The Sole Conqueror

Chapters

Too Deep Of Sleep
Voices From Beyond
Monster Mutation
Field Test
Caverns Dim
Reassessment
Magic and Mutations
The Battle of Rock Quarry

Too Deep Of Sleep

Chapter 1

“It’s this way! Keep firing!”

The laser rifles and bullets kept whizzing by us as we charged down the corridor towards the reactor. Preston was right behind me as the men fended off the synths trying to blast us, along with those damn Coursers, and any Institute scientists who stayed behind despite me initiating the evacuation protocol.

“Preston! On your right!” I pointed. Preston spun around and aimed his laser musket and fired at a synth guard about to shoot him.

“General! Go and get to the reactor! We’ll hold them off here!” Preston told me as he fired and blasted a hole through a synth’s head. The Minutemen all formed a firing line using any cover they could find to block off any incoming synths from getting through them.

“We’re in this together, Garvey!” I aimed my rifle and simultaneously shot six synth heads off and reloaded. I saw another synth aim at a Minuteman and raised my arm to block the laser shot. My Power Armor withstood it with no problem.

I was in front and kept firing my rifle. I took most of the shots fired at me since my Power Armor was made to endure almost anything, thanks to Sturges’s help. We finally managed to make it to the reactor and our target was in sight.

“We finally made it! Let’s get this detonator set and-!”

ZAP!

A stray laser shot hit one of my men in the leg, causing him to scream in pain and fall down. I looked to where the shot came from and saw X6 standing on the catwalk. Behind those sunglasses he always wore, I could tell he was pissed for a guy who didn't show much emotion.

“X6…” I said, frowning behind my helmet.

“They put their trust in you…I put my trust in you, sir,” X6 said, even though his voice sounded emotionless, I could still hear the hurt and betrayal in his voice. X6 then aimed his Institute rifle at me. “Lay down your weapons. Or I will be forced to terminate you and your friends,” X6 ordered me. “I won’t hesitate to kill you.”

Preston aimed his rifle but I held up my hand. “X6, please, you and I have been through a lot together. I don’t want to kill you, but…I will if you get in my way. It’s as I told Shaun…the Commonwealth deserves to choose its own fate! As do you! As does anyone!”

“Choose? The Institute has given the Commonwealth plenty of chances. You have seen what happens when we give synths choices. They will kill, rape, enslave, and even eat each other. The Institute was the best choice for the Commonwealth. For humanity. If you can’t see that…then I’m afraid you leave me no choice.” X-6 then opened fire at me and cloaked himself with a Stealth Boy.

I raised my arm and blocked his shots. “Get to cover! Now!”

Preston and the others hid behind whatever they could as I ran under the catwalk. X6 took more shots at me and I managed to evade them. Thanks to my heightened senses, over the course of traversing through the wasteland, I could make out where X6 was. I heard him running around me and jumped off the catwalk. I pulled out my assaultron blade and sprinted towards a support beam. I crashed into it, forcing X6 to jump out of the way which revealed himself. He took more shots at me as I charged, the blasts reflecting off my armor, and managed to pin him to the wall as I plunged my sword through his chest. There was a pause as X6 coughed and his glasses fell off as he stared up at me.

“I’m sorry, X6…” I said sadly.

“No…you’re…not…” X6 took his last breath before he slouched down on my assaultron blade. I slowly pulled it out of his chest and set him down against the wall. I sighed softly and closed his eyes as I stood up. Walking over to the controls of the reactor I pressed the button to open the doors, then went down into it. Thanks to my suit, the radiation didn’t harm me very much. I planted Sturges’s bomb on the reactor and activated it.

“Okay, bomb set!” I said. I walked back out of the reactor and pulled out the detonator. Only for it to be blasted out of my hand. “No!” I shouted as I turned back to see X6 still barely alive with an Institute rifle in hand. Preston then blasted his head off with his laser musket.

“No…” Preston looked down at the destroyed detonator. “No! No! No! What the hell do we do now?!”

I cursed under my breath but then heard the sounds of metallic footsteps headed our way. Most likely the remaining synth reinforcements.

“Boss! What the hell’s taking so long?!” I heard Sturges over the intercom.

I looked down at the destroyed detonator and back at the reactor. I clenched my fists and took a deep breath.

“Preston, take the rest of the Minutemen and get out of here. I’ll detonate the bomb myself.” I told him. Preston and the other Minutemen all gasped after hearing this.

“What? General, are you crazy? No, I ain’t leaving you, sir! We’ll figure out a way out of this!”

“Preston!” I snapped as the other Minutemen flinched at my outburst. I slowly reached up and took off my Power Armor helmet to look him in the eyes. “What code do the Minutemen live by?”

“T-To…To protect the people at a minute’s notice,” Preston said.

“The Commonwealth needs the Minutemen, Garvey. You all have the best chance at rebuilding,” I said as I then saluted him. Preston nearly chokes up after seeing this, but he and the others all saluted as well.

“Sir…Nate…It has been the greatest honor to fight by your side, and to have you as both a leader…and a damn good friend,” Preston said with great sorrow and sadness in his eyes.

“I know, and it’s been an equal pleasure to have known and fought with you too.” I placed my mechanical hand on his shoulder. “I’m glad I ran into you that day in Concord.” I frowned a little and sighed again. “Do me a favor…tell Piper that she’ll have to cancel that one-on-one interview about how we beat the Institute. And make sure you tell the others how good I went out.”

“You’ve done so much for us, for all of the people of the Commonwealth. We will never forget you, Nate,” Preston said as he started ordering the reluctant other Minutemen out of the reactor room. I watched as they left and looked up.

“Never thought it would end like this, huh? Huh Nora?” I asked out loud, a single tear running down my cheek as I headed to the reactor before latching my Power Armor helmet back on.

The synths marched in and began to take fire at me. I grunted as I fired my assault rifle at them. I made my way up the catwalk, taking fire and firing back. As I fought my way back to the reactor, I thought about all that I had been through since the day I crawled out of Vault 111. The friends I made, the struggles I endured, the battles I fought. All to save my son…only to find out he turned into my greatest enemy. As I was being pelted by laser shots and pushed my way back to the reactor, I quickly reached up and pressed a button on my helmet to play a curtain holo tape.

Feedback sound.

“Oops. Ha ha ha. No, no. Little fingers away. There we go. Just say it. Right there. Right there. Go ahead. *baby giggles* Ha ha! Yay! Hi honey! Listen…I don’t think Shaun and I need to tell you how great of a father you are…but we’re going to anyway. You are kind, and loving, *Shaun laughs*…and funny! Ha ha. That’s right. And patient. So patient. Patience of a saint, as my mother used to say. Look, with Shaun, and us all being at home together…It’s been an amazing year. But even so, I know our best days are yet to come. There will be changes, sure. Things we’ll need to adjust to. You’ll rejoin the civilian workforce, I’ll shake the dust off my law degree…But everything we do, no matter how hard…we do it for our family. Now say goodbye, Shaun…Bye bye? Say bye bye? *baby giggles* Bye honey! We love you!”

I grunted and threw a grenade at the synths and it exploded. I finally made it to the reactor and readied to push the button.

“…I love you too, Nora.”

Click!

Meanwhile
Fort Independence
3rd POV

Preston and the Minutemen teleported back to Fort Independence and Sturges followed behind.

“Preston!” Preston slowly turned to see Piper and the others ran up to him. “What happened?! Did you beat them?”

KA-BOOM!!!

A massive explosion rocked the whole wasteland, the force shook the earth and startled all the settlers in the Castle. A mushroom cloud hung over the wasteland and Preston looked up at it with great sadness.

“Holy shit!” MacCready yelped.

“The fuck was that?!” Hancock said.

“I say, that nearly ruptured my whole system!” Codsworth said.

Piper looked around as if looking for someone. “Wait…where’s Blue?” Dogmeet was sniffing around and began whining out loud.

Preston looked down as he tipped his hat to try and hide his face. Cait walked up to him.

“Oi! Where the fuck is Nate? Why the fuck ain’t he here?!” Cait demanded to know as she cared to Nate deeply.

“Garvey…don’t tell me…” Nick said softly as he had a feeling of what happened, but he hoped he was wrong.

“The General…made the ultimate sacrifice for the Commonwealth,” Preston said as he looked up at them. The others gasped as they heard this and looked back at the explosion.

“No…Sir…”Codsworth cried as he now lost his whole family.

“No! That’s…that’s bullshite! No way Nate would just…” Cait tried to say as Hancock punched a wall in anger.

“No…no no, please no…” Piper dropped to her knees and started to cry. “Why…why do all the good ones…damn it…!”

Nick took off his hat as the rest of the settlers gathered.

“Strong kill Institute! Institute kill brother!” Strong said angrily.

“Why would the monsieur do something so drastic?” Curie asked, tears leaking from her eyes.

“Garvey, did he say anything before…he died?” Nick asked.

“He said…he went down like a man. A hero, protecting the people of the Commonwealth and giving all of us the chance to choose our own fate.” Preston then walked over to Piper and knelt down to her. “He also said…he had to cancel that one-to-one interview with you…”

Piper cried and cried as she wrapped her arms around Preston and cried into his chest. As Nate’s companions mourned the death of their dear friend, a Brotherhood of Steel vertibird came flying in and landed just outside the Castle walls. Elder Maxson, of all people, marched through the gates.

“Where is he?! First he pulls that insubordinate stunt, now he goes awol and confronts the Institute on his own?! I’ll have his holo tags!” Maxson barked.

“You better watch your fuckin’ tongue, Maxson! Or else I’m gonna shove my gun so far up your arse, it will come out your mouth!” Cait threatened Maxson as the rest of Nate’s friends and the Minutemen all armed their weapons and aimed at Maxson.

“Stand down, now!” Ronnie Shaw and Preston both shouted as they stepped forward.

“The General…is no longer with us, Maxson…he died saving the Commonwealth and saving humanity,” Preston explained.

Maxson was shocked to hear the news and immediately changed his tone of voice and mood.

“I…I apologise…” Maxson said. “I’ve now lost two great Paladins. This war brings a heavy toll.” Maxson collected himself before clearing his throat. “Thank you for the news. I…I shall take my leave.” Maxson turned to walk away before looking back at Preston one last time. “He was a good man, wasn’t he?”

“He was the best of us. The Commonwealth will forever owe him a great debt. But now…it is up to us, all of us, to make sure his sacrifice wasn’t in vain,” Preston told Maxson, holding out his hand to the leader of the Brotherhood.

Maxson turned back around to face Preston and nodded and shook his hand.

“In honor of Paladin Nate, I shall have the Brotherhood support the Minutemen in any way I can.”

Preston nodded as news of Nate’s sacrifice spread throughout the Commonwealth. His actions, his sacrifice, and his legacy would be forever known for future generations. No one will soon forget the tale of the Sole Survivor of Vault 111.

Time Passes…

In an underground cave, the darkness was soundless and nothing but stone and cracked rock could be found. Cracks along the wall spread across the floor, the walls, and ceiling. The only sound heard was the distinct water droplets dripping from above. It was hitting something that didn’t sound like stone, but rather metallic. A small tremor shook the cave a little and a rock fell from the ceiling and hit the metal object with a loud clang. There was an echo that sounded throughout the cave, but then something else happened from within the metallic object.

A voice could be heard, but it sounded more…robotic. And a small flashing red light appeared as the voice spoke.

“Powering on.

Radiation levels: Depleted.

Fusion core energy: Immeasurable levels.

Power Armor plating: Error found. Unable to eject.

Pilot status: Unresponsive, incapacitated.

Pilot internal organs: Functional, yet unresponsive.

Pilot brain activity: detected.

Activating Power Armor healing pumps and built-in defibrillator. Stand clear.”

A loud pulse echoed throughout the cave, forcing some movement from the metal object. After a few minutes, another pulse echoed and something took a deep, exasperated breath. Something inside the metal object sprung to life. It was a large metallic suit of armor, much larger than normal standards. Its hands slowly opened and closed as it breathed slowly to keep calm. When it tried to move its arms and legs, it felt as though it was stuck into the stone of the cave. It couldn’t see, due to the darkness, but it could definitely feel as though it was trapped. However, despite having just woken up from its slumber, the being within the armor wanted to be free.

It clenched its fists and began pulling its arms and legs as hard as it could. The stone began to crack and give way from the armor’s unexpected strength and couldn’t keep the armor in place for long. With one last pull, the armor managed to rip itself out of the bedrock. Its joints felt a little stiff, but still moveable. The armor pressed down against the bedrock with its hands and forced the rest of its body out of its stone restraints. Once the metal being was free, it slowly stood up in its legs, allowing whatever lingering pieces of stone to fall off.

1st POV

What could only be described as a dream felt so real. I could still feel the burning sensation of the explosion against my armor, the nuclear material trying to burn its way through the metal plating and burn me to a crisp. I welcomed my end, the long journey of mine finally drawing to a close. Yet…something was wrong. I couldn’t see properly, but my eyes could still make out the HUD from my Power Armor’s helmet. The plating condition of my armor was still read yellow, the fusion cell’s energy level reading was damaged, but still allowed movement.

I stood in the darkness for what felt like hours. For a moment, I thought I was in hell and the reality didn’t hit me yet. I wouldn’t be surprised since I had killed so many people, I’ve lost count. I then remembered the built-in terminal of my helmet and attempted something that would confirm my current disposition.

“…Last recorded entry of active duty,” I said quietly and slowly.

“Recording Playing.”

My helmet began showing me recordings on what happened. From me and the Minutemen storming the Institute, to my battle with X6, to me saying goodbye to Preston. I saw myself walking towards the reactor, my geiger counter going nuts over the levels of radiation it let off, and suddenly seeing nothing but a flash of lights. The recording kept going but everything was just…blank. It was like that for a few moments until it showed darkness. Showing that I was buried under rock and debris.

“…Estimated time since active duty.”

“Estimating…

Approximately: over three million years since last active duty of Power Armor.”

My heart nearly stopped again after reading the words on my HUD.

“No…no, that can’t be! Run it again!”

“Running diagnostic…

Processing: Three million, five hundred and sixty thousand, eight hundred years since last active duty of Power Armor.”

I was at a loss for words, let alone oxygen. I wanted to scream, punch the wall, do something, but I was a statue. It wasn’t the fact that everyone I’ve ever known was now long gone. It wasn’t even the part where I miraculously survived a point blank nuclear blast when I should’ve been burnt to a crisp. All of it…all of it couldn’t compare to the fact that this is the second time I was put to sleep. I was taken from the world I once knew right before the war began, put in an ice box for over two hundred years, and woke up in a ripped apart world that was a shadow of the once I once knew. Now…it’s happened again, this time over three million years have passed.

The outside of this cave I was in was the only conundrum left. Since so much time has passed, how much has the world changed? I checked my geiger counter, but it read that there were no levels of radiation in the cave. I could feel the shock slowly ebbing away and it would only be a matter of time before I break down. I still couldn’t come to terms with my current situation. Part of me wanted to escape the cave, but I was admittedly terrified of what I would see. Would the world be completely destroyed? Devoid of life? I was the sole survivor of my vault, and there’s a chance I’d be the sole survivor of the whole world. I then remembered the promise I made with Preston. How he’d take my place and help rebuild and remake the Commonwealth to what it once was.

Despite my protests to not go out and stay put, I knew it was for the best to bite the bullet and keep moving. I turned on my helmet’s headlamp. It managed to flicker on and I finally saw my surroundings. Rock and rubble, no matter where I looked. Last I recall, I should still be in the reactor room from the Institute. But I could see no traces of machinery or man-made scaffolding. My only hypothesis was that everything had eroded away and decomposed over the course of three million years. But as the thought occurred to me, I looked down at my Power Armor limbs. There were rust spots here and there, dents and deep scratches along the metal, but it surprisingly seemed to be in better condition without any signs of eroding or decay. I took a minute to think about how it would be possible.

When I was creating this X-01 Power Armor, I had Struges help me draw up the blueprints. It would be the most scientifically combat enhanced set of Power Armor I could possibly invent. I must’ve scrounged through all the old science facilities and labradorites in the Commonwealth to find the right materials. I also took notes from Tinker Tom and Ingram. I intended for the armor to protect me from most, if not all, types of dangers and radiation exposure. My only conclusion, as ludicrous as it may sound, is that my Power Armor managed to withstand the full brunt of the reactor explosion. I was kept in some form of radioactive stasis and preserved all this time, surrounded by extreme radiation. Not to mention, the hurdles I had to endure to become as adept as possible to radiation exposure without the use of Power Armor.

I could go through the many lengthy explanations as to how I should be dead, or the luckiest/unluckiest bastard to be alive, but I had other priorities. One foot in front of the other, I walked across the cave to the other side of the wall. The cave itself wasn’t large, and there didn’t seem to be much oxygen in the room. I ran my mechanical hand along the stone wall. I knocked my hand against the stone, trying to find some kind of hollow point. I walked around the room, knocking my hand against the walls.

Clunk! Clunk!

After almost circling the whole cave, my knocking came to a halt. This curtain part of the wall sounded slightly different than the rest of the wall. It was solid, but also felt like there was something else in the other side. If only I had any more explosives with me, I could blow the wall away. Seeing no other option, I decided to do it the old fashioned way. I reeled my fist back and punched the wall as hard as I could.

The punch shook the cave and cracked the stone like glass. I reeled back my other fist and slammed it into the wall again. I kept punching the wall until it crumbled in front of me. Thanks to the built-in tesla bracers, it was easier to work my way through the stone. I tunnelled my way through the wall, not knowing where I was going. I didn’t know why I kept digging, maybe because I didn’t have much else of a choice. Maybe I should’ve stayed in the cave, pulled off my helmet, and slit my throat with the assaultron blade still equipped in my armor. Then again, was never the suicidal type…at least I thought I was until now.

After one last punch through the stone, I felt like I punched through to another opening. I pulled my fist back and kicked through to see I was in another cave. It was much larger than the one I woke up in, but there was an exit that would take me upwards. I made my trek up to the exit and saw light. My heart was beating quite fast, but I kept walking despite my growing anxiety. What would I see? Destruction? A world devoid of life? Mutants taken over? Questions surged through my mind, yet no answers came when I wanted. The light became brighter, so I turned off my headlamp. Once I reached the opening…I was met with an unexpected visual.

I seemed to be in some sort of mountain range. Nothing like what I remembered Commonwealth was. The Commonwealth didn’t even have any mountain ranges to begin with. Thinking about this in a geological view, there must’ve been a series of major earthquakes that terraformed and reshaped the landscape completely. All these mountains springing up was a result of that. Although, it didn’t help my nerves in the slightest. I only stepped out into the light for over a minute and I already felt nauseous. I fell to my hands and knees and clenched my fists.

“Gone…everything is gone…again…!” I growled.

Thoughts and images of my friends and family came flooding through my mind. The first time I saved Preston from those raiders, helping Cait in her path to cure her chem addiction, helping MacCready find a cure for his son, all those moments that made me hang on to my humanity, to keep me from breaking.

“Aaaaagh!” I punched the ground and made a small fist sized crater from the force of the impact.

I stayed on my mechanical hands and knees for who knows how long. I wish I could just stay here and die…but I knew better. I knew it wouldn’t help my current affairs. I sluggishly brought myself up to my feet. I decided to get some fresh air and went to eject myself from my armor.

RRRR-!

“Error.”

“Huh?”

RRRR-!

“Error: Unable to eject pilot.”

“What do you mean-get me out of here!”

I kept trying again and again but I still couldn’t get out of the Power Armor. I groaned and gritted my teeth. No point in dealing with this, for now. I...I just gotta keep moving. I sighed heavily and started taking my first steps in this new world I found myself in…again.

I made my way down the mountain pass until I was on level ground. I hypothesised that blast must’ve welded the armor plating to the exoskeleton. Not only that, but the eject mechanism on the back is more than likely severely damaged. Getting out of this armor will not be easy, if I can’t find the proper tools to do so. Once I reached the bottom, I got an idea on how else I can somewhat escape my mobile prison. I placed my hands under my helmet and pulled. Unlike the rest of my armor, the helmet was detachable and could he unequipped and reequipped whenever I pleased. By some stroke of good fortune, the helmet wasn’t as welded down to my armor.

The magnetic couplings released and I slowly took my helmet off my head. The sunlight piercing through the clouds above made me wince a bit, but I breathed in my first breath of fresh air. The smell of the air around me was surprisingly much cleaner than what I was used to smelling. It’s as if I couldn’t detect any rads in the air…which was comforting, given the circumstances. I looked down at my helmet and saw my reflection. I expected to see a charred face, similar to Hancock’s, with no hair, nose, or ears. Instead, I still had all my facial features and my hair. I smiled, if only a little, before shaking my head and placed my helmet back on my head.

I began my trek to…well, honestly, I didn’t really know where I was going. If there was any form of intelligent life left on this planet, it would be a miracle after over three million years. What I was most curious about is if there were still people around, would they have been able to rebuild humanity despite the major geological terraforming? I looked up and the sky was mostly cloudy and hiding the sun’s rays. I was like I was in some foreign world or a different dimension. After wandering for what seemed like hours, the sounds of cries of distress pulled my attention. I had to do a double take, even a triple take, to make sure I wasn’t delirious. The cries were louder and just over the horizon of the mountain trail. My pace picked up and my hopes of finding life came to fruition. Survivors…there’s still survivors living after all this time! Just as I made it over the horizon of the trail, I came to a screeching dead halt.

I expected to see humans, survivors, and they needed help from some kind of danger. Raiders, possibly? Which shouldn’t be likely, ever since I destroyed the gangs back in Nuka World. Ever since I liberated the former amusement park, word spread to the Commonwealth of my actions and how Nuka World became a large trading post again, soon to be a trading settlement. But these…things I was bearing witness to. They weren’t humans at all.

Three of them looked like some form of bipedal horse people. Their legs were double jointed like a horse and their feet were replaced with hooves. They had arms and hands like humans, but their faces had small snouts instead of noses. Their ears were on their heads and a bit pointed, and their hair was long, same with the tails growing out of their hindquarters. They wore tattered clothing and were running from some form of flying insect-like creatures with similar horse-like features. Only difference with these insect-like creatures was that their arms and legs had holes in them and their wings looked like blood bug wings.

“What…in the ever loving fuck am I looking at?!” I said aloud. “Is this some kind of sick joke?! Just how much did the radiation affect this world?! Has everyone mutated this way?!”

They didn’t seem to notice me, but I could hear them speak normally.

“Keep going! Don't look back!” I heard one horse-person shout.

She had pink-ish skin…or fur-or whatever, with purple hair and a light blue streak through it, same with her tail. I also noticed that these…whatever he fuck they are, had different things with them. She, apart from her…assets, had a horn, another had wings but looked damaged, and another looked normal, as far as normal gets in this place.

“Go ahead and run! It makes the meat more juicy!” One of the black bug things said while the others laughed and mocked them.

That last part made me unintentionally angry almost immediately. It was something I had heard one too many times from too many of those fucking raiders. And now, after all this time, there’s still people like that?

“Fucking sickening…” I hissed venomously and picked up a rock. I reeled my arm back and aimed at one of the black bugs. I pinpointed the rock to hit his head. Once I was prepared, I threw the rock as hard as I could towards one of the bugs. The rock hurled through the air and hit the bug’s head in its temple.

KER-SPLAT!

The bug’s head exploded in a green gory mess as its brains flew everywhere and its body fell to the ground. My breaking point was on the edge as my anger was still apparent and I reached back and pulled out my assaultron blade and menacingly made my way to the now terrified group, who still hasn’t noticed me yet.

All I could think about were all the people that the raiders would kill, torture, rape, and even eat. Hearing their sick laughs, seeing no remorse in their eyes, it made me sick to my stomach. I let out a war cry and charged at them.

3rd POV

“FUCKING KILL!”

Nate charged at them with full force, the ground practically shaking under the weight of his steel boots. Like a giant stomping across the earth the bug-people stared up in fear at the hulking metal beast that was charging at them that came out of nowhere. What really made their blood freeze was its eyes, blood red and almost glowing. Before any of them could react, the metal monster reached out and grabbed a bug person by the head and lifted him up. Nate then plunged his blade inside the bug person’s stomach and began craving his way up. The bug person screamed in pain and horror but his cries were muffled by Nate’s metal hand. Nate then crushed the bug person’s head and drooped his now headless corpse on the ground.

“W-W-What the Tartarus is that?” Another bug person cried out.

Nate wasted no time as he charged forward at another bug person. This time they made a move by flapping their wings and flying up, but this didn’t stop Nate’s assault on them. He threw his assaultron blade at it and through its throat. It choked and gurgled on his own blood before falling down.

“Nooo! I’ll kill you!” Another changeling flew down towards Nate and fired an unknown from his horn, blasting Nate in his chest.

Nate stumbled back a bit but was still standing as if it was nothing. The bug person flew down and sunk his fangs into Nate’s head. At least, that was the idea. The bug person cried out as his fangs shattered upon biting Nate’s helmet. Nate clapped his hands together on the bug person’s head and crushed it, blood and brain matter splattered everywhere. The last bug person was frozen in shock and fear, he had just witnessed his friends be completely slaughtered by this…this…demonic monster! The bug person fell down as his whole body had practically refused to function anymore out of fear. Nate looked over at the last hug person and marched his way towards him.

“S-Stay back…! I-I-I said s-stay back!” The bug person cried as he tried crawling away but he couldn’t move

His body trembled and his mind went blank as death was drawing closer and closer and closer until it was standing right above him. Nate lifted up his boot and placed it on the bug person’s chest. Then Nate began to slowly bring his foot down. The bug person gasped and tried clawing at his steel boot. Whimpering as he then groaned out in pain as a loud snap was heard followed by more. His ribs breaking under the weight as the bug person began coughing up blood, tears in his eyes as he was pleading for his life.

“H-H-Have…m-mercy…!”

“…God has mercy. I. Don’t.”

These were the last words the bug person heard before his entire chest was caved in by Nate’s boot. Blood, guts, and crushed bones littered the ground.

Nate breathed out slowly and clenched his fists. He picked up his metal boot, bone and gore sticking to him. He walked over to the bug he threw his sword at and yanked it out of its throat. His sights then turned to the group of horse people who were trembling in fear at the sight of him. Nate was silent as he trudged over to them and stopped just before him, his colossal form looming over them like a shadow of death.

“You speak English?” Nate demanded. The people looked up in fear and they nodded slightly, mostly afraid but also slightly confused. “What are you?”

“W-We’re…W-We’re…We’re ponies…” The unicorn woman answered as she stood in front of the other two ponies, they seemed younger by a few years, at best teenagers. The unicorn gulped and powered up her horn, however the light around her horn seemed dim.

“I-I-I won’t hesitate…” She said. Nate could tell that she was scared out of her mind, but he also saw that they all looked malnourished and weak, like they haven’t eaten in days.

“Ponies, huh?” Nate rolled his eyes behind his helmet. “Radiation has a sick sense of humour.”

“H-Huh?” The woman said.

“Nothing. Who or what were those things I killed?” Nate pointed at the mutilated corpses.

“Y-You don’t know what a changeling is?” The unicorn asked in confusion.

“A what?”

“A changeling. They’re…they’re monsters. They can transform into anypony and anything they want, they feed off love but…love wasn’t enough. They started…s-started…” Tears built up in the corner of her eyes as she began to cry, probably remembering the horrors she was forced to bare witness.

Nate was silent, unbeknownst to him, a thread within his psyche was hanging by a thread. One last question was all it would take for the inevitable psychological transformation.

“What happened to the world?” Nate said in a low tone.

“I-I’m sorry?” The unicorn leaned in a bit as she didn't quite hear the question.

“Tell me what happened to the world. Why were you running away from these things?” Nate said.

The woman hesitated but began to explain. “For five years, the lands have been under the tyrannical rule of three of the worst villains in history. They rule with cruelty and make anypony who resists pay dearly. It’s been like this ever since all the princesses were defeated one by one. We live under their totalitarian rule and everypony suffers endlessly. It’s like a never ending nightmare…”

“I…sacrificed everything,” Nate said to himself quietly. “And this is how I’m repaid…?!”

Snap!

The three ponies shivered and trembled in fear as they stepped back. Nate balled his fists and punched a small stray boulder, practically exploding upon impact as Nate started yelling at the top of his lungs.

“IS THIS YOUR SICK TWISTED SENSE OF HUMOR?! RIPPING ME APART FROM THEM WASN’T ENOUGH FUN FOR YOU?! YOU HAD TO DO IT AGAIN?! HUH?! EVERYTHING!! GONE!! YOU FUCKING SON OF A BITCH!!”

Nate punched multiple stray boulders over and over as images of his wife, his son, the Institute, Raiders, Super Mutants, all forms of Hell he went through flooded his mind.

Nate breathed heavily, his armor was practically steaming from the exertion he just portrayed. Just when the ponies thought it couldn’t get any scarier, Nate began to chuckle a little. His chuckling turned into a laugh as he stared up at the sky and laughed out loud maniacally. When the laughing finally died down, he turned to face the ponies again.

“Fine…I now somewhat regret killing Gage. He had the right idea all along!” He pointed at the pink-furred pony. “Where’s the nearest settlement?!”

The unicorn jolted back in fear and gulped before finally speaking

“J-Just a mile up north. I-It was my home town… Please, D-Don’t hurt them,” she said while protecting the other two behind her.

Nate grabbed her by the arm, not hard enough to break it or harm her, but enough to pull her away from the ponies and shove her in the direction she said.

“Lead the way,” Nate ordered as he shoved the other two ponies.

“You’re taking us back?! But we just escaped!”

“I just saved your pathetic ass,” Nate snorted and leaned in to glare at her, the red lights on his helmet glowing red. “And I’ll save the rest of them my own damn way. So cooperate, and I’ll keep treating you nicely.”

The ponies all stared at each other and shivered in fear. On one hand they had just escaped what could be described as hell, on the other hand this thing just slaughtered a team of Changelings with no remorse and with ease.

“F-Fine…j-just promise me you’ll save my friends,” The unicorn said. “I-I’m Starlight Glimmer…do you have a name or…?”

“Names are for friends.” Nate shoved the pony Starlight along. “And we aren’t friends.”

Starlight gulped as his voice sounded like it came from the pits of Hell itself, but he seemed to be the only one that could save them.

“F-Follow me. I know a place w-where we can get a better look without being seen,” she said as she tried to lead.

Nate followed the ponies along the path and they tried their best not to look behind them. Nate’s armor was still dripping green blood and his sword more so. Nate didn’t expect to become this enraged after hearing the state of the world, but then again, he couldn’t care less at the same time.

“Hey.” Starlight jumped and looked over her shoulder as they walked. “Who’re these three villains you mentioned?“

“Um…their names are Tirek, Sombra, and the one who controls the changelings, Queen Chrysalis,” Starlight explained.

“And you said they banded together and took over?” Nate questioned.

“Yes…it was something not even Princess Celestia and Luna, our former rulers, could’ve ever anticipated happening. Each of them were defeated more than once by the Elements of Harmony. Sombra and Tirek both were sealed in their own prisons, but Queen Chrysalis somehow managed to free the both of them and form an alliance.”

“I’m gonna pretend what you said makes sense, even though I have no fucking idea,” Nate deadpanned behind his helmet.

“A-Anyway, they systematically overwhelmed every princess one by one. Then they began spreading their tyranny throughout all of Equestria.”

“Fucking hell…even the Commonwealth’s name got changed?” Nate rolled his eyes.

“What is the Commonwealth?” Starlight asked hesitantly.

“None of your business, what else happened?” Nate said.

“Each villain got their portion of land on the continent.“ Starlight wrapped her arms around herself to try to calm her nerves. “They…displayed their victory by stringing up all five princesses in front of everypony. They were then split apart from each other and taken as prisoners. No pony has seen or heard from any of them or the other Elements of Harmony bearers ever since.”

God, what a load of shit she’s spouting. Nothing makes sense anymore… Nate thought.

“Hmph, so what you’re saying is they realised that playing the long game never worked out and they cut right to the chase? They’re not as stupid as I was about to assume they were.”

“A-Are you going to free us from them?” Stsrlight asked.

“I don’t remember agreeing to any favor of yours, girly,” Nate scoffed. “Right now, I’m still figuring out my next move as I go. First thing’s first.”

After about an hour of walking, the group arrived just beyond the town Starlight mentioned. It was surrounded by black, carapace-looking walls. More changelings were flying around everywhere and Nate could see them abusing the pony folk from where they stood.

“Here it is…” Starlight said sadly. “I really didn’t want to come back here.”

“I don’t really care.” Nate continued to walk forward. “Stay put and shut up.”

“You’re going down there-?!” Nate cut her off by pointing his still bloody sword at her neck.

“Stay put…and Shut. Up.”

Starlight gulped fearfully and nodded as the other two ponies hid behind her. Nate turned back around and made his way to the front gates of the town.

A group of changelings patrolling the wall heard metallic boots stomping about and turned towards the direction of the source, they then saw a giant hulking creature that seemed to be encased in steel. It had red eyes and a blood covered sword. A green blood covered sword. The Changelings hissed loudly and three flew down

“In the name of Queen Chrysalis, halt! Or else perish!”

The being kept walking forward, not speaking and only the sound of his heavy footsteps echoed.

“Halt! I said halt!” One Changeling wielding a spear then flew up and pierced the creature’s head. Well, that was the idea, until the metal creature swung his sword and sliced through the spear and the Changeling’s head in one clean bloody slash. The Changeling’s head flew through the air and rolled at the hooves of his comrade.

“What the-!”

SLASH!

Another downward slash from Nate’s sword and the other changeling guard was sliced down the middle. His slowly broke apart and blood spurted out like a fountain. The guards standing on the catwalks of the gates looked down in horror as Nate reeled his fist back.

“No doors will stop me…”

CRASH!!

Nate slammed his fist against the gates and they both flew off their hinges and onto the floor in pieces. The dust obscured the vision of the residents. What could only be seen were a pair of glowing red eyes and a hulking figure stepping through. The eyes left a red trail with each step and fear began to grip all the ponies and changelings.

“No guards can stand up to me!”

The dust settled and Nate stood in the middle of the road, his rage at an all time high.

“NO TYRANT CAN HIDE FROM ME!!”

Nate raised his sword in the air and swung it at two nearby changeling guards. He managed to cut them both in two as more blood spilled on his armor.

“I WILL TAKE THIS TOWN AS MY OWN! SO COME AT ME IF YOU FUCKING DARE!!”

“Kill him and take his head for Queen Chrysalis!” The Changelings then charged at him from all over.

Their spears, swords, and fangs all aimed to kill Nate. But their weapons barely did anything to Nate’s impenetrable Power Armor. Nate reached out and grabbed a changeling and used him as a meat shield to stop a sword from swinging at him. Nate then shoved his sword into another Changeling’s head and backhand another changeling, ripping off his jaw with his swing.

A group of changelings tried to gang up on Nate and charge at him with a combined assault. Nate held his ground and raised his arm in front of him. Nate sprinted forward and collided with the group head on, only he rammed through the wall like a freight train. The changelings were either trampled on, sent flying, or were stuck against Nate as he crashed into a building. The battered changelings he used to crash into the wall slid off his arm and were left a broken mess. When Nate walked back out the building, he was met with even more changelings bent on avenging their comrades. Nate let out a sinister laugh as he charged at the horde all on his own. Like a berserker with no sense of reason, Nate swung his sword wildly.

“Somepony kill this bucking monster!” A changeling cried out.

Nate’s assaultron blade tore through the Changelings, their armor barely stood a chance as his blade was able to cut through Coursers. Three changelings used their magic to tie up his arms and pulled back, but Nate let out a mighty roar as he reeled his arms forward and sent the Changelings flying towards him. Nate then spun around and sliced them with his blade, green blood and guts splattered all over Nate as he tore through the Changelings. He kicked a changeling in the chest and it literally tore the changeling apart as his torso was ripped apart from the rest of his limbs.

“COME ON!! COME ON!! FUCKING TRY AND KILL ME!!”

The massacre could be heard from where Starlight was left, outside of town. She tried covering her ears as to drown out the noise but could still hear the screams of dread and death. Nate’s slaughter felt like it lasted forever until it was down to three changelings remaining. Nate’s armor was drenched with green blood and changeling entrails. Behind him was nothing but shredded bodies and still twitching mutilated corpses. The remaining changelings were unable to sound out a sentence, let alone a single word, as fear gripped their hearts like a vice. The ponies who had remained inside the buildings cowered until fear and away from the windows, some unfortunately couldn’t tear their gaze from out the windows.

“Do you know why you three still live?” Nate asked, his robotic voice would haunt them for the rest of their days. “This leader of yours, I want to send her a message. Along with the other two tyrants who think they’re invulnerable.”

Nate grabbed one of the changelings, spun them around, and grabbed his bug wings with his other hand. With one quick yank, Nate ripped the wings off the changeling’s back. The changeling screamed in agony as he flopped on the ground, reaching back as to try to feel his missing wings. Nate moved on to the next changeling and ripped her wings off as well. The pain was so great that she collapsed and passed out. Before Nate could tear off the remaining changeling’s wings, the changeling pointed his spear at his throat and stabbed himself all the way through. Nate watched as the last changeling choked on his own blood and fell down on the ground and soon stopped moving all together.

“Coward…” Nate said bitterly before returning his attention to the still conscious changeling. “Pick up your buddy and fuck off back where you crawled out of.” Nate leaned in and glared into the drone’s soul. “Tell her I’m coming for her…”

The changeling, seeing his opportunity, didn’t hesitate to pick up his friend and started running.

What the hay…WHAT THE BUCK IS THAT THING?! The changeling thought to himself as he ran away, his hooves stumbling as he tripped. He quickly stood up and kept running.

The formerly enslaved ponies all shuddered in fear as they looked on to their savoir and were terrified to their very core.

“I know you’re all still cowering inside the buildings!” Nate announced as he turned around. “If you don’t want to get on my bad side like the rest of these bugs, come out! I got something to say!”

The ponies all looked on to the mutilated and slaughtered bodies of the Changelings, it wasn’t hard to choose. They all immediately left their homes, it was more like prisons and work homes for the females. The ponies held their loved ones close as Nate eyed them.

Not a normal human in sight… Nate sighed in his head.

“So…” Nate crossed his mechanical arms. “You all saw what I did?” They nodded hesitantly. “Good. Remember it. It’s what happens to those who are stupid enough to cross me.”

“A-Are you gonna kill us?” A stallion asked.

“Depends if you try to kill me first. What you saw was me blowing off some steam. To be honest, it wasn’t enough. However, that’s not the point. As of now, this town is under new management. That being said, you all work for me now. You’re free to go back to doing whatever the hell you want before these bugs took over, I don’t give a shit. So long as you’re doing as you’re told, when you’re told, we’ll get along.” The ponies all looked at each other but knew they didn’t have much of a choice. In a twisted sense, it was much better than what the changelings had put them through. “First order of business, this place needs a good cleanup. So gather the bugs’ corpses and drag them outside of town. Second, someone go get that Starlight woman who’s waiting outside of town, I wanna talk with her.”

One pony, a stallion with a white coat and white hair, nodded and quickly ran out of the town. Starlight, who was waiting on top of a small cliff looking over her town, saw her old friend running.

“Hey! Over here!” Starlight shouted while she led the others down the cliff.

“Starlight!” He cried out in joy at seeing Starlight once more.

The two embraced each other and Starlight cried into her friend’s chest.

“I never thought I’d see you again, Diamond!” Starlight said.

“Me either! But Starlight, you gotta get outta here again! There’s a monster in town who slaughtered all the changelings!” Diamond said.

“I…I know…” Starlight said, surprising her friend. “I…sorta led him here.”

“Y-You what?! B-But…w-why? How did…where did it…” Diamond looked back at their home. “He…he slaughtered all of them and…to be honest, I’m scared of what he has planned for us.”

“No, as crazy as it might sound, I think he won’t hurt us. Well, at least not now or unless we attack him,” Starlight told him.

“Attack him?! Are you nuts?!”

“If! Diamond, I said if!”

“Does it really matter?! He’s crazy!”

“I won’t deny that, and as even crazier as it may sound, he might just be the salvation we’ve been hoping for,” Starlight said. “It’s not the kind of saviour we had in mind, but at this point I’m willing to take anything.”

Diamond wanted to protest, but deep down he knew she was right. It was literal torture and a nightmare each day since the three tyrants took over.

“I hope you know what you’re doing, Starlight,” Diamond sighed as he led Starlight and the other two ponies back.

“Me too, Diamond, me too…”

Elsewhere

In the barren lands to the east, there stood a massive structure that looked like a craggy mountain with multiple holes everywhere. Within the mountain were the sounds of buzzing in every direction. Sitting on a stone throne, was a larger female changeling. She sat with her legs crossed and her eyes narrowed with unexpected anger.

“My queen?” A drone said to her. “Are you unwell? Why do you look so…displeased?”

“Dead…” Chrysalis grumbled. “All my drones are dead in one of my camps! Some creature made of metal had liberated one of MY camps and slaughtered my drones! I want you to send more troops there now and bring the creature to me alive!” The Queen shouted.

“As you wish can, my queen,” the drone bowed. “And what of the slaves?”

“Have the stallions hanged and their bodies displayed to show others the consequences of their act of rebellion. As for the mares…well, we have to keep morale up.” She chuckled coldly. The drone bowed and then left. The Queen then stood up and walked over behind her throne, smirking a bit. She looked up to see a cocoon of hers shining with an eerie green glow. Inside, one could see the silhouette of a pony, but it had both wings and a horn.

“Don’t get your hopes, princess, this little act of stubbornness from my slaves will be destroyed before it even begins to spark,” the Queen cackled wickedly.

Author's Note

His conquest begins in a gruesome manner…

Side Note:
Inspired by my recent play-through and revisit of one my favourite games: Fallout 4! Personally, in my game and as you’ve read, I chose the Minutemen ending. As for this story, I’ll post it and see how it does for a day or so. If you all like it, maybe I’ll continue it. If not, then I’ll shelve it for another day.

Hope you enjoyed!

~WurkyWilk has left the building…

Voices From Beyond

Chapter 2

1st POV

It’s been about a week since my second awakening, and I still feel like shit. These…ponies, as they call themselves, won’t even look me in the eye since they think I’ll kill them for doing so. Despite their reluctance, mostly due to disgust and apparent nausea, they managed to clean up most of the town of the blood, gore, and dead bodies. I had them dump it all in a pile outside of the walls. When the last body was thrown in the pile, I used my sword to spark a flame which caught fire and spread over the pile.

As I watched the flames burn away, it reminded me of the similar brutality of the raider camps I cleared out throughout the Commonwealth. For me, it wasn’t anything I hadn’t seen before. Death was what some called a natural causality. Even though I wore my helmet, I could tell the smell of burning bug flesh didn’t help morale for the pony people, but I couldn’t really give less of a shit. As the pile burned, I overheard some of them mutter amongst themselves.

“I can’t believe he killed this many.”

“The smell…it’s so rancid.”

“Why did we have to drag them all out here?”

“Shh! He’ll hear you! Do you want to be added to the pile of burning bodies?!”

I simply scoffed as I walked back into town. As the ponies were rebuilding and collecting themselves, I was provided one of the houses as my personal quarters. I sat on the floor, since my armor was too heavy for any normal furniture, and wanted to test something in my helmet.

“Access landscape map. Update any at all new landmasses and terraformed environments.”

“Processing…processing…update completed.

Viewing map.”

Suddenly I could see the new world, at least parts of it. The whole landscape of the Commonwealth, and I imagine the whole continent, had changed but there were a few similarities. I could still somewhat pinpoint old landmarks and well-known settlements such as Sanctuary Hills, Diamond City, Goodneighbor, and so on. According to the map, the area could be more geologically terraformed than I initially thought.

I sighed and looked at my weapons laying on the floor next to me. All I had with me were my assaultron blade and Kellog’s pistol. I had plenty of ammunition stored in my armor’s reserve function, but I had a feeling I’d need more than just one gun. I remembered I had an assault rifle with me, but it wasn’t preserved within my weapon locks and was destroyed. I also recalled I had a storage of other personalized weapons I collected and stored them somewhere for safe keeping. Where is that reserve now and if it even still survived after 3.5 million years? No amount of luck or good fortune in the world could procure such a miracle. For now, I simply had to make do with what I had.

Knock! Knock!

“Come in…” I called out.

Starlight Glimmer nervously walked inside and slowly shut the door, but she didn’t move from it. She kept her back against the door as a way for a quick escape should the need arise.

“Uh, M-Mr. Boss…Sir? Uh…W-We cleared out the bodies…and the blood. We also took over the food storage and armory…” She said, I assumed she was hoping it would be a good job so that I don’t need to harm them in any way.

“What kind of weapons do you have?” I asked in a blank tone.

“We were able to retrieve swords, spears, some bows and arrows, and a few war hammers,” Starlight said. “W-What now? Are you going to help us?”

“You have no other weaponry? No other kinds of technology?” I pressed, only to confuse her.

“Technology? What kind?” Starlight asked.

“Anything like this?” I picked up my pistol and held it up for her.

“What’s that?”

“A gun, what else?”

“What’s a gun?”

“Oh, for the love of-.” I shook my head in annoyance as I stood back up on my feet. “So let me get this straight. You’re telling me, that after over three million years, the world somehow reverted back to ancient medieval times when they still used bladed weapons like swords? Perfect, feels like I went back in time rather than forward.”

“We, um, we have magic?” Starlight said.

“Excuse me?” I crossed my arms, waiting for an explanation.

Starlight stuttered a bit until she took a deep breath and I could see her horn light up a light blue aura. I looked down and saw my assaultron blade being lifted in the air that was also surrounded by the same blue aura around her horn. Starlight then set my blade down next to me.

“As you can see, I’m a unicorn. Unicorns are ones who are able to use and control magic. Pegasi can fly and control the weather. Earth Ponies are more in-tuned with nature and are stronger than most other ponies.”

“Guess the mutations came with some benefits,” I said to myself.

“Pardon me?”

“Nothing. I got some plans for this settlement. Are there any able builders around here?”

“We have a few, but they’re still injured. The Changelings made sure that the ones with useful skills like building things or medical practice were given harsher treatment.” I noticed her twiddling her thumbs nervously, like she was hiding something.

“What happened to them?” I inquired.

“It’s just…among the prisoners here, they were forced to work without rest. They barely had any food given to them, and they always were the brunt of abuse and injuries,” Starlight confessed. “The changelings never cared how much we were suffering, so long as we did what we were told.”

“Hmm, got any medical supplies?” I asked, approaching the door.

“We had a doctor, but he was taken away so we can only assume he’s dead,” Starlight said as she got out of the way.

“Show me to the injured,” I said as I walked towards the door.

I opened the door and everyone flinched at seeing me. I ignored them and made my way down the road. Starlight led me to another house and opened the door for me where many other pony people lay in beds. They all flinched at seeing me as I scanned the room. Most of the males had crude bandages wrapped around their arms, legs, even their heads. I walked over to the nearest one and he shuddered at me.

“What hurts?” I asked bluntly.

“H-huh?” He said shakily.

“Tell me what hurts.”

“Uh…m-my arm’s broken?”

I reached back into my armor pack and pulled out a syringe tool. I didn’t wait and jammed it into his shoulder and injected him.

“Aah! What the buck are you…what the-?” The stallion man looked down and moved his arm freely after the bone reset itself into place, as if it was never broken in the first place. “M-My arm! How did you do that?”

I didn’t answer as I pulled out more stimpacks and began treating the rest of the injured. I injected one above the knee and he was able to move the badly mangled leg only a few seconds later, the bone popping loudly back into place. As expected, the stimpacks worked like a charm and managed to heal them all well enough for them to stand on their own.

“Wow, I’ve never seen anything heal so fast before!” A pony man said as he stepped on his leg a few times.

“My head doesn’t hurt anymore, and I can see more clearly too!” A pony woman said with a smile.

“It’s not only that my injuries are completely healed, but I actually feel much better than I did before!” Another pony man said.

“Listen up! I got some things I need you to build. We’re gonna fortify the walls surrounding this town.” I looked around and saw some paper and a pencil. I walked over to the paper, with Starlight following, and began drawing up a diagram. About ten minutes later, I handed the paper to one of the pony people. “Use this to fortify the walls, got it?”

The pony, a female with black coat and white hair combed back to look spiky, looked at the diagram.

“Hmm…we can make it work, the changelings left some resources here that we could use. Is there anything specific you want us to build as well, um, sir?” The pony woman asked me.

“Nothing for now, I’ll leave you to it,” I dismissed her and they all left to get to work.

“If you don’t mind me asking, what is this?” Starlight asked, but flinched when I looked at her.

“What, the stimpack?”

“Is that what it’s called?”

“Yeah, stimpaks are typically syringes filled with a mixture of healing agents and stimulants, allowing the user to boost their own body’s natural regenerative functions,” I explained. “In most cases, it leads to an almost instantaneous regeneration of wounds. The syringe is equipped with a gauge for quickly identifying the state of the contents and can be used either in an intravenous or intramuscular fashion.”

“Incredible! This is something that would require at least three trained doctors to accomplish at a fast rate, but this is…this could give ponies a chance,” Starlight said, sounding hopeful.

“Do you think you can make more with that magic stuff?” I asked curiously.

“May I?” Starlight asked, I handed her another one of my stimpacks and she examined it. “Hmm…if I have a place and the right tools when I can use my magic to make more.”

“I’ll get the workers to build some kind of chem workstation for you, but you better not screw it up, got it?” I warned her and she nodded nervously.

“I-I’ll get started on making more.” She and a few other ponies left to do their job.

“Whatever,” I said with a shrug.

I used my helmet to widen the map a bit to see more of the surrounding area. As I panned through the map, I saw a group of red blips on the screen headed towards my settlement from the south. I narrowed my eyes and made my way out of the building and towards the gates.

“Boss? Where’re you going?” A pony asked.

“Never you mind! Get back to work!” I barked, making the pony man cower. “Those fucking bugs don’t know how to take a fucking hint.”

I ran out of the gates and away from town, occasionally glancing at the map and a group of enemies headed towards me. I pulled out my sword and even my pistol and I could feel my anger spiking again. I didn’t expect to engage in another blood bath, but those damn bugs brought it on themselves.

I kept running for a couple of hours and was already miles away from the town. My running had brought me out of the mountain area and I came across a trail. I checked my map again, making sure I was still going to meet them head on. They were just a few kilometers from me, which meant I was on track. My interception route brought me just beyond the base of a large snowy mountain with a few trees standing around. Seeing snow on a mountain was unexpected, considering I didn’t expect to even see snow ever again. The trees that stood by were tall and had actual green leaves growing from their branches. The temperature around me had dropped considerably.

“And here I thought Mother Nature was killed off when the world destroyed itself,” I said aloud.

As I gazed at the mountain, something about it was bothering me. The winds that blew around up top looked fierce and could blow away anything it liked. It was a gut feeling, but it was almost like there was something at the very peak of the mountain. I checked my map once more and saw the red blips about to arrive on my position. I just stood there, alone, glaring in the direction of where the hugs would meet me.

Off in the distance I could see multiple black dots flying towards me. When they were close enough, I counted at least thirty of those damn bugs all armed with swords and spears. After they were about a couple yards away from me they all stopped. One Changeling stepped forward, his armor was black as night and covered in spikes. He wielded a large ax on his back and stood two heads taller than the rest, but not taller than me and my armor.

“You must be the metal demon that killed our brothers and sisters!” He shouted while aiming his ax at me. “You look more like a bipedal turtle to me!”

“It must’ve caught them off guard, or maybe even just tricked them!” One of the other bugs mocked, sounding cocky.

“It looks like it will topple over with a gentle breeze!” Another said.

“I’ll deliver his head to his family!” One proclaimed.

“Tartarus, I might give his family a visit!” The changelings boasted, but that one…I’m gunning for him.

“Boss, can we maybe try and end this quickly?” A different bug asked the leader. “We shouldn’t even be near this mountain.”

“It’s just a damn mountain, so what?!” The leader barked.

“With all due respect, sir, but I agree,” another bug said. “This mountain feels evil.”

“Shut it! All of you! If you want to leave so bad, then tear this metal freak apart!”

“You’re all nothing but slabs of meat to me…” My voice pierced their hearts like a dagger as they all stopped dead in their tracks. I was no stranger to intimidation when dealing with scum like them. I learned how to ebb away at their resolve throughout the many battles I experienced. I wanted them to remember my voice before I began butchering them.

“You all…are fucking noisy…” I exclaimed, stepping forward, making them instinctively back away.

“Buzzing…buzzing…buzzing around.” I pulled the safety back on my pistol, my trigger finger twitched a little like it was itching to blow someone’s brains out.

“So many of you come to take what’s mine…which tells me you have no regard for your lives.” My voice sounded more bloodthirsty as some bugs lost feeling in their legs and their faces became pale.

“I fucking slaughtered all of them, crushed them under my boots, and burned their remains like the worthless trash.”

The changelings all took a step back as I marched closer, I could tell by the look in their eyes that they felt fear. That they could, would, really die today.

“And you know what?” I aimed my pistol at their leader. “I enjoyed spilling their blood and hearing them beg for their lives as I butchered them.” I then pulled the trigger and a bullet flew out the barrel of my pistol, hitting the leader straight through his skull. The bullet came out through the back of his head and killed another changeling behind him by penetrating his eye and straight into his brain. Both bugs fell to the ground, twitching a little before going limp.

“More to the pile…” I cackled as they were surprised from the loud bang coming from my gun. I grinned behind my helmet and readied my sprint. “You’ll join them…all of them!” I stomped into the ground and charged forward with my gun aimed and my sword raised.

“I’LL DRIVE YOU ALL TO FUCKING EXTINCTION!!”

I stormed towards them and bulldozed straight through them, their bodies felt like I was tearing through parchment as I crushed them under my boot. Bodies went flying due to the force of impact and some of them tried running away but ended up falling to the ground. When I stomped on their bodies as I ran by, I could feel their fragile bones being crushed and their screams of bloody agony rung in my ears.

I raised my blade up and sliced through two changelings and shoved my revolver into one of their mouths, blowing a hole in his head. My still outstretched arm was gripped by the dead changeling’s fellow. They, along with a pair of their friends, attempted to pin my arms but I slammed their heads together. The impact was so strong that their heads exploded like water balloons filled with blood and they dropped to the floor.

“Kill.”

A Changeling hopped on my back and tried to plunge his sword in my neck, but it shattered as soon as it tried to pierce my armor. I reached behind me and grabbed my attacker by his leg and began swinging him around like a ragdoll. I now had two melee weapons in both hands, one with my sword and the other a foolish bug who thought he had the drop on me. The changeling I was using to beat his comrades was screaming constantly. His bones were breaking each time I bashed another bug with him. Eventually he stopped screaming and was a bloody limp mess, which meant he was now useless to me and I dropped him to the floor.

“Don’t hesitate.”

I jammed my sword straight into a bug’s skull, straight up from under his chin through his head.. He stood there in a daze, as if not being able to register that there’s a huge sword sticking out of his head. I took the opportunity to quickly reload my pistol before yanking my sword back out. As I aimed my pistol again, my senses heightened and everything around me slowed down. I chose my targets all together and pinpointed where I’d fire my gun. Once my targets were picked, I rapidly fired shots at all their heads and they exploded as the bullet pierced their skulls, brains and blood rained down around me like grisly rain. The other three bullets I fired tore right through their targets and killed more changelings behind them.

I gripped my sword and heightened my senses once more by taking a deep breath and centering my focus. In a fluid motion, I hacked and slashed through about a dozen more changelings by running right through them again and swung my sword wherever I saw an enemy. Some of them I cut the top of their heads off, exposing their brains, so when they fell to the ground their brains fell out of their skulls. When I drove my sword through another changeling’s guts, he screamed in pain as I hoisted them up and slammed them on the ground. I then raised my boot and crushed their skulls like grapes before pulling my sword back out.

One changeling tried stabbing me in the chest, but their spears shattered upon impact with my armor. I backhanded him and tore his jaw off, he howled in pain and choked on his own blood. I left him to have a slow death. I plunged my blade into a changeling’s abdomen and started slicing my way up. He cried out in pain as he tried to get free, but I was already at his chest when he died, his guts spilling on the ground. I tossed his body towards some more changelings and took a deep breath, the world around me slowed down as I shot three more in the head and slashed two more changelings in half.

“That’s it, bud, keep hacking away.”

For the third time, I heard the same voice. I thought it was my imagination, but it was more clear this time. I put away my pistol for the moment and grabbed a changeling’s head. I ran towards more changelings, using the one I held as a battering ram, and shoulder checked them into the stone wall. They all screamed all together as I pushed my trapped victims deeper and deeper against them, the sounds of bones breaking and blood spraying out of their mouths and eyes. Once they were paste, I turned around and there were a handful of changelings left. Each of them were scared out of their wits as I pulled out my pistol again and reloaded.

“Run…” I said it loud so they could all hear me. The light from my helmet switched on and flashed red, giving me a more menacing appearance to fuel whatever nightmares they may have in the future.

Many of them ran or flew for their lives, but some stayed rather than try to escape. However, it wasn’t because they wanted to fight, no. I could tell by their eyes and their shaking legs that they were too scared to move. Fear had frozen them in place as they couldn’t do anything but whimper, shake, and piss themselves.

“I told you to run.” I aimed my pistol. “Your fault that you die today.” One by one, I fired at each of their heads. They each fell down dead as some of them began crying and whimpering at me.

“P-Please…please spare me!” The changeling cried out loud.

“No.” I fired at her head and she fell down with a bullet through her brains. One last changeling remained as I looked over him and he was in a trance of pure fear. “I somewhat pity you. You probably had a good thing going before I showed up. If anything, you should blame your naïveté for believing this would last forever.”

“N-No! Please, I beg of you! No-AAAAAAAAAGH!” The changeling cried out in pain as I drove my blade into his stomach, twisting and turning the blade inside him as he howled out in pure agony, until finally…silence.

“Well, well, well.” My whole skin crawled all at once. “I didn’t think you’d have it in you.” My voice hitched and my anger spiked almost immediately. I knew this voice, a voice I had hoped to forget and bury within the confines of my mind.

“…Kellogg.”

“The most resilient man in the Commonwealth. Or, at least formerly, seems that the Commonwealth has changed a lot. Wonder if your kid would have liked it?” Kellogg taunted me as he chuckled coldly.

“Where are you?! I thought fucking killed you?” I growled in anger.

“Yeah, you did, but that didn’t stop my cybernetics leaving you a little something in your Pip-Boy.” Kellogg remarked.

“How and why the fuck are you here? Looking to haunt me after I blew your brains out all over the floor? ” I said as I then sat down, panting slightly as I was a bit tired with all the shit going on.

“No. Well, maybe a little. I just thought it would be fun to watch you fall. To see the human side of you fall and become, well…me.” Kellogg laughed mockingly. “As for how, I don’t know either, bud, by all rights I should be nothing more than a pile of memories, yet sitting in that cave did something and now I’m all there again.”

“You-!”

“Oh come on, bud, you expect me to believe you weren’t even tempted to abandon your moral code and kill all in sight?” Kellogg mocked. “The only thing that kept you going was those annoying friends of yours and the pathetically inept Minutemen you led.”

“They’re not here anymore…” I said somberly.

“Exactly, they’re not, you’re all alone. And I’m just a functioning AI in your Pip-Boy and Power Armor’s internal computer. Though I will miss having a body of my own, no doubt my real body is dust and my soul is still burning in Hell somewhere, I’m actually looking forward to seeing how far you’ll fall. Face it, bud, you knew deep down you couldn’t keep up the nice guy act forever.”

“It wasn’t an act!” I snapped, slamming my fist into the ground. “It was never an act! I cared for those people! I helped give them a chance of living in peace and safety with the Minutemen’s help!”

“And yet the world still went down the shitter and the people still live in torment. It’s just how the world is, in the end. I learned that the hard way, but I adapted. You’re the one who was in denial and avoided the reality of it all.”

“Is that how you felt when your wife and kid were killed too?” I questioned.

“If I still had a body, I’d very much like to strangle you for that low blow,” Kellogg sneered. “At least I accepted the fact that guys like us don’t deserve nice things.”

“That’s where you’re wrong,” I said as I stood back up. “I paid my dues with enough blood to drown my sorrows. The world is cruel, more so now than ever, but that doesn’t mean I’m not owed anything.”

“And what, pray tell, are you owed?” Kellogg asked.

“As far as I’m concerned, whatever I damn well desire.”

“Interesting.” Kellogg let out a mock laugh. “You sure have changed.”

“Get used to it, now do me a favor and shut yourself down. I don’t want to talk to you anymore,” I said bitterly.

“Whatever you say, bud, whatever you say…”

Kellogg’s voice switched off and I put away my sword and pistol. I looked around me at the carnage, the blood I spilled relentlessly for the second time. This kind of bloodshed was a new experience for me, but it’s not like I regretted my actions anyway. Seeing how the imminent attack on the town was now taken care of, I made my way back the way I came as the cold winds from the mountain blew past me.

“Come…” An echo called out from the wind. I paused when I heard an echo of some kind.

“Come…to me…” the echo said again through the wind. I turned around hearing the disembodied voice again, thinking my mind was playing tricks.

“Come…come…to me…” the wind kept blowing and the voice kept speaking, as if I could hear it all around me.

“Who’s there?! Kellogg?! I thought I told you to fuck off?!” I said loudly.

“Come…come to me…” the echo called out again.

The echos didn’t sound like Kellogg, they sounded distant. It was like I heard it all around me, but no matter where I looked, I didn’t see anyone. I checked my map to see if there were any survivors, but nothing showed up on my radar.

I then finally realized that the voice was coming from the mountain. I was confused as to why and how it was possible that I was hearing some disembodied echo in my head. It was like some kind of mantra that was pulling towards it, and I couldn’t just turn away.

“Come…yes…come to me…” When I heard the voice again, the winds blew from behind and towards the mountain.

I shook my head at the repetitive voice continuously echoing in my head. Did the voice want me to climb up the mountain? Was there something at the peak for me waiting? Despite my better judgment, I reluctantly began my trek up the mountain.

Climbing in Power Armor wasn’t exactly easy, as they weren’t built for such tasks, but it didn’t stop me from trying to reach whatever it was that was calling out to me.

The snow was deep and reached up to my knees, but I managed to trek my way through without any delay. The winds, however, were a different issue. Despite wearing a suit of heavy armor that was a few tons, at least, I still had to push against the winds as I climbed up the mountain.

“God damn, it’s like the wind is fighting from moving forward.” I groaned as I nearly stumbled back from how strong the winds were getting.

“You must’ve killed hundreds of raiders, Super Mutants, Synths, Ghouls, and all sorts of fucked up monsters in the Commonwealth, but it’s wind that kills you? Pathetic,” Kellogg mocked

“I don’t remember asking for your opinion on my life choices,” I sneered while pressing on. “As far as I’m concerned, you’re just a dead man’s voice haunting me for the sake of annoying me.”

As much as I hated to admit it, these winds were becoming a real pain to deal with. My Power Armor was as durable as I could’ve possibly made it to be, but didn’t account for cold weather and freezing winds. To make matters even more complicated, whenever I even considered going back down the mountain, the voice kept goading me on to keep hiking up the mountain. After about an hour of hiking, the snow had reached up above my knees and the winds were as strong as ever before. Patches of frost formed all over my armor and I was moving much slower than before. Nevertheless, I kept going and hiking up the mountain.

“Sooo, you walking up this mountain for the exercise or did you already decide to kill yourself jumping off its peak?” Kellogg asked, laughing. “I’m disappointed, thought you would last a bit longer.”

I ignored Kellogg as I kept walking, trying to wipe off some of the frost that was building up on my helmet’s visor. An even more powerful gust of wind nearly flew me back but I dropped down to my hands and knees, trying to now crawl my way up.

“This shit better be damn worth the time I’m wasting,” I said as I kept moving, digging through thick snow as I marched onward. It took about three more hours until I finally reached the top. I looked more like a snowman on buffout.

The peak, thankfully, did not have any of those annoyingly strong winds blowing me back. I brushed off the snow and frost off my armor and visor and was met with some kind of cave. Something bright was glowing within the cave and there was some kind of protective barrier surrounding the entrance. I stepped towards the barrier and reached out to it. The barrier felt solid, not like it was made of any known solid material, but like some kind of unknown energy.

“Come…to me…” I heard the voice again, and it was louder than before.

“Ugh, again with that voice!” I said. “Whoever or whatever it is, it’s pretty damn insistent.” I pushed on the barrier and it crackled a little with the energy, sending a tingling sensation up my arm. “Ugh, fuck this, I don’t have time to waste!”

I pressed both my hands on the barrier and pushed. The unknown energy sparked around my arms and felt like I was being pushed back. I grit my teeth and kept pushing as hard as I could, but the barrier kept holding on.

“Grr, I came all this fucking way, only to be stopped by some annoying-ass fucking wall?!” My Power Armor strained as I kept pushing and I managed to take a step forward. “Come on…come the fuck on!” The barrier’s energy began to crack a little but desperately tried to keep me out. The ground beneath me cracked a little from the pressure of my boots pressing into the stone floor.

“LET…ME…FUCKING…THROUGH!!!” I bellowed and pushed with all my might.

With one last strong push, the barrier couldn’t handle the pressure anymore. It shattered altogether and a pulse of its energy echoed into the atmosphere. I breathed heavily as the heat from the exertion of my armor managed to melt away the snow and ice covering me. After collecting myself, I entered the cave. It wasn’t deep by any means, as I thought it was, but in the back of the cave was a small stone pedestal. On top of the pedestal was a small, old-looking, bell-like object. The bell glowed a bright green glow that lit up the cave and had some kind of unknown energy emanating off of it.

“The hell is this thing?” I wondered.

“Finally…”

The voice echoed once more as the bell glowed brighter. A shadow formed on the wall behind it and took the shape of some kind of goat creature with large curved horns. Two glowing eyes shined from the wall shadow as it seemed to stare at me.

“Welcome…stranger of metal…” the shadow said in an echoey voice.

“What the hell is this?” I asked aloud as the shadow on the wall cackled.

“I am most impressed to see you here before me…” The shadow said as it floated across the wall. “Withstanding those enchanted winds throughout your climb, let alone using nothing but brute force to gain entry into this sanctum, makes you a very interesting specimen. I also commend you for the glorious display of bloodshed of those wretched insects. Had it not been for your display of brutality, my spirit would have remained dormant and undisturbed.”

“Who, or what, the hell are you?” I asked the shadow. It was silent before I saw shadowy images form along the wall. It showed me images of little figures standing in a small town of houses.

“I was known by many names, in days gone by.” The shadows formed horrific-looking monsters and attacked the little figures. The shadow itself rose up from behind as the town was being attacked.

“The Father of Monsters.” The shadows raised its arms up as more shadowy monsters formed all along the walls.

“The first Emperor of Equestria.” A crown of shadows manifested above the shadow’s large curved horns.

“But you, stranger of metal, you may refer to me as Grogar…”

Author's Note

His past comes to haunt him and a new discovery may open a path of destruction.

Hope you enjoyed!

~WurkyWilk has left the building…

Monster Mutation

Chapter 3

“Okay, Grogar, what is it that you can help me with? It had better be useful,” Nate warned the shadow on the cave wall.

The shadow on the wall cackled with an eerie tone as it moved along the wall again.

“You seem like the type of individual who only believes in something unless proof is provided,” Grogar said. “I am curious, however, why do you believe I can help you with your conquest?”

“Because I know that you can’t leave here without me, otherwise you wouldn’t have wasted your time making me come all the way up here. And considering I’m the only one that made it here, you don’t have very many options.” Nate deduced as he looked at the shadow. “Now, what do you offer me?”

“You’re quite the perceptive one, stranger of metal,” Grogar said, a shadowy smile forming.

“It is true, my spirit is trapped within this sanctum and is bound to the bell that sits on the pedestal before you. When I was ruler of these putrid lands, there wasn’t a soul who would dare defy me.” Grogar made the shadow on the wall show little characters and shadow monsters. The monsters started to attack the characters and destroy their homes.

“I gave life to the foulest of creatures and allowed them to run wild. Taking what they want and destroying the rest. My reign was a glorious fear-soaked epoch of darkness in Equestria,” Grogar proclaimed.

“So, you can create monsters, and do they follow your command?” Nate elaborated.

“Yes, them and my own power were what fueled my reputation as the first emperor,” Grogar told Nate.

Nate hummed in thought at the potential this had. He wasn’t sure what else this new world had to offer in terms of animals and people, or whatever else replaced people. So having an army like that at his command could prove useful.

“Say I do free you. What do you need to do to create these monsters?” Nate asked.

“My magic is stored within this bell,” Grogar explained.

“My magic is a very special type of magic. When wielded by a being of great will and resolve, the creatures you can create may depend on your own imagination. I assume you have plenty of that, considering you are not too perplexed by the creatures you’ve seen thus far,” Grogar said with a cackle.

“What’s the catch?” Nate asked.

“There is none,” Grogar said. “My reign has long since passed, and my spirit has been trapped for thousands of years. I have been biding my time, waiting for the perfect host to succeed where I admittedly failed. No thanks to that insufferable wench, but that is a different story altogether.” The shadow coiled around the bell.

“Take my bell, stranger of metal, and use its power to aid in your conquest. Wear the bell, and become what you were meant to be,” Grogar enticed Nate with his echoey voice.

Nate looked down at the bell, a small voice in the back of his mind telling him not to do this, to not walk down this path. But then he remembered…Nora, Shaun, Preston, Piper, Nick. Everyone he cared about and loved.…

Everyone he lost…

With a fire raging inside him, Nate grabbed the bell and held it up.

Grogar’s cackling echoed loudly as Nate pushed the bell against his chest plate. The bell rang a ghostly ring as it glowed a sickening yellow light. The bell seemed to fuse itself into Nate’s chest plate as he felt a surge of energy flow out of the bell and surround Nate’s armor. Nate grunted and clenched his fists as the bell’s power was taking hold, but Nate held his ground. The eyes on Nate’s helmet shined from a deep red to a bright yellow. When the bonding was complete, Nate breathed heavily as his armor radiated with unknown power. He stood up straight and looked down at his hands.

“How does true power feel, stranger of metal?” Grogar asked.

Nate flexed his fingers as he took a deep breath, feeling the surge of energy coursing through his veins. Nate smirked under his helmet and spoke.

“I’ve never felt better.” A cold chuckle escaped his lips.

In the corner of the cave, Nate spotted a small rat trying to scurry away into a crack in the wall. Nate closed his eyes and outstretched his hand towards the rat. Thinking small, he thought back to his time in the Commonwealth and the creatures he fought. Grunting as he concentrated his thoughts, he used his magic on the rat. The small rodent squeaked painfully as its body morphed and mutated and grew in size into something grotesque. Soon, a large Mole Rat was created from a flash of dark magic.

The Mole Rat had a yellow glow surrounding it, which meant Grogar was telling the truth about creating monsters with the use of his magic and a touch of radiation. The Mole Rat growled and snorted like a rabid beast as it approached Nate and stood in front of him, as if waiting for his command.

“Impressive,” Grogar said with a shadowy smile. “You truly are a being of great potential.” Suddenly, the shadow of Grogar began to fade away.

“What’s going on?” Nate asked.

“You broke the seal when you took my bell. My spirit is no longer bound to it, and I can finally move on,” Grogar said.

“I wish you luck in your conquest, stranger of metal. I can foresee this world bending to your will and falling to their knees at the sight of you. May your reign be fueled by the blood of your slain enemies…” The shadow faded away and the last thing Nate heard was the cackling of Grogar’s spirit before the shadow faded away and disappeared entirely.

Nate looked around in search of Grogar but found nothing, which meant he really was gone. Nate looked down at the bell bounded on his chest plate and smirked. He headed out of the cave and looked down to see a sort of giant furry creature of some kind.

It looked like some kind of oversized chinchilla, and it looked up at Nate curiously. The Mole Rat from earlier scurried next to him and stood by Nate and growled at the snow creature.

“Down.” Nate commanded the Mole Rat and it stopped growling. He looked back at the snow chinchilla and raised his hand at it. “You’ll make a fine test subject.”

Nate used his magic, and the chinchilla glowed the sickening yellow glow. It squealed painfully as its body mutated and grew in size. Its paws grew razor sharp claws and its teeth morphed into razor sharp fangs and its voice turned ferociously feral. By the time Nate was done, the chinchilla stood at the same size of a bear. It growled and snarled at its surroundings but lowered its head at Nate. The dim yellow glow surrounded its body, signifying Nate’s mental hold on the creature.

“Oh, yeah. A remarkable success,” Nate let out a cold chuckle as he started to march down the snowy mountain.

The Mole Rat had climbed on the mutated chinchilla-bear’s back, riding it as they made their way down the mountain. Nate was already forming plans in his mind for which place to conquer next. What monsters he could create and how useful they would be for certain situations.

It then soon dawned on Nate when he looked up that the moon had risen in the sky. Nate seemed to have been in that cave longer than he anticipated, but he didn’t let it bother him. Nate and his two new monster companions made it to the base of the mountain and just beyond the wooded area. The bodies from the changelings he slaughtered were still spread everywhere and were beginning to decompose. Nate looked at the wooded area and got an idea.

“Wonder if there’s any more test subjects creeping around in there?” Nate thought aloud.

Nate stopped when he suddenly heard a twig snap and his eyes darted around his surroundings. His two mutated animals growled and hissed at whatever was circling them. Nate could hear the rustling in the bushes as suddenly a pack of large wolves appeared. They looked like they were bigger than the wolves back in Nate’s original time. Nate pulled out his pistol as the wolves circled him, growling and snarling at him as they waited for an opportunity to strike. Suddenly Nate had an idea.

“It’s time you fuckers know who your true master is,” Nate proclaimed, holstering his pistol.

Nate outstretched his hands, and his eyes and hands glowed a sickly yellow glow. Soon the wolves were covered in the strange yellow aura as well and started changing. They howled and barked out in pain as their bodies morphed, a painful and slow process.

Their bodies slowly grew in size as they barked and howled loudly in pain. Their cries turned feral, and they began snarling. Their fangs became sharper and more ferocious-looking and their tails grew small spikes near the tip. Their paws transformed and grew longer, their claws curving and looking like razor claws. Once Nate poured enough of his magic into the wolves, they stood twice as big as before and stood over Nate by several feet.

“There we go,” Nate said maliciously as he reached up and placed a hand on one of the mutated wolves’ heads. “You all belong to me now.”

The mutated pack of wolves all bowed in Nate’s presence. Their ears folded and their tails curled between their legs, a sign that they were completely obedient to him.

“Let’s see what else this world has to offer me,” Nate said with a dark grin behind his helmet.

Nate trudged through the woods with his mutated animals following him. Like a fire spreading wherever it could, Nate used his magic on whatever animal he could get his magic on. Any rodents that tried scurrying away were caught by Nate and mutated into more Mole Rats. Insects that buzzed around Nate weren’t even spared as Nate used his magic to mutate such instincts like mosquitoes into Blood Bugs; a transformation that only filled Nate’s desire to add more to his growing army.

Nate came across two grizzly bears passing by with their young. Seeing as how they resembled a certain creature from Nate’s past, Nate wasted no time and used his magic on the adult bears. The animals tried to resist and run away, but Nate’s magic quickly took hold and began mutating them. Their bodies grew in size as they roared and snarled out loud. Their appearance became more feral and monstrous until they became the Yao Guai Nate had faced before.

The bear cub looked in horror as its parents were suddenly turned into vicious monsters. It whimpered helplessly as Nate turned to look down at the cub with a cold stare.

“Beat it,” Nate said in an emotionless tone as his new Yao Guai bowed to their new master.

The cub scurried off and disappeared into the woods.

“My my, look at you. The family man is tearing apart a family. Reminds me of someone,” Kellogg chuckled coldly as Nate growled at the sound of the mercenary’s automated voice in his helmet.

“I’m nothing like you,” Nate hissed in anger.

“You’re right, at least for me it was a job. Someone paid me to do it, but you? Oh no, you’re doing this because you can. For your own gain,” Kellogg shot back.

Nate said nothing and chose to ignore Kellogg. He continued deeper into the wooded area, mutating more animals he could get his magic on. After an hour of trudging through the woods, Nate’s monster army had grown to a sizeable amount. There were dozens of Mole Rats, a couple more packs of mutated wolves, a large swarm of Blood Bugs and Stingwings after passing by their nests, and he managed to add a couple more Yao Guai’s when he discovered a bear cave. Nate’s trek led him to a swamp-like area, and he took a moment to bask in his work as he looked at his growing mutated monster army.

“Not bad,” Nate said with a dark smile.

Suddenly, the ground beneath Nate began to move and shake. Nate and his monsters quickly backed out of the way as the unknown mass kept rising up from the ground. Nate could see arms with sharp claws on each hand come into view. A long rail rose from the ground and slammed into the ground. Nate turned on his helmet’s light just as a single reptilian eye opened. The creature towered over Nate with its reptilian eyes and growled at Nate for disturbing its sleep and wandering into its territory. Nate analyzed the creature as its body looked like it was made out of rocks, which was an interesting trait to him. Judging by its physical appearance, its body shape, and matching key similarities the creature had with an animal of Nate’s original time, Nate deduced this creature was some kind of land crocodile made of rocks.

His monsters all roared and snarled at the creature for trying to intimidate their master, but Nate held up his hand. A low, cold chuckle escaped his lips as he opened and closed his fists and stared down the crocodile-like creature.

“Watch closely, Kellogg, I’m about to show you just how serious I can be,” Nate said as he charged at the beast with a full bodycheck.

Nate tackled the beast into the bog and began thrashing around in the murky water. The rock-croc roared violently as it tried to clamp its jaws around Nate’s armor, but Nate kept pushing and throwing it around.

Nate gripped the crocodile’s tail and pulled it back, grunting as he lifted up the massive creature and threw it towards a tree. It crashed through the tree as it was then caught in vines. It hissed and thrashed around, trying to escape but Nate didn’t waste a second of this opportunity. He charged at it once more and reeled back his fist, throwing a bone crushing straight punch right in the abdomen of the creature. It roared out in pain as the sounds of bones shattering could be heard.

The creature coughed out blood and managed to free itself after thrashing around violently. He whipped its massive tail around and slammed into Nate. Nate dug his power armor’s boots into the mud as he skidded backwards and stopped.

“So, you wanna play rough, huh big guy?!” Nate said in a menacing tone.

“I’LL SHOW YOU WHO’S THE APEX AROUND HERE!!” Nate screamed as he charged at the rock-croc.

The creature ran at Nate to meet him halfway with its large jaws open and ready to bite Nate. Nate charged at his opponent with his arm raised in front of him. Like an unstoppable force, Nate bulldozed the rock-croc right through a few trees. In his wake, Nate slammed the creature down in the dirt and proceeded to punch it repeatedly in its gut.

Punch after punch, Nate was relentless as he beat his opponent into submission. Blood sprayed out of the rock-croc’s mouth and nostrils until Nate reeled back once more and punched the creature one last time as hard as he could. Steam rose up from Nate’s overheated armor as he stood over his prey and breathed heavily. The darkness hung over Nate as the outline of his presence could be seen, along with a pair of sickly yellow glowing eyes from his helmet.

“Stay down…” Nate said with a venomous tone. He raised his foot and stepped on the rock-croc’s head. “You’re mine, now.”

“Bravo,” Kellogg applauded. “I’ve seen some brutal displays of combat, but that was by far the most intense. What are you gonna do now?”

Nate stared down at the wheezing beast under his boot and glanced back at his small army of monsters that were all waiting patiently for their master.

A wicked smirk grew on Nate’s face as he placed his hand on top of the rock-croc’s head and surrounded it in a sickly yellow aura. It hissed and roared in pain as the sounds of flesh tearing apart and bones snapping was heard. After a few minutes the crocodile grew several times the size of that of a fishing boat and had long, razor sharp spikes along its back and tail. Its fangs doubled in size and its rock-scales looked even more durable than before. The end creature’s tail morphed into a ball of spikes and bladed scales, almost like a mace.

“This is only the beginning,” Nate said as the massive monster bowed its large head to Nate. “I will stay in these woods and build my army for another day. Once I’m done, I’ll have enough to face the leader of those bugs.”

Nate looked back at the bog where he fought the rock-croc and noticed that two more of them had risen from the murky water. Both creatures looked just as pissed at Nate for mutating their friend. Instead of engaging them, Nate decided to test out his army. He looked at the mutated wolves of his group and pointed at the two rock-crocs.

“Subdue them,” Nate ordered.

Nate’s small army of mutated monstrosities all growled and started to close in around the other two rock-crocs. The two massive reptiles hissed as they stood their ground as the monsters lunged at them. The crocodiles fought tooth and nail with their bone-crushing bite strength and their strong rock-like hide allowed them to hold out, but only for so long. They were too outnumbered and outmatched as they were bitten, teared, and clawed to a bloody mess.

Nate watched with a cold grin and his hands behind his back as the wolves worked in tandem to overwhelm the two rock-crocs. Their agility and teamwork made up for their disadvantage in brute strength. The rock-crocs were helpless as the wolves bit through their rock-like scales and into their flesh. They were torn apart as the wolves piled on to them and kept chewing at the two reptiles’ flesh and bone.

“That should do it!” Nate ordered as he paced towards the pile of mutated wolves and wounded crocodiles. “That should do it.”

The wolves obeyed Nate and they stepped away from the wounded crocodiles. The rock-crocs looked up at Nate and whimpered, their eyes bloodshot red as they were prepared for their last moments of life. But Nate would give them an even worse fate, just like with their friend. Nate rose his hands over their bleeding bodies and covered them in a sickly yellow magical aura and transformed them into horribly mutated creatures through another painful process. They towered over Nate, all healed and horrifically mutated, then bowed their large heads to their new master.

“Eish, this is wrong, even for me. At least I grant them death, but this? This is something else,” Kellogg said.

“Next time I want your opinion on something, I’ll let you know,” Nate told him sarcastically as he stepped back to admire his growing army of mutated monstrosities, all of them at his command.

“The quality and quantity are a decent start. but I have a feeling this is only a taste of what this world has to offer,” Nate said sadistically.

“Such a big world with so many new possible test subjects. From the largest predator…” Nate looked down and noticed a trail of ants marching from a nearby ant hill.

“To the smallest insect,” he finished as his mind rushed with ideas. His hands glowed brighter and a menacing chuckle followed.

“There’re so many possibilities! I’m getting excited just thinking about it,” Nate said as he raised his hands out to his sides, his magic glowing even more bright.

The Next Day

Starlight and a few of her friends, Double Diamond, Sugar Belle, and Night Glider, were sitting together at the newly rebuilt café. The mood could’ve been better, but they were still trying to cope with the events the last few days.

“Think he’ll come back?” Diamond asked.

“I sure as hay hope not!” Sugar Belle gulped.

“Have you seen him? What could he do? I don’t know if I’m more scared of the changelings or him,” Sugar Belle said while rubbing her arms.

“Well…he did save us. And we aren’t really slaves anymore…” Diamond tried to defend Nate, if only a tiny bit. “Besides, it’s better to be ordered around and live somewhat freely than get beaten for so much as asking for water.”

“GUYS!” The door burst open and in came another friend. He was an earth pony and his face looked like he had seen the face of pure evil.

“Feather Bangs? What’s wrong?” Night Glider asked.

“H-H-HE’S BACK! HE’S JUST BEYOND THE HORIZON, AND HE’S NOT ALONE! THERE’S AN ARMY OF MONSTERS WITH HIM!” Feather shouted with pure fear in his voice.

“WHAT?!” They all shouted in disbelief.

The group all rushed out and headed towards the gates of the town, climbing up the wall they looked over the horizon. What they saw made their blood run cold. There was a huge flood of what could only be described as a wave of demons. All manner of creatures, from hulking mutated bears, massive monstrous crocodiles, to big ugly bugs were marching towards the small town. But what shocked them the most was the fact that Nate was the one leading them all.

Nate walked towards the town, not saying a word. The monsters following him followed diligently behind him as if they were his loyal pets. Fear gripped the hearts of everyone in the town who bore witness to the nightmarish spectacle that drew closer towards them. No one could even speak, let alone try to catch their breaths, as Nate was just outside the gates. He stopped and raised his hand, the silent command he gave to his army made them stop behind them. He looked up to see Starlight and her friends, all clinging to each other.

“Starlight,” Nate said plainly, making the ponies flinch. “Let me in. Don’t worry, my army will stay outside.”

Starlight was beyond shocked to see not only a whole army of monsters, but to see that they were all obedient to Nate. Starlight slowly nodded her head and had some ponies open the gates for Nate. All the ponies inside looked on at Nate with fear, horror, but a few had…possibly hope? It wasn’t anything like fear, but it was different.

“H…How…? Where did you…?” Starlight tried to find the words for her questions, but her mind could barely comprehend any of what she was witnessing.

“Surprised?” Nate asked with a smug tone.

He looked over his shoulder nodded his head at one of the mutated wolves. The monster wolf obeyed his silent command and trudged past the gates. The ponies steered as clear as possible from the beast as it made its way over to Nate and stood next to him.

“I went and intercepted another swarm of those bugs the other day. After I butchered them too, I discovered something quite useful,” Nate said as he pointed to the bell on his chest plate.

“What’s that thing?” Starlight asked.

“An artefact that once belonged to an old goat-person. Said something about being the first emperor, but he gave me this and it granted me these powers,” Nate said. He placed a hand on the wolf’s side and gave it a pat.

“This beast is the result of experimenting with my new powers, same goes with the rest of the monsters that stand outside the gates. To put it simply, I have gained a very fruitful advantage for my new mission,” Nate said, his voice turning darker.

“And…what’s that?” Starlight asked hesitantly.

“To conquer this land and take it for my own,” Nate proclaimed.

“C-Conquer?” Starlight stuttered with a look of horror in her eyes as her heart dropped like a rock thrown in water. First her homeland was taken over by the three most notorious villains, now this…thing, with a whole army of monsters, wants to take over?

“W-What about the Princesses? A-A-And the other ponies that are enslaved?” She asked, fearful of what Nate would say or do to them.

“Why should I give a shit about any of that?” Nate deadpanned.

“I’m only in this for myself. I’m not here to play hero, I’m here to claim what I’m owed.” Nate leaned in and got in her face. His helmet’s eyes glowed yellow as he glared at the mare.

“Unless, you’re saying you want to stand in my way?” Nate growled.

Starlight flinched under his gaze as she felt like every fiber of her being was telling her to run

“N-No…m-my king…?” Starlight said fearfully. She didn’t know what to call him, but she definitely didn’t want to be in his line of sight whenever he aimed to kill something. Or someone.

“King?” Nate repeated.

He leaned back and pondered about what she called him. During his quest to find his son through the Commonwealth, he was referred to by different titles besides his own name. The Minutemen called him General, the Railroad called him Bullseye, and the Brotherhood of Steel called him Paladin. Even when he was pretending to liberate Nuka World for Porter Gage and the raider gangs, he was called the Overboss. But King? The title seemed so foreign to him. He was always revered as a leader to many for the right reasons. However, now, he was on the path to become something and someone else entirely. Dark thoughts swirled within Nate’s mind as a grin stretched across his lips from within his helmet.

“Starlight, it just occurred to me that I never told you my real name,” Nate said.

“I do have a name. But, with the way things are now, I believe it’s only appropriate that I take on a new name since the man I once was no longer has a place in this world,” Nate said and paused before letting out a low chuckle.

“From this day forth, you and anyone who crosses my path will refer to me as Apex,” Nate announced. “Apex, The Sole Conqueror.”

“Y-Yes, A-Apex…Sole Conqueror,” Starlight said, doing everything in her power to not run out screaming. Even if she did, where would she go? She imagined she would just be captured in a matter of days and be subjugated into doing unspeakable acts. Her best chance at survival is to follow this creature who could make even monsters bow before him.

“I’ve got a question for you,” Nate said as he pointed to the mountains just beyond the town. “I noticed a cave on my way back. There anyone around here who knows how to mine?”

“Miners? Well, w-we have a few who were still alive that know the mines, but it’s not very many-” Starlight said but we cut off.

“Round them all up and have others join them,” Nate told her.

“W-What?” Starlight said.

“Did I stutter?” Nate glared at her, and Starlight gulped. She nodded her head as she frantically walked away. Her heart was pounding in her chest as she breathed heavily, almost having a panic attack when he glared at her.

Starlight began gathering the few surviving miners, many of which were older stallions, and many other random ponies in town.

“This is the best you got?” Nate said, sounding disappointed.

“They’re all we have…” Starlight said nervously, her ears folded on her head.

“Tch! It’ll have to do, I guess,” Nate said, shaking his head.

“I want you all to go up to that cave and mine the minerals from it. Haul back as much as you can get from the mountain,” Nate ordered.

“B-But we’re not miners!” One of the ponies protested.

Nate waved his hand at the pony and the wolf immediately pounced on the stallion who dared talk back to Nate. The monster bared its large fangs and was inches away from biting his head off.

“Do I look like I give two shits about your opinion?” Nate hissed as the stallion whimpered. “Your only concern is to do as you’re told while I’m around. If you don’t like it, you can just become animal feed for my army.”

The other ponies all shuddered and took a step back at the threat, or more like the promise, their new leader made to them if they disobeyed. The wolf lifted its large paw off the pinned stallion, and he scrambled away as quick as he could. The others quickly gathered up the mining supplies and started to head towards the cave. The ones with experience working in the mines helped the new ones in order to avoid them being fed to the mutated creatures, should they fail or make their new boss very unhappy.

Nate motioned for the wolf to follow the group to make sure they would keep working. As the wolf bowed its head obediently and walked away, Nate made his way back to the building he took residence in. The ponies avoided his gaze and kept their distance, not that he cared.

Upon entering his building and closing the door behind him, Nate then reached up and unlatched his helmet. There was a high-pitched hissing sound as he pulled the helmet off and he breathed in some fresh air. Nate placed his helmet on the table and took a seat on a cushioned couch in the main room. The furniture creaked loudly as his power armor’s weight pressed down on it. The man sighed and ran his metal hand over his head.

“No turning back now,” Nate said to himself.

He then looked down at his metal hands. He could still feel his real hands controlling the metallic appendages under all the thick metal and advanced circuitry that was welded to the exoskeleton. Being trapped in his own power armor may protect him from most, if not all, dangers, but this predicament wasn’t something he planned to stay in for very long.

“Where there’s a will, there’s a way,” Nate said aloud again as he kept staring at his hands. “And I’ll find a way out of this prison cell I stuck myself in.”

Unbeknownst to Nate, a dim magical aura with its sickly yellow glow surrounded him. His eyes changed from their natural color to an intimidating bright yellow.

Author's Note

His army grows as he begins to show is new colors. One can only imagine the horrors that will follow in his merciless wake.

Side Note:
After months of thinking about it, and talks with my fellow co-writers, I have decided to reopen this story. I may sound like a hypocrite, which I probably am at this point, but what can I say? I’m prone to make decisions that sometimes don’t make a lot of sense.

Hope you enjoyed!

~WurkyWilk has left the building…

Field Test

Chapter 4

A week has passed since the army of monsters arrived with Nate and surrounded the town. A week since Nate forced the ponies to mine the nearby cave for its minerals. A long week since Nate announced his conquest and took up the name Apex.

Nate had ordered the residents of the town to use the minerals by using them to fortify the walls. True to his word, Nate had also managed to create a chem station from the medical supplies and minerals. Starlight had been hard at work trying to create new Stimpacks for Nate. It was still a work in progress, since she had not seen anything so medically and technologically advanced.

The week had been quiet for Nate, since no one had seen him leave his residence. All they heard from him was the orders he gave Starlight through his door. Starlight reluctantly approached his door, still nervous of his presence, but had to report, nonetheless.

“U-Um…A-Apex, sir?” Starlight called out from behind the door. “The reports are in.”

“Out with it,” Nate’s voice rang out from behind the door.

“We’ve mined most of the minerals from the cave,” Starlight said. “And I think I’m making some progress on those Stimpack things.”

“Good.” Nate said and Starlight heard some rummaging inside the building. “What’s the nearest settlement from here?”

“Um, that would be the…s-slave camp about two days northeast of here. I-It’s used for forging. We could see whatever they made being brought into town before…y-you came…” Starlight told him.

“Forging, you say?” Nate said as he put his helmet back on. “What kind of forging?”

“W-Weapons and armor,” Starlight answered. “This town wasn’t one of their more important camps, so the changelings here got only the basics of armor and weapons, but we have seen the higher-ranking ones that have more well-made weaponry and armor. Ones made of durable armor that can shrug off a few magic bolts and weapons strong enough to break stone.”

Nate opened the door, startling Starlight, and walked past her.

“How are the fortifications for the gate coming along?” Nate asked without looking at her.

Starlight shivered a bit but was able to compose herself somewhat to give an answer as she followed after him. “It’s coming along well. It’s sturdy enough to take hits from some of those creatures of yours and also slippery enough that they couldn’t just climb it.”

“I guess the smiths and welders around here aren’t so useless,” Nate said as Starlight followed him. “I’m curious about the leader of the bugs. You mentioned they were some kind of queen?”

“Y-Yes! Queen Chrysalis, Ruler of the Changelings. Her magic was able to rival that of Princess Celestia, but she wasn’t able to defeat her or the others. But when Chrysalis teamed up with King Sombra and Tirek, well…you already saw for yourself…” Starlight explained.

“What’s this about princesses?” Nate inquired as they walked past the gates. His monsters were still waiting for him outside. “Is there some kind of hierarchy in this world?”

They approached one of the giant wolves. Starlight kept her distance as Nate reached up and gently stroked the mutant wolf’s head.

“Y-Yes. W-We had four Princesses, actually. Princess Celestia and her sister, Princess Luna, were the monarchies of Equestria. Celestia raised the sun while Luna raised the moon. Then there was Princess Mi Amore Cadenza, or Cadence, she was the Princess of Love and ruled the Crystal Empire. Next there was…Twilight Sparkle…The Princess of Friendship…” Starlight felt tears swell up in her eyes as she thought back fondly to when things were better than how they are now.

“Back up.” Nate looked back at Starlight. “I refuse to believe someone is capable of manipulating the sun and moon. It defies all laws of physics and comprehension. More so, it’s logically, and scientifically impossible. Not to mention, incomprehensible.”

Unless, somewhere in the course of over three and a half million years, the earth’s rotation and gravitational pull was somehow compromised, Nate theorized to himself in his head.

Starlight tilted her head in confusion at Nate’s refusal to believe what seemed to be common knowledge to someone like her.

“Uh…the Princesses have always been known to do that for hundreds of thousands of years. Before it required about five unicorns using up their magic to raise and lower the sun and moon, until Celestia and Luna came along, anyway,” Starlight explained.

“Whatever, the world’s just more fucked over than I gave it credit for,” Nate rolled his eyes, even though Starlight couldn’t see under his helmet.

“Now, about this forging slave camp to the northeast. What kind of resistance should I expect?” Nate asked.

“Well, it’s far out, about a couple days by hoof. It’s almost desert-like, but you will be faced with changelings and even Diamond Dogs. Due to the place being of great importance, you would be met with better equipped guards than here,” Starlight said.

“Diamond dogs?” Nate said, almost chuckling at how ridiculous it sounded.

He shook his head and waved his hand up and flicked his wrist. The wolves perked up and gathered around.

“These should be enough,” Nate said. “Keep an eye on the town. And don’t worry about the rest of my monsters. They won’t attack you, unless provoked. I’m going to expand my territory,” Nate said as he and the wolves made their way northeast.

Starlight breathed a sigh of relief as Nate left. Every time she was around him, she feared she was one word away from being a chew toy to his pets. The pack of mutated wolves followed behind Nate, their fangs and claws sharpened still having bits of torn flesh and blood from their previous meals. The wolves sniffed around and kept their ears up to keep watch of anything that would pose a threat.

Two Days Later

The road was long, but not hard to overcome. Nate and his wolves marched northeast as their goal drew nearer with each step. Along the way, Nate spotted more animals passing by and thought of adding to his ranks. But then he figured the wolves needed to keep their strength, so he allowed them to go hunting whenever they had to feed. The game was small, during his trek, but he and the wolves managed until they finally arrived.

Nate stood on the horizon just beyond the forging camp. At first glance, excluding the insect-made walls surrounding it, it looked like some kind of old western town. Nate could see multiple changelings flying around and smokestacks billowing from some of the buildings. Nate used his helmet’s optic lenses to zoom in on the town. Pony people were being worked to the bone as changelings tortured them and forced them to work. Also, Nate took note of new creatures that looked like dog-people standing upright. They were dirty, and scruffy-looking beings who looked like they took as much pleasure in ordering and demoralizing the ponies as the changelings. To Nate’s disgust, he even caught sight of some of the dog-people raping female ponies in the corner of buildings, sometimes out in the open.

“Makes me sick…” Nate sneered.

He glanced at his wolves, and they could sense his intentions. They growled, bared their teeth, and readied themselves at their master’s command. Nate slowly raised his arm, pointed his finger, and uttered a single order.

“Rampage,” Nate said in a dark tone.

One wolf, that seemed to be far bigger and stronger than others, with dark red eyes, stepped forward and let out a haunting howl. The other wolves followed suit and soon charged forward towards the town.

The guards posted there looked over and squinted their eyes to see hulking monsters charging towards them

“Battle Stations!” One Changeling ordered, wearing dark purple and black crystal-like armor and wielded a large broadsword made of black steel. The wolves jumped over the gates and fences as they lunged and tore out their victims’ throats.

It was complete chaos within the forging camp. The changelings and diamond dogs had little time to react as the sudden man monstrous wolves came in and began terming the cap apart. Two armored diamond dogs tried standing up to the wolves with speared and crude weapons. Three of the wolves were quick to clamp their jaws around them and started shredding them to meaty pieces. The changelings fared no better as their organs were feasted upon after having their stomachs torn open or they were just swallowed whole. When some tried to fly away, a wolf jumped on a building and into the air and bit down on them midflight.

“Take them down!” A taller changeling ordered, who seemed to be in charge of the town. A wolf growled and lunged at him, but the changeling slid under the wolf and used his sword to slash across its hind legs, leaving a deep gash on the wolf. The wolf howled in pain and growled at the changeling.

“Use your magic, you idiots!” The commander ordered. The changeling guards soon used their powers to transform into numerous different forms of animals to try and combat the mutated wolves

“A valiant effort,” Nate said to himself as he continued to watch from the outskirts of the camp. “But these aren’t your usual monsters. They too have tricks of their own.”

The transformed changelings tried to rush the wolf with the injured leg. The wolf snarled viciously as it raised its tail a little. The spikes that grew along the tip of its tail extended out a little. Before the changelings could react, the wolf whipped its tail forward and fired the spikes towards them. The spikes impaled the changelings through their guts, sending them flying back and impacting the wall. Some spikes punctured their heads as blood and brains showered the very ground. Other spikes tore their heads clean off before impacting the walls. This set off a chain reaction as the other wolves still hunting down their prey began using their tail spikes as well.

“How fascinating,” Nate hummed aloud in thought. “They’re able to adapt to their surroundings and use their newfound metamorphosed bodies to combat their enemies. Despite the enemy having a slight advantage over them in numbers, they are also at a sheer disadvantage when it comes to brute strength and monster instinct.”

The larger wolf, the pack leader, growled at the Changeling in charge, the two circled each other as the Changeling held his ground.

“Come on, you oversized mutt,” the changeling hissed. The wolf howled and dashed towards him. The changeling commander used his sword to keep the monster at bay. The wolf used its claws to try and smack the sword away but was deflected each time by the black steel armor he wore. The changeling tried flying back to gain some distance until the wolf jumped up and was able to make a large gash on the Changeling’s leg, causing him to fly and crash down into a crate.

The changeling commander coughed up blood and tried to stand up but fell back down after putting weight on his leg. A large shadow loomed over him and he saw it was the Alpha of the wolf pack as it bared down on the changeling.

“I die for my queen…” the commander spat. “DO IT!”

The wolf growled before lunging forward and tearing the changeling to bloody shreds. The changeling screamed out in horror and pain as he felt the wolf tear open his stomach and eat his entrails, all while still being alive and conscious to watch it all unfold before succumbing to the pain and blood loss and dying on the spot.

With their commander torn to shreds and devoured, the rest of the changelings and most of the diamond dogs began to lose face. Try as they might to fight back, the wolves were mercilessly slaughtering their prey. Horrific screams and flesh and bones being torn apart could be heard all the way where Nate stood.

As for Nate, he had a malicious grin underneath his helmet as he witnessed his creations do his bidding. He imagined what his other creations were capable of and if he could somehow enhance them by mutating them further. Nate could still recall the various types of creature species he faced in the wasteland. Each had their own unique genetic material and capabilities. As an intellectual who learned and studied about the advantages and disadvantages of radiation exposure, especially how he had to adapt and survive, the scientific part of his mind bustled with new hypotheses and theoretical possibilities.

The brutal sounds of the wolves tearing everyone apart began to die down, which signaled Nate to finally make his appearance.

“Cease!” Nate said aloud, sending a mental message to his wolves.

All the wolves’ ears perked up and stopped immediately from their master’s order. The town was in complete disarray as mutilated bodies littered the ground, some buildings were almost destroyed or completely collapsed, and the survivors were desperately hiding in the still-standing buildings.

Nate made his trek towards the town. His march was calm, but the atmosphere around him was dense and menacing. No one in the town knew why the wolves attacked out of nowhere, but they soon would once Nate arrived. Nate walked up to the gate that was still shut. He noticed a couple of the spikes from the wolves’ tails piercing through, still stained with the blood of changelings and diamond dogs. Nate raised his fist and punched the gates as hard as he could. The gates nearly tore off their hinges and the sound startled the survivors.

Some ponies and surviving and diamond dog changeling guards dared to peek out the window and look towards the gate. With one last hard punch, Nate broke open the gates and they swung open. The force almost made them fly off their hinges. Fear gripped the hearts of anyone bearing witness to the new horror that trudged in. A large metallic creature strode in through the main road. The wolves gathered around the metal monster and actually bowed to it. Nate scanned the condition of each of his wolves and noticed three of them had slash wounds on their arms and legs.

“Three wounded after attacking a slave camp filled with armed bugs and dogs?” Nate said aloud. “I guess that’s about par.”

Nate glanced around the damaged town and could already tell there were survivors hiding in the buildings.

“If all you bugs and dogs don’t want my pets to drag you out by your heads, I suggest you come out now!” Nate called out to the town. “As for you pony folk, you no longer are under the regime of your oppressors!”

The remaining Changelings and Diamond Dogs that were still alive slowly began to come out from inside the buildings. About a dozen and a half in total were hiding. The ponies, however, were slowly coming out of their homes and started cheering for their savior.

“On your knees,” Nate demanded the changelings and dogs.

The changelings and diamond dogs all grumbled, but one look at the wolves feasting on the corpses of their fallen brothers convinced them to all get on their knees.

“Your masters lay dead!” Nate announced to the crowd. “Your oppressors, on their knees! At the mercy of another! Just as they had you! If you wish to still be alive! Then show me you are worth keeping alive!” Nate shouted loud enough for the other ponies hiding away to hear him.

“Um…there’s more of us in the mine!” A stallion-man called out. “And one of the element bearers is being held captive by the Diamond Dog Alpha at the Town Hall! She’s my cousin!”

“The fuck’s an element bearer?” Nate asked.

“Please! Save my cousin!” The stallion begged.

“Tch! Whatever…” Nate scoffed and shoved him out of the way.

He glanced back at his wolves and gave them a silent command to keep watch. Nate made his way to the cave mine just outside the town. There was evidence of an operational mine with mining carts, pickaxes, supply crates, and a cave with scaffolding inside. Nate could hear the cries and shouting of people inside, which meant there were the remnants of changeling and diamond dog survivors trying to hide away in the mines with the rest of the slaves. Nate merely chuckled mockingly at the idea of them attempting to hold out and pulled out his assaultron blade. Nate entered the cave and turned on his helmet's night vision optics and sensor array to see in the dark. His heavy metal footsteps echoed throughout the cave as if signaling anyone foolish enough to try and face him.

“I wonder if there’s any more bugs that need squashing and dogs that need gutting?” Nate asked aloud in a sadistic tone.

There was a startled gasp in the darkness, deep inside the mines. Hurried footsteps and sounds of weapons and armor clanking could be heard. Nate stomped through the mines and soon saw a makeshift barricade standing before him. Nate charged forward and smashed through the makeshift wall.

“Now!” A loud bang was heard, and an explosion was seen as Nate was hit dead center. The guards all cheered and laughed as they had believed to finally have killed the demon of metal.

“Die…” a vicious-sounding voice said. Everyone was frozen as they all slowly turned to the smoke and saw a pair of sickly-yellow eyes glowing in the smoke.

“All of you…WILL DIE!” Nate shouted as he lunged forward and started tearing them to shreds.

Nate swung his sword to the right and sliced a diamond dog in half. One diamond dog tried to bash his hammer on Nate, but Nate grabbed the dog’s skull and crushed it like a grape. Blood and brains sprayed from his metal hand as he continued his slaughter. Three changelings hissed and charged at Nate and tried tackling him to the ground. However, Nate stood in place and didn’t budge an inch as the changelings crashed into him. It was like running headfirst into a wall as they cried out in pain and clutched their heads. With another heavy swing of his sword, Nate chopped off the top half of their heads, exposing their cut open brains as they fell to the ground. A diamond dog fell backwards as he tried to crawl away, but Nate was already looming over him before he could crawl away in time.

“Pathetic weaklings like you don’t deserve to suck air,” Nate said in a dark tone as he brought his foot up and slammed it down on the dog’s gut.

The dog’s guts spewed from his mouth as his eyes rolled back. Nate looked around at the carnage he caused and casually wiped his sword of blood. His helmet’s night vision let him see a little deeper in the cave. He could see the rest of the slaves cowering and trying desperately to keep out of Nate’s sight.

“I suggest you all vacate from this cave.” Was all Nate said as he turned around. “These bugs and mutts are too dead to do anything about it now.”

He marched out of the mine and towards the town hall, where he assumed it was the main base for this camp. Nate kicked down the doors and saw no one else inside, keeping his guard up he ventured upstairs and kicked open the doors, looking inside he saw a bed and a mare laying on the floor next to the bed. She wore a collar that was chained to the bed and wore a revealing belly dancer outfit. The mare had dirty matted blonde hair, light orange fur, and a mark on her butt cheek that looked like three apples. Nate could see the bruises, cuts, and black eye on the mare as she scurried to her hands and knees.

“M-Master?” The mare bowed her head and crawled over to him rubbing his leg “D-Do ya wish fer me to please you?”

“Get off,” Nate ordered the mare and shoved her away. “Where’s the Alpha?”

“Master Crusher w-went out on a raid to the buffalo camps in the canyons,” the mare said as she licked his boots, her body shaking in fear of angering him.

“I said, GET OFF!” Nate snarled, making the mare cower in fear. “You’re not a fucking slave anymore!” Nate raised his sword, causing the mare to scream in fear.

CLANG!

The mare kept her good eye shut as she waited for the end. When she felt no pain, she opened her green eye and looked down to see Nate had used his sword to break the chain.

“Go outside and join the others. I’ve got a mutt to hunt,” Nate said as he left the room.

The mare looked down at her now broken chains and back up at Nate as he walked away.

“T-Thank you…” She muttered as she slowly stood up and took her first steps unchained.

Nate ignored her and walked out of the town house. On his way out, he grabbed a dirty rag that he’d hoped would have the Alpha’s scent on it. He then pursed his lips together and whistled out loudly. All the wolves immediately reacted and ran over to Nate with his own Alpha wolf standing before him.

“Find him,” Nate said, holding up the rag for them to smell. “Find him, run him down, and bring him to me.”

After a few sniffs, the wolves let out another blood curdling howl before running off, leaving a trail of dust behind them. Nate watched as they ran off and looked around to see that the former slaves had taken arms against their former masters and were taking their revenge.

“Hmph, they got spunk,” Nate said.

“We’re ready to fight back!” One stallion said.

“Don’t bother,” Nate said, shaking his head. “We’ll wait here for the rest.”

“The rest?” A mare asked.

Nate said nothing more as he stood still and kept his eyes where the wolves ran off too. The ponies are confused as to why Nate was just standing there. Minutes passed and Nate continued to stand in place. No one knew why Nate continued to stand like a statue as more minutes continued to pass on. Suddenly, there was a dust cloud in the distance. Everyone could see the pack of wolves chasing a small group of diamond dogs. The one in front of the group looked like a black-furred wolfhound and was desperately trying to get away. Nate could tell that the wolves could’ve easily ran him down, but we’re ordered to chase him back to town. The leader saw Nate and skidded to a halt as the wolves ran around him and formed a circle, surrounding Nate, the diamond dog leader, and what was left of his group. The leader looked around frantically, noticing the damaged town and mutilated bodies that littered the streets.

“Crusher, I presume?” Nate asked nonchalantly.

“What the Tartarus are you?!” The dog snarled. “You did this?! You killed my pack, destroyed my camp, and freed my slaves?! You must have a death wish!”

“The only one who’s courting death is you,” Nate said as he rubbed his metallic knuckles against his palm before switching to the other. “But I’ll give you a sporting chance. If you can knock me down, I’ll surrender and let you have your camp back.”

“Fight you? Hahahaha! You must be insane!” Crusher stood up and growled “I’m gonna enjoy using your skull as my new chamber pot!” Crusher then lunged forward and bared his fangs and bit down on his arm. But as soon as he bit down on Nate’s metal arm, his teeth were shattered upon impact

“AAAAAAAGH!” Crusher screamed in agony.

“Aw, poor puppy broke his little teeth,” Nate mocked as he brushed off the bite mark with his hand. “Wanna try that again? I’ll give you one more free shot.”

Crusher growled and roared as he struck Nate in the face of his helmet. The diamond dog alpha groaned as reeled his hand back in pain. He growled in defiance and kept punching Nate’s helmet, but it did nothing but hurt himself.

“If it hasn’t dawned on you already, it should be painfully obvious by now that nothing you do will ever work,” Nate said as Crusher snarled viciously but kept punching Nate.

Crusher’s fists were red and bloody as the bones in his hands and fingers were breaking more and more with each punch. Nate suddenly caught one of Crusher’s fists with his hand, forcing Crusher to stop his onslaught and look up at Nate.

“Was that your best shot?” Nate leaned in close to glare into Crusher’s eyes. “Now let me show you mine.”

CRUNCH!!

Nate closed his fist around Crusher’s hand and crushed it like a punch of sticks, completely destroying the bones as blood spurted out.

“GAAAAAAAH!!” Crusher screamed out in pain as he dropped to one knee, hitting Nate’s arm in a feeble attempt to free his hand. Nate chuckled and let go, letting Crusher reel back in pain as he clutched his destroyed hand. Crusher cried out in a fit of rage as he tried kicking Nate in the groin as hard as he could.

SNAP!!

“AAAAAAAGH!!” Crusher howled out in pain as his leg was snapped in half after kicking Nate.

“Hurts, doesn’t it?” Nate hissed as he stomped on Crusher’s other leg.

“AAAAAHHHHHH!!” Crusher screamed out in agony.

“Pain is a very harsh but eye-opening lesson,” Nate said as he pressed down on his leg. “It teaches you that you can’t be the top dog forever, since there will always be someone much more dangerous to take your place.” Nate’s helmet’s eyes glowed sickly yellow as Crusher whimpered and desperately tried to crawl away.

“Your place is right where you are. Pining at the dirt, being crushed like the vermin you are,” Nate said darkly. He reached down and grasped Crusher’s head.

“You are a fucking shit stain under my boot,” Nate added. He glanced up at the remaining diamond dogs and changelings who watched in horror at his brutal display of dominance.

“Let this be a reminder to anyone who wants to play tough,” Nate warned as he slowly closed his hand around Crusher’s skull.

Crusher screamed and cried out as he felt his skull slowly getting crushed like a ball of paper. Tears streamed down his face as he pleaded for his life.

“Please! No no! Have mercy, please! N-NO!! M-M-MOMMY!! MOMMY, HEL-” His cries were cut short as his head exploded in Nate’s hand.

“It’s as I said before,” Nate said as he stood up straight, his hand dripping with blood, brains, and bone. “God has mercy. I don’t.”

Nate flicked his hand to get rid of the excess grime. The ponies were hesitant to approach Nate, after witnessing such a brutal display, but the one stallion who spoke to him before boldly took a step forward.

“Is it over?” The stallion asked. “Are we safe?”

“Safe?” Nate said, then chuckled a little. “I wouldn’t say that.”

“B-But why? You freed us from the changelings and diamond dogs, didn’t you?” The stallion asked, sounding perplexed.

“Ah, I see the misunderstanding,” Nate said with a mock nod of understanding. “See, I didn’t save you, I relieved you of your former employers.” Nate raised his hand and readied his fingers to flick the stallion’s head.

“I would say it’s more like…under new management,” Nate cackled, grinning maliciously under his helmet as he flicked the stallion’s head, making him jerk backwards and fall down.

The stallion looked up and crawled back as he gazed upon what he could only describe Nate as…a demon. The other ponies all huddled their loved ones close as they feared what this may lead to. Were their lives going to get better or worse than it was before?

“Here’s how things are gonna work from now on,” Nate said as he slowly paced back and forth, and the wolves glared at the ponies. “You’re all free to live as you please in this shit hole, without the chains, whips, and other unpleasant torture methods. So long as you all keep in mind that I was the one who liberated you all from these bugs and mutts that were using you as tools. To put it simply, you are now my employees, and I am your employer. You work hard, you eat and sleep well. Simple, right?” Nate stopped pacing and became serious.

“However, if any of you step out of line, such as talking back to me or are unsatisfied with how I’m running things, you’ve already seen what I and my pets can do,” Nate warned with malice in his voice. “I don’t tolerate insubordination and disloyalty, am I clear?”

The ponies all nodded frantically, holding each other as none of them could form any words due to their fear.

“Good. First order of business, lock up the surviving bugs and mutts over there. Second, get to work on gathering the remains of your former oppressors, pile them in a heap outside the walls of the town, then burn it,” Nate ordered. “Third, I want someone to run over to the town southwest from here and deliver a message to a woman named Starlight. Tell her the forging camp is liberated and we’ll be setting up a trade route.”

Two people, the stallion with an apple cutie mark and a mare with blue hair, nodded and were the ones who volunteered to go. They honestly just wanted an excuse to get away from him, but would still relay the message, fearing his wrath if they were to fail. The former slaves got to work on the orders Nate had given them. The surviving guards all tried to fight back from being locked up, until Nate’s wolves made a quick reminder to them by baring their fangs. Nate looked over at the Town Hall and saw the mare he freed from the Alpha’s chambers walk out the front door, wearing a long gown that was able to at least cover herself. She looked around and gasped at the sight of the liberated town.

Nate laughed subtly to himself as he gathered his wolves around him. He reached into one of his power armor’s compartments and pulled out a few stimpacks to heal them.

“One step closer,” Nate said to himself as he watched them work and healed his wolves. “They will all bow to me.”

Author's Note

The Sole Conqueror’s brutality is a force soon to be reckoned with.

Hope you enjoyed!

~WurkyWilk has left the building…

Caverns Dim

Chapter 5

“Again?!” Chrysalis yelled, banging her fist on the armrest of her throne. Her drones were cowering at the ferocity in her eyes as she glared down at her subjects.

“Twice! Twice, parts of my territory have been taken! Twice, I could feel my drones fall! And twice you all have failed me!” Chrysalis hissed. “There should be nopony left on this planet strong enough to rebel! How is this happening?!”

“R-Reports came back describing the one responsible. It is a strange being with an armored shell, strong enough to even withstand our magic bolts and strong enough to crush a skull in one hand.” A commanding officer explained.

“P-Please forgive us!” One drone said, one of the few survivors of the armored demon’s wrath.

Chrysalis responded by powering up her horn and blasting the drone with a beam of magic. The beam shot through the drone’s skull, killing him instantly and fell.

“You don’t deserve my forgiveness! OUT! ALL OF YOU!” Chrysalis snarled angrily.

The drones bowed and dragged their dead comrade out of the room. Chrysalis grit her teeth and contemplated how to deal with this interloper and regain authority of her taken territory.

“My loyal assassin…” Chrysalis said in a low tone. “Come forth.”

As if having just appeared out of thin air, a Changeling draped in a black cloak appeared, bowing on one knee as it spoke.

“My Queen.” His voice was raspy and deep, like sandpaper rubbing against stone. The changeling seemed to stand at 5’11 feet tall, but due to the cloak it was hard to tell his build.

“There is a foolish rebel who thinks he can take what is mine,” Chrysalis said. “Deal with him, and bring me back his skull.”

“As you wish, my Queen.” The assassin bowed once more before vanishing. Chrysalis leaned back on her throne and laughed.

“All heroes are the same. They think just because they can fight means they can win. But every hero has a heart. And that is their downfall. Quite ironic.” She cackled as she was already thinking of using Nate's skull as cup or just hanging it on her wall.

Nate sat in the town hall of the western-like town he had just liberated. The freed slaves were still in the middle of clearing the town of corpses and repairing any damages. The armored man sat on a large chair that was able to support his weight and was examining his metallic hand. The sickly yellow glow emanated from his hand as new potential experiments swirled in his mind. He already knew how to mutate animals and other creatures for his growing army, but he theorized what would happen if he used his new and evolving power on sentient creatures.

“Kellogg,” Nate said reluctantly.

“You rang?” The automated voice of Kellogg said in his helmet.

“What do you know about the FEV virus?” Nate asked.

“Oh? And what is it you want to know?” Kellogg asked.

“Just tell me,” Nate said irritably.

“Fine. I don’t know a lot about it, but it’s what created the Super Mutants. It was meant to force evolution, or some super soldier serum. I’m not sure which,” Kellogg explained.

“I thought as much,” Nate said with a disappointed sigh. “I once asked Elder Maxson about it during my service in the Brotherhood. He told me that the former Elder, a man by the name of Elder Lyons, told Maxson the tale of how someone stopped the spread when he was a squire. Old Brotherhood records indicated that the source was an old military base way over somewhere in Southern California. All that was ever recorded about the events were something about a mad scientist, and someone managing to stop him from spreading the virus at an alarming rate. After that, there wasn’t much else to go on record since the events happened years before I was unthawed.”

“Well, the Institute HQ was stationed in Boston. But that wasn’t the only base,” Kellogg said. If he had a face, he would be smirking right now.

“The hell are you talking about?” Nate asked.

“Did you really think that that was the only base for the Institute? Hell no. The Institute had other bases, they were small, but they were there,” Kellogg said.

“What are you implying? That they may still exist after over three million years?“ Nate scoffed. “They’re long gone, Kellogg, I personally ensured that when I detonated that bomb and destroyed everything that made them what they were.”

“Ah, but you see, the Institute actually had one small team do more research on the FEV,” Kellogg said. “It was a bit earlier before you thawed out, but the former director, before the old man, had one team stationed at another base. It was unorthodox, but it was for further research. At least, that’s what I recall her saying. Besides, you’re still here. So can you really say they’re gone when you, yourself, have cheated death twice?” Kellogg chuckled coldly.

Nate was silent after hearing Kellogg’s premonition. The Institute was very technologically advanced, that much was true considering what he saw in their underground base, but he had high doubts that they would have lasted this long.

“Doesn’t matter,” Nate said as he stood up. “At the end of the day, they’re all gone. Lost in the past and I’m the only one alive who remembers them.”

“No need to be so dramatic about it, Mr. Sole Survivor,” Kellogg teased.

“Do not call me that,” Nate hissed as he tapped his helmet and manually switched off the voice.

Nate walked out of the town hall and many passerby’s flinched when they saw him exit the building. Nate’s wolves stood around, keeping an eye out for any troublemakers. He noticed a group of wooly-looking people with short curved horns. They went talking to two ponies, one of them being the mare he found chained up from before. The stallion wore a torn up stetson and he and the mare flinched when Nate approached them.

“Who’re these guys?” Nate demanded.

“T-This is Chief Thunderhooves, leader of the Buffalo tribe that wanders the valley. They were the only ones here that actually fought, or at least held off, the Diamond Dogs and other changelings,” the Stallion explained to Nate

“You are the armored savior?” Thunderhooves asked, walking up to Nate. He stood about two heads taller than him.

“I wouldn’t call me that,” Nate said.

“What?” Thunderhooves asked.

“A savior, because I’m not one,” Nate said darkly. “You don’t look like you’ve been under the regime of these bugs. Were you hiding out in the desert or something?”

“You dare call us cowards?” One of the other buffalos stomped towards Nate until Thunderhooves stopped him.

“We weren’t hiding. We were able to hold them back, due to us knowing the lands far better than them and having more combat experience,” Thunderhooves explained.

“Before, the Changelings weren’t exactly known for their military strategy. But after Queen Chrysalis and the other tyrants teamed up, they became a force of nature,” the mare said.

“We were lucky it was mostly the dogs they sent,” the stallion said.

“And who are you? I didn’t catch your names,” Nate where the mare next to the stallion.

“A-Ah’m Applejack. Ah am…Ah was the element of honesty and was once a protector for Equestria. But…well, you can see for yerself.” Applejack looked down in shame at how she let things happen.

“Ah’m Braeburn. Applejack’s cousin. This is my home, and thanks to you it belongs to us now.” Bareburn smiled at Nate

Nate glared at Braeburn and stepped closer towards him so that he towered over the stallion, menacingly.

“Us?” Nate hissed. “Since when is there an us?”

“B-But…th-this our home…” Braeburn tried to say.

“I don’t know who or what you think I am, but I can assure you that I’m anything but. This town is under my control. You work, you eat, you have a home, and you live. But if I catch you, any of you, slacking off, I’ll use your corpse as a warning for any other smart-mouth that tries crossing me.” Nate glared down at Braeburn while making the stallion and the others all step back and quiver in fear.

“Hey, that’s enough,” a buffalo tried to say. “You may have saved these ponies, but they have a right to keep their homes.”

“Hmph, so long as they know their place,” Nate scoffed. “There’s something that I’ve been curious about. You called those dog people Diamond Dogs. Who and what are they? Where did they come from?”

“Diamonds Dogs are, well, anthropomorphic dogs who normally live underground and eat gems. They have a homeland, so to speak, they’re mostly just tribes scattered all over Equestria,” Applejack explained.

“Tribes, you say?” Nate pondered the information. “By tribes, you mean packs. And if there’s a pack, then there’s an alpha.” Nate turned to Thunderhooves. “You think the dogs I have in custody would know where their real hideout is?”

“How did you know this wasn’t all of the Dogs in the town?” Thunderhooves asked.

“Call it a hunch, but would they?” Nate asked again.

“N-Not the lower rank ones, they’re mostly just used as cannon fodders and muscle. The higher rank ones would probably know, of anypony of high rank is left of them,” Braeburn said.

“Bring one of them to me, I’d like to ask them some questions,” Nate ordered.

Braeburn nodded and scurried off with a few other ponies. As they waited, Thunderhooves stared at Nate as if trying to get a read on him.

“If you’re staring, it means you got something to say,” Nate scoffed.

“Why is your spirit so troubled, metal one?” Thunderhooves asked.

“The hell you say?” Nate deadpanned behind his helmet.

“The way you speak, the way you fight, all of it feels as if you are putting on a façade. That this isn’t you, but rather something you feel you must be. What pain do you carry, metal stranger?” Thunderhooves asked curiously.

“Pain?” Nate growled and glared at Thunderhooves. “You don’t know the meaning of the word. And it shouldn’t concern you why I do what I do, it’s just a new me I’m beginning to accept. I tried playing the long game, but it didn’t do shit for me. What could you possibly know about any of that?”

“Look around you, I was forced to watch my friends and my fellow buffalo become slaves to these…genocidal monsters! Our women forced to be raped in the streets! Baring their bastards as their families are forced to watch or are killed! Our homes burned to ash, our blood staining the land, our minds broken!” Thunderhooves stepped up to Nate and stared him right in his eyes. “I know pain, but I do not let it change me, I use it to remind me why I am fighting. Can you say the same?”

“Have you ever been ripped from your home and end up in a world unlike anything you knew?” Nate asked, his voice filled with malice. “Did you ever fight so hard for something, to try and salvage a broken world, only to be ripped away from it all again?” Nate got real quiet and clenched his metal fist. “Did you ever suffer from helplessly watching your wife getting murdered and your infant child getting taken away?”

Thunderhooves tried to speak but he was at a loss for words as Nate vaguely described parts of his life. Though he didn’t say he had experienced these things, the old buffalo-man was old and wise enough to know that Nate was not a being to just make up these things out of the blue. Thunderhooves sighed softly and looked down, unable to speak.

“That’s what I thought,” Nate scoffed.

Braeburn soon returned with a chained Diamond Dog. The Diamond Dog was female and had the appearance of a doberman dog as she growled at every pony she passed by. Her attire looked like a mishmash of junk strung together with pieces of metal held up with metal wiring. Her demeanor soon changed dramatically when she saw Nate and his helmet's cold eyes staring back at her.

“So, this is who you decided to bring, Braeburn?” Nate asked.

“S-She was the only one with a high enough ranking who was still…well, alive,” he said nervously as he handed Nate the leash to her collar.

The Diamond Dog stared at Nate and every last bit of her instincts told her to run as fast and far away from him, yet her legs couldn’t move. She turned her body away from him as her muscles in her legs tensed up. It felt like the Dog didn’t care about the collar tied around her neck and the leash attached to it. She would run as fast as she could away from the towering metal demon who dominantly glared down at her.

“Hey,” Nate said, making the Diamond Dog flinch and making her ears pin to her head. “I have questions, you have information. You give me what I want, you keep sucking air. Do we understand each other?”

The Diamond Dog gulped but tried to stay strong, not wanting to be seen as weak.

“W-Why should I? Aren’t I dead even If I did tell you?” The Diamond Dog tried to sound brave.

Nate yanked on the chain and lifted it up in the air so the Dog was hanging by her neck. She gasped and choked as she tried to catch her breath and began flailing around.

“You’ll be dead sooner than later if you don’t cooperate,” Nate said in a dark tone.

The Diamond Dog whimpered as her ears pinned down in an act of submission

“O-Okay! Okay! Fine! I’ll talk! What do you wanna know?!” She said as she gasped, trying to claw at her collar for air.

Nate smirked under his helmet before loosening his grip. The Diamond Dog fell to the ground and took deep breaths so she could breathe normally.

“My associate here tells me you Dogs are always in packs,” Nate said, gesturing to Braeburn. “I killed the one in charge of this town, but it’s come to my attention that he wasn’t the actual leader, am I right?”

The Diamond Dog whimpered and went into a bowing position as a way to show she fully given up on being hostile towards him

“N-No! I-I mean yes! Yes, we do travel in packs, but he wasn’t the Alpha. Our true leader of our pack is a Diamond Dog named Gnasher. H-He was entrusted with this part of the region and was the main supplier of the minerals and resources collected on this side of Equestria,” the female Dog explained.

“That right?” Nate said, folding his metal arms. “And just out of curiosity, why did you sign up with the bugs?”

“W-We aren’t exactly a united force. Sure, we’re all Diamond Dogs but each of us form our own packs and clans but we don’t necessarily have one big pack like the ponies do,” the Dog explained. “We have an Alpha, who proved to be the strongest and smartest so he was entrusted with managing this region, and all other clans bowed to him so that they could have some margin of freelancing. It was either join together or die,” the Dog said.

“I see,” Nate nodded in understanding. “And how exactly does your chain of command work? Are there others who work under him that are also high-ranking Dogs?”

“Y-Yes. Gnasher is, in simple terms, one of the four Betas of the Diamond Dogs, so to speak. The other Betas of the clans and packs are the Alpha’s council, they just follow his orders and keep the other clans in check to prevent any sort of riots or to keep some Diamond Dogs from doing something stupid. Scar, he is in charge of gathering slaves. They mostly send warbands and launch attacks to different settlements and hideouts of ponies. Second, there’s Gorgon, he is in charge of manufacturing armor and weapons for the changelings, that’s where about half of the resources end up. Lastly there is Pike, he is in charge of planning out strategies and the brains of the outfit,” the Dog said.

How unexpected that these creatures are somewhat organized, despite their appearance and battle tactics, Nate thought. “Which of the four Betas are closest to us?”

“U-Um…I-I-I’d say Gnasher. His clan is down southeast, just on the borders of the badlands,” the Dog replied.

Nate looked towards the southeast and activated his helmet’s map. The map panned towards the direction where the Dog described and he noticed a mountain range.

“There’s mountains in that direction,” Nate said aloud. “What am I to expect in those mountains? How many Dogs are hiding out there?”

“I-I-I’m not sure…” she said quietly, practically shrinking in fear before him.

Nate leaned forward towards the Dog. He used a bit of his magic to make his eyes glow sickening yellow.

“Are you withholding intel from me?” Nate sneered.

The Dog whimpered and fell back, looking up at him with fear

“I-I swear, I-I don’t know! I was just a member of a warband to a small clan! All I know is all of them have heavily fortified strongholds and have entire battalions, armies inside each stronghold!” She pleaded.

Nate stared at the cowering Dog for several minutes before leaning back and stood up straight.

“They say when someone fears death and feels as though their life is about to end, they confess all they can in order to be pardoned for all their sins,” Nate said aloud. Nate then raised his hand and waved it forward while using his magic. Four of the wolves he brought with him, including his alpha, walked up beside him and bowed their heads obediently.

“Braeburn!” Nate said.

“Y-Yes?” Braeburn flinched.

“Throw this one back in her cell,” Nate ordered as he turned to leave.

“Where are you going?” Thunderhooves asked.

“The match has already been lit,” Nate said as his wolves followed him. “I’m going to officially ignite the fuse.”

Nate’s trek southeast lasted for about a few hours. The surrounding area became more deserted like a desert with small mountains in the distance. His sights were set on the mountain range the Dog told him about and was committed to put the Dog in charge of this part of this part of the region. He would need to take it all piece by piece and make more mutant animals if he was going to stand a chance against this bug Queen. There was a part of him that wanted to just rush in their home base without any tactical thinking, but his better judgment told him it would be ill-advised to do something so reckless. The best he could do at the moment was start from the bottom and work his way up. After another hour of marching across the desert-like terrain, Nate spotted a much larger set of mountains. He put on his map and saw that it was the mountain range he was looking for.

“Initiate HUD motion detector module,” Nate said, activating his helmet’s internal computer. “Scan the designated area for any life forms and estimate how many there are.”

The HUD was picking up around forty life forms inside, some of them scattered throughout the interior of the mountain while most of the rest were huddled more in the center.

“Huh, you’re actually using your brain. Last time you wanted someone dead you stormed through a damn army and security defenses,” Kellog coldly chuckled. “Tell me, what’s so different this time? Is it because you don’t have your boy anymore?” Kellog taunted him.

“If you weren’t just a voice in my helmet, I’d kill you again, Kellogg,” Nate growled. “Looks like it would be as easy, since they’ve got the home advantage. Flushing them out would take too long, and I don’t feel like dragging this out.” Nate furrowed his brows and reached into his suit’s compartment, pulling out a few syringes.

“Oh? What’ve you got there, Vault Dweller?” Kellog asked while chuckling. “Funny, didn’t think you’d use chems. What kind of example are you making for your son? Oh, whoops.”

Nate would’ve snapped at Kellogg, but he figured it would be a waste of breath. He looked down at the chems in his hand and contemplated their effectiveness. Nate had never used chems in his life, not even after he taught himself how to make chems from the dealers and junkies in Goodneigbor. He only kept them on hand because they were good trading material for supplies. He looked at his wolves as he held up the syringe in his hand.

“Sniff them out,” Nate said, his tone of voice turning dark. “Leave no quarter, ignore your pain, and rip them to shreds.”

One by one, Nate jammed a syringe of Psycobuff into each wolf.

All in perfect synchrony, the wolves let out a blood chilling howl as they were foaming at the mouth and their muscles grew bigger. They began seeing red as they all charged forward, leaping, climbing, or even bursting through the wooden and stone barriers at the base of the mountain and through the cave openings that led inside. The Diamond Dogs all screamed out in shock and terror, unable to get organized properly from how quickly the attack happened. Many tried fighting back, using spears and bows to try and keep the wolves at bay but it was futile as they brushed off these attacks and tore the dogs to shreds.

Nate was more than satisfied at how quickly the chems affected the wolves and kept their potency. Nate then began his slow walk towards the mountain. He could hear the carnage from inside one of the caves as he reached back and slowly pulled out his sword. The Dogs’ screams echoed within the caves along with the bloodcurdling roars of the wolves.

“WHAT THE FUCK ARE THESE WOLVES?!”

“THEY BROKE THROUGH THE GATES!”

“THEY’RE MONSTERS!”

“IT’S EATING MY GUTS! HELP-AAARRRGGHHH!!”

Many of the Diamond Dogs tried to escape by digging through the ground while the wolves tore them apart. Three wolves caught a Dog in their jaws and started pulling, two at his arms and one at his legs. The Dog screamed in pain as he felt his muscles and limbs being ripped apart before his arms and lower half were completely torn apart. By some cruel act of a joke, he was still alive, crying out for his mama as the dogs then tore into his flesh, eating him alive.

Nate continued his slow walk, stepping over the mangled corpses in his wake. Blood streamed over the stone floors and glanced down at the bodies of the dogs that his wolves were still in the midst of devouring. Some of the dead Dogs had half their bodies ripped in half, and most of their organs crushed or eaten by the mutated predators. Nate caught sight of a Dog still alive. He was barely holding on to his life by a thread as he barely managed to look up at Nate with his one good eye. The rest of his head was bitten off, exposing what was left of his brain.

“K…Ki…ill…m…e…” the Dog croaked weakly.

“Huh, there’s a putting down a dog joke in there somewhere,” Kellog said as he laughed within Nate’s helmet. “Well? What’re you going to do, Vault Dweller? You gonna be merciful and give him a quick death, prove that you’re still the ‘better man’? Or are you gonna to leave this Dog to a slow and painful fate?” Kellog asked. If he had a face he’d be smirking right now.

Nate stared down at the dying Dog with a cold, unfazed stare. The Dog’s breathing was laboring and kept weakly begging Nate to end his life. Nate was no stranger to taking lives, especially when it came to giving his enemies a swift death when it mattered. However, that was when Nate had a sense of duty back in the Commonwealth. Back then, Nate was a soldier, a friend, a leader, and an example that there was still good in the world. But that was then, and this is now.

Without uttering a word, Nate turned away from the Dog and walked past him and continued down the cave. The Dog whimpered weakly as he watched Nate walk away with his one good bloody eye.

“…de…vil.” The dog managed to say at Nate.

All Nate could hear now was the desperate pleads for mercy, the screaming of horror, and the sounds of flesh being torn apart as he marched ahead through the tunnels of the mine. A Diamond Dog crawled to him and grabbed his legs.

“Please!” The Dog looked up and gasped as he stared into the eyes of Nate.

Nate reached down and grabbed the Dog’s head with his hand and crushed his skull. Blood and grime oozed from between his metallic fingers as he then tossed the twitching corpse aside like a piece of trash.

Some survivors who were able to avoid the wolves ran into Nate as he approached through the tunnels. Either it was a last act of bravery or perhaps some delusional sense of survival, the Dogs attacked Nate. Nate made no sound as he raised his sword and brought it down with a fierce slash. The blade sliced one Dog down the middle and his two halves split apart, dousing Nate in blood as it sprayed everywhere. He then stabbed another Dog through the chest and twisted it before yanking it out. Another Dog jumped on his back and tried stabbing his neck, but Nate grabbed his arm, crushed it in his grip, and pulled the Dog down to the ground with a heavy thud against the stone floor. Before the dog could recuperate, Nate raised his large metal foot and stomped on the Dog’s skull with a sickening crunch.

Nate took a moment to stop his walk and stood in the middle of the tunnel.

“Hmm…might be better if I actually knew where I was going,” Nate said to himself. “Activate Laser Tunnel Mapping System. Set the radius level to about five kilometers wide.”

Nate’s helmet reacted to his words and the HUD beeped a few times. Nate then watched the display scan the mountain. Once the scan was complete, the display showed a complex-looking tunnel system that stretched a good few miles deep within the mountain. There were dozens of pocket areas that were connected to several tunnels like a labyrinth. The tunnels weren’t as intricate as he had hoped, but at least they all looked like they all led to a bigger area located in the center of the mountain. Nate’s eyes panned around his new map until he managed to locate the entrance he walked through and pinpointed his exact location. After taking a moment to carefully plan out a route that would lead him to the center chamber.

Along the way, Nate took note of the environment while his wolves continued to run rampant throughout the tunnels of the mountain. On the floor, there was a set of minecart tracks that ran through the tunnel he marched. There were mining tools such as pickaxes and helmets that looked like they were tossed aside by the users in order to escape from the rampaging wolves. Nate spotted a mining cart left on the tracks. When he peered inside, there was a trove of different mineral ores and gems such as iron, some silver, a few golds, rubies, sapphires, emeralds, and even some small diamond deposits.

“Hmph, these Dogs seem to have a single purpose to just mine precious metals,” Nate scoffed. “This mountain probably has more to offer than just gems and gold.”

Nate’s slow and brutal trek through the tunnels led him to a more open chamber of the cave system.

There were signs of an operational mine with carts, pickaxes, and even crude-looking scaffolding along the walls. The size of the center chamber was almost on par with Diamond City, back in his time. There were dozens upon dozens of dug out holes all over the walls that led to the tunnel network. Nate then noticed that some of the holes in the stone walls weren’t part of the tunnel network. He saw that there were more ponies inside the holes with thick metal bars that acted like some sort of cage. The ponies were all chained up and wore ragged and bloody clothing. Nate passed by one of the wall cages and peered inside. The ponies within all cowered away from the bars and huddled in the corner. The ponies looked quite malnourished, as if they hadn’t had a proper meal in days, perhaps weeks. If Nate had to estimate how many imprisoned ponies there were in this center chamber, he’d estimate at least over a thousand of them were being held captive.

“Well, they’ve sure have been busy,” Nate said to himself.

In the center of the mine, Nate saw his wolves surrounding the remaining Dogs. There were hundreds of mutilated bodies that littered the chamber wherever Nate looked. Parts of the scaffolding were partially destroyed due to the wolves rampaging wherever they had gone. The surviving Dogs were pinned against each other, desperately trying to keep the hulking wolves at bay as the monsters slowly stalked towards them. The wolves were completely covered in blood and gore. Their eyes were still bloody red and thick drool mixed with blood oozed from their muzzles. By the looks of it, there were only a little over a hundred Dogs remaining from the merciless slaughter.

Nate let out a loud whistle that echoed in the chamber. The wolves’ ears perked up as they turned around to see their master walk towards them. The wolves obediently met him halfway and stood beside him when Nate was only a few meters from the surviving Dogs. Most of the survivors were completely broken with fear as they huddled together while others still glared at Nate defiantly. Nate stood silent as he looked around the chamber to see torn up corpses and bloody messes wherever he saw. If he had his helmet off, he would no doubt be able to smell the stench of death in the chamber.

“You Dogs seem to have quite the operation going on here,” Nate said and looked up. “Isn’t that right, Mr. Gnasher?”

From atop a higher scaffolding area that overlooked the entire chamber, Nate caught sight of another Dog. The Dog was a much larger Diamond Dog as his armor could barely contain his physique. He had a round belly that could’ve made him look pudgy, but Nate wasn’t an idiot. He could see that there wasn’t an ounce of fat on him, just pure muscle. The Dog was sitting on a stone throne while his feet rested on top of a young Diamond Dog girl, who couldn’t be any older than fifteen at best. She was covered in bruises and slash marks and wore tattered rags. The Dog stood up and kicked the girl away as she gasped for air on the ground, holding her stomach. The Beta Dog named Gnasher stood at 7’1 foot tall and wore metal armor with buffalo horns on his helmet.

“Who dares enter my domain and kill my warband?!” The large Diamond Dog snarled.

“So, the big bad dog finally emerges from his throne?” Nate mocked as he looked up at Gnasher.

With a low growl, Gnasher jumped down from the ledge and landed just a few meters away from Nate. With him was a large hammer he held in his hand that had a sharp spike on the top. Nate’s wolves snarled at Gnasher, but Nate held his hand up to get them to back off.

“This mine is wasted on the likes of you filthy mutts,” Nate said. “So, I’ll be making better use of it than you ever have.”

“The only way you’re getting out of here is in a million tiny pieces, metal demon!” Gnasher growled as he charged forward and smashed his hammer against Nate, making Nate fly back and crash hard to the ground. Nate laid there on the ground; a tad surprised that even he was sent flying even with his Power Armor. Nate slowly got back up and raised his hand to order his wolves to stand down before they could make a move. He glared at Gnasher and smirked behind his helmet as he took out his sword.

“Oh, this is gonna be fun,” Nate said as he charged at Gnasher.

Gnasher and Nate clashed against each other. The spectators were almost knocked back from the shockwave of their clash as they pushed against each other. Nate’s Power Armor waned a little from the Dog’s brute strength as Nate held onto the hammer’s head.

“You’re pretty strong,” Nate said as he grits his teeth. “Unlucky for you…I’ve fought monsters twice your size!”

Nate pushed against Gnasher and managed to move the Dog back a foot, shocking the survivors and any prisoners witnessing the events. Nate held on to the hammer more tightly as he took another step, forcing Gnasher backwards.

Gnasher gritted his fangs as he tried to stand his ground but all he managed was continuing to skid across the ground. He glanced back to see the wall getting closer. He growled in anger and quickly moved to the side to use Nate’s momentum against him.

“Seems this mutt was more than just brawn,” Nate heard Kellogg say.

Nate turned to Gnasher but was met with his hammer slamming into his chest armor again. Nate stumbled back and grunted loudly, but he managed to keep steady. Gnasher barked angrily at Nate as he went for another swing of his hammer, but Nate managed to jump out of the way. Reeling back his sword, Nate swung as hard as he could and slashed a deep cut right across Gnasher’s chest. He followed up with a heavy haymaker with his left fist and stomped on Gnasher’s right paw.

Gnasher yelped in pain before growling in anger again and lunged forward and bit down on Nate’s arm. To Nate’s surprise, Gnasher’s fangs didn’t break on impact as he thought they would as Gnasher growled and punched Nate’s helmet.

Nate gritted his teeth and began punching Gnasher’s side repeatedly. Gnasher began coughing blood as he felt his ribs crack and break from each punch to his side but kept biting down on Nate.

“GET! THE! FUCK! OFF!” Nate yelled.

He reeled back his fist and punched Gnasher’s side as hard as he could. The sounds of his rib cage shattering could be heard from the bystanders as Gnasher finally let go and stumbled backwards. The Dog coughed up more blood and struggled to breathe, but Nate didn’t give him time to recuperate. Tossing his sword away for a moment, Nate clamped his hand around Gnasher’s muzzle and pushed the Dog against the wall again. Nate slammed Gnasher’s head in the wall, dazing the Dog, and started beating him relentlessly with an assault of heavy punches. Rage began to blind him as all he started to see was red.

“Die, fucker! FUCKING DIE!” Nate roared with each punch.

His strikes were so heavy that it cracked the wall he was pushing Gnasher into. Gnasher was helpless and howled with great pain as his bones and organs were being smashed into powder. The bystanders were helpless as they watched the lead Dog get beaten without remorse.

Nate eventually stopped punching Gnasher into the wall and took a step back. His fists were steaming a little and were dripping with blood. Gnasher’s chest looked like something heavy had hit him and caved in his entire torso. Bones protruded out of his skin and the wall around him was splattered with his blood. The barely conscious Dog slowly leaned forward and fell down on the ground. Nate panted heavily as he stared down at the Dog. In the corner of his eye, he caught sight of Gnasher’s hammer on the ground. The Dog must’ve dropped it when Nate slammed him into the wall again.

Nate slowly turned his head to the now terrified survivors. His eyes were glowing sickly yellow, and he let out a low laugh.

“You wanna see who’s in charge now?” Nate said as he walked over to the hammer and picked it up.

Nate raised the hammer up over his head as Gnasher looked up at him in fear, tears in his eyes, as he tried to raise his hands in a feeble attempt at defending himself.

“Me…cahy…me…chey…” He tried to speak but his jaw was too badly broken as he whimpered.

“A slaver begging for his life. I wonder just how many others acted the same way as you did. Tell me, did you show them mercy?” Nate asked before letting out a roar and bringing the hammer down. The impact on Gnasher’s skull sounded like a watermelon bursting. The Dog’s blood sprayed all over the ground and walls. His eyes bulged out and were sent flying through the air as chunks of his brain and skull flew all over. Nate panted slightly as he looked around, seeing all the other dogs whimpering with their tails between their legs, backing away in an attempt to get away from Nate.

“Bravo, killer, bravo. You really do got some demons in you, huh?” Kellog laughed. “Tell me, did that burn off some steam? Or do you wanna kill again? Maybe slaughter them all, leave none of them alive? That’ll show a clear message to others.” He suggested like a devil on his shoulder.

Nate narrowed his eyes at Kellogg’s words but ignored him as he turned his attention towards the other Dogs. It wasn’t just the Dogs who gazed at Nate and felt utter fear, the imprisoned ponies were unable to process what they had just witnessed. They had been in a state of oppression by arguably the most ruthless Diamond Dog who forced them to mine minerals without rest. Yet, this monster of metal seemingly showed up out of nowhere with his monstrous wolves and completely annihilated most of the pack and brutalized the Beta.

“Anyone else care to challenge me?” Nate said to the survivors, seeing them whimper and shake in fear.

Suddenly Nate felt something hit against the neck guard of his armor and turned around to see who it was. The culprit was draped in black armor and a black cloak. He noticed a pair of light blue eyes peering through a helmet. Nate could see a pair of insect-like wings poking out from behind his back, which Nate then deduced that this stranger was another Changeling. The Changeling then raised his hands and began to slowly clap, as if he was giving Nate a mock applause.

“Bravo, you’re more dangerous and bloodthirsty than I thought, but you are no threat. At least after I kill you,” the cloaked stranger said.

“And you are?” Nate asked.

“Your executioner,” The Changeling said in a calm yet menacing tone. “You have been making quite a mess of her majesty’s territory.”

“It soon will be my territory,” Nate said. “All of it. And your precious queen’s days are numbered.”

“Big talk for somepony who barely was able to dispatch a mere Beta Diamond Dog,” the Changeling mocked.

“A minor setback, nothing more,” Nate dismissed. “I always have a contingency for these sorts of things.”

“Perhaps, but unfortunately your medaling ends here,” the Changeling hissed. “By order of my queen, I shall slay you where you stand, metal demon.”

Before Nate could react, the stranger made his body shine a light blue color before his form changed completely. He now had the body of a lion, the wings of a bat, and the tail of a scorpion. Nate didn’t know how this stranger did what he did, but he had little time to dwell on it. The monster roared at Nate and tackled him to the ground. He scraped at Nate’s armor a few times before Nate grabbed his attacker and threw him off. Nate grunted and quickly got back to his feet. He looked down and saw large claw marks across his chest plate.

“Fucker…you’re gonna regret that," Nate said in a low tone.

The mysterious attacker roared at him and flapped his wings, blowing dust towards Nate to obstruct his vision. He lunged towards Nate, but the armored wanderer grabbed their claws and threw him overhead, crashing against the wall.

“I faced radroaches more frightening than you!” Nate declared as he picked up his blade again.

The beast was too fast for Nate as it flew away Nate and slashed him with his claws. Nate gritted his teeth and waited for the beast to make another pass with his sword at the ready. The beast flew up in the air and went for a dive bomb. Nate stood firm as he swung his sword but missed just as the beast landed on him. Nate grunted loudly again when he felt the beast’s fangs bite down on his Power Armor’s shoulder guard. Nate punched the beast’s side with his free arm, forcing the beast off of him. Nate wouldn’t give the beast time to recover as he quickly grabbed its scorpion tail, swung it over Nate’s head, and slammed the beast on the ground.

Nate didn’t let up his assault as he tightened his hold on the tail and lifted him up again. He kept slamming him down on the ground, forming cracks with each time he swung his opponent.

“Puny, ugly cat!” He shouted.

Suddenly, the Changeling changed forms once more and became even larger than before. The new form looked to be some sort of mix between a snake and bull, with the lower half of a snake and upper body of a bull with massive horns. The beast then wrapped its tail around Nate’s arms and flung him across the room, crashing into the wall. It let out a roar before slithering towards Nate and ramming him in the chest with its hooves.

During the assault from the Changeling’s new form, Nate had to act quickly as he held his arms up to block the onslaught. He sharpened his senses and for a brief moment, the world around him slowed down. Nate used the perceptiveness of his mind to try and find a way to get the upper hand on the changeling. The snake-ox’s hooves were ponding on his chest armor, but it wasn’t using its horns. When the monster reared back for another slam, Nate swung his sword up and managed to chop off both horns with pinpoint accuracy.

The snake-ox roared in pain as it reeled away, holding its head in as it felt the newfound stubs where its horns once were. It growled and slithered at him, whipping its tail at Nate. It felt like getting hit by a super mutant, but Nate was used to the pain. He waited for the opportune time and right as the tail was about to snap around his neck, he slashed at it. The blade got stuck in the tail and pierced right through the bone and flesh, making the snake-ox roar painfully. The monster thrashed about but Nate grabbed onto him while gripping the handle to his sword.

“Not so tough now, are ya!” Nate started craving the blade down and soon sliced the snake-ox’s tail off.

The beast roared defiantly and began to change again. Its size grew once more, and Nate was looking up at what could only simply be described as a real-life dragon. The dragon stood easily five feet taller than Nate. Even though the tail and horns were cut off, the insect-like dragon growled at Nate until it roared a deafening roar.

Before Nate could prepare for what was to come, the dragon swiped at Nate’s armor. Nate stumbled back when the claws actually managed to pierce the metallic frame. The HUD in Nate’s helmet beeped and showed his armor’s hull integrity was compromised. One more slash like that, and it could very well damage the circuitry and pierce the outer shell down to the exoskeleton.

The dragon went for another slash, but Nate managed to dodge out the way. Only he was met by a hard kick from the dragon which sent him hurdling right into the far side of the chamber and crashed into the wall. Now there were multiple warning beeps going off in Nate’s helmet and his armor was beginning to look severely damaged. Nate’s grip on his sword weakened as it dropped to the floor from his hand, and he collapsed to his knees. A trickle of blood dripped from the side of Nate’s head within his helmet and the world around him was spinning.

As the warning beeps continued to blare in his helmet, the dragon trudged over to the downed metal man and then transformed back into his changeling form.

“I’m not arrogant enough to deny that you are far more trouble than I originally thought, metal demon. But you were still no match for me. Your head will be a fine trophy for my queen and a message for these pathetic ponies. A message that there are no more heroes,” the Changeling boasted.

Nate’s opponent smirked before drawing his sword and raising it high over his head. Nate looked up at him as he panted heavily, the beeping ringing in his ears as his vision became blurry. He thought back to his life in the Commonwealth, all the death, all the monsters he faced, but also all the people met. His friends, allies, even loved ones. He fought even after losing his world and he still kept on fighting. He groaned as he tried getting up, fighting off his body’s urge to stay down but the damage to both his armor and his head kept him from doing so.

I can’t…die here! Nate thought as his consciousness was fading. I’m not done with taking what I’m owed!

“You know, from where you’re kneeling, you may think your good fortune has come to an end,” the Changeling said. “But the truth is, you were destined to fail before you even began.”

Just when the Changeling swung his sword down to slice off Nate’s head, the blade suddenly stopped in midair just inches above the thin gap between Nate’s helmet and armor where the sword could’ve cut. There was confusion and mild shock in the Changeling’s eyes until he noticed the blade was glowing a dim magical aura. The aura had a sickly yellow glow that shined brighter and brighter with each passing second. The Changeling tried to pull his sword away, but the blade wouldn’t move an inch. Just then, a low and menacing chuckle escaped from Nate’s mouth. The Changeling arched a brow at the sudden and unexpected laugh from the armored man until he glanced down to see one of Nate’s hands was glowing the same magical aura.

“I cannot allow this to pass…my foolish successor.” A voice that didn’t sound anything like Nate’s came from Nate himself.

With a flick of Nate’s wrist, the sword that was covered in the magical aura flew from the Changeling’s grasp and stuck itself into the stone wall. The Changeling then felt a cold chill run down his spine as he turned his head back to Nate and watched him slowly stand back up on his feet. The sickly-yellow magical glow now coated both his hands and started to envelop his arms. Nate started to chuckle to himself again which made the Changeling instinctively tense up. The magical glow then appeared on top of Nate’s head as two large, curved horns manifested as a magical apparition. When Nate raised his head to look at the Changeling, his eyes glowed a menacingly dark yellow glow. It was as if Nate was a completely different person altogether.

“Wh…What is this?” The Changeling said.

“Something a mere insect like you could not possibly comprehend,” Nate said. He looked at his hands and opened and closed his fingers. “I must confess, I did not anticipate the prowess and influence from a mere drone of that queen of yours. It would appear I admittedly underestimated her simply because of what she is.”

“You dare insult my queen?!” The Changeling hissed, only to freeze in place when Nate merely narrowed his eyes behind his helmet at the Changeling.

“I do, bug,” Nate mocked in a dark tone of voice.

“Who…who are you?!” The Changeling demanded.

“Me?” Nate asked. “I believe my successor called himself Apex.” Nate took a step forward as the glow in his hands, eyes, and the apparition horns shined brighter. “But you, my unfortunate little pest, only for this moment, may you address me as Grogar.”

The Changeling’s eyes went wide before he dropped to his knees. “Lord Grogar… I beg you. Spare me. Spare me and I will serve you.”

“Oho?” Grogar said with an amused tone. “Despite it being over several millennium since my reign, you know my name?”

“Only in stories that the ponies write of you. But they paint you in an unfortunate light and celebrate your defeat.” The Changeling groveled.

“Hmph, you can thank that insufferable mare, Gusty the Great,” Grogar scoffed. “And you can spare me with the theatrics, bug, your crocodile tears may fool the weak-minded, but you shan’t sway me.” The changeling paused and his expression changed back to his neutral cold stare. “However, if you wish to live as you have pathetically begged me to spare your life, I might do so if you swear your loyalty to me.”

“I will never abandon my queen,” The Changeling said out of respect. “Shall I tell you my name, or will Bug suffice?”

“I suppose even a bug deserves recognition,” Grogar said.

The Changeling nodded. “My queen and the hive know me as Thatcher, my lord.”

“Good. Now they have something to write on your tombstone,” Grogar said as he readied himself to attack.

Thatcher looked up to see a massive iron boot hurling towards his face. His eyes widened in fear as he rolled back, narrowly missing the boot by a hair as he used his wings to fly back. Thatcher managed to gain some distance between them. Grogar laughed as he saw this and took a deep breath.

“I just love the scent of fear.” Grogar grinned as he walked over to Thatcher’s sword still stuck in the wall. Grogar ripped it out from the wall and then threw it at the Changeling, stabbing the ground right in front of Thatcher’s hooves.

“Pick it up.” Grogar demanded as he held up his own sword. “Pick. It. Up.”

Thatcher hesitated at Grogar’s offer, but he knew better than to pass up the opportunity. He picked up the sword and took a stance.

“If I recall, you changelings are all mentally connected through your queen,” Grogar said as he circled his opponent. “Which means your queen must know what is transpiring at this moment.” Thatcher said nothing as he gripped his sword tightly and kept his eyes dead on Grogar. “I hope she is watching, truly I do.” Grogar stopped circling Thatcher and turned his body to face him completely. “This will only be a taste of what is to come. So, I hope you tell my vessel everything that has transpired once he comes to, voice from beyond.”

Thatcher stared at Grogar with confusion as he heard this last line. Thatcher thought it was a threat but in reality Grogar wasn’t talking to him. Instead, Grogar was talking to Kellogg. If Kellogg had a face it would be one of complete shock.

“How the hell did you-” Kellogg was about to say but was interrupted.

“Goodbye,” Grogar said before rushing at Thatcher.

Despite his new hulking appearance, Grogar moved with great speed as he seemed like a speeding train to Thatcher. Their blades locked together but Grogar was far stronger as he pushed Thatcher back and started trading blows, forcing Thatcher into the defensive.

Thatcher attempted to change his shape to a beast, but Grogar wouldn’t give Thatcher a chance. Unlike Nate, Grogar seemed to be more seasoned with the art of the blade as he was able to overpower Thatcher with ease. The former emperor faked Thatcher out with a thrust and swung his sword upward to force Thatcher’s sword out of the way. Once he had an opening, Grogar swung his sword again and cut Thatcher’s arm clean off.

“AAAAH!!” Thatcher screamed out in agony as he stumbled and fell back, clutching his amputated arm. Blood poured out of the wound as he looked up at Grogar.

“You…you…bastard!” Thatcher yelled defiantly.

He changed his form into a mixed hybrid with the body of a tiger, a snake tail, and threw heads, a goat, a tiger, and a snake, although he was still missing an arm. The snake head let out a gust of green, poisonous gas at Grogar while charging at him.

“Aha! The Chimera!” Grogar said as the beast flapped its wings to fly into the air. “A formidable creature indeed! One of my personal favorite creations! However!”

Grogar raised hand and it glowed a magical aura. The manticore’s body was immediately enveloped in the aura and stopped in midair. As soon as Grogar swung his arm downward, Thatcher was sent hurtling down as well and crashed into the ground. Thatcher groaned and shook both his goat and lion head but wasn’t able to collect himself in time. Grogar was already charging forward and drove his left fist right into Thatcher’s body. The impact of Grogar’s fist managed to pierce right through Thatcher’s flesh, causing the Chimera to roar out in agony and cough out blood. With a triumphant laugh, Grogar threw Thatcher off his fist and sent him crashing across the stone floor. Severely wounded and wheezing weakly, Thatcher could not maintain his form and reverted back to normal. His eyes were blurry, and his battered body wouldn’t respond properly.

“It appears your last attempt has come and gone, Thatcher the High-Changeling,” Grogar said as approached the downed Changeling. “A pity you have to die so soon and not be able to watch my successor take all that this world has to offer.”

Thatcher panted heavily and coughed up blood, glancing up at Grogar. He then chuckled slightly while spitting out a fang.

“To be…killed…by you…? I can see no better way to die,” Thatcher said. Grogar stepped towards him and raised his sword up high.

“It has been countless moons since I last fought a worthy adversary with honor. I will grant you a warrior's death,” Grogar said with acknowledgement. Thatcher smiled as he closed his eyes and lowered his head.

“…thank you,” Thatcher whispered. In a flash, Grogar swung his sword down and sliced Thatcher’s head clean off. The head was gone from his shoulders as his headless corpse fell limp and to the stone floor.

“Thank you for giving this old ram one last good fight,” Grogar said to himself.

There was a silence that hung in the air as Grogar gazed down at the headless corpse of the changeling assassin. It was a moment of triumph for the late emperor as he looked over to the remaining stunned Diamond Dogs. His gaze then landed on the obedient wolves that stood by, and then the pony prisoners who watched his battle unfold with fearful silence. No one could describe just what exactly they had witnessed, yet at the same time they didn’t really want to understand.

“Much has changed in the realm,” Grogar said as the apparition horns began to disappear. “My hope is that you will be more prepared from this day onward, my vessel. Until the day, when you finally take control of this world, this shall be the only and last time I will be of aid…”

As the horns disappeared completely, the glow in the helmet’s eyes dimmed until there was no more glow. The power armor slouched over a bit and the head looked down to the ground. Everyone thought he would fall over, but he remained standing like a statue. Word of what has happened today would soon spread throughout the land. The legend of Apex, the Sole Conqueror, has begun to etch itself in history.

Author's Note

Only for a moment, do we catch a glimpse of the late merciless Emperor’s return. Nate’s conquest has only just begun.

Side Note:
So sorry this took so damn long. Life and constant procrastinations are a bitch and a half! Hopefully, this chapter and more posts from my other stories will make up for it. Especially this story, since it’s the one we had the most blocks with. Special thanks to Jest for his helpful insight!

Hope you enjoyed!

~WurkyWilk has left the building…

Reassessment

Chapter 6

Nate’s rattled mind was a blur. A loud ringing in his head was all he could hear as he slowly but surely started to regain his consciousness. Nate couldn’t make heads or tails of what had happened to him, and couldn’t tell if he was right side up or upside down. All he could recall was that he was fighting the changeling who ambushed him. The last thing he remembered was getting beat into a corner, no matter what he tried throwing at the changeling. Eventually, the ringing in his ear soon also started to subside. Until he heard another loud voice trying to get his attention.

“Rise and shine, sweetheart,” Kellogg’s voice rang out followed by a dark chuckle.

“I was beginning to think I just dreamt your voice,” Nate grumbled.

“Awww, I’m flattered. But you got the metaphorical real deal,” Kellogg taunted. “But seriously, get your ass up. You got lucky this time but luck won’t always be there for you. This place is different from the Commonwealth, brute force and a big gun aren’t going to cut it.”

Nate hated every second Kellogg talked, but he knew that the man was right. He was backed into a corner and couldn’t get out. He wasn’t sure what happened, but whatever happened was the cause of why he was still alive.

The HUD in Nate’s helmet glitched a few times before managing to switch on. The first thing Nate noticed was the state of his armor’s damages. Nearly every part of his armor was red and the warning alarm from before was still going off. Nate also noticed that he was standing and a little slouched over. Nate focused his senses as best he could before attempting to move his body. When he raised his arms, he could hear the sounds of his damaged platting creek against the metallic frame. Nate noticed the deep tears in his armor and could only imagine what the rest of his armor looked like after that fight with Thatcher.

Speaking of which, Nate glanced over on the ground to see Thatcher’s headless corpse laying next to him. Nate looked around the cavern and took into account the damage caused by his intrusion. The bodies that littered the area, the damages done by both him and his wolves. He remembered everything up until Thatcher had the upper hand on him. The prisoners were all still huddled together, even after Nate had been unconscious for who knows how long. They probably were too paralyzed with fear after the brutal display they were forced to witness.

“What happened, Kellogg?” Nate asked. He attempted to take a step forward, but the damage done to his legs made his control sluggish and heavy. “Last thing I remember was almost getting my head lopped off.”

“Oh, it was glorious. You got right back up and you unleashed that primal rage that I knew was inside you. That killer instinct. That desire to kill,” Kellogg said, almost proud of Nate.

“What? I blacked out?” Nate said, now confused.

“You did, but something in you just snapped. It was like you were driving, but someone else took the wheel. Not really sure who or what, but whatever it was saved your sorry ass. The only reason you’re still alive, really,” Kellogg explained it as best he could as even he didn’t fully understand what happened.

It didn’t help that there was a blistering headache that was making Nate dizzy, now he was being told he had somehow gone on a rampage while unconscious. The absurdity of it all was almost too much to bear, but Nate couldn’t dwell on it right now. Nate glanced at his HUD to see the readings of his armor were blaring red. Both arms, the right leg, and torso were red, indicating severe damage was done to them. When Nate moved his arms a little, he could hear the strain again from the couplings trying to keep everything held together, and even a few small electrical sparks, which told Nate even the wiring had been damaged.

“All this from just a single high-class drone,” Nate muttered, looking down at the headless corpse of his opponent. “It would seem I’ve underestimated this Queen and her forces,” Nate assessed.

Nate looked around the now quiet mine he remembered he was still in. The captive miners and prisoners were all still huddled in the corner, unable to move due to fear, and his wolves were also still patiently waiting for an order from their master. Nate continued to scan the inlays of the mine when he thought of something. It was a long shot, considering how devolved the world had become since his time, but if he could procure the right materials and a few able-minded, so-called technicians, Nate would be able to repair his armor back to working conditions.

“Computer, scan the mine for minerals. Locate sources of iron, copper, and any other metals that can be sourced within the mountain,” Nate ordered.

The helmet began highlighting different ores of metal and other useful minerals all throughout the mine, then it started beeping while highlighting an area deep in the mine.

Error.

Unidentified minerals detected.

“Elaborate,” Nate ordered impatiently.

“The computer just said unidentified. Meaning no fucking clue,” Kellogg pointed out. Nate groaned as he turned to the workers.

“I won’t hurt you, but if any of you try to attack me in any way, well…” Nate looked at his wolves as they growled at the ponies. “You’ll regret it. Now, tell me what else you all were digging down here?”

The miners were still too afraid to speak, safe for one who cleared his throat a little.

“Um…we mined many different ore,” the miner said. “But the one ore that they forced us to mine for the most was Eclipse Iron.”

“Eclipse Iron?” Nate said. “I’ve never heard or read about any mineral called that.”

“Th-There’s some in that cart over there,” the miner said, pointing to a mining cart still in one of the tracks.

Nate carefully walked over to the cart, as to not put too much stress on his damaged armor and looked inside. He reached in and grabbed a rock the size of his armor’s fist that had a dark blueish color to it but seemed to have a certain shine even in the dimly lighted mine.

“Analyze,” Nate ordered his helmet’s computer.

It took a few minutes for the helmet to do a thorough analysis on the minerals, suddenly it beeped up and spoke.

Analysis complete.

Unidentified minerals detected.

Cross-referencing archived records of known elements and minerals.

Eighty percent increase in durability compared to steel.

Material unknown.

Further study required.

“Eighty percent?” Nate repeated. “That’s even denser than my armor plating.”

During his travels across the wasteland, Nate took it upon himself to become more knowledgeable on a scientific point of view. It was thanks to his self-learning and lessons he got from his companions that he was able to craft and build materials from his own hands. However, even though this mysterious ore was arguably the best source he’d come across so far, there was still the main issue of him being trapped in his power armor. Nate placed the rock in his hand back in the cart and faced the miners.

“Listen up,” Nate ordered. “The ones who subjugated all of you to work until you bit it are now dead. From now on, you’re all gonna be under new management. Me.”

“Y-You…?” One of the miners shivered nervously.

“Yes, but here’s the deal. I’m not like these assholes. You’re all free to work and rest as you please. Eat and drink as much as you want, I could give a shit what you do. So long as you bring me more of this ore,” Nate said. “In other words, you all have a debt that you’ll be paying for the rest of your lives through labor. Am I understood?”

“W-Why?” One of the ponies asked, it was a young colt about fourteen years old.

“You prefer I kill you all right here right now?” Nate asked coldly, the ponies all froze in terror as his tone was clearly not joking. “It’s as I said, you can all do what you want and live as you please, but you will do whatever I tell you all to. Now, go get me those minerals in the carts. So long as you get what I need, we won’t have a problem.”

The ponies reluctantly went back to work while Nate had one of his wolves stand by. Just as he was about to make his long trek back to Appleloosa, one of the miners boldly approached Nate.

“What do you want?” Nate asked bitterly.

“Sir, I sincerely beg you to allow us at least a few days rest,” the pony begged. “We’ve been working nonstop for months now, and some of us are on the brink of collapsing. We understand that you want your minerals, but we can’t work if we’re dead.”

Much as Nate wanted to make an example of this stallion, the back of Nate’s mind told him that he had a point. By the looks of it, most of these workers looked like they wouldn’t last a day or two. Not to mention, there was a small part of his old noble self that made him feel a twinge of pity and guilt for these poor souls who’ve been subjected to all counts of torture and forced labor. With a heavy sigh, Nate simply nodded his head at the stallion.

“Fine,” Nate said begrudgingly. “A week, no more. Got it? Then it’s back to work.”

“Oh, thank you! Thank you, sir!” The stallion said and ran off to tell the others.

Nate rolled his eyes and turned away once more to leave. However, as he was about to depart, his sensors picked up small signs of movement from one of the former holding cells. Nate was about to just brush it off as just another prisoner hiding from all the chaos, but his curiosity nagged him into at least checking it out.

Nate groaned internally while mentally cursing his conscience and walked over to where the movement was. The cell was quite smaller than most of the other cells, and the bars were still intact. Nate grabbed two of the bars and ripped them off from the stone wall.

Inside was a lethargic female pony wearing rags for clothes. Her fur was dirty and matted but Nate could tell it was a bright pink color and her mane and tail were a darker hot pink. Nate stared at the unconscious mare and noticed she was barely breathing. Feeling the twinge of pity in the back of his head again, Nate reached into a compartment in his armor and pulled out a stimpack. He gently injected the contents of the syringe into the mare, which allowed her breathing to quickly stabilize. However, he knew she needed proper sustenance once she woke up. All he did was give her a little more time. Nate scooped up the mare in his metallic hands and carried her out of the cell. Nate then approached one of his wolves and placed the mare on its back.

“Let’s get out of here…” Nate said in a tired tone, and he led his pack out of the mine.

It had been a while since Starlight heard from Nate after he left to liberate Appleloosa. She’d be lying to herself if she said she was glad Nate was gone and didn’t come back since he’s the only one to actually put up a fight against the Changelings. Scary as he was, Nate was probably the ponies only hope of ever being free.

While Starlight was helping her town rebuild and studying the stimpack Nate left her, a courier sent from Appleloosa came to town asking for Starlight to come immediately by order of Lord Apex. This made Starlight somewhat glad that Nate was still alive, but it didn’t help her nerves settle since she was basically being summoned to meet with him.

After about a half day’s journey, Starlight managed to make it to Appleloosa without being intercepted by changelings. Similar to her own town, Appleloosa had been liberated by Nate and the townsfolk were hard at work trying to rebuild and make it safer by constructing a wall around it. Starlight noticed Nate’s creatures here and there, either standing guard or watching over the ponies so they wouldn’t slack off.

“Starlight?” A stallion approached Starlight to greet her. “Mah name’s Braeburn. Lord Apex asked me to meet up with ya once ya arrived.”

“Well, I’m here, so where is he?” Starlight asked.

“Last Ah heard, he went straight for the town hall in the middle of the night without any of us knowin’,” Braeburn said, pointing to the larger building. “He’s waitin’ for ya there.”

“Thank you…” Starlight said as she took a deep breath to physically and mentally prepare herself for whatever Nate had planned for her.

Sure, Nate did save them but that didn’t technically mean that he was a good person. That terrible feeling in her gut was always telling her that Nate might just start becoming worse than the changelings. Starlight walked up to the front doors of the town hall, seeing some of the mutated wolves acting as bodyguards as they growled at Starlight. Shakily, Starlight knocked on the door.

“I-It’s me, Starlight,” Starlight called out.

“Come in,” Nate called out from inside.

Starlight gulped and opened the door. She walked inside and closed the door behind her and looked around the seemingly abandoned building. The feeling of anxiety kept the mare on edge since she felt like she was walking through a haunted house filled with evil spirits of the damned.

“I’m in the main lobby,” Nate’s voice called out.

Starlight followed the voice down the hall. Ever since Starlight first encountered Nate, she could never get used to the robotic voice that came through his helmet. She recalled hearing Princess Luna’s royal voice before, which was loud enough to be heard from several miles away, but Nate’s voice was arguably more intimidating. When she turned the corner, she gasped when she saw Nate sitting on a large sofa. What shocked her was the condition of his armor. It looked like the plating was torn apart and the whole frame was barely holding on. The giant armored man sat there motionless, like a statue, yet he gazed at Starlight under his helmet with a blank expression.

“Hello, Starlight,” Nate said.

“I-I-I…h-how…?” Starlight stuttered.

Starlight was at a loss for words, she had seen Nate tank multiple hits, faced off against a small army, and completely tear through numerous foes without so much as a scratch or dent in his armor, and now she found him in such a state where it seemed that he was on the verge of defeat. Her mouth was still gaping as she tried to speak but no words could be spoken due to her shocked state-of-mind. It wouldn’t be much of an exaggeration to Starlight if she told someone she believed Nate to be indestructible. However, that belief had completely shattered and became nothing more than an afterthought once she saw the condition Nate’s power armor was in.

“What happened to you…?” Starlight asked. She tried to take a step forward, but her nerves forbade her movements and she stood in place.

“Sit down, please,” Nate said, gesturing to a nearby chair. Starlight nodded slightly and sat down on the chair. “I fought a changeling who apparently worked directly under Chrysalis. I killed him, but he almost got the best of me.”

“You fought a high-changeling?!” Starlight yelped as she looked at Nate with an expression that looked like she had heard something almost too absurd to be true.

“And what’s that?” Nate asked, mildly curious about the foe that apparently had a bit of a reputation.

“A High-Changeling are the most elite fighting units that serve directly under Queen Chrysalis. They’re faster, stronger, more skilled, and their magic is incredible. One is enough to wipe out a whole town on their own,” Starlight explained. She glanced at Nate to see his reaction, only for him to continue staring at her blankly. “And you…killed one?”

“I suppose so,” Nate sighed. “How many would you say there are in total?”

“I think…last I heard, at least a dozen?” Starlight guessed.

“A dozen…” Nate said with another exhausted sigh. The realization was now hitting him like a ton of bricks that he was biting off more than he could chew. “It seems I truly underestimated this Chrysalis.”

“Does that mean you’re going to stop?” Starlight wondered, worried that Nate had lost his motivation.

“No, not at all,” Nate said. “But it does mean that I’ll need to reassess my current strategies.” Nate paused and turned his head to look at Starlight. “Tell me something, is there anyone in your town, or anyone around here, who has any experience whatsoever with engineering?”

“Um…I’m pretty good at tinkering? I usually study magic, but I used to build some things with an old friend of mine. I could be of use in that regard…” Starlight said as she was afraid Nate would work her to the bone or punish her if she wasn’t of use.

Nate stared at Starlight and her obvious nervous behavior. The mare twiddled her fingers together as she tried to avoid eye contact. He noticed the faint droplets of sweat dripping off the side of her head as she had trouble sitting still. Thinking back, all Nate ever did was give Starlight several reasons to fear him and always be anxious around him. Much as he didn’t want to admit it, he knew he couldn’t continue his conquest alone. He needed allies, allies he could trust and who could trust him the same way.

“Starlight, look at me,” Nate said, making Starlight look at him. Her eyes held nothing but anxiety and fear as she had no choice but to look at the man sitting before her.

Nate reached up and put his hands on his helmet. He unlatched the couplings and slowly removed his helmet from his head. For the first time since Starlight met him, Nate’s bear face was revealed to the mare as he set his helmet aside. Starlight’s anxiety seemed to vanish and was replaced with mild curiosity. It was as if she’d never seen anything like Nate’s face in her life. She tilted her head to the side a little and had stopped twiddling her fingers.

“You’ve always wondered what I look like under all this armor, right?” Nate asked. His voice no longer sounding robotic was also a new experience for Starlight. “Well…my face is the only thing I can show you for the moment.”

“Do you mean that you can’t take off the armor? Why?” Starlight asked as she continued to stare at Nate’s exposed face.

His face looked almost flat besides his nose, not seeing any fur other than his hair and facial hair. And his eyes. Something about them just drew Starlight in. To Starlight, Nate’s eyes looked like they could tell a hundred stories and she would listen to every word.

“Long story short, the ejection module on my armor is severely damaged,” Nate said, as if trying to avoid a lengthy explanation. “I’d bore you with the details, but my origin isn’t relevant at the moment. Right now, I believe it would be wise if we both came to a mutual understanding.”

“Well…can I be honest?” The mare asked, hoping Nate would approve.

“Of course,” Nate said calmly.

“You are perhaps the most terrifying, intimidating, massive creature I have ever seen. And this is our life!” Starlight showed the bruises still on her neck when she was collared and enslaved. “You saved us, but you aren’t completely different from them…” Her voice cracked as she gulped nervously. She wasn’t sure if she was being bold, or stupid, or bold and stupid for being so blunt with Nate. “So…if you want mutual understanding, can you tell me…what are you?”

Hearing this question, Nate knew that he was now required to explain to her about his origins. In a way, Nate felt it was only fair to at least let someone in on who and what he was and where he came from.

“A fair statement and a fair request,” Nate responded, once again catching Starlight off guard with his unusually calm tone of voice. “But I warn you, it’s a long story. You sure you wanna know?”

“We lived as slaves to the most merciless, cruel, and vile creatures known in Equestria. Whatever you have to say can’t be any worse than this,” Starlight affirmed. Starlight adjusted herself on her seat in order to get more comfortable.

Nate could only smirk a little at her response, and nodded in understanding. “Well, to start, I’m over three million years old.”

“…H-Haha?” Starlight nervously laughed while rubbing her arm. “I, uh…didn’t take you for a comedian.”

Nate didn’t respond and only stared at her with a blank expression, which told her that he was very serious, and that made her face go pale. Starlight could swear she heard her brain switch off and turn back on again after being told something so ludicrous. Nate watched her eye twitched a little and a few strands over her hair sticking out.

“…H-H-How?!” Starlight yelped as her eyes widened so much that Nate almost thought they’d pop out. “That’s impossible! Princess Celestia and Luna are a little over ten thousand years, yeah, but three million?! Is your species immortal?!” The questions she blurted out almost made her dizzy.

“No, I was suspended in a sort of hibernation sleep after fighting a war against an enemy that threatened everyone’s right for free will,” Nate explained, recalling that day. “I was caught in a massive explosion. The explosion was made up of an unstable energy called radiation. The radiation was what kept me alive and well-preserved in my armor.”

“That’s…that’s just not possible,” Starlight said, shaking her head in disbelief. She ran her hand through her hair as she contemplated what was being told. “We have powerful unicorns who are capable of using powerful spells, but nothing of this caliber! What kind of war were you fighting? Ones with Gods or something?”

“No, no, nothing like that,” Nate said, stifling a laugh. “It was a secret organization called the Institute. They were responsible for taking people out of the blue and replacing them with fake humans called Synths. I didn’t know this in the beginning, because I was already dealing with a crisis of my own.”

“What kind?” Starlight wondered, now back to being curious about Nate after managing to calm herself.

“Even before the explosion, this world was once at war with each other on a global scale. Radiation explosions, similar to the one that trapped me and rendered me in a deep sleep, ripped the world apart. Billions of lives were lost, and humanity’s only salvation was putting large groups of humans in these underground vaults. The point of these vaults was to keep humans, like myself, from going extinct while the nuclear war raged on.” Nate was silent when the subject of what happened the day the bombs fell came to him. “I…I once had a family, a wife and a son.”

Hearing this about his life, the war of global scale, and the loss of his own family shook Starlight to her core. Her eyes widening in shock as her heart ached at his pain. Not to mention, she was once again shocked to hear that someone like Nate once had a family of his own. To think, someone like this human, the one she watched tear changelings apart like they were flies on the wall, once had people he cared about.

“Oh…oh my Celestia, I…I’m so sorry. I can’t imagine that…” Starlight said as she hung her head and her ears drooped. “What…what happened to them…?”

“When the bombs fell, we were put in these pods and cryogenically frozen,” Nate explained, closing his eyes. “The idea was to keep the vault dwellers preserved until the right time to let us out. I remember briefly waking up while still inside the pod and someone entering the vault.” Nate clenched his metal hand as he remembered the sound of Kellogg’s gun going off and killing Nora as the lab assistant took his infant son. “They…killed my wife right in front of me…took my son away…and left me frozen again…”

“I…I had no idea, I…oh my stars, I’m so sorry.” Starlight reached over and gently placed a hand over Nate’s. Her hand looked so tiny compared to his massive, metallic hand. All that fear washed away in that moment as Starlight felt nothing but sorry, pain, and sympathy for Nate. Having lost people herself but never to an extent like this.

“After I unthawed completely, I stepped out of the vault. Not knowing at the time that over two hundred years had passed since the war,” Nate continued, remembering his first look at the torn apart landscape that was once his home as he stepped out of the vault. “The world I knew was gone. Ripped apart and built anew by the survivors. I faced many challenges during my quest to find my son, met some pretty amazing people along the way. I was a general of a civilian militia group called the Minutemen.” Nate smiled a little as he reminisced about meeting his first companion. “A man named Preston Garvey was held up in an old museum. I saved him and his group from raiders, and he helped me rebuild the Minutemen to full strength.”

“Saving people, rebuilding, becoming a leader? I, uh, I didn’t think that’s something you’d do. At least not like…well, out of the goodness of your heart. No offense,” Starlight hesitantly said. “What happened after? Were you able to find your son?”

“None taken, and yes…but not the way I wanted,” Nate said. “A good friend of mine named Sturges helped me build a machine that helped get me into the Institute’s HQ. However, when I found my son, he turned out to be a fake. Then a man came to greet me who introduced himself as the Institute’s leader. And he…he was my son.” Starlight gasped at the unexpected twist. “Turns out I was on ice longer than I thought, and I missed my son’s entire life and was robbed of raising him.”

“He was already grown up? I can’t imagine living and never seeing your loved ones grow.” Starlight gently squeezed his metallic hand as she stared into his eyes. The same gaze that sent shivers and fear through Starlight now had the look of a broken man who has lost everything.

“That’s not the worst of it, Starlight,” Nate admitted in a low tone, trying to hide his emotions. “Shaun had done many incredible things while being the leader of the Institute. However, it wasn’t until he wanted to name me his successor did I learn what his real plan was. Shaun wanted to replace all the people in the Commonwealth into synthetic people. He basically wanted to rob everyone of free will.” Nate looked away with a heavy heart. “I…I had no choice. I had to destroy the Institute. So I stormed the place with the Minutemen and we fought our way to the core. The look on Shaun’s face when I faced him after I betrayed him. It was like I had committed an unforgivable sin to him. But I had a duty to uphold, to both the people of the Commonwealth who were still alive and surviving. I told him that the Commonwealth deserved to choose their own fate.”

“Your son…you did all that, searching for him, and you had to…” One horrible tragedy after another sent ripples of heartache and pain in Starlight as she listened to his tale. No longer did she see the monstrous brute, but now a sad and pitiable creature who sacrificed his own son for the sake of peace. “But you saved your home in the end, right?”

Nate looked at Starlight with eyes that now held sorrow and ill-contempt.

“How should I know?” Nate said. “I wasn’t able to see what all my efforts did for the Commonwealth.” Nate turned away again and looked out the window. “As far as I’ve seen, everything has drastically changed in more ways than I can possibly imagine. I doubt there’s anything left from my time.” His mood then turned dark, making Starlight a little on edge as she let go of his hand. “That’s why I’ve had enough of this cliché bullshit. I played the long game to save my home and find my son, and all it did was quite literally blow up in my fucking face. That’s why I’ve decided to take what I’m owed.” Nate clenched his free hand tightly as he narrowed his eyes and grit his teeth. “And I won’t stop until everything and everyone is at my mercy.”

That last bit caused Starlight to flinch back in her seat as she stared at Nate with fear, unsure if this is any better than under the oppression of the Changelings and the other evils of her world. Her view towards him was now all jumbled up with mixed feelings. Starlight felt sorrow for him for suffering so many tragedies, fear for seeing him revert back to his dark thoughts, and even somewhat admired him for his acts of heroism.

“You…You said that the Commonwealth changed. What do you mean by that?” Starlight wondered, trying to change the subject.

Nate leaned back in his seat and sighed. “To put it simply, this world used to be inhabited by humans like myself. I’m not sure what the hell happened in the past three million years, but somehow they all mutated into you pony people.” Starlight blinked as she processed what Nate told her. Once again, Nate revealed something so crazy that she almost thought he was mad for saying it.. “That’s right, Starlight, your ancient ancestors were humans.”

“Wait, that’s…impossible! Isn’t it?! That’s just not possible!” Starlight kept repeating herself. “How are you here?! Were you blown into the future?! Did you get caught in a spell?!” A thousand questions flew off from Starlight’s mouth while a million more rang up in her thoughts

“It’s as I said, I was preserved in a radioactive environment for millions of years,” Nate explained. “The world you know now, and even before those villains took control, was nothing like it was during my time. I can only assume humanity’s DNA mutated somehow due to the constant exposure of radioactive materials in the atmosphere. You all mostly have similar features to that of humans but there are some obvious animalistic traits as well. It’s still a little baffling to me that radiation had this much of a dramatic effect on the human genepool.”

“But radiation doesn’t work like that! At least, as far as I know. Unless…if what you’re saying is true then perhaps your DNA reacted differently to it and…” Starlight started muttering to herself about how all of it was possible, completely forgetting Nate was there. Nate arched a brow at the mare as she rubbed her temples while a slight migraine built up within her head.

“Look, that’s besides the point,” Nate shook his head dismissively. “There’s a reason why I’m telling you all this.” Starlight waited for him to respond as Nate thought about what to say next. “I know I come across as someone who’d kill anyone for simply looking at me the wrong way. I’ve just had a shit time lately. I’m still gonna see through to my takeover, but I don’t want you to feel like your life is constantly in danger around me.” Nat looked into Starlight’s eyes as if wanting her to take his words to heart. “It’s become apparent to me that I can’t do this without some measure of assistance. I need people I can trust, and that’s where you come in.”

“You trust me?” Starlight was stunned to hear this coming from Nate, she began to think about all he’s done. Sure, he wasn’t exactly the most benevolent person, but Nate is doing what she thought was impossible, standing up against the tyrants and freeing them. But hearing him say that he trusted her felt surprisingly comforting. So much so that her body began to relax a little.

“You shared all that with me. To be honest, if I was in your situation, I probably wouldn’t be the nicest either,” Starlight admitted. Considering everything he had told her, it’s a mystery how he hasn’t gone on a blind rampage by now. “I…I don’t know how much use I can be, but I’m willing to help in any way I can.”

“On the contrary,” Nate said. “Did you know that what I’ve done to those monsters of mine is all due to magic?” Starlight was once again taken aback. Hearing that the monsters under his command were created using magic was something she was not expecting to hear. “It’s true. However, that’s pretty much the extent of how I’ve been using my magic. I’ve just been pouring it into any animal or insect I see and they became the monsters you see now. I don’t exactly know how to properly use my magic any way else. So tell me something. How proficient are you, as a unicorn, when it comes to spell casting?”

Hearing this question about her skills, Starlight couldn’t help but show off as her horn lit up and she began teleporting all around the room, even behind Nate a few times before teleporting back in front of him.

“Not to brag, but I’m above average among most unicorns,” Starlight said with a proud smirk on her face.

“Impressive,” Nate nodded. “It’s a good thing I’m no stranger to teleportation. What else are you capable of? Are there other spells that can be cast? Are there specific types?”

“Well, I can do telekinesis at an extraordinary rate than most unicorns, cast a bubble shield around me, magic blasts, teleportation, even take others cutie marks and make them…well, average is a polite way of putting it,” Starlight explained. Starlight felt it was best to keep the method of removing cutie marks to herself for the time being.

Nate listened intently to everything Starlight told him. He surmised that this magic had its uses, but he didn’t expect there to be a wide variety of spells. Perhaps there were even more than the ones Starlight listed. The bit about these cutie marks perplexed him, but didn’t feel like it was too important for the time being.

“It would seem I’ve found my edge,” Nate said to himself, sounding confident.

“What do you mean?” Starlight asked, wondering what he meant.

“Starlight, this may be out of the blue, but I have an offer for you,” Nate said as he leaned forward a bit. “I want you to teach me how to use magic properly.”

“…What?” Starlight blinked a few times to see if Nate would start laughing or say he was joking again, only he wasn’t joking, again. “Um…m-mister Apex, sir? Uh…you don’t have a horn, and unicorns are the only ones that can actually use magic in a tangible and physical way…”

“Then allow me to let you in on a trade secret,” Nate said and pointed to the bell on his chest plate. “This look familiar to you?” Starlight examined the bell for a good while before she looked back up at Nate and shook her head. “I found it on a very tall mountain peak with ridiculously strong wings that almost blew me off.”

“Tall mountain…strong winds…” Starlight repeated until it clicked. “You mean Mt. Everhoof?” Nate nodded. “Amazing! No pony has ever been able to scale that mountain! They say the winds are enchanted!”

“That explains a lot,” Nate grumbled, recalling how annoyingly difficult it was to scale such a tall mountain. “But anyway, I found this bell in a cave that was sealed away in this freaky barrier which was difficult as hell to break through. Apparently, this bell belonged to some old sorcerer named Grogar.”

“GROGAR?!” Starlight shrieked. The name seemed to scare her as much as Nate did upon his arrival. “You mean the father of monsters?! The first King of Equestria?! The greatest evil to ever live?! THAT GROGAR?!”

“First, volume,” Nate said calmly yet mildly annoyed. “Second, yes, the very same. I guess he really did have such an infamous reputation.”

“I thought he was long since dead! It was thousands of years ago! Even WAY before Celestia and Luna’s time before Grogar was defeated!” Starlight said as she was still having a hard time believing this. If what Nate said was true about the bell infused on his power armor’s chest plate, Starlight wondered if Nate was a ticking time bomb of disaster and chaos waiting to happen.

“He mentioned something about trapping his own spirit in the bell before it was stolen and he died,” Nate said, trying to de-escalate the mood. “When I took the bell, I implanted it in my armor, as you can see now. It gave me all his magic and his spirit faded away. But rest assured, Starlight, it’s still me. Grogar’s long gone, and I just have his magic.”

Starlight looked at Nate worryingly as she still wasn’t completely sure she was fond of this new development.

“Well…I’ve seen what you could do alone, so if Grogar was really still around he would’ve created an army like you did but still treat us as slaves.” Starlight hesitated for a moment before closing her eyes and nodding. “So…I guess I can somehow learn to live with it.” Even though this revelation is more unbelievable than I could ever hope it to be! Starlight thought.

“Good to know,” Nate nodded back. Nate took a mental note not to mention the origin of his bell so loosely for the foreseeable future, judging by Starlight’s reaction. “Now, about my offer. If you teach me how to use my magic appropriately, then I promise to be less aggressive with you. I won’t bark orders, threaten you, or always make it seem like you’re one word away from stepping out of line. It’s like I said, I want there to be a mutual understanding between us.” Nate raised his hand out to Starlight for a shake. “Deal?”

Starlight stared down at Nate’s hand and thought about his offer. Nate was terrifying and far from friendly, but he was helping her and the ponies of Equestria, and she wasn’t being forced into this position. With a deep breath Starlight reached out and shook his hand.

“Deal. But I have to warn you, this won’t be easy,” Starlight stated firmly. “I will need to see what you can do and know so far in order to properly teach you.” The mare sounded like she was taking a gamble with this. Despite everything Nate had disclosed to her, she still felt like it was the right decision to at least have a little faith in Nate.

“Sounds doable,” Nate agreed. “Now, onto the next matter of business. My armor.” Nate gestured to the severely damaged plating of his power armor. “This is my main concern at the moment. You can already tell it’s unlike anything you’ve seen before, because it is. From what I’ve seen, the technology I used to create my armor has long since been lost. Thankfully, I had a knack for constantly running maintenance checks during my quest. So if you’re willing, I can walk you through how my armor works and what repairs need to be done. Fair warning, it won’t be easy in the slightest.”

“I get to get up close to this ancient armor that’s older than the Princesses?” Starlight had stars in her eyes as she gazed at Nate’s power armor. To think, not only would she be teaching Nate how to use magic but also be able to learn about what she considered to be an artifact of days long since gone by. The possibilities sent a shiver of excitement through the mare. “I’m the luckiest mare alive.”

Starlight muttered to herself as she tried to contain her excitement at the fact that she is perhaps the first pony in history to deal with not only a human but to also work with ancient technology.

“Are there any other smiths or those who would know how to craft armor?” Nate wondered, changing the subject. “They will also be needed in order to do the proper repairs.”

Starlight thought about his question for a moment until something crossed her mind.

“Iron Bridle,” Starlight said, “He’s an older stallion back in my town and is a retired forger. He came to live in our town some time ago before we were enslaved.”

“Think he can make something out of Eclipse Iron?” Nate wondered.

“He can,” Starlight answered with conviction in her voice. “His special talent was blacksmithing and forging. His skills even impressed the princesses. As long as you can give him an idea of what you want, he can build it. There’s just one problem, he was last seen being transferred to the old Pie family rock farm.”

“Pie…family?” Nate repeated, processing the name. Ugh, I can’t with these ridiculous names… Nate thought to himself. “You’re gonna have to explain a bit.”

“The Pie family are the owners of the rock farms,” Starlight explained. “They mine rocks, smash rocks, and even eat rocks. They handle everything rock related. But they are living on a mine of incredible minerals that are used for forging armor, weapons, fortifications, and other uses.”

“I see…” Nate nodded, still trying to get used to the new cultures these pony-people have adopted. “There’s a map over there in the big table. Would you mind getting it and pointing out where the farm is?”

Starlight nodded and walked over to the map, after looking around it for a moment she placed her finger on the location.

“Here,” she said.

Nate analyzed the map and noticed the terrain looked similarly to his HUD’s map. Not only that, his suspicions about the land being completely warped and changed due to millions of years of tectonic plates shifting was also true. He looked at where Starlight was pointing and to where Appleloosa was.

“About five kilometers out,” Nate said to himself. “Too bad I can’t go now. Seems like I’ll just have to focus on my armor and lessons.” Nate turned to Starlight and nodded. “Now I’d like you to send for any capable smiths in the area. Along with anyone who has any sort of skill with engineering, or tinkering as you put it, for the time being. We’ve got work to do.”

“Yes sir!” Starlight said. She was still a little nervous, but now she had something she hadn’t felt in so long. Hope. She walked out and began to gather anyone who was healthy enough to stand and with the capabilities to lead in order to set this place up as Nate’s main base of operations.

Author's Note

Nate’s conquest is put on a temporary hold. But soon he shall continue and become a force to be reckoned with.

Side Note:
Yes, this story is still alive. It’s just been a slow process.

Hope you enjoyed!

~WurkyWilk has left the building…

Magic and Mutations

Chapter 7

“Is this really how you learned magic?” Nate asked as Starlight set up a few items on the table.

“If you’re going to learn how to use magic you need to take foal-steps. Now, I want you to set the table using your magic. Three plates, three glasses, and three sets of silverware.” Starlight set the items down on the table, stepping back. Taking a lot of steps back. “Whenever you’re ready!”

“This is for that levitation spell, right?” Nate asked and Starlight nodded. “So…please explain how I do it again?”

“Well… Okay, so as I told you before magic is everywhere, trees, earth, air, everywhere. While everypony has some magic in them, unicorns are able to actually manipulate it and control it, allowing us to cast spells. You are able to do the same, so I want you to take a deep breath, focus on the objects you want to grab, and picture lifting it as if you were holding it,” Starlight instructed.

Nate nodded and looked back at the objects on the table. He raised his metal hand at the objects and focused. The feeling from before, whenever he poured his magic into the animals and insects to turn them into monsters slowly began to make itself known. Starlight watched as his hand glowed a sickly dark yellow magical aura. The more Nate focused, the more the aura glowed brighter. Soon, one by one, each object began to glow a magical aura as well while a trickle of sweat dripped down the side of Nate’s face. Starlight watched and took notes of Nate’s progress, noticing how much of a struggle it is just to keep the plates and glass from breaking, but even still it seemed to be taking a lot more effort than it normally would for a foal.

Could it be possible that his body isn’t used to this? From what he said, humans didn’t have magic, and from the looks of it this definitely isn’t natural. Starlight hypothesized

Nate was about to lose his patience but managed to calm himself and continue focusing. One thing he learned while traversing the wasteland is patience was one of his many best friends. He needed to be tactfully prepared and couldn’t afford any slip ups. Nate cleared his mind of any intrusive thoughts and allowed his magic to flow more naturally. A slight tingling feeling spread through his real hand under his armor and the objects on the table were now completely covered in his magical aura. After taking a deep breath, Nate imagined moving the objects up in the air to set them in different places. One by one, the plates levitated from their spot and floated a little above the table.

“Remember, magic isn’t something you need to fight against, it’s not your enemy nor is it a tool. Think of it as an extension of yourself. Let it flow through you,” Starlight explained to him, proud to see him set the plates down without breaking them, hoping he would do the same with the glass and silverware.

Nate kept his breathing steady as he managed to levitate more of the objects on the table. Starlight was more than impressed with how quickly Nate was adapting to using his magic when it would normally take months for someone to move this many objects at the same time. The mare watched in awe as Nate set the plates, glasses, and silverware in their appropriate areas until the last fork was set. Nate exhaled and lowered his arm as a drop of sweat dripped off his chin.

“Whew, that was quite the new experience…” Nate said.

“Ponies are all used to using some form of magic, especially unicorns at a young age. We need practice, but it normally comes easy. Since you’re not a unicorn and aren’t used to any magic your body is rapidly trying to adapt to it. But still, your progress is phenomenal!” Starlight praised him with a warm smile.

“I can clearly feel the difference between using these spells and creating monsters,” Nate said as he opened and closed his hand. “But there’s no point in dwelling over it. Let’s keep going. What’s my next task?”

“Next task is how to utilize your magic in combat. Don’t worry, I’m not going to teach you how to fire magic or create shields, those are more advanced spells and would cause too much of a strain on you. So instead, I’m going to try something different, follow me,” Starlight said as she walked out of Nate’s office and outside to the back of the building.

“Magic can be used in combat?” Nate asked with piqued interest as he walked slowly so as to not put too much strain on his damaged armor. “How so?”

“I’ll show you.” Starlight walked about a few feet from Nate and looked at him. “Hit me.”

Nate blinked at Starlight as if he was processing what she had just asked him.

“I thought we had an agreement that I wouldn’t act or inflict violence against you?” Nate asked.

“Don’t worry, you won’t,” Starlight told him, a small hint of smugness in her voice as she had her arms behind her back “Now, hit me.”

"Very well," Nate shrugged and raised his fist. There was a bit of hesitation, but he ended up reeling his fist back and swung it right at Starlight's face.

CLANG!

There was a sudden flash of light, followed by Nate hitting something unexpectedly solid. Nate soon was bearing witness to some sort of see-through wall of light that stood between him and Starlight. Once again, Nate was a little at a loss for words since he had just literally punched a physical wall of magical light.

“What…in the world?” Nate said, trying to contemplate what was happening. “Rays of light forming some sort of physical barrier? That…that should be scientifically impossible.”

“Not scientific. Magic.” Starlight said proudly as her horn lit up and deactivated the shield around her, she then used her magic to lift Nate about four inches off the ground and pushed him about seven feet away from her and set him down.

“That’s another way magic can be used in combat, since all unicorns can manipulate magic, we have a simple spell around us to avoid being lifted up like I just did to you. Although it can be easily penetrated if the opponent is much more powerful,” she explained as she then teleported next to Nate.

“I’m more surprised how you’re even able to lift me,” Nate commented, noticing some sweat droplets dripping off the side of her head. “Only full grown Deathclaws were strong enough to lift me up in my armor. Magic sure is a hell of a tool.”

“It definitely is, although I did need to use a little bit more effort into lifting you. You aren’t used to magic, but something about your armor acted similar to the spell I just explained,” Starlight said. “There are other ways to utilize magic in combat, but right now I think we should learn more on defense, your armor is strong but from what you told me about that Changeling it can only hold up for so long.”

Nate looked down at his hands and began to hypothesize. According to Starlight, magic must flow through instead of being forced. It also depends on the caster’s imagination and how it must feel like an extension of oneself. Nate recalled how Starlight used her teleportation and shield spells and saw how her horn powered up. The way she moved her hands and arms in front of her, as if she was imagining a wall to protect her. Nate soon found himself focusing again and his magic began to power up. He imagined what a shield around him would look like, specifically if it was all around him. Nate felt his magic flowing throughout his whole body instead of just his hands. Once his imagery took form and his magic felt powered up enough, Nate tested his hypothesis and held his arms out to his sides. Suddenly, there was a bright yellow flash, and Starlight was completely shell-shocked at what she was bearing witness to. Nate had completely surrounded himself in a sphere of magical light. Nate looked around the bubble shield he cast and knocked on the edges a few times.

“Well, it seems my experiment was a success,” Nate said with a proud smirk.

“INCREDIBLE!” Starlight shrieked as she ran over and started tapping the shield with her hands. “This is outstanding! But first…we need to test it. Do you…trust me?”

“Wouldn’t be fair if I didn’t,” Nate responded. “And it depends on what you have in mind.”

“Well, you may have made the shield, but it doesn’t matter if it doesn’t hold up to a single attack,” Starlight advised. “So, what I plan to do is fire LOW POWERED magic bolts at you. If the shield doesn’t hold up, it’ll feel like getting hit with a pebble. Although, with your armor, it might as well be a flower being thrown at you.”

“From a tactical perspective, it would be beneficial to test the durability of my new shield for future encounters,” Nate said. “In fact, I give you permission to put a little more juice into these magic bolts. I want to ensure that this experiment continues without any setbacks.”

“Ok, but still. I won’t put too much into it.” Starlight stepped back and looked back at Nate. “I’m going to fire and each time I’ll go further to see how well it holds up,” she said as her horn lit up. “Ready?”

“As I’ll ever be,” Nate nodded.

Starlight nodded and took aim, firing about three bolts of magic at Nate, hitting his shield. They made an impact, but the shield seemed to hold up.

“Gonna go further, I’ll also increase the power by a bit!” She said as she teleported a bit further from him. Powering up her horn and fired three more shots at him.

Each time the shots hit his shield; Nate felt a faint impact in his chest. Almost like someone was lightly pushing him back, even though he didn’t move an inch. This proved Starlight’s explanation that magic is an extension of oneself, and the caster can feel the spells that they cast.

“Starlight, I have a question,” Nate asked, making Starlight stop firing bolts of magic. “Since this shield is theoretically a part of me, what would happen if, hypothetically, it breaks due to a great force of impact or if I didn’t have enough magic to keep it durable?”

“Oh, that’s easy. If something powerful hits your shield, like if I put enough power against the shield, it would shatter. If you’re asking if you would break along with the shield you have no worries. The only threat it would lead to is if you put too much strain on your body or try to do too much at once,” Starlight explained.

“So, depending on how much magic I’m able to use, I can use the spell as much as I want?” Nate asked.

“Yes, magic is just as much physical as it is mentally. If you push yourself too much you can burn yourself out,” Starlight explained. “Do you wish to keep going?”

“I suppose we can stop for today,” Nate said as he dispelled his shield, and they walked back inside the town hall. “This may sound old fashioned coming from me, but are there any physical records of magic spells I can study? Surely, even books are still a thing after over three million years, right?”

“Yes, but…in fear of a possible rebellion forming, all knowledge was tucked away,” Starlight answered. The most powerful and useful spells are in the Crystal Empire, but not all books. In a town called Ponyville, there may be some books there that may help, but it’s a long shot. A very long shot.”

“I see,” Nate said, and they walked towards the main office. “And what is this Ponyville?”

“Ponyville is a town northwest of here. It was most popular for the Apple families, well, apples, but it is…was the home of the elements,” Starlight said.

The last part made Nate look at Starlight with piqued curiosity. He’d heard Starlight mention these elements before, yet he had no idea what she meant.

“That’s another thing I’m curious about,” Nate said as they entered the main office. “What exactly are these elements you speak of? Are they some kind of weapons?” Starlight stared at Nate but couldn’t help but let out a subtle chortle. “Didn’t know that was a joke.”

“No no, it’s just…some ponies did believe them to be a weapon, but that’s far from it. It’s not something you can just wield and use as you please. The Elements of Harmony are powerful relics that can banish or vanquish any foe. It was used by the Bearers of the Elements to defeat all of Equestria’s enemies. It’s fueled by the magic of friendship, their greatest strength…which was then turned into their greatest weakness,” Sunset described.

“You speak like they’re actual people,” Nate said.

“That’s ‘cause they are,” Starlight responded. “Their names are Rarity, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Pinkie Pie, and Princess Twilight Sparkle.”

Nate had to force himself not to face palm and groan out of irritation. The names of this world seemed to sound more ridiculous and childish than they gave themselves credit for. However, two of those names seemed to stick out for Nate.

“Did you say Applejack?” Nate asked, and she nodded. “What a coincidence. A woman by that name resides in this town.” As Starlight gasped in both shock and happiness, another thought crossed his mind. “This also might be a tad obvious but would a woman with pink fur and hair match with a one Pinkie Pie? I found her imprisoned in the mine the other day.”

“Y-Yes. Yes! That’s them! A-Are they still alive?! Can I see them?! What happened to them?!” Starlight went off asking multiple questions, a glimmer of hope in her eyes

“Applejack is fine, she’s with her cousin Braeburn,” Nate said calmly. “As for the one called Pinkie Pie, she’s still recovering from being locked up and starved for so long. I used one of my stimpacks on her to keep her stable.”

“S-So there’s still hope…” Starlight muttered, tears almost swelling up in her eyes as she had believed that it was only a matter of time until the Dark Alliance had taken complete control over Equestria. “If we can find the other elements, then we may have a chance!”

“We don’t need them,” Nate dismissed as Nate walked towards his desk.

“Did you even hear a word I just said? The Elements of Harmony are some of the most powerful forces of magic in all of Equestria! The Dark Alliance practically fears them! That’s why they broke them apart like they did, to show everypony that they can’t be beaten. But if we can get them together, we can stand a chance!”

“Starlight,” Nate said a bit sternly. “What exactly do you think I’m gonna do once I, for example, confront and defeat Chrysalis and claim her territory?”

Starlight froze up at Nate’s tone and gulped in fear “Y-You’re gonna free us…r-right?” Starlight had a gut feeling that this isn’t how Nate does things.

“Of course, to a degree,” Nate acknowledged. “But that’s not what I asked. I asked what you think I’m going to do to Chrysalis once I defeat her and claim her territory.”

“Y-You’re…you’re gonna set her on trial? Make her and the others face justice?” Starlight dreamt of the day where Equestria wins back their freedom and watch as Chrysalis and her allies are put away for good.

“No.” Nate stared into Starlight’s eyes with a serious, but non-threatening, gaze. “I’m going to put her down. Permanently.”

That gaze, whether or not it was meant to be non-threatening, sent shivers down Starlight's spine and fear caused her legs to stop moving.

“Y-You…can you really do that? Y-You’re just one human…” Nate was terrifying, and he did take out a few camps, but to go up against the Queen of the Changelings? To go up against the Dark Alliance? It was insane to her.

“You may not realize it, Starlight, but we’re already at war with Chrysalis,” Nate explained. “From the day I liberated and claimed your town, no, the very first changeling I killed when I saved you from your pursuers, my declaration had already been made. Ever since then, I’ve been doing nothing but kill the changelings and any other creature affiliated with them like those Diamond Dog creatures. And if her sending a High Changeling after me wasn’t obvious enough, it’s clear she also acknowledges the conflict between us. You can bet she’s probably already gathering more drones to either kill me or take back what I took from her. I hate to be the bearer of bad omens, but she’ll most likely want to make an example out of you by executing those who’ve joined my side.”

Even Starlight had to know that this wasn’t some hero from a story, not some paragon of truth, honor, and justice. This is a human who came here to end a war by any means necessary. Even if it means killing anyone who dares cross him.

“I-I… I understand…” Starlight muttered, still too frightened to give a straight answer. “I’ll do what I can to help…”

“Never been in a war, I take it?” Nate asked.

“Not…exactly, no,” Starlight told him. “I never even killed before. Unless you count spiders…”

“Then you’re lucky,” Nate said. “But make no mistake. Not only do I plan to kill Chrysalis, but the same fate will also be met with those other two tyrants you mentioned.” Nate looked down at the map on his desk with determination. “Equestria will be mine.”

Trade a group of diabolical, cold-hearted monsters for an even bigger, scarier, more dangerous one. Although, with Nate they could at least have better lives compared to under the rule of the Dark Alliance

“Then what’s our next plan?” Starlight asked, wanting to be of use to Nate.

“My armor,” Nate replied, looking down at his still damaged plating. “The sooner we start the repairs, the better. Then I’ll go to this Rock Farm to find the master smith. Are the other smiths gathered like I asked?”

“Y-Yes. They’re gathered down at the lobby,” Starlight said. “Even before all this they were known to be excellent blacksmiths, even the royal family had some armor and weapons commissioned from them.”

Starlight then led Nate out of his office as he put his helmet back on and down to the lobby where seven ponies gathered. Four were stallions while three were mares. One stallion seemed to be far older than the rest as he had a long, white beard, wrinkles along his face, and a tired look in his eyes. But even though he was the oldest, he was clearly the biggest as he practically towered over the others with his muscular build.

“Greetings, everyone,” Nate said, making the ponies a bit on edge due to his height and armor. “My name is Apex. I understand that you lot are very skilled smiths. Almost as skilled as this Iron Bridle fellow who I’ve heard is still in captivity.”

“We can get the job done, although even though it hurts my pride, if you are able to free Iron Bridle, I recommend you ask him to craft you new weapons and repair your armor,” the old stallion said, coughing up a bit before clearing his throat. “My name is Stonewall. These are my foals and grandfoals, at least those left…” He muttered that last part to himself.

“Well met,” Nate nodded. “Now then, I would first like you all to take a close look at my armor.” Nate raised his arms out a little for the ponies to examine him. “Don’t be shy, feel free to get a more hands-on experience.”

Though hesitant the blacksmiths all slowly walked up to Nate, examining his armor while circling him.

“Such fine craftsmanship.”

“Is it steel?”

“How can you move with such clunky armor?”

“Does it not weigh much to you?”

These and many other questions were asked by the blacksmiths. Stonewall leaned forward and placed a hand on the chest plate of the armor, getting a feel for it while humming to himself.

“I see…can you remove the armor?” Stonewall asked.

“I cannot,” Nate said and pointed to the underside of his back behind him. “There’s a release mechanism on the back that looks like a small wheel. I can’t see it from here, but I can tell it’s damaged. So is the release mechanism.”

“I see, that would make it a bit difficult. We won’t be able to fully repair it without risking your own health and safety. Best we can do is add something over it, like an extra layer of protection over it.” Stonewall told Nate. “I know it doesn’t sound like much, but unless you’re invulnerable or immortal, that’s all we can do.”

“All I care about at the moment is being able to fight properly,” Nate said. “Once I free Iron Bridle, then we can discuss full repairs. So, with that being said, I shall now explain to you all how my armor works. I advise you to pay attention. This is something none of you have worked on before in your lives as smiths.”

The group of blacksmiths all stepped back and looked up at Nate and listened closely as he began to explain the workings of his armor to them. How it was forged, the purpose of it, how it was powered, its uses, strengths, weaknesses, and durability. Hearing such advanced armory and power was a concept none of them ever thought possible, but the idea that they would be able to work on such a wonderful display of craftsmanship? After years of being slaves and forced to make weapons and armor and tools for their masters? It had their blood pumping and, for the first time in years, they were eager to get to work.

“And as you can see,” Nate continued to explain. “The plating of my armor is being held together by couplings from the exoskeleton underneath. I designed it so it would take something of great force and physical strength to damage it as you see. Which is what happened when I battled a High Changeling.”

“Hmmm…this exoskeleton, as you said, seems to be holding up. No major damage to it from what I can see. But we should still be able to craft some armor plating over it for the time being,” Stonewall said with a nod. “Go and get the forge up and running.” Stonewall told his children as they all nodded and left to begin getting the forge up. “Um, would you mind if I take a look at this, uh, release mechanism?”

Nate nodded and turned around for Stonewall to examine. The old stallion spotted what Nate described but was a bit confused.

“Sir Apex? I don’t see a little wheel,” Stonewall said.

“Excuse me?” Nate said.

“The mechanism you described is not here. I do see what looks to be some kind of tapped hole, but the thing looks like it has melted in on itself,” Stonehoof.

“…fuck,” Nate cursed under his breath. “So, not only is the release gauge on the inside malfunctioning, but the outside release mechanism is also gone and melted?” Nate shook his head and rubbed the front of his helmet lightly with his metal hand. “Is there any way to make a new key and hollow out the hole?”

“It is possible, but it requires a much more delicate approach. Most of the tools we have here aren’t what I could call delicate by any means. The Dogs didn’t care what we made as long as they were big and strong and heavy,” Stonewall told Nate. “But I promise you that there is a possibility for this iron shell of yours to be opened.” Stonewall stepped back and coughed as he wiped his mouth. “For now, let’s get to work on your repairs, Mr. Apex, sir.”

“Very well,” Nate said and followed Stonewall to the forge.

Nate stood perfectly still while Stonewall and his family were hard at work. It felt like hours had passed since the smith ponies began repairing Nate’s armor as best they could. Nate watched the smiths use the Star Metal ore he brought back from the mine to mold together a protective layer over where his armor was the most damaged. Nate had the younger members of the smith ponies fit their hands underneath the openings of his armor to locate any damaged wiring or use their tools to weld the steel plating.

“There should be a few wires under the right shoulder,” Nate instructed the young mare who stood on a step stool. “Are any of them broken?”

“Hmm, just a few. Though they can easily be fixed,” she said “Can you move your shoulder? Tell me if there is any stiffness in it.”

Nate moved his arm up a little and they both heard some straining in his shoulder. The mare immediately knew what it was and got to work with a screwdriver and small socket wrench.

“Make sure you tie the copper wires back together and use something to keep them tied,” Nate said.

The mare nodded and used her magic to tie the copper wires together and then she used a glue gun on the wires, her magic then heated up the glue and began to hold the wires together without any risks.

“That should do it, sir,” she said.

“Mr. Apex, we’re almost done with welding this armor plate. It’s made from the material you gave us, some of the best armor is crafted by them so this will be more than perfect for the time being,” Stonewall said, the hole that was once in Nate’s chest was now covered in black steel “We can test it out, if you wish, Mr. Apex.”

“No need,” Nate said. “I’ll have plenty of time to test it out in the field when I go to the Rock Farm. Would you say it’s combat-ready?”

“Yes, although if you face another High-Changeling or somepony similar to him, you may want to avoid him,” the mare advised him.

“It will suffice,” Nate said. “Have you finished the blueprints I told you to jot down for new armor plating?”

“Yes, my grandfather got started on it as soon as he could. He said that it is definitely within his area of expertise to get it done but he will need more material. If you’re gonna be fighting against the Dark Alliance you need the best material to do it,” the mare said.

“And once Iron Bridle is back, I won’t have to worry about any damages to my armor,” Nate said in an agreeing tone. “As for the material, you’ll have plenty of it. The mine is under my control and the ponies have agreed to keep a steady supply of the ore.”

“Thank you, Mr. Apex, sir,” the mare said. “Do you want us to look over your weapon as well?”

Nate thought about it and figured his sword might need some smithing as well. Even though he was the one who created the weapon and used the best materials available in the wasteland, and the fact that it’s kept its edge for over three million years, it wouldn’t hurt to have it checked out. Nate reached behind him and a compartment opened up so he could grab his sword. As soon as he pulled it out, the ponies were astonished by both its size and craftsmanship of the blade.

“It looks crudely built, but the design of it is remarkable,” Stonewall said while examining the blade. “These wires under the guard of the blade, what is the purpose of them?”

“Careful, if you press the trigger, it’ll fry you to a crisp from the electric charge,” Nate warned.

“N-Noted, sir,” one of the stallions gulped as he carefully picked up the sword and carried it to a table to begin fixing it up.

“I have a question for you smiths,” Nate said. “Do any of you know the materials called saltpeter, sulfur, and charcoal?”

“Yes, we are aware of them. We used them for smithing armor back at the capital and even in a bit of construction,” Stonewall said.

“Bring them to me. I have another project I want you to work on,” Nate requested.

Stonewall nodded and he and a few other smiths left to fetch the materials. Meanwhile, the remaining two smiths were doing some last-minute checkups on his armor while his sword was being tended to.

A slow process but it will improve in the long run, Nate thought.

Nate stood before the family of smiths as he used the HUD in his helmet to run diagnostics. At the same time, he analyzed his newly improved sword they had repaired with the material from the mine. As Nate stood there, the smiths couldn’t help but be a bit anxious as they waited for his response.

“Hmm…damages repaired, plates welded efficiently, some lingering internal damages but I shouldn’t be picky. Couplings holding strong, power core still at unreadable levels.” Nate mumbled to himself. “92% of the damage done to the armor has been repaired.” Nate nodded and turned his head to the smiths. “You have my gratitude, Stonewall. You and your family were able to follow my directions quite well, and now my armor is back to fighting shape.”

“Thank you, sir. We aim to please.” Stonewall bowed his head as did the others, all of them also on edge in fear of possibly upsetting Nate.

“As requested, we brought you the material you asked,” the mare from before said as some stallions dropped a few crates on the ground, opening it up to reveal some of the material Nate asked.

“Excellent,” Nate nodded. He walked over to one of the tables to grab a piece of paper and handed it to Stonewall. “Please excuse the slightly messy handwriting. Can’t exactly write well with these metallic fingers. I’d like you to start on this next project.”

Stonewall looked at the paper and immediately couldn’t make heads or tails about it.

“Um…what is this gunpowder, Lord Apex?” Stonewall asked.

“Something that makes things go boom,” Nate simply said. “Get started on it, I’ll check on your progress later. Now, get out,” Nate ordered. Stonewall and the others all bowed and immediately left, taking the crates and heading off to the forge.

As Nate ran some more diagnostics on his armor, he noticed a small swarm of flies buzzing around him. Nate eyed each of the flies and flicked his fingers at them, using his magic to mutate the flies.

The flies began to glow a sickly yellow and green color as their bodies began to change. It was like mounds of flesh being smashed together and stretched out as it morphed into something else. The fly was now easily the size of a small dog and spewed a ghastly green liquid substance from its large behind.

“Hmph, even the smallest of creatures can be a valuable asset in war,” Nate said to himself.

Just then, Nate concocted a hypothesis when he reminded himself of the prisoners that he had locked away when he first took Appleloosa. With his mind drumming up the possibilities and theoretic thoughts, Nate made his way out of the forge and made his way to the local jail house.

Everyone passing by either paid him no mind or looked away nervously, which Nate never really bothered to acknowledge. He was focused on something more important than the anxious atmosphere of the townspeople. Upon arrival, Nate stepped into the jailhouse and saw Braeburn speaking with a couple of ponies. Next to them were a few large jail cells with a few Diamond Dog survivors. Including the one who told him about the mine in the first place.

Hearing the heavy thuds of Nate’s metallic boots Braeburn turned around to nervously face him.

“S-Sir? What, uh, what brings you by?” Breaburn asked, meeting and averting his gaze with Nate.

“Business,” Nate said. “I need the room.”

Braeburn and the other stallions nodded and hurriedly exited the jailhouse. The Diamond Dogs all stared at Nate, some in fear or with hatred as Nate stood in front of them. His glowing eyes from his helmet seemed to pierce their very souls.

“Your leader is dead,” Nate said abruptly. “Along with the rest of the pack that was stationed there by my hands. The mine is now under my control.”

One diamond dog lunged at Nate but slammed against the bars, his arms flailing about. Trying to grab Nate.

“Grrr! Giant metal freak! I’ll rip you open like a tin can and become the new Alpha!” The Dog barked.

Nate just stood there unfazed by his threats and thrashing. Meanwhile, the other Dogs were giving him death glares from their cells.

“I’ve been thinking about what I’m to do with the lot of you,” Nate spoke. “It would be easy to just kill you, string you up by your innards, and put your mutilated corpses on display outside the town so that anybody gets the idea that I’m not to be fucked with.” That made some of the Dogs flinch. “However, I have another way of how you can be useful to me.”

“We’ll never follow your orders!” The one still thrashing about barked.

Under his helmet, Nate grinned a sadistic smile as his hand glowed a sickly yellow hue. Suddenly, Nate raised his hand and shot it forward between the bars, grabbing hold of the Diamond Dog’s head.

“We’ll see about that,” Nate said as a look of horror filled the Dog’s eyes as Nate began imbuing his magic into his first test subject.

“W-Wait! Stop! No no! NooooooAAAAAAAAGH!!” The Diamond Dog howled in anguish as his body was covered in the same sickly color aura, his body being stretched and broken and changing into something else. The Diamond Dog grew double in size and mass, all his fur shedding off and his skin turning gray. His hunchback snapping straight as his fangs grew larger. The light died down and Nate dropped the Dog, examining his newly created monster.

The other dogs all cowered in fear as the heavy breathing echoed around the jailhouse. They dared not try to contemplate what just happened as their brother slowly rose up to his feet. The Dog’s fur had completely shed off his skin, the skin itself was a dark gray, and his body had indeed doubled in both sizes and height. He stood almost as tall as Nate as he opened his blood red eyes with a faint sickly yellow glow. The mutant Dog glared at Nate but did nothing as Nate examined him.

“Physical structure has increased dramatically,” Nate said aloud. “Features resembling basic Super Mutant traits are satisfactory and have borne positive results.” Nate grinned under his helmet. “Now to test mental strength. Who do you serve?”

The Dog gasped for air for a few moments, trying to make a sound, a single word. Then it spoke.

“I-I…serve the…M-Master…” The Dog said, slowly kneeling down. His voice was deep and heavy like gravel, and his speech made it seem its intelligence wasn’t that high up.

“Mental control has also taken full effect,” Nate said as the Super Dog Mutant stood up. “Go grab two more.”

“Yes, Master.” The newly mutated dog turned and marched over to his former comrades, both whimpering in fear and pleading for mercy. But it was futile as the Mutant Dog lifted them both up by their necks and carried them over to the bars, holding them up towards Nate.

“This is only just the beginning,” Nate said as he grabbed his two new test subjects by their faces. “It won’t be long until I have the army I need.”

The air was thick in Appleloosa as the violent and loud screams from within the jailhouse reverberated across the town. Any passerby felt a wave of unease and fear due to how unnaturally loud the screams from within were. One could only imagine what Nate was doing with the Diamond Dog prisoners, and none dared to enter the building to find out. The screams went on for what felt like several minutes until the screams suddenly stopped. Some ponies waited anxiously for someone or something to step out until the door finally opened with a slow creek.

Much to everyone’s expectations, Nate strode out with his heavy armor in the sun’s rays. However, what followed him made the townsfolk’s hearts drop immediately. About a dozen mutated, hairless, green-skinned Diamond Dogs trudged behind Nate. The monsters let out a few grunts and snarls, but they obediently followed Nate as if he was their puppeteer. Their eyes glowed a sickening yellow light, which signified his total control over them.

“Prep a few wolves and Yao Guai,” Nate ordered his new soldiers. “And add a mixed swarm of Stingwings and Bloodbugs. We leave for the Rock Farm immediately.”

“Yes, Master,” the Super Mutant Dogs said at the same time and marched away to gather his forces.

Author's Note

He goes on the march once again.

Side Note:
I. HAVE. RETURNED.

The Battle of Rock Quarry

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