(Long ago)

"What I tell you, brother? This area is perfect for fresh recruits!" The brute chuckled with his spiker in hand.

"That is true but not all are... fit for the banished," The brute's 'brother' pointed his hammer to a shield cell of frenzied jackals trying to break through the shielding wanting to eat. "These are a liability rather than an asset to us,"

Moving down the prison one of the brutes stopped in front of a cell before grunting to his pack brothers.

"What about this one?"

Walking over to him the rest of the brutes looked inside.

"Are you stupid? That's one of those weak little humans I'm surprised the covenant didn't use him as meat for the jackals," The brute chuckled giving a growl. "Besides we have no space for one of them in the banished,"

"Why not? There might be a good reason the covenant hasn't killed him perhaps we can use that against them," The brute countered.

Turning to the cell looking at the human in the corner covered in signs that he had been tortured yet despite his wounds he still sitting upright. Staring at the ceil occupant for a moment the former major growled before waving his hand, at the younger brute that spotted the human.

"Whatever bring him before Atriox... see what he makes of this runt," The younger brute looked at the human who was now staring back at the alien warrior.

(Present day)

Putting down the screwdriver he then removed the connection part before reaching up and pulling off an M46 Vulcan from the warthog the spartan lept down onto the hangar floor. Carrying the heavy weapon around like a toy he set it down on some supply crates before returning to the now-disarmed light-scouting vehicle.

"I don't like these things... too lightly armored and the turret is only perfect against air targets," The holographic image of the AI popped up onto the top of the warthog's windshield.

Going to the exposed engine the spartan looked down at the heart of the machine before speaking.

"Well, they are versatile change out the M46 for a gauss cannon or missile platform... hell I heard about some warthogs with a flame thrower," The Spartan reached into the open guts of the stolen UNSC vehicle.

"Huh... you would take a scorpion over a warthog right?" The AI questioned causing the spartan to look up at the avatar.

"What kind of question is that? Yes, I would take a scorpion over a warthog if necessary but if the situation calls for it would take a warthog," Going back to the engine the spartan returned to working on it.

Reappearing on his shoulder the AI began to hum a tune while the spartan worked.

(Equestria)

"Where is it Sombra? Where is the crystal heart?!" The bruised and beaten former overlord turned his head to the pony before giving a chuckle.

"I thought Equestria didn't have torture chambers... guess whoever said that was wrong," Sombra then turned to Celestia who stood in the corner of the dark room. "Wait that was you wasn't it dear sweet-"

Getting socked in the face by the fist caused the king to snap up smiling at the feeling of pain.

"HA-AH! So your not above torture after all!" Sombra laughed before shifting on his chair. "Despite this whole show Celestia I simply told you what happened to it,"

"Do you think the princess would believe your lies, you mother-bucker!" Getting hit again the dark king spat out blood from the hard right hook he just took. "Don't let me get out my tools!"

"Your tools? Don't make me laugh boy those tools you claim to belong to you haven't been used in centuries... unless you been saying that lie for years," Sombra smiled while looking at Celestia. "Well... hit me, cut me, drown me all you like I already told you what happened,"

Celestia looked up to Sombra whose grin widen upon making eye contact with her.

"There was no thief," The torturer shouted to which Sombra laughed.

"But of course, I covered myself in a magical gel and then I destroyed my horn while I was at it... ask Cadance and Shining they will confirm my Alibi," Sombra stated before the torturer began to unwrap his fits while looking at a tray of old instruments of pain before him.

"You have been known for illusions they could be under the influence of one of your spells,"

Laughing again the former king leaned back in his chair.

"Please... what do I gain from getting captured?" Sombra chuckled while the torture remained silent before looking at his princess who didn't break her gaze from the dark pony. "I have no love for that thief but he is quite the clever little pup I'll give him that,"

Walking from her spot Celestia looked down at the king chained before her.

"So what if I were to believe your thief story how do I know you're not lying?" The princess asked making the king smile even more.

"Bring in that orange pony... the farm hand with the element of honesty she can smell out a lie correct?" Sombra stated before leaning into the princess. "Best keep that one at arm's length that power she has can cut both ways,"

Narrowing her eyes at the king of darkness who was still smiling without a single care in the world.

Turning around the princess left the two alone without speaking a word while Sombra laughed before the door to the chamber was slammed behind her.

(Cantorlot castle)

Celestia walked forward back into the halls of mountain castle arms still crossed while she began to think long a hard, she had known Sombra for a long time and the things he has done. Yes, he was known to lie and she knew he was telling the truth but what he had spoken made her question if she could tell if he was lying or not.

After not breaking from his story Sombra still held firm to his own story even after hours of 'interrogation' he still said the same thing. It was soon clear he wasn't lying but she wasn't going to tell the torture that... not now at least.

"I have no love for that thief but he is quite the clever little pup I'll give him that,"

For some reason, those words were playing on repeat in her head and she didn't at all know why.

Giving a sigh she placed her hands on her temples before giving a low hiss, this entire series of events was weighing heavily on her with the sudden attack plus the disappearance of the crystal heart. Now with the heart gone the empire was currently facing endless snow and her student was trying to help her niece figure out how to hold back the storm at least till they find the crystal heart.

'I really need some cake,'

(???)

How far has she walked?

She didn't know but she was far from the motherland that she could tell from her surroundings.

Well... from what little she could see in front of her.

A snowstorm had hit right in the path she was walking before she knew it.

Even with her thick coat, she felt the unforgiving cold bite at her and for someone like her, this cold was too much for anyone to handle.

It felt like her own blood would freeze in her very veins.

Pain screaming though out her she pressed on not knowing where she was going not like could she tell in this storm.

Trying to press through the thick layer of snow her legs felt numb which was never a good sign.

'Fuck I need to get out of this storm or I'll-'

Looking up seeing nothing in sight she felt herself stop while lowering her head.

'What's the point? There's nothing out here,'

Closing her eyes she felt the cold rush around her before looking up for what seemed to be the last time.

Strange, she could swear she heard something... guess the cold was getting to her.

This storm would be the end for her.

Blinking the lost soldier felt her legs grow weaker with every passing second threatening to give out, everything was going soon her heart would follow and she'll be consumed by the snow like so many of her brothers and sisters she fought alongside in that war that brought her here in the first place. Her eyes felt foggy and her vision blurred causing her to almost fall over but then she saw something or rather someone.

Smiling she took a step forward but her other leg didn't respond.

"," Finally falling forward she felt her mind fade before her body hit the ground.

It was like her very soul melted away from her body before she passed out.

Yet her body didn't hit the snow, someone had caught her.

Lifting her up in a bridal carry her carrier turned away and went deeper into the storm.

Little did the Rushian know she had stumbled across a perimeter trigger hidden under the snow of the massive storm.

This storm wasn't going to kill her but her savior was no guardian angel.

Author's Note

Another chapter but still short on my usual goal of getting to at least 2,000+ words.

Though I think the next chapter where 'the spartan' and 'the veteran' meet will be interesting, don't you think?

Plus when the spartan was recruited by the banished the group was still pretty new, just to let you guys know. As for the spartan... well like I said different timeline and it's something I actually find more logical for the covenant to do.

I mean an asset like that would be a pretty useful source of classified information and such, sure they hate humans for that whole 'great journey' bull. Let me just say this real quick so I can be clear...

THIS IS NOT AT ALL RELATED TO THAT DAMN ABOMINATION OF A HALO TV SHOW!!!
(They have been removing episodes apparently ad saying that they ruined halo)

Besides that, I think some of you know who the spartan is and since the banished and UNSC never met well... let's just say some people would do anything for payback.

Like Satlzpyre recruiting another Skaven XD, I know this isn't a 40k/fantasy story but I couldn't help but that new Skaven mod.

Well, I hope you guys are excited about things to come!

It will be a blast.