“You seriously can’t see this screen in front of me?” The question was asked for the second time.

“There is nothing in front of you, Hero and…what’s a screen?” Tilting her head in utter confusion. Most of his words had been nonsense to her from the beginning.

His brow furrowed as he stared blankly forward. “Ok then.” He stood up. “I guess I will play along for now.” Stating this more to himself then the woman before him.

She stood up with glee in her eyes. “DOES THAT MEAN YOU’LL HELP?”

“…Get me out of here and maybe I will think about it.” He uttered back to her with a sigh. The screen still looming in front of him from before.

“Right.” She pulled a small torch from her bag lighting it with her finger tips with a spark of magic. “The exit isn’t far Hero.”

“…Stop calling me that. I am Anon. Just Anon.” Replying back swiftly as he followed behind her as she began to lead him through a well carved stone tunnel.

“Of course! With you on our side there is no way we will lose.” The tone of her voice was determined. Which just caused a huff out from the man following behind her.

He shook his head looking down at the screen in front of him. “….Well I guess I will pick this one.” His finger clicked against the screen. Selecting…..BRAWLER. He used to get into fist fights in both high school and middle school so he knew how throw a punch well enough….he guessed. The screen instantly shut itself before opening again.

His Stats had changed to the following:

“Anon, Legendary Hero.

Level: 1 (Brawler)

HP: 50 (+40)

Stats:

Str: 50 (+40)

Dex: 50 (+40)

Con: 50 (+40)

Wis: 25 (+15)

Int: 10

Cha: 10.”

He looked over all of it before another screen popped up beside his stats. It read something in red text:

“Negative Effect Added:

BURDEN OF POWER.”

That didn’t look good. He didn’t know what any of this really meant. He just looked up at the woman he was following. Watching her wings move ever so lightly as she walked. He noticed they were truly real wings. He was so hoping he was in a coma or something. Maybe a truck hit him. Maybe this was a fever dream from eating bad sushi….

“….Alright so can you tell me where I am?” The question had been on his mind the whole time.

“You’re in Equestria.” Stopping herself turning back to him. “You been summoned before haven’t you? This isn’t the first time the book of prophecies has been used….you saved us before well…ponies of the past. It was before my time. Before the princesses took power and the elements of harmony were used.” She explained.

“…..The who and what?” Shaking his head and just looking at her dumbfounded. “I don’t know what any of that is. I've never been here before. Can you explain it to me…try to keep it as simple as you can ok?”

“…Well where we are standing right now is The Tomb of the Alicorns. The book said in ancient times when evil spread across the lands…the Alicorns of old would summon a champion from the book. That’s you. I am a Princess of this land as well. I am the Princess of Friendship. There is Celestia, Luna and Cadance. They're Alicorns as well.” Nodding at him.

“….Right….so that makes you an Alicorn. Is everyone an Alicorn in this….Equestria?” The expression on his face was growing more deadpan by the minute.

“Ooo no. Alicorns are rare. Equestria is filled with all kinds of creatures. Mostly ponies but, there are all kinds of friends to be made. I've never seen anything like you before but, you may just be rare like me.” Smiling at him as she finished.

“….” He didn’t like any of this. Not one bit. “So what are we saving these princesses or something?” Asking with his hands now tucked into pant's pocket.

“Yes, but we have to rescue my friends first. If we do we can turn the tides and save everyone. You see me and my friends were the protectors of this realm but, that was before….she came.” Twilight looked down gripping her torch a little tighter.

“That woman….came with strange creatures we've never seen before and somehow united all our enemies together. Her attack came out of nowhere. She caught my friends before we could use our powers. I was only saved because Celestia bought me time to escape. Luckily I was able to meet up with my master who gave me this book and told me what to do. Now that I’ve summoned you. We can gather my friends. Once we do I am sure we can force Lilith to surrender.”

Anon was simply just deadpan through all of this. He began to walk passed her with his hands in his pockets. “So we just gotta save the magical McGuffins so they can use their magical McGuffin powers on the super evil lady who has taken over the world…..god this is really sounding generic.” Sighing heavily at it all he kept walking.

After walking he heard her heels stomping against the ground. “THOSE MAGICAL MCGUFFINS ARE MY FRIENDS.” She shouted.

Anon turned to her looking puzzled. Seeing tears running down her eyes…and her hands were shaking. Man he had forgotten how bad he was with people even if those people had horns, wings and fur.

“…Listen Twilight I am not-“ The sudden burst coming from the ceiling cut him off as he spoke.

As a thick black mass coiled itself around Twilight’s body restraining her. As whatever this was began to lower itself into the tunnel. Clinging its massive form to the ceiling. Scales covered the thick hide of its body. Ebony in color as two emerald pools stared down at Anon. From what he could tell it was… A GIANT SNAKE.

A screen soon appear to his right giving him a warning:

“An enemy has appeared!

The Black Mamba, Servant of Lilith.”

Keeping his eyes on the serpent as he read. Its body tighten around the prey in its grip. She cried out as you could hear her body tensing from the pressure.

“TWILIGHT. USE YOUR MAGIC OR SOMETHING.” Anon cried sweat beginning to form on him.

“I…can’t……..used it……most of it….to……summon…..y-you.” Gasping that out as the breath was being taken from her by the force upon her body.

Panic. His mind raced with thousands of thoughts. Did he run? Could he run? Should he run? Could he save her somehow? Maybe he could go get help. All those thoughts were suddenly crushed with the blur of motion that whipped against his right side. The force of the blow sending him into the stone wall beside him. Cracking with a thunderous thud. The air left his body as the room span from the hit. It was the serpent's tail that done the deed. He watched it coil back to the beast as he fell to one of his knees.

The screen appeared again:

“Critical hit taken

Current HP: 25.”

He didn’t want to know what happened when his HP hit zero. The thought of his body going splat against the wall in a paint of crimson caused adrenaline to kick in. That was painful. This was truly real now. He felt that. Glaring at the serpent as it was preparing for another strike his body just moved on its own. Fuck it. All he had was his fists.

His fist tighten as the tail swung at him again. He jumped over it towards the serpents head. It struck out at him with dripping fangs. As he just…punched forward. The force of his punch caused the air in front of his fist to be blasted forward the pressure smashed clean through the serpent's head. A spray of green vile went everywhere as the impact kept going blowing through part of the ceiling in the shape of his fist.

The creature’s body went limp collapsing against the stonework of the floor. Uncoiling around Twilight. As Anon landed on his feet. He looked down at his arm his fist was smoking from the might that had been unleashed. The sleeve of his suit had been ripped apart.

“Holy….Shit.” He said staring down at his own arm.

Twilight got to her feet moving part of the body out of her way. “That…THAT WAS AMAZING.” She said elated walking up to him.

“Ya it really….” Again he was cut off by something. A screen had appeared beside him again and read:

“Negative Effect now Active: 5/s

Burden of Power.”

He was confused until the pain began to take over his whole body. Agony. Unfiltered Agony. He cried out in pain as he fell to his knees. It was as if all his muscles were being torn apart then stitched back together. His whole body began to sweat as tears flowed from his eyes. He didn’t hear Twilight as her voice called out as she ran to him. There was only….PAIN.

This lasted for five seconds. Until it just….stopped. Finally Twilight’s words reached his still ringing ears.

“ANON! ANON! WHAT’S WRONG?” She cried.

“I….don’t…..know….” It was all he was able to get out.

“It’s not safe here.” She lifted him up and put his arm around her shoulder as he leaned against her.

It felt sore to move but, slowly they began to head towards the light at the end of the tunnel. Exiting the tomb they were greeted by the cold mountain air. Anon saw for the first time Equestria ….even in the pain he was in. What was before his eyes was stunning. Green filled mountain tops that led to an orange setting sun just beyond the horizon. A massive staircase of stone led down to entrance to forest that lead into the mountains nearby.

“I…I think I can stand.” Anon righted himself looking out at the world before him. He was a city boy, born and raised. He didn’t go out into the wild much and even if he did he doubted it would look like this.

“Thank you for saving me.” Twilight uttered sheepishly. “I….I know you may not be from here but, we need you….I need you. Please….won’t you help me save my home.” She said reaching a hand towards him.

He looked down at her hand then back at the view before him. He let out a deep sigh. He knew he was going to regret his words. “Ah what the hell.” Reaching back and taking her hand she smiled at him.

The screen appeared once more before Anon reading:

“Twilight has joined your party.”

He released her hand the pain finally beginning to fade completely. “So….what now?” Asking her with a curious eye.

“Well…we have a few options. We could go to the nearby village and rest. It’s not far. We could also try to find my master Starswirl the bearded. I have way I can try and contact him….I also heard a rumor before coming here of where one of my friends maybe being held….we’re team now. What do you think we should do?” Asking him also excited to have someone around again.

Author's Note

Greetings everyone. I wanted to let this be known now. I was wondering how serious I would be with this and it depended on how well it was taken in. It has done pretty well.

With that said. I am Author with number of years of experience being DM for DND. I believe player choice is most important thing in the game. Whether this story ends well is up to choices you all make. I am not afraid to give you a bad ending.

You have your latest choice:
1. Go to the Village:
2. Find Starswirl.
3. Follow Twilight's Lead on Her friend.

Your choice from before has already bared fruit. Anon is Brawler now. Some choices will be bigger and more impactful then others....

YOUR CHOICES MATTER.

This is your only warning fair reader.