After hours of extreme rumbling, a light penetrated the darkness. Shining armour writhed in the back of the truck, blinded by the afternoon sun. He felt a violent slap on his back, "wake up, girly!" Suddenly ten sharp claws pierced his waist. He screamed, or so he tried, but the cream was dampened by the thick burlap stuffed into his mouth. Shining Armour was too weak to withstand the muscular dragon dragging him from the truck. His eyes wandered around, searching for familiar sights, anything that would help him figure out what was going on. The world around him was very different from the affluent city he once knew. The golden tower of his hometown had become dull and reflected the view of the grey, rotten, dystopian city. He was afraid to see his parents' house, dark, barren, abandoned, and dilapidated. His eyes met a point much like anything he had ever known. The old palace he once guarded with his comrade Steel Hunk.

Steel Hunk!

In his newly awakened stupor, Shining Armour began to poke around, desperately looking for his comrade. He looked in all directions; his eyes didn't meet Steel Hunk, but a wild gray dragon that was twice his size in every dimension. The claws on his flank loosened, causing him to fall to the ground with one violent brunk. After lifting himself up with what little strength he had, the burlap was thrown from his mouth. He was interrogated.

“My people have told me countless stories about you...... you and that miner, Steel Hunk. A little friendly meeting, eh?"

Shining Armor turned and looked at the wall. Shrap! A sharp blow pierced the back of Shining Armour. After one hit, his first hit, he nearly passed out.

“You will feel better here if you talk. As a former soldier, you should know better than to ignore your superiors," he giggled, filled with a certain evil energy. "You've been here for a while, have you heard of the curfew? I want you to know that it lasts until morning. "

Shining Armour murmured softly, followed by another blow.

"So you do know! Did you think it was okay to hang out in that hut? Okay for a chat while your other ponyfolk companions do your work?"

Shining Armour opened his mouth to answer, but was interrupted by yet another flogging. He could barely see his surroundings, his vision was blurred with tears, his hearing was blocked by the ringing in his ears after each landing of the whip.

“Maybe you've heard of Twilight Sparkle? I hear you two are close, are you not? Or should I say were you not?" He giggled shrilly.

Shining Armour rose when he heard his sister's name. "Were? What do you mean? What did you do to her?" He didn't try to hide his fear.

The dragon laughed. "What did I do? Ha! As if I would bother with some petty pony princess! No, in reality it was you and your friend Steel Hunk. You chose to stay in her hut. You chatted with your friend while your sister was beaten to death at the door! I bet you laughed too much to hear her screaming, shouting your name, begging you to help her. No, I nothing to cause this. No other creature can say how it's sweet while their sister takes her last breath. "

The words struck a breathtaking blow and Shining Armour fell back, his eyes wide in disbelief. This time he barely noticed the stabbing pain that emanated from every lash of the whip. No, it couldn't have been him, could it?

"Now tell me, pony, what is your relationship with the miner?"

Shining armour shook his head, forcing himself to ignore what he had been told. Who said this dragon can't lie? "I don't know him," he said. “He's in a different division than me. I've never heard his name. "

A slap across the face: he had answered incorrectly.

"Ha! Did you think I would believe that? What nonsense! You don't know him, but you know he's in a different division? what makes you think he served in the military at all if you've never so much as heard his name? "

"He says!"

"Does he now? I think you've never heard of him? "

Shining Armour fell silent. He was cornered, but how could he expose Steel Hunk like that?

“We have been here too long. Spit it out: Who is he? "

He stood there for a moment, unsure of what to say. Suddenly he remembered his training. He mumbled a little, drawing an ancient symbol with his horn. At the interrogator's command, three dragons jumped at him, but were only a second late; Shining Armour is gone.

Author's Note

I sincerely apologize for my absence for so long. I didn't want to give up the story for a whole year. Now I have returned to write the remaining story for all of you. Thank you for reading!