Chapter 7

“Is this really how you learned magic?” Nate asked as Starlight set up a few items on the table.

“If you’re going to learn how to use magic you need to take foal-steps. Now, I want you to set the table using your magic. Three plates, three glasses, and three sets of silverware.” Starlight set the items down on the table, stepping back. Taking a lot of steps back. “Whenever you’re ready!”

“This is for that levitation spell, right?” Nate asked and Starlight nodded. “So…please explain how I do it again?”

“Well… Okay, so as I told you before magic is everywhere, trees, earth, air, everywhere. While everypony has some magic in them, unicorns are able to actually manipulate it and control it, allowing us to cast spells. You are able to do the same, so I want you to take a deep breath, focus on the objects you want to grab, and picture lifting it as if you were holding it,” Starlight instructed.

Nate nodded and looked back at the objects on the table. He raised his metal hand at the objects and focused. The feeling from before, whenever he poured his magic into the animals and insects to turn them into monsters slowly began to make itself known. Starlight watched as his hand glowed a sickly dark yellow magical aura. The more Nate focused, the more the aura glowed brighter. Soon, one by one, each object began to glow a magical aura as well while a trickle of sweat dripped down the side of Nate’s face. Starlight watched and took notes of Nate’s progress, noticing how much of a struggle it is just to keep the plates and glass from breaking, but even still it seemed to be taking a lot more effort than it normally would for a foal.

Could it be possible that his body isn’t used to this? From what he said, humans didn’t have magic, and from the looks of it this definitely isn’t natural. Starlight hypothesized

Nate was about to lose his patience but managed to calm himself and continue focusing. One thing he learned while traversing the wasteland is patience was one of his many best friends. He needed to be tactfully prepared and couldn’t afford any slip ups. Nate cleared his mind of any intrusive thoughts and allowed his magic to flow more naturally. A slight tingling feeling spread through his real hand under his armor and the objects on the table were now completely covered in his magical aura. After taking a deep breath, Nate imagined moving the objects up in the air to set them in different places. One by one, the plates levitated from their spot and floated a little above the table.

“Remember, magic isn’t something you need to fight against, it’s not your enemy nor is it a tool. Think of it as an extension of yourself. Let it flow through you,” Starlight explained to him, proud to see him set the plates down without breaking them, hoping he would do the same with the glass and silverware.

Nate kept his breathing steady as he managed to levitate more of the objects on the table. Starlight was more than impressed with how quickly Nate was adapting to using his magic when it would normally take months for someone to move this many objects at the same time. The mare watched in awe as Nate set the plates, glasses, and silverware in their appropriate areas until the last fork was set. Nate exhaled and lowered his arm as a drop of sweat dripped off his chin.

“Whew, that was quite the new experience…” Nate said.

“Ponies are all used to using some form of magic, especially unicorns at a young age. We need practice, but it normally comes easy. Since you’re not a unicorn and aren’t used to any magic your body is rapidly trying to adapt to it. But still, your progress is phenomenal!” Starlight praised him with a warm smile.

“I can clearly feel the difference between using these spells and creating monsters,” Nate said as he opened and closed his hand. “But there’s no point in dwelling over it. Let’s keep going. What’s my next task?”

“Next task is how to utilize your magic in combat. Don’t worry, I’m not going to teach you how to fire magic or create shields, those are more advanced spells and would cause too much of a strain on you. So instead, I’m going to try something different, follow me,” Starlight said as she walked out of Nate’s office and outside to the back of the building.

“Magic can be used in combat?” Nate asked with piqued interest as he walked slowly so as to not put too much strain on his damaged armor. “How so?”

“I’ll show you.” Starlight walked about a few feet from Nate and looked at him. “Hit me.”

Nate blinked at Starlight as if he was processing what she had just asked him.

“I thought we had an agreement that I wouldn’t act or inflict violence against you?” Nate asked.

“Don’t worry, you won’t,” Starlight told him, a small hint of smugness in her voice as she had her arms behind her back “Now, hit me.”

"Very well," Nate shrugged and raised his fist. There was a bit of hesitation, but he ended up reeling his fist back and swung it right at Starlight's face.

CLANG!

There was a sudden flash of light, followed by Nate hitting something unexpectedly solid. Nate soon was bearing witness to some sort of see-through wall of light that stood between him and Starlight. Once again, Nate was a little at a loss for words since he had just literally punched a physical wall of magical light.

“What…in the world?” Nate said, trying to contemplate what was happening. “Rays of light forming some sort of physical barrier? That…that should be scientifically impossible.”

“Not scientific. Magic.” Starlight said proudly as her horn lit up and deactivated the shield around her, she then used her magic to lift Nate about four inches off the ground and pushed him about seven feet away from her and set him down.

“That’s another way magic can be used in combat, since all unicorns can manipulate magic, we have a simple spell around us to avoid being lifted up like I just did to you. Although it can be easily penetrated if the opponent is much more powerful,” she explained as she then teleported next to Nate.

“I’m more surprised how you’re even able to lift me,” Nate commented, noticing some sweat droplets dripping off the side of her head. “Only full grown Deathclaws were strong enough to lift me up in my armor. Magic sure is a hell of a tool.”

“It definitely is, although I did need to use a little bit more effort into lifting you. You aren’t used to magic, but something about your armor acted similar to the spell I just explained,” Starlight said. “There are other ways to utilize magic in combat, but right now I think we should learn more on defense, your armor is strong but from what you told me about that Changeling it can only hold up for so long.”

Nate looked down at his hands and began to hypothesize. According to Starlight, magic must flow through instead of being forced. It also depends on the caster’s imagination and how it must feel like an extension of oneself. Nate recalled how Starlight used her teleportation and shield spells and saw how her horn powered up. The way she moved her hands and arms in front of her, as if she was imagining a wall to protect her. Nate soon found himself focusing again and his magic began to power up. He imagined what a shield around him would look like, specifically if it was all around him. Nate felt his magic flowing throughout his whole body instead of just his hands. Once his imagery took form and his magic felt powered up enough, Nate tested his hypothesis and held his arms out to his sides. Suddenly, there was a bright yellow flash, and Starlight was completely shell-shocked at what she was bearing witness to. Nate had completely surrounded himself in a sphere of magical light. Nate looked around the bubble shield he cast and knocked on the edges a few times.

“Well, it seems my experiment was a success,” Nate said with a proud smirk.

“INCREDIBLE!” Starlight shrieked as she ran over and started tapping the shield with her hands. “This is outstanding! But first…we need to test it. Do you…trust me?”

“Wouldn’t be fair if I didn’t,” Nate responded. “And it depends on what you have in mind.”

“Well, you may have made the shield, but it doesn’t matter if it doesn’t hold up to a single attack,” Starlight advised. “So, what I plan to do is fire LOW POWERED magic bolts at you. If the shield doesn’t hold up, it’ll feel like getting hit with a pebble. Although, with your armor, it might as well be a flower being thrown at you.”

“From a tactical perspective, it would be beneficial to test the durability of my new shield for future encounters,” Nate said. “In fact, I give you permission to put a little more juice into these magic bolts. I want to ensure that this experiment continues without any setbacks.”

“Ok, but still. I won’t put too much into it.” Starlight stepped back and looked back at Nate. “I’m going to fire and each time I’ll go further to see how well it holds up,” she said as her horn lit up. “Ready?”

“As I’ll ever be,” Nate nodded.

Starlight nodded and took aim, firing about three bolts of magic at Nate, hitting his shield. They made an impact, but the shield seemed to hold up.

“Gonna go further, I’ll also increase the power by a bit!” She said as she teleported a bit further from him. Powering up her horn and fired three more shots at him.

Each time the shots hit his shield; Nate felt a faint impact in his chest. Almost like someone was lightly pushing him back, even though he didn’t move an inch. This proved Starlight’s explanation that magic is an extension of oneself, and the caster can feel the spells that they cast.

“Starlight, I have a question,” Nate asked, making Starlight stop firing bolts of magic. “Since this shield is theoretically a part of me, what would happen if, hypothetically, it breaks due to a great force of impact or if I didn’t have enough magic to keep it durable?”

“Oh, that’s easy. If something powerful hits your shield, like if I put enough power against the shield, it would shatter. If you’re asking if you would break along with the shield you have no worries. The only threat it would lead to is if you put too much strain on your body or try to do too much at once,” Starlight explained.

“So, depending on how much magic I’m able to use, I can use the spell as much as I want?” Nate asked.

“Yes, magic is just as much physical as it is mentally. If you push yourself too much you can burn yourself out,” Starlight explained. “Do you wish to keep going?”

“I suppose we can stop for today,” Nate said as he dispelled his shield, and they walked back inside the town hall. “This may sound old fashioned coming from me, but are there any physical records of magic spells I can study? Surely, even books are still a thing after over three million years, right?”

“Yes, but…in fear of a possible rebellion forming, all knowledge was tucked away,” Starlight answered. The most powerful and useful spells are in the Crystal Empire, but not all books. In a town called Ponyville, there may be some books there that may help, but it’s a long shot. A very long shot.”

“I see,” Nate said, and they walked towards the main office. “And what is this Ponyville?”

“Ponyville is a town northwest of here. It was most popular for the Apple families, well, apples, but it is…was the home of the elements,” Starlight said.

The last part made Nate look at Starlight with piqued curiosity. He’d heard Starlight mention these elements before, yet he had no idea what she meant.

“That’s another thing I’m curious about,” Nate said as they entered the main office. “What exactly are these elements you speak of? Are they some kind of weapons?” Starlight stared at Nate but couldn’t help but let out a subtle chortle. “Didn’t know that was a joke.”

“No no, it’s just…some ponies did believe them to be a weapon, but that’s far from it. It’s not something you can just wield and use as you please. The Elements of Harmony are powerful relics that can banish or vanquish any foe. It was used by the Bearers of the Elements to defeat all of Equestria’s enemies. It’s fueled by the magic of friendship, their greatest strength…which was then turned into their greatest weakness,” Sunset described.

“You speak like they’re actual people,” Nate said.

“That’s ‘cause they are,” Starlight responded. “Their names are Rarity, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Pinkie Pie, and Princess Twilight Sparkle.”

Nate had to force himself not to face palm and groan out of irritation. The names of this world seemed to sound more ridiculous and childish than they gave themselves credit for. However, two of those names seemed to stick out for Nate.

“Did you say Applejack?” Nate asked, and she nodded. “What a coincidence. A woman by that name resides in this town.” As Starlight gasped in both shock and happiness, another thought crossed his mind. “This also might be a tad obvious but would a woman with pink fur and hair match with a one Pinkie Pie? I found her imprisoned in the mine the other day.”

“Y-Yes. Yes! That’s them! A-Are they still alive?! Can I see them?! What happened to them?!” Starlight went off asking multiple questions, a glimmer of hope in her eyes

“Applejack is fine, she’s with her cousin Braeburn,” Nate said calmly. “As for the one called Pinkie Pie, she’s still recovering from being locked up and starved for so long. I used one of my stimpacks on her to keep her stable.”

“S-So there’s still hope…” Starlight muttered, tears almost swelling up in her eyes as she had believed that it was only a matter of time until the Dark Alliance had taken complete control over Equestria. “If we can find the other elements, then we may have a chance!”

“We don’t need them,” Nate dismissed as Nate walked towards his desk.

“Did you even hear a word I just said? The Elements of Harmony are some of the most powerful forces of magic in all of Equestria! The Dark Alliance practically fears them! That’s why they broke them apart like they did, to show everypony that they can’t be beaten. But if we can get them together, we can stand a chance!”

“Starlight,” Nate said a bit sternly. “What exactly do you think I’m gonna do once I, for example, confront and defeat Chrysalis and claim her territory?”

Starlight froze up at Nate’s tone and gulped in fear “Y-You’re gonna free us…r-right?” Starlight had a gut feeling that this isn’t how Nate does things.

“Of course, to a degree,” Nate acknowledged. “But that’s not what I asked. I asked what you think I’m going to do to Chrysalis once I defeat her and claim her territory.”

“Y-You’re…you’re gonna set her on trial? Make her and the others face justice?” Starlight dreamt of the day where Equestria wins back their freedom and watch as Chrysalis and her allies are put away for good.

“No.” Nate stared into Starlight’s eyes with a serious, but non-threatening, gaze. “I’m going to put her down. Permanently.”

That gaze, whether or not it was meant to be non-threatening, sent shivers down Starlight's spine and fear caused her legs to stop moving.

“Y-You…can you really do that? Y-You’re just one human…” Nate was terrifying, and he did take out a few camps, but to go up against the Queen of the Changelings? To go up against the Dark Alliance? It was insane to her.

“You may not realize it, Starlight, but we’re already at war with Chrysalis,” Nate explained. “From the day I liberated and claimed your town, no, the very first changeling I killed when I saved you from your pursuers, my declaration had already been made. Ever since then, I’ve been doing nothing but kill the changelings and any other creature affiliated with them like those Diamond Dog creatures. And if her sending a High Changeling after me wasn’t obvious enough, it’s clear she also acknowledges the conflict between us. You can bet she’s probably already gathering more drones to either kill me or take back what I took from her. I hate to be the bearer of bad omens, but she’ll most likely want to make an example out of you by executing those who’ve joined my side.”

Even Starlight had to know that this wasn’t some hero from a story, not some paragon of truth, honor, and justice. This is a human who came here to end a war by any means necessary. Even if it means killing anyone who dares cross him.

“I-I… I understand…” Starlight muttered, still too frightened to give a straight answer. “I’ll do what I can to help…”

“Never been in a war, I take it?” Nate asked.

“Not…exactly, no,” Starlight told him. “I never even killed before. Unless you count spiders…”

“Then you’re lucky,” Nate said. “But make no mistake. Not only do I plan to kill Chrysalis, but the same fate will also be met with those other two tyrants you mentioned.” Nate looked down at the map on his desk with determination. “Equestria will be mine.”

Trade a group of diabolical, cold-hearted monsters for an even bigger, scarier, more dangerous one. Although, with Nate they could at least have better lives compared to under the rule of the Dark Alliance

“Then what’s our next plan?” Starlight asked, wanting to be of use to Nate.

“My armor,” Nate replied, looking down at his still damaged plating. “The sooner we start the repairs, the better. Then I’ll go to this Rock Farm to find the master smith. Are the other smiths gathered like I asked?”

“Y-Yes. They’re gathered down at the lobby,” Starlight said. “Even before all this they were known to be excellent blacksmiths, even the royal family had some armor and weapons commissioned from them.”

Starlight then led Nate out of his office as he put his helmet back on and down to the lobby where seven ponies gathered. Four were stallions while three were mares. One stallion seemed to be far older than the rest as he had a long, white beard, wrinkles along his face, and a tired look in his eyes. But even though he was the oldest, he was clearly the biggest as he practically towered over the others with his muscular build.

“Greetings, everyone,” Nate said, making the ponies a bit on edge due to his height and armor. “My name is Apex. I understand that you lot are very skilled smiths. Almost as skilled as this Iron Bridle fellow who I’ve heard is still in captivity.”

“We can get the job done, although even though it hurts my pride, if you are able to free Iron Bridle, I recommend you ask him to craft you new weapons and repair your armor,” the old stallion said, coughing up a bit before clearing his throat. “My name is Stonewall. These are my foals and grandfoals, at least those left…” He muttered that last part to himself.

“Well met,” Nate nodded. “Now then, I would first like you all to take a close look at my armor.” Nate raised his arms out a little for the ponies to examine him. “Don’t be shy, feel free to get a more hands-on experience.”

Though hesitant the blacksmiths all slowly walked up to Nate, examining his armor while circling him.

“Such fine craftsmanship.”

“Is it steel?”

“How can you move with such clunky armor?”

“Does it not weigh much to you?”

These and many other questions were asked by the blacksmiths. Stonewall leaned forward and placed a hand on the chest plate of the armor, getting a feel for it while humming to himself.

“I see…can you remove the armor?” Stonewall asked.

“I cannot,” Nate said and pointed to the underside of his back behind him. “There’s a release mechanism on the back that looks like a small wheel. I can’t see it from here, but I can tell it’s damaged. So is the release mechanism.”

“I see, that would make it a bit difficult. We won’t be able to fully repair it without risking your own health and safety. Best we can do is add something over it, like an extra layer of protection over it.” Stonewall told Nate. “I know it doesn’t sound like much, but unless you’re invulnerable or immortal, that’s all we can do.”

“All I care about at the moment is being able to fight properly,” Nate said. “Once I free Iron Bridle, then we can discuss full repairs. So, with that being said, I shall now explain to you all how my armor works. I advise you to pay attention. This is something none of you have worked on before in your lives as smiths.”

The group of blacksmiths all stepped back and looked up at Nate and listened closely as he began to explain the workings of his armor to them. How it was forged, the purpose of it, how it was powered, its uses, strengths, weaknesses, and durability. Hearing such advanced armory and power was a concept none of them ever thought possible, but the idea that they would be able to work on such a wonderful display of craftsmanship? After years of being slaves and forced to make weapons and armor and tools for their masters? It had their blood pumping and, for the first time in years, they were eager to get to work.

“And as you can see,” Nate continued to explain. “The plating of my armor is being held together by couplings from the exoskeleton underneath. I designed it so it would take something of great force and physical strength to damage it as you see. Which is what happened when I battled a High Changeling.”

“Hmmm…this exoskeleton, as you said, seems to be holding up. No major damage to it from what I can see. But we should still be able to craft some armor plating over it for the time being,” Stonewall said with a nod. “Go and get the forge up and running.” Stonewall told his children as they all nodded and left to begin getting the forge up. “Um, would you mind if I take a look at this, uh, release mechanism?”

Nate nodded and turned around for Stonewall to examine. The old stallion spotted what Nate described but was a bit confused.

“Sir Apex? I don’t see a little wheel,” Stonewall said.

“Excuse me?” Nate said.

“The mechanism you described is not here. I do see what looks to be some kind of tapped hole, but the thing looks like it has melted in on itself,” Stonehoof.

“…fuck,” Nate cursed under his breath. “So, not only is the release gauge on the inside malfunctioning, but the outside release mechanism is also gone and melted?” Nate shook his head and rubbed the front of his helmet lightly with his metal hand. “Is there any way to make a new key and hollow out the hole?”

“It is possible, but it requires a much more delicate approach. Most of the tools we have here aren’t what I could call delicate by any means. The Dogs didn’t care what we made as long as they were big and strong and heavy,” Stonewall told Nate. “But I promise you that there is a possibility for this iron shell of yours to be opened.” Stonewall stepped back and coughed as he wiped his mouth. “For now, let’s get to work on your repairs, Mr. Apex, sir.”

“Very well,” Nate said and followed Stonewall to the forge.

Nate stood perfectly still while Stonewall and his family were hard at work. It felt like hours had passed since the smith ponies began repairing Nate’s armor as best they could. Nate watched the smiths use the Star Metal ore he brought back from the mine to mold together a protective layer over where his armor was the most damaged. Nate had the younger members of the smith ponies fit their hands underneath the openings of his armor to locate any damaged wiring or use their tools to weld the steel plating.

“There should be a few wires under the right shoulder,” Nate instructed the young mare who stood on a step stool. “Are any of them broken?”

“Hmm, just a few. Though they can easily be fixed,” she said “Can you move your shoulder? Tell me if there is any stiffness in it.”

Nate moved his arm up a little and they both heard some straining in his shoulder. The mare immediately knew what it was and got to work with a screwdriver and small socket wrench.

“Make sure you tie the copper wires back together and use something to keep them tied,” Nate said.

The mare nodded and used her magic to tie the copper wires together and then she used a glue gun on the wires, her magic then heated up the glue and began to hold the wires together without any risks.

“That should do it, sir,” she said.

“Mr. Apex, we’re almost done with welding this armor plate. It’s made from the material you gave us, some of the best armor is crafted by them so this will be more than perfect for the time being,” Stonewall said, the hole that was once in Nate’s chest was now covered in black steel “We can test it out, if you wish, Mr. Apex.”

“No need,” Nate said. “I’ll have plenty of time to test it out in the field when I go to the Rock Farm. Would you say it’s combat-ready?”

“Yes, although if you face another High-Changeling or somepony similar to him, you may want to avoid him,” the mare advised him.

“It will suffice,” Nate said. “Have you finished the blueprints I told you to jot down for new armor plating?”

“Yes, my grandfather got started on it as soon as he could. He said that it is definitely within his area of expertise to get it done but he will need more material. If you’re gonna be fighting against the Dark Alliance you need the best material to do it,” the mare said.

“And once Iron Bridle is back, I won’t have to worry about any damages to my armor,” Nate said in an agreeing tone. “As for the material, you’ll have plenty of it. The mine is under my control and the ponies have agreed to keep a steady supply of the ore.”

“Thank you, Mr. Apex, sir,” the mare said. “Do you want us to look over your weapon as well?”

Nate thought about it and figured his sword might need some smithing as well. Even though he was the one who created the weapon and used the best materials available in the wasteland, and the fact that it’s kept its edge for over three million years, it wouldn’t hurt to have it checked out. Nate reached behind him and a compartment opened up so he could grab his sword. As soon as he pulled it out, the ponies were astonished by both its size and craftsmanship of the blade.

“It looks crudely built, but the design of it is remarkable,” Stonewall said while examining the blade. “These wires under the guard of the blade, what is the purpose of them?”

“Careful, if you press the trigger, it’ll fry you to a crisp from the electric charge,” Nate warned.

“N-Noted, sir,” one of the stallions gulped as he carefully picked up the sword and carried it to a table to begin fixing it up.

“I have a question for you smiths,” Nate said. “Do any of you know the materials called saltpeter, sulfur, and charcoal?”

“Yes, we are aware of them. We used them for smithing armor back at the capital and even in a bit of construction,” Stonewall said.

“Bring them to me. I have another project I want you to work on,” Nate requested.

Stonewall nodded and he and a few other smiths left to fetch the materials. Meanwhile, the remaining two smiths were doing some last-minute checkups on his armor while his sword was being tended to.

A slow process but it will improve in the long run, Nate thought.

Nate stood before the family of smiths as he used the HUD in his helmet to run diagnostics. At the same time, he analyzed his newly improved sword they had repaired with the material from the mine. As Nate stood there, the smiths couldn’t help but be a bit anxious as they waited for his response.

“Hmm…damages repaired, plates welded efficiently, some lingering internal damages but I shouldn’t be picky. Couplings holding strong, power core still at unreadable levels.” Nate mumbled to himself. “92% of the damage done to the armor has been repaired.” Nate nodded and turned his head to the smiths. “You have my gratitude, Stonewall. You and your family were able to follow my directions quite well, and now my armor is back to fighting shape.”

“Thank you, sir. We aim to please.” Stonewall bowed his head as did the others, all of them also on edge in fear of possibly upsetting Nate.

“As requested, we brought you the material you asked,” the mare from before said as some stallions dropped a few crates on the ground, opening it up to reveal some of the material Nate asked.

“Excellent,” Nate nodded. He walked over to one of the tables to grab a piece of paper and handed it to Stonewall. “Please excuse the slightly messy handwriting. Can’t exactly write well with these metallic fingers. I’d like you to start on this next project.”

Stonewall looked at the paper and immediately couldn’t make heads or tails about it.

“Um…what is this gunpowder, Lord Apex?” Stonewall asked.

“Something that makes things go boom,” Nate simply said. “Get started on it, I’ll check on your progress later. Now, get out,” Nate ordered. Stonewall and the others all bowed and immediately left, taking the crates and heading off to the forge.

As Nate ran some more diagnostics on his armor, he noticed a small swarm of flies buzzing around him. Nate eyed each of the flies and flicked his fingers at them, using his magic to mutate the flies.

The flies began to glow a sickly yellow and green color as their bodies began to change. It was like mounds of flesh being smashed together and stretched out as it morphed into something else. The fly was now easily the size of a small dog and spewed a ghastly green liquid substance from its large behind.

“Hmph, even the smallest of creatures can be a valuable asset in war,” Nate said to himself.

Just then, Nate concocted a hypothesis when he reminded himself of the prisoners that he had locked away when he first took Appleloosa. With his mind drumming up the possibilities and theoretic thoughts, Nate made his way out of the forge and made his way to the local jail house.

Everyone passing by either paid him no mind or looked away nervously, which Nate never really bothered to acknowledge. He was focused on something more important than the anxious atmosphere of the townspeople. Upon arrival, Nate stepped into the jailhouse and saw Braeburn speaking with a couple of ponies. Next to them were a few large jail cells with a few Diamond Dog survivors. Including the one who told him about the mine in the first place.

Hearing the heavy thuds of Nate’s metallic boots Braeburn turned around to nervously face him.

“S-Sir? What, uh, what brings you by?” Breaburn asked, meeting and averting his gaze with Nate.

“Business,” Nate said. “I need the room.”

Braeburn and the other stallions nodded and hurriedly exited the jailhouse. The Diamond Dogs all stared at Nate, some in fear or with hatred as Nate stood in front of them. His glowing eyes from his helmet seemed to pierce their very souls.

“Your leader is dead,” Nate said abruptly. “Along with the rest of the pack that was stationed there by my hands. The mine is now under my control.”

One diamond dog lunged at Nate but slammed against the bars, his arms flailing about. Trying to grab Nate.

“Grrr! Giant metal freak! I’ll rip you open like a tin can and become the new Alpha!” The Dog barked.

Nate just stood there unfazed by his threats and thrashing. Meanwhile, the other Dogs were giving him death glares from their cells.

“I’ve been thinking about what I’m to do with the lot of you,” Nate spoke. “It would be easy to just kill you, string you up by your innards, and put your mutilated corpses on display outside the town so that anybody gets the idea that I’m not to be fucked with.” That made some of the Dogs flinch. “However, I have another way of how you can be useful to me.”

“We’ll never follow your orders!” The one still thrashing about barked.

Under his helmet, Nate grinned a sadistic smile as his hand glowed a sickly yellow hue. Suddenly, Nate raised his hand and shot it forward between the bars, grabbing hold of the Diamond Dog’s head.

“We’ll see about that,” Nate said as a look of horror filled the Dog’s eyes as Nate began imbuing his magic into his first test subject.

“W-Wait! Stop! No no! NooooooAAAAAAAAGH!!” The Diamond Dog howled in anguish as his body was covered in the same sickly color aura, his body being stretched and broken and changing into something else. The Diamond Dog grew double in size and mass, all his fur shedding off and his skin turning gray. His hunchback snapping straight as his fangs grew larger. The light died down and Nate dropped the Dog, examining his newly created monster.

The other dogs all cowered in fear as the heavy breathing echoed around the jailhouse. They dared not try to contemplate what just happened as their brother slowly rose up to his feet. The Dog’s fur had completely shed off his skin, the skin itself was a dark gray, and his body had indeed doubled in both sizes and height. He stood almost as tall as Nate as he opened his blood red eyes with a faint sickly yellow glow. The mutant Dog glared at Nate but did nothing as Nate examined him.

“Physical structure has increased dramatically,” Nate said aloud. “Features resembling basic Super Mutant traits are satisfactory and have borne positive results.” Nate grinned under his helmet. “Now to test mental strength. Who do you serve?”

The Dog gasped for air for a few moments, trying to make a sound, a single word. Then it spoke.

“I-I…serve the…M-Master…” The Dog said, slowly kneeling down. His voice was deep and heavy like gravel, and his speech made it seem its intelligence wasn’t that high up.

“Mental control has also taken full effect,” Nate said as the Super Dog Mutant stood up. “Go grab two more.”

“Yes, Master.” The newly mutated dog turned and marched over to his former comrades, both whimpering in fear and pleading for mercy. But it was futile as the Mutant Dog lifted them both up by their necks and carried them over to the bars, holding them up towards Nate.

“This is only just the beginning,” Nate said as he grabbed his two new test subjects by their faces. “It won’t be long until I have the army I need.”

The air was thick in Appleloosa as the violent and loud screams from within the jailhouse reverberated across the town. Any passerby felt a wave of unease and fear due to how unnaturally loud the screams from within were. One could only imagine what Nate was doing with the Diamond Dog prisoners, and none dared to enter the building to find out. The screams went on for what felt like several minutes until the screams suddenly stopped. Some ponies waited anxiously for someone or something to step out until the door finally opened with a slow creek.

Much to everyone’s expectations, Nate strode out with his heavy armor in the sun’s rays. However, what followed him made the townsfolk’s hearts drop immediately. About a dozen mutated, hairless, green-skinned Diamond Dogs trudged behind Nate. The monsters let out a few grunts and snarls, but they obediently followed Nate as if he was their puppeteer. Their eyes glowed a sickening yellow light, which signified his total control over them.

“Prep a few wolves and Yao Guai,” Nate ordered his new soldiers. “And add a mixed swarm of Stingwings and Bloodbugs. We leave for the Rock Farm immediately.”

“Yes, Master,” the Super Mutant Dogs said at the same time and marched away to gather his forces.

Author's Note

He goes on the march once again.

Side Note:
I. HAVE. RETURNED.