Sunlight soon came and Applejack/Lady Jacqueline and Fluttershy/Lady Silentflyer awoke to find Spike/Garbuncle already up and getting dressed.

“Oh, well, good morning,” Applejack said with a smile.

“Morning was over half an hour ago,” Spike replied bitterly.

AJ and Fluttershy propped themselves up in bed.

“Ooh, and good morning to you, too,” Fluttershy quipped.

Spike looked down at himself to see that she was staring at his massive dragon cock, and quickly closed his robe. Once he finished dressing, Spike went to wake the rest of the girls. Pinkie was already up, as were Starlight and Rainbow Dash—Dash had been up for hours, doing yoga on the roof of the inn, and had seen the sunrise—but Sunset, Twilight, and Rarity were still asleep. Spike knew that Sunset wasn’t a morning person; like him, she needed to ease into her day slowly. Spike was never himself until an hour after he woke up.

But he hauled her out of bed and brushed off the dirty look she gave him by saying, “The sooner we find Micro Chips’ friend and get out of this virtual world, the better. Now come on, breakfast is almost ready.”

Sunset nodded and Spike left her to get dressed. She and the rest of the girls eventually joined him downstairs, where he, Discord/Captain Wuzz, Big Mac/Sir McBiggun, Pinkie/Bard Pie, and Rainbow “Rogue” Dash were already having breakfast. And Fluttershy’s new wolf companion—who she had named Sandra—was sitting on the floor by Spike’s leg while Spike told Discord about the nightmare he’d had the night before; he was running from the daughters of a king.

“And he wants every one of them to have a child by me,” Spike concluded.

“Well, how many daughters has the old monarch got?” Discord asked.

“Fifty,”

“You sly dog,” Discord laughed. “You’ll take care of ‘em easy.”

“You, sir, truly are the strongest Dragonborn in the world if you can...” Pinkie began, “... hold 50 hearts in sway at once.”

“It’d be easier to deal with a Cyclops than fifty nubile maidens,” Spike replied. “All the women want is my body.”

The barmaid brought them several plates of eggs in a nest with bacon.

“Ah, yes,” Twilight said. “Fried eggs swimming in fat served in a delightfully hollowed-out piece of white bread. I can almost hear by left ventricle slamming shut as I speak.”

“You want cheese on that?” Pinkie offered.

“NO, I’d like to leave some blood flow for the clot to go swiftly to my brain,” she retorted.

After breakfast, Spike led his team (including Sandra) to the lower part of the city. The place where the people who performed the real work—the ones that loaded and unloaded the ships, that tallied the cargo and hauled the goods, and repaired the keels and mended the sails—lived. Several men, and even a few women, in steel gray uniforms—the Crescent Moon Mercenaries (who were responsible for keeping order in the city)—roamed among them.

The docks and shipping facilities were among the most efficient along the coast and Selena’s Gate relied heavily on the ships that docked there. A large marketplace, similar to a bazaar, dominated the heart of the city; and there was a great hall in the northeast side, which was where the seat of the government was located. There was a small fortress on an island in the center of the harbor to keep enemy vessels out; and to keep vermin from spreading into the city, cats were bred and encouraged to roam the streets.

“This world is massive,” Twilight observed. “The user interface is nonrepeating for up to thirty million acres. That’s over seven hundred terabytes of Terra firma.”

“Of course it’s big,” Pinkie said. “It’s got to be. There are over a million avatars walking around! And a million gamers in the real world making them walk and talk and live the game life. Or, at least they will be if Micro Chips decides to release his game to the public after this is all done.”

“It’s beautiful,” Rarity said in awe.

“It’s like a Renaissance Fair without all the chubby couples,” Discord added.

“It seems like all the races of this world are here,” Fluttershy said. “Look how they’re all getting along.”

She was right; there were people of all kinds in the marketplace, and not just humans, elves and half-elves, but everything in between. There were dwarves (shield and gold), gnomes, halflings, even a half-orc or two, and all of them were happy. As they walked through the market, they were encountered by merchants and peddlers selling everything from food (including coconuts, bananas, sugared dates, figs, and pistachios) to jewelry to livestock.

“Goat for sale!”

“Chickens! Chicken! Here’s a chicken!”

“I don’t like my chickens live,” Rainbow Dash said. “I like ‘em dead and deep fried. You ever heard of the Colonel’s chicken?”

The vendor was about to cut off a chicken’s head when Fluttershy shouted, “I’m warning you, I’m a druid, put the blade down and let the bird go, right now!”

The vendor looked at her, stared her up and down, her eyes narrowed... then very slowly put down the knife and silently handed Fluttershy the chicken, who she named Elizabeth.

Next to the chicken stall was a fish stall with tubs of turtles and live eels. A woman came up, picked out the ones she wanted, and the peddler put them on a butcher block, took a cleaver, and chopped them up right in front of her. He chopped off the eel’s head and the head went flying right onto Twilight’s forehead! She screamed so loudly that she ran back down the street. Starlight went after her and brought her back (after she’d calmed down), and as they walked, many of the women greeted Spike with smiles.

“Hello, Garbuncle,” one giggled.

“Hi,” said another.

“It seems everyone knows Spike’s character,” Rarity observed. “At least the women do...”

“Where is it?” Spike asked himself.

“Is there something you’re looking for?” Applejack asked him.

“If what Micro Chips said is true, we’re gonna need better gear and more experience points to make ourselves as strong as possible if we’re gonna survive in here,” he said. “Let’s see if we can find the blacksmith.”

They were approached by a blind man (blind in the sense that he had a blindfold over his eyes) dressed in gray robes and carrying a wooden staff.

“Looking for weapons, sir?” he asked as he pointed with his walking stick. “This place has the finest weapons in the city. Please, have a look.”

The group exchanged looks, most of them wondering how and/or why a blind man would know the location of the local blacksmith.

“The blind are often blessed with keen insight,” Spike thought.

Spike thanked the blind man as he and his party entered the shop, which had a variety of fine items on display. It was run by a burly, crusty old man with thinning white hair, a gray beard, and a voice that sounded like it came from deep within an empty wine cask.

“Welcome, friends. If you’re looking for a good blade or a sturdy shirt of chainmail, you’ve come to the right place,” he began. “Say, I know you! You’re the adventurers that helped Lady Cashmere back on the Trade Way, yes?”

“Perhaps,” Twilight replied. “What of it?”

Applejack and Spike both elbowed Twilight hard.

“Yes, that was us,” Spike/Garbuncle said.

“We helped them, though Celeste guides our hands,” Sunset added.

“Ho-ho, it’s an honor to meet you! Lady Cashmere spoke highly of you, and her word is better than gold. I’m Barley, and my shop boasts many fine deals. I’ve also hired on Cinnamon Buns, a skilled artisan, so if you’re looking to have equipment custom-made or broken down, my workshop will serve you well. Our stock may be a bit low at the moment with the recent demand for weapons and armor, but a new shipment should be coming soon,”

“What caused this demand?” Spike inquired.

“Well, I don’t know the cause, friend, but the word is there’s been some trouble between the thieves’ guilds of late. No matter to me if the two groups kill each other--never had much use for thieves, myself. Now what can I do for you?”

“Let’s see what you have,” Spike said.

Barley had a little of everything: wooden and iron shields, padded, leather, and studded leather armor (helmets, boots and gloves), suits of scale mail, chainmail (including bikinis), and plate mail armor (half plate and full plate), robes, thick furs, and hooded cloaks. Weapons included staffs, daggers, maces, handaxes, short swords, battle axes, warhammers, shortbows, spears, long swords, throwing axes, great axes, morning stars, bastard swords (massive blades which required both hands), crossbows, and halberds.

Rainbow Dash unloaded the several dozen daggers, throwing knives, scimitars, and other weak/shoddy weapons she had picked up on the Trade Way—and had been dragging around since—while the rest of the group browsed.

“We have many fine deals,” Barley said. “What are you looking for?”

“Something to split someone’s skull would be nice,” Twilight replied.

“A shield would be better,” Starlight added.

“My shop carries the finest Dwarven weapons, brought here all the way from the Forbidden Mountains; the works of local craftsmen, as well as imports from Shallowpond and Uz,”

As the gang looked at the prices on everything, they hoped they had enough money... because none of it was cheap.

“If quality and price are your chief concerns, then look no farther. You’ll find my shop has excellent products at reasonable prices,” Barley told them. “You’ll find no quality to match mine... I’ve been supplying adventurers for over a decade,” he bragged.

Pinkie didn’t see anything that really caught her eye.

“I receive new shipments frequently,” Barley said, “so if you don’t see anything you like, check back from time to time.”

Starlight picked up a Flaming Oak Staff—it weighed four pounds, caused anywhere between 8 and 48 points of damage, and was worth 3,285 gold—while Fluttershy examined an Icy Burst Short Sword (that weighed three pounds, did 3-19 damage, and cost 7,859 gold), a Masterwork Long Sword +2 (four pounds, 8-20 damage, and only 2,977 gold), an Adamantine Handaxe +1 (five pounds, 8-28 damage, worth 3,285 gold), and a Great Sword +2 (fifteen pounds, 12-26 damage, and 2,920 gold), but none of them felt right to her.

Discord picked up an Icy Burst Oak Shortbow +2 (two pounds, 28-88 damage, worth 22,258 gold) while Big Mac took up a Jeweled Mithral Great Sword of Defense +3 (fifteen pounds, 39-81 Damage, worth 65,779 gold).

“Try it out, try it out,” Barley told them.

Barley guided the two men to the next room, which had been converted into a training area so they could test the weapons, while Rarity/Ruvia and Applejack/Lady Jacqueline were looking at the choices for armor.

“You could try wearing chainmail,” Rarity suggested.

“Nah,” AJ replied. “That’d just attract a kinkier group.”

While the women shopped, Spike followed the sounds of hot iron hissing—and the hammering out of the last of a dozen swords—to the blacksmith’s forge at the back of the building.

“Hello? Is anyone home?” he called out.

“Back here,” a female voice replied.

“Oh, hi, I... Um...”

There was a beautiful woman at the forge. She was a stunning blonde with bronze skin and her brown leather outfit (which was shaped like a leotard, complete with a matching thong) was so small she might as well have not been wearing anything at all.

“I was wondering if you do custom orders,” Spike said, finding his voice. “I need some weapons forged, and the shop owner said I’d find the blacksmith here.”

“You did,” she replied.

“But you’re a woman,”

“And you’re a man, which I could have figured out even if you didn’t have your foot in your mouth,” she countered.

“Well, it’s... no offense. It was the steam. It got in my eyes,”

“I’m Cinnamon Buns,” she introduced herself. “What’s your name?”

“Garbuncle,”

“Well, you’re big and you look fit,” she observed, as she removed her blacksmith apron. “But there’s only one way to tell for sure.”

She led Spike by the arm to a small table by the forge. She placed her right arm on the surface with her elbow bent and he gripped it with his own hand.

They were going to arm-wrestle!

“Is this really necessary?” he asked her.

“No one’s ever been able to beat me, so I figure it would take someone like the great Garbuncle. So shut up and say, ‘One, two, three.’ Come on. Say it,”

Spike rolled his eyes. “One, two, three.”

Cinnamon Buns almost smashed Garbuncle’s hand into the table, but he quickly pushed her arm back, causing her to grunt; and Garbuncle would have won... if he hadn’t spied her cleavage and was distracted just long enough for her to pin him at the critical moment.

“What’s the matter, Garb? More steam in your eyes?” Cinnamon Buns asked as she stroked his chin. “Well, you just proved you’re as much of a man as you are a dragon. So what brings the great Garbuncle to Selena’s Gate?” she added as she stroked his bicep. “And more importantly, how long are you planning on staying?”

“Long enough,” he answered. “Now, about those weapons...”

“Slipped your mind, did they?” she asked.

“I’m not worried about the cost,” he told her. “I just want the best blades you can make as soon as possible.”

Cinnamon Buns returned to her forge and she chuckled when she caught him sneaking a peek at her practically bare ass—wondering what it would look like covered in his own special icing—and quickly averted his gaze.

“So, how does your process work?” he asked her.

“It’s simple and affordable. If you’ve collected any magical components--magical gems and the like--I can craft them into whatever you need,” she explained. “Or, if you have magical equipment that you’d like broken down for the raw components--and perhaps even reforged into something else--I do that for a small fee as well!”

Spike/Garbuncle cast off his robe, leaving himself bare-chested, and laid it out like a tablecloth across the table. It contained a lot more than it should have: four Grand Great Swords (each fifteen pounds, and could deal 30-72 damage), a Flawless Shortbow, two Flawless Amulets, seven Flawless Rings, and two leather purses (one for gemstones, the other for gold).

He opened the pouches. The first held over a dozen sapphires, 30 jacinth, 21 pieces of jade, 12 amethyst, six topazes, 19 pieces of coral, 24 jet, 36 aquamarine, 15 diamonds, 18 pearls, 17 moonstones, 63 rubies, 16 emeralds, and 116 rune stones... and the other held 1,059,997 gold coins to pay for it all!

He handed Cinnamon Buns the four swords as well as gemstones for her to forge into them. For the first sword, he gave her ten rune stones, ten jacinth, and ten rubies, and she forged it into a Grand Infernal Great Sword (which inflicted +4-24 Fire Damage in addition to its 42-84 hit point range and its victim would bleed 4 damage points per second for 4 seconds) worth 64,799 gold. The second sword, he gave her ten emeralds (as well as ten rubies and ten rune stones), and it became a Grand Vampiric Great Sword (+20% Damage inflicted added to Hit Points and +20% Damage inflicted added to Magic Energy) worth 56,699 gold. The other two became a Grand Frost Great Sword (the ten aquamarines added +4-16 Cold Damage) and a Grand Defending Great Sword (which added +2 Armor Class to each piece of armor worn, thanks to the ten pieces of jet).

After that, he had her create a Flawless Shortbow of Wounding (16 rubies caused the target to bleed 5 Damage per second for five seconds). Then, he gave her one of his flawless rings (as well as ten rune stones, ten sapphires and ten aquamarines) and it became a “Flawless Ring of the North” (+4 Sunder and +4 Intelligence) worth 50,039 gold coins. He gave her another flawless ring, but with ten rubies (as well as the ten rune stones and ten aquamarines), and it became a “Flawless Ring of the Wolf” (+4 Great Fortitude and Intelligence) worth 58,139. And finally, a flawless amulet (with five rune stones, five jacinth and five topazes), and it became a “Flawless Firestorm Amulet” (+3 Strength and +3 Dexterity) worth 34,964.

Once that was accomplished, Discord, Big Mac and the girls joined Spike so that they could pay Barley for their items. Sunset wanted to buy a Flaming Burst Adamantine Morning Star of Purity +4 (twelve pounds and 52-88 damage) for 77,048; a blue Flawless Ring of Retribution (studded with two diamonds and two moonstones) worth 8,859; a green Flawless Angelic Ring (studded with two diamonds and two pearls) worth 10,985; and golden a Superior Guardian’s Amulet (with two jets and one diamond) worth 6,577 gold. Starlight wanted a Flawless Necromancer’s Ring (four diamonds and four jade) for 27,674; and Twilight wanted a Flawless Ice Witch’s Amulet (10 emeralds and aquamarines) for 59,435.

Cinnamon Buns handed the four blades to Spike as soon as they finished cooling, saying, “The best swords I’ve ever forged.”

Spike took up the Grand Infernal Great Sword and the Grand Vampiric Great Sword, and twirled both in his hands.

“It feels like you forged your soul into them!” he said.

“Will that be all?” Cinnamon Buns asked. “Or you got something else in mind?” she flirted, her gaze drifting to the pile of hay in the corner.

Spike put down the blades and started to leave.

“Don’t walk away before you hear my offer, Garbuncle,” she added.

“Look, I’m flattered...” he began.

“I was talking about your weapons that time,” she said.

“Good, because there’s a time and a place for everything and this is the time and place for business,” he replied.

“As you can attest, I just forged you four of the finest blades that can be made for a thousand miles in any direction,” she said. “I’ll tell you what I’ll do: I’ll give you all four swords, and everything else your friends want to buy, for 600,000 gold. Or if you’ll spend a little time with me, I’ll drop the total down to 200,000.”

“You have a lot of nerve, trying to take advantage of--!” Rarity shouted.

Spike glared at her, cutting her off.

“What do you say, handsome? I won’t bite... unless you want me to,” Cinnamon Buns said. “What’s wrong? Scared of a real woman?”

“No, it’s not that, it’s just...”

“I am a virgin, if that’s what’s bothering you,”

“Cinnamon Buns, no matter what you think, I’m not opposed to beautiful women, but I don’t want to go through life leaving a string of fatherless children behind. I hope you understand,”

She smiled. “Are you always so noble?”

“I try to be,”

“All right, 600,000 gold,” she told him.

“Thanks, it’s been a pleasure doing business with you,”

“There’s always 400,000 waiting for you back here... if you change your mind,” she added. “And I’d like to be your exclusive blacksmith from now on.”

“What do you mean by that?” he asked.

“Anytime you come back, stop by and let me do maintenance on your gear, from now till the end of days. If you ever need your weapons repaired, my door’s always open. You’ll always be welcome in my forge,”

The cost to have the work done was exorbitant, but well worth it. And they still had over 400,000 gold left over. Spike paid Barley for the items as Cinnamon Buns pulled Applejack aside.

“He might be a little weird, but he’s not such a bad guy,” she whispered. “Don’t screw it up, he’s a keeper.”

As the party left the shop, they saw a gargantuan guy cracking a whip and pushing people around.

“Get in line, low-life scum!” he shouted.

“What’s going on?” Spike asked.

“Slave traders,” Barley snarled. “They come through here every month.”

“I hate slavery,” Spike said. “It’s not right.”

He followed the crowd to the auction block, and his friends followed him. When they reached it, the second to last slave was being auctioned off.

“Sold! And next, fresh off the livery, a young scrapper. He’ll work your fields, tend to your livestock, and he’ll take a good whipping, besides. Who’ll start the bidding at 150? Do I have 150? I have 150! Do I hear two? I have two. Two-fifty? Two-fifty! Do I have more? Do I have any more? Three! Three hundred! Three-fifty? Three-fifty. Four? Four hundred! Do I have more? Five hundred? Five hundred! Five hundred, once, twice... sold for 500 gold!”

The slave was hauled away and replaced by a beautiful woman with raven hair, fair skin, and dressed in tattered golden garments.

“And now, what you’ve all been waiting for, the best for last, a fine young wench for your bidding. She’ll cook your dinner, scrub your floor, and with that soft skin and pretty face... she’ll warm those cold, lonely nights,” the slave trader chuckled.

Spike overheard two of the younger bidders talking.

“Once we buy the wench, we’ll charge others to use her!” one of them said.

Spike growled and the bidding war began.

“Who’ll start the bidding for this flower of the mystic East?”

An old man raised his hand and said, “One hundred!”

“Two hundred!” Spike shouted.

“What are you doing?” Twilight asked.

“Trying to save her,” Spike replied.

“I’ve got two hundred from Garbuncle the Great, Dragonborn Wizard and Hero of the Realms, but surely this is not enough for a woman who has so much untapped potential as a concubine,” the trader said. “Do I hear 250?”

“Two-fifty!” one of the younger men cried out.

“Do I hear 300? Come now, gentlemen, a lass this lovely is certainly worth at least 300 gold,”

“Four hundred!” Spike shouted.

“What are you doing?” Discord asked. “No one’s bid 300 yet.”

“Four hundred? Hah! At last, a man who appreciates pulchritude,” the trader said. “Do I hear five?”

“Five hundred!” the old man replied.

“Five hundred... ten,” one of the young bidders added.

“One. Thousand,” Spike stated.

“Oh!” several of them exclaimed.

Spike/Garbuncle looked around, stared down the other competing bidders, and they all bowed out.

“I have one thousand. Do I hear any more bids? All right, then, going once, going twice... sold to our Dragonborn hero with the shimmer in his eye for one thousand gold. Congratulations, Garbuncle. Enjoy your purchase,” the trader said.

Once the auction was over and the crowd had dispersed, Spike handed over the gold, and then told the trader to take the girl’s shackles off.

“You think you can handle her?” he asked.

Spike just glared at him, and the trader complied.

“You’re free to go,” Spike told her.

“What, just like that, I’m free?”

“Just like that,”

“Why are you doing this?”

“I don’t believe in slavery,” he answered.

The former slave looked at him in awe.

“You really are Garbuncle the Great, aren’t you?”

“You know, I’m sick and tired of people asking me that,”

“No, I believe you. Thank you,”

Spike just nodded as she left and he led his party back to the Siren’s Song. When they returned to the inn, they were met by Valkyrie.

“Well met again, adventurers,” she greeted them. “Many are grateful for your help, I’m certain.”

“Hear any rumors of note lately?” Spike asked her.

“I’ve heard little... only that adventurers are hard up for work in the city. So many came to fight the Betrayer, but he’s already been vanquished,”

“What happened?” Starlight asked.

“What happened? There was the Betrayer, and the dark alliance he was gathering to destroy this city. But that’s why you came to Selena’s Gate, isn’t it, to defeat him?”

“Yes. Go on...” Rarity said.

“Well, it’s been done. Three adventurers journeyed into the wild, found the Betrayer’s black castle, and slew him. The castle crumbled, vanished... and the three heroes with it. That’s all I know,”

“Do you know anything about the three adventurers?” Spike inquired.

“I met them, once, when they came into this tavern: a human archer, a warrior--a half-elf, I think--and a Dragonborn sorceress. I came into the city with a caravan from Uz. Catrina’s thieves robbed it, but the adventurers helped recover everything. They also killed all the thieves, even Catrina herself... but then the Bloody Eye came,”

“The Bloody Eye?” Rainbow Dash repeated.

“A society of assassins who’ve risen to power in the city’s criminal underworld,” Valkyrie said. “Catrina destroyed the old thieves’ guild, adventurers destroyed Catrina’s, and now it’s the Bloody Eye: the worst of the lot so far.”

Spike and the others wanted to ask her more questions, but they were joined by Lady Cashmere.

“Ha! I thought you might seek me out,” she said to them. “Come! Have a seat, and we shall drink and sing the day away...”

“I do not sing,” Twilight stated.

“Another time, Milady,” Spike added, more politely. “We are seeking work. You spoke of associates that could use our skills?”

“I have two troubling tales to tell: firstly, there has been a series of kidnappings; some victims number among the city’s wealthy elite. Death lies in their future should ransom or rescue not be made... There has also been a rash of mysterious, grisly murders. There have been some leads, but little progress, and more mutilated corpses turn up each night. So, still interested? You’ll be paid for your efforts, of course.”

The group huddled up and spoke so softly that Valkyrie and Lady Cashmere couldn’t make out what was said. When the huddle broke, Discord volunteered himself, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Starlight and Twilight to investigate the murders.

“The citizenry is on edge; the bodies are often left so mutilated that they are unrecognizable,” Lady Cashmere told them. “Some witnesses claim to have seen misshapen and contorted figures leaving murder sites... and similar sightings have been reported around Broodmare Manor. Perhaps you should start your search there. It’s on the northeastern side of the city.”

“Broodmare Manor?” Rarity echoed.

“It is the home of Sylvia Broodmare, sole heiress to a vast fortune. Many have sent sons there in hopes of marrying Broodmare gold, but she turns them all away. She’s an eccentric woman: morose and, it’s said, macabre,”

“We’ll return when we find something,” Discord said. “Farewell.”

Spike, Applejack, Big Mac, Sunset, Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie volunteered to look into the kidnappings.

“The Bloody Eye, a band of vicious criminals, are responsible. The ransom demands are ridiculous, far beyond the means of even the wealthiest victims’ families. Some think it all merely a sadistic excuse to send back severed body parts,” Lady Cashmere said. “The city guard knows a frontal attack could result in the murder of the hostages. Many families think a small group would have the best chance of success: this is you. No one knows where their guild hall is, but one of my, ah, less savory friends has informed me of where the victims are held: a dungeon hidden beneath an old warehouse in the southwest part of the city.”

“Tell us more about the Bloody Eye,” said Sunset.

“The Eye? They’re the new thieves’ guild in town, a band of assassins that took advantage of the power vacuum created when the last guild was destroyed. Word is they’re also responsible for the murder of two city watchmen, and the disappearances of several members of other, smaller guilds... murderous scum, all of them. No one knows who leads them,”

“We’ll return when we’ve succeeded,” Spike told her. “Farewell.”

“Luck be with you,”

---

After speaking with Lady Cashmere, the two groups set off to find their respective targets. The Thieves’ Guild levels contained an assortment of monsters, along with several different types of nefarious thieves, and powerful traps that would impede their progress as they got closer and closer to their goal.

As soon as they entered the warehouse, a trio of guards swarmed them, but Big Mac made short work of them with his sword. The next couple of rooms were mostly barren. Spike took out the sole thief in the second room before they moved further into the warehouse. They opened a door and entered a long corridor, where they battled a small pack of thieves.

Spike and Big Mac led the charge into the dining hall, which was crowded with thieves armed with throwing knives. Then they travelled through the adjacent room where they saw several assassins surrounded by crates in the center of it. They threw knives at them from their safe spot as Spike leapt over their barricade, avoiding the attack dogs that circled it, and hacked them (the thieves and the dogs) up with his swords.

The heroes scampered down the hall, broke into the treasure room, and looted its many chests, full of rubies, diamonds, sapphires, emeralds and gold. When they exited the treasure chamber, more thieves opened a series of cages to release four bloodthirsty mutts. Spike fell back and Applejack took the dogs out with her bow while Pinkie rushed another assassin barricade, and cleared it out, before slipping through a secret door at the end of the hallway, which descended down a spiral staircase, into the shadowy organization’s guildhall.

The second level of the Guild mostly eschewed creatures for powerful traps—including statues that hurled incendiary fireballs. Fireball traps were extremely deadly, but they could be turned to the heroes’ advantage. Standing outside the statue’s line of fire, they could lure nearby creatures into the trap, and the fireballs provided added damage potential against the level’s difficult enemies. Rushing the knife-throwing assassins was a dangerous plan, especially since the statue in the center of the room would blast fireballs at anything that ran past it. So, instead of a frontal assault, the heroes hung back as Applejack shot down the assassins with her bow. After that, they slowly approached the statue until it fired and then ran through after the fireball passed.

The dangers escalated as they cautiously approached a large chamber, where the first two hostages were being kept... and where bugbears and kobolds had set up a sizeable camp between the warehouse and the guildhall’s throne room.

One kobold was easy pickings, but a group of ten was a disaster waiting to happen. Kobolds were nasty, physically weak, cowardly little dog-headed humanoids known for their rapid breeding and their tendency to mob any adventurers that invaded their territory. They travelled in large packs and preferred to attack from a distance when possible with spears or spells, and many shamans could be found amongst their tribes. They worshipped evil dragons as demigods and served them as minions or toadies.

And as for the bugbears, tough by themselves, they were even worse when they traveled with a horde of kobolds. Born for battle and mayhem, they survived by raiding, hunting, bullying the weak, and they despised being bossed around. Their love for carnage meant they would fight for powerful masters if bloodshed and treasure were assured, but even when paid they were unreliable allies at best. They attacked in a very straightforward way: they saw you, walked up to you, and then pounded you into a bloody pulp with their huge spiked clubs.

The kobolds had been warming themselves by a fire when one of the bugbears, the chieftain, commanded them to, “Kill the intruders!”

Spike, Big Mac, and Applejack hacked and slashed their way through the kobolds before going toe-to-toe with the bugbears, which were no trouble after the three heroes wiped out the entire kobold camp. Fluttershy and Sunset found a ring of keys on the chieftain’s body, and used them to unlock the rooms that held the first two prisoners.

A pack of giant spiders guarded the cages where the “lower class” hostages were being kept; poor souls who didn’t even get the dignity of a small cell. The two men (and AJ) cleared out the spiders, freed the three captives, and continued down the corridor, staying alert, until finally they came face to face with the Bloody Eye’s second-in-command, and he was flanked by several goblins—members of the Silver Fang Marauders.

They’d finally gained an opportunity to seek out their attackers—as well as the enigmatic beast that may be in control of them.

“So, you’ve come all this way,” the Bloody Eye thief said. “To think I missed the chance to kill you when we first met.”

“I think you will find us tougher opponents when you can’t strike as a coward from the shadows,” Spike replied.

“Surrender,” Fluttershy added. “Your men are dead, and you have nowhere left to run.”

“You both speak the truth,” the thief replied. “I had not expected you to make it through the gauntlet. Still, it matters little whether you kill me or not, for either way, you will still die.”

“What do you mean?” Sunset asked.

“Even if you kill me, my Lord waits within. Your death at his hands will be a slow one compared to the mercy I will show you,”

“We shall see who dies this day, thief,” Spike said. “Prepare yourself.”

Applejack and Big Mac used their shields to block the thief’s knife throws as Spike approached him for melee combat, darting left and right to dodge his ranged attacks. Unfortunately, the thief was resistant to cold, fire and electricity, so spells weren’t going to have much effect on him. He also had a bull rush attack (similar to Big Mac’s, but couldn’t be blocked against), but once Spike was right in the thief’s face, the thief just used simple jabs as well as his sword.

AJ, Sunset and Fluttershy disposed of the thief’s various allies while Spike blocked against the thief’s strikes, then quickly retaliated with blows of his own. They defeated the Bloody Eye’s second-in-command, and his squad of Silver Fang goblins, and headed to the throne room door.

They proceeded into the ominous chamber. Although it appeared vacant, there was something waiting for them at the end of the room.

It was a large Beholder!

Aggressive, hateful, and greedy, Beholders were xenophobic isolationists. They dismissed all other creatures as lesser beings—crude and disgusting—toying with them or destroying them as they chose. The disdain they had for others extended to other beholders, as each believed its form to be ideal, that it was the epitome of its kind, and that any deviation from that form was a flaw in the racial purity of its race. This one had a smooth hide, with eyestalks that writhed like tentacles, and a purple color to it.

“So... you are the strangers that were spoken of,” it spoke in a deep, dark tone. “You humanoids all look alike to me... weak and fragile.”

“There is nowhere left for you to run,” Spike said. “Your guild is broken, your thieves lie dead.”

“And you will answer for those deaths! Do you think that your efforts here have saved this city? You are wrong. Our power extends far beyond these city streets. You cannot hope to stop us all!”

“Enough of your words, monster!” Applejack shouted. “Prepare to die!”

“It is you who will die. And your death will be a slow one.”

“We’ll see about that,” Big Mac stated.

They charged the Beholder and danced around it as they punished it. The Beholder was slow to turn and couldn’t keep up with their quick feet. It tried to launch a ground flame attack via its magic, but they continued rotating around it until it finally fell to the floor and bled to death.

Spike, Big Mac, Applejack, Sunset and Fluttershy returned to the Siren’s Song, where they were welcomed back by Lady Cashmere.

“Oh ho, is that a swagger I see in your stride?” she asked. “Shall I now bow to thee as you pass, destroyer of the Bloody Eye? Hm-hm!”

“I see word of success travels quickly around here,” Spike replied.

“Yes. The families of the freed send their warmest regards,”

---

While Spike’s group rescued the kidnapped citizens from the Bloody Eye, Discord’s group continued north along Selena’s Gate’s main street until they ended up at Broodmare Manor. It was a huge house, and within its walls were a small army of flesh hounds (evil dog-like creatures with tails that shot poison) and reanimateds (zombie-like humanoids). As undead creatures, the reanimateds had no life to drain (so Twilight’s Life Drain ability was worthless), but Starlight was able to seize control of them with Dark Possession, and turned them against the flesh hounds, giving her and her comrades a free crack at them.

From the entrance, the heroines (and Discord) headed to the east room, where they found the library. They inspected a bookcase by the grand piano to reveal a hidden passage, activated by a lever in a false bookshelf. They jumped through the passage, only to be confronted by an ancient spirit.

“You have gazed upon the crypts of House Fellmane, living, and for that you must perish,” it said.

“House ‘Fellmane?’” Rarity asked. “This is Broodmare Manor. Isn’t it?”

“The manor of Fellmane it was, before a great conflagration destroyed it. ‘Broodmare’ is the manse she and Razer built upon its ruins, curse their souls,”

“Why do you curse them?” Discord inquired.

“Because their audacity would reveal the shame of the Fellmane!” the ghost replied. “That these hideous ghouls are all that remain of a once-glorious family.”

“How did this happen?” Rarity asked.

“Decades past, my family fell into a corrupting spiral of hedonistic decadence and sadism. Over the years, their acts became so depraved that they devolved into incestuous, drug-crazed cannibals... those who died rose again as flesh-eating ghouls. As a ghost, I could only silently witness the atrocity of it all. Fortuitously, a freak accident destroyed the manor and hid any evidence of the Fellmane’s terrible secret... until now, may the Tartaruses take that vile woman! But you... you can help me! You must destroy the manor again, and with it the shame of House Fellmane!”

“Our services carry a price, spirit,” Twilight said. “I don’t work for free, whether or not my employer is alive, woeful tales or otherwise.”

“Rest assured that I will make it worth your while; the Fellmanes are not ones to shirk debts,” the ghost replied.

“We will do what we can, spirit,” Discord said.

“We will meet again once you have succeeded, living, at which time you will know the gratitude of House Fellmane. Farewell,”

The ghost disappeared as they dropped down through a trap door in the crypt’s floor and ended up in Sylvia Broodmare’s laboratory, where they found a few things that called her mental stability into question—the creatures in the cell area, for example: ghouls, skeletons, giant bats, giant rats, giant beetles, and giant spiders. After making short work of the creatures, they found a table covered with beakers, notes, and what looked like a brown book. It was actually a letter... and Starlight found its information interesting.

Dear Lord R,

I do hope this letter finds you well. Your last shipment of supplies and gold has been most generous. Please inform the Bloody Eye that fresh supplies will be needed... preferably live.

Faithfully yours,

Sylvia Broodmare

“We’re here to put Sylvia to rest, not to collect evidence against her,” Twilight reminded them.

She was right, but (unbeknownst to them) it connected Sylvia Broodmare to Lady Cashmere’s other quest.

“And who is this Lord R?” Starlight wondered.

After fighting though a dozen more ghouls, the heroines (and Discord) finally caught up with Sylvia Broodmare. She was even worse than Lady Cashmere described her. Despite her impressive bust and brunette hair, she looked sickly, malnourished, and her gown was drenched in blood.

“Ah, you’ve finally arrived. I do hope my creations haven’t given you too much trouble,” she said. “Lovely, aren’t they? It took me years to perfect the technique to successfully transfer limbs and organs from one creature to the next.”

“And how many died for this discovery?” Rarity asked.

“What does it matter? Perhaps hundreds died for me to learn this, but it was a small price to pay in the name of science! But you shouldn’t concern yourself over the welfare of others. Your thoughts should lie in the here and now,”

“We’re going to kill you,” Dash stated, “here and now.”

“Fame is not always a friend. I’d heard of your coming and have had time to prepare this just for you. Try not to play too hard, I might still have use for you later... provided your bodies aren’t too mutilated. Farewell,”

And with that, she set her latest creation on them: a much larger flesh hound... with three heads!

Fortunately, Sylvia spent too much time on limb transplants and not enough on brain transplants, because this creature fell for every trick in the book. Once it was defeated, Sylvia (ever the poor loser) pulled two levers: one turned on the poison vents while the other opened all the flesh hound cells between her safe room and the exit. The group ran back to the crypts, pushed one of the coffins over the trap door in the floor, and returned to the Manor.

After they had escaped Sylvia’s laboratory, they heard three people talking from just inside the chamber ahead. They slipped into the nearby alcove and listened in. They peeked around the corner and saw two finely dressed cat-like creatures and a reptilian humanoid resembling a lizard-man talking to what appeared to be a male human in a blood red nobleman’s suit.

“That is grave news, Lord Razer,” the cat-man said. “But no matter. The Four Foundations are nigh within the grasp of our patrons. When the Castle is theirs, the reward for your aid will make what your brigands brought you seem a paltry sum.”

“I should hope so, Capper,” the man in red replied. “These schemes have grown even more tiresome than looting forgotten tombs and stealing other dragon hordes have become.”

“Fear not,” the cat-woman told her. “The Dark Web leaves no debt unpaid. That is why we work for them, after all. Now, about this meddler, or meddlers? How many of these ‘adventurers’ have you caught?”

“Do not concern yourself, Catrina. They are mine to deal with,” Razer replied. “Nothing will escape those dungeons... especially not after I bring this manor burning down atop them.”

“You intend to destroy your home?” Catrina asked.

“‘Home?’ Hah!” Razer laughed. “I grow weary of this tiny structure. No, with the Silver Fangs scattered and the Bloody Eye’s work done, I will retire to my lair. Your masters will know how to find me if they require my services again. Farewell, Catrina.”

“Farewell, my Lord,”

The two cat-people departed, their lizard folk servant behind them, and the man in red shouted, “You there, come here! What? Did you think I could not sense your foul presence?”

Discord and the others revealed themselves.

“Do your chests swell with pride, ‘adventurers,’ imagining that you’ve accomplished something of import? Oh, but you’re too late! I am finished with this place. Even my treasure has been moved; nothing awaits you here but death. You are but insects, mindlessly scuttling across the last page of a book before you are crushed by the closing of the cover,”

“A coward’s boast,” said Twilight. “I’ll carve it on your tombstone.”

“Cork your ale-hole, dragon!” Discord added. “We’ve been paid to see the Silver Fangs dead... and you’re the last of them.”

“Your reign of terror ends here,” Starlight stated.

“We will not allow you to continue preying upon the good people of Selena’s Gate, Razer,” Rarity commanded. “Surrender, or by Celeste we will destroy you.”

Razer laughed. “Foolish little creatures! Before I turn this hovel into your funeral pyre, I shall bless you with a glimpse of greatness. Gaze trembling upon my true form, worms, and cower before the might of Razer, the Red Death!”

Razer fell on all fours, became consumed by fire, and transformed into a massive Red Dragon, with huge leathery bat-like wings, swept-back horns, a beak-like snout, and eyes that danced with flames!

“BURN!” he bellowed.

Flaming debris fell from the ceiling as they fled the burning grand ballroom after Razer crashed through the roof. Twilight immediately ran for the exit while the rest rescued the Manor’s trapped servants, saving them from a burning death.

When they returned to the Siren’s Song, they were met with several stares... including one from Barley, the weapons merchant.

“We all heard about what you did in the Manor,” he said. “It’s good hearing my weapons and armor were being put to good use.”

They joined Spike’s party and Lady Cashmere at one of the tables.

“We heard many terrible, malformed creatures fled Broodmare Manor,” she said. “City guards killed several, but some escaped. What happened?”

“Sylvia was creating monsters beneath the manor for someone referred to as ‘Lord R,’” Twilight shared. “She flooded the place with poison gas and fled.”

“So it was her vile creations that have been causing so much havoc each night. I’m glad you put an end to it, though it’s a shame you could not have put an end to her, the evil woman,” Lady Cashmere said.

“The Silver Fang Marauders and the Bloody Eye Guild were both led by the red dragon Razer, who’s been using sorcery to disguise himself as a nobleman,” Rainbow Dash added. “He’d been funding Sylvia Broodmare’s work, and controlled the two groups. He set fire to Broodmare Manor and left, thinking it a death trap, but the Silver Fangs and the Bloody Eye are finished in Selena’s Gate.”

---

Back in the real world, at Flimflam Brothers’ Resort, everyone from Celestia to Micro Chips to Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, Scootaloo, Soarin, Zephyr Breeze, Midnight Radiance, Adagio, Aria, Sonata, and Chrysalis continued to watch Spike, Discord, Big Mac and the girls’ exploits. No sooner had the group got strapped into their chairs, they were gone from the room... and on the big screen that displayed Micro Chips’ video game.

“That was a close one,” Sonata said.

“Yeah, but they’re doing pretty good so far,” Aria added.

Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo had called Sweetie Bot down from the Sky Resort to help Micro Chips with his machine.

“Well, can you fix it?” Celestia asked.

“I can’t get in,” Sweetie Bot replied. “Everything’s encrypted and these barriers are keeping me from issuing commands.”

“I don’t understand,” Micro Chips said. “I’m the only one who has full access to the console’s security system.”

They kept trying to regain access, but were met with a pop-up of a familiar face that taunted them, saying, “You didn’t say the magic word.”

“Impossibly Rich restricted our access,” Apple Bloom said. “I hate that dolled up hag!”

“Bring them back right now!” Sweetie Belle shouted.

“Micro Chips and I have been locked out of the gaming system,” Sweetie Bot replied. “We can’t control it.”

“We can’t get them back if we don’t take back control!” Scootaloo added. “They’re stuck in there!”

“Like birds in a cage,” Apple Bloom added.

---

Back in the video game, Spike, Discord, Big Mac and the girls rested before returning to the tavern for dinner. The barmaid was about to serve them when she whispered to Spike.

“It looks like your deeds are drawing some attention,” she said. “Alden, that Centaur, told me he wanted to speak with you when you returned; he’s been speaking with Valkyrie and Lady Cashmere for the past few hours.”

“Did he say what he wanted?” Spike asked.

“Only that he wanted to speak with you,” she replied.

“We’ll speak with him, then,” he said.

So, Spike and his crew approached the Centaur’s private booth in the corner. Lady Cashmere and Valkyrie were sitting with him.

“Tales of your deeds are spreading, even beyond the city’s walls, my friends,” Lady Cashmere said to them. “In fact, I have someone who wants to meet you - my associate, Alden, here. He’s a man with... very powerful friends, many connections. I’ve told him of your exploits, and he’s eager to make your acquaintance. He’s worth your while, I assure you; and don’t worry, he can be trusted. We... work together, him and me.”

The heroes took their seats around the table as the Centaur finally removed his hood, revealing a handsome face, complete with a golden summer tan and a sophisticated black beard, underneath.

“Well met, adventurers. Valkyrie and Lady Cashmere have told me of how you rescued them on the Trade Way, and, like all of these people, I have heard of your bravery in the Bloody Eye’s Guildhall and at Broodmare Manor. I decided that I would see these heroes for myself. I am not disappointed. I hope you shall not disappoint me,”

“What do you mean?” Spike asked.

“Your actions in the guild and manor showed great courage and sacrifice... a willingness to risk your lives to help others, an admirable quality. I have many things to tell you--secret, dangerous things--but first, you must know: Valkyrie, Lady Cashmere and I are members of the Harpers, a group whose members have dedicated their lives to the safety of the Realms and its people,” Alden went on. “We seek men and women of courage to band with us to protect the Realms, when the Realms cannot protect themselves. This is why Lady Cashmere approached and hired you. I invite you to join us. As Harpers, you will have our support - we will do what we can to help you and the Realms. We are in need of your help against a grave threat to Selena’s Gate... It’s dangerous work, but fairly compensated. What say you?”

Spike was conflicted. This was not a decision to be made lightly, and he wanted some time to think about it. He knew that Twilight’s character preferred to operate alone; she didn’t wish to join with any group, no matter how well intentioned. But Spike also knew that many people benefited from the existence of the Harpers, that legendary society known for recruiting independent agents to struggle against the forces of evil. Even Pinkie Pie, whose character was a Bard, could benefit from joining up. Even though most bards in the region weren’t Harpers (and many who were didn’t advertise the fact), common folk behaved as if all bards were legendary wandering heroes, and were often as likely to ask a bard for a solution to a problem troubling the community as they were to ask a fighter or a wizard. However, this reputation cut both ways, as some enemies of the Harpers suspiciously assumed that any humble minstrel might secretly be a Harper agent.

Looking at his companions, Spike was met with positive gazes, as if they had all voted that they should join up.

“We would be honored, Alden,” Spike said.

“Excellent!” the Centaur exclaimed. “There is no time to waste... we need you to perform a task for us.”

“Very well,” Discord replied. “What is this task?”

“There are a number of treasures scattered across the Realms that I intend to collect,” he said. “I mean to do so by hiring trustworthy, capable adventurers... men and women like you. Still intrigued?”

“Yes,” Starlight answered. “What are these treasures?”

“There are four in total: the Ruby of Femininity, the Jade Tiger, the Scimitar of Strength and the Razor of Masculinity,”

“Tell us more,” Rarity said.

“The Ruby of Femininity is an enormous, fifty-thousand carat gemstone that was used to power a weather machine in the observatory of Clover’s Hold, located in the Forest of the Forgotten, now a fell and haunted place,” Alden replied. “The Jade Tiger, a carved jade stone the size of a troll’s fist, is located in the Halls of the Half-Orcs, an abandoned stronghold located north of the Forbidden Mountains. The Scimitar of Strength is a long, curved, silver blade studded with sparkling rubies. It was once in the treasury of Dragonblast Castle, but lies somewhere in the caverns beneath the place now, having been stolen by monsters. And the Razor of Masculinity is an aquamarine-studded golden blade, last seen in the hands of pirates based out of Plunder Cove. One of Lady Cashmere’s ships could get you there, though you’d have to row ashore yourself.”

“Why do you want these treasures?” Spike inquired.

“They are not for me, but for my patrons, who need not be named. Rest assured that this is not for some nefarious purpose, but I cannot make you trust me. The choice is yours,”

“We will return when we have recovered the artifacts,” Spike stated.

“Please be careful,” Alden told them.

“We will be,” Spike said. “Farewell.”

---

Meanwhile, on the other side of the Realms, the Dark Elf Tempest Shadow reported to the Storm King about their agents’ progress.

“Your man has fed the Dark Web the required information: they now know how to restore the Midnight Castle,” she said. “However, Harper spies have found out what they’re up to and are sending agents to counter the Dark Web even now.”

“Good. Good,” the Storm King smiled.

“Good, Your Highness?”

“Yes, Tempest, good. The Dark Web and the Harpers will both serve my cause. They will activate the Four Foundations and restore the Castle to the Material Plane, all without realizing that I hold the only remaining Shadow Gate!”

“The ‘Shadow Gate.’ The black arch we found when we captured the three adventurers?”

“The very same. And that black arch will be the only way into the castle when it returns. My castle!”

Next Chapter: Ogres & Oubliettes: Dark Alliance, Act III Estimated time remaining: 8 Hours, 24 Minutes