Chapter 4

I had the same nightmare I had had the day of my leaving, and it was just as terrifying as ever. I am standing in a forest. One that I am not familiar with. I see a black cloaked figure move through the trees, I reach for my sword. I draw it and raise it to ready, I notice I am wearing armor. I accept this and focus on my enemy, I ask my ancestors for strength from heaven, and begin to watch the forest line I notice that it is in flames. I hear a deep voice behind me, chanting to me, mocking me. I turn and raise my sword and am met with the face of death, a mangled collection of faces, the souls he has taken formed on his face. And he whispers to me," this is the end, my greatest foe." He draws his sword, shrieks. And then darkness.

I awoke violently, sweating and shaking, on the verge of tears. I look to see my friends holding me and trying to calm me down." Its over, it was just a nightmare," Dash says. Trying to calm me down. I don't calm down for an hour. When I finally come to, they ask why I was on the floor. I say," you two were asleep, so I let you have the couch." They blush, flattered by my kindness. Something that would have been brushed off back home. I sit up, and my stomach growls deep and insanely audibly." Come on," Dash said," all that fighting must have made you very hungry." That was the truth, I could eat a hors- oops, could thing I didn't say that out loud. I get up to my feet slowly, I politely ask what is for breakfast." Well, we were hoping we could ask you." I realize ponies must eat grass. I excuse myself for a half an hour. I grab my bow and head out, Dash tries to follow, and I tell her she might not like what she sees. She refuses to leave and we go into the woods. Off in the distance I spot a rabbit. I raise my bow and turn to Dash." You may want to turn your head and look away, my kind has to eat meat to survive." She nods in understanding and looks away. I turn to aim again and release. A perfect hit. I go retrieve my bounty; I call to Dash so we can return to Fluttershy's house. Before I get my kill inside, I yell to Fluttershy." Fluttershy, go up stairs for a bit I need some privacy in the kitchen." I hear her footsteps go up the stairs and I go to the kitchen, I grab any spare ingredient I can find, I put them in a large cauldron over the still burning fire and close the lid. I then go back into the kitchen and skin, gut and fix up the rabbit. I am aware that Fluttershy is probably a vegetarian and might be offended by my diet. I go into the living room and throw the rabbit in. she had no mineral stone so it might taste bad, but I need the energy.

After I eat I call the girls down and ask if they would like to join me to go see the princess, they agree. I grab all my gear and realize something… I need armor if I am to fight some of the foes from these books. I ask if there is a blacksmith in town." No," Fluttershy responds meekly," but there is rarity, she makes clothes."

"That will have to do; I hope I can get my hands on some metal to form, or at least thick leather." I continue outside as I see Twilight walking down the road with pinkie bouncing along with her." Twilight, Pinkie." I wave to them to get there attention. They walk to the edge of the road and we meet them there." Hi Twilight, how are you?"

"Oh I am fine, looks like you made some friends."

"Ya," Rainbow Dash chimed in from behind," this guy is awesome, he tells the best stories, plays the best music, and can make you feel better when you need it, and he is really caring."

"Well, looks like you are pretty popular. It is not every day that someone gets Dash's attention, let alone impresses her" I shrug in response and look over to
Pinkie who grows quiet as I look towards her," I am so so so sorry about what happened in the woods Pinkie, can you forgive me." She nods, I don't buy it." Hey guys, why don't you meet us at the princess's castle, I am going to need a guide, Twilight, would you please." Sure, follow me and Pinkie Pie. That is just where we were headed." It sounded good so I began to follow; as I saw Dash and Fluttershy walk off in the distance, probably just chatting about some stuff from the night before. I turned to hear Twilight ask me a questions." So, think we can hear a song from your world."

"Why not, I will sing you a song from a story called The Hobbit, I don't know what it is called but it is about a few dwarves journey to seek gold from a dragon, a dragon released into this world from that book." I tried to remember the song and it came to me, in a deep bass voice I began.

Far over the misty mountains cold,

To dungeons deep and caverns old,

We must away ere break of day,

To seek the pale enchanted gold.

The dwarves of yore made mighty spells,

While hammers fell like ringing bells,

In places deep, where dark things sleep,

In hollow halls beneath the fells.

For ancient king and Elvish Lord,

There many a golden hoard,

They shaped and wrought, and light they caught,

To hide in gems on hilt of sword.

On silver necklaces they strung,

The flowering stars, on crowns they hung,

The dragon-fire, in twisted wire,

They meshed the light of moon and sun.

The pines were roaring on the height,

The winds were moaning in the night,

The fire was red, it flaming spread,

The trees like torches, blazed with light.

I loved this song; I sang it to myself often when I felt like there was nothing to live for. This song reminded me of adventures at strange times. I looked to twilight, she was tearing up." I am so sorry, did I do something wrong. She looked up at me," why would you leave your home when there was that much beauty in it?"

I looked at her questioning face and let out a long sigh and looked ahead," because it was forgotten long ago, I am the one of few who kept it alive." She looked ahead and kept walking as well. I loved my stories, and since they were here, I didn't know if I ever wanted to leave. This was a peaceful place, when certain little things weren't coming from books and were seeking to kill. I looked to Twilight and asked what was actually wrong with the princess. she said," well, it doesn't show, but she is very sick. She was cut by a goblin weapon and it made her very sick for a while, but then the side affects stopped, but she is still sick."

"hmmm, interesting. So where is the kingdom?"

"right up above us."

I looked up, she wasn't kidding. We had been following the mountain side for a while and it turned out that the castle, called Canterlot, was built into the side of the mountain. we climbed up and entered the castle gates. it was beautiful, but I couldn't dwell on that now. We need to get to the princess' castle. I followed Twilight who led me to the large and ornate front door. I thanked her and went inside, she did not follow, she said she was going to look at the book stores for something new. I said," OK, meet back here in 1 hour or so. she nodded in agreement and went to the market. I turned and entered the castle. two guards were stationed there but didn't stop me. I figured they knew what I was there for. I continued down a great hall and saw the princess, she was still a very gorgeous pony, but moved as though she was in pain. I walked to her and greeted her," hello princess, I have some things to discuss with you about your problem." she agreed but asked to lie down. I said that that was fine. she laid down where she stood so I sat as well.

"what seems to be the problem, Sam." I could hear in her voice that she was actually concerned for me, it felt good to know that someone cared for me.

"Well, I came to tell you that I am going to need a few things for an expedition I am going on. If it is successful, then the number of goblins near Ponyville while become greatly decreased." I knew where the goblins were, if they already had found steel for new weapons, then they were in the Ponyville mines."

" Are you sure of this," she asked in disbelief," I really do not wish or any harm to come to my Ponies." I nodded and explained to her that goblins needed steady sources of metal, darkness, and large caves. and seeing the opening date on the mine, I assumed that it was large.

"But there is a catch," I said this and looked to the ground. somehow feeling as though she already was going to say no," I need a few pony soldiers, magic users, and maybe a Pegasus pony. But above all I need weapons, and I suggest that I get them as soon as possible, I leave you with this as I can see that you look tired princess, get some sleep and get back to me as soon as you can."

I got up and waved a goodbye to her and went outside, I looked for Twilight and could not find her.

I decided to go to the market for myself and see what Canterlot had to offer. I grabbed the bits that I had managed to get together after I went to the Ponyville market the time I had gone to it very early the morning at Fluttershy's and sold some things I had scavenged of the dead goblins, a hefty price I received might I add. I strolled around, listening for the sound of metal striking, I need a blacksmith. I heard it, though faint it was there. I began to search and search, no luck. then all of a sudden, a large colt appears from behond a curtain doorway and said in a low, raspy voice," you lost buddy, if you are looking for the blacksmith then you found him."

" good," I said between gasps as I tried to calm my racing heart," I just need some steel and maybe some wood, or a sword hilt would be even better." he raised a brow at me and then reluctantly allowed me in. I dropped 50 bits on the table and he gave me the supplies, I walked over to the fire pit where he shaped the steel and got to work.