//------------------------------//
// One Armed Champion 
// Story: My Little Viking: Steel Is Magic 
// by Laarsgaard 
//------------------------------//

	Blood flowed over the ground like a river, soaking into the grass and making mud. I ran through the village yelling and causing as much noise as I could my family in tow. Christians were here on their mission of conversion by the sword, a technique I couldn’t find fault with its wonderful simplicity.

I sprinted for the hall. My wife stumbled behind me only just keeping up due to my iron grip on her upper arm. Behind her came my son who was burdened with our weapons. I finally reached the hall. I forced my family through the door and turned to see light beginning to play from the distant edge of the village. I had never known Christians to be ones to smoke out men, but I had seen it work dozens of times before. I looked into the hall and saw almost no one there.

“Son,” I commanded. He stepped forward, his sword was held shakily between his hands and the light leather he had donned was too big for him. “My axe.” I said. He handed me the weapon shaft first. I inspected the steel.

It was a beautiful thing, this axe. I had watched my own father use a similar weapon before he was felled on the battlefield, now he sits on high drinking mead with the gods. I turned from the hall and set out into the village to hopefully wake as many of the men as I could and form some kind of counter attack.

I ran through the village calling out names of my comrades. Some had already stumbled out of their homes and joined me in the dirt. I ran and expected my fellows to follow me, they did. By the time we reached the blaze I had gathered ten good warriors with me, all angry and set on righteous vengeance.

We ran around the fire searching for our enemies. We found them waiting for us clustered around each other with shields out. I had never seen anything like this before and it was rather confusing. I spat in the dirt and rolled my shoulders in preparation of combat. Then I saw through the smoke, a familiar face.

“Johan!” I roared. My gut tightened as I realized what was happening. This was no Christian attack, this was a raid. Johan was the leader of another village not too far from my own, we had been at peace with him for many years we had even fought wars together and now he stood on my land with a cold glint in his eye and steel in his hand.

Thunder peeled above. I looked up as the rain began to pour down. It was a warm rain, with thick heavy droplets that soaked straight through my clothes and made me heavy. I looked to either side of me. The men nodded. Before we could act, Johan cried out and his forces charged.

We met them with a clash of steel on steel under the heavy downpour. Lightning continued to flash and thunder boomed above our heads, but we did not care. All I wanted was Johan’s head as I continued to swing and my axe hit steel. I couldn’t tell you how many I had felled with that axe, not throughout the years I’ve had it or how many fell to me that night, but I remember the one kill that mattered.

I stepped forward over the corpse of one of Johan’s raiders. I noticed they were in chainmail and leather, nothing I had not face before. Johan stood before me, his axe dripping with blood. All around us men fought and died in a whirlwind of madness, but I had eyes only for Johan.

I didn’t speak, I just charged roaring my anger. Our battle had moved out of the line of homes that were ablaze and the fire raged behind me, what a sight I must’ve made as I swung down onto Johan. He deflected the blow with his own weapon and brought up his free hand to strike my jaw. I had anticipated the move and I ducked his swing just in time. I recovered just as Johan delivered his first blow. I back stepped and he missed by an inch burying the head of his weapon in the dirt. I struck as Johan was distracted and brought my booted foot up into his face. I felt his nose give way as my boot caught him. My opponent fell over backwards. I moved quickly. I brought my axe down on his neck. The weapon cut through his neck and struck bone and stopped. I pulled the blade free and brought it down again and again trying to get through the bone. After the fourth strike my axe went through the entirety of his neck.

I reached down and picked up the head by the hair. The rain came down harder as I roared my victory to the heavens. Then I felt a sharp pain in my shoulder. I looked to see my arm had been cut off clean. I looked behind me to see a massive man holding a two handed claymore above his head, he was smiling. He swung as I dropped to my knees. I still had my axe clutched in my hand. I couldn’t think to swing though. The pain from my arm was overwhelming and blood fell like a waterfall.

I looked up to see the smiling man lift his sword up again. Then the red lightning struck.

I don’t know if I was just delirious from blood loss or things had truly slowed. I watched as the lightning came for me. It slowly crept down from the sky reaching long fingers for me. As the tip of the lightning caressed my skin I passed out.


I regained consciousness. I didn’t open my eyes as the pain in my head and my shoulder kept me from moving. I groaned aloud and vomited.

I heard some odd high pitched gibbering from the side. Despite the pain I opened my eyes, before me stood a purple horse with a horn on its head. It opened its mouth and some odd language came out. I felt my stomach tighten with fear. I pushed myself to my knees and noticed my axe was still in my hand. I didn’t hesitate to swing, but my swing turned into a little less than a half hearted slap though the air. The horse pulled back all the same and gibbered some more.

I mustered all my strength I had and screamed my battle cry at the thing. It flinched back farther calling over its shoulder. Behind the horse with the horn came another one, this one colored bright orange and wearing some odd styled hat upon its head. The orange horse turned around. I tried to swing again but the horse was faster as the rear legs flexed and struck me in the chin.

My eyes fluttered open and I looked up at a domed wooden ceiling. I tried to rub the pain from my eyes but I found, to my horror, that I was strapped down to an odd cushion with large leather straps. I struggled against the bonds in a vain attempt to escape. I looked around and saw I was surrounded by colored ponies all of which were speaking some odd incoherent language. Every syllable made me want to rip their tongues from their mouths. One that was an odd shade of red babbled the loudest and refused to silence itself.

“Silence!” I shouted. They all turned and looked at me. The purple horned one peered down at me and placed one of its hoofs on me. I struggled away from its touch. Then the horn began to glow.

I was frozen with terror. I had no idea what this horse was planning on doing but I was utterly helpless to try and stop it. The horn moved still glowing like a star and the horse pressed it up to my clotted stump of an arm. I felt a pinch and watched as my skin stretched and flowed to cover the opening of my wound.

I was shocked as I looked between my shoulder and the purple pony. It appeared to be smiling at me as if expecting some form of thanks.

“Thank you, healer.” I said. I was still perplexed at the horn and how it wielded magic like that, but it appeared these things did not want to kill me, at least not yet. The purple horse nodded. It placed one of its hoofs on its chest and spoke at me. I had no idea what it said, so I imitated it. 

“T-twi-twilight-spar-sparkle.” I stammered out. I was more fatigued than I thought and I had barely enough energy to speak. The horse clapped its hooves together in excitement and spoke again. Again I had no idea what it said, but I thought I could guess what it wanted.

“My name,” I took a deep breath as my vision grayed a bit. “My name, is Ol. I am son of Lars who is son of Bor.” I had to keep breathing deeply as I spoke to keep from passing out. The one who called itself Twilight Sparkle spoke again. I gave up on understanding what it wanted passed introductions and let the darkness consume me. Hopefully this was a bad dream.

I awoke next morning and my head felt as if I had drank too much the night before. I tried to rub my head and felt that my arm was still strapped to the bed. I tried to tear free but the efforts threatened to send me unconscious again. I gave up my endeavor to free myself and took in my surroundings.

The place I was trapped in was wide and spacious. In the center was a raised platform with some odd carving placed on top of it. The walls were covered in shelves upon shelves of books. Had I been able to read any of them I doubt I would have understood them anyway.

Through one of the windows I saw the sun rising. I wished I could have greeted the sun properly, but I doubted I would be given that luxury this day.

I heard the clip clop of hooves as the purple horse descended a staircase down onto this level. I never took my eyes from this ‘Twilight Sparkle’ as it yawned and walked passed me. It saw that I was awake and suddenly it was by my side gibbering away in that odd language that it spoke. I stared at it, anger building inside of me. If only I could get out of these bonds I could strangle this thing and never hear it speak again.

The horse leaned down and inspected my shoulder. It poked a bit and then smiled as if it was satisfied. It spoke at me some more and then turned away. I watched it until it left my field of vision. I could hear some banging coming from the direction it left and wondered if it was going to cut my head off as I had done to Johan. Then the horse came back. Floating in front of it was some odd flat plate that had two cups and some odd thing between the cups. The odd thing was round with a small handle on one end and what appeared to be a spout at the other. No matter what it was I didn’t like it. I tried to scoot away from the horse as it set down the plate next to the cushion I was on. I looked from the plate to the horse as one of the cups floated up next to my mouth. I could see inside was some odd brown liquid that had steam coming off of it. The horse lifted the other cup and drank from it, as if showing me it was safe. I had no other option so I drank.

It tasted odd, but not bad. I drank deeply and felt the warmth spread through my body. I drained the last dregs and looked up at the purple horse. It smiled at me taking the cup from me using its weird magic. Next it lifted up some bread. I nodded and it left the hovering bread in front of my mouth. I ate slowly trying to taste any oddities hidden within the bread. The bread itself was rather good, filled with grains that gave it a certain crunch. The horse fed me another piece of bread and then gave me several pieces of sweet tasting fruit. I ate cautiously as the horse talked on and on.

After I finished my last piece of fruit the horse turned its head and called out. I strained my neck to see where the horse was looking. At the top of the steps stood a small scale covered reptilian thing. My eyes grew wide with horror. I had only ever heard stories of wyrms and dragons but before stood what was obviously a young one. I panicked and once again began to pull at my bonds. The horse noticed me and looked down confused. I struggled and grunted but my efforts were in vain as I finally succumbed to the lack of blood and fell into a forced sleep.

I awoke a few minutes later with two horses standing over me. I recognized one as the orange one that had kicked me earlier, I swore I would wear that horses pelt when I was finally freed. But the other horse was the one that had my attention. Its coat was the color of a clear sky on a summer day with large feathery wings on its back, and its mane was the same color as a rainbow. I gasped, could this horse be touched by the gods? I wished to know. Both were whispering over me and immediately quieted down when they saw I had come to.

The purple horse came back into the room and spoke with the other two. It was obviously about me, but I did not care. I was far too taken with the blue horse to care about anything at the moment. Eventually the three horses left the room. I had nothing else to do so I closed my eyes and sleep overcame me.

I was shaken awake by the purple horse some time later. I opened my eyes and glared at the horse. It stepped back from me. Standing behind the purple horse was another much larger horse standing behind it. The larger horse was the color of milk with an enormous horn and a giant pair of wings. It was stunningly beautiful to look at but I was still untrusting of any of these crazy talking horses.

“Well, well, well, what do we have here?” said the giant white horse. My heart leapt with excitement.

“You speak my language!” I blurted out. The white horse chuckled.

“I do, it took me a few minutes of digging around in your mind to figure it out, but yes, I can communicate with you.” I drew back, this was still a strange talking horse that had me captive.

“What do you want with me?” I asked the horse. The white horse came closer.

“I want to get to know you. What’s your name?” it asked me.

“I am Ol.” I answered simply.

“Excellent,” replied the horse. “I already knew that, but I hope to gain some of your trust.” The horse turned around and spoke to the purple one. The purple one spoke back. The white horse took on a stern tone. The purple horse cowed a bit and moved forward. Using its magic the purple horse freed me from the straps holding me down.

With the straps gone I moved as fast as I could. I lunged for the purple horse. I felt some odd force engulf me and stop me mid-leap. I looked to the white horse and its horn was glowing brightly.

“Ol, I will not have any violence against my subjects.” It said angrily. The horse set me back on the bed.

“My name,” it said. “Is Celestia, I am the princess over this land and you will obey by my laws while you are 
here.” She commanded. I nodded. Celestia, quite the odd name, but I was not one to judge a being on his or her name.

“Well, princess,” I said. “What would you like to know then?” I asked angrily. The princess looked down at me.

“For now, nothing but your cooperation, this is my student Twilight Sparkle.” Celestia pointed at the purple horse.

“She has graciously taken you in and has asked to take care of you while you live among us.” I raised my eyebrow.

“What do you mean ‘live among you’, why don’t you just send me back to where I am from?” I asked. Celestia shook her head.

“While you were asleep I’ve had the opportunity to speak with Twilight. You were brought here accidently and there is no way to send you back.” My heart sank at her words.

“What am I to do though? I have one arm and no way to die honorably!” I said exasperatedly. The princess looked down at me again.

“Your arm will grow back, Twilight used a growth spell and it will be returned to you within the year at the latest. As for an ‘honorable death’ you will not find that here, we have very few battles here, your axe arm is pointless here, unless…” the princess trailed off.

“Unless what?” I asked angrily. The Princess turned her gaze back to me.

“Don’t worry about that for now. All you need to worry about is resting up.” The princess leaned her face down to mine and whispered. “And if you so much as lay a finger on my favorite student or any of her friends, to include that dragon, I will rend you limb from limb.” I smiled at her threat.

“As you wish.” The two horses began speaking in their odd language and left the room. I stood and began walking about slowly so as not to make myself pass out again due to lack of blood. I went to one of the windows and looked out. The sun was setting on this strange day, a day that I would never forget.