The Inn of the Midnight Pony

by Emerald Harp

Just Have a Little Faith

Rarity stared at the still form of one of the best ponies she knew, a mare who had put her friends before herself too many times to count. To the white unicorn, it looked like the earth pony was having a pleasant dream, but she knew otherwise. The warpstone had corrupted Zecora; it had turned the once kind zebra into a monster.

Shaking her head in disbelief she whimpered, “It should not be like this. One simple bite shouldn’t bring down a pony like Applejack. She’s too strong, too stubborn to be brought so low.”

Sitting next to the distraught pony was Spike. He squeezed the unicorn’s hoof reassuringly. “Don’t worry, Rarity. Twilight will figure this out. And I am sure those two . . . uh, new ponies that are coming will be able to help.”

Rarity blinked at the baby dragon, as fresh tears marred her snow-white face. “Do you mean those two ruffians from another world?”

“Yeah,” Spike said enthusiastically. “According to Princess Luna’s letter, they’ve dealt with this warpstone stuff before.”

The pony winced; she did not like that term. The words made her skin crawl. “Do you think Pinkie Pie found them?” she asked.

Smiling, the baby dragon replied, “If anypony can, it’d be Pinkie Pie.”

“But, do you think she’s alright? And those horrible creatures . . . oh, Spike.”

The smile Spike had worn vanished as he enveloped Rarity in an awkward hug. Stroking her mane softly, he whispered, “She’ll be okay, Rarity. It will all be okay. Just have a little faith.”

As Spike held the distraught unicorn, he saw Applejack begin to stir on the hospital bed. It was the first sign of life from her he had seen since yesterday.

“Rarity, I think she’s waking up.”

The unicorn started in surprise as she let go of Spike and turned to face her waking friend.

While keeping her eyes shut, the earth pony called out, “Hello, is anypony there?”

“Yes, darling,” Rarity answered. “Spike and I are here. How do you feel?”

“I feel like I’ve been run over by a stampede of green-eyed critters. What’s going on? Where am I?”

Cringing, Rarity replied, “You’re in the hospital dear, the intensive care unit. After Zecora bit you, things have gone from bad to worse. We had to evacuate the town and bring everypony here. It’s the only safe place in Ponyville.”

“Smart thinking,” Applejack replied. “Have y’all busted out the Elements yet?”

“Yes, Twilight has yours on hoof,” Rarity replied happily.

“Good. Could you get it for me? I wanna help.”

Relieved, the fashionista replied, “Normally I would insist that you stay in bed and recover your strength, but desperate times call for desperate measures.”

Her attention focused on the earth pony, Rarity spoke over her shoulder, “Spike, be a dear, and get Applejack’s Element from Twilight.”

Hearing no reply, Rarity looked over at the baby dragon. “Spike, what’s wrong?”

Spike didn’t answer, as he walked up to the foot of the bed. “Applejack?”

“Yeah, Spike?” The earth pony smiled in the direction of the voice.

“Why don’t you open your eyes?”

“Uh, no thanks, Spike. They sting mighty awful right now. But, if you could go get Twilight and tell her I’m awake, I’d sure appreciate it.”

Rarity felt a shiver go up her spine as she caught onto Spike’s line of thinking. “Yes, but if you could open your eyes, it would make us feel much better.”

“And why’s that?”

“Because Zecora had those weird-looking eyes,” Spike answered. “You might have what she does.”

“But I’m not Zecora. She’s a zebra for crying out loud, not a pony. Come on, I’d never hurt you two.” The earth pony’s kind demeanor shifted to that of annoyance. “I’m the Element of Honesty, remember? And I’m telling you there’s nothing wrong with me.”

Spike sighed, “Sorry, Applejack, you’re right. The sooner we get the Elements of Harmony together the better.”

“Exactly. Now hurry up. Time’s a wasting,” the country mare stated tersely.

Rarity frowned at Spike and mouthed, “What are you doing?”

Giving the unicorn a serious look, Spike brought a finger to his lips. In a blur of motion, the baby dragon grabbed one of Applejack’s eyelids and pryed it open.

To the baby dragon’s horror, the once dazzling emerald eyes of the earth pony had turned a sickly green. Spike barely had enough time to get his claws away before Applejack’s jaws bit where they had been moments ago. Her secret revealed, the warped earth pony lunged at the little dragon but missed and went skidding into a wall. Rarity and Spike scrambled for the door. The pair made it out of the room just in time. Realizing that the unicorn had locked the heavy wooden door on her way out, Applejack began to batter it with her hind legs.

Sadness warred with disgust as the unicorn thought about what her friend had now become. Unwilling to let herself dwell on this reality, the fashion designer said huskily, “Come, Spike. We must tell Twilight.”

No sooner had they started moving toward the hospital entrance, they were stopped by Fluttershy. Her cuts and bruises were healing well, but she wore a scared look on her scraped face.

“Rarity,” she said breathlessly, “Sweetie Belle is missing.”

“What?” the fashionista shrieked. “For how long?”

The pegasus shook her head. “I don’t know, but nopony can seem to find her anywhere.”

Fighting down a wave of panic, Rarity spoke quickly. “Get a couple of ponies down here to watch this door. Applejack is awake, and she is just like Zecora.”

Fluttershy covered her mouth with her hooves. “Oh, no!”

“Focus, darling. I need you to hurry. I don’t know if that door can hold back a pony as strong as she is.”

Nodding, Fluttershy galloped down the hall followed by Rarity and Spike. Riding on the mare’s back, the baby dragon had to hold on tight as the unicorn sped through the congested hallways of the hospital. Everywhere he looked, Spike saw scared ponies staring at them. Nopony dared to question or delay the determined mare after she screamed at a pair of puzzled pegasi to get out of her way.

Bursting through an exit, Rarity dashed over to a weary Twilight Sparkle. She was looking at Ponyville through a pair of binoculars.

“Twilight!” Rarity yelled.

The lavender unicorn turned. Exhausted from lack of sleep, she shook her head to clear her mind. “What’s wrong?”

Spike hopped down from Rarity’s back. “Applejack’s awake, and she has the same green eyes as Zecora. She tried to bite me.”

Spike’s words tore open the guilt that Twilight still carried in her heart. Unbidden tears welled up in her eyes as she said, “No, not Applejack too. . .” Taking a deep breath while wiping her eyes, she continued, “There’s nothing we can do for her until Pinkie brings Felix and Gotrek here.”

Rarity shook her head. “I must go back into Ponyville. Sweetie Belle is missing.”

Twilight looked past the hills toward the center of town. Smoke was rising ominously from the center of the city. From where she stood, she could hear the howls from dozens of changed animals. They were getting closer. She turned her attention back to the other mare. “Rarity . . .”

“Don’t try to stop me.” The white unicorn said as she began to gallop down the road. At that moment, she felt a strong gust of wind blow past her.

A familiar voice from behind her yelled, “They’re coming! They’re coming!”

Rarity stopped dead in her tracks and trotted up to the pegasus.

“Who’s coming, Rainbow?” Twilight asked wearily.

Rainbow Dash gasped for breath. “Pinkie . . . she found the dwarf and human and some other ponies from town.”

“Is Sweetie Belle with them?” Rarity asked hopefully.

"Yeah, she’s with ‘em.”

The white unicorn let out a sigh of relief. “Oh, thank Celestia.”

Twilight allowed herself a weak smile. This was the first bit of good news since this nightmare started. However, what little happiness the unicorn felt was soon destroyed as her friend continued, “There’s also dozens of mutant critters coming up the road behind them.”

Fighting down the panic and fear rising in her chest, Twilight asked, “How soon will the mutants be here?”

“I don’t know. They’re moving pretty slow . . . ten minutes.”

Closing her eyes, the Element of Magic tried to concentrate on what to do next. Her thoughts were interrupted when Spike shouted, “Here they come!”

Turning to look, Twilight Sparkle saw a group of weary-looking ponies, a minotaur, and two strange bipeds clad in midnight blue. All were being led by Pinkie Pie. They were moving as fast as they could, but Twilight could see that some of them were hurt.

Seeing her little sister among the company, Rarity and her friends bolted toward them. A little unicorn from the group squeaked in happiness as she ran to embrace her sister. As the two siblings were reunited, the last of the Ponyville refugees were greeted by the Element of Magic. A few ponies in hospital uniforms came forward to assist Iron Will onto a stretcher and carry him away. An excited Pinkie Pie relayed what had happened in the town.

As the Equestrians filed into the hospital, a feeling of great unease permeated through the taller Lunar Knight’s heart. He knew that here would be the place a stand would be made. The time of fleeing before the enemy army was over; it was now time to stand and resist and, if need be, die. As the pair reached the entrance of the building, a crowned lavender unicorn looked at them curiously.

Twilight turned her gaze on the short, squat, biped with a Mohawk. “Are you Felix?”

The dwarf’s eyes narrowed. “Do I look like a weak, pathetic, milk sucker to you?”

Before Twilight could apologize, the Slayer continued, “I am Gotrek, son of Gurni. And I’ll be damned the day I let a pony call me by a human name.”

The unicorn frowned at the cantankerous dwarf but did not reply. Instead, she looked up at the taller one. “So, you’re Felix.”

The human wore a tired, yet admiring smile as he nodded. He was impressed by the way the pony was taking Gotrek’s coarse manner in stride.

Before Felix could offer his hand in greeting, a purple and green lizard ran up beside the Element of Magic. “Twilight, Big Mac can’t keep Applejack in that room forever. She’s about to break free.”

Gotrek’s eyebrows rose in interest, while the poet unconsciously gripped the pommel of his crimson blade. At once, the warrior felt his pupils dilate and his heartbeat quicken. He felt a strange, but building desire to stab the small talking lizard through its heart over and over again. He hadn’t felt this kind of bloodlust since his encounters with the dragon, Skjalandir. With great effort, Felix released the red sword. All the while he never shook his gaze from the scaly being who had now taken refuge behind the crowned mare in fright.

“Manling!” Gotrek shouted.

Blinking the poet looked down at the Troll Slayer through a diminishing red haze.

“What? What did you say?” asked Felix

“Give me your amulet that he-witch Schreiber gave you. I burnt all the magic out of mine.”

Seeing where Gotrek’s line of thinking was heading, Felix slipped the ice-sickle shaped piece of jewelry from his neck.

Twilight meanwhile pointed to Rainbow Dash and said, “Rainbow, I’m going to take Gotrek to Applejack. You need to organize these ponies and set up a defense in front of the hospital.”

The pegasus saluted. “You can count on me, Twi.” Immediately Rainbow Dash sped about the hospital, recruiting any able-bodied pony she could get her hooves on.

Twilight turned her attention back to the impatient dwarf and said, “Follow me.” With that, she took off at a trot deeper into the hospital. The Troll Slayer was right behind her.

Spike quickly followed after the dwarf and Twilight, not wanting to be left with the swordsman.

Felix considered going after them, but several high-pitched howls from off in the distance kept him rooted to the spot. Sighing, the poet drew his weapon and chose a spot a few feet away from a formation of earth ponies. The poet looked down the road. Dozens of timber wolves were running straight toward the hospital.

Rainbow Dash saw the threat as well and hastily finished organizing the rabble of ponies as best she could. Finally when all was ready, she sped skyward and looked down to survey her work.

“Um, Rainbow . . . what should I do?” a soft sweet voice asked.

The sky-blue pegasus cringed as she looked over at Fluttershy who had joined her in the air.

“Well, you could . . .” Rainbow Dash started to say.

“I can’t do it, Rainbow Dash. I’m sorry, but I can’t fight against my dear little creatures, no matter how much they’ve changed,” Fluttershy interrupted tearfully. “I know I’m letting everypony down, but I can’t.”

Enveloping her childhood friend in a hug, the athletic pegasus replied, “You should be there when she wakes up. Twilight, Spike, and. . . that other thing have got cured by now.”

Drying her tears, the shy pegasus nodded.

“Good. I knew I could count on you.”

As Fluttershy flew back to the hospital, Rainbow Dash looked down at her formations. She saw a tall lanky biped standing off by himself. Frowning, she sped to the ground and landed next to the swordsman.

“So, you’re a human huh? You don’t look like much. I think we ponies have everything under control if you want to hang out in the hospital.”

Some of the ponies standing beside Felix laughed nervously.

The poet looked at the mare and smiled. “You did a fine job of organizing these ponies . . . for an amateur. I’ve seen better formations, but I suppose it will have to do.”

At once the pegasus was in his face, but Felix did not give an inch to the now irate pony. “I bet you couldn’t take on one of those timber wolves.”

Despite the coming horde of lupine attackers, Felix shook his head and grinned like a fool. He could not believe what he was about to say. “You’re on. Whoever takes down the most wolves has to buy the drinks tonight.”

“I’ll take that bet any day,” replied the pegasus.

Off to Felix’s side, Pinkie appeared, sporting a pair of boxing gloves and a red helmet. “I don’t know Dashie. Felix is one of the fightiest, sword swingiest, bestest, humans in Equestria,” the eccentric earth pony said as she jabbed the air around her.

“Really? We’ll see about that.” The light-blue pegasus flew higher to give instructions to the other pegasi.

At Rainbow’s command, the pegasi launched a wave of rocks upon the charging wolves. Seconds later, the unicorns sent a volley of magical lances tearing into the vanguard of the attackers. The effect was devastating. Half the timber wolves had fallen before getting to the Equestrian lines. The other half pressed onward, uncaring of the horrific casualties as they engaged the front ranks of the earth ponies.

Felix took a step forward and shattered the lead wolf with a blow from his sword despite Luna’s enchantment. The creature came apart like an invisible hand had pulled loose a thread that was holding it together.

Rainbow Dash dove to get closer to the battle. Her jaw dropped as she saw the human dismember two more wolves in quick succession. She was so enthralled by the warrior’s prowess in battle that she was not aware of a snapping wooden lupine about to attack.

Seeing the threat to his rival, Felix turned and slashed downward, severing head from shoulders.

“Hey, that one was mine!” the pony declared angrily.

“Don’t worry. There’s more coming,” Felix replied as he waded deeper into the fight.

____________________________________________________________________________________

Nopony dared to stop Twilight Sparkle and her fearsome companion. The midnight blue tabard the dwarf wore silenced all questions and opened all doors. The lavender unicorn did not know what to make of the dwarf and human at first glance. She did not doubt their skills in combat; their wounds and how they carried themselves attested to that. However, she definitely did not like how Felix had looked at Spike. And Gotrek . . . She didn’t know where to begin with the axe wielder.

Twilight’s doubts were put aside as they rounded the last hallway to Applejack’s room. Her door was being held shut by two strong hospital orderlies and Big Macintosh. All were struggling to keep Applejack from kicking it open from the inside. Each blow from the mare sent Big Mac and the two earth ponies sprawling backwards.

Cracking the muscles in his neck, Gotrek tightened his grip on his axe. “Let her out!” he yelled. Big Mac looked at the ugly, one-eyed thing behind him. The stallion’s attention quickly focused on the huge axe.

Noticing this, the dwarf said grumpily, “Don’t worry. I can’t kill her, even if I wanted to.”

As another kick sent the ponies to the floor, the dwarf advanced. With one blow from his star metal axe, the door disintegrated, and out flew the warped earth pony.

Before Gotrek could raise his weapon to defend himself, a shimmering field of magic had materialized around the belligerent earth pony. A mask of pure rage was frozen on the orange mare’s face as she hung in mid-air. Glancing over at the unicorn, the dwarf saw that the crowned pony had created the field.

Sweating profusely, Twilight Sparkle grimaced. “Whatever you’re going to do, do it now.”

Without a second’s hesitation, the Troll Slayer smashed his axe against the side of the suspended mare’s head. A dark blue bubble formed around the weapon just before it made contact. Applejack, crumpled to the floor in a heap, no longer supported by Twilight’s magic.

Twilight grunted in shock as her barrier was destroyed by the dwarf’s sudden attack. Spike caught the stunned unicorn before she tumbled to the floor.

“How dare you?!” screamed Big Mac. Throwing all caution to the wind, the huge pony leapt at the Lunar Knight.

“Big Mac! Wait!” Twilight cried out weakly.

“Idiot,” Gotrek muttered as he swung his axe and batted the pony aside. The stallion crashed through the wall and into the room where his sister was imprisoned moments ago.

Ignoring the horrified looks of the other ponies and dragon, the dwarf slipped the amulet around the neck of Applejack. As the trinket touched the mare’s fur, a dull golden glow issued from the amulet’s ice shard center.

With Spike’s help, Twilight got back on her hooves. She walked forward and stared at the small amulet. “Will this work?”

Gotrek shrugged. “Probably not.” Shouldering his axe, Gotrek stepped over the mare and headed back down the hall.

“Where are you going?” Twilight asked as she went over to check on Big Mac.

“To find my doom. It should be right outside.”

___________________________________________________________________________________

Felix parried a ferocious club swing from a skaven and countered by kicking the vermin in the chest, breaking several of its ribs. Turning on his heel, the swordsman slashed at a mutated rabbit that was attempting to gnaw at his leg. Catching the once benign creature between the eyes, the mutant collapsed in a heap. The human did not have time to savor his many victories, for he was more surrounded by the enemy then his Equestrian allies.

The first wave of timber wolves had fallen quickly to the hospital’s defenders. Green balls of foul warp energy flew from their shattered bodies back down the road toward Ponyville. From that same road poured companies of skaven and other changed creatures in an endless wave of madness and glowing eyes.

Again the poet brought down his enchanted sword, and again Luna’s shield prevented the death of his enemy. Felix frowned for he believed death would be a blessing for these creatures. During the short time between fighting his many opponents, the swordsman caught glimpses of how his pony allies were faring. The ponies were fighting with vigor, but they were only slightly better warriors than the mutants. The pegasi had joined their unicorn and earth pony allies on the ground. He saw his rainbow pegasus rival bring down a large green-eyed beaver with a mighty blow from her back legs. But he could see how she trembled from adrenaline and exhaustion. She was using too much energy and tiring quickly.

As Felix continued to fight, he noted that the earth ponies were by far the greater melee fighters than the unicorns or pegasi. Pinkie Pie showed no sign of fatigue as she knocked out what must have been her twentieth mutant. The pony seemed to have an infinite reservoir of endurance. Other ponies had not fared as well. Over a quarter of the defenders had been carried from the field to the hospital they were fighting to protect.

Felix swore as he felt the tender bite wound on his right arm reopen as he fought three mutants at once. Fighting through the pain, he overcame these foes. However, the worst was yet to come.

The poet’s mouth went dry as the mutant ranks parted to make way for a true nightmare. The great beast was like an enormous lion with a great tail of a scorpion. The monster’s huge bat wings kicked up a great gust of wind that nearly knocked the swordsman off his feet. With a deafening roar, the warped beast advanced, heading straight for the poet.

Knowing that he was the only one on the field of battle who stood a chance against the juggernaut, Felix stood his ground.

“Sigmar, preserve me,” he prayed during what he thought would be his final moments. His soul thus committed to his chosen god, Felix raised his sword and was about to attack the manticore head on. Before he could, he saw that one of his allies was surrounded by a group of skaven. A white unicorn was valiantly trying to fend off the mutants with a frying pan levitated with her magic. She smashed the pan against the skull of one and brought it across the face of another, breaking bone and cartilage before she was overcome.

Without thinking, Felix ran to the fallen pony’s aid and swung his sword madly against the mare’s attackers. Surprised at the ferocity of the strange biped, the skaven broke rank and ran.

As the warrior knelt down to aid the fallen pony, the mare screamed, “Look out!” But it was too late.

To the warrior, it felt like someone had shoved him from behind. He began to fall forward but stopped suddenly, as if caught by something. White hot pain began to flare up in his chest. He looked down and saw an enormous barbed protrusion erupting from his torso. As quickly as the monster’s tail stabbed the warrior, it withdrew. But before the knight’s body could crash to the earth, the white mare caught her rescuer’s body with her magic. She gently placed him on the ground and quickly armed herself with the warrior’s crimson weapon.

“You coward!” Rarity screamed. “How could you attack a gentlecolt helping a lady in need? I’ll teach you some manners you won’t forget.”

Again, the tail shot forward, but the mare was ready. She swung the blade with her magic and batted the poisonous appendage away. The monster howled in pain and fury.

Before the beast could attack again, a deep gravelly voice roared, “Uruk motari!”

Bodies of mutants flew in every direction, heralding the Lunar Knight and the Element of Magic. Nothing could stand against the dwarf as he gleefully sowed carnage throughout the hospital grounds. Twilight supported the Troll Slayer by blasting back any mutant that got too close. The pair pushed forward as they lead the Equestrians in a masterful counter attack.

Finally, the Troll Slayer saw the manticore. It was watching him, but the dwarf was not returning its gaze. Instead he saw the body of his fallen remembrancer being protected by a white unicorn. Rage like Gotrek had rarely known seethed in his heart.

The dwarf screamed and launched himself at the manticore, barreling over several mutants that got in his way. To Rarity’ surprise, the beast took a couple steps back in the face of the berserker. The duel with the monster was over before it began, as the short knight laid the beast low with a single blow from his axe.

As the manticore fell, the majority of the attackers began to retreat down the road. Sporadic fighting continued as Twilight tried to bring order to the disorganized ponies.

“Colgate, get Cherillee to the hospital!” Twilight ordered. She then fired a lance of magic at a large rat armed with a garden hoe, knocking it to the ground. “Pinkie, go help Rainbow!” The pink mare gave a clumsy salute, climbed into her party cannon, and fired herself toward the exhausted pegasus.

Hearing a groan, the lavender unicorn trotted over to the injured human. The wound was already starting to fester, due to the manticore’s poison.

“Will he be alright?”

Twilight looked up to see Rarity. The mare looked like she had fought the entire mutant army by herself. She was covered in wounds but this did not seem to bother as she levitated Felix’s sword with her magic.

The crowned unicorn bit her lip in uncertainty. “I don’t know. We need to get him to the hos—”

“No! . . . Warp . . . stone,” the human whispered suddenly.

“What? Say that again, Felix,” Twilight commanded as she knelt down to hear the warrior better.

“Warpstone . . . burn it . . . burn . . .” The knight tried to continue, but a trail of blood began to ooze down his chin as he coughed on his words.

“Over here!” yelled Rarity to a couple of nurses.

As the medical ponies galloped toward them, Twilight ordered, “Get him a doctor, now!”

Nodding, the ponies gently placed Felix on a stretcher and carried him off the battlefield.

Before Rarity could ask what the human had said, the ground started to shake. Above the trembling of the earth, the air was filled with the baying and screaming of hundreds of tortured animal voices.

“Everypony back in formation!” Twilight commanded.

The defenders leaped to obey the Element of Magic’s instructions. All except Gotrek, who stood his ground, well in front of the Equestrian line. While rubbing at his irritated empty eye socket, he considered charging down the road to his glorious doom.

“Gotrek! We need you up here!”

Annoyed, the dwarf turned. “I am not one of your inbred little horses to be beckoned!” He shouted. “I shall greet my doom with my axe in hand on the ground of my own choosing.”

Twilight considered levitating the dwarf back to the rest of the poines, but what she saw next took her breath away. It was like the entire Everfree Forest had emptied. Seemingly thousands of green-eyed mutants marched forward in a tidal wave of fur and madness, while the sky darkened with avian creatures of every kind. In the vanguard of this new threat advanced an Ursa Minor. On the back of the great beast rode three ponies, all of which the Equestrians recognized: Zecora, Bright Shield, and. . .

“Shining Armor?” Twilight Sparkle gasped.

As the Ursa Minor came closer to the defenders, the lavender unicorn’s joy at seeing her brother changed into heart-rending horror.

As with the mutants and Zecora, the white stallion bore the marks of warpstone. The warped unicorn carried himself like a general at the head of an army. He looked as if he had the power to destroy an army as well. His muscles bulged with power, and his horn crackled with barely contained dark magic. His once bright uniform was dull and torn. He was a twisted version of the Shining Armor Twilight once knew.

At Shining Armor’s command, the Ursa Minor stopped a few dozen feet away from the Equestrians. In a booming voice he called out, “Hello, Twiley, did you miss me?” The question was asked in the same sweet voice Shining Armor always used around his sister.

“Yes, and I still do,” Twilight said strongly as fresh tears began to stain her face.

“Don’t cry, Twiley. I’ve never been better, and it’s all thanks to you. If you hadn’t left me back in the forest, I wouldn’t be who I am right now.”

Twilight winced as if she had been slapped, but she did not rise to her corrupted brother’s baiting.

“She didn’t abandon you!” Rainbow Dash shouted. “Snap out of it, Shining Armor!”

Shining Armor’s eyes narrowed. “I didn’t ask for your opinion.” He shot a bolt of magic that impacted right in front of the pegasus.

In response, Twilight’s horn glowed with magic as she prepared to defend her friends.

Shining Armor smiled maliciously. “Remember when you were school and I was in the Guard academy? Remember how we used to spar with our magic? For old time’s sake, why don’t we try that again? But this time, let’s not hold back.”

“No!”

All eyes turned to the Troll Slayer who was now brandishing his axe in front of the Ursa Minor. “I get first claim to your hide, unless you’re too much of a coward to face a true warrior and would rather fight a useless pony.”

“Gotrek,” Twilight called out, “he’s my brother. I’ll deal with him.”

Shining Armor ignored his sister and looked down at the ugly, mohawked dwarf for the first time. “And who might you be, short one?”

Gotrek’s grip tightened on his axe. “I am your doom incarnate, you piece of troll filth. Now get down here so I may ruin those pretty looks of yours.”

The Prince of the Crystal Empire glared down at his challenger and stamped his hoof twice. The Ursa Minor bowed its head down to the ground. Shining Armor marched straight toward the dwarf, ignoring everyone else. Twilight Sparkle looked at the enemy army behind the Ursa Major. Every single mutant was standing by and watching, just like the Equestrians.

“What do you want us to do, Twilight?” asked Rarity, still clutching Felix’s sword with her magic.

Twilight closed her eyes. “Nothing.”

“What?!” cried Rainbow Dash. “We can’t let him fight your brother one-on-one! I mean, look at Shining Armor. What if the dwarf loses?”

“He’s buying us time,” Twilight replied tersely. “If we interfere now, we’ll be overwhelmed by that army. We need to wait for Fluttershy to bring Applejack here. Then we can use the Elements of Harmony to end this.”

The rest of the ponies nodded their agreement, but not one of them liked the situation.

Twilight turned her attention back to the impending duel. She willed Applejack to heal quickly. They needed her now.

Gotrek spat on the ground as his opponent drew closer. Although he did not show it, the dwarf was impressed by the royal unicorn. The pony was enormous and bulged with muscles that were comparable to the dwarf’s. Chaos magic danced from the unicorn’s horn as he approached. With each stride, the pony’s hoof print burned into the ground.

The dwarf grinned maniacally. This was it, the moment he had been waiting decades for. This day his life would finally come to an end, and he would at last pay for the sins he had committed seemingly life times ago.

Shining Armor was about to say something to the dwarf, but Gotrek held up his fist and shouted, “Enough talking! My axe thirsts!”

He surged forward. He was too far lost in his battle ecstasy to care about anything save for one thing. It was a pity that the human could not be here to see and record his death.

The white unicorn drew first blood as he fired a lance of energy. The beam scorched across Gotrek’s right arm before plowing into the ground behind him. The Slayer shrugged off the pain and kept coming as more lances of emerald magic pummeled his burned and bleeding body. When the dwarf was close enough, his axe flashed in a wide arc, but Shining Armor was faster. The stallion reared up on his hind legs as the axe passed under him. Cruelly, he brought his left front hoof down on the Slayer’s face with a sickening crunch.

Gotrek’s face exploded in blood and pain as he spat out two of his few remaining teeth from his dislocated jaw. He reeled on his feet before coming to his knees.

Shining Armor expected the dwarf to beg for his life as he approached. To his wonder, the ugly, burnt being was smiling a toothless grin.

Gotrek uttered one word. “More.”

The dwarf quickly came to his feet, brought up his axe, and struck the surprised unicorn on the shoulder. Shining Armor gave a grunt of pain as his front leg went dead. To stop the dwarf from capitalizing on his success, the fallen unicorn placed a green force field around himself.

Gotrek just shook his head before bringing his axe down, shattering the field. Sensing the end was near, the dwarf raised his axe again to strike down the prone unicorn.

Yet, Shining Armor had one last attack to deal. He lunged at the axe man, his horn goring the knight deep into his stomach. The other ponies gasped in horror. Never before had they witnessed such violence perpetrated by a fellow pony, much less Twilight Sparkle’s own brother. This kind of barbarity was only read about in history books.

For a split second Gotrek froze in agony, as the stallion’s horn erupted from his back. Fighting back the blackness that threatened to claim him, he summoned all of his reserves of energy. The Troll Slayer, bellowing one last warcry, brought his axe down on the horn of Shining Armor. Not even Luna’s protective spell could keep Shining Armor’s horn from being sundered under the force of the blow.

Screaming in shock and pain, the great white unicorn collapsed on all fours. Green energy fountained from the stub of his horn as he thrashed about on the ground. The enemy army echoed their commander’s pain as if they could feel it, too. Some ran in random directions. Others began to attack their former comrades and a few sat down and wept as madness engulfed them completely.

Gotrek laughed at the chaos he had wrought upon the enemy army. His laughter soon turned into pained coughing as he spat out a mouthful of blood. Looking down at his torso, he saw the enormous horn. Using what was left of his strength, he wrenched the bone from his stomach. Blood immediately began to pour from the gaping cavity. Covering the wound, the Troll Slayer tried to stagger forward. However, he could not. His legs refused to move. Instead, the dwarf found himself falling backward, axe still in hand.

The last thing the Lunar Knight saw as he cast his gaze toward the heavens was six ponies bathed in brilliant white light. Their eyes were glowing in power, but it was a different power from the chaos magic. As a wave of energy passed over him, he was strangely at peace, even though he knew that he had failed to finish off his opponent. Gotrek smiled as blackness overcame him.