The air within the black walls of the hive was damp and heavy, and water occasionally dripped from crevices within the ceiling far above. The occasional piece of glowing moss was the only source of light within the cavernous room, and it outlined the sticky, gray material that made up the superstructure. In this section of the hive, it was usually quiet, but this was broken by the quiet sobs echoing through the blackened setting. The plipping of water droplets seemed to mix with the sorrow and pain, causing an ominous and hopeless atmosphere.

If one were to peer through the dark, they would have been able to view a strange outline. Two stone pillars were erected near the center of the cavern, steps leading up towards them. Between these two pillars, thick chains woven with runes and glyphs pulsed every few seconds. Within their grasp was an Alicorn.

The last Alicorn.

Twilight Sparkle sat in the darkness, strung by all four of her legs in the air. She was at least two feet from the ground, and her head was bowed in defeat. Her bangs had fallen into her face, and tear trails traced down her cheeks, matting her fur. Bruises and marks pockmarked her head and side, showcased for the world to see. However, her humiliation and pain was nothing compared to her sorrow. Something within her mind had decided to just stop. Two years she had been on the run. She had known terror, grief, insanity, and pain. Then came Dean, and her world was once more brought back to the light. Over the course of their friendship, her sanity had slowly recovered, her heart seemed in a good place once more! She had felt comfort, happiness, and love for the first time in two whole years... seemingly a lifetime.

And then it was ripped away. It was taken, and she would never have it again...

Twilight suddenly screamed. It was a scream of many things, but mostly out of frustration, hopelessness and defeat. Her eyes screwed shut and she choked back a sob as the familiar feeling of sorrow clouded her mind. It didn't work, and once more the tears spilled out. This time, her feelings were accompanied by the welling of a song in her heart. Her eyes looked blankly into the inky blackness of her surroundings, and she began to sing with an angelic, but melancholic voice.

I remember, a time of friendship,

When all I did, was laugh and play,

I remember, a time of laughter,

but now, all I feel is dis-may.

Twilight let out a sob.

When I found hope, it was taken,

When I found love, it was snatched away

My life is gone, the enemy has won,

I fear I will never see the sun againnnn...

A slow, despairing violin was now playing in the background, seemingly from nowhere. Its strings were played slowly, and Twilight took that as a sign to continue.

Stuck here, down in the darkness,

all I can do, is think and pray,

No one will find me, I've succumbed to madness,

I never thought I'd see the day,

Whatever hope Twilight still hung onto was fading away into the oppressive and inky blackness of her surroundings. Dean had no idea she was gone, and she had failed to install a mental link in time. Her pleas and cries for help have gone unheeded, and now... all was lost. The violin continued, but it was slowly fading into the background.

I have failed them, to a bitter darkness,

Equestria is doomed,

my only hope, is in my lover,

but I can only assume,

the time has passed,

and the light is consumed...

The energy began to leave the broken Alicorn. Her heart made a dull thump in her chest, and her aura began to cascade into a dull gray. Her cutie mark began to dim, and bags appeared under her eyes. She was captured by the Changelings, who would pawn her off to the Elves. She had overheard the news from a changeling general. There was no way Dean could rescue her; he didn't know where the hive was!! Couple that with the fact that the Emperor was simply too powerful. She had faith that Dean would fight to the death to rescue her, but that Damned Elf was able to kill both Luna and Celestia single-handedly! She could remember the horror struck look on Celestia's face as her younger sister was struck down. She vividly remembered seeing the broadsword that was thrust through her mentor's alabaster neck, severing her spinal cord, and killing her. She remembered the blood, the scream that may have been hers, the chaos involving her escape, Rainbow shoving her off the cliff as the rest of her friends were taken, and then...

The violin was nearly gone, and Twilight let out a final breath full of sorrow. She was exhausted both mentally and physically. Her voice was barely above a whisper as the brief, but dread filled song was finished.

It is over, the Elves have won,

My life and friends, forever gone,

I just wish, that I could say,

so many things, much to my disarray

Twilight's eyes began to drop closed.

I remember, a time of friendship,

When all I did, was laugh and play,

I remember, a time of laughter,

But now all I can see... is how it was all taken away...

As her voice drifted off, the last Alicorn fell into a nightmare filled sleep. Her hope was gone. Her will... extinguished. Maybe Dean was still capable of saving her, and maybe she still had a chance to escape, but none of that mattered at the moment. It was the final straw, the last nail in the proverbial coffin. The mind of Princess Twilight Sparkle… was officially broken.

*****

CRASSHHHHHH!!!

The hinges attached to the door exploded from their spots like a rocket. The screws holding them in place acting like bullets as they buried themselves into the walls throughout the room. However, that wasn't the worst of it: The great oaken door, reinforced with solid iron, was launched from its spot and sent crashing into the opposing wall. On its course of destruction, the door slammed into the small coffee table, breaking off two of its legs and sending the piece of furniture spinning across the room like a top.

A vaguely feminine screech was heard, as well as the yelp of a young adolescent. A purple alicorn dove behind the couch, and a small dragon shortly followed thereafter. There was a series of rapid, but heavy footsteps that carefully but quickly went around the room.

"Princess and Dragon are safe, moving to sweep the apartment."

The garbled and distorted voice of Sergeant Dean suddenly broke the tension the Alicorn and the Dragon had been feeling. Their looks of terror turned to uncertainty as the poked their heads from around the couch. The Alicorn was just able to watch as the Sergeant passed through the doorway to her washroom, his body leaning on the doorframe as he peeked around various corners. She was able to catch a glimpse of his side arm as he spun around and marched back to the center of the room.

Twilight opened her mouth to say something and raised a hoof, but nothing but a quiet eep escaped as the utterly massive Human stalked past her and checked each and every curtain. As soon as he was satisfied with his search, he quickly walked over to the pair behind the couch and crouched down. Twilight flinched, and Spike hid behind her.

"Are you two alright?" Dean spoke with as much of a soothing voice as he could manage. His eyes darted back and forth between the two, and his senses were on high alert. His motion tracker was kept under constant surveillance as he reached out a hand.

Confusion briefly came across him when Twilight flinched at his touch. Ever since he had met her, she had never been scared of his hands. Maybe he was gone for two long, and his hands brought on a bad memory for her? No...

The confusion passed as the little pony princess leaned into his hand and sighed. Her muscles were still tense, but a sense of calm was radiating from her now. He noticed Spike was still standing behind her and chuckled.

"Seriously, Spike? I thought my lessons had paid off! Guess you and I have a bit more training to do, eh?" He meant it as light banter, but the Dragons uncomfortable laugh caused him to frown. He shrugged it off as the little guy trying to calm down from his hasty entrance.

The clatter of hooves and shouting appeared from outside, and Dean quickly stood up. He slightly raised his pistol, but did not point it at the doorway. The clatter of many hooves let him know that multiple guards were on the way, and he took a step back to ensure he was covering Twilight and Spike.

Dean nearly started when Shining Armor himself burst through the open doorway, sword in his magic, and his teeth bared. A form of body fitting purple armor had him encased, but his head was left free. Dean could see the wear and tear on the protective gear, and gained yet another ounce of respect for the Prince. Something was telling him that Shining armor wasn't new to battle.

Ten more soldiers streamed in, and Dean felt pride as each of them performed a basic sweep of the building that he had taught them. While their Captain had not started it off right, the soldiers had improvised and covered the Captain as they took in their surroundings. Dean spied a flashbang in one's magic as they slowly reattached it to their waist. Good, they were following his instructions.

"Sergeant, report! What the buck happened." Shining's hard glare turned to Dean and his sword never lowered. Dean kept his pistol ready as well.

"Sir, I had reason to believe that Princess Twilight was in immediate danger, and I took action. As you can see, my assumption was apparently wrong. Dean moved his head in the direction of Twilight and Spike, who were now standing behind him. He failed to see Spike and Twilight's annoyed look from behind his back.

Shining was about to open his mouth to respond, but another, more feminine voice called from the hallway.

"And what reason might that be, Sergeant Forrester?"

Dean groaned inwardly and holstered his pistol. He duly noted that none of the guards lowered their own weapons. He was about to take off his helmet when the Fuchsia menace herself stalked through the entryway. Her scowl seemed to burn into her surroundings, Dean included, but he was unfazed. He merely stared at her as she trotted up beside the Prince. The counselor's scowl turned into a momentary smile as she nuzzled the Prince, but it returned quickly enough when she turned her focus back to the Human.

Dean crossed his arms.

"Ma'am, I figured that something might've been wrong. I've been having this feeling ever since I left Maritime Bay, and it only grew stronger as I returned. Obviously, I had no physical evidence of the problem, but I trust my instincts. They've kept me alive 'till now as it is." Dean reached up and pulled his helmet off. An audible hiss escaped from the seals, and everypony in the room flinched as his hard gaze traveled around.

Dean was upset. He was upset because he had been wrong. He was upset because the Fushia prick of a Counselor wouldn't leave him alone, and he was upset because something was trying to mess with his head. This new development of him being wrong had planted a seed of uncertainty in his mind, because for seven years, his instincts had never been wrong. Never. Something was definitely wrong, there was no question. But if he didn't have a means of telling friend from foe, or action versus communication, or just trusting his own natural instincts, then something was going to have to change. One way or another, he was going to find out what the problem truly was.

The counselor stared at him for a good ten seconds, as did all the other guards. And then, like a switch was flicked, the counselor burst out laughing. The guards chuckled uncomfortably, most likely due to their uncertainty in following their leaders choice of action, but many stopped and took a step back as Dean seemed to grow taller. His scowl deepened, and his canines began to show.

The only sound was Starlight, who had her head down and shaking from side to side as she laughed. Only when Dean took a step forward did she stop and look up. Starlight then proceeded to match Dean's scowl and took a step towards him, forcing her to look up and him to look down. A tension was building in the air, and many eyes looked around in uncertainty as they planned a possibly route of escape.

Finally, Starlight spoke.

"Sergeant, the fact that your instincts told you is nothing to be afraid of. Sure, they would come in handy if the threat was close, or there was a LEGITIMATE reason for concern. Whatever it is that you experienced, it was in your bucking head! Now, it would seem to me as though you are experiencing some sort of trauma... or maybe it's an obsession? The fact that you came to the Princesses aid twice before does not mean you need to again. She is safe in Maritime Bay, but your constant agitation and rowdy behavior is putting everyone on edge. I heard you were conspiring with General Blight to organize an attack on the Emperor? Utterly preposterous! and to think you actually knew what you were doing..."

The unicorn slowly walked around Dean as she spoke, and at one point she smacked his legs with her tail. His scowl deepened, but he stubbornly refused to turn and look at her. Her tone was downright manipulative, but he had to ask the question:

Why?

The counselor was in the same boat as everyone else in Maritime Bay, and from what Dean had seen, everyone had the same general mindset: Work together, and survive. The times Dean had talked to the counselor, she had openly been against him. She had attempted to seem superior, and failed. Surely she knew he was actually on their side?

Dean glanced to the side and noticed two guards mumbling to one another. He focused on his hearing in order to examine their conversation.

"An attack on Canterlot? Wouldn't that be suicide?"

"Most certainly. I don't know what the Human is thinking, but this is not a good idea."

"I doubt many, if any of us would come back alive from that..."

Dean refocused when Starlight cleared her throat. She was once more standing in front of him, and the annoyance within her glare was enough of a hint that he had missed something. He smirked, but it didn't reach his eyes.

"I'm sorry, counselor. I missed that last bit." His words felt like ice to all within the room, even Shining Armor gave a slight shiver. Dean's smirk grew as the counselor seemed to splutter. After a moment, she straightened, and lifted her snout into the air.

"Hmph. Simple ape, I had said that you are to remain within Maritime Bay until I say otherwise. As the acting Governor, I--"

"Yeah, no." Dean crossed his arms. There was an intake of breath, and Starlight's eye twitched as she regarded the Human.

"What did you just say?" Her words were barely above a whisper, and her pupils were dilated. Dean analyzed the room and found that the previous tension had only increased. There was an electric feeling in the air, and it held malice. Twilight and Spike remained forgotten temporarily as he decided to glare down at the little Unicorn.

"I said no. I have things to do and not a lot of time to do them. In two weeks, the Dark Elves will be performing some sort of ritual or attack. I intend to be prepared to put a stop to it. I was going to discuss this with the council, but I can only assume that you have ultimate authority now, governor, so I will discuss it with you."

Dean took a wild guest upon invoking her new title, and it would seem his gamble had paid off. The Unicorn's horn began to charge with energy, albeit at a slowed rate. Dean's muscles tensed, and his chest puffed out. Two could play a game of intimidation.

"Guards!" Starlight cried in anger. "Surround the Human and take him into custody. He will spend a night with the Elf!"

A deathly silence dropped over the room. The second the words were muttered, Dean's eye flicked to each and every guard's face. His look said 'don't do it,' and he could see that each of the ponies in the room had come to a silent agreement. They slowly backed away, casting nervous looks at their enraged leader.

Dean heard a huff behind him and half turned his head. His eyes followed Twilight as trotted forward with a hesitant but firm look and faced the counselor.She glanced at Dean once, and he swore he saw a tinge of green for just a moment. Her wings extended slightly as her eyes moved into a light glare.

"Counselor Glimmer, I think you are out of line here and overreacting! The Sergeant has just returned from a hard mission and saved hundreds from a sure death by the hands of the Dark Elves. I believe that a meeting is in order to be conducted tomorrow, and you WILL hear what the Sergeant has to say! Am I clear?"

Starlight stomped and snorted, her one ear twitching madly along with one of her eyelids. It was only when a navy blue hoof was placed on her withers did the Fushia unicorn sease her tantrum. Shining leaned in and whispered something into her ear.

Dean tried to listen in, but his attention was focused on the purple Alicorn. Something seemed off, and after spending so much time together, he was certain she wasn't telling him something. He analyzed her with a keen eye, trying to spot any differences in appearance, but failed. Nothing physically seemed off, so what could the matter possibly be? Was she being harassed? Bullied? Maybe he had been gone for too long, and she was angry at him?

"Sergeant?"

Dean snapped out of his analyzation and glanced towards the perpetrating voice. He noticed that Starlight was gone, but Shining Armour and the guards remained. Twilight had turned to face him, and a quick glance over the shoulder showed Spike had wandered back to his bed. Dean turned back to the Unicorn.

"Sorry, Captain, ‘got caught up with something in my head." He noticed Shining's subtle smirk and rolled his eyes. "Fuck off with that."

Shining chuckled and shook his head.

"Nonetheless, I will see you both at the meeting tomorrow. I get that Starlight can be a bit... passionate about her profession, but please do try and see things from her side as well as your own."

Dean merely nodded before narrowing his eyes. The Captain had done something just then, as he had finished speaking it was so subtle... there! Dean saw Shining wince, and a momentary look of tiredness came over the stallion. Dean tilted his head to the side and sniffed.

"Have you been sleeping at all, Shining?" He suddenly asked. He saw the Captain give a start at his question, and all the guards exchanged glances. Dean thought he saw some untrimmed facial hairs showing around the Captains muzzle, and upon looking back, he finally noticed the Captains mane and tail were in a medium of disarray.

"Y-yes, I have been. Why do you ask?" Shinging's voice was like that of a toddler who got caught stealing from the cookie jar. Dean sighed and shook his head before gesturing his arm randomly in the air. He opened his mouth to say something, but stopped and glanced at his right arm. His tacpad flashed at him, and Dean's eyes went wide. He had to go, something extraordinary had happened! He closed his mouth and straightened, but his face remained in a small frown.

"It was nothing, Captain. I must take my leave, something has come up and I need to check on my inventory." He saluted sharply before turning to Twilight. He expected a look of disappointment, but was surprised when all he got was a blank stare. He shrugged it off as her being in her own little world and smiled kindly. "Come to my quarters in an hour, I've got something cool to show you, and then we can hang out." he winked at her and smirked, but his smirk slowly died on his face when all he received was an uncertain look. He noticed Twilight's tail flick in agitation, and he quietly cleared his throat.

"Hm, Oh! So sorry Dean! I zoned out there pretty hard, heheh!" She sheepishly ran her hoof along the back of her neck and blushed. Dean chuckled and shook his head in exasperation; just Twilight being weird.

"See you tomorrow at the meeting." He saluted the Captain one more time, nodded to the guards, and quickly walked out the still busted doorway. He was forced to duck under the arch, and he caught a small whistle from one of the guards.

"Are all Humans that big?"

"Beats me, but I sure wouldn't want to get in his way. Kinda feel sorry for the Elves..."

There was a pause.

"Nah... I take it back, the buckers can burn in Tartarus..."

Dean shook his head and continued down the hallway. There was one person he needed to see before he went about his errands, even if he was loathing doing just so.

As Dean left the residence, it suddenly came to him, there and then. It was so painstakingly obvious that he nearly slapped himself in the head for not even bothering to ask about it.

Her limp was gone!

Twilight's Alicorn magic was either that strong, or the doctors here were simply amazing. Breaking one's leg was never a pleasant experience and people usually felt something come from it for years afterwards. Sure, she had said that because of her magical abilities as an Alicorn, she healed much, much faster, but he didn't think it could be this fast!

"Idiot."

Dean shook his head and continued on, the lack of a limp pushed to the back of his memory.

*****

"My Queen, what are your instructions?"

"..."

"My Queen?"

"Report."

"I was unable to garner any love from him, but I could feel it in the air. It was as if it wasn't able to be absorbed, as it was a feeling that emanated off of the Human rather than magic. He has love, but it cannot be put to use."

"..."

"My Queen?"

"We begin tonight. Eliminate the Human and await further instructions. I will have departed by early morning for the hive, and at the meeting, you and the others will eliminate the council. I will be nearby should your operation go south. Do not fail me."

"Yes my Queen. And if I may, what of the Princesses fate? Surely you won't let her go to the Dark Elves?"

"..."

"..."

"There are warrior-lings that need to be hatched, and only the best come from flesh and blood. The Elves will be getting nothing but the corpse of a broodmare."

"..."

"Start on your operation, and do not fail me."

"Yes my Queen. And may the hive reign through change."

"May the hive reign through change."

*****

Plip, plip, plip plip. THUNK.

Trignar jumped to his feet, his breathing heavy and his eyes wide. His heart felt as if it was about to burst forth from his chest, and he tried an exercise to calm himself down. It seemed to work, and no more noises were heard. He felt around in his waistband for a moment and retracted the purple orb from a hidden pouch he had created.

Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

Tired eyes stared into the embracing warmth of the item, the swirling textures seeming to give off a feeling of kindness and trust. It was addicting, but not in a bad way. It kept the Elf warm in his little cell, and he felt as though new life had been breathed into him. A veil had finally been lifted from his eyes, but instead of falling into a depression, he resolved to follow the pearls' guidance: to seek friendship.

"Nice doohickey ya' got there."

Trignar screamed in a not so manly manner and threw the orb into the air. It sailed for a moment before the momentum of the little piece of magic reached its zenith and began to fall. Trignar lunged forward and the orb bounced off the tip of his index finger. He shouted in fear, for should he lose the orb, then he would lose his sanity. He would forever be doomed to sit in the dark, cold confines of the cell, and he would die. No one to help him, no one to keep him company.

The Dark Elven prince lunged forewords even more, but the chain snapped taught. He gave a strange gurgle and a quiet sob as his little orb flew past his reach... and stopped in the air? No, that wasn't right. A gloved hand encased in black material was holding the little purple ball between two fingers and slowly turning around and around. Trignar heard movement right in front of him and watched as an arm was revealed, then a leg, then a torso, and then...

He screamed like a filly for the second time in five minutes, falling to the ground on his back and scrambling away in blind terror. Only when his back hit the wall did he stop. His hands were held high in front of his head, as if getting ready to shield a blow. It never came.

All that was heard was the shallow and sporadic breathing of the Elven prince, and the occasional, soft exhale of the Demon within the shadows.

"I'm not going to hurt you. I just have a few questions." Dean shuffled closer and crouched down onto one knee. He tried to seem as non-threatening as possible, but it was quite hard with his massive armor. Now that he thought about it, the last time he had seen the Prince was when he was wearing the Mk.I Exosuit, which was notoriously smaller in comparison to his current Mk.II. Oh well, didn't matter, it added to the intimidation.

"I-I won't tell you a damn thing, Demon! I am loyal to my kin, and would rather die than betray them! Nothing you can do will break me!" Trignar tried to seem tough, but all he caused was a slight eyebrow raise.

"Really. So if I were to do this..."

Dean quickly closed his fist around the little orb and tensed his muscles, but he did not squeeze. His eyes flicked to Trignar as the Elf gurgled something incoherent before screaming.

"N-NO! P-Please no, that's all I have in here!" Trignar leaned forward and grasped Dean on the arm, but his efforts were in vain and he barely budged the supersoldier. Dean stood up and scowled.

"All I have to do is squeeze. If you don't start talkin' then you can say goodbye to the orb." This caused Trignar to nod so hard his jaw rattled. His ears were fully folded back, and tears were falling down his cheeks. The Dark Elf smiled hesitantly and nodded profusely once more.

"I-I'll answer any questions you have, I-I swear it!" Trignar stayed in his kneeling position and Dean smirked. That was easier than he had expected.

"Very well. How many soldiers are guarding Canterlot?" Dean glared down at the Elf, his face cast in shadow.

"W-Well, when I left, I recall there being no more than one thousand soldiers housed there. However, before I went to capture the Princess, I had overheard that the Resistance had been raiding certain supply trains around the borders. The soldiers within the capitol are meant to be ready to go at all times if something were to happen within the country. The main army is fighting in the Griffon Empire right now, as they are the last civilization in our way." Trignar breathed deeply after his small story. Truth be told, Dean had only listened to the first little bit, but Trignars last statement intrigued him.

"How many Elves are within your main Military at the moment?" Dean scratched at the stubel on his chin.

"Nearly... one hundred and twelve Million, give or take a few more."

Dean nearly did a double take, but a rational part of his mind told him to calm down. The Elves currently had control over the entire world, so they would obviously need a huge army. He continued.

"Okay, and who are currently allied with the Dark Elves. When I say that, I mean not subjugated and enslaved." Dean felt the smooth surface of the orb in his closed hand. True enough, it seemed to be pulsating some form of warmth. It brought the Human peace of mind, and his head appeared to be clearer. In fact, it reminded him of when he was around Twilight. She always had a warmth and kindness about her that seemed to radiate off her very being. Looking back on it, Dean realized that he had not felt that same feeling when in her presence today. Sure, he had scared her upon barging into the room, but that shouldn't mean...

'Doesn't matter. You can look into that later.'

He refocused on the Elf.

"Well, after the Storm Kings defeat, his soldiers followed the next strongest leader, who was the Emperor, so they are allied with my kin. The Abyssinians of the south decided to ally with us, and they even accepted the terms of my people being able to occupy their territory. Lastly are the changelings, and lemme tell you, those little buggers are quite something. They were supplied Equestrian slaves in exchange for going undercover for the Emperor. I actually got to meet one y'know, his name was Trex. I found out one day that he had a strange fetish about licking--"

"That's enough of that." Dean growled. "I asked who your allies were, not your day to day adventures! Now, my last question... what is the monster that your father has control of?" His voice lowered to a growl, causing Trignar to lean away.

"I-I-I don't know w-what you are talking--"

Dean's hand suddenly smashed into the wall beside Trignar's head, causing the poor Elf to yelp and skirt to the side. The fist caused the solid rock to spiderweb and crumble; little bits of stone cascaded to the floor. Dean's face held a manic snarl as he stared into Trignar's eyes, his muscles tensed around his neck and his eyes wide.

"Don't fuck with me on this!" Spittle flew from his mouth. "You know exactly what I am talking about, and if you don't spill it, you won't need to worry about your precious orb, cause it'll be your goddamn neck getting crushed instead!"

Trignar had not seen this side of the Demon before. When Dean had taken him hostage, the anger portrayed was chilling and dangerous. When they had traveled to the Resistance, the Human had been stoic and cold, only showing emotion when talking to the Alicorn Princess. This anger now... this was something akin to that of a madman. This anger was when something caused a flight or flight instinct to kick in, and the one being affected chose to fight. Trignar realized suddenly that the Demon was scared. The unstoppable being responsible for massacring the most elite soldiers on the planet was scared... no, terrified!

"Y-You are scared." Trignar chuckled weakly.

Dean's eyes snapped up and widened. His body went stiff, and he very nearly dropped the orb as his fingers went slack for half a second. Trignar began to laugh.

"The great Demon in Metal, scared! You took down thirty Elite Guards, and you are scared of one monster born of magic. Y'know, I remember when you were telling us all that story about your world. Were you scared when the aliens started massacring your kind? Were you scared when you had to watch your pathetic brothers in arms get slaughtered before your eyes, simply because they weren't as strong as you?"

"Don't-"

"And how about this... Were you scared when you walked into that tent, opened that letter, and finally found out that your wife and kid had d-- ERK!"

A metal clad hand locked around Trignars throat, and the Dark Elf suddenly found his airways cut off. He was lifted off the ground by a solid foot, but that hardly brought him to the Demons full height. Looking up, Trignar swore he saw red in the eyes of the Human choking him. The Demons teeth were bared into a snarl, and his grip suddenly tightened, causing the Elven Prince to gasp. His lips began to turn blue, then purple, and his body began to spasm from the lack of air. Darkness began to creep along the edges of his vision, slowly taking more and more away at an alarming rate. Trignar's feet kicked out, but they barely made a dent against the metal clad leg of the Demon.

Just as Trignar knew he was going to die, he suddenly fell to the ground. His vision slowly returned, and he found himself gasping for some much needed air. His eyes were wide in terror as he brought his hand to his sore throat. He could feel a bruise already beginning to form, and pain was starting to flare in the affected area. His adrenaline was wearing off, and he found that every breath suddenly felt like a knife was digging into his throat. Any longer, and his trachea, along with the rest of his neck would have been crushed. His eyes flicked to the Demon, then to the floor. This only caused his pupils to dilate even further as he caught sight of a small purple ball lying on the ground right beside him. He snatched the little piece of safety and cradled back and forth with it in his grasp. A happy smile appeared on his face as he gazed into its depths. This smile was wiped when he heard a chuckle come from above him, causing his eyes to drift upwards.

"You almost had me there, I'm not gonna lie. I don't think I've ever lost control like that in my life, not even while fighting the Orith. Your lies won't get through to me so easily, Elf." The Demon was facing away from Trignar, and his arms were folded over his chest. "I'm not a bad person, and I'm going to be nice to you by letting you keep that orb. Know this though," Dean faced Trignar over his shoulder, a definitive and malevolent scowl crossing his face as he did so. His eyes were cast in shadow, and his muscles seemed to bulge under the armor. "You, Trignar Blueblade, will never see the light of day again if I have anything to say about it. After what you did to Twilight, and after what your kind did to this world, forgiveness will not come so easily."

Dean turned, slipped his helmet on, and forcefully strode to the door. He didn't look back at the Elf, he didn't make any final remarks. He opened the door, walked through, and closed it behind him with an ominous thump. As he left, he suddenly got a feeling. He didn't know what it was, or how it was relevant, but it was nagging at the back of his head. Dean huffed and continued on. He didn't have time to be thinking about small feelings of self doubt.

*****

Click... hisss...

The metallic attachment slowly lowered onto the arm guard of his armor, sealing itself with titanium covers and blending in perfectly to the armor.

Dean felt giddy and excited. It was that feeling like getting a new, expensive, shiny toy for Christmas. Now, this toy would vary per person. Some would get a Lamborghini, some would get a new tablet or phone. Dean was not like some people, and it showed as he pressed the release button on his new weapon.

With a metallic scrape that was oddly satisfying to the ears, a three and a half foot blade suddenly shot out from its concealed position on the arm guard. Its pristine, gray surface shone in the waning sunlight coming through the window. The edge of the blade seemed to cut the very air around it, for the blade was sharper than even the most expensive of swords. Made of titanium and compound-X, the blade was extremely resilient and strong.

Dean wasn't just giddy, no... he was feeling downright murderous.

Guns were great, especially since he was trained on how to use them and how to use them well. But, there was just something about being able to come face to face with your enemy, one who sees themselves as all powerful, and literally tearing them apart. This brought on a peculiar memory:

Dean faced the lone Orithian soldier standing not ten feet away, his pistol in one hand, and the body of another Orithian in the other. This soldier was an officer of some sort, and they were typically very aggressive and proficient in combat. The one Dean had previously just killed was merely a scout of some sort, weak on the military standing of the Orith hierarchy.

Dean growled, his eyes narrowed, and he dropped the dead alien in his grasp. The Officer had a human Marine in his massive claws, and it stared into Dean's eyes as it began to pull. The human super soldier refused to look away as the dead marine was promptly ripped in two before him, causing a cascade of blood and organs to spill across the ruined road. The fighting had moved on to a different block, so it was only Dean and the officer. Both looked at each other in hate and utter resentment, but neither moved.

Ever so slowly, Dean brought his pistol to its holster and placed the weapon securely inside. His other hand moved to his chest, and he aggressively ripped his KABAR from its sheath. A crazed smile wrought itself upon his face, which was stained with blue blood and grime. His stance shifted, and he brought the knife forward in an aggressive pose. It was a sign of challenge, and the Orithian officer gladly accepted.

The officer roared, its arms spread wide as a sword appeared in each hand. The blade was long and thin, but not made of metal. Dean reckoned it was some form of chitin, much like the Orithian body armor. He briefly wondered how sharp those blades were, but that thought was quickly vanquished when the Officer charged the Human Super soldier.

In a tension filled moment, Dean saw his wife and child, their ghostly images ingrained in his memory. With them in his head, the Human let out a blood curdling scream as he too rushed the alien monster looming before him. The Orithian swung its left blade, which Dean promptly ducked under, and he raised his arms to deflect the incoming right stab. He was successful, and the agonizing screech of metal on metal echoed across the road. With lightning fast reflex, the Human made a wild stab into the Orithian's side. He felt the metal pierce the armor, but no contact with flesh was made.

Dean's inner sense warned him of incoming danger, and he did a role just as another blade grazed his shoulder. Sparks flew, and a chunk of metal went spinning off into the street as Deans armor once more took the impact.

Thinking quickly, the Human grabbed the Officer's offending blade arm, placed his body in front, and dragged the Officer over top of him. He heard the Orithian give a surprised screech as it was launched over the smaller Human and promptly smashed into the hard asphalt below.

Dean was on top of the alien in milliseconds, his arms swinging on their own accord as he pounded into the massive beast beneath him. His face was grit into a snarl, but inside, all he felt was satisfaction. He was satisfied that he was dishing out punishment, and avenging his fallen brothers in arms. The Orith had tried to take everything from him and his people, but with each small victory, hope continued to grow. The mere fact that he was on top of an alien invader, one that believed itself to be technologically advanced and far beyond Humanity, only fueled the Sergeants efforts.

Dean lost track of time. The only thing that truly registered within him was the fact that his fist kept coming down, and that his knife was currently lodged somewhere in the Aliens torso. He had abandoned the knife there, and instead resorted to nothing but his fists. Blood was plastered against his face, and his manic smile was replaced by a look of sorrow and hate. Tears fell from his face as he continued to eviscerate the corpse below him, which was now nothing more than mush.

'Dean.'

His fists continued to fall, and he let out a scream of frustration and despair. His tears leaked down his face, splattering the ground around him along with the corpse of the long dead Orithian Officer.

'Dean!'

So many images passed through his mind as he continued to smash his fists downwards. He saw Marie and Jaxon, he saw Jenkins, he saw his old job, he saw the life he once held--

"Dean!"

Dean shook his head and jumped to his feet as a familiar voice called his name. He blinked as he looked around the room, almost as if he was seeing everything for the first time. His eyes eventually settled on the little purple Alicorn standing near his door, her head cocked to the side and her tail swishing about. Her eyes were narrowed as she gazed upon his face, and Dean chuckled sheepishly.

"Sorry, Twi. I kinda zoned out there. He turned back to his armor, noticing that the final sword had been put into place and sealed. All he had to do now was don his protective suit once more and connect the new pieces to his neurolink. Dean sighed; that was a tomorrow job.

"I'll say, I called your name twice! Is everything alright?" He heard her trot into the room and sit down on his cot. He personally didn't mind, and instead grabbed his tac-pad from its perch on the fabricator. The screen lit up, and Dean began scrolling through the various features, only glancing around once or twice as he searched for the song he had been wanting to show his guest.

"Twilight, the last time I let you use my tac-pad, I believe I only gave permission for the Lord of the Rings." He glanced up, and upon seeing her nod slightly, he continued. "This time, I want to show you another cool feature. When I had some down time during the war, I would always listen to this music to keep my spirits up and my head cool. I always found a sort of peace listening to it, if only for a minute.... ah, here we go!"

Dean clicked play and gently set the device on the bed beside Twilight. She stared at it in confusion for a second before the first of the song kicked in. This was followed closely by a hard strum of an acoustic guitar along with the toll of a bell.

'Right outside of this one church town

There's a gold dirt road to a whole lot of nothin'

Got a deed to the land, but it ain't my ground

This is God's country...'

Twilight's ears perked up, and Dean gave a small smile as he moved back to his task on the armor. On his way, he stopped at his supplies box and rummaged around. Eventually, he pulled out a ballistic vest and Spec-ops combat helmet. Dean frowned. He had no idea how useful those two items would be, especially with the nature of the Elven weaponry. Maybe he could create stab vests instead?

As Dean rummaged around, he failed to notice Twilight's eyes boring into the back of his head, an angry frown dominating her face.

'I saw the light in the sunrise

Sittin' back in a 40 on the muddy riverside

Gettin' baptized in holy water and 'shine

With the dogs runnin'

Saved by the sound of the been found

Dixie whistled in the wind, that'll get you Heaven bound

The Devil went down to Georgia but he didn't stick around

This is God's country...'

Dean hummed along with the song, time seeming to pass by surprisingly quickly. He finally moved back to his suit, a chocolate chip granola bar in hand. His eyes were droopy, and he felt fatigue washing over him. All the horrors of the last few nights had taken their toll, and now he needed rest. However, he couldn't just kick Twilight out, she was enjoying his music!

Twilight stepped down from her perch, deadly silent with her head low and her wings slowly extending. A spell was cast on her hooves as she tiptoed her way forward.

'I don't care what my headstone reads

Or what kind of pinewood box I end up in

When it's my time, lay me six feet deep

In God's country...'

Dean hummed slightly, and a tickling feeling was working its way across the back of his neck. He frowned, his head tilting slightly as he tried to discern what was happening. He questioned why he was suddenly feeling tense, afterall, there was no danger here! The only one in the room with him was--

Dean dove to the side, his face scrunching in pain as his shoulder collided with solid stone. There was the smell of ozone and burnt flesh. His eyes widened as he scrambled to his feet and dove towards the chair near the entrance, determined to grab his pistol. Whoever was attacking him had made a mistake, and he would ensure they would pay. First and foremost, he had to make sure the Princess was safe.

His blinding speed must have confused his attacker, for his hand grasped the body of his SCAR-H. It took him less then a second to whirl around, his gun ready, and face the attacker. His eyes crossed over the room, intent on finding the perpetrator, but he found no one but the little purple alicorn standing on the other side of the room. Her horn was softly glowing with a toxic green energy, and her eyes were wide in shock.

"T-Twilight, are you okay? Did you see who attacked me?!" He kept his gun raised as he scanned the room, checking every nook and cranny. After a few seconds, he realized that something was off.

"Twilight, what is wrong with your horn?" Dean slowly lowered his gun as he stared at his best friend in confusion. Something was very wrong with the situation at hand. Who had attacked him? How did they get into the barracks? How--

Once more Dean was forced to roll to the side as another bolt of energy shot towards his head. This time, his confusion grew into realization, then horror. The bolt hadn't come from some unknown assailant, no. It had come from Twilight!

"Twilight, what the fuck are you doing!?" Dean came up with his gun trained on the little purple alicorn. His hands shook, and he had a hard time keeping his aim.

'She's your friend...'

Another bolt, another dodge; Dean drew slightly closer. The music played ever on, slowly coming to the ending of the song.

'I saw the light in the sunrise

Sittin' back in a 40 on the muddy riverside

Gettin' baptized in holy water and 'shine

With the dogs runnin'

Saved by the sound of the been found

Dixie whistled in the wind, that'll get you Heaven bound

The devil went down to Georgia but he didn't stick around

This is God's country...'

"Twilight, stop!" Dean cried as he dodged another bolt. The look of pure hatred crossing the Alicorn's face sent chills down his spine. He had never thought he would see such an appearance on his friend. He had saved her life, fought for her people, and here she was, trying to kill him. It didn't add up!

Dean suddenly found himself ever closer to his target. His mission was now to subdue the wild pony and try to get answers. This world had magic; maybe she was being brainwashed? Maybe she was possessed? What was with the green magic?

His eyes widened as not one, but three green bolts shot towards him. Time seemed to slow down, and Dean moved to dodge. One bolt missed, then a second, but the third... he misjudged. The third smashed into his unprotected hand, searing the flesh and causing him to snarl in pain. The force of the bolt snapped the gun from his grip, sending it crashing to the floor. horror took hold of Dean as another foreign sense filled him: dread.

He could only watch in horror, cradling his burnt hand, as the gun clattered once. The safety flipped off, having scraped across an edge on the stone floor. Dean let out a yell as after a second bounce, the SCAR, his SCAR, discharged. He saw the puff of smoke, heard the quiet thwip, and watched as the bullet traced a path right past his shin. He turned all too slowly as his eyes followed the bullet's trajectory, and his eyes could only widen in horror as it smashed into Twilight's chest.

Her face went from an angry snarl, to a look of pure shock in a millisecond. Blood splattered from the new wound in her chest as her legs gave out, and she went crashing to the floor. Dean yelled something unintelligible. Within the second, he was beside her, his hand trying to staunch the flow of blood. Tears poured down his eyes as he stared into Twilights; he could hear her heartbeat waning and dying.

With one last shuddering breath, the little purple Alicorn went still. Her heart stopped beating, and her eyes seemed to dilate. Dean could only cradle her, tears pouring down his face as his teeth grit. His lips trembled as he gently shook his friend.

"Wake up, Twi." She didn't move. Dean's eyes went wide and he shook her more violently. "P-Please wake up, Twilight... please?" She still didn't move.

A ringing entered Dean's ears as the world was drowned out. His vision tunneled on the pony in his arms as he sat back on his rear. His hand absently stroked her mane as he silently weeped.

'It isn't fair! this isn't fair!!'

His eyes squeezed shut, and his chest was wracked by hacking sobs.

'I-I promised! I Promised her! She was supposed to be s-safe, protected! WHYYY!!!'

With his eyes closed, he failed to see something happening right below him. Twilight's body was rippling, almost seeming to stretch. What sounded like a fire being lit caused Dean to open his eyes, and he yelped in fear as the alicorn was engulfed in green flames.

Scrambling backwards, Dean bumped into the chair holding his P23. He quickly snatched it up and pointed it towards the ever expanding flame. The embers seemed to reflect off of Deans eyes as he stared at the phenomena with both terror and awe.

Finally, the fire abruptly dissipated, leaving behind a sleek, black... thing? Dean had no idea what he was looking at, especially not from his seated position against the wall.

With trembling hands, he slowly stood and shuffled closer. Tear streaks were painted across his face, and his mouth seemed stuck in a permanent state of disbelief. Confusion and fear raced through his mind as he slowly drew closer to what appeared to be a sleek black pony.

It was then that his training kicked in. His eyes scanned the rest of the room for threats, and his gun swiveled from side to side. His prior feelings of dread and despair were put on the backburner as he tried to make sense of the situation he was in.

"W-what?"

Laying before the shocked human was what could only be described as... well, ugly. It bore resemblance to a pony in nothing but shape alone. Its wings were that of an insect, its carapace was a black, chitin-like material, and its eyes were a solid aqua blue with a tinge of white. A fleshy and webb-like mane sprouted from the back of its neck. Fangs could be seen from its open mouth, and a serpentine tongue lolled out across the floor. A whole, presumably where the bullet made contact, was smack in the center of the things chest.

All in all, Dean was thoroughly disturbed.

"Horse Apples. You really had to go do it again!"

Dean whipped around and trained his sights on the source of the familiar voice, and he wasn't surprised when Counselor Glimmer stepped through his door, her face set in a snarl.

"W-what the fuck are you talking about?" Dean demanded. He realized he had stuttered and quickly worked on slowing his rapidly beating heart. The adrenaline from the assault was slowly beginning to wear off, and Dean blinked in confusion.

"Stupid ape, I thought you'd have figured it out by now." Starlight's horn suddenly charged dangerously fast, and Dean tensed in preparation to dodge another attack. He was in for a surprise when the bolt of energy flew past him. He kept his gun trained on the Counselor as her smile only grew. Dean growled.

"W-What have you done? What the fuck was that... that thing! Where is Twilight!!" he took a menacing step forward, but Starlight chose that moment to scream like an utter banshee. Dean physically winced at the sheer volume she achieved, and he took an involuntary step backwards.

"GUARDS, GUARDS!! HELP!!!" She screeched in mock terror, her ears pinning themselves to the side of her head as her pupils dilated to mere pinpricks. Dean scowled as the sound of rapid hoofbeats pounded down the hallway, the clanking of armor accompanying them. After a moment, two guards in rugged armor galloped through the door and took up defensive positions, their eyes scanning for threats. When they saw Dean, they visibly relaxed... until their eyes drifted lower.

Dean saw their jaws fall open, and one of them even turned green in the face. The Earth Pony who didn't look sick to his stomach clamped his mouth closed as his face morphed into a snarl. Ever so slowly, the spear in his grasp was lowered until the tip was level with Dean's chest. The Humans eyes widened as he stared at the weapon, not quite believing what he was seeing.

"Corporal, get backup. Now." The stallion said through gritted teeth, his eyes never leaving Dean. The man, for his part, was extremely confused, and he slowly raised his hands in a pleading gesture.

"Sir, I--"

"SHUT THE BUCK UP!" The guard suddenly screamed, his breathing growing heavy. "Y-YOU ARE A TRAITOR!!"

Dean paused, his mouth hanging open. He could still see Starlight standing behind the guard, but her look of shock was morphed into a devilish smirk, causing the uncertainty to grow. He took another step back, and the guard's eyes flicked to something on the floor behind him.

Dean clued in and glanced around as well. What he saw caused his breath to hitch, and his blood to run cold. Lying on the ground was the Princess. The being from before was gone, and Twilight's dead eyes now stared upwards into his. Another piece of the puzzle suddenly clicked, and Dean turned back to the guard in a panic.

"I-I can explain--"

The Guard suddenly let out a strangled cry, his eyes bugging out of their sockets, and spittle flying from his mouth. Dean tensed as the spear was thrust forward, and nimbly dodged to the side. The Guards' look of hatred turned to shock as the Human was suddenly beside him.

Dean scowled and casually ripped the spear from the pony's grip, causing him to stumble slightly from the sudden force. His stumble suddenly turned into a full face plant into the ground as the shaft of said spear was smashed against the top of his head, knocking him out and denting his helmet.

After a moment of consideration, Dean turned and faced the counselor with a dark scowl.

"You." His words were laced with venom as he stared hard into her eyes. She only chuckled.

"Me."

Dean charged forward with a roar and made a wild swing for the Counselor, but all she did was laugh and teleport away with a pop. A crackle of energy alerted him to her reappearance, and he found himself facing her through the open doorway.

"This is it for you, ape. Once you have been disposed of, I can finally reclaim the throne that was taken from me not once, but twice! Coupled with that, and your precious marefriend will be dead within the week. The last alicorn... gone!" Starlight cackled, but she quickly dropped the facade as what sounded like dozens of hoofbeats raced towards his room. She gave one more sinister smile before taking off down the hall, all the while screeching about the Human going crazy and murdering the Princess.

Thinking quickly, Dean slammed his door shut and toppled a nearby dresser in front. He wasn't a moment too soon as the sound of hooves on wood suddenly echoed throughout his room. Shouts could be heard on the other side before something heavy hit the door. Dean secured the deadbolt and quickly ran to his armor stand.

"We know you're in there, Sergeant! Open the door and surrender!!" Dean ignored the call and began the tedious task of donning his armor. He slipped on his leg gear, then his protective jacket. This was followed by him backing up into the standing piece of armor. There was a hiss, and the protective plating descended overtop of his massive form. Plating surrounded his legs and arms while the plating on his back clamped into place. A piece of connector metal pushed into his spinal cord, officially calibrating him and his neuro link to his suit of armor. Once everything was in place, Dean reached down and grabbed the frontal piece of his chest armor with one hand and placed it appropriately across his front. Titanium alloy connected to the rest of his armor system and down to his hips. The metal was mixed with compound-X, allowing strength and flexibility all around his ribcage and abs.

The process complete, Dean jogged to his bed and grabbed his tac-pad. He quickly set it in its spot on his wrist as he went about collecting his weapons and a few extra pieces of ammo. In the end, he ended up with four extra magazines for his rifle, and six for his pistol. Dean frowned.

Everything that had happened within the last hour wasn't adding up. Where was Twilight if the thing on his floor wasn't her? Had she always been one of them?

'No... just no...'

Dean's eyes suddenly filled with determination. He had been wrong in thinking she was safe, and he once again had to go and rescue her. He had made a promise to multiple people, but most importantly, he made a promise to himself, and Princess Twilight. He wouldn't let any harm come to her, and he would protect her until the war was over.

"ARGH!!" Dean smashed his fist into the wall beside him, letting his frustration go into the feeling of crushing something. The wall caved in, and a spiderweb appeared right in front of him. Dean looked at the wall, then his fist, then back at the wall. After another moment's hesitation, and another pound at his door, Dean set to work. His armored fists pounded into the stone with an animalistic ferocity, as if he was a caged lion. The sun was setting in the distance when he finally broke through, his fist traveling into empty air. The pounding was still going on at the door, but Dean wasn't paying attention to that. While he had worked, a sneaking suspicion had come to his mind.

It was obvious those black bug horses were a species of their own, and Dean only knew of a few allies to the Elves that fit the description of a quadruped: Changelings. Wherever these changelings held their base of operations was the most likely spot he would find the Princess. There was one other person he knew had the whereabouts to the Changeling hive, and he loathed the fact that he would need this particular monster's help.

"For the greater good..." Dean was about to put his helmet on when another splitting headache crashed through his skull. His eyes squeezed shut as he collapsed to his knees and cried out in pain.

"DEAAAANNNN!!!!"

Twilight. It was Twilight all along. Her scream caused his eyes to go wide. His headache abruptly came to a stop, and he shook his head. A menacing scowl crossed his features as his eyes seemed to darken.

"I fucking knew it..." He mumbled to himself in anger. His eyes rose and searched the sky before he briefly closed them. A breeze blew his hair gently and a shiver ran down his spine. A Harvest moon was rising in the west, and the setting sun splashed the sky with an assortment of beautiful colours. Finally, His lips moved on their own accord as his fist clenched at his side.

"I made a promise once, and I failed. Hear these words: I will not rest until you are found and safe; I will die before any harm can come to you. I will find you, Twilight. I. Will. Find. You."

With his resolve set, Dean took one last look at the canvas-like sky before he placed his helmet over his head. The determination in his eyes was hidden away by the metal mask, and once more, Sergeant Dean was gone... in his place, came a Demon.

A Demon made of Metal.