Author's Notes:

Special thanks to anyone that read this!

Special thanks to Trithtale for proofreading and minor editing!

Special thanks to Author of MADness for being a bro and helping me filter down ideas and for proofreading!

Remember I said I was going to divide this story in two chapters? Well, now there's going to be a few more chapters for your reading pleasure.

Celestia entered her bedroom and saw her son sitting at the edge of the bed, his arms resting on his thighs while he looked at the ground.

“You want to see me, mom?” Spike asked without looking at her.

“Yes, I do.” Celestia closed the door and walked up to her bed. She then sat at his side. “I have something to tell you before I make the official announcement.” She took a hold of his right hand with both of her hands. “I’m going to make public your royal status, my son. You’ll be--”

“I don’t want it.” Spike cut her off with an emotionless tone. “What’s the point if I have little over two weeks to live?”

“And I don’t care what you think about it. You’re my son. A Solaris. You may not have my blood, you may not be a pony, but you’re still my son. And as my son, you will be recognized as a prince, whether you like it or not.” She replied squeezing his hand. “No one will oppose. Luna, Cadance, Shining Armor and Twilight have already agreed, the noble houses have agreed and our citizens love you. You’re our hero, Spike.”

“I’m not a fucking hero.” Spike said with the same tone while he glared at Celestia for a couple of seconds. “This thing around my neck proves it.” Silence fell between them for several moments. Still, Celestia never released her hold. “Do you remember I wanted to be a hero when I was a...huh, should I say foal? Child? Baby dragon? Hatchling?...Younger. That works. When I was younger?”

“Clearly, yes. You used to play around with a wooden sword and a table cloth cape pretending you were a knight.” Celestia smiled fondly. “Those were the days I felt the safest, with you standing guard at my side.”

“Don’t forget when Twilight, Shining, and I played together. Why was I always the princess in distress, now that I think about it?” Celestia giggled making him chuckle. “Anyways, I kinda got my wish granted in the Crystal Empire. And the only thing I did was deliver the Heart.”

Another long moment of silence fell between them until Spike let out a mirthless chortle.

“Everywhere I go, everyone thanks me. Some of them even fall to their knees or kiss the ground I walk on. It’s...it’s sickening. I want to vomit when they praise my name. I want to punch them in the face when I see them crying while they thank me. I want to roar at them when they reach out trying to touch me. The worst part is that practically no one hates me after I confessed what I did to them during the trial.” Spike closed his eyes. “I don’t deserve their thanks. I’m not a hero.”

“Yes, you are.”

“Mom, the caribou had no salvation. They weren’t puppets like we were, but they weren’t completely free either. Forced to follow their own...set of mind.”

“I know, sweetheart. Creslin already told us her people’s tragic history.”

“But I didn’t care for it. The moment I learned they truly had no salvation I blew caution out of the window. I enjoyed butchering them, mom. I rejoiced hearing their pleas of mercy and their screams of agony. I laughed at their pain. I lead genocide against them, and I smiled the whole way through it.” Spike smiled showing his drooling fangs and white, shining eyes to Celestia. “And I still yearn for more.”

Celestia looked at her son’s expression slowly return to his usual calm expression. Leaning to him, she rested her head against his shoulder. “Spike, throughout my life I’ve learned that a hero, no matter how righteous or how noble, is always the greatest monster to another. My little ponies, the changelings, the saddle arabians, and even then griffons see you as a great hero. You may not like it, you may think you don’t deserve it, but to them you are their hero.”

“...Mom...I beg you, don’t allow the historians to write me down as some kind of martyr or a saint. I want everyone to know me for the monster I became. So that no one else ever falls as low as I have, please.” Seeing his mother didn’t move or talk back he continued. “Because, if the caribou had some sort of salvation...I would’ve done even worse to them.”

Silence fell between them for the longest time until Celestia broke it.

“Did you know you’re the only male I can touch without trembling?” Celestia asked.

“And you’re the only female I can touch without wanting to vomit my entrails out.” Spike rested his head against her head. “Remember I was a female handler?” Celestia nodded. “Want to know why I vomit almost every time a female touches me?” After a moment of hesitation Celestia nodded. “Because I get an erection every damn time I catch the scent of a female. And I have a fantastic sense of smell.” Spike grunted. “Yay for my ninja dick.”

“You’re not to be blamed for, Spike.”

“I don’t care if I’m not. I had to train myself to keep it from popping out randomly after that visit.”

“And despite that, and everything in between, you managed to achieve your goal. We’re free because of you, my sweet darling baby. If anything, I should be the one apologizing for not treating you like you deserve before.”

“You don’t have to apologize for anything, mom. You gave me all the love and time you could, I don’t care if I’m not a prince by title. I’m grateful to the mare that took me as a hatchling that didn’t owe her anything and gave me a place I could call home. The same mare that tried her best to raise me as her own despite having to watch over an entire kingdom and allowed me to call her my mother. I...I love you, mom.”

Celestia couldn’t hold her tears back any longer. “I love you too, my son.”

“CELESTIA!”

Celestia’s eyes snapped open hearing her sister shout her name. Slowly, she rose to her hooves with the aid of Luna and Blueblood. Her ears were assaulted by screams all around her.

“Celestia, you blacked out for several minutes. How do you feel? ” Luna asked in great concern but with tentative caution.

The Sun Princess felt her head throb in pain before her eyesight returned to her in full. The scenes before her erased the pain she felt as she turned numb.

In front of her she saw Twilight going through several scrolls over and over with a maniacal look on her face. Rarity on her knees, a river of tears falling from her eyes, as Applejack held her close trying to help the hyperventilating mare. Pinkie Pie standing still with her tail and mane flat as her family tried to make her react. Rainbow Dash was punching the ground as she shouted in anger.

Shifting her gaze to the right she saw Fluttershy holding Discord in a tight hug as he coughed violently. Next to them she saw Nightlight Sparkle trying to make his wife react. Celestia could see the empty, vague eyes of Twilight Velvet stained with tears while she repeated ‘How may this worthless bitch serve you, master?’ over and over. She saw Rainbow’s father holding hands with Fluttershy’s mother as the two were looking unsure of what to do. Behind them she saw Shifting Sands crying as she tried to make Creslin snap out her trance.

Her gaze shifted again, this time to the far left to see Shining Armor and Cadance giving orders to a few Scaled Guards. Big Macintosh was nowhere to be seen nor was Chrysalis. She then began to look around the grounds in the stadium and saw there was a shield surrounding the entire building. Looking closely, she saw Scaled Guards, Followers, and F.M.A members doing their best to keep the order. Turning around she saw the stall where the captured leaders were, finding them separated in two different barriers: one of males and one of females.

“SISTER!”

Celestia snapped out of her own trance as her sister’s voice reached her. Shaking her head a couple of times was enough to let her focus once more. She saw the chaos everything around her had fallen into. She could feel the fear that made the very air she breathed turn sour and toxic. The same feeling of unspeakable dread she felt inside her own heart.

A feeling that was quickly being replaced by another one.

Celestia step forward forcing Luna and Blueblood to free her. She spread her wings and flew high above for everyone in the stadium to see her. Her mane and tail turned into swirling fire and her eyes began to glow with a reddish yellow glow. A radiant, warm light emerged from her body forcing many to look her way.

“ENOUGH!” She shouted in a booming, commanding voice that made the entire stadium tremble and everyone to cover their ears. “Do not let fear consume you, citizens of the Alliance! I beg of you, listen to the guards, retake your seats, and remain calm. Help those in need if you can, otherwise stand back. I promise you that everything will be fine!” She remained in the air showcasing her power, showering everyone present with her warm, soothing light. After several long seconds of waiting she saw the panic in the grades decrease quickly. With sigh of relief, she began to descend; pleased to see most had listened to her and were obeying.

Upon touching the ground she walked up to Twilight Velvet, now partially recovered but still crying, called for her ‘master’ while also trying to fight back. In that moment Chrysalis landed next to her alongside ten or so of her changelings. She screeched and then two changelings wearing white chitin armor moved up to Velvet’s side with glowing horns.

“Trigger Relapse, your majesties. A strong one.” One of the changelings explained moments later while Velvet squirmed in her husband’s embrace. He then turned to face his partner, a moment later Velvet stopped, her eyes flashing with a green glow before fainting.

“Thank you,” Nightlight said with tears staining his face hugging his wife tight.

“Tend to the Element Bearers.” Chrysalis ordered making the changelings hiss in response. She then turned to face Celestia with a stoic expression. “The mind-menders are treating the affected ones in the grades.”

Despite her expression, Celestia saw the fear reflecting inside her green eyes. “Come with me.” Celestia said in a way alien to her. Luna, Chrysalis, and Blueblood could practically taste the hate in her voice. They followed her until they reached a Twilight stomping on her notes. Twilight noticed them until Celestia put a hand on her shoulder.

“Celestia…” Twilight said with a strained voice; tears flowing down her eyes.

“What happened?” Celestia’s voice was full on authority and power making the younger alicorn fall to her knees. “Twilight Sparkle. What. Happened.”

“I DON’T KNOW!” Twilight shouted hugging herself. “I spent years researching. I made several experiments and tests. This was supposed to work! It had to work!”

“It did work.” All the presents that could hear turned to Discord limping to them aided by his wife. He coughed violently sending a rubber chicken to the ground. “That’s Spike alright.” Discord coughed again, this time a basket of fruit came out of his mouth.

“How could that thing be my beloved Spike!?” Rarity shouted, supported by Applejack who had managed to calm the white mare. Her face was red with anger and ruined by tears while she clutched the mark on her neck. “That monstrosity is not my Spike-Wikey!”

Discord snapped his fingers before pushing his wife away, gently of course, and vomited a small purple glob. The nasty thing quickly turned to mist and then it vanished. Coughing again, Discord accepted his wife’s support looking at the remains of the circle they had carved.

“It is. When he grabbed my leg I could feel Spike inside. But I could also feel that wretched caribou curse.” He went silent for a moment before turning his attention to the captured leaders. “Just not as strong or prominent. Take a look at them,” he said pointing behind them.

The group around him looked at their captives for several moments in silence until Twilight got up cleaning the tears away. “Y-you’re right. The females are completely passive; unmoving. And the males look so deformed…”

“Like they’re not complete.” Chrysalis added sneering.

“Then we still stand a chance!” Creslin, supported by Shifting Sands, shouted surprising everyone and making them look at her. “We must hunt down the beast before it grows in power!”

“I’m with Creslin, we must destroy the monster we created. But we can’t allow ourselves to go in blind, lest we risk the Fall all over again.” Shining Armor countered joining the group. Creslin looked at him for several tense moment until she nodded. “Let’s review what we know first. I sensed something was wrong when those gray lines first appeared. Twily, any ideas on what went wrong?”

“She’s not to blame, everything worked as planned.” Discord said while the remaining leaders of the Equis Alliance, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, and the captains of the Scaled Units joined them.

“Then it was sabotaged. There is no other explanation.” Zhaka declared angrily eyeing Creslin.

“You better look elsewhere with that glare, Zhaka. You’re still not familiar enough to the Alliance while Creslin is a valued member of our council, an old friend, and the most fervent hater of the caribou and their ways.” Blood Talons warned. “My soldiers checked everything one hundred times before the preparations began.”

“So did my changelings.”

“And my sisters.”

“The Scaled Units never stopped guarding the materials needed. No sabotage was done under our watch.” Blueblood said.

“Then what the fuck went wrong?” Pinkie asked in a hateful tone, half her face hidden behind her flat mane leaving only her right, unblinking eye visible. At her side was her big sister, Maud, holding her hand while the rest of the family stood nearby.

“We don’t know, Pinkie.” Fluttershy answered. “Discord, are you sure that was really Spike?”

“One hundred percent sure, Shy.” Discord frowned when he saw Fluttershy grab her chin with her free hand. “You think I would lie about something like that?”

“Of course not, honey. I’m just not sure that was Spike, at least, not completely.” She said striking everyone with doubt. “Did you see his eyes?”

“What does that have to do with anything?” Rainbow Dash interjected crossing her arms, uncaring to show her blood stained fists. “They were white like when he had the Crystal Heart.”

“No, Dash. They looked like...like…-”

“Like when he defeated Dainn.” Chrysalis said cutting Applejack off. “Before he morphed, his form was like when he discovered he couldn’t purge the curse from the caribou and those that succumbed to it.”

“Ah saw that form, too. We were alone and he showed me the beast under his scales.” Big Mac added. “That deformed aspect he had was like the one he got when the Fall started.”

“He’s even more monstrous than that, Big Mac. He looks so...unnatural. Broken. Misshapen.” Rarity managed to word out while Applejack held her steady.

“Chrysalis, Big Mac, do you remember the look in his eyes?” Fluttershy asked. Both nodded.

“It was like when he beat Dainn to a pulp.” Chrysalis answered, Twilight and the other four Bearers also affirmed.

“He had that same look before going inside the Fun Room.” Big Mac said.

“Hate.” All eyes turned to Shining Armor. “Those eyes were filled with untold hate. I remember them clearly.” Cadance clinged to him closer. “Those eyes haunted me for days, weeks. Not because I feared them, no. I envied them.” Shining closed his eyes while a memory came to him.

“We have come a long way, my fellow brothers and sisters. We have purged Hraljord from the caribou stain, now only their last bastion remains. A stinking monument to their sins and depravity called Maletopia!”

Spike shouted to the army while Shining Armor, Yog, Blueblood, Big Macintosh, and Creslin stood at his side. The cheer and roars of all those in front of him was deafening, yet Spike’s voice always managed to stand out among all others.

Shining smirked seeing the great main force of the army of volunteers seeking either justice or vengeance. He could see ponies from all races, griffons, saddle arabians, changelings, zebras, minotaurs, donkeys, mules, cows, bulls, and diamond dogs. He could also spot out a few cervidae, ursas, camels, yaks, buffaloes, and others from other minor species. He also saw several monsters rangig from cockatices to hydras, all of them tamed during the Fall standing in line behind the numerous catapults hungry from caribou meat. And, how could he miss, the towering three dozen dragons; most of them three times the size of a ursa minor roaring in defiance.

Glancing to his left he saw Spike’s blue shining eyes as he began to levitate.

“The end is near, and with it our victory and the promise of peace, but not yet!” Spike shouted while his entire body began to glow, a swirl of ice shards was created above him. “There’s still much more to avenge, my brothers and sisters! I ask you, will you come with me today and break their necks? Will you help bring down their dark regime once and for all?”

Shining smiled as his heart began to beat faster hearing the thunderous approval of the army. Spike was about to say something else when he turned around and spit a ball of fire. He too turned around alongside Creslin to find the ball impact the ground. A second later a unicorn mare drop her invisibility field revealing two caribou stags behind her looking quite nervous.

“We’re allies, sir!” The mare shouted opening her arms trying to protect the two stags. “I stumbled upon these two trying to hide in a bush while I was scouting. Instead of taking me prisoner they asked me to take them to ‘The Reaper’ claiming they are Liberators. They say they have crucial information to give us!”

Shining watched Spike descending towards the stags in silence. Once he was in front of the trio, Spike let out a hollowed chuckle that sent chills up his spine. Without saying a word Spike lunged forward grabbing their heads with mist enveloping his hands. A moment later, he let them go making the stags stumble back.

“Creslin, I think you’ll like to meet two new Liberators!” Spike called before offering the stags a friendly hand. The stags took it with hesitation. “Sorry for that, I didn’t feel the taint in you, but I had to be sure.” He apologised while the unicorn mare stepped to the side.

“Are you Spike, the one they call ‘The Reaper’?” The smaller stag on the left asked once they were standing again. They were both bulky like any other caribou yet didn’t had any armor or weapons on them aside their pants.

“That I am.”

“It’s an honour to meet the one that killed the Mad King.” The bigger stag said with sincerity.

“Believe me, the pleasure was all mine.” Spike let out a dark chuckle. Creslin arrived at his side before hugging the two stags.

“Welcome, brothers.” Creslin ended the hug. “How did you escape? Are there more of us in Maletopia?”

The stags expressions turned sad as they looked back at the grand-scale illusion shielding Maletopia. “Getting out wasn’t the hard part, brother.” The smaller stag said. “There was another but....”

“But he sacrificed himself to allow us the chance to escape with this.” The bigger stag pulled a scroll from his right pant bag. “Once the news of Dainn’s death and your arrival reached us, we three began to plan how we could help you.”

“We couldn’t leave Maletopia before now.” The smaller stag lamented.

“This scroll contains how to deactivate the illusion shield. But that’s not all, the city is heavily guarded and the walls have been reinforced with our protective runes.”

“They’re also using the females as shields, hanging them from the walls as extra defence.” He eyed the catapults. “Unless you want to kill them, you can’t use those things.” The smaller stag pointed out.

Spike took the scroll and began to examine it. “Typical fucking cowardice.” He hissed. “I’m guessing there are several ‘Cunt-Shields’ set to protect the high ranking officers, right?” The stags nodded. “My friends, I thank you for your help. But if you wish to remain with us you will have to be switched.”

“We understand.” The bigger stag said closing his eyes. “Rudheilm here doesn’t have a family anymore, but I have two sisters and one daughter. My sisters are red collars and my daughter is black. Can you promise me to let them live?”

“Of course.” Spike then burned the scroll. “Go with Creslin, she’ll take care of you and assure your family is untouched, but before that.” Spike slashed their naked chests, instead of blood a dim blue light emerged from the scars. “That way everyone will know you’re our allies.”

“Come you two, follow me.” Creslin ordered leaving with the two stags behind her.

“Macintosh, Yog, go to your troops and tell them to wait for my signal to invade. Yog, I want you to recall our scouts and find Soarin, tell him the new orders.”

“What will be the signal?” Blueblood asked.

“When the illusion shield drops; that’s the signal. Don’t use the catapults. You and your units are in charge to rescue as many of their cows and doe as possible.” Spike licked his lips. “Take as many prisoners as you want.” He then turned to the unicorn mare. “You may return to your squad.” The mare saluted before leaving.

Blueblood, Yog, and Macintosh also left leaving Spike and Shining Armor alone facing the illusion shield. After several moments of relative silence between them, Shining spoke up.

“What are you planning? You kinda cut your speech short.” Shining turned his head to see Spike. Upon seeing his face, he froze.

Spike was smiling showcasing his fangs. His eyes were wide open and breathing through his nostrils in a slow yet loud pace, an occasional stream of blue fire erupting out of them. Spike seemed to see or sense him looking at him for he turned to face him. Shining gawked seeing so directly the eyes of the dragon he had always seen as a little brother.

It wasn’t the first time he saw them, but it was the first Spike had allowed him to see them completely and utterly. He saw the pain, the anger, the guilt, the sadness, the remorse. Those he already saw before. Yet the more he looked the more he found. Shining swallowed, feeling small and insignificant against his soul piercing gaze. He saw longing. Desire. A promise of death, a burning want to cause pain, the cold indifference to others pain; only matched by the indifference to his own.

Spike’s eyes reflected everything he wanted to unleash on the caribou, and what he knew lurked in the depths of his own heart.

But Shining could also see something more, something he couldn’t quite comprehend. Like the heart of a maze or the eye of a beast at the bottom of a dark abyss that was beyond his understanding. Despite that, it didn’t mean he couldn’t feel it clawing at his soul. It was similar in a way to when Tirek sucked his magic, but this one went much more deeper.

Burning eyes.

Hungry.

Savage.

Then he saw it. The reflection of nothing but the most profound, deepest, unyielding, personal, perverse, overwhelming, crushing hate against everything that had dared hurt him.

“I’m going to go inside alone, bring that shield down, and open a nice big gate for everyone to join the party.”

Spike’s voice pulled Shining out of his trance. He found himself looking at empty space while was already making his way towards the shield. “Let the hunt begin~” Spike said in a cheerful tone before leaping.

Shining shook his head to see Spike pierce the shield. The army behind him, already in place and ready to fight, waited patiently for the shield protecting the last caribou stronghold to fall. Moments later they were able to hear the distant sounds of battle. Then they heard a powerful roar, and then silence. Exactly five seconds later the earth beneath them trembled for a few seconds before the shield came down revealing a city at least ten times the size of Manehattan.

They saw a wide section of the impressive twenty meter tall stone wall surrounding the city was destroyed.

“ATTACK!” A dragon behind him roared with all his might causing the army to move forward and onto the gap. The skies were plagued with griffons, changelings, dragons, and flying ponies. The ground army ran past him, or below in the case of the diamond dogs, desperate to get their hands on the last caribou and put an end to the nightmare forever.

Shining shook his head again causing him to put aside what he had seen for the moment. He focused for an instant and then teleported inside the city now that the shield was down. He appeared at the top of the walls surrounded by caribou corpses. From there he could see Spike down below, singeing and cleaving through the caribou trying to form a barricade on the section he destroyed. He clapped his hands together, gritted his teeth, summoned all the magic he could to his horn, and proceeded to perform what Spike called the most crucial part of the entire invasion.

A moment later another shield, this time one of his own creation, appeared around Maletopia’s perimeter leaving only the gap Spike had created free alongside the skies. Shining kneeled, focusing all his strength in maintaining the barrier up so that no caribou could escape from their doom. The swarms of flyers soon flew over him to begin their descent on the city lead by Soarin and the Blood Hunters. The sounds of battle soon spread throughout the city like wildfire.

He saw the biggest dragons land around the most spread-out areas of the city, then they began to unload the monsters or troops they were carrying on their backs and claws. Once free they began to wreak havoc on the more fortified areas. The ground army soon reached the hole, and began to pour through with Macintosh and Yog joining Spike in the fight.

A battalion of griffons and thestrals landed all around him in a circle formation facing outwards. He could see fires and building crumble as more and more troops poured into Maletopia with the sole objective of burning it into the ground. His gaze shifted to the center of the city, where the mighty castle stood as the ultimate pillar to break down.

“Fight you worthless cunts! Protect your beloved master!”

Shining Armor heard a caribou shout nearby, probably right below him, commanding his Cunt-Shield to battle. He could hear the cows fighting and insulting other females for ‘Not bowing to their superior male masters like the proper bitches they were’, and that they would ‘Educate them to love cock until they begged for it’, for it was the only purpose of all females.

“Where do you think you’re going, fucker?” He heard Blueblood yell in anger. “My sword is dying to meet you! Come and say hello!”

Shining didn’t get to hear the caribou’s response other than a pathetic cry of fear, instead he hear the clang of Blueblood’s titanic sword butcher him alongside his warbeast.

“Spread out this entire sector and leave nothing unturned. Our objective is to secure the females we find! If they’re too aggressive, kill them. MOVE OUT!” Blueblood commanded.

“YES, SIR!” Several dozens of voices shouted at the same time before scrambling to fulfill their orders.

Shining Armor hummed pleased at the same time his gaze moved towards Spike once more, only to find he was no longer there. A quick search later he found a torrent of blue flames consuming a seven story building. He saw caribou jumping out the windows covered in flames from all the floors every now and then; most of them surviving the fall only to be butchered by the troops waiting for them on the ground.

Shining closed his eyes, shifting to a lotus position, and focused on maintaining the shield; knowing the carnage had just begun.

Over the course of the day he was proven right.

The invasion had started practically at the crack of dawn, and now he stood beside a blood stained Spike and Blueblood several hours later almost entering nightfall. He watched a large number of caribou prisoners on their knees, bound and gagged surrounded by a wall of spears. His head hurt a little for maintaining a shield that size for several hours, but he’d managed.

“Please don’t eat me, please don’t eat me, please don’t eat me, pleasedon’teatmepleasedon’teatme.” A caribou prisoner begged over and over in front of Spike.

“Come on now, Hojrim, why makes you think I want to go through the torture of eating one of you again?” Spike placed a hand over his head, his antlers removed like the rest of the prisoners. “Did you enjoy the short freedom I granted you?”

Teary eyed, Hojrim, looking out of his teens, was forced to look up to Spike’s white shining eyes. “W-why a-are you doing this? Everything was perfect!” He cried out. “You were our Marshal! The all mighty Dainn trusted you! Why did you betray us!?”

Spike opened his maw to lick his fangs before burping in Hojrim’s face. “I didn’t betray your kind, idiot. I was never on your side.” Spike sighed. “Look, Hojrim, you know what I did to your teacher, Hrathr, and the other trainers. You know what I did to Dainn. You saw what I did to Rolph. And you know what I do to prisoners. With that in mind, I’m gonna put this simple for you. I found out that one of the Embracers, that motherfucking traitor, good for nothing, shit eating Orestes, managed to escape by setting up a scapegoat in his place.”

“You were his fuck-buddy, I selected you in hope of letting you lead us to him. That’s why I didn’t kill you. But you ran back to Hraljord and now we can’t find Orestes. So, you’re going to tell us everything you know about him and how he managed to escape. Do it, and I’ll go to Creslin to ask her, force her if I must, to switch you.” Spike grabbed Hojrim by the throat and pulled him up. “I’m going to spare your stinking life, and let you live the rest of your days as the thing you motherfuckers hate and despise so much if you tell me what I want to know.”

“.....” Hojrim struggled to breathe, but he gathered the strength to talk. “F-fuck you…”

Spike let him go. “Suit yourself.” He then wrapped his tail around Hojrim’s leg. “FOOD FOR THE TIMBERWOLVES!” Spike shouted before tossing Hojrim to the multitude, the ones that caught him cheered on, moving him to his doom as the terrified caribou cried and called out for mercy.

Spike’s body began to glow, seconds later he began to levitate.

“My brothers and sisters. We. Are. Victorious!” Spike shouted before turning to the prisoners. “GO! End this nightmare; kill them all and burn this sinkhole to the ground! The night is cold and we need a big, big fire to keep us warm!” The soldiers cheered as they began to push and butcher the prisoners they had caught. “Slaughter them all, leave no stag, calf or male baby alive. Destroy everything you see. ERASE THEM FROM THIS WORLD!” He roared shining brightly for all to see. “Do so in my name! Do so in the name of your Lightbringer!”

“Lightbringer! Lightbringer! Lightbringer!” The changelings and ponies began to chant, soon joined by every able soul that was not busy killing prisoners. The word spread fast, and soon the entire army stationed around the city started to chant and fulfill the will of their Lightbringer.

The dragons began to roar sending a stream of fire to the skies.

Spike himself let out the mightiest roar of all, filling everyone with new found energy to keep going through the night. His roar signaling the end of the war and the end of the caribou.

Their victory.

Shining Armor saw Blueblood fall to his knees, crying like a foal, screaming his happiness like many others were starting to follow suit. A blue unicorn by the name of Blue Moon kneeled alongside the prince, hugging the white unicorn while he also cried in happiness.

He would’ve joined in, too, if it weren’t for Spike, down on the ground again, staring at him with the same eyes he had seen before.

Their eye contact lasted for a couple of seconds, Spike’s eyes flickered a couple of times before returning to their normal green color. Tears emerged from his emerald eyes while at the same time Spike pressed both hands against his chest, whispered something, his eyes rolled to the back of his skull, and then fell flat on his face.

Shining Armor opened his eyes as he let out a guttural, bitter chuckle. “I wished those eyes were mine. That what he felt could surge from my own heart. That I could hate the caribou and myself with the same intensity he did.” He then looked up to Fluttershy. “What did you see, Fluttershy?”

“A mindless monster.” The shy pegasus answered without hesitation.

All of them kept silent for a couple of moments until they were forced to look at the newcomers landing near them.

“I’m guessing that wasn’t what you were expecting to see?” Ember asked tentatively with Torch and another yellow dragon standing behind her. She looked back at the captive leaders with narrow eyes. The females were unmoving while the males were thrashing on the ground or hitting the shields containing them; she could hear their gruffing and angry groans despite the distance. “Is that what you fought against during the Fall?”

Luna stepped up shaking her head. “As far as we can tell they are incomplete, it seems. Not fully taken by the caribou curse, yet they are affected by it. The males aren’t calling the females they see whores, cunts, pets or trying to rape them. So that’s a win right there.”

Ember hummed, her gut feeling empty at the casualness and emotionless response of the princess, before turning to Torch. “Dad, you’re older than most of us here. Is there anything useful you can tell us about what happened or why did their Spike attack them?”

“Our Spike didn’t attack us, dragon! He attacked those treacherous rats behind us!” Rainbow Dash half-shouted glaring at the blue dragoness while pointing at their prisoners.

“How dare you talk that way to the--” The yellow dragon began but was interrupted by one of Ember’s wings.

“Believe me, your beloved Spike attacked you. That shield Queen Chrysalis made saved you.”

Rainbow leapt into the air but was caught by Chrysalis’s magic.

“She’s right, Dash, Spike attacked us.” Chrysalis said while she brought Rainbow Dash back to the ground. “He aimed at us, my barrier only bounced his fire back at those idiots.”

Rainbow, still held back by the green aura, could only close her eyes in defeat. The aura vanished making Rainbow fall to her knees while she hugged herself. “I’m...sorry…”

Ember gave the mare a pity look before returning her attention to her father. “Dad?”

Torsh sighed. “Nothing but stories I’ve heard from the dragons of old. We know greed can consume us until we’re more beast than dragon. The same can be said about other emotions it seems. I’ve seen dragons go into rampages we call Bloodlust.”

“Bloodlust?” Zhaka asked.

“It makes us devolve into a state of mindless rage where our minds are taken over by raw instinct.” Torch explained. “But that thing you call Spike was not in Bloodlust.”

“How can you be so sure, Torch?” Celestia asked.

“Bloodlust only triggers if we’re in the brink of death or we’re desperate to survive. That thing felt wrong to me from the very moment it took form. I doubt it’s even a dragon at all now.”

“That ‘it’ has a name, Torch. You better use his name before We show you the wrath of the Moon.” Luna warned glaring at the former Dragon Lord with many of her friends joining her with their own glares.

“Humor me, Nightmare Moon.” Torch taunted with a cocky grin.

“That’s enough, dad. Apologize right now.” Ember demanded while Torch and Luna continued to glare at each other. “I order you to apologize this instant, Torch!”

Torch closed his eyes before giving Luna a head bow. “I apologize for what I said, Princess Luna.” Torch grunted. “As I was saying, Spike was not affected by Bloodlust. Yet the way he looked; the way he moved; the way he roared. I’ve never seen or heard anything like it before.”

“I’ve been with Spike since the moment he broke free. Ah saw glimpses of what he hid under his scales, but what came to life before us ain’t it.” Big Macintosh added.

“That’s not what worries me.” Discord chimed before taking out his left eye to polish it against his fur. “When he grabbed my leg he did so with a shield I made around him. His hand went right through it like it wasn’t even there.”

Fluttershy gasped looking at her husband in horror. “Y-Y-Y-You m-m-mean..he...he’s immune?”

Discord put his eye back. “He’s immune to my magic, somehow. Just like Dainn was when he brainwashed me.” He then twirled his beard with a lion finger. “Or maybe I’m still not completely cured from that accursed dark magic. Could be whatever. Let’s be thankful this time around it has but a tiny fraction of the strength Dainn’s curse had.”

“That’s great and all, but where did Spike go? Why did he leave like that if he was attacking you all?” Soarin asked rudely. “That’s what I want to know.”

“If he’s immune to my magic then I won’t be able to track him down.” Discord said while Fluttershy kissed his griffon hand and hugged his torso with all the tenderness she could muster. “Thank you, mi amor.” He said as a thick, bushy white mustache sprouted from his face.

“I think I can help with that.” Ember said presenting her scepter. “Spike might be immune to you, Lord of Chaos, but he’s still a dragon, I hope. I’m the Dragon Lord, if he is a dragon then I can find his exact location using the Bloodstone Scepter.”

Torch did a double take. “It can do that?”

Ember gave her father an incredulous look. “Seriously, dad? You were Dragon Lord for centuries and you never read the instruction tablets to use the scepter?” Torch gave a blank stare. “Of course you didn’t.” Ember sighed as she closed her eyes. A moment later the gem in the center of the scepter began to glow.

“Will it work?” Shining asked.

“I’ve been practising.” Ember replied dryly. After countless moments that felt like eons for the onlookers, Ember’s eyes snapped open as she turned slightly to the left. “That way, but he’s moving fast! I can barely keep track of him...wait, he’s stopping….he stopped...and now he’s moving again in the same direction.”

“I think Spike is jumping. Why would he be jumping?” Twilight reasoned a moment later looking at the direction where Ember, and now everyone were looking to. It took her another moment to realize something. “By the creators...if he keeps going he’s bound to reach Cervidas.”

Most of the present gasped, theirs minds racing with countless scenarios.

“Damn he’s fast. He’ll be out of Equestrian territory in about an hour at that speed, and it looks like he isn’t stopping.” Ember announced.

“Cadance, where is the Crystal Heart?” Celestia asked in a tone that even made Torch feel uncomfortable.

“Here it is, aunt.” Cadance said presenting the Heart she had been carrying with her magic. “I...I can’t sense Spike inside it anymore.”

Celestia gritted her teeth while her mane turned into fire, and her eyes began to glow with yellow, pure light. “Captains, gather the Scaled Guards and execute order ‘Homecoming’.” Big Mac, Blueblood, Yog, and Soarin didn’t reply, didn’t even saluted but nevertheless left to fulfill the command of their princess. Celestia then turned to her fellow leaders.

“My friends, I propose to proceed with Vanguard: Phase One.”

“I agree with my sister.” Luna said taking her sister’s side.

“So do I.” Chrysalis said standing next to Cadance and Shining Armor.

“So do we.” The couple said while Cadance clutched the Crystal Heart against her chest.

“Given the…” Zhaka looked at the captive leaders way. “...circumstances, I am forced to agree.”

“The Buffalo Tribes approve.”

“The Liberators are eager.”

“Yakyakistan agrees.”

“The Griffon Empire agrees.”

“The New Saddle Arabian Empire shall provide all the help we can bring.”

“I approve.” Twilight said with a low head.

With all votes in agreement, Celestia then turned to Ember. “Dragon Lord Ember, I ask you to summon every dragon, except for Spike, to come into Equestria or any other country of the Equis Alliance.”

“Why? What’s going on? What is this Vanguard you speak of?” Ember asked confused. She looked at her father and the yellow dragon, finding they were equally confused, and quite a bit scared of Celestia’s demonstration of raw power.

“It’s a defense plan in case the caribou, or their black magic, were ever to return. By creating a barrier around the allied countries of the Equis Alliance we can keep the enemy at bay giving us enough time to save as many of our citizens as possible.” Twilight explained. “After that...after that…” She couldn’t continue as she fell to her knees, her five best friend were quick to move at her side trying to comfort each other.

“After that?” Ember asked looking at Celestia for an answer.

“After the citizens are secured, we move to Phase Two: The Offensive.” Celestia answered as she looked up at the sky.

“We’ll purge the source of the Dark Taint and destroy every trace of it no matter what.” Creslin said clenching her firsts so hard she was drawing blood.

“What about the other kingdoms, the ones that aren’t part of the Equis Alliance?” Torch asked narrowing his eyes.

“They didn’t help us when we needed them; they can burn in Tartarus for all I care.” Luna practically snarled. “But their citizens stood against those rats that tried to nip us in the bud, so we will grant the innocents asylum...if they are not on our Black Lists.” Luna then spit on the ground. “The rest will be treated like we would a caribou.”

“What about Cervidas?” Blood Talons questioned. “Shouldn’t we at least give them a warning of what’s coming their way? If they bother to listen at all.”

“I’ll see to it.” Celestia answered before she teleported away leaving behind a flaming tear on the ground.

A light gray coated pegasus stallion with gray short mane and artic blue eyes sat on his throne, using a cervidae doe as a table to rest his hooves over. He was wearing a golden set of armor coated with runes except for his groin, which was covered by a loincloth thin enough to show his prodigal exposed member. On his neck hanged proudly the Sigil of Dainn while in the center of his chestplate the mark of the caribou was displayed for all to see.

Taking a deep breath, he smiled smelling the rancid stench of sex. From his position he could oversee his troops tending to the females that had been recently lured and captured; all of them cervidae.

Orestes laughed kicking off the doe to get up hearing the muffled screams of the cervidae as they were being raped and branded.

“How many of those brain dead whores were caught?” He asked the moment a bulky gray earth pony stallion wearing a caribou armor came to his side.

“Two hundred and seventy one, Lord Orestes.”

“Any new true males?”

“Seven, my Lord. They have been already tested.”

“Good, good.” Orestes sighed contently seeing a doe being spitroasted by a diamond dog and a minotaur. The tears running down her face making it all the sweeter for him to watch. “Any word from our brothers?”

“The southern training ground was raided by the Cervidas military five days ago, no effective losses. And it seems Lord Niber’s camp in Equestria was destroyed by those heretical Followers. With the exception of two bases that are yet to report, every other camp is progressing as expected.”

“Fucking traitors of Male Superiority.” Orestes snarled. “Lord Niber shall be avenged once we gather enough strength to reclaim Equestria.”

“Now that you mention Equestria, Lord Orestes, this morning we received a strange report from the borders.” The stallion said pulling a scroll from his back pouch. “A magic wall has appeared for some reason.”

Orestes looked at him with a raised eyebrow. “A magic wall?” The stallion nodded. “Are you certain it wasn’t a dome?”

“No, my Lord, our scout has assured in his report that a wall is what he saw.”

“Gimme that thing.” Orestes yanked the scroll from the other stallion’s hand. He read it all before speaking again. “A thirty meter tall wall of pure magic?” He frowned. “Did the slut-sisters found out about our plans?”

“I don’t think so, my Lord. The only ones that know about it are here.” The stallion said before Orestes returned the scroll.

“You say it arrived this morning?” The stallion nodded. “Then that wall has been active for two days at least. What could those cunts and unworthy males be possibly planning?”

“LORD ORESTES!” The sudden cry of a young looking caribou stag made Orestes, and everyone else inside the vast room, look at him as he ran to them. “IT’S THE REAPER!”

Everything in the room stopped and everyone froze. Except for one.

“What did you say!?” Orestes yelled moving towards the stag gripping him by the leather strip of his chestplate.

“T-t-the Reaper! I saw the Reaper!” The young stag stammered.

“Are you absolutely sure?” Orestes warned glaring at the stag.

“I swear I saw him by the might of Dainn!” Orestes let him go allowing the stag to catch his breath. “I was scouting the outskirts of Deerasian when I saw him arrive.”

Orestes felt a chill run down his spine at the possibility. I thought he was dead! Damn it all. After everything I have accomplished to claim what is rightfully mine! Orestes thought hearing the mumbles of his men, some of them having seen him during the so called ‘Rise of Equestria’ and his sanguinary ways. To think Spike and I fucked that pink alicorn bitch until she passed out during the glory days. He grimaced.

After his escape, along with a few dozens of his converted brothers and some high ranking caribou officers, they fled to Cervidas and decided to hid, gather strength and numbers until they could take Equestria under their control once more. Some officers, not happy with Orestes being in charge for not being a caribou, had separated and went to other countries but still decided to keep in touch, for the ultimate prize was their collective goal despite their preferences in command.

During the first year they heard about the genocide of Hraljord led by Spike, followed by his trial, and ending with his apparent death. The second year, despite the high increase of their numbers under the banner of The Male Superiority Faithful’s and their efforts to teach females their proper place in life, proved to be the hardest of all with the so called Equis Alliance, the Followers of the Grace of the Dragon, and the Female Might Alliance hunting them down day and night. The last one always making him cringe and laugh at the ridiculousness of females using the word ‘might’ to describe themselves.

Forced to hide and operate in the shadows, the following years were difficult on them near or inside Equis Alliance territory (especially Equestria and the Crystal Empire), but proved quite profitable in other countries; Cervidas serving as a prime example. Although, the cervidae being the cousin race of the caribou could be a reason why their land was so easy to tame and show the truth of Male Superiority. Although, their goal turned harder to achieve thanks to the embarrassment that was the Three Week War, which saw a change in the leadership of their nation during the sixth year.

And now, twelve years later since his paradise was destroyed by one. Orestes considered to be an equal to himself, he and his brothers were closing in the time to attack Equestria and take his proper place as their new King and ruler. Complete with having the whores leading the pathetic and weak Equis Alliance as his personal pets. As it was meant to be during the Fall after he had dealt with Dainn. After all, why should a caribou reign when Equestria belonged to strong, willing stallions such as himself?

“B-but…” Orestes heard the stag continue with a broken voice. “The Reaper, he looked different. He was bigger and scarier.” The stag said before swallowing a ball of spit. “The runes and protective enchantments around Deerasian were also activated.”

“What else did you saw?” Orestes asked with curiosity dripping from his voice. “Respond, you lowly insect!”

“Th-the army and m-militia behind their barrier forming lines!”

“And the Reaper?” The stallion asked with a shaky voice and knees. Having seen the dragon break through the doors of Canterlot’s castle to ram himself against Dainn had been enough to make him flee. “What about that blasphemic monster?”

“He was...he was hitting their shield.”

“How long ago was that?” Orestes asked, both intrigued and confused as to why would Spike be attacking the Cervidas.

“Twenty minutes ago, Lord Orestes. Me and my unicorn companion used an emergency teleportation spell.”

“Where’s your companion?” The stallion asked while Orestes gazed to the ground.

“Over-exhausted, captain.” The stag stammered before he closed his eyes and shook his head. “His roar, by Dainn, I can still hear him roaring.” The stag muttered in a whisper.

“That disgraceful slut!” Orestes yelled throwing the stag back. “That insufrible sow! I’m going to remind you your truly value as the useless fuck-meat that you are. A female’s rightful place lies beneath the hooves of us true males! Your bodies meant to be used and thrown away as we see fit! A female has no right to disobey her superior male masters, much less command them!” orestes shouted in anger.

“Lord Orestes?” The stallion asked with caution.

“That future breeder meat that is Celestia made us thought that Spike the Reaper was dead, but she has turned even him into a weapon for her to use. Now I understand why there is a shield around our promised land. That bitch is trying to destroy the enemies of their weak alliance so that she may rule and bring ruin to us all. Just like the great Dainn had predicted!” In that instant all of the males present, as well as the broken and willing females, started to call for her head.

“This is the opportunity we have been waiting for, my brothers! Gather up our forces and prepare to march to Deerasian. And while the Reaper and the heretics fight each other we shall come and destroy them all. With Deerasian under our control and with the sun-whore’s only weapon out of the way, we will be able reclaim Equestria as our once again!” Orestes chanted. “Spread the word to our brothers to be ready to attack Equestria once we secure our victory here! The world shall see the light I will bestow upon it! Male Superiority shall not be denied!”

“For Male Superiority!” Every male shouted in response.

Orestes watched as his brothers moved to prepare themselves for the battle that would signal their inevitable victory, and in time do the thing Dainn had failed to accomplish: the conquest of the world.

His world.

**************

High King Dolorian the IV stared at the monster that had been punching, clawing, chomping, stomping, breathing fire, and stabbing at the protective shield of his city for over seven hours now. Even now, with his army set in place ready to attack the being once it tired itself out, and with two more armies coming his way in just a couple of days, he could see some of his troops were either hesitant or not putting the required attention to maintain their spots. And that wasn’t including the militia, the catapults, ballistas, guards and soldiers patrolling the city, and long distance archers behind him.

Dolorian the IV, oldest son of the previous ruler of Cervidas, Dolorian the III, knew he was in no place to reprimand his troops when he himself couldn’t stop the shaking of his hands. How could he when staring at the monster pounding relentlessly against the shield?

Dolorian the IV ascended to power after he had successfully overthrown his father, mother, and two brothers out of the throne during the Three Week War. Taking the throne, with his only little sister at his side, allowed him to clearly see how his beloved nation, Cervidas, was being slowly torn asunder from within. He was able to pinpoint the time in which everything had turn for the worst. That time being after the announced death of Spike Solaris ‘The Dragon’, ‘The Reaper’, ‘The Lightbringer’. The following years, up until the end of the Three Week War, Cervidas saw an alarming increase number of rapes, kidnappings, general violence, raidings, and unrest. All thanks to his father turning a blind eye at the obvious threat the self named Male Superiority Faithful’s were to the poorest and neglected districts, and to the more gullible young doe blinded by the dream of fame, love, riches or something similar.

To him, it looked detestably ironic that they, the Cervidae, being the cousin race of the Caribou, suffered an outbreak in crime with hundreds of reported cases of rape and violence against females erupting throughout the kingdom. After he took control of the throne, he made it his personal mission to fix that threat by joining the hunt for Faithful’s. The horrors he witnessed deep inside their hidden bases and training camps served as a clear warning, and reminder, of what the caribou and those that followed them were capable of doing.

What Spike Solaris had fought against to the point of insanity.

*GRRROOOOAAAAAAAAAAA*

Another roar from the beast outside their shield made him flinch in fear. No matter how many times he heard it, he couldn’t help but tremble.

“Look at that thing, it just doesn’t give up.” One of his lieutenants said crossing his arms. “There’s no way it’s going to break through our barrier.”

“I wouldn’t be so sure about it, lieutenant. It’s been at it for more than seven hours with no rest, how much longer can our barrier withstand that onslaught?” Dolorian questioned.

Their white shield, created from a combination of their most powerful warding runes, amplified by the benevolent gifts of the Liberators, and properly fused with unicorn magic by the willing aid of the Followers meant their shield was not only strong, but was able to repel the sickness of the caribou in a similar fashion to that of the Equestrian shield.

Celestia had given him a written warning three days ago about the being that had sprouted out of Equestria and was now coming their way. At first his councillors tried to play it as a threat or maybe even as a joke and insult. Sadly for them, and thanks to his inaction, the monster had attacked the unguarded coastal small city port of Buckingtein, followed shortly by the fortress of Elkinheim.

Dolorian cursed and lamented at the same time the utter stupidity of his parents and siblings for what they’d done. And he cursed himself for not handing his treacherous family members to Equestria after taking the throne, unlike what Zhaka, the Zulu of Zebrica had done. For that action alone Zebrica was invited to join the Equis Alliance a couple of years later. While Cervidas was ignored despite the five times he had tried to negotiate the entry to formally join said Alliance over the following years.

Yet he couldn’t blame them for turning a blind eye at Cervidas, or any of the other kingdoms for that matter. He himself never believed the tales of horror that spread throughout the years of the Fall. That is, until he saw the trial of Spike. After that he didn’t want to believe the tales out of shame. Tales that didn't hold a candle to the facts and the things he saw on various reports and in person.

And now it was happening to them.

Dolorian gripped the pommel of his sword tightly. It was infuriating not knowing what was the devastation that the monster trying to pass their shield had laid upon his subjects. And he wouldn’t know until the shield dropped after defeating the creature attacking them. He grimaced in knowing that without the emergency warnings of Buckingtein and Elkinheim, Deerasian, or any other city for that matter, would’ve suffered the same fate. What made a pit in his stomach, however, was the speed at which the monster moved; they barely got time to activate the shield before its thunderous arrival. And the reckless, unfathomable fury it was currently demonstrating was equally alarming.

The monster had tried to slam himself against the barrier only to be bounced back, repelled by the shield and confirming this monster was, indeed, carrying the Dark Taint. The monster then roared before beginning to attack without a semblance of thought, care, direction, or basic strategy at the same place over and over again without moving from his spot.

“King Dolorian, look, behind that abomination.” Another one of his lieutenants, an elderly looking doe, said pointing at the distance. “I think I see a small army approaching.”

“Good, our reinforcements have arrived early!” Another lieutenant exclaimed. “With our combined numbers we shall bring this monster down!”

“That can’t be possible. The reinforcements I summoned should arrive in three days minimum with forced march.” Dolorian said taking up a pair of binoculars. It took him a moment to recognize the incoming army. “Faithfuls.” The commanding officers began to whisper between themselves.

“What are they doing here?” The elderly doe asked to no one in particular glaring at the dot approaching behind the beast still clawing at the shield.

“My King, it might be possible that this beast is of their doing.” Another lieutenant said.

Dolorian shook his head. “It has nothing to do with the Faithfuls. Celestia stated that monster,” he pointed Spike. “Originated on the Crystal Empire after they tried to resurrect the fallen Spike Solaris.”

“So this is their doing!?” The elderly doe half-shouted.

Again, Dolorian shook his head. “No. They themselves don’t know what went wrong, and they’re trying to figure out what happened. It attacked them before making his way to Cervidas.” Dolorian groaned. “In my stupidity I was hesitant of her warning, and we lost hundreds of our citizens instead of accepting her offer of asylum. Now we have to deal with that thing ourselves.”

“Likely story.” A tall stag scoffed. “Then why is it here? It sounds to me like that bitch created that thing in order to attack us. Now that I look at it closely, it does have a resemblance to their accursed Reaper.”

“I don’t know about that.” Dolorian stated glaring at Spike. “Lieutenant Golondy?”

“Yes, my King?” The elderly doe replied.

“Take lieutenant Navgurd into custody.”

“What? Why!?” The tall stag exclaimed confused as two heavily armed guards took a hold of him.

Dolorian turned to face the stag, slightly bowing to point his antlers at the restrained buck. “I care not for you insulting Celestia, but never insult the memory of Spike Solaris in front of me. You know that, Navgurd. Now you dare to call that monster by his name, when not even Celestia, the mother of Spike Solaris, called it as such. Take him away to think about his insolence.” Dolorian then turned ignoring the pleas of Navgurd.

“Was that necessary, my King?” Golondy asked taking a stand next to him. She glanced at him for several seconds before sighing. “What are we going to do with those depraved Faithfuls that are approaching, my King?”

“End them alongside that wretched monster.” Dolorian said looking through the binoculars again. He snarled and huffed with anger before he tightened the grip on the binoculars to the point he made dents on the golden surface and the outer lens shattered.

“Dolorian!” Hynde, Princess of Cervidas, called her brother’s name in worry upon seeing him destroy the binoculars and seeing the hateful scowl on his face. “Dolorian, tell me what’s wrong!”

Dolorian looked at his sister clad in heavy armor, wielding a greataxe, and ready to battle. For a moment he forgot his rage upon seeing her orange eyes filled with worry for him. He closed his eyes remembering it was thanks to her, her dear and brave little sister who had convinced him to take the chance and overthrow their family.

Unlike him, Hynde always believed the tales of the Fall. Deciding it was her royal duty to protect her land she threw away her dresses, make-up, and violin lessons to instead take the arms, train rigorously, and prepare herself to fight the caribou. Within three years, gone was the pristine beacon of beauty Cervidas looked up to; now replaced by a tough, brave, muscular, bulky, snarky yet polite seventeen years old warrior princess. And he couldn’t be more proud of her for showing him the way.

Opening his eyes he frowned before looking past the monster.

“The one leading that army is Orestes. I saw him sitting on that wretched living throne.” Dolorian clenched his fists. From his position he noticed that the lookouts were informing of the same thing he had seen to the troops below. “He’s also bringing warbeasts and quite a lot of ‘fighting sluts’.”

Suddenly the constant tremorous attacks of the dragon monstrosity came to a halt. Dolorian looked down to find it looking up at him and, despite the distance, he could feel the burning glare of those white orbs. The monster slowly turned around at a snail’s pace until it was properly facing the incoming army.

Time froze while Dolorian watched the dragon’s tail sway from side to side. He could see the flames covering the arms of the monster grew in volume and intensity until, without cause or warning, they died out.

Dolorian didn’t notice the droplet of sweat the fell from the tip of his chin onto the wooden platform he was standing on.

The abomination let out a roar so loud it caused everyone to cover their ears and scream in agony at the sheer volume. Dolorian could feel the power of the roar flow through his body while he watched with one eye, struggling to keep it open, the dragon’s arms expand twice their already ridiculous size before hitting the ground with enough force to not only create a small earthquake. It also sent many of his troops stumbling to the ground.

A moment later Dolorian saw the monster give a great leap towards the incoming army of the Faithfuls. And when it landed he couldn’t help but stare in awe and horror. The monster, from his point of view and due to the distance, landed in the midst of their forces scattering dozens of them up in the air.

The monster roared again and the carnage began. The distance proved to be no issue whatsoever to diminish the screams of the Faithfuls being massacred. Dolorian felt his sister take a grip of his hand but didn’t look away. There were pieces or entire bodies being thrown away at random; some of them hitting the shield or going well above it and beyond. He saw a large group of Faithfuls running towards the shield; he saw ponies, bucks, stags, diamond dogs, and even two caribou. They ran up until they reached the shield and started to punch and hit it begging to be let inside. What exactly they were saying he couldn’t understand, for he wasn’t hearing their voices.

Behind them he saw a pillar of purple fire rise from the ground for several seconds before it ended followed by another equally soul wrenching roar. Dolorian didn’t know nor cared how much time the monster had spent with the Faithful army, but he knew it wasn’t done when he saw it high in the sky coming towards them once more.

The monster collided with the shield creating a shockwave that made everything around them tremble for a moment. It then fell to the ground landing on top of a crying buck turning him into paste. The monster growled before he grabbed a cowering unicorn pony stallion’s legs and slammed him against the shield splattering him all over it. It then moved to its next victim, one of the caribou, it grabbed him by the arms uncaring that the caribou yelled in pain of being burned by the fire of it’s claws. The beast opened his maw, the caribou stopped staring in horror at the gaping maw of the monster, and then proceeded to rip the caribou’s head with a single bite over his neck.

The beast dropped the spasming corpse to the ground before launching a stream of fire down the hole made by a diamond dog. It then twirled around slashing many of the cowering males around him in half with its tail. Now it turned to face the last survivor, the last caribou, before he grabbed him by the head. Instead of crushing the head of the stag, the beast that resembled the dragon once known as Spike, smashed him against the shield with brutal strength.

Dolorian was finally able to hear again, now that the silence was broken by the screams of his own panicking troops.

“Send everyone to the northern exit! Evacuate the city at once!” Dolorian shouted without hesitation upon seeing the monster slam its horns against the shield repeatedly. Each bang of its head creating a new thunderous echo that sent all but the bravest of his soldiers running away.

“My King, we can’t evacuate without dropping the shield!” Golondy exclaimed being the only lieutenant that didn’t left either to fulfill her king’s order or ran away.

“Gather everyone and wait. I’ll drop the shield for the citizens to escape. I don’t know how much time I can give you--”

“IT’S BREAKING THE SHIELD!” The shouts of his soldiers made him turn back to see, much to his horror, that the shield was starting to crack in the spot the beast was banging it’s head against. The same spot it had been hitting for hours on end.

“Dammit all!” Dolorian cursed. “Leave while you can, Golondy! I’ll give you all the time we can. Then I’m reactivating the shield trapping that monster with whoever remains inside!”

“That won’t stop it for long, big brother.” Hynde said now gripping her greataxe trightly. She saw how the beast had stopped banging its head, and instead was trying to rip an entrance through the cracks on the shield using its claws.

“No. But it will trap him for a few hours at the very least. Send a raven or a messenger to every city, fortress, castle, and village telling them to leave immediately to Equis Alliance territory!” Dolorian ordered pulling out his enchanted mithril sword.

A collective scream of terror was heard when the monster split enough of the shield apart to fit it’s head inside. The beast growled before spewing a torrent of flames through the gap. The fire ran through his troops like water would before the shield closed itself again. Making the dragon tumble back and roar in anger as it began trying to rip the shield open again.

To Dolorian’s shock the fire wasn’t burning anyone, yet everyone was screaming and screeching in agony. The fire turned into mist after a few seconds that quickly evaporated revealing most of the soldiers that were caught by the fire start to deform with grotesque, overly large, muscle-bound extremities. The female soldiers, on the other hand, appeared to be unmoving wax dolls.

After the mist was completely gone, the sight seemed to only further increase the overwhelming rage and fury the beast displayed.

Dolorian paled as he saw the arms of the beast buffout like it had done so before attacking the Faithful’s army.

“Leave now!” He yelled at Golondy. The doe bowed before turning to fulfill her mission. “Hynde, go with Golondy, protect her and make sure to save as many of our people as possible!”

“No way in Tartarus I’m leaving you here, Dolorian!” Hynde yelled back.

“This isn’t the time for pride, one of us must survive to lead our kingdom!” Dolorian yelled whilst watching the monster trying to rip the shield once more. Taking a glance at his sister he gave her a disheartened smile. “I know you want to stay with me. But if we both die here then what will happen to Cervidas?”

“That’s a cheap trick that’s not going to work and you know it.” Hynde huffed. “Either both us leave or we stay.”

Dolorian rose his sword to the sky as it began to glow. “You’re such a spoiled brat!” Dolorian then smirked. “Be ready.” He warned before slowly bringing the sword down pointing it towards the abomination breaking the shield.

Hynde took a battle stance, scowling and huffing at the monster. A moment later the shield vanished making the beast fall on its face. “All units: loose!” She ordered hoping at least some archers or ballista operators were still holding their posts in the midst of panic. The sound of ballistas and dozens of arrows flying above her head reached her ears. Many arrows and a few ballista projectiles missed the monster or hit the unfortunate that were caught by the monster’s fire. Those that hit the beast bounced off or broke upon hitting its scales.

Dolorian and Hynde watched their few remaining brave troops form a defensive wall of shields and spears in a U formation. Trying to trap down the afflicted by the fire and the monster itself.

Hand in hand, the two siblings ran to the edge of the platform and, with one final impulse, found themselves flying down to meet their troops while the monster used it’s arms to get back up.

Back on it’s feet, the abomination of a dragon roared before openly charging towards the defenders of Cervidas. Each step carelessly crushing a victim of its corruptive fire while also creating a patch of ice frost.

Roughly twenty minutes later, lieutenant Golondy watched how her home city, Deerasian, the pillar of Cervidas, being consumed by flames and terror. To rub salt on the wound, the reactivated shield retaining the monster inside also meant the doom for thousands upon thousands of civilians that couldn’t escape in time. Golondy turned back to send her king’s message to the rest of Cervidas and to lead the way onto Equestria.

She could still hear the faint screams of agony and fighting, followed by the demented roar of the monster that had attacked them.

“Thank you for helping us sort things out, Blue Moon.”

“Please, old friend, you have nothing to thank us for. We are overjoyed to help those in need during this dire time.”

“Even so, without the help of the Followers and the F.M.A. we would be hard pressed to do our job.” Blueblood said while the two unicorns watched refugee after refugee enter the small entrance the carefully placed caribou rune engraved boulders provided through the protective barrier.

Outside the shield, both unicorns could see several thousands of would-be refugees waiting patiently for their turn to enter Equestria. About three kilometers behind them a large refugee camp already housing many thousands stood ready to house them. The only thing connecting the camp and the entrance being a marked road guarded by F.M.A. members and royal guards.

Meanwhile the entrance was guarded by Scaled Guards while Followers help aid the children, the starving, the disabled, the elderly, and the sick that were granted access. One by one the refugees entered through the gate under the vigilant watch of the Scaled Guards, they soon reached the inspection tables: one for magical inspection and the other for luggage inspection (if they brought anything at all).

A beeping noise made the two unicorns glance down at an adult doe that failed the magical inspection.

“Let me go! I didn’t do anything!” She yelled while held by two Scaled Guards.

“Let’s see here...Ah, here you are, Dew Antlerton. You used to work for a small ring of Faithfuls back in Deerasian by luring out young doe for them to kidnap.” A rainbow maned pegasus mare said without looking at the doe.

“They forced me to do it! They said they would rape me to death if I didn’t!”

“Yeah, yeah. Heard it all before, don’t give a shit.” Rainbow Dash then glared at the doe. “Sure hope the gold they paid you was worth selling out your own kind. Throw that piece of trash with the rest. Maybe there she’ll feel what rape feels like.”

The doe screamed as the thestral and the griffon lifted her from the ground flying over a metal cage. They waited for the unicorns to open the top of the gate before throwing her inside with no remorse.

“NEXT!” Rainbow Dash creamed while her face was adorned with a tiny smirk.

“That’s the three hundred seventy eighth traitor of the day. It shows that even in the darkest of times, there is always a bright light to show us not everything is terrible.” Blue Moon said smiling down at the large concealed cage. One could hear the occupants slamming against the walls and their screams through the only two holes high above for air.

“Indeed.” Blueblood acknowledged. A tiny smile crossed formed in the corner of his lips. If there was one thing that the Three Week War had given them that was the entire registry, even the confidential ones, of every known criminal in every nation. Or as they were better known: The Black Lists. Blueblood had given a warning before they started to let refugees in just like in every other entrance by the commanding officer.

If they were on the registry then they would be treated as the criminals they were according to their crimes. Criminals such a thieves, animal assault and violence reports, frauds, sell-outs, corrupt nobles and politicians, etc. will be judged for their crimes by the law and justice in a fair trial if they weren’t already convicted for said crimes before.

Rapists, traitors, slavers, murderers, psychopaths, killers, kidnappers, pedophiles, drug lords, makers and distributors, those that made deals, funded, protected or had any sort of relation with the caribou or the Faithfuls would lose any and all rights. The Black Lists also included home abusement reports, domestic violence, sexual assaults, pimps, forced prostitution ring leaders and so on and so forth. All of them would be thrown away to rot and wait for their upcoming executions. Regardless of age, previous position, and gender.

That was, of course, excluding those already in the dungeons and/or prisons of their respective nations, were already dead, or were smart enough to flee before facing death in Equestria.

“Rainbow Dash, come over here! Clear Skies, take her spot!” Blueblood yelled.

Rainbow obeyed handing over her list to her replacement. “Sup captain?”

“Go and take a break, you’ve been at it since yesterday morning.”

“Thank you, sir, but no thank you. I feel just fine! Plus I don’t want to miss the faces those backstabbing assholes make when they are caught.” Rainbow chuckled hovering in front of the two stallions. “You’d think they’d know they’re not welcome here.”

“That would imply they have any trace of intelligence, darling.” Rarity said making her three friends look down at her carrying a couple of bags filled with cloth.

“Ha! Good one, Rares.” Rainbow gave her a thumb up. “Hey, you got any word from the girls yet?”

“Not yet, but I imagine they’re doing just fine.”

“Aunt Celestia informed me that Princess Twilight is researching her notes with the help of the chief librarian, Lady Moondancer, and Chrysalis.” Blueblood informed.

“I do hope she’s alright. The poor dear has been taking it pretty hard on herself.” Rarity said.

“Haven’t we all?” Rainbow Dash rolled her eyes. She then chuckled. “Ya know what’s funny? Out of us six, Fluttershy turned to be the strongest one of us. From doormat to mountain, who would’ve thought?”

“Lady Fluttershy shows us to be strong of heart and strong of mind. And to never turn away our kindness even after tragedy befalls us. Such is Kindness. Such is the Will of Friendship.” Blue Moon said in a warm tone.

Before anyone could say anything a loud noise and the sounds of arguing reached their ears forcing them to look at the entrance.

“Sir, you have to wait your turn.” A buffalo mare clad in scaled armor said blocking the entrance of the gate. In front of her, a overweight buck with great antlers adorned with gems and silver, and wearing fancy silk robes, stood a meter or so in front of her past the barrier surrounded by what looked to be his personal guard. Said personal guard was pushing away the would-be refugees creating a clear path for the buck and the line of carts behind him.

“I have waited for almost three days among these rabble! I demand entrance at once!” The buck half-yelled at the mare.

“Sir, I already told you, you must wait your turn like everyone else.”

“I’ll take it from here, soldier.” Blueblood said descending from his spot using his magic while Blue Moon, Rarity, and Rainbow Dash came behind him. “Sir, as captain of the Spike Scaled units, I ask you to step aside and stop disrupting the transit. You shall be allowed to enter once your section’s turn comes.”

“Do you know have the slightest idea who I am, you filthy commoner?” The buck huffed angrily.

“...Was I really like that?” Blueblood asked glancing back at the trio.

“Yes, my old friend.”

“You were worse, Blueblood.”

“You proved to be quite the brute, darling.”

Blueblood shuddered turning his attention back to the buck after the response from Blue Moon, Rainbow Dash, and Rarity respectively.

“I don’t who you are or who you think you are, sir. I’m Prince Blueblood, hardly a commoner as you say. Now, I ask you again, stand aside or you shall be treated as a criminal and a threat to the Alliance.”

“How dare you make a threat to me, boy. I am Archduke Kondan! And I demand access right now!”

Blueblood looked at him with a sneering glare for a few seconds before sighing. “Bring me the scanner.” The buffalo mare saluted before running off. Short moments later she was back with a bowling ball sized blue crystal sphere and the stallion that had replaced Rainbow Dash. Blueblood lifted the sphere up to Kondan’s face. The sphere shot a flash of light on his face. A moment later the sphere gave a green glow. Without giving a word, Clear Skies approached to touch the sphere with the list before Blueblood handed the sphere back to the mare.

“He is indeed Archduke Kondan, captain. Age forty one. No wife, no siblings, no living relatives, no offspring. Aside from a few shady, but not criminal worthy, mining business he is clean, sir. ”

“A noble that isn’t shit? Now that’s a first.”

Kondan glared at the rainbow maned pegasus. “What do you take me for? One of those depraved fuckers that funded the Faithful’s activity for years? A corrupt, unworthy house head with no honor? A traitor to my beloved homeland? I have achieved my fortune and status by working hard and working honest. Now let me through.”

Blueblood looked at him in the eye. “Fine, you can enter now. But bear this in mind: If you enter now you’ll leave your money, possessions, status, and escort behind. If you wait for your proper turn, you shall enter with no further inspections, and will be granted temporary noble housing in Canterlot with a diplomat status; seeing as you are actually a worthy noble unlike the trash that has come before you.”

Kondan opened his mouth to protest but nothing came out. A few moments of silence fell between the two of them. “If I wait, will my guards enter without inspection?”

Blueblood shook his head. “Everyone must be inspected.” Another moment of silent glaring passed between the two.

Kondan took a quick glance to the great metal cage. “What will happen to those that don’t pass the inspection?”

“I believe you already know it depends on the crime committed.” Blueblood then stepped outside the barrier forcing Kondan to take a step back. “And if we catch anyone abusing the generosity we have given to you all, and believe me, we will know, then the responsible shall be executed on the spot. No matter the severity of the crime or the reason behind it. That also includes you, because the moment you enter Equestria you shall become a refugee until we deal with the situation.”

“Across the twenty entrances many have tried to force themselves inside, bribe their way through or have used other means to try to worm their way into Equis Alliance territory. All have been executed. If you have nothing to hide then you have nothing to fear, right? Once inside you shall be taken care of with clothing, feeding, and temporary housing conditions in safe, secured areas. All we ask in return is that you follow our rules until you can return to your nations. But this doesn’t mean you’re welcome. Thank to the divine creators our leaders are merciful to not let you all suffer.”

Blueblood then looked around. “AM I CLEAR!?” He shouted making every onlooker flinch back. He then turned to face Kondan again.

“...I shall oversee your insults this time, boy. I accept your offer and wait for my turn like the rest of these peasants. Don’t expect me to make any future deals with the Equis Alliance after you’ve dealt with whatever that thing is.”

“If you were expecting mercy from us, then you’ll find only what you deserve. ‘No Mercy. Only Justice’ is our motto, sir.” Blueblood hit his chestplate over his heart. “Oh, I almost forgot. Welcome to Equestria.”

Blueblood watched Kondan turn back from he had come from when he saw something approaching from the distance. It took him a moment to recognize a pegasus carrying something, or someone, secured by ropes.

“Lookie here what I fished out! Lookie! Lookie! Badukie!” A mare with an elegant yet bit nasal voice yelled as she approached. Now that she was closer Blueblood could see she was carrying another pegasus with a bag covering his face. Yet he noticed the marks of the Male Superiority Faithful’s.

As she landed many would-be refugees spread around giving her space to land while several Scaled Guards, Rainbow Dash, Blue Moon, and Rarity included, secured the perimeter.

“Captain Redblood! Lookie what I have here with them lovely eyes of yours!” The black coated pegasus mare with two toned mane and tail clad in leather armor that didn’t really cover her that well. The armor served to show off her generous attributes more than anything. She was smiling with a creepy large grin while her eye that wasn’t covered by her mane was wide open giving quite a maniacal, uneasy glare.

“Can I keep his eyes? Can I? Can I? CAN I!?” She yelled over and over holding onto her scythe before she kicked her prisoner onto Blueblood’s hooves.

“Grim Night, calm down!” Blueblood ordered but was sorely ignored. “How did you catch this piece of shit?”

“No, no, no, no, no, NO! Not piece of shit! I got a big, big, BIG FISH! Ohhhhh I want to rip his insides out and knit a cute sweater with them! Ho, perfect for a party. I’d be envy of disemboweled bodies everywhere!”

“A big fish?” Rarity asked taking Blueblood’s side.

“Lookie here!” Grim Night shouted before taking away the bag covering the head of her prisoner.

Upon seeing who the prisoner Grim Night caught was only a few gasped in disbelief. But only one looked at him not with fear, but with hate with a deathglare.

“Orestes.” Rarity said smiling at the gagged stallion. “I missed seeing that no good for nothing traitor of Sunrise Splendor boil her horrid self. I won’t miss whatever Cadance and Shining Armor have planned for you, scum. I’m sure it will be most fitting.” Orestes grunted and flailed against his roped to no avail. Spit spewing over the edges of the gagball. “Surprised your little whore isn’t afraid of you? I overcame what you did to me in the Empire. I’m not afraid of you or your flacid cock, Orestes.”

Orestes glared at the white unicorn mare before lunging forward with all his ability.

Rarity didn’t flinch or stepped back. Instead she smacked him across the face so hard it sent him crashing to the ground and into unconsciousness. Rarity groaned in pain before Blue Moon took her right hand with his magic in a delicate manner.

“Lady Rarity, your hand…” Blue Moon could not continue his sentence feeling her completely broken hand. He looked at Rarity’s face, and smiled seeing not tears but pained satisfaction.

“Can I rip his eyes now?” Grim Night asked.

“Not this one, Grim.” Blueblood said while Blue Moon helped Rarity back inside the barrier. He then grabbed Orestes with his magic. “Go back to your mission, Grim Night. I’ll make sure to pay you handsomely for delivering this traitor to us. You can have any other fucker you find.” Grim Night yelled excitedly before flying off laughing and dancing with her scythe.

“Someone get me a messenger, a quill, ink, and a scroll of parchment.”

End of part 2