//------------------------------// // 6-Welcome to Paradise and the entrance to hell // Story: Eternal Shadows // by Chaotic Flier //------------------------------// Eternal Shadows Chapter Six As I was dragged out of the cellar by Whiskey my face got red with embarrassment, then I began flailing around until she let me go. Hitting the ground with a resounding thud of my hooves hitting the wooden floor, standing up I stared at the unicorn with an angry look at which she started laughing. "What the hell," I nearly shouted at the blonde mare who started to laugh harder, "What's so funny?" "Nothing, just your reaction," Whiskey answered with a laugh. I just huffed and looked around the room, which confirmed my suspicions of me being in a bar. The wooden bar contained a few freshly made Applewood tables with matching chairs and a long wooden bar where a few ponies sat down drinking a variety of alcohol. I soon noticed a picture hanging behind Whiskey near the door that I was carried out of, and from the fading of the picture that it was a few hundred years old. The picture showed two ponies an earth pony stallion and a unicorn mare. the unicorn stallion was massive compared to most unicorns I have seen especially in his power armor, the earth pony mare on the other hand was a little bit taller than Whiskey and myself. Now I couldn't make out much of the stallion due to him wearing full body armor, but the mare was dressed in a simple dress that accented her orange fur and black mane that made her look like Nine from my flashbacks. "So you noticed the picture of my great grandfather Titan Blade and my great grandmother Arsenal," Whiskey stated with a smile while walking over to the old picture. "They founded this town to be a safe haven from bandits, raiders, hell hounds, zombies and other dangerous things that live in the wasteland." She then turned back to me and continued. "You see this village is the safest place in Equestria for all those who are looking for a place to call home. But unlike most safe havens in the wasteland it doesn't have walls or turrets, our little paradise is protected by my family since it was founded." "Wow that is amazing," I stated as I looked closer at the picture, that would explain the armor Titan Blade is wearing, I thought then curiousity brought my attention to Arsenal. "What can you tell me about your grandmother?" "Other than what I told you already not much," She said bringing her hoof to her chin in thought her eyes narrowing in thought, then suddenly brighten when she remembered something. "Ma told me a long time ago that Granny constantly talked about somepony from when she was a girl." "Did she say anything about a name," I asked curious to hear about this pony. "Na, she never said their name and when any pony asked she just say they have no name and they are lucky for not having one," Whiskey answered with a shrug before walking away. "If you don't want to me to pick you up and carry you again you might want to follow me or if you want me to just tell me," She said turning to look at me with a wink followed by a laugh as she walked out the door. Was that my Imagination or was she just flirting with me, I asked myself before following the caramel unicorn not wanting to be carried again. As I stepped out the door I was greeted by harsh sunlight and the smell of apples from the orchard that surrounds the town. "Welcome to Titan's End the paradise of the wasteland," Whiskey said gesturing outward toward the town. The town was a hand build wooden town that seem to capture the feel of prewar Equestria aside from the single metal building at the end of the street. "Come on follow me we need to get ready," She said walking briskly towards the metal house. "Ready for what?" I asked the strange unicorn while I followed closely behind. "Well since you are clearly okay and not badly injured you will be coming with me for a salvage run," She answered stopping by the front door of the metal house and turned to me with a smile. "I do hope you know how to defend yourself, the last salvage team we sent out never came back that's why I'm going." "Yes I do know how to defend myself really well," I answered while looking at the ground a bit hesitant to admit it. "Awsome so I don't have to babysit you the entire time and find more salvage then just one of us looking," Whiskey happily opened the door to the massive metal house and walked inside with me closely behind. Inside was a massive vault door that was the most complicated I have ever seen. "This," Whiskey gestured to the vault door, "Is a triple plated, magic repellent, star metal vault door the toughest door to open in the world, hell maybe even beyond it." "Why do you need such a strong door," I asked the proud unicorn, staring at the door curious about what could be behind it. "To make sure these weapons and armor don't fall into the wrong hands," Whiskey smiled smugly opening the door revealing a large storage area with rows upon rows of weapons and armor. "Wow," I gasped in awe at the sight, "You have enough weapons and armor here to outfit an entire army." "I know," She said with glee before continuing. "This is the largest cache of weapons, well other than the one under the control of the Alpha," That peaked my interest more than this vault of weapons. "What do you know about this Alpha pony?" I asked Whiskey who turned to me and smiled. "Well other than the obvious she is the only alicorn left in Equestria," She answered while her horn ignited though nothing happened I could hear the distinct hum of magic. "And she is also responsible for the deaths of almost every pony in a war two hundred years ago, at least that's what my great grandmother said." "The first part I know since I seen her up close," I stated and from the look in Whiskey's eyes told me that what I said was uncommon. "You have seen Alpha," She exclaimed grabbing me and looking me in the eyes with a smile. "you are possibly more useful than what I originally thought," She let me go and the hum of magic grew louder as she brought two sets of armor. One of the sets looked like power armor but lower grade, maybe just a suit of metal armor. The other one seemed to be made of some kind of fabric that forms a tan trench coat. "So which kind of armor do you want heavy or light armor?" she asked bringing the armor closer to my face. "Um," the choice seems to be kind of difficult at first but I realize that I need to move more than I need defense. "The light armor please," I answered Whiskey who handed me the armor, turned around and began looking for something else. Looking at the armor she handed me it was in fact a trench coat, but underneath the coat was a set of prewar riot armor with the number seventy-seven painted in red paint. I put the riot armor, which was a simple bulletproof vest with a black suit underneath that hugged my body tightly, on and pulled the trench coat over it. Looking back at the caramel unicorn who was now holding two saddle bags. One had a whiskey bottle with a wrench behind it, while the other had a nine with a crosshairs surrounding it. "This saddle bag is mine," Whiskey held up the one with a whiskey bottle. "This one is yours," she tossed the one with the nine on it. "There is medicine, a map, and a few chems ma made from some plant native to the region," Whiskey explained strapping on the bag. "What are you expecting to happen on this salvage run?" I asked worried about why we would need such provisions. "As I said before the salvage teams have been disappearing lately and I want to find out why," She explained with a worried expression. "I mean salvaging helps support our town, you see we're the best metal workers in the wasteland," She used her magic to grab two guns, one was a massive cannon like weapon that was the most intricately designed weapon I ever saw with a freshly polished muzzle and the metal was a black charcoal color and the other was a black revolver with the words 'To The Ends Of Equestria We Will Defend The Weak' engraved in gold. "These are prime examples of some of our best works," Whiskey stated handing me the revolver. I looked at the engraving closely and it reminded me of something. "This engraving, where did this come from?" I asked the blonde pony who just shrugged. "I don't know, great grandma made it our slogan when she started the whole blacksmithing thing," she answered putting the cannon on her back attaching to her armor keeping it in place. "Use that revolver I gave you to defend yourself if you have too alright," Whiskey turned to leave with me following closely behind her. "We are leaving now, do you need anything special before we leave?" she asked looking at me. "No ma'am, I think I have everything I need with me," I stated taking a mental inventory: medicine check, map check, special chems that I don't know what they do check, a special revolver check, and no ammo check. "Yep seems about right," I said with a smile. "Are you sure about that?" She asked looking a bit confused, I shook my head yes. "Okay," she said unsure of what I was saying. "You do know you have no ammo right?" "Yes I do know and I do not need much to defend myself," I stated with a reassuring smile. "Well if you say so Lucky," Whiskey said rolling her eyes returning the smile. "then we should get moving," she smiled before leading the way out of the town. I followed Whiskey out of town and through the woods I paid close attention to the trees just in case anything dangerous wanted to pop out and say hi. "Do you have any ideas of why your salvagers kept disappearing?" I asked the heavily armed unicorn. "I have a good Idea," She said glumly looking forward. "I believe it might be Hell Hounds," I was not phased by this revelation. "But it could also be any number of things around here, I mean there have been sightings of radigators around here recently, but I highly doubt they killed the salvagers and left no trace." "So you think hell hounds are behind this due to the fact there are no bodies to be found?" I asked Whiskey paying closer attention to my surroundings. "I know hell hounds are killers who absolutely hate ponies and they can be pretty smart, but I doubt they are smart enough to remove all traces of the salvage team." "Well I believe they do," She sounded certain but I was not convinced. I know I have fought hell hounds before even if I don't remember doing it, and my instincts tell me that there is more to these disappearances than just wild animal attacks. I kept these feelings to myself I did not want to make my companion mad. An hour passes with no incident though there are a few encounters with some wild dogs but nothing note worthy. Suddenly Whiskey stopped next to a cliff and gestured for me to stand next to her. When I reached the cliff I saw something that would frighten any pony, Below the cliff was a group of thirty or more hell hounds and they all seem to be looking at us. End Of Chapter Six