It was just a normal day really until two friends get thrown into the world of My Little Pony as their own Chosen Undead, as if that wasn't generic enough.
Vael and Sid is just a typical Dark Souls player, one was an average Casuals that just want to play the game while the other was a troll rage-inducing-level type of player that finishes the game at least once or twice. However, the two didn't expect to get thrown into their own (Chosen Undead) character into the worlds of MLP, as if that wasn't bad. Turns out they both were thrown to the bad old days of MLP, which is literally the beginning before Generation Four. Oh and also, it was during the Crystal War.
Isn't that was too generic for a fanfiction...? Well, for Vael case anyway. (And perhaps a little from the author)
Changelogs: 01/28/2019[10:00 UTC+07]: Decide to add Oscar as cover art
Vael unlocked the door to his apartment and swung the door open, unamused and slight irritation filled his face. How did a single project that was planned out since the beginning all crumble because of one guy that didn’t read the memo. After slamming the door behind him, he head for the living room and threw his backpack on the sofa. He plopped on the sofa and sank his body, making himself comfortable as much as possible. He sat in silence for a while before he stood up and head for the kitchen. Once he approached the fridge, he opened it and looked inside. It had a couple of sodas, some cold water and… where did that cider came from? Oh, right, Sid got the cider after the party he attended yesterday. He still couldn’t believe he brings a lot of cider and drank almost all of them under ten minutes, only leaving him two ciders, one he drank on the night and left the last one on the fridge.
He grabbed the cider and then opened it with a bottle opener at the side of the fridge, one where Sid literally attached it with flex-tape. How Sid can come up with a crazy idea that sounded stupid but it actually works is beyond him. Vael eventually returned to the living room, turning on the TV along with the Playstation 3 he bought couple of weeks ago.
The playstation was already filled with Harddisk full of game the only problem is, what game do he want to play? Switching game after game, Vael stopped at one game. It was Dark Souls: Prepare to Die Edition. He contemplates for a moment, he played this game before and he already reached at two boss he hated the most; Smough and Ornstein.
He shrugged and hit play. He took a sip of the cider while the game is loading. He heard a door opened and turned his face towards Sid’s door, revealing a very messed up Sid; his hair is all over the place and his clothes are very loose. Sid yawned and asked, “What time is it?”
“It’s just after noon. I gotta say that I’m impressed that you drank a lot and still have the ability to walk.” Vael replied with a smirk.
“Oooh, shut up, my head is spinning like Mario Kart Racing 8 at ninety hundred and ninety-nine cc and a repeated red shell,” said Sid while he walked (or stumbling) towards the fridge.
“At least you didn’t get blue shelled at the last race when you just one point away from the guy below you.” Vael grumbled while selecting Load Game function.
“Oh, c’mon that was fun at the very least,” Sid said as he scoured through the fridge.
“Rage inducing fun is what you mean.” Vael retorted, finally loaded on his own Chosen Undead.
Sid returned from the kitchen bringing an ice pack and some sodas to the living room. “Huh, thought you left the game after the third tries you tried defeating Smough and Ornstein.”
Vael sighed as he checked his Chosen Undead stat, he built a dex/strength base character with plus four Elite Knight Armor set, and he also use a plus five Claymore with a plus three Crest Shield. Some miracles also attuned, notably Lightning Spear and Great Heal. As his secondary, he use plus one Silver Knight Spear and Thorolund Talisman. The rings were Ring of Steel Protection and Ring of Favor and Protection. He proceed to check on his inventory, plus three Zweihander, plus four Knight Shield and plus two Lightning Pike. The rest is at the bottomless box.
Vael changed the Silver Knight Spear to Lightning Pike before leaving the bonfire and head to the boss room. But before he can let the character enter, Sid stopped him.
“Let me help, just wait a minute or three.” Sid immediately left and entered his room. Sid was gone for at least four minutes while Vael waited patiently, suddenly there is a summon sign at the side of the boss door. He checked the summon stone to reveal Sid’s character name; “Siegfried”. By his phantom, he wore Standard Armor with a Steel Helm, a Black Leather Gauntlets (?) and Chain Leggings.
Vael rolled his eyes, and summoned Sid’s phantom. Once Sid’s character was successfully summoned he shouted to Sid’s room. “You just want to show off!”
“At least I’m better, you casuls!” came the reply from Sid.
Grumbling in annoyance, Sid’s character and his own entered the boss room. “You handle Smough while I handle Ornstein!” Vael commanded which immediately replied by Sid with a loud “Alright then!”
The two characters broke off, charging at the picked boss. The two boss’s also charged in, Ornstein with his Charging Stab while Smough charged with his hammer prone to the ground. The two was separated soon after, each fighting fiercely. Vael is having trouble blocking and/or dodging Ornstein’s Spear attack, he himself taken a couple of hits before falling back to heal with his Estus only to be Charged stabbed by Ornstein. Meanwhile, Sid is fairing pretty well, dodging through attacks and occasionally pokes Smough with his Dragonslayer Spear. Eventually, Smough fell and a cutscene where Ornstein absorbed Smough’s dead body and became bigger and powerful. Sid’s Chosen Undead then changed to Chaos Dark Sword and charged at Ornstein to help Vael’s Chosen Undead. The two Chosen Undead dodge and/or block Ornstein Phase Two attack, the two was fairing pretty well before the game screen suddenly went off alongside with the music that plays through in the background of the boss fight.
“What the heck?” Vael frowned and turned to Sid’s room. “Hey, Sid, does your game screen cuts off?”
“Yeah, your screen goes black too?” came the reply from Sid.
“Yep, the game just went ‘poof’ but the playstation still active though.”
Silence... Vael waited for a minute or two before shouting at Sid’s room again. “Yo dude, what the hell, why you’ve gone quiet all of sudden?” No reply came within the room, Vael growing concerned every second. “Sid?” He called out again but the reply is the same, silence. Suddenly, the TV screen buzzed and played every episode of My Little Pony in one swift motion.
“What the hell?” Vael’s stood up and stared at every episode that went pass through the screen at fast speed, and before he even know it. Darkness consumed his vision.
Vael awoken later with a headache, he is no longer at the apartment and instead he is somewhere outside since the first thing he saw waking up is the clear blue sky and the feeling of grass he was lied onto. He moaned in agony as if he was stabbed by something and the headache only makes it even worst. His first instinct was to look around, and what he saw around him is clear green fields surrounded with trees. “W-what the, where am I?” Vael tries to process what is going on while ignoring the pain he’s having right now. Vael rubbed his temple, only to rub a metal piece. Vael brain grinds into a halt, he slowly run his fingers across his face only to stop completely. He slowly bring his hand up, again he was stunned. That’s an Elite Knight Gauntlet. Vael quickly got up to a sitting position as he inspected his own body, and just as he thought, he was wearing Elite Knight Armor set. The different is that the helmet cover was opened, but if it was closed then he really are wearing the Elite Knight Armor set.
Stunned and shock is understatement, it only made his brain and other senses halted completely. And for a full on fifteen minutes there he sat quietly as his gaze didn’t focus on anything. Realization does hit hard and he screamed as loud as he can.
Somewhere in the woods, two kilometers away from Vael’s location. Sid heard the scream of his friend and ran as fast as his armor can carry him. After waking up somewhere in the forest and realizing that he wore a strange set of Armor and finding a Dark Sword not far from where he lay. “Vael, hang on, I’m coming!” Sid shouted while accelerating his pace, determined to help of what danger Vael’s had encountered to.
However, he only found an Elite Knight forming a ball, shaking. But then he remembers that Vael’s character wore Elite Knight set so he poked his finger at the Knight’s helmet. The Knight reaction was unexpected; the Knight jumped a few feet of the air while screaming, the Knight lands on his back and tries to crawl away. Sid rolled his eye, “Vael, it’s me, you can stop panicking now.”
Vael stopped his effort of crawling away from the dangers and turned towards a strange looking knight, how can the Knight know his name? Vael realized seconds later, “Wait a minute, Sid?”
“No, name’s Sieg,” Sid said sarcastically. “Of course it’s me, who do you think I am?”
“Sorry,” Vael stood up. “How did you find me, and how did you get here?”
Sid sighed, “Okay first, we both was playing Dark Souls and then the screen went black and then…” Sid pondered for a moment before shrugging. “Heck, I don’t know what happened, the next thing I know is waking up somewhere in this damn forest.”
“Do you know where we are?” Vael asked then Sid simply shrugged. “Great, were stuck in Dark Souls universe. Fan-friking-tastic, what’s next on the list, a Bonfire somewhere?”
There is a loud roar deep in the forest, Vael jumped out of shock and immediately lunged behind Sid for protection. Sid merely rolled his eye and drew his Dark Sword. “Wait, where did you get that?” Vael’s question was cut short by a bear jumped out to the clearing. The bear seemingly made with star and almost like an ethereal form and stood at almost seven-eight foot-tall, the bear growled as it stared at the two invaders. Both Knights eyes went wide with fear.
“W-what the fuck is that!?” Sid asked pointing at the star bear with his sword, his sword threatened to fall from his hand out of fear. Vael in the other hand knew exactly what that creature is. He knew it from a show he watched; it was an Ursa Minor and it’s angry. Perhaps they disturbed the Ursa’s sleep? Vael was broken out of his stupor as the Ursa lashed out with its giant claw at the Knight, swinging its right claw. The two rolled out of the way, the Ursa roared and lashed out again using its left claw at Sid. Sid tried to defend with his sword and surprisingly, it only thrown him a few yards as the claw contacted the sword, he took some scratches but otherwise he is fine albeit feeling a little tired. Sid gritted his teeth, “Alright, come get some you beast!” Sid roared, charging at the Ursa.
Vael watched his friend fought the Ursa, if he had a weapon right now he could help him. And speaking of which, his hand felt something as he tries to crawl away from the fight. He turned and raised his hand to the object, revealing a half-sheathed Claymore. Vael looked at Sid who was still fighting the Ursa, he inflicted damage to the Ursa but it only made it even angrier. The Ursa raised its two claws in the air and slammed it on the ground, Sid evaded the overhead attack and proceeds to inflicted more damage as he slash to the Ursa’s hands. Vael didn’t think much further as he grabbed the Claymore with two hands and charged to the Ursa, performing right heavy attack on the Ursa’s back. The Ursa cried out in pain and turned its attention to Vael. Sid took this opportunity to backstab the Ursa, he shoved his Dark Sword straight to the Ursa’s butt. The Ursa roared in agony as Sid pulled the sword back, kicking the Ursa to the front as he pulled. Vael saw this and rolled to the side as the starry beast fell to the ground.
“Whoowee, I really wanted to do that.” Sid says as he wipes his sweat, smiling at the fallen beast.
Vael looked at the Ursa, weak and vulnerable, the beast itself breathes slowly with heavy breath. He felt bad for attacking the Ursa but he had no choice. “C’mon, we better go before the mother comes,” Vael turned and walked away.
“Yo, wait for me!” Sid said as he went after Vael, leaving the Ursa.
The two walked in silent, neither know where they’re going but keep going nonetheless. Vael was awfully quiet most of the time. Sid didn’t say anything but his concern grows. Vael’s helmet cover is fully closed making Sid unable to read what’s going on with him. After a full on fifteen minutes of aimlessly wanders through the forest, Sid finally spoke up.
“Alright, what the hell is going on with you? You’ve gone quiet for the whole time ever since our encounter with… whatever that beast is.” Vael halted, looking sideways, perhaps glaring within the helm. Sid couldn’t tell for sure.
“Do you… remember about that show I’ve talked about months ago?” Vael asked. The way his voice seemingly harsher and breathless, Sid know that he’s been crying.
Sid raised an eyebrow but answered nonetheless. “Yeah, what about it, didn’t the ponies has nothing to do with this.”
“That... that thing is one of the show’s creatures.”
Both went quiet, Vael’s head face forward seemingly contemplates what he’s about to say next. Sid can only wait for him to speak more. Minutes pass but for the two, it felt like they were standing for hours and yet none of them able to voice out their reason.
Seeing Vael aren’t answering, Sid eventually spoke out to break the ice. “Alright, what the hell do you mean, that thing is one of the show creatures? What’s next, a fricking Griffon too?”
Vael once again went quiet, and unexpectedly drop down to his knee. Sid’s concern grows even more, three years as roommate is enough for him to understand what’s coming. And as he expected, Vael sobbed. Sid closes in the distance and knelt beside him, patting him on the back. Stress and anxiety is enough to make Vael cry. “There, there, you can tell me what’s going on so I can voice out how we can get out of here.”
“Don’t you get it?!” Vael snapped. “Our lives is over, we can’t go back.”
“Whoa whoa,” Sid was shocked by the sudden influx of emotion and immediately took a step back from him, giving Vael some space. “What do you mean our lives over? If this forest is somewhere in Equestria, then we can ask… I don’t know, maybe one of the Princess to send us back?”
“No, you don’t get it,” Vael looked at his hand. “We’re from Dark Souls universe as an Undead!”
Sid confusion grew, “I don’t think I can understand, care to elaborate?”
Vael sighed, standing up and opened his helmet cover. Sid can see that Vael’s face were weary and dried, a few trickles of tears can be seen at his cheek. Quite obviously been crying non-stop in silent ever since the Ursa’s encounter. Vael then wiped the rest of the tears off his face and turned to face Sid. “I’ve read many crossover fanfiction to understand this, most of these stories. None of the protagonist returned to their original world, well sure, some did return but…” Vael inhaled and exhaled deeply. “This is a multi-crossover between human, Dark Souls and MLP at the same time.”
Sid furrows his brow, growing even more confused. “And that mean?”
Vael sighed wearily, he just wanted to rest or perhaps end his suffering but going hollow isn’t included in his mind yet. “Let me simplify it for you, we’re human from earth,” He received a nod from Sid, which is quite obvious. Vael then continued, “We’re playing Dark Souls and suddenly we got thrown into the world of MLP and becomes our character.” Again, Sid nodded in agreement. “Do you know what that mean?” This time Sid shook his head, Vael can only sighed. “It means, even if we can find a way back, we get thrown into the world of Dark Souls. Unless you wanted to link the First Flame with so many dangers and horrors along the way with a risk losing your mind, then be my guess that you try.”
There was a pregnant silence before Sid speaks up. “So that means that we can’t go back to earth?”
“Yes, our lives pretty much over at earth, either we get accepted here or be thrown to the world of Dark Souls.”
“Then what about our family, they probably worried about us.”
Vael looked away, he stood up and walked to a tree and proceed to plopped down against the tree. “Shit if I know, the point is… we can’t go back.”
“Well, why can’t we use the Lordvessel if we can find a bonfire nearby and-“ Sid thrown that line of thought aside as that plan comes into effect. “Wait no nevermind, it means that we go back to Dark Souls universe.”
“You see what I mean? There is no fricking way out… might as well we live here.” Vael despair is enough for Sid to sit down and lean against a nearby tree and think about it.
“Then what should we do next?” Sid asked, all he need is a slight of hope that they can go back to earth.
“I don’t know, but I’m not going hollow.” Vael retorted, sulking deeper.
The two pretty much silenced, not knowing what to do nor to say. Sid suddenly had something to say regarding their status, “Wait, how do we know we’re undead?”
“Are you suggesting that you want me to kill you?” Vael said darkly. By the tone alone, it shows the despair and how broken Vael at this point. Sid slumped back to his tree, admitting defeat.
“No, the last thing I need is that my humanity was taken away from me.”
The two simply sat there, pondering of what’s going to happen to them in the future but one thing is certain for the two Knights. They can’t go back to their original life. They now waited for fate to judge what happens next, they let their own despair ruled over them.
The two knights sat on their respective trees, despair, concern, fear and desperation loomed over the two. It is unknown how long the two sat there but the sun had already been seen rising. The two ponders of what’s going to happen next, until one of the knight with a strange armor set, Sid, stood up.
“Alright, we’re done doing nothing here, let us fricking go somewhere and explore.” Sid said in irritation, it was way too long the two just sitting there doing nothing. It is time to do something.
The other knight, Vael, looked up from his stupor and huffed at Sid’s suggestion. “And where do we go? There is no telling what’s out there.”
Sid looked at Vael. He cannot let this misery go on any longer, “At least doing something is much more productive than staying here and let fate judge!” He shouted, grabbing his Dark Sword and walked over to Vael. “We’re going to move and explore, and I’ll drag you if I have to, so get up!”
Without Vael’s approval, Sid yanked him out his stupor and proceeds to shake him.
“Listen to me, if we do nothing here it is just the same as going hollow, so quit your bullshit and be with me for god sake!” Sid dropped him, leaving him dazed in the ground as he himself grabbed Vael’s Claymore and handed it to him.
“Look, I know shit happened but you have to be with me here, we’re in this together alright?”
Vael, confused and still trying to process what Sid just said finally gain composure and grabbed the Claymore, he stared at the Claymore and Sid back and forth.
“I…” Vael spoke out. “I-I can’t do this!”
Sid put his hand on Vael’s shoulder, “Listen to me, do you want to go hollow?” Vael shook his head. “Good, then we’re moving out of here, going somewhere is our best course of action than sit here and wait for the end of time. If you want to wait for that, then be my guess you wait, I’m going somewhere.”
Sid walked away, leaving Vael to think about it. But just as he took his fifteenth step, Vael shouted. “I’ll join you.”
Sid turned to him with a smile, “Then get over here and let’s get the check the countryside.”
The two walked alongside each other in alert, they both had the ‘feeling’ and if both had them, their Dark Souls instinct kicked in and made them more alert on anything as they ventured further. Well, it’s more of their own natural instinct boosted with their Dark Souls experience. Twenty minutes has passed, the two follow the edge of the forest until they found a large clearing up front, but soon they realized that they were in a high ground. Sid are brave enough to look down of how far down while Vael covered their back.
“Good news and bad news, the good news is that I’ve found a way down.” Sid said, keeping his eyes down the cliff. The cliff wasn’t all that deep, at least ten meters down.
“And what’s the bad news?” Vael asked.
Sid turned, walking away from the edge. “If we want to climb down, we might need a rope since its way to steep.”
“Great,” Vael rolled his eyes. “The safest way is that we find another way down, way too risky if we decide to take the direct path.”
Sid hearing picked up sound up in the distance, “Wait, do you hear that?”
Vael nodded as he heard the sound of multiple feet stomping the ground in unison. The two followed where the sound came from and there it was, in the clearing up front there was an army facing on each other, an army of ponies that is. One was clad in silver or iron armor while the others were clad in crystalline armor? Vael and Sid jaws dropped as they saw such a huge number of ponies, at least three or four thousand strong each. The one on the left had a light blue flag with the sun and moon at the center while the other had a purple flag with a greyed snowflake in the center along with some markings circling the snowflake.
“Dude?” Sid turned to Vael who still dumbfounded at the two armies. “You’re the show’s expert here, what the heck is going on?”
“It’s the Crystal War…” Vael muttered, keeping his gaze locked at (presumably) Equestrian army. “We’re at the unification era?”
“Is that bad?”
Vael shook his head, “I don’t think so, we just got thrown to the era before Nightmare Moon, and the show started a thousand year after Nightmare Moon.”
Sid looked towards the armies, each preparing to charge onto each other. “So you don’t know for sure of what’s going to happen?”
“Yep, the backstory is vague I admit, no one can tell for sure what happened back then. Most fiction I’ve read are either their speculation or just pure of their own imagination.”
“Yeaah, no, I’m not going to involve myself into that,” Sid said, pointing at the armies who still facing off each other. Both armies haven’t yet dared themselves to charge into the enemy.
Vael turned around, walking away from the edge. “Unless we find a bonfire somewhere, maybe we can face them.” Vael muttered to himself. No sooner after that, both armies sounded their horn as the indication of their charge. Both army thundered through the open plain and clashed in the middle. Sound of metal bashing each other and occasionally the sound of those who fall filled the surroundings. Vael shuddered and turned to Sid whom still watches the battle ahead of him.
“Sid!” Vael shouted. “C’mon, let’s go.”
Sid glanced sideways before turning back to the battle ahead. “I’ll be right behind you, give me a moment.”
Vael rolled his eyes under his helmet, walking down away from the forest edge. As he walked though, he noticed a change of scenery almost immediately. The otherwise grassy plain was replaced by trees, lots of them. Vael walked further until he stumbled upon a pathway, he looked around, spotting any kinds of danger that may lurks in the trees. He then felt a hand on his shoulder, giving him chills down to his spine. He gulped nervously as he felt the hand on his shoulder gave him a pat. He spins to find Sid holding a laugh as best as he can.
“Oh, goddamnit Sid, you almost gave me a heart attack!” Vael all but shouted at his companion, said companion finally burst out laughing.
“Y-you should… see you’re… face.” Sid said between his laugh.
Vael sighed, “I’m wearing a helmet.”
“And that’s why I’m imagining your dumb expression right now.” Sid said before laughing again.
“Alright that’s not funny, c’mon let’s go.” Vael turned, walking down the pathway. Leaving his partner behind, said partner quickly catches up with him.
“Yo wait up. You know that I’m just trying to ease up the mood,” Sid said, finally catching up.
“Oh har har, I know that’s a joke but that is incredibly dangerous one, I could’ve swing my sword at you.” Vael scolded, he did not like that at all. They don’t know what dangers lurk in this forest but for playing around like that can be downright dangerous.
“Jeez sorry dude, I can’t really help but to scare you.” Sid apologized. “Besides, you kinda take this too seriously, you need to ease up.”
“This is a matter between life and death, Sid! You don’t joke around in a situation that can threaten us.” Vael snapped, his emotion couldn’t be contained lately. He is really stressed out, he just wanted to get the hell out of this damn world and contact his parent.
“And so what?” Sid asked before shrugging. “I mean, yeah we might die soon but that doesn’t mean we can have our last fun.”
“I can’t believe you right now,” Vael sighed.
The two walked in silence, following the pathway. Sid craned his arms around his shoulder, bored while Vael occasionally glanced sideways or in the trees, spotting any possible danger. Vael raised his hand, halting Sid’s daydream. Vael heard a distant thumping of metal, in case he was just hearing things. He asked Sid if he hear it too.
“Yeah, I hear it, and it’s… getting… closer?” Sid looked to Vael. The two then nodded and proceeds to hide behind the trees at the opposite side. Soon, the thumping gets closer and closer and it revealed to be Princess Luna, why is she doing here? She wasn’t alone however as at least a small band of Royal Guards with silver armor and without their crest marches in three rows behind the Princess. They have a sword (short-sword to the two knights) at their side, and unlike them; Princess Luna had a black chest-plate with her crescent moon symbol along with the same colored helmet. They marched past where the two friends hiding. Vael was amazed and has a hard time to hold his fangasm, Sid however watched them carefully. He had a bad feeling about this.
And thus, his bad feeling comes true as arrows hit one of the rear guard. The guard cries in pain, shocking the rest including the Princess and soon afterwards, arrows starts to fly. Princess Luna acted fast and formed a protective barrier around her guards and shortly after the arrow rain, a battle-cry was heard from the distance. Crystal Pony clad in silvery-blue crystal armor with a sword on their maw, was charging straight at them. Princess Luna summoned her own sword; a black winged cross-guard along her crescent moon at the center. She unformed the barrier and cried her own battle-cry, charging to the crystal ponies and her guards followed soon after.
The two opposite faction clashed onto each other, Princess Luna swiftly cut down the first and then the second crystal pony. The third manage to block her swing only to be strike down by one of her guards at the neck. Sid thought the battle quite amazing for something that hadn’t an arm to swing them. Sid walked out of his hiding spot and whistled at the battle ahead.
“Good thing we evade that, right Vael?” Sid said but he didn’t get any reply from Vael, he called out to him again. “Vael?” Sid looked back towards the battle. It seems the battle will be over soon.
Princess Luna thrust her sword deep into the crystal pony, pulling it out as she watched the pony’s life slipped away in the ground. The battle is far from over, the enemy still had a couple of them left and she’s intended not to leave any survivor. A cry from behind surprised the Lunar Princess, one of the crystal pony manage to slip behind her and swung its sword at her. Before the sword made contact with her flesh, the crystal pony was struck on the neck by the hilt of a claymore. Her savior stands at its hind-legs, and the claymore’s edge was held on its arm? She was quick to notice that the creature that saved her is bipedal, almost resembled to a Minotaur minus the horn.
The creature pulled its claymore out of the body and then held it on its hilt. Princess Luna still tries to comprehend where did this creature came from and why did it save her, but her thoughts was cut short as the creature shouted, “Behind you!” while raising its claymore high.
Princess Luna sidestepped and then the sword was swung to the attacker, the sword struck deep to the crystal pony’s shoulder and soon after, the creature pulled its claymore out letting the dead pony slumped into the ground. The enemy was defeated but at the cost of five soldiers. Just as she wanted to say her gratitude, somepony (or more precisely someone) shouted.
“Vael you idiot!” One of the bipedal creatures ran at them with its sword drawn, Princess Luna’s escort was quick to ready themselves but was gestured to stand down by the Princess as the creature that had just saved her walked towards the other bipedal creature.
“You are a fricking idiot, Vael! You could’ve got yourself killed there!” the other bipedal creature shouted at her savior. Her savior rubbed a hand at the back of its helmet, apologizing to the shouting biped.
“Sorry, Sid, I think I got caught up to the action.”
“Caught up!?” the other creature asked furiously. “You just ran straight to trouble by helping these ponies!”
“And so, what about it?” her savior asked back.
“Y-you… you!” the other creature seems at a loss of words as it moved its hand at a confusing gesture the Princess cannot understand, but she assumed that the creature basically gesturing ‘Why’ at her savior. Soon the other creature facepalmed to its iron clad helmet.
She cleared her throat to gain the attention of the two, and almost immediately the two turned at her. The two towered over her, they almost as tall as her sister Celestia. She motioned her hooves at them to lower their weapon, and they soon sheathed their blade to their respective scabbard.
Princess Luna then begins her introduction. “Greetings creature, we art Princess Luna. We counts thee as creditor from saving us from danger, thus thou hast earned our gratitude.”
The two creatures looked at each other and then nodded. Her savior was first to spoke up.
“Hello, my name is Knight Vael of Astora. It is a pleasure to meet you, Princess.” It bowed. Then the other stepped forward to introduce itself.
“And I am Siegfried of Astora, tis a pleasure to meet thee, Princess.”
The creature named Vael looked at Siegfried as it had grown two heads. Siegfried stared at Vael questioningly and then he spoke, “What?”
“Nevermind,” Knight Vael said and turned towards the Lunar Princess, bowing again. “Our apologize Princess.”
Princess Luna gestured with a wave of her wing. “Twas nothing, but still. Thine manner of speech seemeth different from ours, foreigner perhaps?”
Vael nodded, “You are very correct, Princess. We are from the land of Lordran and we have cometh to thine land to… uhh...” before Vael can answer, Siegfried beat him to it.
“We have come to thy land so we can find someone worthy of our blade, and also to seeketh a glory of our own.” He said proudly.
Princess Luna nodded and turned towards one of the guard. “Sir Glorious Shield, we hereby decree to accept Knight Vael of Astora and Knight Siegfried of Astora within the ranks of Equestrian Army.”
Said stallion saluted. “Yes, Princess.”
She then turned towards the two knights with a smile on her face, “Let us beest the first to welcome thee to the land of Equine or should beest known as, Equestria.”
The guards then cheered as a sign of welcome, Princess Luna motioned the two to follow them through the path and into the clearing where they can see the battle that rages on from afar. As the two walked alongside the soldiers, Vael muttered to himself.
“Huh, somehow that worked.” Vael did not ponder any longer as he shrugged. “If it works, don’t question it I guess.”
The battle was over once the Princess along with Vael, Sid and her contingency of guards make it to the cliff overviewing the battle. Equestrian army had won the battle but with a huge cost of their own, many had lost their life today and many more to come at the upcoming battle. The small engagement earlier had also cost a few guards and it all was for nothing. The Princess wished for a broad sight over the battle only to be ambushed and once she arrived, the battle is over. Princess Luna sighed, so many deaths she thought. She told her escort that her business here is done and they should return to camp. All of her escort nodded but Vael and Sid remained quiet.
Princess Luna led the way back, following a different path than before. If earlier they were from a pathway that is surrounded by arch trees, they cut their way through a slightly sloppy hill. Princess Luna and the Pegasi take flight and glide down while those who had none have to carefully climb down, Vael and Sid had to carefully bend their body to the ground to avoid stumbling down.
Once the flightless had reached down, they continued with Princess Luna in the lead. Vael glanced to the location where the battle had once fought by the two armies. Dead pony, both non-crystal and crystal alike and variety of weapons such as spears, swords and axes lies scattered on the slightly scorched earth that was once just a grassy plain. Sid bumped his elbow to him, snapping him out of his thoughts.
It wasn’t long until a familiar sun and moon flag appeared on the horizon, and soon a huge camp comes into view. “That’s a lot of tents.” Sid whistled.
“Those gents art forsooth, sir Siegfried. After all, we hast at least ten thousand troops varied between the three tribes on each army. And each army varied depending to those who commanded those folk, one could beest earth pony majority or one is very balanced between each tribe.” Princess Luna explained as they neared the camp’s entrance with two guards stationed at it. “We for one, consisted of mostly flight based army as Unicorn's and Earth Pony alike art hath kept as reserve.”
“But, Princess that army we saw earlier is mostly Earth ponies and Unicorn that fought, why is that?” Vael asked.
“A very valorous question forsooth, sir Vael, however-” she smirked. “How many army doth thee bethink we has't?”
Sid raised his hand, “I’m guessing of at least fifteen armies, Princess.”
Princess Luna shook her head, “Nay sir Siegfried, we has't twenty-three armies each scattered between regions of Equestria, some armies art hath sent to aid our allies in this war, but majority art still within Equestrian land.” Princess Luna paused but smiled. “But thou art correct in some ways.”
Princess Luna then turned to Vael, “As for thine question, sir Vael, we art at the topless of command with mine sister. We command all the armies but we doth not hast full command over the chains of ranks within, those gents after all hast a commander of their own.”
Vael nodded. “I see…”
Princess Luna motioned of her escort to dispersed, but not Vael and Sid. She gestured them to follow her into her tent. The two followed the Lunar Princess, and of course the Princess’s tent is the only one that is colored midnight blue with a few decorations of the stars and moon around the tent. The two guards that stood in front nodded to the Princess as she entered along with Vael and Sid. The inside of her tent are quite spacious as expected from a royalty, an armor stand at the corner, a bed with a book on top, and a table at the middle which are filled with maps and scrolls.
“Please, make thyself comfortable.” Princess Luna said as she took her helmet off and floats it to the armor stand.
“Do you need a moment, Princess?” Vael asked. Princess Luna titled her head, seemingly misunderstand. Knowing this, Vael immediately corrected himself while waving his hand. “I-I mean if you wish t-to uhh...”
Princess Luna giggled, Vael can feel how red he is currently but thankfully his helmet covers are lowered. So Sid can’t tease him afterwards, however Sid himself seems to hold a snicker of his own.
“Oh dear, what a bethought, thee should beest ashamed of thyself, sir Vael.” Princess Luna chuckled. Vael bows low, apologizing. The Princess waved a wing at him, “Thee shan’t beest apologizing, sir Vael, tis mine fault to tease.” Princess Luna then turned to a more serious expression. “However, now that thou knights hath joined our ranks we shalt tell thee our plan for the upcoming battle.”
The Princess moved to the opposite of the table, she gestured them to come closer and so they did. The map was filled with red circles and square on Equestrian land, blue square also decorate the map but more than the red square. She pointed a red square along with a few smaller one with her wing, “This is where we reside, the fourteenth army with a couple of Brigades from the fifteenth army.”
She then moved her wings to the blue squares, each lining adjacent to other square. “And this is where our foe marching through Equestrian plain, we art outnumbered three to one. However, a small battalion is brave enough to venture into the enemy flank and waits for the main army to meet the enemy.” She explained as she moved her wing to a small red square in a gorge who had a clear gap on the enemy battle line, small but enough for them to move pass.
“Once our army collided, the small battalion wilt lodge their archers hither and then hath moved their remaining soldier to strike the enemy where those crystal pony least expect.” She said as she points her wings to a hill nearby and then moved her wing across from the small red square to the blue square.
“And, where should we be then?” Sid asked.
Princess Luna smiled, “Excellent question, sir Siegfried, thou shalt journey to the small battalion and tell them that the main army is moving to meet the enemy. Of course, thou will not journey alone as I shalt send our best soldier to escort thee.”
“Hmm, I think it’s easy enough, what do you think Vael?” Sid turned his head to Vael.
“But, the path ahead will not be easy to venture through, are we supplied with a map or perhaps a direction pointer like… uhh, like compass.” Vael think out loud.
Princess Luna smiled, she know not to underestimate these foreigners. “Thou noble knights shan’t go alone, as one our best scout shall accompany thee throughout thine journey.” She returned her attentions to the battle-maps. “Just remember, we wilt beginneth marching as soon as thine departure. Prepare thineself of the journey ahead, as for now, thou should rest.”
The two knights nodded and excused themselves. The two exited her tents before Princess Luna called Vael and said knight then turned, wondering why he was called. “Send this to the Captain,” she floated a scroll above Vael’s hand. “He shalt not harm thee nor doth he will question thee.”
Vael grabbed the scroll and looked at it, the scroll are sealed with her royal signature. Vael bowed, “I shall deliver her Highness message to the Captain, I must bid farewell for now, Princess, Goodnight.”
Vael stepped out of the lunar tent, sighing as there is a task they must accomplish. It is too late to back out now, let’s hope we don’t get any nasty surprise. Vael thought to himself. He looked around for one particular and unusually dressed Knight. He spotted him soon after as said knight sat down near a camp-fire alone. He noticed that most of the ponies avoided them, staring at them briefly before returning to their activity. Some of those stare he received are mostly curiosity and confusion, some unicorns does glared at them with disgust but the knights ignored them completely, well he don’t know about Sid being oblivious about it but he suppose that Sid also ignored them.
Walking towards him, he noticed that he seems to be rummaging on something. He walked closer and took a closer look of what Sid’s doing only to widen his eye in surprise. With a nonchalant expression he rummaged through what appears to be a box, a medium sized wooden box. If the box is what he thinks it is, then…
Vael sat down beside him, staring intently at Sid as he keep rummaging through the box, picking up an item before putting it back, Sid does this for the entire duration Vael stared at him. Shaking his head, he looked at the camp-fire; simple sticks and stone camp-fire unlike the Dark Souls bonfire which has a sword embedded on it. However, he felt… warm and comfort as all of his worries thrown into a nearby trashcan. He felt something on his back as he was about to shift his position, turning his head he saw that same box Sid’s rummaging on. He swore that it wasn’t there before as if the box simply appeared there. He shrugged and grabbed the box, putting it in front of him. He opened the box and… again his mind was blown. When it says ‘bottomless box’, then it is bottomless and non-existent reality of how did his entire inventory even got in. Eh, game logic, not going to argue.
“Aha, finally found you!” Sid exclaimed. Vael looked over to see him pulling a Sunlight Straight Sword. Ignoring of Sid’s finding, Vael began to scour his inventory.
“So… how does that thing work?” A Royal Guard asked to the Knights.
“Serves as the same purpose of how you keep your weapon and armor, except that it had no bound whatsoever and practically can put anything bigger than the box itself.” Sid explained cheerfully to the group of ponies that grows interest to the two knights pulling weapons and armor out of their tiny box. Sid no longer wearing his ridiculously armor set and instead he wore the exact same set as Solaire of Astora, the NPC you met once you get to the dragon in Undead Parish. He even got his talisman strapped onto his belt. Vael wonders of how did he wore and took off his armor quickly, he then remembered that everything in Dark Souls when you switched armor or weapons, it happen as quick as it is of Sid. He still wonders of how could they repair, reinforce or even attune some magic of their own. Vael does have some miracles but lack of faith to use them except Great Heal Excerpt and Heal. He is after-all, Strength build because he is a Knight class.
Sid is a Warrior class and with him finishing the game at least once or twice, he’s a flexible build between a Combat-Sorcerer to a Warrior-Knight role. At least that what Vael thinks about Sid’s character.
Vael still wore his Elite Knight set, complete with his Claymore and Crest Shield. He strapped on Astora’s Straight Sword too as a secondary. He was rather heavy but comfortable enough. He hesitate to use the Chaos Zweihander he was given on one of the ‘Giant Dads’ when he was invaded at one time.
The two had given a pouch by Princess Luna to bring ‘anything useful for the journey ahead’. It is enough to accommodate Estus Flask, some Humanity, a few Green Blossom, Repair Powder (they didn’t have Repairbox for whatever reason nor can they knew when the sword would break), and three Divine Blessing. There’s still an empty space on the Pouch but Vael decide to save it for now.
Sid’s seems to be lost in conversation with a couple of guard that surrounds him, answering questions without any regard. It probably not a very good idea but he decides to let him, because what’s the bad thing that is going to happen eh?
Tempting Murphy and Fate’s aside, he heard a flap of wings beside him. Turning he saw a Pegasus stallion complete with its armor landing and proceeds to salute him. “Sir Vael, I has't been assigned as thy escort and guide.”
Vael stared at the guard, confused. “Uhh, at ease…umm?”
“It’s Silver Sky, sir Vael. I will guide thee throughout thine journey.” The guard said, sitting down on his haunches, “Tis a pleasure to meet thee, sir Vael.”
“The pleasure is mine, Silver,” Vael nodded.
“Art thou ready for the journey ahead of us?” Silver asked. “We shalt journey on when thou art ready.”
“Wait, Silver, aren’t we suppose to move at dawn?” Vael asked, confused. It can’t be that fast is it?
“Actually, dawn has’t cometh already and if we hurry, we may hath reached the battalion at the next dawn.”
Welp, that’s convenient. Vael thought to himself. “Then we shall go now.” He said, standing up. “Sid let’s go, we’re going now.”
“Huh?” Sid turned to Vael. “Aren’t we moving tomorrow?”
“It’s already tomorrow, now come on!” Vael shouted while strapping his Claymore to his back.
Much to the guard’s disappointment, they let Sid pack up his gear and then they returned to pack up the tents. Somehow, the two missed an entire army mobilizing a moment ago. Sid pack up his gear, grabbing his Sunlight Straight Sword and Sunlight Shield before catching up with Vael with their escort in the sky. And so, they raced on ahead the main army towards the small battalion, climbing uphill just in time to see the whole army slowly marching down the road in a single column. Sid whistles in amazement while Vael simply stared in disbelief at the sheer size of it from their overview, four thousands seems a lot from here.
“Sir Vael, sir Siegfried, let us proceed.” Silver said, breaking their trance.
“Right,” Vael shook his head. “Let’s go deep into the fire!”
