Long before the founding of Equestria, there was a tribe of Earth Pony warriors that hunted down the monsters that inhabited a much more dangerous land.

Their leader, Divine Martyr, sought out to kill one creature that had claimed the lives of so many ponies thus far, a Gorgon with the incredible power to use her gaze to turn live ponies into solid stone.

He was the one chosen for this task, the gods were counting on him.