Is all Hope Lost?

Iron Will was torturing a family of unicorns that weren't turned evil by Roseblood's magic, who had their horns sealed off of magic from a ring hooked on them to make them completely magic-proof. One of his friends named: Sludge, was pounding the mare with his fists like a punching bag.

"Get your paws off my wife!!" The husband shouted. He bit the minotaur holding him, named Duke. Making him let him go, and grab him by the right arm.

"Not so fast, puny weakling!" Said Duke. "You ain't goin' nowhere!" Then he pounded the back of his head with a wooden club. "And don't struggle some more, it only makes you tired." then he made a dumb type of laugh an idiot would make. "Just keep struggling if you want to be the most tired stallion in Equestria

"Hold on you guys, Iron Will has already told ya before that we need them alive. Lady Roseblood’s orders.” Said The ringleader

“Really? Because i’m Having fun torturing these worthless ponies.” Said The fourth named Louie.

“Don’t get me wrong.” Said Iron Will. “This is just so much fun to do, but the last thing I want is to face her anger. Don’t any y’all seen what she’s capable of?”

“We have, boss.” Said Sludge. “We would hate to air her angry.” Then he began torturing the three children, one colt and two fillies, with an electric rod, making them scream in pain and agony. “Ha Ha! Scream! Go on kids, scream!” He shouted sadistically with a wicked smile.

“Let us go!” Said The first filly.

“Yeah... don’t think so.” Said Duke. “ it until we’re either satisfied, or if Roseblood says otherwise.” Then he slapped the second filly across the fade with tears streaming down her cheeks. “No, just be a triplet Of good kids, and give us answers.”

“Where are the surviving pony rebels out there?”

“I will never talk!” Said The stallion. “As a matter of fact, bite me! See if I care!”

“You know what?” Said Sludge. “I just might, considering the fact that you bit me first.” The. He cracked both his knuckles and blew out some air from his nose. Come here you,”

Before the brute could touch the pony, he was stopped by Iron Will. “Slow down there, soldier.” He Said. “They are neutralized. “Need I remind y’all we are doin’ this for a reason?” Then he flexed his muscles in a flaunting matter, even kissed his biceps.

“Yes. Boss.” Said the fifth Minotaur named Paulo. “Now, let us ask again: “where are the others?”

“You’ll never get any answers from us!” Said The mare.

“Oh shut up, sweetheart,” Said Duke. “That’s not how a lady should even talk to their superiors.” Then he gently Graeme the mare’s face with his right hand.

“Get your hands off of me!”

The Minotaurs only just laughed at her and how she was as trying so hard to get out of these shackles and chains holding her back. “Keep struggling and begging. It makes no difference.” Said The sixth brute by the name of Derrick. “Should we do this the hard way again?”

“I think we should, Derrick Headstone.” Said Iron Will. He then pulled out the electric rod and readied it for ire electrocuting on the family. Everyone trapped just begged not to be shocked. But Iron Will, being sadistic as he was, shocked them all once at a time anyway.

More screaming was heard as the sounds of electricity were heard again. “Will you talk Now?” Asked Louie.

“No!” Said the colt. “Never! I would rather die than do that.”

“So will we!” The other family members declared.

"Grr. You are all making it worse for yourselves, you ponies." Said Derrick.

"Hmmmm." Iron Will had a thinking face, wondering of other ways for these surviving rebels to fess up about the others hiding from Roseblood. "Well, we can try torturing the kids." He thought.

His buddies all clamored in agreement with their boss. "Good idea." Said Duke.

The three foals all screamed for mercy and were shaking in absolute fear, begging not to be tortured any more.

Iron Will sighed in annoyance and he stomped his right food in front of them: "QUIET!! SHUT UP!!!" He shouted at the top of his lungs. The three children immediately fell silent after being told down like that. "Have got kiddies heard of dignity? Have some dignity!"

"But, we told you," Said the oldest sister. "We will never tell you about any other survivors."

The other minotaurs smiled at her bravery, or at least, trying her absolutely best to be brave as possible. Matter of fact, they can see it in all three goals trying to stand strong against these brutes.

"Don't tell them!" The mother begged. "You're father and I will be fine. They'll only kill you too, just-!" She was slapped across her face by his big, beefy hand.

"Shut up, woman!" Said Duke. "Or I will slap you twice as hard!"

The poor mare didn't say anything, but sobbed quietly to herself as pain was streaming down the right side of her face. It felt like a hammer just hit her face, and not a hand or a hoof.

"Now, if you kids tell us, and if you behave, Uncle Iron Will here will let you all go and take you to Roseblood."

The kids were silent, and were stuck in thinking of whether they should tell them and rest out the resistance, or they can just keep quiet, not say anything at all, and then possibly be executed or beaten to death by these brutes.

"It's your choice." Said Paulo. "We can do this the easy way, or...." he cracked his knuckles to look more intimidating. "... the hard way. And we love doin' things the hard way."

"And we can just beat your own folks to death." Said Iron Will, and leave yourselves parentless." He gave an evil smile to the poor children.

"You... you can't do that!" Said the second sister.

"And why not?" Asked Paulo with a smug look.

"Because... um..... you won't earn anything."

"Oh no! That is where you are wrong, little lady." Iron will retorted. "As long as queen Roseblood is paying us a lot of money, we do everything we can to make anypony do what she says."

"N-no." Said the colt.

"What was that, boy?" Said Iron Will.

"We would die than give all our friends away."

"Then, I guess you leave us no choice, but to do things the hard way." Said Paulo. They minotaurs were about to do something horrible to the children when Roseblood appeared from the dungeon.

"Iron will," she barked. "What have you found out?"

"They still won't talk, your highness." Said the lead Minotaur. "We just can't break them, and they are ponies cod corn sake."

"Now now, Iron will." Said Roseblood. "Some things require a magic touch."

Spike gulped and asked: "what do you mean?"

Roseblood buckled before replying: "just watch what I will do with this family." She walked up to them, and James the magic in her horn. Her eyes were glowing blood red again, and five misty beams came out of her horn like moving tentacles from an octopus.

Each one of these ponies were touched in the forehead by one of the beams, and their eyes glew a bone-white color without pupils.

She was seeing memories from this family's perspective, from when they went into the hidden cave with all the other survivors and how Discord saved them.

These memories were right before they were captured her guards and taken to custody. Spike was in these memories and an army of eland, buffalo, dragons, kudu, changelings, and the other pony survivors across the globe were there, getting ready for battle.

At last Roseblood let go of the memories with her magic, and returned back to the real world. She grinned and mare an evil laugh.

"Wh-what's so funny?" Spike asked her.

"Discord, this Zecora, and this army of creatures are forming themselves an army against me."

The baby dragon felt a small burst of hope hearing that, and maybe he will be saved soon.

"I would not get your hopes up if I were you. Dragons or no dragons," she continued. "Changelings or no changelings, they are no match for me, the most powerful mare in the world."

"So, what should we do with these prisoners?" Asked Iron Will.

"Oh, throw them in the dungeon. They served their purpose. And, if they try to escape, kill them all." Roseblood ordered.

"No!" Spike protested, but he immediately covered his mouth, realizing that he has made her mad by doing that. A hard hoof hit him across the face, for Roseblood had slap him for that insubordination. Spike felt a tear stream down his face, for that was a rather painful slap that she inflicted on him just now.

She then pulled his face up with tears streaming down his adorable face. "Think about who's side you're on, Spike." She said sternly. "Mine," she looked at the family dragged away, battered and injured. “Or their’s.”

The baby dragon wiped the tears off his face and he looked back at Roseblood. In defeat, he replied: “Yours.”

“Good. I know you would say that.” Then she kissed him on the forehead.

Just then, Garble and his friends appeared, wanting to tell her something important. “Your highness, your highness!” Said Garble. “Discord and the army of freedom fighters are heading this way right now!”

“They have a lot of numbers.” Said one of his cronies.

“Numbers do not win battles. Either way, thank you for helping me. See to it that my soldiers and subjects are all ready to fight in the upcoming battle, I can hardly wait to kill as much of those creatures as possible.”

“Milady.” Said Daybreaker. “I will ready the troops to battle.”

“So will I. And we will see to it that they are in the best shape of their lives.” Nightmare amoon added.

“Good. Now rally up as much troops as you can. I can hardly wait for a battle.”