Fallout Equestria: A Wastelander Tale

Fallout Equestria: A Wastelander Tale, Chapter Forty Four

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From a safe distance we observed the now ruined settlement of Elysium, the bodies of its citizens now hung up as crude banners to show off the raider's dominance over this place. Now I was just waiting for the others to get back from scouting and hoping nothing bad had happened to them.

To my relief, Molo and Spell had returned unharmed, and before the sun had gone over the horizon. They didn't seem frantic, or any way worried, so it was safe to assume they didn't run into trouble while scouting.

"So, did you see anything?" I asked.

"Ya, we saw how the raiders got past Elysium's defense." Molo answered.

Spell then further explained. "The raiders managed to blow a massive hole in the wall from a strategically advantageous position, which confirms what we were told. This likely allowed them to rush in with little resistance and take the ponies inside. From the looks of the damage, they must have used several high intensity explosives all at the same time, something like Bailfire Eggs."

"What!" I almost shouted.

Both of them and the rest of my friends were now very focused on me, curious about my outburst. So I explained, "I think, no, I know what they used. It's something I helped Tripwire find, and used on the Corps Dancers."

"You mean the explosion after the train ran through the raiders?" Cold Trails asked.

I nodded. "It's a Bailfire Egg shotgun, or that's what Tripwire called it. Shoots six of them and causes massive damage."

"That would match what we saw." Spell Circuit said with a nod.

Cauterize then huffed out. "Fucking cheaters." Then took out a rather rusty pair of binoculars himself, looking at the ruined settlement. "But from what I know about Elysium, probably the only way to do it. Those wall were their best defense, and if a raider were to get passed them, well the ponies there aren't known for their hoof to hoof fighting. Must have been a slaughter if a whole group of Murder Ballers got in."

"Any sign of the survivors?" Aloe asked.

Molo nodded. "They got a few ponies repairing the wall, not like raiders to do it themselves, so it makes sense. They also look in good condition all considering."

"Probably the ones who surrendered first, and talked the fastest." Cauterize added. "Murder Ballers love their hoof lickers. There's probably a few more captives inside, likely some of the defenders being used as toys."

I didn't want to imagine what might be going on, my own memories serving good enough as an example. "Anything else?" I asked.

"Looks like a bunch of raiders were packing up to leave, one's that didn't look like Murder Ballers. My guess, they're being sent to reinforce the Breaking Grounds. They also were packing torches, so it's safe to assume they're going to travel by night." Spell Circuit told us.

Molo then added. "Probably cats eyes abusers, it has become more common lately, and makes raiders more nocturnal. Also with the sun out and things being a lot hotter, a lot more ponies have been traveling by night."

"I agree." Cauterize said from the cliff edge. "Looks like some of the ponies who just got on watch are now joining those who are leaving. Their symbol looks like a red crescent, so probably the bloody hooves or some related band. Fuckers are chem fiends, but good watch dogs, especially at night."

This was good, if they were leaving soon, it meant we would be able to sneak in under the cover of night. We just needed to wait a bit longer. "Did you see any place we can get in, unseen? We could take them out while their asleep." I asked, Spell Circuit.

"Well the breach in the wall is an obvious choice, but I wouldn't recommend it. It's well lit so the captives can work, and if we are seen, we risk those captives getting caught in the crossfire. But if the watch leaves, maybe I can teleport a pony onto a watchtower." He explained.

"I can take out any pony on watch as well." Cold Trails added.

Molo then spoke up. "Maybe we cause a distraction, have some of the raiders leave the settlement while some of us sneak in."

"Like setting up an ambush," Cauterize added. "That could be fun."

"I could help." Plasma spoke up. "I made one of my bolts into a flashbang, which would make it easier if they're blind and deaf."

"What about the captives?" Mint then asked. "Once things turn violent, they will be in danger."

"My protection protocol states that I must ensure all ponies under my care are safe. Even ponies not under my care if the need arises." Margret stated, raising one of her electro claws. "Oh, I dread damaging my dress, but I do love helping even more."

"Ahhh, I guess we will rush in to get the captives out of there once the coast is clear." Aloe said as she checked her gun. "Ya, so please get most of the raiders before then."

It sounded like a sold plan, and since nothing better was coming to mind, I was going to stick with it. "Right. So as Cold, Spell and I sneak in to take out as many raiders as we can and quietly. Molo, Cauterize and Plasma will set up an ambush for the raiders who come out. And, Margret, Mint and Aloe will wait for the guards to be removed to get the captives out. Both the ones working and any we manage to find and send to the breach."

"Umm, what about me?" Low Pressure then asked.

Right, forget about him.

"Well, we do need some bait for the ambush." I then suggested.

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A few hours after several of the raiders had left, and most of us got some rest, we put our plan into motion. The ambush party had already left to find a good spot far enough away so that they didn't need to worry about raider reinforcements. As for the rescue party, we had found a good place for them to hide and rush out once it was time. As for my party, Spell, Cold and I had snuck up next to the wall, near a spot not being watched.

Just like I had been told, the raiders were quite lazy, and the few on watch were hardly even doing that. Actually, it seemed that the only reason some of them were on the walls was to smoke by themselves.

I then watched as Cold Trails flew up, carefully getting to the edge then grabbing the raider, the bladed tail of his power armor striking out before the pegasus dragged the raider over and down. The raider choked on his own blood as he was carefully laid on the ground, absolute shock on his face.

Cold Trails flew up again and over the wall before quickly returning. "There weren't any more nearby, and none below. The walls are as thick as a motor wagon, so be careful when teleporting." He informed us.

"Good, now let's hold off on killing any more until after Low Pressure draws a bunch away." I told him.

"Roger." Cold said as he saluted, then smiled. "You know, I never thought I would ever conduct any kind of real mission. Before we came down, it was all drills and providing security. Actually, I'm not surprised that the Enclave lost to you wastelanders, hardly any of us ever saw real combat before."

"That and the Enclave managed to piss off every pony down here in a short amount of time." I retorted.

Cold nodded. "Ya, the upper brass were almost all made up of morons."

Spell then trotted over, his horn glowing. "I'm ready, Lottery, just stay close to me."

Trotting right up to him, I had to ask, "why the wait time for the spell?"

"Well, between teleporting another pony, and making sure we don't fuse with a wall or garbage, it takes a bit of time to prepare the spell. Unfortunately, we all can't be like Twilight Sparkle with magic."

"Alright, let's go." I said.

"Good luck." Cold quietly said to us, and with a flash, we were gone.

Appearing on the other side of the wall, both Spell and I found ourselves a hoof length off the ground. Landing while trying to not make noise was easier said than done, it was harder when you're an egghead that needed thick glasses. Where I managed to land on all four hooves, Spell simply hit the ground and knocked the air out of himself.

Helping the stallion up, we fortunately didn't make too much noise, and no pony had come to investigate.

Sticking to the shadows, Spell and I spied on the few raiders who were out and about. It was clearly the Murder Ballers, the large ponies armored up with spikes, many of them having the same heavy spiked helmets on that was used as their totem. Those not in armor were smaller and clearly their servants, but no less raiders than the others. The area around them still showed the signs of battle, with bullet holes, burn marks and blood stains all over. There were also a few dead ponies strung up like morbid trophies as well.

It was horrifying how quickly they turned this place into a raider den, how easy it was for their hooves to taint whatever they touched.

As we backed up, I saw a light quickly approaching the opened front gates. There Low Pressure arrived, in his nice suit, right in front of the raiders. A bit confused looking, the raiders on guard didn't even aim their guns at him.

"Hello my fellow ponies!" Low loudly called out. "I've seem to have gotten my wagon stuck, and am in need of some strong stallions to help me."

"Fuck off!" One raider just yelled

"This ain't no place for you, no place at all." Another raider told him.

Low rolled his eyes. "Now that's rude, and here I am bringing in supplies. Don't know why they wanted so much booze, but now it's stuck on the mud."

"Like we said, fuck-" the first raider began to say again, but got jabbed in the side by the second raider.

"Booze you say? How much?" The second raider asked.

"A full cart load of the stuff." Low smoothly responded.

The second raider smiled. "Well if ya are bringing it, we might as well be all friendly like and help." The raider then whistled loudly, catching the attention of several other raiders. "Oy, seems like we got a cart load of booze to… rescue. Let's go get it."

I didn't know if the raiders were that dumb, or Low was just that good, but eight Murder Ballers then trotted out the front gate. It had freed up room for us to move about now, less eyes to spot us.

Looking up, I saw one raider on guard then vanished over the wall.

It was time to get to work.

Sneaking further in, we came to the area where the breach in the wall happened, and with it, our first targets. Only three Raiders were left on guard, keeping an eye on their captives. Two were closer to the captives, and one further back, closer to us.

"Right, let's take out the first raider, then we can focus on the other two." I told Spell, then asked him, "any spells you know that could help."

He scratched his goatee. "A few, but most will make a noise, or cause the raider to make noise. Let's see. I could divert his attention, and then you can take him out before anypony sees."

"Do it!" I said, then got in place, ready to attack with Mire Frost.

Then a metal bolt, as in a bolt for holding two sheets of metal together, flew overhead. The loud clung caught the raiders attention, and with a huff, they went to investigate.

The raider got closer, but his eyes were looking in the wrong spot. Taking the opportunity, I quietly moved, and with Rime Frost, I swung at his neck. The raider froze both figuratively and literally, gurgling blood before he slowly collapsed to the ground. Both Spell and I then quickly dragged him into the shadows before the other raiders could see. Fortunately, blood stains on the ground were unfortunately common here.

"A fucking bolt?" I quietly growled at Spell.

He shrugged as he took a Molotov cocktail off the raider. "It worked, didn't it. Anyways, my magic is more academic, not for combat."

"Well, that trick isn't going to work twice, so any other spells you can use?" I then asked.

He nodded. "I can cast a sphere of silence around the two raiders. Inside no sound gets in or out, good when you need to study in a loud environment."

"And how long does it last?" I further asked.

"As long as I want it too." He answered.

Grabbing one of my bear traps, I smiled. "Alright, do that."

Spell Circuit then teleported away, and appeared not too far from the raiders, casting a spell in the area around them. He then looked over at me and nodded.

Taking a quick look around, I saw no other raiders about, and then charged.

Rushing in, the Grizzly Gauntlets helping me grip the ground and go faster, I held the bear trap in my muzzle and then leapt at the first raider. Pushing the trap forward with my hooves, the bear trap hit the raider and clamped down on the side of his leg.

A loud and pain filled scream came from the raider as his buddy turned to see what happened. I was ready, jumping off the first raider and at the second, striking him with my hooves. Blood splattered out as my gauntlets found a soft part of the armor, causing the raider to stumble back. Annoyingly that soft spot had a spike near it, and if I hadn't had my own armor on, it would have hurt me just as much as I just hurt the raider.

"Fucking bitch! I'm going to make you pay for that ya cunt!" The raider growled.

I ignored the threat and drew my revolver, putting six holes into the large stallion, ending him.

Turning to the other raider, he was already back on his hooves, flexing his legs and actually pulling the bear trap jaws apart with sheer strength alone.

With a pop, the trap was off him, and he looked at me with pure hate.

*Bang*

The raiders face turned into mush as the shot from Mire Frost entered him, and bounced off the inside of the helmet. A gory mess then flowed out from the helmet, and the raider fell over.

"You made quick work of them." Cold Trails said as he landed next to me.

I nodded "Well fighting them directly would have been dumb. They'd destroy me if I let them get a hit in. So how are the wall guards?"

"Dead, the raiders no longer have eyes above us." He informed me.

"Then I guess we move to the next stage of this plan?" Spell Circuit asked as he trotted over, the sound of the wasteland returning.

"Yes, but don't let your guard down, not until they're all dead." I said, then trotted over to four rather shocked and quite exhausted captives. "We have a safe place for you to go, but before you do, are there any others here?"

An older stallion trotted to me on wobbly legs, and when he spoke, it was a dry voice. "Yes, though most of us were taken away, the raiders got to keep some of us to do work, and some others for… other things. Will you save them?"

"Yes, just tell us where they are." I said.

He smiled. "Thank you, they're being kept in the town hall, the large building at the center. And please hurry."

"Alright, we'll be back with them as soon as possible, now get out of here, we have ponies waiting outside the walls for you." I told him and pointed out where the others were hiding, and the four ponies then quickly made their way out of Elysium.

The old stallion stopped to take a long look at Spell Circuit before catching up with the other three.

Turning our attention to the town hall, we then began quietly trotting, eyes and ears ready for trouble. Near the front was technically a guard, though it looked more like the raider had only come outside to take a piss. Unfortunately they had heavy spiked armor on, unlike the others, so getting in close would be a poor gamble. The bastard ever had a spiked codpiece covering his balls.

I shook my head as the image of the raider with his junk out formed in my head.

"You okay, Lottery?" Spell asked.

"Ya, just keeping my head straight, that's all." I told him, though the image refused to fully go away. "Fuckers got too much armor, any suggestions?"

"Well shooting might not be the best option, those helmets are actually quite strong. And all those spikes and armor make rushing in bad too."

"We can double team him." Cold suggested as quietly landed near us. "Use that spell from before and I'll tackle him, give Lottery a good shot."

I nodded. "I like the plan, let's do it."

Cold then flew up as Spell teleported away. Wasting no time, I crept over to the raider, preparing to attack.

Up close, the raider was like some of the others we took out, annoyingly big and well built. Ripped with muscle, I was sure he could pound me long and hard.

I slammed my head into the ground to clear my head, the pain helping me focus.

"The fuck was that?" The raider said as he turned around and saw me. But as he opened his mouth to call out, a magical bubble formed around him, keeping him silent, followed by the Cold smashing down onto him.

I charged in just as the raider pushed himself up, and tossed Cold Trails back. Through pure strength alone, the raider actually threw a pony in power armor.

Grabbing Mire Frost I brought the axe blade down onto an unprotected part and aiming the barrel to hit him, I fired. A literal chunk of flesh came out of him, painting the wall with his blood and gore. Looking up at the raider, I could see that his helmet had a face covering, it had an angry and aggressive face, and past it I could see his eyes. Alive and very pissed off, eyes.

The raider then kicked off, body slamming me onto the ground. I could feel several of the spiks on his armor pernitrate me as my bones bent under his sheer weight. I was quite literally pinned under the raider, my screams muted by the spell that surrounded us.

Things then became very hot as a green light surrounded me, then most of the weight was gone. The raider's armor crumpled as green goo seeped from its gaps. Cold Trails quickly pulled the armor off me, a worried look on his face as he then passed me a healing potion.

"You alright?" He asked with concern on his face

Taking the healing potion, I then checked to see if everything was in the right place. "Ya, not my first time getting pinned and penetrated by a raider." Once I was sure nothing was out of place, I drank the potion, it seling my wounds and relieved some of my pain.

Cold then sighed. "I know you have the right to make such jokes, but I don't find it funny."

"It's not funny… but what should I do, cry about it." I snapped back at him, feeling frustrated. "It's not like crying had done anything after the first time."

"Alright, I'm sorry?" He said, but that just made me more frustrated.

"Don't apologize!" I growled out, but then slapped myself to regain control over myself. "It's… it's not your fault. Okay. I'm just being… messed in the head."

Teleporting in, Spell seemed confused and concerned. "Is everything alright, what was that before I casted the spell?"

"We're fine, I'm just having trouble keeping my head on straight." I confessed. "We can talk about it later. Their ponies who need help."

We all shared glances, and then I turned to Cold. "And thanks for the save, I didn't expect the raider to keep on fighting after blowing a chunk out of him."

"Ya, surprised me too." He replied, a smile on his muzzle.

With my mind cleared again, I then took point entering the town hall. The first thing I noticed was the smell, the horrible smell. It was death mixed with bile, two things that a sane pony could never get used to. The next thing was the body hanging by the neck from across the hall. They were battered, cut up, and defiled, all clearly happened before their death. Or at least I hoped not.

Passing by a room, I looked in to see many boxes haphazardly tossed around, clothing and junk poking out of them. Much of it looked in rough shape and stained in blood.

"Their loot room." Spell said with a grimace on his face. "Likely has most of the things they stole from this place in here. Mixed together with what they took off the corpses. Anything good, or clean is likely with their boss."

We continued on, reaching the hanged corpse, and a stairwell. The sound of a slap, and a mare letting out a whimper scream sent my hairs on end with rage.

"Ya cunt ass bitch, suck it right, or I'm blackening ya other eye!" A raider yelled.

"Black it anyways, teach me their place." Another raider said with a cruel laugh.

A hoof rested onto my shoulder, and I looked back to see Spell. "Lottery, take a deep breath, we need to do this carefully."

I was about to tell him to fuck off, but found that my leg was shaking and I was hyperventilating. Taking a moment to slowly catch my breath, I managed to calm down, and think up a plan.

"Do that bubble of silence thing, and I'll shoot them all." I said.

"Not a good idea, if I have to cover a whole room, it's going to drain me fast." Spell told me.

Cold then trotted further up head, looking down with rage in his eyes. "I agree with, Lottery, just do it."

Spell nodded. "Okay, but I might not be able to cast another spell for a little longer afterwards, please keep that in mind."

I then got up ahead of Cold, and stayed low as I crept to the sound of the raiders and their captives.

The door was open just enough that I could spy in, and what I saw didn't surprise me, but it was no less disgustingly horrifying. There were five raiders laying about, all stallions and seven captives, two stallions and five mares. One mare was being forced to suck a raider's cock, half her face swollen with bruises. Another mare laid still on the floor in a puddle of blood and semen. A stallion was tied up and suspended, objects shoved up his ass. Two other mares and a stallion were huddled in a corner, collared and leashed like dogs. The last mare was like the first stallion, suspended and bound, but so painfully so that she looked more like bound brahmin meat, even her breasts were visible because of the bindings. She seemed otherwise untouched, more foced to watch, though it did look as though they did masterbait on her.

The last raider simply sat and drank, enjoying the show as he stroked himself.

It was a literal sex dungeon, and it made me sick to see it.

The lounging raider then reached out and slapped the suspended mare, laughing when she cried out in pain through her gag. "You're lucky the boss wants first dibs on you, he really likes a mare that can bite back."

Another raider then laughed. "Fucking nut shot the boss."

The lounging raider also laughed. "Ya, but didn't stop him from tearing into that mare on the floor there, who was she again? Your sister wasn't it? Well once she wakes well I'll fucker again."

The mare let out a muffled hate filled growl.

"Oh, you want your turn. That takes me not her crap! Well, I got good news for you, once the Boss wakes up you will be his mare." The lounging raider said with a cruel chuckle. "Or is it that you want some more food, remember, if you bight again, I'll just fuck your mouth harder."

I had enough of this, and looked back at Spell Circuit. He nodded and his horn glowed brighter than before. The room was rather large, so we had to make this quick.

As soon as the spell was cast, Cold and I rushed in, pulling out my battle rifle and taking aim as Cold charged at the closest raider. The raiders quickly scrambled, but were in no position to fight as they first had to pull the captives off them. My rifle found the first monster with two quick body shots ripping through him. A second found Cold landing on him as armored hooves viciously pounded at his face with murderous rage. The raider was in no position to defend himself, and quickly went limp.

A third raider charged at Cold, a crud blade in his magic. I took aim and fired at the raider, the first shot hitting his leg. The rest tore him apart.

“Look this way you cum dump bitch!” the fourth raider yelled at me as he charged in. too fast and too close for me to get my rifle at him. Too slow to avoid the torrent of bullets and plasma sent at him from Cold. The raider was dead before he even hit the ground.

A click was all I needed to hear to know that the fifth raider was armed. He hid behind the suspended mare, a strange long rifle in his hooves. “Oh, playing hero are ya, well you're going to play a different game once I’m done with ya. Both of ya when the boss comes for ya.” He then smiled as he eyed me. “Oh your that bitch the boss fancied, here to get fucked again. Those Bailfire bitches said you would be crawling back for more. Shame what happened to the bone biters, but they at least gave ya a good fucking before getting gotten. I bet a bitch like you enjoyed it too.”

I snarled as I aimed my rifle, but the raider ducked behind the mare. “Oh be carful, or you will kill the fine fuck toy.” he said mockingly.

“Fuck.” I huffed. Then quietly asked. “Willow-Wisp, is there any way you can help?”

The blue flame sparked to life, and flew over and then above the raider, resting on a tangle of ropes that held the mare painfully in the air. There I saw it, a peg holding things together, and I took aim.

With a shot, the ropes untangled and the mare fell, causing the raider to step back in shock. Snarling at me, he aimed his rifle but failed to notice Cold leaping at him in a mad dash. All the raider could do was block the pegasus with his rifle, the coalition causing the weapon to bend under Cold's hoof as he slid to a stop, guns trained at the monster. But before he could kill the bastard, I opened fire, unloading everything I had in the magazine. The raider practically exploded as the bullets blasted off legs and his head like a gore filled balloon.

They were dead, yet my heart would not stop pounding, and quickly I reloaded, preparing for the next fight.

Trotting in, an exhausted looking Spell quickly ran to one of the captives, pulling out a knife and undoing her bindings. “We need to go, and fast. I have no doubt some of those bullets made it outside the bubble, and alerted somepony.”

“Right on it.” I said as I trotted to the heavily bound up mare, and started cutting her free. It was bad, the rope digging into her flesh at some parts, and it had squeezed her so much that they left indents in her, keeping the form. But as soon as she could move, she hugged me so tightly that I could feel the blood flowing through her body. “It’s okay, were getting you out of here now.”

She removed the ring gag, and then frantically crawled to the mare on the floor. “Night Lily” she said with a dry and pained voice, slipping on the floor on legs not yet ready to hold her up. She looked at the unmoving mare in the middle of the floor, again calling out to her. “Night Lily!”

Helping her, we trotted to the mare, to Night Lily, and the mare grabbed her, held her. But the mare's eyes were empty. Spell trotted over, and checked the poor mare, his own face showing deep sorrow.

“I'm... sorry.” Spell’s voice cracked. “Shes…shes dead.”

Tears rolled down from the mare's eyes as she let out a quiet scream, it filled with a pain that I wish I couldn’t hear, as it broke my heart to hear it.

I looked at the others and simply said, “Get the others out of here, I’ll stay with her.”

They nodded and began to help the captives out.

I watched the mare as she rocked Night Lily back and forth, stroking her ruined mane, mumbling “It’s okay little sis, it’s okay. They can’t hurt you no more. I’ll kill them all for you. All of them.”

Something about it felt wrong, like I was watching something dark forming. Like a familiar voice cackling over this mare as a warm light faded. Then I saw Willo-Wisp frantically dancing over the mare, trying to signal to me.

I… understood. And I hated that. This mare was falling to Strife, becoming consumed by hatred, and losing all hope. I understood it perfectly, yet I didn’t know why I understood. But I couldn't let that happen, I couldn't let the monsters win.

So I did the only thing I could do, and gave the mare a hug from behind. “I know it hurts, I know you will never be fine, and I know you want revenge. But please, please just run, don’t throw your life away, don’t lose yourself to them.” She began to struggle, but I only held on tighter. “They want you to go mad, to become like them. And you have all the right to. I understand that. But not like this, not right now. Take your sister and run, I’ll kill them for you, but only after you get to safety, promise you that.”

She gritted her teeth, but then went slack. “I… I promised to protect her… I promised.” The mare then buried herself in her sister, muffling her wailing.

My ears twitched at the sound of bottles falling. Some pony was stirring, and I knew it was time to go, or we would be trapped here.

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