//------------------------------//
// Maresaw 
// Story: Fallen Equestria 
// by Kickass222urmom 
//------------------------------//


Chapter 3

Thirteen hours later



"Hmm, interesting," Loric murmured as he and Wyntir stood on a hill overlooking a rather large, ruined village. 

The village, which was surrounded by scorched earth and trees, was in ruins. Most of the buildings were covered in large holes, and a few were completely collapsed. There were also a few ponies walking around, wearing mismatched armor and carrying spears. 

"I don't like the look of those ponies," Wyntir said as he crossed his arms. 

Loric gave a nod as he surveyed the village below. "Who knows, they might be friendly," he let out a laugh as he began to stroll forward, hands in his pockets. "I'm going to go say hello."

"You're a fool," Wyntir commented, but only got a wave from Loric in response. Wyntir shook his head and turned around to take Kara's hand, who had been leaning against a tree behind them. 

As Wyntir began to lead her down the hill, she smiled. "I'm inclined to side with Loric, they might be friendly."

Wyntir couldn't help but smile despite himself. "Fools, the both of you."

The three of them casually made their way down the hill, with Loric leading the way. None of the ponies took notice of them at first, but the moment they did, they began to yell in panic. One of them began to yell out commands, trying to organize all of the ponies. 

As they reached the outskirts of the village, they were met with fairly large crowd of ponies, weapons at the ready.

The tension in the air was intense, with all of the ponies fidgeting with their weapons nervously. They didn't look very impressive, most of them were too skinny to fill their combat outfits. Pathetic was the only word that described the force before them.

Loric glanced over at Wyntir and winked, he then walked forward a few steps and held his hands up. "We mean you no harm, small ponies."

The largest pony in the group smirked, apparently pleased with the show of weakness. "Ya mean us no harm, huh?" He then pointed his spear at Loric and yelled in a confident voice. "Give us all of yah shit an we won't have ta kill ya!"

"Kill me?" Loric said in a mocking voice. "Oh please, anything but that! There are oh so many of you!"

Wyntir only shook his head at Loric's actions, mumbling about his stupidity.

The pony didn't seem to catch on to the sarcasm in Loric's voice, and nodded to the ponies around him. "Take dar shit, kill em if they try an stop ya!" The ponies around him smiled, no longer nervous, and a few of them began to walk towards Loric. They seemed to think they were invincible since they had the numbers.

"Oh no, what ever will I do?" Loric slowly said as he reached to his weapons.

"Don't ya do it," a pony warned as it walked closer to him. "I'll make ya dead if ya do."

Loric turned his head to the pony and smirked. In a flash, he shot forward, his weapons seeming to appear out of nowhere as he began to dance through the group that had advanced on him. As he cut his way through them, the other ponies began to back away, obviously fearful.

As the last one fell, the pony in charge growled. "So ya can play dirty tricks, hm? Well dat won't work again! Kill em!"

"Hold it!" Wyntir bellowed as he dashed between Loric and the ponies. This caused everyone in the area to hesitate. Wyntir lifted his large sword and pointed it at the pony in charge, "Don't throw away their lives out of anger. We will not hesitate to cut down every single one of you, but we can avoid that."

"That's unlike you," Loric commented, not expecting Wyntir to try to stop the fighting.

The ponies around them seemed to be filled with fear, but still appeared to be ready to fight. The larger one stepped forward, "What are ya playin' at?"

"I'm not playing at anything," Wyntir replied as calmly as he could.

The pony just spit in their direction and smirked, "Ya idjit. Get em!"

Wyntir let out a sigh as the crowd of ponies surged towards them, "Wasteful."

The ponies let out a battle cry as they reached Wyntir, but it suddenly changed to a scream as he began to cut them down in droves. Loric soon joined in, dashing through the panicking ponies, his pistol booming ever so often. They tried to fight back, but the speed and power of the two looming warriors were too much for them.

It didn't take long for them to dispatch the ponies, with Loric covered in blood and Wyntir mostly clean. 

"Those poor towns people," Kara said in a low voice. "Driven to violence because of war."

Loric only shrugged as he wiped the blood from his eyes, "Meh."

As the three of them began to walk towards the village, more ponies began to run out of the buildings, running straight towards them.

"Ooo, bonus enemies," Loric chuckled as he held up his weapons. Wyntir raised his sword as well, bracing himself.

But, instead of attacking them, the ponies came to a stop in front of them and bowed, heads to the ground. 

"You saved us!"

"Thank you, strange creatures!"

The ponies were all yelling their thanks, joy on their faces as they kept bowing to the trio. They were all skinnier than the other ponies, and none of them wore any kind of clothing.

Loric and Wyntir stood there in surprise, not expecting this. Kara, however, was the first to speak.

"What do you mean saved you?"

One of the ponies stood up, a huge smile on his face, "Those bandits have been forcing us to serve them for the last month. They promised us that if we fed them, they'd protect us. But instead, they took over our town and made us slaves. We had hoped Celestia's army would come back this way, but we haven't seen them since the battle two months ago."

Kara took in everything that the pony said and gave a nod, "So you are the townsfolk? And the ones my knight and friend killed were bandits?"

"Yep," the pony said cheerfully. "And thanks a million for that." He then moved towards Kara and knelt, "My name is Bliss, I use to be the mayor around here before the bandits showed up."

Kara smiled widely, "I'm Kara Causl, it's a pleasure to meet you, Bliss!"

Bliss then turned to Loric and Wyntir, still beaming. 

Wyntir was the first to reply. "Wyntir Caslin, knight of Carim."

Loric pointed a thumb at himself and grinned, "Loric Penwise, Hunter."

As they spoke, Bliss and all of the other ponies nodded in response, clearly overjoyed.

Before anyone could change the subject, Wyntir removed his helmet and cleared his throat. "We need a place to stay for the night, if you have one."

This seemed to make Bliss even happier, if that was possible. "Sure! Anything for the saviors of our little town!" The other ponies began to chatter amongst themselves, seeming just as happy.

"What's the catch?" Loric asked, not liking how joyful everyone seemed.

"No catch, you saved us, so we owe you," Bliss replied, jumping to his hooves and starting to walk towards the gathered crowd, gesturing for them to go back to the town. "Come on, I'll show you a house you can stay in."

Wyntir glanced over at Loric, who just shrugged, before taking Kara's hand and following after them.

Bliss led the trio into the town, the other ponies stopping to personally thank them as they passed. 

"What's the name of this town?" Kara asked thoughtfully, keeping pace with Wyntir as she held his hand.

"This here is Maresaw, we use to be a trading town, but since the start of this forsaken war, we've been more of a refuge for ponies who have lost their homes. Those bandits you killed weren't the first ones we've had to deal with, but they were the only ones who actually took over," he looked back at them and frowned. "Two months ago, Celestia's and Sombra's armies went head to head right here in our town. A lot of innocent ponies were killed in the crossfire, and Celestia didn't seem to care. They just picked up and left as soon as the battle was over, didn't even try to help us."

"That's awful," Kara said sorrowfully.

"Mhm," Bliss shook his head and continued to lead them through the town. "Anyways, we'll survive, like always." He laughed a bit, "I'll admit, when I first saw you three, I didn't know what to think. But you killed the bandits and not us, so you can't be that bad."

"Don't judge a book by its cover," Loric warned, but Bliss didn't seem to catch his meaning.

They continued to walk for a short while, before finally coming to a decently sized house, one of the less damaged ones. Bliss stepped inside, followed by a weary Loric and Wyntir. 

The house was mostly empty, with only a few pieces of furniture laying around the room they were in. There seemed to be a kitchen and dinning room attached to the living room, with a short hallway off to the left side of the room, with what appeared to be three rooms lining it. The ceiling was barely high enough, with Wyntir having to bend his back slightly. 

Once he deemed it safe, Wyntir reached out and lead Kara into the living room. 

Bliss walked into the kitchen and opened the pantry, "Ah, seems the bandits ate everything here as well." He shrugged and walked back into the living room. "It's not much, but I hope you three like it."

"It's wonderful, thank you," Kara said as she gave a bow.

"How can you tell?" Loric asked, causing her to frown at him. Wyntir glared at him, and began to drum his fingers against the hilt on his sword. Loric saw this, and held up his hands, "Eh, I agree with Kara. It's simply wonderful."

Bliss looked between them, seeming confused by their actions, but his smile quickly returned. "Well, if you three need anything, we're more than willing to help you. Just ask." He walked to the door, but stopped in the doorway, "Again, thank you. What you did means a lot to me, and everyone else. We owe you our lives."

"Don't mention it," Loric said, a smile on his face. Wyntir on the other hand, just nodded.

Once he was gone, Wyntir let out a sigh. Loric looked at him as he made his way to the middle of the room, "What? Tired or something?"

Wyntir placed his sword against the wall and turned his head to face Loric. "No."

With a raised eyebrow, Loric began to rub his chin. "I ask, because you sigh a lot. Is that just something you do, or can you not help it?"

"Loric," Wyntir began, turning to the man and looking him up and down. "Are you going to wash your clothes off or are you going to just remain bloody?"

"Ignoring me, huh?" he muttered as he grabbed the bottom of his coat and waved it around a bit. "No need, my body and clothes will just absorb it eventually."

"What?" Wyntir asked in a monotone voice.

"It'll absorb the blood," Loric repeated.

"How do you mean," Kara asked, still standing in the same spot next to the door.

Loric looked between the two, obviously not use to having to explain something like this, "Uh, well, it's just how my body works, I guess. I get covered in blood during a fight, and eventually it'll just go away."

"I see," Wyntir said as he looked down at his blood splattered armor. "As strange as that is, I'll just let that slide. I don't understand it, but I'll just accept it as is."

Kara began to slowly walk further into the house, holding her hands out in front of her. As she neared a wall, Wyntir reached out and turned her, causing her to start walking for the lone couch in the room. As she reached it, she carefully climbed onto it and laid back. "Wyntir, could you prepare dinner?"

"Of course," he quickly replied, walking for the door.

"So you're her personal guard and her personal chief?" Loric teased, a smug look on his face.

"It is my duty, as she is my maiden and I am her knight," Wyntir replied calmly as he put his helmet down next to his large sword and left them behind.

"All that honor crap makes me sick," Loric said as he popped his back, his smug look never leaving his face. "But don't let me get in your way of playing the honor bound hero."

"Fuck honor," Wyntir suddenly said, catching Loric off guard. He then walked out the door, leaving them alone as he went off to fetch dinner.

Loric pulled off his hat and scratched the back of his head, "That's one strange man."

Kara only smiled at this as she relaxed back on the couch.



ooo000<^>000ooo



The rabbit slowly moved across the ground, being watchful of the forest around it. The sudden crack of a twig caused it to stop and hug the ground, its ears twitching every which way, straining to hear anything else. Just as it started to feel safe, a knife suddenly slammed into it, impaling it.

Wyntir quickly walked up to the rabbit and lifted it up, pulling the knife from its body, and examined it. The rabbit was skinny, just like the others that were attached to his belt. But it was better than nothing, and he quickly attached the rabbit to his belt.

Just as he began to walk further into the forest, the sound of leaves crunching caused him to spin around, hand gripping the hilt of his longsword on his belt. A white pony was walking in his direction, with spiky hair and what appeared to be purple glasses on its face. A strange device rested on its head, and as it drew closer, Wyntir could faintly hear a strange sound coming from the device.

"Can I help you?" Wyntir asked, obviously confused.

But, the white pony just kept walking, nodding its head. It stopped briefly when it was close to him, it looked him over. When its eyes rested on the dead rabbits on his belt, it stuck out its tongue in disgust, but it didn't say anything. It just began to continue on its way, still bobbing its head to the strange sounds coming from the device.

Wyntir watched the pony disappear into the forest and scratched at his bare chest. "These ponies are strange creatures." He shook his head and made sure the rabbits were secured firmly to his belt before he walked over to his upper armor, which he had removed before he started hunting. He lifted it all up by the belts and began to head back to town.

As he walked, he noticed he wasn't alone. He could just faintly hear someone behind him, trying to catch up to him. He didn't feel like he was in danger, so he didn't turn around.

After a few moments, the sounds of leaves crunching was right behind him, and he could hear the sounds of someone breathing heavily, as if they'd just ran a mile.

"What'cha doing?" a small voice asked.

At this, Wyntir glanced behind himself to see a very small dark blue pony trailing him. The pony appeared to be nothing more than a child, but he couldn't remember the world for a young female horse.

"Getting dinner," was Wyntir's reply as he continued walking along the makeshift path.

"Dinner?" the small pony asked as it started to walk beside him. It then noticed the rabbits. "You're going to eat those bunnies?!"

"Yep," Wyntir replied. "Seven to be exact."

"But why would you eat bunnies?! They wouldn't eat you!" the little pony said, a pout on its face.

Wyntir looked down at the pony, but merely shrugged, "Because, they're meat." He then smiled, "Besides, if they were larger and hungry, I'm sure they'd eat you in a heart beat."

"Nu-huh! They'd never eat me!" the pony argued, but then seemed to consider it. "I hope not."

Wyntir ran a hand through his dirty, unruly hair and chuckled. "What's your name, kid?"

She ran ahead of Wyntir and struck a pose, "My name is Honey Pie, slayer of evil!"

"That's nice, kid," Wyntir chuckled as he walked around the kid.

"Hey!" she called out as she caught back up and followed after him. "I'm not a kid, I'm a young mare!"

"You're half the size of all the others, so that makes you a child in my book," Wyntir replied, a small smile on his face.

"Boo," Honey Pie boo'd as she rolled her eyes, "So what are you?"

"A knight of Carim."

"That's your species?" she asked, cocking her head.

"No, I'm a human."

"How many ponies have you killed?" she asked, curiosity in her voice.

This caused Wyntir to raise an eyebrow at the small pony, "That's kind of a strange question to ask, don't you think?"

"Nope," she replied, smiling. "I bet its thousands, am I right?"

Wyntir just shook his head. "Oh yes, thousands upon thousands have fallen to my blade."

"That's awesome!" she basically screamed, not catching his sarcasm. "You have to let me be your squire!"

"Squire?" Wyntir asked, not expecting her to ask that.

"You know," she began, "I follow you around and you teach me your ways, show me how to fight and we go on epic adventures together. Like slaying dragons and saving damsels."

This caused Wyntir to reflect back on his past, back to when he was a small child. He remembers always begging his father to teach him in his spare time, and getting the crap beat out of him during training. His idea of Carim Knights back then was romanticized, he loved the idea of fighting for a single maiden, protecting her against anything and everything. If only he had known of the hardships that he'd have to face in his path to become a knight, he might have turned tail and ran.

But that was long ago, and he does not regret a single thing he has done. 

"You need to drop the fairy tales, kid," Wyntir said harshly. "The real world is a violent place, especially if you go down the kind of path I did."

Honey Pie seemed taken back by his sudden harshness, but it didn't seem to faze her. "I don't mind that kind of stuff. I think blood is awesome!"

Wyntir just shook his head and remained silent, reflecting on his past.

"Are you a virgin?" she suddenly asked.

"By the gods, kid!" Wyntir gasped, caught off guard by the sudden change in topic. 

"It's just a question," she said with a smile. "Are you?"

"Where's your parents?" Wyntir asked, wanting to be rid of this child.

"Dead," she said in a casual tone, and before he could say anything else, she added. "So are my grandparents and aunts."

"Well shit, kid, tough luck," Wyntir said with a sigh. "Then who's watching over you?"

"Myself," she said cheerfully.

He eyed her at this, "I see. Run along then?"

She laughed at this and shook her head, "You're trying to run me off, aren't you?"

"That's the goal," he mumbled as he saw the town coming into view through the trees.

Honey Pie only smiled. "I'll leave if you say I can be your squire."

"No," Wyntir deadpanned.

"Please?" she begged, giving him a pouty face with big eyes.

"No," Wyntir repeated, picking up his pace.

"Pretty please with cheese and carrots?" she persisted.

"Is there a way to turn you off?" Wyntir snapped, clearly annoyed.

"Mhm!" 

This caused Wyntir to look back down at her, "And that is?"

"To make me your squire."

Wyntir let out a loud groan and began to jog away from Honey Pie. 

"Hey wait up!" she called after him as she tried to keep up, but was unable to due to the size difference.

After a short jog, the house came into view and Wyntir went back to walking. As he reached the front door, he heard something behind him that caused him to cringe.

"Mr. Knight!" Honey Pie called out, having somehow caught back up to him. "I almost lost you back there."

Wyntir quickly opened the door and stepped inside, but as he turned around he saw that she was only a few paces behind him. She came to a stop just outside the door and smiled up at him. 

"So, how about making me a squire?" she asked sweetly.

"No, go play knight somewhere else, kid. What I do isn't a game," he growled as he began to close the door.

She looked a bit hurt as she said, "But, I have to learn how to fight. Because..."

Wyntir cut her off as he closed the door and leaned his head against it, sighing very loudly.

"There you go with the sighing again," Loric said from behind him. "Who was that? A fan?"

"You could say that," Wyntir said as he turned around, but paused as he saw Loric, butt naked next to the fireplace. They locked eyes with each other. "There's a reason for this, I hope?" 

Loric chuckled as he reached over to the fireplace, which had a large pot in it with a fire under it. "Just doing my laundry is all."

Wyntir looked over to Kara, who was laid out on the couch. "I see, I see. What will you be wearing till you finish with that?"

"Nothing," came Loric's cheery reply. 

"Lovely," Wyntir said as he rubbed his face and sat his armor down by his sword and helmet.

"I see you've brought dinner," Loric observed, eying the rabbits with a hungry look in his eye.

"Ooo, what did you bring us?" Kara said as she sat up, excitement clear on her face.

"Rabbits," Wyntir replied as he walked over to the kitchen and placed them all on the counter.

"Are you going to make your rabbit stew? Or rabbit strips?" Kara asked as she leaned towards him over the couch.

"Both," was Wyntir's response, which caused both Kara and Loric to make pleasured sounds.

"Looks like laundry is cut short today," Loric said as he finished stirring his clothes in the pot.

Wyntir didn't reply, instead he pulled out his knife and began to skin the rabbits. As he worked, he glanced up towards the window in front of him. Outside, he saw Honey Pie holding up a small sign, which read; "Squire please!"

In response to this, Wyntir held up the freshly skinned rabbit and moved it towards the window. This caused her to visibly gag and run off.

"Damn kid," Wyntir murmured as he went back to work. But despite himself, a small smile broke across his face.