Arazon Sigurd was training in the yard Not training herself, mind you. Training other young fighters who had interest, as well as the sheer resilience, to be trained by her. The red head had been fighting and training with melee weaponry and general close quarters combat for her entire twenty nine years of life. She fondly remembers taking down her teacher at age six, almost without breaking a sweat. It wasn’t any fancy footwork, nor even the ability to parry. No, she could take a hit, and take it damn well. Arazon has been blindsided by hammers, hit with maces, and even stabbed. She never went down. Nor did she ever really leave her armour. This was for more personal reasons the young grand master didn’t want to dwell on, but needless to say, she still slept in at least chainmail. Otherwise, she was wearing some very heavy armour, clad in thick plate mail with a skirt of steel reaching to her ankles. On her back was her favorite sword, a Zweihander named Meadowlark, honoring a close friend who had been killed a few years back. The sword was very heavy, being a true Zweihander, and even she needed to use two hands to wield it, a testament to the shear mass of the sword. It was a thing of beauty, as well. Her’s in particular measured seven feet and three inches, weighing nearly eight pounds. The handle alone was a good one and a half feet, making the sword truly massive even compared to its kin. Standing at a little over six feet, she wasn’t exactly small of figure, either. She was definitely more than imposing in her full armour, and that worked to her advantage, but not now. Now, she was teaching how to actually fight, sometimes stepping to duel a student herself. She always let her students let what weapon they wanted to use, and her collection was more than expansive. From daggers to true two handed great sword, from clubs to massive warhammers. She firmly believed that any young fighter would be drawn to their particular weapon of choice. She smiled as a young boy, maybe thirteen, hefting a mace and small steel buckler. It reminded her of her own youth, trying to use her strength to take advantage of heavier weapons. She walked over, and chose a blunted long sword and kite shield, and said to the boy to get ready for a fight, her alto voice reverberating throughout the yard. The boy smiled at the challenge, and readied her stance to fight.
Arazon decided to actually give this kid a chance as she made the first strike, bring the long sword on a swipe at the boy’s mace. The boy, despite being laden with a heavy weapon, deftly moved out of the way and used the maces inertia to pull his slightly to the right gambling on a spin to bring up the mace’s speed and hit Arazon’s shield. Arazon knew what was coming, but wanted to see what the kid would do on the offensive. Taking steps back, she let the boy gain ground impressed by just how fast he maneuvered his mace, using his light frame to actually accent the mace’s inertia, using it to make quick movements, and always being on his feet. Arazon considered taking this boy under her wing, and train her personally. His style wasn’t too dissimilar to her own at that age. Quick and merciless. Arazon decided that this fight would end now. She stepped up her game, and started on the offensive. She bashed the mace out of the kid’s hand with her shield, but this wasn’t over just yet.
Interestingly, the boy didn’t concede. In fact, he took it as a challenge. Now, without a weapon, he moved a lot quicker, but still the defensive. He kept on blocking her strikes, but finally relented, conceding the duel. Arazon, after putting her weapons back on the rack, shouted for everyone’s attention.
“Listen here, kids! What this young boy did was a show of tenacity and endurance! Learn from what he did! Be unconventional if you have to! Remember, in a real fight, this is life or death, and being able to defend yourself until help arrives, or you get to it, could mean you live another day! Now you, kid, what’s your name?”
The boy looked a little bewildered, at being addressed by Arazon.
“I’m Jack, ma’am.”
“Don’t call me ma’am. Call me Arazon, please.”
“Alright, Arazon.”
An Hour Later....
“Alright, Jack. Tell me, what type of weaponry do you prefer?”
The apprentice looked thoughtful for a bit, but quickly came to a conclusion.
“I like bastard swords. I love the versatile nature of them.”
“Alright, follow me. I have an extensive collection, so we'll be able to find something for you.”
The two walked into Arazon's personal armoury. Arazon had amassed a massive repertoire of weapons of many types over the years, whether buying them, claiming them in a duel, claiming them from battle, or making them herself. She smiled at Jack’s wonder at the shear number of different weapons there were.
“Ah, here they are. Judging by your frame, I’d she this’ll do. Bit on the shorter side at only thirty-nine inches. Forged this one myself, actually. It should have pretty good weight to it.”
“Arazon, this is perfect! It feel like an extension of myself!”
“Well, time to tes-”
As soon as Arazon was going to issue a duel, a loud crack was heard from beneath them. While Jack looked concerned, Arazon merely was exasperated.
“Don’t worry, kid. That’s just my brother Jason screwing with magic in the lower parts of the fortress. Better go check on him. He may be a prodigy, and a grand wizard at thirty two, but I swear, if he’s been messing with portals again…”
Jack gawked at what she said.
“Wait, you mean the Jason? The one who stormed a fortified town alone?!”
“Uh, yeah. He’s my older brother.”
“But you two don’t look even remotely the same”
“Observant I see. No, I was adopted as an infant. I mean, magic basically runs through this family like the blood in their own bodies. O have nearly no aptitude, but they still loved me like one of their own. I decided that I would take my fascination with melee combat to the next level, and set out to achieve the highest level in the arts of war as I could. And I did. I am recognized as the youngest grandmaster in history, but you already knew that.”
She ended the statement with a good natured laugh, prompting Jack to join in.
“Now, let’s go how my brother screwed nature this time.”
Jason’s Arcanium
“Arazon! Look! I created a stable portal!”
Arazon facepalmed with and armoured hand.
“Great. Does it even go anywhere useful?”
“Actually, I’m not sure where it goes. I’ll go check.”
Jason promptly walked over the the portal and stuck his head through, coming back up and smiling.
“It’s a forest! With plants I’ve never seen before!”
“Damn, Jason, save some discoveries for the rest of humanity.”
Jason was going to reply when something odd happened. There was a cry for help from the other side of the portal.
“Jason, Jack. Someone needs help. Let’s go.”
Arazon grabbed her helmet from the table she had left it at, and donned the intimidating head wear.
And so, grand wizard, master, and apprentice ran through the portal to someone’s aid.
Everfree Forest
“Help! Somepony, anypony, help!”
Apple Bloom, Scootaloo, and Sweetie Bell were trying for their explorer cutie marks when a manticore had attacked from behind some bushes. Now they were running for dear life, or about to get manticore chow cutie marks. The three faintly heard other running footsteps, but didn’t care that much. Then they heard something very odd.
“Jason, toss me! Land me in front of the manticore so I can stop it from moving!”
“Will do.”
Jason raised his hand, and a fiery orange aura surrounded Arazon before she was thrown off into the air.
“Jack, come with me. we’ll escort these… Ponies to safety. Quickly, now!”
Jack obliged, looking back to see Arazon about to take the full brunt of the manticore head on.
Arazon didn’t draw her sword. Not yet, anyway. She instead braced herself, and put out her arms to stop the charging manticore. The three fillies behind simply stared in awe. Then manticore hit, Arazon digging her feet into ground. She only moved back about three inches, a testament to her immense strength. Before the manticore could recover from its quick stop, Arzon kicked it square in the head, and in one swift motion, drew her sword and cut vital arteries in the shoulder blades of the beast. Slinging her sword on her back again, she turned around and kneeled to the two… Ponies?
“Normally I would ask how ponies can talk, but all I want to know is if you’re ok, and where your homes are so my companions and I can bring you there.”
The three fillies nodded, and yellow one spoke, presumably for the group.
“Yah, we’re alright. Sweet Apple Acres is one the edge of town, an’ that’s where ah live.”
“Alright you three. Stay close, to us. Jason, Jack, I see you finally got here!”
Jack responded before Jason could say anything.
“As soon as we started running you had already killed the creature.”
Jason looked to the ponies.
“Alright. First, your names, then we’ll tell you ours. Fair?”
The fillies nodded again.
“Ah’m Apple Bloom!” Pleased ta meet’cha”
“I’m Scootaloo!”
“I’m Sweetie Bell.”
Jason looked a little bemused by the names, but kept to his word.
“I am Jason Sigmus”
“I’m Jack”
“I am Arazon Sigmus”
The three ponies looked a little afraid of Arazon. Noting this, she took off her helmet, orange hair flowing back down to shoulder length.
“Sorry if I scared you girls there. Now then, let's get going. Apple Bloom, your home is closest? Lead the way. Jason, make sure nothing gets too close to us.”
So the six went, until they ended up in an apple orchard. Apple Bloom smiled and led them to a house next to a barn. She knocked on the door, and an orange pony in a hat answered.
“Apple Bloom! Ah was worried about ya!”
Apple Bloom blushed, but still ran to the other pony.
“There was a manticore, and it was chasin’ us, an’ then Arazon came in an’-”
“Hol’ up. Who’s Arazon?”
Only then did she notice the three humans, taking a bit of a step back at the sight of Arazon, who really did tower over everyone present, even her adoptive brother, who only stood at 5’ 10”. She removed her helmet, as she had put it back on while the group went back to Sweet Apple Acres. It was around that time a blue pegasus streaked into view behind the group outside.
Now, Arazon and Jason had seen some, to put it frankly, weird shit, in their time, but Jack less so. already amazed by the talking ponies, he simply gawked at the fast, flying cyan mare. He didn’t even have time to speak before the pony found Scootaloo,and beelined for the fill, wrapping her the equine equivalent of a hug.
“Where were you, squirt? I couldn’t find you anywhere! You had me worried!”
“I’m sorry, Dash, I convinced everypony to go into the Everfree forest to get our adventure cutie marks.”
“How many times have I told you not to go into the Everfree!?”
“I know, I’m sorry.”
The two shared an embrace for a bit longer, but then Rainbow Dash saw Arazon. Her eyes widened at her, her armour, and massive sword.
“Woah! You’re so cool! What are you? What's your name? Where did you come from? What are you here for? Who are thes-”
Apple Jack Cut her off before she could finish.
“Now now, Rainbow. Why Don’t we let our guests have a break. They jus’ saved Apple Bloom an’ her friends. Now, you three. Come on in and treat yourself to an Apple family dinner. Ya earned it.”
The three humans shrugged, and walked inside the small house, Arazon crouching a little so as to not hit her head on the door.
The three followed Apple Jack to the table, which was absolutely covered in various dishes, though all smelling overwhelmingly of apple. All those present sat down on a chair, and began to start eating. The three humans were amazed just how great the food was, Jack particularly fond of the fritters.
And then a question Arazon hated was brought up.
“Ah, miss Arazon? Why don’t’cha take off yer armour? It seems awfully heavy.”
Jason and Arazon both froze. Their eyes glazed for a second, as if lost in their past for a brief time. Then it passed, and Arazon answered.
“Apple Bloom, that is not a story I like to tell, especially to young kids like you.”
“Aww! I’m nearly ten! I’m basically grown-up!”
Arazon smiled at the childish persistence.
“Sorry, not today. Anyways, Jason, Jack, we should probably get going. With my luck some bandits have already set up camp outside the village.”
Jason looked thoughtful, then realized something.
“Arazon, based on the strength and variability of the magical field here, the density of power, and.. Well, anyways, by my calculations, that portal can only be reopened every two years. Damn! I miscalculated somewhere… Jason, you imbecile!”
Arazon wasn’t upset in the slightest. She was still very curious about this place, and saw this as a good way to train Jack daily.
“Well, Jason, we better find the closest town, and find work. Looks like we’ll be here awhile.