Preparation
I half-smirk at my listeners, whose jaws have dropped over the course of this latest part of the story. Even Celestia has a raised eyebrow and a slightly tilted head, which considering her usual poker face, is pretty impressive.
I idly scratch the back of my head and reach out for my mug. Somehow, me doing this snaps Applejack out of it. "So... lemme get this straight. This Purgle feller was so mad y'all got away from him the first time that he challenged you to a death match?"
I nod, putting the mug down. "I believe that's the story I have just told you, yes... But as you can plainly see, I survived, against all odds."
"Eh, you kept your game up when it was seven of them against you,” Rainbow Dash says dismissively. “I bet you coulda kicked the rump of that one dude, no sweat!"
I can’t help but feel a little inflated by her relaxed positive opinion of me, but at the same time, I have to scoff and cross my arms in disdain. "If we hadn't been fighting on one of the busiest roads in the minotaur tribal lands, I wouldn't be here talking with you for a number of reasons. If you recall, I said I was this close,” I hold up my thumb about half a centimeter from my index finger, “to slipping up and getting my head lopped off."
Rarity clicks her tongue. "I suppose that's all speculation, darling, but I am indeed curious to know how you escaped fighting in a death match with such a bloodthirsty ruffian."
I raise an eyebrow at her. "Escaped?" Oswald and I exchanged a look. "If you think I ‘escaped’ from that unpleasant episode, Rarity, you came to the wrong conclusion."
Her eyebrows knit together. "You… actually fought that beast?"
I nod and run a hand through my scraggly hair. "Yep, I participated in the death match alright." Unlike when Rainbow Dash praised my skills, I feel like I can let my ego grow off something I actually could do, and in fact, did.
The ponies, especially the Crusaders, gasp in surprise. "Does... does that mean that you… killed him?" Fluttershy whispers in horror. "Did you actually kill another civilized creature?"
My half-smile fades. I take a quiet, deep breath as my gaze trails to the table, which Reginald is leaning against. I gently reach out and wrap my fingers around it.
~~~
It was a good four hours before the crowd around us dissipated, and that was after detailed interviews to four separate reporters. Each of us had a different reaction to it all, as you can imagine.
Purgle preened at each one of the questions, as if all of this was the highest honor he and his clan could get.
Turgis was a good sport about it. He half-joked that he wished all death matches would be declared in front of his shop, because it was good for business. And boy was he right: he did see a considerable increase in customers over the next few months. He was outfitting both combatants after all.
As for me, once the shock of it all wore off it was all I could do to keep it together in front of everybody. I knew I couldn't show any weakness or my opponent would use that. I just had to bite my lip and bear enduring conversations about how a giant minotaur wanted my head adorning his wall.
Once the hubbub died down, a group of bureaucrats and city officials came to talk to us about the whole thing. They wanted to make sure the fight would go down smoothly. True to his word, Purgle paid my entry fee – he obviously expected to win most of it back, as I imagine his clan did a fair amount of betting on him to offset the costs.
At any rate, it was decided that the match would take place exactly six months from the current date, to give us both time to set up and do any training that we would require. I, of course, would need a lot, since I didn't really have any combat training that would actually allow me to neutralize an armored opponent. My training in Zenya didn’t cover that much.
The good news was that, after that, Purgle's clan mostly left me alone; I guess they figured they didn't need to rub it in that their leader was going to try to kill me anymore. Sure, I got some threatening looks, but mum was the word even when it came to Purgle himself – all I got from him when we crossed paths was a curt, mocking nod and a smug smirk.
It was late at night by the time the noise died down. Turgis extinguished the furnaces and put the parts of the half-finished armor we were working on before in a few wicker baskets he had lying around.
Meanwhile, I was leaning against the wall of the blacksmith, poking the dirt with Reginald’s lower tip while Oswald nuzzled my temple and a million thoughts crossed my mind.
"Fires are all out, lad," I heard Turgis say from behind me. "Ye can go off ta bed if ye prefer."
I took a deep, long breath, and let it out just as slowly. "K."
His footsteps grew louder behind me, until they came to a stop not two meters away. "Yer worried about tha death match, ain't ye?"
"Psh," I grumbled, rubbing my temples with my free hand. "Imagine me being scared of going into a life-or-death combat situation."
Turgis didn’t react to my sarcasm. "Ye didn't seem that scared when tha whole town was comin' at ye ta get tha story," he observed simply, then snorted and tapped my stick arm lightly with the back of his hand. "Ye were actin' like it was nothin’ outta tha ordinary."
"Yeah, well, I guess the coin hadn't quite dropped yet." I set my staff down and put my head in my hands, blinking hard to get the dry feeling off my eyes. "I didn't freaking travel for years to die in some arena for some sick jerk's pride."
Turgis scoffed and leaned against the wall. "Yer bein a real sunshine abou’ this, ain't ye?"
I returned his scoff and began twirling Reginald. "Since how early are minotaurs trained to fight?"
"Almost outta the womb," Turgis admitted. "Clan chieftains like Purgle devote their lives to it."
"Thought so." I tapped Reginald against the ground. "Meanwhile, I’ve gotten my only training with this walking stick here, and that was probably just under a year, too. I have literally nothing else to go by." I thunked my head against the wall. "I'm not gonna last two minutes against that guy."
"Oh fer goodness sakes!" Before I could respond to Turgis’ change of tone, I felt myself being grabbed by the front of my shirt and lifted into the air. There’s one thing I don’t think he accounted for, maybe because he hadn’t seen me actually fight yet or something: Tycho’s training regime, especially chicken-catching, gave me a scary good reflex time. I’d slammed my knee into his midsection before I knew myself what my body was doing.
I looked up from where I landed to see Turgis crouched with a hand on his stomach, heaving for air. I blanched: it was the first time I’d ever hit my employer and, I’ll admit, one of two real friends I had in a hundred-mile-wide radius.
Then, I noticed he wasn’t just gasping… he was snickering. “Uh… you okay there?” I asked, moving to help him up.
He accepted the hand I offered him, and got back on his hooves. “Heh, heh… don’t ye worry about me. Ah’m old, but not made a’ glass.” He dusted his legs off. “An’ ye say ye got nothin’ to use against ‘im?”
“Uh…”
His laughter died, and he gave me a blank, exasperated look. “In case ye didn’t know, laddie, minotaurs can’t hit with that part a’ their legs that ye used.”
I shook my head. “So I can knee and he can’t. I don’t think that’s gonna be much use against someone using plate mail, Turgis.”
Turgis nodded sagely. “Tha’ may be true, but there be other things yer not lookin’ at. Lessee if ye can figure ‘em out.”
I stopped to think. What did I have in my skill set that could help me against a trained combatant twice my size? “Well, Purgle’s bunch didn’t seem very intelligent, for one. I mean, they kept trying to swat Oswald outta the air even after he showed he could evade easily.”
He slapped me on the back. "Ah've been workin' with ye fer a while now, laddie, and Ah can tell this much: yer a lot more clever than tha’ whole lot put together. Now wha’ else?"
I remembered blades. Lots of blades cutting through the air. “I guess I’m more nimble, too? I mean, it did take a while for them to hit me the first time, and it was because of my own flub.”
Turgis nodded. “That’s two things already.”
After that, I tried to think of more, but all that came to mind was their laughter and my panic to dodge lethal strikes, and let me tell you, that doesn’t make for good motivation. I sighed and slid to sit on the ground. "So I’m smarter and more agile. Meanwhile, Purgle is stronger, has better endurance, the conviction to kill and the training to back it all up. That's not to mention that he has the weapons to do it, too." I picked Reginald back up. "Reginald is versatile and all-around great to have, but it's not exactly deadly to somebody wearing full plate." I raised a bare arm. "Which is something that I don't have, either."
Turgis growled and kicked me in the shin. "Oh, get up, laddie. Yer embarrasin' me, ye know tha'?" When I sighed and pushed myself to my feet, he continued, "Look, Ah won' deny tha' ye seem ta be tha underdog here, but with yer attitude, yer going to lose, fast, and Ah'm gonna halfta say tha' ye never worked 'ere so Ah don't get shamed of a’ business!" He flicked me on the back of the head. "The way it's goin', Ah doubt yer even gonna put up half a fight!"
"I will so!" I retorted, swatting his hand away. "I've come too far to just curl up and die now!"
Turgis snorted a visible gout of steam. "Coulda fooled me."
I raised my head and shot him my best glare. "Look, I am going to try! I really am! It's just really overwhelming right now, okay?!"
Turgis folded his arms. "Ye've never really been in a fight with somethin' that's been tryin' ta kill ye, have ye?"
"I didn't say that!" I motioned to the exit of the city. "When I was starting out on my travel, I got in a fight with some Diamond Dogs." I reached behind me to a sheath I had commissioned and pulled out my flint knife. "I had this in my belly up to the handle, and were it not for Oswald, I wouldn't be here right now."
"Didje whine like a suckling calf before that fight, too?"
My glare intensified. "No I didn't! I just... fought. I knew I would die if I didn't fight, so I fought." A tired feeling washed over me. I think I needed a nap right then, more than any other time in my life. I put the knife away and leaned my head against the wall. "And I'm gonna fight here, too. Like I said, I didn't come this far just to die for some idiot’s twisted sense of honor. If I have him at my mercy, will I kill him? I don't know. But I'm going to make sure that if I go down, I'll go down fighting like a man."
Turgis, to my surprise, was positively beaming at me when I looked up. Before I could say anything else, he burst out into loud, rambunctious laughter, lifted me to my feet and slapped my shoulder. "Laddie, that’s what Ah was lookin’ fer! Ye jus’ proved ye won't die like a little calf beggin' fer his ma."
"I wasn't like that when the Diamond Dog had already stabbed me."
"Exactly!" Another slap to the back. I think I discovered bruises there the next day, I’m not sure. "Yer gonna be okay. A fight like the one yer about ta go through is gonna be the talk of Schunie for generations to come, particularly if ye win." He tapped my chest with a finger. "Nobody ‘as ever fought a human before, so should ye win, yer race will be respected 'mongst Schunie forever; you in particular. Even losing carries some honor, because ye were brave 'nough ta enter tha ring and fight in tha first place." He narrowed his eyes and leaned in closer. "Give 'em Tartarus, laddie. Make 'im scared ta enter tha ring with ye. Use yer strengths to yer advantage. Make ‘im wish he had never decided to enter tha ring with ye in the first place, and ye'll be alright."
* * * *
The next sunrise saw me up and about, training for my match with Purgle. I started by running a warm-up lap around Schunie, and after a quick break, beginning work on my staff combat exercises.
I'm not gonna lie, at first I had no idea how I was going to take out a minotaur at least two feet taller than me with what was essentially a toothpick to him, but Turgis showed me how the second he got a break from work. He beckoned me to an open area behind his shop, where he had a wooden target set up on the far wall. He was carrying a bundle underneath his arm, which he put it on a small table close to a back wall.
He undid the string holding it all together and unrolled the bundle, revealing... "Knives?" I frowned and picked one up. It was about three or four inches longer than my hand, measuring from the bottom of my palm to the tip of my middle finger.
"Knives." Turgis picked up one of the five he had brought, and with a flick of his wrist, it was embedded in the target’s bullseye. "Throwin’ knives, if ye wanna be picky abou’ names." I twirled the knife I was holding in my hand as he picked up another one. "Look, laddie, Ah know ye ain't exactly the killin' type, but ye got ta have somethin' more deadly than tha stick of yers if yer gonna win out there."
I nodded with some disgruntlement. That old codger had really come to know me over the last few months.
He flipped the knife up in the air. "Now, the key ta throwin' knives is ta hold the side opposite the weight. Since these knives are blade heavy, yer gonna want ta use tha ‘andle ta grip ‘em." Another throw, another bullseye. "Now you try it: grasp it by the 'andle, take a step back and to the left since yer right-handed, keep the knife horizontal to yer target, and throw it as hard as you can." Turgis picked up a third knife, and it soon joined its fellows in the center of the target. "Always follow through wi’ yer throw."
I took a deep breath and nodded. "Okay... I think I might have an idea of what to do." I cracked my neck, gripped the knife tightly, took a step back with my left foot forward, raised the knife, and threw it as hard as I could towards the target, exactly like I was told to. To my delight, the blade embedded itself two rings from the center. "Not bad," I contemplated with a grin.
Turgis chuckled. "Tha’ yer first time throwin' a knife?"
I nodded proudly.
"Well then, not too shabby. But!, if yer gonna actually gonna do some damage to yer target, ye gotta be accurate."
He nudged the fifth and final knife to me, and I threw it just like before. It was a little less accurate, but it still got embedded in the target. "I think I could get pretty good at this in six months," I remarked while I walked over to the target to collect the knives. Turgis’ dead shots were noticeably hard to pull off the wood, but I wasn’t glaringly behind him in that aspect either. I took that as a good sign.
"Ah'll set ye up with a more life-like target tomorrow. Gotta get ye something more like what yer actually gonna be throwin' at." Turgis took the knives from me and placed them down on the table. "Ye can ‘probly find a good belt for 'em somewhere 'round here. Mah experience says most places will give discounts fer death match contestants, if it’s not outright free. Th’ prestige comin' from yer business will be good enough for most of 'em.
“At any rate, Ah figure yer good as ye can get on this stick there,” he said, holding up Reginald. “So fer now, focus on gettin’ good at throwin' those knives. Ah have somethin' important ta be workin' on.”
With his part said, Turgis turned around back to the forge. I ran a hand through my hair, seeing how Oswald stared intently at the knives on the table. I picked one up and took a step back.
* * * *
I dare to say that, over the next month, I got pretty good at throwing those knives. Turgis made up a to-scale minotaur dummy and marked all of the weak spots on it. Mostly it was the joints, like the crooks of the elbows and knees, the insides of the thighs and so on, places where there can’t be plate so movement isn’t restricted. By the end of that first month I could hit every one of them with perfect accuracy from more than twenty feet away, while still keeping my training with Reginald up to par.
Anyway, once I showed him how good at throwing the knives I’d gotten, Turgis had me working on how to actually fight with them in melee, in case I lost Reginald or needed to cut instead of smashing the target. It was another two months before I got any good at that, what with it being completely different from the keep-away style quarterstaff fighting is all about.
Finally, I caught a huge break about halfway through the waiting-slash-training, when Bludworth and his clan showed up. I was going through the basic defense knife moves again while Turgis was working, when I heard Oswald squawk excitedly about something. I looked his way and saw him pointing a wing at something that turned out to be a group of minotaurs, led by none other than Bludworth himself. I smiled at the arrivals and gave them a salute with my knife. "Hey there, Bludworth. Here for news on the death match?"
Bludworth smirked and walked up next to me. "Almost everybody is here for the death match, human. You've caused quite a stir since I saw you last."
I shrugged and returned the knife I was using to a bandoleer that I had made for me, wiping some sweat off my face as I did so. “Don’t tell me. I wonder how long it’ll be until they settle down with it.”
"Two months, and nineteen days if the newspapers are anything to be believed," Bludworth said with an amused snort. "If not longer, after you win it."
My smile fell, and I leaned against the back wall of the training area with my eyes closed. "About that…” I started, but then I reconsidered. I didn’t have a reason to talk about my insecurities to him about the match. So instead, I re-worded my argument. “I've been trying to brush up on some new skills. So far, I've gotten pretty good at throwing knives and stuff like that, on top of what I can already do with my Clovevellian staff."
"Hmm." Bludworth resumed stroking his chin. "Have you given any thought to unarmed combat? It’s very likely that either of both of you’ll be disarmed entirely at some point, and Purgle knows how to fight with bare hands. Do you?"
I shook my head. "No. Heck, until a few months ago, I only really knew how to fight with a stick; I owe what skill variety I have to Turgis." I shrugged and scratched Oswald's head feathers. "Sounds like a good idea to learn, though."
He nodded and waved me towards the center of the training space, while his fellows dispersed to attend their own personal businesses. I followed him until I stood in front of him, while Oswald perched on my backpack. Bludworth clapped his hands to get rid of the dust, ready to start his lecture. "The important thing about grappling is to know both your center of balance and your opponent’s. If you can make him fall, you have the advantage, either to buy time to regain your weapon or disable him another way."
"I assume that means going for his legs," I said, motioning to Bludworth’s relatively tiny appendages, "because I can tell you right now that I'm definitely not gonna be able to take a minotaur down by tackling them head-on, let alone a lug half again my size."
"Exactly. However, you need to consider the fact that he's going to be wearing armor down there as well, so you can't hit him too hard or else you risk self-injury. Now..." Bludworth adjusted his stance and spread his arms as if he was going to tackle me. "If you two grapple, it’s vital that you don’t let him get a good grip on you. Trust me, I've seen that slime break the spines of some of his foes in the ring, and they were bigger than you. It's all over for you if that happens."
I took a deep breath and copied Bludworth's stance. "Right. Don't let him get a good grip on. Makes sense."
Bludworth spent most of the rest of the day teaching me various stances and grapple moves. Of course, that means that I spent most of the day on the ground, as he routinely got a good grip on me and slammed me down. It got to the point where I needed some of Oswald's tears to get rid of the worst of the bruising. I knew he was going easy on me in terms of when he threw me down, but I was grateful that he didn't pull any punches when we were actually grappling. Purgle certainly wouldn't, so I figured that it wouldn't do me any good to train under different conditions.
The day eventually ended without me getting the upper hand on Bludworth. In fact, I would go so far as to say he didn't even break a sweat. Eventually, though, the sun set and Turgis closed shop. I sat down with my back to the wall, with Oswald nuzzled up close to me, and looked up at Bludworth, who was putting his armor back on – he had taken it off when showing me the ropes.
"Bludworth, I have to ask you something." He grunted to show me he was listening, and I continued, "What's your stake in me? I mean, why would you help me out like you have? You got me a job, you're teaching me to fight, heck, you even saved my life for no real reason. It's not that I'm ungrateful, but someone running the extra mile like this, if you know what I mean... it's a little disconcerting.”
"You're clanless," he answered as if I had asked him how much was two plus two.
I blinked. "Clanless?"
"Clanless." He finished strapping on his armor and turned my way. "As you know, I lead the clan that you see me with. Our previous leader died of old age after he named me his successor.” He sighed. “But, I wasn't always part of his clan."
That was surprising. "What happened?"
Bludworth took a deep breath and leaned against the opposite wall. "I was originally born in another clan, one that was prone to war." He snorted, and a smirk crossed his face. "Not unlike Purgle's own. It got to the point where anybody who looked at any member of my clan funny would get the full brunt of our military down on them."
"And it didn't work out forever," I guessed. "Your clan got overconfident."
Bludworth nodded. "When I was fifteen years old, one of the more rash members of my clan challenged an elder from another clan to a death match. Given that the elder was far more experienced, my fellow found himself on the brink of defeat in ten minutes." Bludworth's face hardened, and he turned his head in the direction of the arena. "Knowing he would die if he didn't do something, he threw dirt into the face of the elder, then moved behind him and stabbed him in the back. Repeatedly."
I scratched my neck. "I'm guessing that crossed the line of what's acceptable in the ring."
He nodded again. "They say there are no rules in the ring, but that’s only technically speaking. To stab an opponent in the back during an honorable match..." Bludworth sighed and bowed his head. "That night, my clan moved out of Schunie to go back to our territory, and when they arrived, they were met with the full force of three other tribes intent on giving them a lesson. I was the only one to stay behind, to finish up a few deals for provisions for the next day, so I wasn't there when it happened."
I knew where this was going... "So, that left you as the only surviving member of your folks."
"The only surviving male member, yes,” Bludworth nodded sagely. “The widowed females found places in other clans, but males don’t have that luck." He raised his head and locked eyes with me. "Twenty two years wandering alone, human. Over two decades of not having a home, a real means of sustenance, or a friendly ear to listen. It was the single most intolerable experience I have ever been through. None of the others would lift a finger to help me, even the females from my old clan.
He took a deep breath. "Eventually, one of the elders from another tribe chose to take me in. 'A waste of able body', he said when they asked for a justification. There was some hostility at first, as anyone could predict, but eventually, I was fully accepted."
I scratched the back of my head. "Okay, but… that still doesn't quite explain why you've taken such an interest."
A small, sad smile crossed his face. "I think it's because you remind me a lot of myself back then. You have the spirit and resolve that not even a fully armed hunting pack of far more experienced fighters than you could crush. Beyond that, though, the cards don't seem to have stacked in your favor." Bludworth shook his head. "No offense, but I don't think you have the combat experience necessary to fight in a death match in the arena, particularly when somebody like Purgle is involved.”
I took a deep breath and nodded. "No offense taken, because, well, you're certainly right about that. I..." I closed my eyes and massaged my temples. "I'm not even sure I have it in me to kill Purgle, even though I know that, if I don't, I'll die out there." I forced my eyes back open. "And I did not come this far to die now. You would not believe some of the stuff that I have been through."
Bludworth raised an eyebrow and cocked his head. "I'm pretty sure I have an idea. I've been through it myself, as I said."
"You were still around your own species, right?"
Bludworth tilted his head in a slight nod. "If I fail in what I'm trying, I'm never going to see another human being as long as I live. I'm..." I exhaled deeply and ran a hand through my hair. "I'm dying as the last human if I fail... It's a scary thought."
My first friend in this land just nodded, slowly and sagely. “Having no one to relate to on a more intimate level, you say...? I can understand that.”
"Right." I rested my hand on Oswald's back and allowed him to nuzzle my wrist. "So I will do ~everything in my power to make sure that does not happen. I know nobody here can get me home now, but I will survive to try to find someone who can."
"Even if it means killing Purgle?"
My gaze trailed to the ground, and I lowered my head. "Yeah. I'm sure. I'd rather not, but I'm not letting some sadistic bully keep me from getting home."
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WHOOOO!!!! Update! Thank you author!
Reaction to this updating: Scream like a fangirl (Even though I'm a guy) loud enough to wake my neighbors 4 floors down in my apartment complex. (Down as in FLOORS. Do you think this is a game, b**ch?)
Damn, son! This shit's getting good!
Also, I have a feeling that TD is gonna pack some of Oswald's tears for the fight. I highly doubt that'd be against the rules
It's a shame he can't get Turgis to make a crossbow. You know, being a blacksmith and all...
So another update soon?!
2917507 I'm hoping to finish the next chapter today or tomorrow and get it sent off.
That fight's gonna be epic!
God I love this story. The anticipation is killing me. I want Purgle to die horribly.
Hmm, even though we know one possible side of the outcome, this story continues to get more and more interesting.
It's the final countdown!
2917494 I dont think its against the rules because it was still a myth when he found out about it and he found out abnout it like 1 1/2 or 2 years before the battle and still like no one knew about it after he found out about the healing properties of phoenix tears cause even celestia didnt know about their healing properties
Seeing this fic update always makes me grin. Now to try and be patient while waiting for the epic showdown.
2917501 Long distance is dishonorable.
2918137 TD gets throwing knives so it isn't really.
Awesome!
2918137 I beg to differ. If he doesn't kill on the first shot, then he will either need to reload, which will take time, or go to CQC. But I don't see how beating your oppenent before he is even within striking range is dishonourable. In fact, it would be more honourable due to the fact you put them down quickly and don't cause them any unnecessary suffering. Which I'm pretty sure the minotaurs don't give a shit about.
TD should've requested a statue be made in his image for winning.
2918664 Personally, I would do both knees, then arms, and let him crawl around a little bit before putting him out of his misery. That being said, I'd want a fight like this to be over and done with quickly!
Update!
I'm interested in incoming battle. Truly David vs Goliath all over again.
2917554
Unless TURDgle trips on a rock and impales himself. That'd be funny as heck.
2917483 bro army?
Awww yeah! Thing's are about to get epic. It's gonna be so awesome!
Well done. Love it Have some mustaches.
clifhanger...
SON OF A BITCH!!!
I can tell you like making training scenes.
I'm wondering if Purgle actually gets killed by TD. I have an itch you might write him into being shamed off in some way instead. I wouldn't mind seeing him offed really... it's just an itch.
Hope to see more tonight.
Awesome chapter!
2918148 I'd argue that they're dishonorable, as only one well placed shot to the skull is required to kill something. In an honorable fight to the death, distancing yourself from your opponent to kill or cripple them instantly would be a cowardly move. In a battle between two clans or armies, long distance would be acceptable on the basis that you're fighting to keep yourself and your fellow soldiers alive. A weapon that instantly cripples somebody taking down a friend some twenty feet away wouldn't be dishonorable as he's using the weapon to save the friend and by proxy their people.
Backstabs are dishonorable as the person is playing dirty at death's gate to gain the upper hand, which shows they can't be trusted. Crossbows would show that the person is unwilling to put themselves in danger to gain the upper hand, which shows they are a coward.
Throwing knives aren't dishonorable as they are used at closer ranges than crossbows, meaning you are still relatively close to the opponent and thus aren't showing cowardice.
2920564 plus throwing knives at a far range and making a lethal hit takes skill. And skills are honorable. Anypony can shoot a crossbow or stab someone that's not facing you, but killing an opponent by throwing a knife in their eye as they run at you cannot be called dishonorable.
>Throwing Knives
>Throwing Knives with a blade edge
u wot m8
I so want TD to kill Purgle. I'm just waiting for TD to bring an ass whooping after seeing the shit he's been through.
Fluttershy! Purgle is not a civilized creature!
I don't think I'd be able to handle another cliff hanger.
2921783 True dat.
I have a feeling Purgle won't be kiiled. Severely injured is a 100% possibility but getting killed is....sorta unlikely. 6 months of training in throwing knifes and hand-to-hand combat is not worth years of combat experience that Pugle has. I suspect sand throwing and knife stabbing to the back will be involved (not sure who'll do it though)
...and in this weeks episode TD's only 2 local friends help him to continue to develop for the Big Bad of this story arc (and hence the final Big Bad at the end of his quest where he must use all the skills he has learned to use so far) with TD's gadget of the week being the throwing knife and the skill of the week being unarmed combat! But will this be enough for our hero to overcome this obstacle and continue to the next section of his quest and continue to develop his badass legend? Find out next week!
2919251 Er.... What? Sorry, I was drunk while writing that. Neighbors are FEISTY.
Is anyone else getting kind of a Samurai Jack vibe from this story so far, what with TD's travels and adventures and trying to find a way home?
2921783
Civillized creatures don't kill civillized creatures just because... Your comment is justifid.
2923529
if he was a cow he would be samoorai jakc
"On top of that, I'm around 1500 words into the next chapter already and I'm going to get it done today if I can."
*fistpump.*
Thanks for the all the hard work!
2926680 It's already completed and sent off. It's a longer chapter than this one.
2926691
Very cool! I'm looking forward to it.
2926691 Yay!
2918603
And this is the guy Fluttershy could have killed in a single move?
I bet next time TD slaps Celestia the Elements could have the tables turned may Luna not be around.
checked my favourites like every 20 minutes today to see if the new chapter is here... i should maybe consider getting a live...
2923529
Long ago in a distant land, I, Celestia, the equine alicorn princess of the Sun, succumbed to an unspeakable curiosity! But a foolish Non-Brony Human, wielding a magic cane stepped forth to oppose my cartoon. Before the final episode was released, I TWORE open a portal in space-time and brought him to this world, where my word is law! Now the fool seeks to return to his world, and undo the Gluttony that is CELESTIA!
<insert intro music>
I know he was neutral to show and got the cane in Equestria but I had no idea what else I could have written.
2939261
I can't wait to see the episode- I mean chapter where Jack- I mean TD helps defend the Crystal ponies from robots using the crystals around them to make weapons and traps.
2934667 i2.kym-cdn.com/entries/icons/original/000/007/813/Oh7Gj.jpg
People, grab a seat, get some popcorn, and:
Any Non-Bronyverse fanart? I'd love to make a DEATH BATTLE image.
2940081 th01.deviantart.net/fs71/PRE/i/2013/046/a/1/no__i_am_not_a_brony__get_me_out_of_equestria____by_thedifferentguy-d5v0q5i.jpg
Aside from the coverart, that is the only known piece of Non-Bronyverse fanart. Any fanart you made would get its own exposure blog post from me as well as inclusion in the relevant chapter.