Undead Raiser

Brutus and Requiem arrived at the refugee camp, were the Wonderbolts and some Royal Guards had prepared multiple carriages made of steel to transfer them to Cloudsdale. The camp was full of desperate ponies who were waiting to be transferred right after they had forsaken their home to escape the zombies. Since discretion is required, Brutus remained in his pony form and put some bandages to hide his hideous body. He was also obligated to leave his army of marked zombies in Ponyville.

The duo advanced through the crowd. As they advanced, Requiem noticed Spitfire and her squad having their forelegs bandaged as well. They were getting closer to one of the carriages when they were stopped by a guard pony.

"HALT! Who a-" He stopped upon seeing Requiem. "M-Moon Shard? Thank goodness you were alive. Your colleagues had thought you were dead."

"Spare me your commotion," Requiem replied bluntly. "I have to bring this pony to Cloudsdale."

"What? But he looked too suspicious. He maybe infecte-"

"I am assuring you that he's not." Requiem insisted calmly. "Now you better let us in, or you rather have to explain why you were impeding me to confirm my status to your superiors?"

"N-No, there's no problem with that." The guard stuttered. "You can enter inside. But try to understand the situation. We have to be careful about any minimal detail."

"Yeah, whatever." Requiem turned to Brutus. "As you can see, the authority of this body's previous owner is a reliable-"

As they entered inside, the doors of the carriage were harshly closed and they found themselves among the surviving ponies. They were both families, solitary wolves and innocents who waited their departure toward the skies. After some minutes, the carriage started moving.

"I feel something very sinister going on." Requiem murmured. "I can feel it."

"I hope that Rainbow Dash wasn't reached by the Reverse Tree cultists." Brutus said quietly.

"No, I don't think that is the case. Beside, I have a plan about our encounter with her."

"What?"

"Just wait."

The carriage got through the barrier that surrounded Cloudsdale and landed to one of the hangars. The doors were opened and the refugees were escorted into a camp. Requiem used Moon Shard's authority as scientist to get away from were with Brutus and entered inside the city unnoticed. They went into an alley to hide their presences. Brutus looked at Requiem with curiousness, while the latter maintained a very cold approach from him.

"There's the plan. I will go to retrieve Rainbow Dash under fake identity." Requiem said.

"Wait, you are going all alone?" Brutus asked.

"You forgot that I am a demon who can take care of itself. As for you, what you have to do is staying there. If what I am thinking was right, chaos is going to happen very soon."

"What do you mean?"

"Spitfire and her group are infected by the Necromyth, All that while being vaccinated with the same vaccine that your former girlfriend took."

"They are Undementias?" Brutus asked.

"They already have become this. They thought that the vaccine would had protected them by the infection... They had no idea about that." Requiem stated crudely.

"Let me guess. If chaos start, I have to drop the pretenses and act on my own."

"I will lead Rainbow Dash into the hangar. You better reach the main hangar and wait for me there. And don't do any reckless act that will compromise our cover. Got it?"

With that, the Requiem leaved Brutus alone with his own thoughts. He couldn't help but thinking about what had transpired with Vesper and his ascension as the monster he had become. That fact also reminded of the sacrifice that he had made to survive. However he regret nothing about that since his heart was hardened by what he had experienced in his previous life and the crisis plaguing his current one.

His pondering was then interrupted by a sudden scream followed by a chorus of moans and roars.

"Ah... So Requiem was right about that." Brutus commented as he was engulfed by black flames and assumed his demonic bipedal form.

He came out of the alley and witnessed the chaos that was happening in the city. Lessers and Flailers were wrecking houses and building. Some of them were chasing terrorized citizens while others were already gorging unfortunate victims. Without any hesitation, Brutus advanced forward, while turning his claw into barrel gun, and start shooting multiple zombies, killing them instantly. That lured the attention of other two zombies, who were already rushing toward him.

He turned his barrel gun arm into a claw and gripped both their heads with his claws. The two zombies were engulfed by a black flaming aura and the mark of Brutus appeared on their heads, turning them into his minions.

"Follow me." Brutus commanded as he released the now marked zombies from his grip.

Without wasting any time he made his way toward the hangar, slaughtering multiple zombie while converting other ones to his cause, creating his own new army and growing his ranks. Upon reaching the main hangar, he found a crazy looking group of zombified Wonderbolts, leaded by Soarin and High Wind.

"Who is this monster!?" Soarin said hesitantly. "And why those zombies looked sided with him!?"

"Who cares! Let's take care of him!" High Wind commanded. "Wonderbolts! Let's go!"

The undead pegasi dashed in mid air toward Brutus, who simply raised his claw, pointing it toward them.

"You better slaughter them, boys!" Brutus commanded, causing his army to rush toward with ferocity.

Despite their speed, most of the Wonderbolts were blocked and then overwhelmed by them. Soarin and High Wind were the only ones who managed to avoid being devoured or ripped into shreds by the marked zombies. The two flew furiously toward Brutus, who turned his arm into his sword and managed to wound them lethally.

Leaving the two falling on the ground, Brutus advanced toward the door and delivered a powerful punch the smashed through the metal doors as another horde of zombies was going after him.

In the present.

"You know the rest." Requiem said, releasing Rainbow Dash from his mnemonic flux.

Rainbow Dash fell on her knees, looking very shaken and disturbed by what she had just saw. The memories regarding Brutus and his past lives looked so vivid that looked real. Brutus noticed that and turned at Requiem with a bothered expression.

"Was that necessary?" Brutus demanded.

"She must know our situation and why she must follow us," Requiem said.

"...... Did you still expect me... To collaborate... With murderers like you?" Rainbow Dash protested.

"Look, if you want to see your friends again, you better trust us." Brutus said. "Not that I am interested in your opinion anyway. By the way you cannot even fly."

"After all, we are going to meet them.... In Canterlot." Requiem said, grinning with anticipation.