Equestria's Greatest... NIGHTMARE!!!

"So, umm, can you put me down, please? I can lead you out, instead of suffering while watching you get lost again..."

I looked down at the mare cradled in my arm. Her yellow eyes were flashing with amusement with her jesting, but there was still a trace of fear. Perhaps I was making her uncomfortable with this monstrous arm of mine.

"Sure thing, little pony," I said, setting her gently on the ground. "All better?"

"I have a name, it's Seafoam! And yes, much better," she sighed, relief washing over her face.

"Alright, so which way do we go, Little Pony?"

I smirked underneath my helmet, where she couldn't see. The look of indignation and annoyance on her face was priceless. With a huff, she turned and chose the left fork before us.

Strange, I thought I chose that path before. But I followed her anyway, and took the opportunity to scan her Cutie Mark. She had a cresting wave, which I wasn't surprised to see. After only a couple moments, she came to a stop and I watched as she turned towards a wall about five feet in. She raised a hoof, and after a bit of contemplation, she tentatively touched the wall, about three feet from the floor. With a grinding noise, the wall began to slowly shift, grating and sliding to reveal a massive archway, which would be big enough for the dragon I had slain. Had it been alive, that was. When the wall finally finished opening, I turned around to go retrieve some of the treasure, but found the group of ponies from earlier standing behind me. Cocking my head to the side, I watched as the red pegasus with an orange mane from earlier shuffled forward. He cleared his voice a few times before speaking to me.

"We're sorry about what we said to you earlier. We hope you will forgive us. We gathered most of the treasure from the cavern, remembering that you mentioned taking it when you left."

He stood to the side and I watched in amazement as about six very large stallions, all earth ponies, came forth. Each one was laden with four saddlebags, and those were each filled to bulging with all manners of gem and coin. I raised my eyebrow before looking back to the red pony, who was looking at me with fear, apprehension, hope, and a small bit of surprise when he regarded Seafoam coming to stand by my side. Working on a hunch, I spoke up once more.

"No, you aren't being honest with me," and I saw the pegasus flinch slightly at my words. "Now, why don't you tell me the truth, and see if your fears of me are grounded in reality."

"Alright, alright... We thought for sure you would have killed or otherwise harmed Seafoam when you took her away, alone. We brought the treasure, hoping you would be appeased with it and not hurt us..."

Leaning in very close, I watched as his eyes began to widen. His irises shrank to pinpricks in his fear, and he let out a breathless prayer when I spoke again.

"Very good. Telling the truth is far better to earning my peace instead of lying," and as I stood up, I surveyed them all. "Know this! Speak the truth to me at all times, and I will protect you as you begin to return to your homes. Lie to me, and I will leave you in my wake to fend for yourself."

When I finished, a young unicorn mare rose her hoof tentatively. When I nodded to her to speak, she took a few moments to collect her thoughts before she did so.

"Not all of us have homes..." she said, casting her eyes down to the floor. "Some of us... were born and raised here."

Looking at them in shock, I saw many eyes looking away while some of the ponies cried softly. This was pretty brutal for them... Making up my mind and nodding to myself, I spoke out once more.

"Very well. Those without homes are welcome to stay with me. Anyone else who has a home can return home. If you have any attachments to the homeless ones, I implore you to think about opening up and helping those in need."

The ponies looked up in surprise as I suggested that they do something out of kindness. The red pegasus, who I really needed to learn the name of, was staring at me with newfound wonder in his eyes. When he raised his hoof, I smiled, using the mouth on my chest so he could see it. With a quick look of fear at it, he looked back at me and spoke.

"Umm... Sir, what if some of us who have homes would like to... stay with you?"

"And your name is? Sorry to be so rude as to not ask sooner, but it's starting to bug me now."

"My name is Burnt Cinnamon, sir."

"Well, Cinnamon, and this goes for all of you as well," I said, my gaze washing over them as they stared at me expectantly. "Anypony, who has skills and is willing to work for the betterment of all of us, or is willing to learn, is welcome to stay along with me for as long as they can stand a monster like me."

The cheer and sheer radiant joy that spread across them washed over me like a tidal wave, and I couldn't help but smile at them. They each took a moment to personally come up to me and bump their hooves with my fist. A few, like Cinnamon, had even gained the nerve to bump against my claw. Some of the foals even climbed on it and played around with it. I noticed that the parents weren't comfortable with it, but at least they weren't shouting at me like the mother from earlier.

Speaking of the devil...

"Excuse me, sir..." the purple mare spoke quietly behind me.

Turning to her, I nodded for her to continue. She took a deep breath before holding her foal out to me.

"My name is Wrench Twist. I can help us get out of here if you can help me find materials. And also... My baby would like you to cradle her like you did Seafoam..."

Looking down at the foal, she giggled and raised her hooves out towards me. I gently reached out with the claw, and she latched onto the middle digit. She giggled wildly as I bent it in, holding her in my 'hand' while her mother looked on. I rose up to my full height, which, now that I was paying attention, was a good two times as tall as the ponies. Looking around, I noticed that it was just me, Twist, and Seafoam, with the others having gone ahead of us.

With my left hand outstretched, I bowed and motioned the mares to go on ahead, and followed them as they walked into the darkness.

"They fear you... And yet you do not slaughter them... Why?" the voice of Soul Edge spoke in my mind.

Because. I will not be the monster you make out of people. I will feed you the souls of those who attack me. But do not try to harm these ponies.

I heard the voice of the cursed sword laughing in my head, with it only giving one final warning.

Don't let them touch the sword.