Chapter 8 Raider's of the Wasteland

After rummaging through the dark, all three of them managed to spot a campfire in the distance that was burning. "YES FINALLY A CAMPFIRE, COME ON LETS GO!!!!!!!!" Little Pip mentioned to the Sharklantean's, as they continued forward toward the big campfire. As all three of them approached the Campfire, Wrecka, and Crasher could tell something was off, but they both decided to put it aside....for now. All three of them approached the fire, as they spotted an Anthro male unicorn. The Sharklanteans were now 100 percent certain something was definetly off, therir Sharklantean senses were warning them of danger.

"Something doesn't feel right Little Pip, maybe we should leave" Crasher said uneasily, as Little Pip seemed to almost crouch in response. All three of them noticed the gag on his mouth, and the chain's on his hands feet.

"Ooooohhh Craaaaapppp" Little Pip realized, wanting to know more.

"You see what's up, we'll cover you" Wrecka told her, as both Sharklantean's stood guard. Little Pip took off the gag, as the muffled Unicorn spoke.

"Why didn't you three just leave" He told them, while looking around.

"L-leave w-why?" Little Pip asked.

"NO TIME TO EXPLAIN, THERE........" He told her, before they heard a cocky stallion speak up.

"Ha ha ha well looky here, walked up all nice, and pleasant huh" The stallion snickered with three other ponies.

"Better back off pal, your not the only one your dealing with" Crasher snarled, as the Stallions noticed the Sharklantean's.

"Hmmm, Sharklantean's, well luckily for us, we brought enough troops to deal with you all" The stallion snickered. Thousand loud boom's were heard as cannon ball's, slammed into the Sharklantean's. The explosion sent them flying into the wood's, as Little Pip tried to pull out her weapons, but the Stallions disarmed her, and chained her up. Little Pip heard the roar of Sharklantean's, hearing a massive fight going on. After a few minutes, two masked Raiders wearing dark cloak's walked over with the Sharklantean's chained.

"These had better be worth it, we lost six cannoneers trying to subdue these two" The Duskwalker Raider snarled.

"Then let's make sure we sell them properly, alright the three of you get a move on" The stallion snarled, pushing the other stallion, and Little Pip along a patrol road, while dragging the tonic state Sharklantean's. It took a lot of Raiders to keep moving with how heavy the Sharklantean's were. All of them continued down the long road, making sure that they stayed silent the entire time. The Raiders smelled disgusting, and judging how Little Pip noticed them staring at her flank, they were complete sickos as well.

All of the Raiders were interrupted by a loud thundering roar that shook the ground. All of the Raiders heard the loud roar, recognizing it as they all prepared there weapon's. "IT'S HER, WHY CAN'T SHE JUST LET US PASS WITH OUR PRECIOUS CARGO!?!?!?!?!?!?" The stallion panicked, before hearing one of the Sharklantean's barely looking up.

"I wouldn't like to be you guys if I were you, from the sound of that roar, your all dead" Crasher chuckled. Little Pip saw a huge part of the forest before seeing what looked like a monster launched itself 100 feet in the air, before crashing into the ground in front of them.
The impact sent a lot of Raiders flying into the forest, many getting killed on impact, while a small crater had formed in front of them. Little Pip saw a strange lizard emerge from the shadows. It looked like a fierce Anthro Dragoness, but it had no wing's, and from the top of its neck down near the edge of her tail were thick, bony, dorsal plates that were dark purple in color.

The light purple lizard cocked a smile, smashing her fist's together, rotating her neck around to loosen up, while cracking her knuckles. "Hello boy's........." She said, finishing up her tough girl act, before speaking again. ".......which one of you is first?" The lizard asked. The Raiders pulled out there weapons, using Musket's, Hand Cannon's, and small tipped knives. The weapons had no effect on the female lizard, as her super strength, and raw power, overpowered them. She punched a pack of Raiders 50 feet away, while kicking the others so hard, that it vaporized their head's. The Raiders tried to return fire, but within five second's the lizard gutted them with ease.

She easily broke the chain's off everyone, and then came to the stallion. "Thanks for freeing me" The stallion smiled, until a Musket Bullet was fired through his brain as the captured stallion fell to the ground dead. The female lizard stomped over, and finished the Raider off.

"W-who are you?" Little Pip asked, staring at the female lizard. Crasher coughed a little before speaking up to Little Pip.

"Little Pip, I'd like you to meet the other creature that left Stable 2.......meet Amber.....Amber the Godzillasaurus" Crasher smiled. The 21 year old Amber, extender her claw out, her face having a warm smile on her face.

"Nice to meet ya, my name is Amber, what's your name?" Amber asked.

"I-I'm Little Pip" Little Pip smiled shaking her clawed band before hearing a distant horn being heard.

"We'd better get moving, if it's that's what I think it is, there are more raiders coming, and this time they'll be in bigger numbers" Amber told them, before all of them vanished into a forest, staying mindful to the radioactive areas. They came across a small cave, going inside, and staying out of sight. Amber managed to light a small fire using a lighter she had found earlier. All of them seemed to gather at the small area, as Amber looked at Little Pip. "So what made you leave the stables?" Amber asked, before Little Pip spoke.

"I came searching for a friend, and I need to find her either way, so that we can continue on our journey to find the answer's we seek" Little Pip explained, as Amber nodded.

"Then it seems were all on the right path. I was told that my parents, and family were somewhere out there, but also I want to help find out what exactly was the cause of the Great Disaster" Amber explained, as Little Pip gave her an odd look.

"When did you escape the Stables?" Little Pip asked.

"A few years ago, Applejack gave me the codes, and these two Sharklantean's allowed me to escape. She sounded like she wanted me to stay, but judging by her voice, I'd say she was planning on acquiring the codes for herself later" Amber told her.

"What would the Overmare need the Override door codes for?" Little Pip asked.

"I don't know, but something tells me, Applejack wasn't going to give them up without a fight, or had something else in mind" Amber told them.

"Sound's like one of our mother's alright" Crasher smiled, as they had a small chuckle before Little Pip spoke.

"Do you have any idea where Velvet is?" Little Pip asked, before Amber replied.

"I don't know, there's a small chance she might have been captured by the Raiders, and brought to Warlord Gantas. I want to eliminate that possibility, if not there could still be a reason for us to try, and find her" Amber explained.

"As much as I don't like the idea, Velvet could be in trouble, we'll go there tomorrow" Little Pip told them, as they all managed to get some rest in the cave. By dawn, all of them left early in the bright morning, as they all journeyed to the gigantic Warlord Gantas's Fortress. To their surprise however it seems there wasn't much left of it. "Whoa" Little Pip whistled. Fence gates had been massively destroyed, most of the Raider Towers were destroyed, and a small number of living Raiders were hauling dead ones, and burying them.

"Looks like someone got here first, and did a massive number on this place" Wrecka told them.

"Right now their all vulnerable, now's our chance to attack" Amber told them, as she leaped all the way from the hill top down into the Fortress, surprising all of the Raiders who were alive. Little Pip, Crasher, and Wrecka also ran in at full speed, fighting off the left over Raiders, as they continued their fight against them. They came across Raider Warriors, who were armed with Musket's. Cannoneers, who had small hand Cannons. Raider Firebreather's who used both Alcohol, Lighters, and their own breath to breath fire at their enemies. Dustwalkers had very pointy knives, while Boom Boom's threw dynamite.

Raider Champions had double barrel Shotguns, and Skirmisher's rode Raptors with Grenadier Pistol's. Brawler's attacked with there own bare fists, and there was also Mammoth Riders, who shot Cannons aboard Mammoths. Amber was a very tough fighter, taking hits from Mammoth Riders, and Skirmisher's. She fought the powerful enemies who did a lot of damage, able to overpower many of the big beast's, and bringing the others down. Crasher, and Wrecka were struggling against the Dustwalkers, Cannoneers, and Brawlers. They fought them with ever strength in their bodies. Little Pip fought the Boom Boom's, Warrriors, and Champions, gunning them down with the revolver that Applejack gave her.

Her pistol did a lot of damage, but it was getting to the point where she was running out of ammo. Dodging some of the Boom Boom's explosive's, she managed to charge forward, and unleashed the wad of bullets on a Champion, killing the Raider instantly. She still had 3 rounds in her pistol left, but 3 round's wouldn't be enough. She grabbed the Double Barrel Shotgun, which still had ammo, and began firing at the other Raiders. Amber did her best to fight off the Skirmisher's, and Mammoth Rider's. She was reaching her limit with fighting off the massive beast's, and a tamed Raptor managed to slice her face.

Her healing factor healed the wound, as she fought her enemies against them, before a powerful Cannon Blast knocked her backward into a fence. A tall spikey raider appeared with a giant Hand Cannon with Mammoths Tusk's on it. Warlord Gantas smiled, seeing Amber struggling to get up. "How pathetic, to think you could stop us, even after the huge attack by a strange floating lizard, that almost resembled you" Warlord Gantas smiled. Amber groaned, getting up as Warlord Gantas stepped forward. "You've only been able to destroy us, with just strength, what exactly can you do against me?" Gantas asked with a cocky smile.

In that moment, a specific memory flooded Amber's mind. Letting everything around her become silent. She remembered something her father told her when she was young. She could hear her father's voice, speaking to her. A voice that taught her at a very young age.

Remeber What I taught you my little Amber, if you feel that your pushed down, feeling there is no hope, you are more powerful than you realize. In that moment you should close your eye's, and concentrate. Feel your body lift into a peaceful place of nature. You can hear the birds chirping. You can feel the sun shining, and your friend's laughing, and playing. Feel that energy......let it drive you. Take that energy turn it into fury, fury for those who want to destroy everything you have Amber followed those instructions, her dorsal plates began to glow a bright purple, the sound of loud Atomic Whirring coming to life. Amber felt the power course through her body, and mind.

More of her father's word's rang in her ear. Once you've channeled that energy unleash it, unleash it against the enemies who want to take everything from you Her father told her. Amber unleashed her Life Atomic Breath, destroying Warlord Gantas, and the other Raiders that were in her way. She obliterated, and destroyed more of their enemies, while the other Raiders, and even her friend's were awestruck by this newfound power. Little Pip, Crasher, and Wrecka took advantage of this, as they managed to take down the other enemies. Little Pip charged inside the busted open complex.

What Little Pip saw horrified her, some of the prisoners, and even the Raiders inside, had been gutted mercilessly, and horribly. Oh GODDESSES, this behind horror.......this is......what kind of physco did this!?!?!?!?!? Little Pip asked, seeing some of the dead bodies, hung by there intestines on the ceiling. Some were a huge mess, gutted like fish, their organs either missing, or all over the place. The entire place reaked of death, and blood. Little Pip covered her nose, as she wanted to find the others to prevent the smell from stinging her eyes. She looked at all the bodies, and were relieved that none of them belonged to Velvet.

She also didn't find any clues of Velvet being here either. She quickly acquired more shotgun ammo, and some un-contaminated medical supplies, before getting out of the bloodbath prison. She collapsed onto the ground breathing slightly, as the others approached her. "Are you alright?" Amber asked. Little Pip nodded in response, as she told them what exactly she saw. All of them listened to her while nodding in response.

"So whatever came here was not a friend of the prisoners, or a friend of the Raiders. We'd better be careful to whatever creatures are out there with this agenda, and avoid it as much as possible" Wrecka warned them.

"The good news is, that Velvet was thankfully not here, which mean's our search continues" Amber smiled.

"So where do we go from here?" Little Pip asked. Amber took a long look at a near much open gate, as she sighed.

"Follow the Dirt Road" Amber told them, as they began to exit Warlord Gantas's Fortress, and much further into the desolate wasteland's. Another Blood colored Crow seemed to let out a caw in response before deciding to flee from where it's was sitting, flying toward an unknown destination.

Author's Note

Warlord Gantas, and the other Raiders, are also characters from Battle Nations, which is being remade soon, hope you all enjoy this episode, and I get a new phone either tomorrow or Friday, whichever comes first, so wish me luck.