The Grey Wardens of Equestria

Chapters

1 – First Blood: The Darkspawn (Edited)
2 – First Blood: The Grey Wardens
3 - First Blood: The Joining
4 - First Blood: The Slaughter
5 - Intermission: Haven
6 - Second Wind: A New Dawn (EDITED)
7 - Second Wind: A Visit To The Capital (EDITED)

1 – First Blood: The Darkspawn (Edited)

It was just another day of gaming for me. I had gotten off work an hour or two ago, and, since it was only a measly fifteen minutes away, I had plenty of time to myself once I got home. I was currently playing a simple and well known RPG, called Shovel Knight. It was one of the many such games I owned, and I was just about to beat the final boss. It was a hardfought battle, but, being a veteran whom had beaten the game over and over, it wasn't impossible.

Finally, with one last blow, she was dead, and the cutscenes began.

But my attention was drawn to another screen, my phone's screen, as I heard the tell-tale ding of a notification from it. Picking it up, I discovered I had a new message. A text from an unknown number.

The name was blank, and the number, when I checked, was simply 865-865-8665. Odd. I shrugged, and, seeing no harm in just taking a peek, looked at the message.

Congratulations! You have been chosen to receive a very special prize! To accept it, simply reply yes!

I stared at the screen in befuddlement, and eventually just thought that I might as well accept it. I mean, free prize, right? Who would turn that down? So, I replied yes.

I didn't get a response. Well, guess it was just a prank, then. Freaking trolls. I yawned and stretched, and after a glance at the clock, decided to head in early.

So I brushed my teeth and got in my pajamas before flopping onto my bed, falling asleep not too long after my head hit the pillow.

I woke up in a free fall in a deep, inky black void. Naturally, I screamed in fright.

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAH FUUUUUUUUUUUUCK!!!" I screamed. I don't know how long I fell, only that it was long enough for my throat to go sore from the screaming.

Then, I felt my body get torn apart, bit by tiny excrutiating bit. First came my legs. They stretched, to the point I swore the muscles and skin were tearing. Then the same happened to my arms. After that, my head erupted in pain as I felt bone start to grow. Agonizingly, slowly, and with so much blood I couldn't see from how it ran down my face and eyes. I screamed again, throat getting more sore but I didn't care, I was in too much pain.

In my delirium between taking breaths to scream, and between the flashes of time when I could see past the blood, I swore I saw a massive, great blue moon, hanging over me, tauntingly, hauntingly, watching me like a celestial eyeball.

I awoke with a start as I slammed face first into solid rock. The metallic taste of blood traveled into my mouth, and my head was spinning. I didn't bother getting up at first, focusing more on trying to wait out the dizziness. When it faded, I managed to stand upright, but only slowy. I held a hand to my head, and noticed something wrong.

There was a lot less hair on my skull.

At first, I thought it was just a prank somebody pulled on me, shaving my head and all, but I explored further and found I still had some hair, just in neat rows that I don't remember being there either. But that wasn't what really concerned me.

What concerned me was that I found two bony protrusions sprouting from my head. Both seemed to have been broken off, and one was longer than the other, but it still solidified the fact that I now had horns. My level of freakout skyrocketed, as you can imagine.

I thought they were fake, but to my iminent shock and displeasure they weren't. They were real. I could feel them. I tried prying them off, but it didn't work. Just made them hurt. I actually had horns. It was after realizing this that I realized another thing.

Looking at my hands, I found that my skin color was different. Like, a lot different. Like, it was a charcoal black. Thinking it was just paint, I tried to wipe it off. No success.

That was also around the time I noticed I now had a larger pair of sweater puppies on me. Not by much, but enough to be noticeable. That, and I was wearing nothing but simple undies.

Well, that explains why I feel cold.

I looked around and noticed I appeared to be in a very large and extensive cavern. It seemed like I was in an underground temple, in fact. Why? Because there were masterfully carved stone bridges and statues, most of which were lined with gold. But the statues are what really threw me for a loop.

They looked like dwarven statues. As in, Lord of The Rings dwarven statues. There were minor differences, yeah, but it still looked a lot like dwarven statues. I'll admit, I am loving the architecture. I mean, who wouldn't? But this had to be a dream. I mean, everyone knows dwarves aren't real, right? They're just fairy tales and myths. Yeah, this must be a dream.

But...just in case, let's test that. I raised a fist and punched my other arm. Ow, okay, not a dream. Wait...not a dream!?

I paced around rapidly as my thoughts raced, hands on my head. What the jarvla do I do!? I'm alone, naked, and have no way of defending myself whatsoever! Skit skit skit! What about my family!? My sister, my cousin, my parents!? And my friends, what about them!? Am I even going to see them again!? No, no no no, I have to see them again. No, I will see them again.

I let out a breath, lowering my hands and looking up. "Okay, okay...let's think this through logically... First, I'm still alive. Bare of any defense or dignity, but alive. That's a plus," I started to count off the pros on my fingers. "Second, I'm in a fantasy dwarven cavern, that's pretty cool. Not how I wanted my first time in one to be, but there's nothing I can do about that.

"Let's review everything else. First, I'm not where I last remember being. Second, my body has changed, that's definitely not normal. Freaks me the heck out, actually. Third, I'm pretty much naked, which means; no phone, no wallet, and no car keys, though I doubt those would really do anything for me down here. And being naked means I'm liable to being jumped by some pervert."

I threw my hands up in the air. "Well this is just javla perfect! I'm lost as all hell and who knows how many feet underground, not to mention I'm cold and have no way of protecting myself! Hell, I don't even know how to fight! All I had to get me out of bad situations was pepper spray and my phone, and I now have neither of those! Jarvla! Satan it! "

I yelled countless profanities, cursing away I don't even know how many minutes. I cursed everything I could think of, but I mostly cursed whoever sent that text. Satan them to the deepest pits of hell! After cursing and cursing for what felt like an hour, I calmed down. With a sigh, I glanced around again, trying to figure out which way to go.

Well, I guess finding some way to get warm would be the best thing to do, and then hopefully shelter. After that, find out what the hell happened.

I began to walk toward the closest stone bridge where there were a few braziers, and it was during this that I finally noticed another thing about my anatomy: I was taller. Like, three feet taller, if the fact that the statues around me were much shorter then they should be was any indication. That, and I felt taller. That was a big sign.

Anyway, I continued to walk, my bare feet slapping against the cold, cracked, and gilded stone floor of the bridge. It was only as I was crossing it that I finally realized why I didn't have any trouble seeing.

There, below the bridge of which went over a gigantic chasm, was what looked like thousands, no, millions, of torches, all clustered together and moving around. Like an angry mob, but on a vastly larger scale. I suddenly felt a lot smaller and a lot more in danger.

I did not want to find out why there were so many torches down there. So, with that thought, I quickened my pace, soon making it to the braziers and warming myself up by their heat. Again, if I weren't so anxious, I'd be taking my time staring and admiring the statues.

But I didn't really have that luxury at the moment. I needed to get out of here, preferably before a group from that mob below found me. Or anything else with ill intent, for that matter. But first, warmth.

As I was warming myself up, I found a stick with an oil soaked rag wrapped around it's end, and, picking it up, I lit the end wrapped with the rag aflame.

That done, I thought it was best I continued, now that I had both a heat source and a light source. Though I would still very much like some clothes. Anyway, with my new torch in hand, I moved on towards the massive doorway just ahead, which looked like it led into a tunnel, no doubt used for mining.

Honestly, I thought walking through a cave with a torch like an explorer was pretty cool, but I still would've preferred having my belongings, or at least some form of defense.

I walked through the tunnel, making note of how there were mining tools all strewn about, most of which were just pickaxes, hammers and chisels. Then, I smelled something that made me gag. It smelled like something was rotting, but there wasn't much of any where else to go in the tunnel. No branching pathways, nothing.

It was only when the cave opened up a bit more that I found out where the smell was coming from.

I threw up on the spot at the sight of the decaying body. Whoever they were, they were about four feet tall, and must have been dead for a few weeks, if the state of decay they were in was any indication. From the look of it, it seemed a lot like the stories of dwarves. And I don't remember ever hearing about dwarves being real before, so that only solidified that I was far from home.

He had multiple wounds, all of which looked like cuts, though there were also a few bite marks. Whatever did this was definitely dangerous.

As I looked the body over, I noticed that he had a sword grasped in his hand, so, with no small amount of disgust, I pried it from his literally cold, dead hands. Not like he needed it anymore, right? And I needed something to protect myself.

At least, that's what I told myself. I still wasn't entirely certain about basically looting a body. The leather armor he wore was torn to pieces, and pretty much useless, so I didn't take it. That, and I didn't want to have to touch him anymore than I had to.

"May you rest in peace," I whispered quietly, before continuing through the tunnel. I walked for a while, trying to find an exit. It was while I was walking that I heard something. It sounded like someone was talking, but it was unintelligble, and deep and just plain twisted. Like a mockery of human language. Being cautious, I slowly crept further, drawing closer and closer to the source.

Then, I made it to another part of the cave that opened up and saw something that made my heart stop. There, in front of me, was several piles of corpses, all burning away in a pyre. And around them, were the most twisted versions of humans and horses I'd ever seen, all wearing even more twisted black armor.

No, these weren't humans or horses. They were monsters, they had to be. All of them had sharp, yellowed teeth, and either green or gray skin. And all of them were armed with shields, swords, and bows, all just as twisted as they were. I'm not sure how the hell the horses could wield halberds, but they did, a sickly red and black glow surrounding their horns and their weapons. A larger humanoid with a maul let loose a war cry, and the others seemed to cheer, before rushing toward me.

Author's Note

Proofread by the wonderful Schroedingers_Katze, give her a big thank you and check out her stories! Seriously, she's got talent. Anyway, this is just something that's been in my head for a while now, and I finally decided to let it out. Hope you all are enjoying it so far! Thanks for reading!

—Timeless Celestial

2 – First Blood: The Grey Wardens

"Helvete jävlas fan!!" I cursed as I ran as fast as my legs could carry me. Those things were right behind me, and I'd lost count of how many arrows I had to dodge. I was still surprised I could, seeing how big I'd become, but I didn't have time to dwell on it with those monsters on my heels. As I ran, I couldn't help but think about how totally pathetic I was in the 'fight' I had with them.

The monsters had charged at me, and I had to dodge out of the way of several axes, swords, maces, and a hammer, all of which I barely managed to escape from. They were all around me, trapping me, so, I did the only thing I could think of: I spun my sword around like a lunatic, and somehow I managed to beat them back. Not by a large margin, but enough for me to escape. And now I was in said process of escaping.

One of those smaller green ones caught up to me, and grabbed my leg, making me trip. In a panic, I thrust my sword in it's uncovered head, and it snarled before going limp. Quickly, I wrestled myself free of it's dead grasp, then got up and continued running.

My heart was racing, my lungs burning, and my legs were sore, but I pushed on. I ran and ran and ran, and ran some more. I ran so hard that I thought my heart would break out of my chest, until I just couldn't run anymore, and collapsed onto the cold stone floor.

This is it. I'm going to die deep underground, with no idea of where I am, without anyone knowing. Like I didn't even exist. I listened to the sound of metal boots stamping against stone with a cold detachment.

Just when I thought my pursuers were upon me, a bolt of lightning struck, and I heard cries of pain and smelt the scent of burnt flesh, before a number of armored figures came into my vision, all of which, thankfully, looked human. They beat off the creatures, all the while I watched in awe. Finally, the creatures lay dead, and the armored individuals approached me.

"What's a Qunari doing down in the Deep Roads?" one of them asked, a male, if his body structure and voice were anything to go off of.

"Don't know, but let's get her up on her feet," said another. They pulled me up onto my feet, and I noticed right away that previous assumption was right; I am tall. There were about four of them, and I was taller than all of them.

"Are you alright, miss?" asked the same man. I nodded numbly, still a bit shocked from my close call. "Here, let's head back to camp and get you some clothes," he said, leading me along, the others falling in step behind.

"W-Who are you?" I queried, curious and shaken up.

"We're Grey Wardens. I'm Sullivan, I'm in charge of our little group. The louts behind me are the Greenskin Brothers, Thomas, Scott, and Daniel," the man introduced, pointing to each of his compatriots as he said their names.

"N-Nice to meet you. Um...why are they called the Greenskin Brothers, though?" I queried as we walked through the caves, eventually reaching what looked like more dwarven tunnels, if the arhcitecture was any indication.

"We're called that because of our green, full body tattoos," one of them spoke up.

"Oh... I see," I said lamely. I don't think I've met anyone who had a full body tattoo, much less three of them...

"So, how long have you been down here?" one of the brothers asked.

"I... don't know, I just woke up here," I answered, uncomfortable.

"How can you not know? I'm pretty sure most people would remember walking into a Darkspawn riddled cavern," another brother asked.

"Boys, leave the poor girl alone, she's been through enough," Sullivan chided.

"Fine, fine, we'll leave the horn head alone," they conceded. We walked in silence for the rest of the journey, and while we did, I thought.

My head swirled with thoughts, trying to figure what had happened to me to get me here. This was obviously the world of Dragon Age, but something told me there was something different. Though I had yet to see proof, and was wondering if it was just my mind being paranoid.

After some extended walking thanks to tripping a few times, still not used to my new height, we arrived at a camp. Individuals wearing armor similar to my rescuers flitted to and fro, patrolling the area and going about their business. As we approached, two guards stopped us, their halberds blocking our way further into the camp.

"Halt! State your business!" they commanded. Sullivan walked up.

"Captain Sullivan Grant, returning back from investigation of disturbances in the Veil," Sunny Day explained. The guards retracted their halberds.

"You may pass," they said in unison, allowing us entry. We walked in, and I noticed more than the comfortable amount of stares. Even a few...lecherous, stares. I shivered at that. I need to get some clothes on, soon.

"Here we are," Sullivan announced, stopping us at a tent. "Boys, you can go off on your own now."

"Alright, see ya around, Captain," one of them said before they shoved off.

"Follow me," Sullivan instructed as he went inside the tent. I followed, glad to be away from the eyes of the camp. The tent itself was like any other, made of canvas and such, and there were chests and boxes and barrels lining the inside. Sullivan walked over to a chest, opened it, and started rummaging around in it.

I waited for a bit, just standing in the middle of the tent awkwardly, before he pulled out some clothes. "Here you go, these should do well enough." He said, handing them to me. They were made of silk, surprisingly, and, though small, would likely still fit if I tried.

"Thanks," I said gratefully. A blush dusted my cheeks when he didn't turn around. "U-Umm, could you... Ya know...turn around?"

"Oh! Right, sorry!" he said, turning around. I quickly and awkwardly stripped, feeling incredibly embarrassed despite the fact he wasn't looking, but in time I managed to pull the clothes on. They were a tight fit, but they still worked. Though I wish they didn't hug my form so much.

"Umm... I-I'm done, you can turn around now," I told him. He did so, and I swear he was smiling under that helm.

"Great! Now we can head over to the Commander's tent," Sullivan said, and started walking out. I followed, and as we exited the tent, I felt the intensity of the stares double. Javla dress... I cursed mentally. The satan thing covered more than my undergarments, sure, but it hugged my figure and gave an ample view of my cleavage. Though I liked the black feathery shoulders, those were cool.

We arrived at another tent, this one much larger than the others, and with banners of silver griffons on either side of the entrance. Two guards with fancier armor than the others I had seen were guarding the entrance. I say fancier because the helmets had wings on the sides and they wore bright blue cloth underneath. They stopped us with their swords.

"The Commander is busy. Come back another time," they echoed.

"This is urgent. We found this Qunari running away from the Darkspawn. She may have an idea as to why there was a tear in the Veil," Sullivan urged. The guards looked at each other, before slowly nodding and retracting their blades.

"Very well. Head on in," they conceded. With that, we walked in, and immediately I noticed a small unicorn in very fancy and gilded armor, with, I kid you not, pure, chalk white fur and a blue mane. With lighter blue stripes. I must be going crazy or something. He looked up at us and smiled. I just stared at him.

"Ah, Sullivan, good to see you. Who's this?" the pony asked asked.

"U-U-Umm... I'm Mera Vas, sir," I introduced myself.

"Nice to meet you, Miss Vas. Might I ask what a Qunari such as yourself is doing down here?" the Commander asked.

"My team found her being chased by a group of darkspawn, and we rescued her," Sullivan explained.

"Is this true?" the Commander queried, turning back to me.

"Yes. But there's a little more to it. You see..." and thus, I told him how I got here. From the message I got, to falling asleep, to waking up here.

"Hmm... That's quite a tale, Miss Vas. Although that would explain the disturbance in the Veil..." the Commander said, seeming to mull over what I had told him. He perked up again, a smile on his face. "Well, let's worry about all that later. I'm sure you're quite tired from all that running. Sullivan, could you show her to your tent?"

"Of course, sir," Sullivan nodded. "Come on, Miss Vas,"

With that, we walked out of the tent. Sullivan showed me to his team's tent, the Greenskin Brothers just hanging around it, and they offered me a bedroll. Tired and dazed from all that had happened to me, I jumped at the chance for some sleep.

Hours passed and I just couldn't sleep, despite my exhaustion. My mind kept going back to the Commander, and how he was somehow a fucking unicorn. My mind was absolutely boggled. I sighed deeply.

"It's just one fucking thing after another, isn't it?" I asked myself tiredly. In time, I fell asleep.

Author's Note

This particular chapter went through many rewrites, enough that I've lost count. I can only hope it was enough to change it into something presentable or palatable to your tastes.

As all always, thank you all for reading, my dear readers. I appreciate it deeply.

-Timeless Celestial

3 - First Blood: The Joining

It had been about six weeks now since I first arrived here, and, at first, the Wardens urged me to leave, but I refused. I was fascinated by them, and wanted to join them. Of course, there was the initial craziness that occurred after finding a number of ponies milling about the camp, ones I didn't remember seeing my first time coming in, but in time I got used to it. Sorta.

Anyways, I still wanted to join the Wardens, even though I knew what it would entail. The bodies I had seen when I was running for my life six weeks ago, the sheer destruction the Darkspawn had wrought... I wanted to pay them back tenfold. I couldn't just stand by and let these things destroy my new home.

Yes, I said new home. Why? Because, according to the mages, breaching the Veil was not something anyone should try to do. So, in short, I was stuck here. And I would hate to see this world be consumed by the Blight. According to Warden-Commander Shining Armor, the Wardens were losing ground fast, both above ground, and below, with the above ground having practically no Wardens at all. I didn't really need to have an explanation as to why, because I already knew. Regardless, I refused to just stand by and let my new home be destroyed. It took me most of my time here to realize that.

Of course, I still hadn't given up on going back to my real home, but this still counted as a home to me. Even if it was temporary. The kindness of the Wardens probably helped with that.

Initially, I was scared to death. I couldn't imagine facing those monsters again. But seeing all the bodies rolling in every day, and the dwindling numbers of the Wardens... I realized that I wouldn't have a home if these things won, temporary as it was. So, I asked for training.

It took a long time for me to get used to fighting. Much more for me to get to the level of even the most standard of Wardens. But I improved. My movements got better, my reaction time got greater, and I was gaining ground.

Albeit, despite all my effort, I still wasn't anywhere near the level of the Wardens. But I could still hold my ground in a fight better than a civilian.

Today was the day that they sent me out to gather supplies for my Joining. Sullivan accompanied me, along with two more Ponies, as I had learned they were called. Apparently, this world was mixed with that weird show My Little Pony. I never watched it, but I'd seen pictures on the web. Still, just knowing that there are things like Pegasi and Unicorns and even damn Alicorns continues to make me question my sanity, no matter how much I tried to get used to it all.

Anyways, both Ponies were Initiates as well, straight from their country, called Equestria. One was a white Pegasus mare with a golden mane by the name of Blitz Fritz, and the other was an Earth Pony mare called Quake Stomp with earthy brown fur and a mahogany colored mane. Quake was wearing splint-mail, whilst Blitz was wearing simple leather armor.

As for myself, I had been given a set of robes with steel pauldrons, greaves, and gauntlets. The robes themselves were made of fur and silk, and thankfully didn't reveal my cleavage nearly as much as the robe I was given when I first came here. The silk made up the majority of it, and was dyed a deep red, whilst the fur lining my neck was just pure white. The pauldron covered the majority of my right arm, but it didn't impede my movement all that much.

"So, Initiate, you ready for this?" Sullivan queried. I nodded.

"I am," I confirmed.

"Good. Let's go," he urged, and we began our mission into Darkspawn territory.

We walked out of the camp, me holding my weapon of choice, a staff. I looked over my weapon once more. It wasn't much, being made out of Grey Iron, and didn't have much decoration, but it was mine. It had basically the same blade on the bottom as a Magister's Staff Blade from Inquisition, having a serrated blade at the bottom of the staff, the only part made with steel, and the top was almost exactly like a mace, but with blades and an amethyst in the middle of it all. The shaft was notched, and made of Grey Iron as well.

We walked a long time, the other two Initiates talking among themselves about what The Joining would entail, and why they wanted us to grab vials and fill them with Darkspawn blood. Sullivan didn't say much of anything, seeming too focused on the journey ahead. Thus, I was left with only my thoughts right now. I gazed around the dwarven tunnels we were treading through, the sound of boots and clip-clopping hooves echoing throughout.

The tunnels were pretty much exactly the same as in the first game, with lots of angular designs instead of circular like human or elven architecture. I can't remember the games saying if they used a specific type of stone exclusively, only that they hinted at the idea with the Awakening DLC expansion to the first game.

My mind drifted to other subjects as we walked. How my family was taking the news of my disappearance, how I would get back home... I sighed. Well, one upside is that I can use magic now. That's pretty cool, I guess. And I'm on my way towards the Arcane Warrior specialization, my favorite one, so that's also a plus. I'm just glad that there was an accomplished Arcane Warrior at the camp who was able to teach me. Of course, I still have a long way to go, but the point still stands.

I was torn from my thoughts when Sullivan stopped us.

"What is it?" Blitz asked.

"Enemies?" Quake queried. He nodded.

"Darkspawn," he said in a grave tone. "About ten." He placed his hand on his scabbard. "On my mark, we ambush them. Mera, you provide cover for us and if need be, jump in. Quake, Blitz, you're with me, be quick and efficient, don't give them a chance to retaliate. And all of you remember, don't leave your mouths open when fighting them, or you could risk getting blood inside and die a very slow death." We all nodded. "Alright... one," I readied my weapon, Quake and Blitz doing the same, Blitz showing off her wing blades and Quake her sword, which she held in her mouth. "Two," we tensed up, bodies ready to spring at any given moment. "Three!"

With that, we all charged in, me staying just behind them. I saw Sullivan, Quake, and Blitz engage a number of Darkspawn, who tried to overwhelm them with numbers.

Seeing this, I called upon the energies of the Fade and my Mana, and lobbed a fist of stone at one of the Darkspawn, then twirled my staff, slammed it down, and unleashed three bolts of electricity at a few more Darkspawn. I grinned as I saw the one that got hit with the Stonefist fall over, allowing Quake to jump on it and stab it in the heart, ending it's life. The ones hit with my bolts of electricity staggered and spasmed, allowing Blitz the time to swoop in and cut their unprotected hamstrings with her wingblades, causing all three to fall flat to the ground with brief cries of pain, unable to do much else now but crawl.

Sullivan lopped off the head of a Hurlock, blocked a hammer swing from a Hurlock Alpha and kneed it in the gut, then stabbed it in the heart as it staggered. I went on to pop the heads of the three Blitz had downed by tossing Stonefists at them, pulvering their unprotected skulls.

The remaining four Darkspawn, which consisted of Genlocks, two of which were archers, loosed their arrows towards me. I managed to dodge most of them, but one got me in the side, and I cried out in pain, clutching it. They all laughed, until Sullivan rushed over to them with a roar and speared one through the gut with his sword, lifting it up before slamming it back down and twisting, quickly ending it's life.

The remaining three Genlocks rounded on him, the archer knocking an arrow that he blocked with his shield, while the other two Genlocks just bumrushed him.

Blitz took flight and sped over, swooping through the gap between the two and cutting them deeply in the sides, then landed in front of them and pawed the ground in challenge. The Genlocks, not to be deterred despite their wounds, charged her instead, but both Blitz and Sullivan quickly turned them into cadavers on the ground. Quake Stomp had rushed over to the archer and split it's head in two, and it fell to the ground with a wet thud, it's brains splattering the ground.

I grunted as I kept pressure on my wound, Sullivan quickly rushing over to me while the others just walked. "You really need to learn to dodge," Sullivan chided.

"Well, I did tell you I've never fought a day in my life, much less trained to until you guys took me in," I replied back with a small grin. He sighed, shaking his head with a smile. He produced a small poultice with red liquid in it, then poured it liberally over my wound, making me grit my teeth from the sting, before he took a small bandage and wrapped it around the wound tightly. Already the pain was fading away.

"Geez, do we really have to carry this horn head throughout the mission?" Blitz complained as the two mares made it over. I glared at her, but she didn't seem to care.

"I seem to recall that she was the one who killed three of them, not you," Quake pointed out. Thank you, Quake. Blitz growled.

"So? I totally had those three, she just stole the kills!" Blitz argued.

"The point still stands," Quake replied easily, her amber eyes looking at Blitz with indifference.

"Buck you!" Blitz cried, her own silver eyes ablaze with anger.

"Both of you, shut it," Sullivan said firmly. Blitz grit her teeth, but slowly conceded.

"Yes sir," they both chorused.

"Good. Now, let's get that blood from those corpses," he said, walking over to said corpses. We all followed, and pretty quickly we had filled all of our vials.

"Well, that was a pretty damn quick mission," I noted, placing my vial in my satchel. The other two did much the same.

"Yeah, it was. Which sucks, because I was hoping for some more action," Blitz concurred. Wow. I think that's the first time she's agreed on something with me since we met back at camp during my training a few weeks ago.

"One should not ask for more trouble then they can handle," Quake said stoically.

"How uncharacteristically poetic of you, Quake. Did you steal that from a book?" Blitz teased.

"No. Made it up on the fly," Quake said simply as we began our walk back to the camp.

"She has a point though. You don't wanna jinx things," I added.

"Pfft, that's just superstition," Blitz said, waving it off. Then, the ground started to shake. "Umm... What is that?"

"A Darkspawn, get ready," Sullivan warned. We did so, readying ourselves for a fight and drawing our weapons once more.

Suddenly, a massive form broke through one of the walls in a shower of rocks and pebbles, and when the dust cleared, my heart stopped. I knew what it was.

"OGRE!" Sullivan cried. He was right. It was unmistakable. Large horns, hulking body of pure muscle and power, and filled with blood lust. The thing was even taller than me, likely by two feet, and about the same amount wider. It roared at us.

"You just had to jinx it, didn't you Blitz?!" I cried.

"This is a completely random occurence, don't blame me for your failings!" Blitz shot back, and had to jump up to avoid being impaled by the Ogre's horns.

"Can we focus on the fight at hand, please?!" Quake yelled, rolling out of the way of a swipe from the Ogre's claws, managing to cut it in the leg as she did. It cried out in pain briefly, but recovered even quicker and grabbed her.

"Quake!" Sullivan cried, rushing over to save her. He was back handed into a wall, and the Ogre brought it's attention back to Quake, squeezing the life out of her easily even as she struggled.

"Let go of her!" Blitz demanded as she dive bombed the Ogre, only to be snatched out of the air and squeezed tightly. Both her and Quake cried out in pain as they were slowly crushed.

I watched on in horror. What do I do? What can I do? I looked to Sullivan, but he looked to have been knocked out. We're gonna die. We're all gonna die, or worse, that thing will drag me and the mares to it's nest, and we'll be forced to eat each other and their vomit and be raped and then turned into Broodmothers or...!

Time slowed to a crawl. No. No! I could do something! That training wasn't for nothing! I was stronger than this! I gripped my staff tightly. Only one course of action was left to me.

I took my staff in both hands and rushed the Ogre. I roared a battle cry, and jumped onto it, thrusting the bladed bottom of my staff into it's blackened heart, causing it to let out a roar of pain and drop the mares as it fell back. I twisted the blade as it tried to wrench me from it's chest, but I responded by pulling my blade out and then thrusting it straight through it's mouth. It gurgled and coughed up blood, whining and thrashing about, but I held firm.

With a final roar of rage, I pulled up on the blade, slowly starting to split it's skull from the mouth up. It thrashed more, but evenetually stopped as I succeeded and split it's head wide open. I panted heavily as I sat on it's chest, covered in blood as it's own life-giving liquid pooled out of it.

I slowly got off of the Ogre, looking to the others. "Everyone okay?" I asked, still panting a bit.

"Uuugh..." Blitz groaned, slowly standing to her hooves and wincing. "Ugh... Yeah, I'm good. Might have..." she winced again as she took in a sharp breath. "...a few broken or cracked ribs though."

"Same..." Quake grunted, pushing herself up onto her hooves. "Buck... Think I might be bleeding as well..." I looked to her armor, which looked to have been crushed a bit and was squeezing against her form. She was definitely bleeding a bit if the red liquid dripping from some of the cracks in her splintmail was any indication.

I looked to Sullivan. "Sullivan's out cold, too..." I grunted. "Alright, guess I'll have to carry him. Blitz, think you can walk well enough to help Quake?"

"Yeah... Should be able to," Blitz nodded. I walked over and hefted Sullivan over my shoulder. He had a gash on his head, but it wasn't too bad. Blitz trotted over to Quake and the two supported each other as we all walked slowly back to the camp.

This was going to be an even longer walk than it had been the first time.

It had been at least two weeks since our mission to get those vials, all of it spent waiting for the others to recover from their injuries. I spent it all by myself, practicing my skills and magic.

It was while I was doing so that Sullivan came to fetch me. Seeing as his wound was considerably more minor compared to those of the other two, he recovered more quickly.

I noticed him approach from the corner of my eye, and I stopped the spell I was about to cast at a training dummy. I turned to him to see his unkempt mop of blonde hair, tan skin and emerald eyes. He was in his armor, as always, save for his helmet.

"What's up?" I asked as he stopped by me.

"It's time for your Joining. The other two have healed enough and are already waiting at the designated site," he explained. I nodded. He motioned for me to follow and started walking, and I obliged, following.

We walked through the camp in relative silence, and as we did, I took note once more of how few ponies there were around. We honestly had more dwarves and elves and humans than we did ponies, and more dwarves and elves than we did humans.

I knew why there were so few humans, since I knew about Loghain's betrayal, and I was still surprised that there were pockets of Wardens like us left over from it.

But the ponies were a different story altogether. I knew for a fact they weren't present in the Dragon Age games, and I had learned from the Greenskin Brothers that they were the main contributors to the Wardens throughout Thedas, but it confused me that they weren't nearly as present as they should be if they were indeed the main contributors.

All I knew was some rumors among the few ponies here stating that they had some political problems that were in need of being sorted out.

That, and the fact that the Commander was also a Prince of some Empire and married to a Princess of Love. Honestly sounded pretty fucking surreal to me.

I shook my head of those thoughts as we reached an old dwarven ritual site, where I saw a stone table, four crumbling pillars surrounding it, and Shining Armor, Quake, and Blitz all standing there waiting for us. A decorated chalice, exactly like the one in the first game was sitting on the table.

I already knew what was in it.

"Ah, Sullivan, Mera, good, you're here," Shining Armor greeted. He was wearing his signature purple, plated armor lined with gold, a Spartan-like helmet adorning his head. A blue gem in the shape of a star was set into the part of the plates on his chest. Quake and Blitz wore their usual armor sets, and I was much the same.

"Took you long enough," Blitz said.

"Hello to you too, Blitz," I replied dryly.

"Mera," Quake greeted with a nod.

"Quake," I returned with my own nod.

"Is everyone done with pleasantries?" Shining Armor queried. At receiving no response, he smiled lightly. "Good. Now, the Grey Wardens were founded during the First Blight, when the races of the world faced what could have been certain annihilation." He picked up the silver chalice with his magic, his horn lighting up the same color as the chalice, within which swirled the crimson fluid we would ingest. "So it was that the first Wardens drank of Darkspawn blood... And mastered their taint."

"Whoa whoa whoa whoa whoah, back the buck up, we're drinking that stuff? What the hay happened to don't ingest it or you'll die a slow and painful death!?" Blitz cried, backing up a step, a look of shock on her muzzle.

Shining Armor nodded. "As our predecessors did before us, and as we did before you. It is the source of our power."

"If you survive the Joining, you'll become immune to the taint, and will be able to sense Darkspawn as well as use it to slay the Archdemon," Sullivan added.

"If we survive? Why the buck didn't you plotholes say we would be risking our lives to become Wardens?!" Blitz yelled, wings flared out, their attached blades sharp and gleaming in the dim lighting.

"You cannot turn back, Blitz," Shining Armor said firmly, yet solemnly. I watched on with sadness yet resignation as he approached her, and she prepared for a fight. Shining Armor sighed.

"Sullivan?" He prompted. Sullivan nodded.

"Join us, brothers and sisters. Join us in the shadows where we stand vigilant. Join us as we carry the duty that cannot be forsworn. And should you perish, know that your sacrifice will not be forgotten. And that one day, we, shall join you," Sullivan recited.

"Shut up! I didn't join this Order to face all of you, I joined to face the bucking Darkspawn! Can't you just let me do that?!" Blitz shouted, though it almost sounded like a plea.

"You can't turn your back on this. You either drink, or die," Shining Armor intoned. Blitz growled.

"Fine! Bring it!" She said, dashing forth, aiming to cut off Shining's head. But he swiftly deflected the blow with a barrier, even while still holding the chalice, and retaliated by unsheathing his longsword and thrusting it into her heart. Blitz gasped and coughed up blood, and I had to avert my eyes from the grisly scene.

"I am sorry," Shining said solemnly, before yanking his blade out, Blitz falling to the ground in a heap, blood seeping from her. Shining Armor approached Quake. "Quake, step forth." Quake glanced at Blitz's body for a long moment, then to the chalice, and, keeping up her stoic expression, slowly stepped forth.

Shining passed her the chalice and she took it, a brief look of doubt crossing her face, before she took a big gulp of the blood and handed it back. Instantly, her eyes turned milky white, and she gasped, hoof reaching to her throat, as if she was choking. She reached for me of all people, and once more I averted my gaze, trying to not lose composure completely.

She gasped and wheezed in pain, then collapsed to the stone floor. Shining turned to me. "Mera, step forth." I slowly brought my gaze back to him and the chalice offered to me.

This was it. No turning back now. Slowly, I took the chalice, lifted it to my lips, and took a gulp of the blood. I coughed a bit as it burned its way down my throat, Shining taking the chalice back. I cried out in pain as I felt something in me change and twist painfully, my veins feeling like they were on fire, and then I saw it. A vision of a twisted dragon, roaring in my face with it's thorny, spiked maw.

I blacked out.

Author's Note

This chapter honestly sat on the shelf for a good long while, and I only took it off and started on it a week or two ago. Then, it went through multiple rewrites like the previous one. Again, hopefully it's got enough polish now to get you all interested. Thanks for reading, dear readers.

-Timeless Celestial

4 - First Blood: The Slaughter

The next few days after I awoke from my experience with The Joining were... Well, silent and lonesome. Sullivan had come by to give me the amulet with the drop of blood me and the others had drunk. The amulet was still around my neck, and I wasn't going to get rid of it anytime soon. I felt it would be dishonorable to just discard it after what had happened.

The Greenskin Brothers and Sullivan had tried to cheer me up multiple times, but I just wanted to focus on my training. I had advanced enough now that my trainer in the ways of the Arcane Warrior, Harold, had seen fit to give me my second weapon, one that symbolized my advancement in the ways of the Arcane Warrior. It was just a simple longsword made out of steel with a Silverite butterfly hilt. He said it would help me channel my magical energies just as well as my staff should it be taken from me, and I was more than happy to take it.

Still, even as I trained I felt lonely and empty, and the nightmares and visions I'd been having nearly every night didn't help. I knew that they could be blocked out with practice, but it was a slow going process. My mind drifted to Quake and Blitz as I practiced my Stonefist spell.

Blitz... She may have been rude and brash, but she didn't deserve to die because of it. And Quake certainly didn't either. Especially not so horribly. I sighed deeply. I know I couldn't really have done anything about it, and I knew there was a huge possibility that neither of them would survive, much less myself. But still... I sighed again.

I stopped my next spell, deciding I might as well head to bed early. I didn't have any chores or anything to do today, and practicing like this was entirely up to me. So, knowing that, I walked towards my tent, walked inside, found my bedroll, and climbed in.

Maybe I'll have a more restful sleep for once and I'll feel better.

I awoke with a start to the sounds of screaming, fire, and fighting. i jumped up from my bed, grabbed my weapons, quickly put on my armored robes, and walked out to a terrifying sight. The Darkspawn were in the camp. They had lit many of the tents on fire, Warden's were all around fighting a losing battle, either managing to fend them off just barely, or getting eaten, killed, or captured in the case of the females. All around me was just pure chaos, people and ponies were getting slaughtered by the dozens. I saw a group of genlocks heading my way, and quickly shot a Stonefist at them, stalling them. I fired several more, but quickly ran out of mana. More took their fallen brethren's places. Too many to fight.

I remembered my training. I had to find who I could, grab them, and get out of here. With that in mind, I mustered enough mana to shoot a final Stonefist at my pursuers to keep them back, and then ran like my life depended on it. I looked for someone, anyone who could stand and fight, or that I could at least save. I saw a number of Wardens in a section of the camp helping the workers, people who were only here to make or provide things like arms and armor or food, escape. I ran over.

"Hey! I'm here to help, what's the situation?" I called to one of them. She turned to me, visage hidden by her steel helm.

"Darkspawn came out of nowhere, started killing everyone. They're everywhere. If you wanna help, then help us get these civilians out of here! There's a tunnel leading to the surface a good five hundred meters to the east side of the camp, direct them there!" she ordered. I nodded.

"Come on people, this way!" I said, waving the civilians over. They were panicking, and beyond scared, and I couldn't blame them, but that just made it all the harder to direct them. Either way, I managed to lead them out towards the eastern tunnels, fighting off Darkspawn when I could. A few Hurlocks were set up on the few watchtowers we set up, downing a number of Wardens and civilians. I pulverized their heads with precision shots of my Stonefist spell.

An Ogre burst through a number of tents, and I was about to try fighting it, only for a number of other Wardens to charge it. I wanted to go and help, but I knew my duty right now was to get these people to safety.

I ran with the civilians, trying to direct them, and in time we reached the tunnels. But I was growing worried. I hadn't seen hide nor hair of Warden-Commander Shining Armor, or Sullivan, or the Greenskin Brothers, or even my trainer, Harold. I wanted to stay and wait to see if they would show up, but I couldn't. I had to get these guys to safety. I looked around quickly. My fears were confirmed. There were no other Wardens helping to organize these civilians.

I was the only one.

I grit my teeth, but once more remembered my training. I had to be strong, if not for myself, then for these people. There would be time to worry later. With that in mind, I helped direct the civilians through the tunnels as best I could.

Thankfully, it didn't diverge or split off at all, so I didn't get turned around. It was nearly a straight shot to the surface. I ran with the civilians for what felt like hours, but we couldn't stop. We had to get as far away from the Darkspawn as possible.

They were all screaming, running for their lives. And I was the only sense of order they had left right now. I ground my teeth together as I ran ahead of them, leading them out.

After another eternity of running and ragged breathing, we finally saw light at the end of the tunnel as the ground sloped upwards. We kept running, not stopping for anything.

More time passed, and I could feel a cold, chilling wind blowing. "We're almost there! Keep going!" I told them all, trying my best to be heard over their frightened chatter.

Finally, we reached the end, and came to a veritable tundra. I looked around, people collapsing or on their knees in the cold ice and snow. I watched as people filed out of the tunnel, and had to suppress my own tears when I saw too many trying to find their friends or family in the crowd.

I wiped at my face with my arms swiftly, getting rid of what tears had escaped. I clenched my fists. I had to be strong. I tried to remember what to do in a situation like this.

"Alright people, this is no time to stand around! We need to take stock of what we have, and ration out the essentials!" I shouted over the din of the frightened and despair ridden chatter. Slowly, they all turned to me.

"What about the others?! What about the people we lost?!" a rugged man shouted back.

"We can't sit here waiting for the Darkspawn to get us, and we can't go back! Doing either of those just means death or worse!" I replied, trying to sound strong. It was hard, and I could feel myself shaking. Whether it was from the cold or not I couldn't tell. The survivors mumbled and muttered amongst themselves. "Look, you can either follow me and live, or go back and die!" I continued. The murmurs rose in volume. It wasn't the best speech, and I seriously doubted that many people would actually follow me, but I also knew I needed to keep as many of them safe as I could, and that meant they needed to stay with me, unless they wanted to die out here in the cold. Slowly, a number of them started to stand back up, the number growing.

"Alright... We'll follow you, Warden!" a scraggly, skinny elf cried. More and more people voiced their own agreements.

"We walk with you, Warden!"

"We trust in you!"

"Don't let us down!"

These words filled me with renewed hope. I mustered enough courage and confidence to speak again. "Good! Now, take stock of what we have, and once we've done that, we ration it, and keep moving! We need to find shelter!"

And so they went about doing so. A number of hours passed, two or three, I couldn't really tell once the snow started to fall. I was getting worried we'd be found by the Darkspawn, but eventually, a tan dwarf with a blonde beard approached me.

"We've got no food, or wood, but a good few folk have cloth we can make into makeshift blankets, and others have some weapons and tools for various things," he relayed. I nodded slowly. We definitely needed a shelter. Maybe there'd be a village nearby that could spare some food, but until then, we needed to get going.

"Right. Tell everyone to pack what they can up, we're heading out again," I told him. He frowned, but slowly nodded.

"Got it," he said, turning around and doing just that. I looked to the distance ahead of us.

This was going to be a long, long trek.

Author's Note

A bit quick for my tastes, but after so many rewrites, most of which went well into eight thousand words, which was too slow for my tastes, I decided to just leave it short. I'm hoping it still portrays the panic and fear I was trying to make. Regardless, thank you all for reading.

-Timeless Celestial

5 - Intermission: Haven

The next few days were harrowing, at best. We were all starving, cold, tired, and full of anger and despair in equal amounts. I tried not to think about those who had died back at the Warden camp, much less those who died during our journey. It was hard, though. So, so hard. I had taken to staying at the very front, keeping my face forward so the others wouldn't see my tears, my weakness.

Every night was a battle. Each night I had to fight off nightmares of not just the Darkspawn, but what happened. We managed to find some stray wood on our trek, either from trees or the like, but there was little, and we had to use it all sparingly. Currently, we were in a makeshift camp, and I was sitting on a rock a ways from the camp, just thinking. The dwarf who had helped me organize things throughout this debacle, the blonde one, known as Gamit Strongarm, came up and sat down next to me with a grunt.

Silence reigned between us. Nothing but the crackle of a few fires and talking in the distance. We watched the camp from a distance, me watching the ponies and him... Well, I can't say I really bothered to ask. I was watching the ponies because, while there were not as many at the Warden camp, the raid still hit them the hardest. They went from a total of eighty ponies in the camp, to just under thirty.

I didn't know much about ponies, but I did think they were cute, and innocent. Too innocent for a war like this. But somehow they were the main contributors to the Wardens. I sighed. Just another weird thing to count among the list of weird things in this fucked up world.

The silence continued until he finally spoke.

"Ya know, you've done a good job keeping things together," he complimented. I just grunted, pulling a cloak a pony had thrown together for me tighter around my body. "Seriously, much as some of us may blame you, many more of us are thankful." I stayed quiet for a time.

"...I still failed, though," I said quietly. He quirked a hairy blonde eyebrow.

"What are you going on about? You ain't failed no one," he said.

"Tell that to the dead we left behind," I said with a snort. He frowned.

"Look lass, you've done what ya can. That's plenty enough. Ya don't need to be so hard on yourself," he said softly. I sighed and stood up, starting to walk away.

"Just leave me alone," I said. I didn't hear him reply, nor did I hear him follow after me as I walked over to one of the few trees around and leaned against it, watching the camp from afar.

From here, things looked peaceful. Serene. A far cry from what we'd been faced with just about five days ago. And yet I also knew that every dwarf, every elf, every human and every pony was wracked with grief and fear.

And they weren't alone. Knowing that I had essentially left the other Wardens to die, the people who had saved me and cared for me instead of leaving me to rot like I did them... it sickened me.

Tears flowed from my eyes unbidden as I recalled their faces, their smiles, their laughs and teases and jokes...

...I don't think I'd be able to forgive myself for leaving them to their deaths. I clutched my amulet tightly.

I stifled a sniffle and wiped my tears, slowly trekking back into the camp.

We still needed to find shelter.

After three more days of trudging through the tundra, we finally saw a glow in the distance.

"I see light up ahead! Let's hightail it people! It could be a village!" I called over the din of the snowstorm raging around us.

And hightail it we did. The glow got more intense, and closer, and after a number of hours of walking through the two foot deep snow, we saw what was making the glow.

A massive blue barrier, surrounding a city of crystals. At least, I figured that's what they were, what with the glittering and gleaming structures.

"It's the Crystal Empire! We're saved!" A pegasus mare cried out. A number of others voiced similar thoughts and rejoiced.

I didn't whoop and holler like the others, but I did smile pretty wide. Finally, I could give these people some stability back, give them a chance to rebuild.

With that in mind, we quickened our pace, and soon enough reached the barrier surrounding the city. I was about to start trying to figure out how to get through when one of the ponies just walked in.

I blinked at this, before sighing and following them, everyone else following behind me. To my surprise, it was much warmer inside the barrier, and there was little to no snow.

To my further surprise, I could now say without a doubt that the structures were indeed made of crystals of all different colors. I can't imagine how rich they must be if they have enough crystals to make buildings out of them.

We eventually reached what seemed to be a guard checkpoint, and I was surprised once again to see crystal armor on ponies. Not only that, but the ponies had crystalline sheens to their coats and manes.

I managed to shake off my bafflement enough to approach them. They stopped me with their spears.

"Halt! Who are you? And who are these people?" One of them, a stallion, asked. I cleared my throat.

"I'm a Grey Warden. We came from the northern mountains. Please help us, these refugees have nowhere to go. The Darkspawn killed everyone, even... Even General Shining Armor," I explained, saying the last part a bit softly.

I saw their eyes widen. They looked to each other briefly, then back to me. "Prove you are, as you say, a Warden, first," the stallion said. I presented the only thing I could think of besides the copies of the treaties in my bag. My amulet. Their eyes widened further, before the stallion regained his steely look. "Follow me. The Princess will want to see you. Sergeant Twinkle Berry will help the refugees."

I nodded, silently following the stallion through the streets of the city whilst the mare guard, Twinkle Berry, lead the refugees elsewhere.

The walk through the streets was mostly silent save for the murmurs of the townsfolk. I idly thought I heard the word, "horn head" but ignored it. We quickly arrived at a giant pillar of blue crystal that somehow doubled as a castle, and the guard stallion led me inside, two more guards opening the doors for us.

We walked through a few halls and up a number of stairs, passing more guards, as well as decorative armor stands, vases and flowerpots, and banners, before reaching another set of doors, only more intricate than the last ones.

The guards opened them for us, revealing a throne room, one empty and the other seating what I was pretty sure was an Alicorn with pink fur and a purple and gold mane and tail, along with a gold crown and regalia. The guard bowed.

"Your Highness, this Grey Warden brings news of your husband," he said.

"Thank you, Star Tree. You may return to your post. And tell the other guards to leave us be, please," the Alicron ordered softly. He nodded, and they all did as told. He left the room, the other guards doing the same. I bowed before her. "So, where is my husband? Is he okay?"

I paused. How was I going to tell her he was dead? That he was gone? That wasn't news anyone wanted to bring to a spouse. Still, I had to, or it would just get worse.

"...I am very, very sorry Your Highness but... Warden-Commander Shining Armor died in a Darkspawn raid upon our camp. I... I'm all that's left, along with a few refugees," I said slowly. I could tell she was in shock from her pause alone.

"W-What?" She finally spoke. I tried to hold back my own emotions as I clarified.

"I'm truly sorry, You Highness. Your husband is gone," I repeated. More silence. Then, I heard some stifled sobs.

"...D-did he-," she began. I nodded.

"I didn't see it for myself, but I know he died like a hero," I answered. I could tell she was trying her best to not fully break down.

"Thank you... I-I'll call for somepony to show you to a room. You can go," she said, choking back a sob. I nodded, turning and walking out the door.

Once it closed, I could plainly hear her sobs. She needed some time, I knew.

We all did.

Author's Note

Alright, the end of the first arc and the beginning of the next. I still feel iffy on the last bit, but it'll have to do I guess. At least, until I come up with something better. Once more, thanks for reading, my lovelies.

-Timeless Celestial

6 - Second Wind: A New Dawn (EDITED)

I awoke with a start from yet another nightmare in a cold sweat. I sat there in my bed, hand on my chest as I tried to calm down and take deep breaths. After doing so, I sighed deeply and swung my legs over the side of the bed, getting off and grabbing my armored robes to clothe myself.

That was by far the worst nightmare I’d had since the raid. I could hear the screams of all my fellow Wardens, and the few civilians who never made it. I shook my head. Just a dream. Just a dream…

I knew I’d been telling myself that for days now, I knew, but it was a better strategy than nothing at all. After pulling on my robes and making sure my weapons were safe by the bed, I walked out the door of my assigned room and into the halls of the crystal castle. I had decided to try and explore a bit, to see if it would get my mind off things.

Though I should have known better, because the silence just gave me time to think about everything that happened. My mind quickly went to the raid. Sullivan, Harold, the Greenskin Brothers... All of them were dead now. And Quake and Blitz were probably being turned into Broodmothers now, if they weren't already made into those disgusting things. I shivered at the thought.

There were so many Darkspawn... I doubt they could have made it out, much less made it out unscathed. Now... Now they were all gone. The Warden-Commander was dead, too. It was my fault.

I focused my attention on the crystal tiles at that thought. My fault. All my fault. Now I'd left a Princess a widow, all because I couldn't save at least one person.

The sound of someone clearing their throat interrupted my thoughts. My head shot up, and I saw a guard looking at me. "The Princess wishes to have you join her for breakfast." He said. He turned around, motioning for me to follow. "This way, please." I stood there a bit, then sighed and followed.

I really hope the Princess doesn't hate me or blame me for her husband's death. I mean, I deserved it, but I still didn't want an angry Princess on my hands. I sighed. If only I was back home, safe and sound. Then none of this would have happened.

We came to a set of doors, which the guard quickly opened to reveal a large dining room fit for royalty, the Princess sitting at one end of the table. I noted there was an empty chair next to her, and frowned, knowing why it was empty. Because I failed. I slowly walked over and took a seat near her, deciding to just stare at the table.

"How are you feeling, Miss Vas?" she asked.

"...Fine," I answered eventually.

"You don't sound it," she shot back.

"..." I remained silent. Cadance sighed.

"I know why you're upset. You think I blame you, right?" she began. I slowly nodded, still looking at the table. "Well, I don't."

I immediately shot my eyes to her. "What? B-But I could've-!"

She cut me off. "No. You couldn't. From what the refugees have said, the Darkspawn were just too great in number." I stared at her in shock, and she took that as a sign to continue. "Look... I'm still very much grieving the loss of my husband, heck, everypony is, but I'm not stupid. Yes, I would love to have seen him coming back instead of you and you alone, but that doesn't mean I'll blame you for it." She reached over and put a hoof on my hand. "I'm just glad someone managed to survive to tell me what happened, instead of having to see his... corpse."

I looked to her hoof, staring at it for a long moment, before sighing deeply. "...Right. Thanks, I guess," I looked to her again. "So... Breakfast?"

She managed a smile. "Of course."

Soon after, we were eating, her with a salad with crystalline fruit, and me with some pancakes. Throughout this, I was thinking on what to do next. The refugees didn't need me anymore, and I didn't really have a reason to stay here, either. And considering there were so many Darkspawn this close to this country...

The Blight could spread here. My eyes hardened at this thought as I stared down at the remains of my pancakes. I slowly turned to look at Cadance.

"Princess, can I ask a favor?" I queried. She raised a brow, putting her fork down.

"Of course. What is it?" she asked. I paused for a moment, trying to collect my thoughts.

"...I think the Blight might spread here," I began. Her brow raised further.

"We already dispatched some forces to the mountains to seal the tunnel. There's no way they'll come here," she replied.

"But it's a six day walk from here to there. Darkspawn will have filed out already, and spread to other areas," I countered. Cadance leaned back, brow still raised.

"Where are you going with this?" she asked.

"I need allies. People to help stop the Blight that will happen here. Is there any place you can think of that I can get help? Where I can recruit?" I finished. Cadance put a chin to her hoof, humming in thought.

"Well, I can't say I disagree with it now that you've got me thinking about it..." she responded. She lowered her hoof and looked to me. "There's Canterlot, but my Aunts are off on a political mission to Zebrica, and won't be back for a few months. My sister-in-law, Twilight, is currently in charge of Equestria. You could go to Canterlot and talk with her."

I crossed my arms, thinking for a second. Eventually, I nodded. "Alright, where is Canterlot and how do I get there?"

"It's on a mountain in the center of Equestria. The easiest way there is by train. I can get you a ticket for the next ride to Canterlot, if you want," Cadance offered.

Train? Isn't this a Dragon Age world? How are there trains? I shook my head of those thoughts. If there are ponies, pastel ponies no less, and crystal castles, I think it's high time I stop questioning things. I looked to the Princess.

"That'd be great," I answered finally. Cadance smiled.

"Great, I'll get one to you as soon as possible," she said genially. I managed a smile back.

"Thanks, Princess," I replied.

Two days later I was at the train station, waiting for my ride. My mind wandered as I sat on the bench, watching the horizon for any sign of a train. The past two days I'd spent at the castle, training as much as I could. It was hard without Harold, but I think I did pretty well.

But there were other matters, like how I was going to convince this 'Twilight' to help me. According to Cadance, it wouldn't be hard, but she did say that she was so busy with the nobles that it might be hard to even get an audience with her. I didn't really want to have to make a scene just to get in.

The sound of a train's whistle blowing caught my attention, and I looked to see a very girly train coming up the tracks. I stood up, staff in hand and sword in it's scabbard. I could think about it more on the way to Canterlot.

I just hope nothing bad happens.

Author's Note

Welp, finally updated this after getting my butt in gear. Hope you all enjoyed it. There's going to be more coming soon, with any luck. Anyways, thanks for reading.

-Timeless Celestial

7 - Second Wind: A Visit To The Capital (EDITED)

The train ride to 'Canterlot' was exactly like the train rides back home: long and boring. Thankfully not as crowded, though. Either way, I was more than glad to get off that javla thing. After I stepped off the train and popped my back, I looked around and let out a low whistle as I took in the sight of a city that was made of what must have been almost entirely marble, gold, and tiled roofs. The only thing that wasn't like that was the roads and streets, which were cobblestone. Furthermore, it was on the side of a mountain. Not in it, not below it, not even on top, but on the freaking side of it!

And if that didn't scream high class and sophistication, then the fancily dressed ponies did. All in all, I was impressed, and in awe. Not everyday you see a city with this kind of architecture, after all. Knowing this, I decided to look around a bit before finding an inn to stop by for the night, since the sun was setting.

Walking down the first street I saw, I took in the sights of the upper class stores and homes. Most of the homes I passed were small, like town homes you'd see back in Sweden, or America, but more lush and luxurious in design than typical plaster or paneling.

While I was enjoying the sights I also noted the fearful, disgusted, and arrogant looks on the nobles of the city. A good number of them literally had their noses turned up to the sky, like a testament to snootiness. The upturned snouts were easier to take than the glares, though.

Most of I could easily write off as being racist, but that did nothing to keep the tension back at the unwanted familiarity. Nor from the few that seemed almost appraising. I made a point to not return any gazes as I adjusted my robes a bit.

"Huh... A cake shop..." I noted, stopping by a window that framed perfectly made gourmet cakes. I looked to the sign and read it. "Smough's Brutally Honest Cake Emporium?" I read aloud, intrigued. It had a picture of a very fat man eating a cake just below the cursive writing. I looked back to the cakes in the display window. They looked pretty good... And I'll admit, I've always had a weakness for them... "Hmmm... No money though. I'll have to come back here sometime-" I began, before I heard a loud yell and a sharp CRACK!

My eyes widened and then quickly hardened as I rushed to the source of the sound, finding four figures in a darkened alleyway. Three were ponies, two of which were unicorns and wearing cloaks, and the other a regular Earth Pony. The last figure gave me pause, because it was a human. But not a human I'd seen before.

For one, she was wearing modern clothes; tight black yoga pants and a dark blue tank top, plus dark blue gloves with a white wrist watch on one of them, and some white sneakers. She also had a sword on her back, held in a tight leather sheath. But the most defining trait was her pure white hair that looked like it came straight out of an anime. It was short, and with a fair amount of spikes. Oddly, there was a brown, furry belt on her waist, which looked more alive than- No. No no no no no! Ohoho NO!

A freaking monkey tail. She had a freaking monkey tail!

I shook my head to try and clear my thoughts, peering around the corner of the alleyway and watching this all unfold as I warily thumbed the haft of my staff.

The Saiyan - a SAIYAN of all possible races - was currently holding the remains of a green horn in her hand, and the Earth Pony was looking at her in what seemed like awe and also fear. The unicorn with a broken horn was clutching his head in pain, curled up in a ball. The woman crushed the horn in her hand like it was nothing, leaving only dust.

"So, you wanna try your luck too, little guy?" she said in a familiar voice to the remaining stallion.

"M-M-Monster!" he cried, before galloping away. But in a blur of movement the woman was now standing in front of him, and before I could blink, she knocked him hard on the head, and he crumpled to the ground like a bag of hard bricks. She looked towards the Earth Pony mare with her sea-green eyes and tossed her a coin pouch, which landed at her hooves.

"There. That was yours, right?" the woman asked. The mare just numbly nodded, and the woman grinned. "Great! Glad I could help! See ya around!" She gave a two finger salute, and before I knew it, she was gone, not even the sound of footsteps telling me where she went. I was, understandably, shocked.

I quickly shook it off, and then walked over to the mare. "Hey, you alright?" I asked. She snapped her head to me, stumbling back a bit.

"U-U-Um, y-yes, I'm um, fine," she stuttered. I sighed a bit internally. Seems I made her more scared.

I forced a smile. "Do you need any help getting home?" I asked next. She shook her head.

"N-No, I'm good, th-thank you," she squeaked. I frowned, but eventually nodded.

"Well, report this to the local guard when you can, then, okay? And stay safe," I told her. She nodded again and muttered a quick thank you before scampering off. Sighing once more, looking over the two stallions, I noticed the now severely handicapped unicorn still clutching his horn. I gave him a swift boot to the head to knock him out before looking around again. "Well... Guess I'll leave this to the local guard and then look for a good inn..."

After a good night's rest at an inn, I made my way to the castle. It didn't take particularly long before I made it to the front gates, two guards standing in my way.

"Halt. State your business," they demanded, blocking my way with their spears. I showed them my amulet.

"I'm a Grey Warden. I need to speak to Princess Twilight Sparkle, it's urgent," I told them. They looked at the amulet, then me, then each other, before looking back to me and slowly nodding, retracting their spears.

"You may pass. I'll show you to Her Majesty," one of them said, before opening the gates with his horn. I followed him through a beautiful courtyard filled with rose bushes and much more, and into the castle proper. I won't lie, I was already lost after the fifth turn around a corridor, and was dependent on this guy knowing where to go.

After ten more corridors and four hallways, we reached a set of large, marble doors with a seal of two alicorns around the sun and moon in an almost Yin and Yang style. The guard stopped in front of the doors.

"I'll let Her Majesty know you are here," he said, before opening the door and stepping inside. Soon after, a disgruntled noble stallion stomped out, and the guard peeked his head out from behind the door. "She's ready."

I took a deep breath, then walked in.

Author's Note

EDIT: Did some minor reworking of things.

EDIT: Fixed some grammar issues. Once more, I am a victim of typing too fast.

Aaaand unnecessary cliffhanger! Yaay!

Thanks for reading! :pinkiehappy:

-Timeless Celestial