Witchers of Nifelheim - Part 3

Kaylee Brown wrote:

(Rain, Rogue, Radiance)

The Witchers looked slightly confused by your accent but nodded and began to slowly disperse. Most of them were openly staring at your wings, even as they moved away.

You suddenly became keenly aware that everyone around you were sea ponies. The gills on their necks somewhat stood out, if their shirts collar was low.
Some of them were looking at you as if they've never seen pegasi before.



The smith Jorgen was hard at work, by the stern of the ship. After living side by side with him in the spirit village, you recognized him almost immediately.

The smith was loudly hammering a piece of glowing green metal, that was destined to become a blade. Each strike was accompanied by a bizarre, hexagon shaped spark, that emanated from the depths of the metal.

Jorgen wiped his forehead and looked at you:
"...more work? By the Shimmer.." he released a tired sigh:
"Alright, tell me what you need quick, I'm already full with orders" he sounded grumpy, though you can't seem to remember a time when he was in a good mood.


Jorgen took a closer look at you and squinted:
"Ah. I remember you" he meaningfully said, leaning back in his chair:

"Have my weapons served you well?"

"That they have, you have indeed excelled yourself" Rogue assures Jorgen, before pulling out the three broken Witcher blades he picked off Alder's lot, "However, that doesn't mean we should rest on our laurels. Tell me, are you familiar with a lantern shield?"

Kaylee Brown wrote:
(Twilight)

"Hey that's a good idea!" Ursula excitedly said: "We can prepare as many spells as we want, since the preparation doesn't cost any Mana.
If a fight ever happens we can just choose the spell we want to cast"



"Topics to talk about hmmm" Kaylee said with a smirk, sitting in her pentagram with her eyes closed:
"If today was just an average day in Equestria, and you were at home right now with your whole family, what would you be doing around this time of day?"

She opened her eye slightly and looked at the sunset.

She sat in her pentagram, focussing on her spell. Once she heard the question though, she felt a wave of shock. Like something was awakened. She let out a heavy sigh.

"If it was just a nice day off, to be spend at home... It could be any number of things. Maybe it would be paperwork as usual, louzy lazy officials... I bet that when I leave, the whole office collapses." She shakes her head. "Not what you want to talk about I guess."

She looked towards the sea. "Maybe reading a book. Play a game with my husband, or discuss a vacation option, if that was ever possible. Or, what I would like the most..." She lets out a shaky sigh, follows with swallowing some sadness. "Hold my babies in my arms and just let time pass by. That... Is all I want now..." She holds up her hands. "To hold my own two adorable creations in these arms once more..."

She hangs her head. "I'm probably a broken record about that, but it weights more on my heart then I can put in words. Please, just to change the subject... What would you do?"

"They have, thank you" Radiance nods "But, some of us are in need of a change." he gestures between himself and Rain "We both would like to reforge our weapons into something else."

Rain smiles at the blacksmith, "It seems my role has changed." She begins removing her armor, "I need something heavier. A pole axe. I'll help design. Need heavy armor as well."

(Twilight)


Off to the size, Tim and Ursula busted out a chessboard. It looked much the same as the chess back on Earth, exept here, half the pieces looked like scary parasites and the other half like scary Witchers.
The pieces were carved of wood and painted. The amount of intricate detail on them was surprising.
Judging by how lovingly Tim set the figures on the board, the set was apparently his.



Kaylee slightly moved her head, so Twilight would be in her field of vision:

"Cheery, peacefull, carefree days like that..
That's what we're really fighting for." Kaylee smiled:

"Remembering those memories, picturing them, makes it all easier to bear."




She looked at the sunset again and removed her eyepatch, looking at the sun with both of her eyes:

"...for me, its that very rare weekend, when the whole family is finally together again.
We're at my parents house, Sam and Lisa, they live in this cozy home at the edge of Ponyville.

Mom and dad are still in the kitchen, preparing the final touches to the grand family dinner.

My older sister, Elisabeth, is sitting on the couch in the living room, together with her husband, Kevin, and their little son Chris. He's gonna be four years old next year. They're quietly talking about life and laughing, from time to time.

Hope, my oldest sister.. and the tallest-" Kaylee giggled: "Seriously, you can tell she's the oldest cos she stands at like 195 cm. Compared to my 163 cm that's quite the difference.
She's taller than mom, and moms like really tall"


Kaylee fell into thought: "Although, Maddie's crazy tall too. I guess we finally know who's genes Hope inherited" she giggled again:

"Anyways, Hope is teasing me about my height again and we're both laughing at the stupidest jokes and stale meme's we saw recently.
We're both sitting on the floor, next to the DVD, trying to decide which hilariously stupid movie to screen for everyone.


The doors rings, and its Maddie, with a basket of freshly baked piroshki, they're like small pies I guess, baked with cabage or meat or apples inside them. Oh my god Twilight, they're so good.


And togethet with Maddie, walks in my uncle, Storm, with his wife and son."


Kaylee conspiratorially leaned closer to you:
"He's not technically my uncle by blood, but he might as well be.
He and my dad knew each other since age zero, literally. Where one goes, the other inevitably follows. They've been through so much crazy stuff together. The stories my dad tells-"


Kaylee giggled: "I don't know whats more frightening, if he exaggerates, or if he actually evades telling the more spooky details.

Anyway.
The table is finally set, we all sit together, all of us, one giant family, watch the most hilarious movie we found, have the most majestic dinner we can cook and just... laugh...
Laugh about anything and everything.

Laugh the night away" Kaylee was smiling at the sunset, one eye, glowy yellow, the other one blue, murky and scarred.

Her cheeks were wet with tears and she was happily smiling.



After a while, she said: "That's what I'm fighting for.
To get those days back"




















(Rain, Rogue, Radiance)


"A lantern shield" Jorgen accepted the charred weapons, thoughtfully staring off into space:
"Yeees.. I can forge a lantern shield" he looked at Rogue, scratching his beard:

"It won't do any good against magic though.
Witcher weapons are most effective against Witcher weapons and physical attacks. You will be able to block them using a lantern shield.


But magic, eeeeeeeeh..." the smith leaned back in his chair, falling in thought:
"Something about the chemical composition... makes the Witcher weapons suseptible to magic.


Some parasites deliberately target your Witcher weapon, hoping to destroy it with magic and leave you defenseless."



The smith looked at everyone somberly:
"If your Witcher sword or shield is struck by magic, several times, it will break.. and you will be left defenseless against the parasites.

Remember, you may run out of Mana, but your Witcher weapon can be used infinitely..
Take good care of it and don't let it be hit by magic."




The smith sat in silence for a few moments, his thoughts drifting off somewhere, then he seemingly snapped back to the present and looked at you:
"Armor. Yes. There is a set of heavy armor in the back of the smithy.
Please tell me in detail, what kind of weapon you need. And I will begin work"



The smith paused and looked at you:
"Due to the shortage of metal, I will be using your old weapons as templates.
Please summon them, lay them on the table here, and de-synchronize them from your body.

Just like last time, simply touch the weapons with your palm and concentrate. Picture the weapon separating from your consciousness. One entity becomes two again."



"Does that mean.." Johan asked, thinking: "We'll be without a Witcher weapon, while the new ones are being forged?"


"Yes" Jorgen heavily nodded: "We need every gram of spare metal we can find. Your old weapons will be reforged into a new design. And should I lack the resources, I will begin utilizing the burned weapons you brought."

The smith looked you in the eyes and assuringly smiled, slightly punching Johan in the shoulder:
"Ah don't worry lads, I won't leave you without a weapon for long. I'll bump your order to the top of the list, it'll be done a few days before the voyage's over"

Kaylee Brown wrote:(Rain, Rogue, Radiance)

"A lantern shield" Jorgen accepted the charred weapons, thoughtfully staring off into space:
"Yeees.. I can forge a lantern shield" he looked at Rogue, scratching his beard:

"It won't do any good against magic though.
Witcher weapons are most effective against Witcher weapons and physical attacks. You will be able to block them using a lantern shield.


But magic, eeeeeeeeh..." the smith leaned back in his chair, falling in thought:
"Something about the chemical composition... makes the Witcher weapons suseptible to magic.


Some parasites deliberately target your Witcher weapon, hoping to destroy it with magic and leave you defenseless."



The smith looked at everyone somberly:
"If your Witcher sword or shield is struck by magic, several times, it will break.. and you will be left defenseless against the parasites.

Remember, you may run out of Mana, but your Witcher weapon can be used infinitely..
Take good care of it and don't let it be hit by magic."




The smith sat in silence for a few moments, his thoughts drifting off somewhere, then he seemingly snapped back to the present and looked at you:
"Armor. Yes. There is a set of heavy armor in the back of the smithy.
Please tell me in detail, what kind of weapon you need. And I will begin work"



The smith paused and looked at you:
"Due to the shortage of metal, I will be using your old weapons as templates.
Please summon them, lay them on the table here, and de-synchronize them from your body.

Just like last time, simply touch the weapons with your palm and concentrate. Picture the weapon separating from your consciousness. One entity becomes two again."



"Does that mean.." Johan asked, thinking: "We'll be without a Witcher weapon, while the new ones are being forged?"


"Yes" Jorgen heavily nodded: "We need every gram of spare metal we can find. Your old weapons will be reforged into a new design. And should I lack the resources, I will begin utilizing the burned weapons you brought."

The smith looked you in the eyes and assuringly smiled, slightly punching Johan in the shoulder:
"Ah don't worry lads, I won't leave you without a weapon for long. I'll bump your order to the top of the list, it'll be done a few days before the voyage's over"

"It managed to block a couple of spells okay, but it was beginning to fizz a little towards the end" Rogue nods, "Isn't there anything we can do to reinforce it, maybe using a method like Damascus steel?"

Radiance summons then de-synchronizes from his weapon. He then starts to describe his weapon.



The weapon can switch back and forth between saw form and it's serrated glaive form as the weapon is being swung or used. Fully extended the weapon has a length of 6 ft (1.8 meters) being on the short side for a standard spear. The handle and blade with take up half of the total length. But the curved nature of the handle making it appear slightly shorter.

Rain gives a small smirk to the blacksmith, "A poleaxe, or halberd as it's called from time to time." She summons her bow and sets it onto the blacksmiths table she takes a deep breath as she deslsyncroizes from it.



Rain moves to the back slipping into her new armor. Plated with metal, each step now rattles her armor, and the wood creaks beneath her new weight. Her belt now holds up a pair of plated pants and only the saber rests in it's scabbard. The rapier she Carry's out with her.

(Rain, Rogue, Radiance)


The smith regretably sighed and looked at Rogue:
"You are lucky, it sounds like the shield was ready to break at any moment.
I'm afraid reinforcing the weapons won't make a significant change, as the entire weapon is made of the same, purified metal. It is inherently suseptible to magic attacks.

Much like, organic material is suseptible to sulfuric acid, for example."




As Rain walks out of the smithy in her heavy armor, Johan gave her a thumbs up: "Awesome"



The smith looked at Radiance and Rain:
"Very good, I will begin work on your weapons."

He looked at Rogue: "A lantern shield?" He asked.

Kaylee Brown wrote:(Rain, Rogue, Radiance)


The smith regretably sighed and looked at Rogue:
"You are lucky, it sounds like the shield was ready to break at any moment.
I'm afraid reinforcing the weapons won't make a significant change, as the entire weapon is made of the same, purified metal. It is inherently suseptible to magic attacks.

Much like, organic material is suseptible to sulfuric acid, for example."




As Rain walks out of the smithy in her heavy armor, Johan gave her a thumbs up: "Awesome"



The smith looked at Radiance and Rain:
"Very good, I will begin work on your weapons."

He looked at Rogue: "A lantern shield?" He asked.

"So worst come to worst, it might be I just've to keep reforging my shield after every few battles?" Rogue summarises, "I can live with that, it's not like I'm planning on picking that many fights, after all? See what you can do, I trust you won't let us down."



// How do I get the picture to work?

//If you spot the small YouTube link on the top row of all the text editing stuff two options to the left is an insert image box. Throw the URL in their and it will add the image.

Radiance wrote://If you spot the small YouTube link on the top row of all the text editing stuff two options to the left is an insert image box. Throw the URL in their and it will add the image.

// Thanks

"I plan on becoming an unstoppable Force and an immovable object. I may be new to this witcher thing but I think once we get a roll on our names will be known all across the mainland." She rolls her shoulders, a loud crack escapes her neck and back, "We need a team name." She looks to her friends, "A squad designation if you will. Like we had back home."

"Days like those, that sounds wonderful." Twilight smiles, looking in the distance as well.

"I can remember many silly parties and adventures with my friends and family as well, or those that first seem hectic but now seem silly in retrospect. Like the time Fluttershy kidnapped the pet bird of Celestia, when she was still a princess." She gently shakes her head with a smile. "It was to heal the sick looking bird, but that bird seemed ready to commit suicide. I was going crazy, envisioning all the horrible punishments we could've been subjected to. And when it finally seemed to go up, the thing bursted into flames!" She made the motions of explosion with her hands. "I swear, I may have shit myself right there when Princess Celestia came by. And I was ready to punch something when she revealed she pranked us both! I was livid!" She tries to look mad, but begins to laugh. "Trolled by a bird, that's something the kids might laugh at."

She looked ahead, her smile slowly growing more solemn. "How I was the days could come back that silly acts like those were possible. That I could overreact to trivial acts in such a manner. Alas, those days are no more. Now it's day in day out with the responsibilities, trying to keep up a stoic act despite all the shit flung at me, deserving or not."

A sigh escapes her lips. "... I might fly into a political rant soon, tell me if I should stop right now or not."

C̷O̴N̴S̶U̸M̵E̵ wrote:"I plan on becoming an unstoppable Force and an immovable object. I may be new to this witcher thing but I think once we get a roll on our names will be known all across the mainland." She rolls her shoulders, a loud crack escapes her neck and back, "We need a team name." She looks to her friends, "A squad designation if you will. Like we had back home."

"What's wrong with 'Heroes of Adelheid'?" Rogue asks Rain, "Y'know, other than how it won't really mean much to the locals?"

"And we are also neither heroes yet or near Adelheid," Radiance cracks a partial smile "We need something interesting and catchy, like the Horizon Walkers."

Radiance wrote:"And we are also neither heroes yet or near Adelheid," Radiance cracks a partial smile "We need something interesting and catchy, like the Horizon Walkers."

"The what?" Rogue asks Radiance incredulously, "Where did that come from?"

"Well,like the travelers of old we crossed a new horizon to get here. Though unlike them we used a crazy magic portal." he raises one hand "And like the old travelers that walked to discover their new lands we 'walked' into that portal" he raises the other hand emphasizing the walked with air quotes "In search of both our children and a way to find peace we also came here with the subconscious goal to learn and explore. So," he clasps his hands together "I'd say Horizon Walkers fits that perfectly"

(Twilight)


Kaylee looked at Twilight with a smile:
"Better to let those kinda things off your chest, its unhealthy to keep it bottled up inside you know"












(Rain, Rogue, Radiance)


The smith nodded but looked at Rogue with concern:
"Please don't plan ahead on reforging your shield every few battles. The metal used for for the Witcher weapons is extremely rare.

Newly initiated Witchers without a weapon, and veteran Witchers who's weapons have been destroyed, take priority, when the metal stockpiles become limited.

You may find yourself in a position where your shield breaks and there won't be any metal to fix it.
Please take good care of your gear and avoid damaging it needlessly."





Johan fell into thought:
"A squad name, huh.. lets throw some options around.
We have, the Heroes of Adelheid, Horizon Walkers.. oh! Maybe the Witchers of Beauclair, the first village we arrived to.

Or.. The Witchers of Terra?
The local folk won't know we mean Earth, they know it as the Machine World. And the word Terra might sound mysterious to them, give us a certain air of mystery." Johan seems excited.

Rain chuckles, "Witchers of Terra. Might as well crown an emperor of mankind while we are at it." She looks to Radiance, "I like horizon walkers. It has a nice ring to it!" Rain leans herself against a wall and crosses her arms, "mabye we should get the rest of the parties input before deciding."

Kaylee Brown wrote:(Twilight)

(Rain, Rogue, Radiance)


The smith nodded but looked at Rogue with concern:
"Please don't plan ahead on reforging your shield every few battles. The metal used for for the Witcher weapons is extremely rare.

Newly initiated Witchers without a weapon, and veteran Witchers who's weapons have been destroyed, take priority, when the metal stockpiles become limited.

You may find yourself in a position where your shield breaks and there won't be any metal to fix it.
Please take good care of your gear and avoid damaging it needlessly."

"I'll try my best" Rogue assures the smith.

C̷O̴N̴S̶U̸M̵E̵ wrote:Rain chuckles, "Witchers of Terra. Might as well crown an emperor of mankind while we are at it." She looks to Radiance, "I like horizon walkers. It has a nice ring to it!" Rain leans herself against a wall and crosses her arms, "mabye we should get the rest of the parties input before deciding."

"I volunteer as tribute for that role" Rogue raises his hand, "I'd be an awesome god; fair, but firmly cruel."

"Where to start..." Twilight says with a hint of fatigue.

"I suppose I'll start by explaining why I hold my views on the current political climate. See, the Union, as an idea, is something I can get behind. And many things they did have helped out to improve the quality of life of people around the world. But I put several question marks at other aspects of it that can't be overlooked."

She looked at Kaylee with a stoic face. "Originally, the Union was set up as an idea to maintain peace around the world and to promote equality. However, while we were on the Bodewig, the agenda they pushed against Equestria seemed to be far more hostile then was let on. There was little room for negociation, you were with them or against them, there was no option of co-existence. And then, while we were in a coma, the other princesses signed the deal. It maybe was presented as equals, but it doesn't feel that way. It feels more like it was assimilated into the global force after losing the war."

She shakes her head. "There's also the matter of peace. Since it's went global, smaller acts of terrorism have reduced greatly, and the ones that pop up can be dealt with. But the problem is that most of those were from inside the Union, using the tools granted by the global organization to be turned against them. The Slavegear incident is proof of that, being created by a nation that's part of the Union, to be used by others against it."

She looks ahead. "Another thing that I noticed is that many people begin to believe many things just happen, they stop putting much work and thought into it. I see it myself in the politics, as some only put in the bare minimum so other people have to pick up their slack. Or nag at the slacker to complete their objective. There are days I only do that, instead of having time to pursue my own agenda. Those are thankless days."

She sighs. "There are times where I just want to quit my job and apply to something simpler. But I can't, I feel too much responsibility would be lost when I just leave, like it will go wrong until they find a way to work it out without my help. On top of that, I still want to make Equestria leave the Union. Not to do complete disassociation, but to make agreements on business and warfare like equals, instead of having to go along with the flow because a higher force demands it."

She changes how she sits to reflect more power. "I'm not against the Union as a concept. But I do question how it came to be and if it really worked out as intended. You can't always say that the end justifies the means. Well then..." Her voice lowers a little. "Was it really justified to assault Equestria to make it part of the Union?"

"Sure you would" Radiance places a hand on Rogues shoulder feigning seriousness for but a moment "And I'll be your vizier so I can literally turn a blind eye to your divine wisdom."

"I'll run the Inquisition and Purge the Heritics." She laughs bringing her lean to something more relaxed, her legs cross and a cocky smirk spreads across her face "Praise the Emperor!" She looks up for a moment, "You know what... Witchers of Terra might not be that bad of a name. Plenty of References to be had that the Witchers will never understand."