//------------------------------// // Oghren: Master Planner // Story: Ponies and Grey Wardens: The Equestrian Age // by Icecane //------------------------------// The two Grey Wardens could only stare off in stunned silence as the red-headed dwarf strode into the banquet hall, an oversized grin still etched onto his face. Twilight's own expression was one of a mild shock, having not expected the strange creature but having gotten used to seeing new things since she had met the visitors. “O-Oghren?” the commander stammered out, unable to believe his own eyes. As far as he knew, there was no reason he was seeing the dwarf standing before him now. “I'm sure not your mother,” the dwarf chided, folding his arms as he was standing next to the Warden. “I gotta say, you got us all worked up when you never got back from that cave. Though, I knew I'd find you sorry lot sooner or later.” Anders was already out of his seat, approaching the other side to better see the newcomer. “How... how did you get here?” he asked. Oghren blinked distantly, his eyes looking around the room he was in. It appeared as though he was just now taking in his surroundings. “Where's here?” he muttered gruffly. “You're in Canterlot Castle,” Twilight answered, approaching the dwarf with the same curiosity she held when first meeting the commander. The dwarf's quizzical gaze fell onto the unicorn, looking at her like one might look at an obvious absurdity in a dream they were having. A stubby finger extended out and pointed at the scholar as Oghren said, “Shush, creature. Oghren has to talk to the people now.” Ignoring the confused stare that the statement elicited from the unicorn, the dwarf's sights were set back onto the two Wardens who were with him. “Anyway, it's good to see you all here, and... not dead.” “You still haven't answered my question,” Anders pressed, rubbing his temples as the constant stream of confounding confusion was making his head hurt. “How did you get here?” “Huh?” Oghren breathed, staring at the mage as if he had just asked him to drop his pants. After a few moments of a forced silence, the dwarf gave his head a quick shake. “Oh! Well... I don't really know...” Not quite sure if there was something wrong with the dwarf or he was just drunk, the commander took a deep breath as he looked him in the eye and said, “Just tell us what happened after we went into that cave, Oghren.” His tone came out slow and over-pronounced, sounding more like he was talking to a mentally inept child. Scratching the short hairs on his chin, Oghren's gaze turned blank in thought. “Well... you guys were taking your sweet time to kill that blasted mage. I figured blondie over here went and tripped on his robes again.” A glare was earned by Anders but was otherwise ignored. “When none of ya never came out, me and the others went in after ya. Surprisingly we didn't see any of you. A lot of blood and a lot of bodies though...” He chuckled heartily as his eyes lit up for a moment. “Some of the softies actually heaved a couple times all over the ground. Heh, like a bunch of first time drinkers it looked. Anyway... we never did find any sign of you, just this stupid looking mirror with a bunch of cracks in the glass.” “The Eluvian,” Anders muttered. Oghren shook his head. “No, I'm not hungry,” he replied before continuing his explanation. “We stayed in the village, searching the forest for any sign of where you went, or at least were that blood mage slithered off to. But we didn't find a thing. The others began to worry, but I knew it'd take a lot more than some sissy mage to take down the hero of Ferelden!” The dwarf paused for a few moments as he became somewhat hesitant toward continuing. “Though... I did kind of slack off on the search for you guys after a while. Spent a lot of time in that tavern, wouldn't believe the different kinds of ales they had there! After I was good and drunk off my ass, I went back to that cave. I'm not too sure what happened after that, but I remember I really bright flash of light from that mirror, right after I brought my ax to it.” The commander and Anders could only stare at the dwarf in bewilderment at the claim, completely astounded at what they had just heard. “Wait...” Anders breathed, shaking his head in disbelief. “You see a damaged Eluvian, an ancient and magical artifact with more power within it than you can even comprehend... and... the first thing you do is hit it with your ax...?” Oghren shrugged in a nonchalant manner. “It seemed like a foolproof plan at the time,” he defended. Pinching the bridge of his nose, the mage released a shuddering sigh that sounded as though his very soul was exacerbated. “Not when it's a fool who devises it.” “Credit where it's due, Anders,” the commander murmured, holding his chin in thought as the listened to his comrade. “Ogrehn did manage to find us after all.” The aforementioned dwarf shot the mage a mocking look before he started talking again. “After the bright flash, I found myself drowning. With enough thrashing about, I managed to climb up onto dry land.” The eyes of the listeners ran up and down the dwarf's frame, once again noticing how damp he looked. “For some reason, that stupid light had plopped me smack dab in a small lake just outside this ginormous castle. Figured I was in that Orlais place, what with the dainty looking castle. So I figured a Grey Warden of my amazing stature would get a nice, warm welcome, maybe a chance at the local wines heh-heh. So I walked through the front gates, the fellas guarding it ushered me in without a word, as if they were expecting me or something. Then I find myself here, with you fools staring at me like a blindsided nug who got into the liquor barrels.” “Hm, guards must have let you in thinking you were apart of our group,” the commander said, mostly to himself. Celestia had made it clear that her staff would be aware that they were staying in the castle, he didn't think her word would be taken to heart so well though. “But hold on a second,” the Warden eyed his dwarven friend strangely, “you just walked in? The guards or any of the other creatures didn't surprise you in the slightest?” Oghren managed to match his commander's curious expression, his gaze slowly shifting toward Twilight who had remained silent throughout the reunion. He stared at her for some time, making the unicorn shift slightly on the spot uneasily. Then, his gaze on her widened as he leaned in closer to her. The foul breath of the drunkard made the scholar's nose twitch and her expression to subtly change into one of disgust that she tried her hardest to hold down. Even as Oghren was just a few breaths away from her, she held her ground. Still just staring at her, the dwarf reached out his armor-clad hand and tapped his finger between her eyes. It made caused Twilight to blink and step back abruptly, nearly gasping for the fresh air that was had as she developed a healthy distance between herself and the dwarf. “She's real...” Oghren muttered, looking at his hand blankly. “I figured I was still drunk.” A light chuckle escaped him as his lips parted into another grin. “I remember once in Orzammar, drank so much that I thought everyone there were darkspawn. Nearly cleaved three smiths in two before I got calmed down, good times.” “They're real,” the commander said with a nod, remembering his own bout against reality as he became aware of the colorful equines. “And... you're not in Orlais.” As Oghren looked at his commander in confusion, the two human Grey Wardens took the time to explain to the dwarf exactly where he was. How the Eluvian had not sent them to another place in Thedas, but that they had ended up in another world entirely. A world where their kind never existed and magic was as plentiful as the air they were breathing. The events within the banquet hall going on without his knowledge, Alistair continued after Celestia, having gone through the same doorway she had used to leave her guests so abruptly before. It was a much different area than what they had usually seen. There was a series of hallways that were drastically smaller in comparison to the grand ones they had been using before, with towering white walls and gaping windows. The ceiling of this one was only a few feet taller than the king himself, with walls made of dull stone, both having little in the way of decoration. It seemed clear that it wasn't used often, or at least not by typical guests. All the Warden-King could assume was that it was used primarily by the staff, servants and guards alike if they needed to get through the castle to accomplish their duties. Not a soul could be seen using it now however. The hallway occasionally branched off abruptly, never stretching very far. Torches hung sparsely on the walls, giving only a flickering light in the shadowy corridors. Every so often a wooden door was fixed into the walls, leading nowhere but small rooms that stored wooden crates and barrels. Just as he was about to give up, thinking that the princess had somehow disappeared out of thin air, Alistair heard something. It was soft, silent, sounding restrained beyond human understanding, the sound of sniffling and stunted sobs. Turning the corner, the king found himself stopping on the spot, his feet unresponsive as saw the white form of Celestia standing just a few feet away. The princess' head was lowered down halfway, her ears lying limply against her head, even her flowing mane and tail seemed to sag down lifelessly. It was clear that the saddened sounds were coming from her, it becoming even more apparent as Alistair stood there behind her. Simply being a witness to it made his own heart twist in agony within his own chest, even if he wasn't sure why. Realizing he had to say something, Alistair cleared his throat lightly. Celestia's ears twitched at the sound, and her head became raised slightly, even more clear was how her posture seemed to stiffen at the discover she was no longer alone. “Uh... Celestia,” the king began, unsure as to what he could really say, “I'm... really sorry if what I said or did had... offended you in any way. It really isn't my intention, especially since you've-” Alistair was stopped mid-sentence as the sun princess turned to face him. His breath was caught in his throat as he saw her alabaster face, glistening with the moisture that had fallen from her eyes, seeing the pain that was written into her expression. “No... it's not that,” Celestia said, her steady voice beginning to shake slightly. “It's just... your words, what you said about those creatures from your world... it seems to open old wounds.” Though Alistair wasn't sure of her meaning, he felt as though he had no right to know. Then, the princess' expression shifted, turning into a needing plea. “Please tell me,” she begged. “That child, the one who turned into one of those monsters... what became of him?” Celestia's question resonating within the Grey Warden's mind, Alistair managed a soft smile as he took several steps toward the princess. “He was saved,” he replied. “Thanks to the help and perseverance of a good friend, he was freed from the evil within him, saving his life from being consumed. It made me realize that no matter what, anyone can be saved given the chance.” The answer had a small affect on the princess, her pained expression faltering as a weak smile appeared on her lips. But it didn't last long as it became clear she was still hurting. Alistair continued to stand there awkwardly, uncertain as to what he should do. But then, a thought came to him, forcing him to swallow the ever expanding lump in his throat. He stepped forward, the back of his mind silently whispering not to continue, but he ignored it. Though he was aware that what he was about to do had a high possibility of ending horrible wrong, he couldn't stop himself as he approached the princess. A light gasped escaped Celestia as she felt the human's arms wrap around her neck, while his chest pressed against the front of it, forming a hug made awkward by their obvious differences in anatomy. Even Alistair was surprised, both with himself for attempting the action, and toward Celestia as he felt her accept the gesture, feeling her chin resting on his shoulder. Even more shocking to him was the feeling he received as the tips of his fingers began to touch the luxurious mane of the monarch. It was far from he had had expected, assuming his hands would pass through it like smoke or mist. Instead, his fingers parted the colorful hairs like silken curtains. It even continued to move, wiggling and writhing between the appendages. Things became that much simpler for him as he placed his hands on the back of her neck, caressing the short, white coat on it with a gentleness he didn't even know he had. As the comforting gesture continued between them both, Alistair felt a sudden cold chill on his face. With Celestia's own acceptance to the sentiment, she began to rub her cheek against the king's, nuzzling against him and making the tears still clinging to her face smear against his flesh, but not a word of protest was uttered from the Warden. The two rulers stayed like that for some time, as Alistair was determined to keep his hold on the princess for as long as he needed, not wanting to see a single ounce of sadness on her face when he was finished. “Bah,” Oghren scoffed, shaking his head slightly in disbelief as his fellow Wardens were finished with their explanations. “Just when I think I've got this surface world figured out, it manages to throw more surprises at me... Times like this I miss being underground.” Twilight frowned slightly to the dwarf's clear indignation. “I'm sorry if you are upset,” she said. “We will do our best to make your stay in our world as accommodating as possible.” Oghren stared at the unicorn strangely for several moments, still not used to seeing an animal talking to him, at least not when sober anyway. “It's fine,” he replied gruffly. “We'll be right with each other if you pay attention to my rules.” The dwarf held up three short fingers as he continued speaking. “Don't touch my junk, don't touch my booze, and don't get between me and my enemies... But seeing as we don't have any enemies yet... just don't touch my junk or booze, got that?” “Uh...” Twilight trailed off, having a difficult time discerning what the dwarf meant by 'junk'. “Alright, you don't have to worry about a thing.” Looking satisfied, Oghren turned back to begin speaking to his commander, being cut off as a familiar voice broke into room. “Oghren... is that you?!” Everyone turned to see Alistair approaching them, his surprised evident on his face. Celestia was also right behind him, her composure having been regained. Their departure had been completely forgotten by the others, being too enamored with the appearance of their short newcomer. It made things all the easier for the two rulers as the events could easily be swept under the proverbial rug. The red-headed dwarf smirked as he saw his king approaching. “There you are, King Bastard,” he chided. “I was wondering when you'd show up to say hi.” Before Alistair could even begin questioning his own surprise and bewilderment, he was quickly filled in on the details that had led that dwarven friend to arrive in Equestria with them. “So you shattered the Eluvian...” Alistair murmured, thinking on the tale. There was a short silence as the Warden-King said nothing, his eyes examining the dwarf for the first time. Something caught his eyes right away, as he noticed several cuts running across the dwarf's face. They were small, only showing up as red lines and no longer bleeding. It made the king look further down his body as he noticed several dents forced into the dwarven sized armor, where small shards of something could be seen protruding from the center. “What happened to your armor?” The question brought on curious glances from everyone else, even Oghren looked down on himself in surprise, only just now noticing the state his gear was in. “Huh,” he breathed, “must be from that mirror thing. When it up and went boom, pieces of glass went everywhere. Some of them cut me, but I was too busy worrying about not drowning to notice or care.” With his gaze fixated on one of shards that was still piercing through Oghren's armor, near the left shoulder, Alistair knelt down and grabbed the edge of it. With a sudden tug, the shard dislodged from the armor and the king held it up. It was a shard of glass, obviously from a mirror as it was reflective on one side and blank on the other. At the very tip of it, a red blotch of blood could be seen, having pierced through the armor and punctured the dwarf's flesh beneath. “How did you not notice this?” Alistair asked, looking back at the hole in his armor and seeing small drops of blood seeping through it. A prideful huff escaped the dwarf as he flexed out his arms. “Just in case you've forgotten, I'm a sodding dwarf! We're as tough as the stone we live in! Not like you surface dwelling humans and elves, with skin as soft and delicate as an infant's.” Wiping the blood coating the shard on his pant leg, Alistiar continued to examine the piece of glass. Something about it made him certain that it was no ordinary glass. “Anders,” he said, holding the shard out to the mage, “take a look at this.” Accepting the Eluvian shard, Anders stayed silent as he examined it himself, turning it over in the palm of his hand several times. “This is strange...” he muttered. “Though my being here has drained me of my own magic, this shard is still holds its enchantment. I can... feel the magic still trapped inside, even in such a fragmented form, but it's faint.” “Let me see it,” Twilight said, stepping closer to the mage as her own curiosity was getting to her. As Anders held out his open hand, the scholar took the shard in her levitation and brought it closer to her to examine it herself. Her eyes became glued to it like a cat with a piece of yarn. “You're right,” she eventually responded. “I can feel it too. A small trace of magic within it.” It almost made her spine quiver, the magic feeling so forign to her, like nothing she had ever encountered before. The Grey Wardens began exchanging glances to one another, each one of them thinking of the same thing, and they all knew it. Alistair was the one to speak it first though. “You don't think... we could recreate it, do you?” Anders suddenly felt expectant gazes on him, being the only mage within the room. “Well... I'm not sure,” he replied uneasily. “I mean, almost any magic can be copied... but something like this is beyond my own ability. I don't even have my own magic...” Staring down at the ground, Anders began rubbing his chin in thought. “Maybe... if we were able to get a mirror big enough for us, we could try to give it the same enchantment the shards have... but even then, it's no surefire thing.” “Perhaps we can help,” Celestia said, stepping forward as her gaze remained locked on the shard. “Though your magic may be somewhat different to our own, it is still magic. There are many accomplished unicorns within Canterlot, with their help, we could endeavor to remake this 'Eluvian' you've mentioned.” They spent the next few minutes prying the shards of glass from Oghren's armor, never hearing a single utterance of pain from the dwarf as they did so. Eventually, they had over a dozen shards of the Eluvian placed in an unused plate from the table, each varying in size and all giving off a strange power that only the three magically adept creatures in the room could feel. Celestia lifted the plate up herself, her horn glowing with a golden aura that matched the one around the plate. The princess closed her eyes for a moment, as if in a deep concentration. Then suddenly, the large doors to the banquet hall opened and a unicorn guard posted just outside came galloping in. “You called, Princess?” the guard said stockily, bowing his head as he stood before the ruler. “Yes,” Celestia replied, hovering the plate in front of the stallion, who took it in his own magical grasp for her. “I would like you to take this to the university, tell them to examine these glass shards thoroughly and see what magical properties they possess. I will be there tomorrow to offer my assistance and explain to them their importance.” The guard eyed the shards quizzically for a moment, but without a word, he nodded his head in affirmation before galloping off and out of of the chamber. Large smiles of excitement began to grow on the faces of the Grey Wardens, each beaming as the answer to their predicament had been found. Thanks to the alcoholic dwarf Oghren, they now had a way of returning home. To them, it seemed that all of their problems within the Equestrian land were now gone. Sadly, they couldn't be more wrong.