Chapter 1:Liberation
Hoofbeats resonated off the stone walls, creating the only sound to be heard in the dark corridor; if some pony else had been in this hall the sound would seem daunting since nothing could be seen in either direction. Even with lanterns hanging off the walls the light was spread so far between that everything disappeared into blackness. The pony that was the source of this sound didn’t seem hesitant at all, in fact, the opposite, they walked with a purpose. His head was held high, his gaze forward, never faulting, and his steps even and rhythmic. He walked like he had been through this tunnel a thousand times before and for that matter he had.
He was a large stallion with the hardiness of an earth pony that looked as if he worked hard and often, though he was still only a little larger than the average male pony. Regardless of his earth pony like build it was very obvious he was not of that race, the oversized wings on his back gave him away as a Pegasus, though a strange one. His wings doubled at least the size of the average pony making them look more like they belonged on the back of an Alicorn.
The large pony continued down the dark hallway finally reaching a door at the end and not hesitating to open into a large circular room. It was reminiscent of a Pegasus Colosseum only with earth underneath and a roof above. Though apparently lacked windows of any kind with only three doors around the bottom leading to who knows where. Some training equipment had been left out from the ponies last training session, namely a few hoops hung from the high rafters and a few hurtles around the walls to jump over. War, the large pony, shook his head as it seemed his brothers had neglected to clean up as usual.
He looked up into the rafters, his brother Pestilence’s favorite place to nap, and could slightly see the silver-white of his tail hanging over the side. He and Pest were the only two flying Pegasi in the compound so they took turns putting away aerial training equipment, but per usual Pest had neglected his responsibility. That was fine, War would get on to him later, but right now he had a larger concern. The Creator had just asked him to perform a strange task, one he hadn’t had to since they fled Canterlot years ago. He had packed everyone a saddle bag the indication being they would all be leaving the compound which was not a good sign. They never left the compound as a group, though the Creator seemed to have plans in motion. The plans he had been working on since their creation and perhaps this was an indicator it was getting close to execution. He did say when it was 'time' they would all take part.
If now was the time, it didn’t seem like a good opportunity to War; the Creator had not spent very much time with the younger ponies. He and Pest had been his first creations and thus he had taken a great interest in them, training them tirelessly to hone their abilities and acting as a constant in their lives whether good or bad. Even though War considered his self the most level headed and prepared of the siblings he still couldn’t see himself as ready to have anything to do with the outside world and even less his brothers, the creator had taken a step back from them after Despair. He now left their training and discipline up to War and barely had anything to do with them besides giving orders when needed. The problem was War was not as skilled at forcing them to obey; the creator wasn’t afraid to beat on them and would commonly use physical motivation to teach them when they disobeyed. War would never raise a hoof on his brothers, and while it was an act of kindness, his brothers seem to take advantage and were much harder to deal with than he had been. War needed to tell them they might be leaving and prepare them the best he could.
“Pestilence,” he yelled from below to get about as much of a reaction as expected. “Pestilence,” he stated again and he only replied by pulling his tail back up on the rafter. War snorted and leaped into the air, his large wings carrying him up to the other pony in only a few strokes. He landed with a thud on the rafter causing it to shake under his weight.
The now irritated white Pegasus looked up lazily from his nap, “What?” he grumbled in a tired tone, eyes narrowing in annoyance through his sleep filled haze.
“Something important has come up,” War began even though he would much rather save this news for when the brothers had all grouped. Sadly, he needed Pestilence to aid in gathering them and knowing the pony well enough, he realized he would need to tell him just to motivate him. “I believe we are leaving the compound.”
Pest had blinked the sleep from his eyes and looked up at War more clearly, “We do that all the time?”
“Yes but this time he had me set up enough saddlebags for all of us, including him and Despair, probably some of the slaves too.”
He blinked some more keeping his outward composure well after just learning such alarming news. He got to his hooves and did a few stretches for all four limbs and his wings, “We are all leaving at the same time,” Pest paused “That’s never happened before, what’s it mean?”
“I do not know, but something bad, I want every pony ready and quick, go get the Unicorns… I am going to deal with Disaster,” War opened his large wings and flew back to the ground landing a few feet from one of the doors and disappearing inside.
“If I have to,” Pestilence now on his hooves flew down to the earth as well, having a relatively good idea where they would be at this hour.
Pestilence left the arena through one of the other doors grumbling to himself. War, he was always taking charge like this and seemed like he was trying to be more of the parent figure than a brother… despite Pest being the oldest, he reminded himself. A younger brother who was always in charge was more than a little annoying to the Pegasus but there really wasn’t much to be done about it. Pest didn’t like being told what to do, but would also hate to have War’s job; he couldn’t see himself taking control of this situation and actually having to deal with his brothers more than he already had to. He almost snorted as he imagined himself comforting or dealing with Deaths anxiety… no, it was better this way.
Pest walked a lot slower than War had, despite his understanding of the urgency of the situation he was never one to get himself into a panic. Rushing there isn’t going to make his brothers more cooperative nor get them to the arena any faster. Pest himself was a lot smaller than War and his hooves made less of an impact as he walked, he looked a lot more like a regular Pegasus with the correct wing size and all. Without the physical differences, someone could still tell the ponies were not much alike since Pest carried himself in the opposite manner than his brother.
He stopped at a door in the middle of the hall opening it to find exactly who he was looking for. This room was smaller than the other and square, but similarly lacked windows. It was a room for magic training and while it currently had some wear and tear, from Madness no less, it was enchanted to self-repair and would look as good as new if left alone for a few hours. Part of their schedule for this hour was to train and obedient they were, the two unicorns were locked in a heated battle of magic.
Madness was the youngest of the group he had only existed for a few months while Famine on the other hoof was the 4th eldest. Famine also had a blatant gift for magic and it wasn’t related to his cutie mark, rather it was a skill he seemed to pick up from sheer knowledge and determination. He was slowly attempting to hone these skills into his younger brother.
Madness shot telekinetic blasts at his brother who dodged them swiftly; it barely looked as if the shadowy pony was trying as he glided around the attacks like a dancer on show night, this irritating the younger brother. This wasn’t new, Pest had witnessed them sparring before and Madness never won. The unicorn got angry when he didn’t see an immediate improvement in his skills, but it was going to take much more experience before he would get anywhere against Famine.
Madness’s attacks were sporadic and out of control just like the pony making them, it was no wonder they were easy to dodge. Madness didn’t really seem to be aiming at anything, just blasting craters for destruction's sake and hoping to hit the pony in the process. Famine detested this sort of mindless fighting and when Madness got pissed enough to resort to it Famine stopped playing.
He stopped his dodging and put up a barrier, now that he was no longer moving Madness focused his attacks on the pony throwing everything he had at the barrier. His blasting came so quickly he wouldn’t allow the dust or magical energy to settle before bombarding him again. Smiling, he laughed like a loon the entire time imagining his brother's mangled body beneath his spells, but as much as he liked the image that was not how it ended. Once Madness stopped to inspect the damage long enough, he realized his brother was not actually there, only a crater was left on the floor from Madness’ spell pushing what was the barrier into the ground.
“Checkmate,” Whispered a soft voice in Madness' ear.
Madness jumps on his hooves to wheel around and face his brother who had somehow been able to manage a teleportation spell while maintaining his barrier. Before Madness had time to fire off some spells Famine collided heads with the unicorn leaving Madness reeling and a trail of blood to flow from one nostril. The unicorn fell back, but Famine gripped him in his telekinesis, lifting him upside down in the air and waited.
The unicorn fought and twisted, but couldn’t manage to get free, he looked at Famine from his odd angle and his horn lit up to fire at him but Famine shook his head and whispered something under his breath. It was something Madness, wasn’t able to pick up; suddenly Madness’s horn stopped glowing. Frowning, he growled a little looking to his horn and trying to force it to obey to which he barely managed some sparks.
“Stop that!” the hanging Unicorn ordered.
“Why do we invest time in cultivating your magic if you are not going to muster up the motivation to make use of it?”
Madness searched his memory for the counter spell, but he barely paid any mind to the lessons Famine tried to teach him. He had his own style of doing things; he didn’t understand what the point of having magic was if you were not loud, explosive and in the face of other ponies? Famine killed his enemies quickly and cleanly, Madness liked to be messy and let them linger. Famine wanted to be subtle not let his enemies know what was happening until they were dead, Madness wanted them to see what was coming and relish in the dread on their faces. No matter what Famine tried to teach him, Madness really didn’t care and was probably never going to. However, in his current situation he had to admit Famine knew what he was doing. There might be a few things the purple unicorn could stand to learn.
Madness placed a hoof under his chin and the other on his head, smirking as he pretended to remember. “Oh right, it was Bycelestiassmokinghotflan-“before he could finish his childish insult Famine dropped him on his head, then proceeded with a quick lecture.
“If my memory serves I instructed you to keep your voice low, you can’t defeat an opponent if you convey your actions in advance.”
After the battle, Famine looked to his Pegasus brother that entered the room some time ago but Famine had not allowed it to interrupt his session. He didn’t say anything only waited for the white stallion to fill in the silence with what he needed. Madness got up ignoring both his brothers and looked at his horn trying to make it light before Famine’s spell had worn off. He creepily licked the blood from his face as it ran into his mouth smiling and shivering at the taste of himself.
Pest had been leaning against the wall as he waited, he should have been more concerned with what War had said and should have rushed the pair out the door but for one reason or another he didn’t. He really didn’t feel like running into the middle of a Magic duel for War either, waiting was much more his style. After he noticed they were finished, he pushed himself off the wall with a wing before speaking “War is looking for every pony and yes I would usually just ignore it too, but for once he really does have something important to say.”
Pest made no rush to get back to the arena instead he waited until Famine made the first move which only took moments. He dashed to the door expecting War was waiting for them in the arena since that was the usual meeting place. Madness had ignored the conversation, sitting on his haunches messing with his horn and lapping at his own blood. Famine looked over his shoulder at the pony and again took him in his magic pulling him along. Pest followed on hoof out behind the pair.
“Hey hey hey where are we going, it's my break hour and I want to go spend some quality time with the prisoners.” Neither pony answered him, Famine finding no reason to the pony needs to learn to listen the first time and Pest was simply too lazy to repeat himself.
It was nearly the earth ponies feeding time according to their schedule and if War knew Disaster half as well as he thought he would find him in the lunch room. It might be a hit or miss with Death, who sometimes avoided Disaster. That earth pony’s boastful ways and confident outlook on life tended to make Death feel worse about his self. War and Disaster did not get along and that did not help Deaths anxiety either. While no one would consider Famine and Madness rivals even with opposing views, Disaster and War were getting pretty close. Madness treated every pony the same which could be seen as mean or violent, but most the time it was in a joking manner or at least what he believed was a joke. The young unicorn didn’t know any better and was still learning how to socialize properly. Pest might not get along with his brothers and would complain both mentally and vocally, but never really challenged any for dominance. Disaster was different, he truly thought he was something and seemed to not like War acting like the leader. They had never actually fought, but to many of the brothers, it was only a matter of time before they came to blows, when that happened they all hoped to not be around.
The cafeteria was rather small, it hadn’t been designed to hold a lot of ponies. There were only two tables which were more than enough since one table could fit all the brothers and the creator if he was inclined to dine with them. There was a bar like someone might see in a school building where the ponies were meant to line up but it was never used. Rather, the food was already wrapped in bundles on the table usually distributed by Despair, the creators little protégé. Luckily for War, Death was sitting at the table and Disaster had not yet arrived.
He trotted up next to the little earth pony looking over his shoulder at what he was up to. His feeding bag lay empty beside him and he was scribbling on a piece of paper. Deaths art was not the best okay that was War being too kind, his art at the moment was terrible, but War still encouraged the pony and if he kept at it, he would get better. The best War could make out of the picture was something that looked to be Death. A self-portrait or something, only he had given himself a horn and wings, an Alicorn version. War didn’t comment on it, but sat down beside his small brother. “Hi,” War began smiling.
“Oh h-h-hi-hi, ” he managed his stutter was always worse when nervous or surprised which was most the time. Death took a gentle hoof and a lot of patients to speak to properly, but War was working with him on that. The pony was surprised and started to quickly cover his picture with stray papers not wanting War to see it. War pretended he hadn’t.
“So what are you doing?”
"J-j-j-ju-s-s-t just a-eat-eating lunch,” he worked out.
“I see, do you mind going to the arena for me, I need to speak to you and our brothers.”
Death looked down, he was never happy when War said stuff like that it meant he would not like whatever was going on. It was usually training which with his little mare like body, he never was any good at. He knew War was only trying to look out for him, make him strong, but he still didn’t like it. He looked at his papers and started to try and speak again, his voice coming out a lot smoother now that he was calm and knew what he wanted to say. “I-I’m not really into the -mood to train.”
“It’s not about training don’t worry,” War gave him his best reassuring smile. But that didn’t fix it, War doesn’t really call on his brothers to group up for ordinary reasons only training so Deaths mind jumps straight to the place it didn’t want to go.
“He is going to make me go outside again isn’t he!?” the Death pony was frantic immediately jumping to conclusions, which he wasn’t wrong but not exactly correct either.
“You immediately assume it has to do with you,” War tilted his head curiously, but before he could reassure his little brother any further Disaster strolled through the door. He was covered in sweat and the smell hit his brother’s muzzles hard as they wrinkled them up in response. Disaster acted as if he didn’t notice them and walked straight to the table, ripping one of the bags open, it was only then he decided to look up.
“Oh hey, what the buck you doing here War, Pegs don’t eat for another hour, you should get your flank to training,” He mocked the fact War was always getting on to them for ignoring their scheduled training sessions. Disaster was an athletic pony it showed in his well-formed muscles equaling him and War to be nearly the same size. If left on his own he might do the work or at least what he considers the fun part of it, but whenever War ordered him around it always made him far less likely to do anything.
War only narrowed his gaze and pinched his muzzle with the knee on his hoof; he was considering making him shower first, regardless of how urgent the news, maybe even getting Famine in here to telekinetically dump him in the tub a few times.
He looked at their faces, then smirked “What don’t like it?” he lifted a foreleg and sniffed much to his brother’s dismay. “FYI War that’s what hard work smells like.”
War rolled his eyes, he decided to word his order like a suggestion in hopes he could get Disaster to go peacefully. “Would you mind to go to the arena?”
“When and if I feel like it” He took a glob of oats from his bag and stuffed it in his muzzle his response being just as War had expected.
“Come on Disaster it’s important.”
“If Atom doesn’t tell me then it’s not,”
War winced at the name not because he was afraid of the creator, but because of Disasters disregard for proper terms. The creator didn’t like any pony using his real name, in fact, War had gotten several good beatings learning that fact. But due to not being around the younger ponies very much the creator tends to not realize their use of his name so they go unpunished. Even still He shouldn’t be calling him by his first name, Dr. Splitter or even just his full name would be preferable.
War hissed with an angry expression aimed it at the earth pony; Death was looking back and forth between the two still shaking with anxiety at War’s lack of an answer to his last inquiry. “It is,” War hissed between closed teeth.
“What?” Disaster asked, cupping his ear with a hoof and leaning in to listen.
War sighed, looking to his shaking brother, “It's about the creator.”
Death made a little squeaking sound and hid his muzzle in his front hooves, whenever the creator was involved, it always meant they were going outside. That was Death’s worst fear and there was no way in Tartarus he was going out there, they best just kill him instead. Death wasn’t cowardly per say, but paranoid and constantly nervous. Of course, he had not been created that way and there was a time he was a lot more open and talkative but after one trip to the surface all that changed. He had come back to the compound beaten nearly to death and had to be run through extensive care in order for him to survive. He hasn’t ever told any of his brothers what took place and the event seems to be too triggering for him to recall so the ponies never pressed. Though it had made War’s anger boil like it never had and to this day looking at his brother, he gets hot thinking about it and imagines trampling the life out of whoever hurt him.
“Oh, so we are going on a run, goodie, I’m in the mood to beat the life out of some pony,”
Death started to take rough breaths, but War put a hoof on his shoulder. “Relax he doesn’t know that,”
“Sure I do, that’s all we do with dear daddy Atom,” he mocked looking over at Death. “We are going out to do some killing tonight!” he howled with excitement. Death got up from the table, taking rapid steps back trying to catch his breath as he imagined leaving the safety of the compound, his home. He couldn't control his breathing, which became ragged as his phobia took control of his thoughts. He was starting to hyperventilate at the concept. War leaped up as well, smacking his muzzle into Disasters.
“Back off, why do you have to treat him like that?!”
“Me,” Disaster gestured to himself with a hoof. “You baby that foal, he needs to be told things straight up and then you sit and let the guy cry about it till he cries himself out. That’s the only way ponies learn he needs the blunt truth and if he is too weak to deal with it then you sit and let him get broken up until he figures it out or well doesn’t,” he stated rather darkly preaching his ideology even if he didn’t stand a chance of changing War’s.
“You have no idea what you are even talking about. Why don’t you silence yourself and sit on your flank until you have the facts, you have no proof we are leaving you are just scaring him.”
“I don’t need any bucking proof!” he yelled, slamming his hoof hard on the table, it snapped under his strength and sent one end into the air. Food covered War’s face and some landed right on Death’s drawing, ruining it.
Both stopped and looked at Death as he approached the art, tears already welling up in his eyes. Disaster expression softened and he lifted a hoof “Death I- I’m sorry I did-“ He cut himself off as the little earth pony started running down the hallway leaving his ruined piece on the floor.
War wiped the food from his face with a hoof, then looked at Disaster, “I hope you are happy,” he growled and took off after his little brother. Disaster looked after them; he had not actually meant to destroy his brother’s work and was genuinely sorry for it. If Death had stayed he would have apologized, but alas, he was not sorry enough to chase him down the hall like War so he stayed taking someone else undamaged wrapped food and enjoying it for himself.
Deep in the compound a Unicorn stallion was in a panic, he ran around his lab with a saddle bag held in his magic collecting any important documents or equipment like a mad pony. He was muttering swears under his breath as he finished up and took eight saddle bags in his magical grasp, he needed to gather his ponies and make a swift exit. Despair a small blue Pegasus was in the room aiding in this endeavor, he was a failed experiment but at the same time Atom’s assistant. The creator was originally trying to duplicate War, but the experiment went bad after he was forced into the compound and rather he made a very weak pony but one with a brain. It was only his intelligence that kept him around and often times he would help the creator with his experiments while conducting his own.
Atom turned to face the pony and waved his hoof taking him in this magic, “That’s enough, we have what’s important, we need to go, they will be at our gates.” He left the room and sped down the hallway. He carried the Pegasus being fully aware of the ponies’ lack of ability to keep up with him otherwise. Atom needed to make it to his communications chamber: a place he had set up to amplify his unicorn magic enough to telepathically communicate with his ponies. He had instructed War to gather them while he was scrounging salvage from his lab, but didn’t know how successful he had been. If War couldn’t get them to obey a swift order from their superior better get them moving or there would be Tartarus to pay.
This was the first time he had complained about the layout of the compound, when he had designed it, he had purposefully made it confusing; a maze and dungeon all in one. It was a labyrinth of dead-ending hallways and empty rooms thrown about sporadically so that anyone attacking the compound could get lost and or give the advantage to the ponies that lived there. While these things were still true, they were ideally meant for only a hand full of ponies to get lost in, based on what he had learned there was likely going to be an army at his gates and if that’s the case enough ponies to force them out. He had decided not to risk it and evacuate the compound and leave Equestria all together until his work was complete.
He finally made it to the chamber and leaped in without closing the door, dropping the saddle bags and Despair to focus his magic on communicating. His horn lit up and the glow wrapped around his head and throat as he closed his eyes. Just before beginning he felt the earthquake under him and it rocked him to the side, he paused momentarily realizing it was not natural. He wondered if it was the hooves of the army above or them crashing through his front door or worse one of the princesses had come themselves. He shook his head and regained his focus.
This is your master speaking; there is an emergency situation. We must evacuate the compound. I repeat evacuate the compound. Your life is at stake. We are under attack, I repeat, we are under attack, get out and flee, only fight if you are left no choice. I will contact you all shortly on the other side.
He released his ponies from his telepathy griping his assistant and bags in his magic again then quickly galloped away. There was something hidden here he would need to make sure was tucked away safe before he evacuated.
Disasters ears shot straight up as the earth around him shook, pieces of the ceiling above breaking off and smashing against the floor below. He grabbed his head in protest to the Atom’s mental message, but was left with a coy smile by the time it was over. Disaster rubbed his front hooves together this was the perfect chance for him to show off his moves. A lot of the time the brothers went to practice their abilities on the surface but never in groups, while Disaster boasted a big game, but he had never truly been able to show his brothers his skills. There was only so much a pony could do when sparring and training for dummies, no, Disaster wanted to break a few real muzzles.
His ear twitched and turned towards the hallway entrance, particularly the one his brothers had fled down hooves were coming his way. At first, he thought it might be them and was hoping so that way they could get a front row seat to the action, but soon realized there were way too many to be his siblings. He turned that way and hunkered into a combat stance. Ponies started to spill into the room, all stallions and all wearing bright golden armor. They were about his size, but that wouldn’t matter, he knew they wouldn’t share his unnatural strength.
The unicorns in front had spears and they launched their weapons at the earth pony. Disaster leaped through the air at them, one spear flew past his face, cutting it slightly, but the other pinged off his front hoof without so much as a scratch. The stone that encrusted the ponies’ front legs was far too thick for the spears to penetrate.
The ponies in this compound were of special make; they were in a word artificial, none having been born of two ponies naturally, none having a foal hood and none having experienced obtaining a cutie mark. Rather, they were pieced together by their Creator fully grown, his goal, though not to simply create life but weapons. In his work, he had experimented with all sorts of abilities taken through dark means running into different outcomes. What he chooses to call his ponies was based on how their abilities turned out creating each with a goal in mind.
Disaster, as he was called, was an earth pony designed to unleash destruction on his enemies with powers such as super strength, rock armor, and a sonic yell. However, with artificial ponies came some defects the Creator was trying to work out, but he had not yet been successful. Disaster had not learned to control the rock armor that ideally he should be able to make cover his body protectively and then remove; rather his legs consisted of a coating of earth he could not yet control.
With his front hooves stretched out before him Disaster collided with the closest guard’s face, the strength of the impact throwing the pony back into his unit. While the fallen ponies tried to get back to their hooves, Disaster ran at them with full force throwing his head into a pony causing him to slam into the stone wall and collapse. The unicorn yelled, but Disaster put him out of his misery; lifting his hooves and smashing them into the fallen ponies’ side, his strength crushing his rib cage even through the armor. The power of his stomps shook the ground and made some of the wall and ceiling crumble. There was no question that the pony was dead; he took another step at the other guards collecting themselves now with bloody hooves and leaving behind the gaping corpse of their comrade.
The few who got to their hooves started to back off and rethink their plan of attack but Disaster persisted. “That’s right, you should be scared,” the overly cocky pony mocked the retreating ponies even though none of them seemed to leave out of fear. The royal guard was above that, they had prepared to lose ponies in this attack and was not going to be shaken off so easily despite the horrible way this vile beast had dispatched their friend. It would be far worse to let him get away with it, but the ponies wanted to at least get out of hooves reach and stay that way now that they had noted his impressive strength.
Disaster started to chase them underestimating his opponents. The guards did turn and run, but the unicorn closest to Disaster used his magic to collect one of the fallen spears from behind the earth pony that they had thrown earlier. The others whom still had their weapons began to bombard him with them, throwing them with their magic to stay out of his reach. He laughed at the guards while lifting his rock covered hooves and using them to deflect the weapons, “You are going to need to do better than that,” he mocked. The pony didn’t even notice the spear floating up behind him, he was far too concerned with what he was facing. That was until the spear stabbed through his hind leg just above the rocks, clinging to them, the unicorn pushing it in deep enough to stab into the earth underneath pinning him.
Disaster screamed in fury and jerked his head around grabbing the spear in his mouth and attempting to rip it out which only made the wound worse. He couldn’t handle it; he wasn’t accustomed to this amount of pain. He yelled in anger when pain shot up his leg as he struggled to scream a long line of curses at the guards. He crumpled to the floor lacking much of a pain threshold since he had ever been exposed too much. The guards believing they had the upper hoof trotted over, but Disaster was raging mad and flung his hooves out to strike them as they came near one taking a hoof to the chin that broke it on impact sending the guard reeling.
They stayed out of hooves reach after that and surrounded him. He yelled more curses at the ponies and continued the try to stand but couldn’t manage it falling each time and whinnying as he did. Some blood trickled down his leg to form a small puddle on the ground. One of the unicorns ripped a large chunk of the stone wall nearby out, “Let’s knock him out,” the pony suggested and the rest agreed after seeing the display the pony carried on. As he tried to smash the ponies head with the rock, Disaster swung his hoof at it shattering the stone into shards that pelted the guards.
“Don’t you lay a hoof on me!” the pony threatened to face them, he gathered his breath and let out a huge yell that ripped down the tunnels amplifying the sound. The ponies covered their ears as most started to bleed the sound being powerful enough to penetrate. Disaster was not the smartest pony and didn’t realize the damage his scream could do in here, the walls nearby started to crumble and chunks fell from the ceiling crushing a few of the guards. Disaster didn’t stop until a piece of stone unexpectedly fell on him by his own doing. He yelled a cry of pain before he fell unconscious.
The ground shook the arena where three of the ponies waited, two of which were tired of waiting and wanted to know where War was. Pest had drifted up to his rafter to nap again, but the quake woke him and left him, grabbing at the rafter, momentarily forgetting he could fly if he fell. Madness who was still held by Famine crossed his hooves. “What was that?”
The creator’s telepathy came through; Pestilence, Famine and Madness all listened to their master’s message. Madness had yet to experience this and he didn’t like the feeling. He placed both hooves in his ears as if that could stop a message playing in his head. Once it was over though Famine freed him and they all looked around.
Pestilence stood up from the rafter and flew down, hovering in front of the pair, “Well, you heard him, let’s leave.” He didn’t give them time to reply; rather he started flying down the hall at speeds the Pegasus shouldn’t be taken in such a place.
Famine was curious, he never talked much, but made up for it with his studying, but it was not just magic he enjoyed learning about. Famine had been designed to be the perfect assassin, he could read people like a book, target or not. There was something he was questioning about his elder brother, he had been for a long time and while he was sure he saw something he needed it confirmed. He looked down the hall, then to Madness who waved a hoof at his dark brother.
“I can handle myself; this should be fun you go ahead.” The unicorn gave him a wide toothy grin of anticipation his unnatural predator teeth gleaming. Famine turned from him and took off at breakneck speeds; Madness would have just given him away and become an unnecessary hazard. He decided to follow Pest if his hunch about the pony was right Pestilence would know the safest way out of here and Famine would have his answer.
As part of the ponies design Famine’s hooves made no sound, he was galloping at his full speed down the hallways but it was a silent as the night. His solid black pelt and mane didn’t help him get noticed either, he couldn’t be seen in the shadows. This, coupled with him being the fastest runner of the siblings meant he could zip past ponies leaving nothing but a blur. He used this to his advantage while following the Pegasus, Pest had a head start, but wasn’t fast or good with sharp turns so he knew he would catch up no problem. When Famine came up to any guards he would move among them so fast they would stop and look around for what they had crossed paths with only to find nothing, Famine would be long gone. He wanted to avoid taking a life unnecessarily; these stallions were not his targets.
He did slow down when he was getting close and came to a hall full of Pest’s green miasma, which could only mean he had run into some enemies and fought back. The shadowy stallion hoped he had been merciful. He placed a barrier around himself and walked through only to find his brother hadn’t. Royal guards lay sprawled everywhere, blood oozing from all exits of their body, some coughing up organs, others with abnormalities growing on their bodies. These illnesses would kill them or leave them wishing for death, which was no life to live. Famine decided it was better to put them down. His horn glow brightens as he enveloped all their weapons in his magic, then all at once turned them on their wielders stabbing them in weak points not stopping until the weapon was protruding from the other side of their bodies. In moments all was dead. He bowed his head, sending up prayers for his enemies wishing them happiness in the afterlife.
He then traveled on picking up speed until he was just underneath the Pegasus, he followed silently. Pest was not the best flyer mostly due to his slacker tendencies and unwillingness to do the exercise involved in learning to. He would fly and pass up the hall, he meant to turn into several times, but according to this route, he was going right where Famine had expected. Famine stopped and stayed back while Pest landed, he looked back and forth in the hallways to see if he had been followed completely missing Famine against a dark background. Then he trotted right into the room.
Inside was a pool of water a large square one with a pony sized pipe sticking out one end that disappeared into the wall. This pipe led to the surface and was how the compound funneled water. Pest jumped into the knee-high pool and walked into the pipe, a few paces in was a barred gate a precaution on things getting in and out. It was one of the few exits that were not protected by magic the animals tended to find their way into it and Atom Splitter had become annoyed with them setting off alarms. This was the only way some pony could get out without the creator knowing.
The gate was still reinforced needing to be hard to break encase anything truly nasty made its way up the tunnel. Famine had followed him in silence and was watching over his shoulder, after a moment Pest started licking the bars. While a normal pony would be confused, Famine understood since Pest was venomous to an extreme degree, he was attempting to use his spit like acid and melt the bars. By the looks of the bars he had been doing this for a while, Famine was right.
“Pestilence,”
Pestilence yelled in surprise and turned swiftly blowing his miasma all around the room. He didn’t see anything and waited a moment before flapping his wings a few times to clear the air only after he saw nothing did he turn back to the bars only to find himself staring into Famines piercing yellow eyes. Pest jumped back a little startled all over again, but didn’t spray at him this time rather he placed a hoof on his chest, taking a few breaths, “Could you stop doing that,” he gasped. He looked around the room his ears flattening against his head as he gazed at his brother, “Did you follow me?”
Famine gave no answer rather he walked around the Pegasus to get out of the way of his bars and stood where he had been originally now that the deadly gas had been eradicated. “The wear on the bars leads me to believe this escape isn’t improvised.”
“Not important, let’s just get out,” he looked back at the bars, but suddenly felt self-conscious about his licking being aware of an audience. Well, it wasn’t as if he had the time to sit and lick his way out anyways, maybe it was weak enough at this point he could just break them. He turned so that his hind legs faced the bars, then gave it a solid double hooved buck. The bar shook, but didn’t break. He continued pounding his back legs against them, but didn’t seem to have the strength necessary.
Famine wondered why he was choosing this exit after all Atom had told them to get out meaning he would have removed his magical seals on the other exits for them to escape. Famine believed his theory was true and Pest had no intentions of returning to them, any of them, he was going to run away and this was the only exit the creator would not sense his passing.
Pest stopped and faced the bar again, tugging one with a hoof and breathing hard after the exercise. He looked back at his brother standing there watching. “Well, why don’t you give it a shot?”
Famine lowered his head so that his horn was facing the gate barely giving Pest time to move out of the way before he fired. The yellow magic enveloped it and somehow the bars just seemed to disappear.
Pest was a little upset by how simple that had been for the unicorn, but didn’t want to waste the time with his usual banter rather before Famine could speak the pony ran through the tunnel eventually getting to where the water was deep and the current strong enough that it pulled him off his hooves and carried him through the rest of the pipe. It beats and banged him around while he kept taking every opportunity to get his muzzle out of the water for air, holding it for dear life.
He finally plopped out tumbling into a puddle of mud looking and smelling as if he had been hanging in the sewer. No matter though he was free and that was what was important. He stood up and began to wipe his hooves off, shaking like a dog a little and flinging mud. He half expected for Famine to pop out behind him any minute. He took only a few steps away from the puddle when he was taken in a magical embrace, he fought to try to free himself, but once the pony that captured him stepped out of the shadows he knew he wasn’t getting out. He stared into the face of Princess Luna. He looked back over his shoulder to see if Famine had come out, he didn’t see the pony. Pest tended to be spiteful and wouldn’t want to go down by himself.
Luna looked at her new cargo, then behind him at the pipe going over to inspect it herself. Looking inside she saw no one. “Did you flee through this?” She questioned and at first Pest was going to refuse a response, but the thought of him, narrowly missing out on his freedom and Famine obtaining it bothered him.
“Yes,” he stated bitterly.
Luna had been on her way to this pipe after hearing about it, the princesses had not been sure if the ponies of the compound could escape through it and to be safe she opted to go close it off. By the looks of this pony she had come a little too late, she only hoped no others were close behind him. Lighting her horn she placed a shield over the exit, it was blue and transparent, allowing the pair to watch the water collecting against the barrier filling the tunnel. Pest attempted to rat out his brother, she needed to know or the unicorn might die and he didn’t actually want that. “Wait another pony is coming; the water will kill him!”
“You are sure?” she questioned the Pegasus in her clutches.
Pest was not actually; he had not seen Famine follow, but would pretend so just in case. They waited for a while, but no pony showed up at the barrier and it didn’t take too long for the water to hit the top of the tunnel clogging it successfully. If a pony had been in there they would come to the barrier by now or hopefully have turned back once they realized it was flooding. She finally looked at the white pony and spoke. “I don’t know what kind of game you are playing, but it will not work on me,” she spread her wings and took off convinced the pony had only wanted to waste time. Pest persisted, but she did not turn around.
He had been right; Famine had been in the tunnel just under water barely out of sight from the exit. He sat in a barrier of his own capturing air and keeping him from drowning. He had watched what had transpired and waited until they were long out of sight. Walking up to the shield Luna had created he touched his horn to it and chanted something under his breath. The shield flashed a few times before disappearing all together.
Madness stayed behind after watching Famine gallop off. He smiled excitedly the grin expanding far passed what seemed normal for most ponies, his hooves against his cheeks pulling the grim back even further. “Ooh Ooh, so many ideas, so many nightmares I have always wanted to share, how will I ever pick hehe hehe,” he flopped over kicking his legs to release the building adrenaline.
Madness always found pleasure in ruining the minds of others; he had only existed for a few months, but was getting the hang of his unnatural abilities at an alarming rate. He had already passed up Death in nohow even though Death was three years his senior. On his training runs, he practiced his gift of illusion and used them to drive ponies mad. He had only managed this with two ponies so far, that’s all the Creator would allow him. He wanted to wreak havoc on the whole town, but for some reason the creator kept him from it, telling him to wait that this is just practice. This displeased him, anytime he brought it up the Creator threatened him. So Madness in his free time had come up with all sorts of horrible things he would like to do, but has yet to get to act on them. This was his chance. He hopped up on his hooves excitedly when he heard hoof beats storming down the hall in his direction. His opponents were coming and he needed to get ready for the show.
The unit had been running up to a light at the end of the tunnel. Famine had left the door open when he left and the light of the arena was much brighter than that of the hall. The stallions were drawn that way to check out the room for any hiding ponies, but as they got closer the light faded to darkness. They watched as the light went out and they all halted. The lead pony a large earth pony looked over his shoulder at his group. “Careful, they may be setting up a trap,” he pointed to the pair of unicorns behind him. “Give us some light,” nodding they obeyed lighting their horns as the group proceeded.
The unicorn’s horns didn’t light up the room as effectively as they would like, the area was far too large for the only two unicorns in the room to handle. It made the ceiling look like it went up forever and they couldn’t see across the entire floor. One of them may have been able to relight the torches that had mysteriously gone out, but they would need to know all their locations first.
They crept slowly across the room waiting for an attack, suddenly most of the torches relight, lighting the entire bottom half of the room, this caused every stallion’s in the unit to jump a little. They looked around quickly readying their weapons, but were not under attack instead they looked across the room at a small, brightly colored Unicorn sitting by himself, he wasn’t even looking at them.
The lead pony spoke, “Come peacefully and we will not have to harm you,” the pony said nothing he just looked up slowly, grinning from ear to ear and making the guards take a step back from his face. His teeth were as sharp as a dragon's, his eyes were three different colors and looked as if they were moving in a hypnotic fashion. The look in his eyes could only be described as predatory, no normal pony would ever make a face like that.
“Welcome, gentle, um…” he turned his head to the side for a second then straighten back up. “Stallions, to Madness’s house of illusion,” As the pony spoke something strange seemed to be happening to his face, the flesh started to sizzle and as he continued to speak it begin to slide down his face and fall to the floor in a bloody mess. For one reason or another, it didn’t faze the pony speaking. He stood on his hind hooves, “Here I will take you into the worst places of your mind, make you experience the true thrill of terror.” The flesh continued to fall from his face and none of the other ponies seemed to be able to take their eyes off the thing long enough to attack or even reassure each other. “So let’s all enjoy our stay and those of you that live I can promise will never be the same.” His face was entirely that of a skeleton now, but the blood continued to leak from his eyes and pooled under him on the floor. Too much for one pony in only a matter of moments, there would be enough blood on the floor to exceed the amount in the average pony body.
“Prepare yourselves to see unicorn magic like you have never seen. It is with great pleasure that we begin,” he bowed like a ring leader in a circus his horn lighting up the torches near the ceiling now illuminating what was left of the room. All the pony’s eyes gazed up to see thousands of moving spots covering the ceiling so fully not a piece of the actual building could be seen. Their eyes darted around nervously as they were not really grasping what that meant or what they were. Madness looked up at them again, smiling then shot off a beam of magic at the center of the ceiling. Once it connected thousands of spiders started to panic and took off down the walls at high speeds some jumping and repelling on webs down to the ponies. They were a lot larger than regular spiders that became apparent when they got close and began to attack.
The unit like one might have expected, acted as if they all went to Tartarus as they truly did go mad with terror and began to fight sporadically without thought or care with the creature, there was no organization and the chaos made things worse quickly. One of the Pegasi abandoned his companions flying out the door to safety; Madness used his telekinesis to then close it making sure the rest of his prey where good and trapped. One of the unicorn’s back up against his earth pony commander as they tried to help each other both swinging their weapons at the beasts. The earth pony looks over at his friend to see how he was doing only to see one of the giant spiders coming down on him, he yelled like he had never before and slashed the things head off with the sword he wielded in his muzzle. He was none the wiser that spider he killed was the unicorn.
All the guards were now alone in their Tartarus' fighting an unwinnable battle facing down the illusion of a spider attack only to kill the only real spiders that they can, each other. Madness watched the show and began his out of control laughing, which the unit could hear over their screams when the little unicorn’s voice twisted from the creepy yet joyful sound of its usual tone to a dark demonic chant. The black pits of his skeletal eye sockets began to spill spiders into the world while he kicked his legs in joy.
It was around this time the earth quaked again, the crazed pony ignored it to enjoy himself but that became impossible. He stopped when the roof began to cave in, he was forced to release what was left of the ponies from his spell and jump up and out of the way. A bright light flooded the room so bright Madness had to shield his face and still that did no good. It would dissipate and then reappear quickly each time more powerful. More of the building crumbling with each blast opening more of the earth to welcome whatever was causing it.
Once he finally got a good look it was no longer so funny. His eyes locked on the goddess Alicorn of the sun the ruler of Equestria, he had seen pictures of her, but that was about all the real info he had on the mare. From the looks that crossed her face upon descending, he knew he was in trouble. His horn lit to do… something? He wasn’t even sure what, but one glow of her horn and it was over. He was captured without getting the chance to resist.
They looked at the destruction the pony had caused. Her stallions lay in pieces all over the floor coating it in body parts and staining it in blood only one seemed to be left alive, the commander. He was against the wall shaking and looking at the scene. He was missing his front leg at the knee the blood pouring uncontrollably. Celestia didn’t have long to save him or he too would die. She used her magic to heal the wound, but it would not return the pony's leg. He sat shaking, his eyes never leaving his dead followers, he had smashed some of them to death with his own hooves and couldn't seem to get a grip on himself. There were no words Celestia could utter that would make this go away or change what had happened so she said nothing. The best thing that could be done now would be to get the rest of these ponies out and leave as soon as possible. He would tell the first unit she found the ponies location. The Alicorn then began her descent down the dark hall in search of her former student.
Death was running as fast as his feeble legs could carry him, he was crushed. He knew all too well his art wasn't very good, but still he was trying and as bad as it had been he hated to see it destroyed he had worked so hard on it. He fought back the tears that threaten to overflow knowing it was a dumb reason to be upset. He started to stop and wipe his face, but heard War calling out behind him and began to run again. He wished to be alone with his thoughts for a while, but War didn't seem intent on letting him.
War caught up very quickly despite Death running at his full speed. Death was not athletic like War and couldn't manage to outrun him no matter how hard he pushed himself. He kept his eyes direct or else he would trip but could see War galloping next to him with his peripheral vision. Death was breathing hard and wouldn't be able to keep this pace much longer, but War was matching the ponies pace, step for step and wasn't breathing any differently than if he was standing still.
"Death, I'm sorry Disaster messed up your picture but we don't have time for this. I don't know for sure if we are going outside, but there is a chance okay. You need to come with me, I think whatever is happening is bad and staying might be dangerous. Please stop and come with me, I promise I will protect you and every pony with my life."
Death tried to protest, but his harsh breathing and stutter didn't allow anything audible to leave his lips. That's when the pair felt the quake of attack. Death tripped over his front hooves nearly falling muzzle first into the stone floor, but War had grabbed the small pony's tail in his teeth pulling him back to his hooves. The strange shapes dancing in his hair seemed to protest the action. They stopped and listened to the creator speck in their skulls. Death as expected broke down at the news. The tears he had been fighting over the picture now ran down his face. "I-i-i-i c-cu-cu-cucucu-"
War hushed him gently, "It's okay," he began, but wasn't too sure since they had ran near the compound's entrance, which was the most likely place the invaders would invade from. War looked around and noticeably they were close to the armory, "Quickly in here," he ordered, but didn't give Death a chance to protest before he pushed the smaller pony with his muzzle into the nearby room.
This room was where the Creator kept their armor, not every pony had a set yet, but he was in the process of making more slowly. They were a gift for the near mastery of their abilities and a signal that they were ready for whatever his plan was. It had been so long since he made a set War thought he might have scraped the protection. Whether he did or didn't really wasn't important at the moment what was the fact War had a set.
The room was small, it really did not need to be very large to hold a bunch of armor and very few weapons. There were dummies, eight of them all in a line, two of which were dressed in armor. A roguish plagues doctor set for Pest and a warrior set of blacked steel for War. A bench ran along the back wall used for sitting while getting dressed. War pushed Death underneath the bench so he might hide slightly and be out of the way if any attackers came through. He then quickly stripped the dummy of his armor and placed it on himself. He had considered giving it to Death but knew it was far too large for him the helmet alone might weigh the small pony down.
He glanced over at Pest's wondering if it would fit him better when hooves came storming down the hall. It was too late to worry about that now War would just have to be his little brother's shield. He walked to stand in front of his sibling for a moment and placed a hoof against his own chest making a light metal clank as the metal of his trampler met the metal of his chest plate. He then took a breath and released it, waving his arm as he did. He continued this motion until Death mimicked and it seemed to calm the pony.
The door swung open and a guard ran inside to see the two ponies and yelling for backup. He started to step forward words, pressing against his muzzles but stopped short when he looked at the pure hatred that seemed to flow from his opponents eyes. War hadn't turned around to face them yet, but rather his eyes glared at him from his near backward position. If looks could kill a pony that one would. War turn to face him standing up tall and in a soldierly manner using his disposition as a way to frighten his opponents showing them he knew how to fight and just how much they might regret getting into one with him.
More guards came to the door, but all now seemed reluctant to enter and attack, one brave one finally did walk in and drawing his weapon the rest mimicked him seeing as the black armored pony hadn't struck him down. "Turn yourselves in peacefully and we will not have to use force," the brave guard spoke.
War looked back at the fear these ponies caused in his little brother and shook his head. "I'm afraid I can't do that, I can't allow you to harm my brother, I'm sure you understand," He said rather kindly letting the fire die in his eyes for a moment before renewing his blaze. When War refused to move the guards stepped closer. "Get back," War instructed. One started to speak, but was cut off by War before getting more than a syllable out of his mouth. War rose up on his hind legs "Get Back!" he ordered stomping his front hooves on the ground and releasing fire from his muzzle that lapped around the room, forcing the guards to back out. No-one got burned thanks to the quickness of the unicorns barriers, but they had not expected that from a pony.
In this moment, War looked back to Death, "You need to follow me, okay, we are going to get out and away from these guys." Death's eyes darted around and he seemed to consider it deciding that his odds were a lot better with War than on his own. He nodded with almost a confident look on his face. "Okay then, stay as close to me as you can." War narrowed his eyes and charged straight out the door lowering his head like a unicorn so that the fake metal bladed horn on his helmet would land a blow.
He came out in a storm and aimed for the unicorns who had been leading the herd. Landing a blow on the lead pony who yelled in pain as the horn gashed him deeply, but it wasn't a fatal blow only painful enough to cripple him from a pursuit. The guards started to descend on him, but he swung his helmeted head back and smashed it into the face of an oncoming unicorn guard successfully taking both unicorns out of the fight. He paused and shot his fire down the halls forcing the remaining enemies to part in order to avoid being cooked, now that the unicorns were down the rest of the guards had no defense against his flames. He then ran past them feeling Death's mouth clamp onto the tip of his tail and held onto for dear life.
The much faster pony practically dragged this little brother as he sped them to safety. Deaths adrenaline pumping him up just enough to manage to hold on. He turned a corner sharply to see another unit of stallions marching down the hall, they stopped one yelled halt and they drew their weapons. War ignored them turning in a different direction and taking off down the hall again his brother still clinging to him. The unicorns in that party were using their magic to have their weapons pursue the pair. War leaped up a few feet turning so his chest was facing the oncoming weapons and took a flap of his giant wings the wind force, knocking the weapons of their route so they ended up stuck in the walls. He then dropped and continued without skipping a beat. He smiled as he continued his gallop a great feeling passing over him. Battle was in his name, battle was in his cutie mark, battle ran through his veins and it was in battle that he felt the most alive.
He felt his cutie mark tingle as if it was asking to be used and War was more than happy to oblige. He was getting close to an exit now nothing between him and safely, but another group of guards that War didn't mind to demonstrate his talent too. As he charged the guards, he could feel Death lose his grip and has the pony tripped once again on his hooves and fell down. War leaped at them, his front arms outstretched and the hard tramplers on his hooves smashing into the nearest guard. He both heard and felt the pony's bones crack beneath his hooves. Some ponies managed to move around their friend as he was flung back. Not having much time with a collapsed Death he hit the ground spinning to face his brother and go back and defend him, but upon doing so he saw one of the guards were already over the top of his barely conscious brother.
"Get away from him!" War yelled and started a rage fueled charge that lit his hooves and the ends of his hair on fire. But he stopped in his tracks once the guard pony started to step on Death.
"Halt," the guard ordered again. "Turn yourself over without any more trouble and he will not be harmed," The royal guard was often better than this using some pony as a shield was low, but they were desperate and seeing how many reports of their losses were coming in they felt justified. War made a sound like a roar and blew fire around the in a circle not aiming to attack any pony just release his rage.
"You touch him again and not even your family will not be able to identify your body." War gave him the same piercing gaze that he had the first guard and it seemed to scare them.
"W-we will not harm him, not as long as you come with us," Death's captor warned and lifted the pony gently least he face the red one's wrath. War pleaded to Death with his eyes almost asking the pony to use his abilities on the enemy, but it was obvious Death had no strength left he couldn't even stand. He was relying on the other pony to carry him.
One of the guards came up near War, "Okay, why don't you get your flan-" he was silenced by War whom turned on his front hooves and bucked the guy in the face shattering his jawbone with the trampler. War hadn't been aiming to kill him or he would have he just wished he would shut up.
"You don't have my brother, you don't tell me what to do," he growled and stepped over the bleeding pony to follow the rest out. The guard with Death stared a few moments realizing how important his hostage was to their well being and moved on out while his unit helped the injured comrade.
"How is the specimen?" Atom questioned trotting up to a control panel his little servant was messing with. The reading was good and it seemed his little project would be safe while they fled. He wondered how many, if any of his creations had gotten out with what little he was able to pick up on the action suggest most having disobeyed his orders in avoiding combat, they would all need disciplining later.
"The readings are perfect sir. We should now be safe to evacuate ourselves. I'm afraid we will not find any of my sibling waiting for us. It seems their incompetence knows no bounds." The little blue Pegasus confirmed what Atom had been thinking.
"I believe you are right, but I can hope you are wrong. It is, for this reason, we must make sure it's safe."
Atom had fought hard to get here and he knew getting out was going to be just as difficult, he had made mostly short work of any guards who had the unfortunate pleasure of crossing his path. He was a student of Celestia after all and knew a thing or two about powerful magic. The bodies now littered his halls. At least his abominations would be keeping any remaining enemies at bay, he would simply have to collect them later.
“Atom Splitter” His name was called from the hall and the voice behind it sent shivers up his spine. He jumped on his hooves turning around to face her. He was startled, and at first, it showed, he found it strange to hear his real name spoken again after so long. Standing frozen he knew he couldn’t defeat her; he had been hoping he had time to escape, but alas, he did not and this was going to make things far more complicated. Their last encounter he had had the upper hoof and narrowly escaped his fate. But this time, no, this time, he would pay… but that was okay; he prided himself a clever pony, far more than the princess gave him credit for and he wouldn’t be defeated so easily.
His steward looked to Atom not seeming afraid or fazed by the sight of the goddess rather the weak pony looked at his master, "Shall I give my abilities a try sir?" he asks like a professional as if dealing with gods was a test he was bound to run into at some point. Much to the blue ponies surprise Atom shook his head.
"It will be taken care of," he smirked and gathered himself standing up in the face of the Alicorn goddess. “Fine, I will not resist, please take me away, I accept your punishment.” He spoke in such a way that it was obvious he was not taking this seriously.
The large mare scowled closing her eyes for a moment to sigh, opening them with renewed fire. “No,” she yelled stamping a hoof on the ground. She lifted her head to appear even larger to the stallion then she already was, “You are too dangerous to stay in Equestria and you are too dangerous to send away.” She stood silently for a moment letting the meaning of her words sink.
His smirk slowly faded and he watched silently as she used her power to lift an enormous piece of debris that had crumbled from the wall placing it just above him. “I see,” he said replacing his smirk and standing with unexpected pride at this fate. “So be it."
"No master wait!" the servant called throwing himself in that direction but was not fast enough to have an effect, his weak wings nearly useless for flight.
She dropped the stone and it landed on top of him. She had seen his horn light up as it fell most likely a last attempt to save himself but it had ultimately failed. Blood was oozing out from under the rock and the pattern made it quite apparent she had crushed the unicorn. She did not, however, want to lift the stone again and see the damage.
Despair stared his solid black eyes as open as they could manage, he turned with a growl at the Alicorn, "How dare you, you cow of a false god! He was the best hope for this land and you know it and you can't stand that so you must do away with him. Curse you witch curse you!" the distorted pony called but Celestia was all but deaf to his words. She took him in her magic and the pony was powerless to stop her.
Celestia called the order to have everyone evacuate once they were outside she did a head count and realized she had lost enough stallions to cover nearly four units. The battle was short and simple yet still so many managed to lose their lives. She was displeased. Outside she took over the capture of the rest. An unconscious brown earth pony, a cooperating red Pegasus and a small gray earth pony. She sent the guards on a march back to Canterlot before she herself ascended into the air looking down on the place; a hidden underground fortress just beneath what looked like a happy little cabin in a remote town across Equestria, how misleading.
From the front end of the building Celestia’s sister Luna flew up to meet her, she had her own pony in her grasps. Luna took a glance around at the damaged floating ponies her elder had collected. She had been waiting outside encase Atom had managed to escape the fortress. Before starting any sort of conversation Luna began flying back towards Canterlot knowing they had come a long way and needed to start the back trip as soon as possible, Celestia followed.
“By the presence of these ponies, I assume you took care of the Atom,” Luna began which Celestia replied to with a nod. “I see,” she understood what had transpired considering the unicorn was not among the floating ponies. “I will not question your judgment sister, I know you did the right thing,” she took a pause, “But what are you going to do with these ponies?”
