Levi, the SellSword

Levi is currently on the border between Griffin Empire and Equestria staying in a small unnamed trading post town. He is approaching his middle to late one hundred and sixties. He's been in this nameless town for about five years now. He takes work when necessity strikes.

Fifty years later in a border town...

A lone figure in a dark green hooded cloak sits in the back of an old tavern with his had up and his face obscured from the view of others. He was having his usual tea while others laugh and make jokes enjoying their beer. He had a book in front of his face and was thoroughly enjoying it. All the patrons knew this one will. He'd been here for as long as the pub had been opened. Aside from an occasional drink with his fellow pub-goers, he didn't drink. Most just left him be as he never bothered anyone and anyone that ever had the balls to bother him, usually.

He sat a booth with the best sunlight. This way he could read with little hindrance. No one knew much about him or where he was from. They just knew not to screw with him. He was one of the pub's stable sources of patrons. Many came to see Levi Ackerman just to glance at him. Many thought he was a mutated minotaur and others a centaur but one thing was well-known about Levi Ackerman. That he was a sellsword, a mercenary for hire. He helped those that paid him, no matter the rate he would do the job as long as it was reasonable.

Everything went quiet as soon as the doors opened. Every creature went silent as they saw a set of six golden armored guards ponies, two pegasi, two earth ponies, and two unicorns. The crest of the sun on their chest plates.

One of the pegasi in front marched forward to the bar. "We are looking for Levi Ackerman," he announced and the whole room went silent.

"Why?" The griffoness barkeep asked polishing her mugs. "Levi hasn't done anything against any pony without reason. In fact, he doesn't hurt ponies at all," everyone agreed in whispers. "He makes it his policy to help your kind over hurting them anyway. So what do you featherbrains think he did?"

"We are currently understaffed and wish to hire Mr. Levi as a bodyguard for the princess," an earth pony mare spoke up. "His skills are in high regard amongst many circles. Many creatures say that even though he is a sellsword he has quite reasonable and has quite a moral code. Please we need his help?"

The barkeep eyed the ponies warily, "Look, Levi is a good guy and he likes his peace and quiet. Nobody here bothers him and he keeps to himself. That said he does look out for us here in town when he's around. If ya think he'll..."

"It's alright Gladis," came a male voice near the front of the pub. Everyone turned to look at the cloaked figure who hadn't even look up from his book. "If you seek Levi Ackerman then you have found him," he turned a page. "sit and we can discuss terms of employ over tea," he motioned to his booth never looking up from his book.

The ponies all took a seat some having been given an empty chair by Gladis or a pubber. The ponies all stared at the hooded figure as he read the book. All noticed that he had a clawed hand similar to a griffin or minotaur. He was wearing a glove of sorts that hid his skin.

The leader spoke again clearing his throat, the figure never broke his gaze from his book, "Excuse me sir, but are you, Levi Ackerman?"

"That is my name yes," The guards all seemed to sigh in relief but were still wary of this figure. "As for your reason, I am free at the current moment. How much are you paying?" He flipped a page.

"Ten thousand bits or anything the equivalent you can request within reason," A unicorn stilton said as he reached into a saddlebag with his magic and dropped a heft bag of bits on the table with a thunk. "This is only a third of it. A down payment if you well. You're more than welcome to examine them.

Levi closes his book and reached out with his hand taking one of the coins from the bag and held it up under the cover of his hood. The guards all heard the audible sound of teeth on metal. Levi held the coin up to the light and turned it over examining it. He tossed the coin back in the bag with where it clinked against its brothers.

"I accept," Levi nodded. "When do you want to depart?"

"Immediately if possible?" the leader said with gusto.

"Very well but I will need to stop at my room and get my equipment first," Levi points to the local hotel.

"No problem sir. Take what you need as long as it's to do the job you're hired for and if it's all of it then anything and everything is welcome."

Levi stood up. "Let's go," he took the bag of bits and reached in, and placed a few on the counter. "Thanks for the tea Gladis. I'll see ya around perhaps," he said walking out.

She knew he meant it too. There was always a chance he wouldn't come back either due to death or just settling down in a new place. Levi was a sellsword after all and he went where there was money to be made. If there was a better chance for him someplace else he would follow that lead.

"Take care, you short bastard!" Gladis called out and all her patrons hoped and whistled as Levi merely held up a single hand and waved goodbye.

Griffonstone Castle...

The hooded figure known as Levi was brought before the royals. The Griffon King Black Feathers being a snow owl and tiger mix. Next to him was Princess Celestia, a much taller pony with wings and a horn. Her most notable feature being her rainbow-colored mane and tail blowing in a nonexistent breeze, Levi stood before the royalty, his presence undeterred and unwavering.

"Is this the mercenary you told us of Black Feathers?" Celestia looked to the king.

"I am unsure Celestia. As I said in great length before," Black turned to face the pony princess meeting her equally curious gaze. "As I said last night at dinner," he polished his claws on his chest. "I have heard tales about a strange mercenary that walks on two legs like a minotaur but whose head resembles that of the centaurs of old form across the seas. Other than those rumors I have heard nothing but heresy. Everything saying he gets the jobs he's hired for done."

"Please sir will you give us your name," Celestia asked. "And can we see your face? This is all to confirm who you are and not somepony posing as the one we want."

"Everyone at the pub we found him at confirmed who he was," The leader of the guard said.

"Be that as it may Captain Tightship, I would still like to confirm who he is for myself," Celestia said as she walked over in front of the hooded Levi. "Would you please remove your hood, sir? If the rumors have any base then it should be all the confirmation we need."

"You are my current employer so I will comply," Levi stated as he reached up and threw back his hood to reveal a rather youthful face with a scar running from the lower third of his forehead to just below his lip to almost the base of his chin on the right side of his face. On the left side of his face just under his left eye to the far left were three more scars.

"My stars," the king said as he too walked up. "The rumors were indeed true. You look just like a centaur but with the body of a minotaur. You must be a hybrid of the two."

"On the contrary King Black Feathers," Celestia said. "There are stories in Equestria of what this creature is. They are called humans. Not much is known about them but enough that they are omnivores like griffons and that they are quite capable of a great many things when they wish to learn. I thought they were just that, legends and myths but now I see them as true. I heard rumors that one even lived in Equestria for a time before vanishing."

"Do they possess magic as you ponies do?" Black Feather looked at Levi who was just standing there stone-faced. "Got quite the poker face don't you, my boy? Those scars tale me you've seen a nasty scrap?"

"I am here to protect the princess," Levi said finally. "As for anything else I am not needed, unless we are leaving I will be in the library." he turned and walked out but first, "Excuse me your highnesses I never introduce myself properly. I am Levi Ackerman also called Levi The Butcher," He said with a bow and then left.

That name rang out through the ears of everyone there. At some point, every creature had heard the tells of The Butcher was a name used to describe a ruthless fighter on the battlefield from years ago. The Butcher of the Battlefield. He was a mysterious creature that could appear and disappeared as soon as the fighting started and ended. It was said that he was merciless and took no sides in a conflict and only killed those that were marked for death.

The next morning...

"Captain," a unicorn guard mare stepped up.

"What is it Holiday Star?" Captain Tightship looked up from his checklist. He has been going over everything they were bringing back to Canterlot and going over orders as they readied to depart. "Speak up I can't hear you when you're mumbling like that!" He ordered.

"SIR! I BELIEVE HIRING THAT MECRCANARY WAS A VERY BAD IDEA, SIR!" Holiday shout like when she was still back in basic training. She realized how loud she just was while Tightship stares flatly at her. "Sorry," she blushed. Clearing her throat. "Sir, as I yelled. I don't think it's a good idea to have the mercenary around. What if he tries to steal the valuables or makes a call to some of his buddies and they try and kidnap the princess?! He's not even a pony! Or a griffon for that matter. He's something that's supposed to be a myth in more ways than one!"

"Look Star," Tightship looked to the clearly frazzled unicorn. "Every creature in the pub we found him at vouches for him. I had several guard ponies with me and the pubbers were very leery of us from the start and when he spoke up they said nothing and let us be," he explained. "He was sitting in the best let booth reading and drinking tea, at a pub! Yes, he is strange-looking but if his reputation from the myths, legend, and rumors from the battlefields are to be believed even a little, then he's exactly what we need right now. Someone loyal and who won't question the orders of his employer. If the princess says we use him, then we use him. No, but about!"

"Yes sir," Holiday Star acknowledged her commander begrudgingly. "But I'll still be keeping on him."

"You and all the other guards with us, myself included," Tigthship poked himself in the chest plate with his quill dapping some ink on it. "Damn it, look get these crates loaded into one of the carriages. I have to go clean this ink off.." he said turning around not noticing that Star was looking up, her ears pinned to the back of her head in fear. Tigthship then bumped into someone standing right behind. "Look I..." He trailed off to see Levi standing over him.

Levi bent down and Tightship froze in place. "Look if this is about..." he didn't get to finish as Levi bent over and Tightship snapped his eyes shut expecting a warning to come from the sellsword but instead...

*Sprits*

*Erk*Eek*Erk*Eek*

Levi then stood back up and his shadow moved away allowing Tightship to fall on his rump. Holiday rushed to his side, "Sir, what'd he Do?!"

Tightship just sat there staring at the human as he walked away and then looked down at his armor. The ink spot was gone. "He cleaned the ink spot of my armor..." he said in confusion as Holiday raised an eyebrow in disbelief.

"What? You mean to tell me he somehow snuck up behind you and just cleaned your armor and then walked away?" Tightship slowly nodded. "So he's a living legend in more ways than one, a mercenary, like books, drinks tea at a pub, and above all else, he's a neat freak..." she turned her head only to see Levi leaning against a nearby wall. "What. The. Buck?"
She was starting to think she was actually making a bigger deal about Levi than necessary.

On the way to Canterlot

Levi sat across from his employer as the carriage whizzed through the air pulled along by a full regiment of pegasi surrounding it on all sides. Celestia stared intently at the human sellsword. her curiosity was fully peaked as she said before, humans were the stuff of myths and legends in this, and with a living legend in front of her, she was biting at her hooves to ask him a slew of questions. Levi however kept his unwavering face as he simply read a book to pass the time.

Celestia was mentally psyching herself up then she composed herself, "Mr. Ackerman," Levi didn't look up. "Can you tell me about yourself and perhaps a bit about humans?"

"Ask your questions if you want," Levi said nonchalantly not even batting an eye as he turned the page of his book.

"Oh um..." She was a little more than surprised at his answer. She'd expected quite a bit of resistance from him about his species and about his past. "I must say I'm more than shocked that your willing to share that information with me."

"I have nothing to hide in my past," Levi shrugged still not looking up from his book. "You've probably heard more than a few gruesome stories about The Butcher," he said nonchalantly.

"So ah... where are you from?" Celestia asked.

"You could say from across the Lunar Sea," he replied.

"Thar's quite far," She said with raised eyebrows. "D you miss your tribe or your family?"

"I don't have a tribe and never did," Levi looked up from his book this time and motioned with his hand. "I woke up in a dark forest with a few supplies and a note. As for as I know I am the only human on this whole planet," He held his book back up to his face and as Celestia was about to say something. "And before you start the petty part crap don't I am not sad I am the only one of my kind in fact it makes it much easier to survive being alone."

"I guess I shouldn't be surprised by that," Celestia looked down and then huffed shaking off the comment. "Do you at least have or had a family where you came from?"

"No," he said bluntly flipping a page. "I landed in a forest as me and no memories of who I used to be except for a few scraps of a name, Levi Ackerman."

"Sure you have some creature you care for?" Celestia felt disgusted and heartache at the same time at the mention of the last few comments Levi had made.

"I did have some pony special and I do have a small family," Levi said and the princess perked up quite a bit.

"I'm sure they'd like to see you," She smiled. "Wait, you said did have. Do they not care for you anymore?" The carriage hit a bump in the air.

Levi didn't even flinch. "She died," he said but with a bitterness in his tone this time.

"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that," Celestia recoiled a bit. "What happened, if you don't mind me asking?"

"There's no need to be sorry princess," Levi closed his book. "You had nothing to do with her death. Strawberry Surprise was her name. She owned a strawberry plantation close to South Luna Ocean where entered your country that she let me work on it. Eventually, we fell in love with each other and got married. We could have children so we adopted." he stood up.

"How... how did she die?" Celestia hesitantly asked, excepting Levi's answer to be that of some creature hunting him down out of revenge.

Levi smiled a soft and somber smile, "She died peacefully in her sleep."

She was flabbergasted, "How old was she?"

"In her nineties, I think," Levi tapped the side of his face as he thought.

She then swallowed a lump in her throat, "Mr. Levi, how old were you when you were with Strawberry Surprise?"

"At the time we met I was in my upper forties," Levi replied. "When she died I was approaching a hundred and ten, give or take."

"How old are you now?!" the princess nearly shout as she placed her hooves over her mouth. "I'm sorry that was very rude of me."

"No it was a perfectly justified reaction," Levi shook his head. "To answer your question, my current age is around a hundred and sixty. As far as I know, I am ageless. I can still get scars on my body if I am wound severally enough but to my knowledge, I CAN NOT die."

"No wonder you're so blunt about things," Celestia folded her ears against her head. "It was hard for me an..." she stopped herself then clearing her throat and spoke. "It was hard for me to come to terms with immortality as well. I had several ponies by my side but you... you just had your family... it must have been hard..."

"At first but by the time of the wedding I was over it," Levi walked over to the carriage door. "We both figured it out and I didn't want to get closer but I did anyways cause I loved her. After she died I left the plantation after a year or so. I couldn't be there anymore watching my children and grandchildren grew old and die around me."

"So you left," Celestia answered.

"I returned to the life I knew before and have walked the roads of a sellsword ever since," Levi grabbed the handle of the carriage. "It's been just a little too quiet since we left the Griffon territory."

"What are you going to do," Celestia asked. "You can't fly so you can't go after them. What are you going to do? Jump from cloud to cloud?"

"Precisely," Levi gave an evil grin as he jumped out of the carriage much to Celestia's shock.

Pulling two metal tubes from his side he took note of a good-sized cloud coming up. Angling himself just right he landed on the cloud and took off running on it shocking every pony there. He held up one of his metal tubes after some aim at a new cloud pulled a trigger and *BANG!* shot a grappling hook into the cloud. He clicks a button on his gun and after a small release of gas from his pick was whizzing through the clouds. He knelt down and pulled out a spyglass and looked over the horizon on the cloud he landed on. One of the pegasi landed next to him.

"How are you even up here on a cloud without wings?" The guard said and then notice he was looking to the horizon. "Is there something out there?"

"I thought it was a little too quiet," Levi replied scanning the horizon. "My gear is enchanted so I can fight in all terrains, by the way, even the sky's clouds. There they are."

"What?"

"Raiders," Levi let the guard look through his spyglass. "Look to be ponies and griffins, maybe a few birds too. "Alert your regiments."

The guard saluted and flew back to the main group. Levi switched from his guns to his blades. Levi had been able to streamline his gear and make it to where he could use his guns and blades on one system. His new gear was enchanted with several layers of enchants for various things, his boots and grapplers specifically enchanted mainly for different terrains and surfaces but mainly quick grip and release.

"Let's see what you feather brains got!" Levi said as he attached two sword blades to his controls and then flew off.

The guards were all left in awe as the Butcher unleashed himself on the raiders. They flew in with swords, spears, bows, and arrows, and even crossbows drawn but that did very little to a target that wouldn't keep still long enough for any creature to get in close or even be able to aim properly. Using his grappling cables to dart from cloud to cloud Levi mad e short of the raiders as he spun around as a top sliced them to pieces. Soon there were little to none left alive. Those that he slashed and were left in the air soon came to feel the chill of ice in their wounds down to their very bone. Levi's blades were made from a very special type of steel found nowhere on the market. Its enchantment was forged into the metal as the blade was made.

He easily cut through the ranks of the raiders. He never missed a beat as he spun like a top cutting through enemy after enemy with flashes of silver and red. Blood was spilled very were and even on his face yet he continued to slice through his foes with ease as he whirled around them in the sky.

The guards set up camp for the night in a clearing. It allowed Levi to wash the blood from his clothes He was coming back from a stream when he overheard a few conversations from the guards.

"I never excepted to see a human but to see him fight in the sky as if he were flying was something else. That strange armor he wears wasn't just for show. I thought it was less proactive then and now we know why."

"I know I overheard one of the unicorns say he was going to try and scan it while Mr. Ackerman was washing off only to have his spell redirected and sap his own horn. According to Hall Horse, Mr. Ackerman has a lot of enchantments on his gear. That's why he was able to fight in the clouds like that."

"I heard from some of the others that the wounds on the captured raiders were so clean-cut they had no issue for those the needed stitches. At least the lucky ones anyway."

"Lucky ones?"

"Yea apparently some of the raiders with deeper cuts had their flesh blackened and frozen."

"Yikes,"

"Yea I'm glad we hired him. If we didn't and some creature else did we'd have been buck for sure."

The guards then noticed Levi standing there, "Oh, Mr. Levi sir, come and join us for a drink."

"Thanks for the offer but I don't drink alcohol," Levi held up a hand. "Have good night fellas and ladies." He said heading to his tent and finding his employer waiting for him. "Good evening princess."

"Do you enjoy making others worry about you?" Celestia asked sternly. "I saw you jumped from the carriage I had a heart attack, literally. Then you go ahead and dive straight into attacking raiders!" she yelled stomping a hoof. "Do you have any idea what could've happened to you?"

"Nothing that hasn't happened before," Levi shrugged off the question.

"You might be an immortal but that doesn't mean dive straight into death," Celestia scolded but Levi was unfazed and remained indifferent.

"I'm a sellsword princess, it's my job to dive headfirst into danger," Levi pointed out. "I do my job so I can make a paycheck. I took on the raiders because it was to protect you and your ponies. There is no need for them to die when I can take the risk myself and not die. I may seem cruel and indifferent Princess but I do have A conscience. There are things I do regret doing and those I regret killing but I am still paid to do my job. And my current job is to protect you and yours."

"Mr. Arckerman," Celestia looked at Levi sternly then sighed, knowing he was completely in the right.

"I would think we are on more of a first name basis at this point Princess," Levi crossed his arms.

"Levi, I really and truly do appreciate you protecting my ponies and I, but please have a little more consideration of how others feel about your actions," Celestia said. "And no more princess. If I can call you Levi you can call me Celestia. I would like you to at least consider that curtsey as I consider you my friend. I will let you rest now I know you must be tired."

She started to walk out, "Thank you, Celestia," he said causing her to stop in the doorway. "Your welcome Levi," she said softly. "Please get some sleep." She trotted out.

A few months later, Canterlot Castle Drawbridge...

"Levi I wish you would stay," Celestia said as she and a few of her guards stood in front of Levi. "We could really use some pony like you."

"My time in your employ is up Celestia and I have stayed in this city longer than necessary," Levi said. "There are other places that are in need of my services as a sellsword."

"But... I don't want to lose my friend," Celestia cried. "Please stay..." She pleaded for him to stay.

She had been alone for so long and Levi had come to be somewhat of a brother to her. Although his face rarely waivered he still express emotions from time to time and he was not opposed to speaking his mind to any pony. Although he portrayed a harsh and cold being he was actually quite nice and caring. Levi would often read with her and they would share tea and cake while doing so often. Celestia knew he'd had to go but she didn't expect the sudden departure.

"I don't want to be alone again..." Celestia said softly,

Levi walked over and reached up and wrapped his arms around her neck, "I have to go Celestia but I will write to you."

"You better," She chuckled as she wrapped her wings around the sellsword. "You'll always be welcome here Levi," she nuzzled his cheek.

"Next time see I better see tears of joy," Levi pulled back and wiped away her eyes. "Okay?" He actually smiled wide for all to see.

The light reflected in Celestia's eyes as they widen greatly, "I promise. The next time you see my tear they will be happy ones."

"Good," he nodded. "Take care of her guys and gals..."

"SIR YES SIR! MR. LEVI ACKERMAN SIR!" The guards all saluted. He's spent many a day helping train the recruits and gained much respect from the guards. They treated him as if he were a captain but as he was a mercenary went with Mister instead.

"Goodbye, for now, my little ponies..." Levi Ackerman waved as he turned and left as he green cloak with the white over blue wings crest on the bac fluttered in the wind. He departed to wander the lands in search of work once more...