The Equestrian Wasteland, a paradise of murder and rape. The once peaceful race of Ponies in Equestria, have become ruthless, bloodthirsty murderers. Here is the wasteland, there are no hero’s, and there is no hope. There is only death and destruction.

After the bombs began falling, the Pegasi sealed up the clouds in an attempt to preserve their society in the sky. But some did not want to stay, some refused to stay up there, many Pegasi began to leave. They were branded as traitors and known as Dashites, after the element of harmony, Rainbow Dash.

Each Pegasi had everything they could need in the clouds, a perfect society as the superiors saw it. But even then it wasn't enough, for some, they thought it was unfair that the earth ponies had to suffer below them while they were safe in the clouds.

And then on the grounds of the wasteland you have a small settlement of tribal ponies, somewhat shielded from the rest of the horrors the wasteland throws out. The Shrouded Clan, a xenophobic tribe who’s only goal was keeping itself alive and shielded.

Set up deep in the McIntosh Hills, this tribe could stay away from the rest of the wasteland, and even grow enough of their own crops to survive. They chose not to take part in the petty squabbles happening in the world around them. It would seem they were not unlike the Pegasi.

Each tribal pony was trained in the art of stealth and assassination, should the need ever arise to fight. Hoof-to-Hoof combat and bladed weapon training was mandatory for all ponies to learn. The stallions would travel from the camps in search of herbs they needed, while the mares would cook and grow. But the tribe never left the McIntosh Hills, it was forbidden by the elders to even contact the outside world. For they believed it would taint their society.

But one young earth pony stallion didn't think it would last forever, he didn't believe they should stay. He never believed in the xenophobic ways, believing that eventually they would run out of food and the tribe would starve, that they would need to contact outside traders eventually. He wanted to leave the tribe. He wanted to explore the wasteland as his right of passage. And finally get his cutie mark.

He had pleaded with the elders time and time again to let him leave the tribe and explore the wasteland, but he knew the only way he would be able to leave the tribe would be to break one of the Master Laws and never return.

The Master Laws were made by the Elders are a guideline to keep the tribe in check. They were as followed:

Rule 1: Never contact the outside world.

Rule 2: Never leave the tribal land for any reason.

Rule 3: Never kill another of the tribe.

Rule 4: Never bring anything tainted into the tribe.

Rule 5: Always obey the elders, for their word is the law.

Many of these rules were almost the same, the stallion hated them. He knew he could break any of them with ease; his training surpassed many of the others, even giving him the rank of elite even though he was young. But he couldn’t bring himself to break any of them, he was afraid to lose his tribe, his friends and family. His mother and father would never look at him the same should he tell them he was even thinking about breaking a law.

They all believed the laws so blindly, they all followed the elders in perfect sync. It almost made the young stallion sick, he knew he was different. He knew he should just follow the traditions, work until he gained his right of passage, marry a mare of the elders choosing, have a few foals and work until he passed.

But he hated the thought of following where everyone else had already been. To him, he may as well not even have a brain, since free thought was almost not allowed anyway.

Unbeknownst to the Elders, this stallion had already been conversing with a few of the traveling merchants that came close to the hills; he would sneak out of the tribe and talk with them. Though he knew this would surely get him severely punished if anypony found out. But he kept it a secret, he couldn't buy anything, but he loved to look at the strange things they had, blades with moving parts, hooves made of brass or glowing with a strange blue crackling energy.

How he wanted to invite the caravan’s in for the Elders to meet, to show them that the wasteland wasn't so bad. But he was afraid how the tribe would react, not only to strange caravans but to him as well. For if he anyone found out he had even talked to them, he would be thought to be a traitor, and punished, or worse. Thrown from the tribe, but then again, the stallion couldn't help but think maybe it was better to be thrown from the tribe. Maybe if, when they banished him, he could find evidence of the wasteland not being bad and that they needed to let the tribe explore for better chances of survival they would let him back in the tribe. Though even that was unlikely…

And yet, at the same time, there was a Pegasus at that very moment, fighting for her escape from the clouds, trying to get away from her own xenophobic form of tribe. For she wanted to explore the wasteland as well, she didn't believe it was fair that the earth ponies suffered below while the Pegasi were safe in the clouds. She believed she could make a difference with her training and intellect, maybe change the whole wasteland.

And as the Pegasus mare pierced through the clouds and plummeted towards the earth, she could swear she saw a stallion staring up at her from the hills…

Author's Note

The Prologue, tell me what you think.