The Undying Warrior

Act I: Chapter III

Situational Awareness

From the medical hall to the bedroom. That's all it was. Nowhere else to stop by. Just one destination. Just a few minute walk. Almost not a thing in the world to worry about. So why did it feel like a mile to Celestia? She wasn't even thinking about anything but Luna and the message from Chrysalis that nearly killed her. What was she going to say? She knew that Chrysalis could've held the message longer, and she knew there was more to it. What if she tried again, while Luna was already in this condition? Celestia could hardly bare to think that way. The simple five words stuck like arrows in the front of her mind, never stopping at wrapping her mind in almost what felt like a plastic film.

  "It's coming from the clouds..."

Just thinking of them seemed to set off a new level of worrying like fuel to a fire.

Without realizing it, Celestia had walked an entire corridor past the staircase that led to her and Luna's rooms. Shaking her head slightly, she walked back down to the entrance and climbed the stairs. When she reached her large bed, she shook off her crown but didn't bother with the golden hoof-shoes, and threw herself onto the soft bed.

  "This will be over soon..." Celestia whispered to herself as she shut her eyes.

  "I hope..."

Great. Just great. Of all the artificial emotions he could've felt. Chief was fucking bored. Now this he had felt, many times in fact. It usually came when he was waiting for an enemy to show up, or some other pointless task he usually didn't oblige to... But this time, he was waiting for what the equine he now knew as Queen Chrysalis, called 'orders'. She had said something about going to get a general or something, but Chief wasn't really listening. As he sat in the massive creator shaped, topless structure, motionless, he made a mental note to ask Chrysalis why he was even listening to her in the first place. Like, why the hell shouldn't he just fly away right now and forget everything here? Why was he going to help her?! As he thought about it, he started to get angry, like he'd already done something he regretted (like, following orders for example...). He turned towards the nearest wall and began pumping his large fists into the rock, making the whole structure shake. Chief was about to deliver a punch that would easily obliterate the part of the rock, when he heard a shout from his left.

  "Stop! Dragon stop!!"

Chief halted his wall pummeling as he recognized the feminine voice. He turned sharply towards the startled Queen and folded his now extended wings. As he focused in on the pony, he noticed what must've been the general she went to get, shaking slightly. With two large steps, Chief positioned himself in front of the two, making the general almost fall backwards, while Chrysalis remained still.

  "So, this your friend?" He grumbled.

There was a painfully long pause before Chrysalis answered.

  "Dragon, this is Venyte. He is my most trusted generals and is my prime planner for attacks. I have a special request for you that he will inform you about."

Chief was going to stop her in the middle of her sentence, but paused for a moment when she finished her statement.

  "Now, let me make one thing that I thought I already made clear, more clear." Chief growled in an agitated tone. "I, do not follow, ORDERS!!"

He yelled so loudly it knocked both Chrysalis and Venyte off there hooves, and the cyan lines on Chiefs body and the orb in his chest dramatically brightened.

"Okay! Okay! Look." Chrysalis sighed but did not continue.

Instead it was Venyte who spoke in a surprisingly strong tone. "What if it was me asking for a favor? No orders, nothing like that. Just just me asking you to do something?"

Chief would've smiled if he had a mouth. He slowly knelt down in front of the general as his colors calmed.

  "Finally, someone who thinks of it that way!" Chief cheered. "Of everyone who's tried to order me around, no one's ever been as smart as you!" He looked at the smiling Queen. "Please exit the premises, I need to have a talk with your general."

A distant echo sounded in the back of Celestia's mind. She waved it off and her dreams resumed. The echo came again, louder this time and almost sounding like a voice. This time Celestia creaked open her eyes and heard a loud knock on the door.

  "Princess!" A male voice shouted.

  "I'm here, one second!" Replied Celestia as she threw herself out of bed and put on her crown.

She then walked to the door and threw it open, relieving a single guard who saluted.

  "Your highness, it's Luna. She's awake and she wants to see you."

Celestia gasped happily.

  "Oh fabulous! I must see her at once!" She almost shouted in glee.

  "Very well. your Highness, follow me." Said the guard as he began to walk down the hallway with Celestia in tow.

When the two reached the large familiar gates that lead to the medical hall, the guard rushed forward and thrusted open the gates, afterwards joining a second guard on the other side of the gates. Giving a nod to the guard, Celestia walked into the hall, scanning each room for her sister. Her patience shortened with each empty treatment room, where was she? Finally looking upon an occupied room, she recognized the dark alicorn resting quietly in a bed, and doctor and a nurse on one side of the bed.

  "Luna!" Squeaked Celestia as she trotted into the room and stopped on the opposite side of the bed as the two officials.

  "Sush, she's not doing two well right now, but she really wanted to see you." Informed the doctor.

Celestia nodded and looked back at her poor sister, who slowly turned her head towards Celestia and smiled softly.

Celestia chocked back a sob from both sorrow and happiness.

  "Oh Luna... Luna, what ever happened to you...?" Purred the sun princess.

It took a moment for Luna to respond. Her weak voice nearly broke Celestia down.

  "It's all so distant... I remember Chrysalis, she's doing something. Something bad... I..." She paused as a look of horrifying realization splashed across her face. "It's the clouds. Chrysalis, was using me to try and tell you... She's bringing-Ah! Annagh!!" Luna was cut off as her whole body thrashed and twitched.

  "What's happening!?" Demanded Celestia at the two others.

  "Oh no, another wave! Celestia, we need you to leave now!" Ordered the nurse as she rushed over to Luna.

Celestia, not wanting anything further to happen to her sister, nodded quickly and ran out of the room into the hallway.

As she exited the hallway, another big question entered her head.

  "What am I supposed to tell everyone? How am I supposed to tell them that, "sorry to tell you, my sister is dying"!?

Celestia just shook her head bitterly at the idea.

  "Well whatever Chrysalis is planning, it sure isn't nothing anymore..."

After a confident Chrysalis had left the area, Chief turned back towards the slightly uncomfortable general, who was craning his neck to look him in the face.

  "So, what did you want to talk to me about?" Asked Venyte quizzically.

  "Well you tell me, unless I'm not hearing right, you were going to ask me a favor, right?" Pinpointed Chief as he cocked his head slightly. "So fill me in."

Venyte hesitated briefly before clearing his throat and replying in a strong voice.

  "Well, very recently, we attempted to attack and bring down the kingdom ruled by Princess Celestia and her younger sister, Princess Luna. We failed, and were fended off by their terrible elements of harmony..." He paused with a disgusted look on his face.

"And you want me to get rid of them? That's the 'favor'?" Asked Chief, a little taken aback at how easy this was going to be.

  "Well no, you alone aren't going to destroy them. First we want to send a message, get the word out that we, the Changlings, are not defeated."

Chief nodded slowly.

  "I like the way you guys think. Go on."

Venyte sighed before continuing.

  "Indeed. Where you, as well as a large force of us Changlings, will be attacking, is another smaller kingdom known as the Crystal Empire."

  "Crystal Empire. Hm, sounds exotic." Chortled Chief.

  "Yes, quite. But we don't want you to just destroy the entire place... You will also aid us in the assassination of it's rulers--Prince Shining Armor, and Princess Cadence."