Chapter 3: A hero’s tragic story

Frank Pov

Have you ever wondered if fate hates you and wants you to suffer for no good reason? If your answer was yes then, you probably understand how I feel at this moment as I raise my hands up with gold armored ponies pointing their spears at me. I knew that this would be their reaction after seeing me I just did not think it would happen this fast as I stand there while they round up the raiders who were reluctant to be in cuffs after seeing what I did to the dragon earlier. Soon three of them approached me with the middle one dressed in a silver armor with a mace strapped to his side along with a shield strapped around his left arm as he stood in front of me.

“Captain we found this thing when we arrived at the town. What should we do with it? Said the armored pony who stood by the captain as he looked at me with glare while I looked back at him with a neutral expression. “Put him up with the other raiders, for all we know this thing was aiding the raiders here. Once we take the creature and these lowlifes to the castle, we let the princesses decide what to do with it.” One pulled out some cuffs as I let out a sigh at this and was about to let them handcuff me, however that is when something or should I say some pony landed behind me.

“That will not be necessary, Captain Steel Wing.” Said a familiar voice as I turn my head back to see Celestia with her hand on my right shoulder and as well as her sister who was on my left side. “Your highness are you sure about this, for all we know this creature could be…” he was then cut off by Luna. “He happens to be the one that stopped those raiders from terrorizing the residence of Ponyvile, me and my sister were here to witness this brave warrior act of heroism as he fought against a full-grown black dragon.”

“The dragon was corrupted by some dark magic to which this human was able to stop and is now laying on the ground defeated right behind us.” Said Celestia as she pointed at Garble who was still in agonizing pain as his body was still broken from the intense beating, he received from the human. The captain then looked at his subordinates and as he directed them to arrest the downed dragon to, they nodded and went straight forward to it as he looks back at the two princesses. “What will happen to this one?” he asked pointing at me to which Celestia smiled sweetly. “He will be coming with us back to the castle. We were in the middle of introductions before the town was attacked as me and my sister wish to learn more about our human friend.” Said Celestia as Luna smiled and nodded to her sister comment while I raised an eyebrow at her statement. The captain looked unsure as I could that that he still did not like me and was about to say something until Luna beat him to punch. “As my sister said we wish to continue introductions with our new friend here I am sure that won’t be a problem captain Steel Wing?” she asked though by the way she said it, it almost sounded like a threat as the captain shook his head immediately. “Good we will be taking our leave then. Make sure that the guards round up every single raider here understood? Asked Celestia to which the captain nodded and saluted before walking away however he did look make a quick glance at me just was he approached his men as I lowered my arms and let out, a sigh of relief before looking back at them. “Um just to be clear I am not in any trouble, am I?” I asked them to which the two proceeded to giggle at my question as Celestia calmed herself before looking back to me. “No, you’re not, however there is still the matter of introducing yourself young man.” Said Celestia in a motherly tone which for some reason sounded hot wait why I am thinking that?

“From what my sister told me you sit are a human, however none of the humans from the old legends were capable of the incredible that you performed during the attack.” Said Luna who was now looking at me not with a glare but in amusement which was kind of weird since she was cautious around me before. “Which you will explain to us once we teleport to the castle in canterlot.” Said Celestia as I then asked her. “Wait what about Miss Sparkle and her friends back at the crystal castle?”

“We were able to send them to the hospital through a teleportation spell. Rainbow Dash had left to check on them once the fighting had stopped, she also sends her thanks for saving Twilight and hopes to see you again once the others have recovered.” I then let out a sigh of relief at that. “That is good to here, I was worried after seeing the condition she was in. So, I guess all that is left is to do is to go to your castle then.”

“Excellent stand close stand close to me and my sister as she will bring us there through a teleportation spell.” said Luna as I nodded and moved closer to them Celestia lit up her horn before we were all engulf in a bright flash of light.

3rd Pov

As the princesses and the human disappeared from ponyvile they soon reappeared in the royal throne room as Frank was rubbing his eyes as Celestia and Luna looked worried once they heard him groan in pain. “HAY WEA MIS OJOS.” Said the human as he blinks the spots from his eyes. “Um what did you say?” Asked Luna with a raised eyebrow as Frank was slowly regaining his sight. “What? Oh right. Um is there a language called Spanish in this land or any other land?” Asked the human as the two princesses shook their heads as Frank sighed at this. “Right. Well to answer your question that was a language called Spanish which certain humans like myself speak depending on which part of the world they come from. I said oh man my eyes due to the bright flash from the teleportation spell and with my eyes being more sensitive due to my heighten senses.”

“I see, but you are okay right?” asked Celestia in a genuinely concerned tone to which made Frank raise an eyebrow at this. “I am fine my sight came back so there is nothing to worry about. So with that out of the way I should continue where I left off?” said Frank as both princesses nodded as they walked away from them and sat before on their thrones as Frank stood before them back straight and arms behind his back as he unintentionally flexes his upper body still exposed as the two princesses tired to control their wings from extending.

“Well as I said before my name is Frank McCloud and I am a human from another world or at least I used to be before I become what I am before you.” Said Frank as this caught Celestia’s attention. “And what is it that you are right now?” asked the solar princess as Frank rubs the back of his head not sure how to explain this. “Well, I am is what my people call a superhuman a being with extraordinary abilities unlike anything that they have ever seen before. Basically, something straight out of a comic book.” Answered Frank to which Luna responded. “So, something like what the children are reading these days? If that is the case than it does explain how you were able to fight off the raiders with ease and face off against a black dragon without any sign of damage, you even survived being burnt alive when the shot its flames at you.”

Frank chuckled at this. “Well, you could say its one of my unique abilities which happens to be invulnerability, meaning that I am resistant to anything thrown at me from fire, ice, and most recently magic like that attack you fired at me.”

Luna then blushes in embarrassment from that. “Oh right… I do agree that my actions were simply not the best. But when I was awoken by that loud roar from the forest, I has used my magic to find what it was only to sense something powerful as well as my sister magic as I assumed the worst and attacked you. But when the raiders attacked you took it upon yourself to stop them saving the lives our subjects and our fellow princess Twilight Sparkle. At the time I did not understand why you helped us, but once you told me your reason, I realized just how badly I had misjudged you. And for that I apologize for how poorly I had treated you and hope that you could forgive for my rash actions.” Said Luna as Frank rubbed the back of his head awkwardly.

“No need to apologize your majesty. Besides, I am used to being a threat.” Responded Frank as this caught both princesses as they looked at each other before looking back at Frank who looked crest fallen. “What do you mean by being seen as a threat?” Frank sighed knowing that he would have to explain this even if it meant having to revisit some bad memories as he took a deep breath and exhaled as he looked at this and presented his right arm to the two royals.

“Before I say anything, I would like to explain this thing on my arm. At first glance it looks like a metal gauntlet, but if you look closely you could see that the metal around my hand and lower arm is merged into my flesh. And along the rest of my arm, you can see red markings that run down my upper arm and shoulder.” Explained Frank as the sisters looked in awe as well as uneasiness by this arm as he lowered it and proceeded to look down.

“Before I was just a regular human, just living his life day by day without a care in the world. Until one day I was in camping in the woods when something came crashing down from the sky and without thinking I decided to investigate whatever it was deep within the woods. There I found a strange creature who was weakly crawling out of a strange aircraft while clutching onto something in its arm. Against my better judgement I went to help the creature until it shoved whatever it had to me and with a weak tone told me to keep it safe before closing its eyes and died on the spot. I then realize what he handed to me which happened to be a strange looking gauntlet, but before I could get a better look at it the thing proceeded to latch onto me as it wrapped around my lower arm the metal merging into my flesh like a form a slime before a burning sensation took over sending an intense pain before passing out on the ground. Once I woke up, I found myself as a new man as the gauntlet had somehow altered my body making me younger, well built, with red markings up to my shoulder, as well as granting me abilities that no ordinary human could ever perform. Much like what I did back in ponyvile I could show you if you like?” Asked Frank to which the royal sisters nodded with interest as Frank formed a small at this.

“Well to start of this ability is called high speed.” He said as he disappears and appears beside the lunar princess before disappearing again then reappearing in front of them. “Its an ability that allows me to run in incredible speed making to the point where it looks like a disappeared. Another ability that I used is cryo-beam.” He then fires twin beams of blue light from his eyes to the floor as a pillar of ice was formed. “Its an ability that allows me to fire beams of ice that I used to freeze an enemy in place immobilizing them where they stand or simply form a pillar of ice. Another ability that I used while fighting the dragon is called dragons breath.” He then takes a deep breath before letting out a blast of red fire toward the pillar of ice as it melts into water and evaporates into nothing in the blink of an eye as he stops the flames and looks back at the princesses. “This ability allows me to shoot out fire out of my mouth like a dragon though its much more powerful than what that dragon shot at me I barely felt anything.”

“What do you mean you didn’t feel a thing the fire breath of a dragon is strong enough to leave ponies with burn marks the flames of a black dragon should have incinerated you into ash.” Said a stupefied Luna as Celestia looked wide eyed at his response. “Well you see, another one of my abilities is called invulnerability basically my skin is like unbreakable armor making resistant to anything that harms me in fact one of the raiders tried to stab me from behind only for his knife to snap off after it was thrusted into my skin.”

He proceeds to hit his head only for a banging sound to be made like hitting two pieces of metal together. “Every part of my body is like this I have been shot at, burned, and even smeared in acid and most recently shot with magic and so far, nothing seems to harm me.” Said Frank as Celestia raises a brow. “So, you’re saying that your unstoppable.” To which Frank shook his head as this made the royal sisters confused. “I may seem powerful but that doesn’t mean I have some weaknesses. You see my senses like hearing, sight, and smell have been heighten due to my abilities, but are extremely sensitive. Things like a high pitch sounds are enough to make my ears bleed due to my enhanced hearing, horrible smells enough to make me vomit as scents are more stronger, and flashes of light can hurt my eyes due to my enhanced sight.”

“This is interesting your body is resistant but you’re able to feel pain through your senses.” Said Luna as Frank nods. “The last time I felt pain was when this thing latched onto me and honestly that was by far the most painful.” He said as he pointed to his metal arm.

Frank stops there as the two royals looked at him in wonder as he snickered lightly at their reaction as he held his metal arm reminiscing on how he got it back in the woods. “So that gauntlet is the source of your power?” Frank nods as Celestia looked unsure to ask her next question. “How painful was it?” she asked as the human stood there silent for a moment Celestia was worried that she may have hit a sensitive subject until Frank looked back to her and sighed. “Like my arm submerged in hot liquid metal burning the outer skin before merging into my arm as well as the sensation of tiny needles that were stabbing the nerves of my arm by the time my brain registered it became overwhelming as I hit the ground, and everything just went dark and I was unable to move.” Responded Frank as this caused the royal sisters cover their mouths in shock by the description as he looked amused by their reaction.

“Shocking isn’t it, but that was the least of my problems. Because what happened next after acquiring this gauntlet is what changed my life. But before I begin is there a spell that could tell whether an individual is telling the truth or not?”

Said Frank as both princesses raise an eyebrow at his question. “There is but is it really necessary? Me and my sister do believe what you are saying.” Asked Luna to which Frank nodded his head. “Let’s just say that what I am about to tell you two may sound unbelievable and the last thing I want is for you to think that I am lying, when I am telling the truth.”

Though Celestia and Luna were unsure about this they soon agreed as Celestia horn lit up as she then signaled Frank to continue.

“Alright, now where to begin? Oh, that is right. After walking up as a new being and later went back home, I was then attacked by a strange looking biped in black armor as it generated an energy sword from its hand and tried to slice me open. I dodged the attacks before delivering a right hook to its head however I mistakenly used too much force and ended up decapitating it. As the creature laid their dead, I was horrified at one I had done for I had never killed anything, but that soon faded when a while ball of energy appeared from its body as it then flew towards my hand and soon a memory was being played within the confines of my mind the memories of the creature that attacked me. I had learned that the creature was sent to retrieve something called the Omega gauntlet and bring back to its master the warlord called Kane an alien from beyond the stars who spent his entire life conquering planets as well as enslaving every single race within them.”

Celestia and Luna went wide eyed upon hearing sure for they had never expected to hear of a warlord from beyond the stars and one that was enslaving worlds. Luna was a bit skeptical from the human store, but after noticing that the spell her sister had activated had not reacted to the human’s words meaning that he was indeed telling the truth.

“I know it shocked me as well, but what happened next is what really made things difficult for me. For you see the Omega gauntlet is an ancient relic that contains the powers of various celestial beings that once protected all life in the galaxy those who wield it would possess the powers of the old guardians as well as gain more power from those that were defeated.”

“Those that were defeated? What do you mean by that?” asked Celestia as Frank raised his metal arm and formed a blade of energy from his hand surprising the two before it dissipates as he lowered his arm.

“I gain a new ability or attribute from anyone I defeat or kill because of this I gained the assassins ability and it also explains why Kane was after it. Once he had learned that his assassin was killed, he soon sent his generals to scour the planet to retrieve it by any means necessary as his generals started attacking various parts of the world endangering the lives of many innocent people who lived there. My sister who was a military soldier was fighting alongside army against the alien attack when they arrived in my hometown of Jersey, it was there that the infantry was pinned as my sister and her platoon were about to be annihilated until I intervened. You may be asking why I was not fighting with them, well to tell you the truth I was scared, knowing that a being like me would be detained if I reveal myself to the world, but after I heard my sister was fighting them and was losing badly, that is when I got involved. The most precious thing to me in this life was my family and I could not allow my sisters life to end by some alien and his minions, but when I came to save her, I was horrified from what happened to her. My sister had a bloody wound on her side after being shot by one the invaders and was near close to death if I had not stepped in it was at that moment that something within me took over something that I have not felt in a long time as I unleashed my rage onto the invaders. One by one they were taken down as bodied filled the streets, yet when more of the came more they would soon meet their end as I would find myself in an all-out crusade against the invaders and with every general, I kill the stronger I became. For I was not going to stop until every invader paid the price for harming my sister.”

Frank stops there as the royal sisters were in awe at the story Luna felt moved by how his love for his sister is what drove him to fight the invaders, however Celestia did notice something was bothering Frank as he trembled a bit as he took a deep breath to calm himself down. “And what became of Kane?” Asked Celestia to which Frank closed his eyes not saying a thing before opening them and facing the two rulers with a neutral expression.

“Once all his generals were dead, he sent the last of his minions for one last invasion as he and his men arrived at New York City there we meet face to face before doing battle. However, Kane was much stronger than I thought, I could not tell you how many times he had overpowered me through all my abilities it was no wonder he was called a warlord. I soon learned that he was a celestial being that became power hungry after gaining power beyond his understanding as he then killed his fellow celestials to gain their power only for it to be sealed within the gauntlet. And as I laid on the ground broken, he started to laugh at how fun this fight was getting as if it were some sick game to him as he proceeded to tell me that he will take what was rightfully his and after that he would blow up the planet. Once I heard those worlds my rage had skyrocketed to a whole new level as I proceeded to beat him to a bloody pulp my fists bashing him all over his body before delivering a glowing white right punch to his chest as the force of that punch was enough to destroy his entire body leaving nothing behind but ashes as I later collapse on the ground before fading into unconsciousness. Once I realized what had happened, I knew right then and there that I had one as the invaders soon surrendered and were rounded up by the army and it was finally over.”

“That was amazing you were able to go against a being far more powerful than you and instead of accepting defeat you stood back up and fought with every last breath to destroy the leader and end the invasion.” Said an overly excited Luna who was smiling at the human’s victory against a tyrant as Celestia was doing the same. “Your people must have praised you for your incredible feet of heroism against Kane and his invaders.”

However, this made Frank look away as his neutral expression turned dark as the sisters took notice of this. “Yes, they did praise me for stopping Kane, but not everyone had that same mind set. Once my people’s government had learned about me, they soon mobilize their soldiers to have me imprisoned and would later brand me as a threat to all of humanity.”

“THEY DID WHAT?!!!!” said both rulers in the Canterlot voice as they stood out of their thrones as the entire castle shook by their loud voice as Frank was lucky enough to cover his ears before it could do any damage to his ears. “Why in Equestria would they want to have you imprisoned? You stopped the invaders, their leader, and prevented the planet from being destroyed.” Said an angry Celestia. “How could your people just turn on you like that? You are a hero not a villain.” Said Luna who was also enraged.

“True but it’s because of what I did that made the government want to imprison me. You see humans have a tendency of fearing those that they do not understand the citizens saw me as a hero yeah, but the government saw me as something terrifying. I was able to knock a battleship from the sky, destroy a monster the size of a skyscraper, and even took down a being that was deemed a god to the galaxy. To them I was a monster one that should be locked in a cage so that people of earth could sleep well knowing that a potential threat is detained and will not harm a single soul of course that is what some of them believe. Others just wanted to lock me up just to their hands on my blood thinking that they can replicate others just like me once I found that out I was forced to got on the run as the military started chasing me all around the world leaving my family behind while they branded me as a monster to the whole world. For many months I have been running as the government sent soldiers after me some I tried to avoid while others I was forced to fight once people started to get hurt in the crossfire of course I would later find myself being surrounded by them when I tried to hide in the woods. For a moment I thought that it was over for me as I had no where else to go until out of nowhere a portal appeared before me pulling me in and that’s when I woke up in the ruins of that old castle.”

Celestia and Luna were still shocked to hear that the one that had saved his people was then branded as a monster by those in the military all because they feared what he was capable of. This effected Luna as she understood how it felt to be a monster when she became nightmare moon and how some till this day see her as that even after being cleansed of her darker half with the help of the elements of harmony. Celestia could understand why some would view him as a monster due to the power that he possessed, but after coming into contacts to him and after listening to her story she realized that the being before her was a misunderstood hero who was treated poorly by leaders who feared him when he could have been a man who inspire hope to his people.

“So now you know everything. I was honestly afraid to tell you both anything since I was not sure how you would both react to someone like me. After all you did see what I was capable back in ponyvile as for what happens next, I leave that decision to the both of you.” Said Frank though a part of his tone began to tremble as small tear began to roll down his eyes as this made the princesses cover their mouths in worry as Frank tried to hide his pain. “Though to be honest I was hoping to live here since I am no longer welcomed on earth, but I cannot really do that without the approval of the royal sisters. But if the answer is no, then I could just….”

Frank was cut off as he was hugged by the two princesses as they wrap their arms around him as well as their wings as leaving feeling confuse at the sudden act.

“After what you did for my subjects and my former student I would crazy not to let you stay. You are a hero Frank one that deserves our gratitude for saving our ponies.” Said Celestia as she hugged him by his right side. “We know what is like to be treated as a monster we understand how thou feels Mr. McCloud. Thou’s people may call thee a monster, but we see you for what thee truly are, a hero.” Said Luna who was speaking in the old Canterlot tongue as she hugged his left side.

Frank did not know what to say in a situation like this what could he say soon the tears began to fall from his eyes for the first time in many months he cried letting out all the pain he had suffered I the loving embrace of the royal sisters. As the tears began to subside, he then uttered a single phrase as they held onto him tightly.

“Thank you…”

Author's Note

this took the longest for me and to proof read hope you guys like it and stay tune for the next part.