Sacrifice: Part Two

The marketplace in Ponyville was always lovely during the winter. Tracks of wagons and hoofprints were everywhere despite the frigid weather, and young fillies and colts frolicked in the snow despite their parents calling for them to come inside before they caught cold. Marina smiled at these sights, and wondered just how it was that in such a chaotic time as this, ponies could still have fun. She herself was bundled up in her green cloak, the symbol of the Dragoon Order boldly emblazoned upon the clasp that held it over her body. She thought that Rarity had outdone herself when she had made the cloak for the chocolate mare, but who was she to complain? After all, if Marina didn’t have the enchantments on the cloak, she would literally freeze to death, her chocolate body becoming solid within the hour.

One of the fillies, who had a bright green coat and almost as bright green mane, flew up to Marina, snowball in hoof. Marina laughed as she was pelted by it, and then she quickly caught the young pegasus before she could get away.

“Now, now little one. Didn’t your mommy tell you not to ambush strangers, Rose?” Marina giggled as the filly struggled, before finally escaping her grasp.

“You know you’re no stranger to us, Miss Wildheart. And I’m not little anymore. I have my cutie mark!” the green pegasus pulled up her cloak just enough to show her mark: a pink ribbon being held by a mourning dove.

Marina sighed and pulled the filly’s cloak down with her magic. Rose’s mother would be furious if she got sick on Marina’s watch. “Yes I know. You tell me everytime I see you. This old mare has such bad memory, though. I may just go senile and forget how to walk home!”

That brought a laugh from the other young ponies, and Marina was surprised when one of the colts galloped up to her. He gallantly raised his head high and said with a muffled voice through his scarf: “I’ll protect you my lady! Even if you get all old and forgetful, I will be here to help you home!”

His pride in the leader of the town seemed to be infectious. Soon the other young ones joined him and all declared their willingness to help with anything, from walking across the street to doing laundry. Marina thanked them all for the kind words, but then noticed a small group of what looked like ponies walking slowly down the road towards them despite the growing winds and snow. She asked the children to return home quickly, feeling unease at the approach of the strangers.

Once the children were safely away, she rose a hoof to the group and hailed them. They did not stop, but slowed down enough that Marina could see that they were not ponies at all, but changelings. Marina had to hold back her instincts to draw her blade; after all, a changeling that wasn’t in disguise had to do so for a reason. It was suicide for them to even attempt to walk around without their illusions. The group stopped when Marina approached them, and they all bowed in unison, the eerie silence not helped to ease the suspicions within the chocolate mare. Finally, the lead changeling spoke in somber tones that barely lifted over the wind: “Marina Wildheart. We have come to you with a warning. We have travelled long to find you before our brethren do. They do not believe you are worthy to be our Queen. We disagree, and have come to bring you home.” It was hard to tell if the voice was male or female.

“W-what? I can’t be your Queen! I’m a pony. And I already have obligations here. I can’t be Queen for you and a Duchess to these ponies.” Marina squinted against the rising snow, unsure of what to think.

“You killed our last Queen. You are the Queen now. It is our way.” Marina noticed the speech seemed rushed, as if the speaker did not have much time to say what it was it needed.

“Wait, I don't understand.” Marina said, feeling both bewildered and almost frustrated as the changelings milled fearfully in front of her. They looked back and forth, fidgeting constantly, staring at her almost desperately: she had never seen them behave this way before. She had never even realized that they could be more than seemingly mindless, murderous drones.

They were afraid, she realized. Not of her, but of almost everything else. Marina shifted uncertainly before she leaned forwards, starting to ask another question-

She was cut off by a shout, and the changelings all stiffened up almost as one: but even as confused and uncertain as she was, she could see all the same that it was fear, not hostility or even readiness, that made them tense up.

Soldiers from the town guard were approaching, and quite a few of them at that, and all of them ready for a fight. They almost came running to Marina's side, one of them shouting in a voice full of fear and anger and strange eagerness: “Let us deal with these scum, Duchess Marina! You've done enough holding them back!”

“Wait, wait!” Marina shouted, raising one of her own hooves, and the guards stumbled to an uneasy halt as the changelings stumbled backwards almost as one: it would have been comical, if things weren't so terribly serious.

Some of the guards looked back at her as if expecting her to lead a mighty, glorious charge, while the others eagerly shifted forwards, obviously wanting to leap right into the fight. Marina made herself take a breath, however, refusing to give in to the urge to the adrenaline, her fears, or the pressure from either side. “Wait. These changelings came to... to parley.”

“Yes, that's right! Look, look!” One of the changelings stepped forwards, flinching as several spears and swords were immediately pointed at him, but he carefully leaned down and placed his weapon on the ground. Seeing what he was doing, the other changelings quickly followed suit, peacefully putting down their weapons before stepping back, the changeling at the front of the group giving a hesitant smile as he said quickly: “See? We came in peace. We just want to talk to Queen- uh, Duchess Marina. Your hero. Our hero.”

“Since when do the changelings revere Dragoon Wildheart?” growled a guard, but at least the soldiers seemed willing to wait for a moment now, to give things a chance to play out.

Marina stepped in quickly, not really wanting the changelings to start spouting off about how they had decided she was their new queen in front of these guards. “These changelings say that they are free of the old queen's control. With Chrysalis dead they... they want to serve someone better. They no longer wish to serve the Darklords. Isn't that right?”

“Yes, of course, Lady Wildheart.” The changeling at the front of the group nodded hurriedly, bowing his head to her respectfully. “We aren't asking for anything, except your leadership and a chance to prove ourselves, and-”

“And what? Wherever we put you, changelings, even under heavy guard you'd be more than capable of slipping your way out.” growled another voice, and Marina felt both relieved and concerned as Phantom joined the standoff, the griffin stepping up protectively beside the mare as he growled: “Don't let yourself be fooled by them. This is just another trick.”

“If we wanted to trick you or do harm to you, we have a thousand different ways! Why would we come before you like this, unless we were honest!” pleaded the changeling, stepping forwards. Immediately, weapons raised towards him, and the changeling flinched before he stumbled backwards, holding up his front hooves in surrender. “Wait!”

“Stop, everyone.” Marina said clearly, her voice becoming sharp and commanding. All eyes immediately turned to her, and Marina took a slow breath before she said quietly but firmly: “I do not want any unnecessary bloodshed here. So far, these changelings have been honest and open with me. I want to hear what they have to say.”

The guards shifted uneasily, and Phantom grouchily pawed at the ground, but the griffin nodded after a moment as Marina looked up and asked: “What are you so afraid of? It's not just these guards. Are you afraid of the Darklords?”

“No. When you killed the Queen...” The Changeling hesitated, choosing his words carefully, and Marina frowned deeper before he continued nervously: “Not all within the hive agree with our desires, Lady Marina. Some of them want to stage an attack. Many of them have gathered under the banner of the underqueen who was next in line for the throne, and the hive has been divided...”

Marina frowned as Phantom leaned forwards, the griffin asking shortly: “So what does that make you then? Traitors to your own hive or refugees seeking asylum? Or both?”

The changeling winced, and Marina frowned at Phantom, but the griffin shook his head as he muttered: “I don't trust changelings. I trust betrayers even less. I don't think this is a good idea.”

“If there's already a new queen, then why is there a split in the hive? Why are you saying that...” Marina halted, shifting awkwardly, as Phantom frowned at her slightly as the guards milled uncertainly around them, and the changelings did everything they could to make themselves seem less threatening.

“No, that's not the way our culture works. Our queens rule through might: an underqueen takes her throne by killing the ruling queen. Then only the strongest will rule, and only the strongest are born.” supplied the changeling, and Marina winced and leaned back slightly in revulsion. “You killed Queen Chrysalis, and thus-”

“They see you as their queen?” Phantom asked with something like disgust, leaning back and staring in disbelief at Marina, and she felt strangely... hurt by that. Hurt, and a little disappointed. “These bugs can't seriously think that you're their queen, Marina... do they?”

Marina shifted awkwardly, but she was spared answering as one of the changelings blurted: “It's our way! We are loyal to our traditions and to the queen! But the other changelings, no, they want to break tradition and defy the laws we have set for ourselves! They are the traitors!”

“We can't accept changelings into our midst.” Phantom said shortly, and Marina thought he saw the stubs of his wings flex, which made her feel guilty... even if all the same...

“We can't just turn them away, just because they're different than us.” Marina said quietly, and Phantom looked at her with disbelief for a moment before the chocolate mare shook her head quickly. “Whether we care about their fates or not, even if we can't trust them... we can learn from them. We can learn about their magic, learn about-”

“What's going on here?” growled a voice, and Marina looked up in surprise, resisting the insane urge to laugh as yet another group of ponies joined them: these looked like Royal Guard from Canterlot, and Marina didn't even have enough time to wonder what they were doing here before the mare in the lead snarled: “What are changelings doing here? Why are they still alive?”

“Wait, please, they've put down their weapons and they say they come in peace.” Marina said quickly, shaking her head as she held up a hoof. “I want to-”

“They're too dangerous. Orders from the Queen herself state that we should exterminate them.” retorted the mare in the lead, glaring with disgust at the changelings.

Marina shook her head, trying to say something, but one of the guard stepped in front of her, almost physically holding her back as he glared at her challenging, with... hate, she thought, as the other soldiers moved mercilessly forward into the harmless drove of drones.

The changelings didn't even try to fight, and the soldier in front of Marina had to actually catch her when she tried to leap forwards, forcing her back as Phantom reached forwards to grab the guard's shoulder warningly, even as his eyes wandered with surprise to the platoon of guards that was reaping mercilessly through the small group. They stabbed down with sword and spear, sinking the weapons deep through chests and heads, moving more like executioners than soldiers doing their duty.

Marina shouted again as the town guard only watched with disbelief and shock at how ruthless and efficient the soldiers were: there was no hesitation to kill, even as the changelings pleaded uselessly for their lives, laid down in front of them, or covered their heads.

Marina again tried to push forwards, to shout out, to stop this madness, but the guard restraining her flung her backwards. She caught herself, skidding to a halt even as Phantom stepped protectively in front of her, glaring at the soldier as he snapped: “What are you doing? Keep your hooves to yourself!”

“Don't tell me what to do, bird.” retorted the guard, glaring back at the griffin with unhidden contempt. Phantom narrowed his eyes, but the guard only sneered at him before he said coldly: “We are here under the orders of the Queen herself. You have no authority over us, little sparrow... or maybe I should call you a chicken, with your clipped wings.”

Phantom slowly narrowed his eyes, and Marina winced as she stepped up beside her husband, grasping his shoulder and gently pulling him back to stop him from lunging at the guard. But something was terribly wrong here, she realized, as her eyes flicked back and forth over the heartless soldiers and the mare captain leading them: she was grinning even as her troops began to shove and bully the town guards away- “Stop.”

The mare leading the troops narrowed her eyes, turning towards Marina as the chocolate mare slowly stepped forwards, frowning slowly as she said quietly: “Those uniforms are old.”

Phantom frowned as well, and the mare captain cocked her head as Marina said, her eyes drawing over the equipment the soldiers were wearing: “Every few years, the uniforms are updated because they get worn out from all the wear and tear, and the smiths are always trying to improve on the design of their armor. That armor is largely ceremonial and was phased out a decade ago. And you're not old enough to still wear it as a sign of honor. Who are you?”

“And there's no way Princess Celestia would order the cold-blooded murder of the enemy.” Phantom added as he leaned forwards, grimacing a bit as he shook his head shortly, and Marina smiled at him briefly. “Who do you serve?”

“I serve no one.” retorted the imposter, and she smiled suddenly as her horn glowed with eerie green light before her body transformed, revealing proud and cruel changeling features: undoubtedly, the very underqueen that the changelings had been trying to warn them about, as her soldiers stepped back into defensive lines. “I am the rightful heir to the hive, Marina Wildheart, and I will not accept your rule.”

“Then leave and take your 'hive' with you.” Marina retorted, even as she readied herself for the fight that was undoubtedly coming, the chocolate mare's eyes locked on the underqueen.

The changeling laughed, however, her cruel eyes glaring holes in Marina as she hissed: “Believe me, I would love to. I'm not interested in this war, or in kowtowing to either the Darklords or Princess Celestia: Chrysalis was weak. Clearly, even weaker than we had thought, since you were the one to kill her, little filly, and you are a prime example of why ponies are nothing more than cattle. All the same, if it will consolidate my power, I will not hesitate to kill a sow like you.”

Marina only looked steadily back at the underqueen, refusing to show fear or to rise to her baiting, and the changeling gave her a contemptible smile after a moment as she asked: “Are you too weak to defend yourself? Is that why you don't speak, why you hide behind the turkey?”

Phantom began to step forward, but Marina caught him quickly, shaking her head and giving him a pointed look before she turned her eyes back towards the underqueen, trying to reason with her one last time: “This is foolish. How are you going to escape?”

“Marina is more than a match for you. But do you really think we'll just stand by? Killing helpless captives is one thing, but I doubt you're any match for soldiers ready to fight for their country.” Phantom growled. “You, after all, don't seem to have any concept of fighting for anyone except for yourself.”

“The Queen is all that matters, wingless little rodent. The Queen must be strong, and the Queen must be superior.” replied the underqueen coldly, before she gave a sly smile as she produced a strange object from beneath her cape, holding this up as she said contemptibly: “And the Queen must never hesitate to prove her strength, when it is challenged.”

“Marina!” Phantom shouted, and he shoved himself backwards, shielding the mare with his body as a blast of magical force ripped out of the artifact, searing the earth around them and making the gathered ponies shout and recoil in shock. There was a bright flash as Marina winced away, feeling a strange distortion of magic rip through her chocolatey body, and like she was lucky to have been shielded from the worst of the effects.

She blinked and straightened, before her eyes widened as she looked back and forth in disbelief at the ponies and her husband: each and every one of them had been frozen in place by the power of the artifact, and Marina gritted her teeth as the underqueen laughed loudly, mocking: “Well, it looks like your precious turkey took the worst of the magic for you, little filly. But that won't save you, all the same.”

“Let's kill her! Kill her in the name of the rightful queen!” one of the changelings snarled, and Marina grimaced and hurriedly drew her sword as the drones started to approach, lowering their weapons-

“Halt!” roared the underqueen, and the changelings immediately froze, looking back at their chosen monarch as she rose her head high and said coldly: “This one is mine, drones. Step back, give us enough space to fight. The filly dies at my hooves: that is the only way to prove to all that I am the rightful heir.”

“You will... never be the rightful heir...” whispered a voice, and Marina looked down in disbelief to see one of the changelings was still alive in spite of the horrible wound in his chest. She didn't know how he had survived, but all the same, he had, and now he looked upon the surprised underqueen with defiance. “You are a murderer... you killed the other underqueens, with no challenge, no mercy...”

“I proved I was deserving, so-called 'loyalist.' But that is nothing a stupid drone like you could possibly understand.” growled the underqueen, before she stepped forwards, yanking her sword free from its sheath as she stepped towards the wounded changeling, raising her sword high as Marina grimaced...

But the blade never struck down, the underqueen smiling after a moment and lowering her weapon as her eyes turned towards Marina, saying contemptibly: “No. Allow me to instruct you, little filly, on how our hive works. This scum will be allowed to live, because I am generous. He will bear witness to why a pony like you could never rule a hive. Is not worthy to become the new queen. And why I am.”

Marina shook her head slowly, but before she could reply, the underqueen suddenly turned and pointed her blade towards the throat of one of the soldiers from town, saying coldly: “Or, you may flee like a coward, like the worthless serving wench you are. Show him your true colors, grovel and run away, little girl... and leave me the sacrifice of your friends and family, and perhaps I will take this tribute and allow you to live for a few more hours.”

The chocolate mare looked silently up at the underqueen for a few moments, and then she strode slowly forwards, past all of those who had been entangled by the wicked spell of the changeling. She stopped in front of the underqueen, meeting her eyes fearlessly and evenly before she said quietly: “I will not bow to you, and I am not afraid of you, any more than I am afraid to die.”

The underqueen smiled at her contemptibly, then chopped suddenly forwards with her sword, but Marina blocked the attack with her own blade, steel swords grinding together as the changeling replied mockingly: “We'll see just how strong you are yet without your magic and your own drones to defend you, Wildheart!”

The underqueen yanked her blade back, then hacked savagely forwards against Marina's sword with her own, pushing the chocolate mare back a pace before Marina sharply parried the next vicious chop, almost knocking the blade out of the underqueen's grip and making her stumble before the changeling was forced to hurriedly fling herself backwards, narrowly avoiding being cut by a swift slice of Marina's sword.

Marina anchored herself in a ready position, head high and proud, eyes locked on the underqueen as the changeling flushed in humiliated fury. The chocolate mare only stood calmly at the ready, however, neither moving to press the advantage nor attempting to retreat, and it seemed to frustrate and confuse the changeling as the underqueen snarled before suddenly lunging and thrusting out-

Marina deflected the attack with a tilt of her sword, then she slashed outwards in a sharp horizontal cut, the underqueen cursing as she reared and lunged backwards, but not nearly fast enough to avoid the blade tearing across the front of her armor, leaving an ugly scar through the polished metal.

The chocolate mare stepped back into a ready position again as the underqueen trembled in fury, grinding her teeth together: the changeling was fast and vicious and handled her sword with a strength that Marina hadn't expected, but she was also brutal, and crude, and savagely overconfident.

The changeling underqueen moved forwards with a snarl, slashing down towards her again, and Marina grimaced as she repelled the attack even as she was forced to backpedal beneath the vicious series of hacking cuts. The underqueen was still fighting by pure force alone, and Marina could no longer tell if it was out of anger, or if the changeling queen was just continuing to underestimate her.

Either way, she was used by now to fighting foes who were many times her strength: it wasn't strength alone that ever won the day, after all, and as long as she kept her wits, Marina knew this enemy would fall, just like all the others had. It made her feel almost bitter, as she deflected a broad slice before she curved her sword into a smooth, elegant cut that sliced up along the underqueen's cheek, making her eyes widen in shock as she stumbled backwards; how much good, how much happiness could these people have brought, if only they would learn to rule by more than force?

How many had died, and how many would continue to die, because of tyrants, and monsters, and fools like these, who would never understand that force alone could not rule a nation; that you did not keep what you took by force, you only destroyed it.

The changeling queen snarled, trembling in fury as she glared hatefully at the mare, and Marina simply looked back at her calmly before she said quietly: “I feel sorry for you.”

The underqueen mouthed wordlessly for a moment, and then she snarled furiously before leaning forwards and roaring: “You? You feel sorry for me? You ignorant whelp, you stupid wench, how dare you, a piece of cattle, feel sorry for me, when I am going to kill you, eat you, and become Queen of all changelings!”

“You won't be queen for long. You'll still be unhappy, wanting more, craving more power, power that you'll never be able to have.” Marina said softly, as she slowly set herself in a ready position, her eyes locked fearlessly on the changeling. “Just like Chrysalis, you'll go to the Darklords, and become their puppet... for power. And yet, you'll still live in fear. You'll be afraid of the other Darklords. You'll be afraid of your own underqueens. You'll be afraid, every single day, until the day you are consumed or destroyed.”

The underqueen snarled, then lunged forwards, trying to ram the blade of her sword into Marina, but Marina easily blocked it and leaned forwards, putting all her strength into matching the underqueen and pushing her back. Their weapons ground together, sending up sparks as the swords were almost pinned between their bodies, their eyes locked: one glared, with fury and hate, while the other looked on with resolve and sorrow. “And I feel sorry for you, because all you have to do to avoid a miserable, selfish death... is walk away.”

The underqueen roared in Marina's face as she lashed her sword out to throw Marina backwards, but the chocolate mare moved with her, springing away and landing gracefully on her hooves, while the underqueen stumbled stupidly forwards under her own momentum before she tripped over her own hooves and landed in the mud in a kneel. Her sword slashed back and forth furiously as she flushed in humiliation, but Marina didn't try to get close: she only stood calmly and waited for the changeling to pick herself up out of the dirt.

For a few moments, there was silence as the changeling drones shifted uneasily around their underqueen, whispering nervously among themselves. Marina only stayed at the ready, before she frowned slightly as the underqueen suddenly smiled coldly, straightening slightly as her eyes glared bitterly into Marina's. “I think you require instruction, Marina Wildheart, on how a true monarch operates. I will teach you why you should fear me.”

The underqueen closed her eyes, and Marina frowned uneasily as an eerie green glow suffused the body of the changeling queen for a few moments. Then the chocolate mare's eyes widened in shock when the underqueen's eyes snapped open, a cruel smile playing across features that were now a perfect mimic of Marina's as she said softly: “Strong queens rule for centuries, Marina Wildheart. Strong queens rule forever, because we never stop learning. We never stop growing. We adapt. We evolve.”

Marina set herself... before she gritted her teeth when the underqueen perfectly mimicked her pose, the changeling copy continuing: “I am nothing like the drones. I can copy much more than your form, Dragoon. I can copy the way you move, the way you speak, the very thoughts that echo through that empty skull of yours...”

The underqueen mockingly made her lower lip tremble, whimpering in a perfect imitation of the chocolate mare's voice: “No, that's not possible, that's not fair!” The underqueen grinned cruelly as Marina gritted her teeth, before the changeling hissed: “Well, life isn't fair, is it? You're not so cocky now, are you?”

Marina only shook her head before she straightened, meeting the changeling's eyes, but the underqueen didn't leap to engage her, didn't jump into any straightforward, furious attack: instead, she slowly began to pace to the side, closing gradually in a circle, and Marina slowly turned as she kept her sword raised and ready to intercept any attacks from the mare.

But no: the underqueen was behaving completely differently, a coy, mocking smile on features that were a perfect mimic of Marina's, her movements slow and graceful, unhurried and simple. “I can do anything you can, except better. My powers let me see into your deepest self, Marina, and then both mimic and amplify what is there: I can be more you than you could ever hope to be.”

This time, when the underqueen struck, it was swift and precise, like a bolt of lightning. Marina was barely able to parry the hard stab before she gasped in shock as the hilt of the underqueen's sword swung back and smashed across her face, sending her stumbling to the side.

It was only instinct that saved her as she ducked back, narrowly avoiding a decapitating slice: a crueler, more ruthless version of one of her own techniques, she realized with horror. The underqueen lunged at her again, slashing down viciously, but when Marina tried to deflect the attack, she felt her own sword sharply parried before the underqueen stabbed forwards.

Marina dodged just quickly enough so that the attack only scraped her shoulder, gritting her teeth as she staggered quickly away, and the underqueen laughed loudly before she spun her sword up to a ready position, a cold smile on her face as she said softly: “You can't compare to me, not even when I pretend to be you.”

Marina set herself, glaring defiantly back at the changeling wearing her shape before she forced herself to calm down. This wasn't any different from any other enemy she had fought, she told herself: even if it was wearing her form, using her own techniques... she just had to fight the same way she always had. Patiently, waiting for her opportunity to strike, not letting the enemy control the situation.

She and the underqueen slowly paced in a circle around each other, the changeling mimicking her movements almost perfectly; but there was such arrogance, such haughty pride in her posture, as she smiled mockingly at Marina, her eyes glittering like poisonous emeralds as she said softly: “You must understand by now that it's pointless, hopeless. I'm better than you in every way. Faster, stronger, smarter... a better lover, too. Maybe I'll take your husband, feed on his love for you: that wonderful mix of desperation and false hope is already so intoxicating, after all.”

Marina kept her eyes steady, refusing to be baited, refusing to look towards Phantom, refusing to lose her concentration as they continued to circle, even as the changeling continued in a cruel and casual voice: “Yes, after I kill you, I'll put your husband to sleep. And when he wakes up, oh, it'll be like he's waking up from a long, awful nightmare, and I'll soothe him, and kiss away his pain, and love him like you were never, ever able to-”

Marina twitched, unable to stop herself from looking towards Phantom for blind reassurance, and the changeling struck like a scorpion, leaping in and stabbing down towards her. Marina threw herself out of the way of the attack, but the underqueen anticipated her movements, turning her thrust into a sweeping slice that cut one of Marina's legs out from under her and sent her crashing to the ground.

The underqueen lunged, sensing triumph, but Marina barely managed to repel her with a blast of telekinesis, knocking the underqueen away and letting her scramble back to her hooves. But the changeling only laughed loudly as she landed and skidded back to a ready position, giving a cold, mocking smile as she half-bowed towards Marina and said contemptibly: “Come now, little filly. Can't you do any better than this? All these techniques at your disposal, and here you are, bleeding in the mud.”

Marina slowly straightened, grimacing a bit before she took a slow breath. She couldn't let herself fall apart. The enemy was doing everything she had been trained to do, but the underqueen, beneath her masks and trickery, was still the same changeling: cruel, overconfident, vicious like an animal.

She knew these techniques, even if the underqueen was fighting in a way that was far more lethal and cruel than Marina had been trained. But the movements were all still there, and as the chocolate mare set herself, she shifted her stance slightly, forcing herself to think about the training sessions, the spars, the duels with other knights and those who had trained her-

The underqueen drove forwards hard, thrusting her sword out: Marina parried, but the underqueen used the momentum to spin her sword around in a savage, wide slice that the chocolate mare narrowly ducked under.

She stabbed her own sword sharply forwards, but the underqueen danced to the side before slicing down: Marina blocked with her blade, then grimaced as the underqueen snarled and hacked savagely downwards, trying to knock her sword out of her psychic grip.

It gave Marina an opening, the chocolate mare suddenly twisting her sword hard and knocking the underqueen's blade wide before she stepped forwards and simply slashed viciously out, and the changeling was knocked back with a gasp of shock at the unexpected, almost brutal attack. Marina nearly overbalanced with how hard she'd swung, but she quickly anchored herself, leaning forwards as she said sharply: “Unlike you, I can improvise!”

The underqueen snarled in fury, then she lunged forwards, slashing savagely out at the chocolate mare. Marina narrowly avoided the first slice, then deflected a second attack before she winced as the underqueen swiftly turned the ricochet into a chop at her face-

Instead of doing what her training told her to do, Marina leapt forwards into the swing of the blade, ramming her shoulder into the underqueen to knock her staggering backwards before she slammed the hilt of her sword down into her copy's face. The underqueen shouted in frustration and surprise more than pain, but she flinched away, knocked off balance and allowing Marina to sweep her sword in low to try and rend one of the changeling's legs out from under her-

The underqueen snapped her sword down, knocking Marina's into the dirt before she made a clumsy rising slash that all the same caught Marina across the chest. She staggered backwards, gritting her teeth as she lost her telekinetic grip on her blade, before she was forced to backpedal rapidly as the underqueen stormed forwards, slashing viciously back and forth in wide, windmilling strikes as she shouted: “You stupid, pathetic little pony, stop your futile resistance and grovel before the true queen!”

Marina ducked under a slash, then leapt forwards, her teeth grit as she shoved both hooves out when the underqueen tried to reverse the strike. The blade clanged and bit against the mare's front boots as she managed to narrowly catch the sword against her forelegs, shoving back with enough strength to make the underqueen flinch before Marina wrapped her own telekinetic grip around the weapon, and she yanked back with both hoof and mind, ripping the blade loose from her enemy's power as she snapped back: “I will never bow to the likes of you!”

The chocolate mare slashed back and forth with the sword, driving the underqueen back as the changeling ducked and cowered, stumbling back in shock beneath the hail of blows Marina drove against her with. Where the sword cut against her, the changeling's transformation frayed, as if Marina was slicing away the costume, the mockery of herself that the underqueen was hiding beneath.

The changeling staggered away, then lunged almost desperately to the side, sweeping up Marina's fallen sword and swinging it savagely up at her. Marina blocked the attack, and their swords ground together, sending up sparks as the two leaned into each other, the underqueen snarling and desperate, but her strength bleeding away through the wounds in her body. Marina seemed like the opposite: even with her wounds, how beaten she had been, something inside her was rising up and giving her the strength she needed to fight, to match the power and the rage of this foe.

The two suddenly shoved against each other, both ponies stumbling backwards before the underqueen gritted her teeth as Marina slashed forwards: the chocolate mare's blade was met by the changeling's, and the swords clashed again and again in the air as the underqueen perfectly mimicked her movements.

Their swords danced as they circled each other, blades sending up sparks and clangs of metal before they both attempted to parry at the same time: the swords screamed as they ground against each other, both blades trembling violently before they both swung down, yanking free from each other and leaving both Marina and the underqueen staring, exposed, vulnerable-

Marina wasn't sure who acted first, and who mimicked who, as they both lunged and stabbed forwards. She heard the underqueen scream, and she wasn't sure if it was in despair or triumph, as she felt a dim, strange solidity in her chest, that made her feel stretched, that made her feel like she couldn't breathe...

Marina leaned forwards, and she was almost surprised to see the sword buried up through her breast, as the underqueen collapsed to the ground with a blade buried deep through her own chest. The changeling moaned and writhed helplessly, gasping and staring up at Marina through features that seemed almost melted as she lost control over her own body, her mouth working wordlessly before she rasped: “What... what are you...”

Marina only smiled faintly as she reached up to grasp the hilt of the sword buried in her chest, before she clenched her eyes shut as she slowly dragged it free. It didn't hurt; it didn't hurt at all, pulling it out, any more than it had going in.

She breathed quietly in and out as she dropped the weapon to the ground, trembling once, before she silently touched the deep hole in her chest, stroking over it and raising her hoof in front of her face. Thick, viscous chocolate dripped off her hoof, and the underqueen stared up at her with disbelief before the changeling gave a weak, broken laugh, whispering: “Impossible. You are no pony... you are... a golem... a construct...”

“No... just a mare. Just a pony.” Marina said quietly, before she smiled faintly down at the changeling even as she slowly allowed herself to sink back on her haunches... but all the same, she sat with her head high, her front limbs barely trembling even as she felt the life ebbing slowly out of her body, as the changeling underqueen trembled uselessly on the ground, gasping for air, struggling to even lift her head. “You could have just walked away.”

The changeling underqueen tried to snarl, but there were tears in her eyes as her body shivered uselessly in the dirt, and her hooves clawed spasmodically at the ground like a child. She couldn't so much as raise her head, even as she spat, childish, indignant, spiteful and yet so very afraid, even now, at the very end: “I am a q-queen and I will not be denied my right! I can't... I c-can't fall to a golem's hooves...”

“Queens and dogs die the same death.” Marina replied with a shrug, and then she smiled faintly again, feeling so... so heavy. So tired, even as she sat back, but she wasn't afraid. She wasn't afraid at all, as she whispered: “Don't be afraid.”

The underqueen stared up at her, not understanding... and that, Marina thought silently, was the true tragedy here. That made it all make a terrible, strange sense: the underqueen could not understand. She was blind, unable to see her own mistakes, unable to change, unable to do anything but die the same way she had lived.

The changeling whimpered, shook her head, opened her mouth... but then fell silent, her head dropping against the ground, her eyes staring emptily at nothing as she died. Marina only smiled faintly as she breathed slowly in and out, before she looked listlessly up as the changeling drones milled fearfully, whispering amongst themselves as one of them hesitantly approached the underqueen's corpse.

“She's dead.” he said disbelievingly, and it was like a cannon in the silence, all eyes staring at the changeling drone before he looked up with a snarl and shouted: “She's dead! Killed by the pony! Kill the pony! Kill the pony and her friends! Kill them for the queen!”

Marina rose her head at this, and now there was the pain, the fear, almost a sense of panic, as she saw Phantom still motionless and frozen. The changelings who remained were riling themselves up, shouting and furious, turning towards the vulnerable guards and her husband, and while the thought of dying had felt so strangely serene, the sight of the weapons slashing towards her almost welcome, to see the changelings turning towards her husband, to see Phantom, helpless, as one of the drones ran towards the frozen griffin with his teeth bared, his weapon rising-

Marina whispered a name, almost silent, drowned beneath the chaos.

There was a clap of thunder and a flash of light, and Discord appeared in front of Marina, teeth bared in a fearsome snarl, lightning crackling around him as he shouted: “Get away from my daughter!”

The Draconequus pointed at a changeling, lightning blasting the drone backwards with a squeal: without looking, he waved his other hand out, sending out a wave of flames that washed harmlessly over the soldiers and Phantom, dispelling the ancient magic that had rooted them to the earth, but made the changelings scream and howl in agony as it seared their bodies and blinded their eyes.

The drones were no match for Discord's fury: in moments, they were wiped out by the rage of the Draconequus. He glared furiously over the charred remains of the changelings as the soldiers stared up at him with awe and gratitude and even a bit of fear at the raw power he had displayed, before his eyes widened as he heard Phantom Wing whisper: “Marina... don't go...”

Discord stumbled around in a circle, and his breath caught in his throat at the sight of Marina half-sprawled in Phantom's forelegs, a faint smile on her face, her eyes mostly-closed, like she was just on the verge of sleep. Like she was slipping into a dream, where nothing could ever bother her again...

***

Marina opened her eyes and looked around slowly. She was standing, alone, and mist was tickling gently along her sides: it felt almost electric somehow, and soothing. She looked back and forth, but even though she couldn't see anything through the thick white fog around her, she felt... safe, somehow. Like she knew people were there, just beyond the veil.

Marina hesitantly took a few steps forwards, before she rose her head slightly as the mist began to clear, and she found herself... somewhere else. It was impossible to put into words: she went from between to inside.

It was beautiful, here: it felt warm, and serene, and peaceful. It was a place of both chaos and perfect order, where everything flowed together with such beauty, where there was no sense of hostility, or danger. Where everything simply was, and everyone was... at peace, she thought. They were beyond the powers of the Darklords or Celestia here, beyond the petty concepts of 'good' and 'bad.' This was the end, and this was the infinite, and this was... everything Marina had ever wanted.

She walked slowly forwards, up a verdant emerald slope, and she looked curiously to the side to see... Giaks. They looked back at her with surprise, but not anger, not hostility, not anything else: and somehow, to Marina, their bodies no longer seemed warped or defiled. They just seemed like... a different kind of pony, here in the same world with her.

“Hello.” Marina said: it was all she could think of to say.

“Hello.” one of the Giaks responded awkwardly, and there was a moment of silence before he suddenly looked up and called: “Hey, you all should come see this!”

Marina tilted her head curiously, then she looked back and forth with a faint smile as shapes appeared around her: some approached, some seemed simply to from from the air, some simply seemed as if... they had been there all along, and she just hadn't been able to see them before.

Ponies. The giant wildcats. Other creatures, great and small, who all looked at her with curiosity. Who smiled at her, and welcomed her, even as a stallion she recognized stepped forwards and said softly: “Lady Marina. I didn't think we'd ever see you here. Are you alright?”

“I'm just fine, Dart.” Marina replied with a small smile and a brief shake of her head, and then she gave a little laugh before she looked down and nodded once to herself. “Yes. Yes, I'm just fine.”

There was silence for a few moments, and then she looked around curiously at the group of ponies and not-quite-ponies, the mare asking: “How are all of you? It's strange to see... well, I suppose this isn't what I expected.”

“We're safe. We're happy, all of us. We're good friends.” Dart replied honestly, smiling back at her and nodding once as he reached out and threw a companionable foreleg around one of the Giaks. The big pony that had been touched by the Darklord's powers rolled his eyes, but he didn't try and pull away, either, and Marina giggled a little at the sight, her eyes shining.

Yes, this was all she had ever wanted. Everyone was okay. Everyone was safe. Everyone was happy here. This was perfect. This was beautiful.

One of the big cats approached, and Marina reached up and stroked almost wonderingly over the savage beast: it purred to her like a kitten, nuzzling into her, and Marina embraced it fiercely against her chest, closing her eyes as Dart said gently: “You don't have to worry about any of us here, Marina. And none of us can convince you to leave, but... I guess we're all surprised to see you here. We never thought...”

“We thought you'd outlive us all. We watch you sometimes, you know.” picked up one of the Giaks, and Marina looked up in surprise. “You're like our savior. Yes, ours too: our kind became what we did out of fear, out of anger, out of hate. The Darklords promised us life, even if we would be slaves... we were all scared. We were scared of the Darklords. We were scared of you. We were scared of death. We were scared of everything.”

“But not anymore.” picked up another pony in a gentle voice, and Marina looked warmly towards Trixie as the mare strode through the crowd, smiling at her kindly. “There's nothing to be afraid of now. No hate. No anger. No war. We're safe, at peace. We cheer for you, Marina, celebrate your victories: we feel such sadness, for the pain the world is going through.”

“Life is so fleeting; it shouldn't be lived in struggle.” added another pony, and Marina closed her eyes as she nodded slowly, stroking silently along the wildcat in her embrace as another of the beasts came forwards to nuzzle into her comfortingly. “You gave us all such hope, though. You still do, to this day. You've got a lot ahead of you, Marina.”

“I don't know. This is all so... perfect.” Marina murmured, before she frowned slightly as a bitter laugh cut through the air.

“Perfect? This is nothing!” shouted a voice angrily, and Marina looked up to see the underqueen storming towards her, shoving through the crowd to glare furiously at Marina. “Look around at this... this patchwork, this... failure! We're dead! Dead! Oh, it's a pleasure to see I slaughtered you like the pig you are, but the thought that now the hive is broken, that everything I worked for has been made meaningless, that I died at the hooves of a sow like you-”

“Leave her alone! She has proven herself as the rightful Queen!” shouted another voice, and Marina looked back and forth in surprise as changelings appeared around her: the drones who had chosen her as their queen, the loyalists, as they had been called. They seemed confused, but all of them had gathered around her, as if to protect her... but she didn't need protection, she thought. Not in this world.

Marina stood, the wildcats both drawing back to either side of her as she only smiled and slowly strode forwards through the changelings, striding up to the underqueen. The underqueen glared at her hatefully, but Marina only looked back at her with kindness and gentility in her eyes, before she said softly: “It's okay, you know. We can all... be at peace now.”

“I don't want peace! I want power!” snapped the underqueen, before she slammed a hoof forwards into Marina's face.

Marina didn't flinch: she didn't even blink, only continuing to smile calmly as the underqueen stumbled dumbly backwards, looking down at her hoof. Then the changeling snarled in fury as she looked back up at Marina, but the chocolate mare only shook her head and said softly: “It's okay. I don't blame you. But the fighting is done now. My fight, and your fight, are done now.”

“Marina, now what is this? Art thou trying to take mine sole diversion from me?” asked a gentle voice, and Marina looked up with a warm smile as the others all bowed their heads respectfully, apart from the confused changelings and the underqueen: the changelings only stared, and the underqueen cowered from the glow that filled the air for a moment before it coalesced into the shape of Luna. “I am usually the one working to help these lost souls be at peace.”

“Luna. It's good to see you.” Marina said softly, and she stepped forwards to trade a tight embrace with the sapphire mare as if she were her oldest, dearest friend.

Luna smiled as they drew apart, before she reached out and gently touched under Marina's chin, tilting her muzzle upwards as she said softly: “Look at thy smile, Marina. How it pains me so that I cannot offer thee what I do all other souls here: the peace and the joy of the afterlife. 'Tis not yet thy time, Marina. There are still many strings connecting thee to the physical world, many things yet for thou to do.”

“I don't want to go back, though. I want to be here, with all of you. Haven't I earned that?” Marina asked, the faintest of trembles running through her body even as she smiled up at Luna, but her eyes were filled with longing.

And Luna looked back down at her with compassion and love, as she replied gently: “A thousand times over. Thou hast earned it a thousand times over, Marina, but that does not change what thou knows to be true. And nor does it change the fact that, as happy as these souls are here... 'tis no longer life they live. There are many lives out there, suffering, in terrible pain, and I know thy heart, Marina. I know in thy heart, thou cannot turn away from them. That every day spent here, would pierce another sliver of regret into thy soul. There is work to be done.”

“There is work to be done.” Marina whispered, lowering her head and closing her eyes tightly, before she glanced up as a hoof hesitantly grasped her shoulder.

A changeling drone smiled at her, saying quietly: “We'll be with you, my Queen. If all these others can be with you, we will be, too.”

“I won't.” the underqueen grumbled, turning away with a scowl, but Luna only chuckled quietly, looking with a slight smile in the direction of the mare.

“Thou art not the first pony to say such. But fear not. Thou, too, will find thy place here. All do.” Luna said gently, before she turned her eyes back to Marina, continuing in a softer voice: “And so shall thou. But not yet, Marina. Not yet.”

“I know. I know, but I don't want to go. It's so hard. It's all been so hard.” Marina said quietly, and then she closed her eyes when Luna stepped forwards and embraced her, resting her head silently against the side of the mare's neck.

“I know life has been cruel to thee, Marina. And I am sad to say, that it will be crueler still yet: one need not have any powers of perception to know that as long as thou fights, worser things will yet happen.” Luna said softly, stroking soothingly along the back of Marina's neck. “And equally, I know that all the same, thou cannot turn thy back on this fight. Thy life has many wonders ahead, too: all I can promise is that in the end, thou shalt have thy rest.”

“And we'll all be here, waiting for you. Until then, Lady Marina, we'll be rooting for you, and ready and willing to do everything we can to help you from here. You'll always have us.” Dart added emphatically, as he stepped forwards with a warm smile, reaching up to squeeze Marina's shoulder reassuringly.

“We'll be by your side, as long as you'll allow us to be.” Trixie added kindly, stepping up on Luna's other side with a wink. “Trixie's the only one here with the brains, not just the brawn, to help you, after all! Uh... apart from your highness, of course, your highness.”

Luna only smiled in amusement, then she turned her eyes back towards Marina, reaching up to cup her cheeks gently as they gazed at one another, until the sapphire mare finally said softly: “I am glad you are the one Discord chose.”

Marina smiled faintly, even as she felt... a pulling. An insistent tugging, and the mare clenched her eyes shut even as the world around her began to fill with mist, even as her body began to feel cold, and pain spread through her chest, and her hooves lost all sensation of the ground beneath them. It felt like she was falling upwards as she reached blindly out, but voices called to her still, reassured her, sent her all their best wishes as Luna said over the cacophony, soft and yet caressing her ears so clearly all the same: “We'll meet again one day, Marina. Your time will come.

“Everything will be okay.”

***

“Marina!” Discord shouted, and he dropped on his knees, reaching out to grasp her shoulders, shaking her uselessly as Phantom only held his wife, his eyes staring at her mutely, torn between despair, and disbelief, and a strange, thrumming pride that at least she had died... proudly.

“No, I can't... this can't happen!” Discord grabbed at his head, gritting his teeth before he looked back and forth, cursing under his breath before he looked at his trembling hands, at how they were covered in chocolate. Marina was literally melting, the magic that kept her together unbinding itself, and without anything to bind her together there was nothing that could keep her spirit contained, no power to keep her alive-

“I need something to put her inside! I need something that can...” Discord gritted his teeth as he looked around, desperate. The guard ponies looked lost and helpless, and Phantom trembled as he held Marina tightly in his arms, blind and deaf to the world as he cradled her against his chest, but doing nothing, nothing as she melted slowly, soon to not even be a corpse-

A corpse.

Discord's eyes shot towards the corpse of the underqueen: there was only one major, deep wound, and that had been a pierce, a small crack in the chitin easily repaired. Discord gritted his teeth, then he strode quickly over to the corpse, muttering: “None of you are going to like this very much, but bear with me: sometimes the best medicine is a little bitter.”

Discord picked up the underqueen's corpse, tossing it over his shoulder before he frowned as his eyes caught on a changeling that was still alive. Dying, staring, trembling... but very different from the changelings he had struck down.

His eyes studied it for a moment, and then he looked sharply over at Marina's melting, waning form. He bit his lip, then looked up quickly as the Changeling whispered: “My life for the Queen. Save the Queen.”

“Discord?” asked a pony hesitantly, but Discord only gritted his teeth before he turned quickly, forcing himself to move, to not pause, in spite of the fact that what he had to do went against everything in his nature... but if it would save Marina...

He snapped his fingers, and Phantom reared back in shock as Marina' s chocolate turned solid, leaving her nothing but a sprawled brown statue, her expression frozen forever in chocolate. The griffin began to look up with a snarl, but Discord only shook his head as he flicked his wrist to lift the statue of chocolate with telekinesis, saying shortly: “If you want your wife to live, then listen.”

Phantom's eyes widened slightly, but then he nodded quickly, watching as Discord carried the statue over to the dying changeling. He set it down beside him, and the insectile pony looked up at Discord with trusting eyes as the Draconequus said: “Marina needs someone to help keep her alive. She needs your strength. And I'm afraid you won't be getting any of it back.”

“My life for the Queen.” the changeling said quietly, and Discord gave a brief smile before he grimaced as the chocolate began to melt again: the core that kept her together was unravelling, and if she didn't have something to help stem that flow...

“Alright, there's no time for chit-chat!” Discord looked over his shoulder at Phantom, ordering: “I'm taking Marina back to your home, meet her there, keep an eye on her. Keep her comfortable, and keep the changeling comfortable, too.”

Phantom frowned at this, but he didn't have time to argue as Discord vanished, along with the changeling and Marina's frozen body. The griffin shifted uneasily, then forced himself to turn, automatically taking command as he shouted: “Alright, soldiers! Secure this area, make sure you check for any traces of Changelings! We can't let anything like this happen ever again... next time it might be your loved ones who suffer, do you understand me? Now get moving!”

The infantry stumbled their way to salutes before the officers took over, dividing the soldiers quickly and efficiently up. Phantom barely paid any attention to them, though, barely felt any pride at how well they had learned and adapted: all he felt was fear and worry for Marina, as he turned to charge through the snow, heading straight for home.

He couldn't live without her. The loss of his wings had hurt less than the pain that filled his chest now with the fear that something might happen to his wife, his soulmate, the love of his life.

All he could do was run home, and trust that Discord loved his daughter half as much as Phantom loved his wife.