I have to admit, I have seen many, many odd things. From the daedra of Oblivion, to the most demented forms of madness. I have seen far more than any mortal has a right to in our short, seemingly insignificant lives.
And yet, this place, this weird, colorful, and bright land topped all of them. There is no other land in the world where creatures such as manticores and monsters can live in such ways, where the concerns of daily life are focused on love and peace, rather than fighting and death. And now a piece of that violence, that evil, had brought itself here, and all of these denizens were relying on me to save them from it.
Frankly, I had no idea what to do. I’ve saved and killed so many people, stopped invasions of undead and dragons, but even I was a little out of my league here. These people, these… ponies, needed me, they’d die without me. I had no clue as to how to help them, how to stop these daedra, but no matter what happened, I was at least going to try.
It’s the least I could do.
----
Two days after the attack on Ponyville.
----
The sun shined down on me, shining its bright glow into my eyes. I raised my hand to my face, shielding it from the heated rays. The day was hot, and I was unused to the heat. My dragon bone armor was too insulated to wear in this temperature, and I’d left in it my room.
I lowered my hand and gazed outwards at the horizon, turning my back to the town proper. I could see the massive mountain city at the edge of my vision, resting on the side of the colossal figure. Luna had called it Canterlot, in keeping with the theme of horse pun related city names. I imagined what it was like in there, watching down, hearing news of an apparent attack on a small town nearby.
If they were like every noble I’d ever met, then they’d probably be more focused on themselves than this town. At most, they’d be worried that the creatures would attack them after wiping this town off the map. It was expected, very few of them would be thinking of ways to help the situation down here, and why would they? Money and cities were more important than one small insignificant town.
There was a flash to the side of me, and I turned to it, coming face to face with a short dark blue alicorn. Luna smiled and walked up to me, taking short strides as she did.
“How goes things Do’Jzir?” She asked me, stopping a body’s length from me, her long glowing mane flowing to a still as she did so.
“Well enough, moon princess.” I answered, turning to her for a moment, my right hand stroking they hilt of Dragonbane on my waist. Luna nodded and took notice of my watching of Canterlot in the distance. “And you?” I asked her.
“As good as can be expected. Twilight and Tia are trying to close the portal again, but neither of us believes they’ll be successful.” She sighed, “It’s odd to think that only a few days ago everything was normal. I wish things would go back, if only that was possible.”
I nodded, “Khajiit often thinks the same.” Luna raised an eyebrow, but didn’t respond. I focused once again on my surveillance of the surroundings. My eyes wandered to the forest I’d come out of, Everfree. It’s dense and bushy front was blocking my view into its interior, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was watching me whenever I looked at it. I turned away.
“What are you looking at?’ I heard Luna ask me, walking up and following my eyes as they wandered across the landscape.
“Nothing in particular,” I responded, “But this one believes that knowing the land’s layout would be very much helpful in certain circumstances.”
The princess nodded, “Yes, I agree with that, but…” she walked up to me and poked me in the chest, making me wince slightly, “You were looking at Canterlot, you were rather focused on it actually, what was that about?”
I rolled my eyes and returned to my activities. Luna waited impatiently for an answer, and I was working hard, attempting to come up with a good answer.
“It’s unlike anything in Tamriel.” I finally said, “But at the same time, every about it is like Tamriel. Khajiit is having trouble figuring it out.”
Luna raised an eyebrow, confusion clear on her face. “How so?” she asked after a brief moment.
“The way it is built, the way it is made. Khajiit has never seen anything like it. Yet he knows that if he were to travel to it, to speak to the residents, to the people, he will find a stark similarity to his own land.”
Luna looked even more confused than before, “I still don’t quite get what you’re saying? What do you mean?” She asked.
I closed my eyes and thought of how to say what I meant. “This land is very different from Tamriel. It’s not a violent, as dark, yet khajiit knows that if he bothered looking, he would find just as much conflict, selfishness, and evil. It’s just better hidden. Less focused on.”
I looked down at my feet while I waited for a response. After several long moments, Luna spoke, “That’s a bit of a grim view Do’Jzir. Is this place you come from really that bad?”
I let out a soft chuckle, “Such a view is needed to survive in khajiit’s world. It is as dark as he says. There is constant fighting, wars are commonplace, bandits and outlaws wander the lands, monsters and undead hunt down everyone they can.” My tone grew more and more dark, and I realized that I’d been gripping Dragonbane tightly, not even noticing as I got caught up in my speech. “Khajiit did not learn to fight for any reason other than that he had to.”
Luna looked like she was about to say something, she opened her mouth to speak, then closed it and look down to the grass beneath her hooves. I turned away from her and refocused my view on the land; despite having been there for over two days, I had never had time to get out and get a good look at my surroundings, I’d always been too busy keeping an eye on the oblivion gate or speaking with one of several ponies.
Luna most have been reading my mind, about the talking to ponies thing that is, “I know that you’re probably a little busy know, but I’ve been told Captain Armor wishes to speak to you, he wouldn’t say why.” I looked at her in surprise, Armor and I hadn’t talked more than once since I arrived here, and it was hardly a conversation.
“And what is it Armor wishes of Do’Jzir?” I asked her. She shrugged and turned away.
“I know not. It may be best to ask him yourself.” Without letting me say another word, she teleported away in a bright flash. I shook my head, straightened my sword on my belt, and turned to head back into Ponyville.
----
As I walked inot his office, Armor turned to me, his eyes looking me over from head to toe. I’d seen others with the same gaze as him, bodyguards, town watch, and the most skilled of warriors, all of them had held that determined gaze at one time or another. I realized that he was sizing me up, checking how much of a threat I was. It was something I expected, this was the first time he’d seen me up close, every other time I was at a distance, or blended into a crowd. The captain looked tired, worried even, but still he carried that look of toughness to him.
“Is the Armor’s inspection over?” I asked after a period of time, “This one was called to speak with it.
”
The first thing Armor said was not what I expected, “Do not call me that.” He said. Not asking me but telling me. His voice was rich with authority, it was the voice of one used to issuing demands, not receiving them.
“But that is what he is. Armor, a shield, defense. There is no better suiting title.” I responded. Armor glared at me, annoyance in his eyes.
“My name is Captain Shining Amor, and you will address me as such.” He spat out at me, “And if you do not then-” I cut him off.
“Shall he send his men at khajiit? You’ll fight him yourself?” He continued his glare, and opened his mouth to speak, but I cut him off before he could, “Khajjit does not wish for conflict, but he is not one for orders. He is not a will-less lackey to be ordered around. Armor has called for Do’Jzir’s attention, it is advised he speak his business while Khajiit still has time for such things, for there are far better things he could be doing.”
Armor grunted in annoyance, then shook his head and looked straight at me. His lips opened numerous times, and his eyes wandered across the room, attempting to think of a way to say what he wanted. After several moments, he sighed and looked down at the ground, his tough demeanor falling off like a mask without strings to hold it.
“We are not warriors.” He told me. “None of my men are ready for things such as this. War…death; these things are foreign to our land. None of us are well practiced in conflict, none of us have every fought in a battle.” He sighed and looked up at me once more.
“What I’m trying to say is that I – we, need your help. You’re an amazing warrior, among the best I’ve seen. I saw you kill that creature, the one that Celestia couldn’t even defeat, and I couldn’t do anything. I couldn’t save my ruler, I couldn’t do the very task I have dedicated my life too.” I spotted something in his eyes, something I knew too well; guilt. “I want to ask you, as a leader worried for his men, as a stallion worried for his land, could you try to teach some of what you know to my men.”
He wanted me to train his men? I didn’t know what to say; I lifted my hand towards my chin and rubbed it in thought. I supposed I could. I’d never done such a thing before, though, but how hard could it be.
“Yes.” I said, and Armor staggered as if from recoil, he was probably expecting resistance.
“Really? Did I hear you right? You will?” He asked, his amazement clear in his voice.
“Yes. Khajiit will. If the Armor believes it will save lives, then he will. When does he think Do’Jzir can start?” I answered and asked him. Armor looked for once, hopeful, a thin but still noticeable smile spread across his mouth.
“You can start today? Heck, you can start now! My men have set up in the town hall when they’re not on duty. They’re probably training right now, I’ve started them on a new regimen, in case this whole thing becomes a serious threat, but now that you’re helping them this should be much easier.” There was an odd new tone to Armor’s voice. I wasn’t expecting it. Gratitude.
I followed Armor as he walked across the floor and opened up a door using his telekinesis; he walked through and turned around to me. “You coming?” He asked. I nodded and followed him out. This should be easy, I thought to myself, I just had to teach a few techniques to the soldiers, and help them get them down. Easy.
----
The pegasus in front of me jumped to the side, trying to dodge my swing from the practice sword Armor had provided. He was successful, the blade passed by him and he leaped at me, holding a wooden sword in his two hooves (I have yet to discover how they do that), swinging it at my chest. He was overconfident though, when I blocked it with the flat of my sword, he was thrown off balance, and he staggered backward, passing the sword from his hooves to his mouth, using his front feet to land on the ground.
He looked up just in time to see my swing at his side knock him off his feet. He looked up at me from the ground of the ring, and sighed. “How did I not get that in?” He asked, standing up and walking to the end of the ring. Several other ponies who were sparring looked at him for a moment, but they resumed their activities not long after.
“You must not give away defense for offense,” I told him, always be prepared to block any blow, and never lose your balance.”
The pegasus nodded and took up his position again, holding the sword in his mouth. While the fighting styles and stances we took in fighting were vastly different, seeing as I couldn’t hold a sword in my mouth if I had too, the basics were applicable. Enough so to teach the ponies the basics.
The pegasus was the first to attack. I let him get close, but when he swung his sword to my side, I lifted the mine and his sword once again hit the flat of it. I redirected his to the side, and its tip clanged against the floor. He struggled for a few moments before I slipped my blade past his and struck him straight on the chest before he could recover.
He let out an “oomf” and pushed away from me. To the side, a blue unicorn laughed, “Wow Red Wings, he’s annihilating you!”
The pegasus looked at the unicorn with an annoyed expression clear on his face. “I doubt you could do any better,” he said when he had collected his breath, “This guy could beat anyone here.”
I shrugged and looked around at the ponies that had gathered near the ring. The unicorn lifted his snout (?) in the air and huffed. “I bet 10 bits I could. He doesn’t look so tough. More of an overgrown cat than anything.”
My eye twitched.
Did he? Yes he did.
He called me a cat.
I opened my mouth and charged him, screaming a battle cry while pulling out my sword and cleaving him in two with one swing, spraying his entrails across the grass.
…
Okay, no, I did not do that.
“Khajiit is not a cat!” I almost yelled at him, attracting the stares of all present. He looked at me and nearly laughed.
“Alright, you up to a little fight then, cat?” He stepped into the ring and lifted up a practice sword with telekinesis. I took a deep level and calmed myself before responding.
“And stoop to your level? Khajiit would rather not.” I said to him, picking up mine and turning to Red Wing. “Now, some advice for your form is to-” I heard the sound of air whipping behind me, and I rolled forward just in time to avoid a downward swing from the unicorn.
“I challenged you!” He yelled at me, “By honor of Canterlot chivalry you have to accept.”
I chuckled, “And what makes you think you can defeat khajiit, all that will be gained is your humiliation, and what will be lost is your dignity.”
“I wouldn’t be so sure of that.” Armor said as he walked to the side of the ring, “That’s Keen Stroke, and believe it or not, he’s probably the best of us. Even better than me if you’ll believe it, the kid is a natural.”
I turned to Armor, and he nodded back at me. Rolling my eyes, I stepped back into the center of the ring. “Very well.” I said, “Khajiit accepts your challenge.”
Keen smiled; a cocky look that suited him. “This’ll be over in seconds. No sweat.” He walked to the center of the ring, facing me, and took up his sword, levitating it close to his head, the blade angled upwards. All other ponies exited the ring, creating a circle around us. The time was right for a fight.
Except neither of us attacked. We stood there for several seconds, before someone in the crowd, someone I recall looked to be Red Wing, yelled out, “Aw get on with it!”
That was when Keen rolled his eyes and charged me. This took me by surprise, he was faster than I was expecting, and I barely managed to duck under his entry swing. He didn’t lay off, he went with the flow of his swing and turned it into an overhead slash, which I leaped to the side of. He let out an angered grunt.
“Fight me cat, stop running like a coward!” I let out a chuckle and he slowly stepped forward. For a moment it looked like he was about to leap at me again, but then he changed style, and angled his sword downwards.
I braced myself for an attack, and he swung his sword to my right. I prepared to block it, when he suddenly pulled the attack back and rushed me, taking me completely off guard; he smashed into my chest, nearly impaling me on his horn in the process, and stabbed forward with his sword. At this range, I was nearly defenseless, but I managed to pull my leg up just as he was about to land his blow, and kick him straight in the chest, sending him off his feet and throwing him to the end of the ring.
He grunted as he landed, but before I could get in closer to attack, he was back on his feet, looking only slightly winded from my attack.
“You’ll have to do better than that if you want to beat me, cat.” He taunted, circling the ring with me in in the center, “Because I think you may have met your match.”
I took the initiative this time, I ran forward, straight at him, and he braced himself for an attack, lifting his dull metal sword to block my swing. But I didn’t use a normal attack; I tossed my blade up into the air and caught the flat steel in between my hands. He looked surprised for a second, and I swung the upside down sword’s heavy pommel at him. He tried to block it, but the weight sent his guard far lower and smashed the hilt into his head. Before he could do anything, I closed the distance and kicked him in the face with all the strength I could muster.
His head rocked backwards for a second, dazing him, and he blacked out for several moments. Seconds later when he came to, he found a sword at his throat, and his laying on the ground a fair distance away. The crowd was speechless.
“You won.” He said out loud, whether to himself, I, or the crowd, I do not know. Then he stood up on his legs and looked at me for a moment with a strange expression, before he bowed down, his face nearly touching the ground.
“I was wrong about you. Please forgive me khajiit. You are worthy of my respect.” He said.
I looked to Armor, who shrugged, before I turned back to Keen. “You’re apology is accepted.”
Keen stood up nodded to me before going to retrieve his sword. I took the moment to glance around me at all of the ponies; their silent gazes were almost creepy.
Finally, someone spoke up. “With you on our side those things from the gate don’t stand a chance!” And with the barrier broken there came a massive current of cheers and shouts. Numerous counts of them asking me questions, advice. They were willing, and they had potential, that much was clear.
I could only hope they lived up to it.
----
Hours later, Armor and I leaned against a wooden fence on the rim of the ring, watching as two of his men, two pegasus ponies, battled with practice swords and armor, the sound of metal on metal ringing through the air. Amor was looking onward with a certain satisfaction, earlier this day these two were green as grass. Now, well, they were still inexperienced, but there was an improvement.
“You’ve done so much in such little time,” I heard the captain say to me from my left, “I’ve never seen somepony get so much better so soon. It took me years to become as proficient as I am now, but if you can keep this pace up then, well, they’ll be ready for the worst of wars in days.”
I smiled, “You give khajiit credit where none is due, all he has done is given some advice, a few tips. No great task.”
Armor turned to me and gave me a look of disbelieve, “Do’Jzir, look at those two now,” I did; one of them executed a counter, nearly landing a blow on his opponent, “One day ago they’d have stood no chance in battle. The royal guard has been lacking these days; we’ve gone so long without war that we’ve softened. You are helping us turn that around, and you’re doing a very fine job of it.”
I nodded, then looked past the two fighting pegasi, at the other ponies near. Many were talking to one another, about the training, about the gate that still stood in Ponyville.
“These are good men you have. With a little training, some practice, they could become warriors. Good ones.” I sighed and looked downward, “If only such things were not necessary.”
Armor looked up at me. He opened his mouth and for a second I figured he was going to say something. Then he closed it and looked off into the distance toward the massive flame spewing orange gate. It seemed so out of place, like it was simply torn from another world and dropped in this one. Which was remarkably close to the truth, both for it, and me.
After a while Armor looked up at me, “Hey, Do’Jzir, do you ever wonder how you got caught up in all this?” he paused and looked awkwardly at the ground, “I mean, what are the odds of you being plucked from your world at the exact same time as those - those things decide to invade?”
I nodded, “Yes, khajiit has thought of such things, but he has yet to declare an answer. He figures that he simply has a habit of getting caught up with things such as this.”
The captain made a curious noise, “You have a more fascinating life than I. You really aren’t worried about this; you’re just going to go along with the flow? Don’t you want to go home?”
I recoiled from his question. Time seemed to slow as I thought over the same question in my head again, as I had countless times. Did I want to go home?
The answer is not immediately clear. This land was…nice, different. If it weren’t for the daedra it’d be downright pleasing. My mind reeled back to my countless adventures in Skyrim, to my best moments, to the moments that I felt the land was truly worth living in, from when I plunged my blade into Alduin’s skull and banished his evil from the land, from when I took the head of General Tulius for both Ulfric and lady revenge, to when I was granted the artifacts of the daedra time and time again for my efforts, to… to -
To the countless friends I’d lost because of my stupid damn adventures. The dozens of wanderings that had ended in the deaths of those close to me. Mjoll, Lydia, my friend, Kharjo, and more, all lost due to my idiocy. My mistakes.
Did I want to go home? Did I want to continue the life of murder and death, fighting and chaos? Once, there was a time every day, when I would pause, a time when I would ask myself if such a life was worthwhile.
And now that I was there, I think I knew the answer.
“No.” I said to Armor, taking a step away from the ring and letting out a deep breathe, “Khajiit does not care for home. Not anymore.”
Armor’s eyes opened wide, “Really? I couldn't imagine the situation you are in; I’d want to get back home as quickly as possible. You want to stay?” He asked me in disbelief.
I nodded. “Some homes are a shelter, others a prison, khajiit thinks it is time to leave it; no one will miss another vanished hero.”
“Are you sure? You don’t think anyone will miss you?” I nodded again, ‘Well then, I hope – hey! Knock that off you two!” He turned away from me and to several ponies that had exchanged their sparring swords for sharpened ones, and ran off after them, leaving me alone in the light of the slowly setting sun.
My eyes wandered across the landscape, finally setting on the gate in the center of town. There would be a time for me to worry about it, but not now, I thought as I looked at the sun in the distance, for now it could wait until tomorrow.