I have acquired the necessary tools to vanquish Grogar and his army. However, with the lack of knowledge I have, I am not sure how I can possibly hope to win this war. In order to stand a chance against these creatures, I must seek answers. A small group of friends is said to have survived the attack on the neighboring town of Ponyville, just two miles from where I am currently located. If I am to win this war, I will need to seek their help.

1-9-2024, 4:24 PM

Darkness swept over the vast lands of Equestria, eradicating any and all of the sun’s light. Storm clouds of all sizes filled the sky with their violent streaks of lightning, releasing the booming sounds of thunder which echoed all around the world. Rain poured down along every inch of ground beneath the clouds, dampening the soil with the many liters of water. Without any help from pegasus ponies to keep the weather under control, nature took control of itself, turning the once bright and sunny town of Ponyville into a storm infested war grounds. Many points of interest within the small town were either burnt to the ground as a result of the battle or completely demolished by other means of force. The ones lucky enough to stay together housed those who escaped from Grogar, acting as a bunker for runaway slaves.

Within the borders of Ponyville was nothing but frail, sick and malnourished ponies of all kinds. They all sat next to each other under the roofs of the broken down buildings, each of them sharing small fires for heat and rationing leftover food which they scraped together. Yet even through all of this poverty and depression the inhabitants seemed to get along just fine.

Ponyville was one of the luckier places to be attacked by Grogar and his army when it was, as it was kind of a hit and go type of attack. While major damage was sustained, the number of casualties were kept low, counting up to about only four accounted deaths. Grogar seemed to attack Ponyville for only one reason: simply to capture another city. Unlike the Crystal Empire or the capital city: Canterlot, Ponyville went under Grogar’s radar, as there wasn’t really any real reason for him to claim it. With this in mind, Ponyville was still under the watchful eye of the Ultimate Legion of Doom, so it was still far from a sanctuary of sorts.

Far along the edge of Ponyville was Sweet Apple Acres, the only consistent place where ponies could get food. Because the Apple family, the owners of the farm, had already picked the trees before winter hit, there were plenty of fruits to go around to the citizens of Ponyville. Grogar didn’t even plan on raiding the apple farm’s supply stash, so it was left alone after the attack. Ponies would come from all over Ponyville just to get their daily apple portions, and there were plenty of apples to spare.

Living within the acreage were the only members of the Apple family that had not been captured by the Legion. A stallion with a red coat and a yellow mane was busy passing out apples to needy families while his mate, a pink mare with purple hair, took time to go into the barn and pull out a new box full of apples whenever the current one went empty.

The red stallion looked down at a small filly that had just come next in line. She was a beautiful mare with divine beauty, her cute blue coat and pink mane making her stand out. The stallion took pity on the poor thing, as her right eye was completely swollen shut as the result of a recent injury. She approached the older stallion, patiently waiting for him to give her the apple that she traveled so far to get. The stallion smiled at the filly, reaching over his shoulder and grabbing a fresh apple from the wooden crate beside him. He held it in his hoof and lowered it towards the filly. The little pony took the apple from his hooves and squealed in excitement, thanking him for his generous act.

As the stallion stood on top of his porch, he watched the little filly run off in the distance, no doubt returning home to regroup with her family. The stallion smiled to himself as the feeling of good filled his spirits. He enjoyed watching others smile with hope after receiving something as small as a simple apple because he knew that his simple act of kindness would go towards something greater.

“Big Mac, how are you doing on apples?” The pink mare asked from inside the farmhouse, inquiring about the stallion’s current apple count.

“I should be fine, Sugar Belle. Don’t ya worry about it quite yet.” The stallion replied, looking over at his mate.

“How many more ponies are in line?” She asked.

“That was the last one… at least for now.” The stallion turned around and entered the old farmhouse, opening the creaking door and allowing himself entrance into his home. He closed the door behind him and approached his mate. The mare was busy making spiced apple preserves, mushing the fruits together and mixing them in cinnamon with a small, silver spoon in a plastic tupperware. The stallion came up to her from behind and gently wrapped his foreleg around her neck. She turned her head and the two of them locked eyes. They leaned in towards each other’s face and kissed, the stallion gently rubbing his hoof through her mane in a passionate manner.

“How are you feeling, babe?” The mare asked, ending the kiss as she pulled her lips away from his. The stallion said nothing, only staring at his mate. Though known to be one to speak as little as possible, his silence was abnormal. She could tell that something was bothering him, but he didn’t want to let it show. “Big Mac, what’s wrong?” The stallion’s lip began to quiver, his emotions slowly becoming too much for him to bear. He lost himself and softly cried, hanging his head over the mare’s shoulder for support. The mare teared up herself, hating to see her mate in such a terrible mood. She gave him some time to himself, patting him on the back while she patiently waited for him to process his emotions.

“Sugar Belle, I…” Big Mac sniffled. “I miss them so much. I feel as though they are gone because of me.”

“Oh, Big Mac. It isn’t your fault, don’t you dare put that on yourself.” Sugar Belle said, sympathizing with her lover. “Your job is already so much harder than it once was. Just take each step one at a time, doing the best you can and being the best you that you can be. We will get through this together, I promise.”

“I know, Sugar Belle.” Big Mac pulled his head away from her shoulder and sat down on the wooden floor beneath him. He wrapped his forehooves around her left hoof and stared into her eyes with an indescribable amount of love and commitment towards his mate. “I made a promise to you. On the day that we were married, I promised that I would never leave you. I wanted our love to be the best it could be, and I still want it to be that way. I mean it when I say that I will never leave you, never!”

“I know. You have done more than enough for us, Big Mac.” Sugar Belle said. She moved her head forward and gave him a small kiss on his cheek. “However, your job isn’t just to make sure that everything meets all expectations. You are still just a pony, and we all have to remember that sometimes we do make mistakes. But the loss of…” Sugar Belle’s voice cracked when she thought of her family. She held a hoof to her chest, trying her best not to resort to becoming a blubbering mess. “But the *sniff* loss of Applejack and Apple Bloom is not something you did to them. Grogar has done that to us, and there is nothing we can do now to change the past. What we must do now is think of the future and how we can make it better.” The two ponies hugged it out, pulling themselves together before doing anything else. Once their emotions were calmed, Big Mac stood up and walked over to the kitchen table with Sugar Belle.

“Do you need any help, dear?” Big Mac asked, watching Sugar Belle stir the cinnamon into the apple preserves.

“No, I should be done with this very soon.” She said. “Why don’t you go lay down on the couch and rest. You've earned it.”

“Ok, Sugar Belle.” Big Mac winked at his mate, smiling at her and proceeding towards the soft, pearl white couch at the end of the living room. He leaned down and carefully placed himself atop the couch cushions, lifting his hind hooves up off the ground and resting them along the armrest. Big Mac took a pillow from the ground and placed it underneath his head, resting it against the fluffy cushion. “I love you, Sugar Belle. You know that?” He looked up at the pink mare.

“I love you too, you solicitous farm pony.” Sugar Belle replied, finishing her spiced apple preserves. She lifted the silver spoon once she was done stirring the contents and licked the remnants off of the utensil, setting it on the table once finished. She then took a plastic lid from the nearby drawer and placed it on top of the respective tupperware, sealing the apple treat in its container. Sugar Belle picked up the now concealed preserves and loaded it in the refrigerator. “There we go, now we can have some nice food to look forward to one day.”

“Aren’t you just the best.” Big Mac said, complementing the mare for her resilient work ethic. Sugar Belle smiled, blushing because of his kind words. There was a sturdy knock at the door, alerting the two ponies about somepony’s presence on the other side. “I’ll get it, Sugar Belle.” Big Mac said, jumping off of the couch and heading over to the door.

“Who could it be?” Sugar Belle inquired.

“I don’t know, but it’s probably just another pony looking for something to eat today.” Big Mac replied, shrugging his shoulders. The red stallion grabbed a hold of the handle and opened the door. He had a smile on his face, thinking that he would be greeted by an innocent pony like himself. It wasn’t the case this time. What Big Mac instead found standing in front of him was an unreformed changeling clad in pure black armor, its blue, beady eyes staring him down with anger and pure evil radiating from within its soul.

“Who is it, dear?” Sugar Belle asked. Big Mac stayed silent, refusing to answer her question. He was caught off guard, as the sight of an unreformed changeling meant only one thing: doom.

“Can I help you?” Big Mac said, keeping himself from physically showing his fear. Though he asked the changeling why it was at his doorstep, he already knew why it was here in Ponyville.

“It is true…” The changeling said, growling under its breath.

“Pardon?” Big Mac said, baffled by the changeling’s strange choice of words for an introduction.

“By the orders of Queen Chrysalis, and the supreme leadership of Lord Grogar, you are hereby ordered to abandon this place and come with us immediately. No acceptions.” The changeling said, gritting its teeth at the stallion.

Big Mac was in full protection mode. He knew that the changelings had found out that they were living in Ponyville and away from Grogar’s prison camps. He knew that this moment would soon come, and he was prepared for the worst. With the one hoof he had behind the door he waved at Sugar Belle, signaling for her to get behind the kitchen table. Though he didn’t look back to check for himself, Sugar Belle’s eyes widened in horror. She did exactly as he told her to do, hiding herself from view.

“No. I will not leave this place. It is my home, and as such, I will protect it with my life.” Big Mac said, pushing away the fear that had taken control of him. He stood up, tall and defiant. “Leave my home and return to your queen. You’ll get nothing from me.”

“Oh, that isn’t a question. It’s an order!” The changeling shouted. “You have one warning. Surrender yourself to us right now, or you will be killed on sight.”

“You don’t want this fight.” Big Mac said, looming over the changeling with his well-structured body.

“Alright, that’s it!” The changeling took a stance, but not too long before jumping at the stallion. It grabbed a hold of Big Mac by his throat and pulled a small dagger from its side sheathe. The changeling took the weapon and drove it deep into Big Mac’s side. The stallion shouted in pain stumbling backwards and falling onto the wooden planks within his house.

Sugar Belle jumped after she heard her mate’s body crash against the wooden floor, forcing a squeal out of her. The changeling looked up and found the pink mare hiding behind the wooden table, grinning to itself. It pushed itself off of the stallion’s chest and ran towards Sugar Belle. Big Mac, regaining his senses after shaking his head once, reached out with his forehooves and grabbed the changeling by its hindleg, pulling towards himself and forcing the evil creature onto the floor. Big Mac then got up and sat himself down on the changeling, pressing his body against his enemy’s and forcing it on the ground. Big Mac then lifted his hooves and delivered three successful hooks on the changeling’s face.

The changeling knew that Big Mac’s weight alone would be too much for it to simply push the stallion off of itself, so it waited for an opening. Using one hoof to wipe the blood away from its face, the changeling used the other to land an effective uppercut to the stallion’s jaw. Big Mac’s head whipped back, his mind dazed from the impact of the attack. The changeling took the time to crawl out from under Big Mac and get back on its hooves. It followed up with biting down against Big Mac’s neck and throwing the stallion away from it with a mighty swing.

Big Mac landed on the dirt ground outside of the farmhouse, shaking away the pain and getting back on his hooves. However, he couldn’t get far from where he landed once four other changelings came out of nowhere, grabbing a hold of him and forcing his stomach down on the ground. He struggled to escape their grasp, flailing around in a vain attempt to get up and continue the fight. But even with all of his efforts, their combined strength proved to be just too much for him to overcome. Feeling the stallion flail around only agitated the changelings, one of them going as far as kicking him across the face with its hoof.

Big Mac laid on the ground, persevering through all of the attacks that came from the group of changelings that surrounded him. Kick after kick, punch after punch came at him with no way to protect himself. It came to a point where Big Mac slowly began to lose his senses, his vision growing fuzzy and his lungs filling with the blood from his internal injuries. He coughed up a small bit of blood, finding it more difficult to stay alive after each oncoming attack.

While the stallion was forced down, Big Mac heard the familiar voice of his mate in the distance. Sugar Belle’s screams rang through the air, troubling the stallion. Soon the mare was pulled into view, the solo changeling from before holding its dagger right up against her neck. Big Mac shook violently, demanding them to release her.

“Let her go!” Big Mac shouted, unaware of any other options.

“You should’ve thought about her when you decided to refuse our demands!” The changeling said, yelling at the stallion. “But now you will understand what happens to those who act against the will of our leader!”

“No! Leave her alone!!!” Big Mac pleaded, begging for the changelings to release Sugar Belle unharmed. Yet even after all he had gone through, after all of the pride he gave up just to beg for her life, the changeling stood tall, readying the blade. It would kill Sugar Belle right there in front of Big Mac, using her as a means to teach him about what happens to rebels.

“Big Mac!!!” The mare screamed, shaking violently with fear. Tears poured out of her eyes while she reached out for her mate.

“Sugar Belle!” Big Mac was in no better condition. He too cried out for his love, sweat and blood dripping down his face.

The changeling holding tightly onto Sugar Belle laughed maniacally before raising the blade above its head, ready to spill the mare’s blood onto the dirt beneath them. It pulled its foreleg back, then shifted its weight, lowering the dagger towards Sugar Belle’s body at blazing speeds. The sound of steel driving through flesh echoed around them, followed by silence. Blood was sprayed across the steps that led towards the front door of the farmhouse, trickling down onto the ground.

“Sugar Belle…?” Big Mac whispered the name of his mate from under his breath, unable to comprehend what had just taken place. There was spilt blood, but it wasn’t her's. It was from another body. Sugar Belle’s eyes were as wide as they could be. She heard the sound of cutting flesh, yet she felt no pain. At first she was too scared to look down at the wound that was inflicted upon her body, but the more she waited for the pain to kick in, the less fearful she became. Sugar Belle finally looked down at herself, examining her whole entire being for injuries. She found nothing out of the ordinary… at least, not on her. However, cutting through the flesh of the changeling that had once held her hostage was a strange weapon, the looks of which had never been seen before. They looked like swords, but not standard issue. They looked more like they were used to cut through flesh with ease and cling onto the bones of its victims.

Big Mac looked up at the changeling, feeling beyond relieved to know that his sweet Sugar Belle had lived through this fearsome event. As the mysterious blade was pulled out of the deceased changeling’s stomach, its body fell to the ground, spilling its bodily fluids all over the earth beneath the corpse. Sugar Belle regained control of her breathing and turned around very slowly. The changelings who were holding Big Mac down against the ground all stood up, terrified by the creature standing behind the mare. Each creature, pony and changeling, all looked at the creature with horror in their eyes. A tall, muscular bipedal clad in golden armor stood triumphantly over the dead changeling, a jagged sword held in each of its hands. The angle of its face blocked light from shining down on its eyes, making it seem like the creature was void of any at all. The spilled blood from the changeling clung to its body, spreading itself over its face and armor.

“What the heck are you?” One of the changelings asked, trying to talk normally through its trembling voice.

“It depends.” The creature said, moving nothing but its lips. Its voice was lower than most others, sounding almost foriegn. “I can either be considered your best friend, or your worst nightmare.” The creature lifted its head, letting the light from the sun shine across its face. It was a human male with a scar in the shape of a lightning bolt running across his left eye. He furrowed his brow, gritting his teeth and clenching his fists.

“What do you want?” Another changeling inquired.

“What I want is for you to make a choice.” The man looked over at Sugar Belle, the stern glare in his eyes staying so as he eyed the mare. He gestured away from himself, telling her to back away. She did just that, tripping over her own hooves as she wrapped around the side of the farmhouse. Big Mac was allowed to stand, and once he did he immediately ran towards Sugar Belle’s position, running over to stand by her side.

“What choice?” The first changeling asked, raising its brow.

“There are two choices.” The man said. “The first one is simple: you leave Ponyville, never come back and I let you live. Or…” The man lifted his sword to eye level and held both of them out towards the group of changelings. “I will kill you right where you stand. Quite frankly, I would insist you do the former, as I don’t wish to spill anymore blood today.”

“Bah, get a load of this guy. Who does he think he is.” The second changeling said, laughing to the others.

“Now you are gonna get it, hero-wannabe. You have gone against the queen’s wishes, and she demands us to kill all who defy her.” The group of changelings all pulled out daggers of their own, ready to strike the human.

“Lord… *sigh* forgive me for what I am about to do.” The human raised his swords to his sides and took stance, readying himself for battle. The changelings all rushed the human at the same time, shouting “for the Queen!” as they ran full throttle towards their enemy. The man stood still, keeping calm and readying himself for a counterattack. The moment they were all in reach he lifted his swords in the air and spun them around above his head. He then let go of the blades, sending them flying through the sky in a circular formation. They were both sent spinning around, nearing the changelings, and before long the same sound of freshly cut flesh emitted from their bodies.

The man transitioned from a battle stance back to normal posture, looking at his adversaries. They all stood still, almost lifeless. Various expressions lay embedded on their faces while they stood still like statues. The man held his hands out, forcing the swords back to him. They flew into the air and went back to him, landing in the palm of his hands. The next thing he knew the heads of all the changelings fell off of each of their bodies and rolled around on the ground for a bit of time before their movement stopped. Shortly after, all of the changelings’ corpses fell to the ground, blood spilling from their decapitated necks and seeping into the ground. The man, satisfied with his work, lifted the swords behind his back and repositioned them back in their respective holders.

“Incompetant fools. If only they’d listen to me, then I wouldn’t have had to kill them. Wars… the outcome of an idiot’s choices.” The man said, wiping away all of the changelings’ blood from his face.

The man turned around and was met with Big Mac and Sugar Belle holding various farm tools at his face. He stared at them with a disappointed look on his face.

“I just saved your life and this is the thanks I get?” He said sarcastically, laughing to himself.

“Who are you?” Sugar Belle inquired, holding the rake in her hooves with a tight grip.

“Guys, you must surely recognize me by now.” The man said, shrugging his shoulders. He put his finger to his eye. “The scar?” He moved his finger down to his mouth. “The voice?”

“Wait…” Big Mac said, lowering his weapon as he began to recognize the human. “Carter? Is that really you?”

“There you go.” The man said, sighing with relief.

“Are you the one pony that Applejack introduced us to? The red alicorn?” Sugar Belle asked, adding to the questions.

“Yes, that is me. Or at least, that is what I used to be. I am really a human.” Carter said.

“Did Applejack know that you were a human?” Big Mac inquired.

“Yes, she did. Every one of the Mane 6 knew. Everypony knew… I guess you didn’t hear.” Carter replied. The man suddenly curled his lips together and whistled aloud, calling to someone else. “Come on out, guys. No more enemies.” Slowly emerging from the bushes were the timberwolves, along with Conda, who was mounted atop Gaea.

“Oh, it really is you.” Sugar Belle said, pointing to the timberwolves with her hoof. “I'd recognize those creatures anywhere.”

“Yeah, these are my battle buddies.” Carter said. “Hey, I hear that this is the best place to get a quick bite nowadays. Want to talk about this over some apples?” Carter suggested, pointing towards the front door of the farmhouse.

“... Eeyup.” Big Mac said, still a bit shaken up after all of the recent events.

“Sure. Why don’t you come inside, I’ll make you something nice and filling. Don’t worry, your timberwolf friends and the snake are welcome to come in as well.” Carter nodded, accepting the mare’s offer. The three of them all entered the farmhouse, leaving the sprawled out corpses to rot in the farm acreage.

~

“So, you really just broke out of the Canterlot prisons not too long ago?” Sugar Belle asked, surprised by the human’s determination. “Golly. I would’ve given up all hope of escaping a place like that long before then.”

“Two weeks. I was down there for two whole weeks.” Carter said, staring blankly at the floor. "You wouldn't begin to imagine the craziness that goes on in that place. Simply put, you aren't the same person in prison… or, same pony, rather." Sugar Belle walked over to the human and passed him a glass of sparkling cider. Carter thanked her for her kind act, taking the glass and holding it between his fingers. He lightly swished the contents around in a circle just to get a little fun out of watching the cider fizzle about. As they sat around the dining room table, the timberwolves were politely laying on the ground, eating some fish they caught fresh the day before. Conda was resting on Carter’s right pauldron, quietly listening to their conversation.

“I know it isn’t exactly wise to drink before something important, but I am sure that ya haven’t had much to eat or drink for a while.” Big Mac said, drinking his share of cider.

“Yeah, but my father taught me to keep myself accountable when it comes to drinking. You’re only hurting yourself if you become intoxicated.” Carter said, holding out his glass as he spoke. The man leaned his head back and downed every bit of the cider in one go, surprising both Big Mac and Sugar Belle. Once finished Carter placed the glass down on the table and let out a satisfied belch. He covered his mouth, slightly embarrassed at himself. “Forgive me, I have forgotten that I am merely a guest.”

“Ha ha. It’s ok, it lets me know that you enjoyed the cider.” Sugar Belle said, laughing at the human’s reaction. “In case you are wondering, no I do not drink. I only know how to make cider because of Big Mac. He always wanted somepony who could make a good cider, but he chose not to have any around Apple Bloom, as we both knew that she would one day get a hold of some while we weren’t looking.”

“I respect your limitations.” Carter said, nodding to the stallion with a half smile on his face. “Ok, now that I have some nutrients in me, I must ask you ponies a few questions regarding recent events about the war.”

“Ask away, Carter.” Sugar Belle said. She sat down at the table and gave both Carter and Big Mac a small plate of warmed cornbread made from the rations in the basement’s food stash. “We will try to do our best to answer all of your questions.”

“First off, I would like to say thank you for everything you have done for me. It is a blessing to know that I have others watching my back.” Carter said, showing his sincere appreciation towards his hosts.

“No, thank you. If it weren’t for your excellent timing then I fear that me and Big Mac would be…” Sugar Belle paused mid sentence, noticing that she was about to cry. She stopped herself before any tears were shed. “Dang, these events have just been a real pain to deal with. *sniff* We thank you very much, Carter.” Big Mac reached out with his hoof and wrapped it around hers, comforting Sugar Belle.

“Yes, Carter. We owe you.” Big Mac added.

“I appreciate those words.” Carter leaned down and took a small bite of his cornbread. The taste was beyond expectations, though he figured it was because he was comparing it to the crap he ate during his time in the dungeons. Nevertheless, he found himself enjoying the cornbread quite a bit. He swallowed his food and then continued speaking. “Ok, so let’s start this thing off. What has happened since the beginning of the war?”

“Oh, well that is easy for us to answer.” Sugar Belle said, straightening her posture before she continued. “After the first attack on Canterlot, Grogar sent his Legion to take over the different major cities of Equestria, conquering them and turning them into bases of operations. From there he and his subjects captured many ponies in Equestria, which I am sure you have noticed by now. Once that was done the world just kind of crumbled. Foundations gone, families and friends either killed or split apart. The Mane 6, Royal Advisor: Spike, the Royal Sisters… they are all gone.”

“Are they still alive?” Carter inquired.

“I doubt it. Grogar made sure that they were the first to go, as he feared that they would pose the most threat to his plans.” Big Mac said. “It makes me sad, knowing that Applejack may be gone. I want to have hope that they are still alive somewhere, but no pony knows of their location.”

“Strange…” Carter whispered to himself as he thought about the situation.

“What seems strange to you, Carter?” Sugar Belle asked, intrigued by the man’s words. “Do you think otherwise?”

“I do. If Grogar wanted them dead then he would’ve killed them the first chance he got. However, he didn’t, he instead had Chrysalis entangle them inside of her green cocoon crap or whatever it is called. Not only that, but Grogar didn’t choose to kill me, and I gave him a rough time the first time we met. I think he wants to use them, or at least keep them around.”

“Hmmm… you may have a point.” Big Mac said, finishing the rest of his cider. “But how can you be so sure?”

“I mean, I guess it’s like what you said, Big Mac. I guess I still have a bit of hope left in me.” Carter said, laughing to himself. “I mean, if we wanted to, then I… ARGH!!!” Carter stopped talking, letting out a distressed moan out of nowhere. The two ponies jumped out of their seats and rushed to his side, concerned for the human’s health.

“Carter, are you doing ok?” Big Mac said, rubbing his hoof along Carter’s back to try and subdue whatever pain Carter was dealing with.

“It’s ok, do not worry about it. Carter is just-” Gaea tried to talk to the ponies and inform them on what was happening, but alas, Carter was the only one who could understand the timberwolves and Conda. Because of this, Big Mac and Sugar Belle could hear nothing but barking from the wolves.

“What’s going on with your wolves, Carter? Are they becoming hostile?” Sugar Belle inquired, feeling a bit unsettled being near them while they were barking at her.

“Ergh, don’t… worry.” Carter said. Though he was still fighting through the pain, he was now able to control the situation enough to where he could talk fluently. “They are just trying to tell you that I am having another vision.” Carter propped his arms against the table and grabbed tightly onto his head, feeling the images of the past fill his mind. Carter waved his hand at the timberwolves, ordering them to calm down. They obeyed, returning to their sitting positions and patiently waiting for their master to go through his vision cycle.

“A vision? What are you seeing?” Sugar Belle asked, wondering what kind of things the human was seeing in his mind.

“Give me a second…” Carter said, gritting his teeth. Deep inside of his consciousness, Carter’s mind phased through many different images, searching for the one that was meant to be shown to Carter. His mind soon located the correct vision, slowing down and presenting it to him in full. The pain soon subsided and Carter was once again back to normal. “Ok, I am getting something.”

“What is it, what do you see?” Big Mac said, keeping his hoof rested on Carter’s shoulder.

“I see… I see a giant mass of… something. It looks like a home, no, a castle of sorts. There are a ton of unreformed changelings entering the castle. It seems like there is something important located inside of it. Uh huh… ok… I see now, they… wait…” Carter stopped talking, his eyes widening once his vision finished.

“What?”

“What did you find out?”

“I saw…” Carter fumbled over his words, a great amount of relief overfilling him. “They… they're alive.”

“They?” Big Mac inquired. “Wait… Applejack?” A smile grew across his face as a small spark of hope filled the stallion from within.

“Yes…” Carter said, turning to face the two ponies. “Yes, Applejack is alive!” Big Mac jumped with joy, shaking a bit after hearing the welcomed news. “She lives. Also Rarity, Fluttershy, Dashie, Pinkie… all of them.” While Sugar Belle and Big Mac pranced around the dining room in celebration, Carter turned back to his plate of cornbread, smiling to himself. “Twilight… she lives. I have a chance.”

“Carter, do you know what this means?” Big Mac shouted, placing his hooves on Carter’s shoulders and shaking the man around.

“We can free them.” Carter said, looking up at the stallion. “There is no time to lose. I must go.” Carter got up and headed towards the door. “Thank you for your hospitality. I will go now.”

“Woah woah, calm down Carter.” Sugar Belle said, running up to the human and tugging on his arm. “What do you think you are doing? You can’t just go fight Grogar.”

“I must do it eventually.” Carter said, pulling his arm free from Sugar Belle’s grasp. “If I have even a chance at saving Equestria, then dammit, I am taking that chance.”

“Carter, I don’t think you understand what you are asking for.” Big Mac said, he too prevented Carter from moving any further outside. Knowing there was no way past them without force, he turned to them and crossed his arms, ready to hear what they had to say to him. “Listen, I know that you want to get this thing over with, but you must understand. Grogar is a being of untold power. The only reason you beat him the first time was because you got lucky. Even with our entire nation fighting back, he alone proved to be more powerful than us. To think that you want to fight him alone, which I respect, is utter madness.”

“I know.” Carter said, furrowing his brow and lowering his voice to a more stern tone. “I do not wish to fight Grogar right now; I know how to play his game. He has six henchmen, and it is my mission to first take them down. Once that is done, then I will fight Grogar.” Carter leaned down towards Sugar Belle and stared at her with his stoic expression. “I know that Grogar is not someone to mess with lightly, but Twilight taught me about friendship for a reason, and rest assured, I will make sure her lessons were not taught to me in vain.”

“Carter, just…” Big Mac ran to the human and hugged him. “I don’t want you to die. You must be smart with your choices. You are about to fight a war bigger than you can even imagine.”

“I know. But even that alone won’t stop me.” Carter turned around and opened the front door, stepping outside of the farmhouse and going out into the stormy outside. "I will be heading to the Castle of Friendship in order to gain access to the portal system. Once there, I will attack Queen Chrysalis, freeing the others and giving us a fighting chance. Until then, me and the squad are on our own." Carter walked outside, feeling the raindrops make contact with his hair.

“Carter!” Sugar Belle shouted out for the human. Carter looked back, raising a brow at the mare. “We are all counting on you.” She said innocently.

“Believe me, Sugar Belle. I will free Applejack and I will return her home safe and sound.” He walked away from the two ponies, the wolf pack following closely behind him while the anaconda lay gently wrapped around his neck. They proceeded towards the Castle of Friendship, ready to bring down the evil ram and his subjects.

Author's Note

It would seem as though most of the captured ponies are hidden somewhere deep in an unknown changeling castle of sorts. With this in mind, Carter knows that his first target should be Queen Chrysalis.

Another great chapter here for everypony to enjoy!