The Shadows

Sam and Adagio were talking about having gun practice when someone knocked on the door-- hard.

"Stay back." Sam said as he grabbed his gun and walked towards the door.

When he swung the door open, there stood 2 military soldiers with their guns drawn.

"Who are you?" The first soldier asked.

"My name is Sam Anderson. Who are you?" Sam asked in return.

"My name is Sgt. Welles. This is Private Williams." Welles said.

"Why are you here?" Maggie asked.

"We're here to take you all somewhere else. We've set up a military base nearby. The walls keep the Day Ones out and the UV lights keep the Night Ones out." Williams said.

They took some time to consider this.

"What's at this 'base'?" Sam asked.

"Food, water, shelter. We teach everyone gun practice and survival tactics. Please, come with us." Welles said.

"We should go." Adagio said.

"I hate to say this, but she's right." Twilight said.

Sam stood there, completely unsure what to do. After looking down the street and in the house, he looked back.

"Alright. We'll come with you." Sam said to them.

"Alright, everyone pack up!" Welles said.

Anon walked down.

"What's going on?" He asked.

"Pack up, we're leaving." Sam said to him.

The group was now in the Humvee and driving down the road.

"So, what's the catch to this place?" Adagio asked.

"What do you mean?" Williams asked.

"What do we have to do to get in?" Adagio asked again.

"No catch, ma'am, You just walk in." Welles said.

"Alright..." Adagio said.

"So, you must be Twilight Sparkle." Williams said to Twilight.

"Yes, that's-- how do you know my name?" She asked.

"Stop the car, Welles." Williams said.

Welles listened and pushed the brakes.

"Twilight, walk out." Williams said.

Sam slowly reached for his .45 and stayed.

"Williams? What the hell are you doin'? We're wasting daylight." Welles said.

Williams responded by flashing green and slightly floating.

"Sam?!" Crimson called.

"Let me out." Sam said.

"Go." Welles said grabbing his AK-47.

When the flashing stopped, Williams walked out with dark skin, tears all the way through his arms, and green eyes.

"What is that thing?!" Welles asked.

"Take it down!" Sam said firing at the creature.

Instead of it dying, it stood, taking all of the bullets. Some went through his skeleton and should've killed him. Instead, he walked slowly towards Twilight.

"We're back, Princess. This time, we will take over..." The creature said.

Sam ran out of ammo and Welles saw about 6 Walkers getting closer. Before Sam could reload, the engine revved and the Humvee rammed the creature. Sam looked and saw Adagio on the wheel and Anon riding shotgun-- with a shotgun. The creature then got up with its elbow sticking out, but it just kept coming.

BAM!

Anon shot the creature dead in the head, but it got up with a missing jaw and one eye.

BAM!

Anon shot again and the creature got up with no face. It walked closer and started limping.

"Drive!" Anon said.

Adagio rammed it again with the Humvee. The creature was completely mangled and its brain was an inch away from the skull. Twilight turned away and looked like she was going to hurl. Anon handed Crimson his shotgun and he walked closer. He poked it with the barrel to make sure it was alive.

It wasn't.

"What was that?!" Welles panicked.

"A changling. Why are they here?" Twilight asked.

"Wait-- what are you talking about?!" Sam asked.

"If one of them was here, that could mean more are here too." Adagio said stepping out.

"What are Changlings?!" Welles asked.

"Short version: They're alien freaks that can morph into anyone and anything. Like Adagio said, if there's one, there's a hive. Stay alert, Welles. He could be one of a hundred in your camp." Crimson said.

"Tell us everything you know when we get back." Welles said.

Once the group got back, Welles asked for Crimson, Adagio, and Twilight to talk to him.

"What happened there?" Maggie asked.

"You don't wanna know." Sam said grimly.

After an hour of waiting for their ID cards, the group walked into the second gate and saw a large military base with cabins surrounding it.

"Nice setup." Anon said.

"Yeah? Well, let's hope it stays that way." Welles said.

"I'm sorry about your comrade. I know what it's like losing soldiers..." Crimson said.

"You military?" Welles asked.

"I guess you could say that..." Crimson said.

The group found a cabin to stay in for the night. They easily fell asleep that night behind safe, sturdy walls and good lighting outside... All but Crimson and Twilight. They both saw what the Changelings were capable of and now they were more powerful than before. Crimson's only question was: How? How did they become so powerful in a world without magic?

What he didn't know is that answer will come to him soon enough...

The next day, they were sent to a meeting where what seems like a soldier was on top of a military vehicle.

"For those of you who are new here, this is our goal: Take back the world. Whatever this is must be stopped. Yesterday, five people were picked up on the road and one of our own transformed into a nearly indestructible monster. All we can do now is fight back to whatever this is. So to all of you, we need to fight!" The soldier called.

People cheered and the day went on. Then, at the corner of Crimson's eye, he saw a form of a creature staring at him.