Lord Brocktree stood outside Salamandastron with all of the hares and ponies. "They'll be coming out any minute now," he said to Celestia. "Are you ready for this?"

Commander Hurricane answered for her. "We were born ready!"

Brocktree stood at the front of his army, with Dotti at his right side and Fleetscut at his left. All the other creatures were behind them, except for the Pegasus ponies, who were in a separate group off to the side, with Celestia and Luna.

Just then Ungatt Trunn came out with his entire horde. "I want their leaders alive! The rest must be slaughtered!" he shouted cattily.

As the Blue Hordes charged Brocktree's forces, Celestia, Luna, and all the pegasi swooped into the air, over the heads of the vermin. Ungatt Trunn was so caught up in the battle that he didn't even notice as the flying ponies soared up to the top of the mountain and in through the crater.

It wasn't just a big hole as it had looked from the outside. They had to travel through many twisting tunnels, but there was still plenty of room to spread their wings, and eventually they made it into the main fortress.

Celestia was shocked at what she saw. Salamandastron was full of dirt and grime. There were spider webs everywhere. When she saw the web with Sailears' skeleton inside, the alicorn threw up a bit in her mouth but she swallowed it just in time.

Pansy began to cry at the sight. Even Commander Hurricane was taken aback. "I thought this place would be a little… y'know, cleaner," she said.

"Well, it will be, once Lord Brocktree gets it back," Celestia said, fighting her revulsion. "Let's split up and look for the Elements of Harmony."

"I didn't see the wildcat wearing anything around his neck, so they must still be in here," Luna said helpfully.

"What do they look like again?" Hurricane asked.

"Well, the Element of Magic is a tiara," Celestia said. "The others are all necklaces. The Element of Generosity has a gem in the shape of a jewel. The Element of Laughter has a gem in the shape of a balloon. The Element of Honesty has a gem shaped like an apple. The Element of Kindness has a butterfly on it, and the Element of Loyalty has a lightning bolt."

"Hey, my cutie mark is a lightning bolt!" Hurricane exclaimed.

"And my cutie mark is a butterfly," said Pansy.

Celestia studied their flanks. "You know, the Elements of Kindness and Loyalty do look remarkably like your cutie marks."

"Let's spread out!" Luna said impatiently. They all began to comb the mountain, searching for the Elements.

Luna heard some cries coming from a room. "Help! Let us out of here, wot!"

She put her eye to the keyhole, but she couldn't see inside. It was jammed. "Who's there?"

"My name is Torleep," said a male voice. "I'm an officer in Lord Stonepaw's Long Patrol. I've got about sixty other hares in here with me."

"Hang on," Luna said. She blasted the lock with her horn. The door fell open.

"Thanks awfully, wot!" exclaimed an old female hare wearing an apron. "I'm Blench. I'm the cook hereabouts."

"Yes, I know your niece," Luna said. "My name is Luna."

"Does this mean Ungatt Trunn has finally fallen? Where's Lord Stonepaw?" Torleep asked.

Luna looked down. "I'm afraid Lord Stonepaw is dead." Blench and another hare named Woebee burst into tears. "But his son Lord Brocktree is here," Luna added. "Trunn hasn't fallen yet, but we're working on it."

Then Celestia came down the hall. "I found the Elements of Harmony! They were in a box on a nightstand in the Badger Lord's bedchamber." She held up the open box with the necklaces.

"Hang on a tick, those are Ungatt Trunn's necklaces!" Torleep cried. "He used 'em to make the blinkin' stars fall from the sky!"

"No, they actually belong to me and my sister Celestia," Luna said.

Celestia frowned. "Wait a minute. You say Ungatt Trunn used the Elements of Harmony?"

"Well, that's what it looked like, wot."

"But that can't be. The Elements of Harmony can only be used for good, and only ponies can wield them. How could Ungatt Trunn do magic with them?"

"I don't know." Torleep rubbed his tummy.

"Are you hungry?" Celestia asked symphonically.

"Oh, abso-bally-lutely! We haven't eaten anything in days, not since Doomeye jammed the flippin' lock on the door trying to get in."

"Well, let's see what we can find to eat," the alicorn said.

"Ow, thank you marm!" Woebee sobbed gratefully.

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The fighting blood of his badger sires coursed through Brocktree's veins. He went straight through the Hordebeasts like a tidal wave, his sword scything a harvest of death. The Badger Lord and his hares carried the bulk of the fighting but the ponies made a good account of themselves, bringing down several vermin with their hooves and horns. Brogalaw and his remaining otters stood on the sides, sniping with slings and javelins.

Ungatt Trunn was being drawn farther and farther away from the mountain, and something in the back of his mind told him this wasn't good. But he kept slashing away with his weapon, a long three-pronged trident.

Bucko noticed Karangool and Ripfang on the sidelines of the battle, trying to sneak away. The highland hare charged after them, roaring, "Yerrrahaaah! Ah'm the mad March hare frae the mountains!"

"Trunn is finished," Karangool said to the rat. "We forget diss place, go piratin' again!"

Suddenly a huge hare leaped in front of them and punched Karangool in the stomach with a massive paw. Ripfang squealed in terror and bolted. Bucko let him get away, because the rat was not the one he had a score to settle with.

"Guid afternoon to ye, Cap'n Karangool, is it?" His chuckle was neither pleasant nor friendly. "Ah'm Bucko Bigbones. Mebbe ye remember me?"

Karangool spoke, just one word. "No!"

"No? NO?" The hare was boiling with rage. "You destroyed mah home and murdered mah family and ye don't even remember it?"

"I destroy many homes, slay many beasts, yarr!"

Bucko adopted a somewhat calmer tone. "Weel, ye set still there an' ah'll tell ye a sad auld tale, aboot a puir young hare, whit wis left for dead by a wicked auld fox who beat him wi' a sword blade…" He raised his own sword.

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Fate fell upon Fleetscut, for he was struck by a jagged stone near the ankle of his right leg. He that had hurled it was Ungatt Trunn himself; the bones and both the tendons were crushed by the pitiless stone. He fell to the ground on his back and in his death throes stretched out his paws towards his comrades. But Ungatt Trunn, who had wounded him, sprang on him and thrust a trident into his belly, so that his bowels came gushing out upon the ground, and darkness veiled his eyes.

The cat pulled his trident out of the hare and turned his attention back to the battle raging around him. But he quickly realized that there was no battle raging around him. Lord Brocktree and all of his allies were gone.

"Where did they all go?" he cried.

A weasel chuckled darkly. "Isn't it obvious? They all went back inside the mountain. They were tryin' to cut us off. That was their plan all along. Hey, when are we gonna start winning so much that we get tired of winning? Because to me, we only seem to be losi-"

Ungatt Trunn was not pleased with the weasel so he got his head and broke it, and then stabbed him in the heart, and pulled his eyes out. He lay there lifeless.

Then the wildcat warlord gave vent to a primeval howl of rage. He fell down upon the sand, beating the ground with his fists.

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Lord Brocktree put aside his battle blade. The badger's eyes were red as flame on winter's eve. His huge chest rose and fell as he approached the alicorn sisters. He stood silent awhile, striving to control the Bloodwrath. Celestia and Luna took a step backward from the fearsome sight. Brocktree shuddered violently, as if trying to rid himself of a phantom foe. Then he held both paws wide, bowed his head, and spoke in a normal tone.

"This is my mountain. Welcome to Salamandastron!"