28: A Test of Mettle...
The days went by as Oblivion trained the guards in their new pairs. Silver turned out to be more than capable of flying solo and still maintaining speed and control. Striker and Vantage were on the ground and it took time for them to get in sync. Vantage was much faster than the Pegasus on the ground. Oblivion set the Pegasus to the air above the Thestral and by altering that formation they were able to stay in pace with each other. Striker would take to the ground in places and then vault over Vantages back to keep the formation from being too linear. Oblivion started to work out how they were going to bait the mare. The Leshen was simple to bait, the mare would not be.
“Chosen?” Sasa trotted up to him as Vantage and Striker galloped across the grass.
“Yes?”
“How are they doing?”
“Better considering. By altering where Striker is we have made it harder for the mare to counter them.”
“Hopefully.” Sasa added.
He looked at her and then back to the ponies. “Start attacking them. We need them to be able to act without you or I.”
“Understood.” She turned and ran back to them. Their path was erratic due to Oblivion randomly firing magic at them. She stalked them for a time, then lunged and was able to trip Vantage, who recovered and began calling out to Striker.
The two ponies began to act as Sasa harried them. They didn’t seek to hurt the cat as she attacked. They changed their positions more frequently and began to further alter their run patterns. He watched as Sasa was forced to attack them more boldly without any cover. “Well done,” Oblivion said to himself as he watched from a small hill. He began firing magic at them as well.
Striker hollered a warning as they turned into the magic and both dove to the ground, avoiding the blast. Sasa yelped and ducked as well. She sprang up and yowled at him. He gave a non-committal shrug and continued. The ponies avoided the magic but were caught by the cat more often as a result. Striker suddenly yelled for a direction change as Vantage hollered for Sasa. Both listened to the other's warning and avoided both. Sasa jumped at Vantage as the magic went over her back.
“Chosen!” She hollered through their link.
“Your fine. It’s harmless.” He chided her.
“That’s not the point.”
“Yes, it is. Keep going.”
She grumbled, but recovered and began her attack once more. Oblivion was impressed when the two ponies were able to avoid almost all of the attacks or were able to use Sasa to take the blow for them. The sun dipped down and Oblivion called for the end of the exercise. Both ponies panted as they stopped and started to walk toward him.
“How did we do, sir?” Striker asked as they stopped in front of him.
“Pretty well. Especially considering you were dodging both Sasa and my magic. Well done in getting Sasa to take the blows a few times.”
“She’s not to mad about that is she?” Vantage asked.
“No. She is more upset at me than you.” Oblivion pointed out as Sasa swatted at his hooves.
“Oh, thank Celestia.” Vantage said, relief flooding his voice. He reached out and stroked the cat’s side as she stopped batting at Oblivion’s hooves. “I’m glad to see that you’re back on four legs, sir.”
Oblivion nodded. “As am I.” His hoof had healed and the newly healed claws were folded back in their place within his hoof. They had finally healed earlier that morning.
“Even if that does mean that now you can start coming after us.” Striker added, with a chuckle.
“Also true,” Oblivion replied.
“What else do we need to work out?” Vantage asked as he sat down.
“The only main concern we have now is to find a way to bait the mare. The Leshen will be easy to bait. The mare…not as much.” Oblivion informed them.
Vantage was quiet as he considered. “Is there a way to use a portal to draw her?”
“How so?” Oblivion asked.
“Like a dummy portal. She said she can use them. So one that is not her own would draw her attention, right?”
Striker nodded. “That’s true. She would have no control over it and if she is after the monsters that come from it then she would want to control the monster from this one as well.”
Oblivion was quiet as he thought over what they had said. “I might be able to replicate a portal. Though it is not something that I have tried.”
“Or is it possible to make it seem as though you are out there alone with the Element?” Vantage tossed out another idea.
“That would be an interesting option, Chosen.” Sasa added at the second suggestion.
“True.” He responded to her. “Both could work. In all honesty, the portal might be our best bet. But that hinges on her ability to sense if a portal opens or not.” He considered both options as the others waited. “Go ahead and head back to camp and rest. I’ll join you shortly.”
The ponies nodded and started for camp. The black stallion stood silently as he thought over how a portal would need to work. “I can possibly create one, but it would need to give off enough power to be noticed.” He said aloud.
“Just make it seem as though a monster even bigger than the Leshen is coming through. There is no way she will be able to resist it.” Sasa pointed out.
“True enough. But the question remains. How would it work? I would need to be by the totems to distract the Leshen and make it so that she cannot issue commands to the Leshen. It would need to give a big enough signature to attract her and draw her out.”
“Agreed. Perhaps create an item that they can use after getting a signal from you?”
“Or you can be with them then alert me when she takes the bait so I can bait the Leshen.”
“That would work. An item for the ponies that they can use once I reach them after destroying the first two totems then meet up with you after they use the item and the mare shows up?”
“That could work.” Oblivion agreed. “It would need to be an item that can be destroyed and give enough time for them to hide while they wait for her to appear.”
“Exactly.” Sasa replied, her voice hopeful.
Oblivion pivoted on his heel and started walking for the camp. His mind went over ideas for how to enchant an item to mimic a portal and how that would need to be used. ‘An item that can be broken and still use a spell to create the fake portal. Glass is the easiest option but also the most fragile when being transported. Perhaps clay or a form of pottery?’
The black Unicorn was quiet as he kept thinking in silence. “Sasa.”
“Yes?”
“Any ideas about the type of item that they could use? I am thinking of one that I can enchant with a spell and they can break it on the ground then hide.”
“That would work. What type of item though?”
“That is what I am asking you for, I had thought glass or perhaps a type of clay?”
“Clay might be our best option. Its sturdy enough to handle being moved around.”
“Agreed. Glass is the other thought, but it’s not as sturdy without having a spell on it as well. I would rather not overdo the number of spells on it.”
“That’s true. Clay is our best choice then. Can you make an item like that?”
“I can, yes. Now we have to figure out what it should be.”
“A thought for later. What exercise will Silver be doing this morning?”
“Currently I have not thought of it. While he has shown that he is capable of making turns and bursts of speed, he has not been able to attack during that time. He can use that speed for around an hour, but after that, he slows and falters.”
“True.’
Oblivion said nothing as they reached camp and joined the others as they ate. Cross was sitting with Silver and they appeared to be discussing something as the others approached. Silver looked up and regarded the black stallion.
“Sir?”
“Yes?”
“I have an idea. Vantage and Striker told me about how we need to bait the crazy mare to make her come after us without the Leshen.”
“That’s true. I have been discussing it with Sasa and have an idea as well. But I will listen.”
“What if we leave her in the forest? I know that we were going to bring her out into the open. But what if we leave her in the forest?”
“And why would we do that?” Oblivion asked, his interest piqued.
“Well, that way Cross can hide easier as he gets close enough to fulfill his part in the plan. Out in the open, that’s made more difficult.”
“I see your point. But the best areas to keep her are too close to the totems. Sasa has been scouting areas and the best spots that she found for engaging the pinto are close enough to the Leshens the last totem to possibly allow her to flee to its location and use it against all of us. Since her goal is the Element keeping it away from her at this time is our best course of action.” Oblivion explained to him.
Silver looked sheepish as he nodded. “Good point.”
“Questioning is not a bad thing, Silver. If you do not know the answer or have ideas of your own then I welcome you bringing them forward.” Oblivion advised the stallion.
Silver nodded and accepted his food from Cross. “What will we be working on?” Cross spoke up.
“Cross. You will be working with me. We need to work on your technique for approaching a pony when they are distracted and getting an item from them. So we will be using my cloak and medallion for the exercise. Silver. You will be running with Sasa. She will be running erratically and your job will be to stay with her. No matter her pace and movement.”
Both ponies nodded. Cross looked a bit unsure at the prospect of working with Oblivion specifically. Silver reached out and rubbed his hoof on Sasa’s forehead. She purred in response.
“How long will I be matching her?”
“Till Cross can take my medallion off me.”
“So till the end of forever?” Silver replied.
Oblivion shrugged. His horn lit up as he brought his cloak out and it settled over his back. He conjured a belt that went around his barrel. His medallion lifted from around his neck and he tied it to the strap around his body. It sat midway between his shoulder and hip and the medallion dangled from it. Cross and the others watched as he finished his preparations. Vantage and Striker went into their tents and settled down to sleep. Cross covered the fire and waited for Silver to finish his meal before they set out, trailing behind the Black Unicorn. They reached the usual training area and waited for further instruction.
“All right. Silver with Sasa.” The pony saluted and trotted after the Spectral Tiger. “Cross. I do not expect you to be able to take the medallion from me without my knowledge. As a Witcher, my senses are heightened and the odds are very much against you. If I am calculating correctly then the pinto will stay in one place or possibly walk around as she will only be seeing the three of you. Now that might also make her cautious since she may or may not know there are four of you. Since she seems to go to bed around the time that you switch then she may or may not know of the training with you and Silver, if she is paying that close of attention at all. Having the Leshen under her hoof may have also made her complacent. If that is the case then it works in our favor.”
“I understand. So the point is for me to approach you and try for the medallion?”
“Correct. Again I do not expect you to be able to take it. But the point of this is to see your approach and how to improve your chances of reaching for it.” Oblivion said to him as he began walking slowly away. “Begin.”
He looked back as Cross crouched down and vanished from sight in the taller grass. The black stallion walked slowly around, occasionally changing his course as he also kept an ear turned to listen to Silver and Sasa. He stopped and looked to his left as his eyes connecting with Cross.
“Try again.”
Cross nodded and waited as Oblivion walked away from him again. Time ticked by as he glanced over to Sasa and found her to be zig-zagging, then stopping and turning back as Silver managed to keep pace. Cross was caught each time, but his technique was slowly improving. The black stallion stilled as his ears listened for the Thestral. He looked over as Cross burst out of the grass and jumped over his back, gripping the cloak in one hoof as he tried to pull Oblivion off his hooves. Oblivion staggered and dug his claws into the ground as he managed to keep his hooves. He felt the belt around his barrel shift on his body as Cross’s other hoof gripped it and tried to yank it off the stallion. Oblivion released his hold with his claws and bucked against the other ponies hold. Cross yelped as Oblivion spun, tossing the pony to the ground and dragged him for a foot or so. Cross let go of the cloak and belt and laid on the ground panting.
“Well done.” Oblivion praised him as he held out a hoof to help him up.
“I got the belt, but I forgot to let go of the stupid cloak.” Cross berated himself as he was pulled to his hooves.
“As I said. The odds of you getting it were very slim. But you did well considering.”
“Considering I was going against you. So should I try again?”
“No, I think that will be enough for this evening,” Oblivion said to the Thestral. He looked up and gave a shrill whistle.
Sasa loped up to him with Silver above her. The feline reached him and gave his shoulder an affectionate nuzzle. “How did they do Chosen?”
“You both did well. If I was any other pony then Cross would have gotten the medallion and escaped with his last attempt.” Oblivion informed them.
“Way to go Cross.” Silver praised the Thestral.
“Good for him. Silver did very well keeping me close. Very rarely did he lose sight of me.”
“According to Sasa you also did well Silver. It’s almost time for us to confront the pinto and see what we can find out.” Oblivion informed them and looked to the forest for a moment before continuing. “Now we will be getting the four of you together to see how it works with all of you.”
“How will we be doing that?” Silver asked.
“Sasa will act as the mare and the four of you will confront her as a group. We will give a couple of days to get used to moving together but you will still act as independent units. But for now, that will be all for this evening. We will start getting the four of you on the same schedule and see how it goes.”
Sasa led them back to camp and Oblivion started the fire as they neared it. Oblivion returned his medallion to its place around his neck and sent his cloak back to his saddlebag. He hadn’t worn it consistently in weeks. He sat by the fire with the ponies as they chatted and went over tactics. Sasa laid down at his side and waited as he considered their next move.
“Chosen? Will we be confronting her soon?” She finally asked of him.
“Soon enough. I need to create a portable portal for them to use to draw her out. In the meantime, we need to get you and the four of them working on tactics. It’s about halfway through the day. We may need to wake up the other two to get them on the same schedule as Silver and Cross. We will be confronting her at sunset.”
“That makes sense. So should I wake them?”
“In a bit. Give them as much time as we can before we bring them in on the plan.’
Sasa was silent as she nodded and went back to listening to the two ponies. Oblivion’s horn lit as he started creating a small totem made of red clay. His magic twisted the ball of clay and it began to form a small cylinder. The edges were contoured and gave off a waterfall effect and tapered to the bottom. The surface rippled as Oblivion closed his eyes and began to work on creating the portal spell. His mind focused on what he knew of portals and began to weave the mechanics of the spell into the small carving.
Sasa and the ponies watched as the glow from Oblivion's horn grew brighter and the carving began to ripple as the Unicorn layered a spell onto it. She said nothing so as not to disrupt him. The stallion’s eyes were closed as he focused on the spell he was using to enchant the item for their purposes. She looked to the ponies and found them to be staring at the Unicorn. Their eyes were wide as they felt the magic washing over the item and slowly growing in power. Cross looked over at Silver, who was awestruck as he stared.
Oblivion's magic peaked and a bright flash went over the item and a slight concussion wave went over them. The item floated slowly to the ground and the black pony gave a sigh as he opened his eyes. He looked at the carving and gave a pleased snort at his handiwork.
“Sir?” Silver spoke up.
Oblivion looked at him. “It’s fine. This holds what I am hoping is the correct portal spell. We can’t test it since it would draw her here and we aren’t ready for her at this exact time. I might have made it stronger than it needs to be but that can work in our favor. If she was thrilled about the Leshen then she will come to this portal hoping for something bigger than it was.”
“What could be bigger than that thing?” Silver asked.
“Fiends, Wyverns, Cockatrice, to name a few. They are larger than the Leshen is.” Oblivion informed them.
Both ponies looked nervous as they listened. “Yikes.” Silver replied and looked at the carving again. “So that little thing will make a portal big enough for her to sense? A Dummy portal I mean?”
“Precisely. It will have enough power behind it to draw her attention. We need to explain how this is all going to work for all of you. Sasa, wake up Vantage and Striker.”
The cat nodded and went into the tent that housed the other two ponies. A loud roar shook the tent and a series of loud shouts followed along with a fair amount of colorful cursing as they yelled at the she-cat. They both came out of the tent following the cat.
“Sir?” Vantage asked of him as they regarded him.
“My apologies, but it is getting to be time for the four of you to start working on your skills as a group. I also have created a way for us to attract her attention. So the full plan is needing to be discussed.” Oblivion advised the two ponies.
Striker gave Vantage his dinner and they both sat down. “So what is the plan?” Striker asked.
Oblivion picked up the carving and waited for them to look at it. “This will draw her to you. You will engage her in the open fields. Using the forest would be ill-advised due to the proximity to the totems and it would be easier for her to evade in the forest and possibly reach the Leshen.”
Vantage stared at the carving. “Okay, I give. How is that little thing going to get her attention?”
“It is enchanted with a spell to create a dummy portal that will catch her attention. It has enough power that it will make it seem as though something larger than the Leshen is going to come through it.”
“Oh. That makes sense.” Vantage nodded and went silent.
Oblivion gave a slight nod and continued. “Sasa and I will break the first two totems. Once the second has been broken she will join the four of you. Once she reaches you, break the carving and then hide. The portal it will create will look exactly like the ones that have been bringing creatures to her. Once she has reached all of you attack her and begin working on exhausting her and capture her when able. Sasa will then inform me once she has reached all of you and I will bring her back to aid me in the fight with the Leshen. I will break the final totem and that will bring the Leshen to me. Once I have finished with it I will come to you.”
The four guards looked at each other. “So we just have to tire her out and hope she falls before we do?” Striker said aloud.
“Yes. I do not anticipate the fight with the Leshen to take very long. I have fought them before and I know how to kill them. If needed I will send Sasa to aid you. But that is only if needed. Leshen can summon creatures to aid them so her purpose is to keep them off my tail while I deal with the Leshen.”
“I get it.” Silver piped up. “Hopefully we can take her down before you get there. She is after you and the Element so we have to work harder to stop her before you arrive.”
“By the time I finish with the Leshen I have no doubt that she will be tiring. Taking on three of you actively while another harries her heels and uses stealth will be forcing her to fight on two, even three, fronts.”
“That just sounds exhausting.” Striker added.
“It is,” Oblivion advised. “But it means she will tire faster. If we play our cards right then the Leshen will be down before she has the chance to try to call upon it. Otherwise, this will have all been for naught.”
“We won’t fail, sir,” Cross said to him.
“I would hope not,” Oblivion said to them.
“You trained us for this job. Each of us knows our part and we will act as is befitting of the training you have done with us.” Vantage said to him, pride in his voice.
Oblivion nodded and let silence fall between them. As much as he would rather do this on his own, he knew that he had no choice but to utilize the ponies as he had trained them. The Witcher had never been one for commanding others, despite having done so before. But this situation required he use the ponies with him. The Black Unicorn was quiet as he started to think over how to approach the mare if they did capture her. As much as he would like to simply imprison her he was sure that even if the guards ran her down she would act up as soon as he showed up. Granted showing up with his usual trophy slung across his back might silence her for a time. He always removed the heads of his contracts as proof of their demise.
“Sir?”
Oblivion looked up as Cross spoke to him. “Yes?”
“When we do wear her down, how do we contain her?”
Oblivion was quiet as he considered the question. “How are ponies arrested here?”
“With hoof cuffs and if needed, an inhibitor ring. Why?”
“Just seeing if there was a vast difference or not. Do we have the ability to contain her in that fashion?”
“No. We didn’t bring anything with us.” Striker advised. "Were told that we would just be supporting you, not helping."
Oblivion growled under his breath. His horn lit as he penned a note to Celestia, asking her for a package containing the items they needed. He stopped before sending it, however. The Unicorn paused as he considered whether informing the monarch about the mare was wise or not. The last thing he needed was her sending more guards or arriving herself to help. Instead, he rephrased the request as a just in case any pony gets in the way. The note flared and he sent it to her, awaiting the reply.
A reply came to him in the form of a small package with his name scrawled in elegant script across the top of it. ‘Perfect.’ He set the package ion the ground and opened it. Three pairs of hoof cuffs and two inhibitors gleamed in the box. He set it beside the guards and they nodded in understanding.
“Go get your armor. I have a few improvements to make to them.” He commanded.
The ponies did as he said and brought the armor out for him to see. His magic surrounded it and lifted Strikers first. The golden armor glowed as Oblivion altered the color. The colors shifted to match more of the pony’s natural coloring with accents of the same color as the grasses around them. It would be easier for him to blend in with the color changes. The helm also streamlined and now no longer had that ridiculous plume on it, but had slimmed down to cover the ponies neck and protect it. The body armor shifted to be thicker but retain its mobility and weight. A pair of the hoof cuffs slid into place on the front of the left shoulder. The inhibitor ring also slid into place beside the cuffs. Oblivion set Strikers armor to the side and focused on the rest, using Strikers as a model for the others. Each was matched in color to the owner of the armor and tailored slightly to each pony’s job. Sasa sat beside the black stallion as his magic covered their armor and finished the changes.
He breathed out and looked to the stunned guards. “Try them on. Make sure they fit as they should. Better to alter them now and get the fitting correct than try to fix them later.”
The guards all slid into their armor and tried moving in it to make sure it fits well. Cross looked a bit uncomfortable and looked to their Captain.
“Sir? It’s a bit tight around my neck.” He said, his voice was quiet as he voiced his concern.
Oblivion nodded and his horn lit, azure flame covered the armor and it slowly widened as Oblivion's magic pulled the metal into place. Cross nodded as it fits properly and Oblivion released the magic spreading the metal.
He looked to the others as Striker stretched and a groan escaped him as he looked at it. “Bit tight on the shoulders. But it should fit fine. We haven’t been wearing it so the metal should be fine. And you didn’t change the sizing.” He reasoned out.
Oblivion snorted. “Last time you wore it was before I started training you. You have put on muscle since then. It does not fit properly since it was fitted to you prior to working with me.” Oblivion supplied the reasoning to the group.
“Oh.” Silver commented. “In that case mine doesn’t fit right either. It’s rubbing my wings.”
Oblivion nodded and began the adjustments as they were brought up from the ponies. Each armor was refitted and soon each pony had their armor fitting as though it had been molded to them, to begin with. Vantage stood tall in his refitted armor and smiled.
“I like it better now. It used to feel like a set of armor. Now it feels like…like it’s meant to be there.” He observed, to the agreement of the others.
“That is how it should fit. I have my armor tailored to me and it is meant to fit like your own skin. The last thing you need to be worrying about when doing battle is if your armor can handle it.” Oblivion replied.
“So the armor from the Element?” Cross asked.
“Fits as though it is a second skin, as it should be. My armor is always designed this way. I accept nothing less from it.”
“Thank you, sir.” Silver said to him.
Oblivion gave a slight nod of his head and looked to the forest for a moment before he sat down and rested for a moment.
“Chosen?”
“Yes, Sasa?”
“You should take some time to rest. Give them some instructions and I will work with them.”
He gave a light snort and nodded to the feline. “For now you will be working with Sasa. I am going to take the time to rest up after altering your armor. Use the time to learn how to maneuver in the armor and how to coordinate at least basics with each other. Sasa will be on the ground and she will instruct you as needed. While she cannot speak to you with words she is capable of actions. Listen to her and she will guide you for now. When I return all four of you will rest and then we will start fine-tuning our plan in the evening.” He explained to them as he stood up.
“Yes, sir.” The four intoned to him as he moved to his own tent.
“They are yours, Sasa.” He said to the cat as he went inside. He laid down on the blankets, curled his body and laid his head down on his tail, ignoring the pillow. His mind went over plans and ideas for the confrontation but he pushed them aside as a yawn bit at him. The Witcher slept as he pushed ideas to the back of his mind and laid his head down over his hooves.
“Chosen!”
Sasa’s scream tore him from sleep and he bolted to his hooves. “Sasa?”
“Help!” She cried out to him.
A flash of pain went through him and he teleported to her. He took a moment to take in the scene and then he backflipped away from a Nekker. He watched as the small monsters were everywhere. Cross bucked one away from him as he kept his flank to a tree. Vantage and Striker raced across the grounds as they also kicked and bit at the monsters. Sasa roared as she rammed several of the creatures to get them away from Silver. The Pegasus yelled to the cat and jumped back into the air.
Oblivion watched for a moment as he summoned his blade and dove into the fray with the group. He galloped and ran down two of them, his claws digging into the creature's flesh and rending it as he went over them. His blade cut through the next one as he ran past it. He collapsed his forelegs and then his hind legs as he slid under the high jump from another one and cleaved it on two. He jumped to his hooves and looked to the next one.
Silver looked down as Oblivion charged in. The Pegasus dove down and used his speed to knock three of the monsters away from Sasa. The feline growled as her claws tore into one of them and tossed it away. Vantage and Striker galloped across the ground, forcing the creatures to chase them, making them easy for their Captain to attack and cut down.
Sasa tore through the Nekker in front of her and looked up as Oblivion cut down two more. They were endless. A deep cut went through her right flank, stopping her from running. A snarl tore from her as she put her long front teeth through the chest of another Nekker and tossed it to the side.
Oblivion stopped and looked around them. His head snapped behind him like a bolt of ice arced toward him. His shield came up and the ice shattered against it. The pinto stood on a hill not far from the attack site. As much as he wanted to attack her directly he knew that the ponies with him and Sasa were in need of him more. He glanced back as a portal opened behind him. He growled as more Nekkers poured from it, after a delay of several seconds. Another ten joined the fray. He looked to the mare as she turned and galloped back into the forest. Oblivion called on his armor and it surged over his fur and covered him. He spun and charged down the hill. A Nekker jumped onto his back as he galloped past the group of them. Oblivion snarled as he careened down the hill. He could feel impacts on his shoulders and withers as the Nekker tried to disable him. The Witcher bucked as he tried to dislodge the creature, to no avail. Oblivion plunged ahead once more as the muscles in his flanks tensed and he used his own momentum to flip himself onto his back, crushing the monster under the weight of his body. He heard a strangled gurgle as the creature died. Oblivion rolled to his hooves and plunged ahead once more.
“Striker, Vantage, to me!” He yelled over the din of the fight. The two ponies galloped to his side and their swords appeared in Oblivion's magic. “Cut them down.” He commanded them. Silver stopped above them and Oblivion gave him a blade as well, issuing the same command. Cross suddenly found himself with Striker at his side and Vantage pulling him away from the tree he had been using, they stayed with him as the creatures kept up their attack.
Azure flame rushed over Sasa as her wounds were healed and she cut through the Nekkers in front of her to join Oblivion. The black stallion tore through the creatures and kept up the attack as well. Sasa looked over him and jumped over his back to stop a Nekker from landing on him. The feline stayed at his side and ran beside him as he drew the attention of the majority of the Nekkers. The fight went on as Oblivion galloped through the center of the battle cutting down any monster unfortunate enough to be in his path. Sasa leaped over his back as needed. A group of Nekkers ran toward him and he slid to a stop as they surrounded him. Sasa leaped onto Oblivion's back and swatted at the monsters from her place.
“Chosen, your wings!” She shouted to him, fearful of what could happen to the appendages if a Nekkers claw got to them.
“They're fine.” He barked at her as she kicked a Nekker off his flank.
Sasa swatted at another and slid off the stallions back with a yelp. Oblivion gave an angry snarl and reared up. Magic covered him as he channeled it, it gathered on his hooves and then he slammed his hooves into the ground. A concussion wave went out and tossed the monsters to the ground. Azure flame followed behind the concussion and lit the monsters aflame. They screamed and writhed as the flames burned through them. The guards galloped to him and squared off beside the black Unicorn, should any of the monsters survive the flames. The flames subsided and the screaming stopped, abruptly. The corpses burned and began to disintegrate. The ponies panted as they waited to see what happened next.
Silver gagged as the scent of the burning Nekkers hit him. He held his sword in his jaws as he covered his nose with a hoof, trying not to vomit. He wasn’t alone in the attempt as the others gagged and fought to keep their lunch down. Oblivion gave a loud snort and his blade flicked, blood sailed off it and landed on the ground.
Sasa panted, her legs shuddered as she tired. She reached out to Oblivion and pulled from him, strength flooded her once more. “Chosen? What just happened?”
Oblivion growled as he let his nerves calm, his armor slid over him and ended in the breastplate. He left that alone as the minor cuts he had on his legs began to heal. He sighed and his swords appeared on his back and the silver slid into its sheath. “That was a preemptive strike. And we just showed her that we can handle her attacks.”
“She was here?” Striker asked. His breath tore from him as he panted.
“Yes. At the edge of the woodland. This was a challenge. She was testing to see what we could do. She wasn’t ready for the fight we were able to put up and used that last group of Nekkers to get away.”
“Nekker?” Cross asked.
“That is what those small monsters are called. She ran away as they came out of that last portal. Which means she can summon them but it seems she cannot control them as much as I might have thought. She can point them in a direction, but nothing more than that.” Oblivion reasoned.
Striker sat heavily and panted. “Sir?” Oblivion cast a quick glance to him. “That was horrifying.”
Oblivion scoffed. “That is normal for where I am from. Being attacked by that many monsters is a normal day for my kind.” The ponies looked horrified at the admission. “Are any of you injured?”
“A few cuts, but nothing serious. I’m okay. Thanks to the armor. I could feel a couple hit me but they couldn’t get through it. Is that because you altered it?” Silver asked.
“Yes. I did thicken the metal and enchant them as well.” Oblivion admitted to them.
“Enchanted?” Vantage asked.
“They are enchanted to aid against ice. The mare has shown that she uses ice mostly so I enchanted your armor to ward against it. You will feel the cold, but it will not stop you.” Oblivion informed them. “I did it as an afterthought.” The ponies glanced at each other, then back to the Unicorn among them. “She drew first blood, now it’s our turn,” Oblivion said. His voice firm, unflinching and held the promise of action.
“Chosen. They can’t fight right…Oh.” Sasa started to argue when a look from the stallion stopped her. “Sorry.”
“We will use the rest of the day to recover then we take the fight to her and push our advantage. She has seen that we can fight together, but we will have more than a few tricks up our sleeves. We can still use our prior plan to draw her out, in fact with the loss of so many creatures she will be more likely to fall for the bait. When she loses the Leshen it will be all the more surprising.”
The small group panted as they recovered from the attack. Several minutes passed and the group collected their thoughts. Oblivion walked away from them, analyzing the grounds, searching for anything that he could use to track the mare.
“What happened?” He turned back to the group and began to question them. “How did this get started?”
Silver shook his head and thought back to the fight. “To be honest it all happened so fast that I’m not even sure how it happened.” He admitted. Oblivion’s glare told him to continue. “We were galloping with Sasa trying to tire her as we would the mare. Cross was tracking her as she ran around us. I dove for her, but stopped when a smell caught my attention.”
“Where did the scent come from? What direction?” Oblivion asked him.
Silver paused as he thought back. “It came from…” He paused and looked around them. “The left of me…” He stopped and began to turn his body to face the same direction as when he had first caught the scent. “It was that way.” He pointed a hoof to the left of them and Oblivion trotted in the direction he indicated.
Oblivion stopped and walked slowly around in the direction of Silvers hoof. His eyes narrowed and he tracked the Nekker tracks. A small group of them stood out and the stallion tracked them over the trampled grass. He paused as a burn pattern appeared. A portal had been opened allowing the Nekkers to enter and attack the group, who was distracted by their exercise with the feline. Oblivion looked back to them and found that the tracks were a quarter-mile from them and allowed the Nekkers time to get a running start before they reached the group. Oblivion followed them and rejoined the group.
“A portal was opened over there, it allowed the Nekkers time to get a running start before they reached you. There were around eight of them if I read the tracks correctly.”
“Sounds right.” Striker admitted.
“What happened after that?” Oblivion continued questioning them.
Cross took over from Silver as the Pegasus paused in thought. “They went after Sasa first. Vantage and Striker were with her so they were attacked with her. But they seemed to be aiming more for Sasa than us. Not sure why though.” Cross admitted.
Oblivion paused. “Sasa has a stronger magical signal than you do. She is connected to me which means she carries the signature of the Element of Harmony I bear. That could be why she was the one they chased down first. It could also be that she is the biggest of the group, therefore more of a threat to them. Nekkers fight in large groups so they can take down larger prey. Sasa would be the logical choice for them.” Oblivion supplied.
Sasa growled but nodded. Striker looked up as a thought struck him. “Did she send them after us?”
“Yes. Of that fact, I have no doubt. I’m not sure if she is able to create a portal and know what is coming through it or if it’s random. Before I would have bet it was a random stroke of luck. But seeing as how she sent two groups of Nekkers after us my theory of it being random is less stable. She did attack from the hill that she was watching from as well.”
“She attacked?” Sasa asked him.
“Yes. I crested that hill and a few moments later she sent a bolt of ice in my direction.” Oblivion supplied. “My shield blocked it, but she still attacked. When I joined the fray she sent the second portal out… It was delayed though.” Oblivion stopped as his train of thought went in a new direction.
“Sir?” Silver spoke to him as he went silent.
“Hold,” Oblivion ordered as he went quiet. He trotted back to the spot of the first portal. “Approximately how long were you in battle before I arrived?”
Silver blanched. “Felt like hours but I’m not sure. Sasa?”
“I called for you a couple of minutes after they reached us. So perhaps two minutes, at the longest.” She supplied.
“Two minutes.” Oblivion trailed off as he stood by the portal, then trotted up to the top of the hill where the mare had attacked him. He turned to face the hill and waited several seconds before he trotted to the spot of the second portal. “There is a time limit.” He muttered to himself. “It’s an object that she carries. But what kind?” He muttered to himself as he trotted around the area, tracking the Nekkers fight with the group. He stopped after a minute of activity.
Silver and the others waited for him to rejoin them. The Black Unicorn was quiet as he walked toward them, pausing every few steps. Sasa sat down and watched him. She didn’t reach out to him so as not to disrupt him. He finally rejoined them.
“Whatever she is using to summon the portals it has a time limit. The second portal took close to ten seconds to release the monsters. That could mean one of many things. One could be that it takes a second for them to come through it or it could mean that it has weight capacity or some such. But I would bet that it has a time limit of some sort. She summoned one portal but didn’t realize that I could reach all of you before the time was up. I think she may have overtaxed the item when she called on the second portal. We should strike as soon as possible. With her, on the defensive, we have the advantage. A portal that is outside her control would be even more tempting now that I have had a look at the area.”
“So she can’t summon the portals very often?” Cross asked.
“If I am right, yes, that is the case. If I am wrong, then I’m wrong. But if not, then we have the advantage. It makes your role even more important, Cross. She will have the item with her when she reaches you at the new portal.” Cross nodded back to him to signal he understood. Oblivion was quiet as he looked over the remains of the battlefield. None of the guards spoke as he started to lead them back toward their camp. “I think you have done enough for this evening. Unless you would like to continue the exercise?” He asked with a glance over his shoulder to the small group.
“No, sir.” Silver piped up for the group. The others shook their heads almost frantically.
Sasa chuckled at their response and trotted to catch up to the long-legged stallion. “What is the plan now Chosen?”
Oblivion was quiet as he thought it over. “Well, for now, we will wait till tomorrow. Give them a chance to recover from their first true fight and see how the morning finds them.”
“And after?”
“I plan on going into the village to inform them to stay in their homes and not go near the forest till I say otherwise. After that, we will lure the Leshen to me and then have the others start the fight with her.”
“So we are moving forward with the main plan?”
“Yes.”
“What makes you think they might bow out?” She asked him as the Witcher was still silent.
“A real battle is what they just went through. I have seen many Witcher candidates do just fine till they are battle-tested. Once the adrenaline wears off they fall apart. These ponies have only ever known peace and all that comes with it. A battle was a thought, not a reality. They were forced to kill today. Their blades covered in the blood of another creature. We will see how they do when the adrenaline wears off fully and they are forced to face what the day brought.”
Sasa was quiet as she looked back to the guards and found them all walking in silence. None of them spoke after Oblivion addressed them. She looked ahead as the camp loomed. Oblivion instructed them to get some food and relax. Sasa remained silent as she stayed close to them as they got out of their armor. The ponies joined Oblivion at the campfire and sat quietly. Sasa laid down beside Oblivion as the Witcher pulled his silver sword and began to clean the blade and reapply the Relict oil to the naked blade.
“Sir.” Vantage was the one who finally spoke up.
Oblivion glanced up from the weapon. “Yes?”
Vantage was quiet as he opened his mouth to speak then closed it as he inhaled. “Are they always like that?”
“Is what like that?” Oblivion asked. He knew what he meant but knew from experience that getting them to speak more would help them come to terms with the battle they had just survived. His magic held the cloth as he held the hilt in his claws and used a cloth to coat the weapon.
“Are battles with monsters and ponies always like that? Or was this not like any others?” Vantage finally clarified.
“Every fight is different.” Oblivion supplied. “Every monster has its quirks and every pony has its own style. Asking me if the fights are all the same is like asking if each of your feathers are identical.”
“So this fight was different from all the others you have fought?”
“In its own way yes. I have never had a pony summon portals to bring monsters through to use them to attack others. So in that respect, it is different. But I don’t think this is what you are wanting to ask me.” Oblivion commented. The Witcher set the blade and oils aside as he regarded the pony’s across the fire from him.
Sasa stayed by him as he waited for them to gather themselves. Silver looked up at the Witcher and inhaled. “How did you do after your first battle?”
Oblivion looked at him and thought back to his first true contract. “My first real fight was with a rock troll. A creature that has skin made of stone and uses its fists to pummel its enemies. The fight lasted for what felt like hours when in truth was maybe thirty minutes. It was exhausting and throughout the fight, I kept trying to remember what they were weak against and how I could win. In the end, I got in a lucky strike and crippled the beast. I can remember collapsing after it was done and simply staring at the body. The adrenaline still ran through my system and I simply sat there.”
“So fighting monsters is the same as ponies?” Cross asked after a long pregnant pause.
“No. Of course, fighting a pony is vastly different. For the most part, a monster acts on instinct. While ponies act on the thought, most of the time. It’s harder to guess what a pony will do.” Oblivion informed them.
“How many monsters have you fought?” Striker finally spoke up after keeping his silence for longer than the others.
Oblivion gave a dark chuckle. “Hundreds if not more. You must realize that killing monsters is what I am made for. The Northern Realms and the other countries call out for Witchers when the creatures get out of control and are too close to civilians.”
Silence pervaded once more. Sasa rumbled to the black stallion. “They need you, Chosen. They have never had to kill anything before.”
Oblivion sighed. “To answer the question that all of you have, but will not speak, the answer is no. You won’t be the same after today. You have blooded your blades, which is more than any of your fellows have done. You are changed by the act. It was either you or them and you chose to survive. No one can fault you for that.”
Silver exhaled a breath he had been holding. “You have killed other ponies?”
“Yes,” Oblivion replied.
“Why?” Striker asked him.
Oblivion inhaled as he thought over the answer. “Normally?” They nodded. “Normally they die due to attacking me. I will not lay down and die for their benefit.”
“Why would they attack you?” Vantage gasped out.
“It seems a foolish idea, no?” Oblivion shifted and went on. “Why they attack an armed Witcher is beyond me. I carry supplies within my saddlebags. So instead of working to get the same supplies, they choose to steal them. It’s easier and if you get the right target it can be profitable. I will not say that killing another is easy. The day it becomes easy is the day I have lost whatever soul I have left. Taking the life of another is never meant to be easy.” He reasoned to the small group. “I will not say that I have not killed more than my fair share of monsters and ponies. The place I am from is vastly different from Equestria. Wars are waged and ponies die. Monsters cross the fields and ponies die at their claws. That is a reality that does not exist here. What you have done today sets you apart from those you have trained with. Only the four of you will ever be able to understand what was done today. If one of you wished to speak of it to another, then you would seek out those who will understand you. Meaning the other three are those that you would seek out. No other will understand what you mean when you speak of this day.” Oblivion said to them. His words rang through them and the truth bit deep.
Silver clenched his jaw and looked to the Witcher, who remained expressionless. “What about you? Do you seek out others to speak to?”
Oblivion inhaled again and shook his head. “No. There are so few Witchers left that I would be wasting my time seeking them out.”
“What do you mean?” Cross asked.
“I am from the School of the Wolf. There are only four of us remaining. It would be a waste of my time to seek them out. If we do meet up then we will take the time to speak about our contracts and other things. But we do not hunt each down for that purpose.”
“Who are they? The other four?”
Oblivion was quiet for a moment. “They are named Geralt, Lambert, and Eskel. Including myself, that makes four.”
“It used to be five.” Sasa said to him, her voice quiet and somber.
“I know of one other and he is from the School of the Viper, Letho.” He added. “Last I saw any of them was months ago.”
“How do you handle not being able to talk to anyone about…anything?” Vantage asked, his voice pitched slightly.
Oblivion looked at them. “A Witcher is not born, we are made. Because of that, our emotions are severely limited. As I am sure you have all noticed.” They nodded and he continued. “Because of that I do not feel lonely nor do I long for the presence of my own kind. I will help them should they have a need but we do not need to be constantly around each other. I have gone years without meeting up with the others. We might winter in the same place every now and then, but not always.” He informed them. “That is just how we are.”
Cross looked to the ground and inhaled. “So you are always alone?”
“Yes.”
“What about Sasa? Isn’t she always with you?” Striker asked, with a glance at the ethereal cat.
Oblivion put out a hoof and ran it through her fur for a moment, then set it back on the dirt. “She has only been with me for a few months.”
The ponies stared at him then looked to the feline, who nodded. “So before her, you simply remained alone?” Silver asked.
“Yes. If my fellow Witchers had need of me and they were able to contact me then I would join them for as long as was needed. But for the most part, all of us are on our own. We cross the lands of ponies picking up contracts on monsters and tending to curses should the need arise." Oblivion was quiet as that truth sunk in. “Each of you now has to look back on what happened today and decide if you are able to continue. I will not lie and say that it will be easy moving forward. Taking the life of another is no easy task. While your next task is simply to subdue the pinto mare you will have to outfight her. A monster is very different from a pony, but the blood is the same. No pony will blame you for feeling what you do now. Feeling nothing is not an option that you four have. None of you are Witchers. You are ponies who have done what you needed to survive. None can blame you for that. If they do then they have never needed to act as you have today.”
Sasa stood up and went over to the ponies. She sat down and purred to them. The group looked at her as she sat in front of them. Cross reached out to her and she put her broad head under his hoof and he lunged forward into her shoulder. She remained still as the Thestral shook. He buried his face in her fur and was silent. His body trembled against her and she nuzzled his mane, trying to comfort him. Oblivion stood, his orange eyes connected with the other guards, he gave a slow nod to them and turned away, giving them privacy. He heard Sasa grunt as the others held onto her as well.
“Well said, Chosen. And thank you for turning away for them. I don’t think they wanted to look weak in front of you.” Sasa said to him as he began walking away from the camp.
“I know. There is weakness and then there is trying to feel nothing at all. They are smart enough to know that holding that emotion back is not the smartest thing to do. I do not fault them for it.” He replied to her as he broke into a trot. “Let me know when they have calmed.”
“I will.”
Oblivion trotted along the edge of the forest and let his hooves lead him as he moved. He had no exact destination in mind when he left the camp. He thought back to the Witchers he had trained and recalled that while a couple had survived beyond the first couple of contracts he remembered those that hadn’t. Though he could not cry for them he had grieved in the only way Witchers knew how. He had honored them by surviving and remembering them, best as he was able. He slowed to a walk and let his hooves keep moving him forward. He turned to look into the forest and stopped as he looked into it. The Witcher watched as the forest stretched out before him. He had spent all his life going through forests like this one and finding the contracts buried within them. The black stallion looked over the body that he had been made into upon coming to Equestria.
“An Alicorn. Never once would I have thought this was my fate.” He whispered to himself as he flicked his wings under their illusion and spread them up and over his head, allowing the joints to stretch after being landed on by Nekkers and Sasa during the fight. They folded back to his sides after the Alicorn stretched them and flapped the wings several times. The former mutant human craned his head back and stared up to the skies above. He closed his eyes as the air-cooled slowly around him.
“Chosen?”
He brought his head slowly back down and reached out to Sasa. “Yes? Have they calmed?”
“Yeah. They're okay now. They just needed a moment to be allowed to panic, I think." She replied to him. Her voice gentle and calm.
“On my way back to you then.” He turned as he spoke to her. “Should I teleport or walk?”
“Walk.” She told him. “They are still a bit frayed. You suddenly appearing might startle them.”
“Very well.” The stallion began the walk back to the camp.
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8879473
hey, i got a idea. how about you make a new.....place for people witcher 3 fimfics, cause you are literally the only witcher 3 fimfic writer i have ever read before. that could make people make more witcher stories. what u say, friend?
8885048
I think you have to have a general love for the game itself. It takes a lot of work to bring an idea to life. I also own the books that tell more of the story with Geralt and the others. So my understanding of that world is a bit more than normal. Not sure if creating a group would bring more people to see those that are out there. I have seen a couple of other Witcher stories but most deal with Ciri or Geralt. Will look into it. Could be fun.
8885247
k, it's just an idea, though. it's been like 3-4 years since i played it last and i'm playing it now and it's still fun. i just thought since you have more experience, you can do it just, master shadow
These men that give them self to me in great armor I shall clad them and with the mightiest weapons they will be armed.... for THE EMPEROR
10616562
Fixed. Thank you again!