> The Lost Lord of Iron
>  by An Odd Hermit
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

> Of Dread and Iron
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

The air buzzed with an almost electric energy as the crowd flowed like the tides of the sea, the shadow of a large building looming over them. They all looked happy, or a tad nervous. Not that anybody could blame the nervous ones, it was a pretty sizable event, and people from all over the world had been making their way to and from the area. 

After all, It was a gaming convention! A place where nerds can meet their favorite creators, dress up in cosplay, or just interact with their fellows. Everyone could feel the excitement in the air, thick and palpable. Not one wanted to be left out of the momentous gathering of geeks. 

Except, save for one. Which would just happen to be me. 19 years old, Socially awkward, hasn’t-seen-the-sun-in-days me. I was completely out of my element here, and fear gripped me like a vice. Of course, I was fully aware the fear was irrational, but it still held me in its paralyzing grasp as the crowd milled around me. 

I was like a rock in the middle of a stream. Nobody paid me any mind, simply going about their business as they made their way to the convention building. To me, the whole thing was incredibly daunting. I had no friends to come with, and the mere concept of making friends in real life mortified me. So I stood there as stock-still as I could, hoping I would get some breathing room anytime soon. 

20 minutes came and went, and I was still standing there, the crowd barely diminishing in size. Go figure for one of the largest nerd events on the planet. I was just lucky I managed to shower the night before and get some deodorant on me, or else I’d be drowning in self-consciousness right about now. Regardless, I couldn’t stay here. I had to, at the very least, find a place to sit down. 

As I began to move, the crowd that once flowed around me got the inclination that I was entirely ready to merge with them. I was not. I bumped into several people as I tried to make my way out, my face flushing considerably as I spouted profuse apologies in passing. This was already a terrible experience, and I internally chided myself for ignoring all the possible ways this whole thing could go wrong. I just hoped nobody was going to scream at me. 

Which, was of course, another baseless fear. I had a lot of those, but even though I was good at acknowledging them, it didn’t really make them any easier to deal with. Luckily enough however, I no longer had to deal with the crowd of nerds as I finally made it out. I soon found myself a nice spot to sit against a concrete wall, content to simply watch the crowd mill about. I resolved myself to go inside once the crowd had gotten to tolerable levels.

But, that little thought had me waiting there on the hard concrete for 3 total hours, my rear end seriously unhappy with how uncomfortable my sitting place was. But at least the crowd had thinned significantly in that time, so it wasn’t a total loss. Getting up with a groan, I briefly popped my neck and began making my way to the convention doors, taking out my visitor ID card for security to scan when the time came.

The little social interaction with security passed with no hiccups, despite all the intrusive thoughts telling me otherwise. I quelled them with little difficulty as I turned my attention to the swathe of fellow gamers, intricate cosplays, and developer booths that littered the convention. 

I spent hours just lurking around, never really approaching anyone, fine with just watching from the sidelines as the cosplayers and their friends struck poses and horsed around with each other. I watched fans interact with their favorite dev teams, asking the tired developers more questions than they could answer. During the whole ordeal, I could feel a bemused smile tugging at my lips, but instinct told me to remain stone faced, and so I did.

The entirety of my time at the convention was spent doing that. 

As the day came to a close and the visitors began filtering out, I could feel an unexpected weight lift from my shoulders. It was finally over. While enjoyable, it was wildly outside of my comfort zone. Maybe I’ll come to another one of these someday. Maybe. Who knows? I may never come back to one of these ever again. The whole experience was incredibly draining.

My thoughts began to cloud over as I walked back to my hotel room, but that little daydreaming session was cut short as I heard a curt ‘psst’ come from the alleyway to my left. I turned as quickly as I could to face whatever was there, and soon saw a man dressed up as The Merchant from Resident Evil 4, hunched over and beckoning me into the alleyway.

“Theodore Goobins, What a pleasure it is to finally meet you!”

My entire body locked up. How did he know my name? I wasn’t even wearing my visitor card. Was he watching me during the whole convention? No, that’s absurd… But how did he know my name? I needed answers, and I needed them now.

“H-how do you know my name, and who are you?” 

I asked, visibly uncomfortable with the situation. The merchant simply laughed and waved me off, as if I had asked a silly question. 

“Never mind that, Mr. Goobins! Come, come, I have some Items I think you’d love to get your grubby little hands on,” He said excitedly, continuing to beckon me into the alleyway. 

The more I thought about refusing the more nervous I got, thoughts beginning to delve into what he’d do if I said no. I never wanted to get wrapped up with shifty people before, and this guy was the shiftiest person I’ve ever met. But I didn’t really have much of a choice now, did I? Who knows what he’d do to me…

I took short, hesitating steps into the alleyway, following him from a slight distance as he led me down a winding corridor of brick and concrete. I was pretty sure that this wasn’t how alleyways worked, but that train of thought was quickly nipped in the bud as we arrived at a square room with a table smack-dab in the middle of it. 

The merchant found his spot behind the table, and spread his arms wide over the selection of items there. It really was quite the spread! There were a lot of items I recognized, and they were very high quality. The price tags attached to them clearly showed that, too. My respect for the man went up considerably, making the fear I felt somewhat smaller. As shifty as he was, he had items of great quality.

As I was hunched over looking at what he had in store, my eyes landed on a crown I was very familiar with. The crown itself was angular and sharp, like claws reaching towards the ceiling, glowing a deep cyan with the LED lights that had been expertly placed inside. Even though I couldn’t see his face, I could swear he was smiling. 

“Something you fancy catch your eye?” he asked, his voice laced with barely contained mirth. It was odd, sure, but maybe he was just eager to finally get a sale. The table looked rather full, which was a clear sign that nobody had bought anything from him. That revelation shocked me, truly, it did. His replicas were so well-made, it was insane that he had such a hard time selling.

Though, one good look at the surroundings was reason enough for that. He was so tucked away from the convention area, I was equally unsurprised to find that nobody had found him yet. I gave the price tag on the crown a peek and grimaced. Nearly a thousand dollars. Quite pricey for a prop… 

“I-I’m sorry, as much as I’d like to get this, it’s way out of my budget.” I said sadly, moving back up to my full height. The Merchant didn’t seem too perturbed though, as he had chuckled, shaking his head as he picked up the crown.

“Don’t worry about such a silly thing. Instead, how about we make a deal?” He said, leaning forward, his torso above the table as he looked me in the eyes. 

“What kind of deal?” 

“Oh, one you’ll find quite agreeable. I give you the crown, and in return, you give me entertainment.” He held out his hand to me, and I immediately felt the air begin to vibrate. It was odd, but nothing I paid much mind to, as my thoughts were focused on the conversation.

Entertainment? What did he mean by that? I really hoped he didn’t mean anything sexual, because no matter how much I wanted that crown, never in a million years would I do something like that for a prop. 

“What kind of e-entertainment?” I couldn’t keep the nervousness out of my voice as I asked, taking a small step back. He seemed to notice this and began to laugh, the sound ringing in my ears in an unnatural fashion. This whole situation was beginning to deeply unnerve me.

“Certainly not the kind you’re thinking of, Mr. Goobins. I mean I’m simply going to watch as you play.” He said, wiping a mirthful tear from his eye as he finally calmed down. 

Play. Oh! He wanted me to stream as I played! That was easy, but… Why? That’s such a small thing to ask for, and I wasn’t even a good player. Casual at best. Nothing special, or at all worth watching. I heaved a sigh and took another step back, giving him a weary look.

“I’m sorry, man, it really wouldn’t be a fair deal on your end. Nice meeting you, though,” I said as I began to leave. The vibration in the air seemed to intensify for a split second as I turned my back.

“WAIT!” The merchant yelled, a hand materializing on my shoulder. I flinched and turned my head to look at him.

How did he get there so fa-

“Don’t you want a second chance, Mr. Goobins? A fresh start?” His words interrupted my thoughts.

I froze in place as I quickly looked away, my breath becoming shaky. He already knew my name, but now, my thoughts were gripped with fear. Had he somehow found out? How could he have possibly found out!? Had he been stalking me? How did he know? HOW DID HE KNOW? HOW DID HE KN-

“This is a chance for a fresh start, Mr. Goobins. Just like you always wanted.” he interrupted my train of thought once again, his voice cutting through the tension like a hot knife through warm butter. I turned around to face him, the crown in his hand glowing even brighter than before. His other hand was still outstretched, waiting to be grasped in a handshake. 

A fresh start for me wasn’t possible. Not unless I left this hellish planet behind. But, I really had nothing to lose from this. I audibly gulped, looking at his open hand with trepidation. Every instinct in my body was screaming at me to run, to leave and to never look back, but my heart wanted to take his hand, to see what kind of ‘fresh start’ he was offering. 

Guided by the wild beating of my heart, I grasped his hand with mine, and shook it. The merchant’s eyes went wide with glee as I did so, pressing the crown into my other hand. 

“I cannot wait to see what kind of shenanigans you get up to, Mr. Goobins.”

And with that, my world went black. I could feel the sickening sensation of being thrown, but no matter where I looked it was just black. I screamed, terrified out of my mind, unable to fully grasp what was happening as I went hurtling through the seemingly endless void.

This went on for a solid 30 minutes, and my screaming had long since stopped. I slowly yet surely collected myself, and came to one conclusion. I was going to die. With this revelation, an odd calm washed over me. Maybe the merchant tricked me and pushed me down some super deep trap door in the floor I didn’t see beforehand. No hole was this deep, but it was the only logical explanation I could come to. I closed my eyes, and a light smile graced my face. I could finally rest. No more week-long bouts of self-loathing, no more guilt, no more hurting myself in the wee hours of the night when the shame got the better of me. With my death... I'd make it all right.

Or at least, that’s what I had hoped. He did say fresh start after all.

Suddenly, the sensation of falling had vanished as if it were never there to begin with, and it was replaced with dusty smells and a cold wind. I slowly opened my eyes, and I was greeted with the sight of what looked to be an extremely dilapidated throne room, weak sunlight filtering in through the broken ceiling, snow covering parts of the floor. Piles of rotting timber and dusty old bricks were littered across the large room, and once beautiful tapestries hung ragged from the walls, any discernible symbols worn away by the passage of time. It took me a second to realize that I was at the very far end of it. On a throne, that seemed to be one of a pair that sat there. 

As I looked down to inspect the throne, the state of my seat became the least of my concerns as I laid eyes upon my visage. I was clad in dark, gnarled armor that just screamed ‘tyrant’. I stood up, looking at my gauntleted hands with a mix of worry and awe. Not only did I look entirely different, but I felt different too.

I felt powerful. I felt strong. I felt utterly unstoppable, as if I could simply take what I want, when I wanted it. I could feel the excitement begin to take over as I finally recognized who's armor I seemed to be wearing. The things I could do! The legions I could bend to my will! The mountains I could CRUSH beneath my might! I could teach the world to fear my name. I was Sahn-Uzal. I… was Mordekaiser. The Iron Revenant, and Lord of Death. 

I felt the zeal for conquest begin to rise within me, threatening to overwhelm me. But this glorious feeling was quickly swept away by the all-consuming apathy that soon returned once it realized I was still quite ‘alive’. I fell back onto my paltry throne, my arms as heavy as the old stone around me.

‘No you aren’t, don’t be so full of yourself’ I thought bitterly, heaving a great and dreadful metallic sigh as I slumped in my throne. Sure, I certainly looked like him, and most likely had his abilities, but these were some large sabatons to fill. I was nowhere near the man that the real Mordekaiser was. Sure, he was evil, but he had a purpose. Conviction. A will to never fade. Me? I’m just a drifter on life’s current, wanting nothing more than to forget the past. 

I stood from my throne once again and began to walk the length of the throne room, slowly making my way towards the great wooden doors. Each footstep was filled with undead strength, and the rumble of my newfound power caused the ground to shake lightly with each heavy footfall. I was wholly undeserving of it. I pushed the doors open with no effort at all despite how large they were, and stepped onto a platform that overlooked a grand hall, with six doors lining the way, three on each side of the hall itself.

I made my way down the stairs from the platform, and mentally noted the two giant tapestries that hung from the ceiling. Horses, it'd seem... Well, horses with wings and a horn. One tapestry was yellow, and the other was a royal blue. A quirky choice of decoration, but who was I to judge? In my youth, I probably would've chosen something edgy. I soon strode my way across the hall, folding my hands behind my back as I gazed at the doors I passed. I made a quick mental note to explore those once I got done looking around outside. 

Approaching the doors, I unclasped my hands from behind my back and pressed against them, opening them slowly as to not damage the aged wood. Though they seemed sturdy enough on second thought. The light of the sun glared down at me as the doors fully opened, giving me the view of a yard coated in a thick layer of snow. The sight of the fluffy whiteness helped ease my heart. I always loved snow, how it glittered in the sunlight, the tranquility of it... I smiled slightly beneath my helmet, enjoying the little wonders that the world had to offer me. 

It felt a bit cold, but comfortably so, as if I were bundled up and protected from the harshness of it. I simply waved it off as a magic thing and went along my way, exiting the castle proper to stand upon the steps of what I was sure to have been a once great stronghold. The castle I appeared in seemed to be stationed in the midst of a giant forest, trees stretching around me like a veritable sea of snow-covered evergreens and willows that strangely haven't lost their foliage. 

Looking back, the sheer size of the place and how ornate it was made me think about it's likely long and storied history, and more importantly... Just where the hell was I? A place like this definitely would've been famous, and definitely well cared for. Maybe I was the first one to discover it? No, no, that's absurd. I banished the silly thought as I continued, walking down the stairs and onto the field. I soon noted that the castle sat atop a sort of island, detached from the rest of the forest due to the presence of a ravine that seemed to stretch all around it. 

Well isn't that just neat.

Looking for a way across, I soon spotted a rickety, wooden bridge that swayed slowly from side to side in the wind. It was pretty obvious, even at first glance, that the rotten wooden planks the thing was made up of weren't going to be able to hold my weight in ANY capacity. I grumbled slightly, cursing my bad luck. It seemed I'd need to find another way to get across... Or I'd just need to jump, which, depending on how powerful my legs were, could be a lot easier than it looks. 

Turning with a huff, I made my way back into the castle, making sure to shake the snow from my boots as to not... Make the already damp floors wetter? It was purely out of habit at this point. But that wasn't my chief concern at the moment. What I needed was to get my bearings. As soon as I do that, I can sit down and get to thinking on my next move.

It was time to explore the castle itself. 

As I strode into the main hall, I gave each door a good long look before coming to a complete stop in the center, hands on my hips as I considered which door to go through. Most doors were still on their hinges, but some were askew, and one was simply gone entirely. I could feel my train of thought starting to wander down the path of wondering what happened to the missing door, before my eyes caught a glimpse of a piece of paper that sat nestled underneath one of them.

Taking a few long steps to get there, I pulled the paper free and gave it a good look-over. It was in English, that much I knew, but... Barely legible. Time really did a number on it. Sighing, I let the paper fall from my hand before I looked towards the door I rescued it from. Might as well check there first. 

Opening the door, I was greeted with a short hallway, that quickly opened up to a rather large library. The place had a somewhat strong scent of mildew and dust, overturned wooden tables strewn about the space. The books in the shelves seemed to be relatively clean and well preserved, I quickly noted... Odd. One would think that the books would be the first to crumble. 

On the only upright table sat a rather thick tome, one that seemed to be covered in dust as I would reckon an ancient book should be. Brushing the layer of dust from it's cover, It was revealed to be a compendium. 'Royal Sisters Library Compendium: A-Z'. Jackpot. Opening the aged tome carefully, I set about reading for any maps that might be here in the library... 

A boring 15 minutes later gave me some results! 

There were indeed a few maps in the library, though where is the question. The names of the maps were odd, though. Maps of someplace called... 'Equestria'? There wasn't any country I knew of by that name. A strange feeling of excitement and hope began to bubble up from my chest, my breath becoming shaky as I immediately began the search for the maps in question, not even bothering to take note of the giant broken Pegasus-unicorn statue. 

It took some time of course, tromping through the ancient library, but I eventually came across my quarry. Nestled neatly in a square shelf was a bundle of large scrolls, with a small metal plaque underneath reading 'maps'. Gingerly sliding one out of it's resting place, I brought the map over to the table, and spread it out. What I saw nearly made me cry, if it weren't for the fact I no longer had tear ducts. 

The map, albeit obviously dated, was a map of a land I've never seen before. A whole new world. While it mostly detailed the landmass that I was sent to, in the four cardinal directions it labeled other countries. The Empire of Griffonstone to the east, The Islands of Minos to the far west, The Nation of Zebrica to the south, and someplace called 'The Crystal Empire' way up north. Gently letting go of the map, I took a few deep breaths, before the sheer joy in my soul erupted out of my mouth in the form of a jubilant cry.

"YEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEES" I bellowed with my face to the ceiling, the sheer power of my voice causing the dust to become unsettled and the stone to shake ever so slightly. This was it! A brand new start in a brand new world! The prospect of being here was simply far too exciting. Maybe I'd get to meet some fantasy races! Like dwarves or elves! Maybe even DRAGONS! I rubbed my gauntleted hands together giddily as I exited the library, unable to stop the giggles leaving my mouth.

Maybe I could fix up this place someday! That’d certainly be nice. But before doing any of that, I’d have to meet the locals of this world and somehow convince them that I’m not as mean as I look. But that involved actually interacting with people. So, no, that was off the table, as much as I’d love to meet all the different races this place surely had to offer. I mean, it was a fantasy world, right? There just HAD to be fantasy races, too.

But as I reentered the throne room after making my way through the main hall, my excitement was replaced by a profound sadness as I looked upon the twin thrones. My thoughts soon drifted to him. I... I didn't deserve this second chance. HE did. This... This wasn't right. This was UNFAIR. Unfair that I was given this second chance, when I knew of someone who deserved it far, far more than I did... 

But I had no right to complain about fairness. 

I walked up the steps to the thrones and sat down in one of them, my shoulders slumped, my arms heavy. I sat there, stewing in my guilt for who knows how long. I didn’t even realize the sun had gone down while I was neck deep in self-loathing. But something inside me was constantly battling with those thoughts, raging against them, speaking of the greatness I could achieve now that I had a new chance at life with powers beyond my comprehension. It was a difficult internal struggle, but one that the new voice soon found itself on top of.

Maybe my... Redemption, if I was even deserving of it, could come through doing good for the world. Use these necromantic powers for the betterment of others instead of ill. The new voice grumbled at my pathetic ideas for the powers I now wielded, mumbling something about how they should be used for conquest and subjugation, not helping the weak. I quieted the voice by continuing to think of all the good I could do, beginning to daydream of heroism and perhaps romance. 

I chuckled ruefully to myself. Who would ever love a monster such as I? The notion itself was absurd, and the voice seemed to agree, saying that I didn’t need love when I had power. Although I didn’t agree, I didn’t respond to it, simply content to sit there in my decrepit throne of stone. I studied the chamber as I sat there, taking it all in, wondering if I should make this my ‘base of operations’ or something of the sort. The idea certainly had merit, and it’s not like anybody owned the place.

Internally, I resolved the area as mine, and almost immediately afterwards, I felt a shift in the air. The night outside seemed to grow even darker as a rumbling began to grow from within the castle walls. I sat up on my throne, concern flooding my very being as I watched the castle shake. Was it an earthquake? An avalanche? Just what the fuck was happening!? Was I already going to lose my castle?

I watched as the piles of stone bricks and rotting timber began to float up, held by ghostly energies. The stone bricks found homes within the empty spaces in the walls, and the rotting timber seemed to meld together and harden in the rafters and wooden supports above, turning a beautiful shade of ebony. 

The castle seemed to come to life as it repaired itself, tapestries fluttering wildly as their fabric was mended and their colors were changed to match my own. With a fierce glow, a symbol was emblazoned in the center of the tapestries, A jawless human skull that donned the wicked, gnarled crown belonging to the name Mordekaiser. Torches burst to life with a deep, cyan flame, bathing the throne room in a ghostly light, and the long, red carpet slowly mended itself in one big ripple, the red shifting into a royal blue.

I stood breathless as I watched this all unfold, a sound like crumbling stone and burning fire prompting me to turn around to gaze upon the thrones, which were also in the throes of transformation. Spectral fire consumed them, charring them as they molded themselves into something new. Soon enough, the transformation was complete, and i was left with a large throne of darkest stone, a plush cyan pillow resting within the seat. Two braziers of gnarled metal formed at the sides and blazed with the same ghostly fire that rested in the torches. 

Before I could even sit back down to see how it felt, a flash of light brought forth a fluttering piece of paper, which I caught deftly. Seemed my reflexes had improved as well. Straightening out the paper, it appeared to be some kind of letter that read; 

‘Salutations and good tidings, Mr. Goobins! If you’re getting this, you’ve claimed a building as your own, and as a little gift from me, I placed a spell on you that would instruct your abilities to renovate the building to better fit your tastes! This is something you’ll be able to do in the future on your own once you learn how to control your new powers. But for now, enjoy~!’

I chuckled as I finished reading the letter, shaking my head as I placed it in one of the braziers to burn. I was once again in that merchant’s debt. Maybe someday I’d be able to repay him, but for now, I was going to enjoy the gifts given to me, and rest. Sitting in the throne, I marveled at the fact that I could feel through the armor and how nice the seat was, as if my armor was a second skin. It was as if my very flesh was merged with the iron.

Because it was, of course. I didn’t have a material body anymore. I ruminated on this for a bit while I marveled at the improvements to my castle. My old internet friends would’ve called it edgy beyond belief, but I quite liked it. It was very well-put together, and if I was going to try and fill the sabatons left to me in my own way, I may as well have a base of operations that was befitting of my station. 

It’d certainly be intimidating for anyone that wasn’t me. The whole vibe was dark and imposing, as if you just accidentally wandered into the final boss’ lair. I couldn’t wait to see the reactions of the first people to gaze upon my home. Though it filled me with equal amounts of dread. I didn’t want to get attacked or anything. Even though I’m a hulking mass of Iron and necromantic energy, I don’t want to fight anyone unless I absolutely had to. 

I wasn’t going to raise my hand against anybody. Not again. At this thought, I slumped in my throne, heaving another metallic sigh as I watched the daunting doors to my throne room. I wasn’t in a rush to repeat any past mistakes, and I most certainly didn’t want to get chased from my home. 

I silently wondered what adventures this world had in store for me, and if I had the courage to take them on. 

﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌ꕥ﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌

In the opulently natural halls of a giant tree, a deer-like creature rushed through, startling servants and visitors alike as he sprinted with all his might. He burst through the throne room doors, guards watching him with alarmed eyes as he made his way up to the thrones of wood and wicker. As he approached, he slowed his pace significantly, skidding on the floors. The two regal looking deer sitting upon the thrones eyed him with concern instead of offended indifference that royalty usually bore. 

“THE OLD CASTLE! S-S-SOMETHING'S HAPPENED TO IT!” He reported fearfully, his lungs absolutely burning with exertion. He collapsed where he stood when exhaustion overcame him, his cervid form hitting the floor hard, chest heaving as he tried to catch his breath. The guards rushed to his aid, helping him stand and face his monarchs.

The Regal Elk King looked to his wife and back to the tired deer, his eyes now filled with barely disguised worry. The Queen opened her mouth to speak, her voice laced with disbelief.

“What do you mean something happened to it? Constable, Explain what you saw.” She asked, her fierce eyes boring into the constable's. 

“When me and Daisyheart were on patrol on the northern border, we saw the castle of the two sisters begin to change! It was wreathed in dark magic and repaired itself as if it were alive!” He spluttered, clearly shaken up from the incident. 

“Where is your partner, Constable?” The King asked, not seeing Daisyheart anywhere present. He had a look of grave concern on his face, as did his queen.

“She stayed to watch it for any further changes, and sent me here to report. I came as quickly as I could.” He replied, his voice steadying as he got his breath. He was a total mess, dripping with sweat. It seemed he truly sprinted all the way from the northern border to the palace. The King’s face softened with sympathy for the poor stag. 

“Go get some rest, Constable Brambletail. You’ve more than earned it. Clover, my love, we must gather the guards. It seems we will have to put their training to the test.” He said, turning from the tired stag to his wife, the Queen. She replied with a grim nod before shouting orders to the servants and present guards. The King immediately began writing a letter to Princess Celestia, hoping that the centuries of neglect hasn't harmed their friendship. 

After he gave the letter to a royal messenger to deliver, he sighed. Developments like this were always bad for his already declining health. Had he been in his prime, the King would've- Suddenly and without warning, a dagger of pain pierced the King's heart, making him nearly double over. His Queen rushed to his side, holding him up, her face filled with worry. The King assured his wife that he'd be fine, gently separating himself from her embrace. 

He had to be strong. For his people. The King could not afford to show weakness. Not now. Not with a potential threat looming on the horizon. As he straightened his posture, he heaved another sigh, hoping beyond hope that whatever Princess Celestia had in her back pocket would deliver his people from danger.
> First Contact
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

It started off just like any other day in Ponyville. The sun was shining, birds were singing, and the residents of this quaint little town were simply going about their business, whether that be singing a musical number they wanted no part of or shopping at the market. 

Twilight sparkle on the other hand, was pacing madly in her library after receiving a particularly distressing letter from her mentor, Princess Celestia, with her brother/assistant Spike trying to placate her. 

“Maybe it’s just some kind of cult of crazies or something?” He tried, hands up in a placating gesture. Though his suggestion only seemed to further aggravate his equine sister. 

“THAT’S STILL BAD, SPIKE! There’s no telling what could happen in a brawl! Especially one with CRAZED FANATICS!” she lamented, her words coated in anxiety as she paced even faster. She figured that rainbow dash would be more than willing to jump head-first into a close quarters combat situation, scoffing as the thought came to her. Maybe applejack too, but certainly not the others!

She planted her rump on the hard wood floors of her library, her hooves over her eyes as she moaned her grief. This was not going to end well. Twilight Sparkle took a deep, steadying breath, and sighed. If there was a silver lining to this situation, it was getting to meet the mysterious and elusive deerfolk of the Everfree forest, a solitary people she’s only ever read about in history books. 

Ruffling her wings with a mix of nervousness and excitement, Twilight stood up.

“Spike… It’s time to go roundup the girls. We’ve got work to do.” She said with finality, finally coming out of her short panic attack. Spike gave her a steeled expression and nodded. Rushing out the door, Spike sat snugly on Twilight Sparkle’s back as they went all across Ponyville, relaying the news to the other elements of harmony. 

They received varied reactions, ranging from determination to fear (mostly from Fluttershy). Rainbow Dash and Applejack nearly had to drag Fluttershy out of her cottage, with Discord giving them a fake-teary-eyed goodbye. Waving a handkerchief and all. 

The walk to the Everfree Forest was not a pleasant one. Everypony was silent, even Pinkie Pie, which only served to increase the tension. They were going into the belly of the beast to face an unknown threat, so suffice to say, the mood was grim. The ponies had also donned their elements, just in case.

Twilight’s thoughts were sour as she watched the scenery slowly change from lush green grass and shrubbery to melting blankets of snow, signifying their steady approach to the Everfree forest itself and it’s erratic weather. It was actually, despite being somewhat cloudy out, rather bright. The thick blankets of snow glittered in the dim sunlight in an almost welcoming fashion. 

The lavender pony wished she could’ve said that the glittering of the snow put her at ease, but she’d be lying if she did so. Armed with nothing but a glorified rainbow beam, one she wasn’t sure would even work against this unknown threat and their wits, it wasn’t looking good. But they’ve been in worse scrapes. They’d make it out of this one too, all in one piece. 

Once they arrived at the border of the Everfree forest, they were almost immediately met with a group of 7 or so cervids. Their armor was made out of a mix of leather (which made the 6 ponies rather uncomfortable) and thick looking tartan kilts. They stared at the ponies with stone-faced expressions, before parting their tight formation to make way for a tall, graceful looking doe. 

She held a Queenly air about her, and her royal regalia gave the ponies no room to question just who she was. 

It was the Queen of the Deerfolk, Cloverhoof herself, a historical figure just as legendary and storied as the Princesses. Much like her husband, She was a being akin to an Alicorn. Twilight immediately knelt upon her approach, her friends soon following suit. 

“Your majesty! I-I-I can’t even begin to tell you how much of an honor it is to meet you!” Twilight said nervously, looking up at the regal cervid Queen. In response, Queen Cloverhoof smiled amiably, and bent to meet the young alicorn.

“The honor is all mine, Princess Twilight Sparkle. We have heard many things about you and your friends, especially your exploits. It wouldn’t be remiss to say that we are in your debt, considering just how many times you have saved Equestria.” The Queen said, gesturing for Twilight and her friends to rise. As they did, they stared at the Queen with awe and respect in their eyes. 

Every move was graceful, and her warm eyes rivaled that of Princess Celestia’s, though also held the measured fierceness that came with being a hardened warrior. 

“O-of course! I-I mean, eheh, we were just doing our jobs…” Twilight Sparkle said bashfully, rubbing her hoof against her front leg. Rainbow dash merely rolled her eyes, while Applejack went to stand beside her purple friend.

“Pardon m’boldness, yer majesty, but would ya mind fillin’ us in on what we’re gonna be up against?” Applejack asked frankly, earning herself a small nod from the Queen. The Cervid Monarch turned around and began walking into the Everfree with her escort of guards, gesturing for the ponies to follow.

When they were well into the forest, the Queen finally spoke.

“To be entirely honest with you, dear ponies, we have only guesswork to draw conclusions from. All we know is that the Castle of the Two Sisters has… Changed. Once ruins, now a grim fortress, one that exudes an aura of undeath.” The Queen stated, causing the ponies to each have to suppress a shudder of fear. Except for Fluttershy, who was content to show her terror for all the forest to see. 

“We can only speculate at what caused this concerning shift. But one thing we know for certain, is that it was most certainly done at the hands of some dark sorcerer.” The Queen explained, allowing Twilight Sparkle to walk beside her. The purple alicorn and her friends were silently steeling themselves for the coming fight, more than ready to utilize their elements at the soonest convenience. 


﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌ꕥ﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌﹌


While sitting upon my throne, I became rather aware of a group of individuals that had been lurking a good ways away from my castle. A good lot of them, too. Maybe 10, give or take. How was I aware of them, one might ask? I’m not exactly sure either. I just know that the second they entered a certain range, I could feel them there, like how you know somebody’s nearby but you can’t see them. It was an odd feeling that I had to get used to. 

I twiddled with my thumbs as I sat hunched forward, watching the door with anticipation. They seemed to be just… Watching. Waiting for something, almost. I didn’t like it, not at all. Were they waiting for reinforcements? Were they going to storm my castle? If so, I don’t think I’d be able to put up much of a fight. Sure, I could probably crush a man’s skull in my grasp easier than I could a grape, but that wasn’t something I ever wanted to find out. The very thought made me shudder. 

Despite this place very likely being a land of Might and Magic, I wasn’t too keen on showcasing either. I definitely had both in spades, but… I didn’t want to hurt anyone. At least nobody that doesn’t deserve it, and I can hardly blame the people outside for checking out my castle. I’m likely well within their territory and something like this is hardly a common occurrence. I just had to play my cards right when they eventually came through those doors. 

My nonexistent heart began to beat like a drum beneath my armor, the thought of dealing with potentially violent people shaking me up. I was really hoping they were amiable, but literally everything about my castle AND my appearance was designed to be as intimidating and oppressive as possible. They’d be fools to approach without caution and especially foolhardy to approach unarmed, so that definitely rules out the possibility they’ll treat me kindly. 

I had to prove to them that I wasn’t a threat to them or their kingdom. The voice within me despised both me and the plan, going on and on about how I should simply subjugate the trespassers and make a chandelier from their bones. I hushed the odd voice with a thought, unsure where this thing was coming from. It seemed rather prideful, and had a strong disposition towards violence.

It reminded me of a certain someone, but for the life of me I couldn’t put a finger on whom. 

I didn’t get a chance to dwell on this, because all of a sudden my ‘people sense’ picked up 14 new individuals, and 7 of them seemed to absolutely radiate power. I gripped the armrests of my throne as 6 out of the 9 slowly made their way past the line of watchers and towards my castle. They were coming, and I was hardly prepared. 

I could feel the voice giving me a verbal slap upside the head, telling me to get my act together, as this behavior wasn’t befitting somebody of my station.

I slowly got my breathing under control, my eyes narrowing as they made their way through the castle and towards the throne room doors. I needed a plan, and now. Then an Idea came unbidden into my mind in a stroke of genius. Why not put my experience in theater class to the test? Surely it’d translate into actual acting. I always had a knack for the flamboyant, so it wouldn’t be too terribly difficult to act the part of an arrogant, dark lord. 

I had to wholly and truly step into the sabatons of Mordekaiser. Well, at least on the surface. The real Sahn-Uzal had a commanding presence that demanded respect and fear, and try as I might, I would only be able to somewhat replicate that. But I most certainly had to try, because the doors of my throne room burst open, revealing…

6 multicolored horses? No, they were too small for that. Ponies was the right word. There were 2 pegasi, 1 unicorn, 2 regular ones without wings nor horns, and a purple one with both. Their coats and manes were pretty much every color of the rainbow, and that was quite literally the case for the blue winged one. Despite their differences however, they all had one thing in common. Within their startlingly expressive faces that were honestly way too short for the face of equines, was both fear and determination.

As they got closer, their expressions steeled, the yellow pegasus’ shivering slowly yet surely coming to a stop. For animals, they were very expressive, and their intelligence was shockingly high for such creatures. But what truly surprised me about this whole situation, was when one of them actually spoke.

“W-who are you? And what are you doing here?” the purple one in the lead asked. While her pony friends wore necklaces of varying colors and symbols, she wore a tiara with a purple star as its crowning jewel. She gazed up at me with uncertainty, probably hoping I wasn’t the villain I appeared to be.

The shock I had been steeped in quickly wore off as I registered that she was probably expecting a response. I had to make a good first impression, and I was going to capitalize on this. Sitting up in my throne, I summoned a low, dark chuckle that seemed to reverberate throughout the entire room, making the yellow pegasus begin to utterly shake with terror once more. My nonexistent heart hurt for the little thing, but I needed this show to go perfectly. And more importantly, I needed a name.

I wasn’t going to use Mordekaiser’s, as I was hardly deserving of it, nor was I going to use my real name because it was straight up goofy. The history of being bullied for it in elementary and early middle school proved that. I needed to come up with a new one… One that was both regal and important-sounding. A ruler… Then it hit me, the name coming into clear focus. 

I began ominously, getting up from my throne and walking down the steps so that I could tower above the gathering of equines.

“I am King Dietrich, Ruling lord of the realm of the dead, and you will address me as such.” I rumbled, my voice practically identical to the Mordekaiser within the game. It was pretty cool, and from that point on I could tell I was going to at least somewhat enjoy this. I had intentionally laced my words with disdain and a dash of boredom, to really sell the arrogant lord vibe. 

The ponies visibly wilted as I finished my sentence, as if I were now something far worse than the threat they had come to fight. I couldn’t let the idea that I was a threat stay in their minds. I had no idea what they were capable of, as riddled with fear as they were. I turned on my heel and walked back up the steps to my throne, sitting down heavily as I got comfortable, trying to look as bored as I possibly could with this whole interaction. 

Meanwhile, my nonexistent heart was beating like a jackhammer. 

They didn’t seem to notice my nerves as I began tapping my foot lightly against the carpeted stone, waiting for their next move. The tomboyish blue pegasus seemed to regain some level of bravado, for she had chosen that moment to speak up. 

“We aren’t scared of you, you big golem thing!” She had come closer to bark the insult at me, sounding about as tomboyish as she looked. The fact that her friends were still quaking behind her was a tad amusing, but I still felt bad about it. 

“Yes, clearly.” I replied in a dreary tone, making sure to tilt my head to look at the blue pony’s friends. The one that appeared to be the leader of the group, the purple one, seemed to be inspired by her friend’s bravery and also stepped up to the plate, her wings unfurling.

“What’re your plans for Equestria?” The purple pony asked pointedly, narrowing her eyes at me in a rather accusatory way. I found that I quite disliked the look in her eyes, but I couldn’t exactly blame her either. I mean, hey, just look at me. I reeked of evil. I leaned forward with a response on my nonexistent lips.

“I do not have any ‘plans’ for this kingdom of yours, as I am wholly content with where I am.” I shot back with an equally pointed voice, giving her a rather nasty glare as I did so. The purple pony and her friends looked at each other in confusion, obviously having expected some kind of long winded monologue about how I was going to conquer their land or something silly like that. 

The voice within me sternly reprimanded that thought, once again going on about how glorious the act of conquering another kingdom was and how I was wasting my abilities by sitting here like some kind of weak-willed diplomat. I ignored it, of course. 

“R-really? You aren’t going to like, try to take over Equestria or something?” asked the floofy-maned pink one. She seemed to be recovering from the initial encounter rather quickly, curiosity quickly overcoming any fear she might have had. I might as well help assuage their fears.

“Truly, Pink One. My territory encompasses only this castle and the surrounding vegetation Nothing more. I have no ambition for conquest.” As I said this, I could feel my ‘domain’ expand to include a large chunk of the surrounding forest. It seemed my powers were very territorial in how they functioned. Not that I minded of course, I just hope I wouldn’t have to fight over the measly scraps I just claimed.

I could see the ponies release sighs of relief as they practically deflated to the castle floor. They had come expecting a fight, and were very relieved to no longer need the elements that they wore. But I personally found their relief odd. Why’d they just take my word at face value? I could be deceiving them so that I could better take them off guard. 

This thought apparently didn’t cross their minds as they looked up at me with not fear, but nervousness. The kind of nervousness that one would have when face-to-face with somebody important. The blue pony, however, looked like she wanted to tear me apart.

“On another note, I’d strongly advise you to control your rainbow-maned mutt. I will not tolerate such disrespect in my own castle. Your trespassing is already insulting enough.” I spat, clearly offended. I then leaned back into my throne, returning to my facade of boredom as I watched the blue pony become enraged at the fact I just insulted her. She looked like she wanted to bite back, but her muzzle was wrapped in a purple field of magic before she could.

I realized the purple pony’s horn had come to life with its own aura of magic, and gathered that she was silencing her hot-headed friend, so as to not land the lot of them in even more trouble. The purple unicorn-pegasus looked up at me with a slightly more amiable expression, one that a nervous dignitary would wear when facing unfamiliar royalty. 

“I’m terribly sorry for Rainbow dash, she can be a bit hot-blooded when it comes to this sort of thing. I humbly ask for your forgiveness, your m-majesty.” 

She then bowed low, silently urging her friends to do the same, which they quickly did. I found the blue one’s name rather odd, but attributed it to the strange naming culture they likely had. Time to push the envelope one last time.

“You presume much to think you can ask for forgiveness. But, I will relent. Your transgressions are forgiven, and you are all welcome as my guests. You may invite your fellows outside as well, as I am sure they are more than eager to know more.” I said, lifting a hand and waving it once over the doors, opening them without need to rise. The purple pony brought down the blue one to her level and whispered something in her ear, to which the blue one then sped outside faster than I could blink. Rather eager to leave, wasn’t she?

Soon, the blue one returned with a contingent of what looked like deer in leather Celtic armor, a squat purple-and-green lizard, and a rather regal looking deer with queenly attire. She most certainly seemed like royalty. Though she didn’t have the ‘oppressive’ royal air that I had expected, as It was more of a respectful authority. If I had an eyebrow, I’d have raised it. 

“You are King Dietrich, I presume?” the royal asked, her accent very reminiscent of the Irish, an inquisitive look on her face as she studied me from top to bottom. I could see a spark of distrust and apprehension in her eyes, but it was well hidden. Not hidden enough from me, though. I was practically a master at reading people.

“Quite. And who might you be? Are you the queen of these lands?”

“Yes indeed. I am The Queen of the Deerfolk, Cloverhoof, wife of King Willowcrown. It’s a pleasure to make your acquaintance, King Dietrich.” The Queen offered me a small bow before rising to her proper stature. I stared for a moment before simply inclining my head towards her in a show of respect. The little voice wouldn’t let me do something like bow.

I leaned forward in my throne, resting my elbows on my knees as I twined my fingers together to form a bridge between my hands. 

“Naturally. Now, to business. What motivated your unannounced arrival to my domain? One would think this to be a breach of etiquette.” I asked, passing over each pony with my ethereal gaze, making the deer guards especially uncomfortable save for one. Seemingly unfazed by my aggressive question, the Queen continued.

“We had received reports from our constables that the Castle of the Two Sisters, the one we now stand in, had undergone significant ‘changes’. It was in our interest to investigate, though I would like to formally apologize for arriving without notice.” She said, her tone respectful and curt, like that of a skilled diplomat. She gestured with a hoof at her guards as she spoke, before ending her speech with a much longer bow, her guards following her in tandem. 

Seeing them all bow like that elicited a pang of... Satisfaction.

“It is forgiven. Were I in your position, I would have done the same. Now, rise. We are equals. I will not have my neighbors bow to me.” I said, rising from my throne and gesturing for the Queen and her company to rise. They did so, and I walked down the steps of my throne to meet them, my hands behind my back as I approached. 

Now that I was closer, I could see a flicker of fear cross the Queen’s face as she truly appreciated my size. 8'2'', and the Queen, while taller than the ponies, still only reached my waist. 

“Do you truly have no plans to harm Equestria or her people?” The Queen asked, slightly daunted now that I was literally right in front of her. Some deep part of me drew satisfaction from seeing somebody so important fear me. The little voice inside me urged that satisfaction on, but I hushed it for the umpteenth time. I had visitors, after all.

“I do believe I’ve said this once already, but I shall repeat myself. I have no ambitions for conquest. I do not enjoy war or bloodshed. Actually, I quite detest it.” This revelation brought about shocked faces within the new faces in the room, especially The Queen herself. She might have heard I had no plans for Equestria from rainbow dash, but hearing it from me personally probably solidified that notion. 

“I simply wish to lead a good, honest life, and to help those in need where I can.” I said honestly, my true colors leaking out as my words were laced with longing and a tiredness usually reserved for the wizened and elderly. I sighed, the domineering aura I had cultivated vanishing in an instant as I let my shoulders drop and my posture truly relax. 

The yellow pegasus had long since stopped shaking, and took a moment to look up at me with her sky blue eyes, and In those depths I found nothing but a slowly growing sympathy.

The Queen turned to the closest deer guard and shared hushed whispers. She then had the 6 ponies gather up in a group huddle as they decided what to do. Some advocated for me, some did quite the opposite. This went on for a solid 20 minutes. When they came to a conclusion, they broke off from each other and stood in a line in front of the throne, the Queen standing in front of them. 

“If you will allow me the courtesy, I will now introduce the Elements of Harmony, Equestria’s heroes, the very ponies you see before you now.” She announced, waiting for my ‘ok’. I wasn’t used to having such good manners thrust my way, so suffice to say I was caught a little guard. I gestured for her to continue, and she did just that. 

The pink one was Pinkie pie, a shocker I know. The white mare was Rarity, who was eyeing my armor with a mix of disgust and curiosity. Just pick one, woman. The orange pony was Applejack, and upon reaching her, she gave a short ‘howdy’ and tipped her stetson, which surprised me a little. I definitely wasn’t expecting to find any American roots in a foreign world. It was almost comforting in a weird way. The Queen then reintroduced Rainbow dash, the pegasus giving me a glare and a ‘hmph!’, not even affording me the courtesy of eye contact. 

I paid it no mind as we moved on to the last two. The yellow pegasus was Fluttershy, and I could tell that she was a total sweetheart. She gave me a quiet ‘hello’, hiding behind her mane as she tried to make herself as small as possible. Then and there I wanted to pick her up and smother her in hugs. She was just that damn adorable. Finally, we had reached the leader of the 6, Twilight sparkle. We gave each other a respectful nod before the Queen brought me before the guard she had been whispering with earlier. 

“And this is Constable Daisyheart. One of our most trusted agents.” She concluded, unintentionally leaving out the small bipedal lizard that was watching from the sidelines, visibly afraid of me, like I was something out of his nightmares.

“It’s a great honor to meet you, your majesty.” The doe said as she knelt before me. That satisfaction reared its ugly head again. Seeing someone kneel before me. I hated it, but I couldn’t stifle it. It was like it came from elsewhere. Maybe Mordekaiser’s personality bled a little into my own? I prayed that wasn’t the case as I stared down at the lightly armored deer at my feet.

“Charmed.” I said simply before gesturing for the doe to rise. As we locked eyes, there was a twinkle of… Something, in her green depths, something I couldn’t put a finger on. She wasn’t afraid of me like the ponies, nor wary of me like her Queen. All I could find was that unknowable twinkle, and a measure of respect. It thoroughly vexed me. But I had no time to dwell on it, as she soon broke eye contact to look at her Queen as she spoke.

“I will relay your… lack of intentions, to my husband. I am sure that will relieve him. Hopefully someday, you will have the chance to meet him.” She said, before turning around to speak with some of her guards. That’s when I noticed that the ponies were currently surrounding one of their friends.

It seemed they were hyping up their yellow pegasus friend, who apparently wanted to say something, but was far too afraid to actually speak. I turned my head to look at her, earning a little ‘eep’ from the pony. She quaked under my gaze, but with the help of her friends, her confidence returned to her. With a steadying breath, she walked up to me, placed a hoof on her chest, and looked into my eyes.

“C-c-can you p-p-please promise that y-you won’t h-hurt any of my critters?” Fluttershy asked. If I weren’t so understanding, I would’ve been pretty irritated with needing to reassure these ponies so many times, but I could see where they were coming from. Once again, just look at me. I looked like I enslaved nations for the fun of it. 

“Of course. I am a man of my word, after all.” I replied, getting a sigh of contentment from Fluttershy, but also earning a puzzled look from Twilight sparkle.

“Pardon my rudeness, your majesty, but… What’s a man?” she asked, thoroughly puzzled.

…What?

Did… They not have humans here? Even other fantasy worlds had the concept of ‘man’, was this not the case here? I couldn’t exactly say that I was the last of my kind, considering I’m technically just a spirit, but I could definitely argue that I was.

“...Do you not know what a human is?” I asked, my tone serious. Twilight shrunk back, intimidated by my sudden change in tone.

“U-u-uhm, n-no, your majesty, I-I’m sorry…” Twilight said, her voice laced with fear, eyes glued to the ground as my own gaze pierced her.

If what I had gathered is correct, I was the only human in Equestria. Even though I disliked my own species, I didn’t hate them. I staggered back as the realization truly set in, the ponies in the room giving me worried looks. The gathered cervids also gazed at me with concern.

I practically fell up the steps and onto my throne, the voice within me telling me to get it together all the while. I was the only human. Maybe the only humanoid. Maybe this world was filled only with ponies and deer. The thought was harrowing, and I grasped the arms of my throne like I was drowning, my head swimming. Meanwhile, Twilight was fussing over me, asking me questions I couldn’t hear over the mournful dirge of my brain that shut out everything else. 

Sure, I was an anti-social loser, I didn’t exactly enjoy interacting with other people, but being the last of my species was something I was NOT prepared for. Not in the slightest. I tried to steady myself, but it felt as if the whole world was spinning on the wrong axis and I simply couldn’t get my balance. Even in undeath, at this very moment in time, I needed air. 

Stumbling from my seat, I pushed past the concerned quadrupeds and ignored all their increasingly worried questions, throwing open the great wooden doors of my throne room. I wasn’t in the right mindset to properly admire the newly refurbished hall as I rushed through, shoving open the second set of grand wooden doors as soon as I reached them.

I stumbled out of the castle and down the steps as snow began to lightly fall from the evening clouds. Thanks to my armor, I could feel the biting cold of winter and the falling snow, and that seemed to bring me some modicum of control. I inhaled deeply and exhaled a shaky, invisible breath as I dropped to sit on the steps of my stronghold home.

I felt a presence come up from behind, which caught me slightly off guard. I gave a barely noticeable flinch as they stopped next to me, and I turned to see who it was.

…Daisyheart?

Apparently the Queen’s constable had followed me out. Her coat was a deep, rusty brown, her undercoat the color of snow. Her gleaming green eyes almost shone in the low light of the approaching night as she looked at me. Her face was slightly contorted with a raised eyebrow and a slight frown, her emerald colored eyes revealing nothing.

The cold wind swept through the field, accentuating the silence that hung between us. Did she come out here to comfort me, or simply to watch what I would do? I slowly met her gaze, but quickly looked away as the action made me wildly uncomfortable. I had a bad habit of not being able to look people in the eyes. 

“Are you doing alright, your majesty? That was quite the meltdown back there.” She stated bluntly. The brutal honesty in her words seemed to be the final step to grounding me, as I finally managed to gather myself, taking a moment to straighten my posture.

“It is none of your business, Constable Daisyheart. Though, if I am to be quite honest, no. I am not.” I said after a few minutes of silence. I put a hand to my head, fingers pressed to my brow as I shook my head softly.

“...I may very well be the only and last of my kind in this world. It is… A harrowing thought.” my words were grim, and I refused to meet her eyes as I watched the snow gently fall from the choked gray clouds overhead, the sky slowly growing darker with each passing moment as night began to fall. I could feel her take a seat beside me, her flank brushing up against my armored leg. 

“That sounds really tough.” She said simply, nodding as she looked at nothing in particular. We simply sat there in silence for a while, and I used that time to wonder if any other ponies were going to come outside. As of now, they seemed rather content to wait inside. I quickly surmised the doe by my side was likely asked to go after me.

“When I’m going through a tough time, I’ve got friends to rely on. You probably don’t have any, do you? Friends, I mean,” She said suddenly, her words as biting as steel. Though harsh, I couldn’t feel any malice behind them. Her tone suggested that she was asking a question with an obvious answer. If she were trying to make me feel worse, she was certainly succeeding, however. 

“No. I do not. If you’ve come to torment me, I would strongly advise leaving.” I replied bitterly, my temper rising as I folded my arms across my chest. She seemed a tad taken aback by the accusation in my words, her brow furrowing in indignation as she began to speak. 

“Hey now, hold your haunches, that’s- No. That wasn’t my intention.”

“Then what? If not to strike me at my lowest, then what? what do you want?”

“To be your friend.” She said quietly. 

And with that, I finally locked eyes with her, and I found a deep sympathy in her once hard gaze. I couldn’t speak, for I couldn’t find the words. I haven’t had an actual, real life friend since middle school. I was too stunned to even move. Why would she want to be friends with me? I didn't exactly look like 'friend' material.

I simply couldn’t wrap my head around it. 

“But… Why?” I asked softly, dropping all pretense. At this moment, I was not Lord Dietrich. I was simply me, Theodore goobins. She placed a hoof on my leg, and I found I couldn’t look away. I couldn’t break eye contact with her. Not through some magical means, but some part of me, deep inside, wanted this. 

“Because you need one.”

Once again, I found that I couldn’t speak. She looked away, content to simply watch the snow fall. It took me a minute to tear my gaze from her face, but I eventually managed it, joining her in the silence that reigned over the courtyard. Save for, of course, the now howling wind. 

“My name is Theodore.” I said, breaking the silence. She looked up at me in confusion, so I quickly explained. “My real name is Theodore Goobins. I just came up with the name ‘Dietrich’ to really sell the whole ‘big mean dark lord’ act.” The same act that broke the moment I got some time alone with one of this world’s natives. Way to stick with the bit, me. I also noted that the inner voice was oddly silent during this whole interaction.

It took her a few moments for this information to settle in, and when it finally did, she cracked. It started as a chuckle, then a giggle, and then evolved into full-blown laughter. If I had blood, I would’ve turned crimson with embarrassment. This was the reason I didn’t tell people my name, because this was always the reaction. 

“S-s-so that was all an act!?” she stuttered between laughing fits, her eyes positively watering with mirth. I simply nodded, not trusting my voice at the moment. Was she not laughing at my name?

“I mean, WOW! You really had me going there! I genuinely thought you were all super serious and ‘Hurr durr! I’m mean and scary! Bow before me!’” She said, trying to imitate my deep voice and waving her hooves around like a ghost before she wheezed. That wheeze quickly turned into howling laughter, causing one of the elements of harmony, namely pinkie pie, to poke her head out of the big wooden doors that lead to the grand hall. Though as quickly as she appeared, she was yanked back by some unseen force, and the door closed. 

I could never get used to people laughing at me. It was always hurtful, but… I liked hers. It made me feel funny. She was definitely acting super unprofessional for a constable, but that’s what helped me come out of my shell, and made me lower my guard. 

“Y-you don’t think my name is funny or anything?” I asked tentatively, fiddling with my thumbs. It took her a moment to calm down, as every time she looked at me, she erupted into another fit of laughter. When she finally came down from her hysterical laughing high, she wiped her tear-soaked cheeks and took a steadying breath, meeting my gaze with hers. 

“Not at all! Honestly, I kinda like it. Chuffed to meet’cha, Theodore!” Daisy said heartily, standing up and extending her hoof towards me. Even though she couldn’t see it, I was practically beaming as I took her hoof in my hand, giving it a good shake. My first friend in years! The feeling that bloomed within my chest was something I hadn’t felt in so, so long. 

Letting go, I stood up and shook the last remnants of nerves from my body, exhaling as if I just set down a heavy load of baggage.

“I think we’ve kept them waiting long enough. C-can I ask that this stays between us?” I asked worriedly. She waved a hoof and scoffed in reply.

“Of course, big guy, I wouldn’t dream of spilling the beans. Your secret is safe with me, promise.” She said, significantly curbing my anxieties. We both turned towards the great wooden doors and I took a deep breath, once again stepping into the sabatons of Lord Dietrich. 

Immersing myself into my character, I pushed open the doors, a bit more ready than before to face the challenges this world had to offer. 
> Dead Iron meets Living Flesh
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------

It was the day after I had met the residents of this world and I was sitting quietly on my throne, alongside Daisyheart, who was here as a diplomatic representative for the Deerfolk. 

The Queen had noticed how higher in spirits I had been when we came back inside after my little… Meltdown, and attributed that to Daisyheart’s own efforts. Thus, Queen Cloverhoof found it prudent to assign her to me as a show of goodwill, though I could tell she was hesitant.

I honestly don’t even know how Daisyheart came to the conclusion that I needed a friend. When I asked, she responded simply by stating that Deerfolk like herself were potent empaths, and that she had this odd nagging feeling in the back of her mind that prompted her forward. All that did was raise more questions than satisfy answers, so I decided not to dig any further. At least for now.

But while I sat there on my throne, I contemplated my next move and the previous night’s events. 

I managed to establish a shaky, albeit friendly, relationship with the nearby monarchy somehow. Which was only further solidified when I received a very important looking document this morning that detailed plans for a more formal meeting, one that was to be held at the deerfolk capital of Verdeloom.

It was to be held on the 31st of the month, of which it was currently the 20th according to Daisyheart. So, I had 11 days to get my act together and figure out just what the hell I’m doing.

My main concern at the moment was the fact that, as a King, I was now responsible for the wellbeing of anyone that decided to throw down roots (no pun intended) in my territory. The chances of that happening are pretty slim, but regardless.

I had no experience with leadership, no idea how lawmaking worked, and certainly no knowledge regarding the required legal jargon that I’d need to know, lest I accidentally sign everything away to some shady court spider. I let out a heavy sigh as I leaned forward to let my elbows rest on my knees, burying my face in my gauntleted hands. I had a lot to learn.

This prompted Daisyheart to cast a quizzical look my way, an eyebrow raised. “You alright, Theodore? You look worried.” She asked kindly, turning a bit more to face me.

“I’m fine. Please, don’t waste your concern on me.” I said wearily, letting my left hand fall and hang in the open air. 

“Well, if you say so… Though if I had to guess, you’re probably way out of your depth, huh?” Daisyheart cracked a wry grin as I simply turned my head away to stare at nothing in particular. 

“You can always talk to me, you know that, right?” she continued. I gave it thought for a moment. I was a little hesitant to just air out my worries to somebody I barely knew. 

Even though we were friends, I didn’t want to burden her… Though with her grin still going strong, she raised an expectant eyebrow, waiting ever so patiently for me to spill my guts. I was seriously starting to regret the whole ‘King Dietrich’ schtick at this point.

Meanwhile, Daisyheart watched me with an amused twinkle in her eye despite my silence. Shaking her head, she sighed and nodded “Trust me, I get it. When I was a fawn, my dear old dad was obsessed with me becoming the next head of the family!” she said in a gruff voice, likely a comical attempt to imitate her father.

“So, naturally, that came with a lot of stuffy education. Good faust… lemme tell you, it was agonizingly boring. Not to mention overwhelming. I honestly would’ve preferred to watch grass grow.” She explained with a rueful chuckle, remembering the countless lessons led by a grouchy old doe. 

I didn’t know how to respond to that, so I just stayed quiet. I then briefly thought about asking what her family was like, but… We’re still practically strangers. It’d be a rude question, right? Not my business to stick my nose into.

My thoughts were a jumbled mess at the moment as well, and it was only getting harder to organize them. As much as I would’ve liked to simply sit there and chat with Daisyheart, I needed some space to think. 

“I hate to cut our conversation short, but I think I will excuse myself for the time being. I’d like to take stock of my new holdings.” I said, rising from my seat and promptly making way to the throne chamber’s large wooden doors. Though, quick as ever on the uptake, Daisyheart called out to me. 

“Hey! Wait up!” 

Of course, I paused. Within seconds, she cleared the short distance I had made and stopped beside me. 

“Mind if I tag along? I mean, what’s a King without an entourage, right?” She said, nudging my side with her elbow. She seemed pretty eager to come with me, but… I needed some time alone at the moment.

“I apologize, but I’d like to ask that you remain here for the time being. I will fetch you if I need you.” I said, my tone not leaving any room for an argument. She gave me a cute pout, and huffed indignantly, looking away with her snout raised in the air. I didn’t know if It was because I was undead or if I’m just a heartless bastard, but it had little effect on me. 

I let an amused rumble escape my chest as I once more made for the doors, leaving Daisy to her devices. Stepping out of the throne room and into the main hall, I made my way down the stairs, through the hall and into the castle yard, my thoughts drifting back to last night’s meltdown for a split second before moving onwards.

It appeared to be a relatively cloudless day, the sun making the snow sparkle brilliantly in its golden light. My sabatons crunched through the snow without effort as I made my way out of the courtyard and onto a winding cobblestone road that stretched downwards, taking in all the sights and sounds. 

The rolling sheets of white snow and the plethora of trees made for quite the idyllic landscape, bringing me to realize that this is the first time I’ve actually made an effort to venture outside the castle grounds since I arrived. I soon found myself up against the ravine, however.

Stopping before its edge, I looked down, grimacing slightly as I took in the long fall below. I gave a long glance to the other side, before taking a deep breath to steady my nerves. I never did like heights.

Bending my knees like spring coils, I easily cleared the gap in a single bound, landing on the other side with a near seismic impact as the ground shook upon my landing. Snow fell from the boughs of the trees, landing on my helmet and pauldrons. Shaking the powdery whiteness from my armor, I looked back at the castle, and gave a long whistle.

It was gorgeous.

Darkly so. It was like a structure ripped straight from Castlevania, ominous and foreboding, yet also beautiful in its own right. Definitely looked like a place Mordekaiser would call home, with its gothic aesthetic and gnarled iron accessories giving it a vibe that could only be described as ‘villainous’. Tearing my gaze away from my abode, I turned my attention to the forest, and would’ve made an audible gulping sound if I had a throat. 

It was almost scarier than the castle I just came from. The thick canopy cast a spell of darkness on all that rested below it, and the dense vegetation would make any trek a hassle for even seasoned explorers. A trifling matter for me, of course. I could just plow through it all without any problems. But that wasn’t the problem here. Scary forest bad. It’s really as simple as that.

Biting my nonexistent lip, I made my way into the woodland proper. Hands clasped behind my back, I tried to hide my fear while I admired the dark, and almost jungle-esq, scenery. 

What really caught my attention though was the sheer variety of trees that populated these woods. From towering pines, willows that retained their greenery, strong oaks and noble birches. Something about that didn’t seem quite right. With all this snow around, you’d think these trees would’ve lost their foliage already. But, that didn’t seem to be the case.

Due to the thick canopy, the forest floor was largely free of snow, which made the finer details of the forest much easier to see. If one thought the variety of trees was impressive, a simple look around would tell you that the plants were far more numerous and diverse. Fantastical flora ranging from exotic blue flowers to softly glowing colonies of mushrooms, and more. 

I probably would have taken all day just looking at all the new plants if I didn’t have a goal in mind, which was one; clearing my head and two; getting to know my territory on a more personal level. Tromping through the forest, woodland critters would sometimes scramble to get out of my way.

I walked for about five minutes before the bushes to my left rustled furiously, heralding the arrival of something. 

My soul nearly leapt from my armor as I noticed a pair of frightfully large wooden wolves sprint from the bushes as they chased what appeared to be a large rabbit with antlers. The predators and prey left as quickly as they came, disappearing into the foliage and the shade of the forest. If I had a heart, it would’ve been hammering in my chest. 

I immediately spun on a heel and started speed walking back towards the castle, fully intending on taking Daisyheart up on her previous offer. A voice in the back of my head expressed its contempt, broadcasting its raw disgust at my cowardice. 

Walking alone was seriously overrated anyways.

It took me little time to reach the castle, and I blazed through the halls, propelled by my fear. As I came upon the wooden doors, I hesitated, taking a deep breath to steady myself. If Daisyheart noticed how shook up I was, there was no doubt in my mind that she’d tease me about it.

I opened the doors and stepped inside. Almost immediately, Daisy was at my side.

“So? How’d it go?” She asked expectantly. She seemed rather restless, which I couldn’t blame her for. There wasn’t much to do as a diplomatic representative here, and she was likely bored out of her mind staying cooped up in a castle. An empty one at that.

“It- Well- I-I-I’m not quite finished. I thought it cruel to leave you here and neglect my guest. Thus, I returned to retrieve you.” My speech was a tad awkward, and I couldn’t help but clasp my hands behind my back and discreetly fiddle with my fingers. Meanwhile, Daisy gave me a smug look.

“Uh-huh. Sure you did. Let me take another guess; You ran into some wildlife, didn’t you?” She said, the smugness on her face only intensifying as my silence spoke for me, an amused hum building in her throat. 

“D’aww, don’t worry big guy, I’ll protect you!” She said confidently, tapping a sword at her waist. Even though I was slightly annoyed and embarrassed with her antics, I felt rather glad she was with me. Her casual demeanor helped ease my nerves somewhat.

“N-now then, let’s be off, shall we? There’s much to see.” And with that, we were off. Through the doors, down the hall, past the field, and over the ravine. We made our way into the forest, ready to see what the woodland had in store.

Daisyheart, likely already having seen this area on her way through, looked around with her head on a swivel and eyes alert. Judging by her tense body language, I could infer that this place was a lot more dangerous than I thought. Especially if my encounter earlier was anything to go by.

We soon came upon the spot where I briefly encountered the wolves, and I repressed the urge to hesitate as we passed it. It took another ten minutes before we finally reached a landmark. A long, winding river that seemed to stretch on and on. My mind suddenly sparked with the idea of a river-side town. Good for fishing, milling flour, and transporting goods. Among other things. 

I’d have to run the idea by The Queen later, or perhaps the King if I get acquainted with him at the upcoming meeting.

Daisyheart would have to do for now.

“Constable Daisyheart, I have a query if you’d be so kind to answer.” I asked as I gazed in the river below, my eyes catching a fish darting from hiding place to hiding place.

“Sure! What’cha got?” Daisyheart promptly responded, taking a second to sit down at the river’s edge beside me, her ears swiveling to cover her back as she cast her eyes on me. One could never be too careful around here, after all.

“If I were to establish a settlement beside this river, would that be cause for conflict with your superiors?” I asked, watching a much larger, scarier looking fish nab the one I had been watching. Brutal. Such is the law of nature, though. Survival of the fittest.

“Ah… I mean…” Daisy started, sucking in air through her teeth as she grimaced. No-go, then? That was disappointing. “They wouldn’t be opposed, it’s your territory n’ all, but… They aren’t the ones to-”

Daisyheart was interrupted as a giant shadow swam up from the river’s horizon, quickly closing in on them. My eyes widened with panic as it burst forth from the water, revealing itself to be a giant purple serpentine creature… With an orange head of hair and an eccentrically curled mustache?

“Oooh, now would ya lookie here~!” The serpent said in a rather… Zesty voice. The giant river serpent rested his elbows on the bank as he looked down on us, his expression a scene of whimsical interest and curiosity. Daisyheart released a sigh and gestured to the purple serpent with a cloven hoof.

“Speak of the creature, and he shall appear… This is Steven Magnet.” She said exasperatedly, as if she had a not-so-pleasant history with him. 

“Oh Daisy, honey, you’re so mean~! Acting as if we aren’t besties!” Steven Magnet said jokingly, twirling his finger in his mustache before pointing at Daisy. The doe’s face spread with a rueful smile, shaking her head as she looked up at the river serpent. 

“But enough about that, who's tall, dark and handsome here? Well, hm… handsome might be a strong word… No offense, mister.” he said, giving me a lookover. The serpent had the same expression that Rarity did when she inspected my armor. Disgust, mixed with intrigue.

“Offense taken. Are you the overgrown eel who rules this river?” I said in a no-nonsense tone, looking up at him with baleful eyes. I wasn’t really offended. He was right, after all. Before and after becoming King Dietrich, I wasn’t exactly a looker. Daisy visibly cringed at my response, probably hoping Steven would stay civil. 

“Ohoho, cat’s got some claws, hm? I’ll let it slide~ Only because it seems you’re friends with my bestie-for-resties Daisy… But yes, to answer your question. I’m the big wig of the river so to speak.” Steven replied in a sassy tone, before shifting to a bored one as he leaned against the river bank to inspect his carefully manicured nails. 

“Hehe, well, uh, Steven, This is King Dietrich! Ruling lord of the realm of the dead, and the sole occupant of the newly refurbished castle of the two sisters.” Daisyheart said, introducing me to her apparent friend. Steven Magnet seemed to be surprised that I was royalty, and bowed after Daisy was down speaking.

“Well I’m TERRIBLY sorry for my rudeness, your majesty. I had no idea I was in the presence of royalty! So, what can the great and fabulous Steven Magnet do for you?” The serpent said amiably, clasping his hands together like a business man as he spoke.

“A riverside settlement. At some point in the future, I may want to finance the creation of one. Would you be opposed to it?” I asked as I looked up at the stylish leviathan. For a moment, he twirled his mustache in thought, thinking of all the pros and cons. Steven Magnet put a hand on his side as he delved deeper into thought, before snapping his fingers and turning to me with a smile on his reptilian face.

“That’d be a MARVELOUS idea! A little riverside town? Just quaint! It’ll finally give me some folks to gossip with that aren’t Daisyheart and occasionally Rarity! Though I do ask that you don’t blockade the river. I’d like to be able to freely pass to and fro.” Steven said exuberantly, the idea charming him before adding that stipulation with a more business-like tone.

I nodded in response before looking across the river, gauging the distance… I then turned around and walked back into the forest without saying a word.

Daisyheart and Steven Magnet shared a quizzical look before their attention was immediately stolen by the heavy footfalls of my sabatons. Sprinting out of the bushes, I leapt across the river in one jump, landing with yet another earth-shaking boom. That felt GOOD. The power my legs held was incredible! And Steven Magnet certainly thought so too, clapping wildly.

“Bravo! BRAVO! What a show!” The serpent cheered enthusiastically before swimming over to the other side to meet me. He raised his body to act as a bridge for Daisy, who quickly crossed and hopped down on the river’s edge beside me.

“You two stay out of trouble now~! Toodles!” Steven said, waving goodbye before diving into the river and swimming off.

Me and Daisyheart stood there in silence as we watched his shadow beneath the water depart into the river’s horizon, before sharing a look. I chuckled, turning around to continue our trek. 

“He was quite the character.” I said, ducking under a branch as we walked.

“That he is… He’s of the good sort though. Steven and I have been friends for a long time.” Daisy replied, stepping over an overturned log as she followed along.

We had spent most of the day just exploring the Everfree forest, making sure to keep within the bounds of my territory. Whenever I neared the border, I could see a wispy line of ghostly energy start to form on the ground, so that helped a little at least. 

One of the landmarks in my territory appeared to be a sort of rocky mountain that was at least half-a-mile tall and half-a-mile wide. It was pretty barren looking, save for the odd dead tree here and there. Not to mention it was COVERED in holes, of which giant birds would periodically fly in and out of.

Apparently according to Daisy, this place was home to a giant flock of Rocs that lived here in the Everfree. They were an intelligent species, but they were also really aggressive towards outsiders, so they didn’t talk often. The voice from earlier piped up, saying something about the Rocs being ‘ripe for conquering’ or some such like that.

Ignoring it, I watched a giant bird the size of a car fly up the miniature mountain carrying some dead animal. The Roc was a beautiful creature, by all accounts. Made up of gray, brown, white, and gray-ish cyan feathers. Soon after spotting it, we left. I didn’t feel like getting mobbed if they happened to notice us. 

As we approached the next point of interest, the trees around us began to get… Unsettlingly webby. That is to say, covered in large spider webs. Now, I don’t know about other folks, but I DO NOT like spiders. And the size of these webs suggested that they were of the fantasy variety. Giant. 

“D-D-Daisyheart?” I asked worriedly, unable to keep my ‘dark lord’ voice up as the fear bled into my vocals.

“Yeeees?” Daisyheart returned promptly, moving in front of me to avoid a web. She seemed far too unfazed by this for my liking. As if this was just another walk in the park for her. 

“A-are there… Giant spiders, here? In this area?” I probed, instinctively trying to make myself look smaller as we seemed to wander deeper within obvious giant spider territory.

“Oh! You mean the Gloamings? Yes, this is where they live, why? Ya scared?” She finished, her tone laced with teasing mischief.

“WHY WOULDN’T I BE!? They’re giant fucking spiders!” I exclaimed, stopping in my tracks as my fear began to get the better of me, my head whipping around, expecting to see a giant wolf spider pop out at any moment to eat me alive. In my hysteria, I somehow completely forgot I was in a full suit of armor thicker than a well-loaded lasagna.

“Awwwh, come on! They’re harmless! Well- No, that’d be a lie. But, they are peaceful.” She began, turning around to give me an amused look. “And they don’t eat other sentient creatures if that’s what you’re worried about.” 

I didn’t care for the giggle that escaped her as I heaved a massive sigh, my hands going to my knees as I nearly doubled over with relief. If I had a physical body, I’d probably need a serious deep massage to work out all the tension in my body. 

“So, correct me if I’m wrong, but these spiders- I mean, ‘Gloamings’ are sentient as well?” I queried, rising back to proper posture befitting a king. Daisyheart gave me an enthusiastic, sharp nod in response.

“Yep! Real friendly folks, too. Very family oriented. Last time I visited the Tucketts, I had to drag a big ol’ bag of leftovers and knitted sweaters home.” The doe said, a wide smile gracing her face as she thought back on the pleasant memory. 

For me, personally, the thought of giant sentient spiders with the dispositions of friendly suburbanites was still more than off-putting. I held up a fist to my face, clearing my throat before speaking again.

“Well, I suppose that’s enough for today. I’m ready to return now.” I said, folding my hands behind my back. There was no way in hell I was meeting giant spiders today. I didn’t care if they were as warm and welcoming as the Weasleys were to Harry potter. I didn’t feel like being a rattling mess during the whole interaction.

“Oh, come on, Theo! They aren’t-” Daisy started before I interrupted her.

“This is not up for debate. We are going back.” I hissed down at her, getting a grumpy looking expression as a response. Sorry, sister. Even I have boundaries that I won’t cross. Giant spiders being one of them.

Out of nowhere, a wind kicked up and blew through the forest, sending a biting chill through everything present. Daisyheart couldn’t help but shiver violently for a moment as the wind passed over us, though I appeared to be relatively unaffected. Sure, it was a bit nippy, but nothing worth shivering over. 

“Let’s hurry back, yeah? As creepy as that castle is, it’s warm. Ugh! Sweet Faust, I just had to be a Constable…” She grumbled, turning around to begin the trek home.

It seemed she didn’t fancy the cold too much. I couldn’t help but chuckle a little at that, earning myself a blow of raspberries from my companion. The levity certainly helped take my mind off the whole ‘giant spider’ thing. 

Daisyheart and I said nothing as we walked, giving me ample time to rattle around my own brain. We passed the Roc Mountain again, taking care not to be seen, and crossed the river. I had to throw Daisy to get her across, chucking her into a bush on the other side. 

She whooped with excitement as she burst forth from the bushes, and I was quite pleased to know I could throw somebody that far.

As we made our way back into more familiar territory, I silently mused to myself, wondering if I could change how my armor looked. This thought had me quite occupied as the ravine came into view, though the sight that greeted us made Daisyheart gasp in horror.

The sound shook me from my thoughts and I looked down at Daisy, puzzled. I immediately noticed she was in a battle stance, her eyes glaring at something further on. Following her vision, I felt myself stiffen as I noticed what had her so spooked.

Standing nearly as tall as I am, was a great ape, covered head to toe in a thick coat of fur. It appeared to be bent over what I soon realized to be the corpse of an animal. The beast’s hands were drenched in blood, its mouth and neck also stained with the crimson liquid. It looked at us, its beady eyes slowly widening as its facial features contorted with rage and wariness. 

“Horse apples! It’s a freakin’ Sasquatch!” Daisyheart hissed under her breath beside me, her mind buzzing with escape routes or possible ways to fell the beast in a worst case scenario. She slowly began backing away, and I followed suit. Our eyes never left the Sasquatch, and its eyes never left us. It was almost like a staring contest, though the stakes were far higher than normal.

Even though dead and breathless, I held the air in my chest, my thoughts unable to even form as fear wracked my being. It was huge! And heavily muscled to boot. Not to mention a completely wild animal, one that I thought was just superstition or folklore. Not in horseland apparently. 

The beast’s gaze seemed fixated on Daisyheart, its meager meal that lay dead upon the road apparently not enough for it. It wanted juicier prey. She seemed to know it, too, as she began quaking nearly as much as I was. 

All was silent as we slowly backed up, praying that it would just become disinterested. But no. It took this as an invitation to start slowly yet surely advancing in our direction, the hunger in its eyes evident. As I tried to formulate some kind of plan, a loud crack ripped through the fragile silence, and I looked down to see that I had stepped on a stick. 

The yeti bellowed a war cry, and leapt at Daisy, easily covering the distance in a single bound. 

Time slowed as the creature paused mid-air. I found my limbs slow to respond, as if the air was molasses and my arms thin twigs. Was it fear that chained me? Maybe magic? I received no answer to my questions, but a voice did heed my call, a familiar one at that.

Strike it down.

…What?

STRIKE. 

IT. 

DOWN!

The voice bellowed, and time sped up once more. The Sasquatch came speeding at Daisy with the force of a cannon ball. But at the same moment time returned to the world, I was filled with a broiling rage and a strength of will that wasn’t mine. 

That couldn’t have been mine.

One foot stepped forward, one arm cocked back, and I met the Sasquatch’s face with a gauntleted fist. I gave it all the force I could muster, and stopped the beast in its flight.  A resounding crack filled the air as the Sasquatch flew several feet backwards, landing and rolling into a crouch. Blood poured from its nose, pooling in its heavily matted fur, making the red that much darker.

It once again bellowed a challenge, and I returned it with a metallic one of my own, prompting the both of us to clash once more in a contest of strength. Its hands met mine as we pushed against each other, and I glared a promise of death into its eyes, its face only several inches from my own.

With a primal ape-ish scream, the Sasquatch pushed with a ferocity I had not expected, my metal boots grinding into the earth. I was losing this battle of strength, and fast. All Daisyheart could do was watch worriedly from the sidelines as I was being overpowered. 

I couldn’t lose here. If I did, Daisy would definitely die. I had only known her for a day, but the image that flashed into my mind, of Daisy being ripped apart by the beast before me… It filled me with unbridled rage, one that I thought had long since died. 

Drawing my head back, I jerked forward, being rewarded with a sickening crunch as my helm collided with the Sasquatch’s face, breaking its nose further.

The beast wailed with pain as it staggered backwards. I immediately took this opportunity to advance, but just as quickly as I stepped forward, the Sasquatch recovered. Nearly in sync, me and the Sasquatch traded wild haymakers, the blow nearly knocking me off my feet. We then traded punches in quick succession, dents starting to form in my armor where the Sasquatch’s fist made impact. 

As the Sasquatch readied another swing, I remembered that my gauntlets had clawed fingers, and used those to my advantage as I tore at the beast’s face with a well-timed swipe. 

Blood erupted across its features, but it pressed onwards, catching me right on the edge of my helmet. The blow sent me staggering, and the Sasquatch took advantage of this. It brought another maul-like fist down on the back of my helmet, slamming me to the earth.

The ground rumbled and cracked with the impact, and as I lay there, trying to rise, It delivered another blow to my head, causing my strength to fail me. Daisyheart was paralyzed with fear as she watched this all unfold, her instincts screaming at her to run as the Sasquatch then turned its furious gaze to her. It stepped over my limp form and began making its way to her.

As I watched from the ground, I tried to rise, but my arms kept buckling under my weight. A hopeless feeling began to well within my chest, but the sight of the beast approaching Daisy washed it away like tears in a typhoon. The rage in my chest doubled, then tripled as the Sasquatch’s outstretched hand went to grab the quivering doe. 

I wanted to tear that abominable thing limb from limb. I wanted to see its gore coat my hands. I wanted to make the horrid thing crumple under my might. I wanted to banish the fear from Daisy’s eyes. As the desires mounted, so too did my strength. 

I WOULD tear that abominable thing limb from limb. I WILL see its blood and viscera coat my hands. I WOULD protect Daisy. I will. 

I WILL. 

AND NO FORCE OF THIS MORTAL COIL COULD STOP ME.

Before I even realized it, my hand was already clutched around the Sasquatch’s ankle. It yelped at the sudden contact, and howled in pain as I crushed the bones beneath its flesh. I dragged it down onto the dirt with me, fighting its panicked attempts to free itself all the while. 

My eyes were wide with an otherworldly blaze as I broke its flailing arms one at a time. 

I straddled its chest and delivered devastating punches to its face, before raising my fists into the air… And then swinging them down onto the Sasquatch’s face like a pair of sledgehammers, sending blood flying every which way. 

But I wasn’t done. 

I continued beating its skull into a bloody pile of flesh and brain matter, drenching my armor up to my elbows in its gore. Each punch and every sickening crunch did nothing to sate my anger.

I punched until its skull was dust, and then punched the stains further into the ground. When I finally realized I was punching the ground in my blood-drunk stupor, I paused, and slowly rose to tower over the beast’s corpse. 

I looked down at my shaking hands, my gaze once more settling on the Sasquatch’s body. A few moments of silence passed before I reared back and let rip a victorious, tree-shaking bellow with the last vestiges of my rage.

That went on for what felt like eternity before I remembered where I was, who I was, and who I was with. I turned to Daisyshield, who now looked upon me with a mix of fear and awe. I reached out to her and she flinched, prompting me to draw my hand back as if it were struck. I looked down at my hands again, and I felt positively queasy. 

“...I-...I’m sorry you had to see that. A-are you okay?” I asked, my voice hollow and numb. I had dropped my ‘Dietrich’ persona once more as I stepped away from the corpse, my hands still shaking. It took Daisy a moment to realize that I had spoken to her. 

Briskly shaking her head, she pushed down the fear and gingerly got to her hooves, then made her way towards me. Daisyheart grimaced as she stepped over the pool of blood that had formed in the ground and started taking in the damage that the Sasquatch dealt. 

“Am I okay? Yeah I’m okay, but Theo, you just took on a Sasquatch! Alone! Are YOU okay!? Look how banged up you are!” She said, fretting over the many dents in my armor. 

The beast had certainly done a number on me. Though oddly enough, I didn’t feel any pain. Perks of being undead, I supposed. In fact, I felt… Stronger, somehow. Not by a truly significant amount, but it was noticeable. Stronger than I was before the fight began. 

“Y-yeah, I think so.” I replied wearily, resisting the urge to push her away.

Daisy would probably give me an earful if I were to get blood in her fur, which brought an amused twinkle to my eyes. If I had a face, I would’ve smiled. She scoffed and shook her head, gesturing at the corpse behind her.

“Seriously, buck! you brutalized that thing! Normally it’d take like, six rangers to bring one down. Geez louise… Who needs rangers when you can take on a Sasquatch solo?” Daisyheart said jokingly, a valiant attempt to lighten the air. It seemed this scare did little to dampen her chipper spirit. 

…But one thing’s for sure. She developed a new appreciation for her friend’s strength, and reminded herself to never get on his bad side. 

“Alrighty. Let’s get you back to the river and clean you up. I don’t want you stepping into the castle covered in brain goo.”

I nodded and followed without complaint as we made our way to the river once more. There, I took the time to wash all the blood and gore off my hands and armor. Daisyheart stood off to the side, wishing she could help, but these waters would likely give any living creature (that weren’t fish or Steven Magnet) hypothermia within minutes. I didn’t mind though, as I cleaned myself thoroughly enough on my own.

As ordered by the constable, I did a little spin so that Daisy could check for any spots I might’ve missed. Luckily, I got the OK, and promptly pulled myself from the River. We resumed the walk to the castle with haste, as I was seriously missing my throne at this point, and the sun was starting to set.

Once we arrived at the castle and walked through the throne room, Daisyheart stopped before a door off to one side of the chamber, a hoof resting on its handle. 

“Thank you, by the way.” She said in an uncharacteristically soft tone of voice, looking back at me with sparkling eyes and a gentle smile on her lips

“Whatever for?” I replied promptly, already slipping back into the ‘Dietrich’ persona. Daisy huffed, an amused look on her face as she stared up at me. 

“You know what, you big doofus! You saved my life back there!” She said with a playful glare, jabbing a hoof in my direction. I had almost completely forgotten, being the airhead I was. Leave it up to me to forget the near-death encounter I just had. Though I was glad to see that she was still doing alright.

“Ah, yes. So I did. You’re quite welcome.” I replied quickly, which gave Daisyheart reason to chuckle and shake her head, looking up at the ceiling in apparent exasperation. 

“Faust above, what am I gonna do with you…” She said to nobody in particular, a warm smile gracing her face as she locked eyes with me once again. That smile sent my nonexistent heart aflutter.  

“Well, I think I’m gonna get some beauty sleep. Thanks again, that was probably the craziest date I’ve ever been on.”

Ruby gave a mischievous giggle as my posture visibly stiffened.

“Wait, t-that wasn’t-!” And she’s already gone. I could hear her giggles echoing within the hall as she walked away to her room. As the door swung shut, I sighed and let my posture relax. 

Though, as I turned to walk up the steps to my throne, I felt a prickle on the back of my nonexistent neck. I could feel that, once again, I was no longer alone. Turning around, I found myself face to face with an apparition I found all too familiar.

The faint outline of Mordekaiser, 

Lord of the dead, 

Terror of Noxus, 

Ruler of the Immortal Bastion, stared at me with contempt coloring the green fires that served as his eyes. I couldn’t quite believe what I was seeing. In that moment, I felt the piercing gaze of the mirage-like figure before me, and found myself wilting under it.

“Before you ask, yes, I am real, you blithering fool.” The mirage said, its voice utterly devoid of anything but cold annoyance. It stunned me into silence, his words prompting me to take a tentative step back.

“...T-t-that was you, w-wasn’t it? When I was f-fighting the S-s-sasquatch.” I stuttered in disbelief after several moments of silent staring.

Mordekaiser snorted, ghostly vapors flying from his ethereal helm as he spoke. He then stomped forward until he stood right in front of me, his ghostly footfalls echoing within the chamber with the weight of his authority.

“I refuse to let incompetence– no– weakness, fell me. Even if I am not the one who wields my form.” Mordekaiser leaned forward, seeming to loom over me despite being the same size. I felt my knees go weak as he leered down at me, my will almost subconsciously bent to his own. 

“Listen, and listen well, whelp. You are nothing more than a pile of imposing scrap masquerading as a man of importance.” I shrank further in on myself as Mordekaiser spoke, each word driving themselves into what little confidence I had left like nails into soft wood. 

Seeing him in the game, I thought the hulking mass of malice and metal was intimidating enough, but now? In the flesh? 

Nothing could possibly compare.

“I-I, I did as you said- I-, I tried! I mean-” I stuttered my way through my response, unable to keep myself from shaking in The Iron Revenant’s presence. This was a fear I was all too used to, one that erupted from a dominating force, allowing no room for resistance. It left me feeling paralyzed and weak.

Mordekaiser shook his head, interrupting my incoherent babbling. 

“Save your worthless breath for those who would care.” He stepped forward, standing barely a foot away with his ghostly helm inches from my far more corporeal one.

“Action. strength of will. power. Those are the core, fundamental foundations that drive any, and every world. Those are the only measures that matter.” Mordekaiser waved a hand behind himself, gesturing at a portal that had ripped itself open behind him. Beyond lay a blackened sky with a dark city that spread to the bleak horizon.

“If you desire to become more than a pathetic little woodland salamander pretending to wield a dragon’s might, then build upon those three things.” I could feel the ghost sneer at me behind his helm as his fist dropped. 

“But you need purpose to do that don’t you, wretch? You need an external force to drive you onward.” He pointed at the door that Daisy left through as if he were a disappointed father pointing at a car his son just wrecked. 

“You care for that beast, don’t you?” The apparition growled. After a moment of waiting, I realized he expected a response. I couldn’t summon the words, so I simply nodded hesitantly.

“Your will is weak; your power, empty; your mind, frail. If you dare to continue wearing my face, then make yourself worthy of it, or I will personally sunder your pet’s soul from its body.” With a final glare, Mordekaiser turned to go. His steps clanged hollowly as he walked, but just as he was about to pass through the portal, he paused. The ghost spoke in a grinding tone barely above a whisper.

“Consume your enemies with your soul-fire and become strong, or become mulch for the worms beneath your boots, whelp. Even this world of sickening weakness has its thorns.” The portal snapped close without a sound, but the Dread Lord’s words echoed through the chamber, as if will alone could sustain them, as if even his voice refused to die.

I was left staring, dumbfounded and frightened beyond all belief. But through the fearful cloud that darkened my thoughts… 

…Mordekaiser’s words rang clear and true like a church bell.