Twilight watched in horror as the Celestia fell to the ground unconscious her horn tip scorched from the changeling Queen's attack. At first it seemed Celestia had been winning, but after feeding off Shining Armour's love for Cadence the Queen was strong enough to defeat even the sun goddess. Twilight ran to her teacher's side as she opened her eyes.

"Twilight, the Elements of Harmony, you must-"

The Queen cut Celestia off with a derisive laugh.

"Do you think I spent all this time planning an attack on your city only to let you use the Elements against me?! My soldiers have already secured the Elements, but if you think you can get past a detachment of two thousand changelings please go right ahead." The Queen smirked arrogantly at her captives. "I'm afraid that your out of options, your citizens are helpless, your army is in disarray and the only weapon that could save you is beyond your reach, you have nothing left."

Twilight Glared angrily at the smug Queen.

"You're wrong!"

The Queen smirked at Twilight.

"Oh?" She asked Twilight lazily

Twilight knew the Queen was probably right and that she was in denial, but kept talking anyway.

"There's still somepony left who can stop you."

The Queen was confidant that Twilight was just blowing smoke, she did sound terribly cliche, but the Queen's curiosity was still piqued.

"And whom might that be?"

Private Goldfeather was having the worst day of his life he was currently stuck to the ground next to his unconscious partner near the city center plaza watching a changeling army terrorise the city they were supposed to protect. Goldfeather had been as shocked as anypony when the Captains barrier had been broken. He had been even more surprised when half his unit turned out to be changeling sleeper agents, he knew they had been acting a bit off lately but he put it down to stress from working double shifts. "Is this it? Is this the end of Equestria?" As Goldfeather finished his thought he happened to glance up at the sky as if looking for an answer. There were still hundreds of changelings flitting through the air but high above them was something else, squinting Goldfeather tried to make out what it was. It was definitely bigger than a changeling and had a very different body shape, as Goldfeather stared at the strange creature he noticed something else. At first it was it had been covered up by the sounds of screaming and fighting but it was growing louder, "Is that. . . . music?". As its volume increased the sound became more distinguishable, it was indeed music, soon the changelings paused looking around for the source of the sound. Now it was loud enough to distinguish lyrics:

It's early morning, the sun comes out
Last night was shaking, pretty loud
My cat is purring and scratches my skin
So what is wrong with another sin?

As Goldfeather listened he somehow felt better as if he somehow knew that everypony was going to be safe. The changelings on the other hoof seemed anything but relaxed, they seemed to grow more and more afraid with every passing moment.

The bitch is hungry she needs to tell
So give her inches and feed her well
More days to come, new places to go
I've got to leave it's time for a show

At the exact moment that what "Goldfeather assumed" was the chorus started the earth shook as something struck the ground in the center of the plaza. Dead and injured changelings were scattered in all directions but the ponies were protected by some kind of invisible barrier. Dust and debris obscured what had hit until a pair of black and rainbow wings snapped forward blasting the dust and a screaming changeling into the wall of a building with bone breaking force. Goldfeather, and every other pony who was able, gasped in awe and a little fear at what was revealed. It stood almost seven feet tall with golden skin that turned to black at it's wrists and ankles. Two huge fifteen foot wings sprouted from it's back, the feathers on the inner wing resembled luna's mane as if made from the night sky but on the back they resembled Celestia's mane of shifting rainbow color. The beings hands crackled with violet fire and had clawed fingers that looked strong enough to crush steel. But the creatures most striking feature was its face it's soft yet strong features made it seem both gentle and stern at the same time. It's head had a long mane of silver hair streaked with black as well as a pair of white and black spiraling horns sprouting from its forehead and sweeping around it's head like a circlet or crown. The massive entity was clad in a silver breastplate, greaves, and boots with three symbols emblazoned in a triangle formation on the breastplate a sun, a moon, and a six pointed starburst, and the creatures eyes glowed as bright as the sun itself.

Goldfeather had only a moment to admire the creature before it raised its right hand to the sky, an instant later all the changelings above Canterlot were torn to shreds by tornado force winds their blood and body parts painting the plaza green and black. Turning to a group of twenty changelings too afraid to move the warrior's expression became a mask of rage. The angelic destroyer pointed at the changling unit and a forest of stone spikes exploded from the ground impaling them a dozen times each. Not pausing for a moment the giant smashed it's fist into to the ground cracking the cobblestones like cheap glass.

"STAND SONS OF SAND!"

The creature's voice was both beautiful and terrible, as it roared it's command the ground buckled as hundreds of stone warriors rose from the earth. Each warrior was a carbon copy of their summoner but held a spear of glowing energy, then as Goldfeather watched in shock several of the stone soldiers flew into the air on their earthen wings.

"Spread out and help the civilians and city guard, kill any changelings that stand in your way, I will deal with their leader!"

The stone warriors nodded and rushed in all directions to carry out their orders, one ran over to Goldfeather freeing him and his partner from the changeling resin that bound them. Goldfeather looked over to where their titan savior had been but he was gone.

"I don't know who the changelings take orders from, but I hope they have the sense to run before that guy finds them."

Adrian ran towards the castle as fast as he could, but the changelings began to rally, moving quickly they attempted to block his path. In no mood for delays Adrian levitated a number of cobble stones into the air, and sent them screaming at the line of changelings. Striking with the force of cannonballs the first few groups of changelings were blown into chunks of meat and green mist by the stones hitting the ground between them. Without pausing Adrian jumped into the air gliding over the carnage, with a flap of his massive wings he ascended to gain a clearer view of the city. Adrian was pleased to see that his stone replicas were sending the already confused and shaken changeling army farther into disarray. Sighting the castle entrance Adrian dove, landing at the castle wall main gate he obliterated the changeling guards with a nova of electricity. Unfortunately one of the guards had been in front of the castle doors and had slammed them shut after running inside, with a roar of anger Adrian charged at the door and struck it with enough force to crack it. Fearing for his friends and his three lovers Adrian charged his fists with mana smashing open the door as he recited a poem designed to focus his rage and terrify his enemies, each blow punctuating it's lines.

Queen Chrysalis paused, Twilight was about to tell her who she imagined was going to save her when everypony including her noticed the music. Shortly after the music started Chrysalis felt the ground shudder slightly, what's more she could sense magic woven into the music. The music made ponies feel hope and courage while it made changelings feel despair and fear, Chrysalis was able to ward the throne room against the effect but couldn't protect her whole army. "I know ponies like music, but I've never heard of them using it like this before.", Chrysalis turned when she heard Twilight snicker.

"What's so funny?!"

Twilight put on an evil smile as she replied.

"Adrian's here."

Chrysalis glared at Twilight, she had never heard of anypony named Adrian, but on hearing the name the rest of the girls had started smiling.

"Ya'll better start runnin if ya'll know what's good for ya." Applejack said.

"Indeed darling I'd hate to see you end up like that poor Ursa Minor." Rarity agreed.

Chrysalis maintained her appearence of calm but this sudden boost in confidence was worrying, they seemed completely certain of this "Adrian's" ability to rescue them, and did they just imply that the pony coming killed an Ursa Minor? That was absurd but she had heard rumors that some kind of weird pony had appeared in ponyville about a year ago, mabey. . . As the Changeling Queen tried to determine if this was some kind of trick she heard a loud explosion and screams, one of her soldiers burst through the doors. He looked like he was scared out of his wits as he slammed the door behind him and then shoved the locking bar into position.

"What is going on out there?!" Chrysalis demanded.

Her soldier looked at her with a half crazed expression.

"It's coming! It's Coming!"

Chrysalis was about to ask what was coming when something struck the door with enough force to crack the enchanted wood. Chrysalis stared at the door in shock, the throne room door had been designed to withstand a dragon attack, how could anything crack it with one strike?

"CRASH"

Now three of the doors boards had been smashed inward and light from the outside could be seen easily, and while Chrysalis's elite guard had interposed themselves between her and the door they clearly were afraid.

"CRASH"

Now the enchanted Oak beam barring the door was splintering, and Chrysalis heard whatever was trying to get in start to speak reciting some kind of poem. The poem in question was recited in a voice dripping with rage and bloodlust and each line was punctuated with a strike to the rapidly breaking door.

"Lands charred black, rivers boiled,
Crops and wells alike despoiled,
Mountains leveled, forests felled-
Footprints of the beast of HELL!"

With the final shouted word the throne room door exploded inward in a shower of splinters, but before the doors remains could hurt anypony they disintegrated into ash. As everypony watched in terrified silence a winged titan slowly walked into the throne room stooping to enter before rising to it's full height. Chrysalis, Queen of the changelings, and would be conqueror of Equestria, looked into the blazing eyes of the giant and for the first time in millennia, felt fear. Chrysalis was about to ask who or what this monster was but Twilight gave the answer before she could speak.

"Adrian?" Twilight whispered in shock at the face she knew so well attached to such an unfamiliar body.

Chrysalis turned to stare in stunned disbelief at Twilight, unable to believe this was the pony Twilight had said would save her and her friends, then the beast spoke.

"Twilight, is everypony alright?"

Twilight nodded too astonished to speak.

"Thank the dead god's, I was afraid I would arrive too late." Adrian turned to glare at Chrysalis. "You must be the one leading these abominations, am I right?"

Despite her terror Chrysalis still tried to act like she was in control.

"Yes, and if you surrender now I might be willing to spare your friends." Chrysalis declared imperiously.

The creature looked at Chrysalis in surprise that quickly turned to a smile colder than the frozen north. When he responded even Twilight felt fear hearing the tone of Adrian's voice. His voice was devoid of anything resembling compassion or mercy, it was filled with malice and cruelty beyond anything Twilight believed was possible.

"Interesting, here's my counter offer."

Raising his hand Adrian enveloped the Queens Elite Guard in a field of telekinetic force, the only warning to what happened next was a single jerk of his index finger. As ponies watched in horror the changelings screamed in absolute agony as their bodies twisted and warped, bones shattered then regrew, organs burst then regenerated. Adrian's eyes were filled with a gleeful sadistic light as he proceeded to force the changeling's to experience the agony of death while forbidding them the mercy of it. As Adrian continued to torture them he spoke telepathically to everypony present in a voice twisted with rage.

"You attack my family, you invade my home, and then you dare to offer ME a chance to surrender?!" Adrian crushed the changeling guards into unrecognizable pulp finally allowing them to die, before gripping Chrysalis in his telekinesis pulling her to eye level. "The agony I bestowed upon your soldiers is NOTHING compared to what I am going to do to you, you will beg to know the embrace of death but I promise you will never be givin it!"

As Adrian prepared another spell Chrysalis did something she never imagined she would, she begged.

"Please somepony help please!" Tears of desperation began to fall from her eye's. "I GIVE UP PLEASE JUST DON'T LET HIM HURT ME!"

Chrysalis spoke out of hysterical fear, she never expected anypony to actually help so she was stunned when a voice rang out.

"ADRIAN STOP!"

Adrian and Chrysalis looked down to find Twilight's tear stained face looking desperately up at her lover.

"Please, no more!" Twilight begged her tears flowing freely.

In that moment Adrian felt his rage vanish, looking at Chrysalis crying as she begged for her life Adrian felt a fear like no other fill him as his sanity returned.

"W-what. . .what am I doing!" He cried in stark horror.

Adrian freed Chrysalis from his grip relinquishing his Warforged transformation at the same time, stumbling back as his mind reeled. Slipping in something Adrian fell into into what he thought was a puddle, until he raised his hand dripping with green ichor and realized it was the remains of a dead changeling guard. Feeling his mind go blank as he recalled what he did to the guards Adrian felt like he was going to vomit. forcing himself to his feet Adrian slowly walked over to Shining Armor, Cadance, and Celestia, Adrian was like an automaton as he used his magic to free them before finally speaking with an unreadable expression.

"I'm sorry." he whispered teleporting away before anypony could say another word.

Twilight, Celestia, and Luna eventually found Adrian after an exhaustive search of the castle, finally discovering him in Luna's private garden. After Adrian vanished Twilight and Celestia had spent several tense hours dealing with the aftermath of the invasion. While they wanted to pursue Adrian immediately they couldn't ignore their duty to their fellow ponies. Eventually Cadence and Shining Armour insisted that they could handle things and they should wake Luna and find Adrian. After explaining what had happened to Luna the three ponies had scoured the castle level by level to find their lost lover. When they found him in the garden he was staring blankly at his right hand encrusted in green changeling blood.

"Adrian?" Twilight asked softly.

Several moments passed before Adrian responded, sounding like he was speaking as much to himself as anypony else.

"When I lived on Earth I always hated my people for how they acted, consciously I knew I was human too, but I think some part of me always held the delusion that I was somehow better than them." Adrian let out a self depreciating laugh. "But now I can't hide behind self righteous arrogance and I wonder what right I have to be in this world, a demon in the garden of eden." Adrian sighed. "Today I displayed the nature of humanity, the part that we try to hide behind the veneer of civilisation but tear away the instant our anger, or desperation, becomes great enough. When I came here I thought I could just throw away my human nature, I knew I couldn't, but I pretended I could because I wanted to stay here with all of you." Adrian's voice filled with bitterness as he continued."I don't belong here, I belong back in hell with the rest of the demons, I will stay long enough to save this world from the coming threat then I have to leave, simple as that."

"No you won't!" Twilight yelled angrily.

Adrian turned to face Twilight surprised at the fury in her tone.

"Twilight listen I-"

Twilight cut Adrian off enraged.

"No you listen! you aren't going to leave, you may think you don't belong here but we do! You say you're a monster, but tell me how can a monster feel love? Why would a monster stop when asked by me? Why would a monster protect somepony? You may have the potential to be a monster but you did what you did because you wanted to protect the ponies you love! And if you lose control you have us to help you! Besides we'll be damned if we let you break our hearts because you're afraid, so get the fuck over yourself!"

"You tell him sister!" Celestia stated emphatically.

"Indeed!" Luna agreed.

Adrian stared in stunned silence, he had never heard Twilight swear, let alone seen her angry enough to do so, it was a humbling moment.

"I think I've been a bad influence on you three." Adrian said smiling at the sheer insanity of the situation. "I can't remember the last time anypony talked to me like that."

Twilight, Celestia, and Luna smirked.

"Well that's what happens when you act selfishly with the hearts of three innocent mares." Twilight stated matter of factly.

Adrian laughed starting to feel better with each passing moment.

"Since when are you three innocent?"

That earned Adrian a magical shove to the ground as he was simultaneously tackled by three laughing Mares.

In a cell beneath Canterlot castle Queen Chrysalis sulked, after ruling the changelings for over twelve hundred years this was how her reign came to an end. She was glad to be alive and not trapped in eternal torment, but being imprisoned for the rest of eternity was hardly that much better. Of course even if she was free her failure meant she no longer held any claim to the throne, now another queen would be chosen from among the hive.

"Hey changeling."

Chrysalis glared at the guard who disturbed her, insulted by his failure to address her by the proper title, before remembering she no longer had a title.

"What." She demanded angrily.

"Visitor." The guard explained.

Chrysalis was about to ask who would be visiting her when her voice died in her throat.

"Y-you!?" Chrysalis finally managed to choke out as she felt a spike of terror.

Adrian looked back at Chrysalis with an unreadable expression.

"I would like to speak to her in private please." Adrian said to the guard.

Chrysalis's looked pleadingly at the guard, silently begging him not to leave her alone with this monster, but the guard just nodded leaving to wait outside the dungeon. Chrysalis watched Adrian through the bars of her cell wondering if he was going to torture her or just kill her outright.

"So are they treating you well?" Adrian asked.

Chrysalis just stared in terror at Adrian.

"Look, I'm not going to hurt you, so you don't have to look at me that way."

Chrysalis didn't believe a word of it.

"Do, I look stupid to you, demon?" She demanded.

To her surprise Adrian flinched slightly at the word "Demon", but rather than argue he produced a key and began opening the door to Chrysalis's cell. Chrysalis was certain he was going to kill her and almost screamed for help, but decided that at least she could die like a queen. Then to her surprise Adrian entered and relocked the door before sitting opposite of her.

"These cells project an antimagic field I am now as helpless as you, you could easily kill me before the guard arrived and I could do nothing to stop you."

Chrysalis stared at Adrian in shock.

"Why would you. . ."

Adrian shrugged.

"It seemed the best way to show I mean no harm."

Chrysalis whose very nature was deception found this creatures honesty almost creepy.

"If you're not here to kill me, why did you come?"

Adrian considered the question for a moment.

"I want to get to know you."

Chrysalis mouth fell open.

"What?" She deadpanned.

Adrian looked uncomfortable.

"When I killed your soldiers I felt nothing, because to me you were just nameless aggressors. Slaughtering somepony is easy when you don't need to consider their motivations or actions. I didn't see you as sentient beings, you were just monsters who had no right to live, I want to know if that's an accurate assessment or not."

Chrysalis considered Adrian's explanation.

"You came here for forgiveness, didn't you?"

Adrian shook his head.

"Not exactly, you still attacked my home and family, I have no regret about killing your soldiers for that. What I regret is becoming, if only for an instant, more interested in hurting you than protecting my loved ones. That is what I need to atone for, and I am starting with understanding you."

Chrysalis arched an eyebrow.

"How will that help this little redemption quest of yours?"

Adrian gave a self depreciating smile.

"Honestly I have no Idea, but I need to start somewhere."

To her surprise Chrysalis actually laughed.

"I can't decide if you'r crazy or just very direct, but tell me what do I get out of this little interview, why should I talk to you at all?."

Adrian smiled.

"What if I promise to get you out of this cell?"

Chrysalis's ears perked up at that.

"Are you offering to break me out?"

Adrian shook his head.

"No, but I could arrange for you to stay in a room in the castle instead of a dungeon. You would have to wear a magic suppression device but you wouldn't be in a cage, oh and I can also promise food."

Chrysalis rolled her eyes.

"You do know I don't eat normal food, right?"

Adrian nodded.

"You eat love, tell me what emotion do you think drove me into the state I was in when I fought you?"

Chrysalis felt her mouth water at the thought of a love that strong.

"Hmmm. . .Ok deal, under one last condition."

Adrian gave Chrysalis a slightly suspicious look.

"What kind of condition?"

Chrysalis smirked.

"I want to know about you, answer my questions and I will tell you everything, deal?"

Adrian nodded.

"Deal."

Author's Note

The song is "Rock You Like A Hurricane" By the Scorpions.

The poem is from a Magic the Gathering card called "Wake of Destruction" but I changed the last line from "the beasts of Keld" to something that made more sense.

I always wanted to see them used in a story, and if anyone feels like it I would love to see Adrian's "Warforged" state rendered into a picture. I doubt anyone will care enough to try but figured I'd throw that out there just to see.

Also happy Native American Genocide Commencement Day or Thanksgiving if you prefer the happier term. Remember to eat plenty of undercooked turkey and give someone a blanket used by a victim of Smallpox. Or just spend time with relatives and be happy that I can't go back in time and blow up the Mayflower, whatever.

P.S: If you participate in Black Friday I hope you die a slow agonizing death, you mindless consumer drone.

P.P.S: Seriously though, Happy Thanksgiving.