Prologue: Between a Hive and a Hard Place
Location: Somewhere in the Altai Mountains of Clawzakhstan
Time: 0900 hours
Date: Six months before the Canterlot Changeling Crisis
Twenty Equines and their Griffin guide lay in wait alongside a snowcapped mountain. Nearby the odd gathering stood the guarded opening to The Realm’s latest threat; what most would assume was an average Changeling Hive turned out to be far worse.
Its leader was a ruthless tyrant by the name of Arachnis, starting off as a lowly minion that overthrew his old Queen in a massive conspiracy that ended with her assassination by his own hooves. Instead of feeding on the nicer emotions other Hives preferred, such as love or respect, his Pod relied on Fear, leading his predecessor to fail horribly during an attempt at terrorism. With the Hive in disarray, Arachnis used his position as one of Her Majesty’s elite guard to organize his rise to power. After instilling hope into his people, he orchestrated a meeting in which he closed in on the Colony’s monarch, and slit her throat as she was distracted by a sudden uprising that resulted in her crystalline palace’s destruction. Arachnis took the reins of leadership, instructing his people to gather all the resources they could, and moved from their old home located in Prance to a cave system in the Altai Mountains in Griffin-ruled Clawzakhstan. Thus began his reign of terror, instructing the drones to infiltrate Griffin society and commit acts through espionage that would instill absolute fear into the populous. From poisoned water supplies to murders that were nigh unsolvable to the eventual public demonstrations that the Hive of Arachnis was responsible and demanded tribute, Griffonia found themselves in a dire situation, made even more drastic due to their lack of military might after the Glorious Revolution, the civil war that laid waste to the previous regime of the Griffin Tsars.
Thus, desperate to end the horror plaguing the new Griffon Union of Socialist Republics, the Griffon’s Committee reluctantly decided to ask their neighbors, the Equestrians, for help. Not only did the Diarchy of Sun and Moon refuse to aid the rebellion, they had actually supported the Tsarist army, believing the lies of the silver-tongued Tsar Nikolai III. With the success of the revolution and the deaths of the royal family as well as their supporters, an awkward situation arose where the two nations found themselves in a bit of a Cold War. The leader of the revolution, Vladimir Talon, refused to accept the peace envoys of the Diarchs, who had finally learned of Nikolai’s inexcusable atrocities to his people. With the threat of Arachnis lingering within, Talon and his claw-picked Committee finally came to terms that their only hope of preventing the new nation from collapsing and possibly being enslaved by the Changeling Hive was to contact Equestria and request aid.
While Luna at first refused, upset upon her return from her banishment that anyone would actually act hostile to her great nation, Celestia took the situation as an opportunity to make amends, earn respect with the Griffin Union, and reestablish the treaty made with Griffonia centuries ago. Thus, it was decided by the royal sisters to send their best to deal with the situation.
Enter the Midnight Agency for Strategic Operations.
Founded during the sisters’ first war as the diarchs of Equestria, MASO was created as an elite division held by no restrictions to ensure absolute victory. Gathering a group dedicated not only to carry out the most vital of tasks, but to also handle propaganda, research, espionage, and other important roles was not easy. The sisters had to discreetly find recruits, and keep the organization shrouded in as much secrecy as possible. After a few centuries of practice, the Agency had developed a reputation for efficiency. The research divisions, composed of some of the brightest minds at the time, had developed several vital theories and creations that still were used to present time. The Combatants were proficient and contained a variety of units, ranging from the most powerful unicorns, to the fastest fliers, and even a huge array of fighter classes. Minotaur Berserkers, Zebrican Monks, and Prench Cavaliers were just a taste of MASO’s esteemed forces. On top of that, the Midnight Intelligence Network branched into almost all known corners of The Realm. Their ability to dig up almost any bit of information requested was only surpassed by their secrecy, even within the Agency. Midnight was nothing to be taken lightly.
However, the Agency was thrown into chaos with the Nightmare Moon Resurgence, with more than half of the agents having gone rogue to either ally with Luna or avoid involvement altogether. MASO was never the same. Even with its current status as the personal elite of the Diarchs, newly brought to prosperity with Luna’s return and redemption made possible by the Elements of Harmony, the Agency would forever be tainted by its internal division a thousand years ago.
Despite the incident, MASO’s agents vowed to never harm one another again, forging a new policy of camaraderie that would overshadow the orders of their superiors, as well as any major event in The Realm. The bonds formed within the Agency turned into its biggest strength, yet its deadliest weakness. This day would ensure that fact be known throughout The Realm.
The agents gathered had been scouting the area for several hours, having been guided to the Hive’s location by the Griffin conscript. Having finished a while ago, the group established a small camp, waiting for their reinforcements to arrive. Unfortunately, that while ago was supposed to be when the main force arrived, dampening most of the agents’ patience. While they were provided with outfits that provided a good amount of insulation from the cold, the Griffonian winter wasn’t exactly bearable to foreigners. In the end, the freezing temperatures had finally reached the breaking point for one violet Unicorn.
“With all due respect, sir, what in the name of Tartarus is taking them so long?” She glared daggers at a navy blue Pegasus with an ice-white mane.
“How should I know, Sergeant? If any of us here could use telepathy to see what’s holding them back, it would be you, and you’re already projecting that frequency needed to give the main force our position. I know it’s cold enough to put our own winters to shame, but we can’t lose our heads over this. Look on the bright side; you’ll get all the hot chocolate and warmth from a fireplace you want when we get back to base.” Confident with his response to his still annoyed assistant, the stallion focused his attention to their guide. “Rez, you think we’re going to have much of a problem making our move so much later than expected?”
The Griffin gave a salute. “Comrade Blizzard, while we might be fine for a little while longer, your reinforcements must arrive soon. According to our reports, the entrance guard post will be switching shifts in anywhere from an hour to two hours from now. If our plan is to succeed, we need to be ready to act by 1000 hours.” His white feathers and fur would probably have rendered him invisible within the sea of snow, were it not for his black beak and Union relegated coat. “If they do not arrive by that time, I would suggest that we fall back, make a more permanent camp, and wait until tomorrow. Some of your scouts and I had spotted a cave that would be a perfect shelter for the night.”
That had only added fuel to the fire that was the recon leader’s worry. Lieutenant Blizzard Blitz was renowned for his valor as an agent in the Combatant branch. He had played an important role in several missions, completed with efficiency…at least, after he met and befriended his commander. Major Solitude Blaze not only acted as a mentor for the Pegasus, but also acted as a father figure for most of the Combatants, as well as some members of the other two branches. His leadership was, for the most part, outstanding, and as the only survivor in the failed Pyro experimental unit, a force not to be underestimated. However, some of his methods were unorthodox, even risky. The Lieutenant could only hope that nothing terrible had befallen his friend. What if the Changeling King had learned of the operation and already sent a swarm to deal with the incoming force? Maybe the operation itself was a ruse, and Arachnis had already taken over the young and vulnerable country, using the Committee as a figurehead to lure his most serious threat into a trap? Or maybe-
Blizzard’s thoughts were broken as his assistant nudged him.
“Sir, some of us have noticed a large cloud formation heading our way.”
The Pegasus gave the mare a deadpan look. “So what, Eve? Maybe one of the weather teams on the border had an accident.”
The mare sighed, and pointed her hoof at the sky. “Does that look like your average accident, Lieutenant?”
Blizzard brought his full attention to what appeared to be a formation of clouds, slowly descending towards the group. “I…I don’t think that’s just a bunch of clouds, I think that might be our reinforcements! The Pegasi are using the clouds to cover their arrival, but…why?”
True to his observation, the living fluff dissolved to reveal a fleet of transport carriages. As soon as they landed less than majestically in the snow, the Pegasi in charge of flying detached from their mantles while the agents inside hastily got out. As the lead transport’s occupants made their way towards the recon team, the Lieutenant looked them over: a Unicorn stallion, adorned with a black coat and a green mane, Cutie Mark of a ball of green flame; an Earth Pony mare, sporting gray fur and an orange mane with equally monotone gray streaks, Cutie Mark of a factory with a treble clef as it’s cloud; and a Zebra, his slick green fur clashing with red stripes, with a mane of a similar pattern. Blizzard held a cocky grin as he recognized his comrades. As he trotted through the sea of white to meet them, the unicorn broke the silence.
“I apologize for the tardiness of the main force, Lieutenant. Some mudak caused a scene back at the capital, waking up the populous. His rant was harmless, but in order to keep our transports hidden, we had to deploy clouds. We could have let them go after our departure, but our Zebrican friend here realized that it might be a good idea to keep the camouflage, just in case the Changelings had a surprise air patrol.” He nudged said Zebra. “Maybe you should try leading the next minor op, Plague. I know it’s a lot to handle, but you let us keep our vital element of surprise. You’ve got potential as a commander, and it’s the least I can do for saving my haycon. Command would have my head for such a mistake.”
The Zebra smiled sheepishly at the praise. “It was nothing, Major. After all you’ve done, I’m sure you might have gotten a pardon. Besides, I’m a Field Doctor. I doubt a member of the Research Branch would be permitted such a responsibility.”
This time, the mare spoke up. “Don’t be ridiculous, now. Ya’d probably only be rejected because yer still barely an adult!” The other two laughed at his expense. Noticing the Zebra’s down expression, she flashed a sinister grin. “Oh, relax, Plague. I’m just playin’ wit’ ya! ‘Sides, Blitzy here’s barely a year older than ya! Which is astonishin’, considerin’ the bastard’s almost as mature as me filly sister!” With the tables turned, it was Plague’s turn to laugh with Blaze at a scowling Blizzard.
“Come on now, Melody. You’re just jealous that I’m gonna get to your rank in half the time you did!”
As the mare gave him a dirty look, Blaze decided to step in. “Now, now, you lovebirds. Save it for the bugs. I think it’s about time we get our force together.” He looked at the Griffon. “Rezkoye, I assume? I’ve heard about you, White Death. Killing five hundred of the Tsar’s best soldiers with one of those new clockwork precision crossbows…in just the first three months of the war, no less. If it’s alright with you, would you be willing to take part in our operation? I’m not a fool, Corporal. I know better than to order a sniper to fight in an enclosed, close-quarters environment. I would like you to stay with the agents who will be guarding the carriages. We need a means of escape, after all. Will you accept my call to arms, tovarisch?”
The Griffin stared at the Unicorn commander. “I know not of how you know of me, comrade Blaze, nor how you can speak words of our native tongue. However, I would be more than happy to provide my skills to your cause, especially in dealing with those vermin inside. I’ve lost more of those close to my heart to these svolochi than in the Glorious Revolution. I thirst for vengeance, and if I may do so without dying foolishly and disgracing the name of the Union, then I shall accept. I’m at your disposal, Major.”
The two exchanged salutes, while those gathered nearby stared in shock. “Alright, with that taken care of…Combatant Battalions Blade and Dagger, and Specialist Battalion Cloak! Form into your squads!” As the battalions formed their ranks, Blaze stood with Blade to his left, Dagger to his right, and Cloak in between. The recon team took position behind Cloak, surrounding themselves with the transports. “Alright, agents. Here’s the plan one more time, just in case some buckwit forgot. I’m looking at you, Sergeant Shell Shock. First up, defense! The recon team will be staying behind, along with Companies Excalibur from Blade, Flytrap from Dagger, and Catharsis from Cloak. You will be led by Sergeant Mystic Eve, have medical support by Field Doctor Plague Bringer, and will have the honor of sniper support by Corporal Rezkoye of the Griffin Union, also known as the White Death. For those of you who know, yes, that one. You will treat him as you would treat me, with utmost respect. Not only is our reputation on the line with a witness from foreign land, but the possibility of an alliance with the Union also relies upon our actions today. Keep him alive, though I doubt he will need much of your help other than as spotters, guards, and in worst case scenario, a medic. You’re designation for this mission is Homeland.”
The Major took a breath, letting his words soak in for a minute. Confident that those assigned to Homeland understood their assignment, he continued his briefing.
“Companies Aether and Bastard from Blade and Companies Angel and Blackwater from Dagger will join with Arson from Cloak. You will be led by me to confront Arachnis. We will be attempting negotiation as a distraction. If the Creator is blessing us today and they actually lead somewhere, this op will be done in no time. That’s highly unlikely knowing the King’s kind, though, especially since this Hive feeds on negative emotions. Aether will be my personal guard, with Angel taking the entrance from the summit to provide assistance from a flanking position. You will be led by Lieutenant Blizzard Blitz. Be warned, there are a few guards posted to that entrance, so you need to quickly and quietly deal with them, and any other Changelings you come across. Arson will be guarded by Bastard and Blackwater and will join the negotiations team, but will stay in the corridors right outside the throne room. You will only provide assistance if talking with Arachnis turns out to be a bust. Blackwater, your main objective will be guarding the flank behind Arson, making sure that they don’t get overwhelmed and that we have some room for our eventual retreat. Our designation for this mission is Noble. I hope that all of you have your affairs in order, if any of us are guaranteed danger, it’s us. But that’s why we have the heavy hitters of the group. Minotaurs in Noble, don’t get a big head, but you are our major trump card. If things go to Tartarus, you’ll be keeping to the new front with Blackwater so that we can make a quick escape. May the Creator be with us.”
Whispers could be heard through the battalions, though Blaze let it slide as he let the agents absorb the information. After all, he wasn’t lying. Noble was essentially performing a suicide mission, minus Angel, unless they encounter more resistance than expected. The Major could only thank his superiors for not sending a bunch of kids to their certain deaths. There were, of course, younger agents like Blizzard in Noble, but like the Lieutenant they had experience. Now, if Fox Battalion had been sent, there would have been some problems, but that’s a story for another time. As the whispers died down, Blaze continued towards the final parts of the briefing.
“Companies Claymore and Drake from Blade, Companies Cutthroat, Demon, and Eclipse from Dagger, and Bastion Company from Cloak will form the final, and probably the most vital, group for this assignment. Drake is in charge of guarding the entrance. Claymore and Bastion will be split evenly amongst Dagger’s Companies. Your objective is to guard them at all costs. Cutthroat, Demon, and Eclipse: you carry the primary objective. Said Companies of Dagger should already have their demolition satchels. Inside those satchels are magically enhanced runes that are set to explode once their owner, which so happens to be back at base right now, orders their destruction through telepathic signal. I’d give the specifics, but then I’d have to kill you…ha! You should see the looks on your faces. But seriously, I’m ordered by none other than the Instructor himself to kill anyone other than the caster and a select few, including myself, who learn of the spell, so…sorry. Anyways, you will plant those runes around the Hive. It should be pretty simple, considering you will have some of the best defenders of the Agency escorting you. There should be three paths that separate away from the tunnel leading to the King’s Chambers. Along the way, you should see these crystallized pillars every so often. Plant your runes on there. Once you reach the end of your path, empty the rest of your bombs at the entrance. I should probably mention to Angel Company that Lieutenant Blizzard will also be carrying some of these runes and planting them on the way through the entrance at the summit. We’re not taking any chances. Once the demolitions team is done, that team will return to Homeland. Members of Claymore and Bastion will stay and wait alongside Drake until either everyone is out, or I give the telepathic signal to Sergeant Eve to launch what we have decided to call a flare, which is a ball of bright light conjured with magic, into the sky. It’s basically a missile that has been toned down to be used as a signal or summons, so you shouldn’t miss it. This signal I will send to her will be sent by one of two ways, by my command, or by my death. Once again, we’re not taking any chances. Your designation for this mission will be Diamond Dog. Now, no matter what happens, Diamond Dog will not provide Noble any support unless they happen to be right there at the entrance with you. If that flare goes off, you will retreat to Homeland for extraction. Even if that means that we will take heavy losses. Arachnis has to be eliminated. If not for the Griffins, then because he is powerful enough to threaten other nations once he’s done here. Diamond Dog will be led by Captain Refined Melody. She will be sticking with Eclipse, and will stay with Drake until the flare signals the official retreat.”
One of the members of Drake, a slender dragon the size of an average dragon teenager, spoke out. “Sir, permission to speak freely.”
Blaze raised an eyebrow. “I’m only going to allow this because of the details surrounding our mission, Kismet. Permission granted.”
“Sir, if the flare hasn’t gone off and all of the demolitions teams have completed their objective, what should we do?”
“I was actually about to get to that, but good question. Now, before we start the op, I’m going to set a few things straight. Candlelight the Dragon from Catharsis Company has volunteered pre-deployment to be on Dragonfire duty. Sergeant Eve, she will be accompanying you at all times in case a message is sent by Command or the Princesses. She will also assist you if a message needs to be sent, whether it is to request detonation of the runes, which I recommend waiting to do until you get to Clawzakhstan as per our extraction plan, or need to order a request for additional support. If it comes to the latter, evacuate immediately. The mission will be considered a failure unless those runes are detonated and Arachnis is dead. If anybody else needs to come here for any reason other than for post-op cleanup, then the mission is also considered a failure. We are trying to keep both the Agency’s ability and this whole situation regarding King Arachnis’ Hive under wraps. The last thing we need is for the citizens of Equestria to panic and demand the extermination of all Changelings. We know for a fact that there is a portion of the species that is neutral or friendly. We don’t need to start genocide either. As usual, all this is Agency ears only, plus our Griffin ally. I have faith in you to keep a bit of secrecy, Corporal. Now, do we need any more clarification about the operation?”
After a moment of silence, Blaze finished up. “Alright, as per tradition, gear up, and we’ll recite our Creed. Dismissed!”
While most of the agents simply had to retrieve and load their weapons, a few had to deal with complications. The Major himself had to squeeze into a fireproof jumpsuit, which was mostly black with green flames at the tips of his hooves, then slid on a skintight gas mask that went with the uniform. His green lens from the mask’s goggles glistened in Celestia’s sun as he attached a drum containing a nature rune enchanted to provide clean air.
After filling a few cylindrical canisters with Dragon Crystals and ensuring that their lids were secure and attached to a belt on his suit, Blaze picked up his prized possession: an experimental mechanized torch called a flamethrower. Securing a tube from a hole in the back of it to a hole in one of the canisters, miniature gears spun, allowing the Dragon Crystals to flow through a pipe and into the igniter, which through magical manipulation would create a flow of flames. Depending on the setting on the weapon and the amount of magic exerted, the temperature could be properly controlled. Learning how to control the flamethrower is exactly how Blaze ended up as the only survivor during the first and only exercise of the experimental Pyro team. As the flames matched the color of the user’s aura, several members of the team would confuse color with temperature, and those unlucky enough to have red auras were the first to die, thinking that they weren’t giving enough heat. They would eventually push too hard on its limits, resulting in the weapon’s canister combusting, incinerating the so called fireproof suits despite their resilience in testing and the materials that they were made of, including a silk made from a deadly sect of spiders that was intertwined with spun Phoenix Flax. Eventually, after several accidents, mostly due to ignorance, Blaze was the only member of the experiment left. As a reward for having actually studied, reading upon what the inventors and scientists had written, and gaining his Cutie Mark on the spot, he was inducted into the Midnight Agency for Special Operations with the automatic rank of Petty Officer as a Combatant and Experimenter in Research. He had decided to name it Redemption after earning such an honor after a…not so nice adolescence.
Locked, loaded, and suited up, Major Solitude Blaze headed back to his position, the Battalions no more, and the designations now effective. Holding up his hoof, a metal cuff keeping a connection that held the flamethrower in place, Blaze led the tradition of reciting MASO’s Creed before a mission.
By the rays of the Morn
To the dark of the Night
We are hereby sworn
To serve Equestria with our might.
From our divisions of Combatants
To our Networks of Espionage
We serve the Diarchy to bring total dominance.
By Celestia’s Sun and by Luna’s Moon
Together they shall serve as our Boon
To guide us to victory, and spread our whispers
Midnight has struck, our shadow never withers.
We bring glory to our name
We bring pain to our prey
This isn’t just a game
Our duty is to both Night and Day.
Blaze marched through the cave alongside with the rest of Noble assigned under his leadership. The guards had begun their change in shifts, leaving the entrance to the Hive free to infiltrate, and the agents silently following the unwary drones. While Diamond Dog had followed alongside Noble to a point, the demolition teams would split off one by one as they passed one of the three support tunnels.
As they continued along, the guards finally reached a large crystalline door, opening to reveal a massive chamber. Blaze and Aether quickly entered when the entrance was clear, slowing to a stop as they took in their surroundings.
The chamber was filled with stolen Griffin belongings, ranging from simple jewelry to beautiful paintings. Even one of the thirteen weapons belonging to the fabled Council of High Talon from the golden era of Griffon Empire had been displayed on a pedestal: The Rapier of Britva. Any Griffon agents were thankfully not placed in Noble, otherwise the mission could have been endangered by their enragement. For not being a member of the species, Blaze already felt angered that someone would ever steal an artifact of legend.
Centered in the chamber hung a huge crystal stalactite, held to the roof by a thin pole of the same material. Something had stuck out with all of the crystalline structures the group had encountered. Most of them were glowing, and ranged in color by shades of red. This one not only broke the established color range taking a dark purple color, but also appeared to be a different specimen of crystallite. In addition, the chamber was seemingly totally enclosed other than the entrance the agents came through and an upwards chasm surrounding the pole of crystal.
Well, there’s Angel’s way in. Blizzard had better be doing his job.
In the farthest reach of the room lay an enormous throne made of the same crystalline structure as the stalactite. On it sat, albeit lazily, a tall, thin Changeling surrounded by at least a dozen well-built smaller drones. The tall one had black chitin with his plating and crown matching the color of the crystal overhead, while the smaller ones boasted red plating. It could only be King Arachnis and his Terrorbug Elites.
“Well well well, what have we here? The Agents of Midnight, ooooh I’m really scared! So you’re the ones my drones are talking about! Hahaha…”
Great, not only is the Terror of the Union living up to his name, he’s insane as well.
“You’re jokin’, you’re jokin’! I can’t believe my eyes! You’re jokin’ me, you gotta be! These can’t be the right guys! They’re numbers? Pathetic! The situation can’t be much worse! I might just crack my chitin now, if I don’t die laughin’ first!”
With a few movements of his hoof, the teams of Noble outside the throne room took their positions, and Blaze’s guard had gone into turtle formation. This guy is really pissing me off. There must have been a spy if he knows our name…either that, or we’re more recognizable than Command thought.
“Old ‘ling Arachnis says there’s terror closing fast; you’d better pay attention now, cause I’m the Boogie Bug. And if you aren’t shakin’, there’s something very wrong…cause this may be the last time you hear the Boogie song. Whoa~oh!”
“Woah~oh!”
“Whoa~oh!”
-Woah~oh!-
“Whoa~oh!”
~Whoa~oh!~
“I’m the Oogie, Boogie Bug!”
“Arachnis, on behalf of both the Royal Diarchy of Equestria and the Griffon’s Committee of the Union, I ask that you please cease your terrorism on the fledgling nation. If you agree to move your Hive to Equestria and return everything you have taken from the Griffons, we promise to provide a new home as well as start a project for artificially creating a form of Fear for your Changelings to live off of. You’re doing terrible things that your species haven’t dared to perform for centuries! Please, consider the offer.”
The Tyrant King put his hoof up to his chin in mock consideration. “Hmmm….nope. You don’t seem to understand, Major Solitude Blaze. I’m in control now. I run things here. And best of all, your offer means nothing, as we can already produce our own stocks of emotion if we possess an abundance within ourselves. Do you really think I’d make such a gambit if I didn’t have all my bases covered? Hahahaha!!!”
This mudak is worse than we feared. Diamond Dog better be working fast!
“Well, if I’m feeling antsy, and I’ve nothing much to do, I might just cook a batch of Fear and Paranoia stew. And don’t you know the one thing that would make it oh so nice, a bunch of emotionless pony husks to add a little spice!”
“Woah~oh!”
“Woah~oh!”
-Woah~oh!-
“Oh~oh~woah~oh!”
~Woah~oh!~
“Yeah, I’m the Oogie, Boogie Bug!”
“Leave the Griffon lands or face the consequences. You’re actually killing innocents, so please come to your senses!”
“Ha! You’re jokin’, you’re jokin’! I can’t believe my ears! Would someling shut this Pony up! I’m drowning in my tears! It’s funny; I’m laughing! You really are too much…and now with my permission, I’m about to do my stuff…”
“What’cha gonna do, boss?”
“Well, my dear Chrysallid, I’m going to do the best I can! HAHAHAHAHA!”
Definitely insane, thankfully it seems that Angel found their way in while the idiot was busy singing. I sure hope that Diamond Dog has finished right about now. “Alright agents, for the Diarchy! Operation Rendezvous is a go!”
As the Terrorbug Elites prepared to defend the King, hundreds of Changeling drones swarmed into the chamber through hidden tunnels Blaze couldn’t identify before.
Oh great. Wonderful. Bucking wonderful. And I was only the rest of my life away from retirement. “Stay in formation! Angel, provide cover fire, then retreat the way you came in! They’re focusing on us! Creator damn it, Blood Bull, this is not the time to collect trophies!”
As Blaze and his guards escaped through the chamber entrance, Blizzard and Angel continued their onslaught consisting of crossbow fire. “Alright, Pegasi, I think it’s time we blew this joint, literally!”
Flying upwards into the chasm, an odd Changeling or two would pop out of nowhere and tackle one of the fliers. It seemed like an eternity before the remaining agents took the corner turn into the summit tunnel. Checking behind himself to see how many of his comrades were left, Blizzard didn’t have the opportunity to watch as one of Arachnis’ Terrorbugs rose up, t-boning him right in his ribs.
“Where do you think you’re going, little Pony? Hmmm…should I kill you now, and avenge my brothers and sisters who died from your foolish attempt to help your friends? Or should I put you in a cocoon, so His Fearfulness may personally drain your emotions? I’d love to see you squirm, knowing you could do nothing to stop your slow, painful death. Oh, you won’t die physically, the side effect of constant draining without a break ends with the victim either going insane, or turning into a husk, living without the presence of their spiritual being. Which would you prefer, little Pony?”
Grasping his sides, trying not to think if any of his ribs have actually been snapped off, Blizzard struggled to give the Changeling a smirk.
“Heh…you’re so busy…cough…trying to intimidate me…maybe you should…watch your flank?”
The confused Changeling could only turn his head, eyes widening at what would be his death. “Oh…chitin.”
And with that, the Terrorbug was shot in his eye with a clockwork crossbow. “Kak dela, tovarisch. Need a claw?”
Blizzard stared up at the Griffon, proudly wearing his rank as a Union Commissar. “I can’t believe it…what’s the Red Army doing here?”
A second Griffon strode up to him, offering his talons, which was heartily accepted. “Premier Talon had decided to send a detachment after Comrade Rezkoye had failed to check in with the Clawzakhstan Garrison. While our unit was more than ready to assist the White Death himself, several of the soldiers, including myself, also wanted a helping of payback.” He gestured to the first Griffon, who was busy shooting the Terrorbug a second time in its other eye, just to be safe. “This is Commissar Molotov, the leader of our detachment, The 42nd Infantry of the Red Army. I am his second in command, Captain Ivanovich. You need not introduce yourself, Lieutenant Blizzard Blitz. Our sniper friend was more than happy to give us a summary of your operation, and with good timing too. If the Commissar hadn’t decided to send the bulkier soldiers in to help your Major and personally lead a squad to check on you, well…let’s just say we might have had to drag you out in a pod.”
Blizzard forced a laugh. “Well…thank the Creator you’re here then…I think the bastard broke a rib or two. Have many of the agents under my command…made it out?”
Ivanovich only replied with a sad smile. “Let’s get you to Homeland first, Lieutenant. I think the agents down there were about to begin evacuation. The demolition teams have already returned.”
If the demolition teams have made it…and Eve is preparing our retreat…oh no, Blaze.
Meanwhile…
Refined Melody was pissed. Not only did her entourage encounter a total of thirty guards on their journey through the tunnel, but one of the brutes managed to drive his horn into one of the demolitionists. And now I have to lug the poor bastard on me back as well as carry both of our satchels. Now I get double the work just because some little colt doesn’t understand what ‘safety in numbers’ and ‘don’t be a hero’ means. And ta make it all worse, he won’t. Shut. Up.
“Hey…hey Captain…if I don’t make it…please tell my mother I loved her dearly…and that I was the one who accidentally burned the Hearth’s Warming flag…not my sister…though I have no regrets.”
Ugh. I bet Blizzard never has te deal with this. And Blaze is too nice. He’d probably make a checklist or something for the bastard, and treating him like a puppy he accidentally bucked. Though how does somepony accidentally buck a puppy?
“Hey…Short Fuse...I always wanted to ask you out…to be my special somepony. Heh. Promise me you’re gonna get laid sometime, life’s too short…I know the hard-ow!”
Melody couldn’t take it anymore, she couldn’t help it. “That’s quite enough, Fodder. If yer so keen on dyin’, maybe I should just leave ye at the end so ya can be sure that the Hive actually blows up.”
The colt looked as if he were about to cry, leaving an awkward silence to surround the group. Then, just as it began, it was broken by distant shouting.
“Hey, do ye all hear that? Otto, see if ya can figure out what’s goin’ on.”
What would you have it, Diamond Dog actually had a few Diamond Dogs assigned to make sure that none of the crystal supports were missed. Otto, the oldest of them all, lifted his ear.
“It sound like…fighting…and…singing? Why I hear singing? I thought this was Fear Hive, not Joy Hive, or Love Hive. I not even know Bugs could sing!”
Melody decided the pace needed to quicken. “Alright, we’re pretty much at the end here. Cover me while I plant the last of the runes. If anybody’s got any left, plant yers too. If ye still have some and the supports have already been rigged, save ‘em for the entrance. Move!”
In no time, the demolitionists had finished their task, and rushed back to the entrance. The other teams arrived at the same time. Barking orders for Dagger’s Companies to head to Homeland, the Captain watched the tunnel’s path with worry in her eyes. Hurry, Blaze. Please. I don’t want te hear or see that flare go off without ya…
As if Discord had escaped his stone prison again, the flare shone brightly in the sky, a loud pop bringing attention to those not paying attention. Taking a glance at the tunnel, Melody made a hasty decision.
“Claymore, Draco. Head back to Homeland. I’m going to see what the Tartarus happened to Noble. Try to delay the Sergeant if ye can. I refuse te believe that the Major would go down to these Bugs.”
Kismet gave protest. “Captain, I know how much the Major means to you, but he gave us orders. Blaze would be quite upset knowing you disobeyed him. Besides, we need to get out, and fast. What if the King hasn’t been killed yet? He can still escape, unless the Hive blows up around him. We need to head to Clawzakhstan immediately!”
Melody answered with a glare. “He may just be a Major te ye, but te me, he’s more than that. Far more than that. Go ahead and run like cowards if ye so be choosin’. I would never leave such a great agent behind. Nevermind such a great friend.”
With that said, Melody took off into the cave once more. The adrenaline pumping throughout her body had seemingly blocked out the cries of her comrades. The agent would also neglect to hear the sounds of Griffon conscripts calling after her.
Back near the King’s Chamber…
“Sir, we’re absolutely surrounded! Even with the lot that chased after the Lieutenant, the bugs just keep coming out of nowhere!”
The situation had turned dire. Noble had retreated, only to be overwhelmed by a constant swarm of drones. The holes that the Changelings would come out of had been well hidden to the naked eye, and thus were unnoticed by even the most observant of the group’s ranks. Blaze knew that ammunition and strength, both physical and magical, were wearing thin; Noble would be overrun soon. They had lasted a good while, especially thanks to Angel’s distraction, but the sheer numbers of the Hive were destined to be any attackers’ downfall. The Major never succumbed to the hopelessness of the situation, though. He knew Melody and the rest of Diamond Dog would have finished their job by now. They weren’t selected to carry out demolitions duty for nothing, after all; Blaze had come to know the Captain as one of the most level-headed agents he knew, as long as her buttons weren’t pushed. With that knowledge in mind, he felt it was time to signal Sergeant Eve to fire her flare, and sent his message with but a blink of his horn.
Arson had done an admirable job of acting as support, but the casualties began piling up as time passed. While Aether had the lowest amount, sticking together to keep their charge alive, Blackwater was currently down to a quarter of their number able to hold out, and Bastard had been wiped out. Blaze knew that the others had to leave while the Changelings were occupied.
At least I may die honorably serving my homeland. I only hope that the Griffons see what we have done and accept Princess Celestia’s generosity. The Major’s thoughts were suddenly broken by a loud crack, sending a drone soaring through the air and slamming into the wall closest to him. Taking a quick peek through his peripheral vision, he noticed the bug had broken his neck. Blaze knew of only one agent in the operation who was powerful enough to do that much physical damage.
“Melody! What the Tartarus are you doing here?! Get out while you can!” He turned to face the mare in question, fighting the drones farthest away from his position.
The Captain, after punching one of her opponents in the gut, pushed away long enough to retort. “Blaze, ya bastard, I’m not leavin’ ye behind! After all ye’ve done fer me, ya think I’d simply let ya kill yerself?” She paused in time to dodge a charging elite, letting it shear its horn into its ally’s eye. “If the others leave, so be it! Yer too important to the Agency!” She stared right into his goggles. “Yer too important to me.”
Blaze realized that he wouldn’t be able to convince her to leave. “Dammit, devushka, of all the mares who had to fall in love with me…I need you to live! I’ve mentored you enough to follow in my hoofsteps.” He charged out of the formation, much to Aether’s sudden surprise, firing his flamethrower at any drones foolish enough to get too close. “Melody, you know what’s going to happen soon. Regroup with the others. That’s an order.”
As she was about to continue her argument, Melody’s attention was driven back to the fight around her, as several drones suddenly fell to the ground with bolts imbedded into their skulls. “Comrade Melody, you need to head outside. This is an urgent request from our Commissar.” Several Griffons dressed in winter cloaks had charged to her side, holding an arrangement of clockwork crossbows. “Please, Captain. We’ll try to help get your fellow agents out. Your comrade Blizzard would agree with your Major’s words. You must leave now.”
With tears in her eyes, and one last look at her beloved mentor, Melody resigned to the Chain of Command. But before she could gallop away, the mare stared in horror as the Changeling Tyrant himself burst into the fray alongside two of his personal guard.
With a small wave of energy from his horn, Arachnis caused a magical shockwave that sent all of the agents surrounding him flying into the wall. “Your attack has been fun, Major, but I think it’s about time I wrap this up.”
Run, Melody. Run.
Knowing that the situation was helpless, Melody and the Griffons swiftly made an exit. The Tyrant of Terror ignored them, focusing on his quarry. As he walked up to Blaze, he once again began to sing.
“Ohhhhhh, the sound of rolling dice to me is music in the air, cause I’m a gambling Boogie Bug, although I don’t play fair! It’s much more fun, I must confess, with liiiives on the line. Not mine of course, but yours, little pony. Now that would be just fine!”
“Give up now, and maybe you might live for these heinous acts!”
“Oh brother, you’re something; you put me in a spin! You aren’t comprehending the position that you’re in. It’s hopeless; you’re finished! You haven’t got a prayer! Cause I’m the Tyrant King Arachnis; and you ain’t going nowhere.”
Suddenly, the cave began to rumble.
“Maybe not, but I know where you’re going, mudak. STRAIGHT TO TARTARUS!”
The agents who were still alive could only smirk in satisfaction with a job well done. They were certain that the mission was a success. Arachnis gave Blaze a glare, and before the Unicorn could blink, the Changeling King zipped over, grabbed him, and flew to his chamber.
Blaze, absolutely stunned, stared at the King as he wrapped his wings around him. They seemed a bit more bat-like than bug-like, he noticed, before the rumbling came to a crescendo. The last thing the Major would remember before he blacked out was the evil grin Arachnis gave him.
In the Griffon settlement of Clawzakhstan, several agents wept. The message had been sent for the runes to be ignited, and the mountain that was home to Arachnis’ Hive had collapsed into itself. Thick smoke surrounded the skies, most likely to be seen all the way from Canterlot. The mission was definitely a success, but at a huge cost. The estimated casualties hadn’t been seen since the Nightmare Moon Resurgence, and it brought a dark cloud of despair to those who knew the agents who gave their lives.
The loss of the Major had hit especially hard, and would no doubt trouble everyone back at home once they learned of the mission’s results. But none would feel the pain more than Blaze’s circle of friends, three of which participated in the mission and currently sat at the pub designated their temporary headquarters. All around the interior lay empty tankards.
The Zebra, too young to drink by his people’s standards, was the only one sober enough to deal with the full burden of loss. Blizzard had the most luck, depending on your perspective, being a lightweight. The Pegasus was absolutely plastered, and had passed out not too long ago. And the last member of the trio just couldn’t seem to get drunk enough.
“I loved ‘im, Plague. I should have told ‘im before the mission, but I wimped out. And now he’s dead!”
Her conversation partner could only answer with silence. The Zebra knew better than to try and downplay the situation. After all, he was the only one Melody shared her crush on her mentor with. While Plague had never dealt with romance personally, the culture of his people provided him with an abundance of knowledge on the subject. One of the beliefs of Zebrican folklore was that love not shared would eventually rot into a negative feeling, usually self-loathing in the cases of reluctance to admit one’s feelings to their lovers, or depression after long periods of isolation and solitude. Only one of the Zebrican Seers following the path of the Heart would be able to help her effectively.
“Come on, ya bastard. Say something. A mare needs somethin’ te cheer her up in a time like this.”
“Melody…I’m definitely not equipped to help you with this kind of thing. If there’s anything you would like me to do for you, I’d be glad to oblige. But this kind of grief that has manifested inside you is something I have not been trained to heal. My lack of experience in loss would also lead to making you feel worse.” He paused as his friend gave him a desperate look, puppy dog eyes and all. “Look, I think you’ve had enough to drink for now. Let’s get you into a bed upstairs. I have a feeling that after a good rest, you’ll be in better shape to handle this.”
As the Zebra stood up and took his distraught comrade’s hoof, he could only sigh internally. Plague Bringer may have had the uncanny ability to heal most anything with a heart song or hymn, but Melody’s depression could only be cured through time, and lots of support.
He loathed tomorrow, where they would have to explain to not only Command, but everyone in MASO that one of their modern heroes had died sacrificing themselves. And worst of all, they may never find his body to give a proper farewell.
As they headed upstairs, the other agents around the city that were awake gathered outside the pub. They began singing for their fallen.
Somewhere there’s a soldier
He’s fighting for our land
He’s a Midnight Agent
Willing to make a last stand.
Don’t you cry
He doesn’t need your sympathy
He’s a Midnight Agent
And that’s the best that you can be.
Somewhere there’s a mother
She’s crying for her son
He’s a Midnight Agent
With a war to be won.
Don’t you cry
He doesn’t need your sympathy
He’s a Midnight Agent
And that’s the best that you can be.
Somewhere there’s a father
He’s as proud as can be
His daughter’s a Midnight Agent
Distinguished from sea to sea.
Don’t you cry
She doesn’t need your sympathy
She’s a Midnight Agent
And that’s the best that you can be.
Somewhere there’s a brother
He’s waiting for his sis
She’s a Midnight Agent
Who’s about to be dismissed.
Don’t you cry
She doesn’t need your sympathy
She’s a Midnight Agent
And that’s the best that you can be.
Somewhere there’s a child
She’s crying for her dad
He was a Midnight Agent
Returned home in a flag.
Don’t you cry
He wouldn’t need your sympathy
He was a Midnight Agent
And that’s the best that he could be.
"You’ve ruined everything that I’ve accomplished here, Major Solitude Blaze. So, I’ve decided that death is too merciful a punishment for a pest like you." The fear in Blaze’s eyes fortunately couldn’t be seen by Arachnis. "Instead, I believe you have earned the great honor of joining my hive as a member of my Terrorbugs, just so that you’ll be doing exactly what you wished to prevent.”
The Tyrant of Terror aimed his horn straight between Blaze’s eyes. Immediately, a red circle of fire surrounded the Unicorn. Closing his eyes, he could only pray to the Creator for mercy. In the end, it was absolutely futile. The stories surrounding Changeling conversion were just that, stories. It was far worse. For an agonizing three hours, pain rushed through Blaze’s entire body as his DNA was brutally twisted and manipulated. Turning into a Changeling would have been bad enough. The real reason that Blaze felt such cruel pain that he wouldn’t wish upon his worst of enemies, except for Arachnis since he was causing it, was because the magical corrosion responsible for the transformation was unable to burn through his protective gear. In compensation, the magic decided that his gear was his outer shell. As a result, his DNA wasn’t simply being converted. No, it was also being intertwined with a foreign substance not meant to ever be part of the transformation. While he ended up with the usual Changeling mutations, they were warped in a sad and horrifying manner. His “new skin” wrapped into his new holes; his gas mask no longer protected his head, for it had become his head; his horn morphed into a Changeling’s, shredding through his flesh; his mane, which had been tucked into his mask and suit, ripped through his back as it hardened into a spine; his tail had seemingly rot the material around it, as well as itself, but at least it was still the same size; the teeth in his mouth painfully morphed into fangs, which would have been reasonable were it not for the fact that the drum’s connector had been fused into it, resulting in something…terrifying; the drum itself could be removed, but would be important, as it would hold any emotions the Changeling would collect. And with one final burst of magical flame, Blaze’s spine tingled, and grew, giving him an extra hoof in height. His new eyes, an enigma by its own right, were slowly revealed the surrounding environment. Blinking his goggle lens, the new Changeling felt the need to scream, but couldn’t due to his exhaustion.
“That was definitely…new. Welcome to My Hive, Solitude Blaze. You shall keep your name, though it might be best to come up with a second identity. If you go out and infiltrate, after all, you’re considered killed in action. Look on the bright side - you won’t be forced to attack the Griffons. None of us shall, because we need to relocate. And where else should we go, than your little Pony kingdom. Yes…Equestria. We’ll reap the innocence, starting with the smallest villages, and not resting until we one day invade Canterlot. You should have known better than to mess with King Arachnis, Solitude. Oh yes…first, rebuild; then, revenge. Get ready to leave, my new assistant. I’ll have some of the remaining drones give you a quick flight lesson…then, your penance begins.”
No more was the esteemed Combatant Major Solitude Blaze. All that remained was his shell, still filled with his personality and memories, but corrupted into what most would consider a monster.
“You wanted Tartarus, Solitude? You get the next worse thing: Me. HAHAHAHA!”
