open Expedition into Uncharted Land

[Unicorncob 5,779]

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The slightest flicker of nervousness ran through Tyra's body at the mention of magic. Had this blade been enchanted?

Thank the gods it was on her side.

 

"How old could this blade possibly be?" She questioned, rather in shock of its true age. "When did you get it?"

[Nameless Knight 1,001]

@@Unicorncob, 

 

"My ancestor forged it so some where near a thousand years old. Also my Father gave it to me, the only sign of kindness he showed me when I was a colt." Chronos said, as he looked at the sword. If he ever lost this sword he would not be able to live with himself. He looked at Tyra and said "This sword is the true symbol of my Family. It is not the eagle that is on my shield, this blade is. It has truly seen, A thousand years of service." Chronos said

 

("A thousand years of Service" is the Dial family motto)

[Unicorncob 5,779]

@

 

Tyra nodded at Chronos' story, her face stern as she listened intently. "An ancestor's weapon is worth much more than what any sum of gold can get."

 

She looked over her shoulder at her axe. "Like your blade, this axe was once my father's. He entrusted it to me the day I became a warrior of Trotstheim."

[Nameless Knight 1,001]

@@Unicorncob,

 

" Your ax seems well crafted since it can still cut even though it seems to have dulled. Did you're father craft it?" Chronos asked as he stood and walked around Tyra to get a look at her ax. It reminded him of the axes used by the Griffons and the Earthponies before Equestria was formed.

[Unicorncob 5,779]

@

 

"He did not," Tyra shook her head, admiring the double-edged weapon herself, "it was crafted well before his time. It has belonged to my family for centuries."

 

She glanced up at the sky. "He entrusted it to me over my brother, so that I may never forget my home."

[Nameless Knight 1,001]

@@Unicorncob, 

 

"do you ever return to your home from time to time. I could never imagine leaving Canterlot or Equestria forever." Chronos said as he returned to where he was and sat down. He leaned up against the tree behind him and wondered why she left her home but he thought of the only reasons a warrior would leave home, Glory, Gold, and adventure. But maybe her reason was different, then his.

[Unicorncob 5,779]

@

 

"I do plan to return home," Tyra explained, returning the axe to her back and sitting back down on her haunches, "like I said before, it is not uncommon for people of our village to set out into the world. Some do it for glory, some for fortune."

 

She glances back up, then toward Chronos. "I do it for adventure, and to fight as many opponents as possible. So that when I return home, I can tell everypony of my travels, and we may learn more about the world outside the North."

[Nameless Knight 1,001]

@@Unicorncob,

 

"So that is why you are here, for the challenge. Not sure if I should respect you for your bravery or think you're crazy... probably both." Chronos joked.  He chuckled and said "Their was one stallion, no older then you, He joined the military for almost the same reason, the challenge. Long story short he ended up deserting, from what I heard he lives in the Crystal Empire now... I guess the war was too challenging for him" Chronos said.

[Unicorncob 5,779]

@

 

Tyra gave a wide toothy grin. "A lot of ponies call me that!"

 

The grin faded as she listened to Chronos, about the stallion deserting the guard.

"Some ponies simply are not built for harsh battles," she nodded sagely, "there are other ways you may challenge yourself after all."

[Nameless Knight 1,001]

@@Unicorncob, 

 

Chronos chuckled "Nothing ever seems to bring you down permanently, you always seem to get right back up. " He said before saying "That Stallion was just cowardly, We could have been attacked and our entire force taken out in the middle of the night, if we hadn't discovered that he had fled"

[Unicorncob 5,779]

@

 

Tyra laughed with a wide grin at that, before listening to Chronos some more.

 

"It sounds like you really depended on him," She commented, then frowned with a cocked eyebrow, "those who would abandon their companions like that are not fit to be warriors."

[Nameless Knight 1,001]

@@Unicorncob,

 

"He didn't just abandon a small group of companions, He abandoned the Army that later took the Griffon Capital, if we were attacked: A. I wouldn't be here talking to you, and B. The Griffons and Equestrians would probably still be fighting to this day, and Equestria was already about to bring in the Crystal Empire to assist us when we ended the war, so it could have become a world war." Chronos said.

[Unicorncob 5,779]

@

 

Tyra nodded, her face stern and attentive to Chronos' story. "Nopony has the right to abandon their companions like that, especially in such a desperate hour. His actions could have caused such damage to the entire world, if your story is true."

 

She glances aside for a moment, then back to him. "And what if you see this pony again?"

[Nameless Knight 1,001]

@@Unicorncob,

 

"First, I'm going to beat the hell out of him, and then He will probably be arrested for deserting during a time of war. That is... 5 years and dishonorable discharge but he could actually suffer execution for it." Chronos said. " He won't be trialed by some normal judge, he would be trialed by a Court-martial... and they always go hard on you." 

[Unicorncob 5,779]

@

 

Tyra cocked her head, listening to the punishments Chronos listed.

"Execution?" She repeated, blinking, "I understand this matter is very serious, but is killing the stallion not going too far? Certainly it sounded like he was pretty traumatised by war..."

[Nameless Knight 1,001]

@@Unicorncob,

 

"I doubt he would be executed since that punishment hasn't been used since the Crusades, a.k.a 500 years ago,  but I wouldn't think any less of the martial if they did execute him. Him running away could have caused the death of FOUR THOUSAND of his brothers and sisters in arms." He said. "Don't get the wrong idea, I don't want him to die, but he should have thought of the consequences, He could have literally gotten the General to sign a paper and he would be able return home, but he decided to run away like a coward. Sure he would still be seen as a coward but at least he would be a smart coward." 

[Unicorncob 5,779]

@

 

"Four thousand?" Tyra blinked, wide-eyed, "That is certainly the number of an army!"

 

She nodded, agreeing with him. "Indeed, he should have told somepony. However, perhaps he was frightened to be seen as a coward? I have met many ponies who are the same way, too scared to speak up in fear of looking cowardly."

[Nameless Knight 1,001]

@@Unicorncob, 

 

"You think he was the only one scared, you think he was the only one who wanted to flee back to the safety of his home. Every single one of us were terrified, Griffons are terrifying soldiers. Everyone of us wanted to leave, let somepony else be the heroes. The reason we were not seen as cowards were because we didn't let the fear control us... We continued to fight on, we didn't let the sight of Griffon covered in the blood of your brothers and sisters in arms get to us." He said.

[Unicorncob 5,779]

@

 

"Because you and your companions were built to be warriors," Tyra nodded sagely, not phased by Chronos' supposedly getting mad, "I am not trying to justify what the runaway did, I am just trying to find reason for it."

 

She glanced down to the fire. "Everypony has a reason for doing anything, even fleeing."

[Nameless Knight 1,001]

@@Unicorncob,

 

"He ran away because he didn't want to die, he didn't want his blood to be spilled on  foreign soil." Chronos said, he spoke slightly quieter then before. "He had the same training as any other foot soldier in our forces. When somepony joins the military, they have to have 6 months of training. "

[Unicorncob 5,779]

@

 

Tyra nodded, looking back up at Chronos.

"Back home, our warriors are trained from the day they can hold a weapon," she explained, taking a bite of fish and continuing with a full mouth, "not all the time, foals need time to be foals after all."

 

As she chewed, she glanced toward the water, wondering if the Kelpie would ever re-emerge.

[Nameless Knight 1,001]

@@Unicorncob

 

"Most ponies have to be at least 16 to join but Knights like me, They dedicate their entire lives to their craft. They don't have time to be fouls, from age 5 onward, they are training and being educated." He said. using his majic to bring a cooked fish to him from the fire. 

[Unicorncob 5,779]

@

 

"It is no wonder you do not look so happy all the time," Tyra smirked, wanting to get in a harmless little jab as she chomped into her fish.

 

She swallowed and grinned up at him. "I joke of course, but surely you must have some way of enjoying yourself, to unleash any stress."

Edited April 4, 2015 by Unicorncob

[Nameless Knight 1,001]

@@Unicorncob,

 

"I usually just make some tea and spend sometime in the Castle garden to relieve stress, I'm close enough so that if anything happens I can be ready and.. well the flowers are calming." Chronos said. Taking a bite of his fish, and swallowing it. "The reason I am angry so much is, well it is a habit, and well bad habits die hard"

[Unicorncob 5,779]

"You definitely need to relax some more," Tyra said, nodding sagely as she swallowed her last bit of fish, "it does not do a body or mind good to be so wound up!"

 

She grinned up at him. "I would always play-fight with my brother or friends, for fun. It also kept up our fighting spirits! Surely you have made friends in your knighthood?"