Flesh and Silicon

"How in the hay is that supposed to feed on another pony's love?" Platinum asked, still in awe of the gigantic Changeling standing only mere metres away from the trench.

"I don't think it does," Steelwing replied. As a Pegasus charged at the abomination, he choked violently and crashed into the ground. The Changeling then picked up the stallion with the magic and consumed him. The thick gas that was used to thaw the Changeling's shape shifting abilities had worked, but had rendered the air unflyable as the gas would choke any Pegasus that would go above a mere 5 metres and it also caused the wings to fail. The massive Changeling however had some breathing apparatus on its muzzle.

"Well what are you waiting for? Fire you fools," Steelwing ordered in anger. Mortars suddenly came to life as they lobbed shells at the Giga-Changeling. The shells only angered it as it shook it off like the bite of a flea. Suddenly it stomped in the mortar entrenchment, causing the shells to set off. Steelwing and Platinum ran towards a control panel and pulled the lever, sounding an alarm. Everypony then mobilised on the mortar placements and the ones that couldn't picked up rifles and fired it at the giant. It got worse however as normal sized Changelings began to swarm the trench, seeing this, Steelwing pulled out his new blade.

"Take my old one," Steelwing said to Platinum, with a sense of urgency in his voice. Platinum took the rapier off him and unsheathed it. "Come on you bugs, let's see what you're made of!"

Changelings came at him from all directions, but they were shot by the privates with the rifles. The ones left were sliced up from the swords by the officers. Suddenly the rift blade's purple flames grew in intensity as he got faster with every swipe. Meanwhile the giant Changeling began to breach the trench by digging a small hole from the ground, into the trench. A small Changeling foolishly tried to change into Platinum as Steelwing had his back on him. However he soon burnt to crisp as the cloud of gas reacted with his fire.

Steelwing ran to his periscope, where he had soon discovered that the Changelings had been digging tunnels to the battlements as swarms came at a time. He looked at the giant and then looked at the blade.

"If the blade can absorb the power and transfer it to the user, imagine the power from the Giga-Changeling," Steelwing shouted, as the noise from the several mortars and rifles was deafening.

"What? You're gonna face that thing in melee combat, are you nuts?" Platinum shouted in shock. "That thing will just devour you!"

"Where is that prototype wing suit we had sent to test but never did?" Steelwing asked urgently. Platinum pointed to the storage room, over the vast sea of Changelings. Steelwing readied his sword and charged through the swarm, he used his wings as a boost as he was lower than the no fly level. He held his sword out by his sword and cut almost every Changeling in half. The sword then began pulsing with pure energy as he ran into the storage room and strapped the wing suit onto him.

He turned on the suit and exploded into the sky, leaving a trail of smoke behind him. The suit worked as the black gas didn't choke him and he still remained in the air. He readied his sword and charged at the monstrosity, he then sliced at his hoof which was going for where Platinum was standing. The Giga-Changeling moved his hoof back at the pain which the sword had caused, burning it's skin as a purple flame rose on the cut's location. The Changeling tried to blast down Steelwing with his magic but was too slow as he sliced his horn in half. The abomination screamed in pain as the horn landed down in the cracked dirt. Steelwing landed down on his muzzle and rose his broadsword in the middle of it's eyes. He then stabbed it, causing the massive Changeling to scream and finally, fell down to the floor. The massive amounts of dust flew into the air, but soon set. Revealing Steelwing who had landed near it. The sword then began to absorb an aura from the Changeling, it then began to shine and then flashed, blinding everypony nearby. A bolt of lightning soon hit the sword, causing it to change into a longsword.

"Well, I like this new blade. Bit excessive but still," Steelwing said, observing the new longsword. He then looked towards the trench where every soldier and Changeling had stopped fighting and looked at the dead behemoth before him.

"Come on lads, lets take back this trench," Steelwing rallied, as every soldier soon began to cut through the Changeling's assault force. The Changelings soon retreated as the massive Changeling was the key to blasting through the trench.

A day later, Changeling activity had been quiet. Most soldiers assumed that that was half of the Changeling army and the rest were either fighting the war or scared. The soldiers celebrated as they lived through the worst assault they had. Some sighed in relief, others mourned the loss of their comrades. Steelwing however was in his office, looking at his new sword. He observed the blades material as it was no metal that the Metaquines had ever had ever encountered. He then took a piece of paper from his desk and began writing.

Dear my sweetheart Luna,

Yesterday we had the worst assault ever, but 2 things concern me more than anything.

One: Today a Changeling who was bigger than Canterlot castle itself lead an assault on my trench. If you know anything about enlargement spells or any kind of incantation to make anything of this size, please notify me immanently.

Two: The Rift Blade: What is it? This blade managed to take down that giant with only a few swings and somehow changed into a longsword. Also the metal is something nopony knows at all and the flames seem to burn on forever.

I do thank you for the sword, as it is the reason that I am still alive today. You couldn't of picked a better day to send it.

I am fine but my soldiers seemed to be shaken up. It is good that things in Equestria are fine. Do not take any notice of everyone worshipping your sister though, they only fear her. I hope that one day, we can unite together forever this time. After this tour, I'm leaving service to live in Equestria.

Love Always

Steelwing

He then sent it off as the courier was delivering the mail to the soldiers. He sat down, staring at the ceiling, deep in thought.

"What do I do?" Steelwing asked himself loudly.

"There must be more of those Giga-Changelings out there, waiting to slaughter us,"

"Well, we can push them back," Platinum said, he was standing in the doorway. However one thing was different, he was wearing some captain rank slides.

"Platinum your shoulders," Steelwing pointed out.

"Got them today, HQ said I deserved a promotion from the assault," Platinum explained. He then grabbed a chair and looked at the envelope and then at him. "Still concerned about Luna?"

"Yeah, what do I say? I cant just tell her that I'm going over the top,"

"I don't know, It is your life, not mine. But I would suggest the truth," Platinum suggested. Steelwing sighed, he picked up his blade and stared at it, then looked up at Platinum.

"There must be more of the Giga-Changelings, I don't think that they would of made just one," Steelwing theorised. He then picked up some pictures that some scouts had took from the other posts from the trench. It shown the creatures size, its ferocity and Steelwing taking it down.

"We have to call HQ about the wing suit as well," Platinum reminded.

"Already have done, there's a shipment for a squad coming tomorrow for aerial support for the advancement".

"Steelwing, if there is anything bothering you, say it," Platinum said, putting his hoof on his shoulder. Steelwing tried to deny but instead just sighing hopelessly.

"OK, there is. I think that Luna is falling out of love with me, the letters are becoming shorter and shorter with less detail,"

"Well, you have been in the trenches for about one and a half years now, I wouldn't be surprised if your relationship is decaying a bit, but if she really is your very special somepony. She wouldn't leave you for anything or anypony in the world," Platinum lectured.

"Chin up, you might be able to get out soon as the enemy base is destroyed from our advancement,"

The day dragged on, the soldier were busy repairing the trench and being healed from the Changeling assault. Steelwing was waiting for Luna's letter, if it ever came. The courier finally arrived and handed a letter to Steelwing, he opened it eagerly. He looked at the letter in disappointment as it was just a reminder that he was going to advance 5 days from now. He sighed and threw away the letter. He rested his head and finally drifted off into a sleep. Until is was awoken by an odd sound, it wasn't any Changeling magic as he would of been able to identify that in a heartbeat. He opened the door and looked around, nothing. He tried to go to sleep but couldn't as the thought of something being there that he didn't know was around. He got up and began to patrol the trench.

Everything seemed normal, until he smelt some kind of burning in one of the store rooms. He burst open the door to find that a purple unicorn mare was staring at him in surprise. He drew is sword at pointed it at her.

"Identify yourself operative!" Steelwing shouted, getting closer to the unicorn.

"Where am I?" The mysterious mare asked in confusion. Steelwing narrowed his eyes and put his sword up against her throat.

"Who are you! And tell me quick otherwise you will meet your demise quickly," Steelwing asked, almost killing the mare.

"OK, OK! My name is Twilight Sparkle, no need to be hostile just calm down and we can talk." The mare said.