As the seven ponies headed through The Wall, Nolan's core provided an efficient flashlight for them. They walked through dusty, rusty hallways and paths, no one really sure where they were going.

"Are you sure that we're heading in the right direction?" Fizzle asked. "I think that's the fifth time we passed that metal thing."

She pointed to a large metal object with a long tube.

"That's an Old Russian Tank." Nolan said. "And I think you're right. I can't pinpoint our exact location, as we're too deep inside the Wall."

"Great!" Rainbow yelled. "We're lost!"

Her voice echoed through the empty paths, bouncing around.

"Keep your voice down!" Nolan snapped. "The Fallen tend to attack whatever makes the most noise. We don't want company!"

"Um…" Fluttershy whimpered. "I get the feeling we're being watched…"

Then, there was a shriek and a gust of air.

"What was that?" Twilight asked.

"And where's Rarity?" Applejack cried. True to her word, Rarity had vanished. Then, Applejack was pulled into the dark by an unseen foe.

"AJ!" Rainbow cried. She attempted to fly off after her friend, but she was snatched up as well. Soon, Fluttershy and Pinkie were gone, leaving only Twilight, Nolan, and Fizzle.

"Hide me." Nolan said. "The Fallen will tear me apart for information."

Twilight concealed the Ghost under her wing. Then, Fizzle was gone. The last thing Twilight saw before she was knocked out was the face of a Fallen Stealth Vandal.

====

"Twi? you alright?"

Twilight came to her senses, revealing her friends standing over her.

"What happened?" she asked.

"See for yourself." Fizzle said, pointing to a dome of blue energy that surrounded them…and the massive Fallen Crew currently guarding them.

"Why would they do this?" Twilight asked.

"Not sure." Nolan said, coming out. "The Fallen tend to kill whatever crosses their path. Why they'd take you alive is curious."

"Can't we break the barrier down?" Twilight asked, poking it.

"Rainbow tried." Applejack moaned. "She got shocked to high heaven."

Twilight turned to see Rainbow clutching her hoof, which had a medium-sized burn on it.

"So, we're trapped?" Twilight moaned.

"For now, yes." Nolan said. "However, the Fallen won't eat you. They live off a substance called Ether, made from their machines called Servitors."

"Why would you say that?" Fizzle asked.

"Because I heard Fluttershy murmur it five times already." Nolan said. "Look, we're in deep trouble, but I think I have a solution."

"What?" everypony asked.

"I can emit a beacon that will be picked up by any nearby Guardians or their ships." Nolan said. "If there are Guardians nearby, I can signal them."

"Go ahead." Twilight said. Nolan pulsed blue a few times, and he sighed.

"Beacon out." The Ghost said. "Let's hope we get help soon."

====

Meanwhile, the three Guardians of Fireteam Horizon were landing their ships in the Steppes, when Dusty spoke up.

"Anubis, there's a distress signal coming from near here." he said. "It's from a Ghost. Garbled, but I can clean it up."

"Play it." Anubis-3 said. Dusty nodded, and emitted a cone of light.

"To any Guardians in the area…this is Nolan. I am a Ghost of the Traveler. My companions and I have been captured by a rather large Fallen crew. I'm uploading our coordinates now. We'd like a rescue, if you'd be so kind."

"Hmm…" Evs said. "I know that Ghost."

"You do?" James asked.

"Yes. I met him while searching for you." Evs replied. "We greeted each other and went our separate ways. If he hasn't found a Guardian yet, he's in danger."

"Then let's go." Rainea said. "We don't have time to waste."

The three Guardians mounted their Sparrows, and their Ghosts marked the origin of the signal. They sped off, trailing dust in their wake.

====

As the Guardians drove towards a massive crater in the earth, they dismounted their Sparrows and approached the precipice.

"Nolan, can you hear me?" Evs asked.

"Evs? Is that you?" came Nolan's reply.

"Where are you?" said James's Ghost.

"We're inside some kind of Energy shield." Nolan said. "I've got seven companions of sorts with me. It's a long story, but can you see me?"

"We can." James said, as he zoomed it through his Sniper Scope. "...What are they?"

"They're Ponies from the world of Equis." Nolan said. "And they're friendly. Just get us out of here!"

"Right." Anubis said. "James, draw their fire. Rain and I will run through the center."

"Roger that." James said, inserting a magazine into his Sniper Rifle. "Let's smoke 'em."

Rainea and Anubis took up positions behind cover, out of the Fallen's line of sight. James positioned his crosshair on the leader of the Crew, a large, bulky Captain.

====

"Good news." Nolan whispered to the ponies. "Some Guardians found us. They're moving to engage the Fallen, and get us out of here."

"Who are they?" Twilight asked.

"One of the Guardians is bonded with a Ghost that I am friends with." Nolan said. "The other two, I don't know. One is a Titan, the other a Warlock, last a Hunter. A fair warning...keep your heads down. This could get messy."

Suddenly, Twilight saw a flash of light, and the large Fallen that was directing the others fell to the ground, its head blown clean off. Twilight and the ponies sickened slightly at the image.

Then a loud voice cried out.

"Hey, Scavengers!"

All eyes turned to a bipedal figure wearing a long cloak, bearing a long tubular object.

"Come and get me!" he taunted. The Fallen roared as one and opened fire, sending bolts of blue energy towards the being. It took off quickly, sprinting into cover and firing more shots at the Fallen.

"Rain, Anubis, move in!" he cried over his radio.

====

Suddenly, everyone's vision was blinded by a blast of blue light. Twilight saw a bulky, armored figure wearing a waist-sash slam his fists into the ground, decimating the Fallen with a Fist of Havoc. Then, he leaped up towards another group, and slammed again. Another blast of energy turned the Fallen into nothingness. Then, another group charged the plated figure.

Only another being jumped down, spun in the air, and became covered in dark energy.Then, it hurled an orb of void light at the encroaching Fallen. The orb exploded, willing the Fallen away into dust.

"We clear?" the plated one asked the one in robes. Nolan then saw three scattered Fallen muster their strength and leap at them. Before the Ghost could alert them, three searing bolts of flame ended their lives.

"Clear." the cloaked one said, spinning a flaming object before it extinguished.

"Just in time, Guardians!" Nolan said. "Evs, it's been too long."

"Indeed." said Evs, coming out and revealing himself. Unlike Nolan's pure white Shell, Evs was painted blue, bearing a snake sigil. "And my Guardian here is James Mendoza."

James nodded.

"The other Guardians are Anubis-3 and Rainea Thoren." Evs finished.

"Good to meet you." Nolan said. "Can you get us out of here? The shield generator is right here."

There was a blast of gunfire, and the generator exploded. The shield faded away, setting the Ponies free. Before anyone could speak, another Ghost, this one being yellow with an Eagle Sigil, appeared.

"Um, we've got trouble." it said in a female voice. "We've kicked a really big hornet's nest. Fallen reinforcements incoming, with Walker support."

"Roger that." Anubis said. "Horizon, defensive positions!"

The Guardians took cover as the sound of Fallen war cries drew closer. The final Ghost then appeared. This one was red with a Lion sigil.

"I've radioed Commander Zavala for immediate air support." he said. "And Hawks for extraction."

"Thanks, Dusty." Anubis said. "Eyes forward!"

As the Titan spoke, a Fallen Skiff bearing a metallic spider appeared above them. Three Fallen crews appeared as the Walker deployed.

"Take out the support crew!" Anubis said, hefting his Machine Gun up. "I'll handle that Walker!"

"Roger that!" James said, holstering his Sniper Rifle and bringing out a Rocket Launcher. Rainea did likewise, bearing her Grenade Launcher as the Dregs began to attack, supported by Vandals and a few Captains. The Guardians opened fire, and explosions peppered all around them. Nolan urged the Ponies to take cover, hiding them behind a piece of sheet metal.

"Can't we help?" Rainbow cried as a blast from the Walker Cannon shook the earth.

"Not in the slightest." Nolan replied. "The Guardians have this handled. Just keep your head down, and don't get hit."

====

Anubis emptied a magazine of his Machine Gun into a horde of Dregs, cutting them down until he heard a fateful "click!"

"Cover me, reloading!" he yelled. He hefted a fresh magazine into his weapon as Rainea and James suppressed the Fallen.

"That Walker's still up!" Rainea said, tossing a Scatter Grenade. "We're not going anywhere until it's down!"

"I'll take care of it!" James yelled. Summoning the Golden Gun, he fired three blasts of Solar Light into the Walker's cockpit. The blasts penetrated its armor, killing the pilot and disabling the Walker itself.

"Focus fire!" he then cried. Anubis opened up, firing a salvo that killed the leading Fallen attackers. As the remainder fled, Anubis fired a few more shots after them.

"Clear!" he cried. "Where's our Jumpships?"

"Right here." Dusty said, just as their Arcadia Jumpships appeared overheard, along with a pair of City Hawks.

"Load up." James said to the ponies. "It'll be a long trip until we reach the City."

"Then what?" Twilight asked.

"Then, we see the Vanguard." Anubis said. "And they decide if you can stay...or not."

Twilight flinched as the Titan boarded his Jumpship, followed by the others. As Nolan guided the Ponies onto the Hawks, the Guardians set their course for the Last City.

Author's Note

Update!

Next time-During the flight to the City, Rainbow receives a vision, courtesy of a Hive God.