"Take a look over there." Dean followed Midnight's hoof with his binoculars and focused on the front gate of the camp. His helmet was able to zoom in pretty far, but it wasn't enough for the current scouting mission. So, he had resorted to using a large pair of camouflaged binoculars. The snowy peak that the small group sat upon was covered in ice and quite a hazard, but this also worked for their benefit. The sun glared down upon the mountain, reflecting off the slopes and a permanent light reflection to shine down upon the camp. Dean didn't have to worry about the glare of his binoculars being seen just yet, the mountain itself acted as a shield... at least for another hour or so. As soon as the sun was above them, their position would be given away.

Dean analyzed further and counted the guards at the front gate. He knew that the camp was understaffed, but this was just lazy! He had seen a grand total of three watch towers; the guards looking bored and disinterested in their jobs. Only three Elves stood at the front entrance, two of which were bundled in warm trench coats inside their pillboxes. Only the one stood guard outside, but he or she didn't stray far from the warmth of a small barrel fire that was set up near the entrance. Dean reckoned that the laziness was due to their current surroundings. Where would a pony go if they did escape? They would either succumb to the cold of the frozen north, or they would be shot upon coming near Stalliongrad. Dean also noticed quite a few flying machines patrolling off in the distance, but few ever came near the camp.

"Not the entrance, Dean. Look at that warehouse off to the side." Midnight pointed once more and Dean huffed in exasperation. Surely he had seen... everything...

He lowered his binoculars in order to rub his eyes. Surely he was seeing things? He brought the device back to his face and peered through towards the warehouse once more. His breath caught in his throat as he looked at the metal behemoth.

A massive tank, something akin to a Mk.IV topped with a large turret and massive barrel, sat unused, inside and out of the snow. A few Dark Elves walked around within the warehouse and chatted idly with one another. Large caliber armor-piercing shells, something Dean had not thought the Elves capable of creating, were stacked neatly off the side. He had seen almost an exact replica of those shells on the M3S4 Templar main battle tank.

Dean froze. He remembered seeing the power of those vehicles as they blew apart the Orith lines and anti-infantry vehicles. The sheer ferocity of their cannons and size caused many invaders to flee, and it was one of the two times Dean ever got to see the Orith show fear. One, the tank, two, when facing an RSTF operative.

"Dean?" The Human shook his head and turned to Midnight.

"Alright, here's the plan. Tonight, you, me, and Spitfire will enter through the front gate. The guard towers are in a rugged position, and don't have a clear view of the entrance. I can take out the sentries with my rifle while we start the infiltration. Cobalt, Steel, and Stormfly will attack from the rear of the camp. It'll be their job to take out the one barracks there, and also calm the ponies being held prisoner. No doubt they will be scared when a random Person breaks down their door in the middle of the night. Swift Spear will be providing overwatch from that incline near the middle of the camp. It's tall enough that he should be able to see most of the camp, excluding a few blind spots. Upon entering, you and Spitfire will go and rouse the rest of the prisoners. Any Elves you see that are unarmed, you will attempt to round up in the center of the camp. Most will be asleep, so that shouldn't be a problem. I will do the same with that barracks closest to the entrance. If someone tries to sound the alarm, or tries to fight back... end them. I saw a pit near the back of the camp. We can tie up the remaining Elves and leave them at the bottom. In the morning, the General should arrive on the train. We kill his guards and the engineers before commandeering the vehicle. From there, we will take the engine until we get to the Everfree before unloading near the coast. In the end, it's a simple hike to Maritime Bay!" Dean smiled, and continued to smile as his head turned away. His smile dropped instantly when he peered through the binoculars again.

"But, Dean, don't we NOT want to leave any witnesses? The whole thing about being the Demon in Metal was that you killed without mercy and saved the innocent. Surely--" Midnight suddenly found himself pinned to the ground as the Human's massive hands grabbed ahold of his armor and pushed him down.

"I AM NOT--" His voice started in a yell, but he quickly realized his mistake. Even in the cold, sweat trickled down the back of his neck. Dean grimaced before scowling down at the Pegasus. "I-I am not a cold-blooded killer." His voice was barely above a whisper as his eyes seemed to gain clarity. "W-what the Elves are doing is wrong, I get that. I've seen extermination before, but if we act like them, then we are no better."

An image of a group of civilians popped into Dean's mind. He remembered being in a trench, yelling for them to get to cover. It was then that hard-light energy had burst from the smoke, cutting through the fleeing Humans like a scythe through wheat. After that, he and Jenkins had charged the oncoming enemy and single-handedly eliminated a whole battalion. They were praised as heroes by their fellow soldier's, but the image of those civilians was burnt into his mind.

The Elves were different, they had to be! They were humanesque, to a degree, and he had seen women and children among them. In Ravenford, he had heard the scream of a woman, and if there was a woman and a man, that meant there were children. These Elves were not the Orith, not even close.

Wait... Something was wrong.

An image suddenly flashed to his mind once again, but it was different. It was the little filly, Lucy. She was on the ground, a smoking hole in her chest. The image skipped ahead to where he felt that overwhelming rage against the Bloody Baron. He had killed him, all the while comparing his species to the Orith.

Dean's fight or flight instincts kicked in, and he suddenly found himself sitting on the ground across from a confused Midnight. The black Pegasus rolled onto his knees before standing on all fours. He slowly approached the Human before him and prodded his boot with a hoof.

"Sergeant? Are you alright?" Midnight was deeply concerned, what was happening to Dean?

The human's eyes snapped upwards, and his breathing was heavy. His hands shook as he moved to grab his helmet sitting on his waist. Dean fumbled with the bulky head gear for a moment before slipping it onto his head. The familiar hiss of the locks engaging as well as the startup of his HUD gave him a sense of relief, and his breaking visibly slowed. Midnight must have also noticed the sudden change for he sat on his haunches in the snow.

"Want to talk about it?" His voice was calm, and his eyes held a knowing look. Guards and civilians alike had shown some of the same symptoms of what Dean had just gone through, and if he had to hazard a guess, the Human had been going through it for a long time.

"It's nothing." Dean's garbled voice caused Midnight's ears to twitch. He ignored the feeling and decided to prod a bit further.

"Dean, I was the second pony you met on this planet. I consider you both my friend and ally. Whatever might be troubling you, I am here to listen. I'm a soldier too, you can trust me." Midnight lay a hoof on Dean's foot once more, and the Human seemed to let out a breath.

"I'm overwhelmed, Midnight. I've got a war to fight back home and a family I need to find. I was brought here by chance, and am now fighting once again. I had promised myself that I wouldn't make connections while here, but I failed in that regard. Couple all that with the fact that everything just feels wrong, and I find myself overthinking everything. I feel like I'm missing something. Something so obvious, but so elusive at the same time. Y'know, I never dealt with post traumatic stress disorder until I came to this world. It was a blur back where I came from, the focus was the fight. Now, I'm not so sure. Something here is affecting my train of thought, and it feels like something foreign is waging a battle against my own mind. Had it not been for Twilight, I think I would have snapped a while ago. I get these thoughts: one moment, the Elves don't seem like the real enemy, the next, they are the spawn of Satan himself. Even if I have played such a big role in freeing your people, I still feel small compared to whatever it is I'm missing."

Dean sighed.

"Don't tell anyone else about this, not even Twi. I can't be seen as weak, especially when I am supposed to be the Champion for a princess and a hero for you ponies. That reminds me. What I said about being a killer? I lost track of what it meant years ago. So, when I came here, and I grew a hatred for the Elves, something inside me awoke. I realized what it meant to kill, and the consequences it brought with it. I tried comparing the Elves to the Orith, but they are too Human-like. At least until I see them performing deeds which resemble my peoples enemy. Something else is going on, and I feel that if I kill the Emperor, then the house of cards will come tumbling down." Dean slowly brought one knee to his chest before staring idly towards the concentration camp. "Back on my world, there was a large war. The enemy, the Nazi's built camps just like this one, but much bigger and with more troops. They were designed to slowly kill off a certain group of individuals, and they very nearly succeeded."

"I take it your people stopped these Nazis?" Midnight cocked his head to the side. Ponies weren't familiar with fighting one another, but he had read stories of the olden days. He understood what war was. Dean chuckled at his question and shook his head.

"Yes and No, we played a part. It was a group effort with many countries taking part in the many battles. In the end, we freed the people in the camps, and ended the Nazi regime for good." Midnight couldn't see it, but Dean was glaring down at the camo. "We, as a group, are going to do the same thing. We are gonna free those ponies, or die trying. It's the duty of a soldier to protect and serve, so that's what we are going to do."

There was silence on the ridge as Midnight looked at Dean with a new sense of admiration. The battle had seemed hopeless for the resistance before, but with Dean, things seemed to be getting better. He was about to open his mouth when the sound of grunting reached their ears.

Dean's pistol was in his hand in an instant as the panting seemed to get louder and louder. It sounded vaguely feminine, and Midnight smiled when he recognized the sounds. He quickly trotted over to the edge and peered over. A yellow and orange Pegasus in winter camo was nearly to the top of the ridge, but stopped when a pony shaped shadow descended over her.

"Hey, Spits!" Midnight chirped from above. Dean heaved himself into a prone position once more and stared down at the camp. His helmet made him appear like a wraith silently stalking its prey.

"Hey, Nighty." Spitfire panted as her coltfriend heaved her onto the lookout. "Hey, Sergeant."

Dean grunted in response.

"What's got him all upset?" She whispered into Midnight's ear. The Pegasus frowned as he watched the Human from behind.

"He's likely just... in a planning mood." he hesitated at first, but he decided to withhold the conversation he and the Human had had. It seemed that his judgment had proved right as he saw Dean give a subtle nod before resuming his spying. Midnight shivered; he would never get used to the fact that the Humans ears were so small, and he seemed to pick up even the slightest sounds. There was no sneaking up on him.

Spitfire made an 'O' with her mouth before trotting up to the Sergeant and saluting.

"Sergeant, Stormfly has recovered completely according to Cobalt. The others await your results as well as a plan of action." Spitfire dropped the salute and sat on her haunches. Her nose twitched as she stared down at the prone Human. She suddenly found herself intrigued by his stature, and couldn't help but analyze the rear of his body.

To a pony, anything Bipedal was especially tall. The Elves were like giants to pony-kind, and this had played a part in their conquest of Equestria. With technological superiority, all that was needed was a fear factor. The standard war dress for a Dark Elf was scary in its own right. Pointed edges, and deadly looking weapon holders. The standard issue Helmet for a Dark Elf within their military resembled a skull.

Dean's outfit was scary in its own way. His massive build coupled with the layers of metal alloy made the man seem like an utter giant. His massive boots caused rivets in the snow so big that a little filly could fit in one lying down. Spitfire shivered. They were lucky that the Sergeant was on their side. She could sense more than anything the sheer power that the Human exerted.

"Careful, Spits, he's taken by Twilight." Midnight chuckled and danced to the side as she playfully went to boop him with her hoof. She herself chuckled before Dean's gravelly, distorted voice broke their banter.

"Real funny, Midnight. You know I can't be with her. I've got a family to return to, and not a lot of time to do it." Dean stood up as Spitfire and Midnight looked at him.

"Let's get down to the others, they are likely wondering what's taking so long." His back was rigid, and his voice sounded uptight. Spitfire gave Midnight a confused glance, to which he mouthed: 'I'll tell you later.' She nodded in understanding and moved to follow the Human.

Spitfire glanced between her coltfriend and Dean. She had the sudden feeling that she had intruded upon something important, but she didn't know what. Her ears folded down, and she looked at her hooves as the group progressed down the side of the mountain. She felt Midnight's eyes on her, but she refused to look up.

A wing draped over her back, and she felt the soothing warmth of Midnight's fur against her side. The two stopped and looked at one another. Spitfire's eyes glanced at Dean's form some three meters below them before looking at Midnight questioningly.

"It's my job as a Captain to see that something is wrong. What's going on with the Sergeant?" She reckoned that with the powerful wind, as well as the distance from the enhanced Human, that her words wouldn't be overheard. She heard Midnight sigh as his own ears drooped slightly.

"Dean is suffering some form of trauma. I can't tell you everything, I promised him I wouldn't talk about it, but we need to be careful. He is our best shot of freeing Equestria, but I fear that his life in the military is finally catching up with him. Whatever it is, we need to support him, because right now, he is the Resistance's last hope." Midnight nuzzled Spitfire and smiled. "Common. Dean's going to get suspicious and think we were doing something naughty." He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively.

Spitfire chuckled and skipped past Midnight, but not before swatting his nose with her tail.

"Mind out of the gutter, Nighty." Midnight chuckled and followed suit. The wind howled at their backs as the day slowly progressed. In a few hours, their mission would start...

*****

The quarter moon rose ominously in the night sky, its usually brilliant light dimmed from a lack of care and devotion. Two years prior, that moon was a brilliant display of light, and it gave the denizens of Equis a feeling of protection each and every night. This was no longer the case. With the deaths of the Princesses, everything dimmed. The days were no longer refurbishing and comfortable, and the nights were no longer pleasant.

It was this particular night that a small trio of Dark Elves sat in their guard post and tuned in to the local magi-comm station.

"Two weeks, my brethren. Two weeks until the scourge of the planet are nothing more! With the power bestowed upon our glorious Emperor and his kin, we shall become the dominant species on this planet.... nay, this universe! I have seen, just as you have, the promise of the Destroyer. A new era will be born from the ashes, and we will rule as one! Never again will we be refused our right to magic! Never again will we be oppressed while the ponies of Equestria go gallivanting through the meadows! For the last decade, we have led a conquest that will be seen for the rest of time! Right now, our brothers and sisters are holding back the Griffon scourge so that we may have the time to initiate our plan for total domination! We will--"

One of the Elves' ears flicked in agitation. Something had disturbed his hearing. He was of middle age and in healthy condition, a prime fighter to have on the front lines. Had it not been for a prank that he had done to the wrong CO a few days prior, then he wouldn't be at the concentration camp at all.

"Guys, I'm gonna do a quick round, gotta stretch my legs." The Elf picked up his spear and cracked his back with a few satisfying pops.

"Can't you do that somewhere else? An ad for the newest pleasure ponies is playing, and I need a decent price here!" A younger Elf grumbled from his seat.

"Well, if you keep working here, then it'll only take you another sixty years to afford one!" The third Elf replied. The first chuckled and shook his head.

"You kids never learn. You gotta invest bits at a young age, and find good paying jobs! Back in my day--" The younger of the three waved his hand.

"Back in my day, back when I was a whatever... I don't want to hear it, gramps! You old people don't know what it's like to actually afford stuff anymore! Now let me listen, the auctioneer is entering my price range here."

The older Elf, whose name was Jin, huffed before opening the door to the outside world, all the while grumbling about the younger generation. The frigid air hit him like a train as he held an arm over his eyes. He immediately felt regret for leaving the warmth of the guard post, but he had a job to do. Whatever he had heard, he could likely deal with it. Small animals and the occasional spirit were a cake walk; nothing bigger ever came close to the camp.

Jin shivered violently before lowering his arms and peering around. His light-Spear was held tightly in his grip, and he squinted into the looming darkness. A strange shape was barely visible a few meters away, and he had a hard time focusing on it.

After sweeping his sides, he focused entirely on the figure and slowly crept towards it. Whatever this thing was, it heavily resembled an Elf. Its shadowy frame remained unmoving in the freezing wind, and Jin felt a sense of fear encroach upon him. Something was amiss, and he figured this figure was the key.

He pointed his spear and called out into the darkness.

"Show yourself, whatever you are!" There was no answer, so he crept forward once more to get a better view. The breeze picked up again, and his boots crunched in the snow as he moved ever closer. The shape still did not move, and Jin's heart rate only picked up.

"You! Who are you?"

The wind howled as he gulped slowly. His hands were starting to get cold, and his ears were numb. The darkness seemed to compress him at all sides, and the figure in front of him seemed to loom in the shade. It still hadn't moved.

Jin froze and slowly turned his head. After a full one-eighty, his ears drooped and his eyes fell downcast. He was very far from the barracks, too far to shout for help... not that anyone would hear it over the wind. He cursed himself for being so stupid and let out a whimper. He took a few steps towards the guard outpost, reasoning the figure was of nothing but his imagination, when he heard a noise.

It sounded like breathing.

Once more, Jin found himself slowly turning. His ears somehow compressed further against his head as his arms and legs began to shake. His heart felt as if it would burst from his chest at any moment. Gone was the looming figure, gone was the speckles of snow and the shady darkness.

In front of him, he saw nothing but black.

Jin looked from side to side and found he could nearly see past the wall in front of him. But when did....

'Destroyer save me.'

He looked up, his neck having to crane in order to see the face of the metal behemoth in front of him. Various instruments and armor plates covered the beast's body as it stared down at him. Its faceless visor seemed to hold no emotion, no pity, and no sympathy.

Jin dropped his rifle, his arms shaking too much to be able to carry it. Tears tried to come down his face, but they froze nearly after exiting his eyes.

"D-D-D-D-Demon..." Jin's mouth hung open, the monster he had heard about over the radio, the one who had massacred the Elite guards of royalty, the one who captured and killed the Prince, the one who freed a whole town of those animals by himself. It was him, the Demon in Metal.

Jin could only watch as a massive, gloved hand reached out with lightning fast reflexes and wrapped around his throat. He felt his body lift several feet off the ground, and he began to struggle. His airways were being cut off, and he couldn't breathe or scream for help. Had he stopped panicking, he would find that he actually COULD breathe just fine. The Demon began to walk back towards the outpost where his fellow guards resided, and he started to thrash about. If he could just get their attention...

Before he knew it, the Demon and himself were standing before the doorway. Jin could only watch helplessly as the metal being drew what appeared to be a weapon from his side and flicked a switch. A green beam suddenly cut through the darkness, and Jin found himself staring with intrigue at the device.

His attention was brought back to his current situation as the Demon slowly turned the knob and opened the door. Jin saw the two guards, whom he had only known for a few days, sitting at the radio. The Demon's grip suddenly tightened around his neck, and he found himself quickly losing consciousness. The last thing he remembered was seeing both guards rush to stand, and then their heads suddenly exploding.

*****

"You just looove to make a scene, don't you." Dean smirked under his helmet as Midnight's voice came through his internal radio. It would have been simpler to sneak up on the unsuspecting guard, but he wanted to have a little fun. Was it in violation of everything he had learnt regarding espionage? yes. Did he care? Only a little. He wasn't going to pull a stunt like that again, that was for sure. Had he messed up, the operation would have failed.

"The prisoner should wake up soon. Is everyone in position?" Dean eyed the unconscious Elf tied on the floor before him with disgust, his mind wandering and coming to conclusions about what this particular Elf had done to the Equestrians. His look changed to one of neutral anger as he saw the Dark Elf stirring. Contrary to what one would think, the Elves skin was not light, but it wasn't all too dark either. It was like looking at a blue tinted Middle Eastern person from Earth.

"Ready for your signal, Sergeant."

Dean noticed his prisoner stirring and promptly contacted the rest of his team.

"Be ready in two minutes.

"Wha... where am I?" The Dark Elf looked around and blinked, his voice croaked slightly, courtesy of the Humans earlier handling of his neck.. Dean slowly crouched so that he was eye level with the being before him. Upon looking straight ahead, his eyes widened to an impossible degree.

"Y-Y-You--" Dean's hand shot forward and promptly covered the Dark Elves mouth, stopping his soon to be fit of yelling. He watched as the Dark Elves jaw moved up and down, his eyes never leaving the metal behemoth in front of him. It brought Dean a sense of satisfaction, seeing his enemies in a state of terror. It was good that they felt such an emotion, for in this case, he was the judge, jury, and the executioner.

"How many Elves are within the camp?" Dean said the words slowly so as not to confuse the terrified being before him. His faceless gaze didn't waver, and it left no room for argument. He slowly lifted his hand away and rested it on his knee. His eyes bore holes through the skull of his prisoner, and Jin gulped.

"T-T-There are about forty guards in total. There is also the Destructor crew, and a few, erm, doctors..." Jin trailed off as the withering glare of the Demon bore into him with more intensity, even without eyes. Tears began to leak down his cheeks. He didn't know what lay beneath the helmet, nor did he want to find out... but he could almost sense the raw violence and power the being possessed. His own magical skill wasn't enough to take him on... nor was anyone elses who resided in the camp.

"I-I don't know anything else! P-Please... spare me! I-I have a f-family!" Jin watched as the Demon tilted its head to the side. He heard what sounded like a grumble before the Demon in Metal stood up, towering over him and casting an ominous shadow.

"You will wait here." It said simply. Jin breathed a sigh of relief and closed his eyes. His heart was refusing to calm, and he needed to get his breathing under control. The Demons voice sent shivers up and down his spine, its metallic and garble like sounds striking fear within him.

Jin was about to sit back when a piece of cloth was suddenly wedged between his teeth, prohibiting him from making a noise. He gurgled and tried to shake his head, but it was no use. Within seconds, a firm knot was tied around the back of his head, and a rough hand grabbed his hair.

Jin's cry of pain was muffled, but that didn't stop the tears from forming in his eyes as he was forced to look into the Demon's non-existent face. The air seemed to grow colder as the imposing figure raised his other hand towards his head. Jin whimpered and shied away.

"Shh." The index finger of the hand pointed up around where an Elf's mouth would be, and Jin found himself nodding subconsciously. The Demon gave another tilt of his head before suddenly letting go. Jin sagged as much as he could in his seat as the Demon's footsteps clunked out of the guard post. The door was shut with surprising care, and he looked for the reason as to why.

He didn't find one, as the Demon was now gone. It was as if he was never there.

Jin gulped when the smell of iron suddenly hit his nose, causing it to crinkle and his eyes to water once more. Confused, he tried to twist his neck in order to identify the putrid and slightly nauseating stink. It seemed to be coming from his right.

He forced his head to turn, and his eyes just caught sight of what used to be the other Elves in the guard post. He couldn't remember fully what had happened when the Demon had taken him prisoner, but he recalled glimpsing some sort of violence. The sight before him was unlike anything he had ever seen, and he felt panic rising in his throat. His breathing quickened as he looked at the mushy brain matter and bone strewed about the floor. The younger of the guards was missing half his face, showing the splintered bone and muscle. Half his brain was gone.... the other half was oozing into the floorboards.

His breaths came in gasps.

The older Elf, the one whom he had only known for a few days, lay on the floor. His head was missing entirely, and upon looking at the wall, Jin found where it had gone.

Red, gray, and yellow substance coated the wall above the magi-comm, and the device itself wasn't spared. Blood dripped from one of its antennae, each drop striking the chest of the dead Elf.

He couldn't bear to look at it anymore. Never had he seen such brutality, or gore. He was a new recruit, who had challenged an officer and ended up in the Frozen North. He had been promised the good fight, an honorable war against his foes.

This wasn't war.... this was something else entirely.

Something inside him snapped, and Jin screamed through the fabric in his mouth, but there was no one to hear him. His body lurched back and forth as tears poured down his face, but not once did his eyes leave the bodies. Forever scorched into his mind, was the work of a Demon.

*****

Dean stopped at the front gates, his body and armor well camouflaged against the lazy eyes of the tower guards. He saw between the bars of the gate the occasional guard, but they seemed to mostly just be moving to and fro rather than standing guard. Had the Equestrian's morale not been so low, then it would have been a cake walk to escape on their own.

He raised his arm and flipped on his tac-pad while gliding between two crates. the device wasn't very bright, but he wasn't going to take that risk.

"Fourty, minus two..." Dean programmed into the device the amount of Elves that were remaining within the camp. This way, he could keep tabs if anyone seemed to be missing when the operation was done. When the inhabitants of the camp were freed, he would tally them as well.

He looked up towards the hill near the mountain, and was just barely able to make out the shadowy forms of group two. Cobalt, Steel, Swift Spear, and Stormfly all lay upon the ridge, awaiting his command.

"Midnight, Spitfire, on me." He whispered into his walkie talkie. He waited for about thirty seconds before the two Pegasi glided like wraiths to his position. They stayed close to the ground and in the shadows as they made their way forward.

"We're here." Midnight whispered from behind the Human. They were crouched behind a barricade of some sort, and only Dean's head was showing as he peeked over the top.

"Good, do you both remember the breaching lessons I taught you?" one of the tower guards yawned and looked in his direction. Dean brought his head down just in time. Both ponies responded with a yes, so he nodded in approval. "Good, I'll move in first and go right, you two go left." Once more they responded with a yes, so Dean turned on his walkie talkie.

"Blizzard, Blizzard, Blizzard." Upon uttering the final word, Dean caught sight of a flash of metal before he lost it in the night sky. A moment later, the guard in the tower farthest from everyone lurched backwards. Dean could see the bolt stuck through his throat. The guard collapsed without a sound.

Two more crossbow bolts flew through the air without a sound, and the final two guards were put down. All three bolts had hit their targets perfectly.

"Good job, Spear. Everyone, move in. Spear, provide overwatch. Over." Dean waited for the confirmations before unholstering his rifle and raising it to his shoulder. He turned on his thermal view, and gave the hand signal to move. The trio made their way to the gate, only to find a rusty padlock. Dean grabbed the metal contraption and quickly yanked it off. He squeezed a bti to hard and ended up crushing the padlock in half. He paid it no mind as the gate easily swung open.

"Moving into position. Over." He heard Stormfly over his radio. He didn't respond, for they had gone over the plan earlier. There were three barracks, each with an unknown number of Dark Elves. There would be two per barrack (except him), and once everyone was in position, they would all simultaneously throw their nine-bangers. From prior experience, Dean knew that the bangers were highly effective in stunning a large group of Elves, Since they would be inside a building this time, the effects would be much worse.

"Cobalt, on your left behind the door is an Elven guard, I'm taking him out. Over." Dean directed Midnight and Spitfire towards their target before moving towards his. His route would take him right past the tank hanger.

Dean's boots barely made a sound in the light snow, thus adding to the ominous silence of the night. The moon hung in the sky like a spotlight, but a cloud moved in front of its bulbous form. The world around him was cast in absolute darkness, but he kept going. Each of the ponies in his squad was equipped with a pair of night vision goggles, something that Dean had found difficult to make. The last set was created literally a day before they left Maritime Bay, for he had needed to acquire an immense number of specific materials for the fabricator to work.

Dean's eyes snapped up as someone coughed to his right. He whipped his gun around and had the sight trained on what appeared to be the Elves head within the nano-second. The only thing that stopped him from pulling the trigger was the fact that the being before him appeared to be blue on the thermal scanner of his helmet. He paused for half a second, which was long enough for the figure to get a word in.

"Dean, it's me." The Guardian stepped out of the shadows and folded his arms in front of his chest. Dean checked all around him before moving into the shadow cast by a supply building. His thermal scanners came up blank all around him, so he focused on the Guardian.

"What is it, I'm busy." He whispered. He made sure to turn off his helmet's distortion in order to appear quieter. The Guardian sighed as Dean once more checked his corners.

"There aren't any Elves here, they are busy in their barracks. I came to warn you." The Guardian took a step forward and held out his one arm. "I only took a quick look, but there are some truly horrible things going on within this concentration camp. I'm sure you know this, for the Nazi's did similar things in the second world war, but your soldier's don't. Do not lose who you are here. The Elves are being influenced by the Destroyers power, it is better to--"

Dean snarled and pointed an accusatory finger at the Guardian.

"You don't know who I am, and you certainly don't know about how bad it really is out here. You got stuck in stone, and I'm willing to bet that you only started paying attention when I showed up. I don't care if there is influence involved, punishment needs to be dished out. Hitler influenced the German people to kill millions, and he didn't have any bullshit powers. They were all held accountable, and they will be here too. I didn't come here looking to kill everyone, but I will if I have to." Dean scowled and moved to turn away. The Guardian walking through him and turning caused him to pause once more.

"Listen! Maybe I don't know how bad it is, but one man cannot play god in this situation! Those Elves probably have families to, and who are you to judge how evil a person truly--"

Once more, the Guardian stuttered in his words as Dean's fist collided with a cement block near his head, causing it to break apart in a shower of rubble. The Guardian winced slightly, even though he was merely a projection.

"These... monsters are not people! They are savages, and I will not stand for them enslaving the inhabitants of this world! Plus, they are already beginning to execute the Equestrians in mass. Couple that with whatever is happening in two weeks, and it's easy to see that a bigger plan is being formed." Dean pointed a finger at the Guardian once more. "You can either help me win, or you can sit by and watch, I don't care but I will not let these crimes go unpunished." Dean stalked through the Guardian and did not utter another word. His rifle once more began its circular pattern as he checked every crevice and corner on his way to his target.

The Guardian sighed.

An image flashed in his head, and he saw two paths. He knew which one the Human was wandering towards, and a tear came to the Guardians eye as he stared blankly ahead. He wouldn't stop trying, but sooner or later, Dean would have to choose. If he kept going the way he was going, then all of existence was doomed.

"I can't fail, not after everything that has happened."

A look of determination came across the Guardian's features as he began to dissipate. He lost this small battle, but there was still a war to fight. It was his job to ensure victory.

The Guardian departed, and the night was once again taken by the enduring silence, cut only by the occasional howl of wind.

*****

Dean approached the barracks with nary a sound. His senses were on high alert, and for good reason: The lights within this barracks were on.

He scowled as he thought about what he could do. The others were in position, and were awaiting the go ahead to begin, but the element of surprise and disorientation would be less effective this way. He would need to see the exact positioning of the targets. That way, he could deduce what exactly he was dealing with.

Dean crept towards a window and slowly peeked inside.

He saw multiple bunk beds, roughly ten or so, and only a few were occupied. His eyes moved through the building and towards the back of the room. There seemed to be a commotion in the far corner, and the lights were ominously dimmed.

A pit grew in Dean's stomach as he picked up on the little details. Pants missing on nearly all the Dark Elves, some laughing, some smiling maliciously. They were blocking his view from whatever was in front of them, and Dean tried his best to see past the wall of bodies. The pit in his stomach grew once more when a slightly taller Elf stood up within the semi-circle. His face was sweaty, and he was panting with exertion. The smile on his face was psychotic.

The others in the group cheered, and it was loud enough that Dean could hear it through the wall. His fist clenched at his side as he slowly holstered his SCAR... and drew his knife.

An Elf moved out of the way, and the one who looked exhausted walked through the gap. Dean squinted once more. There was a leg, covered in fur. Blood seemed to be matted within it. He caught sight of a tail, then... then...

Dean could only watch as a Dark Elf got shoved forward, laughing all the while and making the gap slightly bigger. His fingers wiggled and flexed as a greenish hue surrounded his now exposed genitals. Horror crossed through Dean's mind as the Elves' manhood seemed to grow five times its original length and girth.

His look passed back to the pony and his sense became dull. A thumping was heard in his ears, and time seemed to move at a crawl. The Guardians' words seemed to echo within his head as he zeroed in on the mare laying on the floor.

"One man cannot play god..."

The words echoed and bounced around in his head. His lips silently worded out the phrase, albeit mockingly. Fury replaced his shock and horror as he watched the Elf insert himself into the mare. He saw her shriek in pain, even heard it, but everything just seemed dull.

Movement caught Dean's eye, and the Elf from before walked past the group. He was fully clothed, and seemed to be holding a pipe in his hand. He said something inaudible to a buddy in one of the bunks before moving out of sight. Dean slid like a wraith to the front of the barracks, and the silver sheen of stainless steel glinted in the moonlight.

A door opened, and footsteps approached. After a moment of hesitation, Dean was around the corner, and his free hand was wrapped around the Elves throat. He gave a squeak of surprise and fear as his airway was instantly cut off, and he began to kick and punch at the metal behemoth that was holding him. Dean did not hear, or feel anything.

"Sergeant, we are ready when you are." Midnight's voice snapped Dean from whatever it was he was feeling, and he paused in his assault of the Elf long enough to respond.

"Begin the operation."

Two distinct whumps seemed to echo across the camp, and Dean returned to glaring at the Elf in his grip. He was still kicking, but his movements were sluggish and weak. Dean dropped the Elf in the snow, right beside the discarded pipe. The soldier wheezed and coughed. He looked up in terror towards the being that had grabbed him, only to find him missing. There were no footprints to give evidence of its flight, and the Elf's eyes widened in panic. He scrambled to his feet and sprinted for the door to the barracks.

Bursting through the wooden entryway, nearly all heads turned towards his rushed intrusion. The only one who didn't look was the Dark Elf that was having its way with the pony.

"Gather your weapons, we are under attack!!" He screeched as he moved to the nearest bunk. He grabbed hold of a light spear and a sword while an officer stalked towards him.

"Calm down son, what's got you wound up?" He said calmly. He was shirtless, and his muscles seemed to ripple as he stared at the private.

"S-Sir! I was j-just attacked! S-Something ambushed me outside. It was made o-of m-metal and grabbed my throat--"

Catcalls leered through the barracks, the Elf drilling the small equine even looking up to jeer at the shaken Elf. Said Elf growled in frustration as his ears pinned to his head. He rushed back to the door and faced his commanding officer.

"PLEASE SIR, LISTEN TO ME!" He all but screamed at his fellow soldiers. They were too busy laughing. What sounded like footsteps calmly walked up the stairs behind him, and he looked back in terror. Urine leaked down his pants.

"Oh, that's a good one Private, but we don't want to hear about your dirty..." The officer trailed off, and the laughter came to an abrupt stop. All that could be heard was the distinct howl of the wind, and the hacking gurgle as the seemingly delusional Private choked on his own blood.

"Wha..."

There was the sound of ripping, and someone screamed in horror as a metal hand wrapped around the Privates throat and yanked. His head came clean off, and blood began gushing out in a torrent. The officer got drenched in the life fluid of his comrade, and everyone else present seemed to only stare in shock. The pony lay forgotten on the floor, and she took this moment to crawl into a corner.

Thunk, thunk, thunk.

An utterly massive figure ducked into the barracks. It was faceless, and small gadgets seemed to pockmark his chest and side of its head. In one hand, it held the Privates head. In the other, a gleaming red knife. Its imposing figure cast a shadow through the small barracks, and the smell of Urine began to waft through the air.

"Boo."

Pandemonium erupted as Elves scrambled every which way. Some wen't for their weapons, others went to hide. Dean analized the room within a second before taking action.

He jumped forward and grabbed the top of the officer's head, yanking his hair as he plunged the knife into his heart. The Elf spat up blood before being dropped to the floor like a sack of flour.

Dean found himself facing down the remainder of the Barracks as everything became quiet. The Elves each had a weapon of some kind in their grasp, and they seemed to have overcome their shock.

He smiled.

The first Elf bum rushed him as someone behind him fired a beam of energy. As Quick as a cheetah, he leaned to the side and let the projectile fly past his shoulder. His first target let out a warcry as he brought his sword down towards the Sergeant. The long piece of metal met empty air, and the Elf found himself with a knife slicing through his spinal cord. His corpse was used as a shield as three Dark Elves fired their spears simultaneously.

The smell of burnt flesh caused many to gag, but Dean's helmet filtered the air. He threw the body at one of the spear wielders before slipping his knife away and drawing his pistol. He let loose two shots, both of which eviscerated the heads of the two attackers. One of the bullets actually kept going and lodged itself into the chest of an unsuspecting Elf. The chemicals within triggered, and blood, bone, and organs exploded outwards.

Two Elves charged, but the second one came slower and leveled his spear. Thinking fast, Dean dodged the first Elves sword swing and flipped him sideways with a swipe of his legs. Just as the second Elf pulled his trigger, Dean did a side flip, bringing the stunned Elf with him. The beam of energy missed the now upside down Human, and instead slammed into the rear of the first Elf's head, causing it to explode into burnt goop. Dean retaliated by leveling his pistol while still midflip, and putting a bullet through the perpetrators head. His body collapsed to the floor in a heap.

The rest, who were all naked below the waist, threw down their weapons. Some ten Elves in total.

Dean watched as a young civilian, no older than a teenager, was lifted by the massive Ortihian monster. Dean was behind cover, and the group of Orith did not know he was there. He could only watch as the Orithian's talked in their chittery language as the girl sobbed in despair.

Suddenly, one of the soldiers, an officer by the looks of it, ripped off the clothing of the girl in one fell swoop. Dean had never seen the Orith doing anything other than killing, but he soon came to the horrific realization that the brutality of their actions went beyond genocide.

Strange body parts, not too dissimilar to a bungee cord, snaked their way inside the girl through every single one of their holes. Upon closer examination, Dean found the officer was of the female designation. Females were a rare find, as they usually were not a part of the main military body. They were also the ones responsible for doing the fucking rather than being fucked.

The girl was long dead, her belly swollen to twice its size. Dried tears had fallen through her makeup, and the males seemed to be intent on picking away the meat on the 'free' spots along her body.

"H.Q gives the go ahead, permission to engage."

Dean moved to avenge the little girl.

The Human saw the legs of the pony sticking out from the corner she tried to hide in, and he saw red. He put away his Pistol and quickly equipped his SCAR-H. The Elves tried to run, they really did, but Dean was faster. The last of the monsters were turned to mince meat as hot lead ripped through their bodies.

Silence reigned throughout the barracks, only broken by the labored breathing of the pony.

...

'The pony!!'

Dean sprinted towards the twitching equine and dropped to his knees in front of her. A can of BAI-Foam was already in his hand as he analyzed the wounds. His arms went slack, and the canister dropped as he took in more details.

The mare was dying, and there was no stopping it. He could see from the swollen belly, the gaping hole that used to be her genitalia, and the popped out spine that was butchered by the Elves magical enhancements. He brought a shaky hand to her bruised cheek while the other pulled his helmet off. His radio was abuzz with the ponies calling their mission a success, but Dean didn't listen in.

The pony sniffled, then coughed. Her eyes found his, and tears fell down her face.

"N-no more. P-Please..." She all but whispered. Dean put on his best smile and rested his palm against her head. She didn't react to his touch.

"You are gonna be okay, miss. It's all over." He whispered soothingly. His hand reached behind her head, and he felt around, afraid of what he might find.

"Please.... it hurts so much... I-I want my p-parents." She sniffled and looked towards the ceiling. Her legs twitched and she tried to move. Dean held her down and whispered soothing words in her ear, but she still tried to move.

"Please, let me see them... I d-don't want to go! P-Please!" Dean forced her back against the wall, and the pony began to sob. He pulled his hand away from her head, as he had found what he had feared most: A skull fracture, and a brain leakage.

"I am s-so sorry." A tear trickled down his face, but rage was building inside him. He blinked, and looked back at the mare. Her eyes were staring into his, and she seemed to have some clarity once more.

"Please... make the pain stop. I want to see them..." She leaned against the wall and winced. Her legs twitched once more as Dean slowly stood. The night was slowly turning to morning, and a tinge of dark blue was upon the horizon. The mare groaned and Dean found himself shaking. Whether it be from grief, shock, horror, or all of the above. He didn't want to do this, he couldn't do this.

His hand rose, and his Scar shook in his grip. He trained the sights on the mare and tried to steady his breathing. It didn't work, he couldn't shoot her. She was a pony, but so much a Human. A civilian caught in the web of the Dark Elves' evil ways. He couldn't shoot her.

"P-Please."

Dean raised the rifle once more, his eyes holding an emotion that he had not felt in a long time. He closed them, and squeezed the trigger. There was a whisper from his silencer, and the tell tale thump of a body hitting the floor. He felt sick.

"Don't be weak, Dean, you are no stranger to killing..."

'WEAK!? SHE WAS A CIVILIAN! SHE DIDN'T DESERVE THIS, AND YOU SHOT HER!! YOU'VE NEVER HAD TO KILL A CIVILIAN!! NEVER!!!'

Dean's face scrunched as tears poured down his face. The last time he had felt this way was when... was when...

He looked back at the pony and stared at her corpse. The shot was clean, and had pierced her brain perfectly. There was no pain, and no suffering.

"AGGGGHHHH!" He yelled his emotions into the air as he leveled his SCAR towards a dead elf. coincidentally, it was the one who had used the magic.

Dean squeezed the trigger and felt the retort of his weapon against his shoulder. Spent shell casings clattered to the floor as blood spluttered across the floor. Seven years of hatred, death, and destruction was let loose as the body on the floor was reduced to pulp. Only when the rifle clicked empty did he stop.

Dean turned without a second glance, his rage reduced to despair and depression. This world used to be peaceful, and now he had to save it. It was the Orith all over again. Same war, new faces.

"We are going to put the prisoners down in the large holes near the south side of the camp. Meet us there. Over." Spitfire's voice crackled over the radio, and Dean replied with an affirmative.

It took two minutes to cross the camp, for he had abandoned stealth and silence. The prisoners were in order, and the inhabitants of the camp had been rescued. Apparently, there was a group called Crystal Ponies among the Equestrians. he would have to look into that later.

Dean approached the group from behind, and a large assortment of gasps flew through the air. Heads turned as he stalked towards his Squaddies, who were standing guard around the Dark Elves. Some twenty or so were lined up in two rows in the snow, facing the Equestrian prisoners with their heads bowed. None acknowledged that the famed Demon in Metal was standing before them.

"Dean, we rounded them up, just like you said. Midnight should be back any second with our plan to hide them away when the---"

"I'M GONNA KILL THEM!!"

Dean jumped forward and intercepted Midnight as he charged towards the Elves with his wings extended. The Elves looked up in fear at his sudden entrance, and many began to mumble to one another. They finally saw Dean, and more than one look of fear passed someone's face.

"Midnight... MIDNIGHT!" Dean yelled at the Pegasus, trying to calm him down. Spitfire and Stormfly appeared at his side as they talked quietly into Midnight's ears, but it wasn't working too well. His ears were folded back and his eyes were dilated. His teeth were gritting and grinding, and his wings twitched at his sides.

"Tell me what's wrong. What happened?" Dean knelt in front of the frothing pegasus, making sure to take up his full view. Tears poured down the pony's face as he squeezed his eyes shut.

"T-t-the pits are..." He let out a sob as the two mares held onto him from the side.

"The pits are what, Midnight? What are they?" The Elves were taking notice of the commotion, and more than a few were listening in with their sensitive ears. The rest of Dean's squad slowly came within earshot, but remained on guard.

"The p-p-p-pits... they have...." Midnight shook his head and mumbled under his breath. His legs were shaking from the adrenaline rush from moments ago, and Dean laid a hand on his withers.

"What about the pi--"

"BODIES!" He screeched, his wings flaring at his sides. "IT'S A BUCKING MASS GRAVE, AND THERE ARE H-HUNDREDS! I-I COULDN'T"T TAKE IT... T-THOSE MONSTERS ARE RESPONSIBLE, THEY KILLED THEM ALL!!" Midnight began to sob as Spitfire tried to sooth him. Dean stood up, and so did Stormfly.

The Elves were beginning to panic, their confusion growing as they remained sitting. What had the Pegasus been talking about?

One Elf clued in and became frantic. He stood and tried to sprint away.

"RUN!" He screeched, but he wasn't fast enough. A bullet found itself lodged in his skull, causing the Elf to fall to the ground. The other Elves went silent as they stared at their fallen comrade. Dean took the opportunity to face the freed ponies.

"Cover your eyes!" His voice boomed.

Parents understood what he meant and shielded their children. They themselves also averted their eyes as Dean turned back to his squad mates. He nodded to Cobalt and Steel, then to Stormfly and Swift. he proceeded to chamber a round into his gun.

"Kill them all."

Screams could be heard for miles, some even saying they reached the city of Stalliongrad. No one came to investigate, for they assumed it to be the ponies. No one bothered to go and check on their kin, who now lay dead in the snow. This was a new kind of war for the Equins, and one Dean was all too familiar with.

No mercy was to be shown, no quarter was to be given.

As the final Dark Elf fell, a blade in his back, a figure watched from the shadows. After a few minutes, he was gone, and all that remained were the horrors of war....