The Equestrian Warden

When we entered the Chantry we talked to the Knight-Captain, Silver Wings. Lucky for us he was a Grey Warden sympathizer, and he quickly filled us in on what happened. Apparently, Sombra told everyone that the Grey Wardens betrayed the king and left him to die. Luckily, Silver Wings didn’t believe in the ridiculous story and offered a reward for driving of the bandits, but we declined. On the other hoof, he did tell us about the Chanter’s Board outside the Chantry, a number of jobs that could result in a reward. We left him, but we also stumbled upon an old friend of Rainbow Dash.

“Oh… Pardon me, I didn't see you coming.” She said.

“Spitfire… is that you?” Dash asked, shocked at seeing a familiar face.

Spitfire was a yellow pegasi, with orange eyes, an orange mane with amber stripes, and a cutie mark that looked like three licks of flames, and she wore the armor of a knight.

“Dash! Thank Celestia!” Spitfire smiled and gave Rainbow Dash a quick hoof bump before pulling her in for a tight hug. “How are you? I thought you were dead.”

“Not yet, but maybe if Sombra catches us.”

Spitfire growled and slammed a hoof on the ground.

“If Sundancer was well, he would put Sombra in his place!”

Dash looked at Spitfire in alarm.

“Sick… If he is sick, then why are you here?”

“Every knight in ponyville is searching for the Urn of the Alicorns. They say the ashes of Princess Luna could cure any illness. Some days I don’t even believe the urn exists, my hope fades.”

“Shouldn’t you be fighting darklings?” I asked, but Spitfire shook her head.

“My mission takes priority, but I’ll have to return to Ponyville sooner or later.”

“We actually wanted to meet Arl Sundancer.”

“Why’s that?” Spitfire asked.

“We want his help against Lord Sombra.” I said.

“Hmm, it’s true that my lord is a popular stallion, but Sombra is a hero throughout Equestria. But I can’t focus on that now. My mission comes first.”

This time Azura spoke up.

“What if Sombra had something to do with Sundancers illness?”

“Sundancer got sick before the king’s death but,” Spitfire rubbed her head in frustration. “what if Sombra planned that too? If that’s true, then I fear for what his plans are for the rest of Equestria.”

“Don’t worry Spitfire were gonna go to Ponyville and see what we can do.” Dash said.

“I hope so Dash. Regardless, I hope to see you there after I return. I’m sure Lord Breaburn will be happy to accommodate you.”

“I hope I will, but what exactly are you waiting for Spits? Why not return to Ponyville now?” Dash asked.

“I’m waiting for my fellow knight Fleetfoot. She should have been here by now.” Spitfire said, clearly worried.

“We’ll keep our eyes open.” said Dash.

We said goodbye to Spitfire and spoke to the Revered Mother. She soon told us that Zen had apparently killed a family of farmers, outside of Appleloosa. Then he just sat there and waited for the Templars to come and arrest him. It took a little convincing, but luckily after I told her that we were Grey Wardens and willing to take Zen off her hooves, she agreed as long as we never bring him back to the Chantry. However, she asked me if I wanted the blessing of Celestia but I refused, which wouldn’t have been a problem if Azura didn’t start asking me questions.

“I just don’t understand why you don’t believe in Celestia and Luna. Even my mother, Flemeth acknowledge they existed and she’s been around for who knows how long.” Azura said as we made our way to Zen’s cage. “You promised you would tell me why you don’t believe in the goddesses.”

I sighed and shook my head.

“Let’s just drop it for now. I’ll tell you later.”

Azura frowned, but didn’t ask anything else. Dash just shrugged indifferently. We approached the cage and the zebra was still sitting in the same position. He stood when I approached the cage and immediately noticed the key that hung from around my neck by a string.

“I confess that I did not believe the priestess would part with it, or that you would actually get it.” He said flatly.

“She did agree to release you, but under my custody.” I said.

“I see. Open this cage and I will follow you against the Blight.”

I opened the cage and he slowly stepped out and stretched his legs.

“I will follow you into battle, and in doing so I will atone for my crime.”

“Welcome Zen. Glad to have you with us.” I said, sticking out a hoof.

He looked at me for a couple seconds before pushing his hoof against mine in a hoof bump. We walked around the town until we finally found the tavern, but a pony outside the tavern warned us that some ponies were looking for us. When we entered the tavern however, I stopped in my tracks.

The tavern was filled with countless ponies, all probably fleeing from the Blight. But when we stepped in I immediately saw ponies wearing the pegasi royal guard armor, but it was one pony with a whitening beard, and blue coat just like mine that stood and walked over to us flanked by the other guards.

“Hello, son.”

“Son?” Dash said, looking at me in surprise.

“Hello father.” I said.

“Tell me how why my own son joined the treacherous Grey Wardens, and brought dishonor upon his family.”

I frowned and shook my head.

“Father I haven’t-“

“You were meant for so much more. You could have joined the guards, maybe actually do something with your life. Instead you run away, turn my own wife against me, and helped the Grey Wardens kill our king.”

“Please father you have to believe me. The Grey Wardens didn’t kill the king. Sombra betrayed the king, he lied to everyone about what happened. You have to believe me.”

My father looked at me for a couple seconds, as I was begging for him to come to his senses. My father had always been that one guard who was always by the books. But there were a few times when he actually acted like he was my father, I prayed that this was one of those times.

“I’m not sure what to believe any more son, but if you truly want to end this, then please surrender. I'll take you to Cloudsdale and we can work something out with Sombra. He already has a plan for stopping the darklings, and I’m sure he can find some use for you, and maybe a little convincing from me and he’ll drop all the crimes on you as a Grey Warden.”

My eyes widened at his offer.

“Really?”

“Yes, and I’m sure your mother will be thrilled to see her son again.”

I couldn’t believe it. My father was actually trying to help me. He actually wanted me to come back with him, be his son again. But before I could think of anything else I stopped and raised an eyebrow in confusion.

“What about my friends? What’ll you do with them?”

“They will be arrested and taken to Cloudsdale as well, for assisting a, fugitives. Your fellow Grey Warden shall be tried, as well as the bat pony and… whatever that thing is.”

The happiness and hope in my chest dropped almost immediately at these words. My companions however took the news a lot worse than me.

“Oh yeah! I’d like to see you try!” Dash shouted.

“I refuse to be caged again. Especially by some foreign king.”

Zen said, both of them got into a fighting stance.

“Comet… you wouldn’t let him imprison us, right?”

Azura looked at me with hopeful eyes, but I didn’t know what to say. It was my father. Could I really kill him? Choose my friends over him?

“Please, maybe we should all calm down.” said a gentle voice.

A unicorn with a light green coat, green mane and dark green highlights stepped forward wearing chantry robes.

“Let’s us all just have a drink and calm down.”

“Stay out of this sister. This is between me and my son. Speaking of whom,” He turned to me. “What is your choice?”

“I-I… I don’t know.”

My father looked at me for a couple seconds before shaking his head, and his eyes now filled with anger and frustration.

“This is what I expected from you. My own son can’t even make the right decision even when it is right in front of his own eyes. Your own mother had to help you run away from home, and now you’ve joined a band of murderers. If only your mother where, so she could see how much of a disappointment her son is.”

I took a step back, the hurt in my chest was immeasurable. Azura looked at me in shock, and turned to my father her eyes turning yellow.

“Your son has saved my life and everyone in our little group at least once. He fought the earth ponies in Orzammare. He saved a little girl from the darklings. And he fought at The Castle of the Two Sisters against the horde of darklings even when Lord Sombra fled the field of battle. He has earned his place among the Grey Wardens, and no matter what you say he and Rainbow Dash will avenge the Grey Wardens and stop the darklings from destroying Equestria.”

My eyes widened at her words. The soldiers around us drew their weapons, and my father’s eyes filled with rage as he reached for his own weapon. I acted fast, and stepped in front of Azura as my father swung his sword, and it bounced off my shield. The rest of my companions moved to attack. Dash quickly pulled out her sword and darted at the pegasi warriors who tried taking to the air.

“Azura! Help Dash!” Azura nodded and shot into the air as well. My father continued to slash his blade against my shield, as he closed the distance, making my lance nearly useless. Seeing this, my father flapped his wings and darted to my side. His blade whizzed down towards my head, but before it could hit me, a shadow darted between us.

The unicorn. The mare drew a knife from her robes with her magic and parried my father’s sword. My father recoiled in surprise but the unicorn was quick and pulled out another dagger and started her assault. I was impressed, the mare was a whirlwind of death as she drove my father back. I turned to see how the rest of my companions were doing.

Zen ran right past me and leapt towards the nearby wall. I watched in awe as he pushed himself off the wall and shot towards one of the pegasi who was aiming an arrow at Dash and Azura, who were busy fighting their own foes. Zen’s leap was impressive, and the pegasi didn’t see him coming. He quickly had the pegasi in a chock hold, and didn’t stop until the pegasi dropped his weapon and fell to the ground. Zen landed next to the limp body, but before I could say anything, he grabbed the ponies head and quickly snapped its neck. My jaw dropped at the brutal kill, but before I could say anything Zen grabbed a nearby table and chucked it towards me. I ducked as the table flew overhead, but was surprised to see the table slam into a pegasi who was sneaking up behind me. Zen nodded before his eyes focused on something else. I turned and saw that my father was barely blocking the unicorn’s quick strikes, but he was slowly gaining the upper hand.

“Fang!” I yelled.

My hound who was tearing into a pegasi that Dash knocked to the ground turned to me and I pointed a hoof at my father. He barked and launched himself at father and bit deep into his wing. My father screamed in pain, dropping his sword only for the unicorn to buck the side of his head, cutting off his scream. He collapsed to the ground, as Fang let go of his wing. My father dragged his body until he sat with his back pressed against the wall. The unicorn turned to me, sheathing her bloody daggers in her robes.

“Sister! You protect these traitors? You will share their fate.” He growled glaring at the unicorn.

The mare shook her head.

“How can you call your own son a traitor? May Celestia have mercy on your soul.”

She looked at me as I approached, and bowed her head.

“What should we do with him?”

I didn’t answer. Dash and Azura landed on the floor, while everyone who was in the tavern who had tried their best to steer clear of the fight watched intently, like children being told a story.

“Kill me.” My father said weakly, looking up at me defiantly.

“I never knew my father to be a coward.” I growled.

“Excuse me?” He asked.

“You sit there, begging for death, when you can still go home. Tell my mother anything you want, that I’m a traitor, that I shamed you and her, brought dishonor on the family. At least you’ll be alive and mother won't have to bury another member of our family.”

Father looked at me for a couple seconds before looking away. I looked at the unicorn.

“So what’s your-.“

“Watch out!” shouted Azura.

The unicorn pushed me out of the way just as a sword slashed just were my head was. My reflexes kicked in. I slammed my shield into the sword, knocking it out of my father’s mouth, and I without a moments hesitation I plunged my lance into his chest. I watched as the life slowly left my father’s eyes as his blood slid down my lance.

“Comet…” he groaned before his eyes slowly closed.

I pulled the lance his chest and watched as his lifeless body collapsed on the ground. The whole tavern was quiet. I tried my best avoid the stares, but I couldn’t handle it.

“Comet!?” Azura yelled as I ran past her and Dash, and out of the tavern.

…

I ran outside the village and towards some abandoned farmland. I didn’t know what I was doing there, but I didn’t care. All I did was sit there, no tears, no grief, I just…sat there. I don’t know how long I sat, but I heard some pony approaching me.

“I don’t want to talk right now Azura.”

“That’s unfortunate. The bat showed great concern for you.”

I looked up to see Zen looking down at me with a bored look. Fang was behind him, but was too busy rolling through the grass. I looked away from Zen and back to the cornfield, but Zen quietly walked over and sat beside me.

“This sword. Its pommel has the marking of a comet. Why is this?” Zen asked, as he held the sword my father used in his hooves.

“It’s my family sword. They say that long ago a comet fell from the sky and crashed outside my ancestor’s home. My ancestor, Rising Comet, a lowly blacksmith, saw it and got his cutie mark. He was angry at how pitiful his cutie mark was and they say he took the comet and forged it into a sword. With that sword he made a name for himself, joined the royal guard, and the family name “Comet” was passed down from generation to generation. My full name is Orion Comet. My father’s name was Soaring Comet. My sisters name…”

I didn’t continue, but Zen shook his head.

“Your ancestor was foolish. How can one forge a comet into a sword?”

I smiled and shook my head.

“Yeah, I guess it’s pretty stupid. Why don’t you take it Zen?”

“Regardless of your ancestor’s foolish story, it is a fine blade. But I’m afraid I cannot accept this. I will only fight with my sword.”

“Your sword?” I asked.

“Yes. I swore I would not tell anyone about why I killed that family, but you’ve earned my respect after what you did in the tavern.”

“But I haven’t done anything to-.“

“Zebras do not have mothers or fathers or at least we are not raised by our mother or fathers. But I have seen with my own eyes the bond between parent and child. I saw…when I slaughtered the family. I understand it was hard to kill your father, yet when he didn’t surrender you did it without a second thought. I do not know what to expect from you as a Grey Warden, but I will respect you for the choices you make.”

“…Thank you Zen.” I said, bowing my head. “What exactly happened?”

“Me and my fellow warriors came to Equestria to see if this Blight is truly a threat. But before we could collect our information, we were ambushed by bandits. I was knocked out from behind, and when I woke I was surrounded by the farmer and his family, but my sword was missing.”

“I don’t understand. Is your sword really that important?”

“A zebra’s sword is something they themselves make, and they themselves use. It is a very important part of our culture, and a very important part of our lives as warriors. When I lost it…I turned my rage to the family, the mare and the fillies. The Chantry Templars found me sitting there and you know the rest.”

“Wow Zen. I’m sorry.”

“I did not ask for your pity. You won my respect.”

He held the sword out to me.

“Take it. I do not see any worth in it, but maybe you do.”

I took the sword and tied it to my saddle.

“Where’s is every pony?”

“They are burying the bodies. The bat told me to check on you, and I simply obliged.”

“I see…How do you feel about a little work Zen.”

Zen, Fang, and I spent the next couple hours doing jobs around the town, helping a little boy find his mother, killing a couple animals, driving off more bandits, but we also found the body of Fleetfoot. We took a locket and a note from her body and returned to Spitfire.

“Her locket…and a note… Thank you. I’ll return to Ponyville, and… I’ll try and see if I can throw in a good word for you.”

I thanked him, and luckily one of the rewards I got was a sword from the Chanters Board. I gave it to Zen.

“What makes you think I will accept this any more than your family sword?” He asked.

“Your sword may be your life, and I know you are lethal with your hooves, but if we are goanna stand against the Blight then I need you at you best.”

“The darklings won't care about what I fight with.” He pointed out.

“But I do. You may not like it, but wield this sword until we find yours.”

“You’ll… help find my sword?” He asked, surprised.

“Yes. I promise.”

Zen looked at me for a couple seconds before nodding and drawing his new sword, looked at it, before sheathing it.

“It will do.”

After getting enough money and buying a few supplies we made our way back to the tavern. The man who owned the tavern told me that they took the bodies outside the town to bury them. We managed to find them just as Dash scooped the last bit of dirt over my father’s corpse. Azura spotted me and trotted over to with a worried expression.

“I wanted to go after you, but Zen insisted that you needed space and that he would talk to you when you were ready.” She squeaked in surprise when I pulled her into an embrace.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to make you worry.”

“Nah, we knew you needed time to cope.” Dash said.

“Thank you… all of you.”

I looked at each of my friends, before looking at the unicorn, who to my surprise was no longer wearing her Chantry robes and instead was sporting some well-crafted leather armor. On her back was a bow and arrows, and in her gauntlets were her two daggers. I needed to talk to her, but first. I walked over to where Dash buried my father, and I bowed my head.

“We didn’t always see eye to eye father, and we probably never would have. But I have a path that I myself must walk. But you won't have to worry father, I'll take your sword back to mother. I tell her how hard you fought to bring honor back to our family. I promise this to you.”

No one said anything, but I slowly pulled myself up and trotted over to the unicorn mare.

“And you are?”

“Clover. I saw those men were about to attack and I thought I could end the matter peacefully. Unfortunately, I was wrong.”

I nodded.

“Thank you for your help. I feel like I should give you something in return.”

“No, I don’t need anything, I just have a request.”

“Yes?”

“May I join your group?” she asked.

My eyes widened in surprise.

“Umm ok. May I ask why?”

“Because Celestia told me too.”

I looked at her blankly for a couple seconds.

“Celestia... the Sun goddess?”

“Yes.”

“Your saying she spoke to you.”

“Yes, she told me that you were coming and that I need to join your group to help drive away evil, and spread her word to all corners of the earth.” She gave me such an innocent smile.

I looked back at my companions.

“Believe me, I was just as confused as you were when she told us why she wanted to join.” Dash said, rolling her eyes.

“Azura?” I asked, looking at her.

“My thoughts? Well I don’t know about the whole Celestia wants me to do this thing she’s selling, but she did pretty well in the tavern. I say give her a chance.”

“Zen?” I looked at him.

“I say we walk away, quickly.”

“Fang.”

“Woof.” He barked.

I turned to the girl and nodded my head.

“Alright, your in. I won't turn away help.”

“Thank you. I appreciate you giving me this chance, and I promise not to let you down.”

And so with all of our supplies, we left the town. Or at least we were on our way out of the town until we saw two unicorns dressed in strange clothing being attacked by darklings. The one in charge of the group seemed to be one large armored hurlock who roared commands to them.

“Zen, Fang, your both with me, we’ll take the leader. Dash take care of those archers in the sky. Clover keep the genlocks off us with those arrows, Azura use your shape shifting magic to cover her. Go!”

I shouted my orders quickly as we charged the darklings. I blocked a blow from one of the darklings and jammed by lance tip into its chest. I didn’t have time to push its corpse off my lance as more approached so I simply lifted my lance and continued running darklings through until at least five of them were piled onto my lance. I couldn’t move with all the extra weight, but luckily I wasn’t alone. Zen let out a battle cry as he decapitated a genlocks that was approaching my left, and Fang tackled another.

Above us, Rainbow Dash was flying circles around the darklings, taunting them and slashing them every chance she got. One hurlock dove towards me, but an arrow thumped against its chest and it crashed next to me. I looked back to see Clover had pulled the bow from her back and was firing arrows at any darkling’s that got too close. The ones that did manage to get close found themselves facing a giant bear, Azura, and their cries were cut short when one of her large paws swiped at the darklings, knocking their heads clean off their bodies.

Zen and Fang took point and quickly cleared the way for me to get to the leader. The large hurlock spreads it wings and took to the air, attempting to escape but I had wings too. I launched myself towards the hurlock, and it dove down towards me. I aimed my lance, and it raised its large axe as we got closer. Then with a mighty roar it swung its ax, but I was smaller and quicker. I spun to the side, not breaking my momentum and I smiled in satisfaction as my lance hit home, severing the hurlocks head so now it rested on the tip of my lance. I shook my lance dislodging its head from the tip, and I watched as it’s body hit the ground below.

“Thank you! Thank you!” said one of the unicorns. From the looks of it, they were twins.

“He’s Flim!” said one, pointing to his brother with the mustache.

“He’s Flam!” The mustached one said, pointing to one without the mustache.

“We’re the Flim Flam Brothers!” They said, striking a pose.

“The whosa and the whata?” asked Dash, who was hovering above us.

“I say, you have our thanks Grey Wardens. We wish to give you a reward, but I’m afraid we don’t have much to give.”

I looked at their broken wagon and nodded.

“I see, well be careful. Nice to meet you Flim and Flam.”

“We promise to repay you one day.” They called out as we walked away and out of town towards our new destiny.