Chapter 33
“You know they are watching, right?” I asked as I walked out onto the training yard alongside Shining Armor.
The larger stallion nodded slightly and glanced up at the balcony overseeing the training yard. “Oh yeah. Don't worry, I'll try to make you look good.”
I smirked at him. “I think you should worry about yourself. A Captain of the guard beaten by an author?”
Yeah, like I really had a chance. He could just throw up a shield and stand there tanking everything I could throw at him until I dropped from exhaustion.
But smack talk was all part of it and I did hope I would at lead put up a good showing.
“Oh really?” Shining asked with a grin. “We just have to see. Rules?”
I shrugged. “No spells that will make it impossible to attend the dinner tomorrow?”
As much as I might want to skip it, getting hurt enough to be forced to stay in bed was a bit further than I was willing to go for it. Besides, it was one of the reasons that they were at Canterlot.
The second and more important one was to discuss the changeling situation.
“Sounds good.” He agreed with a nod. “End at surrender or incapacitation?”
“Deal.”
With that I headed towards the other end of the field. Okay, let's see what to do.
What do I know... captain of the guard, highly trained, completely overpowered with shields. It is possible that he will underestimate me.
He knows that I have trained with Luna, but not what I have been doing.
In a straight up fight, he would stomp me into the ground. So I need to make it not be a stand up fight.
The area was nicely lit up by torches on the walls, the stars shimmering far above as the moon helped light the scene up.
I turned to face him.
What do I have to work with... two racks of weapons along left wall, wooden spears and swords. My magic and the dirt on the ground.
“You may begin at the count of three.” Luna called out from the balcony. “Three. Two. One. Begin!”
I started moving at once, running to the side as I threw a telekinesis beam in his direction. If hit, it would hit him like a kick.
Shining Armor didn't move, just tracking me with his horn, his pink shield flashing up a split second before my spell hit, blocking it flawlessly before returning fire.
Unable to get out of the way, I threw up my own shield, an angled plane deflecting it into the dirt a couple of meters away.
The impact caused me to take half a step back.
It was not a punch like Luna could throw them, but damn. Never felt any Unicorn hit like that before. Swift wasn't even close last I practiced with him.
So not just defense, then. He had one hell of an offense as well.
Being the brother to the Element of Magic I really should have expected that. But he had yet to move, just throwing up a shield.
He knew I couldn't hurt him through it.
So maybe if I...
Dropping my shield, I snagged three spears from the closest of the weapon racks and fired them in his general direction while diving to the side, avoiding a pair of spells flying in my direction. One of them passed close enough by that I could have sworn I felt the damn thing parting my coat.
If one of those had hit...
As expected, the wooden spears simply bounced off his shield harmlessly, clattering onto the dirt floor around him.
There was a short lull in the battle as I rolled onto my hooves, putting on a show of breathing hard as his shield dropped again.
“Hey, not bad.” Shining Armor called out. “I was right that you were guard material. With a little more work, you would easily be accepted into basic training.”
That's right.
Underestimate me.
“I wasn't aware we were done yet.” I called back, taking a couple of steps towards him. “Unless you want to surrender.”
He grinned and threw a spell in my direction and I deflected it to the side before I reared up and returned fire.
Literally.
This was something I only managed for first time two weeks ago. Elemental magic was tricky, but fire was easier than cold. It was harder to remove energy than to add it and fire magic was basically nothing but a semi-controlled energy dump.
My horn lit up and I channeled my magic into a stream of fire in Shining Armors direction and I dropped back down on all fours. Before he was hidden from view by the flames I sent in his direction, I could see his shield bubble go up and a surprised expression on his face.
There was no way they would reach him, that spell didn't have the range, but that was what I had counted on. I couldn't keep the flames up for long, that spell drained magic like something insane as it was a pure elemental conversion of magic into fire with very little in the way of direction, but I didn't need to.
It was a distraction, not an attack.
Galloping forward, I dropped the spell and snatched the spears I threw earlier up in my magic and stabbed towards his shield, aiming them at him from three directions.
The spears slammed against his shield
Panting softly, I stopped like that, the spears pressed against his shield as he easily held them at bay.
“Check.” I finally said, getting my breathing under control. “If you drop the shield, I win. If you don't... well, you lose.”
Shining Armor raised an eyebrow. “I can hold this shield all night. How long can you hold those spears at the ready?”
I shrugged. “Maybe another fifteen minutes or so. Fire magic is a bitch of an energy drain.”
Shining Armor nodded and sat down in his bubble. “It is. Damaging, though, if you manage a hit, but because of the drain, unless you have it as a special talent, you are better off with less flashy spells. Still, in this instance it served its purpose. A wall of flames coming at you tends to be distracting. Good job, you have me effectively mission killed. There is no way I can drop the shield and cast something else before you hit me with at least one spear.”
“So, do you surrender?”
He smirked. “There is something else you have not thought of.”
“What?”
“You are just as locked down as I am. Move too far away and you will drop the spears and we are back at square one. If you don't, all I have to do is to sit here and wait for you to exhaust yourself.”
Chuckling, I nodded and spun the spears around, stabbing them into the dirt. “Good match. You win. I just wish I had something heavy to lean on your shield so if you dropped it, it would squish you. That would have worked.”
Shining Armor dropped the shield and shrugged. “Might have.” he agreed and waved at the balcony. “If you want, I'll give you some tips tomorrow on how to unravel shield spells.”
“...That would be awesome.”
“Good. Now let's go find some something to drink that's older than we are.”
“Now that sound like a plan I can get behind.”
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Agreed.
nice very nice good chapter
Did anyone else besides me misread that initially as decapitation and did a double take?
Instead of fire spells, Blank should have learnt/used sound based attacks, since Shining 's shield doesn't block light or sound.
Poison gas is also an option.
6857381 Yeah! Echonarchmage!
"Poison" gas is not for Sparring...
aww dank that was to quick I wanted too see them mix it up a bit.
but at the same time Shining would be surprised at Page's little ring he has ben playing with.
6857301 In my sleep deprived state I misread it twice XD
isn't that like the opposite of the count of three? XD
Nice spar, good chapter.
Page should write an HIE.
It would be funny if during these talks, Chrysalis points out how Lord Page is a example of a type of pony who is self reliant and truly willing to give anything a chance or try. As how many current ponies who are not assure or themselves or rather been isolated from dealing with other species would be unable to open up or even let 'the power of friendship' spread beyond just the three tribes, because you have to admit using ponyville as an example; they freak out from zebras, griffons and stampeding bunnies.
more of a 'later' note, if/when Twilight get's her castle of friendship. The town will not really be as welcoming to other species than say any border city or the capital to a lesser degree, due to the snobbiest common wealthy type found there unless you can make them richer. Though how would the papers react to 'Lord Page' coltfriend (consort) having become friends with his changeling bodyguard, or if things go well in discussions to improve the Changeling survivability and get net positive food. Or what title changelings refer to him as after in respect? because sooner rather than later he'll have more than a page's worth of titles clinging onto him by what he's done or accomplished personally.
Now we all know he is REALLY popular as for being an author, would he be surprised that the only reason he hasn't met any of the more disturbing fans he is likely to meet was because of Luna? Or Skitter or night watch ponies to ensure their divine princess's chosen is safe? Since in cultures the sisters could be worshiped or only one of them, hmmm now that makes me wonder about the over zealous kind of ponies or beings out there that may think he's marring their eternal beauty by thinking he has the right to be with her. XD Or that they should stay virginal. o..o
6857381
True enough, as far as being the captain, he could probably withstand the rough equivalent of a magical flashbang, but it would still hurt.
I get the impression he was largely humoring Page, but I'd be disappointed if it was any other way. He probably does respect the effort of someone who is largely undertrained.
6857549 that tripped me up as well. I think page would have been good attacking instantly though.
6858229 Well she likely wouldn't want to be 'queen' of a species that had invaded her home city/capital, as for difference in species can come into play, such as they NEED Chrysalis because if say she lays changelings as for ecample a ant queen would. Than she'd be vital for their growth, though if she has one or a couple younger royal type changeling 'princesses' as her heirs. That could become it's own political whirlpool, Imagine daughters that Chrysalis had personally raised with chamber drones too. There's a likely hood of some of her personality rubbing off on them in that case, though Chrysalis being the older Queen likely has seniority much as modern ponies excluding threstals look to Celestia first for guidance.
There is the whole 'hive mind' thing that could be possible, which if so they could be simply leaving the chamber to speak with their queen etc or they really had to go from the castle or whatnot all the way to the canterlot hive to speak would be tedious. though Changelings likely have faster methods to communicate unlike ponies since their bug like nature. but getting back onto topic, a Princess of Food(Love) would NOT want to rule over a species that devours the very thing she protects or is special to her.
Take into fact Chrysalis could likely be paying Cadence 'lip service' on aspects, such as 'Oh sure Cadence, i'll simply put my random daughter in charge of the hive built in or near the empire, there's no way she'll ever at some time try to do something on the level that I had done given enough time. Because there is only ONE Lord Page here if that were to happen if there was another wedding.' She would likely be full of sarcasm or pointing out that those 'terms' you've laid out only work if they were ponies like them, perhaps say that they are CHAGELINGS. or possibly treat cadence as a young Queen without any real world experience, sure she has been thrown into a leadership role of a out of date empire of crystal ponies who have traditions and habits that vastly are different than her own, it would be rather funny if chrysalis asks how she hasn't YET stepped on someone's hooves yet in a culture fitting of the time around when Luna was banished? Or why Luna instead wasn't placed as the head of it to help them transition better, since they seem like the 'rugged' type that would be happier with a active experienced ruler instead of grown foals thrown into a bath of questionable origins.
Also Chrysalis would be funny as having more personal knowledge about most or all species customs or habits/activities than others, or relating to different species better with fluid grace.
6858239
It would've been funny if he had cheated like that and ended up beating Shiny over the head. Dude isn't very good with unexpected situations.
6858393 yea, but ya gotta watch that kind of thing, or you end up drifting into Gary Stu territory.
6858616
There is that, admittedly. I'm just a sucker for "underdog wins one-sided duel through the power of cheating" type situations, I guess. Has been a favourite of mine ever since the whole "just shoot the guy" scene in Temple of Doom.
6860164 that sounds Awesome!!
Link?
6860233 Here ya go. Enjoy! I will warn you that it's a slow starter.
I would have channeled my energy through the ground ad made a dust storm inside the shield. If such a thing is possible in this setting.
I would think that the guards would be really impressed. To force a stalemate with the captain when you do not have his mana pool or training? I think a lot of money will be exchanging hooves through lost bets on that fight. And 15 minutes? That is a long damn time in a battle if it were for real.
Can't Shining teleport? Why not teleport out of the bubble behind Page? If he can't teleport through it, charge it then release the bubble the moment before release. Obviously he can cast multiple spells at the same time.
For that matter, why not change the contours of his bubble?
7299981 The fire blast drained them both. Shining had to use a lot of power to block the flames.
Wait, what about all that training with the ring disc thing? I thought he could apply his field at a distance. Which would make him seem badass, just walking out of the ring while the spears are still pressed against the shield and saying "Well, are you coming or not?"
7376541
He can apply his magical field at a distance, but only a certain distance. Meaning he cant walk away and leave shining there with the spears on his shield.
6859157
I think you mean Raiders of the Lost Arc.
7376541
His distance is like 5 meters right now. 15 feet. That like a car length away. He walks away and he will be out of range in like 3 seconds.
He wont even reach the edge of the ring.
9487612
He still could have backed up a bit
Nice duel. Page make Luna proud 👏
It's a damn shame that neither OG princess can claim such a drink exists... Not for them, at any rate.
And even if it did, "functionally immortal" is a damn long time, so the occasion to bring it out would need to truly be once-in-a-billion-years or something. They may be positively ancient by pony standards, but a few thousand years in terms of "forever" is barely sperm.
7299981
We've never seen him teleport in the series before. But we did see that he is super athletic in the episode wher Twilight is trying to make Pinkie a Christmas Pudding Gift.
Fighting smarter is better than fighting harder!
Magic duel!
