Gods of Equestria

by Horacy

Rating: mature
Tags: Non-consensual, Adventure, Sex, Suicide / Self Harm, Twilight Sparkle, Profanity, Violence, Slice of Life, Dark, Death, Alternate Universe, Narcotics, Gore, My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, Spike, Rainbow Dash
Length: 28642

Equestria has been reborn into a new, different world where gods can fight again to rebuild their influenciar power.

༻༺────⊰ Gods of Equestria ⊱────༻༺

Overview

Equestria has been met with a terrifying cataclysm that had ended the world as we know it. Ponies, along other races, have survived the tragedy and rebuilt their societies from scratch. A world, without Celestia and Luna ruling over it, has given, previously named lesser gods, a chance to thrive. Although, Celestia has not gone down without a plan and so the world awaits birth of a new god that would bring back peace and balance just as two Princesses had done so back in the Old World, for this new world is filled in evil and savagery, full with challenges to overcome, both at divine and mortal level.

What can I expect from this story?

This is not a story I want to finish in few chapters, although there will be some points of climax of specific sub-stories. I will not put them into separate stories, as they will be too intertwined with each other. In short - it may be a long one. Even though main goal of this story is to have relations with gods, it will not be the only one, sometimes not even the main one for a little bit.

The world itself is inspired by medieval fantasy worlds and stories of various media, some to note that are being taken inspiration from are The Witcher 3, God of War (old ones), folklore from different cultures and probably many more. I was not inspired by G5's setting, as the idea itself (mainly of pony races living separately) came to me before G4 even ended.

Many things from MLP:FIM will be re-thought from scratch, like the magic system or certain cultures. Story will (hopefully) focus a lot on adventuring, medieval fighting (trying to adapt it realistically to pony standards), typical slice of life in those times and relationships between ponies and other races, their culture, religion and more. It will be brutal, gore-y and, hopefully, seem like a real world that could actually exist. I will not go over the board, but I will try to make this world seem real. Fallout games have slavery and dismemberment to a degree, so expect that, just with more consequences to it.

Narrating perspective will be mostly in first-person, but will sometimes switch to third-person. Story itself will not always have the main character in the centre of attention, sometimes other characters may take the spot either just like that (like in prologue), through some flashbacks or in some other ways.

Do main characters appear in this story?

This is a story set in a world without the main cast from the show, although some of them will appear throughout the story, either as flashbacks, recollections or even foes. Main 6 will not appear here in their fullest, this is a story about new ponies, i.e. OCs.

Post Script

Update schedule may vary, as I have been "writing" those few chapters for two years, or maybe more. Summer break has inspired me to put more time into it and actually publish it, so at least for now I should be able to write more. I am not a professional writer and English is not my main language, so it will take time, sweat, tears and coffee.

Cover image created by a friend via Stable Diffusion WebUI by AUTOMATIC1111.

Thank you for taking a peek at the story! Make sure to critique me :D

Published 2023-07-22 15:30:00 UTC
Last updated 2023-07-22 15:30:00 UTC

Prologue

Author's Note

Since the prologue was confusing with what exactly is going on I made a few changes in hopes it will be at least bearable.

two horizontal lines symbolize a flashback, dream or something similar, meanwhile a singular line separates events based in this specific timeline, dream, or reality,

added few sentences before new events to make it easier to imagine what is happening and where the reader is.

Sorry for any inconvenience regarding the ease of reading.

Prologue

༻༺────⊰ Prologue ⊱────༻༺

“Twilight! TWILIGHT!”, Spike shouted as he ran with his little legs as fast as he could along the beautifully woven rugs that protected ponies’ hooves from the cold, crystal floors of Twilight’s palace. In his hand he held a scroll and on the other side, on his shoulder, he had Twilight’s saddlebags.

Once he made it into Twilight’s study room he found her friend sitting by the desk scribbling quickly on a piece of parchment. Her hair all tangled and messy, eyes tired and posture as if ready to jump at even the slightest sound. Once he was there, Spike said quickly.

“Twilight, I’ve got everything. We need to run, the ponies are already inside. The guards, they- ... they won’t hold for long.” His voice raspy and out of breath, with a tint of sadness, filled to the brim with fear. The small dragon himself was shaking as he stood beside the chair, looking at the purple alicorn in hopes of guidance, or simply a soft word of encouragement.

That, he did not receive, sadly. Twilight looked to him, then frantically at the door, then at him again and spoke quietly, “Alright, let’s go.”

She stood up from the desk, levitated a backpack from Spike’s shoulder and started pushing stuff from her desk into it, as much as could fit. Her unorganized packing was cut short by a loud kick to the door.

Twilight immediately reacted to it and with pure anger and determination written on her face, she spawned a dozen of magical, purple spears levitating near her, all pointing at the door, at the pony who had just broken into her chambers – Rainbow Dash.

“Twilight! Twi-“ Dash started, whilst still lying on the ground from the kick, but when she looked up, she slightly sank, looking at those spears with confusion.

Twilight realised it was her friend, she quickly made the spears disappear and closed the door with her magic. She let her guard down a bit with a sigh and wanted to speak, but Rainbow Dash cut her short.

“Twilight, what in a flying thundercloud has happened to you. You look ... Twilight ...”

Dash’s voice full of sorrow and grief, seeing her friend taking the toll from the current events. She rushed forth and hugged her friend quickly with her hooves and wings.

Twilight wanted to push her away, to stay vigilant and ready for an attack, but she couldn’t move her hooves, couldn’t cast a spell. Her body was in great need of closure, more than anything. She started to lightly shake and put her head down on Dash’s shoulder, mournful and tired tears running down her cheeks.

“Oh Dash ... I- what have I become, Dash...”

“Twilight, shh, don’t worry. You had to, just like Luna had to. Please don’t break down, I need you.” Dash said, in hopes to rebuild Twilight’s spirit.

“Dash, I killed. I murdered. What ... What sort of friendship is that. What has happened to this world.” she muttered in pure desperation and started sobbing into her friend’s shoulder. Her sins and actions coming back to her in full force, as if Dash had opened a Pandora Box itself, releasing all the evil into the world. Although here, this was the intended result. Dash had to be with her friend, let her cry it off, to open that bottle of grief and let it pour its contents into the drain.

She held Twilight and whispered softly.

“Twilight, I am not going anywhere anymore, You are not sending me away. I will be here and we are going to be holding each other up. Don’t even argue, alright?”

After a few seconds, Twilight simply nodded. A minute more and she was done, the embrace was broken and each pony gave each other a sincere, friendly smile, one that you’ll know after seeing it that you won’t be alone.

Twilight let out a sigh and said calmly, “Alright. Dash, we are going to fix things. I have Celestia’s plan to fix the world. It was supposed to be last resort, but considering I am the last standing princess we ought to do it. Are you with us?” she moved a few steps to stand beside Spike, putting her leg over him lightly.

Dash nodded without even a second thought.

”I’m i-“

Then, the door were kicked down again and inside a group of angry ponies with weapons stormed in. They had spears, swords and even makeshift armour on them, blood all over their fur. They roared and shouted and charged at Twilight, Dash and Spike.

Because of Dash, Twilight was not ready for it, but her skills were still way above excellent. With ease, she teleported them away before any of those attackers could land a single hit or even get close.

The trio appeared in a huge cave, the width and depth of a whole village and about half that size in height. She immediately took out a vile with green liquid and levitated it to Spike.

She kneeled down in front of him as he grabbed the vile and said.

“Spike, this is the last time we will probably see each other in this life. I want you to know that your job is to protect this place from anypony and this potion will help you with that. The spell I am about to cast requires a lot of time not only in its charge but also to take effect. Celestia said that you will be perfect for this job and I’m trusting her, because I know you would never leave my side, nor would she try to lie to us, or trick us in any way.”

Few fresh tears left her eyes, just like Spike’s. This is the moment where they are realising what needs to be done and what will ultimately happen next. But they stay strong, for this is the time that requires it from them the most. She continued.

“Just know that I always valued you more than anything in this world. You and the girls were like family to me. To prove that, we are going to change things, we are going to make things right again.

“Once you drink this, Spike, you will fall asleep for a short while. When you will wake up, you will protect this place. I do not have an instruction for you, nor any guidelines. You will know what to do through your instinct and through here and here.” she lightly touched his forehead and then his chest, where his heart is placed.

She took a deep sigh and gave him a last smile.

“Goodbye Spike, my beloved brother and assistant number one.”

Spike whined slightly, both in happiness and sadness. He embraced Twilight and she returned the favour. They held like that for a little bit and when they released each other, Spike nodded with a determined look on his face and drank the contents of the vile, not leaving even one drop. Almost immediately he yawned and lied down, fast asleep, just like Twilight had hoped.

After a few moments of looking at him, Twilight stood up, knowing that right now there is no turning back. She faced Dash and said, her voice filled with hope, “Let’s go Dash, let’s fix Equestria.”

They stepped into a deep dark tunnel present in the cave’s farthest wall and were never seen again.

Few millenniums later.

A group of five unicorns walked along a rocky road, keeping up a quick pace, as if trying to take shelter before a rainstorm, even though the weather was rather sunny with only a few clouds painted on the sky. The clanging sound of sheets of metal welded, riveted or strung together was echoing along the hills with every step they took. White, pristine armour of a royal knight with gold-like accents, each one shining brightly from the sun, blinding anypony taking a glimpse at them, illuminating with honour and nobility. Weapons holstered on their backs and sides, each sporting their own design – two with arming swords paired with heater shields, two with poleaxes and one with a warsword.

They kept walking along the grass, completely away from any nearby road until they arrived near the edge of a forest with sparsely placed trees, providing little, but some shade. A pony knight with a warsword stopped and declared, “Okay, this place will do enough. We can rest here.”

Everypony immediately began to calmly set a small camp, not one to spend a night at, but one to regenerate and calm down after an almost half-a-day walk. They sat down, took off their helmets and began to eat and drink their rations. Silence of pale hills and the forest lacking any sound of birds was quickly broken by one pony.

“Dame Astrala, may I ask a question?” a young mare asked their leader. She was the youngest from the group and looked the most innocent. Her thistle pink-like coloured coat matched perfectly with her striped mane and tail consisting of purple and cream white. Those pink eyes, showing passion but also lack of experience, kept steady at the mare with the warsword resting beside her, slightly crooked so that it wouldn’t fall flat on the grass.

“Astrala’s just fine, Tayla. I’ve told you that plenty of times.” the leader reassured with a genuine smile, one shown from a mentor to a pupil with great potential.

“Oh, right, sorry. I forgot again.” she said and looked away sheepishly, finishing with a short, nervous chuckle.

“Who have you served under before?”

“Uh, it was Arch-Paladin Sir Lancelot.” she answered, unsure, looking aside, as if cautious when speaking that name.

“Lancelot. Yeah, he’s a weird one. Glad you’re with me now, then. He has a bad habit of pushing young recruits into weird obsession of order.” Astrala said with a bit of a distaste.

“Order? Is it not what we strive for though?” Tayla asked, raising her ears and slightly crooking her head with confusion.

“Yes, we strive for order, but order that can be maintained, that is just and right. Simply order being our goal is incredibly blind and, outright, idiotic. You cannot be so narrow-minded, you always need to think of a better good, of what will happen in the near and far future because of our order. If this order leads to a greater chaos, is this really order?”

After that, Tayla looked down on the ground, taking it as a lesson from her new leader, but having a hard time understanding it to the fullest. Maybe missing the point as a whole?

Another pony let out a chuckle and joined the chat.

“Oh don’t worry, she sometimes likes to monologue and sound all fancy schmancy. Just do not make rash mistakes and do what feels just.” It was a pony that clearly had wear and tear painted over her. She gave Astrala a snarky, but also slightly teasing smirk.

“Miryana, it was a lesson fo-“

“Yada yada, just tell her straight how it is, Asi” she said with a smirk. A pony with pristine white fur and that was the only usual thing in her. Her eyes were a first sight, one being purple, the other being yellow. Her medium sized mane and tail of a similar length had an unusual design to them. They were pitch black, black like coal or void even, and in her hair there were no simple streaks. By the end of her mane and inner side of her tail she sported a half-circle design consisting of yellow, blue and claret colours from farthest to most inner arch.

“Right ... whatever you say.” Astrala said dismissively, slightly annoyed. Then a different pony decided to chip into the conversation.

“I would also like to ask a question, because I don’t think I’ve actually asked before. I mean, It maayyyy be weird to ask this, but the reason is your rank, Arch-Paladin, yet you don’t seem much older than me.” a stallion asked, similar in age to Tayla, but slightly older. His beige fur contrasted greatly with his mainly onyx mane and tail with few horizontal stripes of sandy brown and deep orange. Some tips of his hair strands were coloured in a rather eye-catching Persian green, standing out from his general anointing. His eyes sported the same, distinct and, hah, eye-catching colour.

Other stallion, looking older by at least fifteen years, spoke in a benevolent, but slightly sarcastic way, “Look, Claudin, asking a mare of her age is not really the wisest of approaches, try maybe a compliment or flowers.”

“What? I’m not trying to- ... stop insinuating. I’m trying to ask how did she manage to rank up so quickly!” he said, not showing any sign of embarrassment or stutter in speech, nor in body language from that interjection.

“Sure thing pal, suuuure thing.” He smiled slightly, as if accomplishing a minor, yet important task. He was a pony of a rather usual and unworthy palette – simply a few shades of blue, starting with the darkest, navy at the fur and finishing with cyan and few darker tones on his hair, neatly and regally stacked into stripes.

Astrala smiled with a slight roll of her eyes and spoke, “Should I give a short explanation, or a long story?”

She gazed upon all four ponies, one after another, yet not one dared to speak for all. Finally though, after few seconds, Miryana spoke with a slight move of her hoof, as if shoving away her problems, “I will be honest, I’ve never heard the whole story of young Celestia, but now that Claudin mentions it, I might very well hear it.”

After looking over them once more to check if anypony had a different opinion, she nodded and began her story.

The next day, after their little break, they have arrived at their destination.

“Alright, we have arrived. Remember, stay in formation. Tayla, Claudin, you cover our front with shields with root spell on and attack the sides when necessary. Miryana, Hoel, you focus on the front, hacking anypony coming to break the shield wall. I cover our rears with any close combat or range if counterattack will be necesarry.”

Astrala looked at her team, every single pony cautiously listening, given her their full attention as to not miss any details. Only slightly light-headed was Miryana, but it was to be expected, as always. Astrala continued.

“Now, think twice before attacking. We want to strictly avoid unnecessary bloodshed and definitely do not kill any civilians or unarmed opponents. Our goal is to draw out the enemies so that when the griffons arrive they can take them out and take over the city. We kill anypony that shouldn’t be killed, we come back defeated, even with achieved victory in battle."

She glanced over down at the village, noticing armed dracons taking notice of five armoured ponies atop the hill.

“They have already spotted us. Into formation and march on forward!” Astrala said and the group formed into formation that she had described them to form and began descending down the hill into a small waterside village.

The village itself had a clear resemblance of draconic architecture – slightly raised houses, as to battle any small floods from the ocean as well as to keep rats and moisture away, slanted thatched roofs and great use of local wood, which had a birch-like colour with a light reddish tint, almost as if a small, live flame was inside the wood, quietly burning but never too much as to not be obviously noticeable. The wood’s water resistance and toughness made for a perfect main building material. Walls were created using small pieces of bamboo as reinforcement filled with dried mud to keep the inside rain-tight and warm. Few docks and narrow, long boats where afloat in the water along with a number of fishing nets. No walls, no defences, no nothing – just a simple, quiet fishing village. Why did the griffons need help capturing such a small town? It seemed of no significance. It wasn’t even in the centre of water trading routes, it was literally as quiet as a village could get.

A few dracon guards were alarmed of an advancing enemy forces, but calling them guards could be an overstatement. Proud volunteers ready to fight off the invaders were more proper of a title. They quickly got out to the front of the village, standing near the entrance gate, which was nothing more than two vertical logs holding up two ornamental planks, top one longer than the bottom one, with slanted side edges from top down going inwards, creating almost two reverse-roof-like shapes, just simply flat. It looked more as a cultural sign rather than a proper gate.

Dracons themselves were poorly equipped compared to five ponies advancing at them. Most had simple spears, while three wielded bows and sheathed curved swords. Their armour was even less formidable – simple, small planks of ash wood connected with rope going through holes at the corners of those planks to keep them together and fixed around their limbs and body. All atop clothes that were just simple rags of cloth wrapped around their bodies. Their stances were a mix of scared and unsure. Easy to topple, as if showing their eagerness to drop it all and run away from their indisputable doom. In summary: five armoured and highly trained ponies against nine poorly armed dracons with clearly very limited or no knowledge about battlefield.

One wouldn’t be able to even call this a battlefield. More of a small skirmish. A very uneven skirmish, but still far from a true battle. Which makes it even more questionable as to why they were even sent here to supposedly hold the first line of attack. Sadly, that thought has not reached Astrala as of yet, her mind was purely focused on her task at hoof, straight in front of her eyes.

The group of ponies were slowly getting closer and closer to the village. When they were half way to the ornate gate, dracons with bows decided to try and shoot at them, starting the attack. They grabbed the arrows with their talons, pulled back the string and let go, shooting three arrows at the ponies, as amateurish as one could. Not in a barrage, just one after another, seemingly without any timing.

Two ponies at the front followed the arrows with their gaze and raised their shields with magic to block them. Three arrows bounced off with a sound of metal hitting metal, doing no damage at all. It sounded like metal, but Astrala quickly noticed the arrow bouncing off – the arrowhead was bent from the impact! Was their steel this terrible? It made no dent on the shield whatsoever.

At that time their horns quickly glowed and cast a spell on each other, encasing their hooves in a soft magical glow, which was made to strengthen their stance and increase their mass when standing still, to make them way harder to topple over.

After roughly five arrow strikes from each of the bowmen the dracons stopped the attack and decided to just wait for the oppressors, creating a wall of spears. Without any sort of shields such wall looked incredibly weak, but they had no better alternatives. The group stopped around the length of six adult ponies in front of the dracons and Astrala spoke from the back of her group in draconish.

“Dracons! We are the Holy Knights of the Celestial Order hereby fulfilling the request of the two kings of the Great Pegagriff Driarchy of aid in the ongoing war of unjust annexation of their lands! We do not want bloodshed, as it is not our intention, thus we want to avoid it! I ask you to put down your weapons and surrender, so no one will be hurt! Although, if you decline, we will have to defeat anyone actively trying to prevent us! Your response will determine the further outcome!”

One dracon scowled at them and shouted in an oriental, way more accurate accent than Astrala’s.

“Go away! We are NOT giving up on our kind! This is our land!” he spoke, clearly frightened at the picture before him, his voice didn’t sound very sure and dominant even though that was his intention. It was filled with hopeless anger and sadness, understanding they are clearly outmatched and will be killed in mere seconds, erased from the world.

Astrala made no reaction, nor showed any emotion as a response. She simply said calmly one word to her group.

“Advance.”

Ponies started walking forward again and the dracons knew that it is a losing fight as soon as they noticed their first step, but they carried on nonetheless. Their idea of a spear wall was toppled by their fear. They screamed and ran forth at them with their spears forward, blindly hoping for a hit. Not aiming at anything specific, just running forward, getting ready to receive a hit or a slash and feeling the excruciating pain of life floating away from their bodies. They knew they will lose, but that loss to them is in defence of their home. They are not scared of death, they will die with honour and dignity. Or so they hoped – gods be the ultimate judges of their sacrifice.

First dracons got in range to try hitting the armoured group and few spears already hit the shield wall, making them bounce back very slightly, but overall staying relatively riveted. Two ponies with poleaxes kept watch on any spears trying to go over the shield wall and with high precision were pushing them away. The skill gap was clearly visible here, a group of dracons were just blindly thrusting their spears hoping to hit something, meanwhile the group of ponies were working as one singular unit, defending themselves as proficiently as nature is at balancing the ecosystem.

Few dracons rushed in straight at the shield wall, hoping that their bigger mass would make the ponies topple over, but thanks to that rooted spell nothing of this sort happened, not even close. Two ponies at the front stayed fixed in place, not bothered one bit at a rush of few dracons hitting the shields with their all might. This strength would normally push away any pony, easily throwing them off balance at the very least, mainly thanks to the size difference. Ponies simply pushed with their shields against them, nudging them away and keeping the shields forth, facing the dracons.

One dracon decided to actually do something more than tackling the problem head on and move to the side to thrust at the pony wielding a shield. Tayla noticed that and with her sword, holding it in a hoof-grip, she bound the spearhead with her arming sword and angled the sword higher, trimming the angle more downwards, making the spear bounce up to the side and missing her armoured body. Astrala, seeing this, proclaimed the death sentence to the dracons with three words to her group with total calmness in her voice.

“No holding back.”

After those words, Tayla brought her sword forward, angling it in the same direction, sliding the edge across the dracon’s throat in a very quick and professional, tight slash. Attacked dracon didn’t even try fighting back – he fell on the ground, clinging on to his life, covering the wound on his neck with his claws, in dire hopes of stopping the bleeding. Then, the poleaxe wielders, who were mainly protecting the shield ponies from getting a spear thrust into them, started to not only deflect and push the spearheads away, but also delivering counterattacks to attacking dracons with blades of their axes, sometimes with spears on top if more range was necessary, making quick thrusts rather than shallow swings.

Screams of pain started to echo along the hills behind them and forth into the village. One screamed and before he fell on the ground another dracon was struck, and again, and again. In a matter of seconds, from nine dracons, only two were alive. They quickly took few steps back, taking in at the sight in front of them. A shield wall with two poleaxes sticking out, covered in blood, and under it a pile of bloodied dracons, some still gurgling and trying their hardest to stay alive, but completely in shock from the pain, soon to be dead no matter what. A big pool of blood covering more and more, spreading like a flu along the residents of a contaminated village.

One dracon started taking steps back, dropping his curved sword on the ground, shaking uncomfortably and completely terrified of the picture. The other dracon unfurled his wings and tried to escape the battlefield. Sadly for him, Astrala’s horn glowed, sending a yellow lightning bolt, hitting the dracon mid-air. He screamed loudly, but only for barely a second before falling down on the ground with a loud sound, breaking few bones, his lifeless body slightly smoking from the impact where he was hit.

“Miryana, check if he is still alive. The battle is over.” Astrala said and, quickly enough, Miryana started walking to the fallen dracon to check for any life signs.

The last dracon collapsed on the ground, shaking and crying, unable to deal with the situation presented in front of him. Astrala quickly said after looking to the side, spotting him in a state of surrender, “Tie him up after making sure he isn’t a threat.”

Claudin stepped forth to the dracon slowly, but he tried picking up his sword again, in hopes of scoring a quick and desperate hit at the pony, his face filled with anger and hatred, covered in fresh tears of sadness and hostility. His claw shaking, trying to thrust the sword in sheer desperation of at least damaging the parasite that invaded his home. Sadly, the knight was ready for such a possibility. He blocked the hit to a stop with his shield, making the sword thrust aside, its momentum throwing the blade off and greatly opening the dracon. With a quick thrust he slid the tip of his sword into the dracon’s neck. He immediately let go of his curved sword and his eyes went red, trying to breathe quickly, but only managing to taste the blood, which quickly started filling his lungs. He fell back, his body quickly coming to a still and the battle was over in just two minutes and a half.

Astrala sighed and spoke while putting her sword back to the scabbard on her back.

“This could have gone a lot better. Nevertheless, good job. Especially you two Tayla and Claudin. Good awareness and show of skill. Now, split up and make sure the civilians aren’t trying anything. Don’t round them up, don’t do anything. Just watch over them and don’t get jumped on. Griffons should arrive soon. They better have an explanation.”

Four ponies nodded and started walking into the village with their weapons ready just in case, not in mood for any chit-chat or teasing. Even though they were knights, killing others with such a huge advantage was nothing honourable, nothing to be proud of, yet those were their orders and who were they to disagree. Should a good knight follow orders or his morals? What are morals if not just a set of life-long orders? Morality of this fight was shaky at best and it was making Astrala uneasy.

Civilians hid in their houses, none was outside and the group wasn’t going to risk walking inside in case of any of the dracons feeling justified in revenge for the killed defenders of their village. It wasn’t necessary anyway so they simply kept stationed in key places of the village where one could see at least one other pony from their squad.

Astrala was looking at the dracon that died last, his lifeless body still pouring out fresh blood from his neck and she quietly muttered to herself, as if hoping for an answer to arrive to her.

“Why do you keep fighting? ... why? What is so special about this continent ...”

Unable to understand dracons’ resilience and rash jumps into fights that were lost from the start, she began to wonder about the significance of this place to the griffons. Her mind cleared up so she began thinking more rationally.

She looked quickly at the panorama of the village, taking in every single small detail that she could notice. Fishing nets and buckets almost empty, with few to no fish in them. Chimneys smoking greatly and forge fully lit up, as if it was worked on just a moment ago. A small bamboo stand with wooden, carved masks of various shapes and colours. Some white, some blue and some a mix of few different colours, all different and unique with shapes just as much as with the colours. A wooden cart filled with bread, pies and cakes. Some wondrous variety of cookies as well. Another cart, this time with barrels, one still open with fish inside. Yet another cart, this time half full with lidless crates, filled with bags of what seemed like zebra gunpowder, an expensive item. Was this the prize griffons wanted their claws on? But it was so little, only few small bags, not enough for anything of significance to be made if with other than dracon’s traditional fireworks. But then another question arrived, why using zebras’ gunpowder rather than their own? Was it actually for some weapon? Zebra gunpowder was known for being very powerful, having a deep black colour, almost as if looking into an empty void of lies and deception. Was this imported for some secret weapon to be made? But why a weapon in such a small village. To hide from a possible attack? They would at least have some more skilled dracons protecting it. Things were not adding up.

Astrala decided to come closer to the gunpowder to examine it more closely. She levitated one bag up to her eyes and looked at it carefully, but found nothing out of ordinary. It was indeed gunpowder from zebras, but nothing more than that. Four small boxes, three stashed full to the brim with small two-hoof-sized bags and fourth box having only one bag that was open, meaning that they were using it for something.

“He is dead. I will look out for civilians.” Miryana said from behind her. Astrala simply nodded and looked again at the gunpowder. No doubt such a small and poor village would not be able to buy so much gunpowder, but if it was meant to be for a weapon, then why here, without anyone guarding it?

She put down the bag and slowly made her way to the blacksmith, trying to see what he was working on. Gunpowder is highly explosive, if any weapon was to be made it would be at his place. She immediately noticed a stack of hooks for fishing rods and a bunch of nails, still hot from shaping them. Nothing out of ordinary then, just typical blacksmith work. No signs of any weapon being worked on. Yet that open bag was clearly a sign of something being made with it here.

She decided to risk it and knocked on the blacksmith’s door. After a moment of silence she knocked again and still got no response. She spoke in draconish to residents that are probably inside, “Please, open the door. I need to ask questions. You do not want me to break them down.”

Finally after three or four seconds the door slowly opened, but no one was standing in the doorway. Either an obvious trap or this blacksmith was more of a wimp than a harmless child. She proceeded inside very slowly, taking in the layout of the building she could see from still being outside. There was a wall to the left of the door and almost immediately after the door, meaning the only way to go inside was to go right after passing the door-frame. So an attack could come from the right, or from the above. She decided to bet on the above as the house was big enough for a small attic, meaning someone could very easily hide above the door.

She stepped inside and with the corner of her eye immediately looked up and noticed a small dracon kid with a knife sitting on the railing above the door. Noticing her getting inside, he immediately fell down with a knife tightly in his grip, intending to slide it deep into her neck between the armour plates. Luckily Astrala’s bet was spot on. Her horn glowed and encapsulated the small dracon in a levitation aura, just to slow him down ever so slightly. This gave her time to move her hoof straight back and knock the knife away with a 180 degrees swipe behind her. The small dracon fell down into her hoof and she pushed him down on the ground, making him squeak in surprise and fear, closing his eyes shut. Though she swiftly released him with a step back, she didn’t want to harm no dracon and definitely not a child. Well, at least not a dracon that doesn’t defend himself. Those from before didn’t count! Or did they? No matter, they started it... just as him right here, right now ...

The child didn’t move though.

The blacksmith was standing near them and was probably supposed to be a bait. When he noticed the dracon child on the ground he quickly said, “No! Please, don’t do it! I- I will talk! Just please, spare him!”

Astrala looked at him and around the house. It was a very poor house, one big room and a very small attic with a small internal balcony and a ladder. She didn’t see any beds so those must had been above. On the ground level there was a very basic stove setup and a table. Not much more space for anything else beside a small chest near the dracon blacksmith who wore baggy pants and a black apron. He was quite muscular, but clearly very old. He was the type of a dracon that was very rare – his scales were, unlike in normal dracons, very noticeable and big, looking like small little shields. Astrala hadn’t had a chance to fight Battle-born yet, but griffons told her that those were very fierce fighters, their scales protected them from any blow and only sustained injuries into vital parts, going through openings in their natural armour plating. Their lifespan was also three times of a normal dracon, being able to easily live up to 400 years, some in history managed to double that. By the kitchen stove there was a smaller, female dracon. Covering her face in fear, but watching Astrala very closely, watching her every move, watching a burglar who had disturbed the peace of a wife, husband and their small child, a child that noticed that Astrala wasn’t trying to attack him and quickly ran to his father, hiding behind him. She noticed that the child wasn’t Battle-born like his father. Their gaze met and the child gave her a strong, confident look full of hatred, but also with slight glimpses of fear and uncertainty. Definitely fiercer than those of the defenders of the village.

She rose her gaze to look at the blacksmith and spoke with calmness in her voice, like a deadly, well performing and precise killing machine.

“I noticed gunpowder from the zebras. I wanted to ask for its intended use.”

“Gunpowder? It’s for fireworks ...” the dracon said with a straight face and simply giving a small emotion of relief that it was actually nothing major.

“Fireworks? Buying expensive gunpowder just for your fireworks?”

“Yes, we ran out of gunpowder, because the griffons took the provinces with our mines up north. We have a festival in upcoming weeks and needed to prepare for it. The local shogunate has donated this gunpowder to us so we can act as if there is no war in our country, but you clearly ruined that closure.” he said, not with hatred, but with disappointment.

“I see. And where are those fireworks?”

“North of the village there is a house as far as it goes, in front of it are boxes with fireworks, you can go and look there that it’s the same gunpowder.” he said and coughed rashly, either from cold or his old age. He then promptly added. “We were supposed to make more from the surrounding villages, as they didn’t have dracons with a skill allowing them to create fireworks anymore, apparently.”

“Thank you.” Astrala nodded and turned around, ready to move out from their house. Before that, the dracon spoke again.

“Your draconish is very fluent for an invader. And a pony at that.”

She stopped, looked at him and said, “To go into a war without knowing your enemy is a sure way of losing said war. I hope you teach that to your kid. He has courage, but that is useless without skill.”

She turned to the door again, but didn’t go. She looked to the dracon again and added a few words.

“Or maybe just make a good blacksmith out of him. Also, however this may sound, bury the defenders with dignity and pride. They did their job as best as they could and I had no honour in fighting them, I was following orders and apparently had outdated information. May their souls rest easy.” She left, wanting to check those crates with fireworks just in case, but she had no reason not to believe that dracon. He didn’t look like he was lying and even if, she did it purely out of curiosity, not for tactical advantage. She only was supposed to hold this village, not look for any war information.

Curiosity can sometimes be a dangerous thing. You might find something by mistake and then be hunted down for simply knowing something. To one it may be trivial, but to other it may even be considered a stake between life or death. Sometimes though, curiosity can save a friend from a demise that wasn’t even being expected before. It’s like playing a game without knowing the rules – you might win or you might lose, but you have no way of telling. Very similar to how life works, even when you have calculated for everything that might happen, something will still surprise you, something you haven’t accounted for.

After a few hours of standing around the village a group of around twenty griffons flew by and landed in the centre. One big griffon in a gray and green armour was standing and looking around. Astrala approached him and spoke, “Captain Garner, we have-“

“Yes yes, I can see you took care of our business. Your job was to keep them at bay and wait for reinforcements, not slaughter them like animals!”

Astrala looked a bit surprised, taken aback by his outrage. She collected her thoughts and responded quickly.

“Captain, there were nine dracons who fought against us and no sign of reinforcements from them. It was barely a battle. Even if we wanted to, there was no poi-“

“Ah, so you wanted to take the glory of taking this place over, huh? Ignorant unicorns ...” he shook his head and looked away while continuing to speak.

“And it’s WE who are savages.” he scoffed.

Astrala looked at him with a slight crook in her head and a gear somewhere in her mind clearly unable to move, not understanding his point of view in any way, shape or form. That last sentence was filled to the brim with sarcasm. She wanted to speak again, but was interrupted by Garner again.

“Men! Search the place! Look for the war criminal and bring him forth! He shall be sentenced by the order of Our two true Kings!”

After this call, the twenty or so griffons began raiding houses, kicking down doors and pushing away any civilians with much unneeded force and brutality. In seconds the place was filled with screams and cries of hopelessness and fear.

Astrala and her team looked quite disturbed at the brutality, but none of them spoke up. Those dracons were already peacefully following orders, there was no need for force, nor brutality. Astrala moved back and simply let the thing play out. She was a knight, she knew her place was not to throw ruckus. Additionally, she couldn’t afford to let down her Elders on this crusade. Breaking ties with griffons or even disagreeing with them was simply not an option, or so she thought.

Finally, five griffons were dragging an old dracon on the ground towards the captain - it was the blacksmith. The old fellow still had strength in him, thus the five griffons were needed, but his age had gotten into him and after a bit of struggling he gave up completely. He was thrown down in front of the griffon captain, trying to get up, but Garner put his claw down on his head and pushed him back on the ground, digging his face into the dirt with the dracon groaning in annoyance and still slightly struggling.

“Hello, you piece of walking dunk. Remember me? I’ve come here so you can see the result of your actions in full force. No one attacks the kings and lives to see their calm future. Your head will do nicely as a trophy, you animal!”

He grabbed him by his horn and threw him aside with much force, making him land a meter away on his chest, groaning slightly from the impact. That griffon had amazing strength to body ratio. It took Astrala by quite a surprise. From her experience, she expected that to be work of some magical pedant or ring, as they could be enchanted to grant the wearer increased strength.

With a quick claw gesture from the captain, more griffons surrounded him and carried him to a rock, putting his head on top of it, chin first. Already knowing what would be the next action, the dracon began struggling a lot harder, his wings and tail trying to fend off slightly smaller in shape griffons, but to no avail. One dracon against so many griffons is no match, especially an old dracon. Even his higher strength and finesse of being a Battleborn wouldn’t help. He was being held tight, with a cheek now, due to struggling, pressed down onto a rock, breathing harder and quicker.

As a last resort to maybe get out of this situation alive, he opened his mouth, his chest and the inside of his throat started to glow bright like a fresh virgin flame in the fireplace just about to start its fiery dance. Before anything more could had happened, the captain quickly put a glass-like ball into dracon’s throat and swung down on his head with his fist, making the inside of the dracon’s mouth destroy the glass ball. Green, gassy ooze poured from his mouth that, with addition to growing flames in the dracon, started to quickly liquefy said ooze. The dracon started screaming in agony and thrashing even harder.

The captain simply grinned evilly.

“I see you like our new toy?~. You might call it an anti-dracon-fire-breathing ball. Name still in progress, but you are one of the first to feel it working. Burns like hell when combined with fire and kills you in minutes, like a poison. Your destiny has already been set. Now you can die in agony from it or accept your crimes and be executed, keeping your honour. What will it be?” he said and leaned a bit closer to the dracon with a sinister grin.

The blacksmith let out few pained tears and whined, green liquid, which was now slightly smoking, still dripping from his mouth as if never ending, creating more out of thin air. His breathing uneven and harsh. He faintly nodded with a brutally defeated look in his eyes.

The captain simply nodded with a smirk. His face and back was held down tighter and positioned on the stone for an execution before griffons made space for the captain, who took out his war axe into his claw, smirking at the dracon. He put the butt of the axe on his shoulder, holding the shaft with his claw and said.

“You have no idea how greatly it pleases me to see a brute so willing and submissive. Maybe you can be controlled to do good. Just maybe.”

After that he quickly swung the axe forth, around his back and down onto the dracon’s neck. The back and front of the neck had those thick, big scales, so the captain was aiming at the side, which thanks to the orientation of the dracon’s head on the stone was more visible. Still he did a rather shallow hit, not even killing him entirely in one swing. The dracon screamed in pain, feeling his neck sliced open, thrashing more and desperately shouting. Another swing made him slowly quiet down, his body still moving like a small animal taken over by a parasite, yet his eyes lifeless, his soul escaping his body clear as day with each passing second. Another and last swing managed to severe the head from his body, making it fall down and roll a bit on the ground. Eyes moving slightly, yet having no life in them. Mouth still making little motions as if screaming, yet no sound was coming. Tongue still flailing around, yet slowly and without control. His body began to spasm for a short while and then finally took to rest.

The captain sighed and picked up the head by the horn, the big wound pouring a lot of blood down on the dirt like a small waterfall.

“You will do fine above my fireplace. My grand possession. A token of strength and competence.”

The captain looked to Astrala and smirked.

“Oh, I almost forgot, hero~. You have a new objective. Down south along the coast you will stumble upon a road which will take you to a beach. In few days we will be waiting there with a boat for you. You will move down south to another island and will help us taking down the shogunate. Don’t be late!” he spoke as he was wrapping the bottom of the severed head with cloth to stop it from dripping so much and hooked it to his belt. After he was done talking, he made a circular motion up with his claw and he, along with his group of griffons, took off into the skies and flew away, leaving Astrala and everyone else dumbfounded by what has just happened.

Unable to process anything right now, she simply looked south and said.

“We are leaving for a new task. Let’s go.” They started walking south, few meters from the calm ocean. Her group quietly followed her, sharing at least the emotion of being unable to determine their stance on the whole situation. They simply marched on to their new destination, leaving scared and confused dracons from the village with ten fresh bodies to bury, one being a body of a now headless war veteran.

Few years later

It was a bright, sunny day. Some may say that for late summer it was even too hot. Summer being summer though, it surprises you not only with an unexpectedly heavy, yet short rain, but also with weather almost twice as hot as the day before.

The bailiff of the village was sitting down in a shop beside the owner himself – his dear friend. Two were having a thrilling conversation of possible new trade deals with the west, being able to buy some more luxurious items with their hard earned food supplies still being in the process of gathering.

“And that is why we need to gather them quicker. If the caravan comes soon, we need to have goods to trade with!” The shop owner spoke. A feeble looking stallion with green fur and yellow shaded hair that sported quite a fancy clothing for a member of a small village. His distinctive look being a very southern, bushy moustache.

“Yes, but the caravan will be making one of its last stops here. Why should we even expect them to still have any goods left?” The bailiff said. He was a rather young stallion for a position of a bailiff. His black and red hair slightly messy, fur brown with few bleak patches all around. His vest, although looking simpler than that of a shop owner, was dyed in blue and red colours. Blue dye was one of the hardest to obtain, thus also one of the most expensive. Under this vest he sported a simple white shirt with flared sleeves and simple bleak brown pants.

“You’d just have to believe me here, like your father always believed me. Trust me on this one, I heard that this caravan is a true prize! Or as they would say in their lovely west – crème de la crème!”

“What does that even mean? Like cream of cream?”

“It’s an expression- ah, never mind. Just trust me, Venture!”

The Bailiff sighed, slightly lowering his eyesight. He lifted it up again and smiled at his friend.

“Alright, Bristle, my friend. I will trust you on this one. I hope you are right.”

“Ha! That’s the spirit!” the shop owner smiled with a light lift of his hoof. He then stood up and said. “How about a small toast? To have a little taste of that sweet wine we will soon have in our possession?~”

At this time, the door to the shop had opened and inside walked a mare wearing dirt-coloured gambeson with small padded shoulder pads and a shirt underneath similar to the Bailiff’s. She had a pair of normal, dark green pants and a padded skirt around her rear, on top of which she had a pair of saddlebacks on both sides. Her clothes were quite dirty and so much could also be said about her fur hygiene. She wore a pair of very beaten boots on front and rear hooves, stained with dirt and, just like few little spots on her gambeson, dried blood. Her fur in Dutch white colour with one visible splotch on her neck in a slightly lighter colour, more resembling a tone of a clear champagne. Her hair resting to one side, about almost two heads long, very messy and unattended, wielding an angry, fiery and lively colour with ends finishing in a way more feminine rosy red colour, yet still retaining clear sharpness and danger in its tint. Although this mare’s look seemed very aggressive, her eyes were of a slightly different story. She had eyes in a deep colour of Persian green, gently calming your soul against her fiery hair, yet they have retained that sharp look of hers, like two pure emeralds. Her face sporting a small scar on her cheek that seemed to have been made by a shallow cut of a sword tip. On her forehead she wielded an unusually long horn, finely sharpened, as if the sharp look wasn’t clear enough already. Last items that had been standing out the most were her weapons. On her chest she had a belt with a dagger in it, on her rear side she had a short sword strapped into the belt of a saddlebag, between the bag itself and her padded skirt and most importantly, the most eye catching of them all, a long scabbard with a long sword in it, with its handle starting beside her face resting along her back and then angling down, sticking lightly from her other side. Either a killer, assassins, paid mercenary or all of the above.

It was hard to tell if she was a capable fighter. Her clothes and protective gear obstructed most of her body shape, although she was not a short mare. Clearly one of the taller ones, probably taller than an average stallion even.

Both bailiff and the shop owner looked to her in surprise. A small village on barren fields with a bit of a flourishing forest rarely sees sights like these. Adventurers happen to come and go sometimes, showing their existence in the world, but never a pony with three weapons on her! One could believe she possibly had a whole siege equipment in her saddlebags! A battering ram, or maybe even a siege tower?

She walked up to the counter, looked at Venture and asked in a slightly raspy and tired voice, but clearly feminine, “Are you Duke Venture? The bailiff?”

He blinked few times and coughed impulsively. He was not an excelling fighter, so a sight of more than one weapon on a pony was enough to intimidate him. His father wouldn’t be proud of such a reaction. He quickly nodded and said.

“Yes, Duke Venture, at your service miss. I’d like to welcome you to our village, Bronislava, and ask you, if I may be so bold, as to what might bring you here?”

At such elegant and lavish words, Bristle couldn’t help, but raise an eyebrow, which quickly formed into a small, knowing smirk. He decided to not interfere, as there was no need for him to.

The mare nodded to the bailiff and said with an emotionless face, “I heard you were having some issues with unsettling drekavacs and bandits. I’d like to offer my help in exchange for Krons.”

“Oh, I see. Well yes, of course, I would be delighted to elaborate further on that. Uh, Bristle, we will finish our conversation later, if you don’t mind.”

“Ah, not at all!” Bristle said and looked to the mare. “And, if you miss would ever be in need of a large variety of supplies, I’d be utmost obliged to show you around! Mythic Bristle will make sure you will get what you are looking for at a price which shall suit us both!” At the end he made a slight bow of respect.

The mare nodded with a very small smile, mostly out of respect, and said, “Thank you, I might come around to at least take a look.”

Then her gaze fell on the bailiff once again and she asked, “May we be on our way?”

Venture nodded, made a slight motion with a hoof to the shop owner as for a goodbye and exited the shop, leading the mare to his house.

They walked along a beaten dirt road amongst few simple houses, which, to a intrigued eye, looked far more intricate in their appearance than one would expect. In general, these houses were nothing out of ordinary. Simple timber framework filled with a mix of woven twigs and hardened mud, which made for a solid, hard wall. A style of building so popular that it was also prominently used in big cities – it was a technique called ‘wattle and daub’. After the first story of those houses there was nothing more, but a simple thatch roof, yet it was tall enough to possibly house enough space for storage and a sleeping place.

Amongst some houses made clearly as living quarters there were also pastures with shelters for animals, such as cows, pigs or chickens, although for chickens a much smaller coop was more suitable. Beside those, the land stretched far showing its fields of wheat and more, still growing at full swing, beautifying the land by giving it a warm, shiny tint of yellow beside some green, lush trees and bushes.

They were, in fact, right outside of the market square, which was not very big, yet made it all up for its unique beauty. There were a few houses dotted around the square, mostly as shops, like bakery. Closer to the square there were two shopping stands set, one selling fish delivered from the northern oceans and other trading in tools and nails, possibly made by a local blacksmith. There was also a third one – a travelling merchant. His cart was easily that of a double of those puny shopping stands. He seemed to trade in simple jewellery, accessories for clothing, like scarves or such alike and an immense amount of various trinkets, starting from simple, abstract necklaces to even small statuettes symbolising some gods or god-like ponies and creatures. Yet, the most memorable part of the square was the centre piece itself – a big oak tree, that of about eight stories high, marvellously decorated with some pieces of linen tied with nice rocks hanging down from some branches of this tree. Few small incarnations of a local god or goddess carved from wood and painted were also hanging, but a bit higher. After a few seconds of precise inspection, one could notice that such wooden carvings were exactly four and were facing all four sides directing north, south, west and east.

But was this tree the only thing that looked intricate to an alien eye? Certainly not, as yet another part were the living houses themselves. It seemed that those houses, which didn’t do for shops or animal shelters, were painted on some sides with bright white paint and then decorated with few streaks of red and blue creating flowers, waves and eagles, greatly making, what would be a dull, boring, same-y town, into a beauty in itself, one of a kind.

Seeing all this, the mare asked Venture, “Is the town getting ready for some celebration?”

The bailiff sighed and answered, “No, rather trying to still live with it, because of past events. You see, the issues we have been facing came right at the Day of Lady Zhiva. While we were celebrating, we were raided by a group of thugs and outlaws. Normally we would have somepony see them from afar, but everypony was just so caught up with the holiday ...”

He let out another sad and pathetic sounding sigh. Shortly after, he continued.

“After the attack we had no intention of continuing the celebration and decided to bury the fallen of the attack, until we noticed the undead themselves coming out of the saint catacombs of Rova Divine. We had to bury them somewhere else, not in the place of heroes. We failed them as those who still walk the earth.”

The mare, after a second of pause, asked, “So those are the two thing you need dealing with as I heard from others? Bandits and drekavacs?”

While walking, he looked at her with a raised eyebrow and questioning look.

“Drekavacs?”

“Drekavacs are those who you call the undead. They are corpses infused with souls of fallen heroic-like spirits, which you earth ponies bury underground. Usually that happens, because of some specific trigger, but it is always a defined one to the village, town or area itself. Possibly those bandits might have done something to the crypt, maybe something completely different.”

He kept looking at her while walking, clearly knowing those roads. Normal pony would have tripped already. He gave her a slightly confused look mixed with unsure amazement and a slight tint of worry.

“I see. You seem to be knowledgeable in this regard. That might be what we need.”

He sighed yet again and stopped in front of a house that had two storied and another one in the roof, so one story more than every other house. It was painted green and then the second floor was made from logs stacked vertically with a little bit of mud between the seams.

He opened the door and said, “Please, come on in”

The mare stepped inside and glanced around quickly. It was a normal village house. Inner walls not painted, wooden plank floor and a small, steep staircase to the upper floor. In the centre, just as you walked in, was placed a table for six, eight if added stools on the shorter sides. The long sides had a long bench each made very cheaply out of a log cut thin enough to not waste wood, but thick enough so that it doesn’t break after few months of using it. On the right, just by the staircase there was a small compartment area for some tools possibly, one could make out a bucket and a broom against the wall. On the right side, by the door, there was a small rack for any coats and further along the wall turned right, creating a small room, where kitchen was housed. It was a simple set of a fireplace and a few stone slabs along with some cupboards on the walls and a window overlooking the front of the house. The smoke exited through a hole in the roof making for a chimney. It was exiting at an angle. Above the hole was a slanted, thatched roof. Being at a different angle than the rest of the roof, it created an opening for smoke to come out, but not to let the rain in. Since there seemed to be no place for sleep or storage, beside a singular small chest and few other furniture, the sleeping quarters must had been on the upper floor.

By the kitchen stood a mare, roughly the same age as both the mare with red hair and the bailiff himself. Venture said, “Please sit down by the table.”

The mare sat down, putting her long sword and saddlebags down on the same bench, just beside her, the sword slightly resting the hilt on her lap.

Then, Venture came up to the mare by the kitchen and kissed her on the cheek.

“Hey honey, could you fetch us some beer?”

“Oh, of course.” she quickly said and with the corner of her eye took a glimpse at the mare sitting at their table. She quickly looked away and started rummaging for mugs.

In the meantime, Venture sat down opposite to the red-maned mare.

“Well then, I will be straight to the point, as to not waste your time too much. W-“

“Don’t worry, I have time. " she cut him off and added, "Besides, I have some questions anyway, so no need to rush.” Afterwards, she gave him a small, sincere smile just to loosen him up a bit.

The bailiff nodded and started speaking.

“Well, as I said before, we were attacked at the most inopportune moment. Many of us quickly grabbed for the weapons of any kind that was the closest, trying to fend off the bandits. We have managed to kill one and make the others flee but it was not without losses. Mainly, there were not here to burn us down. I believe they wanted to intimidate us by killing off some of us and didn’t expect us to kill one of them. They robbed a few ponies closer to the edge of the town and killed few stallions, including my father.

“Beside stealing from others they also managed to steal my father’s warhammer. It was a family’s crest, if you could say, and was with us for generations. It’s a fine steel with obsidian ornaments and a really beautiful hoof grip, fluted even. Beside those bandits getting what they deserve, I really want to have it back ... It’s the only thing that really reminds me of my father and grandfather and basically my whole lineage. Losing it would be equal to failing them.”

His wife then put down two mugs with beer on the table for both of them and sat down beside him, putting a hoof around his back. After a light sip he continued.

“Gust is our forester, he allegedly saw them and knows where they are, roughly. You can ask him for the directions. As for the catacombs ...

“There is a road, south to the village. Follow it. Once you go past a big boulder, turn right on a slightly beaten path in the grass. This will lead you to the cemetery. Do what you feel is best, all I want is those drevacs to be there no more.”

“Drekavacs.” she corrected him and then nodded, confirming her readiness for this task as well.

Bailiff took a sip, then started to gaze into his mug. After a long second he looked back up at the mare and asked, “Who told you that we had trouble and to see me, if I may ask?”

The mare took a sip as well.

“It was a rather short mare with long, blonde hair and cream coloured fur.”

He let out a light snicker and smiled.

“Sunny. Always has a right idea of what’s best for the village. Will have to thank her later. Again.”

“Hm. Fitting name.” the mare said, but still showed not much of an emotion. After that, she quickly asked, “By the way. Do you really have a title of Duke? Or is it a name?”

“Oh no, no, it’s a name. I’m not even a Lord nor a Sire. Quite a long way to a Duke.” He snickered again and took another sip.

His wife made a pleasant, short hum and said, “Ya would look good as a Lord~.”

“Mhhh, great. Though I doubt you could look any better with any title in existence.” he smiled and won a sincere, lovely laugh from his wife. Then he looks to the mare again and said. “Either way, those two things would be what we require. If you will manage to do both of those I could part ways with, let’s say, 80 Krons. Does that satisfy you?”

The mare looked a bit aside, as if calculating his answer.

“Depends. How many of those bandits were there?”

“About five I believe.”

“How well equipped?”

“I think I saw one with more plate than the others, while one had none. They had rather basic swords, I think. Well, and now a good warhammer.”

The mare looked at him again and said, “If you throw in a room for the night and a little bit of provisions, 80 Krons sound good to me.”

The bailiff nodded, looking relieved and content with their little deal.

“Yes, that sounds reasonable! Thank you greatly!” he said, stood up slightly and held forth his hoof, which the mare bumped and they shook it once, as for an agreement met. After sitting down again, he added. “I myself don’t have room here, living with two kids already and my mother, but my friend runs a local tavern. I will talk to him and get you a room. As for provisions, when would you expect them?”

“At least for tomorrow.”

“That is manageable. Alright, I think we have it all said in stone then.” he smiles sincerely, happy that he has a chance to see his father’s warhammer again. Losing something this precious, not only in huge monetary value, but also in sentimental value, is never a pleasant experience.

After a small sip, the mare said, “I also have a few questions considering your holiday and so on. First of all, can you tell me more about the Day of Lady Zhiva?”

“Oh, you are interested in our culture?” Venture asked, slightly surprised at that.

“Yes, I am. I’ve noticed that some of the houses are painted very nicely and the tree looked quite interesting, even if the decorations were on a simpler side.”

“Alright, well, you do quite surprise me, I must be honest. I’ve met two unicorns beside you in my life and they never wanted to talk about anything else than work and their share in profits.”

The mare shrugged and spoke, still without showing more varying emotion on her face than that of a log of wood, “I found out that I am not a typical unicorn.”

“I see. Well, either way, the Day of Lady Zhiva is a special celebration to the goddess of bountiful harvests. She helps us get as much yield from our farms and animals as possible for a given year. If we had low amount of rain throughout the year, she helps us by making sure we don’t harvest dried and useless wheat and when we contract a disease in our soil, she makes sure to save a portion of our resources. We thank her by celebrating all day and night in her name. We mainly sing songs and dance in her pleasure, basically give her a show, to thank her in her dedication. Although this celebration was cut short this year. I fear she might have been displeased with us, or maybe is now that we didn’t finish. I will have to ask granny Raspberry for her opinion if we should just keep our routine or celebrate in a different day. I am way too young to make such a decision.”

“Oh? Why are you too young for that?” the mare asked curiously. Her eyes were clearly very interested in it, but her face overall still stayed calm and very reserved.

“Because I haven’t yet seen every good and bad from Lady Zhiva, I don’t know her personality that well, I can’t predict her opinion. The elders can, to some degree, and the last thing we want is to upset our Lady.”

“So your Lady Zhiva is a goddess, yes?”

“Yes, that exactly she is, kind of.”He nods and takes a sip.

“Can you tell me more about her? Her appearance and such?”

“May I ask first, why are you so interested? Uh, not to pick or anything, I’m just- ... I don’t think I’ve heard an outsider so interested before.”

The mare took a sip and said in a well-detailed manner, “I’m just interested about it, that’s all. It simply intrigues me. Can’t tell more, because I’m not sure if there is more. Besides, knowing those things helps me at work. I literally walk from village to village, town to town and help ponies in exchange for money. I am good with sword and have some good knowledge about the surrounding beasts and what more. If I know what to expect in a specific area I’m in, for example a new type of hoofshake, it is more likely I will appear like a worthy investment.”

“You sound like Bristle, that shopkeeper. Well, a tad bit, but similarly calculated work idea.” He smiles and then, after receiving a small nod of acknowledgement from her, he continues. “Lady Zhiva is an orange looking earth pony with mane in the colour of purest and most bountiful wheat field. She has a poor looking, shapeless, brown dress made from woollen cloth, fastened at the waist by a simple girdle. She also wears a sleeveless, grey tunic and a white wimple over her hair. She has a simple bag over her back, hanging from her side in which she always stores a hoofful of wheat. To the belt of her bag she has a small harp strapped to it carved from a sweet cherry wood with rich, red colour and simple, steel strings. The harp, as it’s told, is a gift from an unknown god for her dedication to manual labour while still finding interest in other things, like music. She also sings very well and loves to dance. Thus why those celebrations please her.”

The mare nodded, still clearly interested in every word he spoke.

“Mhmm, but why the cherry harp? Isn’t she a god of bountiful harvest as you said before?”

“Well, you don’t think us, village folk, are only interested in our crops, right? We do a plethora of other things! To be honest, crops, animals and other type of work really does not take much of our time from the day, simply because there is no need! We love to have other things to do, just like the city folk. Some say that we do even more, because we here have the true way of living, but that sounds like some over the top nonsense~” he laughed slightly.

The mare made a singular nod and said, “I understand. Last question I would like to ask about the crypt. You said something about Rova Divine?”

“Ah yes, Rova Divine. She was a hero of our country. It’s a nice story but it is also quite long.”

“Don’t worry, I would like to hear it if you don’t mind sharing.” the mare said and took a sip of the beer she had been provided, soon to be empty.

“Well, I would advise you hearing it from somepony more knowledgeable about history, but in general it goes like this.

“Rova was a mare living in a small village that was not far from here, but nopony knows where exactly. It was raided by rival tribe called Staraya Ladoga that had already taken lands of the eastern tribes and was moving quickly into central tribes from said east and their attack origin, which was the south. Her village was burned down and she was the sole survivor, facing around three dozen invaders still standing.

“She had no real chance of defeating them, so she asked Perun, god of war, for help in defeating her opponents. She received his blessing and power. Using it, she killed them all!

“After her victory, she departed to the capital and gained an audience with the leader. Later on she was the leading speaker in the process of uniting central tribes into one big family. After few battles a name for this new country was decided - Kingdom of Lechita. Our country was created only because of the invaders’ attack. If not for that, some doubt the tribes would have united at all.”

“Huh, I see. I remember one story that sort of confirms this idea. I heard that Lechitians were the strongest and fiercest fighters around these parts.” the mare chimed in, but it was impossible to tell if she was making fun of Lechitians via sarcasm or if she was genuine.

“Well, that would make sense. Rova was given powers from the god of war himself. Her actions led to creation of Lechita and, in turn, setting an example of a perfect fighter. But if you ask me, it is sort of an exaggeration. We earth ponies like to think of ourselves as the best, better than rival tribes or countries.”

“Makes sense. Continue now, please.” the mare said with a slight and gentle, horizontal move of her hoof, lightly sipping her beer and putting elbow of her foreleg on the table so that she can rest her cheek on her hoof. Her eyes showing incredible interest in the story, even more so than before.

“Well, the tribes united and took to the fight with the invaders. Ultimately, they won and even gained some territory, as well as gave back annexed lands to the eastern tribes.

“Sadly, the last battle that finished the fight was also Rova’s place of her last breath. She was defeated in a town slightly more to the south. Some say it was Perun’s contract which spoke that she may live with the powers of a god, but only in the time of war, so when the fighting has stalled and it was her last fight, Perun made her lose so that she won’t get corrupted with power.

“Lechita’s leader, after the truce, has given her a title of Divine and named the town she perished in with her name – Rova. Sadly, not long ago, the town has fallen into the wrong hooves, just like other of our towns.” Bailiff looked down in sadness. For a pony living in an isolated village, he really loved his country, or at least seemed like he did.

“I see. Current circumstances are not the greatest for you, that is for sure. Either way, that was an incredible story. Ah, also, one more thing. The Divine is just a title?”

“Well, sort of? Back then there were no real titles beside social and hierarchical ones, there were ponies and gods. We cannot name one a god, we have no such right, but Rova had shown such great resolve and strength that Perun deemed her a goddess, or at least a demigoddess. So, she became a Divine of resolve and persistence, as well as fighting skill and revenge.

“I mean, we don’t really think about it that much, it may be a little bit different, but nopony really bats an eye.” he replied with a sincere smile.

“Quite interesting, but I won’t bore you with more questions, even though it didn’t seem to bother you much.” she gave him a small, sincere smile, as to not make him think that it is a bad thing.

“Oh, well, if you want to hear more stories you should ask Gran Raspberry. Just mind her hard accent, she is a farm pony and there is no way I can make that accent go away.” he chuckled a bit and sipped his drink.

The mare quickly finished her drink with a few chugs and said, “Will remember and thank you kindly for the drink.”

“Uhm, If ya want, Ah c’n also help a with a bath an’ clean yer clothes. Not t’ sound rude, but they uhm ...” Venture’s wife said, at first with some confidence, but that sound faded as soon as she realised she could say something offensive to a guest that is friendly and helpful. That would not show proper manners, which is why she had been quiet for the whole conversation. She preferred her husband to speak to guests, he is a bailiff after all.

“If it is no trouble, but even if, that would be for later. First I’ve got to finish the work I agreed to.” the mare finished and got up from the table, slowly putting back on her things to be ready for the road again, starting off with a visit to forester Gust.

“If you don’t mind-“ Bailiff started quickly, as if hoping to not miss his chance, “Can I ask for your name? As I said, I did not meet many unicorns this friendly and interested in legends, plus if you really will help us, it will mean the world to us. I would like to honour your name.”

The mare finished strapping her scabbard on her back. Her horn glowed bright yellow, slightly tinting to a golden shine, lifting the scabbard just enough so that another magical grab, holding her bags, was able to fit them on her back. Once she was ready she glanced at the door shortly, sorting out a general plan of action to finish everything in the best order possible and most importantly – in one day.

She looked back to the bailiff and answered his question with an emotionless, slightly confused or lost sounding voice. As if unsure if honour is what she wants, or what she should receive. Slightly reluctant, she answered

“I’m Astrala. Or so I think I am.”

Chapter 1 - Routine

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Chapter 2 - Leshen

༻༺────⊰ Episode 2 - Leshen ⊱────༻༺

Another sunny day, though the weather was planning to slowly and steadily lean into a rain. A few clouds scattered on one side and a thick, dark blanket of rainclouds on the other, slowly approaching the mighty castle atop the highest mountain peaks in all of the lands.

For it was a very specific castle. The main headquarters of the Celestial Order and they were already hard at work, training in various aspects of warfare. One needs to know how to wield a weapon, cast defensive or offensive spells, be fit physically and mentally and have sharpened senses in whatever circumstance they might find themselves to be. Other skills, such as creation of various rations, tonics, decoctions or certain type of oils are also very useful. Beside all that, knowledge itself is as important as any other skill, both in terms of warfare tactics and certain weaknesses of races and even various monsters roaming the wild lands.

Celestial Order has a reason for all that, otherwise it would not have been practiced.

Astrala, one of the Archpaladins, has returned from her war in Draconia with great disturbance and disgust. Her experience in that spectacle has taught her a lot and her aim was to change the order’s course as quickly as she could.

Abnormally to her, she was ready to debate with the Elders at the earliest hour possible. She walked in her robe, carrying few scrolls with her magic, her light shoes gently tapping the marble floors, making the sounds echo along the hallways.

Not many guards posted on the very halls she was walking through, nor at the many exists leading to various locations of the castle. Clearly there were not enough ponies to even guard this place properly.

Eventually she made her way to the Grand Hall, where her Elders would discuss important matters at hoof and also let the knights come and say whatever could have been on their minds. After few days of constant arguing, Astrala knew they would not hear her again, thus she didn’t even plan this meeting in advance with them. She walked to the doors and after giving the knights guarding them a good, fierce look, she stepped inside without an invitation.

All Elders quickly stopped their discussion to look at Astrala, walking up to the centre like she owned the place. Around it was an almost fully enclosed circle made out of a big table with elders sitting around it on the outer side. Whole room was of a circular design with big windows and a chandelier lazily hanging above the centre, as if a warning of hanging to anypony who dared to oppose the Elders. Or so Astrala now thought.

“What is the meaning of this, Archpaladin Astrala?! You shan’t disturb us uninvited! Leave at once!” one Elder said, already knowing her intentions. It was the same Elder that was her mentor thorough her life in this order, which to her, was her whole life. Maybe she even thought of him as a father figure?

“You can wish, but you WILL hear me once again. Since me politely asking did not prove to be fruitful, I will force it on you.” Astrala said, stopping at the centre of the room.

“Force it on us? Have you forgotten your place, Archpaladin? If this will not stop, your title shall be taken away and your rank demoted!”

“Then take it. I do not care about you or my position in this order. I want to save lives of the innocent and the face of this order. In the future we will be shown to had been on the wrong side of history! No matter my stance against you, or yours against me, I do not wish this to happen.” She said, slightly more composed in the second part of her sentence.

The Elder scoffed at her and said.

“Ridiculous. Knights! Take her away immediately.”

The knights, although unsurely at first, stepped forward to Astrala. She immediately turned to them and in voice filled with anger and horn already glowing, she said to them.

“Try me and you will sorely regret it! You have been here, you have heard me, you know I am right!”

Either her intimidation or her reasoning was enough to put the guards at ease towards Astrala and not advance further. Or maybe they have gotten even more wary and that is why they did not fulfil the Elder’s request.

“This insubordination shan’t be forgotten, mark my words-“ The elder started, but was cut off by a blade zooming quickly in his direction, stopping just as its tip was about to cut his neck. It was Astrala, wielding other knight’s sword with her magic, making everyone think she was about to assassinate her Elder.

He scoffed at her even louder.

“Are you planning on killing me, you fool? My sacrifice this great towards everypony in this order and you want to kill me?!”

“Anypony tries something funny and I promise I’m going on a rampage. I’m sick and tired of you pompous buffoons! YOU ALL ARE GREEDY IMBECILES!” She shouted, facing slowly every single Elder, some angry at her, some actually worried and a few small bunch that was honestly confused.

“You are throwing our resources at a war only because some griffon showed you proof that thousands of years ago Draconia was their land? Who do you think you are?! To decide whose is what or not; it doesn’t even matter at this point! As far as I’ve seen, their land is filled with dracons. Whether it is indeed griffon land or not, it matters little, for it is immensely occupied by dracons and their infrastructure! None of them actually even know that it is griffon land!”

“Enough! I shan’t listen to it no mo-“ One Elder stood up to cut Astrala off and he was swiftly dealt with by another sword that flew in his direction, impaled in his chest up to the crossguard. He stumbled, tried for words, only to have blood pour and fly out of his mouth. He grabbed his chest and fell, trying to grasp just a little bit more of the precious air, trying his hardest to stay alive, but ultimately failing and his soul slowly leaving his body with his face filled in pure shock.

Everypony in the room was left dumbfounded, not believing what just had happened. None was sure that Astrala would actually go this far, to kill a member of not only her order but also her Elders?

“Do you think this is a game?! This is one last time I am here. None of you shall stop me, you will listen to what I have to say and YOU WILL NOT try anything funny, or I swear on Celestia’s name this very room here will be such a bloodbath that all of the knights outside on the castle grounds will be able to see a pool of blood in those very windows behind you slowly rising higher and higher as I make your heads roll in the sound of your beating hearts, beating lighter and weaker with each movement of my blade.” She spoke, filled with malice and anger. Due to slight rasp in it too one could even state she has lost her mind.

The Elders were shocked and unsure of how to proceed with this action. For now, all of them decided to stay quiet. They knew how powerful Astrala was. A child of Celestial blood, maybe an incarnation of Celestia herself? None dared to speak.

“I am sorely done with your actions, your blindness, your arrogance! To base a war solely on a singular word and a singular relic that could have been forged specifically to lie into your faces. I’ve seen the griffons with my very own eyes, they aren’t cunning, proud or brave. They are very much everything, but that! I trust no word that will come from their mouth anymore.

“To your knowledge, I have ordered few of my friends, Paladins and Archpaladins alike, some Knights even, to spread word among our forces in Draconia for a full retreat. Upon arriving to the location of our new headquarters, they will have a chance to see for themselves what they had done and repent, or come back to you. Either way, I am leaving this place with a huge amount of knights by my side that, just as me, disagree with you to their fullest.”

“You started a rebellion ...” One Elder said.

“Me? YOU started a rebellion. Your decision-making, your goals, your orders have led to the mass disagreement. I simply awakened them. You could have listened to me! I’ve been here all week! Obviously you, cowards, will pin all wrong on me and I’ve expected that. So, just for spite ...” She said, levitated a spear and impaled the Elder who just spoke straight in the eye.

Few of them stood up and her mentor said.

“Astrala! Enough!”

“Do you wish to fight me? C’mon then! Fight me! Show how much weight you put in your own words! Show them in action! I dare you, cunt-sucking bag of fleas! It’s not just that you tricked behind our backs and definitely had some hidden agenda in this war, but you’ve endangered and killed members of this order AND innocent dracons! Your actions have led to this and I am here to avenge those that died in this useless war!” She shouted at him, her horn glowed bright and, without even looking, she zapped another Elder with a golden lightning bolt.

After that, she added.

“You have also caused me and my friends more suffering than I initially knew. I looked at your scrolls in your own room, ‘mentor’.” She said, phrasing the word ‘mentor’ sarcastically with a face full of disgust.

“Payments to some bands of thugs? Have you all been secretly paying some low-life scum to raid villages and share their profits with you? Have you had any connections with that stupid war that has been going on just south of us with the earth ponies? Found an invoice from the Tsar, very beautiful letter I must say.”

“That- That is outrageous. You are making things up!”

She looked at him, anger filling her eyes. Elders even noticed that the tips of her hair started to burn with fresh, red fire, same for the tip of her tail. Not a standard fire, no, it was a deep red, in the colour of blood, very sinister-looking.

Just as she was about to slash his neck, they heard a bell going off. Attack?

A second later, as they all looked in the direction of the windows overlooking the castle grounds, few heavily armoured dracons burst inside through those very windows and killed off about five of the Elders in this swift attack.

Astrala wasted no time, she brought that sword closer to her and rushed at the dracons. She wanted to kill the Elders but this is an attack that does not help her argument even a tiny bit. Plus, it is very likely her friends might fall from those dracons, she needs to keep those by her safe.

First one, wielding a halberd-like weapon, swung it at her diagonally. With all her force she smacked the blade with her sword, holding it in between the blade and the crossguard, having the tip point at the dracon. She forced through the dracon’s strength, making his weapon get pushed closer to him and Astrala ramming with her shoulder into him from that initial rush, burying her blade deep into his neck. She quickly recovered on her hooves with a swift jump, sword spun around her back, throwing off any excess blood from her blade and now resting in a thrusting position at her left side.

Another dracon in front of her, wielding a curved sword and way more armour than the previous one. He proclaimed a stance of wielding his sword high up above his head, ready to strike down. She knew that dodging this attack wouldn’t be advised, even deflecting it, as the dracons had a tactic of a quick two-slash attack, where you would have to expect the direction of the second swing to successfully defend against it. Too many sides to pick though; she decided on an easier approach.

She rushed straight at the dracon. Just as he was about to slash down at her, she swung her sword at the blade, very similar to the previous block, catching it again with the crossguard. Just as she felt it being pushed aside by her, she let go of the sword with her magic, did not stop running and buried her sharp horn right into the guy’s eye.

With her hoof, she held the dracon’s wielding arm just to know its position well and with all her force, she lightly raised the dracon, sort of like a rhino, doing even more damage to his brain than with a simple thrust. Only now did the dracon actually realise what was happening. Thanks to now irreversible brain damage, he was unable to control his limbs very well, thus her hoof was quite enough to keep that curved sword at bay. She pushed him on his side with her horn still in his eye, making a loud thump. She slid out the horn and took her sword in her magic again.

Fresh blood coating her horn and her clothing, ready to continue the fight against those dracons that attacked their castle. She did not hear anything, did not even know what exactly happened with the other Elders, all she could see, hear and think was those dracons in front of her. Pure battle rage, one could say.

She then heard somepony calling her name, she saw Miryana, half-suited in her armour calling out to her in fear and worry on her face. How did she get here so quickly, did she know where to find he-

Before Astrala could process it, a lump of mass hit her from the open window – another dracon. He flew at her from outside and rammed her. They zoomed through the whole hall and hit the opposite wall, Astrala crushed between it and the dracon.

She gasped for air, not expecting the hit and quickly took a glance at the dracon, ignoring the pain in her chest. It was a Battleborn with a terrifying warmask depicting some horrific devil. He grabbed her and threw her away on the floor, doing slightly more damage to her.

She got to a stop and coughed, gasping for air, quickly healing any broken bones or punctured organs she might have had from the hit. She looked up to the dracon, who said in draconish.

“There you are, the mighty Dracon-slayer. I know you understand me, get up and fight. I wish to be your killer in a fair fight.”

An opponent, not only stronger, bigger, but also armoured. That would prove to be a tough one, this might be the very end of her journey. Or at least that is what she thought.

“Stop this. I wished to end this war between us. Don’t make us have to fight you.”

“Oh, so you want to talk? Let’s go an talk then!” He roared and, with the help of his wings, he lunged at her with great speed. Astrala managed to react to the dracon’s curved blade, deflecting it well, but her counterattack hit his armour and bounced off. He grabbed her by the throat with his other claw, something she again did not expect. She gasped and tried to get free with her front hooves but to no avail. He then flew out of the window, holding her like some sort of sack of potatoes.

The only thing Astrala could hear as she was dragged off was Miryana’s voice, but not clear enough to make out the words.

“Aah!” I gasped in the bed, frantically looking around in search of that dracon. I put my hooves to my neck, but felt no claws there. Fresh drop of sweat dripping from my forehead.

I sighed and turned to lay on the other side, facing the wall. Another stupid dream. Why am I dreaming of it all and why it’s always those few dreams on repeat. Or at least I think they are, are they?

...

Wait, what was the dream about? Something about my neck ...

Perfect, can’t remember, as always. At least it wasn’t that weird dream with me as some fancy-ass knight or whatever walking with a group of other super fancy-ass knights. That one I remember well.

I think this one had a dracon in it, but why a dracon? I can’t recall ever seeing a dracon in real life. Am I dreaming of my future life or-

Is it my previous life? That is why I can’t remember my childhood, or anything from a year ago? Was I some weird knight in some even weirder order?

Huh, the more I think about it, the more ridiculous it sounds to be. I really don’t see myself as a knight material, but it would at the very least explain how I can fight so well and why I have such a broad knowledge on many subjects.

Ngh, just gives me a headache thinking of it all. I guess it’s best to leave it for now, not like I can do anything about it now. Time to get to work, I hope I haven’t overslept.

I got up, put on the robe, took my things and stepped out into a sun shining so brightly it blinded me for a second. I put a hoof up to my face to cover the light and looked around. It was still a rather early morning, but many ponies were already doing their chores. One thing earth ponies excel at is consistent and precise work ... well, most of them at least, I think.

The sun was just appearing from above the line of trees, shining brightly with an incredible hue of warm, orange colour. Its light covering the whole village, mind some gaps of shadows still lingering about, giving it a new fresh look, a rather beautiful look I must say.

It felt slightly ... melancholic. Not sure as to why, but looking at the village from this angle, with the light softly warming up the ground and the ponies all around, I felt a slight lump in my chest. Some deep sadness trying to escape my soul and materialise in front of me.

Unaware of what it was, I did what I always had done with such issues – ignored it.

I stepped down on the wooden steps, slightly creaking under my weight and I was down on grass again, supported by my sturdy boots. Well, sturdy is a bit of an overstatement, but you get what you have. I made my way to the bailiff’s house to get my freshly washed clothes back from possibly the only honest pony I’ve met in a long while. How refreshing that was ... and I’ve never knew letting somepony wash you was such a relaxing time.

As I got to the house I knocked at the door and the bailiff opened them.

“Oh, hello. Doooo you need anything else?” He asked, with not so much of a nice tone as before when he had a lot of trouble. Obviously, now that he doesn’t need me, he won’t act nice. At least he isn’t trying to fake it that much – straight to the point.

Before I could say anything, his wife said.

“Oh! Oh, come! Follow me!” And with a bright smile she went past the bailiff, me and started walking to the side of the building.

Such a quiet and shy mare and now that she got comfortable with me she looks way more cheerful and bright. Even bailiff was confused by that. I gave him a small nod and followed her to the side of their house where my things were.

She quickly got to work on taking my clothes off of the laundry lines and started saying.

“Ah hope ya slept well?”

“Not great, not terrible. About as well as anytime.” I replied, but were quickly starting to share her cheerfulness and enthusiasm for the day. I smiled.

“Ah slept v’ry well. If ya have any pain in ya muscles or somethin’, Ah c’n help. Ah heard tha’ my husband didn’t give ya all that ya agreed on, Ah feel v’ry ashamed o’ him and if there’s anythin’ more Ah c’n do to ya, jus’ lemme know, please.” She said with an incredibly genuine and honest smile.

I was quite taken aback at that and I think it showed. She giggled, a sound very light and easy on the ears.

She added.

“Ya’ve done a job tha’ few of our stallions could possibly handle, maybe none! Ah bet once the word goes out all the lil colts and fillies gon’ be talkin’ ‘bout’cha, saviour o’ Bronislava.”

“Saviour? A bit excessive, but thank you. I am good at killing.” I said with a light chuckle, but my joke really did not get the reaction I was expecting. Anytime I get comfortable with somepony, my weird sense of humour gets out and scares everypony. I hate myself.

She slightly frowned and muttered.

“Killin’ ain’t what Ah’m praising. It’s yer skill and, quite plausibly, yer knowledge. Ah heard ya speak, ya seem t’ know what to do and are v’ry assertive; certain of yer actions. Most important of all, ya helped us. Ah want t’ repay ya the best Ah can, it’s the least Ah c’n do.”

I looked aside. Killing. I am good at it, but even though she knows that I killed those thugs, she doesn’t look like she will admit it as what I’m good at. Rather will go for ‘skill’ and whatever else she might find. She knows how rough this world is and still won’t bother to face it head on. I don’t know what to think anymore.

“So, ya’ve got sore muscles or not? Ah doubt ya sleep on nice beds often.” She smiled.

“Oh no, I’m fine. I’ll just take my clothes and be on my way.” I said. Just stop thinking, Astrala. Just stop thinking ...

“Oh, okay.” She said, with a slight disappointment in her voice, but not enough to break from her cheerful act. She put down my clothes and asked. “Need help with yer clothes?”

“No, I will manage.” I took off the robe, put it aside as nicely as I could and started clothing myself.

“Ya know, ya do look better than most stallions in this village, more muscular and assertive, yet ya still have quite a nice feminine style and shape t’ ya.” She said while eyeing me.

Is this another sort of joke about me looking like a stallion? I shrugged it off and did not reply. I really heard it way too much already. Didn’t want to bother, didn’t want to think. Just get my stuff and be on my way.

She noticed I seemed not too keen on conversing and stopped talking herself, but was still standing there and looking at me.

Once I was done putting everything in place I looked at her and said.

“Thank you for everything and have a good day.” Turned around and left.

“Farewell then.” She called to me as I was already leaving. I think, I wasn’t quite listening anymore.

I walked around the place, looking for a blacksmith and I quickly found one, following the sound of metal being hit on metal. There he was, working at his forge already. Hm, quite a young looking lad.

I walked up to him and said.

“Morning.”
He looked to me and said with a small smile.

“Mornin’. Can I help you?”

“I’d like to ask if you would be interested in buying some equipment from me.”

He put down his hammer and faced me with a curious look. “Show me what you’ve got and we shall see.”

I nodded and took out things I wanted him to look at – the pauldron I looted from that thug guy yesterday and my old short sword, since now I have a fancy sabre now. I put them down on a table beside us. He came up and took a glance at them, took them in his hooves, looked closer, hmm’d ...

“Hm, the pauldron looks quite basic, both in shape and material. Same with that sword, but overall they seem rather good. I think I could buy those off of you for maybe twenty Krons.”

“That is fairly cheap ... thirty five Krons? Need to buy myself some supplies.” I lied, just to get more money out of him. Not like I’m gonna be back here anytime soon.

“Twenty five is my limit, otherwise I wouldn’t profit from even taking them apart and moulding them into something useful. Twenty five.” He said, rather firmly. This guy already felt like a better company than that bailiff, fake arsehole.

I smiled lightly and nodded, extending my hoof to him, which he bumped and shook.

He walked to get the money as I waited in the open, so that he does not seem suspicious of me. I don’t want to steal anything from him anyways, I want some fair and honest money. Granted, equipment I’m selling was looted from corpses, but it’s better if corpses don’t have weapons and armour, right?

He came back and gave me the Krons. Had forty five, now I’ve got seventy. Not bad.

I nodded, put them away and said my goodbyes as I was leaving. I’m not sure if that was a fair price for those, usually metal is quite expensive, but we are talking about either raw metal or one made specifically for somepony’s needs. Eh, no matter. Better this way than to walk with too much equipment.

Now, to find those pegasi.

I entered the tavern and noticed them right away, their flamboyant and colourful clothes stood out immensely in there. I walked up to them.

“Right, I’m ready. Let’s go.”

They looked at me and the mare smiled and- ... wait, what was her name again?

“First, let us do a toast, for a safe travel!”, she raised her hoof slightly in excitement. Obviously pegasi would love to drink and drink.

“That ... really is not a necessity. Better to not be drunk on the road, now c’mon.”, I said and left the tavern. If they prove to be a pain in the ass, I’m leaving them. A toast ... why do you need a toast now?! Nothing happened, nor have we even begun! Ugh ... pegasi ...

After a few seconds of me standing outside they finally came out and I said, “Lead the way.”

Without any sort of smile on their face, they started leading the way. Uh, maybe that was a wrong way to start it? Oh, fuck it, whatever, don’t think. Not like I care about them, nor do I have to! I only have to protect them from dangers.

Shortly after, we left the village and were on our way west. West-ish. Very few trees and an old, dirt road.

There were still few houses with huge acres of land covered in lettuce, carrots or whatever else, but the village was long gone. Few small trees sporadically dotted the hills and literally nothing more, nothing else.

“So ... I hope we can talk at least?”, the gal said. The guy was between me and her so she had to move her head slightly forward to look at me.

“Talk however much you want, just don’t make it annoying ...”, I said.

All they were talking about now were the sound of their hooves, which meant they weren’t talking at all. But, after a short while, the guy started talking.

“Maybe you’d like to tell something about yourself? Or maybe we can tell you about us?”

“I don’t like talking while walking.”, I said dismissively. It wasn't true, but I don't want them talking to me, it makes concentrating on the surroundings harder. Don't care if they like me or not, I'm going to do my job and that is it.

I also heard pegasi are annoying so I’m not sure I want to talk with them too much. Might be a total waste of time and energy ... and sanity.

He sighed audibly, looked to his sister and said, “Well then, about the profits. I think we need to change the repertoire a bit.”

A what? Repreruartarar? What?

“What did you have in mind, brother?”

“For starters, you should lead more in the evening hours. More stallions then, they might just pay us simply by looking at you.”

She giggled and responded. “And when will you lead? Not many mares come to taverns.”

“I think I should just play outside, on the streets. Mares like some romantic shmuck that has a guy singing of a heartbreaking stories to random pedestrians. Or maybe start some more upbeat tones at the tavern, those work better for me anyways.”

“Hm, that actually sounds like a reasonable plan. You actually started thinking for once.~”

“Hah, oh really?”

“Yees, really! Finally didn’t think with your dick for once!”

Excuse me, what?

“Hah, I noticed you eyeing some stallions, don’t make it look like I’m the horny one.”

“Horny? But stallions are always horny.”

“Hey, no we aren’t!”

“Okaay, but you are always horny!”

“That might be correct.~”

They both giggled in glee and I just stared at them looking like a total idiot, taken aback farther than eye could see. What in the flying boar of tarantula’s web-fuck tying contest are they talking about?!

“But be honest, idea with singing on the streets has some hidden plan to it, no?”

“You know me.~”

“Mh ... so, how many mares do you plan on bedding this time?~”

WHAT.

“Hmm, I’m not sure ... but maybe we should do a threesome?”

“Oh you just want to have fun with your sister, be honest.~”

Okay, WHAT THE FUCK did I get myself into? What is this? Why are they talking about ... that! What- how even- WHY? Out of all the topics to talk about, they choose this?! And why have I not stopped them yet? What is wrong with me! Annoying? YES! Then grow a pair of balls, Astrala, and tell them to shut the fuck up!

Wait ... pegasi. Annoying pegasi, but maybe it’s normal to talk like this in their parts of the world? I should ask about that. Would make sense why they started that right now. Obviously they wouldn’t be talking like that in the village, but there is nopony here, so they can be themselves. But why in front of me?!

Nh, well that makes sense too. I told them to talk about whatever and I am their guard, not a friend or anything. It’s none of my business what they are talking about.

Just do not listen, think of other things. The dream? Maybe the dream. Maybe I can put some sense into it.

...

But I remember nothing from it by now. Ghh, something else. What is around here? Grass, grass, grass ... more grass. A flower. I think it was a daisy. Hm, daisies are quite tasty and sweet, plus are very common. So, not really worth picking, they aren’t worth a dime. Literally as much of a worth as a hoofful of grass. Besides, their sweetness isn’t even that great when compared to their weight.

“-and then I smacked her ass-cheek with a wing and she got soo startled, but after that she was all over me! Those earth ponies love being smacked, lemme tell you.”

NO! No, no! Noooo, do not listen! What the fuck have I gotten myself into! Don’t listen, don’t think. Just don’t! Ghh, maybe I just should stop here and leave them, but where will I go? I don’t see any intersections in the distance, nor was there one before. We have JUST left the village. No matter what, if I run now I will meet them on the way anyway, may it be at night or in a few days. There are no other roads and Celestia forbid to stray away from them into the wilderness, as it’s the worst idea one could ever have. Stupid pegasi! Why am I still walking beside them?! Worst idea for a job ever. I’m never doing that again.

Hmmm, but free food does sound nice. It is a good deal.

But who talks about such stuff so openly in front of a fucking stranger? What is wrong with them?!

What is wrong with me?! I should have been gone a long time already!

Then I heard them giggling. I looked to them and quite indeed they were, even laughing. I was so confused now.

Eventually, they looked to me and the mare said, “I see you like our topic?~” and they started laughing more.

I was so confused, but I felt myself burn from embarrassment. The fact that they have put me into such a situation right off the bat.

“W-what topic? I wasn’t paying attention.”, I said, hoping I didn’t sound suspicious. Why was it so hard to lie suddenly?

They finally stopped laughing.

“Sure you weren’t~ ... now, maybe you want to start a conversation?”, the guy said with a smirk.

Wait ...

“Wait, so you decided to casually talk about sex just so that I'd stop you and talk about whatever else?!”

And they started laughing again. I felt like an old fool. They played me like a fiddle.

“Oh hell no, I am not playing that game with you. You can forget it!”, I said and looked away from him in a very angry fashion.

“Oh, then we shall talk more between each other then. Say brother, how are your licking skills coming along?”

“NO! No! OKAY! I will talk! Stop! For the love of all that is mighty, just stop!”, I whined and finished with a defeated groan. Stupid pegasi! I hate them! They are so infuriating!

“There we go!”, guy said and they both did a ... they slapped each others’ wings. However you call that. And he continued.

“No hard feelings, but why not opening up a bit, eh? We are going to travel for at least a few days together, no need to be this stiff and boring.”

Stiff?!

“Stiff?! I said stop it!”

“Huh? I didn’t mean anything sexual, now it’s just your own mind playing you, gal~”, he snickered.

Oh that little asshole.

His sister started laughing again and said, “OOoh! Masterfully executed! Jackpot! Her whole face is red!~”

“WHAT?!”, I whined again. I touched my face with the knee of my leg to check, but honestly, how can you check that? I felt fired up, but I didn’t know it was this bad! I’ve Never been in such a situation and I intend to never be ever, EVER again.

I scoffed and said without looking at him, “That had done it ...”

Once they stopped laughing the guy got a bit closer with a slight worry on his face.

“Hey uh, we didn’t go too far, did we? We just wanted to- OOF!”

Oops, what a little dumb bird, he tripped on my hoof! Oh, what an oopsie~. I smirked down at him just the same way as he did at me just few seconds ago.

“Don’t think that was all, feather-brain~.”

He actually looked quite relieved and happy, same with his sister.

“Oh, good to know you know what jokes are.”, she said.

“I do, but there is no way I’m letting you go off with what you did right now. I will repay in a similar way, just you wait.”

“Oh yeah?” The guy got up as he said it and tried to trip me. His hoof moved out of the way from mine, doing the complete opposite of what he intended, almost falling over himself. I stopped to look at him assertively, lightly raising an eyebrow. My face just couldn't help but crack a little smirk.

He backed away with an embarrassed chuckle.

“Oh, whoops~ ... didn’t work.”

I puffed out my chest victoriously and started walking again. Okay, they aren’t that bad. Hopefully they forgot my face back then, because I sure as hell want to forget that topic. Makes me feeling quite uncomfortable ... I think.

Uh, what am I saying. First I hate them, now I like them. Can’t I make up my mind? I bet-

“Gonna talk then, Astrala?”, the guy asked with a friendly smile. One that doesn't look like he wants to continue teasing me. Good.

I looked to him, realising I was deep in thought.

“Uh yeah, talk. So, what talk?”

He rolled his eyes. Oh fuck off, turkey. I grimaced a bit, like, can't he cut me some slack?

“Well, how did you end up there? What do you do exactly? Do you have a husband?”

“A what?”, I asked, surprised.

Did he say husband? What’s this guy’s deal, honestly. Pegasi ...

He just chuckled. “A joooke.~ Now c’mon, you are some knight or some mercenary or what exactly?”

“Uh, yeah a mercenary of sorts I guess. I kill stuff, be it ponies or monsters.”

“With the sword I bet?~”, he said, gazing over my scabbard that held my precious warsword. It is incredibly precious, believe me! You won’t find another one like that anywhere in earth pony lands!

“Yeah, the sword. A warsword to be precise.” I decided to unsheathe it and levitate it by my side as we kept walking so that he can see it in its full glory.

“We’ve heard of unicorns really being fond of swords of this length, but when we came around those parts, we’d noticed that earth ponies don’t really wield those.”, the gal said, trying to get into the conversation as well.

“Oh yeah, for a reason. Only unicorns can reliable wield warswords.”

“Why is that?”, she asked.

“Because it’s big. It can be up to two or three times heavier than a standard arming sword. It’s design is made purposefully in such a way, so that it’s unwieldy to anypony using it in a mouth grip or a hoof grip. The handle is very long, made so that I can have two pivots on it, astoundingly increasing my precision and range of motion, but also making it unreliable when held in one hoof. The hilt guard is also very wide so that it can easily defend me against any incoming strikes that I engage in a bind and the blade itself is incredibly long, thus incredibly heavier. Even with earth pony strength, it would just become a bat, mainly because of many things getting in the way. In those swords, or any swords in particular, but those specifically, edge alignment is key. Warswords are made with-“

“Okay okay, slow down.~”, guy said with a chuckle, putting a hoof up.

I stopped and gazed to him, questioningly. He wanted me to talk, what’s his deal?

“Have you ever talked to anypony before?”, he asked.

“What? What sort of question is that?”

“Nevermind. Well how about you slow down a bit when continuing. How are the warswords made then?”

“Oh. They are usually made from spring steel, so that they bend quite easily, but in this way they will not shatter. Many techniques are used to reduce the mass and increase rigidity to ultimately have a weapon that, along with our already increased range via magic, has an even longer effective range.”

“Mhm, so I wouldn’t be able to wield it?”

“Of course you can, but you will not use it to its full potential. As I said, a club would work just as well then, if not better.”

“I see. Sounds rather exquisite if I’m being honest. And what’s the deal with magic? How can you just wield it so well and such? You said something about pivots?”

“Oh yeah”, I said and levitated it horizontally just in front of us so that he would see it better and continued, “The handle is way longer and finished with leather wrapping coated in a special sap, it greatly increases the strength of my levitation magic. As a comparison, I can very easily levitate a stick and turn it around, but I am unable to make fast, precise movements with it beside just throwing it forward. Reacting quickly to things is also not as snappy as it would be with a hoof.

“This leather negates those cons completely. It makes it so that the movements are snappy and strong, but it also comes at a disadvantage. It uses more energy to have higher, but that also means it, theoretically, limits our range.”

“Limits range? How so?”, he asked.

“Levitation magic, for everypony, has its limit of energy drain. Some have a more timid energy drain, while others won’t be able to hold a cup for longer than an hour. Based on the movements we make, we naturally synergize the energy drain on what we require. If you have higher speed, precision and quick response, then you will have lesser range and maybe strength even.

“Additionally, if I get hit on the handle of the sword or my horn while I’m casting the spell, it causes great harm to me. The more energy-expensive the spell, the more it hurts, so smart unicorns decided to put hilt guards to protect our magic.”

“That makes sense, but why not cover the whole hilt then? Or at least a big portion of it?”, he asked, seemingly curious in me explaining all the odds and ends of it all. I mean, he is asking a lot of questions regarding the sword and such, why else would he ask those if he weren't genuinely interested. His sister, on the other hoof, was quite less into it and way more into the nature all around us.

“Any sort of obstruction between us and the target of our levitation exponentially lowers the spell’s effectiveness. Besides, hilt guards like so are more than enough when it comes to protection.”, I replied and sheathed my sword back into its safe scabbard.

“Hm, that’s interesting. I’ve met few unicorns, all of them had swords, but none really spoke like you did. They didn’t really knew as much details as you do.”

“Details? What I’m telling you is really the most basic knowledge of the craft of both fighting and the sword making. Most of those questions you can answer yourself simply by observation and rational thinking.”

“Yeah, well, you make more sense than whatever they have told me.”, he shrugged. Those must have been some really weird unicorns. Or weird to me at the very least.

“Well, whatever works for you.”, I just said, not sure how else to reply to that.

After a brief pause he asked again, “So, mercenary. Is it nice?”

I looked at him and thought. Is it nice? I feel an amazing rush of adrenaline whenever I fight, I feel so at ease, like I belong in combat, like I was made for it. I am also very good at it, considering I haven’t died yet.

I nodded to him. “Yeah, it’s nice. I like it.” Even though some ponies could be a bit more honest. Making money is sometimes a chore.

“Glad to hear it. You ought to do in life what pleases you most! We also love to be troubadours, although I’ve noticed earth ponies call us bards, but I suspect it’s the same thing?”

“Hm, sort of.”, I said, remembering something about those words.

“Troubadour is more of a performer, composer, that sort of thing, so strictly tied to songs. Bards, on the other hand, are sort of a mix between a troubadour, poet and a storyteller. Both perform publicly and both can travel around.”

“Oh, I do some storytelling sometimes, mostly to kiddos, but many adult earth ponies also love to hear stories from abroad, especially those from villages.”, he said.

“Mh, folks from villages and towns differ greatly so it does make sense what you are saying.”, I added.

“What do you mean?”, he asked, looking at me curiously, his head skewed slightly to the side.

“Although earth ponies in villages tend to be smarter, coming to tough conclusions quicker and generally more mannered, those from the villages are way more curious to whatever might be happening outside their settlements and their engagement to things is also way stronger and more honest.

“If you go and tell city folk and village folk the same fact about some event in some other place, the town folk will just shrug it off and walk away, very few will be interested. Village folk on the other hand will be way more invested into the story; they will ask questions and so on.”

“Sounds logical.”, the mare said. Both my and guy’s head turned to face her as she continued, “In villages you don’t have access to many news nor sort of leisure town folk take for granted. Naturally, they will be way more curious about events, because they aren’t bombarded with those every day.”

“Ah, a little scholar waking up in you again?~”, her brother said with a small, teasing smirk and poked her with a wing.

Right, those wings. How awesome those must be. They literally look like birds’ wings. Soft feathers all around, slowly sliding to a singular point along the length, creating a tall triangle with softened edges. It must be quite nice to just fly around, feeling the wind and be completely free from the ground, able to go just anywhere. Skip oceans or even huge masses of land that would take days to hitch-hike through. How I envy them for those.

Wait a moment. They have wings. They can fly.

I wasn’t paying attention to what they were talking about, my gaze was fixated on that wing until a thought struck me. I looked up to them again and noticed them staring at me, with smirks, with those teasing, treacherous, evil smirks! What have I done again! I quickly felt myself fluster at their gazes.

“W-what?” Honestly, that’s all I could muster? A ‘what’? Stupid pegasi ...

“I see you’d like to take a closer look at my wings, eh lass? Or maybe at me in general?~”, the guy said with a light chuckle.

At him in general?!

“What?! NO! No! Nothing of that sort! My gaze just fell on them! I don’t remember the last time I saw wings, I’m just curious, that’s all! No need to make such a big deal out of it!”, I said to protect my dignity, but I had a feeling it would drop to astonishing lows when travelling with them so was it even worth it? Maybe I should just focus on a creative riposte to their actions rather than on defending myself like that?

“Heeelllloooo~”, guy said, poking my cheek with his wing. Okay, it felt incredibly soft, barely felt it. Even felt a hint of a ticklish sensation. I’d like- GAH! Astrala! What the fuck?! I dozed off into thoughts again?!

“What??”, my eyes snapped to his again.

He just smirked, looked back at his sister and they both giggled. Oh, I’ve about had it! With my magic I grabbed one of their boots each and halted them in their tracks. In perfect unison, both of them made the same squeaking and surprised sound as they tripped, face first into the dirt path. I stopped with a smirk, heavenly proud of my creation here in front of my eyes. That’s what you get, feather-brains!

They got up and chuckled both, cleaned their faces.

“Alright alright, let’s go or we will never get to another town.”, he said.

“It’s not me that stopped, it were you two, slowpokes.” I smirked.

“Slowpokes? Oh, okay! Big oak tree over there, we race to it! Let’s see who is such a slowpoke!”, the mare said.

“I’m in!”, guy added quickly.

Both of them got into positions with their heads lower to the grounds and wings unfurled fully by their sides. They looked to me.

I sighed. “Yeah, okay.” I got into position, but not that much into it. It’s a waste of energy, why do it? Besides, I am a very fast runner, doubt those two little pegasi could outrun me.

“3. 2. 1. GO!”, the guy counted down. Which reminded me that I still can’t remember their names. I started running instantly, leaving them in the dust. Ha, puny pegasi would neve-

ZHOOOM!

Both of them zoomed beside me, going almost twice as fast as me, wings flapping and completely, and I mean COMPLETELY, ignoring the ground.

I looked in awe. Damn, they are fast when they fly. Which reminded me - wow, I forget a lot of stuff - what I was intending to ask them! I now ran a bit slower, because there was no way I would win this race anyway. Once I got to the tree, both of them were panting, leaning on it while sitting.

“Hah, we won. Who is the- haaah ... the slowpoke now?~” Completely out of breath. Looks so vulnerable like that, no wonder they asked me for protection, being this brain-dead and all.

“Sure, I am the slowpoke and you look like you now need a break.”. I said.

They both nodded to which I just rolled my eyes.

“Which reminded me that I wanted to ask. Why do you need protection if you can just fly away like that? Can’t you just ignore every danger by flying?”

“You know how tiring that is? No way. Those wings are too small to fly long distances.”, he said, almost out of breath.

Makes sense, compared to birds, they are rather small considering wing to body proportions.

I shrugged and sat down under another tree opposite to them. A forest was beginning to form, we were just on the outskirts. Maybe we would be able to find a small river or a pond since it looks more lush than before.

“It shouldn’t be a long break. It’s better to take refuge in the forest. It will cover the smoke from our fireplace easier and might mask us from any unwanted visitors. Don’t take too long.”, I said to them.

They both nodded and the guy muttered, completely out of breath, “Sure. Just a few minutes.”

I leaned my head back on the tree and decided to enjoy some peace and quiet. It was nice. Nothing happening, nor going on. Some birds could be heard from the crowns of the trees, maybe being fed by their mother, maybe just looking for a partner? Few flowers could be seen on the ground, but what really was out of place was the amount of mushrooms. It was nearing the season after all, in early autumn, where the rains are still happening quite often, but the heat wave is not that clear, those like to sprung up all over the place.

Eh, too bad I don’t know much about them. There is a lot of poisonous mushrooms, so picking them just like that might not be a good idea. I know few though, but not for eating.

After my thoughts on mushrooms I heard them get up. Was this enough of a brake for them? Shame.

I got up as well and asked, “Ready?”

They simply nodded. We continued walking again, this time through the forest. Sun showed noon, so there was still quite a lot of walking to be done for the day and next few days too, but once we are in another town or village we will be able to relax again. Of course I should try to find some work anyway. Some spare coin could be nice and besides, I like to fight stuff.

After full eight hours of walking and rather useless and unimportant small talk, we had finally decided to call it a day.

Well, they did. I wanted to continue walking, but they were constantly whining in my ear.

“Astralaaaaaa! Pleeeaase!”, the guy whined with a fake sob.

“Stop being such a foal, the sun is literally only just setting! We could still tackle some more road and be almost half way!”

“But we already are half way!”, the gal said with a rather adorable hoof stomp. Pegasi are just tall kids. Granted those two aren’t very tall, but neither am I really. Not that I’m short or anything! I’m normal height! Standard. Basic. I think ... I think unicorns are just tall, because I don’t remember many ponies taller than me.

...

Yeah ... hmff. I’m short, like a mare would be, fuck off now, not tall. Your eyes just don’t work, those pegasi are simply very, very short.

“Fine, we will make camp over there, around those trees.”, I said, pointing out to a place just a few dozen steps away from the road.

They sighed in glee, rushed there and, both in unison, fell down on their faces. Were they really that tired? Weak.

I got to them, took out the sticks and rocks I have collected just a while ago as we were still walking and began setting up a campfire. Very simple thing, a bit of dirt dug out, circle of stones and sticks in the centre, suited in a way so that the fire burns more of them as it starts up. With my magic I spawned a small flame and my makeshift campfire started growing, slowly lighting up the place all around us. Not that we needed that, it was still rather bright, but it would get dark very quickly so better to have it now.

I sat down and looked at them. They slowly sat up around the fire and sighed, looking really tired. That gal was lightly massaging her hind hoof after taking off her boots. Guess I do need to go lighter on them.

“So in terms of food, what do you have?”, I asked.

They both looked at me and the guy said, “Well, we have some flatbreads and salami.”

I waited, looking at them, hoping to hear more from them. Still waiting. Waiting. Desperately hoping to hear more. Don’t tell me ...

“That’s it?”

“Uh, yeah?”, gal said with a crook to her head and a small shrug.

“Are you serious?”, I asked and sighed deeply. Fucking useless. And here I thought I will be able to just sit and eat without working much.

“Well, we usually just buy little, make it to the next place and eat there. Is it bad?”, the guy asked, but I ignored him.

I levitated out my small pot and with few rocks I tested if it would sit atop the fire without touching the wood, which it managed. I really need to buy myself a holder. Oh, and a bigger pot now, it seems.

I looked into my bag, seeing if I could use something for a quick stew. Hardtack, jerky, blueberries, small brick of butter and a hoofful of rosemary. Well, will have to do.

I took out my jug with water and filled the pot with it. Then I threw in all of those ingredients I had, some with lesser quantity than that of others and put it over the fire to start boiling. Will take a while, but will also be much tastier than simple flatbreads and salami. Stupid pegasi.

“Oh.”, gal just said, staring at the pot.

“Yeah, was supposed to be your job.”, I said.

She looked away shyly. “W-well, We didn’t know you could have a whole kitchen out in the wilds.”

“Not the whole kitchen. A pot, few ingredients and you have some good food. Seriously not that hard. Tell me at least you do clean your water?”

“Clean it? Nah, we just buy it fresh in next town.”, guy answered me.

“Uh huh. And what if you have some leftover?”

“We get rid of it.”

I facehooved. Bunch of idiots.

“You imbeciles ... how have you survived out here for so long is beyond me. You use either alcohol or vinegar to kill germs and you can drink it again! Besides, it IS way tastier this way anyway! Have you been living under a rock?”

They leaned away a bit, taken slightly aback by it, but come on! How can you be so-

“Okay, we understand. Don’t be rude.”, the guy said, clearly not liking my outburst.

“What? Don’t give me that. You are now upset at me? I should be upset at you!”

“What we do is our business, not yours. Didn’t you say something like that before?”

“Oh god fucking damn it. Okay, do whatever you want to do. Burn through your money, I don’t care.”, I waved a hoof and got up.

“Look over the stew, it will be ready in like two hours or so. Stir it sometimes. I’m going foraging.”, I dropped a wooden spoon inside the pot and started walking away.

“Foraging what?”, the guy asked as I was walking into the forest.

“Not your business.”, I said and heard no more complains. Bunch of idiots.

How can you walk around the wilderness, from town to town and be this uneducated. Even I know that just this little bit of additional work for your own food will make it ten times better. Even a simple thing as sterilizing your water for crying out loud! How annoying they are.

They probably have every luxury at home, which would explain their lack of knowledge. I seriously should have just not talked to them, nor accepted any deal or proposal they had for me. Why did I even bother? Honestly, why. I knew it would end up like that, why in donkey’s ass did I even try.

Guess, looking at the bigger picture, I am the grand imbecile here. Ghh, don’t think, just gather some stuff around here and shut up.

...

I really like to talk to myself. Eh, what do we have around here? Trees, grass. Oh, mushrooms, right, it’s season for them. I see some browncaps here, might as well take them. I levitated out a knife I had and started cutting them at the stem, picking up quite a number of those in a rather short time. I might sell those later.

Beside sporadically placed mushrooms, there really wasn’t a lot in this forest. It was quite bare, honestly. Quiet and bare. That is very unusual. Way too unusual, now that I think about it.

I stopped and decided to listen in on anything out of place and there I heard it – nothing.

I heard absolutely nothing.

When do you hear nothing in a forest? Never. It’s always some birds or something. Crickets at dusk and such. But here? Nothing. Quite unusual and strange. I walked a bit more, trying to remember my previous steps so that I have no trouble walking back to those feather-brains. Slowly and quietly making my way along the grass, avoiding sticks and keeping my eyes peeled and ears sharp in case of any danger.

It was then when I noticed something. It was a pole with some things stuck to it, bones and a skull? It had feathers in few places as well as some grass and flowers in other.

That’s when it hit me. A quiet forest and a totem like this? A leshen. A leshen that is possibly ready to attack.

I immediately turned back and started running to those pegasi as fast as I could, dodging the trees just barely, trying to get to them as quickly as possible. One day of being a guard and I’m about to fuck it up already. How brilliant.

I quickly got to them, stopped loudly and shouted, “Gather the fuck up! We need to leave, now! Quickly! Up! UP!”

They got startled and confused and, obviously, stayed in place. The mare asked quickly with a tad of worry in her face, “W-what’s going on? Why-“

“There is a leshen in this forest, we definitely cannot here as it might attack us! Now move if you value your life!”

They finally got up and started putting back stuff they had previously took out from their bags.

“W-where are we going then? What are we supposed to do?”, the guy asked.

That is a good ass question. Think Astrala, think. Normally I’d just go and kill this shitling, but endangering those two bitch-nuggets won’t be a smart move. If we make a run for it, just maybe we manage to get out of this forest and get to the village on the other side of it.

“We make a run for it. There is no point going back, we run along the path and when I tell you to fly away, you are going to fly above the trees, at least ten meters above them and fly to the village at the end of this forest. We will meet there.”

“Meet there? What do you mean?”, guy asked with a touch of worry.

“If he comes, I will fight him. I can’t escape like you do, but since you can, you will.”

“There is no way we will be able to fly this far.”, the gal said with clear worry forming in her tone.

They look ready to leave. I motioned them with a hoof to run along the path and they started, while I followed them closely.

“If not, then at least stay above me for the duration of the fight. It will be tough as I have no time to prepare.”

“How do you know he is going to attack us? Maybe he is friendly?”, the guy asked again.

“Have you noticed how quiet the forest was? No birds, no crickets, no nothing. That, and I found his totem inside the forest. He uses them to mark his territory. The only question being, will he actually leave us alone? In his territory? We better not stay to find out. Now quicker! Run faster!", I shouted at them and they actually started to run faster. Guess when it comes to being alive or dead, suddenly they don’t whine.

We’ve been running for a good minute or two and then heard a scream of pain. The leshen did not target us, but he is close, just as some ponies are that have clearly been attacked by him.

I slowed down a tad bit and said, “Okay, we were not his target it seems, that’s a relief.”

They got to a full stop and started panting. I looked behind and stopped as well, rolling my eyes a bit.

“Wait - hah - who is ... the target then?”, gal asked.

“Maybe the villagers from the town we are heading to? Who knows. It was definitely a pony scream.”

Then we heard another, antagonizing scream, filled in pain. Both of their faces grimaced and turned completely white from fear.

“Yeah, this one sounded like a pony too.”, I simply added.

“Can you kill this thing?”, she asked.

“Yeah, but it’s not so easy.”

“Then you need to help them!”

“What?” I raised my eyebrow at that. “Why? They are farther away from us and I am to protect you, not them.”

“W-what? So what? They are ponies! If you can kill it, then do so! Go and help them!”

“I’m not going to, you will be put in danger. I am to avoid putting you in danger and if you are in said danger then I am to protect you from it. Would I be a good guard if I left your side now?”

She stood there, looking dumbfounded a bit.

“You did leave our side when you went foraging!”, she said with a raised voice.

“Yes, because I thought you were safe and now I realised you are not, so I came back. What do you not understand here?”, I asked her, slowly getting a bit irritated while another screams could be heard.

“That- you- Gah! You’re terrible! Why-“

“I’ve been called worse.", I cut her off, "I don’t care what you call me, I’m doing the job you paid me for and nothing more. Now better stop standing there and come on, once the leshen finishes them, he might come for us. You really don’t want to meet him.”

And so I started walking, but I heard only one set of hoofsteps behind me. Then, after a second or two, I heard the guy shout, “Wind!” and I heard some flaps.

I turned around and noticed that shit-for-brains mare flying slowly above the trees towards the screams, where leshen probably is slaughtering our placed-not-on-purpose bait. Things could not have been easy, no. I got to guard some assholes that look for problems in their boring ass lives. Pitchfork up arse, I’m telling you.

Upon noticing her flying away I shouted loudly, “COME BACK HERE!”

I started to run after that mare as fast as I could, but I quickly lost sight of her as she flew above the crowns of the trees. I could only make slight glimpses of her, slowly flying farther and farther away from me. That fucking dipshit. At least I know where she is going, guess I will have to fight tonight.

I kept running roughly in the direction of those screams and shouts that were slowly thinning out. Not an easy thing to do as it was getting dark quickly. While running, I casted the candlelight spell so that I could see where I’m running at least.

Eventually, after running as fast as I could for quite some time I got to the place. I noticed a yellowish blob between the trees quickly fly upward, dodging a bunch of razor-sharp roots elongating themselves at her. She has a death wish, seriously.

And there it was. Blood all around it and ponies dismembered in every direction. Legs lying without their rightful owners, still pouring fresh blood out of them, parts of their intestines and other organs all around the previously green ground, as well as hanging from some branches and small bushes - a massacre in short, even thought I didn’t make it short.

And, in the middle of it all, a creature comprised of brown and rotten-green colours. It looked like a small, but round creature, walking on two, short legs that looked like roots of a tree. Its arms just as short as its legs, hanging lazily down by its round sides. A rough staff made from roots in its claw, grasped tightly. A coat made out of horrid-looking moss covering its back, sides and head. Lastly, the face. Barely visible, looking like an abomination of weirdly shaped roots trying to make some sort of face with unnaturally elongated chin, its bright, yellow eyes, clearly visible in this forest slowly being taken by night, dark sky and a pair of incredibly tall antlers, covered in blood, as tall as its whole body height. All around this creature were roots going in all different, unnatural directions and a few crows sitting on top of them.

Then, it turned and noticed me. It made no sound, but simply pointed the staff at me. I felt the ground under me shake, it was already attacking me. I quickly dodged to the side, evading a bunch of sharp roots escaping from the ground where I just stood that had plans on impaling me right there and then.

As I got on my hooves again I pulled out my warsword in one go and began advancing the monster quickly.

It spared no time, pointed the staff at me again and tried the same trick. They are incredibly smart creatures, easily adapting to changes in battlefields and their enemies, expecting specific movements seconds in advance. Simply speaking – able to think tactically. A way of battling those foes is using their ability of predicting our movements to our advantage. Usually it means putting our lives in a game of chance, but leshen are too powerful for a single pony to be able to do anything more.

I immediately stopped and turned around a tree, changing my direction 90 degrees and making half of an arch to run at him again. As I expected, he thought I will be running straight at him, so his attack was being set in advance. It missed me with some room to spare and gave me some needed advantage. I needed to focus on that staff, his source of power.

As I was running at him, being just few meters from him, he held his staff horizontally with both of his long, pointy, wooden claws and then created a wall between me and him made out of thickly entangled roots, about two meters in height. Incredibly short, meaning he didn’t have that much power at the moment. I jumped high enough to just make it above the wall, sword pointed at him and I was about to pierce his face, when a big root slammed me away in the last second. I flew a dozen feet away, rolling in the dirt, letting out few winces of pain.

That hit was extremely powerful, but I am glad it was not a stab.

I hit a tree with my back, luckily not too hard, because I wasted a lot of that momentum on rolling through dirt. I quickly got up, ignored the pain and looked to him, holding my sword close to me.

Didn’t have much power? Or did he plan that? He would have pierced me then, not slap me away. Time to change the tactic.

I started to run at him again, slightly slower. He held his staff at his side, pulled it back and then swung it forward, making a big, thick root come out of the ground, coming straight at me with its sharp point.

I went into a solid, defence stance and waited, anticipating a strike. It was coming from my right, so I positioned my sword closer to it. As it was about to hit, I smacked it with my sword to push it away to my side just enough, while dodging to the other side, successfully evading a thrust. I heard the root dig into the ground behind me.

Another thrusting root, this time from other side. Same tactic and worked as well. Distance was already shortened immensely. Few more steps and I will be at its horrid face again.

Now the leshen was not joking. He struck the ground with his staff and smaller roots, but great in numbers, dug themselves out all around me. I stopped and moved the candlelight behind me so that it would be just behind those roots. I noticed a shadow of a root behind me pulling back, getting ready to stab me. As soon as it was about to, I swung my sword around and struck it, heard it get slashed off by the blade and land on the ground. Then another root from my right was about to stab me. Without stopping the momentum, I swung the sword around my head and struck the root, cleaving it off. Then the next, and the next.

Leshen was getting hurt and irritated. He decided for a direct approach now, which was my chance. With timid, green light spawned from his staff, he turned himself into a flock of crows that rushed straight at me. I covered my face as to protect the most vital parts. The crows scratched and bounced from my armour and clothes, not doing much damage beside a few scratches and cuts from their beaks and claws. Luckily not managing to hit anything vital, like my eyes.

Then, as I expected, he appeared behind me to grab me in his claws so that I am kept in place. My sword was already pointing behind me and as soon as I saw his shadow materialize behind me, I thrust my sword right where his face would be.

I heard a low, slightly crow-like screech - jackpot. Moving slightly down on my front I steadied myself and bucked him in his face with my rear hooves as hard as I could. He slid out from my sword and stumbled back, letting go of his staff.

Before he could react, I turned around and blasted him with a bunch of flames coming out from my horn, burning him alive. He screeched louder now, but still in that low, trembling tune that you could feel piercing your heart and soul, echoing and resonating inside your chest. I kept going though, cooking him to be about well-done, but since I’m no cook, he ended up being burned to a crisp. Once on fire and without the staff, he was at my mercy and soon enough he screeched no more.

I stopped my magic and looked down in front of me. Scorched roots and a dead leshen, as well as a bunch of grass blades on fire all around him, quickly spreading.

My magic fire is slightly different than normal fire. At first it burns deep red until it eventually turns into that orange hue of a typical fire. I quickly stomped it away as to not create a fire hazard.

After it was done I put my warsword back to its scabbard and let out a sigh of relief. It was a bit tiring, not gonna lie.

This was clearly an inexperienced leshen, a very young one I assume. Still, a formidable opponent. Now I would normally glue any facts together, but I have something more important to do.

“HEY! Where you are?! To me right now, feather-brain!”, I shouted around the forest.

Like a good dog, she flew from the trees’ crowns down on the ground and landed in front of me, looking slightly terrified, but also very relieved. Eh, not that dogs can fly or anything, but that she listened to my call, obviously. I’m not stupid.

“You do that again and I will tie you up, is that clear?”, I told her.

She simply nodded and said quietly, “I didn’t expect you to be this, uh, skilful. Eh, normally I’d be amazed and all, but we need to find any ponies that, uhm, might still be alive.”, she said, looking over at that pool of a massacre, having a sickly, dizzy face.

I simply nodded, seems to be the best course of action now. I walked forth, closer to those lifeless lumps and shouted.

“Hello! Anypony around?! It’s safe now!”

“Over here!”, somepony shouted not that far away and we walked there. Correction, I walked there, that featherbrain rushed there quickly as if hoping to do anything to help them. I sighed and started to trot, hoping that lass won’t get in trouble again on purpose.

We came to the source of that shout and looked upon eight stallions all with crude weapons that mainly consisted of pitchforks, some had swords even. A few of them, about three or four, were lying on the ground, severely wounded.

“I- is that thing dead?”, one stallion asked, looking like their leader. Besides that, he looked like he pissed his pants, honestly.

“Yeah yeah, all dead. Give me space.”, I said and quickly walked up to the ones that were wounded, first to the one that was losing the most blood.

Two stallions beside him looked at me weird, but did not stop me. I glanced at the wounded guy.

Two holes, one at the chest, one at the side. Beside a huge loss of blood, he looks like he might pull through. Nevertheless, I lowered my horn to those gaping holes filled with blood and worked my healing magic on them. I heard some of those stallions say something, but I’m not quite sure what it was. While casting that spell I need to seriously concentrate. After half a minute or so he was healed, but his body still did not register full recovery and thus he was still in pain. Mild pain, but pain nonetheless.

I got up and moved to another one and then another one. Done my magic on both of them, requiring slightly less energy as their damage was not as severe, but it still was plenty tiring. I finished the last one, opened my eyes and noticed him asleep. Hah, almost looked like a scene from some fairy tale, just with reversed roles. I was not going to kiss him though, I don't kiss ouchies.

I stood up and felt my legs turn to jelly. I slightly gasped in surprise and was sure I’d end up on my side, but that feather-brain lass was beside me, securing me with her side and wing around me.

“Are you alright?”, she quickly asked me, her voice filled with honest worry.

“Y-yeah. Spell’s tiring, ‘tis all.”, I said, feeling the effect of this exertion on myself now. I moved my weight away from her side and on my hooves again, not needing the help anymore, but her wing still stayed over my back. In my vision I noticed that leader guy walking to me, so I faced him.

“I honestly don’t know what you did, but it seems you’ve saved some of us twice. I thank you greatly, if it weren’t for you, we all would have wound up dead.”, he said, with sincerity in his voice and a light nod of his head.

“Yes, you would be. What came over your minds to attack a leshen? We are lucky he was a young one, otherwise I would have been dead too, probably.”, I said, feeling it a bit tiring to talk and stand at the same time, my head hanging a bit lower than usually.

“Well, it was giving us a lot of problems, we had to take action-“

“Okay okay, c’mon, we’ve set up camp not far away from here. We can talk there. Take the wounded, but do it carefully. I healed them, but I’m not perfect at it, they might still have something broken, so keep an eye on them.”, I said simply.

He nodded and ordered few of his men to do as I said. Meanwhile that feather-brain was guiding me back to the camp, saying nothing at all to me. Hm, I like this nickname.

While we were walking back those stallions were quietly talking, but no idea about what. I’m too tired for that. I looked to the feather gal and said.

“You should go find your brother. He didn’t go with us.”

“First I sit you by the camp. We’re almost there.”, she said firmly.

“Go, find him. I’m alright, I’ve had worse.”

“Doesn’t mean you have to go through the worst. Be quiet now.”, she insisted. I sighed and let her carry me.

After a short while we noticed the light from my campfire and her brother sitting there, attending to the stew. So he wasn’t being useless after all.

He noticed us and ran up to us. “Oh, you’re both safe, thank the gods.”

“Thank her. All her doing.”, she said and lead me to the fire and sat me down. I felt like a sack of potatoes and sighed like one.

Other earth ponies gathered around and some set up a secondary fireplace. Their leader sat beside me and said, “Thank you again. If there is any way I can repay you, please, say so.”

“Well”, I sighed again, “I usually take money for those monsters, but I already did the job. Feels somewhat cheap to ask for that now. Let’s say we will see later. Are you from the village up west?”

“Yes, we are.”, he simply replied, to which I leaned back a bit, confused.

“Then what are you doing here? That village is still a bit away from here, no?”

“That son of a bitch lead us here. Made us think he was weak, so rather than letting him lick his wounds, we had decided to finish him. It seems he wanted to cut us away from any possible retreat and then began his attack. This forest is too thick in this area to just run and get out of it from here. We were trapped like fish in a net.”

“Hm, at least you have courage to admit it. I’ve met too many ponies that would just try to act tough.”, I said and looked at the pot, seeing that pegasus guy stirring it and replying to some other earth pony stallion what is in the stew. I hope he isn’t planning on sharing, there is barely enough for three ponies, if one can call half a bowl of stew enough. It’s not a big pot.

“You took this monstrosity down alone, I’m not going to fluff things out of proportion in front of you.”, he chuckled slightly.

“Glad to hear that. You guys have any way to sleep out here?”

“No, but we will manage. We have to now, since we’ve been played like fools.”

“I will help you build shelter.”, I said and started to stand up when I heard my favourite pegasus shout in her feminine voice.

“NO!”

I looked in her direction and saw her walking to me from attempting to help some wounded pony. She walked up to me and said, “You sit here and dare not to even move a muscle no more! You barely could stand!”

“Tough shit, you told me to help, didn’t you?” Hah, feels nice to get back on your own words, eh?~"

She huffed rather adorably. “Don’t use my words against me and keep your ass down. Brother, get her my hammock, after she is done eating she will sleep in it.”

Hammock? Also, it would be good if they were to address each other by names, would have reminded me of them at least.

“She will take mine, it’s alright.”, he said, to which she simply nodded. He, on the other hoof, got to his bag and started taking out some sort of rolled up woollen cloth.

His sister came to me and started taking apart my accessories and I was quick to protest. “Ey, ey, what gives?”

“Relax, I’m just going to put those aside so you can feel more comfortable.”, she continued to struggle to take off my scabbard.

I shrugged, used my magic to unbutton and loosen any straps that needed that so that she can do what she wants. She took my bags and weapons and put them by a tree. I decided to be nice for once and when she was done I said.

“Thank you.”

She smiled at me and went on to take care of wounded earth ponies. Meanwhile other earth ponies were talking with each other, but I wasn’t feeling like eavesdropping currently.

Then their leader beside me said, “You’ve got some nice, thoughtful friends.”

“They aren’t my friends. I’m their escort.”

“Oh, I see. Well, they are nice either way. Where are you heading to?”

“To your village, they are troubadours, but wanted some protection on the road due to all that war happening nearby.”

“Ah that. We’ve lost half of our stallions in that war already.”, he said, sounding depressed.

“You were attacked or they volunteered?”, I asked and looked to him. He was looking down at his hooves, ears pulled back.

“Neither. Enemy army came to our village and simply took half of them. If we were to fight back, they would have torched the place. We had to do it. There went our blacksmith, half of our farmhooves and my son too.”, he now looked even worse, and then added with a scoff, “And now we had this monster to deal with. Oh, life isn’t easy. Maybe those troubadour friends of yours are what we would need there right now, actually.”

Hmpf, not friends.

“Just remember they don’t work for free.”, I said.

“Does anybody? Oh, well, you did now, sort of, but you have my word I will not let you leave our village without at least being properly fed and having a good bed to sleep on.”

“Don’t get me wrong, I appreciate the words, but I don’t believe them. I’ve been scammed too many times to just believe something like that. If you are sincere however, I will be greatly pleased and surprised. Positively surprised.”, I said with a small smile. He nodded to me, putting up a smile as well.

Then my male pegasus friend bumped into me from my other side as he was sitting and said, while pointing to some trees. Wait, not friend, my male pegasus idiot. That's more like it. I don't like him.

“Your hammock is ready, m’lady~.”

He was pointing at a piece of soft looking cloth tied against two trees. I looked to him and asked.

“Okay and what does it do?”

“You sleep on it. It’s a standard for us pegasi. We like to sleep on trees, sooooo some smart pegasus came up with an idea to put bed and tree together! And here it is – hammock!”

“And how do I get up there? I don’t have wings.”, I lightly smirked at him.

“I will fly you up there then.”, he shrugged with a smile. I simply rolled my eyes and looked aside.

He nudged me and asked, “So, maybe a little song to lighten the mood? Appreciate it, I usually want payment for those.” He smiled teasingly.

“I am your protection. It should be you paying me in gold.”, I said with a playful smile.

He chuckled lightly.

“Yeah right. If you were a stallion, gold for a song would have sufficed, but I don’t ask of gold from mares~.” He grinned at me and made his eyebrows go up and down.

I felt myself froze and burn on the face yet again. He simply laughed and added, “Don’t worry! This one's on the house~.”

And so he started playing that lute of his. He used his wing on the elongated part and near the egg-shaped one. Looked quite hard in my eyes. He also sprung up some little singing. His voice was, and I’m having hard time admitting it, quite lovely. It was just between a very high or a very low voice, perfectly capturing all the variety of notes and tones he had to hit, while having an up-beat and cheery feel to it. Everypony seemed to quite enjoy the music, warming them up just as well as the fireplaces shining lights in every direction, separating us from the pitch dark forest.

Once he was done with his little music spectacle everypony clapped their hooves. I refrained from it, simply to not make him think it was anything special to me, just to maybe tease him with it later. In all truthfulness, that song was really nice. I couldn’t help but smile hearing it. It warmed up every inch of my body while it was resonating perfectly with his voice, like two leaves dancing around, slowly falling onto a lake and moving along with the current, while both avoiding each other and not strafing too far away. It felt good, lively, happy, cheerful, do I even know other words to describe it? Could be tough.

I noticed him smiling at me, probably awaiting my verdict. I simply nodded.

“Mhhmmm, good enough, quite alright.” Unable to help myself, but crack a smile, a teasing, playful one.

He immediately knew what I was up to. He nudged me again with a chuckle and said, “Sure, missy~.”

Then, I noticed his sister handing me a bowl of that stew and said, “Here you go, eat first.”

“Uh, n-no, give it to other ponies. I’m alright.”, I said, slightly uncomfortable, being told to eat while others might not only be more hungry than me, but also need it more. I can last without food and it’s not like I won’t have any anyway.

“Eat.”, she said firmly and added, “Others might have not had a chance to enjoy a meal if it weren’t for you. Now eat.”

I sighed and took the bowl in my hooves, better not to strain my magic further. I got it closer to my lips and slipped a bit in my mouth. Thick, salty and lumpy, but still better than eating flatbreads and salami. I quickly finished my bowl and sighed.

“My my, hungry, were we~?”, feather-brain beside me asked with a smirk.

I lightly hit him with a bowl on his head, at which he just giggled.

“Sure.”, I replied with a smile and leaned back a bit, supporting myself with my front hooves behind me, firmly on the ground.

I looked up, trying to see the moon up in the sky, but not only had I seen no moon, there was also a thick layer of clouds. Still, it didn’t matter. It was a peaceful night. I started hearing the crickets in the background along with other ponies talking. Seems the forest has woken up from this leshen’s rule.

Oh, and how godly it was. Cold air tickling your fur with that light breeze carrying it along every strand of hair. That smell at night was also something different. If you were to tell me few months ago that day and night smell differently I would have laughed. Now, I feel the difference. Sun is bright, blinding and it pierces though your fur like hot blades. Night though? Night is calm, it’s gentle. It’s just so peaceful. I feel just amazing sitting at night. So amazing that I slowly felt myself doze off.

Just this fireplace is weirdly resonating with the atmosphere. On one hoof, it greatly adds to the enjoyment, giving you that slight warmth that contrasts perfectly with a cold, freezing night, giving you a perfect mix of both. On the other, it's really blinding and the sound of cracking firewood just isn't what I enjoy.

I blinked and looked around, my vision slightly skewed, angled to the side. I raised my head and looked around, noticing that pegasus grinning at me. Why was he- oh, no. My vision was skewed. I dozed off on his shoulder.

I awaited it, something from him, a tease, a word. But I’ve been awarded with nothing of that sort. Rather than that, he nudged his head to point at a hammock and asked me with a really soft, understanding voice that I felt echo deep in my chest, warming me up better than any fireplace.

“Need a lift up there?”

That was unexpected from him. Maybe he was tired too? O-or he was meaning on getting to the hammock with me?! N-no, Astrala, relax. He definitely did not think that. You can’t know a pony after, what, two days? It’s impossible. Don’t be rude.

I nodded to him. He flew up and above me, grabbed me under my shoulders and lifted me up. It felt slightly weird, but I was too tired to think anything more than that. He set me in a hammock and after it felt like it would just snap under me, I stopped going down and I was sitting in it. It was really soft and warm, filled with some sort of puffy cotton or wool or something of that sort, but was greatly unusual. It felt like I was disappearing in it, it was very elastic and so it moved down with my weight a great distance. Still, it held me pretty well.

“Sleep well.”, he said after setting me there and flew back down. I lied down on it, again thinking it would just go down with me, giving me a back massage by falling on a bare forest ground filled with nature's blossoms, but no, it kept my weight. That hammock is weird, but also quite comfortable.

Before I knew it I had fallen asleep, quite content.