Previous Chapters Next
Close
Two Sides Of A Coin2,797 words
Champions Of Equestria3,549 words
A Moment Of Peace3,092 words
Skirmish And Friendship3,418 words
What Is At Stake2,580 words
Toxic Chemistry2,265 words

Champions Of Equestria

Poppy gasped as she was kicked down. Some of her armor had fallen off, her left shoulder was bared and was bitten so badly that blood soaked her sleeve. Her chest plate was dented and scratched, so much that Poppy felt less room in her armor. Her cheeks had purple splotches everywhere, a color that was made by blood and her blue fur, some of it wasn't even hers. After she recovered, Poppy glared at Kled just in front of her, the hammer just behind and far from her reach.

Kled didn't fare better. Bruises and cuts, his shin guard was damaged so badly that it bent inwards, Poppy was sure that he shouldn't be able to stand. His clothes had holes on them, more than before their fight started. His right ear had bite marks, something Poppy would remember for a long time. Then there was his left arm, after hitting him hard earlier with the hammer, Kled had not used that arm for a while. Poppy simply guessed that she dislocated his shoulder with that hit. The best part, from Poppy's perspective, was that Kled's mount had run off when they fought, giving the younger yordle a better chance to defeat the infamous Kled.

"Well," Kled began. "this is it. This is what it's all about! Demacian Vs Noxian! Red Vs blue! Apples Vs bananas! This is a strange comparison, but I don't know any blue fruits! Destiny is waitin'! And it's time to do some gardening!"

"Wait!" She let out before Kled could raise his halberd. "This is pointless! Can't you see we aren't in Demacia anymore!?" Poppy pointed out. She had just recently noticed it herself.

"Yeah, and so what!?" He shot back. "Wherever we are, this place is my property! Look there, that's the tree I pissed on! Or is it the tree that mauled me yesterday?"

"Listen! Just look around and tell me that you've been here."

Kled did as he was told, he glanced around him and noticed that they were in a small clearing of a very dense forest. He scratched the back of his head with his halberd trying to understand what had happened. He had just noticed the lack of Noxians or Demacians. He wouldn't have cared at all, but it only meant that there was magic in play, and Kled never liked those fancy shmancy people with their sparkly fingers. They tasted weird as well.

"Well, fuck..." He cursed. "How am I gonna get back to my land?"

"Now you understand? We should put our differences aside and just go back to our homes. I have better things to do." She claimed.

"Oh, you ain't gettin' away that easy! I'm gonna rip yer face off, wear it, then pretend to be you until someone notices!" He roared out before leaping towards Poppy, but just as he was about to go halfway to her, he was suddenly suspended in the air by two blue rings. One on the ground, and the other just above the tip of his hat. "Huh!?"

"You are not who I expected." Poppy turned towards the darkness, a man had just spoken from behind the thicket. Kled tried to follow her gaze, but his body was frozen in the air.

Quickly, the blue yordle rolled over to her weapon and took on a defensive stance. Kled was still trapped in some sort of magic, which was good because she would have fought him along with whoever cast the spell on him. A twig snapped, her ear flicked, the man or whatever he is was getting closer.

"Lay down your weapon, Keeper. I mean you no harm." Poppy was reluctant, and she would've kept the hammer up. That is until the man finally came into full view. She gasped, her weapon lowered to the side and her eyes widened.

"You..." She muttered.

"I must first apologize, I didn't mean to bring you here." Now in the light, his most defining feature was his skin color was blue. Tattoos decorated his shirtless body. A large scroll was on his back held by a bandolier. His beard was black, the only hair that was on his head. These were the exact details that were enough to describe a Valoran legend. The one and only...

"Mr. Ryze, I'm so sorry!" Poppy said before she collapsed on one knee, the damage that was caused by Kled was finally kicking in. Ryze quickly rushed over to help. Meanwhile, Kled tried to scream out some death threats, but he was unable to speak properly. So he just made these awkward noises instead.

"It's alright, I am the one who is supposed to apologize. And please, refrain from calling me Mr." With a few incantations, his hand started to glow, a simple healing spell, enough to close all her wounds. Anything to help ease the pain. Once he was sure that he was done, he produced a small bottle filled with red liquid. "Ionian health potion, my personal brew, this will help heal any internal damage."

Poppy gave her thanks and downed the potion in one go. And just as he promised, she felt much better than before. She regained some energy to stand, but not enough to fight. "Thanks again M- er... Ryze. But wow, never would I have thought that I'd meet you here. Sorry that I look like a mess."

"It's alright, though, I had expected someone else to come. Stupid faded texts, why can't they make those things last?" Ryze sighed. "I also had intervened just in time as well. It seems that you and this... yordle, were about to end each other. Honestly, it's like war is the only thing you lot know." Ryze approached Kled and started helping the cantankerous yordle. Kled screamed even louder, Ryze was unfazed.

"Right," She hummed. "I don't think you should do that."

"Why not? He is hurt, far worse than you, and he is in need of help. Though I am impressed that he lasted this long. By the looks of it, he should honestly be dead."

"They called him Kled, I'm sure you know who this guy is. Also, who is he? I'm asking so that I know that we are on uh... the same page." She shifted awkwardly on the spot.

"Kled?" Ryze looked back at her for a second, then he stared at the imprisoned yordle. "I remember you, you were that Noxian who attacked me when I traveled through the northern side of Noxus. That was the first time I met him. He is a Noxian legend, a story the common soldiers shared with each other. His determination, his brutal skills, and most importantly his drakalops. Those are the reasons why many consider him as the pride of Noxus. Because he represents what Noxus is about, strength."

"Oh... That is honestly, surprising." She cleared her throat. "Well, I better be off then, I don't want to bother you as much as we already are. Which way is Demacia?"

"You won't find Demacia anywhere, Keeper. "Ryze informed her ominously. "You wouldn't even find Noxus or Shurima. Not even Ionia."

"Wait, what do you mean?"

"Poppy, let me tell you something, one legend to another." Ryze turned to face her. "You're too far from home."

Fluttershy looked around as she zoomed past several ponies present in the streets of Ponyville. Her face wore a worried look, many noticed it but simply ignored her as she went by with an arm full of fruits.

"Skaarl?" She called out. "Here Skaarl, I have some fruits!"

"Hey, Flutters!" The caretaker of animals stopped in the air, she looked up to find her best friend Rainbow Dash perched on a cloud. "Why are you in such a hurry?"

"Oh Rainbow Dash, I lost Skaarl! She's the cutest lizard I have ever seen and I wanted to introduce her to Angel, but then she disappeared! The ducks told me that they saw her heading to Ponyville. Sadly I have not seen her since!"

Dash sighed. "Guess you need my help. So what does she look like?"

Fluttershy pressed a hoof against her chin. "She is pretty big, Skaarl has these flaps on the side of her head, she only has one pair of limbs and she wore this strange saddle."

"Great, I'll go around town and see if I can find her!"

"Oh please do Rainbow Dash, I am absolutely sure that she is scared right now. Especially when she is separated from her owner."

"Don't worry Fluttershy! I'll find her before you even know it!" With that, the speedster flew off. With Dash doing her part, Fluttershy continued with her search.

Flying just above the town, Dash kept her eyes peeled for the "large" lizard. She went a few laps around Ponyville within a minute, yet she had not found Skaarl. Dash wondered who this Skaarl is, Fluttershy's description was odd. Never had Dash heard of such a lizard before. Just as she made her fifth pass on the market place, she heard a distressed call for help. She screeched to a halt before turning towards the noise and flew as quick as she could because she recognized who was calling for help. It was her friend Applejack.

But as she entered the farmers market, Dash came upon the strangest scene today. Yes, it was true that Applejack was in distress, but the reason was that a giant lizard who is as big as Celestia was sitting on top of the apple farmer. Applejack struggled beneath the creature, and worse of all, it was devouring the apples. The other ponies could only watch in horror as the monster consumed the fruits. Some even started to hide their produce in fear of the beast.

Dash landed just next to Applejack, the pegasus tried her best not to laugh, emphasis on "tried". "Hey AJ, got a new hat or something?"

"It ain't funny, Dash! Get it off me!" Applejack shouted. "What in Sam hill even is this thing!?"

"No clue, but it looks funny!" Dash giggled at how strange this creature looked, its eyes were far apart as it ate the apples like its own stomach was a bottomless pit.

Once the beast was done cleaning the stall, it stood up. Applejack pushed herself back onto her hooves, she glared at the lizard with great hatred. "Darn thing, ate all mah apples! Now what am Ah gonna do!?"

Before Dash could even make a suggestion, the lizard dipped its head under Applejack and threw her high in the air. The farmer yelped as her hooves left the ground. And just as she got high enough, she fell into the saddle on the lizard's back. That was also the same moment that Dash realized that the monster wore a saddle. Then it struck her like a giant sword from the heavens. She went through her mind and attempted to recall the description Fluttershy had given her.

When she said the lizard was big, Dash never thought that Skaarl was gigantic. "Skaarl?" Dash hesitated for a second before she had called for the beast's attention. And Skaarl turned towards the pegasus with her tongue out.

"You know what this thing is?" Applejack asked as she tried to climb off of the drakalops, but Skaarl would shift in a way just to keep her on the saddle.

"Yeah, Fluttershy was looking for her. When she said it was big, I never thought that she was this big." Dash hovered next to the drakalops and started to motion a hoof at Skaarl. "Come on Skaarl, Fluttershy is worried, so let's go!"

Skaarl only made a strange gargled noise before she bolted the other way. "Whoa Nelly!" Applejack exclaimed.

"Hey, get back here!" Dash chased after the drakalops.

"Dang it RD, help me!" Applejack yelled out before she was taken into a very bumpy ride.

Skaarl ran as quick as she could, there was no destination in her mind, she only ran. Dash was able to keep up thanks to her natural speed, yet she could not bring the beast to a halt. She tried to push Skaarl to the side, but the drakalops didn't budge an inch. Meanwhile, Applejack held on to Skaarl for her life, the drakalops kept bouncing around and trying her best not to hit or crash into ponies. Skaarl zoomed past numerous creatures and turned on some corners, Dash was still attempting to bring Skaarl to a stop, but that itself proved to be a challenge.

"Hey!" Dash and Applejack looked towards the right just in time to see a bright pink orb shooting towards them.

Dash quickly moved away from the drakalops, but then she had forgotten Applejack who was still on Skaarl. The orb slammed into Skaarl and her whole body along with Applejack was enveloped in bright pink light. But then it shattered like glass. Much to the caster's surprise. Skaarl would then run off, leaving Dash behind and taking Applejack with her.

"Well, I thought that would've worked." Starlight Glimmer, the unicorn who could rival the alicorn princess Twilight Sparkle, who had also attempted and failed to stop Skaarl, was standing next to Dash. "What is that anyway?"

"No clue," Dash shrugged her shoulders. "Fluttershy was looking for it, speaking of which, I'm gonna go after AJ. Can you go and find Fluttershy so she can help us?" The wonderbolt didn't wait for an answer, she focuses more on getting Applejack and Skaarl.

Left to her own, Starlight decided it was best to go look for Fluttershy. Surely she would be easier to seek out than a large lizard among ponies. Meanwhile, on the sidelines of all the chaos, a tall man in a long white cloak with a large straw hat whose face was covered in a veil of shadows was spectating the whole event. He chuckled deeply as he retreated into the crowd he towered. He had seen enough and had better things to do, and a story to write.

Kled shouted profanities as he struggled in his binds, the whole ruins were filled with his voice and crass words. After restoring both yordles and healing them of their injuries, though their clothes and armor were still damaged, Ryze had brought them to an odd ruin. There was a wall that surrounded them but we're not fit for any siege, the floor was just simply stone, made of the same materials as the walls. On one corner was a large statue depicting an alicorn, there was no distinctive feature on it other than the fact that it was decorated with gold which showed no sign of time. As if it was immortal just like the race of this statue. On the opposite end was one of the entrances to the ruins and what was the remains of a statue that none would be able to recognize. In the middle of the ruins was an empty pit, Poppy thought that the ruins were some sort of shrine.

But it appears that Ryze had been living here for a while now.

There was a campfire near the pit and an alchemy table right under an open tent. There was also a table with hundreds of books on it. The yordle approached them and took one from the pile, she read over the title then the quick summary on the back. The book was about the races on Equestria, which had just been recently updated after the kirins united with the rest of the country. She wanted to read more, but she had better things to do. Such as attending to Kled who was still tied up next to the pit, and the profanities were still present.

"I'm gonna bite those fingers off and use 'em to pick my nose!" Kled threatened after he noticed that Poppy was looking at him.

"Can't we just put a sock in his mouth or something? I can give him mine..." She suggested to Ryze and pointed towards her boot.

The rune mage sighed as he carried some books over to another table. "Even though I would relish the usual silence I am greeted within the ruins, I think it would be better for him to be able to speak, thus allowing us to earn his trust."

"I don't trust talkin' blueberries! I'll kick the shit right through your teeth!" Kled once again threatened.

"See?" Poppy said with her hand motioned towards Kled.

"Oh you'd want to shove down your sock in my mouth! I bet you'd like that, wouldn't you!?"

"I'm gonna ignore that." Poppy decided what was best for her mental mind. "Listen, Ryze, can't you just send us both back to Runeterra?"

"I can't, not because it's impossible, but because I need your help!" Ryze admitted as he and Poppy tuned out Kled and his incessant screaming. "Though you are not Garen, and he isn't Darius. I must accept what I have!"

Poppy was honestly surprised, Ryze, a mage of his status, was attempting to call Garen the Demacian hero, and Darius the Hand of Noxus. But brought her and Kled into this world instead. "Why do you need Garen and Darius, is there some kind of danger that only they could help you with?" Her curiosity has overtaken her mind, she wanted to know why Ryze needed the two warriors to begin with.

"Garen is a man that is honorable and caring. Though I am a mage and my status would fill his head with doubts, he is still reasonable. He cares for his soldiers and he believes in Demacia far too much. I do not doubt that he'd be willing to help, but with the fate of our world I am sure he would lend me his sword in my time of need." Ryze paused for a second, he noticed that Kled was suddenly quiet, the scarred yordle was also curious behind the scowl that he wore. "Darius is a powerful beast of a man. He is the Hand of Noxus, a title he earned with the strength he had within him. He would've been harder to convince, but I believe a man such as him would surely allow me to borrow his strength."

"But what do you need them for?" She asked warily.

"There is an artifact that needs to be contained." He revealed his reason. "A magical item that could summon a champion to fight for the summoner's battles. And I must find it before catastrophe befalls on Equestria! Not just this planet, ours is in danger as well!"

"Wait, if what you say is correct... then it could be the end of Runeterra..." Poppy gasped.

"What's Runeterra?" Much to Ryze's sake, Kled had asked one of the dumbest questions he heard, and he had heard many.

"It's the name of the planet we were born on." Ryze simply explained.

"Runeterra!?" Kled exclaimed. "That's my property!"

Poppy facepalmed, her intelligence began to drain itself due to Kled's presence. After recovering from Kled's stupidity, she faced Ryze and placed her hands on her hips. "Alright, if the world is in danger, then who am I to ignore?"

Ryze smiled. "Thank you, Poppy, I am glad that you would lend me your hammer in these trying times. But you Kled, will you allow me to use your strength?"

Kled paused, he no longer struggled, he simply sat there thinking. But then a grin grew on his face. "Well I don't know about that, but since I rather keep my land in one piece, sure, why not! I'll work with my cousin over there and we can find that doodad in a jiffy! But for a price."

Ryze growled, he hesitated for a second, but he proceeded to cut the ropes with a small spell. "Does the world mean nothing to you!?"

"Fine!" Kled shot back after nearly being deafened by Ryze's sudden outburst. "I'll do it for free! Don't get your panties in a twist!"

Ryze relaxed. "I'm glad you saw it my way. I was about to disintegrate you for wanting a reward." Ryze then motioned for both yordles to follow him.

"After you cuz." Kled grinned viciously.

Poppy only rolled her eyes at him, this was not an outcome she wanted. If anything, she doubted Kled would even help at all. He was just too wild and unhinged. Even without that drakalops, he was a force not to be reckoned with. Speaking of which, Kled was starting to wonder where Skaarl was. She had been gone for far too long. But Kled simply pushed the thoughts aside, she always comes back. Especially when he needed her the most.

As for Ryze, he mentally prepared himself for what is to come. It was true, he did call for champions. But instead of two fearsome humans that fought wars, he got two yordles who were on the verge of killing each other. Though they weren't his first choice, he must go with what he has. Hopefully, his mission in this world will be done and no crisis would fall on his home. Then he would simply return to his quest back on Runeterra.

He could only hope that they do not cause too much trouble for the people of this planet.

Author's Note:

Kled the cantankerous cavalier, the yordle who is what Noxians thrives for. Strength. Will he truly work with Poppy, an enemy to his beliefs?

Who is this mysterious man?

Will Ryze succeed with his current quest? Who knows.

798 views