nerva, paladin olshk verhma Dragoon... Yevet'e mashiv awakian'te."

Without warning, everything went to black, and I awoke to the summer sun shinng on my face. I felt very confused, as though something was off but I couldn't tell what. The dream I had was blurry and incomprehensible in my mind now, so i had no idea that it most likely was the cause of my distress. After lying in bed trying to fully awake, I noticed i felt something cold and metallic in my hand. I looked down to find a single, impossibly detailed, gold coin with two figures on it. I looked closer, and found it hardly possibly what two figure were upon it engraved: The two princesses of Equestria's day and night. Panicked, I dropped the coin as though it were lit aflame.

"B-huh....w-what!?!?" I rubbed my eyes several times and did everything I could to assure I wasn't insane. After several long moments, I noticed a letter was on my nightstand. Oh, thank god, it must've just been a prank. Wait...I'm a closet Brony though... and this feels as heavy as real gold. Curious, I got out of bed and stretched, grabbing the letter. Then, I searched my room to see nothing was amiss, eliminating the suspicion that it was prank from one of my few friends that knew I was a Brony, as they would've never put this much effort into a prank, and even had they, there would be evidence from when they set it all up, as they both have always been lazy. Opening the letter sealed it for me that it was not something my friends would have done. It was a regal looking parchment with beautiful cursive that had evidence it was written with feather and ink. I quickly read to myself, "Please use the coin wisely, it took a long while to make. It will do thou well if thou art to not waste it's abilities. Will see thou soon, Sincerly, Luna." At the bottom was a very fancy-looking stamped emblem.

Dumbstruck as for what to do next, I simply did what any teenager does when they have a question they need answering. I went on google and looked for a person who thought they've been to Equestria. after a long while, I found an account on Fimfiction. He went by Mard93, and seemed to know quite a bit about Equestria. Being rather shy, i messaged him rather awkwardly about my prediciment, and then realizing it was still earlier in the morning, I went back to bed not only because I was tired, but because Mard93 had mentioned in his sleep is how he was able to go to Equestria. I layed down, and despite my frayed nerves, I quickly caved in to exhaustion.

***

" Bren har isith Dragoon Paladin, har klav kundai frehva harzituul!" A higher pitched scratchy voice cut through the darkness, sounding irritated.

" Har isith bren ohl svindar! Nerva gruun awakian'te verhma svindar drektamus har klav awakian'te harzituul." Again another scratchy voice called out, this time deeper. I heard a light shuffling and an echoing stomp ring out through wherever I was at. I just wished to continue sleeping, so my foggy mind payed the noises no mind at all. That was, until i felt something pointed jab my stomach. Suddenly, everything came back to me and I realized I was no longer in my room. My eyes shot open and then quickly shut again at the sight before me. In front me, in a dark and quiet cave, stood a dragon that had just jabbed me in the stomach with it's claw. "You don't want to eat me," I yelled in fright, " I don't have much meat on me and i'd taste terrible!"

"Yevet'e mashiv bruhl brilik-davanteg od sedinov... So I guess I must speak in your Native tounge. I am Asphytrix, welcome to Eqaurol, or Equestria, in your langauge. You are the Dragoon Warrior of this age. Follow me, young svindar." the dragon said with bordem and annoyance. So as to not anger the dragon, I followed with great haste as I was lead through a long stretch of tunnel to an opening mouth of a cave. The dragon walked to the open mouth of the cave and motioned me to stand beside it, "This," she spoke now as if in awe, "is the land you are destined to protect, svindar. I swear if either you or the dragoon fail, I'll tear your throats out. Neither of you look in any way, as promising as the past ones. Oh, I almost forgot, i was appointed to be your bodyguard of sorts, so I'll be accompanying you at all times, and yes that includes even when you use the restroom or sleep. Now come, we must introduce you to the other dragons." The next 3 hours were spent being introduced to dragons and learning that Asphytrix was only angry that she had to 'babysit a dragoon warrior', and that she was indeed a she. As i fell to my makeshift hay bed in the cave in exhaustion, my vision blackened, and I again awoke to Earth.

***

"To: Mard93

Subject: RE: The coin.. Or should we say bit.

NoponyNoir: Took a nap this morning to see if I could try to make it to equestria. I did but not in the way i expected. I met a dragon named Asphytrix who said she was given the task of protecting me, and that I would play a major role in the events yet to come. Her and the dragons I met called me The Dragoon Warrior, saying that I will lead them to victory. I wonder if that has to with your lastest bio. Also, no matter what i seem to do, every picture I take of that bit with my Ipod touch only has a black spot where the bit should be even when I adjust the lighting settings to that spot, and it now has a dragon emblem on the back of it that is warm to the touch. I'll let you know if anything more happens, and hope we can keep in touch. I have a feeling this is far from over."

I sent the message and then headed downstairs for breakfast, the furture a shroud of questions without answers.