When Legends Rise

An atmosphere of hushed merriment filled the hall as the locals talked, drank and ate, they certainly weren't unhappy, but it was clear they were being mindful of past experience with how rowdy they got. Although Autumn’s relationship with her father was still clearly somewhat strained they at least appeared to be trying to get along, albeit at the gentle insistence of Autumn’s mother and brother. Autumn had just finished retelling our story when her father turned to me, a look of mild amusement on his face.

“Autumn tells me you come from another world, one far advanced to our own?” he asked.

“Yes, putting it simply” I said, he raised an eyebrow at this.

“Tell me, does our world seem primitive compared to yours?” he asked.

“Oh, not at all” I said “whilst it’s true that the pace of travel and communications are far more rapid back on my own world. There are a great many things that the lands I’ve seen so far posses with my own world does not...magic for example. Every day I’m finding myself surprised by some new thing which everyone else views as mundane”

“If you had the choice, would you go back?” he asked, this threw me and I peered into my drink as I thought of a response.

“Truth be told, I’m not all that sure” I said “one the one hand there is nothing I want more than to see some of my own kind once again, but having said that…” I trailed off.

“Onælan?” Octavia asked, a look of concern on her face, I flashed her a small smile in an attempt to reassure her that I wasn’t going off the deep end or something.

“I have no personal memories of my homeland, what I do know is the sort of information one could easily read about their own country from a book, even if I went back, I’m not sure I’d be able to find my place” I said “During the time I’ve been here I’ve come to know people who I’m happy to call my allies, friends even, I’m not sure I’d want to give them up if I had the choice”

“Sometimes the bonds you forge on the road of life are stronger than those formed at birth” Octavia said “I certainly wouldn’t think less of you if you chose to stay”

“Here here to that” Tarn said in agreement, Vinyl nodded, whilst Autumn simply grunted noncommittally.

“Bah, look at yew lot, getting all sentimental!” Alee exclaimed, cheeks rosey and a tankard of ale levitating in her magic “Why be so certain in the “what ifs” and “what might bes”? Take each day as it comes and never let anyone else dictate yer future ah say!” before her dismissive demeanor faded upon catching my look and sheepishly adding “...ah...interdimensional displacement notwithstanding”

“Indeed” Autumn’s father said with a raised eyebrow. Quite suddenly the hushed calm of the hall was shattered by an ungodly roar which caught me completely off guard, making my drop my drink and sending ale splashing on to my chest. Only once the roar had faded and my initial shock wore off did I make my move, standing up and leaping over the table, summoning forth my mask and sword even before many of those gathered in the hall had had a chance to begin panicking.

I ran out of the hall and actually ended up sliding the last few feet as I came to a stop, so great had my pace been, as I scanned the vacant balcony and empty skies. I was soon joined by Autumn and Octavia, both fully resplendent in their own armour, and I began to hear a commotion behind me as Alee, Vinyl & Tarn set about securing the doors to the hall, if we fell here, they would provide the last line of defense against this beast. Autumn cautiously stepped forward, a snarl etched onto her face as she scanned the sky, looking for anything that signified as danger, I meanwhile couldn’t shake the feeling that we were being watched, and only once I’d looked above and behind did my heart leap into my throat at the sight of some 50 foot behemoth of a blue dragon clinging to the wall, watching the three of us intently.

“Get behind me!” I shouted as I turned and raised my sword in readiness, assuming a defensive stance, whilst Autumn and Octavia seemed to move as one, turning on a dime and backing up behind me. Autumn assumed a hovering pose, upright with her hoof claws held at the ready, whilst Octavia reared up with no less than three arrows notched and the bowstring pulled fully back.
The dragon seemed to regard us with curiosity as it slowly began to descend from the cliff face, a deep rumbling chuckle which I could feel in my chest rolled up its long and slender neck as it effortlessly lowered itself onto the floor, moving in a manner similar to a giant snake.

“Well...aren’t you the curiosity” he said, his voice so deep it seemed to consume every thought in my mind, making it hard to concentrate. he turned his head to one side and began to study me through one eye, mere feet away from me, before drawing his head back and making its way around us until our backs were to the door once again “I must admit, I would have been very happy to begin my raid on this town, feast on a few delicious pegasi, and called it a night a that, but I must admit I don’t ever recall smelling your type before...”

“My...type?” I asked.

“Yessss….” The dragon said, the “s” lingering in a cartoonish serpentine manner, and his head began weaving back and forth, looking at my left, then my right, then back to my left. Autumn and Octavia clearly had the right idea, as they began to back away whilst the dragon’s attention was so clearly diverted “You stand tall, yet you don’t smell of Cynocephalus or Minotaur. You clearly have no fur, but you are definitely neither Dragon nor Kobald. If I didn’t know better I would say that you do not belong on this plain of existence entirely, so before I rectify that, perhaps you could do me the grace of telling me what you are”

“I am...a human” I said.

“Human” the dragon repeated, the word rolling off his tongue.

“The Earthling, a son of Adam” I continued, hoping to stall the dragon who simply smirked, exposing his many long and gleaming teeth, clearly he was wise to my tricks.

“Lovely titles…” he said, his tongue poking out of his jaws and running across his teeth “Do go on…”

“The storytelling man” I continued “The wise ape”

“Fascinating...I shall remember them as I burn you to ash” He said, before his head and neck reared back, an orange glow appearing in his chest “Be sure to give my regards to those who fell before you...Wise...Ape” and with that a torrent of fire burst forth from his jaws, and enveloping me.

As expected the fire had no direct effect on me, merely swirling around me as if I were stood in water, though the stone floor was clearly starting to get severly roasted, beginning to glow. Thinking of a plan I lifted my sword and began to draw as much of the fire into myself, immediately I began to feel myself filling with an extraordinary level of power, this dragon fire was clearly potent stuff. After a few seconds the torrent of flames ceased and I waited for the smoke to clear, before stepping forwards. This caught the dragon by surprise, as he left out a roar of rage, before his head snaked towards me, stopping near inches from me.

“How dare you!” he thundered “Who are you that would stand against me!? You pyromancy skills are quaint, but what will you do now, what can you possibly hope to do to in the face of one such as myself? I have lived for an age and though those centuries many have tried to defeat me, but in the end all have fallen, just as you all will. So tell me, Human, what do you plan to do now?”

“Who am I?” I asked, raising my sword, before grabbing a hold of the dragon’s head by the horns, catching him totally unawares. “I am the Ripper... Tearer... Slasher... Gouger. I am the Teeth in the Darkness, the Talons in the Night. Mine is Strength... and Fire... and Power! I AM ONÆLON!” and with that I plunged my sword into the dragon’s skull, right between his eyes, and proceeded to pour every ounce of power into my sword. The dragon didn’t even have time to so much as twitch as a beam of fire, as bright as the sun, burst from the back of his head and shot into the sky, lighting up the land as bright as day.

After a few seconds, and no small effort, I managed to quell the fire flowing through my blade, and withdrew the blade from the dragon's skull as I stumbled back, before tripping on my own feet and falling flat on my arse, my back against the wall of the balcony and a feeling of great exhaustion overcoming me as the carcass of the dragon crumpled into a heap, a smoking hole creating a gruesome window through its skull.

“Onælan!” I heard a voice call, it might have been Octavia’s, though I couldn’t be totally sure as felt myself rapidly shifting in and out of consciousness. When I was next able to focus I felt Octavia ripping my mask off and dropping it to one side unceremoniously, before studying my face “Stay with me, okay? you drained a lot of energy in that blast, they probably saw that all the way from Canterlot. D-don’t worry, I’ve got you now” I could feel her pulling close, nuzzling at my face, though I didn’t really register it, all things considered I felt rather numb. I vaguely noted her turning to her right and calling out. “Get a stretcher, and a healer, quickly! he’s in no fit state to walk….Onælan?...Onælan!....” and with that, darkness swallowed me.

When I next awoke, it was suddenly, making me sit up rapidly and giving me a headache for my troubles. I hissed in discomfort as I massaged my temples, my memories of what had transpired came flooding back.

“Onælan, here” I heard a soft voice, and I turned to see Tarn offering me a jug of water, although it might have been a flower vase for all I knew based on its size, the dark blue kobald smiled apologetically “they...didn’t have any glasses your size” I wordlessly took the jug and proceeded to down the entirety of its contents in several gulps, before handing it back with a nod of thanks.

“How long was I out?” I asked

“A couple days” Tarn said, surprising me.

“Shit” I muttered.

“You...had us worried for a while there” Tarn said, “heck, even Autumn was getting concerned, not that she’d tell you to your face. But for the most part it’s been me and Octavia who’s been keeping an eye on you”

“Can you go get her?” I asked, and after Tarn’s wary glance I rolled my eyes “Don’t worry, I’m not going to fall unconscious again, I think I’ve had enough sleep for today...plus I could use some more water” finally she relented and left the room, whilst she was gone I took the opportunity to check myself over incase I had miraculously suffered from some injury that I didn't remember, once I was certain everything was in order I began setting about finding and putting on my armour, as I wasn’t comfortable to be talking with anyone whilst I was completely naked, plus I was determined to be on my way as soon as possible. Not long after I’d secured all my armour in place Tarn returned, with Octavia in tow. Octavia’s face held an expression of worry, which melted away to relief the moment she saw me up and about.

“Thank the gods” she said with a sigh “I had grown worried”

“Nah, I’m not going to let a little something like that keep me down” I said, adjusting my vambraces “still so much to see in this world, I haven’t even met any griffins or diamond dogs yet, can’t be doing without meeting a few fellow carnivores, right?”

“Are you sure you’ll be fine?” Tarn said, handing me the jug, freshly refilled with water.

“Pah” I exclaimed in dismissal “I’ll be reyt, I’m made of sterner stuff than you herbivores” this prompted Octavia to roll her eyes as I took a gulp of water, before her expression softened and she seemed to become uncertain.

“Onælan, listen” she said, I turned to look at her and she continued “I’ve been thinking, I’ve seen the way you’ve put yourself in harms way twice already, for the sake of trying to keep the danger from us, and whilst Autumn might try to put you down, some of us have noticed, in fact I’m touched”

“What are you trying to say, Octavia?” I asked, taking another gulp of water.

“W...would you be my consort?” she asked, and I was reduced to a coughing fit.

“You cannot be serious” I said once I’d regained control of my breathing “But your royalty”

“I know” she said “which is why I said “consort””

“But your country has both a king and queen” I retorted “I’m certainly not anyone of importance-”

“You are to me” Octavia cut in.

“By important I mean I’m not of noble blood” I said “the way I understood it, royalty cannot be marry a commoner to rule alongside them”

“That is true” she said, nodding “but you wouldn’t become a king, you’d become the Queen’s consort...once I’m crowned of course”

“Clearly I’m missing something here because that is not how it works where I’m from” I said, sitting on the bed, before gesturing for her to continue “Run me through how your system of royalty works” Octavia sat in front of me and began to explain.

“Trottingham is ruled jointly by a king and queen, as you full well know” she began “and, as you said, the one to be married to the royal-born must be from one of the families from the three realms of Trottinghamshire, it always cycles around, each time a different realm will step forth to provide a nobel to be married in to the royal family...there’s also regulations dictating how often a given family can marry into royalty, so as to prevent inbreeding. Autumn’s father is a lord of Westwards, which means that she and her brother would be eligible for a royal marriage”

“I’m with you so far” I said, taking a sip of water.

“But, more often than not those are marriages of politics, to maintain order in the three realms” Octavia continued “those presented are chosen based on their knowledge of the kingdoms and their ability to govern, it is certainly not a marriage of love, though the king and queen do often grow to love each other, as with my own mother and father”

“And the consorts?” I asked.

“Because of the above reason, the king and queen are allowed to select someone whom they trust, who they care for, as more than a friend. It can be anyone, not necessarily a noble, the chosen could well be a chimney sweep for all anyone outside the immediate family knows” she said “then the royalty and their chosen enter a partnership, not a marriage, and the consort is also assigned accompanying role based on their respective talent so that they might better serve their king or queen; personal aide, hoof maiden, scribe...royal bodyguard. A consort has no real political power, besides their input being appreciated, but it does carry a certain...social notoriety, nobles would be a less likely to cast you out”

“So…” I began “what you’re saying is I’d become a royal fuckbuddy with extra steps?” Octavia looked aghast

“Good heavens, no!” she exclaimed, before frowning at me “Don’t be so vulger!”

“Sorry” I said, chuckling at her reaction “You may continue”

“Outside of our company you have nothing, no homestead, no family, no lands to call your own” Octavia said, and I conceded her point with a sigh.

“That is true” I said.

“And come the day when some of us go our separate ways, for duty or perhaps a lack of it, where would you have gone?” she asked.

“Not entirely sure” I said “Probably stick with those I know best, or settle in some land which has struck a particular chord with me”

“And if you went by yourself, how would you obtain a place to stay, a means of employment?” she asked.

“Sellsword?” I ventured, though I didn’t sound particularly convinced by my own words, from what I’d seen so far ponies didn’t seem overly trusting of those other than their own kind, I doubted the other races would be any different, hell, my kind certainly wasn’t, we’d go to war over different ways to open an egg with a knife...The more I thought the more I agreed with her reasoning.

“As my consort you would be guaranteed a home, those who you could call a family, even” Octavia said as she walked over and sat at my feet, before taking my hands in her own hooves, a comforting smile on her face “understand that I’m not trying to force you, I know you aren’t as used to affections like I’ve been giving you, you need merely say no and I will not hold it against you, we can go from here as friends and nothing more” I nodded at that.

“Just one question” I said, at which she nodded for me to continue “what about Vinyl, I thought you and her were already a thing?”

“That is a fair question” she said “but Vinyl and I are...complicated. Being her familiar is a complicated relationship all of itself, certainly we trust each other with our lives, and we’re more than friends, we’ve even had flings, but it’s not romance” at this I nodded and let out a sigh as I contemplated her offer, I never was good with heavy decisions like this. Eventually though I relented, the way I figured it it didn’t actually stand to lose anything by accepting, it’s not like the Defiance offered me any privacy anyway.

“I...I can’t rightly say that I feel for you like you feel for me…” I said, and Octavia’s posture sagged, assuming I was refusing her “But, in a world where I do not truly belong it would be nice to be guaranteed some stability, and someone to look out for me as much as I would look out for them, and in time maybe I could grow close to you, so...yes?” at this Octavia jumped up, throwing her arms around my neck and nuzzling at my cheek, initially I was caught off guard, but I quickly figured that she wanted some affection in return, so I wrapped my arms around her and pulled her close.

“Thank you” she said, lingering for a moment before pulling back and lowering herself down, at this she turned and walked over Tarn, who had been watching wordlessly and now had a smile on her face, but not a happy-happy smile, more “third wheel” smile, she them pulled the kobald into a hug, taking her by surprise “and don’t think I’m oblivious to your own feelings for him either, I shall need a hoofmaided when I’m queen, will I not?”

“Uhh…” Tarn said, not fully sure how to respond.

“And if the queen’s hoofmaided also grew close to the queen’s consort, I certainly wouldn’t judge” Octavia said, punctuating with a nuzzle, this appeared to be the straw which broke the camel’s back, as Tarn’s face proceeded to go blank, not that Octavia noticed as she rose once more and made her way out of the room, humming “I vow to thee” with a noticeable spring in her step and a smile on her face. Bemused, I stood up and made my way over and nudged Tarn out of her stupor, then proceeded to blink owlishly at the doorway.

“So…” I said “Apparently that just happened”