Carter stood atop a tall, snowy mountain that peeked over Equestria’s horizon. His black cloak rested over the top of his body, his hood masking his face with a dark shadow.

The winter weather came in hard over the mountains, layering icy snow all around the top of the rocky mass. The might of the season had hit it's peak, making it difficult to traverse through the harsh climate. But even as each of the snowflakes fell on top of his clock, the stallion stood tall, determined to rid Equestria of this unknown evil.

As the red stallion peered across the vast lands in front of him with a content look in his eyes, he heard the sound of paws stepping through the thick snow behind him. Four timberwolves made their way atop the mountain’s peak. They all approached him with slow, cautious steps, each of them surrounding him and gathering in a circular formation. Carter turned to look at their leader. The familiar scar that ran along her eye gave him flashbacks of their attack at Fluttershy’s cottage. Carter and the alpha timberwolf looked upon each other, nodding to the other as a formal greeting. The alpha timberwolf gave off a low growl, getting closer to the ground as if she would attack. The others did the same, following the alpha with each of her movements.

“First things first. I apologize for what I did to all of you that night. I realize that it was wrong of me to try and kill you. You were only searching for a means of food.” Carter said, keeping his posture tall and orderly. "I understand that you are all primal creatures, which I now accept." The alpha wolf lowered her back towards the ground, now aware that he meant no harm. She gestured to the others to lower their guard, knowing that the two species were at a ease with each other, not seeking a battle.

“And you were only protecting your friends. We would have done the same. We were both just at the wrong ends of the relationship, but starting now, we are in union with you, dear stallion.” The alpha turned to her pack. “We all received your message from the one named Flint Masters. You seek aid in battle, do you not?”

“I do. I know it is rather rude of me to ask for your help with such a dangerous task, and I know that I have nothing to give you in return, but you are the best chance I have at beating this creature. I hear that your species has very excellent skills in hunting.” Carter stated, speaking with a calm tone and lively complements hoping to win over the timberwolves.

“We are known to have exceptional skills, yes. Once we find our prey, we do not lose it unless one of us is in jeopardy of dying.” The alpha said. Carter smirked, knowing that he had allies in this fight. “We know that you have nothing as payment, but we will fight with you nonetheless. As long as there is a threat to Equestria, it is our concern just as much as it is yours.”

“I appreciate this very much.” Carter said. To the right of the alpha, another timberwolf came and took a step closer to Carter. He looked at the alpha wolf, waiting for her to let him speak. She nodded towards her fellow timberwolf and he took a couple more steps towards the alicorn before speaking.

“There was another creature who wanted to aid you.” He said, a more grumbled voice revealing itself.

“Really? Who is it?” Carter inquired. The stallion hadn't the fondest idea, but was found rather excited, nonetheless.

“It was an anaconda. He found us traveling up the mountains in search of you. When we explained to him our reasoning for traveling, he was determined to come with us and help you on your quest.” The wolf held his right paw out towards Carter and revealed a green snake traveling up its back.

Conda?

“Hello, Carter.” The snake said.

“Conda, what are you doing here?” Carter asked. He stared at the anaconda with a raised eyebrow, perplexed by the uncanny series of events that led this snake to him.

“I am here to help you with your tas-s-sk.” Conda slithered off of the timberwolf’s back and came up right under Carter’s chin. The snake looked up to the alicorn, his black, beady eyes giving off a subjective cuteness to his presence. “You s-s-saved me and Flutters-s-shy from the wolves-s-s, s-s-so I only find it fair that I help protect you.” The snake smiled, flicking it's tail back and forth. "Cons-s-sider it my payment."

“I am owed nothing in return, Conda. But if you would still like to help out, that would be greatly appreciated.” Carter said, giving off a small smirk. "The choice is yours."

“I would be honored to aid you in battle. It would give me great joy knowing that my parent’s-s-s death was-s-s not in vain. I want to make them proud.” Conda spoke, nodding his head a few times in the middle of his speech.

“Very well.” Carter said, holding his hoof out towards the snake. “Welcome to the team, Conda.” The anaconda flicked its tongue in excitement and crawled up onto Carter’s body starting at his hoof. Conda mounted himself on Carter’s back and held his head high. “Alright. If it isn’t too much to ask, do you wolves have names?” The stallion looked to the timberwolves, awaiting some sort of reply. The alpha stepped forward, striking a heroic stance as she stood tall in front of her companions.

“I am Gaea, the leader of this pack. The one who revealed the snake to you is Cronus, my brother, and the other two wolves to my left are Theia and Hyperion." As she listed them off, they lowered their head to the ground, resembling a bow of sorts. "We are at your command, Carter. Anything you say or go shall be done.”

“What is it you plan on doing?” Theia asked.

“I don’t know exactly where this creature lurks within Tartarus, but I do know that it is somewhere there. It is our job to locate it and fight it.” Carter said. “Now, with that said, we mustn’t kill it unless the situation proves it to be absolutely necessary. Princess Twilight has made it clear that death will not be advised when it comes to vanquishing evil in Equestria. We must eliminate it as a threat, but not as a whole. Understood?”

“Understood, sir.” Gaea said. The other timberwolves nodded in agreement with their new leader. Carter turned towards the brimstone gate that stood in front of them. Their journey was close to beginning and the evil that laid just behind the doors felt evermore present the closer they got. As Carter peered over the mountain peek, he lifted his hoof and pulled his hood away from his face.

“We mustn’t fail. If we do, it may be the end of Equestria as we know it.”

The group made their way down the snow-covered mountain and proceeded towards the gate that contained Tartarus. The vicious weather proved to be a difficulty to overcome while they descended the steep terrain, but nothing they couldn't handle. While the red stallion resorted to finding rocks to step on in order to prevent a catastrophic fall to his death, the timberwolves had a rather easier time descending the mountain, using their sharp claws to keep themselves in place while they slid down.

Carter, leading the others down the path, looked off into the distance. He felt an unusual nervousness wipe over him, making him feel like something was wrong. The evil creature within the dark city may have proven to be more real than he would like to admit, as the feelings that overcame him radiating from the mere sight of the gates gave off an otherworldly vibe.

The troublesome journey down the mountain eventually came to a close once the group was able to completely see the gate of Tartarus. Its brimstone features laid across the doors, strange sketches engraved into the gate, resembling some sort of story. The picture resembled some sort of army fighting off a giant black mass that seemed to devourer all it touched. Unable to be deciphered, Carter still felt connected. The shape of the black mass felt almost familiar to him. He shook away the feeling, turning his attention back at the task at hand.

As they made their way closer to the gate, Carter realized that there were no guards protecting the entrance. This was rather unsettling, as he was sure that they’d have some means of defense while trying to enter. He knew that Twilight would've had them lined up in numbers on end. The timberwolves took note of this as well, sniffing out the area and trying to track down any other signs of nearby life. They expected to pick up a scent fairly quickly, but found themselves sniffing around for quite some time.

“We can’t pick up any scent.” Hyperion said, looking around for tracks, scents, anything. Nothing gave off any clues.

“No pony, or any creature for that matter, has made their way around this area for a while.” Cronus added, lifting his head and directing his comment more towards the alpha.

This is rather odd. I was sure that Twilight would have at least a couple soldiers scattered about to protect something as dangerous as this. If this isn't the case... Damn. How long has this been happening?

While the timberwolves continued sniffing around for any clues, Carter and Conda proceeded towards the door. He stepped closer to itz feeling an intense hear radiate from the gate. Once he was close enough to it, the red alicorn lifted his hoof out and pushed against the gates. A held back scream nearly erupted from Carter’s lungs as his hoof ignited into flames. Without a moment of hesitation, Carter drove his burning hoof into the snow beneath him in an attempt to cool the appendage. A heavy sigh came out of the stallion as he felt his hoof slowly lose the heat that damaged him greatly, steam escaping from the melting snow. He stomped on the ground with it, making sure that it was still usable. The pain in his hoof was a bit more than he hoped for, but was still a viable means of getting around.

“They really don’t want anyone even near this-s-s place.” Conda said. The timberwolf pack ran to Carter after hearing his cry of pain. They looked up at the brimstone gate that stood before them. They looked around for any signs of getting through, but found nothing resembling a lever or crank.

“How do we plan on getting through?” Theia inquired. She looked up and searched for anything that could open the gates. Carter focused his vision on a strange indent within the gates. Near the middle was a strange rune-like sketch within the brimstone exterior. Carter sighed to himself as it all made sense. He cursed to himself in silence.

“It’s a magical door. Only magic beings can open the door… at least, without getting hurt.” Carter said. He was ticked off, knowing that if he had known magic of any kind then perhaps he could get through. It felt as though one door would open yet another would appear, delaying the inevitable.

“I don’t suppose you know the spell to open the door, do you?” Gaea asked, keeping her eyes focused on the rune.

“I don’t know any magic.” Carter admitted. “However, it opens like any normal door. If we can find a way to open it physically without getting burned, then we might still have a chance.”

“But how?” Hyperion asked. “If what you’re saying is true, then how are we to open this? None of us are exactly fireproof.” Carter didn't want to admit it, but he figured that the timberwolves had a point. Perhaps this was a lost cause. To turn back no, so close to the start.

“No, not us. But we have our ways.” Carter said. He looked down at his satchel and grinned, an intelligent plan appearing in his brain. He threw it off of his body and held it out in front of him. A heavy breath of preparation escaped his mouth as he ran towards the gates of Tartarus. He pushed against the heavy doors with his hooves against his satchel, hearing the sizzling of burnt fabric coming from the other side of him.

Though his means of carrying items was burning rather quickly, the gate did prove to be opening with every step Carter took. The timberwolves noticed this and all lined up behind Carter. They lifted their front paws and pushed against the gates along with the red stallion. In a matter of seconds, Carter and the timberwolves were able to successfully open the gates, revealing the inner sanctums of Tartarus.

Carter looked down at his smouldering satchel. The side that absorbed all of the heat was left with only a thin layer of fabric keeping it together, a couple of small holes appeared around it like swiss cheese. He rubbed it around in the snow to cool it off before the whole thing fell apart.

Damn. I liked this thing. Maybe I can get Rarity to fix it? Either way, that'll have to wait.

“Good thinking, Carter.” Gaea said. “A nice way to save yourself from turning into a pile of coal.”

“We must keep moving. I still believe that the absence of any guards proves that something is wrong.” Carter stated.

“I agree.” Theia said. “I was thinking the same thing. It is unwise for the princess to leave this place unguarded.”

“Let’s get moving.” Carter ordered. The timberwolves followed closely behind the red alicorn, quickly making their way into the hellish landscape that was Tartarus. The world around them, though daunting at first glance, seemed almost too peaceful. No one was anywhere to be found. It felt empty. The atmosphere gave off the feeling of an evil presence watching them with every step they took. The intense hear that filled the area forced the creatures to sweat hard, sending beads of the salty liquids to the floor beneath them and evaporating on contact.

Many cages were found scattered around the place, looking as though they were once holding individual evils that once brought havoc upon Equestria and its citizens. They were all closed, not posing any concern to Carter that anything escaped.

“I am quite s-s-sus-s-specious-s-s, Carter.” Conda said, wiping the sweat from his brow with his tail.

“You said s like twelve times in that one word.” Carter said, laughing to himself.

“Carter, I am s-s-serious-s-s. I find it very dis-s-sturbing that there are no guards-s-s to be found anywhere.”

“I know, Conda. Just keep your eyes on a swivel. I don’t actually believe that we are the only ones here.” Carter keeped his focus behind him. “I can feel someone else. Someone… gah!” He fell to the ground, placing his hoof against his forehead.

“Carter, what is going on?” Gaea asked. “Are you feeling ok?”

“Just another… vision. Shouldn’t… take too long. Grr!” Carter said, fighting through the moderate pain that followed with every vision he endured. After a few moments the stallion was back on his hooves, looking to his right. Something was off.

“Carter, what did you see?” Gaea asked.

“I sense something unpleasant.” Carter replied. “It appears that whatever came into Tartarus did so long ago. Yet even then, it's presence stays within these walls without Twilight’s knowledge. I fear that this creature, whatever it is, has used Tartarus as a secret base of sorts.”

“What did your vision tell you?” Cronus inquired.

“We go right, down the hallway. If we do then it should give us the answers we seek.”

The group shifted directions, heading down a darkened tunnel, brightened by only a few torches along the walls. Carter and Conda surveyed the area in front of them while the timberwolves stayed in the rear, analyzing the surrounding areas in search of any clues. The extreme heat began to irritate the wolves, but Carter kept going without a hint of displeasement, having gone through this sort of thing multiple times back on Earth during various training regiments in extreme temperatures.

The hallway, though quite a bit longer than anyone could expect, eventually came to a dead end. Everyone was confused, especially Carter. If they were supposed to go this way then they should’ve expected to see something that would let them continue forward.

“Perhaps we missed something?” Theia questioned.

“Not likely. We would’ve noticed something if it was in our view.” Gaea said. “I wonder if it is hiding in secret.”

“How would this creature be hiding in Tartarus of all places without anyone knowing?” Hyperion inquired.

While the timberwolves questioned each other’s decisions, Carter and Conda proceeded towards the wall at the end of the hallway. Despite seeming like there was no way forward, Carter was sure that his vision was correct. He surveyed the wall, looking for anything that could help them. He placed his hooves against each individual brick, wondering if one of them would set off a chain reaction of machines that would reveal a secret entrance. To no avail, he continued searching.

Carter stopped himself after placing his hoof on one distinct portion of the bricks. The clopping sound that came from his hoof making contact with the brick wall echoed throughout what could only be interpreted as a giant open area on the other side of the wall. He smirked, knowing that he had figured out how to get past. He looked around for something big to help him break down the wall, but there was anything he could hold to aid him.

“Conda, get behind me.” Carter ordered.

“What are you planning to do?” The green snake inquired, making his way towards Carter’s backside. Carter said nothing more, balancing himself with his two back hooves and pulling his right forehoof back. The timberwolves looked at him, wondering if he had gone crazy. With much ferocity, Carter threw his hoof out at the wall. His hoof made contact, sending intense waves of pressure through his front arm. He pulled his hoof back, shaking it a few times to relieve the pain. He gritted his teeth, moderate irritation inflicted upon his hoof.

“What are you doing?” Conda inquired. The anaconda was in a loss for words. Nothing Carter was doing seemed even remotely necessary for the task at hand.

Not enough power. How can I get through?

Carter took a step back and placed his front hooves behind him. He moved his hind legs forward and took a stance. With the same energy as last time, he lifted both his hind hooves and threw them out in the style of a buck, similar to the one Applejack taught him. The boney appendages crashed into the wall, this time leaving an evident crack in the middle of the brick-made structure. Carter let his hooves fall back to the ground before turning towards the cracked wall.

The group took a step back, watching the cracks in the wall continuously grow in size, spidering outward. It eventually stopped once it enveloped the entirety of the dark bricks. Within a couple seconds the wall came crashing to the ground, crumbling itself into many smaller pieces of rock. Dust and dirt flew up into a cloud of smoke, surrounding the group and making it difficult to see the result of their efforts.

The dust cleared in time, revealing a giant hole in the wall that led into an entirely different, unexplored part of Tartarus. The new area looked rather worn down and destroyed compared to the ever hellish landscape seen beforehand. The look of the new area gave off an unwelcoming vibe, making Carter feel as though there was a reason that it was left blocked off. They could tell that no one stepped foot in this place for years... until recently.

“Well… that worked.” Hyperion said, staring at the gaping hole with a boggled expression. He let out a small chuckle, shaking his head after he fully processed Carter's actions. His ways of dealing with literal walls in his life, albeit unorthodox, seemed to work everytime.

“Let's continue forward.” Carter said, keeping his eyes focused on the surrounding area, looking for the creature. He dared not lower his guard, keeping himself occupied with the task.

The timberwolves followed Carter and Conda into the new Tartarus. Nothing, not even cells that held evil creatures were found from where they could see. They thought that it was strange that there were no guards or anything in the other room, but this place felt like the epitome of empty. It was what Carter considered to be the cliche “Quiet… too quiet.”

The red alicorn found himself turning his attention towards a giant stone sculpture of three alicorns. Their stoic stances gave off an image of high respect and authority. They seemed to be the early rulers of Equestria, striking a rather strong resemblance to Celestia and Luna.

The first one on the left was a darker stallion, clad in golden armor and with the cutie mark of the stars along his rump. The second, standing in the middle, was a bright mare, white as day while her outline resembled more of an orange color tone. She too was clad in golden armor, though instead had a galaxy like the milky way as her cutie mark. Finally, the stallion on the right was a much taller, skinnier creature. His green color scheme gave off a rather contrasting tone compared to the other two ponies, who they themselves seemed to complement each other. He looked as though he dressed himself with nature, woven leaves and twigs covering his body.

Carter looked down at an old piece of parchment resting atop a wooden post. The stallion walked towards it and focused his eyes upon the text written along faded lines. Perhaps it would give him the next clue he needed in order to find this creature.

Does thine proud leaders, triumphant and glorious as can be, stand tall over the vast outskirts of Tartarus. It is here that any and all evil shall be damned to an eternity of exile. Under thine proud and just leadership thou hast provided us with, our lords shall reign over all ye who pursue anything but unity.
King Cosmos, thou black master of the stars. Originating as a humble unicorn, he brings forth thine bright dots in the sky to represent images of things big and small in hopes that thou could enlighten his subjects in dire times. King Cosmos also controls the weather, keeping harsh environments far away from us.
Queen Galaxia, thou keeper of the void. Her interest with space as a young pegasus foal granted her the immeasurable power to keep away debris from space that would otherwise harm the very existence of our lands. It is by her hooves that we live each day in peace. She raises the sun and moon each day, gifting us with the beauty found in thine bright days and luminous nights.
Our most grand ruler, King Terra, commands thou soil of the lands. It is through his connection with the earth ever since his days as a humble earth pony that our crops grow and flourish. He aids the land by devising new ways of living, advancing our race further into the future with each day that goes by.
It is by the power of the Unity Stone that we unite thine three races and hopefully damn the wendigos from ever feeding upon our hatred and anger ever again. While our three species clash against one another, I seek hope. It is written that if the Unity Stone were to ever be wielded in the wrong hooves, all of Tartarus will be unleashed upon us. It is by this that we fight for our kind and our land, in hope that we will one day rise above our differences, banish evil, and unleash our true potential once and for all. Most have given up, but thine hope will never diminish.

Carter found himself rather intrigued by the message. His mind was filled with a vivid picture of an early Equestria. It was interesting to know that earth ponies, pegasi, and unicorns alike used to at one point separate themselves from each other. It reminded him of Earth; the human race found separated by their differences instead of accepting them and adapting to the situation.

“They were once split? The ponies?” Carter asked.

“Yes. It was many moons ago that three brave ponies overcame the evils of the wendigos through friendship and saved their entire species. Under the new rule of Celestia and Luna, the ponies have lived in harmony because of them.” Gaea explained.

“But now that evil has seemingly appeared to exact revenge upon them, it would seem that this so-called harmony might not stay.” Theia commented.

“What was this Unity Stone?”

“Don’t look at us. We have never heard of such a power.” Hyperion stated.

It's so interesting to see so many similarities between the ponies and the humans. Perhaps I have seen things through the eyes of an infant for far too long. Friendship of all things giving us power? Ha! I would've never guessed. Yet, even then, it makes sense.

Carter, lost in his own mind, simply shrugged it off and turned around, but not before taking the piece of parchment and placing it inside of his burnt up satchel, thinking that Twilight might want to read it when he returns. If she knew about the Unity Stone, then perhaps it could help him get back to Earth. But that would have to wait.

“Uh… Carter! You might want to see this!” Gaea said, pointing her paw out towards a giant structure made entirely out of iron bars that stood just beyond a giant lava river. Within said bars encapsulated thousands of near-dead ponies. The exhausted, dried out beings cried out for help, begging to be set free. The cries that reverberated within Tartarus sounded just like the ones Carter heard in his visions.

Carter knew he was close. Upon oberserving the area, there was a giant ball of black crystals that expelled numerous amounts of dark tentacles, each one leaching themselves onto different victims at random times, sucking the limited life out of their bodies. As each victim watched the tentacles search for a new target, they prayed to Celestia in hopes that it wouldn’t be them next in line.

“Is this what we are looking for?” Hyperion asked.

“That is the machine, yes. I cannot find the one responsible, though.” Carter stated. “Keep your eyes peeled. From this point on we are being watched. I have a strong feeling that it won't continue to be this easy.”

The group ran over to the cell, crossing over a tedious bridge that granted access over the lava river. The creaking from the wood that echoed throughout all of Tartarus with each step they took gave off an unnerving feeling of peril. With patience the group soon found themselves on the other side of the bridge, safe and sound. Sighs of relief escaped the different creatures as they proceeded towards the machine.

Carter walked over to the giant black crystal ball that loomed above him. He looked straight at it with content, searching it for a while, trying to identify any means of disabling its destructive capabilities. He found no means of turning the machine off, so he decided to go with Plan B: break it.

“You there, young stallion!” Carter turned his head over his shoulder, revealing an old grey mare, laying on the ground with her decrepit limbs out in front of her. “It has been a while since anyone has found us!” Her voice sounded needy, almost reaching out for help by itself. “Will you free us?”

Carter said nothing, looking up at the machine again. His heart wanted him to comfort her, but he assumed that they would be caught at any moment.

“Please, dear boy! We have been stuck here for moons on end. We just want to see our families again! Please… please let us out!!!”

The red alicorn found a vial of black energy located near the center of the machine. It had small notches that measured the amount of energy. However, to Carter’s surprise, it wasn’t measured in standard ounces or pounds, but rather years. The energy had just hit the fifteen year mark.

It suddenly hit him. All of it, in an instant, suddenly made sense to him. Looking back at all of the ponies held within their respective cages gave him enough information to work around. His eyes widened in horror, appalled by what the truth had revealed to him.

Fifteen years! It has really been fifteen years since they have been outside of Tartarus!? How the hell has nopony found out about this!?

Carter was at a loss for words, his jaw left agape. He tried to fathom an explanation as to how they have lived in agony for so long. Everyday he lived in Equestria felt like, in his words, shit got more intense.

“We must destroy this thing!!!” Carter shouted with an intense volume, startling the timberwolves and Conda. He took notice of this, shaking his head and trying to calm his sudden rage.

“Carter, your eyes! They are green!” Gaea shouted, pointing to the stallion’s iris’. Carter took a step back in shock. His eyes have always been normal, except for the time he was corrupted by the Darth Spawn.

Wait a minute!

Carter looked up at the blakc crystal again, analyzing its features. Without any warning, many images fogged his mind, filling his brain with visions yet again. This time, he saw the IFRE leader standing in front of him. Carter’s body was strapped onto a metal table.

“Damnit, Samuel! This is not you; the Samuel I know would never do something like this!”

“Something like this? Carter, my dear friend, this is the future. The Darth Spawn wants what it wants, and what it wants is what it shall receive. Now, if you could just stand still, I will now be injecting the Darth Spawn inside of you.”

“No, no. Fuck you, Samuel. Stop this right now!”

“Shut up and stand still, Carter. You may feel the need to kill people on sight, don’t worry, that is why we test things.”

“No! No no no no no… no! Fuck!”
Carter snapped back into reality. Looking back at the black crystal, it was evident that it was the one thing that Carter dreaded more than anything else. It was the Darth Spawn. Sitting atop the machine in its former glory, Carter could feel its dark energy slowly corrupt his mind. He was now determined to destroy the machine and the Darth Spawn, not just to free the ponies, but to stop himself from turning into a bloodthirsty beast like last time. He knew that if it were to happen to him yet again, the results would be exponentially worse.

Carter would hear the voice corrupt him yet again, feeding him vile thoughts and corrosive feelings. He pushed them all aside, focusing his full attention on the machine.

“Conda, I need you to group up with the timberwolves. I can’t let you stick with me.” Carter ordered.

“Why? Carter, I am nervous-s-s. What is-s-s happening?” Conda inquired timidly, pulling his head in closer to the rest of his body.

“This thing corrupts all who touch it. If anything happens to me... I can’t let the same thing happen to you.” Carter explained.

“Ok… if you in-s-ssis-s-st.” Conda slithered off of Carter’s body and traveled up Hyperion’s, climbing up his legs and resting on top of his back.

“What is it you are choosing to do to stop it, Carter?” Gaea asked.

“I have to destroy it. There is nothing I can do to stop it, not physically. I think I just have to destroy it.”

“Ok. Just, be careful.” Theia said.

Carter nodded to the timberwolves before turning towards the Darth Spawn and wrapping his hooves around it. He lifted with his hind legs, forcing the machine out of the ground. As the machine lost its power, the black tentacles that were sucking the energy out of the ponies no faded, restoring all of their strength. Carter continued to lift the machine out of the ground, and with no time wasted, it was completely in his grasp. He made his way over to the lava river, staring down upon it with a menacing look.

All right, you son of a bitch. Your reign of terror ends here.

Carter lifted the machine over his head and threw it over his body, watching it fall into the lava below. The machine exploded into a multitude of different pieces, sending them all towards different directions. Carter just stood on the edge, watching the havoc and destruction of the vile machine fade to nothing. He felt all of the dark energy leave his body, letting him know that the Darth Spawn was no more. Content with what he saw, he proceeded to turn back towards the others, knowing that victory was with him.

A sudden pain shot through him, rendering him immobile. Carter fell to the floor, shutting his eyes closed as he fought through the pain, shouting to the others for help. When he opened his eyes, he saw that Conda and the timberwolves were in a similar situation. A blue aura surrounded them all, the rays of the magic all pointing to a blue ram with a black bell of sorts connected to a golden chain which dangled from his neck.

“Grogar!” Carter shouted, knowing the name from Twilight’s stories of Equestrian past. His senses kicked into overdrive, understanding just how much of a threat Grogar proved to be during his reign of terror.

“You have been just a real pain, you know that?” The ram said, pulling the stallion closer to him with his magic. “What’s wrong, little colt? Did you think that unicorns were the only ones capable of wielding magical powers?”

“You bastard! I should’ve guessed.” Carter muttered under his breath, staring down at the blue ram with a vengeful look in his eyes. "You best be damn lucky that I am not looking for trouble, or else I'd have your head rest upon my fireplace."

“But how could you? I have the magic, not you! You are a mere fool if you think that you can take down the likes of me.” Grogar said, taunting the red alicorn.

Carter looked over at the others, watching as the timberwolves all whimpered in pain. He hated seeing them in distress, grunting to himself. With dark emotions filling his mind, the stallion erupted in a violent rage, forcing his hoof towards Grogar’s face. It connected with much force, putting the blue ram in a dazed state, breaking the spell that he had set around them.

The timberwolves all got up and growled at Grogar, who was still recovering from the painful punch that Carter dealt to him. They went in for the attack, but Carter stopped them before they could act. They turned their attention to him.

“You guys need to leave, his magic is too powerful.” Carter looked for a way out, but there was none in sight. “You four, go and protect the other ponies. Don’t let a single one of them die! Conda, you need to group up with me. I can't do this alone.” The timberwolves all nodded, running over to regroup near the cages. They turned their backs, protecting the ponies inside of their imprisonment.

Grogar saw this take place and shot out blue magic to stop them. Carter intervened before the spell could take full effect, jumping on top of Grogar, having Conda wrap around his neck and forcing him to the ground. Carter landed three successful hooks to his face before the ram used a shockwave of magic to push Carter and Conda off of him. Carter landed on his hooves and readied himself for another attack. Conda luckily landed on Carter's back, holding tightly onto the stallion as he awaited his next move.

It was all too much for the red alicorn to think about. On one hand, he knew that he stood no chance against his magic, but on the other hand, he knew that he had to win or else the ponies behind the iron bars would surely die by Grogar, especially now that he was exposed. He needed to think of a plan and fast.

Carter looked past his enemy and found a rock buried in the ground with steam forcing itself through the cracks. He analyzed it, revealing to him that the rock wanted to shoot itself into the air. It was his only hope of standing a chance against this creature.
If this works, this'll probably be the craziest thing I have ever done.

The moment when Grogar sent his magic out at Carter was the moment Carter made a mad dash towards the ram. The two forces connected, clashing against each other. Carter’s forceful pressure, though his fur was getting burned by the harmful magic beam, proved to be stronger, eradicating the beam all together with a massive blue explosion and forcing the stallion to push the ram onto his side with his shoulder.

Carter gritted his teeth through the pain and took this time to get Grogar right where he wanted him. He grabbed a hold of his hind hooves and flipped Grogar over his head and onto his stomach, landing right on the rock. The loud snap that came from the rock gave Carter the knowledge that it was just about ready to blow. He ran over and grabbed Grogar’s head. He lifted it up and forced it downward. Conda wrapped his body around Grogar's front legs, biding them behind him.

Grogar stopped himself from meeting the ground with his head and flicked his back legs out at Carter in an attempt to kick him away. Carter dodged swiftly away from the attack and wrapped his front legs around the ram. His actions proved to be poorly chosen, however, as Grogar took advantage of him by flipping his body over and forcing Carter onto the bottom position. Conda kept his hold on Grogar, never planning on letting go unless Carter ordered otherwise.

“Give up, boy! Ack! You stand no chance!” Grogar mocked. Conda moved up to his throat, blocking oxygen coming into his lungs.

“Are you sure about that!?” Carter shouted violently. He kicked the rock beneath him and watched his whole body get shot into the air. With Grogar in front of him, he avoided most of the impact that came with forcing his way through Tartarus.

The timberwolves could do nothing but watch as their leader was whisked away by some eruption. The giant hole in the ceiling that lead to the outside world shone upon the ponies, giving them all a sense of hope. The timberwolves were left clueless with what to do now.

“Do we go after them?” Hyperion asked.

“No, we have no way to know where they are!” Theia shouted.

“What do we do, Gaea?” Cronus inquired.

“We do what he says. Protect the ponies.” Gaea stated. “Until he returns, we do not move from this spot.” Though she tried hard to keep calm, there was no denying that this ram was much more than they expected.

Author's Note

Oh shoot. Grogar has arrived!

Epic boss battle coming in the next chapter. Unlike Pinkie Pie's, this one is gonna have a lot more action.

Small side note, this chapter in particular was the last one I revised as many times as I did since "Chapter 8: Want Some More Tea, Mister?" I hope it payed off, because damn, choosing to edit things yourself is difficult at times. I always have moments where I look back and tell myself, "really?"

But yeah, comment and like as always. Thanks for sticking with me through this story!

Peace,

-MCX