Sunset in the gods

by red-sun

Act II – Fallen Gods – Chapter 5

"AAAAAAAAHHHHH." A loud cry of pain came from one of the tents in the camp.

"Did Discord make humans train with Fluttershy again?" Said a god that passed by.

"Yeah, no one knows that he wants to achieve Discord by training humans like that but he sure knows what he's doing." Said another god.

---

"I have no idea what I'm doing," Discord said.

"You're sure? And here I thought you were just trying to get Fluttershy to kill us." Flash Sentry says sarcastically as Greymare heals him.

"Eeyup." Big Macintosh replied that he was lying down and was also very hurt.

"Are you okay bro?" Twilight asks Shining Armor since he was also injured.

"I'm not sure, is it normal that he doesn't feel anything anymore?" Twilight's brother asks as he looks at his dislocated arm.

Meanwhile Limestone continued to complain of pain. “Whose brilliant idea was it for us to join the training?! The only thing we do is fight animes!”

"Sorry about that". Fluttershy says while she's in a corner.

"You don't have to apologize Fluttershy, plus it was your idea and I think you said something like 'it's not fair that only you guys get stronger', plus how can you get stronger if the training isn't hard?" Says Wallflower. “Even Twilight plans to join the next training.

“I just want to be able to improve so that I can help Your Majesty.” It says Twilight.

"Me and Shinnig are only here because Timber said we shouldn't get used to the same opponent." Flash Sentry says.

"Maybe we should change the training a bit." Discord says. "So far the only thing I'm trying to do is get them used to being in dangerous situations by having Fluttershy's animals attack them and that also helps improve their physical condition, I guess now we should change the trainer."

"What kind of coach will we have now?"

"Now we are going to teach them to fight for real and I know who is the right god for them to learn."

---

THE NEXT DAY

"So you want me to teach them how to fight." Timber says. “First you ask me to train Shinning and Flash. And now you ask me to train more humans?"

"Yes". Discord responds simply.

“Okay, but you know very well that I have to help Gloriosa to maintain the camp and we have to be ready for when Snap Shutter and Mane Allgood come back and tell us the new locations to move the camp. And now that the population has increased, more preparations have to be made, so don't expect me to dedicate all my effort to training them, do you understand?" Timber asked.

"Yes, and don't worry, you don't have to make them great warriors, they just have to learn to defend themselves."

"So when do I have to start training them?" Timber asked as he looked at the group of humans.

"You already started!" Discord yelled as he ran away.

"I hate when you do that." Timber said resigned. "Shining, Flash! You two bring the training weapons.” The two quickly run off to find what Timber asked for. “While we wait for those two here is something I have to say to all of you. I don't like any of you and you don't like me…” Timber sees Pinkie Pie raise her hand. "what's up pink human?"

"I like you." Pinkie responds with a wide smile.

After a while of cilensio Timber responds. "So I guess I kind of like you guys... but what I'm trying to say is that I'm not going to make it easy for you." Just then Shinnig Armor and Flash Sentry return with a large number of wooden swords of different designs. "pick a sword." And they all picked up a sword.

Then Twilight raises her hand. "Master Timber, what fighting style are we going to learn?"

“First, don't call me a teacher yet, because after this first day, some may give up on what I am going to teach them. And second, they won't learn any fighting style from me." Timber replied.

“How come we won't learn any sword style?! So what is the training for?!” Limestone said angrily.

“The training is for the same as the previous training, that they can be stronger, but the training with Fluttershy consisted more of survival, mine will be to be able to face the dangers. And about the fighting style. Do you know why I won't teach you?" Timber asked waiting for an answer.

"Because a fighting style can become a weakness." Sunset replied.

"You have reason Sunset, you may learn and become a master of a style but that has its flaws." Timber says.

"But I do not understand? Aren't fighting styles supposed to shape your body so you can learn related techniques?" Twilight asks.

"And that is why it can become a disadvantage, Sunset since you answered my question, could you tell the rest why it is a disadvantage?"

"Because it makes you predictable, with each style you develop muscle memory that could limit you for other moves and if your opponent knows your style then he can know your weaknesses."

"Wow, looks like you met some veteran warrior so you know those things." Pinkie Pie says surprised.

"I met several." Sunset replied.

"So what are you going to teach us?"

“I will only teach you the basics but all of you will create your own styles. Now we'll start with something simple.” Timber points to some logs that were in the place. "I want everyone to spend the whole day hitting the logs, if the swords break, take another one and keep hitting and you...". He then notices that Wallflower was also with the humans. "When did you get here?" asked Timber.

"I was already here before all of you arrived." Wallflower replied.

“Since you're here I need you to make sure no human gets hurt. Shining, Flash, you two will oversee the training while I'm gone."

"Yes Master". They both said at the same time.

As Timber leaves, he runs into Discord. “Well? what do you think?"

"Shining and Flash have a talent for swordsmanship, Sunset seems to have some knowledge about the use of weapons although I don't know if she could apply it and about the rest... I still don't know what to say, the others are just beginning." Timber replied.

"You seem to enjoy the idea of training humans, I know I asked you to train them but why did you agree?" Discord asked curiously.

"Besides that you escaped before I told you no."

"Sorry about that". Discord said as he scratched the back of his neck.

"Do you know when was the first time I saw a human?"

"I suppose you're going to tell me." Discord replied with a smile.

“It was during the Stygian Rebellion. In my first battle I was almost killed by a simple demon soldier, I was tired and could barely hold my sword, I was afraid of dying, but at that moment a group of humans attacked the demon to save me, also that group of humans were not even masters of the aura, and in the middle of the battle I fell unconscious from exhaustion. When I woke up I saw the demon dead and surrounded by the corpses of the humans who saved me."

"I guess you felt sad about that."

“I felt sad, I felt weak, I felt angry and above all I felt ashamed. When when I saw the faces of the soldiers who saved me, do you know what I saw in their faces? Satisfaction, satisfaction of having achieved something with their own deaths. We are supposed to protect humans, not humans us! I wonder how they would feel if they knew what most gods are like?" After a while of silence Timber continues talking. "That's why I agreed to train those children, we as gods believe that we are better because we were born with power, but humans are weak, frail, have short lives and still they go on with their lives with the idea of achieving something, that's why I admire humans”.

"Is that why you refused to participate in the purge?"

“Yes, Discord I don't know what you saw in your visions for you to have suggested the death of so many humans but I have to ask, do you regret it? Do you regret having proposed the extermination of so many teachers? Is there no other way?"

“I regret not finding another way to stop a big disaster. It's a guilt I'll carry for the rest of my life."

“And is there any change in your vision?”

"I don't know". Discord replied simply

"What do you mean you don't know?" asked Timber.

"I erased my vision of that future, I will no longer know if the future will change or not, unless I have another vision or divination on that day, I don't know what will happen."

"I should...!" Just as Timber was yelling at Discord for how stupid that iso realized something else. “That means you can now have other visions! that's good!"

“Calm down, the visions could come at any moment, but for now just focus on training the humans. How fast can you train them?”

"Two or three years if they have talent, but I think that in a few years I can make them a little stronger than a normal human."

"Is not sufficient. Let it be a year."

“One year is not enough, I need more time”.

"It will have to be enough time, besides, I am not the only one who has made plans for the future." Discord says.

"Anything that I or Gloriosa should know?"

"Maybe he's invited other friends to camp to try to make some sort of alliance that some would find questionable."

"Discord!" Timber said sternly. "Don't tell me that more humans are coming to the camp."

Discord smiles. "Then you should be happy that no more humans are coming to the camp."

"I hope so... who's coming?"

Discord smiles nervously.

---

"What's the point of hitting these logs all day?" Applejack says as she complains.

Shining Armor was going to answer but Sunset spoke first. "We have to get used to holding a sword well despite the fatigue." Sunset answered happily despite being tired of hitting the log.

“I see that she is happy Your Majesty. Does she enjoy the exercise? Twilight says while she is lying on the grass tired.

"I remembered that I have hands and can hold a sword." Sunset responded without realizing how baffled everyone was by her response. But Sunset could only remember seeing griffins holding clawed swords while she as a filly saw her own hooves.

"You humans are weird." Wallflower said.

“And what about you green goddess? Don't you want to train with us? And now that I think about it, what is your job in the camp?” Limestone asked.

"My job is to make sure that no one who wants to harm us finds the camp." Wallflower replied.

Although no one asked how, Sunset knew that it was Wallflower's Divine power to prevent a giant eye in the sky from finding them. "Someday I'll have to ask how it works in divine power." Sunset whispered.

“Hey Wally, did you say that no one who wants to hurt us can find us? truth?". asked Pinkie Pie.

“Don't call me Wally. And if".

"Then that group of sinisterly hooded people won't harm us right?" At that moment they all look at the place where Pinkie was pointing.

At the edge of the forest there was a group of ten hooded people.

"I don't know who they are but they shouldn't have found this place." Wallflower said. "All of you should return to the other gods and raise the alarm."

"I don't think we'll get very far, we're all tired of training." Flash Sentry said.

"You don't have to worry, we're here." Gloriosa says as she appears together with a group of gods armed with swords and spears. As Gloriosa stares at the intruders she realizes something. “I can't believe it, they are demons. How could they cross the gates of Tartarus? The gates of the tartarus are supposed to be guarded by cerverus and nothing can get past their vigilance."

“There are many small doors that connect to the tartarus. The one that cerverus watches over is simply the biggest door, that's why no more demonic armies have passed. Says Discord while he just arrived accompanied by Timber. “Put down your weapons, I invited you”.

Then Gloriosa grabs Discord by the neck and yells at him. “That you invited them?! Do you realize the danger you are exposing us to?! Give me a reason not to hit you now! why do not you answer me?!".

"I'm not sure how the physiology of the gods works but maybe he would respond if he stopped strangling him." It says Twilight.

Then Gloriosa calms down and lets go of Discord. "I am not going to continue judging your reasoning, if you say that you will take charge of the situation I am going to trust you, but you will have to always keep an eye on them." Gloriosa says as she lowers her spear and the other gods also lower her weapons. "All of you, I don't know what you plan exactly but I don't trust you, but I do trust Discord, but if they cause any trouble in the camp, I'll just tell them that many here are veterans who fought in the Stygian rebellion and as far as I know, only one demon clan survived and it was because they escaped”. Gloriosa and the other gods withdraw. "You have all been warned."

After the gods leave, Discord approaches his guests. "Sorry for the show, I suppose that if they are here it means that Starlight Glimmer is almost finished unifying the clans"

"Hello Discord, you have a more comfortable place to talk." Says one of the hooded figures. "It was a long trip and we would like to rest for a while."

"Of course". Discord says.

While the demons followed Discord, one of the hooded men stopped and looked at the group of humans who witnessed the whole show, then focused his gaze directly on Sunset and instantly appeared standing in front of the redhead, surprising everyone with the speed that he moved.

Then Shining and Flash run to defend Sunset but the hooded demon quickly turns around and punches both humans unconscious, then turns back in front of Sunset.

"What do you want?" Sunset asks as she tries to stay calm.

The demon just whispers with a wide smile. “You smell like a unicorn, you smell like a pony”.