//------------------------------// // [Edit] Chapter 2: Training and Travel // Story: My Little Caelan: Lume is Magic // by Falx_of_Lume //------------------------------// ‘Faster.’ Metuo thinks as he shoots past and slashes the light charged construct. Other mana charged Cealans fly at Metuo at high speeds, aiming to take Metuo down. Metuo avoids the first one’s downward slash by flipping around his strike, splitting its head with his own counter-strike while in midair. Then Metuo darts in to stab the next construct in the shoulder, interrupting its attack, before swiftly twisting himself under and around the construct, which severed its right foreleg from its ‘body’. Metuo slashes his gauntlet blade through the back of its neck before moving on. The two constructs burst apart upon being ‘killed’ and the energy returns to the training crystal. ‘Faster!’ Metuo flicks his sword through one construct and into another. Metuo reaches it before it bursts, grips the handle, and flicks it downward through the midsection of the construct, bisecting it. He flings two elemental knife constructs into the heads of two others. He shoots into the third and decapitates it using his sword, and then promptly ducks under a horizontal swipe from behind, and uses a basic, but powerful, Fear blast to decimate the construct. ‘FASTER!’ Five constructs remaining, Metuo waits for one of them to make the first move. When the second to last one takes a step, Metuo shoots off fast enough to reach the construct in the time it would take to blink. Metuo slashes the forelegs off before twisting around to slash its throat, and then sheaths his sword while spinning around again to stab the gauntlet blade into the next construct’s throat with the leg that used to hold his sword. Metuo uses his wings to flip around and slash through the middle construct’s spine, and lands to slash the front of the next construct’s neck. He continues his momentum around as he steps around the construct and slashes the back of its neck with his right blade. Metuo lunges forward at the last one and stabs it through the upper left of its torso with his right blade, and through the lower right with his left one, and then slashes outward with each while using his wings to flip over the ‘dying’ construct. Metuo twists around midair and lands on his hind legs facing the constructs while in a guard position. The constructs burst apart and return to the crystal. Metuo pants as he stays in his guard position for a moment, before retracting his blades back into his gauntlets and bringing himself down to stand on all four legs. “Wow, never noticed how ruthless you’ve gotten with your fighting style. Kind of scares me a little.” Metuo’s head snaps up and whirls around at the sound of the familiar voice. He sees a silver and sky blue Cealan with yellow eyes leaning on a stone post of the training courtyard, with one of his forelegs crossed over the other. “Then again, it’s kind of hard to be scared of someone who’s afraid of his little sister, who happens to be genetically incapable of growing larger than even the smallest Caelan.” The silver dragon says with a good-natured smirk on his face. Instead of feeling mildly offended like he normally would, Metuo just stares with a small frown on his face. “What are you doing up Niteo?” Metuo asks. Niteo’s smirk falls slightly. “I was just about to ask you the same thing.” He responds. Metuo looks down slightly before answering. “Couldn’t sleep.” “Another nightmare?” Niteo asks. Metuo’s silence is all the answer Niteo needs. “Man, he really did a number on you didn’t he.” Niteo states aloud. Metuo turns and walks towards the crystals that control the training constructs. “You know, training constructs can only get you so far. Sometimes it’s better to go against a real opponent.” Niteo says, hinting at something. Metuo stops walking, and turns to look at Niteo with mild surprise. “Really? Are you sure you don’t want to go back to sleep?” Metuo asks. “Does this look like a face that would try to trick you?” Niteo says with a flashy grin. “You are Ictus’s brother.” Metuo says, giving a small smile of his own. “Ha ha! There’s the Met we all know and love. I was starting to worry that he sucked all of the joy and laughter out of you.” Niteo says while walking towards the center of the courtyard. “No he didn’t do something that bad, just ripped my core out.” Metuo says nonchalantly while unstrapping his sword and sheath. Niteo stumbles a bit in shock. He looks at Metuo like he just told him the sky was purple. “Uhhhh… You sure it’s not too soon to be making jokes about your near death experience like that?” Niteo asks, concerned. Metuo shrugs his shoulders while taking his gauntlets off. “If anything good has come of it, it’s the fact that I can catch you off guard with mentioning it like that.” He says. Niteo gives a tiny laugh at that. “Alright, I’m ready when you are cousin.” Metuo says, getting up on his hind legs with his forelegs in a guard position. “Met, if anything, you're my brother after everything we’ve been through.” Niteo says with affection. Metuo drops his guard, before reflexively blocking a charging strike from Niteo as he attempts to take advantage of Metuo’s lapse in focus. “And that, dear brother, is how you take advantage of a shocked opponent.” Niteo says with a smirk. Before getting jabbed in the face by Metuo, using the opening Niteo gave him when he started running his mouth. “Okay, that’s it, you’re going down.” Niteo says with a determined smirk, only mildly angry that he got caught by surprise. Metuo actually smirks to match Niteo’s at that. The two Caelans continue to spar against each other until morning. Celestia’s sun shone brightly in the sky over Equestria, showing a land of peace and tranquility for miles around. Most ponies living in Equestria wouldn’t ever dream of going to visit far off places, especially if there was a possibility of them getting into dangerous situations. However, Princess Twilight Sparkle is not like most ponies, and not just because she’s an alicorn either. While most in Ponyville would agree that Twilight is the type to stay cooped up in the Golden Oaks Library reading for long periods of the day, they will also agree that when she finds out about new knowledge, she will set out to even the most dangerous places to learn that knowledge. Currently, Twilight Sparkle is on her way to meet with Princess Celestia, the ruler of Equestria, due to the recent discovery Twilight made this morning. The summons mentioned that Celestia wants Twilight and the others to come to Canterlot before Twilight tests the portal she discovered how to make. Twilight, being the inventor of the spell, naturally jumped to the conclusion that she and the others will be going to another world. Also naturally, she told her five friends with her about her suspicions. Fluttershy was afraid of the ones living there all being mean, Rarity was imagining the new designs she could make from seeing a new world, Rainbow Dash was boasting about kicking the aliens’ flanks, Pinkie was bouncing around erratically at the prospect of new friends, and Applejack was concerned. The cause of her concern is what is not natural with Twilight. “New Friends! New Friends! New Friends!” “New Knowledge! New Knowledge! New Knowledge!” Twilight Sparkle… was acting… like Pinkie Pie… PINKIE… PIE! “…Uh, Twilight?” Applejack asked uncertainly. “New Friends! New Friends! New Friends!” “New Knowledge! New Knowledge! New Knowledge!” “Twilight.” She states again, slightly annoyed at being ignored. “New Friends! New Friends! New Friends!” “New Knowledge! New Knowledge! New Knowl-.” “TWILIGHT!!!!” Applejack raises her voice while interrupting Twilight’s nerdgasm. Twilight jumps in surprise at the sudden shouting. She looks at Applejack in confusion, before the deadpan look on Applejack’s face tells her that she was acting a little strange. Twilight gives an embarrassed smile at Applejack, as if to say ‘sorry’, Applejack accepts it with a nod, before noticing that they had arrived at Canterlot station. Twilight perks up at noticing this. “Oh good, we’re here. Come on girls, we shouldn’t keep Princess Celestia waiting.” Twilight says to the others. They all nod in the affirmative, agreeing with Twilight’s statement. The six mares begin walking towards Canterlot Castle, all with differing opinions on the possibility of a new adventure.