Fallout: Equestria, Darkness Falls

Fallout: Equestria, Darkness Falls

Chapter 20

“Faith is seeing light with your heart when all your eyes see is darkness.”

Be kind. Give not thine wrath to others, be it false or true.

Be generous. Offer thine hoof to those in need, be it in times of plenty or famine.

Be loyal. Abandon not thine fellow pony, be it in peace or strife.

Be happy. Find joy in all things, be it in thine self or others.

Be honest. Give no words of falsity, be it harmful to thine self or others.

Honor thy Goddesses, of Sun and Moon,

They who grant thine soul and deliver thee to Everafter.

Revere thy rightful Guardian, she who guides and protects.

Cherish Life, Celebrate Death.

Course the Path of Light, debar thine self of Darkness.

If thine stay trueth to these pillars nine, the Shadow of thine soul Falls.

And ye will be loved eternally in the dawn, when thine time is nigh.

The ancient prayer recited in my head. It was our creed to learn, taught by Starry Night, but its meaning was passed to me by my Guardian, Eternal Dawn. And every day that meaning was reinforced with our communal obligations.

I missed my home. I longed for it dearly. Every day when I woke up in this place… and every night when I went to sleep. Sometimes it was all I could do to not break down into a sobbing mess. How did I manage it? I honestly didn’t know, and every hour felt like this world would overwhelm me. I hated it so much…

I sighed heavily inside the claustrophobic helmet, a migraine threatened to turn me upside down as I slowly walked forward. We had been down here for several hours trying to traverse the archaeology site of Stable 68. Despite the stagnant and impenetrable darkness down here, the only reason I knew that was thanks to the pipbuck’s date and time. The place truly wasn’t that big, but we always hit dead ends, demolished bridges, and extraordinarily unstable ground. This forced us to backtrack many times, and most frustratingly my pipbuck’s map feature had exorbitant amounts of trouble updating.

That, and my heart just wasn’t into it any more…

Ghost had to be dead by now. There was no way he survived this long down here, not by himself. It was possible that I undervalued his skills due to the fact that I only knew him for less than a week, but that seemed unlikely given his reputation. These things, these… creatures down here, obviously they were like nothing anyone has ever seen in the world above. And they took the mercenary unicorn down so easily. With some regrettable help from my own stupidity…

I need to accept it. He’s gone. I must focus if I am to get us out of here and return to my original mission. And… that I’m responsible for his death…

“Hey?” A voice spoke up behind me. It was Blaster and I winced. “Girlie, Silver, ya doin’ okay?”

I stopped in my tracks and just stood there, the others behind me as I was leading us on. At that moment I felt all eyes on me.

That wasn’t the only thing I needed to accept, however. Hours ago, shortly after we escaped the last mob of monsters, I asked Blaster what Stables were and he explained in his own words. He told me everything he knew, which incidentally wasn’t as much as I was expecting. But every word was nothing short of damning.

Apparently my home, my Stable, was one of hundreds constructed all across Equestria. They were bomb shelters built by a company called Stable-tec (he also had to explain to me what a “company” was). Equestria had been at war for over a decade with pony-like creatures called zebras, and this war escalated constantly and at a rapid pace. The conflict advanced to the point where mega-spells were invented; weapons capable of wiping out entire cities with a single, terrifying blast, the likes of which I could scarcely imagine. The only reason anyone was alive today was because of these Stables, but that wasn’t all.

Before we even entered Stable 68, Blaster mentioned that some of these Stables had other objectives. What were those objectives and why did the Stables have them? No pony knew, but it was known in abundance that these ‘experiments’ ended horrifically and turned many of the ancient bomb shelters into deadly traps. Traps that had claimed many innocent lives over the decades and centuries. And as such, they garnered quite the bad reputation.

I found all of this to be quite unnerving. Blaster asked me questions and I answered them as best I could without giving away dangerous information. After a lengthy discussion, he believes my Stable was one such experiment.

A Stable with only unicorn mares. No earth ponies or pegasi. No stallions. And a Stable which had never opened to the outside world even centuries later. I told him how ponies were born of the Goddesses in Stable 46, and he said they were some kind of advanced machines that created mares like myself. In a vat. In a test tube. That ponies, real ponies, were actually born of the union between a stallion and a mare, a concept that disgusted and appalled me.

Blaster then told me that the Goddesses once ruled Equestria, but they died during the Last Day. Murdered when the zebras attacked Canterlot. An idea that enraged me, both at the knowledge that they were killed by the zebras, and the contemptible notion that my Goddesses could be struck down by mere mortals and their heinous weapons.

I took absolutely none of this well…

And it begged the question; why was I trusting a single word that Blaster said? I should have dismissed this as lies, deceit, nothing less than evil’s attempt to beguile me towards the shadow. Discord’s own voice in my ear, or Nightmare Moon’s devilish words as she tried to shatter my faith. Hell, it should have been enough that he was a stallion and of the same kind of person that Whiskey Tango was. However, he was none of those things as far as I could tell, but…

The things he told me… they lined up with some of the tidbits I learned before even meeting Ghost. The logs in the cave outside Goldpeak, the post office, the old museum, the blown-out school, the M.A.R.S. building. No matter how much I wanted to deny it, the evidence was mounting and stacked firmly against me.

“I…” My voice cracked and I stopped to clear my throat. “I-I’m alright…” It was a complete lie and I knew it.

Hooves clopped up slowly next to me. “No, Darlin’, yer not.” Yeah I wasn’t fooling anyone…

I shook my head slowly and refrained from meeting his gaze. Despite the helmet’s tightness, I kept it on for my own sake, for now. “Blaster… I just learned that everything I thought I knew is a lie. My home, my beliefs, everything I care about… is a product of ponies from centuries ago for an unknown purpose that I can’t even begin to comprehend or guess at.” I felt unnatural, alien in my own skin.

My breathing quickened and this time, I unfolded the helmet to look up at him. I knew my face said it all. “J-just how am I supposed to take this!?” I asked, not in anger or rage, but confusion and mounting desperation for help. I felt like I was in a crumbling house. My house. Crushing and suffocating me like a betrayal, painful as a knife in the back. The last time I felt such emotions was when I had my trial in front of the Great Seal – I mean, Stable door. Except this was ten times worse! I needed Eternal Dawn, I needed Harmonics! And right now they were so impossibly far away that Luna’s moon felt closer by comparison.

Blaster’s mouth hung open a moment, then he closed it.

When he had nothing to say, I continued, “W-why is my home an experiment!? Why is my belief system fake!? Why is everything that I know and love a lie!?” I asked, my tone grew, my heart raced and sank at the same time. I felt as though I was back in the museum basement; a dwindling, pathetic torch against an unrelenting sea of darkness that closed in on me from all sides. Never before had I felt such powerful doubt.

“W-who would d-do something so cruel!?” Was any of this real? This horror show of a Stable? The world of Stalliongrad above? What is real, what’s not? I didn’t know any more!

“Hey now, calm down, it’s–”

I cut him off and snapped back, heat now gathered in my face. “Do not tell me to calm down! Not with what I just learned from YOU!” I accused unabashedly. I wouldn’t know ANY of this if it wasn’t for him! And if it wasn’t for Whiskey, I wouldn’t be here to begin with! I was always taught that knowledge was a prized possession to have, that it was a tool to peel away evil. No, it was a damned curse and I longed to have my ignorance back. Celestia damn these stallions, it was their fault!

Hot tears fell down my cheeks. “And don’t tell me things are okay! That’s what you were about to fucking say, wasn’t it!? NONE OF THIS IS OKAY!!”

“Girlie, come on now! Remember the last time ya started a shoutin’ match–'' Blaster glanced around nervously in the dark, ears perked and listening. Scarlett watched with a worried expression, Whiteout was nowhere to be seen, though Blaster was still the focus of my ire right then.

I didn’t care. “Maybe I want the damn things to come! Have you thought about that!? Huh? Maybe I–”

Thwack!

Though I had a LOT more to say, I got no farther. A sudden, sharp pain in the back of the head ended my tirade, and the world went black before I could hit the dirt floor.

*** *** ***

“Alright class, everypony get out a fresh sheet and get ready to take notes,” Starry Night smiled at the head of the classroom. A few groaned at this, but they were ignored as the rustle of paper and quills briefly resounded in the classroom.

I did as asked and retrieved some paper and dipped my quill, while also refraining from berating my classmates for their lack of enthusiasm. It upset me when they did such things, but I was talked to about doing so. At least a few times.

“Today we will recount the glorious battle as the Goddesses defeated the evil known as Nightmare Moon…”

I dutifully wrote the title of today’s notes… and paused to glance around the classroom.

Starry dimmed the lights, the projector turned on and showed us two alicorn figures, Celestia and Luna, fighting a third alicorn with wicked armor and a black coat that had to be Nightmare Moon. Worn around their necks were the Elements of Harmony, a powerful weapon of good magic and the natural power of the world and the ponies that lived in it. Sacred and brilliant, illustrated in the beautifully simplistic pastel that was common in the Archival tapestries.

I stared up at the image and remembered I liked this lesson. It was one of my favorites, but…

Something wasn’t right. “Miss Starry?” I asked, a little charcoal hoof raised.

My teacher paused and regarded me with a warm and patient smile. “Yes, Silver?”

“I…” My hoof lowered part way, a snag had my tongue as my ears folded back.

Starry, ever tranquil, encouraged me. “It’s okay, Silver. Take your time.”

“I…” I paused again and couldn’t believe I was about to say this. That dirty pit of rudeness settled itself in my belly. “D-id this battle between the Goddesses and Nightmare Moon actually happen?”

Starry recoiled visibly, her kind expression turned to surprise as the smile faded to neutral as the question took my teacher off guard. I winced, even as several heads of my peers turned to stare at me.

After painfully long seconds, my teacher’s gaze softened again. “Well of course it did, Silver. If They hadn’t defeated her, then all of Equestria would be shrouded in eternal night. Even to this very day.”

It was the lesson, it never changed, but it still didn’t feel right in a way that I couldn’t place and in a way that I couldn’t articulate. “And… were the Elements of Harmony real?” I asked.

Starry Night’s patient smile turned to a more annoyed frown. “Now, Silver… I understand that lessons can sometimes be difficult to fully comprehend, but what we are teaching here is the true history of Equestria.”

I winced, abashed by the answer as I sunk into my chair. Even though Starry’s tone remained level, I felt scolded. I didn’t want to make her upset with me, but…

“But, Starry… h-how do we know all of this happened when it was so long ago?”

And now Starry groaned. “Silver Starlight! This is most inappropriate for the star of the class and unbecoming of our own future High Priestess!”

I flinched and fought back the tears that wanted to gather. I wanted to say something, apologize and explain why I asked those questions, but my only response was a lame whimper.

And it got better as my peers around me whispered and commented on my behavior, suppressing chuckles and smirks at my expense, or gave scowls of disapproval. I wanted to shrink away to nothing.

Starry wasn’t done with me yet, “It is most ungrateful to question our Goddesses, yours and mine, I will remind you, Silver. Their immense sacrifice is the reason why we are still here!” My now quite peeved teacher approached my desk and more than ever I wanted to disappear. I’ve NEVER been the one to cause such problems!

But… I needed to say something. Maybe if I clarified my thoughts, asked in a different way, maybe I could at least calm things down. “I-I’m sorry, I just… I-I wanted–”

Smack.

“Ahh!” I yelped, then stared at my teacher in shock as my cheek stung, a ruler levitated within Starry Night’s telekinetic grasp.

“No, and that is quite enough out of you, young mare.” She glowered down at me and held the ruler at the ready. I clamped my muzzle shut out of fear of being hit again. “I don’t want to hear any more of this nonsense. I am sure that High Priestess Eternal Dawn will not want to know that her own charge is misbehaving so deviantly.”

Still holding my cheek, I winced at that as the chuckles and whispers around me turned more abhorrent. And yet, apparently my behavior was so bad that Starry ignored the cruel words that were spoken all around us.

“Is she really going to be High Priestess one day? What a joke!”

“I don’t think she should be, not when she behaves like that…”

“How stupid do you have to be to not understand basic history. It’s easy!”

The words floated to me unabated, my lower lip quivered as I fought not to sob.

“Am I clear, Silver?” Starry asked sternly.

I quickly nodded but was too frightened to actually say anything. Especially as I stared over my teacher’s shoulder and saw the disapproving glares of Princess Celestia and Luna in the holographic projection itself.

“I will have to have a talk with your Guardian as well, it seems.” I whimpered as Starry turned around and made her way back to the class. The Princesses continued to glare.

“Ah!” I yelped when something clamped over my head with the crunch of paper. I blinked and somehow knew it was a cone hat that read ‘dunce’ as the class snickered and laughed at me. I glanced over in time to see the retreating hoof of my long-time friend Harmonics, who placed the hat on me.

And that did it. I sat there and cried, trying to be quiet lest I get more harsh disciplinary action. All the while the whispers didn’t stop and Starry did nothing to quell it as she continued the lesson as if nothing happened. The Princesses in the hologram STILL stared at me, angry and scornful as if I was the worst behaved filly they had even brought into Stable 46. And still the doubt in my heart wrestled with everything I had ever known like a raging storm.

Please, I’m not bad, I’m not stupid… I-I… I…

I hid away in my forehooves and folded my ears tightly back, trying to will everything away…

*** *** ***

I gasped awake amidst a hail of angry voices and sporadic gunfire. Oh, and darkness and cold too. Gone was my Stable classroom and everypony else. My own frantic hooves ran through a snow-covered street, a place that held an eerie familiarity. A single torch lit near my body, its light the only thing that kept the waiting predators hidden in the night sky at bay.

“Fuck! He’s dead, she killed him!”

“The bitch went this way! Come on!”

“She won’t get far, then we’ll make her wish she’d never been born!”

Uh oh.

I felt my ears fold and winced, then kept running. The crack of an assault rifle barked, then bullets whizzed past that were far too close for comfort. Though I had another object held in my magical grip, which I turned and more or less blindly fired the assault rifle in the general direction of my pursuers. And most curiously it was not Conviction or either of the improvised weapons on my equipment saddle.

A fact that made my blood run cold and I wanted to stop myself.

No! Don’t! You’ll strike down another like Deathrain! I don’t want that! I DON’T WANT THAT, STOP IT!! I mentally screamed.

But this odd dream paid my desperation no heed as she ran full speed down the street, firing back occasionally and frantically dodging and weaving to avoid being shot. Some bullets came eerily close, snapping up wisps of snow and asphalt. Enough that when they struck the snow-covered pavement, chunks of ballistic rock peppered my legs.

I felt helpless in my own body, as if another held the controls. I knew it wasn’t enough to run from an enemy in darkness. Stalliongrad’s unique dangers made that impossible.

Though it seemed my dream-self conjured up the same thought. She paused behind a battered car and looked up. Some of the pursuers followed underneath barely functioning street lights that still somehow illuminated the path. Without hesitation she levitated up the rifle and took careful aim and activated SATS.

Time slowed to a crawl, and I watched in helpless horror at the selection for each use of the spell.

Each shot shattered its fragile target in a shower of broken glass and bright sparks. Their illumination winked out immediately after, the patch of safety evaporated in an instant.

A sudden burst of leathery wings. Then screams as those drenched in new darkness were pounced on by stygians and ripped apart. I swore I could see the fountains spraying blood despite the dark.

Oh Goddesses…

“Fucking bitch! Get more torches! She won’t get away!”

“You’re right…” I whispered aloud and gazed at my own torch as I ran. Horrifyingly it was indeed MY voice!

I stopped outside what used to be a restaurant. Just inside was a heavy metal door. It looked like it used to be some kind of big freezer, though long abandoned and empty. It would make a good shelter if I could get there. But if I didn’t lose them, then it would be more of a trap than anything. That in mind, and my attackers getting closer, I tossed the torch as far as I could then bolted for the door.

The second I did, the same haunting leathery wings advanced behind me at frightening speed. I turned, but was too late as something big slammed into me, sending the both of us sprawling over a counter, shattering glass and sending a spike of burning pain right down my shoulders.

“Fuck!” I yelped, and just above me was the dark form and red eyes of a stygian, its jaws locked on my stolen rifle, the only thing that kept the beast from ripping me to shreds. But I couldn’t shoot it. If I did, then I would just be advertising where I went to my pursuers. I looked around desperately, and found a massive shard of glass, then reached for it…

*** *** ***

I jerked awake yet again, but this time to much more familiar surroundings with the warmth of a fire.

“Ow…” And a splitting headache as I lay there.

“Hey, she’s awake.”

I jumped and for half a second I thought I was back in Goldpeak, then relaxed as I saw Whiteout, Scarlett, and Blaster all turn to look at me.

In the wake of the terrifying and strange dream I nearly asked what happened, but all too soon it came back to me. I glanced at Blaster and felt my ears fold. The magnitude of what I almost did weighed down on me right then. “I’m sorry…” was all I could manage.

He gave a weak smile. “No harm, no foul, Darlin’.” After a pause, “How’s yer head?”

I struggled to sit up and it took me a moment to remember I was encased in the EPA hazard suit. “I mean… I have a headache, but I am fine, thank you.” In my peripheral vision I noticed Whiteout wince.

“Sorry… you were being really loud and, well, I had to…” the shy white unicorn looked like she wanted to shrink away and I felt bad for making her feel that way. Especially given the horrid dream I just had about home. But it seems my suspicion was correct.

I gently shook my head. “No, you were right to. I got out of hand and…” The scene of a bleeding and gasping Ghost crossed my mind’s eye, a reminder of how my temper cost him his life. “I deserved it. I could have gotten you all killed.”

“Damn right you could have!” Scarlett glared at me from her side of the fire. I didn’t blame her. “Idiot. If it wasn’t for these two, I’d just leave you here.”

I mean… maybe you should have.

“Now let’s not start that again, okay?” Blaster once again mediated a fight before it could begin. “What’s done is done an’ we got real lucky. Seems there’s none o’ the bastards down here. Or at least none within earshot to hear yer shoutin’.”

My ears folded back again and I nodded. That did seem to be true, as this was the same spot where we stopped and I had my unfortunate mental breakdown. Mostly I knew that because of the subtle scrapes in the dirty floor from where I fell. “How long was I out?”

“About an hour,” Whiteout answered. “We thought about trying to carry you, but to be honest we all needed to rest.”

“So when it was clear we wouldn’t be chased again any time soon, we set up a camp.” Blaster nodded gently to the fire. “‘Sides, yer a bit too heavy with that armor.”

“Thank you.” I sighed gently and once more grappled with my thoughts. Though it was the strange dream that occupied my mind this time. It was me, I could tell by the fact that it was my voice. But I could not recognize where it took place, despite the eerie familiarity. I’ve never used a rifle like that and it definitely was not Conviction. But the sheer callousness of my dream-self sent a chill down my spine. Granted it was a life-or-death scenario, but…

It was admittedly quite clever to shoot the lights out. The screams, however… the sounds as the stygians ripped those ponies apart. And the mere notion that I did that to someone…

Just… just how much was I changing?

“You okay, girlie? Ya look like yer ‘bout to vomit.”

I swallowed hard and just stared into the flames. “I dunno… I just might.” I closed my eyes to fight off a sense of sudden vertigo as the headache remained a constant source of throbbing pain.

“Ya might‘ve over-dun it, Whiteout…”

“Yeah, how hard did you hit her?”

“S-sorry! I just… acted.”

I waved a hoof. “I-I’m fine, I think. Just…” I took a deep breath and focused. “Have you ever had strange dreams? I mean… dreams like…” I struggled with how to describe what I just witnessed without sounding crazy. It wasn’t the ‘new normal’ of nightmare fuel that I usually had nowadays. “Dreams where they’re about you, but they’re of something you know you didn’t do?”

I waited and watched as the others exchanged confused looks. Blaster eventually shrugged and answered, “Well, that’s what dreams are, girlie.”

“Then I must not be explaining it right, but I don’t really know how…” I paused for a moment. “In this dream, it was me. Not like a weird facsimile, or me at a different age or something. It was a place I think I knew. I… did something, it was something I would never do, but I did it without care or remorse in the dream.”

“Against your character?” Whiteout added and I nodded in kind.

“Huh, I dunno Darlin.” Blaster shrugged. “Ah mean, it seems ta me like yer still adjustin’ to alla this.” He gestured his hoof abroad. “Ah imagine ya done a lot in the past few days that ya wouldn’t normally do. Not with how ya told me ‘bout yer home.”

I pursed my lips into a thin line, but found it hard to argue against Blaster’s point. Was that the case? It didn’t feel that way, but what did I know at this point.

In truth, I’ve already done a lot of things that I would never do while back home. And right then I longed to not only be back in my warm bed, safe from anything in this horrid place, but to have my ignorance reformed as well. Underneath the breastplate my pendant of the Goddesses felt heavier than before.

I’m changing, that much is obvious. But into what? I glanced into the flickering, violent flames and wondered fearfully. I didn’t like this new sense of doubt as I recalled the first dream, the one that was a more obvious nightmare. I never acted out like that in class, and I was certainly never struck by Starry Night. Matter of fact, she never hit any of her students and I didn’t think she had the nerve to do so because she was so kind-hearted.

Whiteout watched me for a moment, her ears folded back. I tried to smile back. “It’s okay, I promise.” She clearly still felt guilty, but she really did not have to. I deserved that thwack. I even told her as much.

She gave a wan nod and laid back down herself. Blaster yawned. “Well, everypony try to get some more–” He interrupted in a coughing fit and tried to cover it in his hoof. “T-try to get some rest…” Across from him, Scarlett’s worry was plain to see.

As was mine as I looked towards Blaster’s injured shoulder. Though I couldn’t muster the strength to ask.

That… and I think I knew the answer as I settled down to try and sleep again. Hopefully without any dreams this time.

*** *** ***

“So, what is this place?” Scarlett asked as the winding tunnel opened up into another spacious cavern with lots of ancient machinery and equipment littered around.

“I don’t know,” I answered back as I walked forward, ears perked against the deafening silence. Nothing stirred. “My EFS isn’t picking up any red ticks, so it seems clear at least…”

“Man…” Blaster grimaced at all the heavy machinery. “It’s too bad we don’t have a way to get this stuff out. Find the right buyer, we could make a fortune.”

The tunnel, wide enough to handle two of the big trucks side by side, opened up into a gargantuan cavern whose ceiling stretched higher than some of the buildings that sat above Stable 68. Piercing the darkness, our flashlights revealed the number of crates, boxes, barrels, and drills, but also more delicate equipment that I had no names for; scopes, large brushes, several devices on toppled tripods, along with what looked like broken chemistry beakers and test tubes. On some tables, pieces of mud-caked broken pottery and bits of cloth far too dirty to wear sat serenely. None of which gave me any meaningful clues, save for one; my pipbuck’s map tool plucked a name from the ether.

Archaeological Main Dig.

This had to be it. The place that Stable-tec found and brought in the M.A.R.S. ponies to help study. Why Stable 68 was retrofitted. And if my suspicions were right, the cause for all of these nightmares we now fought. It would probably be a good idea to look around–

“Hey! I found something!” came Whiteout’s voice as we fanned out to look for anything of use.

Speak of Discord, and he may appear…

As the rest of us converged, any hope of seeing precisely what the dig site had been was dashed. There was clear evidence of a large tunnel, but it was now blocked by several tons of rocks, dirt, and boulders. A handful of them were larger than the four of us combined.

“Hmm. Scorch marks. Blast residue.” Blaster limped up to the front as he inspected the carnage. “My guess? They blew the tunnel to the dig. Likely ta keep these things from spreadin’.”

“So, they came from the dig? Or the Stable?” Scarlett asked, her head cocked to the side. That was something I wanted to know too.

“Dunno.” Blaster then pointed to something. “But Ah don’ think the Stable ponies did this.”

I followed his pointing hoof to see the remnants of a battle, but one that was far from ancient. Half buried under the rubble was a pony-shaped suit of armor, though this was not another of the hazard suits like what I wore. Its dull, dented hoof rest on a remote and I noticed a thin wire that led into the rubble as well.

“Steel Ranger,” Blaster helpfully labeled the mysterious metal-clad pony. “Guess they were down here too.”

“Yeah, were.”

“Seems that way,” I said, then blinked as I realized something. “They had to have come in from somewhere else.” They could not have used the same elevator we did. The thing was so unstable that if they tried, we would not have had a way down here to begin with. Especially as that Steel Ranger armor looked really heavy.

“Could there be more? Maybe still alive?” Whiteout frowned slightly at the old heap of armor.

Blaster took a moment, then shook his head. “Nah. He’s been dead here for at least a few weeks. Maybe months. No certain way ta tell ‘less ya wanna open ‘im up.”

This time I shook my head. “No, it won’t be necessary to defile the dead.” It was clear to me that this pony, this Steel Ranger, came down here probably for the same reason that we were. They came down here, found the same horrors and took action to prevent the monstrosities from escaping. I had no earthly idea where the rest of their friends could be, where they might have died, but it could be solely because of them that we had the time to make a difference.

Frequently I found myself wondering how long it would have taken the monsters to reach the surface and overrun the Stalliongrad wasteland.

“Feh.” Scarlett snorted. “Technophile fuckers wouldn’t help us anyway.”

I sighed derisively. “Do you have to do that? Is it not clear that this deceased soul did what they could to stave off these horrors and gave their life to do so?” It was clear to me, that was for certain.

“Heh, what? You mean you want to spare sympathy for these pieces of shit? Wake up, princess…” And with that, Scarlett hefted her weapon and trotted off.

Blaster interrupted my reply. “‘Fore ya mouth off an’ have another shoutin’ match, ya should know, girlie.” My companion jutted a hoof towards the old suit of armor. “Them Steel Rangers? They’re more likely to save yer pipbuck or fancy magic energy rifle or that armor than they would save you.” He paused to glance impassionately at the metallic corpse. “They’re hardly a noble bunch, not much better than real raiders.”

I found that hard to believe, but once more it was a subject I knew very little about despite being the, thanfully brief, ‘guest’ of raiders. So I held my tongue for the most part. “That may be true in general, but…” My own gaze lingered on the body, half buried, probably dead when the weight of the rocks crushed their lower half. Or at least I hoped it was instantaneous, otherwise they stayed there, trapped and suffering in agony until they succumbed to their injuries. “I know a sacrifice when I see one.”

“Hmm…” That was the last thought Blaster gave before he walked off as well. “C’mon. Let’s find what useful stuff we c’n find, then scram. It’s too damned quiet here.”

I nodded, but then a glint caught my eye. “You go ahead, I’ll look around here.” I waited a breath for him to move on, then I stepped up towards the old armor and inspected the glint. It was a metal chain around the dead ranger’s neck. Attached were two rectangular plates with wording written on them, which glowed a faint light blue.

Marble Marmalade

Steel Ranger Knight

Stalliongrad Chapter

I read it over a few times. None of it made sense to me, except what was clearly a name. It was far too late to do anything for this pony, not even a proper burial. I felt that they should not be forgotten, so with care I removed one of the plates and stashed it away. If I ever made it back to the surface I would more than likely encounter these Steel Rangers at some point. Maybe they would like to know what happened to their comrades.

“Rest in peace under Celestia’s sun…” I did the only thing I could and placed my own armored hoof gently upon their breastplate.

Though I paused, the other half of the prayer on my open lips. My thoughts raced. Was this another thing that was fabricated? Like everything else in my life?

My ears folded back and brow furrowed. In what? I wasn’t sure. But I still held my hoof right where it was.

I shoved away my thoughts for now, “Sleep tight in Luna’s night…” And held my hoof there a moment longer.

But unlike before, whenever I recited a prayer or sermon and felt a sense of peace and hopefulness, uncertainty and unease took their place. If that were so, then why did I still say the prayer? Was it for the unfortunate steel ranger? Or was it for me?

I didn’t know…

*** *** ***

Entry 1:

What an exciting time to be alive!

I, Professor Rock Well, have had the utmost pleasure of having the archaeological find of the century - no, MILLENIA! - fall into my proverbial lap! Though it helped that my colleague and rival suffered a sudden accident and couldn’t attend. I would state that it was about time misfortune bit him in the flank, but his loss is my gain and I intend to make the most of it.

It would seem that while constructing another of their crude megaspell bunkers, Stable-tec happened upon this delightful - and antediluvian - village. Petrified and buried miles beneath where they broke ground. It enrages me to think of what damage the buffoons may have carelessly brought upon this historic site, but at least the cross-eyed ponies had the brain cells to contact Canterlot university and yours truly!

Anyway, I must record these happenings for future observation and posterity. What we have found may be the key to solving a great mystery of the ancient world; one older than the Unification Wars and the seemingly never-ending squabbles of our ancestors, back when we separated ourselves by race. That is to say Earth ponies, Pegasi, and Unicorns.

The disappearance of the one and only Megacity constructed by the Earth Ponies’ largest empirical kingdom, which simultaneously led to the fall of the greatest empire on Equus at that time, the result of which tipped the balance of power in favor of the ancient Earth ponies’ enemies.

Its name is lost to history, the circumstances behind the city’s disappearance into thin air remained a hotly contested subject in academia as there was no compelling evidence to support any worthwhile hypotheses.

Until now, that is!

For now I shall refer to the discovery as “New Zephyra” as saying Ancient Earth Pony Kingdom Megacity is quite the mouth-ful and a lot of extra typing that I should like to avoid. I hope that in the days ahead I shall make great discoveries worthy of remembrance.

Entry 2:

I swear that the greatest evil in this world is truly those of one calling in particular. Bureaucratic bean-counters! By the Goddesses, could those imbeciles at Stable-tec and M.A.R.S. not hire true professionals in regard to the gravity of this find!? I wouldn’t trust a single one of these brutes with a soup spoon much less multi-million-bit mining equipment and with the care of extraordinarily FRAGILE and PRICELESS artifacts! Has every pony running these blasted companies completely LOST THEIR COLLECTIVE MINDS!?

Alas, it does seem as if I am forced to make apple juice from lemons. The omega alert has been given and the Stable is now sealed. Nopony in, nopony out, and it is far too late to change that. On that note, it seems the fools above got their just reward for this heinous decision. Good riddance. Regardless, I have stressed to the head of excavation that the utmost care must be taken when searching for the fabled ruins. If not, then precious information could be lost forever and that would be a true travesty. He did, of course, raise safety concerns with the pace that I’ve demanded, but progress waits for nopony. Least of all the scum of Equinity, by which I mean the so-called ex-criminals and “rehabilitated” drug-addicts that I have the misfortune to be stuck with.

No matter. If a few die, then so be it. When Equestria rebuilds itself and the fields of academia flourish once more, I will rise above the turmoil of our excavational efforts to be a monumental success!

Entry 3:

Only a few days in and we already made a huge discovery! Unfortunately it is not the fabled New Zephyra, but a small outlying village. Only a few ancient mud huts, probably of a collective, and likely nothing more than farmers. As in normal vegetation farmers, admittedly quite boring as rock farmers were certainly more interesting. Still, there is a lot here to study, catalogue, and reference.

But the most exciting find comes from the ancient bones of the village inhabitants. A rudimentary study of the bones of an earth pony mare revealed a substantial increase in bone density. More than three times that of a healthy, modern day earth pony mare. Even more astounding is that the increase does not appear to be some form of osteomalasia or other form of disease, genetic or infectious. And of note, I could detect no other known forms of bone-related diseases or imperfections anywhere in “Lucky.” known today or in ancient times.

The strength of which would be remarkable as well. It is not unheard of for earth ponies to possess impressive resilience to physical harm, but “Lucky” by my estimations could have a wagon-sized boulder run her down at speed and be perfectly fine. Bruised, perhaps, but the same injury (documented in modern medical journals) would horribly maim anypony today.

Though it is worth noting that to prove such a hypothesis would require weeks of lab testing, of which I have sent samples to the scientific team for precisely that end.

But this find does not appear to be a fluke, and “Lucky” is not an isolated case. Other skeletons of the same village show identical bone density and utter lack of imperfections. And it appears to be hereditary, as “Lucky” was found with the much smaller skeleton of a foal cradled in her forelegs, presumably her child.

So far I have solved nothing and have more questions than when I started. Such as, how does “
“Lucky” and her village have this new bone density without any apparent drawback? Do they have other changes with their bodies? Furthermore, all signs point to this village being a farming settlement, so how is this place located more than a mile underground?

I have so many questions, but I must be patient. Answers are coming and I will reveal them to the world! Or what is left of it, that is…

Entry 4:

Blast these incompetants! Dig site progress is halted yet again for “safety concerns” as another clumsy mare got herself hurt. I am the first to admit that I am not versed in the safe operation of these huge machines, but that is not my concern nor my purpose here. My concern is getting answers and I cannot do that if these imbeciles keep fowling up!

Luckily I have made the stronger case with the Overmare to keep going. The ponies in Science Wing wholeheartedly agree, as something in the samples I’ve sent them has them quite excited. I made sure to tell them I want the results as soon as they are finalized. I will not be cut out of MY discoveries. Not again.

Still, I will steer clear of the impetulant engineering second; Quartz. She has a foul temper and a complete disregard for the importance of her task.

Anywho. Progress has thanfully been made. More samples, more skeletons that show me the same signs as “Lucky”. These are a double-edged sword, however, as they just confirm my earlier hypothesese but offer no new answers as of yet.

*** *** ***

I sat back after reading the text logs had my mind swimming with questions and outrage. This pony, who I can only assume to be another damned stallion, was more evil than Whiskey! He cared not in the slightest for the lives that toiled and slaved for him. Not at all as his only concern was the fame and fortune he would garner from whatever this discovery was! Not even when they suffered horrific deaths to uncover… what, exactly?

That was an even bigger mystery. I always believed my home to be as old as the Goddesses, centuries as They established us and our Stable to Their design and image. It was yet another note of proof that gave credence to what Blaster told me as it appeared these Tribes and ancient wars occurred even before Princess Celestia and Luna formed Equestria.

The two little ponies in my head argued; one decried desperately that all of this was nothing more than heresy while the other stood on shaky ground to question everything I had ever known.

I pressed my hoof against the bridge of my nose as I attempted to stem the unavoidable headache. “I just don’t understand…” I sighed heavily and was thankful for the privacy of the tent in which I found the terminal, as the last thing I needed was the others to question my sanity again (spoiler, I was doing that myself enough already!). Instead I turned my attention to the modest amount of supplies here to be found.

“Somehow it feels as though I am surrounded by a collection of stolen thoughts and memories,” I murmured, downcast by the reoccurring realization that I knew nothing of what truly happened around me. All of that despite an extensive education.

Was ALL of it just lies…? I groaned loudly and let my forehead thunk against the old desk. This was so tiresome already!

Though despite the wealth of knowledge I just now discovered, which indeed helped me to piece the puzzle together a little bit more, the answers still lie ahead of me. I had to reach this ‘science wing’ and investigate further. That and to destroy this place once and for all.

That was an easy and motivational reminder.

I sat up and adjusted the makeshift armor, grateful for its protection in much the same way as the pendant of the Princesses. The assurance of everything I knew may be splintered right now, but I still drew upon the item for comfort. Even as I wondered if that was somehow wrong.

“Eep!” Though the helmet always startled me every time it folded itself up and around my face and head. But once the feeling of claustrophobia subsided, I did feel secure as the influx of fresh, filtered air calmed me down.

Once ready, I gently pushed the tent flap to the side and made my exit. Around me were my companions, trying to salvage whatever they could. Blaster was the first one to look up.

“Find anythin’ useful?” Blaster asked as he stifled a coughing fit.

I frowned inside the helmet. “Yes. Some medical supplies, a little food.” I hesitated if I should tell them the contents of the terminal. Did the ancient text even matter to them? I suspected not, but… “The terminal has details on the archaeological dig. They… well, it sounds crazy but there is apparently a huge underground city buried down here.”

“Whoa.” Whiteout’s brow shot up. “You mean, like Stalliongrad?”

I shrugged. “That seems to be what its author implied. Perhaps larger. They were… enthusiastic about their find.”

“Pfft. And does that help us at all?” Scarlett, ever the tactician of words, said with unconcealed boredom. She already knew the answer.

I rolled my eyes, again grateful for the helmet’s privacy. “No, I suppose not.” I tried to keep my tone level and not start a fight this time. More for Blaster’s sake as his condition clearly appeared to deteriorate further. While I did find some medical supplies, they were woefully inadequate to what we needed for him; a few magic laced bandages, some delicate surgery tools in a small sterile pack, and some rubbing alcohol.

In fact, as I gazed discreetly at the big stallion, the reality of that really began to sink in. His posture slumped as Blaster favored not using his injured shoulder. The wound itself was concealed under dirty bandages – I offered to redress the wound but he stalwartly refused – but I had already seen its infected state. Despite the cool temperature he frequently broke out in panting sweats, a clear sign of a raging fever, along with the paleness of his coat. Still, he pressed on, determined to not be the cause of us stopping for longer than necessary.

But just like myself earlier when I had my mental breakdown, he wasn’t fooling anyone.

Only a matter of time…

I winced as yet again Ghost’s words haunted me. “If we’re ready, we should get going.” I offered the choice. I was more concerned with getting them out alive, as maybe, just maybe, it could make up for getting Ghost killed.

Abandon not thine fellow pony. I know what’s happening to him; the malevolent disease that was ruthlessly attacking Blaster from the inside out. That much is clear but I can’t just leave him.

Maybe if we get to the science wing, maybe they have an auto-doc we can use. Maybe that can buy him some time, maybe we can circle back to the clinic with the tunnel if it’s not completely blocked off.

“Sounds like a plan, darlin’.” Blaster straightened as best he could, even as Scarlett assisted him. A rock of pity plunged into my gut. “L-lead the way.”

I did, consulting my Pipbuck’s map to see where we needed to go next. Soon we left the dig site behind to venture down more dark, narrow tunnels of dirt and rock with interspaced support beams place by the ponies that worked down here so long ago. I found myself wondering where they were right now; were they completely dead or wandering around somewhere down here? Somewhere in my thoughts I hoped some of these ‘Steel Rangers’ survived, despite the unlikeliness of such a thing according to my injured companion.

‘Weeks’ he had said.

I really could not imagine surviving down here for that long.

The stifling tunnels once more opened up into an impossibly huge cavern, its true depth inconcerivable with our poor lighting instruments.

Or at least I thought so.

“Hey, hold on,” Scarlett asked us to pause. “Pretty good spot to use this.”

“Um, you sure that’s a good idea, darlin’?”

I craned my head to look back. Scarlett had in her telekinetic grip some kind of pistol, though the opening of its barrel was frighteningly large in diameter. Bigger than any weapon I had yet to see.

“What is that?” I asked, myself tense. Though I was just curious enough to see how that weapon would help us right now.

“Flare gun,” Scarlett answered. “I figure we could use it to navigate a little easier if we got into another big cave like this.”

Blaster seemed skeptical, as was I. “And if it summons the monsters?” I asked.

Whiteout spoke up, “Well, we haven’t heard or seen any yet. I think most of them were in the area behind us, or still somewhere ahead. Probably contained behind a door.” She paused a second, then looked at me. “Have you seen any red ticks on your EFS? What about now?”

I hummed, then turned in place to take a look. I watched the compass spin and the only ticks I saw were the three blue ones that marked my companions. “I don’t detect anything but us, though I am unsure of the spell’s range.” A pause. “I also haven’t seen a single red tick since we left the living quarters.”

“There ya go, then.” Scarlett smirked confidently. “Besides, I’d rather have a little more light than depending on just Princess’s glowing head.” She aimed the flare gun into the black abyss ahead of us.

Bompf!

Though I expected the bang, it was a fair bit different than that of other weapons I came across. That, and the very sudden explosion of bright light, which bathed us briefly in illumination before it soared high above with a high-pitched squeal. I turned to look.

BANG!! It blew up into a miniature sun!

“Don’t stare at it directly,” Blaster quickly warned. “Suit probably has protection, but still.”

I followed his advice, though its usefulness quickly abated as the bright ball of light seemed to strengthen a thousandfold above. It peeled away the oppressive darkness with such finality of force that it almost seemed like Celestia’s own power. Though I knew better.

“That’s more like it! Haha!” Scarlett grinned wide.

“That is better, I have to admit,” Whiteout echoed my own thoughts.

The flare revealed all before it. A vast cavern with walls that seemed impossibly far away. Winding paths, narrow bridges. And canyons that ran so deep that even the flare had trouble with reavealing their depths. And such a fall would be a death sentence.

I backed away a little as my cruel imagination decided to conjure up what it was probably like to fall down there.

“Uh oh.” Whiteout pointed ahead.

I followed her hoof to see what she was pointing out, and immediately mimmicked her thoughts. A deep cavern bisected the cavern right in the center. Along its length, which was far too wide to even consider jumping, had but one crossing. An extremely narrow crossing, which was a natural bridge, carved from rock and partially collapsed. Narrow enough that just one could cross at a time.

Uh oh indeed…

“Please tell me you see another way to cross, princess…”

I sighed. “I really wish you would stop calling me that…” Though I did as she asked and brought up the Pipbuck’s map. After studying it for a few minutes, the news wasn’t any better. “Unfortunately no. There is not another way to cross.”

“Fuck…” Scarlett groaned.

And the news just got worse as a distant growl resounded from somewhere in the cavern. A lot of growls.

“Awe fucking come on!” Scarlett now echoed all of our thoughts.

“Shit, cat’s out of the bag, ladies. We gotta go, now!” Blaster urged. “Which way!”

“Uh, um!” I only just barely fought down the panic. Frantically I scrolled through the map and traced out path as the distant screeches continued. At least they sounded far away. “Okay! I got it, this way!”

I trotted on fast, the others behind me as we weaved down the foot path towards the one and only crossing.

“What side are they on? Can anyone tell?” Whiteout asked as she brought up the rear.

“Fucking no!” Scarlett unhelpfully answered.

I glanced around in front and to my sides. “I can’t see any ticks yet, must be somewhere behind us.” I looked in the direction of the crossing, which was well within view now. “They might be–”

“LOOKOUT!!” Whiteout hollered and I only just saw what she did.

A sharp turn, partly concealed by the cavern wall, suddenly jumped up in front of me.

“Ahh!!” I put on the breaks as quickly as I could, my armored hooves scraped and gouged the rocky, gravel floor of the path. But I wasn’t stopping fast enough! To make matters worse, the very edge of the cliff decided to give way under my hindhooves as I veered to the side and it couldn’t take my added weight.

Oh hell! Oh hell!! I did what I could and reached out on reflex, and barely managed to grapple to an awkwardly jutting support column of rock.

“H-help!!” I grunted out, trying to hold on but could gain no purchase as my hindlegs dangled over terrifyingly empty air.

“Don’t worry, Darlin’!” Blaster came first, followed by Whiteout and Scarlett as they grabbed onto me.

“Ugh! Fucking fat ass, motherfucking–!!” Scarlett cursed and grunted.

I might have been offended if my life wasn’t at risk right now! It was all I could do to not beg them to hurry.

“Just! Ngh! Pull!!” Whiteout grabbed onto my foreleg.

Please, Celestia, PULL ME UP!! I didn’t know what was worse; being mere moments from getting cut in half by a malfunctioning door with murderous monstrosities clawing at my rear, or about to plunge into the dark abyss to my death.

“Pull, Darlin’! Pull!”

“Don’t look down!”

It was too late by then, however, as I did exactly that and screamed as the black below just seemed like an endless, horrible maw that waited for its morsel.

“Don’t tell them that if you don’t want them to look, dumbass!”

“Will you stop fighting and pull!?” I yelled back, though my tone was nothing short of terrified rather than angry. “Please!?”

To make matter worse, every second we spent at this cliff edge was more time to give the screeching horrors that drew near. Eventually I got up enough to use my hindlegs to help, and that made the difference as I scrambled over the edge and back on to solid ground.

“Oh Goddess Celestia, thank you!” I trembled in my horseshoes and just barely kept from panicking. That was close. Way too damn close!

“Sure, thank them.” Scarlett, panting and sprawled on the ground with the others, rolled her eyes. “Your ass is saved, you’re welcome, now let’s fucking go!”

I stayed quiet, forced to because I wanted to vomit. Instead I nodded quickly and – reluctantly – took the lead again. Though a fair bit slower this time. If there was a repeat performance of the latest episode of “I almost died!” then I probably wouldn’t survive it again.

It was at that point, as we neared the only crossing in the entire cavern, that the first red ticks appeared on my EFS compass.

“I can see them!” I called out to the others.

“Where?” Whiteout asked. The darkness had started to fall over the cavern as the flare began to die. “How many?”

Seconds passed, I watched as that one mark multiplied into several, then more, then they quickly blurred together. My blood ran cold. “Way too many!”

“Shit!” Blaster cursed. “They at least on this side?”

I nodded. “Yes! They’re on our side!” I glanced more towards our destination. “I’m not seeing any on the other!”

“Great! Let’s pedal to the metal!” Blaster hollared, though he clearly struggled. The last thing I wanted to do was go faster after what happened, but I also didn’t want to get stuck over here with the literal swarm that was coming our way. I already did that before, thanks!

Moments later, the four of us stood at the precipice. Our savior of a bridge could barely be called that. Once it had been large enough to handle vehicles of similar size to what we saw at the main site, but now most of it had crumbled away.

“So, who the fuck is first?” Scarlett asked as we all stared with apparent dread at the meager strut of rock.

“Iunno, but we better decide, and fast!” I turned to see what Blaster pointed out. Behind us was nothing short of a horde. It winded its way down the path of a service road, flowing like a cascade of water down a dry river bed. Too many to count, and way too much to fight. If we didn’t cross before it got there, we were dead.

“B-but is it even stable!?” Whiteout asked, her fear of the danger apparent as the rest of us.

“We can’t wait, darlin’.” Blaster urged on.

“If it breaks, we’re fucked,” Scarlett added.

Oh Goddesses… I really don’t want to do this… “I can go first…” I said grimly.

“What? So your heavy ass can break it and leave us dead!?” Scarlett fired back as she glared at me.

“Blaster said we can’t wait. I’d rather not argue, but if someone has a better idea.” I shook my head.

“I’ll go.” Blaster stepped up, then countered the inevitable objection from Scarlett. “Look. Ah’m not as heavy as Silver here, plus I’m sick. If… If Ah fall or not, Ah’m dead anyway.”

So he does realize it. I winced inside my helmet.

“Ah’ll go first, then Silver here. Then you go, Scarlett. Then Whiteout.”

“Wh-why am I last!?” Whiteout’s eyes widened.

“You’re the lightest, Darlin’. It’ll hold.” He smiled, but I could tell it was a fragile one. “It’ll be weakened by then, prolly won’t handle more than you at that point. And Silver has to make it, or none of us can get out of here. But if it breaks with me on it, then, well Ah’m hoping maybe she can find y’all another way.”

Scarlett frowned, her worry apparent. “A-all right, you dumb lummox… be careful.”

I nodded in kind. “We’ll join you soon.” I smiled under the helmet and tried to be supportive as he passed me.

He chuckled nervously. “That’s an ominous way to put it, Darlin’.” He winked.

“Sorry.” I shrugged, then watched as he took the first few steps.

The rock creaked and groaned as it had to support extra weight, when it hadn’t needed to for Celestia knew how long. I glanced back and forth, my horn lit, ready to do… something, if I needed to. Even if I didn’t know what. What exactly could I do if he started to fall?

“Dun wanna jinx it, but…” He very carefully took more steps, testing each with a degree of care that I didn’t think the stallion was capable of. “It seems solid enough. Jus’ go slow.” He eventually crossed without problem.

“Alright Darlin’! Yer turn!” he called out to us, now several yards away.

I gulped and nodded. Oh Luna, please give me strength. I prayed silently and inched towards the beginning of the so-called bridge. First step, that’s all it takes… a-all it takes…

I put my left foreleg out and gently pressed down.

“Ah!” And recoiled as the stone creaked! It also sported a brand new crack and I couldn’t contain the whimper.

Goddesses, I’m going to DIE down here!!

But I had to press on. For Dawn, for the others in my home, for Scarlett, Whiteout, and Blaster, too. I took that step again and ignored the crack as best I could, even as the stone protested against my extra weight. I enjoyed having the armor as protection. It had already saved my flank a few times, but if I could have removed the EPA suit before crossing, I would have! Somehow I figured it couldn’t possibly save me from a fall at terminal velocity, no matter the high regard that Blaster held the armor in.

“J-just keep going, Silver…” I whimpered to myself, step after step. One, then two, three, four… repeat. “Don’t look down again, come on…” And I had to enforce that now as I made that mistake earlier, and doubted I would survive it again. All the while my heart raced a mile a minute and pounded in my ears.

“Yer halfway, Silver! Keep goin’!” Blaster encouraged from the other side. I nodded and tried to go just a little faster as I kept the others in mind, as well as the sea of death that closed in on our position.

I appreciated his words, and was grateful that Scarlett kept any snide remark to herself as I closed in on the other side. As the last few feet drew near, I resisted that growing urge to sprint for the finish.

“Oh thank the Godesses!” I gasped out and planted my armored hooves on more solid ground. “Gagh! I can’t breathe!” Panic washed over me and I had to lower the helmet. Its air fresheners didn’t help as sudden nausea rose quickly up my neck. Unceremoniously I hurried to the side, ignoring Blaster as I vomited, then coughed and hacked for breath.

I leaned against the rock wall, a sputtering, panting mess as tears fell. I didn’t want to. I hated how pathetic I must have looked right then, but the primal urges of terror – which had yet to settle – gave no care for my desire for posturing.

And who exactly am I posturing for? That question would have to wait…

“Alright Scarlett! Go! It’s yer turn!”

A few moments later, I looked up through blurry eyes to see the ex-raider making her way across. She handled it better than I did, even as the poor excuse for a bridge equally protested the unicorn’s movements.

“Arlight, slow down, take easy steps!” Blaster coached from our side.

“Will you shut the fuck up already!?” Scarlett growled out, face reddened and ears tightly folded against her skull. “You’re like a chattering radscorpion!”

From my side, “Yeah, she’s fine…” Blaster kept his voice low and I barely heard him. Though there was a small chuckle.

But they won’t be, very soon! I looked up the path and what I saw was no laughing matter. While the cavern had grown dark again, save for our lights, the growling and screeching of the monsters grew louder than ever before. It wouldn’t be long before they were upon us. Before the flare went out, I did notice where they were heading. A wide road snaked around in the cavern at an incline which would be tolerable to vehicles and which eventually funneled to this point, exiting a tunnel that was on Whiteout’s side of the gorge.

The snap of a crack in the rock had my attention dart back to Scarlett, who eeped and jumped the last few feet and Blaster caught her. Underneath, a sizable sliver of rock gave way and then plummeted into the black below. They hugged tight for a few seconds, then Scarlett shakily got to her hooves and looked at me.

“P-piece of fuckin’ c-cake!” she exclaimed with a weak smile, trying to bravado her way out of the plain-to-see terror that gripped her.

“Y-you’re impossible…” I managed an equally fragile smile as I gradually calmed down.

“Alright sweetheart! Now or never!” Blaster called. Whiteout was the only one left, alone on the other side of the gorge. I did not envy her right now.

Scarlett and I joined Blaster at the edge and held our lights to illuminate the path for her. I grimaced at the plethora of new cracks in the rock, caused by the three heavier ponies as they crossed before the smaller, lighter unicorn.

Goddesses, please. Let the rock hold. Let her be safe. I prayed silently for her as Whiteout took the first few steps. Was it a good thing that Ghost wasn’t with us right now? Did the bridge have enough strength to hold him or her and then the other? Was there enough time before the monsters descended upon us?

“Oh shit!” Scarlett pointed. It seemed that as Whiteout made it halfway, the universe decided to answer that last question.

The screeches finally arrived. From the barely visible mouth of the tunnel, a cascade of angry monstrosities poured forth like a tide of death.

No! Goddesses, we had to do something!

“Everyone!” I called for attention. “Move to the sides, get a clear line of fire! We have got to hold them back long enough for Whiteout!” Blaster and I went left, Scarlett went right. It had to be just like before in the exit to the Stable. Hold them off for now.

“Blaster! Fire with me, then when she’s across, shoot the bridge!”

“Roger, Darlin’!”

I didn’t know who or what a ‘roger’ was, but I got the gist as I fired up SATS. The targeting spell slowed time to a crawl for me, and I picked the highest hit percentages I could find. Despite this, accuracy wouldn’t be much of a concern as there were so many of the creatures that even if I missed my intended target, there were plenty more behind them to hit.

Pzzat! Pzzat! Pzzat!

Bright pink discs lanced across the chasm from my modified mining weapon. It seemed the most useful, given its area of effect and devastating ability to slice clean through multiple monstrosities. And it did so in abundance as the creatures fell by the half dozen or more, their limbs severed and bodies writhed angrily on the cold ground, others stumbled forward and into the abyss.

Yet, this did nowhere near enough to stem the tide. Even as Blaster and Scarlett added their own withering firepower to the mix.

“Damn!” Blaster cursed next to me. “Gonna have to step it up a notch, here!”

Pzzat! Pzzat! Pzzat!My automated saddle stopped to reload as a heat warning popped up in my visor. If I kept this up, my weapon was sure to melt itself.

I glanced over at Blaster to see what he intoned, and my eyes widened as he went for the explosive survey charge launcher. “No!” I yelled, then raised a hoof and brought it down on the weapon before he could fire. Then I winced as I realized I could have blown us both to the Everafter.

“Ah! What the fuck, Silver!?” He glowered over at me.

“No explosives!” I let the helmet fold down to show my serious expression; easier to do without a faceless visor.

“The hell do you mean? We can’t stop these things without explosives! There’s too many!” Blaster tore the weapon from under my hoof and I nearly fell.

“Blaster! No!” But this time I couldn’t get in the way. I needed to resume fire as the horde got closer to Whiteout. “If you launch an explosive, you might demolish the bridge! You will kill her!”

While I didn’t know exactly how powerful the explosive charges were, I knew what explosives did as I recalled the ball of inferno that I personally set in motion in Goldpeak. I was, or at least thought, far enough away from that explosion, but instead I got tossed like a ragdoll and was immensely lucky to not break my own neck.

Thank the Goddesses that was enough to get Blaster to see reason as he holstered the weapon, “Fuck. Then how are we supposed to stop this, then? We’ll run out of ammo.”

Pzzat! Pzzat! Pzzat!

I had to wait for another agonizingly slow reload. Scarlett laughed maniacally from the other side as her rivet minigun sent a heavy stream of red-hot metal slugs into the beasts.

“Haha! You want some!? Yeah! Come and fucking get it, ya freaks! You want some too!? I got plenty! Ahahaa! I can do this ALL DAY!”

Well, at least she’s having fun…

Unfortunately our barrage barely held them back as they gained foot after foot of ground towards the fragile bridge and our friend. “We can’t.” I started firing again, and cut off Blaster, “We don’t have to stop them forever, just long enough for Whiteout to get across. Once she’s safe, blow the bridge. The gorge itself will protect us.” Of course, I had no idea if these things could jump that gap or not. It was a calculated risk that I gambled on and we had to take.

Goddesses help me. Never have I had lives on the line with my decisions back home! It was an entirely new level of stress, one I was woefully inadequate to deal with as my heart raced in barely contained panic. The worst I had to deal with was Petal and Flicker and their magic practice that usually resulted in catching something on fire, freezing something that would give Butters a conniption, or disturbing the peace…

Blaster nodded that he understood, “Gotcha, Darlin’. Give me the word and that thing will be history.”

Pzzat! Pzzat! Pzzat!

I burned through cell after cell. Whiteout’s progress slowed as some of the creatures got through onto the bridge with her, forcing the unicorn to turn, fire her force gun and send the things into the abyss.

“Whiteout! Hurry! Keep going!” I yelled. I let Scarlett and Blaster fire indiscriminately into the crowd of horrors while I put more focus on those who got too close to the bridge. “I will protect you!”

I don’t know if Whiteout heard me or not, but I hoped so because her progress was far too slow. She still had a few yards to go and–

ROOOOOOOOAARR!!!!

“What in the hell was that!?” Blaster echoed my thoughts as something big sounded close by and very, very angry!

From the tunnel emerged a creature so huge and horrid it had to be of tartarus. A bipedal monstrosity, much like the smaller brethren that it carelessly crushed under massive arms which it used to barrel through the opening, emerged from the darkness. Its ‘head’ was a grotesque macabre of equine skulls, their expressions contorted into that of horror and rage. It paused just outside the tunnel as if facing us down, then roared a second time which I swore shook the entire cavern!

“Oh Celestia…” I now had a good idea of what carved through the Stable door and how. In one of its limbs, the fleshy growth formed around some kind of excavation tool; large and very noisy as it sparked and whined, the machinery barely operational, but enough for the thing to use as it belched sparks, flame, and smoke.

Whiteout’s nearby scream brought me back to reality. One of the things grappled with her on the bridge as it got close, the white unicorn forced onto her back and weapon between her and the beast. I folded the helmet back up and activated SATS. The struggle slowed and I had to act. My best shot was its back; far enough from Whiteout that I… shouldn’t… hit her, but would get the thing off of her.

Pzzat! Pzzat!

The first pink discus went wide and soared into the empty chasm in the distance. The second struck home, bisecting the once-pony creature in half. Whiteout then had the leverage to push its corps into the abyss.

“Whiteout!” I called for her. “Hurry!!”

And as if that was a challenge, the ginormous beast pounded the ground with its fists, the mining tool left angry, melted slag wherever it touched, and barreled forward at frightening speed.

“Goddesses give us strength! Fire! Fire on him! Now!!” The order felt redundant as all three of us concentrated our weapons on the charging beast.

But, as pink discs and red rivets arced through the black void to slam into the nightmare, it cared not for our pathetic barrage. Unlike its fellows, the thing barely noticed! Even as blood and congealed, rotting flesh fell from its mangled body, it just kept coming!

“How the hell do ya stop that thing!?” Blaster yelled defiantly next to me.

I had no answer for him. We were doing the best we could and it was nowhere near enough. Against this new demon, our new weapons were as useless as our old ones.

“Just keep firing! Buy her time!” But I had no other solution, even as I wracked my brain for something – anything – different that we could do before it reached the bridge.

Time ran out. The thing reached us and its machine-infused arm raised high as it gave another rattling bellow, its sole, murderous intent on shredding Whiteout to pieces. She froze in place, terror gripped her hooves and held her there, even as we shouted for her to move out of the way.

No!!

But as soon as the brute took one step on its side of the narrow crossing, the weakened rock crumbled like tissue paper trying to hold up the statues of my patrons themselves. Thrown off balance, the thing’s arm went wide and cleanly missed our friend by a safe distance. It plunged into the chasm with fully half of the bridge.

One moment the monster was there, and the next it was gone. It plunged into the abyss, its immense weight combined with gravity in a final epitome of nature’s most basic but undeniable forces at play. Across the way, its brethren tried to mindlessly leap the gap, but thankfully none of them even got close. One after another, score by score, the monsters charged off the edge and fell to join the rest in the black beyond.

“Ahh!” But we were not so lucky as to be safe as a portion of the rock under Whiteout’s hooves gave way.

“Whiteout!” I yelled out as I saw her weapon and flashlight fall, and for a second I thought she had already lost her grip.

“Shit, hold on darlin’!” Blaster’s words knocked me from the thought. Whiteout was still there. She danged against her broken half of the bridge and clawed desperately to get back up.

“H-help! I can’t get up! HELP!”

“Hang on, we’re coming!” I made to race for the bridge when something struck my side. Caught so unprepared and off guard while in a state of panic, I easily fell into the rock and dirt. “Agh!” I cried out as my jaw bounced on the rock and I tasted blood in my muzzle. “Blaster, what the hell!?” I made to get up.

“Silver, no!” Blaster pushed down on my body with his strong forelegs and I could get no leverage to get up.

“Ngh! Get off of me, damn it!” I yelled back at him and scrambled my legs for purchase.

“Stop! If either of us goes out there, the bridge will fall! It can’t support you or me and Whiteout!” Blaster glared down at me. “Remember? Ya can’t help anypony if yer dead!” Instead of waiting for my reply, he looked up and yelled, “Scarlett, drop yer weapon and go! Yer the lightest, it has to be you! Hurry it up!”

Oh… I stopped my struggling. “Okay, okay! I get it, now please get off of me.” I didn’t like it one bit, but it made sense.

“Guys! Please help! I don’t want to die!” Whiteout begged again as she continued to try and scramble her way up. Blaster let me up and I stood with him on the sideline, not because I wanted to!

“Fuck!” Scarlett dropped her big weapon and quickly shed everything she could to make herself lighter. “Don’t let go, moron! I’m coming!”

“P-pleas hurry!!”

“Oh fuck me…” Scarlett inched out onto the bridge and tried to put on a brace face as it crackled and groaned under her added weight, but it held… for now.

“Is there anything we can do?” I asked Blaster.

Blaster gave a pensive look. “Unfortunately no, darlin’.” I could tell by his tone he didn’t like this any more than I did. “We go out there, then everypony involved will fall.”

I wanted to curse under my breath. I felt so helpless! I didn’t know either of them that well, but I swore I would get them out of here alive. And yet… It was no different than being back in Stable 46, watching Genesis and Gauze try to save Clover’s life when she was bleeding out on the floor.

“I can’t get closer!” I watched as the bridge cracked again, with Scarlett about a foot from Whiteout. “Ya gotta reach!”

“I can’t! I can’t!” Whiteout desperately tried. From my angle, her hindlegs kicked and flailed as she frantically attempted to get herself up, but whenever she actually got her hooves hooked on something, that little craig or piece of stone snapped under her weight.

“No. No!” I jumped a little, fighting myself to not charge out and help, knowing that if I did, then I would just kill all three of us. A quick glance at Blaster and he was in much the same state as we waited with baited breath.

“Reach, damn it!” Scarlett begged in kind, her hoof outstretched.

Whiteout gained a little bit of purchase and inched forward, their hooves met and Scarlett grabbed on with her other forehoof. “I gotcha! I gotcha!”

But it was not to be.

Crack!!

The entire bridge suddenly lurched downward with a spray of dust and loosened gravel. In that instant, their grasp waned as the two mares screamed.

No!!

I saw Whiteout’s white hoof leave Scarlett’s as she fell back. There was no way she could regain her hold.

No!!

I acted. My horn flared bright, and an instant later the levitation spell latched onto Whiteout. She hung there, but…

“Agh!” I cried out as the pain of a molten clamp bored into my skull! White noise briefly assaulted my ear drums. I fought the instinct to let the spell go, but I held…

“Holy hell, girl!” Blaster said next to me. “Ya caught her! Keep it up!”

“I-I’M T-TRYING!!” I couldn’t help but scream back as so much agony coursed through my forehead. I tried my best to keep focus as tears quickly blurred my vision. My whole world of focus became maintaining that crucial levitation spell, knowing that if I faltered, Whiteout would fall to her death.

“C’CMON!!!” I grit my teeth, legs buckling under the strain. I’ve never lifted anything heavier than my own coffee cup before, or maybe Conviction, let alone a fully grown mare!

“ST-STOP S-SQUIRMING!!” I screamed out. I felt like I was wrestling with the giant radscorpion, and losing! The last thing I needed was for Whiteout to make everything harder by flailing around!

“Darlin’ ya gotta stop moving so much!” Blaster relayed what I needed. I could only barely see them both as I tried to inch Whiteout closer to Scarlett.

“Aaaaaaaaaahhh!! F-FUCK!!” I felt bad for screaming and cursing, it was so unbecoming… but it helped with the sheer, burning agony. My body – horn in particular – begged me to extinguish the spell, but I fought back, wanly shaking my head to say no.

I won’t let her die!

Inch by terrible inch, Whiteout got closer and closer. Scarlett had her forehooves out… I think… ready to grab. It was hard to tell as shapes and colors and stars swam together in my vision.

“A little closer! Just a little bit closer, come on!” I wasn’t even sure who said that as time went on. Something warm ran down my upper lip, a sudden haze of red mixed in with my blurring vision. Blackness crept in, my legs went numb. My heart raced and I struggled just to breathe.

No…! No! No, no, no! Don’t black out now!! I tried to redouble my efforts, but it was like trying to fight off an avalanche with a gardening spade.

But whether I wanted to or not… I felt myself slipping away.

No… n-no….

Was she close enough? Did Scarlett have her? I had to know! Please, Goddesses, don’t do this to me! I have to know!!

I thought I heard a cheer, or something, I couldn’t tell up from down any more. Something shook my shoulder, then the other, then both. A familiar voice spoke from the void. It was impossible to tell what was happening any more, and numbness struck me from the neck down. All I knew was my head hurt so very, very much…

Then… all at once… blackness, and I drowned in a distant scream.

Footnote: Level up.

New Perk: Intense Training; Endurance +1