Ad Meliora’s Mess Hall

The past few days have been both informative and excruciating. From sunrise to sundown, the humans have been giving the Equis recruits a whole six months’ worth of training in just a week. But, mid-day was a time for them to relax, as it was chow time. Twilight was standing in line at the mess hall, waiting to be served. The Captain offered her to skip the lines since she was royalty, but the Princess declined. The Princess of Friendship never wants to be treated differently than the other recruits. When it was her turn, she approached the panel with different meal choices for her to choose from.

She looked closely at the panel; there was turkey, hamburger, cheeseburger, hot dog, and the chef’s special meals. She cringes at what might be the Special and taps the next button with her hoof. There, on the next menu, were some vegetarian-friendly meals. She selects vegetarian lasagna and iced tea as a beverage.

Within a few seconds, her meal is dispensed, and she takes it with her magic. She steps aside and sees all her friends sitting together at one table. She puts on a friendly smile and joins them.

“Hey, girls.” Twilight said as she sat down, prompting Spike's loud throat-clearing sound. “Hehe… and Spike.”

“Howdy, Twi.” Applejack said as she was massaging her own left shoulder. From under her orange coat, Twilight could see a decent-sized bruise on Applejack.

“You alright, AJ? How did you get that bruise?” Twilight asked, concerned for the farm pony.

“Ah’m fine. Just tryin’ to adjust to these new weapons.” Applejack responded with a slight chuckle. “Ah like them shotguns, but sweet Celestia, does that thing buck hard.”

“I think I’m doing pretty well.” Fluttershy spoke up with a larger-than-normal smile on her face.

“That’s because you’ve been spending most of your time at the medical station.” Rainbow Dash butted in, which caused Fluttershy to shrink down a little.

“Y-yes… because I don’t like the other stations,” Fluttershy said, looking down at her tray. “I don’t want to fight, and I definitely don’t want to kill anything… I just want to help those who are hurt.”

“Not me,” said Rainbow Dash sternly, which caused all eyes to shift to her. Rainbow’s eyes began to narrow as she spoke. “After what I saw back at Manehattan, the Covenant needs to pay for what they have done. Sitting back and playing nurse will not kick their sorry flanks off our planet. These punks are going down.”

“We all want them gone, Dash. Though Ah mostly agree with ya, we need those like Fluttershy to help the injured.” Applejack countered. “Fluttershy and many others have already taken care of all the wounded from Manehattan, even the civilians. We need some ponies ta take care of the injured while the rest of us kick some flank.”

“Applejack is right.” said Starlight, now voicing her opinion. “I have been studying the types of enemies we are currently facing. The Covenant is geared for war. If we’re going to beat them, everypony will need to play their part. Whether that is being a soldier or a medic.”

“Starlight said it better than any of us could.” Twilight said, looking at all of her friends. “We have faced many foes before; Tirek, Cozy Glow, the Storm King, even the once Queen Chrysalis. Now, what we now face will require all of us to do what we do best.”

Everypony at the table looked at each other before nodding in agreement. As they began their meal, before they would have to return to boot camp again, a voice broke the silence once more.

“You know, it’s been a while since the Covies attacked Manehatten. I wonder what they have been doing.” Pinkie Pie said, which caused everypony to ponder that thought momentarily.

5 days after the Fall of Manehattan…
Fire Of The Mighty

In the large purple halls of the Assault Carrier, two Sangheili, Xala and N’Thoka, walk side by side with each other, speaking of their actions, or in this case, inaction over the past few days.

“We have not made another move on this world since we have taken their pathetic city. Why does our Shipmaster make us lie and wait when we should be destroying these pathetic fools?” said Xala, looking down at his clenched fist. “I crave battle, brother. I still have my mission to eliminate the demon.”

“Patience, brother,” N’thoka spoke calmly. “Shipmaster ‘Mutamee has been speaking with the native King for quite some time. No doubt they are planning something together.”

“That’s just it. I do not trust this native as far as I can throw him.” Xala said before smirking. “Though, I am very confident I could throw him a long way myself.”

“Your ego will be the death of you, brother. Make sure you keep a leveled head.” N’thoka warned as they both approached a large door.

Upon detecting their presence, the door slides open, revealing two more Sangheili speaking to each other on the other side. One was a major, and the other a minor. Upon seeing the Zealot and the Spec-Ops officer, the two new Sangheili quickly silence their conversations and salute their superiors. Xala and N’thoka analyze them for a second. The Minor’s chestplate seemed a bit melted, and the Major wasn’t standing at full height, seeming to keep weight off one of his legs. Xala instantly recognized the two. Xala narrows his eyes and softly growls.

“Major Rhyko ‘Hadamee, Minor Zuza ‘Wanamaiee. I remember you two. You were sent to intimidate Princess Twilight Sparkle so that she would stay away from the humans. Current events and the state you two are in prove you have failed.” Xala crossed his arms as he looked down at the two lower-class Sangheili. As the weight of his words begins to weigh heavy on the two lower-class Sangheili, the one in crimson armor steps forward.

“I bear this shame, myself.” said Rhyko, his head looking towards the floor. “I let my guard down, and one of the smaller natives disabled my leg with a hard kick. I am still not fully recovered.”

“The blame is also mine, brother. I should not have backed down from that fight the large white one challenged me too. We have brought dishonor upon ourselves and our holy Covenant.” Zuza said, now bowing at the feet of the other two Sangheili, with Rhyko joining him. While Xala was unmoved, N’thoka was humbled.

“You two have failed your mission, but you bare the blame honorably. Rise. You shall only bow before the Shipmaster.” N’thoka spoke, which caused Xala to roll his eyes. Zuza and Rhyko return to their feet, looking at the noble Zealot.

“Your words are kind, brother. We promise not to fail again.” Rhyko spoke, his voice now void of shame. It was around that time a transmission was sent to N’thoka. He was a bit shocked at who was calling him.

“Zealot N’thoka, come to the bridge immediately.” The voice of Khota came through.

“I am on my way, Shipmaster. What’s the urgency?” N’thoka responded, which caused the other three to look at the Zealot.

“I have a mission for you. Bring a few of our brothers with you. This will not be an easy task.” Those were the final words Khota spoke before the transmission was cut. N’thoka turned to face the two lower-classed Sangheili.

“You two want to prove yourselves?” N’thoka asked, to which the Major and Minor nodded. “Come with me. I will need you two to accompany me to the bridge. You as well, Xala.”

His request was met with no objection as the four would make their way to the bridge. Upon entering the bridge, the four Sangheili quickly bow before their shipmaster, who sat with his back towards him.

“We are here, Shipmaster. What is this mission you request of us?” N’thoka spoke while still bowing. Slowly, Khota spun in his chair to face his subordinates. He had a smirk across his face that even creeped out N’thoka.

“Our new ally and I have been discussing a few things over the past few days.” said Khota. “I now know our next moves. If done correctly, we bring this planet to its knees in just a few short weeks.”

As he spoke, a black mass began to leak out of Khota’s shadow, soon forming into King Sombra. He looks down at the four Sangheili with his glowing green eyes. He smirks at them as they all quit bowing. “Sombra, would you mind filling them in? Give them the short version of our discussion.”

“With pleasure, Shipmaster.” Sombra chuckled deeply. “The past few days, I have been informing your shipmaster how our world works. I will give you the rundown version. Pay attention, as I do not like to repeat myself.”

N’thoka, not liking Sombra’s tone, crossed his arms and furrowed his brow. The other three Sangheili listened closely as Sombra continued. “How much do you understand about magic?

“Very little.” N’thoka spoke his answer calmly. “You should already know that.”

“Yes. Well, in short terms, magic comes in different forms. I am a master of dark magic. It is an ancient and powerful form of magic that comes from emotions. This is the power I offer you to aid in your fight, but dark magic is not strong enough to guarantee your victory.” Sombra lectured. This statement was met with a scoff from Xala.

“I highly doubt that! We have decimated humans for the past twenty-five years! We have slaughtered many, and our goal to eliminate them all is in sight! What makes you sure we will not come out on top here!?” Xala interrogated, pointing his finger at the unicorn king. Sombra just smirked at the Elite.

“Because you are not just against the humans.” Sombra answered. “You have attacked Equis, and its own forces will surely retaliate after what you’ve done. While advanced and powerful, your technology nearly pales compared to magic. Even my own isn’t strong enough to face what you are now up against. You face the magic of Harmony.” This statement led to a lot of confusion.

“Harmony? What do you mean by that?” asked Rhyko, raising an eyebrow.

“Harmony is the strongest magical force on Equis. It’s the polar opposite of dark magic, and can wipe out a small army. The power of Harmony is strong enough to purge the power of darkness. If you think Princess Twilight Sparkle is powerful alone, you are in for a rude awakening if she and her friends call upon the Elements of Harmony.” Sombra scrunches his nose and narrows his eyes. “It’s so strong that it can overpower me and destroy my physical form. This power has brought down many of Equestria’s foes, and you will be no different if you get too close. While existing only as a shadow, I pondered how to get rid of this harmony once and for all. And now, with you all here, I know of a way to counter it.”

“How are we to counter something you claim to be all-powerful?” asked N’thoka.

“We will need to ally ourselves with two more powerful beings. Ones who have challenged harmony before and nearly destroyed it.” Sombra smirked as he eyed the four Sangheili. “Two of you will look for one of them, while the rest of you will search for the other.”

“Alright, I’ve had enough!” Xala spoke up in an angry tone. He then shifted his eyes to Khota. “Shipmaster, do you expect me to take orders from this four-legged vermin!? I will not allow myself to stoop to that level!”

“You will do as I command.” Khota leaned forward in his chair, glaring down at his subordinate. “If you knew everything I was told, you would understand perfectly. If I say you will take orders from him, then by the prophets, you will do it! Do not speak to me in such a way again or you shall regret it, understand!?”

Xala looked up at Khota, it was hard for him to put aside his own personal honor, but he had no choice but to relent. He lowered his head, staring angrily at the floor and clenching his fists tight.

“I… I understand, Shipmaster.” Xala began to breathe heavily, fuming in his own anger. Sombra, however, just looks at the Spec-Ops officer with a smug expression.

“Now, with that out of the way, let’s discuss where we are sending you.” Sombra chuckled as a purple miasma began to leak out of his eyes.

24 hours later

A phantom was flying toward a remote part of Equestria, filled with a thick forest. On board were two Xala and N’thoka. N’thoka seemed to be silently meditating to himself while Xala was on an open commlink with the ship.

“The last known sighting of the one known as ‘Chrysalis’ was in this direction.” The voice of Khota informed. “According to the native Sombra, she was overthrown by her own brood and fled deep into this forest. Your mission is to locate this queen and bring her back to the ship alive, and in one piece.”

“I understand, Shipmaster.” Xala responded as he placed his hand on his hip where his sword hilt lay.

“I mean it, Xala! Alive! You’d better bring back this Queen in one piece.” Khota’s voice warned before finally cutting out. Xala scoffed at that remark as N’thoka raised his head and looked toward Xala.

“We have our orders, brother. Are you prepared?” N’thoka asked calmly as Xala turned towards him.

“I am always prepared. These primitive creatures would’ve been easy prey if the humans weren’t here.” Xala spat the last part out like venom. N’thoka only shakes his head at his hotheaded partner.

“I fear you underestimate these natives, brother. They wield a weapon none of us have ever seen before; this magic, as they call it.” N’thoka again spoke collectively, which earned another scoff from Xala.

“If the rest of the fleet was here, their pathetic magic would be unable to save them.” Xala crossed his arms and narrowed his eyes at the Zealot.

“But they aren’t here; we are on our own. And after that display by that native, tearing our brothers to shreds in a blink of an eye, we are right to be cautious.” N’thoka tried to speak reason to his partner, to which Xala looked away and towards the ground.

“To me, it sounds like you are afraid of this magic, brother. I fear nothing, not even death.” Xala retorted, now not looking N’thoka in the eyes.

“I do not fear it. However, I also do not understand it. Neither do you, so you need to think rationally about the situation we are in.” N’thoka said. Xala was about to respond until their comms sparked to life again.

“We are approaching a clearing, Zealot. Prepare to exit in thirty seconds.” The voice of the pilot came through. Both Sangheili look at each other and decide to drop their current conversation so that they may begin to focus.

The Phantom approaches a clearing in the forest and hovers, the sides open up and both warriors jump out, landing on the soft grass below. The Phantom closes its doors and begins to ascend again.

“I shall remain close by, return here for pick up. Good hunting, brothers.” The comms cut out again as the two Sangheili scan their surroundings. They looked for a likely direction to travel in as everything became quiet.

“Here, this way looks less dense. We should travel in this direction.” N’thoka summed up as he heard Xala activate his active camo.

“Good. I’ll scout ahead of you. I’ll stay close while you keep an eye on your motion sensor.” Xala said as he moved in front of N’thoka. The pair then go down their selected path, deep into the unfamiliar forest.

3 hours later…

N’thoka kept low to the ground, his eyes forward but always keeping his tracker in his peripherals. He had been trudging through this forest for three hours. Though he couldn’t see Xala, thanks to his active camo, he could see his blip on the motion tracker. He was easily 30 to 40 feet ahead of him, and N’thoka kept completely silent to maintain the element of surprise. However, the silence was broken when Xala began communicating through the comms, stopping N’thoka in his tracks.

“Brother, I hear a voice not too far from our current location.” Xala said in a low whisper. “I am moving in to investigate.”

“Very well. Do not reveal yourself until I catch up.” N’thoka whispered back. A brief moment passed, but Xala never responded. “Xala, do you read me? Do not approach whatever it is until I catch up with you.”

Again, there was no answer. Before the Zealot could speak into the comm again, a loud animal-like roar was heard in the distance, not too far away. Followed after it was the distinct sound of a plasma rifle being fired. N’thoka growls to himself, knowing full well Xala went after whatever was ahead alone.

“May our lords give me the strength to not snap your neck when I get there, brother.” N’thoka said to himself as he began to sprint through the foliage.

Chrysalis, the former changeling queen, was pacing back and forth in her makeshift shelter. As she was pacing, she had many wood carvings of her former drones. She had a visible tick on her, the isolation and lack of fellow ‘lings was taking a small toll on her mentality. She suddenly snaps to look at one of her wood carvings, a deranged look on her face.

“One day, you’ll see! I will defeat Twilight Sparkle and her friends!” Chrysalis let out a short cackle, despite her current situation. “And they will pay for stealing my kingdom!”

Chrysalis uses her magic to hold up the woodcarving and bring it closer to her face like it was one of her former subjects. That’s when her ear twitches and points behind her. She quickly turned, hearing a voice come up behind her, but she saw nothing.

“Who dares sneak up on the queen of changelings!?” She yelled out, hoping her former title was enough to intimidate whoever may be there.

“Queen, huh?” A deep guttural voice said, coming from nowhere. “Then you must be who we’re looking for.”

Chrysalis looks confused and begins looking all around, trying to find the source of the voice.

“Show yourself! If you came looking for me, then stop hiding like a coward!” Chrysalis snarled, gritting her teeth. She hears the sound of static crackling and quickly turns to face the sound.

Before her very eyes, a large, dark creature began to appear in front of her out of thin air. She was shocked, as the thing was standing on its hind legs and easily stood two or three feet taller than her. The mysterious creature seemed to smirk at her, seeing Chrysalis stare at it in bewilderment.

“Sharp tongue on you, native.” The creature chuckled, clicking his mandibles before pointing at her. “You are to come with us. Do not resist, and it will be painless.” That’s when Chrysalis narrows her eyes at the unknown creature.

“How dare you speak to me in such a way, whoever you are!” “I am the queen of the Changelings, and I will not be spoken to in such a manner!”

“I care not for who you are. You are coming with me now.” The creature took a step forward, which caused Chrysalis to hiss at him, baring her fangs. This startles the creature, causing him to raise a glowing blue device at her.

“You disrespectful freak! No one makes commands of me! No one! You hear me! I am the queen of the changelings! I’ll make you fear me. I will make every creature fear me like they used to!” Chrysalis yelled as a putrid green glow began to surround her body. The creature only stood watching with widened eyes.

Xala was frozen as the changeling queen was surrounded by a swirl of magic, growing bigger by the second. Once the glow died down, before him was a terrifying beast. He takes a few steps back, keeping his rifle on the monster. It had the head and body of a feline, the wings of a bat, and a scorpion tail.

“By the Forerunners… A Shapeshifter…” Xala whispered as the Chrysalis in her new form roared a demonic roar at him.

The Spec-Ops Officer instinctively began to fire plasma at the beast, but very sloppily. The plasma passes by her, grazing her lion’s mane as she charges. Xala quickly tried to re-cloak himself, but even his speed paled against the speed of this monstrous queen. She swipes her giant paw at the officer, striking him in the chest and breaking through his shields. He is forced to the ground hard, and rifle gun is knocked from his hand.

Xala looks up at the beast, her mouth leaking drool and gaze igniting with a fire of rage. Chrysalis rises up on her hind legs, about to deliver a crushing blow, when the distinct sound of an energy sword is heard. It swipes downward in between the two, but never hits either of them. Chrysalis feels the heat from the blade and backs away, landing on four feet again, as a second creature like Xala steps in between them, one wearing golden armor. It was N’thoka, and he stood in front of Xala, pointing his weapon at Chrysalis, who only growled at him in return. N’thoka took a deep breath and considered his next words carefully.

“Queen Chrysalis, King Sombra sends his regards.” N’thoka spoke loud and clear before powering his sword down to show he was not a threat hoping to de-escalate the situation. It seemed to work as Chrysalis’ eyes widened at that name.

“King Sombra!? How do you know that name!?” She demanded, digging at the ground with her paw.

“We come upon his request. He has told us about you and asked us to bring you to him. We both have a similar goal in mind.” N’thoka spoke calmly and wisely.

“What ‘goal’ are you thinking of?” She challenged, never taking her burning eyes off the alien.

“To eliminate the one called Princess Twilight.” N’thoka answered, instantly causing Chrysalis to widen her eyes again.

The former changeling queen was taken aback by that statement, so much so that she reverts back to her original form. Both N’thoka and Xala watch in amazement as her changeling magic morphs her body in a swift manner.

“I… I do not understand.” Chrysalis said, raising an eyebrow at the two aliens. “How do you know Princess Twilight, and why do you wish to be rid of her?”

“We have our reasons that our shipmaster will share with you.” N’thoka answered calmly. “Know that we have a common goal, Queen Chrysalis, and the one called King Sombra says you would be a perfect ally to our cause. If you will come with us.”

Chrysalis was left pondering whether or not she should trust these strange creatures. They knew about mutuals of hers; she began to eye Xala. She bares her fangs and growls again. “How can I trust you?” She asked, not letting her guard down for a single second. “How do I know your friend will not attack me if I go with you?”

“If he does, I’ll kill him myself for disobeying orders,” N’thoka said sternly, causing Xala to scoff at the both of them. N’thoka then looks back at his partner, still angry at him for jumping the gun. “And that is a promise. Not a threat, Xala!”

Chrysalis eyes the two with uncertainty, still unsure of their true motives. On the other hoof, if Sombra had returned and sought an audience with her, then she couldn’t ignore it. Whatever the King of Dark magic wanted from her, she felt it must be important enough to at least see what is going on.

“Fine, I will go with you, but I have my eyes on you both. I still do not fully trust you.” Chrysalis said, earning a nod from N’thoka.

“I understand. Our ship is nearby.” N’thoka said.

Meanwhile...

Major Rhyko and Zuza were trudging through a rocky terrain near the base of a tall mountain. They had been dropped off by their phantom an hour ago; their mission is to locate the gates of someplace called Tartarus. Zuza notices his major still limping a bit whenever he places too much of his weight on his leg.

“The native king said the gates should be at the bottom of the mountain, brother. It should not be much farther.” Zuza said, keeping his head forward.

“I don’t need pity, brother.” Rhyko remarked, half annoyed. “I shouldn’t have let my guard down.”

Zuza only gives a huff in response as they continue on the rocky path. After some walking, the two soon come across a large red door with symbolic markings. They were both taken back by the sheer size of the door. So far, all the species of this planet have been on the shorter side. Why would they build a door this massive? Rhyko stepped forward first and placed his hand on the door.

“This…this must be it, brother.” Rhyko said. “The gates of Tartarus.”

“By the prophets. It is massive.” Zuza said as he approached the doors. Rhyko notices a symbol near the bottom of the gate; he takes a few steps back and looks closer at it.

“There. That must be the seal the King was talking about,” Rhyko stated while pointing at the symbol. Zuza steps forward to analyze the seal his fellow Sangheili had spotted.

“Yes, that must be it. You still have the crystal Sombra gave you?” Zuza asked, looking at his partner. Rhyko reaches behind him and pulls out a dark crystal that seems to give off a dark aura.

“Indeed. The King said the gate can only be opened with a certain magical spell that he stored in this crystal. I’ll have to see that to believe it.” Rhyko then holds the crystal out towards the door. At first, he feels nothing, but soon, the crystal begins vibrating in his hand.

The Major was seconds from dropping it, but before he could, a dark beam was projected out of the vibrating crystal, striking the symbol. The seal begins to glow, and so do the markings on the gate. Rhyko and Zuza couldn’t believe their eyes, as the large heavy doors began to open on their own. Finally, the crystal powers down and falls dormant, while the gateway to Tartarus are now wide open. Rhyko puts the crystal away and gazes at the opened door.

“It worked, brother! This power, this magic, is the most amazing thing I have ever seen!” Rhyko exclaimed as he approached the opening. Zuza followed until he stood next to Rhyko.

“Excellent. Now, we must enter and find the one called Lord Tirek.” Zuza said as he was the first one to enter.

Once Rhyko passed through and came to Zuza’s side, the gateway doors closed behind them, slamming shut and leaving the two Sangheili shrouded in darkness.

“I cannot see a thing,” Zuza said aloud as his eyes saw nothing but pitch-black darkness.

“Remain calm, Zuza. Let us light our lamps and dissipate the darkness.” Rhyko informed as both Sangheili stood still, yet prepared in case something decided to sneak up on them in the darkness.

As most of the darkness dissipates under their shoulder lights, Zuza sees a large mass in front of him. He places his hand on his plasma rifle as he approaches. The Minor gets right up to it when he is suddenly met face to face by a massive creature with a gaping maw roaring in his face.

Zuza jumps backwards and aims his rifle at the beast, but the more of the scenery he takes in, he sees the beast locked inside a cage. The beast in question appears to be a cross between a huge mammal and an insect, as it had wings and a stinger. Zuza suddenly feels his major forcefully push him in the shoulder.

“Enough antics, Zuza!” Rhyko commanded, half annoyed. “Sombra said Tartarus was full of dangerous creatures. Do not make this place your tomb if you cannot quell your curiosity.” Zuza rolled his eyes as he followed Rhyko. They still have a mission to complete.

“So, how do you expect us to find this certain individual? There must be hundreds of these abominations in here.” Zuza complained as he looked at all the cages storing different monsters.

“Sombra said this individual was locked deep within this unholy place, as he is extremely dangerous. So, it would be wise if we start from the back and work our way to the front.” Rhyko responded. Zuza nodded, agreeing to his major’s wise conclusion and followed him to the back of this large prison.

Atop a large pillar in the darkest corner of Tartarus, Lord Tirek looks down at the floor of his cage. He uses his finger to scratch another tally mark into the metal. It was one of hundreds he had scratched into the metal.

“Psst, Tirek!” a tiny, high-pitched voice shouted behind him.

“It is Lord Tirek!” The dark grayish scarlet centaur corrected as he turned around in annoyance. “And what is it now?”

Next to Tirek was a pegasus filly known as Cozy Glow, locked up ina cage as well. She was the latest addition to Tartarus, locked in a cage right next to him on what was once his pillar.

“I just want to make sure you can see my best friend’s rock sculpture from over there.” The small pegasus smiles innocently as she points to a sculpture she made of the two. Tirek only rolls his eyes and shakes his head.

‘Honestly, those accursed princesses could’ve placed her cage on any pillar.’ Tirek thought to himself. ‘Any pillar, and they chose mine!’ Being locked away in Tartarus was bad enough the first time, but now, Tirek must spend the rest of eternity in it with a child.

The centaur looks down at his own tally marks, which signify the number of days since his defeat at the hands of the Princess of Friendship. He grits his teeth and lets out a depressing sigh, seeing how many there are.

Suddenly, everything fell quiet in this corner of Tartarus, but it wouldn’t last long. The distinct sound of footsteps could be heard in the distance, coming closer. Tirek looks up and toward the direction of the footsteps. His curiosity peaked as if it were guards or the princesses coming to do a check on him. They would have teleported there or used a portal.

The footsteps got louder as they got closer. They sounded heavy and metallic; whatever was coming, they must be big. Tirek could begin to see two large dark outlines of whoever was approaching. They were bipedal and incredibly tall. He could also see a few lights emanating from the two figures. Finally, the two figures were close enough for Tirek to see them. They were two large bipedal reptiles clad in shiny red and blue armor of unknown make. Tirek could have sworn they were dragons, but they lacked any wings, and the armor they wore was foreign to him.

“Who dares approach Lord Tirek?!” He demanded the two to identify themselves. The two reptiles looked at each other, both seeming to make an amused grunt. The red figure then said something to the blue one; something foreign to the Centaur and Pegasus.

“Our names are not important to you yet.” The one in red spoke in guttural Ponish. “What is important is that we have been sent to find you, Lord Tirek.”

Major Rhyko watches as Tirek turns to look at Cozy Glow, who pulls her awestruck eyes from the two Sangheili to look at him. “See! Even they get it!” he said, to which Cozy rolled her eyes.

“Lord Tirek,” said Zuza as he stepped forward, which caused Tirek to look at him. “We have been sent here to retrieve you.”

“Retrieve me?” Tirek asked as his eyes lit up in confusion. “Why? Who sent you?”

“Our shipmaster.” Rhyko answered before adding, “As well as King Sombra.”

Tirek seemed more confused by that answer, and to an extent, so was Cozy Glow. “King Sombra? But why would he want me freed?” he asked, crossing his arms.

“Perhaps, you should ask him yourself once you are out of here.” Rhyko responded. He then reaches for his energy sword hilt on his hip. With a flick, the sword ignites. “Stand back.”

Tirek was puzzled by the sudden manifestation of the sword and backed away. Rhyko steps forward and slashes the tops of the bars like they were made of butter. He then swipes the bottom of them, and the bars fall to the floor, making a large opening in Tirek’s cage. Tirek hesitates for a moment but slowly steps out of his cage. He looks back at the bars and then smirks.

“Well then, that was efficient.” Tirek chuckled.

“Hey! Cool! Free me now!” Cozy squealed excitedly. The three looked down at the smiling filly with mixed reactions; Tirek giving a look of annoyance while Zuza and Rhyko were confused.

“Lord Tirek, is this… child your companion?” the Sangheili Major asks the Centaur. Before Tirek could answer, the high pitched filly answers for him.
“We are the best of friends!” Cozy gave the largest most innocent looking smile she could give, hoping her cuteness could win them over. But to her dismay, the two Sangheili only scoffed.

“You do not look like a warrior.” Zuza said as he narrowed his eyes and crossed his arms. “We are in no need of ‘friends.’ We need those who can fight.”

“H-hey! Hold on! I… I can fight! I once almost drained all of Equestria of its magic!” Cozy protested, now ditching her innocent demeanor.

“We need magic.” Rhyko stepped forward. “Our shipmaster desires to harness and use it as a weapon. If that is all you can do, then we are in no need of you.”

Cozy Glow gave a troubled look before turning to face the Centaur. “You can’t just leave me here Tirek!” she pleaded. “Help me out here, we’re friends!”

The Sangheili Major and Minor turned to look at Tirek, who shook his head. With that the two Sangheili glare back at the filly.

“You can stay here in rot. We have no need of you.” Zuza bluntly said, causing Cozy to look on in sad bewilderment.

“Come Lord Tirek, King Sombra seeks an audience.” Rhyko said, as the two then turn their backs to head out the way they came. Tirek turns to look back at Cozy Glow.

“T-Tirek! Don’t leave me!” Cozy begged, looking at him with puppy dog eyes.

Tirek only smirks and taunts Cozy by waving to her. He then turns his back on the filly to follow the two aliens. Eventually, her profane protests would be drowned out the farther they walked away from her. Tirek catches up to the two as they walk down a rather large staircase.

“Say, how were you two able to get to me so easily?” Tirek asked quizzically. This causes Rhyko and Zuza to stop in their tracks and turn to face him.

“What do you mean by that?” Zuza asked, the confusion present in his tone.

“How did you get past the guardian Cerberus?” Tirek specified. Rhyko and Zuza remained silent as their eyes widened slightly before turning to look at each other.

At that very moment, a deep guttural growl was heard at the bottom of the darkened staircase. Rhyko holds up his hand to signify the other two to stop. Rhyko narrows his eyes as he peers downward. It was so dark he couldn’t see the very bottom of the staircase even with his shoulder lamp, and yet he could swear he saw a large black mass moving under them.

Rhyko pulls out his plasma rifle from his hip, and Zuza does the same. Rhyko says a quick, silent prayer as he prepares himself for anything, despite nothing that could have prepared him for what he was about to see. In the darkness, a pair of bright yellow eyes with devilish red pupils open and reveal themselves, glaring at the Sangheili with murderous rage. Rhyko was about to fire when a second pair of eyes opened and then a third. All three side by side with each other.

“There are three of them, brother.” Rhyko said to Zuza without looking away from the eyes.

“Negative. Motion detector shows only one.” replied Zuza. Rhyko looks behind him so that he could look at Zuza in confusion. Another loud growl is heard the second Rhyko takes his eyes off the beast. When Rhyko looks back, he sees the eyes approaching them. As the best gets closer, Rhyko sees the three-headed canine Cerberus.

“By the rings!” Rhyko yells out as all the heads of Cerberus begin to bark and snarl at the three.

Cerberus charges at them, causing both Rhyko and Zuza to open fire. The beast howls in pain from the burning plasma and strikes the staircase with its large paws. As the stairs shake, the trio were given no other choice but to jump down the stairs. They all tumble on the ground as the beast turns towards them. All three heads snarl, much angrier now than it was earlier.

“Our plasma fire has only aggravated it, brother! What shall we do!?” Zuza exclaimed. Rhyko stays silent for a moment as he develops a plan. He looks down at his waist and spots a single plasma grenade.

The Major reaches behind him and pulls out the black crystal they used to open the doors to Tartarus. “Zuza, escort Lord Tirek out of here! I will deal with this beast!”

Rhyko tosses the crystal to Zuza, who catches it. The Sangheili Minor then grabs Tirek against his wishes and hoists him on his back. He then makes a mad dash toward the gates of Tartarus. Cerberus snarls and is about to swipe at them with his paw, but another barrage of plasma strikes it, causing the three-headed canine to look back at Rhyko. Rhyko stands his ground as he distracts the beast.

“Come on, beast! Take me on!” Rhyko vociferated.

As drool leaked from all three mouths, it seemed to accept Rhyko’s challenge, giving him its full attention. After a long moment of staring, Cerberus rears back and, in a blink of an eye, pounced, lunging at the Sangheili major with its maws open. Rhyko was able to evade, lunging and rolling out of the way just as Cerberus snapped its jaws shut. The Major pulls out the plasma grenade and activates it. He throws it, as all his prayers go with it. As he prays, the grenade lands its mark on the central head, right on it’s forehead and sticks. A few seconds later, the grenade explodes in a brilliant cyan ball of plasma.

The yelping cries of Cerberus echoes throughout the pit of Tartarus as it is revealed that the central head has suffered massive burns. The other two heads are all seen to have burns on their cheeks and chins. The three-headed canine continued to whimper before quickly sulking away, cowering in fear and retreating into the dark corners of Tartarus.

Every prisoner nearby stares at the victorious crimson alien. Never before have they witness Cerberus be bested, and this mysterious stranger has wounded him without too much of a scuffle.

Rhyko stands tall and unleashes a mighty roar; a cry of victory. For the gods have smiled upon him this day. He turns in the direction Zuza ran and begins to make up for the time he had given them. He soon approaches the Minor, standing still while holding Tirek on his back. The doors were still closed, and Zuza did not move a muscle.

“Let me down this instant! Cerberus is not even following us!” Tirek protested, but Zuza remained still, frozen in place.

“Brother!” Rhyko yelled as he finally caught up to them. “What is the meaning of your hesitation?” Rhyko was a bit frustrated with Zuza, seeming to have wasted his chance to escape in case the Major failed to defeat the beast.

The Minor still did not answer, only remaining frozen as he stared at the closed doors of Tartarus. Rhyko, confused by his partner’s unusual behavior, looked up at the door to follow his gaze, and what he saw shocked him to his core.

“Do… do my eyes deceive me, Zuza?” Rhyko asked in both awe and confusion.

“…No, I see the same thing.” Zuza finally spoke up. “Proof of our gods have been on this planet.”

“What could you two possibly be talking about!?” Tirek asked, still in annoyance. “That symbol has been on those gate doors for many millennia! What in blazes could it possibly mean to you!?”

Zuza drops Lord Tirek and then turns to face him, his eyes narrowed and angry. “Watch your tongue, you! This is more important to us than anything could possibly be to you!” he growled, to which Rhyko placed a hand on his shoulder.

“Hold, brother. Take Lord Tirek’s disrespect as ignorance. We still have our mission.” Rhyko spoke but also looked at Tirek with narrowed eyes. “Once we leave Tartarus, I’ll call for transport back to our ship.”

Tirek only raised an eyebrow in confusion. He still had no idea what exactly Rhyko and Zuza are, where they came from, or what that symbol meant to them. But after pondering for a brief moment, the centaur nods. “Very well.”

After this, Zuza turns around and holds up the crystal containing the spell that opens the gate. The trio exit the prison mountain and Rhyko activates his comms device. The large doors close & lock behind them, leaving Tartarus, once again, in darkness.

Author's Note

Hello everyone, it’s me, k00l! I’m here with Obsidian, and we would like to thank you all for your patience as we were writing this chapter. Main reason it took so long is because of me. I went on vacation and was unable to write for almost 2 weeks.

And I’ve been working more hours at my job.

With more free time on my hands, I’m getting into the habit of writing again. I hope to publish the next chapter sooner than this one.

So, while the humans have gained more allies, so has the Covenant, coming in the form of Chrysalis and Tirek; the former making first contact in the forest, and the latter being rescued from a place named after the chieftain of all Jiralhanae.

Now, we’re sure you all have so many questions to ask us. How will Chrysalis and Tirek fit in with the Covenant? And what is it Zuza and Rhyko have discovered in Tartarus? Those two questions will be answered later in the story.

So many mysteries! I cannot wait to write more. The story only goes up from here!

One more thing. Ya’ll might be wondering; “Why Cozy Glow was not recruited by the Covenant?”

It was a mutual agreement. We both saw it to be rather silly for the Covenant to recruit a filly. She really has nothing to offer the story, or to the Covenant. With Chrysalis and Tirek, I have plans for them to show off their strengths, but a pegasus filly? So I made the suggestion to not include her.

And I agreed with him. I mean, what role would an evil child play in a religious military campaign?

Sure, Cozy Glow is smart and manipulative, able to use her cuteness and filly-like innocence to lull others into a false sense of security (like SCP-1048), and could get rid of magic. But other than that, I can’t think of much else for her.

Exactly, and even then, I felt like the others could already do that, but better. Chrysalis can trick others with her shapeshifting, and Tirek can consume magic. With what she had to offer, the story would be better off with her not being used.

Anyway, we hope you enjoy this chapter. Until next time, everypony.