I ran towards Le Duck with his arms outstretched expecting a hug from me.

*HEAD-SMASH*

I head-butted Le Duck and he recoiled in pain from the attack I gave him.

“Why didn’t I hear from you? WHY DID YOU ABANDON ME IN PONITALY? WHY!?”
I shouted at Le Duck and he noticed the rage in my face and was confused by my reaction of seeing him after all this time.

“Shadow, I didn’t expect this from you. You know that I will always be watching over you.” He said regaining his balance.

“Ya I know, “A Duck will always be watching you, that’s Anatidaephobia.” That’s the last thing you said to me before the passageway caved in and the last time I saw you…. until now.”

“And I have, I’ve heard your progress of remaking the Assassin Brotherhood, all on your own too. That’s something even I couldn’t have done easily, I’m very impressed.”

“Flattery will get you nowhere… Uncle.” I said coldly to Le Duck.

“Shadow… I’m sorry. I’m sorry I’ve deceived you all these years and I’m sorry I didn’t tell you that our family isn’t entirely gone.” he had a sad expression on his face.

I was shocked, in all my time training with Le Duck never have I once heard him apologize so solemnly.

I ran up to Le Duck and hugged him with all my might, “Uncle… I forgive you, you didn’t have a choice. You had to save the other assassins.”

He hugged me back, “Shadow… I see you’re here, Ace and Mareio I'm sure others surveived maybe even "her".
Did you…?”

I looked at Le Duck with tears in my eyes, “No… I couldn’t save her.”

I burst out in tears as I remembered the siege on Ponitaly and "that" memory was repressed at the back of my mind.

Her pure white fur and long pink mane.
A Pegasus who loved me and I loved her.
Taken away from me by Balthazar.

Flora… I’m sorry…

-----------------------------------------------------------

After the agonizing minutes of reliving the constant pain I’ve suffered I manned up and looked at the group of assassins and the Mushroom Bros who all witnessed my somewhat happy reunion.

“Everyone, this is Le Duck. He is my mentor and my uncle.” I introduced Le Duck to my friends.

Pinkie immediately ran up until she was eye to eye with Le Duck, “HI! I’M PINKIE PIE!”

“Ehh… Hello?” responded Le Duck whose personal bubble space was feeling a bit violated.

After the rest of the assassins introduced themselves to Le Duck, Dr. Mareio and Ponigi walked up to him.

“Ah Mareio I’m so glad you’re safe, and even more so to see the Mushroom Bros reunited.” Le Duck said to the Mushroom Bros.

“YAHA!” Dr. Mareio and Ponigi high-hoofed each other.

“Now with the introductions out of the way, how about we enjoy the rest of this day and save the business for the morning.” Le Duck said to the group.

“Last one to the Ferris wheel is a smelly lizard!” Rainbow Dash shouted before launching herself towards the carnival below the platform.

“I resent that…” muttered Spike.

-------------------------------------------------------------

Le Duck and I were walking around the carnival tents with the rest of the group split up all across the Gerponian carnival.

“I’m amazed Le Duck, how does Volcanous’s soldiers not know of this place?” I asked Le Duck as we were passing a donut shop.

“You know how you entered through a closet door right? You see there’s a special magical lock on each opening into this underground city with some certain fire-breathing motion sensors and if your name isn’t inside a lock-book then….”

“Ya you don’t need to finish.” I interrupted him.

“Shadow… I’ve noticed your wing. You can’t fly can you?” Le Duck asked me.

I nodded, “Another thing Balthazar took from me…”

“Shadow, you cannot let revenge cloud your mind. Believe me… I have made that mistake and I’m not just the only one paying for it.” He urgently told me, trying to convince me to let go.

I won’t forgive him… not now not ever.

“Let’s change the subject, why the Red Fox?”

Le Duck thought for a moment and then answered, “I took the character from my book. I understood that for the assassins to gain any kind of advantage against the Templars we needed the support of the ponies. That’s why I’ve spread my operation all over Equestria and I try to help as many ponies as I can from corruption and the greed of the Templars.”

“You might remember when you were hunting down Je Suis. The getaway vans and troops were from you aiding the ponies of Maris, or in this case helping that curator of the Tower of Iron. Simple deeds like that can help you immensely.”

I see… if we help the ponies then tyranny can be overthrown.
It makes sense, but what if the ponies helping us get hurt?

Then it would be entirely our fault... again...

As I pondered my thoughts we came around to the centre of the carnival which stood a large well.

“Hey Le Duck, why are we stopping here? Also how can you tell what time it is?”

“Really Shadow, you don’t have a watch?” he said showing me the time on his digital watch. It was late in the evening.

“Also this “well” is actually a secret tunnel system that runs all over Gerpony.”

-----Later---------

We waited until we’ve assembled the assassins together near the well. As soon as everypony showed up Le Duck climbed into the well and we followed.

The well tunnels were damp and dark; it was so confined I thought how we could all even squeeze into the stony walls in the first place.

What felt like hours turned out to be only 5 minutes as we appeared in a huge spaced room adorned with furniture, books, a fireplace and doors leading into even more rooms.

“A SECRET ROOM!” excitedly said Pinkie.

“Wow, first a city under a city and now a house under the city that’s under the city. Gerponian architecture is so complex, and beautiful.” Rarity commented as she was awed by the Gerponian designs and architecture.

“Le Duck, can I read some of your books?” asked Twilight.

“Of course, what good is knowledge if it can’t be shared?” replied Le Duck pointing the way to his extensive library.

Mareio approached Le Duck with a sad look on his face, “Le Duck… I’m sorry I’a didn’t mention this sooner. The Mushroom… she is fallen.”

“Well that’s a shame… I’ll send some of my ponies to fix it. Don’t worry Mareio, she will fly again. You have my word.” Le Duck put his hoof on Mareio’s shoulder.

“WE A THANK’A YOU!” both Mareio and Ponigi cheerfully thanked with smiles beaming on their faces.

I’m glad everyone’s enjoying this… but tomorrow…
Volcanous will die, no longer will he harm these innocient ponies.

“I’m going to bed.” I boldly said, heading into a random room.

“SHADOW NO!” Le Duck shouted.

I opened the door and a beam of fire appeared in front of me.
“AH!” I shouted in shock as I quickly closed the door before my fur would be singed.

“Shadow, that’s our incinerator…”

“Oops…” I said scratching my mane in embarrassment.

---------------------------------------------------

I lie awake in bed, the past was haunting my thoughts preventing me from sleeping.

My mind is a wreck and my heart is heavy.
Ever since I became an Assassin all I’ve done was help others.
But… everything I did… everything I was…
It’s my fault the guild is destroyed… all because of that THING.

The apple…

Balthazar’s greed has no bounds, if I never brought that thing back, maybe the other assassins would still be alive and Ponitaly not destroyed.

Flora… if it wasn’t for me than you’d still be alive too...

I’m sorry… I’m so sorry…

-----Morning-------------------------------------------------------

I stepped out of my room into the main fireplace area with all 10 assassin members waiting around an un-proportionally small coffee table with a map laid out.

“Hey there sleepy-head how y’all feeling today?” Applejack asked me as I stretched and stifled a yawn.

“Apples.” I said.

We both laughed while the other ponies looked confused.

“I don’t get it,” said Rainbow Dash.

I walked over to the table and I asked a question to Le Duck who was lounging in a recliner with Ace sleeping on his shoulder, “So what’s up? Are you planning how we’re going to kill Volcanous?”

“Well… the thing is…” Twilight started.

“We can’t find him now. He’s either in the city or in the Gerponian barracks outside of the city,” Le Duck finished.

“Well that’s not that difficult, I say we split into a few teams and scout the areas.” I said to everypony and Le Duck noticed my quick resolution to this problem, a grin of pride appeared on his muzzle.

“Ok, so me and Applejack will head for the roofs of Gerpony and take out any patrolling soldiers.” I looked at Applejack who nodded her head.

“Twilight and Rarity I want you two to scour the ground and ask any citizens who have the whereabouts of Volcanous, also try to be discreet I bet the Gerponian military have reinforced the city since the rebel attack,” Twilight and Rarity nodded.

“Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy head over to the barracks and scout what you can, avoid combat as much as possible. I don’t want Volcanous to catch wind of what we’re planning.”

“You can count on us!” Rainbow saluted while Fluttershy looked nervous about flying into a heavily armed military compound filled with blood-thirsty corrupt soldiers who wouldn’t pause in killing an innocent pony.

She’ll be fine…

“Finally Pinkie I want you to create a signal bomb or something like that and possibly something that can cause a nice distraction.” I said to Pinkie.

“Why’a do you need a signal bomb?” asked Ponigi.

“Ah… that’s the beauty of this plan. I want you two to rally the rebels and perhaps even the citizens and scatter them throughout the city. When I send the signal the rebels will create a ruckus all over Gerpony.
Wherever Volcanous is he will have to spread out his troops all over Gerpony thus leaving his position more weakened whether he’s at the barracks or not.” I explained to Ponigi and Mareio.

“You can always count on… THE MUSHROOM BROS!”

“Hey Shadow, what can I do?” asked Spike who felt a bit left out.

Le Duck stepped in, “Well Spike you can help me in documenting the reports to the Princess and maybe even write a speech to calm the citizens once the deed has been done.”

Spike smiled and nodded his head enthusiastically.

“Great, meet back here in five hours and then we’ll begin.” I ended.

“So how the hay do we get back to the surface?” asked Applejack, the back route would take too long and it was reasonably cramped.

“Well, you can always just climb out the fireplace, but you can—,” Le Duck started to say until I cut him off.

“We don’t have TIME!” I grabbed a bucket of water from the emergency “in case of fire” shelf and threw the water over the fireplace dousing the flames.

I toss the bucket aside and I begin climbing through the sooty chimney.

*Cough* I spat out a black dust cloud.

If Le Duck said to use this then why isn’t it cleaner!?

I crawled through the confined chimney space upwards using the bricks until I’ve reached the opening at the other end. The Gerponian clouds still haven’t moved away from the city.

*COUGH* *COUGH*

Ah finally made it…

I jumped from the top of the chimney to the street below as soon as I landed I was greeted by a group of ponies.

“My goodness Shadow you look terrible.” Rarity said to me.

I was in shock, “How did you get up here so fast I thought you can only get up this quickly by chimney!”

“Just after you climbed through that chimney, Le Duck told us of a nice escalator leading to a door that leads right outside this building,” Twilight said with an amused look on her face.

Le Duck… you just want me to make you wanna… ARG!

“Ok everypony you know what to do. Applejack follow me!” I said just as I ran up a rickety old house and started to climb.

The five departed and Applejack followed me up to the roof. I helped her over the edge and we began to run across Gerpony.

-------------------------------------------------

After running what felt like an hour I stopped Applejack and pointed her in the direction in front of us. There were 2 soldiers smoking on the building opposite to us and are too distracted to notice us creep over to a ledge above them.
I signaled Applejack and she nodded her head. We both jump at the same time and strike the soldiers opposite from each other by air assassination.
I pick up a body and I dump it in an alcove on the roof, Applejack slowly drags the body into the same place as the other.

I motioned her and we continued to run across Gerpony.

After a while of running Applejack breaks into conversation, “So Shadow… you seem to be slightly quieter these days…”

I jumped on a wooden beam, “Really? Maybe it was because I was screaming in pain every time I needed to use the washroom for 3 days and the fact that my leg broke just about every ten minutes. But beyond that… I just have a lot on my mind.”

I and Applejack ran across a rope wire, “Well… if something’s troubling ya’ll then I’ll listen.”

I stopped on a roof to give Applejack a breather, “If I’m completely honest… I’m just thinking about all the work we do. As soon as we stop one Templar another would be put into place, I just can’t see this war ending at all.”

“Well Shadow that is a heavy thought… what I think is the more ponies we help the better their lives would be. And maybe just maybe the Templars can end their silly game of world domination and see that we all need to have peace.”

“That or the Templars would sprout like weeds and take over everypony.” Applejack said.

“Then we better get mowing.” I joked.

*AAAAAAHHHHHHHH*

Applejack and I turned our heads down below us and saw five soldiers ganging up on a mother holding a child.

“If you can’t pay taxes then you can’t keep the child,” one of the soldiers said with an evil smirk.

I motioned Applejack to get that one and protect the family while I distract the other soldiers.

She jumped and landed right on top of the guard harassing the mother and stabbed him in the neck. I followed up by extending both my hidden blades and jumping on two others killing them instantly.
Everything happened to fast for the other two soldiers to react, I stabbed one in his upper spine and Applejack finished of the last soldier with a swift buck to the head.

I didn’t think she killed him so I went over to the unconscious guard and pointed my knife downwards on his throut.

“NO!” Applejack grabbed my arm and pulled it away before I could puncture the soldier's throat.
“You can’t just kill him. He’s as much a victim of Volcanous as they are.” Applejack said pointing to the mother and child.

A victim… I never thought of these soldiers like that… still I can’t have this pony alert any others.

I went over to the family and said to the mother, “Hurry home the streets aren’t safe.”

“Thank you kind stranger!” she said as he headed quickly back to her home.

I went back to the unconscious body of the soldier and I hauled him over my back.Applejack and I walked across the empty street and I saw what I needed.
I placed the soldier in front of a bar and placed him in such a way that when waking up he would think he had too many beers.

“Clever…” Applejack smiled at me.

“I always try to think outside the chimney.” I laughed.

------------------------------------------------------------------

After a few more hours of roof clearing I could see that Applejack was a bit drained.

“Come on AJ! I can’t carry your arse back to the base, it might break my leg!” I joked.

“Oh hardy har har---“

Applejack’s sarcastic laugh was cut off by shouting and clanging about a street length away.
We quickly sprinted to the source of the noise and saw Twilight and Rarity.

They were both exhausted and were surrounded by 8 soldiers in which three were already dead. Without waiting I jumped from my height off the rooftop and landed smoothly on two guards killing them with my blades.

“SHADOW!” Twilight and Rarity exclaimed with joy radiating of their faces.

A soldier noticed my back was turned to him and he charged straight for me, before he can slash me with his sword Applejack landed right on top of him crushing his spine.

The last two got scared and began to run, but Twilight and Rarity threw a throwing knife each and they both landed squarely on the soldier’s fleeing backs. They fell down with a thud and didn’t move. I approached them and saw they were both dead, I pull the knives out of their corpses and head towards Rarity and Twilight.

“Ladies, I believe these are yours.” I said to them with my Ponitalian charm and they both blushed, Applejack just .
face hoofed.

“Any news on Balthazar’s movements?” I asked Rarity and Twilight.

“No, we looked all over the city and most of the citizens say they didn’t see him since the execution,” replied Rarity.

Maybe Rainbow and Fluttershy would have gotten something.

“Ok everyone I think we’ve done enough for now, let’s get back to Le Duck’s house. Hopefully tonight we can use the darkness to our advantage.” I said as we all started to walk down the street in the direction to Le Duck’s base.

A few minutes of walking passed by until Twilight asked me a question, “Shadow when you were…“reunited” with Le Duck who were you talking about? Who couldn’t you save?”

Wow Twilight you and your awkward questions…

I thought for a bit then I said calmly, “Someone I held very dear, until Balthazar took her from me.”

“Well can’t we find her? I bet we can get---”

“Forever.” I bluntly said with a slightly harsher tone, Twilight's face went shocked.

“Oh… Shadow I didn’t—.” Twilight started to apologize.

“It’s ok.” I cut her off. “It was Balthazar’s fault… but it was mostly mine.”

“Come on everyone we’re nearly there.” I pointed to the corner that leads to Le Duck’s base.

-----At the Base------------------

We entered the lobby of Le Duck’s place and I saw that the rest of the assassins were assembled.

I looked over to Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy, “Did you see Balthazar at the barracks?”

“Yes… but—,” Fluttershy started to speak until she was interrupted by Rainbow Dash.

“There were like a thousand soldiers, A THOUSAND SOLDIERS!”

“That is troubling…” Le Duck thought out loud.

I looked over to Mareio and Ponigi, “Did you rally the rebels and tell them of our plan?”

“YES! Right about’a now they must be all ov’a the city!” Mareio claimed and I nodded in approval.

“Good, now Pinkie do you have the signal bomb… thing?” I turned to Pinkie.

She handed me a relatively small firecracker and Pinkie saw my “what the hell is this” expression, “BIG things come in SMALL packages!”

*Swack Screek* Ace replied stifling a laugh.

I’m assuming that’s one on those, “That’s what she said jokes”.

“I see that everything is going accordingly, while I’ll go set off this flare I want the rest of you to get to the barracks and silently take out any stragglers around the battlements,” I said to the assassins who nodded in reply.

-----------------------------------------------

I thought Gerpony looked different underground, but up here I can’t image how to could have turned into such a desolate place.

I was at the very top of the highest point in Gerpony, a huge monumental church. I took out the small firecracker and I threw it up into the air as high as I can possibly throw it.

A second later…

*POP*

The night sky was covered in a vary amount of lights that exploded outwards from the firecracker. It filled the sky completely around the church tower, seconds passed and I heard clanging of steel and fighting from the city below me.

Then the firecracker fell down still blazing out lights as it headed straight for me.

“CRAP!” I shouted quickly running off the building to where I noticed a bale of hay below.

*LEAP OF FAITH*

I crawled out of the hay and started to run north of the city to where the barracks are. I passed through fighting groups of soldiers and rebels alike each side fighting to claim dominance over Gerpony, a civil war. I ignored them and ran to the rooftops using a barrel to aid me so I can avoid the clash on the streets below.

As I was running I looked over to the execution area and I saw a pony… the same pony that I saw countless times before, a unicorn surrounded by mystery and immense power.

Dave? What’s he doing here?

Dave was walking calmly around the battlefield munching on an apple completely oblivious to the carnage and warfare that was happening around him. A soldier shoved Dave and the apple fell to the ground. Dave turned to the soldier and stabbed him in the chest, I couldn’t see what weapon he used.

A rebel that noticed Dave stab the soldier gave a cheer, which was then silenced by Dave who had impaled his blade into the rebel’s face.

That’s when I saw what weapon Dave had.

A hidden blade? No… there’s something different about it.

It’s a pen…?

He’s stabbing ponies with a pen-blade!?

Dave retracted his pen into his hidden pen vambrace and walked towards the apple that he dropped, it was half submerged in a pool of murky grey water.
He pulled it out and started to eat the half that wasn’t dirty and he continued his leisurely stroll through the battlefield.

I can’t deal with him now… I need to get to Volcanous and save this poor city from this terror.

I ran to the outside of Gerpony and saw the Gerponian Military barracks a short distance away.
Using the cover of night I climbed over the battlements and onto the roofs of the military encampment.
I saw some shadows move on the other side of the fort.

Good they’re here…

My thoughts were interrupted when a hearty Gerponian voice boomed throughout the fort, “SEND MORZ SOLDIERS! THEZE REBELS MUST DIE!”

I looked down below and I saw Volcanous carrying his iron hammer which was still stained with blood from the unicorn addressing a group of soldiers.

As soon as his speech ended the soldiers dispersed outside the fort and Volcanous went around the barracks until he reached a blacksmith station and entered an abnormally large shed. I glided down the stone walls of the battlements to a shadow covered corner of the blacksmith area.

A few minutes later and Volcanous emerged from the shed wiping his hands which were covered in machine oil. He sat on a small stool and began to hammer a piece of metal on an anvil.

Time to strike, but there isn’t any cover in his smithy area.

With Volcanous’s back turned busily hammering an ingot I snuck as quickly and as quietly as I could behind him, I was near inches away from his neck.

I pulled out my hidden blade, as soon as I did Volcanous swung his hammer around to me dodging me by a few inches.

“AHA! I KNEW YOU PUNY ASSASSIN WOULD COME!” Volcanous shouted pulling his hammer over his shoulder.

Without hesitation I ran to his armed hoof and slashed through his skin with my blade.
Blood poured from the wound but Volcanous was unfazed he grabbed me, “Try again, Assassin.”

What!?

He threw me with his unarmed hoof and I toppled over the sandy dirt of the smithy area.

I picked myself up quickly and I ran to him again, Volcanous swung his hammer in around in an arc; I slide underneath his hammer and put two hidden blades in his back.

Volcanous grunted and swung his hammer around back and made contact with my ribs. I was sent flying from the impact and landed with a thud.

Urg… my ribs...

This pony’s strength is incredible; he shrugs off pain as if it wasn’t there.

Better go long-range.

I took out a throwing knife and I aimed it directly at Volcanous, it pierced his shoulder and was stuck inside his flesh.

“HA! YOU THINK THESE PUNY TOOTHPICKS CAN STOP ME!?” Volcanous laughed as he pulled out the knife from his shoulder and tossed it to the ground without reacting to any pain.

What is with this pony!?

I can’t hurt him with these attacks I need a mortal wound.

But how? I need a distraction…

*SCREE*

We both looked up and saw Ace circling around Volcanous from the sky.

Perfect.

Volcanous saw my grin and laughed, “A bird? A BIRD!? OH HOHOHOHO--- ARG!”

An arrow landed on Volcanous’s back and another followed piercing through his backleg all the way through.
Volcanous fell down on one knee and tried to recover, but before he could…

*ZING*

Throwing knifes appeared from all over the blacksmith area and landed into Volcanous.
All the members of my assassin group showed up from the shadows around the barracks.

Fluttershy was very enraged, “YOU WILL NOT HURT MY FRIEND!”

Volcanous just sat there on one knee unmoving. I wasn’t going to risk it so I ran up to him and stabbed him in his chest, a large spot of blood stained his blacksmith outfit.
I held his head with my hoof and he began to speak.

“You assassins are all the same… “freeing” the ponies. Ha…”

“Unlike you we don’t spread fear into the hearts of Gerpony’s citizens as well as her military.” I said to him, Volcanous merely shook his head in disapproval.

“Oh silly Assassin… Die cannot think this was ALL our army… no. This was just the beginning…” Volcanous coughed.

“The beginning? Beginning of what!? Is it part of project Purify?” I demanded from the defeated Volcanous.

“You will see soon enough *cough*…”

“Requiestat en pace…” I said to him as I brought my hoof over his eyes.

“FOOL!” Volcanous shouted at me as threw me off of him, he rose to his hooves.

He pulled out as much knives and arrows as he could and began to limp towards the shed.

“TAKE HIM DOWN!” I shouted at everypony.

Fluttershy aimed an arrow at Volcanous’s back while Twilight and Rarity threw knives. The arrows and steel blades stuck into Volcanous’s back and he only studdered, his destination in sight as headed towards the shed.

Applejack and Rainbow Dash ran in front of him to block his escape.

“RAAAAHHHH!” with a burst of strength Volcanous charged through them and violently shoved them to the ground. His strength increased his speed and he was almost at the shed.

“PINKIE!” I shouted, but she didn’t answer, she was nowhere to be seen in the smithy.

As Volcanous entered the shed the steel door closed shut behind him.

“DAMN IT PINKIE!” I shouted at the top of my voice.

A few seconds later and the steel door of the shed burst open as a black armored tank ran through it, it was labeled
“Iron Vulcan” and was adorned with the Purifier Industries logo.

I could see Volcanous driving the tank as he passed us he shouted, “JE SUIS MAY HAVE BEEN WEAK BUT AT LEAST HE’S NOT A FOOL! O HOHOHOHOHO!”

Volcanous continued to laugh as his tank crashed through the wall of the battlements. It drove quickly at a fast speed towards the sunrise.

“We can’t catch him now…” Applejack said sighing from the exhaustion.

Pinkie appeared from the destroyed shed hauling a nuke on a launch pad, “We can’t catch him, but THIS CAN!”

“Pinkie I don’t think a party nuke can help us here.” I pointed out.

Pinkie shook her head, “Don’t worry Shadow! When I was sneaking around the shed I found this strange powder I think it was called PLU-TON-IUM, what a funny name!”

“Anyways I filled up this nuke with a whole ton off that stuff, so I think that this nuke will be even better than my first one! OOOHH! I’ll call it PLUTONIFUN!” Pinkie shouted out in joy as her hoof came ever closer to the launch button.

“PINKIE NO!” We all shouted.

“FIRE!” Pinkie said with excitement as she pushed the button.

The nuke sailed into the sky and started to fall on a downward arc towards Volcanous’s tank.

“TWILIGHT GET US AS FAR AS POSSIBLE FROM HERE!” I shouted at her urgently.

A purple glow emanated from her horn and with a *crack* we all appeared on the top of the church tower in Gerpony.

I saw the nuke sail through the sky until it found its target, the Iron Vulcan.

*BOOOOOOM*

A large mushroom cloud formed around Volcanous’s truck and a few seconds later we were buffeted by a strong wind.

After the smoke from the mushroom cloud cleared Pinkie ecstatically shouted. “WOW! HOW NEAT WAS THAT!?”

“Oh Pinkie…” I face hoofed.

At least that’s the end of Volcanous…

----Nuke Crash Site--------------------------------------------

Burning embers surrounded the ravaged landscape with nothing left alive.

The Iron Vulcan was destroyed and various pieces of the wreck were scattered around the crash site.

“………………………..”

“………………………..”

“………………………..”

From the centre of the nuke’s landing area a pile of rubble began to shift.

As the shaking from the rubble got more erratic, a charred red hoof burst up from the ground

It was grasping an iron hammer.