Chapter I: War. War Never Changes.
Prologue
The Iron Colthood, a tribe of powerful ponies who rely on hoarded technological wonders to survive in the Equestrian Wasteland. They once held the strongest, and only, defensive line against the rampaging hordes of the mutant armies. Several other factions led an offensive against the citadel of the mutant leader, simply called The Creator, in the toxic city of Baltimare. It was not enough. With every mutant slain, two more took it's place. The worst outcome came to pass in short times, as their evolutionary virus became increasingly infectious the longer the battles took. It alone claimed more victims than the mutants themselves, even mutating more to serve The Creators needs.
Soon the other factions fled, leaving only the Iron Paladins to stop them from moving west. It has been said that they held out in the ruined Dodge City for two years against the onslaught of The Creator's army, though no pony really knows just how long. What everypony does know, or at least those in the Colthood, is that one Paladin stood ahead of all the rest when the mutants finally broke through. The Grand Master of the Paladin order, Commander Steelhorn, single hoofedly held off attacking forces while his brothers and sisters escaped. Legend says the retreating soldiers could hear his final shout of battle as he detonated explosives around him to stop the armies advance west.
This was the final moment in the Colthood's history, as shortly after they split ways. Some moved north, towards the Foal Montains, while others followed word of surviving ponies at the base of Canterlot Crater. One group headed back east, devoted to avenging the Grand Master and ending the threat of The Creator. The remnants of the Colthood then made their path west, towards the Appleloosan Desert. There they would start their story. The story of three Paladin Initiates.
Chapter I
Iron Paladin Nitch, captain of bravo squad, stood up top his fort as the mutant army charged down the hill towards him. To each side was his Paladin brothers, all probably sweating as they readied their blasters. The hoard of massive equine creatures rumbled ever closer, their bloodlust thick in the air. Pulling the bridle of his Avenger class minigun up to face his enemies, a grin formed behind his visor. The rotating barrels now faced down the battlefield, ready to lay waste to all who stood before him.
The air screamed as verti-birds raced through the air, dropping their payloads on the mutant advance. Nitch heard the shouts of war around him as the order was given to unleash hell. He clenched his teeth on the bridle as the death machine released it's beautiful rain of lead. The pony tried to keep count of the bodies that fell before him, especially the particularly juicy ones, but lost count in his excitement. The battle was going perfect as the monsters began to fall back.
Nitch too a step forward to give chase, ordering his men to do the same when the ground began to shake. The battlefield emptied before him and his brothers as the ground before him began to lift and turn. Whatever was down there began to surface, and all Nitch saw was a massive mutilated hoof before he realized what it was he saw.
"Behemoth!" One of his men screamed as they turned to run.
"Coward! Face your enemy and fight with honor!" Nitch shouted back at the fleeing soldiers but to no avail. They had already abandoned him.
The paladin gripped the bridle once more and smiled as he though to himself. Well, more fun for me. Just like the good book said, shoot until it dies. His mini gun once again filled the area with explosive sound as the golden streaks of lead flew toward the behemoth. In a rage, the beast turned towards Nitch and roared as it began it's charge. Nitch began screaming through his teeth as he fired on the great mutant as it came closer and closer. Just as the beast lifted it's front hooves to smash the paladin, a sharp sound snapped through the air. The behemoth faded away, and all Nitch could hear were voices.
"Initiate Nitch! I have had it with your constant sleeping in my class!" Nitch lifted his head up as he rubbed his eyes, finally making eye contact with the pair of glasses resting on Instructor Gwen's nose. She looked down on him with concern filled eyes mixed with irritation. "Well, since you are now awake, care to explain to the class how Commander Hard Hooven won the battle at Fort Everfree?"
"Uhhh..." The initiate raised a hoof to his head as he rubbed behind his ear. "Err... Oh! That was the one where he lined all his paladins up at the fort and held the mutants back with heavy energy fire right?"
"Y-yes... Very good Nitch, but now can you tell me ho-"
"And he had a support team in a verti-bird bomb them into retreating right?" Nitch smiled. Instructor Gwen gave him a puzzled look then a forced smile.
"Well then..." Gwen pushed her glasses up her face, turning slightly red. "You still should at least try to stay awake in class."
"Yeah..." Nitch mumbled as he watched Gwen walk away.
Instructor Gwen stood by her desk before the class and continued her lecture about the various battles and tactics used by paladins in said battles. Nitch remained awake, only barely, as he imagined being a paladin. The class ended after an hour longer and all the initiates were left to attend to their other duties around the bunker.
Today was Nitch's day off, which he particularly enjoyed because he shared it with his best friend Charley. Char, as he was nick named for his black coat, was a unicorn. One especially interested in fire. So much that his cutie mark was even a burnt tree. Against his black coat it barely showed, leading him to be harassed at for being a 'blank flank'. It was this that actually sparked the friendship between Nitch and Char, as Nitch was the last of his age group to receive his cutie mark. Although with his brown coat and white underbelly, it was obvious he did not have one. Though some may consider it a simply marking with nothing special about it. He swears that the small grey 'nitchs' on his rear are his namesake and cutie mark, especially since they appeared the first time he fired a chain gun.
Not only did Nitch share his day off with Char, but also with Char's younger sister. Socks was a special kind of pony, unicorn like her brother but not so crazy about fire. She has a fascination with certain foot wear. So much that her cutie mark resembles just that. A pair of thigh high socks. No pony in the bunker knows what her special talent could be, but she insists it's her appearance when she wears socks. Nitch always figured she would get a laser rifle for a cutie mark, after all she is in love with the one she's got. Insists on naming it the most childish of things.
"Tag! Your it!" Socks dove out the door onto Nitch as he tried to walk away, causing them both to tumble down to the floor.
"Gah! Socks!" Nitch shouted as he smacked his jaw on the floor. "How many times do I have to tell you! I'm not playing!"
"Nitch please, Every pony plays tag!" Socks giggled as she bounced off the floor away from Nitch.
"Ugh... Where is Char? Doesn't he enjoy playing with you?" Nitch sighed.
"Not today!" Socks stuck her bottom lip out in disappointment. "He's super busy, uncle Pale Mane wanted to see him real bad."
"The elder? Wonder why." Nitch asked, genuinely curious now.
"Dunno, Uncle Pale Mane took him away this morning. It was a bunch of boring stuff so I didn't pay attention." Socks stuck her tongue out in the air.
"Yup, that just about figures... Think he's done with... Whatever he had to do?" Nitch doubtfully asked.
"I don't know, Lets go check!" Socks wrapped her leg around Nitch as she took off towards her brothers dorm, dragging her friend the whole way.
The elder's office was chilly, as usual. Pale Mane preferred it colder, said the chill made his will stronger. Char was barely used to the chill. For being the son of the elder, Char was far from the spitting image. Even his personality was opposite. Elder Pale Mane was always so calm, collected, cool. Char thought to himself momentarily about himself as elder. He saw fire. Shaking the memory, he pulled out a pack of cigarettes and shook one out.
"Ah son... I trust you kno- ... Where did you get those?" Elder Pale Mane glared angrily at his son.
"Huh? Oh these. I got them... Someplace..." Char shifted his eyes around the room.
"Well dispose of them! I will not have my child succumbing to addiction." Pale growled as his son groaned, tossing the pack of cigarettes down the disposal chute. "Now, as I was saying... I trust you know why I asked you down here."
"I would guess it's about my new hobby," Char scoffed as he pulled out another pack of cigarettes, shaking one out and lighting it.
"No..." Pale sighed in defeat. "It is about your failing in your studies."
"Oh. Yeah..." Char's head sunk as he inhaled. "You know I-"
"No! No more excuses! You are from a proud heritage!" The elder slammed a hoof on his desk, then groaned as he lifted up. He had broke his favorite pen. The elder sighed. "Charley, the Mane clan is slimming. Tradition is that an elders first son takes the seat of office on the day of his death."
The elder unicorn stood from his seat and trotted around the circular table. As he approached the younger black unicorn, the smell of smoke became heavy. Pale Mane coughed a couple times before walking past his son and towards a map.
"This. This is my legacy" Pale Mane sat on his haunches, looking up to the map. Char stepped toward it, noticing the large city that rested in the middle. "The Appleloosan Wastes, called so for the vast orchards that died in atomic fire. Now it is a barren wasteland, void of life. Save for that city in the middle."
Pale Mane reached a hoof to the city on the map, pulling back briefly as though he were scared to touch it.
"It is giving off very strong readings of energy. Life giving energy. One one thing in existence could provide such clean air, water, and life." Pale Mane returned his hoof to the ground. "I had hoped to send you to investigate upon your graduation, but now I can see I need to form another team of Iron Paladins for this job."
"Dad! You know I've been wanting a mission!" Char jolted forward to stop Pale.
"And how do you figure I can just send an inexperienced novice to a city so big and dangerous as that!?" The elder snapped at his son. "So far, Captain Mustang has sent three squads of paladins out in that desert. Do you know how many returned!?"
"Ho-" Char began.
"None! None returned! They have been missing for well over four months when they were sent on retrieval missions! I will NOT send my only son out there on his own without properly training him!"
The elder finished yelling to find his son gone. All that was left was the lingering smell of smoke. Pale Mane shook his head in frustration as he returned to his desk.
