Harmonic Hero: The Twilight Knight

by Warpony

Where To Start?

A bright light over took Axle's vision as he was given back is sight from the blinding punch. As he vision returned, Axle saw a ceiling above him. The white wood seemed to be brighter than expected, forcing his eyes shut once more. A clatter of hoof steps echoed in his ears until a low pitched voice spoke and addressed him. "Ah, the hero awakens. You had us worried for a moment there son." Axle tilted his head to the left to find a brown unicorn stallion in a white coat. He seemed to be a doctor and this was Axle's treatment room. "Getting knocked out by a Changling isn't the best way to go down. Try not to do it again."

Axle leaned up in his seat and looked around his room. Two chairs, a window and one were all that lined the room. "Where am I?"

"You are in Canterlot Care, one of the best treatment centers around." The Doctor replied as he looked out the window. "You have been out for about five days."

"Five days?" Axle asked in a state of unbelieving.

"Yes, thanks to you and others like you. Canterlot, the surrounding villages and towns are safe for the moment. Most of the damage dealt by Destruction has been repaired." The doctor placed a small box next to Axle. It was made of brass plated metal with simple gems decorating the front corners. A key hole in the center indicated it was locked. "This was brought in for you by the Princess. It is a thank you, a reward, and an invitation she said." The doctor placed a key on the box, brass with a small gem in the hilt. "She requested that you arrive at the palace as soon as possible. Which means now."

Axle shot out the bed and took the box, along with the key. "Um, yes Sir!" His gifts were placed into his inventor as he ran out of the treatment center. He ran down a single flight of wooden stairs and through the entrance hall. A labyrinth of halls and doors branched off from the large, stark white pathway. Non-player characters stood to the sides as Axle ran out into the bright doorway.

Once he took a step outside, his vision was once more impaired. Yet he started to hear new sounds. He slowly opened his eyes to a magnificent sight. In front of him, a long road stretched out as far as the eye could see. What seemed to be a hundred players, along with NPCs, cluttered the streets. Stalls, wagons, shops and the like were everywhere. Player were chatting, buying and/or were selling items everywhere. The sky was a soft baby blue with only the pure of white clouds keeping a few areas shaded.

The buildings reached high, painted in vivid and cheerful hues. The architectural design sang of happiness, resonating good feeling to all in the environment. A pony in a cloak stood on the side off a building. His whole body was shielded from sight. The Pony slowly mad his way to Axle, his mere presence was almost invisible to the rest of the world around him. He took a step in front of Axle and stared at him. "New here, Colt?" He said in a low voice.

Axle nodded. "Yes I am."

The cloaked stallion reached into a pocket and pulled out a map. "Here, and don't get lost." The stallion than began to walk away. As he did so, Axle tried to read the name of the stallion. Over his head, four asterisks appeared.

Confused, Axle thought to himself on the possibilities. "He could be a player, but with a crazy reason for that name. Maybe he is really an NPC? Or maybe...Maybe even a Game Master!" He then took a second look at this final guess. "Why would that be the case though?" Axle pondered. "Nah, I'm over thinking it." Axle took a look at the map of Canterlot.

The city was depicted as a large round region that was split into six areas with a massive center. "Worldly Market, in the center of course. What major market isn't in the center of a capital?" He kept reading the map. "Sun and Moon districts, House of Orders, Juniper Yards, Nexus, Tale Terra." Axle smiled and placed his map away.

"Alright, so the doctor gave me an quest right?" Axle looked through his display to find a new entry in his quest log. "Yup, so lets go to the palace!" Axle started to run down the cobblestone road towards the north and to the Sun District.

After a few minutes of getting side tracked, Axle arrived at Canterlot Castle. He strolled through the gates and into the entrance hall. As he approached the door into the Throne room, a guard stopped him. This one was different from the rest. He wore light blue armor with a yellow sun in the chest plate. His helmet was red with green bristles. His coat was white and he looked at Axle with orange eyes. "Who are you?"

Axle looked up to the taller earth stallion. "I am here on request from her Highness."

The guard looked Axle over nodded. "I am Captain Spec Tremor. I am sorry but the Princess is in a very important meeting. Yet she told me to expect to greet you should she be busy." Captain Spec Tremor cleared his throat. "Her Highness wishes to thank you, along with the others that saved Canterlot from Destruction and his minions. She gives to you the Brass Badge of Heroic Action. She also expects to hear more of your heroic accomplishments in the future. Along with with the Brass Badge, you are given a new account in our bank."

Axle bowed before the Captain. "Thank you."

Captain Spec Tremor bowed back to Axle. "You are welcome. But now I want to say something, which no doubt the Princess too would say and ask." The stallion took in a deep breath. "This whole incident was not an isolated event. The whole world as far as we know is in a fight against the Dog, Changlings and Draconequus. There are also a wide range of reports of other creatures roaming and causing mischief. We have been trying to gain more allies in our fight and find ways to put an end to Destruction before he returns. Please, for the sake of Eque...No. For the sake of the whole world, please, fight against this threat and see it through."

Axle nodded his head at the request. "Yes, Sir. I shall see this through."

"Good." The Captain replied. "I shall be seeing you again." Spec Tremor turned away from Axle and took up his post once more.

Axle was teleported back to the gates of the palace with a new panel presented to him.

Introduction: Complete
Now that you have been brought into the wide world, you are tasked with the quest to save it. You may not be able to do it alone though. Seek allies, grow stronger, see the world you are meant to save and enjoy it. For danger is always on the horizon and nothing is set in stone. Venture into the world and assist in anyway you can. Good luck, Hero.

As Axle closed the panel. he went back into his inventory. He took out the box and key he was given. He used the key to unlock the box and found a badge inside. IT was brown, brass, and a Pentagon. Engraved into the face of it was the roman numeral for one. "Bass Badge, accessory." Axle opened his outfitting menu and placed the badge in one of the three accessory slots. The badge appeared on his left chest. "That clashes with silver in a horrible way." Axle said with a small frown.

Walked away from the palace gates and back into town.

---

"Oi, when did you get back?" A stallion shouted from across the tavern.

Another, Unicorn, stallion walked up to him. "Got back three minutes ago. The swamps are hell."

Axle had walked into a tavern in the Moon district. He had gotten word from someone that he might find request missions. They were an easy way to start, he was told. The tavern was full of player, relaxing or waiting for others. A long bar was set up on the wall to the left of the entrance and the whole floor space was full of benches and tables. Off to the right, a large wall was dedicated to both player requests and game quests.

Axle's hearing was clogged with shouting of others around him. He was alone at the wall until a Pegasus stepped next to him. He turned to glace at the player and found him to be the same one he had met during the battle. The player turned to Axle and smirked. "Hey there man. Nix right?"

Axle nodded in agreement. "Yeah, that is me. Your Cardinal right?"

"Yup that's me." Cardinal smiled. "So what happened to you back at the start? We all saw you fly on that magic blast and fall off."

Nix sighed as a subconscious reflex. "Picked up by magic, fell off magic, caught by magic, punched by a Changling and I woke up in a hospital." Axle looked back at the wall. "Now I am looking for something for me to get started."

Cardinal looked at the wall as well and gazed at the low level, and easier, quests. "Well I can't tell you how to play, but maybe just start off by killing mobs." Cardinal tore down two fliers and gave Axle one. "This one seems to be for clearing a cave out and forest of some baddies. Maybe you can try it." The red Pegasus than waved his own flier. "I think I am more suited for finding things."

"Well you can fly after all." Axle pointed out. He looked down to the flier. "I guess I'll go head out on this one."

"Cool, and perhaps we'll meet again out on the field." Cardinal turned to the entrance and walked towards it.

Axle watched as Cardinal left the tavern and flew into the air. The fresh player looked over the information once more. "Cleaning Crew. Help needed in Whitetail Wood and Crust Cavern. See Soil Mill for more information in Whitetail." Axle smiled and placed the flier away. He walked out the tavern and into the sun light. "Time to get started I guess."

Comments

[Warpony]

Having a feeling I may want to open this world up for others. But way later in the timeline. Also thought of a new ending to the whole thing...Dear God I'm Good.

[shadowless_night]

...i realy want a game like this to exist now......

[Fayte]

I like the concept, keep it up!

[MrAskAPirate]

Getting that TTA/SAO vibe...