As Marcus neared town, he could see the glow from the flames. A building burned bright in the night sky as smoke enveloped the town. Ponies were running around; most were screaming for help, but some tried to form a fire brigade. Marcus ran up to the burning building, a lone stallion in front of it. He looked up in horror, screaming for help. The stallion had a yellow coat with an orange mane.
"Help someone please! My wife and children are still inside! Help, anyone!" The stallion had tears rolling down his face as he looked around. Marcus walked up to him, looking at the fire. At the sight of Marcus, the pony backed away. He raised his hand in greeting and looked to the fire, then back to the stallion.
"What's your name?" He stood there for a moment, shacking. He repeated the question, and the stallion finally answered.
"C- Carrot Cake, sir. What do you want?"
"I'm here to help Mr. Cake. That's all." The stallion hook his head and blocked his path, still scared of the Spartan. He was one of the few who still didn't trust the human fully and he didn't want him near his family, no matter what. He could still be dangerous for all Carrot knew. Marcus was about to protest and move the stallion to the side when he heard hooves behind him. Twilight ran up with her friends behind her, Fluttershy following behind most of them with her mane hiding her face. Twilight ran up to Marcus and looked to the fire.
"What happened? How did this start?" At this Carrot Cake came up to Twilight.
"I was clearing up the bakery when this started! Ms. Cake and the twins were upstairs when it started, and haven't been able to get out!" Twilight looked to Marcus and spoke.
"Why haven't you done anything?!?" Marcus just pointed to Carrot, who just looked to Twilight with pleading eyes. Twilight groaned with annoyance.
"Ok, whatever. Marcus, you get in there and save who ever's inside. I'll stay out here and put a force field around the house so the fire doesn't spread, ok?" Marcus nodded and walked up to the house. Twilight turned to Fluttershy.
"Fluttershy I'm going to need you when they come out. Can I rely on you?" She nodded, trying to get a hold over herself. Marcus stood in front of the house and turned to Carrot Cake.
"Mr. Cake, please stand back. All of you get back!" And at that, Marcus braced himself and charged through the door, smashing it to bits and a wall of flame enveloping the opening. He looked back and noticed a purple wall covering the house. The flames didn't spread, but the smoke began to accumulate. Marcus wasn't bothered by it; his helmet's filters would stop him from breathing it in. What he was worried about were the ponies trapped in the house breathing in too much smoke. He heard yelling from the second story, and looked for a flight of stairs. The walls were creaking and groaning; the building was going to come down on him if he didn't hurry.
He searched the first floor, looking around in the back of the now ablaze kitchen, when a beam came crashing down right in front of Marcus. Jumping back, he nearly ran into a burning oven. Looking around through the smoke, he finally found the stairs, and made his way towards them. He took a few at a time, hoping to ease his great weight and so that he could go a bit faster. Some of the steps were on fire, and Marcus had to step over those. The staircase groaned under his weight, and a few of the steps gave out. He nearly fell twice when a step caved in underneath him. He finally reached the second floor. Everything was burning, and roll over from the fire was beginning to take the ceiling of the house. The smoke was thick and horrid, clouding Marcus's vision. He followed the yelling, nearing a small room that looked to be a nursery, or at least what was left of one. He saw a blue mare with a pink mane holding two crying foals. He jumped through the fire, crouching near them when he landed.
"Is there anyone else in here?" he yelled at her. She shook her head.
"N-no! Who are you?"
"My name is Marcus ma'm. Please, I need you to trust me right now, ok?" She nodded, still shaking.
"Please, help us!"
"That's why I'm here. Please, I need you to calm down. I can carry the kids in my arms, and you can get on my back. I need you to hurry; this place is going to come down on top of us any second. " She was hesitant, looking over Marcus and his armor. Her eyes fell on his expressionless mask and was about to protest when part of the wall came down. She screamed and did as she was told, handing over the foals. A fiery beam came crashing down over the entrance Marcus had come through, blocking it. He took the kids and held one in each arm, covering them as best he could. The mare climbed onto his back, and wrapped her hooves around his neck. Marcus looked around. There was a small opening, what was once a window Marcus guessed, a few feet away through part of the wall that had fallen. Marcus looked over at the mare on his back.
"Hold on! It's going to get a bit bumpy!" he yelled, and sprinted for the opening. His footing almost gave way as a section of the floor fell away, but he ran on. Marcus burst through the opening, flames bursting through as he did. He landed heavily on his feet, and the mare jumped off quickly onto the street, coughing heavily. Marcus ran over to Fluttershy, handing the two foals to her. She set them down and looked them over.
“They'll be fine, just a little scared and congested from the smoke." She gave each a bit of water, trying to comfort them. He looked up at her, and noticed that her demeanor had changed. She was no longer scared, but comforting. When she was needed, Fluttershy changed greatly. He admired that. Marcus walked over to the mare, who had her husband looking her over. Marcus bent over, checking for burns. Besides the cough, she seemed alright too, although there was a decent sized gash on her forehead. Marcus called over a pony to keep pressure on it. The two of them looked at Fluttershy caring for their foals, then back at Marcus with wet eyes.
"T-* cough*-thank you so much Marcus. You...you saved us. " They both smiled up at him. At that a loud crack was heard, and the building cave in on itself, falling to the ground in a flaming inferno. They looked on in horror as what was once their home and livelihood burned to the ground, becoming ash. Twilight's shield had worked, and no other buildings had caught fire thankfully. Marcus looked back at the couple.
"How did this happen?"
"We don't know. We had put out the ovens like we always did, and then we heard something fall down stairs. I went and looked, leaving Mrs. Cake here and the kids in the nursery. I found that a lamp had fallen over and started a fire, before I knew it; the whole house was on fire. I tried to get my family out, but the flames were too much. I ran out looking for help, and then you showed up. I don't know how I can ever repay you Marcus. I'm...I'm sorry for not trusting you more. It could have gotten my family killed, and I would never have forgiven myself." Marcus shook his head.
"You don't have to thank me. And I understand your fears, but just be bit more mindful of your of them next time." They asked about their foals, and Marcus assured them they were alright. Ponies ran up carrying buckets of water, putting out the rest of the fire. Twilight dropped the shield when it was safe. Marcus sat down, taking off his helmet and breathing in the smell of smoke and burning wood. The night had grown quiet. Princess Luna walked up. She had planned to meet up with Marcus and check in on him. The Princesses had decided to let him become a citizen of Equestria, but had to cover a few, smaller details with him. She had come to talk about those when she found the whole town in chaos.
"What is the meaning of this? What is going on here?" Marcus explained about the house. She looked on, a curious look on her face. MArcus just shook his head and clutched his hand; it was acting up again, and he didn't want to deal with it right now. Applejack was walked over to the other side of the house with a bucket of water when she tripped on a small, shiny object. She bent down and took a better look at what it was. She then stood up and called out for Marcus.
"Marcus, come have a look at this," Applejack called over. He walked over, looking at what Applejack was pointing at with her hoof. Marcus bent over to have a better look. He pushed away a bush, to find a small, long object. It had a small spike in the middle, and two rounded endings protruding at each end. If you were a human, you would hold it along its length. Marcus looked on in horror, knowing full well what it was.
"Marcus, what is it? What is that thing?" asked Twilight. Marcus dropped his head, and picked up the object. He walked to the crowd, and looked back at Twilight and Luna. He flicked it with his wrist, and a large, blue beam shot out, forming what looked to be a sword. It hummed with pure energy.
"This...this is a Covenant energy sword. And the Elite who dropped this was either very careless, or put it down as a warning."