Discorded Skyrim: The Star Swirl scrolls

by Fluttercordia


Achievement unlocked! - Unbound - part 1

Discord and the Mane 6 took a moment to catch their breath. They were in the dark keep of Helgen. Tall candelabras dotted the room. Beds were lined up neatly on either side of the walls, a small table and cupboards in the back, right corner. The room shook from the commotion outside, small rocks and dust fell from the ceiling.

"Was that really a Dragon? The bringers of the end times?" The pegasus soldier asked, in a croaked voice. "We must keep moving. Come here. Let me see if I can get those bindings off. Discord and the others made their way over to the soldier. He cut the ropes restricting them and untied their wings. Twilight, Rainbow and Fluttershy stretched their wings out, sighing with relief. Though they were only bound for a short time, it felt like forever. Discord rubbed his batwing, tenderly, grumbling all the while.

Rarity and Twilight, now with their hoofs free, ripped the damp cloth from their horns. Rarity stomped on hers and swivelled it further into the floor for good measure.

a smaller rumble was heard.

"He's really goin at it huh?" Applejack stated

"Actually that was my stomach this time," Spike admitted. "I'm gonna go get a quick snack, you want nachos?"

"Eeyup."

Spike could be heard shuffling from the couch and making his way to the kitchen, a few pots and pans clanged about, and a small crash soon followed, which made Twilight cringe. She hoped that when she made it back, the castle wouldn't be in too much disarray. Well, if she made it back.

"Big Mac?!" Applejack queried.

"Eeyup!"

The mane 6 and Discord started murmuring to themselves happily, it seemed it was always nice to hear another friendly voice. One that wasn't screaming about Dragons, and about to cut their heads off. "Hi, Big Mac!" They all greeted in unison.

Discord leaned against one of the keeps stone walls casually, "Was wondering when you'd show up ol' buddy ol' pal, sorry you missed out in joining us. Next time I'll see to it you tag along."

Big Mac shook his head vigorously, "Ah don't erm.. have much of ah problem with that." he nervously chuckled.

Applejack sighed, looking at the ground. "Don't suppose ya know how to get us outta ere?"

"Ee...Nope."

Twilight drew her attention to their saviour, "Hey, thanks for your help there, that was a close call. Whats your name?" Twilight asked the soldier. He said nothing. "Ummm, did you hear me?" Twilight asked again. Still nothing. Twilight frantically waved her hooves in the soldier's face, trying to get his attention. Twilight groaned and dragged her hoof down her face. "Rude.." She muttered.

"OH HEY! Its Flash Sentry!" Pinkie squealed.

"Flash?" Twilight asked in confusion, he did look like Flash Sentry, but they hadn't seen his cutie mark through all the steel attire. But come to think of it, he sounded and looked an awful lot like him. "I think you're right, Pinkie. How did you know?"

"Says so right here!" Pinkie pointed her hoof to the chest of the soldier, which had a text seemingly hovering in mid-air, front and centre.

Talk
Flash Sentry

Discord cocked his head and made his way over to Flash. He waved his paw through the text, the paw just simply glided right through it as if it wasn't even there. Panicked, he quickly grabbed hold of Fluttershy, and she let out a small squeak at the sudden movement. He sighed in relief that he was still able to grasp and touch things, he wasn't fading away again like the time he tried to bury his chaotic nature, the day he hosted the tea party for Fluttershy.

"Um, Discord.."

Discord looked down at the startled Fluttershy in his arms. He quickly set her down carefully on the floor and turned away. As soon as he did so, he wished he hadn't, for some reason.

Flash Sentry finally spoke up again, "Take a look around," He suggested, "There should be plenty of gear to choose from. I'm going to see if I can find something for these burns." And with that, he turned around and started aimlessly pacing the room.

"Huh. He doesn't seem to have any burns." Pinkie Pie said, scratching her head with her hoof. "Oh hey! I don't either!"

Rainbow ignored Pinkie, who was now moving around in circles, inspecting herself. "Is it just me or does Flash seem a bit slow?" Rainbow snickered.

Twilight scowled but held her tongue. Flash Sentry was the best of the best when it came to his work in the royal guard, aside from her brother. Her face was becoming red hot, resembling a bright fire ruby. This didn't go unnoticed by Rarity.

"Darling, pay no mind to them, and their uncouth comments." Rarity whispered to Twilight. Rarity had definitely started to see the way Twilight admired Flash Sentry, every time they seemed to run into him, which had become less frequent these days as her new teaching duties made their work correlate less. She knew she had been so looking forward to seeing him at the Summer Sun Celebration.

Discord made his way over to one of the weaponry racks on the wall, there were two simple iron swords hanging from the frame. He picked it up and inspected it closely with one eye, clasping both ends on either side of his paw and eagle talon. Rainbow flew over to the same rack and picked up another, exactly like the one Discord was holding. "Awww Yeaaa-UGH!" Rainbow was pulled to the ground under the weight of the sword.

Discord shook his head. "I wouldn't be changing your name to Rainbow Slash anytime soon." He sighed.

Pinkie and Fluttershy made their way to one of the chests on the right side of the chamber, that had the same distinct white arrow they had witness hovering over Flash Sentry, outside.

Search
Warden's Chest

Pinkie took a quick glance at her hoof, shrugged and placed it on the circular symbol marked with an 'x' the chest made a metallic click and opened, instead of finding anything in the chest itself, a drop box appeared.

Imperial Light Armour (2)
Iron Sword (2)
Imperial Light Boots (2)
Helgen Keep Key
Saddlebags (6)

"Ooooh!" Pinkie gushed in delight. The Mares selected their share of the bounty. Fluttershy and Pinkie both did a small jump when they looked down on themselves, to find they had both suddenly adorned the clothing and weapons. Simple iron swords at their sides, their protective gear a light brown leather, chainmail shoulder pads at both their sides. It appeared to also be studded at the skirts with some type of metal, maybe iron, it looked too dull for steel.

"Hey, Everypony! I found our saddlebags, they must have been taken by those soldiers!" Pinkie passed them around to their respective owners, then buried her head in her own bag, "Huh? I swear I packed more than this! Wheres the confetti? The streamers! The Party cannon?!" She withdrew her head and turned her saddlebag over, giving it a good shake. Nothing came out.

Rainbow sat up from the floor. "How did you even fit your party cannon in there?! Ah- Nevermind... I don't want to know."

The mares did a collective sigh.

"I still have my camera.. for some reason?" Twilight confirmed.

"Mine doesn't have any of my things in it either! did any of you find a sewing needle and thread in those chests?" Rarity asked as she made her way over to one of the many bannisters that littered the room. "These tapestries are the only divine pieces of fabric in this here room, and I can't bear to leave them in such a state." She whined.

Rarity looked around the room to see if she got an answer, but all she was met with were eye rolls and groans. She then noticed the new looks Pinkie and Fluttershy were sporting. She was in astonishment. "If only I could change as fast as that!" She looked over the mares new attire again and gagged, "THIS COUTURE IS DREADFUL! Out of all the things that brute of a dragon was burning, it should have been THAT!" Fluttershy, Applejack and Pinkie cocked their eyebrows at the dramatics. "Keep it away! Keep it away, I say!" Rarity hissed, backing up from them.

The others, wanting to give the fashionista some 'cool down space,' left Rarity to hyperventilate while they searched the room for more items. unfortunately, there were no more weapons or nor armour for Twilight, Applejack, or Rarity. Twilight shrugged, "at least both Rarity and myself still have our magic, and Applejack has her brute strength, Discord should have no issue, speaking of which." She turned to Discord and cleared her throat.

Discord was giving his sword a few swings, humming a tune, when he heard Twilights not so subtle demand for his attention. The room went silent, all eyes were on him. They didn't say or ask anything, they didn't have to, he knew what they wanted to know. Discord tapped his claw on the handle of his sword nervously. "So, I can presume you're all wondering...about... all that." They Said nothing, their stern gaze was enough confirmation. Discord sighed, his ears dropped back, and he drooped his head down in such a way, the mane 6 realised that this was a sincere display. "I can't seem to get us out of here."

The girls were so surprised by this, they couldn't even find their voice, a small gasp was all that managed to escape their lips. Fluttershy slowly made her way over to Discord and put his hoof on his paw. "Discord, are you- is this the truth?" She asked softly, urging him to be open and upfront.

"I tried, and tried, I swear to you. I don't know how this managed to happen and I don't know how to fix this. It just doesn't make sense, and not in the good kind of way!" He shouted, Fluttershy slightly flinched, it was clear he was starting to get frustrated,

The room shook once more, the roar of the dragon could be heard, more dust fell, landing on their manes, much to Rarity's dismay. Pinkie Pie shrank to her hooves, "I think we better get going, we've kinda lost track of the task at hoof."

"Let's keep moving! That thing is still out there." Flash Sentry commanded. The group had almost forgotten he was there.

"HEY! Thats what I said!

Rainbow Dash scoffed, "You got lucky Discord, Saved by the Dragon... again."

"Alrighty Y'all, we will ave' plenty of time ta figure this out later, right now- " some battle cries were heard from outside, and what sounded like a collapse of rock and roof from deeper in the keep, echoed through the tunnels. Applejack Shuddered, "ah don't think this is tha time or place."

Flash made his way over to the end of the chamber and pulled a rusted metal chain, indented in the wall, the cage that separated them from the rest of the keep, lifted to grant access. Flash carelessly rushed off into the next room, the group tailed behind him. Pinkie slammed into the wall, just missing the tunnel.

"NOPE, sorry Pinkie." Big Mac, back in Equestria cringed.

Pinkie peeled herself off the wall, her light blue eyes rolled around in her their sockets, and unsteadily made her way through the corridor. "Pffft, don't even worry about it Big Mac, I'm Okie dokie lokie! But maybeee you should let me handle my own hooves... or at least wait for Spike."


They made their way to the next room but stopped before turning the corner, they heard voices.

"We need to get moving, that dragon is tearing up the whole keep!" Came one of the voices.

"Just give me a minute... I'm out of breath."

Flash Sentry took a side glance to Twilight, "Hear that? Stormcloaks, maybe we can reason with them."

Twilight nodded, and slowly crept her way through, giving herself a much needed mental pep talk. "Okay, this is should be simple enough, princess of friendship just making more friends."

The all too familiar threatening music played as soon as she stepped foot into the small room.

"YOU WON'T TAKE US ALIVE!" The storm cloaks whinnied and charged at the alicorn princess and her party.

Twilights first reaction was to shield herself with her wings, though it wouldn't do her much help. "TWILIGHT!" Her friends shouted in blind panic. A loud clang of metal echoed through the keep, as Discords and Flash Sentry's swords met the ones of the rebels. One of the unicorn rebels had more of an uperhoof, as he was able to levitate his own weapon and attack at a further distance.

Discord let out a predatory roar as the unicorns sword made contact with his shoulder. He stumbled backwards, a bar made an appearance below him, red, like the one Pinkie had seen on herself when she ran through the flames outside. This one too started to decrease in colour. The unicorns sword was now not only encased in a purple aura but the blood splatter of the wounded draconequus.

Fluttershy let out a shrill scream and rushed towards her fallen friend. "DISCORD!"

Discord gritted his teeth through the pain, this was the first time he had been hurt in this virtual world, if he hadn't understood the girls' fright before, he could definitely understand now. "I'm okay Fluttershy, get back!" He demanded, and swiftly moved her to the side with his tail, from the coming onslaught.

Rainbow Dash didn't have any trouble this time lifting her sword, it was amazing what adrenaline can do. With her own unique battle-cry, she charged into the battle, grunting as she tried to disarm their opponents. She didn't wish to seriously harm anypony, she specialised in hoof to hoof combat if anything, never to cause anything more than unconsciousness.

"NOPE! NOPE! NOPE! NOPE!" Bic Mac cried. He frantically mashed the buttons on the Ponystation controller, which made Applejack lunge forward at the unicorn rebel.

She managed to knock him back, making him stagger slightly. Although surprised at her actions, she gathered herself again. "Alright Big Mac, whatever it was you did, do it again!" She said as she readied herself again, determination written on her face in high definition.

Big Mac didn't need good graphics to see she was ready to take these rebels down. Repeating his prior actions Applejack swiftly moved again to the unicorn rebel, who was starting to get back up again, this time she bucked the unicorn so hard he fell backwards with a bloodcurdling cry and didn't get back up again.

Applejack breathed heavily, Discord, Rainbow and Flash taking care of two other rebels behind her. She poked the lifeless unicorn on the stone floor, praying for some movement. He was still, lying in a pool of blood that felt warm to the touch. Her breath quickened, as she frantically tried to wipe the blood from her hooves, smearing it more so on the ground before her. Tears started welling up in her eyes.

Not even the sounds of iron and steel crashing together could drown out the sobs of Fluttershy, though. She was being held back by Rarity from running to Discords aid and being comforted by Rarity. Rainbow Dash looked around frantically for Twilight, she was still in the middle of the room, Rainbow rushed to her in an attempt to pull her from the commotion.

Discord withdrew briefly from the battle, a sudden thought occurring,"Why am I doing this? I can just use magic, sure I might not have been able to get us out of here, but that doesn't mean that I, the lord of chaos, doesn't have any at all!" He laughed to himself, how could he have forgotten for a brief moment what HE was capable of. "Sure none of my magic worked before at all, maybe I did have some magical restraints I hadn't noticed? Yes! That must be it." Discord looked to his sword and tossed it aside with confidence. He chuckled darkly at the remaining rebels, "All right then, gentle colts, GAME ON!"

Discord snapped his paw and claw, they erupted in small, almost pitiful flames. He stared at the flames, deadpanned, "You've got to be kidding me..."

Twilight was looking around the room frantically, trying to place a thought on what to do, should she let her friends handle this on her own? "No, I have to do something!" She concluded.

Rainbow had just reached her when she left out again, her horn erupted in a purple aura, and she fired at the two standing enemies.


Spike fumbled from the kitchen, "Okay Big Mac, I got nachos, homemade guacamole, one of them has emeralds in it, that's for me." He placed them on the crystal coffee table adjacent to the couch. "And I also got Quesadillas! Twilights afraid of them.. says they're too cheesy, so guys night is really the only time I can make them."

Big Mac was too busy nervously biting his hooves to answer, not that he ever had too much to say anyway. Spike turned his attention back to his friends on the screen. "WOAH! What in the name of Celestia is going on now!?" He could see a brawl going on, blood splatter was everywhere, and a draconequus growling at his paw and eagle talon, alight with fire.

Big Mac saw this too, "Discord! ya got yer magic back!"

Discord looked around, his face stopped when he came to directly face them through the screen. He somehow had a nat for knowing where to look, it was almost like he could still see through to Equestria. Discord scoffed, "This isn't Magic! Pinkie Pies birthday candles have more flare than- THAN THIS!"

Pinkie Pie shrugged, "It's true!"

"Sp-Spike." Applejack said through tears. She was standing over a lifeless unicorn from what Spike could see.

"Applejack, are you okay?!"

"N-No Spike, I ain't okay. I just ended someponies life!"

"Applejack, listen to me, please. Its just a game, these ponies aren't real." Spike assured, trying his best to comfort and console the broken mare.

"But it feels so... real, so so real." Applejack hung her head low and wiped her tears from her eyes that were now rolling down her face, dampening her fur.

"You're the element of honesty, so tell me, do you think I would lie to you Applejack?"

Sniffing, she looked up to the stone ceiling above her, "You're right Spike," She gave a weak smile, "Though, I don't think I could get used ta this. Maybe one of ya can search some books to see if ya can find anything on this situation, Surely-"

"WHAT?! FLAMES? I didn't cast a fire spell!"

Twilights horn had a small fire on the tip, her hooves on the floor alight as well. Spike noted that It didn't appear to harm her, however, as her health bar didn't decrease in colour. "Spike! Whats happening now?" She asked in frustration. "Ugh what next?"

"Hang on Twilight, let me check! I think i stumbled on something while going through all the controllers' buttons when you first got there." Spike ushered Big Mac to scoot over for him on the couch, and pass him the Ponystation controller. Big Mac practically threw the PS4 controller at him, as if it were an apple he just found a worm in, hitting Spike in the head.

Spike rubbed his temple, scowling at Big Mac. He picked it up and pressed the ◎ button, A small menu, displayed like a compass almost, appeared. It had 4 options, in clockwork order; Level up, Items, Map and Magic. Spike chose the fourth, which opened to another drop box. As soon as he did so the fight ceased, as if the whole world they were in, had frozen in time.

"Umm, Twilight. Looks like the only spell you can do is 'flames,' its a destruction spell."

"ARE YOU FREAKIN KIDDING ME?!"

Spike shrunk back into the pillows of the sofa. "You don't know any other spells in this game Twilight, and your Magicka is only at level one! You have about.." Spike exited out of Magic and selected Skills, looking over the stats. "100/100 Magicka."

"What does that mean?"

Spike reached for the games case and opened it, to find the manual of the game. "That would have been helpful a long time ago..." Spike grumbled to himself.

"What was that Spike?"

"Nothing, nothing. Ah so, when you use a spell you use up these points, and when it decreases from 100 to 0, you won't be able to cast the spell anymore, until it regenerates. Kind of like energy I guess."

"Can someone unfreeze time over here! I'm not used to being still for this long!" Pinkie demanded, she was getting a little agitated and fidgety.

Spike exited the menu, and the battle resumed.


"Here goes.." Twilight revved up on her hind legs and shot forth a feeble line of fire at the two remaining targets. They lit up like a hearths warming tree, only the light was caused by the fires of which consumed them. For a moment the rebels fought on vigorously, as if not understanding their predicament, but soon they dropped too, lifeless.

Flash sheathed his sword as soon as the rebels fell, and the ominous battle music stopped. "Let me see if I can get that door open." He said, whilst making his way to the next iron gate, opening it.

Twilight was just as shaken as Applejack, and for a moment thought she would collapse at her friends' hooves. With all the strength she could muster she shook it off, and followed Flash, who seemed completely unaffected by the massacre. She would have asked if her friends were okay, but she felt if she merely breathed, she would break right there, and she couldn't bare her friends to see her like that. Twilight knew she had to hold herself together for them.

Fluttershy ran to Discords side, wrapping her hooves around him. He stared blankly at the wall behind her as he held her there in his mismatched arms. The bar below him increased in colour again, and all evidence that he had ever been wounded ceased to exist. She remained there for a while, panting through sobs, not saying anything.

Discord reluctantly and gently pushed her away. "We have to go, come on." He whispered, brushing her mane out of her eyes, a few strands sticking to her cheek thanks to the wet fur, subject from her tears.

Pinkie pie lagged behind slightly and spied a broom.

Take
Broom

"Meh." She shrugged, and took the broom, shoving it in her saddlebag. It seemed to fit just fine, it was like the bag was endless.

"Pinkie! Where'd you go?"

"Coming Rarity!"