Elsewhere, Doc, Annabelle, Cloud Runner, and the remaining guards from the convoy were sticking close to each other, trying to avoid the last Big Stallion.

"If we make our way to the exit, we can all escape with our lives," Doc said.

"No way! We're gonna take this Big Stallion down! If some pony comes over here thinking it's safe, we'll have only ourselves to blame. I'll take it down, Doc. Just keep the lights on," Cloud Runner ordered.

"I don't think so. That thing killed Selachii, and we weren't even aware of it until it happened. Fighting it is not an option, Cloud Runner!" Doc argued.

"Maybe not for you, Doc, but I know the guards here will want to end this now! I am not gonna let some innocent mermares die because of some clunking pile of metal. Any pony who wants to kill this thing now, join me," Cloud Runner advertised. As if invigorated by the promise of revenge against the Big Stallion, many of the guards joined with Cloud Runner. Only one guard remained with Doc and Annabelle, and Cloud Runner led the group into the dark. I'll destroy that piece of shit robot if it's the last thing I do. Cloud Runner thought to herself.

Doc turned in disgust away from where they left. He then turned towards the remaining guard, and wondered why he stayed behind. "So tell me, why is it that only you stayed here?"

The guard who stayed was a young unicorn stallion with a tan mane, light green coat, and a cutie mark depicting a sword and shield. He was a bit older than the Spiritual Searchers, and he answered. "I know this may seem out of the ordinary, but I think we should have split up, considering the stealthy nature of this Big Stallion. You may not know it, but we mermares can see in the dark perfectly. Your friend is in good hands," he answered. He seemed confident that everything was going to be all right.

"Can you tell me who you are, and why you're a guard?" Doc asked.

"My name is Orion. I'm the youngest guard here. The reason I joined is because I have a younger brother to protect from the dangers of the ocean," he answered sternly.

"Orion, I trust that the guards will protect Cloud Runner, but tell us about this Big Stallion. What makes it so stealthy?" Doc asked.

"That Big Stallion, codenamed Silent Death, was a prototype of the Big Stallions they make now. Silent Death was a unicorn, unlike the earth ponies they use for Big Stallions. Because of this, it can place spells at will, ranging from teleportation to telekinesis, though its abilities are heavily limited. Its armor is much weaker than what they make now, but that lack of protection is made up by the fact that Silent Death can move incredibly fast. It wields a syringe on its right foreleg, and the other foreleg is free to use any other weapon." Orion had finished his lecture on Silent Death.

"How do you know so much about this?" Annabelle asked.

"I was never born a mermare. I was a unicorn who originally came from Rapture as an engineer of the Big Stallion, but a malfunction of the glass caused me to be swept away by the current. The mermares had found me drifting on the surface of the water. Rather than capture me, they turned me into a mermare. I thanked them, and I told them about where I had come from. I warned them of the Big Stallions and gave them the plans. Every once in a while, I would head back to Rapture to find my foal of a brother. After the first two days I was confirmed dead, I found him, and I told him to leave Rapture for his safety. He never listened since I was claimed dead and since he was just a foal. Plus, the appearance of a mermare in Rapture was considered suspicious. Ever since, I've been fighting for the mermares, being sure to avoid any fighting in urban areas," Orion explained.

"Have you tried turning back into a unicorn?" Doc asked.

"No. I haven't." Orion suddenly stood alert, and peered into the darkness. "Silent Death. It's here." He then looked around, searching everywhere. "He's gone. He teleported to the other group. Come on, follow me." He led them deeper into the cave.

Cloud Runner had been searching through the pitch black cave for Silent Death, but to no avail. She was somehow able to see perfectly in the dark, something she had never been able to do before. She then turned towards the guards, and her eyes went wide.

"Get down!" she shouted. The guards immediately complied, and narrowly missed a decapitation from Silent Death. She then charged towards Silent Death, who engaged her in combat. She pulled her right foreleg out to punch the machine. Silent Death stuck its syringe out towards the charging pony, catching her by surprise. Her hoof immediately made contact with the syringe, and it pierced her hoof through to the other side.

She yelled in pain, cringing as the blood released from her wound turned into a red cloud in the water. She swung her other foreleg towards the syringe, and punched it with such force that it snapped in half. Silent Death, with no other weapon available, then swung its forelegs at Cloud Runner.

The guards, who had recovered from their sudden dodging of the attack of Silent Death, now charged towards Silent Death. They held onto the robotic stallion, and would not let go. As soon as they did, though, the mechanical horse teleported away from them.

They all looked around to see where it had gone. From the other side of the cave, many rocks and tomb artifacts were being flung at them. They struck one guard in the stomach, where he clutched it in pain. Another rock had struck a guard on the head, knocking him out.

Cloud Runner removed the syringe from her hoof, releasing more blood clouds into the water. She grasped the syringe with her good foreleg, and lifted it over her head. She then smashed it down onto Silent Death's horn, which was unknowingly in Cloud's line of sight.

The machine now shrieked in pain. The guards, not missing there chance, charged again towards the Big Stallion and tackled it down. They held on tightly, while Silent Death was still squirming, trying to escape from the grasp of the guards, but no longer able to teleport. Cloud Runner swam towards the machine, grabbed the helmet tightly, and twisted it to the side as hard as she could. She gritted her teeth, and did it without any hesitation. There was a loud cracking noise, and Silent Death floated lifelessly to the cave ceiling. That's for all the mermares you killed.

Doc, Annabelle, and Orion swam towards the other convoy. They looked at Silent Death, floating in the ceiling now. They looked at the corpse in a mix of both satisfaction and disappointment. Cloud Runner then turned towards them. "The job is done. The tombs are cleared, and the Big Stallions have been cleared out." She grimaced in pain as she said this. Doc seemed to notice her wound.

"We should get out of here now. Let's take you to a medic, and then we'll leave towards the beach after meeting with Empedocles." The entire convoy then headed back towards the cave entrance, collected the corpse of Selachii, and left the tombs. They then headed towards Atlantis, with a mix of remorse and triumph.

Arriving at the Grand Hall, the guards saw to it that Cloud Runner was taken to the infirmary inside. Empedocles came out from the building and approached what remained of the convoy for info regarding the condition after the attack on the cave. He went up to Doc and asked him about the situation.

"All Big Stallions are gone, sir. The tombs are clear now, and can safely be traversed now," Doc answered.

"Yes, that's good." Empedocles turned away as he said this. "Selachii… what happened?" he questioned under his breath. He turned back towards Doc. "Come, then. I ask that you help me write to Ryan and negotiate with him." He led Annabelle and Doc inside. Orion followed them as well. He approached Doc.

"Doc, do you think you could help me obtain the files from Rapture regarding me and my brother? " Orion asked.

"I suppose I could. Would you need any help with your search?" Doc asked.

"I would, but if it's too distracting from your search for the Spirits, I'll go alone," Orion responded. "I can also help you find the Spirits, if you'll have me help out."

"We could use any help you can give, and we'll help you. Let's make these negotiations first," Doc stated.

Empedocles led them inside to the office, where he had finished his negotiations. "Well, what do you think?" he asked them.

Doc looked at the forms, indicating that Atlantis would end the fighting by allowing Rapture to explore the rest of the ocean freely, but demanded that Rapture stop production of the Big Stallions. Doc nodded, but he did make minor alterations to the document. Empedocles did not view the paper, but was still curious as to what he changed. Doc explained to him.

"The changes I made were so that the negotiations were a little more 'persuasive' for Ryan. I also added another request as well. He should agree to them, and then we'll be done with this fighting," Doc explained. He gave the enclosed document to Empedocles, who sent it to the delivery room to be delivered to Rapture.

"Thank you, Spirit, for your help in our squabble. How can we repay you?" Empedocles asked.

Doc turned back towards Orion, and answered to Empedocles. "You could let Orion go from Atlantis. We are to help him, and he is to help us. And our friend, Cloud Runner, needs to be healed," Doc answered.

"Done and done!" Empedocles answered. With that, he thanked them again, and bid farewell. Doc, Annabelle, and Orion then went to retrieve Cloud Runner, and would leave Atlantis to head to the surface afterwards, where they waited for Leon, Chloe, Percy, and Draco on the beach.