In the midst of sleep I often forget where I am. In the past Luna and I would often play a game when separated, if work would allow of course. She would appear in the outskirts of my dreams and have me chase after her until I realized it was a dream. The first few times this happened, I mistook her playfulness as dream terrors. When I told her about this... well, her apology more than made up for that.

After that, she continued to do it and it became something I loved about her. It was a bit narcissistic but I looked past that. She likes being desired, being sought after. Given what happened to her in the past, I can understand that a bit. And if she wants to feel like her husband seeks her desperately... well... I find it fitting. The other part that makes me okay with it is her age.

We've never been in a relationship beyond each other, not romantically at least. When we first got married, we expressed this with simple signs of affection. Hugging, kissing, long nights of loud and rowdy sessions. It was straight forward and, for me, very satisfying. For Luna, it was a bridge to something she didn't know about herself. Thanks to all of the wet dreams she's run into, seeing all of the dark, secret desires of her subjects, she learned quite a lot about what there is to experiment with.

So, when it comes to foreplay in the dreamscape, she likes being chased. She likes the rush of someone running after her, intent on pinning her to the ground and bringing her to ecstasy over and over again. I don't know what to call that but that's what she likes. I find it kinky but it can be annoying as fuck when she outruns me, then scolds me for not keeping up.

Now, on a normal night where I'm asleep by myself and not in hot water, finding myself in a misty forest would be a welcoming sight. Knowing that I'm in bed with some minotaur, naked, is fairly terrifying.

"Luna?" I call out, taking a few steps into the cool abyss. "I know you're here Luna! Also, please don't use the sex forest for serious talks!"

"..."

"I only dream of this forest when you put me here Luna, I know you're here." I walk past a few trees and come to a stop, hearing something move behind me. "Are you trying to scare me?"

"No." I sigh and turn around. A common Luna tactic in the dreamscape, appearing behind me. I cross my arms and stare at her as she avoids looking at me, biting her bottom lip.

"So... where do you want to start?" I ask, getting her to hitch her breath.

"Miles... I want a way out of this. I don't want to be mad about this situation because I know I put you in it and I know you did nothing wrong. But... I am conflicted about this." I nod, feeling somewhat the same as she does. "So... I have an idea."

"Lay it on me." I shift my stance a bit, unsure of what she has in mind. Where could she possibly be going with this.

"I'm going to have Celestia watch Tempestive for a bit while I try something. And I-"

"Luna, are you trying to turn yourself into a human again?" She blinks a few times before shaking her head quickly.

"How did you possibly come to that conclusion!?" I laugh at that, here we go again.

"Luna, this would be your seventh attempt to try and turn human. That machine doesn't work like that. We've looked it over, scanned it, test fired it... I don't know what you have in mind, but leave Outpost Zero out of this. We can work through this together. We don't need magic to fix the problems of our marriage."

"... does our marriage really have problems?" she asks with folded ears. I groan from my choice of words and move to embrace her. She leans her head against my chest as I wrap my arms around her neck, rubbing her mane slowly.

"Luna, from my understanding, every marriage has problems. The couples with the best marriage are the ones that work through it together and come out closer than before. If everything was perfect, life would be boring. Now, I love you. I know you know that. I have no desire for anyone else in my life. You're stuck with me and the stupid shit I get myself into for the rest of our lives, for better or for worse." She chuckles at that, nuzzling my chest slowly. I stay quiet for a moment, thinking on my wording. Our lives. I have to word it like that. But the reality is that it's for the remainder of my life. She's going to outlive me. It's distant, but it's the reality of our situation. I don't look forward to those days but I'm only thirty and I'm still in my prime. It must be all the veggies she makes me eat.

"And I still love you Miles, for better or for worse. Even if you still get into some of the most ridiculous, outlandish, crazy predicaments. You make life so much more fun, more interesting, and so much more enjoyable to live. But... how do we get past this?" I bite my lip and try to think of an answer. Nothing comes to mind immediately, but she does perk up slightly.

"You have an idea?" I ask, hoping she has a realistic answer.

"We could talk things over with somepony. I know Celestia would listen-"

"She would also castrate me for touching another woman." Luna pauses and nods to that, making me chuckle slightly.

"I'm glad to see that the idea of being castrated is funny to you," she says sternly.

"No, it's not that. It's... well..."

"What?"

"Well... you being against the idea of my being mutilated made me think suddenly." She leans back and looks up at me, cocking an eyebrow. "Thinking about kids."

"... are you suggesting that we have another foal Miles?" she asks, half shocked and half curious. I laugh again as I pull her back to sit against a tree, laying her in my lap.

"I've been thinking about it for awhile now. And not in the joking sense either. Tempestive is old enough to understand these kinds of things now,it would keep me home to help out at Canterlot more often, and we've always said that we wanted at least one other child in our lives. I know politically it's an odd time but... I think our family is ready to grow a bit more. What do you think?" She opens and closes her mouth a few times as she stares back at me.

"Uh... I-I... no."

"No?" I pull back a bit and look down at her, confused.

"No, Miles, this is probably the worst possible time for something like that!"

"How-"

"You are literally on the other side of the planet chasing some psychopathic cultist who is trying to destroy the world while I'm over here trying to keep a nation from starving and going bankrupt plus I’m trying to get all of our citizens behind the idea of helping a nation that is screaming at our faces and calling us tyrants and... and... that is literally the worst possible idea imaginable right now!"

"... I thought it was romantic-"

"Miles. I love you but romance is not your strong suit. Shooting bad ponies, perfect. Being romantic... you have your moments, that was not one of them." She pats me on the back, just adding insult to injury.

"... well... fuck."

"Please don't feel down. Having another foal would be wonderful, and I do want to have another. Just, not now Miles. It wouldn't be right. Look, I'm sorry for being so blunt-"

"Don't be. You know me, I hate tip-toeing around the subject."

"But that's just not something we can do right now. When you get back we can talk about it some more, but that's what I'm feeling right now... You're starting to wake up. Call me as soon as you can okay?"

"I will. So... would it be too much to ask for a kiss goodbye?" She chuckles a little before leaning up and hovering just above my own lips. I smile and try to close the distance, but she pulls away from me before I could.

"You know... I do love kissing you in your human form," she whispers as she slowly brings her hooves up my chest and over my shoulders.

"Oh yeah?" I ask, bringing my hands up her neck and back down, making her coo.

"Mhmm. Much smaller lips. Makes it easier to take charge. Do you like it when I take charge?" I pause and chuckle when she asks that in her slow, husky voice. How is my wife so sexy?

"You know-"

SMACK

A searing pain takes over my left cheek as I roll off the bed and face plant right into the ground. I let out a long groan as I sit up slowly, rubbing my cheek.

"A thousand apologies! Forgive me but... well, you started getting frisky in you sleep! I was going to let you but... you started going places and... well, you told me that you didn't want to touch certain places. Please forgive me!" Sappige begs, bowing before me. I look around in a slight daze.

"Where are the guards from earlier?" I ask, standing up slowly. She has a really good hook on her, damn.

"I-I sent them to get the transportation ready for today!" I look to her and shake my head. I forgot for a moment that I was here.

"Sappige, thank you for stopping me." I reach out to her, taking her hand. She looks up to me in confusion before taking my hand. I help her up, quickly remembering that we're both completely naked.

"So... you forgive me?"

"... I... uh, yeah. Yes! I mean, yes. I forgive you. Actually, I thank you for stopping me from doing anything I would later regret." She blushes at that. Or at the fact that the first half of that was said with me staring at her tits. "Anyway. Where are we going today?"

"R-right. I'm going to be your escort to the Dood Putte today, er... the Death Pits."

"Death Pits?" I ask, getting her to look away.

"It will be easier to explain when we get there. Come, we must get dressed and leave as soon as possible... but... I have one last thing I wish to know before we go."

"And what's that?"

"This refuge you offer... does it apply to all of those that help?" I tilt my head at this, slightly confused by the question. It's obvious to me that if I offer you refuge for helping, it would include anyone else who helped. But, I guess she needs confirmation.

"Yes. Any who aid us in our endeavor will share similar rewards." She lets out a quick sigh of relief before standing straighter.

"Good. Now let us hurry, the opening ceremony will start soon."

We get dressed quickly and head out. She puts on one of those full body covers that I've seen women wear outside the palace. She tells me to make sure I keep all of my weapons with me. I was going to already but her telling me that put me a little on edge. When we meet up with the other Spartans I can tell something is off about some of them. Night has that arrogant walk about him. More fluid movements, head held high. Hunter seems to be trying to avoid my gaze as well while Yinbie seems the most normal out of them. I was going to question them when one of the concubines walked out of the room they were sharing. I'm a little disappointed by this. Mainly in Night though, Hunter... I can let that one slide. I have less history with him as it is. But I'm going to have to talk to Night at a later time.

We all follow after Sappige out to the main courtyard where an ornate gondola waits for us. It's basically a fancy box that has two long posts attached to its side. The four sides are open and have purple drapes blowing in the wind. It has four minotaurs waiting to carry it to our destination, each one wearing expensive looking robes. I question how they could carry such a large object with all of us in it, but keep it to myself. With how these people are, they'd probably take offense to my questions. We load up and they begin to carry us away, surprising me. Waiting for us inside is Nederige.

"Hello again, Spartan Warriors. It is-MMMFF!" Once we were inside Sappige lunged forward and locked her lips with his. I look to the others in embarrassment... but I fucking called it... Oh Sweet Barbra. I grabbed his girls... girls!

"SAPPIGE!" Nederige yells as he pushes her back. "W-what are you doing!?"

"Soen my!"

"Is jymal!? Hulle sal jou doodmaak!" He yells as she advances on him. He tries to back away from her, using me as a shield. "Kry 'n houvas van jouself!"

"SOEN MY!" She yells as she tries to pry me away from him. The two of them begin to tug at me, pulling me back and forth erratically.

"WILL YOU TWO STOP!" I yell as I break from both of their grasp. "What the serious fuck!?"

"U het my lief nie? Ons het 'n kans om oor te begin, maar ek nodig het om te weet! U het lief nie!?" The two of them stare at each other for a moment before Nederige moves closer to Sappige.

"Wat is die kans?" He asks her quietly. She simply nods to me. "What is she talking about?" I take a look around before pulling him closer.

"We take care of our own. You help us, and we can take you away from all of this. But before all of that, I need to know why the goblin emperor would send us here. What deals are the minotaurs making that Longhorn would want to hide from us?" He looks between me and Sappige before scooting out of my hands, shaking his head slowly.

"No, no, no, no. This... this would be treason of the highest sort! They would hunt us down-"

"They won't be able to get to you. I can protect you from them-"

"This is our home! I've lived here my entire life! How-"

"Nederige." Sappige pleads, silencing him. She scoots closer to him and takes one of his hands in hers, holding it tightly. "Asseblief." I lean back and wait. This is sadly a common tactic for finding terrorist back in Topaz. Find a member with a loved one and turn them against them. Sometimes violently, other times romantically. It's part of why Susurrans taught me to see when people have a connection. That way, we can exploit it to our benefit.

"Do you promise that we will be safe?" he demands from me. Sappige lets out a squeal of delight and hugs him tightly, almost knocking the scrawny minotaur over.

"We will protect you, you have my word." He thinks about it for a second before slowly bringing his arms around Sappige.

"Very well. I will... show you what is happening within our borders. Come, we must make haste. The games will start soon."

The ride to the arena was made in relative silence. Any questions I had were shrugged off. Whatever they had to show me, couldn't be put into words. The city we traveled through was bustling with activity. Minotaurs busy themselves with their daily routines, hardly paying us any mind. It's odd to see so many people in clothing now. Living in Equestria has really conditioned me to view the other way of life. I guess it makes sense here though. Because of their physiology, they must seek modesty like humans do as well.

Shopkeepers stood with their goods and yelled to the crowd to come and sample their wares. It reminded me of Topaz Falls a little. The market I grew up next to at least. Not many look at us as we travel through the market. At first I thought it was because of some kind of custom they had but that didn't add up. There were still those who looked on at us, sparse as they might be. I guess this is common around these parts. Given, if this is how officials travel, then I guess that makes sense. We're not exactly trying to make a scene either.

When we were suddenly enveloped in a shadow I looked ahead at our destination. We're approaching some sort of stadium. Large red tapestries hang from tall sandstone pillars as even larger awnings shade the interior. Spaced out evenly between the pillars are large statues of various people. Some are minotaurs,though most are not. There's a dragon, alicorns, and even beings I've never seen before! They're all depicted in various states of being. Some are depicted as if they were in the midst of combat, while others stand frozen in varying emotions.

The closer we go to the stadium, the sooner I realize that the alicorn statue in front is of Celestia. They have her rearing up with her wings held high holding the top of the building up. I was going to ask about that, but put the answer together myself. They worship her. I know this. It's... just odd seeing it confirmed before my very eyes. I've seen plenty of ponies worship Celestia before, but this seems... weirder. I mean, with the way they have her posed, they don't leave much to the imagination. Her cutie mark is stylized in gold as is her horn... and womanly parts...

Why is that a thing? What exactly are they worshiping her for? I kind of want to ask, but at the same time, I really really don't want to know. Maybe I'll just ask Celestia the next chance I get.

The people carrying our gondola thing bring us to the two large doors of the stadium and wait before them. Slowly, the doors creek open just enough for us to be ushered in by a few minotaurs wearing deep red robes. They speak quickly, greeting us in their native tongue and waving their arms about wildly. They usher us into a large corridor that is a simple hallway lined with more columns. At the end of the passageway is another large statue, this time of a minotaur like creature. It has the body of a minotaur, but has the head of a dragon. It's wielding a large claymore over its head as if it's about to hack something in half. Streaks of red paint the creature and its weapon, some parts are wet while others seem to be fresh.

Sappige steps out first and assists each of us off of the gondola, weirding me out further. Call me old fashion but in my head it's usually the other way around.

"Welkom! Welcome! Groot meester van die oorlog!" We stop before three minotaurs dressed in green robes, each with holes bore into their horns and a ton of jewelry hanging all over them. Finger rings, nose rings, studs in their ears; each golden piece shined to perfection. They each bow before us, pressing their foreheads to the ground and kneeling back up. The front one, the fattest of the three, stands up and approaches all of us.

"Greetings Ring Master, I hope you have a treat for us today." Nederige greets him, planting a kiss on sides of his face. Sappige repeats this process as well, showing me that it must be a custom of theirs. I don't move to do it though, finding it too odd.

"For the Heer, only the best!" He more declares this than responds. He suddenly rushes to me and bows at my feet, kissing them lightly. I back away awkwardly, only to have him start bowing before me repetitively. "If there is anything the Heer desires, he must only ask and it will be his! Mast of War, what is your will?" I look around for help, but don't get any right away. I guess I'll have to improvise this myself.

"First off, don't kiss my feel like that. Save it for someone who likes that kind of crap."

"O-of course-"

"Next, stop bowing to me. The only time you should ever bow to someone is when you're letting them chop your head off. So unless you're really tired of living, stop."

"You are gracious O' Powerful One! If-"

"Alright, none of that either. It's bad enough I've got some cock hungry fanatic trying to lick my boot, I don't need you stoking my ego with your polished words. I haven't been told what we're doing here, let's get started already." I don't wait for him to respond. Instead, I just walk through the large stone archway and into the stadium proper.

This place is massive. Rows of stone benches reach several stories up as they go around a large arena. Massive awnings with loose red cloths hang above the seats, shading them if the sun permits. There are a few boxed off areas where I assume people of importance sit. The arena itself seems simple enough. It's just an oval of sand combed evenly with a few gated entrances. On the other end of the stadium is a massive stone statue of a minotaur holding a severed head over himself. Our greeters and my Spartans walk up beside me and join me in taking in the sights, along with Nederige. I look back to see Sappige standing a few feet behind us. I nod for her to join us, but she shakes her head at me. Must be another stupid custom of theirs.

"Does this please you, sire?" the main greeter asks cautiously. He goes to bow, but stops himself quickly enough.

"This is impressive. What will we be viewing today?" The greeter goes to answer, but stops when Nederige steps in front of him.

"The main gates will be opening soon, why don't we take our seats first?" He waves an arm to the nearest boxed off area, keeping his gaze intently on me. I nod to him and start to walk towards it. It's not the highest one, but I figure that one is meant for Longhorn. Still, it's decently high up and gives a great view of the grounds below. The greeters open the door to the box and usher us inside, where we each sit in large ornate chairs. They're a bit uncomfortable, especially in full body armor.

We all make idle chatter as the stadium begins to quickly fill. Spectators rush to get the best seats in the stadium, filling the bottom rows in only a few minutes. People of all ages and all backgrounds are here. Young and old, rich and poor; this must be their pastime. Something that everyone comes together to enjoy. Like, how the ponies meet up for the Wonderbolts.

After roughly an hour the stadium is near capacity. Almost all of the special spectator boxes have filled as well, excluding the one most likely for Longhorn. The air is thick with the smells of food and people. Vendors are walking up and down the stairs, trying to yell over the people to sell their goods. I stand up and move to the side to look at the crowd behind us. There are a few seats open near the top, but otherwise it's a full house on this side. The other side is much more sparsely packed.

"It's not every day you get the chance to be near a deity. They're more here for you than the show." Sappige tells me. I nod to that, eyeing all of the onlookers.

"It would be best if you sat back down. There are a lot of social cues that could be misinterpreted Captain." Hunter tells me. I let out a huff and go back to my seat. The door to our box opens and three minotaur women walk in with trays of food. Exotic fruits and freshly cooked meats are offered to me first.

"Did you guys eat yet?" I ask the others.

"I'm sorry, I should have explained that first. You are a Heer, you must eat before any of us are allowed to join." Sappige tells me.

"Oh... sorry, you'll have to excuse me. Where I come from, as a leader, it's expected for me to feed my men first. To take care of those beneath me-" I stop when a nearby minotaur starts yelling something to the rest of the crowd. The murmuring in the audience grows tremendously as the word is passed around. "What just happened?"

"They are spreading your words of wisdom, Miles. They are here to hear you just as much as they are to see you, if not more." Sappige informs me. I lean back in my seat and huff out my annoyance. Just like Canterlot. I can't say anything without being under extreme scrutiny. I could just start spouting random shit to upsurge their culture... but I'm not feeling that dickish today.

"Well... what are we waiting for? When do the games start?"

"Soon, look." Nederige points to the statue standing by the arena. It's a bit difficult to tell from this angle, but the sun is just about to peak over the statue. Looking to the other end, it looks as if they are waiting for the first ray of light to touch the sands below.

When the light reaches roughly a meter away from it everyone in the audience stands. I look to Sappige for an explanation, but she's standing as well, her full attention on the grounds before us. As the light creeps closer and closer, the minotaurs raise their hands above their heads and start to sing a single note. At first it sounded off, due to all of the different voices adding to the noise. But slowly the voices weave together to form a single eerie tone. Before each and every one of the minotaurs a small light starts to form. I stand slowly as the light comes together, hiding the crowd behind the white light.

Sharply, they all end their singing together with near military precision. When the light fades away, an orc and minotaur are visible in the arena. They're both wielding large swords and are running at each other. Before I could ask anything they clash in a fury of blows, metal meeting metal. The crowd erupts in a thunderous roar of applause as the two people savagely attempt to gain purchase on the other. The orc has power in each of his blows, but the minotaur has the finesse. He would dodge each attack and take a swing of his own, only to be parried by the orc.

"What the fuck is this?" I ask, turning to Sappige.

"They are fighting for Barbaarsheid, the deity of blood lust, vengeance, and brutality," she informs me matter of factly. "Two enter, only one will leave. The other will be offered to Barbaarsheid to appease his hunger for gore and violence." The crowds suddenly cheers again. I look back out to see that the orc has landed a blow on the minotaur. It's not enough to stop him, but it's enough to draw blood. That's apparently enough for this crowd though. It's driving them crazy!

"Can one yield?" I ask as I watch them closely. The minotaur is much more ragged now, but still has the moves to avoid getting hit.

"No. Two enter, one leaves. It is the way of the arena-"

"It's the way of savages!" I bark back. I stand back up and stand at the front of the viewing box. The fight begins to degrade as the two tear at each other, staining the sands beneath them red. They're both tired, most likely from blood loss at this point. The orc gives a desperate roar before charging the minotaur, flailing his blade around wildly. I grit my teeth as I watch him run to the prepared minotaur. In a simple move he dodges the orc and brings his blade around to cleave the side of his neck. The crowd explodes in a thunderous applause as the minotaur stands over the twitching form. With a crowd pleasing yell he stabs the orc in the chest, ending his convulsions.

"Well... at least is was quick." Hunter mentions. I shake my head at the display before me. This goes against practically everything I was taught. Killing for show, the thought alone makes me sick. Do they really have nothing better to do? Soldiers kill, not civilians. You kill to protect your comrades, not to please some figure. This... this is wrong.

"Perhaps the Heer would like to demonstrate then how he would perform in the arena? How humans kill without savagery?" I look back to the greeter and glare at him. He's challenging me, plain a simple. Not directly of course, that would be insulting and probably get him beheaded. No, he's baiting me. If I say no, I'll tarnish the Spartan name here. And I need as much sway as we can muster at the moment. But I'll have to raise the stakes to send a message.

"Bring out your best fighter. Give him whatever weapon he desires, and I'll show you how Spartans fight." He chuckles at this, giving me a cocky smirk. There's really only one way to bait a Spartan into doing something they don't want to do. Usually we try to be as... humble, as possible. But, we have to maintain a visage of prowess. Win or lose, we don't back down. And it would appear that this chode knows this.

"Captain, are you sure that is wise?" Nederige asks worriedly.

"There is no wisdom to be had here. Bring him out." I stand up and step to the edge of the viewing box, staring out to the stadium.

"Bring out the prisoner! The one from Canterlot!" The greeter yells in English, trying to send a message to me as well. I let out a breath as I stare out at the bloody sand below. I'm mad, irritated, and incredibly pissed off. Every moment here has been one fuck up after another, and I'm sick of it. I'm going to silence these idiots once and for all. They want a show? I'm going to take that from them then. "Great Heer, if you would only turn in your weapons. Rules of the arena."

"Hunter." I remove all of my weapons and pass them off to him. He nods to me, and I nod back to him. I don't have to tell my Spartans what I must do. There is an understanding among us.

I follow one of the arena officials down the steps and towards the arena. The crowd grows silent as I take the steep steps down. They all stand before me and watch me intensely, judging my every move. I don't pay them any mind though. I take this time to limber up for what's about to transpire. They didn't tell me to remove my armor, so I hold the advantage there. Likewise, if they provide me with any weapons I'll be able to take the advantage there too. If it's hand to hand with an orc, bear, or minotaur I'll need to rely on speed and agility. It'll also be a longer fight in that case.

They open a small wooden gate to the arena below and I hop down alone. The sand cushions my landing, showing me how loose my footing will be here as well. I walk out to the center of the field where another minotaur is standing with a few weapons in his hands. I don't think he's the one I'm fighting though. He looks... too average. From what I can gather from before, I doubt this guy would be the one they'd call their best.

"Heer, your weapon of choice?" Figured. I look over the weapons he holds and point to the claymore at his side. He bows to me and steps away, leaving me the weapon. I grab it and look it over, trying to see if there is anything different about it. As far as I can tell, it's a standard claymore with no magical alterations what-so-ever. Given, it's a pretty good sword though. Nothing like the blades like back home, but decent for what they have.

The sound of metal creaking catches my attention. The distant gate is being opened, a tall figure standing in its shadows. He's a minotaur, a big one at that. He ducks through the gate and begins walking toward me in a confident manner. His fur is red with gold splashes and is marred with countless scars from previous fights. His left eye is cloudy, probably blinded. His horns are jagged and chipped as well; some parts looking natural while others seem unintentional. He walks up to the arena worker and takes a bastard sword from him, barely acknowledging him at all.

"Under his gaze with hearts ablaze, we all come to the glory that is Barbaarsheid! Tremble before the might of Morag! The chosen of the gods!" He whips his blade around before taking his stance. I have a moment of deja vue, thinking back to Trixie for a moment. "Who do I have the delight of slaughtering today?"

"I am the Captain of the Spartan Regiment." I leave it at that before taking my own stance. If he wants to monologue, better for me to study him. He smirks and begins to circle to my left, so I step right.

"Power seeps from you, Captain of the Spartan Regiment. So much... Barbarity. A lust of war, Stryd would be proud. Yet there is a demeanor of Tweede Gedagte within you as well. So, what sort of war will we wage? Where will the stars lead us, hm? Let our blades sing now, and feed the blood lust of Barbaarsheid."

He lunges forward and takes a swing at me. I duck and pivot to swing back at him, catching his blade before he could continue through with his back swing. We hold each other there for a moment, gauging each others strength briefly. He's obviously stronger than me, that much is for sure. And he knows what he's doing with that sword of his. I'll have to force him on the defensive quickly if I'm going to gain the advantage.

We push against each other and back off for a moment before reengaging. I swing in first, going low. He parries and twists in to swing in high. I catch the blade quickly and lock it in with my hilt. I try to twist it out of his grip, but fail to do so. He lets out a loud roar before charging forward, using his strength against me. Locked in with him, I back peddle quickly to compensate. I could break out with magic, but I want to hold off on that. I can beat him with blade alone, it'll simply take longer. The crowd is going wild now. Their screams for blood filling my ears.

CRACK

Morag kicks me back right in the middle of the chest. My armor takes most of the hit, but I still stagger back from the hit. I roll forward and under his next swing before slashing at his back. A deep gash appears across his hide, blood flowing out quickly. He reaches back and touches the wound lightly, chuckling to himself lightly. I go to sever his arm, but he moves his sword in the way to block. He pushes forward again, this time swinging with far more ferocity. I find myself on the defense once again. Back step, duck, pivot. Counter strike, parry, block and hold.

He moves on me too quickly to make a proper repose. His form is too tight, leaving little to no room to properly exploit. Not without taking a hit myself. He doesn't have armor on though, so my taking a hit would be beneficial comparatively. I would want to make it a body blow though, as the armor there is the thickest. Meaning I'll have to go for a high blow myself. With a plan in mind, I begin to weave my movements to prep me for a high blow. High blocks, higher parries; I'm flaunting that my lower extremities are more open. He spins back and starts a waist high swing, prompting my own swing. I let out a yell as I try to bring my sword across his neck.

PWWWTING

THUNK

I feel the air escape my lungs as a force slams right into the side of my chest. I don't feel anything beyond some bruising, telling me that my armor held the blade back. I look up to Morag and do a double take at him. He tilted his head so his horn would catch my blade. I would have cut the thing clean off if it weren't a for a piece of metal attached to it. He chuckles again as he brings his blade back and over head. I try to pull my sword back, but it's caught in his horn!

CRACK

Everything goes fuzzy when he brings the hilt down on my forehead-

Chaos...

I try to shake it off, but I can't feel my hands-

Chaos is a wonderful...

Morag has kicked my blade away, I think. It's hard to tell with everything so blurry.

A wonderful.... wonderful thing.

Something is poking at my exposed neck. I really should do something about that.

It's time I showed you how to use it properly.

"Get up! Get UP AND FIGHT!" Sappige yells at Miles as the minotaur goes to finish him off. I just watch carefully as he brings his blade up. It's the golden rule of Spartans acting up, I guess. Hopefully Storm can hold everything together.

The minotaur lets out a power scream as he plunges his blade down through Miles's neck. The crowd nearly explodes in applause as they scream out for the kill. I glance over to Hunter and Yinbie to see them dumbfounded. Had he used magic, this fight would have ended very differently. But, he didn't. And here we are. I look back to the two fighters and take a closer look. He has his blade through him, but there isn't any blood by his head...

"It would appear the Man of Fire was no match for Morag. A shame, really." The greeter says smugly, getting chuckles from his colleagues.

"Did you place any bets on Morag?" I ask, getting surprised looks from Hunter and Yin.

"I did. Why-"

"I wouldn't collect yet. Spartans, get ready." They eye me oddly but draw their weapons anyway. I can't tell what's going on down there, but something isn't right. His helmet should have blocked most of that hit. There is no way it could have knocked him down so easily. I stand up and step closer to scrutinize the two down below. Why hasn't he removed his weapon yet? He's just standing there, looking down at Miles.

THWUUM

In the blink of an eye a shadowy figure appears behind Morag and drop kicks him in the back with enough force to send him rolling. The figure darts away too quickly to get a good look though. The minotaur stands back up and holds his stance again, looking for his target carefully. The crowd has grown silent again. This time in confusion. I scan the arena to try and find Miles, but he's no where to be seen. Miles isn't this good at illusion magic. Something is really wrong here. Did he lose control to Corpus? No... no, this is different. Corpus doesn't hide. He's all... dark tentacles and boastful.

THWUUM

It happens again. A dark figure just appears behind Morag and sends him crashing away. Only this time, he doesn't let him stop. He appears again and starts to knock him around, sending him in all directions. After the third or fourth hit his body goes limp and rag dolls back and forth before the dark figure finally takes hold of him. I've never seen Miles like this before. He's... darkness. He looks like a being of darkness, but not Icy Void. There's a distinct difference here. From what I've seen and heard of Corpus, he's more of a cold darkness. Energy wisps from him. This form... is like a dark fire. As if the energy is jetting away from him. I need to get down there, now.

I take to the air and begin to race towards to the two of them. Miles is still holding him up by his throat, eyeing him. He doesn't do or say anything when I finally make it to him. He just... stands there.

"Miles?" I ask cautiously, being sure to keep in the air. He doesn't acknowledge me though. "Miles? Can you hear me?"

"..."

"Is... is this Corpus Glacius? Am I talking to Corpus Glacius?" He slowly looks over to me and begins to chuckle. I back off a bit as his chuckle slowly turns to an unusual cackle. None of the Spartans that can handle this are here right now. I need to be ready to run at any moment.

"Death and slaughter are his game... all to escape the real pain. Fighting for what he was loss, giving in... to the chaos." He tosses him up a bit before giving his limp body a powerful kick. His body flings away and... goes in two directions? I slowly take my helmet off and rub my eyes to make sure I'm seeing this properly. After multiple rubs and a few slaps to assure myself I'm not asleep, I look over what's before slowly.

On the right side of the field is a cow. Just an average looking cow. On the left... is a human. A... man. Nude, laying unconscious in the sand. His scarred body is bruised from the fight, having the same exact wounds Morag had on his back. Miles, somehow, split Morag into a man and a cow.

"Dear Celestia-"

"No!" I look back to 'Miles' and move out of his way as he stalks towards the person. "Not Celestia. Chaos... disharmony... dissonance... human. But... one is enough." He stops by his body and swings an arm at him. From his hand shoots a dark tendril that stabs the man in the center of the chest. He jolts up for a second before quickly fading away into dark wisps of energy that billow away in the wind. Any evidence of the man is gone now.

"What happened to you?" I ask quietly as I stare at him. He looks back to me and lets the energy around him fade away revealing his normal body. I look him over for a second before I realize a difference suddenly. His eyes... they're red. The pupils are red and seem to glow with energy. This isn't Miles; this isn't Corpus either. This is something new.

"It seems my time is fading. Let's end it with a bang... or a spin? Hmm..." He rubs his chin for a second as he contemplates his options. "Spin... bang... so many options.... uhg, wasted it." He closes his eyes and falls over, seemingly unconscious.

I wince for a moment before I slowly open my eyes. There's a throbbing in my head that's beating harder than any hangover I've had before. My vision starts out blurry, but after a few blinks I eventually refocus enough to get my bearings. I look over to see Night Fury standing next to me; eyeing me carefully. I close my eyes again and slowly rub my face, shifting in place slightly.

"You know, you'd think I'd get used to waking up naked." I look back to Night and see him relax in response. I sit up and instantly feel my head begin to spin rapidly, as if I just got off a flight simulator. "Uuuhhhg, what happened?" I groan.

"Well... you might not believe what actually happened." Night says cautiously. I groan again, only more angrily, getting him to answer me. "Well... that minotaur knocked you on the head with the hilt of his sword and was about to kill you when... you changed."

"Corpus got out? Or was it Soul Fire? Or... do you mean... change change?" They better not know I'm part alicorn now. This shit is getting redundant now!

"... Not exactly." I look over to him and wait for him to continue. "Maybe we should continue this when you're not sitting in the middle of an arena."

"Good enough." I motion for him to come over and use him to stand. I'm a bit shaky, but I power through it and make my way over to my armor. I glance up at the stands and note how all of the minotaurs are bowing to me with their heads pressed to the ground. Whatever I did, it was enough to solidify my place as a god among them. Either through respect or fear... probably the latter.

"Well... that explains one thing." I look down with Night and squat by my helmet. There's a large dent right where my forehead was. Whatever hit me was strong enough to nearly punch a hole right through it. A centimeter or less saved my life. I'm lucky I only got knocked out really.

"Well... looks like a sniper nearly took me out." I mention as I fiddle with the remains of the helmet. It's gone now, scrap really. Whoever shot me made the mistake of firing a low AP round. That, or the round was shit and shattered once it hit. I'll find out once I take this back for scans.

"Shouldn't we hurry inside? What if the sniper tries to take another shot?" Night asks, partially concerned.

"Whoever that was, they're long gone now. Once I changed, they probably retreated to avoid being captured... or worse. Did you hear a shot?" I remove the helmet and start to unlatch my armor. Strangely enough, the clothes I was wearing before are still here. Not even a single scorch mark on them.

"No. All I saw was the massive fucker try to take you out. I didn't even hear the round hit you." Hmm... that's interesting.

"Well, we'll have to figure that out later. I'm going to get changed now. Go get the others and have them show me what we came here for already. I'm done with this place already." He nods and takes off for the viewing box. I remove my clothes and start the arduous task of getting back into my armor. I can still feel the tinge of embarrassment of being nude in public, but six years of being a pony are finally taking their toll on me. That, and none of them are looking directly at me.

I watch them slowly start making their way towards me, so I wait. The greeter looks mortified by my presence, rubbing some little trinket nervously as he approaches me. When they finally make it before me he drops to his knees and presses his head to the floor. I roll my eyes and look to the others, seeing their unease as well.

"Did I tell you to bow?" I ask sternly. He quickly jumps back up and begins to apologize. "Did I say stop?" He stops and stands still, unsure of what to do at this point. "There is supposedly something here that might interest me. Where do you think that is Sappige?" She jumps slightly from being called and steps forward, trying to remain as calm as possible.

"U-uh... it should be down below-"

"Show me." I direct the command to the greeter. He nods quickly and rushes to the gate behind me. I nod to the others and follow after him. Finally I can get some answers. Will this take me closer to my intended target? Or is this another dead end? Only one way to find out.

We follow the minotaur down a narrow underground path that leads up beneath the arena. The stone walls are lit sparsely with torches, leaving the room dimly lit. There are several streaks of blood along the walls as well, some older than others. The roof above us is made up of iron cages that have guards patrolling them with spears and various bows. We come to a set of large ornate wooden doors that, like the walls, are coated in layers of variously aged dried blood stains. Two minotaurs above start to pull on some ropes that slowly pull the doors open. Once there's enough room, we begin to step through. I pause and look back to Sappige, who is still standing before the doorway.

"Sappige?"

"I-it might not be wise for me to come in there. I... do not know how some of the... other warriors will react to... my presence." Hmm... bringing a palace whore might not be a good idea. But, on the other hand, I don't really trust anyone around here.

"You'll be safe with me. Come on, I need a translator I trust." She swallows her nervousness and follows after us. I wait for her to be near me before walking in.

The area before me reminds me of the pool area back at the spa in Ponyville... sort of. There's a basin in the center of the room that has lightly steaming water running to it from each corner of the room. The room has five corners, making the room a pentagon with a few doors leading to other areas. Each corner section of the room is raised a step and barred off. In each barred section there are bunk beds, benches, and several occupants waiting around. Each section is segregated by race. Ponies in one, minotaurs in the next, followed by orcs, apes, and finally bears. I look around for a moment before I realize the lack of griffins being held here.

I walk around the room and look them over more closely. They're all in the prime of their being, showcasing impressive muscles. The ponies here all have marks in fighting and don't seem to mind me all too much. If anything, they're looking back at me with the kind of look a fighter would give his opponent. Sizing, calculating, judging. Their watching me as if I'm their next match. They all are. I stop and look into the pool in the center of the room. It's lined with small blue and white tiles with the number five in the center. There must be other rooms like this. At least four.

"I am assuming that these people are here to fight." I start walking around the room again, eyeing all of the occupants again. Scars, bruises, and stitch marks cover most of them. They all also have a branding somewhere on their bodies. Some are the same, but there are a few different ones here.

"Yes." Sappige tells me quietly.

"Of their own accord?" I ask, looking back to her. She doesn't answer me, lowering her head instead. "Though I do not stomach slavery, this better not be the only reason you have brought me here."

"It isn't. There-"

"My Heer!" The greeter cuts in, stepping between me and Sappige. "Please, allow me to explain. These savages were once nuisances to the world. Outlaws without paths or anywhere to call home. Within the house of Barbaarsheid they are contained. We shield society from them and allow them to... eeeeeh... unleash, their lesser selves. They-"

"Barbaarsheid?" I ask, making him pause.

"Barbaarsheid, the Heer of slaughter and bloodshed. He presides over these walls and guides-"

"He guides these walls?" I ask, tilting my head slightly.

"Eeh... yes. It's more of a-"

"But I am here? Do I not preside here now?" He looks back to the others uneasily before looking back to me.

"Eeeeh... you are but...eeeh... this is-"

"If he wishes to claim these walls, then let him come claim them from me. Until then, I claim these walls, understood?" A couple of latches click open as two minotaur guards drop down from below. They tower over me and brandish their polearms in their hands. I look between the two of them and sigh before drawing my pistol. "So be it."

BANG

I point my pistol at the head of the minotaur before me and pull the trigger lazily. A mist of red sprays out behind him as his body falls back. I hear the guy behind me let out a small yell as he tries to pierce me through with his weapon. It splinters off of my armor, leaving me unscathed. I turn around and point the weapon at him, waiting to see what he does. He looks down at his destroyed weapons and tosses it aside in anger. He fumbles to pull his knife out, but I don't allow him to.

BANG

I fire a round into his chest, making him stagger back as he holds his chest.

BANG

The second round goes through his skull in the familiar fashion, sending him to the ground quickly. I let out another sigh as I stare at the dead bodies. It always ends like this. Some dumb ass thinking they can outsmart a bullet. Fucking idiots. I look back to the others and note that the greeter is missing now. Sappige and Nederige are both holding their ears, hiding behind Yinbie. I always forget about the people that aren't always around gunfire.

"He ran, what are we going to do?" Night asks calmly. I sheath my pistol and move over to Yin, getting him to move aside.

"Show me what you brought me here for. I'd rather not leave you here." They both look up to me shakily before slowly standing. Nederige quickly makes his way to one of the doors and tries to open it, finding it locked.

"Watch out." A pony from inside the cage warns us slowly. "It's enchanted. Picking it won't be easy."

"Then let me." I flare my hand and slam it against the wooden door. It explodes inwards, sending splinters all over the dark room. I look to Nederige for a second before casting a light inside the room.

It's a storage room. Several barrels and crates fill the room to the brim. A barrel that happened to be near the door has fallen over, its contents covering the floor before me. They look like little pink peaches. I pick one up and look it over closely. It's about as big as a normal plum and a little squishy between my fingers. It doesn't have a scent to it either. I step inside and go to one of the crates, magically opening it. It's full of the same contents. I set the lid back down, noting a strange marking burned into the wood.

"Sappige! No!" I look back to see Sappige trying to make her way in. Nederige is trying his best to keep her back though. "Jy moet dit nie!"

"Ek het dit nogig! Asseblief, laat my dit!" He has to put her in a hold to stop her from entering the room. She begins to cry as she begs for her release, still trying to get in the room. I look over the room before taking one of the little fruits to the holding room.

"You there," I call out to the pony that warned us. "What is this?" He looks to the others before walking closer. He tries to reach out to the fruit, but I pull it out of his reach.

"sigh That, is a little slice of heaven. What you are holding in your hand is called Passion Fruit. A rare desert treat, normally they are incredibly difficult to grow."

"If that's so, then why is there a room filled with them?"

"Beats me. Someone must'a figured out how to make them grow, or something along those lines." He tries to reach out for it again, but I pull back again.

"One last question, what does it do?" He smiles at that, leaning against the bars so his head comes through.

"Legend says there are seven deadly fruits of the world. Eat one, and you... well... it varies from fruit to fruit."

"Passion fruit?" I ask, waving it before him.

"What do you think?" He asks, trying to swipe the fruit. I pull away, making him groan in frustration.

"It's an aphrodisiac?"

"Pffft! Please. Those are little lies you tell fillies to get them thinking dirty. This... this is the real deal. One bite, doesn't matter if you're gelded, married, religious; none of that matters anymore. One bite... and you're on cloud nine... while also balls deep in the nearest hole. Bear, pony, whatever you are, it don't matter. One bite, one taste... that's it." I look at the fruit more closely, eyeing it with more respect.

"Hand it over." He sounds so depraved when he says that. He sticks his hoof through the bars as far as his body will allow. I look him right in the eyes before I toss the fruit in the blood filled pool. "YOU BASTARD! I'LL KILL YOU! I'LL BUCKING KILL YOU!"

"Guards incoming, what's the plan Miles?" Night asks as the sound of metal clanking against stone echoes down the halls.

"We're leaving. I'll dig us a way out. Yin, Hunter, cover the rear. Night, cover the VIPs. Sappige, Nederige?" They both look back to me, scared out of their minds. "Welcome to Terradisia."

Be sure to check out The Elder Dragon Hierarchy Cultural Reference Guide!