Although I was upset when I heard Cotton Candy's words, I can't say I was surprised. Cotton Candy sensed the despair I felt from my new knowledge and smirked. "Oh if only Equestria was more like that" she mused, "Celestia would go insane, haha, that useless old mare, sitting upon her throne as if she was all that. I'm surprised she isn't as fat as Porcina herself with all that idleness."

I was shocked. In all my time in hell, I had never heard a soul speak out this openly against the alicorn princess. She looked like she was going to say more but at that moment, another serpent appeared out of the ashes next to her and wound itself tightly around her windpipe preventing her from speaking. When she struggled with it, twisting her neck in a vain attempt to breathe, Galaxy and I left her there.

Before turning however, a rush of wind nearly blew me back as a large creature, which I mistook for an ursa minor sprinted by me. I realized it must be something different for it spoke. As it ran around frantically, it bellowed, "WHERE IS THAT MEDDLING DARING DO WHO HAS SO OFTEN WORKED AGAINST ME, FOR IF IT WEREN'T FOR HER, I COULD HAVE AT LEAST ENJOYED THE FRUITS OF MY LABORS IN EQUESTRIA BEFORE ALL THIS."

"That" explained Galaxy, "is Ahuizotl, a feared thief and pillager of temples and ancient monuments." As I looked at the creature, I noticed that he was covered from head to toe with snakes.

We began making our way through the rest of the circle. The snakes left us alone, for they knew instinctively that we were not their targets. At some point, we came upon a steep hill. The path which we were on followed its edge. As we were walking however, several voices from the valley below called out to us. "Hey, you over there, who are you who walk with such confidence through this place of torture?"

Galaxy and I looked down and saw that along valley were scattered several triads of ponies leashed to trees. They were fairly far apart so we were able to identify which triad spoke. Due to the darkness of the valley, we had not noticed them earlier.

Galaxy and I made out way down the valley to ease communication and hopefully start up a conversation from which I could learn. "Hey Sweetie Belle" said one pony to another, "What do you make of the creature beside the unicorn?" Galaxy and I reached the three ponies and introduced ourselves.

"Hi, I'm Sweetie Belle" said one of the ponies, "I'm here because I often stole gems and fabrics from my sister Rarity to make things for the rest of my crusader friends."

"And I'm Silver Spoon" interrupted the pony next to her, "I often stole money from my rich friend Diamond Tiara. And this one here next to me is Big Macintosh. He's here for stealing Smarty Pants. I'm introducing him because he doesn't like to talk."

"Eeeeeeyup…."

I felt bad for Sweetie Belle who was stuck here with Silver Spoon. Silver Spoon seemed to sense my disdain for her. "You know" she said, "I'm not really all that bad. I was only mean because I thought it would make Diamond Tiara happy. She was my only friend."

I shrugged. "Whatever" I said.

Suddenly, the ground between us began to move as a hissing sound filled the air. From the dirt rose a large black hideous snake riddled with holes. Lunging forward, it sunk it's fangs into Sweetie Belle who's eyes glazed over. Slowly, I watched in horror as she began to change, her white skin reddening as her form stretched. A minute later, she had become a red snake, who slithered off.

Before this change had even finished however, the black snake had already bitten Silver Spoon who was undergoing a similar transformation. I watched as she too became a snake, this time yellow. Hissing, she slithered after Sweetie Belle. As I diverted my gaze, I saw Big Macintosh's hooves morph into his body like wax as he too succumbed to the changeling magic.