Mindrazer: Geas

Chapters

Mindrazer
Pet Project
Sowing Poison
This is Where I Break

Mindrazer

Like an old, unsightly wound, the aptly named Earth Scar blemished what uniformity the soil and shrubbery of the Badlands maintained in its natural order. Steppes generally didn’t have canyons, but this was a special case. The number of rumors surrounding the origin of a ten-mile deep, one-hundred-mile long deformation in the terrain was as numerous as the population of the changeling hive occupying the temperate zone.

For the past week, Earth Scar’s depths had been buzzing with activity. Lumber, food, and various other supplies were being transported to and from the wondrous site constantly. Puzzles existed to be solved and each day the changelings inched closer to placing the final piece. The enigmas of Earth Scar would be theirs.

******

Twirling an ornate crown in her hand, Queen Chrysalis directed her changeling excavation crews. Even in this dirty place, her elaborate teal gown shimmered like a newborn star. Not a single speck of grime marred her royal attire or ebony chitin. Her fingers gracefully swam through her cascading gossamer mane, straightening a few errant curls as they went. Like the conductor of an orchestra, she commanded each group of drones to perform a different task. Some jobs were massive, others, tiny; but all of them were of the utmost importance.

“Careful with that! Anyone of those parts could be exactly what we need!” She commanded over the mining commotion.

With what forces she could spare, the queen had managed to clear out most of a large cave about halfway down the side of Earth Scar’s eastern wall. Through their efforts, the Changelings had found naught more than dust and stone, but Chrysalis had come seeking legends. For generations, tales of The Dark One had been passed down through changeling culture. Exactly what was believed varied between queens; however, one motif remained: whatever The Dark One was, it was powerful and not to be trifled with. Some of their hive worshipped the illustrious being as a god, while others feared its wrath, dreading the day when it would return and exorcise them from its territory. Chrysalis didn’t seek to praise this being, no, she sought an alliance with the creature who allegedly razed half of Equestria in hellish fire and nearly felled both Princesses alone.

One of her subjects rushed up to her, a little too excited for his own good. Filthy, and coated in pebbles and ancient sludge, the drone paid no mind to the etiquette. Days of non-stop labor had forced such trivialities out of his head. Swift as lightning, the praetorian guards surrounding the Queen struck the would-be threat down, pinning him to the ground at her feet. Four changelings whose chitin seemed to devour both light and life, clad in expertly crafted platemail stared down at the fool with apathy. All the needed was their Queen’s word and his head would roll. Their glaives were more than sharp enough to see such orders through.

Chrysalis held up a hand, silently calling for her guards’ attention. “Let him speak. Surely, one who would so rudely interrupt his Queen’s musings must come bearing good news.”

Metal screeched as the blades of the Praetors’ impromptu guillotine disbanded. Even without the guards holding him, the changeling stayed down. His muzzle never left the dirt at Chrysalis’s hooves. “Yo-your majesty, I think we’ve found him. Back, in the f-furthest tunnel on the w-west side.”

Leaning down, the queen gently cupped her worker’s chin in one of her delicate hands. “You’ve done well, my child. Go now, rest. Your queen will handle everything.” A snap of her fingers was all it to command her armored guards to surround her. Chrysalis donned the same dark green cloak that hung from her Praetors’ mantles; the emblem, a heart with three large slashes cut into it, glowed faintly in the dark.

They moved through the excavated cave as a single unit. Glaives, cloaks, and armor wreathed Chrysalis in a protective womb of metal and discipline. During their trek, Chrysalis pointed and gestured to the diggers and soldiers still working throughout the caves. Everyone had to be in position, just in case her plan exploded in her face and needed she to save herself and the changelings she brought with her.

The praetors exchanged silent glances between their ranks. None had ever seen their Queen this cautious. Many of them had been in service of the crown for over a century, and from experience, they knew Chrysalis was a superb strategist whose plans were as intricate as they were accessible. The entire situation had her guards tense.

“It is said that the Dark One’s power is what exiled the infinite waters of the Crater Sea, creating the lands that we now call home,” Chrysalis started. “ Equestria has started a three-way war by trying to invade our lands through both Alkaid and Skyllia. The zebras and griffons both want to know what Celestia seeks so badly that she’d violate all standing peace treaties with them over it,” she sneered. Chrysalis knew exactly what the Diarch of the Sun wanted, but she’d claim him and his treasure first. “If we are to succeed in our campaign against Equestria, now is the time to place nicely with our neighbors and lend a helping hand where needed. But to stand against the ponies in open conflict, we need the power of the Dark One.” Her fingers idly drummed against the ornate crown in her grasp.

“But in the end, he was defeated, correct? How can he be of any use to us if he could not defeat Equestria when it was a fledgling nation? He could not stop the Alicorns before they had properly grown into their powers. They’ve had over a millennium to consolidate their power, how will he be able to stand against them now?”

Chrysalis chuckled darkly. “I shall share with you a tale passed down from queen to queen for generations...”

The Dark One

1976 years ago

Waves crashed against the side of my ship, rocking the vessel violently. Between the murderous seas and the raging storm overhead, the deck of Nebuchadnezzar was utterly drenched. An errant bolt of lightning streaked through the massive thunderheads above, briefly illuminating the stage of what would be the final battle between Celestia, Luna, and myself. As per my command, the maelstrom kept the skies untraversable and untamable, which regulated any flights to down to short-lived aerial excursions. Such glorious chaos, I thought as the salty oceanic winds rushed past us. My cape, sash, and robe all bellowed wildly behind me; I couldn’t help but glare, with empty eye sockets, at the alicorns before me.

Through divination, I had foreseen the sisters' interference in my travels, but even without such magics at my disposal, this moment was too monumental for them to just leave me to my own machinations. I knew what they were trying to do when they attacked me at sea, but oh how short their memory is if they truly believed I was handicapped here. Minimal preparation on my part was all it took to put Celestia and Luna in the predicament they now found themselves in.

Celestia lay on the deck, soaked and unconscious. Blood leaked out of the goddess’s nostrils, while patches of burned or rotted flesh dotted her battered body. Splayed out, limp and grey, on the drenched wood around her face was her once vibrant and beautiful mane. That mastercrafted golden battle armor of hers helped exactly as much as I’d warned her it would. The sight of what I had done to her only spurred my anger to new heights. Listening to the scrapping of bone on bone from my clenched fist, I let my mind review my plans. Every piece was set, the last items needed to finalize my work were in the cargo hold and would be ready for use once I had returned to my keep across the Crater Sea.

Right next to her, like a good little sister, stood Luna, still intransigent on my goals. She was faring better than her sister, but only in the sense that she could still stand and fight. Even if flight would have aided her in this fight, the stone clinging adamantly to her wings prevented her from moving them organically or gaining lift. One of her eyes was swollen shut, while her ebony fur was mottled with shimmering, inky stains. She’d abandoned her cobalt armor early in the fight, seeing that it would be of no use to her. Despite our stance as foes, I still regarded the mare with respect. She was on the precipice of certain death, yet refused to leave her sister to die alone. It’s what I would haven’t done.

Two smoking, violet blades rose to meet my challenge. The magical constructs crackled with power, vaporizing every droplet of rain to come into contact with them. Luna held the weapons at the ready; one prepared to defend Celestia, the other primed to strike me down. “It’s not too late to end this madness! Please, return to us. Gerald, come home,” she cried. I couldn’t tell if it was rain or tears streaming down her cheeks.

There was a time, before the secrets and the lies, when such a plea would have warmed my heart and broken my resolve, but as you can see, my chest is now empty… Luna buckled under the mental assault of my voice. I let each word hang in her mind, scraping away thoughts and shattering her concentration with each syllable she perceived.

Spells, memories, and emotions seeped out of her mind like sludge, poisoning her psyche and fueling my magic; she could not hide the full extent of their plans to keep me from going home to Monica and Mishra. Suddenly, the flow stymied, becoming saturated with useless junk. Her and Celestia stealing from the cookie jar behind the chef’s back, her perching bucks of pink paint over Celestia’s doorway… Clever girl.

Realizing that princess was countering my mental drain by dumping useless thoughts to the forefront of her mind, I tried to pull my focus back to the physical realm but failed horribly. The psychic pounding was enough to force me back a step. Luna’s childhood tainted my thoughts with images of the mare in her purest most innocent form. It was as if someone painted over the pony in front of me and replaced her with the mare I… No, it wasn’t like that anymore... Every time I moved to finish her, to call down crimson lightning, to summon a whirlwind of ash and flame, I froze.

Why couldn’t I do it? Why couldn’t I-- A peaceful chill spread through my chest, numbing my body. My empty eye sockets leveled on the Night Princess, Luna. Her arm was outstretched, gripping one of the wicked mana blades in her hand while Celestia rested on her right shoulder, slung there haphazardly at best. Icy tendrils of magic spread through my bones, stealing my balance as she forced me back and pinned me to Nebuchadnezzar’s mast. In her free hand, she clenched my crown. Well, that explained why my body was rapidly growing heavy and unresponsive. Magic fled from my grasp in droves, my mind failing to weave any sort of defense. I’d lost this fight.

I chuckled like a child who thought they got away with drawing on the walls. “Tell me, why did you choose to attack me out here? To deprive me of the easily accessible necromantic energies of the earth? Or was it to keep me from feeding on the ambition, jealousy, and selfishness of those around me?” He questioned, working his physical jaws for the first time in over a hundred years. A good filibuster has never failed to stall opponents.

“No,” she started. Honestly, I was surprised. They weren’t trying to cut me off from my most dangerous spells? “We knew that if you wouldn’t listen, confronting you here would be our best chance at a decisive victory.” I let my brain sift through everything I’d read about the Crater Sea. Other than the fact that the area was created by a meteorite strike, there was nothing much of note. The only thing here was that undersea trench...

Earth Scar…

She nodded sadly. “Gerald, Lord of the Damned, Grave King, Bringer of Crimson Lightning, Hero of the Starfall, and Prince of Equestria; I, Princess Luna of Equestria, banish you to the greatest depths of the world until either the Sun or the Moon see fit to grant parole.” The arctic sensation washing through my bones surfaced in a surge of dark blue magic. Ghostly chains wrapped around my frame, binding me firmly to the mast and the deck of my ship.

Ideas fought for supremacy in my head, there had to be a way out of this. Calming my mind, I reviewed the battle. I didn’t expect this, but I could still salvage the situation.

“D-do you have any f-final words?” She asked, dropping her arm to her side. Rain or not, Luna still refused to let me see her cry.

If a skull could smirk, the corners of my mouth would be touching my earlobes right now.

From now, ‘til the end;

Your life, stands still;

Persevere as you must,

As all that you love fades to dust…

The meaning of my words was lost on Luna, but I didn’t care. She’d understand in time. Crater Sea’s roiling waters cut out anything she had to say to me, indicating that we were at the giant whirlpool over Earth Scar. I could feel my vessel tearing apart as it tried to resist being devoured by the abyss, but I knew it was all in vain. The last thing I saw before gelid ocean swallowed me was one of Luna’s feathers resting peacefully on my knee.

I haven’t lost this battle.

Earth Scar: Present

“There was something between the sisters and the lich? A friendship, maybe more,” one of the Praetor’s, a mare, mused out loud. “And his last words--” the soldier turned to her Queen. “--were a curse of sorts?” Beneath her helmet, she smiled. The Dark One had lost, yes, but its mind was preoccupied with goals other than destroying the Princesses. Not only that but at the time, its feelings for the two alicorns had proven to be the true cause of its defeat.

The Praetorians had been so enthralled by Chrysalis’s tale, that none of them noticed the inch of thick, black tar-like ichor they’d been treading for the past several seconds. The moment she realized the shift in terrain and scenery, the queen raised a hand and halted her praetors. They appeared to be on a segment of a ship’s deck. What she saw defied her understanding of decay. Every structure around them was mostly intact, even the shreds of the ancient vessel’s flag. The muck trickled down through rusty metal grates, vanishing into the bowels of the ancient ship. It took but a cursory glance at the mast wedged in the rocks of the hollow to see their prize.

There, pinned to the pillar by a smoking purple blade of pure mana and held firm by magical chains, was the star of the star of the show. The creature sat limply, its ratty white hair covering a face untouched by sunlight in ages. For how long it had been at the bottom of Earth Scar, it’s garb seemed as pristine as the day with was woven. Tough brown leather armor protected his torso while vambraces of the same make occupied his forearms. Crimson sashes trimmed in honeycomb colored borders hung from beneath the waist of his armor and across his chest piece. A large tuft of fur stretched across his shoulders, hiding where his cape was attached. All in all, he looked like royalty, he looked like a being who could rival the princesses in power, he looked--

“--Dead. All we’ve unearthed a waterlogged skeleton. He’s been dead for ages; we’ve wasted our time, my queen,” she informed Chrysalis. Reaching down, the observant guard cupped a handful of the strange ooze. It clung to the changeling’s dark chitin, spreading a tingling sensation through her fingers.

“I assure you, I am not as dead as you believe.” A young male’s voice cut directly into everyone’s mind.

Lances of psychic pain brought the entire entourage of praetors to their knees, but Chrysalis was not impressed. “Release my subjects, Dark One.”

Within the confines of the creature’s empty skull, twin orbs of blue light burned weakly. “A gift for a gift: return my crown and I’ll end their suffering.”

Chrysalis could feel his touch at the back of her mind, scratching for any loose thread it could latch on to in an attempt to bend her to his will. “You will never receive what you want if you continue to prod around in my head like that,” she replied smugly, holding out his crown.

“... You don’t seem to care much for the wellbeing of your guards.” It was trivial to increase the intensity of his mental assault on her guards. A few of them immediately dropped to all fours, wailing in agony as his magic tore their psyche’s apart, while the remainder fell into the ichor, convulsing violently, their minds and bodies fighting violently with each other to keep them alive.

Her teeth grinded against each other. Try as she might, Chrysalis couldn’t block out the cries of her subjects. “Enough!” Chrysalis shouted, slowly walking towards him. As queen she knew when it was time to fold and cut her losses.

“I see you aren’t as short-sighted and heartless as the insects who came before you.” Gerald released the torture spell directed at her guards, but still kept hold of the back of their mind in case he needed to use them a bargaining chip again.

Sneering, she placed the crown on his head and stepped back. “There. It’s done.”

A single skeletal hand made it’s way to the magical constructs binding him to the ship. The moment he touched one of the chain's links they violently burst apart, sending her sprawling into the tar and releasing a torrent of energy into the caverns. Next came the sword, Luna’s last parting gift. He gripped the weapon by the hilt and sent a blue spark of his own magic through it, shattering his final seal and earning his freedom.

Power flooded her senses, radiating from the blade that stabbed through his chest. Magic carried a mental weight but never before had the density of energy in the air been so stifling. The presence of the hive paled in comparison to the force she was currently subjected to. There was easily enough mana in that blade to reduce a large city to slag and he just dispelled it as if it was nothing.

“Your kind proves, once again, to be just as simple as your less evolved cousins, continuously ramming their heads against closed windows and lampshades.” Gerald rose to his full height, his bones creaking with each movement he made. “Like insects, you changelings are so eager to get to the light of the candle that you fly directly into the flames, sizzling away to nothingness.”

The temperature in the chamber spiked as mana rapidly condensed in Gerald’s palm. A searing hot ball of flame and smoke formed in the lich’s hand. “You came so willingly, Queen. How could I deny your desires?”

Struggling to her feet, Chrysalis quickly regained her composure and took a step towards the dark one. “I went through the trouble of invading Canterlot and retrieving your crown in order to revive you. I’d hoped that would prove my dedication to engaging in a proper alliance with you.” Her eyes and horn flashed green with power.

Gerald’s attack sputtered and died in his grasp, while his undead gaze shifted from blue to the same sickly green as Chrysalis’s magic. Against his will, his frame went rigid. Chrysalis slowly circled around him, dragging her sharpened fingernails through the fur on his shoulders, and stopping in front him. “I genuinely had all intentions of forgetting any hostilities that were present between you and Queen Cicada all those years ago. This partnership could have been to both of our benefits, but you forced my hand,” she sighed sadly.

“You fucking parasite, what have you done?!” roared Gerald.

The queen held her right hand up to his face, extending her middle finger to ensure he could see the ornate ring occupying the digit. The gold band was decorated with a large, gleaming red stone, one filled with swirling green energy.

“Is that--”

“--A gem from your crown?” She finished coyly, lowering her hand. “How astute of you to notice.”

Chrysalis chuckled proudly. “You are a powerful telepath, Gerald, but compared to me you may as well be a foal dabbling in mind reading. You see, I know of the connection between you humans and the artifacts you hold so close to your hearts; they bind your souls to this plane. For one such as myself, it wasn’t too difficult to fashion a geas on you using a component of your artifact. Your actions are now tied to my will until I release you. Now, kneel,” she commanded mirthlessly. While mind control was a tactic she employed regularly, the absolute subjugation of a target’s actions was something she took no joy in.

Shakily, he fell to one knee and placed a fist in the muck beneath them. His gaze lowered to the floor, locked there by Chrysalis’s command. “Your parameters are as such: You will follow my commands, though you may interject if you recognize a flaw in my plans or logic; you will not harm me or my subjects; you will answer any question I ask of you; and finally you will not attempt to run away from me or any area I designate you free to roam in. Do you understand?”

“Y-yes, my Que-queen...” Despite how hard he fought the words still flowed from his mouth.

“Even though your cooperation isn’t consensual, I will not keep you from pursuing whatever extraneous goals you may have. I never intended to.” Chrysalis turned to leave. Her guards having recovered while she bent Gerald to her will. “Now, you will help my changelings gather their equipment. When you are done, you will return to the hive with the rest of my subject then you will meet me in the throne room. Understood?”

“Yes, my queen,” he sneered.

She waved her hand and a green glow overtook her and her guards. A sphere of magical energy lifted them up and phased them through the roof and out of Gerald’s sight. “You’ll see your sisters again; I won’t stand in your way.”

Gerald slammed his fist against the stone wall of the chamber, sending red lightning arcing across the walls. “RAWWRGH!!!”

Ripples of power traveled along the strange substance on the ground, each one emanating from where a changeling stood. Gerald smirked, eyeing the small disturbances. Chrysalis may be a master of the mind, but did that power extend to every member of the hive?

Canterlot Castle- The Next Day

Within the confines of Canterlot Castle’s throne room, Celestia had called a meeting. In preparation for her guests' arrival, the solar diarch had dismissed most of her guards. She knew that the individuals she was inviting would unnerve even the toughest of her soldiers. Some of them were known as heroes, others as boogeyponies, and others still as mere nuisances. Still, if the dream she and Luna had shared last night was true, if the things that they had seen came to pass, Equestria would need the ponies Celestia had summoned.

Precious sunlight poured in unhindered through the windows, giving Celestia a clear view of the room she ruled from. As usual, the velvety, crimson carpet was just as beautiful and well maintained as the drapes current suspended over the windows; she’d have to show the castle staff that they were appreciated. Her two most trusted personal guards stood at attention on either side of her throne. Both stallions stood stone-still, refusing to move even an inch. They were there mostly to keep up appearances and relay messages between her and other staff; they’d be of limited use if her company decided to move against her. How much longer would she be on this throne? Would she survive her next encounter with Gerald? What would happen to Equestria if Gerald accomplished his goal? Were her and Luna not there enough for Gerald? The diarch sat there ruminating on those questions. Some answers she didn’t want to hear, but she knew she’d have to face them all the same. The creaking grind of metal on metal broke her from self-torment.

Her guests had arrived.

Pet Project

Alone again. Finally.

At my feet, strewn hastily across the dark stone floor of Chrysalis's personal quarters, lay hill after hill of discarded books. The Queen had been 'nice' enough to delegate a small entourage of her drones to my command. Ornery as I was, I didn't let some misplaced sense of foolish pride overtake me.

Taking advantage of this small boon, I had ordered several things brought to me.

One Hour Ago

First had been my request for anything living.

I couldn't help but stare at the newly grown flesh covering my hands and arms with a satisfied smirk. It had been so long since I'd seen my own tanned flesh. I don't know how I handled the pain of having forgotten myself so thoroughly. I took a moment to look into Chrysalis's decorated vanity mirror; everything was exactly as I remembered it. Powerful emerald green eyes leered back, piercing through the gaps in the deep red bangs hanging over my face.

The only feeling more satisfying than sensing naturally again was drinking the fear from the air when the drones saw what I had done with the offerings they'd brought me. Each of them etched permanently in mind, locked away in my soul and psyche. A young royal guard mare, she'd almost stumbled upon the hive with the rest of her scouting party; a crippled dragon, he'd lost his mate and attempted to fly himself to death, only to be captured by Chrysalis's hive after he'd crashed; and finally a weakened wendigo, the beast had attempted to attack ponies in the Crystal Empire, but was quickly foiled. Chrysalis's infiltrators in the Crystal Legion spirited the hateful wraith back to the hive where they'd been using it as an attack beast.

They'd been teeming with precious blue, red, and black mana respectively. And I'd devoured it all, like a starving mutt rescued by animal care. More than that though, I had taken what was at the core of their beings: their life-force and souls. They'd become me, and ever so slightly, I'd become them. I knew everything about those three: Gilded Petal's husband and colt, whom I now needed to pay a visit; how Ishilwolf had flown and flown, picking battles with the strongest armies, hoping that someone would kill him, all the while being too afraid to take his own life; and the deep, primal hunger that racked H’vengr everyday. The ponies had love and purpose. It wanted that as well.

The drones watching over me had never seen anything like the absolute death I could cause. They'd blanched and fainted, and sobbed and shut their eyes, but I doubt they'd ever be able to wipe the shrill screeches of a forcefully removed soul from their memories.

Next, I had requested books.

Books were knowledge and ignorance pressed to paper. They'd reveal to me everything I needed to know about my predicament. I didn't even care what they had brought me, I wanted everything. Math, Science, History, Sorcery, and Geography; I needed to see how they'd changed, how much time had passed, and if what I knew was still at all relevant. Dusty tomes, water-stained scrolls, and steel-spined grimoires had divulged their secrets to me one after the other as I tore through their pages and discarded them afterward.

Close to two thousand years had come and gone since Celestia, Luna, and I had fought on Nebuchadnezzar. Those memories had come rushing in, venom poisoning my thoughts, burning away my perspective on where I was at the moment. So much had happened; it was suffocating.

Nations had risen and fallen, bloodlines had crawled up from the ashes while others had faded into oblivion. The wise Cervids, reduced to small civilizations sprawled across the world’s wild woods; the proud dragons, now vicious and arrogant nomads; the stubborn Minotaurs, leading the world’s technological advancements.

Medicine and magic had advanced as if those fields were trapped in some sort of high-speed twilight zone. I chuckled uncharacteristically, but not out of mirth. Most of the formulas, theories, and practices described were (are) a direct result of the efforts between Starswhirl and myself. Blood magic, motor-skill spells, life-force transferral, anti-hexing, advanced telekinesis, the magical community, no, Starswhirl had taken all of my work and shown not even a hint of remorse for the blatant plagiarism. It had been sickening, yet strangely hilarious. Hell, the bastard had even managed to adapt my dimensional tearing spells into an enchantment. There wasn't a doubt in my mind that it had been Celestia who allowed this censorship.

History had managed to be just as dynamic as the sciences. I couldn't have held my smirk back if I tried. According to every book I'd poured through, the Celestial Diarchs were still alive and kicking. My smirk had become a cheshire cat-esque grin at that news. How have you enjoyed endless existence. It had been a question to no one, but I learned the answer as I read. In my time away, Equestria had taken a beating after beating. A centaur named Tirek drained the nation's magic and was dumped into Tartarus for his effort; a unicorn named Sombra had his tyranny of another nation ended, but he sank the entire land with him; Luna turned against Celestia, earning banishment as a punishment. And yet they've persevered.

What had really caught my eye was the more recent history though. Luna had returned, only to be defeated again by the Elements of Harmony, but this time she was cleansed. Tck. Discord had broken out, only to be foiled and later released and reformed by the current wielders of the Elements. As I theorized, Celestia and Luna's ties to the artifacts waned away. Apparently, my current captors and master had tried to take Equestria for themselves but failed spectacularly thanks to the efforts of the Element Bearers, a new Alicorn, Mi Amore Cadenza, and her husband, Shining Armor. Fuel for later. Sombra had returned and with him the Crystal Empire. The new Bearers as well as Princess Cadenza and a young dragon put him down. Even Tirek had returned, though he had been fought to a standstill by another new Alicorn, Princess Twilight Sparkle. Celestia's personal student, Element of Magic, and now Alicorn Princess. She's one to watch out for.

I took a second glanced at the veritable forest worth of papers I'd powered through. Gods. This was real, this was my life; my existence. I had been able to deny it earlier when there was nothing to reference outside of what I knew of the world and Chrysalis's trickery. But now, with hard evidence of times passage laid out in front of me and written in every language from Cervidice to Gryphicon, turning a blind eye and denying the truth wouldn't do me any favors.

So I let it all crash down on me.

I curled in on myself amidst my literary jungle and sobbed silently. I didn't care anymore. Let the changelings see my weakness. Hopefully, Chrysalis will decide that I'm not worth it.

Everything I strove for, in the end, was worth nothing. What use was there in reversing my undead condition in a world where other immortals weren't an impossibility? I loved my abilities. They were a boon, allowing me a near-infinite time frame to learn and find my way home, but I needed to cure myself if I didn't want to watch everyone around me drop to the Reaper's axe. I'd lost so much time that the people I wanted to see again are all long gone, so what worth did dimensional hold travel to me now? Temporal magics were Starswirl's specialty, but even he couldn't account for a difference of two thousand years.

"There's nothing for me. Here or home, it no longer matters." I let myself flop back on the silk sheets covering Chrysalis's bed. I needed something, anything to distract my mind from my troubles. The only things reflection brought were pain and loathing.

I'd imagined that the Changeling Queen's personal space would be much gaudier than the spartan (in comparison to many royals quarters) that she claimed as her own. The only thing really worth noting in the entire space was the bed itself. It was in immaculate condition, with even the black sheets matching their green counterparts in vibrancy. The bedposts held rails for a privacy screen, but the fabric was nowhere to be found at the moment. Propped up against the headboard, pillows rested invitingly. Arranged in two stacks of three, I couldn't keep from imagining the amount of comfort they would be able to instill. I was going to be stuck here for the long haul, so throwing caution to the wind, I crawled up and let my head sink into the unbelievably soft material.

Nothing about the current Queen matched my expectations. She was reserved and respectful, displaying none of Queen Cicada's bravado. Her movements seemed calculated, unlike the instinct-driven Changelings I'd fought so long ago. Even the architecture of the hive looked less like hastily shaped refuse and more like organic art.

A low creak echoed through the room, alerting me to an approaching intruder. Few would dare to simply waltz into the Queen's personal space with such reckless disregard for her privacy, so whoever it was certainly had the clearance to be here. That, or a pair big enough to waltz around the hive like they owned the place. Which is why I didn't even bother looking; didn't need to, I could feel Chrysalis. Where every other presence within the hive was a far-off flickering light, something rarely worth the attention required to notice it, Chrysalis was a burning star.

"Come to assign work for the hive's tool?"

"That will come eventually, but for now--" a sudden whoosh of air accompanied her amicable reply as she tossed something in my direction. On reflex, I halted the object with my telekinesis, holding it just above my head. "--eat."

Turning the odd food around in my mind's eye, I quickly realized that I'd never seen anything like this odd, pill-shaped fruit. Even from a foot away and fully skinned, the red fruit smelled strongly of citrus and maple syrup. "I don't require food."

"Neither do I, but the feeling eating brings is quite sobering."

I snorted. It wasn't like the fruit could harm me, so just to humor the whore I took a bite. My eyes widened. I could explain how the fruit's thick, ooze-like juices exploded in my mouth, coating my tongue in tart goodness before quickly overriding it with the perfect about of sweetness. I could tell her how its flavor was reminiscent of cherry and lemon with a healthy touch of honey, but I won't. Instead, I quickly reigned my shock in and readopted my neutral expression.

"Mirthboon," the Queen answered without prompt. "We grow it in the depths of the hive, near the bottom of this cave system. Because mirthboon requires nothing more than emotional energy to thrive, we can keep a healthy stock on hand at all times."

Fruit nurtured by emotions, incredible. It explained the giddiness I washing through me after every bite into the mirthboon's succulent, pear-like flesh.

She saw through my attempt to remain stoic. Dealing with an empath was simultaneously highly frustrating and extremely liberating. Not even a second ago, I was prepared to jump head first into angsty, self-hating villain mode. Chrysalis's saccharine laughter pierced my thoughts. Once she was sure she had my attention-- and ire-- she spoke. "Our relationship doesn't have to be ice-cold. Your actions will set the status quo for our future interactions."

I didn't respond.

Chrysalis huffed. "Fine. I'm trying to make this easier on you, but if you can't at least try, I'll stick to strictly business matters."

Lazily, I turned my head to acknowledge her. It was the first time I'd actually taken a moment to really look at the currently reigning Queen. Like the Queen generations before her, she was absolutely stunning, but on opposite ends of the beauty spectrum. Where Cicada sported a fairly short, spikey fiery-orange mane, Chrysalis allowed her shining teal mane to elegantly flow to the small of her back. Chrysalis traded Cicada's toned muscles, sharp angles, and scarred chitinous skin for a flawless complexion and a softer visage. The Queen of old would have never been seen in such a form-accentuating gown as what Chrysalis was wearing. Cicada was the perfect image of a strong, female warrior, while Chrysalis looked every bit like an alluring model.

The differences were night and day. And not just between Queens. "If I am to be your weapon, an extension of your will, I'll need a few questions answered," I began, hoping she didn't notice my wondering eyes. "After diving through the minds of several hundred drones, I've noticed that the layout of this hive is much more deliberate than that of older Changeling dwellings, is there a reason for that? My next question relates to the changelings themselves. During Cicada's reign, there were much larger changelings and more combat oriented castes, what caused the shift in population dynamics? The last two questions are about you. Changelings are cocky, arrogant, and sure-footed, their Queen even more so. Yet, you seem to lack those qualities, is there a reason? Why go through so much trouble to find me?"

Chrysalis shot me a knowing look before falling back onto her bed beside me. If she was concerned about my mental probing of her subjects, she wasn't showing it. Hands resting on her midriff, the Queen seemed to battle with just how much she wanted to tell me. "You want to know why I'm not like the Queen you fought off so long ago, right? Well, you've read up on Equestria's history, no doubt to current events." Her eyes watched the chandelier as it swayed gently from side to side.

"What happened in Canterlot was unacceptable!" Chrysalis' voice oozed anger, but it was all directed inward. "Oh, I was full of myself then. I let myself drown in Shining Armor's love, I don't even remember a which point I became drunk on power. I thought I was invincible, even before I had shot Celestia down. In hindsight, I see that I was making careless decisions, but at the time it all seemed so right. In the end, I turned my back on my enemies to gloat over my victory." Disappointment pervading her voice as she regaled me with her tale. "While I built myself up, Cadence and her husband made their move and blasted me and my Changeling's out of Equestria on a wave of love energy. Many perished from the surge of power, but I hadn't learned my lesson.

"I gathered what survivors I could and followed my senses to a large concentration of love centered in a small village at the border of the nation. Little cat-like creatures greeted my Changelings with open paws and provided us with all the love we could stomach. For their kindness, we turned them into cattle. I could have just used them to recuperate and get my people back to the Badlands, but no, I had a bruised ego. I squandered the chance by using our regained strength to build a fortress and launch attacks on Ponyville in an effort to draw Celestia's student to me. I wanted her power for myself." Chrysalis shook her head. "My plan was to use the magic enhancing properties of Starswirl's Comet to boost my empathic draining abilities and take her magic as my own; I failed to take into account that she would receive the boost as well." She chuckled mirthlessly. "I was soundly trounced in our little magical duel, but I somehow managed to drag myself and what was left of my forces back home. Two sound defeats have a way of shining a light on what you're doing wrong.

"I've answered a question of yours, now, I'd like to know more about you in return. You will get the rest of your answers after that. So, tell me about yourself, Dark One." Chrysalis stood, the motion more fluid than a flowing river. "Come, let's walk and talk."

I narrowed my eyes at her momentarily before accepting that I had nothing to lose from this exchange. "First of all, let's drop the title. I'm not interested in what the boogeyman stories call me. My name is Gerald Covick, Prince of Equestria."

Author's Note

Sorry that not much happened in this chapter. This story serves to functions. 1) To entertain us all and 2) to help me break through times of writers block. The best way to get through writers block is to write, so all of the blabbering will likely end up in this story.

Doesn't mean it won't be relevant to the story, just that some chapters will seem more like filler than others.

Sowing Poison

“My ticket into Equestria was paid with blood. This world's beauty was once something that I came to adore, but the circumstances behind my arrival ate away at that appreciation.”

Our heads bobbed, matching the beat of a dubstep remix of Kid Rock’s Cool Daddy Cool There was no way my wife and I would let this chance to sing along with one of our favorite childhood movie-- Osmosis Jones-- songs pass us by.

My favorite part of the song was approaching fast, I couldn’t help but let my voice drip with excitement. “Young ladies, young ladies, I like ‘em under 18. Some say that’s statutory...”

“But I’d say it’s mandatory!” Andrea finished, smiling brightly from hearing the goofy lyrics.

The music and company helped keep my nerves steady. Tennessee’s mountain roads were notorious for rock-slides crushing travelers. My wife’s voice was exactly the thing I need to make sure I didn’t fly off the deep end with worry. She had offered to drive those parts, but as a man, I simply huffed and declined.

I was broken out of my trip down nostalgia lane by some eighteen-wheeler’s annoying honking. The vehicle was coming up behind us much too fast and showed no signs of slowing either. “What the fuck is he doing?!”

“Babe, look.” Andrea pointed at the driver of the big rig. He was shouting and gesturing to their right.

Suddenly, it dawned on us to follow the man’s gestures and look to the cliff-face. “Fuck!” Gerald shouted, putting the pedal to the metal.

Boulders poured down the side of the mountain like beads of sweat rolling down an Olympic sprinter's face. Each bump and bounce of a stone upheaved another, and that upheaval caused another, forcing a chain reaction of falling rocks creating, even more, falling rocks. The noise was unbearable, like a constant barrage of thunder, drowning out even their music.

Andrea gripped her seat and one of the safety handles. Her eyes were locked on the rolling orbs of death coming for us.

An errant stone smashed into the road, missing by mere feet, and eliciting a loud yelp from both Andrea and I. I turned hard to the left, my Corvette's tires skidding along the ground as they struggled to maintain a grip on the icy asphalt. Chancing a look of out the passenger window, I checked where the boulders were. Immediately, I slammed on the brakes, my eyes wide with horror as the closest rock sailed cleanly over the hood of our car. Had we been a few more feet forward... I shuddered at the thought.

“Oh my god, Gera--” Before I could snap my head in Andrea’s direction, I was hit with enough force to slam me into the driver side door. My head smacked against the window hard enough to crack the glass, turning my world into one of hazy lights and muddled sounds of rending metal. A shrill cry was the last thing I heard before being taken by darkness.

Frigid winds whipping across my face roused me into consciousness. My body was racked with pain and I couldn’t seem to fight away a strange weightless feeling. Opening my eyes, I was greeted by the most horrifying sight I’d ever seen. To my left, hundreds of feet below and growing closer with each heartbeat was the ground, and to my right, the unconscious form of my wife, boulders, and the bent safety rail our car had been thrown over. This was it, after being married for five years, we’d perish, together, because of a stupid rock slide. I wanted to rage at God for forsaking me like this, for letting this happen, and for not sparing Andrea, but my voice wouldn’t work.

Shards of glass mingled with globs of blood and tears as the vehicle plummeted. I stared blankly, having given up hope and simply awaited the end. That’s when a strange red light made itself known to me. The odd wisp hovered over Andrea’s chest, silently calling out to her. Was it here to save her? I didn’t know, but it was her only hope and it just felt right that she have it. Pushing through the pain, I reached out towards it, eventually grasping the object. I tried to put it into my wife’s hand, but the moment I touched it, red light washed over me, warming both my body and soul. What happened next was all a blur and a flash of images: me floating out of the doomed vehicle, the explosion when it hit the ground, and finally, the tunnel to someplace else…

Chrysalis led me through the caves, showing off the current state of her hive. Despite the differences between how she and Cicada ran the changelings, one thing remained constant between their styles. Both mares were firm in their words. While the original queen was boisterous and hyper, Chrysalis was reserved and regal. But when their voices rang out, their changelings listened.

“That sounds utterly horrific. I'd not wish that sort of despair on my worst enemies.”

“And yet, you've geased me with the hopes of turning my power against your foes.”

The Queen went silent, likely contemplating my words. “Continue your story.”

“As you wish,” I answered with a smirk. “I awoke in the middle of a battlefield, but dungeons are what I remember the clearest. That was one of the strangest experiences in my life. But far from the last, as I'd soon learn. ”

The first of my senses to return was hearing. Though my head was still throbbing from whatever happened to me, at least I could start examining my surroundings.

“What do we know of it?” A female voice echoed. The clip-clop of hard soles came from roughly the same direction. Was the women riding horseback?

By the sound of the foot-falls, I guessed that there was more definitely than one of them. The room's chilled air crept up on me, causing goosebumps to raise up across my skin. This wasn't a crisp, open-air sort of cool, no. I'd been in the wilderness before and all signs (still air and moist, earthen scent) led me to believe that I was inside of a cave or something.

My eyes cracked open and quickly adjusted to the lack of light. Hazily, I looked over my surroundings. This placed looked like some sort of medieval dungeon. Slick-looking gray stone made up the walls and ceiling, while the floor was made of tightly packed soil. “...the fuck?” I managed to choke out. My voice felt like I'd recently taken first place in a rusty nail eating contest.

The more coherency I gained, the worse my head pounded; half from the situation, half from whatever had brought me here. Whatever brought me here... Andrea! No... Focus. I needed to focus. She wasn't here with me and I couldn't help her from where I was. Reign it in, Gerald.

“Well, it's most certainly, likely, probably, not a changeling,” a young male voice chirped.

Changeling? That threw up some red flags in my mind. This situation could be a lot more complex than I initially imagined. This was a bit overwhelming and I feared that if it continued I'd end up overthinking my actions. Silence stretched for an uncomfortable amount of time. My own breathing and my company's approaching steps were the only sound for a good long while.

“I'm going to speak with it. Perhaps we can glean something useful from its knowledge. At the very least whether or not it deserves to be imprisoned can be determined.”

“... Is that safe, Princess? If it is a changeling, you run the risk of being frenzied!”

“Worry not, Starswirl, my sister and I have the proper mental fortifications in place to defend against such attacks.”

The moment she finished her sentence, the two of them stepped into view. For a moment, I thought what I was seeing to be some sort of trick of the light, a falsehood created by my cell's bars, shadows, and scarce lighting. My eyes saw two people, but they weren't quite human.

Their articulate ears, coated bodies, hooved feet, and finely haired tails screamed horse-people to me, but I kept my mouth shut. Though it was easier said than done with my rising panic. The rational side of my mind screamed that this couldn't be real, that there was no way I'd fallen into some Final Fantasy- Warcraft- furry world. I was obviously dying and my mind was creating shit to ease the stress. But the rational side of my mind was also saying that the sensations I was feeling were too clear, too accurate... too real.

The strangest thing about these weird ponies was that there were dimorphic enough to me to tell which was the stallion and which was the mare without having to look for a coin purse. Then again, I don't know shit about horses.

Staring up at the two forms on the other side of the bars, I noticed the larger, off-white mare shuffled a bit before stepping forward. Her flowing mane and tail didn't even react to the motion and just continued going their own way, each color managing to avoid blending with the others. “Greetings, my name is Princess Celestia, and this--” she said pointing to the stallion next to her. “Is my royal aid, tutor, and friend Starswirl.” It was a pretty bog-standard greeting. No theatrics, no attempts to layer on the weight of her position. Likely attempting to avoid a misunderstanding. “If you can understand us, could you tell me, what you are called.”

At the moment, I didn't see any way out of this dungeon other than placing nice with this 'Princess Celestia'. Honestly, I was still in shock over all of this, numb to the greater implications of what was happening around me. But If these ponies could help somehow, I'd do well to start with royalty.

“What followed that wasn't terribly entertaining, so I'll spare you the intricate details. Cutting to the point, I was presented to the Princesses' parents, King Solstice and Queen Aurora then placed under guard and settled into the castle. Not long afterward was the first time I met Queen Cicada, but that is a story for another time,” I finished.

By now we'd descended nearly a mile beneath the earth, a rough estimate given to me by my detection spells. While the architecture hadn't changed in any noticeable ways, the atmosphere around us did. No longer did I see the common busy drone mulling about in their day to day activities. Instead, stoic defenders lined the halls. Young, excited chittering had, at some point without me noticing, been replaced by utter silence. Sterile is the word that came to mind as I looked around.

We continued down the hall in silence. Perfectly spaced crystals held in ornate candelabras provided us with a nearly constant stream of unnerving green light. Eventually, we reached a large set of onyx double doors engraved with familiar symbols. Old Changeling script, I noted. I still couldn't read it, but this at least let me know how old this room was.

“Welcome to our War Room!” Chrysalis made a grand sweeping gesture with her arms as we entered. The walls were decorated in the usual patriotic, royal fanfare, so there was nothing really to comment on there. Just as the room started to lose my interest, my eyes settled on the massive table situated as the centerpiece.

What I thought at first to be a terribly gaudy piece of changeling furniture turned out to be... “A real-time magical reconstruction of Equestria...” Her praetors were surrounding the table, but parted with haste the moment they saw Chrysalis and I approach. “This is incredible.”

I watched as clouds wafted across the peak of Canterlot mountain and dust storms raged over the sandy dunes of the Badlands. There was even a thunderhead brewing over the Crystal Empire. I stared in awe, not even attempting to hide how impressed I was with the piece. Such a map required extensive enchanting and a constant flow of magic. Whoever built this had to be both a master mage and craftsman.

“Do you like it? I created this construct almost four-hundred years ago,” Chrysalis boasted, running a finger gently along edge of the model. “It is how I knew where to send my agents in preparation for Shining Armor and Cadence's wedding. It is how I tracked down Twilight Sparkle. And it is were we will be convening before we make our moves against Equestria.”

At that, I stood up straight. Crossing my arms, I leveled my weary stare. “I've brushed up on recent history,” I started. “What you've done so far is forgivable. Leave Equestria be and they will continue turning a blind eye to your continued freedom.” The Queen scowled at that; I knew she would. Even her guards gave me this look that shouted 'How dare you?!'.

“You think us cowards for skulking through the shadows and acting through subterfuge!?” Chrysalis argued.

But I wasn't seeking a conflict with on on this so I shut her down quickly. “The opposite, actually. What I was getting at was the fact that everything will change for you once I'm wielded as your blade. You've used my titles; they aren't pretty. I'm efficient, but not very clean or merciful. I tell you this as a warning. Do you still wish to aim me at your enemies?”

“I will not be deterred,” she answered.

“Very well. Point me towards your targets.”

Chrysalis' hand swiped over the simulation Equestria, turning it until the Badlands were opposite of us. She pointed, and, at her mental command, a green beacon appeared over a small, cozy looking town nestled between several forests and a short ways from Canterlot's foothills. “Ponyville. This is were Twilight Sparkle and the other Elements of Harmony reside. Before we can truly start making moves against Equestria, you need to remove them from the equation.”

“Will you provide me with changelings for this?”

“No. Consider this a test to be passed in anyway you see fit.”

I sighed. “Fine. I'll resolve this quickly, then.”

Author's Note

It was never addressed, but the terms of the geas are pretty similar to the Three Laws of Robotics. I'll likely edit chapters and put those rules in. I've also edited the other chapters; any mention of Queen Myrrah is now replaced with Queen Cicada.

Gerald is not to harm any of her [Chrysalis'] subjects or Chrysalis.
Gerald is to follow Chrysalis's orders. This overides rule number 1, unless the individual to be interacted with is Chrysalis.
Gerald is allowed to defend himself as long as it does not conflict with rules 1 and 2. Chrysalis can modify this rule as she sees fit.
Gerald is allowed autonomy as long as he is not in violation of rules 1 and 2.

This is Where I Break

Chrysalis’ plan was direct and to the point. She knew who the architects of her past failures was and her first goal was to have them removed. That was I plan of action I could respect. If I weren’t the mare’s unwilling pawn in all of this, I’d respect her as well. For her strength of both character and magic, if nothing else.

What many mages don’t understand is that a geas is a constant battle of wills. A geas is a specific type of enchantment that directly links the enchanter’s or enchantress’ will to the enchanted. Evincah Type Invocations, or enthralling spells in layman's is what they were called. For this sort of spell to hold, the one who put it there had to constantly exert mental dominance over the affected party.

And in this case the affected party was me. Actually, I take that back. I do respect Chrysalis. I just don’t like the bitch. With both of us being telepaths, maintaining a Geas was more like a mental cold war than a simple exertion of will and magic over me from her. Our minds picked at each other and shattered the others defenses as fast as they could rebuild their own. This mental battle with Chrysalis was like two hackers engaged in digital battle against each other, each trying to out manuver their foe and expose them systems to their whims. Even here on the peaks of the mountains overlooking Ponyville I could feel her oppressive grasp on my mind, constantly beating back any attempts of mine to prod her for weakness or slip the geas onto another individual.

It was now, as I reflected upon the Queen’s orders, that I found the deep loathing for my situation that had been missing up until now.

With my orders received I was free to leave and see to any preparations I’d need to make. I turned away from the image of Equestria, but before I could take a single step of the changeling’s war room I felt Chrysalis’ presence tugging on my mind. Her mental command was oppressive. Defying the onslaught of her psychic power created mental torpor stronger than even the most potent sedatives. Every movement of my body felt disconnected, as if I were watching myself from afar. I could continue to resist, but what for? It would have been both a petty and foolish waste of energy.

“You find fault in my plan?” Chrysalis ask skeptically, but her tone carried a weight seriousness.

My turn was mechanical; bone ground against bone as I swiveled my neck to meet eyes with the Queen. “Yes. While your solution is fundamentally sound, you are falling into the trap that caused your defeat at Canterlot.”

She hummed. The deep frown she wore was slowly replaced by a mischievous grin. That horrid, predatory gaze of hers sent ice water through my veins and made my skin crawl. “And that trap is?”

“Equestria is a saccharine world; a sugar bowl with a few vile villains staining its idyllic visage. You believe that killing their heroes will seize you a victory. It will for a time. The problem is that every pony is inherently good. Heroes will raise from the stories of their felled precursors. There is no shortage of love and companionship in the hearts of Equestria’s denizens.”

The way Chrysalis rapped her fingers on the tabletop told me more than I needed (or wanted) to know. I could almost hear the gears turning in her skull as she carefully considered my words.

“Hm. Then the plan shall be altered,” she started. “You will still travel to Ponyville and eliminate the Elements of Harmony, but with significant collateral; their deaths will serve as the shock to Equestria’s system. From there, you will return to me. If the ponies must be demoralized completely for victory to be assured, that is the path we will take.”

Sighing, I gave up dwelling on my situation for now. Instead I focused on enjoying myself. Taking a deep breath, I let go of everything for a moment and simply let the chilly mountain enter my lungs. A breeze blew in from the north, rustling my hair and robes. Ah, how i’ve missed this feeling. The sun on my skin was like the embrace of a long lost lover, kind and understanding. There was nothing of interest to see here really, but I still took my time enjoying the clear blue sky and jagged, stoney faces of the neighboring peaks.

Now that my head was on straight, I could focus on the task at hand.

Let’s see what I’ve got to work with. I opened myself up and called to the land around me. It answered with a satisfying rush of power. Rivers, streams, and clouds offered me a steady flow of blue mana (description) while the stalwart mountain beneath my feet hummed with excitable red mana. Then finally, from the vile beneath it all, tucked within the sediment and hidden on the forest floors and from deep within the soil I felt it: black mana. Squirming maggots and rotted flesh, fibrous fungi and decayed plant matter, lost spirits and malevolent spectres all promised an abundance of power should I need it.

I could work with this.

I was no fool. Regardless of how powerful I thought I was, I would not simply walk into town and attempt unplanned, wanton destruction. So first I would watch.

Turning my attention to Ponyville, I cast a Sight Beyond Sight spell; the town would be revealed to me without ever setting a foot within its borders. I thrust my hands forward with my palms facing out towards the open air in front of me as if pushing against an invisible wall. The air between my fingers and hands shimmered, glimpses of Ponyville life flickering into existence then quickly fading out as I crafted the spell. Between my hands an image of the idyllic town formed. I quickly latched onto the feeling of the stabilized spell and moved my hands away from each other, expanding the image.

Thatched roofs, cobblestone roads, and simple dwellings met my scrying eyes. Ponies milled about each going about whatever business they had in the town while wearing a pleasant smile. Things were so similar, yet so much different from how they were long ago. The streets were cleaner and the ponies themselves… they were... it was hard to look at, really.

A sharp whistle snapped me out of my session of brooding. A train? I panned the view of my scrying window around until I caught sight of white puffs closing in on the town quickly. Hm. I sensed three massive concentrations of mana moving in tandem with the train. Pulling my view back to get a bird’s eye view of the region, I quickly spotted the train. With a thought, my spell locked onto the mana signatures, washing away my aerial view and replacing it with one of the interior of one of the train’s cars.

Fifty-seven passengers in total. The closer I got to forming a plan the worse the knots in my stomach became. I felt a frown forming across my face as I assessed the car’s occupants. If the physical descriptions in the books I’d read were accurate, I was currently looking at Princess Twilight Sparkle. She was one of two ponies who’d ascended to the form of alicorn recently, so I trusted my sources. That would make the cyan pegasus mare in the booth across from her Rainbow Dash and the young dragon sleeping at her side Spike.

The princess leaned back against her seat. A quick study of her body language told me that despite having slept, she was not rested. “I can’t thank you enough for coming with me, Dash. I know just having Spike there would have probably been enough to keep the entire thing civil, but a little extra company never hurts.”

“Psh! Don’t worry about it Twi! I was alright with the Buffalo as well. Plus, it’s been awhile since I’ve gotten to practice some place with as many open fields and free airways as Appaloosa,” she answered, stretching her wings for emphasis.

A mare, one of Celestia’s royal guards if I wasn’t mistaken, entered the car and took to guarding the door. Other than the previously seen occupants, there was no one else. A quick scanning spell returned to me telemetry on the number of lives on board. It would be easy enough to simply snuff out the lives both Elements of Harmony right here and now. No muss, no fuss. Nopony else needed to die.

No! Chrysalis’s voice pounded in my skull, her words feeling like hammer blows from Hephaestus. Use them all as fuel for the fires of terror. Equestria will know the true horrors the changelings are capable of. They will know better than to stand against me when next I come to claim the throne. Her mental intrusion was almost enough to cause my viewing spells to collapse.

I’d been trying to keep my mind on business and away from what I was going to do. That was no longer possible. I didn’t want to do this. I didn’t want to kill the ponies on this train.

My focus wavered and the spell I’d been using to survey the train and its occupants shattered like a flimsy pane of glass. I just couldn’t focus anymore. What had happened all those years ago was between me, Celestia, and Luna. The people never got involved. I never even considered taking my failure out on the nation… or even the princesses for that matter. Yet, here I was being wielded as an angry changeling queen’s sword.

She was even worse than her predecessors.

My arm quivered as I raised it, its muscles just as uncertain as the heart and mind guiding the action. I couldn't do this.

But I had to.

If they were to die, if it had to be my magic that killed them, I would do it and I would accept responsibility. I could do this quickly, and in a manner unique to myself that would prove effective to the Queen’s goals. The alternative was to let Chrysalis’ geas puppet my body in order to fulfill her orders. That thought was somehow more frightening and infuriating than the act of blatant terrorism I was tasked with.

Breathe in. Breathe out.

My mind needed to be clear for this. Tensions, thoughts, and emotions could all seep into and affect my magic, ruining any spell I attempted. I exhaled, releasing my magic as easily as the breath I’d held. Remembering the positions of every pony on the train, I picked out the crew manning the engine car and wove a web of magical wickedness that would mark the true beginning of Equestria’s current nightmare.

Bright Future raised her foreleg, wiping the beading sweat off of her brow. The heat inside the engine cabin was suffocating, and, at times, downright depressing, but there was no place the mare would rather be. This would be her first full tour of Equestria after finishing her primary training to be a part of Equestria’s train crews. Soon they’d be stopping in Ponyville and after that, Canterlot. Once the crew took a moment to recuperate in the capital, they’d be off to Vanhoover and the Crystal Empire before wrapping everything up back in Manehattan.

“Alright, you two! We’re coming up on Ponyville Station, you know the drill. Prepare to snuff out the burner and slow her down,” The conductor commanded with a prideful smile. That confident look never left his eyes and he always greeted the crew and passengers with enthusiasm. Centennial was a dark orange stallion with a jet black mane that was greying in a perfectly stylish manner. Even in his advancing age, the stallion was fit and handsome, his smile being the cherry on top that allowed him win over anypony’s heart. The badge on his white and green pinstripe overalls indicated his position as leader of the train’s crew. Bright had her eyes set on some day becoming a conductor as great as the stallion overseeing her; she was only an engineer for now, but she was happy in her current role.

“Yes sir!” Both engine workers, Bright and a stoic grey coated, white maned unicorn stallion named Lightning Slinger shouted back over the blaze of the engine. Bright, Lightning, and Centennial all moved into position around the engine car. The engineer stepped up to the controls, placing a single hoof on the throttle in preparation for commands; the conductor raised his hoof, preparing to give out directions as needed; and the stallion leaned his coal-stained shovel into its caddy before heading over to the intercom speaker and pressing the button to initiate the device.

“You’re clear, Lightning.”

“Sir,” the stallion answered before clearing his throat. “Good evening passengers this is Lightning Slinger,” the stallion started. His calm, smooth voice relayed the information of their arrival with practiced ease. “Thank you for your time everypony and-- ” the pause in his speech was miniscule, undetectable to the average onlooker, but in the infinitesimally small window of time everything had changed. “-- I’m sorry. I’m sorry for what I’m about to do and for those of you that I’m about to steal away from their family. I’m sorry that you will die for the petty revenge and dreams of grandeur of a greedy conqueror. I’m sorry that I could not stop this.”

It all happened so fast after that: a hoof meant to ease the throttle down to a gentle stop instead forced the little lever to full speed before snapping it off. The retired coal shovel was once against hefted up by a magical aura then filled. And the eyes supervising it all simply rolled to the back of their owners skull, shutting out the world.

The world sped by and scenery blurred into featureless greens and browns, yet the engine crew simply held their position. They were upon it now, Ponyville Station. Then, with practiced fluidity, Lightning hefted the shovel up and tossed its payload into the flames. Both Lightning and Bright saw, in that instant, the hooffull of black and red gems hidden among the briquettes of coal as the flames reach out to lick at its fresh fuel. Both ponies heard the ominous hiss. Neither had time to close their eyes and brace for the explosion.

And what an explosion it was.

Author's Note

I'd like to apologize for how long it's taken me to write this. This chapter was difficult to create. I just couldn't put words down, not to mention what happens within it. The second reason is because it is difficult to organize this. I have a vague idea of where this story is going, but it is primarily a personal exercise in creating coherent plots with whatever pops up in my head.