(Saddle Arabia Station, The Desert Border)
Saddle Arabia was a vast desert, filled with creatures that were adapted to the harsh heat and frequent sandstorms that sweep across the dunes.
This was not a friendly environment, with a high mortality rate for death by dehydration, starvation, and the highest one, Ambush by Rouge Militants.
Prince Eclipsio, Applejack, and Sunset exited the car and were immediately hit by the intense heat of the desert sun.
Sunset groaned, "Sweet Celestia its HOT!" She turned to Eclipsio, "Couldn't you eclipse the sun until we get to this pony's home?"
Eclipsio snorted, "Unless you want to freeze to death, I can't do that. Nights in the desert are brutally cold, hence the reason I brought sleeping bags."
Applejack rolled her eyes, "You've gotta be kiddin me. You two have been through battles that shook Equestria, yet you can't stand a little heat? That's not very impressive. if lives were on the line, which they are, I'd walk through Tartarus and back to save muh friends and family. Would you do the same?"
That rendered the two ponies speechless for a few minutes, before Eclipsio said "We may want to get a move on, the sooner we can get to this pony, the better."
The three ponies had no idea they were being watched as they stood outside, waiting for a Sand Chariot to arrive, which was the equivalent of a taxi for Saddle Arabia.
Out of nowhere, a pony with a sand yellow-hood jumped down from the roof of the station (which was about a 50 foot drop) and landed with a thud, sending sand into Sunset's eyes, which snapped shut.
"Gah! I hate the desert!" She roared, trying to wipe the sand from her eyes.
The hooded pony said in a deep voice, "Well get used to it Sunshine, cause it's not going anywhere."
Sunset shouted at the pony, "My name is SunSET, not Sunshine!"
AJ took a defense stance, "Who are you? Cause you jus sent sand inta Sunset's eyes."
The hooded figure held out a tissue, "Here, this should help."
He then bent down and flexed his back legs, "My identity is none of your concern now. But it will be soon enough, goodbye Applejack."
The hooded pony long jumped towards the mountains in the distance, leaving craters in the sand until it finally disappeared into the shimmering horizon.
Prince Eclipsio unveiled his wings as the Sand Chariot arrived, he signaled for the driver to get off and he put the reins on him.
Applejack looked confused, "What are ya doing spooky?"
Eclipsio spoke in determined voice, "Its faster to travel in the air than on the ground. C'mon, let's follow that pony."
Sunset and Applejack nodded and got in, and instinctively held on to the handles.
Eclipsio shouted, "Ok! Let's get moving!"
With a loud boom, Eclipsio blasted off into the air, leaving trails of dust behind him and generating a small dust storm.
A group of shadowy figures took flight after them, each wearing a familiar purple flightsuit with a black Lightning bolt on it...
(Saddle Arabian Skies)
Eclipsio flew across the skies at nearly Mach 2, which pushed his body to its limits.
he may not be as fast as Rainbow Dash, but he was still extremely fast and very durable.
That durability factor was probably why he wasn't burning up right now...
Meanwhile, Sunset and Applejack were pressed back into their seats by the G-Forces, they both wondered how Rainbow Dash could fly at these speeds without puking her guts out or catching fire.
Eventually, Eclipsio slowed down, letting both Sunset and AJ move out of their seats and to the front of the chariot.
Besides the wind rushing by their faces, it was unnervingly quiet.
Eclipsio shouted back to the two mares, "HEY! We have company, and it doesn't look Friendly to me!"
Applejack squinted to try and make out the approaching life forms, it was a group of Pegasi, which was unusual for today.
Pegasus usually sleep during the hot hours of the day...
What the hay were these Pegasai doing out at this hour?
One of the Pegasi flew past them, and AJ went pale...
It was The Shadowbolts!
Sunset noticed the Shadowbolts and shouted to Eclipsio, "Evasive Maneuvers! It is the Shadowbolts!"
Eclipsio was growling, his teeth wrapped around a Shadowbolts wing, which he snapped with an ungodly crunch, letting the Pegasus fall to his doom.
Sunset Shimmer began blasting electric bolts from her horn, while Applejack picked up a crossbow and bolts that were hidden in the chariot and began loosing the wooden bolts, nailing many of the Shadowbolts in their wings, letting them fall to their doom.
A lone Shadowbolt with a golden lightning bolt instead of a black one came up from underneath the chariot, smashing it to bits.
Sunset and AJ began to fall towards the desert floor, Eclipsio dived towards them, engulfing them in his wings before smashing down hard into the sand.
Prince Eclipsio was out cold, but Sunset and Applejack were fine, thankfully.
The lead Shadowbolt dived down, flapping its wings and causing a large dust cloud, blinding the pair.
Applejack heard the roaring of the wind behind her and delivered a buck strong enough to send the Dark Pegasus flying and burying them in a sand dune.
Applejack ran over to Eclipsio, saying "Wake Up, We're in danger, spooky. C'mon get up!"
The Shadowbolt rushed at Sunset, who repelled her back with a concussive blast that knocked off its mask, revealing a familiar face...
The shadowbolt was a mare, she had a yellow and white mane and tail with one part of it draping over her right eye, which had a long red scar running across it. Her eyes burned with anger, anger for the pony who just tossed her about.
Sunset immediately recognized that face, "Lightning Dust? Is that you, you're leading the Shadowbolts!"
Lightning Dust smirked and said, "Well they appreciate my talents more, and since Princess Luna doesn't need us anymore, I reorganized us into a mercenary group. Now we track down and destroy anything our buyer says they want gone, and we aren't cheap..."
Applejack kicked some sand into Lightning Dust's face, blinding her to a pair of kicks from her powerful back legs.
"Listen 'ere, Lightning Dust. We don't want any more trouble than you've already caused. So back off and git going. Whatever your boss is payin, it's not worth enough going after us." AJ said, standing her ground.
Lightning Dust laughed, "Hah! Youre right... if I kill you, it will drive up my asking price!"
AJ shielded Sunset and Eclipsio as Lightning Dust charged the trio, two diamond-tipped knives attached to her front hooves.
Out of nowhere, the hooded pony from the station came crashing down from the Sky, stopping Lightning Dust's charge dead in it is tracks.
The hooded pony ripped off his sand cloak and Applejack got a good look at the pony.
He was a Earth Pony stallion, specifically a Draft Pony Stallion. They were known for immense strength, and his cutie Mark of a Steel Plate certainly showed that, appearance wise, He was huge, easily a head taller than Big Mac, his fur was gray-white and he had a charcoal colored mane and tail. His silver eyes reflected the surprised look on Lightning Dust's face.
From that observation, Applejack concluded that this must be Iron Steed!
Iron Steed glared at the Pegasus, saying in a deep voice "Nopony is dying on my watch, especially not from you mooks!"
Lightning Dust was flung back by what appeared to be a light shove, Iron Steed then snorted and Applejack saw something magical happen.
Within seconds, Iron Steed's body was coated in some sort of metallic substance, his body was gleaming white from the reflection of the sun, blinding Lightning Dust to Iron Steed's next move...
With a sickening crunch, Iron Steed landed a blow to the Pegasus's front legs, breaking them and the diamond tipped blades attached to them. He then followed up by striking her in the jaw, dislocating it. His final blow was to the skull, knocking the Pegasus unconscious.
Iron Steed's metal skin melted away, revealing his flesh and blood form, he then said "You may be good at taking out ordinary ponies, but I am no ordinary pony... get lost!"
Iron Steed kicked Lightning Dust hard enough to send her flying over the horizon.
Applejack got up and walked over to him, he turned around and said, "I assume you moving around without pain means nothing's broken?"
Applejack stammered, "Holy Horseapples! You just obliterated that mare so easily, I'm guessin you're Iron Steed?"
Iron Steed responded, "Yes, I am. You must be Applejack, the bearer of one of the elements of Harmony, the Element of Honesty. I am Iron Horse, the master of one of the Elements of Nature, Metals."
Sunset got up and walked over to Iron Steed, staring at his body, trying to figure out how he did what he just did,
He wasn't a Unicorn...
What was he?
Iron Steed snorted, "Can you not trot around me looking for an answer to why I can transform my skin into metal?! It's very rude."
Eclipsio got up and said to the Draft Pony, "Well, judging by your Cutie Mark and your immense size, you must be Iron Steed, yes?"
Iron Steed nodded, "I am, what is your business with me? You trying to drag me into an unnecessary war like everypony tries to? Because if that's the case I can give you a free flight home courtesy of my..."
Applejack put herself between the Alicorn and Draft Pony, saying "Hold it! Let's not git all riled up now..."
She turned to Iron Steed, "By any chance, do you know of a pony called Burning Star? Tall, Dark, Uses fire as a weapon?"
Iron Steed nodded, "Yeah, he's my best friend. Is something wrong? Because if you trekked all the way out into the Desert just to meet me than you are a bunch of numbskulls..."
Eclipsio almost shouted, "Yes! There is something wrong, your friend is currently in a meltdown and we have heard that your powers can either subdue/withstand his, is this true?"
Iron Steed's eyes went wide, "Meltdown?! What! Ok, I'll get to know you later, take me to my friend now!"
Eclipsio used his powers to rip open a wormhole to the Hospital, and waved everypony through.
(End Music Here)
(Ponyville Hospital, ER)
As soon as Iron Steed exited the hole in space-time, he rushed to the desk, looked up Burning Star's room, and barreled down the hallways.
He bashed down the door with one hoof and saw Burning Star laying in bed, in a comatose state.
His normally jet black body was lined with reddish-orange flame patterns, his wings were still black, but his feathers were bright red, even his mane and tail were glowing a bright red and orange. They all pulsed slowly, as if they were a beating heart.
Applejack ran in after Iron Steed and saw him standing over Burning Star, quivering slightly.
AJ put her front hoof on Iron Steed's mane and said, "He's been like this since we pulled him out of the snow, said he was fightin Windigos or something."
Iron Steed snorted and stomped his front hooves, "I knew it, I knew that those monsters would return, normally the desert rarely gets precipitation of any kind. But when it started to snow and a group of light blue and white ponies marched through, I knew something was wrong."
Iron Steed turned to Applejack and said, "Where are the rest of the Masters of Nature?"
Thunder Fury flew into the room and landed with a soft thud, hugging the giant Draft Pony. "Iron Steed! Thank Faust you are here, I guess you don't need to be filled in on the situation or be persuaded to help?"
Iron Steed shook his head, "No. I'm helping, once he is better, we strike at The Windigos."
A deep voice came from the door, "I see that you have arrived, Master of Metal... I wish this would be on more pleasant terms."
Iron Steed turned around to see King Sombra standing behind him, a scowl on his face, the same scowl was now on Iron Steeds face.
The Draft Pony walked up to Sombra, he was larger than him, and ended up pushing the Dark Unicorn into the hallway.
He said to Sombra, "You have ten seconds to run, Shadow King. I'm not patient with you..."
King Sombra responded, venom in his voice, "I am trying to fix this, and you aren't helping Ia-"
Applejack walked out of the room as Burning Star started to thrash about, sending a sea of fire across the floor.
Iron Steed transformed into metal and easily walked though the sea of fire, before pressing down on his horn, making the fires extinguish.
AJ's jaw dropped, Iron Steed fixed that by pushing her jaw back up.
He said to her, "They call me Iron Steed cause I'm tough as iron, but my skin is harder than DIAMONDS!"