A Clash of Honor

by Clockwork Pen

Rating: mature
Tags: Princess Luna, Original Character, Science Fiction, Royal Guard, Profanity, Adventure, Violence, Princess Celestia, Crossover, Death, Human, Main 6, Gore, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Dark, Alternate Universe
Length: 6133

The catalyst event did not just merge the lands of the Vikings, Knights and Samurai...

Equestria was caught in a cataclysmic event that took a healthy chunk of the mainland and merged it with a new one, or more likely into a completely new world. Though for the longest time they were cut off from most of the new world until one day they were able to clear away the pass. Venturing forth, The Equines, having to be forced to not only adjust to a new world but as well adjust to one with barely any magic in existence.

What they discovered would stain the pages of Equestrian history in blood and Tears...

{(MLP, For Honor crossover)}

Published 2018-01-24 08:00:06 UTC
Last updated 2018-01-24 08:00:06 UTC

First Blood

Author's Note

My first crack at a crossover.

Not sure if this is a good first attempt but I've been an expert on battle scenes before, so I hope this is to everyone's liking.

warning: hold onto your helmets, I tend to be a little more "detailed" with my fights XD

First Blood

Pearly Jade

With magic faded to almost nothing, food running out and what we knew of Equestria gone. There was fading hope for any of us. Yet, on request of Princess Celestia, I took a detachment of guard into the strange forests in search of anything that would help us.

“We haven’t found a single thing so far!” whined my second in command, White Stir was not an ideal candidate to take onto this expedition but, there was nopony else to take, unfortunately. So, this dusty White stallion trotted along on my left with the rest of the unit in staggered formation behind us.

As we trudged along, the land before us was increasingly strange. Ever Since we were able to pull together and break open the natural barrier, made from the remains of the Canterhorn Mountains, we have been sending small groups to seek out any resources that may or may not exist.
Curious though, every time these foraging groups would come back with reports of clashes with fierce, two-legged creatures. Not wanting to put non-combat Equines into anymore perile, the princesses sent us.

Yes, us, all twenty-two of us…

I doubt this many was really needed for the reports of these creatures sound like they would be easily put down in terms of facing the more-organized Equestrian guard. Well, What's left of it at the least. The event had brought ruin to most of our Legions as along with most of our beloved homeland as it was all torn from what we knew and put into this strange place.

Took months to clear this path.

“Lieutenant.” I felt a nudge against my armor that brought my mind back to focus, back to the annoyance that was White Stir.
“Yes?” I answered annoyed.
“You hear that?” We both stopped, my ears flicked to listen.

“Hold!” I raised a hoof, the whole unit stopped, then I was able to hear it clearly

the distance clash of voices, metal, and blades.

When our hooves stopped, the noise grew more apparent. I clenched my teeth in frustration and thought. I was not informed of any groups becoming lost before us, we were also the only guard unit sent out to scout out the new surroundings outside the pass. That could only mean one thing-
Them...

“Jade, I think we should-”

“Investigate the racket, signal the platoon to move up.” I loosened my sword from its scabbard while Stir gave the signal for the halted guards to move up to us.
“Close the group, we might have to fight for our ponies survival.”
“Lieutenant, I doubt we should intervene, that may be something we should let pass.”

“If they are fighting over valuable resources, we need to take it from them or at least scavenge what will be left.”

“Even then, we lack the numbers if there are more of them than there is of us!”

“Very well then, we’ll take a look and if you and I run into trouble, sound the horn.”

The officer simply looked away, he couldn’t keep eye contact with me for he knew I was steps ahead of him in this endeavor. After ordering him to make our fellow guards form ranks behind us I took a look to examine our unit. It was a sad sight, with only four rows of five to command I felt like I was being cheated of my command. I gave the signal to advance.

These ponies were experienced in this formation thankfully, once formed up like this, it would be total silence till the next order was given.

White Stir stayed at my side while the rest of the unit marched behind us.

We followed the heavily beaten path, previously flattened by the groups before us; further down ways, the noise was practically rattling off our armor. I signaled a halt.

“Do not advance till you hear from us,” I spoke quietly to the unit to which they replied with a nod. I looked sharply at the stallion officer,
“Let's go.” We crept toward the fighting that was taking place.

The woods around us was flush with green and among the racket of battle, I could pick out the noise of a river or creek close by. To which my guess was confirmed as we made our way through a treeline on our right. We were drawn towards the sizable creek but the clearing that surrounded a large section of it was being savagely fought over.

We carefully slid down a hillside then stopped and hunkered low behind some brush to peek out to see what looked like a mob of these strange creatures fighting each other for probably not only for this creek but over the large collection of crates and boxes scattered about the now ruined campsite.

The combatants were comprised of the mentioned creatures: some had cloth clothing and light armor while armed with axes, short spears, round shields and swords; while the other half were clad in tunics, chainmail, and plate mail. This side was armed with swords, pikes, and kite shields as to whatever other weaponry was present were too countless to keep track of as this battle was fierce as any I’ve seen before the event.

Scanning among the chaos I tried to spot who looked like they could be of some significant form of leadership. It didn’t take long till towards the far edge of the clearing I watched carefully as one of the teal colored, cloth armored combatant was surrounded by several of the metal creatures.

He, or it, was brandishing a hoof axe in each of its pinkish talons, the face covered in wildly unkempt facial hair with a crude metal crafted helmet that shaped the head, I could not see eyes, but I could sense they were filled with wild fury as the wild creature swung the weapons in a surprisingly skillful display of brutality.

Taking count, I watched as twelve of these metal creatures began their onslaught on their outnumbered foe. However, I don’t think the concept of “outnumbered” does not exist in the wild creature’s mind as each swing found either a shield, deflected a blade or caught a spear shaft as the metal ones struggled to find an opening.

The wild one swung at a shield bearer, the metallic impact against the shield echoed with the wild one yelling madly as its opponent was knocked to the ground, too slow was his recovery as the ax head found the back of its neck.

Withdrawing one ax, the other ax caught a strike from a long sword. Yanking to the side, the swordsman stumbled right into a barrage of ax swings before crumbling to the ground. The wild one was fluid in his movements despite his ragged appearance, impressive.

A halberd wilder came down at the wild one but he caught the strike with both axes. A violent pull in both directions snapped the shaft before this wild one or berserker I’m calling him; swung around then brought both ax heads down at his target’s shoulders, the body went limp as he withdrew.

Three moved in at once, one sword, another ax and a mace. The sword swinger was blocked before being cut down at a knee, the ax wielder was disarmed then it’s throat was collapsed. The Soldier brandishing the mace and shield put up a struggle before the Berserker bypassed the shield with a kick then caved it’s helmet in with both ax heads.

All the while I could hear the fury in the Berserker's voice as each yell or scream spelled death for each victim.

“By Celestia’s mane…” Murmured Stir as his eyes widened to the carnage below. Surrounding this standoff was the rest of the battle. Soldiers that matched the Berserker’s appearance were losing ground, while the armored soldiers pushed on, reclaiming what they almost lost.

As he withdrew the axes, he stared down the remaining Soldiers, I concluded these creatures were soldiers of some sort two kills ago; Three stayed while one turn and ran towards another fight close by.

The Berserker yelled after him in a language I could not understand.

My eyes followed the armored soldier as he tripped, stumbled then came to a stop before another soldier that was brandishing a claymore as he withdrew the massive blade from the body of a fallen wild soldier. His armor was covered in what must have been a tunic of a sort.

The smaller soldier spoke to the larger soldier as it walked by him, resting the sword on a shoulder. Shoving the coward to the side as it walked by.

Turning back to the Berserker’s brawl, I missed him finishing off the two of the three combatants before another appeared out from behind some of the boxes. Oh dear, this one had what looked like a small crossbow.

The weapon was leveled then twanged seconds before the Berserker stumbled from the impact of a bolt into his side. He shouted in fury before breaking the bolt out of his body, then responded the crossbowmen with a hurled ax to the face.

Taking the distraction, the last soldier charged at him swinging a sword at him. The Berserker switched the ax between talons before greeting the swing with his weapon. Pulling closer, Berserker swung a punch across the helpless soldier’s face before planting the ax in his side, then chest, twice. Pulling the ax back out, he started for where he threw the other ax before he stopped in mid-step.

Both I and Stir noticed it too, the battle was won in favor of the metal soldiers. The Berserker’s soldiers either laid dead or wounded scattered about the campsite. The remaining soldiers closed in on the Berserker.

“Maybe we should help him!” Stir suggested, though quietly but foolishly, he was about to go for emerging out of the brush before I stopped him with a hoof to his chest.

“No!” I shot a sharp glare at him that caused him to stop before we looked back out at the camp.

The claymore soldier though looked more like a knight in comparison to the rest; walked towards the wounded berserker.

He had turned to see the growing wall of soldiers surround him, despite being shot in the lower ribs, he stayed on his strange looking boots. Standing defiantly of his foes. My gut churned towards the harsh reality that this was his final stand.

The claymore knight stepped through the wall. Though we Equines can listen for quite a distance, the voice that came out from the full helmet was still too low for me to pick up words. He leveled the massive sword towards the Berserker who rolled his head in response.

Even from here, I could tell the Berserker was showing signs of exhaustion from both the fighting and the wound. He stepped back to recover his other ax, though strange, the soldiers did not just swarm him. Was this an attempt at a surrender or a duel to the death?

The Knight took a few steps forward, the blade gripped in his gauntlet as if it was sheathed, he pointed at the Berserker with the other. Probably trying to coax him into surrender. I believe it failed as the Berserker only responded by clanging his weapons together shouting a single strange phrase that echoed across the hushed camp.

”Til Valhalla!”

“He’s going to fight to the death, isn’t he?” Stir gasped looking at me.

“What do you think?”

I looked back to see the knight shake it’s head before taking the blade by the hilt then took a stance. The soldiers simply held their ground as they watched their leader began pacing into the right while moving towards the Berserker who started to pace left towards the knight.

The knight closed in, however, the Berserker struck first.

He charged then lept towards the Knight, bringing both axes into a downward plunge. The knight braced for it by bringing the massive sword up to block the axes. The wicked clang of blades caused my ears to fold briefly.

Shoving to the side, the axes slid down leaving an opening for an armored elbow to knock the berserker back. The knight swung upward to which the Berserker barely dodged backward. The knight took a step forward to use the momentum of the missed swing into a downward slash that was met with a block. The dual axes shoved the claymore away, granting the chance of a swing across the head.

The knight leans back but still recoil to the side. A glancing hit?

Ducking the second swing, the knight gripped a section of the blade with the other gauntlet before lunging towards the chest. The Berserker slid to the side but the Knight shoved the hilt forward to start the swing. The guard of the claymore hooked against the Berserker's neck before being yanked towards the ground.

With deft movements, the grip returned to the hilt and the Knight brought the blade down upon the Berserker who rolled out of the way. The dirt caught the impact.

Recovering, the Berserker stood then charged at the Knight. Yelling madly, he swung with both axes, first set of swings was dodged which put him close enough for the Knight raise up but mostly failed to perceive the return swing. Had it not of been for the armor, the axes would of scissor cut into the flesh.

However, the Knight only took the strike to bring the pommel of the claymore down upon the Berserker’s helmet then shoved a knee into the face that caused the stunned Berserker to stumbled back, his weapons clattered to the ground. The knight Swung wide overhead then came down upon the neck.

The Knight didn’t stop, he shoved a gauntlet into the blade. with a grunting yell, he shoved all his might into the blade as it parted the head from the shoulders. As the body slumped onto the ground, the surrounding soldiers cheered triumphantly as the knight turned to face his men, raising his weapon in both gauntlets with a cheer of his own.

“I’ve seen enough.” I saw Stir begin to move, “We need to go back, NOW.”
“No, wait for you fool don’t-” I watched as White Stir started to clamber out of the brush, but failed to keep it quite as rocks and dirt started to roll down the hillside. Clanging and banging against objects down below us.

I looked back to see the soldiers all turn to see our commotion, a voice called out, signaling that somepony had spotted us. Time to leave!

I didn’t want to get caught up in White Stir’s foolish frantic retreat up the hill to return to our fellow guards, so I couldn’t help but wait; However, arrows started to rain upon us, more accurately, upon Him.

“STIR, MOVE YOUR ASS!”

“I’m trying, the bucking ground is-” He was cut off as an arrow found an exposed hip, he yelped then stumbled before trying to climb again.

“GET MOVING!” I yelled at him, he struggled against the crumbling earth before another arrow struck him at the base of the neck. His body collapsed on the hillside then slid back down towards me.

“Shit…” I looked back, they were coming towards me, some running at full speed.
“Buck it!” I yanked my signal horn from my belt then blew into it with all my lung power before ducking low as archers zeroed in on the horn.

It wasn’t long before the guards under my command stormed through the treeline above me, some tempted fate with a leap down the hill, the rest slid down with weapons drawn. Two met up with me.

“Lieutenant!”
“I can see you had a problem getting to us.”
“No matter, we can’t leave quietly, let’s get in there!”
“Aye, Ma’am!” They both nodded.

“For Equestria!” my levitation was weak as is, but it was still strong enough to hold a weapon close to me. Nonetheless, my gladius came to my right shoulder as I charged down the hill with the two guards at my sides.

I noticed some of the soldiers stepped back in reaction to our appearance. More than likely confused as to what we were. We took full advantage of this.

“They have been weakened by a previous fight, trample them!” I shouted to my guards, “Punch a way through or take this camp!”

A spear soldier lunged his weapon at me, I dropped low but the tip caught the plume of my helmet. The momentum was enough to knock it free from my head; I didn’t give myself enough time before hoof to strap it back on completely as the rush of combat distracted me.

I tripped him with a back hoof then ran the blade down into his chest, the plated chainmail did not stop it. I stood to only duck low as an arrow scuffed across my left pauldron. I charged at the archer who was frantically notching another arrow before discarding the bow to yank the short sword free from his scabbard. I didn’t grant him enough time to get ready as I planted a hoof into his face knocking him through the damaged tent. As It collapsed I noticed the new battle that was taking place.

My guards had indeed washed over most of the soldiers already, some held their ground but were faltering.

One guard double bucked one of these soldiers into few of his comrades before another guard plunged a spear into one of the prone soldiers. The other two scrambled back onto their boots to only be caught by arrows.

Some guards didn’t fare so well. Looking back at where we came from I watched as one of the guards sat on the ground holding a hoof with dirt on his face while two others laid nearby on the ground dead with arrows in them.

I turned in time to see another one of my guards get picked up by the remaining pike soldier, the long spear ripping through him before letting go of it. The soldier drew his back up weapon before being cut down in revenge by two other guards.

Closest to me, the two guards that were at my sides had got entangled with a soldier each.

A soldier’s sword found the side of a guard’s armor before being bucked in the chest, he landed on the ground hard but covered himself with a shield as a front hoof pressed down on it, pinning the poor soldier down long enough to be stilled with a long sword through the head.

The second guard parried a strike with his club before bringing it down on a shoulder. The soldier dropped to his knees, the guard turned then bucked him in the face with both back hooves. Instead of flying, the body hit the ground hard, almost bouncing it seemed.

I heard yelling close by, I looked to see the same archer charging me. I brought my weapon up to block a strike from his sword. I felt my weak magic twinge with the impact. Pushing the weapon away, I lunged forward then stood up to grab him. I held on tight as the soldier struggled in vain as I yanked my head to the side, making my levitation run the blade into the soldier’s rib cage several times before letting him go.

“Watch it, he’s a mean bucker!” I looked up to see four of my guards surround that Knight I’ve seen before. Fear, excitement, and adrenaline pulsated through my body as I watch that massive blade catch a guard by the chest then shoved him back off it. This Knight was ready to cut down the rest of them but none seemed to want to advance for a moment.

I cut down another soldier before galloping across the camp towards the Knight as It cleanly opened the neck of another guard. I slid to a stop,

“Guards, pull back!” I called out to them, “That one is mine!” What was I thinking?!

I pretty much challenged this armored, tunic-wearing, claymore brandishing, Knight to a duel right after watching what it did to the Berserker.

“Ma’am, we all can take him on just-”

“BACK OFF!”

With hesitation, they did so.

The Knight held his stance but looked at my ponies as they took paces backward while I stepped forward towards it. I can finally make out the finer details, the helmet was indeed marked with a decent cut across the faceplate, the marks along the armored sides from the sacrifice strike had a little red seeping through the mail armor underneath.

“You are outmatched Knight,” I spoke to it, leveling my gladius to the knight who slowly came out of his stance planting the blade into the ground, the gauntlets resting on the guard of the claymore.

“You can see we have trampled through your remaining forces and ready to make you join them, however, we are merciful.” I approached till we were six paces apart. The knight looked at me then towards the guards that watched with uneasy tension, I could sense how uneasy they felt with their remaining commanding officer this close to a powerful foe.

“I'll grant you a chance to yield and leave this place in peace, whoever of your kind can still stand, shall part with you as well.”

The sounds of the short fight slowly died down, I glanced behind me to see some of the knight’s soldiers had indeed yielded, dropping their weapons with their talons or hands or whatever they were raised while being surrounded by guardsponies.

“A fair offer strange creature,” The voice sounded faintly metallic coming out from underneath the full helmet. Looking back, the gauntlets resting on the pommel, this time I could see right through the slits on the helmet, his green eyes stared through the shade of the helmet. I could sense that he was trying to figure my motives out by mere sight, more than likely preparing a response to anything I could throw at him. A sign of diplomatic intelligence.

“However, As a Warden, I vowed to protect and retrieve whatever provisions we could find out here in these wilds For as the Nords had raided our stores two fortnights ago.”

“So you wish to expend your life on behalf of your commander for meager supplies?”

“For my Lord and Legion…” His gauntlets gently slide down to the hilt, “However, I can “expend” your life for your commander and send your animal army running back to where they once came.”

“A very polite way to say “no”,” I smiled at the Warden. A gentle breeze brushed over the clearing, catching the loose strands of my marble green mane. I sighed at the impasse that stood before us, Either we walk away from this stockpile or slay the warden and take it. I took a glance towards the sun, though I may no longer be Celestia’s sun, I could only think about what was important to me and my kind. I made my decision.

“Very well then,” I proceeded to back up, “Then we shall settle this the way of the blade,” I readied my gladius and took my stance.
“The standing victor takes all.”

The warden simply nodded as he gripped the hilt to remove the blade from the earth, bringing the massive blade into his stance, those green eyes never left mine.

“Parare mori, Bestia…” His cool voice spoke before swinging first, a blur of a blade came from the right, I blocked with my sword but the impact caused my fading magic to vibrate back into and down to the base of my horn. I shook it off but it caused my vision to blur briefly. Better not try that again!

Using the opening he left I bucked him with a right forehoof before swinging down at him. He used the recoil of the buck to dodge the blade before he brought his claymore backup and charged forth using his armored shoulder like a ram. Not wanting to shatter my magic, I dove out of the way as he stood up with a powerful rising swing, then swung back down at me.

I lunged forward to dash past him, cutting across his midsection as I went by. It wasn’t enough to break through anything but the impact made him step back. The Warden gripped the blood grove of the claymore with his gauntlet then tried to stab at me to which I parried the attempt, my levitation vibrated with the glance.

I spun to plant a back hoof across his helmet, knocking him to the ground, following the spin I brought my gladius down aiming for the exposed gap between the neck and shoulder, he looked up to lean out of the way. I realized too late that I was too close!

He grabbed my mane and yanked me towards a speeding gauntlet that broke across my face. The punch was a nasty trick but I set myself up for it. It sent me stumbling to the ground, My right ear rung while half my face went numb, could feel a warm split along my lips; I blinked the blurring vision away once more to look at the Warden stepping up to me with his weapon raised high, more than likely ready to deliver a final blow.

I couldn’t move fast enough, I knew this, but something clicked across my aching mind. I closed my eyes and concentrated. This would be a risk worth taking…

I could hear the Warden yell as he brought the blade down but I felt the burst of magic envelope me. When I reopened my eyes I looked to see it worked. I blinked myself and reappeared on the Warden’s right side. While standing back up, I felt a sickening pull on my heart. My wellspring was not prepared for that.

The Gladius felt a little heavier than before, that was not a good sign for me. I shrugged it off as I watched the Warden frantically look around after his blade only found the dirt where I once was.

He looked over towards me again then stood to face me, “What matter of trickery is this?!” he called out angrily.
“The kind that’ll end you!” I charged at him, he quickly regained his poise then swung at me, but It was high enough to just duck my head. I moved my sword around then landed a more successful slash across his midsection again.

I could briefly hear the blade cut cloth and the armor give way to Equestrian steel. The Warden grunted as he retreated a few steps gripping his stomach. I slid to a stop and turned to face him. A grin formed on my face while I noticed a small trail of red started to take form around the cut on his tunic.

“Turpis Monstrum!” he stood as he held his weapon high, taking a quick step forward to drop the blade down in full force. I was barely getting out of my charge when I looked up in time to helplessly feel the blade smash down against my side just below the left shoulder. I cried out as steel splintered through the splint mail, flaying a gash into my pearly white coat underneath.

The impact sent me to the ground, my body shivered with pain as my armor began to fill with the slow ooze of blood. I looked down to see some of it drip onto the earth before looking up at the Warden who brought the claymore back up to chop down again.

I thought quickly, my horn glowed faintly before I jerked my head to the side, sending the gladius darting at the knight. He couldn’t move out of the way in time as the blade pierced his left shoulder. He gasped in pain stricken surprise as the sword fell from his gauntlets. He gripped the gladius as I slowly forced myself back onto my hooves.

As he removed my sword from his body I charged at him, clenching my teeth to work through the pain that was now pulsating around my fresh wound. As the Gladius clattered to the ground I reared up to slam a one-two buck into his helmet to knock him further off his boots.

My gladius filled my levitation once more as I walked towards the Warden as he regained his footing. He reached to pull a back up weapon out but, in adrenaline filled rage, I flicked the gladius again at him, my magic shook once more. I’ll tend to that later.

The sword sank to the hilt in his chest. His voice staggered a gagging gasp as I ran up to him, he sank to his knees right as I clenched the hilt of my sword in my teeth to yank it free. I tossed it up to catch it again, correcting its angle then swung my head with all my remaining might till I felt the shock of the blade slicing into the warden’s neck.

Letting go I reared up, with a scream of fury I planted both fore hooves into the hilt and guard-

the blade parted the head from its shoulders.

The helmet-clad head clanked to the ground then rolled away slowly as the weighted body slumped to the ground with a noisy, metallic thud.

My sword too cluttered to the ground as there was no more flesh to hold it in place.

My lungs heaved for air through the exhaustion and pain. My stubborn legs held as I slowly looked at the body, head, bloody gladius then to my guards who stood in awe and slightly fearful of their Lieutenant.

“Th-This camp is ours…” I said aloud to them, “Victory was-was swift,” I started to walk/limp towards the guards that held the new prisoners a weapon point. I paused to look down at the head I just severed.

It was face up, in the dwindling light I could make out the empty green globes that peered through the slits into nothing. I’m used to staring death in the eye, but this warden was a fearsome opponent. Getting killed in combat was probably the best way for him to go. Looking back up towards my guards.
“Clear-clear up the mess and establish a-” I stumbled with a whimper that unprofessionally escaped my mouth.
“Lieutenant!” The three guards that had watched the tense fight rushed to my side.

“Don’t fret over me, just fetch me some cloth to bandage this up till a Medicus can get up here.”

“Aye, ma’am.” one of the guards quickly galloped away towards the others, hoping that they were carrying something in their saddlebags. The other guard helped me over to a small crate for me to sit on while I watched three guards round up the new prisoners into a cluster. The headcount was a meager six soldiers out of the many that stood just minutes before our intrusion.

The rest of my remaining unit had scattered about to carry out my order to claim the camp and, of course, automatically set up a perimeter to secure this location.

My goddess, the searing pain was intense as all I could do was just sit through it as a wave of panicking nerves ran amok throughout my body. I was starting to feel a burning sensation around my eyes. I clenched my teeth again as I fought back the urge to just cry through the agony but that didn’t stop my tears to roll freely down my cheeks. As warm tears stung my face, I could feel the difference between a tear and the numbness were the Warden had struck my cheek.

“Are, you okay lieutenant?” the guard asked as he watched helplessly before realizing something as he looked down at his belt, he pulled a drinking flash from one of the side pouches and hoofed it to me.

“Here, ma’am.” I looked at him then to the flask in his hoof.
“Thank yo-” before I could even finish, my head rang with a new kind of pain as I tried to grab it in levitation. I groaned as I held my horn, my head pounded like a drum as it vibrates violently like a tuning fork struck with a forging hammer.

I gapped in a silent scream as now my ears, head, and horn rang in unison. My hooves shook as more nerves went crazy from the agony that was developing around my head now. I huffed sobs, trying to breathe through the pain as I have done times before.

I clenched my mouth to hold them back before snapping a pain-stricken glare to the guard. I looked around to see several others had stopped to see me suffer under the strain I had put myself under.

“Oh shit…”

“Lieutenant!”

“Don’t worry you lot-” I swallowed down the urge to scream, “-I’ve, I’ve overused my magic,” I was exhaling through my nostrils now, trying to get my body under control, “Get- I need a bucking runner!”

“I’ll go, what you need sent Ma’am?” one of the onlookers, a female guard, stepped forth.

“Get-Get a message to Commander Armor, tell him-” I grunted as another wave of surging nerves crashed ashore, “-tell him, that we secured a supply camp from the creatures.”

“Aye, Ma’am.” She nodded, “Is that all?”

“Yes, take an escort, don’t get caught alone.” She nodded again, this time made a parting salute with me mirroring the gesture before she took off, calling out to two comrades to join her jog back to the Pass.

“I got something here to help Ma’am!” The guard that took off before returning with what looked like some cotton sticking out of his saddle bag and a ragged banner draped over his back.

“Gonna need more than that, she’s gonna need a bucking drink after we get her patched up.”

“Right?” I chimed in as I could feel my entire being starting to settle on its own. The guard had picked up the flask again this time made sure I took it with my hoof. Carefully pulling the cork out I took a small swing of cool spring water as I felt a pair of hooves reaching for the clasps of my armor.

“You know the drill Jade, gonna need to take the armor off to get that dressed properly, got it?”

“Got it, just be careful…” I slowly lifted my left foreleg as he used his more intact magic to slowly work the clasps to my armor.

“Hay of a day eh Royal Guards?” He asked aloud as I could feel the restraining sensation of armor easing off as piece after bloody piece was removed. The rough part of getting hurt was over, now just exhaustion, soreness all over the body and faint stings coming from the wound were all that remained at this point. Not to mention my headache was going to haunt me until tomorrow noon no doubt.

“Whoo-ah…” we both said in response before taking another swig of water.

It was a heck of a day indeed, we just spilled the first blood of a new enemy and took supplies from them in one day. Not to mention I slain their officer in a close-call duel. Of course, it wasn’t without the price tag of battle. Poor White Stir, shame he had to be a coward.

I took another look towards the sky, It too was progressively becoming stained a blood orange. I took a deep breath after the damaged chest plating was removed, the air’s scent was blended with blood, mud and fresh water from the creek close by.

“How bad is my horn?” I asked the guard who was playing medic for the time being. He paused to look up at my head. The frown was probably the worst blow I received this hole day.

“Sorry ma’am, I think you cracked it when you blinked around that creature.”

“Buck, this might change things…” I grumbled while watching the guard wrap the makeshift bandage around my body.

“Hope not Lieutenant, we need all the strong fighters we got if more of those things show up.” I couldn’t agree more, but I think I would have to brush up on my hoof-to-hoof before I could step into another battle.

“Whoo-ah…” I took another drink.