Log date: Late Spring, 1064 ANM

It’s been I don't even know how long since Canterlot fell. I've been in darkness with nothing for the longest time. Cipherus' version of mercy was nothing like mine. Even though he let me keep my sword, dagger and pack, I was stripped of all of my armor and shield. I sit in what use to be a storage closet underneath the amphitheater. Cipherus had emptied out all of the rooms and used them for prison quarters for those about to go into the area. I can hear the stomping of feet and hoofs in the bleachers above me. They shout in entertainment as a battle takes place to celebrate Cipherus' victory. I didn't hear much before coming here, but one of the troops told me that he saw Celestia retreat to the north and Luna to the south safely. At the very least I can die out there knowing I've given this world a chance.

Cipherus believes that I will die out there. That means it's my job to disappoint him. I saw a cage filled with manticores a day ago. He's either going to feed me to them when I die or he's going to try and kill me with them. The Jaws of Tartarus will unleash suffering once more.

Just as I finished writing, a strong knock came at the door of the closet/cell I was in. They didn't wait for me to say anything. the door opened and an earth pony, as I came to know the regular ponies as, was standing there with a heavily damaged shield on his back.

"You're up." he said bucking the shield over his back and onto the ground in front of me.

The bottom right of the shield had been broken off by what looked like massive claws and the bottom right looked as though it had been burnt off. I say nothing as I stand from the corner I had been sitting in. I take the battered praetorian shield follow the earth pony towards what was once the area the actors had their hair and makeup done before a show. There, racks of battered helmets and rusted pila sat waiting for a new owner. Twenty ponies, four earth ponies and eight pegasi, stood near the door leading out into the arena wearing some of the dented helmets of fallen guards. I neglect to take any armor and stand next to the door with a sky blue pegasus stallion holding a dagger in his teeth. He glares at me as the earth pony stands in front of us.

"When you go out there, stand together and await Cesar's command to fight the opposing army. You will die out there today for the entertainment of thousands. Take pride that anypony is taking interest in your final moments." He moved forwards and opened the door. The loud roar of the crowd slammed my ears as we slowly made our way out onto the blood soaked stage. Two soldiers were just dragging off two pony bodies.

"Ladies, gentlemen and equines!" the announcer shouted. "Cesar now brings you a reenactment, of the raid of Ponyville." The crowd went wild for a moment before going back to a dull roar so they could hear the announcer. "In the night, the leader of the Ponyville forces, Jackson Leonidas Anderson, fought against The Great Cipherus on the twenty second of April. Cesar, is proud to bring you, the troops of Ponyville and the General Anderson!"

The crowd booed in disapproval and, those that had them, gave me and the ponies at my side put their thumbs down.

"On that night." the announcer continued. "General Anderson faced a century lead by The Great Cipherus. It is Cesar's pleasure to bring you, the champions of The Tenth Cohort, Equestrianas!"

At the other side of the amphitheater, the door opened and a half century made up of forty soldiers and five ponies and formed five columns of ten. My heart rate soars as I draw my sword. I take a breath. "This might sound crazy, but the only way any of us are getting out of here with all of our limbs attached is if we can get them on their own."

"Why should we trust you?" The sky blue stallion said. "You're one of them."

"If you don't trust me then try and take them head on. We have to break up the phalanx. Roman soldiers aren’t trained for one on one combat."

"How do you propose we do that then?"

"One of you has to get in the middle of them and force them to spread out. That's when the rest of us move in and tear them apart one by one."

"Why don't we just charge them?" an earth pony mare asked.

"Unless you like having pila in your chest I would advise against it."

"I'll do it." the blue stallion told me.

"Then it's settled. On my call, you jump our lines and into theirs. But only on my call. Stick together and pray that this works."

"Let the invasion, begin!" The announcer exclaimed.

"Form a line! Form a line!" I shout at the top of my lungs. The ponies behind me line up and do their best to put their shields out in front of them. "Column, forward! Huah!" we stepped forward with a slightly less them mighty thump of hoofs.

"Shields at the ready." the column of Romans in front of us locked their shields and took a battle stance with their pila at the ready.

We advanced slowly. The crowd begged for action as we came closer. Just before we were in range for them to impale us on their pila, I called for the lines to halt. The half Century tried to get into range with powerful serge forward.

"Column, back! Spread out! Spread out!" I shout as we continue to lead the half Century towards the middle of the stage.

"As General Anderson's lines fell, The Fifteenth bravely pushed forward against the barbarians before having mercy on them and giving them an honorable death at their swords."

"Is your entire race this conceded?" the blue pegasus asked.

"Only if their psychopaths." I look past the lines and see my troops have their rear covered. "You ready?"

"As I'll ever be."

I shout in rage as I ram the lead of their lines with all two hundred pounds of me. With them all so closely grouped together, all of the troops in the center stumbled. The blue pegasus spread his wings and took flight over my head and into the middle of the line with his dagger in his teeth. The half Century didn't have time to put up their shields and form the phalanx. The blue pegasus was smart and dug the blade directly into the neck of the soldier in the center before bucking a unicorn in the side of the head. The soldier tired pulling the dagger out of his neck as the unicorn mare crumpled to the ground with a crushed skull.

"Strike now! Strike them down!" I shout as the entire half Century turned to try and deal with this new threat.

I'm the first to strike after the pegasus. I move my shield out of the way and plunged my sword into the back of the front soldier. From there, the troops disbanded, as the crowd booed, called us cheaters. The half a Century wasn't following the orders of their Centurion to reform. It was easy pickings. One bad move after another lead to the demise of another soldier. After all five ponies and twelve soldiers had fallen Cipherus called for what was left of the half Century to fall back.

The ponies that were working with me tried to chase the troops out of the doors but were too slow. I look to the crowd and feel the strong urge to ask if they were not entertained. My gaze finally settles on the VIP box where Cipherus sat with a golden wreath around his head wearing a purple tunic over his armor.

"You dare kill my century!?" He shouts over the crowd that quickly fell silent.

"It was a half Century, give me some credit here Miles." I say with a cocky grin on my face.

"It's Cesar! Bring out the manticore! Kill them all!" he shouted in rage.

A trap door suddenly opens behind me and I hear the blood curdling roar of a manticore. I turn to face it. It still looked much more pleasant than the ones back home. Rounder, more cuddly, but still deadly by every means. The manticore was chained to the underbelly of the stage to keep it from attacking anything besides what was in the arena. I sheath my sword and draw my dagger. The blade causes the creature to flinch as it stepped out of the door it had been under.

"Are you trying to get us all killed?" the blue pegasus asked me.

"If I were trying to do that you'd all be dead. AH!" I shout as I charge the beast.

Just before I get into range of its claws, I leap right and make a lunge at the child of Tartarus. It spreads its bat wings and throws itself back ten feet before trying to attack one of the ponies I was trying to save. I take my shield by the top part and hurl it at the mighty creature. The undamaged side of the wooden shield slammed into the back of its lion's head causing it to put its full attention on me.

The manticore immediately charged me and tired to drag its claws through my chest. Without my shield I can only duck and slash at its arm with my dagger. The golden blade cut through its touch skin and caused the beast to rear up in anger. One slash would never do anything to any creature. The only way I could kill it was to drive my dagger into its chest. But before I get a chance to do so, the manticore leans forward and thrusts its scorpion tail in my direction. I roll right to evade and try again to stab its chest. The beast reared up just as I got close, putting me underneath of it.

Just as it brings its full weight down on me, I thrust my dagger into its chest. I feel the powerful roar of the beast rattle my ribcage as it starts to disintegrate into golden dust. The wind in the open air amphitheater blows the dust from the creature towards my feet allowing me to sliver out from beneath it before the whole thing collapsed on me and suffocated me. You'd think I was over reacting but you've never seen a demigod choke to death on the essence of a monster.

With the manticore reduced to dust, I pull my lighter out of my pack. The entire crowd was still silent, waiting for Cipherus to give an order. I put the butt of the lighter into the pile of dust and watch as it's sucked into the body. The eyes on top of the lid glow red as more of the dust is collected into the lighter. The eyes turned blue just after I had taken around half of the manticore's essence into the lighter. The dust stopped being inhaled by the lighter and I could feel the energy within waiting to be unleashed.

"Send out another! Two if you must." Cipherus shouts in panicked anger.

I grin as two more doors open up and the beasts enter the arena. The other ponies moved back to the sides as the manticores slowly approached me. They bare their massive teeth at me as they approach; their growl shakes the ground beneath my feet. I point my lighter in their direction and wait. They come closer, I still wait. They're only ten feet away from me now. Just as they both go to lunge at me, I open the head of the Zippo and feel the rush of heat shoot out the head.

The mighty roar that came after was deafening as blue flames enveloped the manticores entirely. Beasts were nowhere to be seen within the flames. I know they were instantly vaporized, golden ash and all. After a few seconds, I shut the head of the lighter and let the silence that's left behind sink in. The Jaws of Tartarus have been reopened. Praetorians Quickly funnel out of the doors and line the parameter of the arena. Cipherus looks down upon the scorched floor as the crowd starts to clap in amazement. Their cheers slowly turning to a chant.

"Live! Live! Live!"

Cipherus looked to be struggling with his emotions right now. He knew that no one he had could kill me and if he sent more monsters at me it would only refuel my weapon of mass cremation. He stuck his thumb out of the VIP box and let it hover in-between thumbs up, life, and thumbs down, death. His Praetorian watch his hand and wait for the order. The crowd's chant seemed to get louder. They wanted me to live so that I could bring them more entertainment. Cipherus made his final decision, his thumb hesitantly went up and the thundering applause filled the air after.

I grin at him as the Praetorians lower their weapons and open the door backstage. I sheath my dagger and put my lighter into my pants pocket as I walk out with the rest of the ponies. The blue pegasus flew over next to me just before we get to the door.

"How did you know any of that was going to work?" he asked.

"I didn't." I reply. despite a volley of complaints from the stallion, I refuse to speak as we are taken back to our "cells"

Author's Note

Nexus: A bit of a dull combat scene ain't it?
Me: Describing group combat is always less exiting Nex.
Nexus: Are you just getting lazy?
Me: More like running out of filler before the climax.
Nexus: You sure you want to tell them that?
Me: They hate this story anyways. Once this is done, I'll get back on your stories.
Nexus: Don't rush. Dust and I have a date next week.
Me: Whatever Nex. Happy New Year everyone! This is going up at 0100 cause I have so little to do!
Nexus: Happy New Year everypony.