The Forgotten World

by KingBrony

Chapter 3

I seem to be running out of time...I need to finish this before it happens. Hopefully, I'll be able to get to it soon. I am writing this on a tree stump in the middle of a field. It's dark except for the light coming from...well, I'll get to all of that later.

Anyway, the Valhalla throne room has to be at least the size of my village, if not bigger. One massive golden throne sits on the far side of the room, in front of giant stained-glass windows. To the right of the throne is an open platform used by the High King. Statues of Sleipnir are scattered throughout the room, each in a heroic pose. The floor itself is some kind of purple-tinted marble.

A number of Sleipnir were lined up in front of the empty throne; the King was apparently away on business. Rana and I took a spot on the side closest to the open platform. When I took my spot, the others looked at me with a repulsive look. I looked awkwardly back at them before a loud voice filled the room.

"I think that's the last of the new recruits for today," A Sleipnir appeared to our left, walking in front of every one of the recruits. He took a long look at each of us before moving on to the next one.

"You all have your reasons for wanting to join the Royal Guard, no doubt. However, we will only take those who we see fit."

"We filter out our recruits through training sessions. The first of which will be tonight, after sunset. You are to make your way to the training yard behind the castle. We start promptly at sunset, one hour from now; you are free to roam Valhalla before then. Dismissed!" The other recruits in line all snapped up at this, while Rana and I were busy focusing on the giant throne that lay before us.

Rana and I decided to take a look around the castle. Paintings were hung on the walls, of many important Sleipnir. The six kings show up frequently in them: King Falchion of the western lands, King Thuun of the southern deserts, King Samwell of the eastern shores, King Rowan of the dragon lands, King Drear of the northern tundra, and the High King. These six have been the only kings we've had, as far as I know, so they were pretty well-respected and used to running the kingdom. The lands themselves used to be separated into six different kingdoms, but the High King was able to unify them all under one ruler. Even better, he did it without any war. Even a violent place like Falchion's kingdom came to terms and joined, although I still hear bad rumors about them. When the famine came about, King Falchion did little to support his people, instead using his resources to strengthen his borders and his army.

"They look so strong," Rana said as she glanced over the paintings. I stared at the one of King Falchion for a while, as if trying to read his mind. It gave me a bad feeling as I turned my gaze.

"Let's keep going," I said to her as I continued down the hallway and went through a doorway. We found ourselves outside, right at the training yard. There were other soldiers there, sparring and attacking training dummies. Many of them used their powers to control weapons or swing faster. I pictured myself among them, training my skills and fighting alongside other members of the Royal Guard.

A Sleipnir from the line was in the middle of the yard, trying to ask the guards if he could train with them. He was larger and more muscular than I was, with a symbol on his flank that I was not aware of. The other guards, however, were not impressed as they ignored his request.

"You are all just scared that I can beat you!" He shouted before turning to look at me.

"Maybe you should wait until sunset," I was tired of seeing this guy prance around thinking he was an equal to the guards.

"Is that an invitation?" He walked right up to me and stared right into my eyes. I felt my hooves tremble, but I held my ground. He was all talk; I could tell by how he presented himself: his shoulders were raised, his head towered over my own, and he had this smug grin on his face.

"Enough," The captain who addressed us in the Throne Room appeared. We both stepped back. "There'll be plenty of time for that later." I felt the Sleipnir back off of me as the captain approached. "Don't tire yourselves too early."

One of the training dummies was open, so I made my way to it. It looked and felt similar to the ones I trained with back at home with Rana. I did my usual routine on them: I would start by gauging the distance between myself and my opponent. I would then move side to side and make my way as close as possible. One roll to the side and I'll aim my blade for a very specific location on the enemy. I managed to hit it right on the side this time.

"Let's see you try that on a moving opponent," That Sleipnir from before called out. I ignored him as I backed up to repeat the process.

Sunset came not long after. By this time, the other guards had finished up and left the yard to the recruits. I had worked at the dummy for a small amount of time before handing it off to Rana. She used her daggers to attack the dummy. I could see the speed in her throws as she failed to miss a single blade.

"My name is Hal, and I am captain of the Royal Guard." The captain called out to the trainees. During my training sessions with Rana, we had read up on some of the past captains. Captain Hal was one of the nicer captains, although he was unforgiving in battle. His most famous battle was during the Rainbow Charge, which took place in the mountains to the northwest. From what I read, the Captain led his soldiers through a snowstorm and managed to defeat the enemy. His leadership skills are unquestionable. And he was hand-chosen by the High King.

He stood in front of us in his full suit of armor, holding his helmet at his side. "The way this will work is simple: After a brief warm-up, I will split you into pairs. Each pair will spar for five minutes - that means no fatal moves or trickery! I will evaluate the pairs, and determine who will stay. The ones I elect will be put through our training program. The reason for this is that I want to see what you already know, and to see who is fit to be called a guard."

We were all paired up. I didn't get paired up with Rana, instead getting the jerk Sleipnir from earlier. Pairs were called up, one at a time, to spar. Captain Hal would walk around the fight, studying each one carefully. When the time was up, he would yell for the next group to come in. Rana did well during her spar, causing her partner to trip up multiple times. Since we obviously couldn't harm our opponents, Rana had to make do with keeping a floating wooden spear around her instead of her trademark daggers.

Before long, it was my turn. He stood across the yard from me. Both of us held wooden spears. I could feel the smooth wood under my hoof as I prepared to fight. To my left was Rana, who had a smile on her face. She mouthed, "you can do it!" As Captain Hal called for us to start.

In an instant, my opponent charged right towards me. I ducked my head as the spear darted right above me. I rolled to my side in anticipation of a low sweep, which he tried. For most of the match, I could only dodge his swipes and charges. I could tell that his magic had something to do with speed, but I was able to keep up with him for most of the match.

"Come on, what kind of soldier ducks and dodges! Fight like a Stallion!" He taunted.

A large figure flew high in the sky, right over us. My opponent looked up to see what it was; I used this opportunity to activate my strength magic and land one good whack, sending him flying across the yard. The crowd around us immediately burst into laughter as Captain Hal gave a nod of approval. At this moment, I finally turned to look up at the sky.

In the distance, I could see him - The High King was making his landing. He floated majestically through the sky (we don't have wings, just magic to make us fly or levitate.), followed by numerous other giant Sleipnir behind him. I assumed these to be the other five kings of the land. The High King landed on the large runway outside of his throne room as the others landed one by one after him, shaking the ground even more with their loud thuds on the platform. I was able to catch a glimpse of the High King staring down at our match before he continued into the castle.

"Roddel, was it?" Captain Hal called for me, snapping me back to the situation.

"Yes, sir."

"Good job." the captain leaned in to talk in a low voice, away from the range of the others near us. "Lots of our soldiers have the mindset of that guy over there: all power and brute strength, all offensive. It's refreshing to see a swift-moving Sleipnir."

"Thank you, sir." I replied. He laughed and called forth the next pair.

After the last pair finished sparring, we all made our way back to the throne room. Upon seeing the doors open this time, we were greeted by the six Sleipnir Kings, all finishing up a meeting. The five shrunk down to a smaller size while the High King retained his giant, majestic form.

"I hope the training went well, Hal?" The High King's voice echoed through the room.

"Yes, my lord." Hal bowed. "I already have selected the ones who are fit to move on to the next round." He turned to us, who were all standing in one line. Without further word, he began listing names.

My name eventually came up, as was Rana's. She looked at me when her name was called, her eyes glistening. I let out a smile myself, but stood still.

"If I called your name, please step forward." We took our steps. "Congratulations, you have been selected to move on. For everypony else - this is not the end! May you train harder and come back stronger!"

The Sleipnir I faced earlier was not called. He shot me a quick look of scorn before leaving the room with the others, but I paid him no mind. All that mattered was that I would be able to continue to prove myself fit as a member of the Royal Guard.

The High King looked down at the remaining Sleipnir - about a dozen or so. "There is only one reason why you are here: to serve our land as Royal Soldiers. To keep order, to restore balance, and to go down in history. I hope to see all of you in suits of armor."

One of the five kings trotted up to each of us, handing over a badge and a cloak: the mark of a trainee. When I received mine, I could barely maintain my excitement. The feel of the silky fabric and the cool touch of the badge are feelings I will never forget. This was only the beginning, but I was too narrow-minded to care.

"Training will continue tomorrow," Captain Hal pointed out. "Come, I will show you to the resting quarters."

The quarters were actually small and cramped. Mares and Stallions slept in different areas, of course. I had a corner room in the northern part of the building. Beds were lined up against the walls, with a small wooden chest at the foot of each bed. I did not have too many belongings with me, so I didn't mind.

Being able to share this all with Rana was amazing. During our first night in Valhalla, Rana and I found a nice place where we could sit and look up at the stars. It was a small rooftop on the southern side of town. Lights were on all around us as the sounds of mares and stallions filled the air. There was a small breeze as I lay down, amazed at what had transpired earlier in the day. "I'm glad I'm able to be here with you," She suddenly said with a smile. "This beats living a dull life at home, that's for sure!"

"You thought our adventures were dull?" I asked in jest.

"Of course not!" She laughed. "Ever since we met, we've had fun...." She grew quiet for a moment. "...Do you remember?"

You might be wondering how we first met...it was actually the worst first impression I had ever made. Even more than that, it was....well, I won't say it now. I was playing soldier with another colt during recess when Rana came up to us, asking to play. Rana was always a quiet filly who didn't have too many friends. She usually just kept to herself. She was really smart, though, so she did get picked on a few times by the others.

Being a typical colt, when she came up to us, we brushed her off. In response, she stuttered a bit, but turned to walk into the forest by herself. "I'll...I'll show you!" She yelled back as she disappeared from my view. "I'm just as good as you colts!" I had never heard her say something like that before, so it came as a shock to me. Looking back on it, I figure she must have gotten tired of being alone and wanted to do something daring for once...However, instead of going after her, I just returned to playing. When recess was over, she didn't come back. I offered to go and look for her, thinking she had just fallen asleep or something.

In the forest, I called out her name. "Rana! Are you here?" My voice echoed through the dark trees as I moved farther into the forest. Suddenly, I heard the roar of a Manticore and the scream of a filly. Thinking it was Rana, I ran towards the voices. Sure enough, she was huddled at the base of a tree with a Manticore looming over her. I picked up a nearby stick and charged right in. I whacked the manticore, causing it to turn its attention towards me.

I had never been in a situation like that before, so I dropped the stick in response. As much as I thought I was a strong colt, I was still a kid in the end. The manticore brought a claw up and knocked me to the side before turning back towards Rana. She screamed again; the manticore had slashed at her side. I got back up and tackled the beast, staggering it for a bit. With its full attention on me, I began to feel something overwhelm me...the same feeling I would later get when I fought Tomok. The adrenaline rush that fueled my strength. Even without a spell, I was able to knock the manticore into a nearby tree. In the meantime, Rana called out to me, telling me to lure the manticore to a nearby river.

Making it to the water, I jumped over and taunted the manticore. As it began to jump towards me, I saw something fall from the sky, hitting it right into the water and carrying it downstream. Rana had user her levitation spell to drop a small tree on the manticore. I looked at her, who began to smile before falling over. "Are you okay!?" I called out, rushing to her side. "We got it.." She said before passing out. She wasn't hurt too badly, but fillies were not used to this kind of action. I carried her back through the forest when some adults finally found us. Rana was taken away and cared for, luckily.

I didn't know her that well at that point, but I still felt guilty. I caused her to wander off. Even worse, I let her get injured when I was right there with her. I couldn't protect her. Something inside me changed. I vowed to myself that I would get stronger, to protect anypony who needed it. Ever since then, Rana would always stick around me. We were always together, whether it was exploring caves, climbing trees, or even just working at my parents' shop. She made it her goal to get stronger too, which makes her getting into the Royal Guard that much more important. I still don't see her as a soldier, but she's been doing her best to prove everypony wrong and show that she can make it.

A shooting scar raced across the sky. "Oh, make a wish!" Rana said, closing her eyes. I did so, thinking of the one thing I wanted most in the world.

"Did you make it?" Rana asked after a few seconds. I nodded. "Good. My wish is that we can stay like this forever. To carry out our dreams and do whatever we want in this world. What did you wish for?"

*********

And so, a few years passed. Rana and I completed training easily and perfectly. During the guard coronation, we were given our full suits. I wore mine proudly as I stood in line with the others who had passed. Rana looked great in hers as well as she stood next to me. We were first assigned castle duty with occasional field work. When it came to fighting, I was always one step ahead of my opponent. Many of the other guards believed in brute force and straightforward attacks. I was a more mobile Sleipnir, instead using my strength when they would least expect it. I quickly began to rise in favor with the other guards, Captain Hal, and the High King himself.

One day, I came back from a field mission and reported my progress in the throne room. While I was on my way out, the High King stopped me. "Roddel, if I may have a moment." I turned back and saluted as the other Sleipnir left the room. King Falchion stood in the room next to him, as if he wanted to hear what the High King wanted to say. Honestly, I never liked King Falchion. Something just felt off about him. He was always standing next to the High King during meetings, and would always be the first to whisper something in the High King's ear. All he cared about was gaining favor and power. As our lands became stricken with famine due to the amount of food and supplies sent for the war effort, Falchion did little to soothe the problems of his Sleipnir. However, they remained loyal to his cause due to the influence he maintained. It was a disgusting sight, but it was not my place to say anything.

"King Falchion," the High King said. "If you could leave us alone as well."

The king looked at me. "...As you wish." He bowed and made for the runway, flying off into the distance. Soon, it was just me, the High King, and Captain Hal.

"What can I do for you, my lord?" I bowed my head.

"Please, rise." the King said in his calm voice. "I wanted to tell you that I was impressed with what I've seen you do over the years. Every day, you're training in the yard. Every mission, you're right out in front. You even take castle duty seriously and with enthusiasm. I've never seen another like you. I hope to see good things from you in the future."

I was speechless. "T-thank you, my lord!" I bowed my head. "I hope I get an opportunity soon to show my true worth."

The High King gave a gentle laugh before making his way out of the room. I turned to follow when Captain Hal stopped me. "Wait, Roddel." I stopped in place and saluted. "Before you go, I do have a mission you might be interested in."

"The High King told me to gather those I feel are competent enough to handle the mission. It's along the northern border, for a fight against the Draconequus."

Comments

[Dapper Guy]

Hmm, kind of reminds me of Odin's Horse.

[KingBrony]

3973578 Sleipnir is the name of Odin's steed, and the race in my stories are considered god-like beings, so I thought it was perfect to make that reference.