From Nirn to Equus

by NoMoreNormalcy

6. And I Just Retired

“What?” Seems most days my expression is deadpan and my tone is hovering between that and annoyance. The two mares looked towards each other then back to me.

“So,” the princess drew out the word before continuing, “any troubles lately of the friendship variety?” Her face was then dominated by a massive forced smile.

If it was possible to deadpan further, I have elevated beyond that. “Know where I can train offensive magic?”

“Everfree Forest just south west, but anyway-” She never finished her sentenced as I closed the palace doors behind me.

I really need to clear my head. Everything was swirling and I wanted to cast in the way that was natural for me. I walked briskly to the gnarled forest line in the direction her Highness stated and started scanning the brush for clearings, rocky areas, and dead plant life. I saw a tree carved into a hut across a patch of blue flowers. I nudged the flowers with a good before deciding that waltzing all the way through them may not be the best idea. Who knows if they have thorns. After an hour of searching, I found a perfect spot. A large dead trunk in a rocky clearing just off center yet away from the tree line. I did one final sweep of the area to see if any animals were nearby. My assessment complete and satisfactory, I stood in the clearing furthest from the tree and attempted to stand on my hind legs.

Off balance is definitely expected and falling only twice was surprising on its own. Next was the motions to move the magicka from myself to pool into my hands-now-hooves. The Firebolt spell I was attempting started out as anticipated. A few more to charge it. The flame grew. I thrust put my hoof and expected the bolt to fly off.

Nothing.

“Oh, come on!” I flung my hoof to the ground as quickly and repetitively as I could though it would not launch. Arching my right brow and discovering the source of my headaches I looked directly at the spell. Upon being acknowledged it hit me square in the face.

Hurt about as bad as it used to. At least that’s still the same as well.

“Grrrrrr-aaaaaaaahhhhh!!”

Right strike, left blow, two right kicks, a slash at throat-night, a stomp, three slams-

I stopped my flurry and rested my front hooves against the tree. I took note that they could be useful for something. I rested my head on the tree as best I could as a sigh escaped my muzzle. Around that time, some bushes rustled and a small squeak was emitted. “It's all right. I won't hurt you.” I never bothered to lift my head off the tree until I turned to the figure that was now emerged from the brush.

Backwards.

Facing a large wolf made of still-green wood and bark.

“Get down!” After bellowing the order and seeing the cream yellow figure drop to their belly I channeled a stronger fire spell through my horn and launched it.

It blasted with success.

My horn hummed with magicka and heat of the fire spell before I snapped my attention to the wooden wolf as it lunged for me.

My mind nearly went blank as we wrestled upon the ground and I found it wasn’t just made of bits of wood, but also held together my magic which animated it. Such lack of purchase my hind glove had on its belly brought me back to the present between it's growls and barks. My front hooves were keeping its jaws at bay. Seems they need to be solid to bite down. “Why-” I kicked out my hind legs. “-do you-” Another buck attempt “-even need to-” Another attempt. “eat?!” The final word was punctuated with a head-butt. Though my horn ached, I’m sure they didn’t like their head impaled. A right hook briefly scattered it’s face long enough for me to get out of the pin it had me under. Using Telekinesis, I attempted to fling as much of it as far as I could.

As luck would have it, I could only throw the whole beast about five yards.

Eh, good enough.

I ran over to what I finally recognized as one of Princess Twilight’s friends. Rather than search for a name, I do my best to lift her up with my remaining limited magicka.

“Hurry! We have to leave! I didn’t do much to the beast!” The urgency in my voice must have made the winged mare understand the urgency of “must not be here” and shot up so fast her head nearly collided with my jaw had I not pulled back. We ran through the forest at a break-neck pace. I nudged her with my shoulder and ran along side her so as to make sure she was just so ahead of me that I should shove her out of range of an attack-.

That was looming over us now.

I checked her hard and she was thrown out of the vile hound’s leaping bite where I threw myself into it. I ended up activating a recent bloodline ability with a yell that most dark elves my age recall, as my coat was lit ablaze with a flame that did not harm me.

That did not stop the flames from charring the wooden flesh of the wolf.

It whined out a loud howl and let go of my shoulder, making a perfect replica of an old wound….

A deep growling brought me to the present followed by a small, sharp gasp. I did not wish to reveal this power, though it’s the latest I have to aid us.

The first words of power I fully learned.

I growled out the words like a true dragon. “Fus, ro DAH!” The force of the shout not only launched the wooden hound away, but also scattered the pieces it was made of in a cone out in front of me as far as thirty meters! Or perhaps that had already been there? I shoved that thought aside when I recalled there was a pegasus mare nearby that may have been frightened by that display of power. “Miss?! Are you-?” I was interrupted by her blank stare as she looked at where the wolf was. I shakily got back to my hooves and limped over to here. “Miss, it’s not safe here, it could have had a pack nearby and I just drew the attention of the entire forest with that Shout. We have to-”

“That was amazing,” she softly spoke in a small voice. Now that I hear her better, she does sound familiar. I shook the thought from my mind.

“Yes, it was, though I can only do that so often before ripping up my throat. We have to get back to town, now!”

“Right! Of course, sorry! Um, we should definitely go now!” And with that, we moved as quickly as I could and ran back to town.

~(☼~

The Princess of Friendship was very upset -not that I had run off so quickly to the forest- but that I had nearly gotten eaten by a Timberwolf.

Really? That’s what they’re called?

I sat upon the now inactive map in the main room, Princess Twilight hovering over me as I sat like a pony rather than my preferred method as I was attempting to be decent in front of two nice mares and anyone lacking actual clothing. My crack at it “failing miserably even if it had succeeded” was met with a thwack to the side of my head with a purple hoof. Fifteen minutes later and a roll of linen wraps ensured that my shoulder was going to heal just fine.

“You know, I could get Dr. Horse over here to look at that and heal it for you-”

“No.”

She stared at me blankly.

“What?”

“I said ‘no’,” I stated for her. “I used to have a scar there before. It was a reminder, “don’t freeze when you see those beasts”. Well, now I have it back, and I’d rather not loose it lest I forget.” Fallible logic, sure. However, it seems to work for me. A heavy scar wasn’t forgotten and a grave mistake never repeated. Obviously, Princess Twilight didn’t buy it.

“Yeah, no. You don’t need a scar for that.”

“I would prefer it. After all, it’s worked before.”

“Wait, what have you been fighting?”

I took a moment of thought. “You don’t really want to know.”

“Yes, I do.”

Oh, no.

Oh gods, don’t let her be like Jasper.

“And I won’t let it rest until you tell me!”

She is.

Upon being reminded of my old magic student-turned-archmage, a rare smirk that was becoming less so appeared and I brought up a subject from before, “Alright, however, information for information.” I resisted wincing. That sounded too close to Hermaeus Mora for my tastes.

“Okay, let’s start with where you’re from.”

“I’d like to hear this, too, Twilight.”

Oh, right. She’s still here.

Fluttershy -having relearned her name when Her Majesty spoke to her- seemed like such a nice mare. Kind and gentle. I did not want her to hear of Tamriel and how war-torn it can be, even in just a short thirty-year time span from the Great War between the Aldmeri Dominion and the rest of Tamriel. “Are you sure? What I have to tell may not be for the faint of heart.”

I saw a determination in her eye as she straightened the best she could, “I’m sure I can handle it. I faced a lot when I was helping to save Equestria with Twilight and all my other friends!” She nearly deflated completely next, “I mean, I couldn’t have done it without them, really. So, if Twilight’s going to learn, then, I guess I can, too! Um, if that’s okay with you?”

My expression was between what I could only assume as amusement and concern. “Alright then. What do you wish to learn first?”

“Okay,” the Princess started, “How about you tell us about this Tamriel, and we’ll tell you what we know about Equestria?”

I slowly looked between the two. “A good place as any to start.”

Comments

[Dragon27Celestial]

I suddenly want to see Timberwolves in Skyrim for the sole purpose of shouting them to pieces.

[NoMoreNormalcy]

9125382
Now if only I was good at mods.... Then I could make it a thing, my friend.