Falling Into the Unknown

I ran across the field in the fading light, Azure and Amber following right behind me. My objective was right in front of me: A large building, two stories tall, that the Changeling called ‘Chrysalis’ had teleported into.

“So, who the hell is Chrysalis?” I asked as I ran.

“She’s the Queen of the Changelings.” Azure explained as he followed me. “She launched the attack on Canterlot, and was probably behind everything else that has happened to you.”

“Why the hell is she so interested in me?” I demanded, looking behind me.

Amber shook her head. “It doesn’t matter. If she teleported to a place halfway to Canterlot from Ponyville, there’s got to be a reason. We won’t find that reason out, however, until we ask her.”

“Preferably with my gun aimed at her head.” I said.

We reached the structure within two minutes, stopping outside what looked like the front door. It was wooden, and had beams of light coming out from the edges. The structure was made out of white-painted wood and some stone, and seemed to have a portion of the middle as a warehouse: At least, that’s what I assumed it was, as it was three stories high and rectangular.

Without fanfare, I walked up to the door, lifted my foot up, and kicked. The door flew inward as whatever lock they would have had on it completely failed, revealing an empty hallway – with two Changelings at the other end of it.

I ducked behind the outside wall just as several green bolts flashed through the space I was in. I leaned around the corner and squeezed the trigger. Four bullets spat out in the general direction of the Changelings, and at least two hit, for both of them fell to the ground, dead.

I walked in cautiously, Azure and Amber following right behind me. The only door out of the hallway was on the right side, twenty feet in, at the end. It suddenly burst open, and four more Changelings ran out. I raised my gun and fired, catching all four in a hail of twelve bullets, felling them.

I stepped over the bodies and around the small pools of green blood, looking through the open doorway to find yet another hallway. I walked down it cautiously, towards the door at the other end. Dozens of other doors lined the sides, all of them opened. I trained my rifle inside, but nothing showed up: They were empty.

Once we reached the end of the hallway, I slid beside the door, leaning on the wall. Azure and Amber went to the other side, nodding at me. I grasped the knob of the door and shook it. Seeing that it turned, I quickly twisted it and threw it open.

It opened onto the floor of a large, dark room. Waning sunlight filtered in through windows set two stories up, casting a dim glow that at first glance seemed to reveal much, but hid much of the room in shadows. To this end, I flicked the flashlight attached to my Sa-58 on, the thin beam cutting through the darkness.

Crates and boxes stood here and there, scattered at the sides of the room. I scanned with my flashlight, searching. I didn’t see anything, but that did not mean we were alone.

“[I expected better than this.]” A female voice said in my head.

I tightened my grip on my rifle, remembering the clear voice inside of my head. Amber and Azure seemed to have heard it as well, for they too were looking around the room.

“[And yet, you were what I needed this entire time.]” The voice said again.

“Who are you!” I shouted, aiming my rifle as I turned in a circle.

“[You know who I am already, ‘Human’.]”

After a moment of though, I spat on the ground. “Chrysalis. You’re the one who derailed the train, and invaded Canterlot.”

“[Brilliant deductive skills there, you’re almost to Starswirl already.]” The voice said sarcastically, although I didn’t get the reference.

“Where are you so I can put a bullet in you? If you ask nicely, it will be in your head instead of your lungs.” I said, clenching my teeth.

“Right behind you.” A voice said from the indicated direction.

I spun around, aiming my rifle at the noise. At the other end of the warehouse, forty feet away, stood Chrysalis. She was surrounded in a simmering green barrier, so I assumed bullets were out of the question. Now that I could examine her, if it was a she, in more detail, I could make out the fact that she definitely seemed much more powerful than the standard Changelings I had faced.

“When do you think the rest of them will be here?” I quietly asked Azure.

“No more than eight minutes.” The pegasus who I considered my friend replied.

“Just perfect.” I muttered. Turning to Chrysalis, I asked the obvious question. “So, what’s your master plan this time?”

“Do I look like an idiot?” Chrysalis said.

“Yes, you do.” Amber said.

Ignoring her, Chrysalis continued. “I’m not going to reveal my master plan, as it involved your pet ‘Human’ being alive. For now.”

“Alright, what will happen now?” I said, trying to buy time. However much I hated many of the guards, they needed to be here. I wouldn’t be able to take the shield down myself, so I would need help.

Chrysalis laughed, a high, dry sound that send a small shiver through my body. It sounded… Wrong, as if it wasn’t meant to exist.

“Part of the reason for the invasion was so I could steal some scrolls from the Royal Archives.” Chrysalis said, her smile growing larger every second. “One of them, interestingly enough, had the same spell that brought you here. You would be surprised how much we know, ‘Tyler’. Even the walls themselves can listen.

“The portal that brought you here was temporary, meant to last only a short time.” Chrysalis continued. “Since you are here, I can direct the portal towards where you came from: Your planet. With the chaos magic left in the area from Discord’s return, the portal will be nigh-permanent. Tell me, how will the governments of ‘Earth’ react to a portal?”

“… Shit.” I said, thinking out loud. To say their reaction would be bad would be an understatement: Depending on where the portal appeared, the result would range from complete chaos to total catastrophe.

I raised my rifle at Chrysalis, ignoring the shield. “Stand down now, or I will shoot you!” I shouted.

If anything, her smile grew even wider. “Too late.”

Everything in the next few seconds seemed to melt into a blur. Shouting in the hallway rang out as the Royal Guard finally arrived. Simultaneously, I started firing, the rounds impacting the shield – and immediately being stopped by the shimmering barrier. Several guards in bright golden armor burst into the room, setting their sights on Chrysalis at the other end. A bright light enveloped the room, coming directly from her, followed by a loud bang as she apparently teleported away.

I felt something connect to me for a split second, right as what felt like a massive explosion surged outward from the other end of the Warehouse. The light grew even brighter as I was knocked on the ground, hitting with enough force to throw my rifle away from me, right before I felt a comforting blackness overtake me.

-=-=-

‘Wake up, Tyler.’ A voice said, echoing in the darkness.

I tried to move my body, but I couldn’t feel anything except a vague numbness, encompassing my entire body. I tried to open my eyes, but it felt like they were made of stone.

‘Come on, Tyler. Wake up!’ The voice said, louder this time.

Slowly, my vision started to open, blurred at first, but coming into focus. A dark blue shape hung above my vision as my hearing started to descend from muffled sounds to a dull ringing.

The shape seemed to move as more sounds reached my dull ears. ‘Come on, wake up!’

With one final effort of willpower, the shape above me came into focus. A blue glow filled the entire room above me. I could feel myself lying on my back, one of my hands on my assault rifle.

The dark blue shape above me turned out to be Amber, who seemed relieved I had woken up.

“Thank Celestia you’re awake: You were the closest one to the portal.” She said with a thin smile. “Everypony else is already up.”

“I’m awake.” I groaned as I sat up, clutching my Sa-58. I quickly checked it, finding no damage, before rolling over, setting a hand on the ground, and pushing myself up. True to what she had said, everybody seemed to be milling around or putting themselves together, while some seemed to be staring at something behind me.

I turned around and was greeted by something I never expected. Silently, I walked towards it, whispering the only thing that came to my mind.

“A portal…”

-=-=-

Ten miles east of Little Rock, Arkansas, in an open field of wheat, something unexpected occurred.

Motorists on a nearby road were the first to spot it: A faint blue glow in the field. Curious, police officers were dispatched just as the glow erupted into something more.

Without warning, two miles south of the road, the blue glow turned into a massive blue disk, standing up straight in the air. The first police to arrive called their dispatchers in a panic, talking about “A portal twenty feet wide and bright as daylight!”

The dispatchers, in turn, called the police helicopters, who called in the National Guard. From there, it escalated. Two hours later, the President of the United States was summoned, just as he was about to turn in, to receive the news.

Something strange had happened.