It was a Different Time...

by OneCoolBrony

Why We Don't Like War

Spell Sword rushed forward in the mass of armour and thundering hooves. He felt himself fiercly gripping the hilt of his sword, it's history spilling over into the aura and filling him with adrenaline. It was almost like a smell, but was something not quite that. He could sense the blood that had been washed from the blade.

He narrowed his eyes on what he would direct his first attack on. A mid-sized manticore, fury in it's eyes, sunlight flashing off of the chitin of the tail. He counted how long until his first encounter of the battle would take place.

15

It saw him eyeing it.

12

It focused on him.

7

A burst of speed from the hybrid.

4

A final push from the unicorn.

Now.

Spell Sword threw both his back hooves into the ground, launching him into the air. As he sailed towards the monster, his magical focus on his trusty blade tightened, violently gliding it from it's sheath and whipping it to the left, countering a lash that had been made by the scorpion tail that the beast brandished. Quickly, effortlessly, he turned the sword and pushed into the right paw of the manticore.

A massive roar erupted from the beast. There were other clashes and cries amongst them, but Spell Sword heard none of them, his focus being solely the creature bellowing in front of him.

Landing on his hooves, he re-gripped the hilt of his blade with his magic. The manticore was thrown into a rage and rushed the unicorn, lunging at Spell Sword so as to overwhelm him with his mass and pounce on his 'victim'.

Spell Sword thought quickly. He ducked his head down, then suddenly thrust it and his sword upward, plunging the steel into the breast of the monster. Before it hit the ground, the sword was removed from it's chest and the stallion it had been trying to maim had strafed to the right (the manticore's left) and out from under the lion-scorpion.

As soon as the bloodied mass of fur and exoskeletal tail hit the ground, Spell Sword thrust his sword into the base of it's skull, ensuring its demise. Whirling around, he quickly caught a serpent on his blade, it having launched itself at him. The purple snake landed behind him, slithering to reorient itself to face Spell Sword once again.

It was about as long as two ponies and thick as his forehoof, but he felt no fear, for some reason. Seeing the head rear up, Spell Sword widened his stance, preparing for another airborne assault. The violet reptile had hoped for this reaction and dropped it's head, speeding for one of his hooves.

Surprised but not off-guard, Spell Sword slammed his sword into the ground, directly on top of the abnormally large vermin's skull, ending it's attack. Spell Sword did a quick check of his surroundings, half-resting as he did so.

No immediate danger prevalent, he took a little extra time to recuperate himself, then launched back into battle. Seeing the struggles of a war-axe-wielding earth pony, Spell Sword rushed to provide assistance.

Smashing the pommel onto the cragodile's snout he jumped onto it's back, providing ample distraction for the earth pony soldier to cleave his axe onto the top of it's head, killing it instantly. The two shared a knowing smile, slamming the gilded boots of each's right forehoof into the other's and siding back-to-back.

The two returned to an offensive stance as a pack of wooden wolves surrounded them, howling with the excitement of trapping prey.

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Spell Sword paused at the edge of the treeline, huffing and puffing as the ripping of flesh and clattering of armour sang out behind him. He stared into the forest, deciding whether chasing the jewel-sporting hounds was in his best interest or if he should return to the battle raging behind him.

CLLLAaAAAAAaAAAAaaAAAAaAAAANNNNNNNNGGGGG

The unicorn whirled around, reversing his six o' clock. A large grey dog with an even larger smile stood, holding his wooden club proudly. Before the mongrel could react, Spell Sword lunged, thrusting the broadsword into it's chest and subsequently ending it's life.

Almost immediately following, several diamond dogs dropped around him, swinging wildly and then retreating into the thick trees behind him. Spell Sword gave chase, allowing himself to be lured to where he did not know.

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Spell Sword stiffed his forelegs, attempting to stop himself as he slid towards the maw of a gaping ravine. Small mounds of earth accumulated in front of his front hooves as his momentum decreased and so too did the amount of soil actually in the ground. Skidding closer and closer to the edge of the gorge it quickly became apparent that he would not be able to stop in time.

His forehoofs slipped over the edge and his chest slammed onto the well-packed earth, causing him to grunt at the pain. Panicked hooves slapped at the rock wall anxiously as he attempted to back-peddal up the face of the canyon. Barely managing to get a hoof-hold, he squirmed back up onto the ledge.

Spell Sword lay, panting heavily and still terrified. As his breathing slowed he was able to take in his surroundings. A bridge, built not long ago, leading across the gap to a massive stone fortress. He grinned at what must be the residence of the monsters' ruler.

His confident smile was ended abruptly when he heard what he assumed must be sobbing. The weeping was not what surprised him most, however, but that the voice was distinctly male.

Ears perked, he turned his head, scanning for the origin of the sniveling. Once he had discerned it's direction, he set a light trot towards the tree the distressed was hiding behind.

Rounding the tree, Spell Sword registered a familiar golden coat set behind a suit of armour. The weeping pony before him was none other than the oh-so-brave Gilded Armour.

Spell Sword stood for a minute, allowing the unicorn to sob to his heart's content. When at last he realized he had been discovered, Gilded Armour stood quickly, wiping his nose on his right boot.

"I.. I.." Gilded stuttered, fumbling with an exceptable excuse. Spell Sword had so many things he wanted to do. He could mock him for his cowardice. He could start patronizing how 'brave' he was. He could hurl an endless slew of insults and comments of how 'There are Earth ponies and Pegasi still fighting, but here you are.

"You ran." Spell Sword himself wasn't even really sure if it was a question or a statement. He could only blatantly point out what was already prevelant to both.

A tear slid down Gilded Armour's clearly ashamed cheek. He didn't try to excuse himself, just explained what had happened. "I saw three good ponies. Crushed. By one claw. They died instantly. I just ran. And ran. I just... I ran."

Spell sword lowered his head, nodding slightly. He understood well the trauma of watching other's being slaughtered while you did nothing. All he could do was extend a hoof in an attempt to console the very pony whom he had held what he thought was contempt towards for so long.

Patting him on the shoulder in a manner that spoke "there, there", Spell Sword led Gilded Armour out into the clearing in front of the bridge. He judged that it would be fairly easy to get a bearing and lead the pony out from the treeline, where at least he could be safe from the dangers of this forest which had already proven willing to attack any who pushed through it's treeline.

Not long had the two been out of the thick of trees when Spell Sword felt a sharp pain in his neck. Hitting the earth hard, it took him a moment to realize that he had been airborne. He rolled quickly onto his back so that he could see where his attacker was coming from.

Too late. The large diamond dog had already begun to lunge the sword towards his unprotected belly.

Before the sword could even touch his coat, the mutt was pushed to it's left, a unicorn having charged and thrown his shoulder, and his weight behind it, into the would-be slayer of Spell Sword.

The dog reacted quickly, spinning around and catching Gilded Armour's face on the back of his hand. While Gilded recoiled from the hit, the diamond dog slammed his open paw on the unicorn's neck, lifting him off of his hooves while he held and choked him.

In a flash, the sword was in Gilded Armour's abdomen, and just as quickly found it's way out. a shocked Spell Sword had only just found his way onto his hooves and stared, mouth agape, as the limp body of Gilded Armour dropped onto the forest floor, blood dampening the soil around him.

Spell Sword shook his head violently, picked up his sword in his magic, charged, and swung visciously. The sound of a small pop sounded out as the diamond dog's spine split, blood spurting from where his head resided only moments ago.

The massive hound dropped among the creepers, his sanguine fluid too spilling upon the earthen ground. Spell Sword took no notice of this but instead rushed beside the sputtering Gilded Armour.

The penetrated stallion only blinked, rapidly, as he looked at the very unicorn he had thought he was saving. "I. I. I."

Gilded Armour seemed to be struggling with his words. "I didn't. What? Am I? Am I dying? Holy shit. I'm dying. I am literally dying. Well I'll be damned..." he thought about his wording, "I'm going to Tartarus, aren't I? I know sure as shit that I'm not going to any Elysium, but I never really thought that I was going to Tartarus." He looked up at Spell Sword, terror splayed on his muzzle.

"No, Gilded, you have all your life to turn it around, pal. You're gonna..." "I'm fucking dying, Spell! I'm dying. I'm going to be judged, and I'm going straight to Tartarus. Oh, woe is me."

"Shut up, Gilded. Just shut up. It may not look good, but, I mean, even if you are dying, you're not going to Tartarus."

Gilded Armour only shook his head. The initial shock had died down and he had started calming a bit, though Spell Sword had noted that his breathing was becoming more and more shallow as time went on.

Spell Sword knew exactly what this meant, and he was nowhere near inclined to share this information with the bleeding individual in front of him.

Spell Sword knew that they wouldn't be able to get out of the forest in time. They were to deep. He just had to let the inevitable happen, but he would at least try to comfort him as it happened.

He was never really good at saying things. It was something he had always regretted, though had been content in the ability's absence. On top of his own lackluster speaking quality, he had never really liked Gilded Armour.

It was terrible to think about as he was visibly fading, but it was true. He could not bring himself to say that he would really miss him as a friend. So, he decided to just let him go on.

"Just. Keep talking. Okay?" Spell Sword urged the mortally wounded unicorn to talk. Gilded Armour just made a sort of 'Pfft' sound. "You know what's going to suck?"

Gilded Armour looked back to Spell Sword from his place on the ground. "Literally nopony is going to remember me. And all who do will with bad taste. I was a terrible pony, and now I finally see how far that gets me."

Spell Sword didn't say anything. He just sat, listening to the final testaments of the stallion before him.

"I am Gilded Armour. I have been rude, racist, and cowardly. I am the killer of none and the saviour of just as many." He rolled his eyes. "Well, okay, one. Here I die. Nopony will remember me."