Hero Anon

by Bastinator

Chapter 4: Blood Bowl

The next day you depart from Aviaris. You’ve overstayed your welcome as it is, and it’s about time to hit the road. Iron Will suggested we head up north, into minotaur territory. The minotaurs are a powerful race, and they’ll do well on our side. They’re close by as well, so that only aids his plea. Soarin obviously objected like the asshole he is.

He’s a purist. He believes this to be an Equestrian fight, but you already know he’s a short-sighted fool. This war extends to every corner of the world, not just Equestria. He wants an army of ponies, it’s too bad that your brother has them all in his pocket. You need the minotaurs, now more than ever.

Stormguard allowed your group to enter the city’s market district to resupply. It was the first time most of them had ever seen each other’s race before. You were surprised by how well they got along. Money certainly has a way of brining people together. Resupplied and ready to set on out, your group leaves, but not before Stormguard gives you one last gift.

He assigned a contingent of griffons to help you on your quest, effectively doubling your numbers. You’re going to need them. The minotaurs hold one attribute higher than any other, the ability to fight. Even Iron Will holds their value in contempt. One’s strength in combat makes not the man, fore the man makes up one’s strength in combat. Iron Will, also a philosopher.

You’re honestly surprised how negatively he views his own race. People are generally biased towards others’, not their own. ”There’s a reason I left,” he tries to explain. It doesn’t make sense why he wants to go back though. It’ll help our cause for sure, but you’re still curious about his underlying motivation. You drop it regardless, no sense prying.

Stormguard sees you off, but not before speaking to you once more. ”The minotaurs will not go easily, and should you fall, do not be afraid to stand. Your quest is too important for you to fail.” You nod and join the others as they pass through the city’s gates. This is far too important.

You write all this down in a journal you picked up in the marketplace. It’ll be good to have something to recount what happened to you. The subtle sound of music catches your ear. It’s a peaceful melody and does well to calm your nerves. You put the journal in your bag to try and find the source. You step out of your tent and spot a gathering of ponies and griffons at the edge of camp. They seemed to enjoy the music as well. Working your way though the crowd you find Vinyl at the center, a record slowly spinning in her hand. The hypnotic music flows over you. The others sway with the rhythm, far more in tune than you. All good things must come to an end though, and the music was extraordinary. The crowd disperses as Vinyl cleans the record and puts it away. You sit next to her.

“That was beautiful,” her smile warms you.

”I’m glad you liked it. It’s a… favorite of mine.”

“Who’d it belong to?”

”How do you know I didn’t make it?”

“Really? I think I know you well enough to know that this is a bit tame for you.”

She blushes, “Yeah I guess your right. Her name was Octavia.”

“Octavia. She sounds pleasant.”

”She was a good mare, and a dear friend. She was taken…

“You don’t have to talk about it,” you interrupt, not wanting to hurt her.

She holds onto your hand, “It’s alright. I want to.” You take hold of her hoof in return. If it’s alright with her then it’s alright with you.

“How long ago was it?”

”It happened about seven months back. We were hiding out in Las Pegasus at the time, sticking to the backwater districts and sewers. Not our best times.”

“You have to take what you can get.”

”Well, we had just finished our last tasks for the day, so Octavia and I whipped out our tools. Music was one way we could help the others cope with our circumstances.”

“And then what happened?” You ask, utterly enthralled by the short tale.

You can see a tear come to her eye, “They heard us… creatures poured in from all sides of us. They didn’t take any prisoners.” She grips your hand a bit tighter, “It was a slaughter.”

“Vinyl I…”

”It’s fine. Uhh,” she fights back the tears, “Iron Will cut a path out for us and those of us who could get out did. When I looked back though… She was gone. I came back a few weeks later. There was almost nothing left, save for a single record tucked against the wall.” She places her hoof on the case, “It’s the only thing I have left of her.”

You want to say something to comfort her, but nothing comes to mind. So you did what your mother always did. You wrap your arm around her and pulled her close, placing her head on your chest. She falls weakly in your embrace, not resisting. Her warmth is welcoming, and you find yourself forgetting all your woes. She looks up at you, her red eyes shimmering in the moonlight. She brings her head to yours, planting a soft kiss on your lips. You close your eyes, the fire’s soft crackle soothing you further. Maybe this isn’t so bad…

”You two need a room?” Vinyl pushes herself off of you and stares into the fire like nothing happened.

“No umm- You see- I- I was uh-“

You fumble over your words trying to explain. Iron Will chuckles to himself, “No need to explain. The world moves in mysterious ways, and speaking of moving…” He grabs you by the collar, “It’s training time.” He drags you along, away from Vinyl who’s still flush as an apple.He draws up his axe as you try to explain how things got away from you and you just did what felt natural. He silences you and holds up his hand. ”Anon, I’ve seen a lot of weird things in my day. What happened with you two was anything but.”

“So… you aren’t angry?”

He shakes his head, “Not at all, I’m happy for you. The axe spins in his hands, “But there’s a time and a place for that and it’s not here or now. Come on.” You unsheathe your sword, holding the hilt in your right hand. Let’s begin. You charge forward, your blade meeting his axe. Just another training session.

~~~

You step outside your tent, breathing in the fresh morning air. You close behind Vinyl who’s making her morning rounds. She hears you approaching and slows down for you, “Hard training session again?”

“He doesn’t make them easy.” You follow as she takes a head count of your group, checking her list for inconsistencies. The two of you haven’t talked much for a couple weeks since you kissed. It’s made things a bit awkward for the two of you.

“So… What’d you do today?”

”Your generic topic starters aren’t helping.”

“Worth a shot?” you ask in hopes of sparking some sort of acknowledgement.

”Doubtful,” is her reply. You’re not going to lie, that’s not as bad as you thought.

“But possible.”

”The same way it’s possible that Soarin likes it up the flank.”

“Hey now, you can’t disprove that,” you say sarcastically earning a snicker from Vinyl, “There’s that smile.” You’d missed her sharp smile, but just as it opened up, it disappeared.

”You want to talk about it?” You nod in response, Vinyl stopping in front of the commander’s tent. ”Alright then,” she steps inside, you following her. Inside, she looks over the table and the maps, keeping her back to you. ”I respect you Anon. You’re a good man.” You’re touched, “and that’s why I think we should keep things professional from now on.”

Your heart plummets at the phrase. It’s the ‘let’s just be friends’ speech all over again. You lost your chance last time by not pursuing it, and you’ll be damned if that happens again. “I like you Vinyl, I really do. If it’s my appearance, I can put a paper bag over my head or something. Don’t do this to me.”

”I’ll only drag you down. You know I will.” You step around her and make eye contact.

“I know that I felt something when I was with you. I don’t want to lose that feeling again. Please…”

”I’m sorry.”

You press your lips against hers desperately and hold tightly. You can’t let her go, but you have to… You push yourself away. “You win. I’m sorry for doing that,” you sit on the ground. “I was hoping for the impossible. Shows what I know.” You drape your head between your knees, the sting of defeat ever-present. You lost again, another opportunity out the window.

”Nothing’s impossible.” You open your eyes, Vinyl’s lips locked with yours. She pulls back reluctantly, a grin on her face.

“Well then…”

”Looks like we’ll be going down together.” You smile at her.

“We’ll see about that.”

~~~

Your journey continues into the Plains of Cervidas, though the cold is hardly an issue with a special pony at your side. You check in with one of the griffon scouts, their eyes keen enough to spot trouble several miles away. They’ve saved you a number of times already. The husks and knights that seek you out are far easier to avoid now. Less casualties and fighting is exactly what this little band needs.

“Report for me?”

”Encampment, about two days travel from here.” It’s about time, you could use a rest, all of you could.

“Any sign of trouble?”

”Negative, just us and whoever lives there.” You nod to her.

“Alright then let’s move it out.” You stop sending out scouting parties as your group encloses on the encampment. You didn’t want them to think you were acting on the offensive. Still, as the wooden walls come into view you can’t help but feel unwelcome. Iron Will says it’s just nerves, but you don’t bite, there’s something violent about this place. Minotaurs do live here after all. You approach the settlement’s gate, the arching walls and battlements towering overhead.

The gate opens slowly causing you to instinctively grab your sword. Iron Will places his hand on your arm and pushes himself in front of you as two heavyset guards meet you. They grunt and snarl in their natural tongue, the guards motioning for him to follow. ”I’ll join you all later on. For now, follow this guard and set up camp. I’ll be back as quick as I can.”

All you can do is nod before he takes his leave. The guard sets his sights on you, “Follow.”

With that hammer he’s sporting you’re in no mood to argue. Your band enters through the gate, Soarin pushing his way up to you. ”You really think these brutes are going to help us?”

“Why don’t you leave the thinking to me and get back to your men.”

”First sign of trouble and I’m out of here you understand?”

Vinyl glares at him, “You try and leave and you’ll never fly again.”

”That supposed to be a threat?”

“It’s a promise.” His face grows pale at your words, slinking back into the crowd. You come into a clearing at one of the camp walls, the minotaur guard stopping.

”You can make camp here. You’d do well to stay together, this is no place for ponies,” he looks to you, “or heroes.”

With that, he parts, marching down the road and through the parted buildings. “Well that was interesting,” Vinyl says.

“That’s one word to describe it.” You move to set-up camp, you could be here for a while after all. Kicking the last stake into the ground you make sure your tent is stable. “It’ll do just fine.” You dust off your hands. “I’m going to take a look around. Make sure Soarin doesn’t do anything stupid.”

”But the guard said we should stick together. He sounded serious.”

“Please, I’m the big bad hero. I think I’ll be alright.”

”I’m afraid you’re letting that title get in your head.”

“There are worse things in there already.” Like some douche bag named Anonymous… Nothing? Worth a shot. You go down the path the guard went, looking around you.

You’d thought they lived in caves in the side of a mountain, but you were wrong before. Their buildings are nothing special, but they stand… so there’s that. The other minotaurs you see aren’t as big either Iron Will or the gaurds, but still manage to be on par with you on height. They snarl and turn away when they see you. You didn’t expect them to put on a parade, but a little common courtesy would be nice. You come to the center of town, a large steel platform in the middle. An elevator maybe? But to where?

A sign board stands at one of the entrances, over a dozen notifications posted onto it. Looking for blacksmith. In need of extra hand. Five easy ways to enlarge your member… wait what was that last one? ”Don’t even bother entering. You wouldn’t last a minute.”

You jump forward startled at the sudden statement coming from your rear. You turn back to see an older minotaur behind you, his fur greyed out and ragged. “Excuse me?”

”I see younglings like you pick up whatever weapon they can find and sign up. They don’t make it out.” You look back to the board trying to find out what he’s talking about.

“I’m sorry sir I still don’t follow.”

”The tournament!” he smacks the flier with his hand, “It’ll be the death of you.” It says something about an annual contest, a chance for those to test their skills. A blood bowl of sorts. “I think I’ll train my skills a bit first. Going in without experience is just stupid.”

”Ahhh,” he smiles, “but the prize.” The prize? You look back to the paper.

An audience with Kamos, Minotaur Lord and King. “If I could get an audience with him…”

The smile is replaced with a frown, “I’ve seen that look before.”

“I could enlist his help. I would have something to…”

”To have read before your funeral kid. Don’t bother with it.” You place your hand on the sign-up sheet.

“Thanks, I’ll think about it.”

”Don’t mention it kid, stay out of trouble.” He enters one of the nearby buildings, locking the door shut. You’ll have more than enough opportunities to get yourself killed in the war. You can wait that long.

You pick up some potatoes and rabbit meat from the market using the last of your bits. Boil ‘em, mash ‘em, stick ‘em in a stew. You even have some bacon left over to put in there. You get back to camp, night having fallen already, the soft drizzle of snow calming you. Vinyl is playing some music for the rest of the camp, leaving you to test your cooking skills.

You set your food over the fire and let it cook, lying back on the hard dirt floor. You make sure to stir accordingly every once in a while. Iron Will should’ve been back by now. He said he’d be back, but there’s no telling when. You just have to try and focus your mind elsewhere. You taste your concoction, the delicious chunks of potato and rabbit making your mouth salivate. You pour the contents into a small bowl and allow it to cool, jotting down today’s events in your journal.

A cold breeze hits your back and sends shivers up your spine. “Sorry to keep you.” The tent is barely big enough to house the minotaur, but that doesn’t stop him. ”Pour me a bowl too would you?” You do so hesitantly, his voice shaky and weak.

“What’s wrong Iron?” You’ve never seen him act this way before. He’s supposed to be the stalwart leader.

”I… I failed you,” he casts his head down, “I couldn’t convince Kamos…”

“You met Kamos?! Shit man why didn’t you take me with you?”

”He doesn’t accept just anyone. Only family and his guards are allowed.”

“Family and guards? So Kamos is your, dad?”

”Keep your voice down,” he hushes you. “There’s a reason I don’t like telling anyone that.”

“But you talked to him? What did you say? Maybe I can help somehow, just let me-“

“He won’t see you. He won’t see anyone the old foolish bastard…”

You pat his back as the big guy lays everything out to you. It can’t be easy for him. “Don’t worry about it. We’ll find a way, we always do.”

He takes a bite of your stew, a small laugh coming from him, “Not bad.”

“I can always get better.” Why does that sound…?

You pause mid-bite, placing the spoon back in your bowl. “Anon?”

“We’ll find a way.” You stand up and walk out of your tent, Iron Will hot on your heels.

”Where are you going?”

“I’m signing up.”

”Signing up for- No…”

“Yes.”

“Anon please, you don’t have to do this. We’ll find another way.”

“This IS the other way. It’s my only chance to see Kamos, and I’m going to take it.”

He grabs you forcefully and spins you around, “This isn’t a game. These minotaurs will tear you to pieces.”

“Then I walk willingly to death’s door.” You shake him off and get to the sign-up sheet. Pen… pen… Okay where the fuck’s the pen?! You find a quill sticking out of a vial just below the sign. Figures…

”Please Anon. We can find others to help us.”

“We need everyone, and I’m not going to let this opportunity pass me by.” You bring the quill upon the parchment, signing your name with the others. Putting away the quill makes you feel as if you just signed your own death warrant. But there’s no turning back.

You get back to camp and finish your stew. It’s a bit cold, but that’s alright, you don’t mind. ”I hope you’re ready for what comes next.”

“I can deal with fighting for my life later, but for now,” you set down your bowl and pick up your sword, “It’s time for my training.” You step outside, the sound of your blade unsheathing only stirring you on. You pick up his axe and toss it to him as he follows you.

”What do you think you’re doing?”

“If I’m going to fight in that death match then I’m going to need to train harder than ever.”

”Anon, I really don’t think-“

“You’ve been going easy on me for too long. You want me to walk out of that death pit? Yes? Then come on,” you raise your sword, “Bring it.”

~~~

You rise from your bed, Vinyl still wrapped up in the covers, and step outside. Iron Will’s already cooking breakfast. You swear he never sleeps, or at he doesn’t whenever you’re around. He motions you over and you sit down beside him. ”How’s the arm?” Last night’s session was brutal. So far you’d only been trained in attacking, last night you faced an actual opponent.

“The bone isn’t broken, so that’s good. There’s going to be a nasty bruise there for a while though.”

”That brings up another point, those clothes of yours aren’t going to cut it in the arena.”

“Well, there seems to be a shortage of armor that fits me.”

”You need to find a smith willing to forge you a set.”

“Just me?”

”The contestant must find his own way. If I try and help you find a smith, you’ll be disqualified before you can even step on that elevator… Let’s get going.”

“No no no,” you say, stopping him, “You’re not going to get me disqualified that easy.”

He chuckles and sits back down, his plan foiled, “Well then, you best get to it. The tournament’s only a couple weeks away.”

“So you’re still going to train me right?”

”You worry about finding that smith, I’ll worry about training you.”

“Deal,” you shake hands and stand up. If you’re going to find a smith then you best start now. There’s not time like the present. You head into the markets, your first stop in trying to find some armor. A few minotaurs are already up and about setting up shop. You stop by one of the more rough looking ones.

“Excuse me sir, but do you know of any smiths around here?”

”Yeah I would.” Thank god this was easier than you thought it would be.

“Could you point me there way then? I’m looking to buy a suit of armor.”

”Let me save you some time squirt. Go home. We don’t want your kind here.” You’re rather taken aback by his attitude.

“Sir, I’m just looking for someone-“

”I heard what you said, now hear me. Go away. I won’t tell you again.”

“Well then… thanks for your time.”

”Don’t mention it.”

You walk away from his stall, already heading for the next minotaur. “Excuse me, are you a smith?”

”I am.” You open your mouth to speak, “But I don’t do business with your kind. Scram.” You move onto the next stall, and the next, and the next. Each time receiving the same answer, ‘Go away. We don’t want you here.’ You start knocking on doors in desperation. You feel so helpless having to resort to this, but this doesn’t help your cause any.

You’ve had more doors slammed in your face in the past hour than… Shoot, it’s hard to come up with a funny analogy when you’re this pissed. You sit down at the road’s edge. You just have to keep trying. Anonymous is still out there, and you can’t just sit back and watch the roses. ”Take my advice kid, live the life you have. No sense throwing it away.” The elderly minotaur pats you on the shoulder and walks past, locking the door behind him.

You jump up and rush to his home, knocking erratically on the door. “Who is it!?” he yells from within.

“It’s me sir, the kid.”

He releases an exasperated sigh, “What do you want kid, I’m busy?”

“I was wondering if you were interested in a job?”

The latches grind open, the minotaur peeking out the door’s edge, “What type of job?”

“I need some armor…”

”Nope!” You throw your foot in the door’s gap before he closes it. “I’ve asked every other minotaur here. No one is willing to help me.”

”Not my problem.” He tries to kick your foot out, but you stand firm.

“Please sir, you’re the only one left. I need this.”

”I told you to leave that whole mess alone, and you ignored me.”

“No. I said I’d think about it, and that’s what I did. I don’t expect you to understand my motivations.”

He pulls the door open, sending you flying through, “I know exactly why you joined Mr. Hero.” He locks the door, an impenetrable blackness surrounding you. He flips a switch, illuminating the room. You push off the rotting wooden floor and stand by the wall, finding yourself in some sort of workshop. ”There’s a war brewing in the western lands… Equestria.”

“That war is over sir.”

”But yet here you are,” he walks to the far end of the room, the floor boards splintering beneath him. ”Come.” He exits through the doorway, you following him downstairs into his basement.

The sweltering heat hits you like a truck, almost making it impossible to breathe. ”Take in that feeling, you’ll need to familiarize yourself with it.” You grab your throat, but continue, the room opening up to his personal smithy. ”Your fighting a losing battle, and you hope to ally yourself with the minotaurs? A dastardly plan if I may say so.”

“Not conventional by any means, but it’ll get the job done.”

He agrees, “Take a look at that wall over yonder.” You turn to the back wall, a row of pictures hanging from it. ”That first one, I was just starting out then. The kid had skill, but no brain to go with it. His bones still lie in that pit.”

“You trained-“

”Second one, two years later. Bright lad, skilled as well, but the ego went to his head. Took an axe to the neck.”

“Why are you-“

”Third, Fourth, Fifth, Seventeenth… All of them perished in that bloody tournament.”

“If you’re trying to scare me, it’s not going to work.”

”Scare you?” he turns and looks to you. “No, I’m just showing you your odds.” He saunters back over to you, “These kids had more skill, more guts, and more training than you. So, why in Tartarus would I waste my time helping you?”

“Because I have one thing they don’t.”

He’s intrigued, “Really? And just what is that?”

“Determination.”

”And you think that determination will save you when the bits are on the table?”

“I think that I’m willing to take that gamble.”

”Why are you helping them? Why risk your own life for them?”

“Because that’s what I think is right.”

He picks up his hammer, giving it a few good swings. ”Give me two weeks. I’ll have it ready for you by then.”

“So that means you’re going to help me?”

”I’ve got a good feeling about you kid. I haven’t had on of those in a long time.”

“T-thank you! Thank you so much sir!”

”Yeah yeah, go on. You got some training to do.” You stop at the stairs, and look back to him.

“I never did catch your name.”

”Mickey. Now go on, git.”

~~~

True to his word Mickey began working on your armor, free of charge. You said that you’d pay him back, but he brushed you off. He wasn’t doing it for the money. Iron Will trained you harder and harder per your request. It wasn’t uncommon for you to just wake up back in bed with a nasty bump on your head. Word spread around the camp about your admission in the tournament, a lot were rooting for you, but it was only a matter of time before a certain unicorn found out.

She wasn’t happy to say the least. She was worried about you spending all your time training, and when she found out about the tournament… furious. You’d grown close, and she didn’t want to see you throw it away because of this contest. Things were tense for a few days, but she eventually came around. If these were your last two weeks… No, don’t think like that. You have to make it.

When Iron Will was busy, or merely unwilling, you found out he does sleep after all, you trained with Mickey instead. He never trained you directly in combat, but gave way to some unconventional teaching methods. You worked his forge, carried in supplies, along with some other tasks. Chasing a chicken around town was one the weirder ones he had you do. A few minotaurs had started calling you the Chicken Chaser… You hate Fable now.

Regardless, through Iron Will’s and Mickey’s training you made some tremendous progress. You decide to turn in for the night; you have a big day ahead of you tomorrow. You lay by Vinyl, it may be the last time you do so…

~~~

You and Iron Will stop by Mickey’s house on the way to the elevator. You let yourself in with the spare key he gave you. “Mickey! You home?!”

”Down here!” he shouts from below.

Iron Will taps you on the shoulder, “Mickey?”

“That’s him. You’ll love him.”

You walk down the stairs, Mickey polishing the steel of your armor, “I hope you’re ready for the big day.”

“I am. I think it’s about time I introduce you to my trainer. Mickey, this is Iron Will.”

Mickey freezes, slowly turning around and looking at the large minotaur, “Little Iron?”

Iron Will gives a small grin, “It’s been a while Old Mick.”

“I… take it the two of you have met?”

”Many years ago.”

Iron Will crosses the gap between them, though Mickey is the first to speak. “I thought you dead.”

”Not trying hard enough it seems,” he says with his head lowered.

“Am I missing something here?”

They promptly ignore you, “Left before the battle started huh? Got some guard to take your place?”

”I never signed up to die.”

Mickey steps up to him, “I’m glad you left.” He shakes his hand, the two embracing in a brohug. You let them have their moment.

“Should I come back later?”

Mickey disengages, “Naw kid, we’re good.”

“You know I’m going to want to know what this was all about,” you say walking over to your armor.

”Another time Anon.” You may not get another chance. Iron Will and Mickey help you suit up, the armor a tight fit.

“You sure it works?”

“Mickey was the best armor smith in his day. You haven’t gotten rusty have you?”

”Like riding a bike, but just to be safe…” he hands Iron Will a sledgehammer.

“HEY! HEY! HEY!” They both laugh at your pant-shitting fear. “That’s not very funny.”

”Oh, but it is.” Mickey tests out your armor strength and flexibility with a much smaller hammer. ”It looks good, just don’t get hit.”

“You got a helmet for me?”

”Helmet?” You’ve got to be shitting me.

“I’ll do without it.”

Iron Will checks the clock, “We best be going Mick.”

”Before you go, I have something for you kid.” He throws off a tarp covering a chest and undoes the lock. He pulls out a large kite shield, whipping off the dust that had accumulated on it. ”This is for you.” He hands you the shield. The front is blood red with a gold rim, a white phoenix painted on the front. ”It belonged to a student of mine, a long time ago. I think you’ll find a better use for it.”

You sling your arm through the straps, letting it rest by your side. “Thanks Mickey. Are you coming to the tournament?”

”I’ll think about it.”

“I’ll see you then,” you say with a smile.

”I guess you will.” You and Iron Will leave his home, getting back to the elevator. A good amount of minotaurs had already arrived, and a few more streamed in. ”So what was that all about?”

”With Mickey? It’s a long story.” The gates rise closing you all in on the platform.

“We’ve got some time.” The elevator slowly descends, the surface rising above you until all you can see is thickened dirt and stone.

”Before I left home I was the favorite son of Kamos,” he says in a hushed voice, “but that was before.”

“What happened?”

”My father, in his infinite wisdom, signed me up for this tournament against my wishes. I knew I would get killed, but my father had faith in me.”

“So where does Mickey come in?” The cavern expands outwards as you are lowered into the center of the arena.

”I went to Mickey to train me, but we both knew I wasn’t ready for the fight. I found another minotaur to take my place.” The elevator comes to a screeching, landing on the soft dirt at the bottom. “I was too ashamed to confront them again, until now.”

A group of armor-clad guards await you at the open gates and funnel you outwards. On the second level lies your prize, atop the throne of kings sits Kamos, his eyes gazing down upon you. He stands, arms wide, “Kamos welcomes you would-be warriors to The Pit. Look around you, may the bones of the fallen show what you have in store.” Your eyes being to adjust to the darkness, finding the floor littered with the forgotten dead.

A few of the minotaurs begin to freak out a little, but the guards keep them still. ”There is no going back. Guards! Escort them to their cells.” They take your fellows one by one off in different directions. One last guard grips your arm, but his head butted back by Iron Will.

”This one’s mine.”

The guard grimaces and draws his weapon, invoking laughter from above, “Hold guard. Let them proceed.” Iron Will puffs his nostrils and leads you on to the side and into a cell.

You step through, the gate slamming shut behind you unexpectedly, “They can’t have you leaving.”

“You’ll be watching right?”

”Me and others, but don’t think about that right now.”

”Iron Will! Get to the stands.”

”Remember what I taught you. Keep your form tight and move around. They’re strong, but you’re fast.

”IRON!”

He backs away from the bars, “You fight for all of us. Show us what a real hero can do.” With that, he was gone, and you were alone. You sit on the cot and take deep breathes, in and out.

The fans start packing in when all the participants were locked up. You’re sure you heard a few familiar voices along with some griffons, but it’s not important right now. The heat begins to pick up, the air thick with humidity. You’re glad you spent that time in Mickey’s smithy. Time crawls on, beads of sweat dripping from your forehead. You dab your head with the bed sheet. Kamos’s voice hushes the rampant crowd. It’s almost time. You stand up and walk to the cell door, fire coursing through the arena grounds. It explains the heat alright.

”MY FELLOW SPECTATORS!” Kamos booms out, “Let Kamos welcome you to THE PIIIIIIT!” The crowd roars out, their cries for blood not on deaf ears. ”I can see you’re ready for the show, so without any further delay. Let! The GAMES! BEGIIIN!” The gate swings open. You step out into the fiery blaze, shield and sword at the ready.

You look to your left and right, the inferno funneling you to the left. The flames spit on your armor as you step on, “Watch out for the flames. They sting.” The next cell’s door hangs ajar, but you don’t see any sign of its inhabitant, “Look out there hero. Where could he be?”

You keep your eyes peeled and step closer, shield raised. You can hear the sound of whimpering coming from within the cell. Working your way around, you find the minotaur rocking back and forth on the cot. “I never wanted this. I want to go home. Let me go home.”

You look around, no sign of any other minotaurs so far. He wasn’t ready for this. You hold out your hand to him. “Hey. You can’t stay here, come with me. We can work together.”

”Can’t go. Have to stay. Safe in cell. Safe in-“

The cell door slams shut, almost snaring your hand, “TIME’S UP CONTESTANTS!” The minotaur rocks faster, muttering gibberish to himself even as smoke begins to pour in from the walls.

“Get out of there!” You grab onto the bars and pull helplessly. He coughs, the air filling his lungs. “Come on kid! MOVE!”

He grips his chest and crawls towards the door, the room a dense cloud of grey, “Hel- p me…” The smoke intensifies and forces you back, else you suffocate as well. His eyes water, body falling to the floor motionless.

“I’m sorry.”

”Too bad. His family won’t miss him.” You put your back to the cell and move ahead. You move inwards toward the room’s center. The flames keep you boxed in the middle, but you fight onwards. The heaving of minotaurs draws your attention forwards. You peek around the wall of fire, one of the contestants battling with another. His flail crushes against the other’s skull, sending his lifeless corpse to the floor. Your heart races and pounds in your chest. You step out into the open, the minotaur’s eyes locking with yours.

He points to you, “You’re next!” He steps forward, the fire exploding to his right as another minotaur charges forth and tackles him through the second wall of fire.

”Guess you’re mine then,” someone calls behind you.

You twirl around just in time to dodge his axe as it cleaves into the floor. The minotaur’s strong, but you’re fast, “Good dodge from the hero.” You bash his snout with your shield as he draws his battle axe. He swings wide, allowing you to fall to your knees and strike. The hilt of your sword brushes against his stomach as he groans painfully, your blade shredding his intestines. Kamos laughs, “Oooh that’s gotta hurt!”

He bucks you off onto your back and raises his axe. You roll out of the way and cut at his knees. He drops down as you begin to stand. You move in for the final blow only to be head butted back. You kick his hand away from his axe, forcing him onto his hands. You deliver the killing strike in his spine, the blood spraying onto your face. ”Now that’s what we like to see! You sure you don’t have any minotaur blood in you?!”

You ignore Kamos’s commentary and push past the corpse. You look to where the minotaur came through, finding a new path available to you. You decide to follow the two from before, shielding yourself as you walk through the flames. ”And another one bites the dust. This is a good day to die.”

You follow the trail of blood to its source, finding a minotaur bleeding on the ground. He must’ve been the one who saved you. You don’t have time to reflect on this before you hear another minotaur charging. Another comes barreling in from your side, crashing head first into your armor. He flings you away, a few of your ribs cracking from the strain. A wave of pain engulfs you as your body is overcome by flame. You roll on the ground to subdue the fire, the minotaur cackling in response. Well fuck him then.

You roll full force towards him, knocking his feet out from beneath him and proceed to leap onto his back. You grab onto his armor plating as he tries to buck you off, but you’ll have none of that. Using your shield, you smack his skull again and again, his movement becoming shaky. You prepare to impale your sword through his neck when your sanity returns. You hesitate and pull away your blade. He collapses to the floor as you stand away from his unconscious body. “The would-be hero shows mercy? How foolish.”

You let the minotaur live to Kamos’s dismay. You work your way to one of the walls, another minotaur dead within their cell. You walk along the arena walls, a contestant attempting to climb the walls. He even manages to reach the top before coming face to face with a guard. ”Finish the coward please.”

The guard jams a spear down his throat and kicks him back down. “There’s always one who pulls that.”

“This is fucking crazy.” You walk around the blazing arena for an hour, no survivor in sight. Kamos seems to be getting bored of this game. ”Please do something about that fire. I want to see some action now.” Like clockwork, a jet of fresh air pours from the ground to extinguish the flame.

It takes a while for the fire to die, but when it does, all that’s left is ash and the carnage brought upon by this senseless carnage. Bodies lie scattered, some burnt, most bloody and beaten, but all dead. All save for the one staring back you. ”Nice to see you again.”

“Likewise.”

His flail droops to the floor, the chains coated with a crimson liquid. ”It’s about damn time. FIGHT!” You charge at each other, the crowd cheering you both on. You slide and thrust, the minotaur swinging his flail underhanded. He’s the one who connects. The ball cracks against your chest and plants you to the floor, your opponent safe and sound. You roll onto your stomach and push yourself up, your blade at the ready.

”This could get interesting folks!” The minotaur swings backwards, the chain wrapping around your sword and yanks it from your grasp. This leaves him open though, and you bash at his shoulder and punch him square in the throat.

He punches back, but you roll to the side and pick up your sword. He swings again, attempting to steal your sword back. “Fool me once,” you grab your sword with both hands, “Shame on you.” You pull back, the edge cutting into your hand. “Fool me twice,” you raise your leg and kick him square in the nose, “Shame on me.”

His flail shoots out of his hand, sending you both backwards. A stream of blood bursts from his nose as he picks up another weapon from a corpse. He raises it in the air, “Hammer time!” You toss his flail away as he charges, raising your shield in time for his strike. Your shield takes the blow, but your arm takes the pain, your bones straining under the pressure.

He hits you again and again, each strike forcing you lower and lower to the ground. You have to use both hands to keep your shield up. ”Get out of there Anon!” The minotaur grabs your shield and pulls it off your arm, kicking your sword out of your other hand. ”ANON!”

You take the blow full force, a bloody mist escaping your mouth. Your chest plate dents inwards to your chest, your ribs shattered. Your side erupts in pain as they too feel the onslaught of his hammer. He kicks you way. Things begin to look up as the pain starts to go away, everything seems to start going away…

You think you hear someone call you, but it’s just a whisper now. Things grow black, sound escapes you, save for one. “Tsk tsk tsk… Anon, what am I going to do with you?” Anonymous kneels beside you and runs his hand over your chest. “Why do we fall, Anon?” Your speech is pained, but audible.

“So we can… learn to- pick ourselves up.”

He smiles, warmth drifting over you, “Don’t be afraid.” A white light appears above you, pain shooting back through your chest. You can hear voices. Kamos, Iron Will, Vinyl… Vinyl…

”So there we have it folks. A bloody end to our bloody tournament.” You roll to your stomach, pushing upwards, fighting your body every step of the way. ”Let’s give it up to- to… Anon?” The crowd grows silent as you get to your feet. You bend down, picking up your sword.

“Don’t be afraid.”

The minotaur stammers, “You- you died.”

“Tartarus was full.” You step forwards, putting your shield back on. Kamos is speechless, as is the crowd. You raise your sword and shield, arms trembling. “Fight’s not over.”

Horns bellow throughout the room, just the vibration causing you to grimace. The guards leap down from the walls, their hands gripping underneath your arms. ”Show’s over!” Kamos yells, “Everyone out.” The citizens don’t object with a pissed off minotaur. ”Bring the hero to me.” You drift off again, sleep finding you.

~~~

You jolt up, your arms grabbing onto your bed. The pain! The pain? You grab your chest, your warm flesh greeting you. Where’s your armor? What happened? ”A thank you will be sufficient.”

Kamos sits at the edge of your bed, a small vial in his hands. ”I was saving this vial for a special occasion, but it seems you needed it far more than I.”

“Dropped the third person?”

”Only in private. It’s quite the hassle talking like that you know. I can see why Iron stopped.” You run your hand over your body, your wounds healed. ”Phoenix tears. A rarity among these parts.”

“You saved me?”

”I merely sped up your recovery.”

“I should have died in that arena.”

”You living is the reason why you’re here.” He tosses you your clothes. “Even a minotaur would’ve fallen from your wounds.”

“I’m a determined individual.”

”My son said as much.” You put on your clothing. “He also said you needed help.”

“It’s the truth sir.”

Kamos pulls you to your feet, “Ask, and you shall receive.” You hesitate. This is a bit easy. All you have to do is ask? There’s a catch somewhere.

“Anything?”

”I’m a minotaur of my word.”

A king’s word. Good enough for you. You grab his hand. “Help me. Fight with us to take back Equestria.” He ponders your request, his grip on your hand tightening.

”Then you shall have it.” Shocked is one word to describe how you feel.

“No questions asked?”

”Kid, you faced death and showed more guts then any minotaur I’ve seen in my lifetime. No questions asked.” He pats you on the shoulder. ”Now go on, your friends are worried about ya.” He stops you as you get to the door. ”Do come back though, there’s something I’d like to discuss with you.”

“What about sir?”

”About your future.”

Meanwhile in Canterlot… Griffons and Minotaurs. A frightening combination, but still not enough. you need a bigger challenge. ”Anon you asked to see me?”

“Ah yes, dear Pinkamena. I was hoping you had new information on our run away.”

”Sorry Anon. I’ve looked EVERYWHERE.”

“Everywhere wouldn’t happen to include outside of Equestria would it?”

”Of course not. Why would I look out there?”

“No reason. Dismissed.”

She hops out the door like usual, avoiding Squidity. “I thought I told you to get back to work.” You snap your fingers, Rarity transforming back to normal.

”How awful. Do you have any id- *snap*” You teleport her into the middle of some lake. She really does get on your nerves.

”Twilight?”

She appears in the blink of an eye, “Yes my lord?”

“Back in Las Pegasus… You didn’t happen to capture any of the rebels now would you?”

”Of course sir, per your instructions.”

“Bring me one of them. A Miss… Octavia.”

”In the mood for some music sir?”

“The cries of the innocent only entertain for so long.”

”It will be done,” she says exiting the chamber.

You close your eyes and focus. “Let’s see what Anon’s up to.”

Comments

[Ranun]

Was there any inspiration from the "Wanderings of non-brony" ?
If no then go read it (with the prequel though) beacuse this here looks so similar.