//------------------------------// // Prologue // Story: Brok // by Jhonn //------------------------------// The life of a hermit was not easy, from food and water to a safe place to sleep, not counting on the weather. I don't know how much time has passed now, every certain time I usually sleep to recover, sometimes it only lasts a couple of days, sometimes even years. I guess it's a characteristic of my abilities. But now, the cave where he had slept had changed. No one but time had modified it. How much time has passed? You tend to forget things when you concentrate so much time on others, I've been alive for a long time, I don't even know my origin, except for my name engraved on the only thing I've always had, my forge hammer. I have met so many creatures, so many places, loved and lost. After traveling a few months from the north, I found a cave and in its depths, I created a bedroom with stone and magic and fell into my dream. Upon leaving the cave I found a forest that I swear was not there before. The deepest cave and a new forest? I guess it's a consequence of my type. After a couple of days out of the cave, I found a ruined castle, I had two mares with horn and wings on their flag, strange, but vaguely familiar. I didn't find anything useful in that castle, nothing that revealed anything about how much time has passed. Kingdoms that I never heard of, completely different political maps, my consolation is that only that changed, the territory of the pony alliance has changed, even the island where they used to live disappeared. In the mountains of ice, nothing appears, to my concern. "Aaaaahh!!!!!!" A distant shout woke me from my rest, the voice seemed of someone young. Although my height is somewhat lower than that of a standard pony, my strength and endurance know no limits, thanks to that I won several battles with enemies who underestimated me when they sought to steal my creations. Crossing the wooden bridge and entering the forest, I followed the cries for help, because of the scandal it became obvious that it was a fight. Then I saw a ghost of the past, Timberwofls, wooden wolves, driven by environmental magic, were a request of King Cerberus of the Diamond dogs. Every request they made only asked for one thing. That they gave me the materials they wanted to do what they asked me to do. King Cerberus was very stingy, but that is also a challenge, with only a piece of wood, the king's saliva and some ivy, the Timberwolfs was born. Nothing but fire can destroy them, multiply by each lost, their virtue is their numbers. Who would say that they would end up in a forest, only a Diamond dog king can control them, but just in case, they have certain weaknesses for occasions like these. A whistle for Timberwolfs, small and thin, not even a Diamond dog could hear, but for a Timberwolf it is a drill in his ears. Everyone ran away, howling in pain. Making sure they were far away, I approached a tree in which a teenage mare was clinging to the tip. Her way of dressing is very rare, but I guess it's common now, I hope my blacksmith's clothes are common today. "Are you alright young lady?" - I asked in a soft voice, hoping not to disturb her. Even shaking a little, she managed to soften her grip on the tree, slowly descending to the ground. "Thank you very much for helping me, I'm fine," he said as he looked around cautiously. "Okay, they won't come back, I used this whistle to get them away, it causes them a lot of pain and they prefer to run away than to attack after listening to it," I said as I showed him the whistle. "Sorry to ask but what does a young mare as you do in a forest at night? Especially in one as scary as this?" I asked as she watched the whistle fascinated. "I was trying to find food for my family, we don't have much and Canterlot is far away, it doesn't have much that we planted our seeds so I didn't have much choice" - he said with some sadness. "Although noble your motive, it was stupid to come at this hour, in the day it is safer" "They do not want to enter because of how dangerous it is, some who enter never leave or are found, if things went on like this we would have to leave our house" - he said with a defensive tone. I guess she already had this part of her family, that's why she decided the night. "Let me take you to your house, although the Timberwolfs left, it is still dangerous" - I said, while she looked at the floor. "Please" - said resigned. While we were walking in the direction of her home and after a brief presentation, she told me that her family was nomadic, collecting seeds and selling it in the villages they visited, but wanting to settle in a place after a particularly bad season, the princess of Equestria gave them land in this place. After a few more minutes, we reach the end of the forest, only to find two more prepared ponies with a stick and a sword. "Smith !!" - shouted a mare that was at the door of the house, while the other two threw away what they had and also went to hug her, they were a head taller than mine, since it was at Smith's height. After a funny and moving talk between them, they turned to see me. Before saying anything else they also hugged me, to my discomfort, I suppose saving your daughter can be a reason to hug a stranger. "Thank you very much, if you had not helped her she could be dead now" - said the mother. "When we didn't see her in the morning we thought the worst, how can we pay you?" - said the father. "It is not necessary, I was resting near the ruins of the castle when I heard his cry for help" - I said while trying to get out of the tight hug. "My name is Seed Red, and my husband here is Strong Hoof, and quiet behind us is my brother Wood Light, what's your name?" - asked Seed. "Only Brok is fine, now that Smith is fine I think I have to go, I need -" - I did not finish when Strong Hoof stopped me. "At least let us invite you to breakfast, have not eaten since the night and I'm sure you're hungry" - he said in a firm but kind voice, I was about to protest, but his wife's look finally convinced me that it would be Useless. The house was quite small and modest, it had only the kitchen and three rooms, they made me sit down while Strong asked me where I came from and what I was doing, his brother-in-law and his daughter just sat down to listen. It was surprised that a blacksmith was traveling since they were quite important in the economy of a town and city, all I said was that I was looking for my creations to keep them when I ask why, I simply said that it was a promise to my late wife. "I regret your lost my friend, and I understand you, as husband and father" - he said simply, but there was a shared feeling. "There's breakfast, I'm sorry it's not much," said Seed, as he passed us a few green beans with some soup and water. "If you have no place to stay, you can be with us as long as you want, we are building a warehouse, but you can use it as a room" - said Strong Hoof Although he will save his daughter, that they offered me a place with them and the little food they had in gratitude struck me, maybe I could help them, although my journey is just beginning, maybe staying a while there would not be a bad idea. Opening my saddlebag, I took out a small bottle of wine, it is one of my personal creations. "In gratitude for your hospitality, how about we provide?" - I asked with a smile. Just when everyone drank, they were speechless, even Seed Rose blushed, just like Smith. "God, how tasty, where did you get it?" - asked Strong, with curiosity and fascination. "I did it, I used plums from the tree of light and let it ferment with seawater for two nights and a half-day, then let it rest in a glass bottle of water in a lake for one night, no matter how much it is drunk from the bottle, every time the moonlight touches the bottle, it will be filled "- I said proudly. Surprised faces were to be expected, they even asked how I could do magic if I am not a unicorn. "Everyone can do magic, I'm only good at doing things, so I dedicated to making them" Smith bombarded me with questions about what else I could do, I showed them my whistle, I promised to do more for each of them, just in case, I also showed them my saddlebag, it is capable of keeping an infinite amount of things, as long as they are not very large. When I finished breakfast, they took me to where my new room would be, it was separated from the house as it was initially a warehouse, but it wasn't bad, they would let me build what I needed, maybe expand it more and make a new workshop would be good, Food was still a problem, and although I had several things that could easily be solved, I was surprised that they refused to accept it. They wanted to start a family business, they were farmers first of all, and they wanted to harvest their food. Then I offered to make them their tools in exchange for a place to stay for a while, they gladly accepted, although they worried about how I would do it, I assured them that I had everything I needed in my saddlebag. I promised them that I would finish their tools in 4 days, one day for each, they were skeptical, but they believed me. Later and after a trip to the forest to look for food, I was quite surprised when they found storm apples, or as they called them, zap. Very rare and uncommon, but delicious and nutritious, in the past, those apples were a rarity, even I only ate them rarely. I explained how they could plant them, although there was a possibility that it would not work, they are very selective, if they do not like the land they simply do not grow. Seed Rose, bless the mare, managed to make all kinds of dishes with that apple, nobody went hungry to bed. In a blink the 4 days passed, and personally I was excited. It had been a while since I last did something like that, a kind of competition, nothing makes a blacksmith's blood boil that a challenge, even more, when they tell you it's impossible, I have my pride. "It took a little effort, but I'm sure they appreciated their new tools, although they might be called treasures." "First, Strong Hoof, for you I have this" - I said while I showed him an obsidian shovel, it had small inlays of black gold, of normal size and with a lightweight. "No matter what type of land it is, this shovel will give you the ability to dig without problems, even among solid stone, if you leave it one night stuck in a mound of earth, in the center you will find seeds to plant, its name is Atoloxo" "For Rose, your cooking skills are incredible, you fed your family with very few ingredients, so this will be your treasure" - I said as I showed her a small amber closet, it looked like it was carved from a large tree. "When you store ingredients in this closet, from fruit, vegetables or spices, the closet will refill it, they will always be in perfect condition, but it does not work with anything else, with this they will no longer go hungry, but they will not be able to replicate the food, their name is Staxhe. " "For you, my friend, your great strength at the service of your family is something to admire, this plow will not use your strength, it will add it to his" - I said while teaching him a plow in a fairly simple appearance. "Your heart will move the earth, and in that land what you plant will grow much faster and with much force, they won't have to wait months, a few weeks are enough to grow an apple tree." "And finally, Smith, your will is impeccably strong, it has the strength of a river" - I said while pulling out a canteen, its brown color made it look like it was made of mud, but being so liza gave the impression of being of metal. "You will always find fresh water in this canteen, you can let the water be discarded and it will never be emptied, and who drinks their water will heal faster and the fatigue will disappear, but you will not be able to do much in case of a mortal wound, so it is better to be careful "- I said while giving it to Smith. It seemed pretty simple, nobody could say it was a magic canteen, but it was one of my most interesting creations, unlike mine, which is just simple water, Smith's is healing water, it took a little more work. Their faces were a delight to my eyes, I never get tired of showing my creations, although the eyes of the humblest creatures are always the most sincere, admiration and wonder. they thanked me with a hug, even going so far as to offer me a place in their home. In all the time I have lived, some things are learned, thanks to what I learned in the ruined castle and with the stories of his travels, recovering my things may be easier. This princess Celestia, could help me, but I honestly do not like getting tangled up with royalty, it never ends well, if my previous experience is of any use, but living relatively close to this small farm may help me, at some point they will appear, and if the story of this family tells me something, is that with them you may not have to be alone. I will not make the same mistake.