Chapter 18: Preparing for War

“Home is behind, the world ahead and there are many paths to tread. Through shadow, to the edge of night until the stars are all alight. Mist and shadow, cloud and shade. All shall fade, all shall...fade”

“Are you sure she’s asleep?”

There were voices in the darkness around me. They were familiar, but cold.

“Yes, I’ve tucked her in.” It was father’s voice. “What’s got you so nervous?”

“The others and I… we’re not sure we want to be on the project anymore.”

“You saw what she did to Spade and Twinkle.” It was a more feminine voice that spoke up this time. “Tartarus, we were barely able to save Beaker, and he still might die.”

“That’s enough. From all of you.” Daddy was fighting for me, I just knew it.

“How can you trust the subject after…”

“I said that’s ENOUGH.” Daddy shouted.

The crack of thunder above jolted me up from my dream. Instinctively I grabbed my rifle and pulled it up. Ficha sat glaring at me in the dark, his angry eyes shining like beacons of blue fire.

My racing heart calmed in the darkness of the morning, and I flopped back with a groan. The pipbuck’s clock said that I still had another hour before dawn. I couldn’t afford to lose sleep, not until these ponies were safe. Closing my eyes, I found it easy enough to drift off again.

I’d hoped that these dreams weren’t going to be a common thing, but I guess I’d been wrong.

We’d left camp at first light. We’d stopped only a few miles from dodge for the night. Without rest, some of the injured might not have been able to make it there. I wasn’t about to lose any more innocent lives through my mistakes. The walk had been mostly quiet, only a faint murmuring between ponies here and there broke the silence. With the gates into dodge in sight, I felt relief.

“You blame yourself.” Predious spoke up, walking closely to my side. “Even if you had left, they still would have…”

“Not right now, Pred.” I sighed.

“Alright, but as your friend, I advize against bottling things up.” He commented before giving me a bit more space.

From up ahead, Pallet and Harmony approached with a group of armed guards. She’s seen us coming from a ways away, and I could tell she knew trouble would be right behind us. The group of them stopped just past the gates and waited for us. I caught Pallet’s eye, and the thought that Mist Gleam hadn’t been with the group filled me with guilt. Cocoa said that once the rest of the citizens were into the cave, they boarded it up. She said that by then, the smoke from the fires was already too thick to see, and that they waited for them at the end of the cave.

“Storm… what happened to Y’all?” Harmony simply asked. She looked over the crowd as they streamed into the city.

“Chasm. It’s gone.” It was hard to even begin to think of explaining it to her. “Steel Rangers burned it down, and we don’t have much time.”

“Barrel, find these ponies somewhere ta stay.” Harmony raised her hoof to a brown stallion standing next to her. “The rest of Y’all can find ‘em some food and water.” With her words, the guards dispersed and left Pallet, Harmony, and I standing alone. “Come on back ta the shop. This sounds like something we’ll need ta discuss in private.”

“When you were there...” Pallet spoke up hesitantly. “Did you…”

“Pallet, I’m sorry.” I shook my head and stepped forward. “She didn’t make it out.” I wrapped a hoof around her neck and pulled her close.

“Oh… I see.” Pallet shuttered in my hold, spreading her wings as she pushed me away gently. “I’m just… I’m going to see if mom needs anything at the inn.” With that, she lept into the air and took off into town. Pallet always wore her emotions close to the surface, and even with it having just been a ‘fling’, the news hit her hard.

“Before yah ask,” Harmony stated as we started walking back into town. “Aunt Skyline got here yesterday. Though, with what y’all have been through, Ah didn’t think yah’d care ta get caught up.” As she talked, Harmony kept craning her head as she looked at me. “Are yah eyes… blue?”

Of all the questions to ask at a time like this, and she chooses to ask something like that? There were people who needed help, defences to be built. The Rangers were coming after us, I could just feel it. I didn’t have time for foalish games.

“We need weapons, defences.” Ignoring her question seemed to kick her back into the right mindset. “Make sure to set up that big gun of yours again, we’re going to need it.”

“Are yah sure we can’t just talk our way outta it?” Harmony sighed out. She walked ahead of me and opened the door to her shop, showing me in. “What did they want with chasm anyway?”

“Me.” I stared at her. “They wanted me.” The door shut behind me and I sat down hard. “I don’t know why. When I went to turn in Predious, they took me as well. We escaped, but… I don’t know. Something happened when we did, and now they want me.”

“Oh, one moment.” Harmony waved her hoof in the air for a moment. She turned and trotted off into the backroom. I focused on why she was making a ruckus in the back to keep myself from thinking about Chasm. After a moment, she returned with a small round disk in her muzzle. It was a mirror. “Shee? Bru.”

Was she still going on about my eyes? A bolt of anger ran through me as I looked down with the intent to smash the prewar vanity object. But from the other side of the reflection, a blue eyed mare stared back at me. I paused and just stared. My eyes were positively glowing blue.

“I…” It was hard to look away, but I had to. “It doesn’t matter. We’re all in danger, and it’s all my fault.”

Harmony set the mirror down and put a hoof around me. She was like a sister to me, and I needed her with me on this. She pulled me into a tight embrace and I felt some of the stress melt away.

“It’s alright, we’ll get through this.” She spoke softly. While holding me close, she spun us around toward the door. Releasing me, she walked over and opened it. “Look, I need some time to inventory things if we’re going to mount a defence. You should go rest.”

“But..” I objected, finding my muzzle shut by her hoof.

“You’re no good to any of us in the state you are. Please, I don’t care what you do. Just… take it easy and I’ll get you when we’re ready to start.” She smiled softly.

I didn’t want to rest, but she was right. Frazzled nerves on a job ment mistakes. Mistakes which I couldn’t afford to have in a fight like the one coming. I stepped out into the street again and found Predious leaning up against the storefront. Tasteless had disappeared amongst the rush of ponies around town, and I was out of cigarettes. My eye caught the saloon down the street and I nodded for Pred to follow.

We made our way down the street and to the bar doors. I’d hoped that Cask wasn’t still angry about the fight I’d had in here. Pushing open the doors, I caught his gaze. He dropped the glass he had been cleaning at the time and scrambled to get his hooves on his shotgun.

“Like I said before, ya banned from the bar! Now git!” He raised the gun and pointed it at me.

“Seeing as this city is going to be a war zone soon,” I paused, looking around at the empty tavern. I let those words sink in before continuing. “You might need all the caps you can get.”

“Fine, but no fightin.” He grumbled and set down his shotgun. “Now, what’ll ya have?”

“Whisky. A lot of it.” I shambled up to the bar. Pulling out the stool, I sat on it and flopped my head down into the bar top. “Quite the mess we’ve gotten ourselves into, huh, Pred?”

“I’ve been in worse.” His simple remark told me he was going to keep talking. “In fact, there was this one jam I was in a while ago... never thought I'd actually make it out intact.” His magic pulled one of the stools out and he took a seat beside me. “Then the bombs fell and everypony died.”

All he got from me for his ill attempt at humor was an annoyed sigh.

“Well, I thought it was funny.” He pat me on the back. “I guess you had to have been there.”

The door to the bar opened behind us, and I could hear as somepony entered. Light hoofsteps ment no armor, but they walked with purpose. They had a job to do, and they were walking straight towards me. I had been about ready to stand up and fight when they spoke.

“Hey there beautiful.” The stallion stopped a few feet behind me. A wise choice. “Before you left, I never got a chance to thank you for saving my life.”

I turned around slowly, finding the dopey grin and blushing cheeks of that pegasis we’d drug all the way here. I gave him a grunt as the bartender set the bottle of whisky down in front of me with a pair of shot glasses.

“Compliments on my looks are the last thing I need right now.” I turned back towards my booze and pulled the bottle close. “You’re welcome for me saving your life. Now, leave me alone. Can’t you see I’m busy, ‘relaxing’?”

“Come on, don’t be like that.” He took a few steps closer and held his hoof out over the bar. Out from his fetlock dropped a trio of shiny, golden bits. “Barkeep, I’ll pay for this lady’s drinks.”

Cask put his hooves on the bar as I cracked a smile. This was just too good.

“Is this some kinda joke?” Cask raised an eyebrow at the pegasus and slowly slid the bits off the bar top.

“What? No!” The new guy was confused and what sounded to be offended. “Why would it be!”

“We haven’t used bits down here since the war ended, dumbass.” Cask snorted. Grabbing his rag, he hoofed another one of his glasses over and started to clean it. “If you want to use those, go back to your ‘paradise in the sky’ along with the rest of your kind.”

I gave a chuckle and looked over to Pred. He wore a deadpan and a pair of judgemental eyes. Maybe he’s the one who needs to unwind.

“So much for being kind to your customers…” The pegasus muttered under his breath.

“To be a customer, you need to buy something. As for kindness, go somewhere else if you’re looking for that.” Cask looked at me with a shrug. “Can ya believe dis kid?”

“You should listen to him.” I mumbled and poured myself a shot. “Trouble’s coming and I don’t think you’ll want to be here when it shows up.” Setting the bottle down, I took the shot into my fetlock and brought it to my lips.

It burned all the way down my throat, but damn did I need it. With a frustrated grunt, the Pegasus turned and walked from the bar. I poured myself another drink. When I set the bottle down, Predious tapped me on the shoulder. I ignored it and reached for my glass. Predious’s hoof grabbed onto my leg and held it down.

“You know, for a pony who defeated a windego,” An old stallion called out from behind me. “you sure aren’t very smart.”

I turned slowly, vaguely remembering that voice. Standing in the bar doorway was a pony under a cloak. My mind searched for the familiar outline until I knew where I’d seen him before.

“Hey, you’re that pony that I saw outside that facility” I spoke slowly, letting go of my glass. He knew what was going on inside of there. I don’t know how, but he might have been the one who set it up in the first place. If so, then I owed this guy a good beating until he told me why.

“How observant of you.” He spoke in an exasperated manor, like he was bored. “Since we’ve last met, you’ve managed to pick a fight with one of the most dangerous beings this world has seen. I’d say that takes some skill, but that’d be giving you too much praise for an act of stupidity.”

“Wait, what?” Was that an insult, or was he just generally trying to piss me off. “Listen you old coot…”

“What exactly.” He raised his voice to silence me. “You have no idea what you’ve gotten yourself, and by extension this town, into. I’d recommend running, but what would be the point? You’d just leave a trail of death and destruction in your wake.”

From him too?

“I swear, if Ficha put you up to this I’ll beat the both of you.” I pushed out my stool and turned around. As I stood, I felt the cold steel of Cask’s shotgun pressed against my head. “You have exactly thirty seconds to tell me who the hell you are, and what the fuck you’re talking about.”

I had to resist the urge to reach for my gun when he shifted his weight. He put his hoof into his cloak and pulled out a cloth sack. Shaking it, it sounded like caps. He tossed it onto the table, spilling it open and scattering caps all over it.

“For your drink and that barkeep’s troubles.” The stallion sighed and turned back towards the door. “I’d tell you why this happened, but you’ll be dead within a day along with this town, so what’d be the point?” He waved a hoof as he opened the door. “You’ve got the right idea to fight. You can’t win, but I’m sure you won’t make it easy for him.”

He slipped out the door and out of sight. I wasn’t going to lose him this time! Bolting forward, I slammed the door open and skid into the dirt. Nothing. I spun around the other way. Still, nothing. I facehoofed and groaned.

“One of these days, shit will stop happening around me and I can die of boredom.” I shook my head and turned back toward the bar. Predious was standing holding the door open for me.

“One can only hope for a fate that kind in the wasteland.” He offered a small smile to me.

I pushed past him and walked back to the bar. Wrapping my hoof around the bottle, I left the shot glass as I turned back towards the door. I’d had enough ‘relaxing’.

“Get up, yah’ve been asleep fer an hour.” Harmony kicked me. “Come on, ah need yah help with this.”

I sighed and stretched out amongst the warmth of the tarp I’d crawled under. It had gotten so cold as I drank, I needed something to curl up under. Sitting up, my back let out a few pops, reminding me that wooden floors were not fun to nap on. The empty whisky bottle tumbled across the floors of Harmony’s shop, but Predious was nowhere to be found.

“Ya know, yah still got a room upstairs y’all could be usin.” She remarked as she hoofed an empty crate up onto her back.

“I do?” It was hard to speak through my yawn, but I’m sure she got the gist of it. “What do you need my help with anyway?” Rubbing my eyes, I found that the light of day didn’t agree with them. I actually let out a whine when she opened the door and the light flooded in. The sound of concerned ponies filled the air from outside as well.

“Everypony, simmer down!” Harmony shouted, placing the crate down in the dirt outside. Slowly, I walked to the open door and looked out. It was a crowd of ponies that must have consisted of nearly everypony who normally lived in Dodge. I say this because there were plenty of familiar faces. She raised her hoof and pointed to the box.

“Ah know most of y’all have probably heard what happened ta Chasm.” She looked around the group as complete silence filled the air. “Ah’m here ta tell ya that the same ones who did that? Well, they’re on their way here ta do the same ta Dodge.” She paused as a collective gasp ran through the group. “We need ta work together if we want ta keep our town intact.”

“Why don’t we just give them what they want?” One of the ponies in the back cried out.

“I heard they wanted your friend!” Another one responded. “Said it was her fault they’re comin in the first place. I say hoof her over!” That got a collective roar from the crowd. Harmony started to try to calm them again, but all it took was that one spark. That’s all ponies ever took to act out. It’s how we ended up with this fucking wasteland in the first place.

Still, it was true. I caused all this. Maybe, if I just left south and turned myself over, nopony else would get hurt. Then again, they didn’t even care that I wasn’t in Chasm and they burnt it down. I shivered as a chilled wind whipped down the street. Even the angry ponies felt it as they slowly encroached around Harmony’s shop.

A shotgun blast filled the air and everypony in the crowd was silent. Slowly, they parted as a welcome face stepped through it. Tasteless gave me a smile and a wink as she walked through toting her shotgun proudly. Behind her was Predious and Pallet. The three of them pushed through and up to Harmony, stopping at the door to protect me.

I knew that they shared my opinion. They knew this was all my fault, but instead of trying to save what they have, they stood by me. A smile found it’s way across Precious's muzzle, and I returned it. In that moment, for just that moment, nothing in my life was wrong. I wasn’t afraid, hurt, or in danger. Hell, I wasn’t even cold anymore because I knew that my friends were here.

This was my mistake, and I was going to try to fix it. I took a deep breath and stepped forward. Predious and Harmony looked concerned, but I pushed past them to the wooden crate. Whispers snaked through the crowd, but I silenced them as I flipped the crate over. Climbing on top, I looked down at them.

“Yes, it’s me they want.” I looked down at Stim Pack, who stood at the center of the crowd and sober for once. “Were I one of your family members, would you give them up so freely?”

“For the safety of the town?” Cold Cut spoke up. The mare was market’s butcher, and no fan of mine in the past. “You’re damn right I would.”

“They didn’t even know I was in Chasm and they burned it without a thought.” I glared at her. “You hand me over and they’ll burn you all just to watch.” Shouting and arguments erupted through the crowd, and panic ran through every single eye in front of me. I stomped my hoof on the crate a few times until a few of them gave me their attention.

“I'm going to fight, and I'm going to keep fighting because it's what I have to do. The rest of you are going to have a tougher choice.” As I spoke, one by one they fell silent again. There might just be hope for us yet. “I need you. We need each other. This town needs all of us if it’s going to survive.”

“Against those toasters? They’ll kill us all from a thousand yards!” Cask called out as he walked over from his bar. He was loaded shoulder to ass with supplies, and looking rather eager to leave.

“I'm not going to say we can win, I won't lie to you like that.” I found a pair of bright blue eyes staring up at me from the edge of the crowd. It was the pegasus from earlier, come to listen in on the commotion. “But when you're fighting in your own streets, when you're fighting for your families. It all hurts a little less, and makes a little more sense. For them, this is just a place. But for us, this is our home.”

“I will stay!” The pegasus shouted as he pushed through towards me. “This may not be my home, but maybe someday it will be.” He smiled brighter than he had at the bar as he gazed up at me. “And I will fight to give it that chance.”

“I am willing to fight.” Ficha called out as he rounded the street corner. “A bully will stay a bully until somepony stands up to them. I couldn’t save Chasm from their reign of terror, but I’ll be damned if I let them burn down Dodge.”

One after another, the ponies relented. They would help me to fix what I’d done. I needed each and every one if any of us were to come out alive, and I hadn’t been lying. I’d seen rangers face ten to one odds and still make it out on top.

“One last thing!” Harmony shouted out. “For anypony who chooses not ta stay. My brother will lead y’all north toward Manehatten. Any supplies ya don’t need, we’ll put ta use.”

“Can Short Staff make a journey like that?” I turned to Harmony. Stepping off the box, she sighed and shook her head.

“Ah don’t rightly know. Doc say’s he’s stable enough, but he ain’t better.” She looked at me with concern weighing heavily on her mind. “I’m just worried is all, ya know?” We both turned and entered her shop. The others piled in, along with the addition of Ficha and the pegasus stallion.

“Look, there’s no way we win this.” I sat down as the door to the shop shut. “We just have to hold them back long enough to get the rest of the towns ponies clear.”

“That’s it?” The pegasus sputtered out. “That’s your grand plan?”

“Who the hell are you?” Tasteless snorted out as she flared her wings. Wings that in fact I’d totally forgotten that she had since the bunker. The metal just made them blend into her sides. “You act like you’ve got a better plan, so let’s fucking hear it.”

“I’m Shadow Dasher. Jr. Sky Martial and chief navigations officer of the Lenticular.” He reared up in defence. “And you call yourself a pegasus… can you even fly, or is that amalgamation of metal just an excuse to be as dumb as it looks?”

“Shut it, both of you.” I snapped. “Shadow, get on the roof of the shop and help Pallet get guns up there. That’s where we’ll hold out.” Turning to Pred and Harmony, I looked to each of them. “We need the ponies who are staying armed and in fortified locations. Do what you can to organize them.”

“And what should I do?” The soft voice of a mare came from the back room. I spun around to find the dulling red coat and stark white mane of another pegasus walk in. Here golden eyes though were just as sharp as the day I first saw them. “I might not be in the best of shape, but I can help.” Skyline smiled softly before Pallet trotted over to her.

“Mom, you can help by making sure that Short Staff makes it back to Manehatten with the others.” She had her voice lowered and wore a bright blush across her face.

“Nonsense. I am a very capable mare, and I know I’ve got more combat experience than any of you.” She pat Pallet on the back and pushed past her. “Now, where do you need me?”

“There’s a rock formation to the south.” I started slowly, catching Pallet’s worried glance. “I want you to be the lookout. You see so much as one speck on the horizon out of place, you come tell us.” I waited for her to nod before continuing. “But, once you do spot them, you head off with Short Staff. There’s quite a few who won’t be able to fight, and your combat experience may come in handy.”

“Very well, I’ll pack some supplies and head out.” She nodded and turned back around. Pallet hooked a hoof around her and gave a tight squeeze. Pallet was the lucky and unlucky one in this fight. I knew that if it came to it, she could fly. The question was, when it came time, would she do it, or would she be too stubborn to leave our sides. I think that knowing her mother was still in danger would be enough to convince her.

“And what am I to do?” Ficha scoffed and rolled his eyes.

“You are to get as many ponies as you can get, and build a wall around the southern end of Dodge.” I turned to him and prodded his chest. “I know you can get it done in only a few hours.“ Turning toward the back room, I waited for the inevitable.

“And what will you be doing?” Ficha asked slowly.

“Trying to find a way to repeat whatever happened in that bunker.” Walking away, I didn’t care if he’d been content with my answer. I trotted through the back room and weaved through the piles of treasures and junk that Harmony kept back here. The thin set of steps that ran up the back wall squeaked loudly under hoof as I climbed them to the second floor.

On my left was the door to Harmony’s room. To the right was the ladder that lead up to the roof, and at the end of the hallway, was the room I once called my own. I walked towards it, remembering fondly the time when I’d first started to work the bounties that came in here. After long trips, and tough fights, I’d come up here, open the door, and collapse onto my bed.

Turning the dusty handle slowly, I pushed the door open. The small room looked just as I’d left it all those years ago. The rotting mattress stuffed with rotting hay certainly didn’t smell any better than it had back then. The small writing desk that sat against the wall facing the window still held empty shell casings from my rifle, and a mostly rusted magazine for my now lost pistol.

I closed the door and took a seat on the bed, looking across to the bookshelf that sat against the far wall. The old copies of the Daring Doo novels my parents had given me must have sat untouched longer than anything else in this room. I had to have read each of them a dozen times as a filly. Though, I don’t think I’ll ever know what happened after she and Rainbow Dash stopped Ahuizotl from starting that drought. Though, I don’t think I ever cared, seeing as the wasteland never gets enough rain as it is.

Next to the books was the object that had to be the most used in this room. It stood about eight inches across, by about ten inches high. Held together by a steel frame, it contained the innocence of three ponies. It was always my most prized possession.

Slowly, I reached out and hooked the picture in my hoof. I pulled it close and looked at it for the millionth time, a smile worked it’s way across my muzzle as it always had. It had been one of the coldest winters we’d ever felt, and we were starving amongst the ruins north of manehatten. Dad didn’t find us any food, but he had found us an actual working camera. He said that it even had a single, undeveloped shot of film left. The thing was, that the camera would fetch us a good price, but undeveloped film was worth it ten times as much.

The night we’d found it, we’d taken shelter in an old basement as a blizzard raged above us. With a single spark battery lantern for light, the three of us had huddled up for warmth. Mother told us the story about how they met to keep our minds off of hunger, but father? He surprised us all when he suddenly lifted the camera from his bag, held it in front of us, and smiled.

I must have been oh… thirteen in this picture. I’d never been happier in my life than that night. We were freezing, and we were starving, but we were a family. Sure, I know they aren’t my real parents, but I still love them more than anything. Today might be the last day I can see them at all, even if it is just a picture. Setting it back down carefully, I knew I didn’t want that to be the case.

I flopped back onto my bed roughly, sinking into the relative plushness I hadn’t felt since the farmhouse outside the facility. I let out a deep breath as I lay there. Closing my eyes, I tried to remember what it was that I’d done back at the bunker. I remember that I felt the rage of losing Iron Will, but that can’t be it. I’ve felt angry hundreds of times before, far angrier than that, and nothing’s ever happened.

The more I tried to visualize it in my head, the further the feeling got from me. I just needed to think harder, that was all. It was a mistake I’d realized far too late…

“It seems that I have made a mistake in trusting your judgement.” I spoke with the cold authority I’d hoped to forget. The view through the eyes of the stallion of my earlier dream showed me a bloody and beaten Elder Chili Pepper laying on the floor. Around me sat the armor maintenance bay of the Steel Ranger bunker.

“Please my lord, spare me.” He choked out through his bloody muzzle. His one intact eye stared up at me in fear as he trembled on the floor. “I will not fail you.”

“Why should I trust you when you let that mare get away? Do you think I am amused by your collection of excuses?” I raised my voice as nothing but pure hatred poured out of me. The Elder whimpered and curled himself in fear. As much as I’d wanted to see this, it was wrong. This wasn’t the justice he deserved, this was torture. “Do not worry, I will not let you fail me again.” I looked up to a familiar green coated stallion. “Maze, if you will.” I nodded to the elder slowly.

Without hesitation, Maze took a few steps toward the elder. I didn’t understand what was happening until he lifted a hoof and put it onto the elder’s neck, and pressed down. The elder flailed his legs as his windpipe was crushed, slowly gasping with weakening gurgles. Eventually, those stopped and the elder lay with his one eye half lidded and soulless.

A cold feeling enveloped the horn this stallion had, the sensation of static worked it’s way up my body to collect in the horn. With a resounding zap, the spell emit a bolt of blue from my horn. It struck the elder, turning his coat to a darker shade and causing his body to jump. There was a flash of blue in his eye before it drained away. I wondered what that was all supposed to achieve.

Then the elder groaned. Slowly, he rolled back over and got back onto his hooves. His wounds didn’t seem to phase him at all, and when he looked up, he wore the same blank stare that I’d seen the technicians wear when I was at the bunker. This wasn’t a dream, this was all happening. My host let out a resounding laugh as the elder rose and stood at attention.

“I love the feeling of necromancy in the morning, don't you Maze?” I looked over to the paladin who looked just as blank as he had in the last dream. “You know, I liked you better when you were chatty. Oh well, to win you gotta break a few eggs and all that.”

“What is thy bidding, my master?” The elder’s voice was cold and emotionless as he spoke. The elder had died, I knew that. This was just some monster that looked like him.

“Ah, well yes. I suppose it’s time you got suited up.” I pointed my hoof to a set of power armor that had been set out on the table where they had taken my leg off. It wasn’t the same armor as I’d seen the other rangers wearing. This one looked more ornate. It had been tinted to a midnight blue, and had small blue lights illuminating from the gaps in the armored plates. The helmet was no different, but had an attachment that made my blood boil. Iron Will’s horns had been crudely welded onto it, and one of the standard power armor eyes had been replaced with one of Iron Will’s.

“Oh, I nearly forgot.” My host spoke up, levitating over a golden ring. He sat it upon the helmet like a crown, and I could feel my host’s lips curl into a smile. “Now you are ready to fix your mistake.” I stepped back while the elder slowly donned his armor. “You are to take my forces and go after the mare. You are to take her, the ghoul, and her pipbuck intact. The rest you may kill. Do you understand?”

“This one understands.” The elder spoke as he lowered his helmet on. It sealed with a hiss and the armor strode forward. I turned and followed him out into the hallway. We wound through the empty halls of the base, turning and trotting up through where Iron Will had given his life. Past that room, we climbed the set of stairs that lead to the door to the wasteland. As it opened, an unexpected sight met my eyes.

Standing in formation, were the other paladins. Each of their armors had been tinted blue as well, but lacked the horns or crown. Behind them stood the other Steel Rangers, clad in old equestrian platemale. My host smiled as he looked upon one of the closer ponies, the blank and emotionless gaze of Tabasco met him.

As if it weren’t enough, behind the armored ponies, stood a mass of wastelanders. They looked normal enough, but even at a glance, I could tell they too were foul monsters. Bullet wounds, twisted limbs, and dangling entrails accompanied them as they stood with blank expressions. Among them, I saw the odd combination of black stripes over a yellow coat. Lomi stood among the monsters as one of them, but Mist Gleam wasn’t with her that I could tell.

“A new power in these lands has risen.” I shouted to the masses before me. “Tomorrow the land will be stained with the blood of the living. The revenge and power I so greatly deserve will not be denied. Minions, you march north to victory. Siege the towns, slay the innocent, and leave none of my enemies alive!”

Without even a cheer, or recognition, the whole of the army moved as one and turned around. They stepped in synch as my host started to laugh, his voice ringing through the air in maniacal laughter that felt like it was going to corrupt my very being. It was all too much. I felt like throwing up.

I shook awake and rolled off of my bed. I doubled up on the floor and screamed before my stomach churned and emptied itself. Hurried hoofsteps echoed through the hall outside as I lay there with tears streaming down my face. I looked up as the door swung open and Predious looked down in concern.

“It’s not just the rangers…” I gasped and coughed through my own bile. Dry heaving as their faces ran through my mind, I couldn’t stand the thought of what would happen to us. There wasn’t any way we were going to last even five minutes against a force like that. “It’s a goddess damned army.”