Chapter 10

“Are you sure you don’t want me to come with you?”

“Twilight, if I had a nickel for every time you’ve asked me that, I’d be the richest human in Equestria.”

“What are nickels? We only use bits.”

“I-…y’know what, nevermind.”

It was a little early in the morning and I had just finished packing for my trip to Canterlot. After a couple hours of Twilight explaining to me what and where Canterlot is, I figured I should pack appropriately. I had bought a duffel bag some time ago and packed some clothes that Rarity made for me over the course of my stay in Ponyville. Honestly, I didn’t expect to get a summons from the princesses so soon, but I suppose now was as good a time as any.

“Any idea why the princesses would want to talk to you?” Spike wondered with a yawn.

“No clue,” I shrugged as I zipped up my duffel bag. “Sounds like it’s pretty important, though.”

“I still can’t place what this Guardian they mentioned in the letter is,” Twilight said, scratching her chin. “I could swear I’ve read the name before in a book.”

“Maybe you just haven’t read enough books?” Spike quipped.

“Oh, ha ha, I’ve read all the books in the library!”

“Thrice, and still counting,” Spike said back.

“Alright, you two, that’s enough,” I chuckled lightly as I stood up with my duffel bag. “I’ll be back in a couple days. Don’t have too much fun while I’m gone.”

“That’s an impossible request since Pinkie’s all about having fun,” Spike said.

“Fair enough. Then instead, try to have as much fun for me.”

The two nodded and I headed out the door. The sun had just risen over the horizon about an hour ago as I made my way to the train station. It was a good thing I told Applejack about my trip to Canterlot. I wouldn’t want her to think I’m playing hooky from work. Upon my arrival at the train station, I approached the window where a young-looking mare was distributing tickets.

“Excuse me? One ticket to Canterlot, please,” I said to her.

“Hm? Oh! Hello,” the mare said. “You’re the local human, aren’t you?”

“That’s me, Will Saber.”

“Nice to meet you, Mr. Saber. One ticket for Canterlot.” She tore off a ticket from the dispenser and handed it to me as I pulled out some bits and paid her. “So what’s the occasion for traveling to the capital?”

“Official business from the princesses themselves,” I replied.

“The princesses? Wow, I’m so jealous!”

“It’s probably no big deal,” I shrugged it off as I took my ticket. “Thanks, you have a good one.”

“You too, Mr. Saber!” The mare waved goodbye.

I rounded the corner and saw the train already parked and waiting for passengers trying to board. I waited my turn in line and stepped onto the train car. The interior was pretty spacious compared to the trains I’ve been on back on Earth. I picked my seat in the car and set my bag on the rafters above, then took my seat. As I waited for the train to start moving, I started to think about what I would be told by the princesses. The letter mentioned something about someone called the Guardian. Could he have been some kind of protector? I thought back to the night when I first met the princesses, how they reacted when I told them I was a human. It seemed like they already knew what a human was, which couldn’t be possible since I should be the first and only human in Equestria. Then again, I’ve heard from time to time, ponies refer to humans as being a myth. But that’s probably because of Lyra and her conspiracy theories. That is, until I showed up.

“All aboard!” The conductor called out as he rang his little bell. “Last call for Canterlot!”

I adjusted in my seat as the doors began to close and the train began to move. I watched out the window as the world outside moved along as the train chugged along. All I could do now was wait for my questions to be answered once I met with the princesses in person.

A Few Hours Later

“Attention! Now arriving at the royal capital, Canterlot!”

I looked up from my phone, as I was playing a game, and saw us just arriving at the train station. When I looked back down at my phone, the game said that I failed.

“Ugh, guess I’ll have to try beating my high score in Jetpack Joyride later,” I mumbled as I turned off my phone and stood up.

When the train came to a stop, I grabbed my duffel bag from the rafters. The doors opened and I stepped out to see a pristine-looking city with a huge White Castle standing over it. The castle looked like it was built along the side of the mountain. It looked just as tall as the mountain it sat on, making me whistle in amazement.

“Buckingham Palace ain’t got nothing on this place,” I said aloud.

“Hey! Language!” a mare snapped, covering her son’s ears.

“Uh…sorry?” I said sheepishly, but decided not to dwell on it and move along.

After leaving the platforms, I stopped just outside the station to take in the city. Everywhere I looked, there were the words fancy and entitled written all over. Most of the ponies who walked by had their muzzles pointed upwards, like they knew they were important and wanted to flaunt their expensive suits and dresses they wore.

“Oh joy, I’ve arrived in the city of the snob,” I joked while rolling my eyes.

“Pardon me.”

A voice caught my attention and turned to my right to see a few guard ponies. Two of them were pegasus stallions and one was a unicorn stallion. The unicorn stallion wore gilded armor and had muscled arms almost the size of Big Mac’s. The hair in his mane and tail were two-toned blue and his fur was pure white. His eyes were a light baby blue, but had a fierce and stern gaze about them. I stood up straight as he approached me and noticed he was just as tall as I was.

“Can I help you, sirs?” I asked as politely as I could.

“You aren’t a pony, so I can only assume you’re the human we were sent to escort?” the stallion asked.

“Escort?” I repeated, but dismissed it. “Erm, yeah, that’s me.” I held out my hand to the stallion for a shake. “Name’s William, William Saber, but you can just call me Will for short.”

“Uh huh, pleasure’s mine,” the stallion nodded, but didn’t shake my hand. “Shining Armor, Captain of the Royal Guard.”

“Woah…you’re a captain?” I said, lowering my hand. “That’s pretty badass.” Shining Armor arched a brow at my statement. “I mean…I just think it’s pretty cool that I’m meeting a Captain for the first time in my life.”

“That a fact?” Shining then managed to crack a small smirk. “Well, I’m glad you think so. Shall we head to the palace?”

“Sure, might as well,” I shrugged.

Shining nodded as he and I walked side by side with the other two guards following behind. As we walked, I noticed I was being watched by snobby passerbys. Some looked at me with mild curiosity while others just stared at me with disgust and confusion. I didn’t let it bother me. If they wanted to stare, then let them.

“Kinda surprising to be escorting a real human,” Shining said. “My little sister and I always believed it was all just a ponytale our parents used to tell us when we were foals.”

“I’ve been getting that a lot lately.” I chuckled. “My friend, Twilight, wouldn’t stop badgering me with questions after I moved in with her.”

Shining stopped suddenly and shot me a glare. “Twilight? As in…Twilight Sparkle?”

“Yeah…?” I said as Shining gripped the handle of his sword attached to his hip.

“Twilight Sparkle is my little sister,” Shining growled.

My face went a little pale, and I gulped nervously. I was in the presence of a very intimidating-looking stallion, who was Captain of the freaking Royal Guard, and I just blurted out that I’m rooming with his kid sister like a moron. Not my smoothest moment, I know.

“Now hold on a sec, Captain, I know what you’re thinking, but it’s not like that,” I said, raising my hands defensively.

“Oh? Care to elaborate?” Shining said, still glaring at me, ready to slice my head off with his sword.

“I only moved in with Twilight because Princess Celestia requested it. She’s been a very welcoming and easy-going mare. I’ve always treated her with respect. In no way, shape, or form would I even imagine doing anything that would betray her trust. What kind of man would I be if I did?”

“So you’re telling me that you wouldn’t pull any funny business with my sister?” Shining questions.

“Twilight is my friend, I can say that to you in confidence,” I said in a more serious tone. “I also respect you for being on edge toward someone, a guy for that matter, rooming with your sister. Hell, if I were you, I’d be doing the same thing. And to be honest, it makes me respect you too.”

“We only just met. How can you already respect me when you don’t even know me?” Shining wondered.

“I don’t need to know you, but I do know you’d do anything to keep your family safe. I should know, since there was a time when I wanted to do anything to keep my own family safe.”

Shining and I stared at each other for a good long while until he managed to crack another smirk, releasing his grip on his sword’s handle.

“That’s twice today I’ve been surprised. You’re alright, Saber.”

“I’m glad you think so, Captain.”

We continued our trek to the palace as the mood around us changed to a more calming atmosphere. I admit, I was expecting him to ignore my words and try to hack my head off, but he decided to take my word for it. Mom always said that I had a way with words. Now I’m starting to see that she may have had a point.

After a while of walking, we made it to the castle gates. The castle itself was much larger up close than how it looked back at the train station. I saw guards everywhere I looked as Shining gave the order to open the gates. The gates opened slowly and we walked through, all while I kept trying to take in all that I saw around me. It was a little overwhelming, considering this is my first time entering an actual functioning castle, with guards and staff walking around and two princesses awaiting my arrival. The interior of the castle was just as fancy and regal-looking as the outside. Red carpets stretched down the hallways, portraits hung on the walls like in a museum, and there were servants and more well-dressed ponies walking around.

“First time in a place like this?” Shining guessed.

“How’d you guess?” I asked.

“You keep looking around wherever we walk, your hands are fidgeting quite a bit, and you almost walked into me a few times.”

“Oh, sorry.”

“Don’t be. You remind me of me when I first walked through these halls as a recruit. You get used to it.”

“Really?”

“Not really, but soon.”

I rolled my eyes at his quip, then heard someone yelling off in the distance.

“You call this clean?! I’ll have your job by the end of this day if you make another poor excuse!”

“Please, my lord, don’t fire me! This job is all I have!”

The inner good samaritan in me wanted to go see what all the commotion was about, but Shining had the same idea as he turned in the other direction.

“You go in and meet the princesses, Saber, I have some personal matters to attend to,” Shining said.

“I can wait, or come with you,” I offered. He knew what I meant, but shook his head with a smile.

“Nah, I got this, you go on ahead.”

I wanted to protest and lend a hand, but I didn’t want to impose since I had other priorities to attend to. Continuing my trek, I looked around and gazed at the interior of the castle in awe. Pushing my fascinations aside, I eventually arrived at a set of a pair of large double doors at the end of the hallway. Two more guards were standing beside the doors and they eyed me suspiciously. I straightened my jacket out and pulled out the scroll I received from Celestia.

“I’m here to see the princesses?” I said, holding the scroll up to one of the guards. They looked at each other and one of them took my scroll to read it. After giving it a onceover, he nodded and handed the scroll back to me.

“They’re in session, but I’ll let them know you’re here.”

The guard opened one of the doors and stepped inside. I waited for about a few more minutes until he came back out with a small group of noble-looking ponies. Some of the nobles looked a little irked and shot me a stink eye, to which I simply ignored.

“They’ll see you now.”

I nodded as the guards opened both doors for me. The throne room was just as pristine and regal-looking as the rest of the castle. The interior looked to be made of pure white marble and there were windows with murals on them. Sitting on the far end of the room were two thrones, each with a day-like and moon-like theme to them with both princesses on their respective thrones. Celestia and Luna watched me approach them, making me gulp nervously and grip the strap of my duffle bag, as I tried to fix my hair a little. Once I was standing just before them, I realized I wasn’t acting appropriately and immediately bowed to them.

“Hello, your majesties, it’s a pleasure to see you both again.” I mentally kicked myself in the gut for sounding so plain.

“And an equal pleasure to see you as well, Mr. Saber,” Celestia said with a warm smile. She glanced at the two guards standing by the thrones and gestured for them to leave. The guards saluted and left the throne room, leaving only me and the two princesses.

“I gotta say, this place is very fancy,” I said, looking around once more. “It’s nothing like any palace I’ve been to back home.”

The princesses looked at each other and then back at me.

“Thee wast speaking so formally a moment ago, wherefore did doth thee changeth thy tone so suddenly?” Luna said, sounding like she was a character from Shakespeare.

“Oh, well it’s just how I usually talk, I guess?” I shrugged. “Sorry, I’m not used to being in the presence of royalty like you two. Sort of a new experience for me.”

“On the contrary, we rather welcome it,” Celestia said. “It is refreshing to hear somepony address us in a casual manner rather than always speak as though they are appealing to us.”

“We oft wish the nobility wast not so strict and serious with one another.” Luna sighed. “Just because we hold a royal status, doest not cullionly we cannot communicate with one another as equals.”

“Must be tiresome,” I nodded. “And here I thought they were uptight because they woke up on the wrong side of the bed.”

My lame joke managed to somehow earn slight giggles from the princesses as they stood up from their thrones and walked down the steps towards me. “I trust your trip was a smooth one?” Celestia asked.

“It was alright,” I said. “I somewhat wish I could’ve flown here, but trains are just as good.”

Once again, the princesses looked at each other quizzically as they stood in front of me. “Would thee has’t did prefer we hath sent a hot air balloon f’r thy trippeth hither to the capital?”

“Hot air balloon?” I realized why they were confused and stifled a laugh. “You haven’t seen my latest trick. You recall that I have special powers, yes?” They both nodded as I set my duffel bag down. I placed my hands on my hips and focused my Ki. I then slowly lifted off the ground and kept rising a good six feet and hovered in midair. The sight of me flying made the princesses stare up at me in shock and awe. “During my time in Ponyville, I took the liberty of honing my abilities. Figured I should take advantage of what I could do, since the night of my arrival, and this is the result.”

“Mine own marry, thou art flying! How is this possible?” Luna unfurled her wings and flew up to meet me in the air. She flew behind me, and examined my back closely as if she was trying to find something. “Thee doth not has’t wings on thy back, yet thee float in the air on thy own as a pegasus would.”

“Like I said, it’s thanks to my new powers.” I slowly descended to the ground, with Luna following me, and I touched the floor. “I’m still learning the basics of Ki manipulation, but I’m starting to get the hang of it. Whatever that F person did to me really changed who and what I am on the inside and out.”

As soon as I mentioned F, their mood changed almost instantly. Celestia took a breath, as to compose herself, and then looked at me with a serious expression. “Mr. Saber-”

“You can call me William,” I said.

“Very well, William, do you know why we have summoned you here?”

“According to your letter, you wanted to talk about someone named the Guardian?”

“Forsooth.” Luna nodded. “Ev’r since thee toldeth us what thou art, we did search within our personal archives f’r a booketh our former ment’r hath left f’r us.”

“A book?” I repeated. Celestia’s horn glowed and something appeared in a flash. It was a very old-looking book that had some rips and tears and the pages looked worn out and faded. Celestia levitated the book over to me and I saw the title on the cover. “The Legend of…Sir Rokai Stourmborne.” I read aloud, my heart began to beat a little faster. “The Equestrian Guardian.” I looked up at the princesses, not knowing how to react. “Who’s Rokai Stourmborne?”

“By your reaction, you’ve already noticed something?” Celestia guessed as she levitated the book back towards her.

“It’s…the name.” I paused to collect myself. “I’ve heard a variety of names in this world. Some sound like play-on words or silly expressions and whatnot. But this name sounds nothing like them.” I looked Celestia and Luna dead in their eyes. “Who is he?”

The princesses said nothing as they gestured to me to follow them. I walked behind them as they led me through a door by the thrones. We soon found ourselves outside and walking through a garden of some kind. Bouquets of flowers grew from bushes, there were sculpted marble pony statues here and there, and we walked along a stone path. I wanted to ask where we were going, but they seemed to be too lost in thought about something. We walked in the gardens for about ten minutes until we arrived in an area that felt more secluded than the rest of the garden. We arrived at a large hedge that stood a good few feet taller than us. Both Celestia and Luna lit up their horns and the hedge began to move on its own. The hedge parted ways, like a gate, and more of the stone path we walked on was revealed to us. My nerves were a bit on edge as I continued to follow them and the hedge closed behind us. I heard the sounds of trickling water and caught sight of a fountain further down the path. Next to the fountain was another statue, but as we drew closer, my nerves became more on edge. I thought it was another pony statue, but its distinguishing features became more clear. It looked to be wearing some kind of armor. What shocked me about this statue was that it wasn’t a pony, but had a physique similar to mine. My mouth became dry when Celestia and Luna approached the statue and stood by it. My place slowed and my mouth hung open, trying to find the words to say but none came out. I could see the statue up close. It wasn’t a pony, as I had guessed, and it held some kind of sword downwards by the handle. Its face looked stern, yet proud, like the figure was ready for anything. There was a tuft of hair on its head and the sides looked shaved, from what I could tell. Cracks and little cobwebs all over the statue, but that wasn’t important. This statue…looked like a human.

“This, William Saber,” Celestia said as Luna smiled a little up at the statue. “This…is Rokai Stourmborne, the first Guardian of Equestria. And he, like you, was a human.”

If I were to imagine how fast my mind was spinning as I gazed at the statue, unable to form a sentence due to the shock, I’d imagine it like one of those dreidel tops I’ve seen in those little nicknack stores. I slowly walked around to face the statue in front. The man looked like he was staring me down and was ready to give his life for whatever purpose he served. I looked back at Celestia, who stared back at me, then at Luna, who also stared back at me, and then back at the statue.

“He…was a human?” I managed to say. “How is this possible?”

Celestia held up the old book she brought with her. “This text was written by our former teacher, Starswirl the Bearded,” she explained. “It is the only piece of history that depicts the events that happened over a thousand years ago. How Sir Rokai came to us when we needed him most, how his actions made an impact on Equestria and the neighboring kingdoms, and his legacy as the first Guardian.”

“We w’re v’ry young during the timeth Sir Rokai wast still alive, but we shall nev’r f’rget all that gent hadst done f’r us.” Luna said.

“And just what did he do?” I wondered.

“To answer that, you must see for yourself,” Celestia said as she walked over to me and placed her hand on my shoulder, then looked at Luna. “Keep watch for us.”

“Thee can counteth on us, sist’r, showeth William ev’rything,” Luna nodded.

“Bare with me, William, this might be a tad discombobulating,” Celestia warned me.

Before I could question what she meant, Celestia leaned horn towards my forehead as it lit up. The tip of the horn tapped my head and there was a sudden flash of light. The scenery around us changed and Luna had disappeared. The garden around us changed and it felt like everything was moving backwards at high speed, even the statue disappeared from where it stood. When everything finally came to a halt. There was a new pony standing just to the side. He looked like an elderly unicorn pony, wearing wizard robes and a wizard's hat with bells on it. The robe had stars embroidered on the cloak and he held a wooden staff. The most noticeable thing about this pony was the long white beard that grew from his face. The old stallion was sitting on the grass and his eyes were closed, like he was meditating.

“Who’s that?” I wondered.

“My former mentor,” Celestia said with a fond smile.

“Lord Starswirl!” A pony pegasus guard came flying in and landed in front of the stallion. The guard wore darker plated armor than what I had seen before.

“Yes, what is it?” Starswirl asked calmly as he opened his eyes to look at the pegasus.

“There’s been another attack! To the east of Canterlot! The settlers are about to be overrun!”

“Again?!…Where are the troops we deployed there?!” Starswirl shouted as he moved to stand, which he had some difficulty in doing.

“They…they were killed, sir,” the guard said grimly, making me gulp at the unexpected report. “I was sent to find you and the Pillars! The settlers barricaded themselves in their homes, but they won’t be able to hold out for much longer!”

“And where are the others?” Starswirl asked.

“I already informed Sir Rockhoof, Sir Flash Magnus, and Lady Somnambula! They are already on their way, but they need you too! I tried looking for Ms. Meadowbrook and Lady Mistmane, but they’re still tending to the wounded from the last few attacks.”

“Very well, I shall depart immediately.” Starswirl declared before he teleported to the place of attack.

“What the hell is happening?!” I finally managed to blurt out from the turn of events. “Didn’t you say that this all happened over a thousand years ago?!”

“I did, I had cast a memory spell just now, we are seeing the memories my mentor had shared with me,” Celestia explained, gesturing to ourselves. It was then I finally noticed that our bodies were transparent.

“Whoa…ok, back on topic, what was Starswirl talking about?”

“During this time, the kingdom of Equestria was still young, since its founding. The earth ponies, pegasi, and unicorns put aside their differences and lived in peace,” Celestia explained as we walked through the gardens of the past.

“Over time, neighboring countries sought out Equestria to offer an alliance, to which we accepted and remained strong as a united coalition of kingdoms. However, that peace soon became threatened. An unknown evil unleashed relentless attacks on the populace, killing any whom they saw fit. It wasn’t just in Equestria, these attacks also happened in the griffin, minotaur, and even as far as the zebra and hippogriff kingdoms. There were even reports of attacks in the kingdom to the far north where beings known as caribou reside. These attacks were unprovoked, as if the attackers simply killed and destroyed all in their wake for their own sick desire.”

“And who were these attackers,” I wondered.

Celestia grabbed my shoulder again and the scene around us seemed to change. We were now standing in a sort of old timey village, but I was unprepared for what I saw. Most of the village was destroyed, fires burned some houses, and there were dead ponies almost everywhere I looked. My face went extremely pale when I saw the gaping wounds from the pony soldiers, some had their eyes still open. Laying next to them were creatures I had not seen before. They were all grotesque and their bodies looked unnaturally deformed. Some had claws, others had razor sharp teeth, and some had crude-looking weapons laying next to them. The creepiest part about them was that they looked like they were made of some kind of shadowy substance.

“My god…what happened here?” I began to tremble a little from the gruesome scene before me.

I soon heard some commotion and saw a group of ponies standing over the villagers. The villagers were crying their eyes out and were thanking the group of ponies watching over them with Starswirl.

One pony was a huge, muscley stallion. The guy’s arms and legs looked like his muscles could put Mac’s to shame. His fur was a pale, light cyan blue, his eyes grayish blue, and his mane and tail both gamboge with a gold stripe running through them. He also sported a beard, mustache combo, and a bit of his mane was braided together. His outfit consisted of brown leather clothes on his chest, and legs, with a metal plate tied around his chest, and a headband on his forehead and one on the end of his tail. He carried a large shovel over his shoulder and looked as fierce as he tried to make himself be.

Next to him was a pegasus stallion. His fur was yellowish-amber color, his eyes turquoise, and his mane and tail were dark red. He wore armor that reminded me of what the Spartans used to wear during the times of ancient Greece, which was a strange coincidence to me. He carried a heater shield in his hand and looked very brave.

The last of them was a pretty pegasus mare with light scarlet fur, arctic blue mane and tail, and amethyst-purple eyes. She wore robes and a headdress that reminded me of what the ancient Egyptians used to wear, which was another strange coincidence to me.

“This cannot go on…” Starswirl said as he gripped his staff.

“Starswirl?” The pegasus asked.

“These attacks have to stop,” Starswirl said with a determined stomp of his hoof.

“What can we do?” The mare said sadly. “It wasn’t like this a year prior.”

“Aye,” the larger stallion said in a gruff voice. “We can’t be goin’ on like this forever. Too many have lost their lives.”

“But we barely know anything about these creatures,” the pegasus said. “And they just keep attacking for no reason!”

“We do know one thing, however,” Starswirl said. “The dark magic that surrounds their bodies comes from Tartarus.”

“But the gateway to Tartarus is sealed shut! It’s impossible to breach,” the mare said.

“Nevertheless, something must be done. And I believe I have a solution.” Starswirl turned to walk away. “In order to combat evil such as this, we need a greater fighting force. Somepony who has the will and tenacity to help protect our home.”

“What are ya suggestin’?” the larger stallion asked.

“Fetch Mistmane and Meadowbrook, we depart for Ponehenge.”

“Should we get Stygian as well? His knowledge of magic is almost equal to yours,” The pegasus suggested while following his comrade through the battlefield.

“A good suggestion, Flash Magnus, fly to his village with all haste. Time is against us.” Flash Magnus gave a quick salute before taking off like a shot and flew off into the direction their friend Stygian was.

Celestia used her magic again and the scene changed once more. We were now standing by an area with large stone pillars standing around a stone altar. The ponies from before were here along with three other ponies. One was a smaller-looking unicorn stallion wearing a brown cloak. He had a bowl cut style cerulean hair for his mane and tail, his fur was medium gray, and his eyes were brilliant azure.

The other two ponies were mares. One was a very elderly-looking unicorn mare with pale purple fur, dark green mane and tail that flowed like a nonexistent wind, similar to Celestia's, and wore a floral gown.

The other mare wore a tropical-looking dress and had her orangey-red hair tied up in a bun. Her eyes were light blue and she was an earth pony mare.

“I don’t know about this, Starswirl,” Flash said warily.

“Trust me, my friend, Stygian and I did all the proper research.”

“But it’s still risky, we don’t know what kind of being we might end up summoning or if they’ll be willing to join us,” Stygian said as they took their positions.

“Do not lose hope, my friends. Even in the darkest of times, there is light,” Somnambula said with a confident smile.

“I still think Flash is right to be cautious. He and Rockhoof should stand guard in case things go south,” Meadowbrook suggested.

“What exactly are we attempting to summon?” Stygian wondered.

“Somepony who can combat the creatures and help us save more lives,” Starswirl said. “This new spell I invented should be able to bring forth a worthy adversary. However, if on the off chance this does go wrong…be prepared for anything.”

“Well, as long as our new friend can crack some skulls then I’m all for it!” Rockhoof said with a hearty laugh as Starswirl began the spell and chanted something in an old-sounding language I’ve never heard of.

Soon the skies darkened and thunder and lightning was everywhere as an unnatural storm formed above Ponhenge and a rift began to form at its center. I watched in astonishment at the levels of magic being used to perform this spell. The refit in the center began to open more and more as the group of ponies stood their ground. Starswirl began to chant louder as he held his staff and his horn sparked like crazy. Soon the other ponies began to glow and beams of light shot out from at the rift. A bright flash of light, so bright I had to cover my eyes, filled the area as lighting echoed throughout the sky. Smoke filled the area as the light died down. I lowered my arm to see a new figure standing in the middle amongst the smoke. It was hunched over but soon stood up straight. I could see that they were wearing a tattered scarf around their neck and a cloth around their waste. As the smoke cleared up more, the figure looked to be wearing plated armor from head to toe. He carried a broadsword in his right hand as he gripped it tightly. The smoke eventually dissipated so I could see their face. I gasped when I finally recognized the figure as the statue from before. It was a man. He had short brown hair and a beard grown on his face. His eyes were a piercing blue and his skin was slightly tanned. I could barely register what I was seeing, an actual human man was standing before everyone that Starswirl managed to summon. From what I could guess, he looked to be around his late thirties.

“By my grandpa’s beard! IT WORKED!!” Rockhoof shouted in astonishment.

“Greetings, my friend,” Stygian said while approaching the human. “My name is Stygian and I’m sure you have many questions but know that you have been summoned for a noble purpose.”

SHING!

“Not another step, beast.” The man pointed his sword at Stygian’s neck with a glare.

Flash immediately took action and shielded his friend with Rochoof joining him as the atmosphere quickly became intense.

“Easy, friend, we don’t want any trouble,” Rockhoof said while keeping an eye on their new visitor.

“Your actions say otherwise,” The human countered while noticing the other members of the group.

“We mean you no harm, honest!” Meadowbrook pleaded.

“Says the walking, talking horse woman,” the man shot back. “Now here’s what’s gonna happen. I ask, you answer, and you keep your heads. Sound fair?” The ponies wanted to argue, but had little choice and nodded. “Good, now where the bloody hell am I?!”

“You are in Equestria,” Starswirl replied as he walked up towards the human, unafraid that the sword was now pointing at him. “I am Starswirl The Bearded, and my friends and I have called you here because we need your help.” He finished his answer with a gentle tap of his staff.

“Help you? Hah! And why should I?” The man scoffed. “I ain’t some noble knight, come to save the damsels in distress, I’m a rogue. Know what that is? Means I do jobs for coin.”

“We figured as much.” Stygian smirked before tossing him a small bag of bits. “That is merely a sample of the payment you’ll receive and if it is worthless in your old world, you can always melt it down.” The man looked skeptical at first before opening the bag and heard the familiar jingle of coins before taking one out and trying to bend it with his teeth to be sure they were genuine. “May we have your name good sir?” Stygian asked while Flash kept his guard up.

“Hmm…Rokai, Rokai Stourmborne, third of my name.” My jaw went slack as he tucked the pouch in his armor. “Remember it. So, what’s the job?”

Author's Note

The history of the First Guardian of Equestria revealed, Rokai’s story begins.

Side Note:
I am SO very sorry for the delay and lack of posting chapters. I’ve been brainstorming nonstop how I should play this out and eventually decided to break it into parts. But don’t worry! I plan to get the next part out as soon as possible! Thank you all so VERY much for your continued patience, and look forward to the next part!

Hope you enjoyed!

~WurkyWilk has left the building…