Chapters “I hate it when that happens,” The humanoid being covered from head to toe with armoured cloth and plating said as if floated back to the ground, still covered in an etheric golden light with golden wings of fire sprouted from their back. “Always stings.”
The humanoid being, apparently confused by a lack of reply, started to glance around its surroundings only to notice that it was surrounded on all sides with spears being pointed at it by tiny little ponies in golden armour.
“Serum ak ti geng ju?” A regal and mother voice calls out to the still glowing figure.
Looking away from the wooden spears being pointed at it with but a flick of the head towards the voice, it appeared to judge the being that sat upon a throne at the far end of the room with a curious expression. She was Celestia, ruler of ponykind and sovereign of the sun and she was extremely confused by the current course of events.
“Interesting… I wonder. Ghost, are they speaking a language that you can translate?” She asked to seemingly no-one, only for a small, white cased robotic being to appear with a flash of light and bob slightly as a sign of a nod. It made some beeping and clicking sounds before a wave washed over the angelic beings face. “Can you understand me?”
Celestia was originally confused by the being as it spoke in a language not know to her, a rare feat. But it seemingly cast some sort of translation spell on itself with the aid of its companion. “Yes, and I will repeat. What are you doing here?”
Seemingly satisfied that the translation had worked the being bowed before the large horse-like being and replied. “I am sorry to disturb you but a problem has arisen with my resurrection and I do not know why I am here.”
“Resurrection?” Celestia asked, confused, before seeing the flames surrounding the being dim and fade away revealing its true form. “What do you mean by that?”
“When I die I have the power to resurrect myself from death by using the power of the light.” The being explained, noticing the understandably shocked looks of the creatures surrounding it. “I was supposed to be resurrected back with my fireteam and resume combating with our enemies, but it appears that something has drawn me away from my previous location to be here.” Bowing again the creature continued, “I will attempt to leave at the earliest convenience as I can have my ghost summon my jump ship to pick me up and return me from where I came.”
“For what reason would you have been drawn to my throne room?” Celestia asked the being, still confused by what was happening.
The being seemed to start talking before it stopped and moved it’s head to look at one of the ponies in the room. An average guard covered in golden armour and carrying his own spear, pointed at the humanoid. I shifted its gaze between several more guards before reaching for its hip and producing a weapon, known as ‘The Last Word’. Quickly raising the hand cannon, it casually shot one bullet into the heads of each of the guards it had previously glanced at killing them all within 2 seconds.
The targeted guards all tried to move away from the creature as they started to realise what was happening, but they were too slow compared to its lightning fast reflexes and each one was killed. The remaining guards all jumped in shock of the noise and violence taking place, too shocked to make action the try and stop the creature. Celestia, to, looked on in shock as the so far reasonable creature started to harm her guards and was about to take action when she noticed something.
All of the guards bodies that were shot transformed into changelings upon their death.
The creature cooly and calmly reloaded their weapon as they looked back towards Celestia. “I suspect it has something to do with these imposters.”
“How did you know?” Celestia asked, clearly confused as to how changelings managed to replace so many of her guards without notice, and how this creature figured it out instantly.
“Call it a sixth scene.” The creature responded before replacing its weapon on its hip.
“Wha…” Celestia was cut off as suddenly a large changeling appeared behind the creature. It reached up to about the creature's neck and its horn was long and twisted.
The changeling quickly stabbed the being in the spine with its horn before channeling magic and violently exploding it. “You ruined all my plans!” It shouted out before turning to look at the guards surrounding it. It snarled and bared its fangs, charging more magic into its horn ready to fight its way out.
Before it even got a chance to make it’s escape the sound of a roaring fire and the feeling of divine light assaulted it from behind and it turned to the being, once more in its angelic form floating off from the ground before falling and muttering, “I always hated invisible enemies.”
Rushing forward, it grabbed the changeling by the neck and lifted it off the ground to stare into its face as it suffered from the roaring fire of its form. The changeling stared at the being of holy death's face and asked aloud, “W-what are you?”
It regarded the changeling before replying, “I am a sunsinger, and I am your judge, jury and executioner.”
It thrust its unused hand into the changelings body causing it to violently explode into ash which floated in the air slowly burning to nothing.
“I am sorry for the mess that I have caused. I will be leaving now. Thank you for your hospitality.” It said before walking out through the open throne room doors and turning down a corridor.
Celestia, still staring at where the retreating form went, had her mind racing with thoughts of the last ten minutes and the actions that had taken place. Quickly making a decision, she stood from her throne and started to follow where the creature went.
“Guards, please call the staff to clean up any mess left and inform the general of what has happened, I will wish to speak with him about this later.”
Following the path that the humanoid being took, Celestia found herself outside of the castle and inside the castle gardens. One quick flap of the wings and she had found where to go and flew down to great the being again.
“Hello. I would like to thank you for helping to stop those imposters.” She said as the being glanced at her and away from its small companion.
“It was no issue.” It said in return. Its companion had a different opinion.
“Except for the dieing part. That was an issue.” It said as it bobbed slightly through the air.
“Well, yes.” The being agreed. “That part always does hurt. But it was a small price to pay for the safety of a new relationship with a new species.”
“Yes, but next time please alert me if you are going to start killing my subjects.” Celestia said with a slight glare towards the now very humbled being. “I would have had to take much harsher actions towards you if any of the nobility had stayed after you appeared. But, in light of the cause I think I can let you get away with it just this once for stopping the plans of the changelings.”
“Changelings.” The being looked towards its companion. “Is there any way that we could try and track these ‘changelings’?”
“The reason that your radar picked them up was because of the strange dark energy readings that they hold. I could track those readings if you wished.”
“Excuse me,” Celestia said interrupting their conversation. “But why are you trying to track the changelings?”
“This planet is saturated in the power of the light.” The beings companion said. “We were hoping that if we were to help your people then we would be allowed to study this phenomenon.”
“These creatures, the changelings, are they a threat to your people?” The being asked Celestia.
“Well,” Celestia hesitated. “There was an invasion on this city some months ago by the changelings and their queen. But we were hoping that after their defeat they would leave our species alone.”
“Obviously not.” The being turned to look out at the gardens, it was filled with plants of varying degree. “This place reminds me a lot of before the war. I would hate if light based creatures such as yourself were put in any danger.”
“I cannot rightly ask the strange being that appeared out of thin air in my throne room to sort out a problem such as this. I do not even know much about you or your goals yet.” Celestia said, walking slightly towards the being in a slight movement of intimidation.
The being made no movement as it continued to gaze at the lovely view of the garden. “Ghost, remove my helmet.” The being said towards its floating companion.
In a flash of light the helmet on the creature's head was removed to show its fair white skin and long red hair that reached down to its shoulders. The feminine look was slightly ruined by the obvious scarring that covered its face in some places, the most obvious of which was a long cut across its left eye that reached from its forehead to its chin.
“My name is Claire. I was born on the planet Earth in the year 2111 and I died in the year 2136. I was later resurrected for the first time by my ghost in the year 2710. Since then I have been put through training and dubbed ‘Guardian, defender of the light’ and been sent out on mission after mission in an effort that save our race from destruction. Recently, while out on a mission with my fireteam ‘Phoenix’ a failed resurrection put me on an unknown planet with an unknown sentient race of creatures living on it that show signs of light infusion.” The female guardian put her hand forward meaning to shake it. “And you are?”
Despite the suddenness of the information given to her, Celestia managed to raise her hoof and shake the hand of the guardian. “Princess Celestia of Equestria, co-ruler of ponykind and controller of the sun's rotation around this planet, dubbed Equis. Welcome.”
“The pleasure is all mine princess.” Claire said, bowing towards Celestia.
“Well wasn’t that just lovely.” The floating companion said before receiving a glare from the guardian. “I am her ghost. A being made by the traveller to raise guardians to defend it and its light from the harm of the darkness. I live in her backpack and hold all of her items.”
“And you do a very fine job of it.” Claire said, lightly shoving the ghost.
“I am very interested to hear more about you and your people Claire,” Celestia said addressing the woman again. “But there are some more pressing issues as of current, most notably being the changelings and how you could detect them.”
“It was actually me that detected them.” The ghost said smugly. “They give off a rather distinct energy signature which I was able to compare to that of the darkness.”
“Which makes them as much of a threat to you as it does to me your highness.” Claire said. “I would like to search them out and see what I can find about their kind. My jump ship won’t be able to reach me for at least a week, and in the meantime I would rather be doing something active to make up for my disturbance.”
“If you want to help with combating the changelings then you will have to talk with my sister Princess Luna as she is in charge with the issues caused by monsters throughout our realm.” Celestia said motioning towards the castle. “She will be asleep until night fall as it is her duty to raise the moon and watch over the night. While you wait I could get you a room to rest in after the ordeal caused in the throne room.”
“Thank you for your hospitality your highness.” Claire said, bowing once more. “I will take you up on that offer and wish to speak with Princess Luna at her earliest convenience.”
“Very well. I may wish to speak with you later this even as well so I will organise a meeting between the three of us.” Celestia turned and beckoned for a guard who had followed her from the throne room. “Please take miss Claire to a spare room in the castle and ensure that she is undisturbed.”
With a salute the guard nodded toward the guardian and started leading her to the castle once again as her ghost disappeared in a flash of light.
Once Celestia was alone, she looked out towards the sky with a wistful stare. “This is sure to be an interesting week.”
Claire was having an interesting day. While patrolling on Venus with her normal fireteam, they were caught off guard by a high value target vex minotaur. Once their titan had run in head first (once again) and gotten pummeled into the ground by the 8 foot metal robot and their hunter was being bombarded with its scorch cannon, it was up to her to move in and try and destroy the monstrosity.
Running in with The Last Word which she had ‘borrowed’ from their hunter, she quickly tried to shoot down its shielding so that she could begin to try and disable the machine enough that she could get the chance to revive their titan. Knowing that she would be able to resurrect herself even if she died to the massive being was a somewhat calming thought that kept her from thinking that she was just going to be committing suicide with this plan.
Unluckily for her, the minotaurs shielding withheld her bullets and only managed to get it to turn its attention to herself. Quickly pulling out her fusion rifle from her back she began to charge it up only for the minotaur to smack her with its weapon and send her flying into a vex conflux. She was then subjected to the multiple bombarding shots of its weapon tearing through her already weakened shielding and then breaking through her reinforced cloth armour filling her with shrapnel and a heated painful death.
But that was when things got very weird for her. Upon allowing her ghost to use their stored up light she was not resurrected from whence she died, but instead inside of a weird and colourful castle throne room, decorated with tapestries and coloured windows. The whole place left a peaceful and warming feeling inside her body, almost like how she felt while in her meditative state accessing her light within.
The following ten minutes was a rollercoaster ride of emotion. From finding out that she was was on an uncharted planet from her ghost to the confrontation with the horse like creatures infused with light, to the short fight she went through that apparently stopped an attempted scheme from the strange creatures known as changelings and their dark powers. She was finding herself in an entirely new situation that was somehow related to to the war that she was fighting back in her home galaxy.
After being offered a place to rest by the apparent Princess of the ponies, she took the time to meditate and reach out to the light as her ghost went about absorbing as much information as it could for her to research from the archives which she had questioned her escort guard about.
While meditating she found out that this world was completely saturated with the power of the light. She could reach her senses far out and feel the lights power coursing through the very earth of the planet, filling everything that inhabited this strange world. The only other place that she could access this much light and its power was back inside the last city, under the watchful gaze of the traveler.
To think that an entire world was filled with this power brought the scholar to think about the implications of such a discovery.
But the most pressing matter on her mind was why she was sent here in the first place.
She was brought out of her musings hours later when she heard a polite knock on the door to the lavished room she was currently being allowed to stay in. Releasing herself from her meditation and removing herself from thoughts she answered. “Come in.”
The door was opened and inside stepped a maid from the castle staff. She looked incredibly nervous and was nearly shaking as she walked into the room and addressed the guardian. “P-princess Celestia a-and Princess L-luna are requesting your presence at a m-meeting.”
Claire could understand the maids nervousness. Walking into a room with an unknown creature that rumor had probably spread to be violent and dangerous was not the most calming of actions. Sending a mental request to her ghost to once again remove her helmet ‘Light Beyond Nemesis’ she began to try and sooth the maid. “You don’t need to be fightful of me. I mean no ill will towards any of you.”
“I am s-sorry. It’s… did you really kill all of those c-changelings?” The mare asked, still shaking. “I heard from my friend t-that some of them w-were missing their entire h-heads and the guards said you killed a princess c-changeling with a single blow after you had d-died.”
“Well… yes,” Claire said. The mare started to shake a bit more violently and took a step back. “But I only did so because they were an abomination and beings of darkness. All of you ponies carry the same power that I hold within myself and I would never dream of harming anyone holding the power of the light. My actions may have been… ruthless and brutal, but I only did so because if I had done it differently, then ponies might have been harmed. Also, between you and me, the ‘princess changeling’ did kill me rather painfully. She deserved what she got.”
While she was talking, Claire had tapped into the light and sent calming waves towards the mare in the hopes that her words would be able to calm her. It seemed to have worked at least a little as the mare had stopped shaking so violently. “W-well… thank you for your actions then. I guess.”
“Not to be rude, but don’t I have an appointment to go to?” Claire asked, remembering the reason why the maid had entered in the first place.
“Oh, yes. P-please follow me.” The maid said as she turned and walked out of the room, waiting patiently outside the door as Claire got up off of the bed she was sitting on preciously and followed her outside.
The guards on either side of the door watched her wearily as she exited and seemed uneased by her. As an attempt to ease some of their tension she casually waved at them before following the mare down the corridor.
After following the maid for five minutes, all the while admiring the beauty of the castle and receiving startled and scared looks from other ponies that she had passed, Claire asked the maid a question. “This place seems like a maze of corridors, how do you know where to go?”
“I-it is required that staff of the castle memorize its layout. It was built this way so that a guide would be required to access any part of the castle and so that civilians wouldn’t be able to disturb the staffs routine by a-accidently entering somewhere they weren’t supposed to.”
“A very interesting way to build a castle. I cannot wait to learn more about your people.” Claire said as she waved at another of the castle staff that they passed and she nearly fainted. It would have been funny in another circumstance. “I have read some of your people's culture and I have to say that impressed that your kind has been able to be in times of peace for so long.”
“T-that would be thanks to Princess Celestia. She is a wonderful ruler, kind and caring to all of her subjects. She has lead us for the past thousand years with peace and tranquility.” The maid said with honour. “Ever pony does their part to ensure that our country is happy and filled with joy.”
Claire smiled at the pony, careful to not show her canine teeth. “That is a wonderful outlook on life.” She sighed immediately after. “My people have not known peace for hundreds of years, after the collapse of the golden age. This place is very reminiscent of my first life, if a bit basic. I didn’t even think that there was anywhere so peaceful left in the universe.”
“I am sorry to hear that.” The maid said with a remorseful tone. “Maybe the princesses could help you?”
Claire sighed once again. “Maybe, but if they were to help then your kind may be put in grave danger. Our war is not something you want to be a part in.”
The conversation ended on a sad note after that and the rest of the walk to their destination was in silence. They reached a large ornate door with a symbol of the sun covering it and the maid lightly tapped on the door with her hoof.
“Enter.” Came the soft regal voice of Celestia from the other side.
The maid opened the door and gestured for Claire to enter.
Shuffling inside the room Claire observed the lunar tapering's that covering the rather large study room with bookshelves rivaling that of the ones the speaker kept. While being of a darker shade it was still a very impressive and comfortable looking room holding a feeling of the calm cool night that she was rare to encounter on earth.
Princess Celestia stood to one side of the room with another pony accompanying her.
“Hello again, Claire.” Princess Celestia said, then gestures to the pony beside her. “This is my sister Princess Luna, she will be talking to you about the changeling situation.”
Claire bowed slightly to the younger princess in greeting. “Hello Princess Luna it is nice to meet you.”
Princess Luna nods her head before replying, “A fair greeting to you as well miss Claire. I have heard about the scuffle in the throne room between you and the changelings, and I think we have some matters to discuss. Please take a seat.”
Claire glanced around briefly before taking a seat in the slightly too small chair in front of the two princesses. It still felt more comfortable than any other chair she had the pleasure of sitting in.
“Miss Claire, it is to my knowledge that you had some form of ability to sense the changelings while inside the throne room.” Princess Luna said after she and her sister also got comfortable in some of the seats opposite Claire.
“That is partially correct.” Claire said nodding. “While I did myself sense a disturbance in the room, it was a scan that my ghost was able to perform that let me know who were the changelings.”
“Your ghost?” Princess Luna asked quizzically.
“That little orb that I was telling you about sister.” Remarked Princess Celestia.
The machine in question quickly fazed into view of the room and did a little twirl. “Yes, that was all me. Wasn’t difficult to recognise what was different considering that everything else was filled with light.”
Princess Luna looked on with interest at the little machine before asking, “Would you be able to teach us how to also accomplish this task? We have had troubles with the changelings in the past and the ability to tell who is an imposter among our ponies would be invaluable.”
“Not unless you have some high power electrical equipment infused with light, programed to pick up irregularities in the neighboring space.” The ghost replied.
“Tis a shame that we don’t have such equipment then.” Luna said dourly. “No matter. We have also heard of your wish to repel the changelings in exchange for some information?”
“Yes,” Claire replied. “I am highly interested in how such a planet as yours could have come into being this far away from the traveler. I am hoping to find more information on the travelers origins and the powers of the light that was lost with the golden age. But the ability to help remove the taint of the darkness from such a light infused world is a good enough reward on its own.”
“If you can help us with removing and threat of the changelings as possible after such a scene as that which happened in the throne room, then we will be glad to share with you our knowledge.” Princess Luna said happily. “Anything as small as scanning the rest of the castle for changelings is enough for us to be able to successfully launch a counter attack.”
“You won’t have to worry about that, I already went to the liberty of that scan and I will happily remove them all, but what I really want to do is launch a strike against the darkness itself.” Claire said adjusting her sunsinger's bond. “No offence to you or your people, but I have vastly superior knowledge and equipment for the task and I will need more to do during my stay on this planet than just sitting around researching because I can do that on the return trip to my solar system.”
Both princesses seemed slightly taken aback by the request, but Princess Luna eventually responded. “If you are offering your services that far then we are happy to accept your assistance.”
Claire sat up straighter in her chair. “Anything to help remove the darkness.”
